Title: The Protector
Author: Froxyn
Rating: FRAO
Timeline: Three months after A Perfect Day.
Synopsis: Something isn’t quite right with Buffy. Could it be that her eldest child is nearly
ten years old?
Buffy bit her lip
hard enough to draw blood as she threw her head back. Giles groaned, holding her hip with his right
hand as his left moved up to her sweat-dampened chest. She had her second orgasm as his fingers
pinched and rolled her erect nipple.
Giles quickly rolled
their bodies until she was underneath him.
As she lifted her legs around his thrusting hips, he leaned forward and
licked the blood from her lip before plunging his tongue into her mouth.
Her hands slipped
across his back, the moisture coating his skin making it nearly impossible to
grip him tightly. Feeling her nails dig
into his shoulder blades, he lifted his head and groaned loudly.
Taking the opportunity
that was presented to her, she licked the sweat from his throat before latching
her mouth onto his skin and sucking hard.
The muscles in his back tensed, her name leaving his lips on a moan, as
he lost the battle and came deep within her.
He shifted to her
side before his arms gave out and pulled her into a kiss that left them even
more breathless. Her fingers ran through
his wet hair as he slowly ended the kiss and looked into her eyes.
“I love you so much,
Buffy.”
She offered him a
bright smile that reached her eyes and kissed him lightly. “Not as much as I love you.”
Returning her smile,
he pulled her into his arms and closed his eyes. He’d get dressed later. Right now, he just wanted to hold her and
listen to her whispered words of love.
* * *
Four hours later, a
shiver went through Buffy so violently that she opened her eyes in alarm. She glanced around the room before looking at
the man lying next to her. She swallowed
the lump in her throat and breathed a heavy, sad sigh.
Climbing out of bed,
she quickly dressed and glanced at the clock.
It was nearly five in the morning, too late to go on a patrol…and there
was no way she’d be able to go back to sleep.
She glanced at Giles again and slipped out of the bedroom.
As she closed the
door behind her, Giles shifted in his sleep and pulled the blanket up over his
shoulders.
* * *
Giles blindly smacked
the alarm clock when it buzzed at precisely seven o’clock and then reached out
to pull Buffy against his chest. His
eyes opened when he realized that she wasn’t in bed.
He yawned and ran his
fingers through his hair as he sat up.
It wasn’t like Buffy to be up and out of bed before him. And then he heard the excited laughter of his
daughter. The children must have gotten up
earlier than usual.
Climbing out of bed,
he made his way into the bathroom attached to their bedroom. After turning on the shower, he glanced in
the mirror and smiled at the small mark at the base of his throat. A buttoned collar and tie were in order for
today.
He chuckled to
himself and stepped under the warm spray.
* * *
Giles walked into the
kitchen to find Buffy staring out the window with a mug of coffee in her
hand. He smiled as Callie came bounding
in to greet him. Hearing the commotion behind
her, she slowly turned and took a deep breath.
Giles was busy
filling the kettle, but looked up at her and smiled. “Good morning.”
She averted her eyes
quickly. “Hi.”
He looked at her
curiously as he flipped the switch and pulled down a mug for his tea. “Where are the children?”
Buffy stared at her
coffee. “I, uh…asked Mom to drop them
off on her way to work.”
“Oh.” He answered softly, suddenly concerned. “Are you unwell?”
“No.” She exhaled deeply and looked up at him. “I just…Giles, we need to talk.”
He nodded slowly and
gestured towards the living room.
“Alright.”
He followed her into
the other room, his concern growing when he noticed her slumped shoulders. Sitting down on the couch, his brow furrowed
when she bit her lip and sat down in one of the chairs. He absently stroked Callie’s head as she
pulled herself up onto the couch next to him.
“What’s wrong,
Buffy?”
“Braden’s birthday is
next month.” She replied, turning her
eyes away from him again.
“Yes.”
“I don’t want him doing
this.”
“Buffy – ”
She interrupted him
quickly, looking into his eyes with a determination that he knew far too
well. “I want our children to have
normal lives. How can they have that
being children of a Watcher and a Slayer?
I want them to be safe…and Braden joining the Council is anything but
safe.”
“This is his choice,
Buffy.”
“He’s nine years old,
Giles! He’s not old enough to make a
choice like this!”
Giles’ eyes widened
in shock at her outburst. “Buffy…he can
withdraw at any time should he change his mind…you know this. I’m not forcing him into joining the
Academy.”
When she stood up and
started to pace, he stood up as well and walked closer to her. As she passed by him, he gently reached out
and touched her shoulder. He pulled back
quickly when she jerked away from his touch.
“Buffy, what’s
wrong? Please, tell me. What’s the real issue here?”
She stopped pacing
and stared out the window. She ran her
hand through her hair and Giles saw the tremble in her fingers.
“Buffy?” He whispered as he took a step towards her.
“There’s no good way
to say this.” She whispered in reply.
He cleared his
throat, his worry growing at an exponential rate. “Perhaps you should…just say it.”
She took a deep
breath and slowly turned to face him. “I…I don’t think…”
As she shook her
head, he took another step towards her.
“Buffy? Whatever it is, it can’t
be that bad. Talk to me.”
She closed her eyes
and lowered her head. Her next statement
coming out as a quickly spoken whisper.
“I don’t think I love
you anymore.”
When Giles didn’t
respond, she lifted her head to find him staring at her in disbelief.
“I don’t want to hurt
you, but…”
“What?” His eyes glistened as he shook his head. “Buffy – ”
“I can’t do this
anymore, Giles.” She whispered.
“I…don’t
understand.” His jaw clenched and
released as he fought back his tears.
“When…why…”
“I don’t know.” She admitted softly. “I care about you and I’m sorry I’m hurting
you. But, I have to do what’s best for
me. And right now…”
“You…fell out of love
with me?” He swallowed reflexively and
he felt like he’d been punched in the stomach.
She looked down at
her left hand and carefully removed the three rings she wore on her ring
finger. When she gently placed them on
the coffee table, she sighed heavily and lifted her eyes to his. She looked away quickly when she saw a tear
roll down his cheek.
“I’m sorry.” She offered quietly before walking to the
door. She stopped when she heard his
pain-filled voice.
“I…have no say in
this? No…no chance to…try to fix
whatever’s wrong?”
She licked her dry
lips and turned to look at him. “It
can’t be fixed, Giles. You can’t fix
what’s gone.”
He searched her eyes
and another tear fell when he couldn’t see the love in them. Even in their most heated arguments, he was
always able to see the love in her eyes.
