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summer_of_giles2011-07-11 02:07 am
Fic Chasing Daylight Part 1/2
Author:
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littleotter73 Pairing: Giles/Buffy
Rating: FRAO/NC-17 (I might be rating this too high, but better to err that way)
Setting: Post Chosen
Betas:
catchoo152 and il_mio_capitano . Thank you both so very much! Any remaining mistakes are mine.Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Buffyverse.
Chasing Daylight
“Have you finished your research on the role of strong women in Shakespearian comedies yet, Dawn?” Giles asked as he entered their library with a tray of tea and biscuits.
“Yup, and I’m just about ready to start my paper. You know this is just busy work, right? I mean, I don’t know why I have to go through all this effort when I’ve already been offered a place at Oxford.”
He saw the girl stare at the bundle of mail he carried under his arm as he placed the tea service down in the middle of the research table. Catching her eyes he simply nodded but continued their discussion, taking a seat across the table from her.
“You know why. All the i’s must be dotted and the t’s crossed. They can always rescind their offer should you not perform to the standards for the rest of the school year. “
“This is so stupid! I bet they don’t even check. And what’s the point of having a dad who’s the head of an international organization and an alumnus if not to slack off a bit my final year in school?” the teen whined, pouring tea for the both of them.
Dad. It had been two years since he had adopted her, and a small, shy smile tugged at his lips every time she called him that. Late one evening a few months after they had moved to London she asked if she could start calling him Dad and he’d readily accepted. They’d both needed the stability of family in the wake of everything that had happened after the final battle with the First and had forged a new relationship for themselves. It hadn’t been much of a stretch considering Hank Summers hadn’t been a part of Dawn’s life since she was nine, and her memories of him weren’t necessarily happy ones. Over the past nine years, Giles had been the only father figure she had really known.
“While some well connected families might rely on nepotism to get in, we do not. My father wouldn’t pull strings to have me accepted, nor to get me back into school after running wild over London for several years, and I won’t do it for you,” Giles responded, adding a small amount of milk to his tea.
Dawn blew a stray strand of hair from her eyes in exasperation before turning the subject to the contents of the post Giles had set down next to the tray.
“So the postcards have arrived?” It was more of a statement than a question, but her impatience came through in her tone.
“Yes, but we wait for Willow and Xander, like always,” Giles replied calmly.
“I don’t know why we have to, they almost always say the same thing... except yours,” the teen complained in a huff.
“Even so, we wait.” He couldn’t really blame her for her irritation. The girl hung onto every word her sister would write on the postcards, which was both a blessing and a curse. While Dawn was grateful her sister was still alive, there was never any indication as to when Buffy would return to her, and this would send the teen into a funk that would last a couple weeks.
The cards always arrived on the 15th of the month every three months like clockwork, and it had become tradition that the Scoobies would read them together over tea at Giles and Dawn’s flat not far from the Council buildings. Afterwards they would discuss the tone of the notes to see if there was a change in Buffy’s demeanor and if there was any indication as to whether she might be ready to return to them.
At first everyone received the same cards and messages. Over time, each one of them received an individual card with similar messages, tailored a little depending on the person addressed, but in the last year, Giles’ postcards had had the same impersonal note handwritten on it. It never changed. He only knew of her experiences because he was privy to what she had written on the other cards, and he wished so desperately that he would receive something more personal.
“You haven’t peeked, have you?” Dawn asked, pulling him out of his thoughts with her teasing tone. He shot her a glare and was just about to answer him when Xander charged through the doors to the library with Willow in tow.
“Hey G-man, Dawnie! Didja get your cards?”
“Xander, don’t call him that! And I swear if you read yours, I am going to tickle you until you pee your pants!” the teen threatened, standing up to full height with her chin defiantly thrust in the air.
