The loneliness of the night pressed down upon her as she waited for them to come back from patrol, she had been left behind due to the injury she had suffered the night before.

“Darn ankle,” Willow muttered, looking at the offending limb with disgust. It wasn’t like she meant to trip over the slightly exposed tree root. She was running from a vampire that Buffy hadn’t been able to get too, it wasn’t her fault she hadn’t seen the root before it was too late to stop. It was dark after all. Of course Giles had come to her rescue and had hovered around her until the vampire situation had been taken care of.

Who was she to pooh-pooh Giles’ offer of assistance? Not her, she wasn’t going to tell him that she didn’t want his help, as he carried her to his car, asking her all the while if she was hurt anywhere else.

‘Nope, not me,’ she blushed as she thought back to how safe she felt in his arms.

She had known for quite sometime that her whole world had become focused on the librarian. And that she would die if he ever found out about what she believed he would think of as a schoolgirl crush. Granted she was still in high school, but that didn’t make her feelings for him any less important than had she’d been, say a freshman... or junior in college. Had a master’s degree... was ten years older.

She’d planned to tell him one day exactly how much she cared for him.

She really didn’t care, well, not much... okay, she was out of her mind with worry of what Buffy and Xander would say, if or when they ever found out.

After all, she had the hots for Buffy’s Watcher. What could Buffy think, besides the eww factor times ten? She couldn’t help the dreams she had of him, dreams she’d never repeat to anyone under penalty of death.

‘Okay, maybe that’s a little too strong,’ she mused. She sighed; he’d never see her as anything but... Willow. Plain old Willow.

‘I’m probably not even a blip on his radar screen.’

“I’m just going to get Willow, are you sure I couldn’t offer you a ride home?” Giles asked Buffy and Xander.

“Nah, I’m just going to do another sweep, then I’ll head in,” the teenager replied.

“Xander?”

“I’ll stick with the Buffster, thanks anyway. Tell Wills I see her tomorrow,” Xander said.

“Of course, be careful. I know I say that more times than you can count,” Giles said as he saw Buffy roll her eyes. “But... I would be very put out if something happened to either one of you. Besides, how would I explain it to Willow?”

“You’re all heart G-man,” Xander told him.

“See you later Giles.”

“Goodbye,” he said as he watched his charge and her friend walk down the street.

“Willow... Willow, it’s me Giles. It’s time to go,” he whispered as he found the red head fast asleep on his couch. He wondered what she was dreaming; the smile on her face led him to believe that it was a good one.

‘She’s probably dreaming of Xander,’ he thought, as a grimace crossed his features. It was plain to everyone, except Xander that Willow was in love with him, Giles shook his head as he thought of the foolishness of the boy. ‘How can he not see it?’ he wondered. He was about to call to her again, when her voice stopped him.

“Of course I love you Rupert.”

He pulled back, no; he hadn’t heard her say that... ‘Did she say that? No, she wouldn’t... would she?’ he wondered.

“Don’t make me beg,” Willow said, a pout appearing on her face.

His eyebrows practically left his face as they arched upwards. ‘Beg? For what?’

“Oh... if I must. Please... please kiss me Rupert,” she said, a huskiness coloring her voice.

“Oh lord,” he whispered.

“Please...”

“Willow... Willow.”

“Rupert?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

Her eyes opened, frowning when she didn’t see him at first, then as she turned, and her face lit up. She reached up, pulling him down closer and proceeded to kiss him. He tried to pull back, which in turn made her hold on tighter. He groaned as he felt her nibbling on his bottom lip, unable to resist he returned the kiss.

Before he knew it, Willow’s hand fell from his neck, and her lips became unresponsive. He pulled back and to his horror realized that she was still asleep. The kiss that had left him breathless was a part of her dream.

Moving away from her, he stood back, his face coloring with embarrassment and shame. He had taken advantage of her, and he had no excuse for it.

“Willow... wake up,” he said loudly. He needed to take her home before he did anything else.

“What?”

“It’s time to go home,” he told her, stepping no closer to the red haired beauty.

“I’m sorry Giles, I must have fallen asleep,” Willow replied, shaking her head.

“That... that’s quite alright. Buffy and Xander decided to do one last patrol...” he explained.

“Oh... okay,” she said.

“Well, before I forget, Xander said he’d meet you tomorrow,” Giles said as he escorted Willow to her home.

“Thanks Giles,” she replied, as she took out her keys. Arriving at the door, she opened it.

“Goodnight Willow,” he said standing off to the side of her. He was trying to keep his distance from her.

“Goodnight Giles,” Willow told him as she stepped into her house. She watched as he turned around and headed back to his car. “Giles!” He turned around to face her.

“Yes Willow? Did you forget something?” he asked.

“No... I just wanted to say... I wasn’t sleeping... a little scared, but not asleep,” she told him and quickly closed the door.

It took him a few seconds for her comments to sink into his consciousness. He took a few steps back to the door when he stopped in his tracks. ‘She wasn’t asleep,’ he kept telling himself. He wondered what tomorrow would bring, as he headed to his car.

The End.

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