Out Too Late
You are walking hand in hand with Rupert Giles as you stroll near the stream that runs through one of Sunnydale's more upscale parks. He carries a picnic basket in his other arm while you carry a green blanket. A little farther up the trail, he walks to a flat grassy area surrounded by trees. He sets the basket down and spreads out the blanket.
Rupert sits down but before you get a chance to, he reaches up, wrapping his hands around your waist. He gently brings you down to sit on his lap and begins kissing your neck. You smile and tilt your head to give him better access. He turns you toward him and kisses your lips. After long luscious minutes of this, you slide yourself from his lap and open the basket.
Once the food is finished, you lay your head on Rupert's chest. You are warmed by the afternoon sun as it filters through the trees. The slight breeze ruffles the leaves the same way it touches your hair. Rupert meanwhile is softly singing a ballad you faintly recognize. You haven't felt so completely safe and relaxed in a long long time. Soon you find yourself drifting off to sleep. Rupert notices and smiles, kissing the top of your head. As he strokes your hair and breathes in the smell of your vanilla shampoo, he too settles into sleep.
A few hours later, Rupert snaps awake. Night has fallen. A full moon rides high in the dark clouded sky. He gently shakes you awake. "What's wrong?"
"We fell asleep. We need to get out of here."
As you open your eyes and take in the darkness, you find yourself waking up much faster. He helps you to your feet and you gather the blanket into the now empty basket. "We...we'll be okay right?"
"If we hurry."
"Well you must have brought some stakes or something along just in case."
"Oh must I? In the middle of the afternoon? Well I didn't."
He's getting snippy. You can tell from that that he's mad at himself and very worried. "So your plan is to take my head off before anything else gets a chance? Well it's original I must say."
"I'm sorry." He gently takes your arms and looks into your eyes. "This is all my fault."
You touch his chest. "This is both of our faults. Now let's just get safely home so that we can finish the nice things that were started here, okay?" He nods his ascent and places an arm around your shoulders as you begin to retrace the path to the car.
When the car is within site, you both breathe a sigh of relief. That is until a rather large vampire drops down from the trees above to block your way. Rupert instinctively pushes you behind him and drops the basket, looking around quickly for any particles of wood that would work for a stake. He comes up empty as the vampire grabs him by the front of his sweater and lifts him into the air. It throws him several feet to the ground and then advances on you.
You gulp and reach for the only thing handy, the picnic basket. You grab it and spin around once, building your swing. When you face forward again, you bring it down on the vampire's head as hard as you can. The basket splinters apart having seemingly no more effect than putting the blanket over the vampire's head momentarily.
As you see Rupert getting to his feet and the vampire wrestling the blanket from his face, you look into your own hand and realize that you are still gripping the basket's broken wooden handles. The vampire manages to throw the blanket off just in time to see you charging towards it and thrusting the handles into its chest.
You back away and look at the handles just hanging there as the vampire smiles at you. "You didn't go deep enough, Little Girl."
"Allow me," you hear Rupert say from behind. The vampire turns and Rupert kicks the handles the rest of the way to the monster's heart. He makes his way through the disintegration to come to you. "Are you all right?"
You nod your head. He takes your hand and the two of you race to his car and speed off into the night.
Even once you've reached his apartment building, Rupert hurries you inside. When the door is safely locked behind the two of you, then he finally relaxes once again. You take his hand and lead him up the stairs.
He sits on the bed and begins removing his shoes and socks as you go to the armoire and select a nightgown. "So I'm thinking no more picnics for awhile?"
"We can go on all the picnics you like my dear. I'm just never going to fall asleep again."
You roll your eyes. "Well I'm sure that's bound to be lots of fun. A picnic where you refuse to relax in any way, just in case." You finish stripping off the rest of your clothes and slip into your gown. "Of course..."
When you turn around, you see Rupert laying back on the bed. His jeans are around his ankles. His hand is frozen near the waistband of his white boxer shorts. He is undeniably asleep.
You smile and move to him. You ease the pants onto the floor and lift his legs onto the bed. With a bit more of a struggle, you get his sweater off and lay down at his side. You give your hero a soft kiss on the mouth before turning off the light.
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| The character of Rupert Giles and the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer were created by Joss Whedon and are © Fox. No infringement is intended and no profits are being made. |