TITLE: Being Played (2/6)
AUTHOR: rjamisong
RATING: R
PAIRING: B/G
DISCLAIMER: All that is Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss and company...I'm only borrowing them for awhile.
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask.
SETTING: 5th season AU after Riley's departure
SPOILERS: Though 5th season (to be safe)
SUMMARY: Giles is being played by an old foe.
FEEDBACK: I live and write for feedback. No flames...please.

Giles stands in the middle of the kitchen, a large butcher's knife in his hand. He grips the knife firmly in both hands. His face shows such self-loathing as has ever been seen on a human face. He raises the implement as far away from his body as possible. He plunges the blade violently towards his chest, but before it can impact, Buffy kicks it out of his hands. She shoves him roughly back against the stove when he attempts to retrieve the knife. He slumps down onto the floor, sitting there stunned, staring straight ahead, not looking at her. She kneels next to him. She touches his arm. "Giles. Look at me," she says, concern lacing her words. He slowly turns his head in her direction. An expression of self-hate pervading his face. Seeing the anguish twisting his features, she kisses him, trying to erase his self-inflicted pain.

"Please. I don't need your pity." His voice comes out harsh.

"No, you have enough of that without my help. What I'm offering is my love." Buffy kisses him again, deeply, passionately. Their fingers pull at clothing in a frenzy as passions heat up. In a few minutes, their naked bodies press against each other ...making love. At the peak of ecstasy, a vision flashes into Buffy's mind like a blinding explosion of light.

'She and Giles are standing facing each other at the Magic Box near the counter. The shop is empty, apparently after hours. Giles pulls a small blue velvet box out of his dress jacket pocket. He opens it and takes out a ring. Giles tenderly lifts her hand in his and slips the ring onto her right index finger. She sees herself staring down at it. The silver band bears the raised images of three doves with green emeralds nestled in between. She smiles at Giles; he grins happily back.'

Just as quickly as the vision came, it vanishes. She returns to see Giles moving off of her and lying next to her on the kitchen floor, breathing hard. She turns towards him, the smile from her vision still fixed on her face. "Better?"

He slightly frowns. "Not really."

"Well, we should maybe do it again to be sure." She leans close and presses her lips to his.

"That won't be necessary." Giles grips her shoulders and pushes her gently away. He sits up and pulls his jeans on. Buffy, confused and worried, follows suit. After standing up, he pulls on his long sleeved tee and sweater. Buffy finishes dressing in her own jeans and pink sweater and gets up to join him, but he has already moved over to the stairs leading up to the loft. With his back facing her, he grips the iron railing so hard that his knuckles turn bone white. He squeezes his eyes shut in pain. Buffy approaches him silently from behind; she lays her hands against his back.

"Giles? I'm sorry...I know that wasn't fair. It wasn't right to use your feelings for me to distract you, but I didn't know what else to do to stop you without physically injuring you."

"I...It...It's alright. I understand. You couldn't allow me to take...to hurt myself. I...I get it." The pain resonated through his words.

"No, you don't get it. I did it, because I can't lose you...not after...now that I found you." She leaned in and laid the cheek against his back between her hands. "I love you so much." Her voice trembled.

A pair of dark trouser covered legs with black boots moves silently across the courtyard outside of Giles' condo. They stop outside of the small window next to the front door. A view of the office area is accessible to the dark figure. Giles and Buffy are standing facing one another. A heated argument is in progress. Yelling can be heard outside by the lone figure. A sinister smile spreads across the lower half of an indescribable face. shrouded by a thick black mist. He slowly turns and walks away.

He slowly turns around to face her. "I can't do this, not now. I don't want to hurt you."

"Hey, Slayer here. Super strength. You can't hurt me."

"You know that I don't mean that type of hurt." Giles turns towards her. "Please go. Leave me!" Anger flashes from his jade green eyes. She steps back shocked, but quickly recovers.

