Title : No Place Like Home
Author: Jacinta
Pairing : B/G
Rating : PG13
Spoilers: Season 6 after Flooded
Feedback: Yes please. Flames used to roast dinner by.
Disclaimer: I own nuffin but me own warped mind.
Summary: Reponse to the 24hr fic challange on bgzone.
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It was dark by the time Giles arrived back home from a long day at the Magic Box. Somehow Anya had conned him into finishing the paperwork so she could leave early with Xander, to do something he really wish she hadn’t told him. Opening to front door to the Summer’s house, he found it in almost total darkness. The only light source visible was coming from the television in the lounge room.
Putting down his keys and wallet and hanging up his jacket, Giles wandered into the lounge, removing his tie as he walked. He found Buffy curled up on the couch, a small carton of ice cream in her lap. She was slowly devouring its contents whilst her attention was wholly focused on the television, so much so that when Giles came up to stand next to the couch she almost jumped out of her skin.
“Geez Giles, do I need to get you a cow bell to wear or something?!” Buffy whinged, not taking her eyes off the television once.
He just grinned back at her as he asked,
“So where is everyone tonight?”
“Tara, Willow and Dawn went to the movies. I didn’t really feel being around all those people tonight, so I’m doing the chick flick and ice cream deal at home.”
“Oh, so is that a subtle way of saying you’d rather I leave you alone then?” he asked, trying to keep the small smile on his lips even though he couldn’t stop the sadness from reaching his eyes.
“No Giles. Please, stay, sit. That is if you don’t mind being tortured by the movie.”
“I think I’ll survive,” he replied with a smirk.
Easing down on the couch next to her, Giles finally looked to see which dreaded movie he would have to endure. He had never seen this particular one before, but the story became very familiar to him; too familiar. In almost a whisper he asked,
“Is this Jane Austen’s Emma?”
“Well it’s based on her book, yeah. Why, have you read the book?”
When he didn’t answer straight away, Buffy turned to face him to see why.
Even though he was gazing at the television, Giles had that far away look in his eyes, as though he weren’t really seeing the movie anymore.
“Giles, what is it? What’s wrong?” Buffy asked as she placed the ice cream down on the coffee table. When he still didn’t respond she placed a hand gently on his arm, giving it a slight squeeze.
He finally turned to face her, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and longing.
“Are you okay?” she asked, really starting to get worried.
“Yes, well sort of. It’s just that…”
He trailed off, not sure if he should continue of not.
“It’s just what?” Buffy asked softly, trying to bring him out of the shell he seemed determined to withdraw into.
Looking into her sincere eyes, he decided to tell her. Tell her something he had never shared with anyone ever before. Giles eye’s returned to that far away look again as he responded.
“It’s just that my mother loved this story. She read the book so many times that she could almost quote it word for word. She loved to get so engrossed into the story that the real world would almost melt away. She read it with so much passion; so much fire and I loved listening to her voice.”
Giles paused for a moment, a smile forming on his lips as he remembered her voice, her face.
“So much so I would let her read it to me before bed each night, rather than some of my own children’s books. It was our special little thing that no one else, especially my father, ever knew about. I miss her so much, even now.”
Buffy squeezed his arm again before trailing her hand down to hold his.
“When did she die?” she asked quietly.
“A long time ago. I was twelve at the time.”
“H-How did she, uhm… if you don’t mind me asking...”
“How did she die? No, I don’t mind Buffy. She died of cancer, although back then they didn’t have all these news treatments available. I all happened fairly quickly for her. By the time they found it there wasn't much they could do.”
After sharing a sad smile, Buffy was the first to speak again.
“Guess our mom’s had a lot on common. My mom took me to see this when it first came out at the movies. Then when it came out on video she bought it straight away. It’s what we always ended up watching if we needed a good pick-me-up movie.”
It was now Buffy’s turn to smile wistfully in memory.
“Sometimes I used to watch it and pretend I was Emma. Man I had such a crush on that Mr. Knightley. I hoped to one day find someone just like him and live happily ever after.”
With a giggle Buffy added,
“So Giles, you know of any Mr. Knightley clones back in England?”
Giles just laughed and shook his head.
“Darn, oh well. Guess I’ll just have to make do with my fantasy then.”
