Was It Always Like This?

Chapter 21

“I cannot believe I fell for it” Buffy lainlained as Willow helped her up the stairs to Xander’s. “I thought he was just trying not to spoil the day out for you and Dawn”

Willow sighed, listening to the mini rant for the third time. “Perhaps that was part of the reason?” she suggested.

“He just knew that I wouldn’t be able to try on shoes” Buffy insisted and turned to look over her shoulder. “Don’t think I don’t know” she shouted at Giles as he and Dawn brought up the rear.

Giles just sighed as Dawn giggled. He turned to her and grinned. “I’m surprised it took her two hours of shopping to figure it out” he whispered.

Xander met them at the door and took over Buffy helping duties. “Hey how did the shopping trip go?” he asked brightly and was surprised when Willow groaned and covered her eyes. “What?” he asked.

Giles placed the grocery bags on the kitchen worktop and handed his jacket to Willow. He shook his head and began emptying out the bags. “Where do you want the beers?” he asked and was rewarded by Xander moving to help him in the kitchen, removing the new audience from Buffy.

Willow and Dawn were hunkered down in front of the TV, sorting through the videos they had brought. “When is Anya due?” Willow asked just as there was a knock at the door.

When they were all comfortably seated with popcorn strategically placed Xander took charge of the remote controls. He stood in front of the TV and cleared his throat. “I’d like to welcome you all to the inaugural meeting of the Scoobies adult video extravaganza” he intoned and looked at their astonished faces staring back at him. “I mean we are adults now, not the videos” he hastily corrected himself and blushed. Giles started sniggering and the others shook their heads in disbelief. Xander decided to plough on with his planned speech. “The event will take place on this date annually and it will be a celebration of our first meeting at high school and our adventures ever since” he smiled around the others as they continued to look bewildered. “It was six years ago today that we first met up in the library for Giles to tell us about things that go bump in the night” he explained.

“I can’t believe it” Buffy shook her head in disbelief. “Really?”

Giles stood up to face Xander. “A toast” he raised his drink and kept eye contact with the young man. “To the Scoobies” he solemnly said and held his bottle for Xander to clink his against it. They both took deep drinks and turned to face the others.

“The Scoobies” Willow and Dawn both said at the same time and then they were all clinking glasses and laughing.

Giles hugged Xander, much to the young man’s surprise, then moved to stand in front of Anya. “I’m glad you could make it” he mumbled into her ear as he hugged her.

“Me too” she sniffled a little.

He hugged Willow and Dawn before standing in front of Buffy, holding out his hand. She took it and pulled herself up in front of him. “Congratulations Buffy” he said and hugged her.

“What for?” she pulled back to look into his eyes.

“We’re all still here to celebrate and I doubt we would be without you” he said seriously and hugged her again. The others, taking part in a group hug, stopped to watch the slayer and her watcher in each other’s arms.

Willow eventually cleared her throat. “Do you want us to leave?” she asked but smiled to take the sting out of it.

Giles helped Buffy to sit back down before moving to pull Willow into his arms. “I had to make up for the shoe thing”sat sat down and pulled her onto his lap.

“Time for a movie” Dawn suggested to forestall any more moaning from Buffy and leaned against Xander as he sat down and pulled the popcorn towards them.

*****

Dawn helped Buffy into her jacket before hugging Xander at the door. “Thanks Xan, I had a great time and it was really sweet what you said earlier” she turned to open the door.

“Yeah Xander, thanks for reminding us what we’ve achieved” Buffy smiled and hugged him tightly.

Willow hugged him quickly. “I’ll see you for lunch tomorrow?” she smiled and headed after Dawn to help her with Buffy.

Anya yawned a little and shook his hand. “Thank you for including me, it meant a lot” she said.

“Anya” he smiled and hugged her. “No matter what happened, you are still a member of this group”

As she left, Xander turned to find Giles finishing his beer and leaning against the kitchen counter. “Giles” he held the door. “I think the girls are waiting for you”

“They’ll wait” he said and put the bottle down, crossing his arms. “I know you and I need to talk about what’s happened between Willow and I but there is something more important” he paused.

“More important than you sleeping with my best friend?” Xander asked, aware that he had drunk just enough beer to make him a little brave.