"No! I'm not going anywhere," she sets her jaw and speaks with determination. Some of the anger drains from his face and stance. He turns and walks over to sit down wearily on the steps leading up to the bedroom. Propping his elbows on his knees, he buries his face in his hands. Buffy lights on the step next to him. "Giles, what's happening to you?" She asks troubled.

"I'd say something more than physical was done to me." He lifts his head up to peer at her. His face is white with terror, even his lips are a chalky white. Sweat stands out starkly against the pallor of his complexion. "I believe that the LeCois demon manipulated my emotions, intensified them to...increase the suffering. Buffy, It's...beyond description." He drops his head to his chest, running his hand through his hair. Taking a deep unsteady breath, he continues. "I...I don't understand how or why but it seems to be getting stronger. The demon is dead, yes?"

"It went down, hard. It didn't get back up, Giles." She looks down at his bowed head more disturbed than before. She reaches out and strokes the hair at his crown a few times before resting her palm against the side of his face, tilting his head up towards her.

"Buffy, I can't control this...these feelings." Giles tightly closes his eyes.

Scared, Buffy asks, "What can I do? How can I help?"

"I don't know...know what to do." He takes her free hand and squeezes it. He opens his eyes to look at her. She smiles reassuringly at him, trying not to show the fear welling up inside of her..

"We have to call the guys. Maybe they can find something to explain what was done to you and how to undo it." Giles nods yes. "I'll help you upstairs first." She pulls him to his feet and loops her arm around his waist while he drapes his arm across her shoulder. They slowly climb up to the loft bedroom. She watches as he strips off his clothes and slips under the covers. "I'll be back soon. Try to get some rest."

He closes his eyes as she heads downstairs to use the phone. After she fills Willow in on the demon, she climbs back up the stairs. She removes her jeans and sweater and lays down next to Giles on the bed. Snuggling next to him, she rests her head on his chest, resting her arm on his stomach. She looks up towards his face. His eyes are open and staring up at the ceiling, unblinking. "Giles?"

"Yes." His voice sounds strained in the darkness. He wraps his arm around her shoulder with his other hand resting heavily on her arm where it crossed his chest.

"I've been thinking, maybe the demon wasn't only trying to increase your suffering by enhancing your emotions, but was actually feeding off of your um more negative emotions; hate, envy, fear, anger, loneliness, sadness."

"Possible...possible, but if this thing is dead...how do we stop this?" he asks his voice clearly pain wracked.

"Not sure about a permanent solution, but I might have a temporary answer." She glances up at him hesitantly.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, if this beastie feeds on negative emotions maybe inducing positive feelings might temporarily relieve some of the pain until we can come up with a ritual or spell to break the connection between you and this demon."

"How? Wh...Wh...What positive...emotions are you suggesting?" There's a note of apprehension in his words.

She adjusts her position so that she is face to face with him. She kisses him passionately on his mouth, her lips slightly parted, her eyes closed. At first, he remotely responds to her advances, somewhat unsure why she chose that particular moment to kiss him, but as she continues to erotically to entice him, he realizes that she's demonstrating her answer. He reaches up and caresses her cheek. He kisses her closed eyes, cheeks, and warm inviting lips. Gripping her waist, he pulls her soft yielding body tightly against his, molding her flesh to his. He vividly feels every curve and line that makes up her small lithe frame. Burying his face against the curvature of her neck, he places hot kisses where her neck meets her shoulder. The terror drains from him as desire and love fills every inch of his being. Buffy runs her fingers through his hair. He shifts his weight so he is lying pressed against the length of her. She spreads her legs to accommodate him. He seductively runs his hands over her breasts and flat stomach. He moves his body up a little along hers. She entwines his waist with her long legs. He captures her mouth again in a deep kiss. She gasps softly against his lips. Her hands grip his shoulders, slightly scratching the skin as he fills her completely. His body starts to rock back and forth in rhythm to hers. Her body rises up to meet his every stroke as he thrusts forward with his hips. As they reach the peak of ecstasy together, a vision flashes into Buffy's mind like a blinding explosion of light.

