A Twist in My Story: Chapter 2
Title: A Twist in My Story
Author: the_huffster
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Rating: R for language and violence
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.
"Daddy, wake up!" the constant tug on his sleeve woke Rupert Giles but he kept his eyes closed. "It's time to wake up!"
"Daddy! We'll miss cartoons!"
It was the second voice that made Rupert open his eyes, a smile forming when his children's faces greeted him. His son, Nathan Oliver, gave him a huge grin that showed off his missing upper right tooth while his daughter, Addison Claire, threw her arms around his neck. The six year old boy had decided a few months ago that he was too big to jump on his father's bed every Saturday morning, but his four year old sister told him that she was little enough to jump on the bed.
"Too early." Rupert yawned, both arms going around his children nonetheless. "Go downstairs, I'll be down soon enough."
After the expected cheers from the two, the siblings ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs as they were told. Nathan plopped on the right side of the couch, claiming his spot, and Addison jumped on to the left side before handing her older brother the television remote. Nathan quickly turned on the television to the proper channel, both children giggling just as a Bugs Bunny cartoon began.
Within minutes, Rupert sat in the middle of the couch and looked at his children. Nathan's light brown hair was still mused from sleep and his pajama shirt was probably somewhere balled up in his bedroom, his bright green eyes glued to the screen. Addison's dark hair had somehow managed to avoid looking tangled and her dark green eyes were just as focused on the television as her brother's, her tiny hands playing with the hem of her pajama shirt. Knowing how he looked- dark brown hair just as mused as his son's and his pajamas, a pair of black silk boxers and a white shirt, wrinkled from sleep- Rupert let a small chuckle out. The three of them were something else.
At the age of 41, Rupert found himself a single father to two children with an ex-wife who wanted nothing to do with any of them; not that they took notice. After the divorce had been settled, Rupert had moved out of England and to a small Texas town with his then three year old son and one year old daughter. Within six months, he had opened a small bookshop nearby his house and by the end of that year Rupert owned the most successful bookshop in Spring (with the exception of Barnes and Noble and Borders). This wasn't exactly the life he imagined himself having when he left the Watcher's Council all those years ago, but he wouldn't give it up for anything.
"Still hurt?" his daughter's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, his gaze directed to her index finger gently poking the hollow of his right elbow.
"Um...no, sweetheart. It's doesn't hurt." He assured her, cursing the physical reminders of his misguided rebellion not for the first time.
Nathan had always been fascinated by the mark of Eyghon, which was much simpler to explain than the marks Addison was fascinated by. Of all the marks- the tattoo and the scars- that he had received during his rebellion days, the track marks were what he regretted the most. Of all the drugs he had tried during his stint as Ripper, shooting heroin was his biggest mistake; although he had called it quits, with some difficulty, after using the stuff for six months but, clearly, the damage had been done.
"Nathan, get that out of your mouth." Rupert's attention went to the six year old, who was mindlessly chewing on the corner of the remote. "If you're hungry, I'll make you breakfast."
"Me!" Addison said, raising her hand at the mention of breakfast. "I'm hungry, Daddy."
A gurgling noise sounded from Nathan's stomach, causing the two siblings to laugh.
"Nafan's tummy hungry too," the little girl giggled, falling into her father's lap.
"I want waffles!" Nathan exclaimed as Rupert stood up. "With choclik chips!"
"Nathan, you don't order people about. Besides, I'm not making waffles this morning." He had to suppress the urge to grin at the defiant look his son gave him, his arms crossed over his chest as he did his best 'Daddy Glare'. "You're getting cereal,"
"Waffles!" the boy demanded, rubbing his little stomach. "Please, Daddy?"
"Wif choclik chips?" Addison added, looking at Rupert with wide eyes as she stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.
Without saying a word, Rupert picked up Addison and walked into the kitchen. He put her down on the island countertop before getting the toaster out, quickly pulling out the box of chocolate chip waffles from the freezer. A wide smile spread on the four year old's face as her father put four waffles in the toaster, getting out two paper plates.
