Title: Tumblin' Down
Author: Elisabeth
Email: dragonydreams@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/dragonydreams
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Willow/Giles
Summary: What if Riley hadn't been there to pull Willow out of harm's way during "Wild at Heart"?
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Joss et al.
Distribution: My site, the usual lists, anyone with previous permission. Anyone else - please ask.
Feedback: Yes please! It makes me happy and keeps me writing.
Author's Note: Thanks to my wonderful Betas for all your help and encouragement.

Part One

The world ended on a bright and sunny morning in Sunnydale, California.

For Willow Rosenberg it was when she skipped into the crypt her boyfriend locked himself up in when he went all wolfy, only to find him not alone, and naked. In her young life she had never known pain so acute before. The man she loved more than anything had just ripped her heart to shreds.

For Rupert Giles it was when Buffy called him from the hospital. Willow had been hit by a car while crossing the street, with Buffy having to watch from a block away. She was still unconscious. The woman he secretly loved might die without knowing how much she meant to him.

Giles couldn't remember how he got to the hospital. Ever since he hung up the phone after speaking with Buffy he felt numb. He was in complete denial.

"It's not true. It can't possibly be true. Please God, let her be alright," he muttered to himself in various combinations and tones of voice.

He had recently admitted to himself that the feelings he harbored for the redhead were different than the familial feelings he held for the others. He chastised himself, saying that it was wrong, he'd become a pedophile, she could never want him, and other self-recriminating remarks. He had gone and fallen in love with a vibrant young woman who was twenty-five years his junior. She wasn't even as old yet as he had been when she was born. How could she ever look at him as someone to desire?

With all of these doubts and judgments filling his head, Giles was able to hide his true feelings from those around him. He hid the pain he felt watching Willow and Oz fawn over each other. He longed for her to look at him with such love and devotion. Occasionally he would hope that she could ignore his age, perhaps come to love him for it, just as she dealt with Oz's lycanthropy. Then he would drink himself back to reality.

Tonight he didn't have time to wallow in depression and drink. Nothing sobers a man like learning that the woman who holds his heart could be dying, or dead.

Giles rushed through the doors of the emergency room, desperately seeking out Buffy. He finally found her in the waiting room, holding back her own tears.

When she saw him, Buffy rushed to Giles, wrapping him in a comforting hug. After a brief, awkward, hug Giles pulled out of Buffy's arms.

"How is Willow? Is she going to be alright? What happened? Does Xander know?" Giles asked in rapid fire.

Starting with the last question, Buffy replied, "I sent Xander to the vending machines to give him something to do." After a small smile she continued. "The doctor hasn't told me anything yet, even though I've grabbed every single doctor and nurse trying to find out how she's doing. As for what happened..." Buffy couldn't contain the tears any longer. "It's all my fault."

Buffy collapsed in a hard waiting room chair; a bewildered Giles sat next to her. "I highly doubt that," he tried to comfort. "Tell me what happened. You mentioned something about a car accident."

Buffy nodded, tears splashing off her cheeks. "I was on my way to the cemetery to see if Oz was up yet. I wanted to tell him that I hadn't found the other werewolf on patrol last night, but I'd keep looking. Anyway, I saw Willow walking towards me like a block up on the other side of the street. She wasn't watching where she was going and she stepped into the street. I called out when I saw the car coming straight at her, but I was too far away. She stopped and looked up when I called out. She was just standing there in the middle of the street when the car plowed right into her." Buffy broke down into sobs, unable to speak for several minutes. "If I hadn't called out to her then this never would have happened. She would have made it across the street and been fine."

Giles took his sobbing slayer into his arms. "It's not your fault," he tried to reassure her, forcing his voice to remain steady. "As you said, you were too far away. And it sounds like the car was going too fast for Willow to have avoided being... hit. Did you catch the license plate?"

"No, I was too concerned about Willow to even look at the car. I'm sorry, I should have looked."

"No need to apologize. Willow is much more important."

"Yes, she is," Xander agreed, returning to the waiting room, arms laden with candy bars, chips and snack cakes. Buffy and Giles looked at his armload, neither feeling remotely hungry. Xander shrugged. "I didn't know what to get." He dumped the food on the chair next to Giles and sat in the empty one next to Buffy.

"Has anyone informed her parents?" Giles asked, knowing they were on yet another business trip.

"I left a message with their answering service," Xander replied. "They're in Europe, so I don't know if they'll get it."

Giles nodded. He didn't understand how her parents could spend so much time away from their wonderful daughter. Luckily a doctor entered the waiting area before Giles could contemplate any more of Willow's attributes.

Walking up to Buffy the doctor asked, "You came in with Willow Rosenberg, correct?"

"Yes, I'm Buffy. How is she?"

Checking his chart, the doctor answered, "Well, she has a mild concussion, her left hip was fractured, and she has several bruised ribs."

"When can she leave?" Xander asked, knowing his best friend's loathing of hospitals after her last stay.

"Well, she will need to have surgery on her hip to stabilize the broken bones," the doctor began. "We have scheduled the surgery for early tomorrow morning. After that, Willow will need to remain here for at least a week so that she may begin to heal and we can monitor her progress, keep her properly medicated, and begin her physical therapy. She won't be able to get around on her own very easily – depending on the speed of her recovery she will need a cane or crutches to move around. Does she live alone?"

"No, she lives in the dorms with me," Buffy offered.

"The dorms... I see," the doctor frowned. "What floor?"

"Second," Buffy nervously answered.

"Is there an elevator?"

"No, just stairs. Is that a problem?"

"Unfortunately, Willow won't be able to navigate stairs easily for a while. What about her family?"

"They're out of the country," Xander supplied. "Besides, her room's on the second floor there too."

"She could stay with me," Giles offered. All eyes turned towards him.

"And you are..." the doctor asked, wondering who this Englishman was, who was much older than the others, and why he would take the girl into his home.

"Rupert Giles. I am a friend of the family," he bristled.

"He's cool," Buffy backed him up. "He's like an uncle, to all of us."

"Your home doesn't have an upstairs?" the doctor queried.

"Just the loft where my bed is. I have a guest room on the main level, which is also where the bathroom and kitchen are." Giles tried to keep the hope out of his voice. He would like nothing better than for Willow to live under his roof – aside from her sharing his bed, of course.

"That does sound ideal," the doctor reluctantly agreed.

Xander looked like he was going to protest Willow moving in with Giles, but Buffy's bruising grip on his forearm stalled any comments. Instead he ground out, "Is she awake yet? Can we see her?"

"She is awake, but heavily medicated. You may go visit briefly with her, but she needs her rest."

The doctor led the trio to Willow's room and was heartily thanked for his efforts.

Once the doctor left, Xander slowly pushed open the door to the room. Willow was lying propped up in the bed, the harsh lighting making her pale skin appear almost white, especially against her red hair. She tiredly blinked her eyes at the sound of the door opening and wanly smiled at her friends.

"Hey," she quietly greeted them. Buffy and Xander were instantly on either side of the bed, each holding one of her hands. Giles stood at the foot of the bed.

"How're you doin', Wills?" Xander asked.

"I've been better."

"I'm so sorry," Buffy blubbered.

A frown creased her eyebrows as Willow looked at the blonde. "For what?"

"I was too far away, I couldn't help you."

"It's not your fault. I was... distracted," Willow disagreed.

"By what?" Giles asked, having been wondering about this since he heard about the accident.

Tears welled in Willow's eyes and she looked away. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oz," Buffy suddenly exclaimed and Willow turned nervous eyes to the slayer, afraid that she knew. "No one called to tell Oz what happened."

Buffy reached for the phone next to the bed but Willow's frantic voice stopped her. "No! Please, don't call him."

Buffy immediately sat back on the bed, promising, "I won't. What happened Will?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it. Just don't call him."

Sensing a need for a change of subject, Xander said, "So the doc said you get to spend the next week relaxing at the lovely Sunnydale General Hospital."

"Yeah," she glumly agreed. "After they cut me open and stick pins in my hip."

"But the surgery will make it better, right?" Xander pressed, trying to find the silver lining.

"I guess so," Willow agreed. "I just hate sitting here by myself all day with nothing to do."

"You won't be by yourself all day," Buffy reminded her friend. "I can swing by between classes and patrol."

"And I'll bring by some books that you can read. Perhaps we can even do some research from here," Giles suggested.

"Yeah, it's not like G-Man has anywhere else he needs to be," Xander pointed out. Giles glared at the boy.

"Besides, it's only a week," Buffy reminded her. "I'm sure it'll fly by."

"But what about when the week's over," Willow began to panic. "Where will I go? I can't stay at the dorms or in my parents' empty house."

"If it is alright with you," Giles started, "I told the doctor that you are welcome to stay with me."

"I don't want to impose..." Willow began to say.

"Of course not. You could never be an imposition," Giles warmly smiled. "Unless you would feel uncomfortable living with me."

"No, I just don't want to get in the way of your being a gentleman of leisure."

"In all honesty, I could do with the company," Giles admitted.

"Well then, that's settled," Buffy said.

"No it isn't," Xander objected. "Wills, are you sure you want to live with him? He's so... old."

"Xander, you act as if I have one foot in the grave." Giles sighed.

"Besides, it's not like he has anything better to do than take care of Willow," Buffy defended.

"It'll be fine, Xander," Willow told her oldest friend. "I trust Giles. I know he'll take good care of me." To herself she continued to mutter, "Not that I want to be taken care of. I don't know what he would want to be stuck with me for."

"Perhaps we should leave and allow Willow to rest," Giles suggested, noticing Willow's drawn, tired features. She smiled her thanks.

"Yeah, these meds are starting to get to me – no pain but very sleepy."

"We'll let you get some rest," Xander agreed.

"But we'll be back first thing in the morning," Buffy offered. "You'll have your own cheering section in the waiting room."

"That sounds good," Willow commented, slumping back on the bed.

"Sleep well," Giles fondly addressed the redhead as he slipped out the door. He couldn't wait to get home and begin preparing the spare room for Willow's arrival.

Part Two

Willow was surprised by how quickly her week in the hospital flew by. Her surgery had been a rousing success with no complications. Upon waking she noticed a considerable lessening of pain in her hip, for which she was thankful.

Willow easily fell into a routine for the rest of her time at the hospital. She had her physical therapy sessions starting the day after surgery to get her used to using her hip again. Of course, that first day her exercises consisted only of moving from the bed to a chair and back again.

Her friends also seemed to set up a visitation schedule. Xander would stop by before work to give Willow a cheery outlook for the day. Giles would stop by mid-morning with her textbooks and whatever tome he was working his way through at the moment. They'd talk comfortably at times and sometimes just work on their separate "assignments" until Buffy showed up after class with Willow's new assignments. Giles would politely excuse himself, leaving the girls to chat. Buffy would then catch Willow up on the latest gossip and her progress with the psych TA, Riley Finn.

One thing Willow refused to talk to anyone about was Oz. She wouldn't explain what had her so distracted that she wouldn't notice a car speeding up the street towards her. Nor would she explain how this was connected to why she wouldn't talk about Oz. Buffy had gone to talk to Oz, despite Willow's wishes that he not know about the accident, to find that he'd suddenly left town, the day of Willow's accident.

The time that Giles spent away from the hospital was spent fixing up his home. He was practically giddy at the prospect of Willow living with him. He cleaned his home from top to bottom. He aired out the spare bedroom as it hadn't been used in a long time. He made certain that all of the outlets worked properly and there was one near the bed, or at least an extension cord, so that Willow could use her laptop when she was too tired to get up. He bought new sheets and remade the bed in colors that he thought she'd like. Buffy and Xander helped him to get together enough of Willow's belongings and clothing to keep her comfortable during her stay. He even stocked up on the types of food that he knew Willow preferred.

Finally the day came for Willow to leave the hospital. Buffy and Xander had wanted to go with Giles to pick her up, but fearing that having so many people around fussing over her would upset Willow, Giles insisted he go alone. Therefore he asked them to wait at his apartment, be the Welcoming Committee as it were. At the prospect of making paper banners to strew about Giles' apartment they readily agreed.

Giles was shamed to notice that his palms were slightly damp. He felt like he was picking up his high school sweetheart for their first date, not picking up his young charge. Then again, Willow was no ordinary charge… far from it.

