CHAPTER THREE

"I don't understand," Connor said, following Giles into the jewelry shop.

"The rings symbolize the marriage," Giles said, casting a critical eye back at Connor. He had insisted the young man dress up a bit for the ring buying expedition. He didn't want to be getting fish-eyes from the sales clerks. Connor still looked a little disheveled in spite of his best attempts.

Connor ran a hand through his hair, messing it up more. "I know that part. I don't have the money to buy a ring, so I don't understand why you brought me here."

Giles put a hand on Connor's shoulder, steering him away from the display cases. "Connor, I don't want you to worry about that. You and Dawn are serious about this marriage and I am not about to let you embark on this without the rings. They mean a lot to Dawn so they are going to be my wedding gift to you."

Connor blinked at him as if not understanding him at all. The young man glanced away, shaking his head. "Why? I know what my father did to you. Dawn told me. Why would you want to help me more than you've already had?"

Giles pushed his glasses up, thinking on an answer that Connor would accept. He had seen the fierce pride in those blue eyes before, the near arrogance. Connor prided himself on being self-sufficient, able to deal with whatever was thrown his way. Giles had no doubt that self-confidence put Connor in good stead in Quor-Toth but he also knew the boy was in over his head in this world. Yes, Wolfram and Hart had faked an identity for him but his future was murky. Giles found himself looking forward to helping. He had made a lot of mistakes with Buffy and her friends but he felt they were the better for knowing him. He hoped to do even better by Dawn and Connor. "Connor, Dawn is the closet thing I will ever have to a daughter. She and Buffy, Willow and Xander are my only family. Through Dawn, you are part of my family, too, and it's my honor to do this for you."

Giles saw those big blue eyes misting over. Connor swallowed hard. "But..."

"But nothing. You are not to blame for anything Angel did to me. It was years before you were even born. In how he deals with you, I see the man Angel could have been were he still mortal and it's not a bad thing. I'm not sure I've ever truly forgiven him, and certainly have not forgotten what he did but we've worked past that, again a handful of years back."

Connor nibbled his bottom lip, considering this. "Thank you. I'll pay you back some day."

"You don't need to pay me back, Connor. That's the whole point of a gift." Giles smiled. "I thought you'd like this store because they have one of the best selections of Celtic jewelry."

Connor looked up at him. "I don't understand."

Giles pursed his lips. "Irish. I thought later, when you two decide it's time to tell Angel and Buffy about the marriage, Angel would be rather proud that you honored your heritage." Giles paused for a moment. "And I know Dawn loves Celtic jewelry. She kept borrowing Tara's."

"Okay."

Giles went up to the perky, blonde sales clerk. "We'd like to look at wedding bands."

She grinned, showing blinding white teeth. "Do you two have anything in particular in mind to express your bond?"

Giles' eyes slotted. "He's my soon to be son-in-law." He nudged Connor as the boy started to open his mouth. "He'd like to look at some Celtic wedding bands."

She didn't look the least bit embarrassed at her faux pas as she dragged out a tray of claddagh rings. "These are our most popular."

Connor shook his head before Giles could protest. He could only imagine what Buffy might feel if they got Dawn one of those. "No, Dawn doesn't want one of those. She told me so...something about Buffy and Dad."

"No claddaghs. He's more interested in the knotwork rings," Giles said, relieved.

"Sure, we have a great selection of those." The clerk brought out another tray. "These are very popular." She tapped one with a manicured nails.

Connor took it out and scowled. "The knotwork is hearts."

"I don't think either of you are that fluffy," Giles said.

Connor shook his head. "No."

"Guess the butterfly knots are out, too. I think I have something you'll like better." The girl put away that tray and retrieved another.

Connor looked at them, finding the endless variations of the knotwork overwhelming, or so Giles guessed from the boy's expression. "Do the knots mean anything?"

"No one is really sure," Giles said. "As far as we can tell, not really. They didn't have a specific meaning but some people like to suggest the interlocking knots symbolize an unending union without beginning or end."

"I like this one and that one," Connor said, pointing.

The girl nodded approvingly. "Tralee knots and Kenmare, both really popular."

Connor examined the tray more closely, going to a ring that at the end and oddly different from the rest. He picked it up, bringing it close to his face. "This is it."

Giles took the ring. It had the Tralee knots broken up by triskeles of spirals. It was very unusual and delicate. "It's lovely."

"That's the one." Connor handed it to the clerk. "I like it better silver than gold though. Is that wrong?" He directed that to Giles.

The older man shook his head. "Somehow, I prefer silver to gold in Celtic jewelry as well."

"No problem," the clerk said. "It's actually white gold and perfect for any wedding."

"That's the one I want," Connor said with a definitive nod of his head.

"Are you sure? You don't want to look some more? We haven't been at this very long," Giles said, not at all sure how long it should take. The man in him wanted to run now, having shopped enough but surely it should take longer.

"That's the one. I know it," Connor replied. "It makes me happy."

"Very well then. She'll fit you," Giles said, taking a slip of paper out of his wallet. "This is the bride's ring size."

The clerk smiled and took the paper before turning to Connor. "If you're lucky, we'll have them in stock. Do you want them engraved?"

Connor shot Giles a panicked look. "I don't know."

"I can't help you there," the older man replied.

"Well, you can bring them back if you change your mind," the clerk said.

Giles paid through a Watchers account. He knew he shouldn't but he was the one in charge now. There were hardly any Watchers left and those that were weren't the type to begrudge this. The rings were expensive enough but his surprise gift to the couple would be as well and for that he was paying for out of his own pockets.

Connor surrendered the ring boxes to him as they went back to Giles' home. Giles explained, as best he could about why the boxes had to be kept, because the emphasis women put on those little details escaped him. Still, after years with Buffy, Willow, Dawn, Anya and Tara and now Kennedy, he had learned more about women than perhaps he had ever wanted to.

Dawn and Ailsa were waiting for them when they got back. Dawn rushed Connor the moment he stepped through the door. "Ailsa and I found the perfect dresses. Giles, I'm so glad you introduced us to Rhiannon. I never thought she'd just buy the dresses for us but she did," Dawn bubbled.

"Who's Rhiannon?" Connor asked.

"A Watcher and a witch, she's like a million years old and rich but she's so cool," Dawn said.

"She's a very dear friend of mine," Giles said. "And she is very philanthropic. I told her about the wedding and she wanted to help. I'm glad she was able to."

"The dress is so pretty Giles. You have to come see it now," Dawn demanded, going for the stairs. She put a hand on Connor's chest as he followed. "Not you."

Connor's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"It's bad luck for you to see the dress before the wedding," she explained and he made a face.

"Uh, okay. We got the rings," Connor said and Dawn paled.

"How...I thought we decided...Letmesee!"

Giles just smiled and surrendered the ring box. Connor tried to open it, obviously too slowly for Dawn. She grabbed it and took out the ring. She slipped it on her finger, crying.

"It's so beautiful." She hugged and kissed Connor first then Giles. She shoved her finger at Ailsa for inspection. "I don't want to take it off!"

"Take it off?" Connor's brow wrinkled.

"She's not supposed to wear it until you give it to her in the wedding ceremony, eijit," Ailsa said as Dawn reluctantly removed it.

"I'm so confused," Connor whispered to Giles as Dawn gave back the ring box.

"You're getting married. Get used to that feeling." Giles shot him a cheeky grin before Dawn caught his arm and started hauling him upstairs to see the dress.