Title: Little Boy Lost 2/7
Author: Jadedragon
Email: blm55@bellsouth.net
Pairing: B/G
Rating: PG 13
Spoilers: Season 4. This takes place over the summer, before Season 5.
Disclaimer: Characters from BtVS are property of Joss, WB, UPN and Mutant Enemy. I'm just playing with them for a while.
Summary: Buffy finds Giles' son on the door step with a letter from his mother.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated.

Buffy invited Willow and Tara in and told them about Little Rupert, as she put away the groceries Giles had bought.

"Giles has a son and he didn't even know about him?" Willow asked her.

"Yeah, Rebecca never told him."

"Why?" Tara asked.

"She couldn't take being married to a watcher with a slayer." Buffy told them quietly. She was wondering what Rebecca had meant about the relationship between watcher and slayer, what was the bond she wrote about? She would ask Giles later. "When he was three she was going to tell Giles, but he had already come to Sunnydale to be my Watcher."

"How is Giles taking this?" Willow asked.

"As well as he can. It was quite a shock to him."

"Willow, Tara, hello." Giles called as he came down the stairs.

"Giles are you alright?" Willow asked seeing tears still on his cheeks.

"Willow, I'm fine considering the situation. I take it that Buffy has told you about Rupert?"

"Yes, she told us about Little Rupert."

"Buffy, in Rebecca's letter she mentioned a Henry Summers at a firm in L. A. Is that..."

"Yes, it's my Dad. Let me call, I can get past the receptionist and secretary faster than you can."

"Thank you." Giles told her as she went to the phone. Buffy had her father on the line in less than five minutes.

"Buffy, this is a change, is something wrong?" her Dad asked wondering why she had called him.

"No Dad. I was just getting you on the phone for Giles. This is about one of your clients, Rebecca... Giles, What was her name?" Buffy asked turning to her Watcher.

Giles took the phone from Buffy and continued the conversation with her father.

"Mr. Summers, this is Rupert Giles, my son has just arrived and I have the paperwork sent by his mother Rebecca Whitsonby."

"Giles? Are you the Giles that Buffy is always talking about?"

"Yes."

"I was planning to come to Sunnydale to meet with you. As a matter of fact I was going to call you before I left the office today. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow, at say 11:30?"

"Yes, I want to get Rupert settled and all of the legalities taken care of as quickly as possible. I don't want his life anymore disrupted than it already has been." Giles told Buffy's father.

"Then you agree to the terms of the Will?"

"I have not had a chance to read it as of yet. Mr. Summers, did you know Catherine left Rupert on my doorstep about an hour ago when I wasn't at home? She did not even take the time to see if anyone was here. If Buffy hadn't been here, Rupert would have been left in a strange city, in a strange country all by himself on a doorstep." Giles told him, anger in his voice very clear.

"What?" Mr. Summers asked worried about the young boy.

"He was left all alone and scared."

"I didn't know that was her intention. I knew she was taking him to your home today, but I didn't know she would leave him without your being there. Is he alright?"

"Yes, as I said Buffy was here and took care of him until I got back from the grocer."

"Mr. Giles, I am sorry for how Mrs. Whitsonby left Rupert without checking to see if anyone was there. I had no idea that she would do that." Hank told him, angry that he had not insisted on taking the young boy to meet his father, and wondering why Buffy was at the man's house.

"Mr. Summers, I realize that it isn't your fault she acted so irresponsibly. I'm just glad that Buffy came by early for our research session and was able to help Rupert get settled."

"I'm glad she was there, too. But back to the will, can you read over it and I'll explain anything you don't understand. Can you meet me at Arnoldo's tomorrow?" Hank asked.

"Yes, I'll see you then. Would you like to speak to Buffy again?"

"Yes, thank you."

Giles handed the phone back to Buffy and sat down in a chair across from Willow and Tara while Buffy spoke to her Dad.

"Hi, again," she told her Dad.

"Honey, what are you doing at Mr. Giles' house?" Hank asked wondering what his daughter could possibly be doing at the man's apartment.

"Dad, we are doing research with some friends. We spend a lot of time with Giles," she told her father as she looked at her Watcher, hoping her Dad wouldn't ask any more questions.

