A Different Life: Part 15

Sam tried to offer Wes a lifeline. Things could only get worse if he couldn’t walk away with some dignity intact. “Wes, why do you suppose there were so many vampires? Some research might be in order.”

Giles knew what Sam was doing and he walked away so as to not interfere.

Wes nodded. “Yes, I think perhaps we should. It was most unusual. I just received some new books, perhaps I can see if there’s anything of use in them.” Realizing that he was about to walk into Ethan, Wes hurriedly moved around him.

Sam nodded. “Do you require any assistance? I know you often work better on your own. I’d hate to interfere with your concentration.”

Wes pursed his lips. “Yes, you’re quite right. I’d best have a go at it alone first. I’ll contact you if I need some assistance.” Wes looked for Buffy and his eyes narrowed as he saw her again in Giles’ arms. “Buffy, training tomorrow at 2:00. Don’t be late.”

Buffy kept a tight hold on Giles. “I won’t.” Wes humphed his general displeasure and stiffly walked away. Buffy looked up at Giles and grinned. “Down boy. After all, despite his general ookiness he is my Watcher. I don’t think I should let him get punched more than once a day.”

Giles let out a laugh. “I can’t believe I did that. I usually have a bit more control than that.”

Ethan let out a laugh of his own. “Don’t you believe him. When someone that he cares about is in danger it’s best just to get out of his way.”

Buffy looked up at Giles. “I’m glad you did it, although I suppose that doesn’t make me a very good Slayer. It made me feel all protected and girlie. And as a Slayer, that doesn’t happen very often.”

Everyone started heading back to the cars. Buffy pulled Giles back. “Can we walk home? So we can talk?”

Giles touched her face. “Of course.” Buffy walked over to her mom and told her that she planned to walk and Joyce just smiled and gave her a hug.

Ethan joined him. “You look happy.”

Giles smiled. “I am happy.” He looked at Ethan. “Thank you, thank you for everything.”

Ethan shook his head. “You never have to thank me, not for anything.” He gestured towards Buffy and Joyce. “Will you spend the night there or should I book you a room?”

Giles shook his head. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.” He let out a short laugh. “She lives with her mum. That presents some practical difficulties.”

Ethan laughed. “You mean how do you have sex with Buffy with her mum down the hall?”

Giles scowled at Ethan and ran a hand through his hair. Then he grinned, shaking his head at his friend. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

Ethan slapped him on the arm. “Better you than me. I, on the other hand will be enjoying…”

Giles put up a hand to stop him. “Don’t say another word or I’ll have to punch you too.”

Ethan just grinned. “I’ll leave a message with Joyce as to where we’re staying. I’ll book a room for you just in case. You’ll need one eventually anyway. If we don’t hear from you tonight we’ll hook up tomorrow.”

Giles nodded and them smiled as Buffy walked back over to him. He pulled her in tightly. “Everything all right?”

She smiled and let out a satisfied sigh. “Everything’s perfect.”

Giles said goodnight, thanking them all again and then he and Buffy headed off on foot, Ethan and Rayne happily trotting along.

Buffy looked down at the dogs. “They’re pretty handy to have around.”

Giles looked at them. Rayne was barely a shadow in the darkness. “That they are. They always know when a vampire is around and they’re excellent at matchmaking.” He grinned down at Buffy and she grinned back. They walked for a bit and then Giles stopped and looked at her. “The Slayer.” He smiled sadly at her. “Joyce tells me that in one of your lives that I was your Watcher. And that I left you and went back to England.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry for that.”

Buffy rested her head against his chest. “It wasn’t entirely your fault. I was…” She looked up at Giles. “Can we not talk about this now? Because that whole last bit of that life…really, really sucked. And right now, I really want to be happy.”

Giles smiled softly down at her. “We don’t ever have to talk about it. I just brought it up because I want you to know that I won’t be going back to England this time.”

“You’re staying here? How can you stay here? What about your job? You love your job.”

Giles moved them to a bench. He wasn’t worried about vampires, knowing that the dogs would alert them if any were around. “Buffy, I do love my job. But nowhere near as much as I love you. I can always get another job but when I thought I’d lost you, I nearly went insane.” He kissed her. “Your mum told me what you did for me. That Gwen and Ethan…” He turned away for a moment, overcome with emotion. Buffy laced her fingers through his and he turned back to her. “I can’t ever thank you enough for that, although I would not have chosen for you to pay this price.”

Buffy held his hand tightly. “Just like I couldn’t choose it for you. How could I have asked that of you, after seeing how close you and Gwen are? How much you love these dogs of yours. I know I just said I didn’t want to talk about it but you have to understand that that life, with you here as my Watcher, it was bad for you. You were so unhappy. So many bad things happened to you, mostly because of me. Someday I’ll tell you about it, if these memories stay in my head. I sort of wish they’d go away. I don’t understand why I have them all. I don’t understand why you remember me.” She touched his face. “Once I got back here I really didn’t think that you would have any memories of me at all.” She laid her head on his chest again and he wrapped his arms around her.

