Friday Morning
"'Morning," Buffy mumbled, sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal.
Her mother looked at her and smiled. "Good morning. You came in late."
"Big, ugly, slimy, smelly distraction," Buffy replied. "I don't still smell
like it, do I? I took a shower when I got in and another this morning."
"I'm not detecting any demon smell from you," Joyce assured her. "Um, Buffy, you
and Xander don't have plans tonight, do you?" she asked.
"Well, this _is_ the weekend before Fall Break," Buffy answered. "We didn't
make plans, but we kind of do that on the fly. My life isn't one that allows
planning way ahead for things. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I asked Mr. Giles over for dinner and I'd like you to be here. You can
invite Xander, of course. He _is_ your boyfriend, so he's always welcome here.
But I'd like you to be here, whether or not he is."
Buffy frowned in confusion. "Why are we asking Giles over for dinner?" she
asked. "I mean, I like him and everything. And I'm glad you two are..." She was
going to say 'getting along', but that brought back unwanted memories. "Anyway,
why?" she concluded.
"Oh!" Joyce looked at the clock. "I'm going to be late for work if I
don't finish getting ready," she said, and rushed back upstairs.
"That was a classic avoidance move," Buffy frowned.
The knock on the kitchen door distracted her from her contemplation and she
rose to answer it. It was Xander, and she threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him. "Hi," she said, her arms still around his neck.
"Good morning," he smiled down at her, moving his arms around her waist. "You really
know how to make a guy's morning, by the way."
"Good," she said. She released him and walked back into the kitchen. He followed
her in, and sat at the table, waiting for her to get her things.
When she returned, she said, "So, since I made your morning, would now be a good time
to ask you to come over for dinner with me, Mom and Giles, tonight?"
"I'll come," Xander replied. "But what's the deal?"
"Mom just sprung it on me," Buffy shrugged. "It's probably just an
attempt to smooth things over after the Candy Bar Psychosis.
Well, we'll be late if we don't get going," she said.
"I'm right behind you," Xander replied, following her out.
*********
7 pm
Buffy opened the door and smiled, "Nice color choice," she said. Xander
realized what she was talking about; he was wearing a blue denim long-sleeved
shirt and khakis. The shirt, however, was the same shade as her sleeveless
sundress.
"Looks better on you," he replied with a grin. "Brings out your eyes."
He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her gently, and then asked,
"So has the party started?"
"Giles and Mom are in the living room. Acting very odd, too," she said.
"Maybe they're still trying to get over the weirdness of last week?" Xander
offered.
"Maybe," Buffy nodded. She took his hand and they walked into the living room.
Giles was studying the bookshelf and Joyce was sitting on the couch. She
looked up and smiled at the teens. "Hi, Xander," she greeted the young man.
"I'm glad you could join us."
"Thanks for inviting me, Joyce" Xander replied. He and Buffy joined Joyce on
the couch.
"Anything exciting over there?" he asked Giles.
"What?" Giles turned, realizing he wasn't alone in the room. "Oh, I'm sorry;
I drifted off," he said. He removed his glasses and cleaned them with a
handkerchief, a nervous gesture he'd perfected over the years.
"Well, I should check on dinner," Joyce said, before she made a quick exit.
"Any word on the Mayor?" Buffy asked Giles.
"No," Giles sighed. "What we need is information from someone who works on the
inside."
"Oh, well _that_ can be arranged," Buffy replied. "I'll see what I can do
tomorrow."
"Just be careful," Giles requested.
"That goes without saying," she said. "Not like Xander would let me get away
with less."
"You got that right," Xander said with a grin. "I plan on keeping you
around for a while."
She smiled back. "You're stuck with me; don't worry about that," she said
and kissed him.
They forgot Giles' presence as they got a little carried away, but he reminded
them with a "Bloody Hell!" They broke apart, in time to see Giles retreat to
the kitchen.
"Oops," Buffy giggled. "Well, actually; no oops," she amended. "They did quite
enough to freak me out last week. If I can get a little revenge, I don't think
that's a bad thing."
She curled up next to Xander, pulling his arm around her shoulders and putting
her arm around his waist. She raised her head for another kiss...
They both jumped as they heard a crash from the kitchen. Buffy,
expecting a demon attack, rushed to the kitchen.
When she got there, she wished she hadn't.
"AGH!" she screamed in response to seeing her Mother and Watcher kissing
passionately. Joyce had knocked a glass from the counter to the floor,
the cause of the noise. When Buffy had walked in and screamed, Giles muttered a
"Bloody Hell" again, before retreating to the opposite side of the kitchen.
