Even after over a month of marriage Giles still woke up every morning surprised and pleased to find Buffy in his arms and that recent events had not been a dream. As usual they were lying spoon fashion with his arms around her waist. Asleep and dressed in over-sized, pale yellow pyjamas she looked impossibly innocent.
He glanced at the clock on her bedside table and saw it was only just past eight. It was Saturday and Buffy had been tired for the past few days so he decided to let her sleep. He carefully eased away from her and got out of the bed, throwing a robe on as he left the room. When he got downstairs he put the kettle on and began to make himself some breakfast. He was determined not to worry about his Slayer yet. She had been busier than usual lately and now Willow had the flu so she had to look after her friend on top of everything else. Today, she will rest he vowed to himself.
The kettle boiled and he made up the flu relief drink they had been feeding Willow before making his pot of tea. He left the tea to brew while he went upstairs to check on the sick witch. Giles opened her door as quietly as he could, but she was already awake and staring at the ceiling. Her normally pale face was flushed with fever, although she tried to give him a reassuring smile. He set the cup down on her bedside table and laid a hand on her forehead to check her temperature.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I've felt better," Willow croaked. "I've also felt worse so, you know, plus side."
He helped her sit up and gave her the cup of flu relief. She made a face as she drank it, but she did not argue about it. "Is Buffy up yet?" she asked.
Giles smiled gently as he thought of her. "No, she's still asleep. Which is what you should be doing."
Willow smiled sleepily. "I can't sleep. I feel too . . . yucky. I'm . . . just going . . . to . . . what did you put . . . in . . .?"
He pulled the covers up to the sleeping witch's chin and quietly left the room.
***
Buffy was just beginning to surface when she felt the bed next to her dip. It was then that she realised that she was not waking up in Giles' arms and she missed the sensation more than she had thought she could. She opened her eyes sleepily and looked up at him sitting next to her.
"Good morning," he said quietly, stroking her cheek softly. Amazingly, considering how small she was, she had managed to sprawl across the entire bed. "Did you sleep well?"
"Great," she answered, her voice husky from sleep. "What time is it?"
"Almost noon."
Buffy's eyes widened. "You're kidding!"
"Would I joke about something like that?"
"I must have been more tired than I thought." Buffy started to close her eyes again, but woke up when a thought occurred to her. "Did you check on Willow? She must be-"
"Resting comfortably. I've checked on her twice. You needed the rest."
"Thanks." Buffy's stomach let out a loud growl and she grinned sheepishly. "In books and movies this part always gets left out."
"Which part?"
"The part where the heroine makes strange noises 'cause she's hungry and embarrasses herself totally."
"Ah, but those heroines aren't real, which makes them excruciatingly boring, unlike the one sitting in my bed."
"You're not getting past that idea anytime soon, are you?"
Giles leaned down and kissed her. "Not if I can help it."
"Cool." Buffy kissed him back. "I don't suppose you brought breakfast with you?"
"As it happens . . ." Giles picked up the tray he had left on the floor.
"You are the best," Buffy grinned at him, and then was silent as she ate hungrily.
Giles had a cup of tea while she ate, and when she had polished off all five slices of toast and a bowl of cereal the tiny blonde woman wiped her mouth and sighed happily.
"So, what are your plans for the day?" she asked, hoping those plans involved her and no prophecies.
"Well, I need to buy some food or we'll all be eating toast for supper, but after that I'm all yours." He blushed as he realised what he had said. "Not that I expect . . . you seem to need to rest . . . I-"
Buffy cut him off by kissing him. If only I had known how well this worked when he lectured me at school, she thought as she deepened the kiss. "I think I'm all rested now," she whispered as she pulled away.
"Hmm?" Giles sounded a little distracted.
Buffy placed a few kisses on his neck while her hands started exploring. "Yup, definitely rested. Full of energy."
"You should still-"
"Gi-uh-Rup-uh, sweetie?" < You so have to get used to calling him something non-formal > she told herself.
"Yes love?"
"Shut up and kiss me."
"With pleasure."
***
Some time later the couple stood in the kitchen heating soup. Or at least, Buffy was heating soup and Giles was standing behind her, kissing her neck, putting a hand inside her robe and generally distracting her.
"Giles? Sweetie? If you don't stop that you're gonna wind up with hot soup all over the place."
"Hi guys, I'm home," Xander yelled as he slammed the front door closed behind him.
By the time he reached the kitchen Buffy and Giles were sitting at the kitchen table dividing the soup into two bowls, looking as though butter would not melt in their mouths.
"I thought you were gone all day," Buffy noted.
