Title: The Assistant 11/?
Author: Sweetdoggie
Email: (stirling_summer@yahoo.com)
Pairing: B/G
Rating: R
Summary: Merrick didn’t die. A/U
Spoilers: Up to mid-season 2
Disclaimer: No permission has been granted to use the characters. They are owned by their creator, Joss Whedon, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB, and Mutant Enemy. This story is non-profit and is intended solely as entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Pretty much A/U right from the start. I don’t know how many parts this will be but I’m not going to leave you hanging. The rating is me being ultra-conservative. 99% of all the sex takes place off scene. B/A fans—it never happened

Buffy bounced into the library, ponytail swinging. “Hi, Giles.” She called before noticing that there were other people in the room. Giles was standing behind the checkout desk. A handsome man in his mid-thirties stood about five feet from him, looking like he took himself very seriously indeed. Seated at the table was a dark-haired girl who looked to be about a year younger than Buffy. She seemed bored. Buffy’s gaze immediately swung to her Watcher.

“Buffy, I’d like you to meet Wesley Wyndham-Pryce and his Slayer, Faith.” He came around the counter and put his arm around Buffy’s shoulders. “This is Buffy, my Slayer and my wife.”

The younger girl got up from the table and stuck her hand out to Buffy. “Hey, B. Cool to finally meet you. I mean, like, you are The Slayer. Neat. I got called when that girl from Jamaica bought the farm.”

Buffy nodded. “Kendra.”

The stuffy looking guy came forward. “I am Wesley Wyndham-Pryce as Mr. Giles has so informed you. We are going to be stationed here in Sunnydale. I expect you to train together. Both of you girls are sorely lacking in discipline and obviously need a stern hand on the reins. I intend to be that hand.”

Buffy looked at her husband. He looked angry. “Well, Wes, good to have you on board, but I’d like to start this off right. Nobody touches my reins but Giles and Merrick. If they want me to train with Faith, that’s cool, but it’s their orders, not yours. Not ever.”

Giles felt his heart grow two sizes at her words. He smiled down at her, love radiating from his face. “She’s quite right about that Wesley. Merrick is senior here. Any decisions regarding Buffy will be his.”

The younger man sputtered. “B, but the Council…”

Merrick walked into the room and took in the situation at a glance. “Ah, Wesley. I haven’t seen you for years, my boy. How are you?” Merrick had always felt sorry for the young man standing in front of him. He was a pathetically bad fighter, frightened of pain and stuffed full of self-importance because his family had been Watchers for generations. Merrick had often thought that genetics were one of the poorer ways to pick Watchers, but it wasn’t his decision. He sighed.

“The Council has sent me to take charge of the Slayers. They have determined that your methods are slack and allow the girl too much self-direction. Mr. Travers has assured me…” He was cut off in mid sentence by a suddenly irate blond slayer.

“Travers? That’s who sent you?” She stepped forward and poked Wesley in the chest forcing him to back against the desk. “You can tell Travers that if he tries to come between me and my Watchers, I’m gonna do a Carthage on his British butt.”

Merrick and Giles tried not to grin as the younger man attempted to figure out what exactly Buffy was speaking about.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t the faintest clue as to what you might be referring.” He finally compromised.

“I’m gonna do that Roman thing. Burn his place to the ground and sow the ashes with salt. Nobody is messing with my guys. You wanna come in here and make nice with your Slayer, that’s cool. You start trying to throw your weight around and you’re gonna learn to fly, Watcher-boy.”

Faith grinned into her hand to see her pompous Watcher put in his place. He was such a bore that she could hardly stand to be around him. He never wanted her to have any fun and it was irritating. She watched him straighten and clear his throat. “I have the authority of the Council behind me.”

“That’s where it better stay too. Behind you. We don’t have much truck with the Council here.” Buffy wasn’t bending an inch on this.

Giles patted her shoulder. “Now, Wesley…”

“It’s Mr. Wyndham-Pryce. You could at least afford me that dignity.”

Buffy growled and took a step towards him.

“I’m sure that Wesley will be perfectly adequate since we’ll be working very closely together.” He quickly backpedaled.

Merrick smiled at Buffy. “Buffy, why don’t you take the new Slayer and show her the campus while we get Wesley settled in.”

Buffy nodded. “C’mon Faith. I’ll show you the wonders of Sunnydale High.” They exited the room together.

