~~~~~~

The knock at the door, surprised Giles as he cleaned up after breakfast. It was a Saturday morning, and he was quite sure he wasn’t expecting company. But still, the persistent rapping on his front door would not give him peace. He put down the skillet he was washing, and wiped his soapy hands on a towel next to the sink. As he approached the door, his mind went through a list of potential visitors: Buffy? No, it was too early in the morning for her. Besides, she was out Slaying the night before, and would be spending the day with Willow, having “Girl fun”. Which brought him to Willow...no, she would be out with Buffy. Xander...well, Xander did whatever he did when it was a “girl’s day off”. Plus, he had no real reason to stop by. So, then who could it be?

He opened the door, and standing before him, was the last person he had expected to see, “Oh, ah g-good morning Joyce. What brings you here?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your morning,” Joyce said, noticing that the ex-Watcher, had cast aside his trade mark tweed, for something much more casual, “but I’m in a bit of a bind. You see, I’m having a new show at the Gallery...and I just got in some statues for it, yesterday. I wanted to do some research on them, before the show, but I don’t have any books on Ancient Egypt.”

“I don’t mean to sound uncooperative, but why don’t you just stop by the public library,” Giles said, “I’m sure they would have everything you need.”

“I would,” she explained, “but it’s seven in the morning, and the Sunnydale Public Library doesn’t open until nine...which is when I open my doors. Buffy told me that you might have some books on the subject...but if it’s a bad time...”

Giles shook his head, “No, no. It’s not a bad time, it’s just that...” he trailed off, looking down at his feet for a brief moment.

That one small act brought a smile to her face. He was nervous...and that was so cute. Oh, god! Did she just think that?

“I-I wasn’t expecting any visitors,” Giles continued, looking up, and noticing the smile on her face, “And to be honest...I wasn’t expecting a visit from you....after...”

Now it was Joyce’s turn to look away in shy reproach, “Yes...after. Well, still...I mean, we are both adults and can handle...what happened...do you have the book?” she added, a bit too quickly.

Giles found himself unable to keep from gazing at her. He noticed how the light bounced off her blonde hair, making it look golden. Her face was flushed slightly from...could it be the same nervous feeling he had?...and she fiddled with her hands, nervously while talking to him. God, it was like they were both back in school...except in school he had never had this much trouble acknowledging a beautiful woman before. What was he saying?

“Mr. Giles?”

“Mmm?” Giles said, bringing his attention back into focus.

“The book?”

“O-oh, y-y-yes,” he stammered, trying to regain his composure, “I-I do have several books on the subject, but they aren’t here.” Seeing the deflated look on Joyce’s face, he quickly added, “They’re in storage...i-in the basement. We can go down there right now, if you want.”

Joyce smiled with relief, “Wow, and I was thinking I would have to wing it today. That would be great, thanks.”

She followed him around the apartment building, down several steps, to a door at the bottom. Giles reached into his pants pocket...were those jeans he had on?...and pulled out a set of keys. He gingerly opened the door, and reached around for the light switch. While she waited patiently, her eyes wandered down to his butt and stopped in amazement. The jeans he wore, were just tight enough to really show off what a nice looking bottom he had. Well now, that was not something she had noticed before.

“Ah, here it is,” Giles said, flipping on the switch. The light flooded the large basement, illuminating the many items that were stored inside. He held the door open and took a chair that was lying next to it. He then propped the chair between the door and it’s frame, “The lock’s a funny thing,” he explained, “You can only open it from the outside, for some reason. One day, I had come down here to retrieve a few things a-and the door closed shut. I was locked in here for three hours before anyone heard me,” he looked down, blushing, “It was rather embarrassing, actually.”

He led her in, and brought her over to the section of the basement that was set aside for his items. As he was searching for the books Joyce requested, she gazed around the room. Stranger’s belongings...their lives...filled the basement from practically wall to wall, “There seems to be an awful lot of things down here,” she observed, “I didn’t think that there were so many people living in this building.”

“There isn’t,” Giles explained, “Some of the items here date back to the twenties. The Landlord never bothered to get rid of any of it. It’s quite nostalgic, really...seeing belongings here from people long since gone,” he handed her one book, “Here’s one....now I know I have a few more, somewhere here...”

He looked again in silence, for more books. This gave Joyce time to think. Here she was, in a basement with a man that she had a “thing” with. Albeit a very-brief-one-time-what-were-we-thinking thing, but still....

She wandered over to a few of the boxes in the corner and opened one of them. She couldn’t resist...her curiosity was getting the better of her. She looked inside the box and smiled, taking a very old picture out of the top. This was nostalgic. She studied the picture closely, trying to imagine the story behind the photo. In black and white, was a young man dressed in, what she could only guess as, a World War Two uniform. He had such a pleasant look on his face, like the whole world was there for him to explore. She turned the picture over and read the inscription on the back...

“ ‘To my dearest Rebecca, ‘till I come home to you. Love Tom.’ ” Joyce sighed, “That’s so sweet. They must have really been in love.”

Giles looked up from his search and asked, “Who?”

