One Last Shot
by Whedonist
Chapter 21
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Chapter 21
Buffy eased the door open and cringed when the three occupants looked up at her. Faith was sitting on the couch. Xander and Giles were over by the kitchen reading from a stack of books. Straightening up she walked in and sat down at the table.
"So did you guys ah find anything?"
Xander looked away and Giles closed the book he was in.
"Hello Buffy. No it would appear we are coming up empty handed. What about you?" Giles asked.
"Wills was working on some stuff at the library, but I won't know until later."
"Hmmm."
The three sat there not looking at each other and not really doing much of anything else.
"Uh Xand, can I see you alone for a few?" Buffy asked looking up at the man.
"Yeah sure. Office?"
Buffy nodded and got up walking back to the room. Xander followed and shut the door.
They turned and looked at each other.
"I..."Buffy started, "okay so you and I we have this habit of getting really pissed at each other and having aq nice expolosion the retreating to our respective corners and sure it's patched things up in the past, but I don't think that's the way we want to go. So let me start by saying, I'm sorry for saying the things I said about Faith and you. It was out of line and I really didn't mean it."
"Buff, stop okay. It was just badness all around. Faith and I have done a lot of talking over the past few days and well, she said something's that maybe I didn't want to hear, but probably needed to. I was a big dumby. In fact I'm wagering on I was the biggest, to use a Willowism, poopy head on the planet. You didn't deserve that."
"Xand, but I did a little bit."
"No you didn't. There are things that we never discussed. Like me losing an eye and then us kicking you out of the house for starters. Then we can't forget the bestest year of our lives once we brought you back. So let me start by saying my eye: I'm over it. We all thought we did what we needed to do and despite my being Mr. Bitter Man over losing that nice thing called depth perception. I wouldn't not do it all over again. I trusted you then Buffy and I trust you now. That won't change. It wasn't your fault."
"It was."
"No it wasn't. It was Caleb's and well he got his so no hard feelings. Second let me say that kicking you out of the house wasn't what was supposed to happen that night. I don't know if there are cards big enough to say that it was wrong."
"Honestly Xand, I'm over it. I think I know why you guys did it. Maybe it's what needed to be done. I honestly don't know. So if we are both over it than why were we fighting?"
"Because I'm a jerk and you're the poster child for the avoidance of big emotional talks?" Xander smiled.
"I used to be the poster child for that, but Wills won't let me not anymore. Something about it being unhealthy and perhaps world endy."
"She's right. Of course we both know she was always the brains of the operation."
"True. Also I just want to say what I said about Willow and you that uh, was ugly like a Troma film ugly and I'm sorry. I'm glad you guys are giving it a go. I kinda always thought that she would be the best for you, next to me of course."
"Xand."
"No Buff that was just I don't know what I was thinking. Words were coming out and even as I said what I said I couldn't believe it and I couldn't stop it. Do me a favor and don't tell Willow all of it though, 'cuz I kinda like my skin. It's grown on me the past twenty or so years." Xander gave her a sheepish grin and then asked, "So what now?"
"Honestly I don't know."
"For starters let's do this right. Buffy clean slate you and me right now. You don't happen to have a bag full of stuff and a little wooden stake that I could return to you do you?"
"Nope, but I'm good with hugs to."
"Hugs are good. Better when they're given by your unnaturally strong best friend who's being very reasonable and forgiving."
"Come over here you ass." Buffy opened up her arms and embraced her best friend.
"Buff," Xander said still holding on to the blonde, "not to ah open up more worms, but why did you move here?"
He felt Buffy let out a breath and then heard, "Guilt. After everything I felt so bad about well everything that getting away was the only thing I could think of."
"Wow, honesty. But why guilt?"
"Say hello to your eye. Then say hello to Willow's bender then Faith and Dawn, god Dawn. If she ever decided to go to therapy I'd break the Council's bank. And then add on to all of that Giles."
Xander gave her look that said don't be stupid it wasn't your fault and she shrugged
"Yeah yeah I know. Need to talk to the watcher man. So running away maybe never the best option, but it was the only thing I could think of."
"So we are okay."
"We'll get there. I love you Xander." She wrapped him in another hug before pulling back and asking, "Can you go get the tweed clad, British guy at my kitchen table?"
"I'll send him in. Oh, and I love you to Buff."
Buffy turned to the window and Xander went to fetch Giles.
"Buffy?"
"Come on in Giles."
"Xander said that you wanted to see me."
"Yeah, we need to talk. I know I was never one for the talks, but I don't want to put this off any longer."
"I see."
Buffy felt a smile tug at her lips as she took in the discomfort this was causing the man. "So I'm going to say that I'm not sorry. I haven't done anything wrong, but I need you to get that you and I aren't cool Giles." Buffy stepped back and wrapped her arms around her waist. She was trying to fight off tears, but lost the battle when a few spilt over, "When my mom died, you above anyone I expected to help me. Then when I came back you just take off and leave and don't tell me why or give me a chance to fix it. You just flew to jolly old and expected me to just be okay with everything. Didn't you see? Gods, I mean then our last year in Sunnydale you go behind my back and try to kill the only person that seemed to give a damn about was going on with me."
"Buffy...I" Giles tried to start in but was stopped by a hand.
"No I'm not done. So right I've got this pent up anger at you and I'm sure that if we had time to sort through it all and attend some touchy feely therapy sessions that we could probably get through it, but like usual right now we don't. So just save it okay. You don't have to apologize. When this is said and done you can go back to England and do whatever it is that you do."
"If that's what you want."
"It's what it is."
"Buffy wait."
She turned and looked at her only father figure.
