MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Laura Smith
Giles parked the car and looked up at the edifice in front of them with a growing horror. Willow glanced over at him and laughed. "Come on, Rupert. It's just a mall."
"But all the children and teenagers…"
"You deal with teenagers every day. You're a strong man, I promise a couple of hours in the mall isn't going to kill you." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "It may even earn you a reward."
His eyebrows raised slightly. "Well, then. Let's go shopping."
*****
Willow casually strolled down the mall's main thoroughfare. She'd forgotten in the past few years what it was like to be just a teenager who had no idea that vampires were real and thought that malls were just for shopping. She could see Giles scanning the area looking for danger at every turn. She reached over to take his hand, surprised when he pulled it away.
"Not here, love."
"Why not here?" She stopped walking and turned to face him.
"There may be students, faculty. We chance things enough as it is, I'd hate to…"
"Never mind. You've said enough." She smiled angrily. "All right. You don't have to worry. No one will know we're a couple."
He sighed, knowing he'd angered her. Sometimes, for someone so smart, she seemed deliberately obtuse. He watched her walk away for a moment before following her into the jewelry store that had been their original destination.
Willow walked along the cases, her eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure exactly why he wanted to keep things so secretive. He hadn't told her to keep the engagement from anyone and she wasn't sure she wanted to know what he planned to do once they were married. She stopped in front of the wedding ring display.
"Hello Miss."
She looked up at the clerk. "Oh, hello."
"Looking for that perfect ring?"
"Something like that." She felt Giles join her. "I'm not sure what exactly I want."
The clerk nodded, casting a quick look at Giles. "You must be her father?"
Before he could respond, Willow smiled. "Yes. Daddy here has agreed to pay for Rupert's ring. Me being so young and all, I couldn't manage the responsibility of something so important." She giggled. "Although, it's not as though I were saving the world, is it?"
The clerk laughed along with her. "How nice to have a father that cares so much."
"Oh yes, Daddy can't refuse me anything, can he?" She smiled up at him, her eyes shining with mischief.
Giles leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Carrying the Scarlett O'Hara a bit far, aren't you?" he whispered softly. Aloud, he agreed. "Oh, no. Anything for my little pumpkin."
Willow tried not to laugh. She sat in front of the display case and looked at the rings in earnest. Glancing quickly at the clerk, she smiled. "Why don't you go ahead and help some others? I'll call you over when I've made a choice or two."
She nodded and left them alone. Rupert sat next to her. "All right, I suppose I've learned my lesson."
"No. I don't think you have." She refused to look at him, instead gazing down at the assortment of rings. "Do you have a particular style you like?"
"Don't you want one of those…sets? Or whatever they're called?"
"No." She met his eyes and smiled. "I want our rings to match. I want everyone to know that we belong together." Thinking for a moment, she sighed. "But I suppose you don't."
"What?" He took her hand, "Why would you think that, Willow?"
"You're ashamed to be walking through the mall with me, why would you want everyone to know we're married?"
"I'm not ashamed. I could never be ashamed of you. I would think, if anything, you'd be embarrassed by the dottering old fool following you around like a lovesick puppy. I would just hate for there to be a backlash against either of us. You've only been out of high school for six months. Respectability would demand that I wait at least a year before seducing one of my…students, for lack of a better word."
"I seduced you. What does respectability have to say about that?"
"Respectability probably went and hid its head in the sand about then." He stroked her hair back from her face. "I'm not ashamed of us, Willow. I just don't think it's prudent to flaunt it either. Perhaps it's just the English in me."
"Or perhaps you're just not sure." She turned back to the rings, her heart heavy.
He was about to respond when the clerk returned to them. Willow smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She pointed to a couple of the rings and modeled them. A soft swelling of pride filled his heart as he watched her. She tried on one that was woven with white and yellow gold. He took her hand and held it up to the light. "This one I think."
Tears came to her eyes. She liked it too. "You think Rupert will like this one, Daddy?"
His look promised retribution. Mindful of the clerk, he nodded. "I think Rupert will indeed like that one."
Taking the ring from her, the clerk went to get some paperwork. Giles leaned over and whispered softly in Willow's ear, "I think Rupert is likely to take you home and spank you for being so naughty."
Her breath sped up and he grinned.
"Then he's likely to imbed his cock so deep inside you, you won't be able to walk properly for a month."
"We're definitely taking that ring." Willow's voice was breathy, her arousal obvious. When the clerk returned, she gestured toward Giles. "Could he try on the man's ring? His fingers are the same size as Rupert's and I do want it to be a surprise for him."
"Certainly." She held out the ring to Giles and he let Willow slip it on his finger. Her eyes gazed up at him with such passion; it took all his restraint not to kiss her right there. That would certainly give the clerk a surprise.
"I think you should take it, Willow. Rupert's going to love it."
"Done." She took the paperwork from the clerk and started filling it out. "I love shopping."
*****
"We're finished, right? I mean, I'm sure that there is some dire emergency or prophecy that requires my immediate attention. Buffy needs training and there are books to shelve and…"
Willow shook her head. "We have a few more stops."
