Unforeseen Circumstances
by: Jadedragon
Rated R
Buffy looked over at Rupert as they left the offices of Angel Investigations. He seemed much more relaxed than he had when they had gotten there. Angel had understood her reasons for the daytime wedding and appreciated her telling him herself. She felt that she had finally closed that part of her life; Angel would always have a spot in her heart, but only as a friend. Cordelia, Wesley and Doyle had been surprised at the suddenness of the wedding but had assured her and Giles that they would be there for the ceremony. Before they had left, Angel and Giles had left the main room and when they had returned, Giles looked relieved. He hadn't said what they had talked about, but it didn't really matter. She hoped they had been able to start putting the past behind them. As Buffy thought about everything that had happened since she had woken up, she drifted into sleep.
Giles looked over at Buffy sleeping by his side as they headed back to Sunnydale. He felt better after his talk with Angel, while he didn't know if they could ever be friends again, he felt that he could work with the vampire when necessary. Angel had congratulated him on the upcoming wedding and offered his help with the prophecy, whatever they discovered. Angel had told Giles that while he would always love Buffy, he knew that Giles was the man to truly make her happy. Giles knew how hard that had been for the vampire to admit and it had been the start of healing for both of them.
Giles had been glad to see the sign for Sunnydale. It had been a long day and he was glad to finally be close to home. Buffy had slept most of the way and he didn't want to wake her, he knew just how stressful the day had been for her with the disappointment of discovering that again her father had neglected her. < Pillock, not telling her about his marriage! >
Giles drove toward the Headquarters. He would rather go straight home but they had promised to check with the others when they returned to see what had been accomplished during their absence. As they neared the building, he woke Buffy up.
"Are we home yet?" she asked sleepily.
"We're almost to the Headquarters, we'll be there in about three minutes," he told her.
"I wished we hadn't promised to come by here. I'm so tired."
"I know, luv. We promised, but we don't have to stay long. You do need to tell Joyce about Hank's wedding," he reminded her.
"I know. She'll be angry that he didn't let us know."
"I can't say that I blame her. Your father is not exactly a paragon of responsibility!"
"To say the least," Buffy agreed as they turned onto the street where the Headquarters was located
Soon they had parked and entered the building where the whole gang was still working on getting plans organized for Buffy and Giles wedding. Buffy took her mother to one side.
"Well what did your father say?" she asked afraid that Hank had exploded in anger at Rupert.
"He wasn't in."
"What do you mean he wasn't in?"
"He was on his honeymoon. He got remarried last week!"
"He what!" Joyce was shocked. "And he never contacted us?"
"No, he forgot about me again. I should be used to it by now," Buffy said, the tears in her eyes finally falling.
Joyce took her crying daughter in her arms. She wanted to hurt her ex-husband in the worst way. The very idea that he didn't even let his daughter know he was getting married upset her because it hurt Buffy. As she saw Rupert coming, she allowed him to take Buffy into his arms to comfort her.
Once Buffy calmed down, Joyce told them what had been accomplished while she and Giles had been in LA. A caterer, which Joyce used for the Gallery had been contacted and would meet with Buffy, Giles and Joyce the next day. Afterward, Joyce, Buffy and Willow would go shopping for gowns while Giles and Reginald were fitted for tuxes. Later that afternoon Joyce had scheduled a meeting with a friend who had helped plan many weddings, who had agreed to help get everything done as a favor to Joyce, who had shown her works at the Gallery.
It seemed to Buffy that there was more to getting married than anything she had ever been involved in, including saving the world on a regular basis. Between shopping and being fitted for her gown, renting tuxes for Giles and Reginald, discussing the plans with the planner, organizing what needed to be rented, getting everything planned with the caterer and all of the thousand and one things that had come up unexpectedly that needed to be done, she and Rupert had little time together. What little time they did have was spent in researching. Her Mom had taken her to her doctor's appointment while Rupert picked up his tux and took care of other final details.
"Ms. Summers everything appears to be fine with the baby. I would put your due date at June 12th. How is your nausea?
"It's been fine. I haven't had to take the medication for over two weeks now. Doctor, are there any restrictions on traveling?" she asked.
"Not this early in the pregnancy. When you're seven to nine months I wouldn't suggest it, but now shouldn't be a problem," he told her as the appointment ended. "I'll see you in a month. Make an appointment with Janice before you leave," he said as he left Buffy and her mom alone.
