TITLE: WHAT DID YOU SAY YOUR NAME WAS?
AUTHOR: HEIR TO SHADOW
DISCLAIMERS: NOTHING BELONGS TO ME EXCEPT ARLINE.
PART 3/4

Around 6:00 the doctor suggested they all go home. There was no change in Buffy's condition although she did call out once and a while for a "Giles", but that might be taken as a good sign of no brain damage if there really was a Giles." He assured them he would call as soon as there was anything new, and they finally agreed to go because research would be much easier at another location. They all decided to freshen up at home and then meet at the Summers house. Joyce called and left a message with Cordelia to make sure Wes could find them when he arrived with the books.

Several hours later, clean, refreshed and deep into research, the group was suprised to hear a determined knocking on the door. They glanced at one another as Joyce went to answer it, and their mouths hung open when they saw their visitor was Giles, or should they say Ripper? He said "Imagine my surprise when I called to get some information from Cordelia and she informed me that you were all here researching the demon that had possessed me. What in the hell gives you people the right to interfere in my life? It's not like you're my responsibility. You are not even my slayer who may have a legitimate claim on my time but not my life."

Xander could restrain himself no longer. Jumping to his feet he stepped closer to Ripper than he ever cared to be and shook his fist in his face. "Who are we, who are WE? We are the people that have been researching all night trying to find a way to keep "your" slayer from dying because you are to busy getting your brains fucked out to care, that's who we are. Who the Hell are you?" For a moment Giles was very still, then slowly he said "I...I...I don't know anymore and turned and walked out the door. Xander nearly fainted when he realized that he had stood up to Ripper and was still alive. Anya ran over and hugged him and every one else offered congratulations on his bravery. Wesley said "it is tragic what has happened to Buffy, but one good thing has come out of it. You have not been commited as a team to anything in a long time and this has brought you all back together the way it should always have been. I'm honored you trust me to help." They all moved in for a group hug which lasted until the phone rang.

When Joyce came back from the phone, she was paler if that was possible. "Is she, is she...dead?" Willow asked tears rolling down her face. "No! She is still alive but she became very restless calling for Mr. Giles and when there was no answer she slipped into a coma and they don't know if she will ever come out of it. We need to set up a regular visiting schedule since the doctor assured me that at some level Buffy will be aware we are there and that may be very important to her survival. She must never be alone, and you must never be unarmed. When the demon population finds out how seriously injured she is they will try to kill her I am sure. After another one of those "when did you grow two heads looks" they settled down to make a schedule. One person would remain with Buffy for four hours, be replaced and spend the next four hours researching, then would be free to rest and just enjoy some downtime. Joyce picked some of Buffy's favorite music and books and told the others to play the music, read the books or just talk to Buffy of everyday life so she would know she wasn't alone.

Willow had drawn the 2:00 a.m to 4:00 bed side slot, and that night she was surprised by two visitors. The first was Spike. He told Willow that he wanted to help. He would spend the first half of the darkness covering for the slayer, and the second half guarding the hospital room in case the sitter had to use the restroom or get something to eat. Granted, it was unlikely that Buffy would be unmonitored for one second in ICU, but no sense in taking chances.

The second visitor was Giles. Willow stood up when he entered the room and put her fingers to her lips to ensure absolute quiet. Giles nodded and then looked at Buffy and Willow thought he was going to pass out. As he moved toward the bed, Willow sharply motioned him outside. Seeing Spike, she asked him to guard the room and not let anyone in unaccompanied with a pointed glare at Giles. Spike just nodded and slipped quietly into Buffy's room.

Willow took Giles down the hall to the private ICU waiting room. "What are you doing here, haven't you already done enough damage without barging into her room. She's in a coma you know and doesn't need you". At the word "coma" Giles eyes shut tightly and he dropped bonelessly into the nearest chair. Willow was too angry to care. "What do you want Giles, you threw her our of your life, totally cut her off, sentenced her to die and now you sit here and look all remorseful. How dare you?"

"Willow" Giles said "I know I don't deserve any consideration at all, but I seem to be all mixed up. Can you please, please tell me exactly what happened since I met Arline?" "Well no" she replied "because ever since you met her you have totally discarded us like unwanted junk mail. I can tell you what happened to Buffy, why she wanted to die last night, and according to the doctor still does. I can tell you why her slayer healing isn't working. What I can't and won't tell you is that everything will be alright or the same again even if you wanted it that way. Buffy is so seriously injured", and she procedeeded to detail the injuries as Giles appeared to physically shrink, but Willow was in no mood to be forgiving. "When......if Buffy comes out of her coma with no brain damage, it will be up to her. If she finds it impossible to forgive you we will too. Do you even remember that Xander stop up to Ripper this morning? Things have changed, we are all closer than we have been since high school, but I don't know if that includes you, and quite frankly right now I don't give a damn. Any other questions?" "Just one" Giles said, "what kind of demon is she?

