Chapter 5

Xander wandered into the kitchen to find some breakfast an hour or so later, and found Giles sitting at the breakfast nook, tea sitting before him getting cold. Giles didn’t even notice the young man enter. The Watcher’s gaze was out the kitchen window, lost in thought. He looked so sad, Xander thought. The young man frowned, and cursed himself, and then Buffy, because it was obvious that she was the cause of Giles’ anguish.

“Hey, G Man.” Xander startled Giles from his thoughts.

“Good Morning, Xander.” Giles sipped from his cup, grimacing at the cold tea. He stood and dumped the contents of the cup down the drain, and then replenished it with a warm-up. “Sleep well?”

Xander opened the fridge and pondered at its contents. “Better than you, by the looks of things.” He glanced over and caught the frown on his friend’s face. For once, Xander wasn’t that interested in food. He shut the fridge, and sat across from Giles. Before the Watcher could stutter out a reply, Xander held up his hand to quiet his protests.

“Listen, Giles. I know you are worried about Buffy. I am too. And I’m sorry again that you found out the way you did, but I’m not sorry that you know what Spike tried to do.”

Giles just looked at Xander, and then took a slow swallow of his tea.

Xander sighed in frustration. Why were they all so bad at expressing their feelings with each other? After everything they’d been through, and accomplished together, you’d think they could say what was in their hearts.

“I may only have one eye left, Giles, but I can see.”

Giles froze, tea cup half way to his mouth, and his eyes met Xander’s one good eye. “What?” he asked.

“Ever since we got over here, you and the Buffster have gotten close again. Closer then ever before. And I can tell by the way you look at her, the way you’ve always looked at her, that you have feelings for her.”

Giles stood again and turned the faucet on to run water into his cup, leaving it in the sink. Without turning around, he answered. “Of course I have feelings for her. I have feelings for all of you.”

“That’s not what I mean Giles, and you know it.” Xander stood and Giles turned to face him, crossing his arms over his chest. Xander’s expression softened. “Don’t make the same mistake I did, Giles. I loved Anya, and I know she loved me. But I got scared, and I blew it. She was my everything, and I let her slip away because of my stupid fears. And now she’s gone, and I can never make it right again.” He took a deep breath before going on. “But Buffy isn’t gone. And it’s obvious that you need her. You have to tell her.”

Giles was moved and awed by Xander’s wisdom and confession. He pushed his hands down into the pocket of his jeans. “Xander, I appreciate that, but it’s different for me. You are right, Anya did love you. But with Buffy and I…it’s different. She isn’t in love with me, like…um..ah…like I am in love with her. I know she cares for me, but…”

Xander shook his head, and pointed at his eye. “I am the seer, remember? She does love you, even if she doesn’t know it yet. So you need to tell her how you feel, show her how you feel. Don’t let fear stop you, because before you know it, it might be too late.”

They both thought of Spike then. “Fight for her Giles. Don’t settle for less.” Xander then embraced Giles. The Watcher was shocked and surprised, and it took him a moment to pull his hands out of his pockets and reciprocate, hugging back.

“We’ll be fine here, G Man. You should go to LA. Now. Today.”

Giles held the man close for a moment longer, until both realized they were still firmly embracing, and abruptly pulled apart, embarrassed by their displays of affection. “Don’t call me that.” Giles smiled at the boy, teasing him.

Xander smiled back. “I won’t, if you promise me you’ll call the airport right now.”

Giles smiled nervously before turning serious once more. “She said she wanted to do this on her own, Xander. I don’t think I’m wanted there.”

Xander shrugged. “Don’t settle. Fight. You can’t do that here. Besides, your heart and mind are already there anyway. You sure weren’t here when I walked in.”

“Ah. That is true.”

“So? Phone. Now. Tickets.”

Giles smiled, and turned towards the counter where the cordless phone usually sat, only to find an empty receptacle. He paused, and then looked up as Willow tapped him on the shoulder from behind. “You’ll need this,” she said, handing him the phone with a smile.