"It still doesn't seem quite real!" Buffy stated.
"Being pregnant?" Joyce asked.
"Yeah. I have this little person inside that's depending on me for everything. It's amazing," she said in awe.
"I remember when I was carrying you. The first time I felt you move it all became real. I knew that I was truly going to be a mother," she said as she held her daughter.
The two soon left and headed back to Joyce's to make sure that everything was prepared for the wedding the next morning. It had seemed impossible, but finally it seemed that everything was done. Buffy, Willow, Tara and Anya would be spending the night at Joyce's so they could dress together the next morning. The wedding was scheduled for 10:00 am. and they would be getting up early to get ready. They had invited Ria to stay and she would join them for part of the night before she headed out to patrol. Ria seemed to be the little sister that none of them had and she had fit in with the Scoobies as if she had been with them from the start.
**********
Joyce checked everything one last time before she ordered pizza for the spend-the-night/pre-wedding party. Buffy was getting married in the morning. Her little girl had grown up and would be a bride by this time tomorrow night, and in June she would be a mother. Her baby was having a baby, and Hank didn't even know and she doubted that he would care if he did.
Joyce was having a hard time with the idea that Hank hadn't at least contacted Buffy about his marriage. She was still thinking on this when the doorbell rang and she went to let Ria and Colin in.
"Ria, the girls are upstairs in Buffy's room. You can go right up," Joyce told the young Slayer as she turned to Colin. "How are you tonight?"
"Making it. I can't believe how much work running a dojo and fighting vampires can be," he said as they sat down on the couch.
"And you have also helped getting everything ready for the wedding," she added.
"Joyce, I was glad to help. I've come to admire Buffy and Rupert in the short time that I've known them. They're both remarkable people. I'm hoping that I can hire Buffy as an instructor once they get back."
"Have you discussed it with her?" Joyce asked in surprise.
"Only briefly. She was very surprised and said that Rupert had taught her everything that she knows, but he wasn't interested when I approached him."
"He's more the book-type," she replied.
"You haven't seen him in action, have you?"
"No, I haven't."
"He is an amazing fighter who combines many different styles to accomplish what needs to be done. He has taught Buffy very well. I'm still hoping to lure him into teaching one or two advanced classes."
"I had no idea."
"Believe me, he is an excellent fighter. But I didn't come here to discuss my plans for the future of the dojo," he told her. "I wanted to talk to you about your plans for after the wedding tomorrow."
"I plan to collapse. This week has been too hectic for me, with all the planning for the wedding and trying to keep up with what was happening at the Gallery, it's a wonder that I made it through in one piece," she said in a tired voice.
"I was hoping to take you to dinner tomorrow night. Nothing fancy, just a quiet meal at an Italian restaurant that I found a couple of weeks ago."
"Colin, I'd like that," she assured him.
"Good, I'll call and see what time I can get reservations and talk with you in the morning. I have to run; I have a couple of things I want to get done before patrol. I'll see you tomorrow," he told her as he left her sitting on the couch, showing himself the way out.
Joyce thought about tomorrow night. It seemed that Colin was attracted to her as well. She was glad they would be getting to know each other better. She had been very impressed by his care of his daughter and son. Colin was very close to his children and she respected that.
**********
Buffy woke up in bed, but it wasn't with Rupert or at his condo. When she opened her eyes she saw Willow's red hair on the pillow next to her then she remembered. < I get married today! > She quickly got out of bed and woke the rest of the girls so they could start getting showers, doing hair and nails and everything else that would need to be done before 10:00.
While the girls took turns getting showers, Joyce made waffles and squeezed fresh orange juice. This was the last meal her only child would eat with her at home and she had fixed her favorites including fresh strawberries, which were expensive to find in December, but she didn't care. She wanted everything to be perfect. The girls were soon running downstairs to devour Joyce's culinary efforts with great appreciation before heading back upstairs to begin helping each other with hair, nails and makeup. They all worked helping each other to look their best.
When Willow and Buffy were ready to get into their gowns, it was
9:15. Willow's gown was a rich deep rose velvet with a silver satin trim at the empire waistline whose skirt flowed down to the floor and draped behind her. Her hair was piled on her head in loose curls. She looked so beautiful. But everyone was waiting to see Buffy. Her gown was also a velvet empire gown, but hers was in traditional white. The scooped neckline was embedded pearls and crystals. In the design were tiny crosses, which was what had first drawn her to the gown. The sleeves were long and draped almost to her knees, lined with white silk. The gown draped behind her in a short train, which also was decorated with pearls and crystals. The veil was a large oval trimmed in pearls, covering her hair, which had been pulled gently back with curls cascading down her back under the veil.
