__The Great Moppet Caper__
By Blood Bytes



“Then what did he say?”

Buffy frowned, throwing an annoyed glance over her shoulder at Dawn, who was bouncing on her heels and proving to be of no use whatsoever in trying to get set up in Sylvia’s house.

“Nothing, really. I mean – he’d pretty much seen me and Giles together, so there wasn’t much use pretending he hadn’t.”

Dawn rolled her eyes. “Not about that; it was pretty obvious what we interrupted when we came back earlier – ”

“So, why exactly did you find it necessary to hang out for the rest of the night, if you know what we were doing?”

The younger girl shrugged. “I don’t know. It was just so… comfortable, you know? It hasn’t been that comfortable in a long time – where everybody’s there, and there’s no mind-blowing bogeyman out to get us.” She looked up, catching Buffy’s eye with a mischievous grin. “Plus it was kinda fun to see you two squirm.”

“You’re evil,” Buffy muttered.

The Summers sisters had spent the better part of the morning moving in and rearranging their respective bedrooms, at Sylvia’s insistence. Though the Council’s assignment would only last a couple of months in all likelihood, the woman showed little interest in returning to her old home anytime soon. The exception, of course, would be for Xander’s sealing ritual, which would take place in the same bedroom Buffy had stayed in just a short time before. The ritual was scheduled for the next day; after it was done, Sylvia, Willow, and Andrew would catch a plane bound for Jamaica. In the meantime, Sylvia was staying at Council headquarters, insisting that she needed some time away from her old life in an effort to adjust to the more drastic changes to come.

Dawn tossed a pillow at Buffy’s head, prodding further. “Come on – did he look worried? He must be really scared. I mean… it’s a freakin’ branding iron, Buff.”

Buffy sighed, recognizing that this was not a conversation that would just go away. She’d been cranky ever since leaving Giles last night; they’d had a couple of minutes to talk about what was going on after Xander went back to bed, but she wanted a lot more than a couple of minutes. And, really, a lot less talking. At the sight of Dawn, though, with her big concerned eyes and her arms crossed over her chest in the ‘No kidding, I’m not going away until we’ve totally figured this out,’ pose, Buffy yanked her mind away from her Watcher. And all the things she’d totally never expected he could do; seriously, if there were a way he could put that thing he did with his tongue on his resumé, she was sure he would get a pretty substantial raise. But, she wasn’t thinking about that, she reminded herself firmly.

Sighing, she sat on the floor with her back against the bed, waiting for Dawn to catch onto the fact that they were actually talking about this now. As soon as she realized she had her big sister’s attention, Dawn sank to the floor next to her. Noting that there seemed to be a temporary reprieve from all the work, Moon bounded into the room and settled himself between them, belly exposed in a completely undignified way.

“Okay. What do you want to know?”

Dawn thought about it for only a second before she came out with it. “How did you tell Giles? I mean – the whole thing, about you liking him? How did you guys finally get that out there?”

Buffy smiled widely at the question. “Actually, it was your idea.”

* * * * *

Half an hour later, Dawn was on her feet and pacing excitedly. “So, that’s all you did – just a deck of cards? And Giles got it; you didn’t have to explain what you were doing? No ‘cards on the table’ discussion of any kind?”

Buffy shook her head, her eyes gleaming at the memory of Giles following her lead so easily. “Nope. He just got it… And we laid it all out, and that was it.”

Dawn glanced at her watch. “Giles has that Council meeting tonight, right? So he’s not gonna be around?”

Buffy’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “No. What are you thinking?”

“Nothing – I mean, a lot. But nothing horrible. I just – I’ve gotta go, okay? I promise I won’t be back too late. Please?”

“To go see Xander?”

The younger Summers rolled her eyes. “No, to go swim the Thames. Of course to go see Xander. Please, Buff. Please please please, just let me go? Andrew had some lame geekfest tonight, and Willow’s spending some quality smoochin’ time with Kennedy before she leaves… That means Xander’s alone.”

Buffy sighed, barely having time to speak before Dawn was out the door. “Don’t upset him, okay? He’s got a whole big crappy branding thing tomorrow – just please be gentle.”

A moment later Dawn reappeared, leaning down to hug Buffy enthusiastically. “I love you, and I’m really glad you’re back, and I’m really really glad you’re with Giles. I promise I won’t upset Xander.”

And she was gone.

* * * * *

Buffy went to the window and waited until she was sure Dawn was gone, before she reached for the phone. Her voice low, laden with desire, she purred into the receiver.

“She’s gone. When can you get here?”

There was a pause before Giles responded, his own voice deeper than she remembered it; a chill started at the base of her spine when he spoke, her knees suddenly weak.

“The meeting’s running a bit long, but I should be out within the hour. Should I bring anything?”

“Just you. And as few clothes as possible.”

Instead of the stutter that she’d expected, Buffy was met with a low, seductive chuckle. “I’ll see what I can do, luv.” Someone must have come into the room then; Giles cleared his throat, his voice all business when he continued. “Yes. This evening will be fine,” he must have put his hand over the receiver; Buffy heard his muffled response to whoever was in the room. “Just arranging a – a – ”

“Weapons trial,” Buffy prompted him.

“Weapons trial,” he repeated to the other person. “A weapons trial. For this evening.”

Buffy smiled mischievously. “To make sure your weapon’s in proper working order.”

Giles repeated obediently, “To make sure my weapon is – ” and then nearly choked to death when he realized what he’d been about to say. Buffy’s smile widened to a grin. She murmured “Don’t be late,” into the phone, then hung up while Giles was still trying to regain his composure.

* * * * *

She was at Giles’ door for what felt like six lifetimes, just about to take off with her heart sunk down to her toenails, when Xander finally opened up. He didn’t look… fresh, but he still didn’t look bad. In fact, he looked the total opposite of bad – if bad were the South Pole, Xander would be making time with Santa and eight tiny reindeer. He was all stubbly (in the sexy way, not the skanky unshowered way) and it looked like he might’ve just woken up.

Once the door was open, Xander just stood there, blinking, like Dawn was the last person on earth he’d been expecting.

“Dawn.”

