Title: The Assistant 16/?
Author: Sweetdoggie
Email: (stirling_summer@yahoo.com)
Pairing: B/G
Rating: R
Summary: Merrick didn’t die. A/U
Spoilers: Up to mid-season 2
Disclaimer: No permission has been granted to use the characters. They are owned by their creator, Joss Whedon, Twentieth Century Fox, UPN, WB, and Mutant Enemy. This story is non-profit and is intended solely as entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: Pretty much A/U right from the start. I don’t know how many parts this will be but I’m not going to leave you hanging. The rating is me being ultra-conservative. 99% of all the sex takes place off scene. B/A fans—it never happened

Buffy woke just before dawn and realized that they had left Ethan Rayne tied up in the factory. She reluctantly pulled on some clean clothes and drug herself downstairs. She had been going to take the car but it was still full of demon bits and snake blood and there was no way she was cleaning that up before she had coffee. She started to jog and got to the factory twenty minutes later. Not for the first time, she reflected on how happy she was that Sunnydale was a relatively small and compact town.

The warehouse was ransacked. Broken, empty candy boxes lay scattered everywhere. Ethan was nowhere to be found however, and this made Buffy unhappy. She had wanted to beat him up a little more and ask him some questions about the mayor and while she was at it, about Rupert’s mysterious past. Damn.

She performed a thorough search of the place, however, and did turn up two full, unopened boxes of cursed candy. Tucking these under her arm, she jogged home. You never knew when you might have to say something with chocolate, she grinned mentally. I wonder how Quentin Travers likes chocolate?

Giles woke and cursed. Why couldn’t that blasted candy have blotted out the memories of his behavior the previous day? Would that be asking too much? Gods! How was he ever going to face his wife and friends again? He wanted to pull the blanket over his head and remain in bed but realized that would only postpone the horror that awaited him. He saw that Buffy was already up. Probably she couldn’t bear to even be in the same bed with him after his juvenile randy behavior. Had he really been that awful as a teen?

He got up and showered thinking that maybe things would look better when he was refreshed. They didn’t. He managed to get downstairs and saw Faith and Wesley sitting at the breakfast table. They were holding hands and looked up as he walked in. Faith got up to get him a plate of breakfast. Wesley smiled tentatively. “All over the effects of the curse?”

Rupert groaned. “Yes, thank God. Where’s Buffy?”

Wesley shrugged. “She wasn’t here when I got up. I imagine she went back to the warehouse to scout around. We forgot Ethan last night and really, I think we were all much too tired to do anything about him anyway.”

Giles nodded. “True. I hope Buffy is still speaking to me after my behavior yesterday. Allow me to apologize to you for anything I might have done that was, um, indecorous.”

Wesley smiled. “Please. I was so shy I could barely speak around the girls, let alone be of any use during our battle.”

Rupert shrugged ruefully. “The candy seems to have take our worst traits from our youth and magnified them by several hundred percent. I can assure you that even at the height of my Ripper days I was not so, so, bloody randy. I’m sure Buffy is so disgusted with me, I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t neuter me herself.”

“At least you didn’t pratt yourself around announcing to all and sundry that you were a Watcher.” He smiled apologetically. “I did, however, manage to tell Faith I thought she was pretty. So the entire evening wasn’t a waste of time.” Wesley handed him a cup of tea.

Both men were sipping the beverage contentedly when they heard the front door open and Buffy came skipping into the kitchen. “Hi, guys!” She plunked down a box of rescued candy on the table. “One for analysis and one for a gift.” She explained.

Rupert looked up, finally able to look at her face if not meet her eyes. “A gift?”

“Yeah, I thought Quentin Travers might enjoy a box of chocolate for his birthday.” She grinned wickedly.

“Buffy that’s cruel!” Rupert said, unable to keep a matching grin off his own face.

She looked at him seriously, taking into account his bruised and battered face. “You have to stop trying to remove walls with your head, Rupert. I can’t afford to lose you.”

He blushed, suddenly shy. “Can you excuse my inexorable behavior last night? I’m deeply ashamed of how I acted. I wouldn’t hold it against you if you never wanted to speak to me again.”

Buffy smiled gently and leaned forward to kiss his uninjured cheek. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, Rupert. You might have been rampaging hormone boy, but when it came right down to it, you still stood and fought. I can’t ask for more.” She looked over at the other Watcher trying to make himself unobtrusive. “Wes too. You were both drugged to the gills and you still came through like troopers. It makes me proud to know you guys.”

Both men turned deep red, but they swore their hearts grew at the girl’s deep praise. “Thank you, Buffy.” Rupert told her. “But you are being entirely too generous. I was an utter pig and I know it.”

She slipped her arm over his shoulders. “You were so sweet, Rupert, I wanted to eat you up. If we hadn’t been having a big ol’ crisis, you probably wouldn’t be able to walk today. I would have taken shameless advantage of you.”

