A Sunday Kind of Love  

"Willow stop fussing," Giles said tiredly, as he
swatted her hand away from fluffing yet another
pillow.

"I just want you to be comfortable," Willow said with
a smile. "Not too comfortable though. You heard the
doctor," she added sternly.

Giles sighed heavily. "Yes, I heard, and it's
ridiculous. I'm quite capable of staying up by myself.
I'm in no mood for a nursemaid," he finished testily.

Willow wasn't cowed in the least. "Well, hard cheese,"
she muttered.

"Excuse me?"

"Giles," Willow said, as she sat down on the
coffee table in front of him. "I gave that doctor my
solemn oath that I'd keep an eye on you. He said you
can't fall asleep for at least twelve more hours and
that's the way it's going to be. Buffy and Xander can
take care of themselves. And, like it or not... I'm going
to take care of you."

"But-"

"No buts. My resolve face is firmly in place. See?"
Willow retorted, her resolve face in full glory.

Giles sighed heavily again and frowned.

"Please?" Willow asked gently. "This is serious. You
lost consciousness at the quarry. It's only a
mild concussion, but with all the others-- I'm not--
We're not taking any chances."

Giles couldn't help but smile a bit. She was so
sincere and worried. "All right, but don't fuss."

Willow grinned. "Fair enough." She stood and went into
the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea, and you
think about what you'd like to do to pass the time,
okay?"

"I can think of a few things," Giles mumbled with a
secret grin.

"Hmmm?" Willow called from the kitchen. "I'm sorry, I
didn't hear that."

Giles frowned slightly and slowly shook his head. "Nothing."
It must be his screaming headache or the already
growing fatigue. He'd become far too practiced in
thwarting his feelings to let them spill out now, as
tempting as it might be.

Soon Willow returned. "Maybe we could just talk?"

Giles smiled a bit unsure. "Of course. A-about what?"

"Oh. Uhm. I dunno. Just stuff. Any news on the job
front hunt?" she asked brightly.

"No, not really," Giles said with shrug.

"That's okay. I'm sure you'll find something." She
bobbed her head nervously.

"I suppose," he said quietly.

"You will," Willow said sincerely. "I mean who
wouldn't want to hire you? You're smart and hard
working - evidenced by the big old knot on your head.
Anybody would be lucky to have you. A-and if they
don't want to hire you well, then they're just
poopy-heads!"

Giles chuckled and grinned at her ferocity.

"I mean... well, you know what I mean," she added
sheepishly.

He was touched and flattered by her faith in him. "I
think so. And thank you. Perhaps I should take you on
interviews. I doubt anyone could say no to you."

Willow blushed and Giles realized how that must have
sounded. "I-I mean, that is to say-- thank you." He
smiled shyly, and Willow felt her insides warm at the
tender look in his eyes.

They looked fondly at each other; each entranced by the
softness and subtle emotions. The moment lingered and
then somehow fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Giles cleared his throat. "Uhm, maybe we could read
for a spell? N-not an actual spell, but a --" The
whistling of the kettle saved him from a rather
embarrassing ramble.

Willow smiled and went to the kitchen to prepare the
tea.

Giles watched her leave and, not for the first time,
admired the way her lithe body moved. He shook his
head again and groaned at the increased throbbing. He
leaned back against the sofa. This was going to be a
very long night.

*****

"--and then Xander said, 'You can't do that, you big
bucket of puss!' and shoved Cordelia into the swing
set," Willow said with a giggle.

Giles couldn't help but chuckle. "I can't imagine that
went over well."

Willow's eyes went wide. "You have no idea! She
tortured him for weeks. Wasn't pretty. There was
pantsing and overall humiliation. Fourth grade was a
particularly brutal year."

Giles grinned. "You don't seem much the worse for the
wear."

"Oh, I would have been. If Xander hadn't been there.
He was great. No matter what, he was always there for
me," she said with a fond smile that quickly grew
melancholy.

"He still is," Giles said softly. "It's just---
he's--"

Willow smiled. "Found an orgasm friend? I know. And I
know he's still there. It's just that things never
stay the same. Everything changes. Relationships
change. Sometimes people just grow apart."

"While others grow closer," Giles said softly.

Willow smiled shyly and nodded. How was it that Giles
always knew just the right thing to say to make her
heart fill again?

*****

"Okay, are you ready?" Willow called out from the
bathroom.

Giles settled into his chair and wondered what she had
planned. Once he'd started to fade, Willow said he was
in obvious need of some eye-opening entertainment.
Giles didn't mention the few erotic thoughts that came
to mind. Instead, he'd followed her directions and now
sat in a chair facing the sofa, waiting for the show
to begin.

