Title: Missing 3/7
Author: LadyForASH
Rated: FRAO
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Spoilers: Everything. This takes place after Chosen.
Disclaimers: I own nothing. Joss is the bomb. Everything is his and I'm just taking out these wonderful characters and playing with them for awhile. Please don't sue.
Summary: Willow is missing!
Brooks seemed ancient. Buffy had no idea how old the man was, but he looked like he should be sitting at a table playing chess in a retirement center instead of leading them into the African jungle. She gave Giles a sideways look as the man showed them to their various guest rooms. Xander and Giles would be sharing, but Buffy got a nice room to herself with her own bathroom. She had to smile then. At least the old guy had taste. The room was sparse, with only a bed, side table with a lamp, and a dresser, but it would do. Besides, Buffy figured they wouldn't be staying there but over night.
Giles and Brooks were going to be up late making plans for their journey. Buffy and Xander were invited to participate, but they looked at each other and both vigorously shook their heads. "I'm food guy, and we've eaten," Xander said. Buffy cracked a smile and nodded at her Watcher. "I'm the `plan on the fly' girl. You two guys go ahead. I'm going to get some sleep." Giles just shook his head, exasperated, but he couldn't hide a smile. For one moment they were back in the library, and it felt nice. Brooks watched this display with amusement and then led Giles down the hall.
Xander flopped down onto Buffy's bed. She frowned at him for a moment before moving to open her bag that she placed on top of the dresser. She found her flannel pajamas in the bottom of the suitcase and pulled them out. Instead of going into the bathroom to change, however, she sunk down onto the edge of the bed next to Xander.
"I think she is okay, Xander. If she wasn't, I would feel it, you know?" She placed her hand on top of his and squeezed it lightly. "I promise you, with everything that I am, that we'll get her home safe and sound."
Xander's face was bleak and pale. He nodded and then leaned against her shoulder. Soon his tears were flowing and he crumpled against her. Buffy held him, rocking him and soothing him with her soft voice. He had lost so much in his life. They all had. There was no way they were losing Willow.
Out in the sitting room Brooks and Giles were sharing a bottle of Glenlivet. A map was lying open on the table in front of them. It was a well worn map, yellowed in color, corners turned up, and very wrinkled. It was well used and Giles worried about how accurate it would be after all these years.
"I assure you, Rupert, this map has gotten me in and out of many fixes." Brooks threw back another drink and wiped his mouth with his arm. To say that Giles was having reservations was an understatement. Brooks had come highly recommended, however. Giles remembered a much younger Brooks, but then he himself had been a much younger man then too. Younger and naive and hopeful. A hard life had changed them both.
"We will want to start out before first light and get as far as we can before the heat of the afternoon. Avoiding heat exhaustion will be of utmost importance, so I suggest we don't travel during the noon time. Early mornings and later afternoons and evenings would be best." Brooks was tracing with his finger on the map the route they should take.
"Night traveling is not an option?" Giles had heard that the vampires in these parts were sparse.
Brooks shook his head. "It's not the vampires and demons we need to worry about here in Africa, Rupert. The animals come out at night. That's when they feed and hunt. Even they are too intelligent to be out and about at high noon."
Brooks studied Giles for a minute. "Are you sure this is not a fool's errand, Rupert? The odds she is still alive are slim to none."
Giles looked up from the map and glared at Brooks. "She's alive. You don't know this woman. She's an extraordinary woman as well as a gifted Wicca. I'm certain she is alive. I`ve the feeling they want something from her. She`s powerful, and they know it."
Brooks quirked his eyebrow at the Watcher. "And here I thought it was the Slayer you were bothered over."
Giles glare sharpened in his fury. He stood up quickly, pushing back his chair. "We leave at first light, as you suggest." Without glancing back Giles stomped off to the room he'd be sharing with Xander.
Amused, Brooks finished off his glass of Scotch and then folded up the map. He had a feeling this was going to turn out to be an interesting journey.
