A/N: ha ha ha! did you like the last chapter? i normally wouldn't make them get together so early on in the fic but i know it would make matriaya happy so i am willing to make some sacrafices. and about this next chapter i know practically nothing about the adoption process so i am just writing what would make sense to me and if all else fails i will jsut claim that the council is very persuasive. ok well once again. review please! make me happy. if you don't something really bad might happen to spike... like castration or the duster getting caught in a wood chipper. don't think i wouldn't. ok i wouldn't hurt the duster, i was totally bluffing. or was i.... (insert evil laughter here) ~ RTF
"I want to go with you." She said, her thick Irish brogue becoming even more pronounced along with the waver in her voice. Buffy smiled encouragingly at Kia as did willow and tara. Spike just gave the girl a half grin and watched her closely. Giles cleared his throat and gestured to the chair. Kia took the seat and sat stiffly waiting for his reaction.
"Well that's wonderful. Do you have any idea when you will be able to leave?" he asked. Kia nodded and looked down at the cloth covered table.
"The...council...worked everything out. Guardian ship is being transferred over to you, all you have to do is sign some papers and I'm ready. I'm already packed. They let me skip mass this morning to get ready." She explained, obviously uncomfortable with having to speak that much. Giles nodded and patted the girl's hand comfortingly.
"Perfect. Well lets get that taken care of, if that's alright with you. Where do we have to go?" he asked.
"Back to St. Peters and to the dorm, to pick up my bags." She said softly, her voice losing its strength the more she spoke. Giles nodded and stood. Kia immediately stood up after him .
"we'll go get that taken care of right now. Will you all go get ready to leave. We will be back later." He said and he and Kia left.
Giles followed Kia down several streets and through a couple of alleys until they reached the front gates of the campus. She led him across the parking lot to a large quad. There were several younger children playing under the supervision of a nun in a black habit. One of the children looked up from a very intense game of soccer and came running over to them with obvious glee in his eyes.
"Kia!" he shouted and leapt at the young girl. Kia caught him easily and lifted him up onto her hip. The boy was maybe five years old with bright blue eyes and a mop of curly brown hair. He was dressed in a uniform much like Kia's only the skirt was exchanged for a pair of gray shorts. Kia was smiling widely and Giles grinned as well. The young boys enthusiasm was infectious.
"Now Michael, you know your not supposed to leave the quad." She teased him. The boy nodded and sent an adorable puppy dog face in her direction. Kia laughed and swung the boy to her other hip.
"Oof! Your getting to big to be carried!" she told him and turned back to Giles.
"Mr. Giles. This is Michael. Michael, this is mister Rupert Giles. He's adopting me." She introduced them. The little boys eyes grew wide and he looked up at Kia.
"Your gettin' adpotted?" he said amazed. Kia chuckled.
"Adopted, and yes I am. Big shock aye?" she said and they began walking across the quad. Giles followed amazed at the drastic change in Kia's demeanor.
"Does that mean your gonna go away?" the boy asked Kia sounding worried. Kia sighed.
"Yes, but I'll write you all the time and I'll come back to visit when I can. I promise." She told him. Michael sniffed and hugged Kia tighter as they walked. Giles sighed.
"I promise I'll take good care of her." He ventured. Michael turned a surprisingly hard steely gaze to Giles.
"You better or I'm gonna be really mad." He threatened. Kia giggled and ruffled Michael's hair with one hand.
"Michael, ill be fine." She said as they reached the nun who was sitting on a bench surrounded by young children. She was reading to them from a slim green covered book. The elderly woman looked up and smiled at Kia.
"Oh did Michael run away again?" she said with a motherly smile. Kia nodded and set the boy on his feet. Michael gave Kia one last hug and ran off to rejoin the soccer game.
"He just didn't want me to leave without saying good bye." She explained. A general cry of dismay rose up from the children at the nun's feet.
"You leavin' Kia?" said a small girl in a gray and black plaid jumper. Kia nodded.
