(no subject)
Ryanne was bouncing around so much that Wes had left the apartment and parked himself outside the door waiting for the others to get home. She ran around the rooms, picking up and making more messes as she did so. It had been too long since Buffy had left for him and she was getting more and more frantic. she hadn't even noticed that the wound was bleeding again and staining her pj's.
Ripper said hello to Wesley after leaving Willow and Buffy to watch over Jenny at the hospital. The Watcher knew he had to check on Ryanne as soon as possible. He listened as Wesley described his adopted daughter's anxiety and opened the door.
"Hullo, Ryanne," he said softly. Ripper was still trying to get his energy back in line. Exhaustion, the fight with the gypsies and worrying about Jenny and Ryanne, Ripper was stronger than Giles at the moment.
Ryanne turned around and ran to her father, hugging him. "Daddy I missed you." She looked up at his face, spotting the color of his eyes. Backing up quickly she turned and ran to her room, throwing herself on the bed shaking in fear. That witch had to have done something to him.
Ripper sighed and opened her door. "Ryanne, I'm alright. Just coming down a bit from a fight. I'll be totally myself in a short few, luv. Now, let me see that wound. Please."
Ryanne looked at him unsure. "Daddy?" Scooting to the other edge of the bed she looked down and saw the blood and started shaking more. "I'm scared."
"Shhh," Ripper said softly. "Just lie still a moment." He closed his eyes and concentrated. It was actually easier as Ripper to channel the energy. A lot easier if it was negative but he could do positive if he sent a bit of his own energy with it.
He held a hand over the wound and focused. When Giles pulled back his eyes were blue and the wound was now just an angry red scar. "A deep wound with a touch of magic infection," he explained. "Would have taken forever to heal, even with Slayer healing."
Ryanne stared at him while he was doing the magic, scared to death. Jenny was one thing, but Giles was still a man and she had intense fears that hadn't even been tapped into. As soon as he was finished Ryanne got under the covers watching him closely. "Wes says I am a brat."
Giles moved to a chair next to her bed and sank into it wearily. "You are at times. You've also been through a lot and fighting back and attitude are a defense mechanism. Feel better?"
Giles leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. "We got Jenny back but she's in hospital. Bastards hurt her when they ran her off the road and then kept her drugged."
Giles looked at Ryanne, his eyes shifting for a moment and then back to blue. "I left Kris alive."
"Kris hurt Jenny?" Ryanne's voice was quiet and close to breaking. She had trusted Kris. One of the few adult men in her life that she had, other than Marcus. It only further proved to her that they were all evil.
"Is the baby alright?"
"As far as the first tests go, yes," Giles nodded. "I don't think he meant to permanently injure her but that doesn't make me any less brassed off at him. He tries to take her against her will again and I'll probably hurt him worse."
"Kris kidnapped Jenny?" Ryanne's voice broke this time. "He ..........he's my.....he was my friend. So was Marcus. Can't trust any of them. Men are evil."
"Not all of us, Ryanne," Giles said softly, reaching for her hand. "We live in a rough business. You'll find females aren't much better at times. The hard part is finding who you can trust, male or female. I think Kris was ordered by the clan to do it. Why, I'm not sure except that the gypsies hate for their women to stray outside the clan and she has power. Could be that they want it."
Giles didn't mention the gypsy's smirking when he talked about Jenny's injuries and possible risk to the baby. Ryanne didn't need to know that yet.
"I ain't meet one who ain't." Ryanne's voiced slipped back into the rougher tones that she had on the street. She started shutting down, putting up the walls around her that had recently started going down. "He'll pay for hurting Jenny."
"He did, Ryanne," Giles said softly. "And me? Am I included in that judgment? Ryanne, I need you. I'm sorry I had to leave for England, something came up."
"You're okay, I guess. When your eyes are blue." Ryanne sat up and stared ahead. "Can I go see my friends?"
