Title: His Wish

Chapter Three: Show Me

Disclaimer: Still nope.

Giles watched the three children sleeping soundly on his bed. He had taken them to the park when Buffy ventured back to her college campus, intent on going back to school. They had stayed for much longer than he had planned and the tots promptly fell asleep upon their arrival back home. There was a pulling in his chest that he could not describe as he looked down at the children… his children. He knew it was just a spell, but these three angels were his… and Buffy's. She did not take that news very well. After spending quite a bit of time moping on the balcony, she had rushed off to the campus, not saying a word to Giles. He supposed it was a bit of a shock to her. He had had years to get used to the idea, if only in dreams. But this was new to her. A new concept.

Emma stirred in her sleep and Giles noticed her face begin to scrunch up. Oh, no. No crying. If she started to cry, she would wake up her brothers. Swiftly, Giles picked her up and carried her to his reading chair in the corner. She clutched to his shirt, wrinkling the button down in her tiny fist, but he could care less. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, he began singing.

"Welcome to a special place, in a heart of stone that's cold and grey, you with your angel face keep the despair at bay…"

The little girl's eyes began to droop closed, her hand still clutching to the Watcher's shirt. He stayed there, in the chair, until his own thoughts drifted into dreams.

He held her tiny hands in his own, seeing every hope and dream reflecting from her eyes. Someone was talking, he wasn't sure who… at this point, he honestly didn't even care. She was his, all his, finally. After the years of wishing – of watching her grow into this beautiful woman before him, she had agreed to marry him. The day couldn't have been more perfect, either. Only the Scooby Gang had been invited. There was no point to have crowds of people watching this intimate moment. Hell, he didn't care if there were absolutely no people standing on that hillside with them. So long as his wife was standing in front of him, wearing that same damn smile he fell in love with all those years ago. He didn't hear a word the pastor said until the pivotal moment.

"You may now kiss the bride."

Their lips met in a tender, but loving kiss. Every ounce of emotion from that special day melded together, pouring into a simple act of devotion. He could still feel it on his lips, all these years later…

"Giles… Giles…"

"Rupert!"

His eyes shot open at the whispered demand. His lips tingled… they felt odd. Shaking his head, he looked into the softened eyes of his Slayer. She had a warm smile on her face as she took in the scene before her. Giles looked down, realizing that Emma was still asleep on his chest. He gestured silently for Buffy to wait a moment as he carefully picked up his daughter and placed her on the bed between her big brothers. He paused for a second, letting the emotions wash over him. His family. Dream or not, that was his family. His children.

He followed Buffy downstairs and they made themselves as comfortable as the awkward tension allowed on opposite sides of the couch. She fidgeted with her bracelet nervously and Giles noticed that she, too, had the tattoo on her ring finger. He reached over and brushed a finger over it, his eyes not meeting hers.

"I take it we're married in this dream of yours?" she asked softly.

"Yes." He gestured to his bedroom upstairs. "There is a, um, photograph of it upstairs. August 14, 2002."

"Nine years ago?" Her voice could barely contain her wonder. "How can… there's a picture?"

"Yes. It's mind-boggling to me, as well. That is a memory that I… I think I would remember."

She ducked her head to cover her blush. He noticed it, though. He noticed every little thing about her. He was his Watcher, of course. It was his duty. He noticed every uncertain glance, every half-smile Xander garnered, every stray tear over a lost love. He also noticed that it was never him.

"Buffy, if you… that is to say, if you don't…" He polished his glasses once more. "You don't have to stay."

She smiled sadly. "This is your dream, Giles. Not mine."

The words hurt. More than he thought they would have. He watched her face, begging to see any indication of what she was feeling, but she learned to bear her mask well. Her eyes held nothing and her mouth was busy trying to form words to calm the wound.

"But I…" She sighed. "I'm not sure I have a dream anymore. Ever since I came back, I don't know… I have a second chance to live a normal life. No demons, no vampires, no stress. The thing is, I don't know how to live a normal life. I spent years perfecting how to be a Slayer. That's the path we both took. You spent those years training me to be that Slayer. The Chosen One. And for you, before that, were magicks.

"I don't know what life is like for a 'normal' person. Do I fall back into that shallow high school life I left behind? Boys, fashion, the latest trends… that just doesn't seem like something a Slayer should care about." She laughed softly. "I keep forgetting I'm not the Slayer anymore. I can have whatever I want. Just gotta figure out what that is first." She rubbed the tattoo on her finger, her brow creasing. "Whatever it is… I know… Ugh, Giles, this is hard."

"You needn't say anything, Buffy."

"No, I want to." She took a deep breath and surprised Giles when she took her hands in his. "I want you there. Whatever this second chance means, I know I want you to be the one I share it with. I know you've got a lot on your plate right now –well, actually, we both do. You kind of swallowed me in your dreams."

He had the decency to blush. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault. But I'm going to kill whoever did this."

"Erm, best not worry about that right now."

She gave him an accusatory glare. "You know who did it."

