Magic 14

When they got back inside everyone tried to act very nonchalantly as if nothing unusual had happened. Spike just grinned. He didn't join them at the table, but rather leaned against the counter lighting up a cigarette. He listened to them all speak as he flicked his ashes into the sink.

Mike glanced up at Spike every now and then. Spike was the only part of his plan that he wasn't thrilled about. But it was pretty clear that where Giles went, Spike went, so Mike would just deal with that. He watched as Giles sat down next to Willow and reached for her hand, squeezing it while he gave her a smile. She smiled back. He waited until they all got settled. "Giles?"

Giles looked up at Mike. "Hmm?"

"We..." He gestured to all the guards. "...have a proposition to make." Giles just waited. Mike spoke again. "You know that Jensen will want to start using you soon?"

Giles shot a glance at Spike. "Yes, in fact Spike and I were just talking about that."

Mike glanced up at Spike and pursed his lips. He looked back at Giles. "You'll probably be working with security teams when you go in to remove demons. You'll need a team to check things out, and make contacts, and arrange equipment." He looked up to see Giles quietly watching him. He continued. "So, we were thinking that we'd like to be the team that works with you. That way you'd have a set team instead of having to work with new people every time. We've all talked about it and assuming it's okay with Jensen and with you we'd like to volunteer."

Spike took a drag off his cigarette and rolled his eyes. "Yes, and we all know how eager Jensen has been to meet all of Giles' demands."

Mike's lips tightened. "This is different, Giles will need a team."

Spike started to look annoyed. "He has a team."

Mike felt a little nervous. "Right, I know. We want to be the team that assists him and his 'team'. You and Willow."

Now that he knew Mike was clear Spike just shrugged and took another drag off his cigarette blowing out the smoke in Mike's direction.

Mike waved the smoke away glaring at Spike and Spike just grinned. Mike looked at Giles. "What do you think?"

Giles was initially too stunned to answer. This time Willow squeezed his hand. He looked down at her and smiled. He looked at Mike and the rest of the guards. "I'm honored. I never expected..." He scrunched his face up and shook his head. "I can't believe that Jensen would allow this."

Mike waved his hand. "Don't worry about Jensen." He seemed very sure of himself.

Spike snorted. "Well then, as long as we're dreaming, how about asking for a helicopter and a pilot to fly it."

Todd got a gleam in his eye. "I can fly a helicopter, I can fly anything."

Spike rolled his eyes again. He threw his cigarette butt in the sink. "Wonderful."

Willow was starting to get excited. "Maybe we could have a plane, you know, our own plane that takes us wherever we need to go so we don't have to worry about reservations or passports or sunlight." She was worried about Spike.

Spike walked to the refrigerator and got himself a beer. "Willow, don't stop there, let's have Jensen get us all diplomatic immunity. I'm sure he can arrange that." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Willow just stared at Spike as if he was a genius. "That's perfect." She kept thinking and then she looked up and was practically bouncing in her seat. "Oh, oh, and he can put a big computer system in it so we can do our research there and set up a library that can travel with us." She thought for another minute. "And I think he should pay us, me and Spike."

Mike had to bite his lips at that one to keep from barking out a laugh. This had gotten a tad out of hand. He knew Jensen would be shitting a brick at that particular demand, in fact probably most of them. He didn't really care which demands Jensen met as long as they ended up being assigned to Giles. That's all they cared about. All six of them, they were very clear on that.

Giles just watched them in amazement. He was gratified that the guards wanted to stay with him. He was warmed by their loyalty. He listened to all their ideas, intrigued but skeptical. He remembered Jensen's threats and he didn't feel free of them. As he looked around the room he felt more trapped by the threats than ever. More people to love, more people to lose. He looked at Mike. "Why would Jensen do any of this for me?"

Mike hesitated. He hoped he wouldn't get fired for this. "Because I've seen what you can do, and he needs you. Jensen may be a horse's ass, but he cares about this world. He'd do anything to keep it safe. And that means keeping you happy."

