Chapter Text
"Willow, I really need your help with this," Buffy said desperately.
Willow's eyes widened in distress. "I'm sorry, Buffy. I can't. I have three projects due in the next two days. They count for half my grade in all three classes. I thought I'd have Spring Break to finish, but all of my instructors made them due early. I think there's a conspiracy, maybe a Hellmouth-y kind of thing." She sounded miserable.
Buffy reached out to her friend's hand and squeezed gently. "That's OK, Will. Really. I'll figure something out." She sighed and looked around the computer lab in frustration. "You shouldn't have to bail me out. I should've paid more attention all the times you've done our research on the net."
"But, I don't mind helping you. Really. It's just the timing, and all my projects, and oh, I hate this." Willow looked at Buffy in concern.
"Willow? Everything all right here?" a soft voice asked from behind them.
Buffy swiveled in her chair and looked up into friendly brown eyes. She blinked. The guy was tall, almost as tall as Giles. He looked to be in his early-thirties or so with brown hair that looked like it could use a trim, dressed in jeans, a polo shirt and sneakers. He had a nice face and an even nicer smile. Buffy found herself smiling back at him.
"Oh. Mr. Callahan. Yeah, everything's OK I guess." Willow sounded miserable.
"Brian, remember? Is there something I can do?" he asked.
Willow frowned and darted a look at Buffy. "Well, my friend needs some help. This is my friend. I mean, Mr. Callahan, er, Brian, this is my friend Buffy Summers. Buffy, this is Brian Callahan. He's one of the Computer Science instructors."
"Hi," Buffy said casually. Who knew that a Computer Science teacher could be good looking?
"Nice to meet you, Buffy. And you need help?" He gestured at the PC.
"Buffy's got a paper to do and needs to get on the net to do some research. I usually help her, but I've got too many projects of my own and don't have time." Willow said it all in a rush.
"Um, Will, I don't think you need to bother--"
"Nonsense. That's one of the things I'm here for," he said and then shook his head with a laugh. "Not to bother, but to help. So, you need help on the net?"
"Yeah. It's not that I'm a total incompetent with one of these, but somehow if I'm left on my own too long I manage to inflict serious damage." She smiled wryly.
"Do you know someone we could ask to help Buffy with her research? Maybe one of the lab assistants?" Willow asked anxiously.
Brian Callahan looked around the nearly empty lab and shook his head. "I don't see anyone here that I'd trust." He looked at the two of them. "You need to do this now, don't you?"
Buffy nodded. "I know I waited till the last minute, but, well, other things kept coming up."
He nodded absently. "OK, tell you what. I have to be here tonight anyway. Why don't I help you? How would that be?"
Willow beamed. "That would be great! Thanks!"
Buffy looked at him doubtfully. "I really shouldn't impose. Are you sure you don't mind?"
He smiled. "Not at all. I've got some free time. If you don't mind I'd rather use my own laptop instead of a lab system." He gestured to the laptop sitting on the desk near the door to the lab.
"Fine with me. I really appreciate this." Buffy smiled and stood up. "You'll be OK here by yourself Will?"
"Sure," Willow said in relief as she turned back to the PC she was working on.
"I'll see you in a bit then." Buffy followed Brian to the desk and pulled up a chair next to his. She watched as he attached a phone line to his laptop and connected to the net.
"We'll connect to my ISP and surf from there. It's a faster connection than you'd get through the school lines." He glanced at her and looked amused at her blank expression. "You really don't know much about computers, do you?"
Buffy sighed. "Nope. Willow and Oz are the computer geniuses. I send a little email now and then, but that's about it. I mean, I can do basic stuff, but I'm a little weak on the actual ferreting of information from the web part. Right now I just need to get some information and write a paper. Other than that, well I guess I just don't have the time." She blushed and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Callahan. I guess that was rude, huh? You being a CS instructor and all."
He chuckled. "Actually, I thought it was pretty honest. Most people should and do consider the computer a tool, not something to be worshipped. And call me Brian. It's what I tell the students in my classes to call me. I can't quite seem to get Willow to remember that."
