__Issues__

By Gibberish






 "So, that's the infamous Parker." Giles said as the four walked away from where Parker fell after Buffy hit him.

 "Parker bad." Buffy said sadly.

 "The worst." Willow agreed.

 Buffy hung her head. "Buffy bad too."

 "No, Buffy." Willow said.

 Giles just stopped. He turned and glared at the young man getting to his feet. He turned back to the others. "Xander, see them home. I'll check on them tomorrow." Before they could comment, he turned on his heel and stalked back towards Parker.

 Xander watched him, glad it wasn't him that Giles was angry with. He took Buffy's arm and led her towards the dorm, Willow trailed behind, casting glances back.



   Giles reached Parker just as he started to walk off. "Parker." Giles said. Parker turned and looked at the tall man. "Yeah."

 "I'd like a word with you." Giles said coldly.

 Parker realized that he'd seen this man several times with Buffy and the others. "Who are you? Is she sending her old man after me now?"

 Giles narrowed his eyes. "Buffy has sent no one after you. And I am not her father. I am her friend. She didn't misunderstand you. She believed exactly what you wished her to. You saw a vulnerable girl and used her. Then, you flaunt your next conquest in front of her, so that she feels even worse. You will cease these cruel games at once."

 "You can't tell me ..." Parker's words trailed off.

  Giles grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him up to eye level. "I am telling you." Giles' voice was cold and hard. "And they will cease."

 "Or you'll what?" Parker asked nervously.

 Parker found himself once again flat on his back on the ground. This time he had a hand to his jaw. Giles glared down at him. "Buffy cared for you and you threw it away. If you hurt her anymore, I'll be back and your jaw will be the least of your concerns."

 "Who are you?" Parker asked.

 "Ripper."



   Buffy woke up the next morning and wished she were dead. She felt sick and her head hurt. Her quiet moan brought Willow over.

 Willow placed a cold rag on Buffy's forehead. "How ya feel?"

 "Awful. "Buffy told her. "What happened?"

 "You don't remember?" Willow asked, maybe it was for the best if she didn't.

 "Flashes." Buffy answered. "Beer. Lots of beer. It made me feel - strange. Xander carrying me out of the pub." She looked horrified. "Giles. I think I hurt Giles."

 "He's fine." Willow assured her. "He said he'd be by later to check on you. The beer was cursed Buffy." She got Buffy some aspirin and a glass of water.

 "Cursed?" Buffy echoed as she took the aspirin and a long drink of water. "Like the band candy?"

 "Sort of." Willow told her. "Except that instead of teenagers you got Captain Caveman."

She shrugged.

 "Huh?"  Buffy said blankly.

 "Giles can explain it better." Willow told her.

 "Will," Buffy said tremulously. "Did I hit Parker with a big stick?"

 "Twice." Willow told her.

 "Oh." Buffy said. "Then it wasn't all bad."



   Buffy managed to go to class. She walked in and Parker suddenly sat up and edged away from the girl du jour. Buffy looked at him oddly and took her seat. She watched the girl make advances and Parker rebuff them. Stranger and stranger. And what happened to his jaw?

 When she went to lunch it happened again. Parker saw her and he moved away from the girl, different girl this time. He said something to her, he looked at Buffy and the pair got up and left. Buffy watched them puzzled.

 Buffy was crossing the campus and saw Parker walking towards her. When he saw her, he turned and went in another direction. That was it. Buffy caught up to him. "What?"

 "Hi Buffy." Parker said nervously.

 "What is up with you?" Buffy asked. "Are you afraid of me? What happened to your jaw?"

 Parker touched his jaw lightly. "Look, um. Your friend Ripper made it clear

that I really hurt you and that I should stop. That's all."

 "Ripper?" Buffy echoed. Then her eyes widened. "He did that to you?" She asked shocked.

 "I gotta go." Parker said and rushed off.

 Buffy watched him go. Giles did that? Why?

 

   Giles answered the door swearing to himself. He was about to leave, so whoever it was had better make it quick. He saw his petite Slayer standing there looking at him in speculation. "Buffy. I was just on my way to see you." He moved back and let her in. "Are you feeling more yourself today?"

 "If you discount the drums in my head." Buffy answered.

 "What brings you here?" Giles asked.

 Buffy shrugged and sat on the couch. Giles watched her and sat at the other end. "Is something wrong Buffy?" He finally asked.

 "You mean besides the fact that I could have starred in One Million BC yesterday?" Buffy asked with a rueful grin.

