PARTNERS IN ALL THINGS PART II

Angel, Willow and Wesley were the first to arrive at the mansion.

"Willow, why don't you go pick out a room for you and Buffy?" Angel suggested.

 Willow and Wesley exchanged a look. "Uh, Angel." Willow said hesitantly. "Buffy will probably be sharing a room with Giles."

 "What?" Angel asked blankly.

 "They've been sleeping together, and I mean that in the literal sense, for a few weeks now." Willow explained. "She started having terrible nightmares. Giles is the only one ... I mean ... Lately, she just doesn't feel safe unless she's with him."

 "I saw that they were closer, but ..." Angel began.

 "At times, it's as if they are in their own little world." Wesley commented.

"Giles seems to be the only one that can comfort her."

 "It's not just that." Willow continued. "It's almost like since the baby, they're connected."

 "They are." Angel said.

 There wasn't time for more, Oz, Cordelia and Doyle walked in. Spike, Xander and Joyce followed. Buffy, Giles and Ethan were the last to arrive. Giles looked around. "Good, everyone's here. Any trouble?" Several heads shook no.

 "What about our parents?" Willow asked.

 "They want to hurt Buffy and I, not you." Giles told her.

 "Why?" Spike asked. "Why do they want to hurt you?"

 "Because they can't control us." Giles answered.

 "And because I told them to go to hell." Buffy added.

 "And Travers?" Ethan asked. "He really doesn't like you, Rupert. Why is that?"

 "He hates me." Giles said. "Always has. Never more so than when I was given a Slayer to my care. Told me I'd get her killed within a month. Buffy proved him wrong, though."

 "Who saved me from Amy's Mom?" Buffy asked pointedly.

 Giles smiled at her, then continued slyly. "Add to that, that his wife likes me quite a lot."

 "Giles." Willow said, aghast.

 "Never did understand what she saw in the pillock." Giles muttered.

 "Ethan told me what that means." Buffy commented mildly. "Shame on you. And he's much worse."

 Giles glanced at Ethan, who shrugged innocently. "She asked."

 Buffy leaned against Giles tiredly. "Now what?"

 Giles put his arm around her and held her to him. Joyce watched with narrowed eyes, but didn't comment. Angel watched them wistfully. Ethan, in speculation.

 "Can I ask a question?" Xander asked. "How could they know that Buffy wouldn't just, you know, get rid of it?" He asked uncomfortably.

 Giles looked at Wesley, who looked stricken. "I believe that Wesley was meant to find out. They knew he would tell us."

 "I played right into their hands." Wesley said sadly. "I am sorry."

 "It's okay, Wes." Buffy told him. She went on gently. "They knew you weren't like them. It's not a bad thing." Wesley smiled his thanks. Buffy closed her eyes as she continued to lean against Giles.

 "I still don't get it." Xander said. "How could they know she'd want the baby?"

 "It's *his*." Joyce said flatly.

 Giles glared at her, but didn't comment. "We became vulnerable the moment the pregnancy was discovered. They know, as do Buffy and I, that the odds of her getting another chance to have a child are slim, due to the life expectancy of a Slayer." Giles tried for a matter of fact tone, but it didn't quite come out that way. "The fact that it's mine, only added to that. My guess is that they expected us to blame each other, for it to drive a wedge between us."

 "Instead, it brought you closer." Willow pointed out.

 "When is the wedding?" Ethan asked blandly. He watched Joyce for her reaction, he hadn't missed her attitude. Her eyes widened, then narrowed on Rupert.

 Angel had been looking down, but at Ethan's words his head snapped up. He looked at Buffy, his expression pained.

 Xander, Willow and Oz looked at each other, they had already known. Wesley didn't even look surprised. Cordelia was a cross between intrigued and disgusted. Spike looked unconcerned and Doyle looked at Angel in sympathy.

 Giles glared at Ethan. "Not exactly the way we planned to announce it." He said bitingly.

 Ethan grinned. "Buffy doesn't seem to mind."

 "Buffy fell asleep the moment she stopped speaking. And you're damn lucky she did." Giles told him.

 Ethan smiled gently at the girl that slept leaning against Rupert. The others didn't understand, he knew that. He looked at Rupert and saw the gratitude and understanding there. "You should take her to bed."

 "We should all get some rest." Giles commented. "Which room, Spike?"

 
   "They're sleeping together?" Joyce asked once Buffy and Giles were out of earshot.