"Yes, but ill write to you all the time." She repeated the same promise she gave to Michael. The nun stood slowly and moved towards Kia.
"So you'll be leaving us for better places eh' young one?" the nun asked and enfolded Kia in a hug. Kia nodded again. The nun let her go and turned her sharp gray eyes to Giles giving him the once over.
"Are you the man taking our Kia from us?" she asked scrutinizing him. Giles felt a little uncomfortable under the old woman's gaze.
"I will be adopting her. I promise I will take good care of her." He promised. The old woman looked at him for a beat then nodded.
"Yes I think you will." She said then turned back to Kia.
"Good bye dear. Take good care of yourself." She said and one gnarled old finger came up and traced a symbol on Kia's smooth pale forehead. Giles immediately recognized the rune uruz for strength. The finger drifted to Kia's right cheek and traced eihwaz for defense, then to Kia's left cheek and algiz for protection then down to the hollow of Kia's throat and oddly enough traced the upward arrow of tiawaz for warrior. The old woman kissed Kia on each cheek and smiled benevolently.
"Stay safe child." She said and Kia nodded. She motioned to Giles and they headed back on the path towards a large brick building connected to a church and another building Giles assumed was the school. They went up the front steps and into the first floor which seemed to be for administration. Kia led him past the front desk to a small office with a closed door. Kia knocked and poked her head in.
"Sister Ruth?" she asked softly. A female voice beckoned them in and they entered. A middle aged woman in a nun's habit was seated behind a large worn oak desk covered in papers.
"Ah Miss Finnegan, I suppose you've brought along...Mr. Giles is it?" she said looking past Kia at Giles who hovered in the door way.
"Yes ma'am." She said and flopped down in a chair. Giles sat in the chair beside her and smiled pleasantly at the nun.
"Yes ma'am I am Rupert Giles. I am told there are some papers I need to sign?" he said with an amiable smile. The sister nodded and pulled out a few papers stapled together.
"This is the standard release form. Everything else has been arranged." She told him then looked to Kia.
"Well Finnegan I can't say I'm sorry to see you go. I only hope you get in less trouble where your going. I hope I don't see you back here anytime soon as a resident." The woman said a little harshly. Kia seemed to retreat into her self a little and nodded, her eyes cast downward again. Giles' gaze sharpened slightly and his jaw tightened. He felt like he had lost something when Kia switched back into the reclusive shell she had presented when he first met her.
"I'm sure she will do fine. I have enjoyed the talks I've had with her so far." Giles said a little more sternly than normal. Kia flicked her gaze up to him and a small smile played on her lips. The nun seemed a little taken back but quickly recovered. She snatched the signed papers back from Giles and filed them away.
"Well that was all we needed to do. Miss Finnegan, once you have retrieved you belongings please return your room key to sister Laura. Have a nice day." She said curtly and began to sift through papers on her desk. Kai got up and went towards the door. Giles also stood and followed. They left the office and went to a large stairwell. Kia blew out a large breath and trotted up the stairs to the first floor. Giles followed and sniffed indelicately.
"Horrid woman." He said softly. Kia snorted then clapped a hand over her mouth looking like for the world like a five year old girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Giles smiled at her and they went to the last door at the end of the long hard wood corridor. Kia took out a key and opened the door. Giles followed her into a small room that had been stripped bare. Kia picked up one large stuffed duffle bag and a bunch of rolled up posters. She smiled at him and turned to leave. Giles balked slightly.
"Is that all you have?" he asked. Kia nodded.
"I left my guitar at the front desk before I left." She told him and they left after she had locked the door again. They went down the stairs and past the office area to a half moon shaped desk. Kia tossed the key to a younger sister who caught it and handed the large black guitar case over the counter.
"Good luck Kia!" she called as Kia headed out. Kia smiled a tiny smile at her and they left the building.
