Title: Endings and Beginnings
Author: Oreadno1
Email: Palymede@yahoo.com
Pairing: Willow/Giles  (Who else? They are perfection... *SIGH* )
Rating: I have no rating system. It starts off innocently enough but gets adult. 
Summary:  After S5. Buffy's death doesn't close the portal, and my happy Willow/Giles world goes on.
Feedback: I know it's crappy (Can't seem to do authentic Willow-babble yet) but be gentle. I'd like to go on believing that my many and various English teachers taught me something about writing, grammar, punctuation, etc....


Chapter One

Buffy's death didn't close the portal. As her friends watched with horrified eyes below, she plunged through the portal to land on a pile of concrete, broken and dead. Dawn, still atop the makeshift tower constructed by Glory's mindless drones, watched as, after Buffy's ultimately futile leap, the portal not only didn't close, but widened further, admitting more demons and monsters. Realising what she must do, she reached a trembling hand for the knife laying near her feet. With a hissing, indrawn breath, she drew the sharp blade across her stomach, causing her blood to run afresh. She stumbled to the edge of the platform.

"Goodbye, everyone," she sobbingly whispered, "I love you."

She took one last deep breath, then leaned forward till she lost her balance and fell from the platform. As her body entered the portal, a brilliant flash of green light flooded the sky and a fierce vortex was created, sucking the demons and monsters back through to the dimension they'd come from. As those below watched in shock, the green light brightened momentarily, then faded to a night sky filled with stars.

They all converged on Buffy's lifeless body, Spike falling to his knees at the sight of the woman he loved. Giles stood there as tears streamed unchecked down his cheeks. Xander cradled Anya in his trembling arms as he looked at his fallen friend. Willow, clinging to Tara's hand, sobbed openly at Buffy's surprisingly undamaged, peaceful form.

The next week passed in a merciful blur. A double funeral was held for Buffy and Dawn. Even though Dawn's body had been utterly consumed by the mystical energy, they bought a casket for her and filled it with mementos of her brief life: pictures of her with her family and friends, her favorite stuffed animal, a diary that had escaped her destructive fury when she'd discovered the truth about herself, the picture frame she'd made for Buffy's birthday. Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley came from L.A. to pay their respects to the fallen Slayer and her equally brave sister. The tombstones held short, poignant epitaphs:

Buffy Anne Summers

1980 - 2001

She saved the world

a lot

and

Dawn Summers

1986 - 2001

A ray of light

to brighten

our days

Oz came for the funeral, as well, but stayed away from Willow, who had additional grief to deal with, for her spell to restore Tara had backfired in some way. Tara was no longer the Tara they'd come to know, and in Willow's case, love. Gone was the quiet, shy, stuttering Wicca. In her place was a brash, loud, unrecognisable woman. A woman who thought nothing of grabbing Willow's butt or publicly berating her for being too 'closeted.' Giles helped the understandably upset Willow reseach the causes of Tara's behavioural switch, but all they could come up with was that part of the personality of Glory or someone whose mind she had destroyed had been absorbed by Tara and there was no way to reverse it without rendering Tara mindless once again. When a devastated Willow returned to her and Tara's room after discovering this, she found Tara in bed with another woman.

"What? Why?" she cried, her heart breaking, "How can you do this to me after all I've done for you!"

"Oh, please," Tara answered snidely, "You didn't do that much. You're the reason Glory got to me in the first place. And I've done a lot for you, teaching you all those spells. Besides, you're boring. I need more than some dull little bookworm-y, computer geek who's afraid to hold hands with me in front of her stupid friends."

As tears flooded her eyes, Willow turned and fled the room, followed by Tara and her companion's mocking laughter. As she reached the quad, she realised she had no idea where to go. There was no Buffy to run to and Xander and Anya had been pretty much wrapped up in each other since Buffy's death. She couldn't go home as she no longer had a home to go to. When she'd started college her parents had sold their house and moved far away from Sunnydale. That left only one place she felt safe and welcome.

Giles moved numbly about his apartment, slowly packing some of his things. The Council had contacted him, informing him of the imminent arrival of the new Slayer and her Watcher. Once they were there he was free to return home to England. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Happiness at returning home, but he knew leaving Sunnydale and his 'family' here would be a wrench. The thought of leaving Willow behind, even though she was with Tara, was enough to give him pause. He'd never admitted it to anyone, would hardly admit it to himself, but he'd been falling in love with the redhead almost from the day he'd met her. And now, to abandon her when she was in such pain over Buffy's death and the precarious state of her relationship with Tara was something he wasn't sure he could do. He was jolted out of his thoughts by a pounding on his door. As he opened it he was startled as the object of his thoughts flung herself into his arms, crying.

"Wh-what?" he managed to get out, "Willow, what's the matter? Has something happened to Tara or Xander?"

"Tara...another girl...our bed...laughing at me," she mumbled, her face buried against his chest.

At the mention of Tara's name, Willow sobbed louder. Giles led her to the couch and wrapped the throw from it around her shivering form. He moved to the kitchen to make tea and allow Willow some time to compose herself and collect her thoughts. When he returned, tea tray in his hands, her sobs had quieted some, though tears still coursed silently down her cheeks.

"Do you think you can tell me what happened?" he quietly entreated.

Willow drew a shuddering breath and began.

"I went back to my room after I left here. I was gonna tell Tara what we'd found out about the spell. But when I got there, Tara was there. With another girl. In our bed! And she laughed at me, calling me boring and telling me I wasn't enough for her. The other girl was laughing at me, too."

Willow burst into fresh sobs as she finished.

"Oh, Willow," Giles said, helplessly, as he drew her into his arms, trying to comfort her as best he could.

Willow sniffled a little and lifted her tearstained face to his.

"Giles, what am I gonna do? I have no place to go. Buffy's gone, I can't go back to that room, Xander and Anya are too busy with each other and they don't have any room anyway, and my parents moved away. Where am I gonna go?"

Without giving himself time to think of the consequences, Giles blurted out:

"You can stay with me as long as you need, Willow. It's only a few more weeks till this semester ends, if I'm not mistaken, right?"

"Yes, it's only two weeks till finals."

"Well, you can stay here and finish up and then you can decide what you wish to do next," he offered, carefully hiding his excitement at the thought of Willow staying with him.

"Oh, Giles, I don't want to be a bother...."

"Nonsense," he interrupted, "You could never be a bother."

"But you're leaving aren't you?" she choked up a little at the word 'leaving'.

"Not immediately. My rent is paid thorugh the end of the year. I'm under no time constraint as to when, or if, I go. I was just packing a few things for the new Watcher."

"You're not going back to England?"

"I haven't really decided what I am going to do. I intended to take some time to consider my options."

"So it really wouldn't be too much trouble if I stayed here? I wouldn't be in the way?"

"Not at all. I'd be very happy to have you stay." That, at least, was the truth.

"Okay, if it's not going to be a problem, then I'd like to stay with you, at least until I can figure out what to do next."

