Sweet Little Lies
by CN Winters
Copyright © 2009
Sweet Little Lies
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: All non-original characters
herein belong to persons such as Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, UPN, WB,
20th-Century FOX, and so forth, and not me. Original “Watchers” characters
are the property of CN Winters and the “Watchers” staff.
Distribution: ask McBragg on the
Watchers Forum since it’s his story.
Spoilers: through S2 of “Watchers”.
Takes place after ‘Chapel of Love’.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated -
cnwinters@hotmail.com
Pairing: Traditional Watchers pairings
Author’s notes: MCBragg, who matched
the winning bid at our Writercon auction asked for a story centering around
Giles and Kennedy and what happened after she found out Angel killed Jenny.
Thanks for his patience in waiting while I’ve been working on Watchers too.
Summary: Giles tries to offer some
insight into Kennedy’s birth mother, Jenny Calendar while going on a trip to
face a demon.
The knock at Kennedy’s door turned
her head around. “Yeah? Who is it?” she asked.
There was a hesitation. “It’s
Giles. May I come in?”
Giles stood outside her room and jumped
slightly when the door opened swiftly in front of him.
“I see you’re back,” Kennedy
said. “How was the honeymoon?” she added shortly.
“Wonderful,” he admitted, “but
that’s not what I’m here to talk about. May I come in?”
“Suit yourself,” Kennedy said as
she left the door opened and turned her back to him.
Giles moved inside and closed the door
behind him. “Things were hectic and I didn’t get a chance to speak with you
before Becca and I left, so I apologize.”
“Can’t say I feel too slighted. I
mean you didn’t talk to anyone - just wrote a note and left. With all the
crazy folks here I can’t say I really blame you,” she replied.
Giles wore a slight grin. “Yes, well,
I just thought you might have some questions regarding Jenny a-and what happened
with Angelus.”
“What’s to say?” Kennedy replied.
“He killed her. You guys lied to me. End of story.”
“It’s not that simple,” Giles
replied.
“Look, it’s over and done with. I
can’t change it, nobody can, so let’s just drop it. Alright?”
“If that’s what you wish?” Giles
answered.
“It is. Now is there anything
else?” she asked.
With a sigh, Giles shook his head and
made his way to the door. “If you change your mind…”
“I know where to find you,” Kennedy
said cutting him short. “Thanks.”
Giles simply nodded and left the room,
leaving Kennedy alone.
“I just told her everything I
knew,” Willow said to Giles as they sat in the Watchers rec room. “I told
her that we dropped the ball.” Giles eyebrows frowned for an explanation and
she went on. “After she started acting more mature we should have mentioned
it, but it didn’t come up a-and we didn’t say anything.” Giles nodded.
“I still think we made the right decision at the time Giles. With as angry as
Kennedy was feeling then-.”
“She would have tried to find Angel
and the consequences of such could have been very unfortunate…for her.”
“Right,” Willow agreed. “But we
should have said something.”
Giles shrugged. “The only thing
we…I can do is to try to set things right.”
“And how do you suggest you do
that?”
“I’m not sure, but perhaps fate
will lend a hand,” he replied.
The next day the council members sat
around the morning conference table.
“Anything further?” Giles asked.
Seated around him were Kennedy, Rowena,
Willow, Faith and Robin.
Faith and Willow both shook their
heads.
“I received an interesting call
today,” Giles remarked.
“What’s up?” Faith asked.
“There are reports coming out of
Akron about some activities concerning a MacGuffin. I’d like to handle it
personally and bring a slayer with me to handle it.”
“A MacGuffin?” Rowena asked
skeptically. “Isn’t that-?”
“Yes, a powerful demon, usually found
in Ireland and Scotland,” Giles interrupted,
“and one that a watcher shouldn’t face alone,” he replied. “I’d
like to take Kennedy with me on this mission if Faith can clear her schedule.”
“Fine by me,” Faith replied. Rowena
continued to look at Giles with wonderment. She turned toward Willow to see the
witch trying to hide her grin behind her hand.
“Good then, anything else?” he
asked once more. When no one answered he said, “Meeting adjourned.”
Kennedy stood up to collect her notes
and Giles called over. “I’d like to get this evening, so can you be ready
before dinner. We’ll leave shortly after.”
“Yeah, sure,” Kennedy replied.
