Title: Bad Moon Rising 3/? (NC-17)
Author: TweedEmpress
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Giles/Jenny
Genre: Action/Romance
Summary: Set during ‘Ted’ and beyond. Giles and Jenny are working on their relationship – but something is coming that threatens the future of the whole of Sunnydale.
Timeline: Season Two     
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with BtVS (unfortunately). Some dialogue is lifted from ‘Ted’. Any original characters and ideas are mine. 
Distribution: FanFiction.Net, ODD, Mystic Muse, Ms Calendar’s Group Site
Notes: Thank you so much, Riley and Katherine for doing such an amazing job at beta-ing.
N.B The first part of this chapter incorporates a previous story entitled 'Reprimand'. However, that fic can still be read as a stand-alone story.
Dedication: To Anne, for all her hard work on our site and giving us a beautiful new home for all our fic!

Another school day, another school week. Jenny usually enjoyed her weekends, but couldn’t remember the last time she had wished one would never end. She checked her watch as she walked down the corridor and sighed: she had successfully managed a whole two hours since she had seen him.

‘I need help,’ she thought, pushing the library doors open.

A student was exiting just at the same moment and he looked almost embarrassed to be there.

‘Wow,’ Jenny said as she strolled in, ‘I didn’t think that students actually came in here unless it was to find out how to kill something.’

Giles looked up from his index cards and smiled.

‘Y-yes. I almost feel like doing Xander’s happy dance. A-although the book inquestion was on biology. F-frog, er, dissection, I believe.’

‘Okay, so I won’t be needing lunch today.’

Giles leaned against the counter, his eyes glowing lazily.

‘Was there something I could do for you?’

Jenny took a few steps forward.

‘Well, I realised that I never did get anyone to come and collect those textbooks you were looking after for me.’

He looked puzzled.

‘Textbooks…? Oh. Oh…ah.’ He ducked his head and then looked back up at her. ‘That’s, er, a pretty flimsy excuse for coming to see me.’

Aslow grin spread across her face.

‘You should have heard the ones I threw out.’

Another school day, another school week. God, how he hated them. The kids slunk past him, averting their eyes as though if they couldn’t see him, he wasn’t really there. Still, most of them were too intimidated to actually do anything too horrendous. Of course, “most of them” didn’t include…

Snyder narrowed his eyes as he noticed the giggling teenagers back away from the library doors. He had no love for any of the kids in the school, but this group inspired a particular loathing. Buffy Summers and her cohorts. He could not begin to imagine what unearthly powers had brought her, Rosenberg and Harris together - and what was even more baffling was that the Chase girl had thrown her lot in with them. But when a man was as rich as Cordelia Chase’s father was, no one was going to question her actions. Every time Snyder saw the four of them, his ulcer gave an extra twinge. And they treated the library like their own private club…

The fact that they hadn’t marched in there as usual was what had pricked his curiosity in the first place. Snyder began to walk towards the doors. His ulcer gave another twinge at the thought of his other pet hate. Rupert Giles. The man had no respect for Snyder’s authority. Or his importance. Or anything else for that matter. Snyder looked through the library window and came to an abrupt haltat the sight that greeted him. A strange expression - a mixture of triumph and disgust - spread across his face as he watched.

Alow hum of pleasure sounded deep in her throat as that tender, passionate kiss ended. Jenny opened her eyes slowly, re-focusing on her lover’s handsome face. Giles’ hands were still caressing her face, every touch sending shivers of excitement through her.

‘Y’know, if you keep this up, England, I’m gonna have to start taking my classes in here.’

‘Rampant computer usage in my library? Never.’ He brushed her lips with his.

Jenny laughed slightly, tilting her head back so she could see him better. ‘One of these days I’ll drag you into this century. Believe me, it’s not that scary a place.’

‘I’m perfectly happy where I am right now, but thank you,’ he replied, hissmoky green eyes glowing with suppressed amusement and passion.

