FORAY-PART 11
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CHAPTER 42
Willow awoke with a jerk, her heart pounding, as she looked around her room trying to get her bearings.
"Rupert?" she whispered.
She had to see him.
She had to talk to him. She had so many things she wanted to tell him.
She glanced at the clock by her bed.
The numbers glowed red, it was 5 o'clock in the morning.
She wasn't sure why she had woken up this early. It wasn't as if she had set her alarm.
She leaned back into her pillows, pulling the blanket back up.
"I love you Rupert... no matter how far you go. I still love you," she said outloud. "I can't help it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't help it," he said outloud.
Giles had been up for over an hour, going around his apartment, like a man possessed. He struggled to keep his mind solely on his impending trip and not on an certain angel, who was most likely never going to speak to him again.
"I can't help it... I love her so," he whispered to himself.
Having a cup of tea in the living room, Giles waited for his ride.
Before he knew it, there was a knock on his door. Miss Foster was on his doorstep, looking around, a crucifix hanging around her neck.
"Hello and good morning, Mr. Giles. Are you ready to go? Is there anything I can help you with? she asked, with a smile on her face.
"Umm... yes... I'm quite ready to leave. I do have a few bags," he gestured behind him to the three bags by his couch.
"Okay, why don't you head to the car? I'll get them for you..."
"Um... no, I can handle at least one of them, Miss Foster," he said.
"All right," she watched as Giles grabbed one of the bags. Placing the shoulder strap firmly on his uninjured side.
"Oh... before I forget. Could you... um... would you make sure that Buffy and Willow get these please?" he asked as he handed over two ivory colored envelopes.
"Of course I will," she replied, taking them from Giles and placing them in her hand bag. "I met Miss Rosenberg yesterday morning," she told him.
"You did?"
"Yes, your Principal... Mr. Snyder?" she asked.
Giles nodded.
"Well, Principal Snyder was showing around the campus, when I met Miss Rosenberg in the library."
"Ah... yes, Willow... has been invaluable to me... us. She's simply astounding to watch on the computer. She'll be a great asset to you, while I'm gone," he told her, the pride he felt for her evident in his voice.
"I'll keep that in mind Mr. Giles," Miss Foster replied. "I think we'd better get going. You don't want to miss your flight." Taking the other bags with her.
"Yes... yes, you're quite right," he replied, turning around, he looked at his apartment once more. He had paid the rent for the next three months, he had arranged for Buffy to water his plants, as well as
bringing in his mail. He sighed, "I'm ready, let's go," he said as he shut his door and headed for her car.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Willow had tried to go back to sleep, but it was being as elusive as Giles was.
She looked over to her phone.
It would be so easy, just reach out and call him.
She watched as her hand drifted over towards the phone, as if on its own accord.
How it hovered inches away from it.
'I can't... it's too early,' she thought.
Willow could not help feeling that there was something she needed to do.
Some deep intuition trying to force its way to the top.
Getting out of bed, she walked over to her window.
'Giles? Rupert? Can you HEAR me?' she thought to herself, as she watched the night give into its struggle to hold back the sun for one more moment. "Don't go," she said out-loud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I'm sorry... did you say something?" Giles asked.
"Me? No, not a thing," Miss Foster replied.
"Hmm... funny. I... I thought I heard you say my name?" he said.
"Wasn't me, sorry," she replied.
"That's odd? I could swear... well, never mind. So, Miss Foster, how long have you been in the organization?" he asked as they drove to the airport.
"Oh... about 7 years now. I'm what you might call a late bloomer. I wasn't told of my duties, until then. My parents were dead set against it. It wasn't until my father passed, that I was given a letter he had written to me explaining everything," she shrugged.
"Really? I never wanted to fulfill my destiny, but now, I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied. "Oh... before I completley forget, I've been training with Buffy for the test the Council's going to give her. But... do to circumstances beyond my control, we no longer have the training facility we had been using. I thought I should tell you, so you'll continue," he said.
"Really? That's interesting," Miss Foster said.
"How so?" he replied.
"Well, I was under the impression that the test had already been given," she answered.
"No... I haven't received any word from the Council when the test was to take place," Giles said.
"I'll look into it when I get back," she told him.
"I'd be most grateful if you'd keep me informed," Giles said.
"Rest assured Mr. Giles. I'm sure Buffy will do well," she replied.
The rest of the trip was passed with questions about Buffy, and how she might react towards her new Watcher. Giles also told her about Xander and Cordelia, how they had helped not only Buffy, but himself, at times of great need.
Shae was not surprised by the information he was giving her. She had read the extensive file the Watcher Council had kept on the Slayer, and, she smiled at this, "The Slayerettes".
It was highly unusual for the Slayer to have outside help. But it worked.
The very fact that the Slayer still lived attested to that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Willow had decided as she wasn't going to get any sleep, to use the time wisely.
She got ready for school.
