TITLE: Second Chances 6/7
AUTHOR: Rari Coss
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the real king of the world, the WB, UPN, Fox, Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it. I'm just borrowing, and then giving it back, memories wiped clean. Please, no one send me money, I don't wanna get in trouble.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely.

Ethan didn't like it but he wasn't surprised. He had been waiting for this announcement much as he had waited for the first one. He and Buffy declared a sort of truce. Ethan figured there was no future in constant unremitting hostility. She had finally taken him aside one day and actually thanked him for bringing Giles back and had given him a hug. He had laughed after she walked away. Ethan loved irony even when he was the one getting slammed with it.

Ripper had given some thought as to how he should occupy his non- watcher time. He was done with being a store proprietor. He thought about seeing what was available at the museum, or at the University. He was certainly qualified, actually, over qualified to work as a curator or as a professor. They all sounded unearthly dull to him. He supposed he could open some sort of martial arts studio, but the thought of dealing with children and their parents made him shudder. He was flipping through the paper one morning when he saw the ad. He went out that day and bought The Bronze.

He spent a chunk of money fixing it up, wanting it to appeal to people his age as well as to the younger clientele it currently catered to. He had always loved music and spent a significant amount of time looking for great obscure bands and hiring them for extended periods of time. He upped the grade of liquor, upped the quality of the appetizers and between all the changes the place was hopping bringing people in from even outside of Sunnydale. On a lark he hired Spike as a bouncer for Friday and Saturday evenings, when it was the most crowded. It appealed to his wicked sense of humor and Spike loved it. It didn't take long for trouble to stop finding its way there. Spike wasn't the most gentle of bouncers.

With The Bronze had come an upstairs apartment. Whoever had lived there before had obviously appreciated the need for silence and had practically soundproofed the place so the music and noise from downstairs couldn't seep through. Once he had figured that out he moved in. Ethan had chosen to get his own place, wanting a little more privacy to do his magic rituals. His god was still a little peeved with him at the loss of Ripper, and Ethan was working hard to appease him. It was a challenge to create just enough chaos to please his god but without pissing off Ripper by causing too much harm. It was an intriguing challenge.

Ripper would read certain stories in the newspaper and know that they were because of Ethan. He generally laughed, a lot. He actually really appreciated Ethan's sense of humor. As long as no one got hurt he let it go. When Ethan pushed it, a not-so-gentle reminder from Ripper got things back under control. Ripper was still a willing enough partner on occasion to get into trouble. At times he would accompany Ethan to LA, as Sunnydale was a little tame for their tastes, at least non-demon Hellmouth tastes.

Buffy relished having him back as her watcher. She still wasn't at ease with the rest of him. He was so different outside of his watcher duties. So different from the quiet, softly spoken, head-in- a-book, tea drinking, blushing at all things woman-y Giles she had known. He spoke his mind and he hardly ever drank tea anymore. He still researched but he would get tired of it, slamming his book down and needing to do some sort of physical activity, either training with her, or just pacing around the room. Or he'd leave and go do something with Ethan. She didn't like to think about that. She still felt that Ethan was a bad influence on Giles. And as far as women..

He never seemed to be far from one, or them from him. She saw him with one or another of them sometimes; saw more than she wanted to. She saw how they looked at him, and it made her look at him that way too. And then she couldn't stop, couldn't stop thinking about him. She started hating all the other women in Sunnydale. This was the part of him that she was the least reconciled with, the fact that he had a life apart from her. And the fact that he had a much better and fuller life than she did didn't help any, and the fact that it was filled with women made her crazy.

Buffy sat at The Bronze with Xander and Willow and watched Giles from a distance. He was helping to bartend and flirting with every woman who came within shouting distance. The problem is that once he flirted they stayed around. He drew them to him like flies. He was handsome; he was well put together and he dressed to kill. He oozed dangerous, and he had that damn English accent. It was an irresistible combination. Plus, he could dance. She sat there at the table, pouting. She hated it.

He flirted with her too. He even danced with her, fast and slow. He gazed at her appreciating her body. She hated that too. Oh, she didn't hate that he did it. She actually liked it, a lot. What bothered her was that she knew she was just one of a thousand women he treated the same way. She sighed.

Willow turned to her. "Buffy, what's the sigh for?"

Buffy remembered a conversation from so long ago. "I lack a guy."

Willow remembered too, she smiled. "You lack a guy?"

Buffy nodded. She gestured to the empty seat next to her, "Note the lacking."

Willow turned as commanded and noticed the empty chair. "Yes, I see the lack." She cocked her head looking at Buffy. "No prospects at all?"

She saw Buffy's involuntary glance up to the bar. Buffy shook her head. "Nary a prospect in site, I am prospect-less. Major loser status." She sat back pouting. Willow looked at the bar to see who was there. A few guys were up there but no one looked familiar. There were a lot of women but there always were when Giles was tending bar. She wondered who Buffy had been shifting her eyes to see.

"Boy, Giles is just a babe-magnet, isn't he?" Buffy looked up at Xander's comment. She rolled her eyes, and gritted her teeth.

