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Chapter Fifty-One

 

Buffy smiled shyly at Willow.  Willow grinned back at her.

 

“Got your note.”

 

“Uh, yeah.  There were some things we needed to discuss.”

 

“Uh-huh.”  Willow chuckled softly.  “You look...”

 

“Happy?”  Buffy interjected hopefully.

 

Willow took a sip of her coffee.  “I was actually going to say ‘sated’.”

 

Buffy blushed profusely.  “Oh...um...”

 

Willow laughed and sat back in her chair.  After a few seconds, Buffy joined in and relaxed into the cushions, stifling a yawn.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Giles cleared his throat and placed the phone on the table.  “I, uh...was going outside for a cigarette while I was talking to her...”

 

Oz’s grin grew as he tilted his head towards the coffee table where a pack of cigarettes rested.  “But, you forgot to take them with you?”

 

Giles’ eyes darted to the table.  “Yes.”

 

Wanting to help Giles out of an embarrassing situation, Angel leaned forward and picked up the pack.  “You’re smoking these days?”

 

“Hm?”  He met the vampire’s eyes and shrugged his shoulders.  “Oh, I always have...occasionally.  But, over the past few days it’s been...well, more of a habit.”

 

Angel gave him a lop-sided grin.  “And Buffy’s okay with that?”

 

Giles chuckled and dropped into a chair, easily catching the pack when Angel tossed it to him.  “I wouldn’t exactly say she’s okay with it.  But, she does understand the reasons behind it.  And she also knows that it’s a temporary habit.”

 

“How is Buffy?”

 

Giles smiled at Oz.  “She’s well.  I think she’s a little tired, but she’s having trouble sleeping.  Willow’s keeping her company.”

 

Oz grinned.  “That’s my Will.”

 

Giles looked back at Angel, his fingers restlessly turning the pack of cigarettes over and over in his hand.  “Patrol went well?”

 

“Yeah, just the normal.  Nothing out of the ordinary tonight.”

 

“Good.”  Giles nodded and then glanced towards the balcony as he stood.  “I, uh...I think I’ll just step outside for a couple of minutes.”  He turned his wrist and read the time.  “And, then...I should probably try to get some sleep.”

 

Oz smirked, knowing what cause him to become relaxed enough to even think about sleep.  Angel caught the smirk and chuckled softly.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Two hours later, Oz had finally decided it was time to head off to bed.  He quietly opened the bedroom door, smiling as his eyes caught sight of the Watcher sleeping.  Giles had fallen asleep after almost an hour of reading.  In his sleep, his arms had pulled one of the spare pillows against his chest. 

 

Oz yawned and dropped onto the air mattress beside of the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Buffy opened her eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight filtering in through the living room window.  Her mother was kneeling beside the sofa, a smile on her face.

 

“Honey, why didn’t you go to bed?”

 

“Would’ve been lonely.”  She replied sleepily and pushed herself up.  “And, I don’t remember even laying down to begin with.”

 

Willow grinned at her.  “You must’ve been a little more relaxed after you spoke with Giles last night.”

 

“Giles was here?”  Anya stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips. 

 

Buffy chuckled softly as she shook her head.  “No.  I called him last night...you know, to say goodnight.”  She glanced around the room and noticed that everyone was wide awake and not wearing pajamas.  “Uh, what time is it?”

 

Joyce smiled and reached over to smooth her daughter’s hair down.  “A little after eleven.  Are you hungry?”

 

“Mm, yeah...I could definitely eat.”  She narrowed her eyes as she stood and stretched.  “Has Giles called this morning?”

 

Willow shook her head.  “No, but I talked to Oz a little while ago.  He said that Giles was still asleep.”

 

“Okay, I’ll go take a shower and get dressed and then give him a wake-up call.”  She picked up her cell phone and tossed it to Willow.  “If he calls, answer it?”

 

“Of course.”  She smiled as Buffy climbed the stairs.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Giles tightened his arms around the pillow, his eyes snapping open when he realized that what he was holding was not the warm body of Buffy.  He groaned against the sunlight that was flooding the room.  He released the pillow with a deep sigh and sat up in the bed, running his hand through his hair.

 

He picked up his watch, surprised to see that it was nearly eleven-thirty.  He climbed out of bed and made his way to the living room.  Oz looked up as Giles walked into the room.

 

“Morning.  Sleep well?”

 

Giles yawned and nodded.  “Once I went to sleep, yes.  Good morning to you.”

 

“Or nearly afternoon.”  Xander chuckled.

 

Giles snorted in amusement and turned his eyes towards Wesley.  “And how are you this morning, Wesley?”

 

He groaned and lifted his head from the table, gazing in Giles’ general direction through severely bloodshot eyes.  “Never better.”

 

Giles chuckled and moved into the kitchen.  “Xander, do you have any tabasco sauce?”

 

“Huh?”  He stared at Giles in confusion for a few seconds.  “Oh, yeah...shelf in the door in the fridge.”

 

With a quick nod, Giles began preparing a hangover cure for the ex-Watcher.  “Aspirin?  Excedrin, if you have it.  If not, just normal aspirin will be sufficient.”

 

Oz reached into his duffel bag and pulled a bottle out, tossing it to Giles.  “Excedrin is the only thing that works for me.”

 

Giles grinned and shook three tablets out onto the table and quickly crushed them into a powder.  After depositing the powder in the glass with the tabasco, orange juice, and a spoonful of instant coffee, he thoroughly stirred the mixture and set the glass in front of Wesley.

 

Wesley stared at the concoction.  “You’re not expecting me to ingest that, are you?”

 

Giles rolled his eyes.  “What I’m not expecting is for you to be sick all day and vomiting during my wedding.  Drink it, Wesley.”

 

“But...it’s orange.”  He took a sniff and grimaced.  “And it smells horrible.”

 

“I’ve used this for years, it works.  Trust me on this.”

 

Wesley sighed heavily and picked up the glass.  As he began to drink, Giles glanced at his phone before looking at the two younger men, who were grinning wildly.

 

“Has Buffy called this morning?”

 

Wesley slammed the glass back on the table and groaned.

 

Xander shook his head.  “I haven’t heard your phone ring.”

 

Oz chuckled.  “Oh, you’d definitely notice it.”  He smiled at Giles.  “No, she hasn’t called yet.”

 

Giles returned the smile and picked up his phone before tapping Wesley on his shoulder.  “Go lay down for thirty minutes.  No longer or you’ll feel even worse.”

 

Wesley nodded in the way a severely hungover man would and shuffled back to the bedroom where Angel had taken Xander’s place in the bed.  Giles shook his head in amusement and quickly dialled Buffy’s number.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Willow smiled as Buffy’s phone began to ring.  She picked it up and used her cheeriest voice.

 

“Good morning, Giles!”

 

Giles narrowed his eyes.  “Willow?  Good morning.  Is, uh...is Buffy awake?”

 

“She is.  She’s in the shower though.  She was going to call you when she got out.  How are you?”

 

He smiled softly.  “I’m very well, thank you.  Would you tell her that I rang?”

 

“Yep, sure will.”  She glanced towards the ceiling when she heard the shower stop running.  “Hold on, I think she’s finished.  I’ll just run the phone upstairs, okay?”

 

Giles poured himself a glass of orange juice and nodded.  “Okay.”

 

Through the phone, he heard Willow literally run up the stairs and bang on the bathroom door.  He smiled brightly when he heard Buffy’s muffled voice and then Willow’s announcement that he was on the phone for her.

 

“Hey!”

 

Giles leaned against the countertop and swallowed his mouthful of juice.  “Hello.  Did you sleep well?”

 

She held her towel around her, grinning at Willow as she walked down the hall and into her room.  “I slept.  On the couch.”

 

He chuckled and swirled the juice in the glass.  “Did your mother dispose of your bed?”

 

Buffy laughed and quickly pulled a pair of jeans and a shirt out of her closet.  “No, but I would’ve been too lonely in the bed.  How about you?”

 

“I, uh...”  He looked up to find Xander and Oz talking and not paying a bit of attention to him.  He still lowered his voice.  “I awoke with a pillow in my arms this morning.  Obviously, I missed you as well.”

 

“Oh, that’s sweet, Giles.”  She sat down on the bed.  “Unless you woke up because you were trying to entice the pillow into having sex with you.”

 

Giles choked on the sip of juice he had just taken.  “Um, no...”

 

She laughed loudly as she pulled on her jeans.  Her laughter died down and she took a deep breath.

 

“Are you nervous?”

 

He shook his head, placing his empty glass in the sink after rinsing it out.  “Nervous?  No, not in the least.  I’m fairly anxious, though.  Are...are you nervous?”

 

She smiled lovingly at the tone in his voice.  “Not a nervous bone in my body.  I’m excited.  In about eight hours, you’ll be my husband.  There’s nothing about that that makes me nervous.”

 

He walked towards the balcony, picking up his cigarettes on the way.  He closed the door behind him and leaned against the railing.  He shook a cigarette out of the pack and lit it, inhaling deeply before blowing the smoke back out.

 

“There’s something I want to ask you.  I’m not really sure why I haven’t asked before.”

 

“Okay, hold on just a sec.  I need to put my shirt on.”

 

He raised an eyebrow, smiling at the image that popped into his head. 

 

“Okay, I’m ready.  What’s on your mind, honey?”

 

“Oh.”  He took another drag and looked down at a few kids playing along the sidewalk.  “Um...are you going to be taking my name?”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s just that...well, I know in this day and age, it’s somewhat...um...”

 

“Do you not want me to be Buffy Giles?”  She asked quietly.

 

“Of course I do.  I want that very much.  I just wasn’t sure what side of the fence you fell on in that debate.”

 

“I’ve never thought otherwise.”  She looked down at her engagement ring and sighed happily.  “I want to be Buffy Giles more than anything.”

 

He smiled and inhaled deeply.  “It has a nice sound to it.  A...very nice sound.”

 

They were quiet for a few moments. 

 

“What are you doing?”  She asked quietly as she ran the brush through her hair.

 

“Thinking about tonight.”

 

She grinned.  “The wedding part, the reception part, or the after part?”

 

He chuckled softly.  “All of the above.”

 

Buffy rolled her eyes when she heard her name being called.  “I think I’m being summoned.”

 

“I...should probably take a shower and get dressed.”

 

Her eyes widened.  “Are you naked?”

 

He laughed loudly and dropped his cigarette butt into a can resting in the corner of the balcony.  “No, I’m not.”

 

“Oh.”

 

He grinned at the disappointment in her voice.  “Plenty of time for that tonight, love.”

 

She exhaled slowly and slipped her shoes on.  “I can’t tempt you now?”

 

“Oh, you probably could.  But...you’re being summoned, remember?”

 

“Yeah, okay.  Tonight, then?”

 

The timbre of his voice lowered suddenly, causing her to shiver.  “Most definitely.”

 

“Giles...”

 

“I love you, Buffy.”

 

“Tease.”  She huffed.  She smiled when he chuckled.  “I love you too.  Promise you’re not going to stand me up?”

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.  Promise to try to be on time?”

 

She laughed as she opened her bedroom door and began to make her way back downstairs.  “This will probably be the one and only time in my entire life that I’ll be on time.”

 

He stepped back inside, causing Oz and Xander to look up at him as he laughed.  “I’ll hold you to that, my dear.”

 

“Well, that’s fair.  I’m holding you to...uh...other things.” 

 

“And I’m reasonably sure that you aren’t going to need to twist my arm too much.”  He smiled when she giggled adorably.  “Goodbye, darling.”

 

“Bye, Giles.”

 

His grin was still evident as he disconnected the call.  He glanced at the clock and suddenly remembered the ex-Watcher.  “Could one of you rouse Wesley from his sleep?  I’ll just grab a quick shower...”

 

Xander jumped up quickly.  “I’ll do it!”  When Oz stared at him in bewilderment, Xander shrugged his shoulders.  “It should be fun, that’s all.”

 

Oz smirked and motioned towards the door.  “Have at it, man.”

 

Giles shook his head in amusement as he made his way to the bathroom.

 

Chapter Fifty-Two

 

Six and a half hours later there was a knock on Xander’s door.  Oz answered it, smiling brightly at his girlfriend.

 

“You look beautiful.”

 

Willow blushed lightly and ducked her head.  “So do you.  Handsome, I mean.  Guys don’t do beautiful.”

 

He chuckled at her rambling and stepped to the side, allowing her to enter the apartment.  Xander walked out of the bedroom, fumbling with his tie.

 

“I hate ties.  They should be cursed for the evil they are.”  He looked up and noticed his friend.  “Hey, Will…what are you doing here?”

 

She walked over to him and quickly tied the material around his neck.  “Buffy forgot to give something to Giles.  She was panicking a bit, so I told her I’d bring it.”

 

Giles walked into the living room, completely dressed in his tuxedo with the exception of the jacket, which was folded over his arm. 

 

“Hello, Willow.”

 

Willow turned towards the voice, her mouth dropping open.  “Wow.”

 

He grinned at her, his fingers nervously brushing down the front of his vest.  He placed his jacket over the back of a chair and raised an eyebrow at her.

 

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Oz chuckled and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek.  She shook her head and took a deep breath.

 

“Oh, Buffy wanted me to give this to you.”  She handed him an envelope and smiled.  “You look very…uh…yeah, wow.”

 

“Thank you, Willow.”  He took the envelope from her, his face reddening a bit.  “Um, what is this?”

 

“From Buffy.”  Willow shrugged her shoulders.  “She said it was important you have it before you left.”

 

His fingers toyed with the sealed flap.  Seeing his edginess, Willow tilted her head. 

 

“I’m pretty sure it’s not a letter saying she’s changed her mind, if that helps.”

 

He chuckled and gave her a quick nod.  “Rather a lot.”

 

He opened the envelope and pulled out a single sheet of paper with what seemed to be a small charm of some sort taped to the bottom.  His smile returned and grew as he read her words.

 

Dear Giles,

 

This may be something a silly teenager would do, but it’s also something I would do.  I was going through my jewellery box the other day and came across this.  It’s a friendship, loyalty, and love charm.  As you can see, it’s half of a heart.  What’s supposed to happen is that one person keeps half and gives the other half to someone else.  It can be a friend or a lover or…someone who you want in your life forever in whatever capacity.

 

That’s you.  You’re my friend, my lover, my Watcher…and I want you in my life forever.  You don’t have to wear it, but if you could just put it in your pocket…it’s kinda like good luck.  You’re the person I wanted to have the other half, because…you already have half of me. 

 

That probably doesn’t make sense, because I’m not really good at explaining things.  But, I hope you understand on some level what I’m trying to say.

 

I love you, Giles.  You’re everything to me…my heart, my soul, my breath…my love.

 

I’ll see you soon.

 

Semper tui,

Buffy

 

He carefully peeled the charm away from the paper and held it tightly in his hand before slipping it into his pocket.  He cleared his throat as he looked up and met three pairs of expectant eyes.

 

“Willow, can you give me just a minute before you leave?”

 

She nodded, casting a glance at Oz as Giles grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.  Oz shrugged his shoulders and slipped his arm around her waist.

 

Giles smiled as he finished writing and folded the paper and placed it in an envelope.  He handed the envelope to Willow and inhaled softly.

 

“Would you care to give this to Buffy when you get back?”

 

“Sure thing, Giles.”  Willow grinned brightly and glanced at the clock.  “I’d better go, they’ll be ready to leave soon.”

 

She gave Giles a tight hug and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.  “I’m really happy for you both.”

 

“Thank you, Willow.”

 

She gave him a quick nod and turned to Oz.  “Wanna walk me back to the car?”

 

Oz grinned and opened the door for her.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Buffy was pacing back and forth across the living room.  Cordelia was looking in the mirror, putting a hair back into place.  Anya was sitting in the chair, rolling her eyes.  Joyce was leaning against the doorframe, a smile on her face.

 

“Honey, you’re making me dizzy.”

