__The Moment__

By Gibberish






       Giles didn't know what to make of the way that Buffy was looking at him at breakfast. "Buffy, is something wrong?"

 Buffy blinked. "No. Why?"

 "I don't know, really." Giles said. "You're just looking at ... Well, so intent this morning."

 Buffy shrugged.

 "Does this have something to do with your nightmares?" Giles asked. "I really don't believe that I'm in any danger."

 "Nah, I think I finally have that figured out." Buffy told him. "What are you doing today?" She nearly rolled her eyes. Lame.

 "I need to pick up a few things." Giles told her. "Other than that, I have nothing planned. Did you want to do something?"

 Buffy smiled dreamily. "Mmm, that sounds nice. What do you want to do?"

 "I thought I'd leave that up to you." Giles said with a soft smile.

 Buffy's smile turned knowing. "Maybe we could rent videos and play them on the VCR you have hidden in the closet."

 Giles looked sheepish. "How did you know about that?"

 "Looking for something to put on one morning." She told him with a grin.

"You know, they were just teasing you. They won't think any less of you."

 "Willow looked so disappointed." Giles commented with his own grin. "And if Xander knew, I might not be able to get rid of him. I sometimes think that's the only reason he goes home."

 "Home's not so great for him." Buffy said.

 "I know." Giles said gently. "And he knows that he can always come here."

 "Why don't I pick up some videos and I'll meet you back here around 2?" Buffy asked.

 Giles nodded. "That's fine. Do you have your key?"

 Buffy nodded. She stood and took her dishes to the kitchen. "I promised Mom that I'd stop by today."

 Giles stood behind her, his expression almost panicked. "H-have you told her about ... Us?"

 Buffy looked at him a bit sheepish. "No. I really haven't told anyone."

 Giles was surpised. "Not even Willow, or Xander?"

 Buffy shook her head and bit her lip. "It's not that I'm ashamed or

anything." She said quickly. "It's just ..."

 "I understand." Giles said, and he did. It would change the group dynamics.

"What have you told Willow then? When you've stayed here?"

 "That I fell asleep on your couch." Buffy told him without meeting his eyes.

"Besides," She looked at him intently. "What would I tell them?" She asked softly.

 "Well, uhm ..." Giles looked befuddled. "Good point. I'll see you at 2, then."

 Buffy smiled, gave him a quick kiss and left. Giles watched her go, a curious expression on his face.

      



   Buffy walked into the house on Revello Drive. "Mom?" She called out. She looked at her watch, she was on time. "Mom?" She called again.

 Joyce came out of the kitchen. "Buffy, you're here."

 "And, on time." Buffy said with a grin.

 "You seem to be feeling better." Joyce commented. "Have the nightmares stopped?"

 Buffy's smile faded. "How did you ...?"

 "Willow." Joyce said simply. "I called you early one morning and she said that you had stayed with Mr. Giles. Then, she told me about the nightmares for fear of how it sounded. He told me once that your dreams can be prophetic. Is he in danger?"

 Buffy looked uncomfortable as they sat on the couch. "Giles doesn't think so. He doesn't think they're prophetic. Just that I've been through a hard time lately and that my fears are manifesting in my dreams."

 "What do you think?" Joyce asked.

 Buffy shrugged. "I think he's probably right. It's just ... Well, there's only so many times I can watch him die. Last night was the worst. Is that why you wanted me to come by today?"

 This time Joyce shrugged. "I was worried about you. I just wish that there was some way I could help."

 Buffy smiled. "You just did." She saw her Mother's disbelief. "No, really. Just knowing that you're here and that I can come to you."

 "Always." Joyce told her.



   When Buffy left, Joyce became pensive. She'd gotten almost used to the slaying and such. This was different though. Buffy had always had nightmares, even as a baby. She'd always hated the helpless feeling she'd had as a parent. Something had to be done.



   Giles was at Xander's. He looked around the basement, amazed at how well it truly suited Xander. If you took the time to look carefully, that is.  Xander watched Giles and waited. He had said that he wanted to talk, but ... Well, so far, he hadn't said anything. "Giles?"

 Giles looked at him. He didn't know where to begin. "Buffy, ..."

 Xander grinned. "I don't have a problem with you and Buffy having a thing. Not as long as you're both happy."

 Giles sighed. "She said that she hadn't told you."

 "She hasn't." Xander told him. "Since that night with Parker, I've kinda been watching you. Both of you. I can tell that you've gotten a lot closer. So, what's wrong that you felt like you had to come to me?"

 "I'm in a bit of a quandry." Giles told him. "Since these nightmares began ... Well, it's given me no small amount of hope. This morning she seemed, I don't know. There was just something different about the way she looked at me."