“So how did you get assigned to that wiener?” Buffy asked.

“I understand he’s got some big family history with the Council.” Faith said in disgust. “Your guys seem pretty cool.”

Buffy laughed. “I remember thinking Giles was a total dork. I was fifteen when Merrick found me and I thought he was crazy. It’s kinda bizarre when some guy comes up to you out of the blue and says you have a destiny.”

Faith grinned. “Yeah, You are the Chosen, the One girl in all the World…except I guess it’s not just one anymore.”

Buffy smiled. “It’s probably like potato chips—you know, you can’t stop with just one.” Both girls laughed and linked arms as they strolled along.

“So, you have to go to school here too?” Buffy asked the younger girl.

Faith sighed. “It’s a giant pain, but yeah. Mr. Authority Figure says.”

“Maybe he’ll loosen up a little. My guys did.” Buffy consoled her.

“How did they make you marry your Watcher?” Faith wanted to know. “There isn’t enough incentive on the planet to make me marry Wes.”

“Apparently its some funky Slayer mojo. When you hit Slayer puberty you start getting the hots for your Watcher. He has to be your first lover—I don’t know why, but that was what Merrick and Giles told me.”

“Do you believe them?” Faith asked curiously.

“Yeah. I mean one minute I’m arguing like crazy with Giles and the next minute I’m thinking I want to run my hands up his chest and rip his shirt off. It was wigsome. You start getting all this weird energy—exercise helps, but I was running thirty miles a day. I was getting thighs like Schwarzenegger.” Buffy told her with a grimace.

“So, how come you got two Watchers?” Faith wondered.

“Back in LA, when I was new to the life, there was this vamp named Lothos. He did that thrall thing with his eyes on me and I was totally helpless. He was gonna put the bite on me and Merrick tried to stake him. He took the stake and pushed it into Merrick’s chest real slow. He decided I wasn’t worthy to be killed by him yet and let me go. I got John to a hospital and he eventually recovered, sort of. He lost a lung and couldn’t do all the training stuff I needed. He sent for Rupert and basically let him take over as my Watcher. So when the bond thing formed, it went for Giles and not Merrick.”

“Don’t you think Merrick would be like, too old to be your husband?” Faith asked with a shudder. “He’s like, what? Sixty?”

Buffy shrugged. “The bond doesn’t care. I wouldn’t have cared. I know Kendra didn’t care and her guy was like eighty. When it hits you, Wes will start looking really good.”

Faith gave her a look of doubt but tossed it off. “Whatever. I guess for one of them he’s OK.”

“Them?” Buffy questioned.

“Watchers. I’ve met about half-a-dozen since they took me when I was nine. Mostly, they’re butt-heads, real rule-freaks. Your two are the loosest I’ve ever seen. Word is that they’re both rebels. Apparently Giles was like this mondo bad boy when he was in his early twenties. And I’ve heard that Merrick was a real ladies’ man.” Faith looked at Buffy. “I guess I could believe that last part. He is kind of good looking for an old guy.”

Buffy smiled. “He’s totally cool. I’d do anything for him. Even my mom likes him.” Her look turned serious. “So they just took you away from your family?”

Faith grunted. “They do that. They use magic if they have to. Sometimes they kidnap the girls and sometimes the parents just give them up. I was raised by this female Watcher. She was important to me, but we weren’t like friends or anything. Slayers normally aren’t allowed to form close relationships with anybody but their field Watcher—that’s what they call the guys we have. She got dusted by a real bad vamp.”

Buffy turned to her. “I’m sorry, Faith. That had to suck.”

“Yeah. It did, but the whole deal does, being a Slayer, I mean. Why single out one piece as any worse than anything else? Don’t get me wrong. I love being the Slayer. The power, the strength, the speed, yeah, not hating that. It’s the life span that gets to me if I let myself think about it. I get kinda scared.” Faith confided.

“I know. My mom asked me once how I could stand it. I told her you just try not to think about it. Make every second count. That’s one reason I kinda hate school so much. It’s such a waste of time. Not like I’m going to need any of this stuff. Even if I live to be really old, like twenty-two, I mean what’s the point. I’m already married to a great guy. I won’t get to have kids ‘cause they make bonded Watchers get clipped and even if I did, I wouldn’t live to see my baby be able to walk. I wouldn’t get to see her first tooth or her first step—nah, it’s better this way.” Buffy said quietly.

