Magic Box, Friday

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles stopped and picked up a box of donuts and a coffee before he headed over to the Magic Box.

He'd been in a rather thoughtful mood most of the week. The news that there had been a demon on the island had of course been disturbing, but it was the news that there had been possessions that he kept fixating on. He'd found himself thinking about his youth and the playing with fire they'd done with Eyghon, volunteering to be possessed.

They'd been more than stupid and the only surprise was that it took as long as it had to blow up in their faces.

Giles sighed as he leaned on the counter and sipped his coffee, pondering the follies of the past, his own and others.

The Magic Box was open.

Comments

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn took a deep breath before entering the Magic Box, unfortunately very used to the feeling of dread before facing Giles after being involved in something dumb.

"Hi." She entered hesitantly, hands shoved in her pockets, and hoping that her hat, coat, and sweater covered any remaining bruises.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles looked up, shaken from his less than pleasant memories and managed a smile for Dawn. "Hello," he said, coming around the counter.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Haven't seen you for a while. Thought I'd stop in, y'know? Say hi, catch up on my dusting." She trailed her fingers along the display counter for a couple of feet, still not looking at Giles. Maybe he wouldn't know she was involved?

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Talk about the past week?" Giles said gently.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"You, uh, heard about that, huh?" She shifted her weight from foot to foot and back again.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Words like 'demon possession' in radio broadcasts tend to catch my attention."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I was so dumb," she flopped into one of the chairs. "Sam had a vision, but I went out alone after dark anyway. I mean, why didn't I just pin a target to my chest and start yelling about how I was all ready to be a victim? And then Sam and Dean both tried to get me to leave and not fight, and I wouldn't leave, because obviously my fighting skills were so handy, right? God, I'm lucky I know which end of a stake to use, you know?"

She stopped talking abruptly and buried her head in her hands. "They could have both died, and it would have been my fault."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Leaving aside the foolhardiness of walking after dark, how would anyone dying have been your fault?" Giles asked, in the same gentle tone he had been using.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Boy, she hated logic. "Because it's always my fault, somehow. You should know that better than anybody."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"I seemed to have missed that memo," Giles said.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Buffy, Sw--er, other stuff you have coming up," she shrugged. "All me, mostly, or because Buffy had to save me."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"That probably has more to do with your proximity to Buffy than anything about you," Giles told her.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but now it's being close to Sam, and I'm still the victim."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles sighed. "Dawn, the world we live in, the proximity we keep to the dark things in it, occasionally something is going to reach out and hit us. If you're me, chances are it'll be on the head."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

That got a smile out of her. "It seems to like kidnapping me, if it makes you feel any better. This is being a Watcher, huh?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"One of the parts they don't put in the recruitment brochures."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I think I see why. Getting knocked out hurts."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"It rather does, doesn't it?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Does it get easier? Caring about people who do dangerous stuff, and just having to--watch?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Not appreciably, no," Giles sighed.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"That shouldn't go in the brochure either," she leaned against the side of the chair.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Yes, the brochures are actually very short."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"What did they say?" Because obviously this was what she'd come to talk to Giles about.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Mostly it talks about the library priviledges."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn snorted. Yeah, they'd definitely have to come up with a new tactic now that the library was gone. "Nice to know we're life of the party types."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I don't know," Giles said. "I don't think we're total sticks in the mud."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"I spent a week doing translations, and had a good time doing it," she pointed out. "That can't be completely normal."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles smiled. "There's a reason library priviledges was considered brochure material."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Porn wasn't invented yet?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"You just need to know where to look in the library stacks."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Gah! Mental image of Giles looking at porn was not something she needed, thank you very much. That would mean he---ewwwwwwwwww.

"So, any hints for the newbie watcher about how to get over this?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Concentrate on the fact that everyone got out alive," Giles said. "That's a success in my book."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"And everything else works out?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Wounds heal in time," Giles said. "Some take longer than others, but... That which does not kill us makes us stronger is a cliche because there's more than a grain of truth to it."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"How strong do we have to get?" She asked quietly, looking at her feet. "Does the brochure tell us that?"