When Joyce saw her daughter, tears came to her eyes. Buffy looked so beautiful. But she didn`t have time to spend gazing at her daughter, they had a wedding to get to.
**********
Xander had picked Giles up at 9:00 to take him to Buffy's home for the wedding. Giles had been a bundle of nerves. He asked Xander several times if he had the rings and three times he explained that Mr. Giles had them and would meet them at Buffy's. Xander had never seen his mentor in such a state. He knew that it wasn't that Giles didn't want to marry Buffy; it was the fear of something going wrong at the ceremony. Once they had arrived at Buffy's and Giles found that his father was already there, he calmed down a bit. He wouldn't be totally calm until this was over. He didn't know why he was so nervous, except that every time something important was planned the Hellmouth seemed to have a way of interrupting.
**********
"I can't believe that they're doing this,"
"Why not? you did," his companion told him. "Why are you so worried?"
"She has no business marrying that old man!" he commented as he drove toward Sunnydale.
**********
Giles looked over the guests sitting as they waited for the music to start. There weren't many, not more than twenty, but they were all close friends. He looked at his father standing beside him. Giles was glad that he was here to share this moment with him. Finally the music started and he turned as he watched Willow walk down the aisle. The gown that she had chosen looked so beautiful on her. He saw Tara and Willow exchange a meaningful glance. Their relationship had been a surprise but not an unpleasant one. The two witches seemed to belong together. Slowly Willow made her way down the aisle and stood across from Giles as the music soared and he saw a vision coming down the aisle toward him on her mother's arms.
Joyce was wearing a gown in the same deep rose velvet that Willow's gown was made of but hers was fashioned as an a-line gown with a jacket, which was trimmed in the same silver satin that had trimmed Willow's gown. She looked so proud of her daughter.
But Giles was gazing at the woman beside Joyce. The woman he would spend the rest of his life with. Never had he seen Buffy look so lovely. The gown she had chosen had simple Medieval lines from the basic shape to the long flowing sleeves. When she was finally standing by his side, he saw the crosses in the design of the beadwork. That made the gown even more special. They had chosen a rather traditional ceremony and Giles gazed into her eyes as he promised his life to her.
**********
Buffy couldn't believe that this day had finally come. As she walked down the aisle on her mother's arm, she gazed at the man who would be her husband. She could feel the love he had for her. He looked so handsome standing there with his father. She was so proud of the way he and his father were mending their relationship. It made her love him all the more. When she was finally standing beside him, she saw the love that was in his eyes especially for her. She had never been happier. She had thought that she would never marry or have a child, yet both of her childhood dreams were coming true.
**********
The minister looked over the gathering of friends as he performed the ceremony for the couple in front of him. When he had first seen them he thought that Giles was the father and he had been a bit shocked to discover he was the groom. That was until he had seen how the two had interacted with each other. Then he recognized the deep love and trust that flowed between them. He knew that couples possessing this love and trust had a great advantage over those that didn't. He knew that this couple would endure. As he was coming to the end of the ceremony he noticed a man and woman enter the yard from the side, rushing toward the altar.
"Stop the wedding! Stop the wedding," the man yelled as he rushed toward the couple.
Buffy turned to see who would try to stop her wedding and saw her father.
End Part 19
Buffy looked at her Dad in shock. What was he doing? She reached for Giles as he took her into his arms.
"You get your hands off her!! You pervert!!" Hank Summers yelled as he pulled Giles away from Buffy and hit him in the face. But before he could hit him again, Xander, Wesley and Doyle had restrained Hank as Reginald and Timothy tried to hold Rupert, but not before Buffy had slapped her father and returned to Giles' arms for comfort.
"Let's go inside to get this straightened out," Reginald said to the group standing at the altar.
Once they were in the house Hank turned on Joyce. "What do you mean letting her marry a man my age?"
"Hank, if you had been around over the last couple of years, you would have seen just how much they love each other, and just what Rupert is willing to do to protect Buffy and the child she is carrying," Joyce said in anger, without realizing just what she had said.
