Behind Hazel Eyes

Summary: What Buffy and Giles have felt throughout the years towards each other, and how it's been for them to hide it from each other.

Rating: PG-13-ish, but it's really not that bad.

Spoilers: Pilot, Helpless, A New Man, Forever, Flooded, Tabula Rasa

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, though at times I wish...please, Joss, I beg you!

Author: E. Quackenbush aka NephilimEQ aka edq-ocd18

Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy my reposting of this wildly popular fiction...I've made it better in the earlier chapters now, and it was enjoyable to be able to polish it up for you, my fans!

I. The Slayer

Buffy Summers walked into the Sunnydale High School library, glad that Cordelia Chase had left her alone to go and get her books.

"Hello?" Her words fell silent on the large expanse of the library.

Buffy took a close look at the library: beautifully furnished, nice studying areas, and it had a smell of musty old books, which was to be expected. But it was missing one thing.

A librarian.

Actually, the library was completely devoid of anyone, making her feel slightly uneasy.

"Is anybody here?"

Buffy put her hand on the surface of the checkout counter, noticing that the day's paper was lying on it, with something circled in red. She took a look at it.

It seemed that three local boys were missing. Huh.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to turn, putting her face to face with...oh boy.

A quick once over with her eyes and she already liked him. Studious, glasses, and he looked foreign. He had a strong jaw, gentle eyes, and there was something about his mouth that she liked...what it was exactly she didn't know, but she knew that she liked it and that was all that mattered.

"Anybody's here..." she said quickly, masking her emotions.

"Can I help you?" the man said, his eyes quickly taking in her appearance.

Oh god, he had a British accent. That was nearly her undoing, but luckily one of her hands was still on the counter behind her, keeping her legs from collapsing beneath her. She was a sucker for an accent like his. The accent along with the way that he looked and held himself made her suspect that he was more than he seemed.

"I was looking for some, um, well...books. I'm new."

'Well, duh,' she thought to herself. She was still dressed as of she were in L.A., and she knew that it wouldn't go unnoticed. 'Real smooth line, Buffy. I'm sure that he thinks I'm a complete dimwit.'

His look changed to one of pleasant surprise, almost as if he had been expecting her to arrive.

"Ms. Summers?"

Buffy started, surprised that he knew her name, and liking the way that it sounded...and wondering how her first name would sound coming off of those lips.

"Good call. Guess I'm the only new kid, huh?"

He hesitated before continuing speaking, his hand still hovering near his glasses, almost as though he was holding himself back from reaching up and then taking them off and cleaning them vigorously. There was a look in his eyes that made her wonder how he knew her name. It couldn't be that she was new. There had to be plenty of other kids who were also new...this was something else.

"I'm Mr. Giles, the librarian. I was told you were coming." As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up his pace into a brisk walk and headed towards an office to the left of the counter she was leaning on.

She shrugged to herself, unsure of what he was doing. She went ahead and spoke up about the books she needed.

"Great. So, I'm going to need Perspectives on Twentieth Century-"

He interrupted her. "I know what you're after." With those words, he pulled a book out from behind the counter and placed it in front of her: VAMPYR

Buffy suddenly changed her mind about being in the library, even though she thought that the librarian was definitely drool-worthy. Even so, this was something that she just couldn't take...no matter how much she wanted to just reach over and feel his arms to see if they were as strong as they looked.

'Oh no,' she thought to herself. 'This can't be happening again. I just got away from all of this in Los Angeles and I'm not going through it again.'

"That's not what I'm looking for."

He gave her a perplexed look, which looked adorable on his fine features.

"Are you sure?" His voice went slightly higher as he spoke this time, and he tilted his head.

She nodded, still not believing that the guy that the first guy that she found attractive since she'd been there in Sunnydale was the one who was going to be her Watcher. This guy in front of her was her...Watcher. It was too hard to get her mind around, too confusing. Way too confusing.

In a small voice she responded. "I'm way sure."

Buffy slowly began to back up, and then quickly turned and headed out of the library, her heels clicking on the cold stone tiles as she hastily made her way to the doors. The entire time, one thought ran through her head...or a memory. Seeing her Watcher, Merrick being killed right in front her eyes. She would get this one killed within days...and she didn't want that to happen again.

Rupert Giles, not noticing, leaned over, put the book away, and stood back up, speaking the entire time.

"My mistake. So what is it you said-?"

He stared in confusion as he watched Buffy Summers exit the library as though the hounds of Hades were nipping at her heels.

Part 1/12