Challenge Fic: The Gift Revisited
Rating: NC-17
Who to criticize: Wickedfox wickedfoxs13@yahoo.com

Summary: "Fic challenge set in "The Gift". The part where Giles
walks into the training room and him and Buffy talk. Make it about
something else. He says "I imagine you hate me right now". Make it
so that Buffy and him discuss their feelings, and I want smoochies,
but leave the ending the same, in which she still jumps. But have
one of the Scoobies accidently walk in on Buffy and Giles
discussion, or their smooching, and they realize how hard he must be
taking her death. Must haves:(Instead of Buffy telling spike "you
know were all not gonna make it", have her tell Giles that)"

Disclaimer: All Joss, ME not mine...I wish!
Distribution: Want it? It's yours!
Notes and Assumptions: You can blame...er, I mean thank Trish for
this little idea. I decided to keep the topic of the discussion the
same just to see if it could be done and still have believable
smoochies. You be the judge if it works. As usual
*emphasis*, 'thoughts'. I'm assuming you've all seen this episode so
keeping that in mind; this is a somewhat condensed, G/B smoochie-
ized version of the Whedon classic. Though there are probably many
mistakes and inconstancies, I really wanted to try and keep it as
close as the original as possible but offer my little G/B twist.
Hope you enjoy it.
Feedback: Just picture me on a street corner holding a cardboard
sign "Will write for feedback!"

********************

The Talk..

"If the ritual starts, then every living creature in this and every
other dimension imaginable will suffer unbearable torment and
death ... including Dawn."

And there it was, as obvious and as logical as he'd ever been.
Giles' words followed Buffy, haunting her as she paced around the
empty space of the Magic Box workout room. He'd made absolute sense
of course. It was completely clear... but Buffy didn't care. She
could no more kill Dawn than one of them. Or could she?

A resolved little voice deep from within assured her that anyone who
attempted to lay a hand on Dawn was risking his or her life and
limb. Buffy would stop them by any means necessary. Had the monks
crafted such protectiveness in her or did it come naturally?

How could Giles expect anything other than her refusal to kill her
own sister? Buffy stormed over to the stationary punching bag and
sent it flailing with a single hit. 'Could *he* actually take Dawn's
life?' she thought and remembered he'd taken a life before out of
necessity. Another strike sent the bag swaying away then returning
for more punishment.

The recollection of Giles' uncharacteristic outburst sent a shudder
up her spine. He'd been so angry, so severe. Another punch. He was
being the Watcher he was... being Giles, she supposed someone had to
be. But it still hurt. And for a flicker of an instant, Buffy
pondered what her life would have been like without a Watcher, like
the first Slayer. Guilt immediately followed as that indomitable
little voice responded with a deafening 'Dead!' She burst forward
with a rapid succession of punches as the momentarily unclaimed
Watcher quietly entered the room and closed the door behind him.

Giles strolled softly toward his upset Slayer, noticing her
clenching jaw as she pelted the bag with swift hits. 'I'm sorry,' he
thought but knew those weren't the words she needed to hear. He was
right and she knew it. He paused his approach, watching as her
powerful blows connected to the worn fabric of the bag. The tape was
tearing under the strain; the gear needed mending once again. If
they survived this latest damned scenario he would need to replace a
few items.

"You sure you're not going to tire yourself out?" He took some
tentative steps forward and Buffy stopped her attack on the bag.

"I'm sure," she continued with a collage of strikes, the bag
wobbling with every thrust.

"We're ... still working on ideas."

She paused, waiting for Giles to continue.

"Time's short, but... uh, best leave it to the last moment," he
tried to sound convinced but his tone was unsure.

Buffy stretched her arms, keeping her eyes focused on the punching
bag.

"If we go in too early and she takes us out, no chance of getting
her to miss her window."

"Then we wait," she said impersonally, throwing one final
devastating blow that sent the bag flying off its chain and landing
a few feet away. Finally satisfied with the damage, Buffy shook off
the tension in her arms and stared at the defeated bag. Giles
swallowed down his apprehension as he came closer to Buffy. She
continued to divert her stare. It was clear she didn't understand
his insensitive attitude earlier and she might not want to.

"I imagine you hate me right now," he spoke delicately. "I
understand that."

"Hate..." she sighed, "... is a strong word." Buffy kept her back to
him.

Giles took a few more steps, slowly testing her, trying desperately
to get some sense of how angry she was. "I love Dawn."

"I know," her voice was sullen.

"But I've sworn to protect this sorry world, and sometimes that
means saying and doing ... what other people can't. What they
shouldn't have to," Giles hoped she could appreciate his
rationalization.

Buffy turned to face him, her eyes distant and unmoved. "You try and
hurt her, and you know I'll stop you."

"I know," he said with a placid nod. Watcher and Slayer paused to
absorb the sobering moment. How had it come to this? Buffy took a
deep breath and lowered her gaze, recognizing the weightiness of the
exchange. She moved to the sofa and took a seat, remaining
emotionally detached as Giles followed. He paused beside the couch
and glanced at her hardened face, hoping for some sign, some gesture
of permission allowing him to join her.

"This is how many apocalypses for us now?" She asked plainly.

'Permission granted,' he thought. "Oh, uh, well..." he cautiously
lowered his aching frame to the sofa and removed his glasses for a
good tidying. "...six, at least." A jolt of pain reminded him of the
fresh wound on his side. With a restrained moan, he sat back and
settled into the cushions. "Feels like a hundred."

"I've always stopped them. Always won," Buffy's intense gaze stared
forward, focusing on nothing but her words.

"Yes, if you can call it winning."

"I sacrificed Angel to save the world. I loved him so much. But I
knew ... what was right," Buffy paused and Giles could see the doubt
in her glistening eyes. "I don't have that now. I can't sacrifice
the only family I have left."