 

“She should be back by now.  And, Giles…he probably thinks I’m some silly kid.”  She stopped pacing, wrapped her arms around herself and sighed heavily.  “Why didn’t someone stop me?”

 

Anya and Cordelia snorted simultaneously.  Buffy turned in their direction and glared.

 

“What?”

 

Cordelia crossed her arms in front of her.  “You’re Buffy, that’s why no one stopped you.”

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“I like you.”  Anya grinned at Cordelia.  “But, you can’t have Xander back.”

 

Cordelia rolled her eyes.  “As if.  I’m so over Xander Harris.”

 

Joyce walked up to her daughter and brushed a lock of hair away from her forehead. 

 

“Honey, Rupert loves you.  I’m sure he doesn’t think you’re a silly kid.  If he did, he wouldn’t be marrying you.”

 

“But, it is silly.  Someone should’ve stopped me.”

 

She snapped her head towards the front door as it opened.  She ran over to Willow as she walked into the house.

 

“Did he say anything?  Like, how silly it was or anything?”

 

Willow shook her head quickly.  “Nope, he smiled like a man in love.  And…he looks really hot.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yep.  Full tuxedo.  Very flash.”

 

“Is he wearing a cucumber?”

 

Everyone stared at Anya.

 

Anya looked around, unsure of the reason for the perplexed stares.  “What?  I don’t think he’d look good in a cucumber.”

 

The soft laughter began and Willow shook her head.  “I think you mean cummerbund, Anya.  Not cucumber.”

 

Anya flushed lightly.  “Oh.  Well, is he wearing one of those?”

 

“No, he’s wearing a vest.”

 

Buffy smiled dreamily as she pictured him.  “And the tie?”

 

“Dark green.  Very dashing.”  She suddenly remembered the envelope.  She pulled it out of her purse and handed it to Buffy.  “He wanted you to have this.”

 

Buffy carefully took the envelope and pulled the letter out.  She felt the tears begin to well in her eyes as she read the first line.

 

My Dearest Buffy,

 

I need to make this quick because Willow needs to return to you.  For this reason, I’m unable to take my time with my normal exceedingly long declarations of love and devotion.

 

However, I do have the time to tell you this.

 

I understand what you were trying to say in your letter.  The charm that you sent to me is now in my pocket, as you requested.  It is something that I shall treasure, not only for tonight, but for the length of my life. 

 

You are in possession of half of me as well.  I love you completely, my dear.  

 

You are my sun, my moon, my stars. 

 

Semper tui,

R Giles

 

Buffy gingerly folded the letter and slid it back into the envelope.  She took a deep breath and willed her tears away as she looked around at her mother and friends.  With a bright smile, she motioned towards the door.

 

“Are we ready to go?”

 

Anya glanced out the window.  “Well, the sun’s going down.  I’m guessing it’s time.  You definitely don’t want to be late tonight.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

He rocked back and forth on his heels impatiently in front of the gazebo in the small park.  The minister stood on the third step and smiled down at him.

 

“Nervous, Mr. Giles?”

 

Giles grinned up at him.  “Not at all.”

 

He turned back to the small crowd of friends and family and took a deep breath.  He met Joyce’s eyes and gave her a small nod and a smile.  She returned his smile and lifted her hand to wipe a tear from her eye.

 

A movement near the back caught his eye.  His smile was filled with love as she came into his view.  Their friends turned and watched her slowly approach the gazebo with Angel as her guide.  Giles shifted slightly and held her gaze with his own.

 

They came to a stop with Angel standing between her and Giles.  He offered the Watcher a smile and, as he placed Buffy’s hand in Giles’, spoke softly.

 

“Take care of her, Giles.”

 

Giles returned his smile, sighing at the sensation of Buffy’s warm hand in his.  “I will.”

 

Angel stepped back and stood between Wesley and Cordelia. 

 

Giles leaned down with the intent of kissing her.  Buffy grinned at him and placed her hand on his chest, stopping his movement. 

 

“Not yet, Giles.”

 

He blushed lightly as their friends laughed, along with the minister.  He cleared his throat and straightened, giving the minister a sheepish smile. 

 

The minister spoke for a few minutes and if either Giles or Buffy had been asked what the gentleman had said, neither would have been able to give a clear answer.  They were trying to pay attention to the man’s words, but all Giles could think about was how beautiful Buffy looked in her ivory dress.  And all Buffy could think about was how handsome Giles looked in his black tuxedo with the emerald green tie that brought out the color of his eyes.

 

What brought their minds back to the moment was the fact that the minister announced that the couple had prepared their own vows.  Giles smiled and removed her wedding ring from his pinky before taking her hand in his.

 

He took a deep breath and gazed into Buffy’s eyes.

 

“People seem to think that I’m mildly verbose.”  He paused as soft laughter ensued.  He smiled lovingly at Buffy and continued.

 

“However, I found that when I sat down to write into words how I feel about you, I was lost.  Words can never express the depth of my feelings for you, Buffy.  But, words do give me the ability to let you know my promises for our future together.”

 

He licked his dry lips and squeezed her hand lightly.

 

“I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.  I will give you my compassion, encouragement, and understanding in all things.  I will comfort you in times of sorrow and laugh with you in times of joy.  I will help you when you need it and step aside when you don’t.  I will remain faithful to you for you are my best friend and I will love and respect you always.”

 

He tilted his head slightly and the smile twinkled in his eyes.

 

“I know there will be times that you’ll break my heart.  But, I also know, without a doubt, that you will help mend it.  I trust you…completely…with my life, my heart, my soul…my love.”

 

He carefully slid the ring onto her left ring finger and exhaled slowly.

 

“I’m in love with you, Buffy.  And, I look forward to finding what our futures hold for one another.”

 

She looked at him through watery eyes and smiled.  “How am I supposed to follow that?”

 

He chuckled softly, his thumb caressing the back of her hand.  She closed her eyes briefly to steady herself, opening them when she was ready to begin.

 

“I used to be afraid of love.  I was afraid of falling in love, of giving my heart away.  And then I realized that love isn’t an instant reaction to someone.  True love…pure love…takes time to nurture.”

 

She inhaled slowly, keeping her tears at bay.

 

“When I first met you, I didn’t realize that I would fall in love with you.  You took care of me, you Watched over me, you helped me survive in this world…and, most importantly, you were my friend.”

 

A tear spilled onto her cheek.  He ached to wipe it away.

 

“We’ve had our rough times, but they’ve been out measured by the good.  I promise you, here and now, in front of our friends and family, that I will spend the rest of my life by your side.  I will love you and protect you.  I’ll hold you when you cry, I’ll laugh with you when you laugh.”

 

Her hand barely trembled as she lifted his left hand and slipped his ring onto his finger. 

 

“I love you, Giles.  I loved you then, I love you now, and I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

 

They shared a mutual smile of adoration.  If they had looked towards their friends, they would’ve noticed that there wasn’t a dry eye among them.  The minister smiled down at the couple.

 

“With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”  He didn’t bother to hide the amusement in his voice for his next statement.  “Rupert, you may now kiss your bride.”

 

He leaned in slowly, whispering ‘I love you’ just a half of a second before their lips touched.  Her hand rested on the side of his neck as his hand cradled her cheek.  He allowed the kiss to linger, but was able to stop himself from deepening it.  When he pulled back, his eyes were shining brightly with his love for her.

 

The minister lightly placed his hand on Giles’ shoulder and smiled at the group of people standing before them.

 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you Mr. Rupert Kingsley and Mrs. Buffy Anne Giles.”

 

Xander and Willow exchanged a glance, with Xander mouthing ‘Kingsley?’ to her.  She answered with a grin as she began to clap loudly for the newly married couple.

 

* * *

 

Giles struggled to keep his emotions in check as he and Buffy were lead across the park.  His eyes widened as their friends parted to either side, leaving them a clear view of the car that was to take them to the Espresso Pump for the reception.

 

“A 1953 Rolls Royce?”

 

Peter Watts smiled brightly.  “Consider it a gift from the Council.”

 

Giles grinned at the young man and warmly shook his hand.  “Thank you, Peter.”

 

After a few minutes of hugs and kisses from everyone, the chauffeur opened the back door for the couple.  Giles smiled at his wife and ushered her in.  After closing the door, the chauffeur climbed into the driver’s seat and turned to them.

 

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Giles.  My name is James Clayton.  I’m not a chauffeur by trade, but I’ve been employed by the Council to take you on a short drive.  So, we’ll be taking somewhat of a detour on the way to your destination.”

 

Giles narrowed his eyes.  “Okay.  I’m sorry, did you say Clayton?”

 

The man smiled as he nodded.  “Amelia is my wife.  You can trust me to get you to your reception in one piece.”

 

Giles cleared his throat and settled back in the seat, pulling Buffy close against his body.  “Drive on then, sir.”

 

James chuckled and slowly pulled away from the curb.

 

Chapter Fifty-Three

 

Within five minutes of driving off, Buffy was kissing her husband with the passion that gave him a taste of what to expect later that night.  He groaned into her mouth as her hand slid up his thigh.  He moved his mouth to the side of her neck and nibbled lightly, causing her to shiver in his arms.  He pulled back suddenly as her hand covered the growing bulge in his trousers.

 

“Buffy, we…”

 

“I missed you so much, Giles.”

 

His eyes closed as she gently caressed him.  “I missed you too.  But, we…we can’t…not here…”

 

James cleared his throat softly and reached over, pushing a button on the dashboard.  Giles met his eyes in the rearview mirror.  As the black glass partition rose between the front and back seats, James flashed him a knowing smile.

 

Giles returned his attention to his wife when she leaned over and slowly ran her tongue down his neck.  He gasped softly when she repositioned herself and carefully straddled his thighs.

 

“Buffy…”

 

She ran her hand through his hair and smiled down at him.  “We’ve never made love in a car before…”

 

His hands held her hips, halting her movement as she began to rock against him.  “We’re…we’re not alone, darling…”

 

She leaned forward and kissed him lightly.  “He can’t see us.”

 

His hands loosened their grip momentarily, giving her just enough time to grind against his erection.  He groaned and gripped her tighter.

 

“But…he can hear us…”

 

She licked her lips and grinned at him.  “Maybe.  Maybe not.  Maybe it’s soundproof glass.  Either way…we can be quiet…”

 

He chuckled as he shook his head.  “I can’t remember a time when either one of us have been quiet.”

 

She reached down between them and quickly undid his belt and trousers.  “So, it’ll be a night of firsts.”

 

As her hand curled around his erection and pulled it out, he closed his eyes.  “What?”

 

“First time making love in a car.  First time being quiet.”  She began to stroke him slowly.  “First time touching each other as a married couple.”

 

He bit his moan back, sliding his hands underneath her dress.  His fingers pushed her flimsy silk underwear to the side as she lifted her hips and guided him to her centre.  She moaned softly as she sank onto him.

 

Once he had entered her fully, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly to his chest.

 

“Be still, love.”  He smiled at her muffled whimper.  “I just want to be inside of you.  I want to feel your warmth surrounding me.”

 

His lips found her neck and he kissed her lightly.  “If we make love like this, we’re going to make a mess out of our clothing.”

 

She struggled to keep from moving, her breath becoming heavy against his neck.  “I want you, Giles.”

 

His erection twitched inside of her as her inner muscles quivered against him. 

 

“I want you too, darling.  You must know how much I want you.”

 

The car hit a slight bump, causing them to groan together as their bodies rocked gently.  Her nails raked across his scalp as his tongue traced the scar on her neck.

 

“Make me come.  Let me make you come.”

 

He pulled back and covered her mouth with his, kissing her deeply for a few moments before breaking the kiss and gazing into her eyes.

 

“Sit beside of me.”

 

“What?”  She asked breathlessly.

 

He gently lifted her off of him, sighing at the loss of contact as he slipped out of her.  She glanced down at his raging erection as he positioned her beside of him. 

 

“Giles...”  She sighed in disappointment, her skin flushed with desire.  “We both need to...”

 

He cut her off with a gentle kiss before moving his lips to her ear and whispering in a lust-gravelled voice.  “I’m not disputing that fact.  I want to make you come and God knows I want you to make me come.”

 

His hand slid under her dress, slowly moving up her thigh.  “I have absolutely no intention of leaving you in this condition, Buffy.”

 

He stopped her hand as she reached out to grasp his erection.  He pulled back and smiled at her look of confusion.

 

“If you touch me, I’m going to come.”

 

She closed her eyes as his fingers edged under the soft silk and brushed against her curls.  “I...thought that was the point...”

 

He chuckled softly, his fingers slowly stroking her.  “Mm.  However, the problem would be the same as before.  Semen shows up very well on black.  And...”  He groaned as he slipped a finger inside of her.  “My God, you’re so wet.”

 

She arched her hips towards him as he pushed a second finger in.  “Giles...”

 

He leaned into her, kissing her neck passionately before whispering in her ear again.  “I wish I was agile enough to make love to you with my mouth in here.”

 

He smiled against her ear when he felt her inner walls clench around his thrusting fingers.  “Are you going to come for me, darling?”

 

Her hands tightened on his shoulders.  “God, yes...”

 

“Did I tell you how much I enjoyed listening to you come over the phone last night?”

 

She groaned in response, unable to form anything other than sounds.

 

“That’s what took me over the edge.  Hearing you come.  But...do you know what I like even more?”

 

Her breath was hot against his neck.

 

“Feeling you come.”  He kissed her ear as he curled his fingers inside of her.  “It’s taking everything in me right now not to push you down on the seat and push my cock into you.”

 

“Giles...”

 

Knowing she was close and also knowing that there was no way she was going to be able to remain quiet, he pulled back slightly and covered her mouth with his.  As his tongue swept into her mouth, he felt her body begin to shudder under his ministrations.  He swallowed her loud groan as her orgasm washed over her.

 

He continued to lightly stroke her for a few seconds, slowly bringing her down.  He leaned back and smiled lovingly at her as he removed his hand from between her thighs and lifted it to his mouth.  She held his gaze as he licked her juices from his skin.  She gasped lightly at the sight and, with no further warning, quickly pushed him back against the seat.

 

“Buffy...”

 

She moved her body and quickly leaned over him, sliding her mouth over his erection.  She sucked him hard, bobbing her head up and down.  He hissed in pleasure, his hips rising involuntarily to thrust further into her mouth.

 

“Oh God...Buffy...”

 

She allowed her teeth to lightly scrape across his sensitive flesh in the way she knew he liked.  He bit his lip to hold back his groan, his fingers flexed against the back of her neck.  She felt him begin to thicken in her mouth and throat.  Knowing how close he was, she hummed lightly.

 

His head fell back against the back of the seat, a drop of blood appeared on his lip as he bit just a little too hard to keep from screaming her name.  She hummed again and smiled inwardly as he came forcefully.  She swallowed all he had to offer, releasing him only when she was sure she had captured every drop.

 

She pushed herself up, smiling brightly at him as she carefully tucked him back into his trousers and refastened them.  He took a shaky breath and pulled her in for a kiss.  He kissed her slowly and passionately, pouring his love for her into it.

 

As she pulled from the kiss, she reached up and straightened his tie.  “You okay?”

 

He nodded and licked his lips.  “Mm-hm.  I think we’ll be able to attend our party without...well, the sexual tension has been lessened for now.”

 

She grinned at him.  “I love you.”

 

He opened his mouth to reply as a knock sounded on the glass partition.  A few seconds later, the glass lowered just a crack. 

 

“Mr. and Mrs. Giles?  We’re due to arrive at your destination in five minutes.  Would you care for a little more time?”

 

Giles chuckled softly.  “Please, it’s Rupert and Buffy.  And...no, I think we’re fine to arrive.”

 

James lowered the partition completely and glanced at the couple through the mirror with a smile.  Giles returned his smile and placed his hand on Buffy’s leg. 

 

“So, James...what is your role within the Council Walls?”

 

“I, uh...I’m a professor at the Academy.”

 

Buffy grinned.  “Ooh, you teach little Gileses!”

 

Giles and James both chuckled. 

 

“What is your subject?”

