Friend or foe? He had no idea. He sat in the dark at home. Chloe and Xander had gone to the movies. He nursed his drink, pondering the day. He smiled suddenly at the memory of bumping into Willow. Chloe had a filthy sense of humour.

He finished the drink and was filled with dread for the second time that day. He rushed to the bathroom and was violently ill. There was blood everywhere. He stripped off his clothes and turned the shower on to cold needle spray, trying to ease the burning of his back.

Chloe again… He closed his eyes to concentrate, to turn the feeling back… The vision …She obviously didn’t want this part. He shivered and backed into the shower staring wild eyed at the vampires surrounding him. He screamed as one after the other the Vampires covered him.

He staggered from the shower two hours later his limbs trembling Chloe’s torment tumbling through his mind, his breath came as sobs as he realised the full extent of the abuse she endured, he gulped back tears as he reached for the box behind his record collection.

Xander and Chloe kissed as they entered the house. They didn’t put the lights on. Chloe stopped kissing Xander and sniffed the air.

"Ripper…" That brought Xander to instant alertness. He grabbed his coat and fled.

"Chloe, nice night?" More smoke drifted through the air with the sound of his voice. "I’d like to thank you for the visions. I’d forgotten what a joint tasted like." Chloe turned cold with fear.

Ripper came at her from the shadows, his mouth near her ear. "I don’t want them anymore. Understand? Find someone else to dump on, Xander…" He sneered harshly. "Does he know how sick you are yet?" He was gone in an instant.

Angel walked alone armed with a stake as if HE needed protection from a vampire! He just hoped no one would trip him… Impossible. He smiled and speeded his walk.

Someone tripped him. He threw the stake aside and rolled onto his feet. He looked behind him and saw a shadow with folded arms, with the discarded stake in one gloved fist. He had the impression of a slightly taller Buffy or maybe Giles. Only it didn’t have a face.

"Watcher–Slayer…" He gasped, the shadow was in front of him now. He stopped and tried to land a blow on his opponent but he missed.

In the morning Giles felt rough, he felt around in his coat pocket for something. Realising of course that the thing he was looking for shouldn’t be there in school hours. Willow came into his office and put a mug of tea on his desk. She noticed that he hadn’t shaved this morning.

"Hi, I thought I’d come to thank you for yesterday when I fell." He smiled warmly at her. His hand grazed his chin.

"I’d give you a kiss but I might shred your face."

"I don’t mind… Oh, that didn’t come out right, did it?" He smiled again and she went all gooey inside.

He took a long swallow from his drink and felt much better. Xander passed by the window and glanced in at Giles, then ducked his head and went to one of the study tables. Willow went out to collect her bag for lessons. Giles took his mug with him to the checkout table. He stamped books and put them on the trolley for shelving.

"What is it, Xander?" He could feel the young man’s eyes on him.

"I’m sorry you were upset last night. About Chloe and me. I really like her, Giles."

"I gathered that, Xander." He smiled ruefully remembering Xander’s expression at being caught almost in the act. He was serious again. "I was upset with Chloe. She made me resort to something I thought was long buried." He sniffed and dabbed at his nose with his handkerchief. He was surprised at the blood. The flow was getting heavier.

"Xander…" The young man was at his side in a moment. He picked up the phone. Giles lay on his couch with his head back and his eyes closed.

He saw Chloe at home with blood pooled round her head. He sat up suddenly. His face paled as he grabbed the phone from Xander and told the ambulance the correct address. He rolled off the couch and grabbed his car keys.

"Hold the fort, Xander. Chloe’s’ ill." Xander shook his head. "C’mon then. You’re coming on an errand, got it?" They got to the hospital within minutes of the ambulance arriving. He went to the front desk, unaware that his shirt was soaked with blood.

"Chloe Giles, she’s just been brought in. I’m her brother…" He was told where to wait. The doctor arrived fifteen minutes later and had grave news. Xander and Giles hung on every word.

"Your sister has a small tumour on her larynx. It ruptured. She needs an operation. I’m afraid everything else is too advanced for us to help …" The doctor stopped speaking when Giles’ hand gripped his arm.

"Everything else?" Giles looked pleadingly at the doctor almost wishing he wouldn’t tell him. He had hoped that Chloe would have more time, Xander’s eyes became bright with tears.

The doctor took Giles aside and lowered his voice so only he could hear.

"She has tumours throughout her body. There is evidence that she’s had treatment but it’s been unsuccessful. I’m sorry. Would you like to see her?"

Giles stood up and almost collapsed. Xander helped him up and they clung together for a moment. They followed the doctor down the hall.

The prep room was quiet. Chloe was lying still with a sheet over her body. She looked slightly grey. Xander hung back, Giles swallowed his fear and touched her. She was warm. Her eyes opened and she lifted her hand to wipe his tears away. He smiled. She winced and her hand dropped. He still felt the jolt of pain go through his body.

He shook his head. "Give it to me, Chloe." He held her hand again to take her pain. He opened his eyes and saw her delighted smile. Giles backed off, wrapping the pain up in his body. He leant against the wall with his arms folded. It wasn’t easy to take Chloe’s’ pain. He wouldn’t be able to withstand it long. Giles pushed off the wall, shaking and went out of the room. He could feel her breathing easier.

Looking to the other end of the corridor, he saw a blonde blur and a red blur hurtling toward them. His arms dropped to his sides instead of controlling Chloe’s pain it controlled him.

Willow overtook Buffy in the last few feet launching herself at him and he staggered back his arms going round her instinctively. She was sobbing into his chest. He gasped out loud as the pain dropped away. Chloe was under the anaesthetic. He stroked Willow’s hair and kissed her tenderly.

"Willow, I’m alright. It’s Chloe. She’s having an operation."

"We saw the blood and got here as soon as we could. How is she?" Buffy looked from her Watcher to Xander and back they both wore the same expression. Her lip trembled from unwept tears. Giles took Willow’s hand and they walked towards the exit. The doctor would contact him when he had news.

As soon as he got home he informed the the faculty that he would be taking leave until his sister recovered. Buffy and Willow didn’t go back to school. He was touched that they wanted to stay with him but really he was worried about their assignments and Principal Snyder would be angry with them. When he came out of the shower he found both girls engrossed in assignments, papers and open books strewn all over his coffee table.

End of Pt.4

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