A Different Life: Part 5

Buffy hung around the edge of the block surrounding the museum. She wanted to see him so badly but the feeling of abandonment from her dream was still strong within her and it had gotten mixed in with how he had left her yesterday. Buffy didn’t think she was up to being vulnerable, to allowing the potential for further rejection. Passing by the museum she turned and headed for her apartment.

***

Giles tried to find her. He tried to discover who the teacher had been who had arranged for Buffy’s class to visit the museum. No one seemed to know. He had no idea what college she was attending. In frustration he even took a break mid morning and walked to Russell Square on the faint hope she might be there.

Giles finally headed back to the museum. He was thankful for once that his afternoon was booked with tours and meetings. He didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to think about not having her in his life. He didn’t want to think about why he was dreaming about her being his Slayer, and him being her Watcher when Giles had made the decision to leave the Council years ago. Six years ago to be exact.

He had run away when he was younger, turning his back on what his father had called his destiny. But, he had come back. He had been pulled back by a tension in his gut that he hadn’t been able to deny, calling him to be a Watcher, calling him to his destiny, regardless of his wishes. But, then, six years ago, it had just disappeared. He’d waited for it to come back but it never had and within a few months he had given in his notice and never looked back. Until now, until these dreams.

Between his meetings he wandered the museum hoping she would be there. When the museum locked its doors for the day he walked home to his flat. When he opened the door he smiled when he heard Gwen fussing about the kitchen. He called from the door. “Please tell me you didn’t make dinner.”

“Ha, ha. It would serve you right if I did.” She looked up when he walked into the kitchen and she frowned. “You look tired.”

Giles sat on one of the kitchen table chairs. “I am tired.” He scratched both of the dogs as they crowded up against him. When he was done scratching, Ethan continued to rest his head on Giles’ knee. Rayne lay down on Giles’ feet.

Gwen put some tea in front of him and pulled a chair out to sit down next to him. She studied him. “No, it’s more than that. What’s wrong?”

“She came to the museum yesterday.”

For some reason Gwen knew exactly who he meant. “Did she come to see you?”

Giles shook his head. “No, she didn’t know I worked there. She was there with a class, to see the new artifacts.”

“Did you speak with her?”

Giles nodded. “I dreamed about her last night again. I dreamed I was her Watcher, that she was my Slayer.” Giles took a sip of his tea. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” He held the teacup in his hands, the warmth comforting. “She knew my name. She told me she dreamed it. And Sunday night, I had another dream where she was dead. I saw her name on a tombstone. Buffy Summers.”

Gwen’s eyes were focused on her brother. “When you saw her did she tell you her name? Was that her name?”

Giles nodded. “Yes.” He took another sip. “It was.”

“Could the Council be doing something to try and get you back?”

“They never have before. Why now? And if so, why like this? Why not just come and talk to me?”

“How about Ethan or one of your other magic cronies?”

Giles shook his head. “If it was just me that’s the first thing I’d think of, but why her, and for what purpose? I never laid eyes on her until Saturday. Ethan hasn’t met her, none of them have.”

“Do you think she knows anything?”

“No, she seemed as startled by the whole thing as I was. I…” He put down his cup and ran both hands through his hair. “They got through, they got through on the dig and the call came in while we were talking.” He shook his head, his lips tight.

“You didn’t.”

“I did. I told her I’d just be a few minutes and asked her to wait. I didn’t even get her number.”

“Oh, Ru.” She put her hand on his arm. She’d never seen him this miserable over a woman he’d just met. “Do you feel that strongly about her?”

Giles locked eyes with his sister. “Yes, I do. But I’m sure she thinks I forgot all about her.”

Gwen smiled. “Which you did.”

Giles scowled. “Just for a while.”

“She’ll have to get used to it anyway. Might as well get right to it. It certainly won’t be the last time she waits around while you get sucked into something.”

“Assuming I ever see her again.”

Gwen poured him some more tea to warm up his cup and he picked it up again. “How can you doubt that? All of this must be happening for a reason. For whatever reason you two are being drawn together.” Giles didn’t respond. He absentmindedly scratched Ethan’s ears. Gwen shook her head as she watched him. “You’ve got it bad, haven’t you?”

Giles put down his teacup. “I don’t know what happened.” A week ago his life had been so sane, as sane as an ex-Watcher’s life could be at any rate. He gently pushed Ethan’s head off his knee and stood. “I’m going to go and take a shower. Have you eaten?”

Gwen shook her head. “I was waiting for you. I thought we could just have sandwiches.”

“Sounds great. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” At Gwen’s nod he turned and left the kitchen.

