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Rupert Giles looked around the tiny apartment that he found himself in. His own flat had been at least three times this size, and his room at home had probably been as large as the entire flat. A part of him wished that he could be back there, where it was safe and familiar. He wouldn't ever go back though, not after what his father had done. No, he was leaving all of that behind. "Thank you for letting me stay Deirdre." When he had made the decision to go, he had needed someplace. Deirdre was his only friend. He was lucky really. They hadn't seen each other, hardly at all, in 8 years. He didn't know how her life had brought her here. But she still cared enough about a boy she had grown up with, to let him come.

Deirdre smiled in response. In the many years since she had last seen Rupert Giles she had never forgotten him. He had been her first crush as well as her first real friend. "What are friends for anyway. You can stay as long as you need to. Speaking of which, I don't mean to pry, but why do you need to?"

Rupert sighed and sat down on the sofa. He and Deirdre had grown up together. They had been childhood friends. They were the same age, and both exceptionally bright, at an age when being smart was more likely to get you beaten up than respected. They had understood each other. The year he had turned 13 his father had explained his destiny to him. He'd also sent him away to a new school. For a few years he had tried to stay in touch with Deirdre, but they slowly drifted apart. There was so much of hise the that he wasn't allowed to tell her. She didn't know about the council, nor he presumed, did she realize that magic was real. He couldn't answer her question truthfully, he would have to answer in half-truths. "I've never really gotten along with Father, but while Mother was alive, I could deal with it. I can't anymore. I just had to get out. I can't live the life he wants me to. I think I would have decided to leave anyway, but we had an argument, and it forced the issue."

"Your father always was a little...I don't know, strait-laced. I can definitely understand the need to get out. I haven't seen my own parents in more than a year." Deirdre, sympathized. She had liked Rupert's mother. She had memories of her bringing them snacks. She always had a warm smile and a kind word. She had been a lovely woman. His father on the other hand had been unremittingly stern. She had never seen the man smile, and his only words seemed to be criticisms of his only child. She had never liked the man.

Rupert smiled back at his friend. He was comfortable with her, as if nothing had changed in all the years they had been apart. He was curious as to what had happened in those years though. "Thank you. If I'm going to be staying here, then perhaps you should tell me what's happened in your life over the last 5 years or so."

Deirdre was silent for a moment and Rupert thought she might not answer. "It's been strange. Dad lost his job and we moved to London, that was right about the time that we stopped writing each other. Mother worked, but Dad...well he's never found another job. I was going to go to University, do the things we'd always talked about, but Mother wasn't earning enough to keep the little ones fed. I found a job instead. I've worked a lot of places in the last couple of years. Finally found one I like. I'm a clerk at a record store, doesn't pay much, but I get my albums 1/2 price, and I like the people. About a year agohad had my own fight with the parents. I left home, got this apartment and haven't talked to them since. I still send money every month though. Cassie is only 9 and I don't want her to go without things."

Rupert wasn't quite sure what to say to that. So for a while he was just silent. He came up with responses and discarded each as sounding too much like pity. He didn't, he wouldn't ever pity Deirdre. She was strong, and smart, and beautiful, there was no reason to pity her. He did wish that her life had gone more as they had planned and less like reality though.

"Hey, didn't mean to stop the conversation there. My life's okay. Most days, I even rather enjoy it. I have a few good friends and a job I enjoy. I don't have anything to complain about. What's happened in your life?" Deirdre sounded upbeat.

"Not much. Went to Oxford. No real life with real friends. That's one of the things I'm looking to change." Giles was deliberately vague.

"Speaking of which, I was supposed to have some friends over tonight. I'll call and cancel if you like, let you get settled in." Deirdre offered, she didn't want Rupert to feel pressured to meet people.

"No, don't change your plans. Tell me about your friends."

"There's Randall, we work together. To be honest we dated for a while, but it really didn't work out. Phillip is his best friend, a little intense, but a nice enough guy. Phillip will probably bring Ethan along. Ethan is strange, we're not really friends, but lately where Phillip goes, Ethan follows, so he'll probably be here. We won't do much. We might go out tonight,'re're welcome to join us."

