"There, there. Nothing to be afraid of."

Ethan hooked a finger under the girl's chin, lifting her face and turning it from side to side.

"So? You want her?" the woman asked.

Yes, Ethan thought to himself, she would do nicely. Blonde and blue-eyed, just like his girl was. A few years younger, but she'd outgrow that.

Aloud Ethan replied, "I'm not sure. I can deal with a child with a wild streak, but I can't abide a weakling." Ethan inspected the girl's forearms. "She's rather scrawny."

"Oh, no no," the woman replied. "She's strong. Real strong. The other day she broke off the leg of a chair and was brandishing it around. That's why my old man and me don't want her around no more."

The woman's voice trailed off and Ethan smiled a knowing smile, reveling at her discomfort. She thought she'd said too much. She had. She believed she'd lost her advantage in their bargaining. She had. But it was just what Ethan had been waiting to hear.

xxxxx

"You're going back? To them?" Ethan spat out, watching Rupert pack.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Responsibility. I know it's a foreign concept to you, but do try to wrap your head around it."

"You'll hate it. You know you will. They'll saddle you with some girl. Some giggly, hormonal, clingy girl." Ethan gloated as Rupert flinched. He knew Ripper's buttons.

"Given my activities and associates," said Rupert, disdain written across his face as he looked at Ethan, "I severely doubt they will ever assign me to a Slayer."

"Then why go at all? You're nothing to them. Ripper, stay here with me. We can have power. We can have..."

"I told you to never call me that again. And I would rather be a peon of the Watcher's Council for the rest of my life than to spend one more day here."

"So now you're better than us, is that it?"

"Anything is better than this."

xxxxx

"Ah, Ripper," Ethan choked out, "congratulations, they gave you a Slayer."

"Giles? What's going on?"

"He's of no consequence to you, Buffy. I will take care of it. Go along to class."

Ethan watched the girl look from one of them to the other, reluctant to leave.

"I can stick around, it's just history."

"And there's just a test today too." Giles turned his head toward Buffy and attempted a reassuring smile. "Go. Really."

"Okay..."

The girl picked up her bag and headed for the doors, looking at them one last time over her shoulder. Ethan couldn't resist calling out, "So paternal. Does she call you daddy?" It was worth the blow that came as soon as the doors swung shut.

xxxxx

The girl didn't look back once as they drove away. She didn't cry. And so far he hadn't had to restrain her. He let the silence stretch out, waiting for her to take the lead.

"What's you're name?"

"Giles. Rupert Giles. And your name," Ethan glanced over to her, "is Buffy."