Oh dear.

Giles looked up from the open box into Cordelia’s excited face and caught himself.

“It’s…” he peered back down inside the box and slowly blew out a breath.

He had absolutely no idea what it was. ‘A belated Christmas gift’ was all she said after dragging him outside to sit on the patio and dumping the heavy box in his lap- in a not so receptive area mind you. She had left him to unwrap and inspect the gift, coming back outside a short time later with drinks for them both. Fortunately for him, she hadn’t seen his initial reaction upon opening his gift or else he was sure some of her enthusiasm would have been deflated. That or ‘superbitch’ as she phrased it would have made a brief appearance.

“Yeah?” Cordelia prodded. “What do you think?”

“Uh,” he frowned as he tried vainly to figure out what the hell the thing was. “It’s nice,” he nodded finally. “Very, very nice,” he looked up at her and smiled.

She cocked her head slightly and sat back in her chair. “Nice, huh?” she said after a moment.

“Yes, quite nice and, ah, thoughtful,” Giles said glancing back down at the box and nodding.

“Thoughtful,” Cordelia repeated, crossing her arms in front of her chest and nodding along with him.

“Yes. I am sure I shall enjoy it immensely,” he said with finality in hopes that he could turn the conversation into another direction. “So how are things-“

“Well aren’t you gonna take it out of the box? Set it up!” she said excitedly.

Damn.

“I…” Giles bit the inside of his cheek, his eyes going from her to the box. He shook his head. “I’m not sure how.”

A small smile appeared at her lips and raised an eyebrow at him. “Well at least you admitted that,” she smirked. Leaning across the table, she pulled the box towards her.

“It’s a relaxation fountain. Actually a rock garden relaxation fountain.” She grinned as she pulled the contents of the box out and set it before them on the table

Oh…dear.

Giles coughed. “A relaxation fountain?” He watched as she began placing several smooth, round stones on a multi-leveled stone pedestal.

“Yep. You place the stones on the different levels, and pour water into the space up here at the top,” she pointed to the apex of the fountain. “And let the water trickle down over the rocks.”

He greatly resisted the urge to cough again. “Hmmm, and the relaxation comes in…”

Cordelia narrowed her eyes at him. “ The sound of the trickling water acts to calm the nerves and clear the mind of stressful thoughts and you don’t like this do you?”

“What? No! I didn’t say that. I think it’s… interesting.” He crossed his legs and sat back in his chair.

“Interesting?” Cordelia’s voice rose slightly as her eyebrows knitted together.

“Original?” he offered weakly.

Her mouth fell open silently.

He looked at the fountain again and thought vainly for something…

“Pretty,” he blurted out. “Yes, it is an aesthetically pleasing piece that will no doubt bring life to my, as you describe it, ‘stuffy’ home décor.”

He saw her face flush slightly and swallowed heavily.

Oh dear.

“Giles!” she gritted. “How could you-“ she looked from him to the fountain and suddenly stopped. A few seconds later her face softened into a thoughtful expression and then-

“Huh,” she let out in a half laugh, half grunt. She cut her eyes to him, studying him for a second before shrugging.

“It is pretty,” she conceded. “ I hadn’t really thought about it as a decorative accent for your museum, but…,” she nodded looking over at it again. “I can see it making a definite improvement.”

“And I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” Giles added quickly, breathing a sigh of relief.

Saved your butt with that one, ole boy.

“Are you really that afraid of me?” Cordelia grinned at him as she picked up her glass of lemonade and took a sip.

Giles snorted. “I beg your pardon?” he said as he picked up one of the rocks from the table and examined it.

“You were fumbling pretty badly for words to placate my ego,” she said. “I’m not that sensitive that you can’t be honest about a gift you don’t like.”

He gave her a look and she threw one back at him in return.

“I wouldn’t bite your head off,” she defended, huffing slightly as she sat up to recross her legs and took another sip from her glass.

Giles sat up to get a better look at the fountain. “No-you’d just verbally pummel me until I relented and said ‘It’s a really cool gift, Cordy. Really cool.’