'The scene centers on Giles and her. They are standing facing each other at the Magic Box near the counter. The shop is empty, the hour late. Giles removes a small blue velvet box from his jacket pocket. He opens it and takes out a ring. Giles gently lifts her hand in his and slips the ring onto her right index finger. She sees herself looking down at it. The silver band bears the raised images of three doves with green emeralds poised in between. A hand from behind her gives her a small red box. She takes a wide silver band from it. On the band, a battle scene is engraved. She places it on Giles' right index finger. She smiles at Giles; he grins back. The scene expands to include the main shop area. Their friends stand in a semi-circle around them, witnessing the ceremony. Food covers the conference table behind them.'

Just as quickly as the image appears, it vanishes. Coming back to consciousness, she feels Giles snuggled up next to her asleep, totally unawares that anything out of the ordinary has occurred. 'Poor man, probably wouldn't know if an earthquake happened.' She realized that she couldn't be angry at him for not noticing or for falling asleep in his current condition.' She smiled and kissed his forehead. Pressing herself even closer to him, she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep herself in a matter of minutes.

Xander, Anya and Willow are sitting on the sofa. Tara's sitting on the weapons chest drinking tea. Buffy's perched on top of the desk. A highly agitated and distracted Giles is pacing back and forth between Buffy and Tara. Everyone's working hard to talk normally, but it's obvious that they feel uncomfortable with Giles' uncharacteristic behavior. Buffy stands up and moves in front of her lover to block his path. He stops and frowns at her, confused. "Giles, come and sit down, please." She grasps his arm and guides him over to the desk chair. He sits down and smiles tiredly up at her as she resumes her seat on the desk top.

"Forgive me everyone. I'm not entirely myself."

"We understand. You've been through a lot lately," Xander answers.

"Yes...well...no. It's more than this." Giles gestures vaguely to his physical appearance. He glances up at Buffy with a helpless expression.

She smiles wistfully at him. Turning sideways to face the others, she informs them about the spell. "We believe that the LeCois demon cast some kind of spell on Giles to manipulate his emotions. We aren't sure for what reason exactly, perhaps to feed off of them or to intensify the torture or both. We need all of you to research for a reversal spell." She looks back at Giles. He's slumped back in the chair, his eyes closed, his glasses dangling from his fingers. "Giles? You OK.?" He opens his eyes and returns her gaze. The corners of his lips quirk up weakly.

"Don't worry. I'm coping for the time being. Just a little tired." He shuts his eyes again. Buffy's expression becomes deeply troubled. Turning her attentions back to the others, she says,"We need to get started on this right away."

"Right. Getting on it," Willow says getting up from her seat on the sofa. "Come on everyone, research mode." She motions for the others to follow suit. Everyone gathers up their things. They troop out single-file passing Buffy and Giles on their way to the front door. As they pass by, Willow and Xander gently pat Giles on the shoulder. "We'll find an answer."

"Yea, we'll get you fixed up Big G."

Buffy follows them to the door. Willow stops outside of the apartment waiting for her. The others take off.

"How's Giles really doing?" Willow inquires, looking back in through the apartment's open door at Giles' hunched over figure.

"Not good. I'm really worried, Will. We have to reverse the spell and soon before....before he injures himself."

"Don't worry, we'll find a reversal spell. I'll call when we've found something."

"Find something soon." Buffy turns and re-enters the apartment. Giles is still sitting where she left him. She crouches down next to his chair. "Giles?" Buffy brushes her fingertips across his shoulder. He opens his eyes and looks down at hers.

"Still here, Love." he says weakly. She grips his hand, inter- locking her finger with his.

"Come and rest for awhile."

He nods, places his glasses on his face, and rises from the chair. He follows her to the sofa. Giles reclines with his feet propped up on the coffee table. Buffy leans against Giles, resting her head on his chest. He drapes his arm around her shoulders. She wraps her arm around his waist. She draws her legs up onto the sofa cushions. Giles relaxes his tense muscles and sighs. "This is nice."

