‘Wsfgl?’
‘Hi. Xander.’
‘Buffy! Love hearing your voice but it is ‘oh my God’ o’clock,’ his tone changed. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘It’s Giles…’
‘What happened? Is he going to be okay?’
Xander sounded close to panic making Buffy feel guilty for picking up the phone, but she badly needed a second opinion.
‘No, it’s fine. He’s fine. He’s here too and everything is…fine.’
‘Right,’ said Xander disbelievingly. ‘I myself often call people in the middle of the night when nothing is bothering me. C’mon Buffster, tell your Uncle Xander all about it.’
She did.
‘So you’re saying that G-man turns up with no warning, gives you enough money to solve all your problems, says that you never have to risk your neck fighting demon scum again, ever and that has made you mad? Jeez, what’s a guy got to do to get a smile?’
‘I don’t like people making decisions for me,’ that sounded lame and she knew it.
‘This isn’t people, this is Giles,’ stated Xander. He’s kind of earned the right.’
‘What do you mean?’ Asked Buffy guardedly.
‘Technically Giles is your boss now, so if the Head of the Watchers’ Council wants to retire someone, I’m guessing he can,’ Xander yawned, then carried on. ‘More importantly this is the guy who left like his whole life to come be your Watcher. The greatest hits of Sunnydale slayage adds up to a million hours of research, putting up with all our crap, getting hurt and a murdered girlfriend.’
‘It wasn’t like that.’
‘Sometimes it was. That’s why Giles deserves more than you bailing on him.’
There was a long pause.
‘You’re right, Xand. Thanks.’
‘I’m right,’ he boasted. ‘Yay for me, not even wide-awake, yet as wise as Oprah. Call back during business hours and I’ll crack the riddle of the universe.’
Buffy laughed.
‘Wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.’
‘This cheque, is it really big?’ Queried Xander in an awed voice.
‘Way big.’
‘Cool, I’ll see you soon,’ he said more assuredly. ‘Top of the ‘don’t spend it wisely’ list has to be tickets home and steak dinner for wildly attractive old friends.’
‘No arguments from me there,’ Buffy replied happily. ‘Consider me ticket buying gal.’
‘After you go thank the old guy.’
********************
‘Thanks for the money. Thanks for retiring me. Thank you for butting in and taking over.’
As she headed home, Buffy ran through what she was going to say, however the right words just wouldn’t come, she could feel herself getting angry all over again. Rounding the corner, Buffy’s heart sank as she saw Giles stood outside her door. She knew he’d be waiting and would’ve stayed there more or less forever until she returned.
‘You’re back, what did…?’
‘Let’s do this upstairs,’ cut in Buffy more harshly than she’d intended, unlocking the door and gesturing Giles in.
Buffy distracted herself fixing drinks that neither of them really wanted, whilst Giles leaned against the wall idly twisting and folding the note Dawn had left which simply said ‘out’.
‘I’m still strong.’
‘I know.’
‘Still strong, still got my spidey sense – the whole Slayer package. We’re not built for retirement.’
‘As ever, you are a special case.’
Buffy slammed the mugs down then span around to face Giles.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘You’re the Chosen One, the only Slayer for a-all that time,’ Giles’ voice took on a sarcastic edge. ‘You’re also the girl who frequently made it quite clear that slaying was nothing more than a huge imposition on her social life. I thought that that making the break you’ve been on since Sunnydale permanent was what you wanted.’
‘Well it isn’t.’
‘Clearly.’
Running a hand through his hair, Giles took a deep breath then tried again in much gentler tones.
‘Buffy, this is safety, this is a life without pretence,’ he smiled. ‘This is all I’ve desired for you.’
‘I think you desire more than that.’
She moved closer to Giles, reached up and pulled his head down for a kiss that he fleetingly returned before breaking away.
‘Seducing me won’t change my mind.’
He barely had time to regret the words before Buffy’s fist slammed into his face, knocking him back against the wall. He sank to the ground, breathing heavily, fighting to stay conscious.
‘You bastard!’
Giles clamped a shaking hand to his nose then held it out, staring with nauseated disbelief at the blood. He’d forgotten just how much getting hit could hurt. Slowly he stood up, then threw the cheque on to the table.
‘One day you’ll thank me,’ he said as he turned and walked out.
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