She's In Love
By Ripptyd

Rating:  I think G
Spoilers: Ummmm...I guess Season 4 because Riley is in it, but nothing pertaining a certain episode.
Summary: Buffy is in love
Disclaimer: I own nothing involving BtVS (Although I wish I did), Joss is the man. I also don't own "She's In Love." Mark Wills sang that (No, I don't like ONLY country, it just happens that the story popped in my head when I heard the song).
Feedback: Flames are welcome, but remember, I'm a beginner and not an author. Music is my thing (Can't you tell?).

NOTES: Set a few years in the future, Buffy's is about 21. Lyrics in italics

    "So what's the big news you had, Buff?" Xander was sitting in Giles' living room along with the rest of the gang.

Riley had his arms wrapped around Buffy. Xander and Anya were cuddled on the couch. Willow and Tara sat on the floor, while Spike and Giles sat in two chairs. Everyone stared at Buffy and Riley.

Buffy looked back towards Riley and started smiling broadly. "We're getting married!!" she practically yelled.
 
The reaction was slow, but it came soon enough:  the girls squealed and ran to Buffy, hugging her nearly to death. The men in the room stood up to shake Riley's hand.

The last one to shake hands was Giles. He wasn't smiling as much as everyone else, but how could he? The woman he loved was getting married to a man that wasn't him. He gave Buffy a small hug while saying, "Congratulations."
 
For the next half hour Giles sat there while everyone talked about the wedding. He was able to pretend pretty well that he was happy and excited. He fooled everyone, except Buffy. She kept giving him worried glances, and every time he would try and reassure her by smiling at her.

"So do you guys have a date set?" Willow asked excitedly.

"Ummm, well we decided October 3rd. We both really want a fall wedding." Riley told them, while Buffy had her eyes locked on Giles worriedly.

"Sounds like it will be beautiful." Giles told them, looking straight into Buffy's eyes smiling.
 
Soon the group started to go their own separate ways for the night. Buffy and Riley were being walked to the door by a silent Giles, when Buffy told Riley she needed to talk to Giles for a few minutes and that she'd be outside in a little bit. As Riley stepped outside the door, Buffy walked towards Giles.

 "Ok, Giles, give. What's wrong? You've been bumming all night."  She looked worried.

"Buffy, I'm perfectly fine. I'm just tired that's all," he lied, although he couldn't look her straight in the eye.

"I think I know what's wrong," she told him.

His head snapped up to look at her. "You do?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I do. I bet you think after I get married, I'm not going to have any more time for you all. That we'll fall away from each other. Am I right?"
 
The 3rd of June she said good-bye
I watched her walk into the night
The hardest thing I ever did was let her go
We swore as friends we'd stay in touch
Best of friends don't mean that much
 
    Giles smiled weakly, feeling the stinging behind his eyes, although even in the privacy of his own home he wasn't going to cry. "Yes, Buffy, that's what I'm afraid of." I'm not really lying, he thought, Although that's only a fraction of what will happen after the wedding.

When that phone call comes to tell you
She's in love
 
    Buffy smiled brightly and gave him a  big hug while saying, "Don't worry. We'll always stay in touch. I'll see you all the time."

With that, she turned around and walked out the door.

He watched with a pained expression as Riley hugged Buffy to him, probably walking her out of his life forever.

She's in love
She's got that fire in her eyes
She's in love
Now her smile lights up the sky
It's like she's walking on air
She's been set free
Still I can't believe
She's in love
Strolling down a one way street
You'd swear her heart has wings
She's in love, why can't it be me? 

********************************

The Next Week
 
 Giles gloomily walked up the sidewalk with his groceries. As he came up to his door, he saw a small, folded piece of paper taped right over the peep hole. There was just one word scrawled on the sheet:  his name, in Buffy's handwriting. Why Buffy would write and leave him a note was beyond him. Bewildered,  he took the note down and went into his apartment.

Told everyone I'm doing fine
I've learned to get on with my life
I just want what's best for her
So I lied
 
    He walked into the kitchen and set down the bags, then walked into the living room with the note in hand. Giles plopped down on the couch and opened the note.
 
Dear Giles,
 
   I know you've still been pretty glum, but I want to make it clear to you that everything will be the exact same as it used to be before. Nothing will change because I've found someone I want to spend the rest of my life with. You know we'll all be friends until the days we die. I just want you to know that.
 
    Love Always,
    Buffy
 
Found a note on my door last night
Said "I'll be your friend 'till the day I die
But you should know I've found someone"
Now she's in love

She's in love
She's got that fire in her eyes
She's in love
Now her smile lights up the sky
It's like she's walking on air
She's been set free
Still I can't believe
She's in love
Strolling down a one way street
You'd swear her heart has wings
She's in love, why can't it be me?
 
    Giles stared at the note blankly. Thoughts swam through his head by the hundreds. He wanted her to be happy, but.... He felt the familiar stinging that came along with thinking of Buffy and rubbing his eyes frustratedly. He just folded the note and put it down on the coffee table, and moving to lean back onto the couch, started to think about how he was going to congratulate them in his speech at the wedding. He had to make it just right.

She's in love
She's got that fire in her eyes
She's in love
Now her smile lights up the sky
It's like she's walking on air
She's been set free
Still I can't believe
She's in love
Strolling down a one way street
You'd swear her heart has wings
She's in love, why can't it be me?

Oh now she's in love, why can't it be me?
 
END