“I knew something had gone wrong. Even before I got to the restaurant. I knew it. I waited there for the longest time before I finally went home. Then Gwen didn’t remember you and the next day neither did Nathan or Susan, or even the school. They had no record of you ever having been there. It was as if you had dropped off the face of the earth.” He squeezed her tightly. The memories were still painful but were fading with her in his arms. “I had no where to turn to, I wondered if I was going mad. I could still feel you in my arms, remember making love to you.” He shook his head.

She pulled back and touched his face again. “I saw you on the TV. I started talking about you to my mom. Good thing I’m the Slayer and she has to believe a lot of unbelievable things or I’d probably be in the nuthouse right now. It hurt so bad to see your face and know that I’d never see you again or touch you again.”

Giles lowered his face and kissed her. The kiss grew passionate and Buffy was practically crawling into his lap to get closer to him. Their tongues mated as their hands explored each other. Giles groaned as his hands fisted in the fabric of her shirt behind her back. As one of the dogs began to bark he reluctantly pulled back to see if there was any threat.

Giles peered into the darkness for a while and then turned back to Buffy. “False alarm.” He lowered his head to kiss her again.

Buffy put her hand up to stop him. He looked at her, curious. She smiled shyly at him. “I need to tell you something.” She covered her face with her hands and let out a moan.

Giles grew concerned. “Buffy, what is it?”

Buffy took her hands away and scrunched up her face. “I’m a virgin.” She covered her face again.

Giles’ eyebrows rose high on his face. “How…?” He stopped. “You never…?” Then he started to smile.

Buffy braved a peek. When she saw that he was smiling she brought her hands down and frowned at him. “What’s that smile for?”

Giles had the grace to look a little ashamed. “Well, as loathe as I am to admit it I find that the fact that you are still a virgin delights me.”

Buffy shook her head. “Why are you loathe to admit that?”

“It makes me feel as if I’m little more than a caveman. I thought I’d progressed past that point in my evolution.”

Buffy giggled. “Why does it delight you?”

“Because it means that you will entirely belong to me. That I’ll be your first and your last.” He grinned at her. “Do I sound hopelessly romantic? Gwen is always telling me that I am.”

Buffy laughed a little breathlessly. She answered the only way she knew how. “I love you. I love you so much.”

He swept her up in a hug that would have been painful if she hadn’t been the Slayer. “I love you too.”

Buffy’s eyes were bright when she pulled out of the hug. “Suppose my mom hadn’t called you? Suppose you hadn’t been on TV?”

“It wouldn’t have mattered. Ethan had already broken into the Council and discovered that you were the Slayer. He arrived to tell me that, he and Gwen, just when your mum called. She just made it easier but I would have found you. Once I knew you really existed nothing would have stopped me from finding you.”

Buffy let out a happy sigh but she was still curious. “Suppose he hadn’t broken in. What would you have done then?”

Giles pursed his lips. “Well, Ethan has an obscene amount of money. I probably would have asked him to hire someone to find you.”

She ran a hand down his face. “You really were going to find me, weren’t you?”

“If you were in this universe. That was my biggest fear, that you had never really existed at all, or that you were from the past or the future, or someplace where I would never find you again.” He laid his forehead against hers. “That thought was unbearable to me.” He began to kiss her again and again the passion rose. Giles pulled away.

Buffy moaned and tried to pull him back. “Where are you going?”

Giles let out a frustrated laugh. “Well, if you were the same woman I met in London I’d probably take you behind that crypt and push you up against a wall but you’re not and it changes things.”

Buffy felt a warmth flow through her at his words. “Why does it change things? I still remember making love with you. I still remember all the things we did.”

Giles let out a groan. “Buffy, please, I’m trying to be a gentleman and you’re making it very difficult. I’m not rutting with you in a cemetery for your first time. And I can’t imagine your mother would think very highly of me if my first night in town I spirit you away to a hotel room. Nor do I feel comfortable deflowering you with her right down the hall.”

“Even if I promise to be very quiet?”

Giles barked out a laugh. “Based on the last time we were together I find that an unlikely promise.”

Buffy blushed but then she moved closer to Giles. “I don’t want to wait.”

“Trust me Buffy, neither do I, but we’re going to.” He stood. “In fact, let me get you home.”

Buffy let out an unhappy sigh. “I liked it better when you were a caveman.”

Giles laughed. “We may have to wait a little while but I promise you that as soon as I can I will be kissing every inch of that delectable body of yours and I plan to keep on doing that until I’m in my grave.”

