"We're back," Willow called as she entered the apartment.
"Will!" Xander jumped to his feet, scattering invitations all over the floor. "I am so glad to see you guys," he said honestly.
"I take it you've had fun, then?" Willow arched an eyebrow, and Giles smiled sheepishly.
"We did!" Buffy bounced on her toes. "Will is gonna knock your socks off, Giles," she informed him.
"Buffy!" Willow scolded. "You're not supposed to tell him anything."
"Sorry." Buffy removed herself from the path of Willow's glare.
"Speaking of things you shouldn't tell." Xander untangled himself from Anya. "I bet you didn't know that Giles has..."
"Xander!" Giles snapped.
"...a very bad temper," Xander finished.
"I do not have a bad temper!" Giles advanced on Xander menacingly.
"That's not a very convincing way of proving how 'mellow' you are." Xander remarked from his position behind Willow, where he was ever-so-slightly cowering.
"So, what did you have to tell me?" Willow asked, her amusement evident in her voice.
"Let's go, Anya." Xander skirted around Giles and headed out of the door, his girlfriend plastered to his side.
"Bye Xander, Anya," Willow called after their retreating backs.
"I think I'll just go now, too." Buffy made a somewhat less hasty retreat.
"Yes, well, be careful on patrol, won't you?" Giles cautioned her.
"Right. Got that. Remember stake." Buffy smiled cheerfully. "It is the heart you aim for, right?"
"Very amusing," Giles followed her to the door.
"Bye Will!" Buffy called over his shoulder.
"I'll see you tomorrow," Willow responded, sighing in relief as Giles shut the door. "Alone at last."
"And how nice it is." Giles pulled her down onto the couch with him.
"Come on then," Willow urged. "What do you need to tell me?"
"It's nothing important, really." Giles smiled. "Just that my brother is able to come to the wedding."
"Oh, that's nice," Willow commented absently as his fingers traced patterns on her bare arm. "Your brother?" She exclaimed as his words finally filtered through.
"My younger brother," Giles explained. "He's a doctor," he added as if that explained everything.
"And you never told me you had a brother, because?" Willow prodded.
"It never came up," he said simply.
"That's no excuse at all," Willow reprimanded him.
"I don't suppose it is," he conceded.
"Tell me about your brother." Willow gave him a stern look.
"He's called Christopher, and he's arriving tomorrow." Giles removed himself from the couch and headed upstairs.
"Tomorrow?" Willow shouted after him.
Giles closed his eyes and readied himself for a long night.
Part 12
Giles stood at the door, keys in hand, a bemused expression on his face as he watched Willow. She had insisted on accompanying him to the airport to pick up his brother, and was now flying around the apartment putting the 'finishing touches' to it, and herself.
"You look lovely," Giles said, sincerely, as she stopped to check herself in the mirror. Her hair was slightly messed, and her cheeks flushed. She looked beautiful to him, but then of course she always did.
"What if I put my hair up?" Willow proceeded to demonstrate exactly what she had planned, holding her hair up with one hand.
"Then we will be even later that we are now," Giles told her, opening the door and stepping out. "In that case, it won't really matter what you do with your hair, as Christopher will have taken a taxi to the hotel.""I just want to look nice for your brother," Willow grumbled, running her brush through her hair one last time before slipping out of the house.
"Should I be jealous? You're not really supposed to try to impress other men," Giles teased her as they made their way to the car.
"You know what I mean." Willow rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Yes, I know what you mean," Giles confirmed. "And you really shouldn't worry. I do believe that Christopher will be the jealous one."
"Does he have anyone? A girlfriend?" Willow prodded. She had spent most of the night attempting to extract details from Giles, but they had not been forthcoming.
"I really wouldn't know, Willow." Giles kept his eyes on the road as he made a left turn. "We haven't really kept in touch. Just a card at birthdays and Christmas."
"Really? That's sad." Willow said gravely.
"Yes, I rather suppose it is," Giles agreed. "No doubt I should have been more diligent."
"We can make up for it now." Willow was determined.
"We are going to be late," Giles glanced at his watch as they neared the airport. "I'll drop you off, then go and park the car."
"What if he gets here before you do?" Willow sounded panicked. "How will I recognise him?"
"I won't be long," Giles reassured her. "You should be able to recognise him. There is a slight family resemblance."
"But you will hurry?" Willow still didn't sound convinced.
