Title: Love, Hellmouth Style 17-18
Author: Gileswench
Contact: gileswench@yahoo.com
Feedback: Constructive criticism always welcome. Praise abjectly sought.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I own nothing except my twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.



Giles yawned and stretched as he opened his eyes to the new day. Well, he stretched the arm he could move without disturbing Buffy. He looked down at her golden head where it lay on his chest and smiled. His free arm lowered and stroked her shoulder where it lay above the covers. He never ceased to marvel at how soft she was. How feminine.

Now he needed to protect her more than ever. Not just for the sake of their child, though that was more than enough motivation for him, but also for the sake of the world. He knew Buffy would be upset when she learned that their child had a destiny as inescapable as their own. How the hell was he going to tell her?

It never occurred to him that he might just avoid the issue. He knew that Buffy knew he would be researching any and all clues as to what their baby might become. She would know soon that he'd been at his books and would want to - no, demand to - learn what he'd found.

Bringer of Light.

My child.

Bringer of Light.

Whatever that may be.

He tightened his arms around Buffy.

Let her sleep. Let her be safe.

*****

A few hours later, the Scoobygang gathered at Anya's apartment to move her out of it and into Xander's place. Each displayed a different level of enthusiasm for the task.

Xander dumped items any which-way into boxes in his hurry to get his girl where he could sleep with her every night. Tara worked industriously and methodically, happy to be helpful. Willow, on the other hand, was as careless as Xander, but from an unwillingness to take part in any activity that brought Anya closer into her life. Buffy found a level of care somewhere between Xander and Tara. Her habits in life had always tended to the slightly chaotic, but she wanted to help her friend be happy, and if Anya was what made him happy, she decided hers was not to question why. She did her best. Anya seemed to consider herself above the actual work of moving her own belongings, and sat to one side directing traffic and issuing orders in between flipping the pages of her ever-present bridal magazine.

As Buffy prepared to haul yet another box to the car, she stopped to tease her husband who had been packing books until he became engrossed in one.

"Rupert, I notice you're doing the least amount of help that can actually be called helping."

He grinned down at Buffy. "I saw myself more in a patriarchal role. You know, with lots of pointing and scowling."

She shook her head with a bemused expression. He suddenly seemed to notice the box she held.

"Here, let me take that down for you."

"It's okay, I've got it."

His eyebrows drew together as her chin jutted forward. He pursed his lips and she raised an eyebrow back at him. The others watched the silent argument in fascination. Finally, Buffy deposited the box on the floor and Giles followed her into the hallway to continue the debate in private.

"Y'know, that just gets freakier every time I see it. How do they do that?"

"I dunno, Xand, but I hope they work it out fast. I hate to see them argue." The redhead went back to throwing clothes randomly in a box.

*****

"You need to take better care of yourself now, Buffy. You shouldn't be carrying heavy boxes." Giles kept his voice almost to a whisper. He knew Buffy would never forgive him if he ruined her Thanksgiving surprise. Besides which, he hated for people to hear him angry.

"The doctor said I can do whatever I feel up to doing. I'm in excellent health, she said. And it wasn't all that heavy." Buffy did her best to keep her voice down as well.

"You'd say that if it was filled with iron bars, wouldn't you?"

"Maybe. No! But I'm not going to sit back on my butt and act like I'm some kind of invalid. I'm not sick, I'm pregnant."

"Yes, and you need to think of the baby."

"I am thinking of the baby! I'm the one with a little person inside me. If I get tired, or I don't feel well, I'll sit down, but until then, I'm gonna do whatever I feel like I can do."

"Including carrying heavy boxes down several flights of stairs?"

"If I think I can, yeah." Buffy's voice began to rise. Her emotions had been spiraling out of control all morning and she could barely keep them in check anymore.

"Darling, please, calm down. It's no good getting upset..."

"I am not losing my mind either, Rupert! All I'm doing is having a baby!"

At her shout, the other Scoobies came tumbling out into the hallway as one. Xander spoke for all.

"You're whatting a what?"

*****

Buffy slammed the door behind her when she and Giles returned to their apartment.

"Buffy, sweetheart, will you please calm down?"

"I just wanted to tell the gang at Thanksgiving. Now everything's ruined." Her chin wobbled as the first fat tear spilled down her cheek.