"I'm ready," he called back.

"Close your eyes!"

"Willow---" he said in mock exasperaton.

"Gi-iles!" she mimicked his tone.

"They're closed," he said, as he smiled and dutifully
shut his eyes. He heard her enter the room and turn on
his record player.

"Just one more second," she said quickly.

He heard the beginnings of The Who's "The Seeker", and
his mouth quirked in a smile.

Willow groaned in pain, but managed to swallow most of
it, the rest being drowned out by the music. "Okay,
you can look now."

Giles didn't quite know what to expect, but this
certainly wasn't it. "Willow? What on earth?" he said
through his confused laughter.

She was lying across the couch, with just her head
upside-down over the back. She'd tied a scarf over the
top of her face, so that just her mouth and chin were
showing. And on her chin she'd drawn a pair of eyes.
As the words began, she mouthed along theatrically.

It was incredibly absurd and utterly charming.

Giles could barely stop his laughter enough to watch
performance.

Once the song had ended, she flipped back over with
another groan.

"Willow?" he asked in concern.

"Oh, just crick," she said nonchalantly as she pulled
the scarf off her head and grinned at him. "Did you
enjoy the show?"

Giles grinned and shook his head. "What on earth was
that?"

"Learned it at camp. Amazing the things you pick up
along the way," she said as she tried to rub the
painted on eyes off her chin.

"Here, let me," Giles said, as he watched her
struggle. She handed him the scarf, and he held her
chin as he gently rubbed the marks away.

Willow let herself fall into his eyes as he finished.
Giles held her chin a moment longer than necessary and
caught himself leaning in too closely. He hovered for
a moment, actually contemplating the unthinkable. He
wanted to kiss her. Her mouth was right there, so
tempting, so soft.

His gaze drifted back up to her eyes and reality came
crashing back. He cleared his throat and looked away.
"G-g-good as new."

"Th-thanks," she said, taking the scarf back and
willing herself to breathe again.

"What else did you, uhm, learn at camp?" he asked.

Willow smiled. "That you can make a belt buckle out of
almost anything."


*****

By now, they were both beginning to fade. Having been
awake for more than 20 hours at this point *and*
having fought three large demons was really starting
to take its toll.

Willow forced herself to stay awake and caught Giles
beginning to nod off. "Giles," she said softly. "Come
on, you can't fall asleep."

He didn't respond right away, and Willow quickly went
to his side and roused him. Giles reflexively pushed
her away as he sat forward.

"Ow," Willow groaned as she held her side.

The sound of Willow in distress pushed away any
vestiges of haziness. "What's wrong?" he said quickly.

Willow smiled at him, but her eyes were tinged with
pain. "Nothing," she said as she straightened,
letting her hand fall away from her side.

"It's not nothing," Giles said in concern. "You're in
pain."

She shook her head and tamped down the last fragments
of discomfort. "I'm fine. See?" she said with a
genuine smile.

Giles frowned. "Come here."

"Giles, really. Don't fuss," she said with a wink, but
he wasn't having any of it.

"Willow," he said sternly. "Were you injured tonight?"

"Nope," she said brightly. "Fit as a fiddle! What does
that mean anyway? A fiddle can't really be fit can it?
Now an---"

"Willow," Giles said with a frown. "The truth?"

She sighed and smiled weakly. "It's just a bruise."

"Mmm-hmm," Giles said through pursed lips. "Let me
see."

"It's not a big deal, Giles. I'm fine."

"Humor me."

Slowly, Willow lifted the edge of her sweater,
revealing a very large, nasty looking bruise along her
right side.

Giles hissed in a breath at the sight of it. "Oh,
Willow," he said sadly. "When?"

She shrugged. "Mid-melee. I was doing really well and
then the one with the squiggley horn, pushed me and..
well-- the rocks aren't as soft as they look."

His eyes darkened, as he stared at the angry mark.

Willow lowered her sweater. "Honestly, it's just a
bruise."

"You had x-rays?" he asked not willing to let this
drop.

"Well--"

"Willow-"

"Forgive me, but I was a little distracted, Mr.
Unconscious Again!" Willow said defiantly.

Giles closed his eyes for a long moment. So long in
fact that Willow grew concerned. "Are you okay?"

"No," he said finally. "I'm not. Willow you should
have that looked at. You could have a broken rib. I
don't ever want you to suffer because of me," he said
his voice rising in anger.