“What did I do?” He asked, his voice trembling.
“Nothing. It’s nothing you did…or didn’t do. I just…”
She sighed and picked up her car keys.
“It’s time for me to move on. I
won’t take the kids from you. We can
have joint custody of them…I’ll find a new place to live.”
His heart raced in
his chest, her words digging into his brain.
“You’re…leaving me.”
“It’s for the
best…for both of us. You wouldn’t be
happy in a one-sided marriage, Giles.
And…neither would I. I think the
best thing right now is a divorce.”
“Ten years,
Buffy. How can you just…fall out of love
with someone…after ten years?”
Buffy exhaled
softly. “Sometimes it happens. It happened with my parents…”
“We are not
your parents!” Giles answered loudly,
his pain breaking through the barriers he had hastily set up when the
conversation began. “We…what we have is
different…special. It’s not something
you just throw away without trying to sort out the problem!”
“I’m sorry I hurt
you.”
“Hurt me?” He stared at her incredulously. “You tell me that you’re not in love with me
anymore…that you’re leaving me…divorcing me…and you think you’ve hurt
me? My God, Buffy…I’ve given you
everything, I’ve…”
He shook his head
again, his vision blurred by his tears.
“I…I don’t know what I feel…but, I think that ‘hurt’ would be welcome at
this point.”
Not knowing what else
to say, she sighed and opened the door.
“We can talk more tonight. I’ll
drop the kids off after school and we can decide what to tell them.”
Giles’ mind swam as
he watched Buffy walk through the door and close it behind her. He wanted to run after her, to make her
explain things to him. But his feet
weren’t cooperating. He found himself
standing there, staring at the closed door and unable to move.
He closed his eyes,
praying that he was having a nightmare and that he’d wake up very soon. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes,
glancing around the room. Seeing the
three rings on the coffee table, he slowly made his way over and gingerly
picked them up.
He sank down onto the
couch and stared at them. Callie looked
up at him with curious eyes. When Giles’
tears turned to heart-wrenching sobs and his hand closed around the jewellery
in, she laid her head on his knee and snuggled as close to him as she could.
Giles sat on the back
porch, a lit cigarette held between his fingers. Once he had been able to get himself under some
sort of control, he had made a trip down to the corner store. The clerk had raised an eyebrow when Giles
requested three packs of cigarettes, but he handed them over when he noticed
the sadness in Giles’ eyes.
That had been an hour
ago…and three hours since Buffy had walked out the door. In that space of time, his mobile had rung
nearly constantly. He hadn’t called the
office to tell anyone that he wasn’t coming in.
That would cause too many questions that he didn’t know how to
answer. And besides, he didn’t want to
talk to anyone.
He flipped it open
and spoke with a hoarse voice.
“I don’t want to
talk, Ethan.”
Before Ethan had a
chance to say anything, Giles closed the phone and considered throwing it
across the yard. Instead he dropped it
onto the porch beside of him and looked down at Callie. She hadn’t left his side and was now looking
up at him.
“Go get a ball and
I’ll throw it for you, Cal. No reason
for both of us to be depressed.”
Callie lifted her
head from Giles’ thigh and he forced a smile onto his face.
“Get your ball.”
She stood hesitantly,
moving only after he gave her a reassuring pat.
* * *
Ethan lowered the
phone and stared at it. “Something’s
very wrong.”
“What did he
say?”
“That he didn’t want
to talk.”
Michael rubbed
Ethan’s back in a comforting manner.
“Maybe he’s not feeling well.”
Ethan shook his head,
but it was Xander who answered.
“If he was just sick,
he would’ve called. Gotta agree with
Ethan on this one. Something’s very
wrong.”
Ethan looked at
They gave a quick
nod, promising to call as soon as they found her, and then ran out of the
room. Ethan took Michael’s hand and
started walking towards the door.
When Michael
hesitated, Ethan tilted his head in a silent question.
“I just think he’ll
be more likely to open up if it’s just you.
I can help the others look for Buffy.”
“Michael…”
Michael leaned
forward and lightly kissed Ethan’s lips.
“I trust you, Ethan. I don’t need
to be with you every time you see Rupert.
Besides…I really think it’ll go better if it’s just the two of you.”
Ethan thought for a
moment and then sighed. “I really love
you, Mike.”
Michael smiled and
kissed him again. “I really love you too. Now, go on…call me when you know something.”
Ethan nodded and then
left quickly as Michael went to find
* * *
“I told you that I
didn’t want to talk.” Giles muttered,
not even looking up at Ethan as he watched Callie bring the ball back to him.
“Yeah, you did.” Ethan glanced at the ashtray next to Giles,
then at the cigarette burning between his fingers. “But, the fact that you seem to be smoking
like a freight train and the tone of your voice tells me that you need to
talk.”
Giles threw the ball
again, taking a drag from the cigarette as Ethan sat down beside of him on the
step. “I don’t even know what to say.”
Ethan pulled a pack
of cigarettes from his pocket and shook one out. “How about you just say the first thing that
comes into your mind?”
Giles sighed and
looked up at an airplane flying overhead.
“Do you think it’s possible to fall out of love with someone overnight?”
Ethan lowered his
hand that held his lighter and pulled the unlit cigarette from his mouth. “You fell out of love with Buffy?”
Giles chuckled sadly,
looking back down as Callie dropped the ball at his feet before climbing up and
taking her place beside him with her head on his thigh. “No.
Rather the other way around, apparently.”
Ethan stared at Giles
in shock. “I didn’t realize you were
having problems.”
“We weren’t.” He crushed his cigarette out in the ashtray
and blew out a lungful of smoke. “Or…at
least I didn’t think we were.”
Ethan shook his head
in confusion. “There had to have been signs. I mean, for Buffy to fall out of love with
you…there had to be something.”
Giles rubbed his hand
along Callie’s back as he turned his bloodshot eyes to Ethan. “Overnight, Ethan. Quite literally.”
“What?”
Giles took a deep
breath and cleared his throat.
“Everything was fine last night…better than fine, actually. We…made love, held each other as we fell
asleep…”
He reached for
another cigarette, swallowing hard as the tears threatened to come again. “This morning…she told me she didn’t love me
anymore. She…she left…wants a divorce…”
“No. No, no…this is a misunderstanding of some
sort, Rupert.”
Giles looked into
Ethan’s eyes, a tear escaping from the corner of his left eye. “There was no love for me in her eyes,
Ethan. And that…has never happened
before. Not even during our worst
arguments…not when I had sex with Amelia…and not when she stopped me from
fucking that woman in the pub. There was
always love in her eyes…but not today.”
