Title: When you Open your eyes 1/? Author: Vema Kahn Contact: vemakahn@bronzeshelter.com Date: 3/4/01 Spoilers: After the Body Summary: Buffy copes with the lost of her Mother while her Father is in town. She has desicions to make and it isn't going to be easy. Rating: PG-13 Pairing: Buffy/Giles, W/T, X/Anya, Distribution: If ya want it. take it but hey please let me know. Feedback: I would love feedback, but please remember I am not a souless vampire whom has no feelings :) wait to souless vampires have feelings??? Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I take no credit for any of these characters. only thing that could even come close to mine is the story idea i got but it is all inspired by Joss and company. ----------------------------------------- Part 1 She walked into her mother's room, or what use to be her room. She wasn't sure what she was looking for. The bed had been made and her clothes put away. Everything had been left as she found it that day. Part of her wanted to go through everything and pack it away, but she didn't want to disturb a thing. Buffy and Dawn felt as though going through their mother's belongings would be violating Joyce. They still had been trying to reach their Dad. Hank hadn't returned calls or even bothered to call to check up on his daughters. This brought more hurt and pain to the lose of their mother. Buffy continued her training with Giles and her nightly patrolling. Xander and Anya, Willow and Tara, and even Giles helped watch Dawn. Dawn felt she was old enough to go without a sitter, but Buffy had to remind her that Glory was still looking for her. That settled any argument Dawn had. Giles approached Buffy from behind and gently rested his hand on her shoulder. She welcomed his loving touch. He had gone beyond what his duties as her watcher were and Buffy needed that more then ever now. "Are you planning on doing something with her room?" Giles finally getting the courage to ask her. He had noticed that Buffy had begun a habit of standing and staring in here for the last couple of days. Buffy with her back to him, still staring off in the room answered, "Should I? Would it be all right too? I I ....." Turning Buffy to face him, "Buffy, that is your decision, but I will ask you this. Why would you just leave everything here?" "She's not coming back. And I know that, but emptying out her room, just... Just makes it all so...." "Final?" Giles finished for her. Buffy nodded her head and turned to face the room again. "I think I want to keep the furniture, perhaps if I boxed up her stuff and just..." Tears formed in Buffy's eyes. Giles wasn't sure what he could do for Buffy, but he wanted to take away her pain. He wished he could've protected Buffy from all of this. "Would you like my help?" Giles asked feeling a bit of the fool for not being able to think of more he could do. Buffy turned to face Giles and he noticed the tears on her cheeks and she smiled faintly at him, "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" "Buffy, I would never mind." Giles smiled and Buffy hugged him. ............................................................................................................. Anya had been running the magic shop for the last two weeks on her own, and truly enjoying herself. She took pride in not allowing Willow to just take things for her spells, after all someone was going to have to pay for it and Anya didn't want anything to deplete her funds and future raises. Willow upset at Anya's behavior foolishly mentioned it to Giles whom, told Willow, that it was one thing to use the supplies in defeating Glory and quite another to be using his stock for her to just practice. He politely explained that it was unfair to the other shoppers. Anya was pleased that Giles agreed with her and Giles began to have more confidence in leaving her with the store. Which allowed him more time to handle the funeral matters and Joyce's trust. Not too mention, he could spend more time looking after Buffy. Dawn spent her afternoons after school helping Anya in the store while Giles and Buffy trained in the gym or taking care of other matters. He even began staying the night sleeping on the sofa lately. This allowed him to watch Dawn while Buffy went patrolling and then she could report to him afterwards and Dawn would never be alone. There had been a few times when Giles went patrolling with Buffy and then one of the gang would stick around and watch Dawn. ......................................................................................................................... After spending the afternoon going through Joyce's stuff, Giles sat in the Living room relaxing to a cup of tea. He was surprised at how well Buffy