Intensive Care

Intensive Care
by Karen Jephson and GylzGirl


Rating: NC-17
Pairing: B/G
Disclaimer: Joss and WB...um UPN...um WB...um UPN...uh FOX, own the characters. We just broke them out and contributed to their delinquency.
Authors Notes: Tricia- Thanks to Karen for not only breathing life into something that had stalled on me but turning it into a fun project. I can't wait to do it again! :) Karen- This was a PWP that turned into a PWP with angst and emotional moments and lots of sex. Thanks to Trich for inviting me on the ride, and Beth for reminding me what fun that ride can be. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.


**********************


Buffy waited patiently in line in the Sunnydale General emergency room. As usual, the area was full of victims of the 'gangs' that roamed the city at night. She'd long ago given up wondering if anybody, even the medical staff, realized what really went on at night.

Waving to a few familiar faces, she marveled at the novelty of actually having to wait. Normally she, or the others, would be rushed straight through, receiving their 'star patient' treatment, as one intern had put it. Not this night though; a call from one of the regular night shift nurses telling her that Giles was in with a head injury, again! And here she was, sympathizing with all those people who used to give them disgruntled looks when they did the old crowding in line thing.

Finally she was next in line, the man ahead of her sent to wait in a seat, balancing a clipboard full of admission papers with the hand that wasn't holding a blood-soaked towel to his nose. She stepped up to the window.

A middle-aged nurse behind the counter sat half-turned away from the window, a phone nestled between her shoulder and her ear. Her hands sorted through the papers on her desk as her eyes followed her computer monitor. Buffy could tell by her expression that she was in a very bad mood.

She cleared her throat. "Excuse me?" The nurse huffed and began to close the window. Buffy inserted her hand and held it open. "I just need to find Rupert Giles. I was told he was admitted earli..."

"Room number 5." With that, the woman slammed the window shut, narrowly missing taking the Slayer's fingers off in the process.

Buffy rolled her eyes and went through the door to where the patient beds were. Upon entering room number five, Buffy's face went pale. A sheeted form lay still on the bed, blood soaking through at the top of the head. Her hands went to her mouth trying vainly to cover up the wail of grief that passed her lips. Her eyes flooded with tears that spilled over her lashes.

Her first instinct was to run to the sheet, to pull it back to force herself to accept that he was really gone, but she found she was frozen to the spot, standing in the doorway, staring ahead at the figure on the bed in the dim lighting. Buffy had been prepared to face many horrible things in her life, a world without Giles was not one of them.

A hand gently touched her shoulder. She shrugged it off, another audible sob escaping her mouth. The hand returned to her shoulder, gripping a little more firmly this time.

"Buffy what's wrong?" a soft male voice asked in an English accent.

For a moment, it was all she could do to manage to breathe. Her eyes scanned the sheet for movement before she realized that the voice had come from behind her. The voice belonged to the owner of the hand.

She turned slowly and a little shakily until she saw Giles' worried expression gazing down on her. Three butterfly bandages held closed a nasty cut on his forehead and the trace of a bruise had begun to purple his right cheekbone but other than that, he looked fine. Most importantly, he was alive.

Buffy inhaled and rushed forward, embracing him. Giles hugged back, loosely at first, but more securely as Buffy seemed to break down even more.

"I...I thought...."

He looked into the hospital room and realization dawned. "I'm fine Buffy. Not even a concussion this time."

She blinked back tears and looked up into his eyes. "What was it? Vampires? Ethan?"

He blushed. "Nothing so exciting I'm afraid. I was...hanging a picture, using an old chair to stand on. It broke and...well...down I came."

She stared at him blankly. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew she should have found that funny. Instead it started her crying again. The thought that something so mundane and silly could have knocked the foundation out from under her life was almost too much for her to bear.

"Buffy," he spoke gently, "let's go back to my house and get you calmed down?"

She nodded against his chest, unable to speak for the moment.

As they walked down the corridor together, Buffy calmed a little. When they passed the nurse that had sent her to the wrong room, she broke from Giles' side and stomped up to the window. As the nurse attempted to shut it, Buffy wrenched it out of her grip and opened it so hard it warped the frame so that it would not be able to be closed again.

"I asked you where my friend was and you sent me to a room with a dead body in it. A dead body I thought was his because of you. How you ever decided to take a job where you were supposed to help people is beyond me but just in case you've deluded yourself into thinking that you're some Florence Henderson Angel of Mercy or whatever, let me set you straight. You're not. You're a royal bitch and I only hope you have to deal with someone like you when the most important person in your life is lying in one of those beds back there and you're out here scared to death for them."

Buffy rejoined Giles who put his arm around her shoulders. She hid her face a little timidly at the smattering of applause her outburst had engendered in the waiting room. When they got outside, she looked up to see him smiling proudly at her. "I see you've met Nurse Ratchet."

"She can bite me." When they approached Giles' car, Buffy held out her hand.

"What?"

"Keys. I'm going to drive you home."

He smiled. "Haven't I been through enough for one night?"

She grinned. "Come on. I just want you to relax. Leave the driving to Buffy."

"Two sentences that will forever be contradictory. I appreciate the thought but I just got this car. I tell you what. I'll drive and then if you still feel the need to baby me once I get home, you will receive no further objections. Deal?"

She rolled her eyes and moved to the passenger side. "I'm holding you to that."

******


"I told you I should have driven!" A white-faced Buffy supported an equally pale Giles as they pushed their way into his apartment. "You almost hit that guy!"

