__Into the Light__
By Gibberish



            Buffy woke up confused. Where was she? She recognized Giles' apartment, about the same time that she realized that he must have put something in that last cup of tea that she'd had. Giles appeared, startling her.

 Giles saw her jump. "Sleep well?"

 "You didn't leave me much choice." Buffy grumbled. She sat up as he handed her some juice. "Is it safe?" She asked, but she took a drink.

 "Ha ha, very amusing." Giles commented. "Are you hungry?"

 Buffy shook her head. "Not awake enough, yet." She glared at him.

 "I didn't poison you." Giles said, then winced at the memory it conjured.

"You needed rest, and you weren't going to get it worrying all night."

 "I'll remind you of this moment when I bonk you to get you to sleep." Buffy told him. Giles choked on his tea at her comment. "Giles?" She said concerned.

 Giles took out his handkerchief and wiped his mouth. "Uh, Buffy, promise me that you'll never say that to any other Englishman. Especially Spike."

 Buffy looked confused. "I threaten to hit Spike all the time. He's never reacted like that."

 "No, I imagine had you ever said that to Spike, you'd know why you shouldn't say it." Giles commented, somewhat convolutedly. "Bonk means something entirely different in England."

 "What?" Buffy asked.

 "How did I know that she'd ask that?" Giles asked himself aloud. "I believe that you Americans have a similar expression - Boink."

 Buffy looked at him blankly. "Huh?"

 "Sex, Buffy." Giles said exasperated. "To bonk means to have sex." He said bluntly and red faced.

 "Oh." Buffy said in a small voice, her own face pink. "Would that put you to sleep?" She giggled at his expression.

 Giles glared at her. "Only if done well." His tone suggested that she wouldn't be able to put him to sleep.

 "Don't challenge me, Watcher." Buffy warned.

 When Willow and Tara walked in, Buffy and Giles were both helpless with laughter. Willow smiled at them. It was good to see them laughing, especially together. "What's so funny?" They just shook their heads. "I brought your assignments, Buffy."

 Buffy's laughter died off into a groan. "Haven't I been tortured enough?"

 "How did you sleep?" Willow asked.

 "Ahem." Giles said and shook his head at Willow. Buffy gave Giles a mock glare.

 "I see she found out about your attempt at pharmacology." Willow said with a grin. She looked back at Buffy. "You know, you do look better."

 "Oh, great, take his side." Buffy muttered. "Everybody gang up on Buffy while she's hurt. Enjoy it now. Payback's a bitch."

 "Buffy." Giles admonished.

 "Would you prefer it if I spelled it out?" Buffy asked. She didn't understand his odd little smile. She reached out a hand and Giles gently helped her to her feet.


   Harmony watched as the dark vampiress looked at the dark crystal as if there was something there only she could see. There probably was. "Why do you want Mr. Giles?"

 "My Colin promised me the Watcher." Druscilla told her dreamily. "I could taste his magic and his power. I can hear his anger sing to me. Even more than my Angel's"

 "Mr. Giles?" Harmony said dubiously. "You know, that Buffy's not going to let you near him."

 "My Colin has taken care of the little Slayer." Druscilla told her. "He sent lots and lots of minions to ..."

 "No, he didn't." Harmony said. "Well, he did, but Buffy's alive and staying with Mr. Giles." She saw Druscilla's eyes narrow.

 "How do you know this?" Druscilla asked coldly.

 "I checked." Harmony said simply.

 "It won't matter." Druscilla said returning to her dreamy voice. "My Colin will get him anyway and *that* will destroy the Slayer."

 "Druscilla." Said a male voice. He was a striking figure. Black hair, black eyes, dressed in black silk. "It seems that your Spike has been a busy boy. He's been helping the Slayer again."

 Druscilla looked sad. "My Spike can't hurt his Princess, but perhaps we should be certain."

 "Yes, very certain." Colin said coldly.


   Xander went into the Bronze to get Anya. He was supposed to meet her there and then, they would go to Giles'. He found Anya consoling a drunk Spike.

 "What's going on?" Xander asked when he joined them. "Spike, I thought you were watching Buffy's Mom." Spike didn't lift his head off the table.

 "Druscilla's back." Anya said. "He saw her with another vampire."

 Xander looked at Spike in sympathy, until the implication registered. "Oh hell!" He turned and ran out of the Bronze.


