Be Seeing You
What a week. Tuesday's candlelight dinner called on account of demons. Thursday's movie canceled due to unnatural influx of vampires. Saturday night's dinner and a show, not to mention your brand new dress, ruined because of a chance zombie encounter on the way to the theater. One thing is for sure, living in Sunnydale is Hell on the social calendar.
You called Rupert to make plans for the night but he informed you that he was deep in research, big evil brewin on the horizon as Willow would say. You offered to help but he thanked you way too politely and said he'd see you tomorrow. If it was anyone but Rupert Giles, you'd begin to wonder if research wasn't code for a date with another woman. But Giles was Giles and all big evil meant on the Hellmouth was...unfortunately, big evil. Oh well, another night all alone. You head upstairs with the idea of a bath and a book almost making you miss Rupert less.
About an hour and a long hot bubble bath later, you comb out your wet hair, wrap up in a towel and pad down the stairs to get some dinner started. You figure you could at least manage to get the food on the stove before you go get dressed.
You enter the kitchen and turn on the light. As you pass your table, you do a double take. Didn't you leave your purse on the chair when you went upstairs? It's now sitting in the middle of the table. You shake your head and proceed to get out a pan and a bowl from the cabinets. As you close the cabinet door, you scream and drop the bowl on the floor, shattering it.
"Oh dear, did I make you do that?" Ethan Rayne's voice purrs across your kitchen tile. He looks you up and down. "I must say, if this is the current trend of casual dinner dress in the states, I heartily approve."
You take a tighter grip of your towel and run into the living room. He gets ahead of you and blocks your path to the door. "What do you want?"
He smirks at the loaded question. "Well when Ripper couldn't make it tonight either, I thought perhaps I should pop by and try to make it up to you. The least I could do for a friend."
"You...you've had something to do with the increase in paranormal activity lately haven't you?"
"I do what I can," he smiles.
"I...I have to call Rupert."
"And bring Ripper over to our little party? I don't think so."
"N-no...I was supposed to call him if I couldn't come over after dinner and help him research."
"Oh well then, I guess you better call. Keep in mind, I'll be right beside you. And a lot of things can happen in the time it would take him to get here."
You nod and make your way to the phone. "Hi Giles, it's me. I'm...I'm feeling kind of tired after eating dinner so if you can manage the research without me, I'm just going to go to bed."
Ethan's hand creeps over your shoulder and begins to massage it. "Bed, yes, what a lovely idea," he whispers.
"Yes yes that's fine Love. Good night." Rupert disconnects the call. Your hope that he might catch onto your clues that everything was not all right at your place fall flat. He sounded so distracted, it's a wonder he even knew who you were. You're starting to ponder if you maybe could convince him that you are supposed to call Buffy as well.
As you hang up the phone, you feel his thumb tracing your back, just above the line of the towel. You jump away and back against the wall. "Now now, there's no need to be afraid of me. If I wanted to hurt you, I could have done it by now. And if I wanted to take you against your will...there are a thousand spells I could have worked to force you to come to me."
"Then...why are you here?"
"Perhaps I see in you what Ripper sees. But perhaps I know that you should take priority over books and demons and things that go bump in the night."
"Rupert's protecting Buffy, and me, and the whole town..."
"Is that what you tell yourself when you're sitting here all alone? Night after night? You know, no matter what he thinks, I do know Ripper. I have to say he's taking you for granted. He knows you'll be here for him, no matter how many dates he breaks or how many nights he leaves you here crying in your room, worried sick about his safety."
You stare at Ethan in shock.
"Yes my Dear, I've been watching you for a very long time." His hands come around your arms, gently. He pulls you closer to him. "You'd never have to worry about those things with me. You'd never have to fight or be afraid again."
"No."
"Oh give me a chance now Pet. I can be quite...persuasive." Suddenly, he pulls you against him hard and kisses you. You try to pull away but his arms have come behind you, pinning you to his body.
