First chapter = disclaimers.

Heeeeeeeeeee, a long chapter for you to make up for the shortness of the last few.

Teri: Basic council miscommunication. Giles' father was away doing a study on an alternate dimension. (Chapter 1 covers this) When Giles' father got back, he didn't have much to do with the council and went straight back after his ex-wife. Robert has sort of been laying low from the council as he hasn't wanted to bring up the past with his family and is trying to keep things "normal" repair walls, etc hence the whole family reunion thing. And, lets face it, the council is really, really, bad at giving out information, and if Travers had brought up Buffy, he would have had to have brought up Giles, and the results may not have been the best for the council.

And in case you're wondering, I do have a bit planned on the subject for either the next chapter or the one after it. I think that it is the only thing that has stayed fixed no matter how many times I changed the ending. :)

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Buffy stared in shock at her mother. Joyce had taken immediately to Nancy and they had been talking almost all night. Then, they had finally gone to bed only to awake chipper and talkative. Ruefully, the Slayer stirred her cereal. Naturally Joyce had slept well; she had not been plagued with memories of Giles.

Memories of soft lips and large hands and, and Buffy was going to stop thinking about Giles that way. Because he was old and gross and her Watcher and her father figure and…

"So, you don't have a problem with Buffy being engaged to an older man?"  Nancy asked.

"Well, I'll admit that Buffy's relationship with Mr. Giles bothered me at first, but on the whole, I do like him better than I liked Angel."

"Angel?"

"Buffy's first boyfriend, she deserved better," Joyce supplied.

"Hey, sitting right here," Buffy reminded around a mouthful of cereal.

Iris laughed quietly before resuming her careful inspection of her toast.

"Well, it's true, honey, you did deserve better."

"So Rupert is better for Buffy you think?" Nancy entered back into the conversation.

"Well, I suppose so, I can't say that I'm excessively fond of the notion of them getting married, but at least he's breathing."

Nancy laughed, "That isn't a very high standard."

"Sometimes, it is. Would you like some more coffee?" Joyce quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, no, thank you. I'll be quite energetic as it is. Besides, I should like to save some indulgence for when we have our get together tonight."

"Yes, the get together. Let's talk about that. Can we not have it?" Buffy spoke quickly.

Joyce turned and looked at her daughter. "Buffy, what on earth are you talking about?"

"The get together. There'll be people there and my friends, and Giles and people and friendliness, and I don't think that we really want to go there. With the friendliness I mean, and besides, Giles will be there."

Nancy and Iris stared without comprehension at Buffy. Joyce just smiled.

"Buffy's getting 'wigged' that we're getting along," she translated.

"Am not, okay, maybe a little, but that's just because you hated Giles so much and now you're like defending his honor or something," Buffy defended herself.

"Buffy, I'm not doing anything," Joyce replied.

"Are too. There's talking and laughter, and there is the potential that there will be talking and laughter with the others. Then there could be mingling and good times, and Giles will be there."

"Buffy, are you feeling alright?"

"I guess I didn't sleep well last night," she admitted grudgingly.

"Bad dreams?" her mother asked concernedly.

"Not exactly, I was just thinking. A lot. Not about anything in particular, just stuff. Stuff that would make you very angry if you knew about it, bad stuff," Buffy clarified.

"She had a tiff with Rupert," Nancy blurted out.

"Did not," Buffy automatically retorted.

"You did too," Nancy turned to face Joyce, "They were barely speaking to each other when we left to come here. I had hoped that they had sorted it out during the ride, but they obviously didn't."

"Buffy, what happened?" Joyce asked gently.

"Nothing. Nothing happened. Giles was just upset, and he did something stupid."

"How stupid?" Joyce prodded.

"Let's just say it was pretty much up there as far as Giles goes. You know, with him being Mr. Brainy Guy and everything."

"He didn't hit you did he?" Iris asked mortified.

"Your Uncle Rupert is a very gentle man, he wouldn't hit his girlfriend. He didn't, did he?" Nancy said.

