Title: Jealousy
Author: Rari

RATING: FRT
PAIRING: B/G
SPOILERS: Oodles of them, season five, through episode 4 of season 6, including Notes section below so be forewarned
DISCLAIMER: It all belongs to Joss, the real king of the world, the WB, UPN, Fox, Mutant Enemy and anybody else who feels they own it. I'm just borrowing, lost in admiration, and then giving them back, memories wiped clean unless the characters specifically ask to keep a certain memory in which case I oblige.
SUMMARY: Spike watches Buffy and Giles together and misinterprets what he sees. Thinking Buffy and Giles are sweet on each other he starts planning on how he can break them up.
NOTES: This starts with the end of Life Serial, the scene when Giles gives Buffy the check.
FEEDBACK: Absolutely.

Jealousy: Part 1

Spike lit yet another cigarette. The ground around his feet was littered with cigarette butts. Since Buffy had come back this was where he spent most of his evenings. Watching over Buffy. Being sure he was available when she wanted to talk. Making sure he was available if and when she decided she wanted to do more than talk. He figured that was just a matter of time now.

He watched through the bedroom window, saw Giles and Buffy talking. Spike scowled. Granted his and Buffy's first night out on the town hadn't gone great. Still, he didn't know why she was spending so much time with Giles. Not when he was out here, perfectly willing to spend time with her. After all, he was the only one who really knew what she was going through, he was the only one she had confided in. It irked Spike no end that she was up there with Giles instead of down here with him.

He took a long drag and blew out several smoke rings. He watched as they slowly dissipated in the night air. Then his eyes narrowed. Giles had his hand on Buffy's shoulder. And he looked a little too comfortable touching her for Spike's piece of mind. Spike watched the scene unfold, his jealousy filling in all the conversation he couldn't hear. He watched as Buffy looked up at Giles with an adoring gaze, Giles smiling softly back. Giles hurrying to assist her up, his hands sliding up her arms. It was clear Buffy couldn't get enough of him. She kept sending him loving looks. She left the bedroom and Giles just kept staring, standing still, clearly bereft at her absence.

"Bloody hell." Spike threw his cigarette down and ground it into unrecognizable pulp, pretending it was Giles' head under his boot. "There is no friggin' way the two of them are getting together." He kicked the nearest tree. "Not when I'm so close to making Buffy mine. No friggin' way."

Spike swung around, his leather duster swirling dramatically around his ankles. Spike wasn't going to sit still for this. Riley had been bad enough. But Riley had been a kid, and a stupid one at that. Spike had easily found a way to help that fall apart. But Giles, that was a completely different story. If Buffy fell in love with Giles, Spike couldn't hope to compete. That would be for real, and it would be forever, and Spike planned to make sure it never happened. He turned around, walking backwards for a moment, and flipped both middle fingers towards the house, specifically aimed at Giles. "Say goodbye, Watcher." He grinned and turning around to face the direction he was walking in, he sauntered off, plans brewing in his mind.

***

Spike knew he was a little out of the loop these days. And he'd been threatened that very night at Willy's. But he walked right back in as if he owned the place. Once they knew why he was there no one would be laughing at him, or thinking that he wasn't good enough for them. Spike walked up to the bar and sat down, slapping his hand down loudly to get Willy's attention. "I'd like some service. Now."

Willy moved with some speed down to Spike, not overly pleased to see him. Thanks to Spike he already had a few angry clients who still hadn't rounded up all their kittens. Willy decided to take the path of least resistance and he just poured Spike a drink. Maybe Spike would just get drunk and be miserable in a corner somewhere.

Spike had other plans. He looked up at Willy. "I need an assassin. Any assassins in town? Anyone with the balls to take on an important assignment?" He drank his shot in a single swallow and slammed his glass down, signaling that he'd like another.

Willy filled his glass, thinking for a moment. "Funny you should mention that. My cousin Frank just called to let me know about something he's pulled together."

Spike rolled his eyes. "I'm not interested in anything your cousin or anyone even remotely related to you is doing. I need someone proficient."