"Buffy..."

"I don't understand. I don't know how to live in this world if these
are the choices. If everything just gets stripped away. I don't see
the point. I just wish that..." She looked tearfully at Giles, "I
just wish we could be somewhere else, be someone else. Spend these
last minutes together, just us... without anger and hurt, no
arguing, no duty."

Giles gaze fell to his folded hands lying still in his lap. "All
I've ever known is my duty," he mumbled under his breath.

"But instead, I have to face the possibility of sacrificing my
friends... sacrificing the man I..." she choked down her cries,
determined not to break down.

"You've lost so much. I understand..." Giles wanted to offer her a
consoling hug but Buffy had a look of dread in her eyes. Something
warned him the moment required a distant but empathetic ear.

"You don't. You really don't," Buffy turned to him as a single tear
travel the length of her cheek. "I love you, Giles... but I will
kill you to protect Dawn."

Giles studied the young woman's remorseful expression, taking in her
warning and the raw emotion behind it. Years of working along side
one another and when he finally hears the fateful words he's longed
for her to speak, they are intertwined within the composition of a
death threat. 'How proper for a relationship built upon the solid
foundation of a Hellmouth,' he thought. But he understood. She was
being Buffy. He peacefully reached out and placed his hand over
hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. "I expect no less of my
Slayer."

Buffy's saddened expression gave way to a hint of a smile and Giles
knew he'd made his decision. He strained to his feet as waves of
pain shot through his tired body. "Buffy... if there is sacrifice to
be made, it will be mine to make." Taking a deep breath to reassure
himself his chosen path was for the best, he looked back at her with
a stony seriousness. "It's time you knew something."

"Oh God...now what?" Buffy whispered nervously.

The wounded and exhausted Watcher labored to kneel down on one knee
before her, took her hand in his and gazed into her weeping eyes, "I
need for you to know... I love you."

Buffy released a sigh of relief. She was sure he was going to say
her head had come off or something to make an almost impossible
situation even worse. He rarely admitted such feelings to her and
choosing such a tense moment to admit them seemed somehow better,
more meaningful. "I love you too." She took his tender words to be a
statement reaffirming their continuing friendship. Regardless of the
situation, they would always love each other. They would always be
friends. She returned his affectionate squeeze and tried to pull her
hand free. Giles' solid fingers held firm, not letting her pull
away. "Giles?" She grew concerned with the attentive look on his
face.

"Buffy," he guided her fingers to his lips and gave them a feathery
kiss as realization of what he'd meant finally sunk in. "As foolish
as it sounds, I am mercilessly in love with you."

'In love? In love!' Buffy's unintentional sharp intake of breath
made Giles release his tender but firm hold on her now
uncontrollably trembling hand.

"No... please don't panic. No need to worry. I don't anticipate you
returning my feelings or even understanding them. I buried those
irrational hopes a while ago. But before we face whatever may come,
I need you to know that I care about you more than you could
possibly imagine. And beyond my better judgment, I'm willing to
surrender my duty to this world for you. Dawn will not die by my
hand. So...if we are destined to fail tonight, I will fall knowing I
served you as you wished and that I loved you more than the world
itself."

Buffy's mind raced, she was totally in awe of what Giles had
declared, what he was sacrificing for her. She had no idea he cared
for her that way. But with his startling revelation came
inexplicable contentment. She hadn't known how much she needed to
hear those words until he'd spoken them. And now, with Giles'
adoring green eyes revealing his true heart, Buffy had never been
more certain of her own feelings. "We're not all going to make it
you know," she said simply.

"Most likely," Giles agreed.

"Then there's something I have to do."
Before he could inquire what it was, he felt the exquisite touch of
her lips to his. His heart skipped a beat as the subtle perfume of
her skin sent his head swimming. She was kissing him and he couldn't
move, couldn't react. He remained perfectly still; worried he'd
scare her away with the slightest of movements. Buffy's sensual lips
pressed firmly along his bottom lip, persuading him to join in. It
wasn't a dream, it was actually happening. But did he want it to
happen, like this, now? If not now, it might never be. Could he live
with that? Would he live at all?

The enthralling sensation of Buffy's slim fingers gliding up his arm
and along his shoulders broke his spell of internal conflict. She
actually wanted this, wanted him? As her teasing digits came to rest
on the back of his neck, she lured his mouth to join in with a
gentle stroke of her tongue along his slightly opened mouth. After a
full minute of strenuous denial, Giles finally gave into temptation,
savoring her moistened lips as if they were a final meal.

Every taste made him yearn for more. With mild encouragement from
Buffy's hands, he carefully maneuvered his body toward the couch,
taking a seat next to her. She deepened the kiss, growing bolder
with every nibble and suck. Giles hands roamed the landscape of her
slender frame, equally restrained and ambitious in their exploration.

They parted, searching each other's eyes for awareness of the
significant affair. Buffy leaned in, nuzzling her forehead to Giles'
stubbled chin. Her fingers fidgeted along the base of his shirt as
she tried to work out what to say, how to tell him what she felt.

"I want nothing more than to be with you," Giles whispered against
her heated skin. "But it's for you to choose." His face fell
forward, gently nudging her forehead with his.

"This is the first time I've felt free since...forever," Buffy shut
her eyes, banishing all distractions and worry, concentrating only
on the sound of his heartbeat and the call of his desire. "Take me
away, Giles. Make me forget all of this." Her fingers found their
way underneath his shirt and lightly brushed the flesh of his chest.

They came together with heightened exhilaration, lips joining in a
fiery dance. The kiss turned more vigorous as the playful jousting
of their tongues quickly drove each one to crave more contact.
Suddenly their clothing seemed a burden neither one could bear.

