Two days before.
"I counted eight of them. Staked four. How many vamps did you count?" Buffy said barely having broken a sweat despite being intermittently nauseous and lightheaded most of the day.
She eager to be done with slaying for the night and retire to Giles' apartment until three thirty that morning. As that had been their routine as of late.
Out of breath and kneeling with hands on his knees, Giles replied, "Killed three but I counted nine."
And just like that, one grabbed the woozy slayer and threw her against a tombstone. While the other bodychecked Giles, knocking him to the ground.
Instead of going after her jugular with his teeth, he choked her out with one hand and hit her in the face with the other.
The vamp atop Giles however was hungry. Using this to his advantage, he feigned terror as he reached for his spare stake and got him by surprise. The dust settled thickly. Going mostly up his nose causing him to sneeze.
He heard Buffy scream in frustration and thoughts of himself quickly dissipated.
Outraged, he summoned all his strength as pulled the vamp off her, pinned it against a tree and staked it.
"Gormless arsemonger," he said spitting on the ashes.
"Yeah, what you said," she said getting up with his help.
"Are you all right, Buffy?" He said gently grabbing her chin because he saw a bruise settling there.
"I am fine."
"I know that. I asked you how were," he flirted leading the way to his car.
She blushed and resisted the urge to sweep her arms around his neck and kiss him. One never knows who might be watching them.
"I am good but pooped. I am actually looking forward to studying. I can't wait until we get home," they both stopped in their tracks when she said that.
She looked at him wide eyed and embarrassed. She was bound and determined to downplay the seriousness of their new and changing relationship. She still was not over Angel. She was not ready to be serious nor did he expect her to be no matter how not so deep down he would not have minded for the opposite to be true.
Knowing this, he refrained from what he wanted to say, which was, "You consider my place home? How lovely. I consider you my home."
Instead he beamed from ear to ear and said, "You did well tonight."
"If by well, you mean miscounting and almost getting strangled as a bang up job then, don't I always?"
"Choked. Strangulation involves an instrument like a garrote or a length of cord."
She gave him a funny face as if to say, 'You are a dick.'
So, he added "That is why I am around. I have been tasked to watch your back."
She thought, Here, I thought you were fond of the front.
They climbed into his car in a charged silence. They were both careful to leave their passion for one another unspoken even to each other in public. To speak about it was to act on it.
Naturally, they caught every red light.
At a particularly long one, she clutched his hand for a second before catching herself and retreating. He caressed her cheek.
"I want you," his voice went through her gently like fine flour through a sieve.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
She turned to face him. He was already looking at her.
They smiled at one another. She leaned in so close her exhales were his inhales. Talking with her lips against his, "Drive faster."
Ten minutes passed.
When they pulled up neither noticed Cordelia's car parked two away from his; nor did they see the brunette as they made their way to his front door at first. Buffy saw her over his shoulder as he closed the door. She kept this bit of info to herself.
Soon, their clothes led a path like bread crumbs to his bedroom.
They made it as far the foot of his bed.
Buffy had pushed him down and jumped on top of him like he was trampoline. Not that he minded.
Unbeknownst to him, all that the bobbing up and down was making her nauseous again.
Four minutes passed. By now, Giles sat up and was rocking with her.
The purge urge lied heavy in her throat. She tried her damnedest to ignore it because she was so close to dying in a good way.
He could tell by the hitched breathing, the way she drew his body in closer to his, grinding; she liked the heat. One thing was missing, well, two. Colorful swearing mixed with exuberant giggling.
Feeling close himself, he attempted to kiss her. Buffy shook her head no. She was afraid to open her mouth.
He frowned and kissed, more accurately sucked her neck and shoulder instead while his hands kneaded her ass. She liked this a lot and absent-mindedly responded out loud.
Giles soon felt something hot and warm splash down his back. Then more.
"Oh, my God! I am so sorry. That is so grody," she tried to pull off him.
He however held her in place and told her, "It is fine. I have been covered in worse things."
She half smiled at his acceptance then covered her mouth, broke free from his grip and ran into the bathroom.
Giles followed and held her hair if nothing else. Besides, he had a feeling he was half the reason for her nausea anyway.