"Giles? Hit me? Not of the likely. He just misinterpreted something I said."

"Oh, well then I'm sure that you'll figure it out, Buffy. You just need to talk to him and straighten it out," Joyce comforted her daughter.

"See, that's the thing. The problem is that he knows that he misinterpreted the whole thing, and it's more the what he did than the what he said thing."

"Honey, what exactly did he do to upset you?" Joyce asked pointedly.

"Well, see, are you sure you want to hear this?"

Joyce merely nodded.

"Right, of course you would. Giles got sort of frisky. In the hands, mouth, tongue sort of way," Buffy blurted out then blushed and looked down at the floor.

"Oh, Buffy, sometimes men just try to fix the situation with sex. Even the best of them try it. Poorly timed attempts at amorousness are not something to fight so long over. Especially when he is actually having them with you," Nancy advised easily.

Joyce was simply trying to figure out what sort of mystical thing that Giles and Buffy had fought about. The kissing was obviously a cover, but for what? She was not as good as Buffy's friends on decoding that sort of babble, so she simply decided to agree with Nancy.

"She's right, you just need to see Rupert and get this all straightened out between the two of you."

"Thanks, I guess," Buffy wrinkled her nose slightly as she talked. That was definitely not the response that she had been expecting.

"Well then, I suppose that I should start making the appetizers."

"Huh?" Buffy asked her mom.

"Well, we thought it would be nice to have our meeting at someplace comfy. The house sounded ideal. It's much better than that dreadful hotel George is staying at," Nancy informed her.

"Great," was Buffy's only response.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

"So, Buff, how's the pre-marital bliss coming?" Xander asked as he and Anya came through the front door.

Buffy glared at him. "Wonderful, I've been at home helping mom cook all day. Giles and his evil relatives are going to be here any moment, and I hate half of them."

"Half of the relatives or half of Giles?" Anya asked. Xander subtly elbowed her. "Ow, it was just a question," she pouted.

"Xander, leave Anya alone. I might need her to annoy them later," Buffy said as she led the couple into the dining room. "Xander, Anya, meet Nancy and Iris."

"Pleased to meet you," Xander said as he shook both their hands.

"I'm happy to meet you too," Anya said brightly.

The doorbell rang and Buffy rushed off to get the door. Giles was on the other side with his parents. He looked anywhere but at Buffy as he lets himself in. Willow and Tara soon followed with George and his family coming in last.

"You live in a wretched town. My sons got mugged last night, and your police barely cared when we filed the complaint," George blustered before he was introduced.

"Really?" Buffy asked more out of curiosity than concern. "They don't look like they were hurt."

"We weren't," Eric supplied. "It was this funny fellow with a sort of bumpy face.  He was dressed all in black and had this peroxide blonde hair."

"Oh, that was just Spike, he's," Anya paused as she looked the faces of the Scooby gang, "He's a really bad gang member."

"There are lots of gangs around here. They're on PCP. You shouldn't be walking around at night," Buffy added.

"Yes, they, ah, put on rather odd makeup to give them those ridges. It scares the tourists," Giles furthered the lie.

"Well, you're town should do something about that, Rupert. Perhaps you should write a letter to your Mayor," George said as he sank down into a chair.

"Yes, thank you, we'll keep that in mind for a time that we don't have a corrupt one," Xander poked.

George stared at him then thought better of picking a fight with one of Buffy's friends.

"Right then, why don't we eat?"

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

George and his family left soon after dinner. Robert and Grace had started to have a heart to heart talk with their future "in-law" in the kitchen where Nancy and Joyce were cleaning up.

Iris had volunteered to help clear the table, leaving Buffy alone with her friends.

"You know, I was thinking we should get those boys' money back from Spike, but know that I know them better, do you think we could give him their luggage too?" Anya asked.

"As tempting as that might be, Anya, I don't think that we should encourage him," Giles replied.

"Well, I for one agree with Anya," Willow spoke.

