Title: Belonging (12/12)
Author: Luisa
Email: leyjd@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine, they belong to Joss et al. I'm just playin' with them... giving them what they *really* want before handing them back as if they'd never been touched. <Innocent smile>
Feedback: Pretty, pretty please. with Giles on top?
"What, and you know her *so* well, I suppose?" Riley looked back and forth between Watcher and Slayer, hurt flickering in his eyes, despite his tirade. "How long has this been going on? Huh? How long have you two been seeing each other behind my back?"
"We... we didn't," Buffy stammered out. "I, I mean... we haven't been... um... only since last night," she finished weakly.
"Don't give that bullshit, Buffy."
"I... I'm not... it's true."
"Liar!" he roared. "Do you really think I didn't notice when you shouted his name every time you came? It's so obvious, anyone with eyes could see you were having an affair with him."
Giles' eyes widened at the revelation and he turned to her in astonishment. "Is this true?"
"I... I..." She didn't get to finish her sentence as Riley swung for Giles again.
This time his fist connected with Giles' stomach and Buffy screamed his name again as he stumbled ever so slightly. Yet the blow barely even winded Giles; a man who had spent his whole life - twice that of Riley's - fighting battles on a daily basis, and he brought his attention back to the young man with a steely glare. "You don't know what you're talking about." His voice held a dangerous tone, and even Buffy knew not to argue when Ripper came out to fight, yet Riley ignored him, lining up another punch, which again missed.
"Like you don't know, old man." Riley growled, completely ignorant of the dangerous glint in Giles' eyes. "Stop trying to cover it up. You may as well admit it now. Were you sleeping together the whole time? You disgusting old perv. You make me *sick*." He spat at Giles, who again moved out of the way just in time. "How did you do it, eh? How could someone like you... someone so... old... make Buffy sleep with you? It's just... it's gross. How did you take her away from me? Answer me, dammit!" Again he lunged at Giles, but this the Watcher was prepared and caught the fist in midair.
"You *really* don't want to do that." Giles' voice was soft, yet the threat in his words was unconcealed. He gripped Riley's fist tightly, fury coursing through him at the boy's spiteful words and deeds. He drew himself to his full height, towering over the young commando, Ripper at the ready.
"Giles." Buffy placed a hand gently on his arm. "Let me deal with this. Please?" He looked at her for the briefest of seconds before silently nodding his agreement. Letting go of the fist, he backed up slowly. After all, it was Buffy's responsibility to deal with her 'Ex'. Before Riley could drop his fist to his side, Buffy had grabbed it, squeezing it tightly. "Just what the hell is wrong with you?" She asked him in a dangerously calm voice.
"If you don't know that, Buffy, then you're just as stupid and twisted as he is." He glared at her as he spoke, but his hopes of intimidation just didn't work.
"Don't you ever, *ever* talk about him like that," she whispered, bending the fist she held painfully back. He winced at the pain, but kept a mask of bravery on his face as she continued lecturing him. "You're less than half the man he is. And I'm sorry," she added, slapping him hard across his face in return for what he'd done to Giles. "...That you had to find out like this, but," she thumped him twice as payback for the punches that had missed, "You just don't measure up." She let go of his hand, and with a glower, moved to stand defensively in front of her still-simmering lover, her eyes almost daring Riley to try again. "Now get one thing straight in your head, Riley, before you think about starting any rumours," she added, watching his expression of disgust, "Giles has not forced me into anything. He's not sick, or any sort of perv... I love him. I'm with him by choice and I would've told you myself, later today, if you didn't have to be such a dickhead." Buffy turned slightly, one eye on the intruder, and wrapped her arms around Giles.
"Is that enough payback?" She whispered in his ear as he hugged her to him. He grinned back at her.
"Not nearly enough." With that, he leaned into her and captured her lips in a searing kiss and she moaned into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck. He slid his arms around her waist in response, hugging her to him as he plundered her mouth. She whimpered slightly and drew back panting, gazing dreamily into Giles' eyes. At last tearing her eyes away from his, she looked over to the doorway, intending to apologise more sincerely to her former boyfriend, but found the archway empty instead.
She looked back at her Watcher and lover with a dreamy sigh. "I guess we're all alone again, huh?"
He pecked her lips delicately. "I guess we are." He heaved a sigh of his own, reluctantly admitting to himself the hour of the day. "But you should be in college, Buffy."
"Actually, I've missed my only classes of the day, already." She tightened her arms around him, lifting her head for another kiss. "So we can do what we like." She pressed her body to his persuasively. After a beat, he pulled out of the embrace.
"Let me just shut the door... we don't want any spectators now, do we?" As he drew the bolt across, she called his name, and he turned to face her. "What is it, Buffy?"
"Nothing." She replied softly. "Just... you were wrong, is all."
He raised his eyebrows, intrigued. "About what?"
"When you said that I don't belong to anyone but myself, you were wrong. I belong to you. I always have, and I always will."
He smiled at her lovingly, before picking her up and carrying her upstairs once more, softly whispering, "And I, you."
FIN