"What? He got her pregnant? Why did you let this happen?" he ranted
"No, Dad," Buffy started. "You don't deserve an explanation. You didn't even let me know that you were getting married, yet you come here and try to ruin my wedding? What gives you the right to drop back into my life and say what I can and can't do?" Buffy asked as Giles stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders.
"If this is what happens then I'm taking you back to LA to live with Paige and me," Hank tried to put his foot down.
"I'm going nowhere with you, and I want you to leave. There is no reason for Rupert and me not to get married."
"Ms. Summers, I must ask this gentleman why he objects to the wedding," the minister said in a calming voice.
"I'm her father and I haven't given my approval for her to marry!"
"Mr. Summers, she's 18 and of legal age to marry. She doesn't need your permission," the minister told the distraught father. "Was there any other reason?"
"He has obviously taken advantage of her. Why else would she want to marry such an old man"?
"Because we love each other, not that you would know anything about that!" Giles said, speaking for the first time, his Ripper side coming out. "I've seen Buffy upset when you broke dates with her, letting her know that your work was more important than she was. Now you disrupt the most important day of her life, our lives, because now you want to play father!!"
"Ms. Summers, I need to ask if Mr. Giles has ever taken advantage of you?" the minister queried.
"No, of course not. Giles has always helped me. He's been here for me whenever I needed a friend."
"And you truly love him?"
"With all my heart and soul," Buffy replied looking deeply into Giles eyes.
"And you, Rupert, do you truly love Buffy?"
"I could never love any other woman as I love her," he said looking into her eyes.
"Mr. Summers is there any other reason that they shouldn't marry?" the minister asked. "Yes, I object."
"Sir, that's not enough reason. I think we can continue with the ceremony," he said as he looked around the room and seeing everyone there, finished the ceremony in the living room. "Then, by authority of the State of California, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." He stated, ending the ceremony as Xander, Wesley and Doyle escorted Hank out of the house.
Giles took Buffy into his arms for a chaste kiss, before turning to all their friends as man and wife.
**********
"I'm not leaving!" Hank stated to the men hustling him out of the house.
"If you know what's good for you, you will leave. If you choose to stay, you will not make any trouble for Buffy, Giles or Mrs. Summers," Xander told Hank.
"Who are you to tell me how to treat my daughter?" he demanded of the young man holding him by the arm.
"I'm Xander Harris, one of Buffy's best friends. And I won't see you disrupt the most important day of her life for your own petty problems. If you have a problem with Giles and Buffy getting married, well tough shit! You were never around, so you don't get a vote! Yet it's alright for you to get married and not even tell her or invite her to the wedding? How does it feel to wear those shoes?" Xander asked him with anger in his voice.
Hank looked at the young man reading him the riot act. What did he know about being a father? That got Hank to thinking, what did he know about being a father? Everything the young man had said was the truth. He didn't even really know Buffy anymore. He had made excuses every time that they had plans to get together. He had missed just about all of her life since she had moved to Sunnydale. His new wife brought him out of his musings.
"Hank, I told you we should have called or waited to see Buffy and her new husband when we got back from our honeymoon," Paige said as she stood before him.
"I didn't want her to make a mistake," he said as Xander and the others let him go.
"I don't know either of them, but the look in their eyes shows how much they love each other. Hank, she's an adult and you can't just expect to jump back into her life and dictate what she does," she tried to reason with her husband.
"But he's so much older than she is." he started, realizing just what he had said.
"And you're much older than I am, but I still love you."
"How did you get to be so smart?" he asked.
"I had a hard life and grew up fast," she answered.
"Well, your life won't be so hard now," he assured her as he turned to the men who had escorted him out of Joyce's home. "Could I speak with my daughter and her husband? I promise not to make another scene."
"I'll go see if she wants to talk to you," Xander said as he turned to reenter the house, leaving Wesley and Doyle with Hank and the woman they assumed was his new wife.
**********
Giles held Buffy in his arms as she got herself together. He knew how upsetting it had been for her to have her father try and stop her wedding. < If he tries anything else to hurt her, I won't be responsible for my actions! >
"Honey, how are you?" Joyce asked as she stroked Buffy's hair.
"Why does he show an interest in me now after all this time?" she asked
"I don't know. But he would like to speak with you and Rupert."
"What does he want now?" Buffy asked in anger.
"I don't know. He asked Xander to tell you that he wanted to speak to you and Rupert."
"Will you go with me?" she asked Rupert.
"Of course, luv," he told her as they walked toward the front door.