Once Kennedy, Faith and Robin left the
room Rowena turned to Giles.
“MacGuffin?” she asked. “A
dangerous demon you say?”
Giles gave her a guilt grin. “Don’t
say anything,” he told her.
“And only Kennedy can help you.”
“You’re good Giles,” Willow
complimented. “Now let’s hope she doesn’t do a search for the MacGuffin
on-line before she leaves or she might change her mind.”
“Which is why we’re leaving right
after dinner,” he told her as he picked up his items and went out the door.
Kennedy sat on one side of the campfire
in silence as Giles sat on the other. To the side was a medium sized tent.
Absently, she poked the fire with a long stick.
“You resemble Jenny a great deal,”
Giles seemed to say out of nowhere. When Kennedy didn’t reply or even look up,
he continued. “You remind me of her in other ways too the more I think about
it.”
Finally, Kennedy looked over. “And
how’s that?” she asked.
“Right there,” Giles replied before
starting to grin. “The set jaw, the short response. Jenny was rather good at
keeping her guard up when she thought she had to…not unlike yourself.”
Kennedy tossed the stick to the ground.
“I wouldn’t know. I never met the woman. And thanks to your slayer’s boy
toy I never will.”
At first, Giles said nothing.
“He tortured me,” he said softly.
“Did you know that?”
Kennedy looked up again. “Say
what?”
“Angelus. After he killed Jenny he
put her in my bed so I went to find him, to kill him. But I failed and he spent
hours torturing me until Buffy got there…in fact, it was Xander who finally
freed me.”
Kennedy gave a slight grin. “He’s
good at that,” she said.
“What?” Giles asked.
“Sticking around to save people.”
“Yes, he has quite a brave soul,”
Giles replied. “It could be said we both owe him our lives.”
A small silence passed between them and
Kennedy sighed. “So this thing we’re supposed to be hunting…looks like a
dragon you said?”
“It can be anything you want it to
be,” Giles told her. “But I figured since we’re out here we’ll make the
most of our time.”
“Look Giles,” she answered.
“I’m not up for chit chat, okay? I just want to find this thing and go
home.”
“Fair enough,” he replied.
Kennedy rose and picked up the crossbow
beside her. “I’m gonna scout the area,” she told him.
He watched her walk away until she
slipped from his sight. Once she was gone he reached into his back pocket and
took out a picture. In the firelight, the image of Jenny reflected back toward
him and he smiled.
The next morning Giles and Kennedy
walked through the backwoods – Kennedy in the lead and Giles following behind
her.
“I’m glad you decided not to seek
revenge on Angel,” Giles said cutting the silence.
“So you’re sweet on him too? Even
after he killed my mother and tortured you?” Kennedy replied in a soft voice.
“No, he could burn in hell of all I
care. I’m fond of you,” Giles replied. Kennedy stopped and turned around.
Giles continued. “Angel has not survived for over 200 years on sheer luck
alone young lady,” he said, his voice growing sterner. “And while I admit
you are a tremendous slayer he has his skills too - all of which he would use if
you tried to harm him.”
There was a moment of silence between
them as Kennedy began walking again.
“What makes you think I still won’t
go after him, huh?” she asked.
Giles took a deep breath and blew it
out slowly. “I don’t. But I do hope you realize t-that you have people at
the council who love you…myself included.”
Kennedy stopped walking and looked back
at Giles again. “I’m gay Giles and you’re married now.”
Giles grinned. “That’s not what I
meant and you know it.”
Kennedy began to crack a grin. “I
know I’m just-.”
“Using humor as a defense mechanism.
I recognize it.”
“Jenny again, right?” Kennedy
asked. Giles simply nodded. “Yeah, well, I doubt there’s anyone at the
council who would miss me much if I was gone.”
“Somehow I think this has something
to do with Willow.” Kennedy didn’t reply to Giles comment. “Willow does
care for you Kennedy. I would even say she loves you – just not the way you
would like.”
“I’ve moved on,” Kennedy told
him. “I’ve got Mia now so…that’s good.”
“But it’s not the same, is it?”
Kennedy didn’t say anything and she
began to look around the trees surrounding them.
“If we keep up all this talking
we’re going to chase this thing off.”
“I’m more worried about you at the
moment,” Giles replied. “And as I said, you do have people at the Council,
aside from Willow and myself, who care. I’d even go so far as to say that
Faith is rather found of you too.”