If they were condemned that night, then they would make damned sure
to erase any possible regrets between them.

*********************

"The song is too loud! The water will hear," Tara rushed toward the
back.

"Tara, baby..." Willow hurried after the confused young woman
heading for the backroom. "I think Giles and Buffy need some alone
time."

"But the blinds are lifted..." Tara muttered nervously as she took
hold of the doorknob. Willow reached her just as she quietly peeked
into the workout room.

"Tara!" Willow ordered with a stern whisper, taking control of the
open door as Tara giggled from the brief view she'd stolen of the
backroom's activities.

Willow began to quietly shut the slightly open door, wanting to give
Watcher and Slayer their privacy.

"We don't have much time, Giles."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" his low growling voice made
Buffy melt. She needed him so bad it ached.

"I've never been more sure. I need to feel you inside... please ... "

Willow paused in shock at the sensual words and tone of Buffy's
voice. This was definitely not Watcherly/Slayerly conversation going
on back there. The redheaded witch caught a glimpse of the
impassioned embrace of the predestined twosome.Buffy's head fell
back in delight as Giles nibbled enticingly along her neck. The door
shut closed vigorously and Willow gasped at the abruptness of her
action. Had they heard her? The subtle continuation of moans and
grunts put her at ease and she glanced back at the others who looked
on with curiosity.

"Lookin' a bit rosey there Wil. Something wrong?" Xander asked,
hoping that the prizefight that had started earlier wasn't going for
a second round in the back.

"Is Giles yelling again?" Anya asked with a furrowed brow. "I don't
like it when he yells."

"Um, no... no yelling," Willow said cautiously and stepped forward,
trying to get out of hearing range of the frisky couple behind her.

"What's going on back there?" Spike asked with a drag of a
cigarette. "Still bickering over nibblit?"

"No... no bickering," Willow felt her face flush more.

"Sex and sorrow!" Tara shouted and scampered to the front door,
eagerly scratching at the lock. "Murderer's saying goodbye..." she
whimpered as a tear shimmered down her cheek. "Goodbye."

"I think she's getting worse," Anya suggested as Tara continued to
ramble on incoherently. "Time must be shorter than we anticipated.
Perhaps we should interrupt their conversation?"

"Give 'em a minute. I mean...more than a minute," Willow didn't know
how to stop herself from spiraling into an incomprehensible
stuttering mess as she struggled to allow Buffy and Giles their
tender moment. "I think they need a bit more time to... um, work
things off...I mean out. Work things out!"

"Did Glory get to you to Red?" Spike quipped. "I don't fancy
storming into the mix carrying nothing but my fists and fangs. We
need to rally up some weapons. Slayer's got to get with a plan or
lil bits gonna be a few pints shy of a life!"

"We can grab supplies from Giles' place and we have the stash in the
backroom," Xander suggested and stood up. "I'll make a run to G-
man's with a shopping list, Spike can scrounge up whatever's here."

"In a minute..." Willow tried to listen for a hint of activity. Just
how long were they going to need? Of all the times for these two to
wake up...

*****************

Giles struggled to remove his shirt; his fresh wound throbbing with
every motion. But he couldn't refuse this moment, he needed this, he
needed her. And more importantly, she needed him. Buffy saw his
discomfort and brushed his hands away. She took control, directing
her attention to his trousers, working to unbuckle the belt and
unzip the fly. She watched his smiling eyes with fascination as she
lowered the zipper. A hint of a grin played along his lips while her
hands grew closer to reaching their destination. 'What are you
grinning about?' she thought. His hand caught hers, holding firmly,
mysteriously as he stared into her eyes, panting feverish breathes
over her lips. The movement had been so sudden; she'd thought she'd
done something wrong at first. His intentions became apparent when
he rested her palm over his throbbing bulge and let out a restrained
gasp.

"Feel what you do to me?" Though it was said sensually, in an
excited instant, Buffy couldn't help but wonder if it was Giles' way
of making her realize what he'd struggled with when he was around
her. Just how long had he suffered these feelings for her? She'd had
her initial sparks way back during the prom and now, to be finally
realized... it was almost a rebirth for her. A little nod of
acknowledgement and a impishly smile were all the warning she gave
him as her resting palm curved around him to further feel the detail
of his shape, his girth. He hummed his approval of the gesture,
involuntarily driving his hips into her welcoming grasp. Buffy
gradually brought down the fabric shielding his pulsing member and
Giles searched her eyes for appreciation of what he had to offer her.

"I do this to you?" she purred as her fingers encircled the
shaft. "You're amazing."

"Only with you." He watched Buffy slide her grasp along the length
of his penis, enjoying the curiosity in her eyes and the feel of her
tender touch. The inevitable results of her actions brought on a
certain urgency for release and he tried to pull back. But it was
her turn to hold him captive, taunting him with the clumsy fumbling
of her thumb as her other hand glided down his chest, scratching
over the fabric and drawing along his side. An abrupt grimace of
pain shot over Giles' face and Buffy pulled back. Creases of worry
wrinkled her brow as her gaze fell on a small stain of blood soaking
through his shirt at the side she'd accidentally prodded. She shot
him a concerned look that he dismissed with a gentle kiss.

"It's nothing," he lifted her shirt and nuzzled to her chest, "It's
all nothing." His sweltering tongue glided over her rigid nipples
sending waves of tingles to every nerve. Buffy delighted in the
attention, relishing the ripples of pleasure Giles eager lips
brought to her. It was as if he knew every inch of her, studied
every nook and fold. She couldn't get enough. Her fingers worked to
undo her pants and she felt his powerful fingers joining hers in the
quest.

