Chapter 7
* * * * * * * * * * * *

Giles entered the Espresso Pump through the side door about 25 minutes before he was to go on. He walked into the back room, unpacked his guitar and began tuning it. Carol, one of the waitresses, saw him come in and brought him a beer. Only his fourth night here and already he had a ritual. Before coming to Pump on that first night, he had a
couple shots of whiskey at home in an attempt to settle his nerves. It proved not to be the best idea, and, since then, it was enough just to have a beer once he arrived. Carol knew his schedule and kept an eye out for him, always delivering the draft within minutes of his appearance.

She chatted him up tonight, filling him in on this week's drama in her life. He actually enjoyed hearing about her problems, the puppy refusing to be housebroken, her boyfriend's difficulties in chem' class. Mundane compared to the problems he was used to and, at the same time, more interesting than his life had become. Before she headed back out to the floor she made a song request. Giles smiled and nodded.

He loitered around the back exchanging greetings with the staff and responding to hurried song requests. 'They look busy tonight,' he thought. One waiter, Chad, came over to talk and in minutes had Giles laughing out loud at his vivid descriptions of some outrageous customer interactions earlier in the week. Chad always had a different slant on life. Reminded him of Oz, except that he talked more and had a wider variety of facial expressions.

He enjoyed coming here. It was relaxing and fun and it felt good for a few hours each week to let go of demons and vampires...and Buffy. He sighed. Now she knew about this. She knew several things about him she hadn't known just yesterday. He hoped she had done as he told her, but had a strong feeling otherwise.

Just then Gary, the owner, was at his side shooing Chad back to work. "We've got a full house tonight, Rupert. Standing room only," he stated with satisfaction.

"Good," Giles responded. He liked a full house. That meant Gary made money and he would be asked back so that Gary could make more money, as would he. Of course, that was based on the assumption the crowd came to see him and not simply to partake in the mochas.

"Ready to go on?"

Giles responded with a quick nod.

"Right." Gary strode off to the floor onto center stage where he began his spiel of welcoming the crowd.

As Giles waited to hear his name, Diane came over with a tray of drinks in one hand. A pretty blonde with blue eyes and a warm inviting smile. She paused at his side and leaned in slightly, resting her hand gently on his arm. "Will you sing 'Blue Eyes' for me tonight, Rupert?" she asked, with a hint of the sad look he had grown accustomed to from her.

"Of course." He brushed his fingers across her hand in a comforting response.

As she drifted off to deliver her wares, she held his eyes and mouthed, "thank you." He felt a kinship with her. They shared a sadness and longing. She for her husband who was in his second month of a six month tour of duty on a US Navy ship, he for Buffy. Only it was different now. He had hope. 'There was hope to be had.' He smiled at the thought and his use of a phrase he'd learnt from her. The problem was Riley. She seemed to be struggling with her feelings and needed time to figure things out. He decided that he would to talk to her, alone, then he would be patient. On the other hand he could push her on it. Sometimes Buffy needed a good push, but then other times too much pressure resulted in bad decisions.

Before he could finish his internal debate, he heard his name. Taking a deep breath, he walked out to center stage.

It wasn't really a stage at all, just a section of the floor that had been cleared of tables. He had a straight back chair and a microphone, which he didn't need, but Gary insisted. There was a soft spotlight encircling his space, separating him from the patrons who were just a few feet away. Settling into the chair, he smiled briefly at the crowd. He glanced around the room, nodding to a few people he recognized as regulars.

Then he saw them.

He gulped and began to feel a little lightheaded. 'Why should this small group of young people he knew so well, bother him so?' He couldn't believe they had all come. He had a feeling Buffy wouldn't stay home as he had instructed, but why did she have to come here? And bring him? Giles quickly pulled himself together with an internal pep talk...'To hell with them. They don't have to like it and I can just ignore them. This is my space not theirs. They won't last long, I wager. Too boring.'

He took another deep breath and watched his fingers forming the chords as he began the intro to 'Behind Blue Eyes.' There was a murmur of recognition from the crowd.

Diane delivered drinks to their table just as Giles began the song. She paused, smiled at him and sighed with a far off look on her face. Buffy noticed. She noticed Buffy noticing.