Giles was determined to quickly take care of Hank and if he needed to would escort him from the premises. This was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration, not a day of dealing with Hank and his attempts to dictate Buffy's life.
As they walked toward the front porch, Reginald and Colin joined them. Reginald had been surprised when Hank Summers had suddenly appeared at the wedding. He thought the man had totally deserted Buffy and her mom. Colin wanted to protect Buffy and Joyce from the man who had caused them so much pain and was still trying to interfere in their lives. Both men stood behind Buffy and Giles as they confronted Hank on the porch.
"What do you want now?" Buffy asked the anger in her voice clear to everyone.
"Buffy, I don't want you to rush into anything," Hank started.
"Rush, that's a laugh. I met Rupert the first week I came to Sunnydale. How long have you known..well, I don't even know your name," Buffy said as she turned to Paige.
"I'm Paige and I hope we can be friends?" she said in an uncertain voice.
Buffy was unexpectedly drawn to her stepmother. She liked that the woman didn't assume anything. "Possibly, but right now I have to deal with your husband!"
"Buffy." Hank tried to begin.
"For almost four years I have lived here and you have rarely seen me. I spent the summer with you my sophomore year and after that you made excuses every time we had something planned. You couldn't be bothered, your business was more important! Now you think you have the RIGHT to try and stop me from marrying the man I love? If this is the kind of father you think I need, then you'd better think again. Yes, I've made mistakes while I've been here, but you didn't help me. No. You were in LA with your business and couldn't be bothered to help your daughter. Mom and Rupert and my friends stood beside me when I needed help or a friend. You were never around," Buffy finished with venom in her voice.
Never did Hank expect his daughter to talk to him in that tone of voice. But he realized as she spoke, that he really didn't have a right to tell her what to do. Everything she had said was true. But he still didn't like the idea of her being married to a man twice her age.
"What kind of job does he have?" Hank asked wanting to look out for her welfare.
"He is employed by the Council of Watchers, out of London," Reginald answered. "Rupert is opening a branch here in Sunnydale."
"I've never heard of them. What kind of business is it?" he asked the older Englishman before him.
"The Council is involved in research of ancient artifacts. Rupert is one of the most knowledgeable men in the world when it comes to the relics and artifacts that the Council is interested in."
"But why Sunnydale?" Hank asked in puzzlement.
"There have been several major finds here in Sunnydale in recent years and the Council feels that we need a branch office here," Reginald explained.
Buffy and Giles looked on as Reginald explained about the job neither knew that Giles had been given. They would speak with Reginald later, but a branch of the Council here in Sunnydale would be a great help to them and to Ria. It would be especially good if Buffy and Giles had more of a say in what was happening with the Council.
"Buffy, how can you be sure the marriage will last?"
"How can you be sure that yours will?" she asked him back.
"I can't," he said in defeat. "Buffy I just want you to be happy."
"So you try and stop me from marrying the man I love?"
"But you're so young," Hank started.
"Dad, I'm old enough to know that I love Rupert and I want to be with him. If you can accept that then I'd like you to stay. If not, please leave," Buffy said as Giles stood at her back.
Hank looked at his daughter and her husband, realizing that he had lost. He didn't know his daughter and he didn't know her husband. He didn't know if he was up to this, but he would make the attempt for Buffy and for Paige. Paige had always wanted a family; she had been raised in an orphanage from the age of five.
**********
The reception went much better than the ceremony. Hank spent a little time with Buffy and Rupert, but neither wanted to talk to him. They wanted to be with their friends. Buffy promised her father that she and Rupert would come and see him after their honeymoon. Hank was upset, but Paige helped him to see the wisdom of waiting for both sides before talking.
At 2:00 when Buffy and Giles were getting ready to leave for the airport, Reginald took the newlyweds aside and explained to them that he had cancelled their flight. The Senior Mage would teleport them to New York State where a limousine would be waiting to take them the rest of the way to the bed and breakfast. Reginald also informed them that their reservation was now for a week, and the same limo would pick them up to return to Sunnydale again by teleportation. This was his present to the newlyweds. When they tried to question him about Giles' job with the Council, he wouldn't answer, saying that they would discuss it when they returned from their honeymoon.
"Mr. Giles, thank you," Buffy said as she leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.
"Please Buffy, call me Reginald," he asked her.
"I'll be glad to."
"Father, thank you," Giles told him, grateful for the difference in their relationship.