 "Used to be you just had to worry about a hangover." Giles commented wryly.

"Why did you do it Buffy? You have no luck with drinking."

 "Giant snakes and cavemen." Buffy grimaced. "What ever happened to pink elephants?"

 "I've seen my share." Giles said humorously. "Once, they even paraded."

 "In Technicolor?" Buffy asked with a grin.

 Giles smiled. "Buffy? What is it?"

 Buffy's face became serious. "Why did you hit Parker?"

 Giles frowned. "He told you." He said flatly.

 "Not in so many words." Buffy said. "Ripper." She waited for his reaction.

 "Parker is an idiot." Giles said. 

 "Yes." Buffy agreed. "I know why I think so. Why do you? And it doesn't explain why you hit him."

 Giles looked away. "If you expect an apology, you can forget it."

 "Why would I want an apology?" Buffy asked. "I'd like an explanation."

 "I wanted to hurt him for hurting you." Giles said simply. "And you are not bad."

 Buffy looked confused. "Bad?" Her face cleared. "Oh. I was stupid, Giles. I didn't really know him. I just wanted to feel. And I liked him a lot. At least, I thought I did." She sighed.

 "I understand Buffy." Giles told her. "Truly."

 "I just wish I could find a guy as great as you." Buffy said wistfully.

 Giles had looked away at the beginning of her sentence, but at the end, his eyes snapped to hers. "What?"

 "What's the matter?" Buffy asked.

 "Y-you just said ..." Giles stuttered.

 "That you're a great guy." Buffy said again. "You are. You knew that right?"

 "What happened to I'm very old and it's gross?" Giles asked.

 "Oh. That." Buffy said with a blush. "I was embarrassed and a little hurt." 

 "I understand embarrassed, but how could Olivia's presence hurt you?" Giles asked bewildered.

 Buffy shrugged. "We were talking about Parker and you hitting him." She said stubbornly.

 "Actually we were talking about me being a great guy." Giles said distracted. "Did Olivia say something before I came in?" Giles asked. That wasn't like Olivia, but Buffy might have misinterpreted ...

 "Giles." Buffy said, interrupting his thoughts. "I don't want to talk about Olivia." She paused. "Will she be back?"

 "She didn't say." Giles answered. "I thought you didn't want to talk about her." He was studying Buffy now.

 Buffy looked down. "I don't. I just don't want anymore surprises. I don't want to come over here one day and find you gone." Buffy said examining her hands.

 Giles looked confused. "Gone? Gone where? On a date?"

 "Away from me." Buffy said quietly.

 "Away from ... Buffy I'm not going anywhere." Giles told her firmly.

 "You said that I don't need a Watcher." Buffy still wouldn't look at him.

"And you seemed to really like her. And there's no reason for you to want to stay."

 "Of course there is." Giles told her. "And even if I were to go, I certainly wouldn't leave without saying good-bye." He reached out and lifted her chin so that her eyes met his. "But I am not going anywhere."

 "Did you ask her to stay?" Buffy asked quietly.

 "No." Giles answered just as softly. "Are you jealous of Olivia?" He was confused about all this.

 "Why should I be jealous of Olivia?" Buffy asked trying to sound casual and failing.

 "You tell me." Giles said.

 Buffy stood. "I gotta go." She started for the door. "Thanks for hitting Parker."

 When she reached for the door handle his hand covered hers and prevented her from opening the door. "Is that what ..." Giles stood behind her and looked down at her bent head. "Parker wasn't about Angel was he." Giles said. "He was about Olivia. Buffy, I don't understand. Why?"

 "You pushed me away." Buffy told him in a whisper.

 "I told you that I would always be here for you." Giles said gently.

 "I came to you." Buffy said. "You were so busy with Olivia that what I got was I'm here for you, but there's the door. Go away, I'm busy."

 "That's hardly fair." Giles commented. "I never said that. I just didn't think you needed my help. And you didn't."

 "Maybe your help isn't what I needed so much as to just know that you were there." Buffy explained. "Just to know that I'm still ..."

 "That you're still what?" Giles asked gently.

 "That I'm still your gir...." Buffy's eyes widened in horror at what she had almost said. His girl? Where the hell did that come from?

 "Buffy?" Giles said, concerned by her expression. "Still my what?" Buffy tried to open the door to escape, but he wouldn't let her. "Buffy?"

 "Giles please." Buffy said near tears.

