Buffy had resisted but when three people were telling you what to do in the end they will win. This was why she was standing outside Giles' house trying to gather the courage to knock. Whoever said reunions were easy was lying.
She stopped pacing and knocked on the door and waited to see what would come.
It took mere minutes when the door was opened by Dawn who was grinning cheekily and looking behind her. She smiled and said "Hey is your dad home?" Dawn giggled and said "He's trying to make me take a bath." She smiled and shook her head and said "You know what's fun about baths?" Dawn shook her head and Buffy said "Bubbles!" Dawn's eyes widened and she said "I've never had bubbles. DADDY". She suddenly screeched the last part and she heard him say "What?" She yelled "CAN I HAVE BUBBLES AND THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE DOOR!" He suddenly appeared holding his glasses and glaring at Dawn; he said "What did I tell you about answering the door". She looked at him innocently and said "Not to". Buffy rolled her eyes and cleared her throat causing him to look at her. He gasped but regained his composure and said "Oh Anna right?"
Buffy shook her head and he said "Didn't I meet you at the funeral?" Buffy nodded to afraid to use her voice. He frowned and said "Yes I remember and you said you were Buffy's cousin Anna". Buffy bit her lip and said in a quiet voice "I lied". His eyes narrowed and looked at Dawn and said "Go up to your room Dawn". She glared at him and said "Why?" He took his glasses off and said "Because I said so." She huffed and started climbing up the stairs all the while complaining about being left out.
Buffy watched her go and said "Cute kid, reminds me of me when I was that age." Giles stared at her hard and said "Who are you?" Buffy sighed and said "Who do I look like?" Giles clucked and said "You know who you look like!" Buffy rolled her eyes and said "Well than there is your answer." He shook his head and said "That is quite impossible, we would have known if Buffy were alive".
Buffy shrugged and said "Well here I am". He turned away from her and said "You aren't Buffy, leave." Buffy gapped at his back and said "You have to be kidding me, I am so Buffy". He made another clucking sound and said "No you are not, Leave before I call the police."
Buffy sighed and said "Giles Look at me, I am me". He turned around and said in a sad voice "If you were Buffy and I am not saying I believe you than I would be very disappointed in you, her." Buffy looked at him with pleading eyes and said "I couldn't come back not after what happened, please Giles you have to believe me."
Giles took his glasses off again and said "That's the thing I don't have to do anything." Buffy sighed and said "I just wanted to come and say I'm sorry ok. I am not trying to do anything else, So I'm sorry." Giles shook his head and say "I'm sorry Miss but you have no need to apologise to me or anyone else, we don't know you".
Buffy was starting to get annoyed and she said "Ok you want to play this game fine, ask me something that only Buffy would know?" He looked at her like she was crazy and said "Why would I do that, I know that Buffy died".
Buffy let out a breath of air and said "Just pretend for a minute I She didn't". Giles shook his head and said "fine. What was the first thing she you said after you found out about the prophecy?" Buffy shook her head a little at the easy question considering that night, like the one with Angel, was imprinted in her memory.
She said "I laughed and then after some words I told you that I was only 16 and I didn't want to die. Angel he tried to comfort me but I walked away". He looked shocked for a minute but quickly recovered and said "She could have told you that".
Buffy stood still for a second to think and then said "Ok then how about this when Ethan came to town it was about that Eygon thingy and he took me captive and put the mark of Eygon on me to give the demon a distraction, um Kendra was the slayer called when I died and Drusilla killed her in the library by slitting her throat and I was accused for murder so I ran from the library and ran into Spike who decided to help me and we went to my house and found out that Willow was alright and I told mom about being a slayer although really she found out by herself because we killed a vampire in front of her but so not the point. Then she kept rambling about how it was because I needed a role model and she didn't believe it and she threw a glass of alcohol. But I went out anyway and she said if I went out the door never come back so I didn't. Is that enough for you to believe me or should I go on. (At seeing him just staring and the tears were starting to stream down her face she kept going.)
Ok fine. Then Spike told me where to go and I left. I talked to Whistler and he told me what I had to do. I met Xander on the way and he followed. We got inside (Buffy started seeing everything happening and even if Giles had told her to stop she wouldn't have, by now she was reliving it in her head) Xander went to get you and I, I started to fight the vampires. Angel got knocked out by Spike who also took Drusilla. But he he woke up and starting fighting me. He awakened Acathla and I kept fighting but He got me without a sword and he said "So that's everything huh, no weapons, no friends, No hope. Take all that away and what's left?" But there was something see, there was me, I'm still the slayer so there was me. And I caught the knife and so we fought again. I got him without his sword and on his knees. I was about, about to kill him when his eyes they glowed. It was like a dream and a nightmare rolled into one. He was back, his soul it was back. We kissed and I told him I loved him but it was too late. I could see it behind him, the portal it was opening. The mouth of Acathla and I had no choice. I had to kill him, right? He didn't even know what was happening and I killed... Oh god Giles I killed the only man I ever loved".