His affected American accent caused her eyes to widen and she laughed, then coughed, lemonade dribbling out of her mouth. She leaned her head out over her chair, quickly placing her glass on the table. Giles looked over at her, suppressing a grin of satisfaction.

“Look what you made me do!” she eeked out, wiping at her mouth. “It’s bad enough I drool when I get the vision whammy, I don’t need to make it a habit.” She glanced up at him, saw his expression, and laughed in spite of herself.

“You think you’re so funny,” she grumbled as she wiped her hands on a napkin and rearranged herself in the chair.

“Oh, I’m a regular comedian,” he answered as he placed a stone on the fountain. He pursed his lips thoughtfully.

“You know this fountain isn’t too bad –“

“Bad?”

“It could be interesting,” he finished ignoring the bait. “I may be inclined to use it.”

“Suuuure,” she drawled out slowly leaning over to place another stone on the fountain. “ I bet that not only will you NOT use it. It’ll just sit in the box, in your basement, gathering dust like everything else in your apartment and you’ll remain all tense and jacked up from this Initiative crap and your roomie Spike and being away from your giiiirlfriend-“

“Why don’t you get some water so we can try it out?” he said quickly.

“Okay dokey,” she grinned jumping up from the table.

He watched as she quickly ran inside his apartment and shook his head with a small, puzzled smile.

Lord, she tried him sometimes. That and amuse him to no great end.

“Here we go,” she said as she returned with a pitcher of water. She poured the water into the top of the fountain, filling the small space and then placed the pitcher down on the table.

“Now, just sit back, close your eyes, and relax,” she said calmly as she sat down. He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, as he sat back in his chair.

He watched as she let out a slow breath and closed her eyes. He shrugged his shoulders after a moment did the same.

They sat silently on the porch, the only sound in the cool California night air being the gentle trickle of water as it flowed over the rocks in the fountain, quickly at first then slowly, then more slowly, until finally only intermittent drops of water could be heard as they fell into the pool of water at the fountain’s base.

“Huh?” he heard her breath.

“What?”

“This isn’t very relaxing. Is it?”

He let out a noncommittal grunt. He knew better than to do otherwise.

“Uh,” she huffed and he opened his eyes to see her glaring at the fountain.

“It’s like a torture fountain not a relaxation fountain,” she grumbled. “Drip, drip, drip-It’s like a leaky water faucet, who wants to listen to that?” She hit at the box on the table.

It was all he could do not to laugh out loud.

“God, what a lame gift,” she flopped back in her seat.

“Now,now,” he leaned over to take her hand and pull her up straight. “It’s a nice, thoughtful gift and even though I probably will not be using it as a water fountain, it will definitely be put to good use.”

“What- as an ash tray?”

“No, not as an ashtray. I don’t smoke.” He caught her look. “ I don’t,” he frowned.

She looked at him skeptically.“Uh huh.”

He frowned. What the bloody hell was she thinking about?

“Ohhh wait!” she plopped down on the ground in front of her chair. “Get down and on the ground,” she waved at him.

He looked down at her in confusion. “What? Why?”

“I admit the relaxation fountain is crap, but what I’m about to show you,” she looked up at him with renewed excitement, “Really works.”

He groaned. “Cordelia, I really don’t need-“

“Yes, you do,” she interrupted simply, leaning over to pull at his ankle. He grabbed at the table to keep from being pulled out of his chair.

“Alright, alright!” he said quickly and she let go. He lowered himself to the ground, throwing her a rather impolite look as she arranged herself to sit back on her knees.

“Take off your glasses and sit like me,” she instructed and he let out a low growl. Throwing his glasses on the table he rearranged himself, hearing several pops from his body.

Goodness, the things he did for his friends.

“Now,” she said sunnily, “let your arms fall limply to your sides. Palms up. Close your eyes and listen to my voice.”

“Cordelia,” he moaned in exasperation.

“LISTEN to my voice,” she instructed and he shut his mouth.

“Now,” she said softly. “Deep breath in-and slowly out.” He heard her exhale slowly and tried to do the same, but an image of him sitting in the mediatation position flashed through his mind and he suddenly busted out laughing. He opened his eyes to see irritated hazel eyes bearing down on him and he immediately stopped.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, a chuckle escaping. He shook his head and cleared his throat. “Sorry.” She closed her eyes again and he did the same.

“Slow deep breath in-and out. In again-and out.”

“Cordelia?”

He heard her sigh. “Yes?”

“I’m getting dizzy,” he started laughing again and dropped his head.

“Giles will you be serious? I’m trying to teach you something here. Something that can help from stroking out before your fifty. Now come on!”

He brought a hand to his chest in an effort to calm himself. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he rubbed his face quickly and shook his arms out. “Okay,” he closed his eyes again and flopped his arms out. “I’m ready.”

She let out a disgusted noise. “Try it this way,” she mumbled. He opened his eyes to find that she had scooted herself directly in front of him, a look of annoyance on her face.

For some reason it made him chuckle.

“Something funny?” she gave him a pointed look, before leaning down to take his hands.

“Nope,” he said quickly. He turned to look at her. “What are you doing?”

“Getting you in the right position,” she grumbled. Her soft hands firmly arranged his hands to rest face down on his thighs.

“I thought we were mediatating?” he asked as he watched her.

“We are,” she replied as she continued her work.

“Shouldn’t my hands be palms up and to my sides?”

“You can also do it this way,” she said.

“And where DID you learn this?”

“Will you stop asking questions!” she said in exasperation. “Close your eyes and RELAX!” she said sternly.

He didn’t even try to argue but closed his eyes and sighed calmly. He felt her bristle and laughed inwardly.

He was getting under her skin for a change.

It was so much bloody damn fun.

“Now feel where your hands are on your legs, how they’re placed-“ she paused. “You feel it?”

“What?” he asked keeping his eyes closed. “What am I supposed to be feeling?”

“Your hands. Your arms. Where they’re positioned. Your body has to be in the optimal position to get fully relaxed so that your mind can relax.”

“I’m sorry Cordelia but this is not that relaxing. Getting contorted in this position is quite stressful. And with you screaming at me-“

“I AM NOT- I am not screaming at you. I am instructing,” she said slowly. He couldn’t’ help but smile at the tone of her voice

“Now,” she let out a breath. “Do you feel where your hands are?”

“Cordelia, I can’t-“

“Wait,” she said and he felt her take his hands again.

“Here,” she said softly, her soft hands squeezed his gently before letting them fall back to rest lightly on his thighs, her fingertips gently supporting his palms.

“And here,” she said a moment later, lightly and slowly dragging her fingers up the sides of his hands to pause at his wrists. “Feel that?” she asked.

He didn’t know if it was because he was giddy from aggravating his exasperating friend or the deep breathing exercises but suddenly his head began to swim.

“Uh…yes,” he replied after a moment. He sat silently as her fingers slowly moved upward, the cool tips softly touching the soft skin on the underside of his forearm, then slowly up to trace the outside of his elbow…

“Giles?”

“Mmmm?”

“Breath or you’ll pass out.”

His eyes popped open to be met with her pointed look. “Oh, yes, of course,” he closed his eyes and inhaled quickly.

Strange. Strange, strange, strange.

Her fingers travel up past his elbow now, over the fabric of his shirt and he felt himself sag a bit at the loss of contact.

“Here too,” he heard her say as her hands ran over his shoulders and down onto his chest.

“What are you doing?” he cringed away from her hands.

“Will you relax?” she said, slightly annoyed.

He grunted and tried to sag his body again, but for some reason had a hard time doing so.

Snap out of it Rupert.

Her hands went down to his ribcage and he completely lost it and busted out laughing yet again. He was able to look up in her face, but his laughter prevented him from speaking.

Cordelia dropped her hands to her sides. “God, Giles! Will you stop acting like a –“ she stopped and gave him a funny look. “Are you ticklish?” she asked in awe.

Uh oh. He quickly sobered and shook his head. “Nooooo, I’m not ticklish.”

He eyed her apprehensively as a wicked glint that he knew all too well brightened her eyes.

“I think we’ve done enough of this for tonight don’t you?” he said quickly moving to get up when her hand suddenly caught him on his chest again. He grabbed her hand in reflex and she let out a shriek of laughter, trying to push her hand back to his chest, but instead causing him to fall over backwards.

