Willow gazed at her hand with a smile on her face. She hadn't stopped looking at the ring on her finger since Giles had slipped it on after she had agreed to marry him. He was asleep now, his body curved around hers, an arm resting on her stomach. The sunlight had just begun streaming through the window, and she held her hand up to allow the diamond to catch the light.
"It is real, you know." Giles mumbled sleepily as he opened his eyes to find her staring at the ring.
"I know it's real." Willow protested, slapping his arm lightly. "I just can't believe that this is real."
"This?" Giles questioned, forcing himself to wake up properly.
"You and me." Willow explained. "Getting married."
"That is most certainly real." Giles tightened his arm around her. "Unless you've changed your mind?"
"Of course not." Willow slapped him harder this time. "It's just a lot to happen in a few days."
"I know." He lifted his head from the pillow and kissed her hair. "We don't have to get married straight way."
"You getting cold feet?" Willow teased.
"I'd marry you tomorrow if I could." Giles spoke lightly but she could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"We haven't even told Buffy and Xander yet." Willow laughed, imagining their responses. "Or my parents." Her laughter died.
"Your father doesn't have a shotgun, does he?" Giles questioned, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
"Oh, I think you're safe." Willow smiled up at him. "From my father at least. You've met my mother?"
"I've had that...ah...pleasure." Giles confirmed.
"This is going to be like one long case study for her." Willow sighed miserably. "It's all I've ever been to her."
"She's a fool." Giles assured her. "I don't suppose I should say that about my future mother-in-law, should I?"
"Not a good idea." Willow scrunched up her face in thought. "Not to her face, anyway." She amended.
"We'll have to go and tell them. In fact, I should have asked your father for permission." The thought seemed to trouble Giles.
"I don't need my parents' permission to marry the man I love." Willow's eyes were defiant, and Giles recognised the beginning of the 'resolve face'.
"That's why I asked you first. I didn't want to risk your wrath."
"That's the idea, Rupert. Keep that up, and we'll have a long and happy marriage." Willow smiled before giving into a yawn.
"I think we better get some more sleep, especially if we're going to tell Buffy and Xander tomorrow." Giles held her tighter.
"And my parents." Willow reminded him.
"And your parents." Giles conceeded. "We could always elope." He suggested cheerfully, but Willow was already asleep.
Part 2
Willow and Giles pottered around the apartment contentedly, replacing the books that had been left scattered around after the frantic research session the night before. After Willow had been rescued from Johann, neither of them had been in the mood for tidying, and the mess seemed to look worse in the daylight. Suddenly the door flew open and Buffy burst in.
"Hi guys." She came to a stop in front of Willow. Willow was wearing one of Giles's shirts and very little else.
"Doors are there for a purpose, Buffy." Giles's tone was one of mild annoyance mixed with amusement.
"Huh?" Buffy gave him a puzzled stare before shaking her head and turning back to Willow. "I brought you some clothes." Buffy held out a bag. "Looks like you need them."
"Thanks." Willow blushed as she reached for the bag.
"Nice ring." Buffy commented absently, as she handed over the bag. Suddenly the position of the ring filtered into her brain, and her head spun around in a movement that would have given a non-slayer whiplash. "Willow." Buffy's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Er...yes...it's nice isn't it." Willow's blush deepened and she looked to Giles for support. He was suddenly finding the pattern on the carpet terribly interesting.
"Is that what I think it is?" Buffy asked, pointing to the ring.
"Yes. That is if you think it's a ring, because that's what it is, you know?" Willow paused for breath before continuing. "It's a nice ring, too. I like rings, do you like rings too, Buffy?" Willow finished with a hopeful look on her face.
"It's an engagement ring?" Buffy knew the answer before she asked the question.
"Yes." Willow whispered.
"Okay. Run this by me again. You and Giles are getting married? You've only been together for a few days." Buffy turned to Giles. "What happened to Mr Caution?"