"Ugh, this is so unsexy. I am so sorry," she coughed then spit.
He gently laid his chin on her shoulder and growled into her ear, "You could never be unsexy,"
"Aww, that's sweet and everything but I don't even feel good enough to wash my funky ass. I smell awful," she pouted.
"Nah. You smell like the Earth after it rains."
"Telling me I smell like mold does not make me feel better," she said before dry-heaving. More than a little embarrassed by what transpired.
"I love that smell. Come on," he scooped her up and laid her in bed. He went and got her a cool towel and put it her forehead.
He hopped in the shower for a couple of minutes to rinse off and let the cool water shock his manhood prone.
After six minutes, he turned off the water and toweled off. He was pleased to see she was asleep to the point of snoring. He kissed her forehead and patted her stomach through the cover. His swelled at the prospect of their child possibly abiding there. Still, he had some reservations about it.
He put on red pajama because liked the color on him and slipped in bed beside her. He put her on his chest, her head high enough to fit into the crook of his neck. He laid his head on hers and went to sleep.
Three hours passed. Buffy woke up.
She reached behind her and grabbed the remote. He had moved his tv up to room for her. She offered to do it but virility made him insistent; to which she replied ever so thoughtfully, "So, you want to be the man and hurt your back, go for it. I don't mind riding cowgirl."
She settled on Three's Company. It was on mute with closed captioning. She did not want to wake him.
However, this turned into a moot point when she laughed out loud as Jack pretended to be his butch twin brother.
He noticed her head had migrated somewhere between his chest and stomach.
"You are too far away from me. Scoot up," his voice was somewhere between sultry and plaintive.
Buffy obeyed. The television light bathed the room in soft blue and white hues illuminating the unmistakable affection and want in his eyes. For whatever reason, it scared her.
"Giles, uh, I got to go," she said lifting off him.
Unable and unwilling to hide his hurt feelings, he looked at his clock and said, "It is only a little after eleven. You usually do not vacate until three at least. Two at the earliest. Come back to bed."
"I would. But, I remember I have a paper due Monday. It is Saturday."
"So, work on it here. I did not invest a penance for that glorified typewriter for you not to use it."
"I left the rough draft at home."
"Then I will pop you over. You can get it and come back here," he had a reply for everything.
"I just want to go home. What's the big?" She said flustered.
"I am not the one acting strangely. You are. What is really wrong? Clearly, I done something," he pouted.
"No. It's me. You remember that crazy idea I had about when I first got back?"
"Yes. Of course, I do. I remember my reaction."
"Honored but terrified and just a little pissed."
"I was not pissed. Just taken aback by the pessimism and the cynicism of the request."
"The shit we have seen? I think I am awfully optimistic. Trust me, you pursed lips and clicked your tongue. You were pissed," she sat back down beside him.
"So, shall you say it or should I?" He asked eager to get to the point.
Buffy unwisely decided to play coy.
"Say what?" She said stretching.
Giles cut her look as if to say, bitch, please.
"Do me a favor and don't ever look at me like that again. Damn. Mom doesn't even look at me like that. Makes want to cry or hit you. Maybe both," she pouted.
"You know what I am talking about."
"Then why do I have to say it? It is obvi," she hunched making a real effort to conceal any emotion she had about it. She was succeeding.
"How long have you suspected?"
"When we did the no pants that time at the crypt sans silver slip. I felt different afterwards. Had this weird airy feeling in my tummy. Kind of like butterflies if said butterflies were soaked in IcyHot."
"About a month ago. Huh," Giles clicked his tongue and turned away from her.
Knowing why he was mad, she said, "I know the next day we went to Planned Parenthood. I took the pill, Giles. I was as alarmed as you now when I took the pregnancy test this morning. I did not anticipate this. It is not like slayers have not had babies before. It is doable."
"Are you sure you did not see an opportunity despite of what we talked about? I told you and I thought you agreed, it would be a bad idea on so many levels. It would be a a clarion. Not to mention the danger it would put you in. Just one more thing to threaten you with."
"Not if no one knows," she said sheepishly.
"How would they not?"