"It's a deal, then. When would you like to go pick up your things from the dorm?"

"Well I have two classes this afternoon. I can get my stuff together between them and be ready for you around 4:30?"

"I'll be there. Now, would you like a ride back to campus? I have a few errands I need to run, and I can drop you off if you like."

"Sure, that'd be great."

"Just let me get one thing done and we'll be off. Perhaps you'd like to splash some water on your face? No need to let Tara see how she upset you," he dashed off to the spare room to open the windows and air it out while she headed to the bathroom. When they both returned to the living room, he turned to her.

"Ready?"

"As ready as I'm gonna be."

The ride back to the college was quiet. As he dropped her off in front of the lecture hall, Giles turned to Willow.

"I'll meet you in front of your dorm at 4:30, without fail."

"I'll be there. Oh, Giles," Willow burst out, impulsively, "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough for what you're doing for me."

"No thanks necessary. That's what friends are for."

She gave him a small, sad smile, then headed to her class.

 

Chapter Two

After leaving Willow, Giles sped off to the mall. Much as he detested the place, he needed to get a few things to make the spare room ready for Willow's arrival. He bought new pillows and bedding and a few knickknacks to make it seem more homey and less like the storage room it had really been during his Sunnydale sojourn. He stopped by the Magic Box, which was still closed after Buffy's death, and picked up some crystals to help make the spare room a welcoming haven for Willow, rose and rutilated quartz for their healing properties, smoky quartz to dissolve negative energy, onyx for emotional balance and protection, citrine and lepidolite to deflect nightmares, and dolomite to relieve sorrow. He stopped by the grocery store to pick up some of the foods he knew she liked and obeying a sudden impulse, bought a small bunch of flowers to show Willow how happy he was she was going to be staying with him. Granted, he'd be much happier if she was moving in for more romantic reasons, but it was nice that she still turned to him when she needed a friend. It relieved a secret fear he'd had, that, with Buffy gone, she'd pull away from him now that the reason for their friendship was no longer there. He rushed home and worked feverishly to ready the spare room, glad that the open windows had rid the room of the stuffy, closed up smell and that the bouquet of flowers he'd gotten was already perfuming the air with its' sweet scent. Glancing at his watch, he realised it was time to pick up Willow. He drove back to the campus and spotted Willow in front of her dorm with several boxes and a couple of suitcases. A grin spread across her face when she saw him, but faded as Tara approached with the girl from earlier, a vapid-looking bleached blonde, who put Giles in mind of the pre-vampire Harmony.

"Oh, look" Tara said, nastily, "It's the mousepad. Running off to your new hidey-hole?"

Willow took a deep breath and turned to the pair. Looking her replacement over, a thought entered her mind.

"Good luck," she said to the new girl, "She'll bore you in bed. Good thing for her she persuaded me to take drama and I learned to fake it."

As Tara's mouth fell open, Willow smiled sweetly and turned her back on the pair. Head held high, she strode towards Giles, carrying a large box, which he quickly took from her and put in his car. The rest of her things were quickly loaded in his car and they left the campus. As they drove away, Willow's bravado deserted her and her shoulders slumped as tears pricked at her eyes. Giles, noticing this, reached over and picked up her hand, squeezing it gently. She looked up at him, gratitude in her eyes and a moment of silent communication passed between them. When they reached the apartment, they unloaded her things and Giles nervously showed her to the spare room. Willow's eyes widened at the comfortable, cheerful space he'd created for her.

"Oh, Giles," she exclaimed, "It's so nice! It's even nicer than I expected, not that I thought you were gonna put me in a dark hole or anything like that, but I never expected it to be so pretty and homey and..."

She broke off in mid-babble to fling her arms around his neck. He gently hugged her back briefly, then pulled back from the sweet torture of holding her in his arms.

"I-I'm glad you like it," he smiled, "Let's get your things in here and you can settle in while I make dinner."

He left Willow to make the room more personal and headed for the kitchen. Knowing Willow liked Italian, he'd gotten the ingredients for baked fiore and set about making it. Once it was in the oven, he returned to Willow's room to find her sitting dejectedly on the edge of the bed. She'd unpacked her clothes and a few candles, but that was as far as she'd gotten. It broke his heart to see her looking so sad. He tapped gently on her door.

"Willow? Dinner's in the oven. How about some tea while we wait?"

She looked up at him, blinking back unshed tears, and managed a small smile, nodding.

She was curled up on a corner of the sofa, knees under her chin, when he came in with the tea tray. He set the tray down on the coffee table and poured them each a cup. Willow sighed and moved to put sugar and milk in her tea. As she looked up at Giles, she noticed a questioning look in his eyes.

"What? Did I do something?" she asked.

"No," he answered slowly, "I just wondered, where that...remark...you made to Tara and her new friend came from. I don't think I've ever heard you be so...mean before, though I'm not saying it wasn't justified."

"Oh, that," she smiled and her cheeks pinkened slightly, "It just kinda popped into my head and out of my mouth before I could stop it. Buffy always used to say stuff like that. Do you think she would have approved?"

"Buffy would have been extremely proud and no doubt would have taken credit for teaching you to say such things. So, it wasn't true?" he didn't really know why he wanted to know if she'd been lying.

"Well," she hesitated, blushing further, "With Tara, the...physical...wasn't that...special, but the emotional, the closeness, the caring was. She made me feel like there was no one in the whole world as...important... or...or... special as me. I'd never felt like that before. Not that Oz didn't make me feel special, but he had his music and the band and he didn't really understand or...get into... magick and witchcraft like me, and Tara did. And the whole 'three-days-a-month' thing with Oz was difficult to deal with. I tried to, but I couldn't really understand what he was going through, and he couldn't or wouldn't explain. Plus after the whole thing with Xander senior year, I kinda wondered if he really trusted me or not. Not that he ever did or said anything to make me feel like that. Maybe it was just my guilt. But that feeling was always there. And Tara didn't make me feel that way. Being with Oz was complicated; being with Tara wasn't. Except when it came to telling you, Buffy, and Xander about it. You know, you were the only one who didn't get wigged out about it? Of course, you really weren't in any condition to do much of anything," she giggled.

It was Giles' turn to blush as he remembered how drunk he'd gotten as a result of Spike's attempts to break up the gang at Adam's behest.

"Yes, well, when I finally sobered up and realised what you'd said, I was...shocked...but I've always wanted you to be happy, so there was nothing for me to do but support your choice."

"That's very sweet of you. Your support meant a lot to me, especially since it took Buffy and Xander so long to accept it."

The timer went off in the kitchen and Giles hurried to finish preparing dinner. Willow moved to the breakfast counter and sat on a stool he'd placed there.

"Mmmm...it smells delicious. What is it?"

"It's baked fiore. I seem to remember you like Italian, and thought you might enjoy it."

He dished up two plates and brought them to the counter then turned back for the garlic bread he'd made to go with it.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Water, please."

