TITLE: Unchangeable Changes (2/?)
AUTHOR: rjamisong
RATING: NC-17
PAIRING: B/G
DISCLAIMER: The characters don't belong to me…I'm only borrowing them for awhile
DISTRIBUTION: Just ask.
SETTING: Story spans Seasons 1 ... 7 (AU after Episode "Lies My Parents Told Me") plus AU for two future years past Season 7. This part takes place during Season 1 ... Episode "Prophecy Girl".
SPOILERS: Season 1 through early Season 7
SUMMARY: Buffy must prevent the future from being changed and causing another apocalypse from starting.
FEEDBACK: I live and write for feedback. No flames...please.
WARNING: If you like Angel, you may not be happy about the Angel bashing.

Prophecy Girl

A large floating blue glowing ring appeared above the library floor, its shape wavering slightly for a couple of minutes before there was a brilliant flash of light. A young blond haired woman dropped through the ring's center. She crashed unceremoniously onto the hard tiled floor, landing on her stomach, winding her as the air in her lungs was violently forced out. Her head slammed against the surface beneath her. Her unexpected arrival interrupted the conversation between the two people standing in the room, causing a suddenly deafening silence. She carefully drew a breath around the pain in her chest. "Damn! There's gotta be a better way to do this," she hissed aloud. She eased her aching body up into a slightly twisted sitting position. With her eyes squeezed tightly shut in agony and her hand holding her head, she spoke, "I don't suppose I could get some help here and maybe some heavy-duty painkillers?"

She soon heard footsteps. A hand gripped her left upper arm and a supportive arm went around her shoulders, urging her to stand. She partially cracked her eyes open, peeking painfully through her lashes at Giles' kind face as he helped her to a chair. After she sat down, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut again. Two large tear slid down her cheeks. The emotional pain at seeing him again and knowing that he didn't even remember what had transpired between them only moments ago, caused a sharp pain in her heart.

Giles reached out his hand and gently, but briefly touched her shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked her concerned. Neither her tears nor her sadness had gone unnoticed by him. He knew without a doubt that the woman in front of him was Buffy Summers, a future version of his Slayer.

"Yeah. Could you get me some Tylenol, Excedrin, hell at this point, I'd even settle for some good old fashion aspirin. And I wouldn't say no to a scotch chaser, if you have it." She chuckled painfully, wincing as her head throbbed.

"Sorry, I don't have any..um...scotch. Not sure that It would be a good idea in you condition, anyway. I could make you some tea."

She opened her eyes half-way and found his eyes staring at her concerned. She smiled wryly back at him.

"I guess that tea will have to do. Thanks."

Giles headed to his office to fetch the medication and put the kettle on to boil, leaving the two Slayers alone.

Feeling some of the pain in her head starting to recede, Buffy (sr) opened her eyes the rest of the way. Seeing the stunned look on the younger Buffy's face, she commented sarcastically, "Way freaky, huh?"

Buffy (jr) merely continued to stare at her for a few more minutes before responding, "Definitely freak-some."

Buffy (sr) snorted at the redundancy of her predecessor's reply.

Giles returned with a glass of water and a couple of Excedrin. Buffy gratefully held out her hands for the offered remedy. "Thanks, Giles." She smiled wearily up at him.

You're welcome." Giles suddenly realized something as she swallowed the pills. Buffy Summers was still alive in the future. `Somehow the prophecy about the Master killing the Slayer wasn't fulfilled.' A hundred questions buzzed around in his head all vying for his attention. His eyes darted to Buffy (jr). `Her death was prevented. But how?'

Buffy (sr) placed the empty glass on the table. Leaning back in her chair, she surveyed her surroundings. As the damage from the earthquake finally registered through the fog of her fading headache, she shot straight up in her chair. "Shit!"

"Buffy?" Giles asked alarmed at her cry.

Buffy (sr) searched out his anxious face. "What's the date, Giles?!" she demanded.

"May 18th," he told her confused by her question.

"Damn. Why now?" She bowed her head. `This is sooo going to complicate things. I just had to drop into the time of one of the biggest suck fests of my life.' "Just what I need," she muttered under her breath.

At her despairing words, Giles became worried about the prophecy again. Maybe e the outcome of the prophecy hadn't been as positive as he had hoped by Buffy's obvious continued existence in the future.

"What happens?"

Buffy (sr) shook her head, tight lipped. Before Giles could say anything further, the kettle whistled. Giles held her eyes for a moment before heading back into the office to make the tea.

When he came out later carrying two mugs, he found Buffy (sr) pacing somewhat agitated in front of the study table, her arms crossed in front of her. Giles handed her one of the mugs. She took it just as the first bell sounded.

Giles caught Buffy's (jr) gaze. "Buffy, perhaps you should go to class. We wouldn't wish to raise any suspicions.

"No. Wait." Buffy (sr) stopped the younger Slayer from leaving. "I need to tell you both why I'm here and the sooner the better."

Buffy (jr) silently asked Giles' decision. He nodded his head in agreement. He knew that for whatever reason the older Buffy was here, it had to be important enough to risk tampering with the time- line.

"Now that's been settled, could we sit down to do this? Trust me, this is going to take awhile and sitting would be good."

She visibly forced herself to calm down so she could focus. Carefully, perching on the surface of the study table between a seated Giles and Buffy, she began her spiel, "I suppose I should first introduce myself. I'm Buffy Summers." The corners of her lips curled slightly when she noticed the younger Slayer's badly covered surprised expression. "I've come from the future; the year I left from was 2007. I'll be 26 in two months. The reason I'm here is that I'm tracking a demon that can travel through time. Two weeks ago, my time, this same demon killed Giles and wounded Xander when he tried to defend him." Her attention sharply focused on the man beside her, her blue eyes filled with pain. The memories of that night remained caustic and agonizing. Instinctively, she reached a hand towards his face. But before it could make contact with his warm skin, she dropped it heavily to the table top, her fingers tightly gripping the edge hard. She didn't understand why she restrained herself when all she wanted to do was crawl onto his lap and hold him tightly in her arms forever. Tears threatened to flow, but she held them back by sheer will alone, swallowing hard.

Both the devastating grief and the aborted physical display of emotion confused Giles. The most unexpected part of what he'd seen in the depths of her eyes was the overwhelming love. Buffy (sr) turned to catch her double's response to her announcement. She appeared more than a little frightened by it. Reaching out, Buffy (sr) gently squeezed her shoulder in commiseration.

"H...how did it kill me," Giles asked, his brows drawn together causing a divot between his eyes.

Buffy opened the black leather jacket she wore and removed two items from zippered inside pockets. One item was a red leather bound book, the other a small rectangular wooden case with a copper latch. She laid the book on the table in front of Giles. "Your Watcher's Diary from the last year of your life," she said, her voice tinged with grief. She placed the small case next to the green liquid laid nestled in Styrofoam within. "This is a sample of the venom the demon used to kill you. The demon possesses a skewer in its wrist much like a Polgara Demon, only smaller in diameter. It uses the skewer to inject its victims in the side of the neck with this stuff." She held up the filled vial. "The venom shuts down the body's organs one at a time, leaving the brain intact until the last. The victim experiences a slow painful death, in which they are completely aware of what is happening to them." As she spoke, the sorrow in her voice became more and more pronounced until it broke at the end. She averted her eyes to her lap until she could pull herself together enough to continue.

"Wow, harsh," Buffy (jr) replied awkwardly.

"Yeah," Buffy (sr) rasped, her voice yet not completely under control. Buffy swallowed hard a couple of times. She picked up her tea and slipped from it, letting the familiar warmth soothe her jangle nerves.

"I'm sorry. I didn't wish to upset you." He reached out and touched her shoulder.

With her free hand, she covered his hand with hers for a moment. Releasing his hand, she gripped her cup with both hands. More recovered, she continued. "Two days after the incident, the Powers That Be appeared to Willow."

"Willow, why Willow? Why not you directly?"

"Something about me not being able to handle it, at least not at the time. Something to that affect." She paused momentarily, remembering the real reason that she hadn't been able to deal with them appearing to her at the time. She'd been a complete basket case, grieving deeply for Giles. It had taken Willow, Anya, and Kennedy to remove her from Giles' body when the coroner arrived to take his body to the morgue. Buffy (sr) decided that it would be best not to mention that tidbit of information so she ploughed ahead. "They choose Willow instead, because, in my time, she's a powerful Wicca."

"You mean witch, don't you?" Buffy asked worriedly, the incident with Amy's mother remained fresh in her memory.

"Yes. I know that you have many questions to ask, but it would help me to finish quicker if you could wait until I'm finished. My memories are already somewhat cloudy from this headache."

They agreed and kept silent.

"OK...now where was I?" she inquired.

"The Powers That Be contacted Willow?" Giles offered helpfully.

"Oh right. Thanks, Giles." She smiled at him gratefully. "They told Willow that the demon had violated the order of the universe by disrupting the balance between good and evil. It had altered the true time stream by ending Giles' life, several decades too early, neatly erasing his future accomplishments. When it changed Giles' destiny, it also affected my destiny as the Slayer. The disruption has shifted the balance of power on Earth back into the hands of the demons, which in turn has started a chain of events that will ultimately bring about an apocalypse. I was sent back to gather information on how to destroy the demon before it can reach its destination and complete its mission by killing Giles. The demon can only travel through time in what can only be described as small hops or leaps. With the PTB's assistance and my Willow's magicks, they were able to send me through a time portal, four days ahead of this venom injecting demon. The spell was set up so that each time it jumps through time, I jump with it, only I would appear four days ahead of it at its next destination. I was told that this trip would continue until I arrived four days before the moment when Giles was killed. I need to have the required information by then so that I can destroy it and restore the true flow of time. If I am not successful, not only will Giles b e lost, but the world as well. You should also know that as long as I'm here, time is trapped in some weird kind of bubble. I know it sounds strange but that's how the PTB described it to Willow. Apparently, as long as I'm here, nothing I say or do will alter the natural flow of history. So once I leave this `now' , the normal flow of events will return as if I was never here. No one will retain any memories of my being here at all, except for me. I will remember what happened in this version of my past as well as the original history." She drank from her now tepid cup of tea. She scowled down into the dark brown liquid as if it had offended her intentionally by losing its head. Laying her hand on Giles' exposed skin below his rolled up shirt sleeve, she asked, "Giles, could I please have some fresh tea? I love the way that you fix it. Mine's not bad, but yours has always been better." She smiled at him tiredly yet affectionately.

"O...of course," he stammered, his cheeks turning red at the touch and unusual compliment. He stood and took her offered cup. "Buffy, would you like some tea?" he asked the teenager unexpectedly.

"You know I don't like that English tea you drink."

"I...I'm sorry. I forgot," he said, quickly ducking his head and moving to his office.

Buffy (sr) gave her younger self a displeased glance. `Why did I frequently feel the need to hurt Giles' feelings?` Giles returned before she could further contemplate her own prior insensitivity. He handed her the cup, careful not to spill the hot tea. "Thank you." She inhaled the fragrant aroma of the Earl Gray. "Smells divine." She wrapped both hands around the china cup and sipped cautiously. She sighed contentedly. Keeping a firm grip on the comforting warmth, she continued, "I just don't have the capacity to remember so much info, I so should have written this all down somewhere," she mumbled. "So where was I? Oh, yeah, while you were on an archaeological dig, you uncovered a scroll. You spent the last few days of your life trying to transcribe the text. Your notes are in here, toward the last entry." She rested her hand reverently on the Diary in front of Giles. "To defeat the demon and put things right, I need to do three things before I reach my own time again and must face this monster. The first one is to get as much information as possible that I can on this demon; any weaknesses, places it might nest, ways to destroy it. The second one is to break the venom down to its components and to find an antidote. This job will belong to Will. She's definitely the most gifted with all things science. The third one is to locate an entrapment spell that will hold this thing in place while I kill it. Finding and experimenting on possible spells will be in your more than capable hands, Giles. The PTB informed Willow that the only way I could kill this thing is by preventing it from escaping into another time vortex. If I don't bind it that is exactly what will happen." She drank deeply from her tea and sat the empty cup down next to where her leg rested on the table. Once her hands were freed, she covered her face with her hands and closed her eyes. `Damn, is my head ever going to stop pounding?' She knew that the real reason for the persisting pain laid more in her emotional state than the physical trauma from earlier.

"When was the last time that you slept?" Giles asked, mistaking her actions for exhaustion instead of pain.

She smiled at the bitter-sweet memories of the last night of her previous time jump. Images of Giles' strong body moving over hers, making sweet love to her, caused her smile to turn gentle and longing. "Almost 24 hours," she whispered.

"You may use the sofa in my office, if you'd like to lie down for awhile," Giles offered.

"Don't worry about me, Giles. The killer headache is bothering me more than being tired." She smiled warmly at her Watcher. She turned to the younger Slayer. "You should probably get to class before Snyder finds out," she suggested to Buffy (jr), deftly diverting the conversation away from herself.

