Warnings and disclaimer in Chapter 1. Enjoy!
"Are you ready?" Giles asked Buffy as they pulled away from the house. She nodded and smiled brightly before turning her attention to the window, completely focused on the outside world. Giles watched her from the corner of his eye for a moment before focusing on the road. Ten minutes later they were leaving Sunnydale. Giles kept up the small talk, trying to speak the Russian he had been learning, but it wasn't very effective. Buffy would occasionally turn in her chair to watch him, especially when he tried to speak Russian, but he knew he wasn't making any sense. "I can feel your eye roll trying to come out," he told her after his third attempt to speak. He knew it was only the severe sense of respect that was literally beaten into her repeatedly that kept her from mocking his feeble attempts. He looked back and could see the smirk in her eyes though. She held his stare for a moment before focusing on the window again.
Giles sighed as he refocused on the road. His right hand absently dropped to the radio, trying to find a station to play, but he was unfamiliar with this setup and ended up blaring static loudly over the speakers. He cursed and was about to pull over to give it his full attention when suddenly Buffy placed her hands over his. She grinned at him and took over tinkering. A few minutes later classic rock was playing quietly. "Thank you," he said sincerely. She squeezed his hand before the scenery caught her attention again. They drove in quiet contemplation while Giles thought about everything they had done to get here.
The ritual Professor Smith did for them was terrifying. The only consolation they had was everybody knew and agreed to it. He could feel Buffy's terror right alongside his own bloodlust. The knowledge that he could make her do anything he wanted, despite her objections, was almost overpowering. The only thing that tempered the bloodlust was her trust in him, that whatever might happen she trusted him enough to keep her safe. It was that trust that finally brought him back to himself, much to the relief of everyone who was watching.
The first time Giles tested his control over Buffy was an experience he would never forget. He could feel how much power and strength she had, even though it was diminished by her physical limitations. Her mind was as strong, if not stronger, than her body and he took control of it easily. He spoke to each of the Scoobies directly, through her, telling them how much she loved them with her own voice before he broke the connection. It took a few minutes to get himself together, but when he looked up there wasn't a dry eye in the room. He looked to Buffy, half afraid of her reaction, but when he saw her strong gaze he knew he did well. He helped her to do what she had been unable to do by herself; tell her family how much she loved them. He knew then that her absolute trust in him wasn't misplaced. He would do anything for her.
The ritual was completely draining though. A few minutes after it ended they both felt the crushing fatigue settle. Joyce quickly whisked her daughter away for a well deserved nap, while Giles fought through the tiredness to begin organizing for their trip. Albert had managed to get an off road Jeep for them to use, since they didn't think the sacred places would be accessible by road. Xander helped Giles pack a bag, while Willow did the same for Buffy. Ben even surprised everybody by bringing a wheelchair for Buffy to use while they were away. It was a bit more heavy duty, with bigger wheels and sturdier spokes that would handle rough terrain easier. Giles, Veronica, and Albert grabbed the books to double check the first location while Spike and Dawn packed everything in the Jeep. Soon the only thing missing was a good night's sleep from Giles.
The next morning was a bustling hive of activity. Giles was up at the crack of dawn, as usual, but they all agreed to let Buffy sleep until she woke up on her own. Joyce countered her nerves by cooking, making sure they had plenty of snacks for their trip. Anya and Willow thought up every possible scenario they could and made sure they had everything they would need for each of them, which sent Xander to the store more than once to get extra supplies while Tara was creating protective sachets and enchanting amulets all morning. Spike kept a running dialog of all the demons they would probably be facing in the wild and kept retrieving weapons Giles would need to fend them off. Even Ben got caught in the preparation mood when he showed up with enough of Buffy's medication for three months and several fully equipped first responders' field bags.
Giles spent his morning flipping through the pages of the Slayer's Oath books, even though he read them so much he practically had them memorized. Albert joined him at the table, the calm amidst the storm as people rushed back and forth. They sipped their tea and chuckled calmly as everybody sought out Giles's opinion, only to make the decision for themselves before they finished explaining to Giles what they were asking.
"Is it always like this?" Albert asked when Anya asked whether they needed a sacrificial altar before deciding they did and running away. Giles shook his head.
"This is the result of too much time," he told his father as he sipped his tea, "and too much worry." Albert nodded and took a sip when suddenly all activity around them stopped. He looked at his son quizzically when he heard the sounds coming from the monitor.
"She's up early," Joyce commented as she bagged up the cookies she had just pulled from the oven.
"Maybe she's just changing positions," Willow whispered, afraid if she talked too loud it would wake up her friend. A minute later they heard the squeak of the wheelchair. "Or not."
