Chapter Text
1. Oz’s Night
Rupert Giles walked into what he could only describe as a dive bar. It was the last stop on the way out of Sunnydale as one drove into the vast and beautiful Mojave Desert. He crossed the creaky, sticky floor and sat on a stool at the bar. When the bartender stood expectantly before him, he said quietly, “Another for my friend here, and I’ll have the same.”
The bartender gave him a dismissive look and glanced over for conformation on what to do.
“It’s all right, Pete. He’s a friend,” Oz nodded. The bartender shrugged and went to pour the beer. “Don’t mind him,” the young man sighed, his eyes still on his drink. “He probably thought you were trying to pick me up. Pete has a protective streak.”
“I wouldn’t have considered you such a regular at a place like this.”
“Dingoes used to play here sometimes. We were too young, but the owner didn’t care ‘cause we were cheap. Pete took it on himself to watch out for us. Keep the creepers off of us.”
Giles gave a small, appreciative smile. “Ah. Well, I’m not sure I’d have the confidence to be so forward. At least, not with a young man so far out of my depth.”
“A guy could do worse,” Oz said lightly, taking a sip of his beer.
The Watcher gave a soft chuckle. “You sound like…” he hesitated.
“She sent you to check on me, didn’t she?”
Nodding his thanks to the bartender, Giles took hold of his glass and sighed. “Willow only wants to be sure you are all right. She may have grown past what you once had, but that doesn’t mean she loves you any less.”
“I know. And I knew it was a long shot she’d still be waiting when I came back. But part of me had to hope.”
Giles took a gulp of beer and made a disappointed, disgusted face. It almost pulled a laugh from his stoic friend. “She is a very bright and beautiful girl. Someone was bound to notice.”
Oz slowly looked over at him. “I thought it’d be you,” he stated softly. “When I left her so heartbroken, part of me thought she’d be okay because she still had you to turn to. That’s kind of why I went to your place first yesterday. I thought it was only fair to give you a chance to run me off, or, I don’t know, give me a good hiding for what I put her through. But, when I saw her there, nothing else mattered.”
Ducking his head a bit, the older man couldn’t keep a twinge of shame from his face. “It was a near thing. She spent a long time being lonely for you, and then Spike returned to remind us of past evils. When Willow did come to me… If I were any less of a gentleman, I don’t know what might have happened. Or, perhaps, less of a coward,” he muttered.
“If you’re a coward, what hope is there for any of us?” Oz shook his head with a snort.
The blush deepened on Giles’ cheeks. “I only try to live up to the example of the young people around me.”
“Will you please let the others know that I never meant to hurt Willow? I did what I thought I had to do to keep her safe.”
“I will,” the Watcher nodded, “though I believe they already understand that. But I’ll give them the message… whenever I might see them again.”
The young man didn’t miss Giles’ frown. “Is there something wrong?”
“Oh no… I’ve just been dealing with some of my own insecurities. Coming face to face with how alone I am much of the time these days.”
Oz gave a sigh of commiseration. “Does Willow know you feel this way? I’m sure, if she did…”
A small smile broke through at the thought of what she might do. “Willow already spends too much of her precious time making sure I’m well. She needs to live her own life. Believe me, if everyone doted on me like she does, I would be complaining about how I was being smothered. Please pay no attention to the mutterings of an old fool suddenly set adrift after a lifetime of rigid structure. It’s my problem to deal with. I’m not needed like I was, and for that I couldn’t be any more proud of all of you.”
“I know how the being adrift thing feels. I’ve spent so much of the last few months focused on getting back to Sunnydale. After learning all I have, for the first time I have no direction to travel in.”
Giles looked at him kindly. “Willow tells me that you’ve mastered your change. The moon has no hold on you anymore. That is a wonderful achievement. You should be proud.”
Oz chuckled bitterly. “I may have broken the moon’s hold, but not Willow’s. Funny isn’t it? The one thing that will set me off is the same thing I went and learned control for.”
“What a force is love,” Giles sighed. “It brings chaos to our order, and yet we crave nothing more intensely.”
“I guess Willow has brought a little chaos to both our lives.”
“And we wouldn’t have her any other way.”
Both men grinned and drank to that.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Giles spoke, “You’re not planning on returning to Tibet, then?”