 

“Demonology, with emphasis on possession.  I teach the students the basics of demon behaviour, but I focus mainly on the demon possession of humans and the affect of the human body and mind from said possession.”

 

“Interesting.  Have you been studying possession long?”

 

James smiled softly.  “My entire career.  I, uh...I was three years behind you in the Academy.”

 

“Oh?”  Giles arched an eyebrow.  “So, you entered as I left for my...sabbatical?”

 

James chuckled again.  “Yes.”

 

“May I ask how you and Amelia met?”

 

James cleared his throat softly.  “Amelia sought me out five and a half years later.  She, uh...she had a lot of questions about possession.  She was told that I was the person to see.”

 

“Oh...”

 

Buffy looked up at Giles and nudged him.  “What’s the ‘oh...’ about?”

 

Giles gave her a soft smile and took a deep breath before looking back to James.  “I suspect that I was the subject of your early discussions with Amelia.”

 

James gave him a slight nod.  “She was very concerned for you.  She knew the basics from her training, but after you were sent to rehabilitation, she knew she needed more information if she was going to help you.”

 

Giles cleared his throat.  “So, you know about our past?”

 

“I do.”  James smiled at him.  “It took Amelia years to let you go after you came back.  I’m rather sure that part of her never has.  But, we do have a wonderful marriage and three beautiful children.  I know that she’s extremely happy that you’ve found love again.”

 

Giles and Buffy were both at a loss for words when James pulled to the curb in front of the Espresso Pump.  He quickly climbed out and opened the back door for the couple.  After Giles had assisted his wife out of the car, he smiled at James.

 

“Would you care to join us?”

 

James returned the smile and looked towards the door.  “If I wouldn’t be intruding, I think I’d rather enjoy it.”

 

Giles led Buffy to the door, pausing to place a tender kiss on her lips before they entered behind Amelia’s husband.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

They had just finished their group dinner when Xander walked over and knelt down between Giles and Buffy’s chairs.  Giles looked down and smiled at him.

 

Xander returned the smile and gestured towards Buffy with a tilt of his head. 

“Was wondering if I might be able to have a dance with the bride.”

 

Giles gave the boy a nod and leaned over to kiss Buffy.  Xander stood back up and grinned as Buffy took his hand.  He glanced back down at Giles and took a step back.

 

“So...Kingsley, huh?”

 

Giles gave him a mock-glare before looking at Buffy.  “Let me know if you need rescuing.”

 

Buffy and Xander laughed as he led her out onto the small dancefloor that had been erected especially for this event.  He watched them, smiling as they laughed as friends do.  He jumped slightly when a pair of arms draped themselves over his shoulders from behind.  Turning his head, he smiled into the brown eyes.

 

“Willow.”

 

She giggled lightly.  “I came over here to ask you for a dance.”

 

“Me?” 

 

“Yep, you.  It’s somewhat appropriate, don’t you think?  I mean...you, Buffy, Xander, and me...we’re the originals.  It’s kinda fitting...you know?”

 

Giles chuckled and stood up, offering his hand to Willow.  “As long as I’m not required to dance with Xander as well.”

 

Willow laughed and pulled him onto the dancefloor.  He held her comfortably in his arms, smiling at Buffy as he began to dance.  He looked down to find her smiling up at him.

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve never seen you this happy, Giles.”

 

His eyes sparkled.  “I’ve never married Buffy before.”

 

They fell easily into rhythm with the music as they chatted quietly to each other.

 

“How come you never told us your middle name is Kingsley?”

 

He laughed softly.  “You never asked.”

 

“I always thought it would be something like...I don’t know...Alastair or Thomas or Philip.  You know, something really stereotypically English.”

 

“Kingsley was my mother’s maiden name.  Giving me that name was one of the best things my father ever accomplished.”

 

When Willow looked up at him quizzically, he smiled.  “My mother wanted to name me Rupert Ewan Aloysius Giles.  My father convinced her that Rupert Kingsley Giles was more appropriate for me.”

 

He grinned as she laughed before he continued.  “My mother relented, but vowed that her next son would be named Ewan Aloysius.  And, so...when my brother was born two years later, my father knew it would be a losing battle and agreed.”

 

Willow narrowed her eyes.  “I thought...you said you are an only child.”

 

Giles nodded slowly.  “I am...now.”  He took a deep breath.  “Ewan died fairly early in life.  I was nine years old when he...”

 

Willow stopped dancing as he trailed off.  “Was it a vampire?”

 

“Hm?”  Noticing that the song had ended, he led her back towards the table.  “Oh, no.  When Ewan was five, he became quite ill.  He held on for almost two years before his body gave out.”

 

“Oh...I, uh...um...”

 

He smiled in understanding.  “It’s quite alright, Willow.  It was a long time ago.”

 

She took a deep breath and looked up at him.  “How is it that I learned more about you in less than ten minutes than I have in the past four years?”

 

He smiled and gave her a wink.  “You asked.  Sometimes, that’s all you need to do to get the answers you need.”

 

She relaxed at his comforting tone.  He closed his eyes when he felt arms slide around his waist from behind.

 

“Hello, Buffy.”

 

“Aw, you knew it was me?”

 

He chuckled and turned in her arms.  “Who else would be hugging me in an intimate manner?”

 

“Better be no one but me.”  She sent him a playful glare.

 

He laughed and bent his head to kiss her.  “Hence the reason I knew it was you.”

 

She sighed as his lips pulled from hers.  “So, what were you guys talkin’ about?”

 

“Oh, the origins of my name and Ewan.”

 

She smiled and leaned her head against his chest.  “Willow got the whole story.  Xander’ll be jealous.  I just stuck with ‘Kingsley is Giles’ Mom’s maiden name’.”

 

He chuckled softly and backed up out of her embrace.  “I, uh...I’ll be right back.”

 

She looked into his eyes and when he tilted his head towards the back of the room, she nodded.  “Oh, okay.  Don’t be gone long.”

 

She sat down at the table, Willow on one side and Xander on the other.

 

Chapter Fifty-Four

 

“May I have everyone’s attention for a moment, please?”

 

Buffy turned towards her husband’s voice to find him on the small stage.  He was sitting on a stool with his guitar resting on his leg.  He had removed his jacket, but the vest remained.  She gasped as she processed what her eyes had seen.  He was sitting on a stool...on the stage...with his guitar.

 

“The night that Buffy and I realized that there was more to our relationship than me being her Watcher and her being my Slayer, she requested me to sing for her.  The song I chose to sing was one I had written concerning my feelings for her.”  He cleared his throat and met her eyes.

 

“I, uh...I’d like to start this new phase of our relationship in the same manner.  Me singing her a song that I’ve written concerning my feelings for her.”  He smiled as she grinned at him.  “Just with more witnesses this time.”

 

Chuckles and laughter from their friends and family sounded in the room.  The soft noise died down as Giles began to play.  He glanced amongst the small group before settling his eyes on Buffy’s.

 

Hey, we’re walking through this together

And I’m holding on to you

Nothing can separate this little twist of fate

You’re the one my heart belongs to

 

He smiled as his foot tapped against the rung of the stool.

 

Nothing’s quite as sweet as the journey

So let’s go around the world

Taking in everything, no matter what life brings

We’re going to be chasing forever

 

All the way to the end

All my life and back again

Every day I’ll be here

Loving you all through the years

And it’s true

There’s so much freedom in knowing

How sure we are that we’re going

All the way

 

Buffy raised her hand and wiped away a tear.  She smiled brightly at him as he moved into the next verse.

 

People ask me ‘Do you think you can make it?’

And I tell them honestly

This is no fleeting thing, we’re not imagining

This is it, we know it’s meant to be

 

He closed his eyes briefly in emotion, opening them as he continued.

 

‘Cause I love you, love you completely

I’ve never felt like this

I don’t want anything but something that’s passionate

Because the only way I know how to love is

 

All the way to the end

All my life and back again

Every day I’ll be here

Loving you all through the years

And it’s true

There’s so much freedom in knowing

How sure we are that we’re going

All the way

 

He was unable to stop the tear from rolling down his cheek as he played out the end of the song.  The last notes resonated in the silent room as he stared into his wife’s eyes and spoke softly.

 

“I love you, Buffy.”

 

She stood and made her way to him.  As she stopped in front of him, she reached out and brushed the tear away from his skin.  He shifted the guitar to the side as she moved in between his legs.  She leaned into him, whispering ‘I love you’ back to him before brushing her lips across his. 

 

He wrapped his free arm around her, holding her tightly against him as he deepened their kiss.  Her fingers combed through the soft hair on the back of his head as she returned his kiss with passion.

 

They ended the kiss, with both of them blushing lightly, as applause and whistles sounded within the room.  He chuckled softly and, after placing his guitar in a safe place, led her back to the table. 

 

As he pulled her chair out for her, he felt someone walk up to him.  He looked to the side and smiled.

 

“Hello, Joyce.”

 

Her eyes were wet with tears and, instead of saying anything, she pulled him into a hug.  He took a moment to return the hug, surprised by her actions.  When she released him, he smiled shyly at her.

 

“What was that for?”

 

“For loving my daughter.”

 

He smiled and then placed a soft kiss on her cheek.  He squeezed her shoulder lightly.

 

“Joyce, that is the easiest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”

 

“Why don’t you ever write songs for me?”

 

Giles turned towards Anya’s voice.  Seeing Xander’s helpless expression, he chuckled. 

 

“An, honey...I don’t write songs for anyone.  I’m musically challenged.  You’ve heard me sing.”

 

“You don’t have to sing them.  Write them and give them to Giles to sing.”

 

When Buffy squeezed his hand, he looked into her eyes.  He recognized the desire immediately and inhaled sharply.  He gave her a quick nod and smiled at everyone else.

 

“I, uh...I think I may take my wife home now.  But, if you’re not busy on Sunday evening, we’d like to invite you to our home for dinner.” He glanced over at the Council members and smiled warmly.  “And that invitation extends to everyone in this room.”

 

Everyone quickly accepted the invitation and after making their way to the door while giving out handshakes, hugs, and kisses, Buffy turned around with a grin on her face. 

 

“Unless there’s a huge emergency of apocalyptic nature, please don’t call or anything until Sunday.”

 

Giles blushed as their friends laughed good-naturedly.  With a quick and final wave, Giles took Buffy’s hand and led her to their car, which Xander had driven over for them.

 

The group followed them outside cheering them as they drove off.  As the group began to disperse, Amelia walked over to Joyce.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Joyce sniffled, raising her hand to wipe away her tears.  “My baby got married.”

 

Amelia smiled and placed her arm around the other woman.  “Rupert will take wonderful care of her, Joyce.  He takes care of everyone he loves.”

 

Joyce nodded and took a deep breath before looking at Amelia.  “Would you like to come to my house for a few drinks?  And...maybe to talk?”

 

Amelia looked back at her husband and smiled.  James gave her a nod and returned the smile.  He walked over and kissed her softly. 

 

“I’m rather tired, love.  Would you mind terribly if I went back to the hotel?”

 

Amelia kissed him back.  “Thank you, darling.”

 

Joyce smiled as she watched Amelia watching James leave.  As he drove off in the vintage Rolls, Amelia turned to Joyce.

 

“Shall we?”

 

“We shall.” 

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

He held her hand as he slipped the key into the lock.  He smiled down at her as he pushed the door open, his hand pulling her back as she took a step forward.

 

“There’s one more tradition.”  He whispered softly as he swept her into his arms. 

 

She giggled as he carried her into the house.  “Giles!”

 

“What?”  He grinned at her, placing her down and closing the door behind them.  “The husband traditionally carries his new bride over the threshold.”

 

Her eyes sparkled as she stepped closer to him.  “And what happens then?”

 

“Ah, well that depends.”

 

“On?”

 

“Whether one, or both, of the newly married couple is inebriated or not.  And...if one is, how debilitating the inebriation is.”

 

She raised an eyebrow.  “Uh-huh.”

 

“If the level of intoxication is severe, then it’s normal for the couple to merely go to bed and...pass out.  If intoxication occurs, but is mild to severe, then the couple tend to have drunken sex...sometimes to completion before passing out.”  His eyes darkened slightly.  “However, if neither party are intoxicated in the least...the newly married couple make love all night long.  With a few breaks here and there, of course.”

 

She unbuttoned his jacket and pushed it off of his shoulders.  “And which of those categories do you fall into?”

 

“I’ve had two glasses of champagne.”  He lifted his hand and tilted her head slightly as he leaned down.  “I wanted to make sure that I fell into the third category.”

 

He brushed his lips against hers as he gently backed her towards the stairs.  She smiled up at him when he halted their movement.

 

“Taking me to bed, Mr. Giles?”

 

He nodded slowly.  “Indeed, that was my plan, Mrs. Giles.  Are you agreeable to that?”

 

“Mm-hm.”  She glanced around quickly.  “Did you want to look through the house first?”

 

He shook his head.  “Everything will still be here in the morning.  I’d much rather prefer to make sure our bedroom is in order.”

 

She took hold of his hand and let him up the stairs and then down to the end of the hall.  She backed into their bedroom and pulled him in with her.  As he closed the door, she let go of his hand and reached for the zipper on the back of her dress.  He shook his head quickly.

 

“No, leave it.”

 

She gave him a lop-sided grin.  “Giles...”

 

He picked up a remote control that was resting on the dresser and punched a button.  Soft music began playing from the stereo in the corner.

 

“Dance with me, Buffy.”

 

She sighed happily and stepped into his arms.  She followed his lead, easily finding a perfect rhythm together as she laid her head against his chest.

 

“You look beautiful tonight, darling.”  He held her against him, allowing his hands to caress her back.  “Your dress is absolutely stunning.”

 

“Thank you.  It took me forever to pick it out.  Willow and Mom kept throwing white dresses at me, but...I’m not really a white kinda girl, you know?” 

 

She grinned as he chuckled softly.  “Willow told me what you were wearing.”

 

“Oh, did she?”

 

“Mm-hm.”  Her fingers caressed the green silk tie.  “I have to say, though...what my imagination showed me was nothing compared to the real you.”  She unbuttoned his vest before wrapping her arms back around him.  “I love it when you wear green.”

 

“That would be the reason I chose green.”  He whispered softly as his fingers unclasped her hair, letting it fall onto her shoulders.  “It was a beautiful night.”

 

“Yep.  No vampires, no demons...”  She removed his vest, tossing it onto the chair.  “But, with a slightly impatient Watcher.”

 

He chuckled, still swaying to the music with his arms around her.  “I’m not sure anyone would be able to blame me.”

 

She grinned at him as she removed his belt and then untucked his shirt.  “Do you remember anything that the minister was saying?”

 

He shook his head as he reached up and loosened his tie, pulling it off and dropping it onto the floor.  “No, I was too mesmerized by you to pay attention to him.  Is that a bad thing?”

 

She laughed gently, her fingers nimbly unbuttoning his shirt.  “I hope not, because I’m in the same boat.  It’s a good thing Oz was taping it for us.”

 

He pulled back just long enough for her to push his shirt to the floor and for him to kick his shoes off.  “I do remember our vows.  I remember the exchanging of rings.  And...I remember the kiss.”

 

She leaned forward and kissed his bare chest as she started to unbutton his trousers.  “You remember the important stuff then.” 

 

She looked up when he moved slightly, covering her hands with his and preventing her from completing her task of undressing him.  “Hey!”

 

He smiled and turned her in his arms.  He bent his head and placed soft kisses along her shoulder towards her neck. 

 

“I’d like to have a turn at undressing you before you have me completely nude.”

 

She shivered as he slowly lowered the zipper, his mouth following along and pressing warm kisses to her exposed flesh.  He knelt behind her, carefully lifting first one foot then the other and removing her shoes.  She could feel the coolness of his ring against her skin as he placed his hand flat against her back.

 

“Giles...”

 

“Hm?”  He stood back up slowly, running his tongue along her spine.  He wrapped his left arm around her abdomen as he used his right to finish unfastening his trousers.

