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Title: A Mile In His Moccasins 26/26 That night passed merrily with the Scoobies. Everybody ate too much pizza - including Buffy who found herself remarkably hungry on her return to her own body. She limited herself to only one beer, however. The Slayer metabolism that allowed her to keep trim on a high calorie diet and to heal at astonishing speed had the unfortunate side effect of lowering her resistance to alcohol. Still, she had plenty to be thankful for, she decided. She was alive and well and herself again, Giles was home with her and his eyesight had already improved, Dawn was rapidly losing the angry, slightly desperate edge that had been her trademark for so long, and Willow and Tara were talking again. She began to wonder how she had gone so long without appreciating the miracles around her. Giles smiled warmly at her. He reached over with a napkin to wipe a stray bit of cheese from the side of her lip as she leaned in to steal a kiss. Xander made a rude sound and told them to get a room. "Xand!" Willow admonished him. "What? I'm kidding," Xander said. "You know me, I kid. So, Buffy, Giles, when's the wedding?" he joked. "As soon as I get my affairs in England settled," Giles informed the room calmly. "That is, unless Buffy wants to wait." "Why wait?" Buffy asked. "We're not getting any younger. I say let's do this thing." The Scoobies stared with their mouths open, except for Dawn who grinned wider than the Cheshire Cat. Even Mrs. Wilmot looked surprised. At last Willow gave a shriek of joy. "Really? No way, you guys are really gonna do it? Get married?" "Sure are, oh maid of honor," Buffy grinned. Xander continued to stare, shellshocked. "You guys aren't kidding, are you?" he asked at last. "We're not kidding," Giles confirmed. "And it's really gonna be as soon as you can do it?" "Yup," Buffy agreed. "Are you gonna be cool with this?" A dangerous grin spread across Xander's face. "Can I plan the bachelor's party?" Buffy and Giles looked dubiously at one another. A few changes of expression later, Giles turned to Xander. "You may plan the bachelor's party - so long as you keep it within reason," "What's within reason?" "No hookers, no strippers, no cigars, and minimum booze," Buffy ordered. "That sounds quite reasonable," Anya agreed. "Excuse me, but I believe this is my bachelor's party we're planning," Giles objected. "I agree to no strippers, hookers, or cigars, since I don't want any of those, but I reserve the right to get stinking drunk if I so desire." "Darn tootin'!" Xander added. Buffy glared at Giles, signaling her disapproval. Giles returned her look with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips. At last Buffy backed down with a grudging look. "Okay, okay, you can drink like a fish if you want," Buffy agreed. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to kill things and make the world safe for humanity. Coming, Giles?" "Of course," he replied. As soon as the two were out the door, the rest of the Scoobies huddled closer together. They had wedding night pranks to plan. They were all amazed at how fiendish Mrs. Wilmot could be. ***** It was a quiet night on patrol. Buffy and Giles had wandered through four graveyards without encountering a single vampire, demon, or necking couple. They decided to take a turn through Weatherly Park before returning home. That was when their luck changed. A woman, huddled in terror, was being pinned against a picnic table by a scaly demon. Buffy recognized it immediately as the one who had zapped her and Giles a few nights before. The beast had its back to them. Buffy gestured to Giles that he should move left while she took the right flank. Giles drew a sword silently from its sheath. He nodded to Buffy. She moved boldly into the creature's line of vision. "Hey! Scaly!" she called. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The demon unfolded to its full height. It stood nearly seven feet tall. It hissed and extended a claw at Buffy. She rolled swiftly, barely managing to duck the bolt of magic that spat forth from the beasts' claw. Before the creature could regroup. Giles had swung his sword in a wide arc. The blade sliced cleanly through the demon's neck and sent its head tumbling to the ground. A moment later, the rest of the body followed with a loud thump. "Huh," Buffy said. "I guess the bigger they are, the harder they fall." She and Giles turned their attention to the terrified woman at the table. "Are you alright?" Giles asked. "I - I think so," the woman said. "What was that?" Buffy and Giles looked at one another. At last, Buffy spoke. "A...stunt man. We're rehearsing for a new independent horror film, called...uh..." "Sunnydale Swamp Creatures," Giles supplied with an ingratiating smile. "Well...we'd better make sure Fred here is okay," Buffy added. "What with the...stunt and all. We'll take it from