"Thank you Deirdre."

"And stop saying that."

For the first time in more than a week, Rupert Giles genuinely smiled. He was wanted here. He belonged here.

In the next hour or so, they put away his things; made a place for him in her small apartment. Then it was time for her guests to arrive. Deirdre had suggested that he change. He was used to being a little more formal than her crowd generally was. He went through his things and dug out seldom used jeans and a plain white t-shirt. Just as he was emerging from the bathroom, there was a knock on the door.

Deirdre opened the door and hugged the man on the other side. It was a quick hug, but spoke of history, of intimacy, and of love. She smiled at the man behind him and allowed that look to encompass the third as well. "Come on in. I have someone for you to meet."

The three men walked into the apartment. Deirdre shut the door behind them. "This is Rupert Giles, one of my oldest and dearest friends. He's going to be staying with me for a bit. Rupert, this is Randall, Phillip, and Ethan." She introduced them.

Randall was a tall lanky man. Dark hair reached nearly to his should He He gave Rupert a look that was appraising. Rupert realized, he was trying to determine just how close he and Deirdre were. After a moment he smiled and reached out to shake his hand. "Rupert, good to meet you." His voice was cheerful, Rupert had a feeling that his voice seldom held darker emotions.

Phillip was also tall and thin. He looked rather bookish actually. It was odd to think of him as the other man's best friend. There were also the remnants of power coming from him. He worked with magic. He had no real power of his own, but had borrowed from nature or others. He was a spell-caster. Rupert knew that Phillip would feel his own power. The two assessed each other, apparently deciding that they could trust, probably more for Deirdre's sake than for any real sense of security. They shook hands and nodded briefly at each other.

Rupert finally turned his attention to the third man in this entourage. Ethan, was smaller than the others and thin. His features were perfect, sculpted. His long dark hair framing his face, and drawing attention to the intense grey eyes. He was beautiful really, but more than that he was powerful. Rupert could feel the energy. It was wild and warm, very different from the cool controlled power that was within him. He realized he wanted to know more about that energy and the source of it. Ethan reached out and grasped his hand, speaking to Deirdre as he did so. "Well, Deirdre, where have you been hiding him?" Their power reacted when they touched. It was like having an electrical current course through them.

"I haven't been hiding him Ethan, he's a friend, nothing more. We've known each other since we were children." Deirdre was annoyed. Rupert had a feeling that she often reacted to this man in that way. He wondered if she knew about the magic in her living room. He was relatively certain that neither Deirdre nor Randall had ever so much as witnessed magic, but did they know that in this room there were two men with power of their own and a third who could cast. He was guessing not.

They all settled comfortably into Deirdre's small living room. There was alcohol and music, and a little later food. They talked about everything and nothing. Finally hours later, Randall asked Rupert a question. "So, what are you planning on doing here, in London I mean?"

Rupert thought for a moment. He didn't really have any firm plans yet. "I'm a musician, so among other things, I'd like to try to get into that."

"Really, we know some people you know. There are a couple of bands looking for a singer and all of them could use a decent guitarist." Randall was trying very hard to be his friend. It was very difficult not to like the man, it was also relatively difficult to feel any real respect for him. Still the offer was appreciated.

"I'd like to meet them. I sing fairly well, and I play."

A while later Phillip suggested that they all go out. Everyone seemed in agreement so they went to a small club that Deirdre had heard about earlier in the week. "The place is supposed to be really great. Live music."

The club was nice. The music was good, the alcohol was better. There was also an air of magic around the place. It was warded, of that he was certain. There were some other spells around it as well, mostly harmless fluff, meant to ensure that everyone had a good time. Deirdre was attractive, and constantly had a dance partner taking her away to the floor. Randall, found a good amount of partners himself. Ethan stayed at the table, he claimed he didn't dance, though the words sounded false to Rupert's ear. Phillip hovered around him, and Rupert realized that Deirdre hadn't been quite accurate in her assessment of these two men. Ethan may have come with Phillip, but it was Phillip who would follow wherever Ethan led. And Phillip was being summarily dismissed. Ethan had asked him to go and get drinks. The bar was full, and it would take a while. They all knew that, and more they knew that Ethan didn't really want a drink, he wanted to talk to Rupert Giles.

