Forgotten
It is 10 pm on your birthday. So far, it has not been a happy one. You didn't expect much. Buffy, Willow and Xander are all out of town. You've been trying to reach Rupert all day and keep getting his machine. You're trying to take that as a good sign. Maybe he's been off planning something wonderful. But your hope dies a little more with each tick of the clock.
At 20 past midnight, you try his number one last time. "Hello?" He sounds groggy.
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"
He yawns. "Fraid so. I just came in from my late night jog, took a shower and collapsed. I didn't even bother to take off the towel."
Your smile is weak. "And what a lovely picture that paints. So um...how was your day?"
He yawns again. "Fairly uneventful. Spent most of it downtown at the library reading. Look Love, I hate to cut this short but I'm just dead. We'll try and get together tomorrow if you like?"
"Sure. Sorry. Bye." You hang up the phone and head upstairs to cry yourself to sleep.
The next morning, you feel like utter Hell inside and out. You have a headache from crying so hard the night before and the truth is, you're still feeling hurt and will probably be crying some more today.
You clear your throat and dial Rupert's number. Fortunately, you get his answering machine. "Hi, it's me. I'm not feeling so well. I'm going to stay in today. Probably best you don't come over. I wouldn't want you to catch anything. I'll see you sometime tomorrow I suppose. Bye."
After a brief stop in the kitchen for some aspirin, you head back upstairs for some more crying, and more sleeping.
The following day at 8 am, you go to Rupert's house. You're hoping you don't look as haggard as you still feel. You manage a bright grin as he opens the door to greet you. "Hey."
"Hello there." He steps back to allow you to enter. "I say, are you certain you feel all right? You still look rather peaked."
"Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing today? I thought I'd take you to breakfast."
"Not today I'm afraid Love. I'm just going for my morning run and then down to the museum. There's a possible opening coming up there and I want to remind them that an overly qualified British gentleman with far too much free time on his hands lately would be interested in the position as a way of keeping him from going insane."
"Bright spot, at least you won't be tempted to go take out your old employers with a machine gun cause hey, a big ole snake beat you to that and you already got to blow up the school to boot."
He grins. "Yes there is that, though forgive me if I fail to place that information on my resume." He gives you a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm going upstairs to change for my jog. If uh...if you're not doing anything this evening, come on back and I'll take you out to dinner."
"Sounds like a date." Rupert heads up the stairs. As you turn to leave, there is a knock on the door. You open it and Willow smiles at you.
"Hey! I was hoping I'd run into you here. Happy late birthday!"
You smile. "Thanks."
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you this before I left." She pulls a little red box out of her pocket and gives it to you. You open it and smile. "It's a rose quartz heart. It's said to promote healing and attract love."
You put it around your neck and give her a big hug. "I could use both right now. Thank you. I love it." You release her. "I was just on my way out. Giles is upstairs changing. He'll be down in a few minutes."
"Great. See you later." The minute the door closes behind you, Giles comes barreling down the stairs. "Hi Giles."
He grabs her gently by the arms. "Willow! Why in God's name did you not tell me today was her birthday?" Her jaw drops. "What? It's...it's only morning yet. I still have time to find her something." Her face transforms into an angry frown and she begins slapping at his arm. "Ow! Stop hitting me! What?!?!"
"Giles, her birthday was two days ago."
"WHAT?"
"You were the only one here and you just now realized when her birthday was?" Willow arches her eyebrow as she is treated to a truly exceptional display of expletives.
"What do I do?"
She sighs and gently places her hand on his arm. "Not much really you can do. Damage is done."
He looks so lost. "I have to do something."
"Apologize profusely and try to make it up to her. I think that's about as much as you can." She pats his arm and leaves.
Giles goes back upstairs to change out of his jogging suit and into clothes more suited to running errands.
You arrive at Rupert's in the evening. The house seems dark. For a terrible moment, you're afraid he's forgotten you again. When you knock, the door swings open to find Rupert with his hair slightly ruffled and wearing white linen pants and no shirt. The inside of the apartment is bathed in candlelight.
You can feel yourself blush. "Well don't you look like a romance novel cover come to life." He takes your hand and draws you gently inside and against his chest.
Rupert takes your face in his hands and kisses you slowly. Soon he pulls back to look into your eyes. "I can forgive myself for forgetting an occasion. What I will never forgive myself for is making you feel unimportant and unloved."
You run your hand back through his hair. "Then I guess it's up to me to forgive you for that?"
"After I make a valiant effort to make it up to you."
"Oh. Like?" You're smiling.
"Well I thought tomorrow we might do dinner, a film, flowers and your gift."
"That seems like a good road to take. And tonight?"
He sweeps you into his arms and presses his forehead to yours. "Tonight is for an entirely different kind of taking." Without another word, he carries you up the steps to his bedroom.
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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. |