"He's singing that one for me," she told Buffy with a smile.

Buffy stiffened and eyed the woman, jealousy taking hold of her. But the feeling dissipated easily when she turned and listened to her Watcher sing for the first time. He had a beautiful voice. She didn't know what she had expected, but it wasn't this. Earlier that day he astonished her with his touch and now this voice. 'Quite a day of  discovery,' she thought.

When the song ended Buffy and Willow turned to each other and gasped in wide-eyed unison, "Wow."

Giles had told himself he wasn't going to look at them or even acknowledge their presence, but he couldn't help casting a surreptitious glance their way to check reactions, against his better judgement. He saw Buffy and Willow, heads together, whispering.

At about the fifth song Buffy began to realize she might not know many of them, if any. What was that wonderful languid romantic number…the second song…something about how she moves? It curled her toes. She asked Willow quickly before the next one started. She told her it was a Beatles song. Buffy started to panic; how was she going to tell Giles her favorites if she didn't know the names? She would sound like an idiot. She'd heard the blue eyes song before but didn't know the name, and another having something to do with not being able to find his way home. Then there was the one about a perfect day, and 'just who is this John Barlycorn guy, and why did he have to die?'

Then her eyes grew wide as he began the next song in French. At this point she decided not to think anymore,  feeling would be enough. She and Willow both sighed and seemed to melt into their chairs as Tara smiled and nestled into her chair a little more too. Buffy could feel his distinctive voice sweep her off into her own fantasies and  memories of the afternoon…the good part.

Anya turned to Xander and announced, "He's singing in French. That's a French song. They're usually very sad songs and kinda sexy too. This one's about regret."

"How do you know?" Xander whispered to her.

"I speak French." She stated with a tone that implied, 'doesn't everyone?' Then she remembered these were mortals, humans, and Americans. Being that Giles was a foreigner, she wasn't surprised he knew French, at least enough to sing it well.

Buffy kept her gaze fixed on Giles most of the time, luxuriating in the feel of his voice, pretending it was just the two of them, wishing it was. A couple times she and Willow looked at each other, amazed this was their Giles and they hadn't known.

Riley thought the whole thing was pretentious. He was bored but willing to stay if it meant being close to Buffy. He moved his chair behind her, hoping she would lean back into him but when she didn't, he leaned closer to her. He softly caressed her arm, her shoulder, and her hair with his fingers. When Buffy realized he was touching her, she was amazed how different it felt from Giles' touch. It made her feel uncomfortable. Already leaning forward in an unconscious attempt to get closer to Giles, she tried but couldn't move any further from Riley.

She turned to him. "Riley, it's kind of warm in here, could you lean back and give me a little room, for air circulation?"

"Do you want to go outside and get some fresh air? We don't have to stay here," Riley said, hoping he could convince her to leave.

"No, just a little space would be nice." She was definitely going to have a talk with Riley after this but didn't want to miss any of the singing so she swiftly returned her attention to Giles.

A few times, even while listening to his beautiful singing, she struggled with her insecurities. Had he really meant it, all the touching…was it real? Or was he just…after all, he never even kissed her. But then, they had been interrupted. She wondered how far he had been prepared to go. If he hadn't been sincere, what was he doing? But Giles didn't enter into frivolous relationships as far as she knew. Although this troubadour gig clearly lent itself to some dreamy-eyed women, she noticed with a look around the room. He had ample opportunity here if he wanted it. And there was Olivia. But Olivia hadn't been a frivolous relationship; they had known each other for years. Did Giles really want her, Buffy Summers? Why would he? He could have so many other women, smarter, more sophisticated than her. But she wanted him, she was certain.

Meanwhile, Riley grudgingly did as she asked, but he wasn't willing to let go completely. He shifted his chair to the side a bit and placed his hand on her hip then moved it so it rested on her upper thigh slightly to the outside of her leg. Buffy was too engrossed in her Watcher to notice.

Giles was too aware of Buffy not to notice.

But he didn't have a mug to drop this time. Glancing at the wall clock he saw that it was coming up on an hour. As he tried to rein in the fierceness that was building inside, he made a quick decision to close this set with a song he'd never performed in public before.