"Willow…"
"You sound like Xander. Stop whining."
He did as she said. He followed a few steps behind her, listening to the hubbub surrounding them. He stopped suddenly when he saw Buffy's mother.
"Willow. Mr. Giles. Hello."
"Hi, Ms. Summers. What brings you here?" Willow tried not to look nervous. Buffy had yet to tell her mother about her relationship with Giles.
"Nothing much. I was just looking for a few things for Buffy for Valentine's Day and I thought…Willow? Are you engaged?" She reached down for Willow's hand, not noticing the fear in the young girl's eyes. "Who's the lucky young man? Is it Xander? I always thought you two made the cutest couple, even though he did seem a bit…is it Xander?"
"Uhm, no, Ms. Summers. It's…"
"Joyce, how have you been?"
She looked up, startled. "Are you all right, Mr. Giles?"
"Of course, why do you ask?"
"You're not stammering. I think this is the first conversation we've had since the…incident where you haven't blushed and stuttered your foot into your mouth."
"Ah, yes, well…um, you see…"
"I spoke too soon." She smiled, taking any sting out of her words. "Perhaps we could have coffee sometime, now that the, shall we say, awkwardness has past?"
"That would be…nice." He glanced at his watch. "Oh my, look at the time. Willow, we really must get those things for this evening. Buffy may need them."
"Right." Willow nodded, practically hissing through her clenched teeth. "Tonight." Forcing herself to calm down, she smiled at Buffy's mother. "Night Ms. Summers."
"Goodnight, Willow. Mr…Rupert."
"Joyce."
*****
"You were flirting with her."
"I was doing no such thing."
"What would you call it?" Willow grabbed his arm and pulled him into one of the many back employee hallways. "Perhaps we'll have coffee," she sneered.
"I was being polite."
"You were flirting. I mean, it's bad enough that you…you…"
"I what?" He growled.
"You slept with her."
"I did no such thing."
"You're denying it?" She folded her arms across her chest. "That's rich."
"I simply said I didn't sleep." He regretted the words the moment they left him. Her face fell, even the anger gone. "Willow…"
She brushed past him and left the hallway. Continuing down the mall, she noticed as store and stopped. Looking back over her shoulder to make sure he was following her, she grinned evilly and walked inside.
Giles froze. He looked inside the store, trying to appear casual. He couldn't see her. Looking around to make sure no one he knew was watching, he took a deep breath and ducked into the store.
Lingerie of every size, shape, color and description surrounded him. He pushed his way to the back of the store to find her.
Willow grabbed the scantiest thing she could find and snuck up behind him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held it in front of his face. "Do you think this would look good on me? Daddy?"
*****
Giles felt the blush suffuse his skin. Both salesclerks looked up at her question. He swallowed. "Willow," he whispered.
"It's okay Daddy, you can tell me. Or would you rather I model it?" She pressed her breasts tightly against his back. "You could pick out some that you like and I could model them for you. Mum shouldn't mind."
"Willow!" He pulled away from her and glared back at her. "Far enough."
She hung the garment back on the rack and walked past him. The salesclerk gave him an odd look before turning to Willow. "Can I help you find anything in particular today?"
"Oh, no. I'm shopping for him. I don't suppose you carry larger sizes."
"That's enough." He pulled Willow into his arms and backed out of the store. "Thank you so much. It's time for her medication." Holding her struggling body against him, he carried her out of the store. "What the bloody hell has gotten into you?"
She started walking back the way they'd come. "I want to go home."
"I should hope so. I certainly don't think you're fit to be out in public right now."
"Better be careful Rupert, you're causing a scene." She tossed over her shoulder.
"I'm causing a scene? You're trying to get me arrested for incest and I'm causing a scene?" He grabbed her arm and made her face him. "You do realize the immense amount of trouble you could have gotten us both in?"
"Trouble? All we do is show them identification and we're fine. You're not my father." Her green eyes snapped. "You might like to think you are, but you're not. But maybe that's the only role you think you fit in my life, is that it? Or is it just easier for you to deal with it?"
"Deal with what?"
"The guilt!" she shouted. "Admit it! You feel guilty. You feel dirty because you're fucking a nineteen-year-old. You goddamn repressed British…" she broke into tears and ran down the hallway.
Giles paid no heed to the very interested crowd. Screw them. Let them think what they wanted. He took off after her, the look on his face warning everyone to stay out of his path.
*****
She fumbled with her keys, trying in vain to get the proper one in the lock. A large hand covered hers and took them away from her. He turned her to face him. "I seem to keep making you cry these days."
"Stress. Everything is happening at once and we're feeling the stress." She looked down at his hands, not wanting to meet his eyes.
"Is that what it is? You see, I thought it might be the fact that I'm being incredibly selfish about this whole thing. I forget sometimes that you're still so young."
"You do? I don't buy that."
"I forget how much love means to young people. How important the first one is. How important it is to be recognized and revered. I do love you Willow. I just don't know how to show it to the world."
