A Different Life: Part 12

Joyce, Willow and Xander sat in front of the television set waiting for news of the dig to appear. Joyce was on the couch, Willow and Xander sitting on the floor. Finally it was on and Joyce pointed. “There he is.”

It was mostly the same stuff from earlier. Now that Joyce was seeing him in a whole new light she thought he looked sad too. It touched her heart for some reason. She was suddenly looking forward to seeing him smile. The whole thing seemed so surreal all of a sudden. Willow leaned towards the set. “He’s kind of old.”

Joyce glared at Willow. “He’s exactly my age, thank you very much.”

Willow made a nervous face. “Did I say old? I meant mature, wise.” She looked at Joyce, hoping she’d said the right thing.

Joyce grinned at Willow, shaking her head. “I’m sure he does seem old to you, I’m sure I must seem old to you. But Buffy doesn’t seem to care.”

Xander pursed his lips. “He looks kind of important. Seems weird that Buffy would have such an important guy in love with her.”

Willow smacked Xander. “She’s like the most important girl in the world. Why shouldn’t she have someone important love her?” She sighed. “He’s awfully good looking.”

Joyce nodded her head. “He is that, for sure.” Joyce had sort of given up on the hope of a relationship. There was someone she was interested in but after all this time she didn’t think it would ever turn into anything. “Very handsome.” She was thrilled for Buffy and jealous all at the same time. “The Curator of the British Museum.” She shook her head again. “I can’t believe I just got off the phone with him.”

Willow grinned. “I know, it seems so weird. I can’t wait to see Buffy’s face when we show up with him.” She looked up at Joyce. “Do you think we’ll have some sort of sparky thing? I mean we must have been in that life of Buffy’s when this guy was her Watcher. Do you think he’ll remember us?”

Joyce shrugged. “Willow, I have no idea. He doesn’t seem to remember being her Watcher although he did dream about it, at least Buffy said he did.” Again she shook her head. “Who knew that the Curator of the British Museum would be an ex-Watcher?”

Xander looked up at Joyce. “You seem really hung up on the British Museum thing.”

Joyce grinned self deprecatingly. “I do, don’t I?” She laughed. “I just love that museum. I don’t suppose Buffy could have picked a guy with a job that would thrill me more.”

Xander snorted. “Well, if he moves here, he’ll probably be washing dishes with me, so don’t get too excited. Not much call around here for ex-Curators of the British Museum.”

Joyce poked Xander with her foot. “He could work at the Sunnydale Natural History Museum.”

Xander snorted again. “I’m sure that would be a career challenge.”

“Well, he could teach at U.C. Sunnydale. Buffy said he taught at the University of London.”

“Again, quite the vertical career move.”

Joyce gave up. “He said he didn’t care. He said he’d figure something out.”

Xander heard a nervous tone in Joyce’s voice. “I’m sure he’ll stay. I mean a guy who chases down invisible girlfriends that he’s only known a few days, I color that committed.” He grinned at Joyce. “I was just giving you a hard time.” He pointed at the TV set. “A guy like that? He’ll land on his feet.” Xander got a speculative look on his face. “And maybe he’ll take me with him. I could get used to having someone important as a friend.” He took in Joyce and Willow’s looks. “Not that you guys aren’t important.” Xander sighed. “Do you really think he’ll beat up Wes?”

“I can only hope.” When both Willow and Xander turned around to look at her in surprise, Joyce grimaced. “Did I say that out loud?”

Both Willow and Xander grinned and turned back to the TV. The section regarding the dig ended. Joyce stretched. “Well, now you know who to look for.”

Xander nodded. “I still say the two dogs will be a dead giveaway.”

Joyce looked at the two of them sternly. “And you may not say a thing about this to Buffy.” She looked even more sternly at Willow. “Willow?”

Willow squinched her face up. “I know. I know. I’m just so bad at this. Maybe I better just go before she gets home. She’ll know something’s up just by looking at me.” She stood and Xander stood as well.

Xander checked his pocket to make sure he had the flight information. “When next we see you it will be with your potential future son-in-law in tow.”

Joyce looked a little stunned as she let Willow and Xander out the door. “The Curator of the British Museum my son-in-law. Oh my.”

