Title: Parting Gifts 3/5
Author: Luisa
Rating: R
Disclaimer/Notes: As in Part 1
Part 3: Amends
When Buffy awoke, it was to the gentle touch of two pairs of caring hands nudging her and low murmurs of the owners of the hands.
"Do you think she's gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, Dawnie. I just think they need to talk. You know, clear the air and talk out their feelings."
The gentle prodding continued and Buffy reluctantly gave in.
"Who's got to talk about what feelings?"
"Buffy! You're awake!" the teenager squealed.
"Of course I'm awake. There's no way I could sleep through you poking and shaking me. Which, by the way, you can stop now." Dawn giggled as she withdrew her hands before her face became serious again.
"Buffy, I was so scared. You haven't talked to anyone for ages, and then you just go to sleep in the middle of the day for no reason. Then we couldn't wake you up." Unshed tears peeped out from behind her eyes and she blinked them away furiously.
Buffy let out a long breath and invited her sister to sit beside her, as she spoke to Willow.
"You didn't tell her about our conversation, then?"
Willow shook her head no. "That's for you to do. Look, I'm going to leave you to it. I've got. stuff to do." She exchanged a meaningful look with Dawn before departing.
"What was that all about?" Buffy asked.
Dawn quickly masked her expression carefully, trying to perfect the picture of innocence. "What was what all about?"
Buffy smiled to herself for the first time in a long time. She knew her sibling was hiding something. It was only a matter of time before she gave it away - after all both Dawn and Willow were terrible at keeping secrets, and if they were in this - whatever it was - together, then Buffy figured she would know what it was soon enough. She shook herself from her thoughts and pulled her surprised sister into a hug.
"What was that for?" Dawn asked when Buffy finally released her. Buffy's reply was a mumble and Dawn had to strain her ears to hear it.
"I haven't been a very good sister, have I?"
"Buffy, you died! How could you have been?" Dawn cried out in protest.
"But after that," her elder sister continued to mumble, "I've been so selfish, wrapped up in how much I've missed and needed Giles, that I forgot how much you missed and needed me. I'm so sorry Dawnie. I promise to make things up to you from now on." Buffy reached out for her sister again, and the two held each other for long moments. Finally, Dawn spoke up.
"Umm. Buffy? Please don't yell at me for asking, but how come you're telling me all this? I mean, why now?"
Buffy exhaled noisily. "Does it matter? I can't go back and change things, is all. A friend reminded me to deal already, and let the healing begin."
There were still tear tracks down her face, but Dawn didn't ask about those, and opted for a tactful change of subject.
"So, what did you get?" At Buffy's look of confusion at the change in conversation, Dawn elaborated.
"I mean from Giles. What you get from him? I see you've opened the box."
Buffy sighed. By the time she explained everything to her inquisitive sister she predicted she would have a raw throat. She decided to go with the obvious for now, and save the more detailed explanations for later. Just as she was about to tell Dawn about the letters, Willow appeared in the doorway with some drinks.
"Oh, well, I may as well tell you both together, although from what you said earlier Will, I think you already know. He left me a box of letters."
Before Dawn could ask 'Why letters? What for?' Willow banged the drinks tray down on the worktop - not caring that the drinks were slopping everywhere - stating firmly, "No he didn't."
Buffy's eyebrows rose about an inch in surprise.
"Huh? Yes he did. They're right there," she pointed at the still open box.
"You should know, Will. He says in his letters that he knows you knew. And you said earlier that he asked your advice about giving them to me."
"You're wrong, Buffy."
Buffy's eyebrows rose still higher as Willow continued, "Yes, I knew about them, but that's not what he asked my advice about and it's definitely not your present."
Dawn stayed silent as she watched this exchange, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. Although she knew nothing about the letters, she knew where Willow was going to direct this conversation.
"But. these letters." Buffy stammered. Willow interrupted her.
"You should never have seen them. I came across them by accident, too, when I was looking after Giles. But I didn't read them, and you were definitely never meant to see them."
Buffy's cheeks flamed red and Willow felt sorry for her friend.
"I don't mean that in a bad way, Buff. Maybe it's a good thing that you have read them. Now you know I wasn't lying when I told you Giles feels the same way."
Buffy hung her head in embarrassment at reading Giles' private things and Dawn put an arm around her as Willow nervously reached in her pocket. She pulled out a small piece of paper.
"Buffy, I don't know how it's happened, but I think Giles has your present with him in England. Go get it."