“Where is she?”
Giles shrugged
sadly. “Gone. Said she’d be back tonight to talk about what
we’re going to tell the children.”
Ethan bit his lip in
thought and then snapped his fingers.
“Give me your wedding ring.”
“Why?”
“The enchantment on
your rings…I can find her.”
Giles shook his head
as he lit the cigarette. “No…you can’t.”
Ethan furrowed his
brow. “You took the enchantment off?”
“No.” Giles inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with
smoke. “But the spell will lead you to
the one place where I know for a fact she’s not.”
“What?”
Giles looked at him
and reached into his pocket. Ethan
looked down as Giles opened his hand to reveal three rings…rings that had
always been on Buffy’s finger.
“Rupert…”
“What am I going to
do, Ethan?”
Ethan inhaled
deeply. “It has to be a spell,
Rupert. That’s the only possible
explanation.”
“I didn’t sense
magick on her. Not even the slightest
trace.”
Ethan started to
reply, but was interrupted when his mobile rang. He glanced at the caller id and quickly
flipped it open.
“Willow…”
“Is he okay? God, Ethan…is he okay?”
Ethan looked at his
friend, sighing as Giles lowered his head to his hands and allowed the tears to
break free again. “Not in the
slightest. I take it that you were able
to?”
“Yeah. She…she said that…God, is it really over?”
“Did you sense any
magick on her?”
At that question,
Giles looked up and stared at Ethan.
“No, why?”
“Because I don’t
believe it’s possible for someone to fall out of love with someone that they’ve
been completely devoted to for over ten years in the blink of an eye. Especially not Buffy or Rupert.”
Giles stood up and
dropped his cigarette into the ashtray.
As he walked towards the door, Ethan stopped him with a question.
“Where are you
going?”
“I’m
exhausted…physically and emotionally.
I’m going to lie down.”
Ethan nodded
slowly. “I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Thank you.” Giles whispered softly before walking inside,
Callie walking next to him.
“We’re coming
over.”
“Okay. I think he’s going to need all of us.”
They said their
goodbyes and Ethan closed his phone.
Taking a deep breath, he stood and walked through the door. He glanced at the kitchen counter and sighed. It looked like he was in the middle of making
a cup of tea…and never finished.
Shaking his head
sadly, he walked into the living room to find Giles standing there…staring down
the hall.
“Rupert?”
“I…” He swallowed and shook his head. “I can’t go to the bedroom.”
Ethan nodded in
understanding. “Guest room, Rupert. Take Callie with you.”
Giles nodded numbly
and started down the hall. Ethan’s heart
ached for his friend as he looked around the room.
They were going to
need to get to the bottom of this…and fast.
* * *
Ethan looked up as
“Where is he?”
He motioned towards
the hall. “Trying to rest…he’s in the
guest room. What, uh…what did Buffy
say?”
Xander scratched his
neck. “Basically, the same thing over
and over. She didn’t want to hurt him,
she cared about him, but she didn’t love him anymore.”
“Told him that she
wanted one.” Xander corrected
softly. “No asking…she told him. And, that’s not like Buffy.”
“Yeah.” Ethan stated quietly. “That’s what has me worried.”
* * *
About an hour after
“I think I’m going to
see if he’ll talk to me.”
Oz nodded and gave
her soft kiss. “We’ll be here if you
need us.”
He had changed at
some point, now wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. At first, she thought he was asleep and then
heard him say her name.
“Sorry, I just wanted
to check on you.”
His Adam’s apple
bobbed as he swallowed and opened his eyes.
“You can come in, if you’d like.”
She entered the room
and closed the door behind her. Callie
raised her head and gave her tail a light wag.
Willow smiled
briefly. “I didn’t think she was allowed
on the beds.”
“Doesn’t really
matter now.” Giles responded in a flat
tone as he gently stroked Callie’s fur.
“Giles…”
“I knew it would hurt
when it happened. To be honest, I didn’t
really think it would happen. I thought
she loved me as much as I love her. But,
I knew that if it did happen, it would hurt.”
He finally looked at
her and she gasped at the depth of pain in his eyes. “God, Giles…”
“I didn’t think that
it would feel like this. I don’t think there
are words to describe what I’m feeling at the moment.”
“There has to be
something going on for her to do this.
She does love you, Giles.”
“Not anymore. I never thought I’d look into her eyes and
see nothing…and that’s what I saw this morning.
I thought at one time I’d be a single father…however, I thought that
would happen due to Buffy’s death…not due to a divorce.”
He started to
continue, pausing and looking at Callie when he felt her growl rumble. Her hackles began to bristle as she stood, her
growl becoming audible.
Willow looked at
Giles in surprise. “What’s wrong with
her?”
“I don’t know.” He stood up as Callie jumped off the bed and
ran to the door. It didn’t go unnoticed
that her tail was not wagging. “Something’s
has her on alert.”
Willow noticed the
dark bruise at the base of his throat.
It couldn’t be more than a day old.
And if they had been passionate enough for Buffy to mark him, she still
loved him.
Just as she opened
her mouth to say that very thing, the doorbell rang. Callie growled and then started to bark. Giles opened the door and Callie took off
down the hall. Giles followed closely
behind. Willow followed him.
“Callie, stay!” Giles ordered firmly as Xander walked to the
front door.
Callie stopped and
sat next to Giles’ feet, her growl continuing to rumble dangerously. Giles looked over Xander as he opened the
door, his eyes darkening as the visitor was revealed.
“Quentin.”
Quentin grinned as he
pushed past Xander and calmly walked into the living room. Ethan moved to stand protectively in front of
Michael. Quentin noticed the movement
and chuckled.
“I’m not here to see
you, Mr. Rayne.” He turned his eyes
towards Giles and glared. “You’re the
man I’m here to see.”
“I…I thought…well, wasn’t
he sent to another dimension?”
“I was.” He looked at
Hearing the puppy
growl, Quentin lowered his eyes and chuckled.
“Resorting to guard dogs now, Rupert?”
“No. But, she knows shit when she sees it.” Giles replied coldly. “What the fuck are you doing here, Quentin.”
“I see that your
language hasn’t improved.” Quentin
clucked his tongue in disappointment.
“You and I…we need to have a discussion.”
“I’m rather sure I
have absolutely nothing to discuss with you.”
Quentin gave an
exasperated sigh. “Come now. It’s taken me a little over ten years to find
my way back to this dimension. At least
give me the common courtesy of a chat.”
“Daddy!”
