Sorry for the delay. I've had next to no writing time...work has been INSANE! Usually I have Wednesdays off, but not this week. My only day off this week is today...freaking Christmas! I was so exhausted last Wednesday that I spend the entire day in bed reading. I didn't even open anything writing-related. Haha. *sigh*

And...to be frank, the desire isn't there, because it looks like hardly anyone is reading. Very discouraging! *sigh* *sigh*

Anyway...Merry Christmas, People!

Chapter Nineteen
"Slapped"

Buffy bounced down the stairs, smiling when she saw Edmund Giles. She was glad he'd turned on the hallway light and glad there appeared to be no other Giles with him.

"Hey Giles," she said automatically—then realized he didn't look pleased. "Um Edmund, I mean. What's up?"

"Hello Buffy," he said. Then seeing Tom, he nodded at the other boy. "Tom."

Tom didn't verbally greet him, but he too nodded.

"Are my aunts home?" Edmund asked, wondering at Tom's presence.

"Nope. They went out."

Edmund glanced at Tom again and frowned. "Why's he here?"

"Tom and I spent some of the day out together, then we decided to bring the party back here," she said cheerfully. "We were going through Vin and Sophie's record collection and listening to music. Come on up and join us." She turned and gave Tom a little push toward the stairs, then the three of them went up.

Tom waited for Buffy to sit down, then he sat beside her—leaving only the chair across from them for Edmund since the records were scattered all over the remainder of the sofa.

"You two shouldn't be alone together," Edmund said once he'd seated himself. "It's...terribly inappropriate."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Oh my god! Really?! You're worried about propriety? As if it's any better for me to be alone with two boys!"

Edmund sighed. She had a point.

"Why are you here?" Tom countered.

Edmund frowned at the other boy. "Not that it's any of your concern," he said, his eyes going to Buffy, "but my parents told me some things and I...well, I wished to talk to you about the information I was given."

Buffy nodded. "All right. Shoot."

Still frowning, Edmund glanced at Tom again.

"Oh. He's completely in the know," Buffy said, her eyes going from Edmund to Tom, then back to Edmund. "Tom knows everything, so you can just...spill."

"You do know that your identity is supposed to be a secret, right?"

Buffy scoffed. "Where I'm from, all my friends know about me. Tom's a friend, ergo, Tom knows," she said plainly. "Besides, after last night, you know that he knows."

Sighing, Edmund pulled out a handkerchief, then took off his glasses and started cleaning them—causing Buffy to burst out laughing.

Stopping, Edmund stared at her. "Why are you laughing?"

Buffy calmed herself. "I know someone else who does that regularly," she said, waving her hand at his cleaning.

Edmund frowned, then slid his glasses back on his face. "My son, apparently," he said primly.

Buffy's eyes rounded. "Er. Yeah."

"My parents told me...that your Watcher is my yet to exist son."

Buffy looked down, her eyes filling with tears. "Yes."

Edmund watched her, his frown deepening when Tom's hand reached over and snaked its way into Buffy's.

"They told me everything that Auntie Vin and Sophie told them," he said. "Time travel?"

Buffy looked up and shrugged. "Seems so. I mean, I don't remember any of it really, but...I'm definitely not from World War Two London. Or London at all, obviously. I just...appeared here. Like nine days ago. Ask Tom."

"How?"

"How should I know?!" Buffy said. "Get your parents on that one, would you?"

Edmund's eyes went to Tom. He was suspicious of the strange boy that was Buffy's new friend. It seemed a little too convenient that he just happened to be at the fountain to find Buffy when she materialized out of nothing. Could Tom have made the entire thing up? Maybe Buffy had hit her head and couldn't remember what really happened to her. She could be from this time, couldn't she? That was, after all, more logical than time travel.

But as he studied Tom, he realized that Tom was suspicious of him as well. Though why, Edmund couldn't be sure.

Edmund had been informed by his parents about Tom Riddle. They'd both gone to work that day, returning in the evening with more information on the boy. He was an orphan! And not just that, he was an orphan who's mother was dead, but his father was still living. And there were other relatives, so why did he live at Wools Orphanage?

"Why are you here?" Edmund asked Tom.

Tom cocked his head, then narrowed his dark eyes at the other boy. "Buffy and I are friends. Vin and Sophie said I could visit anytime."

Buffy looked between them. "I want him here, Edmund," she said. "Tom didn't just show up here today, I went and got him."

