Characters: Joss, Plot: Me The second part. I meant it to be the last, but I'll be adding a third no worries. Obviously this isn't as popular as my others, but leave a review if you like it. Sorry it's so long. Please be gentle about some editing mistakes, I typed this on my iPhone and only did the reformatting on the computer.

"It's not really any of your business is it?" She could tell that hurt him and she mentally slapped herself. She knew it was his business. He was her friend and more importantly, although he didn't know it, he was the father. "I'm sorry Giles. I didn't mean to snap at you. I guess I was afraid of what you would say, what you would think of me." "Buffy you mean the world to me I could never think any less of you." He took her hand again. "I know things haven't been right since, well since the last time you came home, but I think we could make things like they used to be."

She could feel her eyes well up with tears. "I wish things could go back to the way they were but they can't. This," she gestured at her stomach, "this changes everything."

"Of course it does. It changes a lot of things, but what it doesn't do is change how I feel about you."

"You know."

"Know what?" Her sudden declaration confused him.

"About the baby."

"Of course I knew your were pregnant. I knew the moment I saw you. I've been your watcher for ten years of course I knew."

"That's not what I meant."

"If you mean about the paternity Willow and Xander already told me. And I don't care. Buffy I want you to come back home to England with me. I want to take care of you and the baby."

"Why?" She wanted the romantic answer. She wanted to be swept off her feet, metaphorically of course.

"Because," was he actually going to tell her? "Because of how I feel about you."

"And how is that?"

She was really going to make him say it. "I love you."

Nothing. She just stared at him. "Get out."

That hadn't been the expected result of his announcement. "What? Why?" "Because I refuse to sit here and be jerked around. And since I can't go anywhere yet I want you to leave."

"But Buffy doesn't what I said mean anything to you?"

"Don't patronize me. So you found out that the drug induced nookie we had four months ago resulted in me getting knocked up and now you're what? Doing the honorable thing? Well fuck you."

He was speechless. He did the math. He wondered why the very thought that he might be responsible for her present condition hadn't crossed his mind. "But Buffy I didn't-"

"Get out!" the heart monitor began to beep faster and she was breathing hard. Doctors and nurses came rushing in, pushing him out of the way. He stumbled from the room running into Willow and Xander on the way out.

"What's the matter with Buffy?" he began to run down the hall. He couldn't breath he needed to get out. Ignoring everything he ran out of the hospital.

It was hours later when he finally answered his cell phone. He knew it would be Willow. It had been her the previous twenty times but this time he decided to answer because he planned on gong to bed soon and he didn't want his sleep interrupted. "Yes Willow."

"Where are you?"

"In my hotel room."

"I'm coming over."

He didn't ask how she knew where to go. Instead he hung up the phone and drained another mini bottle of scotch. It was awful but it numbed the pain. He was the father of the child growing within Buffy. He was going to be a father and she wasn't even going to tell him. Worse she was going to get rid of it. He was angry. With her, with himself, it didn't matter; his anger filled him up until there was room for little else. If pressed he would even admit that his pride was injured. He had confessed his true feelings for her and he didn't know what was worse, that she hadn't returned them or that she thought he hadn't meant it. No, he hadn't expected her to return his feelings, having her think he hadn't meant them at all was definitely worse.

Not too much later Willow appeared and he let her on knowing he was in for a lecture. She didn't disappoint. "How could you start a fight with a pregnant woman Giles? I thought you were smarter than that?"

"I didn't start a fight. I merely confessed my feelings and the next thing I know she's yelling at me to leave."

"Wait what feelings?"

"Nothing, never mind." He reached for the mini-bottle of vodka but she was quicker.

"Well whatever. You didn't even stick around to see if she was alright. It was really scary Giles. They came in with all sorts of machines and gave her drugs. They wouldn't even let me and Xander stay in the room." Her words seemed to have the desired effect. Giles was looking suitably cowed. "She is by the way, okay I mean."

Giles breathed a sigh of relief then looked at Willow. "And the baby?"

"Fine too."

"Did she really never tell you who the father is?"

"No. Why? Did she tell you?" The look on his face was answer enough. "You're not going to tell me are you?"