“I don’t know,” Oz shook his head slowly. “It’s a wonderful place, and I was welcomed there, but it’s a long trip and I’m not sure I’m ready for it again.”
“And your parents?”
“They think I was backpacking through Asia. To tell the truth, I couldn’t make a pair of old hippies any more proud. They’re great parents and raised me the best they knew how, but it’s time for me to let them follow their own dreams now. They’re moving up north. Somewhere on the Oregon border.” The young man smiled at the thought. “Really, I’m kinda glad they’re getting out of this town.”
“As you should be,” Giles chuckled. “I haven’t met them, but I’m sure they are fine people judging by the man they produced.” His young friends nodded his thanks. “This town wasn’t built for good people.”
“Well, technically it was built on a gateway to Hell by a guy who spent a hundred years trying to become a demon, so…”
This pulled a full laugh from the Watcher. “Yes. What sort of a person would move half way around the world to end up in a place like this?”
“From what I’ve seen,” Oz said quietly, “The sort who knows how to teach an odd bunch of kids to become heroes.”
Giles closed his eyes for a moment, every second he had spent fearing for his young friends’ lives flooding over him. He could never shake the feeling that his presence had done nothing but put them in more danger than they would have otherwise found.
Oz noticed, but didn’t let on. He only added, “And the sort with just enough knowledge and compassion to save a confused werewolf’s life.”
The Watcher murmured, “Buffy and Willow would have--”
“…Not had the resources to figure it out in time or the contacts to get the right tools. You had nothing to do with my little cousin biting me, but everything to do with making sure I never hurt anyone. For that, I owe you more thanks than I’ve ever tried to say.”
“I…” Giles blinked at the sincerity in the deep wolf eyes. “I’ve never considered it that way. I, um, I guess all I can say is… you’re very welcome.”
Oz gave a nod and picked up his beer for another drink. After a moment, Giles filed the thought away in his mind for later evaluation and dipped his hand into a pocket of his leather jacket. He slid the small card he’d retrieved across the surface of the bar.
“What’s this?” the young man picked it up curiously.
“A direction, perhaps. It’s the name and address of a sanctuary run by two sisters who are acquaintances of mine. I thought… if you needed a safe place to figure out what you truly want to do next, they’d be willing to help.”
Oz shook his head. “Sending me to the home for wayward freaks?” Only someone who knew the young man well could have ever caught the bitter note in his voice. Giles did.
“Actually, no,” he stated, knowing the true answer would be more of a reprimand than any remark he could make. Besides, the boy was entitled to some disappointment in his circumstances. “The sanctuary itself provides homes for animals in need. They specialize in large or dangerous species that have trouble finding homes elsewhere. Bears mainly, I believe. But also reptiles, big cats, birds of prey, and, yes, wolves. It is also true that many of their keepers have a bit more in common with their charges than the park visitors might realize.” Giles sighed at the hint of confusion in his friend’s eyes. “All I’m suggesting is that, if you do end up there, the sisters would be happy to give you a bed and meals with the family in return for a full day’s work. Sometimes a bit of manual labor under the warm sun can bring a clarity we might not find otherwise. Also, you’ve spent all this time conquering the beast within you. Perhaps it’s time you look into the eyes of the natural creature your demon is a corruption of. Maybe they’ll help you find an ally in yourself you were unaware you had.”
“You think I should go commune with the wolves?” Oz seemed a little amused at that.
Giles snorted. “I’m saying I think you should go shovel shit,” he said bluntly. “You’re young and strong, and these lovely ladies will use that to its fullest. And sometimes using the strength we take for granted to help those already working hard for what they love is a reward we forget to cherish.” The Watcher gave a heavy sigh. “At the darkest time of my youth, I was lucky enough to be sent to work for these ladies in the peaceful place they had built. They worked me to exhaustion every day, and I had never been happier. Being depended on by innocent creatures who need to be cared for and fed no matter what excuse you might have for not wanting to do the work… The experience taught me lessons I’ve never forgotten.”
Oz picked up the card and looked it over again.
“It only gives you another choice,” the older man continued. “You don’t have to end up there, but it’s somewhere you’ll always be safe and welcome. Also,” he gave a quirky smile, “I might have a small, selfish desire to send my friends a new workhorse to repay their kindness to me.”
“I’ll think about it. I promise. And thank you for this, really. It means a lot that you care where I end up.”
