Title: The Assistant 27/?
Author: Sweetdoggie
Email: (stirling_summer@yahoo.com)
Pairing: B/G
Rating: G
Summary: Buffy goes to college, Giles screws up.
Spoilers: Up to 4
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.
Buffy took to sleeping in the spare bedroom. Giles walked around the house in a mood so dark that it was a relief not to be around him on school days. He tried to be extra-solicitous around the house, but he never offered to take her out anymore. She missed him with every fiber of her being, but she wasn’t going to back down. He needed to acknowledge the reality of their marriage, not only to himself, but also to the world at large. She spent more and more time with the Scoobies and less time with her husband. The situation wasn’t getting worse, but it wasn’t improving either.
Giles didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t seem to overcome his discomfiture at being married to a woman so very much younger than himself, but he missed his wife to the point where he was sick with longing for her. He didn’t tell her, but when she went to school, he would lay on her bed and breath in her scent. He frequently cried himself to sleep.
One night after school, she called home to tell him she wouldn’t be back till late in the evening after patrol. She didn’t offer any excuses, but his mind filled with jealous images of her and young Riley or any of a dozen other young men that he knew were attracted to her. He hung up the phone with a new determination to win her back to him, no matter that he had to tell the world that he was a pathetic old fool in love with a girl half his age. It no longer mattered, he realized. All that mattered was having her in his arms again.
In point of fact, Buffy had decided to stay at the library and study for her psychology mid-term. The atmosphere of their home was not conducive to studying. Rupert followed her around almost constantly. If she went to the kitchen, he made an excuse to get a glass of water, if she sat in the den trying to study, suddenly he needed to be there to pay bills. He had even followed her to the basement one day when she went down to do laundry. His excuse had been that he needed to check the pipes for corrosion. It was wigsome and starting to get creepy. She could feel him watching her with a sad, brooding expression permanently etched onto his face.
Buffy walked into the large library and moved to the back corner, her favorite place to study. She read through the textbook making sure she understood all the definitions and could give examples. She had worked hard in Professor Walsh’s class and Riley, while obviously still mooning over her, had kept his distance. They had, rather surprisingly become friends of a sort. When a shadow fell across her book, she looked up and spotted the big T.A.
“Riley. Hi!”
“Hi, Buffy. Studying?”
She looked around at her notebook and her texts and then back up to him. “Uh, yeah.”
“How’s it going?”
“I feel pretty good about it. You know, I only took this course because Willow wanted me to, but I’m really enjoying it.”
“You sound surprised.”
“Well, yeah, I am really. I’ve never enjoyed school all that much but now I’m thinking it wasn’t because of me, it was the subjects that were boring.”
“Yeah, I had that sort of thing happen to me too. When I was in high school, I didn’t think I’d ever get out.”
“You were bored in school?”
“Oh, yeah. I couldn’t wait to join the army. I got out of Iowa and had an opportunity to serve my country at the same time. I earned my bachelor’s degree by taking night and correspondence courses at whatever campus I was stationed near.”
“Tell me about your home town. I’m from LA and Sunnydale is the smallest place I’ve ever lived in. I can’t imagine anything smaller.”
He laughed. “Oh, my town was less than a thousand people. We didn’t have enough kids to have our own school so they built one about halfway between us and the next town and bused us in. My graduating class had twelve kids in it. We were the biggest class up to that date.” He sounded proud. “It was a farming community. My dad was a farmer and grew soybeans and raised a few hogs. It was a good life. Every year, we would go to Fairfield for the State Fair. I can’t begin to tell you how exciting that is for a farm kid. It seems like the entire world is there, plus there’s all kinds of cool exhibits like prize animals and the largest vegetables and stuff.”
He didn’t notice the glaze in Buffy’s eyes as he went on. “There were rides like the Ferris wheel and the Tilt-a-Whirl. Oh, man, that was fun stuff! One year, a hog I raised won a ribbon. It was a fantastic high! Mom entered the quilting contest most years and she often won prizes. She baked peach pies too and everyone always said that hers were excellent. She had four blue ribbons one year. It was great!”