Willow was dressed and waiting in a wheelchair when Giles arrived at the hospital. Her bag was packed and sitting on the bed. Her new light-weight metal crutches were resting against the bed. The only reason she was in the wheelchair was because of hospital policy.

A wide toothy grin split her face when Giles entered the room and he felt his heart skip a beat, knowing that smile was for him.

"Are we ready?" he inquired.

"Are we ever," Willow virtually bounced in her chair. "I am so sick of hospital food. And hospital beds... not the most comfortable. And if you thought dorms were noisy, you've never had to sleep with all of the beeping machines and intercom announcements and people crying out in pain."

"Well then, let's get you out of here. Do you have everything?"

"Yep. My stuff's on the bed and I'm all checked out."

"Shall I call an orderly to wheel you out or may I do the honors?"

"No orderlies required. Just hand over my bag and crutches and let's blow this pop stand."

Giles did as was requested, doing his best to suppress the grin threatening to spread across his face. He felt this was a good sign - Willow allowing him to push her wheelchair - to accept his help. In the garage he helped her into his ancient car, quickly stowing her belongings in the back seat.

The drive to his apartment wasn't long, but somewhat awkward in its quiet. Each was lost in their own thoughts. Finally Giles cleared his throat when they were a few blocks from the building.

"I hope you will be comfortable. I don't know how much your friends have told you, but they brought over some of your belongings, including your laptop, to make you feel at home."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Giles," Willow told him. "It's not like it's going to be forever, just until I can move around easier on my own."

Luckily Willow had turned back to look out the window and missed the frown that crossed Giles' face. He didn't like the idea that Willow seemed to see him merely as some sort of convalescent home.

He pushed his more melancholy thoughts aside as he pulled into his parking space behind his apartment. He was extremely grateful at the moment that his spot was level with the apartment so that Willow could avoid the steps down into the courtyard.

"Hey, where are we?" Willow asked, noticing Giles was parking the car.

"My apartment," he confirmed, turning off the car. "That's right, you've never arrived this way before."

"No," Willow agreed. "We've always come in through the front door."

"Wait right there," Giles insisted as he exited the vehicle. He quickly moved around to open Willow's door for her, assisting her to stand. As she held onto the door and roof for support Giles fetched Willow's crutches from the back seat and handed them to her. Once he was certain that she was able to maneuver the crutches, Giles led the way into the apartment.

"Welcome home," he softly said, allowing Willow enter ahead of him.

Willow smiled and entered her temporary home. Her smile grew as she entered the living room. It was covered in paper streamers and a big Welcome Home banner was hanging from the loft.

"Buffy! Xander! Where are you guys?" she playfully called out.

A moment later they came running down the stairs from Giles' bedroom. His smile immediately faltered.

"Welcome home, Wills," Xander exclaimed, bounding over to his best friend, enveloping her in a hug.

Buffy moved behind Willow and joined the hug. "Welcome home," she added.

"Home?" Willow giggled.

Releasing the redhead, Buffy shrugged one shoulder, "Well, your home away from home."

"And I do hope that you'll feel like this is your home Willow," Giles warmly stated, resting his hand on Willow's shoulder. Willow smiled at him again and he felt his spirits lift. So it was with a light heart, despite the stern voice, that he turned on Buffy and Xander. "And what were you two doing in my bedroom?"

He was answered by two bowed heads. Xander finally said, "We were just hiding."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "It's not like we started rifling through your drawers trying to answer the age old question."

Xander elbowed the slayer in the side as Giles looked down his nose at the blonde. "And what question is that?"

"Boxers or briefs?" Buffy grinned.

Giles' face whitened at the thought of these two rifling through his undergarments.

After a beat Buffy let him off the hook. "Just kidding Giles."

The ex-watcher let out a sigh of relief, not noticing Willow's raised eyebrow, nor Buffy's air drawing of a box and the girls' shared conspiratorial smile.

"So, Giles," Willow said, trying to hide the giggle that was trying to burst forth. "You gonna show me my new digs or what?"

Starting out of his embarrassment, Giles turned to Willow. "Please forgive me, you must want to relax. Allow me to show you to your quarters."

'Show you to your quarters,' Xander mouthed to his friends. Doing his best at impersonating an English accent he said, "Yes, Jeeves, show us the way."

Giles thought about retorting, but decided that it would be pointless. With one faltering step Giles led the procession to Willow's new room.

With a flourish Giles opened the door, which also had a handmade sign on the door proclaiming it to be Willow's Room.

Willow hesitantly hobbled into the room, curious to see where she'd be living for the next however-many weeks. A small gasp escaped her lips as she took in the room. Artfully placed around the room were Willow's belongings from the dorm. Her laptop was open on a breakfast tray on the bed. As she moved further into the room she peeked into the closet to find it full of her clothes and she suspected that the dresser would be full as well. Her smile faded when she noticed what was on the bedside table – a photo of Oz.

"It's great Giles," Willow finally said, managing to sound like her perky self.

Having noticed Willow's momentary frown, he asked, "Except?"

"Can you please get rid of that?" Willow gestured towards the picture of Oz.

"Of course," Giles agreed, removing said object. He was beginning to get a clearer picture of what happened that fateful day. Buffy and Xander exchanged a curious look, getting a similar idea about why this happened to Willow, but held their tongues.

"I'm actually kinda pooped. Do you guys mind cutting the visit short so I can get some rest?" Willow asked, sitting on the bed.

"No prob," Xander said, giving Willow a hug before loping out of the room.

"We'll come by tomorrow," Buffy said, giving Willow a quick hug and a sad smile.

Giles escorted the two out and returned to Willow's room. He nervously stood outside the door, lightly knocking to acknowledge his presence.

"Come in Giles," Willow tiredly said. "It's your home after all."

"That may be, but this is your space and I will respect that."

"Thanks," Willow quietly said.

"Do you need help with anything? Can I get anything for you – something to eat or drink?"

"No," Willow shook her head. "I think I'm just gonna take a nap."

"As you like." Giles crossed the room to move the breakfast tray off the bed, setting it off to the side. "Do you want your nightshirt from the hospital or a fresh one?"

"A fresh one would be great," Willow said, the color rising on her cheeks.

Willow watched as Giles moved to the dresser and pulled a nightshirt from a drawer. Willow thought she could almost see him blushing as he handed the garment to her.

"I-is there a-ny-thing else y-you need?" he stuttered.

"Nope, I think I'm good. I'll give a holler if I think of anything."

"Yes, of course, holler." He backed out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stayed leaning against the doorjamb with his eyes closed for several minutes as he unsuccessfully tried not to image Willow changing into her nightshirt. He could hear her slight whimpers of discomfort as she eased her clothes off. He desperately wanted to go in and assist her, but knew that he couldn't. When it sounded like she was finally lying in bed, Giles pushed himself away from the door and headed to the kitchen to make tea.

Part Three

Giles sat at his desk, an old leather-bound book open before him, a cup of cooling tea within reach of his left hand. He tried to tell himself that this was a normal afternoon – quiet apartment and prophecies to research. Unfortunately he wasn't listening.

He could not push aside the knowledge that Willow was resting just down the hall, especially when she began to talk in her sleep. Her voice was muffled with sleep and distance, so Giles tried to ignore it. It wasn't until her murmurs grew more desperate that he stood to intervene.

Standing outside the closed door he could hear her better. Repetitions of "Oh, God, no... Oz... payback... why?" could clearly be heard. Carefully, Giles turned the doorknob and let himself into the room.

Willow was tossing her head on the pillow, whimpering slightly as the pain the violent motion stirred the rest of her body, jarring her damaged hip. Her face was suffused with pain, both emotional and physical, as she was obviously dreaming of something traumatic. Silent tears slid from her eyes.

"Willow," Giles whispered, not wanting to startle her. Without giving any signs of waking she relaxed her thrashing. Taking this as a good sign, Giles sat on the edge of the bed. Brushing the hair off her face he continued to coax her to wakefulness. "Willow, wake up. You're having a bad dream. It's alright."

Slowly Willow's eyelids began to flutter and she opened sorrowful eyes to see Giles' soft, worried gaze upon her.

"There you are," he soothed. "See, it was just a dream."

Willow squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, a tear escaping out the side of one eye. Giles brushed it away with his thumb, as she whispered, "No, it wasn't. I can ignore it while I'm awake, but it all comes back to me when I sleep."

"Ah. This has to do with the car accident?"

"Kinda. More about why it happened."

"It might help to talk about it." Willow shook her head in refusal. "Believe me, it's not healthy to keep things bottled up." Willow looked at him thoughtfully, trying to decide if she could open up to Giles. Then he said something to convince her. "I promise I won't tell the others anything we discuss. This can remain just between the two of us, although I would highly recommend that you share with them. They are worried about you and only want to help."

Willow sighed and slowly nodded her head. She struggled to sit up, suddenly feeling uncomfortable having Giles leaning over her as she lay in bed. Giles stood, allowing her easier movement under the covers, wincing in sympathy at the flash of pain across her face.

"Do you need a painkiller?" he asked.

"That'd be great," Willow accepted.

"Let me make a fresh pot of tea and I'll fetch your prescription."

Willow looked around the room as Giles slipped out. She had to admit that Giles had gone out of the way to make the room comfortable. The dresser was next to the closet, making it easy for her to get everything she needed at once. There was a bookshelf on the wall near her bed so that she wouldn't have to go far for either a text book or a novel.

A part of her felt guilty for putting him out like this. She knew that if she wasn't here to bother him that Giles would be nose-deep in a book, ciphering out some apocalyptic prophecy or other. Then he'd research it to death. Willow had always admired how dedicated he could be when he set his mind to a task, sometimes losing sleep in order to puzzle out a problem. And now his self-appointed task seemed to be playing nursemaid and counselor.

Giles reentered the room carrying a tray with the tea, two cups, milk, sugar, lemon and painkillers. He set the tray on the bed near her feet and moved to set the breakfast tray across her lap before moving the tea tray again.

Once they had both fixed their tea and Willow had swallowed her pills, Giles opened, "When ever you are ready."

Willow momentarily closed her eyes and took a deep steadying breath. Opening her eyes to stare at the cup in her hands Willow said, "I guess you've figured out that the accident had something to do with Oz."

Willow paused and lifted her eyes to see Giles nod.

"You know that other wolf that Buffy was looking for?" Again Giles nodded. "Well, I found her." Willow sniffled. "Oz locked her in the cage with him. They were laying on the floor... naked... scratched."

Giles removed the tray from Willow's lap and set her cup aside to gently take her in his arms. Willow clung to his solid frame, burying her face in his sweater.

"You poor girl," he comforted, running a hand over her hair. "No wonder you didn't want anyone calling him or his picture in here. Why didn't you say anything?"

Willow shrugged against his body. "I don't know. I was embarrassed."

"Whatever were you embarrassed about?" Giles couldn't help asking. Willow was the wronged party – she hadn't done anything to feel shame over.

"He cheated on me," Willow wailed. "I wasn't enough for him."

Pulling back slightly Giles met Willow's eyes in order to make certain she understood what he was about to say. "That is utter nonsense. Willow, put the blame where it lies, with that unfaithful... wolf. It is not your fault that he betrayed you."

"No," she disagreed, having spent many hours thinking about this at the hospital. "I wasn't wolf enough for him. He needed someone more passionate, wilder, not boring old predictable Willow."

"You are neither boring nor predictable, and hardly old," Giles countered. He hated seeing her doubt her wonderfulness. "Oz was probably confused having never encountered a female werewolf before..."

"You're defending him!" Willow snapped, pushing Giles away, her face hardened in anger.

'Shit,' Giles thought, scrambling to find a way out of this situation. "Hardly," he retorted. "I am merely trying to point out that his indiscretion was just that – HIS. He could have warned you that he was going to be locking that other wolf in with him, but I am assuming that he did not." Willow nodded her confirmation. "Did he explain himself at all?"

"He tried. He said that he doesn't remember what he does as a werewolf, but SHE did. He said that he didn't have a choice, that he couldn't let her roam around free to kill."

"A valid point," at Willow's glare he hastened to add, "but I disapprove of his methods. It was wrong of him to lie to you, and everyone, when he said that he had no knowledge of another wolf. I am very sorry you had to witness his indiscretion, but it is better that you now know."