Somewhere in an abandoned warehouse...

A man shrouded in shadows kneels before an altar of rough hewed stone in the center of a ring of candles flickering on the floor. His lips move silently as he places a ring on the altar. We see that the ring is a gold man's ring with a square black stone in its center. The figure sprinkles a handful of colored powder over it while continuing to mutter wordlessly to an unknown deity.

Willow and Tara are sitting at the table in the Magic Box researching. Piles of open books cover its surface. Xander's pulling books from a shelf up on the loft. Anya is behind the counter taking money from a customer. Dawn sits at Giles' desk doing her homework.

"Anything?"

Willow looks up at the question posed by Tara. She regrettably shakes her head no. "Not yet."

Tara sadly smiles at her girlfriend. "Me neither." She returns to reading the book in front of her. Willow continues skimming through a book of spells.

Xander climbs down the ladder behind them totting an armload of dusty tomes. He sets them down atop of another incredibly large stack and sits in the vacant chair on Willow's left. "So what exactly are we looking for anyway?" He grabs a book off the top of the largest pile.

"Anything on LeCois demons. How they feed, attack...everything that could remotely be of use in reversing the effects of the spell cast on Giles," Willow returns.

"Gottcha. Demon feeding schedule and food allergies," he says seriously despite his words.

The bell on the front door of the shop rings as the customer exits. Anya joins the group at the table.

An hour later the phone rings at Giles' place. Buffy glances over towards Giles. He's asleep next to her, his breathing soft and steady. She slips on his robe and quietly steals downstairs to answer the call.

"Hello? Willow? Did you find something?" She listens intently for a few moments. We'll be right there. And thanks, Will," she listens again. "Tell the guys thanks from both of us. Bye." She hangs up the receiver with a pensive expression on her face. She heads towards the stairs when she hears movement at the top of the landing. She hurries taking two steps at a time. Upon arriving, she sees Giles half-dressed and sitting on the corner of the bed pulling on his socks. She cautiously approaches him, uncertain of his present state of mind. She settles on the bed beside him. "Giles?"

"Don't...don't worry. I'm alright for the...moment." He finishes with his socks and looks directly at her. Worry etches her face despite his words of assurance. He takes her hand and presses it to his heart. "Please don't concern yourself."

Buffy grips his hand tighter. "Easier said than done."

"I...I know," he says raising his eyebrows slightly.

She nods her head a little sadly. "Will called while you were sleeping. The gang has located the reversal spell. They want us to meet them at the Magic Box."

An hour later at the Magic Box...

Giles paces back and forth like a caged animal in front of a display case. His hands are shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His lips are moving, muttering inaudibly, yet clearly angrily. A distracted yet furious expression etches his face. Everyone is too focused on a task for the reversal spell to notice his increasingly uneasiness. Suddenly, breaking glass is heard throughout the room. Everyone's head turns towards the sound to see Giles with his hand smashed through the glass front of one of the cases. His hand appears to be cut-up with blood flowing down his forearm, an expression of mild surprise on his face Buffy rushes over to him.

"Anya, get the first aid kit." Xander stands on the other side of Giles while Buffy tries to gently dislodge Giles' hand without causing more damage to the appendage.

"Wait!" Xander holds up his hand to Buffy. She stops pulling on Giles' arm. Xander takes off for the counter. He rounds it and ducks down behind it. He shortly immerges with two blue and white checked towels. Coming back to stand beside Giles, he proceeds to wrap one of the towels carefully around Giles' wrist and arm. "Hold it in place, Buffy." She takes a hold of it to keep it from slipping while Xander wraps the other one around his own fist. He purposefully breaks the remaining glass from the panel where Giles' hand is protruding. Once his hand is freed, Giles steps back from debris. Anya returns from the training room carrying the first aid kit.