**********
Within an hour, Buffy and Giles were arriving at the bed and breakfast. The house was very reminiscent of homes in England and was larger than others they had seen in the area. The building looked very much like the drawings they had found of LaFoy's ancestral residence. It looked as if Branson LaFoy rebuilt the home he had grown up in.
Buffy and Giles were quickly greeted and shown to their room. Since neither were hungry, they decided to skip luncheon, wanting to spend time alone.
**********
There wasn't much cleaning to do, the caterers had cleaned everything up and had left about fifteen minutes ago. Joyce sat down on the couch and thought about the wedding and how Hank had tried to stop it. She had been furious, the very idea that he would now try to get back into their daughter's life by stopping her wedding. Joyce was sorry that she had mentioned Buffy's pregnancy. She had made a bad situation even worse. Joyce was brought out of her musings by a knock on the door. As she rose from the couch she remembered that Colin was taking her out tonight and she hadn't even changed.
"Hey Colin, come in," she told him as she opened the door.
"Joyce, are you alright?" he asked in concern.
"I was just thinking about what Hank tried to do," she told him as they entered the living room and sat on the couch. "I hope he will accept Buffy and Rupert's marriage and her pregnancy."
"He doesn't have much choice if he wants to be in her life. Buffy pretty much laid that on the line."
"She did, didn't she," she replied.
"Joyce, would you rather stay in tonight? You look beat."
"That would be nice, and there are plenty of leftovers," she told him.
Colin put his arm around Joyce's shoulders and she leaned into him. They sat and talked, getting to know each other better. They talked most of the night before Colin left to go home.
End Part 20
Buffy slowly woke up. She could hear Giles beating heart under her head and feel his strong arms surrounding her, never had she felt so safe or so loved. She couldn't remember how many times they had `consummated' their marriage the night before, but they hadn't left their room.
As Buffy lay in the arms of her husband, she thought over the events that had happened to her since she had entered college. Not quite four months, yet her life had changed more than she could have believed. She was no longer the active Slayer, expecting her first child and most important, she had found the love of her life and he was her Watcher.
As she thought about the changes in her life, she realized that she would soon have to leave her comfortable haven. She didn't want to wake Giles and waited as long as she could but she soon could no longer put off leaving the room. She slowly slipped from his embrace and went to her suitcase. She retrieved the beautiful peignoir that her mother had given her for her wedding night, but neither she nor Giles had taken time to change other than to disrobe each other the afternoon before. As she put on the gown and robe, she saw a pad and pen by the phone in the room. She quickly wrote a note to Giles, gathered what she needed and left the room to take care of necessities.
**********
As he woke up, something was wrong. Once his brain kicked in he realized that Buffy was not in bed with him. He jumped up scanning the room and relaxed as he saw the note on the pillow beside where he had been sleeping.
Love,
I hated to leave you, but nature called. I think that's one of the worse things about being pregnant. I'm going to take a quick shower and try to get back before you wake up.
Your wife,
Buffy
As he read the note, he realized that he too needed to visit the facilities and retrieved his robe. He had just gotten it and his house shoes out when Buffy came in, fresh from her shower.
"Good morning, I wanted to get back before you woke up," she told him as she set down the bag and towel she had been holding to hug her new husband.
"I was rather alone when I woke up," he teased her.
"I'm sorry."
"Buffy, it's ok," he assured her hearing the uncertainty in her voice. "We'd better get dressed anyway. Breakfast is in about ten minutes," he told her before leaving her embrace to take care of his own personal needs.
Ten minutes later the couple entered the dining room, which was empty except for the platters of food on the table. Giles helped Buffy to her seat and was taking his own when their host entered the room.
"Mr. and Mrs. Giles, good morning," said George LeFoy who was carrying a carafe of coffee. "May I pour your coffee?"
"Yes, please," Buffy responded, as she pushed her cup toward him.
"Do you have tea?" Giles asked.
"Yes, I'll get it," George responded as he filled Buffy's cup, leaving the carafe on the table as he returned to the kitchen for the tea.
Buffy and Giles began filling their plates as Giles waited for his tea. The selection was more than plentiful. On the table were platters of bacon and sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, fresh baked muffins, several fruits, oatmeal and all the condiments they would need. Buffy couldn't believe how hungry she was until she realized that they had skipped supper the night before. From the fullness of his plate, Giles was just as hungry. George was quickly returned with Giles' tea and the newlyweds ate their fill, neither believing just how much they had eaten. The food was wonderful and all freshly prepared. Buffy thought if they stayed here too long she wouldn't be able to get out the front door.