“Your circumstances don’t dictate the friendship any of us hold for you. Just because your path lies away from Sunnydale… You’ll always be one of the group.”
“To the Scoobies,” Oz lifted his glass. “May the apocalypse always be one step behind.”
Finishing his beer with the toast, Giles politely declined when the bartender asked if he wanted another. “I have to drive home,” he mumbled.
“They do have other stuff,” Oz whispered with a knowing chuckle.
“I see that,” the Watcher scanned the bottles of low-end liquor behind the bar. “I think I’ll stand by my excuse, thank you. But I’d be happy to buy you another.”
“I’ll be fine nursing this one for a while.” He held his hand out. “I know this isn’t your kind of scene. You can tell Willow I’m all right. Thanks for hunting me down.”
Giles shook his friend’s hand automatically, but didn’t move to get up. Oz shrugged and welcomed the familiar, peaceful company while it was there.
“According to Willow, you traded your guitar a while back…” the older man eventually spoke.
“Yeah,” Oz nodded. “I was stuck until the van was fixed. Did what I had to.”
“Do you miss it?”
The young man gave a sad chuckle. “Willow told me about catching you playing the Expresso Pump. Always knew you had more music in you than you let on. So I guess you can already guess the answer to that question.” He smiled. “The Pump is a good spot for a solo, they’ll treat you well.”
“It has been nice to play again,” Giles admitted. “Only a slight bit of grief for it from the others.”
“Teasing you is how they say they care,” Oz laughed knowingly. “I knew you were an animal. Only wish I could have seen you in action.”
“Well, perhaps it’s better you weren’t disappointed. But I do know how not being able to play can feel. That’s why I wanted you to have this.” He reached down beside his stool and pulled up a battered guitar case. Opening the case, he revealed a worn, but lovingly cared for, six-string acoustic guitar.
“Man,” the young musician shook his head with longing in his eyes, “I can’t take this. I know how long you’ve spent missing the music.”
“It’s all right, Oz, I’d really like you to have it. You won’t be depriving me, as I had a friend recently bring two of mine last time she visited from England. This one,” he stroked his fingers tenderly along the wooden face, “I’ve had since I was your age. It… She kept me company when I thought I had no one else. And I know it will be just as cherished in your hands.”
“Giles… Man, it’s too much. I can see how much it means to you. I wouldn’t feel right…”
The Watcher plucked the instrument from its case and handed it over to the other man. Oz cradled it carefully on his lap, learning the feel of it. With an encouraging nod from Pete, he began to play.
When the song ended, Giles smiled. “Hearing that was all the proof I needed. Now I’m even more convinced she’s in the right hands.”
Oz had a glint in his eyes as he looked back up. “I promise she’ll be loved. But I’ll only accept her on one condition.”
“And what would that be?”
“I want to hear how she sings for you.” He handed the guitar back over.
“I-I’m… I’m not prepared,” Giles stammered.
“You were prepared enough to play for a room full of strangers…”
The older man ducked his head. “Their opinions didn’t mean as much,” he murmured.
Oz only watched him expectantly. With a deep sigh, Giles positioned the instrument in his lap and began picking out a tune. “No one knows what it’s like…”
He finished with a contented smile and closed eyes.
“Music does you good,” the younger man said. “I’ve never seen you relax that much. Thank you. I knew it’d be like that.”
“Still a bit rusty,” Giles murmured self-consciously.
“You know,” Oz smiled. “Willow loves listening. For some reason, she never considered herself special enough for someone to share the gift just with her. Sitting down and singing for her is the fastest way to make her melt.”
“I’ll keep that in mind and try not to let her catch me practicing. The last thing I need on my hands is a melted Willow, thank you.” He gently laid the guitar back in its case, giving it a final caress. “I know she’ll be well looked after.”
After closing the case, the Watcher looked up to find a very serious expression in Oz’s eyes as they bored into him. “That’s one of the things making it easier for me to leave,” the young man said. “I know she’ll be well looked after.”
“Willow deserves--”
“…Someone who’ll be there no matter how many of us screw up and break her heart. She’ll always love you, Giles. And I know how much you care for her. If anyone she chooses to be with can’t handle what you two mean to each other, then they don’t deserve her. You promise me one thing. Don’t back out of her life. No matter how much you think you’re in the way or worry about how someone else might see you. She needs you. She always will. More than either of you even realize.”