Giles hung his head, suddenly feeling like he had lost the girl. "Maybe someday you'll understand I'm just human," he said softly, standing up. "I'll leave you be and let Wes know you're well enough to leave the apartment. We'll start training again day after tomorrow."
"I'll be back by then." Ryanne got out of the bed and went to her closet, getting out the clothes she had worn when Giles had seen her the first time. "Can I have a twenty for food?"
Giles reached into his pocket and pulled out whatever money he had and tossed it on the bed. "You're welcome for the healing," he said softly as he walked for the door. He hesitated and pulled his glasses off. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you somehow. Maybe someday I'll learn not to open myself up to being hurt so bad. I would prefer you wait until Faith or Buffy could go with you."
Ryanne gave him a hard grin,"Think I can manage on my own. And yeah thanks for the mojo shit on me." She grabbed a twenty for the money and walked out of the room going to the front door, then turned and got her old pack stuffing her teddy into it and slinging over her shoulder. "See you in the morning."
"Perhaps," Giles said softly.
"My friends will get the casts off for me, so I can protect myself." Ryanne took a deep breath, "And so I can protect them. Ya know, nobodies stick together."
Giles shrugged, moving to the kitchen. "Sorry you consider being my daughter a nobody. My mistake. Because Kris kidnaps and hurts Jenny, I get included in your rejection of everyone? Don't ask me to be amused. If you're wanting to hurt me, congratulations, you've succeeded."
"Hell Giles, you only humored me with that Daddy shit. I know that. I was stupid thinking that I was part of some sort of real family." Ryanne's voice was harder than it ever had, "Don't worry. I will do my job, and hey you don't even have to pay me for it. I have the skills to go it alone."
"You're a fool, Ryanne," Giles said softly. "I don't humor Slayers or those I choose for my family. What did I do to deserve this? I'm not Kris, I didn't betray you."
"You're a man." Ryanne started simply and turned to walk to the door. "Not giving you the chance to hurt me. Ain't gotta deal with that shit."
"Then you are a stupid brat," Giles said calmly. "And you dishonor your father."
"He was the only one who didn't fuck my shit up." Ryanne answered with her back still to him,tears staining her eyes but not escaping. "And I already knew I was stupid. Least I can read now. Thank Xander for that."
"And I did so, how?" Giles demanded. "You seem to have a very selective memory of our relationship over the last two months. Why the bloody hell are you treating me like this?"
Ryanne whipped around and shook her head, "You fucked with my head more than anyone in my life. You let me think this all was real. That real peole give a damn."
"And what hasn't proven real?" Giles asked. "My feelings for you haven't changed. Twenty four hours ago you wanted me back here."
"Twenty-four hours ago I was still some kid who believed in fairy tales. Believed that the people I trusted were good. Know better now." Ryanne countered.
"Why? Because Kris hurt Jenny? What has that to do with me?" Giles snapped. "I fought to stay on the right side of things and not kill him because I have you, Buffy, Willow, Jenny and the others in my life. Nevermind, hope you're happy with your choice, you've destroyed mine."
"Destroyed what? Trust me, you'll be in hog heaven when I'm gone and you and your women can fuck like bunnies where ever." Ryanne smirked at him. "You didn't want a kid, least not someone like me. If you really did, you sure as hell wouldn't have left me."
"I'm sorry my father had a heart attack and I had things to attend to back in the old country," Giles said calmly. "You didn't even ask why I had to leave, all centers around you, doesn't it?"
"Gee Giles, I was kinda drugged up at the time. Sorry I wasn't thinking so straight." Ryanne gave a hard laugh.
"And when I walked back in the door?" Giles countered. "You want to take your anger out about Marcus and Kris on me, sorry, I'm very tired and don't feel like playing. Think what you will, you're wrong and worse than a brat."