The young man just laughed, picked her up in his arms, twirled her around, and planted a kiss on her forehead before setting her down. “It’s good to see you too. It’s been a few months. Russia was fine, thanks for asking, and the new Slayer has settled into her dorm and is making new friends in the dining hall as we speak,” he said, picking up a biscuit and shoving it into his mouth.
“Hey, Giles, ready to find out where in the world The Slayer is today?” Willow asked, putting her bag down on the coffee table and ignoring the banter between her best friend and the girl she considered her baby sister.
“Yes, why don’t we all get started.”
Once the tea was poured for the two newcomers, the group settled down to read their postcards. Giles just stared at his. Nothing had changed. Once again Buffy had written Miss ya, love ya, wish you were here on it. On the front of the card was a picture of a beach at either sunrise or sunset with some buildings in the foreground. He didn’t even bother to look at where it was, he just didn’t have the heart, his disappointment at being left out of her life entirely was pushing him to the edge of depression.
He used to get messages like the rest, but then a year ago things changed when she had sent him a novelty postcard. On the front was a picture of a little village or something in Thailand and on the back were stock phrases with little check boxes next to them. She had checked the three boxes next to Miss you, Love you, and Wish you were here.
“Well, she’s having a great time on Lanzarote in the Canary Islands,” Willow commented, breaking the silence after seeing the disappointment on the face of her friend.
Giles got up, walked over to the map they had hung on the wall next to the fireplace, and stuck a pin in it, marking Buffy’s location. He leaned his forearm against the mantle, once more trying to find a pattern in the places she had visited over the last two years since he’d watched her pass through security at LAX. Unfortunately, there was none. None that he could discern anyway. She had started in Hawaii, then she’d flown to New Zealand, up and over to St. Petersburg, Russia, and then onto New York. From there she had spent time in Thailand, Rio de Janeiro, a small village in southern Japan, and now she was lounging on a beach in Lanzarote. He wasn’t sure why he was looking for a pattern anymore, he’d figured out long ago that there wasn’t one. It went against Buffy’s nature to be predictable. It was one of the reasons she was the greatest Slayer in history.
“She says it’s beautiful and that she plans to explore the national park and climb Montana Roja, the dormant volcano,” Xander added, taking a Jammie Dodger from the plate.
“And she’s picked up some olivine earrings and a matching necklace that she thought I might like,” Dawn added with excitement.
Giles’ ears perked up at that. It was the first time Buffy had mentioned buying something with the intention of giving it to one of them.
“Of course, unless she sends them, she’d have to come to London to give them to me and the likelihood of that...” the teen trailed off sulkily, her enthusiasm short-lived.
Xander reached over and took her hand in support, his dark hazel eye trained on Dawn’s blue ones. “She won’t be gone forever, Dawn.”
“I’m sick of not being able to talk to her, Xand! There’s so much going on that she doesn’t know. Giles is the freaking best dad in the world and finds time for me even while working these insane Watcher hours, I got accepted to Oxford, Willow is this amazing Wicca who works for both the Council and the Coven, and is seeing Laurel who is so wonderful I can’t describe her at the moment, and you, you teach at the Academy and travel the world to find new Slayers... it’s just stuff she needs to know!” she yelled before the tears fell. “And... and I just miss her.”
Hearing her outburst, Giles moved to go comfort the girl, but upon turning from his perch against the mantel, he found his adopted daughter in Xander’s arms as she sobbed out her frustration. When she finally settled down, Xander suggested they go out for dinner and then hit the clubs to go dancing. Dawn seemed to perk up a little and Willow called her girlfriend to join them. When the three got their coats, they turned as one and noticed that Giles still hadn’t moved from the fireplace.
“Dad, you comin’?”
“Hmm? Um, no, you three go ahead without me tonight. I don’t think I am up for a night on the town.”
“Then join us for dinner, Giles, you need to eat,” the redheaded Wicca entreated.
“Go on. I’ll be fine. There are leftovers in the fridge. I can take care of myself, you know. Dawn, be back by midnight, please.”