“Rebecca and Tom,” she found another picture with both lovers in each other’s arms, and showed it to him, “Look how happy they seem. Reminds me of how Hank and I were, when we first met. I bet they had a happy life together.”

“How can you tell?”

“Well,” Joyce explained, taking out several handfuls of letters, “Look at all of these. There must be at least two hundred letters here. Half from Rebecca, the other half from Tom. Love letters, by the looks of them.”

“You know, you really shouldn’t be reading those,” Giles cautioned, “They’re not yours.”

“I know,” Joyce said, opening the first letter, “but I don’t think they’ll be too upset.”

“Why do you say that?”

Joyce held up two pieces of paper and announced, “Because they both died in Nineteen Ninety Four.”

Just then, they heard a loud noise coming from outside. It sounded like a dog barking...chasing a cat most likely. But when the noise grew louder, and nearer...both adults turned to look. Suddenly a cat came racing into the basement, with a dog in close pursuit. The frantic feline, slid under the rickety chair, knocking aside in his haste, and shutting the dog out.

What happened next seemed to occur in slow motion...

As the chair slid aside, Giles rushed the door, trying to prevent it from closing. In the process, he tripped over the cat, and landed into a large pile of boxes...which, unceremoniously tumbled onto his head, knocking him to the floor...just as the door shut with a bang.

“Ouch!” Giles said, throwing the boxes off of him, “Damnit!”

“Oh, God!” Joyce said with a giggle, running over to help the prone Watcher “Are you okay? I know that wasn’t funny...but...” her giggles grew, “I’m sorry...that’s not funny...really...are you all right?”

“Fine,” Giles said, rubbing his pounding head, and aching shoulders, “Those boxes are alot heavier than they look. And you’re right about it not being funny...we’re locked in.”

“Locked in?!” Joyce practically shouted, going over to door and pulling on a handle that wouldn’t budge, “We can’t be locked in?! I have a show in two hours!”

“I told you about the lock,” Giles reminded her, still rubbing his sore shoulder, “That’s why I propped open the door.”

She threw her hands up in frustration, “I can’t believe this! How can you live in a place where the locks don’t work?!”

“Joyce,” Giles said, working the kinks out of his shoulder, “getting hysterical won’t solve our dilemma.”

“Hysterical?!” Joyce shouted, folding her arms, “THIS is not hysterical! THIS is furious! THIS is--I can’t believe I’m stuck in here...”

“With me...” Giles finished. There eyes locked, and for a brief moment there was a glimmer of...of what?

“That’s not what I meant to say.” Joyce said, her tone softened.

“Yes it is,” Giles replied, not in an angry voice...but more out of fact, “After what happened ‘that night’...I wouldn’t at all be surprised or offended, if you did. I-I’m not angry...w-what we did was...” he wanted to say wonderful, but he found himself unable to, for fear that she would be more horrified, knowing that her daughter’s Watcher---exWatcher---was developing an attraction to her. So, all he could do was look down at the opened box of love letters from Rebecca and Tom, in silence.

Joyce looked at the tall Englishman and wondered what he was thinking. He wanted to say something, she was sure of it, but she had no idea what. Had he thought the night of the Candy was that bad? Over the past several months, their relationship had be strained. Well, “strained” was putting it mildly. Over the summer, she had be furious and hurt that he had lied to her about Buffy. Then, when she had begun to warm up to him again, there came the Candy.

That damned cursed Candy!

Those chocolate bars that broke down all inhibitions and, in a sense gave back their youth for a night, took away something even more important...it took away their innocence. Before, Joyce could look upon Giles as her daughter’s Watcher...sterile and safe. But now...now every time she saw him, she saw that vibrant, handsome, very sexy man, who made love to her on the hood of the police car.

And she wanted more!

But how could she tell him that? How could she tell him that these feelings she had, sprang from a one night stand, that was out of their control? Every time she looked at him, she had the urge to kiss him, and be once again in his strong, loving arms. But if he didn’t feel the same...how could she live with that knowledge? So she didn’t say a word, avoiding him at all costs. And when they did have chance encounters, it was with the shyness of a first love...terrified that her secret would come out.

“So,” Joyce said walking over to the door, and pounding on it, “how long before someone finds us?”

“That depends,” he answered, opening a letter, “It could take awhile. Eventually, old Ms. Winters will come down to check on her belongings. She does every day. I think the believes that one of us will steal her pink flamingos.”

Joyce turned and noticed the stash of twenty of the plastic birds, “I was wondering who would own these.” she smiled, “And who in their right mind would want to steal them?”

Giles chuckled, “I have no idea, but every day, like clock work she comes down here to check on her little ‘babies’. I think they were a gift from her late husband.”

“Okay,” she said, sitting down next to Giles, “so banging on the door is pointless, because we are on the other end of nowhere. Then we wait.” She picked up a letter and opened it, “Oooo,” she smiled a wicked grin, “these are more than just love letters. This one is actually pretty steamy. How about yours?”

Giles opened the one in his hand and blushed, “Oh, yes,” he said, reading it to himself, “it is indeed. I-I don’t think we should b-be reading these.”

“Oh come on,” she nudged, “who’s gonna tell? Hey, I have an idea...I’ll read the letters from Rebecca, and you can read Tom’s.”

“Out loud?”

“Why not?” Joyce reasoned, “We’re over eighteen. And it’s not like this is foreign to us, right?

“W-well...I-I suppose...”

“Besides, it’ll pass the time, and I’m dying from the curiosity. I’ll go first,” Joyce prompted, as she began...