 

She leaned back against his chest, placing her left hand over his.  She looked down and smiled as the soft light glinted off of their matching rings.  Finally able to unfasten and unzip his trousers, he slid his right hand along her back and underneath the opened back of her dress. 

 

She laced the fingers of their left hands together as he gently pushed the strapless dress down her body.  The bodice had been tight enough that she hadn’t needed to wear a bra underneath.  As the ivory material pooled at her feet, she was left standing in only her silk underwear and with her back against his bare chest.

 

She felt the groan rumble against her back as his hands began to caress her soft skin.  She started to turn towards him, but his hands stopped her movement.

 

“Careful, love.  Wouldn’t want you to trip over your dress.”

 

Before she could say anything, he bent slightly and easily lifted her into his arms. As he moved towards the bed, he smiled down at her.

 

“My God, you’re beautiful.”

 

He sat down on the edge of the bed and lovingly laid her down beside of him.  He gazed into her eyes as he removed her last article of clothing and dropped it to the floor.

 

“So beautiful.”  The words were whispered as he leaned over her and kissed her lips.

 

Her hands moved down his back and edged under the waistband of his opened trousers and boxers.  He groaned softly as her nails lightly scraped across the flesh she found there.  She smiled up at him, giving his ass a light pat.

 

“You still have clothes on.”

 

“Mm.  I was somewhat preoccupied.”

 

Her eyes closed as his mouth covered her nipple.  “They...mm...need to come off...”

 

“Busy...”  He mumbled against her flesh.

 

“Giles...”

 

He smiled inwardly and moved his mouth to her other nipple as his hand glided down to her hip.  She moved her hand until it cradled the back of his head, effectively holding his mouth to her breast.  He shifted slightly, allowing his groin to brush against her leg.

 

“Please...”

 

Hearing her whispered plea, he raised his head and met her eyes.  “Buffy?”

 

“I need you to get them off...please, Giles...”

 

He gave her another soft kiss and slid off the side of the bed, quickly removing his remaining clothing.  She stared at him through glazed eyes as he moved back to her and covered her body with his.  His mouth hungrily attached itself to the sensitive juncture of her neck and shoulder.  His teeth nipped at the skin and she moaned his name.

 

He pushed himself up to look down at her as she wrapped her legs around him.  “Buffy...what...”

 

His question ended as her eyes opened and stared into his.  She tightened her legs around him and moved her hips against him.

 

“Enough foreplay.”  She pulled him back down and kissed him deeply before finishing her statement.  “I need you now, Giles.”

 

He groaned loudly as she pressed against him again.  “Buffy...”

 

She shook her head before flicking her tongue against his earlobe.  “No.  Major foreplay in the car.  Not to mention the reception and the dance we just shared...I need you inside of me.”

 

He placed his hand on her thigh and squeezed gently.  “I’m not debating that, darling.  I agree with the enough foreplay statement.  But...”  He lifted his head, a smile dancing in his eyes.  “You need to loosen your grip on me.  I can’t move...”

 

“Oh.”  She grinned at him, releasing her legs and sliding them back to the bed.  “Sorry.”

 

He relaxed his hand on her thigh and rubbed his palm sensually across the smooth skin.  He leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

 

“Nothing to be sorry for, love.  Although, I do hope you understand that I plan to take this slowly.”

 

She nodded, lifting her hand to run through his hair.  “Mm-hm...and I’m totally okay with that.  I just...you need to be inside of me right now.  Please, Giles...”

 

Understanding her desire and near frustration, he captured her lips once more and gently slid his erection into her warm core.  He broke the kiss with a gasp once he had entered her fully.  Their gazes locked, both sets of eyes widening at the sensation.

 

“Giles?”

 

He shook his head slowly.  “I...I’m not sure what it is...”

 

Her hands cupped his face and pulled him down for another kiss.  “It’s not bad though.  Anything that feels this...God, what’s the word I’m looking for?”

 

“Exquisite?”  He supplied softly as his fingertips trailed down her cheek.  “Magnificent?  Unbelievably perfect?”

 

She sighed and nodded.  “Unbelievably perfect...it can’t be bad if it feels like this.”

 

He began to move slowly, feeling the air around them heat up with each gentle thrust.  He smiled down at her as she raised her knees against his sides.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s us.”

 

She moaned softly as he began building her orgasm.  “Huh?”

 

“It’s nothing mystical...or magical...it’s simply us.”

 

He continued his slow pace, his lips peppering her face and neck with light kisses.

 

“Feels...different...” 

 

He moved his lips to her ear and whispered softly.  “I prefer the word perfect to different.”

 

“Giles...”  His name came out on a gasp as he pulled out briefly before thrusting deeply.

 

“I love you.  I love everything about you.”  He whispered before nibbling along her neck. 

 

Her skin was slightly salty from the light sheen of perspiration coating her body.  His tongue relished the taste of her passion on her flesh.  Her hands slid across his back, unable to find purchase on his sweat-slicked skin.  Her hips pushed upwards to meet his, slamming against him as he maintained his leisurely pace.

 

He attempted to chuckle, however it was mangled by his groan.  “I thought...we agreed to, uh...take it slowly...”

 

She leaned up, dragging her tongue from the base of his throat to his chin.  “We did...and...we are.  I just...oh, God Giles...I love the way you make love to me.”

 

“But you need more?”  He whispered against her lips. 

 

Her nails dug into his shoulders.  Normally, it would have caused intense pain.  At the moment, his arousal was so strong that he didn’t even feel the skin separate.  One of the few things he did feel, however, was her body writhing beneath him.

 

Sensing that she was unable to answer his whispered question, but knowing that she did indeed need more, he moved his lips to her neck.  She bucked her hips against him as his teeth scraped along the pale scar tissue.  He covered the marred skin with his mouth, laving the tender flesh with his tongue before sucking hard and increasing the speed of his strokes somewhat.

 

He felt her scream vibrate against his mouth a split second before he heard it.  Her hands slid across his back, smearing light trails of blood within the sweat.  He growled lustfully against her throat as her inner walls convulsed violently throughout her orgasm. 

 

He lifted his head, closing his eyes as he kept thrusting into her.  Her nails raked down his back, stopping and digging in just under his ribcage.  He groaned loudly as her orgasm was almost immediately followed by another.  Small drops of blood trickled down his sides from underneath her fingers.

 

He doubled his efforts, his pace picking up speed as he continued to push her over the edge.  Hearing his name on a strangled cry, he opened his eyes and gazed down at her.

 

“Buffy?”

 

She forced her eyes open, her vision blurry as she tried to focus on him.  She was able to watch a bead of sweat roll down his chest and drop onto her breast before another orgasm washed over her.  She gasped for breath, unable to scream or even speak, for that matter.

 

Unable to hold on any longer, he cried out her name, burying his head against her neck as he came deeply within her.  Her body continued to tremble and shudder beneath him as she came one last time.  Her quivering arms held him in place when she felt him begin to shift to lie beside of her.

 

His voice was scratchy, almost raw sounding, when he lifted his head and whispered her name. 

 

“Don’t move.  I love the feeling of you lying like this.  It’s so…”  She rubbed her hands up his back and lifted them to cradle his face.  Her eyes registered the red stains on her palms.  “Oh my God!”

 

Hearing the panicked tone in her voice, he pushed himself up.  “Are you okay?”

 

“Giles…I…”  She held out her hand for him to see, tears pricking at her eyes.  “Oh, God…you’re bleeding.”

 

“I’m sure I’m…”

 

She used what little strength she had left to push him up.  They both groaned as his softening flesh slipped from her.  He gingerly sat up and she clambered around the bed to move behind him.

 

He heard her sobbing gasp and turned his head to look at her.  “Buffy?”

 

“I…I hurt you…”

 

He gave her a soft smile and turned his body towards her.  “I assure you, I’m not in pain.”

 

“There are scratches…deep ones…they could even be considered fairly non-shallow cuts.”  She looked back down at her hands, the tears falling freely as she saw the blood underneath her fingernails.  “Oh God…”

 

He pulled her into his arms quickly.  “Buffy, I’m fine.  I promise.  It doesn’t hurt and…I didn’t feel it when it happened.  I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think it looks.”

 

She allowed him to hold her for a few minutes before she wriggled out of his embrace and slid from the bed.  “Antiseptic…I need to clean them…”

 

“Buffy…”

 

“They need to be cleaned, Giles!”

 

He smiled gently.  “They do, I agree.  Mainly due to the fact that I don’t want to ruin the brand new sheets on our first night here.”

 

She stared at him for a minute as his smile turned into a full-blown grin. She exhaled deeply, relaxing somewhat when she realized that he was attempting humour. 

 

“If you’re making a funny, you’re not in pain…right?  You’re really okay?”

 

He nodded slowly as he stood and walked over to her.  He leaned down and kissed her lovingly.  “I’m really okay.”

 

“So much blood…”  She whispered softly.

 

He kissed her again, backing her towards the bathroom attached to their bedroom.  “It’s probably not as much as it looks.  Blood mixed with sweat…always looks worse than it really is.”

 

He was still kissing her as they entered the bathroom.  He broke the kiss only to reach into the shower stall and turn on the water.  His hand tenderly caressed her face, brushing away her tears as he smiled down at her.

 

“We’ll take a shower and then you’ll be able to see that it’s not that bad, okay?”

 

She nodded slowly and took a deep breath.  “I love you so much, Giles.”

 

“And I you.”  He gave her another kiss before helping her into the shower. 

 

She smiled when she watched the hot spray hit his back and he didn’t grimace in pain. 

 

“You’re really okay.”

 

He pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply as the water rinsed their bodies of sweat, blood, and bodily fluids.

 

Chapter Fifty-Five

 

Five figures walked through the cemetery after changing into clothing that was appropriate for patrol.  Angel rolled his eyes at the banter of the four younger people following him.

 

“I wonder what they’re doing now?”

 

Everyone stopped, turned, and stared in disbelief at Xander.

 

“What?”  He rolled his eyes and huffed dramatically.  “Okay, that’s so not what I meant.  I mean, I’m sure they’re doing...uh...that...”  He slapped his hand over his eyes.  “And, I really didn’t need that mental image!”

 

Anya shrugged a shoulder in a nonchalant manner.  “It’s not really a bad image.  Yes, it was somewhat surprising walking in on them while they were...”

 

“Anya!”  Xander lowered his hand and glared at his girlfriend.

 

“Well, it was.  But, not as surprising as hearing what he was saying...”

 

“Please, God...stop her.”  Xander moaned softly.

 

Willow’s eyes widened as she looked over at Anya.  “He’s a talker during...you know...like, not on the phone sex?”

 

Oz smirked.  Angel sighed deeply.  Xander stared at the two young women in mortification.

 

“I’m not sure I need to hear this.”  Angel stated softly.  “I, uh...I think I’ll do another perimeter check.”

 

Xander took a step towards the vampire.  “Can I come with?  Please?”

 

Angel gave a light chuckle and nodded at the boy before casting a glance towards Oz.  Oz shook his head and smiled.

 

“Oddly I’m not so disturbed by this conversation.  Besides...where Will is, I am.”

 

Xander groaned as Anya began giving explicit details of what she had seen and overheard.  Angel grabbed his arm and tugged him in the opposite direction.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Buffy smiled as she walked into the living room to find Giles sitting on the couch, wearing his robe and reading the paper.  A steaming mug of tea rested on the coffee table in front of him.  He looked up and returned her smile, folding the paper and tossing it onto the table.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Hi.”  She ran her hand through her towel-dried hair and sat down beside of him.  “Any reason why you didn’t want to shower with me?”

 

He laughed gently and leaned over to kiss her.  “You know exactly why.”

 

She grinned and lifted his arm around her.  “Needed a little recovery time?”

 

“Well, it has been a rather long time since I’ve, uh...well...”

 

“Had sex all night with a woman?”  She chuckled.

 

He cleared his throat.  “Well, never with a woman.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“When I was in the habit of having sex all night, it was never with just one woman.  I’d tire of them easily and not one of them was able to keep me interested for a full night.”  He looked at her and smiled.  “And that was a rather long time ago.”

 

He combed his fingers through her hair and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.  “And...what I technically meant was that it has been a long time since I’ve...ejaculated that many times in a relatively short period of time.”

 

“Oh.”  She tilted her head as she thought over what he had said.  “Did you tire of me last night?”

 

He shook his head slowly.  “I’m not sure that is even possible.”

 

She smiled shyly and was quiet for a few moments.  “How’s your back?”

 

“Hm?  Oh, it’s fine.”

 

She glanced down at her hands and sighed.  “I should cut my nails.”

 

“Don’t you dare!”

 

She looked back up at him, surprised to see such determination in his eyes.  “Giles, I can’t...”

 

“Do you have any idea how much I love feeling your fingernails scratch across my back when I’m making love with you?”

 

She shifted slightly, her heartbeat quickening as his voice lowered.  “No.”

 

“The fact that I am able to make you unconsciously claw at me, trying to pull me further into you, not wanting to let me go.  Christ, Buffy...it’s the most sublime sensation.  When your nails rake across my skin, it...”  He sighed softly, the words surprisingly not coming to him.

 

She smiled at his slight frustration.  “Does it make you hotter?”

 

His eyes darkened as he stared at her.  “Yes.”

 

She reached out and pushed the robe from his shoulders.  “Let me see them?”

 

He silently turned his body so that his back was facing her.  He closed his eyes as her fingers gingerly circled the shallow cuts along his shoulders. 

 

“They don’t look as bad now.”

 

He inhaled deeply as she leaned forward and kissed each of the marks.  “Buffy...”

 

She knelt behind him, her hands soothing the skin on his back as she placed a soft kiss behind his ear.  “Do you need more recovery time?”

 

He tilted his head, giving her complete access to his neck.  His heart began to race as she took advantage of the access given. 

 

“No, I think I’m recovered enough.”

 

She lifted her mouth from his neck and whispered huskily into his ear.  “Take me back to bed.”

 

“What’s wrong with right here?”

 

“Nothing, but...we need to be in a bed.”

 

He turned his head, a questioning look in his eyes.  She smiled and traced his bottom lip with her finger.

 

“Trust me?”

 

He nodded slowly.  “Completely.”

 

She leant in and kissed his lips softly.  “Then take me to bed.”

 

Without another word, he stood and grabbed her hand.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Oz smiled at Willow as he leaned against the doorframe.  “What are you doing?”

 

She dropped the cordless phone back onto the bedside table.  “Not calling Buffy.”

 

“It’s only a day, Will.”

 

She nodded.  “I know.  I do.  But, Buffy and I talk every single day.”

 

He sat down beside of her and took hold of her hand.  “And, after today it’ll go back to the way it was.  They need this, you know?”

 

“I do, really I do.  And it’s really not that much for them to ask for, is it?  I mean...one day when they don’t have to think about anything other than themselves.  They never get that.”

 

He kissed her temple and stood.  “Come on, I’ll take you out for breakfast.”

 

“Can we ask Xander and Anya to come too?  And...Wesley and Cordelia?”

 

Oz grinned and gestured towards the phone.  “Maybe even Peter and Julian?”

 

Willow smiled brightly and picked up the phone.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

By the time she pushed him onto the bed, she had removed his robe as well as her own.  His tongue darted out and licked his lips as she straddled him.  She leaned down and dragged her tongue up his chest, smiling as he groaned softly.

 

When his hands reached for her, she grabbed them quickly and shook her head.  He raised an eyebrow and she grinned before plunging her tongue into his mouth.  He returned her kiss with hunger and lust.  She felt his chest rumble with a low growl as she moved her hips against him.

 

She broke the kiss and sat up abruptly.  They merely watched one another for a few moments before she leaned over and pulled the belt from her robe.  His eyes darted to the material before returning to her gaze.

 

“Buffy?”

 

She took a deep breath as she attempted not to second-guess herself.  She reached down and tenderly caressed the side of his face before she whispered to him.

 

“Do you still want me to tie you up?”

 

His eyes widened and his breath became heavier.  He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and nodded wordlessly.

