Title: Once In A Lifetime 15/24
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.
"Travers?" Buffy giggled at the thought of the stuffy head of the Watchers' Council playing cupid. The other four who'd had the pleasure of meeting Quentin Travers smiled with Rupert.
"Yes, well, it wasn't intentional on his part. I'm assuming your Giles went ahead with the Cruciamentum?"
Buffy nodded, her giggles dying as she remembered that time. "Oh, yeah. It was part of the year of 'Let's see how much Buffy and Giles can hurt each other'.me with Angel.him with the Cruciamentum. We only survived that because he chose me in the end."
Rupert nodded. "As did I, after almost getting my Buffy and her mother killed. My only excuse is that I was trying so hard to prove how much I didn 't love her that I wasn't thinking clearly."
"Enough of that." Anya had heard of the Cruciamentum, but obviously wasn't interested in anything she wasn't there for. "How did this make you realize you loved Buffy?" She didn't notice the speculation passing between Xander and Willow.
"After it was over and Quentin was congratulating Buffy. He then informed me I had failed and that I was fired. Accused me of loving Buffy."
"Like a father." Buffy nodded. "That's what happened here too. But how did that make you realize?"
.................
"Not Rupert, me. As soon as the words left Question's mouth I realized the truth. Whatever Rupert Giles felt for me, it wasn't fatherly love. Made me wonder what it really was." Buffy smiled as she sipped her tea.
Giles returned the smile. "And you are, if nothing else, persistent."
Buffy's smile widened as she lowered her cup. "And you are stubborn. It was an interesting couple of weeks."
"And you won?" Giles didn't notice that in the intimacy of the darkened room, the two of them had leaned closer to each other. He could smell the sweetness of the tea as it lingered on her lips. Listening to this young woman explain how she'd fallen in love with him on another plane was intoxicating. He drew his breath as he waited for her answer.
Buffy nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his. "Oh yeah. We both won." They leaned closer at the same time, their lips almost touching.
Giles pulled back in shock. "I-I'm sorry. I don't."
"Giles, it's okay. Really. We both kinda got caught in the moment." He looked down where her hand rested against his arm as she restrained his effort to rise. He felt his body warm as he remembered the events of the previous evening. He lifted his eyes to hers once more, aware she would be able to see the passion in them. The blush that covered her cheeks told him she had. "Oh. Maybe we should take a break for a while. I need to get some sheets for your bed."
Giles nodded, putting physical distance between them by standing and moving toward the fireplace. "Yes. It can be tiring, reliving the memories."
"That's one word for it."