"It's not my place. She obviously has her reasons for keeping it a secret." Like shame, he thought to himself.

"Well that's Buffy for you always doing things the hard way. She won't even come back to England with us."

"I know I asked her too. That seemed to be what set her off."

"Oh my gosh, it's someone in England isn't it? I cannot believe she's keeping this so secret."

"Willow is there anything else I can help you with? If not I'm obscenely tired, not to mention drunk and would like to sleep actually laying down for once."

"Oh right no problem. Will we see you tomorrow?"

"Probably not but I'll be around when they discharge her. I have a feeling she might run and there's no way I'm letting her get away with that."

"Okay well I guess I'll talk to you later then." She shut the door behind her and Giles collapsed on the bed. He was exhausted. Ten minutes later the room was silent except for the snores of a drunken man.

Buffy felt awful, worse than before. She'd hurt Giles and nearly hurt the baby. What was she going to do? She wanted to ask Willow for advice but that would mean telling her what happened back in England and all she wanted to do was forget that.

A day after her fight with Giles they agreed to discharge her. Willow and Xander walked with her to the exit where Giles was waiting with the car. Reluctantly she got in. The drive was silent, tense. Everyone was waiting for the shouting to start. Xander broke the silence, "Ooh Dennys! Anyone else hungry?"

Giles looked at Buffy pointedly in the rearview mirror. "I think lunch is a good idea Xander." He pulled into the lot and a few minutes later they were ensconced in a booth.

Buffy wanted a salad but Giles made it clear that she was going to eat right and eat plenty whenever he was around so that most American of breakfasts, the grand slam, was ordered. Afterward, with all their stomachs bulging, they piled into the car. Giles dropped Willow and Xander off first ignoring their protests. "Buffy needs her rest and I have a few words to say to her. Don't worry no yelling."

Buffy sat quietly wringing her hands just like the last time they had been in a car together. Unsure of how she would react to his touch Giles kept both his hands on the steering wheel.

"This isn't the way to my apartment Giles."

"I know." A moment later they pulled up in front of an old brownstone. "I want to show you something." He led her up the stairs surprising her when he pulled out the key to the front door. "I rented this yesterday."

"What? Why?"

"That should be self evident. I've no intention of letting you run off or try and do this on your own. Even if that weren't my child I would stay where ever you were. And as it's my child, however unintentionally, I fully intend on being a part of its life."

Buffy stared at him. This wasn't the first time he had given up everything for her and it astounded her. He was so wonderful that when it came to her she didn't think she was nearly good enough. When was the last time she sacrificed something for him? "Why?"

He was feeling impatient. "Why what?"

"Why would you give up everything for me?"

"You really don't know?" he was shocked that she wouldn't believe him.

"Because I love you Buffy. I have for a long time. I know you couldn't possibly ever return those feelings but I need to be near you. If you hadn't been pregnant when I got here I still might have stayed. I've missed you more than even I thought possible."

Her mouth was open as she stared at him. It was a dream come true but so close to a nightmare she refused to believe him. She sat down on one of the few pieces of furniture. "Why?"

Giles was legitimately worried now. "Buffy could you please say something else you're frightening me."

Buffy tried to gather her thoughts. "Why me?"

He thought he understood her now. "I think a more important question might be why I wouldn't love you? Do you have a reason that I shouldn't love you?"

"I'm me." He was on his knees in front of her looking into her eyes. "Please don't look at me."

"Buffy. Why after all this time do you doubt yourself? How can you doubt how wonderful you are?"

"I'm nothing special, Except for being the slayer and I'm not even that anymore I'm just a slayer."

"Buffy-"

Now that she was talking it seemed easier to keep saying what was on her mind. "And what do you mean you know I could never return those feelings?"

"Well I'm not ignorant of our differences. I wouldn't expect someone young and vivacious to return the feelings of a man thirty years her senior who suffers from more than a little arthritis. And when we were...in London...when we were intimate, I saw your face, your tears. I've never felt worse than I did right at that moment."

"You thought that's why I was crying?"

"Well why else? Buffy it was practically rape!" she jumped as he raised his voice. "Sorry but Buffy-"

"Giles, that's not why I was crying. I was crying because I didn't want it to happen like that."