He brought two glasses of water to the counter, then slid onto a stool opposite her. He watched as she picked up her fork and took a bite, after carefully blowing on it to cool it.

"Oh, Giles! This is wonderful! You have to teach me the recipe!"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What? You think I can't cook?" she demanded, smiling, "How do you think I survived all those nights my parents were gone?"

"I-I never really thought about it," he ducked his head, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to imply..."

"It's okay, Giles," she interrupted, "I know you didn't mean anything by it. But now I have to fix you dinner to prove that I really can cook. And don't worry, it'll be more than hot dogs and frozen french fries."

"That's a relief," he remarked, dryly, and they both smiled and resumed eating. When they were finished, Willow insisted on doing the dishes.

"You cooked, I'll clean up," she stated succinctly, shooing him out of the kitchen.

When she was finished, she joined him in the living room. They sat in awkward silence, until Giles broke it.

"So how were your classes this afternoon?"

"Okay," she replied. "I was kinda distracted."

"I can imagine."

"You know, this is kinda weird, us just sitting here talking. I mean, with no research to be done. But it's nice, too. We can get to know each other better."

Giles crushed down all thoughts of how much better he'd like to know her.

"So what was Oxford like? I'd like to know what I missed."

Giles began a description of his years at Oxford, only briefly mentioning Ethan and Eyghon, and finishing with his taking up his post in the Watcher's Council. He wondered aloud:

"Do you regret it? Staying in Sunnydale and passing up your chance to get away from the Hellmouth?"

"Not really. I mean it would have been cool to go to Oxford, or Yale or MIT, but I think I learned more here than I ever could have at any of them, even if they're some of the best colleges in the world."

"Well, that's true. I don't think any of them offer courses in how to defeat vampires, demons, government created part-man-part-demon-part-computer menaces,...or hell-gods."

A wave of sadness passed over both of them as they thought of Buffy's and Dawn's deaths. Willow shook herself to banish the unhappy memories and looked over at Giles. He sat slumped in his chair, his head bowed.

"Giles, what is it? What's wrong?"

"I can't help feeling like I failed her...failed both of them somehow."

Willow moved from the couch to kneel by his feet. She took one of his hands and used her other to tilt his chin up, making him look her in the eyes.

"No, Giles. You did everything you possibly could, more even. I know it's hard to believe, but Buffy made the choice to jump. You didn't force her to do it. She did that on her own, to save the people she loved. Including you. She loved you, Giles. You were the father she needed and didn't have. And Dawn made her own choice, too. When she saw that Buffy's death didn't...work...she did the only thing she knew to prevent life as we knew it from being destroyed. Because she loved us, too."

Both of their faces were wet with tears now. Willow reached up and put her arms around Giles and they held each other as they cried. When their tears subsided, Giles reluctantly released Willow, ignoring the emptiness he felt as he let her go. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Willow wipe her eyes. When she had, she gave it back to him and he did the same.

"Well, then," he took a deep breath, "What do you say to some more tea?"

"That sounds nice," Willow answered, distractedly.

As he headed into the kitchen, Willow returned to the couch and attempted to rationalise the warmth that had spread through her as Giles held her, the feeling of perfect rightness she'd felt in his arms. Sure she'd had a crush on him in high school, but that was long gone, wasn't it? She was gay now, wasn't she? After all, she'd been in love with Tara, hadn't she? So she had to be gay, right? Finally, she gave up and tried to clear the confusing thoughts from her mind.

In the kitchen Giles was having similar difficulties It had been wonderful to have Willow in his arms, like that was the way it was supposed to be. But she was vulnerable now. He couldn't take advantage of that. And the age difference would be hard to overlook. Not to mention that she'd made her...preference...clear. Except for what she'd told him earlier, that the attraction to Tara hadn't been physical but emotional. What would she do if a man (himself) showed her the same love, kindness, and caring? Could she possibly come to care for him despite his masculinity and age? He sighed and tried to banish those thoughts from his head as he carried the tea tray out to her.

As they sipped their tea, the front door banged open, causing them both to jump. Xander and Anya came rushing in.

"Willow!" Xander exclaimed, "Here you are. We've been looking all over for you. We went by the dorm, but Tara said you'd moved out. What's up with that? And who was the blonde chick we saw with her?"

Giles noticed more tears forming in her eyes and handed his handkerchief back to her.

"Thanks," she muttered, wiping her eyes, "It's true. I moved out from Tara's room. That blonde you saw is Tara's new girlfriend. She cheated on me..."

Willow broke off, sobbing.

"Oh, Wills," Xander sympathised, moving to hug his oldest friend, "I'm so sorry. There's no chance of you two getting back together?"

"No, Xander, no chance," she stated resolutely, pulling away, "The Tara I loved is gone. There's someone walking around who looks like her, but she's not the woman I loved, and there's no way to bring my Tara back."

"Oh, damn, Will, that sucks."

"Was there any particular reason you burst in here?" Giles interrupted, trying to change the subject to something less painful for Willow.

"Well, we have some news, but I'm not sure now is the time to tell it."

"We're getting married!" Anya enthused, holding her hand out to show off her ring.

Xander shot her a disapproving look.

"What? They needed some happy news to cheer them up."

"You're getting married?" Willow was surprised, "When? When did you decide to do this?"

"Well," Xander shifted uncomfortably, " I proposed...that night. You know, the night Buffy and Dawn... Well, before we left the Magic Box, while An and I were in the basement, I...I proposed to her then."

"So when is the happy occasion?" Giles inquired.

"Next week. We can't afford anything fancy, so we're just going to do it at City Hall."

Anya frowned a little sulkily at that.

"But we want you two to be there," Xander continued, ignoring her pout, "It wouldn't be right if you weren't there."

"We'd be honoured," Giles stopped, realising he was speaking for Willow, "That is, I'd be honoured. Willow?"

"Just try to keep me away! My little Xan, all growed up and getting married! This I have got to see. But why City Hall? Isn't there someplace else you could do it?"

"Nowhere we can afford. We thought about the park, but do you know how much it costs?"

Willow turned to Giles, a question in her eyes. Realising what she was asking, he nodded slightly. She turned back to the happy couple.

"How about here? It seems so...unromantic... at City Hall. At least here you'll be in friendly surroundings."

Xander looked to Anya for her approval and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Are you sure, Giles? It won't be too much trouble?"

"Not at all. We'd be very happy to hold the wedding here."

"We? What do you mean by 'we'?" he demanded.

"Oh," Willow flushed a little, "I forget to tell you that Giles is letting me stay with him. I'm living here until school's over and I can figure out what I'm gonna do."

Xander looked ready to protest when he stopped and realised he had no right, nor did he have any alternatives.

"Well, at least I know he'll take good care of you."

"So, Anya" Willow changed the subject, "Do you have your dress picked out? Or do we need to go shopping?"

"Well, I wasn't going to get dressed up for City Hall, but since we're having it here I guess I should get something nice. So shopping it is!"