Giles slipped a hand within the inviting depth of her loosened
pants, wasting no time in stirring up trouble with a wayward finger.
Buffy's hips bucked from the erotic spasms his mischievous prodding
induced. Her restless fingers searched for an anchor to steady her
increasingly swaying body. Giles breath caught as her animated hand
groped wildly at his exposed flesh. She silenced his groan with her
mouth, seizing upon his lips once more as she struggled to free
herself from the confines of her pants. He aided with the task as
best he could, settling forward on the edge of the couch,
positioning himself ready for what was to follow.

"Precautions?" he whispered.

"Covered," she smiled as she tossed her panties aside. 'That's why
she was in love with this man, he was forever thinking of her,
protecting her.' It was then she realized the change in her
words, 'In love'. She was in love with Giles.

Finally revealed from the waist down, Buffy moved into Giles' lap,
wrapping her legs around him and shifting forward, pressing her
moist curves against his eager flesh. They paused breathless and
anxious, silently considering the monumental change in their
relationship that was occurring. Buffy smiled lovingly at the man
that for all the turmoil and struggle, for all the teasing and off
color remarks, had stood by her, supporting her, loving her. Without
any reservations or inhibitions, she lifted herself up, allowing him
to situate the head of his pulsing flesh and she came down,
embracing him with one unwavering motion. He filled her whole as no
one before. She began to rock as Giles rose up to meet her tempo,
muscles working to steady the rhythm. The couple shared a fleeting
kiss and stared absorbedly into each other's eyes as they swayed
toward a unity they'd never known. They moved to the music of their
hearts, driving toward a quickening pace until the dance had
escalated beyond the control of either one.

Soon the panting breaths and gentle pushes gave way to lavish moans
and untamed thrusts. Giles could feel his orgasm overtaking him and
strained to hold it back as Buffy began to quiver around him,
drawing out new sensations with every jolt of her hips. She bit back
a scream as he filled her again and again with his pounding flesh,
feeling her own body succumbing to the pleasure. He continued to
thrust upward, bating her with every lunge to release herself but
she wouldn't let go. It was something he craved, seeing her flooded
with passion and brought over to the freedom of release. With a
brisk maneuver, he took hold of her and turned them around on the
couch. He sat her down and guided her to lie back as her took over
the work of bringing her to her climax. She grasped white-knuckled
at the couch cushions as Giles plunged deeper into her. Once he
returned to the rhythm, he began to vary his strokes with slight
elevations of his hips, trying to touch every nerve hidden within
her. A muffled groan encouraged his journeying of her. He was
bringing her out, taking every ounce of stress and emotional
punishment she'd ever suffered and replacing it with him, only him.

"Harder..." she growled and Giles followed her command, driving
forward until her breaths became grunts then groans. Soon her voice
failed her as Giles poured into her, spilling his passion as she
finally let go and allowed her orgasm to claim her. He strained to
continue, making sure she'd achieved every bit of pleasure she
deserved. The gentle caress of her fingertips entangling the
glistening and unruly curls of his hair told him he could relax and
enjoy the fruits of his labor. She smiled as Giles' weary head came
to rest on her chest.

"Remember... when you asked if... I was going to tire myself out?"
she panted.

"Hmmm?" Giles couldn't respond yet, his body still trying to come
down from the moment.

"Well... I'm tired," she ran her fingers through his ashen strands,
fascinated by how his hair curled when damp.

"In a satisfied kind of way, I hope," he asked.

She kissed the top of his head and gave him a playful pat on the
back. "Filled to the brim with satisfaction."

"I'm afraid we don't have much time to recover," Giles wheezed
regretfully and pulled out his handy handkerchief, offering it to
her for clean up.

"Fates awaitin' eh?" she smiled briefly as she tended to the mess
then stood up just before Giles had a chance to get one last touch.
Contented with her tidying, she tossed the rag back to Giles and
grabbed her pants, hurriedly dressing. Giles tended to himself as he
watched her prepare to face the others.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned at the sudden air of
seriousness that had befallen her. She straightened up, zipped up
her pants and straightened her top. She glanced back at Giles who
was straining to his feet to follow her example.

"As alright as someone whose about to face a god could be," she said
glibly. Giles brow crinkled with the remark and she felt bad for
making light of the situation. "Thank you...for telling me, for
giving me this."

"I should be thanking you," Giles stepped forward and she held up
her hand to stop his advance.

"Giles, really. It means so much to me. I spend so much time
killing, destroying. I needed a reminder of what it's all for. And
for a moment, when I was looking into your eyes and I felt your
heartbeat... I remembered. Thank you."

"Buffy, we can get through this," Giles urged.

"Yeah, if I do my job...if I take lives."

"We will do everything we can to avoid hurting innocent..."

"The spirit guide told me ... that death is my gift. Guess that
means a Slayer really is just a killer after all."

"I think you're wrong about that," Giles offered sincerely. "You
gave me my life back tonight."

"But it doesn't matter, does it?" Buffy lowered her head. "It's not
enough. My love's not enough. It can't save her... or you." Buffy's
smile was gone, her cold eyes glancing up for one last look at the
man that a moment ago brought her such pleasure and now, could bring
her so much pain with his death. "If you die tonight...if Dawn dies,
I'm done with it. I'm quitting." And with that, Buffy walked out
leaving Giles alone to contemplate an unknown future.

End Part 1

**************************

The Battle...

The unlikely band of marauders hurried along the barren side roads
of Sunnydales industrial district. They kept their distance but with
a cautionary eye always following Tara as she marched them toward
battle. With weapons in hand and a semi-plausible plan laid out for
them, Giles tried to feel confident in their chances. But his gut
warned him of the more possible outcome. He held his breath as they
came around the bend and saw the rickety constructed tower reaching
toward the pre-dawn sky. 'Change of plan,' he thought.

"Shpadoinkle," Xander exclaimed and stopped cold.

"What is that?" Anya asked.

