Disclaimer: They're not mine. Please don't sue me!
Hi everyone. This is a story inspired by a nice, peaceful Sunday of my own. There's no real point to it, I guess, but it's just a little feel-good piece that I really enjoyed writing. Please give me some feedback...this is a new style for me and I'd like to know what everyone thought of it. =)
Dedication: To Andrea, for all those quiet Sunday conversations that we used to have together. God I miss you.
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"I think this was a really splendid idea, Jenny," Giles said quietly. He was smiling a little, watching Buffy squeal in delight as Xander tackled Willow, knocking them both to the soft grass. The football Willow had been awkwardly holding bounced away, and Buffy took off after it. Xander and Willow were still lying on the ground panting and laughing.
It was an absolutely perfect day, warm and sunny but with that little twinge of cool fall weather that comes to California in late November. There weren't very many other people in the park this afternoon, and they were glad. It was a beautiful place; everything lush and green and huge trees offering shade to the visitors. Giles and Ms. Calendar sat on a large quilt, surrounded by food and drinks, watching the teens play football.
"They needed something fun and relaxing to do. They've been through a lot lately, especially Buffy, and I just thought it would nice to take them away for awhile," she said by way of reply. Giles only nodded, leaning back against the tree that their blanket was spread under. She reclined with him, relaxing against is chest, and they were content to observe the energy of youth rather than be a part of it.
"No fair!" Buffy was yelling, but she was laughing all the same. This time she was Xander's victim, and she was now pinned underneath him. They all knew that if Buffy really wanted to win the game, there would be no contest from anyone, but today she wasn't the Slayer. Today she was just a normal 16 year old girl. After a few moments though, she did flip him off of her and took off again. Willow laughed at Xander, who was still flat on his back where Buffy had left him.
"Touchdown!" Buffy yelled triumphantly, and she proceeded to begin a ridiculous victory dance. Willow joined in-apparently, it had been boy against girls-and Giles and Jenny couldn't hold in laughter at the sight of it all. Buffy and Willow each took one of Xander's hands to pull him up off the ground, and they trotted over to plop down on the blanket.
"Who won?" Jenny asked good naturedly.
"Girls rule!" Buffy exclaimed happily, and gave Willow a high five. Xander groaned but he was still smiling.
"No fair. It should have been the Slayer against us mortals," he said putting an arm briefly around Willow's shoulders and giving her a squeeze. She blushed, smiled broadly, and turned away. Buffy grinned.
"I could have taken you both!" she challenged.
Giles and Ms. Calendar were handing out plates of food. "Xander, here's your peanut butter and jelly. Don't make a mess."
"Yes, *mom*," he said, and she gave him and evil glare. "Buffy, chicken salad?"
"Mmm. My fave. Giles, you know my better than I thought!" She grinned in appreciation. Giles's job had been to pack the food.
"And Willow, ham and cheese. Now, who wants what to drink?"
Giles sat quietly, watching the four most important people in his life interact happily with each other. He wished they had thought of doing something like this sooner...it seemed to be having nothing but positive effects on everyone.
Things quieted down as everyone dug into their food. Buffy only ate half of her sandwich and then settled down sleepily on Giles's left side, drifting off in the afternoon sunshine. He gazed at her sunkissed features pensively, wondering if she was feeling alright. Her fatigue and lack of appetite had been one of the main reasons Jenny had been able to talk him into taking this little outing.
Xander stretched out at the end of the blanket near everyone's feet, and Willow rested against his chest. Her auburn hair was absolutely on fire in the brilliant sun, and Xander stroked it contentedly.
Giles chuckled softly. "What is it?" Ms. Calendar asked quietly so as not to wake them.
"They've worn themselves out," he whispered. Then his voice changed and took on a more serious tone. "Buffy should have more endurance than that."
"Oh Giles, this isn't a training session. She's just here to relax today, to be a kid." She peered over Giles's middle to look at Buffy on his other side. "She's going to be fine." He nodded in agreement. That was something he appreciated about Jenny...she understood his relationship with Buffy. She was never jealous, and she never admonished him for being concerned or overly protective. She knew that that was just the way things were.
"I...I'm glad you're here, you know," Giles began awkwardly. He'd been meaning to say something to her for so long, but the words were always so slow in coming to him..."I mean, usually, it's just me looking after these three, and it's such a comfort to have another adult, to...to help me..." he trailed off. She was looking at him with an intense gaze that made it hard to concentrate. Her lips touched his and his train of thought was forgotten.
"Oh, Giles," Xander exclaimed in a squeaky, mock-female voice, and Willow dissolved into helpless laughter. "Giles!"
Jenny broke the kiss and buried her face in his chest, wanting to be angry but shaking with laughter.
"Go back to sleep," Giles mumbled grumpily, and that just made everyone laugh harder. Buffy woke up when the laughter broke out.
"What's so funny?" She asked sleepily.
"Giles and Ms. Calendar got caught making out!" Willow said gleefully. Giles blushed terribly and Jenny laughed harder.
Buffy put on her teacher-expression. "Now kids, we don't need public displays of affection. There are impressionable minds here, you know!"
"Oh will the three of you hush?" Giles asked, but he was laughing now as well.
Everyone quieted down and conversation went on softly. Buffy sat on her corner of the blanket, knees pulled to her chest, silent. She observed Giles, holding Ms. Calendar so softly, so afraid to do something wrong. And Willow still rested on Xander, looking as if she were exactly where she belonged. Though she felt more alone than she had in awhile, she was still happy because everyone she loved had someone. It made her feel peaceful.
"Well, shall we head home?" Giles asked.
Everyone's expressions became sober. They were all loath to leave this place, this *time*, when everything was sunny and beautiful and vampires were nothing but childhood stories told on Halloween. When love was free to be expressed, and things were just understood instead of having to be explained.
Giles seemed to sense their reluctance to go. He rubbed Buffy's shoulder gently, and looked at her though he was speaking to the whole group.
"Come on now. We'll come back next weekend, I promise."
"Really promise?" Buffy asked hopefully, and he knew she was asking him for more than another trip to the park. She was asking for more time to live her life.
"Promise." She smiled and they gathered up their things, leaving their normal lives behind for another week to fight the demons of Sunnydale.
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