"Just protecting myself. Sooner or later them green eyes are gonna hurt me." Ryanne growled, "Oh wait, they already did. How long was i gone before you got worried? Or did you even notice before I was dumped off dying here?"
"Those green eyes aren't evil and aren't always dangerous," Giles said calmly. "Perhaps you should ask Jenny, Buffy, and the others where we looked for you before assuming anything. Protecting yourself by hurting me when I've done nothing to deserve this. I thought you protected your friends."
"My friends are my age. And you ain't a friend." Ryanne shrugged, "You're my Watcher. And the man who hit me. And the man who tried to make me weak."
"I never hit you," Giles said softly, his eyes narrowing. "I'm the one that is trying to keep your friends from being killed. I'll find you a female Watcher somewhere. I'm sorry I thought you capable of caring."
The Watcher turned to set a kettle on the stove.
"Yeah, you did. That night." Ryanne looked at him. "Fine. You don't wanna be my Watcher, fine. I don't need no Watcher anyways." She went to the door struggling to open it, the tears finally falling. She gulped back the sound of sobs and kicked the door. Turning she went to the bathroom.
Giles looked at the bathroom door and growled. He hated crossroads.
The Watcher walked over to the door and hit it, opening it. "Damnit! Why are you doing this? I love you, Ryanne. Why are you driving me away?"
Half out the window Ryanne turned around and looked at him before realizing he could see the tears that way. "Don't need love. Love is for fools."
"Tell me you don't want me to hug you right now and reassure you I'm not walking out of your life," Giles countered, pulling off his glasses so she could see the pain in his eyes. "Tell me you don't want me in your life and walk out the front door."
Ryanne looked at him biting her lip. "Daddy?"
"Come here," Giles urged softly, holding out his arms.
Ryanne jumped off the sill and ran to the him. "Don't leave me again Daddy. Please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' She held on to him sobbing, the walls coming back down to reveal the scared little girl. Not a slayer. Not a street kid. Simply a little girl who had been lost and hurt way to many times in the past. Too many had promised her dreams and walked away.
"Come on, let's move this out to the sofa, please," Giles said softly. "I can't promise that, Ryanne, sometimes things are unavoidable. Doesn't mean I ever want to leave you. Other than tossing you off to the movies occasionally," he tried to tease.
"Please, I need to sit down," Giles sighed. "Don't toss me aside like that again. I'm here, Ryanne and I'll be here always if possible."
Ryanne didn't look at him directly. "Daddy, you do the magic junk right?' She shuffled her feet a bit and then went to the living room sitting on the end of the sofa.
"Sometimes," Giles said slowly, rubbing his eyes. Lack of sleep, battling the gypies and then healing Ryanne, he was very tired. "I don't do it often because I wasn't exactly smart about it when I was a kid."
"Can you see junks, if someone let you?" Ryanne stared at her hands. She wanted him to know why she was so scared but talking wasn't something she could easily do. Jenny had read her before. Maybe that's why they were so close.
"Sometimes, yes," Giles nodded, sitting down. "What's bothering you, Ryanne? Besides everything we yelled about?"
Ryanne shrugged, "Jenny knows everything. She did that magic junk." She stared at her nails noting that she should stop biting them.
"Like what, Ryanne?" Giles questioned. "Please, I'm tired and not thinking clear. How can I help?"
Ryanne moved closer and turned sideways with her legs crossed Indian style. "She took my hands and looked in my eyes and told me I never had to tell her the stuff, she knew it all and it was okay."
"Like what, Ryanne?" Giles questioned. "Please, I'm tired and not thinking clear. How can I help?"
Ryanne moved closer and turned sideways with her legs crossed Indian style. "She took my hands and looked in my eyes and told me I never had to tell her the stuff, she knew it all and it was okay."
Giles nodded. "I'm afraid I'm not that talented. Or perhaps I can explain it, that's not my particular talent. I could do it but I'm not sure we should, I don't think I'd be as good as shielding you from me and reverse. God, I'm not making sense now."