He swept her into his arms. “You are the most generous, kind, sweet, loving girl I have ever met. Have I mentioned lately how much I absolutely adore you?”

“Hmmmm.” She pretended to think. “It may have come up a time or two, but I don’t object to hearing it again.”

He kissed her hard then simply held her and rocked her against him. He felt tears of relief trickle down his face. “You are my blessing. I love you so much, I haven’t words.”

Wesley knew that as long as he lived he would remember this moment of true and abiding love shared between two very special people. It was his privilege to bear witness to them. He felt as if he had been gifted with something infinitely precious.

Faith walked back into the room, saw Buffy and Giles hugging again and grinned. She always thought of them as The Slayer and Watcher. Sure, she herself was a Slayer, but Buffy was The Slayer. If Buffy had been different, Faith would have resented her power and charisma, but as it stood, she herself had fallen under Buffy’s thrall and worshiped at her altar with the rest of her subjects. It wasn’t that she thought the other girl could do no wrong, because she knew that the blonde Slayer was every bit as fallible as anyone else. There was just something about Buffy that drew you in. It was like coming home to a warm fire after being out in a blizzard. She walked up to her Watcher and slipped her arm around his waist giving him a happy hug.

Looking up into his face, she hugged him again. “How are you feeling, Wes? Any aftershocks from getting decked?”

He returned her hug. “No, Faith. I’m quite well.”

Everyone looked up when Merrick walked into the kitchen. “Hey, Merrick!” Buffy said. “Are you OK?”

He flushed a very deep red. “I am fine. Joyce and I were together.” He looked at everyone rather repressively. “Is no one going to school or work this morning?”

His words set off a mad scramble to get dressed and out to the car in an effort not to be late. Wesley offered to stay home and begin researching the cursed candy, but Merrick decided to ride along to school with Rupert. As they opened the car door, the smell of snake flesh and blood hit them. There was absolutely no way that they could use the vehicle as it stood. Wesley volunteered to take it to a car wash and do his best with it. They all agreed and began walking the mile to the school. Though she was surprised that he still intended to come with them, Buffy suspected that Merrick wanted to talk to Rupert. She hoped he wouldn’t yell at him for his band candy behavior.

The two men settled down in the library, cups of tea in their hands. Merrick looked at Giles. “I, I need to talk to you, Rupert.” He looked deeply into his teacup hoping for answers.

“You know I’m always at your service, John. I’d like to apologize for my behavior yesterday. It was the candy. It released every inhibition I ever had. I can only be thankful that our sweet girl is so generous with her forgiveness. I was so awful, I made randy teenagers look sedate.”

Merrick barked a short laugh. “I’m sure whatever you did pales beside my affront, Rupert.” He looked away. “Joyce and I, the candy, we, we were together all night. We could barely look at each other this morning. I’m afraid I have behaved very badly indeed to that dear woman.”

Giles was silent in shock before he came around the table and put his hand on the other man’s shoulder. “I’m sure that she understands that you were both under the influence of the candy, John. Things may be awkward for a while, but…”

John waved his hand at the younger man while hiding his face in his other palm. “That is the least of it, my boy. There is a very good possibility that Joyce may end up pregnant from our encounter. We were, uh, enthusiastic and totally unprotected. She is a lovely woman who is only in her late thirties, still well within her fertile years.”

Rupert plopped down in the chair next to the elder Watcher. “B, but you’ve been a Watcher for years, John. Why have you never had a vasectomy?”

“I was never close to forming a bond with any of my girls except for Buffy. Had we become joined, I would have had it done, but there never seemed to be a pressing need otherwise.”

“Maybe Joyce was protected?” Giles began tentatively.

“No. We talked about it. She hasn’t had another lover since her husband left her and it seemed pointless to start birth control when it was unnecessary. Plus the timing was perfect.” He looked wretched. “It isn’t that I regret making love to her, my boy, because I could never feel that. I simply feel that I have betrayed both Joyce and Buffy by my careless actions. The relationship I have worked so hard to build with Joyce is teetering on the edge of ruin. I simply don’t know what to do.”

“Do you love her then?” Rupert asked softly.

“Yes, yes I do. She is a fine woman. I believe that she might have been a Slayer herself had she been called at the right time.”

“What will you tell Buffy?” Giles shuddered at the possible outcomes.

“I simply don’t know. Do you believe we need to tell her?” John sounded hopeful at the thought of keeping this disaster a secret.

“If Joyce is pregnant, won’t it be rather obvious?”

John sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” He looked morose. “Joyce said she would take care of telling Buffy, should it become necessary. We have two weeks if we decide to wait.”

“John, Buffy will understand. She won’t blame you or her mother. It was that cursed candy, that’s all. It simply brought out things that we normally repress. In the scheme of things you might very well have started dating Joyce. Buffy would have understood and adjusted to that, just as she will adjust to this.”

“I hope you are right, Rupert.” John cradled his head in his hands but said no more.