"It's just a bruise," Willow said calmly. It wouldn't
do to have Giles getting upset. She sat down next to
him. "I'm fine, really."

Giles frowned and looked at her with piercing eyes.
God, he hated this. It wasn't bad enough that she was
hurt, but that she'd kept it from him!

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

She shrugged and winced a little. "I guess I just
wanted you to concentrate on you for once, without
having to worry about everybody else. I mean, you're
always so busy looking out for everybody, but who's
watching out for you? You need to take better care of
yourself and... and if you won't, I will."

Giles sighed and took her small hand into his. "I
appreciate that, Willow. I really do. But you mustn't
ever pretend with me. Especially not about something
like this. It's far too important."

Willow looked down shyly.

"You're far too important," he added. Her eyes flew
to his.

Willow felt all tingly. His hand was so warm and his
eyes so deep. She nodded and looked back down at
their joined hands. "I promise. But I mean it *is*
just a bruise. I've had lots worse."

"Willow, if that's supposed to be a comfort," he said
shaking his head. "God, I hate it that you're even
involved in this. I never should have allowed you
to--"

"Giles," Willow interrupted. "I wouldn't have it any
other way. And just for the record, you didn't 'allow'
me."

Giles frowned, and she continued. "Well, maybe in the
beginning. But not anymore. Not for a long time. After
that whole deal with Mayor and Faith and her wanting
to gut me like a sea bass--" her voice trailed off a
bit at the memory.

Giles squeezed her hand and smiled sadly. It was one
of his more painful memories, and there were plenty of
those.

"Well, I think that's when I knew. Really knew, that I
wanted to do this. That maybe I was meant to do this."
She struggled for words and sighed. "It just feels right."

"Willow," Giles said softly his eyes drifting down to
their hands. "I never wanted this life for you."

"Trying to get rid of me?" she said with grin.

Giles laughed. "Hardly. I think I knew even back to
that first day that you were far more than just a bright
student." He looked up with a small smile and met her
eyes. "I just didn't want to see it." He took a deep
breath. "It was difficult enough being responsible for
Buffy. I didn't want anyone else involved."

"But you let us in," Willow said softly. "Why?"

"I think it was selfish really," he said ruefully.
"Buffy wasn't what I expected," he added with a laugh.
"Far from it. All the rules I'd learned didn't apply.
Isolation was obviously not going to be the best
environment for her, so I-- let you in."

"It was the right decision," Willow said gently.

"Was it? Oh certainly for Buffy and for me, I suppose.
But for you? I'm not so sure."

"Well, I am," Willow said with certainty. "Did you
ever think about what would have happened to
me if you hadn't told me the truth?"

"Quite often," he admitted.

"I'd probably be dead--- or worse. Ignorance isn't
bliss. Not in Sunnydale."

"Perhaps," he said. "But you could have left. You
could have gone away to University. You still can. You
don't have to stay," he reasoned.

"Neither do you," she countered. "You never even
wanted to be a Watcher. You're not beholden to the
Council. Heck, you don't even work for them any
more. You're free to go too, but you don't."

"That's completely different," Giles said
uncomfortably, as he let go of her hand.

"Why?" Willow said. "Because you went to Watcher
School? Because this is your calling?"

"Yes. Because it's my calling."

"How do you know?"

Giles shook his head. "I don't know. It just feels
right."

Instantly, he knew she'd maneuvered him beautifully.
He'd echoed Willow's reasoning without even realizing
it. He glared at her, but her gentle smile melted any
pique he might have been feeling. "You are a crafty
one," he said with a smile.

"Must be the company I keep," she said with a grin and
then added shyly. "And I wouldn't have it any other
way."

*****

"Come on, Giles. One more cup," Willow said as she
refilled his mug.

Giles frowned but there was a gentle smile behind it.

"It's just a few more hours till dawn. Then you'll be
free of me," she said with a hint of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Willow."

"Sorry?"

"This isn't how a young woman should be spending her
Saturday night - nurse-maiding some old fool," Giles
grumbled.

"First of all, you are not old. And really wish you'd
stop saying that. Secondly, you are not a fool.
I respect you more than anyone I've ever
known," she said fiercely and then blushed at her own
forcefulness. "And besides, what else would I be
doing?"

"Oh, come now Willow. You can't tell me there aren't
plenty of young men asking you out? A beautiful young
woman? Impossible."

"There are a few," she admitted.

"Oh?" he asked trying to hide his interest and the
reason behind it. "Who? Anyone I know?"

