Fic Part 3/3 Si Aliquid Amas

[littleotter73]

Si Aliquid Amas concluded...

 

Si Aliquid Amas (Part 3/3)

He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder in support, and she turned inward, sliding her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. He instinctively enveloped her in his strong embrace, and, in that moment of need, almost everything between them was forgotten. The hotel lobby grew crowded with people heading out for the day or checking out, and Giles ushered her over to the elevator and guided her in, figuring she wouldn’t want to make a public spectacle of herself. He wasn’t sure where to take her, whether she’d want him in her room, and he certainly didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable returning her to his. Making an executive decision, he led her down the hall to where he felt she would be more at ease.

 

Her crying had mostly subsided, just a few errant sniffles and stray tears fell now, and when they arrived at her door, she pulled out the keycard and opened it. “Do you, uh... want to come in?”

 

“It’s up to you, Buffy. I’m here if you need me,” Giles offered softly, shoving his right hand in his pocket.

 

“You’d think they were moving to another planet with all my blubbering,” she said, gesturing a silent invitation.

 

He followed her in. “I think perhaps you are rather stretched to the limit emotionally with all that’s happened, and your reaction is a very natural one. I’ll admit I shed a few tears, as well. They are family, it’s expected.”

 

Buffy gazed up at him and he pulled away from her when he detected something coming at him from his peripheral vision. A heartbeat later, he noticed the flare in her eyes, and braced himself for her to unleash her displeasure on him.

 

“Geez Giles, are you that repulsed by me?”

 

“What are you going on about?”

 

“You know, I can’t really deal with this right now. Can you just... please leave?”

 

“Buffy-”

 

“Leave, Giles, before I say or do something that I really don’t want to.”

 

She was pacing wildly, her hands balled into a fist, but the frustrated Watcher had just about run out of patience with her. He grabbed her wrist and made her face him before he directed his ire at her.

 

“Maybe you should let go. Say what you want, hit me if you have to, but, my God, I can’t take this emotional roller coaster any longer.” He raised his voice as his irritation sprung out of him. “I’ve spent the better part of twenty-four hours trying to figure out where the hell I went so wrong. We were drunk. We woke up in a compromising position. I’ve apologized, I never meant to touch you in anyway that you might find offensive, it was an accident. I’m sorry to have so abruptly woken you up to the fact that I am a man and these things happen. I’ve been nothing less than a gentleman since. We have seven years of history together and I have never once, not one time, ever laid my hands on you in an inappropriate manner. So tell me, Buffy, why am I the recipient of so much of your anger?”

 

“I know you’re a man! God, how I know. I told you I loved you!” she spat allowing the tears to fall down her face.

 

“I know. I remember returning the sentiment. We were quite inebriated at the time.”

 

“Fuck you! Fuck you!” she yelled as she shoved him in the chest. He lost his balance, clutched his left pectoral as he tripped backwards over her open suitcase on the floor, and landed with a thud.

 

Wincing, he stood up, keeping his right arm up in a defensive position, but relaxing his body into a neutral stance, trying to placate her fury. His chest hurt with a passion and he was thoroughly confused by her outburst. In an effort to calm her rage, he said, “I know it was nothing more than drunken sentiment, Buffy. I never expect anything from you.”

 

If it were possible, it seemed to him as though this only made her angrier, and she ran her hands through her hair as she continued her diatribe, “I slept with you!”

 

“Nothing happened. I held you, that is all!”

 

She quieted down and looked at him, eyes filled with sadness. “What is wrong with me, Giles?”

 

He stared at her, honestly trying to come up with an answer, before calmly suggesting, “I think... I think it’s just stress-”

 

“No! You said it wasn’t my fault. I mean, why aren’t you attracted to me?”

 

“What?”

 

“I fell asleep with you holding me and it was the best sleep I’ve had since I can remember. No nightmares, no prophetic dreams... just warmth. I felt... and then I opened my eyes and you were still there, and I was happy, Giles, and you looked happy too. Don’t you get it?”

 

“I was happy,” he answered quietly, wanting to pull the glasses from his face for a good polish before remembering that he wasn’t wearing them.

 

“And I thought you were going to kiss me. I mean, you did, but not... and then when we got closer... the look of disgust on your face...”

