Buffy handed her watcher a cup of tea as she sat beside him on the stairs of the empty magic box.

"So how is she doing?" Giles asked as he took a sip of tea cringing at the taste, but smiling at his slayer as he set it down beside him.

"She's doing the best she can, she is spending more time with Dawn, so," Buffy trailed off as she paused to catch her breath.

"Right well that is a good thing I suppose," her watcher replied not sure what to say.

"I'm really at a loss Giles," Buffy said as she rubbed her face the tiredness evident to her watcher who rubbed her back gently.

"Maybe someone else should take up patrolling he encouraged."

Buffy looked up at those words, "like who?"

"Well me of course, maybe Willow and Oz could be of assistance," he said.

"I couldn't ask that of you guys," Buffy said tiredly.

"Good thing you didn't ask," Giles said with a smirk as he nudged her shoulder.

"I'm just so tired," Buffy said as she rubbed her eyes again.

"Then it's settled, you get some rest, we got this so to speak," Giles said as he waved his hand around.

Buffy just gave him a tight smile as she closed her eyes, and tried to find some peace.

Giles let her rest as he got up and began putting away the rest of the stock; he looked up startled when he heard a light knock on the door.

"I'm sorry we are closed," he told the young woman who was looking over his shoulder at the young slayer who was passed out on the stairs.

"I'm I'm TTTara I was tttold BBBBuffy might bbbbe here," she stammered.

"Right come on in," Giles said as he stepped aside allowing the young witch to enter.

"Is she okay?" Tara asked as she set her bag down and placed her hand on Buffy's forehead in concern.

The gesture brought a smile to Giles's face, "she's just tired, perhaps you could take her home?"

Tara looked towards the watcher who was looking at Buffy with concern.

"You must be Giles, Buffy's watcher?" Tara asked as she held out her hand.

The two shook hands, as they both turned to look back towards Buffy who was still sound asleep.

"She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders," Tara said as she cupped Buffy's face tenderly.

"She does, such a burden for such a young woman to bear," Giles agreed as he went to pick up a statue, he struggled with it which caused it to drop.

Buffy shot up at the sound as she pulled out her stake, she smiled sheepishly when she saw a guilty looked Giles standing over the broke statue.

"Sorry," he said as he began to pick up the pieces.

"It's okay," Buffy said waving him off. "The stairs weren't the best option for falling asleep on anyways.

"Do you feel better at least?" Tara asked making her presence known to her girlfriend.

Buffy's eyes lit up as she saw her, "Tara hey."

Tara gave her a shy smile as Buffy hugged her tightly.

Giles watched the exchange with a smile as he finished picking up the pieces.

"I actually feel a little bit better," Buffy replied as she stretched.

"Good but you still aren't patrolling," Giles scolded her as he threw away the pieces he collected.

Buffy pouted, "Please?"

Giles rolled his eyes, "we can train a bit tonight, but that is my final offer."

Buffy pouted which caused Tara to smile, "fine."

"Tara care to watch?" Giles asked a he grabbed some weapons from behind the counter.

Tara's eyes darkened at the thought of watching her girlfriend work out, "sure," she managed to spit out as she turned beet red casing Buffy and Giles to smile.

"I'm going to go change," Buffy told Giles as she took Tara's hand and pulled her towards an empty room in the back.

"I guess I'll just go wait in the training room," Giles said awkwardly as he grabbed the weapons and headed towards the room.

Tara tried not to drool as she watched Buffy change, sure she has seen her naked plenty of times but she never got tired of seeing those glorious abs.

"Giles seems to like you," Buffy said as she finished getting dressed and grabbed a towel.

"He seems nice," Tara said with a smile as Buffy offered her hand which she gladly took.

"Best watcher ever," Buffy said as she pulled Tara up and kissed her gently before leading her to the training room.

"Are you ready?" Giles asked as Tara took a seat in the bench facing the training mat.

"As I'll ever be," Buffy said as she did a few stretches.

