Fic: The Connection 4/?

["daenerys_winter" <mwalthew@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Title: The Connection
Spoilers: Bound to be some
Disclaimer: If you recognise a character, they're not mine.
Crossover: Highlander
Rating: R (possibly nc-17 later)
Author: Daenerys
Warning: Crossovers ahead.
Feedback: Please, please, please. My first story, so I need it.
Archive: You want my story, take it please. Just tell me where you 
put it.
Chapter 4

Buffy woke slowly, to find that the two girls had changed positions 
while on the three person sofa. Where before Willow had been curled 
up with most of her upper body acros Buffy's lap, and her head 
resting on the blonde's shoulder, they had shifted lengthwise across 
the sofa, with Buffy on the outer edge, still embracing the red 
haired beauty. Buffy found it strange that it did not, in fact feel 
strange at all. Unlike when she first admitted it to herself, and 
accidently to Willow at the same time the night, or early morning, 
before, she did not feel hesitant at all about her love for her best 
friend. She smiled at the wiccan before gently releasing her and 
sliding off the couch. Willow gave a little moan in protest, and 
Buffy froze as it appeared she would wake up. Willow shifted a bit, 
then sank back into her previous deep sleep.

Buffy quickly went to the phone nearby and dialed a quick number, 
waiting impatiently for an answer. When it came she 
spokeanxiously. "Adam? Yeah its Buffy. I have a problem here. 
Immortal, not hellmouth. . . No, its not a headhunter, its a newbie, 
and I don't think I can train her properly, but neither of us can 
leave. . . Yes I'm sure it's not a trick, I've known her for a godd 
few years, and she had no buzz before. . . I know I should be able to 
find pre-immies, it's just a combination of three factors which threw 
me off I think. First I had felt it before I even became immortal, 
she's a witch, so I think she's been manipulating it, so add in the 
fact that it's not always the same strength. Um, the third factor 
doesn't really have to do with any bit of immortal life, at least I 
don't think so. . . Do you really need to know? . . . It is quite 
personal. . . Fine. Um, I'm in love with her. . . WHAT DO YOU 
MEAN, 'Oh it's Willow'!!! . . . I what?! Great, just great. I run 
away from what seems to be the greatest tragedy of my life, spend a 
whole five months training with you, and you figure out I'm in love 
with my best friend. If it was so obvious then how come nobody else 
could see it. . . IT'S WRITTEN IN MY CHRONICLE??!!! THE BLOODY 
WATCHERS KNEW ABOUT MY LOVE LIFE BEFORE I DID!!! Methos!"

There was a huge crash just inside the door and Buffy whirled to see 
Giles staring at her in shock, with a tray on the ground by his feet, 
with broken plates, glasses, and coffee mugs. At the same time 
Willow, reacting both the crash and Buffy's yelling fell off the 
sofa. 'Um Adam, I think I need to go now, my watcher just heard that 
last bit, and the love of my life just got up. Oh he is, is he. 
Thanks, call me back in two hours will you. Yup, 2 o'clock sounds 
good. Bye."

Buffy hung up the telephone and turned to her two spectators 
sheepishly. "Um, hi?"

She moved swiftly to Willow's side and lifted her easily, but instead 
of just putting her down on the sofa, sat down first and then held 
her on her lap, similar to the position they had been in when Buffy 
had first comforted her. Willow tensed, then quickly relaxed in 
Buffy's arms. She looked up at the blonde, but before she could ask a 
question Buffy captured her lips in a kiss. Willow looked stunned for 
a second, then snuggled back into Buffy's arms, a purr of contenment 
coming to her. "I guess last night wasn't a dream then," she 
murmured. Buffy shook her head and then looked up at Giles.

"M M M Methos?"

"Yeah, he's my teacher."

Willow looked confused. " Um, teacher?"

"I'll explain a bit later Willow. Yes Giles, Methos."

Giles slowly sat down on another of the chairs in the living 
room. "You were taught by Methos. Do you know how lucky you were he 
didn't simply take your head, without explaining anything. And of 
course all you learnt is now suspect.We need to get another teacher 
for you both fast. We need to negate anything he . . ."