When Giles reached his room, he kicked off his shoes and ran his hand over his face. He felt scruffy and tired. He vaguely wondered what Xander and Buffy were up to, but then shrugged and wandered into the bathroom to shower and change into his own pale blue pajamas.
Were his feelings for Buffy that apparent? He had been hiding them and forcing them down for so long, and in one meeting Brooks had him figured out. Granted, the man was a Watcher and an observer by trade. He was a tracker, and had studied behaviors his entire life. Still, it left Giles unsettled. This was not a time for his personal needs. All that mattered was finding Willow and getting her back safely.
Upon re-entering the bedroom he found Xander stretched out on the far side of the bed sound asleep, still in his clothing. Giles wondered if he should wake the boy so he could at least change, but then decided against it. He'd need his sleep, because morning would come very soon. It was obvious that none of them had been sleeping well lately, so he would not interrupt even one moment of Xander's rest.
Giles, on the other hand, was wide awake. He pulled on his robe and scuffed his slippered feet down the hall. A pale light was shining out from the crack underneath Buffy's door. Giles hesitated for a moment, and then knocked softly. "Buffy?"
Buffy was sitting on the bed in her own flannel pajamas. Xander had cried himself out and left her feeling exhausted as well. She had cajoled him into his own bed to get some sleep, but now found herself lost in thoughts of the past. She looked up at the door when the knock came. She heard his soft British voice and her heart melted for an instant. Then she stiffened her posture and got up from the bed to open the door. "Yeah?"
She only opened the door a crack. It was quite apparent to Giles that she was not going to invite him in. Why had he come to her door? Why should he be invited in? He was all a turmoil suddenly. He inhaled deeply to settle himself. He was a proper British Watcher. He had to get a hold of himself.
"Are you finding everything you need? Is the room okay?" Giles pressed his hands down into his big robe. His hair was still a bit damp from the shower and his glasses were slightly askew. He seemed rumpled and lost. Buffy thought he looked like a little boy. She opened the door and nodded for him to come in. He hesitated for only a moment before entering and closing the door softly behind him. He turned back around and glanced around the room. It looked exactly like his room. Nothing fancy. Buffy was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked so small, as if she could drown all alone in the huge expanse of blankets and pillows.
"It's not the Hilton, but it will do. Your room okay?" She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder as she gazed at him.
He nodded, still standing in the middle of the room. "Xander's asleep already."
"Yeah, I know. We were...talking for a bit and then I kicked him out." Buffy didn't think Xander would want anyone to know he had been crying. It was Giles, and Buffy knew he'd understand, but it wasn't her place to tell.
Giles nodded again, taking off his glasses to rub at them before putting them back on his nose. "Are you tired? Am I keeping you?"
It dawned on Buffy then that Giles was also amiss. They all were. Her resolve weakened then and she patted the bed next to her. "Come sit."
His eyes locked onto hers for a moment and his face softened. He took the two steps forward to the bed and then turned to sit next to her. The bed drooped between them, and soon their shoulders were touching as they leaned together.
They sat in silence for a bit, both lost in their own thoughts. Buffy was wondering how she could even begin to tell Giles everything. How she missed him. How she needed him. How she wasn't herself when he wasn't around.
Giles felt his temperature rising just sitting this close to her. He wanted to comfort her more than anything, and take comfort from her as well. "Buffy?" "Giles?" They both turned and spoke at the same time.
Giles chuckled and Buffy giggled. "You first," she said. He shook his head. "No, you go first. I insist."
Buffy looked at his face. There were new wrinkles there now. His hair was a bit grayer too. She knew she had put those wrinkles and those gray hairs there. Deep down, she knew everything he did was for her. He had left and she felt abandoned, but he had done it for her. Slowly she got up from the bed and kneeled down on the floor before him. His face became concerned and confused. She rested her hands on his knees, a pleading look in her eyes. Were those tears threatening to fall from the corners of her eyes. "Buffy?" His voice came out in a croak.
