A Twist in My Story: Chapter 16
Title: A Twist in My Story
Author: the_huffster
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Rating: R
Timeline: AU
Synopsis: After giving up his life as Ripper, Giles seizes the chance to live a normal life and doesn't return to the Council. But years later when he meets first grade teacher Buffy Summers, he wonders if it's possible to really escape Destiny.
Author's Note: I decided to mess around with the years and make Giles younger just so it will fit with how I have this fic planned out. So please bear with me on the messing with years/ages.
“Hi, Miss Summers.” Nathan grinned as he walked over to the teacher, brushing the sand off of his jeans.
“Hey, Nathan.” Buffy smiled as the seven year old jumped on to the bench she was sitting. “How come you aren’t playing with your friends?”
“I died,” he nodded his head as he waved at one of his classmates.
“What were you playing?”
“Vampires,” he answered with a grin. “I wasn’t a vampire though.”
“You were playing vampires during the day? In the sunlight?” the blonde laughed, trying to stifle her laughter at the glare he gave her.
“There’s shade over there!” Nathan pointed to where a group of second graders were huddled, making gestures and noises to distinguish that they were undead.
“Alright,” Buffy said before a though occurred to her. “If you weren’t a vampire, then how did you die?”
“I was a vampire hunter, duh! But I got bit, so I died.”
“Then why aren’t you with your vampire buddies?”
“I managed to save some of my soul and went into the sunlight,” the seven year old explained, his eyes lighting up in excitement. “I only did though ‘cause I would be a really powerful vampire and destroy the whole world!”
“Well, we can’t have that can we?”
Nathan just shook his head, his feet dangling over the edge. There were a few moments of silence before Nathan looked up at the first grade teacher.
“Dad told us you guys broke up,” he muttered, doing his best to adjust his fauxhawk.
“Yeah, we did.” Buffy whispered, closing her eyes for a brief minute.
“I think it’s stupid,” Nathan muttered, his eyes focused on the sand around him.
“Why is that?” she asked him.
“You love each other, and it’s stupid that you broke up over an argument.” He went on, his arms flailing around as he went on his tirade. “Chris and Blake argue, and they’re still together. Jess and Trevor argue, and they’re getting married! Why can’t you and Dad make it work?”
“Sometimes things are just…complicated, Rabbit.” Buffy sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
“It’s just…stupid.” Nathan mumbled as he looked up when Buffy got to her feet. “Can you stop by the shop today?”
“Sure,” Buffy said as she turned to look at him. “Why?”
“It’s been really busy lately, I miss having someone to talk to.” He answered, shrugging at the questioning look she gave him. “I’m not really talking to Dad right now,”
“I’ll swing by,” she promised him before giving him a quick hug.
Nathan smiled before making his way over to his friends once Buffy went to collect her class. He looked to his right when his friend David shoved his shoulder.
“What?” he asked, rubbing his shoulder slightly.
“How come you were talking to Miss Summers?” David asked, trying his best to impress some of the girls from their class.
“Because I can,” Nathan rolled his eyes before pushing David and taking off running, laughing as his friend chased after him.
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Rupert looked up from going over the list of incoming books when the shop door opened and Nathan took off towards the front. He gripped the paper when he saw Buffy walk in, muttering to Chris about being back as he made his way into the back room. Chris glanced over at Buffy and noticed the hurt flash across her face before she directed her attention at the two children talking to her at once. Buffy laughed at the grumbling Nathan and Addison did when she promise to talk to them after they finished their homework before walking over to Chris.
“Hey, Buffy.” He smiled as he leaned on the counter. “How are you doing?”
“I’m currently distracting myself in any way I can,” she shrugged, turning around toe watch Nathan help his sister with her homework. “How’s Rupert?”
“He’s…” the young man started, trailing off as he thought of how to describe his employer. “He came home and drank until he passed out that night, stayed home the next day and ever since then he’s been acting as if nothing’s happened. And by that, I mean he’s been acting like he never dated you. But he’s not doing a very good job at it,”
There was silence for a while, neither one saying a word. After a few minutes, Chris excused himself to go help a customer who had just walked in. Buffy moved away from the counter and sat next to Nathan and Addison at the center table.
“What are you two up to?” she asked, pulling Addison on to her lap.
“Finishing my homework,” the little girl answered as he finished filling in the last blank. “Done! You wanna check it?”
“Of course I do,” Buffy looked over the paper, smiling when she didn’t any wrong answers. “You are one smart kid, Addie.”
“Nafan helped,” she smiled as she put her homework back in her folder.
“Well, you both are smart.” The blonde looked over at Nathan and glanced down at the notebook he was doodling in. “What are you doing, Rabbit?”
