Title: Without You 2/?
Author: DeeBeth
Feedback: there are worse things in life then flames, and not many better things than praise, but I'll settle for professional criticism. Distribution: Want, Take, Have! But please let me know where its going!
Disclaimer: all characters, except the few I will make up as the story progresses, belong to UPN, The WB, Mutant Enemy, and of course Joss Whedon, not to mention the countless others that I don't know or have never heard of. The only thing I know for sure is that the shows (BtVS & AtS) aren't mine and I have no control over what the characters do, no matter how hard I wish, pray, and dream!

Four days and fifteen hours later:

"…And you have to see Big Ben, you know that clock that's named Ben and its big, and you have to see the,"

"Dawn I only plan on seeing Giles and if you don't give me a goodbye hug I might not even get to see him!" Buffy interrupted her sisters rambling of must see places in England.

"Sorry, its just I'm so excited and happy for you," Dawn said wrapping her arms around her shorter older sister.

"For both of you." She finished pulling back with a sloppy smile.

"Don't go getting your happies happy until I know if Giles wants to be happy with me, here in lovely lil' Sunnydale, home to the hellmouth and all that lil'attraction offers." Buffy said returning a mirroring smile.

"Oh, come on Giles will jump for joy and whoop for…well for something that's catchy when said after jump for joy," willow said breaking up the sisterly moment and turning it into a best friend moment.

"I hope so Will, but do you think there will be actual jumping? He is British you know." Buffy said hugging her long time friend.

"Well if there isn't jumping there will be major twirling of the picking up variety." Willow answered wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, "and possible lots of smooches before and after said twirling."

"Sounds good to me," Buffy answered dreamily.

"I've got your plane tickets figured out you should be in England in 18 hours, the layovers add on time so don't go complaining to me about that being almost a day." Xander said as he handed Buffy her ticket for the first connecting flight to some city in South Dakota.

"Thanks Xander, only you could take the amount of cash I had to deal with and only get three layovers. You're the best," Buffy finished grabbing her best male friend in a teary hug. After the hugging was over Buffy pulled back and ran her fingers under her eyes to catch the tears that dared threaten her mascara and eyeliner. Then she smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear she needed to have a conference with that particular curl it just didn't seem to grasp the concept of bun! She than buttoned her ¾ length suede coat. "How do I look?" Buffy asked uncertainly stepping back from their group to let them get a better view.

"Your hair is slightly frizzy and there's some lint on your pants and… mmmm" Anya tried to continue her critique around Xander's hand. At Buffy's worried expression and hand slowly going to her head while she looked to find the evil lint that dared attach itself to her pants.

Xander said, "you look great Buffy, Anya just wishes she could go to England."

"Well its not fair I haven't been out of the State since I've been human. The least you could do is take me to some cold snowy place where we could ski and sit in front of a fire and drink hot milk with chocolate sauce mixed in it." Anya started to pout or plan which was uncertain for all five of the people standing around her.

"Buffy, you'll be fine. I know you will. Here's a list of places Mr. Giles hangs out at and of course his-his address as well," Tara said quickly trying to help her forget Anya's lovely speech. Tara stepped forward and handed Buffy the paper she was holding out, "Willow and I kinda snooped around Giles' credit card companies records." She said glancing at her newly none ex-girlfriend.

Buffy smiled and took the paper and surprised Tara by pulling her into a tentative hug. "Thanks, Tara. I'm happy for both of you, and I can't believe I'm leaving right when you two got back together." Buffy said as she stepped back from her.

"That's okay, we'll-we'll be fine until you get back, just bring Mr. Giles home okay." Tara said stepping back into the waiting arms of her lover.

"Ditto," willow said smiling at Buffy.

"Same here," said Xander finally getting Anya to finish her diatribe later.

"Yeah, sis take care and hurry home," Dawns followed suit in the multiple good byes.

"Tell Giles the Shop is still mine but I'll let him help with inventory," Anya offered in way of good wishes.

"Thanks I'll be sure to mention that." Buffy said to Anya, "and I don't know about you but I think this is the longest good bye in the history of good byes and oh! I've gotta go, those people going through the door over there are getting on my plane! That means I've gotta go through that door too." She gestured to the rapidly decreasing line of passengers. "Be safe don't go out at night unless you have too and I'll be back as soon as possible hopefully no more than 3 days." Buffy yelled as she walked backwards toward the door leading to the plane. "See ya!" she waved and at the returning vigorous waves she turned and ran to the door just as the lady was about to shut the door.

Buffy handed her the ticket and scampered up the ramp. Buffy was on her way she would be seeing Giles tomorrow. <Tomorrow can't come soon enough!> said her heart. <You can say that again!> said her brain. "Finally you two agreeing on something!" Buffy whispered under her breath, oblivious to the strange glances she received.

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