She shook her head to silence him. There were so many things she wanted to say. There were so many things she needed to say. But now, all those words were gone. So Buffy said the only words that were on the tip of her tongue. "I'm sorry." She bent her head as she whispered the words.
Giles was stricken. His own face crumpled and his hands found either side of her face. He cupped her cheeks and pulled her close against his chest, cradling her as they both softly cried. "I'm sorry too."
* * *
"Did you know that the most sensitive parts of the human body are the fingers, and the mouth?" The Shaman startled Willow out of her troubled sleep.
"You speak English?" Then she realized the words were only in her mind. The Shaman was using telepathy in order to communicate to her. Willow concentrated but her magic was still tapped out, or not usable. She'd have to do with the old fashioned way. "Um, no? Why do you ask?" She strained on her bonds but knew it was hopeless. The Shaman stood in the doorway glaring at her, only the whites of his eyes showing out of his black face, which was partly covered by a filthy looking turban.
He remained silent and motionless. Willow was afraid, but she was also getting angry. "What is it that you want? Why have you taken my magic? Who are you?" The questions flew out of her as she glared right back at her captor.
"You are the one," his voice echoed again in her mind. It caused her spine to tingle and goose bumps to appear on her arms and legs. "The one that altered the course of nature, that which had been set forth far before your time. Stupid little girl, playing with dark forces for which you lack understanding, and know nothing about."
He took a step towards her. "Where there was one, now there are many." He reached out his hand and Willow was jolted with an electrical force. Her hair stood on end and her limbs stiffened. Pain shot out of her fingertips, an agony she had never felt before. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Then she slumped in her chair and knew nothing more.
* * *
Giles was jarred out of sleep by a firm knocking on the bedroom door, followed by Brooks opening it and peering in. "Rise and shine, gentlemen. We leave in one hour. Breakfast shall be on the table in twenty minutes." Then he firmly shut the door and left them to their own devices.
Xander was still heavily snoring. Giles touched the boy on his shoulder to awaken him. "Xander. Xander. Xander!" Finally Xander groaned and cracked open an eye. "Do you need the facility first or shall I?" Giles gestured towards the water closet. Xander groaned again and pulled himself out of the bed, lumbering into the bathroom. Giles smiled and pulled on his robe.
Cautiously he padded down the hallway to knock on Buffy's door. "Buffy? Are you awake?" He chuckled to himself as the feeling of deja vu came over him, only this time it was with a feeling of renewed friendship and trust. When there was no answer to his knock he slowly turned the door knob and poked his head in. The bed was empty and Buffy didn't appear to be in the room.
As he turned to leave he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Buffy was coming out of the bathroom which was attached to the bedroom. She had a towel wrapped in her long blonde hair and another wrapped around her body. Steam poured out of the bathroom door and she didn't notice him frozen in his spot right away. When she looked up she stopped in her tracks, surprised. "Giles?" Giles face was turning crimson. He knew he should apologize and leave, but he couldn't seem to do either. Buffy stood stalk still, startled by his presence, and not a little unnerved. "Giles?" she called again.
His eyes traveled from the tips of her toes, up her wet bare legs, and then up to the bottom of the towel just above her knees until they came up to her face. Her expression of surprise and mirth and embarrassment all mixed into one finally jarred him back to his senses. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry...I...er...Buffy...I knocked...." then he turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.
Buffy stood there for a moment and then began to laugh. She laughed and laughed, crumpling onto the foot of her bed as the tears streamed down her face. It took her five minutes to compose herself long enough to get dressed and dry her hair.
Buffy was the last to arrive at the breakfast table. Giles had his head bent over the map. She could see that his ears were still a bit red, and he hardly looked at her in greeting. That caused her to snort again. Xander gave her a curious look as he shoveled eggs into his mouth. "What's the what, Buff?" She sure seemed in a good mood. That was unlike her.