 "Believe you gave up the right to comment on Buffy's choices." Ethan said pointedly, coldly.

 "Why did you bring me here?" Joyce asked quietly. "She doesn't need me."

 "You're right, she doesn't." Ethan said bluntly and she flinched. His tone softened a bit. "But, she loves you. Were something to happen to you, she would be devastated. You're here so that we can protect you the best we can."

 Joyce looked down. "The Council ... They really did ..." She couldn't say it. She looked at Ethan, pain etched on her face. "They did this."

 "Yes." Ethan told her softly.

 Spike put a hand on Joyce's shoulder as she closed her eyes. "I didn't want to believe it." She whispered.

 "You preferred to believe that Buffy lied and that Rupert was a dirty old man." Ethan commented. "Rupert and Buffy love each other, but I don't believe that they ever thought of each other in those terms before this happened."

 "And now?" Joyce asked. Angel listened carefully.

 "I think it would be impossible for them to have not at this point." Ethan answered, oddly careful with his words. "I don't think they've had sex, though, if that's what you're asking." Joyce blushed and glared at him. Ethan raised his brows, <So, that's where the Slayer got her glare.> "Spike, would help Joyce here find a room." He waited until Spike had led Joyce off, before he looked at the group remaining. "I suggest rest." He said pointedly.


   Buffy woke, instantly alert. She was on her back, Giles laid facing her, his hand rested on her stomach. What had woke her? Then, she heard it again. Someone was there. Her eyes scanned the room, she was careful not to move and she kept her breathing even. She saw Ethan watching her and Giles from the doorway. "Ethan?" She got up, careful not to disturb Giles.

 "Sorry, Luv. Didn't mean to wake you." Ethan said quietly.

 Buffy went to him and closed the door behind her. "You okay?" She looked at him closely. She'd learned to read him pretty well in the last couple of months. "Are you ever going to tell me?"

 "You mean Rupert hasn't?" Ethan asked in return.

 Buffy shook her head as she led him to the living area. They sat on the couch. Ethan was quiet a long while before he finally spoke. "Did Rupert ever tell you that I had a sister?" Ethan asked. Again, Buffy solemnly shook her head. "She stayed with us for a short time. Before Eyghon." He smile a little. "Hannah. She wasn't much younger than you. Ripper quite adored her." He took a deep breath. "She was raped. She came to me when she found out she was pregnant. You'd have liked her, she wasn't anything like me. She thought the baby was a sign from God. Our parents were ... Well, I won't go into that. Hannah was happy about the baby. Everything about it, the way her body changed, when she felt it move. Then, she was killed. A mugging. I suppose that's part of why I dislike people so much. She was such a lovely girl."

 "Did they pay?" Buffy asked. A tear slid down her cheek on-noticed.

 Ethan got a glint in his eyes. "Oh they paid. They paid dearly."

 Buffy leaned against his shoulder. "And that's why you're here?"

 "Ripper asked for help." Ethan told her. "*My* help. I couldn't very well say no."

 "You're not too bad when you're not trying to get me killed." Buffy told him.
 

   Giles came out a few minutes later and found Buffy asleep with her head against Ethan's shoulder. "What happened?" Giles asked a bemused Ethan. Ethan looked up from the girl snuggled against him. Six months ago, she would have quite cheerfully knocked him about. "I told her about Hannah."

 "Did you?" Giles asked surprised.

 "Do you realize that she trusts me only because *you* said it was all right?" Ethan asked. "How did you gain that kind of power?" He asked curiously.

 "I didn't gain it." Giles told him. "Buffy gave it to me."

 "You always were a lucky bastard." Ethan said without rancor. "Travers really wants to hurt you, you know. I believe that hurting Buffy is incidental, it's you he's after. What did you do to him?"

 "I took his Slayer." Giles told him. "After Buffy's first Watcher was killed, Travers was to replace him. However, after going over Merrick's diary, they decided to send me. I think that they didn't expect either of us to last a month. And what's more, we've managed for the very reasons that they expected us to fail."

 "And then came the Crucamentium." Ethan said.

 "Yes." Giles responded in a painful whisper.

 "And he still couldn't take her away from you." Ethan commented.