"I don't want to flaunt it to the world, Giles. I just want to acknowledge it. I just want to be able to let people see that I wear your ring. I'm proud to wear your ring. I'm proud to love you. If people have a problem with the fact that we're not the same age, well, then they're people we don't need in our lives."
"I also forget sometimes that you're so smart." He kissed the top of her head and hugged her. "Come on. We got what we came for. What do you say we call it a night and go home."
"No more shopping?"
"No."
"But I saw some things in the lingerie shop that I…"
"We're *never * going back there."
"But…"
"Besides, you need to show Rupert his ring, remember?"
"Yes, Daddy."
*****
He opened the door for her and locked it behind them both. "Honey, I'm home." He called out.
She giggled. "Nobody here, I guess. Just you and me."
"Just you and me, pumpkin."
She laughed at the endearment. "When I put that ring on you, I wanted to kiss you so badly. At that instant I regretted starting the whole charade."
"I regretted it the moment you started it. Although, I have to admit, it made it harder to keep my hands off of you. Perhaps you've found a new method of torture."
"Perhaps." She sat on the couch and tucked her feet under her. "All I could think of was that someday we're going to do that for real and you're going to be my husband."
He smiled at the happy grin on her face. "We've got a bit of time before that happens. We'll have to come up with something to do in the interim."
"You mean besides research and fighting demons?"
"Yes, besides those things."
"What else is there?" She watched him walk over to the fireplace. He had taken off his coat earlier so she could see the smooth lines of his muscles through his shirt. He glanced back at her over his shoulder. The look in his eyes sent a thrill coursing through her.
"As I recall, Rupert owes you something for being so naughty this afternoon."
Her eyes widened. "You mean flirting with Ms. Summers wasn't my punishment?"
He laughed sexily. "Oh no. I think I made very clear what your punishment is to be." He picked her up off the couch and slung her over his shoulder. "Perhaps you've forgotten?"
"Perhaps." She smoothed her hand over his bottom before giving it a resounding smack. He started and she giggled. "Perhaps not."
*****
Giles dropped her onto the bed with a grin. She lay sprawled out where she landed, her gaze warm with desire. He drank in the sight of her for a few moments before lunging forward. She let out a scream and scrambled to get away from him. He grabbed her legs and pulled her backwards, letting her skirt slid up to her hips.
He sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her across his lap. She alternated between giggling and struggling, but he managed to situate her round bottom smoothly across his thighs. He rubbed his hand across the rather plain panties she wore. "Hmm, maybe we will have to visit a lingerie store…not that one, mind you, but another one."
"You don't like my attire, Daddy?"
He slapped her soundly. "Stop calling me that."
"All right." She paused. "Daddy."
He hit her harder.
"Ah. Ah. Okay." She squirmed underneath his hand. "Giles. Got it. Not Daddy."
He lifted one leg off the floor to raise her torso slightly. Lifting her off the other leg, he slid the panties down to her knees. Settling back into his earlier position, he slapped her again.
"Okay. I've learned my lesson." She turned her head to peer up at him. He had a doubting look on his face. "I have. Look. Here I am. Being good."
He rubbed his hand over her smooth flesh, massaging her lightly. "So you get a reward for being good."
She felt him knead her skin and moaned. "I'll be good all the time."
"Liar." He smacked the ivory flesh once more.
She jumped in surprise. He went back to rubbing her. She smiled as she felt the press of his erection through his pants. "Uh, oh. Daddy's getting excited."
This time the sharp smack sent a shiver of pain through her. She gasped. Immediately realizing what must have happened, he pulled his hand away. "Oh, God. I'm sorry." He helped her to stand.
"Don't be. It's okay. Maybe not what I expected, but…" she noticed his erection had grown considerably. "You liked it."
He flushed. "Well, you were in a rather attractive position."
"You liked spanking me."
"An old habit." Realizing he was embarrassed, she took his hand and guided it between her legs. She pressed his fingers against her and he raised his eyebrows. "You liked it."
"A little." She moved against his hand, "But I like that a lot."
He pulled away and she pouted. "Don't pout. As I recall, there was a second half of the punishment promised to you." He stood and undid his fly, pushing his clothes to the ground. She pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him.
Giles guided his cock inside her, before settling her against him. Sitting up, holding her close to his chest, he rocked her back and forth gently. She began whimpering softly, her head buried against his neck. Nibbling the soft flesh there, she made her way up to his earlobe. "Love you, Daddy."
"That's it." He grabbed her waist and turned around, laying her flat on the bed. With reckless abandon, he thrust himself into her, all anger and passion. She gritted her teeth and wrapped her legs around his hips, causing him to thrust even harder.
He exploded inside her and kept thrusting, letting the rush of adrenaline run its course. She arched off the bed, her heels digging into the back of his thighs. She let out a deep breath and collapsed back onto the bed.
He looked down at her, residual anger flashing in his eyes. "Now, then. Are we agreed? You're not going to call me Daddy?"
"Right. Unless you'll punish me again?"
"No. From now on, that's the one thing that *won't * earn you punishment."
Willow sighed dramatically. "All right." She paused. "Giles."
Next: Errors in Judgement