Title : FATHER GLEN
Part : 2/?
Author : Catherine
Disclaimer : The characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Productions, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, the WB Television Network, and whoever else may have a hold on them. I do not mean to infringe upon any copyrights.

Buffy walked for what seemed hours. After a time she stopped, looking at her feet she sighed sadly. "What am I doing to do?" Normally when something bothered her, made her unhappy or just when she wanted to have some advice, she turned to Giles. Even if she had never admitted it to him, when she was lost he was the first person who came to her mind to help with her problems. But here, she couldn't go to him, because in a lot of ways he was the one responsible for how she felt.

She closed her eyes to try to stop the tears that began to form, and then when she opened her eyes, she looked around her and was surprised to realize that after all that time she had stopped in front of a church.

*After all, why not.* Buffy thought, then entered in the church.

The atmosphere in it was soft and welcoming and, for some strange reason, Buffy had the feeling that she was waiting.

As she walked in the church, Buffy felt the peace presented in the place. She took a seat in the second row. She didn't know why, but maybe Here she could have some answers to her questions.

"Why?" she asked softly after a moment, "Why?" she repeated a little louder, glaring at the cross. Her anger could be heard in the only word she had pronounced.

"Sometimes we may not understand his reasons."

Buffy jumped at the voice, then looked at the direction of the voice. She was surprised to realize that it came from some seats at her right.

"You seem to need some help, my girl," the voice said as he got up and walked in her direction.

"Look," she tried to contain her temper, "I don't need help from some kind of pervert; and that you would do that in a church! Shame on you!" Buffy exploded, "And I'm not 'your girl,' understood!" She looked at the man with angry eyes, then added shyly to the man who were standing in front of her

Father."

She was looking at him with shocked eyes. "I'm…I'm sorry." She stammered.

The Father looked at her with a stern look, then, thinking that wasn't very charitable of him, he laughed softly.

At his laugh, Buffy was looking at him with a blush, and then said, "That's not funny!" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"So you think," he winked at her, "my girl."

Buffy smiled softly then she looked away.

"Again with such a sad face." The priest said softly. "Are you so angry against Him?" He asked, taking the seat beside her.

She was fixing the cross.

"Yes and…No." She said sadly, "It's…It's complicated." She turned to him, It's just that I would like to have some answers."

"We may not understand and know what his plans for us are; but I think that believing in Him already puts you half of the way."

"I don't believe."

He was perplexed at her comment.

"I know He exists." She looked straight in his eyes.

He watched her; "It's rare to hear someone so affirmative. Generally, people say they believe in his existence, but you, you're different, you have no doubt."

"I have a good reason to be like that." She smiled lightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"May I ask why?"

"I'm not sure you'll believe me if I tell you my story." She said.

"I could surprise you." It was clear that he was very intrigued by the young woman in front of him. She seemed to have lived through a lot, especially for one so young in age.

"Okay," she said.

She didn't speak for a moment, and he waited patiently, not wanting to push her; she seemed very fragile emotionally.

"You want to know why I asked why?" she sighed, "Actually, the question was why have you let them to rip me from heaven?'" She said painfully.

The priest thought a moment, and then realized the implications of her words He tried to have the just words, "Because they love you." He said simply.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe."

"You know, as much as artificial paradise is, it's not-" but stopped when he saw her shook her head.

"You have misunderstood me." She replied.

He looked very surprised at her statement.

"I…m not talking about," she put her hand in the air, "drugs."

"So, if it's not about that…"

"I talk about Heaven, Paradise, God, Angels…well all those things," she explained.

His eyes were wide open at her explanation; no sounds came out of his throat

Seeing his reaction, Buffy sighed sadly, "I told you," and got up. She was going to walk out the church when a hand over her arm stopped her. "No.

Stay." He said gently. "Tell…tell me your story. I…I believe you, really." It was like a plea.

"Huh?!?" was her only reaction at his words and the fact that he seemed…sincere.

"Okay," she sat again.

"How to begin…Well, I don't know if you're aware, Father…Is it only Father or do you have a name too?"

"Glen, I'm Father Glen." He answered with a smile.

"Cool name," she grinned, "I mean…anyway, so I don't know if you're aware that some strange things happen often here. There is some…things, and I fight them."

He nodded silently, waiting for her to continue.

"Sometime ago, during one of these fights, I…I died." She finished her sentence in a murmur.

"You mean?"

"Yes, Buffy wasn't here anymore, no need to leave a message after the beep. Buffy, I mean me," she said shyly at him, "I was gone. All of it; funeral, coffin…"

"I…I see." He stammered.

"I…m not sure you do," she patted his arm, "but you…re try. Thank you." She was grateful, first, that he had listened to her; second, he hadn't run to call some 'people.'

He put his hand over hers, and smiled at her. "I often hear some stories, but yours is…well-"

"Over all of them." She grinned.

"In a way yes; but, you're right, I know about the things of which you're talking. I'm aware of the true nature of this town, especially in my position. I don't want to be blind. For me, to ignore that, would be against why I choose to enter in the orders."

She smiled back at him lightly. "I was dead." She said again. He waited for her to continue, silently asking her the question, "My friends," Buffy began like she had read his mind, "they…they performed a spell which resurrected me." She sighed, and then added, " They presumed that I was in some hell dimension."

"And you weren't," Glen said softly.

"No," she laughed sadly, "not at all." She looked at him with some tears in her eyes.

"They haven't even checked!" she screamed in anger, "And they are surprised that I don't thank them all the time." Her anger was bigger.

"I think your anger toward them is understandable and normal." Glen tried to comfort her, "Do you…do you hate them?"