His hands had dropped to her shoulders, but his thumbs were still stroking her neck, the callused digits rasping deliciously against her sensitive skin. Ever since their dramatic reunion in the park, they had strived to spend every free moment they had with each other. And as for the weekend… They had only made it out of the front door once, and that had been on Sunday. Jenny smiled at the memory and let out a contented sigh. At the moment, Giles seemed to be in a flirtatious mood and Jenny was more than happy with that. In fact, she was great with that. It was wonderful to see him looking so relaxed and happy. To see him free -even if it was just for a few moments - from the constant strains of his calling. Jenny could feel her own happiness welling up inside and she couldn’tresist the urge to play with him just a little. She slid her arms around his waist, pressing herself closer to him.

‘Uh-huh, right now here is good. Just a pity it’s so public.’

‘Mm-hmm…’ his eyes suddenly widened as he understood her meaning.

‘Not that there’s anything wrong with public.’ She added, trying to maintain a look of innocence.

‘Y-yes, well, no…I-I mean, not as such…’ A red flush was creepingup his face.

‘Although, these aren’t little kids. They’ve probably seen worse on Discovery - and it could even be called educational.’ Her voice shook slightly with suppressed laughter and the corners of her mouth twitched against her will.

‘Calendar!’ he growled.

Jenny could feel the sound rumbling in his chest and the laugh finally broke to the surface. His face was returning to a more normal colour and she leaned forward to kiss him.

‘You are an impossible woman,’ he informed her, gently pushing her away from him. ‘Go, skate the web, or whatever it is you do.’

‘It’s “surfing”, Rupert. Goddess, surely even you must…’ she broke off and glared at him. ‘Hey, look at the technophobe making funny computer jokes.’

He gave her one of his quick half-smiles, ducking his head slightly, and Jenny felther insides melt.

‘Sooo, maybe tonight, we could find somewhere a little more private?’ she asked slowly, her fingers tracing circles on the smooth surface of the counter.

‘I think that could be managed,’ he replied, capturing her in his arms fleetingly before releasing her.

Jenny smoothed down her hair and stepped away from him, just as the library doorsflew open. They took one look at the intruder and both groaned inwardly.

Snyder stood in the doorway, his hands on his hips, smirking.

‘Caught red-handed,’ he announced.

‘Oh, for pity’s sake,’ Giles muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.

If Snyder noticed, he chose to ignore it.

‘I know you like to think you’re above the rest of us, Mister Giles, but I draw the line at…at…debauchery in the middle of the school library!’

‘Debauchery?’ Jenny raised her eyebrows. ‘Wow. You really don’t get out much,do you?’

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Giles suppress a quick smile.

‘At least I know how to conduct myself in a civilised manner,’ Snyder retorted, his ears turning an odd shade of puce. ‘You two might try to remember that you’re actually teachers in this school, instead of encouraging every layabout, deadbeat so called student in the place to behave like hooligans!’

Jenny glanced between the two men, and almost burst out laughing at the contrast. Snyder - short, balding and bristling with his own sense of self-importance- was almost raised up on his toes as though trying to make himself as tall as possible. His voice was rising in decibels.

Giles, on the other hand, appeared completely unconcerned. He was leaning against the counter; his arms folded across his chest and his head slightly tilted to one side. He looked slightly amused - more as though he were trying to follow Xander or Willow’s incomprehensible babbling. But there was something about him: the way he held himself; coiled energy below the surface that could overflow atany moment. It made him appear to fill the room without moving a muscle. It made him dangerous.

Jenny had stopped listening to whatever it was that Snyder was talking about; instead, she allowed her eyes to wander appreciatively over her lover’s form, taking in the slightly aristocratic profile and the way his hair curled at the ends. She remembered the implied promise for their activities later that evening and smiled in spite of herself.

Snyder glared at the couple in front of him. They should be quaking by now. They should be defending themselves and pleading with him to keep their jobs. Instead, they looked indifferent. The Calendar woman was actually smirking and the librarian was simply staring back at him. The arrogance of the man! But even Snyder was aware of the implicit menace that radiated off Giles, so he decided to turnhis attention back to Jenny.

Jenny had been vaguely aware of phrases like ‘position of responsibility’ and ‘disgusting behaviour’ floating around, but had managed to blotmost of it out. Until she realised that the latest tirade was being directed at her.

‘…setting an example instead of parading around like that.’ He gestured towardsher clothes. Jenny’s mind did back flips at the idea of Snyder lecturing anyone on fashion sense. ‘You obviously have no discipline in your classroom,’ he continued. There was a manic glint in his eye and the man was becoming incoherent. ‘And I am aware that everyone is entitled to their own personal beliefs, but…but I don’t even know what the hell you are!’