Giles ignored the comment and continued to stare at him. “I’m proud of you Xander” he stated matter of factly. “You have always been the unsung hero in this unlikely band and tonight you proved yourself truly to be the heart of the group” he moved forward and stood in front of him. “I know I’ve never told you before and I should have, but I would have been proud to have you as my son”

Xander stood in shock, watching as Giles reached out his hand and waited for some reaction. He ignored the hand and pulled him into a hug. He swallowed to try and get rid of the lump in his throat. Pulling back he wiped his eyes quickly with his sleeve before smiling at him. “Better not keep them waiting” he suggested.

Giles nodded and headed after the others, waiting till he was around the corner before taking his glasses off and wiping his own eyes.

*****

He was lying in bed reading when Willow closed the bedroom door behind her. “How is her knee doing?” he asked and put his glasses on to watch her undress.

“Still swollen and tender after today’s exertions” Willow quickly piled her clothes onto a chair before turning to him. “But I think the healing spell is certainly speeding up her own speedy healing” she grinned and pulled the book from his hand. “She wouldn’t let me do the full half hour treatment, said I had to keep some strength for myself”

He grinned and put his glasses on the bedside table. “Well done Buffy” he muttered as Willow slid under the covers.

“Mmmmm” Willow groaned as his hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her tight against his body. Her lips found the side of his neck and she nuzzled and licked as his hands found interesting places in their travels. “Oh yes” she hissed. “Right there” she nipped his neck as he ran his fingers around her clitoris before dipping inside her. She was taken by surprise and orgasmed quickly, shuddering in his arms. “Sorry” she smiled at him after a few moments. “I guess I was a little more ready than I realised?”

“It’s not a problem” he grinned back at her. “Rather the reverse in fact” he suggested as he pushed his erection against her thigh.

“Oh” she rolled onto her back and pulled him on top of her. “Jet lag wearing off?” she pushed her hips up against his.

“Willow” he took a deep breath as he reached for a condom. “Holding you in my arms while you come will give me a hard on anywhere in the world at any time” he assured her and hissed as he rolled the condom on.

“Glad to hear it” she smiled and opened her thighs to give him some more room. “I love you” she said huskily as he slipped inside her.

“Glad to hear it” he smiled and began moving slowly, almost pulling out of her completely before pushing in as deep as he could. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen” he told her as she gazed into his eyes.

She smiled before closing her eyes as she felt him bury himself deeper than before. “Oh boy, keep doing that”

He grinned and took a deep breath to calm himself. He wanted this time to last a little longer than last night but she was so tight and warm around his cock that he struggled to maintain his slow pace. He felt her wriggle underneath him and suddenly found he could go even deeper “Jesus” he groaned and began thinking of the Aramaic translation in the book he had been reading earlier.

Willow had closed her eyes to try and slow down her reactions to his movements. However, this plan completely backfired when she suddenly tuned into some of the fantasies she used to have of them in the library together. It had been several years since she had run these particular movies through her brain and was surprised at how erotic they were. Her breathing quickened to panting as she remembered the one about pushing him against the weapons cage and sliding down his body, kissing his bared chest as she went. Her back arched as she felt her second orgasm rip through her and she was vaguely aware of him gasping as he picked up the pace.

She kept her eyes closed, her nervous system in overload as he pounded into her. “Willow, honey, open your eyes” he begged and stared at her as she blinked up at him. He seemed about to say something else when he suddenly got a very serious look on his face and slammed into her one more time. He grunted once, trying to keep as quiet as possible. He looked down to find her grinning up at him. He continued pushing into her, his orgasm prolonged by the contractions he felt her generating around him.

When he rolled off of her and removed the condom he was panting. “You are incredible” he managed to get out before putting his hand over his eyes.

“You’re pretty impressive yourself” she grinned at him as she leaned on her side and ran her hand over his abdomen.

“Enough” he gasped and turned on his side to face her. “Please, I’m an old man, have mercy” he put his hand out to brush against her nipple and watched as she hissed, closed her eyes and rolled onto her back. “Again?” he asked and smiled, leaning down to take her nipple into his mouth.

“Bloody hell” she managed through clenched teeth as he ran his finger in ever decreasing circles around her clitoris. Her hands had clamped to the back of his head just in case he tried to stop the miraculous thing he was doing to her breasts. “Nearly” she gasped just before arching off the bed, the back of her head and her heels the only things still connected to the real world. When she finally opened her eyes she saw him grinning down at her. “What?” she asked breathlessly and tried to turn onto her side but gave up as every muscle in her body appeared to have turned to jelly.

He shook his head. “Do you have any idea how gorgeous you look right now?” he asked.