"Giles?"

"I'm afraid, she's right. Snyder's looking for any reason to expel you. We'll meet here after classes. Inform the others when you see them."

Buffy (jr) nodded in agreement.

"Wait just a minute before you go." Buffy (sr) stood up and joined her. "Giles, could you please give us a moment?"

"Of course. I'll just be in my office." He pointed towards the door over his shoulder self-consciously. Buffy (sr) smiled lovingly at him. He stared at her transfixed by the emotions swirling in her blue eyes. Suddenly, he realized that he was staring at her a little too dotingly. Clearing his throat, he stuttered. "Well...hum." He quickly beat a retreat.

Buffy (sr) watched until she was sure that he couldn't hear the upcoming conversation. Her eyes returned to the younger Slayer.

"What did you want to talk about that Giles couldn't hear?"

"I wanted to give you a head's up about Xander. He's planning on asking you to be his date for the Spring Fling."

Buffy (jr) was surprised. "Really?" she asked worried.

Buffy (sr) nodded). "Yes."

"Oh, damn."

"Exactly. Be cool about it, ok?"

"Of course. What do you think I am?"

"I`m you, remember?"

"Was that all, because I need to get to class," she snapped.

"Yeah. That's it," Buffy (sr) answered.

Buffy (jr) gathered up her books and bag. With one last incredulous glance at the older Slayer, she strode angrily out of the library towards her first class. Buffy's (sr) eyes never left her until the door swung closed. She blew out a frustrated breath. She ran her hand tiredly over her face. She turned and walked to Giles' office. She watched him working at his desk for a few minutes before rapping on the open door. "Giles."

He swung his chair around and smiled briefly before motioning her to come in. "Did she...um...that is...Buffy, leave for class?"

Buffy laughed softly, "Yeah, she did and thanks for the privacy."

"You're welcome."

Buffy settled her small frame comfortably on the familiar footstool beside his chair. She scrutinized his sleep deprived features for awhile. `He's so exhausted. Why didn't I notice before now?' She reached out and laid a gentle hand on his knee. "Giles, you're exhausted. When was the last time you slept?" She threw her mind back to when she had lived through this period of her life, but couldn't recall seeing the fatigue that dogged his rugged features as they did now. Of course a lot had been going on then....still she should have realized how hard he was pushing himself.

"I don't know...that's not really important...r...right now."

"It is important. You are important, Giles."

Giles ducked his head abashed at her obvious concern for him. "You don't need to worry about me, Buffy. I'm more than accustomed to foregoing sleep for several days at a time."

She shook her head wryly at his self-sacrificing nature. No doubt remained in her mind that his ever vigilant dedication to his Watcherly duties solely revolved around his devotion and love for her. She stood up and stretched her hand out to him. Confused, he grasped her slender hand and allowed her to pull him to his feet. She led him over to the sofa and drew him down with her.

"Now, listen to me Rupert Giles. Are you listening?"

He nodded his head, mildly surprised at her calling him by his full name.

"Good. If I didn't make it clear enough before, let me clarify one thing right now. My first and main reason for being here is to save you."

He shook his head. "I don't understand. Preventing the apocalypse from occurring must be your first priority."

"Saving you will stop the world from ending, Giles. But apocalypse or not, I would still choose to be here. I would risk everything to save you. I love you...I married you."

Giles couldn't believe what he was hearing. The girl that he had been in love with since the first moment that his eyes had lighted on her angelic face, was informing him that she actually returned his love. A love that he thought would always be unrequited. However, by some odd twist of fate, she would sometime in the future consent to be his wife. The concept overwhelmed his mind. As the truth of what he meant to her hit him full force, so did the realization of her incredible recent loss. She hadn't only lost her Watcher; she had lost her lover, her husband. "Oh, Buffy. I'm truly sorry for your loss. I hadn't realized."

"Nothing to apologize for Giles. You couldn't have known." She leaned up and kissed him tenderly on his warm responsive lips. "I wanted you to know what you mean to me so that when I say this, you'll understand."

Giles opened his eyes and gazed at her with slightly dazed eyes. "What?"

"I care about you, not whether you can go another day or more without sleep to research. OK? Now...how long has it been since you slept?"

"Umm, 48 hours...approximately," he answered sheepishly.

"Giles," she chastised him.

"It was necessary...the prophecy. Oh, dear Lord. I almost forgot," he said harshly.

"Calm down, Giles. Everything will be fine. Do you really think the Master could possibly defeat the best Slayer of all time?" She smiled teasingly.

His expression clearly showed that he was more than a little worried. "Trust me, Giles," she told him seriously. Her eyes locked with his.

"As strange as this entire situation is, I do find myself trusting you; nonetheless, I need to know how..how were you able to defeat such a powerful master vampire."

"I'll make a deal with you. If you promise me that you'll lie down and sleep for a few hours, I'll tell you how I destroyed the Master. Deal?"

"Buffy. This is not the time for games."

"Giles. I'm serious. You won't be any good to anyone in your present condition."

"Very well. You will wake me in a few hours? Yes?"

"Yes. You have my word."

She rose and removed her black leather jacket. She hung it up in the open metal clothes cabinet. She knelt in front of him. He stared at her confused. Smiling sweetly at his bewilderment, she removed his shoes and set them aside.

She re-claimed the couch cushion next to him. Looping one arm around his shoulders, she tugged on him, urging him to lie down. He resisted her maneuvering, unsure of how to react in the unfamiliar circumstances. In all the time that he had known Buffy, he had never been the recipient of either her caring nature or her amorous affections. Being the focus of both threw him off-balance, causing him to tense up. Sensing his discomfort with the situation, she spoke gently and persuasively, "Giles, it's alright. I'm just trying to take care of you...for a change." She smiled warmly, lightly teasing. Now, lie down...please?" He hesitantly nodded his head, letting her take control of the situation. He removed his glasses first and handed them to her before allowing her to lower him, his head coming to rest on her lap. She reached over and placed his glasses on the footstool that she had vacated earlier. Softly stroking his hair with her fingertips, she told him the original history regarding the Master's demise. When she had arrived at the part where she died, he drew in a sharp breath. She reminded him that events were already altered by her appearance.

"But you died?" he rasped.

"Yes, I did the first time around; but, I think I have an idea that will prevent your Buffy from dying this time."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do. Don't forget I possess future knowledge that we can use." She laid her hand on his face. "Giles."

He tilted his head.

Gazing into his eyes, she continued, "Everything will be alright."

He examined her face for a few moments. "Buffy?"

"Yes."

"Are we truly married in the future?" he asked hesitantly, afraid to break the dream like quality of the situation.

She lifted one hand up to the neck-line of her white T-Shirt and pulled out a heavy gold link chain from beneath the material. On the chain hung three rings. She held them in the palm of her hand in front of his face. Separating a small thin ring from the other two, she softly said, "This is the engagement ring that you gave me when you asked me to marry you." Three small green emeralds with a diamond nestled between them adorned the gold band. Giles' long fingers caressed the stones, reverently. She held up a thin gold band next. "And this is my wedding band. On our wedding day, you placed it on my finger and said that you would love me forever." Her voice held both great joy and sadness. Lastly, she drew a wide gold band from the other two. There wasn't any doubt that it was a man's wedding band. "And this one is your wedding ring..." she whispered the words in a strained her voice, filled with deep grief and sorrow. "I placed it on your finger in front our family and friends and pledged to you my undying love. And I will never stop loving you as long as I live and beyond." Giles felt moisture strike his face. He eyes darted from the rings to her tear streaked cheeks.

"Buffy," he said concerned.

She stroked his hair back from his face. "It's alright. Just missing you...my husband."

He glanced back at the rings and touched the one that would someday belong to him. "I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"I suppose for leaving you. I would never wish to be anywhere without you," he responded while still fingering the circle of gold, contemplating a life with Buffy as his wife.

"Oh, Giles. Only you would apologize for something that you have no control over," she teased the man that she loved. "I want you to know that I feel the same way about being with you. I never wanted to be without you either."

"It would seem that fate is fickle and mere mortals' feelings and wants are rarely considered important in the grand scheme of things."

She nodded her head sadly. Buffy wiped her tears and gently retrieved the rings from Giles' hand. She carefully tucked them back into their resting place inside her shirt, next to her heart. "You should sleep, sweetheart. There will be a lot of work to do later; and, it would be best if you were rested." She brushed the back of her fingers over his stubbled cheek.

He stared up at her, drinking in her features as if for the first time. Her eyes were filled with love for him. He smiled and closed his eyes. She soothingly rubbed his back as you would a small child until he fell asleep.

Once she was sure that he was soundly asleep, Buffy moved out from under him, carefully easing his head onto the sofa. She retrieved a pillow and blanket from his cabinet. He always kept them there for long research sessions. Lifting his head, she placed the pillow under his it. She covered him up with the blanket, tucking it around him. She brushed his cheek with her fingertips before bending down and kissing the warm skin.

She pulled a couple of books from the bookshelves near the desk. Making herself comfortable at his desk, she began researching the demon.

* * *

Approaching footsteps from the direction of the main library caused Buffy to look up from her book to glance at Giles' desk clock. The clock showed 2:00. 'Damn, I totally lost track of time.' She sprang from her chair and hurried outside the office, quietly closing the door behind her before the intruder could disturb Giles' peaceful sleep. Jenny Calendar advanced towards the Librarian's Office with a troubled distracted expression on her face.

Before Jenny could speak, Buffy caught her attention and motioned for her to follow her over to the study table to talk. "Giles is sleeping and I don't want to disturb him."

"Is he ill?" she asked suddenly concerned.

"No, he just hasn't slept in a couple of days."

"I...see. Buffy, you should be in class"

Buffy chuckled. "I think I'm a little too old for high school, but thanks for the concern."

At Jenny's bewildered expression, Buffy explained that she was the Slayer and that Giles was her Watcher. She also enlightened the older woman about her arrival from a future time, but kept her in the dark as to her reason for her venture into the past.

"So...you fight vampires?" she asked puzzled, not understanding why Angel would become involved with the Slayer nor why someone whose calling was to kill vampires would allow themselves to fall in love with one. Even if the vampire had a soul.

"Yes. Oh, and by the way. I know why you came to see Giles. You've been getting e-mails about weird and unusual occurrences in the Sunnydale area. Right?"

"Yes." Jenny stared at the Slayer suspiciously.

Seeing her tense stance and wary expression, she said, "I'm from the future...remember?"

"Yes, right." The computer teacher relaxed. "If I'm not over-stepping my boundaries by asking this, what is exactly going on?"

"An old and quite cranky Master vampire is going to try and rise tomorrow night," she revealed with a touch of exasperation in her voice. "I'm afraid that with my arrival on the scene, I can't be entirely sure of how things will play out now, but I can guarantee that there's will be some strange happenings here in the library tomorrow night. You know what? We could use your computer skills both tonight and tomorrow. That is if you're willing."

"I know you say you are the Slayer and all, but I only have your word for any of this. I think I would like to talk to Rupert first before I make any decision to help." 'What's up with that? Does she still think that I'm just a kid spinning a tale?' Buffy mentally shook herself. `Buffy, give her a break. The sitch is way freaky, besides you can use her help. Best not to alienate her.' "I understand. Giles always could explain the whole chosen one thingy better than I even on his worse day." Buffy smiled proudly at the thought of her Watcher's speaking abilities. "I'll let him know that you dropped by and wanted to talk to him first before helping with the whole research thing. I'm planning to wake him in about an hour. The others should arrive shortly after the end of classes for the day. So if you want to speak to him then, that would be good."

"Who or what are the others," Jenny asked nervous after their discussion of vampires and time traveling.

"Willow Rosenburg, Xander Harris and of course me...or should I say the me from now?" She scowled, the situation of past, present, and future tense bogging her down once again.

"I think I understand. There are two of you now, right?"

Buffy's face brightened. "Yeah, that's right. Confusing sometimes."

"Yes. I can imagine." Jenny shook her head at the strangeness of the situation. "I'll be back when Rupert is awake." Jenny left the library, her mind in a whirl from the disorienting discussion with the older Buffy. Buffy returned to the office to check on her Watcher. She perched on the cushion, next to him, watching him slumber. He murmured her name as if he could feel her presence even in his sleep. She brushed her fingers across his brow. "I'm here."

"Hmmm.."

She laughed softly at his response. Giles was lying on his side with his back against the sofa' backrest. She stretched out on her back next to him and tugged his arm gently until he lay partially on top of her chest. She eased his head onto her shoulder. Running her fingers through his hair, she whispered in his ear, "I love you."

"Hmmm." He smiled with his lips pressed against the warmth of her neck.

She chuckled, holding him closer. "Giles." She tilted his head up, kissing his forehead, eye lids, and his mouth. He giggled against her lips. When she pulled back, he opened his eyes and looked straight into her blue orbs.