"Why all of sudden do you agree she is not human?" "Willow in my mind I know that I don't feel for Buffy the way I should. I have been in love with her for years, her life and safety the most important thing in my life, but when I am with Arline, which is almost constantly, I forget anything but her and especially Buffy. I knew something was wrong but didn't know what. If this spell or whatever wears off and my feelings for Buffy return, I will want to die for what I did to her. Please let me help. Wesley has turned out to be an excellent researcher, but I have more resources than he does and may be able to find the answer.

"How" Willow asked bitterly? "You just admitted when you are with her all you can think of is Arline and you're always together." "She may be getting a little complacent since my lack of reaction to Buffy's injuries and may be willing to spend tomorrow out of town checking out an estate auction. She will have no reason to doubt me, because once I am around her the rest of the night I will crave her and it will be several hours after she leaves before I can once again regain a modicum of thought." "Alright" Willow said, "but I will have to ask the others how they feel about it and the majority will rule; and I have to be honest there is an awful lot of anti-Giles feelings floating around including those in me. Now I have to get back to Buffy. It's you she calls for, but it's her friends and family she gets. If you haven't changed your mind tomorrow and you memory clears, call us at Ms. Summers house and we will let you know. Goodbye Giles" she said as she strode out the door. Giles just sunk his face into his hands and sobbed. On the way out he stopped at the non-denominational chapel and prayed to every god and goddess that Buffy would live to forgive him and he could be free of Arline. When he arrived at home she was waiting for him and he was immediately lost in the sound, sight and touch of her, and he fell on her and they made love like they were starving for one another.

Willow asked Spike to read to Buffy for the last hour so she could get home and discuss Giles visit before everyone had to set about their assigned task. They had no problems with Spike's help but were very divided on the issue of Giles. Finally Joyce said "That is not our decision to make. If he calls today he can be very helpful with the research and the magic needed, and when Buffy comes out of the coma, she can decide what if any part of her life she wants Giles to be." (Have I mentioned two heads yet?) And so it was agreed.

Joyce headed off to off to the hospital for the 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. shift, Willow went to bed, Tara and Anya researched spells and Xander and Wes read through demonology books, all frustrated by the lack of progress. About 1:00 Willow woke to the phone ringing. When Wesley answered he turned and mouthed silently to them "Mr. Giles". "No Mr. Giles no change in Buffy's condition and no luck with the research. You have? That's marvelous what are they and how do we stop them. I see, I see. No, don't come over here now, it would be very uncomfortable for the others. Call us the next time you are in your right mind and we'll fill you in, but how do we know you won't tell Arline?" Wes held the phone away from his ear and the others, who had edged closer could hear the raised voice and the sudden slamming down of the phone.

"Before you ask, the demons are throwback to ancient aztec and are called the Great Spirits because of their ability to assume any sex and form and to provoke extreme emotions of whatever kind their summoning calls for. They can only be stopped on a festival day and must be destroyed by an acient aztec weapon. They are immune to anything else. The next festival is to celebrate the harvest and will be in ten days when the harvest moon is full. The bad news is that Giles doesn't think anyone but Buffy is strong enough to kill it, and he can't guarantee he won't be fighting on it's side. They all sat despondently trying to think things through. Anya said "It takes a demon to catch a demon, do you think that Spike and Angel together would be strong enough to defeat this 'great spirit'? I really need my job back. What are you looking at me like that for? Xander and I need the money and Giles is the only employer who would put up with me."

They risked one call to Giles, unsure if Arline was back or not - she wasn't. He thought the idea of Spike and Angel fighting the spirit would be excellent, but they still needed to find out who hired the demon. It was gentle Willow who replied "We have to wait to see if Buffy lives before we decide how her attacker must be punished . If she dies the attacker dies!" She hung up the phone while the others just stared at her in awe.

That night again on Willow's shift Giles came by the hospital. "Please can I see her" he begged. "Alright, but you absolutely must not speak until we find out how your presence affects her. Did you know she was in love with you. Can you imagine the emotional devastation she is feeling on top of the injuries. Her slaying healing still hasn't kicked in and I think she is subconsciously supressing it because she doesn't want to live without you." He clenched his fist, nodded and followed her into the room. For the next few hours he listened to Willow play Buffy's favorite music, read from her favorite books and just talk to her about the past, about the better days before her watcher betrayed her. Everytime Willow glanced over at Giles tears were streaming down his face but he made no sound. The next time she looked up he was gone.

This pattern continued for the next seven nights. On the seventh night, Giles told Willow that Arline was trying to strengthen her hold on him before the harvest. The demon's powers would be stronger on that day, but it still was a festival day and the demon could be killed. If the demon survived he believed that he and Buffy would be sacrificed as part of the ritual. He said he could no longer visit Buffy or have any contact with the scoobies, and that they must tell him nothing of their plan so he wouldn't tell the spirit. With that he left to wait out the next three days.