 "What do you think her dreams meant?" Xander asked.

 Giles looked confused.  "The nightmares? Well, for weeks, Buffy has felt abandoned and alone. Angel left, you were gone for quite a while. Willow and Oz were caught up in college, her mother used her room for storage, and we all know about her father. And then, of course there was Parker." Xander actually laughed. "Buffy's nightmares haven't been about any of us. They're about you. Not leaving, dying. She's not afraid that we won't be there for her, but that something will happen to you."

 Giles still looked confused. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

 Xander thought for a minute. "If the Council came back and told you to leave, would you?"

 "Of course not." Giles said indignantly.

 "If Angel came back, would you leave?" Xander asked next.

 "Do you know something I don't?" Giles asked worriedly. Xander shook his head. "Well, if I didn't leave when he ..."

 "Exactly." Xander said, so that Giles didn't have to finish that thought.

"What's the only thing that could make you leave Buffy?"

 "I wouldn't." Giles stated emphatically. "They'd have to kill me."

 Xander watched as Giles came to the realization. "Do you think Buffy knows that?" Xander asked softly. "And if she didn't love you, would it matter so much?"

 Giles dropped into a seat. "Why didn't you say anything?"

 Xander grinned. "Like what?  The last time I confronted Buffy about her feelings was not good. Okay, that's not true, but the time before that was bad."

 Giles looked at him amazed. "What did you do this summer?" He looked away.

"Could it be possible?"

 "Highly likely, even." Xander said. "All you have to do is wait for Buffy to realize it."

 "She was asking me what she would tell you." Giles said absently. "Was she asking me what our relationship is?"

 "Maybe. Or maybe she was asking herself." Xander said.



   Buffy looked at her watch. Still a couple hours until she was supposed to meet Giles. She went to the dorm. Willow sat on her bed with a pillow held to her chest. "Will?"

 Willow managed a small smile. "Hey Buff. How's Giles?"

 Buffy sat next to Willow on the bed. "He's fine. What about you?"

 "I saw Devon today." Willow said sadly. "He asked when Oz was coming back."

 "Oh Will." Buffy commiserated. "He'll be back. He's just ... A guy. He just wants to protect you. Oz is smart enough to realize that leaving you isn't the way to do it. He loves you more than anything."

 "But Angel loves you ... And I should shut up now." Willow said.

 "Angel's issues aren't the same as Oz's issues." Buffy told her. "For one thing, Oz isn't dead. Yeah, he's a werewolf, but loving you never hurt anybody. Even in werewolf mode he protected you. I'm not saying that you should go into the cage with him, but ... I think on some level, he knew it was you."

 Willow looked thoughful. "I never thought of that." She looked at Buffy intently.

 "What?" Buffy said, uncomfortable.

 "Angel." Willow said simply.

 Buffy shrugged. "Angel and I can never be. We both know that. I don't think I can stop loving him. Not completely. But, I have to move on. I mean, Parker notwithstanding, there are some good guys out there."

 Willow smiled. "Riley." She said with a nod.

 Buffy nodded in agreement. "Yeah he's okay." She looked at Willow closely. "How would you feel if I told you that I meant someone more like ... Oh say, Giles." She tried to say casuallly.

 "Well, Giles is a great guy." Willow said thoughfully. "I mean, a girl could have a far worse measuring stick. I've always thought that Oz was a little like Giles. You know, quiet, but passionate. Fierce and loyal. Have you met someone like that?"

 Buffy smiled. "Yeah."

 "Why haven't you mentioned him?" Willow asked happily. "Even like this, I'd have been happy for you. What's his name?"

 Buffy was hesitant. "Rupert Giles."

 Willow looked at her blankly. "What?" Then her eyes widened. "What?!" She stared at her for a minute in shock. "Are you saying that you have a crush on Giles? 'Cause I could understand. that."

 Buffy shook her head. "You know all those nights I said I fell asleep on his couch?" Buffy asked with a sigficant look.

 Willow's eyes widened even more. "You're ... You're sleeping with Giles?" Buffy's expression turned dreamy. "You're sleeping with Giles and you really like it." Willow concluded.

 "I know it sounds crazy." Buffy said. "I thought the same thing when it first happened. This is Giles. But it's like, he knows exactly what I'm feeling. But neither of us bargained on this. We were both lonely and ..." She looked at her hands. "What if that's all it is for him? How do I tell him?"

 "Are you in love with him?" Willow asked gently.

 Buffy met her friend's eyes. "You're not thinking eww, are you?"

 "I'm a witch in love with a werewolf." Willow said drily, but with some humor. "I've even come to terms with Xander and Anya. Giles is human, he's already proven how much he cares, and yeah, older, but that only matters if you let it. He's ..." She was at a loss as to describe him.