"That's just it, I did know. I knew something was going on, that he was attracted to her, but he was being all elusive and aloof. But that's how Oz always is. Xander said that he probably knew I sensed something, which is why he wouldn't..." Willow ended her ramble with a blush, realizing that she had almost told Giles that Oz wouldn't sleep with her that day.

Giles coughed and removed his glasses to clean them, his brain having filled in what she hadn't said. "Yes, well, I, um, can see why you were distracted that day."

Still unable to meet the other's eyes, Willow and Giles silently picked up their tea cups again and took a sip. The simultaneous action caused Willow to giggle - after she swallowed her tea, of course - breaking the awkward silence. Giles smiled as well.

"Feel better," he asked.

"A little," the redhead admitted. "It still hurts though."

"As it will for some time," Giles agreed.

Both knew they weren't talking about Willow's physical pain either.

"Did you want to try to get some more rest?" Giles queried, uncertain what to do now. What he wanted to do was take Willow in his arms and make her forget all about her cheating boyfriend, but he knew that wasn't an option.

"No, I think I've had all the 'rest' I can stand for the moment." Willow didn't want to dream any more even though her body was still tired. She wished Giles could distract her dreams as easily as he distracted her troubled thoughts.

Needing that distraction she asked, "What were you doing before rushing to wake me?"

"Deciphering prophecy, what else?" he jokingly admitted.

"Giles," Willow mock-gasped. "Did you just make a funny?"

"Yes and no," he admitted bashfully.

"Need any help?" Willow offered.

"If it won't be too taxing on you..."

"What else am I gonna do in this bed?" Willow countered.

Giles desperately tried not to vocalize the images that danced through his head at her words. Oh the things he wanted to do with her in that bed!

Giles stood, slipping his hands into his pockets, clearing his throat. "Right, well then, I'll just go get the books and notes."

Willow watched with an amused look on her face as Giles rushed out of the room. She had no idea what flustered him, and hoped it wasn't what flustered her. Even as she'd said the words, sinful images of Giles joining her in the bed came unbidden to her mind. She pushed those long repressed thoughts out of her head.

She refused to admit, even to herself, that her high school crush on the former watcher wasn't nearly so gone as she would like to believe. There was just something about this man that made her belly flutter. She hadn't noticed it for the last year or so, but then again, she'd had Oz to distract her...

Giles once again returned to the room, arms laden with books and notepads. He momentarily regretted having removed the small desk from the room, but at the time it had seemed like the right thing to do - giving Willow more space to maneuver around the room. He looked around, then to the books in his arms, and bowed his head.

"I had planned on keeping you company as we worked, but it would appear that you are occupying the only available place to sit."

"What are you talking about?" Willow gestured to the half-empty bed. "There's plenty of room to share."

"Are you certain? You won't feel crowded?"

"Of course not. Now quit stalling - there's a prophecy to read about." Willow grinned.

"Alright." Giles moved the tea tray to the dresser and placed the breakfast tray back over Willow's lap.

"Would you like a book or your laptop?"

"Laptop," Willow eagerly said. "I think I'm going through computer withdrawal."

"How dreadful indeed," Giles deadpanned. He handed Willow her laptop, withdrawing his hands as quickly as possible, afraid that he'd catch the same sort of addiction just from touching it.

Willow laughed at his antics, booting it up with a sigh of contentment. Giles shook his head in disbelief and moved around the bed. He stared at the empty space for several seconds before being able to bring himself to gingerly sit on the bed. He toed his shoes off and scooted back against the headboard, stretching his legs out before him.

Giles pulled a book onto his lap and found where he had left off in his notes. He briefly filled Willow in on what they were looking for and soon both became lost in their work.

Giles was startled out of a particularly difficult passage by a weight on his shoulder. He distractedly looked to his side to see Willow slumped against him. A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he realized that she had fallen asleep. Instead of leaving, as he told himself he should do, so that Willow may get some proper rest, Giles inched closer to the sleeping girl so that she wasn't leaning over so much. Willow sighed in contentment, wrapping an arm around his and drifted further into sleep.

Part Four

Willow gradually came to wakefulness. She was reluctant to leave the pleasant dream she'd been having of a candlelit bubble bath, soft relaxing music playing in the background.

Willow groaned as her stiff muscles protested the return to consciousness. Her neck was a little sore and her pillow felt harder than she remembered. She also couldn't move one of her arms.

Upon opening her eyes, Willow found that her pillow was hard because it was Giles' shoulder. Her muscles were stiff because she had been sleeping sitting up, and leaning over to the side. She couldn't move her arm because it was wrapped around Giles', their fingers intertwined.

Willow sheepishly looked at Giles' bemused face. "Sorry," she apologized as she moved away from the warmth of his body. Giles reluctantly released his hold on her small hand, which Willow pulled onto her lap.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Giles insisted. "You were tired and needed rest."

"But I didn't need to find it on you. You've been trapped here all this time and it's all my fault."

"I was hardly trapped. I could have moved at any time if I had needed to," Giles once again insisted. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Willow softly smiled. "No nightmares."

"Wonderful," Giles smiled back.

Willow's stomach chose that moment to remind everyone that while Willow had spent much of the day asleep, it had been neglected. The color rose on Willow's cheeks at the noise. "I guess I'm a little hungry."

"That's understandable. I could do with some food myself. Is there anything you're in the mood for?"

"Soup?" Willow bashfully requested. "Despite all the horrible food in the hospital they never once served chicken soup. And in my head, sick equals soup."

"But you're not sick," Giles reminded her.

"Close enough. Don't argue with the invalid."

Holding his hands up in defeat, Giles conceded, "Fine. Are you going use that excuse to win every argument?"

"Yep," she beamed.

"Right. Chicken soup on the way," Giles said as he set his books aside and moved to stand. "Do you want to eat in here or would you care to join me in the kitchen?"

"Kitchen," Willow decisively said. "I can't be spending all of my time lying in bed, it's not good for my hip. Need to keep moving."

"Very well. I will begin preparing the soup and you can meet me in the kitchen when you are ready."

"Thanks. I'll be in in a minute."

Willow moved the breakfast tray with her laptop still open to the space Giles had just vacated. She then reached for the crutches she had propped up next to the bed. Swinging her body around until her legs were off the bed was a slow and mildly painful process. She sighed with relief once she was balanced on the crutches.

Willow moved to the door. She turned her head towards the kitchen, hearing Giles rummaging around in the fridge and cupboards. She was having second thoughts about the soup if he had to dig that deep to find the can and can opener.

She closed the door and opened the closet to survey the contents. She wanted to wear a skirt, thinking it'd be easier to move around in, but she was shamed to realize that her legs were in desperate need of a shaving. She'd have to try to do it in the morning; she hoped that Buffy had packed her razor. With a sigh she began opening drawers until she found a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt.

Giles was relieved that he had all of the necessary ingredients for chicken soup on hand. It hadn't occurred to him that the girl would ask for soup. But if it was soup she wanted, it was soup she would have.

He had a couple of chicken breasts in his freezer which he defrosted in the microwave and was cooking in the chicken broth on the stove as he washed and cut the carrots, celery and onion. Willow entered the kitchen as he began cutting the vegetables and adding them to the broth.

Willow watched him curiously for a minute before speaking. "What'cha doing?"

"Making soup," he answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Looking around, Willow asked, "Where's the can opener? Or did you already put it away?"

"Can opener?" Giles repeated, before turning to the redhead aghast. "Do you mean to tell me that you've never had homemade soup?"

Willow bowed her head and shook it. Raising her eyes back to Giles' she admitted, "My mom always made it out of a can."

"Well then you're in for a treat. There is nothing as good for the mind and body as homemade soup."

"Chicken Soup for the Soul," Willow giggled.

"If you wish..." Giles agreed, not realizing she was naming a popular self-help/inspirational book.

Willow thought about correcting his obvious miss of the reference, but decided to spare him the embarrassment. Instead she took a seat on the bar stool Giles had brought in from the other room and set next to the counter and watched as Giles prepared the meal.

"Did you make any headway with the prophecy while I was, um, asleep?" Willow asked conversationally.

"Some." Giles added the last of the vegetables to the pot on the stove and lowered the heat to let it simmer. He began to wash the cutting board and knife as he spoke. "There had been one passage that had been giving me quite a bit of difficulty, but I finally managed to finish it."

"And..." Willow prompted.

"It was rather a let down, actually," Giles sighed, finishing with the dishes and drying his hands. "This prophecy isn't going to come into fruition until sometime near the end of the 24^th century, in Guam."

"Well, hey, at least they'll know about it now," she cheered.

"Yes, I'll condense my notes and add them to my 'future occurrence' prophecy file."

"You have a 'future occurrence' prophecy file?" Willow giggled.

"Of course," he said as if it was the only possible thing to do. "What did you think I did with prophecies we've discovered that wouldn't occur for some time?"

"I never really thought about it," Willow admitted. "Are you gonna put them together in a book? The Giles Codex?"

"The thought had occurred to me," Giles sheepishly admitted.

"I think you should do it," Willow encouraged. "Ooh, I could type up all your notes for you, put them together on a CD-ROM to make it easier for the publisher."

"That isn't necessary, Willow. This isn't something that I have been serious considering. Merely an idea I've been toying with in my spare time."

Giles turned his attention back to the stove, hoping the subject would now be closed. He wasn't sure why he'd admitted such a fanciful idea to Willow. Composing a Codex would take an enormous amount of time and energy.

He stirred the contents of the pot and brought a spoonful to his mouth for a taste. The temperature was certainly correct. He pulled a carrot out and cautiously bit into it - still a little hard. Next he pulled out a piece of chicken. The color was correct, but he needed to cut it to make certain it was cooked all the way through. It was.

"Just a few more minutes," he informed Willow as he turned back to the redhead, whose eyes were glazed over.

Willow was prepared to tell Giles that he really should do the book, but her voice caught in her throat as she watched him. Giles was bent slightly over the stove, the steam from the pot lightly fogging his glasses. He brought the spoon to his mouth and gently blew on the contents before lapping at the broth and then sucking a carrot into his mouth.

Willow had to repress a groan at the simple act. Her nipples pebbled as she imagined that the spoon was her breast that he was lapping at, and the carrot was a nipple he sucked into his mouth and would then continue to lap at. She was so lost in the pleasurable imagery that she failed to notice that Giles was speaking again.

When she felt him looking at her, Willow blinked and asked, "What?"

Giles smiled, glad she had obviously been having pleasurable thoughts. "I just said that dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"Oh, okay. It smells wonderful."

"Should I ask what brought such a lovely smile to your face?"

"Um, no," Willow wriggled in her chair, her cheeks flaming.

"Alright," he chuckled. Giles tested the soup again and found it to be ready. "Perfect," he commented after biting into a soft carrot.

He took two bowls down and ladled soup into them. He placed them on the table before setting out a couple of dinner rolls and glasses of water. Finally he gave Willow a spoon as he joined her at the counter.

Willow eagerly filled her spoon, blowing on the contents to cool them off, and took a bite. "Ow, ow, yum, but ow." She quickly set her spoon back down and took a big gulp of water.

"Careful, it's hot," Giles teasingly cautioned.

"Yeah, I got that," Willow said, wiping the tears from her eyes. She lifted her refilled spoon, this time giving it more time to cool off before placing it in her mouth. She slowly pulled the spoon back out, savoring every drop that it had contained. Willow closed her eyes as she chewed, loving the softness of the vegetables, the way the tastes blended so perfectly together, warming her thoroughly. "Mmm," she sighed.

Giles was thankful Willow's eyes closed when they did. He couldn't believe how incredibly erotic she could make eating a spoonful of soup appear to be. His eyes were riveted to the way her lips surrounded the spoon, caressing the metal as it slowly retreated from her delectable mouth. And then she vocalized her pleasure...

"You like," he asked, surprised by the huskiness of his voice.

Willow opened her eyes, surprised to find Giles looking at her with what appeared to be lust. She audibly swallowed before she could answer. "It's perfect. Just what the doctor ordered."

"I'm glad to hear that," Giles said.

The meal continued in silence, both wondering if the heat in the room was from the soup or the company.

After they finished eating Willow insisted on helping with the clean-up, offering to dry the dishes as Giles washed them. The remainder of the soup was stored in the refrigerator for another day.