"I'll be as quick as possible," he promised, reaching over her to open her door, and plant a small kiss on her lips.
"See you in a minute, then." Willow closed the door behind her and gave him a small wave before disappearing into the airport terminal.
The passengers were streaming through the door, and Willow was attempting to search for both Giles and his brother in the crowd. She sighed in frustration as yet another group of people blocked her view. Then there he was, standing in front of her. She could tell immediately that it was Christopher Giles. Rupert hadn't been exactly truthful with her. There was definitely a family resemblance, but it certainly wasn't slight. After a few moments, Willow began to blush, realising that she had been staring at the man. He, however, hadn't noticed this, as he was busy staring at Willow.
"Hello," she said finally, then cursed herself for not introducing herself. "I'm Willow," she said brightly. "Rosenberg, Rupert's..."
"Bride-to-be?" Christopher finished for her.
"Yes," Willow answered with a relieved sigh. She had found the right man.
"It's nice to meet you. Rupert is a very lucky man." Smiling, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. Willow the heat spread through her cheeks. "And where is Rupert? Don't tell me he sent you here alone?"
"Of course not. What do you take me for?" Giles came up behind them, shaking his brother's hand warmly before pulling him into a hug. After a moment or two they broke apart, and Giles looked almost embarrassed to have been caught expressing quite so much emotion in a public place.
"It's great to see you again," Christopher reached for his case, only to find his brother had grabbed it before him. Giles lifted the case easily, and smiled as Willow slipped her small hand into his free one.
"Yes, what has it been, five years?" Giles searched his mind for the last time they had met. If he remembered correctly it had been a month or so before the council had dispatched him to Sunnydale as Buffy's watcher.
"It must be nearly that, just before you became so important." Christopher glanced at Willow to make sure she knew what he was referring to. Her smile showed that she did.
"So important that the council saw fit to replace me," Giles lowered his voice.
"Ah, yes. That still a sore subject?" Christopher questioned.
"Too right it is," Willow cut in. "I wrote an angry letter, but Rupert wouldn't tell me where to send it." Willow squeezed his hand.
"I see your spirit matches your hair," Christopher held the door for her as they made it out of the airport terminal. "Is the Slayer this fiery?"
"Buffy is certainly...ah...exuberant." Giles allowed.
"Here we are." Giles and Willow came to a halt by the car. "Where would you like to go first? To the hotel or back to the apartment?
"I'd rather like to meet this Buffy, if you don't mind." Christopher slid into the back seat as Giles placed his case in the trunk.
"You should come to the apartment, then. No doubt Buffy will be there, waiting to catch a glimpse of you."
"And Xander," Willow added.
"Xander?" Christopher queried.
"My best friend," Willow explained. "And the best man."
"Ah, right. Xander, that's an unusual name."
"It's short for Alexander," Willow turned in her seat to face him. "Don't call him that, though. He doesn't like it."
"Got that." Christopher filed the information away. "So, Rupert's an ex-watcher, Buffy's the Slayer, what do you and Xander do?"
"Xander doesn't really have a steady job at the moment. I'm in college with Buffy." Willow smiled at him. "Oh, and I'm sort of a trainee witch."
Part 13
Christopher gave Buffy a tentative smile as she continued to fling questions at him. At first he had tried his best to answer them, but after the first five minutes he had given up, and settled for a nod or a cough here and there, coupled with the best smile he could muster. Whenever Buffy paused for breath, which wasn't often, Xander threw in a question of his own. When Anya cleared her throat ready to jump into the conversation, Willow decided to end it there and then, for the sake of public decency.
"Buffy, why don't you tell Christopher about some of your Slayer exploits?" Willow hoped that getting Buffy started on vampires and the various ways to dust them would keep her occupied for a few minutes.
"And why don't you tell me about some of your witch-like exploits?" Christopher reached out a hand and made contact with Willow's wrist as she attempted to move past.
"Me?" Willow squeaked, as she felt her trademark blush begin.
"Yes, you," Christopher released his hold on her as Giles entered the room with tea.
"I haven't done...much, really," Willow protested.
"Oh come on Will, you gave Angel back his soul," Xander exclaimed, proud of his little Wills.
"Yeah, but not exactly at the right time," Willow whispered to him, stealing an anxious glance at Buffy.
"Oh, right. Yeah, well, you're still our Sabrina," he assured her.
"Sabrina?" Christopher looked lost.