Kia didn't say a word until after they had gotten to the sidewalk beyond the gates. Kia set down her guitar case and inhaled deeply. Giles immediately took possession of the guitar case so she wouldn't have to carry it and looked questioningly at her.
"What?" he asked. Kia half smiled at him and shrugged.
"Was just thinking that new York never smelled so good." She told him. Giles laughed.
"I want to go with you." She said, her thick Irish brogue becoming even more pronounced along with the waver in her voice. Buffy smiled encouragingly at Kia as did willow and tara. Spike just gave the girl a half grin and watched her closely. Giles cleared his throat and gestured to the chair. Kia took the seat and sat stiffly waiting for his reaction.
"Well that's wonderful. Do you have any idea when you will be able to leave?" he asked. Kia nodded and looked down at the cloth covered table.
"The...council...worked everything out. Guardian ship is being transferred over to you, all you have to do is sign some papers and I'm ready. I'm already packed. They let me skip mass this morning to get ready." She explained, obviously uncomfortable with having to speak that much. Giles nodded and patted the girl's hand comfortingly.
"Perfect. Well lets get that taken care of, if that's alright with you. Where do we have to go?" he asked.
"Back to St. Peters and to the dorm, to pick up my bags." She said softly, her voice losing its strength the more she spoke. Giles nodded and stood. Kia immediately stood up after him .
"we'll go get that taken care of right now. Will you all go get ready to leave. We will be back later." He said and he and Kia left.
Giles followed Kia down several streets and through a couple of alleys until they reached the front gates of the campus. She led him across the parking lot to a large quad. There were several younger children playing under the supervision of a nun in a black habit. One of the children looked up from a very intense game of soccer and came running over to them with obvious glee in his eyes.
"Kia!" he shouted and leapt at the young girl. Kia caught him easily and lifted him up onto her hip. The boy was maybe five years old with bright blue eyes and a mop of curly brown hair. He was dressed in a uniform much like Kia's only the skirt was exchanged for a pair of gray shorts. Kia was smiling widely and Giles grinned as well. The young boys enthusiasm was infectious.
"Now Michael, you know your not supposed to leave the quad." She teased him. The boy nodded and sent an adorable puppy dog face in her direction. Kia laughed and swung the boy to her other hip.
"Oof! Your getting to big to be carried!" she told him and turned back to Giles.
"Mr. Giles. This is Michael. Michael, this is mister Rupert Giles. He's adopting me." She introduced them. The little boys eyes grew wide and he looked up at Kia.
"Your gettin' adpotted?" he said amazed. Kia chuckled.
"Adopted, and yes I am. Big shock aye?" she said and they began walking across the quad. Giles followed amazed at the drastic change in Kia's demeanor.
"Does that mean your gonna go away?" the boy asked Kia sounding worried. Kia sighed.
"Yes, but I'll write you all the time and I'll come back to visit when I can. I promise." She told him. Michael sniffed and hugged Kia tighter as they walked. Giles sighed.
"I promise I'll take good care of her." He ventured. Michael turned a surprisingly hard steely gaze to Giles.
"You better or I'm gonna be really mad." He threatened. Kia giggled and ruffled Michael's hair with one hand.
"Michael, ill be fine." She said as they reached the nun who was sitting on a bench surrounded by young children. She was reading to them from a slim green covered book. The elderly woman looked up and smiled at Kia.
"Oh did Michael run away again?" she said with a motherly smile. Kia nodded and set the boy on his feet. Michael gave Kia one last hug and ran off to rejoin the soccer game.
"He just didn't want me to leave without saying good bye." She explained. A general cry of dismay rose up from the children at the nun's feet.
"You leavin' Kia?" said a small girl in a gray and black plaid jumper. Kia nodded.
"Yes, but ill write to you all the time." She repeated the same promise she gave to Michael. The nun stood slowly and moved towards Kia.
"So you'll be leaving us for better places eh' young one?" the nun asked and enfolded Kia in a hug. Kia nodded again. The nun let her go and turned her sharp gray eyes to Giles giving him the once over.