 

“Are you sure?  Because...”

 

“I trust you.”

 

She thought for another moment.  “If it gets to be too much, you’ll tell me?”

 

“Yes.” 

 

She smiled as his eyes glazed over lightly and lifted his arms above his head.  She quickly bound his hands to the headboard, tight enough that it secured him but loose enough to not cause him discomfort.

 

“Is that okay?”

 

He gave the bindings a quick and sharp tug.  He closed his eyes briefly and inhaled slowly.  When he opened his eyes, he smiled up at her.

 

“Yes.”

 

Her hands rubbed along his chest.  “Is there anything in particular that you want me to do?”

 

His eyes darkened.  “Use your imagination, love.”

 

She grinned and settled on his thighs.  “I know what I want to do.”

 

His eyes wandered over her breasts as he choked out one word.  “What?”

 

She licked her lips and pushed herself up to a kneeling position over him.  He gasped softly as her hand slid down her stomach. 

 

“I want to touch myself for you.  And when I’m ready to come...”  She closed her eyes as her fingers moved through her wet folds.  “I want to come in your mouth.”

 

“Oh, Buffy...yes...please...”

 

His erection twitched as he watched her finger slide into her core.  She moved at a leisurely pace, slowly building her orgasm.  She opened her eyes, smiling to find him staring at her hand.

 

“Giles?”

 

He licked his lips as his chest heaved.  “Don’t stop, Buffy.”

 

Her free hand reached out and curled around his erection.  He groaned at the contact and tugged against the restraints without thinking. 

 

“Do you want me to untie you?”

 

He shook his head quickly. 

 

She gave him a gentle squeeze and then released him.  He inhaled shakily and looked into her eyes. 

 

“What is it, honey?”

 

He looked back down at her hand, growling softly as she dipped another finger inside. 

 

“Come here.”

 

Her thumb circled her clitoris as she continued to thrust her fingers.  “Where?”

 

He swallowed and slowly moved his eyes up her body.  “I want to taste you.”

 

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling her orgasm building rapidly.  “You will.”

 

Hearing the tone of her voice, his eyes snapped to her face.  “You’re close.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

He pulled at the restraints again and groaned.  “Buffy, please...come here.”

 

She carefully made her way up his body and positioned herself over his mouth.  “Is this where you want me?”

 

He inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent.  “Lower...”

 

She hovered above him, just out of his reach.  “Not yet.  I’m almost there...” 

 

He moaned and lifted his upper body in a failed attempt to cover her with his mouth.  “Buffy...”

 

She grabbed hold of the top of the headboard with her free hand as she pumped her fingers furiously.  He groaned loudly as a drop of her juice hit his lip.  He licked it hungrily, savouring the taste.

 

“Oh, God...Giles...”

 

He could smell how close she was to the edge.  “Now, Buffy...now...”

 

She bit her lip and removed her fingers, quickly lowering herself to his mouth.  His tongue lapped at her greedily, thrusting into her sharply.  She screamed his name and flooded his mouth as she came.  His moan was muffled against her flesh.

 

With a bit of effort, she moved back until she could lean down to kiss him. 

 

“Do you want me to untie you now?”

 

“No.”  He licked his lips repeatedly as she moved down his body.  “I want you to fuck me.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You want me to ride you until you come deep inside of me?”

 

“God, yes.”

 

She grinned at him as she stroked him slowly.  “You’re so hard, honey.”

 

He closed his eyes, forcing himself to calm before he came all over her hand.  Seeing his dilemma, she quickly lowered herself onto him.  He moaned in pleasure as she began to move against him.  Her hands found his nipples and pinched them lightly.

 

“Faster, Buffy.”  He thrust his hips against her, increasing the depth.  “Make me come hard and fast.”

 

She glanced at his hands and noticed his fingers gripping the spindles of the headboard.  She moved faster against him, slamming her hips down against his.

 

“Like that?”

 

“Oh, God...yes, Buffy.  Just like that...so good...”

 

“You like it when I fuck you...don’t you?”

 

“Yes...don’t...oh, Buffy...don’t stop...so...close...”

 

She felt him expand within her walls.  She also felt the familiar sensation of an impending orgasm on her part.

 

“Giles...oh...gonna come...”

 

As he felt her contract around him, he screamed her name and came deeply within her.  As soon as she felt his semen splash her walls, she flooded over him again.

 

She collapsed onto his chest, panting heavily.

 

He jerked on the belt holding his hands in place.  “Untie...me...”

 

She reached up with a shaky hand and pulled the belt loose.  He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly to him.  He smiled as she mumbled his name against his chest.

 

“Mm?”

 

She turned her head, placing her ear over his heart.  She listened carefully as his heartbeat slowly began to return to normal.

 

“Was that…okay?”

 

He chuckled softly, rubbing his hands up and down her back.  “More than okay, darling.”  He placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.  “Thank you.”

 

She lifted her head and looked into his eyes.  “For what?”

 

He smiled at her innocently asked question.  “You do remember the conversation we had concerning this subject?”

 

She gave him a nod, her eyes silently requesting him to continue.

 

“I was being extremely honest with you.  I have never trusted anyone enough to allow them to restrain me.  I’ve trusted people to keep me alive, to train me, to become my friends or…lovers.  But, to completely give myself to another…I’ve never been able to do that.”

 

“So, this was a really big thing for you then, huh?”

 

He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair.  “The, uh…the biggest thing, yes.  And you made me feel safe and secure enough to go through with it.” 

 

He carefully rolled them onto their sides and kissed her softly.  “That was the reasoning behind me saying ‘thank you’.”

 

She smiled at him, curling up against him.  “I’ll always do anything and everything I can to make you feel safe.”

 

He allowed his eyes to close as she relaxed in his arms.  “I know.”

 

Chapter Fifty-Six

 

She woke up in a tangle of arms and legs and glanced at the clock.  She did a double take at the time and then smiled at the image of her sleeping husband.  She leaned over and kissed his cheek softly before setting to the task of untangling herself from him.

 

He shifted in his sleep as she pulled her leg out from under his thigh.

 

“Buffy…”  He mumbled softly.

 

She looked at his face, her smile growing as she realized he was still sound asleep.  She pulled the sheet up over his hips and reached for her robe.  She watched him for a few seconds before quietly slipping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

 

* * *

 

She was mildly surprised that he hadn’t moved at all in the thirty minutes she had been gone.  She placed the tray carrying a bowl of sliced fruit, toast, and a pot of tea with two mugs on her bedside table and climbed up beside of him.

 

She shook his shoulder gently.  “Giles?”

 

“Mm…”

 

She grinned and ruffled his hair lightly.  “Giles?  Wake up…”

 

He inhaled sharply, clearly protesting the fact that she wanted him to wake up.  She found the act slightly childish, which also meant that she found it completely adorable. 

 

“Wake up, Giles.”

 

“M’why?”  He asked groggily.

 

She sat down on the bed behind him, running her fingers over the marks on his back.

 

“Because it’s almost two and we haven’t eaten today.”

 

“Two what?”

 

She narrowed her eyes at his confusing question.  “What do you mean ‘two what’?”

 

“Huh?” 

 

She rolled her eyes and shook him once more.  “Giles!”

 

He opened his eyes slowly and rolled onto his back.  “Huh?”

 

She smiled down at him as she ran her fingers through his hair.  “There you are.”

 

He narrowed his eyes in confusion and pushed himself up slowly.  “Did I go somewhere?”

 

“Just had a bit of trouble getting you to wake up.”  She leaned over and kissed him softly.  “We should eat.  So, I have fruit, toast, and tea.”

 

She lifted a slice of banana to his lips, smiling as he took it without question.  He chewed quickly and reached for his cup of tea.

 

“What time is it?”

 

“After two.”  She handed him a piece of toast as she took a bite out of her own piece.

 

He glanced towards the window.  “Oh.  I, uh…I didn’t actually mean to sleep that long.”

 

“Neither did I.”  She swallowed the bite of toast and smiled at him.  “But, then again…we didn’t get much sleep last night.”

 

He grinned, giving her a slight nod as he reached for a handful of grapes.  “This is true.”

 

“Did you have anything planned for today?”

 

He raised an eyebrow.  “No, you told me not to make plans for Saturday.  And, unless I’ve slept longer than I realized…today is Saturday.  Therefore, no plans have been made.”

 

She laughed softly.  “Well, I guess I wasn’t really expecting you to actually…um…I thought you were exaggerating when you said ‘all night long’.”

 

He blushed lightly.  “Yes, I rather surprised myself as well.  What would you like to do today?”

 

“Well, a shower would be my first thought.”

 

He chuckled and nodded in agreement.  “We could…go through the house…”

 

“We did that last night.”

 

He sputtered on a mouthful of tea.  “Well, not exactly.  We were in almost every room, but…”

 

“Did we miss a room last night?”

 

He grinned.  “Two.  The library and the basement.”

 

“We’ll have to hit those at some point today then, won’t we?”

 

He grabbed the last strawberry and smiled.  “But, first…a shower.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

He quickly made his way down the stairs, smiling as he watched her dancing to the music playing on the stereo.  He leaned against the wall and chuckled as she started singing along to the song.  She turned around to find him grinning at her, wearing only a pair of jeans.  She gasped lightly, unsure of whether she had ever seen him look quite that sexy.  He pushed himself off the wall and walked over to her.

 

“What are we listening to?”

 

“Huh?  Oh…Everclear.”  She looked towards the stereo.  “I can turn it off, though.”

 

“No, I don’t mind it.”

 

She raised an eyebrow.  “Your brain isn’t dribbling out of your ears?”

 

He laughed and gave her a quick kiss before grabbing the pack of cigarettes resting on the table.  “No.  That only happens with that techno-dance-pop shit that you used to insist on listening to.  This…”  He gestured towards the stereo with a tilt of his head.  “I find this rather enjoyable.”

 

“Huh.”

 

He smiled at her and then looked towards the back door.  “I, uh…I was going to go outside for a cigarette.  Would you care to join me?”

 

“Outside?  Yes.  For a cigarette?  No.”

 

He chuckled and held the door open for her.  He followed her out, digging his hand into his pocket for a lighter.  She turned around to face him as she leaned back against the railing on the deck.

 

“It’s become more of a habit than you were anticipating, hasn’t it?”

 

He slid the lighter back into his pocket as he took a drag of the cigarette.  “Unfortunately, yes.”

 

“Will you stop eventually?”

 

“I will.”

 

She nodded, satisfied with his answer for the time being.  “In that case, let’s move onto something else I wanted to say to you.”

 

He flicked the ashes into the ashtray.  “And what would that be, my dear?”

 

“You look incredibly sexy right at this very moment.”

 

He coughed as the smoke tickled his throat. 

 

She grinned at him.  “Even with the cigarette…you’re so deliciously…sexy.”

 

“I am?”

 

She took a step forward.  “Mm-hm.  You and a pair of jeans…should become best friends.  Especially with no shirt, no shoes, no socks.”  She sighed dreamily and glanced at his hand.  “And I’m not sure I’ve told you how much it turns me on to see that ring on your finger. Even more than the earring.”

 

He swallowed and dropped the half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray.  “Are you trying to seduce me?”

 

She sauntered over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.  “Maybe.  Is it working?”

 

He grasped her hips and pulled her against him.  “You tell me.”

 

She purred softly.  “I think we have the beginnings of a successful seduction.”

 

“Mm-hm.  But, I think I’d like to just hold you for a while.”  He glanced towards the open door as the cd changed.  “I’d ask you to dance, but we both know how that would end up.”

 

She snorted softly.  “We’ve finished a dance before.”

 

He laughed and slid his hands up her back.  “One.  We’ve finished one dance.  And that was at our reception.”

 

“But, we finished it.  So, that proves it is possible.”

 

“Yes, just not very probable.”

 

She smiled up at him, her fingers playing with his hair.  “Okay, so no dancing.  We could go inside and cuddle for a while.”

 

He inhaled sharply as her nails lightly scraped against his nape.  “Or…we could just acknowledge the pretense of our actions and skip right to the part where I take you inside and make love to you again.”

 

She gasped at the intensity in his eyes.  Her eyes darkened as he held her hips tightly against his groin.  “Basement or…library?”

 

He grinned at her, leaning down to brush his lips across hers.  “We’ve never actually made love in a library.  That is a shame…considering.”

 

She dropped her arms and smiled when he took hold of her hand, leading her back into the house.  “Considering what?”

 

He chuckled and pulled her down the hall and into the library.  “Considering that our lives revolve around books…and…the fact that we actually met in a library.” 

 

He closed the door behind them and kissed her passionately.  He broke the kiss and quickly pulled her shirt over her head.

 

“And, I have to admit…there is this fantasy that I’ve had for a while now.”

 

She pulled at the buttons on his jeans as he unclasped her bra and dropped it to the floor.  “Oh?”

 

“Mm-hm.”  He backed her towards the sofa that had been placed in the room.  “I find something highly erotic about the idea of making love to you in a room full of books.”

 

She laughed gently as he pushed her onto the sofa and quickly removed her jeans.  “You’re such a geek sometimes.”

 

He grinned at her and shucked his own jeans.  “A geek?  Because I have fantasies involving books?”

 

She purred softly as he took his place on the sofa with her, pushing her down onto the cushions and moving his body to rest between her thighs.  “Yeah…but, you’re a loveable geek.”

 

He leaned over her, whispering softly before he took her mouth with his. 

 

“That’s good to know.”

 

* * *

 

Their names echoed in the room as they came together.  Her legs and arms were wrapped around him tightly, holding him in place as she fought for her breath.  His lips were placing tender kisses along her shoulder between his panting gasps.

 

“Giles…”

 

She relaxed her grip on him and he shifted slightly, pushing himself up with his hands on the cushions to look down at her.  Her skin was flushed and it warmed his heart to know he was the cause of it.

 

“Buffy, I…”

 

Whatever he was going to say ended abruptly and was instantly forgotten as they both gasped in surprise.

 

“Oh my God.”

 

The words were uttered by both of them simultaneously.  He sat up quickly, kneeling between her thighs.  He stared at her in bewilderment, his eyes drifting down her torso.

 

His heart began to race as he gingerly placed his hand on her abdomen.  “Buffy…”

 

Her hand covered his, causing him to meet her gaze.  The tears welled quickly in her eyes.

 

“You felt it?”

 

He nodded wordlessly and he fought to take a deep breath, his eyes staring at their hands.

 

“Giles?”  She sat up, his hand still on her belly, and wiped the tears that had spilled onto her cheeks.  When he didn’t respond, she felt the panic set in.  “Giles!  Please say something!”

 

He shook his head lightly as if to clear it and looked up at her.  His eyes were wet with unshed tears and a smile slowly formed on his lips.

 

“We…oh dear Lord, Buffy…we…”

 

Her panic began to ease as he smiled.  She reached over and pulled him into a loving hug.  Her voice was a mere whisper in his ear when she spoke.

 

“We made a baby…”

 

His tears finally fell and he wrapped his arms around her.  “I…can’t believe it…”

 

“You’re going to be a father.”  She kissed his neck softly.

 

He pulled back, his smile showing brightly in his eyes.  “And you a mother.”

 

Her hand caressed his cheek.  “Giles…are you okay with this?  I mean…really okay with it?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

She licked her dry lips and took a deep breath.  “It’s just…I wasn’t expecting it to happen this soon.  And…I know you weren’t either…”

 

“No, I wasn’t.  But…it’s not as if we weren’t planning to have children.  And…yes.  I’m very okay with this.”  He leaned in and kissed her tenderly.  “Are…are you?”

 

She nodded quickly, her smile wide.  “I’m definitely okay with this.”

 

They held each other for a few moments before Buffy started laughing.  He pulled from the embrace, smiling as he looked at her.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Aren’t you glad we didn’t wait longer than five weeks to get married?”

 

He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.  “I can’t imagine that I would’ve been any less happy if we weren’t married.”

 

They laughed together and then, as the laughter eased off, she looked at him.  “Giles?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Um…you felt it happen.”

