Jenny Calendar and Rupert Giles were in the hospital. Whilst trying to have a conversation regarding the status of their relationship, a vampire appeared and in an attempt to kill it, Jenny had accidentally shot Giles in the back. He said the pain was bearable but the bleeding hasn't stopped and Jenny insisted on taking him to the hospital. Just the fact that he hasn't needed much convincing told her that it probably hurt more than he let on. Well, those things are meant to kill vampires, Jenny thought to herself.
Jenny was feeling guilty that evening about four things. The first was the way she had spoke to Giles that morning. She had long since forgiven being possessed by a demon he once worshiped in his youth, I've done some pretty stupid things in my day, but the only reason she had been keeping her distance was because she felt embarrassed. She and Giles had yet to solidify their relationship physically and just at the moment when she hints to him of her plans for him, she gets possessed by a demon who takes over her sexual identity and very nearly forces him to force himself on her. She can still see the look on his face when she said, "Or you can take advantage of me in my weakened state." He looked so ... confused. And almost disgusted.
It wasn't that Rupert had rejected her, she was grateful that he was such a gentleman. It was horrible enough being possessed by a demon but this one saw she had feelings for Rupert and had taken over her sexuality, in effect, mocking her and making Giles think she was something which she wasn't. Even if it was just for a moment. For a time period, she blamed him for all of this. And that was guilty factor number two. He wasn't to know what was going to happen. The third thing she felt guilty for was, after expressing disapproval for him caring about her, she then goes and shoots him with a crossbow. Some day.
And lastly, she felt like a complete and utter hypocrite for being mad at Giles. Part of the reason this ordeal was hard for her was because she felt like she didn't know him, that this part of him changed all the parts she knew and loved. And she knew that he'd feel exactly the same way when he finds out that she isn't really Jennifer Calendar but Janna Kalderash. And she didn't want that at all.
It was late and they were in a large hospital room, full of beds but they were the only people there. The doctor had instructed Giles to take his shirt off and he'd been at his lower back for at least fifteen minutes. I'm the reason he needs stitches, Jenny thought dejectedly.
"Oh alright, Mr Giles." Said the doctor, adding a dressing to his wound and handing him a clipboard. "If you could just fill out these, take them to the front desk and here is a prescription for painkillers."
"Thank you." Said Giles, looking at the forms and beginning to fill them in as the doctor left. She stared at him for a moment. He was beautiful. In a manly sort of way.
"Are you alright?" Giles began, keeping his eyes focused on the forms he was filling in. "You've barely said two words since we got here."
Jenny pondered for a moment. There was so much she wanted to tell him.
"I just feel really bad that I did this to you." She answered plainly.
"That's alright," he said, looking at her and smiling. Must be the painkillers that doctor already gave him. "You apologised enough in the car, remember?" He reminded her before continuing writing.
That was true but it didn't make Jenny feel any better.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, so low she wondered if she'd actually said the phrase out loud. He regarded her once more and she knew he had. Plucking up all the courage that she could find, she went on. "I'm sorry, Rupert. I really am but I have to tell you something. I know this isn't the right time or place but it's been eating up at me for so long that I can't hold it in anymore." She can't believe she was able to tell him everything. He deserves to know.
"Al-alright." He said, sounding concerned. He placed the clipboard to his side to show her she had his full attention. Jenny got up from her chair and sat beside him on the edge of the bed, looking directly into his eyes. She thought her proximity would somehow make this easier for him, make the atmosphere feel less emotionless than telling him with some distance between them but at the same time, it made things harder for her.
"I'm, I'm not," She began, not knowing how to finish. This is hard.
Giles thought he saw her eyes gilt in the low light of the hospital room, as if tears were threatening the penetrate the surface of her sockets. He lightly placed his right hand on her left, giving her a reassuring look. "It's okay; take your time." He said, his voice a low rumble.
Her breath hitched and she looked down at the floor. "I'm not who you think I am." She finally managed. She let a small sign of relief, which was soon met by panic as Giles jolted his hand away from hers and looked her in confusion. The motion sent her gaze back into his green eyes. "What exactly do you mean by that, Jenny?"