"I thought I was dreaming."

"Nope, I'm really here."

Giles smiled at her. "What time is it?"

"Nearly three. The guys should be here shortly."

"I suppose I should get up then." He sounded disappointed.

"You mean 'we'."

"Yes." Giles leaned back against the sofa so that Buffy could move out from under him. Once she was free, she rose from the cushions. He sat up and swung his feet to the floor. Buffy watched as he bent over and replaced his shoes.

She sat back down beside him when he finished. "I spoke with Jenny Calendar a few minutes ago."

"Yes?" he asked interested.

"She heard about some weird happenings lately, sort of figured that they were signs of an approaching apocalypse. She thought that you might know something about it."

"Why me?"

"I suppose because of the whole exorcism of the demon from the net thingy."

Giles brows drew together in apprehension, his eyes staring into space. His gaze returned to Buffy. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her about the Master's attempt to rise tomorrow night and that I wasn't sure if my arrival would change things or not. Plus, I asked her for her help with research if she was willing."

"What did she say?" he asked.

"She said that she needed to talk to you first before she decided. Told me that she only had my word for what I was telling her. I think the whole big evil vampire rising sort of wigged her out. Can't understand why," she smiled mischievously.

"Buffy." Giles only half-seriously chided her for frightening the computer teacher.

Not in the least worried by the reprimand, she continued, "By the way, I told her about the whole Slayer and Watcher deal, too."

"Do you think that was wise?"

"Yeah, besides you told her about my secret identity in the original history."

"I did?" he asked surprised.

"Yes."

"Oh, well than I guess there wasn't any harm done."

"Nope, none at all." She smiled, standing up and moving over to the desk.

Giles stood and joined her as she picked up the book she had been reading before Jenny interrupted her research. "Buffy, do you think that you could tell me your idea to save...well, Buffy?" His face was troubled.

Buffy sat down on the footstool, perching the open book carefully on her lap. Her eyebrows drew together in concentration. "Originally, when I went to meet the Master in his den, he told me that I didn't understand my role. I wasn't the hunter, but the hunted. He said that he couldn't go if I hadn't come." She captured his eyes. "You see, it was by drinking my blood that he was able to escape his prison." Giles dropped heavily onto his desk chair.

"So, if I understand you correctly, your blood is the key. Without it, he can't escape?" Giles queried amazed at the simplicity of the solution.

"Yep, that's it. Simple when you know the answer, huh?"

"Yes, quite," he answered, distracted.

"Giles?"

"Hmmm?"

"Giles, where has that smart brain of yours gone?"

"I'm terribly sorry, just thinking. If you don't die at the master's hands, I wonder if the Hellmouth will still open?"

"I'm not sure," she answered truthfully, her brows drew together in speculation. "So many changes could have been precipitated because of my arrival. Plus a number of others may occur if the Buffy from this time doesn't die. All we can do is deal with them as they happen. As for the Hellmouth opening, I do know the incantation you can set up and perform before the appointed time."

Giles face clearly exhibited his intense distress over the situation.

"Don't worry, Giles. Between all of us, we'll do alright."

Giles smiled uncertain and nodded. "When I read the prophecy, all I could think about was finding a way out of it. The more I researched, the more afraid I became that I was going to lose you. I c...can't lose you, Buffy. I..I love you."

She laid the book on the corner of his desk and stood up from the stool. She re-seated herself on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Pressing her forehead against his, she said solemnly, "You could never lose me, not really. And as strange as these circumstances are, what with there being two of me, she does love you too, even if not in a romantic way. You're her life-line, her Watcher, and her friend. Trust me on this."

Giles nodded, moving her head along with his. She laughed at the sensation, setting him off into nervous giggles, as well.

When their laughter died away, Giles told her, "I'm glad you came."

"Me, too. I just wish the whole "Master killing me thing" didn't have to be a part of it," she commented wryly.

"Yes, I also could have done without a prophecy telling me that tomorrow night 'the Master would arise and the Slayer would die'.

"What do you mean, tomorrow night the Master's going to kill me?!" Buffy's angry voice, tinged with an edge of fear, broke into the couple's quiet moment. Buffy stood up from Giles' lap. Both she and Giles walked out to the main study area, the direction the words had originated. Buffy (jr) stood outside of the small office, looking extremely upset.

Memories came flooding back to Buffy (sr). 'Oh, my God. Giles just let her know about the prophecy and what it said.'

"Buffy, I..." Giles began.

"Were you even gonna tell me about the prophecy?"

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to, that there was some way around it." Giles spoke the truth. He had hoped to find a solution, a way to thwart the prophecy. It was the reason for his prolonged research.

"I've got a way around it." Before Buffy (jr) could finish what she was going to say and childishly quit, Buffy (sr) stepped in front of the younger Slayer. "Buffy, look at me." Buffy (jr) gaze remained fixed on Giles. In a tone that commanded obedience, Buffy (sr) called her double's name. Buffy (jr) turned her head and stared at the woman that bore her face, just realizing that she had been there from the start.

"Am I dead?" The question took the girl by surprise.

"No. Of course not." She scowled at her counterpart, completing missing the point of the question.

"Alright then...neither are you."

Buffy (jr) continued to give her a confused look.

Buffy (sr) let out a frustrated sigh. "If I'm not dead and I'm you, from your future, how can you die and stay dead here and now?"

The younger Slayer raised her eyebrows as she glimpsed her meaning. "But Giles..." A harsh glance in Giles' direction, "...said that the prophecy told that the Master would kill me tomorrow night." Giles winced at the anger in his Slayer's eyes.

"Yes, but originally you, or should it be I,.... didn't stay dead. Xander performed CPR on...me."

Buffy moved, in a daze, over to one of the chairs and sat down stunned. "He did?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Yes, he did. But don't worry, this time around, neither Giles nor I intend to let you die at all. We have an idea to stop the Master from rising, hopefully without too much fuss or muss."

Buffy's (jr) eyes darted back and forth between her Watcher and the older Slayer. "Really?" she asked, hope fighting the panic and fear in her gut.

Giles dug his hands into his pockets and nodded his head. She sat back in her chair, the anger and tension escaping her body.

It was at that particular moment Willow made her entrance. "Wow, there really are two of you," she said, her words laced with awe.

"Leave it to you Willow to state the obvious." Buffy (sr) laughed softly, releasing her own tension.

Willow's eyes shot a surprised look momentarily at the older version of her best fried before joining Buffy (jr) at the study table.

Briefly smirking to herself, Buffy (sr) returned to Giles' side. His gaze was focused on the floor, obviously deep in thought. She clasped his hand in hers sensing that he was still upset by the earlier row between himself and Buffy (jr). When he felt her fingers tighten around his hand, he brought his face up to look at her. She smiled at him reassuringly. "Everything will be alright."

"What's going on? Is everything alright?" Willow whispered to Buffy. She found herself suddenly uneasy, feeling that she might have walked in on an uncomfortable situation earlier.

"Yeah, everything's alright, Will. Giles just found out that I'm supposed to die at the Master's hands tomorrow night." she said unconcerned. "No big."

Willow stared at her friend, stunned by her words.

"It's cool, Will. Buffy...the older me...said that she can stop the Master from killing me."

Willow still didn't look relieved by these words of encouragement, but let the subject drop for now.

Buffy (sr) turned to the two teenagers. "Where's Xander?" she asked of Buffy (Jr).

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since I told him that I couldn't go with him to the Spring Fling."

"Did you let him down easy?"

"Of course, I did," she said slightly peeved by the implied criticism.

"Xander asked you to the dance?" Giles asked surprised.

"Yes, Giles, and if the first time is any indicator as to how he will react this time, he's probably home moping," Buffy (sr) answered him.

"I'm afraid he is. He told me that you turned him down," Willow interjected looking at Buffy (jr). "He wouldn't tell me what you said, but he did say that he was going home. He looked pretty depressed."

"OK. That's not good."

"Buffy did you tell him about me? Why I'm here?" Buffy (sr) asked.

"I didn't get a chance."

"Maybe I should try to call him," Buffy (sr) suggested.

"He probably won't answer the phone," Willow said, slowly getting over the strangeness of two Slayers. "How do you know?"

"When he gets this way, he doesn't want to talk to anyone, not even me."

"OK, since you've known him longer than I, I'll accept your word on it." She thought about what she could do to remedy the situation. They needed his help with the Master. Plus they could really use his help researching the demon she needed to destroy. She looked up at Giles. "Giles."

"Yes?"

"I need you to get Willow and Buffy started researching the demon. I'm going to go to Xander's house and talk to him."

"Al...Alright. Is there anything else you wish me to do?"

She sighed. "Yeah, could you read the Watcher's Diary that I gave to you earlier? The last entry will tell you which entrapment spells the other you tried. It should help you in deciding where to start this time."

"Very well."

Buffy leaned up and kissed Giles on his cheek, much to his surprise and delight. "I'll see you soon, Giles." When she pulled away, Giles placed his hand over his cheek where she had kissed him. She smiled at him as the expression of joy spread across his face.

She turned to the two girls. "You obviously told Will that there was another one of you. Have you told her the rest? Why I'm here?" She addressed her words to the other Buffy.

"Yeah. That was cool, right?"

Buffy (sr) nodded. "Yeah, saves me time."

"Giles will get you started on the research. I'll be back as soon as I can. Later."

She was out the door before anyone could say anything.

* * *

Xander opened the door to his room to find Buffy (sr) on his doorstep. Buffy (sr) smiled at him. "Hi. Can I come in?" she asked sweetly.

Xander stepped aside and swept his hand towards the interior of his room. She took the hint and crossed over the threshold into his private domain. "You know I don't think that I've ever been in your room." 'Only the basement', she thought to herself.

"No, you haven't. What brings you here now?" he asked sullenly.

"You."

"Well, here I am."

"Could I sit down?" she said stalling for time to think of how to start. "Yeah, sure." He walked over to the bed and using his arm swept a pile of comic books and Twinkie wrappers off the quilt and onto the already littered carpet. He returned to his former spot next to the newly cleared space. She sat uncertainly down next to him. "So why did you come to see me?" He dreaded that her answer had something to do with her rejection of him earlier that day. 'Maybe she thinks now that we can't be friends because she knows that I want to date her.'

"Well, first of all, I wanted to say again how sorry I am for earlier. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, Xander. You and Willow are my best friends."

By this time Xander was staring at her. "Alright who are and what have you done with the real Buffy Summers?" His tone of voice held an edge of worry and fear to it. He scooted back from her.

Buffy's eyes widen in surprise, slightly taken aback by his unusual intuitive guess. "It's me, Xander. I'm not some demon."

"No. The Buffy I know doesn't have two small scars on the side of her face... or nearly as long of hair as you do. Who are you really? Have you hurt Buffy?"

"Xander, it is me. It's just that I'm...well...I'm from the future," she told him as persuasively as she possible could.

"The future. Really?" He didn't sound convinced.

She nodded her head. "Yes. Really."

"And what happened to the Buffy that I know?"

"Nothing. She's fine. She's at the library right now with Giles and Willow."

"Alright. Willow knows about you?"

"Yes. Xander, I came to see you so I could tell you why I'm here."

"OK. Why are you here?" he asked with a great deal of trepidation.

"I'm here to prevent a demon from killing Giles and causing another apocalypse in the future. I need your help in researching it," Buffy said deciding on a much shorter explanation than she had given to Giles and her younger self. "Will you help me?"

"You can count on me Buffy."

"Good. I knew I could."

* * *

When Buffy (sr) and Xander arrived at the library two hours later, they found not only Giles, Willow and Buffy (jr), but also Jenny Calendar. Giles and Buffy (jr) were researching at the study table while Willow and Jenny were working together on the library's sole computer. "Hi, everyone, look who I've found." She smiled when everyone, previously so deep in thought, glanced up startled by her voice resounding loudly in the quiet.

"Xander." Buffy rose and approached her friend, cautiously. When she stopped in front of him, she asked, "Still mad at me?"

"Nope. All is forgiven. Besides, not a good idea being mad at someone who could clean the floor with me." He gave her a big goofy grin.

"Damn straight," she replied with a serious face, but could only hold it a moment before her face broke into a bright smile.

Buffy (sr) left the two teenagers to reconcile while she joined Giles. She settled into the empty chair next to him at the table. She watched as the friends moved together towards the other side of the table, still talking. Buffy (sr) faced Giles, who had gone back to his book once he knew that there wasn't any emergency. "I see that Jenny showed up like she said she would."

Giles' eyes traveled from the text to her face. "Yes. She showed up shortly after you left to get Xander. Which I see you were successful in retrieving."

She smiled up at him. "Yeah. He freaked somewhat when he discovered that I wasn't the Buffy he knew, but now, he's dealing."

"Good. We can certainly use his help."