 Giles bent and picked Buffy up. He looked down at her sleeping face as he held her lightly in his arms. "No." He said softly. "I won't let him hurt her again, Ethan." He met Ethan's eyes. "No matter what I have to do to stop him." Ethan met his eyes in return and nodded in understanding. "She needs you." This time, Giles nodded. Then he turned and carried Buffy back to bed. Ethan heard the closing of their door. "What do you think, Angel?" Angel came out of the shadows. "I think he'll probably kill Travers, if he gets the chance."

 "We can't let him." Ethan said quietly.

 "Why not?" Spike asked as he also came out of the shadows and joined them. "Sounds like a good plan to me."

 "The guilt would destroy him." Angel told him.

 "Them." Ethan added, then explained. "Buffy would know why he did it." He looked at Angel. "However, we can't let Travers continue. One of us will have to do it."


   Breakfast the next morning was a noisy affair. Giles was the only one that to ask where the food came from.

 "Spike and I went shopping." Angel told him.

 "The Poof was out of his Nancy-boy hair gel." Spike added. Xander giggled.

 "We also patrolled." Angel went on as he glared at Spike. "They're watching."

 Spike looked at Giles. "Your place, Joyce's, the dorm. Gorillas in suits." "It seems that we made our escape just in time." Giles said distracted.

 Buffy watched Giles closely. She could practically read his mind. "Do you think they know?"

 Giles met her eyes. "Undoubtedly."

 Buffy nodded. "Spike and Angel?"

 "Angel." Giles responded.

 The others watched their verbal shorthand in fascination, even if they didn't follow it.

 "Weapons?" Buffy asked next.

 "Yours and mine. Whatever Angel brought and Spike." Giles answered.

 "Human?" Buffy asked next.

 Giles shook his head. "Not all."

 "Dusk?" Buffy queried.

 Giles nodded. "Warm up?" He asked.

 "Staff." Buffy said. "Longer reach." Giles nodded and they left the table together.

 "Translation?" Xander asked.

 Ethan sighed. "The Council knows that we ran last night." He explained. "They most likely know where we are. They'll be prepared for Angel, but probably not Spike, to be helping us. Weapons check. The Council will have some 'unnatural forces'." He said with a glance at Spike and Angel. "They believe the Council will attack at dusk and Rupert and Buffy have gone to practice a bit. Buffy chose the staff due to it's longer reach."

 They stared at him for a second before they followed after Buffy and Giles. Ethan shook his head before he followed as well. They were doomed. Ethan couldn't help the smile at the sight of Buffy, but it was a somewhat sad smile. He watched her practice maneuvering the staff around her swollen belly. It shouldn't have looked graceful, but it did.

 Ethan went over to Willow and drew her aside. "Ideally, Ripper would help me, but as he'll be rather occupied with Buffy, I thought we could go over a few things." He looked at her closely. "You up for it, Luv?"

 "I'll do my best." Willow told him with a nervous smile.

 "That's a girl." Ethan said with a reassuring smile.

 Spike went through the weapons and found an ax. He picked it up and looked at Joyce in speculation. He walked over and handed it to her. Joyce looked at him with raised brows as she took it.

 Giles, the sadly familiar weight of his sword in his hand, turned to Buffy. She held the staff in one hand, one end on the floor. Her other hand on her stomach.  He reached out and touched her cheek gently, then let his hand rest on her shoulder. "You all right?"

 Buffy smiled up at him. "She's moving. Bouncing off the walls, so to speak." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. She saw the awe in his eyes when he felt the baby move.

 "Does it hurt?" Giles asked, his tone awed.

 Buffy shook her head. "Just feels weird."

 "I imagine." Giles smiled at her. He saw her smile fade and the sadness return. He dropped his sword and pulled her to him. "I won't let them hurt you."

 Buffy dropped her staff and wrapped her arms around him. "I know." She whispered into his chest. 

 The others watched as Giles picked her up and carried her out of the room. He took her to their bedroom and sat on the bed with her in his lap. He rocked her gently, his arms around her. "It'll be all right." He told her as he tried desperately to believe it.

 "I can't lose you, Giles." Buffy said, her face buried against his neck. "I don't want to lose anyone, but I *can't* lose you."

 "No matter what happens, Buffy, you'll be fine." Giles assured her. "The others will help. Ethan, Wesley and you know that Willow will ..."

 "They're not you." Buffy interrupted him.

 "W-well, no, but ..." Giles didn't know what to say.

 Buffy pulled back and looked at him. "I-I need you, Giles. I can't do this without you. I don't want to."