Brooks plopped a plate down in front of her. "Eat up. We leave in fifteen minutes." He'd spent the past evening securing their gear in the jeep and packing up food, necessities, and other supplies. Brooks may be old, but he was seasoned and experienced. He could pack in his sleep.
Buffy waved off Xander and started in on breakfast, munching on a piece of toast. "What are you looking at, Giles?" She couldn't help but giggle at her question.
He gave her a pointed look and then returned to the map. "I'm going over our route one last time." Buffy rolled her eyes. It's not like Giles could know anything by that map. Brooks was their guide. "Relax and eat. What more could you possibly learn from that thing anyway?"
"That's what I tried to tell him," Brooks said, sinking into his own chair. "We don't even need the bloody thing, but Rupert has insisted."
Giles took off his glasses and polished them with vigor. He `harrumphed' as he placed them back on his nose. "You can never be too sure, nor research too much."
"Yes, well, take a good look, Giles. A very good look." Buffy blushed herself that time. What had come over her anyway? Giles's mouth gaped open for a moment before he quickly shut it and looked down at his plate.
Xander looked at Buffy, and then Giles. His eyebrow quirked upwards. Something was definitely going on between those two. "Can we please keep in mind that we need to find Willow?"
Giles shook his head. "Quite right." He sobered immediately and they all finished their breakfast in silence.
It was early morning and the sun was barely up, yet the temperature was already hovering in the seventies. Despite the weather, they were all wearing long sleeve shirts and pants for protection from the insects and the jungle. Brooks had even given them various inoculations to ward off malaria and other African diseases. Giles had suffered his shots in silence. Buffy had frowned but remained stoic. Xander, on the other hand, had babbled incessantly the entire time so that Brooks had to threaten to tape his mouth shut. It had already been an interesting morning.
The landscape was boring to Buffy. She had always thought an African Safari would be a compelling adventure. But she saw no animals. Only sand and trees and an occasional shack. Of course, according to Brooks, they had not even entered the jungle yet. Supposedly they were on their way to Maun in Botswana. Brooks knew a man there that was an expert in the tribes of the area and he hoped to initiate his help in finding Willow. According to Brooks, if this man didn't know, then they should all just turn around and head back home. Buffy had started to snark at him but the look on Giles's face made her hold her tongue. She knew Giles would never abandon Willow. They would not stop looking, no matter what. Giles had given her a small smile and she had kept her mouth shut, leaning her head back against the Jeep's backseat.
As they drove, Brooks did a running commentary on the area. "Botswana took it's name in 1966 when it gained it's Independence from British protectorate of Bechuanaland. Mineral extraction, especially diamonds, is the predominate driving force in the economy. It also has the highest known rates of HIV and Aids infections, so please remember to always use protection." He smirked as they entered into a small village. Buffy rolled her eyes, Giles blushed, and Xander continued to nap against the window.
The Kalahari Desert was to the Southwest, and Giles had a sneaking suspicion that would be there ultimate destination. Luckily they were not in the middle of the draught season, although wind and sand storms could arise at any time on the flat terrain. He sure hoped that they could trust Brooks. Buffy could defeat Lothos, The Master, and Angelus, but the desert was another thing entirely. Giles was getting more concerned by the moment, but he hid it well. His worries were only reinforced when Brooks parked the Jeep out front of what appeared to be a bar.
Buffy quirked an eyebrow at Xander and whispered in his ear, "Beer Bad." Xander nodded in agreement. "Um, we aren't wetting the old whistle in here, are we?" He nervously asked Brooks.
"Nope. Hana will be in here." Brooks opened the door to the bar and held it for Buffy, a little grin on his face.
"Hana? Is that your contact then?" She asked as she entered the place.
"Yes," Brooks said, surveying the place. Buffy scrunched up her nose. It smelled, and the place was alive with so many flies that there was a constant buzzing in her ears. She gave Giles a nervous glance and he gave her the same worried look back at her. Then he tried to smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure Brooks knows what he's doing, Buffy."