"The portal must open up there," Giles explained and turned toward
Willow.

"Will, you're up," Buffy said with a gentle squeeze of her arm.

"Need anything?" Giles offered.

"Could use a little courage," she said nervously.

Spike pulled out his handy flask and propped it in front of the
uneasy witch's face.

"The real kind," she said then smiled at his attempt at
kindness. "But thanks."

Spike nodded and safely tucked the flask away for later use. He'd
probably be needing it soon enough. Giles moved ahead to catch up
with Buffy, pulling her aside with a light tug of her arm. The
others continued to walk along, keeping Tara in view.

"Before we go in there..." Giles started and found himself at a loss
for words. Everything that needed to be said had been said back at
the workout room yet he desperately clung to any second he might
steal with Buffy before facing the inevitable. He wanted to say
something meaningful but all he could do was peer into her beautiful
eyes and pray for her safe return. Buffy smiled warmly and lifted
his hand to her lips, giving his shaky fingers a tender kiss.

"I know Giles," she whispered. "I love you."

"Come back to me," he pleaded softly. He allowed himself a final
touch of her skin, burning it into his memory with a gentle glide of
his thumb along her pouted lips.

"Stay alive. I'll do the rest," she ordered and hurried to catch up
with the others.

The gang took their places at the gate entrance. Everyone sat
quietly, exchanging nervous glances as they waited for Tara to make
her way inside. She wandered in and went about her mysterious task
as if being prompted to do so by some inaudible orders. The
appearance of Glory set the plan in motion and Giles watched as his
brave redheaded witch marched up to confront the god. Willow's
determined hands dived into Glory and Tara's minds, joining the two
for an instant as a gleaming wave of energy flashed through the lot.
Glory fell back stunned and destabilized. Giles felt a hint of pride
at Willow's accomplishment. What a powerful Wicca she'd become. He
hoped her bravery would be rewarded with the return of Tara's
sanity.

"Buffybot is a go!" Buffy gave the robot a pat on the back and it
responded to the gesture with an eager smile.

"Time to help Spike?" she asked cheerfully.

"Willow hasn't worked out all those little idiosyncrasies I see,"
Giles shrugged.

"Buffy... I mean Buffybot," Buffy rolled her eyes at the awkward
slip. "Remember what Spike told you?"

"I'm programmed to record into my datafiles every..."

"Yeah, whatever. Now there's the bitch that hurt Spike. Go get her
and take this with you," Buffy handed the Dagon sphere over to the
willing robot and gave her a gentle nudge. They watched with
anticipation as the Buffybot took her turn with Glory.

Spike and Anya shuffled forward ready to attack at the moment the
Buffybot handed off the Dagon sphere to the god. Giles couldn't keep
his concentration on the action; his eyes kept creeping over to
glimpse Buffy as she watched intently for her signal.

"We're up Rupert," Spike whispered and caught the man's curious
stare at his Slayer. "Giles! Wakey wakey."

Giles attentions fell back to the skirmish as Spike took a shot with
the crossbow, successfully striking a minion center mass. Anya took
a deep breath and gave a quick nod to her unlikely support troops.

"Don't let me die, ok?" she smiled timidly and charged forward with
Giles at her side.

Glory's minions came at them from every angle, rushing forward in
waves. Giles cut them down one by one, keeping a watchful eye over
Anya as she swung her bat with all the power of an all-star baseball
player. Spike rashly dove into the oncoming horde, managing to take
out a few clumsy minions.

After dispatching a duo of Glory's crazed lackeys, Giles glimpsed
Willow embracing Tara in the safety of the lot corner. He could tell
she'd returned to them as the couple shared a relieved kiss. An
unnoticed strike to his midsection sent Giles to his knees gasping
for breath. The sound of splintering wood above him gave him a
momentary reprieve from defending himself as he realized Anya had
come to his aid. He glanced up just in time to react to an attacking
minion about to run her through with a vicious machete. His blade
sliced the unaware demon in two as Anya tripped over some pipes
beneath her. Giles struggled to his feet and hurried to help her
return to her defensive stance.

"How you holding up?" he asked as another trio of Glory's baddies
moved in for the kill.

"As good as you," she huffed and took up a pipe as her newly
improvised weapon of choice.

"That bad, eh?" Giles chuckled and swiped his blade toward all three
minions. They staggered back as he thrust the blade and connected to
the closest. It buried deeply within its flesh as it screamed in
agony. Anya followed through with her own attack, bludgeoning the
fallen minion until the others scampered cowardly away from the
brutal assault. This gave Giles a moment to take inventory of the
Buffybot's progress. She was down and Buffy had already stepped in
with Olaf's hammer. He'd hoped the Buffybot would last longer so
Buffy could reach Dawn without interruption. Before he had time to
settle into his usual amount of worry, the cowardly minions returned
with reinforcements. Spike suddenly popped up in front of them and
joined the escalating violence with a savage enthusiasm. Anya gave
Giles a quick smile.

"A lot of pent up aggression in that one," she said. She took a wide
swing with her pipe, connecting with a rushing minion and
uncontrollably following though, just missing Giles who dodged back.
"Look who's talking," he chuckled and froze with panic at the sight
of Buffy and Glory plummeting from an unseen height of the tower and
landing hard on the unforgiving concrete below. The hammer landed a
few feet out of the Slayer's reach.

"Get up, Buffy," he hissed fretfully through clenched teeth. Another
unblocked strike to the midsection and Giles felt something tear at
his side. Anya fought off his attacker with wild swipes of her pipe,
giving Giles a second to see if Buffy had recovered from her fall.
He let out a sigh of relief entwined with a moan of pain as he
spotted her upright and on track with the plan; waiting for Glory to
step into position and take the punishment Xander had waiting for
her.
"Giles, I could use you..." Anya ducked down to avoid a punch as
Spike dove over them to attack minions coming up behind them. The
thundering crash of the wrecking ball plunging through the wall and
sending Glory flailing made everyone pause in bewilderment.