“I’m really just a co-worker when
it comes down to it. That’s all I am with any of them, Faith included.”
“You don’t honestly believe that,
do you?”
“Some days,” Kennedy admitted.
“Other days, no…It’s just…you guys all have a history together.”
“It seems you forget that we also
have a history with you as well. It’s not as if you just arrived. And again,
one of the key reasons we never spoke of what happened with Jenny is because we
do care.”
“But I’m not a child Giles,”
Kennedy countered.
“Not any longer, but at the time, you
were acting very much like a spoiled brat. It was our error for not saying
something when the timing was right.”
“So you didn’t plan on hiding this
forever? Is that what you’re telling me?” Kennedy asked.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.
We had every intention of letting you know the complete story, but…”
“It didn’t work out the way you
planned.”
“Not everything in life does my dear.
I seriously thought Jenny would be someone I could spend the rest of my life
with. But as it turns out…she spent the rest of her life with me. And for
that…I’m sorry.”
“But you didn’t kill her Giles.
That vamp SOB did,” Kennedy replied.
“True, but that doesn’t erase the
guilt I feel. I-I think of all the things I should have done differently. Just
because I’m with Becca now that doesn’t mean I stopped loving Jenny. But as
I said, I know if I went after Angel it could end up hurting far more people.”
“yeah, Buffy wouldn’t like that
very much.”
“I’m not talking about Angel, I’m
talking about myself should I not survive, because like you, people also depend
on me too.”
“I think you see me as having more
friends than I do.”
“And I think you’re blind.”
Kennedy cast a harsh glance at Giles. “Look, why don’t we split the
difference and you consider that you do have people who are sorry they lost
Jenny, but would be just as devastated – if not more - to lose you? Agreed?”
Giles said holding out his hand.
Kennedy gave him a slight grin and gave
his hand a shake.
The sun has just begun to slip below the horizon. Giles still walked
behind Kennedy. She stopped and turned to him.
“I’m not feeling anything evil out here Giles,” she said sounding
defeated. “I think you brought the wrong slayer.”
“Well, let’s call it a night,” he replied. “It’s getting late
and we should get back t-to camp soon anyway.” They both turned when Kennedy
suddenly stopped. “What is it?” Giles asked.
“Wait a second. Something is here,” Kennedy replied as her
eyes scanned the area.
“Where?” Giles asked as he too began to look around.
“Not sure, but I can feel it,” she answered.
Kennedy suddenly pushed Giles to the ground as something seemed to fly
and then take the shape of a man. He landed several feet away from the pair.
Kennedy and Giles eyes both widened. “Is that…?” Kennedy asked.
“Hello Rupert,” Angelus replied as he began to stroll closer. “I
see you traded up slayers. Gotta say – the last one was cuter. Wonder if this
one’s as good in bed?”
“Sorry,” Kennedy replied. “You’re not my type.”
“Why? You a dyke?”
Kennedy grinned slightly. “It’s the undead, no-pulse,
scum-of-the-earth-thing actually. The fact you’re a male ranks pretty low on
the list of ‘why not’s’.”
Angelus laughed. “This one’s got some bite to her. Where’d you find
her, Rup?”
Kennedy’s retort was a crossbow bolt shot in his direction, but he
caught it with ease. In a lightening fast movement he grabbed Kennedy and forced
her arm to the tree. Then he drove the arrow-headed projectile through her
pinned arm and into the tree.
Kennedy screamed out in pain, her limb inoperable.
“Now you stay here – I’ve got some catching up to do with an old
friend,” he said as he looked over his shoulder at Giles.
Giles moved to his feet and pulled a stake out of his pocket. He lunged
at Angelus who simply side stepped him and swatted the weapon from his hand. At
the same time, Kennedy was tugging on the arrow, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Leave him alone!” Kennedy shouted.
Angelus swung at Giles and he managed to avoid the first blow. The second
one, however, connected with Giles’s chin. Before he hit the ground Angelus
caught him and hoisted him over his shoulder.
“Talk about having a glass jaw,” Angelus quipped as he began to walk
deeper into the forest, taking Giles with him.
When Angelus started to slip from sight, Kennedy clinched her teeth tight
and snapped off one end of the arrow. Taking a deep breath to ready herself she
pushed her body forward, extracting her arm from the arrow.