“Right” she nodded and turned her head to grin up at him. “My face is probably all red and sweaty and my hair must be a mess and..”

He didn’t let her finish, putting her lips to a much better use. “Don’t argue with me” he finally suggested and pulled her closer to him. “If I say you are the most beautiful woman on the entire planet right now then just agree with me”

“Yes sir” she managed around a yawn before snuggling into him. He thought she was asleep and was lying watching her. When she opened her eyes she saw him look a little surprised. “You better be here when I wake up in the morning” she mumbled and yawned again.

He placed kisses between her eyebrows and down her nose. “I love you Will” he whispered and heard her sigh.

*****

Buffy swept round, delivering the roundhouse kick wheis his head had been seconds before. She bounced on the balls of her feet and grinned at him. “Glad to see you’ve finally got the hang of ducking” she caught the towel he threw at her.

“I see you’re knee and ribs are completely healed” he said between heavy breaths. “How do you feel?” he asked as he sat on the bottom stair.

“A bit stiff but that’ll disappear after I’ve loosened off properly” she rolled her shoulders and swung her arms around. “Willow’s healing mojo certainly helped things along” she smiled at him. “It also seems to have cleared up the black eyes” she pointed at his face.

“Yes” he leaned back and stretched his legs out. “I even managed to sneeze yesterday without thinking my nose was going to explode” he smiled.

“How are you guys doing?” Buffy asked as she moved to the punch bag.

He stood up and put his weight behind it as she swung a few preparatory punches at it. “What do you mean?” he asked, hoping she would be too busy concentrating on her training to continue the conversation.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “I mean how are you and my best friend getting on now that you’re doing something other than researching?” she put her hands on her hips and waited for his answer.

He sighed and hugged onto the punch bag. “It seems that we also make a good non-researching team and I think I may have a solution to the transatlantic commuting problem” he said and saw her smile.

“Hey, good news, what’s the what?” she swung a punch and he grunted as the bag bounced against him.

He waited until she had completed her first combination before explaining. “All of the calls I’ve made over the last few weeks have been about finding some way to allow Willow to work with the Council” he explained and was caught a little off balance as she stepped away from the bag.

“She’s going to become a watcher?” she asked in surprise. “When did she decide this?”

He sighed. “Not a watcher, more a very over-qualified research assistant” he explained patiently. “And she doesn’t know, I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with her yet as I only received the confirmation call an hour ago”

Buffy pounded on the bag for five minutes, her face scrunched up by her thoughts rather than the physical effort. “How does this solve the problem?” she finally asked, hardly out of breath.

Giles took a step back and flexed his shoulders. “If she works for the Council then they will pay for her to be wherever they need the research resource” he explained and shook his hands out to try to get the feeling back in them. “And as she will be my assistant then she will be with me wherever I am, England or Sunnydale”

“And you’ll need to check on the hellmouth on a regular basis?” Buffy asked, her anxiety about losing Willow again seeping out.

“I would imagine so” he smiled at her and took a deep drink from his water bottle before throwing one at Buffy.

*****

Willow and Xander were in the kitchen making sandwiches for lunch when Buffy and Giles came up from the basement. “Hey, how’d training go?” Willow asked and reached up to kiss him.

“Very well” he mumbled and kissed her.

“Actually it was a little slow but I’ll do some more later on” Buffy had crossed her arms and was watching her best friend and her watcher with extreme concentration. “You know” she turned to Xander. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing them do that” she sighed.

“Seeing who doing what?” Xander looked around the kitchen and shrugged his shoulders.

“I like your style Mr Harris” Buffy grinned at him. “Denial is definitely the way to go” The two friends laughed and took the prepared food into the living room.

“Where’d everybody go?” Willow asked as she realised they were alone.

“Was there anyone else here?” he smiled sloppily and put his hand on her butt. “I certainly wouldn’t be able to do this with an audience” he grinned.

“I see your point” she replicated han hand position and snuggled against him.

They were kissing again when Dawn coughed politely from the kitchen doorway. “You guys, can you take it somewhere else, Martin and I are starving”

Giles blushed bright red and Willow wasn’t far behind him. “Oops” she mumbled and cleared her throat.

Dawn just shook her head and walked past them to the fridge. “Martin” she shouted over her shoulder. “It’s safe to come in now, they’ve stopped”

Martin stood in the doorway smiling bravely at them. “Hi Mr Giles, Willow” he waved and went to help Dawn with the lunch preparations.

