Chapter Five:
Rose's eyes fluttered shut, the heat of the magic surging through her like wildfire. Even if they were open, time would have slipped away unnoticed; all she cared about was this moment, wrapped in Giles's touch. The magic between them felt electric, alive, every brush of his fingers on her skin heightening the sensations.
She couldn't judge how long they had been performing this spell together, but the intoxicating flow of magic left her breathless. She craved more, every moment a heady blur of heat and desire.
"Ripper, I want more," Rose whispered, her voice low and husky, her head tipping back as a bead of sweat traced a slow path from her neck to her chest, disappearing beneath the loose button-down shirt she had pulled from the floor earlier.
Giles's breath skimmed her skin, cool against the fire licking inside her. "Your wish is my command, Guinevere," he murmured, his lips brushing her ear, sending shivers through her.
Rose gasped, her body quaking as his fingers traveled along her bare legs, his whispered Latin words weaving the spell tighter around them. The magic surged, sending waves of heat through her, and a soft moan escaped her lips as she arched against him. Her head fell back, resting against Giles's shoulder, his body a solid wall of warmth behind her.
"That's my little witch," he whispered, his lips brushing against the delicate shell of her ear. His breath, hot and teasing, was followed by a gentle tug of his teeth on her earlobe.
Rose's breath quickened, each exhale sharp as his hand moved higher, his touch igniting a trail of fire up her legs. In a swift movement, she pushed herself from his chest, turning in his arms to straddle him. As their spell dissolved into the air, she ran her hands over his bare chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips.
Her hands slipped into the hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer until their lips finally met in a slow, searing kiss. Giles's fingers roamed up her spine, curling into her hair, tugging just enough to pull her lips from his.
His gaze burned into hers, his eyes intense and full of longing. "Beautiful," he whispered, his thumb brushing across her cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Bloody beautiful."
"Careful, Ripper," Rose teased with a sly grin. "All those pretty words might go to my head."
"Good." His voice was low and rough, and then he closed the distance between them, capturing her mouth in a deep, heated kiss.
"GILES!" Buffy's voice pierced the air like a sudden gust of cold wind.
Rose jerked away from the kiss, her eyes wide with shock as she turned to see Buffy standing in the doorway, mouth agape, eyes wide. Willow and Xander stood behind her, equally frozen in disbelief.
"Oh God! They didn't—" Xander began, quickly stopping himself.
"What the bloody hell are you three doing here?" Giles demanded, a flicker of irritation crossing his features as he turned toward the intrusion.
Buffy stepped further into the room, her expression a mix of confusion and disgust. "We came to tell you something's wrong with the adults, but clearly… you're part of the problem." Her gaze darted between Giles and Rose. "Wait, why aren't you wearing clothes?!"
"Oh God. They did!" Xander shrieked, throwing his hands over his eyes while Willow turned and buried her face in Xander's shoulder.
Rose stood, pulling the oversized shirt down to cover more of her legs. "You have terrible timing," she said, her voice dripping with frustration. "We were just about to—"
"Don't finish that sentence!" Buffy pointed a warning finger at them both. "We are going back outside, and when we return in two minutes, you both better be dressed!" She spun on her heel, storming out along with Willow and Xander and slammed the door behind her.
Giles let out a soft chuckle. "Seems someone's got their knickers in a twist."
Rose sighed, glancing around the room for her clothes. "You know she's not leaving until you help her, and you still owe me that bath, so..."
Giles groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
When the door reopened, Giles was dressed in jeans and a white tee-shirt, a cigarette dangling from his lips, a small hoop earring gleaming in his left ear. His eyes were rimmed in dark eyeliner, his look completed with worn biker boots.
Rose, however, had transformed herself into something more provocative. She wore Giles's shirt, now tied in a knot at her waist, revealing a glimpse of skin just above the waistband of her tight black leather miniskirt. Her cheeks were flushed, dark eyeliner rimmed her green eyes, and her lips were painted a sultry shade of red. High-heeled pumps completed her ensemble.
"Rose, you're so… not you," Willow said, her voice full of concern as she approached her friend.
"What are you talking about, Willow? This is me," Rose replied, clicking her tongue.
"My little witch," Giles murmured, his arm snaking around her waist to pull her closer.
Rose smirked, slipping her hand under his shirt, her fingers trailing across his skin just as his lips claimed hers in another fiery kiss.
"Ew!" Buffy groaned, wedging herself between them and shoving them apart. "Giles, stop!"
"It's Ripper," he corrected, nonchalantly taking a drag from his cigarette.
"Oh no, he's young Giles. Bad Giles," Willow muttered, eyes wide with panic.
"So all the adults have reverted to their younger selves, but why is Rose acting like a hormonal teenager, too?" Xander asked, frowning. "She's already one."
Rose stuck out her tongue at Xander and reached for the chocolate bar on the table, only for Willow to snatch it away. "Hey! That's mine, bitch!"
"Oh, here comes the catfight!" Cherred Giles.
"No, no catfights, no more chocolate!" Willow declared, glaring at Giles as he smirked. Willow's voice dropped as she continued. "Rose hasn't had a typical teenage phase. Her parents travel, she had to grow up fast. Maybe she's never had the chance to feel like this, to… let go."
Xander's eyes widened. "We don't know how much she might have eaten, but if she ate as much as I did..."
Rose rolled her eyes, hopping up onto Giles's desk, crossing her legs in dramatic defiance. "What do you need Ripper for, anyway?" she drawled. "We were just in the middle of something very—"
"Nope, stop right there!" Buffy interrupted, her hands flying up. "Giles, those chocolate bars—you've been eating them too, haven't you? We think someone's casting a spell through them."
Giles leaned against the desk, his arm draped possessively over Rose's shoulders. "It wasn't us!" he shot back, looking indignant.