"Okay everybody," Joyce took charge a second later. "Just act natural." They all nodded, finishing up what they were doing quickly before sitting casually, then moving into the dining room and sitting at the table. Joyce finished making snacks to starting breakfast. It wasn't long before the table was loaded with plates of pancakes, a big bowl of scrambled eggs, and bacon. Buffy wheeled herself in a second later, looking between them with a knowing gleam.
"What?" Anya defended herself. She grabbed Xander's hand. "This is how we always act. As natural as ever."
"Thank you for stating the obvious," Giles said as he and Dawn brought in plates and cups for everybody. Andrew followed them with silverware. "It's not at all awkward in here with that announcement." Joyce dished up a plate for Buffy before everyone dished up their own plates and the group began their breakfast.
"Did they go overboard?" Dawn asked. She came down with Buffy and didn't see the last minute craziness.
"Just a tad," Giles confirmed as he ate. There was little talking as everybody ate, until one by one they excused themselves until it was just Buffy, Joyce, and Giles. "Joyce?" Giles asked when he noticed that she was looking everywhere but at him.
"Rupert," she replied, finally looking his way. "I just want to say thank you. I'm not entirely sure what this quest is or how dangerous it will be, but I know you're doing it for Buffy. Thank you. And please, please be careful."
"Of course," he smiled at her, and then they both watched Buffy until she started playing with her food signaling she was also finished. Joyce took her upstairs to get ready while Giles gathered up the books he had been flipping through. He took them outside, only to be stopped short at the first sight of the Jeep. "A tad is a bit of an understatement," he said accusingly, looking over to see the Scoobies waiting for him on the porch. They all shrugged innocently.
"At least you will have everything you can possibly need," Veronica told him, defending the group.
"Except apparently my books," he said, holding up the books in his hand. He looked back and forth from the group to the overcrowded Jeep. There was plenty of room last night after everything was loaded, but now it looked like a wrong bump would start dumping things onto the road.
"Oh we left a space for those," Anya told him. She grabbed the books from his hand and headed over to the back passenger door. Giles thought everything would come tumbling out when she opened it, but it had apparently been stacked more securely than he though. He followed her to see an open box on the seat that held other books. He also saw that the wheelchair was folded up and placed behind the passenger seat in a way that would make it easy to pull in and out. Anya smiled and added the books just as Buffy and Joyce emerged from the house. Buffy quickly wheeled herself to the passenger side and opened the door. She tried to shift herself from the chair to the seat, like she's had to do a few times when the van was unavailable, but she struggled with the unfamiliar Jeep. It took her a few minutes but she eventually got settled, a bright smile on her face.
"I love you," Joyce said, bending down and kissing her daughter on her cheek. She stood up and her eyes went to Giles. "Please be careful."
"I promise," he told her before acknowledging everyone on the porch. A few minutes later they were driving off. Giles had tried to engage in conversation at first, but after a few awkward minutes he decided that silence was the best option. Buffy seemed to agree with him and the only sound was the radio gently serenading them, only broken when Buffy rapped on the window to point out things to Giles.
Fortunately they didn't have that far to go for the first sacred place, a natural cove a hundred miles away. They made good time and it was barely noon before they had to turn off the road and go off-roading. Buffy was excited, her eyes bright as she looked around at the untamed nature, while Giles longed for the smooth comfort of the paved streets. It didn't take long before they could go no farther even with the Jeep.
Buffy was nearly vibrating with excitement when Giles said they would have to walk the rest of the way. Her excitement faded when she realized her regular chair wasn't there, but she forgave that oversight when her temporary chair rode over the rocks and shrubs of nature easily. "Don't go too far," Giles warned as he pulled out The Slayer's Oath to figure out exactly where to summon their first deity. Buffy nodded reluctantly but still did laps back and forth, enjoying her freedom. Giles consulted several books as he began to put what he would need into a backpack. "Buffy?" he asked when she stopped racing around him. He turned to find her staring at him. She raised an eyebrow slightly. Giles looked back to the items he was packing, blushing furiously. "It's a magic gourd." He glanced back at her, but she just held his gaze. "Oh do shut up," he told her, throwing the last few thing into the bag and handing it to her. She grinned as he picked up a second backpack, throwing in food, water, blankets, and other supplies before pulling it onto his back. He took a second to help Buffy get her pack situated on the back of her wheelchair then they set off.
It wasn't easy going, but they were able to navigate the wheelchair around some of the more obvious hazards. After a few hours they were hot, sweaty, and tired, and they finally reached a point where they couldn't continue with the chair. A small ledge separated them from the cove. Giles decided it would be a good time for a break and he pulled out several sandwiches Joyce had made them along with two water bottles. He was worried Buffy would refuse to eat without Joyce present, but she ate everything he held out for her gratefully.