Giles approached his wife cautiously. "I already said I'm sorry, luv. What can I do to make it right?"

She fell into his arms. "I'm sorry, Rupert. I don't know what's wrong with me. I know it isn't your fault, but I can't seem to stop yelling at you. I'm sorry." She buried her face in his shirtfront.

"It's alright, luv. It's just your hormone levels are through the roof and it's making it difficult for you to control your emotions. It's perfectly normal."

"How do you know so much about it?" she sniffed into his shirt.

"I've been ..."

"I know, I know, researching." Buffy pulled back and wiped her eyes with the handkerchief she dug out of Giles' pocket. "That's my Rupert. Always with the books."

"Feeling better now?"

"Sorta. But I'm a little embarrassed."

"I'm certain the others will understand." He moved to the couch, bringing Buffy with him and sat her on his lap.

She twined her arms around his neck and hugged him.

"I love you, Rupert. and I'm glad you want me to be safe, but please don't push it, okay? If you'd just let me carry the stupid box, I could still have my surprise."

"Just so I know, luv, exactly how long do you intend to go on blaming me for that?"

"Only until the day you die."

"Is there no escape?" His hands began to rub circles on her back as his lips traced her jawline.

Buffy giggled. "Well, we could have make up sex. If it's good enough, I'll think about forgiving you." She turned her head to kiss him deeply.

After a few more kisses, Giles tried to stand, but Buffy stopped him.

"No. Right here. I've always wanted to."

"You little vixen! I'd no idea you were so naughty." His hand moved to gently cup her breast.

"Oh I'll show you naughty, Rupert."

With that, she pinned him to the sofa and lavished wet, open kisses to his throat. Her nimble fingers unfastened his shirt buttons and then went to work on his sensitive nipples. When he tried to return her caresses, she stilled him.

"Nope. This one is my fantasy. This time you get to lie back and enjoy."

"With pleasure my love, with pleasure."

She lowered her head to suckle at one tightened brown bud when there was a knock at the door.

"Whoever it is, their timing really sucks."

With a final kiss, filled with promise for later, Buffy slid off Giles and headed for the door. She took her time so he could rebutton his shirt and find a position in which to hide his erection until it subsided.

The man at the door was a stranger to Buffy, yet looked somehow familiar at the same time. He was tall, with steel gray hair and a ramrod stiff stance. The cane he carried had a lion's head handle, and his suit was tweed.

"I'm here to see Rupert. You must be his Slayer."

"I was until you Council guys fired him. Now I'm his wife. Care to tell me who you are?"

The old man chuckled mirthlessly. "I am your father-in-law, child."

*****

"So Buffy's gonna have a baby. Wow."

The Scoobies sat in a circle on Xander's living room floor and contemplated the news.

"Yes, Willow, Buffy's going to have a baby. We've known for hours now. Stop sounding so shocked. It's not like we didn't know they were having sex." Anya was tired of the matter.

"Well, okay, we probably knew that. I mean, I know we knew but we didn't really *knew* knew, y'know."

"You said Buffy thought she might be pregnant a couple weeks ago."

"Tara!" The redhead looked at Xander and Anya. "I didn't tell you guys 'cause then she wasn't and she didn't want me to say. But I sorta thought after that they might...I dunno, use something. So they wouldn't. But I guess they didn't and now they are."

"I get you, Will. I know I said this is what they should do to get Immigration off their backs, but still...Giles and sex. It just doesn't seem quite possible, does it?"

"Oh please, Xander! You know Giles is a man. You know he has a penis. Why shouldn't it work?"

"Okay, disturbing image, An. I really do not need to think about Giles having a...one of those.

"But he does. And testicles. And all those other man parts. Like a prostate."

Xander and Willow turned matching shades of green at the thought.

"Um, I think they're having issues. Like when you figure out your parents had to have sex or you wouldn't be here. Why don't we go start putting your things away and give them a chance to deal?"

"Okay, but they had to know Giles has a penis."

"They did. They just never had to think about it before."

PART 18

Buffy stared at the man as if he'd announced he was from Mars.

"My father-in-law? Then that means you're..."

Giles joined her at the door and placed his hands protectively on her shoulders.