Xander laughed as he walked in and figured out what had happened. He couldn't
help himself. He stifled it when Buffy glared at him though. "Sorry, Buff. But
you gotta see this from an outsider's point of view."
"_No_ point of view will make this okay," Buffy replied. She glared at the
two adults. Giles was avoiding Buffy's eyes. She looked at her mom and was
surprised to see that she didn't appear apologetic. "What's going on here?" Buffy
demanded. "Where's the candy?! I thought I destroyed it all!"
"Buffy, this wasn't the way I wanted you to find out," Joyce said.
"Find out?" Buffy gaped at her mother. "FIND OUT WHAT?" she screeched.
"Buffy, please--" Giles turned to look at her, intent on calming her down. At
her glare, he fell silent again.
"This is SO not happening!" Buffy yelled.
"Buffy, stop acting like a child!" Joyce yelled. "I'm sorry for the shock,
but yelling and giving threatening looks is not the way to sort all of this out."
"Sort it out? There's nothing to sort out," Buffy replied. "This is just not happening..." Then, to the surprise of all, she turned and ran out of the room.
"Buffy!" Joyce called and started to go after her daughter.
Xander stopped her. "I'll bring her back," he said. "Just give me a few minutes."
Xander hadn't heard the front door close, so he walked upstairs instead. He knocked
on the door and heard a muffled "What." He chuckled, taking that as being as
close to an invitation as he'd get, and opened the door. He found his
girlfriend lying face down on her bed, clutching Mr. Gordo in one arm.
"Buff?"
"This is insanity; you realize that, don't you?" Buffy said through her pillow.
Xander smiled and sat on the bed next to her, rubbing her back. "Aw, come on.
It's not _that_ bad..."
Buffy turned her head to give him a raised eyebrow before returning her face to
her pillow.
"Buffy, Giles is a good man," Xander said.
"And your point would be?" she said, looking over at him again.
"I know what it's like to not have anyone you really click with, and wish for
something better. And now that I've got that, I want everyone else to have it. Don't
you think your Mom deserves someone like Giles?"
Buffy sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She sat up, though and asked, "Why do you
always have to do that?"
"What?" Xander wondered.
"Make sense," Buffy replied grudgingly. "You always do that when I'm being unreasonable."
"I wouldn't say _that_..." Xander smiled. "I think I just see things
differently. I mean it's not _my_ Mom down there with Giles--"
"Don't!" Buffy silenced him with a look. "I'm almost starting to be okay with this;
don't jeopardize it."
"Fair enough," Xander replied. He moved a hand to cup her chin and kissed her softly.
When he pulled away, he looked at her searchingly. "Better?"
"Much," Buffy said with a smile. "Okay, let's get this evening over with," she
sighed. She took Xander's hand and led him back downstairs.
The two found Giles and Joyce sitting in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones.
When Buffy and Xander walked in, they both looked at Buffy with concern. "Sorry
for freaking out like that," she shrugged. She felt Xander's comforting
arm around her waist and smiled. "So this is why you wanted us to
have a cozy little family dinner, huh?" she asked her mother.
"Yes," Joyce replied, nodding. "Buffy, I know that what happened with that
cursed candy really threw you; but we're not under the influence of any curses
now. What happened a week ago just brought out some hidden feelings--"
"Okay, no details necessary," Buffy held her hands up in a gesture of
protest. "So you two have been... seeing each other?"
"That's one way to put it," Giles replied. "We wanted to tell you, but we also
wanted to find the right way to tell you. Something that wouldn't upset you--"
"Well you passed that one with flying colors," Buffy replied sarcastically. At
Giles' hurt look, she added, "I'm sorry. This is not about me, it's about you
two."
"But it is about you," Joyce insisted. "We both care about you Buffy. The last thing
we want is to upset you. I know Giles is your Watcher so, no matter what happens,
you won't end up in the middle of something awkward."
Buffy nodded and said, "Well, as someone pointed out to me, just now," a
pointed look at Xander, "I _do_ want you to be happy, Mom. And you too, Giles. I
know you've lost so much..." She trailed off and looked away; Xander's arm
tightened around her protectively.
"Not because of you," Giles replied firmly. She avoided his gaze still and he said,
"Buffy, look at me. When she did, he added, "I mean it. I don't blame you for that."
She managed a smile and said, "Thanks. I know you don't. My point is: you deserve a
little happiness. And if you two can make each other happy, I won't get in the way of
that."
"That's very grown-up of you," Joyce said with a smile.
"Well, don't expect me to deal with it so well, all the time," Buffy warned. "So,
what's for dinner?"