"Yes I'm aware of that. That's the trouble with passing out when driving."

"Passing..." She looked up at him in shock. "Giles you almost hit a bus!"

Giles paused as he weaved slightly. Bolstering his sagging energy, he calculated the chances of his making it to the couch before he collapsed. "Well at least I missed. There's no guarantee you would have."

"I would...You...I wouldn't have..." Buffy paused a she noticed the attempted half-smile on his lips. It was the weariness in his eyes that halted her tirade though. He was obviously done in. "You are gonna pay for that mister! Big time!"

"Oh, Florence Henderson? What did you have in mind?"

"You gonna let me in on the joke? Cause I've heard that giggle every time you mentioned the name. I mean, she's one of your country's heroines isn't she? Lady and the lamp and all that."

They finally shuffled their way to the couch, and Giles collapsed on it gratefully. He squinted up at her. "You know your history."

"Nah, Mom just made me watch the mini-series."

He began to laugh until he was painfully reminded of the reason they were having the conversation. "Well, you should have paid more attention. Florence Henderson is one of your heroines." At her confused look he began to sing, "Here's the story of a lovely lady, who was bringing up three very lovely girls..."

"Oh," she didn't bother to hide her blush. "So who was the lady and the lamp? And don't think I'm not gonna tease you about your singing ability when you're better."

He winced at the thought. "Florence Nightingale. And let's make that when I'm much, much better."

"Maybe," he didn't like that tone in her voice. It usually meant trouble for him, "if you keep your part of the bargain."

"Bargain?" His voice raised several octaves in trepidation.

"Sure you don't have a concussion there Giles?" She placed her hand on his forehead in mock concern, her face gathered in a frown. "You certainly seem to have short term memory loss. Babying remember? Lots and lots," she drawled it out, "of babying."

Giles felt his face heat at her words. The sudden image of her feeding and bathing him caused a very un-infantlike reaction. He always found it ironic that no matter how injured or ill he was, a word from his slayer could remind him that certain parts of his anatomy were not affected. He cleared his throat, not liking the knowing look in her eyes. "Yes, well..."

"Yes well...I think that means one home-cooked meal coming up. You need something on your stomach before you try taking any pain medication. And while you wait, a nice hot bath."

Giles gulped, he hoped unnoticeably, and willed himself to concentrate on the throbbing dull ache in his head.

"I'm going to go run your bath and then I'll start dinner. Just rest here until I get it all ready for you," she said as walked away.

"Don't worry, I couldn't walk right now if you made me." His hand moved absently to the stirring bulge in his pants. He sighed, realizing that it wasn't exactly having the hoped for effect of diminishing the reaction Buffy's innocent statement had had on him. He heard the distant sound of the bathroom faucet come on as he moved his hand away from his lap and shut his eyes.

"Don't you fall asleep out there," he heard Buffy call to him. His eyes opened and he sighed again. Giles stood carefully and made his way back to the bathroom. He opened the door and found no sign of Buffy. Closing the door behind him, he stripped off his clothes and folded them neatly on the toilet seat. He bent forward to shut the tap off just as Buffy reentered the room.

"Giles!" she exclaimed at the bare backside of her Watcher.

"Good Lord!" Giles straightened and spun in surprise. He then realized that the only part of his anatomy she hadn't seen yet was now on full display to her ever-widening eyes. He moved much too quickly to cover himself and began to windmill backwards toward the tub.

Blushing down to her pores, Buffy was still quick-thinking enough to try to rescue Giles before he further injured himself. She reached out and barely grasped his fingertips. Counting on her superior strength, he pulled hard on the lifeline. Unfortunately, neither of them calculated just how much momentum he had already built up and both of them landed with a splash in the full bathtub.

Once he'd wiped the water from his eyes, Giles realized that he was now sitting on the lap of his Slayer in the bathtub. Her thin and now soaked-through clothes not providing much of a barrier between his completely naked body and hers. He also realized, any movement on his part would further expose himself to her.

"Giles," she said quietly. "Are you hurt?"

"No," he answered, fascinated with the ceiling tiles. "Are you?"

"No."

An awkward silent moment passed. "I-I thought you'd gone to fix dinner."

"I couldn't find the bubble bath. I went to the hall closet to see if there was some in there." Another long pause followed. "I didn't find any."

"Ah... Pity." What Giles wouldn't have given for the obscuring effect of bubble bath right at that moment as a traitorous appendage strained toward the surface of the clear water. "Th-that might be because I don't own any."

"Oh." Several moments of silence followed as Giles relived the actions that led to his current predicament. "Giles?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to work out how I came to be on top." He closed his eyes in pained embarrassment. Whatever calming effects his thoughts had created on his traitorous body had just flown out the window at his own damning words. "There used to be a time when I would actually think before I spoke. I blame you lot for the loss of that particular skill."

He could feel Buffy shift underneath him. "Luckily you passed it onto me. There used to be a time when I would immediately rise to that bait," at his groan she continued, "and I guess some habits die hard." He couldn't help it. His straining member rose even higher, even after his use of his normally reliable weapon for such situations. If Drokton's Thesaurus of Extinct Sixth Century Demons wasn't going to distract him, nothing would. "As for how, you stumbled, I grabbed, you pulled, I spun, we both slipped."

"Ah. Yes, of course."

"Um Giles? I'm getting kinda wet here, and the bath was meant to be just for you."