***

Giles watched as Gwen and Ethan went to look at his dogs. Smiling softly at their retreating backs he closed his eyes and tried to get some rest. The night before he had hardly slept because he had been too despondent. And last night he had hardly slept because he had been far too excited. Blowing out another breath in an effort to calm down Giles shifted again in his seat. At least they were roomy seats. Thank God for Ethan and his money.

Giles never took advantage of it but sometimes it came in handy. And Ethan had been spending plenty of it. The amount of money that had changed hands just since they’d been on the plane had stunned him. But Gwen was worried about the dogs so Ethan had worked it out for her to see them. Ethan was convinced that everything was available for the right amount of money, and he was generally right.

Giles had known him since they were young lads in school and he loved Ethan like a brother despite his vicious sense of humor. Giles had often hoped that Gwen and Ethan would…well, Giles supposed that would never happen. They’d all known each other too long and if lightening was going to strike it seems as if it would have by now. Shifting again in his seat he started trying to count sheep.

Ethan followed Gwen down the narrow aisle way. They were squashed together tightly as they took the small lift down to the lower hold. As the cabin steward showed them where Ethan and Rayne were being held Ethan discretely handed him a large note. After Ethan reassured him that they could get back up on their own, the man left.

Ethan rolled his eyes. Even though it was what he wanted he couldn’t believe the steward had left them down here alone. They could rifle though everyone’s belongings. Ethan didn’t respect very many people. They all had a price and it wickedly delighted Ethan to sometimes find out what that price was. There had been few people along the way that he hadn’t been able to eventually buy. Two of those few people were this woman in front of him cooing at the dogs, and the man still up in the first class cabin. There wasn’t anyone that Ethan loved and respected more than these two.

Gwen opened the door of Ethan’s crate. Both dogs had been given a sedative so they were pretty groggy but their tails were thumping quietly on the grate floor of their crates. Gwen leaned down and put her face against Ethan. She crooned at him. “Ethan, how’s my handsome fellow? You’re being so good. I love you.” While she spoke she caressed him the length of his body.

Ethan watched her, sitting at her side, as she stroked the dog and her motion mesmerized him. Coupled with the fact that she kept saying his name while she was doing it made it seem so intimate. He knew it was the damn dog’s name she was saying but he could feel his body responding. Ethan shook his head. He didn’t understand why he was responding this way. He’d known Gwen since she was in nappies and he’d always thought of her as a sister.

And yet, last night, at the Council, as he had pressed her against the wall to avoid being discovered by the guards, he had felt her body, felt her breasts, and the juncture of her thighs and it had surprised him how tempted he’d been just to stay there, to kiss her and run his hands over her body. And then just now, in the lift, again she had been pressed against him and he’d wanted her. Ethan looked at Gwen, how she was bent over the dog, the lush curve of her derriere enticing him. He groaned and pulled his legs up to hide his erection.

Gwen looked at him. “Am I driving you crazy? I know you hate it when I gush over them.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Oh please, gush away. We’re stuck here on this plane for hours and your gushing is much more entertaining than watching Rupert sleep.”

Gwen grinned at him. “You talk to Ethan now, while I go play with Rayne.”

Her words further incited his imagination. Snorting at himself he sat down in front of Ethan’s cage and watched as Gwen went through the same stroking ritual with Rayne. Ethan scratched his namesake’s ears and rubbed under his collar. He really did love the dogs; he just hated their names.

Gwen watched him out of the corner of her eye. She sighed. She watched as he tenderly touched the dog. Gwen knew that most people approached Ethan somewhat warily as he delighted in making people squirm but she had always trusted him. And she had always hoped that when she grew up that he might take an interest in her but he had always looked at her as a little sister. Gwen sighed again.

Ethan heard her. “They’ll be fine, Gwen.”

Gwen smiled sadly at him. “I know.”

“So why the sad face?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m a little jealous of Ru.”

“Jealous about what?”

“Him falling in love. Finding someone just for him.” She took Ethan’s hand in hers. They had always touched a lot; she knew he wouldn’t find anything odd in that. “It just makes me feel a bit lonely.”

