TITLE: Giles is a woman? 3/3
AUTHOR: Anne
RATING: this part PG
PAIRING: Buffy/Giles (friendship)
FEEDBACK: Oh yes please!
E-MAIL: bookmangal@yahoo.fr
SUMMARY: Giles is trapped in a woman's body while a demon possessed
his body. Problems ensue.
DISTRIBUTION. VSS; ODD. GRB; GN; The BG Zone; Tweedybookguy;
WatcherGirls. USCL. Anyone else please ask first.
DISCLAIMER: The characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant
Enemy, Sandollar Productions, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox
Television and the UPN Television Network. The story is written for
the pleasure of the author and readers, and has no lucrative purpose
whatsoever. Please do not reproduce this story anywhere without the
author's consent.
SPOILERS: "Dead man's party."
TIMELINE: season 3.
WARNING: none.
NOTE: it's my first classical fic!
DEDICATION: to Nikki for her great beta reading. Thanks.
Principal Snyder entered the library some minutes later. He was so stunned and enchanted by Higgins/ Giles standing near the big table that he completely forgot the presence of Buffy, Xander and Willow who discreetly retreated behind the counter. At the present time, they should be in front of the door of their class to wait for their professor. He also completely forgot the reason of his coming in the library. Devouring Higgins/Giles with his eyes he moved towards her, his best charming smile on his lips.
"Hello, miss." I am Principal Snyder. I don't think I've had the pleasure…" < no I would have remembered it >
Higgins/Giles approached Snyder sensually swaying her hips putting him almost in a trance. He stopped right by the small man. Snyder's eyes levelled at the generous breasts. He could not help looking down the front of the tight red dress. He moistened his dry throat before attempting to speak.
"And-and you are?"
"Delighted to meet you." Giles lied with a suave voice. "I am a friend of Rupert Giles, he's sick. And as I am a librarian, he asked me to replace him for a few days, if of course you agree Mr. Snyder."
Snyder nodded. He was melting almost drooling. "Oh yes! Yes, yes, I agree, of course, I agree, yes. I'm delighted by your presence, miss um…?"
"Osborne, Mary Osborne."
"And this old English owl… I mean, Rupert Giles, will remain absent for a long time?"
Buffy noticed a convulsive tick shaking the muscles of Higgins/Giles jaws and she chuckled in amusement. Snyder had nicknamed him "old English owl"
< Wow! Giles' vengeance will be terrible! > She thought.
Higgins/Giles made a big effort to remain charming. "I do not know Mr. Snyder." He put his hand on the Principal's arm, who shivered and blushed with pleasure immediately. "I would like to continue this interesting discussion, Mr. Snyder, but I have some work to do, you understand?"
"Yes, naturally, naturally. I hope that we shall have the occasion to see each other again Miss Osborne."
"It will be a pleasure. I am looking forward to it."
Snyder turned on his heels and went out of the library feeling wonderful, being in seventh heaven. Buffy, Xander and Willow left their shelter and approached Higgins/Giles who fumed.
"I didn't know that you knew how to lie, Giles." Buffy said grinning. "You had hidden that from me. Naughty Watcher!"
"WHOA!" Xander exclaimed, impressed by the performance of his older friend. "You had to be a good actor in Oxford Giles! "
Higgins/Giles smiled and blushed a little with pleasure and he said: "When you possess trump cards, Xander, it is necessary to know how to use them against an opponent."
Xander smiled widely. "Opponent? You don't love our dear Principal Giles? Because he nicknamed you "old English owl! Welcome to the club!"
"This man does not love children. He is little a narrow-minded coward, a squirt without brains who thinks only of bullying."
"Uh! Uh! You don't like him." Summarised Buffy and she added: "And Snyder is afraid of you. In fact, I noted that he avoids you like the plague, except when he can't do otherwise, since I returned to school…" She saw Higgins/Giles looking embarrassed studying his feet and guessed in a flash what had happened: "Oh, Giles! You shifted into Ripper mode and threatened Snyder? What did you say him? `Reinstate Buffy in the school otherwise I'm going to explode your ugly gnome's head'?"
Higgins/Giles shook his head. "Not exactly. But he was frightened and you came back to school."
She tiptoed and kissed Giles on his cheek. "I thank you, Giles, it is very kind of you to have done that for me. You are my devoted knight, in tweed armour."
"Oh! Oh! I have something!" Willow exclaimed suddenly, fixing the screen of the computer.
Higgins/Giles passed behind her and looked over her shoulder to read the article. "Let us see."
"The journalist tells the story of a woman who's purported to have been trapped in a body of a man after he touched her. There is a photo … Giles it's you! I mean, it's the photo of the woman's body, which you occupy. Her name's Maggie Higgins, she's… she was a history teacher. She's English, Giles. And … Oh! She's locked up in an institution … Doctors consider her crazy. The journalist has listed 80 "stolen bodies" the last hundred years Giles."
"There are 81 now." Xander said.
"Oh! Look!" Willow said, frightened.
Willow pointed to a tall figure dressed in black clothes standing behind the mezzanine rail with a pistol in his hand.
"Oh! Oh! Problems." Buffy said.