 

“I-”

 

“Let me get this out, okay? Because I can’t take this emotional roller coaster anymore either,” she said in a hushed voice. Resting his hands in his lap, he nodded for her to continue. “I get it, you aren’t attracted to me. I thought maybe... but you can’t stand to be around me, have me close... not... not like that anyway, and even a simple touch to wipe away tear stains is too much for you. I don’t want to lose you, Giles, not again. Even though you were so far away, I knew that you wanted what was best for me, especially after you came back and battled Willow. When you left the second time, I was okay with it because I knew you were still watching out for me, that you had my back.”

 

“I’ll always be there for you, Buffy,” he stated with conviction, “even when we are apart.”

 

She gave him a small smile. “I know you will.”

 

He watched her start to pace, but this time it wasn’t frantic. Her face was full of turmoil and she was wringing her hands. He knew her gestures and motions so well. She was trying to decide whether to tell him something that was private and important to her.

 

“I want to show you something, okay?” she said as she turned around and pulled the hem of her shirt up. Giles’ eyes went wide. He was unable to ask her what she was doing, or to stop, and she turned her head before lifting her shirt further.

 

“Relax, Giles, I’m just going to show you my tattoo.”

 

Buffy pulled off her shirt, clutching it to her chest. She wasn’t wearing a bra, presumably so as not to interfere with the healing, even though the area was almost completely healed already. The Watcher stood up and walked over to her to look at the image on her upper left shoulder blade. Sweeping her long blonde hair out of the way, Giles lightly trailed his fingers over the tat. It was of a puma with pale green eyes. The animal was lying down, though its head was raised, alert, and the muscles in its neck were tense, as though it was watching something in the distance. Its front left paw rested on the hilt of a sword at the ready. The blade looked exactly like the one Giles regularly used, and the cat wore an ornate collar with a tag that looked like a shield. Looking closely, the awed Watcher’s eyes went wide when he noticed his initials within, done in his own script. Below the puma, etched in a banner was the phrase Semper Vigilans.

 

“Always watching,” he whispered as he brought his right hand down to rest on her hip. He was in very real danger of breaking down, his defenses completely shot to hell.

 

“Yeah. Do you know why I chose the Puma?”

 

“No,” he replied, still inspecting the work on her back, totally mesmerized, unable to keep himself from touching it again.

 

“Pumas represent courage and power, and yet they are skillful hunters known for their patience and observation, constantly watching and very intuitive. But they are also fierce and aggressive in a fight. You’re the puma, Giles. The collar... symbolizes your inner nobility, like what knights used to wear. In the tag... they’re your initials, you belong to no-one but yourself. And when we say goodbye, I’ll have this to remind me of our time together and that you’re watching from afar.”

 

Giles closed his eyes fighting his emotions, his heart beating like it was going to pound its way out of his chest. Placing a feather light kiss on the tattoo, he felt her shiver beneath the caress and unconsciously moved her closer to him, wrapping his right arm around her waist and his left around her upper chest as he drew her flush against him, and she brought one of her arms up so she could return his embrace. Resting his forehead against the back of her head, he took in a ragged breath, tears falling from his eyes.

 

“You’re so very wrong, Buffy,” he corrected between the stifled sobs. “I belong to you. God help me, but I do. Thank you. For this.”

 

He could feel her silently weeping in his arms. He had to tell her, had to be honest with her. He knew now that she loved him. One wouldn’t adorn their body in tribute like this if they didn’t. He should know.

 

“Giles?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“There’s one more thing... and I know, you don’t, and it’s okay. I’ll be okay, I promise.” She turned in his arms and looked up at him through her tear laden green eyes.

 

“Shhhh,” Giles whispered, placing a finger against her lips. “My turn.”

 

As he pulled out of their embrace and started to unbutton his shirt, he kept his eyes steadily trained on hers, and noticed how she drew in a sharp breath as she lowered her eyes to the colorful adornment on his chest. Stepping into his personal space with mere inches separating them, the astounded Slayer placed her left hand on his shoulder to steady herself, her shallow breath hot on his skin as she inspected the tattoo.

 

“It’s beautiful,” Buffy whispered, as captivated with his tat as he was with hers. She gently ran her fingers over the ink before she looked up into his jade green eyes and asked, “You’re still red, does it hurt?”

 

“Not anymore,” he returned huskily, mesmerized by her gaze, their lips just inches apart. The tension between them was so thick he couldn’t focus on anything but her.

 

“Tell me,” she breathed as she lowered her head to study the image on his chest.