“Martin” Giles coughed and used the towel he still held as a screen for the front of his trousers. “I have some phone calls to make so I’ll just go upstairs and use the telephone to call those people I have to call”

“Very smooth” Willow giggled and shoved him towards the doorway. He disappeared at speed and she turned to the youngsters. “Hey Martin, how did your science project go?”

The next half hour was taken up with discussions of the latest news from the science club and when Giles eventually came back downstairs after his shower he was a little annoyed to find Willow deep in conversation.

“Ah Willow, I wonder if I might have a word with you?” he asked and didn’t realise he had regressed until Buffy looked up and smiled.

“Oh-oh Will, sounds like you’ve forgotten to return a book” she giggled and watched as Willow stood up and excused herself. “Perhaps he’ll let you work off the fine?” Buffy and Xander looked at each other and covered their eyes at the same time. “Ooooooh scary visual place” they both agreed.

“Ignore them” Willow advised and led Giles into the back garden. “Unless this is about a book you’ve lent me in which case..” she was getting started on one of her famous rambles.

“Willow” he put his hand on her shoulder. “I have some good news” he started and sat down on the garden bench. “Well, I hope you’ll think it’s good news because I think it is definitely not bad so I suppose that would make it..” he seemed to forget what his point was.

“Of the good?” she asked and sat down at the end of the bench, turning to face him.

“Exactly” he smiled and squinted his eyes in the sunlight. “Anyway” he realised he had phased out a little while admiring the way the sun shone through her hair. “ I have spoken to several colleagues at the Council over the last few days and have come up with a solution to the problem of how we can be together” he stood up to pace and she shook her head and smiled at him. “Obviously the Council know of your talents in the field of research and they have agreed that you are more than qualified to take up one of the positions for research assistant that is currently open” he was still pacing so she didn’t interrupt him. “Furthermore” he took his glasses off and waved them at her. “I have persuaded them that the importance of the work I do requires that a research assistant be permanently assigned to me and they have agreed to my ‘suggestion’ that that person be you”

She had noted his hesitation over the word and wondered exactly what leverage he had used to make his suggestion successful. “Why would I want to work for the Council?” she asked and looked genuinely confused. “These are the people who have stood against all of us on several occasions and had a hand in actively trying to kill the two slayers that I know personally” she continued. “This is the organisation that you tell me is worse than useless in most of the situations we have encountered in the last six years” she was building up a head of steam and ignored his attempts to interrupt her. “This is the organisation that would have killed me if they had gotten to me before you did several months ago and who would undoubtedly count murder as a small price to pay for controlling the kind of power I still have”

Giles was staring at her, completely shocked by her outburst. “But Willow, don’t you see” he started and watched as she stood up, almost shaking with anger.

“These are the people who threatened to deport you when you wouldn’t play the game to their sick and twisted rules Giles” she was shouting at him now. “What makes you think I trust them to keep any promises they make to you where we are concerned?” she headed for the kitchen door and turned for one final question. “What makes you think they don’t see the control they’d have over our relationship as something they can use down the line to blackmail you, me or Buffy?”

He watched as she stormed back into the house and heard the front door slam as she continued straight out again. He was still standing, completely bemused when Buffy came out to find him a few minutes later. “What happened?” she asked, taking in his confusion. “What’s up with Willow?”

“Apparently I have just asked her to sell her soul to the devil or somesuch” he shrugged his shoulders and sat down wearily on the bench.

Buffy sat down next to him. “I’m guessing she didn’t like the idea of being Travers’ lap dog?” she guessed.

“Is that what you think I am?” he asked while continuing to stare at the ground. “Do you think I would place her in that situation if I could think of any other way to guarantee that we are together”

Buffy sighed and leaned back, tilting her face to the sun. “It’s not me you have to persuade but I’m going to throw my opinion into the ring anyway” she took a deep breath. “Giles I think you are the most intelligent person I have ever known”

He continued playing with his glasses and watching the ground. “I can’t see but I’m guessing you have something else to add” he suggested wryly.

“Yep, major but coming up” she nodded and sighed. “You and I both know the destructive power of the Council and I know they have amazing resources and a fabulous library but do you really want to be working for them any more than Willow does?” She watched him try to assimilate what she was saying. “I mean when Tara died” she paused for a moment and looked up to the bedroom window before taking a deep breath. “When it happened and Willow went AWOL it wasn’t the Council that got you here and helped defeat the evil. The coven works outside the Council and manages to be on the side of the white hats, why can’t you?”

