9 CH.9

Ryan looked at the small tight nit group and said: "Since Willows decided to what she wants I'll help with what I can within reason because to much help from me can be as detrimental as none at all."

After that, he turned to Willow not paying the rest any heed. When the Scooby gang finished their little pow-wow and started breaking up to leave he headed over to Xander and asked:" Are you still going to be working for me?"

Xander looked at Willow but when she stayed silent he said:" Yeah I think I will for now but I want a raise."

"Done."

Seeing him agree so quickly Xander went on: "And I want my house to have protection magic put on it like your planning on doing to yours."

Giles hearing this said:" Excuse me what was that about protection magic?"

Looking at Xander for a minute Ryn replied: "You'll have to rebuild the house from the ground up and even then you'll have to be a great carpenter to get it done quickly. It's going to take you at least a year of studying and first-hand experience. But if you work hard and finish your studies by the end of this school year I'll even buy the land behind your house for an inground pool."

Finally looking at Giles he explained: " I'm having all of my property rebuilt and blessed with magic to keep evil out. Everything for the cement it's just on to the last shingle laid will have protection ruins and holy water and or oil on them to keep the pests out.

Giles looked struck:" Good Lord why didn't I think of that? Though I completely understand it would be almost impossible for anyone else to pull off, the watcher's council could've done so easily enough. Excuse me I believe I must make a phone call!"

Watching Giles take off, Ryan went back to Willow who was talking to Miss Calendar about magic training. " If your thinking about training I have a few candidates you might want to consider. When you've got the time I suggest you check them out. They might be good for Willow if she heads a young coven." He handed Miss Calendar a small list of names.

Willow turned to him and inquired:" Are you ready to go?" After seeing him nod she lead him to his car.

Over the next few weeks, everything was quiet for the Scooby gang. Ryan and Willow went on a few more dates, twice to the movies, once to the mall where he bought her a lot of feminine stuff as recommended by Buffy, and every other day they went to the bronze to hang out with the gang.

Eventually, trouble did find them when Cordelia got kidnapped by a couple of weird guys who wanted to play doctor Frankenstein.

After a brawl where they managed to knock over a gas can and burn down the building, both living guys were arrested.

Other than that their lives were pretty busy. Willow started a coven with some boys named Jonathan and Andrew. A girl named Amy joined not long after. Miss Calendar started teaching them small stuff while Giles banged into them the importance of control.

Xander was kept busy with his studies and learning to build houses. He took to it like a natural. He was progressing by leaps and bounds at this point. I guess it helped that he had someone to go-to for any questions he had. There was one incident where a worker lost his hand when a girder fell from two stories up and landed on it.

After that Xander started to crack down on safety, ensuring his people went home at night was his priority. He buckled down on anyone who goofed off while on-site but when it was quitting time he was the first to want to party.

Buffy's life was a little easier. When she wasn't slaying either Ryan or Willow would help her with her school work. When she got a question right Ryan paid her ten bucks and when she got it wrong she would spend an hour extra on patrol.

Soon enough she was earning several hundred a night after she buckled down. When he asked her where the money was going all she said was "shoe fund." She and Willow ended up going to the mall a few times that month while Ryan volunteered to patrol.

The nightlife quieted down each time strangely enough. He only ran into a couple of blood drunk vampires and a few newbies crawling out of their own graves.

On the school end. Buffy ended up getting roped into getting the school ready for the parent-teacher conference with some punk rock girl who bailed at the first chance.

We spent the night at the bronze dancing when a guy ran inside saying" Where's the phone, there is some big guy outside trying to bite a girl."

Ryan watched as Buffy ran outside until Willow turned to him and said:" Come on we have to help Buffy."

Nodding he followed her out only to see Buffy kicking the vampire's butt. Willow and Xander grabbed the girl as Buffy yelled:" Take her inside, she'll be safe in there!"

After she staked the vampire another guy showed up clapping and saying:" I'll see you this Saturday."

Buffy quipped:" What happens this Saturday."

The Billy idol wannabe announced:" That's when I kill you." And ran away.

Ryan looked at Buffy confused:" Do you always let the vampires getaway or is this one special? I mean I know he smells like Angel but if he's threatening to kill you, I think it's time to put it down."

Buffy turned to him:" What do you mean he smells like Angel? You smelled Angel?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow: " Really Buffy that's what you take away from that? Well, he reeks of the same demonic odor as Angel does. If I were a betting man I'd say they're from the same sire line."

They headed back inside to pack up there stuff as Buffy was supposed to be studying inside with Willows help. After some Willow kisses, Ryan dropped her off and went home.