"I'm free tomorrow, if you'd like me to come along. Oh! I know a bridal warehouse that has gorgeous gowns that aren't too expensive!"

"That sounds great. I'll meet you here at 10?"

"I'll be ready. You know, I need to get something nice to wear for the wedding, too. I don't have anything fancy except my prom dress, and that's in storage."

The two women drifted off into a conversation about colors, lengths, necklines and other dress-related subjects.

Giles and Xander looked at each other and Xander rolled his eyes.

"Women and shopping. I'll never understand it."

"I don't think we're supposed to," Giles remarked, "One of life's mysteries."

After a few more minutes, Xander and Anya left. Willow turned a little nervously towards Giles.

"Giles, are you sure you're okay with having the wedding here? I mean I just kinda offered up your place like it was my own and I didn't really have the right to do that."

"I'm fine with holding the wedding here. I didn't mind you offering at all. It was very thoughtful of you to do so. And this is not just 'my place'. I want you to think of it as yours, as well."

A mischevous grin spread across her face.

"We'll see how you feel once you realise you have to share your bathroom now."

"I'm sure we'll manage."

Before she could reply a large yawn overtook her.

"I'm sorry," she apologised, "I guess I'm a little tired."

"I've no doubt. You've had a busy, emotional day. You have every right to be tired."

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay."

"I won't be far behind you. I'm rather tired myself."

She walked over to him and gave him a quick hug.

"G'night Giles," she kissed his cheek briefly, "Thanks again for letting me stay with you."

"My pleasure. Good night and sleep well."

As Willow lay in her new bed, she tried to ignore the lonely feeling she felt in the empty bed. She missed having someone to cuddle up with, though the thought of curling up with the 'new' Tara was repugnant to her. A small smile crossed her face as she remembered the zinger she'd gotten off at Tara. The memory of being held by Giles floated around the edges of her subconcious, relaxing her and sending her into a dreamless sleep.

 

Chapter Three

The next several days were taken up with preparations for the wedding. Willow and Anya had gone shopping, but Willow wouldn't allow Giles to see her dress until the wedding. They discussed the wedding at length, and decided to fill the apartment with candles and make the fireplace mantel a sort of altar, with candles interspersed with white roses and ferns. Anya and Willow (who Anya declared was maid of honour by default, and because of all her help) would come down the stairs from the loft to meet Xander, Giles and the justice of the peace in front of the fireplace.

As they worked together, Willow found her attention drifting to Giles. Oftentimes, when he was close to her, she found herself flushing with warmth, seized by a desire to touch him and kiss him. The erotic thoughts surprised her as she hadn't thought that way about Giles in years. But she couldn't deny that she felt a powerful attraction for him. She just didn't know how to act on it.

Giles was once again amazed at Willow's ability to focus so completely on the wedding, yet still keep up with her classes at college. (She'd also fixed him a fabulous dinner, proving once and for all that she really could cook) She seemed to spend every free minute helping Anya organise everything, yet, though finals were approaching, she didn't seem worried in the least. His own thoughts were frequently centred around Willow. When they put their heads together over the wedding plans, her delicate perfume filled his nostrils, intoxicating his senses. He found himself filled with the urge to taste her lips to see if they were as sweet as he imagined, to stroke her skin to see if it was as satiny-soft as it appeared. He was falling deeper and deeper under her spell and wished she returned his feelings.

While Willow was busy with Anya, Giles was busy arranging his own surprise for the happy couple. Although it was a wedding present for Xander and Anya, he couldn't help imagining the smile it would bring to Willow's face as well.

Finally, the day of the wedding arrived. Although Anya had insisted on a real wedding cake, Giles and Willow had been up late the night before, preparing other goodies for the wedding reception. The morning of the wedding, they hurried about taking care of last minute details. The flowers and cake arrived in due time, and they worked together to arrange the flowers on the mantelpiece. Then it was time to get themselves ready for the wedding. Willow's dress, still in a garment bag was already upstairs in the loft; Giles and Xander would use Willow's room. Willow took a hurried shower, knowing Giles needed to shower as well. As she left the bathroom, she bumped into Giles, who was carrying his tux to her room. They just stared at each other, Giles supressing a groan at the sight of Willow in a short, soft blue satin robe, Willow's eyes drawn to the firm muscles and chest hair visible through a gap in his robe. The moment seemed to stretch forever, until it was broken by Anya rushing breathlessly through the front door.

"Is everything ready?" she demanded, "Has the cake arrived? And the flowers? Are you sure the justice of the peace is coming? And why aren't you ready yet?"

Willow sighed and moved toward Anya.

"Relax, Anya, everything's ready, the justice of the peace is going to be on time, and we have plenty of time to get ready. C'mon, let's go upstairs and get you into your dress."

It had felt strange at first, being in Giles' private space, but like the man himself, the room was warm and welcoming. She helped Anya into her dress, a simple, strapless ivory taffetta sheath, and left her to fix her hair and make-up while Willow went downstairs to lay out the platters of food, and put out the champagne glasses. She heard the shower running in the bathroom, and a warm flush spread throughout her body as she remembered Giles in the hallway, remembered how she'd felt a sudden desire to touch him, to run her fingers through his chest hair. Oz, her only male lover had been bare chested, so the masculinity Giles' chest hair lent him fascinated her. She shook her head to rid herself of these lascivious thoughts. She needed to focus on the wedding. She headed upstairs to get into her own dress.

As he dried himself off, Giles fought a losing battle with himself as he tried to banish the memory of Willow outside the bathroom from his mind. She'd looked so beautiful in that robe, her skin still slightly pink from her shower, the robe's shortness highlighting her long legs. He'd felt an incredible urge to reach out, pull her close, hold her and touch her to see if her skin was softer than the robe, as he'd imagined. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Xander entering the apartment. He pulled his robe on and went out to get Xander and get ready for the wedding.

Willow heard Xander come in.

"Xander," she called from the loft, "Keep your hands off the food! Giles, make sure he doesn't mess with any of it."

"Okay, Willow," he chuckled and hustled Xander off to Willow's room to dress.

After he'd put on his tux and made sure Xander was having no difficulties with his own tux, Giles moved into the living room. He double-checked to make sure the present he'd arranged was ready, and the champagne was chilling nicely. At a knock on the door, he went and let the justice of the peace in and moved to the foot of the stairs.

"Are the bride and maid of honour ready?" he called up to them.

Both Willow and Anya checked their hair and make-up in the mirror one last time before Willow answered.

"We're as ready as we're gonna be."