Edmund looked from one of them to the other.

Buffy frowned. "What are you really asking, Edmund?"

Edmund frowned. "You really just...happened to find Buffy?"

Tom nodded. "Yes."

"After dark?"

"Yes. I was only my way back to... home," he said, not wanting to admit to this uppity boy, who was nearly a stranger, that he was impoverished and an orphan. "From boarding school."

"In Scotland?" Edmund prompted.

Tom glared. "Yes."

"And by home you mean Wools," Edmund pushed.

Tom's jaw worked, causing his teeth to grind audibly. "Yes," he growled.

Edmund's eyes went to Buffy, to see if there was a reaction...to see if she'd known where Tom lived. "It's an orphanage, Buffy."

His face pale, Tom stood up.

Her hand still firmly entwined with Tom's, Buffy rose as well. "I know where Tom lives, Edmund!" she said angrily. "I've been there more than once. Today, in fact. And you should know better than to breach someone's privacy!"

Edmund looked surprised. At both her knowledge and her vehement defense of Tom Riddle. He hadn't expected that. Not at all. He was sure that the other boy had been hiding his living arrangements and that Buffy would be shocked by the truth. Clearly he'd been wrong.

"And you don't think he's just...spending time here with you to be away from there?" Edmund tried again.

Buffy gasped—then dropped Tom's hand and slapped Edmund across the face, causing the boy's glasses to fly off. "How very much like your mother you are to make an accusation like that!" the blonde snapped. "And thank you ever so much for showing the confidence in me to be able to pick and choose and know my own friends! Though, I'm not so sure about my picking and choosing at the moment either...having felt like I had two friends here in 1942!" she ranted. "But clearly... not!"

"So, you did know about him and you don't care at all?" the Watchers' son asked, still wanting verification.

"Of course!" Buffy hollered. "To both of those questions! You...you prick! And just in case you need me to be more clear...I absolutely, positively do not care about Tom's background!"

Edmund sigh, then leaned down and picked up his glasses and put them on—and then looked at the boy he'd just accused of only being here for nefarious purposes. "And you...this isn't just..." Edmund waved a hand between Buffy and Tom, but couldn't seem to finish his sentence.

"Of course not," Tom said quietly. "I mean, I definitely loathe my living situation. Mrs Cole is all right, but Wools is awful."

Buffy snorted. "Mrs Cole is not nice!"

Tom shrugged. "I'm not saying she's nice or that I like her, because I'm not and I don't. But...you try caring for dozens of homeless children who have no parents."

"Oh, I get it, Tom," she said. "Still. I don't like it."

"As I said, neither do I," Tom repeated—then looked back at Edmund. "Buffy is...she's my first true friend. And Vin and Sophie, they've been very kind. More kind than anyone has ever been to me. I'm not just here to get out of Wools. It's definitely a perk, but..." His words trailed off, but he was still fuming.

Edmund blushed and looked down—then pulled out his handkerchief and started in on cleaning his glasses again.

"I'm...so sorry," he whispered.

Buffy looked at Tom, seeing his barely contained rage—and the hurt and embarrassment that he was struggling to hide. "You should be!" she said, still angry when she looked back at Edmund.

After settling his glasses back on his face, Edmund touched his tender cheek. "Ow. That's quite a smack you have there."

"Um. Slayer." Buffy stated with a nod. "I hit first and ask questions later. Just be glad it was a slap and not a punch at full strength. Or even half strength," she said, still miffed by the boy's accusations.

"I have another question for Tom," Edmund said as he watched Buffy take Tom's hand again and squeeze it. "If you don't mind?"

Both Buffy and Tom frowned, but looked at him curiously.

"If it involves insulting me again, then I very much do mind," said Tom.

Edmund shook his head. "No. I'm just confused...as to why you live at the orphanage."

Tom started to look angry again.

"Edmund!" Buffy barked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Tom growled, his face red. "Unlike someone, I have no parents! No family! No one!"

"Thanks Edmund, for opening up deep wounds," Buffy said.

"But...you do have family," Edmund said, ignoring the girl.

Tom just stared at him.

Buffy's eyes got big. "Wait. What?!"

Edmund nodded. "Mum and dad didn't tell me this. I overhear them talking. Most of your family is still alive."

Tom paled, then ran a hand through is dark hair, then started pacing. "But...Mrs Cole...she said my mother came to the orphanage, gave birth...then died. She said there was no one else."