Giles escorted Willow to her room after they finished cleaning up.

"How would you like to spend the remainder of your evening," he inquired.

"I thought I'd check my e-mail," Willow said. "It's probably piled up and my on-line friends must be wondering what's happened to me."

"Of course. Just let me get these out of your way." Giles picked up his books and notepads, double checking that everything was there. "If you need anything, please let me know."

"I will," Willow smiled as she logged into her email account - once again grateful that she'd had Giles' apartment made accessible for her wireless internet.

"I'll see you in the morning then," Giles said. He leaned down to brush a kiss across Willow's forehead before heading out of the room.

"Good night, Giles. And thanks again, for everything," Willow shyly smiled.

Part Five

The next morning Willow was frustrated to realize that she wouldn't be able to shave by herself. The doctor had been adamant that she couldn't get her stitches wet, which meant no baths or showers. Willow sighed as she draped a towel over the toilet and lowered herself onto it. She hated bathing with a washcloth and a sink. Even worse was that she couldn't bend over far enough to shave her legs.

Once she was sufficiently clean Willow dressed in another pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt. Even though she hadn't been wearing her sneakers lately, having begun wearing "real" shoes, Willow figured she'd be able to move around better in the flat, rubber-bottomed sneakers than in her healed boots.

She was sitting in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal and a mug of tea when Giles padded his way down the stairs. He looked deliciously disheveled in his bathrobe with his hair rumpled.

He started when he saw Willow sitting at the counter. 'She really is here,' he thought in amazement, having feared that her stay was yet another dream.

"Oh, um, good morning, Willow," he greeted the redhead.

"Mornin' Giles," Willow brightly returned. "There's tea," she pointed to the pot sitting on the counter with her spoon.

Giles gratefully filled a mug and brought it to his face, inhaling the aroma, before taking a sip. "Perfect," he sighed.

He set the mug on the table and prepared his own bowl of cereal before joining Willow.

She waited until he was settled before lightly commenting, "Now who would have thought that I would be up and dressed before you?"

Giles imparted a rueful smile before saying, "Normally I would be properly dressed by now, but I was up rather late, reading."

"Anything interesting?" Willow perkily asked.

Giles hoped that the blush he felt wasn't visible. He'd been up late reading over his personal journals - especially the entries focusing on the woman before him. He'd needed to see for himself if the attraction he felt for Willow was something new; that the feelings he'd experienced in her close proximity yesterday weren't some fluke brought on by his need to care for her. He was relieved, and ashamed, to see that he had in fact been harboring feelings for her for quite some time.

Not wanting to tell this to Willow though, he said, "Not especially."

Willow had noticed the color in his cheeks and neck before he'd spoken. She raised an eyebrow at his answer, but wasn't about to press him about his late night reading habits. She'd learned that lesson hard way from being friends with Xander forever.

"Oh, okay," she said. Changing the topic, she asked, "So what're we doing today?"

"We?" Giles looked up at her confused.

"We, you and me," Willow clarified. "It's not like I'm going to be hobbling around campus, right? You've got books and research and stuff to do, so I'll be helping you out."

"That really isn't necessary, Willow. Life isn't all about research and books and..."

Willow grinned at his response, cutting him off, "You don't really spend your days buried in books do you?"

Giles looked aghast. His eyes darted around the room, feeling like his cover had been blown. "Well, there's only so much research that needs to be done..."

"Relax Giles," Willow laughed. "I didn't really think that was ALL you did all day." Giles let out a sigh of relief. "I mean, how many hours a day are you expected to do research when there isn't a big bad that needs to be taken care of."

"I fear that I am letting you all down in some way," Giles admitted.

"Nah," Willow waved the idea off. "If it makes you feel any better, I won't tell the others what you really do with your days." Willow patted his hand reassuringly.

"Thank you," Giles gratefully sighed.

"So... what do you really do all day?" Willow asked conspiratorially.

"I, ah, I usually start the day off with a run - hence the bathrobe during breakfast. I run errands, I sometimes watch the telly, I read, and yes, I do research."

"Well, don't let me get in the way. I can entertain myself," Willow insisted, continuing to mumble to herself, "been doing it my whole life."

"If you're certain you don't mind..." Giles began, not wanting to leave Willow alone on her second day in his home.

"No, go," Willow insisted. "Running is important - keeping the body fit and limber..." Willow couldn't help picturing Giles' muscles all taught from exertion, a fine sheen of perspiration covering his face and torso as she spoke, her words dwindling as the picture became more solid.

Luckily Giles missed the look in her lust-glazed eyes as he had turned to wash his, and Willow's, dishes. By the time he turned back Willow had composed herself.

"Alright, then," Giles consented. "I'll just go change." Giles dashed upstairs, returning several minutes later dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, a towel around his neck.

"I shan't be more than an hour, most likely less," Giles informed the redhead, who was now resting on the couch. "Can I get anything for you before I leave?"

"If you don't mind," Willow began, hating to ask for help. "Could you bring out my laptop? I want to email my professors to see if I'll be able to do the work from home or if I'm going to have to drop this semester."

"Of course," Giles agreed. Upon returning with the requested item he asked, "Do you think that will happen? That you'll need to retake this semester?"

"I hope not. Most of my profs are pretty cool, only requiring you to show up for exams. And I can get the class notes from some of my friends or through the Student Center. The only one I may have to take during the summer is Intro Psych. Professor Walsh is a real stickler for the rules, but Buffy's almost dating the TA for the class, so maybe he can help convince her to give me some leeway."

"Buffy's dating a TA?" Giles asked in amazement. She hadn't mentioned to him that there was a new beau on the horizon.

A guilty expression crossed Willow's face. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she said, "Uh, yes?"

Giles turned his eyes heavenward. "Well, it's nice that she feels the need to keep me up to date on what's going on in her life."

"I'm sure it's not that," Willow quickly assured him. "She's probably just keeping it quiet, ya know, after the Parker situation."

"I suppose..."

"And I also kinda knew because Riley came to see me in the hospital and asked for advice on how to get to know Buffy better."

"The boy came to you?" Giles was impressed; maybe this boy won't be so bad after all.

"Yeah. He knew he liked Buffy but he didn't really know much about her and wanted to know the best way to approach her." A slight frown crossed Giles' face - he was wary of people wanting to know too much about his slayer. "Don't worry," Willow rushed on, "I didn't say anything that would betray any secrets. Just normal girl info."

"I'm probably just being paranoid. I think it's amenable that he would take the time to ask the people closest to Buffy how to get into her good graces. And I'm sure she'll tell me when the time is right."

"She will," Willow beamed. "I'll make sure she does."

"On that note..." Giles made ready to leave.

"Right," Willow nodded. "Have fun."

"I'll try," Giles wryly agreed.

After emailing her professors, Willow decided to bite the bullet and swallow her pride. She called Buffy to ask her for a huge favor.

The blonde showed up at the apartment half an hour later with a drug store bag in her hand. Knowing Willow wouldn't want to get up to answer the door, Buffy waltzed right in.

"The cavalry is here," she announced.

Leaning heavily on the arm of the couch, Willow stood to greet her friend. "Thanks so much for doing this Buffy. I really hate to ask, but I didn't see any other way."

"Pfft," Buffy waved the apology off. "Hey, what are best friends for? You want to do this now?"

"If you don't mind..."

"Of course I don't mind. After you," Buffy gestured towards the hallway.

Willow made her way down the hallway and entered the bathroom. She retrieved the towel she had used earlier and draped it over the toilet again. She sat down and prepared to remove her sweats.

"Um, Buffy, could you grab a pair of boxers out of my room?" she asked with a blush.

"Are we doing the whole leg or just your calves?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, um, the whole leg, if you don't mind," Willow embarrassed asked. "Some of my skirts are above the knee."

"Why don't we just put a towel over your lap then. Then you can wear a pair of real shorts when we're done."

"I guess..." Willow agreed. She still couldn't believe she had asked Buffy to do this. As the redhead worked on overcoming her embarrassment, Buffy went to the kitchen to heat the wax.

Buffy understood Willow's embarrassment about asking this favor. As far as she knew, Willow had never been to a beauty salon for a full body treatment.

She knew how difficult it was for Willow to ask any kind of favor, so to ask for something this personal was a big deal. Buffy was happy and relieved that Willow had asked her. She wanted Willow to be able to trust her with what was really bothering her, and this was a good step in the right direction.

By the time Buffy returned to the bathroom with the hot wax Willow was pants-less with a towel across her lap and her resolve face on.

"You ready?" Buffy asked.

"You bet'cha," Willow said.

Buffy propped Willow's feet on the overturned garbage bin and swathed an area of her calf with the wax, covering it with a strip of cloth.

Deciding to distract herself from the physical discomfort with some emotional discomfort, Willow began to relate the events of the day of the accident to Buffy.

Buffy listened silently, adding the occasional supportive comment, as Willow proceeded to tell her about finding Oz with Veruca, the other wolf. Buffy had suspected that Oz must have done something awful to drive Willow to such distraction and then suddenly leave town. No wonder Willow had protested so strongly to any mention of Oz this past week.

Buffy told Willow of Oz's departure the night of the accident. She didn't know if Veruca had gone with him or not, but she hadn't been looking for her either. She made a mental note to ask around after the singer/werewolf. Buffy wasn't sure if it would be better if Veruca was still around or not. Would it be more painful for Willow to accidentally run into her or to know that she and Oz were together? If she was still around, Buffy thought she might 'accidentally' fill her gun with silver bullets instead of tranquilizers during the next full moon.

Giles returned home at some point while the girls were talking. He'd planned on showering right away, but realized the girls were in the bathroom. The door was closed so he couldn't make out what they were saying, but he assumed that Willow's occasional yelps weren't serious as Buffy was with her.

He knocked on the door, saying, "Willow, I'm back. When you and Buffy are finished in there, please let me know so that I may shower."

"Okay Giles," Willow called back, laughter in her voice at Giles' guesses for why Buffy was in here with her.

"Hi Giles," Buffy called out too. "We're almost done in here."

"Hello Buffy," Giles greeted his slayer. "Very well. I'll be in the living room."

The girls broke into a fit of giggles as Giles' footsteps retreated. Willow raised her good leg and ran her fingers over her now smooth, hairless skin.

She sighed and grinned at Buffy. "Thank you so much again for doing this. It was above and beyond the call of duty."

"Nonsense. What are best friends for if not the occasional beauty treatment bonding session?"

"Beauty treatment bonding session?" Willow giggled.

"Yep," Buffy grinned. "Next time I'll give you a facial, or a manicure."

"Buffy, you know I don't care about all that pampering stuff," Willow protested.

"So what? You've been through an ordeal and you deserve some pampering."

"But..."

"Nope, no buts. Don't make me use slayer strength to force you into some relaxing fun. It's not like you can outrun me," Buffy teased.

"Fine," Willow sighed. "Beautify me."

"Later," Buffy promised. "We should probably give Giles back his bathroom."

"Yeah, he must be all sweaty from running."

"Giles, runs? Like for exercise?"

"I guess so," Willow confirmed. She looked at her sweat pants in a pile on the floor next to her, then to the towel in her lap. "Um, Buffy?"

"Yeah, Will?"

"Could you, um, get me a skirt or shorts or something?" the redhead slowly asked.

"Oh, duh," the blonde responded. "Of course. Give me a sec."

A minute later Buffy returned to the bathroom with a pair of shorts in hand. She helped slip them over Willow's feet and the redhead pulled them up to the hips. Using one hand on the sink to push herself into a standing position, and the other pulling the shorts up, Willow was able to finish dressing. Buffy hung the towels back up and tossed the used waxing materials in the up-righted trash while Willow dressed.

Giles looked up from the newspaper he was reading as the girls' voices drew closer. He felt his breath catch as Willow entered the room. Despite the crutches aiding her movement, he was drawn to her shapely legs. Were they always so creamy and long?

"Bathroom's all yours," Willow announced.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, thank you," Giles replied.

"So I hear you've taken up running," Buffy teased.

"As you very well knew," he countered.

"I did?" the blonde questioned. She vaguely remembered him coming home from a run during that whole demon roommate Kathy fiasco. "Oh, right. So you're still doing it?"