"No, why would I think it was you two? Hey, no more touching!" Buffy snapped, her eyes flicking between them in exasperation.
"But he's so… touchable," Rose teased, plucking the cigarette from Giles's lips, taking a slow drag before blowing the smoke out in his direction.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Xander groaned.
"Willow, Xander, take Rose with you to the Bronze and stay there until I come find you. Ripper, you're with me." Buffy's voice was sharp, cutting through the haze of lingering magic and tension in the room.
Rose slid off the table, the cigarette between her fingers smoldering. With a flick, she stubbed it out on the edge of a plate, her eyes narrowing as she sauntered toward Buffy. The dim light cast long shadows, making her look wild and untamed. "And who do you think you are, telling me what to do?" Her voice dripped with challenge as she raised her fist, her fingers curling into a threatening posture. "I should show you who really has the power here."
Before she could act, both Willow and Xander rushed forward, each grabbing one of her arms, tugging her toward the door. "Ripper!" she called, her voice laced with fury and desire.
Giles's grin was feral as he lit another cigarette, watching her with an intense gaze. "I'll find you later, love. And we'll pick up exactly where we left off." His words hung in the air, a promise of things to come.
As Willow and Xander half-dragged her into the courtyard, the cool night air hit Rose's skin, making her shiver. Willow, always the practical one, looped her arm tightly through Rose's, preventing any escape. "Rose, you've got to snap out of this," she urged, her tone desperate.
"There's nothing to snap out of," Rose replied, her voice low and defiant. "For the first time, I feel free."
"But you were... undressed," Xander interjected, his face pale as he tried to process what he'd just witnessed. "With Giles. As in, no clothes at all." His voice cracked. "Wait, you guys didn't actually... you know, do it?"
Rose smirked, her lips curling wickedly. "I never kiss and tell," she purred, a gleam in her eye. "At least, not the first time."
Xander's face drained of all color. "First time?" he stammered, horror dawning on him. "Wait, if there was a first time, then that means... oh god... was there a second time?"
Willow spun Rose around, her expression panicked. "You didn't actually sleep with Giles, did you?" Her voice was almost a whisper, laden with disbelief.
"It was magical, Willow." Rose's voice softened, and a warm flush crept over her skin as the memory of Giles's touch swept through her. "He was my first."
"OH GOD!" Xander screamed, clutching his head in disbelief.
Rose's expression remained distant, dreamy. "He was so gentle."
"WHY?" Xander practically shrieked, looking like he might pass out.
"Rose," Willow's voice cracked with worry as she looked into her friend's eyes. "Please... please tell me you were safe?" Her question was almost a plea, her hand gripping Rose's tighter.
Rose yanked her arm free, crossing her arms defiantly. "Yes, Mom! We were safe. Satisfied?"
"Oh, thank God," Willow muttered under her breath, her shoulders sagging in relief. "I mean not thank God. Bad, Rose, bad!"
Xander, on the other hand, was muttering to himself. "I need to bleach my brain... and my eyes... and my ears."
Rose had enough. "You know what? I'm bored with this," she snapped, turning on her heel. "I'm going to find Ripper."
Willow stepped forward, taking Rose's arm. "Come on, let's get to the Bronze, I'm sure Giles… Ripper will be at the Bronze."
Rose wrenched her arm free. "His magic calls to me." Rose's eyes darkened, her gaze intense as she leaned in close to whisper, "Oblivisci."
Immediately, a blank expression washed over Willow and Xander's faces, their former concern melting away.
"There was a crowd, and you lost me. Go to the Bronze and wait for Buffy," Rose instructed, her voice smooth and commanding. Without hesitation, they obeyed, moving off into the night like sleepwalkers, their footsteps fading into the distance.
The night air was crisp, carrying a faint chill as Rose turned her gaze to the dimming horizon. "Suscipe me ad animam meam." Her voice was barely a murmur, but the words sparked a ball of light into existence, flickering like a ghostly flame. It hovered in front of her, casting a soft glow as it guided her toward the warehouse district where her Ripper waited.
By the time she reached the old building, the sky had fully surrendered to the night; the stars obscured by dark clouds. Inside the warehouse, the echo of muffled voices bounced off the cold concrete walls, leading her through shadowed corridors. When she finally entered the dimly lit room, the sight of Giles, towering over a man handcuffed to a railing, sent a thrill through her.
"Ripper!" Rose's voice broke the tense silence, light and filled with excitement as she ran toward him.
Giles's eyes glinted with a predatory gleam as he looked up, his lips curling into a smirk. "Guinevere," he murmured, pulling her into a heated kiss that sent a shiver of warmth through her despite the coldness of the room.
The man handcuffed to the railing sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Who's the little tart?"
Giles shot him a dangerous look, his jaw tightening. "You keep your filthy eyes off her," he growled, his arm tightening possessively around Rose.
With a teasing smile, Rose stepped toward the man, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. "This lil' tart could strip the skin from your bones, piece by piece."
The man's expression faltered, "The power radiating off of you, it feels a lot like Ripper's…" a flicker of recognition darting through his eyes. "Srodna duša," he muttered under his breath, his gaze flicking between Rose and Giles.
Giles's brow furrowed, his grip on Rose tightening. "What are you on about?" His voice was low and menacing.
Ethan smirked, his amusement evident. "Oh, this is better than anything I could've dreamed. Fate's a real bitch, Ripper. The guilt is going to eat you alive, old friend."
Before Giles could respond, Buffy's voice sliced through the thick tension, her steps quick as she approached. "Rose? What are you? No more touching you two!" she commanded, pulling Rose away from Giles once more.
Ethan's grin widened as he watched the scene unfold. "Good luck with that," he muttered, his voice laced with wicked glee.