She smiled widely, shifting from one foot to the other, wishing she’d taken more time to get dressed before coming here. All of a sudden, maybe for the first time in her entire life, her skirt felt too short. And her shoes were all wrong. What did you wear when you were going to tell your childhood crush that you’d fallen madly in love with him, just before he was sent off to get poked in the eye (for the second time), this time with burning hot coals. Somehow, she didn’t even think Armani had an outfit for *that* occasion.

“Hey. Yep – it’s me.”

He frowned, just a little, then covered it up with that sad, guilty smile she’d gotten so used to seeing.

“Hey. Uh – Giles isn’t here, he had some Council thing. And if you’re lookin’ for Andrew – ”

“I’m not.”

He looked confused.

“Looking for Andrew, I mean. Or Giles – I knew he had a meeting tonight. And Andrew’s going out with some kind of Star Trek alliance or something, which some people might say is lame, but I know you like Star Trek, and I – well, I mean, I haven’t watched that much of it myself, but there was one where they were cowboys and I didn’t totally get it but I remember – ”

He was grinning – the old Xander grin, without all the scars and baggage. Dawn stopped short.

“What?”

“Do you wanna come in?”

She nodded, hoping she didn’t look too eager. Trying for a super-suave walk that would make even the worldly Italian boys go non-verbal, instead she tripped on the doorsill and went flying. Xander caught her by her elbows; they ended up eyeball to eyeball for a few seconds, Dawn’s heart going like a jackhammer in her chest.

And then he just looked away. Stepped back. Swallowed hard, mumbling an apology. Dawn touched his arm, trying to get the moment back.

“It’s okay – my bad. Good old Dawn; klutz in a clutch.”

Neither of them said a word for a few seconds before Xander finally took a breath and motioned toward the kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink?”

She nodded, relieved, and took a seat on the couch. “Yeah. Scotch would be great.”

“Right. ‘Cause I want to end up in traction this week on top of everything else. Sorry – as long as you’re the Slayer’s little sister, you’re gonna stick with root beer on my watch. At least until the magic one-eight rolls around.”

Dawn grinned, calling after him as he went into the kitchen. “Root beer’s good. Thanks.”

As soon as Xander had disappeared around the corner, she hopped up from the couch and started looking around for a deck of cards. Asking for the cards was out of the question – this was supposed to be smooth. So instead, she started routing through the living room, ransacking drawers, looking under furniture. No dice – er, cards.

“Dawn,” Xander called from the kitchen.

She jumped up from trying to see under the couch, smoothing her skirt and trying to sound cool.

“Yeah?”

“You want ice? And Giles has some of those cookie-biscuit things. Are you hungry?”

She took a breath, calming herself. “Yeah. Ice and cookies – great.”

Okay. No cards in the desk, or under the couch. She grabbed her cell phone and hit speed dial, hoping Buffy wouldn’t ignore the call. Instead, she answered on the first ring.

“Hey.” She sounded weird – kind of husky, like she had something stuck in her throat.

“Hey – are you getting a cold?”

Buffy coughed, her voice back to normal when she spoke again. “Dawn. No – no cold. Or… Maybe. I don’t know – I thought you were someone else.”

Dawn wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Okay – eww. You thought I was Giles, didn’t you? I’m really happy for you guys, but I want no part in your twisted phone sex games.”

“It was not a twisted phone sex game – he’s coming over here in a while, and I just thought he might check in before he left the office.”

“Whatever – just, don’t ever tell me about whatever happens. Where does Giles keep his cards?”

“How should I know? Ask Xander.”

“I can’t ask Xander.”

“Why?” There was a pause, Dawn still checking everywhere she could think of, before Buffy finally got it.

“Oh – you’re gonna try the card thing?”

“Not if I can’t find the cards I’m not.”

“Oooh – check the weapons chest – over by the stereo.”

Sure enough, mixed in with sacred burial swords and axes and more stakes than you could shake a stick at, was a deck of cards. Dawn just shook her head; her life really was too much.

“So, if Giles is coming over there, you guys’ll probably want some privacy.”

“We’re just having dinner.”

“Are you cooking?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

Dawn grinned. “Because if you’re cooking, you’ll definitely need some privacy; after he tastes that chicken thing you make, you’ll have to sleep with him or he’ll never go out with you again.”

“Have I mentioned that I never really liked you? Mom made me play nice and I felt sorry for you because of that whole key thing, but really… it was all an act.”

Xander came in then, and Dawn quickly moved away from the weapons chest, whispering into the phone. “Just let me know if you want me to stay here tonight – Giles has the extra bedroom. That’s all I’m sayin’. Talk to ya later.”

She hung up and turned to face Xander, who came in with a tray loaded down with drinks, cookies, a bowl of popcorn, and something that was either leftover casserole or dog food.

“Wow. That’s a lotta snack.”

He blushed. “I know. I wasn’t sure what kind of visit this was – the ‘Buffy’s driving me nuts and I needed a break’ kind or the ‘movie-fest for the heck of it’ kind…” he looked away for a minute, he jaw tensing, “Or the ‘Xander’s about to get gotten by a giant cattle-prod and as the youngest Scooby I was outvoted and so must stay’ kind.”

There was a moment of tense silence while Dawn studied him, amazed that he could be so totally clueless. “I came because you’re one of my best friends and I like spending time with you; and because I didn’t want you to have to face tomorrow alone.”

She realized about two minutes after she’d said it that that was just the kind of thing that deserved a card, so quickly threw one onto the table. Xander stared at it in confusion, but then set the food down on the coffee table and sat down.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

She shrugged. “No need to thank me. I like spending time with you.” Another card on the table. Then, just for the heck of it, she added another one. Xander grabbed a cookie, looking frankly kind of nervous, and handed her a tall glass of root beer. And then, silence fell.

Lots and lots of silence.

This should be easy, Dawn reasoned. Find true stuff that Xander doesn’t know, and spill it. There had to be lots of things he didn’t know, right? About her life? Finally, she took a breath and looked him dead in the eye as she flipped another card on the table.

“Buffy bleaches her upper lip so it doesn’t look like she has a moustache.”

* * * * *

“Honey, I’m home.”