"Yes," Giles tiredly replied, frustrated by Buffy's lack of memory of his life. "I find it to be a great way to start the day."

"Good for you." Turning to the redhead now seated on the couch she asked, "Anything else I can do for you before I leave?"

"No, you've done more than enough already. Thanks so much again Buffy."

"Anytime. Bye guys." Buffy gave a small wave and left to the good-byes of her friends.

"Might I inquire as to what Buffy helped you with?" Giles ventured.

"She, um, helped me with a personal problem," Willow hesitantly said.

"Nothing's wrong I hope," Giles asked, his voice full of concern. He sat on the couch near her.

"No, nothing bad, I promise," Willow immediately said. "She just, ah, waxedmylegsforme," she said in a rush, holding up her good leg for inspection. "And I told her about Oz."

Giles chose to ignore the beginning of her admission, not wanting to think about her soft, smooth, silky legs. "I'm glad you were able to talk with her."

"Yeah, me too," Willow shyly admitted. "You were right. It felt good talking about everything with Buffy. I feel like a weight has been lifted."

"As I hoped it would." Giles squeezed her hand gently, the back of his fingers grazing her bare thigh. Their eyes met and a moment of understanding passed between them.

Giles stood quickly. He coughed and stuttered, "I-I should go... and shower... now."

Willow's look of confusion softened and she nodded her head. "You've earned it. I'll see you when you're done."

"Of course," Giles agreed. He headed off to the bathroom for the first of what was sure to be many cold showers.

Part Six

The rest of the day passed quickly in easy conversation. Before she knew it, Willow was getting ready for bed again. She was extremely pleased with the conversation she and Buffy'd had that morning. As she fell asleep she couldn't help thinking that it had felt surprisingly good to talk about what had happened with Oz.

Willow Dreamed...

She was in one of the chemistry labs on campus. Her Wicca stuff was spread before her. Liquids in prime colors were boiling in some of the beakers before her as she prepared to cast a spell.

She incanted, "I conjure thee by Barabbas, by Satanas, and the Devil. As thou art burning, Let Oz and Veruca's deceitful hearts be broken. This way. I conjure thee by the Saracen queen And the name of hell. Let them find no love or solace. Let them find no peace as well."

Willow took a photograph of Oz from where it had been resting among the other spell ingredients. Slowly she brought it towards the flame as she said, "Let this image seal his fate, not to love, only hate."

She looked at the photo again. It was one of the few she had where he was doing that cute little half-smile thing he sometimes did. She had been so happy with him. The last words she had spoken of the spell replayed themselves in her head, 'Only hate.'

Willow dropped the photograph. She may be full of anger and pain now, but she can't bring herself to condemn Oz to a life of pain and hate. As the photo hit the counter the beakers (which she hadn't even realized had been floating) dropped to smash against the counter, startling her.

Tears filled her eyes, again, as she berated herself for not even being witch enough to curse the man who betrayed her.

A voice startled her out of her self-flagellation. "Wow. For a minute there, I thought you might actually play rough." Willow spun around to see Veruca standing by the door. "Sometimes you have to, you know? To keep what's yours, sometimes you have to kill." She paused to look out the window. "How 'bout that? The sun's almost down."

Veruca locked the door with an audible click and began to stalk towards Willow. "Can't say I'm surprised you didn't go through with your little hex. You don't have the teeth."

Willow backed away from the advancing she-wolf. Despite her pain she tried to stand up for herself. "You don't know what I have. You don't know anything about me."

"I know what you love. I have his scent on me right now," she gloated.

Oz burst through the door as Veruca continued to stalk closer to Willow. "Don't touch her again," he demanded.

Veruca preened in the presence of her chosen mate. "Come stop me," she purred. "I like it rough, remember?"

Oz wouldn't give in to her that easily. Not again. "You wanna hurt me, hurt me. You leave her out of this."

Willow didn't know what to make of this confrontation. They'd seem so cozy this morning. Granted Oz had thrown Veruca out as soon as Willow had caught them together, but she'd thought that was out of guilt. Now it seemed like he couldn't stand being in the same room as her. Willow crouched in a corner as they continued to circle each other in the small space of the lab.

"How can I?" Veruca demanded. "She's the reason you're living in cages. She's blinding you. When she's gone, you'll be able to admit what you are."

"You don't wanna find out what I am," Oz insisted as his face began to change to that of a wolf.

"You're an animal. Animals kill," she reminded him, her transformation starting as well.

"You're right." Oz agreed, having come to a decision. He closed the distance between them. "We kill."

He fully wolfed out, as did she. They leapt at each other, rolling around on the ground as they attacked each other with claws and teeth. Oz-wolf pounced and ripped out Veruca-wolf's throat with a growl. Veruca whimpered a final time before her body went slack with death.

Willow, who had been watching from the corner, had tears streaming down her face. She couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed.

Willow reached a hand out in question, hoping to make contact with her boyfriend, hoping that some part of him remained in the animal. "Oz?"

Oz scented her tears, but in his wolf state he didn't recognize the redhead as his girlfriend... just food. With Veruca's blood still dripping from his jaw he sprang at Willow, only to fall flat on his face.

Willow looked up to see that Giles had grabbed Oz's foot, preventing him from attacking.

"Giles," Willow called out as Oz turned on this new threat, moving to attack, but Giles kicked him out of the way. She called out to him again, in warning, in relief. He pulled the gun that had been hanging from his back into his hands and shot Oz with a tranquilizer. Oz tried to get up, but passed out instead.

Once he was certain the wolf was down, Giles rushed to Willow's side. He pulled the sobbing girl into his arms, offering her any comfort he could give. For the first time that day, Willow felt safe. In Giles' strong embrace her tears ebbed and the intense pain she'd been feeling began to recede.

Giles was awakened by the sound of Willow's voice. She was calling out for him with such fear in her voice. He leapt from his bed and rushed down the stairs to her room, heedless to the fact that he wore nothing but pajama bottoms.

He burst through the door of Willow's room, rushing to her side. "Willow?" he softly spoke.

He realized that she was dreaming, and not pleasant ones at that. Tears were sliding down her cheeks as she whimpered and called out to him again. Giles brushed the tears from her cheeks and her hair from her face.

Soothingly he coaxed her to wakefulness. "Willow, I'm here. Let me help you, just follow my voice."

In her sleep-addled mind, Willow recognized that the threat was gone. With one last look at the drugged wolf-form of the man she loved, Willow allowed Giles to pull her to her feet. With an arm wrapped around her, he led her out of the room - out of the dream - and into reality.

Willow opened her eyes to see Giles once again leaning over her prone body, worry in his soft green eyes. A wide smile spread across her face.

Before he could say anything, Willow pulled him down on top of her, embracing him in a tight hug.

"You saved me," she gushed. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Giles automatically replied, his confusion evident in his voice. Afraid his weight would become too much for her, and afraid of his body's betrayal at her breasts being pressed against his bare chest through her nightshirt, he pushed himself off of Willow.

"What did I save you from?" he asked the sleepy girl. He resumed stroking her face and hair as she wrapped one of her hands around his forearm, keeping him beside her.

"Oz," she whispered, frowning slightly.

"What was Oz doing that you needed to be saved?" he warily asked.

"Veruca," she spat.

Giles coughed in embarrassment.

Realizing how she'd answered him, Willow expanded on the topic as best she could. "He killed her. In front of me. I tried to curse them, but I couldn't go through with it. She attacked me; said Oz was hers. Oz stopped her from attacking me and they went all wolfy. But after she was dead, he..." Willow felt the tears well up again. "He turned on me." She took a moment to compose herself as Giles digested what she was saying. No wonder he'd heard fear in her voice when he'd woken.

"And I saved you?" he prompted.

"Yeah," Willow smiled slightly. "You came in and pulled him away when he started to attack me. Then you shot him with a tranq, at least I think it was a tranq. I hope so because as much as he hurt me I don't want him dead, even in my dream."

Giles couldn't hold back the small smile that spread across his lips. Even half asleep and talking about a frightening dream, Willow was babbling.

"Well, I am very happy to have been of service."

"You made me feel safe," she whispered, as if confiding some deep dark secret.

Giles' eyes widened a bit in surprise. His wonder was quickly replaced with contentment. He gave Willow a self-deprecating smile. "I am honored."

Willow could still feel that overwhelming sense of comfort and safety being here in Giles' presence. She didn't want that feeling to end.

When she didn't speak, Giles assumed that it was out of tiredness. He began to stand, to allow her to get some more sleep.

Willow grasped his arm harder, refusing to relinquish her hold.

"Where are you going?" she desperately asked, eyes wide with anxiety.

"I was going to head back to bed. You probably want to get back to sleep."

"Don't go," she pleaded. "What if he comes back? What if he attacks me again?" Her voice began to take on a hysterical edge. "What if he doesn't come at all and SHE attacks me again? You can stop them. Please don't leave me alone."

Giles immediately sat back on the bed with her first desperate plea. He gently lifted her into his arms, wrapping them tightly around her. Willow buried her face in his neck as he soothingly ran a hand over her hair.

"I'm right here," he promised. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll watch over you while you sleep."

Willow's hands clenched on his bare back, pulling him closer to her body. "Promise?"

"I promise."

She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. "You'll keep me safe," she quietly stated.

Giles was amazed to see such trust in her shining emerald eyes. Even though it hadn't been a question, he answered her. "Always."

Giles eased Willow back down until she was once again lying on her back, her face turned slightly away from his. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around him, as if she were afraid that he'd leave if she let go.

Giles moved to place a kiss on her cheek as she turned her head to face him. Their lips brushed against each other's in a ghost of a kiss.

Giles froze. His entire body was tingling from that brief contact. His brain was screaming at him to move away, distance himself from temptation. Yet his body was straining to lower his head that fraction of an inch and take her mouth in what was sure to be a mind-numbing kiss.

As always, his brain won the argument. He tried to push himself back, prepared to start apologizing.

Instead he found himself in heaven as Willow raised her head that same fraction of an inch to press her lips against his. She softly brushed her lips against those of the man above her, barely touching them to his. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, wetting his as well, so small was the distance between them. Her tongue was barely back in her mouth when she pressed hers firmly against Giles'.

While he had been debating whether or not to pull away, Willow had been having a similar mental debate. Sure she'd fantasized about kissing Giles for years, but she'd just lost her boyfriend. He was only in her room now because of her nightmare. Yet he'd saved her in her dream. He'd made her feel safe. For some reason her subconscious had chosen Giles to be her savior, not Buffy, not the slayer. She decided that her subconscious must know what it was doing, so she pressed her advantage, so to speak.

Giles moaned into her mouth, giving in to his deepest desire. He moved his lips against hers; reciprocating the pleasure he was receiving. He pulled her bottom lip between his, sucking gently, earning him a moan in return. He felt his body thrumming with heat and desire. Reluctantly he released her lip, offering one more solid kiss before pulling away.

His eyes searched out Willow's, nervously looking for any sign of regret, or worse, repulsion. He found only desire, contentment, and a hint of disappointment for having had it end. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Willow, I..." he started to say.

Willow cut him off by placing a finger against his lips. She smiled at him. "I'm not sorry. And I don't want to analyze it yet. Let's just get some sleep."

Giles returned her smile, not really wanting to ruin this moment with talk either. "Alright."

He stood and prepared to return to his bed, but Willow's voice stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

Giles turned back to her. "Bed?" Willow shook her head. "But you said..."

Willow patted the empty space next to her. "Here."

Giles' eyes opened wide. "Are you certain?" he choked out.

"Just to sleep. You'll keep me safe."

Even as he crossed to the empty side of the bed Giles wasn't certain that statement was true. Who would protect her from him? What if he couldn't keep his hands off her? 'She's still injured you prat,' he told himself. 'You aren't going to try anything in your sleep.'

He slid under the covers, pulling them up to his chin. Willow wished she could roll over and snuggle into him, but she could barely roll onto her side. She smiled as she remembered what her PT told her about sleeping on her side.

"Can you hand me that extra pillow?" she asked her bedmate. He looked at her quizzically, but reached behind his head for the spare pillow. He started to hand it to her.

"Wait, put your hand on the bed first." He did, still unsure of what she was doing. Willow grasped his arm and pulled herself onto her side, facing him. She winced momentarily as she adjusted to the new position. "Okay, now hand me the pillow."

