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summer_of_giles2011-06-05 02:48 pm
Fic: Lover's Knot (G/W, G/S) NC17 (Part 3)
Warnings in part one.
Lover's Knot (part 3)
Giles crawled onto the bed and lay on his side next to Willow, purposely presenting his back to the vampire. He propped himself on an elbow to speak to her. “How are you doing?” he whispered.
She looked over at him, her dark green eyes still sparkling. “I’m fighting a little with my stupid brain. It just won’t shut up and let me be.”
“I know exactly what you mean.” He let a small smile fall across his lips. “If you change your mind, all you have to do is say so. One word from you and I’ll end this and find another way to deal with Spike.”
“Another way?” Willow propped herself up so she could look him straight in the eyes. “You mean like getting him ticked off enough to kill you so I’ll be stuck here to try and fend him off all alone? I don’t think so.”
“He won’t kill me,” Giles assured her. “He’s having too much fun using me as his weapon of choice against you.”
Willow leaned forward to whisper in his ear. “If what you just did to me was supposed to be an attack, I think I prefer it to a lot of other weapons he could have chosen.” Giles closed his eyes at the feel of her hot breath ghosting past his cheek and ear. A shiver ran through his entire body. She had the voice of an angel and she smelled just as heavenly.
He swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. “You know that after… Things will never be the same.”
“I know.” She brought her fingertips to his cheek. “But I also know that you and I have a friendship that has survived the end of the world, a couple of times. If anyone can make it through this and come out stronger, it’s us. We can do it together.”
“W-Willow,” Giles gulped her name. His next words could barely be heard, “I need you to touch me.”
She looked at him with a slightly confused expression for a moment, then her eyes drifted down to his slowly growing erection. “Oh,” she peeped. “Tell me… I’ve never…”
“Don’t worry. You can’t hurt me. Just let me feel you.” His whole body jumped as one delicate finger cautiously brushed along his manhood. She smiled at the strangled yelp she pulled from him when her heated hand wrapped around him, making him grow harder. He pulled her head to him and whispered into her ear. “I need you to seduce my body, Willow. You are already in my heart. Your touch can silence the shoulds and shouldn’ts of my mind. The way you touch me can make me think only of you.” He gave a shuddering breath as she stroked him to the fullness of his arousal. “Your touch is so good. You feel like heaven.”
His words were making her shiver, too. No one had ever spoken to her like that. The power over him that he had given her, the knowledge that she had the ability to do such things to a man like him, it was almost overwhelming. His whispers in her ear brought the hum back to her skin and the fire back to her blood.
She brought him all the way up. He was so hard he ached. “Oh, you’re so good at that,” Giles panted. “You can’t imagine what you’re doing to me. What you’re making me want to do.” He reached down to still her hand. Giles opened his eyes and stared intently into hers. He managed to choke out, “Willow, may I-”
The girl placed a finger on his lips, silencing the question. Leaving it there, she kissed it, pressing just hard enough that her lips made contact with his around it. “Yes,” she murmured against him.
Giles rolled into position atop her, pulling her skirt up just enough to be out of his way. He paused, a jolt of excitement shooting through him at the feeling of her wet curls brushing his tip. He groaned, “Tell me you want this. Tell me you want me.”
“Giles,” she grabbed his ears and pressed his forehead to hers, “I want you.”
His moan echoed through the room as his hips slowly pushed forward. She was still so tight, so untouched. As his swollen tip slipped in and she squeezed around it, he paused to steady himself. He had to stay in control. Be slow and gentle. Not let the beast have her, let the beast hurt her. He breathed deeply to regain some of his composure.
Then a thought. What if this was as far as he had to go? What if he could trick Spike into thinking he had taken her without having to completely penetrate her? A cold hand found its way between his thighs and solidly squeezed his testicles, causing his hips to jump forward, completely impaling Willow. The girl screamed beneath him, and he held her against his chest remaining perfectly still while she recovered.
The voice of the vampire felt like acid in his ear. “Noticed you get a bit stuck there, Old Boy. Thought I’d give you a hand.”
Giles turned his head and hissed, “I’ll kill you for this, Spike.”
Willow’s small hands on the sides of his face brought him back to her tear-filled eyes. “Forget him,” she whispered. “I need you here with me. Be here with me.”