On the night of the harvest, Arline said she had planned a surprise for Giles. A picnic in the woods at night followed by a night of lovemaking they would never forget. Giles eagerly agreed excited beyond belief at the thought of burying himself deeply inside his beloved while they were one with nature, and perhaps he could stay there forever. They grabbed the picnic basket and headed for Breakers Woods closely followed by the others in various vehicles to divert suspicion. Since Arline was going down on Giles in the car, neither one of them would have been in a condition to notice anyway, but what their followers didn't know wouldn't hurt them although they did wonder about Giles somewhat erratic driving. At one point they pulled over and switched places in the car so that Giles could give loving attention to her clit and vagina in the spirit of fair play, and to take the edge off until they at least ate dinner.

When the arrived at the woods, Arline led them to a secluded location near the water and suggested a swim. Giles replies that he had no trunks and just watched dazed as Arline stripped the clothes from her beautiful body and dove in. Glles followed quickly and soon unmistakeable sounds were coming from the water. The couple appeared insatiable. The men, who were together, looked at each and asked if the girls were sure she was a demon and not just a gorgeous, sexually exciting woman. They decided to sneak up and check out the picnic basket while they had the opportunity. In the basket they found ample herbs, portions and ritural weapons to confirm that the girls were right, and if they couldn't defeat the spirit Giles and probably Buffy would die that night.

Shortly before midnight the two came out of the water, and remaining skyclad laid out a white blanket, set up candles "for romance" Arline said , and spread the herbs to "sweeten the blanket". She then suggested Giles get a good massage before dinner. She reached into the basket for one of the potions and pouring it into her hands and rubbing to get it warm, she began massaging Giles neck and shoulders slowly moving down his body. He began to fidget slightly and when she asked why he replied that the oil was slightly hot. She laughingly told him it was a mild aphrodisiac she made from one of his books and that the oil would cool on his body but heat his passion.

When she finished his back-t, she told him to roll over and she began annointing him on the front side of this body. Finally everything was covered except his penis, and she was definitely heading that way. She stroked, licked and sucked until he was harder than he could ever remember being and with all that he was he wanted to bury himself and shoot his seed into her until she would never again forget that she belonged to him. He tried to roll her over to do just that but she stopped him. "Wait" she whispered "wait. It is only two minutes to midnight and I have something very special planned for you then. Surely two minutes is not too long to wait?" Giles groaned - two minutes was an eternity but his lady had spoken and he could deny her nothing - after all, he had given up Buffy and the children for her. Now where did that thought come from he wondered?

That thought came from Willow, Tara and Anya on the other side of the clearing casting memory after memory spell. They had realized that whatever was to happen would be in two minutes and perhaps if Giles was being flooded with memories of his real life he would be too distracted to fight for the demon. As Arline looked down at him, she was suprised to see tears running down his face. "What is wrong love" she asked. "I'm just so happy he replied, when in reality his mind was filled with his love for Buffy and the children and the fear for all of their lives.

Precisely at midnight Arline lowered herself over Giles rock hard cock. No matter his thoughts his body belonged to her. As she rode him, varying position, angle and speed, he was rapidly rushing to a hugh orgasm. She placed her arms behind her on his legs ostensibly to vary the angle again, but in reality to remove the ritual knife, Angel and Spike knew it was time to move. They sprang out of the bushes and tackled the demon. Xander jumped on Giles who tried to get up. Xander yelled to the witches "put him to sleep quickly it's the only way to stop him and they did. Luckily, for when the vampires attacked the demon it resumed it own form which was quite hideous. The fight was brief and vicious, but with the two vamps, three witches and Xander and no help from it's slave the demon didn't stand a chance and was soon decapitated. The men hurridly disposed of the body before the women removed the spell from Giles.

As soon as the spell was lifted, Giles let out a howl of misery that raised the hair on the back of all their necks, human and demon alike. "Where is it. I'm going to kill it and cut it in so many pieces they will need to find a microscope to identify the parts. How is Buffy. Oh My God Buffy - I remember everything. She'll hate me now, won't want me to be her watcher. Oh Buffy "he sobbed.

Xander, who was still just a little angry with Giles said "save your scene. If Buffy doesn't live it won't matter if she would have forgiven you." Giles looked heartbroken, but allowed them to lead him away to get cleaned up. After everyone had rested they met in the Summers living room. It was Tara's turn to go to the hospital and relieve Wesley. When Wesley arrived at the Summers house he was bombarded with questions. "They have upgraded her status from coma to unconscious but they still don't know if she will wake. Her healing is not working and she is in a great deal of pain. The only word she has spoken in the two weeks she has been in the hospital is your name" shooting a glare at Giles. No one else looked very pleased either.

"Joyce" Giles said "please let me see her. It may be only hatred that keeps her calling my name, but at least it's a reaction and if hate for me is all that can bring her back then so be it." Joyce spoke for them all when she replied "Mr. Giles, I know what happened wasn't your fault in my head, but my heart blames you. My baby is broken and bleeding and willing herself to die because she thinks you hate her when she loves you so very much.

TBC...

NEXT