Buffy was having the most incredible dream. Giles was there, they were in a secluded cottage where nothing would ever interrupt them and she was being thoroughly kissed. The dream felt so real she could taste him, and feel his warm lips caressing hers. In fact...she opened her eyes and smiled slightly when she saw that at least part of the dream was real. Very real, and kissing her just as thoroughly as dream-Giles.
She did some quick mental addition. Yup, did Friday, remember classes and shopping with Faith - therefore today is Saturday, before letting her mind stop working and other senses take over.
***
Sometime later Buffy lay sprawled across Giles' chest feeling very satisfied and cheerful. This, she decided, is the best way to start a weekend.
"Good morning," Giles said huskily, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it.
"It is, isn't it?" Buffy agreed, kissing a convenient bit of flesh near her mouth.
The tiny shudder that ran through her husband's body was quite gratifying. Nope, you haven't lost your touch Summers.
"What do you have planned today, love?" he asked her.
"Bit of this, bit of that," Buffy replied off-handedly before experimenting with the reaction she could get from kissing him just the teeniest bit lower on his chest.
"S-sounds, uh, interesting," Giles said.
Buffy pouted at the lack of reaction this time. "I thought," kiss, "that we could," kiss, "get the paint for the nursery," kiss, "and Faith's room."
The final kiss was just below his jaw and sent another shudder through his body.
"That's nice love," was his only reply. "What colours were you thinking of?"
She thumped her head on his shoulder and groaned softly.
"What's wrong?" Giles asked grinning, and then quickly suppressing the grin when she looked up and glared at him.
"You aren't cooperating," she complained.
"Aah. Do you mean like - bloody hell!"
The expression on Giles' face was a mixture of pain and annoyance, so Buffy followed the direction of his eyes to see Gizmo firmly attached to his leg through the sheet covering him. The little cat had needle-sharp claws (as Buffy had discovered when trying to give her worming tablets a few weeks ago) and she was gnawing on a fold of blanket, occasionally peeking up to see what reaction she was getting.
"Love, would you mind detaching your cat?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Buffy sat up, wrapping the sheets securely around her torso, and carefully pulled Gizmo's claws out of her husband's leg. Then she held the squirming cat up in front of her face and gave it a severe lecture on propriety and the value of not clawing the hand that feeds you, or even the leg that propels the hand that feeds you. The little animal looked suitably chastened by the time she was finished so she held it for a moment before turning back to Giles.
"Rupert, I think that was our cue to get up. Gizmo needs feeding and so do I."
Giles sighed regretfully but began moving to the edge of the bed. "I suppose you're right. We have a lot to do today and it won't get done lying here."
***
Faith grinned as she watched the glowing couple enter the kitchen hand in hand. "Good morning."
Buffy blushed at the other Slayer's leer. "Uh, hi. Gizmo. Needs feeding. She's, uh . . . yeah, I'll just . . ."
She turned to the cupboard and began hunting for a can of cat-food while Faith smirked at Giles. "Hi."
"Yes, well, uh . . . I'll just see if the paper's arrived yet." Giles beat a retreat to the front door.
Yup, who says you have to be evil to have fun? Faith thought with another evil grin. "So, B, decide to sleep in a bit this morning?"
Faith watched the blonde Slayer take a deep breath before turning round. "You know what was happening this morning. Do you just enjoy embarrassing us?"
"Hell yeah," Faith admitted. "Come on, tell me you don't enjoy watching him get all hot and flustered."
"But-but I like being the person who does it!" Buffy protested. "You . . . it just seems wrong. I'm his wife; it's my right."
"Aah, I understand. I think. This is a territorial thing."
"Well . . . I suppose it is in a way."
Faith smiled. "I'm not looking to muscle in on your territory. It's just hard to resist sometimes. You're both so cute together and I can't help wanting to . . ."
"Embarrass us?"
"Yeah."
"Mortify us?"
"That too."
"Have a lot of fun at our expense?"
"Possibly."
Buffy put the bowl she had been filling on the floor in front of Gizmo, who began eating as though she had not been fed for a week. "All right."
"I - uh?" Faith stopped short. "You . . . what?"
"I said, all right."
"But-but-"
"Just don't get carried away."
"Okaay," Faith said uncertainly. "Are you sure?"
