Title: Missing 4/7
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!

They were to head to the warehouse before sunrise, so as soon as supper was finished, they would all have to get a few hours of sleep. Once they made it to the warehouse, their supplies would be restocked and they'd have a top of the line transport vehicle equipped to handle the terrain and protections from the heat.

"I can do the dishes since I missed supper preparations," Buffy exclaimed, hopping up from the table.

"No complaints here," Xander said with a smile. He patted his belly and made his way back over to the couch.

"Thank you, my dear," Brooks replied. He gave her a little wink. "I think I shall retire. I'll wake you all when it's time to leave." He got up from the table and exited down the small hallway to his bedroom.

Buffy moved over to the sink and began filling it with soapy water. "I'll help you," Giles said softly.

"You don't have to, Giles. Didn't you cook?"

Giles shrugged and grabbed a towel. "I want to help. I'll dry."

They did the dishes in a companionable silence. Buffy heard Xander pull the sofa bed out and head into the bathroom to most likely change into sleeping clothes. Buffy, due to her nap, and due to the fact that Giles was now standing so close to her, was wide awake. It was nice. It seemed so normal. They were doing normal things. They were doing dishes together. It almost seemed like something you'd do if you were a couple... or a friend. But that kiss had been way more than just `friendly,' Buffy thought. She smiled and handed him the last plate. "Are you tired?"

"Not really," he told her. He reached out for the plate and their fingers touched. Their eyes met, and they could both feel the heat between them. Buffy licked her lips and Giles' body instinctively arched towards hers. His head started to bend down, and Buffy's head started to arch up, giving him access for another soul searching kiss.

The bathroom door slammed as Xander bounded back out. Giles jumped and dropped the plate on the floor. It broke and shattered onto the tile. "Bugger," he cursed. Buffy chuckled. He was bending down to pick up the plate, but had to look up at her. He gave her a grin and then he frowned. "Ouch!"

"Oh, did you cut yourself?" Buffy knelt down and took his hand into both of hers, studying his finger.

"It's not that bad," he muttered softly.

They were crouched down below the counter, out of Xander's sight as he lay on the sofa bed on his back. Buffy looked up at Giles for a moment, and then moved his finger to her mouth. She sucked the wound gently. Giles gave a low, strangled sound in the back of his throat. Her lips, her mouth... what would it feel like if she did that to his...

"You guys okay?" Xander popped up and Buffy quickly released him and stood up.

"He cut his finger a little, but, it's fine. Right? Are you fine, Giles?"

Xander gave Buffy a funny look. For a moment there, she sounded like Willow, babbling away.

"I'm fine," Giles whispered. He turned his body away from them both and tried to calm himself. "It doesn't even need a bandage. It's just a small little cut." While he washed his hands and tried to do think about the periodic chart to eliminate the evidence of his physical arousal, Buffy found a broom and dust pan and cleaned up the mess. They finished the dishes in short order and wiped down the table and counters.

Giles hung up the towel and sighed, turning around to lean back against the counter. Buffy copied his position, leaning next to him against the counter next to his hip. "Well, I guess that's it then," she said softly. Her eyes flickered over to the back of the sofa where Xander slept. She wished it wasn't dangerous outside so she could go for a walk, or patrol, or... anything to get rid of this energy.

Actually, what she really wanted to do was drag Giles into her room and find out what else his mouth could do, and his fingers, and...

"Yes, quite," Giles agreed softly. "We should probably try and get some rest. Tomorrow is sure to be a very busy day."

Inside, Giles was more than conflicted. Obviously things for him and Buffy had taken a quite unexpected turn. He was excited, scared, hopeful, and worried all at once. Not only that, but they couldn't lose their focus. This wasn't about them. This wasn't about his desire or... how much he wanted to show Buffy how much he loved her. He wanted to worship her and beg for her forgiveness over and over again, even though she had already accepted his apology just last night. No... this wasn't about any of that. This was about finding Willow.

Buffy was feeling very similar things. There were so many issues between them. Yet, in one day, all of the pain and anger had seemed to rush away as if by a gigantic wave, crashing all the distance between them into a million pieces. Buffy wanted to make up for lost time. She wanted to tell him everything that was in her heart and soul, and show him everything that had always been there, but she'd been too scared to express to him before. So what if she'd been right, and he'd been wrong, sometimes? Her pride wasn't worth as much as his love would be. To think he could love her like that...she had seen it in his eyes. She could feel it. For the first time in forever, things felt right. It was as if recognizing Giles' love for her, and hers for him was the completion of a life long puzzle on a gigantic dining room table. It just clicked into place, and made all the work before worth it.

