He smiled as he pulled on the shirt to go with the old jeans he wore. The doorbell rang and he opened the door. Principal Snyder stood on his threshold. Giles opened the door wide so that Snyder could see the girls.

"Mr.Giles, I thought Miss Summers and Miss Rosenberg were going to be in class this afternoon." Both Willow and Buffy looked up from their books in unison.

"They’re waiting with me for news of my sister. They have become her friends. I don’t think they could concentrate in class, knowing that she was ill." Giles held the towel he’d been using to dry his hair in one bunched fist, amazed that his voice sounded so calm.

"Ah, yes, friends. You like to surround yourself with young people, don’t you, Mr.Giles?" Snyder’s tone alerted the girls and they left their studies to join Giles at the door.

"Is there a purpose to your visit? I’ve told you already why the ladies are here. Both sets of parents put their complete trust in me…" His fist clenched the towel, wringing fresh droplets of water from it.

"No, no. That’s it. I just wanted you to know that I’m watching you, Mr.Giles." The little man turned on his heel and left.

Giles closed the door and released the towel. Willow stared after him as he launched himself at the stairs and raced to his room to get ’supplies’. When he came down he wasn’t ’Giles’ anymore. The girls exchanged worried looks. Giles ignored them. Best they didn’t know what he and Angel were going to do to Snyder.

Giles paced back and forth at the cemetery, still barely in control of his anger. Angel appeared at his side and was taken aback by Giles’ demeanour. He’d seen him this angry just once before, but he didn’t like thinking about that. They set off in silence. Once they were outside Snyder’s house, Giles filled Angel in on the plan.

"I don’t want that ugly little Troglodyte near me one second longer. I’ve put up with his jibes against Buffy and the others for far too long. He was going to give Xander detention for helping Chloe with her luggage! Today was the last straw. He practically accused me of being a paedophile! So I’m going to get ’im with this." He showed Angel a bag containing what looked like dried herbs.

Angel smiled. "What do you want me to do?" He resisted the urge to call him Ripper. He certainly wasn’t Giles.

"Peek in at the windows and scare ’em shitless while I plant the stuff in his car. Then I invite you into the house."

Angel ran up to the windows at the front of the house and clawed his nails against the glass. When Snyder came close he vamped in front of him and flicked his tongue down his fangs. The little man leapt back into the room, grabbed the phone and called the police. Angel ducked down and attacked at another window. This time Snyder’s wife fainted. Angel ducked again. This was fun!

Giles was at his side, having succeeded in his mission. He turned his attention to the garage door. It opened to reveal a second car. Ripper felt in his pocket and hid a smaller packet in its glove box. He cut the power and the house was plunged into darkness. Giles knelt at the door that led to the house and played a flashlight on the lock while he picked it.

The door opened and he stepped in. "Please be my guest, Angel." He smiled in the darkness. The vampire led the way and Giles followed. They found themselves in the living room.

Angel bared his fangs and snarled in Snyder’s ear. Ripper laughed from the shadows. He knew he couldn’t afford to show his face but he could watch. After all that was his job.

The police spoiled their fun. They came in at the front and rear. Ripper withdrew further into the shadows. An armed officer shouted a warning at Angel to stand still. Angel snarled menacingly at him and, without warning, lunged directly at him. Three shots rang out in quick succession. The bullets passed straight through Angel but one ricocheted, hitting Giles square in the chest. Angel flattened the officer, grabbed for his neck and, baring his fangs, made as if to bite. He stared at the other cops, daring them to shoot. Although pointing their weapons at him, they backed off. Angel took the now limp Giles under his arm and fled.

Angel hammered on the door. He looked fearfully at the rapidly lightening sky. A shaft of sunlight sped up the path. The door opened a crack and he fell in with Giles falling at his side. Buffy slammed the door and Willow swished all the curtains closed in the living room.

"We’ve been shot. It went through me and into Giles. Willow, can you help me get the bullet out?" Willow was staring at the blood that streaked down Giles’ chest. "Willow…It’s not bad. I think it’s lodged. It had to go through me as well."

She nodded. Angel held Giles’ shoulders while Willow cut and pulled. Giles was awake in an instant, the bullet wouldn’t budge he struggled to get up not realising where he was. Angel whirled round and sat astride his chest. Buffy took his place in holding Giles down. Willow handed him the instrument she’d been using. Angel shook his head.

"I don’t need that, Willow." He bared his fangs and bent his head. Giles gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. He felt Angel’s teeth slice through his skin and grip the bullet. He wrenched it out of the bone and spat it out.

He licked his lips and a fire flared momentarily in his eyes. Before he could stop himself he bent his head again to lick the wound clean. He sucked lightly, then harder, drawing more blood to the surface. He swallowed and for the first time in decades he tasted human blood. Watcher blood. Giles kicked him off. Fully alert now, with rage in his eyes. Angel lay still where he fell, trying to regain control of his features.

"I’m sorry, Giles. I forgot myself." The Watcher just growled in his direction and fingered the wound or the place where the wound should have been.

"No evidence for the police to find, right, Giles?" Giles walked over and helped him to stand.

"Thank you for bringing me home." Willow breathed again. Crisis over. The phone rang.

Giles answered. "Hello…" He smiled broadly. "I’ll be right there." Willow and Buffy smiled. It was obviously good news. Angel took off his coat. If he was going to be there all day, he may as well make himself comfortable.

"Now, girls, I want you to go to school today. I’ll be at the hospital and Angel… Well Angel can’t go anywhere. Willow, you pop upstairs and black out the windows. Buffy, collect your stuff together and I’ll give you a lift to school after I’ve showered. OK?" Angel looked at them as they scattered to their assigned tasks. No wonder it was so hard being a vampire in Sunnydale.

Giles dropped the girls off at school, and then went on to the hospital. He found the same doctor on duty as the day before and asked him how his sister was doing.

"She’s in intensive care. Out of danger but, as I said, I don’t know how long she’ll last. Mr.Giles, your sister isn’t able to talk. Come and see her."

Chloe was sitting up in bed. She held out her arms to him and he hugged her.

"Why didn’t you tell me?" He looked at her as she struggled to speak, looking somewhat mystified when she couldn’t. It was frustrating. Her fist hit the mattress in anger.

: SHIT! Why can’t I say anything?

Giles covered his ears and shook his head. ’Why did she have to shout?’. Then he realised she hadn’t said anything. He grinned at her and touched her hand. He tried something.

: Chloe, don’t shout.

She looked at him, stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. The sound tickled his mind and he started to laugh too. The doctor became alarmed. Giles glanced back at him and became serious.

"When can I take her home, please?" Giles stroked her arm to try and stop the tide of images flooding his head. He sighed and at last put a finger to her lips. She got the message. The doctor shrugged.

"She’ll need medication for pain. Will you be able to administer it?" Giles nodded. "Well then I see no reason why she can’t go home today. I can’t understand it. She’s recovered very fast from her operation. I wish I had more patients like her."

End. Sequel: Mid–summer Night.

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