The next day they went to school early so that they could help Buffy set up for parent-teacher night. While Ryan was watching Willow and Buffy paint a banner, he was discussing some future projects with Xander. " I'm buying a vineyard on the edge of town and I want you to supervise its remodeling as soon as you finish your understudies at the end of this year. Think of it as a trial run. If you finish the remodeling fast and good enough it will be time to start on the houses. After that comes the dojo's and shops I bought. When everything is up to spec you can remodel the bronze. On the bright side, there's enough work to keep you busy for a few years. Once you have a couple years under your belt you can completely take over Harrison Construction Co, As it's only owner and freelance whenever you want so long as my business contracts come first."

While Ryan was talking to Xander Giles and Jenny showed up together. While Giles started talking about a vampire holiday called the night of Saint Vigeous, Ryan walked up behind Willow and started hugging her from behind.

After a few minutes of watching the old watcher talk to Buffy about being prepared, Xander spoke up about helping widdle stakes while she works on preparation for tonight's parent-teacher meeting.

As soon as he suggested it Giles changed the subject to calling them slaves to the tv, which Ryan found odd because he didn't own a tv. As soon as Giles finished his sentence he asked:" Jenny shall we be off?" "Yes let's."

Tilting his head to the side he caught on. It seems they noticed the principal heading towards them. When Ryan turned to look, Snyder caught a glimpse of him and veered off course heading for the teacher's lounge instead.

A few minutes later the punk chick came inside looking hungover. Ignoring this Ryan kissed Willow on the forehead and said: " I'll see you later I'm going to head to the library and read some Watchers journals to try and stay ahead of whatever comes next."

When she offered to come with he agreed shook his head and said: " If you come I know I won't be able to focus too much on reading and though it's not a bad thing it could be dangerous for Buffy and the group later. Besides your currently the only one helping her."

She smiled at this then turned back to what she was doing. Ryan headed to the library only to see Giles already going through his journals. Seeing this he sat down across from him and started to read at an increasing pace.

Twenty minutes later Giles had to head to his office to get more journals to keep Ryan occupied as he had read all his current stacks on the table. When he asked," Are you really reading or are you skimming through them?"

Ryan laughed:" Well spikes other name is William the bloody, you're going to be in trouble with the council when buffy turns eighteen and your tattoo you tried getting removed is a link to a demon that likes to give out hallucinations. So what do you think? I could go on."

Giles looked shocked: " Please don't. I get your point, you have a great comprehension speed."

Nodding Ryan said:" Far more than that but sure it will work for now. Anyway do you have any more because this won't take me long to finish. Oh and that paperweight you have is an orb of thesulah."

" Not really all the rest are demonic books on everything from vampires to the old ones. The rest of the watcher's diaries are at my house or with the council. " Giles shook his head saying.

Sighing Ryan announced: " I'll have Lyndsey set up an account in your name with some money for you to start purchasing as many useful books on demons as you can find."

Giles smiled:" That would be much appreciated."

Nodding Ryan moved on to the demonic books stopping when he ran into a few that were spelled trap books with demons inside he set those to the side and had Giles collect the rest that he was aware of so that they could be takin out of circulation.

They didn't want anyone to stumble upon them and accidentally release one. By the time Buffy's group came into the library to start widdling and chopping food for tonight and tomorrow's events Ryan had read all of Giles's current collection. Setting aside the demon bound books and a few that were coded of course.

Ryan grew bored so he sat down beside Willow and listened to Cordelia complain about being tired of sharpening stakes. " How long have I been doing this anyway?"

" Three minutes Cordy, we feel for your pain." Xander said smirking.

" Well I'm done, it's not like we need them anyway with terminator here and Buffy picking up the slack." She said rudely.

" First of all I'm no robot, and second of all unless one of your lives is in danger I won't be interfering, lest the PTB try to force a confrontation as they did before." Ryan replied like he was talking to a child.

" Whatever its all the same if we do nothing we can be in danger then you'll save us simple as that?" Cordelia declared openly.

Hearing this Ryan faced palmed:" Why did I even speak?"

"Because you naïvely believed she would understand what you were saying." Xander commented.

Sighing Ryan pulled out some papers and said: " Willow I've got some more patents for you to sign. There's two for a liquid cooling system for computers and ten more for various components for a new cell phone design. There's another five more for digital cameras. I have a surprise for you as well. I was able to synthesis memory crystal so sometime within the next decade we may be able to build hologram tech. For now though it's your turn to sign papers." He finished laughing when she slightly frowned at an increase of hand cramps.

Seeing her frown he's said:" Don't worry if your hand starts to hurt I'll kiss it and make it feel better." This worked to perk her up and she was back to her happy self when she started to sign her name to the documents.