"Darkest Before Dawn" Chapter 6/?
Where did all the angst go?
You'll find out eventually.
The title become painfully literal with this chapter.
Darkest Before Dawn
Rating: PG 15
Genre: Angst, Romance
Ship: Buffy/Giles, and canon ships, notably Giles/Olivia and Buffy/Riley
Characters: Buffy and Giles. Also, (in no particular order) Willow, Spike, Olivia, Dawn, Riley, Joyce, Xander and Anya. And a wee bit of Jonathan.
Summary: Follow-up to "After the Ball." Buffy and Giles slept together. Giles has issues about it. Much angst ensues. And I mean MUCH. Really. Will they ever be able to repair their relationship? Am I capable of writing a happy ending? Let's find out... Starts at somewhere around "Something Blue" in the canon timeline, and will probably go until late season 5.
Disclaimer: I like playing with other people's broken toys. These ones belong to Joss Whedon. They bring me no profit. Just fun.
Feedback: Will make me love you forever.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
November 26,
...So, Buffy and Giles are talking again. In an actually talking way. For so long it was like you were risking freezer burn just being in the same room with both of them. Which was a huge switch from last summer when they were total Bobbsey Twins... except for being different ages and sexes and not at all related... they were together 24/7. I think Buffy had a crush on him. When I told mom that, she just looked kinda funny and didn't say anything, but I still think I'm right. Once, last summer, I saw them standing really close together on the sidewalk outside the house. The moon was all full and it would have been kinda romantic, if he weren't, you know... Giles. But then Buffy always did have wacky taste. My theory is that they kissed, and then Buffy freaked out (because, Giles!) and that's why she went all stone cold around him. I was starting to feel really sorry for him. It was like he couldn't do anything good enough for her (which I can totally relate to!) But it looks like she's finally getting over it now...
***
Buffy was anxious, about Dawn and the psycho-superbitch that was looking for her, but also about something more immediate. She looked across at Giles. He was still taking in the information, his face set in shock.
He noticed her watching him. "I don't know what to say."
"Tell me about it."
He ran his hand through his hair. "I didn't even know such a thing was possible..."
"Such a what?"
"Making a person out of nothing."
"Oh." Buffy said, her face blank. "Well, uh, he didn't say they started from scratch. He, um, said they used my blood, actually."
Giles nodded thoughtfully. "That would give them all the basic materials. But I still don't understand how they could have, um, given her a-a life force or a soul..."
Buffy watched him carefully as he thought about the matter for a moment.
"Well, in any case..." he said, moving on. “She has no idea?"
"No. She thinks she's just my sister."
They talked about Dawn and what to do about her for a long time, without coming up with any conclusive plans for action, other than to keep vigilant. Then Buffy felt the onset of nerves again.
"There's something else I wanted to tell you too."
"Yes?" He looked at her expectantly.
Buffy took a steadying breath. "I'm sorry, for how I've acted towards you."
Giles stared at her for so long that Buffy started to wish she had been keeping time. Then he looked away, blinking is disbelief. "Well, I deserved it," he said softly.
"No you didn't. Not that much, anyways."
Giles almost-laughed.
"I want us to be good again. Like we used to be."
He looked at her sadly. "I don't know if that's possible."
"We can try, can't we?" she asked, her eyes hopeful.
"Alright."
Buffy breathed a relieved sigh, and for the first time in more than a year, she saw Giles smile.
***
After the last of Tara's relatives left the Magic Box, everyone was quiet. Buffy was still silently fuming.
"Hey!" Willow finally said. "What are we all standing around for? We've got partying to do!"
"What?" Tara asked.
"Oops," Willow said, unable to hide her grin. "It was supposed to be a surprise."
"A surprise party for me?"
Willow rolled her eyes. "No, for Spike."
Tara grinned and wrapped Willow in a tight hug. "It's the best surprise ever."
"Always happy to serve as a punch line, luv, any time," Spike said, slightly put out. Then he turned to Buffy. "Or, you know, as a demon-killer slash life-saver."
"Huh?"
"Most of those Lei-ach demons back there owe their deaths to me," he informed her casually.
"Oh." Buffy nodded. "Then would you be a real dear and clean up after yourself? You know, before they start stinking the place up." She turned from him before she could see his insulted frown. "Hey Giles! You good for a ride?"
"Certainly."
"Great. See you all soon." She waved to her friends. "Come on Dawn."
"I'm glad you guys are good again," Dawn said as she, Buffy and Giles left the shop.
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Buffy said airily.
"You were all moody and weird around each other, for, like, a year," she clarified as they approached Giles' red beamer. "And now you're not. I like it better this way."
Neither of them answered. Dawn concluded they were pretending they didn't hear her and rolled her eyes. Giles opened the back door for Dawn, but avoided eye contact. Buffy climbed into the front passenger seat without opening the door at all. Giles shot her an exasperated look. She smiled.
"Me too," Dawn heard her sister softly say.
***
"I'm bored. Let's dance." Anya said, and dragged Xander to the dance floor, leaving Giles standing alone.
"Hey."
Giles turned and saw Buffy coming towards him.
"So, how'd Tara like the crystal ball?"
"Rather well, I believe. If nothing else I'm sure she'll find it a very attractive paperweight."
Buffy smiled. Giles felt his heart leap just a little. It was so good to see her smile again, and to be the one making her smile. In two days their relationship had improved so remarkably that Giles could hardly believe he hadn't fallen into some alternate universe and just failed to notice.
"So," Buffy said carefully. "Since we're among friends, and the only two not paired off... wouldja care to dance?"
Giles' face fell. "Uh..."
She looked up at him with an expression not at all flirtatious, nor like that of a person trying too hard to prove something, but just conciliatory, and a little melancholy. "I promise we'll strictly obey the six-inch rule."
Giles smiled. "Alright."
Buffy led him to the dance floor. "Now." She turned to face him. "You remember how to do this, right?"
"Um..." Giles hesitated. He quirked a bashful smile, nervous in spite of himself.
"Here." Buffy placed one of his hands lightly on her hip and held the other very naturally in her own. "Now as long as you don't do anything crazy like trying to get me to waltz again, we're good."
Giles laughed, and started to lead her in a slow dance.
He was very aware of the pressure of her hand on his shoulder, of the warmth of her hand in his, of the closeness of her body. He quickly became fascinated by the way the lights played in her eyes, and all the subtle meanings they expressed. The thought occurred to him that he should be worried about all of this, but he wasn't; it felt so right this time.
"See?" she said. "It is possible. Just like we used to be."
“Are we?" he asked softly.
She blinked, surprised. Then her look changed. He could see in her eyes that she didn't believe it, that they had never been quite like this before. She was studying his face the same way he thought he must be studying hers. He felt her hand slide to his back as she drew closer.
Someone tapped his shoulder. "May I cut in?" Riley was smiling at them like a Golden Retriever. Suddenly, there were a good two feet between him and Buffy. He felt like he had been doused with cold water.
"Riley. You came," Buffy said.
"Of course I came." He wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "Something wrong?"
"Nuh uh." She smiled brightly and let him kiss her.
Giles was still standing dumbly nearby. Riley turned to him.
"Sorry to steal your dance, pal." He smiled good naturedly.
Giles forced a grin. "Not at all. She's your girl." He glanced at Buffy. She avoided his eyes.
Giles left the dance floor and went straight outside. He needed some fresh air. He leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath.
No, this wasn't anything like what they had been before. Whether it was better or worse, Giles couldn’t decide.