Title: Friends and Lovers
Author: Rari

RATING: FRM
PAIRING: B/G eventually. B/R and G/J to start with
DISTRIBUTION: Gabi, Nikki, Dee, Dword, Della
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the WB, UPN, Fox, Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it. I'm just borrowing the characters, playing with them a little bit and then giving them back, memories wiped clean, except when they ask me not to. FEEDBACK: Absolutely.
SPOILERS: Everything through season 4
SUMMARY: An AU story of what happens if Angelus didn't kill Jenny, and how that effects, over time, the relationship between Buffy and Giles.

NOTES: This goes off into an AU with Innocence (season 2). Some of the episodes happened after that, some of them didn't. You'll get why in a minute. Latest versions of all my stories can be found at: http://www.dwordslist.net/rariindex.html

THANKS: To Lori Ann for her happy faces and snorts, Deb for her editing catches, Ruth for keeping Giles British, and Gileswench for all the ongoing lovin'. And thanks to Psyche's Transcript site, and to Joss Whedon, Ty King, and Jane Espenson who wrote Innocence, Passion and A New Man, respectively. I'm borrowing some of their lines and stage directions

Friends and Lovers: Part 1

January, 1998

Buffy pulled the trigger and the rocket flew straight into the Judge's chest as Angelus and Drusilla jumped over the railing to escape their own doom. The Judge disappeared into an explosion of flame and smoke. All the people in the mall started screaming, trying to run to safety. Angelus and Drusilla hit the floor below and looked around them in disbelief. Bits of the Judge were falling all around. Angelus slowly got up and ran off. Drusilla let out little startled cries of alarm and then ran off in the opposite direction.

Buffy looked at the disintegrated Judge with satisfaction. She handed the rocket launcher down to Xander. "Best present ever."

Xander nodded. "Knew you'd like it."

Willow looked around her with some concern. "Do you think he's dead?"

Buffy was looking for Angelus but she answered Willow's question. "We can't be sure. Pick up the pieces and keep them separate." Buffy saw Angelus and jumped down off the refreshment stand and took off after him, avoiding the customers who were still running every which way in fear.

Cordelia eyed the floor with distaste. "Pieces? We get the pieces? Our job sucks!"

The sprinklers came on in response to the smoke, dousing Buffy as she continued to run after Angelus. Suddenly Buffy fell as Angelus blindsided her, hitting her.

He sent her a mocking look. "You know what the worst part was, huh? Pretending that I loved you. If I'd known how easily you'd give it up, I wouldn't have even bothered."

Buffy slowly got up. "That doesn't work anymore. You're not Angel."

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? It doesn't matter. The important thing is you made me the man I am today." He smiled, one of his chilling Angelus smiles that spoke so clearly of the demon within.

Buffy kicked him in the face. Angelus blocked her next swing and punched her in the face and in her gut. The two of them grappled for a minute, trying to throw the other off balance. Then Angelus kicked her in the face and Buffy fell to the floor. Rolling quickly she found her feet and launched herself at Angelus. She again found herself on the floor.

Angelus sneered at her. "Not quittin' on me already, are ya? Come on, Buffy. You know you want it."

Incensed, Buffy leapt up and kicked him in the face. He tried to recover but she kicked him in the chin and then landed a number of ferocious blows to his body. By the time she was done beating him he had staggered back into a potted tree. Buffy pulled out a stake and stood over him, fully intending to stake him. But her mind was suddenly full of Angel, of his love for her, how often he'd saved her life, of making love with him, how gentle he'd been. The arm holding the stake slowly fell to her side.

Angelus watched her for a second and then stood, facing her. "You can't do it. You can't kill me."

At his mocking tone, Buffy kicked him in the crotch and Angelus fell to his knees. Buffy turned as if to walk away. "Give me time." She took a step and then she thought of Giles. Thought of all her friends, and how Angelus would continue to prey on them all. She couldn't let that happen. Buffy spun around and thrust the stake through Angelus' heart. "That's enough time."

Angelus' eyes opened wide in disbelief as he looked down at his chest, the stake still in place. Then he exploded into dust and his remains settled on the floor.

Buffy knelt down on the floor, the tears streaming down her face getting lost in the spray from the sprinklers. She ran her hand through the dust, as it turned into mud, grieving for Angel but so relieved that Angelus was dead and wouldn't be able to hurt anyone anymore. Finally she got up and headed back to her friends.

Giles had been watching for her and smiled thankfully when he saw her. Buffy walked over to him and spoke softly, her voice tight. "He's dead."

She saw the flash of relief in Giles' eyes but he quickly squelched it, his concern for her taking precedence. He put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Buffy. Are you all right?"

She shook her head. "Not right now. But I will be."

"I'm here if you need me. I always will be."

She smiled at him, even through her tears. "I know that." She looked around at her friends, still gathering up the Judge's remains, then turned back to Giles. "Can you finish up here? I really need some alone time."