“It sounds really, uh, wholesome. A good way to grow up,” she added quickly in case he thought she was mocking him.
She needn’t have worried. Riley thought growing up in rural Iowa was a wonderful thing and intended to go back there when he got married. He wanted to raise his own kids just like he had been brought up. He made a point of telling her so and then watched her reaction. He would really like for Buffy to be the mother of those kids, but he didn’t want to tell her that yet. He knew with persistence, but not too much persistence, he could win her away from her old husband. At first, it had bothered him that he was willing to break up a marriage, then he rationalized that he was much better for Buffy than Giles was so that made it all right in his mind.
“Do you want kids?” He asked her.
She looked startled. “I don’t know. It’s not really an option, I guess. I used to think about it occasionally when I was a lot younger, but, well, the last few years I’ve more or less put that sort of thing out of my mind.” She meant because of her life as the Slayer, but Riley, of course, took it to mean because she was married to Giles.
“That’s too bad, Buffy. I think you’d be a great mom. You’re patient and kind and you have a good sense of humor. Too bad you’re not interested in children.” He looked at her tentatively.
“Riley, I don’t even turn nineteen till January. I don’t really think I’m over the hill for my child-bearing years if I later decide to have some.”
He chuckled. “No, of course not. But I guess Mr. Giles is probably getting a little old to be starting a family.”
“He’s just twenty years older than me,” Buffy told him. “Not really ready for the old folks home. Children aren’t an option in our lives right now. That isn’t to say that at some time in the future, we might not be able to do that.” She sighed. The chances of her living long enough to see a child of hers learn to walk were practically nil, even supposing she survived the pregnancy.
“I’d like my kids to grow up on the farm,” he told her again. “It’s so wonderful to be around growing things and be so close to the cycle of nature.”
Buffy tried not to cringe. She pretty much thought nature was fine as long as it stayed outdoors and well away from her. “Really? I guess if Giles and I had kids, they’d be scholars like him. At least, I’d hope so. I wouldn’t want my kids to take after me.”
“But you’re really intelligent, Buffy. I’ve seen your test grades and your paper for Professor Walsh was really well-thought out and showed quite a bit of insight.”
”I’m good at what I do, Riley, but I don’t have a lot of outside interests. Giles is so smart you wouldn’t believe. He can speak and read five languages. He can read ancient Sumerian, for Heaven’s sake!”
“Well, yeah, but is there much demand for that?” Riley asked her.
“More than you might suppose,” she said cryptically.
Before he could ask her to explain, she closed her book up and stretched. “I think I’m about done here for the night.”
“Want to head over to the Union and get a Coke and maybe something to eat?” he asked her casually.
“That sounds pretty good, actually. I haven’t been home tonight so I didn’t get any supper.”
They walked companionably over to the student center. After debating on where to eat, they settled on the main cafeteria since it was still serving hot meals. Buffy had Salisbury steak and gravy on an open-faced sandwich with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. She also picked out a large helping of steamed broccoli and a soda. Riley’s meal was healthier, but still heavy on carbohydrates. Though neither said anything, they were both eating for a high level of physical activity.
They talked about a variety of subjects including her fencing class.
“I didn’t know you fenced,” he commented.
“Yeah, I’ve been doing a variety of martial arts since I turned fifteen. I really enjoy it.”
“We should work out together some time. I learned a bunch of stuff like that in the military and I don’t get as much practice as I’d like.”
“That sounds fun,” Buffy admitted. “Be prepared for me to kick your big farmer butt though.”
“Please, I am so going to take you down, city girl!” He laughed at the thought of her being able to beat him in anything.
They finished their dinners and decided that a short trip to the gym was in order. “I won’t hurt you,” he promised when they met after splitting up to change into gym clothes.
“You won’t have the opportunity,” she assured him.
She feinted a kick at his head and he tried to grasp her foot to pull her off balance. Switching feet in mid air, Buffy landed a solid hit on his shoulder that spun him around. Having longer reach, he tried a spin kick on her but she was already moving into a body block that sent him reeling. They both got earnest after that and Riley stopped holding back. Buffy trounced him. Finally, they both decided that they’d had enough and dropped down on the mat to rest. That was how Giles found them.