"Are you the man taking our Kia from us?" she asked scrutinizing him. Giles felt a little uncomfortable under the old woman's gaze.
"I will be adopting her. I promise I will take good care of her." He promised. The old woman looked at him for a beat then nodded.
"Yes I think you will." She said then turned back to Kia.
"Good bye dear. Take good care of yourself." She said and one gnarled old finger came up and traced a symbol on Kia's smooth pale forehead. Giles immediately recognized the rune uruz for strength. The finger drifted to Kia's right cheek and traced eihwaz for defense, then to Kia's left cheek and algiz for protection then down to the hollow of Kia's throat and oddly enough traced the upward arrow of tiawaz for warrior. The old woman kissed Kia on each cheek and smiled benevolently.
"Stay safe child." She said and Kia nodded. She motioned to Giles and they headed back on the path towards a large brick building connected to a church and another building Giles assumed was the school. They went up the front steps and into the first floor which seemed to be for administration. Kia led him past the front desk to a small office with a closed door. Kia knocked and poked her head in.
"Sister Ruth?" she asked softly. A female voice beckoned them in and they entered. A middle aged woman in a nun's habit was seated behind a large worn oak desk covered in papers.
"Ah Miss Finnegan, I suppose you've brought along...Mr. Giles is it?" she said looking past Kia at Giles who hovered in the door way.
"Yes ma'am." She said and flopped down in a chair. Giles sat in the chair beside her and smiled pleasantly at the nun.
"Yes ma'am I am Rupert Giles. I am told there are some papers I need to sign?" he said with an amiable smile. The sister nodded and pulled out a few papers stapled together.
"This is the standard release form. Everything else has been arranged." She told him then looked to Kia.
"Well Finnegan I can't say I'm sorry to see you go. I only hope you get in less trouble where your going. I hope I don't see you back here anytime soon as a resident." The woman said a little harshly. Kia seemed to retreat into her self a little and nodded, her eyes cast downward again. Giles' gaze sharpened slightly and his jaw tightened. He felt like he had lost something when Kia switched back into the reclusive shell she had presented when he first met her.
"I'm sure she will do fine. I have enjoyed the talks I've had with her so far." Giles said a little more sternly than normal. Kia flicked her gaze up to him and a small smile played on her lips. The nun seemed a little taken back but quickly recovered. She snatched the signed papers back from Giles and filed them away.
"Well that was all we needed to do. Miss Finnegan, once you have retrieved you belongings please return your room key to sister Laura. Have a nice day." She said curtly and began to sift through papers on her desk. Kai got up and went towards the door. Giles also stood and followed. They left the office and went to a large stairwell. Kia blew out a large breath and trotted up the stairs to the first floor. Giles followed and sniffed indelicately.
"Horrid woman." He said softly. Kia snorted then clapped a hand over her mouth looking like for the world like a five year old girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Giles smiled at her and they went to the last door at the end of the long hard wood corridor. Kia took out a key and opened the door. Giles followed her into a small room that had been stripped bare. Kia picked up one large stuffed duffle bag and a bunch of rolled up posters. She smiled at him and turned to leave. Giles balked slightly.
"Is that all you have?" he asked. Kia nodded.
"I left my guitar at the front desk before I left." She told him and they left after she had locked the door again. They went down the stairs and past the office area to a half moon shaped desk. Kia tossed the key to a younger sister who caught it and handed the large black guitar case over the counter.
"Good luck Kia!" she called as Kia headed out. Kia smiled a tiny smile at her and they left the building.
Kia didn't say a word until after they had gotten to the sidewalk beyond the gates. Kia set down her guitar case and inhaled deeply. Giles immediately took possession of the guitar case so she wouldn't have to carry it and looked questioningly at her.
"What?" he asked. Kia half smiled at him and shrugged.
"Was just thinking that new York never smelled so good." She told him. Giles laughed.