While You Still Need Me

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, but I wish I did... aaah how different

the world of Buffy would be if I were in control.

Spoilers: Definitely, for "Once More With Feeling"

Author Notes: The time may be off, but play along please. Giles' sing broke my heart,

I love that man and if he leaves.... I don't think I could watch it anymore. Ok, yah it's mushy, but hell, he's great. Italics are thoughts or read words.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giles looked at his neatly packed clothes and sighed, when he came rushing back with the news that Buffy was alive... he never thought he would be returning so soon. Taking off his glasses, Giles began clean the lenses, he knew he wouldn't always be needed, but he had never dared to think he would get in the way. He was though, in the way, he had known for a while, but the song had made him feel it so much more deeply. Giles slumped, his glasses falling into his suitcase. Defeat evident in his posture, Giles attempted to rub away the tension in his face.

Rupert Giles was no longer required here, his good intentions stunting the growth of the children he tried to help. Time to move on, Rupert, let them find for themselves what you can't show them. It was all for the best, it would be hard for all concerned at first, but Buffy, all of them needed to learn how to survive in the world and it was clear that they could not do that with him around. By staying, Giles was only encouraging Buffy to cling to him, to shield her from real life, not the demons, but bills and talks.

"Umm, Giles!?" Giles started and picked up his glasses, heading downstairs to where he heard the voice coming from. Giles looked at the doorway to see Dawn standing there, hands stuffed into her pockets. Giles walked up to Dawn, crossing his arms casually.

"Yes Dawn, what is it?" Dawn shifted her weight to her other foot as she shrugged shyly.

"I uuh, have something for you." Giles tilted his head with curiosity. "Ummm," Dawn took her bag off her shoulder and stuck her hand in, pulling out a blue gift bag. "here." Giles looked at the bag and opened it. Pulling out the contents, Giles brought out a dream catcher. "I made it myself, it was a craft thing at school, there's more though." Giles again, dipped into the bag and felt something thin, a card.

Giles opened the envelope and read the front of the card,

Through good and bad

You stayed by me

Helped me out with scraped knees

Were always there

And always cared

Like the father I never had

Helped me up when I was sad

Let me know that I was loved

Never let me get pushed or shoved...

Giles opened the card to read the message in side,

Not letting my hope be defeated

Thanks for all of that,

Please know you're needed.

Love,

Dawn

The homemade card created tears in the watcher's eyes, Giles blinked them away and smiled at Dawn. "I never got to thank you Giles, for you know, being like a father to me, especially while Buffy was gone. I just wanted you to know that... I love you and that I'm so glad you came back." Giles felt his tears drop as he saw Dawn wipe away her own as she examined the floor. Giles cleared his tears before Dawn noticed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Is there something wrong, Dawn?" Dawn shook her head and looked up at Giles who just looked at her, waiting for her real answer.

"It's silly." Giles persisted with the 'tell all' look and Dawn sighed, expressing how silly she felt. "I had a dream that you left us again, but we didn't get to say good-bye this time, you left and didn't know how much I still needed you here, I just wanted to make sure you did, you know, know." Giles smiled and nodded pulling Dawn into a hug.

"I won't go anywhere, Dawn." Not while you still need me.