******
End pt 5
"'Morning," Buffy mumbled, sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal.
Her mother looked at her and smiled. "Good morning. You came in late."
"Big, ugly, slimy, smelly distraction," Buffy replied. "I don't still smell
like it, do I? I took a shower when I got in and another this morning."
"I'm not detecting any demon smell from you," Joyce assured her. "Um, Buffy, you
and Xander don't have plans tonight, do you?" she asked.
"Well, this _is_ the weekend before Fall Break," Buffy answered. "We didn't
make plans, but we kind of do that on the fly. My life isn't one that allows
planning way ahead for things. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I asked Mr. Giles over for dinner and I'd like you to be here. You can
invite Xander, of course. He _is_ your boyfriend, so he's always welcome here.
But I'd like you to be here, whether or not he is."
Buffy frowned in confusion. "Why are we asking Giles over for dinner?" she
asked. "I mean, I like him and everything. And I'm glad you two are..." She was
going to say 'getting along', but that brought back unwanted memories. "Anyway,
why?" she concluded.
"Oh!" Joyce looked at the clock. "I'm going to be late for work if I
don't finish getting ready," she said, and rushed back upstairs.
"That was a classic avoidance move," Buffy frowned.
The knock on the kitchen door distracted her from her contemplation and she
rose to answer it. It was Xander, and she threw her arms around his neck and
kissed him. "Hi," she said, her arms still around his neck.
"Good morning," he smiled down at her, moving his arms around her waist. "You really
know how to make a guy's morning, by the way."
"Good," she said. She released him and walked back into the kitchen. He followed
her in, and sat at the table, waiting for her to get her things.
When she returned, she said, "So, since I made your morning, would now be a good time
to ask you to come over for dinner with me, Mom and Giles, tonight?"
"I'll come," Xander replied. "But what's the deal?"
"Mom just sprung it on me," Buffy shrugged. "It's probably just an
attempt to smooth things over after the Candy Bar Psychosis.
Well, we'll be late if we don't get going," she said.
"I'm right behind you," Xander replied, following her out.
*********
7 pm
Buffy opened the door and smiled, "Nice color choice," she said. Xander
realized what she was talking about; he was wearing a blue denim long-sleeved
shirt and khakis. The shirt, however, was the same shade as her sleeveless
sundress.
"Looks better on you," he replied with a grin. "Brings out your eyes."
He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her gently, and then asked,
"So has the party started?"
"Giles and Mom are in the living room. Acting very odd, too," she said.
"Maybe they're still trying to get over the weirdness of last week?" Xander
offered.
"Maybe," Buffy nodded. She took his hand and they walked into the living room.
Giles was studying the bookshelf and Joyce was sitting on the couch. She
looked up and smiled at the teens. "Hi, Xander," she greeted the young man.
"I'm glad you could join us."
"Thanks for inviting me, Joyce" Xander replied. He and Buffy joined Joyce on
the couch.
"Anything exciting over there?" he asked Giles.
"What?" Giles turned, realizing he wasn't alone in the room. "Oh, I'm sorry;
I drifted off," he said. He removed his glasses and cleaned them with a
handkerchief, a nervous gesture he'd perfected over the years.
"Well, I should check on dinner," Joyce said, before she made a quick exit.
"Any word on the Mayor?" Buffy asked Giles.
"No," Giles sighed. "What we need is information from someone who works on the
inside."
"Oh, well _that_ can be arranged," Buffy replied. "I'll see what I can do
tomorrow."
"Just be careful," Giles requested.
"That goes without saying," she said. "Not like Xander would let me get away
with less."
"You got that right," Xander said with a grin. "I plan on keeping you
around for a while."
She smiled back. "You're stuck with me; don't worry about that," she said
and kissed him.
They forgot Giles' presence as they got a little carried away, but he reminded
them with a "Bloody Hell!" They broke apart, in time to see Giles retreat to
the kitchen.
"Oops," Buffy giggled. "Well, actually; no oops," she amended. "They did quite
enough to freak me out last week. If I can get a little revenge, I don't think
that's a bad thing."
She curled up next to Xander, pulling his arm around her shoulders and putting
her arm around his waist. She raised her head for another kiss...
They both jumped as they heard a crash from the kitchen. Buffy,
expecting a demon attack, rushed to the kitchen.
When she got there, she wished she hadn't.
"AGH!" she screamed in response to seeing her Mother and Watcher kissing
passionately. Joyce had knocked a glass from the counter to the floor,
the cause of the noise. When Buffy had walked in and screamed, Giles muttered a
"Bloody Hell" again, before retreating to the opposite side of the kitchen.