"I didn't expect you. What are you doing here?" His voice was mild, but Buffy could feel the tension in his hands.

"What did you expect? I haven't heard a single word from you since you came to this Godforsaken country, and then you call to say you've married your Slayer. I'm here to put an end to this nonsense."

The elder Mr. Giles curled his lip as he looked at Buffy. She suddenly felt small, insignificant, and far, far too young to be married. an unconscious hand moved to her hair which she had worn in pigtails so it wouldn't get in the way while they were moving Anya. She suddenly knew in her heart of hearts that she looked like she was twelve years old in her grubby jeans and sneakers. She felt herself shrink against her husband's chest.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Giles gave her shoulders a light, reassuring squeeze.

"Buffy, luv, would you go make us some tea?" He kissed the top of her head lightly as he stepped away from the door to let his father in.

"Yeah, sure." She went into the kitchenette and prepared the tray as Giles and his father moved into the living room and sat sizing one another up like wrestlers preparing for a fight.

The silence wore on. Finally Mr. Giles broke it.

"Rupert, you can't seriously believe this will be allowed."

"Can't I? I'd like to know who has the right to stop us." Buffy heard his voice slip into a slightly more refined version of what she thought of as his Ripper accent.

"She's a child and the Slayer."

"She's a woman, and my wife."

"She's right here!" Buffy's voice floated out from the pass through. "If you're gonna talk about me, you could at least let me do some of the talking."

Mr. Giles glared at the girl.

"Where are you staying?"

"I had assumed that you would have a room for me."

"We haven't. I'll book you a hotel room."

"Rupert..."

"You've had a long flight and I'm sure you're very tired. Had we known you were coming, we could have taken care of this in advance, but since you chose to surprise us, we'll simply have to do the best we can under the circumstances."

"Dammit, son..."

Giles turned on him in a fury. "Don't call me that! You lost that right years ago." He swallowed his rage and picked up the phone. "I think you'll find the Sunnydale Inn comfortable. We'll talk again later, if you insist upon it."

*****

Joyce and Crystal had spent a quiet evening together assassinating Hank Summer's character. The older woman had been pleasantly surprised at how well she and Crystal got along. It was almost like having a daughter at home again. Not that she and Buffy had ever sat and talked this way. That was difficult to do with someone who kept as many secrets as Buffy did. Crystal was easier to get to know than Buffy. Joyce felt a small stab of guilt at the thought.

But it passed.

*****

Xander and Anya kept low to the ground, stakes at the ready, as they patrolled Restview Cemetery.

"Why are we doing this? Buffy's the Slayer. This is her job."

"An, she's having a baby. This is too dangerous for her now."

"Nu-uh. She just wants us to do her job for her."

"We volunteered for this."

"You volunteered us. I wanted to be in our home, in our bed, having sex, but no, you wanted to come out here and stake vampires. This is our first night living together. We shouldn't be doing violence. Or if we are, it should be the fun kind. Like spanking, or using my new fur- lined handcuffs."

Xander's eyes glazed over. He shook his head to clear it.

"We can do that after we get home, Anya. In fact, after that, I'm pretty much gonna need to do something when we get home. But right now, we have to keep our eyes open."

"How much longer do we have to do this?"

"Not long. In fact, I think we're not gonna see anything toni...damn."

"What? What is it?"

"Over there." Xander pointed. "Harmony. And she's got somebody with her."

"Who is it?"

"I dunno, but he's in for one hell of a stakin', let me tell you."

Anya let a quiet squeal of delight. "Say that again. It made you sound all manly and strong."

"Focus, An. Keep to the shadows and stay quiet. We're going in."

The two crept along the row of headstones as quietly as they could manage. Just as they were upon their prey, Anya stepped on a twig and it broke. The sound was like a firecracker to their heightened senses - and those of the two vampires.

"Who's there?" Harmony whirled around to see. She put her hands on her shapely hips. "Is that you, Spike? If it is, I'm not going back to you. You can beg and plead all you want. Really. I mean it this time."

"I don't think it's him." Parker sniffed the air. "It doesn't smell like a vampire. It smells human."

Harmony smiled and clapped her hands. "Ooooh, that's my clever baby! Where is it?"

He led his Sire to where Xander and Anya cowered.