"We going to the shop today?" she kicked her feet back and forth, occasionally letting her heels bounce off the cabinets.
"Yes, after we watch cartoons. Just like always, Princess." Rupert smiled, grabbing an apple from the fridge.
The family spent their Saturdays the same; Nathan and Addison would wake up their father at 9 o'clock, Rupert would make chocolate chip waffles for his children, the three of them would watch cartoons until 11 o'clock and then they would head out to the bookstore so Rupert could get in a few hours of work. As much as he enjoyed taking the kids to work with him, Nathan and Addison enjoyed going with him a little bit more. And he knew that it was employees that made his children enjoy spending their time at the bookstore.
"Done!" Addison cheered as the waffles popped up, prompting Rupert to set about getting the kids' breakfast ready.
He places two waffles on each paper plate, cutting up the waffles and pouring a little bit of syrup on them and picked up his daughter to set her on the floor. He handed her the plates and watched as she made her way back to the living room, setting the plates on the coffee table and sitting in front of her plate. Rupert poured one glass of milk, one glass of orange juice and a glass of apple juice before going back to the living room, handing each of the siblings a fork as he sat on the floor in between them.
"'Anks, 'Addy!" Nathan said as he shoved a forkful of waffle into his mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouthful, Nathan." Rupert corrected as Addison crawled into his lap, pulling her plate towards her.
"That's icky, Nafan!"
Nathan stuck his tongue out, showing off the chewed up waffle bite. Despite himself, Rupert let out a small chuckle at the six year old's actions and laughed harder when Addison jabbed at his plate and ate the small piece of waffle she had snatched.
"Addie! That was mine!"
Addison just grinned at her older brother and went back to eating her breakfast. With a grumble about his "annoying baby sister", Nathan finished off his plate and watched as the Roadrunner ran through the painted tunnel. Rupert just placed a kiss on his daughter's head and ruffled his son's hair.
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"Daddy, that's Miss Summers!" Nathan exclaimed as a petite blonde walked down the driveway next to their house. "Miss Summers!"
The blonde looked over at the sound of her name and gave the six year old a smile when she saw him, walking over as Nathan dragged his father over by the hand.
"Hi, Miss Summers." He beamed, turning his gaze back to father. "That's Miss Summers, Daddy."
"I heard you the first time, Rabbit." Rupert chuckled as he looked back at the woman his son had been talking about for the past month. "This isn't entirely how I pictured meeting my son's new teacher."
"Trust me, I didn't plan on moving next door to one of my students." She replied, offering her hand. "Buffy Summers."
"Rupert Giles," he shook her offered hand, bettering his hold on Addison as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Addison, say hello to Nathan's teacher."
"Hi, Addison." The four year old gave a small wave to the blonde before making it known that she wanted to be let down, running into the front yard with Nathan. "I'm assuming Nathan has told you all about me,"
"Any time he mentions school, you are the sole subject of the conversation." Rupert replied, glancing over to watch Nathan chase Addison around the front yard. "I felt as though I had already met you with as much as he talks about you,"
"I feel the same." Buffy laughed. "He thinks the world of you, that much I've picked up from the times I've talked to him."
"I would imagine so. I have to ask, why are you a teacher?" his gaze focused on her. "You're a best selling author, and you're not even thirty yet. So why become a teacher?"
"You realized who I was, huh?" she shook her head as she looked at the sidewalk, a smile on her face.
"I own a book store," Rupert explained, his hands diving into the pockets of his jeans. "Of course I'm going to notice."
"I like kids. And since I don't see myself ever being a mother, being a teacher is the next best thing."
He waned to ask her what she meant, but there was something about her tone that told him the subject was closed. So he decided to ask her about how she got into writing instead.
"I took creative writing my first year in college, my professor loved one of my short stories and encouraged me to try and turn it into a novel." The blonde answered. "Next thing I know, my professor is wanting to send it to her friend- who happened to be a publisher- and halfway through my second year at college, it was published. And then last year my second book came out, and now I'm working on the third one."