"Oh. I wondered if you would like to go to supper with me tomorrow night since I'll be in Sunnydale?"

"That would be nice, so long as we don't stay out too late. I have a lot of stuff to do the next day."

"Shall I pick you up at 6:30?" he asked his daughter.

"I'll see you then."

"It's a date. I have one other thing to tell Mr. Giles. Could you put him back on the phone?"

"Sure. `Bye, Dad." She handed the phone to Giles.

"Mr. Giles, Ms. Whitsonby told me of you `profession'. Is your Slayer still alive?"

"Yes," he answered wondering what this had to do with the will.

"Good, then you'll need to bring her and her parents, her parents do know of her calling?"

"Her mother does, her father doesn't live here in Sunnydale and is not a really a part of her life anymore." Giles told him as he looked at Buffy.

"Well, bring her and her mother with you tomorrow, the Slayer is mentioned in the codicils, which weren't included in the packet that you have. I'll see you then." Hank told him as he hung up the phone before Giles could reply.

Giles immediately opened the manila envelope and found the will along with Rupert's medical and school documents. He then proceeded to read Rebecca's will. It was not very long and basically left everything to Rupert, naming his father as his legal guardian. But, if for some reason Giles could not or would not take the responsibility for Rupert, the estate would go to the Watcher Council and they would raise the boy.

"Not bloody likely!"

"Giles?"

"Rebecca had a strange sense of humor. If I don't take Rupert, he will be raised by the Council," he told Buffy, Willow and Tara. "Buffy, Rebecca told your Dad about my being a `Watcher' and wants me to have my `Slayer' and her mother with me tomorrow as she is mentioned in the codicils of the Will which are not in this envelope."

"What's a codicil?" she asked him.

"An addition to a Will which is added at a later date, usually adding someone or changing a bequest. Buffy, I think we need to talk your mother before we meet with your Dad tomorrow."

"I agree. She had a shipment coming in at the gallery and expected to be there all day. We can go over there and to talk to her."

"I think we should. From what your Dad said, he doesn't know that you're the Slayer so he's in for a surprise. I would like to know just what is in the codicils. Willow, can you and Tara start researching while we go and talk to with Buffy's mother?"

"Sure, can we meet Little Rupert?" Willow asked having seen the concern in Giles eyes for his son.

"Daddy?" called a small voice from the stairs.

Giles turned and met his son on the stairs. "What is it son?"

"I woke up and didn't know where I was."

"It's alright, you're safe," Giles told the scared child as he picked him up and carried him to the couch. "Rupert, this is Willow and Tara. They are friends of mine and Buffy's who help us research vampires and demons. Two other friends, Xander and Anya will be here in a while to help, also."

"Can I help, too? I've been learning Latin and Greek," he asked shyly.

"You can certainly help, if you want to," Giles reassured him. Or you can go with Buffy and me. We have to go and see her mother after Xander and Anya get here."

"I want to go with you. I don't want to be left behind." Little Rupert almost cried, scared that he would lose the father he had just met.

"Rupert, that's no problem. You won't be left behind." Giles told him as he hugged his son, angry, that he had been treated so callously by Catherine. He saw so much of himself in his son.

As Giles reassured him, there was a knock on the door and Willow, being closer to it went to open it for Xander and Anya. Seeing the child in Giles' arms, they looked at Willow with questioning looks in their eyes.

"Giles, when did this become a daycare?" Xander asked.

"Xander, Anya, this is Rupert, my son," Giles stated as he turned to the new arrivals.

Xander and Anya looked stunned.

"Giles, don't you have to have a wife or girlfriend to have..." Anya started.

"My mummy is dead. I came to live with my daddy." Rupe told her in a very quite voice.

Xander seeing the pain in Giles' eyes, went to Little Rupert to introduce himself, "I'm your Uncle Xander."

"Do you help my Daddy fight vampires with Buffy?" the child asked in a scared voice.

"Yes, I do," Xander said as he looked to Giles with raised eyebrows.

"Rupert knows that I'm a Watcher and that Buffy is my Slayer. He knows some about my life, I'm not sure exactly how much. He got here a couple of hours ago and we're still getting to know one another," he explained to them. "Willow and Tara will fill you in on the rest of the details. Buffy, Rupert and I are on our way to the Gallery to talk with Joyce."

