Brethren, Where Art Thou?

Watcher

When Rupert Giles woke that next morning, the memories of last night's ‘chat’ with Spike still haunted his mind. He climbed out of bed, his glasses still on his face and plodded to the answer machine. He still hadn’t heard from Morgan, so he hoped she had left him a message, and she had.

<BEEP! Hey Giles, I’m okay, I got caught talking to an old friend last night so I didn’t get in till dawn anyway. I’m gonna sleep through the day but I’ll check in at sun down. Oh, did you get any word on who sent those vampire's last night? Alright, well, I’ll see you later, I suppose! >

Spike’s words plagued his mind as he listened to Morgan’s chirpy, english accent recorded on his machine.

**You better not tell her, Rupert. I don’t want her to know because this is not going to happen, these Brethren of Shakar can piss off if they think I’m going to fall in love, which I’m not**

He could see the vampire in his head, just as he was, his finger pointed straight at him, his face all agitated, a little too screwed up to be telling the truth, but nevertheless it was quite sweet the way he lied to himself. Spike was not stupid, well he wasn’t clever either, but he had enough sense to know that whatever he did would not make the slightest difference to destiny had in store.

Destiny didn’t care if it was inconvenient or if it had apparently chosen the wrong person, whatever Fate wanted, happened. Spike was to fall in love with Morgan and hopefully prevent the destruction of the world. He had no other choice but to accept it, and to accept her.

Rupert smiled. Poor innocent Morgan. She hadn’t a clue what was about to hit her. And love hits hard and fast. It was surprising she hadn’t been in love before, she would be a heart breaker. She was stunning to look at, not that he thought of her that way, but she was a beautiful young woman. Those dazzling emerald green eyes and her beautiful curly hair the colour of dark crimson, and Rupert was growing fonder of her every minute he was with her.

She had a pure heart of gold.

She was taller than Buffy, but the same in build and sometimes when he looked at her, he saw Buffy’s smiling face. It seemed as if her face was permanently tattooed on the backs of his eyes and he knew he would never forget it.

And he would never forget the creature she had turned into either.

When she revealed what had happened to him, storming into the library like she did with Angelus and Spike by her side, stating her ‘ascension’ as she called it. But she had not hurt him. Not laid a finger on him, not even the Scourge of Europe or his childe had touched him. Was this because she still felt for him from beyond her immortality? Or was it a part of the great master plan every great master vampire conjures?

It did not matter now.

Morgan was more than ready to fight them.

Not all at once, of course not all at once.

What kind of warrior could fight and kill William the Bloody, Angelus the Scourge of Europe and an ex-vampire slayer whose skills he could only presume as accelerated far beyond your average vampire, simultaneously? Giles knew there was no such thing.

Yet he still could not fathom why Angelus and Buffy would take a back seat in trying to take over Sunnydale once more and it didn't seem to be in Spike’s less than perfect character to act as Master Vamp. They had to be planning something, and Spike was most probably unaware of it.

It was almost mid-day and Mr Giles dressed himself slowly, his mind working faster than his tired body, reeling with ideas and thoughts he would never have when fully awake. He would research the Prophecies about the Books of Shakar in more detail today, but it would be hard to keep it a secret from Morgan for too much longer. Another day, perhaps. But because two loveable teenagers had also been present at Spike’s enjoyable little visit, it probably wasn’t possible to keep her from it until sundown.

It seemed too soon.

Why now? What was so good about now? Were the planets aligning? Were the portents clear as crystal and he had just missed them entirely?

The Brethren had presumably been dispatched by now, for what purpose Rupert did not know, but he did know this. The Books of Shakar were legendary books that were used to bring forth a very ancient demigod consequently named Shakar. These books were made of magick and therefore hidden with magick centuries ago when a Chinese sorcerer attempted to release Shakar and almost succeeded. The Books were bound by powerful Shamans and Warlocks inside the Council, and hidden on another plane, only to be unlocked by a circumstance Watchers would never dream of coming to pass.

What Rupert did not know was just how much Morgan and Spike slotted into the puzzle. If it had been prophesised that they were to fall in love, the Books would surely be released, but what then?

The Brethren of Shakar are a cult that have waited until this precise time for their chance to free their master and they would certainly not waste this time.

Rupert would find out for what purpose the books were to be released into the possession of this world. Not just for Morgan’s sake, but for the world's. Shakar would be strong enough in all the Dark Arts to open the Hellmouth and therefore end humanity.

What kind of Watcher would he be if he didn’t try to stop Shakar?

A wise one.

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **