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Author's Chapter Notes:
A father/son bonding chapter!
TO KNOW THE HUMAN HEART


Summary: Spike and his dad have a heart-to-heart. Rupert Giles is just full of surprises!


Chapter 19: ‘Heart To Heart’



“Dad? What the hell are ‘you’ doing here?” Spike repeated his confused question once again.

While Spike loved and admired his father, Rupert Giles, truly he did, but… The truth was Spike had always been a bit intimidated by his ‘old’ man and such.

“I have come to uhm, well, to meet your intended and well,” Rupert Giles stammered a bit, something he did not do often.

“Well?” Spike asked dubiously, his left brow quirked upwards in a suspicious manner.

“It’s Drusilla and her old man, son,” Rupert mumbled almost apologetically. “I guess Miss Masterson has gotten wind of your upcoming nuptials and has well, let’s see how was it that Drusilla put it? Come to her senses and feels you should come to yours?”

Spike was stunned beyond words, completely, by what his father had just stated.

“What exactly does that mean?” Spike asked, again suspiciously.

“Well, Drusilla insisted on accompanying me, along with her father, Rafe Masterson, out here to Sunnydale. I cannot really relate her exact words but apparently, Drusilla feels that you are on the rebound from her and has decided to ‘take you back’ as it were?” Rupert nervously cleared his throat and focused his stare on Spike’s oak desk.

“You have got to be fucking joking!” Spike burst out into near peals of laughter. He almost forgot he had just used a profanity in front of the icon that was Rupert Giles.

“I do not think obscenities are called for, William,” Rupert grunted gruffly. “I understand how you would be ‘confused’ by Drusilla’s message. That is why I convinced her to allow me to come ahead and speak with you,” he finished in a quiet tone.

“Drusilla feels that this intended of yours; Buffy is it?” Rupert gave his son a curious glance then continued. “She feels that you would be throwing your life and career away on let me think, how did Drusilla put it?”

Rupert scrunched up his brows and thought for a moment. “Yes, Drusilla said and I somewhat quote,” he continued carefully:

“I cannot let a genius like my Spike throw his life and career away for a little nothing like this Summers person. A blithering nitwit I suppose that makes her way by coddling the cast off brats of God knows who and…..”

“That’s enough Dad!” Spike roared as he slammed his fist down on his desk.

Spike felt the bile rise in his throat as he pictured his ex, Drusilla, in all of her jaded glory and self-righteous babbling. For it was only insipid babbling that Dru knew how to do, Spike finally had realized this. His ex-fiancé was, had been and always would be a self-absorbed, bent bitch who thought only of herself and her status.

‘Thank God I got away from the bloody loon,’ Spike muttered under his breath. Then he turned his wrath upon his own father; who looked very pensive at that moment.

Spike glared at his old man with wide-eyed disbelief and shook his blond head sharply. “You ‘came’ ahead here to speak with me alone? Jesus dad, are you joking? Let me clear some things up for you, Rupert,” he growled impatiently.

“I am in no way on the rebound from that bloody bitch, Drusilla Masterson. When I came to Sunnydale, I had long since realized that I never loved her, Drusilla, in the way I should have. Once I met Elizabeth ‘Buffy’ Summers, it was then that truly realized what true love was and should be.”

“My Buffy is anything but a nitwit or a nothing, Dad,” Spike continued, his protective mode of Buffy overwhelming him completely.

“Buffy is an angel; an earth angel,” Spike explained through gritted teeth. “She’s everything to me; my heart and my very soul. Jesus, Dad, Buffy has been my salvation. It’s Buffy that ‘is’ my calling Dad. I love Buffy Summers and I am going to marry her. On the Saturday after the next one, Da, in full wedding pomp and circumstance! That’s that and well if you don’t like it or anyone else ever says anything negative about my Buffy again, I’ll…..”





Rupert studied his son, carefully then interrupted him, cautiously:

“Drusilla and Rafe Masterson have made it clear that if you go through with this marriage to your Miss Summers; that your position in New Hampshire General will no longer be available to you. Are you willing to risk that, son?”

