Contemplating Home

bahocean

Summary: Giles is thinking. What does he decide?

Disclaimer: I am not Joss or Anthony so I don't own either. I'm just making the characters happy by playing with them.

Distribution: My site, anyone else wants them ask. Feedback: D'uh!

Rome, Italy

Dr. Rupert Giles, archaeologist, Watcher and current head of the Watcher's Council, and estranged Watcher to the Senior Slayer, looked at his watch as he exited the plane into the Roman city terminal. He had been intrigued by the call made by Todd Welsford, interested in the idea of working with entomologist Dr. Gil Grissom, and nervous about the "artifacts" found. They had a way of being deadly or mystical...or both.

But the real reason he was there had five letters in its first name, six in its last, blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile that made the sun jealous. Buffy. His Buffy. Well, not his, he admitted to himself. He had, after all, made the colossal mistake of running away when she had told him that she loved him.

Beautiful, bright, brilliant Buffy Summers loved HIM, rundown, ramshackle Rupert Giles. That thought made him want to move the sky for her, to sing and dance...you know, the things EVERYBODY in love wants to do. If he could just get her to LISTEN to his APOLOGY... Women don't usually take it well when the man they love runs away after hearing that declaration.

He shook his head. He'd just have to fix it, that's all. Although, Buffy could SERIOUSLY hold a grudge when she felt she'd been wronged (as she had that whole last year in Sunnydale). He'd thoroughly expected Buffy to hang up when he called. She hadn't. She had, instead, kept their calls strictly business, answering only questions about how Dawn was adjusting, never herself. He'd been forced to feed his hunger for Buffy knowledge by Dawn slipping him information behind Buffy's back. And she'd vowed to stop doing that last week.

Giles looked around, one hand going to the smartly trimmed beard that still felt odd. Part of him knew he was indulging Buffy, as she had once said wistfully she thought he'd look good with one. He would do almost anything if she would TALK to him like she used to, nattering away about anything and everything.

He missed her so much.

He'd tried to call her before he left London last night. Another female American voice had answered, sounding unfamiliar. He recalled the conversation...

"Hello?" Giles looked at the phone, surprised.

"I'm sorry I must have the wrong number."

Sara scowled at the phone. "No, Mr. Giles, you dialed the right number. Buffy's just not in right now."

"How do you know who I am?" "You're the only Englishman likely to be CALLING Buffy, now aren't you?" Giles was a little miffed at her tone. "And who are you?"

"My name is Sara Sidle. We met when Buffy saved my life. And as to who I am... Let's just say that Buffy's not the only one in the "I love an oblivious, pig-headed, brillant older man" club. Shall I tell her you called?"

"Yes, please. Hey, Ms. Sidle," he said hastily when she sounded about to hang up. "How...how is she doing?" Sara paused. She wasn't sure WHAT to say to her friend's erstwhile paramour. Buffy had made it clear that she wasn't PUNISHING Giles for his idiotic dash across the continent; she just figured he'd made his decision and she was trying to make life easier for him. On the other hand, Sara had a feeling that this man was just as confused about what to do as HER man was. So she told the truth.

"She cried herself to sleep last night over you," she said finally. "You're an idiot, you know Mr. Giles. Goodbye."

"I know," Giles said sadly now. He'd blown it. Now he had to salvage it, because he wasn't giving up on the chance of a happy life with his Slayer without a fight to the death.

Just then, he spotted two men walking toward him. One was a smaller man, about five foot ten inches. The other...

The two Dr. G's looked at each other in astonishment. They looked enough alike to be family!

Both men were five foot eleven, with brown hair going to grey, neatly trimmed brown-and-grey beards, and were currently (in Grissom's case) wearing glasses. The only tangible differences were their luggage and their eye color, which most people don't pay attention to at first glance. "Dr. Giles, meet Dr. Grissom," said Dr. Wolford, confused. Both men shook off the resemblance and shook hands. "Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Grissom."

"Likewise, Dr. Giles. But please, it's Grissom or Gil."