Buffy puts her hand across Giles' shoulder and guides him to the conference table. Giles sits down in a chair. "That was tremendously stupid," he laments, staring down at his abused hand. All the anger seems to have completely dissipated. Anya and Xander come over in time to hear Giles' words. Anya hands the white case with the red cross on it to Buffy.

"Not stupid. It's not you. It's the demon, he's using your emotions to feed off." Buffy consoles him while she tends to his hand.

During the commotion, Willow and Tara continue to work on preparing for the ritual. Willow is kneeling on the floor drawing a pentagram with a white wax pencil while Tara arranges candles at each of the five points of the pentagram. Willow finishes just as Buffy tapes the gauze bandage around Giles' hand. Willow rises from the floor and walks over to Buffy, Giles, Xander, and Anya. "We're ready. Giles, you need to stand in the middle of the star pattern. Everyone else, make a circle around the outside. Stand in between the candles," Willow instructs. Tara finishes lighting the candles. Buffy assists Giles to the center. Everyone takes their places around the circle, except Buffy whose standing guard holding a single blade axe at the ready. "Join hands everyone." Willow begins to chant softly in Sumerian. Slowly her voice increases in volume. Suddenly an invisible force grips Giles. He stiffens, his arms are pulled out from his body, his head flung back. Everyone joins in the chanting. A blue beam of light shoots out from Giles' chest. Rapidly followed by a yellow, red, and green beam of light. Giles convulses under the forces power, his face etched in agony. A scream, ripped from his throat, resounds throughout the shop. Buffy glances around the room anticipating danger. The demon materializes in front of her and back-hands her across the shop and into the wall. She slides down the smooth surface momentarily stunned. The demon advances towards the living circle in an attempt to halt the ceremony. Buffy comes up behind the LeCois demon and swings her axe at it, but it ducks in time causing her to miss it entirely. It whirls around and strikes her again across the face. She's knocked off her feet and slides across the floor, hitting the table behind her. The demon turns again, advancing once more towards the circle. Just as it reaches its hand for Willow, Buffy sweeps her axe at its head, neatly severing it from its body. The head flies over the check-out counter and smashes into the shelves, smashing several jars, while the body topples over onto the floor between Willow and Tara's feet. When the demon's body hits the floor, the beams disappear and Giles collapses in a heap. Everyone stops chanting and release their hands. Buffy rushes over to Giles, kneeling down beside him. She lifts his head up and rests it on her lap. "Giles?," she calls. "Giles?!" He opens his eyes weakly and looks up at her.

"Buffy?" His voice, shaky.

Buffy brushes his cheek with her fingertips. "I thought that I had lost you." She smiles down at him. Leaning forward, she brushes her lips against his in a sweet kiss. She doesn't notice, but everyone is still standing in the circle around her and Giles. Their expressions are mild surprised when they see her kiss her Watcher. Tara and Willow exchange unspoken words with each other while Xander and Anya do the same. They all smile knowingly at the couple in their midst. "Could you help me up? Somewhat embarrassing lying here," Giles asks of Buffy. His voice is surprisingly monotone, given the situation.

Later that same night, Giles and Buffy enter her house through the front door. Giles acts a little out of sorts as if he isn't sure where he is or what is happening. Buffy seems aware of his disorientation. She helps him out of his jacket and hangs it on the coat rack just inside of the door. Giles stands motionless, eyes focused straight ahead of him. Buffy comes back to his side and takes his arm conveying him up the stairs. They walk down the hall and enter her bedroom. "Giles, please sit down." Buffy guides him over to the bed. He sits on the end of it. "I'll be right back. I just need to check on Dawn, first." Giles remains silent and unresponsive. Buffy, troubled by his lack of reaction, hesitates before leaving the room.

Buffy re-enters a few minutes later. Giles hasn't moved from where she left him. She sits beside him, facing towards him, one knee propped up on the bed. Placing her hand on the side of his face, she turns his head so she can look into his eyes. "Giles, talk to me, please."