   Xander burst through the door at Giles', out of breath and pale.

"Druscilla." He gasped. "Spike. Not at Mrs. Summer's. Bronze, drunk. Saw Druscilla in Sunnydale."

 Buffy closed her eyes as Giles helped Xander to a seat so that he could catch his breath. "Not Druscilla. God, it figures. The one vampire that Spike won't help us against."

 "Maybe Angel ...?" Willow suggested.

 Buffy shook her head. "Too much guilt." She looked at Xander. "You okay?" He nodded. "I hate to do this, Xander, but when you've caught your breath, I need you to go to Mom's. Druscilla may be crazy, but she isn't stupid. I don't want Mom alone." She looked at Willow and Tara. "Maybe ... Maybe you should go with him."

 "You're just getting us out of the way." Willow said, hurt.

 "No." Buffy said. "I'm asking you to protect my Mother. You can use your computer and research from there. Please, Will? She killed Kendra. My Mom won't stand a chance." Finally, Willow nodded. Buffy looked back to Xander. "If Anya comes here, we'll send her over." Xander nodded and the three of them left.

 "Do you think it likely that she'll go after your Mother?" Giles asked.

 "I don't know." Buffy said tiredly. "It depends on what she knows. What she doesn't. She might go after Mom just to get me away from you."

 "You still believe that I'm the main target?" Giles asked next.

 "Now more than ever." Buffy said cryptically.


   Giles heard how restless Buffy was that night. He didn't dare try another sleep aid, he preferred his injuries from the bad guys. His own memories of the dark vampiress were chilling. He felt the urge to gag, even after all that time. The knowledge that she'd broken him far more cruelly that Angel could have. An illusion. He'd betrayed Buffy for an illusion.


   Buffy rolled again on the couch. She didn't know what to do. All she knew, was that she couldn't let that crazy bitch get her hands on Giles again. She'd protect him, no matter what.

 
   Buffy was awakened the next day by a pounding on the door. She heard Giles swear softly all the way to the door from the kitchen.

 "Where the hell is my daughter?" Hank's voice echoed.

 "Please, Mr. Summers, you'll wake her." Giles said quietly.

 "Too late." Buffy said from the couch.

 Hank stalked in and over to her. "I go to the hospital and they tell me that my daughter is no longer there, released to the care of her Mother. I go to your Mother's and she tells me that you're not there, either, that you're with Mr. Giles. What the hell is going on?" Hank demanded angrily.

 Buffy blinked up at him unimpressed, then turned to Giles. "This week just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it?" She asked tiredly.

 "Coffee?" Giles asked gently.

 "Please." Buffy told him. She turned back to her father as Giles went towards the kitchen. "I'm trying to decide how I should feel about the fact that it took you almost three days to notice that I'd moved." Hank had the grace to look ashamed. "Look, Dad, I'm nineteen ..." Hank looked startled.

"Yep, you missed another birthday." She sighed. "There's so much you don't ..." She stood awkwardly. "The ... People that hurt me, threatened to come back. To keep Mom safe, I came here."

 "Did you go to the Police?" Hank asked.

 "The Police can't help." Buffy told him.

 "Why didn't you come to me ...?" Hank asked.

 "You can't protect me." Buffy told him.

 "But he can." Hank said indicating Giles. "Buffy ..."

 "Yeah, Dad, he can." Buffy broke in. "And has for a while now." She said bluntly.

 "What does that mean?" Hank asked. "How long ...?"

 "Since we moved here, Dad." Buffy told him softly. She knew he couldn't understand. "He's looked out for me. We've looked out for each other." Her Dad looked hurt. "He's not a replacement father, but he *is* my friend. He ... Watches over me." She said with a small smile.

 "What am I missing here, Buffy?" Hank asked. "What aren't you telling me?"

 <A lot.> Buffy thought.

 "How can he protect you better than I can?" Hank asked.

 "Because he knows how." Buffy said simply.

 "I don't understand any of this." Hank said.

 "You're just going to have to trust me." Buffy said softly. "Can you do that?"

 "Buffy ..." Hank sighed.

 "Giles?" Buffy asked as he rejoined them.

 "It's up to you, Buffy." Giles told her as he moved to stand behind her, he placed a hand at the small of her back.