A loud banging noise finally gets him to let you up for air. He keeps his grip on you and turns in time to see Rupert's foot making a splintered mess of your back door. Ethan has pulled you around in front of him, using your body as a shield between him and Giles. His arm, though loose enough that you can breathe, rests warningly around your throat.
"Well hello Ripper old boy. I say, it's a bit rude of you showing up uninvited like this. We were just getting to know each other better too."
"Ethan. Let. Her. Go."
Ethan pulls you closer against him. He places his cheek against your own. "So that you can beat me up again? Hmm, no don't think so." He kisses you on the cheek.
Rupert looks furious. He takes a step closer. It causes Ethan to suddenly tighten his grip on your neck. You gasp and Rupert freezes, his fists clenching and unclenching with his desire to pound Ethan into next year. "Good boy. It seems you haven't forgotten after all what I'm capable of."
"I never forget. Just as I'm sure you must remember what happens to those who trifle with people I love."
"It seems we're at a bit of an impasse."
"Yes. You can't hold onto her forever."
"And if I let her go, you'll attack me."
"Let her go and find out."
"Perhaps I will...perhaps I won't...or we could always try this." At that moment, Ethan tucks his fingers under the edge of the towel across your back. He tugs the towel towards himself at the same moment he shoves you hard at Rupert. The terrycloth comes quickly away from your naked body and you find yourself moving through the air at an uncontrolled rate, straight for Rupert's chest. His arms open to catch you and you crash against him, knocking you both to the floor.
Ethan takes the opportunity to flee the scene. Rupert scrambles to his feet to pursue him, but as soon as he hears the front door slam, he kneels back down next to you. The one thing Ethan was always superior to Giles at was running. Once he has a head start, there's no catching him. However, with Ethan, there was always a next time to be had.
You raise slowly to a sitting position, Rupert's arms coming around you. "Are you all right? Did he...did he hurt you?"
"No, just...scared me is all."
"I got here as fast as I could after your call."
You're trying to cover yourself a little. "I was hoping you'd pick up on there being something wrong. From the way you sounded, I wasn't sure that you had."
"I knew there was someone here and that you were in trouble. I wasn't sure if they were listening in." He runs his finger along your jawline. "I'm sorry if I worried you further."
"You came. You came when I needed you. That's the important thing."
"I should have already been here."
"You're here now."
"Yes. And I could have lost you. And it would have been all my fault."
You touch his cheek. "Stop. You didn't. I'm right here, and I'm fine."
He smiles. "You are here. In my arms. And naked."
You blush. "Yes I guess I am."
"We could go upstairs for awhile," he brushes your mouth with a kiss. "Then I could take you out to dinner. Then we could come back and go upstairs again."
"Rupert that sounds like an actual date. You think we dare plan on it after this week?"
"Oh I think it's a safe bet that we won't have to worry about Ethan's interference for at least the rest of the night. Why don't you go on up? I'll patch up the door and join you in a minute." You hurry, feeling his eyes on you as you leave the room.
When you get to the bedroom, you feel a noticeable draft. You turn slightly and see your curtains billowing in the wind. You know you didn't leave that window open. As you move farther into the room, you notice a piece of paper on the bed. You pick it up and read.
"Think about my offer. If you change your mind, I won't be far away. By the way, great ass. Be seeing you." You crumple the paper up and throw it out the window, which you then shut and lock.
"What're you doing Love?" Rupert's voice makes you jump slightly.
You smile as you turn. "Closing the window. It's cold in here."
He opens his arms. "Well let's see if I can't warm you up then?"
You walk towards him. "I think either you should get naked or I should get dressed."
Rupert grins broadly. "Can't fault your logic." His hands move to his shirtfront and begin to reveal his bare chest to you. You climb onto the bed and smile, settling in to watch the rest of the show and thinking pleasantly about the rest of the evening's entertainment. What a week indeed.
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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. |