Teaser: Things begin to go awry when Giles begins to see Cordelia in a whole new light at a reunion and inadvertently sets a chain of events in motion that may cost her her life.
 
 

Assumptions: Spoilers for Homecoming. Assumes W/X each break up with their perspective others to be with each other. The others don't take it well.
 
 

Notes: Well, I thought of who would make the most unusual pair on the show, came up with Cordy/Giles and decided to expand. Just a short piece, mostly from Giles POV. Meant to be only for fun, enjoy! Also serves the grand ole purpose of venting my anger on Xander. I'm still C/X all the way, but while I was writing this story, I fell in love with it. Hope you have a good time reading it. :-)

The past five years seem to have flown by for Buffy Summers. And yet, in some weird, ironic sort of way, it felt like she had waited for this forever.  Not hat she didn’t like her life.  She loved it. It was simple; a Watcher, a Mom, a soul laden vampire fiancee. She had been a little skeptical about the doing the art thing but after her mother convinced her it wasn’t hell on earth, she found that she enjoyed it.  It was a nice job, and it gave her lots of hours to do what she liked best: beating evil things up and being with her dead hunk.  But she had always missed her friends.  Never, had she  had such close friends as those that left  after graduation.  And she was finally seeing them again.  They were all coming back.  And she was stoked.

 Parking her car in the empty school lot, she looked up at the high school she still saw every day.  Sometimes she wished that Giles would take  up her mother's offer to become curator of the little art museum, but she knew deep down inside how much the librarian loved his job. And it provided the necessary freedom for doing what HE liked best: looking at fat old boring books all day.

 "Hey!  Librarian man!"  Buffy almost skipped into the library, looking in vain for her Watcher. "Hello?" she called out, looking at the empty library.

 "Hello, Buffy."  Rupert Giles  smiled at her from the jungle of stacks.  She paused and reflected how little he had changed in the past five years.  Same old stuffy Watcher guy.  She had been able to help him with one small thing though.  His attire. Somehow she had managed to break him of the tweed habit.  So far he had gotten positive marks.  He walked down, gazing thoughtfully at a book he held in his hand.  "How was your day?"  Buffy cocked an eyebrow at his absent mood.

 "I'm so excited I can barely see straight." She replied, settling down in a wooden chair.

 "Oh? Good. Why?"  Buffy stared at Giles in disbelief.  In the past five years, Giles had been remarkably unchanged, it was true.  But he was never this dense.

 "Giles if you tell me you forgot about the reunion, I'm seriously going to have to kick you." She informed her Watcher in a huff.

 The Brit. looked at her quietly, resisting the urge to smile.  "Really Buffy.  You are twenty three years old.  You are a  little old to be throwing tantrums, don't you think?"

 Buffy's eyes widened, and her jaw dropped briefly.  "Giles, you mean you really don't remember?"

 Rupert stared at her in amusement, and finally couldn't help cracking a grin.  "Of course I remember, Buffy.  How could I forget? They were my friends too.”

 "Friends?"  Buffy asked, apparently relieved.

 "Well, tolerant acquaintances."  Giles admitted with a smile.  He was just as excited as Buffy, although he would never let his Slayer see it.  The High School Reunion had served the purposed of bring back the old Scooby Gang, as Buffy affectionately called them, that had unfortunately split after graduation. Cordelia went to college in Los Angeles, and stayed there when her parents moved to Beverly Hills; Xander decided to be all he could be in the army. Willow: Harvard, of course.  Oz, in his traditional Oz way, never even went to college.  He played with his band in small clubs.  Apparently he had hit it big with one hit single.  Rupert had tried to listen to it, but he couldn't stand that monotonous clanging of the electric guitar.  But Buffy had really enjoyed it.

 "I've got some bad news for you." He said, sitting down next to her.  "Oz phoned.  I don't think he'll be able to make it."

 Buffy's face fell.  "Why can't he make it?"

 "Well, apparently it's that time of the month, and he's stuck in England on tour.  He's afraid of flying over and not finding a proper place to, well, you know."

 Buffy did know.  She still remembered the trouble Oz always seemed to cause with his trend of lycanthropizing every full moon.

 "But he sends his love with me," a chipper voice said behind them.  Buffy and Rupert Giles jumped, and looked up to the doorway.

 Buffy gasped. "Willow!" she cried out, and ran to the doorway, engulfing her life long friend in a huge hug.

 "Hi!-Ow. Slayer strength, not breathing, Oh!" Willow  Rosenberg took a deep breath to recover from Buffy's tight hug, but her mouth widened into a huge smile as she looked at her friend.

 "Buffy, Oh-Mi-God, you look great! And you too Giles. " Willow said, smiling hello to the librarian.Giles smiled at her fondly.

  "Hullo, Willow. I trust you are well?"

 "Well, mentally perfect. But Buffy is  Ms. toned here."  Buffy shrugged, and smiled modestly.  The constant Slaying had kept Buffy in top condition, she knew that.

 "Well so are you, Wills!"  Willow grinned, and shook her shoulder length hair.

 "How do I look?" She asked her, twirling around in her business suit.

 "Simply gorgeous." Buffy responded.  "No wonder Oz is so crazy about you."

 "Not more than I am about him." Willow smiled back.

 Buffy shook her head.  "It's so hard to believe that after all these years you two are finally back together!"

 "Luck, pure luck!" Willow returned.  She smiled. "The company happened to be doing a PR thing with his band and guess their representative was?"

 Watching the scene, Giles smiled in spite of himself.  It was nice to see that Willow and Oz had worked their differences out.  Five years ago, things were a bit strained.  Xander and Willow had just discovered the extent of their feelings about each other, unfortunately it was at a time when Cordelia and Oz were very much in love with them.   Giles sighed.  The young lovers had been heartbroken. Oz had been so put out that he stayed away from his friends entirely for a full month, before Willow had gone to him and asked him to please be friends. While they never were as close as he remembered, Oz had tried.  And eventually, he got over it.  Cordelia didn't fare so well. He remembered that he thought at the time that  Cordelia had taken it exceedingly well, she still helped
fight the forces of darkness. Xander and her still exchanged witty barbs, and she didn't seem to mind at all Xander and Willow's coupleness, like Oz.  The whole gang, Xander included, had thought that maybe Cordelia hadn't been as gung over him as they all thought.  To this day ,they still thought that.   Except Giles.  Shortly after graduation, he had found her hiding in the stacks, crying her eyes out.  Giles had been nervous and shocked, he had never seen Cordelia cry before, and he was unsure of how to deal with it.  He had done what his instincts had told him to, and so he just held her. She had reached for him blindly, and it was later, in the embarrassment that followed for the both of them that she had revealed how much she had cared for Xander.  He and Cordelia had never really had a chance to talk after that, she left to college shortly after, but Giles remembered making a point of never allowing himself to be deceived into thinking she was shallow and dense again. There was a whole different person inside of her, a survivor.  When he heard the news that Xander and Willow had broken up via correspondence  six months later, after deciding they were much better off as friends, he wondered briefly how Cordelia felt about the news.

 "So, am I the first one here?" Willow asked, glancing curiously around the library.

 "Yup." Buffy grinned.  "We're supposed to pick up Xander at five at the train station, and Cordy will driving down as soon as she finishes her classes."

 "So she's book girl now, right?" Willow asked.

 "Well, she's in law school, so it's not like she can really help it."

 "Yeah." Willow mused, settling down in the old wooden chairs that still hadn't been replaced.  "So do you see her a lot, I mean, her being so close?"

 "Los Angeles might as well be Nebraska out here." Buffy said, chuckling.  "Ever since her parents moved to LA, Cordy just doesn't have much of a reason to come down here.  I see her when I go visit my dad.  She's  my LA buddy.  We've become quite the mall team."

 "Yes." Giles said, breaking in. "The luggage she comes back with after a shopping excursion could be used as body weights."   Buffy glared good-naturedly at him.

 Willow just smiled at him.  "Well, I guess Giles hasn't changed."

 "Xander!"  A  familiar voice tingled his ears, and Xander felt himself grin unconsciously, before he began to try to locate the source.  A hand waving wildly over the crowd caught his attention, and then he spotted a  blonde, a red head and a glint of glasses that just screamed librarian.  He smiled in recognition, and swinging his green duffel bag over his shoulder, made his way through the crowd to his friends.

 "Xander!" Willow squealed, and threw herself in his arms.  Xander hugged her viciously.

 "Willow!  How's my favorite business woman?"

 "Stressed and engaged!" she responded, and Xander smiled. He knew all about her and Oz.  He was happy for them.  They were great together.

 "Cool."  He responded.  He turned to Buffy, still the blonde knockout, and hugged her tightly.  Buffy gave him a ribbreaking hug in return and pecked him platonically on the cheek.

 "Wow. Xand the man.  You look quite the handsome officer."  He straightened, and saluted.

 "Lt. Harris at your service."   He smiled at Giles, and gave him a firm handshake. "G-man!  How are you!  Still the party animal?"

 Giles rolled his eyes, but couldn't resist a smile, as responded. " Hello, Xander."  Xander  looked at the trio.  "So where's everyone else?  Where's Dead Boy?"

 Buffy rolled her eyes. "Recuperating. We just had an incident that kind of took a lot of strength out of him."

 "You beat him?"  Willow smacked Xander.

 "Not necessarily."  Giles said.  "It's quite an interesting story , really." Xander sighed as he saw Giles' face light up at the thought of relating the tale.

 "Man, nice to know some things never change." He sighed.
*******************************************************************

 "So... Buffy."  Xander began hesitantly as they walked back to the car, taking the opportunity to speak now that Giles and Willow  were talking adamantly in front. Buffy cast a curious look at Xander, who seemed to be struggling with his words.

   "What's up, Xand man?"  she asked.

 "Well... you talk to Cordy a lot, right?"

 "About once every two weeks." She agreed.  "Why?"

 Xander shrugged, and then smiled sheepishly. "Has she been... seeing anyone? Seriously, I mean."  Buffy thought for a minute.

 "Not that I know of. Why?" Xander smiled sheepishly.

 "Well..." He chuckled. "After Wills and me broke up... I found myself, thinking about her.  Thinking... maybe I shouldn’t have... you know.  We were good together."

 "Uh-oh."  Buffy stopped. " Xander, you’re not thinking of starting up another fling with Cordy, are you?"

 "Not a fling!" He said defensively.  "Not at all.  I'm thinking long-term."  Buffy stayed quiet for a moment.

  "You broke her heart, Xander." She said finally. Xander stayed quiet.

   "You'd never know it." He said with a low voice.

 Buffy, who had gotten to know Cordelia a lot more in the past five years, just smiled tightly.  "You serious?" He nodded.

  "Yeah!  I kind of wanna see if I can get some sort of fire going."  Buffy shook her head slowly, suddenly amused.

 "Down, boy." She quipped.  "Well, I guess the two of you are big adults now, you can take care of yourselves."  Xander grinned excitedly.

 "You think she's be into starting a relationship with me?" Buffy shrugged.

 "I dunno."

 "What do you mean you don't know? Has she said anything about me?" Buffy gave him a confused look.

   "Xander what would she say about you? You haven't talked in years."

 "Well, she knew about the reunion, right?  Did she say anything about seeing me again?" Xander pressed.

   Buffy slowed down and thought hard, and just shrugged again.  "She said that she was excited about seeing everyone again."

 "Did she say she was excited about seeing me again?"

   Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, your name didn't come up at all."  Buffy wasn't telling the whole truth.  The truth was, Cordelia mentioned Xander repeatedly about a year ago, in a heartfelt confession, but most wasn't exactly complimentary.  Apparently Xander had crushed Cordy's heart good, and Cordy wasn't exactly one to forget a grudge. But it had been five years... and Cordelia had been so busy in LA, she might have healed by now. Maybe. She had loved Xander.  She probably could again.

   "Xander, I say go for it." Buffy finally decided. " I mean, you're Mr. Stud Muffin now, what girl can resist that?"

   Xander cocked an eyebrow, and looked down at his body, which had grown remarkably more firm.  He looked up again, and shrugged, smiling. "Okay, Buffy. I will."
 

   "It serves my purposes well enough."  He mumbled, adjusting his glasses.

 "Yeah."  Buffy agreed.  "It's perfect as a paperweight."

   Giles gave her a look.  Buffy just grinned. "Sorry. I've been waiting for years to use that punchline."

 "Giles I can get you a great deal." Willow continued. "Even librarians are techies now.  I've even got Xander converted."

 "Ode to the joys of email."  Xander said, grinning sheepishly.

 Giles shook his head. "Thank you but no thankyou." He said sternly.

 "Figures you lamoes would be sitting here in this dungeon talking about computers at a  time like this."  The groups heads swiveled to the doorway.  Standing in the doorway, her hand holding the old wooden door open, stood Cordelia Chase.

   Buffy smiled a casual hello to her friend.

  "A time like what Cordy?" She asked.  Cordelia grinned a hello to her, and Buffy grinned back as she noticed Willow jump up and hug the law student. She also noticed Giles and Xander both stand up. Giles was smiling at Cordelia fondly, but Xander actually looked nervous  as he straightened his uniform and grinned unsteadily at the Ice Queen.