~~~~~~

Narration (Rebecca):
Dear Tom,
It has been three days since you left for Europe, and I can still feel your hands as they caressed me. Your kisses are burned into my flesh, and will be forever on my lips. When I lay awake late at night, I imagine I’m with you...holding you...loving you...until I practically explode. I trace the places your hands had been on my body, with my own....and I pretend it’s you. God I miss you so much. Come home soon.
Love, Rebecca.

Joyce folded up the paper and sighed, “Ooo, nice start...your turn.”

Giles shook his head, “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he cleared his throat and read...

Narration (Tom):
Dearest Rebecca,
When I arrived at the barracks, I knew that I was in for the long haul...but I never realized how difficult it would be without you. I think about you all of the time, and my body aches to be inside you...to feel our bodies entwine with the passion we shared together for so many sleepless nights. In the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep, I touch myself as you would have if we were together. I close my eyes and picture your hands caressing me and bringing me to the edge. When I finally released, I can see your face smiling at me, and I know your thoughts are with me It feels so good, but it would feel better if I were home.
Love, Tom.

Giles stopped and took a deep breath. He really couldn’t believe he was reading this, not because he was embarrassed, but because he was beginning to become aroused. And that, coupled with being locked in a room with an attractive woman he had a ‘history’ with, was a very dangerous thing. He saw Joyce flush slightly, and began to wonder if she wasn’t thinking the same thing.

“Well,” Giles said, trying hard not to show just how much that letter effected him, “that was an interesting letter, but I think we had better stop.”

Joyce reached her hand into he box and pulled out two more letters. She handed one of them to Giles, and smiled. She knew the letters were affecting her...and she was beginning to suspect it was for Mr. Giles too. Part of her mind told her to stop right there before things went too far...but the other part wanted more...needed more.

So, opened the next letter and said, “Are you kidding? They’re just warming up, listen to this...”