"You mean you've thought about us? In that way?"

"Um maybe?"

He sat there speechless. This was a revelation he was wholly unprepared for. "So what do we do now?"

"You mean now that we've completely changed the dynamic of our relationship?"

"It wasn't already changed?"

"Okay so it's changed again. Consider it part of the annual review process."

"This isn't something to make light of Buffy. You're having my child. And you've just admitted to have more than platonic thoughts about me. And after my declaration, well things can never be the same."

"You can take it back Giles. I won't mind." she really hoped he wouldn't but she wouldn't begrudge him the opportunity.

"No. I don't want to. Whatever your feelings I'm glad that's no longer weighing on me."

She wondered if he was hoping she would also declare her love. She wanted to, she was certain she did, but the last few days had been a rollercoaster of emotions and hormones. She was worried they would go too fast. She didn't want him to wake up one day saddled with a kid and a woman he'd stayed with because he'd fallen in love with an idea.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I'd like to go back to my apartment. I could really use a change of clothes and a shower."

His face fell. He wished he keep her for longer but knew she was right. He had to go back to the hotel. His bed wouldn't arrive until tomorrow. Still he had a plan. "What are you doing for dinner?"

"Don't know. Think I might just go to sleep."

"Buffy you have to eat something. It's not just you you have to worry about now. I'll drop you off so you can take a shower but I'm coming right back with dinner."

She pretended to pout. "Fine, whatever."

"Yes I know spending time with me is such a hardship."

"You know it." She followed him out to the rental car.

Back at her apartment she looked around. She hurried around trying to clean up. Satisfied that she'd made it passably clean she jumped in the shower. She was still drying her hair and in her bathrobe when Giles knocked on the door.

"Hey."

"Hey. Come on in. Let me just change into some, well, some clothes."

"Of course." he actually wouldn't mind if she stayed in her bathrobe, the peek of flesh it had afforded him was tantalizing. "I hope Chinese is okay."

"It's fine." She emerged from her room in a velvet maroon track suit. He thought she looked lovely. In the tighter fitting clothes the roundness of her belly was even more pronounced.

"You look amazing."

"Uh huh if by amazing you mean fat."

"Buffy you are not fat. If anything you're too skinny which is why I got extra egg rolls." he lifted the bag of food triumphantly.

"You remembered."

"Buffy the only thing I've forgotten is the taste of an egg roll since you always eat mine, but not this time."

They sat down on the sofa to watch a movie Buffy tucking her feet under her and stealing the box of cashew chicken. She was still tired but was determined to watch the entire movie. Giles watched her adoringly as she tried not to doze. She'd distracted him enough that he still didn't get a taste of an egg roll but he didn't mind in the least.

The movie over he was unsurprised to see that Buffy had fallen asleep on the sofa. Gently he stood and slid his arms under her picking her up and cradling her to his chest. She didn't weigh much more than the last time he'd done this he noticed promising to fatten her up. He carried her through to her bedroom placing her gently on the bed and covering her with the blanket. Carefully he brushed a piece of hair back from her forehead. When she didn't wake he bent and placed a feather light kiss upon it. Gathering his things and Buffy's keys he left the apartment locking the door behind him.

Buffy felt surprisingly happy when she woke up the next morning. She couldn't help but smile. That smile increased when she opened the front door to find Giles standing there with coffee for him, hot chocolate for her and breakfast for both. "What are you doing here?"

"Well if you don't want what I've brought you keep it up. Besides I had to return your keys and make sure you had a decent breakfast."

"No I want. Come in."

"Also I have a favor to ask regarding the furnishing of my new flat."

"Oooooh, do I get to decorate?"

"Maybe I should ask Willow."

"I promise I'll be good."

"Right then. Soon as you're finished we can get started. Then it's lunch with Willow and Xander."

"Did you plan out my whole day?"

"No you still get to pick the movie we watch tonight during dinner."

"That seems a bit unfair." "Well relax. In a few days you'll be back at work and I won't get to see you except for dinner."

"Oooh something to look forward to."

"You are a mean spoiled little girl." If she hadn't seen the twinkle in his eye she would've been offended. As it was she merely stuck out her tongue and grabbed her hot chocolate from him.

