Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve at the graveyard was not exactly what you had in mind. However, Buffy is at her father's for the week and there were two vampire attacks last night. Rupert is certain that the new vampires will rise tonight and is sitting atop the tombstone opposite one of theirs, waiting.
You are sitting three stones behind him. He refused to let you come. Of course, you showed up anyway. Now he's sulking. You are swinging your legs and watching the mist as you breathe in the cold night air.
"So you're not going to talk to me at all? Is that it?"
"I told you not to come." He doesn't turn around.
"And yet, here I am."
"And yet, you could still leave. You should go."
"I've come on patrol with you before."
"You've come with me *and* Buffy."
"Exactly why you shouldn't be alone. What if something happened to you?"
He turns, not disguising his anger. "What if something happens to you?!"
You hop down from your seat. "The way you're acting tonight, would you really care?"
"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." He turns back around.
As you are watching him, you both witness a hand coming up through the dirt of the grave Rupert has staked out. He jumps down, stake in hand. "At last."
The newborn vampire digs his way up with Rupert standing over him, ready to strike. Just then, you feel something tug at your ankle and pull you to the ground, screaming. Rupert turns to you, nearly panicked. You smile up at him even as you are trying to kick away the creature reeling you towards it. "I think I found the other one! Behind you!"
Rupert executes a spin that Buffy could not have done better and nails his vampire straight through the chest. You manage to turn over in the grasp of your vampire. You get in a few good kicks but it remains undaunted, crawling up your body, trying to get its mouth to your neck.
Quicker than you can react, it has you pinned and is using its superior strength to turn your head to the side. You close your eyes in anticipation, opening them again when you hear a smacking noise. You see Rupert land a hard kick to the side of the vampire's face and send it rolling off of you. In the next second he's on it, turning it to dust.
You are getting to your feet a little shakily when Rupert's arms come around you, pulling you tightly against his chest. He is kissing you all over your face, his hands roaming over you in a mixture of an embrace and feeling for injuries. "Areyouallrightareyouallright???" His words come out in a rush that causes you to giggle.
You pull back slightly and smile at him. "I'm not hurt. Still sorta wobbly so you probably shouldn't let go for awhile."
He smiles. "You don't have to worry about that." He strokes your hair. "I'm so sorry. I just...I just wanted to protect you."
"You did protect me. You just have to realize that I worry about you as much as you worry about me."
He nods and leans his head down to yours, kissing you tenderly. When you part, you are both smiling. "What was that for?" you ask.
"You mean other than the fact that I could have just lost you?"
"Yeah, other than that." He silently points up to the sprawl of tree over your heads. Clumped along its winter-bare branches are several sections of mistletoe. "That's a lot of kisses," you say.
"I've counted them. There are 25. I'll give them to you at home. Come on." He takes hold of your hand and begins to lead you back to his place as you lean your head against his arm.
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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. |