 "Hey Willow!  Still the nerd?"   She smiled fondly, and Willow rolled her eyes.

 "From what I hear, Cordelia Chase, you're more the nerd than anyone here."

 "Well, I wouldn't have to be one if my father hadn't decided I was destined for law school." Cordelia complained, as she followed Willow in the doorway.

   She gazed around the room at the other occupants. Her eyes  rested on Xander, and she froze ever so slightly, so that only Buffy was able to discern her tension. But Xander Harris saw none of it, as Cordelia took a breath and gave him a quick hug, letting go before he did.

   "Hey, Harris.. I hear you've been off becoming all you can be.  Which granted isn't much, but-"

 Xander grinned at her carefree attitude. "My dear, Miss Chase.  Does Melrose make all it's profits from you or do you bring friends?" He responded, eyeing her immaculate wardrobe.

  She shrugged. "I bring friends. Get a discount." She turned to Giles , and as Giles looked at her, he could tell she remembered their talk, all those five years ago.  Her eyes grew gentle, and she smiled sincerely.

   "It's good to see you, Giles." She said simply.

   Giles looked surprised, but nodded. "It's good to see you too, Cordelia."  He responded, and looked at her for a minute.  Something had changed about her.  She had grown up, but then again, so had the rest of this group.  Something he couldn't quite pinpoint.  And then he knew.  It was her face.  Her smile was sincere, her face was unclouded.  It appeared,then,  that she had healed.

 "So, Cordy, now that we're all present and accounted for, answer the question, a time like what?"

 "Where's Oz?" Cordelia chose to ignore Buffy for a moment, instead looking around to see if maybe she had missed the werewolf.

 "He couldn't make it.."  Willow supplied happily, and then almost giddy, held out her finger.  "But look!"  Cordelia did look, and her eyes widened at the size of the diamond.

 "You don't mean that-"

 "Yup."

 "Oh, My god!"   Cordelia squealed and reached over to hug her friend fiercely.  "That' s great!!! Congrats!!! Who's the lucky guy?" She looked over at Xander with a raised eyebrow.

 Xander chuckled nervously and shook his  head.  "Oh, not me!!"

 "Not in forever." Willow said.  "Oz!  I was tying two thoughts together , Cordy!"

   Cordelia's face registered surprise and happiness as she leaned in again to hug Willow.

   "Wow, that' s a deja vu." Xander blushed when Buffy looked pointedly at him.

 "Not  the only one." Buffy quipped.  At Cordelia's questioning look, Buffy leaned forward.

  "So are you going to answer my question?  A time like what?"

 "What?  The Bronze!  Tonight?  The welcome home bash!"  Cordelia said, smiling.  Giles couldn't resist chuckling to himself.  Still the party girl, this Cordelia was.

 "I'm game."  Xander jumped up, smiling widely at Cordelia, and it struck Giles as odd, Xander's behavior.  Giles stared, his eyebrow raised in puzzlement as Xander seemed to grin a little too widely and stand a little too close to Cordelia.  Looking at Buffy's knowing smile and Willow's uncertain one, Giles suddenly got it.  By Jove, Xander was trying to get Cordelia back!!! In fact, it seemed that the only person in the room who DIDN'T get Xander’s sudden affection, was Cordelia Chase herself.

 "Yeah, I think I can stand to go before I check in on Angel."  Buffy said, standing up. "Willow?  You ready to be my dancing partner?"

  Willow smiled, and nodded eagerly. "I haven't been the Bronze in forever."

 Cordelia turned to Giles expectantly. "Come on, Giles, let's go."

 Rupert gave her a startled look of surprise and looked around.

  "Me?"

 "Yeah, Giles.  Let's go. You need to party. All this book learning is gonna drive you stale."  Buffy said, slinging an arm around him.  Giles gave her a look.

 "No, thank you, but I really must-"

 "Augh." Xander looked resigned as he suddenly leaned forward and grasped Giles by the arm, pulling him out the door.  "Come on, Giles.  We're Bronzing."

 "We're controlling ourselves, thankyou very much."

 "Didn't I tell you?" Willow looked confused.  "I changed the spell.  Angel can't lose his soul again."

  Xander looked shocked. "At all?"

 Buffy smiled tartly.  "Nope."

 Xander stopped, and then ran up to them. "Wait, so what you're saying is...."

 "That's exactly what we're saying, Xander."

 Cordelia suppressed a smile as she heard the trio bickering and she gave a small smile to Giles, who was walking beside her, his hands in his pockets. They walked side by side in silence, until Cordelia broke it.

 "Giles." She began hesitantly.  "I never really... I mean, even though I've seen you once in a while, I don't think I've ever thanked you for being there for me... that day in high school."

 Rupert gave her a surprised glance, and nodded.  "Of course. It was my pleasure." Cordelia let out a crystal laugh.

   "I hardly think it was pleasurable, G-man." She recollected. " I think I stained your jacket black with all the mascara I dripped on you."

 "That's what dry cleaners are paid for." Giles stated with a grin.    "How are you now?"  he asked more seriously.

 Cordelia looked at him curiously, and realizing what he meant, smiled and shrugged.

 "Good.  I'm over him.  Honestly. I can see him... and I'm almost okay.  I mean, I'm better off than Ally McBeal was."

 "Ally McBeal?"  Cordelia rolled her eyes.

   "Oh, right. I forgot I was talking to a  popular culture neophyte."  She muttered.  "A lawyer show. You know, me, going to be a lawyer and all."

 "Is that what you want?" Cordelia gave him another startled look.

 "What do you mean?" Rupert shrugged as they continued to walk.

 "Well, in the library you stated that your father decided that would be the best thing for you."

 "He did.  But I like it. I hate the studying.  But I get to argue my butt off in court everyday.  I get to weeetle people down, I get to take down the bad guys, in a  MUCH safer manner."

 "Ahh.. Now the truth come out."  Giles chuckled, and Cordelia joined him.

 "Hey, Cordy!  Why don't you come up here and join the under twenty five age group?"  Xander called, motioning to her.

 "Well, some one has to keep the librarian company." She called back, but didn't complain when Xander grabbed her hand and pulled her up.  Rupert just smiled.  He was surprised at what good  a time he had talking to Cordelia Chase of all people.  Back when she was in high school, she had nearly driven him crazy with her hankering of stating the obvious and her self involvement.  But her loyalty  and concern for him, and her willingness to risk life, limb and nails for the greater good was always there, despite the fact that she complained about it nonstop.  Now, five mere years later, Cordelia still had the same tactless wit about her, but her self involvement was more shallow, almost as if Giles knew that every word that came out had a double meaning.  No wonder her and
Buffy got along so well.

   She was still beautiful.  There was no question about that.  Cordelia Chase's looks had gotten her May Queen status  in high school, and he was pretty sure that she distracted many young lawyer to be's with her tight, lean body, straight back, long luscious hair, and sparkling eyes.

 Woah.  Where did that come from? Giles almost stopped midstep when he realized that he had just been ogling his old high school student.  He never thought about Buffy that way, or Willow.  Why Cordelia,  all of a sudden?

 Simple explanation. He reasoned.  She had been the last to get to know him, and she seemed the most adult. Nothing more.  Even now, she seemed to be one of the kids again, bickering with Xander like they were still in high school.

 Nevertheless, he noticed it was she that unconsciously forced the others to slow down and wait for him to catch up before they continued.

 "Jeez, Giles, I know it's been a few years, but can't you hurry up?"  she said, her eyes twinkling as his cheeks flushed.  He opened his mouth and was about to retort when something stopped him.  Apparently Buffy felt it too, because her eyes were wide and alert as she looked around.

 "Do you guys feel that?" She asked the others, as she eyed the  empty dark street.   Xander and the others listened as well, and suddenly they could all feel it too.  A vibrating sound was pulsating, shaking the street, and them, and it was getting louder. Suddenly, Giles cried out as he pointed, and the others swiveled their heads to look at what he was looking at.

 Cordelia and Willow caught their breath.  Hurtling toward them was a large gaseous bright orange ball, and it was  headed straight for them.  Buffy jumped to Willow and dove into her, and they, flying, went down in the side of the road.  Giles,  the closest to Cordelia, immediately, grabbed her around the waist and threw her to the other side, covering her with his body, as they attempted to get out of the way of whatever the bloody hell that thing was.

 It was over in a second, and yet to Giles, it seemed an eternity, and the reason was utterly stupid.  In that instant, despite the horrendous timing, Giles suddenly realized that he was absolutely right about Cordelia Chase. She had a fantastic body.  Lean, shapely, her muscles under her blouse rippled against hands as he covered her.  Her breath was fast and hard, partly from the danger, and partly because Giles  was not a particularly light man. The consequence was her chest, heaving against his. The contact was unbearable.  His face had landed in her neck, and so when he attempted to breath to gain control of himself, he inhaled the scent of her perfume.

    Suddenly Giles felt his heart start beating, and he began to sweat.  The ball passed them, Giles thankfully had pulled them to the side in time, and Cordelia held on to him tightly, because she was surprised. But her sudden attachment to him did him no good, and afraid he would start blubbering like a school boy, and absolutely panicked for his new found discovery, Giles immediately got up, after making sure she was alright.

 "Everyone else okay?" The Brit called out.  Willow and Buffy both held up a shaky thumbs up sign from the other side of the road, and Giles looked around.  The ball was gone, it had gone right past them. Cordelia got up groggily, apparently unaware of the state she had put Giles in, and looked around.

   "Where's Xander?" She suddenly asked.  Willow and Buffy both sat up, and began to look around. Cordelia found him first.  He was lying motionless on the street, unconcous. "Oh my god." She breathed, running to him, Willow , Buffy and Giles close on her heels.

   They kneeled around him, as Cordelia began to slap him slowly, in an attempt to get him to wake up. "Xander?  Xander?"  Worry emanated from her face.  They waited around in tense silence, and suddenly the man groaned. "Xander!"

  Willow and Buffy smiled in relief, and even Giles gave him a worried grin. "Are you okay?" Cordelia asked, as Xander sat up, rubbing at his head.

 "Oww.  What was that thing?" he asked.

 "Are you hurt?" Giles asked.

  Xander grimaced but shook his head. "Like a rock." He said, punching at his chest, a second before he groaned in pain.

   Cordelia and Buffy immediately took both arms and helped him up.  Giles noticed blatantly that Xander was holding Cordelia considerably tighter than absolutely necessary.  DAMN! Giles cursed himself, almost stamping his foot.  There he went again.

   What the bloody hell was wrong with him?  He was acting almost .....

 "Jesus!" Giles looked up, surprised.

   "Jealous?  I'm not-"

 "Jesus Christ, this hurts."  Buffy was the only one that heard Giles' outburst that was quickly taken over by Xander's curses, and for the first time that night, gazed at Giles with worried eyes.

 "What was that thing?"  Willow asked, her eyes wide.

   Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Never seen anything like that."

 "Nor I." Giles said, pulling himself back together.  "But I have a feeling it's not good."

 "Well, it trampled Xander and he's still alive." Cordelia said, from under the crook of Xander's arm.  "It must be okay."

 "I'm not willing to take any chances.  I'm afraid the Bronze is out of the question. Back to the library."  Willing himself not to glance at Cordelia's surprised face at hisgrumpy behavior, he walked off.

 Buffy let out an involuntary groan.  "Two weeks without an incident." Shemumbled to herself.  "That's all I ask."

 Xander, still groggy, gave her a weak smile. "So Buffy.  Doesn't look like anything's changed, hey?"
 

 "What exactly am I looking for?" Cordelia asked, a hand sweeping tiredly over her hair.  Giles  felt himself suddenly distracted when he realized that her hands were perfectly kept.

 "Augh.  Big Ball of gassy stuff that tramples people, I think." Xander said with a grin, apparently recovered.  Willow sighed.

  "That's  not really something that'll be found in here." She said, closing a book.  "Demons, vamps, that sort of thing.  But ball of fire?"

 "Definitely in the weird department." Buffy agreed.  She looked up at Giles, and did a double take.  Giles didn't look good at all.  He looked haggard, almost as if he were in pain.  It worried her.

 "Giles you okay?" She asked him.  He seemed distracted, because it took him a moment to answer her.

 "Yes, I'm fine." He snapped, and Buffy frowned.  Something was up with her Watcher.

 "Okay, I'm hungry." Cordelia announced, getting up and grabbing her keys.  "Who wants pizza?"

 "Me!"  Xander's  hand shot up, and Willow and Buffy nodded.

 "Do you need someone to come with you?" Willow asked, rising out of her seat.

  Cordelia nodded. "Sure.  Looks like we're gonna be pulling an all nighter here, so yeah.  Let's go."

    Xander rubbed at his head, as he got up and walked into the stacks, and Buffy watched Giles closely as he watched the girls leave.

    Buffy turned to see what he was looking at, and suddenly her jaw dropped. "Giles!  Were you just checking out Cordy's BUTT?"  She whispered hastily.  Giles jumped, and his books went flying.   Buffy's face filled to one of horror. "Oh, my god, you WERE." She said, louder, getting up and pacing. "Oh... ewww."