Suddenly Buffy was on the ground crying as if it had just happened. In a way it had, she had never told the story to anyone not the truth. Giles was beside her in seconds trying to comfort her. She was pulled into his arms and he was whispering words of comfort in her ear. Telling her he believed her and that it was alright, she had to do it, she had no choice. It was noble and in the end it turned out fine. Angel was alive and well, she didn't have to feel guilty.
Buffy pulled back with tears in her eyes and said "You believe me". He sighed and said "I see a broken woman who I know in my heart is Buffy. But I also see someone strong and kind and always trying to do the right thing, yes I know you are her. Why did you not come back Buffy. Have us believe you were dead?"
She looked to the floor and said "There were so many times I wanted to, I even got as far as getting on a bus once but I found something out and I knew I couldn't." He looked at her curiously and said "What?" She looked up shyly and brushed the tears out of her puffy red eyes and said "Can we move this to somewhere more comfortable." He looked embarrassed and said "Oh I am sorry where are my manners, of course come, lets go to the lounge room."
Once they were seated Giles suddenly started to think things over and that feeling he had when he was the Ripper was coming back. She had abandoned everything, her duties, her mother, her friends, him. Without as much as a call to tell them she was alive. How could he forgive something like that?
Buffy watched him carefully and noticed that he was making that clucking noise with his tongue, she sighed. She took his hand and said "There are very good reasons why I didn't come back. Not just because I was scared." He nodded, on the outside looking calm but on the inside not so calm.
She nodded and said "I found out I was pregnant." That was blunt but it was said and Giles' head flew up to meet hers. He stuttered "Preg Pregnant." She nodded and said "You've met her".
He looked thoughtful and said "Eliza". She nodded and said "She's nearly 8, I didn't know how but I could think of one person so I was scared. I thought if I came back you would tell me about some prophecy and they would take her away." He nodded slightly understanding and said "Angel. I have read a prophecy concerning a child. I didn't really think it was you though". She nodded, his words confirming her worst fears and said "I gave birth and I did think about coming back but it was hard and I knew that if I came back it would be harder. So I didn't".
He felt annoyed and said "Really Buffy that is irresponsible and little childish. You know very well your mother would have been thrilled to have met a grandchild." She nodded sadly and said "But I didn't and that is the past. When I found out she died and saw you guys I panicked and then to find out that my sister is close to the age of my daughter well that is just scary. Everything just fell apart. I have a sister, you married mom, and Angel is alive. It was scary."
He nodded but didn't say anything.
She continued "So I went to see him and stuff happened and about 2 weeks ago I gave birth to twins but ..." Giles butted in and said "I thought Angel was with Cordelia." She nodded and said "Which would be why I am not at the moment having a perfect family, I have three children without a father. Angel he just said that he couldn't, I don't think he even knows I have given birth. I mean he must know because the dates are pretty obvious right. Not that it matters because I am going to see him in a few weeks once I have rested."
Giles was well and truly shocked now and could only stare, Buffy prodded him and he suddenly blinked. He said slowly "Three children?" Buffy nodded and blushed and said "Yeah three". He took a deep breath and said "To Angel?" She nodded again and he said "He knows about them". She blushed and said "He knows about one pregnancy." Giles nodded and said "Right and he isn't being all noble about it". She shook her head and waited for his reaction and to her surprise he suddenly looked angry and said "That bloody bastard." Buffy backed up a little and said "Pardon?"
Giles stared hard at her and said "He got his bloody soul mate pregnant, the love of his life and he stands you up. If I get my hands on him I will wring his bloody neck". Buffy couldn't help it, she burst into laughter and Giles blushed and said "Sorry". Buffy beamed at him and said "no that is fine it's just I never thought you would say something like that." He nodded and said "I may disagree and be angry with a lot of what you have done but you did them out of fear and motherly instincts. I would have most likely done the same with Dawn if I were in your position. I understand". She suddenly hugged him and pulled back and said "Thankyou" He smiled at her and said "So when do I get to meet my grandchildren?"
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Author note: Hey you guys are brilliant! This chapter is longer than the rest because I couldn't help my self. Hope you liked it, it was fun writing. Next chapter I am thinking one more in Sunny Hell than off to kill Cordy, so enjoy! Oh and this is up quick because my friend Kasey is impatient !!! So this is for you!
