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Chapter Five                                                                                        Chapter    1    2    3    4    Home

 

 

How could he betray me like this?  Ethan thought for what must have been the eleventh or twelfth time, as he paced the confines of his sitting room.

 

Yes, Russell’s death was unfortunate, but these things happen.  Russell knew the risks—they all did.  Power demands a price, as does anything of value.  Did Ripper really believe they could swim in the dark waters of magick and not get wet?  Apparently he did; or, more accurately, had.

 

And now he thought he could run home to Grandmum like a good little Watcher, put his white hat on again and pretend it never happened?  Pretend they had never happened?  That’s exactly what Ripper had in mind!

 

Magic bad, blah blah, dangerous, blah blah, innocents could get hurt, blah blah, better if we don’t see each other again, blah blah blah!

 

So, Rupert, we’re going to buckle down now, are we?  Trade in our nice leather jacket for a Harris tweed?  Return to the bosom of our family and go on to be a good little Watcher?  No more magick, no more dark, dangerous power that makes you strong and beautiful and incredibly alluring and attainable. . . no more Ethan.

 

Just a fling, blah blah, one of those things that just ‘happens’, blah blah, not my path in life, blah blah, better we don’t see each other again, blah blah bloody blah!

 

“I fucking hate you, Rupert Giles!” Ethan screamed at the top of his lungs.  He collapsed on the floor as anger and hurt warred within his body.  “I hate you, hate you, hate you, hate you. . . but I still can’t stop loving you!  I’ve tried. . . oh, how I’ve tried. . . You’ll be sorry!  When you’re old and alone, wrapped in your bloody tweed with nothing but your books to keep you company, you’ll regret this!  You’ll miss the fire and the passion and the magic!  You’ll regret throwing away what we could have had!

 

“Oh, Ripper, you’ve turned me inside out—you’ve turned my life into bloody chaos!  Nothing makes sense without you!”

 

Ethan pushed himself into a sitting position and angrily dragged his sleeve across his eyes, wiping away the tears.

 

“Right, then, Rupert.  You’ve made my life into chaos, I shall make Chaos my life!  Go back to your orderly little world with its small-minded, ordinary little people.  Pretend you never knew the fire.  Stuff your own bloody shirts, for all I care.  But don’t get too comfortable, Rupert.  We’ll meet again.  I’ll always be a part of you.  And when your world devolves into Chaos, look over your shoulder—I’ll be there.  You won’t get rid of me this easily, Ripper. . .”

 

 

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Conclusion

 

 

Ethan Rayne leaned both elbows on the sticky bar at the Fish Tank and threw back another shot of what was euphemistically called “whiskey” in this fine establishment.  He grimaced at the taste, but if it helped dull the pain, he’d forbear.

 

Why had he ever thought it a good idea to open his costume shop in Sunnydale?  The logical answer was, of course, that the chaotic energy of the Hellmouth drew him. . . what better place to pay homage to the Lords of Chaos?

 

Ethan sighed and motioned for another drink.  He knew exactly why he’d done it; it was in the hope of seeing Ripper again.  And he had, hadn’t he?  Ethan gently touched his bruised face and threw back his drink, wincing as an errant drop of the whiskey burned his split lip.

 

He’d been afraid that over the years they’d been apart, Giles had actually turned into the stuffy, buttoned-down Watcher he’d rebelled so strenuously against becoming during their misguided youth.  But it hadn’t taken much—just his own presence—to bring Ripper to the fore again.  Janus, he was magnificent!  He was all passion and fire while beating Ethan to a bloody pulp!

 

Ethan smiled.  So things aren’t so cold and dead between us after all, are they, Ripper?  I can still manage to get under your skin. . . I can still make you feel. . . and Janus knows, I still love you.

 

He drank down the rest of the whiskey and got painfully to his feet, hand protectively supporting his broken ribs.  He had just needed to see for himself.  He knew that as long as he kept the covenant, Giles would be fine.  Janus would keep him safe—that was the bargain; but he had just needed to see for himself.  And now he had.  It was time to go.

 

However; the rent on the shop had been paid for the full month.  An impish grin crossed his face.  The costume shop had just been such bloody good fun!

 

“We’ll meet again, Ripper,” he whispered.  “You need me in your life.  Everyone needs a little chaos to liven things up.”

 

 

 

The End

 

 

 

 

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