Giles didn't generally talk while performing so when he spoke this time, everyone took notice.

"This next song is for Buffy." He was looking down at the mic' as he said it, then slowly raised his eyes to her.

Several patrons turned to see who it was that he was looking at, but they couldn't tell exactly which of the four women at the table it was. Two of them looked flustered, one was all grins, and the fourth looked puzzled.

Buffy gulped and hugged herself close as she felt a flush rising.  Willow 'eeped' and turned to Buffy, patting her friend excitedly on the arm as a huge grin grew on her face. She had a tremendous urge to jump up and point out Buffy to the crowd, but thought better of it. Tara was flustered at having people look toward them but enjoyed Willow's exuberance.

"Why is Giles singing a song to Buffy?" Anya asked, finding humans very perplexing. Xander just shrugged.

Riley was confused and oddly wary. He couldn't see Buffy's face since he had positioned himself behind her, but he looked up at Giles and didn't like what he saw. A wave of possessiveness washed over him.

Giles was looking directly at Buffy. Everything and everyone had fallen out of his view, he only saw her as he began to sing. He didn't care any more. He had nothing left to lose.


Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take

I'll be watching you


Her mouth fell open slightly. A shiver ran through her as her flesh rose with goosebumps, her fingers digging into her arms, trying to hang onto something. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his; she didn't want to.

After hearing the opening lyrics, Anya leaned to Xander and whispered loudly, "Oh, I get it. It's a Watcher song. That makes sense."

'Quite a possessive Watcher song, to boot,' Xander thought to himself.

Seeing Buffy's fingers digging into her arms, Willow took one of her friend's hands in her own, giving her an anchor. Buffy clung to her for dear life.


Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay

I'll be watching you

Oh can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches with every step you take


Buffy tried to take a deep breath but it seemed impossible; her lungs refused to work. She felt completely exposed and vulnerable as he took possession of her soul. He was claiming her, right there in front of all these people. Her body was tingling and she had that unnerving hot and cold feeling again.

Riley scowled at Giles, but Giles looked only at Buffy and continued singing.


Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake

I'll be watching you

Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby please


She thought she was going to die. 'Please,' she thought, 'anything to end this painful longing inside..'


Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake

I'll be watching you


Then it stopped.

'And the rest is silence,' she heard whispered. The words sounded only in her mind but it was his voice. She let out a small gasp and let go of Willow as she finally began breathing again.

Giles stood up and left the performance area as the crowd enthusiastically applauded and cheered.

Anya was heard to say, "Well, that was very pleasant."

Xander gave a tentative smile and looked at Willow.

Willow's hand ached.

Riley dropped his head, grateful Giles had finished.

Buffy followed Giles with her eyes as he walked off. She didn't understand. She'd thought he would come to her or at least look at her, asking her to come to him. But he didn't and it hurt.

Every part of her ached for him as she watched him walk to the bar where the bartender had a beer ready and where several women had quickly gathered. He barely had time for a swallow before they were cozying up to him, complimenting him, wanting to talk to him, get to know him. And he was chatting, smiling, and nodding his thanks. There were several more hovering, waiting for their moment to speak to him.

Buffy realized she wasn't feeling hurt anymore, now she was pissed. Her eyes bore into the women as she imagined throwing each one through a window, especially that brunette who just handed him her card. She wanted to scream at them, 'He's mine! Didn't you just see, didn't you hear!'

An unexpected touch on her shoulder startled her so much she almost went into fight stance. Her head whipped around to stare angrily into Riley's eyes, then she took a quick breath and tried to recover as he looked concerned.

"Buffy, I think he's done. This might be a good time to get that fresh air now. You do look a little flushed and you weren't feeling well earlier this evening. I think I should take you home." He knew he was grasping at straws but it might get her out of here.

Just then Diane appeared to take drink orders. A worried Willow asked her, "Is it over?"

"No, not at all. He's just taking a break. Rupert would prefer to keep going but the owner insists on a break. People spend more when he's not performing. He's got one more set. He'll go back on in a little while."

"Oh good," Anya said emphatically.

Tara agreed with a fervent nod, "Yes."

