TITLE: Being Played (4/6)
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.
NOTES: This is my first Buffy fic. I apologize for the present tense format but at the time it seemed like a good idea. :-)

Giles, in his robe and sweat pants, reclines on his sofa with his stocking feet propped up on the coffee table in front of him. Buffy, causally attired in a pale blue tank top and gray sweat pants, leans against his chest with her bare feet pulled up against her body. Giles' arms are around her shoulders, holding her close.

"Giles?" Buffy looks up at him.

"Yes?"

"I've been thinking about our living arrangements," She says, her voice apprehensive.

"Yes...I've been giving the subject some consideration as well."

"I'm afraid that I've come to the conclusion that right now we can't really live together as a couple. What with my responsibility to Dawn as her legal guardian as well as the whole Glory thing. So that leaves out the option of moving in here or you moving in with us, at least not on a permanent basis. Especially with Children's Services breathing down my neck with their surprise inspections."

"I'm afraid I agree with you. What would you like to do? I don't know if I can spend another night without you." He presses a tender kiss on her forehead, smiling.

"I thought that perhaps we could trade off spending time at each other's places. Perhaps a week at mine, then a week at yours, nights only, with days, meals, etc at my house. Tara and Willow can fill in at home where needed? I will talk to them about it. What do you think?" she asks anxiously."

"It's not the best arrangement, but for now it does seem the only option." Kissing the crown of her head, he adds, "We'll make it work, don't worry, Love. Wherever you are that is where I want to be."

"I love you, Giles." She cups his face in her small hands, pulling his face level with hers. She kisses him deeply.

When the kiss ends, Giles says, "I love you too." He kisses her more enthusiastically, parting her lips with his tongue, exploring her mouth's moist depth. His hands caress her back in slow strokes. Her hands come to his chest, clutching his robe in her hands. Giles breaks the kiss, breathing hard, "Who gets first turn?"

"Hmm?" she mumbles, her lips moving down his neck.

A soft moan escapes his throat. "Whose...house...?"

"Mine, of course." She momentarily withdraws her face from his neck to smile up at him.

"Of course..." His voice trails off when her kisses start to travel down his chest. A deep throated moan escapes his lips causing her to giggle against him.

She looks up at him again. "I almost forgot. The guys asked us out to the Bronze tonight. Did you want to go?" she asks hopefully.

"I...I suppose so, but there is something I want to do first." He scoops her up in his arms and carries her towards the stairs. Buffy giggles again and kisses him.

At the Bronze that night...

Everyone sat at a table near the stage listening to the music being spun by the evening's DJ. As a new song begins, Willow reached out her hand to Tara, silently asking her girlfriend to dance. Xander, following their lead, leans over to Anya and whispers, "Dance, An?" She smiles at him and rises from her seat next to Dawn. The two couples move onto the dance floor, leaving Giles, Buffy and Dawn sitting at the table. Giles, feeling pleasantly relaxed, loops his arm around Buffy's shoulder, drawing her a little closer to him. Buffy smiles up at him at ease with the public display of their feelings for one another. The two seem caught up in their own private world as they gaze at each other until Giles asks Dawn, "How are you doing, Dawn? Want another soda?" Engrossed in watching the others dance across the floor in synch with the fast paced music, Dawn is startled that Giles has asked her a question.

"What?" Dawn asks distracted.

"Soda?"

"No, thank you."

"Where are you, Dawnie?" Buffy asks noticing her sister's dreaming expression.

"Just thinking about everything that's happened this year. Glad that everyone's so happy. Happy for you and Giles finding each other. Happy to know that everyone I care about has found someone to be happy with, finally. Does that make sense?" Her head is still lost in the clouds.

"Yes, it does, actually." Buffy gazes at her friends...no correction, her family. It is true that everyone is happy even with the impending showdown with Glory looming on the horizon. Looking at them, she desperately wishes that she can capture the moment and hold it in her heart forever. She places her hand on Giles' thigh and glances up at him taking in his uncharacteristic casual posture and happy expression. She sighs, happiness engulfing her heart. She knows that tomorrow may bring danger, pain, and difficulties but right now everything is perfect. Sometimes the moment is all that one has, so she intends to live it to its fullest. She rises from her chair, smiles reassuring at Giles and moves across the floor to the DJ. She whispers something into his ear. The man smiles and nods his head. She returns to her seat taking Giles' hand in hers. The song ends and the two couples reclaim their previous seats. As the next song begin, Buffy tugs on Giles' hand and stands up. Curious, Giles follows her to the dance floor still holding her hand firmly in his, their fingers intertwined. She wraps her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his chest. He puts his arms around her shoulders holding her close as the music plays their song.

When the lights fade,
And the night stays,
You're watching over me,
My destiny...

With a heart that's true,
And a love that grew,
You're watching over me,
My destiny...

My troubles told,
My woes unknown,
You're watching over me,
My destiny...