Willy raised both hands, as if to surrender. "No, really. This will be perfect for you. He's put together, you know, sort of a union, for demons that can do magic. Bad magic." He started wiping down the bar. "They're all experienced at…whatever you want, but they’ve been having problems cuz nobody's heard of them. So, my cousin came up with this idea, a way to band them all together so he can get the word out. If you work with him, you'll get all these demons working for you. They'll off anyone you want, for a fee."

Spike pursed his lips. He liked the irony of using magic to get rid of Giles. "How many demons?"

"I think he said there were around fifty of them and they all do different stuff. Kind of like a magic whorehouse." Willy let loose with a painfully loud and slightly desperate laugh. At the look on Spike's face he shut up. "See, you go and check them all out and decide on the ones you want to use. They sort of individualize the plan based on what you want to get done and the way you want it done, you know, torture, killing, revenge." Willy filled Spike's glass again. 'Personally, I think it's an idea whose time has come. If I had someone I wanted dead, I'd use them in a heartbeat." Willy realized his awkward choice of words. "Or whatever."

Spike looked at Willy and narrowed his eyes. "If you've steered me wrong I'll find my own assassin and send him after you. You know that, right?"

Willy put his hand to his chest in dismay. "Have I ever steered you wrong? It's my cousin. I can vouch for him."

Spike scowled. "Give me his number." Willy wrote the number on a scrap piece of paper. As soon as Spike left Willy picked up the phone to call his cousin and give him a heads up.

***

Spike was grinning when he finished his meeting with Frank. He patted his pocket as he headed back into Sunnydale. The contract was all signed, signatures intact, the ruination of one Rupert Giles securely in hand. He hadn't actually chosen any specific spells yet. Spike had to do a little research, figure out exactly where to jab and then turn the knife. He knew this thing between Buffy and Giles was new, and therefore it was vulnerable and there was no one better at taking advantage of vulnerable than William the Bloody.

Looking at his watch he realized that Buffy was probably already patrolling. He headed for her most likely spot. Sure enough, she was there. "Slayer."

Buffy looked up from the vampire she was punching. "Hey Spike." She went back to business with a couple of lefts and then a right. Then she finished him off with a good staking. "Poof." She dusted her hands off. "I love that, how vampires go poof. I wish demons would go poof. It would make clean up so much easier."

She started to stroll and Spike moved alongside her, keeping her company. Spike mentally tossed around a couple of ideas, trying to figure out where to start trying to find their weak points. He decided to go for the frontal attack. "So, you and Giles looked sort of tight last night."

Buffy stopped and turned to Spike. "Oh my God, there is nothing I would not do for that man." Spike scowled. Buffy continued. "He gave me so much money. I can't even believe it."

Spike's jaw dropped. Giles was paying Buffy to have sex with him? Spike would never have believed that Giles would stoop to that, or that Buffy would agree to it. Spike mentally cursed. He wished he'd thought of it first. Damn. "A lot, hmmm?"

"He is like a god." She started walking again. "I mean, yesterday, I'm thinking foreclosure. Today, redecorating. Except for a few things here and there, life is looking pretty okay today."

Spike muttered under his breath. "Yeah, except for being a whore." Actually Spike had no problem with Buffy being a whore. It meant there weren't serious emotions involved. This time he spoke louder. "So, check's in the bank, all nicely cashed?"

"Oh yeah. I was waiting at the door when the bank opened this morning."

They walked in silence for a while. "What do you think about when you're shagging your Watcher?"

Buffy stopped, her eyes wide. "What?"

"Your Watcher, shagging, your thoughts."

"How about eewww." Buffy made a face, and then she shivered. "Let's go back to talking about the money."

Spike grinned. That was his cue. First spell coming right up. A little honesty spell for Buffy. Spike wished he could be there when Giles made the moves on Buffy tomorrow night. He had to bite his upper lip to keep from laughing out loud. A few hours of Buffy telling the truth about how she really felt about shagging dear old Rupert would have him on the first plane home to England with his tail between his legs. This would be like taking candy from a baby. After patrol Spike headed off to Willy's to put in his first order.

***

The next evening Buffy and Giles headed out to patrol. They picked a quiet cemetery to start with. They were enjoying the silence, not feeling the need to talk. Then Buffy suddenly stumbled. Giles reached out a hand to steady her. "Are you all right?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah, I just felt way dizzy there for a second."