Buffy shrugged. "I can't stop you teasing him - us, but I can ask you to stop when I think he's had enough. Or when I want to take over."
"Huh."
"Breakfast?"
Giles wandered into the kitchen, his head buried in the paper.
"Anything interesting?" Buffy asked, kissing her husband on the cheek as he passed her before pulling out a box of cereal.
"Not particularly," he said, not taking his eyes from the page as he sat down at the table opposite Faith.
"For a dull newspaper, you sure seem interested," Faith commented.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "It's a tradition. Paper, breakfast, tea. The three things he can't cope without on a Saturday morning."
"I can cope," Giles said absently, "I just prefer not to."
The two girls exchanged looks that clearly said 'men!' and Faith helped Buffy set out breakfast. It was one of the chores she had never had to do before, this working together to create a meal, and it was strangely satisfying to work with someone else on something that had no more significance than a desire to eat. Always in her life, meals had been solitary affairs with her only company being the television or a magazine. As soon as the smell of brewing tea began to permeate the kitchen Giles put the paper down and the dark Slayer listened curiously to the quiet chatter between husband and wife. It was nothing important, just a discussion of the day's plans and gentle teasing, but it was filled with love. Faith's only experiences with married couples previously had been the bad side - her parents, before they divorced, and her friends' parents when she was growing up - and she began to have the feeling that maybe she had missed something there. Not that she had intention of going out and getting herself hitched, but maybe it was not the pain and misery that she was familiar with. Was this what a family should be like?
"Faith?" Buffy asked, breaking into the younger girl's thoughts. "Are you gonna put that bowl down or just stare at it all day?"
"Uh, right." Faith put the bowl on the table and sat down. "So . . ."
"We're going to the hardware store this morning. Do you want to come with? You could, maybe, get some paint for your room?"
The dark-haired girl stared at Buffy for a moment, surprised. "You were serious about me decorating?"
"Of course I was."
Faith looked at the other Slayer and realised that there was complete sincerity in her eyes. "Ok. I'll be there."
***
Burdened with bags and pots of paint, Giles followed his wife into the house. How can one child need so many things? he asked himself again. Paint, mobiles, more paint, paper borders . . . was there anything at that store she didn't buy?
Following him with two cans of paint, Faith grinned. "It's your own fault. Just remember that."
The Watcher grimaced. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Sweetie?" Buffy called from the kitchen. "Do you want some tea? Oh, and where did you put the cute mobile? I need to show it to Willow."
"It's your fault," Faith whispered as she brushed past and ran up the stairs.
"Buffy, love, weren't you supposed to be studying this afternoon?" Giles asked as he entered the kitchen with his bags of baby-gear. "And I'd love some tea."
"How can I study when I'm so excited about the stuff we bought? I promise, as soon as I've shown it all to Willow and had some lunch, I'll study. I think Tara's coming round as well."
Giles moved to stand behind her, resting his hands on her swelling belly. "Good. Not that I want to be seen as nagging you or..."
"I know. You just want me to do well so that you don't feel so bad about having me barefoot and pregnant already."
He had to grin at that. "You know me rather well, don't you?"
"It's why I love you."
***
Faith stood at the top of the basement steps, just out of sight, and watched. It was a familiar sensation, to be on the outside looking in, but it had never hurt this way before. Buffy was curled up on the sofa, books scattered around her and papers resting on her swollen belly. The large table was also covered with books and papers, along with abandoned mugs and plates, but there was order in the confusion. As Faith watched, Willow pulled one of the books closer and Tara pointed at something on the page. It was a scene she had watched many times, during the library days, either watching the gang researching the latest earth-shattering prophecies or revising for the latest world-altering exam. But this time there was something different about it. She was on the outside yet something told her that if she asked they would let her in. This time everything was different.
Maybe it was because they were all different people to who they had been last year. Buffy's relationship with Giles had matured her, Willow no longer seemed to be the child in an adult's body and even Xander was taking responsibility for himself. Or maybe it was that she was different. Faith freely acknowledged, just to herself, that she had caused most of the problems before. It was her selfishness and refusal to accept help when she needed it that had led her to the Mayor and all that he represented. Certainly Miss Post's betrayal and Buffy's obsession with Angel had not helped, but at the end it came down to her mistakes driving her away from the people trying to help her.