“Drawing,” he said before looking up and moving the notebook towards her. “Wanna see?”
Buffy moved the notebook closer to her look over the little doodles the seven year old had done, a smile on her face as she looked at the page. She laughed when she saw him squirm in his chair as he waited to hear what she thought.
“These are good, Nathan.” Buffy told him, sliding the notebook back to him.
“Really?” his eyes light up in excitement as he looked at her.
“You know they are,” Addison said, turning to look at her older brother. “Daddy tells you all the time.”
Nathan just rolled his eyes before going back to drawing, ignoring what sister had told him.
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Rupert shook his head as he watched Buffy interact with his children, sighing as he walked back to the couch. He leaned back into the cushions and stared at the ceiling, trying his best to forget why he was hiding in the back room. He had surprised himself by managing to avoid any interaction with Buffy, something he had thought impossible with them living next door to each other.
The sound of Addison and Nathan laughing filtered into the room, making Rupert aware of how much Buffy was a part of his children’s lives. His mind went back to the conversation he had had with Nathan the other night, wondering, not for the first time, how much the lack of a mother figure had affected his children. A groan left his lips at the idea that he had somehow screwed up as a parent as much as his father had by forcing him to be a Watcher at a young age.
Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet and decided to go back out into the front of the shop.
“Daddy!” Addison exclaimed as she jumped from Buffy’s lap and ran towards her father, laughing when he picked her up. “Buffy’s here,”
“So she is,” Rupert smiled at his daughter before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and putting her down, making his way to the front counter.
He felt Buffy’s eyes following him as he walked to the counter, refusing to turn around and look at her. Once he reached the counter, he busied himself with looking over orders he had to place and other paperwork. It was ten minutes before he noticed the blonde hug Nathan and Addison as she left the shop, Chris punching his arm as soon as the door closed behind her.
“Ow!” Rupert glared at his employee, rubbing his arm. “What was that for?”
“Really? You have to ask?” Chris shook his head as he grabbed the small stack of books a costumer had sold them. “You are such a jackass, Rupert.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Christopher.” He said as he set the papers down, glancing over at his children who just watched the two adults.
“I get it, Rupert. Buffy hurt you by keeping that from you,” the dark haired young man spun around to face him, his hands resting on his hips. “But to come out and ignore her, to act like you never had a year long relationship with her is just plain…”
“Stupid.” Nathan supplied, giving his father his own version of the ‘Daddy Glare’.
“Thanks, Nate.” Chris winked at the boy before turning his attention back on Rupert. “It’s stupid and immature. You keep acting like that and I’m gonna start thinking that you don’t deserve Buffy, that you never deserved her.”
“Chris…” Rupert began, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m not doing this.”
“That’s all you have to say for yourself?”
The older man just shook his head walked towards his children, telling them to pack up so they could head home. Nathan just shook his head and slung his backpack over his shoulder before walking over to the front door where he waited. Addison just gave her father a look before following her brother’s example.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Chris.” Rupert muttered before heading over to his children.
“You can’t run away from your problems forever, Rupert!”
Rupert just ignored Chris and walked towards the car, making sure Nathan and Addison were buckled up before starting the car and heading home.
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Rupert flipped through the photo album, a smile coming to his face when he saw a picture one of the nurses had taken of him, his ex-wife, Nathan and Addison a few hours after Addison had been born. He had been looking at the album for a few minutes, thinking about how things might have worked out if he had been honest with his ex-wife in the beginning of their relationship. Before he could investigate that train of thought any further, his bedroom door opened and Addison crept inside.
“What’s the matter, Princess?” Rupert asked as she climbed on to the bed.
“I heard a scary noise outside my window,” she said, her eyes looking at the pictures. “Who’s that?”
“That’s your mum,” he whispered, watching his daughter study the page intently.
“Mummy’s pretty,”
“Yes she is,” he sighed before getting out of bed and picking up the five year old, kissing the tip of her nose. “You need to sleep, Addison. You have school tomorrow.”
She just nodded, snuggling against her father as he carried her back to her room. After he had placed her back on her bed, he looked out her window as she got settled under the covers once again. Once he was satisfied that there was nothing he needed to worry about outside, Rupert turned aournd and walked over to his daughter’s bedside and knelt next to her.
“Did you love Mummy?” she asked, tiredly rubbing her eyes.
“I did,” he nodded before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Now, go to sleep.”
“Love you, Daddy.” Addison mumbled as she quickly fell back asleep.
“I love you too, Princess.” He kissed her forehead one more time before heading back down to his room, yawning as he climbed into bed.