"You do?" Xander and Anya said simultaneously.

"Yes, did you see how they kept asking Tara and me stupid questions all night and bugging us. They were number one poopheads," Willow finished then added, "Sorry, Giles."

"It is quite alright Willow. I'm not terribly fond of them. Although, I don't think they meant to annoy you and Tara. I think that they meant to hit on you."

"What? Why?"

"Because you're both good looking, and they didn't realize that you two are gay?" Buffy answered.

"And now I know why Giles put up with us. We aren't smart, we just aren't as clueless as his relatives," Xander shared his sudden illumination.

"Thank you Xander, my world suddenly makes sense now," Giles intoned dryly.

"Happy to help," the younger man replied.

"Well they're only here for a couple more days, and then things can get back to normal. I suppose that I should thank all of you for your assistance in this matter. It does mean quite a lot to me," Giles said as he softly polished his glasses.

"Aw, that's so sweet. Isn't that sweet Buffy?" Willow said fondly.

"Yup, the epitome of sweetness. Giles is sweet."

Xander raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Buffy.

"Not in the, you know the…" Buffy trailed off.

"The Giles has a hot ass kind of way?" Anya finished for her.

"Ahn, I think we'd better be going before you cause Giles to have a heart attack," Xander said as he ushered Anya to the door.

"Bye Buffy, have fun having pretend orgasms with Giles," Anya waved goodbye.

Tara blushed and stared at the floor. "W..Willow, don't we have s..somewhere to go?"

"What? Yes, somewhere to go, a place, a place that we have to be, because, you know this is fun, but we really have to be going. Bye," Willow said as she grabbed Tara's hand and quickly left the house.

Buffy sneaked a look over at her former Watcher. "You okay Giles?"

"I'll manage to live. I think. This is quite embarrassing given the recent, ah, events that have transpired."

"Hey, I told you to forget about it right? No biggy." Buffy tried to blow it off for him.

"But it is a very big thing Buffy. It is not something that should be ignored."

"Okay, so how do you suggest that we deal with the fact that you were trying to engage in smoochies with me?" Buffy asked in an irritated tone due to the fact that Giles was refusing to accept her 'forget about it' approach.

Giles flicked his gaze up to her, a hint of annoyance shown in his eyes. "If I recall correctly, I did not attempt, I succeeded. In fact I would say what I was attempting to do something much more intimate."

Buffy's mouth opened in shock. "You did not just say that to me."

"And what if I did? I've been lying all week, Buffy. In fact, I've been telling lies for the majority of my life, but today I had to spend the day with my parents, and unlike you, the most horrible event of the day was not the fact that I had to help my mum cook. Do you know what I realized? They don't really know each other, and they never will because my father never really tells her what he thinks or how he feels, and my siblings and I have dealt with the repercussions of that in my own life. I can't abide for that to happen to us. If I must live with the fallout of this, than so be it, but the effects will be based in reality. Buffy…"

"No. Giles don't," Buffy pleaded.

He ignored her. "I love you," he said softly.

Buffy took a shaky breath and backed away from Giles. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, and unbidden tears formed in her eyes simply because her emotions were so tangled up inside that she did not know what to do, so her body decided that crying would be the appropriate reaction.

"Buffy, would you come in the kitchen?" Iris' voice floated over to them.

"I'll be there in a second," she called back as she quickly dabbed away the tears on her face. With a quick look back at Giles, she strode quickly away.

Giles followed her.

Buffy stepped into a very cheery scene in the kitchen. Joyce was laughing, as were Grace and Nancy.

"What's with the merriment?" She said in an almost normal voice.

"Oh, it's nothing. We were just talking about weddings," Joyce said with a suspicious glow on her face.

"And this makes you happy why? You haven't been drinking, have you?"

"What, oh no, its just we started talking about who we would invite to your wedding, and it sort of went from there," Joyce explained.

