As Willow heats up a mug of pig's blood for Spike, who's tied to the chair in the living room, Buffy, Xander and Anya all researching the latest demon, the phone rings and Giles comes down the stairs and answers "hello?...speaking" all eyes are on him, his face turning serious as the person on the other end speaks. He nods after a few minutes and says "yes I understand. I'm more than willing to take responsibility. Yes, thank you." Buffy is the first to ask "Giles who was that?" he looks at the group and explains "my friend Robert ... has passed away." They each go to say something but he continues "and I'm his daughters godfather, she's coming here, to live with me." They each look at him in shock, unsure of what to say given his loss and new responsibility. However Anya, ever the sensitive type asks "but what about the demon's?" they all look at her, but not because of the insensitive way she asked but because of the valid point she's made "Robert was on the watchers council with me, one of the few that fought my corner when they motioned for my dismissal. I haven't seen young Zoe for many years, but last I saw she was well taught in the truth of monsters and such." They each nod and Xander says "well, do we like... set up a room or something? Maybe buy peasants?" Giles nods and goes to the door next to the front door and opens it "I suppose I'll have to clean out the guest room." They look at him and as Willow feeds Spike his blood says "guest room? I always thought that was a closet!" and the others nod in agreement.
Two days later and there's a knock on the door, Giles answers and looks to his vaster in shock, it's a small baby faced girl, around Buffy's height, maybe slightly smaller, but far more shapely, she's pail with a touch of pink to her skin, her hair is a deep brown with shimmering dark caramel highlights, is long to her forearms, crimped in places but straight and cut in different layers with side swept bangs. She's wearing a long red shirt reading 'Queen Bitch' in silver and a denim mini skirt, black leggings and women's combat boots. A tattoo on her wrist that reads 'Dreamer' with a two blue butterflies next to it and a blossom vine behind it, her makeup light, with sherbet pink lip gloss and cat styled eyeliner, highlighting her emerald eyes. She smiles brightly and says "hey uncle Rup!" he smiles back and hugs the girl before him "Zoe! My how you've grown! I thought you weren't arriving until this evening" she just looks at him and says, her voice less defined than his and softer "I got an earlier flight! Wanted to get out of there." He nods and says "you should have called; I'd have collected you from the airport! Well why you don't have a look around and I'll get your thing." She nods and wonders into the house.
As runs her hand across the counter of the kitchen as she passes, opening the fridge, only finding a few blood bags, fruit and milk. She then turns on her heel and goes through the small corridor, but as she opens the door she gasps slightly at the sight of a hansom blonde man chained to the bathtub watching TV he smiles at her and says "all right?" she just nods as Giles calls her name and the comes to her side. She looks between them and says "I can go the pictures or something,…if you,…want to finish whatever your doing." they both look at her in horror "oh bloody hell no! no!" Spike yells and Giles says "no, for heavens sake no! Zoe this is Spike, he's a vampire and something has been done to him, making it so he cant harm anyone and we wish to know why." she nods slowly "oooohhh! Sorry!" she says to them both, earning scowls from both men.
Giles shows the young girl to her room where he's put her things. it's a comely, cosy room, hardwood floors, a twin bed in the far corner, under a rectangular window, with a bedside table, a oak dresser at the end of the bed, next to the wooden double doors leading to a small walk-in closet, and a table with shelves above it and a old TV. Zoe's bags and suitcases are on the bed and she walks over "thanks for taking me, I know you didn't have to." she doesn't look at the older man as he asks "its no trouble. Zoe I,…I'm sorry about your father. He was a good man, a great man." she doesn't look at him as she starts unpacking "and now he's gone." she says with little emotion, she turns to him with a smile "I'm Fine uncle Rup, really. I'm a big girl." he nods weakly and says "yes well, I'll go shopping and get us something for dinner. You'll get to meet the others later tonight. I'll be back soon." she just nods and continues to unpack, but as she hears the front door close she holts, looks around and slumps on the bed, pulling out a mans large green shirt and inhales the sent of the collar after rapping it around her small body and sobs quietly "oh, Daddy!" and curls up on the bed in the oversized shirt, oblivious to the vampire in the bathroom who hears every whimper of the seventeen year olds heart break.