Giles grinned at the look on Buffy’s face when he entered, utterly amazed at the joy in her eyes. She wore the same light, feminine-looking dress she’d worn during that first afternoon in Rome, the standard cross hanging delicately at her lovely breast. Before he could comment on the outfit, however, his attention was quickly diverted when Moon came bounding after him, hitting him solidly in the stomach with oversized paws. With a surprised “Oof,” Giles barely managed to stay on his feet, gently pushing the dog down.

“Sorry,” Buffy apologized, standing on her toes for a hello kiss. The hello kiss turned into several, Moon dancing excitedly around them, until finally Giles pulled away. Feeling suddenly shy, he pulled his hand from behind his back to reveal a bouquet of flowers he’d picked up on the way.

“I – It seemed appropriate at the time.”

She looked at him with an amused smile. “But after making out with me at the door, it doesn’t?” She sniffed the lilies appreciatively, a lovely flush of happiness on her cheeks. “They’re beautiful. Thank you”

After a moment’s concentration, Giles was able to focus on something other than the beautiful woman before him. Smelling the air, he noted the faint aroma of burned meat and looked at her quizzically.

“Did you… um,” he cleared his throat, “cook something?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nice – think you can make that anymore enthusiastic, Mister? I was making dinner.”

Squelching a grin, he removed his jacket and hung it in the corner as Moon settled once more on the floor and he followed Buffy to the kitchen.

“Was?”

She turned, eyes flashing in a failed attempt to feign irritation. “Yes, was. There’s this chicken thing I make, but… I don’t think Sylvia’s oven has the same temperatures as my oven in Rome.”

“So I’ve been spared – er, deprived, of the… chicken ‘thing?’”

“Oh, you’re asking for it.” He backed against the sideboard, noting the mischievous spark in her eyes as she approached him. “Just keep it up, Giles – ”

Taking her by surprise, he met her before she could reach him, unable to resist for a moment more. He leaned down, kissing her hungrily, pulling her body to his as he growled into her neck, “Believe me, I don’t think that will be a problem.”

* * * * *

Xander thought she’d gone crazy. He must have. Maybe she had gone crazy. Dawn had gone through almost the entire deck of cards, revealing both Andrew and Buffy’s deepest, darkest secrets. And Xander still didn’t get it. She’d just finished telling him about the leopard-print man-thong she’d found in Andrew’s dresser in Rome, when he took a deep breath and set his beer down on the coffee table.

“Okay. No offense, ‘cause you know how much I love spending time with you, Dawnster, and this has been a really…” he searched for the word, shaking his head, before he finally came up with something. “… weird night, but I have an even weirder day tomorrow. If that’s possible.”

Dawn sighed. Carpe diem, right? She tossed the rest of the cards on the table and launched herself at Xander, landing practically in his lap. Before he could react, she took his face in her hands and kissed him with everything she had.

The kiss was a hard-sell for about fifteen seconds, before Xander took over. And boy oh boy, did he know how to take over. Pulling her closer, he did things with his tongue that made those twerps in Rome look like schoolboys (which they were, of course, but that was beside the point). One hand was at the small of her back and the other was tangled in her hair, and Dawn had gone from solid to liquid in sixty seconds flat. Finally, he pulled away and stood up, turning his back on her.

“Dawn, we – we can’t do this.”

She stood up, willing her knees out of their jellified state. “Why not?”

“Well, let’s see… Because you’re Buffy’s little sister, for starters. And I’m – ”

Dawn rolled her eyes, taking a step toward him. “You’re what? You’re not secretly related to me, are you?”

He looked totally freaked at the thought. “God, I really, really hope not.”

“And I’m not a demon. I’m not even a slayer. Xander, I’ve seen the way you look at me.”

He swallowed, taking a minute before he regained his composure and looked at her.

“Dawn, you’re seventeen. You have your whole life in front of you.”

She snorted – outright snorted – at that one. “And you don’t? I’ll be eighteen in a month. You’re twenty-four.”

“You don’t want a guy like me.” He got sad at that, his face clouding over. But Dawn wasn’t about to let it go; she closed the gap between them, looking him in the eye when she spoke, her voice soft. “Xander, I know who you are. I know where you’ve been, what you’ve seen…” she swallowed past the lump in her throat, tears in her eyes at the way he was looking at her: Like she must be nuts for wanting him.

“Don’t you get it, Xander? You’re…” she searched for words, finally shrugging as she settled on the one that had changed everything for her. “Extraordinary. And it’s not just a crush, and it’s not wrong, and you’re not – ” she shook her head as the tears spilled when his hand came to her face, his fingers tracing her cheekbone, the shell of her ear, the line of her neck.

“You’re not who they said you were,” she whispered softly. “You’re the bravest, sweetest, brightest, funniest man I’ve ever known.” She took another breath while he just stood there, watching her, looking so serious, so torn. Swallowing once more, she found her courage. “I’m in love with you, Xander.”

* * * * *

“We should – ” Buffy gasped when Giles’ mouth found a sensitive spot behind her ear, nipping at it roughly. “I mean – aren’t you hungry?”

He could hear her struggling for control and knew that, if he were playing fair, he would step away and give her a moment. But logic had flown out the window at their first kiss, along with the rules of fair play. He tore himself away long enough to murmur a response to her question.

“Starving.”

“Well, we could – ” he attacked the spot behind her ear again; she was seated on Sylvia’s sideboard, her hands in his hair, her body firm against his own. At the pressure of his mouth, her breath came in a shaky moan and she pressed herself wantonly against his straining erection.

He swallowed, finally forcing himself to disengage for a moment and think rationally.

“Dear god,” he ran a hand through his hair, turning his back for a moment as he tried to subtly shift himself a bit in his trousers. When he turned back around, Buffy was smiling at him with a look of such pure, feral desire that it took his breath away.

“If you’re about to tell me we should go slow, you’re gonna need to go back in time and undo that thing you just did to my ear. Unless there’s an apocalypse I don’t know about, I’m tired of waiting.”

He smiled, searching for a hint of reservation; there was none. Going to her once more, he lifted her from the counter, a soft moan escaping her lips as she wrapped her legs around him, his cock pressed fully against the heat of her arousal.

Their lips rejoined for another reckless kiss before Buffy pulled away, her eyes burning. “Please,” she whispered. “Giles – I want this.”