Edmund shrugged. "Yes, this Mrs Cole may have thought that, but your father is still alive apparently. And both sets of your grandparents. Well, only your grandfather on your mother's side...and both of your father's parents."

"Then...I don't understand. Why?" he asked. Looking stricken by the news, Tom dropped back down onto the sofa.

"I don't know," Edmund said quietly. "I'm sure my parents can discover more. I promise to inform you once I know more."

Tom looked up at Edmund and sighed. "You'd do that?"

Edmund nodded. "And I'm sorry...for the things I've said tonight."

Tom just nodded.

~oOo~

When Vin and Sophie arrived home—at nearly dawn—they found the three young people curled up together on the sofa, sound asleep.

"Ahhh, aren't they adorable?" Sophie whispered as she kicked off her heels and rubbed her sore feet.

"What the hellmouth is he doing here?" Vin hiss-whispered.

Sophie giggled. "Um. I think we invited him... any time, I believe we said."

Vin shook her head. "Not Tom," she said. "I mean our nephew. Edna is going to have a meltdown when she finds out."

Sophie giggled again. "She will, won't she. Haha."

Vin smiled down at the trio. "I'll go make tea and see if these three ate us out of house and home," she said with a gesture at the teen tangle on the sofa.

Sophie nodded, then busied herself straightening up the lounge. There was stuff scattered everywhere—books, albums, cups, plates, even articles of clothing. Sophie eyed the pile a bodies on the sofa and frowned, then looked at the clothing on the floor and realized there was a jacket, a jumper, three pairs of shoes, and two pairs of socks. And Buffy's brassiere—which, if she'd not seen the girl wiggle out of it without undressing on numerous occasions, she would have thought the three of them had been misbehaving. Smiling, Sophie picked up the clothing and folded each item, then made a stack of the books, then started sifting through the records.

"Ahh. I love this album," she said, grinning. She spent a second looking at the playlist of the one in her hand, then went over to the phonograph and put on the record. "This'll wake the lazy sods," she said with amusement.

When the music began to play, all three sleepers sat up, rubbed their eyes, and looked around the room.

"Hey Soph," Buffy said groggily. "We were just—"

"Sleeping?" the older woman finished for her.

Buffy looked around and, seeing both Tom and Edmund looking just as unfocused as she, she grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. Sleeping."

"Morning Auntie," Edmund greeted as he reached for his glasses and put them on, winced at the soreness of his cheek, then ran a hand through his completely mussed up hair and leaned back on the sofa.

"Do your parents know you're here?" asked Sophie.

Edmund shrugged. "They will at some point. I left a note."

Sophie snorted. "Oh my, your mum will storm the house when she finds it," she predicted, ruffling her nephew's light brown hair.

"I'm afraid so," Edmund said, managing to look remorseful. "But I needed to see Buffy."

Sophie glanced at Tom, who'd not said a word. He didn't look too pleased with Edmund's last statement.

"And you," she started in on the dark-haired boy, "Did Mrs Cole give you any trouble?"

Tom shrugged. "Not too much. Buffy's...very convincing."

Sophie chortled with glee. "She is! I'll go over and talk to Mrs Cole as soon as I can. See if I can make things a little easier in the future."

Buffy nodded. "I told her you would."

Sophie nodded. "Maybe later today," she said with a yawn. "So, I picked up everyone's clothing," she continued, then dangled Buffy's bra out for all to see.

Both Tom and Edmund glanced away. They'd both been slightly aghast when Buffy had removed it.

"Hey!" Buffy bellowed, reaching out and grabbing her bra when she realized what Sophie was taunting her with. "Ever heard of privacy?"

Sophie giggled. "Well, the thing ought to be on you, my dear. Not thrown on the floor leaving you all wild and free."

Buffy huffed. "It was constricting," she said, wiggling a bit to emphasize her point of freedom, then playfully sticking out her tongue. "You should try it!"

Sophie chortled with glee at the girl's quick ability to turn the teasing back around.

Both boys blushed at the open conversation the two females were having.

"Besides, you can see that we're all dressed," Buffy continued. "No harm, no foul."

Sophie nodded. "True, true."

~oOo~

In the kitchen, Vin hustled around making the tea—humming a tune that had played in the dancehall the night before—and wondering how much time before their dear sister figured out where her son was and barged over. Edmund had never showed at their house in the past—not without his parents—so this was something. It had to be.

When the tea was ready, Vin started upstairs. As she walked in the lounge, the doorbell chimed.

