Title: A New Year
Author: Savage
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Distributions: Dusty
Disclaimer: All belongs to joss
Spoilers: Not really, maybe light Season 6
Summery: Giles comes home for holiday

(Buffy's Home _ New Years Eve)

"No, it's all right Buffy. Go ahead and get cleaned up"

"You sure?"

"Absolutely"

Sharing a warm smile with her watcher, Buffy headed upstairs to take her shower.

"G, you sure you don’t want us to help with the clean up?"

Xander asked as he was helping Anya put her coat on.

"No Xander, thank you all the same"

"The party's going to be great Giles, last chance to say yes"

Dawn told him as she grabbed her coat as well.

"I believe I've had enough excitement tonight, thank you all. Have fun and be safe"

Anya hugged Giles.

"You know I was only kidding, I don’t think you’re too old to hang with us"

"I know"

Laying a kiss to her forehead, Giles grinned.

"But thank you for saying it"

"Bye Giles"

Dawnie said, and wrapped the watcher in a hug as Anya let him go.

"Goodnight Dawn. Be sure to listen to Willow and the others?"

"I know, I know. I may be 16 but that doesn’t mean I'm an adult yet" 

With a chuckle, Giles hugged the girl one more time before letting her go.

"Everyone have fun. And remember, I'm here if you need me"

"Not to worry Giles. I'm the designated driver tonight"

Willow answered as Tara helped her with her coat.

"Very well"

"And G, Be sure to keep Buff company huh? She had a hard night tonight with the slaying"

"Will do, Xander"

After saying their goodbyes, Giles shut the door and locked it. As he turned to head into the dinning room, he stopped at the stairs, listening to the water running. Buffy was in the shower now and he could hear her singing softly to something on the radio. He smiled as he went into the dinning area, grabbing the plates off the table then took them into the kitchen.

(Buffy's Bathroom)

While in the shower, Buffy's mind slipped to memories of her and Giles. Since his return home for the holiday visit; they’d spent every waking moment together. He was even going on patrol with her like old times, a few nights a week. Things, feelings, emotions inside her had changed so much lately for him… He made her skin tingle with a slight touch, her stomach would get butterflies in it when watching him and his protectiveness over her and the gang.

She realized what she had missed so much all this time… him.

Giles was what made her whole. He was what made the smile on her lips stay and the laughter in her heart, never fade.

Stepping out of the shower, Buffy wrapped herself in a long towel and headed into her room. When she opened her closet, she found it empty. She could have sworn she had clean cloths in there.

"Damn it"

Looking around she spotted one of Giles flannel shirts sticking out of his suite case. Sense he was staying on the couch, he keep his cloths and personal things upstairs in her room and bathroom. Thinking he wouldn’t mind, Buffy grabbed the shirt and put it on.

Now all she needed was some pants. Searching through her drawls Buffy found them as empty as her closet. She thought she had her laundry done last week, though as hard as she's been working, slaying and training, it's a wonder she remember to eat and sleep.

At least she had clean underwear. That would do for now. Grabbing the hamper with her dirty cloths, Buffy headed downstairs. 

(Buffy's Home _ kitchen)

Giles had finished putting the last dish in the washer when Buffy came into the kitchen. She took a seat on at island on a stool.

"Hey" She said with a smile.

"Hello"

"Need any help?"

"No thank you. All done"

Clicking the knob over, the washer started as Giles turned to her.

"Feeling any better?"

"Yeah, much. Thanks"

"Care for desert?"

"We have desert?"

"Indeed we do"

Walking to the freezer, Giles removed Buffy's favorite ice cream and grabbed two bowls along with spoons.

"When did we get that?" Buffy asked him with a small smile. She knew it wasn’t there last night when she looked for some.

"This afternoon. While you were at work, I stopped by the store for dinner and picked this up for you"

"Your way to good to me"

"I enjoy it"

They shared another smile as he scooped her some ice cream into a bowl while at the same moment, the lights in the home went out.

"Oh great"

"I take it the storm outside is worse than we originally thought" Giles said.

"Good guess Mr. Logic"

She couldn’t see it, but she knew he was glaring at her.

"Where are the candles?" He asked her as she answered shyly.

"Um, Candles?"

"Buffy, you do have some, don’t you?"

"Uh, well, have as in, actually-"

"Buffy"

"No"

Sighing, the watcher moved around the kitchen.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for a flashlight"

"Oh, um I don’t have one of those either. Meant to get one but-"

Her words fell silent as she saw a little light coming from Giles hand.

"Ok, I do have one"

"No, I have one. On my keys"

"Oh. I knew there was a reason a watcher always came in handy"

"Very funny. Can you please tell me why you don’t have any candles or a flash light?"

"Do I have to?" She asked as she grabbed the bowls and took the light from him. Before he could answer, she finished. ”Come on, let’s go eat in the living room and watch the storm"

(Living Room)

Settling on the couch, Giles reached over and opened the curtains to let the moonlight spill into the room.

"See, we don’t even need a flashlight or candles"

She saw the *Look* he gave her and smiled.

"Well it’s true"

"So you say"

They sat facing each other on the couch. Buffy’s legs were drawn under her as she looked out the window.  Giles had his legs crossed at the ankles, settled to one side of Buffy’s body. It was then as he took a bite of his desert, that he saw her in his shirt. His eyes trailed over her body and ended up focusing on her legs.

Where there seemed to be showing a lot of skin.