"We will come up with something. We always do."
"I can't fucking believe you," he growled.
Taken aback, because he had never spoken to her like that before, she said, "Why are you acting like this? As if this is not hard enough."
"You bald faced lied to me. If you wanted to keep it you could have just said so. I do not care if you took the pill or not. You did not have to pretend."
"I took the fucking pill. I did it right in front of the doctor. You can ask her if you want."
"Actually, I can't. Doctor/patient privilege. I want to believe you. So, I do. You should go to the doctor proper. Make everything is all right. For we know we are putting the cart before the horse. You may not even be pregnant."
"You would like that wouldn't you? If this was just a scare. But, it is not. I am been dreaming about it. You were passing me eggs and I would crack them in a hot cast iron skillet. Out of nowhere, Odessa pops up and she says hi, mommy and I woke up."
"When did you dream that? Why Odessa, I wonder
"Off and on since it that night," she said pitifully.
She continued talking, "Even after I took the pill, I still had that icy, airy feeling in my tummy. I wanted to tell you but you looked so relieved when I came out. I did not want to bust your bubble. I know how much you did not want to do this with me."
"Is that what you think?"
"You have not led me to believed anything else. What other conclusion was I supposed to draw?"
"I know you are seventeen. Everything seems like it revolves around you and and to certain extent you are right. I also understand your fear that when you die you will not leave anything behind or that it will be too soon. More than than likely you are correct about the latter. I hate that and want to prevent that from happening. You are so wrong about the former. You are loved by your mother, Willow and Xander. I love you and do not seem to care."
She all but cringed when he said he loved her. She did not want to deal with it.
"All I do is care. Stop being this way."
"What way am I being?"
"I don't know. Not yourself. You swore at me. If you do not want it, just say so. I will deal with it on my own and I won't tell anyone's it is yours," she pouted.
"I never said I would abandon you or not claim my child. We will think of something. It is like you said, you are not first slayer to find yourself pregnant."
"Found myself," she laughed.
She continued, "Yes, I was walking along Germantown Road leisurely, and I saw some sperm just lying on the sidewalk and thought, gee. I would love to have some inside it sound like I did this by myself."
Blushing out of pride, not embarrassment, he replied, "You had enthusiastic help. In fact, I feel like it is more my fault than yours because I am responsible for you."
They paused.
"You think I am a spoiled brat, don't you?" She asked still not quite sure what to make of his reaction.
"No. I know you are a spoiled brat. Your parents named you Buffy. You could not be anything else if you tried."
She nudged him and they both laughed lightly.
They made eye contact staring at each other really. Both wanted say something profound but not anything that would potentially hurt the other's feelings. Nor did they want to be mushy.
So, naturally they kissed. It was one one those sweet, short, closed mouth dealies that denoted a mutual understanding.
They laid down. Face to face, he asked her, "You staying then?"
Buffy nodded.
He grabbed her hand and gently rubbed a circle on her palm. Then his hand up tho her face. She snatched away. Standing again. This time hightailing out the room and grabbing her clothes along the way.
"There you go again,"she protested.
"What now? Usually, it is the male that flees after finding out about about a pregnancy. This is not hormones, you have been like this since the first time we were intimate."
"My point exactly. You should not be surprised by how I am acting. You are Sean Young and I am James Woods. You cannot start taking this seriously."
He began to laugh mirthlessly.
"Oh, wow. Your depth of denial is stunning, really. It is like when King George wrote in his diary, Nothing much happened today when you colonials decided to start a little rebellion."
"I know this is a big deal. But, we are friends, right?"
"Dear friends," he nodded.
"So, why should that change? More than it already has? Life is complicated and messy enough as is. So, why make this more complicated?"
"All I did was show you a modicum of affection and you acted like I was trying to pour acid on you. What is the matter?"
"It is the way you look at me. What you want to say is so blatant and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't why but it does. I heard what you said earlier about people loving me. I know that. I heard what you said after that. I know that too. I just," her voice trailed off.
Sex and kissing was one thing. A means to an end. And it felt good. Real good. But, handholding was a level of intimacy that made them more than just fuckbuddies. It made them a couple. She did not want that or at the least she was not willing to admit it. Giles understood that.