Xander laughed as he walked in and figured out what had happened. He couldn't
help himself. He stifled it when Buffy glared at him though. "Sorry, Buff. But
you gotta see this from an outsider's point of view."
"_No_ point of view will make this okay," Buffy replied. She glared at the
two adults. Giles was avoiding Buffy's eyes. She looked at her mom and was
surprised to see that she didn't appear apologetic. "What's going on here?" Buffy
demanded. "Where's the candy?! I thought I destroyed it all!"
"Buffy, this wasn't the way I wanted you to find out," Joyce said.
"Find out?" Buffy gaped at her mother. "FIND OUT WHAT?" she screeched.
"Buffy, please--" Giles turned to look at her, intent on calming her down. At
her glare, he fell silent again.
"This is SO not happening!" Buffy yelled.
"Buffy, stop acting like a child!" Joyce yelled. "I'm sorry for the shock,
but yelling and giving threatening looks is not the way to sort all of this out."
"Sort it out? There's nothing to sort out," Buffy replied. "This is just not happening..." Then, to the surprise of all, she turned and ran out of the room.
"Buffy!" Joyce called and started to go after her daughter.
Xander stopped her. "I'll bring her back," he said. "Just give me a few minutes."
Xander hadn't heard the front door close, so he walked upstairs instead. He knocked
on the door and heard a muffled "What." He chuckled, taking that as being as
close to an invitation as he'd get, and opened the door. He found his
girlfriend lying face down on her bed, clutching Mr. Gordo in one arm.
"Buff?"
"This is insanity; you realize that, don't you?" Buffy said through her pillow.
Xander smiled and sat on the bed next to her, rubbing her back. "Aw, come on.
It's not _that_ bad..."
Buffy turned her head to give him a raised eyebrow before returning her face to
her pillow.
"Buffy, Giles is a good man," Xander said.
"And your point would be?" she said, looking over at him again.
"I know what it's like to not have anyone you really click with, and wish for
something better. And now that I've got that, I want everyone else to have it. Don't
you think your Mom deserves someone like Giles?"
Buffy sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She sat up, though and asked, "Why do you
always have to do that?"
"What?" Xander wondered.
"Make sense," Buffy replied grudgingly. "You always do that when I'm being unreasonable."
"I wouldn't say _that_..." Xander smiled. "I think I just see things
differently. I mean it's not _my_ Mom down there with Giles--"
"Don't!" Buffy silenced him with a look. "I'm almost starting to be okay with this;
don't jeopardize it."
"Fair enough," Xander replied. He moved a hand to cup her chin and kissed her softly.
When he pulled away, he looked at her searchingly. "Better?"
"Much," Buffy said with a smile. "Okay, let's get this evening over with," she
sighed. She took Xander's hand and led him back downstairs.
The two found Giles and Joyce sitting in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones.
When Buffy and Xander walked in, they both looked at Buffy with concern. "Sorry
for freaking out like that," she shrugged. She felt Xander's comforting
arm around her waist and smiled. "So this is why you wanted us to
have a cozy little family dinner, huh?" she asked her mother.
"Yes," Joyce replied, nodding. "Buffy, I know that what happened with that
cursed candy really threw you; but we're not under the influence of any curses
now. What happened a week ago just brought out some hidden feelings--"
"Okay, no details necessary," Buffy held her hands up in a gesture of
protest. "So you two have been... seeing each other?"
"That's one way to put it," Giles replied. "We wanted to tell you, but we also
wanted to find the right way to tell you. Something that wouldn't upset you--"
"Well you passed that one with flying colors," Buffy replied sarcastically. At
Giles' hurt look, she added, "I'm sorry. This is not about me, it's about you
two."
"But it is about you," Joyce insisted. "We both care about you Buffy. The last thing
we want is to upset you. I know Giles is your Watcher so, no matter what happens,
you won't end up in the middle of something awkward."
Buffy nodded and said, "Well, as someone pointed out to me, just now," a
pointed look at Xander, "I _do_ want you to be happy, Mom. And you too, Giles. I
know you've lost so much..." She trailed off and looked away; Xander's arm
tightened around her protectively.
"Not because of you," Giles replied firmly. She avoided his gaze still and he said,
"Buffy, look at me. When she did, he added, "I mean it. I don't blame you for that."
She managed a smile and said, "Thanks. I know you don't. My point is: you deserve a
little happiness. And if you two can make each other happy, I won't get in the way of
that."
"That's very grown-up of you," Joyce said with a smile.
"Well, don't expect me to deal with it so well, all the time," Buffy warned. "So,
what's for dinner?"
******
End pt 5
