Last Day of Summer - BtVS - Dawn/Giles

[zaph]

Title: Last Day of Summer
Author: zaph
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing (or characters): Dawn/Giles, Willow
Disclaimer: The usual. Not my characters. Joss' characters. Copyrights and all that fun stuff.
Rating: PG
Recipient: alixtii
Summary: Dawn has spent the summer studying in England with Giles, and isn't quite ready to leave.


"It's raining again," Dawn said with a heavy sigh as she turned away from the window.

"Yes, yes, it does that here. Rather a lot, I should say," Giles answered. "Are you all right?"

How could he ask that? They had spent the whole summer together in England, training, studying, and learning what they could about the old Watchers Council. Just the two of them. Buffy was still rounding up other potentials turned Slayers, and had, in her words, stuck her little sister with the stuffy Brit to learn how to be a Watcher.

But Dawn didn't feel stuck at all. For once in her life, she was on her own and being treated like an adult. And she was with Giles. Buffy never saw his appeal, but then, she hadn't spent the past year with him digging through old volumes of Slayer lore, trying to find a way to combat the First Evil. Dawn may not have been the best student in high school, but her knack for learning long dead languages and ancient rituals made her appreciate Giles more than her sister ever could.

"I'm fine," she finally answered, pulling herself back from her memories.

"You just seem -"

"No, really. I'm fine," she insisted, brushing past him and into her room. It was actually his study, but it had become a makeshift guest room during her visit. Most of her things had already been packed, so the room felt a little empty.

She opened her laptop and reread Willow's emails. There were only two of them: one urged Dawn to insist that Giles introduce her to the Coven and explore all their land had to offer, even if the weather was lousy (which she indicated it likely would be); the other, three months later, said that she'd be arriving to meet them and take Dawn to rejoin Buffy in Rome, where she would finish high school.

It was the first email that had her more on edge. She mentioned it briefly to Giles in the first week of her stay, and he nodded and appeared to agree. She'd met many of the witches in the Coven, but Giles had insisted that the visits be for educational, and non-frivolous purposes. Dawn, though, didn't consider the idea of riding the Coven's horses particularly frivolous, but then, she remembered, Giles had a different idea of what constituted frivolity.

"Willow will be here soon," said Giles, poking his head into her room.

"I know," she answered flatly, replacing her laptop in its case.

"Are you sure you're all right, Dawn? I can't recall you being this quiet."

"It's not important. I'm fine," she lied.

"Ah yes, and I recall all the times Buffy told me she was fine, when, in fact, she was quite the opposite of fine," Giles mused.

"I just don't think I'm ready to leave," she answered, leaving out the reason for her hesitation.

"I had gathered that," he said, sitting down next to her. He placed his hand on her knee, probably in a fatherly way, she remembered, even so warming up just a little at the thought of him touching her. She hesitated and put her own hand on top of his and leaned on his shoulder. Giles seemed as unaware of her intentions as she was simply ignoring his.

This is what she was going to miss the most. Giles playing the role of father and Dawn pretending he wanted to play a most unfatherly role. It wasn't that she enjoyed toying with her own emotions that way, but she felt that voicing her feelings would almost certainly lead Giles to withdraw from her entirely, so she had simply decided to spend as much time with him as possible.

That hadn't been difficult, as they were usually the only two people there, but they spent a majority of the time researching ancient texts, even on the few days the sun managed to poke out from behind the clouds.

Dawn looked up at Giles, almost daring herself to move closer but holding back at the last minute, knowing that if she did, Buffy would find out her little sister had a crush on her Watcher and would not be terribly keen on allowing her to return.

"I'm going outside," she announced, standing up suddenly.

"It's still raining," Giles reminded her.

"I don't care. I haven't been outside all summer, and ... and now I'm leaving and I still haven't been outside!" She could feel her voice rising inside her, and a sudden anger at Giles's calm, unfeeling demeanour. She was almost shouting at him, challenging him to do something rash. She knew he wouldn't, though.

"Well, by all means. Take an umbrella," he suggested, confirming her suspicion that he would answer with calm colectedness, rather than rise to her volume and tone.

"I don't need an umbrella," she said loudly, storming out of the room.

She walked out into the rain and stood in Giles's drive. She closed her eyes and felt the rain pelt her face, trying hard not to scream.

This is stupid, Dawn, she reminded herself. What would Willow think if she walked up and saw you like this?

Dawn shook her head, refusing to answer herself, remembering that Willow had had a crush on Giles when she was Dawn's age, too.

She wasn't sure how much time passed, but Giles did not interrupt her sulking. He must have known better, given how often it happened when they were in Sunnydale. She did know that she was becoming increasingly soaked, and that she still didn't care. The rain was soothing.