held herself together and it concerned him. He knew she was bound to break down sooner or later. He would rather it be sooner but how could he tell Buffy that. There still was much to go through in Joyces's room, but Giles was willing to let Buffy take her time and not rush through it. Buffy was out doing some grocery shopping. He offered to go for her, but she had insisted that he had done more then enough. He was not sure what she would bring home. Infact he wasn't sure if she could even cook. He chuckled to himself trying to think of Buffy all domesticated. Giles was pulled away from his thoughts by the pounding and yelling at the front door. "Who's in there, it's me Dad let me in." The voice shouted while he pounded with his fists on the door. Giles answered the door to see a handsome man a bit older then him but not by much. The man was dressed in a dress shirt and slacks no tie and he kept trying to peer over Giles's shoulder. "May I help you sir?" Giles asked, knowing who he was looking at. He couldn't mistaken Buffy's eyes. "Excuse me where are my daughters?" Hank asked pushing Giles aside to get a clearer view of the inside of the house. "If you are referring to Buffy and Dawn, neither of them are at home right now. I can let them know you stopped by." Giles told the man stepping in front of him so he couldn't get any further in the house. "Excuse me sir, but I am their father and can wait for them, as for you being here, I can only imagine. Now if you please step aside and leave me alone a bit..." Hank announced. Giles was growing more and more annoyed with Hank and interrupted him, "Hank I know who you are and like I said I will let the girls know you came by." Hank noticed the fire in Giles eyes and decided it would be best to leave for now and just come back later. "I don't know who you are, but I will not let you get away with this and if any harm comes to my..." Giles managed to slam the door in Hank's face cutting him off. Part 2 As Hank walked to his car Dawn watched him from the side of the house. Xander had just dropped her off from helping Anya this afternoon. She was shocked to see him there. Her memories of him were basically good, but then she reminded herself, she actually had never met him before. Thinking about that just made things a bit confusing for her. In the house she found Giles pacing the kitchen with a drink in hand. Dawn noticed his nervous smile and knew he wasn't sure if he say anything about Hank showing up. "Uh Giles I saw him." Dawn said setting down her books on the counter. "Um who?" Giles said setting down his glass and removing his glasses to rub his face. "Giles you don't have to play all ignorant I saw the whole thing, I saw my Dad." Dawn stood there kinda rocking on her feet side to side, "Ya know I have been thinking about him these last couple of days. Ya know wondering if he would want me, if he would want me to move back I mean to L.A. With him. Then again he might too busy to have me hanging around." "Dawn, you really shouldn't be worr....." Giles interrupted her. Dawn didn't want him to finish his sentence and just cut him off saying, "No Giles, I need to think about this. Here I am too much of a threat and I decided if Dad wants me to move with him. I will." Giles didn't like what he was hearing. He knew Buffy would never let her go. He just wondered if Dawn would listen. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Hank walked out to his car, he began to wonder if he should have arrived if at all. He knew it wouldn't be easy facing Buffy and Dawn. He knew he had failed as their father recently. They needed him and he was too wrapped up in his own job. This wasn't going to be easy and he sure wasn't thrilled at seeing another man there in the house. He couldn't recall Joyce talking about any recent boyfriend. It just didn't make any sense and it concerned him very much. This man was obviously very protective of his daughters and he didn't even know the guy's name. Well he made up his mind he would arrive a little later tonight and see the girls and try to talk to them and make it up to them. Something he began to realize even more so could be a difficult task ahead. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hey everyone I am home! And I got lots of yummies!!!" Buffy yelled as she entered the house. Buffy had a feeling she walked in on something serious between Dawn and Giles, "Um everyone, What's up with hush hush expressions on your faces?" "Oh nothing ya know just girl talk. Is all." Dawn fumbled with her words. "Yeah girl talk." Giles struggling to agree with a smile on his face. "Oh girl talk... Ooo which reminds me I forgot something at the store. I know Giles you wouldn't mind running to the store for me and picking up some tampons." Buffy chuckled at Giles reddened face. "Um I think I had enough girl talk for one day. If you don't mind I am going to just go in the other room and try and read up on any more information on Glory." Giles said putting his glasses back on his face and walking away. Buffy immediately turned to Dawn, "Ok Dawn what's up? What were you two talking about?" "I think you should just go in there and talk to him yourself." "Fine be that way, you can put away the groceries, and there's more in the car." Buffy smiled with sarcasm and walked into the living room where Giles sat with book in hand. "So what was that all about?" Buffy asked Giles as she sat across from him on the sofa. "Your Dad stopped by." Giles said looking Buffy straight into her eyes, hoping to beable to read her reaction clearly. "What?!? " Buffy snapped sitting up straight, "Well what happened?" Giles began to wonder if he did the right thing sending him away, but he was worried how Buffy would react just seeing him sitting here, "I told him you weren't home and that I would let you and Dawn know that he is in town." This was a lot to grasp since she hadn't even heard from her Dad in months, "Is he coming back, does Dawn know this?" Buffy began rambling. "Buffy, I assume he is coming back, and yes Dawn knows...." "You told Dawn, you couldn't wait for me to come home...." Buffy interrupted Giles growing angry. "No Buffy I didn't tell her. She came home when he was here. She saw him, but no he didn't see her." Giles tried to explain to his hot tempered slayer. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Buffy jumped up to get it and found her Dad standing there with a hand full of flowers. "Here these are for you and Dawn." Hank said holding the flowers out for Buffy to take. Buffy just stood there refusing to take the flowers, then Giles stepped behind Buffy. "Perhaps we should invite your Dad in?" Giles suggested trying to help out this awkward moment. Buffy just stepped aside making room for her Dad to come inside. Hank cautiously stepped inside and Giles showed him to a chair, while Buffy chose to sit on the sofa next to Giles. Hank still had the flowers in his hand and leaned over and set them down on the table. Dawn wanting to know who was at the door entered in to the living room. Buffy noticing her snapped at Dawn, "Dawn go to your room while we..." "We what Buffy? Why can't I be in here?" Dawn shrieked at Buffy hating being told what to do. "Dawn honey I think Buffy is right." Hank agreed with Buffy, hoping to show he didn't come here to take over their lives but to help them. What he didn't agree with is this man sitting on the sofa with Buffy, "Um excuse me sir I never caught your name?" "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am..." Buffy interrupted, "Does it matter?" Giles was a bit shocked by Buffy's behavior. Leaning into Buffy he whispered to her, "Buffy please." "Fine Dad this is Rupert Giles and he is staying right here while we talk." Buffy demanded. "I am sorry honey about Mom, I wish I could've gotten here sooner, but I couldn't but I am here now," Hank tried to explain all the while noticing Buffy's frustration., "Also I think we should begin packing things up and I can get a truck to move you guys back to L.A. With me." "Back to L.A.? Dad I have responsibilities here. I can't just move and Dawn she needs to stay here." Buffy fumed at her Dad. "Excuse me Mr. Summers but do you really think that is right at a time like this?" Giles asked while Buffy clenched her fists. "Mr. Giles I don't think your opinion matters here. If you could please leave Buffy and I alone to discuss this." Hank gritted his teeth holding back what he really wanted to say. Buffy stood up and walked to the door. Opening it she tried to smile nicely and say, "Dad it's getting late. Thank you for stopping by, I think we have talked enough. Neither Dawn or I are going anywhere. Is that understood? If you want to stay in town a bit to visit fine, it's your decision, but mine is we are staying here, Dawn and I. " Hank didn't want to leave like this, but he knew his daughter well enough to give her time to adjust and think about everything. So he got up leaving the flowers on the table and went to his car, with his head hanging down low once again. "Giles I am going patrolling. Please make sure Dawn has dinner and gets her homework done before bed." Buffy grabbed her coat and headed out the door. "Buffy do you really think you should go just now?" Giles tried to ask but Buffy had shut the door already. He knew Buffy well enough that she was holding back what she was feeling. He just wished he could help her right now. He wished she wouldn't shut him out just