The man in black pulled the trigger. A dart embedded in Higgins/Giles' right shoulder. He let out a cry of surprise and pain, staggered some seconds and collapsed like dead weight behind the counter. Xander knelt next to him and checked his pulse and breathing, both were slow but steady. He was just asleep.
The man in black descended the left staircase, saying: "Don't worry. She's not injured. Just asleep."
Buffy's eyes hardened and her jaw clenched. She faced the Order of Kade's agent. "If it's Karemza you're looking for, she's not in this body any more."
"Let's see it, shall we?"
The man in black took a golden eye shaped object from his jacket pocket, which suddenly burst into a bright white light. He scanned Higgins/Giles with it. It revealed a human skull.
The agent of the Order of Kade nodded. "Karemza does not live in this body anymore, otherwise the Eye of Truth would have shown the demon's face behind the face of her host." The man in black got up. "I have to resume my search."
Buffy frowned intrigued. "How did you know where to find her last host? Giles had not left the library all night, except to go to the toilets from time to time."
"I showed the photo of Maggie Higgins to several people in city, unsuccessfully, then to students. One of them recognised her and said that he had seen her in the library of High School. I have to go. I have to search for Karemza, who has to be very far from here, now."
"Find her fast! My friend who's trapped in this woman's body would like to get his body back."
"I am sorry to tell you, but your friend will never get his body back. No one has ever got his or her body back. Your friend will have to become used to the one that he has now."
The man in black left the library.
"Giles is really going to love it!" Xander said, sad for Giles. "Poor G-man condemned to be a woman!"
He slipped his arms under Giles' and dragged him into his office and lay him on the couch.
"Do you think he'll sleep for a long time?" Willow asked to Buffy.
Buffy shrugged. "I do not know. All I know is some rest will not hurt him."
The bell rang. It was time to go in the next class.
"We can't leave him alone here. Students could come and Snyder could come back here. We're going to drive him home. No school for us today guys!… Mom is going to kill me."
*
* *
Buffy laid Higgins/Giles on the bed propped up a pillow behind her/his head and removed her/his shoes. Oz, who had joined them in their search for a solution to Giles' dilemma, shook his head.
"I never noticed that Giles had such beautiful legs." He said with a half-amused smile. "And so beautiful breasts!" Xander added, grinning.
Buffy turned around and ordered: "You guys out!"
The boys obeyed. Willow joined Buffy holding a big dusty book of magic she had taken in Giles' personal collection.
"Buffy! Buddy! I found a rite which will cancel the life energy transfer and will return Giles to his body."
She smiled proud of herself.
"Great! Do you feel capable of doing this rite Willow?" Willow nodded. "Yes I do."
Higgins/Giles moaned and stirred in his sleep.
"I look forward to finding Giles Willow." Buffy said taking her/his hand to press it in hers. "I mean, to find the man, Rupert. It's funny, but I need his strong presence at my side. Without him, I feel lost. And I admit it, I am almost afraid."
Willow nodded. "It's normal Buffy, Giles was at your side since the beginning. He's not only there to educate you, to guide you, to train you, he's there to reassure you, and protect you. It's his role. And he likes you very much, and you like him very much too." She offered a reassuring smile to her best friend and continued: "Don't worry Buffy, Giles-Giles will be at your side again soon." She opened Giles' book of magic spells where she had placed a bookmark. "Well! I have all the necessary magical ingredients for the rite.... On the other hand, the rite has to take place in the middle of nowhere, under the starry sky, in a deserted and silent place."
Buffy nodded. "All right we are going to the desert, tonight. It is perfect. Oz will drive us there."
*
* *
Mary Higgins' body began shimmering like heat haze in the desert, then disappeared in a red mist and was replaced by Rupert Giles' body. The old man was sleeping an arm folded on his chest the other one was under his head. He was wearing black pyjamas.
Xander knelt next to the Watcher and shook his shoulder. Giles slowly opened his eyes and saw stars far away above him. He raised himself on his elbows and noticed that he was in the desert. He noticed too with relief that he was back in his body. And wearing black pyjamas. He turned left, towards Xander.
"How are you Giles?" The young man asked.
"I am fine… thank you."
Giles saw Willow behind him between Buffy and Oz. She held a big old book that he recognised as one of his books of magic spells. He immediately knew Willow had used magic to bring him back to his body. He frowned, angry. He kept them all at his place because the spells which they contained, were very dangerous. Willow could have been vaporised if she had made a slightest error in casting the spell. He saw Willow quiver and tighten the book against her like a shield. She did not dare to look at him. She felt guilty because he had told her never to open those books. She had disobeyed to him.
"I am sorry Giles." Willow said with a little voice. "But it was the only solution to bring you back." She started to cry. "I won't disobey you anymore, I promise. Please don't be mad at me. Please forgive me."
Giles got up and… put a paternal hand on Willow's shoulder then wiped her tears with the back of his hand. "I know you will not disobey me again and I forgive you. But you know why I was angry? You could have died, and I don't want to lose you Willow." He closed his arms around her in n a hug. "And I thank you a lot. It is thanks to you if I am myself again." He parted and shook his index finger, frowning. "But never do this again!"
Willow smiled widely, relieved. "I promise."
"All right. Now let's go back to Sunnydale." Giles said. "This story is over, fortunately."
END