She nodded. "Giles, did you and Jenny talk?"

"Yes and she agreed to help tomorrow night." Giles suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Noth...nothing's wrong. It's just that I...well..took certain liberties...by telling Ms. Calendar...about your reason for being here. Is all." Buffy (sr) could tell by his stammering that Giles was fearful of her reaction to his disclosure.

She laid her hand on his arm resting on the book in front of him. With her thumb gently stroking his exposed skin, she addressed his concerns, "Giles, it's fine. Did you ask for her help? Is that why she's surfing the net with Willow?"

Her touch on his arm distracted him from answering her for a few moments before he drew himself back to their conversation. "Ummm...yes."

She smiled slyly to herself. "Good." She shifted her attention to the subject of their discussion. She watched her warily. 'Jenny is an unknown element. I never did get to know her very well. The last time I had dealings with her, she more or less betrayed our trust and was working behind our backs in secret, keeping tabs on Angel. On the other hand, Giles loved her. Plus let's not forget the guilt I rightly deserve because I allowed Angel to kill her.'

Giles noticed her distracted and troubled gaze directed towards Jenny. "Buffy is there something wrong with Ms. Calendar assisting us in the research for the demon that I should know about?"

"No, it's alright. Don't worry." She slid her hand down his arm and grasped his hand, intertwining their fingers. She smiled as reassuringly as she could manage with her growing misgivings. "So, have you had any luck?" She asked pointing at the books stacked on the table.

He shook his head. "I...I'm afraid not as such." His gaze took in the piles of books covering not only the tabletop, but also the floor. "These volumes a...actually aren't for our current research. They're from the bookcases up there." He pointed to the empty bookshelves on the upper tier. "I was afraid that there might be another quake or...or at lease aftershocks."

"Oh, I see. Sorry."

"No problem." The corners of his lips quirked up self-consciously.

"Well, I'm going to make us some tea." She gently squeezed his hand, released it and stood up.

"That would be much appreciated."

She pressed her hand against his cheek and smiled warmly.

* * *

Buffy (sr) handed one of the china cups to Giles as she perched on the arm of his chair.

"Thank you." He drank from the hot tea.

"You're welcome," she answered absently, her mind still contemplating possible problems tomorrow night.

"You seem distracted." When no response is forthcoming from her, he called her name. "Buffy?"

She glanced down at him. "Yes?"

"You seemed to be far away, again."

"Sorry, Giles. Thinking about tomorrow." She turned her eyes to the younger Buffy sitting and talking to Xander. The young woman's expression was one of forced normalcy. The underlying apprehension was noticeable to the older Slayer. She had seen the look often enough in the mirror. She looked back at Giles and saw, in his eyes, that he too recognized the true state of Buffy's (jr) mind. "Giles, I think that it's time to talk about what we're going to do tomorrow and the problems that may still arise."

"I agree."

"I'll let the others know that they need to join us." She stood. "And Giles?"

"Yes?"

"We need to get Angel here."

"Angel? Are you sure?"

"Yes, if the hellmouth does open, we'll need him. Plus we will need him for a test subject in the entrapment spells."

Giles stared at her surprised for a few moments. "I..I'll call him."

"Thank you." The expression on her face held the love she felt for him, a love barely contained. She cupped his cheek; her thumb caressing his slightly stubbled skin. A blush spread across his face at the intimate touch. She ached to express her love for this man she adored, more fully but in front of an audience wasn't the right place. She released his face and stroked his hair back from his forehead. She turned away, as he smiled shyly at her, and joined Buffy (jr) and Xander on their side of the table. She stood in front of the two friends. She caught the sight of Giles rising from his chair and walking to his office. The two teenagers glanced up at her as one. "So how goes the researching?" she queried, answering their unspoken question of, 'What do you want?'

"Nothing yet," Xander answered for both of them.

"That's alright. We're going to take a break for awhile so we can discuss what's going to happen tomorrow night. Come and join Giles and I."

"OK," Xander said.

"Buffy?"

She nodded in acquiescence, but her mind was obviously focused on other things.

"I'll let Willow and Jenny know about the big pow wow. We'll be there in a few minutes." Buffy (sr) strolled over to the computer desk. Watching Willow and Jenny for a few minutes, she noticed for the first time how much they clicked when it came to computers. She hesitated a moment, hating to interrupt, before stepping closer and breaking into their conversation. "Sorry to disturb your computer vibing and the flow of ideas, but Giles and I want to bring everyone up to speed on tomorrow night. So, if you could join the rest of the gang that would be great."

"Can do." Willow's green eyes darted worriedly at her best friend, now seated in the chair on the other side of Giles' vacated seat. "How's Buffy...I mean the other Buffy...you know...doing?"

Buffy (sr) smiled at her best friend's babble, thinking about less chaotic times. She glanced in the direction of the other slayer, the expression on her face turning wistful. "She's still totally freaked but trying dealing with it," Buffy answered bluntly. 'At least, she's not quitting like I did the first time.'

"Oh, that's kinda what I thought," she said surprised at the truthful response.

"Buffy?" Giles called her from the doorway to his office. Both women turned towards him.

"S...sorry...urn...," he stammered. He pointed self-consciously at Buffy (sr). "Buffy."

She strode over to him. When she reached him, he turned and walked into his office, out of the line of sight of the others. She followed him inside. "Yes, Giles?" she asked when she was standing next to him.

"Angel will be here shortly. Did you wish to wait?"

"Yeah, I really don't want to repeat what I have to say," she said, contemplating speaking to Angel one on one. It didn't set well with her.

Giles picked up on her apprehension. "Buffy is everything all right?" She raised her eyebrows at the irony of the caring question. After a couple of beats, Giles stuttered self-consciously, "I suppose that was r...rather ridiculous, wasn't it?"

She smiled and nodded. "If it helps, I did understand what you were asking." She reached up and cupped his cheek. "Thank you for caring, but I'm fine." Her eyes examined his face taking in the deepened lines on his forehead, the corners of his eyes and mouth. "However, you still look tired, sweetie."

He smiled tiredly at her term of endearment. "I'm fine."

"You know what...why don't we order some dinner while we wait for Angel?" Her thumb brushed softly across his cheek bone as she spoke, her eyes roving over his face. Warmth rushed through his body at the intimacy of her touch.

"Giles?" She moved her hand from his cheek, running her fingertips down the side of his neck.

"Hmmm?" he murmured, closing his eyes. She kissed him just under his ear, her lips lightly brushing his warm skin. "Dinner?" she whispered into his ear.

"Hmmm," he replied absently, totally submerged in the sensations she caused in his body. Buffy pulled back and gazed up at his slightly flushed cheeks, closed eyes, and content expression. "I love you," she whispered, the words soaked with love she had for her husband.

His eyes opened at her words. The depth of his feelings for her clearly written in his beautiful green eyes. "I love you, Buffy."

She smiled, happiness spreading across her face like the approaching of dawn, brightening the sky with its brilliance.

"Giles?"

"Yes?" He pulled her closer, only just then realizing that they were wrapped in each other's arms.

"Dinner? Should we order something before we begin? Maybe Chinese?"

"That sounds fine." He grinned down at her, his mind still in a happy fog of love and desire.

"Somehow, I think anything would be fine with you at the moment." She laughed, lightly teasing him.

"Quite true," he agreed truthfully.

She briefly squeezed his waist and then released him. "Come on. We need to get back to the troops before they get restless and come searching for us. Which we really don't want to happen." Giles, reluctantly, removed his arms from around her waist, acknowledging that she was right. He kissed her forehead before she drew away completely. She smiled warmly up at him. She turned and walked out of the office first to give him time to compose himself before facing the others.

* * *

The gang had split up into two group to research. Jenny, Willow, Xander, and Buffy (jr) were working on the Master's rising, any prophecies or references to the Hellmouth opening tomorrow night, and any documented cases of vampires massing in reference to a Hellmouth opening. Buffy (sr), Giles, and Angel researched Buffy's (sr) time- traveling demon and the entrapment spells. Buffy had decided earlier that the venom break down would have to wait until the present crisis with the Hellmouth and vampires was resolved.

Jenny and Willow occupied the table with the computer on it, deep in a discussion about Hellmouths. Buffy (jr) and Xander were settled at one corner of the study table quietly scanning demonology books for information on the Master and vampires in general. Angel sat next to Buffy (jr) performing his own research. Giles sat at his desk in his office reading the Watcher's Diary that Buffy (sr) had given him that morning. Buffy (sr) reclined on his sofa searching the pages of a mug shot book that Giles hadn't had the first time she dropped into the past. Empty Chinese food containers littered every available surface that wasn't occupied by books.

Buffy (sr) was growing more frustrated by the minute with just sitting still. She decided she needed some exercise. She stretched her stiff muscles and yawned. "Giles?" she called as she swung her legs off the sofa, sitting upright.

He glanced up from his book. "Yes?" he asked.

"All this sitting isn't good for me. I'm going to go and see if I can talk Buffy into sparring with me for a while. If I don't, I'm going to fall asleep."

He smiled up at her as a thought suddenly hit him. "Good...she can finally punch someone other than me for a change."

Buffy glanced out into the other room briefly before turning Giles' chair enough so that she could settle on his lap. She carefully removed his glasses as he stared at her wide-eyed, surprised. After she placed them on his desk top, she ran her fingers gently through his hair, mussing it up even more than it already was. "My poor Giles. I certainly had a tendency to bruise you often in the past, didn't I?" She smiled a little sadly at him. "And I don't mean only your body, but your ego too."

He nodded, not really sure if he wanted to answer such a question verbally. She brushed his hair back from forehead and kissed his cheek. "I'm terribly sorry. I often did it because it was my little way of rebelling against my duty, my destiny as the Slayer. I want you to know it never was because I was directly angry with you...or at least not most times. I did care about you. It was just that you were the only target that was available to take my frustration out on. The Council was out of my immediate reach and the so called "Powers" that control who would be chosen as the Slayer were and are beyond most mortal's reach. So...what can I say other than I would never even think about doing anything like that to you now. I love you more than life itself and respect you even more."

Giles found himself speechless as to what to say in response to the honesty of her words as well as the strength of the love and affection in which she had spoken them. Deciding that actions sometimes spoke louder than words, he pulled her close and kissed her gently yet thoroughly on her warm responsive lips.

When they pulled away, Buffy smiled adoringly at him. "I guess that means that you forgive me?" she teased.

"As if I could do anything else," he teased her in return.

She drew her fingertips down the side of his face. "I hate to cut this short, but I do need the exercise, sweetheart. Come watch?" she asked hopefully.

He nodded. She rose carefully from his legs and held out her hand. Grasping it, he levered himself out of the chair. It squeaked loudly as he did so. They both giggled at the protesting chair.

* * *

Buffy (sr) called a halt to the exercise with the staff. Neither of the women were overly tired from the training. Buffy glanced around the room of spectators. She rapidly spun the length of wood in a wide circle, non-stop for several minutes, playing to the crowd. She beamed a smile at them. Instead of researching, their attentions had been diverted by the mock fight between the two slayers. Her eyes returned to the other Buffy while still grinning cheekily, her eyes glittering with mischief. "Hey, Buffy, would you mind if I traded opponents for awhile?"

Buffy (jr) scowled in confusion and glanced around the room. "With who?" As far as she could see the only other likely combatant was Angel and the older Slayer had more or less spurned Angel's company when possible.

Buffy (sr) held out her free hand for Buffy's (jr) weapon. Buffy (jr) shrugged and tossed it towards her double, figuring Angel could hold his own in a fight with the older Slayer. Buffy (sr) smoothly snatched the rod from mid-air while walking towards Giles. "Giles, would you do me the honor?" She presented him with the staff.

Instead of immediately taking it, Giles protested, "Oh, I don't think..."

"Come on Giles. Let's show them how it's done."

"Oh, Buffy. I really don't think this is a good idea," he argued a little less stringently.

"Giles. Trust me, it's just training. Besides, don't you think it's about time that everyone finds out what a true bad ass fighter you really can be?" She wiggled her eyebrows at him. Even though her tone of voice remained light and joking, pride and respect rang out from her words. Giles couldn't help but smile at her confidence in his abilities or her outrageous expression. "I don't know about the...urn..'bad ass fighter'...per say, but I will spar with you. If you're sure?"

"I'm way sure."

He stood and took the offered weapon.