However, he had a point to prove. He knew she loved him too.
"Who else did you ask?" He inquired pouring himself a drink.
"Ask what?"
He pointed at her belly.
"No one. I wouldn't trust Xander to babysit himself let alone raise a child. But, knowing him he would step up to the plate. But, I did not want to ask him."
"Why not?" He asked sitting beside her.
Buffy's first reaction was aggravation. She knew where hhis line of questioning was going.
So, in a vain attempt to make it go away, she smiled, took his drink out his hand; straddled him and said, "You know, we never did finish earlier."
She kissed him hard and he kissed her back.
He managed to say between kisses, "I know what you are up to."
Placing her hand between his legs, "I know what you are up to, too."
"As badly as I want to take this to completion, we need to talk. Kissing to be clever," he scoffed.
"Come on now, Bufffy, you are better than that."
"No, I am not," she went to kiss him again, he pushed her sideways onto the other side of the couch. He put a pillow over his lap.
More miffed than pissed, she snorted, "Fine. Isn't it fairly obvious why I chose you?"
"No, inform me."
"You shouldn't be the last of you. You were always there when I needed you. You are willing to sacrifice yourself for my well-being. You were willing to go fight the Master in my place until I knocked you out. You are always available to me. You even stood by me instead of your girlfriend. Even after what happened to her because of me you still cared about me."
"It was not your fault what happened to Jenny."
"See, what I mean? I might have resented me in your position but you don't. So, with that said and just judging by how you have treated me in past, the humping excluded, you would be a great dad."
He was flattered to the point of being embarrassed. He turned his head away and held back tears.
"That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."
Buffy then commenced to hurt his feelings.
Putting on her boots, she said in the sweetest voice she could muster, "We are just two people put in an unusually close situation who happen to like being physically intimate and have one thing truly in common. Me. . ."
She kept talking but he quit listening.
It took her five minutes to notice.
"Giles, you hear me?"
"No," he said flatly.
"I-"
"Tell me how you feel about me."
Exasperated, she got up and paced.
"You told me that first night we did it that I got to decide what we are or aren't. Now you are making demands-"
"Making demands? You give me no consideration as a fellow human being."
"You are acting as if you get nothing out this situation. Granted, you got good dick and head but you act like you are not getting pussy- younger than you, hot, tight supernatural pussy almost everyday, two or three times a day sometimes. I really don't understand why you are so weird right now."
"All I want from you is respect. Anything else is extra."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
She sat back down beside him.
"So, are we okay?" She asked.
"Yes and no," Giles said.
"The baby," she determined.
He nodded.
"I am sorry you think I am lying."
"I do not think you are lying. However, you are starting to protest too much."
"I am not. Despite what I suggested, I did not do this on purpose. But, this baby will be good thing for both of us. After reading about other slayers. The ones with kids seem to live a little longer. I guess because they have more to live for."
"You talk as if I need convincing," he said with a dry chuckle.
"Well, don't you? I remember your whole it is selfish and dangerous and unfair to a child speech. How if nothing else, the kid would be like you, a watcher. I can think of worse things to be other than like you. But, you know. I am sorry if you feel like I am imposing-"
He kissed her to shut her up.
"Now who is kissing to be clever?" She smiled feeling a bit mooney.
"I know how I told you I never wanted to be a father and at the time I meant it. Would you like to know when I changed my mind?"
She nodded.
He put his hand on her stomach. They both gasped. It just kept getting realer by the moment.
"Earlier when you were attacked."
"Okay. Do explain."
"I suspected you were expectant about eight days ago."
"How? And why didn't you say anything?"
"Two things. A, you did not turn over the mat in my car with your foot. When you get your period. You do that unconsciously. And, your taste is different. Sweet like oranges instead of savory. Pregnancy changes body chemistry, so."
"You could tell because my cooter tastes different. That's funny and kind of creepy. What does this have to do with the cemetery?"
"I am getting to that. So, when those last two vamps accosted us and I saw it hit you in the stomach, all I could think was. Do you really want to know what I thought?"