There was a deafening silence and Jenny braced herself.

‘Miss Calendar is an extremely talented teacher, who holds the love and respect of all her students. You would do well to remember that.’

Giles’ voice was low and soft: he had removed his glasses and his eyes seemed to have changed colour from jade green to hard silver. She recognised the expression on his face from when he had assaulted that man Ethan. Snyder also noticed the change in Giles’ demeanour and unconsciously took a step back.

‘That…may be true.’ He was aware that he had somehow lost the upper hand in this encounter and was struggling to find it again. ‘But even so-’

‘Even so, your idea of discipline is to attempt to impose a tyrannical authority over these children - consequently you have none.’

‘None?’ Snyder looked bewildered.

Jenny snorted impatiently. ‘Authority. He’s saying you have no authority. And it’s all your own fault,’ she added.

‘If you seriously believe that by witnessing a display of affection between two adults in a stable relationship the students in this school will suffer untold mental tortures, then…’ Giles suddenly seemed to loose interest in thefight and leaned back against the counter again. ‘Then you’re an even bigger fool than I had previously taken you for.’

Snyder stared at him open-mouthed for a second and then finally snapped it shut.

‘You haven’t heard the last of this!’ He began to move towards the library doors. ‘You can both consider yourselves officially reprimanded!

Silence descended on the library once again.

‘Well, that was…different,’ Jenny said after a while.

‘Hmmm.’

Giles had buried his hands in his pockets and was staring at the floor, frowning slightly. Perhaps he was more upset by the incident than she had realised. Uncertain as to what to do, she decided that leaving him to work it out of his system might be the safest option.

‘I, er, I guess, I should go prepare for class and leave you to cross-reference something.’ Jenny attempted to inject extra lightness into her tone.

‘Hmm.’

She ran one hand soothingly up and down his arm. ‘Come by my place tonight. Ican show off my appalling cooking skills and take your mind off things.’

After dropping a kiss on his cheek, she started to walk past him and was surprised when he suddenly took hold of her wrist and started to lead her in the opposite direction.

‘Rupert?’

He turned to face her and the expression in his eyes made her swallow hard.

‘Well, Snyder wanted debauchery and I do so hate disappointing people. But I’m afraid I must still insist on privacy.’

Jenny stared at him for a second, not quite believing what she was hearing, but feeling flutters of excitement beginning to run under her skin.

‘Are you sure that this is a good idea?’

He flashed her a devilish grin that should have looked ridiculous on a man of his age, but somehow only served to heighten her anticipation.

‘I suppose that depends on how you define “a good idea”,’ hereplied, turning away.

Jenny laughed as he guided her, unresisting, across the library floor and up the stairs into the stacks.

‘Giles and Ms. Calendar are just so cute, aren’t they? I mean, they’rejust totally perfect for each other.’

Willow was almost bouncing as she walked across the damp grass.

‘Yeah, Will,’ Buffy gave her friend a small smile, trying to keep up with her friend’s babbling at the same time as keeping on the alert. The two girls and Xanderwere making a leisurely sweep of the park while Giles - he had informed Buffy with a slightly bashful smile - was taking Jenny to dinner.

‘And Giles is like happy guy when they’re together, and not, y’know,Mr Grumpy Bear instead.’

Buffy nodded. ‘Mmm, he seemed happy when I saw him earlier. And really relaxed.’

‘That’ll be the smoochies,’ Willow confided happily.

‘Yeah, but this was really relaxed. Kinda beyond smoochie, uber-rela… Oh, my God!’

She stopped dead, a horrified expression creeping over her face.

‘Keep that thought to yourself, Buff!’ Xander warned her. ‘This is territory that the human mind wasn’t meant to enter. Or at least my mind.’

‘What?’ Willow looked between her two friends. ‘Wha- Oh! Oh no. Giles wouldn’t, would he? I mean, in front of the books?’

Xander and Buffy looked at each other and then started walking again.

‘I think you’re right, Xand,’ she said, linking her arm through Willow’s and dragging her along. ‘We need a good ol’ healthy dose of denial!’

They continued with the patrol, chatting quietly, until Buffy raised her head, her spidery-sense suddenly kicking in.