She still had her eyes closed, half-daydreaming, half-lamenting Giles's attitude, when a voice brought her back to reality.

"OK, I know why I'm standing out in the rain, but why are you standing out in the rain?" Willow asked.

"Oh, like you've never stood out in the rain before," Dawn snapped, displeased that Willow had intruded upon her introspection.

"Nice to see you, too," said Willow, jolting back slightly.

"Sorry, I'm just ... it's good to see you, too." She leaned forward and hugged Willow.

"Think we should maybe go inside where it's, you know, dry?"

"I'm fine out here," Dawn insisted. "I'm actually just getting used to the wetness."

"Mmmhmm. Did you and Giles -"

"Giles and I didn't anything. We studied all summer. It's like all he is is my teacher. 'Giles, can we do something fun? Maybe go riding with the Coven?' 'This is fun, Dawn.' You know."

"No, you don't want to see Giles having fun. It's all scary death and monsters, but it's ... " her eyes suddenly widened.

"What?" Dawn demanded.

"You have a crush on him, don't you?"

"Hmmph. I do not!"

"Dawn, it's all right. I felt the same way when I was your age."

"Felt what way? I do not have a crush on Giles," she insisted.

"Sure you don't," said Willow, smiling at her.

"Really!" Dawn was becoming more agitated, though she knew Willow would never back down, especially since she was right.

"I believe you. And I also believe Xander's going to marry Buffy and they'll live happily ever after."

"Xander and ... oh, that was sarcasm, wasn't it?"

"Face it, Dawn. Ancient languages - you're good to go. Acting? Not so much."

Dawn pouted. "I ... he's just so ... he's Giles, you know? He's all British and smart and gorgeous and ..."

Willow smiled. "I know what you mean."

"You don't think he's noticed, do you?" Dawn asked, suddenly concerned.

"Giles is kinda dense sometimes. I don't think he'd be expecting it anyway."

"Oh. Good. I mean ... but what do I do?"

"I don't know. Talk to him?"

"Talk to him? And tell him what? 'Giles, I've been harbouring a crush on you for the past two months, and I know you're three times my age, but that's like, way younger than Spike or Angel compared to Buffy!' Yeah, that'll work."

"Yeeeeaaah, I'd leave out Spike and Angel. I mean just talk to him. In a ... non-studying way. And maybe leave out the crush part, too."

"OK. I can do that," Dawn breathed nervously. "At least, I think I can do that."

"Or you could, you know, find someone your own age," Willow suggested unhelpfully. Dawn just rolled her eyes.

"You ready to head inside and get your stuff and say good-bye?"

"I ... I think so," she answered, finally lifting her head and accepting that the best solution was just to be honest - but not too honest - and maybe bring up the idea of a purely social visit.

They walked back into the house, Dawn still soaked from the rain, and Willow only slightly less so.

"Ah, Willow, you're here, and ... Dawn, what have you done?" he asked.

For the first time that day, she smiled. "You know, stood out in the rain for a half an hour. Very calming. You should try it some time, except, you're already super calm and don't need to, so stay dry!" she babbled very quickly.

"Yes, I ... I'll keep that in mind, should I ever become, er, agitated."

Dawn and Willow laughed.

"Well, Giles, I'd love to sit and chat, but we've got a flight to catch. You all packed up, Dawn?"

"Have been for almost a whole hour. It ... took me a while to feel ready enough to leave. I like it here," she explained, quickly adding "Except for the rain," seeing Giles's look.

Willow approached Giles and promptly told him "Hi and bye," and hugged him. "Sorry for such a short visit, but ..."

"Duty calls," Giles finished for her.

"That it does," she agreed.

Dawn felt a sharp poke at her back. Willow had quietly moved behind her and was nudging her towards Giles. She stepped closer and looked up.

"Good-bye, Dawn," Giles said, pulling her into a hug.

Dawn heard Willow cough behind her, but still couldn't bring herself to suggest a return trip for non-academic purposes. She tried not to think about how close she was to him at that moment, and all she could manage to say was a whispered, "I'll miss you," as she pulled him just a little closer. She heard Willow cough again.

Giles spoke more than Dawn had. "I'll miss you, too, Dawn. You've really come a long way this summer, and perhaps next summer -"

Dawn pulled back suddenly. She hadn't been expecting an immediate return invitation. "Next?"

"Of course. If you're to become a Watcher, you'll have to study further with me. Perhaps next summer we shall have time for things other than studying, if the weather is less dreadful."

Dawn was surprised, but pleased. "You promise?"

"I promise," replied Giles, smiling at her.

Dawn smiled as she and Willow walked towards the taxi. Now she could look forward to another whole summer with Giles, even if he didn't quite understand why it pleased her so.

It was a start, at least.