Ethan looked down at their clasped hands and he caressed her thumb with his. He looked up at her and saw that she was also staring at their hands. She wouldn’t meet his eyes so instead he assessed her body. He was a master at figuring out what someone’s body was betraying, information that people generally didn’t want known. He noticed her faster than normal breathing, the slight flush of her skin, and the tenseness in how she held herself. Ethan felt his own heart rate increase. He caressed her thumb again. “Gwen, look at me.”

Slowly she lifted her eyes and what he saw there was enough. He leaned forwards and captured her lips with his. She let out a soft cry and pressed against him. He pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her wondering how he could have possibly denied himself her sweetness for this long. She pulled back after a while. “This isn’t just because I said I was lonely is it? You’re not just trying to make me feel better?”

Ethan felt insulted. “What, me be kind? Please.” He touched Gwen’s cheek. “I’ve loved you your whole life, Gwen. Now suddenly I find myself wanting you as well.”

Gwen grinned. “Well it took you long enough.”

Ethan’s eyes widened. That was an unexpected response. “What does that mean?”

“Only that I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“How long?”

“Since my first training bra.”

Ethan let out a loud laugh and pulled her in for another kiss. “You foolish girl. Wasting your whole life pining after a reprobate like me.” Ethan couldn’t believe he had missed it. Him, the expert at reading people, had been reading Gwen wrong for too many years to count.

Gwen kissed him back with her whole heart. “It was worth it, you’re worth it.”

He pressed his cheek against hers. “How can you say that? I’m not a very nice person, Gwen. You know that.”

“You are to me, you are to Ru. You’ve always been wonderful to me. Will this change that?”

Ethan shook his head. “No, I love you.”

“That’s all that matters.” She pulled away looking a little worried. “I don’t want children, do you care?”

Again Ethan laughed. “You don’t know how relieved I am to hear you say that. Somehow I don’t see myself as father material.”

“But I’ll want to watch Ru’s children all the time.”

“As long as we can give them back when I’m sick of them.”

“I’ll want dogs.”

“As long as we don’t name them after me, you can have a dozen of them.”

“Will you take me places?”

“I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Just stick a pin in a map and we’re there.”

“I love the fact that you have money.” She grimaced. “Is that really shallow of me?”

Ethan laughed. “No, it’s refreshing. I know you’ve never given my money a thought, nor have you ever asked me for anything. I’m delighted to think I can lavish my wealth on you.”

“Just think of the things we could do to help Buffy and Kendra. I mean if she’s going to be married to Ru we have to do everything we can to keep her alive.” She turned anxious eyes to Ethan.

Still chuckling Ethan hugged her tightly. “You may spend my money however you see fit. It does make me very glad that I have a rather endless supply of it, otherwise I might be quite nervous.”

“Even when I’m PMSing I couldn’t begin to make a dent.”

Ethan looked at her with a grin. “I don’t know. You do more shopping than anyone I know when you’re PMSing.”

Gwen grinned. It was such a relief somehow that Ethan knew everything about her. Even what her cycles were like. “I can’t wait to tell Rupert. He’ll be so excited.”

“He’ll probably cut my balls off.”

Cupping them softly she shook her head. “I won’t let him.” Ethan groaned. “He’ll say something sarcastic but he’ll be thrilled, trust me.” She kissed Ethan again, her hand still fondling him. Without disengaging she latched the dogs’ cages. Standing she started to pull Ethan towards the back, out of sight.

Ethan allowed her to pull him but he raised his eyebrows in disbelief at the naughty look in her eye. “Gwen, you can’t possibly…” Gwen shut him up with a kiss and she began to unbutton his shirt. Ethan threw caution to the wind and helped her.

***

A long time later they returned to their seats. Giles heard them and he opened his eyes and then he opened them wider. Giles took in the fact that the two of them were holding hands. He looked at them both and then again at Gwen as she settled in next to him. “Gwen, the cargo hold?” He glared at Ethan but Ethan just grinned back, unrepentant. He shook his head. “Assuming I ever get to sleep I shall now assuredly have nightmares. Thank you both so much.”

Gwen leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Ru.”

Giles smiled at her and squeezed her other hand. “I love you too.” Glaring at Ethan one more time Giles settled in his seat again and closed his eyes. He could hear Ethan and Gwen settle closer together and as he finally started drifting off to sleep he had a smile on his face.

End of Part 12