“No worries there, big guy, I’ll make sure of it. Can’t have any creepers ‘chatting up’ our Dawnie here.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “I’m not a kid anymore. Geez!” She ran back over to Giles and kissed him on the cheek. “Heat up the spaghetti, okay? Seriously, if I weren’t here, you’d forget to eat. I don’t know how you managed by yourself.”
It was the Watcher’s turn to roll his eyes. “Get out!” he shouted with mock-irritation, a smile forming on his lips. If nothing else, he knew they cared as much for him as he did for them.
Wanting to take his mind off his Slayer, Giles heated up the leftovers, ate dinner, and tried reading a crime novel. He was restless and put the book down after reading only three pages. After washing the dishes, he headed back to the library with a bottle of water. Picking up his postcard, he read and reread the words again before noticing the description on the bottom of the card. Playa Bastián, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote. He flipped the card over to look at the picture.
A beach at sunrise or sunset, calm waters, and bungalows in the foreground. Looking down at the table, he realized that in their haste to leave, the younger Scoobies had left their cards on the table. He picked up Dawn’s first.
Dear Dawn,
I hope all is well with you. Bet you’re taller than Giles now. I miss you so much! I’m in the Canary Islands. It’s beautiful here. Definitely worth a visit sometime. Maybe Giles can give you tickets as a present for graduation. Anyway, the islands were formed by volcanoes and there’s a gemstone called olivine here that you can find embedded in the volcanic rock that’s lying all over the place. Most of it’s trash, but when they find a nice nugget of it, they make jewelry out of it. I found a gorgeous set of earrings and a necklace for you. I love you, kiddo. Take care of my Watcher.
Love,
Buffy
Other than the mention of buying jewelry for Dawn, there really wasn’t any new information. The picture was a standard shot of the island with the name blazoned across the bottom.
The other two cards had similar notes written on them. Beautiful, must visit sometime, and the usual about taking care of him. It irritated him that she felt he needed babysitters since when she had left, she had been so fragile that he was afraid of letting her go.
Leaning back into his chair and taking a swig of water, he thought about the day Buffy had left, watching her pass through airport security. After the initial euphoria of victory had bled away, the Slayer had taken responsibility for every casualty during their war with the great evil, and her spiral into depression had culminated with the unexpected death of her father in an automobile accident a few days later. The sisters had learned of the news after making a trip to find him at his company’s corporate headquarters in downtown LA. He had been heading back from a weekend getaway in northern California with his girlfriend after hearing the news of the destruction of Sunnydale from his business partner. Apparently he had taken a curve too fast, swerved to avoid oncoming traffic, and drove his convertible off a cliff.
The Watcher remembered Dawn calling him in a panic after Buffy had locked herself within Hank Summers’ office. Giles still wasn’t sure why she had let him in, but he had eventually pulled her out of her state of shock. The suddenness of Hank’s death had had a profound impact on Buffy, and she wasn’t the same afterwards. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice while his Slayer was gripped by depression, the sympathetic Watcher had leant all his support to her: helping coordinate the funeral, and standing once again with the girls during the service. A few days later, he had pulled his Slayer aside to discuss what she needed. She hadn’t been sure, but she had said she felt restless and needed to “figure stuff out.” It was then that he offered to take Dawn for as long as Buffy needed him to. Considering everything, it was just easier for her to surrender custody and for him to adopt the girl. With the power of the Council behind him, the paperwork didn’t take long, and a few days after Buffy had left, the four remaining Scoobies had headed to London.
Staring again at the communications on the table, something started to niggle in the back of Giles’ mind and he walked over to his desk to retrieve his other postcards. He looked at the recent ones she’d sent him. The message was always the same, but each card showed a hotel in the foreground.
Miss ya, love ya, wish you were here.
Picking up Dawn’s card again, he scanned it quickly.
Definitely worth a visit sometime. Giles can give you tickets as a graduation present.