Buffy was thinking then said, "Yes, sometimes…well, when I was-am able to feel something."

"What do you mean?"

She looked at her hands over her knees, "When I came back, I…it was like I was empty. I couldn't feel anything; neither anger or any other feeling."

"My poor child." Glen shook his head in compassion.

"I thought I was becoming totally crazy, y'a know, lost completely my mind. I didn't know how long I could take all those things. Acting like nothing had happened, like being here was…Anyway, fortunately a wonderful thing happened."

Glen was intrigued, whatever did happen had certainly been a blessing for her; he was sure he saw some light in her face.

"My heart," she smiled, "my heart came back to me."

"You mean…" he looked horrified.

"The man that I love," she said naturally, she hadn't understood his expression but then it hit her when she saw his relief.

"Of course," he said.

"Wait, you thought…eiww." Buffy shivered in horror.

"Actually, I didn't know what I thought," Glen amended.

Buffy was looking at him still with some shock, then said, "I can't blame you, in fact. …Cause sometimes I…" She couldn't finish.

"What, Buffy?" He asked gently.

"Sometimes, it's like I have the feeling that something in me is missing."

She blinked and in a painful whisper said, "My soul." He looked at her with some horror, "Sometimes," she continued, "I'm afraid that my soul it's still…There."

"Buffy," Glen searched the right words to comfort her, "I'm sure you're wrong."

"How can you be so sure about that?" she asked almost in an accusatory tone.

"Just the fact that you ask yourself the question. Then, the internal fight that you seem to have; the feelings, those are normal feelings that you are expressing. And if you haven't your soul, I'm sure you wouldn't be here, sitting here, trying to have some answers."

Buffy thought about his words, "Maybe you're right."

"Of course I'm right, you can't doubt me." He tried to ease the atmosphere, If you do, then I should be worried. I…ve lost my legendary persuasiveness," he finished dramatically.

"Okay, Okay." Buffy said. "You know, I'm sure you're the only person to have that sort of reaction to that." She waved her hand in the air.

They stayed quiet a moment before Buffy said, "I hadn't realized how good it was to talk, to be able to talk with someone."

"Don't you talk with your friends? Not even a little?"

She shook her head sadly, "I can't…I can't talk with them about that; and…"

"Yes?"

"In fact, I…I can't stand to be near them, even for a short moment," she said with some shame, before adding, "How ironic is it? I can't do that with them and the only person with who I would able to do it and want it, can't stand to be near me," she said with such sadness.

"Why can't he? Doesn't he love you?"

"In a way yes, I think; even if now I'm not totally certain about that." She finished in a whisper.

"I don't understand. Did he act like he doesn't want you near him?"

"No, he never said or did something like that, it's just that now…I took away his life once again."

The surprise could be seen in Glen's face at her words.

"Well, with me now back, he…he hasn't his own life. He can't have his own life, here or, which is more probable, in England. I'm…I think I'm like a burden for him."

"I'm sure you're wrong, he can't think a such thing about you. I'm sure that there are no words to say how glad he is that you come back to him. Buffy, you can't say such things. You have no right!" Glen tried to contain some anger.

"I heard him!" She screamed.

"What?"

"I heard him, he was talking with Willow, and…and-" She couldn't finish her sentence.

"Buffy, I'm sure you didn…t understood correctly." He patted her hand in comfort.

"Maybe," she wasn't really convinced.

Buffy didn't understand why, but she was almost certain that Glen's words seemed be tinged with some anger. She was too surprised that she had detected certitude in his voice that Giles loved her and was glad that she was back.

Glen had tried to control his emotions but at her words he couldn't, *If only she knew.* he thought.

"Sorry," Buffy said quietly, "I didn't want to make you angry."

Glen looked at her with sympathy, he was unhappy with himself as well that he hadn't been able to contain his anger.

"I'm sorry as well. I'm a priest and I should-"

"But you're a man, too. You can't deny that fact." She grinned.

"Yes, maybe."

"Believe me, you can't," she reiterated.

"You seem very sure of yourself."

"I have-"

"Some reason." He finished for her.

"Yeah," she blushed.

"With what you said, I may tell that you haven't always seen 'him' like that "

"Yeah," she sighed.

"Have you talked yet with him about your feelings for him?"

"No," she shook her head, "at first, I was in total denial mode. He is older than me, you see. Anyway, after that, I was afraid, terrified is more correct, to tell him and after it was…too late."

"Perhaps it's time to talk with him." Glen looked at her with affection.

"I don't know. You see I want him to be happy, to have a real life. I want him to have everything he wishes."

"Maybe he wants all that with you." Glen said with conviction, Buffy thought

"Maybe." Then, looking at her watch she got up like her seat was on fire, "I hadn't realized that it was so late. I need to come back."

Glen got up too, "Buffy, I know that you haven't really found your answer but I hope that you found some peace."

"Actually, you helped me. Thank you for listening to me. I think that I needed to exteriorise some things." She kissed him on his cheek.

At her spontaneous kiss, Father Glen stammered, "I'm…I'm glad that I was able to help you a little." He saw her laugh, "What?"

"Oh, nothing, just that you remind me someone." She smiled.

"Him," he guessed.

She nodded with a blush.

"Try to talk with him, Buffy," he said her gently.

"I'll think about that. Bye." She walked outside the church, feeling a little better.

When Glen was certain that she was outside, he walked towards the other side of the column where Buffy and he had sat. He took a seat beside a tall man, then without looked at him, he asked, "So now, what are you going to do?"

Without a word, Giles got up and left the church.

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