"I realised how much I love Willow." Giles told her simply, reaching out for Willow's hand.
"But marriage? That's kinda final." Buffy persisted.
"You can get divorced, you know." Willow interrupted, before realising that this probably wasn't the best thing to say. Buffy and Giles turned to stare at her. "I don't mean that we will, because we love each other, but you're making it sound like death." Willow clarified her position, giving Giles a small smile.
"Yes, well." Giles pushed his glasses further up his nose. "What Willow was attempting to say is that we're both very much in love, and we want to get married."
"Have you told your parents?" Buffy's face lit up in triumph as she found a potential stumbling block. "They're not gonna be happy."
"They'll have to deal." Willow mustered her resolve face, and smiled inwardly as Buffy seemed to deflate.
"What about Xander?" Buffy was never one to give up easily, and she certainly didn't plan on starting now.
"He'll have to deal as well. I'm going to get dressed." Willow retreated into the bathroom, leaving Giles to deal with an ever-so-slightly annoyed Slayer.
"Married huh?" Buffy flopped onto the couch. "It'll be kids next." Her face froze. "Tell me it's not that." She pleaded.
"What?" Giles asked, attempting to follow her train of thought. After a moment he realised. "No. Of course not. This is not a shotgun wedding."
"What's not a shotgun wedding?" Xander asked as he came through the door with Anya behind him.
"Ah. Hello Xander, Anya." Giles swallowed nervously and looked towards the bathroom door.
"Someone getting married?" Xander asked, failing to notice that all the colour had drained from Giles's face. "Where's Will? We came to check on her."
"She's getting dressed." Giles pointed towards the bathroom.
"So Buffy, Riley ask you to marry him?" Xander persisted with his earlier line of questioning.
"Not likely." Buffy snorted.
"So then that means that...oh no...you're not telling me that Giles and Willow...I need to sit down." Xander flopped down heavily next to Buffy.
"Is there a problem, Xander?" Willow emerged from the bathroom.
Part 3
"Problem? Why would there be a problem?" Xander shook his head. "My best friend is getting married to the guy who used to be the school Librarian. No problem at all."
"I'm glad you see it like that." Willow decided to ignore his tone and take his words at face value.
"Hey!" Xander protested. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Well, I know you wouldn't say anything to hurt me, would you Xander?" Willow asked sweetly, and Xander found himself nodding in agreement. "And it would hurt me if you said something nasty about Rupert and I getting married, wouldn't it, Xander?" Xander nodded once again, acknowledging the fact that Willow had backed him into a corner.
"Breakfast, anyone?" Giles came to Xander's aid.
"Let's go out." Buffy headed for the door. "We can have some real food."
"Yes, quite, because all my food is imaginary." Giles grabbed his keys and Willow's hand.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."
"The frightening thing is, I do." Giles shut the door behind him.
"Poor Rupert." Willow giggled squeezing his hand tightly.
"My life has its compensations." He replied, staring into her eyes.
"Like the sex." Anya nodded understandingly.
"Well....ah...yes." Giles blushed almost as much as Willow.
"Honey, please." Xander stared at Anya with wide eyes. "I've told you before, we don't talk about Willow and Giles having sex." Xander shuddered as he said the word.
"Oh, okay." Xander looked relieved. "You walk on ahead. I want to ask Willow what he's like." Willow, Giles and Xander all began spluttering at this, whilst Buffy went pale.
"Anya, do we need to have the 'polite conversation' conversation again?" Willow recovered first.
"I'm just taking an interest." Anya shrugged.
"Yes, well...oh look, here we are." Giles stopped in front of the coffee house.
"Come on then, I'm starving." Buffy pulled open the door.
"Busy night with Riley?" Anya asked as she followed her in.
"Anya..." Xander let the rest of the warning trail off.
"Okay, okay. No sex before breakfast." She sat down at the table. "Although, we did kinda break that rule this morning..."
"Too much information." This time it was Willow's turn to shudder.