Everyone turned to
find Buffy standing in the open doorway, her mouth open in shock. Braden stood at her right side, Lucas at her
left, Evan in her arms. Haddie ran
towards her father and wrapped her arms around his legs.
“Hello,
darling.” Giles whispered, glancing down
at her quickly before returning his glare back to Quentin.
“My, my, my…you have
been a busy fellow, haven’t you?”
Buffy carefully
placed Evan on the ground. “Hold your
brother’s hand, Ev.”
“Mum?” Braden asked as his eyes darted between his
parents.
“It’s okay, Ru. Just…take your brothers outside with Callie.”
Lucas looked up at
his mother. “And Haddie?”
Buffy looked at Giles
and noticed him stiffen. She glanced at
Haddie and saw her smile at something that Buffy couldn’t see.
“No…I’ll send Haddie
out with Xander in a few minutes, okay?”
Quentin glanced at
the oldest boy as he led the two younger ones towards the kitchen. “You’re him.”
Before Braden could
question him, Giles pushed Haddie behind him and took a step forward. “Go anywhere near my children and I’ll
fucking kill you right here.”
Quentin smiled softly
and gave him a nod. Giles looked at
Braden and swallowed.
“Go on, Ru…take them
outside. Callie, off you go.”
Callie looked up at
Giles and then looked at Quentin. When
Braden called her, she cautiously walked by the strange man and ran to the back
door.
As the back door
closed, Haddie tugged on Giles’ pant leg.
Knowing that Buffy was watching Quentin, he looked down at his daughter.
“What is it, Hadley?”
“Katie says it was
his fault.” She stated as she pointed at
Quentin.
“What?”
Haddie looked up next
to her, obviously listening. Quentin
raised an eyebrow.
“Well, that’s interesting.”
Giles glared at
him. “Shut the fuck up, Quennie.”
“Daddy? Katie says he gave her mum some tea and then
she went to sleep.”
Giles swallowed the
lump that formed in his throat. “Katie
went to sleep or her mum went to sleep?”
“Katie did.”
Giles’ fingers
trembled as he tenderly stroked his daughter’s cheek. “Thank you, love. Now…go outside with Xander and Anya, okay?”
Haddie nodded
happily, oblivious to the tension in the room and took Anya’s hand. As soon as they were outside, Giles clenched
his fist and took a step towards Quentin.
“Giles…”
He turned towards the
voice, meeting Buffy’s eyes. “This
doesn’t concern you, Buffy. Not
anymore.”
Quentin
chuckled. “Trouble in paradise, then?”
Giles struck quickly,
slamming his fist into Quentin’s jaw before throwing him against the wall. His eyes were nearly black with rage as he
stared into Quentin’s surprised eyes.
“You hated me so much
that you killed my daughter?”
Quentin coughed,
blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You put something in
Amelia’s tea…something that caused her to abort the baby. Why? Why would you do that?” The trembling in his voice increasing with
his volume.
“It had to be done,
Rupert. It was the will of the
Council. I was just following – ”
Giles punched him
again, this time in the torso…the sound of a rib snapping sounding loud in the
room. “You killed my daughter!”
“Dad.”
Giles turned quickly,
his left hand around Quentin’s throat.
“Katie.”
Katie’s image
shimmered as she looked around the room at the shocked faces before meeting her
father’s eyes. “Let him go, Dad.”
Giles shook his head
as his eyes glistened, the emotional rollercoaster that he’d been on all day
pushing him closer to losing control.
“Katie…”
Katie stepped
forward, becoming solid long enough to touch the side of his face. “If you do this, you’ll lose everything. Don’t let him win.”
“I’ve already lost
everything.” He whispered, not daring to
look at his wife.
Katie sighed
sadly. “No, Dad…you haven’t. Trust me.”
Giles thought about
her words, reluctantly releasing Quentin from his grip. Quentin coughed and then groaned as he held
his side. Realizing that he needed to
say what he came to say quickly, he began speaking between gasps.
“Buffy…is the
Mishtwanai.”
Giles turned quickly
and stared at him. “What do you know
about it?”
Quentin grinned,
blood staining his teeth. “I know that
the Protector will be taking his Oath in less than a month.”
“Bloody hell…” Ethan muttered, casting Oz a quick glance.
Giles straightened
and clenched his fist again. “What did
you say?”
“I thought you
knew. You did know, I’m sure of
it.” Quentin answered, confusion in his
voice. “Your son…he’s the Protector.”
Giles narrowed his
eyes. “That’s why you tried to kill
Buffy. Because she’s the Mishtwanai.”
Quentin shook his
head. “Buffy would…would’ve been a
casualty. It was your son I
needed…need…to stop.”
“Why should I believe
you?” Giles asked, a dangerous tone in
his voice. “You murdered my
daughter…attempted to murder my wife and son…”
“It’s the
truth.” Katie spoke softly. “He’s also behind the personal problems
you’re currently having.”
Buffy’s mouth dropped
open. “What?”
Katie sighed and
looked at Buffy. “My father is very
close to losing control…to becoming something he has successfully fought for
many years. If that happens…Quentin
Travers succeeds in bringing down everything…including the world, eventually.”
“She’s lying!” Quentin screamed as Giles threw him back
against the wall.
Ethan stared at
Travers, mumbling a few words under his breath and closing his eyes. After a few seconds, his eyes snapped back
open.
“Rupert! Around his neck is a medallion…”
Giles didn’t let him
finish, his hands quickly ripping open Quentin’s shirt and jerking the
medallion from his neck. He stared at
it, carefully turning it in his hands.
“Maharajish? You summoned Maharajish to fuck with my
life?”
Quentin shook his
head, his eyes widening with panic. “Rupert,
no…don’t!”
Giles backhanded him,
the crack of his jaw giving Giles a sense of pleasure. Quentin groaned, holding his jaw.
“You’re going…to
believe…some bloody…ghost…and a…sorcerer?”
“No.” Giles answered, standing straight. “I’m going to believe my daughter and my best
friend.”
Quentin glanced at
Ethan and narrowed his eyes. “He tried
to help me take your son, remember?”
“Because you
threatened him. He felt he had no other
choice. And, if it weren’t for him, you would
have succeeded in taking my wife and son from me. He helped me, remember?”
Quentin’s eyes darted
towards the medallion. Giles smiled a
Ripperish smile.
“Ethan? What do I do with this?”
“Um…smash it.” Ethan replied quickly.
“NO!” Quentin screamed as Giles dropped the
medallion to the ground and crushed it with the heel of his shoe.
