One week later
Wednesday afternoon
Buffy and Xander arrived at Giles' apartment for pre-patrol briefing. Buffy
chose to knock, instead of just walking in as she'd gotten used to doing. At
Xander's questioning look, she said, "I have no intention of risking it."
"They said they didn't remember," Xander reminded her.
"I don't care. It's better this way; I ensure no more emotional scarring,"
she replied.
Giles opened the door and stood back, saying, "Buffy, Xander, please come in."
He avoided looking Buffy in the eyes, which was just fine with her. She was
still feeling generally wigged out by the events of the previous week, herself.
She knew that Oz and Willow had filled him in on the general details of what had
happened, which explained his discomfort. She hoped she could get things back to
normal between them and told herself it would just take time. "Okay, so have you
found anything out about the Mayor?" she asked.
"Not yet," Giles replied with a shake of his head. "He seems to be generally
respected by the town and I can't find anything suspicious about him."
"Well, I guess being part of demon rituals wouldn't make him unusual in this
town," Buffy sighed. "Is he a demon? Can I kill him?" she added eagerly.
Xander chuckled, "If only life was that simple. Unfortunately, bad guys aren't
always demons. Sometimes they're just bad guys." *Don't I know that's the case*
he thought.
Buffy looked to Giles for an answer.
"I don't think he is," Giles said. "So killing him would be wrong, technically,"
he added with a sigh.
"Well, it was just a thought," Buffy said. She sat on the couch, next to
Xander. "So anything else to watch out for, tonight?" She smiled as Xander put his
arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She ran her hand up and down his
left thigh, seemingly absent-mindedly, but only to outward appearances.
She knew he'd eventually...
*I win!* she suppressed a grin when he grabbed the wandering hand with his
free one.
He turned to her and gave her a 'I can't believe you're doing that in front of
Giles!' look.
She responded with a 'What, I'm not doing a thing!' look.
Giles clearing his throat reminded them both why they were in his apartment.
Buffy looked up at him, and said, "I'm listening."
Giles rolled his eyes to make it clear he knew that she hadn't been listening
at all. "Just general demonic activity as far as I know," he answered. "And
I'll keep trying to find out more about the Mayor."
"I could be wrong, but I really have a feeling he's the new Big Bad," Buffy
said.
"Well, this wouldn't be Sunnydale without at least one," Xander said. "I'm
not worried, though. Giles will tells us how to stop him, and you'll do it."
"This is just one of the reasons I keep him around," she said with a grin to
Giles. "Isn't he sweet? Besides the fact that he's also good for the ego."
"Still in the room," Xander reminded her.
Buffy giggled. She'd long since found out he hated when people praised him in
his presence. So she made a habit of doing it as much as possible. She over at
his frowning expression and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm worried. You'll get
over it," she said with a smile.
Xander opened his mouth as if to argue and then gave up and shut it again. "So,
we should go slay some demons," he suggested, standing.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Buffy replied. "See you later, Giles."
"Yes, be careful," Giles said. "And check in later!" he called after their
departing forms.
When they'd shut the door behind them, Giles said, "You can come out now."
Joyce walked out from the hallway and smiled hesitantly. "Don't look at me
with that disapproving look," she sighed. "If Buffy knew we were together,
she'd have a fit. We have to work her into this slowly. Besides, while she
is still having trouble with what happened, it's not the right time to tell her."
She walked over and sat next to Giles on the couch. "Trust me," she requested, when
she noticed the uncertainty in his expression. "She's my daughter.
I know this is the right thing."
"I hope so," Giles said with a sigh. "Either way, we're not keeping this up for
much longer. A few more days. Then I'll tell her; if you still haven't."
"Fine," Joyce shrugged. "She just needs a few more days to forget that candy
bar fiasco. Even though it _was_ what made me realize there was more to you than
'Rupert Giles, Buffy's Watcher.'" She smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
"You still haven't told me why they used to call you Ripper," she grinned.
"I really can't remember," Giles dodged the question.
"Oh, yeah?" Joyce asked skeptically. "Let's see if I can help you remember,"
she suggested. He raised his eyebrow at her and smiled back at her. He took off
his glasses and pulled her close, kissing her passionately.