She thrust the piece of paper into Buffy's hand, smiling at the shocked look on her friend's face. Buffy slowly unfolded it, as Dawn began fidgeting impatiently beside her on the bed. It was a table of some kind with dates and times neatly arranged with some sort of strange code at the side of each row and Giles' address at the foot of the sheet.
"Willow. what.?"
"It's the times of your flights" Dawn interrupted, pointing at various pieces of information as she talked.
"See here? That's tomorrow. The airport had a cancellation on this flight, so you can leave straight away. And that's when you're due to land at Heathrow. From there, you've gotta get a connecting flight to Bristol - see? That's when it leaves, and that," she pointed again, "is when it lands. Then, Willow's arranged for a cab to collect you from the airport and drive you straight to Giles' house in Bath, which is about half an hour away. Cool system, or what?"
She grinned, pleased to be making Buffy happy instead of mad at her for once. Buffy's reaction however, was more perplexed than joyful.
"Huh?"
Dawn giggled madly at her sister's confused reaction, and pulled her into a bear hug, which Willow enthusiastically joined in.
"You're going to see Giles!" Dawn shrieked excitedly.
"Again I say, huh?"
Buffy's face was blank as she tried to suppress the rays of hope flaring within her. Willow tried to clear things up.
"Buffy, we all decided that you deserve some happiness, and if that's with Giles, then go get him. Besides, I think it's time I begin to start making amends for all the stuff I've been doing with my magic. So, this is our gift to you. Xander, Anya and Dawn have all pitched in. Even Tara wanted to help," she added wistfully.
"B. b. but w. what are you guys going to do? Someone needs to patrol."
Dawn giggled again, "Buffy, you sound just like Giles!"
Willow smiled her agreement as she added, "We'll all patrol, but mostly Spike will. We have everything covered. Just go and enjoy yourself."
Buffy looked at the timetable again with amusement.
"Um, Will? I think you've forgotten something. Return flights?"
Both Willow and Dawn shook their heads.
"Nah-ah. Not forgotten, just not planned. Your ticket is one-way. I figured it would be best if you and Giles book your return flights in England. That way you get to sit together on the way back."
"Okay, I take it back. You've thought of everything. Just what happens if he doesn't want to come back?"
Dawn and Willow exchanged a wicked smile before Dawn answered her sister's question.
"You'll just have to convince him, then won't you?"
Buffy at last laughed with sheer joy and jumped up to hug these two special people who so obviously cared about her happiness enough to sacrifice their own.
* * * * *
Despite all of Giles' stories about the weather in England, Buffy had always thought he was exaggerating. Yet, as she stood at the airport terminal, waiting for her taxi she found herself shivering from the cold. For the umpteenth time since landing, she wished she'd heeded Willow's advice and brought warmer clothes instead of laughing her off.
*I can't believe I'm really here. Here, in England. Looking for Giles, asking him to come home. Am I mad? Why should he agree? I really, really can't believe I'm here.*
The thoughts cycled endlessly around her mind, filling her with a nervous anticipation that made her feel both excited and nauseous at the same time.
*What if he's not there? What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he's moved on with his life?*
She tried to dispel her anxiety by remembering the cute guy who'd been so keen to help her on the 'plane when he'd realised that this was her first flight.
She suddenly laughed aloud, startling the folk nearby as she recalled how he'd even tried to escort her to the bathroom. She'd pointedly told him that she was a 'big girl', and he'd flushed with embarrassment. He'd still carried on flirting when she'd returned, and Buffy had to wait for an appropriate cue in the conversation to politely put him off by explaining that she was 'visiting her fiancé' in England. The guy's face had dropped at the news, but he had still given her his number 'in case she got lost'. She chuckled again at the memory, before sighing.
*I wish Giles was my fiancé*.
Before her apprehension could return, her taxi pulled up.
After Buffy had told the taxi driver where she was headed, she settled back into her seat, trying to prepare some sort of speech for when Giles would greet her. She knew exactly how he would react to finding her on his front step and guessed that after the initial shock, he would be happy to see her *If he hasn't moved on*.
She squelched that thought as she considered the problem of explaining her presence without giving away that she had read his private collection of letters.
*Giles, I'm really sorry, but.* No, that wouldn't do - sounded too much like bad news. *Giles, I'm going to come out with this straight, I love you*. No, definitely not - far too forward. *How about: Giles, we miss you? Yep, that's a good start. But personalise it a bit, Buff. Try: Giles, I miss you. Yeah. that's a good starting point.* The taxi driver's voice prevented her preparations from progressing.