But this time she had been invited into their home, invited to share their lives, and Faith knew that they were determined not to let her go again. For the first time in her life she had a family. It was a good feeling.
Her unusually deep thoughts were broken into when she felt something touch her leg. Looking down she saw Gizmo butting her head against her leg. The little cat looked up and mewed quietly.
"Ssh," Faith whispered, holding a finger over her lips. "I don't want them to see me."
Gizmo cocked her head curiously.
"Because . . ." Faith began, and trailed off.
Putting on her best 'silly human' look, Gizmo stood on her back legs and rested her front paws on Faith's leg. Obeying the unspoken command, the dark Slayer picked the cat up allowed her to nuzzle her face briefly.
"Sometimes you act as though you understand everything I say," Faith said quietly. "Now, either you're a very clever cat or I'm imagining things."
Gizmo looked at her contemptuously before licking her nose with a rough tongue.
"No, I'm imagining things," the Slayer said with a slight grin.
A giggle from the room below caught her attention and she looked back to see Buffy grinning and Willow holding out a book.
"I've never seen study-happy Buffy before," Faith commented. "Must be Giles' influence."
The cat made an agreeing chirrup.
"Yeah, she really is into him. But it's different to the way she was with Angel. He encourages her to see outside of them, rather than obsessing about him. I wonder What would have happened if . . . nah, no point going there now." Gizmo butted her chin and mew piteously. "Yeah, I'm hungry too. What do you fancy?"
Silently, Faith opened the door and left the basement. "I don't know about you, but right now I would kill for a bacon sandwich."
Gizmo began purring and Faith carried her into the kitchen to begin working on their snack.
***
Exam week went without a hitch. Which, on the Hellmouth, was surprising to say the least. By the end of it, Giles felt as though his shoulders had been hunched all week waiting for the other shoe to drop. Going by their previous records, they should have had at least one near-Apocalypse to deal with. Or if not a full Apocalypse, there should have been invading demons, vampires with plots to end the world or authority figures attempting to eat the entire student body. But there was nothing. If he had not known better, he would have mistaken Sunnydale for a normal town. There was no hint that the place was usually the centre of supernatural powers. It was strangely disconcerting.
He unlocked the front door and stepped through, immediately inhaling deeply. The mingled scents of baking cookies, mochas, tomatoes, herbs and garlic made his mouth water hungrily and he barely stopped long enough to drop his briefcase before heading towards the kitchen.
The normally neat, quiet room was filled with laughing teenagers. Trays, chopping boards and pots littered every surface, apart from the large table in the middle that was already laid out for dinner. Somewhere a radio quietly played music and Willow was dancing with Tara near the door, both girls giggling as they attempted wild swings and twirls. Faith stood next to one of the counters, bopping along as she decorated fresh cookies. Anya and Xander were bickering playfully as they prepared salad near the sink, occasionally snatching a piece of lettuce or a kiss as they went.
Giles took in the joyful scene with grateful eyes and leaned against the doorjamb to watch. His eyes searched through the melee until he found Buffy and a sharp bolt of love rushed through him when he spotted her. She stood next to the stove stirring one of the bubbling pots on it and as he watched she leaned down to smell it. A look of pure pleasure crossed her face as she inhaled the aroma and he forced himself to stay where he was rather than rushing over and kissing her senseless.
The Slayer went back to stirring the pot, watching Willow and Tara's antics. The two witches were now attempting to cha-cha along to a Ricky Martin song (and Giles inwardly shuddered at *knowing* it was a Ricky Martin song) but they were having a little trouble with the steps. The tried a few times, feet tangling and almost unbalancing them each time, before admitting defeat and making it up as they went.
Xander had been watching the activity with a slightly glazed expression until Anya cheerfully bopped him across the back of his head with piece of lettuce. The boy immediately picked up a handful of chopped cucumber and held it poised to throw.
Spotting the imminent food-fight, Buffy left her stirring and rushed to stand between the soon-to-be combatants.
"No. Not in my kitchen," she stated with a glare for each of them.
Giles could not resist. "Your kitchen?"
Buffy whirled around and the sound his voice and her face split into a huge grin. "Our kitchen. But still, no food fights."
"No food-fights," Anya reluctantly agreed.
