Buffy sighed and grimly removed a twig from her bra. Stupid rhododendron. Next time Willow came up with one of her loopy plans she could go sit in a frisky shrubbery. Skilfully avoiding another unwanted twiggy advance the sulky Slayer shifted position – and froze. Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. She looked down at the no longer quite square cake box with a crestfallen expression. Umm... Oops..? The rest of the Scoobies were going to kill her! Anxiously opening the box she heaved a deep sigh of relief – at least the cake was roughly the same shape as when it left the bakery. And her closeted chocoholic Watcher probably wouldn't be too touchy when it came to free chocolate cake anyway... She grinned as she remembered his embarrassed expression when she'd walked in on him and a big helping of Devil's Food Cake a couple of months earlier. Definitely on the top three list of Worst Squirming Watcher Moments Ever. Possibly only outdone by the time she'd found him deeply engrossed in a thumbed copy of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Buffy smiled fondly, warm fuzzies tingling through her body. God how she loved her occasionally so stuffy Watcher. In a very platonic way, she quickly added in case her subconscious was listening in and got ideas. Uh huh. If I say so. The clearly unimpressed voice in her head made Buffy nod insistently. Yes. Totally platonic, she clarified. Oh, right. So I'm not picturing Giles eating that chocolate cake, swirling his tongue around the spoon to finish off the last clingy piece of frosting and closing his eyes in ecstasy at the rich chocolaty taste? Buffy stifled a small whimper. Well, I wasn't until now, she complained weakly. Her subconscious gave her a provocative smirk. And just imagine what that tongue would feel like if he would... Yes, okay, I've made my point. Now stop it before I have to use Giles's flat for a cold shower – which pretty much would spoil the whole surprise concept of the surprise party – so just shut up, okay? Her unruffled subconscious grinned contentedly, still happily engrossed in chocolaty Giles fantasies. Buffy groaned in frustration. Why was Giles still home anyway? He should have been at the Magic Box twenty minutes ago and here she was skulking around in the shrub from Hell waiting for him to even leave. Jeez, late much? The grumbling blonde glared at Giles's front door and quickly forgot her grievances as he finally emerged in... jeans? Giles was wearing jeans? She tilted her head and moved a bit of rhododendron out of the way to better appreciate the view of jeans-clad Watcher butt. Wow. And really tight fitting they were too... Buffy allowed herself a few seconds of admiration before shaking her head. She was here on a mission, not to check her Watcher out. Her imagination grinned lazily. Yes, but the checking out was an added bonus, wasn't it? The Slayer nodded absentmindedly, her eyes still firmly glued to Giles's backside. She moaned softly when the long-legged Watcher disappeared around the corner. Ooh yes... Definite bonus... With a dreamy expression she fought her way through the amorous wildlife and quietly let herself into Giles's flat. The first part of Operation Giles Love was a go.

xxxxx

'Hello, Rupert. Quaint little toy shop you have here.'

The affected voice made Giles exchange a glum look with the eye of newt jar he was shelving. So the ponces had arrived? Wonderful... He took a steadying breath and shoved his suddenly trembling hands into his pockets. He could do this. Buffy needed a Watcher and she'd made it all too clear that place was no longer his. With a small sigh he turned around and gave the speaker an appraising look. Ah, yes. Tanned, brawny and exceptionally stupid. Buffy's type to a T.

'Hello, Dan. How... uh... n-nice to see you' he lied with a barely suppressed sigh.

'Hm. Yes.' Daniel raised a shoulder in a dismissive shrug and swiftly changed the subject. 'Dull little town, this' he mused. 'We went for a bite to eat after we arrived yesterday. Not much of a nightlife, is there?'

'You should try the cemeteries' Giles muttered under his breath.

'Although things are most definitely looking up today' the newcomer continued, calmly ignoring the remark. He stretched and gave the space behind Giles a slippery smile. 'Your little emporium must make quite a bundle for you to be able to afford such pretty assistants. Won't you introduce us, Rupert?'

Giles closed his eyes in aggravation. The man might be an efficient Watcher, but he also was a most insufferable prat.

'Daniel, this is' he turned around and blinked when he was presented with decidedly more cleavage than expected 'um... W-Willow?'

'Hi Rupert' the young witch purred seductively up at him, putting a small hand on his arm. 'Who's the old guy?'

Giles blinked again. Had she just called him..? His wary eyes met much too innocent ones and he groaned under his breath. Oh, dear Lord, no. Willow was being "helpful". He was doomed.

'May I see you in the back room for a moment, Willow?' he asked resignedly.

'But... Old guy...' she objected, indicating Daniel who was observing them with ill-concealed interest. Giles fixed her with a stern look.

'Back room. Now' he ordered. The redhead gulped and meekly followed him through the shop. Giles closed the door behind them and turned towards her with his arms crossed. 'Well?' he said expectantly. Willow peeked nervously at him.

'Hi, Giles' she mumbled in a poor attempt at stalling.

'Hello, Willow' he replied in an even tone. 'Well?'

'Well what?' the Wicca asked uneasily.

'Well, why this...' his eyes swept over her sparse attire before quickly returning to her face '...sudden change of wardrobe?'

'I... uh... thought it was time for a makeover..?' she tried.

The Watcher shot her a cynical look.

'And on the day the people from the Council arrive at my doorstep too. Imagine that' he observed dryly.

'Oops, coincidence..?'

'Right. Coincidence...' he drawled, his mocking glare radiating exasperated affection. 'Thank you, Willow, I truly appreciate the... uh... effort... I just don't think it's going to work.' Giles's eyes were drawn to the generous amount of skin on display and he swallowed hard. 'Whatever it is.'

Willow's cheeks reddened and she gave the flustered Watcher a guilty look.

'Uh. It's... I thought... I mean, we thought...' she stuttered.

Giles rolled his eyes.

'I'm probably better off not knowing?' he interpreted.

'Probably' the redhead agreed sheepishly.

'I see.' The Watcher favoured her with one of his rare self-conscious half grins. 'Well, it's appreciated.' He paused and contemplated her outfit. 'In a very daunting way' he added reflectively.

Willow gloomily nodded her assent. The plan had seemed a lot more logical at 2am the previous night. And the store's AC might be good for the merchandise but it did nothing for her comfort. She shivered and stole a furtive glance at Giles. Ah, well. The gratified expression on the Englishman's face was more than worth a bit of inconvenience and a potential cold. She hesitated briefly before boldly throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his shirt.

'I really love you, you know' she mumbled into his chest.

'Um. Y-yes. I l-love you too, Willow' Giles stuttered distractedly as he tried to find a clothed enough spot of Wicca to reciprocate the embrace.

'Good.' The witch snuggled closer. 'This is nice. You're a good hugger, Giles' she added with a contented sigh.

'Must be the company' Giles replied with a gentle smile, dropping a quick kiss on the silky hair. Willow giggled.

'You're being silly' she announced indistinctly.

'Undoubtedly' the Watcher complied. 'And once more I blame the company.'

Willow leant back and gave him a mock glare.

'Not quite as enamoured by you anymore' she huffed.

'I'm heartbroken' Giles declared and the witch stuck her tongue out at him. He half grinned at her once more before giving the door a gloomy stare. 'I guess we'd better go rescue Anya from the old guy...' he shot Willow a quick smile, her emphasis on old hadn't escaped him and he was quite sure it hadn't escaped Daniel either '...before our resident vengeance demon decides to come out of early retirement.'

The Wicca nodded and reluctantly extracted herself from the embrace.

'Right. The old guy' she repeated. A flicker of indecision flashed through her eyes before she reached up and pressed her lips against the surprised Watcher's. He stared at her in confused silence as she took a step back, her eyes firmly glued to his mouth. Apparently satisfied with her work she beamed at him and perkily bounced across the room. Giles glazed eyes followed her as she stopped just inside the door, dragged her hand across her mouth and ruffled up her hair. He shook his head in bewilderment. She really was the strangest girl.

xxxxx

'Sexually harassing the employees? Really, Rupert…' Daniel tutted in mock disappointment. 'The spots never change, do they, Ripper?'

'Hm. What?' It was with difficulty Giles tore his bemused eyes away from the unusually animated Willow, and Dan gave him an impatient look.

'The lipstick' he stated disapprovingly. 'With your colouring something warmer would be much more becoming.'

Giles's brow furrowed. What lipsti... He rubbed at his lips and eyed his fingers suspiciously. Ah. That lipstick. He gave the very innocent-looking Wicca a withering glare. Things were suddenly beginning to fall into place.

'Thank you for the fashion tip, I'll be sure to keep that in mind' he muttered testily. 'What is it you want, Dan?'

'Temper, Rupert. Temper.' Daniel leant comfortably against a bookshelf and shot the irate Englishman a complacent smirk. 'Anyway, I want the Codex' he added unflinchingly.

'Of course. And I should lend it to you because..?' Giles inquired with cutting politeness.

'Because even as an ex-Watcher you want what's best for the Slayer' Daniel pointed out, maliciously stressing the ex. Giles deflated slightly.

'Yes. Q-Quite. It's at my flat, I'll make sure you have it by tomorrow' he promised resignedly.

'Why wait, Rupert, old boy?' Dan asked with a triumphant expression. 'That book is in all probability the only interesting thing we'll find in this town. Let's go get it.'

'But...'

'Oh, I'll come with you. I'm sure you're dying to show me your... I was going to say family, but that would have been insensitive of me, wouldn't it?' Dan gave Giles an unpleasant smile. 'Well, I'm sure you'll love to show me your bachelor pad. It's probably very... uh... clean...'

The indignant Giles was expertly dragged out of the shop, leaving Willow and Anya to exchange a thoughtful look. Willow reached for the phone.

'Buffy? Slight change of plans...