Mrs. Giles

Thanks to Melissa, MarzBar, seraiza, feistypumpkin, and pinkblue_ice. Also to Anon- thanks for the honesty.

"I said, it's going to be alright Buffy."

Initially, Spike wasn’t thinking at all. It just slipped. But then he thought that coming out and saying her Christian name could be a good way of telling her that he knew the truth. All he wanted to do was reassure her that she didn't have to worry anymore. That he knew her secret, and he was okay with it. Of course, Spike was majorly wrong.

"Oh god!" she exclaimed before pushing out of his now not so comforting embrace and attempting to flee the room. He’d never seen a woman put on her clothes so quick.

"Buffy, wait. Luv stop!" He yelled, hopping out of the bed and throwing on his pants. He grabbed her wrist before she reached the door knob.

"But you know! You must hate me so much and... wait. How long have you known?" Curiosity now replacing the fear in her voice.

"For quite some time actually. At first, I just wasn't sure if I could trust you or not." He said with a nervous chuckle. A smile lit up her face (a highly odd one, if you ask me) as she moved closer to him. Expecting a hug or a kiss of some sort, he was (briefly) stunned into silence at the smack that now stung his left, chiseled cheek.

"Ow! What the bloody hell was that for?!"

"You mean to tell me that you've known about this and never confronted me on it? Do you know the stress and fear I've gone through all this time?"

"You're one to talk, you know! You're just as guilty. Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" He asked a bit more calmly than he felt.

"Because I was afraid. I didn't know how you would handle it. Didn't know if you could... or if I could… How do you tell someone that the last ties to someone they love is dead? That not only had your brother died, but his wife and unborn child too? It was so much easier to lie to you. I didn’t want to, but it was- "

"But a burden all the same. And now this whole, Angel thing..." He trailed off, running his fingers through his hair.

"You know about that too? How-"

"I'm not as dumb as I look pet. Really. When I saw him at the party, I knew something was up. Andrew confirmed it all."

"Andrew... You mean you had him spy on me?" She said accusingly.

"Well it's not like you keep me in the bloody loop, do you? Had to find out the facts somehow, and I was worried." He finished sheepishly. Reaching out to him with an apologetic look in her eyes, she hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry. I got us all into this mess." She said, holding him with all her might. Spike hugged her back in what he hoped to be a reassuring reply, lovingly stroking her hair.

"I won't let him hurt you pet, I promise. He can't blackmail you anymore. Father and I will make sure of that. Well, once I tell him anyway." He said as an after thought.

"Oh no. Giles doesn't know?” She said, looking up at him with a frightened look. “I hope he'll take the news alright."

"I'm sure he will, pet."

Later, or perhaps, dear readers, at about the same time, something dastardly was taking place at the Motor Inn...

"Oh, Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. What a happy man you will soon be making me." Angel said to himself as he lounged about on the bed, rehashing his plan on making easy money by using emotional blackmail as well as jail time on Buffy.

"Or should I say, Drusilla? You sweet peach." He said with a sinister chuckle. Just then, there was an urgent knock at the door.

"Oh, for fuck's sake." He muttered as he got out of the bed to answer the door. Seeing who it was, a look of sheer annoyance was on his face before he felt the once concealed knife stab into the flesh of his abdomen.

"Hello, lover."

**********

"So... you're not Drusilla then? She died?" Giles asked in a mere whisper.

"Yes." Buffy said while watching him, trying to gauge his reaction. He then took off his glasses and began polishing them furiously.

"And you knew all this time, William?" He asked, not looking at either of them.

"Yes, but not the whole time, though."

"So, they're all dead?" Giles said more to himself than the other two occupants in his study.

"I didn't know how to tell you. How do you tell someone after... I just want you to know that I never wanted to-"

"What, lie to me?" Giles said, looking at her just then. She swallowed hard before continuing.

"Yes, lie to you. I never did it for money or- or anything like that. I was just scared."

"And you, William? When you discovered the truth, why didn't you tell me?" Giles asked, completely bewildered by the entire situation.

"I wanted to know what was going on for sure first. And when I discovered everything, by then I was already in love." He said in a low voice, not looking at anyone. Buffy smiled at him and held his hand tightly.

"Oh, well..." Giles wasn't quite sure what to say exactly. Spike took the opportunity of silence to share the information about Angel.

"You should also know that Faith's father... he's blackmailing Buffy about her 'not so much a secret’ identity now. But I'm going to go explain to him to leave our family alone; that we already know and don't really care. Is that okay with you, dad?" Giles remained silent as he looked from one to the other. He watched his son watch him- watching the way he mentally prepared himself for an unfavorable answer from his father. Though his stoic, facial expression said otherwise, he could see the truth in his eyes- his eyes. He knew William so well. He could practically see the wheels turning in his head. And then there was Buffy. Hmm... Buffy. His eyes settled on her then. Her fear at his reply was much more obvious. He thought the girl might break into a nervous sweat. He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Yes, William. Quite right. We must protect our family." Buffy let out a gasp of elation before leaping out of her seat and giving the older man a fierce hug.

"Oh, thank you Giles. Thank you." Giles was only a little upset by the news, mainly the lying. But he had not had the chance to get to know the real Drusilla. He was certain she was a lovely girl, for Randy loved her, but he cared about Buffy all the same. It was hard, the idea of Faith not being his granddaughter by blood. But in his heart, she already was. It would take him some time to get used to the unusual name of “Buffy,” though…