Giles didn't necessarily believe that but he felt the hope rise in him and as much as he tried to quell it, it was like a cork in water and no matter how hard he pushed it down it kept rising back to the surface. He just sat there listening to them all trying to ignore the hope and worry that warred within him.


Jensen flicked the monitor off in disgust after Mike's last comment. He shook his head. He was going to have to speak to his sister about her oldest son. There was only so much crap an uncle should have to take from a nephew. He shook his head again and reached for his phone.


It was the next day when they got the call. It was the first time a phone had rung since they had been there and it startled everyone. It was Mike's phone. Mike answered it and listened. His face tightened for a moment, he nodded and disconnected. He looked at Giles. "Jensen's on his way." Giles felt a flicker of fear run through him. He rose and went to the window.

They all sat there waiting. They saw a limousine drive up but no one got out. Then they heard the helicopter. They all walked outside and held their hands up to protect their faces from the wind and dust raised by the helicopter blades. The blades slowly came to a stop. Jensen stepped out holding an envelope and a small bag. He reached up to the pilot and the pilot handed him something. The guards all snapped to attention.

Giles stood there slightly in front of Willow, ready to use his magic if he needed to protect her, to protect them all. Jensen saw the look in his eyes and remembered how dangerous Giles could be. He silently took a deep breath and walked over to him. He stood in front of Giles. "Mr. Giles."

Giles just waited. Jensen gestured to the helicopter. "Here's your helicopter." He turned briefly and catching Todd's eyes he threw the keys to him. Todd caught them, fighting to keep the delight off his face. Jensen turned back to Giles. Giles tried to recover quickly but Jensen saw the look of shock in his eyes and smiled inwardly to himself, enjoying the victory, small as it was. He continued. "Your plane is waiting for you." He turned back to Todd. "The coordinates are loaded in the GPS system." Todd nodded.

Jensen opened the bag he'd been holding. He pulled out a pager and a cell phone and handed them to Giles. Giles looked at them distastefully but he took them. Jensen handed him the books to go with them and the bag with assorted chargers and cables. "Learn how to use these." Giles held the books and the equipment in his hands, still staggered by the turn of events.

Jensen walked over to Mike. He shook his head and tried to restrain himself but couldn't. He cuffed him on the side of the head. Giles stepped forward to intervene until he saw that Mike was trying hard not to laugh even as he grabbed the side of his head.

"Ow." His eyes widened. "Sir."

Jensen just glared at him. Then he spoke. "You have new orders. You and your team will be assigned to assist Mr. Giles and his..." He looked at Willow. "...team." He handed Mike a large manila envelope. He turned back to Giles. "Assuming that meets with your satisfaction." He waited still enjoying the look on Giles' face. Giles just nodded, feeling incapable of speech. Jensen spoke again. "Any questions?" Giles held his hands out in front of him, still full of paraphernalia, as if to intimate that he wouldn't even know where to begin. And then looking at Jensen, he just smiled.

Jensen graced him with a small smile and a nod. He gestured to the pilot and the pilot stepped out of the helicopter. They both got into the limousine. As the limousine turned and headed down the drive, Jensen looked back at the eight of them. He frowned; the whole bloody thing was costing the Council a fortune. He was determined that it would be money well spent. He would make sure it was, very sure. But he had drawn the line at paying Willow Rosenberg and the vampire a salary. He wanted to see them in action first, then he'd determine what they were worth, if anything at all. He turned around again and picking up a phone, began to check his messages.

Behind him Mike let out a whoop. Giles turned around to look at him, the smile still on his face. Willow let out a shriek and wrapped her arms around Giles hugging him tight enough to make him grunt. He handed all the electronic gizmos to her.

Mike opened the envelope. He quickly scanned the pages. He looked up at Giles. "We have..." He looked at his watch. "...10 days before we need to report." He looked at Giles. "I guess that means you too."

Willow just looked up at Giles, rewrapping her arms around him. "Let's go home."

Giles looked down at her and couldn't have agreed more. He ran his hand down her face and nodded. "Let's go home."

She grinned. "I have to call Xander." Giles grinned back. She borrowed a phone and found a quiet spot to call. Giles spoke to Mike for a minute and then went in to tell Spike the news. They would leave after dark.

