Disclaimers: with chapter 1
Chap 7- Answers
At sunset, Giles was rested enough to go out. He however called Buffy to ask her to instead come to his home since he had no desire to deal with Snyder. He was also quite certain that Willow would feel the same. He did go out and buy blood for Angel and reluctantly for Spike also and snacks for the hungry teens that would be flooding his living space. When he returned, Giles called Willow's house. She informed him that they'd be there soon.
Buffy arrived early to give Giles a heads up about Willow's parents. Apparently they weren't supposed to arrive for another 3 days but had actually come in on an earlier flight. Buffy was sure Dru had something to do with that. The police were investigating. But no one had called the family yet. They were waiting on the results of a DNA analysis and dental records. The bodies had been caught in the fire that killed Drusilla.
"What are we going to tell her?" Buffy's tired question echoed through Giles' living room.
"We tell her the truth Buffy. Fortunately the Rosenbergs had left it in their will for myself or Angel to be Willow's caregiver in the event of their sudden demise. Willow wrote it in for them earlier this year, before everything with Angelus occurred. Xander's parents have done the same. They felt it best given the high mortality rate here in Sunnydale. Look," Giles took off his glasses and held Buffy still by her shoulders.
"This will most likely be a very difficult time for us all, but Willow's strong. She'll be fine if we support her and love her like family should."
"Are you saying we're her family?"
"You are all like children to me. Yes. We are now Willow's family. And as such, we support her through such trying times. I'll make more tea just in case though." As Giles put on the kettle, Cordy and Xander arrived arm in arm. Seeing them made Buffy want to run into Angel's arms once more. Things had changed though. She wasn't the girl who fell in love with him. Angelus had killed what was left of a lovesick child. Buffy was a woman now and wasn't sure if she could lose herself anymore. This Buffy needed a stability that a brooding vampire just couldn't give. Buffy sighed and sat on the couch.
"Buffy, is something wrong?" Giles inquired. He'd grown more attached to his slayer since her birthday. He dared not think about how easy it could be to lose her.
"No, Just thinking about some things. Giles, who will Willow live with?"
"Well, it's her decision really. Only time will tell." Giles put his arm around his obviously distressed Slayer. "She'll be fine. Here, drink this." Giles handed Buffy a hot cup of tea but this cup had a shot of whiskey in it as well.
"Got some of this for Wills?" Buffy joked after taking a sip.
"As a matter of fact I do. And I'll give it to her after we've told her what's happened."
Just then Willow entered the home. "Um, Giles. You kinda need to invite the boys in."
"Oh yes. You promise not to kill anyone here?"
"Yes!" They replied in unison, laughing inwardly at how foolish it seemed but knowing that it was needed.
"Then I invite you both in. How are you feeling Angel?"
"Wonderful. Willow does wonders for a person's soul," Angel joked. This of course shocked the others so much that Xander was uncertain as to whether or not he was still Angelus.
"Get back Dead Boy!"
"Alexander LaVelle Harris you stop that right now!" Willow warned him. Resolve face on, Willow took Spike and Angel's hands. "We're going to sit down now. Anyone else behaves like a child and we leave."
The room went silent. Buffy may be their leader but Willow was the mother figure of the group. She seemed so small beside the two vampires but it was obvious that even they obeyed her. Spike still watched her like a little boy in love. Even when his eyes left her to look at Angel the wistful look remained. No one knew that the look was for him. No one, that is, but Angel and Willow. When the others weren't looking, Angel would stare into Spike's or Willow's eyes promising what to come.
"Um, Wills. I have something to tell you about my fight with Drusilla."
"You killed her. I know, we, I mean, they felt it when she died. Sire/ Childe relationship bond thingy."
"No, I mean, yes. I did kill her but not before…" Buffy choked on the words. Unable to say what she needed to say, Buffy buried her face in Giles' chest.
"What Buffy is trying to say is that, Willow, your parents were brought back from their trip early. Drusilla set it up. She met them at the airport with some story or another and, Willow I'm so sorry dear."
"My, my parents are…" Willow blinked several times trying to grasp the idea. "They're dead?"
"Willow, luv. I'm sorry. I should have stopped her sooner." Spike brought Willow in closer to him expecting tears to flow.
"No. If Drusilla hadn't done it, Angelus would have. It's better this way. So, I guess I'll be receiving a phone call soon about Sylvia and Ira, huh?" Blinking once more Willow's face went blank. She didn't feel like she should. Willow wondered if this was what it felt like to go into shock. All she could really think was the she'd help them write months before. Money goes into a trust fund. Liam Charles Angelus and Rupert Giles are named caregiver of dependent. Dependent chooses with whom she shall live. Deed to the house in dependent's name. Rosenberg's friend Alexander Harris receives monthly supplement to get on his own.