When Phillip was gone, Ethan turned to Rupert. "You're powerful. Are you trained?" A lot of the harshness that Rupert hadn't even realized was in the voice had faded away. The voice took on smooth cultured tones. Ethan was educated, and probably from money.

"Not as such. My mother was a seer, I got the power but not that ability. I do know the fundamentals of magic though. " Rupert answered him in the same smooth cool tones.

"Mine was from my grandmother. Skipped a generation. I've trained, I'm not really disciplined enough for it though. Still, magic is compelling. Phillip fancies himself a master, but he's just a simple caster. He doesn't have any power. That's why he wants me you know, I have the power that he craves." Ethan was matter of fact about the whole thing.

"Why do you let him follow you?" The question was academic and came out in just the dry uninterested tone that he had used in classes for years.

Ethan considered the question for a moment before answering. "It's easy to be adored. He does what I want, without ever even thinking about questioning it. It's a good feeling. I don't care about him, but we both get something out of this. Phillip is sure that one day he'll learn to access my power and I get someone who is focused on me. It's a good situation."

"Deirdre rather implied that the two of you were together. Are you or is it just the magic?" The question was delivered with the same dry academic tone as the last, but his eyes said that he cared more about this answer.

Ethan smiled, and it lit up all of his features. His tone was playful, "Why, are you interested?"

"I'm interested in the magic, as for the other, perhaps." Giles allowed his voice to deepen and resonate. He filled it with his power. It was cool and controlled, but spoke of energy that could break free at any moment. It was seductive, and a voice that hadn't failed him in the past. He may not have had friends, but he had lovers.

Ethan had never really dealt with another mage before. The cool nature of Rupert's voice sent shivers up his spine. He wasn't prepared to be effected that way. In retaliation he allowed his own power to fill his voice, giving it the texture of warm honey. "They could both be arranged. I don't belong to Phillip."

Rupert was equally unprepared for the effect that Ethan's warm voice would have on him. He could feel the energy caressing him, it quickened his pulse.

Keeping the power in his voice, but toning it down just a bit, Ethan continued, "We should meet."

"I don't even know your full name, and you expect me to share my power. Rupert tried to make his voice hard, to add the steel that he know he possessed, but that voice still held him. The words came out soft.

Ethan laughed and allowed the magic to run through that too, but when he answered his voice no longer held that warmth. "Rayne. My name is Ethan Rayne. How about tomorrow."

Rupert allowed that laugh to roll over him. Waves of warm energy, wild energy. He wanted to feel that again and again. He wanted to reach inside and find the source of that energy. He wanted to touch it and hold on to it, keep if for his own. It was seductive.

About that time, Phillip returned to the table with their drinks. He passed them around and turned a critical eye on the two men. His expression was hard, jealousy etched in his features, but he didn't speak.

"So, tomorrow?" Ethan asked the question again.

"Tomorrow. I want to see if our power can work together." Rupert was back in academic mode.

"I suppose that's all you're interested in too Ethan." Phillip was sarcastic.

"It's certainly enough, but you know me Phillip. Sex and magic just seem to go together. You're welcome to join us if you like, for the magic bits anyway." Ethan's voice had taken on that harsh edge again, and was practically dripping with disdain.

Phillip reacted to the words as he would a physical slap. He recoiled a bit. In the end though, he answered with venom. "I'll be there, I never turn down a chance to cast."

"Good then. Rupert, I'll see you tomorrow. About 3 at Deirdre's shop?"

"Make it 4, I've got to see about getting some things, if I'm going to make a life here. I'll see you then."

"Okay 4 o'clock" Ethan allowed just a touch of his power to enter his voice again. Rupert knew that he would keep this appointment, no matter what. If only to listen to that voice infused with power again.

The two of them wouldn't be alone again that night. A few hours passed and they parted ways. He went with Deirdre back to her apartment, and thought about tomorrow and that voice and the power that went with it.