"That's my man!" Anya said with loving satisfaction.

Giles strained to his feet and tried to defend himself with feeble
swipes of his sword but every motion sent jolts of pain through his
wounded body.

"Fall back!" he barked, calling for Anya and Spike to follow his
retreat as the minions rushed to guard the stairs of the tower. The
ex-vengeance demon and vampire followed Giles orders and took refuge
behind some heavy machinery.

"Has anyone noticed we're going backwards?" Anya said disappointedly.

Spike peeked his head up to be greeted with a well-aimed brick and
return to the shelter of the makeshift bunker, feeling a tinge
embarrassed from his lack of defense. "It's crossed my mind."

Giles noticed the majority of the mob blockading the stairs were the
demented victims of Glory's mind attacks. "As long as ... Buffy can
keep Glory down ... long enough, it doesn't matter," he couldn't
catch his breath. It felt like something was stabbing at his
chest. "There's only a few minutes left to start the ritual." He
searched for a sign of Buffy and saw the hammer was gone from the
position it had fallen. She had to be keeping Glory at bay. Xander
cautiously jumped the fence and joined the waiting gang.

"How we doing?" he asked.

"So far it's a tie," Anya said, glancing up at the tower.

"We haven't got up to Dawn, but then neither has anyone else," Giles
offered. 'Where is Buffy?' He thought, his concern increasing with
every passing second.

Spike took a closer look and noticed a spec of something moving on
the platform, "Someone's up there."

"Okay, we gotta charge or something," Xander fidgeted anxiously,
feeling utterly useless.

"We tried that," Anya huffed, a bit annoyed.

'Spike. Can you hear me?' Willow's voice filled Spike's mind.

"Yeah, loud and clear."

'Is there someone up there with Dawn?' Willow glanced up nervously.

"Yeah, can't tell who," Spike answered and the others looked at him
puzzled.

"Are you talking to us?" Xander asked but the vampire ignored him,
focusing on the inside conversation with the witch.

'Get up there. Go now!' Willow ordered.

Spike examined the crowd at the base of the tower one last time.
They seemed hunkered down and ready for anything.

"Yeah, but..."

'Go!' Willow ordered again and the vampire leapt into action,
running at top speed toward the tower. Giles reached out to stop
Spike from the rash attack but recognized what was going on as the
enraged crowd guarding the tower collapsed away from the stairs as
some potent invisible force brushed them aside like a house of
cards.

"We'll just wait here then?" Anya asked and looked back for Giles
who had already disappeared.

****************

"You're just a mortal. You couldn't understand my pain, " Glory
whimpered, unable to defend herself any longer.

"Then I'll just have to settle for causing it," Buffy swung the
hammer wide, striking Glory full on and watching as the god quickly
recovered, turning back to face her.

"You can't kill me."

"No ..." Buffy effortlessly lifted the hammer and readied it for
another strike. "...but my arm's not even tired yet." She landed
another brutal blow, dropping Glory with the powerful strike. The
sobbing god glanced up at the Slayer with tears in her eyes, gasping
for breath.

"Stop it!" she whined.

"You're a god," another brutal pounding and Glory fell flat on her
back, completely vulnerable. "Make it stop." She continued the
ferocious attack, sending the hammer crashing down on the fallen
villain with increasing force. Buffy watched as Glory's face began
to show the bloodied and beaten marks of her attack, feeling a bit
of guilt for taking pleasure in beating down the wickedly inhuman
monster. As she pulled the hammer back for another whack, Glory's
face morphed into Ben's, gory and pleading for mercy. She couldn't
strike.

"I'm sorry," Ben choked, gasping to catch his breath.

'No fair,' Buffy looked down on the innocent face of a person she'd
come to think of as a friend and didn't know what to do. "Tell her
it's over. She missed her shot. She goes. She ever, *ever* comes
near me and mine again..."

"We won't. I swear," he begged and worked for another breath.

Buffy dropped the oversized hammer and rushed off to get to Dawn.

Giles quietly stepped out of the shadows and approached the stranger
lying helpless and bleeding.

"I guess we're stuck with each other, huh baby?" Ben coughed with a
weak smile. Every breath was a struggle and panic was setting in
with the realization he was almost paralyzed.

'You are an illusion...' Giles thought as he knelt beside the fallen
young man. '... Immaterial in a world that suffers with your life.'

"Can you move?" Giles asked softly. 'Do it for her. For Buffy.'

"Need a ... a minute," he wheezed. "She could've killed me."

"No she couldn't. Never. And sooner or later Glory will re-emerge,
and ... make Buffy pay for that mercy. And the world with her. Buffy
even knows that..." Giles fumbled in his pocket for his glasses and
pulled them out, "...and still she couldn't take a human life."

Ben's face twisted with pain as he labored to listen to the man he
acknowledged as Buffy's friend, a man he'd helped once. Perhaps he
could return that help now.

"She's a hero, you see," Giles returned his glasses to the proper
position and focused on the young man's pitiful face. "She's not
like us."

"Us?" Ben asked, confused at the man's vagueness.

The Watcher moved with an almost robotic precision, keeping his
expression unfeeling and observant as he went about his duty.
Applying the slightest of pressure as he pinched the nose and mouth
shut, Giles calculated the whole act should require a few minutes at
most. He watched the young man's eyes grow wide with panic as his
grip tightened. There was very little resistance, Buffy had prepared
him well for death but she couldn't take it to that level. Giles
understood that, she was being Buffy. He sat quietly, waiting
patiently for the movement to stop, determined to complete his
mission and finalize what Buffy couldn't, what she shouldn't have
to.