"You may not want to hear it, but it needs to be said. I am sorry. The way that I acted, the things I did may not be understood, but I felt I had to do it. You relied on me far too much. You needed to stand on your own. I'm sorry about leaving, but I didn't know what else to do. I was holding you back."
"Giles you were the only thing holding me together."
"You may think that, but that's not what it was. You, all of you, were looking to me for answer's I couldn't provide. What was I to do?"
"I don't know open up that usually wordy mouth of yours and say something."
Giles removed his glasses and began polishing the lenses, "Maybe that would have worked, but I don't know. I'm sorry for turning my back on you, but it was the only thing I could think of at the time."
"So what now?"
"I would wager you and I should take more time when this is all over and see if we can work through it. Buffy as much as I've never said it, you might as well be my daughter and I can't really describe what happened when you died. Just know that it was probably the worst three months of my life."
Buffy nodded and shrugged, "Funny that."
"What?"
"Just I've never given you the opportunity to be human. You were always super Giles and well it turns out that your human. I don't like that. Do you remember when I asked you to lie to me? Can we keep that up for a little while?"
"Do you think that's best?"
"No, but can't I just pretend for a little while and then when all of this is settled we can I dunno, put on some padding, some more than others, and work it out like a slayer and her watcher should?"
"And that would be how?"
"Me getting to beat you up while training."
"We'll see."
"It's all I ask."
Buffy made to leave and was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.
"Buffy, I know that well, that is to say."
"And the emotionally constipated Brit says...?"
"I love you Buffy. I never say it and I think that now would be a good time. I'm in awe of you and very proud of what you've become."
She hugged Giles and when she felt him stiffen laughed a little more then let him go.
"Come on." Buffy walked out into the living room.
To her surprise, Dawn, Kennedy, and Willow were there.
Buffy muttered under her breath, "Great." Speaking louder she motioned for Dawn to follow her.
The rest of the gang all sat around. Willow looked over at Xander and gave him a half smile.
"Wills," He started.
"Don't okay. Just get over here and give me a hug and we'll cal it even."
He nodded and went over to his oldest friend.
They stayed like that for a few moments when they noticed Giles coming out of the room they broke apart and went over to him.
"Giles?" Willow asked taking his arm.
"Yes Willow?"
"We love you. You know that right?"
"I think I do yes."
Willow looked over at Xander and smiled. They nodded simultaneously and ambushed Giles in a group hug. Standing there for a few more minutes they let go and laughed at the even redder watcher.
"I just love it when he goes all red."
"It's like Uncle Mike on Thanksgiving when he's had too much wine."
"Thank you both."
They all sat around with Willow and Xander talking about the latest goings on and the little headway that was not being made. Willow turned to the buzzer when she heard Jimmy's voice in the intercom. Walking over she pressed the buzzer and let the detective up.
"Heya Red, the rest of you guys. Where's cupcake?"
"In with her sister. Come sit."
"Cool. So Will did you find anything out today?"
"No, it was a big fat waste of time."
"What 'bout you guys here?"
"Ha," Faith laughed, "I think we're barking up the wrong tree."
"I was tellin' Buffy the same thing earlier today"
"Yeah well, good luck trying to convince her."
"Convince who?" Buffy appeared around the corner.
Willow got up and kissed the blonde, "You."
"Why do I need convincing?"
"You usually do."
"Hmm. So it's," Buffy looked at the clock above the TV, "4:40 and I think we were talking dinner before I left you this afternoon."
"Yeah, but eh I called Susie and her and junior were gonna meet us for dinner at my place. I was gonna do take out."
Buffy smiled and winked at her partner. "Is there room for a few more?"
"I don't think it will hurt."
"Cool, you guys want to come over for dinner?"
"Depends" Dawn said.
"On what?" Kennedy asked.
"On what they're eating."
Jimmy thought a moment and said, "There's Geno's around the corner from my house. Got the best Italian take out in all the city. Ah, but you all ain't gonna fit in the squad car."
"It's cool. We can grab a coupla taxi's" Faith said grabbing her coat.
The ride over went smoothly. As everyone piled out of the cars, Jimmy walked in and let everyone get settled. Buffy and Willow walked in to the guest bedroom and shut the door.
Buffy turned to the redhead almost immediately and wrapped her arms around the slim waist. They rested together forehead to forehead for a few moments before Willow's hands began to wander.
"So how did it go today?" The witch asked.
"Besides the emotional trauma, not bad."
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah things will be okay I guess. What about you and Xander?"
"It's gonna take a lot more than him being an ass for us not to be friends. Hello, first boyfriend."
"You were five."
"Yes, but it still counts. What about you and Giles?"
"We're gonna be okay I think. I still want to suit him up and hit him with sticks."
"After we stop whatever this is go ahead."
"Ok so we have a house full of people. And two more coming over."
"Yeah who knew Jimmy had kids."
"Uh Will about that, I need to tell you a story," Buffy sat Willow down on the bed and recounted the situation concerning Jimmy and his family. When she was done, Willow nodded.
"Ok, so he was wrong he knows that now. Let's see if we can help him out."
Buffy smiled at her girlfriend and groaned when she realized that there was a room full of her people out there. "Maybe making up with everyone wasn't the best idea. Can we just stay in here? I promise cuddles and smooches and if you're extra naughty maybe more."
"Buffy, what's up? You like being around people. You're a people person."
"Correction I used to be a people person. Now I'm a girl who likes the quiet time. Unless you're there and then I'm a girl that likes her Willow time. You're right okay I give." Buffy relented when Willow gave her sad eyes. "Let's go be one with the Scooby clan."
They walked out the door with Willow following the blonde. Leaning in before they got to the living room she grabbed a slack clad rear end and whispered, "If your super good I'll fake being sick and we can go to bed early." She nipped an ear lobe and followed the blonde the rest of the way into the room.