While Fred was in the shower, Giles moved all the suitcases from the foyer to the boot of his car. As he was closing the lid, he remembered he had promised Fred driving lessons during their trip. There was a stretch of road between London and his parents' estate that would be perfect for her to learn on. He quickly checked the car over, making sure everything was in working order.
When he went inside the flat, he heard the shower turn off and went upstairs to take his own shower. He was tempted to pull Fred's towel off when they crossed paths in the bedroom but kept his hands to himself, knowing they needed to get ready. He took a quick shower and then shaved, knowing his mother didn't like it when his face was scruffy.
He went out to the bedroom and dressed in a pair of tan trousers and light blue shirt. Giles was almost tempted to put on a tie but decided against it. When he went out to find Fred, he smiled at her standing in front of a mirror. "You look breathtaking, love," he said, coming up from behind her. He laid a soft kiss on the side of her neck before going to the kitchen.
When he came back out, he had Molly with him. "Everything's packed. You about ready to leave? And don't fret! My parents are going to adore you."
Fred smiled at Rupert, leaning into his kiss before he disappeared in the kitchen for a moment. She straightened her skirt one last time even though she knew it was silly since they were going to be in the car for a while. It was just this was the first time meeting the parents of someone she was involved with, and she wanted so badly to make a good impression.
"I'm ready," she told him when he came out with Molly. She picked up her bag, and together, they walked out to the car. Once Rupert had placed Molly's carrier in the backseat and got behind the wheel, Fred climbed into the passenger seat. Soon they were heading out of London toward Bath.
"Where your parents live now...is this where you grew up?" she asked. "Or did you grow up in Bath?"
Giles nodded at Fred's question as he weaved in and out of the London traffic. "Where I'm taking you is where I grew up. My parents didn't buy the house in Bath until I about twelve or so. I was already off to boarding school by then, fretting about going to the academy and why I kept outgrowing my school uniform," he said with a smile.
When they exited London, his body relaxed. Giles had always hated driving in traffic. He turned the car down another road and flipped the radio on. "My father actually got a good deal on the house. The previous owners claimed it was haunted. Of course that didn't bother my father all too much and we never have seen a ghost there," he continued. "My parents usually used it for short holidays or social functions. I'm the only who lived there for long periods of time."
Giles noticed they were about halfway to his parents' house and decided this was a good time to teach Fred how to drive. He slowed the car down and pulled it over to the side of the road. Putting it in park, he undid his seat belt and glanced at her. "Switch my places. You're going to drive the rest of the way to my parents house," he said, opening the car door.
"I can't wait to see both places, then," she said with a smile. The idea of the house in Bath being haunted made her think of Cordy and the fact that she had lived with Dennis, who only liked specific people. Maybe if there were ghosts in the house, they liked Rupert and his family but didn't like the previous owners.
When Rupert pulled over to the side of the road, she furrowed her brow in confusion, wondering what he was doing. Then he told her to switch places with him, and she suddenly felt a bit nervous. "Are...are you sure. I don't...I don't know where your parents live. I could get us lost and end up in, Wales or something!"
He had already gotten out of the car by the point, so Fred got out as well and walked around to the driver's side, sliding in behind the wheel and looking at everything. It all seemed the same, just on the flip side of the car. Once Rupert had climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his belt, she looked at him, then back at Molly.
"I'd just like to apologize now if I do anything really dumb," she told both of them.
Putting the car into drive, she checked the road and, glad to see that no on was coming, she pulled out onto the left side of the road. Her mind tried to tell her for a moment that she was on the wrong side, but after a minute, it seemed okay.
"I just hope that there's no busy roundabouts between here and your parents. We may never get off it," she joked as her hands gripped the wheel tightly.
"Don't worry about it love," he said as he buckled his seatbelt. "I do believe I remember where I grew up at. Just concentrate on driving and getting a feel for everything." Giles tried hard not to be nervous as he remembered the last he'd given driving lessons and how Xander almost put them in the ditch.
"No roundabouts between here and my parents' house. There's one in Bath though and I'll teach you how to properly drive on it tomorrow morning," Giles said. He was impressed at how easily Fred took to driving and when he noticed how tightly she was holding the steering wheel, he grinned. "Just relax, Fred. Loosen your grip a little. The car practically drives itself."
He reached over and brushed the hair off her neck before placing his hand on her shoulder. "Just relax, love. We're almost to my parents' house." Giles removed his hand and glanced back at Molly, who was napping in her carrier, oblivious to what was going on around her. "As soon as we get over this hill, there'll be a driveway to the right. That'll be the driveway to my parents' house. It's a bit hard to see right now but once we get closer you should be able to see it."
