ERRORS IN JUDGEMENT
Laura Smith
Buffy caught the toast as it popped out of the toaster. She tossed them onto her plate and moved over to the counter. Opening the butter, she picked up the knife to apply the last touch to her culinary masterpiece only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.
Dropping the knife into the butter, she moved admit Willow and Giles. "Hey guys. What's brewing?"
"We had some errands to run and thought we'd offer you a ride to school." Giles looked around for her mother. "That way your mother wouldn't have to give you a lift."
"Cool. I'll get my books." Buffy looked down at her toast. "Want some?"
Joyce entered. "Oh, hello Willow. Rupert. Funny seeing you again so soon." She touched Giles' arm gently. "Would you like some coffee?"
"We just stopped by to offer Buffy a ride to school."
"I thought there were no classes today." She glanced at the calendar.
"There aren't. Just training and research." He willed Buffy to hurry, an overwhelming sense of foreboding overtaking him.
"Wonderful. Maybe the girls could run on ahead and we could chat. I've been meaning to talk with you about some things. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
He swallowed hard. Buffy reentered the room and tried to grasp what was causing the sudden undercurrents. One look at Willow's pinched face told her everything she needed to know. "Come on guys. Let's go."
"Actually, honey, Mr. Giles and I have some things we need to discuss. In regards to both you and Faith. So if you and Willow could run on ahead?" She handed her the keys to the car. "I'm sure Mr. Giles would give me a ride?"
Giles blushed and nodded. "Certainly."
Willow growled quietly, poking him in the side. "Could I see you outside for a moment, *Mr. * Giles?"
"Certainly." He followed the two girls out. He shut the door behind them and leaned against the wall. "Don't. I know."
"You know. You're going to stay here in this house with her?" Willow hissed, trying to keep her voice down. "She's a barracuda all of a sudden. Her hormones were practically zinging through the air. If you go back in there, she's going to try and do one thing and one thing only!"
"And I fully intend to say no."
"What if she doesn't take no for an answer?"
"Willow, we're two responsible adults…"
"Just don't take any candy from her." She turned on her heel and strode over to the car.
He watched her go and sighed heavily. Returning to the kitchen, he was surprised to find Joyce gone. "Joyce? Ms. Summers?"
She was sitting in the living room on the sofa. She patted the seat next to her. "I have some concerns about Buffy and Faith."
"Oh?"
"I don't think that it's really very good for Faith to be holed up in that motel. And while I know it would be like mixing oil and water to try and get her to live with me and Buffy peacefully, I was wondering if there was anything else that could be done."
"I see, and you waited a year or so to tell me this?"
"Valentine's day is coming soon. Next week." Joyce flushed. "I have a charity event at the gallery. I was wondering if, perhaps, you'd like to attend with me? As my date?"
"Oh. Um. I…"
"And again with the stammering." She laughed. "I didn't realize I made you so nervous. It's not as though we're in a crowd." She inched forward. "It's just you and me. Alone."
"You don't know Amy, do you? Haven't asked her to help you in any way. Recognize the name Hecate?"
"What?" Joyce smiled and put her hand on his knee. "I know it must be rather lonely for you here. Hanging around in the library with a group of teenagers all the time doesn't exactly seem like the ripe opportunity to find someone."
"You'd be surprised." He tried to pull away from her hand.
"Would you like a drink? Some coffee? Something stronger?"
"Oh, no. I really should get to training Buffy." He berated himself mentally. He should just tell her. He should simply come out and say he was engaged to Willow and that was that. Instead he found himself staring into her eyes as she moved within a breath of him.
"Surely training can wait an hour or so?" Her lips met his and she pushed him back onto the couch. His mind warred over the proper English thing to do - lie back and not offend - and the path most likely to keep him alive - push her away and promptly explain.
Her arms snaked around his neck and he opened his mouth to protest. Her tongue slid between his lips and began exploring. He made a small sound she mistook for one of pleasure and pressed her body even closer.
"Ms. Summers? Buffy needs some money for…" Willow froze in the entryway. Giles pulled away from Joyce and attempted to distance himself. He saw the message clearly in Willow's eyes - too little, too late. She took a deep breath. "Sorry to interrupt. Buffy needs gas money."
Joyce rummaged through her purse and handed Willow a ten-dollar bill. "Here. Tell her to keep it."
"I will."
Giles stood and followed Willow to the door. "I really have to go. I'll get back to you on the Gallery event…goodbye." He shut the door behind him, not even trying to catch up to her rapidly disappearing figure. Well, what else could he possibly do to screw this up?
*****
Willow refused to say a word during the entire trip to school. Buffy kept glancing over at her. "Will, I know something is wrong. Why don't you tell me what it is?"
"It's nothing."
"Willow."
"Please, Buffy? I don't want to talk about it." Her pleading look forced her to nod.
"All right, Will. For now. But I want answers eventually."
"So do I." She leaned against the window and stared, unseeing, at the street. They arrived at school quickly, thanks to Buffy's creative driving habits and she jumped out of the car. "I'll meet you in the library in a minute, okay?"
