Title: Still a Fool 4/4
Author: Luisa
Email: leyjd@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: None of it’s mine, please don’t sue.
Feedback: Always more than welcome.
Had her side not still been aching, Buffy would have whirled around in her seat. As it was, she could only reluctantly untangle her legs from Giles' waist and turn slowly, apprehension clear on her face. Her jaw dropped as she at last faced the window and was greeted by Riley's stunned expression.
There was anger and bewilderment clear on his features, his hands balled up into fists as he leaned against the door, looking for all the world like he would deck either Buffy or Giles quite willingly. The soft glow of the streetlight made the whole scene even eerier, and as a result Riley looked a bit psychotic as he stood in as threatening a position as he could muster.
Buffy just turned back to Giles with a smile on her face, wrapping her legs once more around him. At his shocked expression she giggled. "Later." With that, she pulled his head back down to hers for another passionate kiss. She was met with resistance as Giles pulled back with a wounded expression.
"What? What'd I do?" She asked, confusion evident on her face.
Giles found it hard to look her in the eye as he softly replied, "Buffy? D... Didn't you mean it? I... I thought you...."
Buffy reached a hand back up to him, this time placing it firmly against his lips, effectively ending whatever he about to fret over. "Giles... I'm sorry. I... I just thought... it doesn't matter. You're right. I should deal. I can't keep running."
Giles could only stare at her in astonishment as she removed her finger from his lips and lowered herself from the chair. He found himself impressed that she really was taking responsibility for her actions.
She moved slowly and silently to the door, hesitating only a moment and looking back at Giles with a lingering and meaningful look before opening the door.
"Uh... hi Riley..." She shifted uncomfortably as she tried to stand between the two men.
"Let me at him" Riley's voice was a low growl and carried more than a hint of warning. His eyes glinted dangerously.
"Um... Riley? I'm thinking that's not such a great idea." Buffy continued to hover between Riley and Giles as Riley tried to move around her, raising his voice as he vented his anger. "Buffy, what are doing? Why are you trying to protect this sicko?" He didn't care how loud his voice was, or that the door was still wide open. Giles did, however, and winced slightly.
Buffy noticed Giles' wince out the corner of her eye and reassured him. "Giles, ignore him. I'm dealing." She turned back just in time to block a punch aimed at Giles. "God Riley, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Other than you making out with sick old perv, you mean? You, know I always wondered about him..."
Disbelief clouded Buffy's face as she tried to puzzle out what Riley was saying. Suddenly fury replaced the disbelief as everything clicked into place. "Oh, come on... you can't seriously think that he... while I... God Riley, you're even denser than I thought. Giles would never... to a minor? He's too much of a gentleman to do that. You're the sicko around here. He's more than ten times the man you'll ever be." To emphasise her point, she moved a hand to his chest and pushed him backwards. She used little force, but he stumbled slightly nevertheless.
His eyes widened in shock as he realised just what her reactions were saying to him. "Buffy...?" He choked out her name in shock, and before he knew what he was doing, he swung a punch toward her too.
Again, Buffy blocked it easily. "Oh, come on Riley. Trying to take the Slayer? We both know from experience that I can take you any time. I suggest you go now, before I have to prove it." A wide grin adorned her beautiful features, and she cast a quick glance over her shoulders to see how Giles was taking this. He was hunched over onto the counter, his head buried in his hands, as he tried to very hard not to laugh aloud. She could tell that he wasn't managing very well by the way his body was shaking with an odd muffled sound escaping every now and then. She turned back to Riley, and as he nervously backed toward the door, she could see the questions in his eyes. She determined to answer them honestly.
"Look Riley. I really am sorry about... everything. I never set out to cheat on you, and initially I didn't want to hurt you - but insulting Giles like that... biiiig mistake, pal. Besides, we both know that you and I weren't working out - you wanted me to be something I'm not: all housewifey and holding back with my strength so that you could feel more like a man. How could that have ever ended happily? You deserve better - someone who you can love for who they are. And I deserve better, too. Someone who accepts me as I am, who knows me better than I know myself."
Riley's features had become less contorted as understanding dawned. He still tried one last attempt, however. "And you think he's the one?"
Buffy nodded silently.
Riley's face flushed slightly in embarrassment that she would choose this old man over him. "And you think he can give you everything? That's a laugh. Don’t come crawling back to me when you find out that I'm the one who's the real man around here." He began to smirk, but a flash of fear crossed his face as Buffy took an angry step towards him. She had felt the effect she had on Giles earlier when they were entangled, and was looking forward to proving Riley very, very wrong.
"Riley... get out, before I have to make you." She took another threatening step towards him, and in a flash he was gone.
"God... what is it with me and men... why do they all turn evil?" She asked as she closed the door and turned back toward Giles, hurriedly adding, "Except you, of course. You... are perfect. Not an ounce of badness... unless Ripper wants to come out to play." Her eyes twinkled merrily as Giles grinned back.
"I think that could be arranged, Love." He moved over to her and brushed his lips against hers lightly in a deliberately teasing kiss. "Now... where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted?"
Buffy reached her arms once more around Giles' neck and lifted her face to his. "Right about here, I think." She moved her lips to meet his hoping for a tender kiss, but instead let out a sudden shriek as Giles unexpectedly lifted her into his arms and turned towards the backroom. He walked in its direction as quickly as possible with his arms full of his beautiful Slayer and corrected her as he walked.
"No, I don't think so... I think I was about to prove just how wrong young Riley was, when he said that he was a real man." He slid a hand from under her to turn the handle and passed through the doorway.
"Mmmm, goody" came Buffy's aroused and happy murmur as Giles kicked the door shut behind them.
END