“I didn’t know they did that to Watchers. Do you think Wesley is shooting blanks?” Faith asked her.

“Eeeeuw! I so don’t want to know! I guess if they expect you to bond, he’d have it done.” She shuddered. “Way to creep me out!” She looked around to make sure they were alone. “Do you think he’s ever, you know, done it?”

Faith shook her head. “I can’t imagine it. I mean, first there would have to be somebody who wanted to do it with him. What are the odds of actually finding anybody willing?”

Buffy shook her head. “I dunno. I guess if you put him in normal clothes and got him off the hair grease he might look OK. I mean, he’s not totally hideous and he looks clean.” She pursed her lips in thought. “Why don’t we make fixing him up a project. Get him some decent clothes, loose the hair goop. He might be OK.”

Faith nodded. “Worth a try, I guess. He’s going to keep trying to give us orders, you know.”

“I don’t care about that.” Buffy explained. “Merrick is senior, then Giles. Wesley is just like the third backup copy in case something goes wrong.”

They headed back to the library.

Wesley stood his ground, at least momentarily. “I can assure that the Council has sent me to take charge of the girls. Buffy’s failure to bond with her Watcher and his subsequent failure to administer the Cruciamentum is grounds enough for Mr. Merrick to be removed from the field, however, Mr. Travers, bowing to Mr. Merrick’s years of experience decided that he would allow him to remain in contact with the Slayer, especially considering that this is the Hellmouth. Mr. Giles’ bonding with the Slayer is not accepted as valid by the Council at this time.”

Ripper stepped forward, a very frightening smile on his face. “So, little Wesley, you think your going to bond with my Slayer?” Giles pushed the terrified man back against the counter. “You think your going to bond with my wife?”

Wesley gulped. This was not going well at all. Travers had told him to expect some resistance to the idea but to stand firm. Well, he might be unseasoned, but he wasn’t a total fool. Anyone who came between this man and his Slayer were as good as dead. “No, no of course not, Mr. Giles. Why, anyone can see that her bond is true. I’m sure Mr. Travers merely did not perceive the situation correctly. I wouldn’t dream of interfering with you or your Slayer. No, not at all.”

Ripper didn’t back down. He felt like killing something and this little ponce was irritating him. His hands went out and wrapped around the younger man’s throat. “I’ll kill anyone that tries to come between me and Buffy. Then I’ll bring them back and do it again. You know I can do that, don’t you, young Wesley? I’m sure the stories of Ripper have gone round the Council a time or two. You know who’s mark I wear, don’t you?” He shook the man when he got no answer. “Don’t you?”

“Ey, Ey, Eyghon the Defiler.” Wesley gulped.

“Good. How would you like to meet him, personally, I mean?” Ripper gazed into the terrified brown eyes in front of him.

“No, no. Please. You can have both Slayers. I won’t protest. I wont say anything. I promise. Please. Don’t call it. Please.” He was crying now.

Merrick thought the point had been made. “You know, Rupert, our Wesley might come quite in handy. We can use him as a liaison between us and the Council with Travers being none the wiser. Why don’t you let him go now?”

Ripper sighed and protested like a child deprived of a favorite toy. “But I want to kill him, John. Please? Just this once?”

Merrick put his hand on Rupert’s shoulder. “Not now. If he betrays us, then I don’t see why Ripper can’t have him. His life is dependent on his good behavior.” He looked at the younger Watcher. “You understand that, don’t you Wesley? We won’t interfere between you and your Slayer, but you will leave Buffy alone. Do you understand that?”

Since by this time, such generosity was rather more than Wesley was expecting he felt a fierce surge of gratitude. “I just want to be a good Watcher to her. I haven’t a clue as to what I should do. Can you help me, Merrick?”

“We’ll both help you Wesley. I’m sure that Buffy will even take you under her wing. You and Faith are more than welcome here. In fact, we have several spare rooms in our home, if you would care to live with us? It might be good for the girls to get to know each other better.”

“B, but Ripper? Eyghon?” The still terrified man stuttered out.

“Never come between a bonded Watcher and his Slayer. Travers obviously sent you here to test the water. He didn’t care if it got you killed. Let’s thwart the stupid bastard’s plans. Move in with us, you and Faith.”