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to get something to drink. I'll be right in." She wandered to the student lounge and slid the coins in the slot of the soda machine. Taking the drink, she sat at the small table off to the side. The same table they'd all sat at hundreds of times in the past. Before everything got so complicated.
She sighed and headed for the library.
*****
Giles burst through the doors. "Where's Willow?"
"I don't know. Is she wearing one of those funny red and white caps?" Xander looked up from his regular chair. "She didn't come in with the Buffster, so I assumed she was with you. As that's where she usually is these days, you rapscallion."
"Well, she's not." He headed for his office, pulling off his jacket on the way. Buffy stepped into the doorway and refused to let him pass.
"Want to tell me what's going on?"
"What?"
"Willow left my house this morning in a not so happy mood. I can't imagine that my mother deliberately said anything to piss her off, so I'm guessing it was you. So you can tell me or I can beat it out of you. Your choice. Although, from past experience, people like the telling a lot better than the beating. Ask your friend Ethan."
"He's not my…never mind. I don't want to talk about it."
"Well, you're going to. Willow's upset. Which seems to be a common occurrence lately. And I don't like it. So tell me what you did, so that we can figure out how you can make it up to her."
Xander sat on the table. "I vote sex."
"What?"
"For the making up part. I vote sex."
"Thank you Xander." Buffy turned back to glare at Giles. "What did you say to Willow?"
"I didn't say anything. I was kissing your mother." He pushed past Buffy's shocked form and entered his office. The door slammed shut, smacking Buffy on the behind as it did so.
She looked at Xander wondering if she looked as shocked as he did. "Did he just say…"
"Yeah."
"Will must be…"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna go…"
"Yeah."
Buffy left the library in search of her friend. Xander thought for a moment before marching into Giles' office. The older man looked up at him, his exasperation plain. "What is it Xander?"
Xander hit him.
*****
Buffy found Willow right outside the library doors, quietly sipping a soda. She held the can in both hands as though she was afraid she would drop it. "Wills? Are you okay? Giles told us what happened."
"Did he? Did he explain it or did he just give you the facts?"
"Just the facts. Was he really kissing my mom?" Buffy shivered then apologized. "Sorry. I know you…but him and my mom. Still gives me a wiggins."
"I know the feeling."
Buffy smiled. "I'm sure it was a misunderstanding Willow. He loves you. We all can see it. It shines out of him. He's just got to get past the age thing."
"He hasn't told anybody about us, Buffy. I mean, he's told his parents, but that's only because they already knew. I insisted we tell my folks. It's like he's embarrassed or ashamed or something. The other night, at the mall, we're going to look at wedding rings…and he won't even hold my hand walking down the hall."
"He's got a reputation to protect, Willow. And a job."
The younger girl sighed. "I know. I know. I understand." She smiled up at her friend and Buffy hoped she never saw such a smile again. "Come on. I need to go talk to him."
*****
Giles glared at the younger man and rubbed his jaw. "I suppose I deserve that."
"You deserve a hell of a lot more than that. How could you do that to her?"
"I didn't exactly instigate it."
"You didn't stop it either, did you?" Xander rubbed his hand. "Ow. Stop hurting her." He turned around and walked out of the office. Sitting back at his spot at the table, he pretended to be reading when Buffy and Willow walked in. He cast a quick glance at his best friend and sighed. Nothing good was going to come of this.
*****
Willow walked into the office and closed the door. He looked up at her. "I'm glad you're here…"
"Shut up, please? I have to say this and I don't know that I can say it more than once, so listen." She waited for him to nod. "I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that. And I know that you love me, deep down. But you have duties and obligations. Buffy's life depends on you being her Watcher. And doing that job requires you to do this one. Which means, for propriety's sake, you can't marry one of your students." She slipped the ring from her finger and set it on his desk. "We'll discuss the living arrangements tonight, if that's all right. I don't know that I could do that now." She backed up against the door and felt for the knob with her hand. "Bye." She tore open the door and ran from the library as if a pack of vampires was at her heels.
Buffy and Xander watched her go. Giles stepped out of the office with a heavy heart. He looked up at the other two, ignoring their glares. "Let's get to work. There's much to do."
*****
Willow poured herself a tall glass of scotch. Sitting on the sofa, she tasted it. Making a face, she looked down at her barren finger. She was doing the right thing. He needed to be able to do his job without worries or reservations. He obviously thought he needed someone older and more experienced. He obviously wasn't happy with what she could give him.
Her tears made warm tracks down her cheeks as she cried into her drink. She tossed back half the glass and grimaced. She was doing the right thing.
She drank down the rest and poured herself another glass. Doing the right thing sucked.
*****
Giles walked into the dark apartment with a strong sense of trepidation. He'd spent the day wondering if she'd already left him physically or if it was just emotionally. He hit the light switch and heard her moan from the couch. Shutting the door, he dropped his briefcase and coat and made his way to her side.
She was pissed. Stone drunk. He picked her up and carried her upstairs. "You're going to regret all of this in the morning, love."
He hoped.
Next: In Darkness