Title: When You Least Expect It 1/21
Author: Ness
Contact: sessa1_2@yahoo.com
Spoilers: Nothing after "Wrecked" I don't think. But say to the end of season 6 just to be safe. And anything before "Sleep Tight" on "Angel"
Pairing: Giles/Cordelia
Rating: PG for a few swear words
Summary: Giles and Cordelia form a friendship.
Distribution: Ask…I'd be tickled.
Feedback: Any and all. This is my first long fic.
Disclaimer: We all know who owns `em and it ain't me. Joss and Co.
are gods in their universe, I'm just a peon in mine. Please don't sue.
Dedication: For Joanna and Wenchie who have patiently held my hand
from the beginning. They had been fantastic betas and friends.
Giles stepped into the motel room and dropped his bag as he closed the door. He leaned back against it as a wave of exhaustion, both mental and physical, swept over him. "Just my bloody luck," he thought. "I'm trying to get out of the blasted country and my flight is delayed until tomorrow."
He had rented the motel room after finding out about the delayed flight.
Wearily, he pushed himself away from the door and made his way to the bed. Sitting down, he began removing his shoes, all the while trying not to think of Buffy and the pain, anger and betrayal that had been in her eyes when he had told her he was leaving. The pain and anger had torn at his heart. But the look of betrayal had torn at his soul. It was a look he remembered all too well from her eighteenth birthday.
He had left without saying goodbye. He hadn't wanted to see the betrayal in her eyes again. It hadn't done him any good. He saw it every time he closed his eyes.
Suddenly, he was too tired to do anything but stretch out on the bed and try to sleep. He was hoping not to see her face in his dreams, but something told him he would.
He was right.
****
Giles woke from the nightmare with a scream lodged in his throat. As he tried to calm his racing heart and quell the fear that still coursed through him, he tried to remember what he was dreaming. Bits and pieces of the nightmare began to come back to him. He dreamed that Buffy had died again. This time he had the power to save her but hadn't been there. Rationally, he knew that the dream was merely his subconscious displaying his feelings of guilt over leaving Sunnydale. But, that did not make the dream any less vivid or any less painful.
He began to feel cold from the effects of the air conditioner on his sweat-soaked skin. Slowly, he moved from the bed and made his way to the bathroom to shower and dress in order to make his flight on time.
As he picked up his suitcase and prepared to leave the motel he wondered, yet again, if he was doing the right thing.
He didn't know the answer to that. But the one thing he did know was his life would never be the same.
****
Giles made his way to the airport counter. At first he did not hear the person calling his name. By the time he did, there was a definite note of impatience. Cordelia Chase came striding toward him.
"Hey Giles," she greeted him with a smile. "I didn't think you were going to stop for a minute there. Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Hello Cordelia, I am waiting for my flight to London to board. What are you doing here?"
"I was seeing a friend off," Cordelia replied, "Wait a minute, what do you mean flight to London? Why aren't you in Sunnydale? I thought for sure you'd be permanently attached to Buffy, what with her coming back from the dead and all."
"I'm going home, Cordelia. I've seen Buffy but I think it's best if I return to England at this time." Giles responded.
"What do you mean `it's best if you return to England'? Why are you leaving Giles? What happened?"
"I simply believe it's best for Buffy if I am not quite so accessible." Giles explained. "Returning to England seems to be the best alternative."
"I understand giving her some room. But don't you think leaving the country is a bit of overkill." Cordelia asked in a puzzled tone. "I mean if you wanted to get away from her all you had to do was move to L. A."
"I did not leave Sunnydale to `get away from her' as you put it." Giles was beginning to lose patience. "I did what I thought was best for her"
"Okay, okay. Don't get bent out of shape. I was just making a comment. Anyway, are you planning on coming back?"
"I don't know Cordelia, at this time I would have to say no, but I just don't know."
Cordelia couldn't help but notice how sad Giles seemed as he said that. The only time she had seen him this down was when Buffy had run away that summer. It broke her heart to see him so sad.
"I'm sorry Giles. You know that Buffy and I have never been each other's biggest fan. I just hate to see you move so far away. Tell you what, I'll give you my number and you can call me and tell me how it's going in Merry Olde England. And I can let you in on what's going on here."
Giles hesitated, "I don't know Cordelia--"
"Come on Giles." Cordelia persisted. "Geez it's not like I'm asking you to marry me. Just give me a phone call every now and then." Cordelia paused for a moment before continuing in a cool voice. "Unless, of course you'd consider it too much of a chore."
"No, of course not." Giles sighed. "I'd be happy to call you every now and again for a friendly chat."
"Great. See now that wasn't hard at all was it?" Cordelia's tone warmed again.
Giles chuckled, "No, I suppose it wasn't at that."
At that moment he heard his flight number being paged.
"Well, I must be going--"
"Wait, let me give you my number." Cordelia said, digging in her purse for pen and paper.
As she watched him walking away after exchanging telephone numbers, she made a vow to herself. She would keep in touch with Rupert Giles. She would not let him get pushed aside like so many times before.
With that thought she headed back to the office.