The desperation in her tone, the desire in her eyes, shook him to his core. But he still had reservations. “Buffy – I think it’s obvious how very much I want this by now… But I don’t want this evening to be rushed. What about Dawn?”

The faintest smile came to her lips. “Just let me make a call.”

He nodded, but didn’t let her down from his arms, instead walking over to where her cell phone stood on the table with Buffy’s legs still fastened firmly around his middle. Kissing his way along her neck, he handed her the phone, lingering at her pulse point as she dialed. By the time Dawn answered, Buffy’s voice was barely recognizable.

“Were you serious about staying there tonight? That would be okay?”

Giles could hear Dawn’s response, as the phone was nearly as close to his own ear as Buffy’s.

“Okay, please don’t ever ever ever tell me what you’re doing right now, and don’t ever call me in this state again. I’ll see you tomorrow – the thing’s at noon, right?”

Buffy nodded, and Giles mercifully gave her a moment to recover herself, setting her back down on solid ground as she cleared her throat and tried to appear composed.

“I’m sorry,” she managed to look contrite and utterly devilish at the same moment, apologizing to her sister while simultaneously rolling her eyes at Giles. “Yeah – the ritual happens at noon, but Xander needs to be here by eleven. Thanks, Dawn.”

Once she’d rung off, Giles gently took the phone from her hand and set it back on the table.

“She was all right with staying away?”

“I think once she realized what we were up to, she would’ve paid us to be elsewhere. And now…” She took a step closer to him, running her hands over his chest before her fingers lingered on the buttons of his shirt, toying with the top one before meeting his eye meaningfully.

“And now?” he prompted her.

She unbuttoned the first button, standing on her toes to plant a lingering kiss at his exposed chest. Giles closed his eyes at the feel of her mouth on his bare skin, his hand resting at the back of her head, fingers tangled in her silken hair as she continued to slowly undress him.

“Buffy,” he whispered hoarsely.

She stopped, looking up at him with eyes darkened by desire.

“Perhaps we should take this somewhere a bit more comfortable?”

Nodding with a soft smile, a hint of vulnerability touched her lovely features as she searched his face.

"We're really doing this."

Giles cupped her cheek with his hand, stroking it gently with his thumb as he considered his answer. "Only if you're absolutely certain it's what you want."

She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes, the house silent for a moment as he waited for her response. When she looked at him again, there were tears in her eyes; he felt that familiar shattering that had become as much a part of daily life as afternoon tea since she had come into his life. Withdrawing his hand at sight of her tears, he swallowed past his own pain, intent on removing any pressure she might feel at the situation.

"Buffy - we don't have to... do anything. If you've changed your mind,"

She shook her head vigorously, taking a moment to recover before she took his hand, looking him in the eye as a single tear spilled down her cheek.

"No, dummy - these are happy tears. Don't even think about walking out that door now that we've finally talked everything out and gotten to the good stuff." A playful grin touched her lips, and Giles breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Besides - now that I know those lips are good for something other than talking about the latest Big Bad or lecturing me on my sacred duty, there's no way I'm letting you off that easy."

Giles, who could generally find words for any situation, realized at that moment that there were, in fact, times in life that demanded action. With their eyes locked, Buffy's smile faded when he reached for her, her head tipped up to meet him as their lips met once more. This time, the kiss was more than desperation, more than passion... It was a beginning. Giles swept her into his arms, his blood burning, and carried her to the bedroom.

* * * * *

So, she’d just gotten through the big declaration of love thing, when Buffy chose to call. Dawn could practically hear Giles panting on the other end of the line, and frankly it was a bit much for her to deal with. Monsters, demons, vamps… No problem. Giles horny over her sister? That was eww cubed. She got off the phone as fast as possible, and was still reveling in the fact that Buffy had actually *ordered* her to stay away tonight – at Giles’ place, home of the boy she’d just Harry Met Sally’d – when she realized that the whole Harry Met Sally thing… really wasn’t. Dawn had Sally’d for all she was worth, but, frankly, Xander was definitely not Harrying. Or, he was doing the morning-after Harry, instead of the New Year’s Eve Harry. Which was, like, totally unacceptable – especially since she and Xander hadn’t even had a night before.

“Dawn, listen to me.” His face had gone completely white. There was this moment – this quick-as-a-wink instant before the phone rang – when she thought a smile might have touched his lips, right after she’d said it. But that went away fast, and now there was just this kind of panic on his face.

“Xander, you can’t tell me there isn’t something here – I’ve seen the way you look at me, I’ve felt that…” she searched for the word and finally waved her hand in frustration. “That *thing* - I know you’ve felt it. I can’t be that far off the mark here.”

The apartment went silent; Xander just stood there for the longest time, studying her. Finally, he looked away, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry, Dawn. I – I mean, I love you, more than my cheesy chips, but…” he swallowed, forcing himself to look her in the eye when he said it. “I don’t feel that way about you. I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, Dawn understood exactly what Buffy felt every time a vamp jumped her. It was that physical; like the words should’ve come with a warning label. ‘I don’t feel that way about you;’ Do not use without helmet and kneepads. Tears filled her eyes and Dawn looked away, taking a breath as she nodded hurriedly.

“Oh. Okay. I… I guess I was wrong.” She turned her back so he wouldn’t see her crying, desperately trying to figure out where she’d left her coat.

“I should probably get going – ”

“Dawn,” he went to her, touching her shoulder, and she shrugged away from his touch.

“Xander, it’s no big.” She wiped the tears from her eyes, turning around with a big fake smile. “I just – I thought something was there, but I was obviously way off.” Finally, she found her coat and put it on, hands shaking, heart hammering, belly about to stage a revolt.

He had this wrinkle in his forehead, and the concern on his face just about killed her. “Where are you going? Didn’t Buffy just tell you to stay here tonight?”

The tears were building in her chest; she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer, so she just shook her head, racing for the door.

“That’s okay,” she finally managed. “I better go. Thanks for the root beer.”

And she made it out the door with Xander standing in the middle of the living room, looking completely lost. As soon as she hit the doorstep, the tears started, and didn’t stop all the way back to Sylvia’s.

* * * * *

Moon was locked outside the bedroom door. Duke Ellington was low on the stereo. Candles were lit, the lights were down; when he was finally able to focus a bit on his surroundings rather than the woman before him, Giles smiled in surprise.