Buffy’s loud gasp got
Giles’ attention. He turned to look at
her, somewhat surprised to see tears in her eyes.
“Oh my God! Giles…”
Whatever she was
going to say was swallowed by her sudden fury.
Before he could stop her, Buffy had launched herself at Quentin. He grimaced at the sound of his skull
cracking against the wall as she slammed him back.
“You bastard!”
As she pulled her
fist back in preparation to punch him, Giles grabbed her arm and jerked her
towards him. She swung around, ready to
hit whoever had stopped her. When she
looked into his panicked eyes, her tears broke free.
“I love you,
Giles. I love you.”
When she collapsed
into sobs, he pulled her into his arms.
“Ssh, love. It’s alright…”
She shook her head
quickly, her fingers grasping the front of his t-shirt. “No…it’s so not alright! God…he…that fucking bastard!”
As soon as he felt
her rage begin to build again, he tightened his arms around her. “Buffy…”
He was interrupted by
Katie’s soft voice. “It was intended to
be worse.”
Quentin groaned,
holding his hand to the back of his bloody head. Ethan and Oz both took a step forward, watching
the injured man cautiously as Buffy and Giles both looked at the shimmering
spirit.
“What do you
mean?” Buffy asked, her voice trembling.
“Maharajish, going by
Travers’ orders, attempted to turn you against him. By saying and doing things that would leave
him utterly destroyed.”
“Destroyed?” Buffy whispered.
Katie nodded
sadly. “Beyond repair. And once my father had reached that point,
the spell would have lifted on its own.
However…nothing would have brought my father back. And you would have had to live with the fact
that you rendered him completely incapacitated.”
Giles narrowed his
eyes in thought. “But…that didn’t
happen.”
Katie’s smile
returned as she glanced at Buffy. “Her
love for you is so strong, so…devout…that the worst Maharajish could accomplish
was making her believe that she had fallen out of love with you.”
Quentin swallowed and
gasped for breath. “Had…to be…done.”
Buffy and Giles
turned as one and stared down at the injured man. Quentin licked his bloody lips.
“He…must not take…the
Oath.” He groaned again and
coughed. “The…Protector…must
be…stopped.”
Giles knelt and
stared into Quentin’s eyes. “The
Protector is destined to eradicate demonic activity…evil demonic activity…from
Earth. And you think he should be stopped.”
“All I’ve…worked
for…since…since I took…my own Oath…would be…would be for naught.”
Giles’ eyes darkened
with anger. “You tried to kill my son,
my wife…destroy our lives…because you believe that your ‘work’ would be
nullified? You right bastard.”
He clenched his fist
and leaned forward. Oz and Ethan stepped
back, standing in front of the respective spouses.
“You do realize that
you are going to die now.” Giles stated,
his icy tone ringing loud in the room.
Katie moved quickly and
knelt next to Giles. “He is going to
die. But, not by your hand.”
Giles looked at her,
ready to protest. Katie shook her head
slowly.
“The Rupert Giles
that I know…and love…as my father would never take a human life as
revenge.” She turned her eyes to Quentin
as she continued. “Look at his
eyes. Do you see the fear in them?”
She looked at Buffy
before catching her father’s eyes again.
“He knows he has less than eight hours to live. Maharajish has been released…and he will hunt
down the person who summoned him. He
will devour him…flesh, bone, and soul…before returning to his dimension. The clock has started.”
Giles’ mind processed
her words quickly. He turned back to
Quentin and grinned.
“Tick-fucking-tock,
Quennie.”
“Let him go,
Dad. Get him out of your house. Maharajish will stop at nothing to get to
Travers. And that includes killing
anyone, anything, in its path. For your
safety, and the safety of your family…”
She smiled as she looked over at the four people staring at her, recognizing
the fact that he thought of them as his family.
“Let him go, Dad.”
Giles took a deep
breath and stood. Quentin’s eyes
widened, his blubbering pleas going unnoticed as Giles grabbed the front of his
shirt and dragged him towards the door.
As Giles opened the
door and hauled the man up, he stared into his eyes. “This is the end, Quentin.”
“I’m sorry, God I’m
sorry!”
“Too little, too
late.” Giles shook his head and pushed
Quentin out the front door. He exhaled
slowly as he glanced at his watch. It
was nearly four o’clock. By midnight,
Quentin would never be an issue again.
“Your time’s running out.”
And with that, he
gently closed the front door and closed his eyes.
When Quentin’s screams
had died down, Giles looked out the window to find the injured man limping down
the road as fast as he could. Giles
sighed heavily and made his way back into the living room.
“I…think that’s the
last we’ll see of Quentin Travers.”
“Can’t say I’m sad
about that.” Ethan replied softly. “Are you okay?”
Giles looked at Buffy
and, seeing her love for him shining brightly in her hazel eyes, nodded. “I believe I am.”
Buffy rushed to him,
wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face in his chest. “I’m so sorry, Giles!”
He held her tightly,
rubbing her back soothingly. “It wasn’t
your fault, love.”
Katie watched the
couple, a smile on her face, and then took a step back. “It’s time for me to go.”
Giles looked up
quickly and shook his head. “No, not
yet. Please…tell me more about the
Protector.”
Katie glanced at Oz
and Ethan and smiled. “Perhaps his
unofficial bodyguards can provide you with the information you need.”
Ethan cleared his
throat and offered a nervous smile.
“Think we’re gonna have to now.”
Giles carefully, and
lovingly, untangled himself from Buffy’s arms and stepped towards Katie. “Thank you, Katie. Thank you so much.”
Katie’s smile grew as
she shook her head. “You never have to
thank me. Just…remember that I love you
and that I’m around from time to time.
My little sister seems to like having me around.”
Giles’ eyes
glistened. “One day I’ll tell her the
truth of who you are. She’s…”
“She’s too
young.” Katie finished for him. “I understand…and I agree. I’ll be her friend until she’s old enough to
understand. And then I’ll become her
sister as well.”
As Katie began to
fade, Giles took a deep breath.
“Katie? I…I love you too.”
Katie grinned. “I know.”
The words echoed
softly in the room as she faded away completely. Giles looked down as Buffy slipped her hand
into his.
“You okay?”
A smile played at his
lips as he gently squeezed her hand. “I
am now.”
Clearing his throat,
he looked over at the four standing across the room. “Unofficial bodyguards?”
Oz smiled softly as
he shrugged a shoulder. “He needed
someone to watch out for him.”
Buffy tilted her head
slightly as she looked at Oz. “That
explains why the wolf would always come out…in one way or the other…”
Oz nodded. “If I felt Braden was in danger…or in danger
of being in danger. Yeah.”