 

His tattoo sat above his heart and consisted of a falcon in flight, just having snatched the Slayer’s scythe, the jesses that bind a bird to its master falling free of its legs. Written on the jesses was an inscription in Latin Tecum Meus Animus Se Tollit, and the blade of the scythe had her initials etched within.

 

He started his narrative, his voice deep and raw with emotion, “In ancient Egypt, the falcon is associated with the rising sun. In Northern Europe, it is a warlike symbol. You are my falcon, Buffy, you have vision, wisdom, power, and you are the guardian of the light. You have an intensity and determination that I have never seen before and never will again.”

 

“My scythe.”

 

“Yes. The Slayer’s weapon. You will always be The Slayer. The scythe is yours. But, with the others, you are free, and so the falcon takes flight and loses her jesses. No one to hold her back.”

 

She traced the inscribed leather bindings with her right index finger. Giles’ breathing became erratic and he bit back a moan.

 

“What does it say?” she asked looking up into his face.

 

“My heart soars with you” he answered, his eyes intense, sadness tingeing his voice.

 

“You let me go,” Buffy uttered in despair, a stray tear falling down her cheek and she rested her head against his chest, fisting her left hand in his chest hair.

 

“I did.”

 

She looked completely devastated and Giles could see the war waging within her. When she tried to back out of his arms, he held her tightly to him.

 

“I had to, Buffy, but you’ll remain here,” the Watcher said softly, tapping the tattoo over his heart. “Always.”

 

“What if I came back?” she whispered through the tears.

 

Her words were almost inaudible, but he heard them and closed his eyes, willing her to do just that. She kissed his tattoo lightly once and then again with more pressure, the sensation pushing him almost beyond coherent thought.

 

“Buffy, you need to stop, I can’t-”

 

“It hurts, Giles. I’m so in love with you and you-”

 

Hearing her declaration, he grabbed her face with both hands, lifted it up to meet his, and plundered her mouth, his tongue dominating hers. She dropped her shirt and raised her hands to cup his face trying to pull him closer. Giles could sense her urgency, and it ignited his passion further. Tracing his left hand down over the gentle swell of her breast, her side, and over her hip, he cupped her rear, pulling her closer to him. Buffy responded, moaning into his mouth.

 

Breaking their kiss, he looked down at her, his breathing rapid, his pupils dilated with yearning. Her face was flushed with desire and her lips swollen from his assault, and he could not think of a time in which she’d looked more beautiful. Even the lingering tears in her eyes only made them sparkle even more brightly in the low light of the room.

 

Recapturing her lips, he lingered for a moment before placing kisses along her jawline and down her neck into the hollow where it met her shoulder. He ran his hands up her back as he sucked and nibbled the tender flesh and she moaned in pleasure, placing a hand on the back of his neck, holding him captive.

 

“Yes, Giles!” Buffy cried, her breathing erratic.

 

He raised his head and took possession of her mouth once more, loving the way her lips felt on his, before leading her over to the bed. When the back of her thighs hit the mattress, their kiss ended and he gingerly laid her down onto the bed, settling himself between her legs, and supporting his weight with his right hand.

 

“You’re so beautiful, Buffy,” he murmured in adoration, running the back of his fingers down her cheek, over her neck, and between her breasts.

 

She reached up to stroke his cheek and he turned into her caress, needing the tactile reassurance of her love. The decision to free her from her metaphorical jesses had torn him apart and he knew if he made love to her now, he would never be able to let her go.

 

“Touch me, Giles,” she pleaded, desperately arching into his teasing hands as she moved her left hand up his torso to his chest, lightly pinching his pebbled nipple.

 

He groaned. He was already hard, but the desire and need in her voice along with the erotic pain made him acutely aware of his condition and he thrust against her core in a futile effort to relieve the ache. She instinctively ground against him and let out a soft hiss. Leaning over, Giles trailed his tongue around her nipple before taking the hard nub into his mouth and sucking gently. Her hands moved to his belt and she desperately tried to undo the buckle.

 

“What do you want, Buffy?” he asked, lifting his head and seeing the frustration in her eyes.

 

She grabbed his shoulders, quickly flipping him over and straddling him, immediately attacking his belt, then the button on his cargo pants, before unzipping them and pulling them down.

 

“Easy, love, my glasses are in the left pocket.”

 

Startled, she tilted her head in a moment of recognition. “That’s why you backed away from me, you couldn’t see.”