Willow agreed by nodding. "He sure has gotten handsome. I mean, I had quite the crush on him in high school but, now, if I wasn't taken, I mean seriously taken, and of the lusting after female kind of variety taken, I'd be after him too. He's gotten so sexy." She stared at Giles across the bar with a dreamy look in her eye. She sat up suddenly, feeling guilty at what she had said, glad that Tara wasn't around. She grinned sheepishly at Buffy and Xander. Xander grinned back. Buffy didn't. Xander had been totally wigged out in high school when Willow had told him she had a crush on Giles. He hadn't even liked to think about it. But now, it made sense. Jeez, he'd have a crush on the guy if he wasn't, well, you know, a guy. He noticed that Buffy wasn't grinning.

"Hey, Buff, what's up. Why the growly face?"

Buffy mumbled out a response, "I don't know." Her expression got darker. Her eyes shifted again to the bar and back to the table.

Willow got it that time. "Buffy, you have a crush on Giles."

Buffy just shook her head, her expression getting even darker. Willow just nodded her head bouncing in her seat. "Yes, you do." She turned to Xander, "Xander, Buffy's got a crush on Giles."

Buffy rolled her eyes and scrunched into her seat not meeting either of their eyes. Xander slapped her lightly on the arm, "Buff, is it true, are you crushing on Giles? I mean, not that I blame you."

Buffy shot daggers at him with her eyes. Willow continued the interrogation. "Buffy, give, what's the scoop. Is there something going on, am I missing out on gossip?" Both Willow and Xander stared at Buffy, willing her to speak.

She sat up. "Yes, fine, I have a crush on him, satisfied?" Her tone was angry. Willow sat back, amazed at the tone in Buffy's voice. She was beginning to guess this was way more than a crush.

Xander spoke up, "And this is a bad thing because..?"

"Because he doesn't even know I'm alive."

They both burst out laughing at this. Xander saying, "Jeez Buff, he's your watcher. I think you're underestimating him if you think he hasn't figured out you're alive."

"Ha, ha, very funny. I didn't mean it that way. I mean, look at it up there." Both Willow and Xander turned to look at the bar. "Look at them all, they're falling all over him, and here I am, stupid Buffy, just one of the sheep. He expects women to have crushes on him. It's just weird and I hate it." She allowed herself a full pout at that, bottom lip extended.

Xander laughed, "Hey Buff, better watch out or some bird's gonna come along and land on that thing." She stuck her tongue out at him. He sighed, watching her. "Sorry Buff, I know that this worshipping from afar stuff sucks, big time."

Willow nodded in commiseration. She'd spent a lot of high school in that state. "Have you talked with him about it?"

Buffy stared at her in amazement, "What, are you kidding, and have him laugh at me?"

"Giles would never laugh at you."

"Yeah, well, the old Giles never would, but this new and improved one would and does on a regular basis." They all thought about the truth of that for a moment. He had taken strides at befriending them all again but part of that meant being teased by him and dealing with his sometimes wicked sense of humor. Often being with him felt like old times but then suddenly he would do something that would remind them again that he had changed so much.

"I've thought about it, believe me. I've thought about just kissing him senseless but the problem is that he'd just kiss me back, and I'd end up as one more notch on his bedpost."

Willow frowned at that comment. "I don't believe that. I think you mean too much to him for him to just take advantage of you like that."

Buffy sent her an unbelieving look and snorted in response. "Yeah, right, oh and by the way I have some nice property on the Hellmouth I'd like to sell you." Xander laughed at that. Buffy started pouting again after looking up at the bar seeing new female additions up there. Willow again followed her gaze. She looked at her friend, worried.

"Do you want me to, you know, try and talk to him, see if he feels the same way?"

Xander got into the plan, "Yeah, Buff, we can tag team him. Willow and I can dazzle him and get him to spill the beans before he even knows what hit him."

Buffy looked at them both horrified. "God, no, please, do not do anything, I'm begging you." She nailed them both with her eyes. "Promise me, both of you?" They agreed, reluctantly.

Buffy sat back in her chair and then stood. "I'm leaving before I suck you both into loser hell with me. I'll do a quick patrol and then head for home."

Xander asked, "Do you want company?"

She shook her head, "No, I just want to kill something and call it a night." She picked up her coat and headed out the door.

Ripper watched her leave, seeing the dejected shape of her shoulders and sighed. He thought about running after her, but the other bartender was on break and he couldn't leave. He turned back and started chatting, mixing drinks as he talked.

After closing he headed upstairs. He needed to think. He walked over to the window, staring out at the city. When all his memories had finally come back and all the pieces put back in place, he had remembered something. He had remembered that he had been in love with Buffy and had wanted her with a passion. He also remembered that he had kept that passion locked tightly inside him like a tiger locked inside a cage with thick iron bars.

Lately, the feelings had started to come back. They had come back so gradually he hadn't even realized it until he'd felt that tiger come to life, pacing back and forth in his tiny cell, staring out through the bars. He didn't want to feel this way and he'd been fighting it hard. But, his close and constant proximity to Buffy made it hard. He knew he could have her in his bed, he knew she was attracted to him. But, he couldn't do that, not to her.