"I am not getting that," she said, glaring at her nephew as she placed the tray of teacups on the table with a clatter.

Edmund was still sitting on the sofa, reclining and not moving.

"Well, I'm not going to get it," Sophie said, picking up a cup of tea and sitting down.

Edmund sighed. "I suppose it should be me, since it's likely my mother."

Vin nodded. "Too right."

Buffy jumped up. "Naw. Let me," she said with a mischievous grin as she flung her bra over her shoulder and bounced out of the room.

Tom snickered and Edmund blushed. "Mother is going to go spare."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry to say, but your mother's been in a strop for decades," Vin said.

Downstairs they could hear Buffy loudly call out, "Who's there?"

Vin went over to the window and parted the curtains. "It's Edna," she said announced to the room.

Edmund and Sophie groaned—for different reasons. The former because he knew he was in trouble, the latter because she was too tired to put up with Edna's ever-present disdain.

"WHO?!" Buffy shouted through the closed door.

Vin snorted a laugh.

"We already gave at the office!" Buffy yelled—then giggled and cracked the door open. "Hi there, Mrs Giles. Um. We're totally not interested in anything you have to sell."

Edna Giles huffed. "Miss Summers. I think that you're well aware that I'm not selling anything. Would you be so kind as to let me into my sisters' home?"

Buffy sighed and opened the door completely. "Oh, all right! If you insist."

Edna eyed the slayer—then noticed the brassiere hanging over her shoulder and stared at it.

"We were just...having a party!" Buffy chirped, smiling when the music started playing again. Perfect timing!

Edna glanced up at the ceiling, then looked back at the girl and frowned. "A party at dawn?"

Buffy shrugged. "Well...probably just tea," Buffy said. "Do you want some?"

"Is my son here?" the Watcher asked.

"Oh. Yes. Edmund showed up late last night. So we could have a chat, you know," Buffy said. "He's upstairs too."

Edna glared at the slayer, then started for the stairs. On the next floor she marched into the lounge and glared at everyone in the room.

"What is going on here?" she demanded shrilly—causing her son to cringe.

Buffy entered the room behind her and took a cup of tea and sat back down between the boys. "Oh tea. Yummy!" she remarked sarcastically as she leaned against Edmund and brought her legs up to rest over Tom's lap. "Do you Brits drink anything but tea?"

Edna stared at the girl casually lounging against her son and nearly lost it. "I cannot believe what I'm seeing!"

Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Would you just...relax, Edna," Vin snapped. "You're going to develop apoplexy."

Edna pinched the bridge of her nose. "What is going on here?" she repeated slowly.

Sophie shrugged. "No idea. We've only just arrived home."

Edna's eyes flew open. "What?! You left the Slayer, alone in your house, with two boys?!

"Hey! It's Buffy, remember?" the Slayer grumbled. "Or shall I start calling you the Watcher woman?"

"Buffy is...exceptionally strong," Tom added. "I think she's safe from two boys."

"Mum, we were the perfect gentlemen," Edmund said. "I can assure you."

"And I promise you, I was totally a lady," said Buffy. "Honest."

Edna stared at the girl, glancing once more at the brassiere dangling over her shoulder—on the outside of her clothing—then tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling. She appeared to be counting to ten. Then twenty—it seemed she needed extra calming. Then she looked at her son and sighed.

"You just... left!" she accused, clearly frustrated.

He nodded. "I did leave a note."

"It's dangerous to be out at night, Edmund."

"I realize that," he said. He'd gotten a huge wake up call the night before while being out with Buffy. It had been scary, but exciting too. "I came straight here though. No stops. And it's less than a mile. It took no more than fifteen minutes."

"Which is more than enough time for one of those things to kill you or worse, turn you," Edna said, as if he needed reminding.

Edmund sighed. "I know, mum."

"But you thought it prudent to go out after dark anyway," she pushed. "So that you could have a chat with the Slay...er, with Miss Summers?"

Edmund nodded—and Buffy grinned.

"Is this about what we told you...about her?" Edna questioned her son.

"Hey! Her is sitting right here!" Buffy grumbled.

Edmund nodded. "Yes. About Buffy's Watcher being...my son," he said. It felt strange talking about someone who didn't exist yet. "And about what I overheard you and dad saying."

Edna frowned and cocked her head. "About him?" she asked with a gesture at Tom.

