TITLE: Meeting in the Park

AUTHOR: Kate Bolin

RATING: G. Yeah, you heard me right. G. Give it to your five-year-old

relative to read. :)

SPOILERS: Becoming II

DISCLAIMER: The characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy,

Kuzui Productions, WB Network, 20th Century Fox, etc. The situation is

wholly my own.

Meeting in the Park

by Kate Bolin

Rupert Giles met her in the park. "Good afternoon, Joyce," he

said quietly. He sat down next to her on the bench. "How did she take

the news?"

Joyce Summers sighed. "Well, she was stunned at first. Then I

think she was a little....'grossed out'." She chuckled softly. "But

after this summer, she's grown up. She can handle it."

Rupert smiled relievedly. "That's great," he said. He reached

for her hand and held it tightly. "Are you sure you want to go through

with this?"

Joyce smiled. "Rupert, when Buffy told me she was a Slayer, you

were the only person to sit down and explain it to me. How was I supposed

to know that those late nights over books would make me fall in love?"

Rupert closed his eyes for a second, saying "Goodbye" to Jenny

for one last time. "Joyce," he said, his voice low. She turned to him,

her eyes shining. He reached into his pocket. "Will you marry me?" he

said.

Joyce looked down at the ring, then up at her lover's eyes.

"Yes," she said, her voice shaky with emotion. "Yes, I will."