Giles blinked at the serious tone. “I… I’ll promise to look after her as I always have. But Willow needs to lead her own life. I will never stand in the way if someone else chooses to love her.”
Oz gave him an odd, almost quizzical look. “She hasn’t told you yet. You don’t know who it is.”
“I, well, I know Willow has mentioned a possible new love interest. But no, she hasn’t brought him to be introduced.” He gave a small, mirthless chuckle. “Sometimes I don’t know if she fears I might judge him as something of a father figure, or as a rival lover. It’s a rather uncomfortable thought to tell the truth. I take it you did find out who this new interest is?”
“I did,” the boy smiled guiltily. “It was an… unfortunate meeting. The wolf…”
“Willow told us her friend Tara saw you change.”
He nodded sadly. “I think Willow’s a little afraid to trust her heart, yet. That’s likely my fault. But, she will. When she tells you, she’ll need your support… maybe even more than any of the others.”
Giles nodded, “She’ll always have it, no matter what.” He then huffed a laugh. “But I dare say that the others might be a bit more open to just about anyone… as long as he’s not me. That was a revelation that wasn’t very welcomed.”
“Maybe only to people who aren’t paying attention,” Oz murmured. “You guys need each other. You always will.”
****
Giles slid into the driver’s seat of his rental car and let his shoulders relax into the leather. He sat in silence for a few moments before letting out a breath and calmly stating, “You can end the spell and come up to the front now.”
“How did you know?” Willow pouted as she appeared in his rear-view mirror.
“Come on up here,” he hid a smile and waited for her to change seats. “And while I do like the idea of you having a Chameleon spell in your repertoire,” he continued as she climbed in beside him, “I’d appreciate you not attempting to use it on me again.”
“I didn’t want Oz to see me. We already said our goodbyes and I didn’t want to hurt him again.” She received an understanding nod as the man next to her started the car. “And, by the way, if you knew I was here, you didn’t have to leave me all alone out in this scary parking lot for so long.”
“You were invisible, remember. I knew you’d be safe. And it serves you right. Being a stowaway never turns out to be much fun.”
“How was he?” Willow asked quietly.
The Watcher looked over at her with kind eyes. “I believe he will be fine. Oz has a whole world to explore now. I know he’ll live his life to its fullest.”
The girl nodded with a little sadness in her eyes as Giles pulled out and turned onto the highway. “This isn’t the way back home,” her head popped up.
“No,” he chuckled. “I want to show you something. Besides, it’s likely the authorities haven’t restored the power after our little act of sabotage yet, and I can think of better things to do than sit at home in the dark. Did you have something to hurry back for?”
“Oh… It can wait. Now I’m curious about what you’d want to drive me out into the desert for. Should I be concerned?” she asked teasingly.
“That is a point,” he teased back. “What could a man like me possibly do alone in the middle of nowhere with a little girl like you?”
“Don’t call me a little girl,” Willow muttered, then scooted over to lean against his warmth as the cool night wind rushed past her open window. “It makes me feel icky for having sexy feelings about you.”
“You’re right,” he murmured, moving his arm from her just enough to shift gears. “You are a young woman. And a lovely one at that.”
Willow looked up at him with a grin. “Yep, there they are. Those sexy Giles feelings.”
He shook with a chuckle. “You behave, or I’ll turn this car around.”
After nearly half an hour of nothing but dark, straight highway, Willow let out a yip when the Watcher turned off onto a dirt track. He gave the engine just enough power to let the back wheels slide around on the loose surface. Fond memories from his youth returned as the young woman beside him grasped his arm a little tighter. The joy they brought with them overwhelmed him for a few moments. So lovely that he almost forgot to feel guilty over the love he carried for the comparative child clinging to him.
“You’re doing that on purpose,” she squeaked as they swung around another bend. She glanced up to see the grin gracing his face and laughed, “Do it again!” Her hold on him tightened even more as he spun the car in a full doughnut before sliding it to a halt. “I didn’t know you could drive like that,” Willow breathed, her heart-rate slightly elevated.
“Well,” Giles cleared his throat and put on his most pompous librarian voice, “It would be highly irresponsible to go tearing through the city streets with a car full of impressionable youths.” He chuckled, “Besides, my old car never had enough power.”
“Does that mean you’re not afraid to be a bad influence on me anymore?” she gazed up at him with her most falsely innocent look.