‘What is it?’ Xander asked. ‘Is it a vampire? It’s a vampire, isn’t it? Damn vampires.’

‘I-I dunno,’ Buffy answered softly.

The air seemed to thicken and it became difficult to breathe. Buffy’s head felt heavy and she was vaguely aware that Willow and Xander had stopped walking and were now some way behind her. She took deep breaths, trying to fight off the dizziness. She could hear the blood roaring in her ears and her own heartbeat was deafening.

‘Oh…God,’ she gasped, shaking her head violently.

And then it seemed to clear and Buffy felt the cool, clean air against her skin.

And she realised that something was moving in the foliage near-by…

It was a blur of movement: something appeared in front of her eyes and Buffy tried to move, but couldn’t. The roaring in her ears returned, even more powerful this time, and with it a faint musky scent. Fathomless black eyes bore into her own and she couldn’t breathe…

Buffy fell to her knees, taking in great gulps of air. The thing - whatever it was - had vanished and her heart rate had returned to normal. She stood up, still slightly disoriented and looked around. Willow and Xander were slumped on the grass a few metres away. They were holding each other awkwardly, not quite at arm’s length, and gazing deeply into each other’s eyes.

‘Guys?’ Buffy approached them. ‘Hey, guys!’

They both started and then let go abruptly. Willow’s cheeks flushed scarlet.

‘Hey, Buffy!’ Xander exclaimed, a little too loudly, getting to his feet. ‘Look, Willow! It’s Buffy! Isn’t it good that Buffy’s here? So that we’re not, y’know, alone and, and stuff?’

‘Xander,’ Buffy said patiently, helping Willow up. ‘There was a demon. I-I don’t know what kind, but… We need to talk to Giles.’

Willow brightened.

‘Giles! Yes, good. He can help with the not-being-aloneness.’

They left the park hurriedly, Xander and Willow on either side of Buffy, resolutely not looking at each other.

‘I really am sorry.’

Jenny sighed.

‘Rupert, it’s all right. You really don’t have to keep apologising. You have to do this.’

Giles smiled at her gratefully as they walked along the dimly-lit corridors.

‘I-I’ll make it up to you.’

‘I’m gonna hold you to that!’

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and grinned mischievously. Her pager had gone off near the end of the meal and Jenny had felt a stab of disappointment when she realised that it was Buffy calling for Rupert, but had quickly recovered. They would, after all, have other nights. She had decided to make the best of it and see what she could do to help with whatever it was - if this was going to be part of her life from now on, she had better get used to it.

They rounded a corner to head towards the library, when they both noticed an unearthly glow coming from the opposite direction. The pair exchanged a glance and then started towards it, Giles automatically with Jenny slightly behindhim. The flickering, reddish-white light was growing stronger and Jenny could hear an angry buzzing that sounded like jolts of electricity. They moved down into the corridor and came to a dead halt, Jenny stumbling against his back, gaspingat the sight that greeted them.

Agreat hulking form that seemed to be more shadow than actual solid flesh filled the corridor. Sparks of that weird light were leaping from it - and it was locked in battle with another figure. A woman, all in black, had launched herself at it. Her face was streaked with blood and black marks, her clothes torn. She was wielding what appeared to be a sword, but its blade was a flickering green flame. She slashed at the nightmarish creature and it let out a roar, one great hand swiping her. The woman was flung against the wall and landed, hard, onthe ground.

Jenny heard Giles let out a hiss and then he turned to her.

‘Jenny. Go back to the library. In the top drawer of the cabinet of the book-cage you’ll find a green glass bottle and a book with a brown leather cover. Get both of them out and find some candles.’

‘B-but…’

He grasped her arms.

‘Jenny, I need you to do this now! Please!’

She glanced over his shoulder at the awful scene and then looked into his eyes.It was as though someone had poured ice-cold water down her spine. His eyes looked so cold, so hard…

Jenny turned and ran, another low growl coming from behind her. The corridors had never before seemed so long and for a few seconds, Jenny wondered if she had taken a wrong turning somewhere. But then the library doors were in front of her and she burst through them.

The three Scoobies jerked upright in their chairs, staring at the normally cool, collected computer teacher. Before they could ask any questions, Jenny strode across the room and into the cage. Buffy followed.