***********
End 4
Wednesday afternoon
Buffy and Xander arrived at Giles' apartment for pre-patrol briefing. Buffy
chose to knock, instead of just walking in as she'd gotten used to doing. At
Xander's questioning look, she said, "I have no intention of risking it."
"They said they didn't remember," Xander reminded her.
"I don't care. It's better this way; I ensure no more emotional scarring,"
she replied.
Giles opened the door and stood back, saying, "Buffy, Xander, please come in."
He avoided looking Buffy in the eyes, which was just fine with her. She was
still feeling generally wigged out by the events of the previous week, herself.
She knew that Oz and Willow had filled him in on the general details of what had
happened, which explained his discomfort. She hoped she could get things back to
normal between them and told herself it would just take time. "Okay, so have you
found anything out about the Mayor?" she asked.
"Not yet," Giles replied with a shake of his head. "He seems to be generally
respected by the town and I can't find anything suspicious about him."
"Well, I guess being part of demon rituals wouldn't make him unusual in this
town," Buffy sighed. "Is he a demon? Can I kill him?" she added eagerly.
Xander chuckled, "If only life was that simple. Unfortunately, bad guys aren't
always demons. Sometimes they're just bad guys." *Don't I know that's the case*
he thought.
Buffy looked to Giles for an answer.
"I don't think he is," Giles said. "So killing him would be wrong, technically,"
he added with a sigh.
"Well, it was just a thought," Buffy said. She sat on the couch, next to
Xander. "So anything else to watch out for, tonight?" She smiled as Xander put his
arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. She ran her hand up and down his
left thigh, seemingly absent-mindedly, but only to outward appearances.
She knew he'd eventually...
*I win!* she suppressed a grin when he grabbed the wandering hand with his
free one.
He turned to her and gave her a 'I can't believe you're doing that in front of
Giles!' look.
She responded with a 'What, I'm not doing a thing!' look.
Giles clearing his throat reminded them both why they were in his apartment.
Buffy looked up at him, and said, "I'm listening."
Giles rolled his eyes to make it clear he knew that she hadn't been listening
at all. "Just general demonic activity as far as I know," he answered. "And
I'll keep trying to find out more about the Mayor."
"I could be wrong, but I really have a feeling he's the new Big Bad," Buffy
said.
"Well, this wouldn't be Sunnydale without at least one," Xander said. "I'm
not worried, though. Giles will tells us how to stop him, and you'll do it."
"This is just one of the reasons I keep him around," she said with a grin to
Giles. "Isn't he sweet? Besides the fact that he's also good for the ego."
"Still in the room," Xander reminded her.
Buffy giggled. She'd long since found out he hated when people praised him in
his presence. So she made a habit of doing it as much as possible. She over at
his frowning expression and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm worried. You'll get
over it," she said with a smile.
Xander opened his mouth as if to argue and then gave up and shut it again. "So,
we should go slay some demons," he suggested, standing.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Buffy replied. "See you later, Giles."
"Yes, be careful," Giles said. "And check in later!" he called after their
departing forms.
When they'd shut the door behind them, Giles said, "You can come out now."
Joyce walked out from the hallway and smiled hesitantly. "Don't look at me
with that disapproving look," she sighed. "If Buffy knew we were together,
she'd have a fit. We have to work her into this slowly. Besides, while she
is still having trouble with what happened, it's not the right time to tell her."
She walked over and sat next to Giles on the couch. "Trust me," she requested, when
she noticed the uncertainty in his expression. "She's my daughter.
I know this is the right thing."
"I hope so," Giles said with a sigh. "Either way, we're not keeping this up for
much longer. A few more days. Then I'll tell her; if you still haven't."
"Fine," Joyce shrugged. "She just needs a few more days to forget that candy
bar fiasco. Even though it _was_ what made me realize there was more to you than
'Rupert Giles, Buffy's Watcher.'" She smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
"You still haven't told me why they used to call you Ripper," she grinned.
"I really can't remember," Giles dodged the question.
"Oh, yeah?" Joyce asked skeptically. "Let's see if I can help you remember,"
she suggested. He raised his eyebrow at her and smiled back at her. He took off
his glasses and pulled her close, kissing her passionately.
***********
End 4