 Buffy looked up at her father, her eyes wide and serious. "Trust me, Daddy."

 Compelling. Hank could practically feel those eyes of hers reach out and grab him. Eyes that were so much older than he remembered. <When was the last time I took the time to really look into them?> He asked himself. There was something in them that he couldn't identify, but it was powerful and oddly reassuring. He didn't know that the same thing that he found so reassuring, was the same something that made vampires wary. He reached out and cupped her cheek. "What happened to my little girl?"

 "She grew up." Buffy told him.

 Hank shook his head. "No, it's more than that. Could I have stopped it?" He asked sadly. "Can I fix it?"

 Buffy shook her head. "There's no stopping destiny, Daddy. As for fixing it?" She shrugged. "I don't think it's broken."

 "I know that I haven't been around much." Hank said. "But I love you more than anything, Buffy. I just don't know how ... You know where I am. You can always come to me, no matter what. You know that, don't you?"

 "I know, Daddy." Buffy told him as a tear slid down her cheek. She put her hand over his. "It's not safe for you here."

 "How did I know you were going to say that?" Hank asked with a sad smile. "All right." He said with a nod. "But you and I, young lady, are way overdue for a talk."

 
   By the time the Scoobies arrived, about 10am, Buffy and Giles had both eaten and cleaned up. They also talked about her Father.

 "You're Dad came looking for you?" Willow asked. Buffy nodded. Willow smiled a bit wistfully. "That's kinda nice."

 "Yeah, and it only took him three days to notice that I was gone." Buffy added.

 "But he noticed." Xander commented.

 "Bonus points for that." Buffy told them.

 "What are you going to do?" Willow asked. "Are you going to tell him?"

 Buffy looked tired. "I don't know. Giles said that it was up to me, but ... I don't know." She looked at Willow. "How's Mom taking things?"

 "She seemed kinda ... Resigned to it." Willow said.

 "Resigned?" Giles echoed. "How so?"

 "Resigned, as in every part of her life is officially out of her control." Xander said. "She didn't say anything, but ..."

 "Mom's quiet stoicism." Buffy said knowingly. "Sorry about that. I just can't think of another way."

 Willow and Xander exchanged a look. "No, no, it really wasn't that bad." Willow told her.

 Buffy raised a brow. "Please."


   Hank watched the door to the apartment. He saw Willow and Xander, both go in. It was late afternoon when Hank saw *him* leave. *Him*. The man who could protect *his* daughter.

 Still, Hank sat and watched. Watched over his daughter the only he way he could. Once the sun had set, Hank's worry turned to foreboding. He couldn't explain it, it was simply there.

 Then, Rupert Giles returned home and Hank Summers understood the foreboding all too well.


   Willow and Xander watched as Buffy, once again, looked out the window at the growing darkness. "Buffy," Willow said. "I'm sure he's fine."

 "Yeah," Xander agreed. "The G-man knows to be careful."

 Buffy looked at them. "Oh, I know. It's just ..." She looked back out the window. "He said he'd be back before dark."

 Xander was about to say something when they heard a crash from outside. Buffy winced as she jumped to her feet and rushed to the door. Xander rushed to the weapons chest and grabbed a sword and several stakes.

 "Giles?!" Buffy called as she saw the three vampires trying to grab Giles.

 "Buff." Xander handed her the sword and one of the stakes, then he and Willow followed her into the fray.

 Buffy reached the fight. "Giles!" She yelled and he ducked so that could behead one of the vampires. When Giles stood, she tossed him the sword.

 Giles deftly caught the sword and turned on one of the other vampires as Buffy took on the third. Giles beheaded his vampire, just as Buffy staked the third.

 Hank stared, stunned by what he had just witnessed. He had been on his way to help when the first one had turned to dust. "Buffy?"

 Buffy turned, but dropped to her knees in pain. Her eyes widened in horror and she threw the stake in her hand.

 Hank saw her throw the stake and froze. It whizzed past him and he heard it imbed into something behind him. He turned in time to see another one turn to dust. When he turned back, Buffy was being picked up by Giles.

 Giles carried Buffy inside and laid her gently on the couch. "Willow, Xander." He said, but they were already moving. Willow brought the first aid kit and Xander a basin of water and a washcloth.

 Willow gently cleaned Buffy's face as Giles checked her injuries, old and new. By their coordinated movements, Hank knew that this was not the first time.

