Part 12
The gang was assembled in Buffy's living room. It had been almost two weeks since Anya placed her call to Giles. Nobody really had a clue about what was going on. Giles had insisted that Anya air express the Diaries to him and to discuss what she had found with no one. He had finally called back on Friday and asked to meet with everyone at Buffy's house on Saturday evening.

There was a sense of expectation in the room. This had to be something big, for Giles to fly in from England. Buffy was sitting in a chair, twisting her hands. Spike was pacing restlessly around the house. Dawn, Tara and Willow are chatting happily. Xander was irritated because Anya wouldn't tell him anything.

Finally the doorbell rang and the entire group rush over to open it. Giles looked more than a little stunned to see his welcoming committee all greeting him at once. "A little room, please," he asked them "I have some gentlemen with me who might appreciate some personal space."

The gang backed off and made way for Giles and his guests. He greeted everyone and introduced his two associates. They were both members of the Watcher's Council. One is an attorney and the other an accountant. All three men had briefcases.

Buffy motioned for them to sit on the couch while she sat on a chair facing them. Spike stood behind her while Xander and Anya found a place against the wall. Dawn sat on the floor next to Buffy. Tara was in the other chair, with Willow sitting on the arm.

"Giles, is this good or bad?" Buffy wanted to know.

"It's good, quite good." Giles assured her with a smile.

The attorney pulled out a stack of papers and passed them to Giles. After glancing through them, Giles began. "As you all know, Anya discovered something present in the Watcher's Diaries that, somehow, we have missed over the last thirty years." Giles looked abashed, then removed and wiped his glasses before replacing them on his face. He continued, "In the earlier journals there is a list of entries written in an ancient Mayan numerical system. The Watchers had always dismissed these as extraneous information relating to dates of journal entries and so on."

Buffy was tapping her foot. Everyone was getting fidgety. Anya was beaming.

"Get on with it then. No one here is getting any younger!" Spike insisted.

"Yes... well, to come to the point," Giles spared a glare toward Spike, "These are accounts of payments."

"What kind of payments?" Buffy wanted to know.

"Payments to Slayers. It seems that in the past the post of Slayer was a... a salaried position."

"Salaried?" Buffy asked, "Wha...What kind of salary?"

"A rather generous salary, actually, designed to cover all of the Slayer's needs so that she could dedicate her life to, er... slaying."

Xander stepped forward, "You mean to tell me that all this time Buffy was out putting her neck on the line for you people, she was supposed to be getting paid?"

"Well... yes, I suppose I am." Giles continued, "It would appear that Quentin Travers and a few of his close associates have been embezzling the Slayer's funds for quite some time now. They have been removed from the Watchers Council and will be... punished."

"But what does this mean? Will I start getting a salary now?"

Giles rose and moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table. He took Buffy's hands in his. "My dear girl, this means so much more than that."

The accountant cleared his throat and spoke up, "We have calculated all that you should have received for the last six years at the current exchange rate, and have added the interest you would have acquired had you been saving the funds..."

"Compounded annually?" Anya interjected.

"Yes, of course." The attorney nodded. "Miss Summers, you have quite a large sum available to you. It has been deposited in the Sunnydale Bank in your name, and you have free access to it."

Buffy couldn't believe her ears. Dawn was jumping up and down "Yes!" Everybody had huge smiles.

Giles broke in, "Buffy, there is more." They all quieted down to listen "The mortgage on your house has been paid and an extended vacation planned for you and all of your friends. You can choose any destination."

"But, my slaying..." Buffy was having trouble comprehending, "I can't leave..." She stood and turned to look at Spike, then back to Giles.

"Actually, you can." Giles interrupted, "A new Slayer has been called."

"New Slayer..."

Spike broke in. "Where?"

Giles smiled again. "Here in Sunnydale." he stood to address Buffy. "The new Slayer is here, and you... are free."

"Free...?"

"Buffy, you have fulfilled your duty to mankind and the Council. You have served well. You will continue to receive your salary until you die, hopefully as an old happy woman. It is your choice whether you want to stay and help the new Slayer, or just spend the rest of your life enjoying your life. Of course, if you choose to help the new Slayer, it will mean you have to continue to work with Spike here. If you can live with that, the Council would be thrilled to have you on board."

"Giles, how can you make all these things happen?"

Giles could hardly restrain his happiness, "I have been appointed as new Head of the Watcher's Council. I get to make the rules now. My first rule is that Slayers no longer have to die in the line of duty, but can serve their term and return to their lives. The Watchers Council will do everything in their power to support the girls and protect them, if possible. The Powers That Be are helping in this." He glanced at Spike. "They owe us one."

Buffy reached up and embraced him lovingly, "Thank you Giles. Thank you so much."

Giles turned to shake Spike's hand. "Well, now it's official. You are the Watcher here in Sunnydale. Good luck, and feel free to call any time you need assistance."

Spike stepped up behind Buffy and placed one hand possessively on her waist and the other on her shoulder. "I'll remember that old man. I think I will have plenty of help right here." He nodded around the room including Xander, Anya, Willow, Tara and Dawn. "It's a good gig."

Giles nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is."

Xander glanced over to Spike and Buffy, "Hey Dawn, why don't you come with Anya and me. We were headed to the mall."

"Sounds good to me. Maybe Buffy will let me get that new leather jacket now!" Dawn grabbed her purse and hugged her sister. She stopped on the way to the door to kiss Giles on the cheek. "Thank you."

Giles looked down at her warmly. "You're welcome."

Tara stood up, "And Willow and I have some...some dorm cleaning to do, don't we sweetie?"

"Uh yeah, sure... yay cleaning." Willow grimaced, then gave Buffy a happy wave. "Leaving now!"

The attorney and accountant shook Buffy's hand and took their leaves, also. Finally Giles faced her. "I will be in town for a few weeks to help Spike settle in with the new Slayer. By the way, her name is Grace and she has quite a chip on her shoulder. I'm sure she could use some advice from someone who knows what she is going through. I'll see you later Buffy." He kissed the top of her head and left.

Buffy turned to Spike, and smiled when he didn't move away. His hand is still on her waist and his face was close.

"And what about you?" She asked. "Are you going to leave too?"

He considered this for a moment, then tilted his head. "You've never had much luck gettin' rid of me, have you?"

"No" she mused, "You always have a way of turning up." She became serious and looked meaningfully into his face. She lifted her hand to touch her fingertips to his forehead, his cheek, his chin. "I love you, you know."

"Stop it" he replied in a girlish, sing-songy voice. "You don't love me! You just like paiiinnn!"

"That's not fair!" Buffy punched him on the shoulder, smiling.

"Ow!" he laughed. "You've got to remember to pull your punches with me now, Slayer."

"You still love me, don't you?" She needed to hear his words.

His answer was already in his eyes. "Always." He told her softly, and then he kissed her.

THE END.