She shook her head emphatically. She thought he was being melodramatic and he was a little. However, he knew the next words out his mouth had the propensity to send her running like Booth after he shot Lincoln.
With their eyes locked and and he almost whispered, "Get away from my family."
She gasped.
Ten minutes passed before she said anything.
"Holy Shit. That is what we are now. Family."
"Yes. We are. So, can you understand why I am acting weird as you put it?"
She nodded.
"So, I will ask again, how do you feel about me? You do not have to say out loud so save your eyerolls. I know how I feel about you. And so do you."
Buffy remained quiet as her face began to tear up like an infant gearing up to wail.
Soon the dam of eyes broke and she sobbed.
She was so tragic when she cried.
He wrapped his arms around her and rocked her.
"It is alright, love. I am not going to hurt you. You are safe here."
"I cannot say it. It'll be over if I do. I can't lose you. I refuse to."
He clutched her face lovingly and kissed her tears away before moving down to her mouth.
Heat took them over. In a flash, she fell back on the couch with him on top of her.
Giles pulled himself out his pajama pants and moved the crouch of her panties aside and dove into her.
Buffy let out a sigh of pleasurable acknowledgement, happy they were about to do this.
She closed her eyes as he began to pump and grind against her. It still bothered him that she refused to look at him during.
He peppered her neck with kisses which elicited soft moans from the girl.
He moved his lips to her ear and whispered in a lover's plea, "Open your eyes, beautiful."
They fluttered open. She was met with a smile. She smiled back. He had not expected her to accommodate him so readily.
They snogged again moaning into the other's mouth.
Buffy had one hand in his hair, pulling it because he liked it and the other gripping his ass because she liked it.
She took her lips from and peered at his face. She saw past his slight crow's feet and laugh lines to recognize there was still considerable youth there. She had not noticed it before,
Maybe it's new, she thought.
She moved her hands to cradle it.
"You are man pretty," she groaned feeling him quicken his pace.
"Am I now? Coming from you, that means everything."
"Damn right," she began to move with him.
Which made him hiss and swear in appreciation.
She wrapped her legs around him placed her hands on his shoulders. She honestly liked the feel of him. She liked large men.
She craned his head down to kiss him again.
She began to giggle. When he realized this, he moved his lips to her neck.
"Oh, shit, shit, it feels really good. Like how the hell are you doing that good," she giggled.
"I am glad. I am glad about everything," he grinned.
Touched and overcome with emotion, her heart beating nearly out its cage, she wanted nothing more than to declare her love for him. Instead, she bit her lip so hard it bled.
It was so obvious to him this was what she was doing, he felt compelled to profess, "I love you. I love you. I love you . . ."
She wanted to protest. However, her orgasm hit her hard and was made even more intense because all the eye contact.
He quickly followed her because her walls like her other muscles were preternaturally gifted.
He was breathless. He was not about to tell her out loud that she was the best and hell, the most responsive lover he ever had. His pride would not abide it.
He rested his forehead on top of hers. He tried to kiss her but she shook her head no.
He took a hint and rose off her adjusting himself at the same time.
She grabbed the shirt he had on earlier and wiped between her legs and threw it at him. She did not appreciate him using the "L" word that many times. It was all she could hear now.
He was nonplussed. Instead, he cocked his head and studied her like she was a Picasso and every time he looked at it, he saw some something new and wonderful.
"What's going on in your impenetrable mind now? I never quite can pinpoint what you are thinking. I like that about you. Most people do not surprise me," he was smug in his afterglow.
He had been doing that a lot lately. After all, being able to control, for want of a better word, a young woman sexually is a heady trip for any man. Giles was not immune. He knew he had taught her things and did things to her Angel never got the opportunity to. Deep down, it gave him a perverse sense of joy.
She looked at him with hurt in her eyes. This made him feel bad.
"I am sorry. I know I can come on strong. This is foreign to me as it is you."
"Shut up. I love you. Take me home."
He did not know whether to be sad or glad. Glad she confessed it but sad she still wanted to flee.
He silently dressed while she remained on the couch.
"You ready?" He asked coming down the stairs.