"Absolutely. Take whatever time you need." He looked down at her, his face worried. "Just be careful." She nodded but didn't respond. He spoke again. "Come over later, if you want to, if you need to talk." She nodded again and then headed for the door, pushing it open and disappearing into the night.

Much later, Giles heard a soft knocking at his door. He put his book down and moved to open it, knowing it was Buffy. His heart broke for her when he saw her face. Her eyes were puffy and red rimmed and she was trying so hard not to cry as she stood there. Her need overcame his reserve and he reached for her to pull her into his arms. Buffy started to sob helplessly against his chest. Lifting her up he shut the door with his foot, and then carried her to his couch, where he sat and held her as she cried out her pain and her loss.

***

February, 1998

Jenny was at her desk, working on a computer program. She took a sip of coffee and then set the cup back down, looking pensively at the screen. Giles stood at the doorway. "Hello."

Jenny startled and looked at Giles, her heart leaping in her chest at the sight of him standing there, so close to her. "Oh! Hi."

Giles walked into the room. "You're working late."

Jenny rolled her eyes. "Snyder asked me to do … well, trust me on this one, something very stupid that would bore you to tears if I tried to explain it to you."

"Oh." He wasn't sure what to say after that. There was so much still unsettled between them.

Jenny took a deep breath. "I spoke to Buffy today."

Giles glanced up at her in surprise, feeling a sense of hope that perhaps things weren't quite as irreparable as he'd thought only a moment ago. "Oh! Yes?" Giles sat on the corner of Jenny's desk.

"Mm." Jenny looked away. "She said you missed me." Jenny picked up a pencil and ran it through her fingers, playing with it.

Giles pursed his lips. "Well, uh, she's … a meddlesome girl."

Jenny looked at him, saw the humor back in his eyes, and knew that they had finally crossed a bridge. "I need to finish this up, but could I see you later?"

"Y-yes, yes. You could stop by my house."

Jenny smiled. "Okay."

Giles smiled back and stood up. "Good." He smiled even more and then he left.

Jenny watched him as he left, a grin on her face, her heart lighter than it had been in a while. She turned back to the computer scowling, wanting now to finish as quickly as possible so she could go see Rupert.

Giles was just finishing cleaning his dishes when he heard the knock on his door. Still wiping his hands off with a dishtowel he opened the door to find Jenny standing there. There was an awkward moment as the two of them stared at each other and then she crossed over the threshold and pulled him into a kiss. Throwing the dishtowel on the desk Giles wrapped his arms around her, shut the door with his foot, and kissed her back.

***

Buffy walked into the library the next day just in time to see the finish to what looked like a major smooch. Jenny noticed her and, still a bit uncomfortable around Buffy, turned to say a quick good morning to her, before heading out of the library back to her computer lab. Buffy grinned at Giles. "Guess you guys made up." She perched on the end of the library table

Giles blushed a little and moved to straighten some books. "Y-yes, we did." He glanced at her to see how she was taking it. As she continued to sit there grinning at him he let out a breath and moved over to the table to sit next to her, his shoulder near to hers. "Thank you. I know that you're still angry with her, and that this couldn't have been easy for you." He turned to look at her. "Is it all right?"

"The two of you?"

Giles nodded.

"Yeah, it's all right. No reason for all of us to be lonely. Besides I know she didn't mean it. I believe her when she says she didn't know what would happen."

"I know, but if she'd been honest we might have been able to research it, prevent it from happening."

Buffy smiled her self-deprecating grin. "Right. So I could spend the rest of my life with a boyfriend who I can't touch. That would have been a fairy tale come true. No matter how you sliced it, Giles, this was not going to end up happy."

"No, I suppose that's true enough, but I'm still sorry."

"I know you are. And it makes a difference that I know you really mean that. I keep catching Xander doing happy Snoopy dances. I can't tell you how much it's bugging me."

Giles bit back a smile. "Yes, well, Xander was never very fond of Angel."

Buffy snorted. "Understatement much?"

Giles did smile at that. One of his fast smiles that was gone almost as soon as it appeared. "So, you really don't mind about Jenny and me being back together?"

Buffy shook her head. "I really don't mind." She pushed off the table into a standing position. "Just make sure that in all of the excitement that you don't forget that you're my Watcher."

Giles stood as well and looked down at her. "I never forget that. Ever."

Buffy gave him a solemn look and then she nodded. Pointing to the hallway she spoke. "I gotta get to class."

Giles looked up at the clock. "Yes, you'd better hurry, or you'll be late." He smiled at her. "I'll see you later? For training?"

Buffy's nod this time was much cockier. "After my last class. I'll bring the music."

Giles made a face at her. "Must you?"

"I must."

Giles let out a long-suffering sigh and Buffy grinned at him. Spinning on her heels she headed off to her class. Giles watched her go and for a brief moment in time was grateful to feel that all was well with his world.

End of Part 1