Understanding their delight, Diane smiled at them as she took orders. Buffy glanced at her. She didn't like the way she referred to Giles as Rupert. It was much too familiar. On an impulse, fed by her anger, she turned to Willow and spoke quietly to her friend. "Will, Riley and I are going outside for a while."

Willow nodded.

Buffy turned back to Finn. "Riley, let's go outside. We need to talk."

* * * * *

Giles watched Buffy and Riley leave. His stare was fixed on the door through which they had disappeared, his mind mired in frustration. He had only half expected her to come to him, but he never expected her to leave. His heart sank. It seemed she had made her choice.

A tug on his arm pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Willow?"

"Giles, you were great! Fantastic. Unbelievable. I didn't know you could do that." She excitedly ran on until she saw his growing discomfort at the extended compliments and stopped herself with a final, "Very nice."

Tara agreed with a simple, "Yes, Mister Giles, you were wonderful."

"Thank you, both." He returned their smiles.

"Um, Giles?" Willow spoke a little hesitantly. "I think maybe I should warn you about something."

He leaned in so he could hear her more clearly above the noise in the room and steeled himself for whatever might come next. He took a gulp of his drink hoping it would steady him.

"Anya told Xander that she wants a copy of your CD. She said it would be good for...well...you know...getting her in the mood." Willow blushed slightly. "Only she didn't use those exact words."

Giles almost choked on his beer as he gave Willow a look that would have made any deer caught in headlights proud.

She continued, "Xander told her that you don't have a CD. But when we left the table she was trying to talk him into asking you to make one. So I just wanted you to be forewarned...not surprised if either of them mention it."

"Ah, I see, well, thank you." He grimaced, fully aware of the conversation topics Anya could bring up, and, at the same time, slightly elated at not hearing the news he expected, that Buffy had gone home with Riley.

"Uh, did Buffy and Riley leave?" he asked, wanting to sound as if he was casually changing the subject.

"No, I don't think so. Buffy just wanted to talk to Riley outside, you know, where it's quieter and more private, I think." She nodded and Tara did too.

"I see." Was his only response.

"Oh, wait, there she is now," Tara said and the other two turned to look. Their gazes followed her as she returned to the table.

"I wonder where Riley is?" Willow asked Tara.

"Men's room, maybe?" Tara replied.

Giles stood tall and looked at Buffy as he tried to figure out what was going on. 'Where was Riley?' In the meantime, Anya had quickly seized Buffy's attention. She glanced in his direction a few times but Anya continued to pull her back. He could imagine what Anya was saying to her.

Giles turned to Willow and asked thoughtfully and slowly, "Willow...what do you think of Riley?"

She fidgeted before answering innocuously, "Well, he's nice...polite...he won't bite her or anything and that's good." She looked up at Giles and saw a grim smile.

"What do you think of him?" Tara asked, feeling brave.

Both Willow and Tara waited curiously for his response.

He looked at Buffy and back to them. "Do either of you know what a pillock is?"

The girls shook their heads, but seemed interested in knowing.

Before he could say anything more, Chad walked by, pointed to the clock and inclined his head toward the stage area. Giles shot a startled look at the clock and quickly finished his beer, readying himself to get back to the stage. Just before he walked away he leaned closer to Willow and Tara and said, "It's what I think of Riley."

Each noted an odd smile on his face, almost a smirk.

Back on stage, Giles picked up his guitar and launched into the next set. After a couple numbers he finally looked in Buffy's direction, a bit nervous at what he might see. Their eyes met. Buffy seemed shy at first, as a slow small smile crossed her lips and finally emerged into a full, radiant smile. He basked in her warmth and couldn't hold back  his own distinctive half smile before looking away. Over the course of the next hour he looked at her often, thrilled to find her eyes always on him, and Riley nowhere in sight. Giles was happy, almost giddy with relief and joy.

* * * *

No one noticed as he silently reentered the room. He stood in the back among others who either couldn't find a seat or who chose the back for reasons of a perceived coolness factor. Riley looked over at Buffy and found her eyes glued to Giles. He shifted his gaze to Giles, trying to figure it out. After the talk outside, he knew it might be fruitless, but he wasn't ready to walk away conceding defeat just yet.