“Quentin was under
the impression that I knew.” Giles
stated as he looked at Ethan.
Ethan bit his lip and
took a deep breath. “You did.”
The room was quiet
for a few moments before Giles spoke again.
“Perhaps we should
sit down and talk.”
* * *
Xander and Anya had
brought the children and Callie back inside once they were sure that the danger
was over. Braden and Lucas had both been
extremely concerned about their parents, and were clearly relieved when they
had been reunited.
After a while of
answering questions as carefully as they could, Giles suggested that Braden
take his siblings back outside to play…using the excuse of it being a beautiful
day and that there was only about half an hour of daylight left. Braden shook his head, not comfortable with
that suggestion. However, he did herd
his siblings down the hall and into the playroom.
Ethan had excused
himself to the bathroom and came back a few minutes later with a towel wrapped
around his thigh. Michael’s eyes widened
in alarm.
“What the hell
happened?”
Ethan gave him a
reassuring smile and kissed his lips.
“I’m alright. This needed to be
done.”
Oz and Ethan shared a
knowing look as Ethan placed the stone on the coffee table. He exhaled slowly and looked into Giles’
eyes.
“Smash it.”
Giles furrowed his
brow. “I know this stone. The night…”
He looked at Ethan curiously.
“The night Chaos nearly took you…you told me to smash it then.”
Ethan nodded and sat
down next to Michael. “And you
didn’t…which is why you need to now.”
With no further
questions, Giles picked up a marble paperweight and brought it down on top of
the stone. There were three simultaneous
gasps as the memories were released.
Anya looked at Xander in confusion.
“Okay…I’m guess that
was a Lethe’s Bramble spell…but, I’m not remembering anything I didn’t already
remember.”
Giles swallowed
thickly. “You’ve known…for nearly seven
years?”
“It was for the best,
Rupert.” Ethan replied softly. “I wish we could have kept it from you
longer.”
Buffy sniffled,
causing Giles to pull her into his arms.
She sniffled again and shook her head.
“No, I’m okay. It’s just…”
She looked into Giles’ eyes and wiped a tear from her cheek. “Our son is destined for this. And…we can help him.”
Buffy glanced around
the room. “We can all help him.”
As everyone nodded
and stated their agreement, Oz leaned towards Ethan and lowered his voice to a
whisper.
“That went better
than I was expecting.”
Ethan chuckled
softly. “He’s older. And…it hasn’t completely sunk in yet.”
They both looked over
at the Gileses just in time to see them share a kiss. The first kiss since Maharajish’s spell had
been broken.
“They’ll need our
help later.” Ethan added softly.
* * *
Giles smiled
nervously as Buffy climbed on top of him.
When he glanced at the door, she grinned.
“They’re keeping the
kids busy. They knew we needed to talk.”
He nodded slowly and
moved his hands to her hips. He
swallowed and took a deep breath, tightening his hands to still her movements.
Thinking that he
still had his doubts, she leaned over him and slipped her right hand under his
shirt. “I love you, Giles. I’m so in love with you.”
“I know.” He answered softly. “It’s just…I need…”
She gently rubbed his
chest when he trailed off. “What do you
need, honey?”
He looked into her eyes
and sighed. “I need you to hold me.”
“Oh, Giles…”
He dropped his eyes
from her gaze and cleared his throat.
“I…I need to feel your arms around me, Buffy.”
She nodded in
understanding and moved to his side. She
quickly slipped her left arm under his back and wrapped her right arm over his
chest. She held him as tightly as she
could without bruising him and rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m glad it wasn’t
worse.”
He rubbed her back
slowly, turning his head to kiss her forehead.
“Hm?”
“I…there’s no way I
could’ve lived with myself…if I’d hurt you beyond repair.” She whispered as her tears began to build.
He rolled her onto
her back and leaned over her. His
fingertips stroked her cheek as he shook his head.
“Please, don’t. I can’t bear to see you cry.” He lowered his mouth to hers, gently kissing
her lips. “He didn’t succeed,
Buffy. I’m far from being destroyed.”
She placed her left
hand on the side of his face. “I hurt
you so much.”
“No, love.” He answered softly, moving down to kiss her
again. “He hurt me. It was his fault…you are not to blame.”
Her eyes darted to
her hand and the tears spilled over her eyelids. “Oh my God!”
His eyes widened in
alarm as he pushed himself up. “What is
it? What’s wrong, Buffy?”
She lowered her hand
from his face and stared at it. “My
rings…I took…oh, God…I took my rings off!”
He breathed a sigh of
relief and offered her a gentle smile as he brushed her tears away with his
fingers. Shifting enough so that he
could reach the pocket of his jeans, he whispered softly to her. “It’s okay, Buffy.”
She sniffled and
shook her head. “I’ve never taken them
off…”
He placed a tender
kiss on her mouth and then opened his left hand. She looked down at his palm and gasped.
“They weren’t lost,
darling.”
Her chest heaved as
she fought back her tears, his fingers lovingly slipping the rings back where
they belonged. “I’m surprised…you…you
didn’t…throw them away…”
He chuckled softly,
his smile showing in his eyes. “They
were too expensive to throw away.”
Her eyes conveyed her
shock. “You think it’s funny?”
“No.” He whispered.
“The pain that we’ve both experienced over this is not amusing in the
least.”
“And yet…you made a
joke.”
“Bad timing on my
part. I apologize.” He brushed his lips across hers.
She looked at her
hand before sliding it into his hair.
“Will we laugh about this one day?”
“Perhaps.” He stated softly as his lips touched hers
once more. “Perhaps not. The important thing is…”
“We’re okay.” She whispered as she gazed into his eyes.
He smiled and nodded
slowly. “We’re okay.”
She licked her lips
and sighed. “If there weren’t four
children and six adults running around here…”
“Make love with me
tonight, Buffy.” His hand slid down to
her hip. “After everyone has left…the
children are asleep…make love with me.”
“There’s nothing I
want more.” She whispered
sincerely. “I love you so much, Giles.”
“I love you,
Buffy. More than I can express.”
Just as she was
getting ready to respond, a loud crash sounded from the living room. She sighed and dropped her head to the
pillow.
“I don’t even want to
think about what that was.”
He grinned and moved
off of her, adjusting the erection that had made its presence known during
their kisses and touches. She glanced at
his groin and sat up.
“You sure I can’t
talk you into letting me take care of that for you?”
Reaching down, he
took her hand and pulled her from the bed.
