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Chapter 9.

The silence was deafening. Giles polished his glasses. Wesley gazed longingly at Giles’s hands, clearly wishing that he hadn’t changed to contacts. Anya, Cordelia and Dawn sat staring; speechless, for once. Lorne and Spike quietly watched Buffy’s audience and Tara studied Buffy.

“That explains the changes in your aura.” Tara quietly commented.

With Tara’s observation, Giles snapped back into watcher mode. “Changes, you say?”

“Well yes, i...i...it’s brighter, m...m…more intense. It’s a good thing.” She concluded firmly.

“Yes…well…ah…right.” Giles took a deep breath, slowly pulled himself together. “What exactly is a guardian, Buffy?”

“Are you like, the boss of the Powers now?” Dawn excitedly asked. “Do you have really cool powers?”

“Well, it’s certainly going to be a lot safer being friends with you now Buffy” Anya noted, sagely.

“Why you?” Cordelia questioned, curious.

“Um…okay…well you see…it’s like this, when warriors die, they become angel warriors or guardians. The good guys get to rest, in peace, until they’re called on by the Powers. No idea what the bad guys do. This is totally rare and it’s only because of some majority big upset to the balance. On most occasions the Powers just do a little manipulation and the balance is restored. But they couldn’t do that this time because of me...or I should say Willow.

I’d already changed. I was already a guardian. So when Willow dragged me back, it wasn’t the Slayer that she brought back it was the Guardian. That upset everything. But the thing is, a guardian can’t access all their power on this plane. Unless a very specific set of circumstances occur.

Guardians HAVE to work in pairs. They have to represent both good and evil so that balance can be maintained. Their connection has to be complete, and that can only happen with a mated pair.” Buffy explained.

“But Buffy, you said you have to mate with Spike. He’s not a guardian?” Giles questioned.

Buffy turned to Spike, imploring him to understand; “I know I should have discussed all this with you privately. Please understand that you won’t be forced to do anything, it will be your choice. If you chose not to do this, we’ll find another way.”

“Get on with it, Slayer.” Spike instructed, stoically.

“Okay, okay...grumpy Vampire.” Buffy muttered before continuing. “If Spike chooses to become my mate, he will become a guardian too. He’ll still be a vampire, but he’ll be a sort of evolved vampire. He’ll lose the pesky sun allergy thing and he’ll be stronger and stuff. We get to find out about all the changes together. But, the important thing is, that together we’ll be able to focus our energies and expel all the really big evils from this dimension.

As to Cordy’s question about why I was chosen for this, it’s complicated. Like I said earlier, this type of problem is really rare. I’d already been brought back and as the only way a guardian can access their powers, on this plane, is if they mate with their equal on the other side and two warriors on opposite sides falling in love on this plane is unheard of...until Spike. You see where I’m going with this?”

“So you were chosen because you were convenient and Spike was in love with you. Go Spike!” Dawn punched his arm, giggling.

“Before anyone jumps in with questions, or more comments,” Buffy gave Dawn a pointed look, “This decision is Spike’s alone. I will NOT have you badgering him. He’ll make it in his own time.”

“Bloody hell, luv! You don’t honestly think I’d say no do you?” Spike rolled his eyes.

“Well…no, but I had to at least make it look like there was some choice involved.” Buffy said, giving him her best valley girl smile. Spike snorted in reply and everyone else laughed.

“Okay people, now that’s all been settled, let’s get on to more important matters. Like kicking Angel’s lying, butt.” Cordelia took control of the conversation with her usual forthright outspokenness. Her comment was followed by a series of snickers, guffaws, giggles and belly laughs.

After everyone had time to calm down, Giles ventured to ask Buffy the question that had been niggling at him for most of the evening: “Can I take it, Buffy…from some of your earlier remarks that you are perhaps…no longer, quite so enamored with Angel?”

A few of the others nodded their heads at his perceptiveness.

“I’ll be goin’ with a big yes on that one Giles. But before you ask why…not tellin’ most of it people. It happened in my time, or it was done to me personally. If he’s gonna be held accountable, it’s for what he’s done in this time. For me...the less I have to do with him, the happier I’ll be. Which leads me into the bit I can tell you; the bastard claimed me when I was trying to save his broody, over gelled hair life!” Buffy snarled.

“Bloody hell.” Ripper swore.

Spike growled softly, eyes flashing yellow for a moment as his demon riled at the thought of Angel claiming his mate and love.

“Yuh huh!” Buffy responded, indignantly. Pointing her finger at Giles and nodding her head in agreement to his anger.

“Good Lord...ah Buffy?” Wesley hesitantly requested the angry girl’s attention; “How is it possible for you to become Spike’s mate, if you have been claimed by Angel?”

Buffy’s slow smile would have been called evil, were she not the champion of Light. “Well see, here’s the thing; Angel left me, so technically Spike can override Angel’s claim on grounds of desertion. Angel can still feel everything through the claim. I can only feel his reactions. I can’t be compelled by him any more. So he’s gonna feel it when Spike and I mate and he won’t be able to do anything about it.”

“He could challenge the claim.” Anya countered.

“Pfff.” Buffy responded, waving her hand as if shooing a fly. “Spike could sooo take him, and that’s before the mating. Angel won’t even be a blip on his radar after we mate.”

“Pet, he doesn’t know that. Hell he doesn’t even know that you’re back among the livin’. First hint that he gets that you’re back an’ his claim is under threat, the Great Poof’ll be on his way to Sunnyhell.” Spike retorted decisively.

Buffy waved her hand dismissively. “Sooo not concerned with Angel confrontation.”

“I don’t understand, Buffy. Didn’t you say that Angel was going to be someone we should be concerned about?” Wesley replied, confused.

“You need to be concerned, Wes. Me, not so much.” She cheerfully informed him. “Look, you all know about the shaky soul. You all know about Mr. So-Not-On-Speaking-Terms-With-The-Truth. You should all know that he thinks that his is the only opinion that matters, ‘cause if you don’t...I sooo have the tee-shirt for that one. All you need to do is keep him on a tight leash. Cordy should be able to handle that just fine.” Buffy acknowledged the ex-cheerleader.

“Damn straight, Barbie!” Cordelia retorted, emphatically.

Buffy grinned in response then, sighing and stretching, said; “It’s late. Why don’t we all call it a night, and tomorrow we can have a bit of an impromptu party to celebrate the mating before Angel gets here.”

*******

Buffy and Dawn helped everyone get settled. As the girls were saying good night to the delightful demon on the couch, the phone rang and the answering machine clicked in; “Dawn, Dawn, are you there...I just got a call from Willow and Xander, telling me Buffy’s back and that she came back wrong. Don’t panic. I’ll be there tomorrow and I’ll fix whatever the problem is.”

Spike snorted, punching delete on the machine with a grumbled, "Bloody wanker....." With a quick turn at synchronized eye rolling, both girls grinned in unison and bade each other goodnight. Buffy smiled at Spike. "Geez, possessive much?" Smirking he pulled her against him, kissing her slowly. "You best believe it, Cutie."





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