"O-oh yes. Of, um, of course." The moment he'd been dreading. Bracing himself, he placed his arms on either side of the bath. "Close your eyes." He couldn't see her, but he was fairly sure Buffy's eyes rolled at least once before closing. Pushing down on his arms, he started to lift himself up, only to be halted by a wave of dizziness. His apology was lost in the sound of half of the bath water spilling onto the floor.

Buffy's sigh was audible in the silent room. "Well that was an exercise in futility." She wriggled a little. "If you move forward I think I can slide out from under you. Then I can climb out and leave you to your 'relaxing soak'".

"N-no that's all right. I believe I can ..."

The trouble with being so long with somebody, and in such an intimate relationship as theirs, was that on rare occasions they could actually read each other's minds. "I've already seen it Giles."

He felt the flush down to his toes. "I-I assure you it's a perfectly natural reaction to... "

"I'm not talking about the gratifying fact that you obviously see me now as a woman, and not some annoying little girl that you've been stuck with." Before he could respond to her shocking revelation, she continued more quietly. "I've already seen your back. And I know what caused them, so you can stop trying to protect me."

The trace of bitterness in her voice finally succeeded in deflating his arousal. "Not all of them are his. Some are from earlier fights, and encounters of the wrong kind. I wasn't trying to protect you as much as myself. Last thing you'd want to see is an old man with scars."

"Giles we're warriors. Why should either of us be ashamed of our battle wounds? I weep for the pain they would have caused you, but to me they're a mark of your honor and courage. He told me how he finally broke you. There was awe and shame in his voice, but he was so proud that you were the one person who didn't give in." The tears and pride were obvious in her own voice.

Giles ducked his head to control his own emotions. He felt as if a final barrier had begun to crumble. He doubted Angel had told her everything, but she knew enough now, and still she wasn't repulsed. "I-it wasn't an option. The trouble with having the bravest and greatest Slayer of all time is that it's an awful lot to live up to. In not allowing Angelus to win, it was a way for me to prove my worthiness of you." He cleared his throat. "Well, you may be the Slayer, but I'm still not light enough to be sitting on top of you for several minutes. I'll just scrunch forward now, so you can, er, 'wiggle' out." Pushing himself forward, he wrapped his arms around his legs. The bath was not really large enough even for just him, so he found his head resting over the top of his upright knees.

He felt Buffy pull her feet from under his bottom. Half-expecting her to jump straight out of the bath, he was surprised when only silence followed. Then he felt it. The lightest of touches against one of his scars, one that Angelus had caused after he'd learnt the truth of Acathla. Giles closed his eyes and rested his head against his knees as he felt her fingers gently trace every one of the marks that laced his back. He let out a shuddering breath and soon felt her soft lips replacing the loving caress of his scars.

He trembled against the onslaught of emotion that stirred within him and, at the same time, he felt the warm splash of Buffy's tears on his back. "Your worthiness of me?" Her voice quivered. Her arms slid across his skin, under his arms and over his chest first in a loose embrace and then becoming tighter. Her lips whispered against his back. "I could fight an apocalypse every day for the next hundred years and it would never come close to the bravery you showed on that horrible night... not to mention on half a dozen other occasions... or even just the courage it takes to carry on and be the man you are after everything you've been through."

Giles knew he needed to stop her from saying anything more. The wall he'd spent years building to contain his torture, pain, fear; it was all in danger of being torn completely down in these next few minutes. He tried to speak but the only thing that emerged was a sob as the bricks began to give way. Buffy calmly pulled him toward her, settling him against her chest as she leaned against the back of the tub. She stroked his hair and placed her cheek against his head. "How many times did I want to run away from my duty only to have you show me how much a part of me my calling is. Everything remarkable about me as a Slayer is solely due to you... but I think a lot of the best parts of me as Buffy are your fault too." She laughed quietly against his hair. Still beyond words, Giles continued to clasp her hands over his chest.

"I'm so sorry Giles," she whispered.

His eyes blinked open and he cleared his throat. "What for?"

"That the only thing I've ever given you in return for all you've done for me are the scars on your back and the memories that go with them."

He broke from her embrace and turned until their chests were touching. His hands came to caress her face as he looked into her brilliant green eyes. "Buffy that's so untrue. You give me a reason to go on each day. You... you are not responsible for what Angelus did to me... not for any of it."

"Giles... I am. Angel killed Jenny because he knew how much it would hurt you. And he knew how much hurting you would devastate me. Then when he got a hold of you he..."

"Buffy, he needed information I had... and I imagine he was still more than a little pissed off about being lumped upside the head with a flaming baseball bat. As for Jenny, her heritage had her on a short list of Angelus' targets and then of course when she found the Restoration spell..."

"But..."

"Shh," his lips moved closer to her own. "None of that was your fault."

Her hand came to rest on his damp chest hair. "He hurt you because he knew how much I love you. He knew Giles. He knew what I felt before I did. Why? And why can't I ever just..."

"What do you feel Buffy?"

She met his eyes and hesitantly touched her lips to his own. For a first kiss it wasn't the earth-shattering experience she'd half-expected in her fantasies of this moment. His lips were warm and soft, and she could feel his yielding in their reshaping to her own. Yet he didn't really respond, just waited until she pulled back. Now it was her turn to blush in embarrassment. "Guess I was reading the signals wrong."

His face was devoid of emotion. She'd only seen that look on him when he was either so angry or distressed that he needed to hide behind a cold barrier. She shrunk from the realization that this time he was hiding from her. "That would depend."

She ducked her head. "On what?"

"Two things," his hands gently stroked along her shoulders and upper arms, the heat of them penetrating her damp shirt. "First of all, answer my earlier question. What do you feel? What did Angel know before you?"