 "Buffy, will you stop that!"  Giles snapped, rubbing at his neck in a nervous gesture.   "There's no reason to get-"

 "No reason?" Buffy looked horrified.  "You ..were...were.. you were checking out one of my friends?  That means you....augh... you're attracted to Cordelia?"

   Giles, now sweating, attempted to shake his head, but already beginning to feel like he was about to crack under the pressure, felt his shoulders slump, and he nodded. Buffy's face froze. "Oh, my god." She said, looking completely shocked and disturbed as she sat down at the table.

 "Look, Buffy.  I don't' know what's come over me, I-"

 "You're a pervert!"  Giles  looked up and saw Xander staring down at him from the stacks, his face filled with rage. Buffy sat up.

  "Uh... Xander-"

 "Xander, I really don't think that this is any of you business." Giles said sternly.

 "Damn right it's my business!"  He said,  walking down the stairs.  "Listen, G-man, I claimed her, she's mine."

 Giles stood up, suddenly furious.  "Mr. Harris, I hardly believe that Cordelia belongs to anyone."

 "Yo!" Buffy suddenly got between the men and pushed them back.

  "Can we both chill please?  Xander, what's with the mood swing?" She said, glaring at him.  "Don't threaten my Watcher. And Giles." She turned to him.  "What is wrong with you?! Cordelia is half your age!"

 "Not half, actually." He began, and suddenly realizing what he was doing, suddenly shook his head. "Enough! Look.  Nothing is going to come of this.  This is just a weird fascination, which I sure will go away."

 "It better." Xander growled.

 "Xander!"  Buffy gave him a menacing look.  "Giles."  She sighed.  "This is whiggin me out.  But I can see you...  I mean, you haven't really had any action since you stopped dating my mom." She shuddered at the thought.  "All those years ago, so I will almost understand.  Almost." She shuddered again.  "It's just whigging me out!"

 "Buffy, nothing will come of this." Giles said again.

 "Yeah, Buffy, he's right,"  Suddenly Xander smiled.  "I mean, what are the odds of Cordelia feeling the same way?"

 "Exactly!  What?" Giles looked at the younger man in surprise.  Rupert couldn't believe how obnoxious Xander was behaving.  Of course nothing would come of Giles sudden lust for Cordelia Chase, but why did the young man have to sound so utterly sure of himself?  He was being a pompous idiot. Buffy raised her hands again.

 "Right.  So we'll keep thing between us.  No one, especially Cordelia, will know that this.... Ewww.... Macho.... Thing... is going on, okay?" Buffy made her decision. "Okay?" Finally the two men nodded.  "Okay, now shake. Shake!" She said more forcibly, when they just stared at each other.  Finally, Giles reached a hand out, and slowly, Xander took it.

 "Never expected to have competition from you, G-man."  He said lazily.  "But I think I can handle it.'

 "Xander, do be quiet." Giles said, turning away.  Buffy turned to Xander.

 "Yeah, man, shut up. What's with the jealous vibe?"  Xander just shrugged, and turned away, going back into the stacks.

   Buffy turned to Giles and just sighed. "Giles... I swear... the day I thought you would fall for Cor-"

 "Buffy!"  Giles looked extremely angry, and Buffy felt her mouth clamp shut.  She knew what Giles could do when the Ripper got a hold of him. "That's enough!  That is the end of this discussion." And with that, he turned to his books ,and opened one up.  Buffy closed her eyes.

 "I'm in Terminator III, the land of the Hormones." She mumbled to herself. Happy reunion.  That was what she had wanted.  A happy reunion.  Augh.  This was quickly turning out to be anything but.
 

 When Cordelia and Willow came back with the pizza, things weren't getting any better. Xander kept shooting daggers to Giles, who looked extremely uncomfortable.  Buffy had to give him points for innocence.  Giles was acting extremely un Gilesy about this. He was just as surprised as she was he was attracted to Cordy.  But still... ewwww.   Halfway through the night, Buffy decided to check up on him again, and almost  felt like puking.

 Giles apparently had forgotten his plan of trying to get the weird feeling to go away, because Cordelia, oblivious to the attentions of both men, had decided to wear a skirt today, and she was sitting,  her legs crossed, and  her feet up on the table, giving Giles a very good view of her legs.   And he noticed.   He was actually blatantly staring at her legs, like a... well, like a guy.  It was driving Buffy crazy.  Giles wasn't supposed to do this.  He was Giles.. Giles didn't get turned on by woman.  Especially Buffy's friends.  She decided to give him a wake up call.

 " Uhh...  Giles?"  Buffy cocked an eyebrow, as she looked at Giles warily when he didn't respond.  "You okay?" she asked him pointedly.

 "Hmm?"  Rupert looked startled, and shrugged, chuckling uncomfortably as he forced himself to look away from Cordelia's assets.  "Goodness, I'm acting like a teenager." He mumbled to himself. "Fine, thank you." He said, louder. Thankfully, Cordelia was completely oblivious to the attention she was  inadvertently getting from the librarian.  Instead, she joined the others in looking at Giles with concern.

 "You sure?" She asked, swinging  her legs off the wooden table and straightening up.  "You look a little green around the gills." She pointed out.

"Bad... tea." He stuttered, unexpectedly touched by her concern. He smiled softly at her, and Buffy rolled her eyes.  Xander, who was watching the scene in furious silence, suddenly stood up.

 "Well, G-man. I think we have some work to do so do  you mind?"

 "Xander!"  Willow looked surprised at Xander's sudden animosity and shot Buffy a questioning glance.  Buffy just shrugged.

 Giles looked to Xander, and seeing the fury in the young mans face, felt his heart tighten once more.  What was wrong with him?  "Yes., yes, of course. I need to go home to get some books, I'll be back shortly." And with nary a glance at the clueless object of his lust... er affection, he walked out of the library as quickly as he could.

 "What's with him?" Willow asked, staring curiously at the closing doors.

 "Well, you know... Giles isn't as young as he used to be." Buffy said quickly, attempting to sound as light hearted as possible.  "Might be migraines... or something."

 "Better try or something." Xander muttered, ignoring Buffy's look.

 "You know what?" Cordelia added thoughtfully, chewing on the end of the strands of her brown hair.  "For an old guy, Giles has aged pretty well. You think he's had any work done?  He actually looks cute now."  Buffy and Xander shot each other looks and then looked back at Cordy in shocked silence.  Apparently, Cordelia seemed to notice them staring, because she sighed, and stood up. "That's it!  What? You two have been staring at me like I've got some third arm  since me and Willow came back!"

 Buffy shook her head.  "Nothing, Cordy." She said, shrugging,  "Absolutely nothing."

 Xander had an odd look on his face, and he said rather resignedly. "Come on, let's get to work."

 "It's no good is it?"  She said finally.

 Giles looked up and sighed.  "I'm afraid so. I don't know what to look for.  There isn't really anything in any of these books that say "Big Orange Ball."

 "That's not what I mean, Giles."  Buffy retorted, shaking her blonde hair.  "I mean this thing you have for Cordy.  It's not going to go away."

 Giles froze, and then slowly and deliberately reached for his glasses and began to wipe them slowly.

 "I don't know what it is, Buffy." He finally said honestly.  When he saw the look on her face, he sighed.  "Buffy, I haven't been with a woman in years.  Your mother and I's relationship, however short lived, was the most stable one I had.  And that was years ago.  Now Cordelia is a woman now.  Forgive me if I can't help but notice that."

 "So are Willow and me-" Buffy cut herself off, shivering.  "Never mind.  It's just...., the idea of you lusting after one of my friends is barf worthy,  you were always a father figure to me, Giles."

  Giles gave her a genuine smile, despite the haggard look on his face.  "And you've been like a daughter to me.  But I'm not your father."

 "Don't I know it." Buffy muttered.  "And it isn't helping that Xander is in over protector mode."

 "In a way, Xander has a right."  Giles conceded.  "It's quite apparent he's trying to get her back."

 "Yeah, but... no offense, Giles, but it's not like your competition. I mean, you're not going to do anything about it, right?  Right?"  Buffy prompted.

 Giles shook himself.  "Right-o, Buffy."  He said weakly, and turned from her, his shoulders slumped.  "Go get some sleep, Buffy.  Check up on Angel. The dance is tomorrow.  Hopefully we could have whatever that was figured out by then."  Buffy, noticing the sad note in Giles' voice, smiled sadly.  Getting up, she reached around his back and hugged him.  Giles closed his eyes and held her arms with his hands against' his chest.  Then he patted her arms, and stepped out of her arms.  "Thank you, Buffy." He said, smiling awkwardly.  "Go home."

Buffy, knowing he got her well meant comfort, nodded.  "Good night, Giles." She said.  Giles sighed as the library doors closed behind her.  Good night.  Not bloody likely.
 
 

 "Hey Cordy!"  Xander jogged after Cordelia and Willow, who were both getting into Cordelia's car, and smiled.

 "What's up Xander?"  Cordelia asked, turning her face up.

 "What do you say me and you take a walk?  You know, catch up on things?"

Cordelia froze, and then smiled sadly.  "Sorry, Xander. I wish I could, but I promised Willow I'd spend the night with her."

 "Yeah, Xander.  We're doing girl stuff." Willow said.

 Xander's smile froze, but he nodded.  "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."

 Cordelia smiled.  "Sure thing." She shut the door, and  her and Willow sped away.

Xander's fists clenched into a tight ball, so that his knuckles turned white, and his veins popped out of his skin.  Wait... What was he getting so mad about?  He forced his hands to unclench thoughtfully.  So things hadn't gone according to plan.  Tomorrow at the Dance, he would make it magical.  And then he would have her.  Forever.  And that damn librarian-
Woah, Harris. What the hells the matter with you, soldier?  Xander shook his head, and mentally forced himself to calm down, walking away, marveling at his strange behavior.
 

 Movement was still painful for Angel, and he concentrated on his Tai Chi, praying that it would help him like it had helped him so many times.   Being with Buffy sure had it's advantages, but being nearly impaled by a gun happy bounty hunter sure wasn't one of them.  He smiled to himself.  But smelling her hair, the scent of the sun when she came to visit him.  The lovely tan of her skin,  the warmness of her body.  God how he loved her.  And the joy that came from that, the freedom, knowing he would never have to worry about turning into a monster.  It was pure beauteous joy.  And how he loved that.  Movement and scratching got his attention, and he looked up expectantly, knowing almost immediately who it would be.

  Buffy opened the door slowly, and heavily, and smiled at Angel as he looked at her, his chest glistening. How easy it was to forget he was so much older than her.  She leaned against the doorway and reflected on their age difference.  Just because he looked younger, no one thought anything of it.  But Angel was the biggest cradle robber there was.  She smiled to herself.

 "Buffy?  What's wrong, why won't you come in?"  He asked, not moving, because it hurt just a little too much.

 "It's a double standard." She said.

 "What?"  Seeing he was confused, Buffy smiled, and closed the door behind her, and kissing him deeply.  He smiled curiously.

 "What's eating you?"

 Buffy sighed, and leaned her forehead against his chest.  "I found out today Giles is human." Angel's brow furrowed.  "Giles has the hots for Cordelia." She finished.  Angel stared at her for one long second, and finally what she said sunk in, and he chuckled.

 "What?  Cordelia?"

 "Yeah, yeah, laugh now, but there is a major ick factor involved."  She sighed.  "Not to mention the fact that Xander the soldier has come back and decided that Cordelia is gonna bear his eighty kids, and there's a big orange ball that nearly trampled him that we don't know what it is."

 "Wow.  Sounds like I missed a lot."

 "Not even close."    He chuckled and hugged her, before allowing her to help him back to the couch.

 "So Giles finally fell for Cordelia, hey?" Angel mused.  Buffy gave him a strange look.

 "What do you mean finally?"

 Angel shrugged.  "Giles is a man, Buffy.  He spends so much time with you guys, I figured now that your older, he'd seen at least one of you in a different light.  And Cordelia is a very.... Er... attractive person."

 Buffy gave him a look, and he rolled his eyes.  "You know what I mean."

 "Good thing for you I do, cradle robber."

   Buffy sighed, leaning against him.  "Did you say a big orange ball?"

 Buffy looked up.  "Yeah, you know of it?"

 Angel looked pensive.  "I'll look into it, it strikes me as familiar, but I can't really put my finger on it.  Besides, one can only do so much Tai Chi."

 Buffy grinned. "oh, but Tai Chi has so many redeeming qualities."

Angel smiled at her hidden meaning.  "Such as??"

"Come here and you'll see."  Angel leaned in  and kissed her softly.  Suddenly her kisses became more demanding, and he was only too glad to reciprocate until his wound forced him to stop.  Buffy grimaced sympathetically.

 "Remind me never to let you come with me on patrol."

 "Hey!  I helped."

 "You did not."

 "Did too."

 "Till you almost got yourself killed.  Then it was twice the work. Do you realize how heavy  you are?"

 "Hey!"
 