As they finished their meal, George returned to the dining room.
"How was your breakfast?" he asked the couple.
"It was great!" Buffy told him.
"I found it quite enjoyable," Giles stated.
"I want to apologize for not being here yesterday when you arrived. I hope Sherry helped you to find everything?"
"Yes, she was most helpful in getting us settled," he told the man before them. "She said that you had been called away by business.
"Yes, there have been several unusual attacks in the area over the past several weeks and the Sheriff has recovered some items that had been stolen that he needed me to identify."
"Someone broke in here?" Buffy asked.
`Yes, but don't let that upset you, Mrs. Giles. We have a state of the art security system and the highway patrol include us on their rounds," he assured the tiny woman before him.
"What can you tell us about these unusual attacks?" Giles asked, fearing what he was to be told.
"There were a couple of sightings, but from the descriptions the men must have been wearing disguises."
"Why do you say that?" Giles inquired.
"Well, the suspects were green in color with scaly skin and horns," George told them in a skeptical tone of voice.
"Were the horns curved or straight?"
"They looked like ram horns."
"Ok."
"Do you know what it is?" Buffy asked.
"It sounds like a Goah demon. They're robbers for hire and if they're involved it isn't petty thievery. They aren't cheap." Giles told Buffy and George, going into research mode. "I'll call Timothy and have them start researching."
"Demons! Do you mean `real' demons?"
"Yes," Giles told the astonished man before him. "Can you put me in contact with the people that witnessed the demons?"
"Well, I saw them three nights ago. But I thought they were just men in disguise. But what would you know about them?" George asked in amazement.
"I'm an expert in the occult and the supernatural. Where were the demons when you saw them?"
"In the library."
"Can you show us?"
"Giles, can I kill these demons?"
"Yes, Buffy. They can be killed by simple decapitation."
George looked at the newlyweds before him. They were discussing demons like it was something they discussed everyday. He felt that he had fallen into some other dimension or had gone quite insane. Then something his grandfather had told him clicked. The old stories his grandfather had told him about vampires and demons being defeated by a young girl who was trained by an older man, were they true? He had always thought that they were just scary stories that had been handed down from the time of his ancestor, Branson LaFoy.
As he led his guests to the library, he took a really good look at them. Both seemed to be in a state of alert, watching the surroundings very closely. When they entered the library, there was a sound on the upper gallery and Buffy ran to the stairs toward the sound, her husband following almost as quickly, pulling a sword from a display on the wall as he ran after her. The next thing that George saw was a large green scaly body being thrown from the gallery landing in the center of the room crushing the delicate tea table it landed on. As Buffy jumped down from the gallery, Giles called her name and threw her the sword he had found. She caught it in mid- swing and decapitated the demon in one stroke. George looked on as the demon's remains slowly turned to goo and seeped into the carpet, vanishing, not even leaving a spot on the antique rug.
Giles was quickly by Buffy's side inspecting a rather deep gash on her arm.
"Do you have a first aid kit?" he asked the man who was in shock.
"Yes, it's behind the desk in the lobby," he told the couple in a dazed voice.
Before Giles left with Buffy, he picked up the bag that the demon had been holding when Buffy had interrupted it and took it with them. He quickly cared for Buffy's wound as George brought a basin of warm water and cloths, watching as the man took care of his wife's wounds with an expertise that told George this had happened before, many times.
"Rupert, stop fussing. I'm fine!"
"I know, love. But I wanted us to have a quiet weekend," he told her as he stroked her face.
"Well, once we get the rest of these demons killed, we can."
"Can you tell me what's happening? Mr. Giles are you a Watcher?" George finally asked.
"Yes, and Buffy is my Slayer."
"Like Branson LeFoy?"
"Yes."
"Why are you here? What does the Watcher's Council want with me?"
"Mr. LeFoy, Buffy carries the child that your ancestor prophesied. We think he may have left more information on the prophecy here. We came for two reasons. The obvious one, our honeymoon, and to try and recover any information that LeFoy may have left."
"You know about the prophecy?"
"Yes."
"And you're not the father?"
"Not the biological father. Mr. LeFoy, we must find any information that your ancestor may have left. I will do anything that you ask, but I must protect Buffy and our child!" he pleaded with the man before him.