 "You *can* do it." Giles told her sternly. "And you will, if you have to, do you understand?" He took her face in his hands. "If something happens to me, I have to know that you and the baby are all right." Buffy tried to shake her head, but he wouldn't let her. "Listen to me. I have every intention of dangling grandchildren on my knees, but if I can't, you will."

 Buffy leaned her forehead against his. "Can't we do it together?"

 "We can do anything, together." Giles assured her.

 "Promise?" Buffy asked.

 "I promise." Giles told her solemnly.

 Buffy pulled back, just a little and looked into his eyes. "I love you, Giles." She leaned forward and gently touched her lips to his.

 Giles was stunned, still, for a moment. When she didn't immediately pull back, he let himself respond, lightly. When she still didn't pull away, he did, but not much. "Buffy? What ...?"

 Buffy didn't let him finish. "I want ... " She couldn't put what she felt into words, so she simply kissed him again. More urgently this time. Indecision flashed through Giles' mind. Buffy moved her hands until they rested on his chest, she wiggled closer and opened her mouth beneath his and the decision was made when he swept his tongue into her mouth. He felt Buffy's hands clutch his shirt as she clenched them to fists. Then, almost hesitantly, she began to unbutton his shirt. He dropped his arms to his sides so that she could push the garment off his shoulders. Once that was done, she ran her fingers through his chest hair, lightly scraping his nipples as she did so.

 Giles moved his hands to her top and, giving her plenty of time to stop him if she wished, pulled it over her head. He placed kisses on her delicate neck as he unhooked her bra. He laid her back on the bed and gently kissed her swollen breasts. They'd been tender, he knew, so each kiss was whisper soft. He kissed her swollen belly reverently, more awed than ever by the life growing inside. He felt a slight nudge from inside and smiled. "Hello to you, too." He placed another kiss where the nudge had come from, then kissed his way back to Buffy's mouth.


   In the other room, Angel was showing Cordelia some basic defense moves when he caught a sound from the bedroom, where Giles had taken Buffy. His eyes automatically had moved to the direction of the sound.

 "Did you hear something?" Cordelia asked him.

 "Buffy." Angel said faintly.

 "Is she still crying?" Cordelia asked next. She sounded oddly sympathetic.  Angel turned back to her, but his eyes were caught by the only other person that could have heard Buffy as well. Spike smirked at him from across the room. Angel looked at Cordelia. "No, she's not crying." He told her. 


   It was a rather dis-sheveled Giles that rejoined them about an hour later. Everybody looked at him in question. "She's sleeping."

 "And I thought a Slayer with PMS was bad." Xander commented with some humor, only to be smacked in the arm by Cordelia. "Ow."

 Giles shook his head at him. He moved to retrieve his sword only to be met by Angel, who held it. Angel handed Giles his sword and met his eyes. In them Giles saw that Angel knew and returned his look steadily. Whatever he saw seemed to satisfy Angel, he nodded and moved away.

 "What was that all about?" Ethan asked as he came up behind Rupert.

 Giles had been so intent on Angel that he hadn't heard Ethan approach. He turned and faced Ethan's knowing expression. "What was what about?" He asked.

 "You know, if you really want to pull that off, you shouldn't look so ... Sated." Ethan told him with a grin. "Besides, Angel kept looking towards the bedroom as if his eyes could burn a hole through the wall. Do I want to know what he heard?"

 "Probably, but I won't be telling you." Giles returned.

    The group spent the rest of the day preparing for the inevitable battle. Buffy returned about an hour after Giles and seemed much calmer. She moved immediately to Giles side and began to work with her staff once again.

____________________

As the final rays of sun slid over the horizon, the group moved into position. Buffy fought the overwhelming urge to cry as she looked around her. Giles was in front of her, Angel and Spike on either side of him. Wesley stood next to Spike and Doyle next to Angel. Buffy looked at her Mother on her left and Cordie on her right. On the other side of her Mom was Xander and on Cordie's other side was Oz. Behind her, she could hear Ethan and Willow already chanting.

 Buffy felt the life within her move once again and turned to her Mother.

"Mom ...?"

 Joyce looked at her daughter and met her eyes. The look between them said a thousand things at once. Apologies, acceptance, fear, protectiveness and love. "I love you, Buffy." Joyce reached for her daughters hand, just as the door crashed in.