yet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 3 The Next Day... Hank called the next morning to make plans for lunch with Buffy. He hoped to could get a better start today. It was encouraging to Hank that Buffy agreed to meet for lunch. She was hoping he had changed his mind. They met at the little restaurant next to Hank's hotel. During simple small talk they ate their lunch. It wasn't till they had finished eating that their tone changed. "Buffy I have given this a lot of thought. I really wish you and Dawn would move back to L.A. and stay with me." Hank tried to plead his case, but unsuccessfully according to Buffy's sudden change in demeanor. "You do! Who do you think you are marching in like this and trying to dictate our future. You have no idea what is going on in our lives. You could careless about us or my responsibilities here in Sunnydale. I cannot just walk away and neither can Dawn." Buffy fumed at her Dad. Growing tired of her attitude Hank warned Buffy, "Listen here young lady, I am still your father no matter how old you think you are, you still need to respect ME! You may not be a child anymore but Dawn is still young and I am taking her back with me and I expect you to join us." "How dare you! I am not going anywhere and I won't let you take Dawn.." Buffy argued back. " Also I am not real conformable with that Mr. Giles staying at your home. I would prefer if he wasn't hanging around so much." Hank continued to try to discuss this with Buffy. " Giles!!!!" Buffy shrieked, "Oh no you don't Dad he's he's...." "He's not suppose to be there. He's too old to be hanging around you both." Hank tried to explain carefully, because what he wanted to say was, How dare that old man be sleeping with my daughter! It was all too obvious to him that Buffy and Giles were more then just friends and what upset him even more was that neither of them would tell him that truth. "What do you mean too old!!! He's someone we know... from the Magic shop that he owns..." Buffy tried to explain who Giles was but couldn't or she would end up revealing to him about her being a slayer. "What were you doing hanging around a magic shop that you met this man and hooked up with him." clearly Buffy's explanation wasn't good enough for Hank. "Hooked UP!!!! He was the school librarian before it burnt down. He just bought the shop. Dad it's not like that." Buffy tried harder to explain herself, but kept wondering what made her Dad think Giles and her were together. "You know what hurts most Buffy... Your lying to me and I can tell. You are not telling me the full truth here. I remember when you would tell me anything. you and I were like....." "Dad, I remember when you were still apart of our lives, but that too has changed. Dawn and I are staying here. AND nothing can change that." Buffy said choking back on tears trying to show a stern face, when inside it hurt for to see the pain her Dad was in. The pain she felt too. Standing up Hank left money to pay the bill and reaffirmed his stance, "Let me remind you Dawn is still my daughter and you have no way of stopping me from moving her back to L.A. Is that understood young lady?" Buffy gritted her teeth not wanting to make too much more of a scene, while Hank turned and walked away. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Skipping class Buffy headed straight to the magic shop hoping to find Giles there. When she got there what she found was an angry Dawn. "Oh am I glad to see you." Dawn said clearly upset with Buffy, " I didn't see you come home last night and we need to talk." "Dawn you are just going to have to wait. I need to talk to Giles right now" Buffy said trying to brush Dawn off. Dawn was not about to have any of that, "Oh no you don't! We need to talk right here right now! You will not just snap your fingers and expect me to jump. Not anymore!" Anya sensed that these two needed to be alone to talk, but wasn't sure if they would even pay attention to her advice so she took another route, "Excuse me, but you two need to go into the gym or just leave. Your yelling is scaring off our customers.." Buffy looked clearly annoyed at Anya, but waved Dawn over into the gym with her to finish talking. Anya was just too pleased with herself when that worked. Willow on the other hand who hand been standing there the whole time wasn't looking to pleased at her. "That was just rude Anya. Why don't you just stay out of other peoples business!" Willow snapped at Anya out of frustration. "I don't know what your talking about. What is rude is you scolding me." Anya tried to defend herself. Giles stood there listening to Anya and Willow bicker. He was growing exceedingly tired of it and for once he thought Anya may have been on