Wesley looked back over his shoulder and wrapped his overcoat more tightly round his body. It was dark and cold as he trudged along the winding country road towards the Big House. His mind whirled with the impossibilities of Sebastian’s scheme; he couldn’t possibly be thinking about populating the world with snake headed demons!

Wesley thought back to the hour that he had found the creature in a ruin near the compound. He had thought it to be a normal girl although downtrodden and in need of a bath. Her eyes held him bewitched as he pulled her from a rotting tree then the other two creatures followed and broke the enchantment. He had named them Laurel, after the tree he dragged them from.

The creature had three bodies joined at the hip in a circle. Two bodies of human flesh and one covered in snake–scales. The snake–skinned triplet had long red hair and reptilian eyes. The second body joined in the circle was blind with a head of snakes that hissed and writhed constantly; the third had neither snakes nor hair and regarded all who came near with intelligent human eyes. She among her sisters had a human soul but was dumb having been born with a forked tongue and bereft of vocal chords.

This unholy triad were dependent on an unusual symbiotic relationship. The snake–headed triplet killed; turned living flesh to stone, for the snake–skinned triplet who had the power of speech; the fork–tongued triplet was an observer and reluctant participant in the evil scheme of her sister and Sebastian.

The sound of a car approaching roused Wesley from his maudlin thoughts. He stood by the side of the road shielding his eyes in the glare of the headlights.

"Hey! What are you doing in the middle of the road?" A female American voice called from the E–type Jaguar. Wesley approached the driver’s side resting his palms reverently on the sill.

"Good evening, I’m looking for the residence of Mr.Jack Giles, am I near? Could you give me a lift?"

"Whatdya think Xander? Do we give him a lift to Giles’?" Cordelia looked at her passenger with a glimmer of a smile about her lips…

"There’s not much room, Cordy, but yeah, c’mon. What’s your name by the way?" Xander squashed his gear into the corner of the rear seat and moved the box he carried on his lap into the foot well.

"Thank you, I’m Wesley Wyndham–Pryce," he shook their hands as he folded his body into the car. A stake fell at Xander’s feet and Wesley stared open mouthed desperately thinking of a reason for it to be there…he was a Scout leader and carried it as kindling?

Xander retrieved it and smiled, "You dropped your stake there, Watcher."

Wesley looked from one to the other and slowly realisation dawned. The Journals of Rupert Giles, often referred to the group who aided his Slayer, the Slayeretttes, or Scooby’s.

"Do I have the pleasure of travelling with “the Scooby’s”?" Wes swallowed doing his best not to look too awed.

Cordelia and Xander exchanged happy grins and in unison uttered, "Fame at last!"

Cordelia, Wesley and Xander still carrying his box, arrived at Jack’s house in a parcel, like last time. Cordelia lightly gripped Xander’s hand as he glanced at his box, a stray tear dropped on the lid, as Jack flung the door open.

"Xander!" Jack smiled, despite the gravity of the situation, "Cordelia! Stunning as usual," He kissed her in greeting. She blushed and wondered at his charm and poise. He was so like Giles. He searched the eyes of the remaining visitor, extended his hand and then clasping Wesley’s he brought him into the hall.

"We’ve been expecting you Mr.Wyndham–Pryce." Jack took his coat from him and tried to ignore the man’s astonishment as “William the Bloody” came from the kitchen sipping blood from his mug, Jenny, the present Slayer followed on behind with a plate of donuts…

"Jenny?" Cordelia shrieked and battled past the bewildered Watcher, soon both women were talking “nineteen to the dozen.”

Xander walked slowly into the living room following the sound of joyful laughter. Rupert saw Xander and sensing that something was wrong, he crossed the room. Xander’s eyes brimmed with tears as he held his box before him…

The room hushed as he said one word before his tears finally fell. "Anya."

Rupert gazed at the box now in his hands and opened the lid. A cold bronze urn gleamed softly in the firelight. He shot a shocked look at Willow and she hugged Xander, her life long friend wept on her shoulder. Rupert placed Anya’s ashes on the mantle and then enfolded his wife and Xander in his healing embrace.

Wesley sat timidly on the corner seat of one of the sofas. He’d been introduced to the dead Scooby gang. No problem… Buffy, the Vampire Slayer? Piece of cake! The vampire Spike, William the Bloody, who owned the house that Jack lived in, was a little more difficult to comprehend. Then there was Gorgon and he had freaked!

Gorgon sat across the way from Wesley and he could see his own anxiety reflected in the mirror shades the monster wore. Everyone sat about the room, supping tea, reading books, and eating donuts, looking nonchalant. But Wesley knew that beyond the tranquillity of the scene each person in this room had a mind like a steel trap. His reflection smiled.

"What amuses thee, Watcher?" Gorgon’s quiet cultured voice caught Wesley off guard.

"It’s…" Wesley gestured to encompass the room and its populace, "them, they’re a well oiled machine. The council had no idea how to replicate this until Jack came on the scene. It’s wonderful!"

Jenny slipped from Spike’s lap as he leapt up and started to pace, Buffy exchanged glances with Giles. Something was up with the vampire.

"Spill, Spike!" Buffy still didn’t like him much.

"Why are you all just laying about? I don’t remember this much research when we were back in Sunnydale! Why can’t I go over there and bung the blokes balls in a blender? That’d put paid to this mating lark pretty damn quick!"

"Because…" Ethan mildly complained from where he leaned against the mantelpiece, "That would be rude…"

Wesley, who had crossed his legs at Spike’s remark, uncrossed them and decided to join the conversation. Although he had never had an active Slayer, he felt that this was something he could comment on. "Laurel, the serpents spawn is held captive in the Council’s dungeon, she is divided into three separate beings, each dependant on the other for survival. Rose," he pointed to the redhead on the sofa, "is the only one who can Slay her. I say she needs help, Spike is immune to the ossifying glare of the Gorgon sisters, but to gain entry he needs help, they’ve had a hall of mirrors installed. He can’t get past that but Jenny can get in and so can Jack. I will be your guide. We only need a few minutes to slay her."

Rupert smiled. "What do you propose?"

"Gorgon, Rose, Jack, Jenny, Spike and I go into the compound to slay Laurel and Henri Sebastian." Wesley hesitated, "Are you familiar with the film ’Ghost’?"

Buffy smiled. "Ooooh goody! Does this mean I get to kick butt again?"

End of part 4

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