** The tiny hand encased in his was full of contradictions, much like its owner; small, delicate, beautiful, yet covered with tiny scars and calluses. At this moment he knew he could not love either more. He looked nervously into her hazel eyes, hoping this was not a dream and he would not wake up alone in his bed. She looked up at him, happiness glowing from her face, and squeezed his hand gently in reassurance. Unfortunately she was a little nervous and miscalculated her gentle squeeze. For a moment he was sure he felt bones crack, but the minister's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"We are gathered here today to witness the joining . . ."
As they made their vows and exchanged their rings they held each other's eyes, captivated by the love they saw there. Although Giles was sure it was also because it enabled Buffy to grin suggestively when they got the 'bodies worshipping' part. True to form he blushed and stuttered at that bit - he did not want to disappoint her.
Finally it was over and the minister said the traditional, "You may now kiss your bride."
Giles bent his head and captured his bride's lips in a sweet kiss . . . **
"Giles!" Buffy shouted in his ear.
"Wh-! Hmmm?" He felt dazed and it took him a moment to realise he was not in a chapel in Las Vegas but in a basement in Sunnydale.
"You zoned on us for a while," Willow informed him. "If I'd thought news of what the spell was would do that to you I would have prepared you, or bought smelling salts or something. Maybe-"
"He had a flashback," Buffy interrupted her.
"Oh. How do you-"
"I just know. He had that 'not really here' look, a different one to the 'not really here because he's in a book' look. Plus, Giles doesn't normally have a really silly, goofy grin."
"True."
And it was true. The goofy grin looked completely out of place on the normally staid and serious former Watcher, and Buffy had hard time not giggling at the sight.
"So, what was the flashback?" Buffy was incredibly curious as to what could make Giles of all people have a goofy grin.
"Our wedding," he told her, not really focused yet.
Buffy sat down suddenly, and Willow winced at the thud her friend made as she landed on the floor.
"Wow." Buffy had not even noticed. "What was it like?"
"You were beautiful." Love shone from Giles' eyes.
"I was?"
Buffy's quiet, almost whispered, question shook Giles out of the remnants of his daze and he was disturbed to see tears in her eyes. He took her hand in his, much as he had in the flashback, and earnestly said, "Buffy, I'm sorry if this is upsetting. This whole mess-"
"I'm not upset about you remembering our wedding," the Slayer was quick to reassure him. "I'm sad because I can't remember it."
"I'm sorry," Giles repeated, and was about to say more when Willow interrupted.
"Guys, before you start guilt tripping each other about stuff, do you want to know what I found out?"
Buffy stood up, only now noticing the bruises forming on her butt where she sat down so suddenly, and gingerly took a seat on the sofa. "I'm listening."
"Good. Giles, are you going to go comatose again? No? Good. Alright, the spell is incredibly simple. Just a few herbs, water, heat them and drop something made of gold into the mixture. There's an incantation, 'cause a spell isn't a spell without one, but it's really easy. Even you could manage it Buffy. Not that you're simple, or easy or . . . this is not coming out right."
Willow paused to take a breath, and give herself time to remove her foot from her mouth.
"Anyway, I had a point here. It was a really good point. But now I can't remember it."
"Relax Will. It'll come to you."
"Ok. Oh! I've remembered. The spell is kind of a time release. You put the gold thing near the intended victims, within two hundred yards, and it activates six hours after the spell was begun. The memory loss is just a side-affect. Something about the brain not liking to be without its usual inhibitions and barriers so it tries to block out the memories. I'm getting off subject again. My point was that anyone could have done it. They don't even need to have planted the spell themselves."
After weeding out the important parts from Willow's ramble Giles said, "So this gives us no clearer idea about who was behind this or why they did it."
"Maybe not, but at least now you know why you acted the way you did." Willow decided that was enough hinting for one session. "Now, I'm hungry and it's Buffy's turn to cook. And I mean cook, not order in from the pizza place."
"How does Chinese sound?" Buffy asked hopefully.
Willow glared at her.
***
Buffy and Giles managed to avoid each other for the rest of the evening and the following morning. They both had a lot of work to catch up on after their recent absences and that was a perfect excuse. So Buffy found herself being bullied by Xander and Willow at lunch the following day. Xander was trying to cage some free food from the university canteen, which was only slightly worse than the old school canteen.
"You need to talk to him," Willow told her.
"She's right," Xander joined in. "He's not going to start it. After all, he's Giles. Not in a bad way, just in a reserved, British, not-wanting-to-talk-about-this-stuff way."
"But that's the problem. He's Giles," Buffy told him.
"I'm lost," Xander said.
"Well, what do you think of when you think of Giles?"
"I think you should just stop there. This can only go to a place of extreme badness for me."
"Xander, shut up." Buffy glared him into submission. "You think of tweed, tea and books, right? Ok, so do I. But now I also think of . . . other stuff."