Ryanne hung her head. "It's okay." She shrugged, "Bad idea anyway."
Giles shook his head. "Take my hands, we'll do a light scan, alright? See how it goes. Just... I'm sorry I've faults and can't do it all."
Ryanne reached out to him and looked down, ashamed of all her past. "Don't hate me, ok."
Giles closed his eyes and opened his shields. Instead of exploring, he drew her in. Taking her carefully through the most recent events and how much he cared for her and how worried he had been. Then he lightly touched over her memories.
Ryanne relaxed a little as her father scanned her memories. She tried to coverup the things her step father had done to her for that year before she ran and what others had done to her on the street until she was big enough to fend for herself.
Giles sent soothing energy and let her see some of his childhood: the crashing fists, the belt across the back when his lessons weren't adequate, and the endless demands to be perfect.
Ryanne shook with rage at what her father had suffered, releasing the walls she had set up, letting him see all the pain she had been put through. All the reasons she feared men.
Giles sent more soothing energy but letting her know he was just as angry at the treatment she had received and that he understood most of her attitude. Then he showed her some of what Ethan had done and why he didn't blame Willow for the after effects of her attack on Ethan.
Ryanne seethed, fighting her natural reaction of destroying the other man. Tired she started shaking, the energy too strong for her weakened state.
Giles evened her energy out and began pulling back slightly. He let her see how much she meant to him and that Willow did care as well in addition to Jenny. He let her see a bit of his love for Willow and Jenny, hoping she'd understand it was different than what he felt for Ryanne and that she wasn't second best in his affections.
Ryanne opened her eyes and threw herself into his arms. "Daddy don't know why I get so crazy." She settled there, needing to be taken care of a bit and trusting him enough to do so.
Giles chuckled and held her, closing his eyes. "It happens, Ryanne. Just let it go, everyone is tired and stressed and you were hurting."
Ryanne settled back more, eyes falling shut. "Wish i had a beer. Buffy hid them all." She started snoring lightly still in his arms.
Giles leaned back and closed his eyes, unable to stay awake either.
Ripper said hello to Wesley after leaving Willow and Buffy to watch over Jenny at the hospital. The Watcher knew he had to check on Ryanne as soon as possible. He listened as Wesley described his adopted daughter's anxiety and opened the door.
"Hullo, Ryanne," he said softly. Ripper was still trying to get his energy back in line. Exhaustion, the fight with the gypsies and worrying about Jenny and Ryanne, Ripper was stronger than Giles at the moment.
Ryanne turned around and ran to her father, hugging him. "Daddy I missed you." She looked up at his face, spotting the color of his eyes. Backing up quickly she turned and ran to her room, throwing herself on the bed shaking in fear. That witch had to have done something to him.
Ripper sighed and opened her door. "Ryanne, I'm alright. Just coming down a bit from a fight. I'll be totally myself in a short few, luv. Now, let me see that wound. Please."
Ryanne looked at him unsure. "Daddy?" Scooting to the other edge of the bed she looked down and saw the blood and started shaking more. "I'm scared."
"Shhh," Ripper said softly. "Just lie still a moment." He closed his eyes and concentrated. It was actually easier as Ripper to channel the energy. A lot easier if it was negative but he could do positive if he sent a bit of his own energy with it.
He held a hand over the wound and focused. When Giles pulled back his eyes were blue and the wound was now just an angry red scar. "A deep wound with a touch of magic infection," he explained. "Would have taken forever to heal, even with Slayer healing."
Ryanne stared at him while he was doing the magic, scared to death. Jenny was one thing, but Giles was still a man and she had intense fears that hadn't even been tapped into. As soon as he was finished Ryanne got under the covers watching him closely. "Wes says I am a brat."
Giles moved to a chair next to her bed and sank into it wearily. "You are at times. You've also been through a lot and fighting back and attitude are a defense mechanism. Feel better?"