‘What is it? What’s going on?’

‘Find some candles.’

‘Huh?’

‘I said, find some candles. Rupert needs them.’

Willow and Xander had joined Buffy and now all three stood in the doorway. Jenny had yanked the drawer open and had located the bottle and the book. Despite thefact that her heart was racing, her hands - she noticed - were perfectly steady.

‘Is Giles okay? Where is he?’

Willow’s eyes were huge.

‘There’s a…something, demon I guess,’ Jenny said, squeezing past them toput the items on the table. 'Back near the Science Labs when we got here. Rupert sent me to get these.’

Buffy’s eyes widened and she grabbed the nearest sword, about to set off at a run, when the doors flew open again.

Giles strode in, carrying in his arms the broken, bloodied form of the black-clad woman. The lines of his face were set in an expression of rage and determination, and behind his glasses, they could see that his eyes were glittering weirdly. But he was cradling the woman almost tenderly and Buffy wondered if this was how he had looked when he had carried her from Catherine Madison’s house. Giles placed his burden on the table, sweeping a pile of books and papers onto the ground.

She lay there, only the laboured rising and falling of her chest showing that she was still alive. Her dark hair was damp and matted and there was a deep gash across her stomach: it was bleeding freely and even the most inexperienced observer would have realised that this was a fatal wound. Every now and then her body would twitch convulsively, but all the time magic was radiating off her in waves.

Without looking up, Giles gave instructions to the four people standing watching and, for once, none of them stopped to argue. They wouldn’t have dared. Assorted herbs and all the candles they could find were brought and then, under Giles’ instructions, arranged in a circle around the table. Giles himself was carefully removing the gauntlet from the woman’s left hand: it was heavy, blackleather that reached her elbow and long, curved blades extended over the fingers like talons. It was a lethal piece of weaponry. He laid it next to her and then turned away.

‘Ripper…?’

Her voice was a hoarse rasp, barely above a whisper, filled with pain and fear.They had all frozen at the name, but Giles immediately moved back to her.

‘Shh, it’s all right, sweetheart,’ he said softly, gently stroking her hair. ‘I’m right here. You’re going to be fine, I promise.’

He turned away again, disappearing into the cage and when he returned, he was holding a long dagger.

‘Light the candles,’ he said. ‘And stay out of the circle.’

Willow was flicking a lighter, but couldn’t get it to ignite. Jenny took it from her hands and moved swiftly around the circle. Then she positioned herself on the outside, opposite Giles.

He was murmuring an incantation - the book he had instructed her to find was lyingopen on the table, but he barely looked at it. That cold, shivery feeling ran down along her spine. He had done this before. So many times that he didn’t need the book. His voice had risen, ringing with command and authority as he spoke the words of the spell. His eyes had changed to a brilliant, glittering silver and Jenny felt like she was looking at a total stranger.

She wasn’t the only one: Willow and Buffy were staring at him, both wondering where the gentle Watcher they knew had gone.

The magic was crackling around them, building up in the room and Jenny could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. And then Giles stopped speaking. He picked up the dagger and drew the blade sharply across the palm of one hand. The dagger was put down and he picked up the bottle. Slowly, he poured some of the contents - a thick, blue fluid - over the deep wound and at thesame time, squeezed his damaged hand so that the blood trickled out, mingling with the blue liquid. And from where they met, there was a flash of gold. It burned brightly and then began to thin, spreading out over the prostrate figure sothat it hung over her like a shimmering cloud. It hovered there for a moment before slowly sinking down until it enveloped her. And then it seemed to be absorbed into her skin. They saw her body tense and then relax; the candles flared around the table and then extinguished themselves.

There was deathly silence, broken only by the stranger’s laboured breathingthat was slowly becoming deeper and more even. Giles was leaning over her, brushing strands of hair away from her face. Her eyes flickered open and Giles smiled down at her, before she closed them again, apparently drifting to sleep. Giles sighed and straightened up, but still gazed down at her.

Jenny approached him cautiously, hardly aware of Buffy and her friends.

‘Rupert?’

He looked up at her, his eyes soft and green.

‘Rupert, who is she?’

Jenny cringed slightly, her words sounding more harsh than she had intended.

Giles, however, didn’t seem to notice.

‘This is Alexa. My sister.’

NEXT