Buffy smiled. "OK. Brian. And thanks again for taking the time to help me with this."
"No problem."
They spent the next couple of hours tracking down the information she needed for her paper and talking. Buffy found herself enjoying the time she spent with him. He was interesting and funny and she was almost sorry that there wasn't much more that she needed since that would mean their impromptu session would be over soon. Just as she was about to tell him the last bit she needed to find, her pager went off.
She checked the number and wasn't surprised to see Giles' office number with a 911 after it. "Is there a phone I can use? It's an internal campus call." She looked at Brian soberly.
He nodded and pointed to a phone on a table on the other side of the doorway.
"Thanks." She picked up the phone and dialed Giles' extension. "Hi. It's me. What's the what? No, I'm in the computer lab. No, I haven't seen Xander. Yeah, she's here too. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Do you think he's going to rise? Great, just great. Uh-huh. Look, it is not to worry, OK? I'll take care of it. Yes, I'll be careful. Yes, I'll check in when I'm done. OK. OK. Bye." She turned around to see Brian Callahan watching her. She smiled at him.
"Everything all right?" he asked.
She let out a breath and said, "Something came up. I really appreciate all the time you've taken to help me, um, Brian. I wish I could stay to finish this, but I think I have plenty to get me started. I'm afraid I have to go. Thanks for everything."
He smiled lazily at her. "You're very welcome Buffy." He stood and waited by the door while she talked to Willow.
She could feel his eyes on her while she told Willow about her conversation with Giles. She tried to keep her voice down, but she could tell that Willow's reaction was causing him to watch them sharply.
"Will, I gotta book. Giles just paged me. Some new vamp from a minor prophecy is about to rise and I have to get out to the Shady Rest cemetery to stop it. I want you to make sure you stay here until I come back. I'll make sure you get back to the dorm, OK?" She looked at her friend anxiously.
"Is there something I can do to help? I could back you up or something." Willow's eyes were huge and she looked anxiously at Buffy.
"No. Not this time." Buffy smiled reassuringly. "It's just one rising, but it could be an important one. I need to stake this guy before he has a chance to get too strong. So, just stay here, OK? You can make sure Brian's safe." She tilted her head back towards the door.
"Brian? Oh, Mr. Callahan." Willow frowned slightly. "I keep forgetting he wants us to call him Brian."
Buffy chuckled. "That's just what he said."
"So, you'll be back soon?"
"Soonest. Don't worry. I'll leave my books here with you, 'kay?"
"Sure."
Buffy nodded and turned to go. She stopped at the desk to pick up her backpack of supplies.
"Buffy?"
She turned to Brian, impatient now to be on her way. "Yes?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to get together another time? Maybe for a cup of coffee?" He looked at her hopefully.
Is he asking me for a date, she wondered? She blinked and said, "Um, sure. That would be nice."
He smiled. "Great. How about tomorrow afternoon about 2pm? I could meet you at Java And More here on campus. They have an espresso machine."
"Tomorrow at 2pm? Sounds good." She shifted the backpack in her hands. "I'm sorry, but I've really got to go now. I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled. As soon as she was out of the lab she took off running. It would be touch and go whether she'd manage to get to the cemetery before the vamp rose.
Buffy dusted off her hands and kicked at the fresh grave with her toe. She'd made it just in time to see the vamp crawling out. He'd pulled his way out of the grave only to find the Slayer standing over him with a stake in her hand and a sneer on her lips. She'd made short work of him and was ready to head back to the University.
She trotted all the way back and stopped to catch her breath before entering the computer lab. She peeked her head around the door and was relieved to see only Willow remaining in the lab.
"Hey, Will! Ready to go to your dorm?" She smiled at her friend.
Willow turned and smiled back. "Buffy! Done already? Great." She stacked her books in her backpack. "Yeah. I've had it for tonight. I can finish reading in my room. I'll need to lock up. Mr., er, Brian let me stay after hours if I promised to lock the lab."
"It isn't usually open at this time?" Buffy asked curiously.