 "Almost like the old days, hey?"  Willow mused as she followed Cordelia into the library. Cordelia's smile at Willow froze, but she nodded.  She didn't mention that she didn't want it to be like old times.  She had grown so much since then. It had been odd, this whole reunion.  But talking to Willow last night gave her a sense of closure.  Growing closer to Buffy while living in LA had taught Cordelia not to hate Willow or Xander, even after all that happened.  But she had always felt betrayed, and her, being the shallow facade of Cordelia that she was, didn't let anyone know about it.  Except Giles.  Giles knew.  But it was almost as if Giles should of known.  It seemed right somehow.

 And it had been five years.  She had gotten past it.  Moved on. Past, Xander.  She didn't trust herself at the reunion, seeing both Willow and Xander, but Buffy  had convinced her to come.  And now she was all in knots.  Willow was okay.  She had admitted to Cordelia last night how guilty she felt about what happened, and Cordelia had brushed it off.  That was over. She knew that Willow never meant to hurt her.. She had been in love with Xander for years.

   But Xander was a different story.  Cordelia wasn't dumb.  She knew guys, and she knew that Xander was looking for something more in the more than friends department.  But Cordelia wasn't ready to take that plunge. She was down for the friendship, but for more than that?  She didn't know. He cheated on her, dumped her, for Willow.   And he didn't know her anymore, not really.  He had only seen glimpses.  Out of everyone of her closest friends, the only ones who really saw the real, vulnerable Cordelia Chase were Giles and Buffy.  And she intended to keep it that way.

 Still it was awfully hard not to smile like a fool when Xander looked up and grinned like a school boy, running up to her, and hugging her tightly.

 "Cordy!  Took you long enough."

 "We stopped to pick up breakfast."  Willow said, holding up two large paper bags.

 "Oh!  Cool, I'm starved."

 "Buffy you eat like a  horse." Cordelia complained, smiling her hello to Xander and then following Willow with her two bags.

 "Hey!  Say a vampire slayed equals two bagels.  The more the merrier!"  Buffy said.

 "Nice use of math there, Buff."  Xander remarked, smiling lazily.

 "Yes well she must use it once in a while." Giles remarked, coming out of the book stacks and faltering when he saw Cordy and Willow.  "Cordelia. Willow. Good morning."

 "Mornin' Giles.  Bad night?"  Willow asked perceptively.  Xander and Buffy exchanged looks.

 "Long night."  Giles corrected.  He gazed anxiously at the bags before him.  "Have you any tea?'

 "Of course, Giles!" Cordelia reached into her bag and pulled out a steaming cup.  "We knew you can't live without your tea." Giles took it thoughtfully, and smiled  hesitantly.

 "Thank you."

 "So did you guys find anything?" Willow asked, distracting Giles.

 "I'm afraid not." He said, turning away from Cordelia.

 "But Angel had a dim recollection. He didn't sound to worried, said he'll look into it."

 "So... no research?"

 "Well, until the party. Then you are free to go." Giles said.

 "So, Buff. When are we going to meet Dead Boy?"

 "Soon, I hope.  He might be recovered enough to leave the house, I'm not sure."

 "Good.  That boy needs some sun."  Willow mused.  Everyone gave her shocked looks, and he suddenly realized what she said. “Not thinking! Sorry!"  she sputtered.

 "S'it's okay, Will." Buffy said, smirking. "I'm sure Angel will appreciate your concern for his health.”

 "Ha, ha."  Cordelia grinned, and then pulled a large volume out of the book bag she had brought along. "While you tweakos do your research, I'm gonna have to do some of my own."

 "What's that?"  Xander asked, leaning over her, inspecting the leather bound volume.  She let him read the title.  "Cases on the Supernatural Hearings, volume III,  1965-1988?  What's up with that?"  Buffy and Cordelia exchanged a smirk.

 "Cordy's building up a case for me," Buffy explained,  "In case I ever get sued."

 "The way this girl swings punches, she'll need all the legal representation she can get."

 Giles laughed out loud, and heads swung and looked at him.  "Oh, sorry."  He murmured, coloring, and turning back to his books.  Cordelia just shook her head and smiled.

 Later, Giles decided that it was time to dismiss their research party.  He still couldn't find anything on the subject, and he decided not to ruin his old student's homecoming anymore than necessary. In  the library, Giles was finally alone with this thoughts, and he finally realized the truth about Cordelia Chase.  No matter how he tried to fool himself and Buffy, he knew that it wasn't just lust he was feeling for the  young woman.  It went deeper than that.  It stemmed from a respect he had carried in his heart, that had blossomed.  But he didn't want to think about that.  He knew that she would
leave in two days, and then he would hardly ever see her.  And then, he bloody well hoped whatever had happened to him to cause this... this ....  He didn't' dare call it love... for Cordelia would die down.  Or so he deeply hoped.   He was  so focused on his thoughts, he yelped when he turned around and bumped smack into her.

 "Cordelia!"  he stammered, clamoring to gather his books before they fell from his arms.  "I thought you had left."

 "I did." She said simply, crossing her arms.  "But I escaped and came back."  She hesitated, and then looked at him.  "I was... I was hoping we could talk."

 Giles' heart was hammering, and  he didn't dare look at her. "Oh? What about."

 Cordelia blushed, and then said softly.  "Well.. Xander."  Giles' books flew, and Cordelia's  brow furrowed.  "Are you sure you're okay?  Have you checked your blood cholesterol lately?"

 "Oh.. uh, yes..  It's normal, thank you."  He said quickly, helping her pick up the books once again.  "What about Xander?"

 "Well..."  she chuckled uncomfortably.  "Listen, I know this is weird, but.. I mean, I figured I could trust you.... And I needed to talk to somebody and -" He looked up at her, and smiled.

   "Cordelia, you know I'm always here for you."

 She looked down and saw the sincerity in his eyes, and smiled.  "I know you are.  That's why I like you so much, G-man."  Giles felt his heart thud, and closing his eyes quickly, attempted not to show the confusion and tension those words filled him with.

 "What about Xander?" he repeated.

 "Have you noticed he's been acting .... I don't know... not Xander like?"

 "Well, it's been five years-"

 "No, I mean towards me.  He's got this whole possession thing going... like I'm still his."

 Well, aren't you? Giles thought to himself, and then cursed himself yet again for letting his emotions take him over.  "Well, I noticed he's been particularly affectionate, yes."  Giles nodded.    He looked up at her, his chest tightening.  "Does that bother you?"

 Cordelia looked harassed. "That's the thing.. I don't' know.  I mean, I loved Xander, but now?  After all this time?  It almost seems like going back, you know?"

 Giles stifled a grim chuckle.  "Cordelia, I speak from experience when I say that NOTHING is the same was it was five years ago."

 "I know! And I LIKE it that way!  I like who I am now!"  She sighed.  "I was a bitch back in high school, and I don't think I even liked myself.  So I tried to prove I was cool, you know? So that people could like me." She slumped her shoulders.  "And now, it's so not like that you know?"

 "Yes, I do." Giles said, smiling softly.

 "So what should I do?"  She prompted.

 "I'm afraid I can't answer that."

 "Why not?"

 Because, I'm bloody damn well lusting after you too  Dammit! Stop that, man!    "Because that's an answer you can only answer for yourself."

 Cordelia looked at him.  "Uh-huh.  You're a  big help, Giles.  Never write a column.  You'll be fired in a week.'

 In spite of himself, Giles grinned. "That is why I became a librarian, and not a  "Dear Abby", Cordelia."

 She smiled back.  "And a damn good one, Giles." She nodded for emphasis. They fell silent as Giles went back to sorting his books.  "Hey, aren't you going to the dance?"

 He adjusted his glasses as he shook his head.  "No, I'm not."

 "Why not?"

 "I'm not in the reunion."

 "So what?  You were an honorary student person.  I mean you hung out with us.  You have to come."  She gave him a dazzling smile, Giles suddenly felt weak.

 "Will you save me a dance if I go?" His eyes widened.  Where the bloody hell did THAT come from?  He saw the surprised look in her eyes and promptly clamped his mouth shut.  He could tell he had stunned her, but being the ever confident Cordelia Chase, she recovered quickly enough.

 "Well... um, Xander kind of booked all my dances, but I'm sure I can leech away.  You promise you'll come?"  she looked at him hopefully.

 He stared at her, and then relented.  "Yes, I'll come."

 She nodded, forcing her hair to shake into her eyes.  "Good.  I'll see you then!"  And with that, she turned and walked out of the library.  Giles sighed as he watched her leave. Giles my good sir, he thought miserably, you have got it bad.
 

 Cordelia was going to go crazy if Xander didn't give her some room.  He had never been this clingy in high school.  He had never been jealous man either, at least not with her, and yet every old high school acquaintance that came to greet Cordelia was  met with a glare by the very intimidating looking soldier. Cordelia was ready to kill him after he chased off poor Jonathon.  Jeez, the guy was a high school teacher, couldn't he leave him alone?  And where the heck was Giles?  Cordelia had sent Buffy tons of "Help Me" signals, but Buffy seemed to pay no heed, preferring instead to giggle and laugh with Willow and Amy, like they WERE still in high school. God, has everyone gone crazy?

Finally Cordelia knew if she didn't get some time alone, she would crack, so she finally resorted to the oldest trick in the book.

 "Oh, Xander. I'm really thirsty, aren't you?"  Xander looked up immediately.

 "Do you want some punch? Coke? Coffee?"

 Cordelia nodded, and Xander smiled, and saluted.  "Sure, anything for my Ice Queen.  Stay there okay?"

 Cordelia smiled and nodded, and Xander disappeared into the crowd. Cordelia let her breath out in a sigh of relief.  What was with him?  He was turning into whipped possessive bizarro boy.  She went the other direction, deciding to get some air.

 She was almost to the door when she heard a voice behind her calling her in a sickenly sweet voice.

 "Cordelia Chase!"  Cordelia groaned, and turned around.

 "Harmony."  Harmony came toward her, looking her usual self.

 "Cordelia!" she squealed, a fake plastic smile on her face as she pecked Cordelia's two cheeks and inspected her former rival and best friend. "You look positively radiant!!" she squealed.  "Really! You could almost pass for a model."

 Cordelia pursed her lips.  She wasn't in the mood to take Harmony's crap.  Xander was coming, time was running short.  She gave Harmony a huge sympathetic smile.

 "Oh, Hon, I heard about your break up with Rob, the mattress salesmen was he?  Is it true he left you for a woman half his age?"  It worked like a charm. Harmony's face fell, and immediately she excused herself.   "Ha.  I still got it." Cordelia grinned proudly and ducked out of the  Bronze.

  She sighed with relief when she got outside, and was greeted with silence.  She took a deep breath and looked around the alley.  She almost jumped when she spotted the lone figure about ten feet away, sitting on the sidewalk.

 "Giles?" Giles looked up to see Cordelia coming toward him, and got up immediately.

 "Ah. Cordelia.  Hello."

 "Hi yourself.  What are you doing out here?"  She squinted at him.  "You know I know you're not a real party animal or anything, but you do know that when one goes to a dance they go INSIDE, right?"

 Giles shrugged at her joke, digging his hands in his pockets.  "Cordelia ..." he trailed off.  "I'm afraid I'm not very good company right now." Cordelia's teasing grin faded when she saw that Giles had a very somber expression on his face.  Concern flooded her.

 "Giles are you okay?" she asked seriously.

 "You never seem to stop asking that, do you?" he asked, softly.

 "I just don't need you acting all bizarro on me." She said.  "It's bad enough with Xander-"  Giles stiffened, and looked at her, before turning away quickly. "Woah, wait." She stopped him with an arm.  "Come on, Giles.  You let me cry on your shoulders when no one else would give me the time of day."

 He looked down.  "I'm afraid my problems are of a nature that will not go away with a good cry, Cordelia."

 "Hell, a good pity party I'm cool with too."  He smiled at her humor.  The music started again and the music of a slow dance wafted  into the street.  Cordelia didn't know why the idea of a distraught Giles upset her so much, but she didn't like it.  Her mind scrambled for anything that would make the librarian  feel better, and then her mind clicked.

 "Hey, Ripper.  You owe me a dance, remember?"  He looked at her questionably, and she smiled.  "Come on, show me your moves."

 Giles should have said no.  But the idea of holding this woman in his arms, even for just a dance was too tempting, to irresistible for Giles to pass up.  Almost as if he was in a trance, he nodded. She opened her arms.

 "What, here?"

 She shrugged.  "I don't want to run the risk of going inside."  He grinned, and awkwardly, slid his hands around her waist, drawing her closely to him.  His heart beat loudly, so loudly he wondered if she could hear it.  But she said nothing, she simply slid her arms around his neck, and rested her head against his shoulder, as he swayed her to the music.  And it was heaven.

