TITLE: Mexico 9/9
AUTHOR: Rari Coss
E-MAIL ADDRESS: RariCoss1956@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the WB, UPN, Fox,
Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it.
Oh, and I have no idea who owns Scarecrow and Mrs.
King but I’m sure they have much more money than I do
and I’m only playing.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely.
Amanda and Lee were south of San Diego when they saw him hitchhiking on the other side of the road. Lee found a turnoff and turned the rental car around. As they approached the young man, Lee slowed down and pulled in front of him. Lee got out of the car, followed by Amanda.
Jonathan eyed them warily. Were they giving him a ride or not? He gave them a cautious smile. “Hey.”
Lee nodded. “Are you Jonathan Levinson?” Lee was fairly certain he was but figured he might as well be sure.
Jonathan swallowed. “Maybe. Who wants to know?”
Lee tried not to roll his eyes. “We do.”
“Yeah? So who are you?”
Amanda decided to take over. She could Lee was only spooking the young man. “I’m Amanda and this is Lee. Your father has been trying to find you.”
Jonathan snorted. “Right. My father.”
Amanda felt a piercing moment of sadness at the tone in his voice. Sunnydale seemed to breed hurt children. “He’s been very worried.”
Jonathon snorted again. “Are you sure you’re talking about my father? Short guy, dark hair, glasses?”
“We haven’t met him. We were just asked to find you.”
Jonathan chewed on his lower lip as he considered the two people looking at him. “Have you been in Sunnydale?”
Lee nodded. “We just came from there.”
“So, it’s still there?”
Lee drummed his fingers on the roof of the car. “Yes, it’s still there.”
Jonathan thought about that. He was sort of surprised by the news.
Amanda tried a different tack. “Buffy and Giles told us that you were heading for Mexico.”
Jonathan’s eyes grew very wide and he took a step back. “Buffy and Mr. Giles?” He tossed that idea around in his head. “So, they’re all right?”
Amanda and Lee both nodded.
Jonathan was a little surprised by that too. Glad, but surprised. He scrunched his face up. “I don’t suppose they mentioned Willow to you, did they?” He braced himself.
Amanda smiled softly. “I spoke with her.”
Jonathan’s eyes almost bugged out of his head. “You spoke to her? She didn’t try to, you know, do anything?”
Amanda’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“You know. Were her eyes all black and was she like, you know, throwing bolts of lightening or anything like that?”
Lee blew out an exasperated breath. He was getting very tired of the mystery of Willow. He hated only knowing partial answers. Amanda cut him off before he could get too vocal about it. “Lightening?”
“Yeah. I mean she is a witch.” At the look on both their faces Jonathan got nervous. “You knew that, right? I mean, if you know Buffy and Mr. Giles, I figured you knew about Willow.”
Lee was determined to get some answers. “Are you hungry?”
Jonathan startled at the seeming non-sequitor. “Yeah?”
“How about we buy you dinner and you can fill us in on what’s been happening.”
Jonathan shook his head. “I really can’t talk about it.”
Lee let out a warning laugh. “Oh yes, you can, my friend.”
Jonathan looked like he was going to bolt. “Why? Do you have ways of making me talk?”
Lee had to bite back a laugh. Then he saw the look on Jonathan’s face. It was the same look he’d seen on Willow’s face, and Xander’s. And flashes of it on Buffy’s and Giles’. Endless fear and gut wrenching worry. It got to Lee. And as determined as he’d been to get some answers, suddenly he didn’t want to contribute to the worry and the fear. “Never mind. Let’s just pick up a bite to eat and let us take you home. No questions. All right?”
Jonathan paused. “My father’s really worried about me?”
Amanda nodded. “He really is.”
A slow smile formed on Jonathan’s face. “Wow.” Suddenly going back to Sunnydale seemed like a good idea. He could always leave if Willow turned to the dark side again. And he was really hungry. He pointed back down the road. “There’s an In and Out Hamburgers right back there.”
Lee opened the car door. “In and Out it is.”
Jonathan grinned and got in the back seat. “Cool.”
***
Buffy woke up early in the morning. She froze when she felt the unfamiliar sensation of a warm body lying next to her. Then she remembered who it was and she smiled. Stretching languorously she threw her arm over her new and forever bedmate and grinned when he grunted. Then she let out a small yelp when his arm snaked out and pulled her snug against him. She let out a deliciously happy sigh. “Let’s just stay here all day.”
Giles smiled, his eyes still closed. “I’m afraid that life will intrude, whether we will or no.”
Buffy sighed again, a little less deliciously. “Can’t we pretend for a little while.”
Giles nuzzled her shoulder. “I think we might, yes.”
“Good.” They lay there a little longer. Finally Giles shifted his body until he was facing her. “I’m not quite sure I believe this has happened. I keep thinking that this is some sort of hallucination brought on by Willow’s actions against me.”
Buffy ran her hand down his face. “It’s real. We’re together, the way we should be.” Thinking of Willow her face grew pensive. “There’s still a long road ahead of us, isn’t there? For Willow?”
“Yes, a long and difficult one.”
“But at least you’re here, and you’re staying, and we won’t be alone. That makes it so much better, I can’t even tell you.” She wrapped a leg around his and pulled his lower body closer to hers. “And now there are yummy side benefits.”
Giles let out a soft laugh. “Indeed there are.” He started to unwrap her leg.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”
“To use the bathroom, and brush my teeth. I recommend you do the same. Then I plan to get back in bed and ravish you until I’m forced to stop.”
Buffy was out of bed before him. “Good plan.”
Giles leaned back on the bed as he watched a very naked Buffy walk out the door of the bedroom and head down the hall. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head at the extraordinary sight. “One of my best, I think.” Buffy’s laughter at his comment floated back toward him. Giles grinned at the sound. Deciding to use the downstairs bathroom, he threw on his slacks and padded down the stairs.
A few minutes later they reconvened in the bedroom. She glanced around. “We need to move.”
Giles raised his eyebrows. “To a different room?”
“No, a different home. Too many bad memories here.”
Giles nodded his head. “Yes, I suppose there are.”
Buffy sighed. “Are you sure you want to take me on? I’m a college drop out, with a kazillion bills, and I’m broke.”
“And you’re mine, and I love you and the answer is yes. Now, please come here and stop wasting time.”
Buffy grinned. “Bossy, aren’t you?”
“Just determined to adhere to the plan.”
Buffy moved into his arms. “Like I said, it’s a good plan.” She pushed him down on the bed and crawled on top of him. “I can be bossy too, you know.”
Giles snorted. “Is this supposed to be surprising news? Should I be shocked?”
“Wise ass.”
He grinned. “I love a bossy woman.”
Buffy laughed. It was so wonderful to be with him this way. “I love you.”
Giles pulled her down for a kiss. And that kiss led to another and then another. And then, without further ado, Giles followed through on his plan.
The End
September 13, 2002
And a P.S. just for Wenchie. Somewhere down in Beleize a short yelp was heard followed by an explosion.