Basic items for the flat were found first. And once they decided on bookcases a dining table and a sofa. It was onto the baby section. "So what do we need?"

"I had assumed you would know."

"Why would I know?"

"You're the one having the baby I thought you'd have already purchased the necessary equipment."

"Of course I haven't. I didn't even know if I was keeping it until now." She was in tears and he could tell she was using all of her control to keep from sobbing or screaming or both. She left the store him hurrying after her. She was sitting on a bench her hands clenching the seat while her chest heaved as she attempted to catch her breath. She was certain this was her first panic attack and it was definitely something she didn't want to repeat.

He had never seen her like this so utterly bereft of any control. She was trying to keep everything in, her fear her anger her sadness and the result was the state she was in. He sat next to her and took her hand. "Let it out Buffy."

"I can't."

He began to rub calming circle on her back. "It's okay I'm right here. Just try and breathe."

She squeezed his hand and tried to listen to him. "I'm sorry Giles I'm so sorry."

He stopped his rubbing to put an arm around her. "Hush Buffy you've nothing to apologize for."

"I'm a horrible person. I thought about giving it up. You must hate me."

"Buffy we've already gone over my feelings for you. I don't hate you. In fact I think it's impossible for me to hate you. As for the other thing, that was a perfectly natural and understandable reaction. The important question is what you've decided to do now."

Her breathing was returning to normal and she sniffed, taking proffered hankie from Giles. "Are you really staying here?"

"Would I have bought all this furniture if I wasn't? Buffy if you really don't think you can do this no one will think any less of you and I'm prepared to take full responsibility for the child."

"Part of me was so happy to be pregnant, carrying a little piece of you with me, but most of the time I'm just so scared."

"I'm here for you Buffy." He tried not to smile as he listened to her, that was as close to a declaration of love as he expected to get from her.

"If you're really staying to be a part of this then I want to keep it. You make me less afraid."

He gave her a squeeze. "Do you want to come back tomorrow?"

"Can we? That way we can read up on it and won't look like complete amateurs."

"Deal, it's time for lunch anyway."

Xander and Willow were glad to see that Buffy was feeling better although she was still reluctant to talk about the baby. For Buffy there was just so much they didn't know that telling them now would come as a shock.

Upon hearing that Giles was staying they quickly changed their plans to watching a movie at his new flat on his new TV. He was less than thrilled but if it meant another chance to watch over Buffy he wasn't going to complain. Besides it would be the last time they would see each other for at least three months.

After lunch they all spent the afternoon shopping for Giles apartment although they weren't very successful as Xander kept picking out neon beer signs and Willow appeared to have what he would call an unhealthy obsession with things decorated with cows or other farm animals. When the shopping was over they retired to Giles house. While they waited for the pizza to arrive Xander helped Giles put together some of his furniture and Willow started talking about baby names. "What do you mean you don't like Harrison?"

"I just don't. I was thinking maybe something British. Besides I don't even know if I'm having a boy or a girl yet."

"Something British …like Mary or Katherine ooh or Anne then she could be named after you too." she saw Buffy wrinkle her nose. "And for a boy name him after Giles! Call him Rupert." Both Buffy and Giles looked up quickly. "Wouldn't you like that Giles; if Buffy named her son after you? He could be mini-Giles!"

Giles could see Buffy's eyes begging him to make it stop. "That may seem rather odd since none of you have ever called me Rupert before."

"I suppose. Well it's a modern world she could just name him Giles." Buffy snorted as she held back a laugh. Still Willows train of thought needed to be derailed. "Actually I've already decided. If it's a boy I will name him Keanu Xander. And if it's a girl Phoebe Joyce." Giles looked up at her alarmed but could tell she was joking. Tired of trying to fit peg A into slot B and wanting this conversation to end he stood up. "Who's ready for a movie?"

It was perfect timing as the pizza chose that moment to arrive. They settled on his new sofa Buffy curled up against the arm Willow next to her and Xander on the end. Giles sat in his own chair better situated for Buffy watching than movie watching. It was a good decision the movie was awful and Buffy was much more capable of holding his attention although that ha always been the case.