Dawn wouldn’t finish school for another six months. Buffy knew that. Would she be there for that long? Not according to her traveling habits. Every three months she sent a postcard from a new place.
Take care of my Watcher.
Hang on! My Watcher. That was new as well. He’d missed that earlier. Previously, she had only referred to him by name. He looked at the other notes as well. She had reused the term on Willow and Xander’s letters, too.
Miss ya, love ya, wish you were here; my Watcher; Definitely worth visit some time.
Damn! She wasn’t excluding him! She was inviting him to join her. It was so simple! How had he missed it? He stopped, his heart pounding in his chest. What if he were reading too much into it? It was, after all, getting late, and he was emotionally wrung out. No, you berk, he berated, you’ve been reading it wrong the entire time!
Looking at the picture on his postcard, he noted the sun just above the water line. East or west? Pulling out an atlas of the western hemisphere, he looked for a map of Lanzarote. Giles trailed his finger along the coastline. There it was! Costa Teguise was on the eastern side of the island. Sunrise. She’ll be on the beach at sunrise.
The excited Watcher ran a hand through his hair as he rushed over to the phone to call the pilot of the Council’s private jet. Looking at his watch, he might be able to make it to Playa Bastián by sunrise if he hurried.
Having made the arrangements, Giles ran up to his room, threw some clothes in his leather bag, and found his passport and Watcher credentials to help pass him through customs quickly. As he waited for the car to pick him up, he wrote a quick note to his companions.
The flight took about three and half hours. The whole way, the nervous Watcher bounced his leg when he was sitting and paced when he could no longer tolerate the adrenaline flowing through his veins. Part of him doubted it could be this easy with Buffy, that she wanted to see him. Their history over the past four years had been volatile, with only pockets of peaceful moments, and of course, their relationship over the past two had been nonexistent. Maybe she wanted to meet him because she could never say goodbye to Dawn, Xander, and Willow face to face. Maybe she was never going to return to them. Damn and blast! What is with these maudlin thoughts, Giles? The only thing he could do was wait and see.
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Having breezed through customs and rented a car, Giles checked his watch and looked at the map. If he was lucky, he’d make it a good solid ten minutes before sunrise. The road system was about what you would expect - not very efficient - but he managed to make good time since there was nobody on the road.
As the Englishman approached a set of bungalows after entering Costa Teguise, he pulled into the parking lot and consulted his map and the postcard. This had to be the place. The buildings looked the same and Playa Bastián was across the street. His heart was racing at the imminent prospect of seeing Buffy and he took a moment to try to calm down. The air was still warm despite the season and Giles took off his jacket, rubbing his clammy hands on it before locking it in the car and going in search of his lost Slayer.
Noticing that the sky had lightened on the horizon, Giles took a deep breath as he crossed the road and headed down towards the beach. He stopped to take his shoes and socks off and roll the cuffs of his jeans up to the middle of his calves before stepping in the sand. He didn’t see anyone immediately, but when he looked north, he noticed someone sitting on an outcrop of rocks. Steadying his nerves and resisting the urge to run up the beach, he composed himself and made his way to the rocks.
The moment he stepped closer, he knew it was her. He could feel her. Recognized her. Unconsciously he increased his pace. When he got within fifteen feet, he stopped, taking in the sight of her. She was sitting there with a knee drawn up to her chin and her arms drawn around it, her golden hair flowing in the slight breeze that wafted in from the ocean.
“Hello, Buffy,” he greeted quietly as he approached her.
She didn’t look at him, choosing to keep her gaze on the horizon, waiting for the sun to make its appearance. “You finally came.”
Waiting for an invitation to join her on the rock, Giles answered, “Well, I’m rather thick, you see. I only figured it out a few hours ago.”
“I thought I was being straight forward,” she countered, still watching the surf and the sky ahead of her.
“Straight forward would have been, ‘Giles, please meet me here as soon as possible.’”
