That Which Lurks Within:
Chapter Twelve

by GylzGirl

"That we did," Giles sat on the sofa's arm and helped her to sit up.

"Here," Buffy brought her a glass of water. Cordelia clasped it with shaking hands and drank it rapidly.

"Willow and Oz are going to see you home Cordelia," Giles said. "You'll need lots of fluids and lots of sleep. I wouldn't try to go anywhere for the rest of the weekend."

"Okay." Cordy handed Buffy back the glass, stood, wavered a bit and sank down onto the sofa again. "Whoa, dizzy."

"That's to be expected." He helped her back onto her feet.

"Maybe I should stay with you," Willow said, taking Cordy's arm, "at least for the night." Cordelia just nodded as Oz took her other arm and they slowly walked her out of the apartment.

Giles closed the door and turned to find Buffy standing in the middle of the room, arms crossed over her chest. "All right you. Demon vanquished. I want you in bed right now."

Giles felt like a little levity. "Yes well, much as I appreciate the offer, I don't think I'm quite up to..."

"GILES!" He grinned. She stormed up to him and very lightly slapped his arm. She leaned up and kissed him. "Go to bed please," she whispered, "you need your sleep."

"Will you join me?" He held her hand over his heart.

"Soon." She smiled. He bent and pressed his lips to hers, kissing gently at first but slowly turning more passionate. Then he released her and made his way up the stairs.

Buffy waited until the light went out in the loft and then she began to clean. She put away all the occult supplies and wiped away the chalk with a wet rag. She wanted Giles to wake up to a day as free from the memories of that monster as she could make it. She also wanted him to sleep and was afraid her presence might distract from that. She sat on the couch and hugged a pillow against her stomach, just thankful he was alive.

After an hour, Buffy began to doze off. She shook her head, stood and stretched. She turned off the last remaining light and carefully ascended the stairs. From the sliver of moonlight in the window, she could see Giles curled up under the blankets, his back to her. Buffy got undressed and slipped under the covers with him. She found him naked as well. She moved her arm over his abdomen and rested her cheek against the back of his head.

"What kept you Love?" His voice was soft.

"You haven't slept yet?"

"Sorry. I couldn't. I just kept thinking about..."

"No. No thinking. Not now. Sleep now, please?"

"Yes. Yes, all right." She leaned back a little and observed him. His shoulders were almost up around his ears he was so tense. She gently pushed against his side, turning him to lay on his stomach. "What are you doing?"

"Shh, just try to relax. Try to sleep." She lightly straddled his rump and ran her hands over the warm smooth skin of his back. His breath became a little ragged at first but soon became deeper and punctuated with sighs as her hands found knots and deftly worked them back into suppleness. "Giles?" she spoke just above a whisper.

"Yes?" His voice was slurring, sluggish, but he was still awake.

"Just checking."

Giles could hear the smile in her voice. She bent down and kissed his neck, her breasts rubbing against his tingling skin. He felt a surge of arousal tighten his lower stomach. "Buffy?"

"Shh. Sleep." She moved back to sit across his calves and slid her hands down to his buttocks. She took even more time with her palms' explorations here. Not a millimeter of his perfect cheeks escaped her kneading ministrations. This elicited more sighing and even a low moan which caused her to smile. "Giles?"

"Mmm-hmm?" It was faint and slow in coming. Almost there. She leaned forward and kissed the rounded flesh. Buffy moved to his side and massaged her way down his legs until she heard him snoring gently.

"Giles?" He didn't even stir. Buffy carefully rolled him onto his back once more and lay beside him, her hand stroking the down on his chest until she too fell into slumber.

When Giles awoke, it was late afternoon. For a minute, he couldn't believe he'd slept most of the day away. Then upon reflection, he was almost surprised he'd awakened this early. He rolled to his side with a smile and watched his sleeping Slayer. He brushed a stray hair from her face. His hand remained to caress and stroke her cheek. Buffy leaned into his touch, cooing in her sleep. He leaned forward, kissed her, then got out of bed. Giles picked up his robe on the way down the stairs.

He shrugged on the robe as he descended and immediately put on a kettle of tea. When it was ready, he poured a cup, added his milk and sugar and moved to look out his window. He noticed across the street and two doors down the block, Meredith Bellemore's station wagon was loaded with boxes and suitcases. She stood in her yard in one of her immaculate skirt-suits, this one a stormy gray. She was staking her lawn with a large 'For Sale' sign. When she cast a glance toward his house, Giles released the curtain and gulped down the rest of his tea. He sat down his cup and looked out again only when he heard the squeal of her tires as she pulled away.

"Morning." Buffy's quiet voice came from behind him. He turned to find her standing naked, barely a foot away, smiling. Her golden hair was rumpled and catching rays of sunlight from the window. She looked like a dream made flesh and Giles' heartbeat raced at the sight of her.

"Hello there. I say, aren't you cold?" She looked down at herself and shrugged. Buffy walked forward, tugged open the robe's belt, parted the sides and embraced him under the material. He smiled and closed the robe around them both. He kissed the top of her hair, held her tight and sighed contentedly. Her body heat warmed his whole being. Her feather light puffs of breath swayed his chest hair in ways that caused tingles. Giles lay his cheek against Buffy's hair and decided to savor this one perfect moment in time. On the Hellmouth, or anywhere really, perfect moments were a rare gift and were to be treated as such.


THE END