"So, you're from America?"
*Oh yeah, this one's real bright*
"Was it my accent that gave it away?" she teased.
"Well, yes." He said uncomfortably. He'd had a few American passengers in his time and he didn't usually appreciate their sarcasm. It was quite different to British sarcasm. He tried again to strike up conversation with this beautiful but quiet young woman, this time trying a different approach.
"I see from the address you're visiting Rupert Giles. Is he a friend of yours?"
*Nosy, much?*
Despite Buffy's internal reaction, her curiosity was piqued.
"Um. yes. he's a ."
*What exactly, is he really?*
"He's a close friend, actually. Why? Do you know him?"
The taxi driver looked closely at her in the rear-view mirror. In his opinion, she seemed a bit young to be a genuine friend but then it was really none of his business, he reasoned.
"I don't know him personally, but whenever I'm in Bath, I try to get to one of his concerts."
"Concerts?" Now Buffy was really intrigued.
The driver looked at her reflection with suspicion. "I thought you said you were a friend of his."
Buffy sighed. "Look, it's a really long story that you don't want to know - believe me. And, to cut this long story short, we had a fall-out and haven't spoken in a while. So, can you explain to me now what you mean by concert?"
She knew she was sounding snappish, but she was tired from the jet lag and desperate to get to Giles. Besides this man was distracting her from her planning.
The driver's voice pierced her thoughts once more.
"Rupert Giles is known in Bath for his singing. He plays in a local club - got a gig on tonight, as a matter of fact. I knock off in a minute and was planning on heading over there after dropping you off."
"What?"
Buffy's screech caught him by surprise and the car swerved a little.
"Why the hell are you taking me to his house if he's not going to be there?" she asked in disbelief.
"Hey, no need to yell at me, miss. I'm just doing my job" the taxi driver replied defensively.
"Well, your job has changed. Get me to Giles. Now. Wherever he is."
The taxi driver bit back a harsh reply and headed in the direction of the club without comment. Hopefully if he didn't upset his passenger further, he might get a tip as a reward for not dropping her off at an empty house.
* * * * *
Author: Luisa
Rating: R
Disclaimer/Notes: As in Part 1
Part 3: Amends
When Buffy awoke, it was to the gentle touch of two pairs of caring hands nudging her and low murmurs of the owners of the hands.
"Do you think she's gonna be okay?"
"Yeah, Dawnie. I just think they need to talk. You know, clear the air and talk out their feelings."
The gentle prodding continued and Buffy reluctantly gave in.
"Who's got to talk about what feelings?"
"Buffy! You're awake!" the teenager squealed.
"Of course I'm awake. There's no way I could sleep through you poking and shaking me. Which, by the way, you can stop now." Dawn giggled as she withdrew her hands before her face became serious again.
"Buffy, I was so scared. You haven't talked to anyone for ages, and then you just go to sleep in the middle of the day for no reason. Then we couldn't wake you up." Unshed tears peeped out from behind her eyes and she blinked them away furiously.
Buffy let out a long breath and invited her sister to sit beside her, as she spoke to Willow.
"You didn't tell her about our conversation, then?"
Willow shook her head no. "That's for you to do. Look, I'm going to leave you to it. I've got. stuff to do." She exchanged a meaningful look with Dawn before departing.
"What was that all about?" Buffy asked.
Dawn quickly masked her expression carefully, trying to perfect the picture of innocence. "What was what all about?"
Buffy smiled to herself for the first time in a long time. She knew her sibling was hiding something. It was only a matter of time before she gave it away - after all both Dawn and Willow were terrible at keeping secrets, and if they were in this - whatever it was - together, then Buffy figured she would know what it was soon enough. She shook herself from her thoughts and pulled her surprised sister into a hug.
"What was that for?" Dawn asked when Buffy finally released her. Buffy's reply was a mumble and Dawn had to strain her ears to hear it.
"I haven't been a very good sister, have I?"
"Buffy, you died! How could you have been?" Dawn cried out in protest.
"But after that," her elder sister continued to mumble, "I've been so selfish, wrapped up in how much I've missed and needed Giles, that I forgot how much you missed and needed me. I'm so sorry Dawnie. I promise to make things up to you from now on." Buffy reached out for her sister again, and the two held each other for long moments. Finally, Dawn spoke up.