“You can…later. Right now, we
should probably get out there before they tear the house down.”
She gave a reluctant
sigh, but nodded in agreement.
* * *
Ethan sat down next
to Giles, who was sitting on the same step he was earlier in the day. Only this time, there were no burning
cigarettes and there was a smile on his face as he watched the stars twinkle in
the sky.
“Is it that
easy?” Ethan asked softly.
Giles turned his head
to look at him. “Is what that easy?”
Ethan shrugged and
glanced over his shoulder towards the back door. The distinct sounds of laughter, adult and child,
rang through the house.
“To just…forget and
go back to the way things were yesterday.”
“She’s forgiven much
worse transgressions on my part. And
what happened was not her doing. She was
as innocent as I was…I can’t hold her to blame for me being hurt.”
Ethan nodded and took
a drink from the beer he was holding. “I
understand that. But…I saw you. And, her words nearly did you in.”
“They weren’t her
words.” Giles countered quickly.
“Yeah, I know. But…”
Giles took a deep
breath to calm the protective anger that began to surge through him. “I understand where you’re coming from,
Ethan. And I know that you’re just
worried about me. I thank you for
that…sincerely. But, there’s nothing to
forgive.”
“I wasn’t talking
forgiveness, Rupert. I was talking about
forgetting.”
Giles lowered his
eyes. “I haven’t forgotten. But, I look into her eyes…and the love is
there. The words she spoke were directed
by Maharajish. I choose to look past
that because I know they weren’t her true feelings. So, I suppose the answer is no. It’s not that easy to forget. But her love speaks louder than Maharajish’s
words.”
“That’s all I needed
to know.” Ethan offered him a smile as
Giles looked back up. “Now…are you ready
to talk about your true feelings concerning your oldest son destined to be The
Protector?”
Giles shook his head
and looked at the door, smiling as Buffy and Haddie waved at him through the
window. “No, not right now. I just…want him to be able to be a boy for a
while longer.”
Ethan chuckled
softly. “He’s never been just a boy,
Rupert. You know this as well as I
do. And that goes for all of your
children. They are the children of a
Watcher and a Slayer.”
“The Slayer.” Giles corrected automatically.
Ethan laughed as he
stood up. Giles looked up, raising an
eyebrow at him.
“She’ll always be
‘The Slayer’ to you, won’t she?”
Giles nodded as he
stood and leaned against the railing.
“Just as she’ll always be my Slayer. You’re right, there is something different about
children born to a Watcher and his Slayer.
But…Ru is destined to do this, it was something that he was born
with. My destiny was chosen for me,
forced upon me. He needs not know about
his destiny right now. His life should
be about choices for the moment. Destiny
will come later.”
Ethan smiled at the
conviction in Giles’ tone. “And when
you…and Buffy…are ready, Oz and I will tell you everything we know. For now…how about we head back inside and
make sure that Braden and Lucas haven’t completely exhausted my husband?”
Giles grinned and
pushed himself off the railing.
Giles had just poured
two glasses of wine when Buffy walked back into the living room after checking
on the children.
“How are – ” His question remained unfinished as he turned
to face her. He swallowed as his eyes
took in the dark blue silk nightgown that she wore. “You look…absolutely beautiful.”
She smiled as she
made her way to him, taking the glass he held in his right hand. “Thank you.
And…the kids are fine…sound asleep.”
He felt his cock
begin to harden as she sat down. The hem
on the gown rested at her knees when she was standing. It rose considerably when she was sitting.
She took a sip of the
red wine before placing the glass on the lamp table. “Are you going to stand there? Or…are you going to join me?”
“Oh.” He chuckled softly, lowering himself next to
her on the couch. “I, uh…was a little
stunned for a moment.”
Licking her lips, she
took the glass from his hand and placed it next to hers on the table. “I like it when you look at me like that.”
“Like what?” He asked, the timbre of his voice low.
“Like you’re going to
devour me at any moment.” She sighed as
she rubbed his chest through his t-shirt.
“God, it turns me on…”
A growl rumbled in
his chest as she pinched his left nipple.
“Wearing anything under that?”
She grinned, shifting
her body until she was kneeling next to him.
“Why don’t you find out for yourself?”
His fingers toyed at
the hem as he took a deep breath. “Would
you like some tea?”
“Tea?” She laughed as she shook her head. “No, I think tea is the last thing on my mind
right now.”
He cleared his throat
and stood up quickly. “I, uh…I could use
some tea…”
Her laughter stopped
as she watched him nearly run into the kitchen.
Suddenly concerned, she ran after him.
In her bed next to the fireplace, Callie lifted her head and yawned
before snuggling back down.
Buffy stopped when
she ran into the kitchen, finding him leaning on the counter…his palms pressed
flat against the surface, his head hung low.
“Giles?”
He took a deep breath
and lifted his head. “God, I want you,
Buffy.”
She furrowed her brow
in confusion as she slowly made her way to him, tenderly placing her hand on
his lower back. “So you decide to make
tea?”
He chuckled softly
and shook his head. “As you can see…I
didn’t get very far in that venture.”
“What happened in
there?” She whispered, her hand gently
rubbing his back.
“Just…a slight panic
attack, I think.”
Wrapping her arms
around him, she pressed her cheek against his back. “I’m still going to be in love with you in
the morning.”
“I know. It’s just that…” He turned in her arms and inhaled sharply
when he saw her love for him shining brightly in her hazel eyes.
She smiled in understanding,
resting her hand on the side of his neck.
“I was going too fast?”
He swallowed and
quickly lifted her into his arms.
Turning and sitting her on the counter, he moved between her thighs as
he cradled her face between his hands.
“I thought that was
the problem.” He kissed her warm lips
softly and shook his head. “However, now
I’m wondering if you weren’t moving fast enough.”
She slid her hands
under his t-shirt as he placed a line of kisses along her shoulder. “What do you want?”
“You.” He whispered as he pulled her closer to the
edge of the counter.
“Here?” She grinned as his fingers slipped under the
hem of her nightgown.
He nodded slowly,
groaning as his earlier question was answered when his fingertips stroked her
soft curls. “God, yes. Right here, right now…”
She teased his
nipples with her nails, just the way he liked.
“Will you let me take your shirt off?”
He offered her a
smile, lifting his arms as she pushed the shirt up his chest. “I’ll let you take anything off of me.”
She removed the
garment and dropped it onto the counter next to her. “Just the shirt…I like it when you’re still
half-dressed.”
When he raised an
eyebrow at her, she shrugged a shoulder and smiled. “There’s something about you still wearing a
pair of jeans while you’re making love to me…I can’t really explain it.”