Pulling her with him, he grinned up at her shocked expression and was able to get a better grip of her hands, effectively ending her assault.

“Don’t,” he said as she struggled to pull her hands free, a determined look on her face.

“Your ticklish,” she sang down at him. He grimaced self-consciously, stupidly relaxing his grip on her wrists. She dropped them to his chest, about to attack again when the phone from inside his apartment began ringing.

Cordelia looked over at the door and Giles took the opportunity to quickly grab her hands and throw her off of him.

Saved by the bell so to speak.

“Hey!” she shrieked. He quickly scrambled up he looked down at her.

“Too slow,” he smirked before jogging back into the apartment.

“Some English gentleman YOU are-throwing a lady around!”

“Whiner,” Giles threw back at her, laughing as he picked up the phone.

“Hullo?”

“Hullo Ripper.”

Giles paused. Olivia. “Oh. Hullo Olivia.” He looked up at the doorway as Cordelia entered the room, throwing him a dirty look. She gestured at her hair, which was a bit mussed and he shrugged his shoulders, giving her an innocent look.

His attention was drawn back to the phone. “ I took the liberty of phoning you since you didn’t return my call from earlier.”

Oh. Damn.

“I am sorry. I had company over and completely forgot. I honestly intended to call you-“ He looked over at Cordelia who had started on her way to the bathroom, but had stopped to turn and look over at him. Before he could really decipher her look, she continued on her way.

“Rupert, it’s no problem. You’re not in trouble or anything. I just, well, I miss you.”

Giles felt himself smile and leaned back against his desk. “Well I must say that my visit was cut way too short for my taste.”

She laughed at the other end. “For me as well. I was thinking that we need to get together more often.”

“Yes,indeed,” he replied warmly, about to settle down in his chair to get more comfortable. He looked up as he saw Cordelia suddenly come out of the bathroom and walk quickly over to his desk.

Pushing him out of the way with a pained expression, she searched over the desk until she found a pen and quickly scribbled something down on a sheet of paper.

Damn.

“Olivia, I’m going to have to call you back. Something’s come up.”

He heard her let out a short breath. “Be careful, Rupert.”

He nodded into the phone. “I will. Take care.” He hung up the phone and turned to Cordelia.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

She squinted at the paper and turned around to lean back against the desk as well. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she blew out a breath. Rubbing her head roughly she looked over at him. “I gotta go. Duty calls.”

Despite her brave face and somewhat light-hearted tone, he could still see that she was somewhat shaken. She just didn’t want to complain to him about it.

He didn’t like this business of ‘visions’. He didn’t like it one damn bit.

“Why don’t you rest here? Call Angel with the information and let him get a head start. You go to help him and Wesley when you’ve recovered.”

Cordelia raised an eyebrow. “I’m not a baby Giles. As bad as the headaches are, I’m usually okay after a few minutes.” She went over to the couch to retrieve her purse and jacket. “ ‘Sides if you constantly spoil me, I just may be tempted to move back down here so you can do it 24-7.”

“I must’ve been hit on the head or something-did you say that you’d move BACK to Sunnydale? The home of vampires, demons, and all the other gross things?”

She shrugged into her jacket. “Sure,” she answered flippantly. “ I have my visions and superbitch powers. I can contribute a lot. And as my incentive I have you as my personal yes man,” she finished swinging her bag over her shoulder.

He watched her for a moment. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Yes! Now will you please stop worrying about me. Worry about that girlfriend of yours-forgetting to call her is not a GOOD thing. Not that I was listening or anything,” she quickly added.

“Oh no,” he shook his head mockingly and she smiled at him sheepishly before walking towards the door.

He turned to look after her. “Drive carefully. If you feel like another vision is coming on-“

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, get off the road and stop the car,” she nodded.

“Call me when you get home,” he added.

She nodded her head exaggeratedly. “ Nag, nag, nag. Call your girlfriend. Bye Giles,” she said as she walked out the door, closing it behind her.

“Bye Cordelia,” he replied staring after her.