The Watcher swallowed hard and nodded against her forehead. When he was sure her breathing was steady, he slowly began to let her feel him move inside her. He pulled out and began to thrust in a slow, easy rhythm, her moans rumbling right through his chest.
Was he really feeling that? Were her hips rising to meet him? Were her hands exploring the landscape of his body? Were her legs spreading wider to give him more access? And then he began to feel something more. The reserves of power stored deep inside her began to wash over him. The memories of magical highs long cast aside with the days of Ethan and Eyghon. It all flashed through him and he watched in slow motion as she raised her chin with a groan of passion, stretching her lovely neck before him.
He was seeing the future. Seeing Willow as the beautiful and powerful woman she would become. And in that one moment she was his. Giles buried his face in her neck and murmured, “My Willow. So beautiful. My Willow.”
Soon he could feel his own climax approaching and had to still himself within her to keep from breaking his promise. He rose up on his knees, keeping himself inside her and furiously worked her with his fingers, building her to her next release. She was nearly there as Giles’ left hand shot down to grab the hard cock of a naked Spike that had appeared beside him. His hand clamped down in a viselike grip on the vampire as he felt Willow’s inner muscles contract and convulse around him before she finally curled onto her side in a fit of giggles, as beautiful as ever.
“Come on, Mate. Looked so good, I thought I’d have a go myself.”
Giles wheeled on the vampire roaring, “Nobody touches MY WILLOW!” With his left hand never releasing Spike’s cock and his right gripping the vampire’s throat, he forced the demon back until they collided with the wall.
Spike laughed, knowing he could easily overpower the Watcher, but wanting to see how far he would go.
“Is this how you like it, Spike? Rough and strong?” Giles spat, sliding his hand along the vampire’s cock in a grip so tight he threatened to tear skin. “I bet I know what you like.” Giles spun him around, pressing his cheek into the wall and putting his full weight to the demon’s back. “All that time with Angel and Drusilla… You like to be dominated, don’t you Spike. You were the bitch.”
Spike groaned as the Watcher pumped him in the blistering grip. He could feel the hard, warm cock pressing between the cheeks of his buttocks, still slick with the juices of the girl.
“You gonna rape me now too, Rupert?” Spike laughed with a hint of fear.
“I’ll do whatever I must to keep you away from those I care about.” Giles pressed his hips harder into Spike’s behind. “You think you can take what I can do to you, Demon? Maybe I’ll be the one to tear you apart from the inside out.”
The threatening words in his ear, the hardness poised to rip into his ass, and the electricity that seemed to be building in the large hand still punishing his penis was more than Spike could take. With a loud cry he came fast and hard, and leaned, dazed against the wall.
The vampire squirmed around to be face to face with Giles, paying no heed to the forearm still crushing in on his throat. “You were right about one thing. It’s been ages since anyone managed to do that to me.” He grinned, his chest heaving in mock copy of a human reaction to orgasm. “Startin’ to think I should keep you around awhile and see what else you can do.”
The rumble in Giles’ chest was deep and menacing. “Deal’s done, Spike. You will leave Willow and me alone now.”
“Hey, I’m in charge here,” Spike almost whined. “Maybe I should just turn you and keep you as my bitch.”
“Look at me, Spike. The Master, even Angelus, never gave a second thought to turning me. Why do you think that is?”
“Probably because they wouldn’t be able to stand listening to you forever,” Spike sniped.
“Look in my eyes and tell me what you see.”
For the first time Spike let himself be locked into the burning, green gaze. The Watcher’s eyes were like two hard-edged jade stones, formed into deadly projectiles ready to pierce a soul. Darkness bled out into the left, threatening to take over, to swallow him whole. The war that raged in those eyes was on a scale the vampire had never seen. The ever-present blackness, churning, roaring, trying to break free from the chains of the powerful soul that bound it.
“What do you see, Spike? If you take my soul, what will the demon that replaces me inherit?”
“Bloody hell,” Spike breathed. “There’d be nothing left of this world for the rest of us.”
“Even your mad little trollup, Drusilla, didn’t turn me, though she wanted to. I could feel it when she was in my mind, Spike. She liked what she found there. It tickled her. Just like I could feel her body tremble when I kissed her. Although, if your performance for me was any indication, I’m not surprised she was intrigued by a man who could, how shall I say, go the distance for her. ”
“That’s it, Watcher!” Spike finally used his superior strength to spin Giles around into biting position. “Dru is my girl, and you’re going to die for saying those things about her.” Spike’s fangs appeared but, before he could bite down, Giles’ attention was drawn to another sound in the room and he simply walked out of the vampire’s grasp. “Oh, very clever,” Spike said mainly to himself. “I see what you were trying to do, Watcher. You wanted me to kill you so you wouldn’t have to live with yourself. Well, too bad. I’m onto you… you git.”