"Yes, as in 'teenage-witch'," Giles explained, receiving surprised looks from everyone in the room. "Well, I have been at rather a loose end recently," he explained, somewhat defensively.
"Right," Xander looked to the others. "Anyone else freaked out, here? Not only does G-man have a TV, he's been watching Sabrina!" Xander looked for support from Buffy and Willow, as Anya was busy studying Christopher.
"You know what, Willow?" She suddenly asked. "He's a lot like a younger Giles. Perhaps you should trade?"
"Anya!" Willow glared at the ex-demon, whilst Giles choked on his tea and Christopher sat up just that bit straighter.
"Just making an observation," Anya grumbled. "Xander said observations are good in conversations."
"*Some* observations, honey." Xander explained quietly. "Some you should just keep to yourself.
"Anyway," Buffy broke the silence that followed Xander's comments. "Willow's not bad at the magic thing, but once the Master - that's the like the big Master Vampire - he sent these three vampires after me, and you know they were called The Three, which is pretty unimaginative, and..." As Buffy paused to take a breath, Christopher dived into the conversation again.
"So, what else have you done?" He asked Willow.
"Well...um..."
"She made your brother blind, once," Anya supplied helpfully, earning another glare from Willow.
"Oh, yeah, and she turned Xander into a demon magnet," Buffy warmed to the topic. "It was kinda funny, y'know? And then..."
"Then she made Buffy want to marry Spike!" Xander cut in. Being a demon magnet had certainly *not* been funny.
"Don't remind me!" Buffy began regaling them with tales of the horror that had been her engagement to Spike, as Willow began to feel smaller and smaller. Giles walked over to her and quickly led her into the kitchen.
"Thank you," she exclaimed with feeling as he pulled her into a hug.
"You're welcome." He smiled against the top of her head. Willow pulled back slightly and tilted her head in invitation. Just as his lips touched hers, they heard a discreet cough.
"Sorry to interrupt." Christopher smiled at them sheepishly.
"That's quite alright," Giles said in a tone that implied it was anything but alright.
"Did you need something?" Willow asked.
"I was wondering if you had some Aspirin?" Christopher replied.
"Hey, G-man junior, you've gotta hear about my time as a Hyena!" Xander called from the other room.
"The time you don't remember?" Buffy responded.
"Just 9 or 10 or so?" Christopher finished.
Part 14
Xander was bored. In fact, he had passed bored at least half an hour earlier, so now he was attempting to keep himself awake. He was hiding in the bushes by Giles' apartment, ready to jump out and kidnap the ex-watcher, and force him into enjoying his bachelor party. As a twig scratched his arm, he decided to kill the bright spark who had come up with the idea. After a moment, he remembered that it had, in fact, been his idea. Not too happy with the idea of killing himself, he settled for humming the batman theme.
Giles parked the car and pocketed his keys. As he moved towards his apartment, he heard a rustling, and a strange type of non-musical humming. Giles sighed, reaching inside his jacket for a cross and stake. As he spun around, he came face to face with a terrified Xander.
"Ahh!" Xander cried, throwing his hands up to shield his face, just before Giles smashed the cross down on his forehead.
"Xander!" Giles exclaimed, loudly. As curtains started to twitch, he forced himself to plaster a smile on his face and lower his voice. "What on earth are you doing?"
"Kidnapping you!" Xander explained.
"Excuse me?" Giles dropped the cross into his packet, and used his free hand to grip Xander's arm tightly.
"For fun...and...er...other things...did I mention fun?" Xander laughed nervously, as Giles applied slightly more pressure.
"It's not a good idea to loiter in bushes at night, on the hellmouth, is it?" Giles asked.
"No...not...of the good," Xander agreed, furiously shaking his head.
"I'm so glad that's settled. I'll see you tomorrow," Giles started walking towards his apartment.
"Wait!" Xander called desperately. "Everyone's waiting."
"Everyone?" Giles stopped walking but didn't turn around. "And just exactly who is everyone?"
"Well....Christopher, and Spike..." Xander trailed off as Giles groaned. "I didn't invite him!" He protested. "He just sort of turned up, and wouldn't leave."
"I don't have a choice, do I?" Giles asked as he turned.
"That's the spirit!" Xander exclaimed, happily. "After all, Willow's at Buffy's, so what else did you have to do?"
"Laundry?" Giles suggested hopefully.