Willow waited impatiently for Xander to answer. He finally did. "Hello?"

"Xander. It's Willow."

"Willow!" He paused. "You sound happy. Is everything okay?"

She giggled. "Everything's wonderful." Xander breathed out a sigh of relief. Willow spoke again. "Did Anya have the babies?"

Xander spoke proudly. "Yes, and I have the bruises to prove it."

She sighed. "Everything went okay? Anya's fine?"

"Everyone's fine. Anya's decided she's never having sex with me again so she won't get pregnant and have to do that again. But other than that, everything's fine."

Willow giggled again. Xander spoke again. "The babies want to see you."

Willow smiled. "I'll see them soon."

"Will you really?"

"Yes, in a couple of days."

"For real?"

"For real."

"Giles too?"

"Giles too. Even Spike."

"You were doing so well up to that point." He didn't really care. He'd be glad to see Spike if it meant he'd get to see Willow and Giles too. His joy was sharp within his chest and Xander took a deep breath to try and relieve it. "When will you be here?

"I'm not sure." At Xander's indrawn breath she hurried to clarify. "No, nothing like that. I'm just not sure about time zones and connections and all that stuff but it should be soon." She bit her bottom lip. "Xander, I have so much to tell you, I can't wait to see you."

"Just tell me it's happy news. It is, isn't it?" He was still feeling a little gun shy. She just laughed and the sound of it reassured him. "So, what's with the Giles weirdness?"

She sighed. "Oh Xander."

"Is that a happy oh Xander?"

"Yes." There was silence. "Are you okay with that?"

He grunted. "Well, mostly. But if you're coming home it means I have to tell Anya and she might hurt me." He thought for a minute. "Could you act gay when you get home? Would you mind?"

Willow giggled again. "I can't believe you're a dad."

Xander snorted. "Me either." Then he sighed. "Willow, it's the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. When I held them..." He stopped talking.

She heard the tremor in his voice and her eyes filled up in response to his emotion. She pushed past the lump in her throat. "They are so lucky to have you. You'll be the best dad."

"Get home soon, Will, I miss you."

Willow looked up as Giles walked in. He asked for the phone. She nodded and spoke one last time. "Xander, Giles wants to talk with you." She handed the phone to Giles.

"Xander?"

"Giles! Willow says you're both coming home."

"Yes, we should be there tomorrow."

"Are you sure you can't leave Spike there?"

Giles chuckled softly. "No, no, I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Can I stake him yet?"

"No, I'm afraid you can't do that either."

Giles smiled at Xander's sigh and looked down at Willow. "I understand I owe you some thanks."

"Yeah? What for?"

"For advising Willow to actually talk to me."

"Ah, that. Well, it's worked for me in the past. Well, actually that's not true. In fact it usually resulted in me getting laughed at and generally ridiculed but seeing as it wasn't me this time I took a chance."

Giles chuckled again. "Willow's tugging on me and saying something about babies. I assume the babies have made their appearance?"

"Yup. Now I fearfully walk through the valley of fatherhood."

"Xander, I believe you will be an excellent father."

Xander swallowed hard. "Thanks Giles." He paused. "I notice you didn't say anything about Anya being a good mom."

"I'm sure she will be. At any rate it will be interesting to watch."

Xander barked out a laugh. "Well, life with Anya has always been interesting." He paused. "Will you really be home tomorrow?"

Giles smiled. "Yes."

"Do you want me to come pick you up?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I believe all our travel arrangements are being taken care of."

"But you'll come over as soon as you get in town?"

"It's the first thing we'll do. It will be good to see you."

"Same here big guy. Same here."

As Xander hung up he smiled. He couldn't wait to go to the Magic Shop tomorrow and tell the watcher that Giles was coming home. He laughed out loud at the thought. He looked down at his children. He wiggled his son's toe. "Yes, your Uncle Giles and Auntie Willow are coming home tomorrow. Yes they are." He leaned back and wiped a tear off his face. "Yes they are."

The End

August 30, 2001



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