"I'm going to go check out the ridgeline," Giles told her. She nodded as she finished eating her carrot sticks. It took him an hour to find the easiest way down, but as soon as he set foot on the beach he immediately knew where to go. He looked up, easily seeing Buffy watching him. "I've found the first spot." She smiled down at him. He quickly climbed back up, moving supplies back and forth until he had a rudimentary camp set up before climbing up once more. "Are you ready?" he asked her. She nodded, locking the brake on the chair before holding out her arms.
Giles pulled Buffy into his arms, staggering slightly with her weight, until he got her settled. He carried her down the path bridal style, depositing her on the blanket with a deep gasp. "As happy as I am that you are gaining weight again, we might have to find a better way to carry you, especially if it's a longer stretch than this." Buffy nodded solemnly while Giles caught his breath. Once he was recovered he looked at her seriously. "Ready?" She nodded seriously and moved to her place in the middle of the blanket. Giles began the ritual, helping Buffy with her part when needed, and soon he had the next set of clues.
"That wasn't too bad, was it?" he asked as Buffy came out of her trance. She shook her head, smiling at him gently. He pulled out another bottle of water, handing it to her before taking a drink himself. He looked around as they both got their senses back, surprised to find several hours had passed since they started. "I suppose we should find somewhere for the night." Buffy nodded and passed the water bottle back to him. He reached down for her, but she shook her head, instead squirming around until she was behind him. It took him a few minutes to realize she wanted to climb onto his back. It took a more than a few minutes of squirming on both their parts, but he eventually had Buffy piggyback style.
"Much better," he agreed as he carried her up the ledge. Buffy nodded as he quickly reached her chair and lowered her into it. It only took Giles a few trips to gather their belongings before they set off back to the Jeep. They reached the Jeep a few hours later, just as the sun was starting to set. "Let's find somewhere to spend the night," Giles said as he started heading back to the road. Buffy nodded. They stopped at the first town they came to, getting a room for the night at the local motel.
"Did Anya think we would be camping out under the stars?" Giles asked as he tried to sort through what he needed to bring inside and what could stay in the Jeep. Buffy could only shrug as Giles pushed tents and sleeping bags out of the way, looking for the suitcases he knew he packed before Anya got started. "Finally," he said as he emerged victorious, his small duffel bag held in his hand. He passed it off to Buffy before he dove back in, looking for her bag, then again looking for the medical supplies she needed. Once he passed them to her, he grabbed the books he had been safeguarding before joining her. "Shall we head inside?" She nodded. He grabbed his bag, leaving her things on her lap as she followed him to their room. "What shall we get for dinner?" he asked, looking at her as he opened the door to their room. "Pizza?"
She looked up hopefully and he smiled. Joyce always preferred a home cooked meal to delivery or carry out, and between her and Andrew somebody was always cooking so the necessity of eating out was rarely there. She would still occasionally order pizza, but it became more of a special treat than a staple of everyday eating. Giles smiled at her. "I won't tell your mother if you don't." Buffy readily agreed and began unpacking what would be needed while Giles called the local pizza place.
The pizza would take forty-five minutes to be delivered, the worker told him when he called, which suited Giles just fine. He had plenty of time to get Buffy ready for bed and was in the middle of her nightly exercises when the pizza delivery man finally arrived. Giles finished up and grabbed a couple of slices for the two of them. Buffy smiled contentedly as she ate, but he could tell she was beginning to tire. She barely finished one slice before her eyes drooped for the first time.
"Time for bed," Giles told her, gently taking the plate from her hands. Buffy nodded sleepily, allowing Giles to move her into bed and tuck her in, but she stubbornly refused to go to sleep. "Now Buffy," he started as he tried to get her to sleep, "we both promised your mother I could take care of you. I'd hate to break that promise after the first day." She looked at him imploringly then reached for her bag, which was just out of reach. Giles followed and was soon smiling. "Of course." He pulled out the stuffed pig carefully. "Here you go." He looked at the toy fondly before passing Mr. Gordo over. Buffy smiled sleepily, cradling the pig to her chest as she finally allowed herself to fall asleep.
Giles watched her for a moment before cleaning up. The night was still young so he pulled out the first volume of The Slayers Oath and tried to decipher the clues. He made good progress by the time he decided to go to bed. The next day was clear and bright. He awoke well before Buffy, and he nearly had the next location figured out before she joined him. When she did finally wake up, he had no trouble helping her get ready for the day. They left the motel room to get some breakfast, and afterward they decided to go for a short walk, to stretch their legs and enjoy the fresh air, before he returned to deciphering the next location. He quickly figured out the clues, and the next sacred place was in the middle of the giant redwood forest in the north part of the state.