The older Giles looked somewhat smug, Spike felt at least. Spike decided to call everyone of their bluff and stated simply:

“I could give a flying fuck what Drusilla or her old reprobate of a father say, threaten or do to me. I’m going to marry Buffy Summers, my one true love, and if I have to hang a private physician’s sign in some unobvious little building or even ‘our’ home? I bloody well will!”

Spike emphasized his remarks by slamming his fist down again on his oaken desk. His blue eyes were fiery with righteous fury and he glared at his father with indignation; and love of course.

Rupert stared at his son, stoically and then did something quite unexpected to Spike. The old man smiled; no, he grinned widely. Not just any old grin, no way. Rupert Giles grinned gleefully and proudly at his only child.

“Dad? You okay?” Spike asked timidly. His lion of a father’s loony grin had somewhat unnerved him and…..


“I am more then okay William,” Rupert sighed in relief and plopped down, finally, on the chair across from his son’s desk. “I am stupendous,” the father beamed happily.

“I don’t think I’m on the same page as you, Dad,” Spike muttered in confusion; he too sat on his chair and gazed at his father, dubiously.

“Then I’ll enlighten you Will,” Rupert mumbled affectionately to his beloved son. “I’ve never trusted or liked Rafe and/or Drusilla Masterson. The bloody bint was never good enough for you; nor was her idiot of a father,” Rupert grumbled harshly.

“I feared that if you indeed shackled yourself to the Masterson family that you would be doomed for life,” the older man added evenly.

“And let me be even more honest,” Rupert continued, “if you had answered me, here and today, in any other way then you did? I would have been deeply disappointed in you boy. As it is, you have made me quite proud today. Very proud indeed and I know that your mother ‘God rest her soul’ would be equally as proud of you as I am.”

Spike stared at his father in disbelief, yet again. He couldn’t believe what his old man was saying and yet…..

“I see you have finally found yourself William,” Rupert went on kindly. “You have become the man your mother and I always felt you could be. You have seemingly found your heart and soul here, Will and I have never been prouder of you. If Buffy Summers is the cause of this miracle; then so be it and I cannot wait to meet her.”

“Then, then I have your blessing Dad?” Spike asked quietly.

“Of course you do William and I give you more then that,” Rupert murmured. “I give my good wishes and love son.”

“Oh, Dad, I…..” Spike choked out emotionally.

“There is another reason I have come here to Sunnydale William,” Rupert stammered insecurely. “An even more personal reason; about myself I’m afraid,” he finished in a hushed tone.

“What is it Dad?” Spike asked, worriedly. His father looked healthy enough but…..

“Well, about a year or so ago,” Rupert began cautiously, “I was at this big ‘do’ at the Embassy in London. Same old boring affair I fear, except,” he paused and studied his son yet again.

“I did meet a most interesting person,” Rupert began again. “A lovely woman, not quite middle aged and…..”

“You have a girlfriend Dad?” Spike inquired, trying to stifle the chuckle that threatened to escape his throat. He could not suppress the smirk on his mouth though.

“Well, yes,” Rupert stated bluntly, just a bit put out that his only child thought this humorous in any way. “I thought, well I know that I wish to marry Jennifer and…..”

“You want ‘my’ blessing,” Spike finished for his father. “You want me to give my okay on your girl and give you my blessing?” He repeated quietly.

“Yes William. I want your blessing for my Jenny and me. I assure you that Jennifer will never completely replace your mother’s place in my heart; nor do I think she could replace your mother in your memory. However, I feel that Jennifer Calendar is my second chance as it were. My chance at an old age of contentment and companionship,” Rupert dropped his gaze from William’s and looked at the pen set on the desk before him.

“I give you my blessing Dad,” Spike murmured sincerely as he rounded the desk and stood by his father’s chair. “More then that,” he added, “I give you my good wishes.”

Spike leaned over and did something he had not done in years. He hugged his father.


A/N: The next chapter is attentively entitled ‘The Weddings’ which should give you a hint at the plot line!

Thanks for reading and please review, spufette.





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