George looked at the man before him. He felt that he could trust him and his wife. They seemed to know what was happening and wanted to help. They didn't act as the Watcher's he had read about in his ancestor's journals and papers. And if these demons were real and after Branson LeFoy's papers, he needed the help they could offer.
"How can I help?"
"Did Branson LeFoy leave any papers or journals that you know of?"
"A few, I have copies of his journals and a rough draft of a ten volume set that he had published. The hard copy I had of it disappeared three weeks ago."
"Were there any other papers that might tell more about the prophecy?" Giles asked.
"He mentioned another volume he wanted preserved, but I never found any evidence of it."
Giles thought about the information that George had given him. "How long have these unusual attacks been happening?"
"The first one was about two months ago. There have been five break- ins here since they began," George admitted, hoping that the couple could help him. He still couldn't believe how the young woman had killed the demon, which had been over seven feet tall. "If these break-ins don't stop, we'll have to close. People don't want to stay in a bed and breakfast when it keeps getting robbed."
"Sir, I suspect."
"Please call me George."
"I'm Rupert."
"And I'm Buffy.'
"As I was saying, I suspect that they are looking for something that your ancestor left somewhere in the house. He had this house built when he came to the colonies, did he not?" Giles asked.
"Yes, he did."
"Do you have the plans he used?"
"They are with his private papers which I keep in my private study. I'll take you to them."
George led Buffy and Giles to his private study in the family wing of the building. George handed the architectural plans to the Watcher as he told Buffy what kind of lair the demons usually inhabited. She briefly questioned George about the surrounding areas then went to change into warm clothing to hunt the area for the lair of the Goah demons.
"But I thought you were pregnant?"
"I am, but I can still slay. George, this is what I am trained to do. Do you think your police could kill the demon that was in your library earlier?"
George shook his head as Buffy left. "Is she always that blunt?"
"That's Buffy."
"How can you let her go out alone?"
"It isn't easy. I wanted to go with her, but I need to research and try to find out what they are after," Giles told him.
George left Rupert studying the plans of the house while Buffy was hunting for the demons' lair. As he cleaned up the breakfast dishes, he wondered if they would solve the mystery of what had happened to the last papers of his ancestor.
**********
Buffy looked around her at the snow, which dusted the ground. The scene looked like a picture postcard except for the melted green stain where she had just dispatched a second Goah demon. She kept looking, feeling that she was close to the lair of the monsters. They unusually traveled in groups of five to seven adults, sometimes with one to three juveniles present in the pack. As she walked searching the rocky area she wanted Giles with her. Some honeymoon this turned out to be. She found a small cave that had evidence of recent occupation but it looked abandoned. She found some books that looked like they had been stolen from the Bed and Breakfast and retrieved them before she left the cave, heading back.
It was dark when she finally reached the house; Giles met her with a cup of coffee, but little else. He hadn't found anything in the papers that George had. When she showed the books she had found to Giles and George, she discovered that they were books on the occult that had been stolen from George over a month ago. Buffy and Giles went to bed as soon as supper was over and Buffy had taken a hot bath.
Buffy fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Giles looked down at his wife. She would take him to the abandoned lair in the morning. He hoped that they might discover anything that might tell them where the demons had moved. Soon he was asleep beside her.
**********
Buffy woke up in the middle of the night hearing a voice calling her name. She slowly got up, being careful not to awaken Giles. As she pulled her robe on, she saw a man appear at the door to the room she and Giles were in. She was surprised, but not scared, and when the apparition motioned for her to follow, she did. Slowly she followed the ghost, she didn't know what else to call it. The ghost led her down the hallway to the stairs. When she didn't move fast enough, the ghost paused to let her catch up. He continued leading her downstairs to the main lobby and to the library. In the library, she saw him disappear through one of the walls, which was covered by a tapestry.
Buffy went to the wall and looked behind the tapestry and saw the wall behind it. She stood back from the tapestry and looked to see if there might be a hidden catch to open the wall. She was still looking when the ghost reappeared. She watched as he walked to the huge fireplace and made the motion of pushing one of the stones on the outer edge. Buffy crossed over to the fireplace and pushed on the stone he had indicated. The stone moved and she saw movement behind the tapestry. When she checked she found that a door had opened into a small room, which looked like an office. On the table she saw a manuscript labeled Volume 11.
Buffy heard something behind her and turned to see George.
"So you finally found it!" he said in a hate-filled voice, as his shape shifted to a Goah demon.
End Part 21