 If anyone had told Cordelia Chase in high school that in five years, she would be slow dancing with the school librarian, Cordelia would have cracked up laughing, but she wasn't anywhere near laughing now.  She didn't bother to dwell on it, it just seemed right somehow.  Just like when she had cried on his shoulder.  Like she could completely trust him.  And she did.  He was the only one she ever completely trusted.  His awkwardness and shyness with which he had first held her went away, and was replaced with a tender, but firm hold, one that before she knew it, had Cordelia right next to his body.   She breathed in deeply, and inhaled Giles' cologne.  It smelled good.  And he felt good.
Not...  not hard rock firm so there was nothing to feel safe against, like Xander, but firm, and yet, soft.  Gentle.  Safe.  She felt safe.  And so, almost unconsciously, she wound her arms tighter around his neck, allowing her fingers to twine gently in his soft hair.  And her breath grew faster.  It felt so good to be in his arms.  And then she realized that it was Giles she was dancing with, and her face lifted up, and her eyes met his.  He had taken off his glasses, and his eyes sparkled at her.  They sparkled with maturity, with depth.  They were beautiful eyes.  How come she had never noticed them before.   A soft pout, perfectly formed, tugged at the corners of his mouth, as he almost smiled at her.  And she felt so comfortable, so safe in his arms.  It was so natural.  The way his hands held her to him by the small of her back, so she was completely pressed against him.  Her breasts pushed against his chest, and suddenly she could feel his heart beating through them, and it was almost as if it was beating against hers.  As if in a trance, Cordelia untangled her fingers from his hair, and gently slid her hands from his neck to his face, her thumbs caressing his cheeks.  They were prickly, stubbly, and they felt so nice against her touch.  She continued to just look at him, exploring his face, every other part of their bodies stock still.  And slowly,  she felt her head moving closer to his.  She felt his face coming down over hers.  They stopped, inches from each other, and Cordelia looked into Giles eyes.  Desire burned in them, and she gazed at them intently. A revelation of how Giles
saw her came with the glance, and she smiled. Her lips reached up, slowly, until she could feel her breath mingling with his.  She closed her eyes, ready to feel the pressure of his soft lips on hers when-

 "Cordelia!"  She didn't know how she did it, but in that split second she managed to jump five feet away from the man who she was about to kiss.  From GILES.  Oh, God.  What happened?

   "Cordelia?"  Cordelia turned around, out of breath.

 "Willow?"  Willow smiled, shaking her chin length red hair.

 "There you are.  Xander's  ready to call out an APB.  What were you doing-"

 "Nothing!" Her and Giles both sputtered.

 "Nothing!  Just... just... talking." Cordelia said, smoothing down her hair, refusing to look at Giles.

 "Yes.. um... Yes."  Giles repeated, nodding.

 "Well, can you talk inside?  Xander's tearing up the place looking for you."  Willow grabbed Cordelia's arm and pulled her to the doorway.  "Giles you coming?"

 Giles' eyes were wide.  "No thank you. I'm rather tired, I think I'll go home," And hang myself.

 "Okay, bye!"  Willow continued to pull Cordelia, who let her numbly lead her.  Oh, God.  She had been about to kiss GILES.  The heat of his hands on her waist, the pressure against her chest, she still felt it.  Oh, God NO!  she told herself.  You will NOT start to get fuzzy feelings for the librarian. Please no.   She was pulled through the doorway, and Xander all but pounced on her.

 "There you are!  What were you doing?"

 "Talking to-"

 "Myself!"  Cordelia interrupted, glaring at Willow to dare refute her statement.  "Just me, myself and I!  Right Willow?" she asked Willow pointedly.

 "Umm. Yeah."  Willow gave her a what's with you look, and then shrugged, turning to Buffy.

 Xander gazed at her, frowning.  Finally deciding to believe her, he grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's go dance."

 "Xander, could you not use the Tarzan maneuver on me, please?" Cordelia suddenly yelped.  "Your grip is hurting me." A spark flashed through Xander's eye, and then he suddenly relaxed his grip, although he still maintained a firm hold.   "Sorry.  Come on."

 Cordelia was too dazed to argue.  Oh God.  Like my life isn't complicated enough.

 "Hey, G-man!"  Xander grinned lazily as he entered the library the following morning.  "You missed some party." Giles just nodded.

 "I'm sure I did, Xander."

 Xander smiled. "Cordy and I danced all night."

 "I'm sure you did, Xander."

 "Yeah, and she even-"

 "Xander will you stop being a dick?"  Buffy interrupted him as she walked in the room.  She smiled at Giles. " How are you, Giles?"  He just shrugged.

 "Better, I believe." He lied.  He looked over her shoulder at the doorway.  Buffy turned to  to see what he was looking at and smiled sadly.

 “Willow and Cordelia aren’t coming today.” she said as casually as she could. “They’re doing the bonding thing. Seems Willow needed some free legal advice.”

 “Yeah, Giles.  Cordy didn’t want to see you-”

 “Xander shut up!” Buffy suddenly snapped. She glared at Xander. “What is with you?"

 Xander swiveled his head at Buffy, his eyes hurt.  "Have you forgotten that this man is after my -"

 "This man has a name, and he is NOT after -, you know, she's not yours anymore Xander."

 "She will be."

 "Not if you keep going with the I Tarzan, You Jane maneuver. Give her a chance to breath." Buffy counseled, and then turned to Giles, realizing she was dispensing advice in his presence.

 "Oh.. I'm sorry, Giles."

 'No apologies, Buffy.  We've been through this." Before Xander could crack another joke, Giles pointed menacingly at him. "Not one word, Mr. Harris."  Xander clamped his mouth shut, for the moment thinking better of it.  "And while you're here to pour salt in my wounds, I suggest you look through this."  Giles continued, tossing Xander a large leather book.

 "Yeah, let's go, Research Boy." Buffy quipped, reaching for one herself.

 "Hi, Giles."

 It took him  a minute to find his voice. "Hu.... Hullo, Cordelia."   She never noticed how much she liked to hear him say her name.  It was almost regal.

 But she said nothing about that, she simply asked, "Can I come in?"

 "Certainly." He held the door open for her, and she stepped in. his apartment, looking around at it.  It still hadn't changed. It still seemed so.... so... Giles. And she found she liked it that way. Although that wasn't accounting anything for her taste. The place was in bad need of a decorator.  She forced her attention back to him as they stood in uncomfortable silence.

 Giles finally spoke.  "Can I get you some tea?"

 She shook her head, finally taking a deep breath. " Look. Giles.  About last night-"  he squirmed uncomfortably, but looked her in the eye as she began what she was going to say.  "I don't know exactly what happened between you and me,"  He nodded.  "But I think we should forget about it.  I mean... everything is so complicated enough, what with Xander acting like we're the lead characters in When Harry Met Sally... I'm only going to be here for another couple days and... I don't  need this.  I know I sound selfish" her voice wavered, " and stupid-"

 "On the contrary, Cordelia." Giles said, smiling ever so softly.  "I think it's one of the smartest things I've ever heard." She looked up, her eyes widened in surprise, and then she smiled.  And he smiled back.

 Willow let herself in the library with a curse.  How could she forget her purse?  Lucky for her, the library had been open, due to Giles' nocturnal habits, and she was able to find it quickly.  She was about to turn and go when a figure burst into the room painfully.  She yelped in shock, until she realized who it was.

 "Angel?" he grunted painfully, and she reached forward to steady him.  He rested for a few minutes, and then looked up.

 "Where's Buffy?"

 "She just went on patrol." Angel cursed.

 "What's wrong, Angel?"

 He sighed.  "We need to find Xander.  Now."

 Cordelia left Giles house, aware of his gaze on her back as she left.  Somehow this talk was supposed  to make everything better. It was supposed to make all these crazy feelings go away.  But it didn't.  And she was more confused then ever.

 "Cordelia?"  Cordelia turned, and  saw Xander starting at her from the sidewalk.  She groaned unconsciously.

 "Hi, Xander."

 "Hi." He put his hands in his pocket and cocked an eyebrow.  "What were you doing in Giles' house?"

 She closed her eyes for a second, and forced herself to take a deep breath.  "We were talking, Xander."

 "Oh." He stared quiet.  "What about?"

 "Stuff! Xander, what do you want?"

 "I was hoping we could go to a movie or something."  He walked forward, and grabbed her hands hesitantly.  "Look... Cordelia. I've been thinking a lot about this lately...  I think I love you, Cordy. And I -"

 Cordelia felt her heart well up. Not this, not now.  "Xander-"

 "No!  Listen.  I know I've been a little.... Aggressive, but it's just the way I feel, I can't help it."

 "Xander, no!" He stopped, shocked. Cordelia felt terrible, but she forced herself to keep going.  "Xander... I'm sorry. But I'm... I'm so confused about you right now..."

 "Why?"

 Because I'm thinking librarian right now that's why, Cordelia thought in frustration.  "Xander. ..  I just don't need this right now.  We've grown apart. You and me...  if we didn't make sense in high school, we really don't  make sense now.  I  mean, I'm in law school...and I do love you, just not like that.  Not anymore."   She felt her voice trembling, and she tried to walk away, but Xander had caught her arm.

 "Is it Giles?"

 "What?!"

 "Is it Giles?"

 "What?  No! It's me. I... I need to go now, Xander."  And with that, she broke his grasp and turned at left.  She didn't' see the look on Xander's face.  Or the fists he clenched up.

 "I finally figured out what that ball is." Angel said, sitting down, with the aid of Willow.  "I've only seen it once before.  It's a demon, whoever he comes in contact with, what ever ... bad feeling that person has, he uses it as a doorway, and takes over as soon as he can. And Xander...and Cordelia-"

 "Oh... God!" Willow sat up. "Xander has been Tarzan boy, lately."

 "I figured his jealousy of Giles-"

 "Giles? Why would he be jealous of Gile...oh, god." Now everything made sense to Willow.  Giles's strange behavior. Cordelia's strange quietness during lunch, Xander's biting remarks to the librarian.  Giles and Cordelia's flustered behavior the night before. "Why am I always the last to know everything?"

 Angel shrugged.  "We need to find Xander, or Cordelia.  Or Giles. If the spirit has gotten a hold of him, then -"

 "Cordelia could be next." Willow breathed, getting up. "Giles said he would be at home." She jumped up and ran to the phone.

 Xander Harris was seething.  She had rejected him.  Cordy, HIS Cordy had rejected him. She had just walked away. She couldn't do that. She couldn't!  She was HIS, goddammit!  And the he felt himself lose control. He couldn't stop himself.  There was nothing he could do.

 "You...bitch." He growled, and he ran furiously to her as she walked away.. He grabbed her arm and before she had time to even react, he swung her around and punched her in the face. Xander gasped, but felt himself being forced back. Something else was in here with him... in his body. And it took over.  He swung again and again, until Cordelia fell to the ground, unconscious.  Reaching up, he broke a branch from a nearby tree, and stripping it of it's leaves, he stood over her.

 "I'll teach you to reject me." He bit, and he raised his hand up, and brought down the branch, whipping her back as hard as he could.  He continued to whip her, harder, and was about to whip her again, when he felt a blow to his head, and fell back.   He growled, and jumped up.  Buffy stood ready, over Cordelia, her stance ready to fight.

 "Xander, I  ... "  she looked puzzled.  Xander growled, and spitting at her, he ran away, into the darkness of the night.  Buffy felt her heart welt up. Was that really Xander?  It couldn't be.  She looked down and gasped.  Oh, God.  Xander had done this?  Buffy reached down, and winced when Cordelia groaned softly, Buffy felt the blood soak through Cordelia’s sweater and onto her hands.  Gingerly she held her friend as she looked up and saw Giles' light on.
 
 

 "What? Are you sure?"  Giles felt his heart pounding as he held the receiver to his head.  "A spirit? No... Cordelia just left about ten minutes ago, I.. I'll be back. Keep looking." He slammed the phone down, and ran to the doorway, pulling on  a jacket.  He had to find her before it was too late.  He swung the door open, and then gasped.

 Buffy looked surprised to see Giles swing open the door just as she was going to knock. But she got over it quickly enough, pushing past him as she bore the unconscious body of Cordelia into his apartment.

 "Oh, my goodness. Cordelia."

 Buffy didn't argue when he gently took her from Buffy's arms, cradling her against him.  She looked god awful.  “Xander?"

 Buffy looked stunned.  "How'd you guess?"

 "A demon... a spirit, has taken over Xander's body.  He used his jealousy and Oh bloody hell, nevermind." Giles said, taking another look at Cordelia. "That can wait." He bore Cordelia upstairs, and instructed Buffy to pull back the covers.

 "Lay her on her stomach." Buffy said suddenly.  Giles obeyed, and was glad when he did, because as his hands came away, he saw they were stained with blood.    Her back. Good Lord.

 "So,  what's with Xander?  Can you explain?"

 "There's no time," Giles said, running down the stairs, talking fast to Buffy as she ran down behind him.  "Find Xander, bring him back alive. He's possessed.  Angel and Willow are at the library researching how we can get this thing out of him, and I have to take care of Cordelia."

 Buffy nodded, gulping before she headed to the doorway.  Seeing Giles worried, face, she felt her heart soften.   Giles loved her.  Buffy smiled sadly at this realization.  She had always wanted Giles to find love... but under these circumstances? With Cordelia?  Buffy sighed.

 "I'll be back as soon as I can." Giles nodded distractedly.  Buffy walked out the door.

 Angel cursed as he tossed back the book he had been perusing.  "How can you stand this? Just sitting in the library, doing nothing?" Willow gave him a small smile.

 "Sometime it's all you CAN do." She looked away. Giles had phoned, informing them of Cordelia's condition, which, judging by the worry and strain in his voice, was bad.  And Xander was at large. Xander, her buddy.   Oh, God. What a reunion.

