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Different Point of View

By Rach

"I have to go see Giles, report on last night's patrol." Buffy stood up, sighing.

"Oh, yeah. He said he wanted to talk to you." Willow followed Buffy down the hallway.

"What about? Is he okay?"

"He's looked better."

Fred walked behind with Xander. "I was in the library before, he was taking a phone call. He didn't look very happy when he hung up."

"Come to think of it, he didn't seem to be in the best of moods when he let me out of my cage this morning." Oz chimed in.

Buffy frowned. The last time Giles had been in a serious funk, something he'd set loose in his rebel-Giles phase was after them. And she'd ended up with an incredibly painful - and expensive - tattoo. She could definitely do without another Eyghon. She flung open the door to the library to see Giles sitting on the edge of the table, being talked at by some stuffy looking British guy in a suit. She walked in and looked the new guy up and down, the others hovering in the doorway.

"New watcher?" She asked Giles.

"New watcher." He confirmed. Well, that would explain the mood. The new guy stepped towards Buffy and held out his hand.

"Wesley Wyndam-Pryce." When Buffy didn't take his hand, he stepped back and fidgeted slightly. "It's very nice to meet you." Still eyeing the stranger as if he was about to explode, she stepped towards Giles.

"Is he evil?"

Wesley's face took on a perplexed expression. "Evil?"

Fred leaned towards Willow. "Evil?" She whispered.

"The last one they sent was evil. Watcher gone bad. Not a pretty sight. We'll tell you all about it later." Willow whispered back.

They all watched from the doorway as Buffy related her report on last night's patrol to both watchers, although Willow could tell it was aimed more at Giles than the new guy. He hadn't realised they were standing there - not great observational skills for someone who has "watcher" on his CV.

"You seem to know a lot about them," Giles remarked, as Wesley told them about the cult of vampires Buffy had dusted members of.

"I didn't get this job because of my looks."

Buffy grimaced. "I really, really believe that."

"I don't know. I think he's kinda hot," Fred whispered. "In a cute, British way."

Willow snorted, and Wesley looked up at the doorway. Taking that as their cue, Willow led them into the library itself. Willow held out her hand. "Hi. Willow Rosenberg."

Wesley smiled politely. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce. I'm Buffy's new history tutor."

"You're her new Watcher. We know."

Wesley did a double take, and then relaxed slightly. "These would be the friends?" Giles nodded. "I think we should make it clear from the beginning that you are to have no contact with Buffy as regards her slaying. In fact, you should just forget all you know about the subject."

"Excuse me, Mr Motivator, I think I'll decide what my friends help out with."

"It's not up to you. You take orders from me, you behave as I tell you."

Buffy opened her mouth to reply as the doors swung open again. Faith walked in, and Wesley smiled. "Ah. This is perhaps Faith."

"New Watcher?" she sniffed.

"New Watcher," chorused the others.

"Screw that." She turned on her heel and walked out of the library.

"Now, why didn't *I* just say that?"

Giles smiled ruefully. "Uh, Buffy, would you..."

"I'll see if I can get her back." She followed Faith out of the library, eager to leave. The silence that surrounded the room was eerie. Looking around, everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to say something. Fred stepped forward and held out her hand.

"Winifred Burkle. My friends call me Fred. You can call me Fred." She smiled, her eyes twinkling. Willow was shocked at Fred's boldness. This was the girl who was too shy to ask for extra foam in her cappuccino.

Wesley blushed, and took her hand gently. "It's ... uh ... um ... it's nice to meet you, Winifred," he stammered. "Do you ... uh, that is to say ... do you go here? Uh, I mean, with Buffy? To school."

Fred laughed. "Yeah. Well, for the last couple months at least. I moved here from Texas."

"Oh really? I've, uh, never been. To Texas."

"So, new Watcher, huh?"

"Yes. I am... here to watch... girls. Uh, uh, Buffy and Faith, to be specific." He cleared his throat. "Mister Giles, could I have a word with you please? In the office ...?"

Giles laughed, amused. "Of course, Mister Wyndam-Price." He shooed Wesley into the office, the younger man still unable to take his eye off Fred and close his mouth.

Xander turned to Fred, a grin on his face. "Well, looks as though you've got an admirer there!" Fred watched after Wesley as he entered the office. "The feeling's definitely mutual."

****

"So, Winifred ..." Wesley slipped his fingers through the office blind and peeked through them. He smiled as he saw Fred laughing with Xander, and then turned back to Giles, realising he was being watched. "She's the same age as Buffy?"

"Thinking about doing a spot of cradle robbing are we?" Giles smirked.

"No! I mean ... well, she's very attractive. But she's a student."

"So I noticed."

"Very funny, Rupert."

"Wasn't meant to be."

"Don't let me interrupt." Cordelia yelled into the office, and Giles peered out to see what she wanted. "Wait. Let me interrupt. I'm in a hurry."

Giles sighed. "What did you need?"

"Uh, psych class. Freud and Jung. Book me?"

"Happily."

Wesley stepped out of the office, and Cordelia smiled. "Check out Giles: The Next Generation. What's your deal?"

"I'm here to tutor Buffy. In history."

Willow shook her head. "New Watcher."

This news didn't excite Cordelia. "Oh."

Wesley turned to Willow, clearly irritated. "Does everybody know?"

"She's a friend," replied Fred. "Well, sorta."

"Let's not exaggerate." Cordelia smiled sarcastically. "So... you're the new Watcher."

Wesley held out his hand. "Wesley Wyndam-Pryce."

Cordelia took it, turning on the charm for the handsome stranger. "I like a man with two last names. I'm Cordelia."

"And you teach psychology?"

"I *take* psychology."

"Oh, you're a student? You look older ..."

Cordelia looked horrified. "I look old? Oh my God. I have got to stop hanging with you people." Grabbing the books from Giles, she ran out of the library.

Chapter Three



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