 

Lying on the bed with his trousers open and pulled down just past his hips, his erection straining against his boxer briefs, the Englishman nodded. “Just saw something coming at me, didn’t know what it was,” he admitted, lifting himself up onto an elbow and reaching out to cup her cheek. “I think it’s fairly obvious what you do to me.”

 

Her eyes dropped to his groin. “Jesus, Giles.”

 

“God I want you, Buffy.”

 

She carefully pulled the cargo pants the rest of the way down, mindful of his glasses, before realizing he still had his boots on. Giles chuckled when she shot him a glare as she undid the laces and pulled them off. The Slayer then quickly divested him of his trousers, socks, and underwear. Giles grabbed the pants from her, pulling out his specs and his wallet. When she gave him a confused look, he casually stated, “Condom,” before placing both on the nightstand next to the bed.

 

“We won’t need that for a while,” she replied with a devilish grin as she ran her hands up his long, lean thighs, deliberately avoiding his rampant cock. She moved up his torso to his chest, placing open mouthed kisses as she went.

 

Giles fell back against the pillows and whimpered under her ministrations, especially when she avoided the one area that needed attention the most. She leaned over his body, brushing his shaft against her belly and he undulated against her, leaving a trail of sticky precum over her abs. When she found the sensitive spot on his neck just under his ear, he turned his head to the side and shuddered. His hands found their way to her breasts, lightly teasing her nipples, and she let out a soft sigh against his ear, took the silver hoop he still wore in her teeth and tugged on it.

 

“Yes!” he cried, moving his hands to the waistband of her jeans, stating, “Too many clothes.”

 

“Not yet. Grab the headboard,” the Slayer commanded in a whisper, and he hurried to obey her order. Moving down his body, she buried her face between his legs, licking her way up his throbbing cock. He let out a strangled yell, trying not to thrust against her, and was rewarded for his efforts when she took him whole in her hot mouth. After sucking her way down and back up his length, she dipped her tongue into the slit and tasted him, vocalizing her approval through an appreciative hum.

 

“Feels amazing, love,” he muttered through clenched teeth, attempting to stay still.

 

She nibbled lightly around the head before tracing the pulsating vein down to the velvety skin of his sac, sucking one of his balls into her mouth. Giles clutched the headboard tighter in his hands as he began to flail beneath her. When she returned her mouth to his cock, he felt her hand clutch him firmly around the base and lightly stroke him while she wound her tongue around the head. She worked him into a frenzy, taking him to the edge twice without letting him go over.

 

He whimpered and writhed against her and she applied more pressure as she pumped his thick shaft up and down with her hand, moving the other one down to massage his testicles. Feeling a familiar tightening in his lower abdominals and groin, he grabbed her shoulder, a sense of urgency reflected in his eyes. “Buffy, stop! I’m going to come!”

 

She looked back at him, her eyes gleaming with mischief, as she took him deep into her throat. Her head bobbed up and down several more times as she sucked even harder, her tongue caressing his cock.

 

“Oh God! Buffy!” he screamed, finding his release and grabbing the headboard for all he was worth as his hips lifted off the mattress. She pushed him back down, greedily swallowing his seed, and, when he was finished, cleaned him thoroughly before placing a gentle kiss on the tip. He reached for her in desperation, pulling her into his arms, and, as he fought through the aftershocks and regained control over his breathing, he rolled them onto their sides and held onto her with everything he had.

 

When he finally managed to open his eyes, he found Buffy staring at him, her eyes full of wonder, and he gave her a tiny smile.

 

“Watcha thinking?” she asked, her voice serene.

 

“I... uh... that was...” He was lost and a blush rose to his cheeks. Or rather, he was in a state of disbelief, if truth be told. Buffy was in his arms, she had just given him the best orgasm of his entire life, and she told him she was in love with him. Not knowing what to say, he placed sweet little kisses on her lips, along her jaw, and on her cheek.

 

Resting his forehead against hers, he murmured, “I can’t find the words.”

 

“Then don’t say anything,” she breathed, tracing his lips with the pad of her index finger.

 

Giles sucked her finger into his mouth, teasing the tip of it with his tongue while running his hand down her back, over her firm bottom, and down the back of her thigh, lightly trailing his fingertips over the soft denim. Feeling her shudder, he released her finger and couldn’t help but smile into her shoulder.