She was going to make an all out effort to see Giles today.
She knew she would head to the library, to see how she could help the new librarian, Miss Foster.
'She seemed nice,' Willow thought.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giles and Miss Foster had arrived at the small airport. After checking his bags, they sat and waited for him flight to be called.
"Flight 1013 departing for Los Angeles, is now boarding. Please have your tickets ready," came a voice over the loud speaker.
"Well... that's my flight. Um... I... I wanted to... to thank you, Miss Foster..."
"Mr. Giles... you don't need to thank me. I'm glad we've had the opportunity to meet, I'm just sorry it was under these circumstances. One thing though," Miss Foster said.
"Yes?"
"As we are going to be touching base with each other, why don't we call each other by our first names. I can't see us saying... "Miss Foster" and "Mr. Giles" the entire time," she said smiling.
"That would be agreeable," he told her.
"Well, then... Rupert. I'll leave you now. Be sure to check for e-mail at the front office. I'm sure Miss Rosenberg can log me on to the internet from the computer in the library."
"Yes... she can," he said smiling. "Willow has been trying to persuade me into purchasing one of those infernal machines."
"You should think about it Rupert. Well, have a safe journey," she said holding out her hand.
"Thank you Shae. Don't let Buffy intimidate you... she's... she's quite good at what she does," he said.
"Oh... I believe that. I better get going, I have a few things to tidy up before heading to the school for my first day," she explained.
"Of course... thank you again," he replied.
Giles waited until she left, before heading to the terminal.
He boarded the commuter plane, luckily for him, the flight wasn't full. The flight attendants moved him closer to the cabin door, due to his injury.
The flight wouldn't take long. He had an hour to kill once he arrived in Los Angeles, before he had to get his connecting flight to New York.
He watched as the terrain blurred as the plane gathered speed and took off. He, along with his fellow passengers were pushed back in their seats, until the plane leveled off.
As the plane banked into a turn, Giles looked out the window.
He could see various parts of Sunnydale below him.
'Ah... the high school. I wonder what Willow is up to? She's probably asleep,' he thought.
CHAPTER 43
Willow had called Buffy, after coming out of the shower. She had asked Buffy if she wanted to meet at school.
"Sure Will. I'll meet you there in about an hour," Buffy replied.
"Okay... I'll call Xander, and let him know..."
"Will?"
"Yes Buffy?"
"Give him a few more minutes, it's only... 6:15!! Wha... what are you doing UP so early?" Buffy asked, yawning and bringing the blanket back over her face. "Sor... sorry about that," she yawned again.
"That's okay, I... I... um, I don't know. I woke up an hour ago, and I couldn't fall back to sleep... so, here I am!" Willow replied.
"You... are... too much Will," Buffy said laughing.
"I'd like to think so. Umm... Buffy?"
"Yes Will?"
"Um... do you... do you think it would be 'okay' for me to call Giles tonight?" she asked.
"Gosh Will. I don't know, he might be worn out from the jet-lag," Buffy responded.
"Jet-lag?"
"Yeah... you know, from his flight?"
"OH... that's right. He's leaving today," Willow said, going along with Buffy.
"He should be on his way to L.A. by now."
"Silly me... I ... I forgot he took an early flight," Willow was crushed by the relevation.
"I'm going to take a shower Will. I'll see you at school," Buffy said.
"Sure... no... no problem. Bye Buffy."
"See ya Will," with that Buffy hung up.
"He's gone," Willow whispered.
She had to think.
At first she thought she might cry again...
Without being aware of it, Willow's 'resolve' face had appeared.
She decided she wasn't going to feel sorry for herself any longer..
She would wait for him...
She knew he'd be back.
She wasn't quite sure how she knew, but she did.
"You are NOT going to get away from me Rupert. I won't allow it," she said outloud.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Willow met up with Buffy and Xander in the parking lot of the high school.
Each of them anxious to meet Buffy's new Watcher.
"So... have either of you guys met the new Watcher yet?" Xander asked.
"No," Willow replied. She turned her head, as a silver Nissan Maxima pulled into the parking lot.
"I haven't, but I know her name," Buffy said.
"Well tell us, we are waiting, oh, 'Holder-Of-The-Wooden-Stake,' Xander said. Buffy shook her head.
"Her name is...."
"Oh... look there's Miss...." Willow interrupted.
"Foster," they both said in unison.
"WHOA!!" Xander said, looking at them.
"Where is she Willow?" Buffy asked.
"Right there, she's getting out of the silver Maxima," Willow pointed across the way.
Buffy watched as Shae Foster stepped out of her car. Seeing Willow, Miss Foster walked over to her.
"Hello again Willow. It's nice to see you," she said when she arrived.
"Umm... hello Miss Foster. And... and how are you?" she asked. She couldn't believe that she had met Buffy's new Watcher before she did.
"Fine, thank you," she replied, looking at the other two teenagers, who were staring at her. "And you must be...?" she asked.