"Yeah, sure he does." Buffy watched Brooks approach the ancient looking man behind the bar and sunk into a chair. Then she shot back up out of it as something sticky stuck to her pants.
"Ew?!" She caught Giles checking out her backside, most notably for the sticky substance, but she couldn't help noticing that he seemed to take in quite the eyeful. "Giles?"
He blushed again, a record for one day, Buffy was sure. "Uh, it appears...clean." He sat in the chair across from her and grabbed Xander by the elbow to drag him down as well. "We'll wait here for further instructions." He waved off the waitress that approached. At least, he thought it was the waitress.
`What have we gotten ourselves into?' Giles thought to himself.
They seemed to sit in the bar for hours. Buffy was getting impatient and tapping her foot incessantly. Giles gave her one of his glares, but she ignored him. Xander found a bowl of peanuts from somewhere and was building a little pyramid out of the empty shells.
Brooks and Hana had retired to a back room behind the bar, out of sight. Buffy was beginning to wonder if she should stalk back there herself or send Giles when Brooks finally re-appeared. He came up to the table and without a pause simply stated, "Let's roll." The three hopped out of their chairs and headed back out to the jeep.
"Did he tell you where Willow might be?" Xander asked, hope gleaming from his eye. Brooks shushed him as they climbed into the Jeep and he started it up. "Patience, my new friend."
Xander looked like he was about to explode until Buffy kicked the back of his chair. Somehow they had filed into the Jeep with Xander in the passenger seat and Buffy and Giles in the back. Her foot hit Xander in the small of his back through the chair and he turned his one eye onto her with a baleful glare. She smiled sweetly.
"He'll tell us once we get out of this infernal town, Xander." Giles said, looking at Brooks through the rearview mirror. Brooks nodded.
As Giles had feared, they were heading into the Kalahari Desert.
"It's as I suspected," Brooks began. "Hana spoke of one tribe that lives deep in the Kalahari, the Chewa Tribe. They've existed since the beginning of the first millennium, B.C."
Giles' ears perked up. He had heard of that tribe name before. Brooks met his eyes again in the mirror, his face grim. "The first tribesmen of known existence to the Council."
Something clicked inside Buffy. Her mind went back to her own desert experience, her quest...and the first slayer telling her that `Death is your gift.' Then the first men, trying to give her their dark powers, more of the demon, so that she could fight The First. But she had fought them, and denied the power. Buffy shivered.
Xander saw the look on Brooks' face, and then turned and saw how white Buffy's face was, as well as the concerned look on Giles' face. "Would someone please tell me what's going on?"
"They have her, don't they?" Buffy asked in a strained voice. "The Shadow Men..."
"What?! Who? Shadow Men?" Xander's face went blank for a moment and then he remembered the `shadowcasters,' and the spell Willow had tried. "Why?"
"I'm guessing they're very upset about the fact that Willow stole their power. Or at least, that's how they'll see it," Giles said softly.
They traveled along in silence for awhile, all lost in their thoughts. Buffy was terrified, though she tried not to show it because she didn't want to worry Xander.
Giles glanced sideways at Buffy. There wasn't much she could hide from him. He saw the way her eyebrows creased together, the set of her chin, the way she worried her bottom lip. She was worried, and a bit scared. Slowly he moved his hand and covered hers as it rested between them on the seat.
Buffy swallowed and looked down at his hand on hers. After a few miles, she turned her hand palm up and entwined her fingers with his.
It was hours later when Brooks pulled the Jeep over in front of a dilapidated looking shed. Buffy looked at the shed, looked at Brooks getting out of the jeep, and then over at Giles. "Is he serious?"
Giles' hand was still holding Buffy's. His thoughts were a jumble. Worried for Willow, planning and strategizing...and the fact that Buffy was holding his hand. It took him a moment to even realize that the Jeep had stopped.