"Anymore planned after that?"
"No, the next one is the last one." Buffy said, giving him a small smile. "I don't want my books to turn into another cheap vampire saga."
"Even though you have more than just vampires in your books?"
The look she gave him was enough to say she wasn't used men openly admitting they had read her work. Her surprise grew even more when he just grinned at her.
"The occult and all things pertaining to it interest me," was all he offered as an explanation.
"Weird interest," she mumbled, only to laugh at his expression. "I know, says the one who writes about that kind of stuff. Anyways, you were on your way out and I shouldn't keep you from your plans. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Giles."
"Please, call me Rupert. And it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Summers."
"If I'm gonna call you by your first name, you have to do that same." They shared a smile before Rupert nodded his head in agreement. "I'll see you around, Rupert."
"Of course," he began to walk towards his children when a sudden idea made him stop. "Buffy,"
"Yeah?" she turned around to look at him.
"How would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" he could feel the blush creep up his face at her raised eyebrow. "I mean, as a way to um…s-s-say welcome to the uh…neighborhood?"
Rupert winced at the lack of confidence in his voice, wishing he could take back what he had just said.
"You can knock on my door at seven,"
He just nodded and turned to make his way back to Nathan and Addison, running after the four year old and scooping her up in his arms.
"Daddy!" she giggled, her arms wrapping around his neck as he dashed for the car with Nathan chasing after them.
"C'mon you two," he placed Addison in the back seat, Nathan scrambling over to the other side of the car and sliding in next to his sister.
"We going to the shop now?" the six year old asked.
"Yes," Rupert answered as he climbed into the driver's side, making sure Nathan and Addison were buckled in before starting the car and driving towards his store.
As he listened to the chatter in the back seat, his brain was thinking of ways to get Chris and Blake to watch his kids for him. And knowing Chris, that was going to require Rupert telling him why he needed the kids watched.
He was in for a long day at the store.
Author: the_huffster
Pairing: Buffy/Giles
Rating: R for language and violence
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.
"Daddy, wake up!" the constant tug on his sleeve woke Rupert Giles but he kept his eyes closed. "It's time to wake up!"
"Daddy! We'll miss cartoons!"
It was the second voice that made Rupert open his eyes, a smile forming when his children's faces greeted him. His son, Nathan Oliver, gave him a huge grin that showed off his missing upper right tooth while his daughter, Addison Claire, threw her arms around his neck. The six year old boy had decided a few months ago that he was too big to jump on his father's bed every Saturday morning, but his four year old sister told him that she was little enough to jump on the bed.
"Too early." Rupert yawned, both arms going around his children nonetheless. "Go downstairs, I'll be down soon enough."
After the expected cheers from the two, the siblings ran out of the bedroom and down the stairs as they were told. Nathan plopped on the right side of the couch, claiming his spot, and Addison jumped on to the left side before handing her older brother the television remote. Nathan quickly turned on the television to the proper channel, both children giggling just as a Bugs Bunny cartoon began.
Within minutes, Rupert sat in the middle of the couch and looked at his children. Nathan's light brown hair was still mused from sleep and his pajama shirt was probably somewhere balled up in his bedroom, his bright green eyes glued to the screen. Addison's dark hair had somehow managed to avoid looking tangled and her dark green eyes were just as focused on the television as her brother's, her tiny hands playing with the hem of her pajama shirt. Knowing how he looked- dark brown hair just as mused as his son's and his pajamas, a pair of black silk boxers and a white shirt, wrinkled from sleep- Rupert let a small chuckle out. The three of them were something else.
At the age of 41, Rupert found himself a single father to two children with an ex-wife who wanted nothing to do with any of them; not that they took notice. After the divorce had been settled, Rupert had moved out of England and to a small Texas town with his then three year old son and one year old daughter. Within six months, he had opened a small bookshop nearby his house and by the end of that year Rupert owned the most successful bookshop in Spring (with the exception of Barnes and Noble and Borders). This wasn't exactly the life he imagined himself having when he left the Watcher's Council all those years ago, but he wouldn't give it up for anything.