The couple glides slowly to the music, enjoying their first night out as a couple. The world's troubles seem far away. Giles whispers into Buffy's ear, "I love you so very much. I'm never letting you go."

"Like you think you have a choice, any more." He softly laughs against her hair. She brushes her lips against his neck just under his ear, an especially sensitive spot for him. Giles moans, his breath catching in his throat as a shiver runs down his spine.

"Perhaps you shouldn't do that, Love, unless you want to start something that you can't finish, at least not here."

"Hmm, so do you want to go home and finish?" she asks with a devilish grin.

"Home? Sounds good to me. What about the others?"

"Let them enjoy their evening. Tara and Willow can bring Dawn home when they're ready. It is a Friday night after all. No school tomorrow...for either of us."

Summer's House...

Back at the house, Buffy sits at her vanity table combing her hair before bed. Putting down her hair brush, she searches for her moisturizer. Upon locating the bottle, she glances back up at the mirror. She's momentarily startled by Giles' reflection gazing back at her from over her right shoulder.

"Sorry. It wasn't my intention to frighten you." Giles says. He's dressed only in his black jeans that he wore to the Bronze.

"It's alright. Just not use to seeing a handsome face in my mirror."

"What?" Giles asks confused.

"Angel."

"Oh...I see..." His voice betrays his some of his inner pain at the mention of her first lover.

:No, you don't. Seeing a face, your face in my mirror, your sexy body in my bedroom," she smiles, "makes me happier than I can ever say."

Giles leans down and kisses her neck. She lays her hand on his cheek as he does so. "I love you, my husband."

Giles' face lights up at the mention of his position in her life. "I love you, my wife." he responds straightening up. "Come back to bed. You're already the most beautiful woman on earth."

She blushes at the compliment. She stands up. Facing him, she takes his hand leading him over to the bed where they had made love only minutes early.

Next day...

Buffy flies into the shop extremely agitated, her eyes darting around anxiously searching for Giles. Her gaze locates everyone at the conference table researching except Anya who is waiting on a customer. As she makes her way across the shop towards the group, Giles glances up from his book and notices her troubled expression. Worried, he rises swiftly from his chair, meeting her before she can reach his side. He grips her arms looking down at her barely restrained fear-filled eyes. She places her hands shakily over his. The others stare and watch the couples' interaction, apprehensively. Giles opens his mouth to question her, but before he can speak, Buffy says, "Giles, I need to speak to you in private, now!" Her eyes clearly radiating the terror she feels. Giles wraps an arm around her shoulders drawing her to him as he leads her to the training room.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" Giles asks Buffy as soon as they are behind closed doors in the back room.

"I saw another vision! Another one worse than before!" Her words pour out in a tumble, making little sense.

Giles gently pushes her back from his body where she's disparately clinging to his shirt, and looks into her tear-filled blue eyes. "Take a deep breath and tell me again slowly this time."

She inhales a couple of deep cleansing breaths visibly calming her frazzled nerves. "Sorry, it just shook me, so much. Can we sit down?"

"Sure." He once again puts a comforting arm around her and walks over to the worn sofa against the far wall. She sat facing him.

"I came directly from class. I was in the middle of my Chemistry class when I saw another vision, stronger and way more scarier than any of the previous ones." Fear etched her delicate features.

"Tell me exactly what you witnessed." He drew her closer as she described what she had seen. "I saw you shrouded in a black mist standing in the middle of the Magic shop with a suitcase. You were facing me at first. Then you turned and left the shop. I knew that you weren't ever returning. I knew it! I also knew that whatever the black mist was, it was controlling you...forcing you to leave." Unshed tears glistened in her eyes. "It was sooo real, sooo vivid, Giles." She choked back a sob. "We need to find out what these images mean. If they're portents of things to come or what...," she spoke with an intense determination.

"We will, I promise you, but first we must take certain precautions." He rises and goes to the weapons' cabinet against the opposite wall. Opening it, he removes a set of heavy chains with manacles and brings them back over to the sofa. Laying them on the floor, he returns to his seat beside Buffy.

"If you want me to do what I think you do, I can't Giles." She looks up at him.

"Buffy, you must do this." His tone serious and firm. "I have no desire to leave you, but there are no guarantees that I won't be forced to by someone or something whose using magicks to control me." He looks at her tense expression and reaches out to her caress her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Please, Love," his requests, his voice softening.

"I know that you're right. I just don't want to hurt you or bring back any painful memories."

"It's will be alright. I'll be fine as long as you're at my side." She leans up and lightly kisses him on the cheek.

"You can count on it. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." He bends down and gathers up the heavy chains. "Let's go into the shop." They stand up and exit the training room.

Giles explains to everyone, upon their return, what Buffy's latest vision entailed and what they plan on doing to prevent the outcome

Giles sits down at the table in one of the high back chairs. Buffy kneels down in front of him fastening the manacles around his ankles. "How's that, Giles? Not too tight?" she asks looking up at him.

