TITLE : WHEN WILL YOU SEE ME ?
PART : 4/?
AUTHOR : Catherine
DISCLAIMER : Joss owns all
FEEDBACK : Absolutely, Please. Love it

AT THE BRONZE

Willow had called Spike earlier to tell him they were going to the Bronze.

"Okay, Red, see you there."

"Later Spike." *Later, Spike!!! Where's the imagination Will, why not- *

"Will, are you all right?" asked Buffy.

"Yeah, it's just-"

"Don't worry, he will arrive," Buffy said with a smile.

"Buff…What are you saying? No, it's not what you think, it's just-" Willow was rambling.

"You must stop her, Slayer."

"Spike!"

"Hey Red, nervous?"

"N…No." She was smiling, "You're here. Sit down."

Buffy was laughing and the others were too, when she grinned, "Which is stranger? Willow giving orders to Spike, or Spike following, no, obeying them!!!"

"Ha Ha, very funny, Slayer."

"Yes, Buff." But Willow was delighted by her friend's humor.

"So, Spike, where were you?"

"I'm waiting for the drinks!"

"Oh, the Willow' Inquisition," said Xander with a twinkle in his eyes, "It's all right Will; we waited, when we saw him. He had already ordered the drinks." He turned to Spike "Or were you flirting with-"

"Xander, bloody hell. Stop that or-"

"Or what, you'll bite me-?" teased Xander,

"Yes."

"Yeah, like Will'll forget you."

Spike looked at Willow and muttered "Ha, to be in love…Bugger Love."

"Spike?" asked Willow,

"Yes, Red, don't worry. I never-"

"I know." It was a statement, "and Xander knows too."

"And you Xander, stop tease Spike like that!" she said with her 'resolve face.'

"You win, like always." Xander told her, and Spike agreed.

The little group enjoyed the evening, here, like before.

"You know guys, you were right."

"Buff, we are always right," said Xander and added "right, about what?"

All were laughing.

"About this…this evening, to be here, to get out."

Suddenly they heard, Willow saying "OH! LOOK!"

"Will, what-" began Buffy, when she was interrupted.

"Evening all." It was Giles with Olivia close behind.

"Hey, G-man."

"Xander," said Giles, but his eyes, since his arrival, were just for Buffy, "and as I already told you, don't call me like that!"

"Hey, Giles! What a nice surprise! Oh, and you're with a friend, so, you went to the Bronze. What a great idea. But I thought the Bronze wouldn't be in your choice, you know, not that you, well, I don't mean say to say it like that, but"

"Honey, you're rambling," a very calm Spike interrupted her.

"Thanks Spike," sighed Willow, "Wait, you called me 'Honey'?"

"Me? No!" exclaimed Spike.

"Yes, he did."

"Slayer!"

"Vampire!"

Olivia had heard, and she looked at them with a questioning expression and a "What?"

"It's…a joke," they told her.

"Anyway," began Anya, "he called you 'Honey'. Xander calls me 'Honey' too, especially when we use-"

"Anya!" It was an alarmed Xander, "Stop, please. I'm sure they don't want to-"

"Right, it's really not interesting, and to tell the truth, very bothering," said Olivia.

"Olivia!" said Giles with a little Ripperish glare.

"Well, you know how to put the ambiance!" teased Spike, "So, Watch… Giles, why are you and your 'so nice' friend are here?" he asked with a sarcastic look toward Olivia, "because, like Red said, it's not really a place you usually visit."

Giles looked at Spike, and without answering him said, "Can we sit?"

"Of course, Giles, take a seat, and your friend too." sighed Xander.

"Oh sorry, this is Olivia. Olivia, this is Xander, Anya, Spike, and Willow. You've already met Buffy, and this is her sister Dawn."

They all said "Hi" was, but it was really by act of politeness. Giles and Olivia were practically in front of Buffy; Olivia put a hand on his arm with a defiant glance towards Buffy, who was tense. She felt something; Willow understood, and took her hand.

Buffy held it immediately.

"Buffy, how are you?"

"Fine."

"And college?"

"Great."

She squeezed Willow's hand,

"And-"

"So, Giles, how are you, and what are you up to?" Willow interrupted him, "Buffy told us you want to take some rest. Have you found a new job?"

"Fine, I…yes, I wanted to think about several things; and I've looked. I hope I answered in the correct order." He said with a wink. He wanted to ease the atmosphere. He didn't know why, but it was strange, they were acting as Buffy's "protectors".