She just smiled wider. They assumed positions facing each other in the open space. Giles and Buffy (sr), holding their staffs perpendicular to the floor, bowed with their eyes fixed on each other. They straightened and the faux battle began. The sound of wood striking wood rang out in the sudden quiet. The audience watched enraptured at the fierce fight. Although their graceful performance seemed to represent a dance as much as an engagement of arms. The combatants appeared to be evenly matched; neither gaining the advantage. Both fighters showed themselves to be highly skilled, but it quickly became apparent that when it came down to endurance and strength, Buffy's (sr) capabilities far outstripped Giles'. However, it was equally obvious, that she was keeping the use of her Slayer strength down to Giles' level, choosing to rely on her skills and experience instead. Feeling Giles tiring and not wishing him to be humiliated, especially in front of everyone, she called a halt to the exercise. When they stopped, Buffy (sr) bowed deeply to Giles, signifying that he was the master and she the student. Before she could finish the gesture however, she heard the others applauding. She straightened and grinned at Giles, who was doing the same thing. Easily reading each other's thoughts; they bowed to their adoring fans, laughing as they did so.

As the applause died down, Buffy (sr) heard Xander comment, "OK. That's just way freaky."

"What is?" Buffy (sr) asked confused.

"Let's see...could it be that Giles was actually good with the whole fighting thing, or that the two of you were like totally vibing?"

"I told you my Watcher could majorly kick ass." She smiled proudly at said Watcher as she claimed his staff.

"Yeah, what is up with that Giles. You've never fought that well when you and I spar? I usually take you down in about five minutes," Buffy (jr) complained.

Buffy (sr) glanced at Giles. Hurt radiated from him. Before he could answer, she responded for him, "The reason that you 'take' him down so quickly is because you haven't mastered your own strength yet and Giles must hold back on his own to foster you in using your strength, in an offensive context, not as a defensive one while training. Plus Giles' goal while training is to do just that...train. It's not a competition between the two of you. The purpose is to teach you to maintain your strength while learning the moves and skills to not only keep you alive but to destroy vampires."

"Oh. So when I knock you across the room, I'm thinking...not a good thing?"

Giles and Buffy (sr) both shook their heads.

"Sorry, Giles," she said as sincerely as she could muster.

Buffy (sr) proceeded on to the weapon's locker and stowed the staves inside. "And as to the vibing question, there's nothing different about that. Giles and I have always had a connection as Slayer and Watcher, although I must confess to my shame that I have both dismissed and ignored it at times; she said with a genuine sincere contriteness for past sins and a loving fondness for her Watcher. She moved over to where Giles had remained standing and claimed one of his hands. His lips quirked up at the corners, his mood radiated contentedness.

* * *

After they researched for several hours longer, Buffy raised her voice loud enough for everyone to hear her. "I think we should call it a night, tomorrow will be difficult as it is without anyone being exhausted."

Everyone started to gather their things. Giles closed the book in front of him and turned towards Buffy. "Buffy, w... would you like to...well...stay with me while you're here?" he stammered shyly. Even though Giles had spoken at his normal level, his words had never-the- less rang loudly during a sudden lull in the otherwise noisy commotion. Jenny's eyes went wide with shock and a hint of jealousy at Giles' words, but since he was only looking at Buffy (sr) he didn't notice her reaction. However, Buffy (sr) did notice her reaction as well as the other eyes on her waiting for her response to Giles' offer. She closed the space between her Watcher and herself. Instead of directly answering him, she said, "Buffy and I are going to patrol for a while. Afterwards, I'll make sure that she gets home safely." Her eyes gazed lovingly into his. Something indefinable in their blue depths gave him hope. "Hey, I am the Slayer, you know. I think that I'm more than capable of getting home by myself," Buffy (jr) said offended. Buffy (sr) glanced at her younger self. The expression on her face, clearly telegraphing that the comment or consequential action had little to do with her abilities and more to do with assuring Giles. Buffy's (jr) eyes darted to her Watcher's face. She quickly dropped the subject when she saw how tired he appeared.

Buffy (sr) faced Giles again. "Giles, can you give Xander and Willow a ride home?"

"Of course."

"Cool. Buffy and I will see you guys out to your cars. Wouldn't want anything to eat you, now would we?"

* * *

After Jenny drove away from the parking lot and Willow and Xander climbed into the Citroen, Buffy (sr) gripped Giles' arm before he can join them. "I'll see you later, Giles." Even though her words could be construed as a simple good-bye, the expression on her face put a whole different connotation to her words.

"Yeah, see ya later Watcher-man," Buffy (jr) chimed. Giles smiled at both of them. "Good-night." He stepped into his car and drove away.

Angel who had stood back during the exchange with the Watcher now stepped forward. "Mind if I join you on patrol?" he asked Buffy (jr). Buffy (sr) kept silent when Buffy (jr) replied, "That would be great. Can always use another fighter."

Buffy (sr) sighed resigned to Angel's presence once again and began walking towards Restfield cemetery. The couple following at a more sedate pace. Buffy (sr) slowed her quick stride down to match theirs. She had after all promised Giles to guard the young Slayer from harm. As they made their way across the cemetery, Buffy (sr) reached out as far as she could with her senses, searching not only for vampiric activity, but for any nests or catches where there may be an inordinate number of vampire signatures. She detected two such catches or nests; she mentally marked them for later eradication. One thing continued to confuse her; the night remained quiet. No vampires roamed the cemetery hunting for dinner nor were there any newbies about to rise. Even with the pending attack tomorrow, she thought that there would be some activity, but nothing was happening. This pattern continued throughout the rest of the routine patrol. By the time they reached Revello Drive, Buffy (sr) had identified and recorded the location of seven different vampire nests but not even one actual vampire had been spotted doing any mischief. Which had probably been for the best considering the fact that she would have had to do all the fighting since the two lovebirds only had eyes for each other. It amazed Buffy (sr) that they hadn't tripped over their own feet. They hadn't even watched where they walked most of the time.

When they reached the path leading up to the house that currently belonged to Buffy (jr) and Joyce Summers, Buffy (sr) sighed in relief. `Thank God, I don't think I could have watched their disgustingly stupid PDA's much longer. I so am having a discussion with Angel when this is over.' "So this is where I say good-night." As the Slayer and Vampire were kissing at the time, Buffy (sr) waited patiently until they finished before commenting further. "Remember to get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be hairy enough without you asleep on your feet."

Buffy (jr), dazed by Angel's kiss, smiled happily. "No problems."

"Yeah, right," Buffy (sr) mumbled under her breath as she turned away. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow," she said louder as she walked away, heading in the direction of Giles' condo.

* * *

Giles opened his door to find Buffy on his doorstep. He's surprised yet very happy that she had indeed agreed to stay with him in her subtle way. It only now became clear that she had done it so that he wouldn't be embarrassed. His already high estimate of her went up a couple more notches.

"Can I come in?" she smiled up at him.

Giles stepped aside, opening the door far enough for her to enter. As she walked past him, she noticed that he was already dressed for bed, in his blue and white flannel pajama bottoms, a white T-shirt, and his multi-colored robe. She watched him as he closed the door and locked the dead bolt. She smiled at his confidence that she planned to stay the night. He turned back to her. She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head against his chest. She hugged him tightly. "God, why is it that just seeing you can make everything in my world right?"

"May...maybe for the same reason that I...I feel the same way?"

She tilted her head up at him without releasing her hold on him. "Is that because I'm your world as you are mine?"

He smiled at her as he tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "Yes."

She snuggled back against his broad chest, kissing the side of his neck lightly. "I missed you on patrol tonight. You would have been a very pleasant distraction from some less than supernatural activities." She moved her lips to the front of his neck and kissed his pulse point.

He swallowed hard stiffing the moan that wanted to escape and focused on her strange words. "What 'less than supernatural activities' are you talking about?" he asked concerned.

"Nothing important, just Angel and Buffy making with the public displays of affection. Which I could sooo do without."

Giles frowned confused at her negative reaction to Buffy (jr) and Angel's relationship.

Before he could comment on her dislike of the situation, she asked, "Giles, why don't we sit down. I need to tell you about patrol and there's way too much information to remain standing for it all.

She released him without waiting for a response and took his hand. She led him over to the sofa. Once he was seated, she removed her jacket and shoes, placing them next to the front door. She rejoined him. She drew her legs up under her lithe form. She leaned into his side, her head rested on his shoulder, her arm wrapped around his waist. She sighed content to be finally where she had wanted to be all day. Giles, still unused to such affection from his Slayer, hesitantly hugged her closer to his side with his arm around her shoulder. His other hand sought out her hand resting on his stomach.

"So...so what happened on patrol?" Giles voice sounded worried with a trace of fear running beneath his words.

She glanced up at him. She instinctively knew that expression and tone. He definitely was in worry mode. "She's fine, Giles and so am I." She reached up and ran her fingers across his brow in an effort to soothe away the worry lines there. After a couple of moments of his eyes probing hers, he visibly relaxed. He captured her hand and returned it to its previous position on his stomach. She grinned at him and moved their joined hands to his thigh instead. Giles closed his eyes briefly, moaning.

"Buffy...please."

She returned their hands. "Sorry, sweetheart. You're right, report first."

Giles' eyes opened wider at the mention of 'first.

"There wasn't any activity whatsoever tonight. No demons. No vampires. My only conclusion is that it has to do with tomorrow night. My guess is that they will attack with or without the Master rising. Also during our patrol, I used my senses to locate any possible vampire nests or catches with more than three vampires so that I can destroy them before the big event tomorrow."

"I'm not sure that I'm following you. I thought that you didn't encounter any vampires while on patrol."

"We didn't encounter any vampires. I have the ability to sense vampires, demons, and even a few select humans at a much greater range than the Buffy from this time is capable of doing. I sensed these nests without physically approaching them. The vampires are completely unaware of my knowledge as to their existence or location."

"I believe I understand. H...how did you acquire this...ability. I've never heard of anything remotely related to this skill being mentioned in any of the Watcher's Diaries."

"You taught me, using Eastern meditation methods to fine tune and extend the range of my inherent Slayer demon detection abilities."

"But you said that you could also detect some humans as well."

"Yeah, we aren't completely sure how it works, but the current theory is that the humans I can sense have some connection with the supernatural. Xander's signature is one of the more difficult to pin point at first, but if I slip into a deeper level of meditation, I can pick him up his location. You, Willow, and...others are easier," she finished somewhat abruptly, uneasy about her near revelation of Dawn, Anya, and Kennedy's names. People that Giles undoubtedly would have questions about. Questions she didn't want to presently answer.

He noticed her abrupt ending of the list of names of people she could detect. At first he thought it was because Angel's name was one of them, but Angel wasn't human. 'Whose name didn't she wish to mention?' "It sounds like an extremely useful skill to possess. You've come a long way from the girl who had difficulty honing in on one vampire on a dance floor at the Bronze," he teased.

She lightly swatted his stomach. "I'll have you know I honed just fine." Giles chuckled, holding her tightly. "Giles, as much as I'd like to stay here like this forever, I think we both should get some sleep before we need to be back at the library tomorrow or should I say today since it's past midnight."

"You're right. I hadn't realized that it was quite so late. I'm sorry. You must be tired."

"And you aren't?" She stood and he joined her. "Could I borrow a T- Shirt and a pair of shorts to wear? I want to take a shower and I don't exactly carry around a change of clothing with me."

Giles blushed bashfully at her request to borrow his underclothes. "O...of course." "Good. You can go ahead and go to bed after you get the clothes for me. You don't need to wait up. I'll join you as soon as I'm finished."

"I...I'm sorry?" he stuttered shocked at her casual statement of proposed intimacy with him, a man whom she had, at least from his viewpoint, never been with in that particular way.

"Where else did you think I'd sleep besides with my husband?" she replied non-plussed.

A wonderfully joyful grin spread across his features.

She grinned in return. "Now scoot and get me those clothes so I can shower." She made a sweeping motion with her hand in his direction. He laughed and turned towards the stairs to fetch said clothes. She watched him with adoring eyes, never tiring of the sound of his laughter. He laughed so rarely.

* * *

Giles woke up alone the next morning. At first his heart began to break as he thought that it all had been a sweet dream, but; then he heard sounds coming from downstairs. He grabbed the pillow that Buffy's head had rested on during the night as they laid spooned together. The scent of his shampoo mixed with her own unique scent clung to the fabric. He smiled and got up. Pulling on his robe, he made his way downstairs.

Buffy, still dressed in his gray boxer shorts and green T-Shirt stood in his kitchen making breakfast, humming softly to herself. Giles watched her for a few minutes from the doorway before entering the room.

Buffy turned towards him before he even stepped more than two steps into the room. She smiled brightly at his mildly surprised expression. "Good-morning, sweetie." She moved over to him. Leaning up along his taller body, she kissed him softly on his warm lips.

"Good-morning, Buffy," he said after their lips parted. Still leaning against him, her head tilted upwards, she said, "I'm terribly sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I'd thought I would be back with breakfast in time." She grinned. "I guess you're an earlier riser now than you are later."

Giles gently tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "All that matters is that you're here with me." He looked over her head at the French Toast she was cooking on the stove. "That smells wonderful."

"You hungry?"

"Starved."

"Why don't you put two place settings out on the breakfast bar and I'll pour the tea and juice."

"Alright."