Narration (Rebecca):
My Love,
I feel compelled to tell you about this dream I had the other night. You and I were in it, and it was very...well...very arousing. We were on the verandah, like we always are in the summer, listening to some Glenn Miller on the radio. You were wearing the gray pants and white shirt I gave you for Christmas...and you looked so handsome. We were on the glider and swinging back and forth, when you suddenly slid you hand up my skirt, and moved your fingers in between my panties. Your kisses were so hot and your fingers stroked with such care, that I shook from head to toe. But I wanted more. So, I undid your pants and climbed on top of you. You fit me so perfectly, and it seemed so real, as we came together with such power that it woke me up gasping. I never had a dream that made so hot and wet...but I hope I have more.
Love Rebecca.

Giles gulped, as he opened his letter. This was a very bad thing they were doing. He didn’t care if they were adults and could handle reading these very erotic letters, this was getting a bit more than he could bare. They were both sitting on the floor of the basement, close to each other. Too close, for his liking. He could smell the sweet perfume Joyce had put on earlier in the morning, and could feel the heat radiating from her body. Every once in a while, she shifted her position and rubbed her leg up against his. And every time she did, she apologized, but it didn’t help matters, nor did it help the growing pressure he felt in his tight jeans.

“ ‘Dear Rebecca,’” Giles began, “ ‘That last letter really made my night. I must have read it a hundred times. And each time, it gave me the same pleasure as the first. The dreams I have are more like nightmares of what I have seen over here. There is so much hurt and pain, that it makes our separation seem so trivial. But for me, it’s not. I have never missed you more than after reading that letter. So, without having pleasant dreams to ease my sleep, I must rely on ‘under the covers’ fantasies. Here’s one I hope you’ll like...’” Giles put the letter down and looked into Joyce’s blue eyes, “Joyce...I-I can’t read this.”

They seemed to be only inches from one another, breathing in each other’s hot, ragged breaths. “Why not?” Joyce asked, all too aware of their mutual arousal.

“Because,” his voice was thick with passion, “I-I can’t.”

“Oh, I see,” Joyce said, quickly standing up. “This was a bad idea...I mean after what happened...it would be wrong to think...”

“What?”

“I mean” Joyce began to babble, pacing back and forth on the cold cement floor, “I know what we did was wrong, but I didn’t think you were so embarrassed by that night that...well...that.....”

“Joyce...” Giles said, getting up and following her movements.

“No, no, I understand,” she continued, “And you’re right...this was a big mistake. I just thought....Oh, god what was I thinking?”

Giles took a hold of her arms and turned her toward him, “Would you please let me explain? I didn’t want to continue, because I...I,” To HELL with words!

He pulled her close to him and kissed her hard on the lips. And too his surprise, she returned it with the same desperate passion he had felt. They were two lonely people in need of love and companionship, who seemed to find it in each other. They wrapped their arms around each other, reaching for something they had both lost and wanting something they could never have.

Watcher and the Slayer’s mother could never be. That was more than just an unspoken rule...it was practically written in stone. There would be far too many complications for it to ever work, and too great a repercussion to take the chance. Of course, that didn’t mean it never happened...it was just usually kept in the dark...or in the basement, as Giles soon discovered.

Their kiss settled into a more comfortable embrace, as both of their bodies melded into one. And as they began to make love...they could almost hear the words of Tom, as he spoke of his unending passion for his sweet Rebecca...

Narration (Tom):
I picture you and I having a picnic at our favorite spot on the stream...the one where we first met. You are in a blue and white summer dress, and your hair is pulled up away from your beautiful face. You had made finger sandwiches, and had plenty of fruit for us to eat, but food is not what we want. Slowly I unzip the back of you dress, while I plant soft, hot kisses on your face and neck. You moan, but I don’t allow you to move. When the zipper is as far down as it can go, I gently lower your dress off your shoulders, and down your slender body....

~~~~~~

Giles, undid the buttons on Joyce’s blouse, cupping his hand against the soft fabric of her bra. He could feel her nipples hardening even though they were covered, and wanted nothing but to free them from their restraints. While he unclasped her bra, Joyce’s hands roamed down to the bottom of his sweater, and began to lift it up above his head. Their mouths hungrily sought each other, while their hands continued to roam...