When the movie was over they all stood up and began gathering their things. They all piled into Giles car so he could take them back to their hotel and Buffy back to her apartment. At the hotel everybody hugged except for Xander who gave Giles a manly handshake and back thump. They were leaving too early in the morning to get sent off then.

Giles walked Buffy up to her apartment. "So are you going to tell me what you found so funny about naming a baby Giles? It's no more ridiculous than Keanu."

"Geeze Giles that was a joke. And I wasn't laughing at the name Giles. I was just thinking it would be weird to name a kid Giles Giles. Can you imagine the teasing?"

He was stunned. He had no idea that she was going to give her child his last name. "I sort of thought its last name would be Summers."

"How very old-fashioned of you. Why would I give it my last name when I know who the father is and the father knows who the father is?"

"Won't that kind of give it away as to the child's paternity?"

"Well they're gonna find out at some point." He hadn't realized that she planned on telling them so he kept his mouth shut.

"Well, this is goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning and we can work on some more of that shopping."

"Good night Giles."

True to his word h appeared with hot chocolate and breakfast in one hand and baby magazines in the other. By the time Buffy was finished eating they had a rather long list of things they would need. He was rather alarmed especially when he considered that they would need to buy a second set of everything for Buffy's apartment.

"Um Giles, about that, I was thinking. And it's cool if you don't want me too, but maybe it'd be easier if I you know moved in with you."

He didn't know what to say so he tried for levity. "I wanted that third room for my library and office."

"Oh well yeah that's cool. My apartment's fine."

"Buffy I was joking. If you want to move in that would be lovely. I have to confess I did get three rooms for just such an eventuality."

"It wouldn't have to be permanent or anything, just until I figure out this whole parenting thing."

"Buffy it's fine you can live with me as long as you like. Especially if it means I have to spend less money."

"Oh and I was sort of thinking, I mean, I know you like, to be prepared and all, but maybe we could hold off on buying all the stuff until we know if it's a boy or a girl."

"You mean if we're having a Keanu or not?"

"You're never gonna let that go are you?"

"Never in a million."

Buffy went back to work the next day and Giles sort of moped around the apartment missing her. Eventually he got a paper and started looking for a job. He was going to need one if they were sticking around for any length of time. The money from the council was enough but he needed more to do then sit around and wait for Buffy.

He would meet her for lunch everyday making sure she was eating properly. At the end if the day she would come home exhausted and starving and he was only too happy to feed her then rub her feet. The first time he had done it was weird they weren't used to so much contact but she couldn't argue with how good it felt.

They had gone to the doctor who assured them that everything was fine with the baby. He described the baby as modest when he couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl. Mildly frustrated Buffy poked her belly on the way home telling it to shape up. She shrieked when she felt a poke back and Giles nearly drove off the road. He pulled over and gripped the steering wheel until his heart rate returned to normal. "Are you okay? Do I need to go back to the doctors?"

"It poked me."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Here," she put his hand on her belly where she'd felt it before then poked her tummy again. It was Giles turn to yelp has he yanked his hand away. He stared at her completely at a loss for words. "Weird huh?"

"Exceedingly. Let's go home."

Occasionally throughout the evening she would grab his hand and press it to her belly amazed at what she was feeling. Giles was equally amazed to feel a life growing and moving inside of her. He tried talking to it and singing to it, each of those actions eliciting further pokes and bounces.

Another few weeks had passed in their bizarrely domestic lives when Giles made an announcement. "Buffy I've signed us up for Lamaze classes."

"Us?"

"It is usually done with a partner. Unless of course you'd rather someone else accompany you." he was constantly living in fear of the day she decided they'd grown close enough. Already they touched more than ever and he could feel the threads of a romantic relationship bringing them together.

"No there's no one else. I just thought the whole hee hee hoo thing was for the moms."

"Well I'd be there as a sort of coach to remind you about the hoo."

"So you're gonna be in the room with me?"

"I'd like to be, if that's alright with you of course."

"Oh yeah of course, it's totally fine Giles. I mean baby or not it's still time in the hospital."

"There's always a home birth."

"No way. I may not like hospitals but that's where all the lifesaving stuff is. It's not like this baby's coming out a slayer."

He sensed her fear. "Everything will be alright Buffy. We will do it however you wish."