 Giles turned her around and looked down at her. He tilted her face up. "Buffy? Still my what?" He asked seriously.

 "Still your Slayer." Buffy lied, her eyes lowered.

 "You'll always be my Slayer. "Giles told her. "But Slayer doesn't start with a gr." He looked at her closely. "My girl?" Giles asked confused. "As in my little girl?" Giles asked to clarify. Buffy shook her head. She looked up at him and he saw it. His eyes widened and he released her. He took a step away from her and shook his head.

 "Giles?" Buffy said in a frightened voice. He didn't answer. A tear ran down her cheek as she turned and left.

 Giles' thoughts were such a whirl that it took him a moment to realize she was gone.



   Giles tried to call her several times, but she wouldn't answer the phone. He finally reached Willow. He heard the door close on the other end of the line as soon as Willow said his name. When he hung up the phone, he swore in several languages. The only way to settle this would be with a confrontation. He packed the weapons bag and headed out. He came across one vampire that never knew what hit him.

 He caught up to Buffy in Restview cemetery. He waited until she was almost to him before he spoke. "Don't you think we should talk?"

 Buffy jumped, startled. "Don't do that." She told him harshly.

 "We need to talk, Buffy." Giles said calmly, although inside he quivered with nerves.

 "We already talked." Buffy said and started to walk on.

 Giles grabbed her arm and turned her back to him. "Oh no you don't." Buffy looked up at him, her eyes empty. "Don't worry, I'm not going to find another Parker."

 "Damn it Buffy!" Giles lost his temper. "This isn't about Parker. And it isn't about Olivia either. It's about us."

 "What us?" Buffy asked sadly. "There hasn't been an us for a while. Or haven't you noticed?"

 "I've noticed." Giles said quietly.

 "You know, it's not as if I blame you." Buffy told him. "You have your life back. You're happily free to do what ever you want. Obviously that just doesn't include me though."

 "Doesn't include you?" Giles echoed in disbelief. "Why the hell else would I stay in this Godforsaken place?"

 "All you've done since Graduation is push me away." Buffy said. "Did you think I wouldn't notice? Women prancing around your house in your shirts,..."

 "It was one woman." Giles interjected.

 Buffy glared at him. "And your motorcycle magazines and frolicking and tasseled hat. Well, if that's what you want, fine. It's yours. Have at it. Lord knows you deserve to enjoy your life, but I ..." Her voice cracked. "I just didn't realize that for you to enjoy it, I had to be out of it."

 Giles stared at her dumbfounded.

 "But if that's what it takes for you to be happy, then be happy with my blessing." Buffy said softly.

 "How could I be happy without you in my life?" Giles asked. "Buffy, I've been alone a long time. When Olivia visited, ... Well, for a few days I wasn't alone."

 Buffy looked at him sadly. "But you weren't alone."

 "You said, whatever I want to be happy." Giles said softly. "Did you mean that?"

 Buffy felt her heart drop and break at his words, but she nodded.

 Giles moved closer to her, until only inches separated them. "Anything?" He asked as he cupped her face and swiped her tears. Again she nodded and met his eyes. He could see the confusion there. He leaned down and gently kissed her mouth. Buffy responded hesitantly.

 When Giles pulled back, Buffy looked at him, still confused. "Why did you do that?"

 "Because you are all I've ever needed to be happy." Giles told her. "I simply made do with the rest." He leaned down and kissed her again.

 The walk to Giles' house was silent. When he opened the door, Buffy asked him. "Why did you hit Parker?"

 Giles looked at her. "I don't wish to talk about Parker anymore." He said as he led her inside. 

 "What do you want to talk about?" Buffy asked. She was still uncertain.  Giles closed the door and pinned Buffy gently between it and him. "I don't wish to talk at all." Giles said as he leaned down and kissed her again. He ran his tongue over her lower lip and she whimpered, then opened her mouth for him. His placed his hands at her sides and slowly ran them up and down as he let his tongue explore her mouth.

 Buffy's hands clutched at his shoulders as she returned his kiss. His hands stopped so that they just touched the sides of her breasts, his thumbs resting on the underside pushing them up. She wiggled closer to him and delved her fingers into his hair on the back of his head and held him to her.