to something just a moment ago with Buffy and Dawn. Still he preferred not to get to involved with their arguments. -------------------------------------------------------------- Buffy was pacing the gym while Dawn stood there watching her. "Ok, you have my attention. so what is it that you find so important right this minute?" "You can't keep making my decisions for me. I heard you and Dad last night and I want to move to L.A. And if this blob of energy wants to move this blob of glowing green energy will! I don't care...." Dawn demanded. Interrupting Buffy said, "Dawn you can't. I can't let you. You are my responsibility." "Well look at it this way. I am allowing you not to be responsible for me any more." Dawn smirked at her sister. "That is not your decision to make. The monks sent you to ME. For ME to protect you. Nothing can change that. I can't move to L.A. since the Hellmouth is here and if I can't go neither can you." Buffy ordered, but regretted that. She was really upset with herself for being so pushy. Dawn crossing her arms frowned, "Ya know Buffy I really hate you. I just hate how you are right. Why can't that be me? why can't I be the slayer and you be the Key? What is the Key? no one knows. and I hate it. I just hate it." Dawn turned and walked away, and Giles stepped into the gym where Buffy just stood with her head to the ground. "Buffy we needed to talk?" Giles asked. Buffy just stared at him blankly for a few seconds before saying anything, "Yes, my Dad seems to think......" to be continued..... Part 4 Buffy shifted on her feet waiting for Giles reaction. "Ok so your Dad thinks he knows what's best for you." Giles tried to reason. "No what I said was, My Dad seems to think that I will move to L.A. And that Dawn belongs there with him." What Buffy really wanted to say is that her Dad seems to think that they are in love or something like that, but she was too embarrassed to say anything. Then when she thought about being embarrassed by that, she began to wonder why would she be. Oh my too much for this slayer to wonder right now. "Ok so I did not use your exact words, Buffy your Dad seems to be trying to do the right thing." Giles frowned at Buffy wondering what else was on her mind that she was keeping from him. After all these years he knew her well enough to know if she hiding something, "After all in normal circumstances this would be quite normal, especially Dawn moving in with him." "But these aren't normal circumstances!!!" Buffy shouted. "If you hadn't interrupted me, I was going to say just that. Haven't you realized your Dad has no idea you are the Slayer or what a slayer is and that Dawn really isn't his daughter. This is really complicated, Buffy and he is still in the dark." Giles explained to a clearly upset Buffy. "So what should I do ? Are you telling me to tell him the truth about Dawn and that I am the slayer?" Buffy asked out of frustration. "I am not telling you to do anything. I am trying to help you understand where your Dad is coming from. What you feel you need to do then is up to you." Giles answered. Buffy knew Giles was right and decided to calm down and rethink everything. Yes calm down she thought to herself, but that wasn't going to be easy. She still did not understand what her Dad saw that made him assume that Giles was a boyfriend. "Buffy.... Buffy..."Giles said waving a hand in front of her face. Buffy smiled when she realized she had just zoned out, "Sorry, I was zone girl for a second there." Giles smiled and Buffy noticed what a nice smile he had indeed. When she realized that, was what she was thinking, it startled her. "Buffy I am losing you again." Giles chuckled a bit when Buffy blushed. "So so sorry again. Oh i was wondering if you could come by the house with me right now and help finish cleaning out.... Giles I still am having a hard time saying..." Buffy looked up with a lost expression on her face. "It's Ok Buffy, it takes time. And yes I can.... If that is what you want?" Giles asked. "Yes...Yes.... Yes that is what I want." Buffy smiled up at Giles shyly, thinking there was so much more she wanted to tell him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Giles drove Dawn and Buffy home. Buffy was unusually quiet on the drive, even Dawn continued to sulk in the back of the car. When they got to the house Dawn went straight to her room and Giles and Buffy got to work on Joyce's room. While they were alone in there Giles got the courage to ask her to was really on her mind, "Buffy, are you ever going to tell me what you have been thinking about?" "What who me? Huh? Umm... Ya know worried about what is going to happen with my Dad." Buffy lied, "I mean yeah I have other things on my mind. Ya know stuff