Giles watched as the pillow disappeared beneath the covers. He saw her upper leg lift a bit under the covers and stay there. He guessed that it was between her legs. He couldn't help but envy that pillow.

"Now come here," Willow requested, holding her arm out to him. Giles raised an eyebrow at her request, but found himself unable to refuse. He inched his way closer to Willow, lying on his back next to her.

Willow shifted a little closer until she was able to rest her head on his chest. She draped her arm over his chest and he was forced to settle his around her shoulders. Willow sighed contentedly, ruffling the hairs on his chest with her breath.

"Good night, Giles."

"Good night, dear Willow."

Giles felt Willow's breathing slow as she returned to sleep. He felt her breasts pressing against his side and the pillow that was between her legs against his. He was grateful that Willow was able to sleep so easily. At least one of them should get a good night's sleep after all.

Part Seven

"Rupert, are you coming?" Willow called from the bedroom. "I'll be there in a moment. I just need to finish locking up," he called back. Giles finished turning off the lights and made sure the front door was locked before proceeding to the bedroom. He paused in the doorway, observing the scene before him. Willow was sitting under the covers, several pillows behind her back propping her up. She was reading a novel, always a novel before bed. Her face lit up as she tried to stifle a laugh at something she was reading. Willow looked up when she finished the paragraph she was reading. She smiled at Giles and lifted the bookmark from the covers to mark her page before closing the book and setting it on the nightstand. "I was starting to think you were never coming to bed," she teased. Moving into the room, Giles observed, "You seemed to be entertaining yourself well enough without me. I'm amazed you even noticed I wasn't here." "I always notice when you're not here," she lovingly commented. Willow hungrily watched as Giles began to change into his pajamas. She loved watching as he stripped out of his clothing, even if he would be covering his toned body again. Giles looked up at her when he was stripped down to his underclothes. He was always taken aback by the desire he'd see on her face for him. "Shall I continue changing or do you want to finish for me," he cautiously asked. He knew from experience that just because she may look at him with lust didn't mean she was in the mood to act on it. Willow sighed and averted her eyes. "Keep going." Wordlessly he continued. Willow kept her eyes downcast as Giles slipped into bed with her. He slid over to lay next to her on his side. His hand moved to cover hers on her extended belly. "It's alright, darling," he comforted her. "I shouldn't get your hopes up like that," she argued. "My hopes haven't been dashed," Giles insisted, stroking her belly lovingly. "You carry all of my hopes and dreams already." "It won't be long now," Willow said, a soft smile replacing her frown. "Less than a month," he agreed. Whenever they spoke of their child he couldn't keep the awe out of his voice. Giles had never allowed himself the luxury of imaging children in his life, aside from Buffy. Now here he was, with a beautiful wife, who was carrying their child. He couldn't be happier.

Giles resisted waking for as long as he could. It had been a long time since he'd had such pleasurable dreams. He felt the body lying against his side, the warm breath exhaling against his bare chest, the curves under his arm, the hair tickling his shoulder. "Willow." Her name was a soft exhalation, a sigh of regret, a reminder that it was just a dream. "Mmmm." She answered him even in sleep. "Fifteen cantaloupes in the watermelon patch." Giles' eyes popped open at the mumbled sentence. First of all, because he wasn't expecting to find a warm, sleeping body in bed with him. Secondly, because the warm body belonged to Willow. And thirdly, because what she said made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Turning his head, Giles' eyes confirmed what his body had already told him. Willow was curled around his body. From her deep even breathing he assumed that she was still asleep. A smile curled his lips. He bent his head to brush a soft kiss against her hair. Willow began to stir as her pillow started moving. She'd heard her name, but the voice was too far away to answer. Something brushed against the top of her head and she moved her arm to swat it away. Instead, she hit something. Willow opened her eyes and turned her head to see what she had hit. Her eyes widened as she saw Giles rubbing his scruffy cheek. "Oh my gosh, Giles, I'm so sorry," she apologized, trying to raise herself onto her elbow. She winced at the slight pain radiating from her hip at the action. Giles pressed her back down against him. "I'm alright, Willow. Just a little startled." "I'm so sorry. I mean, here I am, sleeping practically on top of you and then I go and hit you in my sleep." "Were you able to sleep well?" he asked, changing the subject rather than try to deflect her apologies. "Better than I have in a long time," she admitted. "You?" "The same," he softly smiled. "No more nightmares?" Willow shared a pleased smile with him. "Not a one. I told you that you'd keep me safe."

"I doubt that my presence was what kept the nightmares at bay. It is more likely that you were simply exhausted."

Willow's brows drew together in confusion. 'Why did he do that?' she wondered. Too sleepy to try to answer the question herself, she went ahead and asked him. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" Giles retorted, not sure what he could have done already to cause Willow to frown like that.

"Brush off your protecting ability. If I say that you kept the nightmares away then that's what happened. You don't need to get all... modest... and self-deprecating. I slept better than I have since the accident last night and that's because of you."

Willow's resolve face had slid into place by the end of her little speech and Giles couldn't help smiling at her tenacity.

"All right, fine, you win," Giles conceded, the grin evidencing his amusement with her outburst.

"Don't patronize me." Willow plopped her head back down on his chest. She unconsciously began tracing patterns through the hair coving Giles' chest as she pouted. "I'm not a child."

"I know that you're not a child," Giles agreed, quickly adding, "And I'm not trying to patronize you. I was merely trying to be logical."

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that there's no room for logic in bed?"

Giles had to suppress a groan, not only at her words, but also at what her gentle touches were doing to him. "Not lately," he admitted. Not wanting to delve further down that line of thought, Giles returned to the earlier subject. "For the record, I slept better last night that I have in a long time as well."

Willow looked back up at him, happiness radiating from her eyes. "Really?"

"Really." Giles began to stroke her hair gently, the situation becoming increasingly dangerous.

"Did you dream?" she asked.

"I did, but I don't recall what now," he lied. He wasn't ready for Willow to know the kind of life he dreamed of with her.

"Me either," she sighed. "I know they weren't bad this time though."

"I believe you said something about cantaloupes in the watermelon patch," Giles teased.

A hand flew up to cover her mouth in embarrassment. "I did? I don't even know where that came from. Oz always used to tease me about talking in my sleep."

"I hadn't realized I was awake until you did," Giles softly admitted.

"So you were dreaming about me?" Willow pressed, pleased with that thought.

"I was." Giles moved his hand to trace her jawbone, memories of Willow lying pregnant in his arms close to the surface.

"Good dreams I take it," she smiled, leaning into his touch. She was amazed at how comfortable she felt lying here with Giles, like they were old lovers spending the day in bed. 'Woah, where'd that come from?'

"Very." Giles didn't want ruin the comfortable mood that had settled between them, yet he knew that they needed to discuss the kiss from last night. "Willow..."

"Here it comes," she groused.

"What?" he asked in surprise.

"The Talk."

"We do need to talk," he agreed.

"So that you can tell me that it was a mistake?" she accused. She couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "It was an accident. We were caught up in the moment. It can't happen again."

"Are you quite finished mocking me yet?" Giles asked, trying to keep the pain out of his voice.

Willow was startled at his tone of voice. She was so sure he was going to deny what had happened. She nodded mutely.

"Yes, we were caught up in the moment. And yes, it was an accident." Giles placed a finger over Willow's lips when she was going to interrupt. "But I don't think it was a mistake."

"You don't?" she mumbled under his finger.

"No, I don't. My conscience is telling me that I should, that it was wrong to kiss you when you were in so much pain over your break up with Oz, yet my heart can't deny how right it felt."

"That was your only concern... that it was too soon after Oz?" she asked, still not believing that he wasn't denying what had happened.

"There were more, but that was the main one."

"What..."

Giles cut her off. "The others are of no importance. Now, do you feel it was a mistake?"

"Not at all. It felt right, like it was supposed to happen. I've always wanted to kiss you," she shyly admitted, "and I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by."

Giles thought his heart had stopped for a moment before it felt like it was going to pound its way out of his chest. She'd thought about kissing him before!

Willow watched the stunned disbelief turn into pleasure on his face. It was obvious that he'd thought about it before too.

"And here I thought I was the only one harboring unrequited feelings," Giles virtually purred.

Willow felt a shiver run down her spine at his tone of voice. "No, they're requited. They're very requited."

Willow reached up and pulled Giles' head down to hers. This kiss conveyed the hunger and longing that had been building inside them for years. Feelings that had been repressed out of necessity - due to age, or circumstance, or significant others - rushed to the surface and escaped through their joined lips.

The position was a little uncomfortable, so rather than break the kiss, Giles slowly rolled Willow onto her back, settling himself next to her. Willow whimpered softly into the kiss as her body settled into the new position.

"Sorry," Giles mumbled against her lips.

"Don't worry about it," she reassured him, pulling him back to her eager mouth.

A ringing telephone eventually broke through the lust-filled haze surrounding Willow's bed. As it was Giles' apartment, he heard it first and reluctantly pulled away from the woman in his arms.

"Hey, where do you think you're going, mister?" Willow protested, panting heavily, and trying to pull him back to her.

"The phone is ringing," Giles informed the redhead.

"Can't the machine get it?" Willow pouted.

"What if it's Buffy?"

"You'd better get it," she sighed, finally releasing him.

Giles hurried to the kitchen, catching the phone on its last ring before the machine would have picked up.

Willow heard his somewhat annoyed greeting of, "Giles here." She giggled, pleased that he was as reluctant to get up as she was.

She lay back on the bed, contemplating what had just occurred. 'I kissed Giles! And it was amazing. Who knew he'd be such a good kisser. Of course I always imagined he would be, but wow. It's sure is nice to be proven right.'

Willow was still lost in her thoughts with a silly grin on her face when Giles returned to the room. He took a moment to admire her. She looked radiant - thoroughly kissed.

Willow felt his eyes on her and looked up. "Not Buffy?"

"Not Buffy," he confirmed. "That was your Rehab clinic calling to remind us of your appointment this afternoon."

"Oh joy," she sighed. "I suppose I should get up, even though I was really enjoying myself right here."

"As was I. But we do need to get on with our day," Giles agreed. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"I could definitely eat," Willow acknowledged, her stomach growling at the mention of food.

"Do you need help getting up?"

"No, I can do it. I'll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes."

Giles gave her a quick kiss, because he could, and headed into the kitchen to gather together the breakfast supplies as Willow maneuvered herself out of bed and the bathroom before joining Giles for a leisurely breakfast.

Part Eight

The radio alarm sounded the arrival of a much anticipated day, two days after Willow's physical therapy appointment. Willow made a noise of disapproval for being awoken in such a rude manner. She lifted her head to glare at the clock over Giles' chest, reaching out her too-short arm to turn it off.

Giles chuckled as he reached behind him to silence the offending alarm. Wrapping his arm back around the redhead he asked, "Better?"

"Much," Willow sighed, snuggling closer to Giles.

They had been sharing a bed every night since Willow's nightmare of Oz and Veruca. Willow had claimed that she had slept better with him there, so it made sense for him to continue sharing her bed. They both knew that was just an excuse, but since it was what they both wanted, they used it.

"You do know that the alarm went off for a reason," Giles pointed out, turning on his side to face Willow.

"Yeah," she smiled. "Today I get my stitches out." She whispered this last statement, afraid that if she said it too loudly it wouldn't happen.

"A big day," Giles agreed. "One that deserves a hearty breakfast. We can't have that doctor of yours thinking that I'm not taking good care of you."

Willow snaked her fingers out to capture Giles' pajama top and pulled him closer. "Oh, I think you're taking very good care of me, Nurse Giles."

Before he could protest the title, Willow had succeeded in pulling him into thought-stopping kiss. It never failed to amaze him how passionate their kisses could be. In fact, it still amazed him that Willow wanted to kiss him at all, let alone share her bed with him. Granted all that they had done in it was sleep, and kiss, but it was an incredible honor nonetheless. One that he didn't take lightly.

"What time is your appointment?" Giles rasped when they finally separated.

"It's at 10:00."

"We must get up then," Giles regretfully said, pulling away from Willow and standing.

"Aw," Willow pouted momentarily, then broke into a grin at Giles' amused expression. "So what's on the menu this morning Nurse Giles?"