 Giles took that as his cue and let his hands slide back down then up under her top to cover her breasts. His thumbs rubbing against her nipples through the bra she wore. He felt Buffy's hands move around until they were at his shirt buttons and she slowly undid the buttons. Halfway down she ran her fingers through his chest hair, her nails flicking his nipples. He groaned into her mouth, so she did it again. He quickly pulled her top over her head and threw it on the floor. Her bra quickly followed. She pulled at his shirt,  the remaining buttons flying across the room and pushed it off his shoulders.

 Giles lifted her higher against the door and wrapped her legs around him. He grasped her butt, turned from the door and headed for the stairs. Once in his bedroom, he gently lowered her onto the bed, following her down so that he was on top of her. He pulled away a fraction to look into her eyes. "Are you sure Buffy?"

 Buffy nodded and ran her hands up and down his chest, before letting them slide down over his stomach to his pants button. She looked into his eyes as she unbuttoned them and slid the zipper down. His eyes shut as her hand brushed against him and his hips jerked.  Buffy pushed his slacks over his hips and he kicked them off along with his shoes.

 Giles placed kisses over her face and neck, then down her throat to her breasts. He lovingly spent time on each breast before he moved to her stomach to dip his tongue into her belly button. Buffy wiggled and whimpered and he smiled against her. He unfastened and unzipped her slacks and pushed them down along with her panties, kissing down her legs as he went. She kicked her shoes off and her pants and panties followed. He stood up and removed his boxers, before he rejoined Buffy on the bed.  He crawled up from the bottom of the bed, between her legs like a predator.  Buffy watched him with wide eyes. She had assumed that Angel and Parker were ... But Giles was ... Wow.

 "I won't hurt you." Giles whispered in her ear and felt her shiver. Her arms came around him and she slid them down his back to his butt. She squeezed the cheeks, then ran her nails over them. Giles pressed against her and gave a small moan. His own hand slid down between her legs to test her readiness. She was ready. He slipped a finger inside her and her whole body jerked in reaction so he added another finger. He was so caught up in her reaction that he didn't notice her hand move until it wrapped around his straining erection. "Oh God." He groaned.

 "Please Giles." Buffy panted and pulled him towards her.

 Giles positioned himself and slid his fingers out. He put his tip to her opening and pushed, just a little. Buffy gasped. "You all right. Luv?"

 "Oh God yes." Buffy told him.

 Giles pushed the rest of the way in to twin moans of satisfaction. He felt Buffy wrapped her legs around him and found himself even deeper. He pulled slowly, nearly all the way out, only to push back in hard and fast. He groaned and Buffy whimpered. They found a rhythm and it gradually became faster and harder until they both cried out.

 Giles collapsed on top of Buffy and tried to catch his breath. When he regained some semblance of control, he rolled them so that Buffy was on top. Still buried in her, he held her tightly to him. "God Buffy."

 "Mmmm" Was all Buffy said and snuggled closer. She rubbed her cheek against his chest and her hands up and down his sides. Then, she wiggled her hips just a little and grinned when he groaned and began to respond to her. Giles ran his hands down to rest on her bottom. "You're not playing fair Luv."

 "Do you want me to?" Buffy asked as she squeezed her inner muscles around.

 "God no." Giles gasped as he hardened even more. "But that means I don't have to either." He gripped her hips, rubbed her against him and began a gentle thrusting. They took their time this time and experimented a bit to find the other's special spots. Giles found that Buffy's ears were extremely sensitive. Buffy found that Giles' neck was vulnerable to soft kisses and bites. One such kiss behind his left ear elicited a gasp and nearly sent him into climax.

 At that point things became more urgent. Giles rolled them over and began to thrust into her fiercely, an action strongly encouraged by Buffy.  After they reached their second climax and caught their breath, they began to talk. "Why did you react that way this afternoon?" Buffy asked.

 "You surprised me Buffy." Giles said. "You never gave any sign that you felt that way." He held her close. "It was a pleasant surprise." He assured her.

 "No sign?" Buffy asked surprised. "I couldn't stand Olivia. I've been posing in front of you for weeks. God, I even asked for training."

 "Yes, well, I suppose that should have clued me into something." Giles said wryly. He jumped when she poked him playfully. "I wish I had seen it." Giles told her seriously.  

 "Giles, will Olivia be back?" Buffy asked.

 "Olivia is an old friend Buffy." Giles told her. "If she visits again however, she will have to find somewhere else to stay."

 Buffy looked at him intently, then nodded. "I guess I can live with that."

 Giles hugged her to him. "I love you Buffy."

 Buffy snuggled into his arms. "I love you too."  They laid there quietly until they fell asleep in each other's arms.



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