Giles stared in shock as the ghostly vision misted and faded from view. His hands fell from the mirror into the basin and he gasped in pain as the splintered glass pierced his fingers. He quickly wrapped a hand towel round the wound and opened the cabinet door for the first aid kit.

With his fingers cleaned and bandaged he sat down on the couch in his living room and stared into the empty fireplace until the dawn chorus shook him from his reverie. It had come then. The hour that every Watcher dreads, the death of his Slayer. He was strangely calm. He sighed and walked to the phone. He had to call someone; who first?

His front door burst open. He dropped the phone. Buffy! Buffy in his arms. He hugged her, squeezing the life from her.

"Giles.. Not that this isn’t nice, but the doors open.. The neighbours will talk.." Her voice was music.

"Not to mention the best friend!" Willow remarked playfully.

He released her and cleared his throat. Where were his glasses? He found himself dreadfully embarrassed and awfully relieved to see her safe and well. Willow’s smile faded when she saw his hands.

"Giles! What happened?" She took his warm hands in her cool ones and examined the bandages. He let himself be lead to the sofa. Buffy went into his kitchen and made tea.

"Willow, it’s nothing. I cut myself on a glass last night. That’s all." Her concern warmed his heart and he dared to stroke her bowed head as Buffy put the tea on the coffee table. Buffy smiled secretly at his gesture. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Willow noticed and didn’t notice, like she almost expected affection from him but never encouraged it.

Xander had once made a bet with Buffy as to who would touch the other first. (Willow and Giles) It was an on-going thing. Giles was winning but not by much! Buffy didn’t know if she liked the touchy-feelies between her Watcher and her best friend.

Giles picked up his tea cup awkwardly. "I had a bad dream, I got up to get some water…" He hesitated remembering the choking sensation and the acrid scent of bitter almonds. "…the glass slipped and I stupidly tried to clear it up in the dark." He lied. No reason to alarm Buffy over a dream!

"Last night Willow, Watcher-man and I shared ice-cream. That’s probably what did it y’know. He wolfed down half the tub!" Giles smiled indulgently at his Slayer. Let her tell the story, he thought. He sat back and let the quiet babble wash over him. Just a dream.

"Get the rose lipstick, Buffy. Red is too dark for your colouring." He got up and walked to the kitchen with his cup and saucer.

Buffy and Willow stopped talking mid-word with puzzled looks on their faces.

"What? We were talking about a calculus assignment.. Giles are you feeling OK?"

He froze in the kitchen. He’d heard the calculus conversation, but he’d also heard a third voice rabbiting on about lipstick. It would be laughable if it wasn’t so strange! The voice was worried now, not saying anything. Just feeling it.

"Oh, sorry. My mistake. It’s true though. Red wouldn’t suit you." He called trying to make light of his statement while his forehead creased in a frown. He massaged his temples. Maybe he needed more sleep?

"Okay, I think that’s enough weirdness for this morning.. Willow you coming? We can grab breakfast on the way to the job hunt." Buffy said over-brightly.

Giles came from the kitchen. Willow hurried after Buffy, hesitated at the door, then ran back to Giles to give him a small kiss goodbye. He bent his neck slightly so the kiss landed on the corner of his mouth. She dashed away and he remained where he was head bent still feeling the press of her soft lips against his. He smiled to himself and turned to go upstairs to dress. His fingers smarted as he grabbed the hand rail. Damn dream!

End of pt.2

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