Willow was crying quietly. Giles reached out toward her, but couldn’t bring himself to touch her, not even to comfort her. He turned and sat on the bed.
Willow felt the movement of the mattress and looked up to find his back toward her. She got off the bed and walked around in front of him. “Giles?” He wouldn’t look at her. His eyes just stared into nothingness. He was almost catatonic.
Suddenly Willow understood. This man, the strongest man she had ever known, the one she looked up to and respected as much as anyone in her life, now sat before her, broken. The demon had chosen a weapon he had no defense for. It had used her to break him.
The anger that welled up in her was blinding. “Spike!” she screamed. As she turned, every piece of debris in the room levitated. “I’ll kill you for using me to hurt him.” With that, all the floating debris shot towards the empty chair in the corner. Spike was gone, the only trace of him, scattered, empty bottles of booze.
Soft muttering was coming from the man on the bed. “Willow. I was supposed to protect her. She’s crying. It was me. The monster. I’m the monster.”
Willow knelt to try to put her face into Giles’ line of vision. Because he would not focus on her, she couldn’t tell if he was even seeing her there. She reached to place a hand on his knee and he flinched at her touch. “Giles, please come back to me. I still need your help.” Beginning to get scared, she yelled at him, “I wasn’t crying because of what you did! What we did.”
His eyes finally blinked into focus.
“There you are,” her voice was soft again. “You did it. Spike’s gone.” His only response was to blink. “You want to know what I was thinking about that made me cry a little, don’t you?” Willow blushed under his stare. “I was thinking that I was lucky. There have only been three guys that I’ve ever dreamed about in that way. I was thinking that I was lucky to have my first be one of those guys.” She hadn’t noticed that he’d been holding his breath until he finally exhaled. “Please, Giles, say something to me. Tell me what’s going on in there.”
He let out a soft whisper, “Doesn’t make it right.”
“I know. And I know nothing I say will ever convince you that you did the right thing.” Willow sighed. “When Spike knocked you out and I had to face him alone, I was terrified. By then you were there, and I knew you would protect me. And Spike never touched me again.”
“He didn’t have to,” the Watcher groaned, putting his face in his hands.
Willow let out an exacerbated breath and lowered her eyes. At that point a not so small problem caught her attention. “Giles, you’re still…”
“Don’t worry about it,” he grumbled.
“But I can help…” she began to lean forward. Giles’ hand shot down to block her approach to his hard flesh.
“No, Willow. I can’t let… I won’t violate you again.” A growl hid in his deep sigh. “It will go away on its own.”
Willow got up and sat beside him on the bed. Before he could stop her, she managed to slide her slender hand onto his chest. As she expected, his heart was still racing. “You’re forgetting who I am,” she said, hiding her concern behind a smile. “Queen of the nerds. Acer of Biology and Anatomy classes. Your body is still producing adrenaline. You’re not going to be able to relax for quite a while.” She pouted slightly for him. “And, if what Xander has told me is correct, I think you’re already hurting.” Willow paused, placing a hand back on his knee where it had been before, trying not to push him too hard. “Please let me help you, Giles.”
“No,” came in the form of a noncommittal grunt.
“Then you leave me no choice. I’m going to have to use the ultimate weapon on you. Logic!” Willow smiled gently as his shoulders slumped a bit. Their group of friends was made up of many personality types, but she had learned that the closest to her own was Giles. In the few times they were not trying to avert a crisis, the two of them would enjoy challenging each other to logic games. While the others quickly got bored, they would use the rules of logic to convince each other that the sky was green or water was a solid. So far the score was pretty even, and a groan from Giles was an admission that she was perfectly capable of changing his mind.
“OK,” she continued. “I’m thinking you would like to keep this as something between us, seeing how the others might not get how heroic the action you took really was. So, what if they are looking for us? And what if they found us now, with you in this state? How much harder would it make your role as our teacher and mentor if we’ve all seen you naked with a raging boner?”
“Willow…” Giles groaned, his hands in his own hair, grasping with white-knuckled grips.
