Title: Once In A Lifetime 12/24
Author: Karen Jephson
Disclaimer: Not mine, unfortunately. Want to adopt and treat them better
than their owners, but I don't have enough.
Feedback: Live for it.
Note: To Trich and Gail. Thanks for your nagging, your precise beta, and your
constant encouragement.
"..and Snyder wouldn't reinstate me until you went all Ripper on him." The laughter around the table eased the tension brought on by remembered pain and lost love. Giles sighed, allowing the memories of Jenny to flow through him. He was glad she had been part of this existence also. She'd brought so much to their group, especially Willow. Her influence was still visible on the young witch. As for him, thoughts of her only brought him happiness and a vague regret of promises unfulfilled.
He looked around the dining room, and out into the living area. He hadn't noticed before amidst all the confusion, but there were many differences between this version of Buffy's house and his. Pieces obviously selected by his alter ego, others perhaps bought by Buffy herself. Yet enough remained of Joyce's furniture for it to feel familiar. He reflected on another difference as he bit into the tender meat on his fork. Somebody, possibly himself, had taught Buffy how to cook. "Buffy, this meal is delicious."
She nodded. "It's your favourite. At least, it's Rupert's, so I hope it's yours too."
Giles smiled. "I have to admit it's been awhile, but roast beef and Yorkshire pudding will always have a soft spot in my heart."
"They better, Mister. Do you know how many times I had to make those puddings before Rupert deemed them just right?" Laughter rang out again as the others obviously remembered some of Buffy's previous attempts at the temperamental food.
Giles looked toward Anya and Tara, the two present that could not share the memories of events so far experienced. "I'm sorry. The two of you must find this boring."
"Oh, no." Anya jumped in eagerly. "The reminiscence of others about things we haven't experienced is very interesting and not at all monotonous."
Xander sighed. "My wife. Ever the diplomat."
Giles smiled at the younger man. "I wouldn't change a thing about her."
Xander returned the smile. "Neither would I."
"So," Dawn finished playing with her vegetables and returned the conversation back to the matter at hand, "the first eighteen months were the same. What happened next?"
Giles stopped smiling as he remembered. He barely heard Buffy's whispered response. "Angel."
"You mean when he came back?"
Buffy nodded. "Just appeared out of nowhere. Kind of crazy, not knowing who he was."
"And you hid him." Giles hoped only he noticed the slight bitterness inflected in his words.
Buffy turned to look at him. "I remember. That was when we thought werewolf Oz was killing people. I stayed up all night with him trying to work out how Angel got back. And you woke me up."
"I asked what you were researching. You asked about hell dimensions, and how people would come back. You told me you'd had a dream."
"The hills are alive and all that." She paused, obviously also remembering. "But then I couldn't. After everything I'd put you through the year before, and how you'd stuck by me. I couldn't lie to you. So I told you the truth." She stopped speaking, her eyes widening. Giles wondered if it was because she'd noticed the blood had drained from his brain, sending him dizzy.