Giles proceeded to light the many candles and turn off any lights bathing the apartment in a soft glow. He brought Xander from Willow's room to stand before the justice of the peace, then moved to his stereo and turned it on. The strains of 'The Wedding March' could be heard throughout the place. He stood beside Xander and looked expectantly at the stairs to the loft. While Xander watched for his bride, Giles only had eyes for Willow. His heart nearly stopped at the sight of her. She was wearing an emerald green, halter necked velvet dress with a long, narrow skirt. There was a knee-high slit in front to allow for easier movement. Despite her hair's shortness, she'd managed an upswept hairdo, which, combined with the neckline of her dress, emphasized her long, slender neck. There was a slight flush on her cheeks, and her eyes glowed. Giles thought he'd never seen her look more beautiful.

Willow's eyes slid over Xander to lock on the sight of Giles in his tux. He looked so good in a tux. She never seen anyone who looked so...right...in a tux. It almost seemed a crime. James Bond, indeed. He had nothing for Willow compared to Giles in a tux.

They took their places before the justice of the peace and the ceremony began. Willow listened as Anya and Xander repeated the traditional vows, then spoke their own promises to always be each other's friend as well as lover. Willow felt tears threaten as she realised she was losing her best friend; though she and Xander would always be close, he would now have other claims on his attention and she would naturally be relegated to the sidelines of his life.

Giles noticed the moisture in Willow's eyes and wondered at the reason. He knew she wasn't some typical woman, who cried at a wedding because it was what women do. There had to be more to it than that. As he thought about it, he understood she was saying goodbye to the friendship she'd shared with Xander so far; after the wedding their friendship would be irrevocably changed.

The vows spoken, the bride and groom kissed, and then there were rounds of hugs and handshakes. The justice of the peace wished them well, then left to perform another wedding. They moved to the dining room table where Giles popped a cork and the champagne flowed. He offered the first toast.

"It's a traditional Irish toast: May you live as long as you want and never want as long as you live."

They all sipped their champagne, then Willow motioned for their attention.

"I have a toast of my own. Actually, it's more of a wish for the two of you. I'm paraphrasing a line I heard in an old movie once and it seems appropriate: I hope you're never more unhappy than you are right now."

"Here, here," Giles agreed.

They drank some more champagne, then Xander and Anya cut the cake. After a while, Giles moved to the stereo and put on some music for the newlyweds to share their first dance. Giles watched Willow watch them dance for a few minutes, then walked over to her.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, bowing slightly.

A smile lit up her face as she moved into his arms. They swayed together, Giles hyperaware of the feel of the silky skin of Willow's back beneath his palm. She looked up at him with shining eyes, a soft smile on her face. He smiled back and he tightened his arm around her as she rested her head against his shoulder, reveling once again in the feeling of being held by him. She slid her arms around him tightly, not wanting the feeling to end. Giles closed his eyes, relishing having her small form pressed against him. When the music ended, they reluctantly pulled apart, but continued to hold each other's hand without thinking.

More champagne was drunk, then Giles decided it was time it was time to present his gift. As he picked it up from where he'd hidden it, Willow realised a little shamefacedly that in the crush of wedding preparations and classes, she'd completely forgotten to get them a present. Giles saw the look and came to her rescue.

"Willow and I have a present for you. We knew you couldn't afford a proper honeymoon and we decided to do something about it." he handed Anya the small box as Willow moved beside him and slid her arm around his waist, smiling gratefully at him.

Anya and Xander opened the box and stared at its' contents, mouths open in shock.

"We've arranged for you to have a week in the honeymoon suite of the Cielo Azul Hotel and Spa in San Francisco. There's round-trip plane tickets in there, too. We thought you both deserved it."

"Oh, wow," Xander fumbled, "I don't know how we can thank you enough."

He and Anya moved to hug Willow, then shook Giles' hand after Anya gave him a quick hug as well.

"You're both making the second part of our news hard to tell," he mumbled, wiping suspicious moisture from his eyes.

"What second part?" Willow asked, confused.

"We're...we're leaving Sunnydale," he blurted out before he lost his nerve.

Anya, for once, kept quiet and let him explain.

"There's nothing here for us anymore with Buffy gone, except for you, no offense. We want to start our life together away from the Hellmouth. Angel, of all people, is gonna help us. He's helping me get a job with a construction company in L.A. He's even gonna let us stay with him until we can find our own place."

"I understand," Willow's mouth trembled as she spoke, "It's great that Angel is helping you. And I'm sure you'll both be very happy in L.A...."

She stopped, unable to go on. Giles came to her side and put an arm around her.

"I think it's wonderful," he said, tightening his hold on Willow, "I think Buffy would have been happy, too."

Xander noticed Giles' solicitousness towards Willow, guessed at the reason behind it, and though slightly wigged, approved. Giles knew just how special Willow truly was and would be good to and for her. It relieved a certain amount of guilt he'd been feeling about abandoning his oldest friend. She would have Giles to care for her and love her after he left.

They drank and danced for a while longer, then the newlyweds left to start their life together. They would spend that night in the bridal suite of Sunnydale's fanciest hotel, then leave for San Francisco the next day.

Willow and Giles collapsed on the sofa, surveying the damage left in the wake of the wedding. Cleaning it all up would be a daunting task.

"I don't know if I can move from this spot," Willow said tiredly, "but we've got to clean this mess up. Unless, of course, I whipped up a nifty 'clean up' spell."

"Willow," Giles began, warningly.

"Don't worry, Giles," Willow grinned, "I'm too tired to even think of the words, much less try to cast it."

She sighed, then kicked off her shoes and stood to begin making order of the chaos. Giles stood as well, and prepared to help her. They snuffed the candles, packed away the remaining food, took the dishes into the kitchen to wash. The remaining flowers were put to the side to take to the cemetery and put on Buffy and Dawn's graves. After the last dish was wiped and put away Giles turned to Willow.

"There's about half a bottle of champagne left. Shall we finish it?"

She nodded and he picked up the bottle and two glasses as they returned to the living room. Settling on the sofa, Willow accepted a glass from him and watched as he moved to put some music on the stereo. He sat next to her and lifted his own glass.

"To Xander and Anya," he said softly, "May their new life in L.A. go well."

"I'll drink to that."

They touched glasses then sipped. Willow closed her eyes against the tears that threatened, and tried to lose herself in the music.

"This music is nice."

"Would you like to dance again?" Giles asked, knowing she was upset at the loss of her oldest friend.

She nodded and they stood and came together. Without her high heels, she barely came up to his chin. He put his arms around her as she rested her head against his chest. They'd moved all the furniture back into place, so there wasn't much room to do anything but press against each other and sway a little.

As Willow started to lose herself in the feeling of being held by him, her mind was racing. An idea formed, and she silently debated with herself over it. Finally she came to a decision. Pulling back slightly, she looked up.

"Giles?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"Take me with you."

 

Chapter Four

"What?" Giles asked, not understanding.

"When you leave Sunnydale, take me with you."

"But...but," Giles stuttered, floored by her request.

"Look," she sighed, explaining, "There's nothing here for me anymore, either. Buffy's gone, Xander's leaving, my parents are gone, Tara is long gone, there's a new Slayer and Watcher coming.... Everyone's left or leaving. I can't lose you, too," she fought back tears.