"What stuff?" Willow asked, curious.
"How much he's willing to do for me, how often he's risked his life for me, and how cute he looks asleep, or, well, anytime."
Willow looked puzzled. "But, if you're thinking that way what's the problem?"
"What if he doesn't feel that way about me?"
Xander laughed at that.
"What's so funny? This is only my life and future we're talking about!"
"The idea that he isn't in love with you is funny," Xander eventually managed. "You guys did stuff I don't want to know about and got married, all while you were under a spell that makes you do everything you've always wanted to but were too afraid to. While it's a very disturbing thought for me, I should think that would tell you something."
He paused waiting for an answer but Buffy did not appear to be concentrating. "Such as that he's in love with you. Completely. Am I talking to a brick wall here?"
Willow had also noticed. "I think she's having a flashback. That's the way Giles looked yesterday."
"I'm probably not going to want to know what it's about, am I?"
** Buffy could not believe how hungry she was. < Although I did some vigorous . . . exercise on an empty stomach >. She grinned wickedly.
"What are you thinking about, love?" Giles asked her as he saw the grin.
"You."
He blushed.
"Do you have any idea how cute you look when you do that?"
"N-no, I, uh, no."
"Great stuttering." Buffy was enjoying teasing him. "I want to make you stutter everyday, for the rest of my life. That really sounded better in my head."
He smiled softly at her, his eyes full of love. "I can't imagine life without you."
"Why don't we make it official then?"
"Pardon?"
Buffy abandoned her breakfast and went round the table to sit in his lap. She put arms around his neck and kissed him. He pulled her close and rubbed her back through his the shirt she had 'borrowed' from him earlier. Eventually she pulled back and said, "Marry me?"
"I thought I was supposed to ask?" Giles protested.
"Since when have we obeyed the handbook? I want to be with you, I love you and I can't see any reason not to be married. So, will you?"
"When you put it like that . . ." He kissed her soundly to show her how much he liked the idea.
They were both breathing heavily when they parted and Giles ran his hands under the shirt on the bare skin of her back.
"When did you have in mind?" he asked as he kissed his way down her neck.
"How soon can we arrange something?" Buffy asked, tilting her head to give him better access.
"Well, there are licenses and your country insists on blood tests-"
"Las Vegas doesn't," Buffy pointed out.
Giles lifter his head to look in her eyes. "Are you sure? We can wait, have a ceremony with your friends, family . . ."
"Have everyone try to talk us out of it, huge long preparations and wind up not being together for months. Our life isn't predictable enough for that. We know how we feel and that's all that matters."
"I love you," he told her and kissed her.
A few minutes later Buffy commented, "Half an hour isn't going to make much difference though."
"Or an hour."
"Mmmm, an hour and a half would give us time for a shower as well."
"Sounds good."
They grinned at each other, proud of their plans, and Buffy reached for the snap of his jeans at the same time as he began unbuttoning the shirt . . . **
As suddenly as the flashback began she was back in the college canteen. Willow and Xander were talking quietly, although from what she could tell it was one of their nonsense conversations.
"I hate it when that happens," Buffy grumbled.
"You hate your flashbacks? I thought you enjoyed them," Willow exclaimed.
"I do. I just hate it when they end before I get to the good stuff."
"I did not need to know that." Xander told her.
Buffy did not hear him. She was busy removing the necklace she was wearing and taking the gold ring off it. For a moment she stared at it, then she completed the decision she had made and slipped it onto her finger. Then she stood up.
"Buffy? Where are you going?" Willow asked.
"To seduce my husband."
"Would it he easier if I just went deaf?" Xander mused.
"But-but-but college!" Willow protested.
"This is more important. And hopefully more fun."
"If you're sure . . ."
"Completely."
Willow stood and hugged her. "Top drawer of my nightstand," she whispered in Buffy's ear. "Take as many as you need. I'll keep Xander out of the way, although I put sound-proofing spells on all the bedroom wall so that shouldn't be a problem."
"Willow!" Buffy hissed, surprised. "You are devious."
"I know," Willow said smugly.
***
Buffy had been quite disappointed to find the house empty when she arrived. She had been so happy and fired up from making her decision that she had not even thought about the fact that Giles had to work. Gives me time to prepare, she thought philosophically.
First she borrowed a condom from Willow's stash in her nightstand. Then she went back and took three more. "Well, you never know," she justified to the thin air.
Giles was a man of habit and she knew the first thing he would do when he got home would be to get changed. So she dug out all the candles in the house and positioned them around his bedroom. She didn't own a sexy nightgown so she went for the next best thing. One of Giles' shirts. Then she lay back on the bed to wait for him.
***
It had been a long day and Giles was feeling the strain as he walked up the stairs towards his bedroom. The past few days had been the worst and at the same time the best of his life. He wanted nothing more than to spend the evening with a cup of tea and a dull book so he could try to forget what was happening. How do you forget that the woman you love more than anything in the world is . . . in my bed?