Giles knew it well enough to see the horns under the halo. He sighed, “I’m not sure it’d be possible for me to corrupt you any more than I already have.”
His young friend could see the guilt deep in his eyes. It hurt her heart that he still felt like he had wronged her, and still was for caring so much for her. “Giles, do you think I’m a bad person?” she whispered.
“Of course, not. Why ever would you ask if I did?” His expressive features shifted to pure confusion.
“Well… because I’ve never felt like you obviously do. Everything that happened between us, and has happened since, was just as much my doing as yours. But all I feel is lucky… that I have a wonderful man like you who’ll always look after me, who’ll always love me. And there you are, always putting yourself down, and always feeling like everything you do is wrong. I can’t help wonder which one of us is… having the wrong reaction.”
He brought his hand up to cup her cheek in his warm palm. “You are an exceptional and loving person, Luv. I’m sorry if my… unease with our situation upsets you. Please know that I will never be anything but grateful to have you in my life as you are. My guilt stems from failing to protect you as I should, nothing more.”
“But you didn’t fail--”
“And I did not bring you all the way out here to have this, rather depressing, conversation once again. I brought you here to show you something. Come with me.” He shut the engine off, and slid out of the car with bright anticipation lighting his eyes.
Willow frowned at the lack of resolution to their discussion, but couldn’t help but be intrigued by his sudden excitement. She got out and walked around the front of the car to meet him. The desert was amazingly bright under the nearly full moon, and her eyes were drawn to the cheerful smile on his face. She nearly jumped when he grabbed her hand and began leading her up a sandy path. They emerged from between two giant boulders onto a stony outcropping.
Giles turned and held both of her hands, gazing down at her expectantly. It took the redhead a few more moments to realize the buzz she was feeling along her skin wasn’t coming from how cute he looked that night. It was in the air all around her.
“I feel it,” she gasped, her eyes wide. “What is that?”
“Power,” he grinned. “Latent mystical energy. The native holy men and mystics used this as a sacred place for meditation and growth. But, can you blame them?”
He gestured out over the ledge, and for the first time Willow looked to see the magnificent view of the colorful and sparkling desert stretching out below them. However, the awesome landscape wasn’t half as spectacular as the blanket of light above. With no man-made illumination within miles, the true majesty of the night sky shown in all its glory. The Milky Way painted a wide swath overhead, forming a river of light from horizon to horizon. Glowing jewels in more colors than Willow had ever imagined twinkled above and around her. She couldn’t breathe for the beauty of it.
“Oh, Giles. It’s… amazing!” She swallowed hard and pulled her eyes back down to his sparkling gaze. “How did you know how much I love the stars?”
He smiled fondly at her. “I’ve caught you, um… star-dreaming a few times.”
“Star-dreaming?” she giggled. “I like it. Why didn’t you ever tell me this place existed?”
Giles chuckled. “For the past four years I’ve been constantly surrounded by chil… young people. I needed a few places that I could escape to.”
Moisture glinted in Willow’s big, green eyes. “And you decided to share this escape with me.”
“It seemed…” the Watcher shrugged. “We were nearly here anyway, and I knew you’d appreciate it.” He let go of her hands and turned away to sit on the smooth stone ground against the curving wall of a boulder.
Willow grinned and went to sit next to him. She discovered that the spot had been worn into a comfortable seat over hundreds of years. However, that didn’t stop her from snuggling under Giles’ arm to lean mainly against him. To her, that was the nicest spot of all.
“Also,” Giles murmured, settling his arm comfortably around her, “I know what you did today wasn’t easy. Watching Oz have to leave again after all he meant to you must have been painful.”
“A little,” she sighed, laying her head back against his shoulder to gaze up at the sky. “But it wasn’t a bad hurt like last time. It was the best thing for both of us. Oz could never be in control like he wanted with me around. And it wasn’t fair to him that I had...” Willow trailed off.
“He told me that you do have someone else. And, yes, we clarified that person isn’t me.” He chuckled as the redhead wiggled deeper into his warmth.
“Did…” she bit her lip, “Did he tell you who?”