Author: the_huffster
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Rating: R
Timeline: AU
Synopsis: After giving up his life as Ripper, Giles seizes the chance to live a normal life and doesn't return to the Council. But years later when he meets first grade teacher Buffy Summers, he wonders if it's possible to really escape Destiny.
Author's Note: I decided to mess around with the years and make Giles younger just so it will fit with how I have this fic planned out. So please bear with me on the messing with years/ages.
“Hi, Miss Summers.” Nathan grinned as he walked over to the teacher, brushing the sand off of his jeans.
“Hey, Nathan.” Buffy smiled as the seven year old jumped on to the bench she was sitting. “How come you aren’t playing with your friends?”
“I died,” he nodded his head as he waved at one of his classmates.
“What were you playing?”
“Vampires,” he answered with a grin. “I wasn’t a vampire though.”
“You were playing vampires during the day? In the sunlight?” the blonde laughed, trying to stifle her laughter at the glare he gave her.
“There’s shade over there!” Nathan pointed to where a group of second graders were huddled, making gestures and noises to distinguish that they were undead.
“Alright,” Buffy said before a though occurred to her. “If you weren’t a vampire, then how did you die?”
“I was a vampire hunter, duh! But I got bit, so I died.”
“Then why aren’t you with your vampire buddies?”
“I managed to save some of my soul and went into the sunlight,” the seven year old explained, his eyes lighting up in excitement. “I only did though ‘cause I would be a really powerful vampire and destroy the whole world!”
“Well, we can’t have that can we?”
Nathan just shook his head, his feet dangling over the edge. There were a few moments of silence before Nathan looked up at the first grade teacher.
“Dad told us you guys broke up,” he muttered, doing his best to adjust his fauxhawk.
“Yeah, we did.” Buffy whispered, closing her eyes for a brief minute.
“I think it’s stupid,” Nathan muttered, his eyes focused on the sand around him.
“Why is that?” she asked him.
“You love each other, and it’s stupid that you broke up over an argument.” He went on, his arms flailing around as he went on his tirade. “Chris and Blake argue, and they’re still together. Jess and Trevor argue, and they’re getting married! Why can’t you and Dad make it work?”
“Sometimes things are just…complicated, Rabbit.” Buffy sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
“It’s just…stupid.” Nathan mumbled as he looked up when Buffy got to her feet. “Can you stop by the shop today?”
“Sure,” Buffy said as she turned to look at him. “Why?”
“It’s been really busy lately, I miss having someone to talk to.” He answered, shrugging at the questioning look she gave him. “I’m not really talking to Dad right now,”
“I’ll swing by,” she promised him before giving him a quick hug.
Nathan smiled before making his way over to his friends once Buffy went to collect her class. He looked to his right when his friend David shoved his shoulder.
“What?” he asked, rubbing his shoulder slightly.
“How come you were talking to Miss Summers?” David asked, trying his best to impress some of the girls from their class.
“Because I can,” Nathan rolled his eyes before pushing David and taking off running, laughing as his friend chased after him.
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Rupert looked up from going over the list of incoming books when the shop door opened and Nathan took off towards the front. He gripped the paper when he saw Buffy walk in, muttering to Chris about being back as he made his way into the back room. Chris glanced over at Buffy and noticed the hurt flash across her face before she directed her attention at the two children talking to her at once. Buffy laughed at the grumbling Nathan and Addison did when she promise to talk to them after they finished their homework before walking over to Chris.
“Hey, Buffy.” He smiled as he leaned on the counter. “How are you doing?”
“I’m currently distracting myself in any way I can,” she shrugged, turning around toe watch Nathan help his sister with her homework. “How’s Rupert?”
“He’s…” the young man started, trailing off as he thought of how to describe his employer. “He came home and drank until he passed out that night, stayed home the next day and ever since then he’s been acting as if nothing’s happened. And by that, I mean he’s been acting like he never dated you. But he’s not doing a very good job at it,”
There was silence for a while, neither one saying a word. After a few minutes, Chris excused himself to go help a customer who had just walked in. Buffy moved away from the counter and sat next to Nathan and Addison at the center table.
“What are you two up to?” she asked, pulling Addison on to her lap.
“Finishing my homework,” the little girl answered as he finished filling in the last blank. “Done! You wanna check it?”
“Of course I do,” Buffy looked over the paper, smiling when she didn’t any wrong answers. “You are one smart kid, Addie.”
“Nafan helped,” she smiled as she put her homework back in her folder.
“Well, you both are smart.” The blonde looked over at Nathan and glanced down at the notebook he was doodling in. “What are you doing, Rabbit?”