"Must you call me that?" he whined. "You make me feel like I should be behind some kind of glass window holding a clipboard, doling out medication."

"Yes, I must," Willow grinned. She slowly eased her body out of the bed and followed him into the kitchen. "You're the one nursing me back to health, so suck it up and take it like a man, Nurse Giles." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"So long as I don't have to wear some kind of white uniform..." Despite the exasperated tone in his voice, Giles' eyes sparked with amusement.

"Get with the times, old man," Willow teased. "In this day and age nurses wear scrubs."

"Old man?" Giles sputtered. "Old man? Can an old man do this?"

Giles abandoned his breakfast preparations to swoop Willow off her stool and into his arms, kissing her soundly.

"Giles," Willow squealed in the half a second she had before Giles' mouth had descended on hers. Her arms snaked around his neck, holding his shoulders tightly.

"I take it back," Willow said when she could speak again. "You're not old."

Giles granted her a truly Ripperish grin. "Don't you forget it."

He gently set her back down on her stool and returned to the business of making omelets.

"Keep reminding me like that and I won't."

"Do you want to go freshen up while I finish preparing breakfast," Giles offered.

"Yeah, I probably should. Just think, after today, no more sink baths."

"And I know how much you will miss those," Giles sarcastically replied.

"Not a whit." Willow tossed over her shoulder as she exited the room.

By the time she returned, clean and dressed, Giles had a feast of cheese omelets, toast, orange juice and tea waiting for her.

"Yum," Willow commented, taking in the spread. "You didn't have to go to all this trouble."

"It was my pleasure," Giles said, helping her to sit before joining her at the counter. "This is a big day for you and you deserve to be well fed for it."

After the meal Giles quickly showered and dressed. Before he left his room he double checked to make sure his present was well hidden. He knew Willow was going to love his surprise.

"Do you want me to come in while the doctor removes the stitches?" Giles asked as they sat in the waiting room.

"No, I should be fine. It's just a few pulls - no blood. There's some stuff I need to talk to him about anyway." Willow hoped that he couldn't see the faint blush tingeing her cheeks.

"All right." Giles squeezed her hand. He wondered what she could have to ask the doctor that she didn't want him to hear, and caused her to blush. "If you change your mind you'll send for me?"

"Of course."

"Willow Rosenberg," a nurse called into the waiting room.

"Here," she said, easing her body out of the chair to follow the nurse down the hall.

Willow changed into the hospital gown, leaving the opening in the front as instructed, and sat on the examination table. Just as she was beginning to wish that she'd brought a book or magazine with her there was a knock on the door and the doctor entered.

"Good morning, Willow."

"Good morning, Dr. Ashman."

"Are you ready to get rid of those stitches?" he asked, looking over her chart.

"You bet'cha," Willow grinned.

"They haven't caused you any problems have they?" the doctor asked, donning a pair of plastic gloves. He sat on a stool next to Willow, motioning her to lie back. He separated the gown enough to have access to her left hip.

"Only in the non-bathing sense," Willow commented. "The stitches themselves behaved."

"That's good to hear. They look it. You obviously followed the care directions to the letter."

"That's me, practical, reliable girl," Willow agreed, for once not feeling that these are bad things to be.

Dr. Ashman stood to retrieve the tools needed to remove the stitches. He saw that Willow seemed to have steeled herself for what was to come when he returned to her side. He smiled to himself at the concentrated look on her face.

"Keep in mind that you will need to continue to care for the area where the stitches are being removed to prevent scarring."

"I know," Willow said. "I read the pamphlets. I'll need to wash the area carefully and rub a medicated ointment gently over the scars to minimize their permanency."

"You have done your homework," Dr. Ashman chuckled.

"I like to be prepared." Willow winced as the doctor began to gently tug the stitches free from her body.

"If only all of my patients took such care of their injuries..." Dr. Ashman wistfully commented.

"Um, speaking of being prepared..." Willow hesitantly began, deciding this as good a time as any to ask.

"Yes?" Dr. Ashman prompted, continuing his work.

"How long, um, how long should I wait... How long do I need to wait before I can have sex?" The end of her question came out in a rushed whisper.

Dr. Ashman blinked and momentarily paused his actions at her question. That wasn't what he had been expecting her to ask him. From what he understood from Willow and her friends, she had been injured in a car accident after breaking up with her boyfriend. He briefly wondered how she could have met someone new so quickly that she'd be asking this question. Pushing aside his personal questions, he answered her professionally as he returned to his task.

"Some time, to be blunt. Your hip has sustained major trauma, Willow. Even with the surgery it will take time for the bones to heal and adjust to the pins that are now there. It's been how long since your surgery... two weeks?" Willow nodded, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. "Three months is the average time I recommend waiting for such an activity."

"Three months," Willow repeated, disappointment evident in her voice.

"That will of course be dependent upon the progress of your recovery," Dr. Ashman continued. "We will be meeting again in a month and I can give you a better estimate at that time."

"Okay," Willow agreed. "How are things going down there?"

"Just about done," the doctor said, removing the last stitch. "There, done." He wiped the area where the stitches had been with an antiseptic, making sure they were clean before covering them with a gauze bandage.

"More bandages?" Willow questioned.

"For a time, yes. This area of your hip will still be sensitive, especially after being tugged at this morning. You should still take particular care of this area for the next several days."

"But I can take a bath, right?" she eagerly asked.

"Yes," the doctor chuckled. "You may take a bath. You may need some assistance getting in and out of the tub because you won't be able to put your full weight on your left leg while climbing in or out."

Relief washed over Willow's face. She knew exactly how she was going to spend her afternoon. "I can live with that condition. Are we done?"

"Yes. Please stop by the front desk on your way out to schedule an appointment to come back in a month's time. When you feel you are ready, you may stop using one of the crutches, but only if you are comfortable. Don't push yourself to try to heal faster than your body is ready to. I know you don't want to do anything to slow down your healing progress."

"That's for sure," Willow agreed. "Thanks, Doc."

"Good day, Willow."

Dr. Ashman handed Willow her clothes before leaving her to some privacy.

Giles stood when he saw Willow coming down the hallway, a smile on her face. He met her near the door.

"Everything went smoothly I presume?" he asked, slipping an arm around her shoulder.

"Blue skies all the way," Willow agreed. "I just need to make a follow-up appointment and then we're outta here."

"Do you know what you would like to do this afternoon?" Giles asked once they were back in the car.

"Absolutely," Willow confidently said. "I will be wiling away my afternoon in a bubble bath."

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Giles teased.

"Oh, and how did you know," she countered.

"You've been talking about that blasted bath for days now," he reminded her.

Willow giggled. "Oh, yeah, I forgot."

"Were you able to discuss everything you needed to with your doctor?" Giles carefully queried.

"Yep. He said that I have done an excellent job of taking care of my stitches and that I should be able to get rid of one of the crutches in a couple of weeks if I feel stable enough."

"Is that all you discussed with him?" He doubted it; otherwise he could have held her hand while her stitches were being removed.

"No, but that was kind of personal, if you don't mind," she admitted.

His heart sank; he had hoped that they could discuss anything with each other. "Of course, I'll respect your privacy."

"It's nothing bad," she assured him. "And you'll find out eventually. I'm just not ready to share yet."

"All right. Anything else he said that I should know about?"

"Well, he did say that if I plan on taking baths, that I will need some assistance getting in and out of the tub since I can't put my full weight on my left leg."

"He did, did he?" Giles leered slightly at the blushing redhead next to him. "I think I am up to that challenge."

"Who said I was going to ask for your help?" she impishly countered. "Maybe I was talking about Buffy or Xander."

"I highly doubt that you want Xander to see you naked, nor Buffy."

"And who said that I'm ready for you to see me naked?" she continued to tease him.

"Oh, um, I hadn't thought of that," Giles soberly replied, a slight frown creasing his eyebrows. "Of course... I didn't mean to presume..."

"Relax, Giles," Willow told him. "I'm ready."

Luckily Giles had just pulled into his parking space. He turned his head and caught the lustful look Willow was fixing on him. His breath caught and the depth of the emotion he saw on her face, knowing her statement meant more than simply preparing for a bath. He silently prayed that his body would behave itself so that he would be able to do this for her.

Willow watched as his eyes changed from bright-eyed shock to lust-darkened yearning. Her heartbeat quickened at what she saw and she desperately wished it were two months later.

Willow found her voice first. "We, we should go inside." She fumbled with the door handle for a moment before her fingers obeyed the command to open the door.

Seeing Willow move brought Giles out of his thoughts. "Right. You've got a bathtub with your name on it."

Giles quickly exited and moved around the car to assist Willow in getting out. Once she was safely on her feet, he went ahead and opened the door for her.

"Wh-why don't you g-go ahead and change into your robe while I prepare the bath," Giles suggested.

"Yeah, I'll do that," Willow quietly agreed.

Giles dashed up to his room to retrieve the gift he had purchased for Willow for this day. He brought it with him into the bathroom as he began to fill the tub with hot water.

While he waited for the tub to fill he paced. The enormity of the situation laying heavily on his shoulders. 'I'm going to see Willow naked,' he gleefully thought. It wasn't the way he had imagined his first time seeing her sans-clothes would be. In his mind, he had always imagined that he would be the one to get her into a state of undress. He had often imagined what her face and body would look like as he sometimes lovingly, sometimes desperately, peeled the clothing from her body.

He'd never imagined that it would be under these circumstances. How was he expected to keep his emotions at bay when confronted with her completely bare skin? Was he supposed to ignore the fact that a beautiful woman, for surely could be nothing short of gorgeous, was to be naked in his arms. Perhaps he wouldn't have to ignore it so much as look at the situation in a different light.

Giles poured a generous amount of bubble bath from Willow's present into the tub as his mind continued to wrestle with the situation.

Willow was still fragile. He knew that she would most likely be embarrassed by the situation they were in. He doubted that this is how she imagined she would first be naked with him as well. Yet it was what was necessary for her to have the bath she so desperately wanted.

A light rapping on the door announced Willow's presence. Giles stopped his pacing and turned his resolved face to greet Willow. She looked so small wrapped in the terrycloth robe between her crutches. In that moment, Giles knew he could do anything for her.

Willow was oddly relieved to find Giles pacing when she reached the bathroom. She'd been questioning the rationality of having Giles assist her with taking a bath as she'd changed.

Part of her was embarrassed at having to need his assistance period. The greater part of her doubts was her own insecurities. 'Giles is going to see me naked,' she thought nervously.

Willow had always felt that her body left much to be desired. She was thin, slightly bony after her hospital stay, with pale flesh dotted with freckles. She knew that she wasn't as developed as many girls her age were, including Buffy and Cordelia. Would Giles still want to be with her after seeing her naked?

Maybe she was being presumptuous that he even wanted more of a relationship with her. What if he wasn't thinking far enough ahead to want to sleep with her? She realized that she had been the aggressor with most of their kisses so far. What if he was only being polite and he didn't really want her?

Willow shook her head as she tied the belt closed on her robe. She was being ridiculous. Giles wouldn't lead her on like that. Besides, she'd brushed against his arousal often enough in the last couple of days to know that he desired her, or at least his body did. She smiled as she made her way to the bathroom, and Giles.

"It smells wonderful in here," Willow commented upon entering the room. "Roses?"

"Um, ah, yes," Giles confirmed, pulling himself out of his musings. He presented her with the gift bag.

"Prezzie!" Willow exclaimed, moving to sit on the closed toilet.

"In honor of your first bath post-surgery," Giles said, presenting the gift with a flourish.

Willow clapped her hands with child-like glee. "What do we have here?" She mumbled as she pulled the tissue paper out of the bag, dropping it on the floor. "Ooh, rose scented bubble bath, which I see you already opened."

"I hope you don't mind," Giles apologized with a small smile.

"Not at all. There's more!" Willow proceeded to pull out apple scented shampoo, a loofa, and a rose scented candle. "Thank you Giles! I'd jump up and give you a hug if I could," she gushed.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Of course I do, I can't wait to try them out." Willow said excitedly before the reality of the situation hit her again.

Giles silently turned the water off, testing the temperature one last time before turning back to Willow. "No time like the present," he shyly said.

Willow sagely nodded. She avoided looking at him as she pulled the tie on her robe and shrugged out of it. Her hands moved to cover her exposed body as she awaited Giles' reaction.