He returned her smile
as he unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans.
He shook his head quickly when she started to remove the gown.
“Leave it on…” His smile grew as he pushed his jeans and
boxers over his hips and wrapped his hand around his erection. “There’s something about you wearing a sheer
silk nightgown while we’re making love…I can’t really explain it.”
She laughed softly
and pulled his head down for a kiss. “I
love you.”
He didn’t have time
to return the sentiment before her tongue slipped between his lips. He sucked hungrily at her tongue, groaning
into her mouth as she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him forward.
She broke the kiss when
he pushed his erection into her, throwing her head back and moaning his
name. He kissed her throat, biting
gently and then soothing the skin with gentle licks with his tongue.
“God, Giles…”
He smiled against her
skin as he moved with long, slow thrusts.
He thought back to a time when he was much younger…when having sex while
still clothed meant a quick fuck in a back seat or a dark corner. Time changes certain aspects of everything,
he thought to himself as she raked her nails down his back.
Using his upper body,
he pushed her back slightly. She held
onto him as he moved his right hand under the silk. She moaned his name again as his hand gently
squeezed the firm flesh of her breast.
“I love you,
Buffy.” He whispered into her ear, his
hips moving slightly faster at her urging.
“You too…love you
too…” She responded breathlessly as she
began to tremble.
He closed his eyes
when he felt her inner walls begin to quiver around him. “You’re going to make me come…”
“Yes…God, yes…” She panted, her nails digging into his
shoulders as her heels dug into buttocks.
“Harder, Giles…I’m so close…”
He quickened his
thrusts, his fingers pinching her nipple as his teeth nipped at her neck. “Are you going to drown my cock with your
come?”
“Mm…yeah…then I’ll
suck it clean…for you…”
He groaned and
slammed his hips against her, relishing her gasp of pleasure as her quivers
became more intense. “Yes, Buffy…Christ,
come for me…”
When he felt the
first wave of warmth bathe his flesh, he lifted his head and covered her mouth
with his, swallowing her moans. As the
second wave hit, he groaned into her mouth and flooded her inner walls with his
come.
His movements slowed
gradually, their kisses becoming less carnal and more passionate. He sighed as she gently pushed him back…just
enough to give herself room to slide from the counter. As she knelt in front of him, she looked up
at him and smiled.
His fingers combed
through her hair and he bit his lip as she slid her mouth down the length of
his still semi-erect cock. As her tongue
swirled around him, cleaning his flesh of their combined fluids, he wasn’t
surprised to find himself hardening again.
“Buffy…”
She sucked harder,
knowing she could make him come again if she worked quickly. He leaned forward slightly, gripping the edge
of the counter with his left hand as the fingers of his right moved to the back
of her head.
“Jesus…Buffy…” He groaned as his cock thickened in her
mouth.
She stared into his
eyes as she lightly scraped her teeth over his hardened flesh. His hips thrust forward involuntarily as he
came for a second time. She swallowed
greedily, her moan muffled.
When his spent cock
twitched between her lips, she smiled and pulled back. She placed a tender kiss on the head and then
stood in front of him. His lips found
hers quickly, his tongue tasting himself in her mouth.
He broke the kiss
slowly and rested his forehead against hers.
“I love you so much.”
She smiled, caressing
the side of his face with her hand. “I
love you more.”
He chuckled softly
and kissed the tip of her nose as he tucked his cock back into his pants. “I’m rather sure that’s impossible.”
* * *
Three hours later, he
collapsed on top of her…still embedded within her and still hard. Her left hand slipped through the sheen of
sweat covering his back as she fought for her breath.
“My God, Giles…”
He was exhausted,
emotionally as well as physically. He
licked his dry lips and lifted his head, his chest heaving.
“Are you alright?”
She nodded, opening
her mouth to reply. A groan sounded
instead as his hips started moving again.
“Giles…wait…”
He stopped his
movement and looked into her eyes.
“I’m…I’m sorry…”
She lifted her hand
and stroked her thumb over his cheek. “You’re
exhausted, honey. You…you need to rest…”
He swallowed thickly,
his voice soft when he spoke. “I…I don’t
want to go to sleep.”
Her eyes glistened as
her concerns were confirmed. “I need you
to listen to me, okay?”
He nodded slowly and
rolled onto his back, pulling her with him, when he realized that his arms
wouldn’t be able to hold him up much longer.
He groaned as her inner muscles twitched around his erection.
Taking a deep breath,
she leaned forward and kissed him warmly before speaking.
“I’m going to be here
in the morning. I’m going to give you a
good morning kiss and tell you that I love you…just like I have for the past
ten years.”
“You didn’t this
morning.” He whispered softly and
glanced at the clock. “Or…yesterday
morning, as it were.”
She placed her hand
on the side of his face and shook her head.
“That was different. And I’m
going to promise you something…and I need for you to listen and understand.”
She waited until he
gave her a soft nod and then she continued.
“I honestly don’t see
me ever falling out of love with you.
But, if I do…it’s not going to be an overnight thing. And I would talk to you about what I feel
before just announcing it’s over. Okay?”
His hands stroked her
thighs as he nodded. “Okay.”
“And, I want you to
promise me that if something like this happens again…you go straight into
research mode. Because that would mean
something’s wrong. Really wrong. Promise me?”
“I promise.” He whispered, his hands moving to her hips.
She looked into his
eyes and smiled the smile that was reserved for him. “I love you, Rupert.”
His fingers tightened
on her hips, her name leaving his lips on a soft moan as his orgasm finally
hit. She gasped in surprise as he pulled
her down onto his chest.
“We…we weren’t even
doing anything.” She whispered in
confusion.
He offered her a
loving smile and rolled onto his side, his arms holding her tightly as his cock
slipped from her. “You smiled…you told
me you love me…you used my first name in love, not anger. Add those three facts together and this is
the end result.”
She chuckled softly,
sighing as his exhaustion began to overtake him. “Sleep, honey.”
He nodded sleepily,
allowing his eyes to finally close. “I
love you.”
She couldn’t help but
smile at his tired mumble. “I love you
too.”
Her smile faded as
she watched him fall into a deep sleep.
He had been through so much today…or yesterday, she corrected
herself. So had she, but…she hadn’t
spent the majority of her day depressed, confused, and in shock.
She’d hold him all
night. She’d whisper soft words of love
to him should he have a nightmare. And
she’d be there when he woke in the morning…with a loving smile and a kiss for him.
Just as she had for
over ten years.
~ End