here. You don't have to stay." The woman backed off slowly, then turned and broke into a run. As soon as she was gone, Giles turned to Buffy. "An independent horror film?" "It wasn't so bad until you came out with that lame title." "Well what did you expect? I thought I did pretty well for the spur of the moment." Buffy shook her head. "You are so out of excuse practice. How are you on grave digging detail?" "I beheaded it. I rather think it's your job to bury the damn thing." "Hey, I was decoy. That should earn hazard pay." The pair bickered amicably as they disposed of the defunct demon. ***** The next couple of months passed in a whirl for Buffy. Xander and Anya were married successfully, despite the attempt of a demon to ruin their big day. Giles' treatments continued daily for a week, after which Tara was taught how to make the poultices and told to administer them once a week until Giles' eyesight was fully restored. The regimen was so successful that soon Giles only needed glasses when he was reading. He and Buffy were both pleased with the result; Buffy because she got to see Giles' eyes more fully more often, and Giles because, while he appreciated the clear vision tremendously, he never quite knew what to do with his hands if he didn't have glasses to use as a prop. Within a few weeks, Willow and Tara began to date again. Everyone had high hopes that this time they could make it work. Mrs. Wilmot returned home, but promised to come back for Buffy and Giles' wedding. Despite the rocky start they'd all gotten off to, everyone was sorry to see her go. Spike showed up sporadically for a few weeks, but once he was certain Buffy was serious in her refusal to see him, he disappeared. Rumor had it that he was on his way to Prague and that Drusilla had been sighted there. Buffy wasn't sure whether to hope Spike found her or not. Buffy spent a week in abject misery when Giles had to go back to England to make suitable arrangements for his permanent return to Sunnydale. Since he was to go back as her Watcher, the Council did all in their considerable power to speed things along. What ought to have taken several weeks, was accomplished in one. When Giles came home, he and Buffy spent a whirlwind two weeks organizing their wedding. The affair was kept quite small; virtually Scooby only. The honeymoon destination was kept secret from even the best man - Xander, and the maid of honor - Willow. The honeymoon suite was prank free. ***** Quentin Travers sat at his desk going through his morning mail. He methodically dealt with Council business from all over the world. One query after another was answered. One dispatch after another read. At last there was only one piece of mail unopened: a small package from Sunnydale. Travers wondered what on earth Giles could have sent him. Remembering his reception the last time he was in Sunnydale, he considered asking the bomb squad to take a look at it. At last, he gingerly opened the package himself. Inside was a smaller box, an envelope, and something wrapped in bright pink tissue. He decided to start with the box. Inside that was a small slice of cake, such as might be served at a wedding. Travers wondered at the meaning. He opened the tissue-wrapped package. Inside that was a small silver picture frame. Inside the frame was a photograph of the Slayer and her Watcher in formalwear looking entirely too affectionate. Travers turned to the envelope, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be what he thought it was. It was what he feared. A wedding announcement for Buffy and Rupert Giles who had been married a week ago. A personal note had been added to the bottom of the card. Quentin (it read), We couldn't have done this without you. Thank you for all your help. RG ps: Buffy sends her usual regards. The color drained from Travers' face. In the entire history of the Watcher's Council, a Watcher had never openly married his Slayer. He poured himself a stiff drink. ***** Buffy lay in bed drawing lazy circles on her husband's bare chest. "I wish we could stay here another day or two," she sighed. "This has been of the blissful." Giles pressed a light kiss to her forehead. "I wish we could stay here forever, but we can't." "I know. Lots of responsibilities to resume. And I'm ready to resume them. Besides, I start my new job next week, remember?" "My wife, the aerobics instructor. Are you going to play that appalling noise you call music for classes?" "Anyone who actually owns Bay City Roller albums does not get the right to criticize my taste in music." "We still have a few hours of honeymoon left. Are we really going to spend them arguing about music?" Buffy shrugged. "That or something else...unless you have any better ideas...?" Giles growled and rolled atop Buffy. She shrieked with laughter. Moments later, the room was filled with the sound of Buffy squeaking.
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