"You're getting married in three days, you can do all the laundry you want after that," Xander promised.
"I told her we should have eloped," Giles sighed as he followed Xander.
"So, I've got face packs, and videos and..." Willow trailed off as she noticed Buffy and Anya shaking their heads. "What?" She asked at last.
"You might want to put this on instead," Buffy held out one of her dresses. This particular one had very little material to it.
"Isn't that a bit...much?" Willow looked down at her fluffy bunny pajamas. "Aren't these better for a sleepover?"
"For a sleepover, yeah, but we're going clubbing in LA," Buffy removed the bags from Willow's hands and laid the dress over her arms. "Now go, get changed." Buffy pushed a protesting Willow towards the bathroom, before turning to Anya. "Now that was a job well done, don't you think?"
"Definitely," Anya agreed, pulling her own dress out of Buffy's closet where she had hidden it when Willow arrived.
An hour later, Buffy was still fussing with her hair and make-up as Anya tapped her foot impatiently by the door, and Willow thought about making a break for freedom. Looking down at her 3 inch heels, she decided not to bother, and with Buffy's slayer speed, she didn't suppose she'd get very far anyway.
"I'm ready!" Buffy announced brightly, as she stuffed the last of her make-up into her tiny evening bag, and eyed the clasp suspiciously, as if expecting it to pop open any minute. After a moment or two of scrutiny, she picked it up, seemingly satisfied that it was going to behave.
"At last," Anya grumbled under her breath, as they shuffled Willow out of the house and into Anya's car.
"Don't you think LA is a bit far for one night?" Willow asked, urgently. "I mean, wouldn't you rather watch videos, and y'know, give each other manicures?" Her voice held more than a slight hint of desperation.
"Lighten up, Will. We're gonna have fun!" Buffy exclaimed, reaching over from the back seat to punch Willow on the arm. "And we're staying at Cordelia's tonight, and driving back in the morning," Buffy explained. "Just us three girls and Cordelia's ghost!"
"Oh great," Willow muttered sarcastically.
"I love ghosts," Anya joined in the conversation. "I knew one once..."
"I *was* one once," Willow interrupted. "It wasn't fun." She shivered.
"The past is the past," Buffy told her, refusing to let Willow dampen her mood.
"So we should party," Anya gave Buffy her support.
"I can't stop you, can I?" Willow looked back and forth between Anya and Buffy.
"No!" They both answered in unison.
"Rupert was right, we should have eloped," Willow muttered as she looked out of the window as Sunnydale faded into the distance.
Part 15
Xander flung open the door to his basement, half-dragging a reluctant Giles behind him.
"G-man's here, let the party begin!" He announced.
"About time," Spike grumbled, searching his pockets for his cigarettes.
"Allow me," Christopher pulled a packet of cigars from his inside pocket and offered the packet to Spike. Spike studied it suspiciously for a minute before reaching out and taking three.
"Thanks mate, you're a lot more generous than your brother," Spike nodded towards Giles.
"Excuse me!" Giles protested.
"He offers, watcher, and he doesn't moan," Spike smirked at Giles.
"And you are the expert on moaning," Giles shot back.
"Only women, Rupert. I can make 'em moan all night." Spike settled back on Xander's bed, his hands behind his head. "Take the little witch now..."
"Hey!" Giles, Christopher and Xander all interrupted.
"Just making a point," Spike tried to look innocent. Not exactly an easy thing to do when you're a smirking master vampire. Even in reduced circumstances.
"I need a drink," Giles sat down heavily. "I take it you do have alcohol?"
"Sure, we have beer, and beer, and more beer," Xander pulled several bags out from under the bed.
"I meant a real drink!" Giles closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Spike was swinging a bottle back and forth in front of his eyes. A bottle of scotch. A blessed bottle of scotch.
"Say thank you, Rupert," Spike's smirk grew as Giles reached out for the bottle.
"Thank you," he repeated automatically as Spike allowed him to take the bottle. "Hang on a minute, it's my scotch!" He stared murderously at Spike.
"I know. I liberated it," Spike grabbed some glasses off the side. "I liberated these as well," he grinned.
"God, I hate you," Giles poured out a liberal measure and knocked it back in one. Then he refilled the glass.
"I'm so hurt. It's just like a stake through the heart," Spike responded drily.
"I can arrange that, if you'd like," Giles advanced on the vampire menacingly.