Giles pointed to a nearby bench. "Would you like to sit for a minute?"

"Might be a good idea." They both went and sat down, again in a companionable silence. Then Giles let out a sigh. Buffy flashed him a rueful smile. "Uh oh, my Watcher has something on his mind. What is it?"

Giles returned her rueful smile with a sheepish one. "Well, I know it's really none of my business." He paused and then rushed into the rest of it. "I'm just a little concerned because you're not quite yourself and I think you're feeling a little vulnerable and I would hate for you to do anything that would have dangerous repercussions."

Buffy poked Giles on the arm. "Come on, I'm getting old here. Ask the question."

Giles blew out a breath, and then he asked. "How did your meeting with Angel really go? What happened?"

Buffy opened her mouth intending to essentially blow the question off with some reassuring answer but instead found herself telling Giles the truth. "It was awful." She looked up at Giles. "I mean, here is this guy I have loved, like forever. Handsome, strong, caring, I mean, not counting the Angelus part." She sent an apologetic look at Giles. "I loved him so much I was blind to everything. Blind to how he was screwing up my life, even when he wasn't Angelus. And then when he turned, I was blind to how much he was screwing up everybody's life." She blew out a big breath. "Especially yours."

She stood, needing to move while she talked. "I so didn't get it. I was young, I get that, and stupid, I get that too. But how many years has it been now?" She started counting off years on her fingers. "Five, six years? Six years of drama. Six years of shoving him in your face, shoving him in everyone's face." As Giles began to speak Buffy waved him off. "No, you don't need to say anything. I know you don't hate me for it. You never have, a fact that astonishes me by the way, but I know it's true. I know that you just wanted what was best for me. You always have."

"So, here we are, me and Angel, and I'm kind of feeling like my life is totally sucking right now. I'm hating being back, I'm hating being the Slayer, I'm hating Willow and the rest of them for what they did, I'm hating being so broke, I'm hating being responsible for Dawn, just plain hating everything. And then I go see Angel. And as we sat there looking at each other there's only one thought going through my mind."

Giles looked at her. "What thought?"

"That I need this like a hole in the head. Like my life doesn't suck enough that I need to throw Angel in the mix and make it suck even more. It felt like a joke. I so don't want that in my life anymore. So I got up and left. And that was that." She grinned at Giles. "Feel better now?"

Giles tilted his head to the side. "Yes, I suppose I do, at least about Angel, but…"

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "But…?"

"Are you really that unhappy? Does everything in your life…well…suck that much?"

"Giles, the only thing in my life that doesn't suck is you. You are the only person I feel comfortable with, that I want to be with, that I feel is truly looking out for my welfare without some hidden agenda. You make me happy. Having you here makes me happy. Being without you, having you be in England, that sucked."

Giles went quite still and looked at Buffy, his eyes wide. He felt a warm flush flow through his body at her words. "Really? You really feel that way?"

Buffy sat down next to him. "Giles, without you as my Watcher, I would have gone crazy. You are the single most important person in the world to me. You have been for a long time. There is no way I could do this without you. Please, don't ever make me try."

"I had no idea you…"

"That I felt that way? I know, I'm not big on the letting you know how much I love you thing. Sorry about that."

Giles was momentarily speechless. So, he just hugged Buffy. And she hugged him back. When he pulled back he smiled at her. "Buffy, being your Watcher has been the most meaningful and amazing experience of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am so proud of you, I always have been, and it has been my pleasure to stand by your side as you have grown up from a teenager to this lovely young woman sitting here beside me. I consider myself to be the fortunate one."

Buffy's eyes got a little moist and she gave Giles a shaky smile. "Wow. Bunches of sentences strung together filled with goodness, about me. Wow." Giles smiled back and in a moment they stood to start patrolling again. Both their spirits lighter, they spent the rest of the evening, in between battling vampires, discussing how Buffy planned to spend her money and how she was going to get Dawn to do her homework.

When Buffy and Giles got home that night, after a brief hug good night, they both slept better than they had for days, and they both fell asleep with a smile on their face.

End of Part 1