"Ar-are you sure? What about college?"

"I don't know. Right now, college doesn't mean that much to me. I just know I don't want to stay in Sunnydale, especially all by myself. L.A. doesn't appeal to me, plus Angel's got enough on his plate, helping Xander and Anya. I've always wanted to see England and this is a perfect opportunity. I have some money; my parents made sure of that, so I can pay my own way for a while and then maybe I can find a job. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up going to Oxford after all, somewhere down the line."

"Willow, money was never a question. I just wanted to be certain you truly wanted this. I want to know that you are sure of your decision."

"I am sure. I want to go with you very much. Unless...unless you don't want me to come," she was suddenly uncertain.

Giles saw her insecurities rising to the surface and hastened to reassure her.

"I would like nothing more than to have you come with me."

She smiled up at him.

"Now that that's decided, let's finish the champagne and dance some more."

They moved to the sofa to drink some more, then Giles put another record on the stereo. Willow moved into his arms, her own reaching up to slide around his neck, pressing herself against him tightly. As they swayed together, Giles unconsciously began to stroke the soft skin of her back. Equally unthinkingly, Willow's hand reached up and she played with the hair at the nape of his neck. The temperature in the room seemed to jump at least ten degrees. A slight moan escaped Willow at the feel of Giles' hand caressing her back. She felt an overwhelming desire to kiss him. She lifted her face and pulled his down till she could press her lips to his.

Giles realised what was happening only a moment before he felt her soft lips against his. He started to pull back momentarily, then lost himself in the pleasure of kissing Willow. He moved his lips against hers, moaning into her mouth as his greatest fantasies about this woman came to life. He felt her small tongue touch his lips and opened his mouth, allowing her entrance and reciprocating with his own tongue. Finally they pulled apart, needing to breathe. Giles looked down at Willow. Her face was flushed slightly and her eyes were filled with happiness and desire, which was reflected in his own eyes. He took her hand and led her back to the sofa, where she immediately moved into his arms and kissed him again. They kissed like that for several blissful moments, until kissing was no longer enough. Willow slid her hands up his chest and began to push his jacket off his shoulders. He released her long enough to remove it then gasped as her nimble fingers began unbuttoning his shirt. He claimed her lips again, then moved to nibble her earlobe, revelling in her encouraging moan. She finally finished unbuttoning his shirt and her hands quickly moved to run her fingers through his chest hair as she'd longed to do. Her fingertips found his nipples and teased them into hard peaks, causing another moan from him. His own hands caressed every inch of the exposed skin of her back. Finally they pulled apart again and Willow looked up at him, a hot glow in her eyes.

"Let's go upstairs."

Giles could hardly believe his ears.

"Are you sure?"

In answer, she stood, took his hand and began leading him to the stairs. Giles, not fully believing what was happening, followed. At the base of the stairs he halted, and turned to look at her.

"Willow..."

"Giles, I want this. I want you. More than I've wanted anyone or anything in my life. Please?"

He couldn't resist her plea and bent to sweep her up in his arms and carry her upstairs. When they reached his bedroom, he gently set her on her feet. Her hands immediately moved to push his shirt off and she nuzzled his chest, enjoying the feel of his chest hair against her cheek. His arms went around her and slowly eased the zipper of her dress down. Pulling back a little, his hands went to the clasp at the back of her neck. Unhooking it, he let the dress slide off her to puddle at her feet. She stepped back and slid her panties and hose down, nervously exposing herself to his gaze. He stared so long that she became worried he didn't like what he saw. She'd always been insecure about her body. She crossed her arms over her breasts.

"Don't look like that," she whispered as tears sprang to her eyes.

"No!" he exclaimed, angry at himself for upsetting her, "It's just...you're so beautiful. In fact 'beautiful' doesn't do you justice."

"You...you think I'm beautiful?" she asked, wonderingly.

"Beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, I don't think there are words to describe how incredibly lovely you are."

His eyes returned to the vision standing before him. Her skin was like fine porcelain. Her breasts, while small, fitted her perfectly. They were full and tipped with rosy nipples that seemed to beg for his touch. He reached out and gently stroked one nipple, causing her to gasp. He pulled her into his arms to kiss her, reveling in the exquisite feel of her soft breasts pressed against his chest. As he moved his lips over hers, he felt her small hands unbuckle his belt and unbutton his pants. She slid the zipper down and pushed his pants and boxers off his hips. He broke off the kiss to remove his shoes, socks and the remainder of his clothing. Her eyes roamed over his body, widening at the size of his manhood. Oz had been the only other male she had seen nude, and his diminutive stature had corresponded to everything else about him. Giles looked huge to her. Her hand reached out to touch him, fingers sliding gently along his length, causing him to moan. He pulled her into another kiss, then lifted her, carefully laying her on the bed. He slid beside her and kissed her again, his hands moving to cover her breasts. She arched her back at his touch, pressing them into his hands. His lips left hers to join his hands. He paused to press a kiss in the hollow at the base of her throat and she moaned. He moved further down to capture a nipple.

"Oh, yesss," she gasped, tangling her hands in his hair, holding him in place.

He smiled as he sucked and nibbled at her breast. Sliding over, he gave the other breast the same attention as his hand slowly moved lower. She parted her legs, inviting his fingers to explore. He dipped between her folds, amazed at the wetness he found there. He found the sensitive nubbin at the top of her cleft and began to stroke it as he gently slid a finger inside her. She moaned and her hips canted up, encouraging his actions, and he slipped in a second finger to join the first. He slowly moved them in and out as his thumb continued to stroke her clitoris. Her breath coming in short gasps, she began to thrust against his fingers, losing herself in the sensations his fingers were causing within her. Suddenly she went still and her internal muscles clamped down around his fingers, coating them with her climax. His fingers continued to stroke in and out of her as he moved to suckle her clit. Willow thought she would go out of her mind with pleasure. He nibbled at her clit as his fingers continued their movements.

"Oh, Rupert," she cried as another orgasm rushed over her. It was the first time she'd called him by his first name.

He withdrew his fingers and licked them clean. Moving up, he kissed her waiting mouth. She slid one arm behind his head, as the other slipped down and her hand encircled his cock. She stroked him once, twice. Then she pushed at his shoulders, pressing him down on his back. Her mouth moved down his body, stopping to nip at his nipples before heading lower. When she reached her destination, she paused before running her tongue along the underside of his cock. Pressing her lips to the tip, she slowly slid his cock into her mouth. She pulled back slightly, then moved down again, continuing her movements until she took as much of him as she could into her mouth. Her tongue stroked him as her lips massaged his length.

"Oh, Gods, Willow," he gasped.

He pulled her up to kiss her, knowing he wouldn't last much longer if she continued. He lay her on her back, then stopped and pulled away.

"Rupert?" she asked, confused.

"I never expected this to happen. I...don't have...anything."

She smiled as she drew him closer.

"I'm on the Pill."

