Hi everyone. Thank you for your reviews. Sorry it took a while to post this chapter. I hope you enjoy it and you find it worth the wait. More to come soon...I promise. Please review.

Chapter 5 - Real

"Come on, I'm taking you home." She said as she struggled to help him to his feet. "Get up."

"No, I-I, y-you can't go." Giles said. "You mustn't patrol tonight."

"Giles, I can't do anything until I get you home. And you are not helping. Now, stand up." Buffy ordered.

Giles was still disoriented and unsure of everything around him, himself and Buffy included. His dream had felt so real and he almost couldn't believe that Buffy was alive and well and there with him. He realized in one horrific moment that he couldn't trust himself or his own perceptions any longer. So he stood. He put all of his trust in the only thing that made sense…Buffy. He shook his head with complete disbelief and a hint of shame and embarrassment. "Something is terribly wrong here." He mumbled.

"I know. You're not well, but we will figure it out. We just have to get you home first." Buffy led him through the store, stopping only for a moment to tell Anya to call Xander or Willow if she needed any help, and took him home.

Buffy parked Giles' car in front of his apartment minutes after leaving the Magic Box. They had ridden the whole way in silence. With Buffy behind the wheel, luckily their drive had been uneventful.

Buffy unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. Giles didn't follow. Irritated that he was stalling, Buffy walked around to the passenger side of the car and opened his door.

"Get ou-" She stopped herself from completing the demand and smiled. Giles was asleep. Something really was wrong with him, and she needed to figure out what, but she liked the way he looked when he slept. So she watched him for a second. Based on the way he had reacted when she woke him in the training room, she opted for a gentle, calm, non-scary way of rousing him from his sleep this time.

She knelt beside the car so she was at his level. She reached out to him and touched his face. She cupped his cheek in her hand before she had the chance to tell herself it was wrong. Instantly, she felt as if she were taking advantage of him while he was sleeping. The gesture was much more intimate than she thought he would have appreciated. She was about to pull her hand away when he raised his hand to hers, covering it, holding it there. He turned his face into her palm and nuzzled it there, and she swore she saw the faintest hint of a smile cross his lips. At that moment, she was very aware of herself, and very happy that his eyes remained closed. Had he looked at her, the expression on her face would have given everything away. Every secret. Every feeling. Every desire and need she felt for the man before her. Everything that she wanted him to see but thought he was better off never seeing.

"Wake up Sleepy-Head." She said. Giles recognized her words before she had finished speaking them. He remembered the way if felt to have her hand against his cheek. He had had this dream before. His smile widened and he opened his eyes. She still looked like a goddess to him.

"Why are you here?" He asked like he had in so many dreams before.

"Because you need me." Her answer was different than it was in the past, but Giles didn't question it. He just nodded.

"I do." He agreed. "I do need you."

"Come on. We have to get you inside. Get up." Buffy took his hand and helped him from the car.

Giles did as he was told. He stood willingly and followed close behind her. Something was not right, but Giles would never question her. He would follow her into the depths of Hell without hesitation. They approached the apartment and he waited patiently while she fumbled with the keys until she found the right one and unlocked the front door.

"Go sit down. You need to rest. I'll make you some tea." She said to him.

Giles grabbed her arm, stopping her as she turned to go to the kitchen. "Wait." He said. She turned back to face him. Giles hesitated before continuing, but he looked intently into her eyes. He didn't let go of her arm. This time he would be strong. He would tell her exactly how he felt before he woke up. "Buffy, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do. Where did that come from?"

"Then you must never doubt me. Never doubt how I feel for you."

"Are you ok? Giles, you really need to sit down." Buffy saw a bead of sweat roll down his forehead and she touched his face with the back of her hand. "You aren't well. You are burning up." He took both of her hands in his and held them against his chest. She could feel the heat radiating from his body and she could feel his heart racing.

"That's because I am terrified of what I have to tell you." He took a deep breath and continued. "Don't ever doubt that I love you. Or that I want you. I want you all the time. I do need you, Buffy. More than you could ever know."

"Giles, I-"

"No, Buffy, don't say anything. I'll only feel like a fool. I love you, and if anything happened to you, I would die. Promise me you won't patrol tonight."

"I promise." She said. She tried to ignore the feeling she had deep in the pit of her stomach. His words tied knots in her belly and she found herself focusing on his lips. Their bodies were so close, she wouldn't have to move but a couple inches to taste them. But she had to remind herself that Giles was ill. For all she knew he was delirious and didn't know what he was saying.

"Buffy, I love you. Stay with me. Don't leave me. I need you here."

"I'm not going anywhere." She said, and he was comforted. "I'll stay, but you need to rest. Get some sleep. Maybe you will feel better in the morning."

"Get some sleep?"

"Yeah, you know? Goodnight? Sweet dreams?" She said lightheartedly.

"Wait. I'm awake?" He tried to wrap his head around the concept that this was not one of his dreams.

"Yeah. Giles, are you ok?"

"No. No I'm really not." He answered. He removed his glasses, cleaning them as if it were a reflex. He moved to the couch and sat down. He rubbed his eyes. "Buffy, I'm quite-quite afraid." He looked up at her. "I can't tell."

"What can't you tell?" She asked sitting beside him and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I can't tell that I'm awake."