"Harmony. Long time no hair pulling. Look, just forget you saw us, and we won't tell Buffy where you are. Deal? Good. We'll be on our way." Xander grabbed his girlfriend's hand and tried to leave. Parker blocked his way.

"Oh I don't think so. I don't think you're ever leaving here again."

He and Harmony slid into game faces.

*****

Giles tossed his keys on the coffee table and dropped into the easy chair with a deep sigh. After a moment, he tugged off his glasses and ran his hand back through his hair. Buffy approached him with some caution.

"Hey."

He smiled wanly at her. "Hey to you, too."

"You okay?"

"Not really, no."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No."

She went to him and took his hand. "You don't have to deal by yourself, y'know."

As if propelled by some unseen force, Giles sprung from the chair and clung to Buffy. He wrapped his arms around her fiercely.

"I won't let them take you from me. I won't!"

"Shhhh, it's okay, Honey. That's not gonna happen." She rubbed his back as she whispered comforting words.

He cupped Buffy's face, bringing his lips to hers. The kiss was one of possession more than passion, but Buffy accepted it hungrily.

"I need you, Buffy. You're my life."

"You're not gonna lose me, Rupert. You're my life too." She took his hand and guided it to her flat belly. "We've made a baby together. That connects us forever. There's nothing in this world that will take me from you."

With that, Giles swept her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. He placed her carefully on the bed, then lay beside her. His kisses devoured her, his hands roamed her body as if to assure himself she was still there.

*****

"Anya, run!"

Harmony grabbed the former demon by the throat.

"I don't think you're going anywhere. Parker, you can eat Xander. I'll take this one." She bared her fangs and moved in for the kill.

"No way! I want the girl. I don't eat guys."

Harmony stared at her childe.

"What did you say?"

"I won't eat a guy. I'm not a faggot!"

"Fine, I don't want you to screw him. I want you to rip his throat out. Not the same thing, hetero boy!"

Xander took advantage of their distraction to jam his stake into Parker's chest, but missed the heart.

"Hey! Stop that! You can't kill my childe!" Harmony knocked Xander several feet into a headstone, where he lay stunned. Anya grabbed the cross from her purse and ran to her boyfriend's side. The vampires hissed at her, but dared not approach.

"You haven't seen the last of me, Xander Harris! You, you...loser!" The vampiress hauled her errant childe away, keeping a firm grip on his ear. Parker could be heard yelling in pain for some distance.

"Xander, are you alright?"

He sat up slowly and felt his head for lumps or blood.

"Yeah, An, I think I'm okay."

"You could have been knocked out. Like Giles always is."

She threw her arms around his neck in relief.

"It's okay, Honey, I'm fine." He kissed her. "Let's go home, okay?"

The two left the cemetery holding one another for assurance.

*****

Giles entered Buffy in one hard stroke. He kissed her deeply as he thrust into her again and again. Buffy clung to him. Her breathless cries of pleasure filled his ears, her aroused scent perfumed the air, her tight wetness surrounded his cock. All he was aware of was Buffy. All he wanted was Buffy. All he needed was Buffy.

With a shout, he filled her womanhood. He collapsed on Buffy and lay panting, yet still kissing her.

"Shhh, Rupert, it's okay. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I love you."

Finally, Giles seemed to recover himself. He rolled so he lay on his back with Buffy still straddling his hips. He stroked back the hair from her face in the comforting Giles-ey gesture she so loved.

She couldn't help a giggle at that point.

"That was some wild ride, Mr. Toad."

"I'm sorry..."

"No. You don't apologize for that. It was really hot. I loved it, I love you, and you can do that again any time."

"Th-thank you. I was more concerned that...well I'm not certain the baby appreciated that quite as much as you and I did."

"It's fine. No problems in there." She ruffled his chest hair affectionately. "I'm happy that you care about that, but it'll be a few months before the kid stops us having sex. And then it'll be because it needs it's diapers changed or something."

"I love you both, you know."

"And we love you. Wanna tell me why you were so wigged?"

"Not especially."

"You have to sometime. I think it needs to be soon."

"Soon, I promise. But tonight, I just need to be sure of you."

He pulled her down for another kiss.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

She began to move gently above him as he re-hardened within her.


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