She swallowed. Of all the monsters and bad guys she'd faced, this was the most terrifying moment of her life. "He knew that I wasn't as in love with him as I thought. That he wasn't the center of my world. How could he be when I was already falling in love with you?" She whispered the last, her throat tightening in fear. Why was it that he was the naked one, and yet she felt so exposed?

The hands stroking her stopped, biting slightly into her flesh as his grip tightened. "And when did you have this blinding revelation Buffy? When did you suddenly decide I wasn't old and gross, and good just for those times when nobody else was around?"

She looked up at him in anger. "Maybe I deserved some of that! But in case you haven't noticed, Mr I-Feel-Sorry-For-Myself, there hasn't been anyone around for over a year. And even when there was, Riley knew who came first. God, I even blew him off to go book shopping with you!"

He pulled back, obviously surprised at her words. "I-I."

"And as for old or gross, did you ever think I might have been jealous? Do you think I'm so self-centered or blind that even when people are pointing out the fact that my Watcher is not so old and kinda sexy I wouldn't notice it?" She was practically yelling now, and she didn't care.

"Buff..."

"And as to my blinding revelation! How about..." she stopped to wipe the tears that came in remembrance. "How about when I saw your supposed sheet-covered body in that hospital room a few hours ago." She choked as her anger quickly deflated.

Giles groaned as he pulled her back to him in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry. I just..." He held her as they both tried to calm their riotous emotions. "I told you I'm not as brave as you. You just handed me something I've dreamt of for so long, and I ran the other way. Well, figuratively," the smile in his voice was obvious. Her giggle turned into a hiccup. "The trouble with walls Buffy, is that when you feel the foundations crack you tend to run around madly trying to shore them back up again."

She looked up at him curiously. "And is that what I did? Made you build a wall against me?"

He shrugged. "Not just that. One look at you and I added iron spikes at the top." They smiled at each other. "I'm more than a little scared."

"Me too. Maybe we should just take that wall down brick by brick?" At his hesitant nod, she pressed her lips once more to his, knowing this time he would respond. And respond he did. This was not the sweet and slightly uncertain kiss of before. It had in very short order become something wild and hungry. Giles seemed as though having had his first delectable taste of her, he would now never be sated. She gasped at the overwhelming carnality of it, throwing her head back as he moved his attentions to her neck.

She became very grateful that she was sitting down, suddenly almost dizzy from the sensations he was causing in her. She'd never known feeling anything close to this was possible. Her one time with Angel had been caring but almost too much so. Angel always put her on a pedestal; a delicate carved goddess that could only fall or be broken. Her encounter with Parker was truly too brief and mundane to recall with much clarity. And Riley, while always sweet, was also fumbling and mostly pelvic.

Giles' lips had yet to touch her below the collarbone, his hands resting chastely on her hip and back and already she was shivering from wanting him so badly. His experience showed in every carefully maneuvered lick and nip he delivered on her electrified skin. His worship of her was apparent also; but his goddess was not one of inanimate glass. The deity he reveled in was of infinite power; fragility and strength in perfect and equal combination. As his hands traced the contours of her back, they seemed to promise the unlocking of her secrets, the unveiling of her true self. She would not have been comfortable with that idea had it been anyone else but Giles. An innate understanding came to Buffy then; that only Giles had the right to know her true self, because as the other half of her soul it was a part of him as well.

So involved was Buffy in the sensation of his lips upon her sensitized skin, the sound of something slipping barely registered on her conscious. Only after it was followed by a splash and Giles' head suddenly shifting from her throat to just below her breasts did realization hit. The sudden absurdity of the situation, crowding on top of the intense emotions of the past few minutes were too much. She tried to hold back the giggle that threatened to erupt, not sure if Giles would understand the source of her amusement. She was undone however when she saw him shaking with silent laughter. Pushing against his shoulder, she helped him sit back up as the room filled with their giggles. "You think somebody's trying to tell us something?"

Giles took a moment to control his laughter before answering. "Yes. One's bathtub is not the most romantic location for making love the first time. Especially when one of us has spent the best part of the night falling down at the drop of a hat."

Stroking his hair back, she looked into his eyes, wanting to make sure that he was still fully with her. Love and passion returned her gaze. "In that case Mr. Giles, I suggest we adjourn to a more appropriate location." At his look, "What? You think I'll always talk the way I did when I was 16?"

"No, but I didn't expect you to sound as though you were 36 either."

Buffy giggled again before folding her knees underneath her. "It's your terrible influence. Here's the deal. I'll get out first, then help you out."

"Umm..."

"You're not gonna go all bashful on me are you Giles? We were about to make love a few minutes ago, and you didn't worry about being naked then."

"There's a difference between us both being naked and i-involved, and you pulling me naked out of the bath."

"Hate to tell you this sweetheart, but I've been ogling your naked bits for the past few minutes. Now, be a good boy and you get a treat when we're done." She laughed at the combination of hope and lust that showed at her words. "I was thinking more along the lines of the babying I promised."

"Oh." The disappointed tone and adorable pout on his lips said it all. "I-I suppose it is too much to..."

"Starting with my drying every delectable spot on that gorgeous body of yours."

"Oh!" That was one part of babying he was obviously looking forward to. "Do you need any help standing up?"

"Um, no. With your track record tonight we'd be in here for the rest of our lives." Bracing against the sides of the bath, she pushed herself up into a standing position. Aware of the transparency of her clothes when wet, she smiled down at his apt expression. "Enjoying the view?"

His adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. "Uhhmmm." Smiling at the thought of her normally verbose Watcher wordless at the sight of her semi-naked body, Buffy stepped out of the bath, ensuring to stay facing him as much as possible.

Grabbing one of the large fluffy bath sheets she held it out toward him. "Now come to Mama. Need me to lift you?"

Shaking his head reluctantly, Giles pushed himself to a kneeling position "As long as you can take my weight as I step out, I should be all right."

Wrapping her arms around him as he attempted to stand, Buffy supported him as he climbed out of the tub. "Be careful. Looks like half the water's on the floor now." Guiding him through the door and down the hall, she pretended not to notice as his hands copped the occasionally feel as they rested near her breasts. "If you sit in one of the chairs, I'll grab some more towels."

Giles dropped into the chair he'd previously vacated, draping the now wet towel across his lap to provide some modesty. "Bloody hell. I'm more tired than I thought." He closed his eyes, listening to his Slayer move around his apartment with comfort and familiarity. After all the excitement and passion of the past few hours, he felt completely drained.

"Don't worry," he jumped at the closeness of her voice. Opening his eyes, he watched as she dropped some towels at her feet. "I'm gonna be doing all the work now. You just sit back and relax."

She started with his hair. Taking one of the smaller towels, she gently rubbed his scalp until most of the moisture had gone, before moving onto his neck and ears. She leaned over him to reach at the back of his head, her breasts swaying tantalizingly close to his lips. He leaned forward to press a moist kiss against one of the turgid peaks. When she didn't complain or move, he opened his lips and sucked gently on the warm point.

"I'm meant to be babying you here," her voice was satisfyingly breathless. "Is that a way a baby would behave?"

He pulled at the flesh gently with his teeth before letting go. "A hungry baby would. And I've been hungry for you for so long." He quickly moved to the second breast, drawing it fully into his mouth and suckling hard. His hands rested on her hips, holding her to him.

Buffy's hands came up to cradle his head to her. "Oh baby. Mama's gonna make sure you never go hungry again." She hummed in pleasure as he continued to feed on her breasts, tormenting one before moving back to the other. The damp barrier between his questing tongue and her warm flesh only aroused him more, making him draw more of her into his hot mouth. Finally, she shivered with pleasure before reluctantly pulling away from him. Her cheeks were gratifyingly flushed from arousal. Cradling his face in her hands, she rested her forehead against his. "Let me finish taking care of you first, then you can look after me."

Swallowing, he looked up into her passion-glazed eyes. He could see how much this meant to her. Reluctantly he nodded. His acquiescence was rewarded with a sweet smile and a lingering kiss. Her eyes held his as she slowly swept the towel across his chest. She made sure to take a second pass across his nipples when he seemed to shiver slightly from the contact. She rubbed the terrycloth down his body until she reached his belly button. She smiled when she heard him hold his breath. "Lift your arms Giles."

In an anticipatory haze, Giles obliged. Buffy moved the towel to his outstretched arms. Despite himself, he groaned in disappointment. She giggled. "All in good time little baby." She used the opportunity to feel the definition in the strong arms beneath the towel. She had always had a weak spot for nice arms and Giles certainly had them. She couldn't wait to have them wrapped around her without the confines of clothes or the barrier of repressed emotions between the two of them. At the thought, she had a sudden rush of heat throughout her lower abdomen. She took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the task at hand before she abandoned this appetizer and went right for the main course.

Buffy placed one more kiss on his lips and then knelt before him. Maintaining eye contact, she slowly maneuvered the towel up and down both legs until there was only one, albeit rather large, portion of his body she had yet to attend to. She lowered her eyes to appraise his reawakening manhood. Pondering future uses for it, she smiled and unconsciously licked her lips.

Giles gulped and felt a little lightheaded as she gently took him in hand and swept the terrycloth over his nearly painful arousal. She smiled up at him as she gave the same attention to his balls. "Giles, breathe." Buffy stood and lightly touched his cheek.

"That's easy for you to say."

She took his hand and led him to the couch. "Wait here. I'll only be a sec."

Releasing him, she trotted up the stairs into the loft and out of his sight. A few moments later, he was having to remind himself to breathe again. Buffy had changed out of her wet clothes and into one of the button up dress shirts he used to wear more frequently back in his librarian days. Three of the buttons were fastened, maintaining her modesty but giving him quite an inspiring view of her cleavage. Her hair was still very wet and curling about her face in a most seductive manor. She carried his dark blue robe folded over her arm.

Smiling, Buffy held the robe out for Giles to slip on. He turned his back to her reluctantly and slid his arms into the sleeves. He turned to face her once again, pulling the robe closed and tying the belt. "Now, " she said as she eased him onto the couch, "I want you to rest here while I make you dinner."

"Buffy, you don't have to do..."

She held one slender finger up to his lips and shushed him. "If Baby doesn't take a nap and then eat his veggies, Baby doesn't get any dessert." Taking the opportunity to kiss her finger, he smiled, put his feet up and leaned back against the pillows. Feeling very proud of herself, Buffy smiled enthusiastically. "Good boy." Giles watched the vision of her retreating into his kitchen before he closed his eyes and sleep claimed him.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep when he awoke to a wonderful smell. He got slowly to his feet and was rewarded with almost no dizziness. He shuffled into the kitchen and smiled when he saw Buffy humming sprightly as she stirred the pot on his stove.

Giles eased up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist as he kissed the side of her neck. "Feeling better?"

"Much."

"Still tired?"