* * * "I need to take a shower before we go but I don't have any clean clothes. I suppose I can do what I did last time," she mused more to herself than to Giles, but he heard her.

"What did you do last time?" Giles asked curious. This was the first time she had mentioned anything of a previous jump.

"You called Buffy for me and asked if she could loan me some clothes. She brought them over on her way to the library. Unfortunately, the guys came with her which led to some uncomfortable explanations for you. Sorry about that, by the way." She frowned.

"Since I don't remember the incident. I don't see any reason for you to apologize."

"I guess you're right. Nevertheless, I do remember, so I'll try my best to avoid any similar problems if possible this time around."

"Thanks that would be much appreciated." He grinned at her teasingly, not truly concerned any possible repercussions from the others finding the two of them together.

"OK, I'm off to take my shower. Why don't you go ahead and call Buffy."

"Alright."

When Buffy (Jr), Willow, and Xander arrived at Giles' apartment, Buffy (sr) had just finished her shower. As she turned off the water, she heard their voices coming from the living area. She wrapped one towel around her hair and one around her body. Cracking the bathroom door open, she called out to Giles, "Giles could you bring me the clothes Buffy brought, so I can get dressed?" She soon heard his footsteps in the hallway. She opened the door wider when they stopped outside the door. He stood there gaping at her. She grinned cheekily. "See something you like, sweetie?"

Giles blinked and drew his eyes from her partially exposed breasts up to her mischievous blue eyes. "Wh...what?"

Her grin widen. "Oh, nothing." She held out her hand for the paper bag he gripped tightly in his left hand. "May I have the clothes?"

He stared down at the object in his hand as if he was seeing it for the first time. Suddenly he pulled himself out of his reverie. "Of..of course." He passed her the sack through the opening in the doorway.

She smiled bemused at her husband's reaction to her near naked body. "Thanks, Giles. I'll be out shortly. Don't let them gang up on you too much before I get out."

Giles glanced down the hall and grimaced at how what just happened between her and him might appear to the young people in the other room. "I'll do my best," he answered less than optimistic.

She grinned and said, "I'll hurry." She closed the door behind her.

She emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later dressed in a pair of white linen shorts and a baby blue tank top. Her hair was braided in one long French braid down the middle of her back. As she walked down the hall, she heard two slightly raised voices, but as she came into view of the others, the voices stopped. The first thing Buffy (sr) caught a glimpse of was Buffy (jr) moving away Giles. Apparently Buffy's (jr) and Giles' voices were the ones she had heard.

"Looks like I interrupted something." Xander and Willow stood uneasily next to each other across the room from the others. When neither party contented to reply to her comment, she approached Giles and examined his face and body language. To have said that he was tense and upset would have been the understatement of the century. `What the hell happened while I was in the bathroom?' She captured his hand in hers and intertwined their fingers, drawing his attention away from the younger Buffy. When he gazed down at her, she recognized the hurt in his eyes. She lightly squeezed his fingers and smiled softly, locking eyes with him. He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes, letting the calm that her touch alone surprisingly brought him. He tightened her hand in return. Buffy faced the glaring girl in front of them. "I'm guessing here, but the scene played out a few moments ago had to do with me being in Giles' bathroom. Right?"

"More with you staying with me," Giles supplied, his voice strained.

"So there's a problem with this?" she met the gazes of not only Buffy (jr) but Xander's and Willow's as well. "If you are implying that something indecent is going on between Giles and I, you can put that thought right out of your head, Giles hasn't done anything wrong. He only offered me a place to stay while I'm here and I accepted. That's all. If you have a problem with that, take it up with me. Leave him out of it," she said firmly, brooking no argument. No one spoke, afraid of saying the wrong thing in the tension filled room. Buffy (sr) stroked Giles' hand with her thumb, demonstrating her concern for his feelings. She met Buffy's (jr) eyes again. "I'm glad that's cleared up," she commented, the matter apparently closed as far as she was concerned. "Thank you for the clothes, Buffy. I appreciate the loan." She smiled charmingly at her double, deftly changing the subject to a more amendable one.

Buffy (jr) lips quirked up in response to the words of thanks, despite her confused emotions concerning this stranger wearing her face staying in the same apartment with her Watcher. Xander and Willow sensing the changing emotional tides, smiled relieved at the older Slayer.

Giles softly cleared his throat. "Good. Perhaps, we had best proceed to the Library. We have a great deal of research and preparation for tonight yet to accomplish."

"You're right. Let me slip my shoes on. Then we can go." Buffy (sr) glided barefooted over to the door. She had her tennis shoes on in minutes, her jacket clutched in her hand. "Shall we?" she asked the group.

Giles smiled at the caustic nature of the woman he loved and answered for everyone, "We shall."

They left the Watcher's apartment together with Giles locking the door behind them.

* * *

"Giles."

"Hmmm?" he murmured, his mind focused on the book in front of him on his desk.

She laid her hand on the nape of his neck gently massaging the tense muscles. "Giles?" she softly called his name again in an attempt to obtain his attention.

He closed his eyes as she worked out a knot in his neck. "Yes?" he moaned.

"I need to go see Angel," she stated, her voice betraying her reluctance to talk to the vampire.

Giles tilted his head back to glance up at her where she sat perched on the handle of his chair. The movement dislodged her hand from his neck, pushing it further down his neck and onto his back.

"You seem less than happy about doing so. Have you changed your mind about the nests?"

She gently caressed his back as she tried to find the right words to express her feelings. "No, I haven't changed my mind. The nests must be eliminated to minimize the threat. It's just...I'm not too comfortable being alone with Angel. Too much bad history between us." She smiled wistfully. She lifted her hand from his back and gently brushed his hair from his brow, running her fingers through its strands. Her blue eyes roved over his face observing his questioning expression. "Ask me, Giles," she prompted him.

"Al...alright. This...bad...history involves me. Yes?" he asked nervous of her reply.

With sad eyes, she kissed his forehead and took his as yet unmarred left hand in hers. She nodded. "Yeah, some of it, actually some of the worst of it." Lifting his hand, she kissed his fingers.

"Can you t...tell me what happened?"

"Best if you don't know the details. I will say that Angelus made an appearance in our lives." She squeezed his hand tighter. "He hurt you, Giles," she whispered, her voice strained.

"You feel that you bear some responsibility for this? Why?" he asked confused by the guilt in her voice.

"I was responsible." She closed her eyes as her past regrets threatened to overwhelm her. Tears gathered behind her eyelids.

"Buffy, what happened in the past should stay in the past." He couldn't bear to see her so upset by something that apparently occurred in her past.

She opened her eyes, her tears flowed down her cheeks. "That's just it Giles. It isn't in the past. It's your future. And I can't forgive him or...." her voice trailed off painfully.

"Or yourself?" he guessed.

"Not exactly...I stopped blaming myself a long time ago...it's just that being confronted with my past like this...so vividly...so real. It's well. ..hard to explain," she finished awkwardly. She pushed her hair roughly back towards her braid. "I'm sorry. I suppose that wasn't very clear." She smiled self-consciously.

Giles captured her trembling hands. "I think I understand." He drew in a deep breath. "W... would you like me to go with you to see Angel?" He raised his eyebrows, questioning.

She squeezed his hands, silently thanking him for the offer, despite his obvious apprehension. "No, sweetie. Thank you very much for asking, but I need to deal with Angel. I need to deal with these feeling I'm having." She eased her hands from his and stood. She leaned in close, wrapping her arms around his neck, and kissed him, thoroughly and deeply. When she pulled back, she whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too," Giles told her once he's breathing was back under control.

She released him and walked to the door. She turned back just before opening the door. "I'll see you soon." Then she left.

* * *

"Angel," she said when he opened the door to his apartment.

"Buffy?" He couldn't comprehend why she was standing on his doorstep during the day when she had done everything possible to distance herself from him since her arrival. The tension he sensed from her in response to his presence remained palpable. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, for one thing, you can ask me in," she answered as politely as she could without letting the bitterness that she felt towards the vampire tinge her words.

He moved back, pulling the door open wider.

She absently wondered as she entered the dark interior, 'Can vampires enter other vampire's homes without their permission?' She scanned the room's sparse yet beautiful furnishings. The room's familiarity prodded some of her worse memories, especially the last two. Her eyes darted involuntarily to his bed. Images of the night they made love flashed through her conscious mind. 'God, I so don't need this right now. Maybe I should have allowed Giles to come with me. No, it wouldn't have been fair to put Giles through this for me.' She tried to suppress the painful recollections in her subconscious. All the hurt that had come from that monumental mistake wouldn't let go so easily as it had in the past. She heard the hurtful, hateful words that Angel had said the day after their sexual encounter, echoing in her ears. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she fiercely shoved the unwanted thoughts away from her conscious mind. She jumped suddenly when she felt a cool hand on her bare shoulder; her eyes snapped open. Angel stood in front of her, his hand remaining raised. She glared angrily at him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. You seemed to be in pain. I was worried about you."

"I'm fine. Maybe we should discuss why I came." The words came out harsh. Angel lowered his hand awkwardly to his side. He observed her tense stance and cold expression, her eyes an icy blue. "Maybe we should. Do you want to sit down first?" he asked the last uncertain.

"No, I'll just stay where I am."

Angel nodded prompting her to continue.

"There are seven vampire nests that must be taken out before the vampires can converge on the Hellmouth tonight. I could use your help after sunset. Can I count on you?" Her blue eyes bored into his dark ones, searching for any reluctance on his part.

"I'll help. Where do want to meet?"

"Restview at sundown." She headed towards the door and without a look back, she left the apartment. Once outside the building, she hugged herself, shaking from the violence of her emotions.

* * *

A Few hours later, she strode into the library, her long hair loose and wild, swaying around her face as she moved. Her face and clothing were dusty and speckled with blood. Her eyes fierce and hard.

"Good Lord. Buffy..." Giles rasped frightened. When she heard his voice, she halted in the middle of the floor. She soon discovered that all the eyes were securely fastened on her in shock.

"Buffy, what happened to you?!" Xander exclaimed.

She stared bewildered down at herself. Her expression softened when she realized how she must appear to them. Giles moved to join her. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head. "No, not really." She glanced up sadly at him and caught a glimpse of fear as it flitted across his handsome face. She amended her statement, "I'm alright physically, emotionally, not so much." She smiled wistfully.

"You sure you're not hurt?" He indicated her blood splattered shorts and tank top.

"Not mine, vamps."

"What vamps? Where?" Buffy (jr) demanded.

"Yeah, it's daytime, how can there be vampires?" Willow commented, an edge of fear in her voice.

"Don't worry, we're not under attack or anything," she reassured the group. 'At least not yet,' she thought.

"Then what's with the Vampire dust?" Xander asked.

"Vamp nests. Guys, I'm really not in the mood to go into details right now. Let's just say, I won, they lost. OK?" she replied emotionally drained.

"Yes, quite." Giles wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he steered her towards his office. Buffy (sr) went with him without protest, which worried him even more. Calling over his shoulder he addressed the younger Slayer, "Buffy, would you be kind enough to fetch something that she can change into, please?" "Sure, Giles." She watched as the two entered his inner sanctum. She turned to Willow and said, "Come on, Will." The two girls left.

Once in the office, Giles maneuvered Buffy (sr) over to the sofa. She sank down into the comforting cushions, her emotions beginning to settle after the visit to Angel's place and the consequential fights when she took out three nests. She watched as Giles sat down next to her. Worry and concern for her well-being radiated from his tense body. She reached out and clasped his hands in her. "God, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out. I'm fine. Really."

Giles pulled her fiercely into his arms. She stroked her hands up and down his back. She could feel him shaking. "I so sorry, sweetheart," she cooed soothingly.

"Don't scare me like that again," he rasped with his face buried in her hair.

"I won't. I promise." She kissed his cheek.

He squeezed her briefly and moved back from her while keeping his arms loosely wrapped around her. She reveled in the comfort he provided as well. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad you're here. I needed you," she whispered.

"I need you too." He kissed the top of her head. "You know I rather thought I was supposed to be comforting you." He chuckled ruefully.

"Yea, but this is good. Helps actually. It always makes me feel better when I know that you need me as much as I need you." She shifted around and lifted herself until she ended up resting on his lap. "That's better." She drew his head down against the side of her face. She lightly kissed his cheek. Giles buried his face against her shoulder, relishing the unusual closeness.

After several long minutes, Buffy broke the peaceful silence, " Giles?"

"Yes."

"Um, Buffy's here."

Giles lifted his face from where it rested in her hair. "Oh...urn come in Buffy," he stammered as he released the woman on his lap, his face quickly turning a bright red. Buffy (sr) stood and approached the younger Buffy.

Buffy (jr) was rooted to the floor just inside the room, her face frozen in shock at the scene she had interrupted. Her mouth gapped open but no sound issued from it.

"Buffy, are you alright?" Giles asked uncertain.

