Everything You Want
By Dien the Acolyte

Author: Dien, just so you know who to yell at. dc_watcher@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Buffy, Giles, etc, owned by joss, yadda, yadda. yada. Vertical Horizon wrote the song, I took some liberties with words.
Summary: Sort of angsty, not really tho, and B/G. From Giles pov, sort of, and back when Buffy was really in her 'ignore Giles' stage... like all of this season
Feedback: Required
Distribution: I don't know why you'd want it....

Somewhere there's speaking
It's already coming in
Oh and it's rising at the back of your mind
You never could get it
Unless you were fed it
Now you're here and you don't know why
But under skinned knees and the skid marks
Past the places where you used to learn
You howl and listen
Listen and wait for the
Echo of an Angel who won't return

    Giles watched Buffy walk away with Riley, the familiar ache inside him, the familiar fake smile on his face, the fatherly smile. And it wasn't as if she even felt anything for the young man...Giles pitied Riley, wondering when the young man, on top of the world right now, would realize Buffy was using him as nothing more than a substitute for a vampire she still loved.

    Willow watched through narrowed eyes. She saw the look on Giles's face, the pain and anger that flashed there so momentarily, before he managed to cover it up with the solicitous, kindly smile. 'Can't Buffy see?' she wondered. 'Can't she see how much he loves her...how much he's IN LOVE with her?....How much she's hurting him?' The young witch gnawed her bottom lip. 'Ever since...Angel, she's been trying to find a replacement... And the man who's perfect for her, the man who is everything she's looking for, is right in front of her and she doesn't even see him. She's content to trample over his feelings. He doesn't mean anything to her.'

He's everything you want
He's everything you need
He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
He says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But he means nothing to you
And you don't know why
You're waiting for someone
To put you together
You're waiting for someone to push you away
There's always another wound to discover
There's always something more you wish he'd say
He's everything you want
He's everything you need
He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
He says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But he means nothing to you
And you don't know why

       Buffy laughed, unaware of the brief light in Giles's eyes that happened when she did so--as it always did--and reached out to give him a friendly sock on the arm. "That is so cute, Giles! Thanks. What a great birthday present," she grinned, looking at the t-shirt that said, "So Bite Me." "I'll wear it when I next patrol," she assured him. Unfolding it, a card dropped out:

               To Buffy,
               The bravest young woman I know.
               Giles

       "How sweet," she said brightly, looking at it. She leaned forward and gave him a brief hug, saying jokingly, "If only all guys were as great as you, Giles, dating would be a lot easier!" She missed the pain in his eyes at her words.

       "Well, thanks for the great birthday party, everyone!" she said, turning to her assembled friends. "Ready to go, Riley?" He smiled affirmatively, gazing at her adoringly, and the two of them left for the movie they had planned to attend.

       Giles excused himself, unable to watch the adoring light in Riley's eyes.

But you'll just tight
And watch it unwind
It's only what you're asking for
And you'll be just fine
With all of your time
It's only what you're waiting for
Out of the island
Into the highway
Past the places where you might have turned
You never did notice
But you still hide away
Your anger at angels who won't return

      "I just don't get it, Buffy! What do you want from me?" Riley yelled, his tone a mixture of frustration and pleading.

      "I don't know! I don't know, okay?! Just get out! Alright?" Buffy screamed, trying not to cry. Why did she and Riley seem to fight so much these days?

      "Buffy..." He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should get out. And come back when you can decide whether you really want this to work," he said, grabbing his shirt and leaving.

      Buffy threw herself on her bed, crying. Why did guys have to be such jerks? Why couldn't they be sweet, and smart, and brave... Why couldn't she just find a guy like... She stopped. She had been meaning to say Angel, but Giles had come to mind.

     She gave a half-sob, half-laugh. Yeah, someone like Giles would be nice.

    Just not Giles.

He's everything you want
He's everything you need
He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
He says all the right things
At exactly the right time
But he means nothing to you
And you don't know why
I am everything you want
I am everything you need
I am everything inside of you
That you wish you could be
I say all the right things
At exactly the right time
But I mean nothing to you and I don't know why
And I don't know why
Why
I don't know
Why

END