Jenny could feel her eyes filling her tears. Her heart was beating so loud, she could hear it in her ears. I'm losing him.
"I, I, I was sent... To Sunnydale... By my people."
"People?"
"I'm a Kalderash, Rupert. We are the Romanian Gypsy clan that gave Angel back his soul. And I was sent here to make sure he doesn't loose it."
Giles looked away from her. He needed a minute to process this new information. She couldn't have told me at a time when I'm not about to experience a painkiller high? He thought it himself. This really has been some day.
"And, and how could Angel loose his soul?" He asked. It was the only question he was prepared to ask; all the others that were floating in his mind just seemed too personal. And right now, he felt as though he didn't know her anymore. This must have been what she felt like after the Eyghon episode. No! This is different.
"I don't know." She confessed. "They never told me." When Giles didn't respond, Jenny continued. "Listen, Rupert, I swear my intentions are honorable. I'm here-" She stopped when Giles held up his hand, indicating her to be quite.
"I need a moment, Jenny." What Jenny had just told him was shocking to say the least. She was a Kalderash, a gypsy. And one on a mission, clearly. It wasn't her heritage that bothered Giles. It wasn't even the fact that she had waited until now to tell him. It was the annoying inkling that Jenny had initiated a relationship with him just to get closer to Angel. It didn't seem likely because they had only met a few times and Giles doesn't recall Jenny ever asking about Angel but the seed of doubt had already been planted.
Without saying a word, Giles reached for his shirt and put it back on, refusing to make eye contact with her. He wasn't sure what was appropriate to say at this point.
"Rupert?" Jenny whispered, timidly. Giles turned to her and gave her a look of fear and confusion. What's happening? What do I do?
Sensing his lack of words, Jenny lifted her hand to touch his cheek. She was surprised when he didn't pull away and took the opportunity to plan a kiss on his lips. It was tender yet passionate, saying everything she couldn't with words. How she carved his forgiveness, his touch. She wanted to know that their relationship hadn't reached a stalemate, that he still cared for her and wanted to be with her.
Giles kissed her back with as much passion as she was giving him. Never in his life had he felt this way about a woman before. He recalls the day in which he admitted to himself that he was in love with her. It was during their discussion the day before the demon Eyghon had possessed her. They'd be spending more time together and she challenged him on so many levels. She took him to a monster truck rally once, they fought over the future of technology. She was unlike any woman (and she was a woman, not a girl) he'd ever met. Unlike any of the British women I've dated. And just knowing that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, it was consuming. The first time he explored her lips, before the school bell rang, he knew then that he was in love.
After what felt like an eternity, Jenny was the first to break the kiss. They were both breathless and in each other's arms, drunk on their kiss. Her fingers mindlessly traced his lips where her own had just been.
"Rupert, I had no idea that I was going to fall in love with you."
The words struck Giles like a comet. Did she actually say that? She's in love with me?
"Jenny..." He started but he couldn't find the words. He kissed her again, with more passion than before, his tongue asking for access to hers, which she willingly gave him. His hands gently cupped her face and while her arms were wrapped around his body, her hands running up and down his back. The motion made Giles feel weak, in such a sweet way. Unaware of his actions, he placed one hand on her thigh as the heat between them grew in intensity. When it registered in his mind that one of her hands was trailing down his chest through the buttons of his shirt that he had neglected to fasten, Giles broke the kiss and looked deep into eyes, taking the wandering hand into his own, holding it against his heart. He looked deep into her eyes as he spoke.
"Whatever this thing with Angel is," he began, in a low voice, pausing to take in some more oxygen. "We can work it out together, us and-and the children. We'll tell Buffy, conduct some research and hopefully when can prevent him loosing his soul. It's going to be okay." He took her into his arms and hugged her for a moment, resting his chin on her head.
Jenny could feel herself melting into him. She gripped his upper arms and closed her eyes. "Promise?" She asked.
He chuckled lightly, getting the inside joke. He pulled away to look at her and saw her smiling mischievously at him.
"I promise."