“Why, Ms. Summers, are you trying to seduce me?”

She grinned sheepishly, sitting on the edge of the bed, where he had gently set her a moment before. “Well, I didn’t want to count my chickens before the eggs, but… well, I was kinda hoping.”

A soft smile touched his lips at the admission. He swallowed past the emotion that suddenly made a deep breath something of a feat; when he found his voice, it was low, laden with desire.

“Come here.”

She stood obediently, taking the few steps to him with their eyes locked. When she reached him, he gently took her shoulders in his hands, wondering at how someone so powerful as a Slayer, could still be so soft, so exquisitely feminine. Turning her around, his fingertips brushed along the back of her neck and down to the zipper of her dress. Leaning down, he nipped at the back of her ear as his fingers worked the zipper.

A moan escaped her lips; reaching behind her, Buffy’s hands lingered in his hair as Giles worked the zipper down, following its path with his lips. When the zipper had reached the end of its track, at the small of her back, Giles took a step away as Buffy turned to face him.

There was a wondrous look on her face – half love, half desire – that Giles never would have imagined could be meant for him. She reached up to her shoulders, toying with the straps of her dress for a moment before he shook his head.

“Please,” he whispered. “Let me.”

Closing the gap between them once more, he felt Buffy tremble beneath his touch as he pulled the thin straps off her shoulders. His mouth immediately set to work on her flesh as it was bared, and Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck as he slowly worked her dress down, revealing her body inch by miraculous inch.

And then, on the other end of the house, Moon started barking. The front door slammed. Buffy and Giles both froze, and then flinched as one when Dawn’s bedroom door slammed. Buffy closed her eyes, shaking her head in abject horror.

“This can’t be happening.”

Giles straightened, swallowing with great difficulty before attempting to readjust his trousers painfully.

“Dawn?” he whispered reluctantly.

Buffy nodded. “Not a good sign. She knew what we were doing – coming back here was the last thing on the planet she would’ve wanted.”

“Perhaps she just needs a good night’s sleep,” he intoned hopefully.

Buffy grinned in surprise, hitting him lightly in the stomach. “Hey! You’re supposed to be the responsible one here. You want me to ignore my sister’s broken heart, just so you can get a quick happy?”

He sighed, then looked up once the words had registered. “Broken heart? She’s found someone in London already?”

“Yeah – the big one, according to her.” She turned, gesturing toward her zipper. Giles obligingly – albeit reluctantly – zipped her back up and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, waiting for her to continue.

“It may be kinda tough to believe, but… actually, she seems pretty serious. My little sister’s head over tailbone for Xander Harris.”

Giles brow furrowed in confusion, and Buffy rolled her eyes. “Don’t look so shocked. Dawn’s had a crush on Xander forever.”

Giles nodded. “Yes, that’s been quite apparent. But Xander – ”

“Apparently doesn’t feel the same way.”

Giles shook his head with a frown, his eyes suddenly distant as he went to the bedroom door.

“On the contrary; I think Xander’s been somewhat smitten with Dawn for far longer than he’d care to admit,” he said, almost to himself. He turned to Buffy distractedly.

“I assume this requires bountiful amounts of ice cream and a decided lack of anyone harboring an extra y-chromosome?”

She nodded, watching him skeptically. “Yeah,” she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What’s going on? All of a sudden you can’t wait to get out of here.”

He leaned down to kiss her lingeringly, then – with great strength of will – stepped away.

“Trust me, I go reluctantly. But it doesn’t seem as though I have much choice… You go tend to Dawn. And, while I wouldn’t tell her that she should be picking out china patterns, I would let her know that the death knell has not necessarily sounded for her and Xander.”

Buffy quirked an eyebrow, and he grinned self-consciously. “Sorry. It’s not over ‘til the fat lady sings,” he translated hurriedly. At that, he left a dazed Buffy standing with a pronounced pout at the bedroom door. A moment later, he reappeared, gathering her in his arms and kissing her desperately – one last gulp of air for a dying man.

Pulling himself away once more, he whispered, “And for the record: My… happies, as you call them, are *never* quick.”

And he was gone.

* * * * *

Once he’d left, Buffy took a deep breath, ordered her raging hormones to give it a rest, and went to Dawn’s bedroom door. At the sound of her sister sobbing through the door, Buffy’s sexual frustration took a backseat.

“Dawn?”

There was another sob, then a sniffle, then a pause before Dawn finally spoke. “I’m sorry. I know I ruined your night.” She started crying again and Buffy rolled her eyes. How did she ever survive seventeen?

“It’s okay, Dawn. Can I come in?”

There was no response, so Buffy took that as an implied yes. Pushing the door open, she couldn't help but feel sympathy pangs at the sight of Dawn curled up on the floor, sobbing into Moon’s fur.

Buffy sat down beside her, stroking her sister’s hair as Dawn’s crying gradually slowed.

“Wanna tell me what happened?”

Dawn shook her head, sitting up and wiping away her tears. “No. I just made a complete fool of myself, lost one of my best friends,” her tears started again as she finished dramatically, “And I’m never falling in love again.”

With that final proclamation, she buried her face in Moon’s fur again. Moon and Buffy exchanged resigned glances, and Buffy sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * * * *

Giles returned to his flat to find Xander and a half-empty bottle of his best scotch on the sofa. He sat down beside the younger man, but Xander barely glanced his way. Instead, he turned the program he was watching up another notch, and Giles ordered himself to remain calm.

“How was your evening?” he asked, raising his voice slightly to be heard above the television. Xander merely shrugged, slumping further into the sofa.

“Have you eaten?”

Another shrug, and Giles knew that his sexual frustration from earlier would most certainly not help matters here. He took a breath, and tried again.

“I heard Dawn paid you a visit.”

At this, he was at least granted a sideways glance. “Yep,” was the best Xander could do in terms of conversation, however.

They sat in silence a moment longer, before Giles had finally had it. Taking the remote from Xander’s hand, he switched off the television and turned to the young man.

“Dawn seemed fairly upset when she got home this evening.”

At this, a flash of concern crossed Xander’s face. He looked away from Giles, staring off into the corner.

“Is she okay?”

