Part 3 Giles, try as he might, couldn't get Willow out of his mind. Nothing unusual about that, he thought. She seemed to always be in his thoughts, more and more. And… in his dreams. At first he attributed it to the inordinate amount of time they spent together, but deep down he knew it was more than that… much more. It had started as simple affection. She was so young and eager. How could anyone not find the light she gave off appealing? Such a perplexing mix of innocence and wisdom. A brave heart and quick mind. Somehow, as the years passed, the affection became entangled with a growing desire. Initially, he'd pretended it was some sort of mid-life crisis… but it didn't fade. With each passing month the attraction grew. The days weren't complete if Willow wasn't in them. If he didn't see her smile or hear her laugh, he was left feeling a little empty. He'd finally grown accustomed to loving her from afar, or so he thought. Keeping a safe distance was becoming more and more difficult. He found himself standing closer, speaking in softer tones, torturing himself with the occasional touch. It was absurd, a grown man overwhelmed by the slightest brush of her skin. His British reserve had been a useful armor, but there was something about Willow that could break down any barrier. Sitting in his apartment, he sighed. He was doing it again. Spending the day thinking of her. His thoughts turned to yesterday. He knew he was overprotective, but how could he let her put herself in danger? He knew she was becoming more ardent in her desire to master magick. If his past were any indication, the more he reigned her in the more she wanted to bolt. He feared that some day, she would finally have enough and leave him. What if today were that day? Best to keep an eye on her. She was bound to try again. He could supervise, play safety. Then if anything were to happen, at least he'd be there. Knowing he had little choice if he wanted to keep her in his life, he decided to tell her he would help with the translocation spell. Giles grabbed his car keys and headed for her dorm. ** Willow, try as she might, couldn't get Giles out of her mind. The look he had on his face when he asked her not to do the spell again. The look she knew he would have when he found out she'd lied to him. She hadn't even done anything and the guilt was eating her alive. She couldn't do something behind his back. She wouldn't. But the spell was too important. She would try it again, but she'd be honest with Giles first. She'd ask for his help, but no matter how much he protested or reasoned or how adorably vulnerable he looked... she would try the spell. ***** Giles found Willow just as she was leaving her dorm. "Willow!" "Oh. Hi, Giles. I was just coming to see you." "Oh?" "Yeah…I…" She paused suddenly unsure. "What are you doing here?" "I was coming to speak with you. A-about yesterday actually." "I know you're only trying to help, Giles, but I… this is important to me." "I think you should continue your studies in magick… You do have so much talent, Willow. Perhaps that's what has me so concerned." "Really?" "I'd like to help you. I won't pretend that I'm not uneasy about the casting, but if you'll have me… I'd very much like to help." "You would? I mean... really?" He chuckled. "Really." Impulsively, Willow jumped forward and hugged Giles hard. He returned the hug tentatively, until Willow shyly pulled away. They both blushed slightly and a nervous awkwardness filled the air. "Uhm… you want to do it now?" Willow asked. "What?" Giles sputtered. "The spell… I meant the translocation spell." "Oh… of…of course." ***** Eventually, they found an isolated section of the park. Giles looked around uneasily. Willow smiled gently. "Don't worry. Nobody ever comes here." He nodded, but kept scanning the area. Willow noticed how the sun glinted off his glasses and gave his skin a warm glow. "It looks good on you." "What does?" he asked. "The sun. You should spend more time outside, during the day I mean…You look…" She trailed off embarrassed. She dipped her head and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear. Giles reached out and stilled her hand, tenderly pulling her hair free and caressing it. His voice was barely above a whisper. "So soft." She smiled up at him, her face flush. It was his turn to duck away. He stumbled through the moment. "Uhm.. the.. ah, spell. Are.. are you ready?" "Yup." "Alright. Now, take your time. Concentrate, but don't push. Let the magick come to you." "Okay." Willow took a deep cleansing breath and nodded. "Think about home," he instructed. "What does it mean to you? How does it make you feel? Let the feelings guide you." She nodded again, barely aware of his voice. She closed her eyes and grasped the amulet. Giles fought down the impulse to stop her. He knew he should probably back away, but he couldn't bring himself to leave her side. Willow felt her body start to tingle. It moved from her fingertips in toward her chest. Just like before. Her breath quickened and she felt the beginnings of the telltale dizziness. Giles watched carefully. He could feel the slight static charge coming off her. Her face paled and she seemed to phase out for a moment, then stumbled forward. He reached out to grab her before she fell to the ground. Willow gasped as she felt herself falling again. This time, however, instead of conking her head on a door, she felt a pair of strong arms catch her. Giles held her loosely to his chest. "Willow? Are you alright?" She took a deep shuddering breath, trying to pull air into suddenly empty lungs. When she didn't answer him, Giles felt a wave of panic. "Willow!" He put a hand on her cheek, tilting her head up. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled. "Hi." "How do you feel?" he asked his voice strained. Lying in Giles arms, his hand touching her cheek, there was only one answer. "Wonderful." His brow creased in confusion. "I'm... I'm sorry." His hand stayed against her cheek, his thumb absently brushing against her skin. It was her turn to be confused. "Sorry?" "It didn't work. You're still here." The mention of here seemed to bring Giles back to reality. He was cradling her in his arms. Reluctantly, he helped her stand. "But, I felt it. It worked," she protested. He gestured to the park and shook his head. "I'm sorry. I'm not sure what happened. I'm afraid I'm not much help after all." It didn't make sense. Willow bit her lower lip in concentration. There was something about that gesture that always made Giles' blood flow a little faster, his heart beat a little quicker. He swallowed hard and tried to ignore the sensation. Willow was certain that the spell had worked. It felt just like the first time. But, then again, the first time hadn't really worked, either. Or had it? "Oh, well, " she said. "You win some, you lose some." Giles seemed to brighten at that. "You feel quite alright?" She had such a queer expression on her face. "I am a little hungry." He laughed softly. "That I can help you with. Can I buy you lunch?" "Yeah, thanks." She smiled up at him and could feel him relax. The spell had worked, she was sure of it. Pretty sure… well… one way to find out. Tonight, she would try one last time. Part 4