"Hmmm." His negative response was muffled as he kissed her neck. He lifted his knee slightly and rubbed the back of her thigh with it.

She gently used her bottom to push him away. "Uh-uh. Dinner first. Set the table."

Chuckling lightly, Giles did as he was told. He moved about the kitchen collecting crockery and then brought it out to his table. As he arranged the dishes and silverware, he couldn't help but wonder at this small taste of normalcy in their otherwise surreal life. The scenario of Buffy and himself engaged in contented domesticity was shocking to him in that it just felt so bloody natural. It was as if this is how it had always been meant to be and only their blind stubbornness had held the course of events up so long. He found himself filled with true happiness, simply watching his Buffy bring the food out to the table, smiling brightly. Giles mentally apologized to whatever higher power it was that had crafted this cunning plan.

"Giles? Giles?"

He blinked. "I'm sorry. Yes Buffy?"

"Eat your food before it gets cold." They exchanged smiles and sat down to eat.

Giles' meal was disappearing quickly. "It's delicious Buffy. It seems I was hungrier than I realized."

"Me too," she said as she sat her fork and spoon down on her now empty plate. She stood, picked up her dishes and dashed into the kitchen.

'So much for sustained domestic bliss,' Giles thought.

Buffy emerged from the kitchen seconds later and strolled up beside him. She crooked her finger under his chin, lifting it so that he was looking up at her. She bent and slowly kissed his lips. "Finish every bite little mister ...and take your time. And when you're all done, take your dishes out and then... come upstairs."

He exhaled slowly at the unspoken promise. She kissed him again and then went to the stairs. Giles had barely a forkful of food left on his plate, but he managed to make it last four more bites. Then, trying not to rush, he collected his plates and walked to the kitchen.

When he reemerged, he could see the flickering glow of candlelight from over the side of the loft. Trying not to break into a full run, he made his way to the bottom stair. As he stood there and looked up, he truly had his breath taken from him. At the top of the staircase stood Buffy, lit candle in a holder in her left hand and the shirt she had formerly been wearing now clutched against the front of her naked body by her right.

At his look of utter desire, she smiled coyly. "Come to Mama, Baby," she whispered.

Swallowing to moisten his now dry throat he slowly made his way up the steps. "Out of all the incredibly wonderful memories I have of you, this is one of the two I shall be able to bring forth without effort."

She cocked her head slightly, the light of the candle adding an additional shimmer to her blonde hair. "And the other one?"

"When you walked through the door at your prom. And when you accepted your 'special award' from your classmates. In fact most of that night." They both smiled in shared memory.

"I remember you looked so proud. I figured it was the whole 'father being of his daughter' type thing."

He paused just a few steps from her, his head now reaching her shoulders. "Oh no. That was the night I realized I'd fallen in love with you. There was definitely no paternal emotion around then." At her shocked look, he traversed the final steps. "I was going to ask you to dance that night."

"Why didn't you?" The regret was obvious in her voice.

"It took me half the night to gain the courage. I was about to when Angel appeared."

"Oh," a whisper of guilt tinged with the regret. "You still should have. I would have..."

He shook his head. "You weren't ready then. And I didn't want you to dance with your 'father-figure'."

She ducked her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't ready for us then. I wish we could have had that memory to share in the future. I wish..." She looked up. "I wish I could have felt your arms around me as we waltzed."

He smiled. "Oh we can still do that. In fact, there's no time like the present." Grasping her wrist lightly so as not to endanger her hold on the candle, he wrapped his other arm around her waist. Humming lightly under his breath, he began to guide her around the room. Buffy automatically lifted her other arm to his shoulder, neither concerned when only the pressure of their bodies prevented the shirt from falling completely. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his chest, the essence of him surrounding her. She rubbed her nose against the skin exposed above the dressing gown, enjoying the sensation of the light hairs brushing against her cheek. When the shirt finally fell, they pressed closer together, reveling in the intimacy of this very private waltz.

"I like this dance better. I kinda think that we would have gotten in trouble if we tried this at the prom." His chuckle rumbled against her cheek. "You know, for a lousy start, this has turned into a pretty good date."

"Date?"

"Dinner. Dance. Talking. Lots of kissing. Sounds like a date to me."

Giles leaned back to look at her in surprise. "You're right. Our first date and we didn't even plan it."

"Good thing too. I hate all the nervous anticipation stuff before a first date." She moved her fingers down the soft velour to stroke gently across his chest. "Know what I hate more? The saying goodbye bit after a great first date."

"Because you don't know if the second date will be as good as the memories of the first?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded in agreement. "So, let's not say goodbye." She lifted her head up as he lowered his, their lips meeting in a fusion of hot passion. During their dance, Giles had turned them so his back was to the bed. Taking advantage of his preoccupation, Buffy pushed him down. Pausing only long enough to place the candle on a side table, she followed him down until she lay on top of him. Giles moved his hands down, stroking her lower back until they rested on her bottom. Squeezing he drew her further to him, as if to surround her with his love and heat. Pulling on the belt, Buffy opened the dressing gown until nothing separated their bodies. She pulled back as he began to roll them over. "No."

Giles' pout changed into glee as he enjoyed his first unrestricted vision of his love. Moving his hands up her side, he cupped her breasts, gently rolling the hardened nipples with his thumbs. "You're right. This is fun too."

"Hmmm." Buffy closed her eyes as his hands worked their magic, her legs opening to cradle him more intimately. She sighed in pleasure and mock sorrow. "It is, but it has to stop now."