"We'll stay here for the night," Brooks said gruffly. "It's fine in the inside, which is what matters. Come on, we've got another long day tomorrow." Without another word he grabbed some of the gear and headed inside. Xander gave a shrug and hopped out. He noticed Giles and Buffy's hand holding but pretended not to. He grabbed a few of the bags and turned to follow Brooks, a small smile on his face. `It's about time,' he thought.
Finally Giles gave Buffy's hand a light squeeze and popped open his door. "I suppose we should join them," he said softly, his eyes never leaving her face. "Are you alright?"
Buffy smiled softly at him and nodded. "Yeah, just...worried about Will. Giles, those Shadow Men...this is worse than I first thought. If they have her..." Buffy didn't know how they'd get Willow back, or what kind of condition she'd be in once they did find her.
Giles moved closer and put his other arm around Buffy, pulling her into a hug. "We will, Buffy. We will get her back. We have to," his own voice cracking a bit. He sighed and closed his eyes, comforting himself with the embrace as much as Buffy.
Buffy was a little surprised, but then relaxed into the hug, letting Giles hold her. She rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. Then she opened her eyes. Her spidey sense was beginning to kick in. The sun was down and it was beginning to chill as it does in the desert, but there was no mistake.
"Giles?" she whispered softly, tensing in his arms.
"Hmm?" He felt her tense and pulled out of the hug with a frown, then he saw her face. "What is it?"
Buffy slowly reached into her boot and brought out a stake. "Not sure, but something's not right." She glanced around. There really was nowhere to hide. No trees in the desert. She was still amazed by the falling down shack sitting there, so obtrusive in the landscape.
Giles was looking around as well. Buffy started to say something, and he turned towards her, and then let out a yelp. "Under," he growled, kicking frantically with his leg.
Buffy blinked. Under? Then she saw a dirty hand pulling at Giles' leg. "Oh, under the Jeep!" Buffy shook her head and leapt out of the open vehicle in a perfect summersault. She kicked at the elbow of the arm. Somewhere from under the Jeep she heard a hiss as the arm was retracted. Buffy crouched down and glared. "Come out and fight like a real vampire, you coward." A few seconds later the Jeep started up and moved forward, as Giles jumped behind the driver's side and started up the vehicle. Brooks left the keys in the ignition, since they were supposedly all alone out in the desert. The Jeep jerked forwards and Buffy grinned as the vampire sat up suddenly and frowned as it's hiding place vanished. Before the creature could move, Buffy plunged her stake into it's heart. It exploded into dust, joining the desert floor and mixing with the sand and soil.
Giles hurried out of the Jeep and came over to her as she stood to brush off the dust remnants on her clothing. "Are you okay?" she asked him, looking down at his leg.
"Me? Oh, yes. I'm fine. Stupid of me really, opening my door like that." Giles met her eyes and then looked her over to make sure she was okay.
"Nah, I was distracting you," Buffy said.
"Yes, well, you've been doing that for years," Giles said softly. Buffy looked up sharply then, seeing a blush creep up his neck even in the darkness of the evening. He looked at her expectantly for a moment, a small smile on his face. "Come on, we best get inside before Brooks and Xander wonder about us." He turned then and went to the Jeep to pull out their remaining bags. "Coming?" he asked.
Buffy was still rooted in place. She'd been distracting Giles? All these years? What did he mean by that? Why the blush? And...why did the thought make her warm inside? Finally she slowly nodded and followed behind him into the shack to join the other two men.
* * *
When Willow opened her eyes, she was in a new place. Her hands and ankles were still bound, but this time she found herself in the back of some kind of transport truck or bus. Every bump of the road jarred her joints.
Several tribesmen sat around her, but she didn't see the Shaman. It was dark in the back of the transport, with no windows, so she didn't even know what time it was.