Giles nodded, softening at the fleeting vulnerability Xander had shown.

“She’s all right. She’s hurt. And… confused, I expect. As am I.”

Xander turned to look at him curiously. “What are you confused about?” His words had a faint slur to them.

“I thought you liked Dawn.”

The young man seemed to consider this for a moment, turning it over in his mind as he refocused his gaze on the blank television screen.

“Yep. I like Dawn. Known her forever. She’s a good kid. A good, smart, beautiful… kid.”

He leaned over the side of the sofa for the scotch, not bothering with a glass as he took a long gulp before handing the bottle off to Giles. The Watcher considered for a moment before taking the bottle and tipping it back, savoring the burn as he weighed his next words.

“It’s my understanding that she’s rather fond of you, as well.” A slight smile touched Xander’s lips – not a pleasant smile, however. It was a smile borne of pain, twisted with cynicism and regret. He nodded.

“She said she’s in love with me.”

“And you find that amusing?” Giles took another pull from the bottle, refusing to dwell on how utterly blasphemous it was to be wasting scotch of this caliber on a conversation that would have gone just as well with malt liquor.

Xander turned to him, studying him with a wisdom that made Giles recognize what a stretch it was for the boy to consistently play the clown. He was no fool; Giles fervently hoped that Xander would understand that himself one day.

“Did you ever meet my parents?”

Giles shook his head, his eyebrows coming up in surprise at the question. “No. I – I’d just missed them in the hospital, when you were there. And I don’t believe they ever made it to the parent-teacher conferences when I was working at the high school.”

Xander nodded with a small laugh. “Trust me, they never heard word one about parent-teacher conferences. Not that they would’ve come anyway, but that was all I needed. And you weren’t at the wedding, so – ”

“I’m sorry,” Giles offered quickly, feeling that familiar burn of shame at his own selfishness. “I couldn’t get away.”

Xander waved the apology off. “Don’t worry about it. ‘s not like it would’ve been any different if you were there.”

The way he said it implied that perhaps Xander didn’t believe this was necessarily the case; for a moment, Giles considered the same thing. What would have changed, if he had made that trip to Sunnydale?

He looked up to find Xander watching him. When their eyes met, the boy looked quickly away. There was a long pause, before he finally spoke again, keeping his gaze carefully from Giles.

“Y’know how, when you’re at holidays and the family’s all together? And they tell stories about all the dumb stuff the kids did when they were knee high?”

Giles nodded, curious to know where this might be leading. Xander took another gulp of scotch, and cleared his throat.

“Yeah. Well – family shindigs at the Harris house. You wanna know the story they told about me?”

“Xander – ” Giles interrupted, uncomfortable both with were the story was going, and with the look of detachment and resignation on Xander’s face.

Xander turned to him then, his eye devoid of tears, holding up a finger to silence the other man.

“Ssh. Just let me…”

Giles nodded silently, waiting. Xander took a breath, seeming to consider his words before he began.

“When I was maybe seven, my Dad took me hunting. Very big deal with the Harris men – drinking beer and carrying guns. You can see how I’d be psyched.”

He fell silent. Giles watched him, aware that Xander was back there now, back in that moment. Finally, he spoke once more.

“So: Beautiful fall day in the outskirts of Sunnydale. We’ve got beer, and those sausage things that spurt cheese – it’s all pretty manly, let me tell ya. It’s me, my Dad, my cousin – Al, about my age – and my uncle John. Did I mention I’m seven?”

Giles mouth quirked up in a faint, humorless smile at Xander’s attempt at levity. Xander took a breath, then continued.

“So, we were camping out. I woke up about… I don’t know, it was probably like four, five in the morning. Still dark. And I had to go to the bathroom, but my Dad and John were passed out, and Al was never the sharpest knife in the drawer – though he was always the meanest. So I figured, ‘To hell with it, I can handle this.’ Took off on my own.”

He considered the bottle in his hands, studying the liquid for a moment before taking another drink. Handed it off to Giles, and finally went on.

“So, the rest, I wouldn’t even believe, if I hadn’t heard it around the dinner table so many times. I mean – I remember it, but it feels more like a dream than an actual three-D event that I was part of. So,” a quick intake of air. “I’m wandering around the woods, and – of course – I get lost. And I come across this glade, and in it, I find this deer. It was unreal. I mean, just beautiful. I wasn’t a very big kid, and this deer seemed huge.” He paused, looking to Giles to see if the man was actually paying attention. Giles, utterly rapt, took a brief pass at the scotch, nodding his head, indicating for Xander to continue.

“So, the deer just comes to me. I got really still, and… I don’t know. I remember thinking, ‘I’m supposed to kill *this*?’ And it just… stayed with me, for the longest time. Wandered around, grazing or whatever deer do, but kept coming back to me, kind of like it was keeping an eye on me, y’know?”

Giles nodded, realizing the implications of the story though it seemed Xander had no idea at this point. For a moment, there was silence as the boy struggled with the next portion of the story. His gaze on his hands now, his jaw tightened as he fought the rising emotion; Giles thought again of the devoted boy he’d known in the library. Fighting a surge of emotion himself, Giles touched Xander’s arm reassuringly, attempting a smile.

“Go on.” Already knowing what was coming. Xander shrugged, shaking his head as though to clear it of the images lingering there.

“Right. Go on. So – my old man wakes up. Finds me gone. Gets pissed, grabs his gun – maybe to shoot me, maybe to shoot any roaming beasties – and ends up finding me, in the clearing with the deer. I didn’t hear him, too caught up in that whole bonding with nature thing, I guess. But my father takes aim, and drops the deer with one shot. I’m maybe a foot from it, looking this animal in the eye, when she goes down.”

A tear tracked down the boy’s cheek, and Giles considered what it would take to undo years of being told he was responsible for all the worst things the world had dealt him.

“The point,” Xander said, swallowing past the tears, sitting up straighter as he set the bottle on the floor and turned to look Giles in the eye. “Is that this is what I do. For whatever reason, there are these moments when something beautiful comes into my life. And, without a second thought, I lead them to the slaughter. Cordelia.” He swallowed, his voice losing something, a degree of resonance, a grounding that had been there until this moment. “Anya.” He broke on the name, the tears coming harder now.