"Well, yes, but it's of no importance right now." A slight smile tugged at his lips. "You may continue telling me how you want to spend the rest of your life with me."

Buffy's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, cocky much?"

His lips broke out into a smug grin. "You started it."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes. I would like to spend this second life with you. And… our children. In this life. Dream life of yours."

"Very eloquent."

"Giles, may I -?"

Her question was interrupted as Tyler and Spencer came barreling down the stairs with Emma scooting on her bottom behind them. Tyler jumped on Buffy's lap, wrapping his scrawny arms around her neck in a shattering hug. Spencer, ever Giles's son, crawled onto his father and merely leaned his head against Giles's, their foreheads touching for a brief moment before he pulled away with a shy smile on his face. Emma, jealous of the attention her brothers were getting, thrust her chubby arms at her parents, demanding to get in on the love.

"Daddy. Up."

Giles closed his eyes as he picked up his daughter, fighting the overwhelming emotion that threatened to well over. The simple act of a child's word could never have meant more than it did at that exact second. Even Buffy looked awestruck.

"I guess… I guess this life wouldn't be so bad," she admitted.


"So, you're staying with Giles?" Willow asked Buffy as they strolled around the land surrounding Giles's house. Willow had brought ice cream and ice cream cones for the kids, but of course, the young women were enjoying the treat during their walk.

"I don't know. For now, yes." The former Slayer sighed. "It's just… it's so much to wrap my mind around, you know? I was dead a few days ago. Now I'm married with three kids… with Giles! I mean, it's a lot to deal with."

"Do you want it?"

Buffy thought for a minute. Giles had always been there for her, even when she didn't want him to be. He had been the only constant source of comfort during her time in Sunnydale, holding her when she needed him to and chastising her when she deserved it. She couldn't imagine spending the rest of her life without him by her side. The brief time he had gone to England was torturous for her. Now she was being given a chance to spend her whole life with that man, with all the big work done and out of the way. Who would turn that down?

"Yeah," she finally replied. "I do want it. I've wanted it for a while, actually."

"I know." Willow smiled slyly. "I read your diary."

"You what?"

"I'm sorry! You were, you know, dead, and we were going through your things to pack up. Giles wanted to keep some things and me and Xander wanted some things to remember you by and I found your diary and I just kind of kept it."

"You have my diary?"

"Um, yes?"

"And you've read it?"

"Also a yes."

"So, you know…?"

"Everything. Third yes is a charm." Willow sat on a lone rock, looking up at her friend's worried face. "Why didn't you say anything before – you know, you died?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly planning for that whole death thing to come along now, was I? And, it's not that easy, Wil. I couldn't just walk up to Giles and tell him, 'You know, I kinda like you. No, more than that. I kinda love you, Rupert Giles. And you look damn good in that green sweater.'"

"He does, doesn't he?" Willow agreed with a laugh.

"God, yes. That's irrelevant, though. Kind of. Geez, Willow, I didn't know how to tell him. How do you tell the person who's been by your side for years that you're in love with them?"

"'Giles, I'm in love with you.' Then you kiss and have lots and lots of babies."

"Looks like that part's been done for us," Buffy commented, sighing.


"Can we watch 'Spongebob' now?" Tyler begged, pushing his empty plate away. "We ate all our food."

"Yes, I suppose you did." Giles helped Emma out of her high chair and ushered the three into the living room while he cleaned the table off. He made a mental reminder to pay Xander and Anya back for all the supplies they'd given him. And he must take the children to purchase more clothes in the morning. And enroll them in school. Was Emma old enough for school? Would he stay home with him? He shrugged and continued cleaning as Buffy walked through the front door, arms loaded with shopping bags.

"Did I miss dinner?"

"Yes, but, um, there's still some in the refrigerator. I saved some for you." He snuck a peek into one of her bags. "What did you get?"

"Just, um, things…" Buffy ran quickly past Giles and bolted for the stairs. Giles, however, was too quick for her and grabbed her around the waist, pulling him back to him. He held her to his chest, their eyes roaming about their faces. Giles noticed his breathing had quickened and Buffy looked up at him through veiled eyes. He didn't know what to do at this point. Would it be inappropriate to instigate something? Would she even be receptive? He didn't need to second guess himself anymore, as Buffy leaned forward and closed the gap for them, kissing him hesitantly. He responded to the kiss passionately, burying his hand in her hair and using his left hand to pull her closer to him. To say sparks flew would be an understatement. Their hands explored the contours of their bodies, Giles straying a little too often to cup Buffy's backside in his large hands. Her own hands explored the broad surface of his chest and back, surprised at how sturdy it was against her palms. She didn't know why it shocked her. Giles was nothing if not her support.

They pulled away, their breathing labored. Buffy noticed a spark in Giles's green eyes that she'd never noticed before. He was happy. She felt something swelling inside of her, knowing that she could do that to him.

"Well, erm…" Giles ran a shaky hand through his hair, a shy smile on his face. "What's in the bags?"

"Oh, um, I bought a puppy." With that, Buffy rushed up the stairs before the words could sink in.