Giles nods his head. "I...I'm sorry. I...I didn't mean to worry you. It's...just that I don't...can't feel anything. It's like I'm empty inside, as if everything's colorless...unreal." He puts his left hand up to is forehead; his hand trembling. Buffy covers his hand with her own, steading it.

"What can I do to help?" Buffy looks more than a little concerned.

"I...truly don't know," he says closing his eyes.

She brings his hand to her lips and lightly kisses the palm. With her other hand, she caresses the side of his face. "I love you." A tear rolls down her cheek.

He frees his hand from hers and wipes the tear from her delicate cheek. He lightly brushes her soft lips with the back of his fingers. Leaning in close, he gently presses his lips to hers. She responds by parting them slightly. He captures her upper lip between his, kissing her deeply. His arms encircle her body, embracing her tightly as if his life depended on it. She puts her arms around his neck, tilting her body against his. "Giles," she breathes his name in his ear.

He brings his hands up and holds her face marginally away from his so to gaze into her blue eyes. "Buffy, I love you. I want you." He kisses her passionately, pushing her body down onto the bed with his.

As they make love in the darkened room, chanting can be heard barely audible in the background.

Through the hourglass drifts the sands of time, grain by solitary grain until the desires of this life seem all in vain. Then distance prevails in separating lovers from one another until no feeling remains. Only one hope exists, the shedding of true love's blood.

The next morning, sunlight filters into Buffy's room through the two curtained windows on the left side of the bedroom. Giles and Buffy are asleep on the bed. Giles is lying on his back on the right side with Buffy resting her head on his chest, one arm crossing to his waist where her hand gripped him tightly as if she feared that he might leave suddenly. The floor is strewn with their clothes from the previous night. Giles reluctantly opens his eyes against the glare of the late morning sun. A brief expression of disorientation crosses his features until he remembers where he is. He looks down at the top of Buffy's blond head. Lifting his hand from her back, he strokes her golden locks. "Buffy? Are you awake?"

"Hmm?" she mumbles sleepily.

He runs his fingers through the glimmering strands of her hair. The look in his eyes is one of deep affection and pure love. Clearly, he's regained his normal emotional state. She shifts position so that she's lying more on her stomach with her face turned upwards towards his. She smiles drowsily with her eyes still closed.

Giles brushes Buffy's hair back from her face. "Buffy, I have something to well...ask you."

Buffy peers up at the man that she loves from half-closed lids and cups his cheek with her sleep warmed hand. "I'm listening, sweetie." She smiles.

"I'm not quite sure how to phrase this without sounding like a bloody fool, so I'll just say it. Would you marry me, if it were possible?"

"OK. A little confused here. What do you mean 'if it were possible'?"

"I knew this would sound awkward and...um...well unclear." Giles raises his eyebrows, frustrated with his inability to formulate the correct words to convey his feelings.

"I'm sorry, I'm interrupting, please continue. I'm sure you'll make sense eventually." She smiles teasingly.

He grins back, feeling more at ease. "You see, it's strictly prohibited by the council for a Watcher to marry a Slayer and since I'm officially your Watcher, again, hence the difficulty.

"I understand...I think. So exactly what are you proposing then, if not marriage?" She sounded quite perplexed.

"What I'm proposing a ceremony in which rings will be exchanged, vows recited, witnesses..." Giles looks at Buffy expectantly.

"With flowers, music, and perhaps food afterwards?" Buffy asks warming up to the idea.

"Of...of course...whatever you'd want. So...is that a yes?" Giles inquires a little unsure but hopeful nonetheless.

"Yes. How could I possibly say no to this sweet face?" She grabs his chin and kisses him on his warm soft lips.

Later that morning...

Buffy and Giles are making waffles the next morning when Tara and Willow come into the kitchen the next morning.

"Good-morning. How did you two sleep?" Buffy asks, looking up from the waffle iron.

"Good. How did both of you sleep?" Willow replies.

"Buffy smiles over at Giles whose standing next to her mixing waffle batter. He grins back, slightly blushing. "Good. Very good."