"Yes, miss, we'll be good," Xander added.
They returned to their salad preparations, leaving Buffy and Giles to greet each other in peace.
"Hi," she whispered as Giles pulled her close.
He kissed her. "Hello."
"Mmm, I love when you do that," Buffy purred.
He kissed her again. "Do that?"
"Make me feel special," she elaborated.
"You are."
He heard a gagging sound behind him and turned to find Faith smiling sweetly, a chilling sight indeed. She gave him a small wave and returned to her cookie decorating.
"So, what are we celebrating today?" he asked, smiling down into Buffy's happy face.
"The end of the exams, of course! No more exams, no more lectures, no more college...we're free!"
A chorus of "Yippee!" echoed around the kitchen.
"We're also celebrating my new job," Xander added, brandishing a radish.
Giles reluctantly released Buffy so she could return to her boiling pots and turned to the younger man. "Job?"
"Yup, you're now looking at a trainee construction worker slash carpenter. Regular hours, better money and my own power tools." He grinned. "Plus, Anya seems to like the uniform better than the restaurant's penguin suit."
"I can watch his muscles rippling as he works," Anya commented, industriously chopping a tomato into quarters. "It makes me think of sex rather than zoo animals so it's much better."
Giles sighed and winced. "Thank you for that interesting insight into your mind. Please, don't let me see it again?"
"An, do you remember what we talked about yesterday?" Xander asked, blushing. "What is and isn't appropriate to say in front of Giles?"
"Yes."
"Did you pay any attention at all?"
"Yes."
"So...?"
"Oh! You mean that was one of those things?"
Xander covered his eyes and sighed. "Yes, that was one of those things."
"All right, so I can't tell Giles when you make me think of sex. Got it." Anya smiled triumphantly, not noticing Giles' wince or Xander's pained sigh.
***
Buffy sat in the middle of their bed, brushing her hair as she waited for Giles to finish locking up the house. It was times like this that always amazed her. Times when she was allowed to just enjoy her life without any of the worries and fears that usually invaded her days. If she let herself, she could feel the panic and terror she had to deal with as she worried about their future. Her fears went beyond those of most expectant mothers; she had to worry, not just about the birth, but about whether she could protect her child from the creatures that wanted to kill it. And the closer they got to the time, the more she worried. She had been reading all the books and, from what she could see, she would be in no shape to defend anything for a while afterwards. Even her Slayer healing probably would not kick in fast enough.
And that was the biggest part of her problem. From what Spike had told them, the Commedores would make their move the instant the baby was born. Which would coincide with her most vulnerable period. Spike and Faith's reconnaissance missions had finally given them an accurate tally of the demons and it was not comforting. How were they meant to deal with fifty demons, when just one of the creatures was more than a match for a healthy Slayer?
Firmly, Buffy put the thought away. This was meant to be a night of celebrating. The birth was still three months away and until then nothing was going to harm her. Nothing would dare.
She heard quiet footsteps in the hallway and smiled as Giles entered the room.
***
Giles blinked sleepily, trying to work out what had woken him. The pale moonlight shone through the windows, illuminating everything with silver light, so it was still several hours before dawn. The house was silent, nothing moved.
His sleep-fogged mind eventually worked out what felt wrong; Buffy was not curled up at his side. She usually slept with her head on his shoulder, or arranged spoon-fashion now that she was growing awkward with pregnancy. But she was not there. He reached out across the bed and his hand met cold air.
Sitting up, he looked around and realised that Buffy was nowhere to be seen. I must have woken up when she left, he mused.
He lay down and closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep, but something still felt wrong. She's probably just getting a glass of water. Or visiting the bathroom. She is pregnant, after all. The feeling of wrongness nagged at his mind. I'll just get a glass of water. It can't hurt, can it?
He got out of bed and pulled on his robe before silently padding downstairs. No lights were on anywhere, but his wife's night vision was excellent so that was unsurprising. A noise in the kitchen caught his attention and immediately walked down the hallway towards it.
The sight that met his surprised eyes sent a chill shiver of fear down his spine. Buffy was standing in front of the window with a large knife in her hand. A glance to the side confirmed that one of the vegetable knives was missing from the rack.
He watched in horror as she raised the knife and placed the tip of it against her unborn child.
*finis*