"No. Yes. Not really. Can we pretend tonight didn't happen?" She begged.
Never in his life had he ever wanted to throw a woman off the highest building but catch her before she hit the ground.
So, he decided to do it verbally, "Oh, so in nine months I will be sure to act surprised when the child comes. And I will say, oh, how did that get in there? To really add the irony and feign innocence. It will be funny."
"I am not talking about the baby and you know it. I want to keep this simple, You don't."
"Our relationship quit being simple the first time I ate you out. Be real," he huffed.
"Look, Why do you insist on slapping a label on us? Love, family, it is a lot to swallow."
"You think I do not realize that? You said you wanted a baby. You got your wish. We are in this together and yes, I feel differently about you. Stronger. You are the mother of my child. I want the pair of you. I would think this would make you happy. It would anyone else."
She began to cry again and, "I know it should. I do not know what my glitch is."
Giles knew. He had always known.
"Angel," he said. He was going for her jugular.
"Huh? What about him? He doesn't have anything to do with this and dare you bring him up?" She confronted him.
"How dare you be mad at me because I am not him? Let's face it if this same situation was happening with him you would be ecstatic. Not this confused, wishy-washy, insensitive, narcissistic asshole. You are a such an asshole, Buffy," he was more hurt than angry.
"You know what? I would rather walk home through the cemetery than sit next to you in that piece of shit car of yours. Fuck you," she flipped him off and jetted to the patio door. She did not want to be caught by Cordelia again.
His first response was to tell her, 'You just did,' but he thought it childish and crass. Somebody had to be the sane one. Kind of.
He ran after her. She slowed down to let him grab her by forearm.
"You could at least have the decency to deny it."
"There is nothing to deny. This could not have happened with Angel. He was undead. He had no baby making abilities. And since we are bringing up each other's dead exes, what about Miss Calender? She knew what could happen and she said nothing."
"So, you are saying it was Jenny's fault your ex murdered her, dragged her into my apartment, made it seem like we were back together and left her body in my bed?" He squeezed her arm so tight that it almost hurt.
"Do not put words in my mouth. Nobody deserves to die the way she did. Nobody. I am not cruel. I wish she were here. That it had been me instead of her. I saw how badly it destroyed you. I know the lengths you took to get revenge and I know how he tortured you. Sorry doesn't even cover horribly I feel about that.
That said, I blame her for what we are going through right now. This is her fault. And if I were you I would really unhand me."
He obeyed but not without frowning at her. He took his glasses off and refrained the urge to throw them at her.
"Do I even want to know how you came to that conclusion?" He asked looking at her the way he looks at Ethan.
"You are giving me that you are a dumb bitch stare again. Stop it."
If the shoe fits, he thought.
Giles then "You know this is what I get. It's like what I heard on Twilight Zone once. And I am sure I am paraphrasing here. When a man of a certain age gets involved with a woman of a certain age, he gets what he deserves. You are what I deserve. Now tell me how it is her fault you got in involved with me."
"Come on. If she had informed you at least, you would have told Angel and he would have stayed away. Probably. Neither of them would be dead and you would be with her and who knows who I would be with. I would have never ran away and you never would have found me and we never would have gotten groiny. You never would have given me those annals to me and I never would have gotten that pregnancy idea-" she put her hands over her mouth and came to a realization much to her chagrin.
"Only crap. I am blaming everyone but myself. I sound like Cordelia," she shuddered.
He laughed a little at that. He always marvelled at her self awareness. Which was why he could not understand or accept her characterization of their relationship.
"Why are you laughing? I was semi-serious. I am not stupid. I know you aren't him. I had no idea you even felt that way."
"I don't. Usually. I am trying to figure you out."
"Why? I am an asshole. What do you care what an asshole thinks?" She mocked kicking the locked patio fence open.
"I hope they charge you to fix it," she grumbled.
"I had the key. I could have just opened it," he said following her.
"Go away, Giles. I swear I will knock you out and leave you here for some creepy-crawly to eat," of course she did not mean this. Or at least he hoped.
"I am sorry," he said having softened completely.
She stopped and turned around.