"Yeah..." Buffy mumbled. She leaned closer and his hip now rested lightly against hers. He slowly lifted his arm and put it around her shoulders, pressing her closer to his body.

"Hey, would you two pipe down? I'm trying to sleep here," Xander grumbled.

Both Giles and Buffy sighed. Giles leaned down and dropped a gentle kiss on the top of Buffy's head. She blinked and then looked up at him. They smiled at each other. Then Buffy stepped away and headed back to her bedroom. She'd momentarily thought about inviting him into her room just to talk, but she knew she wanted more. It was best to put the brakes on right now. They had to find Willow. She couldn't let herself get so distracted.

Giles watched her as she headed to her room. Perhaps he could make some kind of excuse about needing Watcher/Slayer training time? It was long after he heard her door close before he left the kitchen and went to lie down on the sofa next to Xander.

"Be careful, Giles," Xander said softly.

Giles, surprised, turned his head towards Xander. "Pardon?"

Xander sighed and turned towards Giles, his one eye facing the Watcher. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Giles wasn't sure what to say to that.

"Not that I want Buffy hurt either," Xander stated, "but... just be careful, okay?"

Giles was going to act ignorant, but realized that would be futile. "Xander, I appreciate your concern, really, I do..." Giles stammered. He understood Xander's fears, but it still made him a little angry.

"Hey, I'm only saying that you two have had... issues. Just don't rush into something now, especially when Willow is at stake." Xander saw Giles' expression begin to turn angry so he held up his hand. "That's not really what I meant though. I know you care about Willow and she comes first. I just... listen, Buffy doesn't have the best record where smoochies are concerned. And I've never really cared about her other boyfriends before. But I care about you. I don't want her to break your heart." Xander's loyalties always were firmly with his friends, and that of course included Buffy. But Giles was special. Giles was the father he never had, and he couldn't bear to lose that if things didn't work out with Buffy. "And I don't think Buffy could stand losing you again. I think that might be... one loss to may."

Giles sat up and looked at Xander. The boy had valid concerns, certainly. But Giles knew his heart, and it always belonged to Buffy. "Xander, you'll never lose me. I shouldn't have been so distant before. We were all... healing, I suppose. We'll find Willow and we will make things right with all of us again. No matter what, I promise you, you won't lose me." He gave the boy a gentle smile.

Xander let out a shaking breath and returned the smile. He patted Giles' hand and laid back down. "She's loved you forever. I think things with you could be... right. For the both of you. Just... be careful. That's all." Then Xander rolled on his side, his back to Giles, and soon he was snoring.

* * *

Buffy's disappointment was evident when the knock came to her door to awaken her, and it was Xander on the other side instead of Giles. He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged. "Ready to hit the road?"

She nodded and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. "I think so."

Brooks already had what little they needed to take from the house packed back into the jeep. He was anxious to get going while the sun was low.

The air felt different that morning. Expectant. As if even the African desert was waiting for something to happen and was holding it's breath in anticipation.

Xander gave Giles a knowing look as he crawled into the front passenger seat next to Brooks, leaving the back seat for Buffy and her Watcher. Giles blushed slightly but then climbed in next to her. "Hullo, Buffy," he said softly with a smile.

Buffy smiled in return and snapped her seatbelt into place. "Hey. How'd you sleep?"

"Not that well," he told her, his eyes finding hers. She smiled wider. "Me neither."

"I slept like a log," Xander said. "I think everything has just caught up to me all of a sudden. How long until we get to this tribe anyway? Can't we just go in, all barrels blazing, and snatch Willow away?"

"With everything we've seen in our lives," Buffy retorted, "do you really have to ask that?"

Xander slumped in his seat. "No, I suppose not. My luck there will be a hive of gigantic desert bugs on patrol, circling the tents and trying to mate with me."

Brooks gave Xander a funny look, and the boy just shrugged and waved his hands in the air. "Don't ask. Just keep your distance if you see any bugs in my vicinity. It won't be pretty."

Brooks chuckled and started up the engine. "I'm not certain. The tribe moves around a lot, and they won't want to be found. We won't be able to just drive up to them. We'll devise a better plan once we have narrowed down their location. We'll learn more at the warehouse. I have another contact I can call who can help us infiltrate the tribe."

"How long until we reach the warehouse?" Buffy asked.