"So..." Xander groped around for a new subject. "Why are you two getting married?"
"We love each other." Giles answered him, squeezing Willow's hand.
"Still, it's a pretty big step." Xander looked to both Buffy and Anya for support. Anya was busy coveting Willow's ring whilst Buffy had her nose stuck in a menu.
"It's a nice ring." Anya said finally. "It looks old."
"It is. It's been in my family for years." Giles took the menu from Buffy as the waitress came up.
"Willow?" A voice from behind them called. Willow's body stiffened and Giles let out a small groan.
"Hi mom." Willow plastered a smile on her face as she stood up.
Part 4
Xander smiled tightly and placed a hand on Anya's arm, silently begging her to be quiet. Buffy shot Willow a sympathetic look and stuck her head back in the menu.
"Shouldn't you be in a class or something?" Willow's mother gave her a quizzical look. "Did you cut your hair again?"
"I don't have a class this morning." Willow responded, gritting her teeth. "And my hair's been like this for a while."
"Oh, that's nice honey." Willow's mother smiled absently. "How are you, Xander?" Before he could respond she shifted her gaze to Buffy. "Bunny and Mr Giles too. Quite an outing."
"Yes mom." Willow gave her the resigned smile that she always saved for her parents. "And this is Anya, Xander's girlfriend." Willow turned towards Anya. "Anya, this is my mom."
"Pleased to meet you, Anya." Willow's mother cast her eyes over the group seated at the table. "Where's Oz, dear?"
Willow paled and Giles reached out a hand to steady her. "Oz left, mom." Willow said simply. "I left you a message."
"Oh dear." Willow's mother shook her head. "I get so many messages."
"That's okay, mom." Willow said with a look that indicated that it was anything but okay.
"Have you got a new young man?" Mrs Rosenberg smiled, convinced that she was being a good mother and taking an interest in her daughter's life.
"Young? Not exactly." Xander cut into the conversation and earned himself a swift kick from Giles.
"Excuse me, Xander?" Mrs Rosenberg smiled at him.
"I was...er...coughing, not speaking." Willow's old excuse was the only thing he could think of quickly.
"Oh." Mrs Rosenberg turned back to Willow. "You were saying, dear?"
"Actually I wanted to come by the house later and talk to you and Dad." Willow decided against telling her mother about her engagement in the middle of a busy coffee house.
"When are you planning on coming?" Mrs Rosenberg inquired. "Your father and I have a presentation to prepare for."
"It's kinda important." Willow persisted. "I'll stop by after my last class. About five?"
"If it's important, dear." Mrs Rosenberg reached out with her free hand and gave Willow a pat on the shoulder. "I must get going now, though. I only popped out for coffee." She indicated the tray with two plastic cups resting on it. "You know what your father's like if he doesn't get his coffee. Goodbye everyone."
"Okay." Willow reached up to kiss her mother on the cheek but Mrs Rosenberg had already turned away.
"That went well." Willow observed as she slipped back into her seat.
"It's a good job your mother is so unobservant." Giles squeezed her hand. "You were twisiting yout ring almost non-stop."
"I was?" Willow looked down at her hands and saw that she still was. "I've never been any good at deception."
"Which is just one of the reasons that I love you." Giles leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"Anyone else want to throw up?" Xander asked.
"Not now, Xander." Buffy chided. "Food's here. I ordered it while you were talking to your mom."
"Oh." Willow smiled slightly. "I'm not that hungry now."
"Don't let your mother upset you." Giles gave her hand another squeeze before releasing it to eat his breakfast.
"Yeah. You might as well wait until you tell her that you're marrying Giles." Xander added cheerfully.
"Thanks, Xander." Willow muttered.
"You're welcome." He smiled.
Part 5
Willow had struggled through her classes, her mind on the anticipated confrontation with her parents as opposed to anything the lecturers tried to impart. At five to five she found herself standing outside of her parents' front door, her right hand unconsciously squeezing and releasing Rupert's, her left hovering near the door.