"You are joking right? Not that I would ever force you to, b-but..." She smiled at the sudden return of her stuttering Watcher, "I-I'm quite sure I did not get the signals wrong this time."

"You didn't." She batted his hands away before climbing off him, her leg brushing against his erection. "But you had a nasty fall earlier. You might have given yourself a concussion. I don't want you straining yourself."

His frustration was clear in his bellow. "For goodness sake Buffy I did not..." her hand on his mouth silenced him.

"I don't want you straining yourself. So I think it's best that I finish taking care of you properly." The gleam in her eye finally made him realize what she had in mind. His "Oh" was muffled by her hand, but he knew she understood. She removed her hand from his mouth, replacing it with her warm, soft lips. He opened up to her, allowing her to be the dominant one this time. 'Rather fitting,' he thought considering their normal relationship. He ceased to think as he felt her hand brush across his nipples. He couldn't hold back a moan as her thumb returned to flick across one of the sensitive nubs. His hand reached up to tangle in her hair, understanding her need to control, but needing this tactile contact with her also.

He whimpered when her mouth left his, only to catch his breath as her lips traced a path along his chin and throat to press light kisses along his chest. When her mouth closed over the nipple her thumb wasn't massaging, he closed his eyes in ecstasy. He hadn't felt this excited, or so close to embarrassing himself since his London days. Since then he'd always held something back from his lovers, always wanted to remain in control. With Buffy that wasn't possible, she'd had control of him from the moment they'd met. And he knew now that he wouldn't have it any other way. When she began to kiss and lick her way down the rest of his body, he knew that he would lose that final thread of control. "Bu-Buffy."

She looked up at him, her face flushed from arousal. She licked her lips, and he could imagine her wanting to keep the taste of him in her mouth. "You're not enjoying it?" They both knew this was far from the truth.

"Too much. I'm afraid Love that I'm in danger of doing something that I haven't done since I was a teenager."

Buffy looked back to where her hand rested teasingly against his groin. His erection was now full, and she could see beads of precum on the tip. "Oh." She hesitated just a moment before moving further down, kissing the fluid away from his skin. The half-sob behind her told her of the effort it took for him to restrain himself any further. Grasping the pulsing flesh in her hand, she enveloped him in her mouth, sucking gently on the shaft.

"Buff!" His shout of surprise was quickly replaced by a cry of release as he felt her pulling him further into her mouth. Her hands began to massage the two globes at the base of his shaft as the orgasm gripped him. Sobbing, he pumped into her, feeling as if it would never end. Finally he was spent, his breath coming in catches. The force of his release had shocked him, but not so much as the feel of her mouth and tongue as she cleaned him. For perhaps the first time that night, he truly felt that his generous, giving Slayer really loved him. He swore to give thanks to whatever deity was responsible for the rest of eternity.

As his thunderous heartbeat calmed once more to a gentle drum and his breathing began resembling something less like a marathon runner having a heart attack, Giles realized that Buffy was now against his side. Her head lay pillowed on his shoulder as she alternately kissed and stroked his chest.

Giles put his hand over his eyes. "I-I'm sorry Buffy. I've wanted to... be with you for so long. I wanted to touch you in ways you'd never... I never imagined it would be over so soon."

She smiled and pulled his hand from his eyes. "Over-schmover, all I did was take the edge off."

He looked at her quizzically. "Come again?"

She touched her fingertip to the end of his nose. "Oh you will. And so will I. But now I get to spend a long time getting you back to where you were." She leisurely kissed his mouth. "Being as slow as I want." She licked and nibbled at his lips. "Using every method I can think of." Again she kissed him.

His arms came around her. He wondered if he'd ever be able to stop his hands exploring the impossibly soft warm skin of his lover's body. From the sounds she made as his hands sampled the weight of her perfect breasts, he didn't think she'd mind if he couldn't restrain himself. Arousal once again spread across him as they writhed against each other, bodies mimicking the dueling of their tongues.

She pulled back to look into his eyes and ran her hand along his chin. "So," she whispered, "what turns you on?"

"Other than you?" He smiled and she returned it. "I'll have to show you." He slid his arm across her back and rolled her down to the bed as he positioned himself atop her. His mouth went first to her neck, then slid to her breasts. He paid each one careful and enthusiastic attention before moving his kisses even lower. His hands moved to the insides of her thighs, gently pressing them farther apart as he blew hotly across the moist curls before his eyes.

He had but barely begun and already Buffy had a death-grip on the bedding. It took her remarkable self-control, and a little well-directed placement of Giles' weight to keep her from arching her hips off the bed. That wouldn't do at all for his plans.

He traced her netherlips with his fingertips and then pulled them apart, smiling carnally at the glistening pink that was revealed. He bent his head to taste her, the touch of his mouth on her throbbing button sending shockwaves along her body. He lapped at her core slowly, savoring each drop of moisture that held her delicious flavor.

Buffy moaned suddenly. Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow, her body restless from his attentions. Giles extended two slender fingers and slid them into her tight passage. She gasped and pressed into his hand. He carefully increased the friction, attaching his suckling mouth to her clitoris as his hand pumped her toward ecstasy.

"GIIIIILLEEESSSS!!!!" She screamed his name as her orgasm overtook her. With her last coherent thought, she pressed her fist against her mouth to try to muffle her loud, involuntary, moaning. Her sounds of pleasure went straight to his groin and he found himself rock-hard again in no time. Giles smiled up at her as he brought her down gently. He caressed her all over as he crept his way up along side of her again.