“So, this is how you spend your evenings away from me?” Her husband asked from the doorway of the gym.
“Giles,” she said looking up at his words. “Hi.”
“Hello Mr. Giles,” Riley managed. He felt guilty because he knew his intentions weren’t all that honorable.
Giles walked slowly into the gym. He was quietly furious and not entirely rational. Buffy had pushed him too far by sparring with this boy and now Ripper was out in force.
“Perhaps you misunderstood me when I told you to stay away from my wife,” he told Riley. “Or maybe you didn’t think I’d put up much of a fuss when you tried to move in on her. Buffy may not understand your intentions, but I do. Get up, you bastard, so I can kick the crap right out of you.”
Buffy stepped back. “Giles, nothing was going on. I love you, you know that.”
“I love you too, but this sod seems to think he can take liberties with another man’s wife and he needs to be taught a lesson.”
Riley stood up. “Sir, I don’t want to hurt you. Why don’t you just head home?”
Giles faked a right at the boy’s head, following up with a left so punishing that the young soldier staggered. He swung at the former librarian and the fight was on. Riley was younger and probably stronger, but Giles had thirty years of training and he used every bit of it. He beat Riley to his knees, though not without cost to himself. Both of his eyes were blackened and would no doubt be swelled shut in a very few minutes. His nose, while not broken was incredibly sore as were his split lips. Riley had fared no better and if Buffy was any judge his nose was broken. From the way he was holding his side, she suspected that a rib or two might be cracked as well. Both men were covered in blood and sweat and she thought it was pretty gross. Sighing, she walked to the telephone and called Riley’s dorm. His friend Forrest answered the phone. “Hi, um this is Buffy? I’m in Riley Finn’s psych class with Dr. Walsh? Um, Riley kind of got into a fight and he needs somebody to come over to the gym and help him home.”
“What! How badly is he injured?”
“Well, not terribly badly, but he’s bloody and hurt and I wouldn’t want him getting mugged or anything on the way home.”
“Oh. Uh, yeah. I’ll be right over.” He hung up the phone and turned to Graham. “Riley’s hurt over at the gym. That was Buffy—that pretty blonde from his psych class? She says he got into a fight.”
“Well, let’s saddle up.” Graham and Forrest left the building at a trot and arrived at the gym less than five minutes later. Buffy had gotten both men wet towels and handed one to Riley while she went to work on her husband’s injuries herself. He had a nasty cut above his right eye.
“You should probably have stitches. Serves you right,” she told him without much sympathy.
“You belong to me!” Giles growled. “You are my wife and I’m not going to thtand by and watch you thlip out of my handth.” His split lip was giving him hell.
She sighed. “C’mon. Riley’s friends will take him home. Did you drive?”
“Yeth! Keth in my pocket,” he muttered.
She fished around in his pants till she found the keys and then, throwing his arm over her shoulder she helped him out of the gym. The car was half a block away and he was moaning lightly with every step. She didn’t sympathize with him at all. If he hadn’t been acting like a macho jerk, he wouldn’t be in pain. She seated him in the passenger side of the car and carefully drove them home. By the time they got to the house, he had stiffened to the point where he couldn’t walk up the stairs to their bedroom. Buffy sighed and picked him up in her arms despite his protestations.
“Put me down, Buffy. I’m entirely too heavy for you to lift like thith.”
“Giles, you weigh next to nothing for me. Now shut up, I’m mad at you and you look pathetic and I don’t want to feel sorry for you.” She took him to the bathroom, stripped him and washed his cuts and bruises then applied various liniments and salves. She put a butterfly bandage on the cut above his eye, pulling the skin tight so it would heal without a bad scar. She got him several ice packs and helped him into bed. Setting by the side of the bed, she watched him with her arms crossed till she was sure he was asleep. Getting up quietly, she walked over to him and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek. “I love you so much, you big dumb ass.”
She walked out of the room, turning off the light as she did so. Thus, she didn’t see his eyes slip open momentarily as he watched her step away from him. When she was gone he murmured: “I love you too, Thweetheart.”