Title: Slayer Central chapter 31
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.



When Buffy returned to her own room, she found Giles just buttoning the fly of his jeans.

"Jeans? Do you really think that's a good idea, sweetie?"

Giles kissed his wife gently and stroked her cheek with his fingertips.

"We have no idea what sort of test the Council plans to give you. I thought it best to be prepared for action, as it were. Just in case."

Buffy caught the hand and kissed his palm.

"I know, and that's a good idea and everything, but...jeans...major distraction."

"Distraction?"

She pulled him into her arms and inserted her hands into his back pockets.

"Distraction, commando guy. You forget that I know what you don't wear under them."

Despite her joke, Buffy's eyes were troubled. Giles took her face in both hands and spoke seriously to her.

"I won't let them hurt you. I promise you that."

"And Daddy?"

"We'll find out what they know and do all in our power to find him."

"And save him?"

"If he needs saving."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then we'll do what we must. One step at a time, luv. We don't know that anything has happened to him at all."

"But they said..."

"That they knew where he was. We don't even know how recent their information is."

"Or even if they're telling the truth?"

Giles' silence was answer enough for Buffy.

"So basically, we're jumping through a bunch of hoops for some piece of information they may not even have at all. What am I gonna tell Mom?"

"It'll be alright, Buffy. Now, if we're to see your mother and arrive on time for the test, we'd best get ready. Get yourself dressed, and I'll go shave."

Buffy sighed and hugged him one more time before letting him go.

"You're right. Go on. I'll be ready in a jiffy."

Giles pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be right back."

Buffy watched the door close behind him with a forlorn expression. After a moment, she squared her shoulders and moved to pick the day's outfit.

When she opened her underwear drawer, she was surprised to find a jumble of Giles' family photographs amid her bras and panties. She picked up the stack. On top, she saw the naked baby photo.

"No wonder he didn't want me to see this!"

She couldn't help laughing, but traced the baby's features with a finger, her eyes gentle. He looked so happy.

Then the mischief returned to her face. She decided this would go in the scrapbook she was making Giles for Christmas. Page one, picture one.

She decided to save the rest until she had more time. Right now, she had a test to take and a father to save.

She resolutely pulled out a bra and panties and shoved the stack of old pictures to the bottom of the drawer.

On second thought, she moved them to her sweater drawer.

She wasn't sure how the pictures had gotten into her drawer in the first place, but she didn't want to take a chance on Giles finding them before she'd had a good look at them.

*****

Half an hour later, Buffy walked into Joyce's hospital room. She pasted a brave smile on her face as she sat and took her mother's hand.

"How's the patient?"

"Running out of patience," Joyce returned ruefully. "I can't wait to get out of here. If I never see Jello again, I'll be a happy woman."

"Darn. And here I was planning an all Jello Christmas dinner."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that you're supposed to be nice to sick people?"

"Yeah, but there's this special family loophole. Y'know, the one you used to use on me when you thought I was getting better enough to pull back on the Chicken and Stars."

Joyce pulled herself up to sit straighter and looked hard at her daughter.

"How bad is it?"

"Not...bad really so much as...awful." Buffy stood and began to walk around the room. Occasionally she stopped and fiddled with a get well card or rearranged a bouquet until it looked ragged. "See, well...um, I have to take a test."

"Buffy, you're in college. Of course you have to take tests."

"No, Mom. I sorta took mainly Incompletes this semester - but I'll make it up next semester. It's been sorta not possible to keep up classes from my bedroom and stuff. And don't you dare blame Rupert for this. He's been great; really great. It isn't his fault I got skewered like that. And he's taken the best care of me..."

"Buffy," Joyce prompted. "If this isn't about school, then what is it about?"

"It's about Slaying."

Joyce stared at her daughter, wide-eyed, for a moment and then began to shake her head.

"No, Buffy. You are not letting those people do that to you again. They nearly killed you last time - not to mention me!"

"I have to do this, Mom."

"No you don't. You don't work for them anymore. They can't make you do this."

"Yes, they can. I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choice, Buffy. What's more you have a responsibility to your baby. You're putting yourself, your child, in danger. What in God's name can they offer that's more important than that?"

"Daddy. They can offer me Daddy."

*****

Anya pulled the door open and regarded the woman on the doorstep with mild curiosity.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked surprised at the unconventional greeting.

"H- hello. I understand that Willow Rosenberg lives here?"

"You understood that right. She does live here"

Anya smiled brightly, but made no move to invite the stranger in.

"Do you live here, too?"

"Yes, I do."

"You...live with Willow?"

"Oh, not just me. Lots of us. We all live together."

"I...see. Well, is Willow here?"

"No."

"Will she be back soon?"

Anya shrugged.

"Later on. I'm not sure when her classes today end. I'm usually at work now. Giles gave me the day off. That's why I'm home now."

"Giles...?"

"My boss. He lives here, too."

The woman's eyes widened further.

"Maybe I'll wait for Willow."

The woman moved to come inside.

"Hey! Wait a minute! You can't just come in here. Who are you anyway?"

"Sheila Rosenberg, Willow's mother. I'm here to take her home."

*****

"I swear I'll be careful, and Rupert will be there the whole time. Mom, I have to do this. I need to find Daddy, and this is the only way I know of to get any information."

"Why, Buffy? I know I always used to defend him, but let's face it; your father has ignored you for four years now. You didn't even let him give you away at your wedding and he was actually there. Admittedly, it was by accident, but he was on the spot for once in his life. Now you're willing to put your life at risk for a clue that might not even pan out? I don't understand."

"He's my father. And anyway, what about Crystal?"

"What about Crystal?"

"She can't get divorced and move on and find a new guy if she's married to the invisible man. And what about her kid? No daddy, no stepdad, no nothing."

"Would that be such a bad thing?"

Buffy frowned.

"That's not like you, Mom. You always give everyone another chance."

"Well maybe sometimes I shouldn't." Her shoulders slumped. "Honey, I just don't want to see you hurt. I want you to be safe."

"I'll be okay. I'll have Rupert right there. If things get out of hand, he'll protect me."

"Like he did the last time?"

"He did. He will."

Buffy sat on the edge of her mother's bed.

"I know you're scared, Mom. I also know that if I don't go, I'll never be able to look myself in the mirror again. I have to do this. Daddy may be selfish and thoughtless and pretty emotionally inept, he may even have the morals of a hamster in heat; doesn't change the fact that he's my Daddy. If I can help him, I have to."

The two women locked gazes. At last Joyce sighed and pulled Buffy into a tight embrace.

"Just be sure and tell Rupert that if so much as one hair on your head is harmed, I'll see to it that he can never be a father again."

"I love you, too, Mom."


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