"Are you going to knock?" Giles asked her.
"I don't know." Willow frowned. "I have a key, I could just let us in."
"It might be best to knock." Giles smiled down at her. "I should imagine my presence will be something of a shock."
"You're right." Willow hesitated momentarily before taking a deep breath and knocking, releasing Giles's hand as she did. After a few moments her mother opened the door.
"Oh." Sheila looked confused for a moment. "Is it five already?"
"Almost." Willow told her mother, used to her distracted manner.
"You should come in." Sheila waved the sheaf of papers she had brought to the door with her. "Oh, Mr Giles, you're here too."
"Yes...ah...yes." Giles followed Willow into the house.
"Is that Willow?" A voice called from the kitchen.
"Yes Dad, it's me." Willow answered
"It's nice to see you again honey." Ira responded, entering the room without actually looking up from his notes.
"You too, Dad." Willow gave him a brief smile.
"Ira, I don't think you know Mr Giles, do you?" Sheila sat next to her husband, leaving Willow and Giles to take the opposite couch.
"Mr Giles?" Ira looked up from his notes. "You were Willow's favourite teacher." He said to Giles.
"He was the librarian." Sheila corrected him, before turning back to Giles and Willow. "It seems like Willow sees more of you since she left school."
Giles coughed slightly, thinking just how much more of him Willow had seen since graduation. "Ah, well, yes." He managed to splutter out as he watched Willow's cheeks turn red.
"Why did you want to see us, honey?" Ira asked his daughter, he and his wife obviously oblivious to Willow's distress."
"I've got something to tell you." Willow held her breath as she looked into the mildly interested faces of her parents.
"Yes, dear." Sheila smiled at Willow and snuck a look at the clock. The act did not go unnoticed by either Willow or Giles.
"I'm...well you see...I'm...it's kinda funny...but not really...I don't know how to say this...um..."
"What Willow is attempting to tell you is that we're engaged." Giles cut in, saving Willow from her rambling. Willow looked up at him with awe in her eyes. His statement had been so confident, and she could hear his love in every word.
"You're what?" Ira recovered first.
"We're engaged." Willow held out her ring hand.
"No you're not." Ira stood up and began to pace. "You're not old enough to make these sort of decisions."
"I am!" Willow's eyes flashed with anger. "I love Rupert, and I'm marrying him."
"He's old enough to be your father, and he's not even Jewish." Ira was clenching and unclenching his fists.
"That doesn't matter!" Willow shot back before turning to her mother. "Mom, do you have anything to say?"
Sheila had been rendered momentarily speechless by Giles's announcement, and she struggled to regain control of her faculties. "Are you pregnant?" She finally asked.
"Pregnant?" Willow's father cut in before Willow could respond. "Of course she's not pregnant. Willow doesn't do things like that!" He snapped.
"Dad!" Willow blushed bright red. "No, I'm not pregnant."
"You're just looking for a father figure." Sheila nodded her head, as if attempting to convince herself.
"She has a father figure!" Ira turned towards his wife.
"You were never here, Ira, and don't pretend you were." Sheila got to her feet, now, and she and Ira glared angrily at each other.
"And you were?" Ira snapped.
"Come on." Willow pulled Giles to his feet. "Leave them to it."
"Are you sure?" Giles looked back into the room as they got to the door.
"They won't even notice we've gone." Willow told him as she shut the door behind them.
"How did you end up being you, living with them?" Giles pulled her into his arms.
"I brought myself up." Willow told him, smiling. "They were never there." The smile faded.
"Don't worry, we'll be there for our children." Giles kissed her gently.
"Our children?" Willow questioned.
"Oh, at least four or five." He teased.
"Rupert, when you can give birth to them, you can have five children." She smiled sweetly. "In the meantime, don't we need to practice?"
Giles violated several traffic laws on the way home.