Giles noticed Willow's trepidation as she disrobed and tried not to watch her - a difficult task. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows as he waited. He heard the heavy material hit the porcelain of the toilet and took that as his cue. He raised his eyes. Even trying to hide within her skin, Willow was beautiful.

As he exhaled the unknowingly held-in breath, he said, "You're beautiful."

Willow's entire demeanor changed. She sat up a straighter and her face was lit up with her smile. "You think so?"

"Yes." His voice still held a sense of awe that sent delightful shivers down Willow's spine. "Let's get you to your bath."

Willow reluctantly moved her arms, preparing to wrap them around Giles as he bent to pick her up. He tried to ignore the delightful sensations running up his arms where her bare skin touched his and concentrated on not dropping her. Kneeling next to the tub, Giles lowered Willow into the water, hiding her body beneath the bubbles.

Willow sighed with pleasure as she released her arms, allowing them to slide into the tub. Giles allowed himself the pleasure of brushing his hands along her body as he removed them from water.

"Do you want me to go?" he nervously asked, handing her a small rubber pillow to sit on, hoping that she'd say no.

Willow reached out and caught an arm before it was completely out of the tub. "Stay," she shyly requested.

"May I bathe you?"

"Mmm, that'd be nice." The heat of the water was relaxing Willow as she lay her head against the tub.

Giles quickly retrieved Willow's gifts. He excused himself briefly, only to return with an empty pitcher. He filled the pitcher with water from the tub before requesting, "Sit up."

Giles tilted her head back and poured the water over Willow's hair, he repeated the process until it was thoroughly wet. He set the pitcher aside and uncapped the apple shampoo, pouring a generous amount into his hands. "You can sit back now," he informed Willow before working the shampoo into her hair.

Willow played with the bubbles surrounding her, pulling them over her body, making sure she was covered, despite Giles' previous view of her. She relaxed against the tub as Giles proceeded to wash her hair. At first she felt a little silly having him do this for her, but she quickly changed her mind. She'd had other people wash her hair before, at the beauty salon when she had her hair cut, but it was nothing like this.

Giles worked the shampoo into a lather as he massaged her scalp. Using small circles, his strong fingers kneaded Willow's scalp beginning along her hairline and around and up to the top of her head, releasing any tension in her body as he cleaned her fiery hair. The pleasure-filled moans Willow couldn't contain only spurred him on.

"Mm, Giles, where did you learn to do that," Willow moaned.

"I have my sources," he silkily replied. "Now sit up again."

Willow whimpered in protest as he removed his hands, rinsing them in the water. "Don't wanna."

"How do you propose I finish washing you if I can't rinse your hair?" he asked, filling the pitcher with water.

"Good point," she agreed, using the sides of the tub to pull her body into a sitting position.

"Close your eyes." Using his free hand to keep the soapy water from her face, Giles proceeded to rinse her hair.

"This is heavenly," Willow sighed.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. You can sit back now."

Giles picked up a washcloth and poured some bath gel on it. Starting with her shoulders, Giles began to wash the rest of her body. He ran the cloth over one shoulder and over her chest to the other, back to the bit of chest exposed above the water before dipping below. He held his breath as his cloth-covered hand ran over first one breast and then the other.

A long, low moan made its way out of her throat as the rough texture of the washcloth ran over her breasts. Willow arched into his touch, trying to prolong the contact.

Giles grinned at her reaction and lingered on her breasts for a few more minutes before running the cloth over each of her arms. He rewashed her breasts as he continued his downward motion. He flitted over her fluttering belly and purposely bypassed the juncture of her thighs. Instead he lifted her right leg out of the water and ran the cloth from hipbone to toes. Then he repeated the process, although much slower and at a lower altitude, with her left leg. When he neared her pelvis again he paused and chanced a look at Willow's face to see if he should continue.

Willow met his questioning eyes, dark green boring into light. With her bottom lip between her teeth she nodded. Keeping their eyes locked, Giles ran the cloth over her sex.

Willow's body was on fire. She wanted nothing more in that moment than for him to abandon the washcloth and touch her. But at the same time, she knew they weren't ready for that yet.

Giles saw the emotions play over Willow's face. He felt the almost imperceptible lift of her hips, encouraging his touch, but her face belied her body's response. He could see the war being waged between her eyes. Being the gentleman he was, Giles went against instinct and retraced his path back up Willow's body.

As he returned to her head, Giles abandoned the washcloth and lowered his head to capture Willow's lips. She moaned into his mouth, brushing her tongue against his lips, inviting his out to play. An invitation Giles was more than happy to accept.

Many minutes later Willow pulled out of the kiss and leaned forward again. "Don't forget my back," she impishly said, handing Giles the washcloth from the bottom of the tub.

"Wouldn't want to forget that," he mumbled, somewhat put out to have the kiss end.

As he finished, Willow asked, "What time is it?"

Giles retrieved his watch from the sink. "It is nearly one o'clock."

"We need to get me out of this tub then," Willow announced. "Buffy and Xander are supposed to be coming over around two."

"If we must..." Giles reluctantly agreed, a slow smile spreading across his face. He began to drain the tub as he reached for a towel. He took a minute to try to figure out the best way to get a wet Willow out of the tub without becoming soaked himself. Finally he opened the towel across his chest, holding one end in each hand. Making sure that the towel didn't dip into the retreating water, he once again knelt next to the tub and reached in, pulling Willow into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and Giles lifted her over the edge of the tub, and stood her on her feet. Keeping his hands on her hips as she steadied herself on her right leg, Giles turned his head away allowing Willow as much privacy as possible to dry herself.

"Can you stand on your own?" he asked.

"Kind of. Why?"

"I'm going to let go so that I can get your robe."

"Okay. Go for it."

Giles left her side for a second to retrieve Willow's robe and was back before she knew he was gone. He helped her into the robe from behind, then reaching around her, he tied the belt and held her in his arms.

Willow leaned back against Giles' solid frame. She turned her head to look up at him. "Thank you. That was the best bath I've ever had."

"You're more than welcome," Giles said, dipping his head for a brief kiss. When he pulled back he picked Willow up in his arms again and carried her to her bedroom.

"I can walk you know," she chided, snuggling into his arms.

"I know." He gave her a sheepish grin. "I just like having you in my arms."

"Aw, that's so sweet." Willow's fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck until he set her down on her bed.

"I'll just go get your crutches then," Giles said, backing out of the room.

"I'll be here," she called back.

Part Nine

Willow was dressed and seated on the couch when Xander bounded into the apartment, without knocking.

"Hiya Wills," he greeted the redhead, dropping down next to her on the couch and pulling her into a quick hug.

Willow tried not to wince at the jostling as she returned his greeting, "Hey Xan."

"So how was the big day?" he good-naturedly asked.

Willow blushed, remembering her recent bathing at Giles' hands. "It was wonderful," she sighed.

"Geez, Will, there's no reason to get all misty over getting some stitches out."

"Stitches, right," Willow agreed, sobering. "I'm just really happy that they're gone."

"Did it hurt?"

"Not really. There was some tugging..." Willow paused as Xander began to turn a little green. "It didn't hurt. I'm a little sore now from the skin being pulled though."

"Sore from what?" came a feminine voice from behind.

Willow turned her head to see Buffy closing the apartment door, setting her backpack on the floor.

"Hey, Buff."

"Hey, Wills. I say again, 'Sore from what?'"

"Stitch removal," Xander answered, making a face.

"How was the bath?" Buffy slyly asked.

Willow ducked her head as her face turned bright red. "What bath?"

"The one you've been dying to take for the last two weeks," Buffy reminded her.

Giles, who had overheard Willow and her friends from his loft, decided to intervene. Walking down the stairs, he said, "Ah good, everyone's here."

Willow sent him a grateful look and mouthed, 'Thank you.' He nodded imperceptibly, turning his eyes back to their guests.

When Willow returned her eyes to Buffy she received another look which clearly said, 'Girl talk later.'

Xander's eyes were slightly glazed over from all the talk of Willow and baths, so he wasn't able to send Willow any silent messages.

"Yes, the troops are gathered. Is it time to circle the wagons?" Buffy wryly asked.

"I should probably be asking you that question," Giles returned, sitting in his favorite chair. "Anything interesting turning up on your patrols?"

"P-patrol?" Buffy squeaked. "Oh, um, patrol... nothing unusual. I see a vamp, I slay a vamp." She sat up straight, hoping no one caught her slip.

"Oh, Buffy," Giles sighed in disappointment, realizing that his slayer was shirking her duties.

"How's Riley?" Willow knowingly asked.

"He's good," Buffy shyly admitted, looking at her hands.

"Who's Riley?" Xander piped up.

"Buffy's new boyfriend," Willow answered.

"He's not a vampire is he?" Xander cautious asked.

"No!" Buffy exclaimed. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well... Angel," Xander gestured. The girls gave him withering stares and Xander suddenly felt very small. Thinking on his own track record he asked, "He's not some other kind of demon is he?"

"No, he's your average, ordinary, human guy." Buffy stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Xander, I wouldn't dig too deep if I were you," Willow told her oldest friend sympathetically. Then she whispered, "Anya."

Xander looked properly chastened.

"Are we finished categorizing everyone's significant others?" Giles wearily asked from his corner.

"Yes, Giles," the three on the couch said together, then burst into giggles. Giles rolled his eyes.

"Let me summarize then," he offered. "Buffy has been too busy with her new boyfriend to notice anything unusual on patrol. Xander has been too busy with Anya to know about Buffy's new boyfriend and Willow had her stitches out today. Does that about cover it?"

"Uh, yeah," Buffy nodded.

"Right then, I'll leave you to catch up with Willow. I have some errands to run anyway," Giles said as he stood.

"Hey, Xan, would you mind getting me a soda?" Willow asked her friend. Wanting a moment alone with Giles she suggested, "Buffy, why don't you go grab something to drink too."

Buffy gave Willow a strange look, but shook it off as she joined Xander in the kitchen.

"What was that all about," she whispered from the relative privacy of the kitchen.

Xander shrugged. "Roommate stuff?"

They poked their heads through the window between the kitchen and living room just in time to see Giles quickly kiss Willow's smiling mouth; her hand rested on his chest.

Xander opened and closed his mouth several times before sound would come out; his eyes were wide as saucers.

"That was just a friendly, 'I'll see you later' kiss, right?" he desperately asked the blonde.

Buffy shook her head to clear the image from her eyes. She felt slightly nauseous. "Oh, God I hope so."

Nervously they risked another glance, relieved to see that their friends were only speaking quietly now. The subtle glow that remained on their faces unnerved the occupants of the kitchen.

Xander quickly grabbed a couple of sodas out of the refrigerator, handed one to Buffy and headed back to the living room.

Giles abruptly stood when Xander and Buffy entered the room.

"Are we interrupting anything?" Xander snidely asked.

"Of course not," Giles replied.

"Nope. What would you be interrupting?" Willow nervously asked.

"I don't know. You tell me."

Willow and Giles shared a nervous glance. One that didn't go unnoticed by Buffy.

"Are you two, like, together now?" she quietly asked.

Giles removed his glasses, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to clean them, avoiding looking at Buffy. Willow paled and her eyes grew wide - a sure sign that she had something to hide.

Willow and Giles hadn't really discussed what was happening between them, so neither was sure how to answer. They both wanted to believe that they were a couple, but they weren't certain of the other's feelings.

Willow decided to take the initiative. "Kind of." She sighed with relief when Giles took her offered hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Kind of?" Xander spluttered. "How can you 'kind of' be together?"

"We haven't really discussed it," Giles supplied, returning his glasses to his face.

"But there have been smoochies," Willow admitted.

"Ugh, bad visual place," Xander protested, covering his eyes.

"Buffy?" Giles quietly entreated the slayer. She hadn't said anything since posing her assumption. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she quietly answered. She swallowed, the said a little louder, "I'm happy for you."

Buffy wasn't sure how she felt about her best friend getting together with her watcher, but she knew better than to say anything else before she had a chance to examine her feelings. Just because she'd always considered Giles to be like a father to her didn't mean the others felt the same way. She grabbed Xander's sleeve and started pulling him out the door.

"Come on Xan, let's get you out of her