 "Kettle's on." Xander said as he returned from the kitchen.

 "Mom." Buffy gasped as Giles hit a particularly tender spot. "Check Mom."

 Willow and Giles finished as Xander made the phone call. Hank stood there, he didn't know what else to do. "Is she okay?" Hank asked.

 Giles nodded. "She's lucky." He gave Buffy a stern look, which she ignored.

 "Your Mom's fine, Buff." Xander told her. "Spike's there."

 "What's going on?" Hank asked. "What just happened? Who ... What were they?"

 "Vampires." Buffy told him. She looked at her Dad. "Just couldn't trust me, huh?"

 "I was worried about you." Hank responded.

 "Don't you feel relieved, then?" Buffy asked.

 "Buffy." Giles admonished as he stood.

 "Relieved?" Hank echoed. "I don't know what I feel, but it doesn't seem like relief." He paused. "Vampires aren't real." He said, but didn't sound as certain as he would have liked.

 "Then we just dusted three non real vampires." Buffy said impatiently.

 Giles went over to the counter and poured a glass of scotch. He then placed it in Hank Summers' hand. "This will help."

 Hank took a drink. "Vampires?"

 Buffy looked at Giles. "You do it. You enjoy this part anyway."

 "Yes, well, it's getting rather repetitive." Giles commented.


   Twenty minutes later, Hank stared at Giles from his seat in the chair. "The Slayer?"

 Giles sat on the arm of the couch, Willow and Xander sat on the stairs. "As long as there have been vampires, there has been a Slayer." Giles told him patiently.

 "And that's Buffy?" Hank asked. "But she's ..." He gestured at Buffy.

 Buffy just looked at Giles with a sigh. "Can I ruin one of your fireplace pokers?"

 "What?" Giles asked blankly. "Oh. I-I suppose." Giles picked up one of the pokers and handed it to Hank.

 Hank took the poker. "What am I supposed to do with this?" He asked confused.

 "You're a big guy, Dad." Buffy said. "Can you bend that?"

 "Of course not." Hank said.

 "Try?" Buffy urged. Hank tried, but , of course, did not bend it. Buffy held out her hand. "May I?"

 Hank handed it to her bemused. "You expect me to believe that you ..." His words stopped abruptly when he saw the poker bend in his daughter's hands.

"How ...?"

 Buffy met his eyes. "It's part of being the Slayer. As Angel used to say, I'm small, but spry." She said sardonically.

 "How? How did this ...?" Hank's eyes widened. "When? When did this happen? How long have you ...?"

 Buffy saw the knowledge in his eyes. "Fifteen. When all the fun stuff started. Even you and Mom ..."

 "What happened between your Mother and I had nothing to do with you." Hank told her firmly. "Does she know?"

 Buffy nodded. "Found out pretty much the way you did."

 "Why didn't she tell me?" Hank asked. "Why didn't *you* tell me?"

 "I couldn't." Buffy answered. "You were safer not knowing. So was I." Hank took a deep breath. "Now what?"

 Buffy met his eyes with calm certainty. "Tomorrow morning, you go home. For real this time. If you can get Mom to go with you, that would be great."

 "You expect me to just leave you after ..." Hank began.

 "There is enough for me to deal with right now, without you in the middle of it without a clue." Buffy said. At his shocked and hurt expression, Buffy relented a bit. "Dad, this isn't easy for me, but it means keeping you safe and giving me one less person to worry about."

 "All right." Hank told her finally. "There is one thing I'd like to know."

 "What?" Buffy asked surprised that he had agreed.

 "What's your relationship with Mr. Giles?" Hank asked.

 Buffy looked at him blankly. "What?" She looked at Giles.

 Giles had stiffened at the question and the implication. "I assure you Mr. Summers, I hold your daughter in the highest regard. The highest respect."

 "I can see that." Hank said. "I can also see that she feels the same. Which is why I want to know what your relationship is?"

 Buffy finally got it. "Oh my God. Are you asking what I think you're asking?" She blushed. "Dad!"

 Hank looked at her and couldn't help the quirk of a smile. "What? I'm not blind, Buffy, though it may seem so at times. Are you going to tell me that there's nothing?" Buffy looked down, unaware that Giles did the same. "I see." Hank said. He didn't know why that amused him, but it did.




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