Subj: Shadows Over Sunnydale (02/??)
Date: 8/24/01 12:31:26 AM Central Daylight Time
From: Niklarus

Spoilers: Buffy Season 5 up to some point after Riley left but before things with Glory got really ugly. Dark Shadows up to the end of the series. Oh yeah, I'm taking it on faith that Victoria was Elizabeth's secret daughter.

Giles cocked his head at an angle as the name struck a familiar note in his mind. "Of the Collinsport Collinses?" he asked. "Joshua's son?"

Barnabas rested his hands on his cane. A slight, enigmatic parting of his lips that might have been a smile was his only acknowledgment of Giles' second question. "I see you have heard of our little village."

Giles nodded. "Your father's name was greatly honored by the Watchers who trained me. They considered him the greatest of our American brethren from that or any other era. His journals were required reading."

Barnabas smiled openly. "Thank you. You will, I hope, forgive my...insistence, but at my advanced age I have found patience to be a precious and nonrenewable resource one must spend carefully. Is Alexander here? His life is in great danger and I have traveled far to warn him."

"He is training in the back room with Buffy, the Slayer. Would you care for some tea or perhaps another...beverage while I get him?"

"Tea will be fine, Mister Giles. It has been decades since my dear, late wife freed me from the need for that 'other' beverage."

Giles walked back to the nook where the coffeemaker/hot plate was, poured a cup of hot tea and brought it back to Barnabas, who had seated himself at the showroom table.

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome."

Giles strode over to the training room door. Xander had just finished shucking off the puffy sumo suit he wore when Buffy needed a mobile, living punching bag. 'My children,' Giles thought as he watched Buffy and Xander share a warm smile.

"Ah, Xander. There's a gentleman here to see you. It's quite important."

"We'll be right there, G-Man. Gotta towel off the exhaustion first," Xander called back.

"Did Willow and Tara get here yet?" Buffy asked.

At that moment, a chime tinkled as the front door opened. "I do believe they've arrived," Giles answered with a smile.

Willow's voice rang out in greeting behind him. "Sorry we're late, Giles. Oh! I'm sorry, didn't mean to disturb you, sir. Can I help you? Are you here to see Giles? Have you known him long? I'm so sorry! I'm being completely rude, aren't I, asking all these questions and - oh! - I didn't even introduce myself at all. Goddess, I'm so sorry. I'm Willow. Willow Rosenberg. This is my girlfriend Tara, uh, MacLay."

Giles resisted the urge to grin like a doting father at Willow's babbling as he turned to face the showroom. 'Yes,' he thought, 'not of my blood but my children nonetheless. I must, before the next crisis comes upon us, find a way to show them how I love them.'

He observed as Barnabas, leaning on that distinctive cane, slowly rose to his feet. Taking the back of Willow's proffered hand, the former vampire kissed it with courtly manners, introducing himself to the girls. 'Cured. Is the process reproducible?' he thought. 'And what will it bode for "him" if it is?' Ever since that horrible winter and spring, thinking of Angel by name had been difficult at best for him. 'Time for answering those questions later, Ripper,' he told himself. 'One of the children is in danger. There lies the priority.'

"Xander and Buffy will be out momentarily, Mister Collins. I see you've already met Willow and Tara. Willow is Xander's oldest friend and she and Tara are the most delightful, resourceful and intelligent young women this nation has produced in quite some time. They are also members of the Wiccan religion and very competent at what they do."

Barnabas nodded his acknowledgment of the information. He had known at first glance that the young women were quite powerful. Perhaps even stronger than Angelique had been at the height of her power. Limited as his knowledge of the Wiccan faith was, it reassured him that they would not so capriciously misuse their power. Looking past Giles, he saw the Slayer into the room. She was shorter than he had expected and her body language radiated weariness. The dark-haired young man who followed her was clearly disheveled from his training. Yet somehow his heartening smile and strong-yet-mischievous eyes showed that the exhaustion was purely physical and had not touched his spirit. 'Yes,' he thought, 'a Collins through and through. Elizabeth's smile, his mother's sturdiness and those eyes are so very like Quentin's.'

"Alexander," Barnabas said aloud, "it has been such a very long time."

"I know you," Xander replied in confusion, "but I don't know how. How do I know you?"

"Tell me, Alexander, did the Harrises ever speak of your adoption?" A scowl flitted across Xander's face in response. "I am Barnabas Collins and I was a very dear friend of your true parents. Their names were Peter and Victoria Bradford."

Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis Production.