 "Possession. Exorcism." Willow looked through the books.  "I can't find anything that will work. And I used to be witchy."

 "We've been searching for hours." Angel mused.  "Nothing.  That's what I'm afraid of."

 "What do you mean?"

 Angel sighed, running a hand through is hair worriedly.  "If it's as bad as I think it is, the only person that will be able to get this guy out is Xander."

 "But Xander-"

 "I know." Angel closed his eyes in frustration.  "There's nothing we can do."
 

 Rupert attempted to walk quietly as he carried the tray up the stairs, praying that the utensils wouldn't be disturbed.  He entered his room, and as he saw the sleeping form of Cordelia Chase, felt his heart stop beating.  He still remembered vividly the last time he had climbed these stairs and found a woman in his bed.  Jenny.  Dear Jenny.  How he had missed her.  But she was dead.   Thankfully, Cordelia wasn't.  But she was very badly injured, and Giles felt a warmth of tenderness wash over him as he put down the tray carefully and sat down next to the bed, almost forgetting to breath as he looked her over.

 Xander had done her over pretty good.  Giles felt his chest tighten when he thought of Cordelia's face when she would learn that Xander was the cause of this.  But it wasn't Xander, Giles reminded himself.  It was something else. Someone had control of him.  Using Xander's jealousy as a foothold to gain access to the boy.  The man. Giles corrected himself.  Xander was a man now.  Just like Cordelia was a woman. No, an angel.

 He shook himself out of his daze.  First thing was first, he had to determine just how badly she had been beaten.  Her face was swelling badly on one side of her jaw, a purplish bruise  the size of an egg had begun to form on the side of her cut lip, which had now clogged with dried blood.  Her throat had bruises all over it, and he gently traced a finger along them, wincing himself as he looked at them.  Buffy had said she had been hurt in the  back. Blood covered her back, and Rupert found himself filling with rage at the thought of this young woman in so much pain.  He would have to take the blouse off to investigate it properly. Giles shivered.  More than anything, he wished for Buffy  to
return.  That way, they would be able to take over this gentle caretaking, that was beginning to drive him crazy.  The thought that he would have to remove her blouse unsettled him  more than he wanted to admit.  What had happened to him?  To her, that would make him see her this way?

   He sighed, reminding himself he was  twice her age, before he swallowed and with trembling hands, began to gently lift the blood soaked  shirt away from the skin of her back.  He jumped when Cordelia groaned, jerking suddenly.  Giles cursed himself.  The blood had caused the shirt to stick to the wound.  Taking it off must have put Cordelia in excruciating pain.  She began to move, and Giles placed a warm hand on her forehead, caressing her tenderly.

 "Shh... Cordelia." He whispered, leaning over her ear. "You mustn't  attempt to move."   At his soothing voice, Cordelia, still wincing in pain, lifted her head up slightly, registering the librarian who stared down at her kindly.

 "Easy for you to say, Bookworm." She whispered huskily, tears coming into her eyes.  She groaned, and Giles immediately enclosed a large hand over her smaller one, squeezing tightly.  She grabbed on to it desperately and held it tightly.

 "I'm sorry." He said, his throat clogging up. "But I must take the shirt off."

 "Duh." She bit back.  She asked no more questions, she simply knew there was no one else. He smiled grimly, and then with his free hand, traced a gentle finger down her swollen face.

 "Here, hold on to my hand." He said, ignoring the surprised look in Cordelia's face at his tender touch. She nodded and squeezed, gritting her teeth in pain and Giles  held his breath as he slowly lifted the shirt off her back.  She cried out in pain, and Giles caught his breath in his throat.

 "I'm sorry." He said again.  She didn't answer, but  lay her sound cheek against the palm of his hand that she clutched, while the tears of pain rolled down her face. She winced as he lifted the remainder off, carefully pulling it over her head and moving it to the side..  "There. It's over."

 "Oh yeah?" She winced.  "Then how come it still hurts?"  she whispered grimly.  Giles squeezed her hand and gently disentangled himself. He didn't answer as he gazed in horror at her back.  It appeared almost as if she had been whipped.  Etches of bloody lines slashed across her back, biting into the skin. Her bra, which had once been a tantalizing white lace, was now dyed a morbid red. Bloody dammitall to hell.  He cursed to himself as he fought to keep his anger in check.  Demon possession or not, it took all of Giles strength not to leave Cordelia's side right then and there and kill Xander with his own bare hands.

 “Well?"  Cordelia's face was etched with pain as she looked up curiously at him. "Giles?"  Apparently she saw the horror in his face because her face froze.  "That bad, huh?" she asked weakly.

   Giles gave her a long sad look, and then smiled softly."I'm... I'm afraid the worst of it isn't over."

   Cordelia sighed. "Whatever. Just fix me, Giles."  The look she gave him was one of complete trust, and Rupert felt his heart leap slightly.  She was so amazing, this Cordelia Chase.  Quietly he picked up the palm of her hand and kissed it softly.

This gentle, intimate movement shocked Cordelia, and for a moment the pain was removed from her face. "If I didn't know better, Ripper." She managed to tease weakly.  "I'd say you were flirting with me."  He blushed and put her hand down.  "Normally, I would be game, but  considering I look and feel like Buffy on a bad hair day, and am lying half naked on your bed, I say we reserve that for later."

   Giles gazed at her in surprise, and she smiled softly, before wincing in pain as the air stirred against her back.  Giles sighed, and rolling up his sleeves, he dipped the white cloth in the warm water, soaking it thoroughly before placing it on her back softly.  She cried out in agony, and reached blindly for his free hand.  Giles felt tears come to his eyes, but he continued to clean her wounds, clenching her hand tightly as she groaned and whimpered softly, closing her eyes in an attempt to ward off the spasms of pain. But he continued, pausing only to murmur softly.

 "I'm sorry."
 

 Buffy tried to be as quiet as she could as she snuck up on Xander. The boy had turned raging angry before, casting that love spell in high school had been evidence of that, but never before had he ever gotten violent.  And he had turned into skitzo boy now. He moved clumsily, and he was yelling at himself, as he crashed speedily through the brush of the forest outside of Sunnydale.  Buffy shook her head sadly.  She didn't know what would happen when Xander realized what he had done to Cordelia.  He had almost killed her.  No, it wasn't him, she reminded herself.  It was this.. this thing that had him.  Damn ball.

  She gritted her teeth in frustration as she contemplated her next move.  With a sigh, she prepared herself, and then flipped toward Xander, hitting him on the head.  He jumped up immediately, his eyes wide with rage.  As she swung at him, he blocked her and backhanded a heavy fist into her face.  Kicking her with a heavy army boot, he then jumped up into a tree and disappeared.  Buffy sat up, groaning, and feeling her tender nose.  Oh, Damn.  She tasted the blood as it dripped.  This shirt was cashmere. Okay, back to square one.  She had forgotten that Xander wasn't the same lovable dork she had once known. He was an army man, trained to fight, lean, hard and strong. And this spirit guy knew it. Okay, not a  problem.  She had the solution.  Brute force wouldn't cut it, then
she would try something else.  Getting up, and whistling as she frowned at her disappearing friend, she pinched her nose and ran back out of the woods to her car. Time for reinforcements.

 Giles quietly stared out the window of his bedroom, Cordelia silent on his bed, her head to the side away from him. He didn't know what she was feeling right now.  Her wounds had been bandaged, her bleeding had stopped, she lay in a clean flannel that Giles had dug up from his drawer,  but her eyes were wounded.  She lay still, she hadn't moved in the past ten minutes.  Giles was worried.  He wondered what was going on in her head.  And then he knew.

 "Xander did this to me, didn't he?"  she suddenly asked.  Giles turned, she hadn't moved, so he moved around the side of the bed, and sat down on the chair where he had dressed her wounds.  He stared at her face, and considered lying to her, but seeing her eyes glancing up at him, the trust in them, he found he couldn't.

 "I'm afraid so." He said slowly.  She flinched, closing her eyes. "but it wasn't him.  He's.. he's possessed."  She didn't move, staring blankly ahead of her, and he knew that more than her body was wounded.  He felt furious at himself.  "Cordelia, I'm so sorry. If I hadn't been so ... distracted, I could have figured it  out-"

 "Giles." Her eyes opened, and she looked at him. "No. It's not your fault.  Xander...  no one could have known.  I should have guessed myself. I sort of sensed it...  He said he wanted me back, tonight, before, and I turned him down.  He ...  he almost went ballistic."

 Giles took off his glasses, laying them on the small dresser next to the bed, and looked back at Cordelia, who looked at him intensely for the first time since she had spoken.

 "Why did you turn him down?" he asked her quietly.  She sighed, her face coming up and gingerly touching her lip, wincing when she felt the pain.

 "I'm confused."  She looked at him her eyes sincere. "Because for reason now I close my eyes and I think librarian instead of army man."  Giles looked up, and they stared at each other silently.  He felt his heart well up.  He knew what she was saying.  And in a weird way, it filled him with joy.  He didn't know how.  Or why.  But she did, and it was enough. Unconsciously, they both reached out their hand at the same time, and their fingers intertwined.  They stood silent for a moment, looking at their entwined hands, their fingers moving against each other, longing to be closer.

 "Why?" was all he could ask.

 She sighed. " I don't know.  Because when I'm with you, I know I'll never get hurt. I know.. I feel safe. I trust you." She finished simply. And Giles knew the difficulty she had saying those words to him.  He said nothing, he simply concentrated on their hands.  His soft, aged, and hers smooth, silken, perfect.  It felt right.

 "I'm scared Giles." She said truthfully. Giles looked up, and squeezed her hand.

 "Why?"

 "Because." She began, almost frustrated.  "I'm scared that everything I thought I knew is different.  And I'm scared of how I feel when I look at you.  I never felt that way before.  It feels like it's come out of nowhere."

 Giles chuckled at the twinge in her voice.  "I know." He said. "I feel the same way."

 "But it didn't did it?" Giles looked up.  "It didn't. It started a long time ago.  When I cried on your shoulder." Giles smiled softly, and nodded.

 There was silence again, and Cordelia focused on his face.  She looked at his eyes, and her face creased slowly as she slid into a smile. Reaching up, she ran a thumb tenderly across his face, before her smile froze and she brought her hand down.

 "We can't go back, can we?"  Giles was quiet
.
 "Do you want to?"

 She smiled grimly.  "Yeah.  Everything was so much easier when I was Cordelia, your clueless research assistant, not this.  The way you look at me, the way I respond...  it feels so right and yet in my mind, I know it can't be. It just would seem so much easier to go back than try and go forward from here. I'm so scared of going forward."

 There was a silence,and Giles sighed heavily.  After a moment, he let her hand go gingerly, aware of the emptiness he felt when he lost the contact, and aware she felt it too.  He put his hands together, and waited.  Cordelia winced, and suddenly reached out again, grabbing his hand in hers, caressing his palm with her fingers.  Giles felt the contact, and felt his breath catch.

 "Some times you have no choice, Cordelia." He said painfully.  Her eyes registered his face, as he leaned forward, tenderly taking her fingers in his two hands and kissing the knuckles of each hand softly.  The feel of his soft mouth moving against her skin caused a stirring in her stomach, and she suddenly knew that this was impossible.  Her feelings were real.   She was utterly still as he kissed each finger softly. And when he lifted his eyes to hers, she was again struck by how beautiful his eyes were.  And she suddenly wanted to get close to them. She wanted to see those blue eyes closer.  She couldn't move, her wounds still pained her horribly, but she let her eyes convey her desire.  Giles was still, and then he leaned forward, staring at her face  as he brought his closer to hers. They stared into each others eyes for a full minute, searching, and then Cordelia felt herself move forward, and finally pressed her lips gingerly against his. His lips clung to hers, and they opened and caught each other again.  Cordelia felt warm, her eyes closed unconsciously as she reached up and, despite the protesting of her stinging lip, pressed the back of his neck, bringing him toward her.  It was tender, full of feeling, of love.  And it left her breathless.  His lips moved so sweetly against hers, and she almost cried from the pure beauty of the kiss.  They released each other almost regrettably, and Cordelia opened her eyes to find him staring at her, his blue eyes filled with wonder and desire.

 "Easier than we thought." He said huskily.   Cordelia stared at him in surprise, and then chuckled.

 "For now.  What happens when we wake up?"  He grinned, reaching up and kissing her forehead.

 "Why don't you try going to sleep first?"  the dominant tone in his voice made her smile.

 "Yes, Mr. Giles." He arranged her pillow, and she lay on it, suddenly feeling very tired.  Her eyes fluttered sleepily, but she managed to ask, "Stay with me?"  She felt the comfort of his hand covering hers as he answered,

 "Yes, I'm here.  I'm always here."

 Angel gasped. "Buffy." Buffy nodded to the both of them, wiping the blood from her face with the back of one hand before going to weapon's closet.

 "Buffy, what's going on?"

 Buffy grunted, pulling out a chest.  "Xander's gone nuts.  Cordelia's almost dead. Giles might be next."  She said bluntly, and she pulled out a huge, shiny gun.