The younger man looked fearfully at Giles who was still struggling with Ripper-like tendencies. Merrick followed his glance. “Rupert won’t hurt you if you leave Buffy alone.”

Wesley came to a decision. “Thank you, Mr. Merrick. Thank you so much! I would be happy to live with you and your Slayer, and Mr. Giles, of course.” He gulped hoping that he hadn’t said anything amiss.

By this time, Rupert had himself under control and Ripper was merely a memory again. He stepped forward and patted the younger man on the shoulder ignoring his flinch. “Good show, Wes. But you must call us Rupert and John. We’ll get you moved in this afternoon.”

Just then the library doors opened and Buffy and Faith entered the room. Buffy immediately detected the aura of disquiet that pervaded the room. She looked at the three men who all looked as though butter wouldn’t melt in their mouths. John spoke before she could say anything. “Buffy, I’ve invited Wesley and Faith to move into our spare rooms, if you don’t mind. At least until they get the feel for living on the Hellmouth.”

Buffy gave Faith a high five and they grinned at each other. “Great! Another girl! This is going to be great, Faith. Wait till you meet the others. They’re great friends.” Buffy looked fondly at her Watchers. “Hey! I wonder if we should have a celebratory dinner tonight? I could invite the guys and my mom. It would be fun.”

Rupert looked at her indulgently. “And what would we be celebrating, love?”

She smiled at him happily. “Well, how about, a new Slayer sis, a new book buddy for you guys, confusion to the Hellmouth and the fact that it’s Friday?” She walked to her husband and was pulled into a deep kiss. She patted his face as he pulled back an inch to look into her eyes. “Love you, Rupert.”

“Love you, Buffy.” He replied.

Faith watched the pair with confusion and some envy on her face. She looked at her Watcher speculatively. ‘Yeah,’ she thought, ‘there are possibilities.’

The Scoobies were happy to come to dinner, Willow brought Oz and Xander forced Cordelia to make an appearance. Joyce brought a casserole to help stretch the food. She had fed this group before and knew that they all ate like wolves and never gained an ounce. She supposed that guarding the Hellmouth was better than aerobics for weight loss.

Buffy made a salad, while Giles made hamburgers and hotdogs, Merrick opened a giant can of baked beans and heated it. Xander had brought four large bags of chips and Willow brought homemade cookies. Oz had purchased a giant container of potato salad and Cordelia had made her famous dip. It was a great dinner. The gang was introduced and the two new Scoobies were readily accepted. Wesley felt very odd. On one hand, his life and immortal soul had been in very great jeopardy today, on the other hand, he now felt as if he were part of a group, something that was a decidedly new experience for him. These people didn’t judge him. He wasn’t found wanting as he had been his entire life. They acted as if he could contribute to their fight against evil. He felt rather good about being here suddenly.

Acceptance was a new thing for Faith as well. Her parents had never wanted her. They’d acted as if she were a burden all her life. She had been happy to go with the Watchers, but even there, she wasn’t accepted. They had tried to mold her into something that she wasn’t and could never be. It hurt her and made her act as if she couldn’t care less, but she did. When they had given her to Wesley, she had thought he might be a friend, but he had turned out to be like the rest of them and she had dismissed him in her mind. Buffy’s shared information about the bond had made her take a second look at him. She gazed around the table at this diverse mix of people, none of whom seemed to hate her. It was odd. She was included in the jokes and the teasing; practically force fed by Joyce who seemed to want to mother her, flirted with by Xander and accepted by the rest. It felt good.

“Want another dog, Faith?” Buffy asked.

“No, thanks, I’m practically barking now.” Faith answered with a grin.

“You want to patrol or settle in tonight?” Buffy asked.

“Let’s patrol. I need to work off that dinner.” Faith grabbed her stake and was ready.

“Be careful, Faith.” Wesley admonished her. “This is a Hellmouth and I suspect neither of us have ever come up against something this bad before.”

She smiled shyly at him. “OK, Wes. I’ll be careful.”

She and Buffy patrolled for about an hour and a half. Buffy showed her several hot spots of vampiric activity, including the Bronze.

“I like this place, B. It has possibilities.” Faith told her after listening to the live band.

“Yeah, not bad, but it’s a total vamporama here.” Buffy tipped her chin at a vampire dancing to the music with a human girl. “Do you want to take him or should I?”

“Oh, let me! I haven’t had a good kill in a couple of days.” Faith begged.