"Still hurt?" his daughter's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, his gaze directed to her index finger gently poking the hollow of his right elbow.
"Um...no, sweetheart. It's doesn't hurt." He assured her, cursing the physical reminders of his misguided rebellion not for the first time.
Nathan had always been fascinated by the mark of Eyghon, which was much simpler to explain than the marks Addison was fascinated by. Of all the marks- the tattoo and the scars- that he had received during his rebellion days, the track marks were what he regretted the most. Of all the drugs he had tried during his stint as Ripper, shooting heroin was his biggest mistake; although he had called it quits, with some difficulty, after using the stuff for six months but, clearly, the damage had been done.
"Nathan, get that out of your mouth." Rupert's attention went to the six year old, who was mindlessly chewing on the corner of the remote. "If you're hungry, I'll make you breakfast."
"Me!" Addison said, raising her hand at the mention of breakfast. "I'm hungry, Daddy."
A gurgling noise sounded from Nathan's stomach, causing the two siblings to laugh.
"Nafan's tummy hungry too," the little girl giggled, falling into her father's lap.
"I want waffles!" Nathan exclaimed as Rupert stood up. "With choclik chips!"
"Nathan, you don't order people about. Besides, I'm not making waffles this morning." He had to suppress the urge to grin at the defiant look his son gave him, his arms crossed over his chest as he did his best 'Daddy Glare'. "You're getting cereal,"
"Waffles!" the boy demanded, rubbing his little stomach. "Please, Daddy?"
"Wif choclik chips?" Addison added, looking at Rupert with wide eyes as she stuck out her bottom lip in a pout.
Without saying a word, Rupert picked up Addison and walked into the kitchen. He put her down on the island countertop before getting the toaster out, quickly pulling out the box of chocolate chip waffles from the freezer. A wide smile spread on the four year old's face as her father put four waffles in the toaster, getting out two paper plates.
"We going to the shop today?" she kicked her feet back and forth, occasionally letting her heels bounce off the cabinets.
"Yes, after we watch cartoons. Just like always, Princess." Rupert smiled, grabbing an apple from the fridge.
The family spent their Saturdays the same; Nathan and Addison would wake up their father at 9 o'clock, Rupert would make chocolate chip waffles for his children, the three of them would watch cartoons until 11 o'clock and then they would head out to the bookstore so Rupert could get in a few hours of work. As much as he enjoyed taking the kids to work with him, Nathan and Addison enjoyed going with him a little bit more. And he knew that it was employees that made his children enjoy spending their time at the bookstore.
"Done!" Addison cheered as the waffles popped up, prompting Rupert to set about getting the kids' breakfast ready.
He places two waffles on each paper plate, cutting up the waffles and pouring a little bit of syrup on them and picked up his daughter to set her on the floor. He handed her the plates and watched as she made her way back to the living room, setting the plates on the coffee table and sitting in front of her plate. Rupert poured one glass of milk, one glass of orange juice and a glass of apple juice before going back to the living room, handing each of the siblings a fork as he sat on the floor in between them.
"'Anks, 'Addy!" Nathan said as he shoved a forkful of waffle into his mouth.
"Don't talk with your mouthful, Nathan." Rupert corrected as Addison crawled into his lap, pulling her plate towards her.
"That's icky, Nafan!"
Nathan stuck his tongue out, showing off the chewed up waffle bite. Despite himself, Rupert let out a small chuckle at the six year old's actions and laughed harder when Addison jabbed at his plate and ate the small piece of waffle she had snatched.
"Addie! That was mine!"
Addison just grinned at her older brother and went back to eating her breakfast. With a grumble about his "annoying baby sister", Nathan finished off his plate and watched as the Roadrunner ran through the painted tunnel. Rupert just placed a kiss on his daughter's head and ruffled his son's hair.
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"Daddy, that's Miss Summers!" Nathan exclaimed as a petite blonde walked down the driveway next to their house. "Miss Summers!"