"What?"

"My mom got me on them when I started high school," she blushed, "I've been taking them ever since to...keep me regular, if you know what I mean." Her face was scarlet now.

He kissed her and positioned himself over her. Looking deeply into her eyes, he slowly slid into her warmth. After giving her a moment to adjust, he began thrusting into her with long smooth strokes. She raised her legs, wrapping them around his waist, and gasped as he penetrated her more deeply. She pulled his head down and kissed him as his fingers gently toyed with her nipples. Willow began moving beneath him, matching his stokes. Giles felt himself getting close and reached down to tease her clit.

"Ruuupeerrtt," she gasped as her third orgasm washed over her.

Giles felt her muscles tighten around him and with a few short thrusts, he joined her in oblivion, crying out her name.

They lay together, still joined, for several moments trying to regain control of their breathing. When he'd collected himself enough, Giles moved to roll off Willow, who immediately moved to snuggle up against him, her arm draped over his chest, her head resting on his shoulder.

"That was beyond incredible. Sleepy now, " she murmured.

Giles wrapped his arms around her, still slightly stunned over what they'd done. He knew they had to discuss what had happened, but it could wait till morning. He wanted to savour the dream for as long as possible. Tightening his hold on her, he brushed a kiss across the top of her head and joined her in sleep.

 

Chapter Five

When Giles awakened, the first rosy light of dawn was flooding the room. He was alone. He began to believe that the events of the previous night had been a champagne-induced dream until he saw Willow's dress, still on the floor where it had fallen. Doubts and fears began to assail him. Did Willow regret what had happened? Had she fled from him? Had he destroyed their friendship in a moment of weakness? These thoughts tormented him until he saw Willow in the doorway, tea tray in her hands. She was wearing the blue robe and her hair had been brushed.

"Good morning," she smiled, setting the tray down and leaning over to kiss him, "This is a nice way to start the day."

"I couldn't agree more," he murmured against her lips.

She fixed him a cup then fixed her own and sat crosslegged on the bed, facing him.

"I figured we could both do with some tea while we did this," she explained.

"Did what?" he asked, trying hard not to notice what the robe wasn't covering very well.

"Had 'The Talk.' I know you. You want to analyze what happened."

"We do need to talk about it."

"Okay. For starters, I want you to know that I wasn't drunk. I knew exactly what I was doing. I wanted to do it. I've always had sort of a thing for you, you know. I had the biggest crush on you on high school. You were so smart and sexy and your accent just did things to me."

"I had no idea."

"I sure hope not. I'd probably have died from embarrassment. But I kept a picture of the two of us in my locker for the longest time. Bet you didn't know that, either."

"What about Tara?" he asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

"It isn't a rebound thing, if that's what you mean. If anything, Tara was a rebound, not that I didn't love her. I did. She was willing to heal the hurt Oz had caused when no one else was. So comfort turned to caring which turned to love. I don't know. Maybe it wasn't really meant to last. It lasted as long as it did because no one else seemed interested in me, and after what happened with Xander and Oz, I wasn't looking. I couldn't be the cause of that kind of hurt again. So I stayed with her. And we were happy. Then Glory got to her and I felt so guilty, because we'd fought and because I hadn't protected her somehow. I was determined to bring her back from whatever Glory had done to her. Maybe the change in Tara is fate's way of telling me I can let go now. And before you ask, it's so not a gratitude thing because you've helped me out. This past week I've been feeling things. For you. And last night I decided to see if you felt the same. And I must say, you felt pretty darn yummy," she ended with a grin.

"Yes, well," he ducked his head, blushing a little,"The feelings were more than mutual, though I've felt them for some time. I...I love you. I've been in love with you for quite some time. Far longer than was right or decent."

"I love you, too. I'm not saying I'm in love with you because I really don't know if I am. I don't think I am yet, but I don't think it would be too hard to fall in love with you. All I know for sure is that I want to be with you."

"So what are we going to do now?"

"Well," she drawled, placing her hand over his growing erection. "Right now I think we're gonna stop talking and I'm gonna have my wicked way with you. After that, who knows?"

Giles moaned at her hand on him, struck rather speechless at the wanton way Willow was behaving. It was a side of her he'd never suspected she had.

Willow released him, undoing the sash and shrugging out of her robe. Pulling the covers out of the way, she crawled over him till her face was mere inches away from his.

"So, wanna make it a really good morning?" she murmured before claiming his lips.

Tangling his hand in her hair, Giles deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth to play with hers. Her hands came up to run through his chest hair, fingertips circling his nipples, teasing him. He moved his free hand lower, across her stomach and brushing through her curls. He ran his fingers around her labia before dipping between them to stroke her. At her encouraging moan, he slid two fingers into her while his thumb circled her clitoris. Willow's lips left his, wandering over to nip at his earlobe before nibbling her way down to suckle his nipples. Her hand hand slid down to gently grasp his erection, massaging him with her fingers. As she felt her orgsasm nearing, she pulled away from his fingers and positioned herself over his cock.

"Ready?" she asked playfully, holding herself just over him, close enough that he could feel the heat of her arousal. Ever so slowly she lowered herself, inch by inch, onto him, prolonging the torturous sensation till he growled in frustration. Finally she sank all the way on him. Pausing for a moment to adjust, she lifted her hips until she pulled almost all the way off him before sliding back down. She repeated the movement several times, until he could stand it no longer and began his own counter thrusts. He pulled her down to take one of her breasts in his mouth and his hand moved to gently pinch and tease her clit.

"Oh, Rupert," she hissed, "That feels so...I'm gonna...Ooooh!"

She shuddered as her climax washed over her.

Giles felt the tremors of her orgasm beginning and knew his own was close. When her muscles began squeezing him, he lost control.

"Willow, oh, Willow," he gasped.

She collapsed on his chest, breathing heavily. His arms slid around her to hold her tightly. Managing to lift her head, she looked deep into his eyes.

"I'd have to say this is a great morning."

"That it is, love, that it is."

 

Chapter Six

They dozed in each other's arms for an hour before regretfully deciding it was time to get up. They showered together, playing and teasing each other all the while, getting almost as much water on the floor as themselves, then fixed breakfast together. Snuggling together on the sofa, they fed each other, kissing between bites. Giles deliberately let some crumbs fall, then bent to clean them up with his tongue, pushing her robe out of the way. He licked delicately around her breasts, carefully avoiding her nipples, causing her to moan and wriggle beneath his touch. Just when she thought she couldn't stand the delicious torture anymore, he suddenly engulfed her breast, causing her to cry out in pleasure. She dug her fingers in his hair and lost herself in the power of his talented tongue. He nibbled and suckled at one before moving to lavish attention on the other. Willow could feel the heat and wetness building within her. She pulled away from him, stood and dropped her robe, then, undoing his robe pulled his hips closer to the edge of the sofa. She climbed back on the sofa, straddling him, then slowly lowered herself on his waiting erection. Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she slowly began to move, staring in his eyes. His hands came up to her breasts, gently rolling the hardened buds of her nipples between his fingers. They moved together, driving each other insistently towards climax. When his hand moved to where their bodies were joined, Willow felt herself losing control and moved faster, determined to bring him with her. Suddenly every muscle in her body tensed, and her orgasm exploded over her, causing her cry out mindlessly. As she trembled in his arms, Giles thrust up once more and joined her.