Giles leaned his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. "We got Jenny back but she's in hospital. Bastards hurt her when they ran her off the road and then kept her drugged."
Giles looked at Ryanne, his eyes shifting for a moment and then back to blue. "I left Kris alive."
"Kris hurt Jenny?" Ryanne's voice was quiet and close to breaking. She had trusted Kris. One of the few adult men in her life that she had, other than Marcus. It only further proved to her that they were all evil.
"Is the baby alright?"
"As far as the first tests go, yes," Giles nodded. "I don't think he meant to permanently injure her but that doesn't make me any less brassed off at him. He tries to take her against her will again and I'll probably hurt him worse."
"Kris kidnapped Jenny?" Ryanne's voice broke this time. "He ..........he's my.....he was my friend. So was Marcus. Can't trust any of them. Men are evil."
"Not all of us, Ryanne," Giles said softly, reaching for her hand. "We live in a rough business. You'll find females aren't much better at times. The hard part is finding who you can trust, male or female. I think Kris was ordered by the clan to do it. Why, I'm not sure except that the gypsies hate for their women to stray outside the clan and she has power. Could be that they want it."
Giles didn't mention the gypsy's smirking when he talked about Jenny's injuries and possible risk to the baby. Ryanne didn't need to know that yet.
"I ain't meet one who ain't." Ryanne's voiced slipped back into the rougher tones that she had on the street. She started shutting down, putting up the walls around her that had recently started going down. "He'll pay for hurting Jenny."
"He did, Ryanne," Giles said softly. "And me? Am I included in that judgment? Ryanne, I need you. I'm sorry I had to leave for England, something came up."
"You're okay, I guess. When your eyes are blue." Ryanne sat up and stared ahead. "Can I go see my friends?"
Giles hung his head, suddenly feeling like he had lost the girl. "Maybe someday you'll understand I'm just human," he said softly, standing up. "I'll leave you be and let Wes know you're well enough to leave the apartment. We'll start training again day after tomorrow."
"I'll be back by then." Ryanne got out of the bed and went to her closet, getting out the clothes she had worn when Giles had seen her the first time. "Can I have a twenty for food?"
Giles reached into his pocket and pulled out whatever money he had and tossed it on the bed. "You're welcome for the healing," he said softly as he walked for the door. He hesitated and pulled his glasses off. "I'm sorry I've disappointed you somehow. Maybe someday I'll learn not to open myself up to being hurt so bad. I would prefer you wait until Faith or Buffy could go with you."
Ryanne gave him a hard grin,"Think I can manage on my own. And yeah thanks for the mojo shit on me." She grabbed a twenty for the money and walked out of the room going to the front door, then turned and got her old pack stuffing her teddy into it and slinging over her shoulder. "See you in the morning."
"Perhaps," Giles said softly.
"My friends will get the casts off for me, so I can protect myself." Ryanne took a deep breath, "And so I can protect them. Ya know, nobodies stick together."
Giles shrugged, moving to the kitchen. "Sorry you consider being my daughter a nobody. My mistake. Because Kris kidnaps and hurts Jenny, I get included in your rejection of everyone? Don't ask me to be amused. If you're wanting to hurt me, congratulations, you've succeeded."
"Hell Giles, you only humored me with that Daddy shit. I know that. I was stupid thinking that I was part of some sort of real family." Ryanne's voice was harder than it ever had, "Don't worry. I will do my job, and hey you don't even have to pay me for it. I have the skills to go it alone."
"You're a fool, Ryanne," Giles said softly. "I don't humor Slayers or those I choose for my family. What did I do to deserve this? I'm not Kris, I didn't betray you."
"You're a man." Ryanne started simply and turned to walk to the door. "Not giving you the chance to hurt me. Ain't gotta deal with that shit."
"Then you are a stupid brat," Giles said calmly. "And you dishonor your father."