"You can keep your sorry, Mister Passive Aggressive. You said that about Angel to hurt my feelings. I know you did. So good job, pissing off your pregnant seventeen year old secret girlfriend who can totally kick your ass."
He looked her slackjawed. He was surprised girlfriend came out her mouth.
"Don't look so daft. I know what we basically are to one to one another. I just did not want to bandy those terms about. It makes things heavier than what they should be."
"At this juncture, the only way this could get any heavier is if other people knew.
I prefer the term woman. Girlfriend sounds so-"
"High school? Well, that is what I am in. You know it is that big ugly building where you pretend to work in that I am required by law to attend everyday. Where we met. Shit, that is reason alone to burn that place to the ground.
Also, we both know it is simply matter of time before the other Scoobies figure out we are fucking if they haven't already. They are not stupid. You would not tolerate them if they were," she had snarl going. The type she only gets when she is getting ready to hurt you.
He had seen her mad at him before. Sure. It was always either petulance or insubordination or some combo of. This was different. She displayed a lover's anger- scorn.
"All right. Fine. I said it to make get a rise out of you to make you, I don't know, shock you into rethinking your position. But, I said it because that is how you make me feel."
"You just said I didn't."
"I lied."
"Oh," this sent Buffy into thoughtful mode.
Seeing an opportunity, Giles said, "Why don't we finish this conversation in my apartment? I will make us something to nosh and a cuppa."
She folded her arms and shook her head.
"I am not going back in there. We both know if we go back to your place all our clothes are to fall off again. I am not going to give you the opportunity to be sexy and shit like you did thirty, forty minutes ago. Oh, don't think I haven't noticed how cocky you are lately after you make me come. It is annoying. Stop it. Because that is a two way street. I make you come, too."
He smirked and turned his head.
"You could at least have the decency to deny it," she teased. She liked throwing his words back at him.
Completely ignoring her, he said, "Looks like it is going to rain."
"So. It always rains in October."
"My car is right there."
"I told you I would rather walk."
"Will you please stop and look at me? Humor me and do as I ask, please?"
"Well, you did say please."
He walked over to her with his hands in his pockets. She could not help but think he looked sexy. She swooned a little.
How grabbed her hands and said sincerely, "I am sorry about what I said."
"I do not want you to think I am stupid or spiteful. I don't see you as a replacement for anybody let alone him. I see you for you. Still, I will forgive you on one condition."
"Anything, what?"
"Can we pretend neither of us said I love you? I just don't want things to be weird. Do not walk away from me," she whined.
"You know what? You know how to take yourself. I will see you Monday," he said walking away.
Outraged, she rushed Giles and knocked him down. She used her foot to turn him over then she straddled him. She placed her hands on her shoulders to make sure he stayed down.
For the life of him, he found it a turn on but decided it was best not to let her know that.
"I might be an asshole but at least I am not a bitch. You said you wanted to protect us. Then I hurt your feelings and you throw up your hands. Liar."
"Pretend like you know me. I was going to follow up behind you in my vehicle."
"So. I just wish you would see things my way,"
"Fine. You are right. I am wrong. Get off me so I can take you home," he said insincerely ignoring how the street lamps and moonlight gave her a soft halo like Guadalupe. She looked even more beautiful than usual.
She frowned at him and fought the urge to kiss him.
Instead, she rolled her eyes at him and intentionally put pressure on his shoulders as she pushed off him.
Regardless, she helped him up. She wanted him to know she did not hate him. He fathered her little zygote after all.
Twenty minutes passed. He pulled up in front of her home. It was barely midnight. He missed her even though she was still beside him.
"Buffy, before you go," he had reached into his wallet and passed her five hundred dollars.
She handed it back and said, " Really? We are Pretty Woman now?"
"Have you even seen that movie? This for if you need anything the next couple days. It seems a touch trifling to expect your mother to pay for expenditures related to our child. Don't you think?"
She could not argue this. She took the money.
She climbed out his car feeling empty and lonely.
Buffy turned back to look at him. Giles returned her look of abject dismay.
She slowly walked to her front door avoiding looking at him until her key turned the lock. His car was distant looking almost toy like as it sped down the well-paved street.