Title: Fear
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Characters: Buffy Summers; Rupert Giles
Rating: G
Length: 274 words
Content notes: Spoilers for 1x10 Nightmares
Author notes: I have just started watching Buffy (I know) and I’m in love with it so far. I saw this episode earlier and I thought this would work well for the theme.
Summary: Buffy confronts Giles about his manifested nightmare



“We going to talk about it?”

Giles had called her in for an extra sparring session to “hone her skills”, but Buffy knew there was something else going on. He had been unusually quiet and was pushing her harder than usual.

“Whatever do you mean Buffy?” Giles replied, focusing solely on blocking her punches.

“The nightmare world yesterday,” Buffy answered, while delivering more hits, “You know where you guys saw my grave?”

“Ah that,” Giles conceded, still avoiding eye contact with Buffy, “No, I’d rather just forget about that.”

“Giles,” Buffy pushed, trying to catch his eye.

He continued to avoid her gaze until she grabbed on to his arm.

“It’s okay Giles,” Buffy said, “I get it. I was pushed into the grave before you got there. Death is scary.”

“You see, Buffy, that really doesn’t make me feel better about the whole situation,” Giles replied.

“Okay, well, then just tell me what would?” Buffy asked with a grin.

Giles gave her a small sad smile in response.

“Buffy, my sworn duty is to protect you. To prepare you for your duties as the Slayer,” he told her solemnly, “Your death is quite possibly my worst fear. Even though I knew it was able to be reversed yesterday, I was still terrified that you would stay dead and I would have failed as your Watcher. ”

“Well, lucky for you, and unluckily for the Master, I’m still here, so let’s make sure he knows it,” Buffy answered, resuming a fighting stance.

Giles gave her a genuine smile, admiring the bravery of the young Slayer, as he prepared to once again block her attacks.