He was beginning to understand why he had taken so much shit from her before. Not that he would again, but he could understand it. She was magnificent, and had more courage than anything he'd ever seen. Her body was like poetry in action when she fought, especially now with the new direction she had been receiving from him. She moved with a fluidity of grace and economy of motion that was a delight to see. He loved watching her, both as a teacher, and as a man.

He could feel himself growing hard, thinking about her. He looked down at himself, sighing. He knew he could have had company tonight. But, he also knew that it wasn't the answer. He wanted Buffy. He put one foot up on the baseboard ledge and pressed his forehead against the glass. He hoped she was home safe. "Shit." He turned away, to get ready for bed.

Ethan could tell Ripper was edgy, and getting more edgy daily. He took him out with him one night to a little seedy bar he had found in the next town over and got him drunk. Ethan stayed relatively sober.

"Ripper?"

"Hmmm?"

"Tell me about it."

"What."

"What's got you all pissy these days? Tell your old friend Ethan."

Ripper hung his head down, processing the question. "You're not going to turn me into a demon are you?" The memory and the question seemed so silly all of a sudden that Ripper started helplessly laughing, almost sliding off his seat.

Ethan couldn't help but laugh in response, putting his foot up to keep Ripper from falling completely under the table. "No, Ripper, I don't need to do that anymore."

Ripper tried to focus his eyes on his friend, "Why not?"

Ethan waved his hand, "Ripper, you're too drunk to have that particular conversation. Now, tell me what's wrong."

Ripper snorted, and took another swallow of beer. "Buffy."

"What's the slayer done this time?"

Ripper shook his head. "S'not her."

Ethan wasn't following. "What do you mean, you just said it was her."

Ripper shook his head again, grabbing at the table as the room spun a little. "No, s'me."

Ethan thought a minute, trying to work out the seemingly contradictory responses. His eyes widened. "You've fucking fallen in love with her. Again. Haven't you?"

Ripper nodded, an unhappy expression on his face. Ethan started to laugh. "God, this is rich." He looked at Ripper shaking his head. "Well, I know how good old boring Giles handled that. What are you going to do?"

Ripper put his head down on the table. Hard. "Shoot myself."

Ethan let out a bark of laughter. "You already tried that and it obviously didn't work."

Ripper pulled his head up at that and started laughing again. "No, it didn't, did it?" He laughed even harder. He thought about Buffy and stopped laughing. He put his head back down on the tabletop. Ethan shook his head again, ruefully smiling at his friend's misery. He laughed at himself. He'd done everything he could to pull Buffy and Ripper apart and here they were, back together again. Ethan wasn't a stupid man. Even he knew when to give up fighting a losing battle.

He stood up, "C'mon Ripper, let me take you home." He assisted his drunken friend out the door. He got Ripper home and he decided to just stay and sleep on his sofa. He felt too tired and too drunk himself to go any further. He was awakened by the sound of Ripper fixing breakfast. He ran his hand over his face and through his hair. He had always admired this about Ripper. No matter how drunk he got, he got up bravely the next morning to face the day. And he had an amazing ability to eat on a hangover. He got up and walked into the kitchen. Ripper grinned at him. "Want something to eat?"

"No, just tea please."

Ripper pointed at the kettle. "Ready to pour mate. Help yourself." Ethan did and went and sat down at the table. Ripper finished making his omelet and brought it over with some toast to the table. He dug in. Ethan read the newspaper until he was done. Ripper pushed the plate away. He sat back in his chair.

"Ethan."

"Yes."

"What did you mean last night when you said I didn't have to worry about you turning me into a demon anymore?" He started to laugh, the thought of his laughter last night creating it anew this morning.

This was another thing that Ethan admired about Ripper. As drunk as he got, he still remembered everything. "It's not important." He got up to pour more hot water in his tea.

"Yes, it is, I want you to tell me. You used to do shit to me all the time when I was here before I died. You must have spent months thinking up cruel and unusual ways to harass me." He waited for a response but Ethan just looked at his tea mug, watching the steam rising. Ripper prompted him again, "C'mon Ethan, talk to me."

Ethan took a deep breath. "I got what I wanted."

"I don't understand."

"The reason I did those things was to get Ripper back. I missed him. I missed you. It was the only way to get you to come out and play." He looked down again, embarrassed at his own words.

"And now?"

Ethan looked up. "You're here. Maybe a little mellower, a little more into a sense of duty than I'd like and less into creating havoc, but you're still here."

Ripper met his gaze, a serious look on his face. "Ethan, you're a good friend. You always have been, even when you've been a royal pain in the ass." Ethan smiled and Ripper continued. "I'm sorry I left our friendship behind. I don't even know how it happened. I never meant for it to happen. I don't want to lose it again."

"I know. You won't." They both were a little embarrassed by the emotional vein of the conversation. They both sat looking at the table. Ethan stood. "Well, I guess I'll head home." Ripper stood to walk him to the door. Ethan headed down the stairway, turning around half way down. Ripper waited for him to speak.

"She'd be a fool not to be in love with you too." He smiled, turned and headed down the rest of the way. Ripper slowly shut the door and headed to the kitchen to clean up.

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