 

He nodded slowly.  “I did.  I knew as soon as you did.”

 

“But…you didn’t mention that when we discussed having children.  You said that the Slayer would know immediately, but you didn’t say anything about the father knowing too.”

 

“I…didn’t know that part.  Of everything I read, that was never mentioned.”  He looked around the room, his eyes searching for a particular book.

 

She grinned and placed her hand on the side of his face, turning it back towards her.  “This isn’t the time for ‘Research Giles’.”

 

“But…this could be important.”

 

She nodded in agreement.  “It could be.  But…can you hold off on the research for just a little while?  I’m not ready to release ‘Husband Giles’ and ‘Soon-to-be-Father Giles’ to the books just yet.”

 

He smiled shyly and ducked his head.  He stood up and gathered their clothing.  After handing her clothes to her and slipping his jeans back on, he took her hand and pulled her from the sofa. 

 

“Come on, I’ll get dinner started.”

 

She nodded and quickly dressed.  As they stepped into the hall, she stopped and looked back into the room.  When he saw her broad smile, he lightly squeezed her hand.

 

“Buffy?”

 

She grinned at him and gestured towards the room.  “How appropriate is it that our child was conceived in a library?”

 

He laughed and led her back down the hall.

 

Chapter Fifty-Seven

 

Dinner was unremarkable that evening.  The food that he had prepared had been nice, but neither of them felt like eating.  They pushed the food around on their plates as they talked, but little had actually made it into their mouths.  Giles had cleared the table and taken care of the dishes with Buffy’s help.  If leaning against the counter and chatting happily while he washed the dishes was considered help.  He found that he didn’t mind in the least.

 

They took their third shower of the day, this time together.  Giles found that his hand kept rubbing gently over her stomach as she leaned back against him.  Buffy found the simple act absolutely precious.  She smiled at the knowledge that he was, indeed, as happy about this turn of events as she was.

 

And here they were, stretched out on their bed with the lights dimmed.  She was lying on her back and he was on his side facing her.  His head propped up with his right hand as his left hand rested lovingly on her abdomen.  She wondered silently if his hand was going to become permanently attached to her belly now.

 

She sighed in contentment and covered his hand with hers.  “When do we have to tell people?”

 

“As much as I would love to keep this between us for a while, we should tell them soon.  Maybe at dinner tomorrow night?”

 

She nodded, twining her fingers with his.  “I want to tell Mom first though.”

 

“We could ask her to come over earlier and tell her before the others arrive.”  He thought for a second and sighed.  “We should ask Amelia to come over early as well.”

 

“Yeah, I guess so.”

 

“Technically, I should have already notified her of this.” 

 

She turned her head and met his eyes.  “Why?”

 

He took a deep breath.  “Protocol.  If the Slayer becomes impregnated, the Watcher is the first to know.  As soon as the Watcher is informed, he should report to his supervisor immediately.”

 

“Oh.  So, are you gonna get in trouble for waiting?”

 

He shrugged his shoulder and smiled.  “If my supervisor was still Travers, I’d say probably.  Amelia might be a little more understanding.  However, she does like to follow the rules.  She’ll mention something about the lapse in information, but she’s not likely to berate me over it.”  He leaned down and kissed her gently.  “Nevertheless, I don’t care.  I’d prefer a dressing down from my superior than to give up one second of this.”

 

She smiled happily at him and glanced down at their hands.  “Do you want a boy or a girl?”

 

“I want a healthy, happy baby.”  He answered quickly, yet softly.

 

Her lips quirked into a grin.  “So, no preference?”

 

“No.  What about you?”

 

“Oh, I’ve had dreams about both.”  She laughed gently when she saw the panicked look in his eyes.  “Not at the same time.”

 

“Oh…”  He breathed a sigh of relief. 

 

“Are there any family names that I need to know about?”

 

He looked puzzled at her question.  “What do you mean?”

 

“Well, you know…any names that would be expected to be handed down.”

 

“Oh…no.  Not on my part, in any case.”

 

She grinned at him.  “So, nothing strange like Archibald or Daralis or Creighton or…”

 

He laughed heartily and shook his head.  “No, nothing strange such as those.”

 

“Good, because as much as I love you, I refuse to name our son Creighton Giles or our daughter Daralis Giles.”

 

He shuddered dramatically.  “Wherever did you hear the name ‘Daralis’?”

 

“It was in a baby name book I was going through one time.”

 

He raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued.  “Oh?  And did you find any that you liked?”

 

She thought for a moment.  “I don’t know.  I really like the name Jason for a boy.”

 

“It’s a nice name, however…if you don’t mind…I’d like to steer clear of names beginning with J or G.”

 

“Huh?”  She thought about the name and smiled.  “Oh… ‘Jason Giles’…doesn’t really sound good, does it?”

 

“Not exactly, no.”

 

“What about Leanne?  Or…Kevin?”

 

He chuckled softly.  “I gather you’re referring to Leanne as a girl’s name and Kevin as a boy’s?”

 

She rolled her eyes.  “No, I was thinking Kevin Leanne Giles.”

 

He laughed again and kissed her temple.  “There’s nothing that says we have to name our child tonight.”

 

“I know…but…”  She pushed herself up and leaned against the headboard.  “I don’t want to just call it ‘the baby’ or some silly nickname like ‘Casey’ or…”

 

“Casey?”

 

“Yeah, you know…non-descript unisex names.  I don’t want that.”

 

He sat up beside of her and grinned at her.  “Do you really want to decide on names for our child tonight?”

 

She nodded, but didn’t look at him.  “Is it silly?”

 

“Completely.”  He placed his fingers under her chin and tilted her face towards him.  “But, completely beautiful as well.  If you want to name our child tonight, we will.”

 

She smiled brightly at him and opened her bedside table to retrieve the hidden baby name book.  He returned her smile before he kissed her.

 

“I do have one request, however.”

 

“What?” 

 

He ran his fingers through her hair and took a deep breath.  “If we have a girl, I’d like the middle name to be ‘Summer’.”

 

Her eyes glistened.  “Okay, because…if we have a boy, I want his middle name to be ‘Rupert’.”

 

He narrowed his eyes.  “I thought you didn’t like ‘Rupert’.”

 

“I’ve never said that.  I think it’s a good, strong name.  And…it’s your’s.”

 

“Oh.  With all of the teasing that you lot gave me over it, I assumed you didn’t like it.”

 

“You know what you get when you assume?”

 

He chuckled and pulled her closer to him as she opened the book.

 

* * *

 

Two hours later, the only decision that they had been able to make was the one concerning the middle names.  Each had made suggestions that the other had thrown out for one reason or another.  Buffy grumbled lightly.

 

“What’s wrong with ‘Spencer’?”

 

He rolled his eyes.  “Nothing, except for the fact it sounds like a dog’s name.”

 

She huffed loudly and then a thought occurred to her.  “Okay, what if we narrow it down to names beginning with b-r?”

 

“B-r?”

 

She nodded.  “Yeah, you know…for Buffy and Rupert.  There are plenty of names starting with b-r…”

 

“Bradley.”

 

“Bracken.”

 

He narrowed his eyes at her.  “No.  Uh, Brandon.”

 

“Brett.”

 

“Bromley.”

 

She grimaced.  “Braden.”

 

They were quiet for a moment, each of them turning the name over in their minds.  With a smile, Giles nodded.

 

“I like it.”

 

“Braden Rupert Giles.  It sounds…right.  Doesn’t it?”

 

“That it does.”  He grinned at her and flipped through the book towards the girl’s names.  “One down, one to go.”

 

* * *

 

After twenty more minutes, she took the book from his hands and slid it back inside the drawer.  She snuggled up against him and sighed.

 

“Okay, so we either have Braden Rupert or Branwen Summer.  You’re happy with those, right?”

 

“Mm-hm.  And it only took us nearly three hours.”  He wrapped his arms around her, bending his head to kiss her shoulder.  “Though, we still may have a problem.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“We don’t know the sex.  So…we can’t really call him or her by name.”

 

She licked her lips and took a deep breath.  “Do you want to know?”

 

He sat up quickly, leaning over her.  “You know?”

 

She reached up and caressed his face lovingly.  “If the very vivid dream I had the other night was true, then yes I do.”

 

“Vivid?”

 

She smiled, her fingers lightly tracing his lips.  “Some Watcher types might even call it prophetic.”  She pulled him down gently and kissed him.  “Do you want me to tell you?”

 

He swallowed nervously and gave her a quick nod.  She grinned, pulling his body until he rested between her legs.  She lifted slightly, cradling his hips with her thighs as she kissed him again.  He groaned softly at the contact, his reaction immediate.

 

She licked her lips and stared into his quickly darkening eyes.  “Make love to me, Giles.”

 

He inhaled sharply as she wrapped her legs around him, drawing him into her.  “Buffy…”

 

She closed her eyes briefly as his erection slid into her depths.  When she opened them, she smiled in adoration at him.

 

“I want to make love with you while I’m telling you about my dream.”

 

He moved slowly within her, leaning down to kiss her neck tenderly.  “Tell me…”

 

Her hands moved along his back as he continued to thrust slowly.  She moved her lips to his ear and whispered softly.

 

“What do you want to know about our son?”

 

“Everything.”  He gasped suddenly and lifted his head quickly to find her eyes smiling at him.  “Son?”

 

“Mm-hm…”  She arched her hips against him when his movement paused.  “Don’t stop, Giles…”

 

“Sorry…”  He smiled shyly and moved his hand to her hip as he resumed his slow pace.  “What…what do you…know?”

 

Her eyes closed as his fingers tightened on her hip.  “I know…emotions concerning…him.  I…felt him.  I saw his…eyes.”

 

She opened her eyes and stared at him.  “He has your eyes.  And…I know this was my idea.  Telling you about him now…but…it’s just a bit…”

 

“Odd?”  He supplied with a knowing smile.

 

She nodded slowly.  “Like it’s not right to talk about him while we’re…you know…”

 

He chuckled softly.  “Then we save the talk for later?”

 

“Mm.  My man has a plan.”

 

He kissed her passionately as he continued to push her towards ecstasy.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Buffy turned around when she heard him walk into the kitchen.  She smiled brightly as he walked over to her.

 

“Do I look alright?”

 

She chuckled as she nodded.  “You look very nice.  It’s not an interview or anything, you know.”

 

He leaned down and kissed her lips lightly.  “I know.  It’s just us telling your mother that’s she’s going to become a grandmother in five months.”

 

She tilted her head and regarded him carefully.  “You seem more nervous about this than you did about our wedding.”

 

He moved around her and picked up the cup of tea she had prepared for him.  “I was completely sure about marrying you.”

 

“You’re not sure about the baby?”

 

He looked up quickly.  “I’m very sure about the baby.  I’m just not sure how your mother will react.”  He set the cup down and pulled her into his arms.  “And...I thought we named our son because you didn’t want to call him ‘the baby’.”

 

She laughed softly.  “Well, yeah...I guess...”  She sighed softly and pulled back to look up at him.  “Do you want to tell them that it’s a boy?”

 

“Not particularly.”  He picked up his cup again and took another sip.  “I’d like to keep some things to ourselves.”

 

She breathed a sigh of relief.  “Good, ‘cause I was thinking it’s bad enough we can’t keep the pregnancy to ourselves for a while longer.  We could tell them in a couple of months, but for now...I want Braden to ourselves for as long as possible.”

 

He glanced at the clock and sighed heavily.  She lifted an eyebrow in a silent question.  He shrugged his shoulders and gave her a soft smile.

 

“Joyce and Amelia should be here soon.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Well, this might come across as being somewhat selfish on my part, but...I’d much prefer to take you back to bed at the moment.”

 

“You tired?”  She asked with a smile in her eyes.

 

“Not particularly.”  His eyes darkened momentarily, lightening almost as quickly as the doorbell sounded.  “But, I see that it’s going to have to wait for a few hours.”

 

She smiled in adoration, leaning up to kiss him soundly.  “I’ll make it worth the wait.”

 

He licked his lips and took a step back from her.  “You always do.”

 

She laughed and turned, exiting the kitchen with him following her into the living room.

 

Chapter Fifty-Eight

 

She squeezed her husband’s hand almost painfully as she watched her mother.  He grunted softly in pain and she loosened her grip.

 

“Mom?”

 

Joyce shook her head in disbelief before a small smile crept onto her face.  “Sorry, honey.  I just...well, I wasn’t expecting this to happen so soon.”

 

Giles chuckled softly.  “We weren’t either, but...we’re happy about this.”  He looked towards his supervisor and smiled.  “Amelia?”

 

She took a deep breath and then smiled gently.  “I’m not really sure what to say, Rupert.  I mean, besides congratulations, obviously.  I wasn’t expecting to hear this news this quickly.”

 

Giles nodded in understanding.  “I know.  You could, maybe...say that you’re happy for us.  I know it’s soon, but it isn’t as if we weren’t trying.”

 

Amelia stood and quickly made her way to Giles and pulled him into a hug.  “Of course I’m happy for you, Rupert.”  She pulled away and smiled at Buffy before hugging her as well.  “How far along are you?”

 

Buffy glanced at the clock and smiled.  “About twenty-one hours.”

 

Amelia’s eyes widened and she stared at Giles.  “You should have informed me immediately.”

 

He sat down on the couch and pulled Buffy down beside of him.  “I know.  We just wanted some time to ourselves.”

 

Amelia shook her head in displeasure.  “We only have three hours.”

 

Giles narrowed his eyes.  “Three hours for what exactly?”

 

“The transfer has to take place within twenty-four hours from conception.”

 

“Transfer?”  He glanced quickly at Buffy before returning his stare to Amelia.  “Transfer of what to whom?”

 

“The Slayer’s powers are transferred to her Watcher for a period of thirty days.”

 

“Excuse me?”  He laid his hand on Buffy’s thigh. 

 

Amelia sighed and sat down in the chair.  Joyce’s eyes darted between the newlyweds and Amelia.

 

“To aid the Watcher in his duties for the first month, the powers are temporarily transferred rendering the Slayer vulnerable to demonic attacks.”

 

Buffy finally looked at her husband and spoke softly.  “You didn’t tell me that part.”

 

“I didn’t know, Buffy.”  He stared at his supervisor.  “I was under the assumption, from all that I had read from the Watcher’s Diaries and the Handbook, that Buffy’s powers would...”  He sighed heavily and swallowed.  “Nothing was mentioned anywhere about a transfer of powers.  All that was said was that the Slayer would be vulnerable for the first month...and then invulnerable for the remainder of her pregnancy.”

 

“The transfer is not common knowledge, Rupert.  The Council worried that some Watchers might take advantage of the situation for their own personal reasons.  The Watchers who have gone through with this in the past were under strict orders not to write about it, nor discuss it with anyone else.”

 

He thought for a few minutes, silently counting to himself to remain calm.  When he finally spoke, his voice was steady but had a slight edge to it.

 

“I’m not doing this.”

 

“Rupert...”

 

Anger flashed in his eyes briefly.  “No, Amelia.”

 

“It’s your duty to take over patrols.  And...”

 

“And I will.  That was never a question.  I’ve lived, and fought, on a Hellmouth for four years without the Slayer’s powers and have survived.”

 

“But, you’ve always had the Slayer to protect you.”  Amelia protested.

 

“If I’ll still have my powers, I can still patrol.  I mean, we thought my powers were just gonna disappear for a month.”

 

Amelia shook her head.  “That would be unwise.  Harm could still come to you and the baby within the first month.”

 

Giles inhaled slowly.  “Then we stick with the original plan.  I’ll patrol...with Angel...without the transference of Buffy’s powers.”  When he saw that Amelia was getting ready to continue the argument, he raised his hand.  “If I were to allow the transfer, I’d be unable to patrol.”

 

He felt three pairs of eyes staring at him.  He took a breath and continued slowly.

 

“There is no way that I’d be able to leave her alone.  At least if I know she has her abilities, I know that she’ll be able to protect herself should anything happen while I’m on patrol.  If I have her powers, she will be completely vulnerable.  I’m not leaving her alone in that state.  Not again.”

