Oh dear. Have a ficlet
We just had a 60-second power cut. It may be a fluke and meaningless, but in the current climate [haha] it makes me nervous. Plus I was just on the point of draining some pasta, which I did *not* want to try in the dark...
Anyway, some very fine and discerning people have declared that this is Giles week. And I do just happen to have a Giles ficlet to hand, which I am glad of an excuse to post. It may well become the Last Ever Fic in the Rulesverse (chronologically speaking, don't panic).
Title: Goodbye to All That
Characters: Giles, Faith, Buffy, Kennedy and many more
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff and Admin...
A/N: one of the most controversial aspects of the Rulesverse is revisited
Setting: February 2021
Kennedy drew the meeting to a close, thanking Ellie for her latest report on the new Slayer squad’s first weeks.
Before she could dismiss the group, though, the North American representative gave a discreet cough. “What is it, Karan?” Kennedy didn’t like having her scheduling disrupted, and they were ten minutes over time already. But on this occasion, it was obviously mere feigned irritation. Giles’s heart sank.
“There’s someone here with an announcement,” replied Karan, smiling more broadly than she usually deigned to in meetings. She moved aside to allow a new face to share the vidscreen. On the central monitor, other vidscreens flickered on all over the Slayer world, in response to a message sent out minutes earlier.
The new face beside Karan was Buffy’s. She looked solemn, but serene.
“I asked Kennedy to let me do this instead of one of the Chiefs, because it seemed fitting. You probably all know that Giles has decided it’s time to step down.” A low murmur came from the assorted attendees, virtual and actual. Giles flushed, looking down at his lap. This was going to be awkward. Buffy was speaking with unwonted formality, most unlike her sparky self. He only hoped there wasn’t going to be a sodding carriage clock presentation at the end of it.
“We couldn’t let him go without some acknowledgement. Rupert Giles is a founder of the modern Council. He took on the responsibility of rebuilding everything which supports the Slayer line, when we had so little to start from that the task sometimes seemed too much for anyone to bear. We could never have achieved so much without him. And for almost eighteen years, he’s been an unfailing source of advice, support and information.”
Buffy raised her voice a little over the agreements now accompanying her words. “Of course, for me, and for others who knew Giles before the Choice, he’s been all that, and more, for even longer. After everything he’s done, and with his family growing up fast, we all totally understand why he feels it’s time to take a step back from the incredible workload he’s had. I know we all wish him a long and happy retirement.
“But all the same, we’re so glad Giles has agreed to keep on an advisory role with us. The idea of the Council without Giles... well, it’s pretty scary. We’ve, the seniors, the Council, the old Sunnydale gang, we’ve all been talking over how we recognise Giles’s contribution to the past and future of the Council. And, well, we know he’s always hated that name. In fact, everyone hates the damn name. So it seems like the right time to say...” Buffy hesitated. Maybe feeling her next words were going to be unpopular? “We recognise the value of what the Watchers' Council did in the past, and we don’t want to lose that link with our traditions. So, from today, and in Giles’s honour, Slayer Support Officers will once again be known as Watchers.”
There was a lot of noise on the vidscreens. A few snorts or groans. A fair few laughs. Quite a number of ‘oh thank God’s. And Giles, looking over at Faith for the first time, mouthed ‘Thank you’ at his wife. She grinned, and shook her head. But he guessed she’d been one of the prime movers in that little manoeuvre.
Buffy finished, smiling openly now. “So, Giles, we welcome you now, as the first ever Watcher Emeritus of the Slayer Council. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and for us all.”
The vids exploded with applause. Kennedy shook Giles’s hand, Vi gave him a hug, and finally, mercifully, Faith enveloped him in her arms. Giles could at last hide his teary eyes, and compose himself for the thank you and goodbye speech he’d never quite believed he would make.
Today was for goodbyes. Tomorrow, it was Rosy’s piano exam, and Mike had rugby practice. The timings, naturally, clashed. Giles also had a nice little Akkadian cuneiform astronomical manuscript waiting in his study, biding its time till he could finally knuckle down to deciphering its intricacies. His new world promised to be rich indeed.