"Yes, as always, Giles."

"So, Buffy…"

She was drinking her mocha, "Hum, it's…," she added with a smile, "Sorry, but it's just-"

"I don't know why, but I think Buffy really likes her drink." grinned Xander.

"That's normal; her others senses are developing, so-"

"Anya?!?" interrupted Xander,

"Oh, well, sorry. Forget what I said."

"What?" Giles was more and more perplexed.

"Nothing, it's a game between us, you know," indicated Willow.

"Yes, Giles, it's a 'child' thing," said Olivia, looked precisely at Buffy.

Nobody responded. Even Giles was lost in his thoughts when Olivia asked him to dance.

"Olivia"

"Go, Giles. And it's a slow dance. It's good, no?" But it was sarcastic from Buffy.

"Yes, we will return." He was reluctant to leave them, but…

When Giles and Olivia were dancing, Anya grimaced, "I don't like her."

"Same here, An."

"She's so…she's a veritable bi-"

"Dawn," Buffy cautioned her.

"Well, but how can Giles do this to you?"

"Dawn, he doesn't do anything to me. No comment, Anya!" she warned her, "In fact, I discovered a positive side to my condition."

She felt them looked at her with an expression 'Duh'.

"Yes, I didn't see her and her little show!!!" Buffy said smiling.

"Lucky girl."

"Anya!"

"What?"

**********************************************************************

While Giles and Olivia were dancing, the little group was talking and laughing. Giles didn't miss it, but, there was definitely 'something'- -a strange look at each other. *No, not strange but preoccupied. By What?* Giles wondered. He felt a sudden fear, *Oh, old man, if something happened, they would have told you!* he tried to reassure himself.

"Rupert? Something's wrong?"

"Olivia? No, no, it's all right."

Olivia looked at him, she wasn't a fool, and she knew he was lying…

**********************************************************************

Willow, a little worried by the evening's events, whispered to Buffy, "Buffy, you're all right, right? I mean, I suspect it's not easy; I mean-"

"I'm fine, Will," she interrupted her, squeezing her hand.

"They're coming back." murmured Xander,

"Yes, her perfume smells at two miles," smiled Buffy.

Giles and Olivia sat, and the 'silence' came back with them. *Something is off,* thought Giles, and he managed to begin a conversation.

"Dawn, how is school?" Giles strived to be light.

She stared at him, "Fine, Giles." With that she took a sip of her glass.

"Good. You know if you need something," he looked at Buffy and Dawn again, "I'm…I'm always here. For all of you. I want you to know that."

Nobody respond, nobody could; only Dawn murmured an "Unbelievable!"

"What I'm trying to say you is-"

"We understand, Giles. Don't worry, we're fine," answered Willow, before Buffy said anything. Even if she had wanted, she couldn't have said anything.

The silence was intense, since the 'return' of Giles and Olivia from the dance floor, the conversation had ended. They had stopped talking, laughing…

Olivia was studying the 'little' group, and felt the tension, but, knowing Rupert, or rather Ripper, she didn't risk telling him something. *The glare earlier was enough,* she decided.

However, Giles' patience was over.

"Buffy, can we talk? Please."

Buffy was in shock; it was not like she hadn't thought of this possibility, but between thought and when it really happened, it was two different things.

"Giles, what about-"

"Alone."

"Déjà vu," she muttered.

"I don't think so-" Buffy tried to say.

"I wasn't a request." With that he got up, "Olivia, excuse me."

"Rupert?" looking at him, seeing his glare, she couldn't do anything but agree. "All right."

"Oh no, he is going to leave us with this bitch!" whispered Anya to Xander who nodded. Olivia's expression hadn't changed, but she had heard the comment.

Willow wanted to speak, but Spike shook his head.

"Buffy," Dawn asked, worried..

"I'm coming," said Buffy, "Everything will be right.," she whispered in Dawn's ear then added, "Try to reassure the others."

"Yeah."

Giles was waiting, and Willow saw Buffy's expression. "He's at the door."

"Thanks."

Olivia was more and more troubled, *These children are so enigmatic.*

Buffy was walking, *Think about this like a test…With that I can know if the 'special training' works. So, he's at the door. Okay, concentrate; I can smell his cologne like I did several times before. Except it was in my house, with my friends and…Hum, yes. He's just here; in fact it was easy, Giles is unique.* While she walked (and thought too much about her watcher), she didn't hear a young man, but she felt him as she bumped into him hard!!!

