Blurb.
The rest of the scene in 3.1 "Anne" when Joyce confronts Giles.
"Any just who is she?"
The angry explanation caught him completely off guard. He had known that Joyce was "hands-off", at times, even, he hated to say it, negligent, but this complete lack of understanding regarding the amazing person that she had given life to nearly blew his fuses.
"Who is she? Who is she! My God, woman, how could you possibly not know? She is a hero. In the truest sense of the word. She puts her life on the line every hour of every day for an ungrateful, ignorant populace that is ridiculous enough not to appreciate her. It never occurred to me that you belonged in that category until this moment!"
"I know you're hurting. I know you are angry at being left in the dark, and I know you are angrier at yourself for staying there, but it was done for the best. For your own safety, even, and the safety of your daughter. And if you are fool enough not to see that, then it is not for me to attempt to rectify your perspective. Because perspective, madam, is what is called for here. Yes, you have drawn the short end of the straw, but your straw is much longer than your daughter's, who stepped up to her duty and performed . . . continues to perform admirably."
"She was called to her death," he spoke more slowly now, his anger abating and his complete love and respect for his slayer shining through. "I tried to go in her place." He looked at Joyce, who was looking appropriately shamed. "She knocked me out and went, knowingly, to her death. To save the rest of the unknowing world. She went. And she died."
Joyce stared in abject horror. "Buffy died?"
"She died. She was assaulted; she drowned, and she died." Giles paused for a moment, recalling his own sense of failure. "She died for all of us. She was brought back and went straight back to defending us all from the worst of evil." He looked at Joyce.
"So don't ask me who your daughter is, Ms. Summers, because I know. She is a hero. She died to save the world and came back still fighting for it. She was burdened with incredible strength and skill and wields it every moment of every day to help those that were blessed to have a normal life. And if you don't know just how extraordinary your daughter is, then I feel sorry for you, because she is truly the most amazing woman I have ever known. She is Buffy."
And, with that, he walked out to continue his search.