FIC: Life After Buffy - Giles - FR-T
Still working on 'One Mistake...' but the next chapter just isn't flowing like I want it too.
This is something I found on my computer with the note - Ready to Post - I didn't find it posted anywhere so I believe it is new.
Life After Buffy
By T. Dunn
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: None
Summary: A day in the life of Rupert Giles; after Buffy’s second death.
Disclaimer: The setting and characters are the property of Joss Whedon. I thank him for letting me play in his ‘yard’. This story is to satisfy the writer in me and for the enjoyment of others and not for profit.
Giles woke from the same nightmare since it happened. He was used to the routine now. Rising he went to his kitchen and made some tea and while it was steeping he took a book from his shelves. With the tea ready, he sat on the couch and read for the remaining three hours.
At six, he showered, dressed, and readied himself for the day. At seven, he stopped at the coffee shop, bought a croissant, and then head over to the Magic Box where here started the pot of coffee then reviewed the previous day’s sales and write out the order slips.
At nine, he opened the doors for business and dusted the shelves. He shifted some of the inventory to make, what he felt, a more appealing display. He finished as the clock chimed ten and Anya came into work.
When noontime came around, Anya went to where Xander was working to have lunch with him; while Giles remained to tend the store. She returned promptly at one. Giles told her he was going for lunch. Instead, like every other day, he made his way to the same location. He talked as if she were still present; letting her know how patrol was going.
Giles returned to the shop at two; then waited for the arrival of Dawn. At one point Anya asked if she could move some of the excess inventory into the back room. Giles nearly bit her head off; saying nothing was to be touched in there. As far as anyone knew, the door to that room hadn’t been opened since the battle with Glory.
Dawn arrived and started on her homework. At one point she was stumped, Giles pointed her in the direction where she would find the information she needed. At four the rest of the young adults arrived. They discussed, around what had become their study table, how to improve their performance during patrols. Willow gave her status on repairing the Buffy-Bot. Though Giles loathed the machine; he knew it would be needed; for as soon as word got out that there was no longer a Slayer in Sunnydale, the town would be lost to the evil that would overrun the place.
With arrangements made to meet at the Summers’ residence at six, everyone left the shop. Giles looked over a couple more things and locked the front door to the Magic Box. He reinforced the wards he had in place to protect the building; sighed deeply then entered through the door to the training room.
Looking around at all of the equipment, he could see her at each station; working out. He started lightly punching at the heavy bag but soon his strikes were full force. Taking out five years of pent up aggression, frustration, and heartache. As he hit the bag, he saw vampires, Amy’s Mom, Angel/Angelus and all the other’s that robbed his Slayer from any semblance of a normal life. He envisioned Buffy falling from the tower as his punch knocked the bag from its moorings.
Looking to his hands, he saw his knuckles were raw and bleeding. Not bothering to bandage his hands, he left the store through the back entrance, and made his way to his empty home. Once there, he changed into other clothes, doctored his hands then headed to Revello Drive.
The dinner was prepared by Tara and Willow. The taste was bland to him; though others proclaimed how good it was. There was talk of where they would patrol tonight, what strategy plan they would try and what weapons would be brought.
Anya remained at the house to ‘baby-sit’ Dawn. Though he knew she didn’t really need this any longer; Glory was gone. He also knew Dawn felt better having someone at the house with her; that at least someone would be there if something were to happen to the group.
Patrol went well. They were able to cover two cemeteries without too much difficulty. Of course summer always seemed the ‘off season’ for vamps.
Once he had seen everyone home safely he returned to his condo. As he opened the door to enter, he heard fire truck sirens in the distance. This brought him back to an earlier time….
The two of them on their knees crying and embracing.
Buffy’s, words causing a lump to form in his throat.
“You can’t leave me. I can’t do this alone.” she had said.
He shook his head to clear the image. “Neither can I.”