They trained a bit before Buffy yawned again, causing Giles to frown.

"Perhaps we shall call it a night?" he asked as he gathered the weapons.

"Sounds good, I wanted to thank you though," Buffy said as she looked towards Tara who was smiling back at her.

"For what?" Giles asked as he set the weapons down behind a counter.

"For being supportive of us, I hate lying to everyone else; it feels like a weight has been lifted with you knowing."

"Buffy you know I will always have your back," Giles said with a smirk causing Buffy to laugh.

"Thanks though."

"Always, goodnight girls," Giles said as he headed out the back door. "Oh and lock up when you leave," he said as he stuck his head back in.

Buffy just nodded, "goodnight."

Buffy and Tara went to turn the lights off when she noticed Xander standing there a look on his face the slayer couldn't quite read.

"So you two are dating?" he asked as he gestured between the two women.

"Is that a problem?" Buffy asked suddenly getting defensive towards her best friend.

Xander smiles as he shake his head no, "It's great I'm happy for you."

Buffy's eyes narrowed, "you are?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Angel rings a bell," Buffy said quietly and with a frown.

"Look I know I haven't always been supportive and I allowed my jealousy get in the way, but I do really want you to be happy and it seems Tara makes you that way," Xander said as he beamed towards the two woman.

"Thank you Xander, that means a lot," Buffy said as she squeezed his arm.

"Come on bring it in," Xander said with a smirk as he pulled the two women into a hug.

Buffy laughed as she hugged her best friend.

"And hey don't worry about Willow she will come around," he assured the two women.

"I hope so, I've had to introduce Tara twice," Buffy muttered.

"She did the same thing in the 2nd grade to this girl Amber I liked, pretended she didn't know her when I know she did," he frowned as he seemed to be lost in thought.

"Xan? You okay?" Buffy asked gently as she and Tara exchanged worried glances.

"Sorry, "he said as he shook his head and smiled. "Got lost in memory land."

"Well welcome back," Buffy said with a smirk.

"Anyway, I came to pick up a statue," Anya claims she needs.

Buffy looked towards the trashcan and laughed, causing Tara to smile as she tried to cover it up.

"What?" Xander asked as he walked over to the trashcan. He gasped as he looked inside, "she is going to freak!"

"It was an accident," Buffy defended.

"You were practicing your moves on a poor defenseless statue?"

"No," Buffy pouted. "What makes you assume it was me who broke it?"

"Was it an invisible girl?" Xander teased causing Buffy to shoot daggers at him.

"It was Mr. Giles," Tara piped up not understanding the teasing the young man was doing to her girlfriend.

"Way to throw the watcher under the bus, I like her," Xander said as she smiled at the two women before going to the door.

"Be careful!" Buffy called as he waved to them over his shoulder before disappearing into the darkness.

"So ready to head home?" Buffy asked as she grabbed her stuff.

Tara just nodded as she took Buffy's offered hand.

"I'm really glad your friend and watcher know," Tara said as she slid into bed next to Buffy.

"Me too, I want to tell everyone else, I'm just worried."

"Didn't Oz figure it out as well?" Tara asked as she cuddled close to the blonde slayer.

"Yes he did and he said he wouldn't say anything," Buffy assured her as she pulled her close.

"So Willow is who you are most worried about knowing?" Tara asked her voice full of hurt as she pulled away.

"Look it's not that I'm ashamed, it's just she's so convinced I'm still hung up on Angel and it's just hard because a part of me still does miss him," Buffy cried out.

Tara softened as she pulled Buffy into her arms, "I know you miss him, he was your first love I get that," Tara assured her. "I just wonder if maybe you would be happier with that Riley guy."

"And what would make you think that?" Buffy asked as she leaned up so she could look into Tara's eyes.

"I don't know, I'm just being stupid," she said as she turned over.

Tara refused to talk to Buffy so she turned over and tried to get some sleep but it never came.