"Umm. Buffy? Please don't yell at me for asking, but how come you're telling me all this? I mean, why now?"
Buffy exhaled noisily. "Does it matter? I can't go back and change things, is all. A friend reminded me to deal already, and let the healing begin."
There were still tear tracks down her face, but Dawn didn't ask about those, and opted for a tactful change of subject.
"So, what did you get?" At Buffy's look of confusion at the change in conversation, Dawn elaborated.
"I mean from Giles. What you get from him? I see you've opened the box."
Buffy sighed. By the time she explained everything to her inquisitive sister she predicted she would have a raw throat. She decided to go with the obvious for now, and save the more detailed explanations for later. Just as she was about to tell Dawn about the letters, Willow appeared in the doorway with some drinks.
"Oh, well, I may as well tell you both together, although from what you said earlier Will, I think you already know. He left me a box of letters."
Before Dawn could ask 'Why letters? What for?' Willow banged the drinks tray down on the worktop - not caring that the drinks were slopping everywhere - stating firmly, "No he didn't."
Buffy's eyebrows rose about an inch in surprise.
"Huh? Yes he did. They're right there," she pointed at the still open box.
"You should know, Will. He says in his letters that he knows you knew. And you said earlier that he asked your advice about giving them to me."
"You're wrong, Buffy."
Buffy's eyebrows rose still higher as Willow continued, "Yes, I knew about them, but that's not what he asked my advice about and it's definitely not your present."
Dawn stayed silent as she watched this exchange, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. Although she knew nothing about the letters, she knew where Willow was going to direct this conversation.
"But. these letters." Buffy stammered. Willow interrupted her.
"You should never have seen them. I came across them by accident, too, when I was looking after Giles. But I didn't read them, and you were definitely never meant to see them."
Buffy's cheeks flamed red and Willow felt sorry for her friend.
"I don't mean that in a bad way, Buff. Maybe it's a good thing that you have read them. Now you know I wasn't lying when I told you Giles feels the same way."
Buffy hung her head in embarrassment at reading Giles' private things and Dawn put an arm around her as Willow nervously reached in her pocket. She pulled out a small piece of paper.
"Buffy, I don't know how it's happened, but I think Giles has your present with him in England. Go get it."
She thrust the piece of paper into Buffy's hand, smiling at the shocked look on her friend's face. Buffy slowly unfolded it, as Dawn began fidgeting impatiently beside her on the bed. It was a table of some kind with dates and times neatly arranged with some sort of strange code at the side of each row and Giles' address at the foot of the sheet.
"Willow. what.?"
"It's the times of your flights" Dawn interrupted, pointing at various pieces of information as she talked.
"See here? That's tomorrow. The airport had a cancellation on this flight, so you can leave straight away. And that's when you're due to land at Heathrow. From there, you've gotta get a connecting flight to Bristol - see? That's when it leaves, and that," she pointed again, "is when it lands. Then, Willow's arranged for a cab to collect you from the airport and drive you straight to Giles' house in Bath, which is about half an hour away. Cool system, or what?"
She grinned, pleased to be making Buffy happy instead of mad at her for once. Buffy's reaction however, was more perplexed than joyful.
"Huh?"
Dawn giggled madly at her sister's confused reaction, and pulled her into a bear hug, which Willow enthusiastically joined in.
"You're going to see Giles!" Dawn shrieked excitedly.
"Again I say, huh?"
Buffy's face was blank as she tried to suppress the rays of hope flaring within her. Willow tried to clear things up.
"Buffy, we all decided that you deserve some happiness, and if that's with Giles, then go get him. Besides, I think it's time I begin to start making amends for all the stuff I've been doing with my magic. So, this is our gift to you. Xander, Anya and Dawn have all pitched in. Even Tara wanted to help," she added wistfully.
"B. b. but w. what are you guys going to do? Someone needs to patrol."
Dawn giggled again, "Buffy, you sound just like Giles!"
Willow smiled her agreement as she added, "We'll all patrol, but mostly Spike will. We have everything covered. Just go and enjoy yourself."
Buffy looked at the timetable again with amusement.
"Um, Will? I think you've forgotten something. Return flights?"
Both Willow and Dawn shook their heads.
"Nah-ah. Not forgotten, just not planned. Your ticket is one-way. I figured it would be best if you and Giles book your return flights in England. That way you get to sit together on the way back."
"Okay, I take it back. You've thought of everything. Just what happens if he doesn't want to come back?"