"Fine...fine. Thanks." Taking her hands firmly in his, Giles helps her up from the floor. Before releasing her, he gently squeezes her hands and smiles reassuringly. She perches on the bench next to him, returning his smile. "You sure you are ok.?" she inquires, her voice denoting a hint of doubt.

"Yes, Buffy, don't worry. Alright everyone, we need to find answers as to who or what is responsible for causing these visions and how to put a stop it." Everyone goes back to their researching. Giles reaches for the closest book. Buffy can't seem to take her eyes from his profile, though. He senses her disquiet and glances over at her. He reaches out and tenderly brushes his knuckles along her jaw. "I'm fine. Everything will be alright, I promise." He moves closer and kisses her lightly on her soft lips. He smiles warmly and returns to his reading. Feeling somewhat better, she chooses a book as well.

The group, although tired and discouraged, decide to continue researching through the night in spite of the fact that they have been at it since early morning. "Anya, would you be so kind as to lock-up?" Giles asks.

"Sure, Giles." Anya moves away from the table to the front door. The key turning in the lock sounds loudly in the shop's stillness. She returns to her seat next to Xander. The quiet ensues among the friends at the table, with only the occasional flipping of the pages of the worn texts.

After only a few minutes, Giles suddenly leaps to his feet, violently knocking over his chair. His eyes, dilated and devoid of all expression, search out the means of escaping from the shop. They lock onto the front entrance after only a few moments. Everyone's eyes instantly dart to Giles at the sound of his hasty ascent. Worry defines their youthful features. Buffy shoots up off of the bench without a second's hesitation, quickly gripping his arms. "Giles! What's wrong?!"

Instead of responding to her frantic inquiry, he roughly shoves her aside and strides directly towards the door. He travels at full speed, his mind blank except for the one all encompassing thought of escape. He continues unhindered until he reaches the end of his tether, the long chain anchored around the support beam located behind the conference table. As the chain pulls taunt, his leg is yanked out from under him, causing his body to slam brutally to the hard surface beneath him. By the time this has occurred, Buffy has regained her feet after being pushed to the floor. She kneels next to his prone figure. The fall unfortunately hasn't deterred his determination to reach his objective. Even restrained as he is, he begins to dig with his fingers at the tiling in an attempt to inch his way across the expanse to freedom. He's so fixed on this goal that his fingers start to bleed around the nails as he tears them on the slightly rough surface. Buffy snatches his strong hands up in her own smaller ones. He screams incoherently in pain and aggravation. Buffy turns her head towards Willow and Tara. "Do a sleeping spell or...something, now! I don't know how much longer, I can hold him! In his present state, he's stronger than normal, much stronger!"

The two witches stare at each other wordlessly as if their bond is such that it enables them to read the other's mind. They focus their gaze on Giles' contorted face, link their hands together, and speak as one, "Lebro...domes...restera." Giles cries instantly cease, his body crumples onto the floor asleep.

Buffy sighs, relieved. She smiles gratefully at her friends. "Thank you." They smile back pleased that their spell worked. Buffy releases Giles' hands and gently lays them close to his sides. She lifts herself up from the cold marble floor. She notices that everyone's eyes are on the sleeping form of their friend, instead of the researching materials. "I know that you are all worried about Giles, so am I, but the only way that we can help him now is to find some answers...Please, I need you guys" Her own pain is evident in her voice. They all nod, their concern changing to determination on their faces. She heads for the storage room behind the counter. She shortly returns carrying a pillow and blanket that Giles keeps for those nights when he researches into the early morning hours and doesn't make it home to sleep. She kneels beside him again. Carefully lifting his head, she slips the pillow beneath the wavy brown hair. She shakes out the green and white throw blanket and covers his lightly snoring frame with it. As she finishes, she soothingly brushes a few stray hairs off of his forehead with her fingertips. Without even looking away from the man she loves, she asks, "How long will he sleep?"

"Until, we release him from the spell. Don't worry, the spell is entirely harmless," Willow answers her best friend.

"Will, we have to stop this," Buffy's voice comes out as a strangled whisper.

"Tara and I think we may have an idea."

Buffy's head whips around towards them, hope barely retrained in her eyes. "What's your idea?"

"A locator spell. Tara and I believe that someone sent the demon after Giles. We think that he was the intended target, not you, as we all suspected. We could, at the time, sense the magicks being channeled, but were uncertain if the magicks originated from an outside force or from the demon itself. After what just happened with Giles, we are now positive that an outside force is responsible for both spells-the caster's trace signature is the same. Whether the caster is human or not is hard to say at this point."

"This information helps us how?"

"Knowing this information can aid us in performing a locator spell. You see all spell castings leave a residual trail back to the source and since the spell is still in force with the recipient present, the essence of the magicks used is stronger than usual and should be easier to trace."

"It's now just a matter of casting the appropriate locator spell. Then we track the culprit and force them to reverse their spell."

"Oh, if I catch the thing responsible for this, they will do more than reverse the spell. They will wish that they had never been born or spawned...or whatever! I can promise you that!"

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