Disclaimer - I do not own any of BtVS or AtS characters. They all belong
to the Joss Pack. Other non BtVS or AtS characters are all mine.
Distribution - FINNatics and my site - The Claddagh Fanfiction Archive.
Other people please ask me first I will probably say yes.
Timeline: Set some time after "In the Woods"
SPOILERS: Anything before IN THE WOODS
Rating: free for all - at the moment.
AUTHOR'S NOTE 1 - No... I am not crazy. And yes... this is a Riley fiction.
AUTHOR'S NOTE 2 -It is not a Buffy/Riley shipper fanfiction. I am still
a B/A hopelessly shipper... I ship B/A, Cordy/Doyle, Willow/Oz... see...
all the broken couples : )
AUTHOR'S NOTE 3 - * * denotes internal thought.
Teaser: Changes in Riley's life lead him to Brasil.
Dedication: To Lisa, for all the "inquiring mind" and beta stuff,
Nicole and Chris for the wonderful support and feedback.
Feedback: If I beg... will you send it to me? claddagh@angel.vg / sgavino@gbl.com.br
AUTHOR'S
NOTES 4 : Words in Romani and gypsies habbits did not come from this crazy
head of mine. They are a resulf of non-stop research.
Chapter
04
Sunnydale
Giles
heard something strange inside his head. A loud noise similar to an insect
buzzing directly into his ear. He just kept his eyes closed and thought
that he must be dreaming, but the noise seemed to increase and became non-stop.
Suddenly
it all became clear. It was the doorbell, of course! He opened his eyes
and automatically raised his body from the couch, but as soon as his feet
touched the floor he let out a painful crying and a loud course. Now he
remembered exactly what was going on. What was he thinking when he decided
to fight with that demon last night. He was only a watcher, and that thing
was a Slayer thing.
*
Because, it was for sure a huge thing.*
As
he walked to the door he yelled.
"I
am on my way! Take your bloody finger out of the bell whomever you are!"
He
could distinguish Willow's laughter as Xander answered:
"Hey
G-Man! Hurry up! We have demons to fight!"
Giles
opened the door and gave Xander one of his hardest looks. The younger man
raised his hands and murmured:
"Sorry,
bad joke."
Giles
moved to his right so the two Scoobies could get into the apartment. As
he was closing the door Willow asked.
"Are
you all right Giles? Did that thing hurt you too much?"
Due
to his years of training at the Watcher's Council, Giles thought he would
able to deceive Willow. He gave her a smile:
"Nothing
that will keep me away from the patrol tonight."
But
when he sat on the couch, his face contorted in pain.
"Oh,
Giles." Willow hurried to his side. "Let me see the wound."
Before
he was able to answer Xander make his second childish remark of the afternoon.
"I
still wonder why you allowed Buffy to leave the Hellmouth."
Willow
looked at her best friend wondering why he was always this childlike where
Buffy and Angel were concerned. Would he never get the point? Was it so
difficult for him to accept that those two were soulmates? She turned her
attention back to Giles that had already taken his shirt off.
*
Wow. And he is not a young man. *
Willow
let her eyes wander through the watcher's body and asked herself how come
she had never noticed that he had all those muscles. Giles' voice interrupted
her thoughts.
"Xander,
you know I can not stop Buffy from doing what she wants, what she needs.
And at this very moment going to Los Angeles was what she needed most."
He paused in pain as Willow started to clean his wound.
Putting
his feet on the table Xander stressed.
"You
mean that meeting Angel was what she needed most. Come on Giles, Angel is
always in first place, no matter what is involved, Dead Boy is always Buffy's
priority."
Giles
suppressed a whisper and as she sensed that an argument was about to come
their way, Willow intervened.
"Xander,
she has no one else to care about now. Joyce is dead and Dawn moved in with
their Dad. She has only Angel now. Let her be."
Willow
turned her attention back to Giles. The demon had really hurt him and unfortunately
she was not very good with medical care.
"Times
like this, I really miss Riley."
As
the two men exchanged glances, she realized that the words were spoken out
loud.
"I
am sorry, guys, but this is true."
Raising
her head she stared into Giles' eyes while explaining:
"His
medical experience is much better than mine, and besides, he would be helping
us with this evil creatures."
Xander
had to agree.
"I
miss him too Will. The guy had wonderful hands."
Willow
and Giles looked at him puzzled.
"Wonderful
MEDICAL hands, ok! Just this."
Xander
got up and saying that he needed to check how Anya was doing at The Magic
Box, left the witch and the watcher alone. Willow helped Giles to get his
shirt on.
*
Too bad. I could use a little more of that "landscape".*
"Giles,
do you think Buffy will stay away for too long?" she asked.
Leaning
his head on the couch, Giles closed his eyes.
"I
don't know. The only thing I know is that this time Buffy's trip was really
necessary. If Angel is going to have his soul bounded during a witchcraft
ritual, then his soulmate must be there to welcome him back. Let's just
pray that it works."
Willow
gave him a sad smile.
"I
guess we will need more than prayers this time, cause if the ritual doesn't
work, Angelus will be back."
Giles
stroke the girl's hair.
"Let's
not think about that now."
But
both of them knew it was an impossible thing. If Angel's soul was not correctly
bounded, Buffy would lose him forever this time. No getting back. And none
of her friends were sure if she would be able to kill Angelus without merci.
Giles
and Willow talked a little more about their last patrol and the girl left
him alone, promising to be back after she made the proper research about
the demon that hurt him.
He
was still laying on the couch when the doorbell hang again. This time it
rang only once and Giles knew that it was a grown-up visit. Ignoring the
pain that was now all over his body he walked to the door and opened it
to be greeted by a young man in a wheelchair.
"Hello
Mr. Giles, how are you today?"
Giles
still felt unease looking at the younger man that was injured while helping
him to do Buffy's job.
"Pretty
fine, Captain Miller. Pretty fine. Do you want to come in?"
Giles
watched as Graham graciously moved his chair into the apartment, and felt
his soul becoming heavy with guilty. Graham's blue eyes met his as the younger
man spoke.
"I
won't waste your time, Mr. Giles. I only came here to tell you that once
your Slayer left the town to its own devices I am bringing Captain Finn
back. I hope you don't have any problems with it."
Giles
was shocked.
"You
mean Riley is coming back to Sunnydale? And what am I supposed to tell Buffy."
Graham's
voice was as cold as ice.
"I
don't care. This is not my problem, it is yours. My duty here is stopping
this demon and that is why Riley is coming back. And don't worry about him.
He is not coming back because of Buffy."
"Err..
what do you mea?"
Giles
was confused.
"He
has a woman now. A good normal woman. And she's coming with him."
Graham
rolled his chair to the door as he gave an end to his visit.
"I
just thought that it would be better if you let the Slayer know about this.
Maybe they'll meet and I don't want my friend to get hurt again. Can I count
on you this time?"
Giles
knew what Graham meant and nodded, looking at the place where his legs used
to be.
"Just
like I counted on you."
Graham
smiled satisfied and left Giles alone in the apartment.
*
Oh, boy. This is not a good way to start a day. *
Chapter 05 SOON!!!!