She softened her voice. “Let me help you now and this whole thing will be over.” With a feather light touch, she ran her hand up his thigh and onto his lower abdomen where it gently rested. “You told me I felt like heaven. Did you lie to me?”
There were tears in his eyes when he turned to look at her. He shook his head slowly, his choked voice nearly inaudible. “You are an angel.”
“Close your eyes,” she whispered to him. As she tenderly moved her hand to encircle him, Giles grabbed hold of the bedpost beside him and the quilt below him. He was too tired to fight anymore. And everything Willow had said was true. The back of his mind was whispering something about one more sin to throw on his pyre, but soon even it was silenced as he was washed away on Willow’s soft, magical touch. It didn’t take her long. After all that had happened, his body was ready to let go. And when the tidal wave finally washed over him, everything ugly and wrong disappeared, if only for a minute or two.
When Giles came back to full awareness, he saw that Willow had torn a piece from the dirty quilt and cleaned him up the best she could. She stood and handed him the undershirt from his pile of discarded clothing. Kneeling again before him, she held his pants open to help him dress.
“Willow,” he said softly, accepting the help. “I’m sure you are aware of this. But, because of the… uh… encounter we’ve had, you might have the urge to touch me more often and with more familiarity than in the past. I-It’s the natural response of your hormones, and I will never fault you, but at school and in front of the others…”
“I know. People might start getting the wrong idea. As for our friends, I don’t think they’d be too surprised that I’d want to be close to the man who saved me from Spike. At least for a while.”
She smiled reassuringly at him as she draped the last article of clothing, his tie, around his neck. It was left hanging loose, and she noted that he should wear his ties like that more often. They both jumped when they heard banging at the door.
A voice called, “They’re in here!” The door shattered, and splintered inward.
First to the bottom of the stairs was Angel. He froze there as he saw Giles stand and face him, wide-eyed. Willow quickly grabbed the Watcher’s hand and stood in front of him, a reversal of positions they’d taken when Spike was there. Buffy was next down and stood smiling beside Angel. Then the rest of the scoobies filed in, Xander, Oz, even Cordilia, each taking a position of protection between the men, trying to silently assure Giles that they would not let Angel near him. The only one in the room who seemed oblivious to the tension of this first encounter between their dear friend and the vampire that nearly tortured him to death was Buffy.
“I should go,” Angel finally said to her. She opened her mouth, but he interrupted. “I’m glad we found them safe. You should take care of them now.” With that he left.
The teens turned and scanned the two captives, searching for any obvious injuries.
“You guys all right?” Xander asked.
“We will be,” Willow smiled wearily.
Buffy looked around the room. “Where’s Spike,” she growled.
The red-head answered, “He’s gone now. Left a little while ago.”
“He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Oz stepped closer to his girlfriend.
Willow grinned and wrapped her arm around Giles’. “He tried. But the hero here didn’t let him lay one finger on me.”
“Wow, Giles,” Xander clapped him on the shoulder. “You beat off Spike all by yourself? Way to go, Big Guy! Thanks for taking care of our girl.” Giles groaned deeply, and Willow squeezed his hand in support. Xander took it as a groan of pain. “You don’t look so good.” He turned to Willow. “How bad did he get hurt?”
“We should get him home,” Willow said softly.
***
In the courtyard of Giles’ building, the kids gathered and barely noticed as the Watcher slipped into his doorway and disappeared. Willow stopped the others from entering behind him.
“Thanks guys, but I don’t think he’s ready for everyone to crowd him yet.”
Buffy shrugged, “All right, do you want us to take you home now?”
“I,” Willow looked down, “I really think I should stay with him tonight.”
Xander’s face turned serious. “Spill it, Will. What did Spike do to him? Do we need to go back on Watcher-watch? At least it will be easier with more of us around this time.”
Willow looked at her best friend sadly. “I don’t know that yet. What I do know is tonight it has to be me because I’m the only one who knows what happened to him.” She quickly held her hand up to stop the oncoming questions. “And I’m the only one who’s gonna know. If you guys want to help him through this, never ask him exactly how he saved me from Spike.”
Xander, Cordilia, and Oz nodded slowly.
“Wait a minute,” Buffy looked at them confused. “What is Watcher-watch?”