She shook off her stupor and glared at her Watcher. "I knew it! You guys are doing it! That's just...just gross...and...and so wrong!" She threw the clothes in her hands down onto the floor and ran out of the room. Giles jumped off the sofa to run after her but Buffy (sr) halted him in his tracks by pressing her hands flat against his chest. He stared down at her surprised by her actions. She read the anxiety in his jade green eyes. She smiled knowingly at him. When she felt him relax, she reached up and cupped his cheek. "Let me deal with this Giles." When his expression continued to be one of concern and worry, she said, "Please. If anyone understands her, it's me. Don't worry, everything will be fine." She kissed him lovingly until he began to respond. She traced his lips, seeking entrance. When his mouth opened invitingly, her tongue delved into the moist interior. She languidly licked every available surface, coming at last to tangle with his broader tongue in an expression of their love for each other. She pulled back first. The kiss left them both breathless. When she could speak again, she reiterated, "Everything will be fine. I'll be back soon...with her." 'Hopefully.'

Giles, his cheeks flushed, grinned shyly and nodded.

She turned and left the room to search for her. Once outside the office, she sighed exasperated. 'Apparently dealing with the immature me is going to be a regular feature in my fun-filled adventures through my past. Great.'

* * *

"Look. I will be gone in three days. Can't you give Giles and I some slack?" Buffy (sr) asked of the younger woman. Buffy (jr) cringed. 'Well, that didn't work. Time to change tack.' "What is it that you're really angry about? Is it the fact that Giles and I were all snuggly in his office? Or does it have more to do with the fact that you think that I'm going to take Giles away from you?"

Buffy (jr) scrunched up her face. "That first thingy. Giles and me...ewww."

Buffy sighed. "Look. Giles and I...you...whoever...is in no way gross or ewww. OK? And by the way what's so wrong with it besides you thinking that it's ewww?" She folded her arms across her chest.

"My Watcher and...and...me...being all gropey anywhere...anytime...is just plain wrong! That's what!" she said imitating the older Slayer's stance. "Alright?!"

"No, it's not alright. Giles of all people deserves to be loved and cared for and about. I'm sorry if my loving him for the kind, warm, wonderful man that he is, somehow that's a problem for you, but I'm not going to stop loving him at your say so. He's my life and as much as you don't want to hear it, we are his too. He loves you...us...Buffy Summers," she finished awkwardly.

Buffy's (jr) expression quickly shifted from one of anger and revulsion to a stunned and bewildered one.

"So...so you mean he...he wants to...you know...with me?" she choked out.

Buffy annoyingly shook her head. "No, Giles never would take advantage of you or any other minor for that matter. He's no pervert."

Buffy (jr) let go of the breath she had been holding, relieved.

The older woman stared unbelievingly at her double's response. "You don't know him at all, do you?" she replied sadly, deep regret vibrating through her words. Her lips twisted at the corners.

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked peevishly.

"Giles would never do or say anything that would in any way hurt us, even if it meant destroying his own happiness in the process. Do you have any idea how long it took him to tell me that he loved me?" Buffy's (sr) eyes bored into the younger Slayer's. "Of course, you don't...well he never did...not until I told him I loved him first. That was after seven years...seven years, he never said a word...never even hinted...never pressured me in word or action...even though he loved me from the minute he first laid eyes on me. All that time he suffered from unrequited love, hoping that one day I would see him as a man worthy of my love." She drew a deep breath. "I lost him, Buffy, after only being with him for only three and a half years. I'm not going to let him be without me or me without him when I have an opportunity for us to be together even if it's only for a few days. So I'm asking you to put aside your feelings and do your best not to make Giles feel guilty while we are. He doesn't deserve your disdain or your scorn. For his sake, if for no other reason, please."

Buffy (jr) nodded. "I'm still majorly wigged by this whole thing, but I'll deal."

"Thank you."

"Are we done here?"

Buffy (sr) nodded. "Yeah, we're done."

"Good." Buffy (jr) headed back to the library. She glanced over her shoulder when it dawned on her that the other Buffy hadn't made a move to follow. She stopped in her tracks and looked back at Buffy (sr). "Aren't you coming back with me?" she asked wondering why she wasn't in a hurry to change out of the blood stained clothing now that everything had been cleared up.

"In a few moments. Go ahead."

Buffy (jr) hesitated confused by her reluctance. "Are you sure? You haven't even changed yet. Don't you want to get out of those gross clothes?" she said voicing her own personal revulsion at wearing clothing with vamp blood on them.

"It's cool. I'll change in a little while. I want to give you and Giles a chance to talk without me there. Go on now. I'll be along in a few minutes."

The teenage Buffy shrugged her shoulders. "OK." She continued on towards the library and the undoubtedly awkward talk with her Watcher.

"Tell Giles, I'll be there soon," Buffy (sr) called after her double.

"OK," she called back before she turned the corner.

* * *

Dressed now in Buffy's (Jr) Sunnydale High gym clothes with her long golden hair once more braided in a neat French twist down the middle of her back, Buffy (sr) sat perched comfortably on the arm of Giles' chair in his office. She was looking down at the book resting on his lap. The Hebron's Almanac laid open to the pages containing the binding spell that would close the Hellmouth as well as the picture of the diagram of the floor markings and placement of the candles and incense necessary for the spell casting. Buffy and Giles had just completed their discussion of what needed to be done to close the Hellmouth when the time came later that night. Buffy's eyes glanced at the clock on the desk, checking the time. 'Damn, time to go.' Buffy carefully lifted the precious book from Giles' lap and reached over, placing it on the desk. Giles stared up at her puzzled. She smiled sadly at him as she brushed his hair back from his forehead. "I need to go, sweetie. Need to meet Angel to take out the other nests before the big event."

Giles reached up and cupped her cheek, drawing her down for a kiss. His lips lingered sweetly against hers. Pulling a breath away from her mouth, he whispered softly, "I love you, Buffy."

"I love you," she whispered in return. Her eyes sparkled with the depth of her emotions for him. She brushed her lips over his once, twice. She rose from her favorite resting place reluctantly.

Giles caught her arm. "Buffy."

She saw the worry in his warm green eyes. "Don't worry, Giles. Everything will be alright."

"I thought that was my line." He smiled wryly.

"Sometimes." She slid her arm through his loose grip until she held his hand. She squeezed it tightly. "Gotta go." She released him and walked towards the door. Before walking out, she turned back towards him. "Remember the spell must be done exactly at 10:00. You won't forget?"

"No. Please be careful."

"No problem. I'll be back in time." She walked out.

* * *

"Well, I guess that answers the question of whether the vamps will still show or not," Buffy (jr) said pointing out to the hall leading to the library. An army of vampires were coming their way, drawn by the energy of the Hellmouth. The double doors to the library had long ago been barricaded against such a possible attack, not only physically, but also magically using protection spells cast by Giles.

Buffy (jr) turned back towards the Watcher and Willow who had just completed the initial phase in the ritual that would close the Hellmouth, "Giles, we have uninvited guests," she shouted over the noise coming from the direction of said uninvited guests.

His attention shifted towards her, "So it's true, the Hellmouth's opening wasn't linked to the Master's release. It just helped serve his purposes. It was just a convenient occurrence. The vampires are being lured here by the extra mystical energies."

"Nice to know, Giles. And how does this help?"

"Not sure that it does." Giles' expression clearly showed that he was just as flummoxed as to their next course of action as she was. He desperately wished that Buffy (sr) was with them, but she hadn't shown up as she had promised. In fact, he had no idea where she and Angel were at the moment, A fact that greatly worried him. As if on cue, fighting could be loudly be heard coming from the hallway outside of the doors.

Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Jenny joined Buffy (jr) at the entrance to see who or what 'was causing the ruckus. At first too many vampires blocked the eye of the storm, but after a few minutes the crowd began to thin drastically, dust flying everywhere. Suddenly the air cleared and Buffy (sr) and Angel stood in an otherwise empty hallway. They quickly moved to the doors. Buffy smiled at the stunned faces in the circular windows.

"Hey, you gonna let us in?"

The group removed the physical barriers as Giles banished the magical. Angel passed into the room while Buffy (sr) guarded their backs. Once she knew the coast was dear, she strode into the room and into Giles' arms who stood in front of her. He hugged her tightly. She gazed up into his eyes, smiling. "Miss me?" she teased.

He smiled back, relieved. "Yes."

Buffy drew him back to her. As her eyes shifted to the view over his shoulder, she saw the last thing she wanted to see...the Hellmouth opening. She pushed him away, "Giles!" She pointed to the three- headed monster beginning to rise from the gaping hole. Even before he could turn and respond, she dashed around him and snatched up an axe from the study table. Giles swung around. Seeing the monster emerging from the cracks in the upper floor left behind from the earthquake, he ran to the circle that he had painted earlier. He started chanting as the others picked up weapons to join Buffy (sr). She had already hacked off one of the thing's heads. The creature was still alive and fighting back. As the last word fell from Giles' lips, the creature screamed horribly and slithered back into its hole, the Hellmouth closing behind it. Buffy (sr), splattered in demon goo, beamed a 1000 watt grin down at Giles from the upper tier. "Knew you could do it, Magic Man." Her voice was heavy with the pride she felt for her husband and his abilities. Giles returned her smile, equally proud of the woman he loved.

Xander clapped Giles on the shoulder. "Yeah, G-man that was totally cool."

* * *

"Giles, go. Have some fun."

"But what about you? Aren't you coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay and research."

Giles met her eyes sadly as he moved closer to her so the others couldn't overhear his next words. "But don't you wish to dance with me, be with me?" Giles asked slightly hurt by her request.

Buffy cupped his face with her hand, lightly brushing his cheeks with her thumbs. "I would very much love to, but I can't chance anyone...or anything discovering the existence of two Buffy Summers."

"I don't need to go. I could stay here with you instead," he replied, his face brightening at her obvious desire to be with him.

Buffy shook her head. "You should go, my love. It'll do you good to get away from here for awhile." Her eyes surveyed the destruction of the library. She locked eyes with him again and saw his hesitation. She leaned up and kissed his lips softly. "Please? For me?"

He nodded. "Al...alright." "Thanks, sweetie."

* * *

"Rupert?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm not quite sure how to ask you this, but what's between you and Buffy?"

Giles, hearing the concern in her voice as well as Buffy's name, focused his full attention on Jenny who stood next to him at the edge of the dancing floor. "I'm her Watcher; she's the Slayer."

"Yes, 1 understand that. But there's something more between you, isn't there?" Her eyes held his, unwilling to relinquish them until he answered her question,

"You're referring to what happened before we left the library? Yes?"

"Yes,"

Giles tore his eyes from hers and ducked his head. After a few moments, he drew his head up and looked her in the eyes again. "I've l... loved Buffy from...ever...since I first saw her,"

"My God, Rupert. She's 16 and a student."

"Don't you think I know that! I have no intention of telling her how I fee! nor do I intend to pursues her romantically," he rasped harshly at Jenny's admonishment.

"I'm sorry, but you were quite obviously doing just that from where I was standing."

Giles defensive attitude shifted quickly to one of confusion. "I beg you pardon?"

"I think it's Buffy's pardon that you should be begging, don't you?"

Giles' bewilderment only deepened. "What are you implying?"

"I'm talking about your highly emotional display of love in the library. What message do you think you were giving Buffy in regards to your feelings towards her?" At the mention of Buffy, Jenny had indicated the young woman in question on the dance floor with Angel.

A deeply hurt and anguished expression crept painfully over his features as his thoughts scrolled back over not only the recent precious moments just before they left the library, but also those since the older Buffy's arrival when viewed from the point of view of the young lady in front of his eyes. "I...I didn't think..."

"No. It's apparent that you didn't."

The hurt deepened.

"Rupert, you must make it clear to this other woman, that as Buffy's Watcher and authority figure, you can't have a romantic relationship with her while she's here."

The hurt became a deep aching pain in his heart as he nodded in agreement, not yet trusting his voice.

"I'm sorry, but it's the right thing to do." She rested her hand on his arm, consoling.

Finding his voice, he said quietly, "I think, I'm going to call it a night." He left the Bronze, his shoulders slumped.

* * *

Giles entered the library hoping to find Buffy there. He wasn't disappointed. She was sitting cross-legged on top of the check-out counter, with large stack of books in front of her, researching. At first he thought that she hadn't noticed him, until she glanced up. Her face pleasantly lit up with a brilliant smile, just for him. "Giles."

His heart skipped a beat when she looked at him like the world revolved around him. Then he remembered why he had come to find her and his heart broke a little more at the thought of hurting her.

"Buffy." She clearly heard the pain in his voice. She closed the book in her lap, that she had been reading, and swung her legs over the edge of the counter.

"What is it, Giles? Did something happen at the dance?" she asked concerned.