Once the men saw Willow's eyes flicker open, they put a canteen to her mouth and helped her to drink. She was parched and the water felt wonderful on her sore throat. After they pulled the canteen away she tried to sit up but her bindings kept her down.
"Where are we going? Where's the boss?" Willow asked them, about to go into full babble mode. The men must have noticed, or had been given instructions, because before she could ask another question, a gag was again placed in her mouth. She tried to fight and argue,but it was really no use. Eventually she relaxed and just tried to meditate and concentrate on her breathing. And to hope. Mustn't lose hope, she told herself. They'll come for her. The Scoobies always won in the end. They'd come and save her.
* * *
Buffy was surprised when she saw the inside of the `shack.' It was actually a nice little cottage with a living room, small kitchenette, and two bedrooms. "Wow, it didn't look this big from the outside," she said with amazement.
Brooks chuckled. "Of course it didn't. That's all in the magic." He gave Buffy a wink. "You can take the bedroom off to the right of the bathroom, little lady." Then Brooks glanced at Xander and Giles. "The sofa folds out into a bed for you two." Then without further ado, Brooks picked up his bag and headed for the other bedroom. "I'll fix us supper in a moment," he said over his shoulder.
Xander hopped down on the sofa, bobbing up and down to check out the firmness. "Almost as comfy as my parent's basement," he muttered. Buffy giggled, remembering when they all hid there from the Initiative. Giles had been so cranky in the morning. And her, in her Yummy Sushi pajamas. Really, if you thought about it, they had a lot of good memories. "You'd think he could just magic up another few bedrooms," Xander said.
"I'm sure he wasn't the one that...uh...procured the facility," Giles commented. He watched Buffy take her bag into the bedroom and close her door. Xander watched him watching her with a slight smile on his face.
"Seems you two have patched things up," Xander said gently. Giles blushed as he realized he'd been caught gawking, and shrugged his shoulders awkwardly, going into the kitchen to investigate the cupboards and fridge. "I'm glad," Xander added, closing his eye and relaxing into the sofa.
Giles glanced up at that, smiling fondly at the boy, but Xander already appeared to be sleeping.
By the time Brooks emerged from his room Giles already had a salad made and some burgers frying on the stove. The Watcher had no idea how the food had arrived at this remote cottage, but there it had been in the various cupboards and fridge. It appeared fresh and his stomach growled at the aroma. He was certain that Xander would awaken soon.
Brooks put a pot on for tea. The two men made dinner in relative silence. They respected each other, but were hardly friends. Giles glanced at Buffy's bedroom door and wondered when she'd return. It was silly, really, but he was missing her.
Xander finally jumped awake as Giles and Brooks set the table. "Oh, food. Smells great!" Xander jumped off the sofa and hurried over to the table, frowning at the tea. "Got any Pepsi in there?"
Brooks frowned at the boy but Giles hardly noticed. "I'll go roust Buffy from her room. She should eat as well," Giles said softly. He went over and quietly knocked on her door. "Buffy? It's supper time." When there was no answer he opened the door and peeked in. Buffy was lying down on the bed, sound asleep. Giles smiled and slowly entered the room. He sat down on the edge of the bed and tenderly touched her forehead, moving her bangs off of her face. "Buffy? Wake up, luv."
Buffy murmured something and then her eyes cracked open. She smiled at Giles and slowly sat up. "Hey, I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just wanted to rest my eyes for a minute."
"It's quite alright. We've had a tiring couple of days." Giles had moved his hand from her forehead, and now didn't know what to do with it, so he clasped his hands together on his lap.
Buffy regarded him for a moment. She wanted to ask him about what he had meant earlier, about her distracting him for years, and that blush. And the look in his eyes. Even now he seemed more nervous or something. He wasn't as reserved and stuffy around her as usual. She rather liked it.
"Buffy?" Giles asked her softly. He was bemused by her expression. She was staring at his face, but seemed so far away. Lost in thought, with a happy little expression on her face. "Dinner is getting cold, I suspect."