Buffy was surprised when her mother called her after school. “Would you mind stopping by the house this evening, Buffy? I need to talk to you.”

“Sure mom, no problem. Can I bring you anything?”

“Just yourself.” Joyce smiled though her voice was strained.

Buffy showed up at her former home just after seven. “So, mom of mine, what’s the what?”

Joyce sat them both down on the couch and sighed. “This is pretty hard to tell you. Last night, the band candy, John and I, we, we were together.”

“Yeah, he said he’d been over here.” Buffy told her unconcerned.

“No, I mean, we were together.” Joyce emphasized. “All night, many times.” She hid her face in her hand. “Unprotected.”

Buffy felt her mouth drop open. “You and Merrick?”

Joyce nodded without making eye contact. “This morning we could barely look at each other. It’s so unfair. We were building a relationship. I really liked him and I think he was becoming fond of me. I just hope this hasn’t crushed it completely.”

Buffy was silent for a few minutes. “So, I’m sure you don’t have to worry about diseases or anything with Merrick.” She tried to reassure her mom.

Joyce waved her hand dismissively. “That’s the least of it. I’m right in the middle of my cycle, Buffy. I’m ovulating and fertile as hell.”

“B, but Watchers get a vasectomy.” Buffy said.

“Apparently only if there is a likely possibility of them bonding with their Slayer. John was, um, untampered with.”

“Oh, boy. What are you guys going to do?” She asked.

“I don’t have the slightest idea.” Joyce admitted.

“Would you, um, get rid of it?” Buffy hesitated.

“No! Whatever else, I wouldn’t do that. This is my baby, mine and John’s. I couldn’t do that.” Joyce was adamant.

Buffy nodded decisively. “Good, then if you know that much, we have a game plan. Would you want to get married?”

Joyce looked down and blushed. “I know it’s terribly old fashioned of me, but I think children should have two parents where possible. I think John and I could build a good relationship. He’d never dream of cheating on me.”

“Like dad.” Buffy said coolly.

“Yeah.”

Buffy paced back and forth for a moment. “I want you to know, this is OK with me. Whatever you decide to do won’t change how I feel about you or Merrick. I love you both and if I get a baby sister or brother out of it, well, cool.”

Joyce looked at her daughter. “When did you grow up?”

Buffy just looked at her. “When I was fifteen and a handsome older man told me I had a destiny.”

Buffy walked home slowly. She managed to stake two vampires and behead a fuzzy looking demon bug thing, so it wasn’t a total bust as a patrol. She hesitated for a second before entering her house. Giles was writing in his journal, Wes and Faith were out on patrol and Merrick was sitting with his head in his hands on the couch. Buffy couldn’t stand to see him suffering. She walked over to him and put her arms around him tightly.

“Are you OK, Merrick?” She asked him softly.

“I don’t know, Buffy. You’ve talked to Joyce?” He asked her tentatively.

“Yeah. I’m cool with it, Merrick.”

“Are you sure? I’ve breached our trust so badly.” He buried his face in his hands again.

“No you haven’t, John.” She told him “You liked my mom before this, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I did, Buffy. Very much.”

“Good. Mom says that she’s going to keep the baby, if there is one, I mean.”

“Ah. Well, that’s good.” He fell silent. “What should I do?”

“You guys need to talk. You liked each other before the band candy; don’t let it stop you. It would be like letting the Hellmouth win.”

“How can you even bear to speak to me?”

She rocked him in her arms. “I love you, John. I’ve loved you since I was fifteen and you showed me how to fight. Somebody drugged you, took away your inhibitions. Do you think I’d blame you for loving my mom? I happen to think she’s pretty lovable. It’s not going to bother me that you think so too. If you guys end up married, then I’d be happy for you. I never want you to be alone.”

“You, you’d let me marry her?” He was incredulous. “I’m an old man. My health is poor. I have only one lung. What kind of a husband could I be to her?”

“The best kind. The kind that loves her. Anything else is just gloss.”

“Oh, Buffy. You are so dear to me.” He turned in her arms and she held him as tears poured down his lined face.

Rupert came over to them. “Everything all right over here?” He asked gruffly.

John looked up, eyes still wet with tears. “Buffy doesn’t hate me, Rupert.”

The younger man knelt down by the couch and put his arms around both of them. “Of course she doesn’t hate you, John. She even forgave me for being so awful.”

Buffy snorted. “You guys are just so silly. I love you. If you love somebody they are allowed to screw up now and then. Besides, what happened to both of you, that wasn’t your fault. If I went to a party and somebody spiked the punch and I came home drunk would you blame me?”

Both men said no, of course not.

“Then why do you think I’d be upset because that happened to you?” She squeezed them both. “Men are such doofuses.” She got up and walked into the kitchen.

John looked at Rupert, a silly expression on his face. “I suspect she’s right, my boy.”

“Ah, yes. Doofuses. Hmmmm.” Giles grinned.

NEXT