~~~~~~

Narration (Tom):
I can feel you tremble beneath my touch, as my hands find their way down to your firm breasts. I begin to caress them, making small circles around the tips of your womanhood, intill they are fully erect. You move your hips closer to me...wanting me...needing me, but I don’t give in. Instead I continue this torture, knowing that this is only the beginning...

~~~~~~

Joyce undid the zipper on Giles painting jeans, and slid her hand inside. She began to stroke his growing erection through his briefs, taking great pleasure in hearing the steady moans coming from the Watcher. She had definately not lost her touch. Giles, not wanting to make love on the cold, hard concrete floor of the basement, quickly looked around for a suitable place. He spotted an old mattress standing up against the far wall, and led her there. He threw the mattress down and worked on removing the remaining clothing that were now nothing more than barriers to them...

~~~~~~

Narration (Tom):
I can feel the heat in you rise, as my hands find their way down to you stomach. You moan with pleasure, when they reach the warmth of you thighs. You are so wet, and hot, that it adds to my own mounting pleasure. I pull off my pants and we lay naked together in a loving embrace...

~~~~~~

Giles eased Joyce down onto the mattress, their lips never parting, and began to caress her soft skin. His kisses settled onto her breast, as his hands moved further south. Joyce moaned, when he began to swirl his tongue around her hard nipples. She hadn’t felt this good since...well, since the last time they made love. Even though it was with the wild abandon of two teenagers, there was part of their lovemaking that was sweet and tender. The teenager in themselves might have been in the driver’s seat...but the adults were willingly along for the ride.

And now, as he moved his hands over her trembling body, the tenderness was back, with the experience and control that only time could provide. Giles laid next to her, gently caressing her body, and murmuring her name softly, between the kisses. They had spent all these months avoiding their feelings, for fear that it might somehow be wrong, that all of the pent up energy they had, was crying to be released.

“God,” Giles sighed, his lips moving down her stomach, “You are so beautiful.”

Joyce parted her thighs, allowing for her lover to lower his head down to the heat that was within. She gasped, as she felt his tongue take the hard nub of her clitoris, and gently lap at it. He then alternated his licking, speeding up to bring her to the brink of a climax, then slowing down, just before she went over, keeping her constantly on the edge of ecstasy. While his tongue made work of her clit, he inserted his index finger into her, moving in and out with a steady rhythm. He continued this torture intill her body began to buck, and her breathing came in short gasps. He then felt her muscles tighten over his finger, and she arched her back in a powerful orgasm that shook through her entire body....

~~~~~~

Narration (Tom):
You lay there panting, calling out my name softly. I let you rest for a few minutes, knowing that there was more to come. This time, it’s you who takes charge, rolling me over onto my back, and rubbing both hands up and down my shaft. Once my erection is hard, you then take me into your mouth, and begin your work. Oh...God, what wonderful work this is. I can feel it pulsate as you continue to suck, occasionally stopping to lick its’ sensitive tip. I can here the birds singing in the trees, but nothing sounds sweeter than our moans of pleasure mixing together, as I come in your mouth...

~~~~~~

Giles tried to look down at Joyce, who had taking his entire gorged cock into her mouth, but found it hard to focus through the intense pleasure he was feeling. He had propped himself up against the wall of the basement, while she was leaning down over him, playing his organ like a professional musician. He reached down to touch her golden hair, and was surprised when she stopped and looked up at him.

“Wa...what’s wrong?” Giles panted, trying very hard to remain in control of his faculties.

Joyce saw the mixed expression of lust, love and confusion, play on his handsome face and smiled, “Oh, nothing,” she said, moving up to kiss his mouth, “I just thought, we’ve played enough,” she delved her tongue into his mouth, with an intense ferocity that only added to his heightening arousal, “Now, it’s time we get serious.”

She lowered herself onto his erection and began to wiggle, causing him to groan even louder. She allowed him to fill her completely, feeling the rock hard shaft rub up against the sensitive walls of her vagina. Joyce started out slowly, easing her hips down on him with a steady, constant rhythm, all the while he tongue sought his out. This slow and steady rhythm was driving Giles crazy! She somehow knew how to keep the pleasure going forever. It was almost as though they were meant to be together...he fitted her perfectly...and she knew how to work it...