'Time to die, Ben.' Giles wouldn't allow himself the delusion of
unfamiliarity. He knew this human being and would never forget his
name or his eyes pleading for mercy as he snuffed the light from
him. It was the price he was willing to pay for taking the life of
an innocent, to spare the world. Ben died and Glory with him. Giles
took a deep gulp of air, wondering if he'd managed to breathe during
the assassination. 'Forgive me.'

'Get back to the others. Get to Buffy,' Giles strained to his feet
and headed back toward the center of the lot, hoping Buffy was
fairing well with Dawn. A blazing tempest stirred above the lot,
pulsing outward from the sky and Giles knew the portal had opened.
They were too late.

He couldn't see clearly. The view to the tower was obstructed by the
fiery gateway tearing the fabric of space right below the plank
where Buffy and Dawn stood. Every other moment, a luminous stream of
light would strike out to rip into their dimension and Giles would
catch a fleeting glimpse of the sisters as they embraced above him.

'What now,' he thought and watched helplessly, wishing he could
spend his last moments on earth holding Buffy, cherishing her. He
saw a figure on the platform separate from the other and recognized
it was Buffy. She stood poised, staring off into the rising sun. It
was then that he realized what he was about to witness.
'God no,' he thought as his Slayer... his Buffy ran with all her
power and speed toward the edge of the platform.

"Buffy!" He cried, his voice failing in the roaring squall.

She leapt and Giles' heart stopped.

In a flash, the storm of light subsided and the portal closed. When
the dust settled, everyone moved toward the spot where they'd seen
her fall.

No one said a word, no one had to. It was the moment they'd all been
dreading but knew would eventually come. They recognized the end of
an era when they saw one. Buffy was dead and no one in the world
would ever know what was sacrificed to spare hell on earth.

After a moment of silent sorrow and respect, the group came together
in a tearful reunion. Tara and Willow hugged an almost inconsolable
Dawn as Xander and Anya embraced then joined with the others.
Everyone took turns checking Dawn and swapping between partners,
sneaking mournful glimpses of the body of their friend and hero
lying dead upon the rubble.

Spike restrained his sobs as he limped away from the rising sun,
seeking out the only remaining darkness, a garbage dumpster
enclosure beside the tower. He didn't want to leave Buffy's side but
he had to, he'd promised to protect Dawn and he had to live to
fulfill that promise. The half crippled vampire watched from the
shadows as everyone tenderly consoled each other, taking comfort in
the fact that they'd survived. But one member of the gang stood
separate and alone.

Giles stared at the motionless Slayer, his face pale and sick with
disbelief as the sunrise glistened off his tear soaked cheeks. 'She
can't stay here,' he thought. 'She needs to go home.' He knelt down
to Buffy and delicately lifted her limp body into his weakened arms.
There was a jab of pain from the wound in his side as he wrestled to
his feet. It was unimportant, it was nothing. He held her close and
began to walk to the gate. 'I'll take you home.'

The others didn't even notice the grief-stricken Watcher's actions
until Spike threw a rock that struck Xander on the side of the head
prompting the confused young man to search for his attacker.

"What the..." Xander saw Spike motioning his attention towards
Giles. Orange-yellow rays of radiant light haloed the Watcher's
silhouette as he slowly made his way toward the exit of the tower
yard.

"Giles?" Xander pulled away from the others who turned to see what
the concern was about. "Wha...what are you doing?"

He didn't answer, only advanced onward. His steps faltering over a
discarded pipe and Giles glancing down at Buffy's face as if to make
sure he hadn't disturbed her sleep. Xander followed, taking notice
of the ruby droplets scattered along the cement, growing larger as
they lead up to the departing Watcher.

Willow rushed over to Giles and noticed his sallow
complexion. "Giles, you shouldn't be doing this. You're injured."
She glanced down, wincing at the red stain spreading across the
fabric of his shirt. He ignored the pain, ignore everyone, it was
nothing.

Sirens roared as police and aid cars stormed up to the gate,
screeching to an abrupt halt. A small army of officers spilled into
the lot and began to wrangle up the surviving crazed minions of
Glory's army. EMT's scattered to help the injured and confused. The
Scoobies walked along side the ailing Watcher, ready to help him but
not knowing how. A medic rushed up to Giles and gestured to take
Buffy from his arms. Giles disregarded the young man and continued
to walk, sweat pouring from his brow and his blood marking the path
with every unsteady step.

"Sir, we can handle this from here," the young man offered and waved
for another EMT to assist him. Giles footing fumbled under the
dizziness that swirled in his mind and blurred his vision but he
continued on, determined to take Buffy home. When the assisting
medic caught a glimpse of Giles' seeping wound he blocked the
stubborn man's path.

"Your injured Sir. We need to help you."

Giles head bobbed forward and he caught himself just before blacking
out. 'It's nothing. Get her home,' he thought, staggering sideways
as the medics swayed with him to prevent his fall. Finally, his
unsteady legs gave out and he collapsed to the uneven pavement,
still cradling Buffy protectively in his arms.

"Giles... she's gone," Willow pleaded as she knelt beside him. "It's
too late for her. Let them help you."

Giles looked over to Willow and could see the tears in her eyes as
she begged for him to allow them to take Buffy.

"Please... we need you. We can't do this without you."

He felt his body fading and knew he couldn't go on. "I-I just
wanted..." he choked on his words as Willow wrapped her arms around
his neck. He couldn't remember what he wanted, what he was doing,
why he wouldn't let her go. "... wanted to say goodbye."

Willow pulled away and tenderly wiped a tear from his cheek, "I
know... do it and let them help you."

With a subtle nod, he lowered Buffy's body to the ground and bowed
his face to hers. Tears and sweat dripped along her forehead and
Giles brushed them away apologetically.

