A/N : Just a couple more chapters and I promise Spike will be back! It's taking longer to get to that point than I thought but we will get there, I swear. For now, here's the next chapter...
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 5

Straight after breakfast the next morning, Buffy sent Michael to put on his shoes and coat whilst she tidied the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher. Angel was still unconscious on the bed due to the copious amounts of alcohol he'd consumed the last couple of days and nights in Vegas, and Buffy had slept on the couch to avoid disturbing him. She couldn't face a fight right now, didn't want to blurt out something she'd regret later. Her head was filled with thoughts of two different Englishmen and for two very different reasons. Seeing Angel in this state only served to remind her of how different things might've been if she'd not married him, if she was free and single still. She might have run to England with her one night stand just for the hell of it, but she couldn't as things stood. She didn't regret having Michael, not ever, but she regretted marrying Angel almost daily.

Then there was her father, not Hank like she'd always thought, but a Mr Rupert Giles whom up until two days ago she didn't even know existed. Now she was rushing around, getting herself and Michael ready to go and see him, to say goodbye. In all honesty Buffy wasn't sure why she was bothering. It wasn't as if he'd been a Dad to her, she didn't know him at all, but knowing he meant so much to her mother was enough to make her like him, trust him even, without question.

"Ready, Mommy!" Michael called as he came back from his bedroom, shoes and coat on, all ready to leave.

"Ssh, sweetheart" Buffy hushed him, crouching down to his level to check everything he wore was properly fastened, "We don't want to wake Daddy, do we?"

"Uh-uh" Michael said softly, shaking his head as he peered back at his parents bedroom door. The poor boy was scared of his own father, Buffy could see it in his eyes sometimes. Truth was, there were times that Angel even scared her, though she'd never let him know it.

Mother and son left the apartment and began their journey to the hotel where Giles was staying. The whole way Buffy wondered what she was going to say when she got there, whether she could commit to promising they'd visit England or allow him to say he'd come see her again. It had all happened so fast, and so unexpectantly, she had trouble knowing which way was up!

"Well, here goes nothing" she said to herself as she went into the hotel, her little boy's hand held tightly in hers. They walked up to the desk and spoke to the assistant who called to Giles' room and told him they were there. Buffy felt ridiculously out of place and very under-dressed standing there in the reception area of a fancy hotel like this. Michael seemed to be awe of the ornate furnishings and chandeliers, the like of which he'd never seen before. Buffy could barely afford her life as it was, fancy places like this were so out of her league.

"Buffy" Giles smiled as he came down the stairs to meet them, "and Michael too"

"Hi" the blonde smiled as her son ducked behind her legs and hid, "Come on, sweetie, you remember Mr Giles from yesterday"

"Hello, young man" her father smiled as he crouched down to the boys level, "How would you and your mother like to come with me to the park?"

"Can we Mommy?" Michael asked Buffy hopefully.

"I guess it'd be a good place to talk..." she said glancing at Giles then her son, "Sure, we can go"

"Yay!" the little boy bounced up and down with excitement as the little family headed out.

"Look Mommy!" Michael shrieked as spun around and around on the roundabout with the other kids.

Buffy smiled and waved to him as she sat on the bench with Giles.

"He's a lovely boy, Buffy" he told her, "Joyce must've been so proud"

"She was" she nodded, feeling ridiculously tearful, "Things might've been so different if she'd have known you loved her" she realised as she glanced at the man she must learn to accept as her father.

"Indeed" Giles agreed, swallowing hard, desperate not to make himself look like an idiot by crying over the loss of one he loved for so long, "Buffy, I would so much like to know you better" he told her, repeating words he'd spoken yesterday, before Angel had so rudely interrupted the meeting.

"I kinda think I'd like to know you better too" she agreed, "but it's impossible. We live a whole ocean apart, we barely know each other, and... my life is complicated enough without one more thing to worry about"

"Oh I would not wish to be a burden" Giles assured her, "Quite the contrary in fact"

"What do you mean by that?" Buffy frowned, as she turned to look at him properly. Her father looked down at his hands, apparently unsure about his next move. A moment later he reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a small book.

"Two days ago, when we made the discovery that I was your father" he began, "Buffy, I've never felt so many different things and all at once, I was quite shocked and yet so elated to know there was someone... someone to show that Joyce and I were happy once" he sighed, "In part, I blame myself for not being a part of your life. If I had made more of an effort to contact your mother, come back to America..."