Dawn and Willow exchanged a wicked smile before Dawn answered her sister's question.
"You'll just have to convince him, then won't you?"
Buffy at last laughed with sheer joy and jumped up to hug these two special people who so obviously cared about her happiness enough to sacrifice their own.
* * * * *
Despite all of Giles' stories about the weather in England, Buffy had always thought he was exaggerating. Yet, as she stood at the airport terminal, waiting for her taxi she found herself shivering from the cold. For the umpteenth time since landing, she wished she'd heeded Willow's advice and brought warmer clothes instead of laughing her off.
*I can't believe I'm really here. Here, in England. Looking for Giles, asking him to come home. Am I mad? Why should he agree? I really, really can't believe I'm here.*
The thoughts cycled endlessly around her mind, filling her with a nervous anticipation that made her feel both excited and nauseous at the same time.
*What if he's not there? What if he doesn't want to see me? What if he's moved on with his life?*
She tried to dispel her anxiety by remembering the cute guy who'd been so keen to help her on the 'plane when he'd realised that this was her first flight.
She suddenly laughed aloud, startling the folk nearby as she recalled how he'd even tried to escort her to the bathroom. She'd pointedly told him that she was a 'big girl', and he'd flushed with embarrassment. He'd still carried on flirting when she'd returned, and Buffy had to wait for an appropriate cue in the conversation to politely put him off by explaining that she was 'visiting her fiancé' in England. The guy's face had dropped at the news, but he had still given her his number 'in case she got lost'. She chuckled again at the memory, before sighing.
*I wish Giles was my fiancé*.
Before her apprehension could return, her taxi pulled up.
After Buffy had told the taxi driver where she was headed, she settled back into her seat, trying to prepare some sort of speech for when Giles would greet her. She knew exactly how he would react to finding her on his front step and guessed that after the initial shock, he would be happy to see her *If he hasn't moved on*.
She squelched that thought as she considered the problem of explaining her presence without giving away that she had read his private collection of letters.
*Giles, I'm really sorry, but.* No, that wouldn't do - sounded too much like bad news. *Giles, I'm going to come out with this straight, I love you*. No, definitely not - far too forward. *How about: Giles, we miss you? Yep, that's a good start. But personalise it a bit, Buff. Try: Giles, I miss you. Yeah. that's a good starting point.* The taxi driver's voice prevented her preparations from progressing.
"So, you're from America?"
*Oh yeah, this one's real bright*
"Was it my accent that gave it away?" she teased.
"Well, yes." He said uncomfortably. He'd had a few American passengers in his time and he didn't usually appreciate their sarcasm. It was quite different to British sarcasm. He tried again to strike up conversation with this beautiful but quiet young woman, this time trying a different approach.
"I see from the address you're visiting Rupert Giles. Is he a friend of yours?"
*Nosy, much?*
Despite Buffy's internal reaction, her curiosity was piqued.
"Um. yes. he's a ."
*What exactly, is he really?*
"He's a close friend, actually. Why? Do you know him?"
The taxi driver looked closely at her in the rear-view mirror. In his opinion, she seemed a bit young to be a genuine friend but then it was really none of his business, he reasoned.
"I don't know him personally, but whenever I'm in Bath, I try to get to one of his concerts."
"Concerts?" Now Buffy was really intrigued.
The driver looked at her reflection with suspicion. "I thought you said you were a friend of his."
Buffy sighed. "Look, it's a really long story that you don't want to know - believe me. And, to cut this long story short, we had a fall-out and haven't spoken in a while. So, can you explain to me now what you mean by concert?"
She knew she was sounding snappish, but she was tired from the jet lag and desperate to get to Giles. Besides this man was distracting her from her planning.
The driver's voice pierced her thoughts once more.
"Rupert Giles is known in Bath for his singing. He plays in a local club - got a gig on tonight, as a matter of fact. I knock off in a minute and was planning on heading over there after dropping you off."
"What?"
Buffy's screech caught him by surprise and the car swerved a little.
"Why the hell are you taking me to his house if he's not going to be there?" she asked in disbelief.
"Hey, no need to yell at me, miss. I'm just doing my job" the taxi driver replied defensively.
"Well, your job has changed. Get me to Giles. Now. Wherever he is."
The taxi driver bit back a harsh reply and headed in the direction of the club without comment. Hopefully if he didn't upset his passenger further, he might get a tip as a reward for not dropping her off at an empty house.
* * * * *