Xander stared at her, trying to suppress the anger he still had at her never asking about that time. “It was that first month or two after… After Angel,” he kept a calm and even tone to his voice. “He was fine during the day when we were all at school. But then he told Willow about the nightmares. Add to that the stress of worrying about you… We decided that we had to do something before we went to school one day and he wasn’t there. So we rotated shifts, and didn’t let him spend a night alone. He always protested,” the others nodded at this, “until he inevitably woke up screaming and was happy to have a real person there to assure him nobody was crawling around in his mind.”
“I didn’t know,” Buffy whispered.
“He didn’t want you to,” Willow said.
Xander continued, “It was about the time his physical wounds healed up that he started sleeping through the night. If you ask me, he still has the nightmares; he just deals with them now.”
“Poor Giles,” Buffy took a step toward the door.
Willow blocked her. “Your pity won’t help him. Especially, not tonight. Please, just let me take care of him tonight and we’ll see how he’s doing in the morning.”
The gang nodded and headed back to the van. Oz stayed and pulled Willow into a hug.
“If, at some point, it might help,” he whispered to her. “Tell him I forgive him, too.”
Willow looked at him, shocked. “You can tell what happened?”
Her boyfriend kissed her head. “I can smell him on you.”
“And you’re not mad?”
“I would be, if all I smelled was his lust. But that’s overpowered by his fear, and desperation, and sorrow.”
Willow cringed, “Do you think the others could smell anything?”
“No,” Oz assured her. “The layer of old soot from that place covers most everything else. They would have to have the wolf’s nose.” He smiled at her. “Go take care of him. I’ll come back to check on you in the morning and bring you some clean clothes.” Willow gave him a grateful kiss and slipped the keys to her empty house into his hand before turning to go through the Watcher’s door.
***
Willow was in no way surprised to find Giles as he was. Sitting on his couch, staring into the empty fireplace. His left hand was clutching a full bottle of scotch. He hadn’t yet opened it, good sign, but he also hadn’t bothered to pick up a glass, bad sign. She sighed deeply, and walked around to stand before him.
“You shouldn’t be here, Willow,” his voice ground quietly.
“And where should I be?” she asked with a tone of gentle care. “At home alone, with my parents out of town?”
“I’m sure any of the others would gladly stay with you and look after you.” His eyes hadn’t yet shifted from the fireplace.
“I’m sure, too. But, Giles, who will care for you? You forget that I’ve seen that look on you before. It’s the look that makes me want to get all the sharp implements out of the house. Since, in this house, that would be impossible, I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re going to be all right.” As he didn’t have an answer to that, she went to sit by him on the couch. Not too close, sensing his uneasiness, but close enough to make the room seem a little less empty. “We both know that this isn’t really going to help anything.” She pulled the bottle from his hand, fully aware that she could never have taken it if he didn’t allow her to, and placed it on the end table. “And I wasn’t about to send any of the others in here to ask you endless questions. I told you we’d get through this together, and we will.”
They sat in silence for a long while. Willow searching desperately for something to say to him that would ease the burden he was forcing on himself. She could only guess what kind of flogging his mind was inflicting on him. The girl knew he felt like he’d committed an evil far beyond that which they have killed demons for. What she couldn’t figure out was why she didn’t feel the same way. When she looked at him now, she didn’t see the monster he obviously thought he’d become. She just saw Giles, the man who was willing to do anything he had to in order to keep all those he’d chosen to protect safe. Yes, there might have also been a new found respect for what he hides under all that tweed, and a bit of envy for his past and future lovers… But that was beside the point. He was still Giles.
Willow finally let out a long sigh. It was already late, and this silence wasn’t going to fix the problem between them. “I think you already know I’ve forgiven you,” her voice seemed small in the still room. “And Oz said to tell you that he forgives you, too.”
“Oz knows,” Giles mumbled. “Of course, it’s only right for you to tell him.”
“I didn’t have to. He said could smell…”
“Werewolf senses,” he nodded slowly. “The boy could probably smell me all over you. Just as well. Next full moon I can forget to lock the cage and he might well rip my bloody head off.”
“Why are you doing this? Everyone thinks you’re a hero. I think you’re a hero. Why can’t you forgive yourself?”
He looked at her for the first time since they’d left the factory. His eyes were red-rimmed and hollow. “Don’t you get it?” He raised his voice. “Willow, I raped you!”
