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Buffy gave into the tears that pushed for release. She was scared,scared of so many different things. The feelings Giles had for her,the feelings she wasn't sure she had for Giles,losing him and most importantly,of what would happen next.
Willow and Oz came through the door laughing until they noticed Buffy. Rushing to her side,they tried to figure out what was wrong, what had happened to get her in such a state.
After Willow was able to figure out that it was something personal involving Giles and not a death, she turned to Oz and asked him to leave.Smiling an apology, she promised to call later, when Buffy was in better shape. Nodding once, he patted Buffy's shoulder,kissed Willow and left. Hearing Buffy sob Giles name, he decided to go over and check on the ex-watcher.
Arriving at Giles house,Oz walked up to the door and knocked.Not getting an answer,but hearing glass break somewhere inside, he tried the door knob. Finding it unlocked, he rushed inside, stopping in shock at what he saw.
Giles stood in the middle of the room, blood dripping from his hand, glass covering the floor around him.The room looked as if the hellmouth had opened beneath it. The furniture was all but destroyed.The insides of the couch and one of the chairs littering the floor. Empty scotch and whiskey bottles lay about as well.A sword was embedded in the remaining chair,causing Oz to believe that Giles must have used it on the other furniture too.
"If you've come here to talk or baby-sit me then just bloody leave now. I've lived this long without the rubbish, I don't need it now."
Holding his hands up in what he hoped was a calming manner,Oz spoke softly," listen Giles, I just came from Buffy's and seeing the shape she was in I thought it wise to look in on you. I'm not here to-"
Giles crossed the room in three strides,grabbing Oz's shirt in his two fists,effectively cutting off the boys speech. Hauling Oz up close to his face, he all but growled, "is she hurt? What do you mean by the shape she is in? What shape? Bloody talk damn it!"
Eyebrows raised, Oz grabbed Giles wrist. "Listen, she's fine-physically. You, on the other hand, smell as if you bought out a liquor store and then drank it dry.Not to mention the nasty to your hand. Come on man,Will and Buff would never forgive me if I didn't help you out and fix you up."
Letting go of Oz, Giles ran his hand through his hair mumbling,"forgive you? It's me she'll never forgive.Not now. Why the fuck did I leave that book laying out? It's like I *wanted* her to find it. Which, in it's self is absurd.And why didn't I just tell her myself? We could have resolved it and worked it through.I let her find out like this.I'm a bloody moron! Oz?"
Giles looked at Oz in confusion, then his expression cleared when he remembered. "Oh Oz I forgot you were here.What am I going to do? I can't survive without her Oz, and I'm bloody afraid I just may have to."
Oz led the drunken man to the steps,kicking debris out of their way as he went.Hoping that Willow was having an easier time of it with Buffy, he tried coaxing Giles up the first step.
"Come on Giles,up the stairs we go. This can't be solved in a night and Buffy's not going anywhere.Let's get you fixed up and maybe you can tell me what's going on. If you want."
Leading the older man up the stairs, Oz shook his head,wondering what the hell brought his two friends to this state.After putting Giles in the shower, Oz went downstairs to clean up a bit. Loud cursing sent him running up the stairs a few minutes later. He found Giles on the floor of the bathroom naked, blood flowing freely from his hand again.
Grabbing a towel to save the man some embarrassment,he covered Giles and helped him to his feet. Settling him on his bed, Oz went and got the first aid kit and fixed the cut on Giles hand.
"This is kinda deep, it should probaly be sewn shut." Looking up from his work, he saw that Giles had fallen asleep. Deciding that the hand would heal with a scar but no other damage,Oz covered him up and let him sleep. Going back down the stairs, Oz cleaned up the mess and called Willow to let her know where he would be staying. Telling her a few basics,he asked it not be mentioned to Buffy. Getting Willow's promise to call after she got Buffy to rest, he hung up and sat in the chair that still had it's stuffing.
"Huh. Looks like new furniture is on order for the G-man. What they hell is going on around here? This is strange, even for the hellmouth." Settling back for what promised to be a long night, Oz shook his head,saddened for his friends.