They waited until the vampire took the human girl to the back alley and smacked him around until Faith finally staked him. They grinned at each other and told the terrified girl to be more careful with her dates next time. She nodded like her head was on a string and quickly went back inside the club.

They were walking through the cemetery when they felt the twinge that signaled the presence of a vampire. They stood back to back and looked around. Buffy spotted the white face coming towards them through the tombstones and signaled Faith.

“Angel.” Buffy said tonelessly.

Faith looked at her. “You know this vamp?”

“Yeah. He knocked me out and cast a spell on me to erase my memory last year. Stole me from my home and my family and made me think my life was working as a waitress in a crappy restaurant. He took me two days before my wedding to Giles. It took nearly two months to get my life and memories back.”

The handsome vampire stayed back about ten feet. “Uh, Hello Buffy.”

“Hello, Buffy! That’s all you have to say for yourself you kidnapping bastard!” Buffy was incensed.

“Now, love, you have to understand! I was desperate. I love you so much and you were just going to marry that old man without giving me a chance. I know what I did was wrong, but you wouldn’t listen to me and I couldn’t think of any other way.” He tried to sound reasonable.

Buffy felt sure that steam was coming from her ears. “Oh, I’d stake you now myself, but I know how badly Rupert wants to do you. When he finds out your back in town there’s going to be fireworks.”

“Buffy, I just want to be your friend. I realize that you don’t love me, but I need to be with you, to help you. I just want things to go back to the way they were before. I can accept Rupert as your husband if you’ll just let me be in your life. Let me serve you, Buffy.”

“Get out, Angel. Get out of my town. You were our friend and you betrayed us. It wasn’t an accident or something unpreventable; it was deliberate, cruel treachery. No more, no less. You didn’t give a damn that the man I loved would be out of his mind with worry for me or that my mom spent two months crying for me, or that the Hellmouth was unguarded. All you wanted was what you wanted and to Hell with everybody else. Now all I want is for you to be gone.” She refused to turn her back on the monster but watched as he backed slowly away from her, tears in his big puppy dog eyes.

“Wow. I’m guessing I missed a few chapters in your life, Buff.” Faith said in admiration.

Buffy just growled. “We have to get home. Giles and Merrick need to know about this.”

They made record time getting home and burst into the house as if the devil himself was on their tails. Giles and Merrick both ran to the front room as they heard the door slam back. Buffy ran straight to Giles. Wesley had followed them into the living room and looked curiously at Faith. She shrugged her shoulders. He would find out soon enough.

“He’s back. Angel. He’s back. He says he’s sorry. I didn’t stake him just in case you wanted to do it. He says he wants to go back to like it was before. I told him to get out of town. Do you want to saddle up and go hunting? I so want to see you dust him, honey.”

Giles could barely take in what she was saying in the verbal barrage she threw at him. “Wait. Did you say Angel is back?”

“Yeah and he wants to help us some more.” Buffy sneered.

Merrick stepped forward. “I’d certainly like to be included in this little party. Do you know where he’s staying?”

“No.” Buffy sighed in disappointment. “I didn’t think to ask. But, hey! Sunnydale isn’t that big. We’ll find him, dust him and bag up the remains for a souvenir.”

Wesley and Faith looked on in some confusion. “What’s the story here, if you don’t mind my asking? Wesley said curiously.

Merrick told the story of the previous summer. The listeners were enthralled. “I say, rather odd to have a vampire in love with a Slayer, isn’t it? Have you checked for any prophecies concerning this event?”

His words were met with a stunned silence. Neither Giles nor Merrick could believe they had overlooked such an obvious source of information. They looked very embarrassed. “Er, probably nothing in that.” Giles said with a slight mumble.

“No, I doubt very much…” Merrick began. “Still, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look.”

Buffy sighed heartily and threw herself down on the couch. She looked at Faith. “You might as well sit down. They’re gonna do that book thing for hours and hours now. Want something to eat?”

The two girls wandered into the kitchen and prepared enough snacks to keep them out of trouble. “So the vamp actually loves you? That is so weird!”

“Yeah. And I know he’s cute and everything, but how romantic can I feel when I get cramps every time he gets within ten feet of me?” Buffy grimaced.

Faith leaned forward. “If he’d been human, would you have, you know, done it with him?”