Buffy reached up and pulled his head down for a kiss. “Don’t make me wait too long.”

Giles groaned again against her lips and pulling her towards him tightly he kissed her deeply. And while the two dogs kept guard they kissed and slowly all the fear and anguish of their separation slipped away.

***

Epilogue: 2 years later

Wes didn’t know what had happened to his life. He knew the when and who of it but not the what or why. The who was Rupert Giles and the when was the day that he moved to Sunnydale. But he still didn’t understand why Giles’ arrival had somehow taken his orderly and fairly predictable life and scattered it to the winds.

He put his finger in his collar and ran it around his neck to try and get more comfortable. If this trend continued he’d have to buy a tuxedo of his own. Three weddings in two years.

The first had been his Slayer. Married. It was unheard of. He’d fully expected to be fired when he informed the Council. They’d gotten married a month to the day that Giles had first arrived in Sunnydale. The Council had certainly not been pleased but there wasn’t much they could do about it. And Wes had not been fired much to his relief.

Wes might not have liked it but he knew when he was outgunned. And he wasn’t a stupid man even though it had taken him a while to get past his pride. But he had and he had taken advantage of Giles’ offer and the resources that now flowed his way were stupefying. And the improvements in Buffy’s slaying skills took his breath away. Along with her independence had come a fire that Wes hadn’t even known was there and it made her so much stronger. He was ashamed that he had kept it doused so long. Of course, these days she wasn’t slaying much.

The next wedding had been Ethan and Gwen. Now that had been a grand wedding. Ethan would have put on an equal fete for Giles and Buffy but they had wanted something simple. Not Ethan. He loved the spectacle and no expense had been spared. And again, Wes had been invited to be a part of the wedding party. He knew they were all working together to soften him up and he had to admit it was working. Life seemed better these days.

He felt an arm thread through his and he looked down. Willow stood on her tiptoes and kissed him gently on the mouth. “You look very handsome.”

Wes smiled. “Well, I’m glad you think so. That’s the one good thing that can be said about it.”

Willow grinned at him. “I do think so. You look very yummy. I can’t wait to get you home alone.”

Wes blushed. He looked around. “Willow.”

Willow giggled. “Sam was looking for you. It’s time for you to go do your best man stuff.”

Wes nodded. “I’ll see you afterwards then, shall I?” Willow nodded and lifted on her toes again to kiss him and then she headed towards the back of the church as Wes headed for the front.

***

Buffy stood in front of her mother. “You look so beautiful.” Her eyes were bright with tears.

“Not as beautiful as you look to me.” Joyce rested her hands on the pregnant belly of her daughter.

“I feel silly walking down the aisle when I’m as big as a house.”

Arms closed around her from behind. “Don’t be. You look wonderful.” Giles grinned at Joyce. “And you do look lovely, Joyce. Sam is a lucky man.” Buffy turned her head to get a kiss from her husband.

Gwen moved to stand next to Joyce. “Besides don’t feel bad. You won’t be alone.” Gwen ran her hands down her even larger belly.

Giles grinned at his sister. He still found it quite amusing that she would be the first of them to have a child. And while Ethan had been a nervous wreck at first, now he had graduated to mother hen, to both Gwen and Buffy. “Where’s your shadow?”

Gwen glanced quickly at Joyce and then shook her head at Giles as if to keep him quiet. “He’s just taking care of something.”

Giles rolled his eyes and just hoped that whatever Ethan was up to that it was something good. Ethan liked to arrange things. And moving to Sunnydale had been right up his alley as there had been so many things to arrange. He and Ethan had talked at great length about his career options. Giles had been right and the museum was willing to keep him on in any capacity. He went to England as a consultant every couple of months and had been a frequent visitor to several of the museum digs.

But he had needed to find something here in Sunnydale and after long deliberation Giles decided to try teaching full time. It was something he had always loved to do in London. When he showed up at UC Sunnydale to meet with the Dean he had found that Ethan had gotten there before him. Coincidentally someone had just made a staggering endowment to set up a new school of History, Classics and Archeology. The Dean had been somewhat dazed to have been given so much money and then have someone with the credentials of Rupert Giles show up in his office but he had rallied and hired Giles on the spot as Department Chair.

Giles let his eye roam over the rest of the assembled group. It had taken Joyce a while but she had finally talked Kendra into being a bridesmaid. With her Watcher prodding her on one hand and Buffy setting an example on the other, Kendra had slowly been coming out of her Slayer enforced shell. She was still quiet and, when possible, chose to be in the background. But that was becoming more difficult these days as finally she and Xander had started dating and he liked the limelight.

Giles grinned at Willow as she bounced around visiting with everyone. Giles loved Willow. And Willow had been so good for Wes. She had seen something salvageable in him much sooner than the rest of them had, and Giles was grateful to her for that. Giles had changed his mind about Wes and decided that he wasn’t a prig after all. Giles was actually proud to have him as a friend these days.