“But then the others would have come.”
“Would that have been so bad?” the Watcher asked, taking in her profile. “They miss and love you desperately.”
“And you?”
“You know the answer to that,” he evaded softly, turning his attention forward and shoving his hands in his pockets. Standing awkwardly in the uneven sand, Giles carefully kept his eyes trained on the emerging sunrise letting the quiet settle between them.
“In a minute the sun will peak above the ocean,” Buffy announced, interrupting the stillness of the predawn. “It sort of puts things in perspective.”
“And what perspective is that?”
“I keep chasing daylight. I have to stay up after the hunt to watch the new day begin.”
“I didn’t think you would still hunt,” Giles replied, a little surprised.
“Sometimes, but I always feel the need to start the day this way. Sit by me,” she offered, patting the space next to her. Giles complied and hopped up onto the rock. Once he was settled, Buffy took his hand and laced her fingers through his. “Watch.”
Within seconds, the sun appeared, kissing the ocean and illuminating the sky with yellows and purples. Giles drew in a deep breath.
“It’s never the same,” Buffy marveled, her voice quiet with awe as she leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Buffy?”
“I’m really happy you’re here, Giles.”
“I am as well.”
They sat in the stillness watching as the sun continued its assent, marbling the sky with various hues of gold, pink, and purple, before illuminating the brilliant blue that reflected in the ocean before them.
“I’ve done a lot of traveling over the last two years and until now I wasn’t sure which place was my favorite, but I think out of all the places I’ve been, I love it here the most,” the Slayer announced, squeezing his hand.
“Why is that?”
“Because you’re here with me,” she stated simply, as if he should have known the answer already. Before he could say anything, she yawned, jumped off the rock, and said, “I think it’s time to get some breakfast and some sleep. Come on.”
Buffy tugged on his hand, pulling Giles off the rock. As he stood before her, he drank in her features in the daylight. She had softened a bit over the last two years, was less angular, her body curvier, and her hair more of a natural honey blonde - a little longer than shoulder length, layered and wispy. Her skin glowed with a lovely tan and she looked healthier than he had remembered her being in a long time.
“Semi-retirement agrees with you,” he complimented as he lightly brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “You look lovely.”
Smiling up at him, she gently traced the lines around his left eye with her fingers, “You worry too much.”
“I didn’t know how you were. It made for late nights,” he answered honestly, holding her gaze. Feeling the air growing thick around them, he opted for a little levity, “That, and your sister dates occasionally, which causes me great consternation.”
Buffy laughed, but he could see the sadness creep into her eyes as she grabbed onto his arm and led him towards the bungalows, “How is she?”
“Eighteen, highly intelligent, poised, beautiful, misses her sister dearly.” He paused, debating whether he should go on, but decided to continue, “She calls me Dad.”
Stopping her progress, the young woman turned and looked at him. Taking a moment to compose herself, she nodded her approval before speaking, “It’s as it should be, Giles. She was nine when my dad left, and any memories she has of him aren’t real. Hank Summers was never her father.”
He gave her a shy smile as he tilted his head to the side in slight embarrassment and they resumed their walk arm in arm down the beach to where he had entered. Stopping at his car to pick up his leather bag, he mused at how easy this reunion had been so far. Over the last two years, he had played several scenarios through his mind, most of which had varied on a theme: her showing up on his doorstep, exchanging pleasantries, retrieving Dawn, and moving on.
“I was hoping I could clean up at your place. I need a shower and a shave,” Giles asked, holding up his bag in explanation.
“Of course. You’re staying with me, Giles, I invited you. Can’t have you stuck in a hotel miles away.”
“I don’t want to put you out.”
“You aren’t. Over the last year, I have always rented two bedroom houses,” she explained, smiling up at him as they reached her bungalow. “Have I mentioned how happy I am that you are here?”
His eyes gleamed, “You have, but it’s nice to hear it again.”