 

He wasn’t surprised when he felt his cock twitch to life again, he’d always recovered quickly, but he was surprised by the physical intensity of it. He supposed it had to do with the depth of his feelings for her, and gave it no more thought as he rolled her over onto her back. Admiring her figure, the aroused Watcher looked down at his Slayer and trailed open-mouthed kisses down her neck and over her chest to her breast, where he licked and sucked at the hardened bud. She was highly sensitive and started to grind against him when he took her nipple between his teeth. He let go and found her staring wide eyed at him.

 

“I think the other one might be jealous,” he uttered playfully, his voice low with desire as he kept his eyes trained on hers.

 

She chuckled and nodded, “Definitely jealous.”

 

“I’ll need to take care of that, then,” he said, his mouth descending onto the neglected nipple and flicking it with his tongue. She let out a moan and arched into his mouth, giving him greater access as he latched on. He supported himself with one hand while he explored her taut stomach with the other, allowing his fingers to tease the skin just under the waistband of her jeans while he continued his exploration of her breasts.

 

“Giles,” she pleaded.

 

“Am I permitted to remove the rest of your clothing now?” he asked in a teasing voice, fingering the skin just beneath the button on her pants.

 

“Yes. God, yes!”

 

Sitting back on his knees, he deftly popped the button, and moved down her body, resting his hands on her hips as he leaned down to caress her torso with his lips and cheeks. Slowly he moved his way southward, mouthing his way to the edge of the fabric, where he drew down the zipper and hitched his fingers into the fabric of her jeans and panties.

 

Giles raised his eyes and she gave him a nod. She wore a sweet smile, though her eyes were filled with desire, and he grinned at her before removing the last barrier between them. Ghosting his fingers over her calves and up her thighs, he gingerly spread her legs. The sight of her baring herself to him caused him to hesitate a moment and he closed his eyes, his emotions threatening to come to the surface. When he was certain he had himself under control, he nuzzled his nose between her folds. He found her hot and slick, and he breathed in her scent.

 

“Jesus, Buffy, so wet... I cannot wait to taste you,” he declared, reaching for her left hand with his right, lacing their fingers together before resting them on her hip. With his left, he opened her up to him as he licked his way up and over her clitoris. She bucked against him, moaning, and he explored her pussy with his tongue while she squirmed beneath his ministrations. Slowly he entered her with a finger, adding a second digit when he felt her relax around him. Still sucking and teasing her highly sensitive nub, he started to thrust his fingers within her. Buffy let go of his hand as her movements became erratic and her breathing irregular.

 

“Giles, please, I need-”

 

Curling his fingers, he brushed over her g-spot several times, while continuing to suck at the bundle of nerves, and he felt her inner muscles tighten around his fingers and her body stiffened as she came. She grabbed his right hand again and he raised his eyes to watch her body shudder through her release while she screamed his name. Beautiful and unguarded, he thought as he gently brought her down, his heart soaring.

 

He lifted himself up and laid down next to her, taking her in his arms and she positioned herself over the right side of his body. Nuzzling into his chest, she traced the outline of the falcon over his heart with two fingers while he unconsciously ran his over the puma on her shoulder blade. She glanced up at him and he gave her an adoring smile.

 

“You never cease to amaze me, love,” he said softly, combing his fingers through her hair and gazing into her stormy green eyes.

 

Buffy returned his smile before settling back down on his chest. Brushing her upper thigh against his, she caused him to shudder and buck against her as he thrust his heavy cock into her belly button.

 

“You’re hard again,” she giggled, wrapping a hand around his erection.

 

“Have been for some time,” he answered, his voice rough as he stifled a groan. Placing his hand over her hers, he gently removed it and brought it up to his lips. The confused blonde moved so that she could see him better and Giles placed a soft kiss on her nose.

 

“I’d rather just hold you at the moment, Buffy, is that alright?”

 

He noticed the look of hesitation on her face before she nestled her body back down against his, stroking his belly. “Sure.”

 

------------

 

The next thing Giles knew was that he woke up in a sudden panic. Alone. Maybe he had dreamt it all? The lights were off and the blackout curtain drawn, and though it was dark, he knew he was in Buffy’s room; there was only one bed. He found himself beneath a blanket, but he didn’t remember pulling one over him. Sitting up, the Watcher reached for his glasses on the nightstand and put them on before moving to turn on the light.

 

“Don’t.”

 

“Buffy?” he asked, sighing with relief, squinting in the dark trying to find her.

 

“Yeah.”

 

He found her silhouetted against the wingback chair across the room. “What are you doing over there?”