Ethan came in and shut the door behind him. He winked at Gwen and she grinned back. Joyce and Sam would be riding to the airport in style. He looked at Joyce. “Are you ready? I think everyone’s here.” There were quite a few guests. Many of Joyce’s clients were here as well as her personal friends. Courtesy of a chartered flight that Ethan arranged Sam’s family and friends from Jamaica had also made it to the wedding. And Sam was well thought of at the Council and quite a few fellow Watchers were here to celebrate the day with him.

Joyce nodded. The women lined up in order of their progression. Gwen would be going first, then Kendra, Willow, and then Buffy as the maid of honor. Ethan kissed Gwen, pressed his hands to her belly and after Xander kissed Kendra on the cheek the two of them hurried to their seats.

The music started and at a nod from the wedding coordinator Gwen started her march. As the women slowly made their way down the aisle Giles took his place next to Joyce. He had been somewhat stunned and extraordinarily honored when she had asked him to walk her down the aisle. He looked at her, his eyes bright with affection. “Thank you again for this honor.”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “It seems fitting, somehow, doesn’t it? It all happened because of you.”

Giles shook his head. “It all happened because of Buffy, and she happened because of you.”

“Rupert, you’ve made her happy and you’ve made her laugh again, and now you’re making me a grandmother. You’ve made so many of my own wishes for her come true. There isn’t anything else you could have given me that matters to me more.”

Gently taking her arm and weaving it through his he rested her hand on his forearm, covering it with his other hand. “I feel the same way. You gave me your daughter.”

She blew out a shaky breath. “Don’t make me cry, my mascara will run.”

Giles laughed and kissed her on the cheek. And as he received the signal he stepped forward and walked Joyce down the aisle.

***

That night Buffy and Giles shared another dream. Giles knew where Buffy was even though he had never been there because she had spoken of it so often. She was curled up on the couch where in her first life with Giles as her Watcher, the two of them had had so many of their conversations, including the one when he told her he was leaving.

Her eyes were open but she wasn’t looking at anything in particular. It was quite evident that she was feeling sad and that her thoughts were far way. She didn’t even notice as the door to the training room opened.

A voice spoke. “Buffy?” She didn’t respond so he spoke louder. “Buffy?”

Buffy’s eyes opened wide and she sat up straight, her expression stunned as she took him in. “Giles?”

He smiled. “Yes, it’s me.”

Without conscious thought she was up and across the room and throwing herself in his arms. Giles’ arms closed tightly around her and they held each other for a very long time. Finally she pulled back and stared up at him. “You’re back.” She touched his face in wonder. “I can’t believe you’re here.” Buffy frowned. “Was I supposed to know you were coming?”

Giles let out a silent chuckle. “No, it was a surprise, even for me.”

Buffy’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I tried to stay away. I tried to make a new life for myself. But how could I when you’re here? My heart is here, with you.” Buffy’s eyes filled with tears. Giles wasn’t finished. “So, I’m back. I’m back if you’ll have me. I know I hurt you by leaving.”

Buffy hugged him tightly again. “I don’t care. I don’t care about anything as long as you’re here and as long as you’re staying.” She began to cry, the first tears she had cried in a long time.

Giles walked her over to the couch and he sat down, bringing her with him. He enfolded her in his arms, letting her cry herself out against his chest. His eyes were damp as well as he rested his cheek on the top of her head. “I missed you so much.”

Buffy sobbed out the words. “Nothing’s been right since you left.”

“I’ll never leave again, I swear it.”

Buffy just cried harder, crying out all her pain, and all her loneliness. “So, you’ll stay, for real?”

“I’m here to stay. I understand it now. I belong here with you. I never should have left.”

Buffy wanted to crawl inside of him. Instead she just held on tight, feeling her connection to life and to wholeness start to grow again.

***

Buffy and Giles both woke from the dream with tears on their faces. Giles pulled Buffy in and hugged her so tightly she could hardly breathe. Pulling away from him she touched his face, wiping away his tears. “Did you dream that too?”

Giles nodded and wiped her tears away.

Buffy’s realities superimposed themselves. Her hand stayed on his cheek, staring at him in wonder. “You came back. You came back to me.”

Giles looked at her, his heart so full of love. “I belong with you Buffy. No matter what life you have, no matter how different it is, my place is with you. It always will be.”

Buffy let out a cry and holding his face in her hands she kissed him. She closed her eyes as she felt something shift inside of her, the memories of her first life somehow coming to closure and growing more distant, those wounds finally able to heal. And as he kissed her back she let his love for her sweep her clean of those hurts and fears and filled with joy, she claimed this life.

The End
January 18, 2002