 "Never thought I'd have to use this on another friend." She muttered, checking to make sure it was loaded.

 "The tranquilizer gun?" Willow asked.  Buffy nodded.

 "Yup. Last time I used it to put someone out of it was Oz." Willow nodded, remembering. Angel stayed silent.

 "Did he hurt you?" he finally asked.

 Buffy shrugged. "He's strong. I underestimated him. I'm fine. I've have nosebleeds before."  She jumped up, hugging the gun close to her.  "Empty the cage. Xander's gonna be occupying that space shortly." She smiled grimly at Willow, kissed Angel quickly, and walked to the doorway.  "Anyone needs me, I'll be at Giles." And with that, she walked out of the library.

 Giles heard a knocking at his door, and regrettably, disentangled his hand from Cordelia, who even in her sleep, had held it firmly. She groaned when he let her go, but when he leaned forward and planted a firm kiss on her forehead, she quieted, even in her feverish sleep. Giles walked warily down the stairs, and looking at  the peep hole, was surprised to find Buffy staring up at him. He opened the door quickly, and let her inside.  She nodded to him, and cradled the gun she had in her hands as she checked outside the windows.

 "Buffy?" she turned.

 "I tracked him, but it was a no go. I figure if he's in jealous over control, he'll be here sooner of later. He has a bone to pick with you too." Giles nodded, understanding.  Buffy smiled grimly, and her face softened.

 "How's Cordelia?"

 "Better, I suppose."  He followed Buffy up the stairs, and then joined her at the doorway as they looked in on the sleeping Cordelia.   Buffy stared at her beat friend's face, and then glanced up at Giles.  Seeing the tenderness in his face as he looked at Cordelia's sleeping form, she sighed.

 "This isn't some weird mojo, is it?"

 "Pardon?"

 "It's for real. This thing with Cordelia."  Buffy swallowed.  "You love her, don't you?" she asked gently.  Giles smiled painfully.

 "Very much, I'm afraid."

 "Does she... you know... feel the same way back?"  Giles blushed, putting his hands in his pockets.  His expression said it all.

 "Oh, my God." Buffy breathed.  She swallowed.  "Okay, Giles."

 "Buffy?" Giles was obviously confused.

 "Okay. I'm gonna try and stop feeling weird about this. I mean... I have no right.  If you two really feel this way... then I guess it's right."  Giles stared at Buffy, and then suddenly reached over and hugged her.

 Cordelia began to move in her feverish dreams, and she began to mumble out Giles' name. Giles let Buffy go, and went to Cordelia, grabbing her hand.  She immediately quieted.  At the contact, her eyes fluttered open, registered Giles, and she smiled in relief.  Closing her eyes, and holding tightly to his hand, she fell back to sleep. Buffy saw this all, and said nothing, but smiled softly, and walked slowly back downstairs to guard her Watcher and her best friend.

 Close to about two o clock in the morning, Buffy woke to the crashing of  glass in the living room.  She got up, and pointed the gun, but Xander launched over her, kicking her in the head before running upstairs.  Buffy took a breath, and ran up after him. Giles had had the sense to lock the door, Xander banged on it, yelling curses at Giles from outside. Buffy was quiet as she aimed, and shot.

 "Time for your nap, army boy." She said. Xander yelped as the dart hit him, and fell to the floor.  Buffy sighed sadly.  "Giles!  It's okay!"

   Giles opened the door, to see Buffy , and Xander on the floor. "Did he try and attack you?" he asked. Buffy shrugged.

 "Nope. As far as he was  concerned, you were target numero uno."

   The swung open, and Giles' face lit up in surprise when Cordelia stumbled to the doorway. Apparently awake.

 "Cordelia!  What are you-"  Cordelia groaned, and Giles quickly caught her in his arms. She leaned against him, her arms wrapped around him for support, and looked down on Xander.

 "What are you going to do?" she asked Buffy weakly.  Buffy stared at Cordelia sadly, never had she seen her friend so badly beaten.  The flannel she was wearing covered her back lashes, but her face was horrible to look at.

 "I'm going to take him back to the library, cage him a la Oz, until we can figure out how to get whatever is INSIDE him, out."

 "I'm coming."

 Giles shook his head. "Cordelia you're in no condition-"

  Cordelia silenced Giles by squeezing his hand. "We have to finish this together, Giles." She said, staring in his eyes meaningfully. Giles was quiet as they both looked at each other, and he finally nodded grimly.

 "Fine.  But the minute -"

 "Yeah, I know, Book worm."  She smiled at him sadly, and then turned to Buffy.  "Buffy, can you help me get dressed?"  Buffy nodded quickly, taking Cordelia gingerly from Giles.

 "Uh.. there are some sweats in the bottom dresser." Giles called him after them, and when the door closed, he looked down at Xander.  The man still had boyish features, and in his sleep, he looked no different than the young man who had been under Giles wings those years before. And yet, so much had changed. Giles sighed sadly as he began to search for something to tie his former pupil with .  So much had changed.

  < That's right, I forgot I was stranded with a LOSER!!! >

 Xander was in a hole.  That's what it felt like to him. He was in a hole and he couldn't get out, no matter how hard he tried.  And the worst thing was, that the opening was only a few feet above him, barely out of his reach.  He could see everything. And so he watched as this monster invaded his mind, his thoughts,  and he took over his body. And Xander saw as Cordelia Chase got beaten to a bloody pulp by his bare hands.  He struggled in vain as he saw the monster used HIS feelings and his jealousy to cut the branch from the tree and whip her soundlessly. And he couldn't stop it.  He couldn't stop it!  He was filled with rage at what this thing had done to Cordelia, but he found the
madder he got, the more power this animal had over him. And he couldn't move. And he couldn't struggle. He could only watch.

 <  Nice pet, Giles. Don't  you like anything normal?  Golf, USA today?  Anything? >

 Giles... when did Giles win her?  But Xander couldn't get mad.. He couldn't... cause this animal in him could kill... and Xander couldn't do a damn thing about it.  But he was able to stop the animal from hurting Buffy.  He made the spirit believe that Buffy meant nothing.

 < Oh, that's right, your never ending obsession with protecting Buffy.  Have I ever told you how attractive that's NOT? >

 And so the monster went looking for Giles. And Buffy had put him down like a dog.  Xander smiled at the irony of the statement.

 < Oh, you mean, cause of how the only guy that ever really liked her turned into a killing machine and had to be put down like a dog? >

 He chuckled grimly as he lay in his hole.  Yeah, Cordy.  Yeah.

  Like me.

 Willow gasped as she saw the scene that arrived in the library.  Buffy was carrying Xander, who was tied up, and with out a word, she threw him in the cage.  Giles followed, helping a sore Cordelia in. And Cordelia looked awful.  She had never seen Cordelia as bad as this.  It made Willow wince just to look at her.

 "Oh, God, Buffy." She whispered. Giles paid them no attention as he gently set Cordelia in  a chair, carefully making sure he hurt her as least as possible.

 "Is she gonna be okay?"

 "SHE, is going to be fine." Cordelia winced, but she looked straight up at Willow. "But will be in major need of plastic surgery." She added.  "What I'm worried about is him." All eyes turned to Xander's still form in the cage.

 "So, let's see what's wrong with him," Buffy quipped, kneeling down at her army clad friend.  "He gets run over by a ball, and it turns out to be a spirit, who uses his jealousy of Giles and Cordelia to gain control of him."

 "And so far his only targets have been myself and Cordelia."

 "Luckily I got to him before he could do anymore damage to either of them." Buffy said, a little sadly.  She looked up to Angel.

 "Did you find anyway of getting this thing out of him?"

 Angel and Willow gave each other a look, and each shook their heads.  "We can't do anything. If we try to take this thing out, we kill him. He has to do it."

 There was silence in the room, and Cordelia, squeezing Giles' hand, got up slowly, grunting against the pain, and sitting down painfully with Buffy next to the cage.

 "This is my fault isn't it?" she asked softly, looking at her old friend.  Buffy put a gentle hand on the lawyer's shoulder.

 "No, Cordy.  It was Xander.  He wants everything. We had no way of knowing you and Giles would..." she trailed off when she saw the color rise in both Cordelia and Giles' cheeks.  "Nevermind." She said, getting up.  "I guess we just have to wait, and believe that Xander will get his out of him."

 "He can do it." Cordelia said, a trace of emotion for her ex boyfriend showing in her eyes.

 "He can." Willow agreed.

 Giles and Angel both stood up and stood behind the trio of girls, all watching the sleeping form of the young man in the cage.

 "Godspeed, chap." Giles whispered.

**
 < And even if we do see specialness, we don't fit! >

 Xander groaned, the light hitting his eyes.

 "Wakey, wakey!"  Xander looked up to see himself staring down at him. He sat up.

 "Who are you?"

 "The intruder."  The mirror image smiled from the top of the hole. “You've got a nice little body here, bro."  Xander felt his heart stop beating.

 "You did that to Cordelia!" he shouted, jumping up, his anger consuming him.  "You bastard!"  Suddenly he felt weak, and fell back to the floor.  The figure grinned.

 "You just don't learn, do you? The angrier you get, the more powerful I become.  That's why I was able to trounce that little lawyer brat of yours."

 Xander fought to control his anger. "You almost killed her."

 "Yeah, too bad that Buffy bitca kept holding me back.  She could have been a goner for sure. And that librarian." Xander winced, and the figure gave him a smile, leaning down into the hole.  "It really eats you up inside, doesn't it?  To know that she turned you down for HIM?  How dare she?  She loved you back then, she should still love you now! And instead of falling for you, cause your a REAL man now, she falls for the dorky librarian, the geek!"

 < What about me? I care about Giles. >

 Xander winced in pain  "It won't work," he rasped.  "You're just trying to get me mad, I won't."

 "Oh, it IS working."

 "What are you bugging me for!" Xander shouted.

 "Well, that tranquilizer put us out of business for a while, so until you wake up, I've got nothing to do but bug you." He grinned. "Nice little reunion this is turning out to be. You do your darndest to make up for breaking up with her, and yet it isn't enough? She doesn't even deserve it, does she?  I mean, she should have understood what happened with you and Willow would have been bound to happen . You two had been  friends forever. You had always loved Willow."

 < We did not come here to talk about Willow! >

 Xander groaned, covering his ears.

 "Stop it."

 "What? It's the truth.  It's only natural. She should have understood.  But she didn't."

 < I think you splashed on a little too much Obsession for Dorks. >

 "You loved her, she should have understood! But no! She's so self involved-"

 < You don't have anything to be ashamed, I on the other hand, have everything to be ashamed of! >

 Xander groaned, willing himself not to believe what this spirit was telling him.

 *********

 "Look!  He's moving!"  The group rose and looked at the cage. Xander groaned, and got to his feet unsteadily. Cordelia got up, and moved to the cage, slowly. He spotted her, and his face slid into a lazy grin.

 "Cordy!  Hey Babe!"

 She gave him a wary look.  "Xander?"

 "Oh, hon, did I do that to you?  Gee, I'm sorry....well, let's see.. no I"M NOT!"  He lunged against the cage door, despite his chains.  Buffy swallowed as Cordelia yelped, and pulled her back.

 "Cordy, it's not him.,” she reminded her intensely.

 "Oh, honey, you're right. It's not Xander.  But I know all about him, and believe me, he would do the exact same thing, with my blessing." His eyes flashed.  "You should have understood, Cordelia, you bitch." Cordelia winced at his words.  Giles felt his heart go out to her, and quietly went behind her, laying two comforting hands on her shoulders.  She leaned back against him, thankful for his support, as she closed her eyes to ward off Xander's hurtful words.

 "That's right, take her, Giles!" Xander shouted. "She's used, you know!"
 *******

 "Did you see that?" Xander was curled in a ball, trying in vain not to hear the spirit as he leaned back in the hole.  "He's touching her!  In front of you! Of us!"

 < Do you know what you need besides a year supply of pimple cream?  A brain! >

 "You're not going to make me snap!" Xander muttered fiercely, his teeth clenched.

 "Oh come on, I don't have to make you do anything.  You know it's true. They made you do it all!  She didn’t deserve for you to love her, you know.  Look at all she did.  Look at who she is!"

 < I want to break up >

 < I hate you! >

 < Coward! >

 < I'm sure you'll be in a rich and powerful fraternity too. In bizarro world. >

 < Why don't you revolve yourself out of my light? >

 < The only way you can get women to want you, would be witchcraft! >

 Xander groaned.  "No!" he cried.  "No, she's not like that!"

*****
 "Xander knows.  He knows it's not his fault. It's yours. It’s always been your fault.  You think he ever really could care for someone like you? The way you are?"

   Cordelia was crying now, and Buffy was ready to kill this thing that was making Xander say these things.  Cordelia looked completely broken now, inside and out.  "You deserved everything you got!"

 "Cordelia." Giles looked ready to kill Xander, himself, but he paid him no heed, instead concentrating on Cordelia. "That's not Xander."