"Willow, Willow are you ok sweetie?" Angel asked quietly. "Do you want us to take you home?"
"What? No, I'm fine." Willow bit her lower lip. "I guess this makes us family now."
"What are you talking about pet?"
"Rupert and I were named as legal guardians of Willow back in January. Willow was concerned that something might happen to her parents so she helped them write out a will so she wouldn't be sent away from here. So now she's part of the family in more ways than one." Angel explained loud enough for everyone to hear. After thinking for a few moments, "Willow, I know the will said you would choose who to live with but why not live with both of us? I mean, Spike and I do still have the mansion. The minions would have cleared out the minute Dru died. Why don't we all just move in there?"
"What about?" Willow didn't complete her sentence but Angel and Spike knew what she was saying.
"We'll deal with that later luv. What do you say Rupe? Wanna shack up?"
"Well, I can see how it would be in Willow's best interest. Only if she agrees. Willow, it's your decision." Giles said as he passed her a couple of his special tea.
"Can Xander move in too? I don't want him living in that house anymore."
"Yes. The w… I mean, if Xander promises not to stake anyone he can move in." Angel replied then leaned over and whispered 'I love you' in Willow's ear. She smiled briefly and he kissed her cheek.
"Promise" Xander said reluctantly.
"Then I'm in. I'll sell our old house and use that money for college. See, some good has come out of all this. Um, I'm gonna go home now and wait for the police to call. I'll call tomorrow." Willow, Spike and Angel left with out another word. Buffy didn't feel sad at all that they hadn't embraced. She thought for a moment and realized that she'd moved on. Buffy stood in the doorway for a minute then turned back to the group.
"Xan, Delia? Do you guys mind if I just take Giles with me on patrol tonight?"
"You mean a night off? No slaying? Um, Bye. We'll be at the Bronze." Delia grabbed Xander before he could protest and they were gone.
Buffy and Giles were cautiously walking. They both seemed to want to say something but were afraid to speak. Buffy kicked some freshly turned dirt with her new boots only moments after defeating a vamp. This was when Giles knew something was up.
"Um Buffy. You're oddly quiet tonight. If you'd rather patrol with Xander we could always call him." Giles held back. Even in the silence, Giles was enjoying this alone time with the generally perky blonde.
"Giles, can I ask you something?" Of course Buffy didn't wait for a reply. "Is my attraction to older men a bad thing? I mean first there was Pike and he was like 6 years older than me. Then there was Angel and he's like 200 plus years older than me. And now there's someone new. And he's way older than Pike but super younger than Angel. But I'm afraid he might think of me as a kid or as a daughter and I don't think I could handle that."
"Oh dear, dear Buffy. No one could see you as just a child. And if he should see you as a daughter then he's blind to the beauty you possess. Buffy, any man, no matter what age, would be very lucky to receive your love." Giles embraced Buffy sadly. She couldn't possibly feel that way for him, he thought. Giles wondered when exactly his feelings for Buffy had moved beyond those of a watcher for his slayer and grown into the love he now had for her. But Giles was determined to suffer in silence. Buffy returned his hug passionately and within moments Giles realized she was crying. "Shh… Luv. It'll be ok. My dear sweet Buffy."
"Do you mean it? About being blind and lucky?" Buffy looked up at Giles with tear filled eyes. Giles smiled down at her with his own eyes glistening. Before he could say another word, Buffy kissed him gently. Giles allowed the tears to fall as he kissed the woman of his dreams. Giles tightened his embrace, afraid to let go, afraid he might be dreaming. When Buffy pulled away at last Giles was afraid he'd taken the signals wrongly.
"Do you mean? The older man is?"
"You. Yes. I've been wanting to do that for a while now. I just didn't know it until tonight. The only question now is how do we handle this?" Buffy copied Willow's facial expression by biting her lower lip and raising puppy dog eyes to meet his.
"Slowly. I don't want to screw this up for anything." Giles rested his arms on Buffy's hips. "We date in secret, at least until you turn 18. I don't know how this happened, I've heard it's happened before, watcher's and their slayers but to have it happen is a whole other thing."
"I know what you mean. All the time I was pushing myself towards Angel I was running from what I really wanted. Giles, I wanted you." Buffy kissed his cheek softly and placed her hand on his chest.
"Now the question is, how do we tell the others?"