Fred nodded and relaxed her grip on the wheel a bit, still keeping her eyes on the road and mentally telling herself to stay left. A few cars passed them, and she was sure they were wondering about the way she was driving, but all she cared about was getting them to Rupert's parents' house in one piece. She was sure that crashing his car so close to their place wasn't the way to start things off.
As they crested the hill, Fred put on her blinker and began looking to the right for the driveway, seeing it after a moment. A car was coming from the other direction, so she had to slow to almost a stop until it had passed. Once it had, she turned the car right into the driveway, giving a small sigh of relief as soon as they were off the main road.
Slowly, she drove the car up the driveway to the house. Her mouth dropped open when she saw it. "This is where you grew up? It's...it's gorgeous," she said, bringing the car to a stop.
When he went inside the flat, he heard the shower turn off and went upstairs to take his own shower. He was tempted to pull Fred's towel off when they crossed paths in the bedroom but kept his hands to himself, knowing they needed to get ready. He took a quick shower and then shaved, knowing his mother didn't like it when his face was scruffy.
He went out to the bedroom and dressed in a pair of tan trousers and light blue shirt. Giles was almost tempted to put on a tie but decided against it. When he went out to find Fred, he smiled at her standing in front of a mirror. "You look breathtaking, love," he said, coming up from behind her. He laid a soft kiss on the side of her neck before going to the kitchen.
When he came back out, he had Molly with him. "Everything's packed. You about ready to leave? And don't fret! My parents are going to adore you."
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"I'm ready," she told him when he came out with Molly. She picked up her bag, and together, they walked out to the car. Once Rupert had placed Molly's carrier in the backseat and got behind the wheel, Fred climbed into the passenger seat. Soon they were heading out of London toward Bath.
"Where your parents live now...is this where you grew up?" she asked. "Or did you grow up in Bath?"
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When they exited London, his body relaxed. Giles had always hated driving in traffic. He turned the car down another road and flipped the radio on. "My father actually got a good deal on the house. The previous owners claimed it was haunted. Of course that didn't bother my father all too much and we never have seen a ghost there," he continued. "My parents usually used it for short holidays or social functions. I'm the only who lived there for long periods of time."
Giles noticed they were about halfway to his parents' house and decided this was a good time to teach Fred how to drive. He slowed the car down and pulled it over to the side of the road. Putting it in park, he undid his seat belt and glanced at her. "Switch my places. You're going to drive the rest of the way to my parents house," he said, opening the car door.
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When Rupert pulled over to the side of the road, she furrowed her brow in confusion, wondering what he was doing. Then he told her to switch places with him, and she suddenly felt a bit nervous. "Are...are you sure. I don't...I don't know where your parents live. I could get us lost and end up in, Wales or something!"
He had already gotten out of the car by the point, so Fred got out as well and walked around to the driver's side, sliding in behind the wheel and looking at everything. It all seemed the same, just on the flip side of the car. Once Rupert had climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his belt, she looked at him, then back at Molly.
"I'd just like to apologize now if I do anything really dumb," she told both of them.
Putting the car into drive, she checked the road and, glad to see that no on was coming, she pulled out onto the left side of the road. Her mind tried to tell her for a moment that she was on the wrong side, but after a minute, it seemed okay.
"I just hope that there's no busy roundabouts between here and your parents. We may never get off it," she joked as her hands gripped the wheel tightly.
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"No roundabouts between here and my parents' house. There's one in Bath though and I'll teach you how to properly drive on it tomorrow morning," Giles said. He was impressed at how easily Fred took to driving and when he noticed how tightly she was holding the steering wheel, he grinned. "Just relax, Fred. Loosen your grip a little. The car practically drives itself."
He reached over and brushed the hair off her neck before placing his hand on her shoulder. "Just relax, love. We're almost to my parents' house." Giles removed his hand and glanced back at Molly, who was napping in her carrier, oblivious to what was going on around her. "As soon as we get over this hill, there'll be a driveway to the right. That'll be the driveway to my parents' house. It's a bit hard to see right now but once we get closer you should be able to see it."
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As they crested the hill, Fred put on her blinker and began looking to the right for the driveway, seeing it after a moment. A car was coming from the other direction, so she had to slow to almost a stop until it had passed. Once it had, she turned the car right into the driveway, giving a small sigh of relief as soon as they were off the main road.
Slowly, she drove the car up the driveway to the house. Her mouth dropped open when she saw it. "This is where you grew up? It's...it's gorgeous," she said, bringing the car to a stop.
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