Her breathing was still heavy and labored. Giles propped himself up on his elbow and brushed back a lock of hair that had adhered to her cheek from the light dusting of sweat on her skin. His happiness was luminescent. He was amazed that he could make her lose control that way but also very pleased by it. His hand found mooring on her breast. He could feel the steady drumming of her heart beneath. As his thumb idly circled her nipple, her blue eyes finally fluttered open and fixed on his own.

"Nobody has ever..." She swallowed, her words husky with wonder. "I never realized..."

Giles looked at her, puzzled. "Surely Angel and Riley..." He was stopped by the shaking of her head.

"Angel and I didn't really have a chance. We only got the one shot remember? And Riley, well he was an old home boy at heart."

"But didn't you...?"

"Oh yeah. But not like that."

"Ah." Giles knew Buffy's romantic background, and also realized it was foolish to expect a girl of her age to be a virgin. But still, it was satisfying to know he was first in some areas. He leant down and kissed her. "Can I sound old-fashioned and say I'm glad?"

She smiled. "Only if I can too." She shifted, feeling his erection pressing against her hip. "What do you wanna do next?" The salacious grin on her face made it obvious what her plans were.

Giles laughed before rolling on to his back, bringing her to his side. "That was one of my suggestions. But I thought we'd wait a few minutes. We have forever." Buffy pouted before placing a kiss against his beating heart. "I thought you'd need time to um, recover?"

"Ha! Slayer girl? Super recoverer." Giles smiled down at her before shifting again. "And you're restless guy. What are you doing?"

Giles pulled himself up until he was leaning against the wall, his knees raised. He assumed an innocent expression as he looked back down at her. "Getting ready."

"For what?"

He patted his thigh. "Want to sit on my lap?"

Buffy decided that one day she was going to ask him to teach her to wriggle her eyebrows the way he could as she raised herself up. Swinging her leg over, she positioned herself above him. Looking deep into his eyes, she lowered herself until she felt his tip at her entrance. They both drew a deep breath as she continued her downward movement, only to sigh as she rested fully against his groin. She couldn't remember feeling so completely filled before. Her back pressed against his knees as they both sat still for a while.

Giles smiled as he traced her face with his fingers. "It does feel right, doesn't it?" Buffy could only nod in agreement as he moved slightly. "And we can take as long as we want." His hand stroked down her shoulders and arms, then up again, as they slowly began to rock against each other. As if his fingers now controlled her body, she stopped her movements when his hands halted against her neck. Only when they repeated their journey did she rock her hips again.

Not wishing to break the moment, but suddenly feeling a need to speak, she stroked her hand down his chest. "What do you think the others will say?"

"About us?" Buffy nodded. Giles continued his hands' journey, as if it was normal to discuss your friends while making love. And yet, with him everything seemed normal. "Well, I'm not sure about Willow. But Anya, Xander and I did have a discussion one night."

"You did?" Buffy was surprised at this. She would have thought Xander would have been the hardest to convince.

Giles nodded, then shifted until he was buried further within her. She moaned as the pressure began to build again. "I'd yelled at Anya for some minor irritation. She told me I'd be happier if I actually 'got some'. Unfortunately, Xander arrived at that time, and reminded Anya that wouldn't happen until you opened your eyes."

Buffy's eyes opened wider, not from surprise but increased arousal. Although she was in the dominant position, it was Giles controlling their movements. He increased the tempo, his hands now massaging her breasts, pinching her nipples. Her breath increasing, Buffy tried to continue the conversation. "How... how did he... oh god!"

Giles moved his hands down to her hips, encouraging her to ride him faster. Her moans increased, until she was almost sobbing with need. His words of encouragement pushed her on, almost blocking her determination to take him with her. Moving her hands along his thighs, she found the warm sacks, full and throbbing. Squeezing them gently, she begged him to let them both finish. "Giles!!!!"

"Yes!" At his cry, Buffy tumbled over the edge, her energy spent as she felt him continuing to pump into her. Her name on his lips as he finally orgasmed, caused her to climax once more, squeezing against his penis as it filled her with his essence. Exhausted, she collapsed against him, feeling his arms wrap around her protectively.

Gently, never letting her go, he lowered them both back down on the bed. As he settled his pillow against the headboard, Buffy snuggled up to his chest and pulled the blankets up over both of them. Her fingers traced patterns in his chest hair. "So Baby, are you feeling any better?"

He took a deep breath. "That was certainly the most intensive care I've ever received." He kissed the top of her head. "It feels so wonderful not to hurt any more... to feel only this sense of... joy."

She tilted her head up to look at him, her hand moving up to gently touch the bruise on his cheek. "Well, you're not totally healed yet."

He smiled, took her hand in his and placed it over his heart. "Yes... I am."

Buffy smiled at him, tears glinting at the crinkled corners of her eyes. Giles pulled her up and kissed her mouth. She shifted a little, moving her body more over his own, settling her hips across his thighs.

At that moment, the bed frame collapsed beneath the two of them. The slight fall bounced Giles away from the headboard. The box springs and mattress slammed onto the floor with a very audible thud, the impact of which brought his head into rather striking reacquaintance with the headboard.

Buffy's surprised gasp turned into giggles that she muffled against his chest. "I can't believe you broke the bed! You Studmuffin you." She looked up only to find his eyes closed. "Giles?" She shook him slightly. "Giles?!" She reached her fingers into his hair and felt the large knot that had started to form there. She hissed in sympathetic pain and then smiled fondly at him. "My poor baby." She kissed him slowly and then pushed away from the bed. "Wait here. I'll call the ambulance."


THE END