 "Giles." Buffy finished the thought with a smile. "It's different than with Angel. With Angel it was all passion, you know. And that's not to say that there isn't any passion with Giles, because ... Wow. But there's so much more. We talk. Really talk and it's nice. I never much cared for poetry, but when Giles reads it to me, it's so beautiful. Or just sitting and watching the fire. I don't feel like I have to be on guard every second. And then when he does touch me ..."

 Willow put her hands over her ears. "Not really needing to hear this." She said with a smile. "I'm so happy for you Buffy."

 "What if Giles doesn't feel the same?" Buffy asked worriedly.

 "Are you kidding?" Willow asked in return.

 

   Giles walked into his house, he saw the tapes sitting on the coffee table and Buffy's bag by the couch, but no Buffy. "Buffy?" He called.  Buffy stood up from where she had been looking in his lower cabinets in the kitchen. She smiled at him. "Hey. I can't find the tea tray." Giles smiled and walked into the kitchen. He took the tray down from on top of the refrigerator. He handed it to her, his eyes laughing. Buffy gave him a reproachful look. "How did you expect me to find it up there?" She rolled her eyes and muttered. "I hate being vertically challenged."

 Giles laughed. "It doesn't hinder you where it counts."

 Buffy's eyes lit with humor. "I'm going to assume that you meant the slaying." She said teasing.

 Giles tried for an innocent expression. "What else would I mean?" Buffy just gave him a look. She placed tea for him, a bottled water for her and some snacks on the tray. She went to pick it up, but he beat her to it. He carried it into the living room and she followed. Giles sat on the couch and watched her bend over to put one of the tapes in that she picked out. "What did you decide on?" He asked, distracted by the view.

 Buffy straightened and joined him on the couch. "Romantic comedies. Old ones. Mom and I used to watch them. This is one of my favorites, My Man Godfrey."

 "Which one?" Giles asked, his interest peaked.

 "William Powell and Carol Lombard." Buffy told him. She leaned her head against his shoulder and smiled when his arm went around her.

 They laughed quite a bit.

Then, when it was over, Buffy looked up at him while it rewound. "Giles," She said in a very serious tone. "What do you want more than anything in the world?"

 Giles thought about that. "To keep you safe." He said quietly.

 "Don't you want a family?" Buffy asked. "A wife and kids?"

 "I have a family." Giles told her. "You and the others. I haven't given children much thought in years."

 "And a wife?" Buffy asked softly.

 "I think most people want to share their life with someone." Giles said evasively.

 "I try not to think about it too much." Buffy said honestly. "It hurts." She was unaware that her grip on his hand had tightened. "Even if I found the right guy, what could I offer him? Danger and a short marriage?"

 "You have a lot to offer." Giles told her sternly. "There is no reason to believe that you won't live for a very long time." He said softly. "And if you don't, then any man would still be lucky to have that time with you." He tilted her face up to his. "Do you have any idea just how special you are?"

 "Because I'm the Chosen one?" Buffy asked sadly.

 "Because you're Buffy." Giles told her gently.

 "How can you be sure that someone could feel that way about me?" Buffy asked and then mentally crossed her fingers.

 "Someone already does." Giles told her. He cupped her cheek.

 "And if I died tomorrow?" Buffy asked.

 Giles hated to think about it, but he knew that she needed the truth. "Then, I would cherish today and the past weeks for the rest of my life." He slid his fingers into her hair. "As I would cherish all of our time together. " He was unprepared when she threw herself into his arms. He held her tightly though. "I love you Buffy." He whispered into her hair.  She pulled back and he saw tears on her cheeks. He swiped them gently with his thumbs. "I love you too, Giles." Buffy said tearfully. She touched his face. Giles pulled her to him for a fierce hug.   Buffy pulled back, only far enough to kiss him. Giles stood and picked her up and she placed kisses on his neck as he carried her up the stairs. He dropped her on the bed and then followed. He felt her fingers undo his shirt buttons and helped her push the shirt off of him. Then hers. He removed her bra and kissed her breasts as his hand moved to the snap of her jeans. With her help, the jeans quickly disappeared along with her panties. His slacks were next.

 After he divested himself of his pants and boxers, he gently, almost reverently ran his knuckles over her cheek. "You deserve so much." She touched his face in the same way. "And I have so much." She pulled his face down and kissed him lightly. It didn't remain that way however.  Giles took over the kiss and ravished her mouth with his own. He felt her wrap her hand around him and groaned. She positioned him and he could feel that she was ready. He pulled back so that he could see her face as he pushed into her. She met his eyes with love and passion in hers.  Buffy locked her legs around him and held him still. She wanted to remember the look on his face, the love and affection and the outright lust. Then, unable to stop herself, she raised her hips.  Giles took this as his cue and began to thrust, gently at first and then with more force. He leaned down and kissed her fiercely. He pulled back panting.