Xander was the first to see Riley, catching his eye and motioning to him to come sit down. Riley held up his hand in acknowledgement but shook his head. Xander was baffled but didn't press it and none of the others at the table noticed.

It was a lively set. The audience was having a great time, as was Giles. The regulars and the staff noted that he was looser than ever and enjoying himself. Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, and Buffy all were immersed in the music. Xander had gotten over the shock of it being Giles. He thought he might ask Giles about that CD after all.

During the bridge of a Stones' song Giles glanced around the perimeter of the room, amazed at the number of people crowded into the place. Abruptly his eyes flicked back to one of faces he had just skimmed past and his heart skipped a beat as he recognized Riley. At the sight of the young man watching him, Giles experienced a gamut of emotions culminating in a pounding heart rate and a desire to stop everything and take up his sword. He wished he carried it with him, or some weapon other than a stake. Although the thought of staking Riley gave him some solace too. Their eyes met and Giles recognized the challenge in Riley's eyes.

Buffy saw the change in Giles and turned her head to see what he was looking at. She froze for a moment when she saw him and then looked back at Giles with her own heart beating harder. At the stern expression on his face, which others might have mistaken for concentration but she recognized as anger, she had a dawning realization. Giles felt threatened by Riley, by her relationship with Riley. She couldn't believe it. After their interlude that afternoon it never occurred to her that Giles would feel any competition with Riley. 'Didn't he know that there was no competition?'

So here she sat, listening to the man she wanted to be with, singing, while the man she just broke up with was standing a few feet away. She sensed a potential testosterone induced confrontation. Riley had that look in his eye. The look that said he wasn't going to give up. And Giles...well, she hoped Giles wouldn't give up. Who she chose was her decision after all, not theirs, and she knew who she was choosing.



Giles wasn't in a great hurry to end the set, concerned what might happen next, but Gary was motioning to him to wrap it, so he finished his last song, stood up and gave a simple thank you to the appreciative crowd.

Buffy gave a quick side-glance toward Riley who seemed to be in motion...toward her. She looked back at Giles, ready to beg with her eyes for him to not leave and instead she drew in a breath as she saw him walking straight toward her. Suddenly, she felt someone's presence at her side. Fearing it was Riley, she refused to look, especially  when she heard Willow and Xander greet him. Buffy kept her eyes fixed on Giles, whose eyes were on Riley. She hoped to God Giles wasn't carrying a weapon; she worried that the fierceness he had displayed earlier in the day was still with him. The last thing she wanted to do was break up a fight between these two.

She tensed when someone's hand--Riley's--rested on her shoulder and she heard his voice calling her name. Willow touched her arm from the other side, trying to get her attention also. Buffy's heart was pounding and she felt overwhelmed when, suddenly, thankfully, her world began to move in a slow motion. The room became very quiet and she couldn't see anyone except the man walking toward her-- Giles, who all at once was looking only at her and appeared oblivious to the presence of the younger man vying for her attention. He glided toward her with confidence and a flicker of a smile forming on his face. Slowly he raised his arm until, just as he arrived in front of her, his hand was extended, seeking hers.

Buffy easily and confidently placed her own hand in his. She stood and took a step closer to him, never unlocking her gaze from his luminous green eyes. She smiled at him, feeling right for the first time in a long while, possibly ever. He grasped her hand fully in his, gently pulled her toward him and they disappeared into the crowd.

* * * *

Everyone at the table watched.

Riley frowned and stood in shocked defeat.

Willow and Tara smiled at one another with understanding. Willow leaned to Tara and said, "I know this guy we can ask about 'pillock.' We'll have to go to the cemetery, but we'll do it in the morning, when it's safe."

Xander was flabbergasted and looked around at the girls before sputtering, "What's going on?"

Anya sighed and responded to her clueless young man. "He's going to sing to her...in person." She wistfully looked out into the crowd where Buffy and Giles had vanished. " She won't need a CD to get in the mood. Lucky girl."

As each couple left, no one noticed Diane standing to one side, a full and glowing smile on her face.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

THE END


Every Breath You Take, words and music by Sting.

The Tattoo:

:: Back To Susan MD's Page ::
:: Back to Author's Page ::
:: Slightly Over The Edge ::