I just need to sort out is all. Nothing to do with Slayer stuff." Giles tried to nod his head and continue emptying the closet while Buffy emptied dresser drawers. Buffy noticed the hurt look in his eyes. She didn't mean to hurt him again. She had seen that look before. Oh yeah, it was her prom and he showed up dressed in a tux and looking absolutely handsome. Then Angel showed up and she danced with him leaving Giles standing there. He just smiled with the hurt look of rejection in his eyes. Something she never really noticed before. Perhaps it's just her imagination. Did Giles really love me and not just as his slayer? Had he hoped for something more and I just turned my back on him. How could she had not noticed? The first day she saw him she was attracted to him, but figured it was just a school girl crush on an older man. She, now began to think it was more. They both had been through so much and still he was there. He never left her even when she said she no longer needed a watcher. He stayed by her side. She was scared, nervous and excited thinking about Giles. "Buffy, you are doing it again." Giles chided her as she snapped out of her thoughts. Buffy stood up and walked over to the closet where Giles was. "I just have a lot on my mind. Can I help out in here?" Giles smiled and nodded, "Sure let me pull these things down from this shelf and hand them to you." The smell of his aftershave was an incredible distraction to her. Then being in the closet which had barely enough room for them, she felt goose bumps when he accidentally grazed her shoulder with his leg. She was sitting on the floor and he stood towering over her. A view she began admiring. A box tipped over and began dumping pictures all over the closet, Giles bent down to help pick them up with Buffy. He noticed how beautiful she looked and the blush on her cheeks when he touched her hand as he handed some of the pictures to her. He wondered if she understood what it was doing to him internally. He finally had come to terms that Buffy could never love him and he was trying to be content with just being there for her as her watcher and hopefully a friend. Buffy looked up at him and wanted to kiss him, but was too nervous to do anything about it. Giles thought he saw a look in her eyes, but brushed it off as his imagination. When he bent down to pick up some more pictures and handed them to her, he knew he saw it in her eyes. He couldn't believe it. He hesitated because he wanted it to be right and not just because Buffy was lonely and hurting. "Giles, I was thinking when we finish in here, you could sleep in here on a bed instead of the sofa." Buffy said trying to start a conversation. "Well, Buffy I don't know if I could do that. I am fine on the sofa." Giles politely declined. "No, No it really is all right, Dawn and I were discussing that the other day. I, we really want you in here, while you are staying with us." Buffy smiled coyly. Buffy wanted a kiss and could tell Giles was debating it. She could feel it. She wondered what to do now, but before she could, Giles bent down and kissed her gently on the lips. "I KNEW IT!!!!" Dawn laughed as she stood in the bedroom looking for Buffy to tell her Dad was on the phone, "I always knew it!!! Well it's about time you two, released some of THAT frustration." Dawn winked as she left the room, "Oh by the way I will tell Dad that you are busy right now and to call back later." Buffy looked like a deer caught in front of a pair of head lights. She wanted the kiss but not for Dawn to walk in on it. "Uh Uh i..." Buffy stuttered "Need to go and talk to Dawn." Giles tried to finish her sentence feeling a bit awkward. "No, well yeah, but what I wanted to say was thank you, I ... Well... You know." Buffy blushed again as her watcher smiled and touched her hair and bent down and kissed her on the forehead. "It's all right. Buffy, I don't want to over step my bounds and we can just take things slow and see how it works ...." Buffy interrupted him with a kiss, a long wet kiss that stirred Giles' soul. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Part 5 Buffy left Giles all alone in the closet. He began to wonder if he had done the right thing in kissing Buffy. Although he had to admit it sure felt good. He knew they were going to have to discuss this and he sure was not looking forward to it. What he wanted to do instead, was to embrace Buffy and kiss away all of her sorrows. He also wondered how they were going to handle Dawn. He really did not want her to go blabbing her mouth to the others at least until he knew exactly where he stood with Buffy. Oh he knew where Buffy stood in his heart. He had waited for this moment for quite sometime and wanted nothing to ruin it. -------------------------------------------------------------- Back at the magic shop Xander had showed up to see his Anya. Anya brighten up when Xander arrived. She had been left alone with Tara and Willow the last couple of hours and was in desperate need of company that appreciated her. Not that Tara was mean or anything, but Willow just had no tact in Anya's mind. She also noticed how Willow's obsession with spells kept growing. It kinda unnerved her. It was one thing to be a practicing wicca and quite another to be so obsessed you forget the world around you. She tried to mention it to Xander but he just said, it was Willow's way of handling her pain at losing Joyce, but Anya begged to differ. She wondered if she should tell Giles how she felt, but wasn't sure if he would take her all that seriously. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "I think I got Dawn under control or should I say she has US under control." Buffy said walking back into Joyce's room. "What do you mean by that Buffy, what is Dawn up to blackmailing us." , Giles asked with a sarcastic grin, that Buffy loved. "No No, it's just she really has no intention of saying anything. I think she likes being in the know of things, ya know knowing more then the others, or it could be she just likes having something to hang over our heads." Buffy smiled coyly. "Yeah umm... Well... Uh..."Giles mumbled trying to figure out what to say. He knew what he wanted to do but didn't think it was quite appropriate, not until they discuss things. "Yes, Giles... Uh what is it your trying to say?" Buffy asked with concern. She was hoping Giles hadn't changed his mind about kissing her. She began to get fidgety waiting for Giles to say something. "Oh I am sorry. I just well ya know. I just need to know if your all right." Giles thought he got that out pretty smoothly. "Am I all right? I am coping. If that is all right? Trying to get use to losing my mom and caring for my sis and then Dad shows up unannounced..." "That's not what I meant, really but I understand about that I was wondering if you were all right with.... Uh.."Giles gulped back a breath, "us?" "Oh Oh that," Buffy blushed again, that was probably the only all right part in her life, although she wondered how others would react especially her Dad. She also was scared she did not want to lose Giles, she needed him to stay here in Sunnydale with her and so far keeping a boyfriend has been a tougher task then slaying, "I just... Well, I want this. Really I do, I just.." Buffy trailed off with her head down. Cupping Buffy's chin he lifted her face, "Listen Buffy, I will not push you into anything, you are not quite ready for. Nor will I walk out on you. I want what's best for you, for us." Buffy smiled weakly and then burst into tears, "How could I not trust you with my life, Giles." Giles kissed her tears away and held her close until she sighed in contentment. ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Anya are you ready too close up shop?" Xander asked anxious to go and get some dinner. "Yes. Yes I am. Willow, Tara, I need to close everything up and go with Xander. Are you ready to leave?"Anya asked from behind the counter. "I am not finished here, Anya. It will be just a minute or two." Willow explaining not even caring to hide her annoyance. "But I don't have the time to wait. Xander is taking me to dinner and Xander doesn't want to wait." Anya said, smiling up at Xander whom suddenly blushed and looked a bit nervous. "Yeah Wil, if you could please pack things up." Xander tried to ease things along. "Yeah we have been at this all afternoon. We really should be getting home." Tara tried to encourage Willow to stop. Willow smiled politely and began picking up her things. She really hated stopping. She truly believed she was on to something that could really help everyone. If only they understood. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buffy went patrolling that night and looked forward to the time alone to sort through all of her thoughts. She had to decide what to tell her Dad. Not only was that on her mind, but she kept thinking about the budding love for her Watcher. Would he hurt her? Yes he probably will. That is inevitable, she even knew she would hurt him, but they have hurt each other in the past and through it all they only grew closer. That brought hope to Buffy, perhaps this is true love. A strong love, a real love. She really hoped that was true. She strolled the cemetery towards her mothers grave. She was surprised to see that her mothers grave maker had been put. She was told it could take up to ten weeks. What surprised her even more was the sight of her father kneeling at the grave. To be continued.....