Willow and Tara smile knowingly at each other, understanding the true meaning behind Buffy's words, having heard the loud moaning sounds coming from her room the night before.

"Would you two like some waffles? We have fresh strawberries and real butter," Giles asks while pouring more batter onto the hot waffle iron.

"Yes, please. Can we help?" Tara asks.

"Sure. Could you pour the juice? There's orange and apple juice in the fridge. I want orange and Giles likes apple," Buffy answers.

"Alright. Should we make sure that Dawn's up, too?" Willow asks.

"Oh, right, school day. Yes, please, tell her to come down for breakfast." Buffy turns towards Giles. "Giles, could you and I give Dawn a ride to school today?"

He's concentrating on taking waffles off of the griddle. "What?...Oh, yes. That would be fine." He places the waffles onto a platter. Tara leaves the room to fetch Dawn. Willow goes to the cupboard and starts taking out the juice glasses. Buffy pours more batter onto the griddle while Giles leaves the kitchen to set the dining room table.

The Summer's House--an hour later after dropping Dawn off at school...

Giles opens the newspaper and begins to read the front page. Buffy takes out her school books from her book bag. She stacks them neatly on the coffee table in front of her. Her chemistry book lays on top. Opening it up, she flips through it to the reading assignment for the week. Once she locates it, she props it up on her lap and begins to read.

Giles peeks over his paper to watch her read. He smiles to himself, enjoying a moment of normalcy of daily living with Buffy, the college student. He turns his attentions back to the newspaper article that he's reading. After his eyes are averted from her, Buffy glances up at him from her position on the floor next to him. She smiles at his tendency to keep a watchful eye on her even in the safety of her own sitting room. She reaches out and touches his leg. Giles lifts his face to look at her again. They exchange a warm caring expression and return to their individual tasks. After an hour, Buffy shuts her notebook and History textbook. Stretching and yawning, she stands up from the carpeted floor. "I'm going for a soda. You want anything?"

"Tea would be wonderful, if its not too much trouble," Giles says after turning a page.

"Nothing's too much trouble for my sweetie; I'll just put the kettle on." Buffy heads to the kitchen. A few minutes later, she returns to sit down next to him on the sofa. Cuddling up against his arm, she and peers down at his newspaper. It's turned to the obituaries.

"The obits? You must be feeling better," Buffy teases.

"Yes...well. Old habits." Giles replies grinning.

"Anything of interest?" she inquires.

"Not really, no." Giles removes his glasses, raises his eyebrows, and tilts his head slightly to the side. "Which for Sunnydale is actually highly unusual."

"Ah hum..." She lifts her face up towards him. Gripping his chin firmly in her hand, she turns his head towards her. She smiles seductively up at him. Giles leans in close, kissing her gently at first. Then more passionately. The tea kettle whistles in the background. They separate and glance towards the offending sound coming from the kitchen.

Giles clears his throat and replaces his glasses. "Well..."

"Yeah...well."

"I'll get it. Excuse me." Giles rises, setting the paper aside, going into the kitchen. A couple of minutes later, he returns carrying a cup and saucer. Sitting down next to her, he takes a sip of hot tea. "So, what are our plans for the day?"

Buffy turns sideways, propping her knee up on the cushions between the two of them "Well, we need to pick up some clothes and things from your place for the next couple of days. And I should drop off my assignments."

"Well...about my staying here..." he begins hesitantly.

"You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

"Well, no, no, I just don't want to, well, intrude...And I am feeling...much better now."

"Giles, how can you think that you're intruding? I love you and want you here with me. I talked to Willow, Tara and Dawn and they are more than OK with you being here. Plus I want to make sure that you are really alright. Please, humor me and stop worrying." She leaned forward before he could object and kissed him firmly on the lips.

They parted and Giles sighed. "Alright, you win. I'll stay."

"Yeah, I like it when I win." She smiled happily.

"I should also stop in at the shop as well to see how Anya's getting on without me."

NEXT