Title: Fatal Strike pt. 3
Authors: Ew and Savage
Pairing: B/G
Rating: R
Dedication: Wenchie you just rock ;-) Gail, Gabi,
Jac, Tag, Milkie, Tori, Donna, Dee, Morr, Katie and all
the other YIM chat buddies. Thank you for all your support
all the time;-) And Milkie, thanks for the beta ;-)
Alex groaned as he woke and tentatively touched his head, wincing in pain as he found the lump that the demon had left. He glanced around, and jumped as a nurse opened the door to check on him.
"Oh good, you're awake again Mr Giles. You gave us quite a scare."
"How. why...What happened? Where's Rupert?" Alex was confused, and lay back as his head began to pound.
"Just relax Mr Giles, you've had a nasty bump to the head. You've been drifting in and out of consciousness. Mr Giles - Rupert - will be back for visiting hours soon. You will be able to see him then."
Alex frowned, and lay back in the bed before bolting up right, "Oh my God! The book!"
"Oh yes," the nurse said. "Mr Giles told me to tell you that you weren't to worry yourself about the book."
Alex sighed and allowed his eyes to close, and lay back allowing the painkillers to do their work.
**
Tara sighed, "What am I going to tell Will? She's going to notice how well Alex and I know each other. I can't tell her the truth - as much as I would like to."
"Is this like the Slayer deal is meant to be then? A secret?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, we can't tell anyone. Actually, there's a spell. You can try and tell someone about the Ophidian, but you won't be able to. You end up talking about something completely different."
"Oh?" Giles became even more interested.
"Yeah, that's why it's remained a secret so long. The stuff fairy tales are made of. Only one person remains immune."
"Ahh Tara, then how are you telling us about it now?" Buffy asked, puzzled.
"You're different - you're destiny lies with the Ophidian. That's how Alex was able to recruit me. Hmm, maybe that's what I can tell Will; how Alex used to work in the old 2nd hand book store around the corner from me." Tara smiled, "Actually, he was a pretty good friend back then gave me somewhere to go and escape from the world for a while."
"Alex worked in a book store?" Giles asked momentarily stunned.
Tara nodded, "That's how we met. He used to let me sit down and read in there all I wanted. They had a wonderful occult section, although it was strange. I saw someone come in once and ask Alex where the occult books were, but he told them they didn't carry those sorts of books. I was sitting reading one of the heavier occult books at the time. It was after that he started talking to me about the Ophidian."
"Although she's going to be a bit suspicious, as I told her I just saw a strange man laying across the back seat of your car and wondered what was wrong."
"There you go Tara, strange man you know well. You were just worried Will would take it the wrong way, right?" Buffy pounced on the idea.
Giles turned away from the window, and strode toward the door saying "Well you better make up your mind quick because Willow's back with the pizza."
Willow placed the pizza boxes on the table and then turned to Tara, "Okay, I 'm back and there's food. Now talk."
Tara smiled, "Do you mind if I eat first? I'm starving."
Willow frowned, "Okay. But then we're talking yes?"
"Yes." Tara nodded.
They spent the next few minutes eating quietly. Tara's mind was racing, she wasn't sure if telling Willow at least part of the truth was the best idea.
Giles looked at the clock, "Oh, I have to go it's almost visiting hours."
"I'll go with you." Buffy stood up and went to wash her hands.
"We should go too, sweetie, we can talk on the walk back to the dorms." Tara said.
"You girls don't want a lift?" Giles questioned quietly, noting Tara's deep sigh.
"No, I think we need the walk back to talk. Thank you anyway." She stood and walked towards the door. "I hope Alex is feeling better, tell him I said hi and I'll be around to see him when he's feeling a bit better."
Willow started, "You know him?"
"I'll tell you on the way back." The two girls headed back to campus talking quietly.
"Wow, Giles. The Ophidian. It sounds like pretty heavy stuff." Buffy looked up into his intensely worried green eyes.
"It is. I can't believe they are real. I was told stories about them when I a child." Giles shuddered. "The things they are said to have done are unbelievable."
"More unbelievable than a pocket sized Slayer?" Buffy queried.
Giles chuckled, "Yes, believe it or not. I was raised knowing there was a chance I would become a Watcher of one girl in all the world."
"Blah Blah Woof Woof." Buffy replied.
"Pardon?"
"Sorry, pop culture reference. They never should have cancelled that show! Dark Angel was a great escape from real life. But they never should have ended it that way. Max and Logan were meant to be together." Buffy finally finished her tirade and began to look a little sheepish. "Err, sorry, Giles. I just got a little attached to that TV show."
"Yes, well. Let's go, Alex will be wondering what happened to us." Giles said holding the door open for her.
"But what about the..." Buffy trailed off.
"Oh that is well taken care of." Giles replied, knowing the book was in a very safe place.
TBC...
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