"Should we head out now?" he asked Buffy, glancing at the clock. It was just past noon, and although it would take several days to drive there, they could get a good chunk done before tonight. She nodded and began packing her bag. He followed suit and soon they were on the road again, going as far as they could before they needed to stop for the night.
This became a pattern for them. They would drive until they found the next sacred spot, then hike to the location, find the next spot, and start driving again. Giles found the entire experience tiresome, but he knew it was nothing compared to what Buffy was feeling. The enforced confinement from the Jeep was causing her pain and stiffness. Giles tried stopping more often for stretching and exercising, but the relief was only temporary. She never complained though and followed all of Giles's instructions as completely as she could. But as positive as they both were trying to act, he knew it was just a matter of time before one or both of them broke.
"Lovely," he growled under his breath when the road ended unexpectedly. They were following the latest clue and were currently in the middle of the desert. What he didn't expect was a giant ravine bisecting their path. He looked to Buffy, who had the map ready for him. He took it, studying intently. "It looks like it's a straight shot once we get down," he told her, looking between the map and the land ahead, "but it will be a long walk. We still have ten miles before I planned to leave the Jeep." Buffy pointed to the map, making a gesture with her hand. "No," he told her, "I don't think we can go around. It's not showing on the map, so either it's extremely new, or it's not natural." Buffy nodded. Giles sighed, glancing at the sun before looking at her. "I don't think we'll be able to get there and back before nightfall," he told her. "Do we head back and come back in the morning?"
Buffy looked around her, then turned and pointed to the tent Anya had put in the back. Giles saw where she was pointing and sighed. He had been able to avoid camping out up to this point, but it seemed like his luck was over. "Fine," he reluctantly agreed. Buffy smiled excitedly, getting some of her spark back. She folded the map back while Giles got out and examined the ravine closer. "It doesn't look too steep," he called back to Buffy as she opened the door and waited patiently for her chair. Giles came back to Buffy's side of the car. He unloaded the chair first, holding it steady while she transferred over, before looking at the supplies packed in the back. "You'll need to carry some," he told her. She nodded, grabbing her backpack and handing it to him. He grinned as he grabbed her bag and began piling in all the supplies they would need for the ritual. He handed her the bag. She flipped it on the back of her chair and then began circling the Jeep, exploring the area. Giles turned back to the pile and pulled the tent and sleeping bags out for the first time. He then looked at the hiking backpack that was settled next to them.
"What sort of monstrosity is this?" he asked as he pulled it out and began to examine all the pockets and straps. Buffy came back and between the two of them they figured out the pack. Giles filled it with enough supplies for a few days between the two of them, adding extra just in case something happened, before he turned to her medical supplies. He again packed more than he would need for a few days. He figured out how to latch the tent to the pack and was trying to figure out where to put the sleeping bags when Buffy wheeled up to him. She pointed to the back of her chair and Giles happily secured the bags there. He handed Buffy some foam padding and blankets to carry. It took him a few minutes to figure out how to don the pack then they were on their way.
"Careful," he cautioned as they slowly made their way down the ravine. This was the most strenuous path he had ever been on. Several times he had to pull the chair over obstructions, but eventually they made their way to the bottom. Buffy looked tired but proud as they finally found even ground. Giles let her rest while he double checked that they had everything they needed. Then he joined her for a rest. Twenty minutes later they started down the path. After the ravine, the walk was a piece of cake, although it still took several hours to get to their spot. They arrived as the sun was starting to set.
"Let's spend the night here and perform the ritual first thing in the morning." Buffy agreed and they started unpacking what they needed. It didn't take them long to set up a camp, Buffy helping as best she could. They completed Buffy's nightly ritual and settled around the fire Giles had managed to scrounge together. They cooked two of the freeze-dried meals Anya packed. They both looked dubious but were surprised when it was tasty enough. Afterwards, Giles unfurled a blanket and laid down, opening his arms in invitation when Buffy looked at him curiously. She joined him, snuggling into his side with Mr. Gordo firmly in her arms as they stargazed. Giles told her stories about the various constellations he pointed out. It wasn't long before Buffy started to drift off, but Giles was in no hurry to move her, instead just enjoying her warmth in his arms. He didn't move until the fire started dying. He shifted her carefully to the side so he could get up. He leaned down to move her into the tent when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He grabbed whatever weapon was closest as the shadowy figure approached their camp.
"Hey Watcher mine."