"He was the only one who didn't fuck my shit up." Ryanne answered with her back still to him,tears staining her eyes but not escaping. "And I already knew I was stupid. Least I can read now. Thank Xander for that."
"And I did so, how?" Giles demanded. "You seem to have a very selective memory of our relationship over the last two months. Why the bloody hell are you treating me like this?"
Ryanne whipped around and shook her head, "You fucked with my head more than anyone in my life. You let me think this all was real. That real peole give a damn."
"And what hasn't proven real?" Giles asked. "My feelings for you haven't changed. Twenty four hours ago you wanted me back here."
"Twenty-four hours ago I was still some kid who believed in fairy tales. Believed that the people I trusted were good. Know better now." Ryanne countered.
"Why? Because Kris hurt Jenny? What has that to do with me?" Giles snapped. "I fought to stay on the right side of things and not kill him because I have you, Buffy, Willow, Jenny and the others in my life. Nevermind, hope you're happy with your choice, you've destroyed mine."
"Destroyed what? Trust me, you'll be in hog heaven when I'm gone and you and your women can fuck like bunnies where ever." Ryanne smirked at him. "You didn't want a kid, least not someone like me. If you really did, you sure as hell wouldn't have left me."
"I'm sorry my father had a heart attack and I had things to attend to back in the old country," Giles said calmly. "You didn't even ask why I had to leave, all centers around you, doesn't it?"
"Gee Giles, I was kinda drugged up at the time. Sorry I wasn't thinking so straight." Ryanne gave a hard laugh.
"And when I walked back in the door?" Giles countered. "You want to take your anger out about Marcus and Kris on me, sorry, I'm very tired and don't feel like playing. Think what you will, you're wrong and worse than a brat."
"Just protecting myself. Sooner or later them green eyes are gonna hurt me." Ryanne growled, "Oh wait, they already did. How long was i gone before you got worried? Or did you even notice before I was dumped off dying here?"
"Those green eyes aren't evil and aren't always dangerous," Giles said calmly. "Perhaps you should ask Jenny, Buffy, and the others where we looked for you before assuming anything. Protecting yourself by hurting me when I've done nothing to deserve this. I thought you protected your friends."
"My friends are my age. And you ain't a friend." Ryanne shrugged, "You're my Watcher. And the man who hit me. And the man who tried to make me weak."
"I never hit you," Giles said softly, his eyes narrowing. "I'm the one that is trying to keep your friends from being killed. I'll find you a female Watcher somewhere. I'm sorry I thought you capable of caring."
The Watcher turned to set a kettle on the stove.
"Yeah, you did. That night." Ryanne looked at him. "Fine. You don't wanna be my Watcher, fine. I don't need no Watcher anyways." She went to the door struggling to open it, the tears finally falling. She gulped back the sound of sobs and kicked the door. Turning she went to the bathroom.
Giles looked at the bathroom door and growled. He hated crossroads.
The Watcher walked over to the door and hit it, opening it. "Damnit! Why are you doing this? I love you, Ryanne. Why are you driving me away?"
Half out the window Ryanne turned around and looked at him before realizing he could see the tears that way. "Don't need love. Love is for fools."
"Tell me you don't want me to hug you right now and reassure you I'm not walking out of your life," Giles countered, pulling off his glasses so she could see the pain in his eyes. "Tell me you don't want me in your life and walk out the front door."
Ryanne looked at him biting her lip. "Daddy?"
"Come here," Giles urged softly, holding out his arms.
Ryanne jumped off the sill and ran to the him. "Don't leave me again Daddy. Please. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.' She held on to him sobbing, the walls coming back down to reveal the scared little girl. Not a slayer. Not a street kid. Simply a little girl who had been lost and hurt way to many times in the past. Too many had promised her dreams and walked away.
"Come on, let's move this out to the sofa, please," Giles said softly. "I can't promise that, Ryanne, sometimes things are unavoidable. Doesn't mean I ever want to leave you. Other than tossing you off to the movies occasionally," he tried to tease.