Gwen looked after him concerned. But a part of her was elated. She couldn’t wait to spend more time with this girl who had Rupert so crazed after two short conversations. Maybe in a couple of years she’d be buying presents for a niece or a nephew. Then she frowned and muttered. “It better not have anything to do with the Council.” Gwen had watched her brother bloom once he’d got out from under their thumb and she had no intention of letting them get their hands on him again.

Neither Buffy nor Giles dreamed of each other that night. When they awoke they felt a brief moment of relief as the dreams had been overpowering. But coupled with the relief was a sense of loneliness because at least in the dreams they had been with each other.

***

The day passed slowly for both of them. Buffy split her time between classes and studying. Despite the barrage of paperwork, conversations with Daniel and the never-ending visitors who flew in and out of his office, Giles thought the day would never end. At dusk Giles and Nathan left the museum together, a guard letting them out. Nathan narrowed his eyes and he pointed. “Rupert, isn’t that your young lady friend?” He couldn’t be sure, but he thought he recognized her.

Giles spun his head and followed Nathan’s finger. It was she. She was on the corner, looking up at the museum. Giles dropped his briefcase and took off running. Grinning, Nathan picked it up and slowly followed.

Giles reached her just as she was about to step off the curb, heading away. He spoke her name. “Buffy.” Hearing his voice Buffy almost lost her balance but he was there before she could fall. Giles grabbed for her and once he was touching her he completed the action and pulled her into his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He rested his head on the crown of hers. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

He was relieved when he felt her hugging him back. He pulled back and put his hands on the side of her face. “I really am sorry. I lost track of time. I sent Nathan after you but he couldn’t find you. My sister scolds me about it all the time. She said it’s just as well that it happened so you’ll know what you’re getting yourself into.” Giles knew he was babbling; he couldn’t help it. He was just so glad that he’d found her.

His apology and dismay were both so genuine that Buffy believed him instantly. In fact she found it hard to believe she had doubted him at all. But she couldn’t stop herself from teasing him. “So you weren’t trying to ditch me?”

Giles’ eyes widened. “Oh God, is that what you thought? I really am sorry. I’ve been kicking myself that I didn’t get your number, that I couldn’t call and apologize. I’ve just been hoping you’d come by.”

Buffy grinned a little sheepishly. “I’ve come by here a dozen times a day. I just… I didn’t want to be a pest… you know… in case you weren’t…” She blushed.

He pulled her closer and hugged her again. She rested her head on his chest and relaxed into him. There was a discreet cough behind them. Giles turned his head and saw Nathan standing there, his briefcase held before him. Giles grinned. Keeping a tight arm around Buffy as if he were afraid she might run away if he let her loose he introduced her. “Nathan, this is Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Nathan Roper, my right hand man. The museum would fall apart without him.”

Nathan beamed with pleasure. “Don’t listen to a thing he says. It’s him we can’t do without.”

Buffy put out her hand and shook Nathan’s. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Nathan smiled and then handed Giles his briefcase. “I imagine you’ll be wanting this.”

Giles took it from him. “Thanks.” He sent Nathan a look. “And thanks.”

Nathan nodded and with a final smile at Buffy he started whistling as he headed down the street.

Giles moved he and Buffy off the curb and closer to the building. He stared down at her, mesmerized by her presence and her touch. Following through on his instinct from the other day he bent down again but this time he touched his lips to hers. Electricity sparked between them and they both groaned. Buffy’s arms came up and closed behind his neck as his arms wrapped around her and pressed her even closer.

It was as if they’d been separated for years and this one kiss had to make up for it. They clung to each other. Giles had Buffy pressed to the building and he used the leverage to lift her a little, to bring her lips up closer to his. He slanted his lips over hers, tasting her, wanting more. Buffy opened her mouth for his questing tongue and she moaned when he entered her. He was so hot, his breath fevered. Buffy wondered if she’d survive the kiss. She met his tongue with hers and her body quivered in response to his groan.

A loud honking penetrated Giles’ brain and he realized that he was molesting Buffy in a very public place. He pulled back quickly, appalled at his behavior. At the anxious look on her face at his withdrawal he hastened to reassure her. “I’m sorry, I…” He touched her face. “I seem to lose the ability to think rationally when I’m near you.” Giles gestured at their location. “I can’t believe I just attacked you in public.”

Buffy touched her lips and she grinned. She didn’t think she’d ever received a nicer compliment. Especially from someone like him who clearly did a lot of rational thinking. “I liked it.” She grinned again. “The attacking part anyway. We might want to rethink the public part of it.”

It was all Giles could do not to kiss her again. “My place is right around the corner, we could…” He looked at her concerned, not wanting to be too forward. He cringed. He’d already been about as forward as he could get.

Buffy laced her fingers through his. “Let’s go.”