“Drawing,” he said before looking up and moving the notebook towards her. “Wanna see?”
Buffy moved the notebook closer to her look over the little doodles the seven year old had done, a smile on her face as she looked at the page. She laughed when she saw him squirm in his chair as he waited to hear what she thought.
“These are good, Nathan.” Buffy told him, sliding the notebook back to him.
“Really?” his eyes light up in excitement as he looked at her.
“You know they are,” Addison said, turning to look at her older brother. “Daddy tells you all the time.”
Nathan just rolled his eyes before going back to drawing, ignoring what sister had told him.
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Rupert shook his head as he watched Buffy interact with his children, sighing as he walked back to the couch. He leaned back into the cushions and stared at the ceiling, trying his best to forget why he was hiding in the back room. He had surprised himself by managing to avoid any interaction with Buffy, something he had thought impossible with them living next door to each other.
The sound of Addison and Nathan laughing filtered into the room, making Rupert aware of how much Buffy was a part of his children’s lives. His mind went back to the conversation he had had with Nathan the other night, wondering, not for the first time, how much the lack of a mother figure had affected his children. A groan left his lips at the idea that he had somehow screwed up as a parent as much as his father had by forcing him to be a Watcher at a young age.
Sighing, he pushed himself to his feet and decided to go back out into the front of the shop.
“Daddy!” Addison exclaimed as she jumped from Buffy’s lap and ran towards her father, laughing when he picked her up. “Buffy’s here,”
“So she is,” Rupert smiled at his daughter before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and putting her down, making his way to the front counter.
He felt Buffy’s eyes following him as he walked to the counter, refusing to turn around and look at her. Once he reached the counter, he busied himself with looking over orders he had to place and other paperwork. It was ten minutes before he noticed the blonde hug Nathan and Addison as she left the shop, Chris punching his arm as soon as the door closed behind her.
“Ow!” Rupert glared at his employee, rubbing his arm. “What was that for?”
“Really? You have to ask?” Chris shook his head as he grabbed the small stack of books a costumer had sold them. “You are such a jackass, Rupert.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Christopher.” He said as he set the papers down, glancing over at his children who just watched the two adults.
“I get it, Rupert. Buffy hurt you by keeping that from you,” the dark haired young man spun around to face him, his hands resting on his hips. “But to come out and ignore her, to act like you never had a year long relationship with her is just plain…”
“Stupid.” Nathan supplied, giving his father his own version of the ‘Daddy Glare’.
“Thanks, Nate.” Chris winked at the boy before turning his attention back on Rupert. “It’s stupid and immature. You keep acting like that and I’m gonna start thinking that you don’t deserve Buffy, that you never deserved her.”
“Chris…” Rupert began, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m not doing this.”
“That’s all you have to say for yourself?”
The older man just shook his head walked towards his children, telling them to pack up so they could head home. Nathan just shook his head and slung his backpack over his shoulder before walking over to the front door where he waited. Addison just gave her father a look before following her brother’s example.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Chris.” Rupert muttered before heading over to his children.
“You can’t run away from your problems forever, Rupert!”
Rupert just ignored Chris and walked towards the car, making sure Nathan and Addison were buckled up before starting the car and heading home.
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Rupert flipped through the photo album, a smile coming to his face when he saw a picture one of the nurses had taken of him, his ex-wife, Nathan and Addison a few hours after Addison had been born. He had been looking at the album for a few minutes, thinking about how things might have worked out if he had been honest with his ex-wife in the beginning of their relationship. Before he could investigate that train of thought any further, his bedroom door opened and Addison crept inside.
“What’s the matter, Princess?” Rupert asked as she climbed on to the bed.
“I heard a scary noise outside my window,” she said, her eyes looking at the pictures. “Who’s that?”
“That’s your mum,” he whispered, watching his daughter study the page intently.
“Mummy’s pretty,”
“Yes she is,” he sighed before getting out of bed and picking up the five year old, kissing the tip of her nose. “You need to sleep, Addison. You have school tomorrow.”
She just nodded, snuggling against her father as he carried her back to her room. After he had placed her back on her bed, he looked out her window as she got settled under the covers once again. Once he was satisfied that there was nothing he needed to worry about outside, Rupert turned aournd and walked over to his daughter’s bedside and knelt next to her.
“Did you love Mummy?” she asked, tiredly rubbing her eyes.
“I did,” he nodded before placing a kiss on her forehead. “Now, go to sleep.”
“Love you, Daddy.” Addison mumbled as she quickly fell back asleep.
“I love you too, Princess.” He kissed her forehead one more time before heading back down to his room, yawning as he climbed into bed.