The Scooby gang sat at their usual table out on the school grounds, and watched and wondered and worried about the Watcher.
"How much longer is this going to go on?" Buffy asked.
"True love needs to run its course, Buffy," Xander philosophized.
"Oh please!" Cordelia scoffed. "What do you know about true love?"
"I know enough that that relationship will stand the test of time." He nodded in the direction of where Giles stood conversing with his one and only.
After a minute Xander said, "Let me amend that to -- the man seriously needs help."
Giles reached out and caressed his love's face. It was a bit rough, but that didn't matter to him. She was beautiful and stood straight and tall and proud. It also didn't matter that the manner of their meeting had been abrupt and accidental, and had left him with a few bruises and a ghastly headache. Nor did it matter that she was a speaker of few words. Well, none, actually.
He was in love.
"My darling. You are my life." A simple, heartfelt statement. He'd tried quoting poetry to her, but she seemed to prefer his own sentiments.
Overcome by emotion, Giles flung his arms around her waist and just held her, his cheek pressed against her. Ever taciturn, his love merely absorbed his devotion in silence.
"I can't look." Buffy hid her eyes. "Willow, what's happening over there with Giles?"
Willow just stared, unable to voice the worry she felt.
Xander rubbed his face. "He took one too many blows to the head. It had to manifest itself somehow."
Oz just nodded to himself. He understood what they were witnessing. Better than any of them he knew what it was like to love a tree.