***
Anyway, some very fine and discerning people have declared that this is Giles week. And I do just happen to have a Giles ficlet to hand, which I am glad of an excuse to post. It may well become the Last Ever Fic in the Rulesverse (chronologically speaking, don't panic).
Title: Goodbye to All That
Characters: Giles, Faith, Buffy, Kennedy and many more
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff and Admin...
A/N: one of the most controversial aspects of the Rulesverse is revisited
Setting: February 2021
Kennedy drew the meeting to a close, thanking Ellie for her latest report on the new Slayer squad’s first weeks.
Before she could dismiss the group, though, the North American representative gave a discreet cough. “What is it, Karan?” Kennedy didn’t like having her scheduling disrupted, and they were ten minutes over time already. But on this occasion, it was obviously mere feigned irritation. Giles’s heart sank.
“There’s someone here with an announcement,” replied Karan, smiling more broadly than she usually deigned to in meetings. She moved aside to allow a new face to share the vidscreen. On the central monitor, other vidscreens flickered on all over the Slayer world, in response to a message sent out minutes earlier.
The new face beside Karan was Buffy’s. She looked solemn, but serene.
“I asked Kennedy to let me do this instead of one of the Chiefs, because it seemed fitting. You probably all know that Giles has decided it’s time to step down.” A low murmur came from the assorted attendees, virtual and actual. Giles flushed, looking down at his lap. This was going to be awkward. Buffy was speaking with unwonted formality, most unlike her sparky self. He only hoped there wasn’t going to be a sodding carriage clock presentation at the end of it.
“We couldn’t let him go without some acknowledgement. Rupert Giles is a founder of the modern Council. He took on the responsibility of rebuilding everything which supports the Slayer line, when we had so little to start from that the task sometimes seemed too much for anyone to bear. We could never have achieved so much without him. And for almost eighteen years, he’s been an unfailing source of advice, support and information.”
Buffy raised her voice a little over the agreements now accompanying her words. “Of course, for me, and for others who knew Giles before the Choice, he’s been all that, and more, for even longer. After everything he’s done, and with his family growing up fast, we all totally understand why he feels it’s time to take a step back from the incredible workload he’s had. I know we all wish him a long and happy retirement.
“But all the same, we’re so glad Giles has agreed to keep on an advisory role with us. The idea of the Council without Giles... well, it’s pretty scary. We’ve, the seniors, the Council, the old Sunnydale gang, we’ve all been talking over how we recognise Giles’s contribution to the past and future of the Council. And, well, we know he’s always hated that name. In fact, everyone hates the damn name. So it seems like the right time to say...” Buffy hesitated. Maybe feeling her next words were going to be unpopular? “We recognise the value of what the Watchers' Council did in the past, and we don’t want to lose that link with our traditions. So, from today, and in Giles’s honour, Slayer Support Officers will once again be known as Watchers.”
There was a lot of noise on the vidscreens. A few snorts or groans. A fair few laughs. Quite a number of ‘oh thank God’s. And Giles, looking over at Faith for the first time, mouthed ‘Thank you’ at his wife. She grinned, and shook her head. But he guessed she’d been one of the prime movers in that little manoeuvre.
Buffy finished, smiling openly now. “So, Giles, we welcome you now, as the first ever Watcher Emeritus of the Slayer Council. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and for us all.”
The vids exploded with applause. Kennedy shook Giles’s hand, Vi gave him a hug, and finally, mercifully, Faith enveloped him in her arms. Giles could at last hide his teary eyes, and compose himself for the thank you and goodbye speech he’d never quite believed he would make.
Today was for goodbyes. Tomorrow, it was Rosy’s piano exam, and Mike had rugby practice. The timings, naturally, clashed. Giles also had a nice little Akkadian cuneiform astronomical manuscript waiting in his study, biding its time till he could finally knuckle down to deciphering its intricacies. His new world promised to be rich indeed.
***