Buffy tipped her chair back on the rear legs. “I don’t know. I mean, there was Giles. He’s always been there. And if it hadn’t been Giles, Merrick was there first. Back before I was Called, I dated some, well, a lot. I never really felt like I needed to go all the way, though. There was this guy named Pike, just after Merrick found me. He was kinda cute and a couple of years older than me. He wanted to, the night I burned down the gym. After we killed all the vamps, I mean. But it just didn’t feel right. It was like, yeah, I could have done it, but what was the point?”

“What happened to him?”

“Oh, I had to spend lots of time with Merrick while he was in the hospital and Pike wanted to leave LA. It just wasn’t meant to be. That’s OK, though. He was a good guy, but just not the one for me.”

“Wow. You know, you’ve really led an interesting life. I thought I’d had some adventures since I was Called, but I’m like, I dunno, Preppy girl compared to you.” Faith grinned unrepentantly.

“Hey! I’m not Preppy! God, does anybody even use that word anymore? It’s just so, so young Republican.”

The girls were laughing when Giles wandered into the kitchen to make a pot of tea. He smiled at Buffy and dropped an absent kiss on her head. “What’s so funny, love?”

Buffy looked up at him softly. “Just talking about boys, Giles. Nothing you’d be interested in.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her upright against him. “You don’t need boys, my heart. Not when you have a man available.” He nipped at her neck.

Faith’s eyes were as big as saucers as she watched this light love play. She’d never seen anything so…appealing. If she bonded with Wesley would he be like this? There was love here, but playfulness too. It looked fun.

The research went on for another three hours till Buffy finally said she was going to bed. She looked at Merrick. He looked so tired and worn that she went up to him and hugged him. “You need to rest more, Merrick. I can’t stand to see you look so tired. Promise me?”

He gazed up into her blue eyes. In his own way, he was every bit as soft as Rupert was with the girl. He sighed. “Oh, all right.” He smiled as she kissed his cheek and brushed his hair back from his face.

“I love you, Merrick. If anything happened to you a part of me that I really can’t spare would be gone. It would hurt me so bad, I’d never feel right again. Please take better care of yourself.”

He hugged her. He couldn’t help himself. Smiling, he slapped her butt softly. “Off to bed with you, miss. I’m not the only one here who needs to rest more.”

She pouted prettily, but giggled when he stepped after her threatening another fanny slap. She ran upstairs and they heard the shower come on in the master bathroom.

Merrick gazed fondly up the stairs, not noticing the grin on Giles face or the wonder on Wesley and Faith’s.

Giles and Wesley went to lock up the house leaving Faith alone with the older Watcher. She looked at him speculatively for a moment before speaking.

“You guys really care for each other, don’t you? I just have such a hard time with that idea. The Watcher that raised me wasn’t mean or anything, but I was just a job for her. Something she did as good as she could, but didn’t really have any feelings for, you know?” She looked down at her shoe for inspiration before meeting his eyes again. “Do you think Wesley is ever going to have feelings like that for me?”

Merrick came and sat next to her on the couch. “Wes is a very young man, younger in many ways, than his physical years would indicate. He comes from a family of people just like your first Watcher. Cold, efficient, dedicated to duty. They don’t understand love, affection, caring, or any of the softer emotions, believing that it’s a weakness to have feelings. Wes is different. He was tormented as a child because he did have them. His father, a total bastard by the way, punished him regularly for showing his emotions. Never think he doesn’t have them, however. It’s going to take a special girl to bring out those feelings in him and to make sure he knows that it’s OK to share them. I think you could easily be that girl, Faith, if you try.”

She played with the hem of her shirt. “It’s not like I have a lot of experience with that sort of thing myself, Merrick. I don’t know what to do.” She looked up again shyly. “Could you help me?”

Merrick smiled. “I would be delighted to help you, child.”

She looked hesitant and felt odd asking but persevered anyway. “Would it be OK if I gave you a hug? Just a little one, I mean. For practice? I’ve never hugged anybody before and it looks…nice.”

He felt like his heart was breaking for the child in front of him. He damned the Watcher’s Council for the way they raised these girls. They should be surrounded by love and affection. Hugs should be their right, not something they had to beg an old man for. He pulled her into his strong arms and rocked her against him. Her arms slipped around his waist and she buried her face in his chest as he held her. When they finally pulled apart, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

“I was right. It was nice.” She jumped up and ran to her room with a smile on her face.

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