“How long are you staying?”
“I-I don’t know. I only just... found you.”
“I didn’t know if you had to rush back...” she trailed off as she opened the door. “Welcome to your home away from home.”
“Thank you.”
“There are two bedrooms upstairs, yours is the one on the right. The bathroom is at the top of the stairs and is shared between the two rooms,” she explained. “If you want to get cleaned up, I’ll start on breakfast.”
Giles nodded, looking around before heading up the stairs. The main floor had the kitchen with an eat-in area off to the left, and to the right of the entryway was a huge living room with a couple couches and a chair, along with an entertainment center. The space was airy and comfortable.
--------------
Having cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes, the Watcher descended the stairs, stopping to watch his Slayer pull breakfast out of the oven. “Smells wonderful.”
“It’s a frittata. I also have fresh fruit and juice, and a pot of tea steeping. I hope you like,” Buffy responded. “I’ve taught myself to cook. I got bored eating out all the time.”
Giles marveled at her a moment. She was very different from the broken young woman he had seen off at the airport long ago.
“I am sure I will. Can I help set the table?” he asked, entering the kitchen.
“Glasses and mugs are in that cupboard over there, plates in the one next to it, and silverware is in the drawer to the left of the sink. Thanks.”
They moved around each other in the kitchen with a practiced grace, neither one getting in the way of the other, and they conversed easily as Buffy explained that she had come to the island a week earlier, had already found the best Chinese restaurant a few towns over, and that siesta was serious business here, nothing was open during the hours the sun was at its zenith. She also found very little demonic activity on the few hunts she had taken. As they sat down to eat, she asked after her friends and for more news of her sister, hanging on her Watcher’s every word.
Having answered all her questions, Giles took her hand in his. “But I have to ask, Buffy, would it have been so terrible to pick up the phone?” His gentle green eyes searched hers, and he could see that tears had formed in her already troubled eyes.
Swallowing the lump in her throat and squeezing his fingers in response, she answered, “I couldn’t. I mean, obviously I could, but If I heard your voice... any of your voices... I would’ve gotten on the next plane to London and never looked back. I missed you guys so much, but I wasn’t ready, Giles. Do you understand?”
He understood the issue well, after all, he had been lost those many years ago, living in squalid conditions, raising Cain and the occasional demon. All it would’ve taken to bring him home was to hear his mother’s voice on the other end of the line - and how he’d wanted that so much, yet feared it so greatly. He couldn’t face his father or the Council, and by the time he was ready, it was too late, the price paid in the blood of another.
“And are you ready now?” His voice was gentle, not intending to push her.
“I-I don’t know,” she whispered honestly as a tear escaped, making its way down her cheek.
Lifting his other hand, he wiped the tear away with his thumb, saying, “Then we enjoy this little holiday together and reassess the situation at a later time. Now, why don’t you go take a shower and I’ll clean up breakfast. Then you can show me around before siesta. By then I am sure we will both be in need of a nap.”
Smiling gratefully, Buffy stood up, and they both looked down at their joined hands before she dropped his. “Sounds like we have a plan.”
He watched her retreating form and after hearing the door to her bedroom close, he pulled out his mobile phone and called Dawn. The teen was furious with him for running off to find her sister without her. When she demanded to speak to Buffy, Giles walked outside onto the patio and pulled the girl up short. After a few minutes, he had the matter resolved, saying that the situation was delicate and he would check in with her in a few days. He could hear her sulking over the line, but she told him she loved him and to give her love to Buffy as well. After hanging up, he looked towards his left, and watched the surf roll in for a few minutes. Feeling the cool breeze off the ocean remove the stress of the outside world, he went back inside to clean up the mess from breakfast.
On to Part 2
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I'm glad that Giles has found her and hopefully hearts and minds and souls can be mended.
Looking forward to the next part. :) Thanks so much for sharing! <3
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Thanks for commenting!
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