Giles took him in his arms, holding him as the boy let the events of the past several years finally drain from him. When it seemed that the tears had slowed, Xander pulled away, looking mortally embarrassed and pale. Giles stepped in quickly, refusing to let him diminish what had just happened with some self-deprecating quip.

“That deer – you said it was as though it were watching over you?”

Xander nodded, obviously surprised at the aspect of the story Giles had chosen to pursue.

“It probably was – watching over you, I mean. As children, those destined for higher aims often have… a guardian angel, for lack of a better term, who guides them through to adulthood safely. Xander, you were born to make a difference; to do exactly what you’ve done. You’ve saved all of our lives a dozen times, fought harder than anyone among us, and invariably remained more devoted to your friends and the larger goal of maintaining good, than anyone I’ve ever known.”

He paused, smiling fondly at the look of wonder on Xander’s face as he continued softly. “Anya wasn’t your fault. You gave her things that in eleven-hundred years, she’d never had before: You gave her the chance for redemption. The fact that she took that chance is entirely because of the humanity you taught her. It’s time you recognize that, and stop punishing yourself for events that were out of your hands.”

Xander wiped away his tears roughly, that shamed look still on his face as he sought a way out of their emotional exchange. He quirked an eyebrow at Giles.

“So – let me get this straight: You’re telling me, twenty-four-year-old, demon-killing man-of-the-world, to go out with your not-entirely-legal, might-as-well-be daughter? You really want me with Dawn?”

Giles considered the question for a moment, pulling a serious face. “Well, when you put it that way…” He grinned, rolling his eyes. “Honestly, Xander, stop making everything so bloody difficult. You are not your parents, on countless levels. The fact that these things have happened is unfortunate, but a matter of course when you’re raised on a Hellmouth. Now, use your experiences to become an even better man; I’ve seen you do it a hundred times before. In the immortal words of Cordelia Chase, ‘Spank your inner moppet,’ and get on with your life already.”

* * * * *

The next day, Giles showed up on Buffy’s doorstep at 10 a.m., with a decidedly sheepish Xander by his side. Giles had already called Buffy earlier that morning, giving her a brief idea of what had transpired the previous evening and instructing her to ensure that Dawn was there when they arrived.

The two men entered the house, Giles leaning down without reservation to kiss Buffy hello, a satisfied gleam in his eye when he caught the look of surprise on Xander’s face. Buffy caught the look as well, straightening to her full 5’2” with a challenge in her eyes.

“Giles and I are… dating.”

Xander nodded. “Well – yeah, I know. I just figured you guys would do some lame sneaking-around thing and we’d all have to pretend we didn’t know.”

Giles put his arm around Buffy’s shoulders with a shake of his head, amazed at how open she was about the recent shift in their relationship.

“No sneaking around. No pretending.” He was about to launch into a rather elaborate speech he’d prepared, on the value of honesty among friends, when Dawn stepped out of her bedroom and Giles effectively lost his audience.

If last night had been the trauma that Buffy had implied when they’d spoken on the phone, the younger Summers showed no signs of that trauma now. She wore jeans and a fitted sweater, her hair down and her manner several degrees below room temperature. Arms crossed over her chest, she entered the room and leaned against the wall casually.

“Hey, Giles.” Her eyes skated past Xander before she added coolly, “Xander.”

Xander took a deep breath, looking to Giles for some support; Giles merely shrugged. There was no help for the boy now. Xander seemed to accept this, squaring his shoulders and taking a step further into the house.

“Dawn, can I talk to you a sec?”

She shrugged, maintaining that deadly calm, and Giles shuddered at the idea that both he and Xander were willingly entering into relationships with the Summers women. Gods help them both.

“I don’t know. I’m kinda busy today.”

“Dawn,” Buffy intoned threateningly. Dawn shot her a withering glare. “Play nice.”

Rolling her eyes, Dawn shrugged again, nodding toward her bedroom. “We can talk in there.”

* * * * *

When they were in her room, Xander looked even jumpier than he had before. Especially once he caught sight of the fire blazing away in the fireplace; for a minute, Dawn actually felt really bad for him.

“Oh – wow. I guess this is where they’re gonna do the… thing, huh?”

She nodded, still trying to stay cool. “Yeah. I was hoping they could do it in a place that wasn’t, like, my personal space. But this room’s been blessed or something, so… this is it.”

It seemed like he sort of forgot why he was there then, because he just sat down on the bed like someone had let all his air out, staring at the fire. And it was impossible to be mad at him this way; Dawn sat down beside him and stared at her lap, waiting through the silence for a few seconds before she sighed.

“Are you okay?”

He smiled – sort of – and turned to look at her, studying her for the longest time with that sad smile before he reached over and took her hand.

“I’m sorry.”

While Dawn was technically all about power to the woman and feminism and all that jazz, she pretty much lost the fight then. His hands were warm – not sweaty warm, but warm in that way where she could tell that whenever she got chilly, Xander would give her his coat and she wouldn’t have to feel bad. She twisted herself sideways on the bed, managing a sort of glare that definitely had no menace behind it.

“You were kind of a jerk.”

He nodded. “I know. I was. And I… I didn’t know what to say. There I was, minding my own business, when this crazy,” she started to interrupt, but stopped when the next words were out. “…gorgeous woman – who also happens to be one of my best friends – tells me she’s in love with me. I panicked.”

He had been looking at their hands, but now he met her eye. “I didn’t mean to hurt you – I never want that. I just… I didn’t know what to say.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, that was pretty obvious.”

A few more seconds passed in silence, and Dawn squirmed uncomfortably as she tried to figure out what had just happened. Finally, she gave up on ever being good at this stuff.

“So, just for the record… we’re not having the ‘I love you but not that way’ talk again, are we?”

Xander moved in a little closer, still holding her hand in one of his, but with his other, he touched the side of her face. Tucked her hair behind her ear, and leaned in. Dawn closed her eyes, breathing in that familiar Xander-smell that no other guy would ever get right, and was smiling when their lips finally met.

* * * * *

Giles glanced at his watch, then back at Buffy. Sylvia had arrived with Willow, and now the four of them were standing outside Dawn’s bedroom door in an awkward silence. Finally, Sylvia cleared her throat, gesturing toward the clock.