"Please, I need to sit down," Giles sighed. "Don't toss me aside like that again. I'm here, Ryanne and I'll be here always if possible."
Ryanne didn't look at him directly. "Daddy, you do the magic junk right?' She shuffled her feet a bit and then went to the living room sitting on the end of the sofa.
"Sometimes," Giles said slowly, rubbing his eyes. Lack of sleep, battling the gypies and then healing Ryanne, he was very tired. "I don't do it often because I wasn't exactly smart about it when I was a kid."
"Can you see junks, if someone let you?" Ryanne stared at her hands. She wanted him to know why she was so scared but talking wasn't something she could easily do. Jenny had read her before. Maybe that's why they were so close.
"Sometimes, yes," Giles nodded, sitting down. "What's bothering you, Ryanne? Besides everything we yelled about?"
Ryanne shrugged, "Jenny knows everything. She did that magic junk." She stared at her nails noting that she should stop biting them.
"Like what, Ryanne?" Giles questioned. "Please, I'm tired and not thinking clear. How can I help?"
Ryanne moved closer and turned sideways with her legs crossed Indian style. "She took my hands and looked in my eyes and told me I never had to tell her the stuff, she knew it all and it was okay."
"Like what, Ryanne?" Giles questioned. "Please, I'm tired and not thinking clear. How can I help?"
Ryanne moved closer and turned sideways with her legs crossed Indian style. "She took my hands and looked in my eyes and told me I never had to tell her the stuff, she knew it all and it was okay."
Giles nodded. "I'm afraid I'm not that talented. Or perhaps I can explain it, that's not my particular talent. I could do it but I'm not sure we should, I don't think I'd be as good as shielding you from me and reverse. God, I'm not making sense now."
Ryanne hung her head. "It's okay." She shrugged, "Bad idea anyway."
Giles shook his head. "Take my hands, we'll do a light scan, alright? See how it goes. Just... I'm sorry I've faults and can't do it all."
Ryanne reached out to him and looked down, ashamed of all her past. "Don't hate me, ok."
Giles closed his eyes and opened his shields. Instead of exploring, he drew her in. Taking her carefully through the most recent events and how much he cared for her and how worried he had been. Then he lightly touched over her memories.
Ryanne relaxed a little as her father scanned her memories. She tried to coverup the things her step father had done to her for that year before she ran and what others had done to her on the street until she was big enough to fend for herself.
Giles sent soothing energy and let her see some of his childhood: the crashing fists, the belt across the back when his lessons weren't adequate, and the endless demands to be perfect.
Ryanne shook with rage at what her father had suffered, releasing the walls she had set up, letting him see all the pain she had been put through. All the reasons she feared men.
Giles sent more soothing energy but letting her know he was just as angry at the treatment she had received and that he understood most of her attitude. Then he showed her some of what Ethan had done and why he didn't blame Willow for the after effects of her attack on Ethan.
Ryanne seethed, fighting her natural reaction of destroying the other man. Tired she started shaking, the energy too strong for her weakened state.
Giles evened her energy out and began pulling back slightly. He let her see how much she meant to him and that Willow did care as well in addition to Jenny. He let her see a bit of his love for Willow and Jenny, hoping she'd understand it was different than what he felt for Ryanne and that she wasn't second best in his affections.
Ryanne opened her eyes and threw herself into his arms. "Daddy don't know why I get so crazy." She settled there, needing to be taken care of a bit and trusting him enough to do so.
Giles chuckled and held her, closing his eyes. "It happens, Ryanne. Just let it go, everyone is tired and stressed and you were hurting."
Ryanne settled back more, eyes falling shut. "Wish i had a beer. Buffy hid them all." She started snoring lightly still in his arms.
Giles leaned back and closed his eyes, unable to stay awake either.