 Buffy touched his face. "I love you."

 The words hit him and he couldn't hold back. "Oh God." He said harshly as his climax began. "I love you too." And he felt her tighten around him.





   Buffy and Giles were lying there quietly, wrapped in each others arms and on the brink of sleep, when the phone rang and someone knocked on the door. Giles groaned. "Would you get the phone Luv? I'll get the door." Buffy watched him get out of bed and throw on his robe before she moved to answer the phone.

 Giles went downstairs, looking at his watch. He was surprised by how early it still was.  He got to the bottom of the stairs and went to the door. He opened it and found Joyce. "J-Joyce? I-is there something I can do for you?" He prayed that Buffy had enough sense not to come down.  Joyce looked at his attire. Did he have anything on under that robe? "Is this a bad time?" She asked, her eyes wide.

 Giles almost smiled as he thought about this same conversation with Buffy not that long ago. "Well, um ... Is something wrong?" He knew that Buffy was all right, so he was relatively calm.

 "I'm worried about Buffy." Joyce said, aware that he hadn't asked her in.

"These nightmares she's been having ..."

 "Oh." Giles said. "Yes, the nightmares." He moved nervously.

 "This is a bad time." Joyce said embarrased.

 "I think the nightmares have stopped." Giles tried to reassure her.

 "She said that last night's was the worst." Joyce said.

 "Did she tell you what it was about" Giles asked curious. Other than telling him that it involved Angelus, Buffy wouldn't tell him. It had surprised him, because she had told him about the others.

 Joyce shook her head. "No, she didn't want to talk about it. Mr. Giles, Buffy is very worried about you."

 "I know." Giles said quietly.



   Upstairs, Buffy answered the phone. "Hello."

 "Buffy?" Oz's voice came over the phone.

 Buffy was buttoning the shirt that Giles had worn earlier, when she stopped.

"Oz?" A million thoughts ran through her at once. "Oz, are you okay? Where are you?"

 "I'm as okay as I can be away from Will." Oz told her. "I just had to know

how she was." He said sadly.

 "How do you think?" Buffy asked. "Come home Oz."

 "I can't." Oz said. "Not yet. I have to know I won't hurt her."

 "You are hurting her." Buffy said softly. "And we miss you."

 "I miss you guys too." Oz said. "Even Xander. What are you doing at Giles'? Something bad going on?"

 "Uh ... " Buffy responded.

 Oz laughed. "Am I interupting something?"

 "No." Buffy said embarrassed. "Why are you calling Giles? If you want to know how Willow is, call her."

 "I can't Buffy." Oz said sadly. "Tell her I love her."

 Buffy heard the click. "Oz? Oz?" She slammed the phone down. Without thinking she turned to head downstairs. "Giles!"

 Giles' eyes widened as he heard Buffy call for him. He saw Joyce's expression change from embarrassed to angry. She pushed passed him and inside.

 "Giles, Oz just ..." Her words trailed off as she saw her Mom.

 Joyce looked from Buffy to Giles. "What is going on here?" She asked in a voice that was too quiet.

 "Buffy and I ..." Giles began. He looked to Buffy and she smiled at him. He looked back to Joyce. "I love your daughter. And ..."

 "I love him." Buffy said simply. "Mom, I ..."

 "How long has this been going on?" Joyce asked next.

 "Few weeks." Buffy told her.

 "Why didn't you tell me?" Joyce asked hurt.

 "I was afraid you'd go postal." Buffy said honestly. "Mom, I didn't mean to hurt you, but ... Well,  ..."

 Joyce looked at her daughter oddly. "You think I didn't see this coming?" She asked. "Good grief Buffy, I'm not blind. Giles said, Giles did, Giles thinks and the looks."

 Buffy and Giles sat on the couch and looked at Joyce confused. "Does this mean that you're okay with this? With us?" Buffy asked.

 Joyce sat on the other side of her daughter. "Buffy, all I ever wanted was for you to be happy. If you're happy with Mr. Giles, and I can see that you are, then, I'm okay. I've  known for a while now how much he cares about you, how much he's done for you. What he's been through for you. I can't think of anybody that would take better care of you. Which is not to say that it will be easy."

 Buffy gave an odd little smile. "Actually, it was the easiest thing in the world."

 Joyce looked uncomfortable again. "I guess I'd better go." She stood and headed for the door.

 "Thanks Mom." Buffy said to her. Joyce smiled and went out the door. Buffy turned to Giles. "Okay, that was my Mom, right?"

 Giles smiled. Then his expression turned surprised. "Did you say Oz?"







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