The girl’s heart stopped at his tone and his harsh words. He had never yelled at her before, for any reason. But she stood her ground. Unwilling to give one inch until the matter was resolved. “Y-you… You… I could just as easily say that I raped you,” she countered in a loud but calm voice. “I’m the one who agreed to Spike’s demands. I’m the one who talked you into giving in. It’s not like you wanted to do it…”
His fist came down hard on the arm of the couch and he stood abruptly. “But I did!” he shouted, stalking toward the fireplace. “Part of me wanted… A large part of me enjoyed being with you. The way you made me feel…” The Watcher leaned his head against the cool surface of the mantle. “I should have never let it happen,” he grumbled to himself.
Willow’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t help the warm flush that went through her. It had been clear that he was working very hard to make the experience as non-traumatic and enjoyable as possible for her. But the thought that she could make him feel… anything. A small smile curved her lips. Her voice returned to its caring, even tone. “Do you know what that makes you?”
“A despicable, lecherous old beast that should be put down as soon as possible,” Giles snarled into the fireplace.
“Maybe,” she stifled a chuckle. “But I was going to go with human. And worse, a man.” She heard him let out a growl that must have shaken his entire body. “I’m sorry, Giles, but I’ve spent most of my high school life watching you face down demons and whatever else it is that wants to end the world on any particular day. I’ve seen you overcome torments the likes of which most people on this planet will never even imagine. Excuse me if I don’t feel like pitying you because having se… making lo… being with me made you feel good.”
“You don’t understand. You’re still my student, Willow. I’m not supposed to look at you like--”
“Like what? Like I’m a woman? Or even just a female?” Willow stood. She was on a roll and she liked it. “Or maybe you’re just afraid that one of us will stop looking at you as nothing more than a walking textbook. Ever think of that? Huh?”
Giles turned to look at her, a hint of confusion mixed with the self-loathing on his face. “This isn’t like you, Willow.”
“I know,” she laughed and bounced on her toes a few times. “It’s kinda fun. For some reason I feel more confident tonight. More relaxed than I have been for a really long time.” She smiled at the blush climbing his neck and decided the only way to bring him back was going to be to start pushing. “I wonder. Do you think that could have been your influence?” His color grew even higher, and it egged her on. “I’m beginning to think that’s the way a girl should go. Find an older, experienced man to show her the ropes and everything. Hey, maybe you could teach a class. Dr. Giles’ sex education for high school girls.”
“That’s enough,” Giles groaned.
“Do you get it now?” Willow said seriously. “You told me the only thing I was supposed to remember from this night is the way a gentleman should make me feel. And that’s what I remember. And damned if I’m going to let you crawl into a black hole of despair for being the one who gave me that memory.”
Giles let his gaze drop to the floor and muttered something under his breath that Willow couldn’t quite catch. She thought it sounded like something about the meaning of ‘making a woman,’ but decided to let it pass. At least he wasn’t arguing with her anymore, and that usually meant he would finally surrender to her care.
She reached a hand out to him and said, “Come with me.” He didn’t move. Willow sighed and took his hand. This wasn’t over by a long shot. Since he’d left her to take on Spike, he hadn’t touched her again. She was grateful that he still allowed her the contact he knew she needed. But he never initiated it. She wondered if he ever would after what happened.
With the big man in tow, she headed to the bathroom. Giles didn’t fight. Willow indicated the shower and, with a quirky grin, asked if he would be needing help. His cheeks turned a shade of crimson as he answered in the negative. She heard the water start as she entered the kitchen to put the kettle on. Then she took a quick sprint up the stairs.
Willow stopped for a moment as she entered his bedroom. A sad smile crossed her face when she saw that it was just how she remembered. He hadn’t moved the large recliner they had carried up to the room for the last time they took on the responsibility of caring for him. The chair still held the pillow and blanket she remembered falling asleep with during those long nights. It was a sad yet fulfilling time for her. Helping him change the bandages on his back, watching as their doctoring made his wounds heal. Being there to talk to him when the dreams got so bad they threatened to overwhelm him. Just letting him know he hadn’t been completely abandoned as the days wore on.
Now, here she was again, after another round of torture for the stalwart Watcher. Only, this time worse. There were no physical wounds to bandage, no broken bones to heal. This time the foe chose to pit him against his own inner turmoil. The healing to be done here was all psychological. And, as the weapon used to inflict his torment, she was determined to be the instrument of his healing.