For a moment he stood, unable to believe that Buffy was really lying curled up and asleep in the middle of his bed. As his brain began functioning again he noticed other things. Such as the candles burning on every surface and the fact that his Slayer was wearing his shirt. And only my shirt? Stop that. Thinking like that is not going to help the situation. It was too late though and his body had already reacted to the thought. He sat down on the edge of the bed and hoped she would not notice.
The mattress shifting beneath her as Giles sat woke Buffy and she smiled up at him sleepily. "Sorry, didn't mean to fall asleep. I was waiting for you."
"For me?"
Buffy grinned and sat up. "I'm hardly waiting for Xander here am I?"
"You aren't?"
"No. I don't want to seduce Xander."
"S-seduce?"
"There's an echo in here. Are you ok? You look kind of feverish?"
She moved to lay her hand on his forehead and he quickly stood up. "The question should be are you feeling alright," Giles said. "You're behaving very strangely. Maybe it's a side-affect of that spell."
"I'm sure it is. It's called 'I love you'. Wow, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be." Buffy smiled up at him. "I love you. I'm your wife and I love you and I don't want things to be any different."
Giles sat down on the bed again, surprised beyond anything at her words. He loved her, but in spite of everything that had happened he had never dared hope that she could feel the same way. As his brain restarted all the reasons why this was not a good idea surfaced.
The blonde Slayer read his expression perfectly. "Whatever you've thought of, it doesn't matter. Do you know what I remembered today? I remembered proposing to you. Everything was so clear at that moment. I love you, you love me, and therefore we should be together. Wanna know something else? I feel the same way now. I've loved you for a long time. I just put up all these barriers so I couldn't see it; our ages, Angel, our friends reactions, my mom, your tweed thing. It took a spell to make me see beyond all that to my real feelings. I love everything about you and I can't imagine my life without you. The only reason I can see for us not being together is if you can honestly look me in the eye and say you don't love me." Buffy paused. "That was a lot longer than I intended."
For a long moment Giles was still, thinking. "It would be unfair to you to-"
"Giles, our ages don't matter. You're actually more likely to outlive me than the other way around."
"Buffy-"
"It's ok. I know I'm lucky to have lived this long, and that's at least partly due to you." She smiled at him, willing him to admit how he felt.
"You're mother-"
"Will come around eventually." Buffy told him. "It's how you feel that's important."
Giles turned his head so she could not see his face, but she took it between her hands and forced him to look at her, staring into his green eyes. "Do you love me?"
"I-I . . . I can't help my self," he finally admitted.
"Do you love me?" his Slayer repeated.
"Yes."
"Do you want to be with me?"
"Always."
"Good."
She kissed him and gently pulled him down to the bed.
***
Much, much later a happy, satisfied husband and wife wandered down the stairs. She was dressed again in the shirt and he wore jeans and bare feet. On the mat in front of the front door lay a piece of paper and Giles picked it up as Buffy walked past him to the kitchen. He read it and then followed her into the kitchen where she was making sandwiches for them.
"Read this, love, and tell me what you think," he told her and bit into the sandwich she handed him.
'Buffy and Rupert,
By now I'm sure you know what happened and how. My employee was instructed not to give this to you until a certain stage was reached, so I want to wish you good luck in your life together.
I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience I caused you. A blind man could see how you feel so I thought you could do with some help. I'm sure you would have got here anyway, but after the mess with Angel I felt I owed you something. You might say I'm evening up the balance again.
Take care of each other,
Whistler.'
"He was the demon you told me about?" Giles inquired.
"Yeah. Bad dress sense and a habit of going through other people's cupboards." Buffy wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up into the face she loved. "Remind me to thank him before I hit him."
"If you ever see him again."
"I hope I don't. Giles? What's with the pensive face?"
"I was just wondering who his 'employee' is."
"Giles, stop wondering and pay attention to the important things." Buffy grinned at him and placed a kiss in the centre of his chest.
"You could call me Rupert."
"I'm working up to it." She placed another kiss on his bare chest. "Right now I'm working on more important things."
"I thought you were hungry."
Buffy remembered the food and released him. "I am!"
Giles grabbed the plate of sandwiches before she could and ran for the stairs.
"Cheat!" she shouted and ran after him.
***
A black De Soto roared out of Sunnydale via the Welcome sign. Its occupant had the radio turned up as loud as it would go and was singing to it, badly. The window opened and a gold pendant flew out to land on the verge.
"That is the last time I play poker with a bloody demon with a daft name," the bleach blond vampire muttered to himself. "And I'm never playing for favours again. If I don't have the money I'll leave."
He drove on for a moment. "At least I get to tell the Great Poofini what happened. There's a bright spot to everything."
The car continued on the road to LA, breaking speed limits and noise pollution laws as it went.
*finis*