"Uh huh, right. Mom in case you've forgotten, you hate Giles, and his family hates me. Why would we want any happiness? My life sucks. So does theirs, only they don't know it. So why would you be taking about my WEDDING, 'cause it's never going to happen, and I'm probably going to end up dead and lonely," Buffy stormed off in a sea of irrational tears.

The remaining people looked at Giles. "We got into a bit of a tiff," he said by way of an explanation.

"And whatever you just said to her made it worse," Robert commented.

"I beg your pardon?" Giles asked confused.

"Well, it was obvious that you two had had a fight when she didn't even call you earlier today," Grace stated.

"And you didn't even look at each other during dinner," Iris added.

"Yes, well, I..I don't need to expound upon this to any of you. I'm a grown man, and my business with Buffy is my own," Giles snapped and walked out the door in a huff.

He walked back in a couple of seconds later. "Ah, Mum, are you and Father ready to go?"

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Joyce knocked gently before opening the door to Buffy's room. "I wanted to catch you before you went off patrolling," she said as she walked in and shut the door behind her.

"Yeah, well, just in the nick of time," Buffy said as she belly flopped onto her bed after walking away from the open window.

"Look, I'm sorry about tonight. I guess I just got so caught up in the lie that I didn't think. I always thought about the day my little girl was going to get married. And I used to think about how there would be in-laws that I could complain about and how we would argue about your flowers and your cake. Having spent the last couple of years knowing that that dream probably won't ever happen, I just grabbed at the opportunity."

"Gee, thanks," Buffy mumbled sarcastically.

"You know I didn't mean it that way. It was just something normal. Am I so bad for wanting to believe it was real, just for a little while?"

The bed creaked as Buffy rolled into a sitting position. "No, but that's the problem, isn't it? It isn't real, and when this is all over, we get to deal with that. And did you really have that much fun when you were planning to marry me off to Giles?"

Joyce smiled. "Well, he isn't exactly all that I hoped for in a son in-law, but he is considerably younger than Angel, and he does devote his entire existence to keeping you alive. I'd say that's pretty good."

"I guess I kind of overreacted, huh?"

"Just a bit, but I think they'll forgive you. Or, more appropriately, I think that Nancy and her daughter already have and Rupert will make his parents forgive you. After all, he always forgives you. I think that he must have gotten that from his parents."

"I wouldn't place money on that bet Mom, but thanks."

Joyce patted Buffy's shoulder. "So is everything good now?"

"Yeah, but why did you guys call me into the kitchen in the first place?"

"Oh, Grace mentioned the fact that she thought you would look lovely in Rupert's grandmother's dress. It is apparently a silk, family heirloom. We were going to ask you what you thought."

Buffy frowned. "I'm thinking the thought would have been something along the lines of the Giles clan being tall and broad shouldered, neither of which are in abundance in the land of Buffy."

"I thought of that, but she was apparently a very tiny woman. They said that Rupert was quite fond of her."

Buffy moaned and buried her head in her hands. "Great, Giles' family was making grand gestures of being nice to me so that Giles feels loved, and I'm all selfish and ruin it for him."

Joyce laughed. "Now, I'm sure that it isn't that bad. Besides, he'll forgive you. He always does, remember?"

Buffy forced a smile. "I suppose that you're right. I think I need to go kill something now. I'll see you later?"

Joyce nodded. "I take it that this is the sign that sayd you don't want me to ask what you fought with Mr. Giles about?"

"That would be the one. Goodnight Mom," Buffy said as she crawled out her window.

"Goodnight, Buffy." Joyce moved towards the door of her daughter's bedroom before Buffy's head popped back through the window.

"Hey, Mom? Remind me to thank you for letting me use the front door these days."

Joyce merely nodded and turned off the lights to Buffy's room. The Slayer herself stared at the darkness a bit. Realizing vaguely that if she truly was marrying Giles, she would always be leaving through his front door. There would be no windows, and there would be no secrets because Buffy's secrets to Giles had always revolved around her love life, and he would be that love life. She sighed and dropped off the roof to go clear her head by seeing what evil creatures she could kill.