Buffy gazed into his eyes and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. She really wasn't caring about dinner at the moment. All that mattered was the warm way Giles was looking at her, and how it made her insides melt, and her skin heat up, and how she wanted to lean in and brush her lips against his.
"Buffy?" Giles was starting to get a bit concerned now. "Are you alright?"
She slowly nodded. "Yeah, I just...was thinking." Buffy didn't move her eyes from his.
"Thinking? You?" Giles teased her gently.
Buffy frowned and then gave him a look. "Hey, I think all the time, Watcher mine."
Giles' heart almost skipped a beat. She hadn't called him that in years. "And what is your glorious brain thinking of now?"
Buffy hesitated for only a moment. She knew her Watcher. He'd never make a move. She had to do it if there was something between them, otherwise nothing would ever happen. If she was wrong, she'd just blame it on a lack of sleep or something. "This," she said softly, and then reached up to cup his face in her hands, bringing his face down to meet her lips in a gentle kiss.
Giles stiffened in surprise, but soon relaxed and moaned softly. He slowly moved his arms around her waist to bring her closer, returning the kiss firmly. Buffy smiled against his mouth and then boldly deepened the kiss, parting her lips and inviting in his tongue. Gently their tongues rubbed against each other before exploring deeper. They were both breathing heavily when oxygen became an issue and they broke the kiss. Smiling shyly at each other Buffy moved her head to his shoulder as he embraced her, rubbing his hand up and down the small of her back.
Reality finally settled back in and Giles pulled away, still smiling at her. "We better join them for supper, don't you think?"
Buffy pretended to pout for a moment, gently touching his face. He was so handsome. How had she not noticed, after all these years?
Giles leaned down and captured that pouty bottom lip between his lips, sucking gently. Buffy groaned and then whimpered when he pulled back with a grin. He stood up and held his hand out to her. "Come on, luv."
Buffy's heart stopped in her chest. He called her luv! She slipped her hand into his and let him lead her back out to the dinner table.
They joined the table in silence. Xander was inhaling his burger and Brooks appeared to be disinterested in everything and everyone. Buffy started in on her salad and glanced at them. "Just another rousing family meal together," she teased. Giles smiled and sipped at his tea. "So, Mr. Brooks, what is the agenda for tomorrow?" Buffy asked the guide as she picked up her burger.
"We continue to travel further into the desert. The Chewa Tribe resides almost dead center. We'll have to trade the Jeep in for a truck that can carry more supplies such as food and water. The farther in we travel, the less...comforts we'll have to enjoy." At the word `comforts' Brooks had waved his hand in the air to take in their current surroundings. "We've an equipment warehouse a few miles in where we can get what we need, but that will be the last signs of civilization for awhile."
Xander pushed away his empty plate and grabbed at some napkins. "When will we get there? How long?" Xander was impatient to get to Willow. Every second counted.
Brooks tried to give the boy a calm look, but it was difficult. He wasn't used to having others around questioning him on everything. Usually what he said was the law. "Steady and true wins the race, my young friend. If we rush, we may make mistakes we'll regret later. They don't know we are after them. I promise you, I've done this sort of thing many times, and I'm the best at my job."
Giles nodded and looked over at Xander. "We need to trust him, Xander. He knows what he's doing. Would I have brought you here if I had doubts?"
Xander looked down and slowly nodded. "No, I guess not. I'm just... worried."
Buffy reached over and covered his hands with one of hers. "We all are, Xander. But it's Will. She's strong."
"Yeah, but so were those Shadow Men," Xander muttered.
Buffy glared at him. "Yes, and I beat them before. We beat them. We beat The First, Xander. When we stick together, we can do anything."
Xander's mouth twitched and then he turned his hand palm up to squeeze her hand back. "Right. Right."
Giles pretended to be interested in his remaining salad, but inside he was smiling. Buffy was back. Buffy with spunk and the love for her friends, after all this time, was finally back.