The blonde looked over at the sound of her name and gave the six year old a smile when she saw him, walking over as Nathan dragged his father over by the hand.
"Hi, Miss Summers." He beamed, turning his gaze back to father. "That's Miss Summers, Daddy."
"I heard you the first time, Rabbit." Rupert chuckled as he looked back at the woman his son had been talking about for the past month. "This isn't entirely how I pictured meeting my son's new teacher."
"Trust me, I didn't plan on moving next door to one of my students." She replied, offering her hand. "Buffy Summers."
"Rupert Giles," he shook her offered hand, bettering his hold on Addison as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Addison, say hello to Nathan's teacher."
"Hi, Addison." The four year old gave a small wave to the blonde before making it known that she wanted to be let down, running into the front yard with Nathan. "I'm assuming Nathan has told you all about me,"
"Any time he mentions school, you are the sole subject of the conversation." Rupert replied, glancing over to watch Nathan chase Addison around the front yard. "I felt as though I had already met you with as much as he talks about you,"
"I feel the same." Buffy laughed. "He thinks the world of you, that much I've picked up from the times I've talked to him."
"I would imagine so. I have to ask, why are you a teacher?" his gaze focused on her. "You're a best selling author, and you're not even thirty yet. So why become a teacher?"
"You realized who I was, huh?" she shook her head as she looked at the sidewalk, a smile on her face.
"I own a book store," Rupert explained, his hands diving into the pockets of his jeans. "Of course I'm going to notice."
"I like kids. And since I don't see myself ever being a mother, being a teacher is the next best thing."
He waned to ask her what she meant, but there was something about her tone that told him the subject was closed. So he decided to ask her about how she got into writing instead.
"I took creative writing my first year in college, my professor loved one of my short stories and encouraged me to try and turn it into a novel." The blonde answered. "Next thing I know, my professor is wanting to send it to her friend- who happened to be a publisher- and halfway through my second year at college, it was published. And then last year my second book came out, and now I'm working on the third one."
"Anymore planned after that?"
"No, the next one is the last one." Buffy said, giving him a small smile. "I don't want my books to turn into another cheap vampire saga."
"Even though you have more than just vampires in your books?"
The look she gave him was enough to say she wasn't used men openly admitting they had read her work. Her surprise grew even more when he just grinned at her.
"The occult and all things pertaining to it interest me," was all he offered as an explanation.
"Weird interest," she mumbled, only to laugh at his expression. "I know, says the one who writes about that kind of stuff. Anyways, you were on your way out and I shouldn't keep you from your plans. It was nice to meet you, Mr. Giles."
"Please, call me Rupert. And it was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Summers."
"If I'm gonna call you by your first name, you have to do that same." They shared a smile before Rupert nodded his head in agreement. "I'll see you around, Rupert."
"Of course," he began to walk towards his children when a sudden idea made him stop. "Buffy,"
"Yeah?" she turned around to look at him.
"How would you like to go to dinner with me tonight?" he could feel the blush creep up his face at her raised eyebrow. "I mean, as a way to um…s-s-say welcome to the uh…neighborhood?"
Rupert winced at the lack of confidence in his voice, wishing he could take back what he had just said.
"You can knock on my door at seven,"
He just nodded and turned to make his way back to Nathan and Addison, running after the four year old and scooping her up in his arms.
"Daddy!" she giggled, her arms wrapping around his neck as he dashed for the car with Nathan chasing after them.
"C'mon you two," he placed Addison in the back seat, Nathan scrambling over to the other side of the car and sliding in next to his sister.
"We going to the shop now?" the six year old asked.
"Yes," Rupert answered as he climbed into the driver's side, making sure Nathan and Addison were buckled in before starting the car and driving towards his store.
As he listened to the chatter in the back seat, his brain was thinking of ways to get Chris and Blake to watch his kids for him. And knowing Chris, that was going to require Rupert telling him why he needed the kids watched.
He was in for a long day at the store.