"Giles." Buffy's voice was cold and threatening. "Don't you dare say 
that about my teacher. And before you say anything, yes I know what 
he's done in his past, even if the regular society doesn't. He told 
me himself, everything about being at least five thousand years old, 
to his time when he was Death, to why he stopped, to how he redeemed 
himself. And before you say anything else, it was all confirmed by 
Duncan Macleod, his cousin Connor, Amanda Deveraux, Robert 
McCallister and Gabrielle, the Immortal Bard. The society may not 
know her, but if you weren't taught about her in Coincil training, 
you aren't the Watcher I thought you were."

Rupert Giles stared at the slayer, then stood and left the room, 
returning a short while later with a thick volume in his hands. He 
opened it and showed it to Buffy. Do you know that he has killed more 
slayers than Angelus, Druscilla, Spike and Darla combined. Or that 
the Master, who was the one who killed you, was more afraid of him 
than anything else in existence and that was why he was trying to 
open the Hellmouth. So he would have the power to defeat him, . . . 
maybe! We still can't be sure whether that would indeed be enough. Or 
that the mayor could be squashed like a worm under your foot if 
Methos fully harnessed his quickening?"

Buffy looked calmy back at him. "Well I didn't know about the Master. 
But I did know the rest. Giles, he's a man. A human, and human's 
change. Alot. Did you know that the rest of the horsemen are dead. He 
took one of their heads while Mac took another. A dual quickening 
Giles. Do you know what happens then?", Giles nodded slowly. "Macleod 
saw everything he had ever done Giles. And he saw what Methos has 
done in reparation for it." Buffy chuckled, "In fact that's one of 
the reasons the world still exists. Methos alone has closed the 
Hellmouth when it was in Europe several times. And as a result of 
the 'occultic' proof he saw, Duncan Macleod was able to defeat 
Ahriman. Did you know that Giles? It was the only reason why Duncan's 
own student survived, Duncan realised just in time who he was, thanks 
to recognising a trick Ahriman had used in a previous battle that 
Methos had witnessed, so he was able to turn the blow just in time, 
and together the three of them saved the world. Again."

Giles slowly nodded. "Very well, with those people as references I 
can hardly protest. You must realise Buffy that I only had Council 
records to judge him on, and they almost never mention what good a 
man has done, only evil. I overreacted and misjudged. I'm sorry. But 
I must say that I will protest him teaching Willow. With her 
witchcraft, and worship of Wicca, I don't think he would be the best 
teacher. He knows the arts of course, but taking his age into 
account, it wouldn't be wise. When he learnt them, it was very gender 
specific, there is no telling what might happen if Willow tried them."

Buffy now chuckled back at him. "Oh I know that Giles, and besides, I 
don't think that Methos will come to this Hellmouth. He says that to 
him, it would be as if the London Symphonic Orchestra was playing in 
continous disharmony within his head. Only one truly balanced, which 
he readily admits that he is not, and with his power could stand more 
than about a day here, and if I'm right and he manages to convince 
her, I can garuantee that you will have no problem accepting who 
he'll send."

"And who is that?"

The phone ringing prevented her reply and Buffy reached for the 
mobile next to the sofa. "Hello. . . Oh hi Methos. . . Yeah I calmed 
him down. Will she do it? . . . She will. That's great. Thanks a 
million you old antique." She smiled at Giles. "She's coming to teach 
Willow and I, possibly Tara as well."

Giles looked at her "And who is this lady that I will find no fault 
with Buffy?" he asked skeptically.

Buffy smirked and drew Willow in closer to herself as she 
answered, "Cassandra."

End Chapter 4

Author's note: Didn't expect this chapter to go this way at all. When 
starting it, I thought Buffy would be explaining all about 
immortality to Willow, with the reactions that were bound to come 
from this, with Giles, as Kirayoshi put it, acting as a referee. 
Instead I found myself wondering who exactly was going to be Buffy's 
teacher in Seacouver. Duncan would be overprotective, and we've 
already seen how Buffy reacts to this in her relations to both the 
earlier 'Council Approved' Giles and Wesley, and to Riley, so it 
couldn't be him. The next best would be Methos, the five thousand 
year old, oldest of the immortals. This of course brought to mind 
Giles' reaction, assuming that the council has access to the 
knowledge that he, with Kronos etc. created the template for the four 
horsemen of the Bible. Discussion on immortality must, therefore, 
wait for the next chapter. Sorry.