 

“Watching you sleep.” Her delivery was very matter of fact, almost reminding him of Anya.

 

“I’m sorry, must’ve been very boring.”

 

Giles could see her better now that some of the bleariness of sleep had passed, and noticed she was dressed in the hotel robe. There was a very noncommittal shrug of her shoulders, and sensing her discomfort, he rose to get out of the bed.

 

“Stay... please,” she requested, and he sat back against the headboard. “I think we should talk.”

 

Fidgeting with the ring on his left pinky, Giles looked up, “Alright.”

 

“We leave tomorrow.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I think... maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” she said softly and he detected a hitch in her voice.

 

He closed his eyes willing the right words to come. She was running again, but he didn’t understand why. He couldn’t lose her now. If he did, that would be end of it. He’d never see her again. Or if he did, it would be from across a room and they’d acknowledge each other with a nod and go their separate ways, or perhaps have a stilted conversation as they caught up with their friends, and his heart would break all over again, knowing that at one time maybe he’d had a chance. Closing his eyes and placing a hand over his heart, he was reminded of the promise he’d made to himself, his promise to let her go.

 

“What exactly is this, Buffy?” Giles asked just above a whisper. He opened his eyes and hoped like hell he was heading in the right direction. “Sex? Two friends finding solace in each other’s arms? The start of something new?”

 

She turned her head, focusing on something across the room before admitting, “I’m afraid, Giles.”

 

He hopped out of the bed and padded over to her, not caring that he was naked. Crouching down in front of her, he placed a hand on her knee and she focused her attention back onto him.

 

“Do you want to know what I think this is?” the Englishman questioned, taking her hand in his, looking up into her eyes. He could tell she had been crying, her cheeks were still wet, and he mentally kicked himself for falling asleep on her.

 

When she nodded her assent, he continued, “I think it’s more than that. At least for me.”

 

“Then why don’t you fight for me?”

 

“Excuse me?” he asked, pulling his glasses off and setting them on the table next to the chair.

 

“We get close and then you seem to distance yourself, as though being near me is some kind of mistake.”

 

“How do you figure that, Buffy? I seem to recall some wonderful time making love with you just a little while ago.”

 

“And then you stopped us, just like the other morning when you looked at me like I was some chaos demon to be slain.”

 

“Oh, love, the other morning... I was mortified by the situation, that you felt my reaction, not by being with you. God, waking up with you... was better than I had ever imagined.”

 

“You’ve imagined?”

 

“Yes, for some time now. And... I-I’m terrified, too. I leave for London tomorrow and you for Rome. I wanted to hold you in my arms, show you that this was... is more than just sex for me, Buffy. Making love to you... feeling you respond, watching you come... and what you do to me... Christ! I want to be in you, feel you envelope me, and I want... you... But, more than all that, I want to remember how you feel in my arms, the scent of your hair, the weight of your body against mine, how you look at me in the stillness.” He pushed a strand of hair back behind her ear. “Not knowing when we might see each other again... it hurts like hell.”

 

She sniffled and wiped a tear away from her face. “And again I ask: why don’t you fight for me?”

 

“Don’t you want to go to Rome?”

 

“No. I mean yes. At some point... to visit,” she admitted weakly.

 

“Then why?”

 

“What was I supposed to do? Everyone figured out what they wanted to do fairly quickly. Xander’s off to Africa to find new Slayers, Willow’s gone to the Coven, Dawn’s decided Dad isn’t so bad and will probably stay with him, Faith’s defending the new Hellmouth, you... you are going to run the Council, and me? I’m the ‘Senior Slayer,’ everyone assumes I know what I’m doing, where I’m going, but really, how the hell should I know? I just averted the apocalypse, with help, but still. How could I look at everyone and just say, ‘I don’t know?’ So I thought Rome’s always been some place I’ve wanted to see.”

 

“Oh, my poor Buffy! What do you want to do?”

 

She leaned over, gently touching the ink above his heart, fixating on the falcon’s jesses. “I want to come home, Giles.”

 

“Sunnydale-”

 

“Is gone. And besides, it hasn’t been my home since I died.”

 

The Watcher winced at her pronouncement.

 

“I want to come home... to you.” He was speechless. Leaning forward from his crouched position to his knees, he placed his hands on her hips, and bowed his head. “But if that’s... not... what you want, I’ll-”

 

“How could I not want, Buffy?” he asked, lifting his head and tilting it to the side. His heart was in his eyes and he gave her a shy grin.

