I was crouching behind what was left of the cashiers desk when he charged in to take control of Willow. And take control he did, binding her and keeping her from causing any more damage; both to us and the shop, but mostly to herself. The atmosphere was tingling with both magic and electricity.

Anya and Buffy broke the tension by pulling him into a hug while I gingerly stood behind the desk and our eyes met. I drank in the sight of the man I'd missed for so long, for the first time in months, followed by one simple inelegant thought of "Oh, shit." Willows remark of "Daddy's home," still echoed in my ears. Daddy was home indeed.

He slipped over to greet me as Anya and Buffy finally broke their welcoming hug to try and salvage what they could of the shop.

"That entrance? Incredibly sexy." I breathed in his ear as we embraced.

"Don't worry. When this is all over, you and I will be getting very well reacquainted." He murmured back, holding me tightly, then added, "I've missed you so dearly."

And well reacquainted we were. I got drunk, lost and high on the feeling of his familiar body bringing me to ecstasy again and again. Hands knowing just where to touch, and his kisses easing from desperate to tender. As I was resting blissfully against his chest afterwards I heard him sigh deeply. I glanced up and took in the sight of him, face raised slightly to the ceiling and brow furrowed, troubled.

"Thinking about what to do with Willow now?"

"That, amongst many other things." Another sigh.

"Y/n, can I ask you a question? And please, do be completely honest with me."

I nodded mutely, encouraging him to continue. "Was it just...the physicality's between us that you missed? Or did you miss...me?"

I sat up slowly, considering my answer. His eyes were still fixed upon the ceiling.

"The bare bones truth? At first I thought I did just miss the 'physical' things.

I tried to sleep with someone else, about three weeks after you left. But, I was just left disappointed and unsatisfied. At first I thought I was just missing being with a man who knew my body as intimately and deeply as you do, who knew what I liked."

He nodded, urging me to continue.

"But after a short while, I realised it was all of you. It only took little things. There'd be a lull in conversation, usually after Xander had said something stupid, and I'd find myself thinking... 'Giles would have the perfect dry, sarcastic remark in response to that.'

Over time I realised... It was all of you. And I realised I-II—..."

I couldn't finish. His eyes snapped to mine at my silence and I knew he understood what I was about to say without me having to say it.

"Much the same has been happening to me." He confessed, sitting up and taking my hands in his.

"Like you I also tried to sleep with another but, I found myself wishing it were you. And when you looked at me as I came back in, well... None of our previous encounters, even us being intimate, have made me feel quite so...naked. It was like you were seeing all of me, and straight through me at the same time. It was terrifying and exhilarating."

"It felt like I was seeing you again for the first time."

"It was much the same for me."

"Giles I—"

"Shhh, y/n. We'll work this out tomorrow. For now, I've missed you. All of you, so much."

And with that he pulled me gently back down to rest upon his chest, and we both drifted into a blissful sleep, holding onto each other tightly.

"I missed you too."