Brooks pulled away from the `hut'. There was no road, really. It was more like tracks in the sand. "A few hours. We should be able to see a glorious sunrise on the way. You haven't seen anything beautiful until you've seen an African morning."

Giles smiled as Buffy leaned against his side. He lifted his arm and tucked her close. It was beginning to feel second nature to have her there. He quite liked it. She was beautiful. No African sunrise came close.

Buffy wasn't really tired. She was too keyed up about everything. Yet she saw this as an excuse to touch Giles. Now that he was beside her again, she never wanted him to leave. How had she survived without him? She hadn't. There had been a profound emptiness and ache in her heart and soul since they'd been apart. Now that she had him, she was never going to let him go.

Life was too short, she surmised. They'd all seen a lot of death and suffered tremendous losses. Why had she been so foolish and wasted so much valuable time? Willow was in grave danger. They had to get her back. This was her family, and no one messed with her family ever again. This is why Buffy fought. Her hand snaked out and rested on Giles thigh. Her fingers clutched at his kneecap and slowly her fingertips began to trace the bone through his trousers. She was lost in thought about all that they had lost, and how she couldn't lose anyone else. Not Willow, and not Giles. And she wanted more than just a Slayer/Watcher relationship with him. She wanted more than just friendship. She wanted it all, and dammit, she deserved it. They all deserved it.

Giles watched her fingers on his leg and he felt his entire body grow warm at her touch, but he saw the expression on her face and it troubled him. She was obviously lost in deep thoughts. His hand gently squeezed her shoulder. "We will find her, Buffy. Try not to worry."

She nodded against his arm and closed her eyes. It was true that she hadn't slept well. Perhaps now she could rest a while before they reached their destination. She needed to be ready to help Willow.

I was a little while later when she felt Giles' body move and he said, "Buffy, look!" She slowly opened her eyes as Brooks slowed their jeep down. She sat up further and Giles pointed, a rapt look on his face. "Elephants!"

Buffy gasped. They all sat transfixed, watching the magnificent creatures.

"Do you know what the difference is between African and Asian elephants?" Brooks asked. They all shook their heads. "The African elephant is bigger, for one thing. It's the largest living land animal and generally weighs up to 5,400 kg. It also has larger ears and tusks, more of a sloping forehead, and see those two finger like appendages at the tips of their trunks? The Asian elephant only has one."

"Holy moley," Xander whispered. "They are a lot bigger in person than on TV."

"If I understand it correctly," Giles began, "elephants are endangered?"

"Poachers often hunt them for their tusks," Brooks agreed. "And they destroy crops and land, so not all natives are that fond of them. It's a mixture of decline and over population, depending on what parts of Africa you are in." Brooks put the jeep back into gear and they slowly moved on.

"Amazing," Giles whispered.

"Yeah," Buffy echoed. "I guess we really are in Africa." They all chuckled and Buffy leaned back against the seat and smiled.

"We'll be there shortly," Brooks said. "Once we get there, we'll transfer our gear to the truck and stock up on other supplies and weapons, and then I'll contact Charlie."

"Charlie? Who's that?" Buffy asked. This is the first Brooks had mentioned someone else.

"He's my local contact within the tribe. Charlie isn't his real name. Even I can't pronounce it in his native tongue, but he likes Charlie, so that's what I call him. He doesn't speak English, however, and he is very wary of strangers. Once I've made contact he'll come to us, but I'll have to talk to him alone."

Buffy made a face as if to object, but Giles gently squeezed her shoulder. She took the hint. They had no reason not to trust Brooks, and at this point, they didn't really have a choice.

* * *

Willow groaned and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times to adjust to the lighting. She was very uncomfortable and strained her arms against her bonds. She was chained to a wall inside some kind of cave. Willow didn't know Africa even had caves in the middle of the desert. It was dry and dark, with a couple of flickering candles in sconces on the stone walls. She had a manacle around each wrist and each ankle, which limited her movements considerably.

She was alone. She couldn't move, she could hardly see, and it was dead silent. Concentrating, she groaned in frustration that her magic was still gone. It was lying dormant inside of her.

What did these men want? They were angry with her for something and she thought it was for making all of the slayers. They must be the Shadow men that Buffy had told them about. If they could do that to the First Slayer, what would they do to her?

"Please hurry, guys. I don't know how much time I have." Her soft, worried whisper echoed in the stone prison. Sweat trickled down her forehead into her eyes, and she couldn't even move her arm close enough to her face to wipe it away. She didn't know how much time she had left.

Willow was terrified.

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