"It's okay" Buffy found herself saying as she put her hand on his, "I don't blame you, I really don't blame anyone. It's in the past, it's not important now"

"Perhaps you can let it go, but I cannot" Giles told her with a shake of his head, "I have missed so much and I really am at a loss as to know how to make it up to you, and indeed Michael. Buffy, please do not be offended, but this is the only way I can think of to prove my sincerest apology for never knowing you"

With that he handed her the book he'd been holding in his hands and Buffy looked at it strangely before opening it up.

"What is this?" she asked, unable to believe her eyes. The book was for a savings account in her name and the amount of zeros that featured in the amount within it made her eyes go wide as serving dishes.

"As I say, I don't wish to offend you" Giles repeated, "I do not suppose for a moment that you cannot look after yourself, but if you would, call this back-dated birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, anything you should've had as a child and didn't..."

"I don't... I can't take this" Buffy told him, though her eyes were still fixed on the numbers before her. Her existing savings account, the one she and Angel shared was mostly over-drawn, and it was all she could do to put a little aside for Michael's future.

"I understand, you feel I am trying to buy your affections" Giles said, glancing away, "but I assure you Buffy, that is not the case. I have no-one to share my wealth with, no wife or other children. I cannot turn back the clock and be the father and grandfather I ought to have been. This is all I can do" he explained, "At least I know I might be helping, if not for you now then perhaps for Michael's future. I need to know I have tried to do something for you, Buffy"

"I don't know what to say" the blonde admitted. This would simple things up so much, to have money of her own that Angel knew nothing of. She could buy things for Michael, save some for his future, and if it all got too much with her husband, she had a means of escape. Still, could she really take money from this random guy she only met two days ago? Bearing in mind they were almost one hundred percent certain he was her father, it wouldn't be entirely inappropriate.

"I don't need you to say anything really" Giles told her, daring to take her hand in his, "I only ask that perhaps you could keep in touch?" he suggested, pulling a small piece of paper from his pocket, "If it makes you uncomfortable I understand but..."

"I'll keep in touch" she promised tearfully taking the paper from his hand. She managed a smile that only grew when she heard Michael's joyful laughter as one of his friends pushed him on the swings.

"You look very like your mother you know" Giles told Buffy, "When you smile like that"

"Thank you" she replied softly, glad to know she possessed some of her mother's beauty, and that in some strange way her memory would live on in her.

She glanced down at her watch and her smile turned to a frown.

"We should really go" she realised and Giles looked disappointed.

"Really? So soon? I was hoping to spend a little more time getting to know you" he told her.

"I'm sorry" Buffy apologised as she got up, "That would've been great but... I should be home when Angel wakes up" she said, looking away, knowing she'd get some disapproving look from him that she got from everybody. Nobody understood why she stayed with him anymore.

Buffy fetched her son and told him to say goodbye to Mr Giles which he dutifully did, before the two adults turned to each other.

"I am so happy to have met you, Buffy" he said sincerely. She wasn't sure how to reply and so decided just to hug him briefly. When they pulled apart there were tears in both their eyes.

"One chance event" he smiled fondly, "My last night in America... it is hard to believe that one single night led to this, my having such a beautiful daughter and grandson" he looked fondly on the two of them one last time before Buffy said a final goodbye and walked away, turning back at the park gates to wave and have Michael do the same.

Tears crept down her cheeks as they headed for home and she fought to control herself. If Angel saw her crying he'd want an explanation and that she wasn't prepared to give. She managed a smile as she replayed Giles' words, about her being his beautiful daughter. Compliments were few and far between in her life of late, the only other genuine one she could recall recently was from Spike, almost a month ago. He'd said she was beautiful too, and he'd certainly made her feel that way when he made love to her. One single night but it had meant a great deal to Buffy.

One single night, the simple phrase echoed in her mind and she heard Giles voice inside her head.

"Oh God" she gasped, suddenly stopping walking and almost tripping over her son.

"Mommy?" Michael said, looking up at her, "Why did we stop?"

Buffy shook her head, finding it impossible to give a verbal answer right now. She did a mental calculation and suddenly felt very faint.

"Come on, sweetie" she forced a smile as she tugged on Michael's hand and they went back up the street and crossed the road.

With a sigh Buffy took her son with her to the drugstore, praying to God she'd made a mistake, but seriously wondering if she could possibly be pregnant with the child of a man she'd met only once.

To Be Continued...