"Now Rupert, think of the lovely Willow. She wouldn't want you to stake Spike just before your wedding," Christopher moved between the ex-watcher and the incapacitated vampire, and took the bottle from Rupert's hand.
"The lovely Willow?" Spike questioned. "Sounds like someone else likes the little witch."
"God," Giles knocked back his third glass.
"Hey guys, take it easy. The stripper isn't even here yet," Xander sounded desperate as the two brothers and the vampire continued drinking.
"God," Rupert repeated.
"Have fun, ladies," Wesley shouted after them as they walked away. "And do be careful!"
"Thanks, dad," Cordelia called back, a smile on her face as Wesley began to splutter.
"Why'd you ask Wesley to drive us, anyway?" Buffy asked, pulling a face.
"It was either him or Angel," Cordelia answered. "I think I made the right choice," she smiled. "Besides, he'll come pick us up whenever we want. I know he won't be able to sleep until he knows I'm home."
"Ahhhh, that's so sweet," Willow smiled. "Rupert's like that with me." She felt a tear form in her eye at the thought of her soon-to-be husband.
"Oh, please. We've been there, tried that," Cordelia grimaced, remembering that kiss. "Wesley's more like a brother. An older, over-protective brother," she added.
"It's still sweet," Willow refused to back down.
"Yes, it's sweet," Buffy agreed. "But, y'know what? Shouldn't we be having fun?"
"Let's party!" Anya added as they entered the club.
"Fine, but I'm not drinking!" Willow called after them.
"Hey, these cocktails are pretty good for non-alcoholic ones," Willow said after downing her fifth. Cordelia, Buffy and Anya looked at each other for a moment before finishing their own drinks.
"Dance?" Buffy pulled Willow from her chair.
"Sure," Willow stumbled over her own feet, but Buffy's hand on her arm kept her upright.
As the four girls took to the dance floor, the crush of people seemed to part, and Buffy led them to the centre of the floor. The dancers closedback in on them again, and they found themselves the centre of attention. Willow started dancing conservatively at first, but after a few minutes the beat got to her, and she flung her arms up in the air, her hips swinging to the beat. Several men drew in a sharp breath - Willow's already short dress rode up just a little bit more each time she raised her arms.
"I want another drink," Willow shouted into Buffy's ear, before lurching off towards the bar.
"I'll get it," Buffy shouted after her, catching her up and pushing her towards their former table.
"I'm perfectly capable," Willow argued, before letting a hiccup escape.
"I know, Will. Just humour me?"
"Okay, but only because you're my best friend, and I love you," Willow pulled Buffy into a hug.
"I love you too, Will. I'll be back in a minute." Buffy extracted herself from Willow's arms and moved off to the bar.
"Hey, Willow, don't look now, but that guy keeps looking at you," Anya and Cordelia sat down at the table.
"Why?" Willow frowned. "Do I have something on my face? Lipstick?"
"He's not looking at your face," Cordelia explained.
"What?" Willow looked puzzled. "It must be Buffy's dress," she offered.
"I think it's you in Buffy's dress," Anya told her. "Uh-oh, here he comes," she turned to Cordelia as the guy sidled up.
"Hi," he gave Willow a tentative smile.
"Hi," Willow smiled back.
"Would you like to dance?" He asked, shifting nervously from foot to foot as Cordelia and Anya sneaked not-so-covert glances at him.
"I...oh..." Willow was sure there was a reason why she should say no. Just then, Buffy returned with the drinks. Willow grabbed hers and swallowed it in one go, before turning back to the man. "Okay," she said brightly.
As they began to dance, Willow still had a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that there was something she was supposed to remember. Suddenly, she was shaken from her thoughts as she felt a hand somewhere where a hand shouldn't be.
"Rupert," she blurted out.
"No, it's Greg actually," her partner said.
"No, I mean, I'm committed," she explained.
"I can believe that," he smiled.
"I'm getting married," she tried again.
"In the morning?" He asked.
"No, in three days," Willow was starting to get fed up with this conversation.
"We only need one night," Greg placed his hand somewhere else where it shouldn't have been.
"I don't think so!" Willow wrenched herself away.
"Come on," Greg tried to pull Willow back against him.
"She said no," Buffy grabbed his arm and twisted. He let out a howl. Willow smiled in satisfaction, and brought her heeled shoe down on his foot. As the howl grew louder, both Buffy and Willow turned and walked back to the table. Both of them giggling.