"You did it," he whispered. "Everyone's safe. Dawn's safe. You can
rest now."

Dawn stooped beside Willow and draped an arm around her shoulders,
silently thanking her for being so strong for them, for him.

Placing a gentle kiss on Buffy's cold lips, Giles
whispered, "Goodbye my love," and blacked out.

End Part 2

**************************

The Aftermath...

It had only been a week but it felt like an eternity to Giles, held
prisoner in the hospital as mortal vampires drained him of his blood
and his soul. After all the tests were done and the insurance claims
were completed, they set him free into a harsh reality no longer
blessed by the presence of his reason for living, his Buffy. He'd
been so close to death, so close to following his love into forever
but fate had another plan for him. Yet again, he'd managed to cheat
death, or did death cheat him. Regardless, he remained alive and
lonely while his heart lay rotting in shallow soil. They put her to
rest in one of the cemeteries she used to patrol, marking her grave
with an almost perverse but fitting phrase. "She Saved the World A
Lot." It was unimpressive, almost humorous to the unqualified eye
but her friends knew and would never forget. He hadn't visited the
site yet, that was why he made his way through the darkness on a
misty cool evening.

Giles wandered the shadows of the northern cemetery, heading for the
uppermost fence. Money was scarce; they were forced to settle on a
substandard parcel of land in which to bury her. It pained him to
think he hadn't gotten a say in her funeral arrangements. But then
again, he was on the brink of death. The group probably thought they
would need to add another plot to the bill. Giles cursed the fates
for punishing him with his life.

It had been an hour already with no sign of Buffy's final resting
place. Giles was about to give up for the evening when he spotted a
single white rose place purposefully on an ordinary headstone under
an oak tree. As he approached the site, he felt echoes of his heart
chiming on the wind. He'd found the spot, he sensed it. Sure enough,
the almost comical phrase came into view as he stepped up to the
gravesite.

"I found you," he whispered, staring at the chiseled stone and
trying to see her image in it. She wasn't there but he felt her,
sensed her. He removed a small wadded up cloth from his pocket and
began to unfold it, smiling weakly at the headstone for its patience
with his nervousness. "I'm sorry I haven't come sooner. Seems I was
detained..." his throat constricted, it was too soon. The sorrow
stabbed into him like a dagger. He wanted to leave, to spare himself
the anguish of their reunion but it was something that needed to be
done. Life at the Hellmouth moved on and now he had to decide, carry
the burden of responsibility along with an unlikely band of youths
and an impotent and heartbroken vampire or search for a new
beginning or end. He knelt down on one knee and placed his open palm
on the damp grass, wanting to feel the earth below him, to
experience what she was going through. "I'm sorry, Buffy." He
paused, waiting for a response that would never come. A tear
trickled down his cheek and landed on the hand that held the cloth,
reminding him of the intention of his visit. He placed the item on
the base of the headstone and struggled to his feet, ignoring the
jolts of pain from his side. A silent farewell passed his lips and
he paused to reflect on their last moment together.

"What is this?" The familiar masculine voice came from behind and
Giles sighed at the unwanted visitor.

"None of your concern," Giles answered as the vampire stepped into
the dim light cast from the nearby street.

"I'm afraid it is, she made it my concern."

Giles stared at the headstone as a hand took up the token he'd
placed there.

"A ring?" the vampire said gently. "Your ring."

"It has no place with me now," Giles refused to look at the
meddlesome intruder.

"I gave her a ring once. What's the story with this one?"

Giles let out an agitated sigh. "It is a Council ring, given only to
active Watcher's."

"Last time I checked, Buffy wasn't a Watcher. Why would she need
this?"

"It has no place with me now."

"I think we're on repeat here, Rupert," Giles continued to stare
forward as the vampire strolled behind him and took up a position
just out of view. "This ring represents your work, your duty. So why
is it you're leaving it here?"

"My duty died with her."

"I think she'd argue that point."

"She can't...she'd dead." Giles grimaced at his the callousness of
his words.

"Yeah...she's dead. You're not," the voice grew stronger as an
unwelcome arm draped along Giles shoulders. "You took a vow or swore
and oath or something right? To defend this sorry world, to protect
the innocent, to serve humanity until your dying day?"

"Something like that," Giles couldn't care less.

"Sorry old man, you're not dead yet. There are a few more good years
of battling evil in you. Besides, I need all the help I can get."

"Why are you here?" Giles finally looked into the eyes of the old
ally who was pestering him. "You left this life behind years ago."

"You can't leave this behind, Giles. It follows you, haunts you.
Wherever you go, whatever you do, you remain here. Your heart stays
here. She knew it. I know it. You just haven't opened your eyes
yet. "

Giles returned his stare to the grave as the vampire's arm slid away
and he moved back to the headstone.

"Everything that held me here is gone. My reason for being..."

"So now you blame Buffy for your cowardice?"

"How dare you!" Giles clenched his fist, eager to let go and pummel
the brazen demon questioning him.

"Buffy said that the hardest thing in this world was to live in it.
She would want you to live, Giles."

Giles felt another tear escape his eye as he looked over at the old
acquaintance. "How did you know she said that?"

"She told me," he smiled and tenderly stroked the chiseled
stone. "Through Dawn. She needs you here, Giles. Your duty is more
important than ever. Buffy can't be here to salvage the ruins left
behind by her death. That's your job, your duty... to her."

With that, the vampire carefully placed the ring upon the stone
right beside the white rose and departed gracefully into the
shadows.

Giles stood in silent contemplation, considering the words of the
old ally and sometimes enemy. He remained at the grave, taking in
the breeze as his thoughts refused to give him peace.

"I love you," he said softly toward the earth. "I always will."

Giles walked away, leaving a bare spot where the ring once sat.

END

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