"Sorry," she managed, *Oh, it's better than the wall!* "I didn't…, well, sorry."

"Yeah, but you should be more careful. Open your eyes."

*Jerk,* she thought,

"Yeah," With that, she continued her walk.

It was lucky, in fact, that they had chosen a table not far from the door.

"Buffy? Are you all right?"

"Giles, yes."

"I mean-"

"Yeah, I'm just a little, you know; and lost in my thoughts, so I didn't notice him," she grinned.

"Maybe we can go outside?"

"Great idea!"

They went out to the alley.

"So, Giles, what do you want to talk about; what do you want to know?"

He looked at her; he couldn't define what the problem was.

Suddenly, he began "What do you think I want to know, Buffy!" screaming.

He was angry, and felt all his frustration; yes, frustration, of these last days. Frustration because he hadn't seen her, talked to her, and…But especially because she acted like she didn't affect by this, his absence, and for him, selfishly, it was intolerable, horrible. It was like she wanted him out of her life.

He looked at her again. She didn't move. She was waiting. *It's not like her.*

He was breathing, trying to calm himself and continued, "I want to know why you never came, or called to tell me about…" He stopped, again.

This time Buffy had had enough. Impatiently, she asked, "About what, Giles?"

*You, Buffy. I miss you so much.* But instead, he said "Patrol."

"I thought you wanted a rest." she responded coldly.

"I already apologized for that, Buffy, when I called you and asked you to come to my flat to discuss this. But you didn't."

"I gave you exactly what you wanted!" she yelled out, closing her eyes. She couldn't contain her emotions by herself.

"And now you,…you,…" she knew exactly where he was, she opened her eyes, 'looking' in his eyes, and talking directly to his soul, she added, resigned "You don't understand."

"Pardon?" With her last comment, Giles exploded, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"

"Leave me, Giles." she said slowly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Leave me, Giles. I don't need you anymore. Go back to Olivia."

There was silence, until he broke it. "Wait a minute. All of this because of Olivia! Olivia is just a friend. Buffy-"

"Yeah, and you fu-"

"Buffy! I don't know what your problem is, really, that you don't want to tell me. But if it is because of Olivia, I'm sorry if I want a life too. I'm a man, even if you don't want to acknowledge the fact. And, thinking about, I don't need to explain myself to you." He took a breath and added "So, it's that is it? You can have--all of you can have--a life, but not the old man. I don't believe it! And you're right, I should leave you."

With that, he was gone and didn't hear her whisper, tears in her eyes, "It's better for you, Giles."

He was hurt, angry; when he was at the table, he said "Olivia, let's go," without looking at the others.

"Right, Rupert. Bye, all. It was…well, you know!"

It's not necessary to say that the moment they shared was weird and annoying for all of them. Willow tried to say something, but Anya interrupted her, "What do you try to talk with her? It's a waste of a time for her and for us!"

"Anya!" spluttered Xander.

"What?"

"You can't say that!"

"She's right," Olivia answered, and pursued "You don't want to talk with me, and I don't want to talk with you. If it's just to be polite, it's not useful."

"Yeah, hope they won't talk all night," said Xander, and the others sighed.

"Euh, Giles, where's Buffy?" asked Willow carefully.

He looked at her, "Outside. Good Night." And they were gone.

"Have you seen his look?" said Willow,

"Yes, I think it was a little Ripperish, no?"

"Yes, I think too, Xander." sighed Spike.

"If he hurt my sister, Ripper or not-"

"Yes, I agree." said Willow.

"And me."

Everyone looked at Anya with a questioning eye.

"What? She's my friend too. I mean, well, she's the Slayer but she, and you, accepted me. So-"

"She's right. She even accepted me," agreed Spike.

"Wait a minute, Buffy is outside. Alone."

"Dawn's right. Come on!" it was an alarmed Xander.

They were outside in one second, and Willow was the first to see her, "Look, she's here."

Buffy was against the wall, crying. She had tried to not cry, but it was impossible.

"Buffy." It was Willow. "Buffy," she repeated.

"Willow?"

"Yes."

"Buffy, you're all right?"

"I'm fine Dawn; well, actually, at the moment, not really, but-"

"What's happened, Buff?" asked Xander.

"Sorry, but I don't want to talk about this now, it's too…"

"But if you want, you know you can tell us, I mean, you know?"

"Yes, Will, I know. Thank You. But for now, I would like to go home."

"Yes, Buffy. Come on, we're going," said Willow.

And the little group walked towards the Summers' house.

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