“It’s not that simple Buffy” he continued. “The Council may not have it’s finger on the pulse where the hellmouth is concerned but many good people dedicate their l to to it’s aims and I feel obliged to remain within the organisation in order to help them survive”

“Doggy poo” she blew a raspberry as well in case he didn’t catch her meaning. “You could hire yourself out as a consultant and make them pay for the experience you’ve earned over the years, experience they were perfectly happy to ignore whenever they wanted to get their own stuffy, British way”

“It’s not a black and white issue” he began and felt her anger rising as she stood in front of him and waited for him to look up at her.

“That is exactly what it is” she crossed her arms. “You could get a job teaching or lecturing in any University in England or America and do the watchery stuff on the side” the idea seemed to surprise her as much as it did him. “Yeah” she suddenly realised that it might work. “I mean you said you were actually a professor and you probably know something about regular subjects as well as vampires and demons”

He chuckled as her excitement infected him. “Just a little” he acknowledged and then shook his head. “But if I teach in England it will mean Willow will have to live there to be with me and I’m trying to find a way to spend a little more time here”

She shook her head and growled at him in frustration. “You are so stupid sometimes” she wagged her finger at him.

“But you just said I was the most intelligent” he started but she cut him off.

“Never mind what I said” she started pacing in front of him. “What’s more important to you?” she finally asked. “I know you really don’t want to live here and Willow has said she is willing to move to England to be with you but you know she’d be miserable so what’s more important?” she finally gave him a chance to answer.

“You want me to come back here?” he asked.

“Not for me or Dawn or Xander” she stopped pacing to stand in front of him. “Not even for Willow but for yourself” she said quietly. “I know you have friends and family in England but I think we must count as pretty nearly that as well and if you were prepared to commute to see us what’s so wrong about considering commuting to see them?”

He stared back at her for a moment before shaking his head. “You make it sound so simple” he huffed. “You’re asking me to give up my home, my friends and my job to relocate here again” he was staring at his hands and didn’t see her standing behind Buffy.

“That’s not what she’s asking” Willow said quietly and touched Buffy’s shoulder. Her friend took the hint and nodded at her before heading back indoors. “You’ve been happier over the last few weeks than I’ve ever seen you” she suggested. “I know I’m biased and some of that has to do with the fabulous sex life you’ve suddenly achieved but I think you were happy even before you and I hooked up” She sat down on the bench and he sat next to her. “Buffy was wrong” she took a deep breath and decided to get it all out in the open. “I wouldn’t be miserable if I moved to England because I’d be with you” she smiled at him as he turned to watch her. “But I don’t think I could work for the Council and we’d be in the same position we are now with you having to work away from home and us not being together”

“Willow, please, I don’t want that either and I’m not trying to defend the Council’s history but there are many people like me who work for them and truly believe that we are doing some good because of it” he rested his hand on her shoulder. “I understand that you don’t want to work with them but I’m not sure if I can get another job that would allow me to make the same difference as I do now”

“You had a job that allowed you to make all of the difference in the world” she mumbled and sniffled a little. “You were a librarian at an American high school by day and a battler for evil at night” she sighed. “You trained the most successful slayer in history and made sure her friends survived to help her celebrate her success”

“But I was working for the Council” he interrupted.

“Up until they fired you” she let out a deep breath, determined not to lose her temper again. “You stayed with us and helped us save the world more times than Travers and his kind have had hot dinners” She turned to face him and put her hand up to brush against his cheek. “You don’t need them Giles, you are better than that and can make more of a difference by following your own path and not being tied up in their red tape. They’ll beg you to stay and they’ll come knocking on your door when you set up freelance, believe me they will have no choice”

“You don’t know them like I do” he turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand. “They are just as likely to take umbrage at me having my lifelife and try to end it”

“Then they’ll just have to deal with a pissed off witch, won’t they?” she smiled at him. “You’re not alone in this Giles, we are a formidable team of people and Buffy will remind them of their subservient role in our lives if they ever dare show their face in this place again” He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “With the money you’ll be making as a top consultant we can visit your friends as often as you want”

“Do you really think it will work?” he asked and leaned back against the bench. “I mean it seems so simple when you and Buffy describe it but all I can think about are the obstacles”

“That’s what you thought about us and look how well that turned out” she smiled at him and leaned back beside him, her hand resting on top of his.