She went to his dresser and pulled out a set of pajamas for him. Down stairs, she was able to slip the clothing through the cracked bathroom door and onto the sink just before the tea kettle whistled her back to the kitchen. She chose something soothing from his collection of flavors, something that always helped him sleep before. And with the tea steeping in the pot, she added a cup, cream, and sugar to the tray and placed it on the coffee table for him. Now there was a choice, he could accept the tea or return to the booze. She would know how bad things were by what he would be drinking when her turn in the shower was over.
One more quick trip up the stairs to find something she could change into. “You would think that Buffy’d have an emergency stash here or something,” she muttered to herself. The best she could do was one of Giles’ sweat suits. She would swim in it, but at least it would be warm and comfortable.
The bathroom door opened as she crossed the living room with the bundle in her arms. “My turn,” she smiled brightly at him, hiding the fact that she was still worried and very tired.
Willow let out a happy sigh when she re-entered the living room and found a tea cup in his hand. Giles heard her and looked up. He smiled at the sight of his large, blue sweat suit draping off of her.
“That’s the first real smile I’ve gotten in a long time,” she grinned at him. “Looks good on you.”
“Willow, you’re going to have to stop teasing me.”
“I know,” she chuckled. “But don’t blame me for getting a few more in while I have the chance.” He closed his eyes and gave a nod of surrender. “Are you ready to go to bed?”
“Very much so.”
After dousing all the downstairs lights, they trekked up to the bedroom. Giles crawled wearily into bed and told her good night. Willow turned off the lamp and looked at her chair for a moment. Then she made a decision.
She grabbed the pillow and blanket, and muttered, “You know what, I was kidnapped today, too.” With a resolute face, she lay down beside Giles, atop his comforter, and spread the blanket over herself. After a few minutes, when he didn’t move or protest, a wicked smile crossed her lips. With an exaggerated worry in her voice, she whispered, “You aren’t going to try to jump my bones in the middle of the night, are you?”
In response, his hand slid over to take hers and squeezed. Willow gave a relived sigh. That was what she had been waiting for. “We’re gonna be all right,” she breathed out into the room.
End
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To that affect, I'm considering a sequel set around 'Pangs' when Spike comes back. With Oz leaving and the friction in Giles and Willow's relationship, I think exploring that time with this in the past would be very interesting. Maybe for next year!
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Nice fic!
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I'm very glad that you pointed it out to me and I gave it a run. (Just me, but I'm not sure I'd entirely call it G/S. Rupert really didn't so much shag him as scare the hell out of him and then wind him down. I might call it G/W, then in the warnings tell people there is a questionable scene with Spike. I know I and a couple other people passed it over to forego the G/S thing. Just my thoughts though.)
Anyway, interesting way to handle a difficult subject. You did a great job of it and you kept them in character. I liked getting into his head, I liked hearing him need to have Willow say she wanted him, I love how she made the guilt fade by being with him. And I very liked the end. (The perfectly woven threads of Angel, Buffy not knowing, Xander, Oz, and Cordy protecting him, Oz knowing and supporting them, all add such depth and colour to this story.)
I'm very looking forward to reading more from you. :)
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I am very proud of how this one turned out. And, sometime I think I'd like to write a sequel that takes place when Spike comes back during 'Pangs'. I think exploring that situation with this kind of past between them would be very interesting.
I hope my future endeavors don't disappoint.
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I very much liked how you had the gang looking out for Giles whilst he recovered from Angelus's torture. I really thought we should have seen this on the show. The idea that they might have abandoned him over the summer never sat well with me.
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I always fell that there were little glimpses where you cloud tell that Xander and Willow remembered that Giles was more vulnerable than Buffy ever seemed to. Especially, at this point in the series. I never could see them completely abandoning him, even if them didn't go to the lengths I described. I think the writer's never realized that, for some of us, the show was really called 'Giles, the Super Watcher'. :) But, all the holes they left just give us more stories to write.
I'm very pleased to have done the topic and the characters justice.
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I also really enjoyed the side story of Buffy slowly realizing how damaged Giles was by Angelus.
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I'm glad you liked it. I just started writing for this fandom and am hoping to get up to par with all of the other talented people who do this. I enjoy reading your stuff and am always pleased if I can return the favor for another author. Plus, thank you for Hairy Eyeball. I spend as much time there as on SoG. :D
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And yes, he can rock the tweed, but it does hide the goodies.