 Travers strolled in, followed by numerous humans and vampires. Travers looked at Giles, then Buffy. "That child belongs to the Council."

 "Go to hell." Buffy and Giles said in unison.

 Travers' eyes skimmed over the group. "Two vampires, a half demon and Ethan Rayne." He dismissed the children and the Slayer's Mother and settled on Wesley. "And Wesley. How are you?" He sounded pleasant, but his eyes were cold.

 "You won't get their baby." Wesley said evenly.

 "I'll get the child." Travers told him. "And be back in England before the weekend."

 "How is your lovely wife?" Giles asked silkily. "Give her my best."

 Travers glared at him. "I'll have your Slayer's replacement and your own child. I'll teach them both to curse you." He said venomously.

 "Can I kill 'im, now?" Spike asked, bored.

 "You'll have to beat me to it." Angel commented with narrowed eyes. Several heads nodded in agreement.

 "You can't win this." Travers stated, though not with as much certainty as he'd hoped.

 "Either way, you won't live to see the outcome." Giles told him. "I guarantee it." He sounded certain.

 A green fireball came from nowhere and hit Travers square in the chest. His back hit the wall behind him with a satisfying thud. The fight was on.

 For Buffy, it seemed to move in slow motion. She saw Giles behead a vampire and Spike break the neck of a Watcher. Oz was torn between protecting Willow and protecting Buffy. Willow and Ethan chanted protection spells for the most part. They also blinded the bad guys and did a fire spell that managed to take out two vampires.

 Buffy was surprised to see Cordie hold her own against a Watcher. She took him out with a well placed kick and a baseball bat to the head.

 Buffy felt oddly detached from her own fighting, as if she had shut herself down simply to deal with it. Until she saw the vampire knock her Mother to the floor. "No!" She screamed and went after him herself. The staff, that Buffy had chosen, was used to advantage. She moved him away from her Mother, head shots, ribs, anything that she could hit. Then she swept his legs out from under him and hit him in the chest. The force of the blow was enough that the staff acted as a stake and the vampire turned to dust.

 Buffy turned in time to see Xander slashed with a knife from shoulder to hip. Angel dusted the vampire that did it and moved Xander to safety. Doyle, he didn't even know her or Giles, but he covered Giles' back as he took on his own foe.

 Wesley lasted longer than expected, but was knocked out. Spike put him by Xander. Cordie and Oz stood over them.

 Buffy moved to help Giles when she was grabbed from behind. "Enough!" Travers shouted as he held Buffy by the throat with a knife. Everyone stopped and turned to them.

 Giles met Buffy's eyes and held them as Travers went on. "I think this little rebellion is over, don't you?" Spike, Angel and Ethan all waited for the signal that they knew was coming from Buffy or Giles.

 Buffy watched Giles closely. Barely discernible, he tilted his head back, all the while he kept his eyes to Buffy's. He saw her blink twice and mentally counted. 1 - 2 - 3.

 Buffy swung her head back as hard as she could, the knife nicked her throat, but she didn't pause. She turned on Travers and swung a right cross that would have made Ali proud. She stopped him from getting back up with a heel to his throat. "This isn't a rebellion, it's a Declaration of Independence. You've threatened me, my family and friends. Now you've threatened my baby." Her foot pressed a little harder. "It's done." She put out a hand, without taking her eyes from Travers, and Giles handed her a sword. They both stood over Travers now.

 They were unaware of Ethan, as he indicated to Angel and Spike with a nod of his head. They moved as one and grabbed Travers and pulled him to his feet. Angel put his hand over Buffy's on the sword. "You should see to your Mom." He told her softly. She met his eyes and he saw rational thought return. Briefly, he saw regret there, and fear. He kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear. "I'll take care of him." She nodded and turned to her Mom. Angel then looked to Giles, he met the other man's glare and returned it. "See that Buffy's all right." He said before he and Spike took Travers away.


  It wasn't long before the extended Scooby Gang had everything under control. Giles looked around him, the humans were tied up being watched over by Doyle and Wesley. The opposing vampires had been dispatched with a minimum of fuss.

 Ethan and Willow were tending to the injured, which were numerous, but minor, for the most part. The worst was Xander, who had been slashed from his right shoulder to his left hip. Fortunately, it wasn't too deep.

 He looked at Buffy. She was asleep on the couch with her head in Joyce's lap, a bandage on her neck, a sight Giles had hoped to never see again. Joyce, dazedly, combed her fingers through her daughter's hair. A comfort for both of them, he was certain.