Snapping her fingers in front of him, Buffy smiled when he drew his eyes from her legs to settle back on her own.

"I was out of clean cloths, I hope you don’t mind"

"Uh, um, n-no. N-No of course not"

He was stuttering. A sure sign he was nervous she thought. Stretching her legs out, her feet brushed his thighs as she dug them underneath him.

"My toes are cold" She told him innocently.

"Ah"

Was all he could manage as his eyes watched her slender limbs stretching, pulling her muscles in her legs, showing the curve of her thighs. She was tan, lean and extremely breathe taking. 

"You think Dawnie's ok?

Drawling his eyes from her, Giles took another bite of ice cream, which he now stared at.

"Yes, I believe they are"

"Hmm?"

"Dawn and the others, I believe their fine"

"Oh"

She was watching him wondering why it was taking him so long to make a move on her. Sense returning to her weeks before, they had become closer than ever. And while she knew all along just how much she loved him, she wasn’t sure till Christmas Eve, just how much he loved her. No matter how much he pretended that kiss under the mistletoe was innocent, she knew better.

"Thanks for the ice cream. It's really good"

"Your welcome"

They fell silent again.

"Giles?"

"Hmm?"

He took another bite of ice cream as Buffy watched a little slip down his chin. She fought an urge to lean forward and lick it off as he used his thumb and removed it.

Then licked his thumb clean.

"Oh boy"

She mumbled, and then turned her attention to the storm outside.

"I’m sorry?"

"Never mind"

He watched he take a deep breath and release it.

"Buffy, Are you all right?"

"Sure" 

He didn’t believe her as he watched her eyes darting back and forth, looking for something to focus on outside.

"You know you can always talk with me. Tell me anything that’s on your mind"

"I know"

She said in a lower tone as her eyes went to her ice cream.

"I really have enjoyed you being back Giles. Things seem so right now. And there's something I want to tell you but I'm afraid because I don’t want you to think I'm telling you because I need you to be here. Which, I don’t. I want you here but I don’t need you. Which I found that out the hard way when you left me the first time"

When he didn’t answer her, she turned attention from the ice cream back to him, to find his eyes taking in her legs, thighs and stomach. Till they rested on her chest. Where he now noticed three buttons were undone from her shirt, leaving him an ample view of her cleavage.

"Giles?"

"Hmm?"

She laughed as she laid a hand to her chest to cover his view. Lifting his eyes, he looked at her then realized she caught him looking. Though it was dark, she could see the redness in his cheeks from the moons light. Lowering his head, Giles averted her eyes.

"Earth to Giles?"

"Yes?"

"I was pouring my heart out to you and you spaced on me"

"I'm sorry, Buffy. I-"

"Something you see, strike your fancy?"

Drawling his brows together, Giles raised his head.

"Excuse me?"

"You've been here 5 weeks Giles. And in that time, I’ve seen you look me up and down, watch me as I walked past you, even caught you looking at my neck when I was showing you the new cross Dawnie got me..."

"I use to be so much better at this"

"At What?"

"Are you angry?"

"No. Why-"

"Are you disgusted?"

"No. Giles, if I was-"

"I use to hide my feelings for you so much better than this. I'm sorry. I don’t know… I guess I must be out of practice" 

He started to rise, only to have Buffy's hand stop him.

"Hey. I wasn’t finished"

He didn't say anything as he sat back down, and put the ice cream bowl on the coffee table. His eyes focused on the ground.

"If I was angry, don't you think I would have said something long before this?"

"I don’t know. Maybe"

"Giles. I’m not. I love you"

"I love you too"

She took his hand and laid it on her thigh.

"No. I mean, I'm in love with you"

Now he did lift his eyes to look at her.

"What?" he asked breathless

"I have been. For a long time. But, things got in the way, and well, we drifted apart. You being here these past few weeks really brought back all the feelings and memories I use to have of you. I was reminded of -"

"Wait, Buffy. I'm sorry to interrupt, it's just, this is all, so much to take in.  I never thought you would want me in that way. I -"

"That was my fault. I was jealous of Olivia and I said those things to hurt you. I'm sorry"

"You...we're jealous?"

"Yeah"

Giles looked down at her hand covering his. He could feel her shaking nervously as he gave her hand a squeeze, and told her softly.

"I'm in love with you too"

Her smile was bright enough to light the room as she took his hand that she held and laid it to her chest, just above her heart.

"It beats for you and you alone. It may have taken me time to realize just how much you mean to me, but I have. And I hope I didn’t make you wait to long"

Swallowing, Giles leaned towards her till their lips were inches apart.

"I would have waited a lifetime for you"

He whispered before taking her into a tender kiss. It was slow and gentle as their tongues tangled and their breath mingled. They explored each other with a slowness that allowed them to enjoy this new found part of their relationship. Giles moved his hand along her thigh, leaving a warm trail of heat from his palm as his fingers slipped between her legs and teased her center.

Making slow, lazy strokes along her heat.   

"Hey G? Anya wanted me--not to go blind! Oh my god...um, I, Anya, um, never mind"

After stuttering his way out of the home, Giles and Buffy laughed, never breaking the kiss.

"I think we scared him"

"He'll live"

She groaned as he took her bottom lip between his teeth.

"I want you Buffy"

Letting her lip go, Buffy pulled her watcher to her so his body was covering hers.

"So take me"

Growling his answer, Giles did just that.

The End