**********

Buffy, Giles and Rupert entered The Gallery and went to Joyce's office. As they walked through the building, Buffy saw her Mom with a client and motioned to her that they were going to wait for her in the office. They had waited for about ten minutes before Joyce joined them.

"To what do I owe this surprise?" Joyce asked as she hugged her daughter. "And who is this handsome young man?" she asked reaching out her hand to him.

"Mom, this is Rupert Whitsonby, Giles' son. Rupe, this is my Mom, Joyce Summers."

"It's nice to meet you, Rupe," Joyce told him as she took the young man's hand, shocked that she hadn't heard of him before this.

"Thank you, Mrs. Summers. You're as nice as Buffy," Rupe told her in a small, shy voice.

"Buffy, could you take Rupert and show him the Gallery while I talk to Joyce?"

"I'll be glad to, Giles. If you need me just call," with that she left the room with Little Rupert.

Joyce looked at Giles and saw the pain in his face, "You never said anything about having a son?"

"Joyce, I didn't know I had a son until about two hours ago. Rebecca never told me she was carrying my child."

"Why are you here, Rupert?" Joyce asked with a questioning look on her face.

"I think this will explain and I'll answer any other questions after you finish," he told her as he handed her the letter that Rebecca had written him.

Joyce looked up from the letter when she had finished reading. She saw Rupert standing by the window looking into the courtyard where Buffy and Little Rupert were playing in the fountain. She walked over the man, who she felt had in many ways, taken her daughter from her.

"Rupert, why? I still don't understand."

"Joyce, you saw that Hank is the attorney for my son."

She nodded.

"When I spoke with him earlier, we made an appointment to discuss the terms of Rebecca's will. Her entire estate has been left to Rupert with me as his guardian. Hank told me there were codicils in the Will and that I needed to have my Slayer and her parents there at the meeting tomorrow."

"Does he know that Buffy's the Slayer?" Joyce asked surprise on her face.

"I don't think so. He acted like he had no idea of who she was."

"Where are you to meet with him?"

"At Arnoldo's, tomorrow at 11:30."

"Did he say what was in the codicils?"

"No, just that my Slayer was mentioned."

"Rupert, he's coming to my house tonight and I think that we should discuss this then. We'll have more privacy there than at any restaurant."

"I agree. I just wish that I knew what was in the codicils. Rebecca could be very determined once she had an idea in her head. What time will Hank be here?"

"He plans to get into town about 6:30. Why don't you and Buffy come over about 7?"

"We'll be there, I'll ask Willow and Tara to stay with Rupert. Joyce, how do you think Hank will take this?"

"Buffy is still his `little girl'. He's always wanted to protect her and will be angry that he hasn't been able to. Hank normally doesn't have much of a temper, but in this case, it wouldn't surprise me if he gets very angry. He was very protective of Buffy when we were married. I know that he has not been very attentive to her since she has lived here with me, but I feel that his protective nature will come out when he finds out that she is the Slayer mentioned in the will."

"Joyce, will I survive?" he asked her with a slight smile.

"I dare say that Buffy will not let anything happen to you, no matter how difficult Hank decides to be. Rupert, what did Rebecca mean about the bond between a Watcher and his Slayer?"

"Joyce, there is a psychic bond between a Watcher and his Slayer which a times becomes more. There are some cases where they have became lovers, even marrying." he told her not able to hide the pain in his face and his voice.

"You love my daughter, don't you?" she asked scared of the answer, but already knowing it, only wanting to hear him admit his feelings.

"Y-yes, Joyce, I do. But, she sees me only as her Watcher, and her mentor. I can be satisfied with that, knowing that I have helped to keep her alive. I would never burden her with my feelings."

"Rupert, I don't think it would be a burden to her, I can't believe that I am telling you this, but I think she does love you, but she's scared to say anything." Before she could discuss the situation with him any further an assistant came into the office to announce that the shipment she had been waiting for had just arrived. Giles said told her goodbye and said he and Buffy would see her later. He then went to find Buffy and Rupert as he thought about what Joyce had said to him.

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