Settling back down to watch the movie, Buffy again let her mind wander as it did when she had watched it with her mom, picturing herself as Emma with the dashing Mr. Knightley. This time though, watching it with Giles, she started to see a lot of similarities between the two men. The more she thought them, the more her fantasy Mr. Knightley started to transform into Giles. Moving closer, she leant her head against his arm and snuggled in, sighing contentedly.
Smiling, Giles tilted his head sideways to rest atop hers. They remained that way till the movie was over, neither in a hurry move apart. The quiet moment was broken by a sudden loud yawn from Giles.
“Aw, poor wittle sleepy Giles,” Buffy cooed.
“Yes I am. I had a very busy day, so kindly get out of my bed so I can get to sleep,” Giles responded.
“Make me,” Buffy dared.
“Don’t tempt me wench.”
“What did you call me?” Buffy asked, poking her fingers into Giles side.
To her surprise Giles giggled and twisted away from her.
“You’re ticklish hey? Oh you are SO gonna regret that wench comment boy.”
With that Buffy shoved Giles backwards on the couch and straddled his legs, tucking her arms in close to her body to protect her sides as she tickled Giles relentlessly. No matter how hard he tried to buck, he couldn’t dislodge her from atop him. By the time he called ‘Uncle’ she was straddling his hips. With a wide grin she said,
“Told you I’d make you pay.”
Giles smiled back up at her, glad to see her truly happy for the first time in a while.On impulse he reached up to brush the hair back from her face, his thumb trailing along her cheek and neck.
“Well if it gets you to smile like that, I’ll have to do make you make me pay more often.”
Unable to respond with words, she leant down to hug him, her head resting in the crook of his neck.
After a minute like this she finally spoke.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For making finally feel like I’m home.”
“Well you know what they say, there’s no place like it.”
Buffy swatted his chest.
“Yes Dorothy.”
“So if I’m Dorothy, what does that make you? Toto?” Giles asked with a chuckle.
“Hey! Oh you are really gonna get it now mister!”
Before she could start tickling him again, Giles grabbed her arms and pinned them behind her back, pulling her hard against his body so she couldn’t easily escape.
“No fair Giles. Let me go.”
“Hmm, let me think about it… Nope.”
Straining hard, Buffy managed to lift her upper body up far enough to look Giles in the face. Any retort she had died on her lips when she felt something hard against her thigh. She could have been mistaken, but she thought she felt Giles thrust lightly to her when her thigh came in contact with that object. Deliberately she pressed down against his groin, biting back a groan as he again thrust up towards her.
With a devilish grin she asked,
“Why Mr. Giles, is that a stake in you pocket or are you happy to see me?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he answered, mischief in his eyes.
“Yeah I would.”
Although the humor was still in her voice, he couldn’t see the uncertainty and unasked question in her eyes.
Releasing her arms, his hands trailed up along her back until they reached the base of her head, one had moving to cup her cheek.
“Why don’t I show you then.”
With that he pulled her gently back down, his lips softly brushing against hers before capturing them fully. When she didn’t pull away he traced her lips with his tongue. With a groan her lips parted invitingly. The first touch of his tongue to hers sent shivers of excitement through her body.
Just as his hands moved back to her hips, the front door opened. They managed to break apart and sit back up normally just before Willow, Tara and Dawn entered the room.
“Hey guys, how was the movie?” asked Buffy as she stealthily fixed her clothes.
“It was cool, you should have been there Buffy. You missed all the fun.”
“That’s okay Dawn, I kinda had my own fun here at home.”
Dawn looked between Buffy and Giles, sitting on the couch just far enough away from each other, but not too far.
“Okay, whatever,” she replied nonchalantly while inside a part of her was jumping for joy that those two might have finally worked out how they felt about each other.
“Well I’m off to bed, see you guys in the morning,” Dawn said.
“Yeah, we’re off too,” added Tara, “It’s been a long day.”
“Night,” chimed Buffy and Giles almost simultaneously.
With a strange look at the pair, they headed upstairs, again leaving Buffy and Giles alone in the lounge.
Turning back towards each other, they started laughing as they moved back into each other’s arms.
“I think they probably suspect something Luv.”
With a sigh Buffy answered,
“I don’t care. I finally feel like I’m really home again. And you know what?”
“No, what?”
“There really is no place like home.”
With that she picked up from where they were before being rudely interrupted.
The End