 

Amelia understood immediately.  “Rupert, this isn’t like the Cruciamentum.”

 

“I’m not taking her powers away from her again, Amelia.”

 

Amelia sighed in exasperation.  “No Watcher has ever refused this.”

 

Giles stood and stared directly into the eyes of his supervisor.  “Then I shall be the first.  I refuse this.  And, I swear...”  He took a deep breath.  “If you try to complete this...ritual...without my approval, I shall never forgive you.  I’ll walk away from the Council as fast as I can.”

 

Buffy stood and lightly placed her hand on her husband’s back.  “Giles?”

 

He turned his glare to his wife and shook his head.  “Don’t you dare ask me to do this, Buffy.  I am not going to argue with you over this.  You and our...child are the most important things in the world to me.”  He lifted his trembling hand and placed it on her cheek.  “I refuse to leave you completely vulnerable again.”

 

She leaned into his touch and sighed.  “I love you.”

 

“I love you too.”  He turned his eyes back to Amelia, his anger clearly showing.  “Are we in understanding here?”

 

Amelia spoke softly.  “You have three hours to change your mind.”

 

Giles clenched his jaw.  “It isn’t going to happen, Amelia.” 

 

He walked out of the living room and out the back door, slamming the door behind him.  Amelia closed her eyes and sighed in defeat.  Buffy stared in the direction that her husband had just walked, a tear rolling down her cheek.  Joyce took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

 

“I think I have a new-found respect for my son-in-law.”

 

Buffy nodded slowly.  “I think I just fell even more in love with him.”

 

Amelia looked up at the two women and sighed.  “It wasn’t my intention to anger him.  And...there will be no transference without his permission.”

 

“Thank you.”  Buffy smiled softly at her.  “I, uh...I think I’ll go check on him.”

 

As she walked out the back door, Joyce looked over at Amelia.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Amelia nodded and wiped her eye.  “Yes, I...I was just thinking about something that happened long ago, that’s all.”

 

Joyce tilted her head and smiled at the woman she had bonded with on her daughter’s wedding night.  “Would you like to talk about it?”

 

“I haven’t spoken of it since it happened twenty-seven years ago.”

 

Joyce laid a comforting hand on Amelia’s arm.  “Then, maybe it’s time to talk about it?”

 

Amelia glanced towards the back door and nodded absently.  “Perhaps so.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

He exhaled a lungful of smoke when he heard her walk onto the deck.  He tapped the ashes into the ashtray and spoke softly, but not looking at her.

 

“As much as I loathe arguing with you…if you’ve come out here with the intent of asking me to reconsider, we shall have one hell of an argument.”

 

She stepped over to him, resting her hand lightly on the side of his neck.

 

“I came out here to tell you how much I love you.”

 

He took a deep breath and lifted his eyes to meet her gaze.  Seeing her gentle smile, he relaxed somewhat and sighed.

 

“I think I was, perhaps, a bit too harsh in there.”

 

“Maybe.  But you stood firm in your opinion.”  She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair.  “And I think Mom kinda loves you.”

 

He tilted his head slightly.  “I rather hope you mean as a son-in-law…”

 

Buffy chuckled and nodded.  “Yeah, I do.  It meant a lot to her that you refused this.”  She leaned down and kissed him softly.  “It meant a lot to me too.”

 

“I shouldn’t have gotten so angry with Amelia.  She’s just doing her job.”

 

“Mm-hm.  So…what was with all the anger?”

 

He shrugged his shoulders and took another drag of his cigarette.  “Travers wouldn’t have discussed it with me.  He would’ve just performed the ritual.”

 

“But, Amelia isn’t Travers.”

 

“I know.  I suppose it’s merely residual anger in general.”  He glanced towards the door before looking into her eyes.  “Is she alright?”

 

“Yeah, she is.  She said that she didn’t mean to make you angry…and that the transfer wouldn’t take place without your okay.”

 

“I, uh…I should talk to her.”  He dropped his finished cigarette into the ashtray and stood.  “I’m sorry that I snapped at you in there as well.”

 

She smiled and pulled him down for a kiss. 

 

* * *

 

Joyce and Amelia looked up as Giles and Buffy made their way back into the living room.  Buffy took her seat on the couch and Giles cleared his throat before meeting Amelia’s eyes.

 

“I owe you an apology, Amelia.”

 

Amelia smiled in understanding as she shook her head.  “No, you don’t.  However, I do appreciate the gesture.”

 

“You do realize that I shall not give my approval?”

 

“I think you made that abundantly clear, Rupert.” 

 

Amelia stood and pulled him into a hug.  He returned the embrace before kissing her cheek. 

 

Buffy smiled in mild amusement.  “So, did you and Quentin used to hug and kiss after an argument?”

 

Giles snorted as he ended the hug and sat down next to his wife.  “Of course.  And then it was normally followed by…”  He looked up quickly, blushing as Amelia and Joyce both laughed.  “Uh…actually, I don’t ever recall apologizing to Quentin for anything.”

 

Buffy grinned up at him, her love for him shining brightly in her eyes as he reached over and tenderly caressed her abdomen.

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

Giles glanced at his wife and smiled, giving her a quick nod when he read the question in her eyes.  He had promised her that they could tell their friends after dinner.  He walked over to stand behind her and she leaned back against his chest.

 

“Are you ready?”  He whispered softly in her ear.

 

She let her eyes roam across their friends chatting amongst themselves in the living room.  She took a deep breath and smiled up at him with a nod.  He grinned back at her, the twinkle in his eye telling her to go ahead.  He moved his left hand to her hip, his fingers resting on her belly.

 

With a reassuring smile from her mother, Buffy cleared her throat softly.  “Hey, guys?”

 

The chattering tapered off as everyone looked towards the couple.  She took another breath once the attention was focused on her.

 

“We have something to tell you.”

 

She glanced at Anya, waiting for her to ask the same question she always asked in these situations.  She was more than mildly surprised when Anya merely leaned against Xander, patiently waiting for Buffy to continue.

 

Willow glanced at Giles’ left hand and noticed where his fingers were resting.  She saw the gentle, yet possessive, caress and gasped.

 

“Oh my God!”

 

Buffy and Giles smiled at the redhead.  Willow let go of Oz’s hand and stood up quickly.

 

“You’re pregnant?”

 

Anya snorted and waited for Buffy to roll her eyes.  Anya’s eyes widened when Buffy smiled brightly at Willow instead.

 

Giles caught Anya’s expression as Willow grabbed Buffy in a tight hug.  Anya sighed heavily.

 

“The one time I don’t ask.”  She smiled as Giles chuckled.  “So…is it a boy or a girl?”

 

Xander patted her knee and laughed.  “An, they can’t tell the sex of the baby right away.”

 

Anya rolled her eyes and looked back at Giles expectantly.

 

Giles smiled and pulled Buffy back against him after Willow had released her.  “We’d like to keep that bit of information to ourselves for a while longer.”

 

Eyes widened around the room.  Willow beamed in excitement.

 

“You know what it is?”

 

Buffy nodded and wrapped her husband’s arms around her.  “One of the few perks of having prophetic dreams.”

 

Anya smacked Xander on the arm and grinned.  “See?”

 

Giles cleared his throat and caught Angel’s eyes.  “I know it’s sooner than you would have expected, but…”

 

Angel smiled softly.  “I’ll stay.  It’s not a problem.”

 

Buffy inhaled slowly as she looked at Angel.  “Thank you.”

 

The vampire gave her a brief nod, his smile showing in his eyes.

 

Chapter Fifty-Nine

 

Buffy walked into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around her freshly showered body.  She smiled at the sight of her sleeping husband.  She dropped her towel to the floor and reached for his discarded shirt, pulling it on before she slipped under the covers beside of him. 

 

She placed her head on his chest, grinning as he curled his arms around her in his sleep.  She listened to his calm heartbeat and yawned as she snuggled closer to him.  It wasn’t long before the sound of his heart lulled her into a peaceful sleep.

 

* * *

 

He awoke slowly, confused as to why he was unable to move.  His first thought was that he was under a spell of some sort.  He opened his eyes and realized that he was unable to move not because he was under a spell but because he was under his wife’s sleeping form.  He chuckled softly, thinking not for the first time that he had been living on a Hellmouth for too long.

 

Buffy opened her eyes when she felt his chest vibrate softly underneath her.  She turned her head to meet his smiling eyes.

 

“Morning.”

 

“Good morning.  Is the mattress not to your liking?”

 

She lifted her head and narrowed her eyes slightly.  “Huh?”

 

He brushed the hair back from her face.  “Not that I don’t enjoy waking up with you draped over my body…”

 

“Oh.”  She smiled, as she understood what he was saying.  “The mattress is fine…but, you’re comfier.”

 

He grinned at her and pulled her face down towards his for a gentle kiss.  “I, uh…I’m sorry about last night.”

 

The confusion shone in her eyes for the second time in less than three minutes.  “Did we have a fight or something?”

 

“No.  What would make you ask that?”

 

“Couldn’t think of any other reason you’d be apologizing.”

 

“Oh.”  He smiled gently.  “No.  I’m sorry that I fell asleep before you came to bed.”

 

She moved off of his torso and positioned herself beside of him, resting her head on his outstretched arm.  “Oh, that.  Yeah, I was a little miffed about that.”  She turned her head and grinned when she saw the concern in his eyes.  “I’m joking, Giles.  It was a long day…with a lot of different emotions.  Exhausting emotions.  I wasn’t awake for very long after I came to bed.”

 

“No?”

 

She shook her head slowly.  “Like I said, you’re very comfy.”

 

He cleared his throat and rolled onto his side facing her.  “How are you feeling this morning?”

 

“Hungry.”

 

His eyes darted towards her stomach as his hand tenderly caressed her abdomen.  “And Braden?”

 

“The reason I’m hungry.”

 

He laughed and leaned in for another kiss.  “Then I suppose I should start breakfast.”

 

“Mm-hm.”  She returned his kiss lovingly, sighing softly when he pulled away.  “Suppose so.”

 

He climbed out of bed, stretching his well-rested muscles.  “Would you like breakfast in bed this morning?”

 

“Sweet.  Very sweet.”  She smiled up at him as she pushed the covers down and slid out of bed.  “But, no…I think I’d like to talk while you’re getting food stuff ready.”

 

He tilted his head slightly and handed her robe to her.  “Talk?”

 

“Yeah, you know it’s one of those things that people do to communicate with each other.”

 

He rolled his eyes and pulled a t-shirt over his head.  “Funny.  What I meant was…is there something on your mind?”

 

“Nothing Hellmouthy, if that’s what you mean.”

 

His eyes followed her as she walked out of the bedroom.  “That’s always a relief.”

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

She swivelled left and right on the barstool, her elbows resting on the countertop and her chin resting on her hands.  “I think Peter’s got a crush on you.”

 

He broke an egg into the pan and lifted his eyes, staring at her.  “Excuse me?”

 

“Oh, I know he’s happy with Julian and he loves him, but…I’ve seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is watching.”  She picked up her glass of juice and took a sip.  “Major crushage there.”

 

“Buffy…”

 

“Really, though…who could blame him?  You are very crushable.”  She tilted her head in thought.  “Crushable as in easy to crush on…not crushable as in…”  She made a motion with her hands like she were crushing a can.  “Breakable.”

 

He shook his head in amusement and cracked another egg.  “Be that as it may, I highly doubt that Peter is…has…”

 

She laughed softly.  “I’m not saying that he’s gonna try to do anything about it.  But, trust me…he does.  I have a lot of experience in this matter.”

 

He raised an eyebrow.  “Oh?”

 

She rolled her eyes dramatically.  “I was a teenage girl at one time, Giles.  Of course I crushed…on a few people.”

 

He reached for a couple of plates and gestured towards the pan with the spatula.  “Sunny-side-up?”  At her nod, he placed the plates next to the stove and leaned back against the counter.  “And now?”

 

“And now, what?”

 

“We were discussing your expertise in crushes.  You stated that you ‘crushed’ on a few people during your teenage years.  And now?”

 

“Oh.”  She leaned forward and picked a piece of bacon up and broke it in half.  “I’m crushing all over the place.”  She popped one half of the bacon strip into her mouth and handed the other half to him.  “What about you?”

 

“I’ve never been a teenage girl.”

 

She laughed brightly and swivelled again on her stool.  “Good to know.  But, any crushes I should know about?”

 

“Oh, yes.”  He pushed himself up from the counter and slid the spatula under the first egg.  “Just call me the King of Crushland.”

 

She snorted as he slid the egg onto a plate and placed it in front of her.  He grinned in amusement as he handed her a fork.

 

“Did you just…snort at me?”

 

She took the fork from him and grinned happily.  “You have as many crushes as I do, don’t you?”

 

He shrugged his shoulders lightly and slid his egg onto his plate.  “You didn’t tell me how many you have.”

 

He sat down beside of her and split the remaining strips of bacon between them.  He turned his head and looked at her pointedly.

 

“Only one at the moment.  Really sexy English guy…I think you’d like him.”

 

“Oh?  And what makes you think I’d care for this Englishman?”

 

She swallowed a mouthful of egg and stabbed at a piece of bacon.  “He’s bookwormy…really smart…and he has these beautiful eyes that make me melt.”

 

“Hm.  Is he a demon?  Eyes that have melting power…should be researched.”

 

She laughed as she watched him carefully cut his egg into sections.  “And what about your crush?”

 

“Who said there’s only one?”  He grinned at her and stuck a forkful of egg into his mouth.

 

“Giles!”  She smacked his arm lightly causing his grin to turn into a full-fledged laugh. 

 

“I’ve found that I actually don’t crush much.”  He dipped a piece of bacon into the yolk of his egg and popped it into his mouth.  “I tend to admire from afar for a while and then…fall hopelessly in love.  I think I bypass the crush stage of things.”

 

She reached over and plucked a strip of bacon from his plate.  “How did we get on this topic anyway?”

 

He shook his head slowly as he chuckled.  “Your fault.  Something about someone having a crush on me.”

 

She crunched the bacon and swallowed as she nodded emphatically.  “Right!  Peter.”  She met his eyes and grinned.  “He so has a crush on you!”

 

He rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.  “Amelia’s flight leaves tomorrow morning.”

 

“You are like the King of Subject Changing!”  She pushed her empty plate away and gulped down the rest of her juice.  “When’s Peter leaving?”

 

“Apparently I’m not good enough at it…”  He muttered softly.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing…”  He slid his plate in front of her so that she could finish his remaining bacon.  “I believe that Peter and Julian are on the same flight.  That would be the sensible thing to do.”

 

“Unless Peter’s wanting to hang around for a while longer to…”

 

“Buffy…”  He interrupted softly, his tone warning her not to finish her statement.

 

“I’m just playing, Giles.  I’m sorry if I let it get out of hand a little.”  When he gave her a slight smile, her eyes brightened.  “I just think it’s kinda cute…that’s all.”

 

“You’re a strange woman.”

 

She shrugged her shoulders.  “I’m married to a strange man, so…it’s all good.”  She finished off his bacon and leaned against his shoulder.  “Can we go shopping today?”

 

“What kind of shopping?”  It didn’t really matter to him what kind of shopping she meant, so long as the question successfully changed the subject.

 

“Window shopping.”  At his questioning look, she clarified.  “For baby stuff.  Furniture, clothes, toys…stuff we’ll need for Braden.”

 

“We can do that.”  He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.  “Just window shopping though?”

 

“Mm-hm.  It’s bad luck to buy anything for a baby before the first trimester’s up.”

 

Giles did a quick calculation.  “So, we buy nothing until you’re 6.7 weeks along?”

 

Buffy laughed softly.  “Yeah, something like that.  But, I’d like to look around and get some ideas, if that’s okay with you.”

 

He reached over and tilted her face up slightly.  Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers.  He groaned softly as she deepened the kiss briefly.  When she pulled away, she smiled up at him.  He took a deep breath and returned her smile. 