"Well, there's Graham, Riley's friend. And this
professor, I don't think you've met him-"

"A professor?" Giles choked out. "That's hardly
appropriate for a--"

"Oh, he's not my professor. It's not against the rules
or anything," she said quickly.

"Oh," Giles said frowning.

"And a few other guys you don't know."

"Quite the belle of the ball aren't you?" Giles said a
bit testily.

If Willow noticed the peevishness in his voice, she
ignored it. "Not really. I mean, they're nice. At
least most of them are. But they don't want what I
want."

He saw her eyes seem to grow sad, and he wanted
nothing more than to take her into his arms. But, as
always, he kept his distance. "And what is it you want
Willow?" Giles asked softly.

A melancholy smile came to her lips. "Well, I don't
want to go out on a Saturday night and wake up alone
on Sunday. I don't know. I don't want that," she said
with a blush. "I want a love that lasts beyond Saturday
night. I guess, I want a Sunday kind of love, like the song,
you know? Laughing over tea, talking about things, actually
caring about what the other wants--" Her voice trailed
off as she looked at the half empty tea cup and then
up to the man sitting across from her. She wished she
had the courage to say what she really wanted. Who she
really wanted.

Giles tilted his head to the side and watched her
blush. His eyes held a tenderness she wanted so much
to lose herself in. The way he was looking at her, she
could feel something building deep inside.

"A-and what do you want, Giles?"

"A healthy Slayer, a quiet Hellmouth," he said trying
to casually dismiss his real desires. "What more could
I want?"

"Love, companionship - someone?"

Instinctively, Giles reached out and took hold of
Willow's hand. He marveled at the soft skin and the
contented feeling it gave him.

"I'm afraid those things are beyond my grasp," he said
sadly.

"Or in it?" Willow said quietly and then glanced up to
see his reaction.

Giles smiled sadly. "Willow," he said shaking his
head.

"I-I'm sorry," Willow said quickly and pulled her hand
away. "I didn't mean--"

Giles reached out and grasped her hand again. "What
did you mean?" he asked, his eyes desperately searching
hers for the truth he longed for.

"I meant-- Oh Goddess," she said and blushed furiously
and looked down.

Giles titled her chin up and could barely believe what
he saw. Love. Had it been there all along? Had he been
so blind, so afraid? Finally, he let his emotions
show. His eyes softened and filled with love.

Willow wanted to cry. It was so beautiful. He was so
beautiful.

The looked into each other's eyes in silence, volumes
being spoken in the softest smile.

Giles glanced away for a moment. "I-it's Sunday
morning," he said shyly. She met his eyes - hope and
fear swimming just behind the green depths.

"Yeah," she said a huge smile covering her face.
"Sunday morning."

He raised her hand and kissed her open palm. She
gasped, and he grinned.

"I don't deserve you," he said with a smile.

"But you've got me," she said as she slid closer to
his side and gazed up into his eyes.

"Do I?" he asked his heart brimming.

"If you want me." Very tentatively, she leaned into him and
placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. When he
didn't move, she pulled back. But Giles held her close
and tilted her head so she could see into his face.
There was no mistaking the love in his eyes or the
pleasure in his smile.

He ran a long finger down her cheek and pulled her in
for another kiss. This time, it was full and his
tongue ran seductively along the seam of her mouth.
She opened herself to him. And somehow they found
what they'd both wanted and needed for so very long.

*****

They sat together, nestled in each other's arms as the
sun finally rose. The quiet conversation had given way
to gentle kisses as the rest of the night had passed.

Giles ran his hand up Willow's arm. He pulled her
shoulder even closer under his and leaned over to kiss
the top of her head.

"Mmmm," Willow purred and moved her hand to rest on
his chest.

"My thoughts exactly," Giles said and then a small
yawn escaped.

Willow giggled and sat up. She tenderly stroked the
side of his face. "How do you feel?"

He grinned sleepily. "Wonderful."

"I think it's time for bed," Willow said with a grin.

Giles smiled sadly. "Oh, Willow. There's nothing I'd rather
do than make sweet love to you, but I--"

Willow giggled.

Giles frowned. "That wasn't exactly the reaction I was
hoping for."

"I'm sorry. I meant that your time is up. You can go
to sleep now, if you want."

"Oh."

She stood and reached out to help him stand. "I'm
pretty sleepy too, but maybe--"

"What?"

"Maybe we could just sleep together-- you know. Just
be together," she said shyly.

Giles leaned down and stole a soft kiss. "Together." He
grinned down at her, his heart full. "Come on, love."
He took her hand and led her to the stairs and their bed.

The End