"Nope. Should have closed a half-hour ago." Willow handed Buffy the books she had left behind. "I'm ready. You're staying at your mom's house while she's out of town, right?"
Buffy nodded. They walked across the campus to the dorms, keeping to the brightly-lit walkways. Only a few other students were out as well.
"So, what did you think of Brian?" Willow asked with a sidelong glance at Buffy.
"He seems nice." She hesitated. "He asked me to have coffee with him tomorrow afternoon."
"He did?" Willow grinned. "Wow. A date with an instructor."
"Willow," Buffy cautioned. "I don't know that I'd call it a date. I think he just enjoyed our conversation. I know I did. He probably just wants to talk some more."
"It's still a date," Willow insisted. "It's a date with coffee. I've heard some of the girls talk in the lab. They all think he's cool. I haven't had a class with him, so I don't know what he's like as a teacher. But he's good looking, isn't he?"
"Yeah. He's definitely lunchable. And he's got wow potential." Buffy smiled at her friend. "I'm not sure this is such a good idea, though."
"Why not?"
"Can you imagine what Giles will say? And then there'll be the Look." She shook her head.
"Don't tell him," Willow said practically. "I mean, if Brian just wants to be friends there's no reason for Giles to know right away, right? And if it's really a date, well, why not see how this one goes before you say anything? Besides, I thought Giles wasn't objecting to your dating. I mean, you went out a lot last semester and he didn't say anything."
"I don't know," Buffy said uneasily. "This seems different somehow. I just don't like keeping things from Giles. The other times I've done that things haven't gone very well. And I promised I wouldn't lie to him."
"This isn't lying to him. It's avoiding an unnecessary confrontation." Buffy could tell that Willow was pleased with her interpretation.
"Maybe. I don't know. I'll decide when I see what kind of mood Giles is in. Here's your dorm. I'll see you tomorrow."
"OK. And don't worry. It'll all work out." Willow waved as she entered the dorm.
Yeah. It'll all work out. Sure. She'd just keep telling herself that. So why did she get a queasy feeling when she considered not telling Giles? She thought about it all the way to the Anthropology building. His office was on the third floor. She walked down the dark hallway and smiled to herself when she saw that the only light around was coming from under his door. She knocked softly and opened the door to find him asleep at his desk with his head on his arms.
She stood in front of the desk and watched him sleep. She rarely experienced moments like this where she could study him without him being aware of it. He looked younger and more vulnerable when he was asleep. She frowned slightly, shook her head at herself and reached over to gently shake his shoulder.
"Giles," she said softly, "wake up. Come on Watcher, time to go home."
"Hmph," he mumbled and sat up. He rubbed his eyes and blinked at her. "Buffy. Did everything go all right?"
"Piece of cake. But I think it's time we got you home to bed." She sighed. "And then I've still got a paper to write."
They walked out to his ancient Citroen, talking softly about that night's kill. Giles was pleased that she had managed to stake the vampire so quickly. His research had come together at the last minute to indicate this rising could be important. They discussed the paper she had to write as well. He surprised her by driving directly to his apartment.
"Um, Giles? You probably should have taken me home first." She smiled at him.
"I thought that perhaps I could help you with your paper. It sounds as though you've done the preliminary research, but I'd be happy to help you with the organization. And with any rough spots you have while you write it. If you wish? Then I'll drive you back to your mother's house."
She turned to look at him in the dark car. "That's really nice of you. And I'm just desperate enough to take you up on it. Thanks."
He smiled. "You're quite welcome."
A few hours later Buffy wrote the final word of her paper and flexed her hand to ease the cramping. Once they had the organization settled it had amazed her how easily the words flowed. She stacked the papers neatly and stood up to yawn and stretch. She turned from the desk and smiled at the sight of Giles stretched out on the couch. He'd fallen asleep again while reading. His book was open on his chest and his glasses were slightly askew.
Buffy yawned again and turned out the light on the desk. She sleepily contemplated the floor next to the couch for a moment and then shrugged. She reached out and removed the book from his chest and gently took off his glasses. She removed her shoes, clicked off his reading light and stretched out on the couch next to him.