Buffy glared. "Him is also sitting right here," she said—they ignored her.

Edmund nodded again. "Buffy knew about him, but he didn't know about most of it," he divulged.

Buffy huffed. "Would you two stop talking about us as if we're not here!"

"My apologies, Buffy," Edmund said. "Tom." Then he looked at his mother. "Where's dad?"

"He is at work, which is where I should be!" Edna snapped. "Come on, gather your things. Let's go."

"Can't I stay?" Edmund asked. "If Auntie Vin and Sophie don't mind."

"Just leave him here, Edna," Vin finally cut in. "You'll be at work all day and poor Eddie will be home alone, with nothing to do. He might as well spend the day will Buffy and Tom."

Edna glanced down at three teenagers on the sofa. She hated the idea of her son spending the day with the Slayer and her orphan, but...she also felt bad that he was left home alone all day.

"I don't know. I'm sure there's work he could do at headquarters," Edna hemmed.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Doesn't that just sound delightful?" she said

"I'd rather stay at Auntie Vin and Soph's house, if it's all the same to you, mum," Edmund spoke up. He rarely voiced an opinion, so his mother took notice.

Sighing, she relented. "All right. I suppose it might be healthy for you to spend time with people your own age. Did you have any plans?"

"Oh! Tom and I were considering a movie," Buffy said, her eyes going to Vin and Sophie. "If that would be okay with you. Tom's never seen one and I...I'd love to see what they're like here."

Vin and Sophie looked at one another and shrugged. "That sounds lovely."

"So, you two will go with them?" Edna asked her sisters hopefully.

Sophie snorted. "Heavens, no! We've been out all night. It's bed time for us."

Edna scoffed and opened her mouth to give her sisters a piece of her mind, but Vin cut her off.

"Stop right there, Edna!" the dark-haired sister said, holding her hands up. "We're two single ladies who like to have fun. Don't start in on us again!"

Edna huffed, then shut her mouth—then nodded and walked out.

Everyone in the room watched her leave, but before she made it to the front door, Sophie jumped up and ran after her.

"I promise we'll take care of him," she said.

Reaching for the doorknob, Edna snorted. "Right. Because you two watch out for anything other than yourselves."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "We leave the watchery nonsense to you," she said with a grin. "And besides, Buffy's doing rather well here, I'd say."

Edna scoffed. "She's taken up with that orphan on your watch, Sophronia. And she's sitting up there, brassiereless, with two boys beside her. One of them mine! Seems to me that you're putting in every effort to turn her into a bloody trollop while she's living here in your lovely little knocking shop!"

Sophie's eyes flashed with anger. "That's enough, Edna!" she growled as she advanced on her younger sister. "It's one thing to accuse us of such things. Disgusting, but we just ignore your cruel and insensitive words. But to say such things about Buffy? You have no idea what she's gone through or what she is!"

"I do though!" Edna returned heatedly, standing her ground. "She's a time-traveling Slayer who ought to be in the custody of the Watchers Council! Not here with you two, playing evening entertainment to that orphan and my son!"

"That orphan has a name!" Sophie snapped. "And I'll thank you to use it from now on or I swear, Edna, you will not be welcome here anymore!"

Edna opened her mouth to retort, but Sophie kept going.

"I mean it, Edna, one more asinine comment or revolting accusation and that's it, you'll be dead to us! We'll put a charm on the house that won't allow you to enter! I swear it!"

Edna's jaw dropped. "You wouldn't?"

"We will!" Sophie insisted.

Edna looked exasperated. "You can't speak for Lavinia, Sophronia!"

"Sophie absolutely can speak for me!" came Vin's voice. She was coming down the stairs. "We're bloody sick and tired of your shite! Buffy's staying here and what's more, she's been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so...take that back to your Council to chew on!"

Edna blinked. "You're lying!" she accused.

Vin smirked. "Why would I lie, Edna? I gain nothing from lying to you," she said. "If you don't believe me, then go check. I'm sure they've been notified by now. Their jurisdiction over the Slayer is done!"

Edna backed down. "I will certainly bring it up at headquarters."

Vin nodded. "You do that."

"Goodbye, Edna," Sophie said when Edna just stood there.

"I think...maybe...I should take Edmund with me," the Watcher said quietly.

"Mum. Please don't. I would like to stay for the day," Edmund said, almost pleadingly. He'd just come down the stairs with Buffy and Tom behind him. "Please."

Sighing, Edna nodded—then walked out.