And so they went to class. They discussed pain control methods and breathing. Afterward they see a movie or go to dinner then walk home hand in hand. They were both beginning to wonder what exactly their relationship status was but it was made worse for Buffy, she imagined, because her pregnancy hormones and his nearness were leaving her in a perpetual state of unsatisfied arousal.

Finally something had to give. They'd spent an hour sitting her between his legs gripping his hands as they pretended she was in labor. The hour of him breathing whispering in her ear had left her nerves frayed and on edge. She was so desperate to get away from him and perhaps provide herself with some release that she begged off dinner in favor of returning to the flat as quick as possible. Giles noticed her distraction and the tension she was carrying. As soon as they were back at the house he put the kettle on. "Buffy would you like me to rub your back? I can see something's bothering you." He rested his hands lightly on her shoulders.

It was too much for her. "Please don't touch me!"

His hands snapped back. "Buffy I didn't -"

She was gone shutting her bedroom behind her. Throwing herself onto the bed she sobbed in frustration. Maybe moving in with him hadn't been the best idea after all.

Timidly Giles knocked on her door a cup of tea in hand. "Buffy?" Getting no response he opened the door and stepped in closing it behind him. "Buffy I don't understand what's wrong. Have I done something?"

"No no it's not you Giles."

"Then what?" he helped her sit up and began to wipe her tears away but it only made them fall faster.

She gave in. She didn't have to energy to come up with a lie. "Don't laugh, but it's just that, well, I'm so horny!" Another round of sobbing began. He had to school his face into one of impartiality. "I'm sorry it's just these hormones and you're you. And I sort of thought about asking you, but it feels like everything's out of my control, just like last time. And that whole hour of pressed together heavy breathing did not help and now I feel like I'm going to explode!"

He understood her now. As much as he might want to take her into his bed he didn't want it to happen while one of them was under the influence. Still it was clear that Buffy was not okay. "Buffy tell me what you want me to do."

"Do?"

"To help you."

"What I'd like to do we can't do Giles, not like this."

"Then what? I'll hire you a strapping young military type to ravish you if you'd like. Anything." The very idea of someone else having her that way, even if it was just to scratch an itch, made him ill.

She smiled weakly at his attempt at humor. "I don't want someone like Riley or Angel or Spike. I want someone like you! I want you!"

He didn't care if it was the hormones talking or not. He'd give her anything she wanted. "Buffy you can have me. I'm yours I've always been yours." He bent toward her and kissed her lightly.

She pushed him away gently but reluctantly. "I don't want you like this. I want it to be special."

"Then I'd better go before anything we might regret happens. Spending so much time so close to you wasn't easy for me either Buffy."

"I know it's hard, sorry bad choice of words, difficult, but could you stay with me? Please just hold me until I fall asleep?"

She was asking so much of him, but he could never deny her. He reclined on the bed pulling her to him. "Go to sleep Buffy I'm here. I'll always be here."

Despite their closeness neither of them had any difficulty falling asleep like they had assumed. As always they were the balms for each other's battered souls. Wrapped in each other's arms they slept peacefully.

Buffy awoke a few hours later but Giles must've been more tired than he let on since he slept through her untangling herself to get up and go to the bathroom. She came back and debated spending the rest of the night in her chair or on the sofa but decided against it. Instead she back under the covers to watch him sleep.

She loved him so much. So much she didn't know how to tell him. She kept thinking that the right time would come. That maybe after the baby came they'd be able to talk and touch and kiss without worrying about someone being under the control of drug or hormones. Logically she knew there would always be something that would get in the way if she let it. She was going to have to come up with a plan.

She bent and let herself kiss him. She did it again only this time he responded and reached an arm around her. He clutched at her holding her. His kisses had sent a fire rushing through her veins she couldn't stop herself she joined him holding herself up on one arm.

Giles was barely awake. All he knew was that Buffy was kissing him and he never wanted it to stop. He let his hand roam up her back to tangle in her hair and then the other up her shirt to cup her breast. The moan that leaked out between their mouths from her and the way her body jerked against him kept him from suppressing a moan of his own. "Oh Buffy."