"And it's Giles, or Rupert." Grissom smiled. "And another commonality we share." Todd looked at them both again. "Shall we?" "Of course," said Giles politely. "Have you read the latest article in Forensics and Archaeology?" "The one about that ridiculous typing method?" And they were off, chattering merrily.

BG GS BG GS

Later that night, Giles was sitting on the balcony of his hotel room, a glass of scotch in one hand. He was concerned for Buffy, knowing she was probably patrolling...or out on a date. THAT thought hurt. He winced and took a sip of scotch.

"Thinking of a woman?" He jumped at the quiet voice coming from his left. Grissom was leaning against the wall, looking out at the Roman countryside.

Giles smiled wryly. "That obvious?" He gestured to the bottle of scotch.

Grissom nodded and poured himself a small one. "Not really. Just thinking of one myself."

Giles nodded. The two men sat for a minute and contemplated the women they loved.

"Care to go for a walk?" Grissom looked at him. "I feel the need for some strolling."

Grissom nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I know the feeling. Normally, I'm working at this time myself. Or sleeping, not sure which, with the time change."

Giles laughed. "I know what you mean." They went out of the hotel, and walked along in silence. Then Grissom broached the subject. "Is she back in England?" Giles was startled, then understood. "No, she's here actually. Rather upset with me at the moment too." Grissom winced in sympathy. "Don't you just hate that? Especially when you KNOW you're wrong and not sure how to FIX it."

Giles looked at him. "You too?"

"Oh, yeah. Tell a woman you don't know what to do about your feelings and it goes all to pieces." They shared a commiserating look. "How much younger is yours than you?" Giles asked.

"Fifteen years."

Giles snorted. "Well, I'm 50 and she's 23. So I win."

"What's her name?"

"Buffy Summers," Giles said softly. Grissom looked askance.

"Really." Giles looked stern. "Sorry," Grissom said sheepishly.

Giles smiled. "Actually, her sister's name is Dawn. I wonder about their parents' thoughts when they named them. But enough about that. Your girl?"

"Sara Sidle." Giles almost tripped. "You're joking."

"No. Why?"

"We've met. Well, talked on the phone. I called Buffy, she answered, called me an idiot, then hung up. Reamed me a new one too."

"That sounds like Sara," Grissom said with a laugh. "One of our co-workers calls it the Sara Sidle Smackdown."

Giles laughed. "Sounds like my Buffy and your Sara would get along."

"Oh, we do." Giles' heart leaped at the voice behind him. The two men turned. Grissom saw a small blond woman, blue eyes fierce, dressed for the weather in warm jeans and a sweater. Giles saw his heart in human form. Buffy's eyes went wide. "Duck!" She said, pushing Grissom and Giles to the ground as a vampire came out from behind the bushes. She dispatched the ugly demon quickly, then turned to help Grissom up. Giles she ignored after a cursory check. "You must be Grissom. I'm Buffy."

"Pleasure." Buffy wasn't smiling. "Wish I could say the same. But watching a dear friend of mine cry over your willful blindness tends to cloud my judgment." Grissom looked hurt by her words, not that she had said them, but that Sara had cried over him. "Come on, gentlemen, it's not safe out here." Giles reached for Buffy's arm. "Buffy..." he said softly. Buffy avoided his reach, a move that wrenched his heart. "Not now, Giles. Maybe not ever," she said even softer.

She turned to both men. "I'll show you back to the hotel." "Buffy..." Grissom asked hesitantly. "Do you know where Sara is?" She looked at her friend's dream man. She could see why Sara adored him. He looked so much like her beloved Rupert, and so heartbroken. So she answered. "She's , here in Rome." Buffy looked at her watch. "She and I are going to dinner with some charming young men we met in about an hour." She neglected to mention that the "charming young men" were gay. After all, the Drs G deserved to sweat a little.

Both men felt stabbed through the heart at that one.

She looked at them with pity. "We won't wait forever, you know guys. Make up your minds...and do it fast." She left them at the door to their hotel. They were on the way up to their rooms when Grissom had a thought. "What was that thing?"

Giles sighed. "It's a long story."

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