Kennedy cried out in pain for only a moment and then fixed her eyes on
Angelus’s retreating form. Blood poured down her arm, but it didn’t stop her
from taking off in a full run toward the departing men.
The noise of Kennedy’s footsteps made Angelus turn around, but the sped
of Kennedy’s stride worked to her advantage. Before he had a chance to react,
Kennedy was already diving toward the two men.
The three of them went down in a heap. While Angelus tried to move to his
feet Kennedy was already up, stake at the ready. She charged the vampire, but
Angelus managed to flip her up and over his back before she could strike. She
landed with a hard thud directly on her back, soundly knocking the wind out of
her. She sat up and her throat made a noise as if it was struggling for air.
Although groggy, Giles began to come to again with a shake of his head.
His eyes tried to focus on what was happening around him. He did his best to
move to his feet, but Angleus just kicked him face first to the ground again and
stalked over Kennedy.
“Why are you doing this? Why protect him?” Angelus asked. “He’s
done nothing but lie to you since day one. He doesn’t think you’re slayer
material – look at you now. Flat on your back and struggling to breath. He
didn’t even think you were mature enough to handle the details of your
mother’s death, which quite frankly was some of my best work…” Kennedy
turned to Giles to see him looking away shamefully. “Of course,” Angelus
continued, “maybe I should thank ole Rupert here. It’s been a long time
since I’ve gotten the chance to kill two generations in the same family. So
get up slayer, teach me a lesson,” he taunted.
Kennedy stayed still for a short while, her expression unreadable. Before
Angelus had time to blink she threw the stake in her hand, hitting his heart
with deadly accuracy.
He looked down in amazement and then shattered into millions of dust
particles.
Kennedy then looked over to Giles who was reclined on a tree trunk.
“That wasn’t really Angelus was it?” Kennedy asked.
Giles shook his head, still catching his breath. “No, it was the MacGuffin.”
Kennedy looked confused. “I thought a
MacGuffin was something fictional, a plot device; something used to propel a
story?” Giles looked surprised for a moment. “The name sounded familiar so I
looked it up before we left,” she confessed.
“And you still came anyway?” Giles
asked.
Kennedy shrugged. “I figured if you
thought you had fooled me we’d have a chance to talk. I had no idea that
MacGuffin’s are actually ‘real’ things.”
Giles nodded. “That’s a popular
misconception. While the name is one-in-the-same, a MacGuffin is actually
a demon - one that t-takes the shape and persona of what’s deep inside
someone’s psyche…that’s what makes them so dangerous and why I needed you
for this mission.”
“So I’d be killed?” Kennedy
asked.
“No, so you could work through your
anger over Jenny without being killed by the real Angelus, or Angel as he is
right now,” he replied.
“So all that stuff it was
saying…?”
“Was all in your head, yes,” Giles
finished. “That’s why I brought you – I knew you’d survive and kill this
demon. But the thoughts you have regarding my opinion of you aren’t entirely
wrong. I did think you were too immature to handle all the details of Jenny’s
demise at the time we discovered your identity. However… and prick up your
ears because this is important… today I see the woman, and the slayer, who’s
accomplished much with so much more to go…but only if you keep yourself alive
and well.”
“So this really was just all in my
head?”
“Yes, you believe that someone is
going to fly in and take me away. I’m here to tell you that won’t happen
Kennedy. I’ll be here when you need me… and I refuse to go even if you
don’t want me around,” he explained and then grinned devilishly.
Kennedy grinned slightly and looked
away. She pushed off the ground and at that point remembered her sore arm. She
winced before walking over to Giles. She offered him her good hand and using a
football style lift, she pulled him from the ground and to his feet.
“Now might be a good time to visit a
hospital,” she replied.
“I concur,” Giles agreed with a
slight smile. He went to take a step and stumbled slightly, but Kennedy managed
to catch him. “Thank you,” he replied.
“So what do we tell them about
this?” she asked as she pointed to the two of them.
“Well, I shot you on accident. I
rushed to help and ran into a tree limb. End of story.”
“You’re good at keeping the council
undercover, huh?”
Giles grinned. “I’ve learned a few
things over the years,” he admitted. “I’d be happy to teach you what I
know if you’d like to learn.”
Kennedy smiled. “Count me in.”
Back to FAN FIC Main Page