 She  looked up at him through tearstreaked eyes.  "But it's true isn't it?” she asked him softly, her voice shaky.  “I know I was horrible in high school, maybe I-"

 "No!" Giles said fiercely, shaking her.  "Don't you ever believe that!  You are so special, Cordelia Chase.  It's who you are and what you've become that makes you that way.  Don't ever believe you are what this thing is saying you are!"  He pulled her to him and held her tightly against him.  "It's not Xander saying these things!  He loves you, he would never believe that!"
*********

 "My God he loves her." Xander breathed, looking up. The demon spirit looked down at him, in surprise.

 "Excuse me?"

 "He loves her!  I mean, he's really head over heels for her!"  Xander stood up.  "I never understood.. I just thought it was some lust thing, but it's not."

 "What the hell are you talking about? She doesn't deserve to be understood!"  Xander looked his doppelganger straight in the eye.

 "Oh, she deserves more than that.  Because I love her."

 < I can date whoever the hell I want to date!  No matter how lame he is! >

 "What?  This thing is all her fault."

 Xander shook his head.  "Nope. It's not.  It's mine.  I never wanted to take the blame.  I just got angry. I wanted to blame someone."  He took a deep breath, and looked up.  "But see... it's me. I didn't deserve her then. I didn't know what I had.  I broke her heart."

 < You were kind of turning me on with that Boy Slayer look >

 < Oh yeah, Mister Faithful!!  >

 < And keep your Mom Aged Mitts OFF my boyfriend! Former! >

 "Giles knew.  He knows what I had.  I wanted it all. So I let her go.  And she moved on. "  Xander, suddenly venting his feelings, felt calmer than he had ever felt.  "Don't you see? I CAN'T get angry.  It's not her fault!  It was me.  She deserved more than I could give her."  He sank to the floor, suddenly saddened by his realization.  "She deserves Giles."

 < If you need any help >

 < Let's go, Tact Guy! >

 Tears came to his eyes as he said softly, "And Giles deserves her."
******
 The group jumped when Xander suddenly groaned.  He doubled over, and fell to his knees.  "Lord, what's happening?" Giles said, his arms protectively around Cordelia.
********
 Suddenly Xander felt stronger, and the hole that kept him captive grew shorter.  Xander looked up to see the spirit suddenly small, losing shape.

 "That's it isn't it?"  He breathed, feeling his heart jump. "I had to realize that it was me.  I've gone years trying to justify being selfish to the girl I loved."  He swallowed.  "It wasn't Cordelia's fault. Or Giles. They just moved on.  I stayed in the same place."

 < I just want you to know that still I care about you, no matter what you look like. >

 The figure groaned, and then tripped and fell into the hole, falling at Xander's feet.

 "Ha!" Xander suddenly triumphantly, the soldier within coming out. "That's it!  I'm winning!  Anger, love, Love is your downfall, isn't it?  And I loved her!"

***********

 Xander stood up and shouted triumphantly. "I love her!"

 Buffy cocked an eyebrow.  "What the hell?"
******
 And the hole got smaller.

 < you mean the spell was for me? >

  Xander, suddenly invigorated, jumped easily out of the hole.  He grabbed the weakened form of the spirit, and pulled him up after him.  Flexing his muscles, he began to push the spirit into a little ball.

 < Xander, I just wanted to thank you... for saving my life.  What you did was brave, and noble, and if there’s anything I could ever do- >

 "See, my man!  My body can only take one person in here! And that is me!" And  with that, he wound up, and threw.

*****
 "Duck!"  Buffy barked, and the group hit the deck as a big orange ball flew out of Xander's mouth and crashed through the window.  There was a silence in the aftermath, and the group got up slowly. Cordelia looked up to the cage.

 Willow got to the cage first.  Xander was still, lying face down.  With a groan, he slowly pushed himself up, sitting up Indian style.  Everyone stared at him warily.

 He sat up, and then turned an eye to the group.

 "Gee, Buffy. You sure know how to hit a man where it hurts."  There was silence, and then Buffy smiled softly.

 "Hey Xand man, back in control?"

 "Let's just say I kicked his spiritual butt."  He stood up.  "Can I get these chains off now?"

 Smiles broke out on everyone's faces, and Cordelia's face filled with relief.  She leaned against Giles for support, but her eyes followed Xander. Giles  saw where they were going, and his body went rigid.  Forcing himself to breath, he said nothing, only held her back close against his chest.

 Buffy gave Xander a huge hug, followed by Willow. Angel and him shook hands, and then everyone quieted as he stopped in front of Cordelia.  He saw what he had done to her now, and his face visibly flinched.  But the only feelings in Cordelia's eyes were relief.

 "I knew you'd do it, dorkhead." She said softly.  He smiled warily, after a minute, and then hugged her as close as he dared, reveling in the feel of her body one last time.

 "I'm sorry, Cordy.  For everything.  I never meant to hurt you." he whispered hoarsely.  She nodded, a tear in her eyes.

 "I know."

 Xander let her go slowly, and then looked up at his mentor.  "Giles.." he chuckled uncomfortably.  "I ... uh.."

 "Nevermind, chap." Giles grinned weakly.  "I understand." And seeing the look in Giles' face, Xander knew he did.  He gave the man a huge hug, causing him to gasp for breath.

"That's quite enough, Xander." He sputtered, and everyone smiled.

 She gave him a sad sheepish smile.  "Can I say something?" he nodded.  "I think I love him." she chuckled uncomfortably. "it's weird, I know, but-"

 "Nah, it's not weird." Xander said, feeling his heart sink, but still managing to smile for her benefit. "It makes sense. He's never done anything but be there for you."

 "Yeah, but me and the librarian?" she  repeated.  Xander grinned.

 "Why not? You made the school dork a  happy man, why not Giles?"

 "And look what happened to that!" Cordelia joked.  Xander cocked an eyebrow.

 "Something tells me Giles won't do anything to screw it up."

 She smiled at his meaningful look, and squeezed his hand.  He swung the school library doors open, and they were greeted by smiles all around.

 "Hey guys!" Buffy said perkily.  "It's been a hell of a reunion, hasn't it?"

  Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Don't even go there, Buffy." She remarked, sitting down slowly.

 "Still." Willow remarked. "We won't ever forget it, will we?" she said.

 "Always the optimist Will." Xander piped up. "Let's forget I nearly killed half of you."

 "Xander do stop beating yourself over the head about that." Giles said, walking down the stairs.

 "Yeah!" Buffy quipped. "That's his job." She turned to Xander. "Though I DO have to tell you, Xandman, it's nice to know you aren't really an ass like we all thought you were."

 "Ah, gee thanks Buff."

 Willow grinned, and got up.  "Well, I'd love to chat, but my flight leaves in an hour." Xander sighed, and rose too.

 "Yup. Ditto.  But with a train."  Buffy nodded.

 "Cordy? You good to drive?" Cordelia flinched, but nodded.

 "Yeah, I'm just a little sore, but nothing hindering my superb driving skills." Willow rolled her eyes, but said nothing.

 "Just don't kill us, okay, Cordy?"  Cordelia smiled at Xander, and then turned to look back at Giles.  They hadn't really had much of a chance to talk about their relationship, but she could read the unease in his eyes.  He was so unsure.  God help her, she thought it was cute!!  Sighing, she looked up and saw that he was watching her.  They caught eyes, and then blushing, Giles turned away. Cordelia realized this was not going to be easy.  Would they ever make this work?  Cordelia felt uncomfortable even now. Giles had seen everything, all her vulnerabilities, her weaknesses, her faults.  She was going to be a lawyer, he was a librarian.  And he WAS older than her. A lot older.  Everything was against this.  All the laws. All the norms.

 Then  why did it feel so right?

 "Cordelia?"  She shook herself alert.

 "What?" Buffy rolled her eyes.

 "Drive. You. Car?"

 "Oh! Sure."  The group got up. Willow gave Giles a big hug.

 "Bye Giles!  Be good."He grinned.

 "You too, Willow. I expect an invitation to this wedding of yours."

 "Giles, you are going to be head usher!" she proclaimed.  Giles gave her a shocked look.

 "Usher? I uh... "  Willow grinned.  Xander got up and shook Giles' hand.

 "Hey... uh." He chuckled uncomfortably, as he leaned in and whispered. "You're the better man, Giles."

 Giles said nothing, but just shook his head and smiled.

 "Xander, make sure you visit."  He nodded.  They headed to the door, and then looked back when Cordelia stayed put.

 "Cordy? You coming?"  Cordelia looked up at them, and then back at Giles.

 "Actually, I'll be right out."  Willow and Buffy smiled understandably and chattering together, left the library.  Xander stayed back, glanced at the two of them, smiled sadly, and followed his two friends out.

 There was a long silence that followed, as the couple stared uncomfortably at each other.

 "So... what are we going to do?" Cordelia suddenly asked.  Giles looked up.

 "Hmm?"

 "You  know what I mean."

 He nodded, pulling off his glasses.  "I'm not sure.  You don't come down very often."

 "I know." She said nodding.  "I never had a reason." She finished pointedly.  "And you've become the troll of the Sunnydale library."

 He chuckled at that thought.

"Well, you know I'm only forty minutes away." Cordelia said thoughtfully, getting up and stopping two feet away from him. "You have an email account?" Giles looked stunned and was about to respond before she waved a hand in his face.  "Never mind.  I should have known better than to ask."  She reached into her bag and fingered her cell phone.  "Unlimited weekend minutes." She said, pointing to it.

 Rupert put his hands in his pockets and stared at her half smiling face.  The bruise had been meticulously covered by make up, her cut barely visible on her lips.  A turtle neck concealed the bruises on her neck.  She looked almost normal.  And she looked so beautiful. Her hair was shining, her smile was dazzling.  She was so beautiful.  And so young.

 'This is insane." He whispered out loud.  Cordelia raised an eyebrow.

 "Don't I know it." She commented, crossing her hands.  "You don't think Daddy's gonna freak when he finds out his little lawyer to be  has fallen for the high school librarian?"

 Giles eyes grew bright with surprise.  "Pardon?" he stammered.

 "Yeah, you heard me, you old fogie." She continued.   "What do you think our life is going to be like?  In twenty years I'll be helping you pee for Chrissake."  Giles' jaw fell open.

 "Pee?" Cordelia frowned.

 "And you know what?" She added.  "I wouldn't have it any other way." Her mouth suddenly creased into a dazzling smile.

 Giles was shocked into silence.  "I'm sorry?" He stammered again.

 Cordelia rolled her eyes.  "I swear Giles, how long is it gonna take you to get it?  Are you going to kiss me or am I going to have to start getting physical?"

 Giles needed no more encouragement.  Suddenly with a speed that contradicted his age, he closed the distance between then and pulled her close, kissing her harshly and passionately.  What was so bloody delightful was that she was kissing back just as hungrily.  A soft moan came from the base of her throat and absently her arms went around his neck and her fingers entangled themselves in his hair. He was lost in the kiss, reveling in the feel of her body, and as his passion began to take control, his hands began to roam. He held her tighter, and then suddenly came to his senses when Cordelia gasped in pain.  His eyes widened and he immediately let her go. Dammit, her back!

 “I’m sorry.” he whispered urgently, rubbing his fingers up and down her arms absently as he stared at her intensely in concern.  “Are you alright?”

 Cordelia managed to smile through her pain. "Damn, Ripper, you're strong."  She said, nodding. "But I'm good."  To prove her point, she slid her arms around his waist and smiled up at him, reaching up, she kissed him softly on the lips. A welt of emotion flooded him, and he sucked in his breath, and using both hands, cradled her face in his palms, using his thumbs to carress her now swollen lips.

 "You do know how I feel for you, Cordelia?"  he asked thickly.

 She raised her eyebrow, and nodded.  "Yeah, I do. I'm not dense, Giles, contrary to popular belief."  She smiled again, and gave him one last hard squeeze before stepping out of his arms.  "I gotta go." Suddenly her face had a look of tenderness and she said softly, "I never told you how beautiful I think you are."  Suddenly aware she had said those words out loud, she laughed nervously.  "Course when I was little I also had a thing for New Kids on the Block."

 Rupert knew her too well to be fooled by her attempt at a playful insult. He had seen into her heart.  And it filled him with raptorous joy.

   "I hate to contradict, but I believe the comment should be vice versa."  Cordelia looked at him searchingly, and smiled.  Giles reached and captured her lips tenderly once more.

 "Augh." They looked up to see Buffy standing in the doorway a strange look on her face.  "You guys, if you two want me to get used to this, your gonna hafta cut down on the sucking face."   Cordelia raised an eyebrow.

   "Look who'se talking, Miss I have a demon Lover." Buffy shrugged.

 "Yeah, okay. You win. Anyways, Willow wants to know if you'll give a ride to the airport." Cordelia nodded.

 "Sure, I'll be right out." Buffy nodded, winked at Giles, and walked out.  Cordelia turned back  him, kissing  him back once, and squeezing his hand, let him go, turning with her straight poise to the doorway.  At the entrance, she stopped, her figure wavering.

 "Hey Giles?"

 "Hmm?"  he asked.

 "If I don't hear from you within the next two days, I swear I'm going to come back and go Stalker Girl on you." And with that, she walked out of the library, letting the door swing shut behind her.

 Giles stood in silence, staring at the closed doorway.  Suddenly his mouth creased into a smile, and he began to laugh.  He didn't stop for a long time.
 

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