* * *

Buffy and Spike wandered down the stairs in search of Fred. As they approached Harmony’s desk, the blonde vampire threw a box up on to the desk, avoiding eye contact with both Buffy and Spike. “Package for you,” she said, without looking up.

“For me?” Buffy and Spike both said in unison, then smiled at each other. Buffy picked up the box, frowned, and held it out to Spike. “It’s got your name on it, Spike.”

“Mine?” He frowned in confusion. “Who the hell is it from? I don’t know anyone. I mean, no one knows I’m here? Where’s it from?” He peered at the plain brown wrapper.

Buffy turned the box over in her hands. “It doesn’t say. No return address or anything.” She again held it up to him. “Why don’t you open it and find out?” He smirked at her again, shrugging. “Can’t, remember? Can’t touch and all that…”

She hugged the box to her for a moment, and gazed at him. “You touched me,” she softly said.

“PULEASE!” sneered Harmony. “I so don’t need the details.”

Buffy and Spike both glared at Harmony, and then Buffy tore open a corner of the wrappings around the box, and pulled open the lid. A blinding light shot out of the box, and Buffy dropped the box to the floor in surprise. Harmony, Buffy, and Spike all fell to the floor, moaning and screaming due to the shock of it all. Angel, hearing the commotion, again opened his office door to find the three all huddled on the ground rubbing their eyes. “Now what?” he asked, exasperated.

“Spike’s box tried to blind me!” cried Harmony.

“What?” Angel asked, confused. He reached down and helped Buffy up to her feet, missing the glare that Spike sent his way. Spike jumped up off the floor himself, still rubbing his eyes. “I feel weird.” He said.

“Are you okay?” Angel asked Buffy.

She rolled her shoulders and kinked her neck around. “Yeah. I think I’m good.” She turned to Spike. “You feel weird?” Forgetting for a moment that he was noncorporeal, she reached out and placed a hand on his arm. He started, and she pulled back in surprise, as if he was too hot to touch. They locked eyes in surprise, and then Buffy reached out and took a hold of Spike’s bicep. “I can feel you,” she whispered. He looked down at her hand resting on his arm. “I can feel you too,” he said with awe. They both smiled as he pulled her into a fierce hug.

“Hey!” shouted Harmony again, but everyone just ignored her. Angel, a look of confusion on his face, met Fred’s gaze as she wandered over to the group. “Angel? What’s going on?”

But before Angel could answer, Spike released the Slayer and then pulled Fred into a huge hug. “I’m back, baby!” he said with a laugh, swinging Fred around in his arms. She started to giggle, and then switched into scientist mode. “You’re back? You’re back! How? What happened?”

Spike released Fred as Buffy explained about the box, which was scattered in pieces on the floor now. Angel picked up the remains, but found nothing inside. “So someone mailed you back to you?” Angel asked quizzically.

“Yup, I guess so. Like to know who the chap was. I owe him one.” The grin could not leave the vampire’s face. Angel, on the other hand, glowered. “Yeah, so do I.” And not in a good way, he thought.

Fred gathered up the remains of the box to take to the lab. If anyone could find anything on it, it was her.

“Come on, Pet. Let’s go celebrate!” Spike said, grabbing Buffy’s hand and pulling her down the hall. She giggled. “Where are we going?” She asked.

“The garage. You should see all the cars the ponce has down there. And sun proof too. Let’s go for a spin. I’ll turn The Ramones up and we’ll tear through this city!”

“Hey, not the Viper!” Angel shouted after them, but it fell on deaf ears, Buffy’s giggles drowning everything else out. Angel stared after them for a moment, heartsick and angry. Harmony glanced at her boss. He didn’t notice, and returned to his office, slamming the door.

Harmony sat back down and stared at her phone. She decided this job wasn’t all that it had been cracked up to be.

Chapter 6