That was all it took for her control to snap. She pulled away but before he could even try to utter an apology she ripped off her shirt and tore open his before returning her lips to his fiercely. She nearly fainted at the feeling of his skin against hers.

He wanted her. He had wanted her for months. He had wanted her so much that now it was a need. He needed to have her and didn't care at all about the consequences. He rolled them over making sure not to crush her, aware even in his state of half sleep there was a precious bump between them. He pulled his shirt off then focused his attentions on removing Buffy's pants followed quickly by his own. He thought about foreplay about all the things that he wanted to do to her, with her, but she was undulating under him, moaning his name and clawing at his back. There would be time for the rest of that later he hoped. Now he needed to focus on her. He sucked a nipple into his mouth wondering if pregnancy made women more responsive as she gasped and her body surged against his.

"Please Giles please I need you."

"Buffy-"

"Giles please."

He couldn't deny her anymore and he wouldn't deny himself. He placed himself at her entrance and began easing himself in. She was tight and white hot and it took everything he had to keep from ending it right then. He sat up as he began to move holding onto her thighs. She was thrusting against him begging for more. Feeling his release building he agreed and sped up calling out her name as his climax rolled through him.

Guilt filled him immediately. He let go of her legs and sat down on the edge of the bed. He couldn't look at her afraid he would see the same tears he had last time. He stood up and began groping in the dark for his pants.

"Giles? Giles where are you going?"

"I just, um, need to clear my head. Go for a walk, figure out what just happened here."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you, but you don't have to go. I want you to stay."

"But what does this mean?"

"I'm not mad at you, and I'm not going to force you to do something you don't want to do, but I want you to stay."

She held back the covers for him and watched as he thought about it. Finally he agreed and climbed back under the covers. He was still completely baffled about what ha just happened but that feeling was quickly being supplanted by the joy that came from having her pressed against him. "Goodnight Buffy."

"G'nite Giles." A few moments later and he was asleep. Buffy couldn't sleep, Buffy was making plans.

Giles nearly had a heart attack in the morning when he discovered that he was alone in Buffy's bed. Looking at the clock he figured he'd slept in a bit and just missed her leaving for work. He dressed in his discarded clothes and made his way to the bathroom and then to the kitchen for a pot of tea.

"I already made some Giles it's on the counter."

He jumped nearly a foot in the air. "Buffy what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I quit. I made pancakes too." She hopped up and retrieved a plate of pancakes from the oven.

"What? Why?"

"Because the commute between here and England would be ridiculous." She was typing away at the computer and didn't look up to see his reaction.

"England? But, wait… What?"

"Alright stutter man. Have a seat and I will try and use small words so you can understand." She pushed him into a chair and handed him a cup of tea. "I want us to move back to England."

"Why?"

"Because it's my home. It's where my family is. It's where you should be."

"But your job."

"Giles I only took that job because you didn't want me to stay."

"Buffy I never wanted you to leave."

"Well you could've stopped me. It would've only taken one word from you." "You could've stayed."

She stared at him for a minute. "This is a stupid fight. Moving on. I want to go home to England because I'm tired of you sacrificing everything for me. It's my turn to do the sacrificing for you."

"Why?"

Buffy giggled at how similar this conversation was to one they'd had weeks ago. "Because of how i feel about you."

"How you feel? About me?"

"I love you."

"Why?"

"Giles..."

"Why me?"

"Because you're my watcher, my friend, my lover, my protector, my conscience, because you're you."

"But Buffy, why?"

"Giles, have you been hit on the head recently?" she could see the twinkle in his suspiciously moist eyes. "Don't do that!" she smacked his shoulder.

"Ow. Buffy may I remind you that while you may only be a slayer now you are still quite strong."

She sat on his lap and kissed his shoulder lightly before wrapping her arms around his neck. "And you do realize that I just made a very important declaration and haven't gotten any reassurance yet?"

"Ah yes about that," he was still rather stunned, "Buffy are you sure-"

"Ah come here you big oaf," she pulled his head to him pressed her lips against his and proceeded to kiss away all his doubts.

Coming up for air he smiled at her bemusedly. "You have persuaded me. Buffy I love you too." He kissed her again his heart rejoicing. "But let's just remember who said it first."