"Nothing...as such...just I need to..." he trailed off unsure how to say what needed to be said. Sensing that she wasn't going to be happy with what he had to say...she sighed deeply and briefly closed her eyes. "Just tell me."

He moved close to her dangling legs and took the text from her hands, setting it aside. He grasped her hands in his. "I,..I think it would be for the...the best if we didn't become involved...well, romantically." Giles' eyes dropped down to their joined hands, afraid to see the hurt in her eyes. Buffy released one of his hands and tilted his head up so she could look into his jade green eyes behind the lens of his glasses. "Talk to me," she instructed.

"A...about what?"

She sighed exasperated. "Giles, when you left earlier, I had to practically force you to go without me and now you don't want to be "involved romantically" with me. So what happened?"

"Nothing. I just realized that my being with you in any other way than professionally could compromise my position as your... I mean the other you...your Watcher," he finished awkwardly.

"I think I'm finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is about the other Buffy, isn't it?" "Yes...no...I. It just wouldn't be proper. I'm your Watcher. I have a responsibility..." His voice trailed off as Buffy covered his mouth with her fingers.

"It's OK, Giles. I'll play this however you want me to in front of the others."

Giles regretfully shook his head. She removed her hand from his lips, finally understanding that she was being informed that her love for him must stay hidden, buried in her heart, even from the man she loved beyond everything in her life. She closed her eyes painfully, searching for the strength to exist for the next two days without showing or expressing the overflowing love she had for her husband. She swallowed hard. Drawing on her knowledge that Giles truly did love her even though right now he felt he couldn't show her, she found the strength to open her eyes and gazed at him steadily. All traces of her feelings were erased from her baby blue eyes. Giles returned her glance with a burning pain in his heart. Silence ensued for a few minutes until Buffy broke it. "Giles, it's late. You should go home and get some sleep," she said amazed at the even tone of her own voice. "We should get an early start tomorrow." When he didn't respond, she withdrew her one remaining hand from his and pulled her legs back up onto the counter. She retrieved her book.

Giles remained rooted in the same spot watching her actions, her distancing herself from him. This was what he had said he wanted, but now seeing the results, he felt more alone than he ever had in his life. "What are you going to do?"

She opened her book, keeping her gaze fixed down, she answered, "Research for awhile longer, and then patrol."

Fresh pain welled up in him when he suddenly realized that she wouldn't be next to him in his bed that night. "W...where will you sleep tonight?"

Buffy's eyes briefly darted to his, showing him a glimpse of the pain that question had caused before she glanced away, "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," she answered flatly. "Please. Go home, get some sleep. You don't sleep enough," she said her voice softening on the last.

Giles nodded. "I'll see you in the morning." He words sounded more like a question than a statement. She didn't answer so he smiled sadly and turned towards the door to leave.

"Giles, I'd do anything to make you happy," she whispered softly as the doors swung closed.

Buffy found herself on Giles' doorstep following her patrol. She didn't know what instinct prompted her to seek him out after he told her that they couldn't be together, but her feet beat a path to him nevertheless. 'Oh, who do I think I'm fooling, my soul, my spirit has been linked to his from the moment we met no matter how much in the past I've fought it. I have loved him whole hearted since the day I was shown the depth and strength of his love for me.' She reached down and retrieved the spare key from underneath the heavy flowerpot near the door. Fitting the key into the lock, she turned it. She pocketed the key and quietly opened the door. As she stepped into the darkened interior, she heard moaning coming from the direction of the loft. She quickly headed up to the bedroom taking the stairs faster than was really safe, all thoughts of stealth forgotten in her concern for her husband's well-being. Her first sight of him, proved her worst suspicions correct. His restless movements and muttering showed all too well that he was in the throes of another nightmare, She sat down next to his tossing and turning form. She quieted his thrashing motions with a firm hand on his shoulder. She lightly brushed her fingers across his sweat dampened brow. "It's ok,"

"Don't leave me!" Giles cried, his voice laced with pain and fear. "Please, please," he begged.

"Oh, Giles." Buffy leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "I'm right here, sweetheart," "Please, please, don't leave me, Buffy." He reached out blindly for her in his sleep. Buffy moved into his arms while casually toeing off her tennis shoes. His arms tightly encircled her, tugging her down onto the bed with him. She drew her legs up against his and shifted slightly without breaking his hold on her so she could snuggle up against his side more comfortably. As she settled, she heard soft sobs coming from his chest under her ear. She pushed herself up on her elbow so she could see his face. "Giles, it's alright. I'm right here, sweetheart. Please don't cry." She caressed his cheek with her thumb, swiping the tears away.

"Buffy?"

Giles slowly opened his eyes, drawing in a shuddering breath when he perceived her face hovering above his, "Buffy, are you really here?" His sounded surprised but happy.

She nodded and brought her mouth to his, kissing him, shivering as his hands moved over her breasts. Giles went back, repeating the touch, lingering to learn the form above him, and Buffy arched against him. His hands slipped lower, appearing under her top and working their way back up, taking it with him. They sat up, pulling clothes off impatiently, helping each other out of their pants. Buffy's eyes darkened with desire as she pulled his pajama bottoms off, dragging his boxer shorts with them.

She lowered herself between his legs to kiss the head of his cock. Giles gasped, leaning back on his hands, and Buffy took his hot head in her mouth, feeling him harden even more as she touched him. Her core burned as she worked her mouth down his length, remembering the feel of it sliding into her center, widening her with its size. Giles began to thrust against her mouth helplessly as she pulled her mouth back, sucking on him. He caught her shoulders. Buffy grinned as Giles pushed her back into the bed, bearing his weight on top of her, pressing her shoulders into the soft duvet with one hand as he made his way down her front. Her legs spread willingly as he reached her core, scooting down to lick her, his tongue hard. He groaned against her wetness, tongue rubbing over her clitoris, and Buffy cried out, hips rising off the bed, one hand burying itself in his hair. His hands moved up and down her thighs, over her knees and back up to stroke her hips as he tasted her. Biting into her pubic mound softly, Giles began to work his way back up her body, biting and kissing her softly as he passed.

Buffy caught his head and pulled Giles down for a kiss, tasting herself on him as he thrust into her mouth. They tangled closer together, stroking each other with arms and legs, mouths combined, blind with passion. Buffy gasped as he tore his mouth away, pressing it into her neck as he pushed her legs further apart, settling himself between them.

Buffy tilted her hips, hands sliding frantically down his back to clutch his buttocks as he thrust into her. They both arched, muscles struggling against the instinct to move as hard as they could. Buffy closed her eyes in absolute ecstasy as he filled her, sliding inside, fitting to her skin as if he belonged, which in her mind he did. The thought made Buffy buck her hips against him, and Giles pushed back, kissing her chest as he thrust into her. The pace they set was hard and fast, yet their kisses and touches were tender. Buffy rocked as he thrust, changing the angle to scrape his hard shaft against a different part of her with every blow, until he pushed upwards and caused her to cry out in surprise at the intensity of the feeling which followed. Giles thrust again, keeping to the same spot, overwhelming in his desire for her, his arms holding her close as the world rocked around them. Soon Buffy felt herself on the edge of an orgasm, and she clutched at his waist, pulling him closer as she lost control.

Giles groaned as Buffy tightened herself around his cock, coming hard against him. He held still as she gasped for air, stroking her gently, kissing her face and neck. Soon Buffy was moving urgently against him again, wanting to feel him lose control as she had, pushing herself up to send him deeper, Giles kissed her mouth as he thrust into her again, pushing her hips back down into the bed, and she stroked his back, encouraging him to let go, loving as always the feel of his body striking deep within hers.

Suddenly Giles tore his mouth away from hers with a groan, pressing his face against the side of Buffy's as he took her harder, coming forcefully. The feeling made Buffy come again, rubbing herself against his body, both of them moving uncontrollably in their need to be with each other. Giles collapsed with another moan, taking his weight on his arms, still buried inside her, Buffy ran her hands endlessly over his strong shoulders, fingers combing his hair.

"I love you, Jamie."

"I love you," he said. Giles rolled onto his side, taking Buffy with him, still pressed inside her. Buffy kissed him and sleepily stroked his back. After a few moments, she noticed that her husband seemed unusually tense after an activity that normally relaxed him.

"Giles, you need to get some sleep." He hugged her closer, fear broadcasting from his tense body.

Finally realizing the problem, Buffy turned him onto his back and stroked his chest, running her fingers through the soft hairs. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, certainly not for another two days, my love." She kissed his neck. "And when I do, you won't even miss me."

"I'll always miss you, long for you." he whispered against her hair.

"Oh, sweetheart," she breathed. She tightened her arm around his waist. "I'm so sorry for your pain. I wish I could change things, but it's just not in my power."

"You don't need to apologize. I do understand; however, it doesn't alter the way I feel."

She nodded her head, brushing his shoulder with her face. "I'll miss you terribly as well." She gazed up at him and traced his features with her fingertips. He closed his eyes at the loving touch. The worry lines fading under her gentle caress. "Sleep, my Jamie." He smiled softly, nodding. Soon he drifted asleep, knowing that for now his love was with him.

* * *

The sunlight shone brightly into the small loft bedroom. Buffy yawned sleepily and shifted her position so that she lay nearly fully on top of her lover. She captured his face in both of her hands, splaying her fingers along his stubbled jaw. "Giles?"

"Yes?" He stroked her back lazily, showing that he was already partly awake.

She reached up and traced the thin scar that slanted across his forehead from his right temple to his eyebrow with her thumb. Giles shivered in response to her warm touch. She gazed intently down into his eyes as her thumb continued to caress his skin.

"What happened at the dance last night that caused you to push me away? You obviously didn't want me away from you." She wiggled her bottom tantalizingly against his burgeoning erection.

He moaned, the sound rising up from deep within his chest at the intimate contact, his eyes closed briefly. When he re-opened them again, he pulled her to him, molding his lips to hers. She tangled her fingers in his soft tawny hair and held on roughly as she dragged them deeper into the kiss. Giles quickly flipped them over, swinging her smaller frame under his. She moved her legs to the outside of his, bringing his erection in contact with her heated core. The kiss broke off when Giles sharply gasped as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. She cupped his face again as they withdrew from the kiss. "As much as I desperately want you right now," she pushed up hard against his cock, drawing a loud groan out of him. "And have every intention of having you, I still want an answer to my question."

He closed his eyes, his face displaying pain and shame. "Jenny Calendar pointed out to me that my pursuing you romantically would destroy the relationship that I have with Buffy...the other...Buffy. She's my charge...as an authority figure both as her Watcher and the school librarian, I have a duty." He broke off, becoming upset by what had happened the previous night.

"It's alright, sweetheart." She caressed his cheeks.

He shook his head. "No, it's not. I love her. I don't want to hurt her." He bowed his head, miserable.

Buffy enfolded him in her strong arms and tugged him down to lie on her body. She soothed him, one hand gently stroking his back while her other one brushed his wavy hair back from his brow. "Giles, you haven't hurt her. I talked to her yesterday, remember, after she walked in on us in your office?" He nodded, the side of his face roughly brushing her shoulder. "Well, we sorted everything out. She's understandably a little wigged, but she's cool with it."

"Are you sure?" he asked uncertain.

"I'm sure, sweetheart."

"She's not disgusted. She doesn't hate me?" he questioned, apprehension and fear radiating from his words.

"No on both counts. I thought that the two of you talked before I came back to the office." She was more than a little confused.

"She apologized for interrupting us...more or less, but other than that, no."

"Oh." She was beginning to understand. "Sorry about that. I never was very good about such things... at least not when it came to friends'... or parent's love lives," she finished sheepishly.

"Please tell me that you don't...didn't think of me as a parent," he begged horrified.

"No. Friend yes, parent, no. At least not seriously," She kissed his forehead. "And certainly not now." She giggled softly, reaching down and grasping his erection.

* * *

Buffy (sr) nearly dragged Jenny calendar from the library. Once they reached the student lounge, she released her. "I'd like to know what the hell you were doing telling Giles that it was wrong for him to love me! You had no right to interfere between us. He doesn't deserve to be hurt by you or anyone." The angry glare Buffy gave the older woman frightened her, but Jenny didn't back down.

"What Rupert is doing with you is perverted, lusting after a 16 year old and a student as well."

"Giles is not a pervert! And for your information, I stopped being a kid when I was 15. From the minute, I was called, my childhood was over. You know nothing about Buffy Summers. Did you know that I had a Watcher before Giles? No. Well, I did and I watched him sacrifice his fife for me by letting a Master vampire that at the time was trying to kill me, kill him instead. He died in my arms. I finally killed the vamp and his right hand man by staking them. And to top that fun fest off, I trapped a hundred of his minions, bent on killing the student body, in Hernery High's Gym and burned it down, getting myself kicked out of school in the process. So don't presume to know either me or the Buffy that's right now researching in the library," she finished with a clenched jaw.

Jenny hadn't know what to