~~~~~~

Narration (Tom):
Your breaths comes faster and fast as I move you to the brink of another orgasm. I hear you cry out, clamping your walls down into my penis, and bringing me that much closer to mine. It was as though you and I were always meant to be together...never to be apart. I continue to drive in and out, faster and faster...wanting to bring you over the edge again...but this time, I want to join you...

~~~~~~

The slow, tantalizing pace was becoming more that he could bare, so Giles decided to take matters into his own hands. While still inside her, he repositioned their bodies onto the mattress, so that he was on top of her. He had a sly grin on his face, as he somehow managed to thrust himself even deeper into her, “You had your fun, Love, now it’s my turn.”

Joyce could see the hint of Ripper in him, and that somehow made this even more erotic. It wasn’t as though she enjoyed being a juvenile delinquent, breaking into a store, and causing trouble...but this part of Ripper...the strong, passionate part, was so alluring. And, now mixed with the kind, gentle part that was Rupert Giles, she truly believed she was experiencing the best of both worlds.

He began to increase his speed and intensity of his thrusts, bringing her from one climax after another, in a series of waves, that rocked them both. Giles’ own breathing became ragged, as he pumped hard, and further with each thrust. He was rapidly approaching the edge, and was about to slip over, when they heard footstep coming down the cement steps of the basement.

“Oh, God,” Joyce whispered, breathless, “Mrs. Winters! What do we do?”

“We finish what we started,” Giles moaned, nuzzling her neck. The thought of being found out, seemed to make the experience that much more intense, as their lovemaking continued.

Joyce tried not to concentrate on the slow steps of Mrs. Winters, as she finally made her way down to the locked door. But every time her mind wandered to that, another wave of passion swept over her. This time, however, she tried to muffle her cries, not wanting to give away their “behind the door” activities. Giles too, did his best to conceal his mounting orgasm, but found it increasingly difficult as the pressure was becoming too great.

“Oh...yesss...” Giles moaned, as he made his final thrust, pouring his entire soul into her.

They laid on the mattress for a minute, trying to catch their breath, until they heard the clicking noise of the key, as the old woman fumbled with the lock. Quickly they sprang up off the mattress and threw on their clothes. It would not be too difficult to know what they had just done, but hopefully they wouldn’t be caught naked to boot. As the door of the basement opened, Giles had just managed to zip up his pants, and run his fingers through his hair. Joyce had no time to fully button up her shirt, so she made due with a few well placed buttons.

Mrs. Winters looked at the couple and snorted, “Locked in the basement again, Mr. Giles?”

“Um...well...” Giles stammered, “Yes, I was retrieving a few books for Mrs. Summers here, and the door closed behind us. I think Mr. Thompson’s dog, chased you cat down here again.”

“Hmm...” she replied, as her ‘precious’ rubbed up against her leg, “I was wondering what happened to my baby,” then seeing their disarray, she added, “Retrieving some books, eh? I think you might have been retrieving something else.” She smiled and pointed at the large stone that was next to the door, “Could you help me with this sonny? I’m too old to be moving a big, heavy weight.”

Giles quickly complied, sliding the large stone in front of the door, as Joyce scooped up the books, throwing them under her arm. As Giles helped to usher Joyce out, the old woman, pulled him aside and whispered in his ear, “Propping the door open an old rickety chair...you know better than that, Rupert,” she gave a friendly smile and said, “By the way, she’s very pretty, that young lady friend of yours. Next time you want to bring a lady friend down here...make sure you’re not locked in. I won’t always be here to bail you out, young man.”

Giles smiled and left Mrs. Winters alone with her plastic flamingos. She check each and every one before going to leave, and noticed a box of letters off to the side. She walked over to the box and took out one of the papers and read it. A smile formed on her thin lips as she gingerly placed the letters back into the box, closing the lid once more, “Well, Rebecca,” she said to an unseen spirit of her long gone friend, “It looks like those little letters of yours helped out another young couple. Nice kids...I hope it lasts as long as yours and Tom’s did. And maybe, they will write letters of their own.”

The end