“I don’t mean to be insensitive, but if we’re to do this on schedule, I’ll need an opportunity to prepare the room. As well as Xander.”

Giles nodded, but seemed distinctly unwilling to act. Taking Buffy by the elbow, he pulled her aside and whispered, “Perhaps you should go in there.”

“Me? Why me? You’re the - ” she trailed off at his glare.

“If you’re about to say that I’m the adult, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”

She stuck out her tongue, barely suppressing a devilish grin. “I was going to say you’re the *guy* - the one Xander’s been telling all his deepest darkest to.”

“But what if they’re…?”

Buffy rolled her eyes, pushing past him to knock loudly on the bedroom door. “Hey, Hormones on Parade! I’ve got Slayer hearing; I know what those smacking noises are. Now pull yourselves together and open this door so we can get on with branding Xander.”

She shot a glance at the others, who were staring at her with genuine horror.

“What? You said get them out here – I’m not waiting all day for this.”

* * * * *

When Dawn and Xander came out of Dawn’s room, they were holding hands. Both looked flushed and a trifle breathless – as well as considerably concerned. Sylvia greeted both of them briefly, handing off a white robe for Xander to change into before disappearing into the bedroom. There was a moment of awkward silence before Dawn finally cleared her throat, tilting her chin up in that maddeningly familiar Summers posture, and announced, “I’m going in with him.”

Giles shook his head immediately. “Dawn, I’m sorry – it really isn’t the place for you. For one thing, you need to be experienced in magicks – ”

“Which I am.”

A trifle unnerved, he continued. “More than floating pencils and burning incense, I’m afraid.”

“Please – I’m way more advanced than that. Just ask Willow.”

Giles turned to the redhead in question; she nodded apologetically. “Sorry – I’ve been teaching her some stuff. She’s really good, actually.” Before he could protest, Willow added hastily, “And I cleared it through the coven – they know we’ve been doing witchy things.”

He nodded seriously, trying not to be hurt that Willow hadn’t said anything to him before this. “I see. Well, be that as it may, this is hardly a ritual for the squeamish. Xander needs someone who is psychically strong enough to give him the mental and emotional support he needs. He needs someone that he can depend on absolutely.”

There was a moment’s hesitation, during which Dawn looked considerably less certain than she had. Finally, Xander pulled the girl aside and leaned in to speak to her privately. A moment later, the two returned to the rest of the group. Xander looked cautious, but determined. Ignoring the rest of the room, he looked at Giles.

“If it’s okay with you, I’d… Would it be okay if Dawn came in? I mean, I know you were looking forward to seeing me in ungodly amounts of pain, but… would you mind?”

Giles was unable to hide his fondness for the boy, trying to cover his pride with a dry smile. “It will be a sacrifice, of course. But one I expect I’m willing to make, if you’re both quite certain.”

Dawn and Xander each took a deep breath before nodding as one. With the decision made, Xander excused himself to change; moments later, he reappeared at almost the same moment that Sylvia did. She smiled kindly at the boy.

“Are you ready?”

He swallowed, squared his shoulders, and finally nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Hand in hand once more, Xander and Dawn followed Sylvia into the room. Just before they disappeared, Giles heard Xander ask Dawn conversationally, “So, Dawnie, have you ever seen a grown man cry?”

She grinned. “Oh, sure, plenty of times. But just think – one eye, that’s like half the tears.”

They would be just fine.

* * * * *

That evening, once rituals had been performed and dinner served and everyone had finally dispersed, Giles took a breath. He was standing at Sylvia’s front door, having just said goodbye to his old friend before her expedition to Haiti. For a moment, he simply stood there, breathing in the cool London air, savoring the faint taste of rain from an earlier shower.

Dawn had gone with Xander back to Giles’ flat, insisting – quite rightly – that he shouldn’t be alone this evening. And now, with the house strangely quiet, Giles found himself alone with Buffy once more. Closing the door, he returned inside, stopping in the kitchen to fetch a bottle of merlot and two glasses. As he made the trek down the familiar hallway to the sitting room, there was an instant of clarity when he realized that this single moment embodied everything he had ever hoped his life might become. A job that mattered, both to him and to the world at large, friends that he treasured, and… Rounding the corner to the sitting room, he stopped at the sight awaiting him.

Buffy lay curled asleep on the sofa, Moon snoring contentedly beside her. One arm draped over the giant beast at her side, there was an air of such vulnerability and innocence about the picture that Giles found himself paralyzed. It had never occurred to him that he could love something so completely that a single instant could mean this much. Giles had been in love before, of course; once upon a time, he had been quite mad for Sylvia. And Jenny had been the briefest glimpse at redemption, for him – the idea that he could love someone other than Buffy, have a life apart from the Slayer for whom he had already been harboring feelings, had been a welcome revelation. But this… Destiny had always been a burden for Giles; now, it was a promise.

Moon woke before Buffy did, wagging his tail happily at sight of Giles. Buffy stirred at the movement, opening her eyes and then smiling groggily when she focused on Giles, standing at the entryway.

“Hey.”

Giles felt a strange mix of regret and anticipation; the time for reflection, after all, was done. He recognized that he was on the threshold of something life-changing, and he would never again be on the outside waiting for this moment to begin. It had begun.

“Hello there.” Stepping into the room, he set the wine and glasses on the table. Moon obligingly jumped down from the sofa to make his evening rounds of the house; Giles took his place.

“How long were you standing there?”

He shrugged. She sat up slightly, leaning her head into his hand when he stroked her cheek. “Not sure, exactly. I lost track of the time.”

“Mesmerized by my snoring and bedhead ‘do, huh?”

For a moment, he considered playing it light, but realized suddenly that there were things that he needed to be sure she understood. Studying her seriously, he let his fingers play through her hair before responding simply, “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

She blushed, sitting up with a smile. “Sweet talker. A little flattery’ll get you…”

He quirked an eyebrow at that, desire already dulling the gravity he’d felt mere moments before. “Yes?” he prompted.

Moving in closer, she lay her hand lightly on his chest, sitting up so that she could whisper silently in his ear, her warm breath a promise of the fire to come.

“Anything you want.”

Releasing a shaky breath, Giles grinned wolfishly. It was true: The time for reflection was past.

* * *