When she was able to breathe again, Willow leaned over and kissed him softly.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of doing this with you."

"I might," he joked until he saw the hurt in her eyes, "I mean after two or three eternities I might want a change."

"Another woman?"

"No, I might want to be on top."

She giggled at that, and cuddled closer to him.

A knock on the door startled them, both because they weren't expecting anyone and because no one they knew ever bothered to knock. Willow eeped softly, grabbed her robe and dashed off to her room to dress properly, leaving Giles to pull his robe shut and tie the belt as he went to answer the door. He was shocked to find Olivia standing on his doorstep.

"Ripper, love, it's wonderful to see you."

She moved inside to throw her arms about his neck and reached up to kiss him. He turned his head at the last minute, causing her to just barely brush his cheek. His eyes fell on Willow standing there, fully dressed, with a devastated look on her face. She looked as if she were about to flee back to her room. He quickly disentangled himself from Olivia's embrace to move to Willow's side and wrap his arms around her.

Olivia turned to see why Giles had left her so abruptly and her eyes fell on Willow.

"Willow, isn't it? Nice to see you again, though a bit of a surprise. I'd thought that with Buffy...gone...that you wouldn't be hanging around here anymore."

"Willow's not 'hanging around.' She lives here. We're...we're living together."

"Oh," Olivia sounded disappointed, "Lucky girl."

"We're going to be moving to England soon," Willow added.

"Sounds lovely."

"So, what brings you by? I haven't seen or heard from you since the visit from The Gentlemen," Giles inquired.

"I have a meeting in L.A. and it just didn't seem right to come to California and not stop by to see you."

"Well, you're looking well," he led her into the living room, offering her the chair while he sat on the sofa with his arm around Willow. They made small talk for a while, then Olivia rose to leave.

"Well, it was good to see you again," Olivia's voice was sad, "Bye, Ripper. You, too Willow."

"I hope your meeting goes well. Goodbye, Olivia."

Willow heard the finality in his voice and relaxed, releasing a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

Giles turned to look deep in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Willow. I had no idea she was coming."

"I know. I'm sorry if I seemed upset. I guess I got kinda jealous. It's just that she meant so much to you and she's all older and prettier and sexier and more experienced ..." Giles stopped her with a kiss.

"That's not true. She may be older, but that's it. There is no one more beautiful or sexier than you in my eyes. You're the one I love. And I was never...in love...with Olivia. What we had was a...a band-aid on loneliness, that's all."

"I never realised how lonely you must have been."

"Well, I had lost the position I'd spent much of my life preparing for, you lot were adjusting to life away from high school, becoming adults more or less, and I was a bit lost. Olivia came around during a particularly low point in my enforced life as a 'man of leisure.'"

"Why was it so low?"

"Because I'd realised that you and Oz had...become intimate. I was certain then that I'd never stand a chance with you."

"I thought I'd never have a chance with you. Looks like we both were wrong," she grinned.

"You know it's a shame that you got dressed, because it's going to take me that much longer to be able to ravish you."

Willow grinned and yanked her top off, revealing that she wasn't wearing a bra.

"I'm waiting, Ripper."

 

Chapter Seven

The next several weeks were taken up with preparations for the move to England. Willow finished that semester, acing her finals. Spike had come out of hiding to say he, too, was leaving Sunnydale, unable to deal with the memories of Buffy that confronted him wherever he went. He was going to L.A., as well, to see if he could help Angel in any way. It was his way of honoring Buffy and his Niblet's memory. Xander and Anya came back from their honeymoon, and the two couples spent as much time together as possible, not knowing how long it would be before they saw each other again. The new Slayer arrived, a girl named Sharon, with her Watcher, a Mr. Eddington. Mr. Eddington appeared to be a stiff, stuffy, by-the-book man, which made Willow fear for the duration of the new Slayer on the Hellmouth. She, Xander, Anya and Giles filled them in as much as possible on the many menaces they'd faced in the past, before the new Watcher dismissed them brusquely.

The day for Xander and Anya's leave-taking arrived. Willow and Giles met them at the Espresso Pump for their goodbyes. Though they tried to keep the tone light, there were a few tears, as well. Finally, Xander and Anya climbed into their loaded car. Xander started then engine, then turned it off, and jumped out to give a tearful Willow one last hug.

"Take good care of her," he told Giles, "She's very special."

"I know. She's the most precious person in the world and I won't let anything happen to her."

He and Xander shared a brief, awkward hug, before Xander got back in his car and drove away, as Willow buried her face against Giles' chest, sobbing. When she composed herself, they went back to their box-filled apartment. The movers would be there tomorrow. They would spend their last night in Sunnydale in a hotel before flying to England. As a surprise, Giles had arranged for them to stay in the honeymoon suite, knowing Willow was a little nervous about leaving her home country. They spent their last day revisiting scenes from the past, visiting Buffy's, Dawn's, Joyce's and Jenny's graves, even venturing into the ruins of the old high school. They went all the way down to the Hellmouth, where the old library had been. Once there, Willow pulled Giles into her arms.

"I always wanted to kiss you in the library. I guess this is as close as I'll get."

They returned to the apartment to pick up their suitcases. Despite its' barrenness, the apartment was crowded with memories, happy and sad, funny and tragic. They took a moment to say goodbye to the past before leaving for the hotel. Giles ordered a special dinner from room service along with champagne to toast their new life in England. They made love slowly that night, reaffirming their love and commitment to each other.

The next morning, Willow woke up before dawn. A few fears and doubts danced through her mind at leaving the only home she'd ever known, but the sight of Rupert sleeping beside her calmed them. He was her future, and it was time to let go of the past. She reached over and smoothed some hair away from his forehead, then began tracing the features that had become dearer than life to her. His eyelids fluttered open and she smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him.

"Morning."

"Good morning, love."

She moved closer to him, fitting herself tightly against him. She reached down to stroke his already half-formed erection, causing him to buck a little in her hand. She nibbled at his lips and earlobe as his hands came up to massage her breasts, gently tugging at her nipples. She pulled him on top of her and he slid into her welcoming warmth, causing both to sigh. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he slowly moved in and out of her. Soon she was moving against him, urging him to go faster until they both shuddered in climax.

"Rupert!"

"Willow!"

They showered and dressed quickly, eating a hurried breafast before leaving for the airport. Giles had upgraded their seats to first class, and after they were seated, she took hold of his hand. He brought their clasped hands to his lips and kissed hers.

"Ready to start your new life?"

"As long as I'm with you, I can handle anything."

 

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