 He had to wonder if anyone else had noticed the absence of Angel and Spike with Travers. He had the feeling that they would never hear from Travers again.


   "Where have you brought me?" Travers asked the two vampires. Spike pushed Travers to the center of what used to be the Sunnydale High Library, just a few scant feet from the gaping hole in the ground.

 "Welcome to the Hellmouth, Mr. Travers." Spike said to him.

 Angel continued. "With the others, Buffy has taken it on twice ..."

 "Three times." Spike threw out.

 "Three times." Angel acknowledged. "And beaten it."

 "Why did you bring me here?" Travers asked nervously.

 "To see how you do." Spike told him, then pushed him in.

 Spike and Angel looked at each other and backed away from the Mouth of Hell. They exchanged another look as flames shot out, followed by a scream. When they turned to leave they thought they heard a laugh, but neither went back to check.


 Epilogue
 
   "Push Buffy." Giles instructed urgently from his position next to her as another contraction hit. "Harder."

 "I am pushing." Buffy said through gritted teeth. "I have an idea, you push for a while."

 Giles smiled down at her gently. "If I could, Luv." He whispered in her ear, then kissed her forehead. Her grip on his hand tightened and he winced. Even at that, he knew that she wasn't using all her strength. If she had been, his hand would have been broken instead of bruised.

 Buffy gave a long primal groan, then dropped back into Giles' arms, her breath in heavy gasps. "Is she ...?"

 "He's perfect as far as I can see." Dr. Murray told them.

 Buffy and Giles looked at each other, as one, they turned to the doctor. "He?" They asked in surprised unison.

 "Very much a he." Dr. Murray said with a small laugh. He placed the baby on Buffy's stomach. "See for yourself."


   Giles went to where the others were in the waiting area. He knew that he must have the silliest grin on his face, but he didn't care. Joyce, Willow and Oz, Xander, Wesley, Ethan, Spike, Angel, Cordelia and Doyle were all there, waiting. "Well, Will Alexander Giles made his appearance not a half an hour ago."

 "Is Buffy all right?" Joyce asked.

 "*His* appearance?" Wesley repeated.

 Giles looked at Joyce, "Buffy is amazing. She's resting now, though. You'll be able to see her in a few minutes. They're taking little Will to the nursery."

 "Little Will." Willow said a silly grin on her face and tears in her eyes.

 "Will Alexander." Xander said in disbelief that they would have done that.

"Really?"  He asked as he wiped at his own eyes.

 "I'll admit that it was a last minute decision, but we both agreed." Giles told him. "He's beautiful."

 "It was supposed to be a girl." Wesley said a bit dazed.

 "The Council screwed up, big, bloody shock." Spike commented.

"Congratulations, Mate. Where's the cigars?"

 Angel nudged him. "Buffy must be so relieved." He commented.

 "We both are." Giles agreed. "One Slayer in the family is quite enough. The Council may have stacked the odds in favor of a girl, but they'd forgotten that Buffy has always beaten the odds."

 "It's the guy that decides the sex of the baby." Cordelia said matter of factly.

 Ethan grinned as they all looked at Giles. "Well, I could have told them that Ripper was a contrary, stubborn bastard."

 Giles glared at him, but couldn't hold it. He looked at all of them. "Thank you, all of you. I don't think that we'd have made it this far without your help."

 There were more than one set of feet shuffling.

 Joyce broke the moment with an outburst. "Oh my God, I'm a grandma."


   The others had left and Giles was alone with Buffy and little Will for the first time. "He looks like you." Giles told her. She held the baby in her arms and he held her in his as he laid beside her.

 "He looks like us." Buffy told him. She leaned her head against his. "He's strong, Giles." She looked at him. "I can feel it when he grips my hand."

 "I know." Giles agreed. "I felt it, too." He kissed her lightly. "He is the son of a Slayer. He's bound to have inherited some of your strength." He kissed her again. "He's a boy, he can't be a Slayer. A little faster, a little stronger, these are good traits to have in this world."

 "I guess you're right." She relaxed against him. "Giles?" Buffy asked lazily.

 "Yes, Luv." Giles responded.

 "Next time, can we do it the right way?" Buffy asked.

 "Of course." Giles answered before he even realized the question. He looked down at her. "Next time?"

END