 

“Do you want to go now?  Or…later?”

 

She licked her lips as she slid off of the stool and pulled him along with her.  “I was thinking…later.  You okay with that?”

 

His eyes darkened slightly as he nodded and willingly followed her towards the stairs.  “Oh, yes.  I think I’m fairly alright with that.”

 

Chapter Sixty

 

She giggled and suddenly took off in a run up the stairs.  He grinned and raced up behind her, taking the stairs two at a time.  When she reached the bedroom door, he was on her heels.  Her giggles became laughter as he picked her up and gently tossed her onto the bed.

 

He pulled off his shirt as he climbed onto the bed beside of her.  His fingers deftly untied and opened her robe.  He gazed into her eyes and smiled.

 

“Tell me…what are you wearing underneath that shirt of mine?”

 

“Do you have to ask?”  She questioned in a teasing manner.

 

He shook his head slowly as he fingered the buttons holding the shirt closed.  “No, but I enjoy you telling me.”

 

“Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.”  She reached up and placed her palm on his chest, relishing the feel of his skin.  “I love the way your shirts feel against my nipples.”

 

“Do you?”

 

“Mm, yeah.”  She closed her eyes as his hand closed over her breast, gently rubbing the soft material of his shirt across her hardened nipple.

 

“And how does that feel?”  His voice was deep with lust, causing her eyes to snap open.

 

She moved her hand slightly and curled her fingers so that her nails scraped across his nipple.  His groan rumbled in his chest.

 

“Pretty much like that…”

 

He knelt between her thighs, his right hand unbuttoning the shirt as his left continued its ministrations.  He watched her eyes close in pleasure as he pushed the shirt open, uncovering her left breast.

 

“Tell me what feels better.”  He whispered softly.

 

“Wha – oh, God!”  She gasped as his mouth covered her exposed nipple. 

 

His tongue circled the hardened flesh as his palm pressed the shirt harder against her other nipple.  He suckled lightly, smiling inwardly as she arched her back and moaned his name.  Her hands moved to his back, holding him closer to her.  He groaned against her breast as her nails raked over the still-healing gouges on his skin left from their wedding night.

 

He stopped as suddenly as he had begun, lifting his head and hand at the same time, much to her dismay.

 

“Giles!”

 

He smiled down at her, moving his left hand up to touch her face.  “So, which felt better?”

 

She stared at him for a moment before catching him off guard and pushing him onto his back.  She straddled his hips quickly and pulled the shirt off, leaving her completely naked atop him.

 

His eyes changed to a slightly darker shade of green as he rested his hands on her hips.  “Buffy…”

 

She rocked her hips against his pajama-covered groin.  “That could very well be considered cruel, Giles.”

 

He tightened his grip on her, increasing the pressure against his erection.  “Punish me.”

 

She stopped her movement and stared into his eyes.  “What punishment do you think you deserve?”

 

He inhaled sharply.  “Tease me, Buffy.”

 

“Tease you?”

 

He nodded slowly.  “Make me beg you to let me come.”

 

She leaned forward, brushing her breasts against his chest as she flicked her tongue against his bottom lip.  “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

 

He stared into her eyes.  “Yes.”

 

Her finger ran along his jaw slowly.  “You beg so rarely.”

 

“Do you not like it?  When I beg you?”  He asked softly.

 

“Oh, it turns me on.”  She kissed his lips tenderly and smiled in adoration.  “But only because it doesn’t happen very often.”

 

He lifted his hand from her hip and threaded his fingers through her hair.  “I love you, so very much.”

 

“I love you too.”  She reached up and covered his hand with hers, gently pulling it from her head.  “Now…no touching.  That’s the only rule here at the moment.  If you break the rule, I’ll have to tie you up.”

 

His eyes flashed hotly with passion.  “Pure torture.”

 

She chuckled softly and shook her head in mild amusement.  She lifted his other hand from her hip and leaned forward again, placing both of his hands above his head.  He groaned softly as her breasts swayed above him, tantalizingly close to his mouth.

 

She glanced down and smiled.  “Go ahead if you want.”

 

Her grip tightened on his hands as his warm mouth covered her nipple.  Her eyes closed in pleasure when his tongue gently circled the sensitive flesh.

 

“Oh God…Giles…”

 

His fingers curled around hers, matching her intense grip, as he continued his oral ministrations.  He grumbled softly when she pulled away.  She grinned as she knelt over his torso and shook her head slowly.

 

“That’s enough for now.”

 

His eyes darkened another shade.  “I can never get enough of you.”

 

She shifted slightly and rubbed her wet core over his abdomen.  “I said ‘for now’…”

 

His fingers gripped the spindles in the headboard tightly.  “Buffy…”

 

She placed her hands on his chest to steady herself as she rotated her hips, coating his stomach with her fluid.  “Hm?”

 

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.  “Feels good.  So…warm…”

 

She moved further down his body, rubbing herself against his straining erection.  He groaned loudly as her moisture dampened his pajama pants.  When his hips bucked slightly against her, she grinned and pressed harder against him.

 

His fingers twitched around the spindles, fighting against the urge to grab her hips as she continued her loving assault.  His eyes snapped open when her movements abruptly stopped.

 

“Buffy?”

 

“Shh.”  She smiled up at him as she eased his pants over his hips and down his thighs.  “You’re just overdressed for this.”

 

He maintained eye contact as she rid him of the offending garment and tossed the pants to the floor.  His muscles quivered lightly under her touch as she slid her hands up his legs until she reached his knees.  She licked her lips and gently nudged him, prompting him to spread his legs so that she could comfortably kneel between them.

 

“I can’t wait to taste you.”  She licked her lips again, lightly scratching her nails along his inner thighs.  She lifted her gaze from his cock and smiled.  “Would you mind if I tasted you now?”

 

“Christ, Buffy…”

 

She took his softly spoken words as an affirmative and leaned forward, slowly moving her tongue up the length of his shaft towards the glistening head.  Seeing a movement out of the corner of her eye, she shook her head.

 

“No touching, Giles.”

 

He growled, reluctantly returning his hand back to the headboard.  She grinned at him and then allowed her mouth to continue its slow path.  Hearing his sharp intake of air when her tongue gently removed the small drop of pre-cum, she quickly engulfed him.  His hips bucked involuntarily when her tongue wrapped around his erection.

 

“Fuck!”  He hissed as she quickly began sucking.

 

“Mm?”  She mumbled against him, her hands holding his hips down.

 

His right hand released the spindle and curled into a fist before slamming down on the mattress.  “So good…your mouth…so fucking…oh God, Buffy…”

 

She pulled off of him suddenly, eyes blazing as he whimpered loudly.  She watched his hand twist the bedclothes in his grip as his other threatened to snap the spindle he still clutched.

 

“Want me to keep teasing you?”

 

He stared at her, his eyes almost dangerously dark.  His chest heaved as he swallowed hard.  “Please don’t stop.”

 

She straddled his thigh and curled her hand around his cock.  She pumped him slowly as she rocked her hips against him, seeking release against his flesh.  Leaning forward slightly, her mouth latched onto his nipple. 

 

He called out her name, his mind on the verge of going into sensory overload.  She continued to undulate against him, her body trembling as her orgasm quickly approached.  She tightened her grip on his erection and bit down on his nipple.  His call of her name turned into an urgent cry.

 

“Please…Buffy, please…”

 

Hearing his pleading tone, she lifted her head.  “I’m close, Giles…touch me…”

 

Without hesitation, his hands flew to her hips.  Expecting him to pull her up and enter her, her eyes widened in surprise when he held her tighter against his thigh without hindering her own movement.

 

“I want to feel you come like this.”  His hands moved with her, effectively dragging her across his skin.  “And…please…remove your hand, lest I come all over you.”

 

They groaned simultaneously when she did as he requested.  He bent his knee, changing the angle of contact.  She placed her hands on his chest and stared into his eyes. 

 

“Giles…”

 

“Oh, God…come for me, Buffy.  Let me feel you come all over me before I roll you over and push my cock into you…”

 

“Giles!”

 

“That’s it…keep going.  Almost there…come for me.”

 

His fingers tightened on her hips, her body shuddered almost violently as she screamed his name.  He bit his lip, watching her orgasm wash over her.  Her name left his lips on a moan when he felt the warm fluid coat his thigh.

 

She had barely begun to come down before he rolled her onto her back and positioned himself between her still-trembling thighs.  He whispered her name softly, giving her a smile as she forced her eyes open.  As their gazes locked, he gently entered her.

 

“Christ…”  He groaned as her quivering inner muscles contracted around him. 

 

He stilled himself, enjoying the sensation of her aftershocks against his hardened flesh.  The fingertips of her left hand ran across his ribs slowly and she shifted underneath him. 

 

“Giles…”

 

He leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss as he began to move his hips against her.  Her right hand pressed flat against his back, holding him to her as she returned his kiss.  Her tongue slid along side of his, probing his mouth as she lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. 

 

He moved with long, deep strokes – slowly building her next orgasm.  He lifted his head, panting heavily as he looked into her darkened eyes.

 

“Buffy, I…”

 

It was that moment that the phone rang shrilly.  He growled in frustration, causing her to smile.  When her hand moved from his side, his eyes narrowed.

 

“You’re not…”

 

She reached for the phone and grinned up at him.  “You wanted me to make you beg, didn’t you?”

 

He supported himself above her with his left arm while his right hand reached out and quickly grabbed her wrist.  “As I recall, I already have.”

 

“Could be important.”

 

He shook his head and quickened his strokes.  “This is…why we have…a bloody…answering machine…”

 

He let go of her wrist and grasped her hips, quickly rolling to his left until he was on his back and effectively moving her further away from the phone. 

 

“Giles!”

 

The phone stopped its incessant ringing, more than likely because the answering machine had clicked on.  His hands moved to her back and pulled her down to his chest as he stilled his thrusts once more.

 

“You want me to beg again, Buffy?”  He asked hoarsely.  “Because, I will...if that’s what you want, I’ll beg you right now.”

 

She lifted her head and saw the truth of his words in his eyes.  “I just wanted to see your reaction.  I honestly had no intention of answering it.”

 

His hand cradled her face as his thumb brushed along her cheekbone.  “Please, Buffy.  Please make me come.”

 

She touched her lips to his before she pushed herself up.  She began to rock against him, lightly running her nails along his abdomen. 

 

“I’m sorry.”  She whispered softly.

 

When he narrowed his eyes in a silent question, she picked up her pace.  “For making you...oh, Giles...”

 

Feeling her inner muscles begin to quiver once more, he moved his hands to her hips encouraging her to move faster.  “Don’t be...just...Buffy...love me...”

 

“I do...God, I do...”  She lifted her hips and slammed back down against him.  “I’m...you’re gonna...”

 

He thrust his hips in time with hers, groaning as she brought him closer to release.  “Buffy...”

 

Her hands pressed against his chest, supporting herself as she continued to ride him.  Her nails threatened to dig into his pectoral muscles when the quivers turned into spasms as her orgasm crashed over her.

 

She was in the middle of her climax when he quickly rolled them over so that she was on her back with her legs wrapped tightly around his hips.  He quickened his strokes, groaning lustfully as her hands slid across his sweat-drenched chest.

 

He bent his head, his lips nipping at her ear before he whispered huskily.  “I love fucking you while you come.”

 

She screamed his name again as his words sent her into another immediate orgasm.  Her body bucked against him and after four more hard thrusts, he called out her name as he emptied himself into her. 

 

For a few moments, they held one another tightly, panting heavily as they each tried to catch their breath.  Her hand found its way to his damp hair and stroked the soft tendrils.

 

“My God, Giles...that was...”

 

He smiled against her skin, nodding as her words trailed off.  “Mm-hm.”

 

He carefully shifted off of her and moved to her side.  She sighed softly as he pulled her into his arms.  His hands lovingly caressed her skin and he placed a tender kiss on the top of her head.

 

After a few silent minutes, and after his breathing had returned to something that was closer to normal, he cleared his throat.  “No one has ever made me feel this way, Buffy.”

 

She looked up at him and smiled lazily.  “And what way is that?”

 

He moistened his lips and swallowed.  “You make me feel...as though I’m...”  He shook his head slowly.  “I rather think that if I say it, it shall sound...wrong in some manner.”

 

Her fingers grazed his cheek and she leaned up, kissing his lips lightly.  “Let me be the judge?”

 

He exhaled slowly.  “You make me feel as though I’m the most important thing in your life.”  He rolled his eyes and chuckled.  “And that sounded rather...”

 

“True.”  Her eyes sparkled as he met her gaze.  “It sounded rather true.  You are the most important thing in my life.  I’d go even as far as ‘in my world’.”

 

“I...Buffy...I’m so in love with you.  So much so that sometimes it...well, it frightens me at times.”

 

She pushed herself up and tilted her head in confusion.  “I frighten you?”

 

He sat up and leaned against the headboard, smiling adoringly at her.  “No, you don’t frighten me.  I’ve never been this much in love with anyone before.  And...that frightens me.  Sometimes.  Because...there are times when I’m not sure where I end and you begin.”

 

She pulled the sheet around her and pushed the hair back from her face.  “Is that...I mean...”

 

He reached out and gently touched her face as he shook his head.  “It’s not a bad thing, Buffy.  It’s just not something I’d experienced before you.”  He glanced at the sheet before meeting her eyes again.  “Why did you cover yourself?”

 

She shrugged her shoulders lightly.  “I thought...well, I thought that...”

 

“You thought I was going somewhere else with this conversation?  I was doubting our relationship?”  He sighed softly when she nodded.  He reached down and tugged the sheet away from her body.  “I have never doubted my love for you after we became a couple, Buffy.  You are so very wonderful...in so many ways.”

 

She looked down at his hand as he placed it over her stomach.  “Will you still feel that way when I’m as big as a whale?”

 

He chuckled softly.  “I’ll feel this way for the rest of my life.”  He leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft kiss.  “It doesn’t matter how big you get or...anything else.  My feelings for you won’t change.”

 

“You can’t say that, Giles.”

 

His fingers rubbed against her abdomen.  “I can think of nothing that would make them change.”

 

She shook her head and covered his hand with hers.  “Nothing?”

 

“Absolutely nothing.  Even if you tire of me and leave me behind, my feelings for you would remain.”

 

Her eyes widened.  “Giles, do you still worry about that?  About me...leaving you for someone else?”

 

“No.  I’m just saying that if it were to happen, my heart would shatter...but, I’d still be in love with you.”

 

She was silent for a moment and then shifted until she was kneeling beside of him.  “I’m not sure how we got into such a serious conversation, but...do you know how much I love you?  I mean, really know?”

 

He nodded slowly.  “As much as I love you?”

 

She kissed him gently.  “You and our son mean everything to me.  I would do anything for you, Giles.  I’d give my...”

 

He stopped her with two fingers over her lips.  “Please, don’t finish that statement.”  He swallowed hard and pulled her into a crushing embrace.  “I think that would be the one thing that would destroy me.  If you willingly gave your...”  He clenched his jaw briefly.  “I...I can’t even say it.”

 

“You almost did the same for me.”  She whispered softly against his chest. 

 

He nodded and exhaled deeply.  “Fortunately, that plan was thwarted.”

 

She pulled back and stared into his eyes.  “Okay, new promise.  We don’t intentionally give our lives up.  Unless, it’s part of a plan that we’re pretty damn sure’s gonna work.  Which means...you don’t give yourself to a vampire unless you know that someone is there to dust it before it kills you.”  She narrowed her eyes as he chuckled.  “I’m serious, Giles.  And the same goes for me.  Promise me.  We have Braden to consider in all of this now.”

 

His chuckle ended abruptly.  “I promise, Buffy.  I won’t leave you willingly.  And...I won’t leave our son without a fight.”

 

She took a deep breath and offered him a smile.  “I promise too.  I love you, Giles.”

 

He returned her smile and pulled her back into his arms.  “I love you too, Buffy.”

 

 

Part Seven

 

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