“No. He thought that was something you should do when you were ready. But, Willow, Luv, I want you to know that you’ll always have my support and respect. I’m not sure if you fear me reacting like some overbearing father, or some, heaven forbid, rival lover. Whoever you choose, as long as he treats you right--”
“Giles, it’s nothing like that,” she stopped him. “And it’s not just you. I hadn’t even told Buffy before… Never mind. It’s just been all so new, and I wasn’t ready to share yet. I just hope you like… who it is.”
He gave her a quick squeeze. “I’m sure I will. Anyone special enough to earn your notice must be exceptional indeed.”
“You earned my notice,” she whispered, taking the hand that was resting on her hip and bringing it farther around her.
He didn’t respond, instead keeping his eyes on the sky. Before long it became impossible for him to ignore what she was doing as she slowly ran her fingers along the surface of the hand she held. The nerve endings sang to life under her light touch and his skin flushed with heat. As she too gazed at the stars, she also explored every inch of his hand like it was a priceless treasure. Her tender touch seeking out the sensitive flesh of his wrist, his palm, and between each finger. Giles could feel the mystical energies surrounding them being called and excited by the intimate contact. Part of him knew he should pull away or bring attention to what she was doing to him. It was being fought, tooth and nail, by the part of him that craved feeling so good, and craved accepting these sensations from Willow.
The girl pressed against his body wasn’t as unaware as she let on. Willow knew his senses were as heightened as her own. She knew that her simple touch must be doing wonderful things to him. Being allowed to touch him like that was certainly doing things to her. After giving him plenty of time to stop her, she smiled and slowly brought his hand up to her lips.
The velvet skin brushed along the same paths her fingers had traced. Tiny kisses were place on his most sensitive spots, then on each fingertip, then on the pad of his thumb. She heard and felt his sharp intake of breath when she poked her tongue out to join her lips on his thumb. He jumped when her lips parted over its tip.
“Willow, please,” he whispered in a shaky breath.
She smiled and took his whole thumb into her hot, wet mouth.
Giles’ other hand searched for something to hold onto. The redhead pulled her lips up his thumb in torturously slow motion before take taking it into her mouth again.
“Dear lord, Willow, you have to…” he swallowed hard.
She left her pouted lips against his wet skin as she said, “Are you gonna tell me to stop, Giles? But you taste so good.” She licked him again for emphasis.
“Good god, woman. You know what you’re doing isn’t fair.” He swore under his breath when she giggled around his skin. “It’s… It’s not fair to your love interest, and it’s not fair to you, and, good lord above, it’s not fair to me.”
“You don’t like it?” she pouted playfully.
“You are about to make me have an accident of a type I have not had in many, many… many years.”
“I told you to stop saying you were old,” she said, her finger still stroking between his pointer and middle fingers.
“I didn’t say--”
“You implied.”
“Willow, I’m serious,” he hissed, closing his eyes. Yet, he continued to leave it to her to let his hand go instead of pulling it away.
“You can, you know,” she whispered. “I’d never tell anybody. We’re all alone out here. You’re allowed to feel good, Giles. You deserve it. If you’ll let me… And I promise nothing you think would be bad. Just hands, maybe a little kissing.”
Giles’ eyes clenched tighter as she finally released his hand, only so she could turn enough to place soft kisses at the side of his neck. He so wanted to give her permission to proceed. He could blame it on the powerful magick of the place. On the emotionally charged day she’d had. On his own simple need for human touch. Any of those excuses might have worked with anyone else, but not with her. He knew, with Willow, it would all mean too much, would go too far. Her life was just getting back on track. He couldn’t get in the way.
Opening his eyes to see her beautiful, caring gaze, he sighed, “I can’t let…”
“What did you hope would happen if you brought me out here?” she whispered.
Giles cleared his throat. “I hoped you’d like the view,” he breathed truthfully. “If I had let myself imagine… Forgive me.”
Willow smiled kindly. “What are we going to do when you stop being the grownup?”
He released a relieved chuckle. “Probably something very foolish, and that we’ll have to live with afterwards. And please don’t make me imagine what that mistake might be like because I’m already on the verge of…”
“An accident?” the redhead giggled.
“Minx,” Giles responded teasingly. “We’d best be getting back. Who knows what’s happened in the blackout. And I’d wager there’s someone waiting to hear from you as to your status.”
“You’re right.” Willow nodded and stood, reaching down to help him. She laughed when he signaled he needed a few more minutes before he was ready. “Oh, that reminds me. Do you have any candles at your house I could borrow?”