A Wish Is A Dream The Heart Makes.

A.N; This chapter is out thanks to Faerys Delight, who gave me a needed kick in the arse to get me writing and was there to check I was making sense. Thanks also to anyone who has reviewed; it really does make my day to know people are liking what they read...

Interlude.


The silence in the library was all consuming after Xander left the library. They stared at the place he’d been stunned at how little they really knew about him. And that so much they had thought they knew was wrong.


“I don’t get it” Willow said tremulously. “My Xander would never be that mean…”


“Of course!” Buffy’s shrill exclamation made Giles wince. “There is no way that was Xander Harris! Xander can’t be gay!” She ignored the twin snorts from Faith and Cordelia. “He must be possessed or under a spell or something!” She turned to Willow, who looked relieved that there was an explanation to Xander’s behaviour. “Wills you need to do some research…find a spell or something to help him…You hit the books I’ll go get Xander back here, I’ll knock him out…” she started to move to track Xander even as Willow squeaked and headed to the Occult section of the library. Before they’d got more than two steps Giles pulled himself together to stop them.


“Stop right where you are. Nobody is going after Xander. He is…”


“But Giles!”


Buffy’s whine interrupted Giles and he glared at her until she shut up. “As I was saying, he is not under any spell, nor is he possessed, by anything other that an entirely justified disgust at the way his friends have been treating him.” He held up a hand to still the two girls protests. “Further I am deeply ashamed… both at the way you have acted and I’m sorry to say, at the way I let it continue for so long without intervening on his behalf. I also owe you an apology Faith,” Faith looked surprised at that so Giles elaborated. “I have not been paying an adequate amount of attention to your needs or your training. I do not know you as a Watcher should know his Slayer, and before you say anything Wesley, I am still a Watcher regardless of what that tosser Travers’ said. I have a greater experience than you and will remain in Sunnydale to help my slayers as long as they have need of me or until they ask me to leave.” He took off his glasses and started to clean them turning to address Faith again. “I have spent too much time running around and trying to get Buffy to attend to her duties, or cleaning up after her. As a result I am afraid I have sadly neglected you. I have seen you get on with your patrols and have let you be. I hope you forgive me and that I have not woken up to reality too late to gain your trust. I also hope you will allow me to redeem my actions by training you, by supporting you… as I should have been all along. And before you ask it is not due to Xander’s revelation that you are The Slayer. It is more that I should have been doing this from the moment you arrived in Sunnydale. For god’s sake I don’t even know where you reside!” Giles raised a hand to rub his temple disgusted at his lack of concern for one of his charges. Faith gave a slightly sad smile,


“Hey! No probs, G-man…We’re cool.” She shot a look at Buffy. “I know you’re busy.”


“That is hardly the point, I should have paid more attention to you. Will you forgive me and trust me to be your Watcher?” He asked, looking at her steadily, meeting her searching gaze. He looked at her steadily, meeting her searching gaze. After a moment she gave a faint nod of her head to him, before stepping up to him and holding out her hand,


“Hi, I’m Faith. I’m The Slayer. Are you my new Watcher?” Giles closed his eyes briefly in relief that he hadn’t left it too late; before accepting her hand and giving her a gentle smile in return.


“Rupert Giles and yes I am.”


“I’m happy for you both, I really am…” Cordelia cut in sharply, “But I’ve demon goo in my hair and it doesn’t go with the warm and fuzzies!”


“Yes, quite.” Giles blushed faintly, as Faith smirked at his embarrassment. “Now, where was I? Ah yes, I suggest that the pair of you take tonight to think on your treatment of Xander and all that you, we, owe him. Then I believe that tomorrow will be time for some heartfelt apologies from you both.” He looked around the greatly damaged library and sighed. “If you would all like to help me tidy the library then you can all head home. We just need to remove some of the more dubious,” he paused as he looked at a dismembered body of one of the Sisterhood before shuddering and continuing, “parts, and items…The rest will be dealt with by the maintenance crew. Oh God, this’ll mean another meeting with Herr Snyder! Faith also, if you don’t mind I’d like a word before you go?” She nodded and they all moved around the room making sure to remove what couldn‘t be explained away. Just as they were almost done there was a knock on the library door making them all freeze, before frantically looking around to check the state of the room, Giles cleared his throat before responding; gesturing for the others to arm themselves again.


“Yes, who is it? Now is not really a good time.” He hoped that would dissuade the person on the other side.


“I’m sure it isn’t, but that can’t be helped as I need to talk to you. It’s urgent. I knocked to let you know I’m here. I’m Frank by the way and I’m a Gr’Atarni demon, but I mean you all no harm. May I enter, Mr Giles?”


“What!? Good God! Yes of course, do come in. I warn you it’s a bit of a state in here we’ve just averted a minor apocalypse. Stand down everyone Gr’Atarni are harmless if you don’t attack them or their dependents. A fascinating species, made up loosely, if I recall, of thirteen clans. Fascinating.” As he said that a green, scaled and horned head peered around the door, waiting to see if he’d be attacked. When it was apparent there would be no attack the rest of the demon followed. He stood there for a moment as he studied the group and they him. After a few minutes he slowly raised his, clawed, hand and split his fingers in the Vulcan way and said grinning,


“Live long and prosper?” Cordelia snorted in laughter, and the rest of them turned to stare at her.


“What? It was funny!”


“Yes well, What was it you wanted… Frank, was it?” Giles again removed his glasses and cleaned them.


“Yep, I’m here to tell you something, about Xander Harris.” He waited for the exclamations to fade away before continuing. “Firstly, he’s fine. Well, he was when I left him earlier. He made a wish after he got home and I granted it.” He ignored the angry protests and waited for silence. “Unusually he didn’t wish for vengeance on you lot. Even though it would have been well deserved. I won’t tell you his exact wish, but I will tell you this; you lot never saw the real Xander, with the exception of the princess over there.” He pointed at Cordelia, making her smirk. “He now has a greater destiny than you lot put together, if he chooses to accept it. The kid will have changed a great deal when, or if, he comes back. He won’t be back until at least August, but that will be about five or six years for him. You should take your time to consider how you’ve treated the One Who Sees. Nobody else will notice he’s gone, save you ‘Scoobies’ I believe he calls you? You can tell the wolf-boy what‘s happened, but you can’t… or rather won’t be able to tell… or discuss it, with anyone else.” Frank turned to Giles as he finished. “There are actually seventeen clans and three of them owe the kid a life debt.” He waited for that to sink in before he continued. “Last year he heard a scuffle in an alley as he walked home, he found three vampires about to rape, then kill, my mate. He stopped them and dusted them all; then waited to see if she needed anymore help, before walking her to her destination. I am head of the L’aben Clan, and heir to the Be’jsni Clan, while she is of the T’ama Clan. That is the boy you all dismissed as useless.” He looked at them all before his form rippled and vanished leaving the occupants of the library in an uneasy silence for the second time that night.