"I was, but now I'm not." He grimaced. "I don't want to talk about it. Let's just say that former demons and poison ivy do not a happy couple make."
"Sorry Xand. How did you find poison ivy? On second thoughts, never tell me."
"So, you two are up late. Oh god, I did not want to notice that."
"Serves you right for not being out when you said you would be."
Giles hid a grin at Buffy's words.
"So, moving on to a totally different topic, what are you doing for your birthday Buff? We need to plan. I mean, it's only a couple of days away now."
"I had a couple of ideas. Either I could have the traditional mind-numbing horror, or I could lock myself in my bedroom for the day. I'm going for option two." Buffy smiled at her friend so she missed the pain that flickered across Giles' face.
"I was thinking more along the lines of party hats, music and eating till we're sick, but your plan sounds good too."
"Buffy, I'm so sorry," Giles apologised.
That was when Buffy realised what she had said and how much they had not talked about yet. For once she was going to have to be careful what she said or he would never stop feeling guilty about the events of her last birthday. Between them they had more guilt than the entire Roman Catholic Church put together and sometimes Buffy wished that some of the effects of the Rite of Atani had lasted longer. She took his hand, holding it tightly in hers, and looked into his eyes.
"I forgave you for that a long time ago. About the time you told Travers that you were never leaving me. It was the first time I realised how much you cared for me, and it was probably the first time I started to fall for you."
"I'm sorry for putting you through that. I should never have done that."
"It's in the past now. You're always telling me not to feel guilty about my mistakes; well, you need to take that advice too. If that hadn't happened, maybe none of this would have happened either. And that would have been worse than anything else I could have gone through."
Giles searched eyes, but only found sincerity. "I love you Buffy."
"And I love you, Rupert." Buffy grimaced again. "It still feels weird calling you that."
"Not nearly as weird as hearing you say it," Xander commented.
"Thank you Xander. When you've finished interrupting important moments in our marriage, would you like to leave," Giles said dryly.
Xander saw the glare the older man was giving him and decided that leaving was a good idea.
***
Buffy did not precisely spend her birthday locked in her room. She merely spent it in the house. Giles woke her before he left to kiss her and wish her a happy day, but she was so tired and groggy she barely even noticed. He tried not to worry and told himself that she was simply busier than normal. Slaying, attending college, looking after a sick friend and being newly married was sure to have an effect, he thought as he left the house. I'm sure she'll be fine with a little more rest and now that Willow's recovering that will take some of the pressure off her. I just wish there were more that I could do.
Buffy did not wake until nearly noon, but she felt more refreshed than she had for days. The sun was shining, she could faintly hear a bird singing and she felt great. Seeing the empty bed beside her she felt a brief pang of loneliness. You've only been married a little over a month and you're getting lonely if he's gone for more than a few minutes. You have it bad, girl.
She could vaguely remember him kissing her before he left for work, but that was so vague she was not sure whether she had dreamed it. Taking today off college was a good idea just for my chance to sleep in again, she thought as she stretched, feeling awake for the first time in days.
By the time she got dressed and went downstairs it was early afternoon and she was hungry. Buffy found Willow in the lounge watching TV and offered to make her some lunch. Instead the witch told her that some pizza was on its way and she had planned an afternoon of videos for them.
"I thought, it's the first time I've been up and eating for days, and it's you birthday, so we might was well make the best of it. Happy birthday by the way."
"Thanks Will. I guess you're feeling better?"
"Yup," Willow grinned at her. "I'm not going to be running a marathon tomorrow, but I feel much better." The doorbell rang. "That's the pizza. Could you get it? My legs still wobble when I walk."
As the afternoon progressed Buffy decided that this was the most fun she had had on her birthday for years. Although the competition does not make that hard, she thought.
As the day darkened and the sun went down Buffy began to get impatient.
"Buffy, he had a late class. He'll be here," Willow tried to reassure her friend.
"I know, it's just that, well, with past events - did you hear that?" Buffy said suddenly.
"Hear what?"
"I thought I heard - stay here," Buffy commanded.
"No arguments about that," Willow muttered but the Slayer was already gone.
She could hear something outside. It had sounded like a flowerpot smashing, and as she listened she could hear faint rustling and scraping. Her first instinct was to say 'it's my birthday and I don't want to do this' but she went with her second instinct, which was to grab a stake and go outside. The noises were coming from the back yard and as she followed them she could hear occasional muttered curses. She rounded the corner of the house to see a dark shape behind one of the bushes beneath the kitchen window. The moon had not risen yet so she could not make out anymore than that, but it was enough. In one move she covered the few steps to the intruder and shoved him up against the wall so she could see his face.
"Angel?" she breathed.
*finis*