 

“Yeah?” she asked with a smile tugging the corners of her mouth.

 

“Yeah,” he returned quietly, pushing up to stand full height on his knees. Leaning in, he placed the lightest of kisses on her lips before pulling back to look at her. His smile grew bolder as he watched relief wash over her face. “Do you want to come to London with me?”

 

Buffy descended upon him, taking his lips with hers, and when he parted his lips, she immediately took the opportunity to caress his tongue with hers. Losing her balance, she fell off the chair, but his hands were still on her hips and he gently guided her down into his lap. His cock came to life in an instant and he moaned as she repositioned herself to straddle him.

 

“Buffy!” He cried in surprise, breaking their kiss when she ground against him, wet heat sliding along his shaft. He had been so focused on her that he hadn’t noticed that she wasn’t wearing anything underneath the robe. She rocked against him and he felt her quiver when the head of his penis hit her clit.

 

As he nudged her robe open, the aroused Watcher moaned against her shoulder before trailing his tongue along her clavicle and nipping at it. He then brought his mouth up to her ear and in a hushed tone asked, “I take it that’s a yes?”

 

“Mmm, London, yes,” she responded rubbing herself along his erection, her hands roaming over his chest and back before she grabbed his ass and thrust against him, pleading, “Need you, Giles, please.”

 

“We need to get up.”

 

Buffy stopped her movements, looking at him funny, before it dawned on her and she giggled, “Bed.”

 

“Precisely so.”

 

She got up offering her hands in assistance, which he gladly accepted as his legs were starting to go numb. Leading him over to the bed, she grabbed his wallet and fished out the condom, “Always such a Boy Scout, Giles.”

 

“More optimistic if anything,” he countered with a blush, taking the packet from her and pushing her down on the bed.

 

“I like it when a man takes charge,” she teased as she fell onto the mattress.

 

His eyes got dark and he nipped her chin and nibbled his way down her neck, “You are so beautiful and I simply adore you.” He stopped his movements, realizing he had been remiss, and he lifted himself up so that he rested his forehead against hers, peering into the mossy depths of her eyes, and declared, “I do love you ardently, Buffy Summers!”

 

Her eyes brimmed with happy tears and she nuzzled her cheek against his. “Show me, Giles,” she requested breathily, taking his earlobe between her teeth and laving it with her tongue, “I am so ready for you.”

 

He growled and tore the package open. He was so hard and he couldn’t wait to be in her.

 

“Let me,” she said as she sat up and took it from him, keeping her eyes trained on his as she rolled the condom on him. “Feels like you are ready for me too.”

 

He was beyond words and simply nodded as she lowered herself back down onto the pillows. Reaching down he pulled her thighs up and over his hips, positioning the tip of his penis at her entrance.

 

“I love you,” Giles whispered as he pressed himself forward, entering her slowly. She was tight and the feel of her heat surrounding him nearly took his breath away.

 

“I love you too,” she answered with a smile gracing her lips, closing her eyes when he was fully buried within her.

 

“Good, Buffy! So. Good!” he murmured as he started to move against her. Lowering himself, he placed his hands on either side of her shoulders and she circled his neck with her hands, playing with the hairs on the back of his neck as she met his thrusts and increased the pace.

 

Giles knew he wasn’t going to last long as she milked his cock with her inner muscles and ground against him. He loved hearing her little moans and the look of sheer pleasure on her face. His Slayer was resplendent. Pushing himself back up onto his knees he pulled her hips up higher and she wrapped her legs around him.

 

“So close, Giles!” she hissed through clenched teeth, grabbing onto his arms.

 

“Jesus, come with me, Buffy!” he urged, changing the angle, thrusting faster with shortened strokes. In a last bid for control, he rolled her nipples between his fingers and thumbs, pinching them before she started to shudder beneath him. She cried out his name at the height of her orgasm and as she spasmed around his shaft, he found his release, emptying himself deep within her.

 

After they’d recovered, they lazily kissed and caressed each other in the stillness, and Giles felt as though, for once, everything was right in his world. How could it not be? His Slayer was now his lover and she was returning with him to England. The thought made him smile as he idly traced the puma on her back. He wouldn’t need to keep watch from afar ever again. He’d let her go, and she had finally found her way home.

A/N: Si Aliquid Amas translates to "If you love something." Thanks for reading!