"Buffy... Buffy Summers. He's Xander Harris," Buffy replied. 'So... this is my new Watcher.'
'Ah... this is the Slayer. They've got to update the photographs,' Shae thought to herself. "Mr. Harris, a pleasure to make your aquaintance", she told Xander.
"So... you're Buffy's new Watcher huh?" he asked, getting hit by both Willow and Buffy. "What did I do?" he asked.
"You'll have to excuse him... he's not from this planet," Buffy told her.
"I understand... perhaps we should continue this conversation in the library?" she asked.
"Sounds like a plan," Buffy replied.
They made their way to the library, Buffy asking Miss Foster various questions... about school.
"I'm hoping before I leave, that I've been able to impart some 'study' techniques," Miss Foster said.
"Oh... I'm all for new study techniques!" Willow said, perking at the thought.
"Um... Wills. I don't think that's what she meant," Xander told her.
"XANDER!!"
"Cordy... love of my teenage life. What's up?" he asked, as Cordelia walked over to the small group, just as they had made it to the library's entrance.
"I need to talk to you about daddy's country club party next month," she said as she grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away from the others.
"Oh... come on Cordelia. Those things make me break out in a rash... a little help here," he said looking over to Buffy and Willow.
"No can do Xander. You're on your own," Buffy replied. "He's got it bad," Buffy told Miss Foster, who just smiled.
"Well, let's go inside. Mr. Giles asked me to give you both something," she said.
"Ooh... Giles? Presents perhaps? Nah! But I'm all over it anyway. Come on Will," Buffy exclaimed, going into the library.
"Let me see, which key is it? Here we go," placing the key into the office door, Shae turned the key and went in.
There were no traces of any police activity left behind. There had been no leads on whoever had attacked Giles. Buffy and Xander had gotten together on Sunday and had gone to the police department and made their official statements about what had occured on Friday.
"Let me put my briefcase down," Miss Foster had told them. Opening the leather case, she pulled out two envelopes. "Buffy... Willow", she said as she handed them out.
"Thanks," Buffy replied as she took the letter from her new Watcher.
"Yes... thank you," Willow acknowledged. She felt the envelope, seeing how he had written her name on the outside. Holding it as if it were a precious artifact, one to be savored, explored carefully.
Unlike Buffy, who had ripped the envelope open like a Christmas present.
"Nothing new here," Buffy said as she looked up from the letter. "Aren't you going to read yours Will?" she asked.
"Hmm... ah, no. I think I'll wait 'til later..." she replied, tucking the letter away in her notebook.
"Buffy, I'd like to talk with you after school. Set up some time when we can get together and go over some things," Miss Foster said.
"Sure... no sweat. Will, we'd better get going. See you later Miss Foster."
"Bye Miss Foster and thank you again for the letter," Willow said.
"Willlow, can I speak with you for a few minutes? I'd like to know about the computer system," she asked.
"Sure," Willow responded eagerly.
"I'll catch you later Will," Buffy said as the walked out of Giles' office and back into the main section of the library.
"Now, can you show me how I can get to the e-mail account?" Buffy heard as she left the library.
Willow had spent the next 20 minutes showing Miss Foster how to access the e-mail account, as well as some locations that she had used to do research on various items that Giles was interested in.
Willow watched as Miss Foster type out the address for another e-mail server.
"I just want to check my account for messages," she said, turning to the teenager. "Willow... is there something wrong?" she asked.
"Umm... NO.. it's... it's just... WOW. I thought, I mean, Giles doesn't like to go on the computer unless he absolutely has to, but wow!" she said.
Laughing, Shae replied, "No Willow. I use the computer all the time. I search the net for information on prophecies and the like. Mr. Giles told me you were "simply astounding" to watch on the computer."
"He said that... about me?"
"I wouldn't say it if he didn't," she replied. "I know I'll need your assistance while I'm working with Buffy."
"I'll... I'll do whatever I can to help," Willow replied, thinking about what Rupert had said about her.. 'simply astounding.'
"I'll write you a hall pass," Shae told Willow, after hearing the bell ring for first period. "Here you go."
"Thanks. I'll see you later, bye," Willow said as she left the library.
Shae sat at the computer terminal, after logging back on to the internet, she went to her e-mail account. Choosing 'addresses', she clicked on the name Henry Latham. For "subject" she wrote: "Summers Test?"
Hello Henry,
I've finally met the _______. I've heard
and read so much about her, that it was odd
to finally come face to face with her. It will
be interesting to see how we mesh.
There's something I need you to check for me.
Mr. Giles in under the impression that the test
hasn't been given yet.
I need to know if that's true or not.
If the test hasn't been given, then I'll
need to change techniques.
If it has, can you find out how she did?
Mr. Giles expressed interest in the results.
Well, here's hoping for the best.
Yours,
Shae.
Shae clicked on the send button, then logged off.
Continue in Part 11b