Squeezing her hand and not taking his eyes off of her, Giles nodded. He gently pulled her and he led her to his home. As they walked the tension between them grew until their bodies were practically humming with it. Giles could barely get the door unlocked; his need for her was so strong. As soon as the door shut behind them they were in each other’s arms, their lips fused, their tongues mating.

The light suddenly flicked on and they heard a gasp. “Oh, oh, I’m sorry.” The light went back off. Then there was a loud whisper. “No, Ethan, Rayne, back in the kitchen.” But it was too late; the dogs were on them, pushing between them and around them and Giles was forced to let Buffy go.

He looked mortified and then he just started to laugh. Buffy began to laugh too and she crouched down to greet the dogs, enjoying the feeling of their thick fur. They were dancing with delight at the unexpected company. Giles took off his coat and helped Buffy with hers. Then taking her hand and pushing the dogs out of his way he walked to the kitchen.

Gwen was making tea, looking both embarrassed and thrilled at the same time. She grinned at Buffy. “Sorry, I didn’t know Giles was expecting company.” She gave Giles a mischievous wink.

Giles rolled his eyes and did the introductions. “You’ve both met but I don’t believe you’ve been properly introduced. Buffy Summers, this is my sister Gwen Giles.”

Gwen took Buffy’s hand in both of hers. “You don’t know how glad I am to meet you.” Gwen could feel the sparks flying between the two of them. She had a good feeling about this girl.

Buffy was blushing furiously but she managed a response. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

Gwen winked again at her brother and ignored his glare. “Well, I hate to run but…” she tried to come up with an excuse, unsuccessfully, “…but I’m going to anyway.” She laughed and kissed Giles on the cheek, whispering to him. “I’m glad you found her.” With a final grin she headed out.

The dogs went back to their dinner and Buffy and Giles just stood there looking at each other for a minute. The teakettle began to whistle and that got Giles’ attention. Moving to the stove he turned off the burner. “Do you want some tea?”

Buffy nodded her head and she moved to his side, wanting to watch him. As he started making the tea she watched him move, watched the steps he took feeling as if she had seen it a thousand times, feeling a level of comfort with this man that belied the fact that she had only met him five days ago and then only for a few minutes. He looked at her as the tea steeped. “How long are you here for?” Giles thought he’d go insane if she was only here for a few weeks.

“A year, at least a year. I’m doing my senior year here.”

Giles relaxed. And then he grew nervous again. He knew she was young but… “Please tell me that’s your senior year of college you’re talking about.”

Buffy laughed at the expression on his face. “Yes, I’m 21. I’m going to the University of London, Birkbeck College, the School of History, Classics and Archeology.”

Giles grinned, relieved. “Three of my favorite things. I teach classes there sometimes. Not this term, however.” He checked the tea. “I’m 46, quite a bit older than you.”

Buffy shrugged. “I don’t care.”

“You might care when you’re 51.”

“In thirty years I could be fat with really bad hair.”

Giles grinned. “I suppose that’s true but somehow I doubt it.” He sent an appreciative gaze over her. “But even if you were, I don’t think I’d care either.”

Buffy lifted herself on her tiptoes and kissed him. Dismissing the tea he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her onto the counter so their faces were level. She opened up her knees and invited him in, invited him to get as close as he could. Buffy couldn’t believe how much she wanted him. She had never felt this way before, never been swept away by a passion so fierce. Pulling back she looked at him. “I don’t usually do this.”

Giles was pressing kisses down her neck. “Do what?”

“Move so fast.”

That stopped Giles. “Me neither, actually.” It was true. He hadn’t slept with anyone since he and Olivia had gone their separate ways. Giles tended to be cautious with women, had never found someone who made him want to throw caution to the winds. “Do you want me to slow down, I don’t mean to…”

She stopped his words with another kiss. “No, don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”

He groaned as he pulled her even more tightly against him. He couldn’t get close enough; he couldn’t get enough of her. She was like a drug in his system. Picking her up he carried her to his bedroom, shutting the door to keep the dogs out. He watched her face as he laid her down, wanting to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood her. When she grinned and held her arms out to him he grinned back and lay on the bed next to her, pulling her close.

As she explored his body and experienced him exploring hers Buffy couldn’t remember ever feeling this sensually alive and yet so comforted at the same time. It never even crossed her mind to feel self conscious or inexperienced. She just trusted him and when their bodies finally merged as one all she knew was that she loved him.

As Giles made love to her he knew he was home. He had found her. Through some extraordinary twist of fate she had flown across the ocean and shown up in his life, and all he knew was that he was keeping her. She completed him and he would never let anything pull them apart. Not if it was within his power.

End Part 5