A/N: I hadn't realized it had been so long since i had updated this story. Thank you to everyone who has been patient
with me and sad updating skill lol and thank you to anyone who has
left a comment or follwed this story, your input means the world to me... sooo keep em coming!

Disclaimer: sadly none of the BtVS characters belong to me

[Chapter 11]

Ethan was in the shower and Giles was brushing Buffy's hair into two pigtails while she watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for what seemed like thousandth time.

"Buffy please stop moving or I am going to have to start all over and you don't want that do you?"

Buffy vigorously shook her head no and Giles rolled his eyes as her ponytail slipped apart. A day had passed since Willow and Xander had been over and today he had planned on surprising Buffy with a trip to the zoo but at this rate they would never get there.

"Are you almost done?" Buffy asked with a slight whine in her voice

"I would have been done a long time ago if you had stopped wiggling so much Imp" he said as he fixed the fallen pigtail then poked her in her ribs making her squeal and try to crawl away from him but he grabbed her ankle and playfully pulled her back to him, tickling her as he did.

"HELP! HELP! TICKLE MONSTER!"

"Oh no you don't!" he said chuckling as he lifted her and tossed to hang over his shoulder, she let out a string of contagious giggles as she 'slapped' his back to get free. He walked her to the dining table and sat her down then walked into the kitchen.

He came back with a placemat "What would you like for breakfast Imp?" he asked as he set on front of on the table

Buffy put her finger to her chin and acted as if she were giving the question some serious thought "I know! Pancakes!"

"Then pancakes it is"

Buffy let out a whoop of excitement as he walked back into the kitchen and started gathering all the things he would need to make breakfast.

After breakfast was devoured and Giles cleaned the sticky syrup face and hands of his slayer he asked her to go and get her shoes. Ethan offered to clean up so they could leave earlier.

"You better not try anything while I am gone or…"

"There will be pain and suffering. Yeah, I know Rip. You are beginning to sound like an old record. Just go and take the scamp to the zoo and 'ave a good time"

Buffy came barreling back into the room; her pigtails bouncing around as she did. Giles quickly tied her pink converse and smoothed out her hair one last time, before they left Giles threatened Ethan one last time for good measure but what he didn't tell him was that both Willow and Xander were going to 'stop by' after school to keep an eye out on him.

Buffy must have asked where they were going about a dozen times in the last three minute, Giles glanced at her in the rearview and told her that it as surprise.

"A sa-prise?"

"Yes, a surprise"

Buffy nodded her head in acknowledgement "ooohhhhhh" she paused for a moment "what's a sa-prise?"

Giles let out a chuckle "You'll see little imp"

They pulled into the large parking lot and luckily found a spot not too far from the entrance. He kept Buffy in the car while he unloaded the stroller and the bag he had packed for the day, once done he opened the door and released Buffy from her seat.

"Gilesy! LOOK!" Buffy excitedly pointed to an advertisement along the wall they were near "It'sa effalent!"

"Elephant. Buffy, elephant"

"Das what I said, an effalent"

Shaking his head with a smile playing on his lips as he paid for their tickets; he pushed them through the crowd to the entrance where he handed over their admission tickets. Once they were in he found a bench and sat at it so that Buffy was facing him. He went over a few rules with the little girl who couldn't keep her eyes on him as he was speaking to her.

"Alright little Imp, where to first?"

"Da monkeys! Oooh oohhh ahh ahhh" she started to act like a monkey with her lips puckered as she imitated a monkey

"Alright luv, Primates it is" he once again pushed them through the crowd as Buffy let out a 'whoop' of excitement.

The day was going wonderfully, Giles sat on a bench watching passersby's as Buffy napped in her stroller. They started off at the monkey exhibit, made their way to the reptile house where Buffy all but climbed up Giles leg saying they were 'icky aminals' so they didn't spend much time in there even though he had tried to explain to her that all the reptiles were behind glass. Next up on the roster was the elephants and lions.

Giles glanced down when he heard Buffy shifting in her sleep, her eyes peeked open and she stared at him for a moment as if she was trying to figure out why she was sleeping outside then it hit her, she sat up "GILES! Effalents next!" she grinned and bounced in her seat

"Yes, yes effa … uh… elephants are next but first I think a potty break is in order"

"But I dun hafta" Buffy's bottom lip popped out

"Buffy we have to try. If you have an accident we'll have to go home, is that what you want?"

She sullenly shook her head no so he started push them in the direction of the restrooms. Once he got there he realized he had never had to take Buffy into the men's room before he had always been at home or had Willow with them when they were out. He removed her from the buggy and headed into the bathroom only to be stopped by Buffy who was tugging on his hand.

"Das da wrong one!"

"Beg pardon?"

"Dats da boys one! Imma girl!"

Giles brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose and he let out a sigh "Buffy… I can't go in there with you. I'm a boy so I…"

"But imma girl, a big girl. I can go all by myself!" she said with a triumphant nod of her head

"I don't think so little one" he began to pull her to towards the restroom but Buffy dug her heels into the ground still pulling his hand to stop him.

"No! No! No! Imma girl"

Giles stop trying to tug her and crouched down to meet her eyes "Buffy I promise not to tell anyone that used the boy's bathroom. We'll go in quickly and then we can go see the rest of the zoo, alright?"

"But imma girl" she sniffled

"I know you are. Come on let's get it over with" he picked her up and this time she didn't' resist.

He quickly walked to open stall and set her on the ground while he closed and locked the door then he started to put the paper cover down on the seat. He helped her with her overalls and set her on the commode. Buffy babbled on and on about all the animals at the zoo and asked if they would get to see unicorns which stumped Giles on how to answer that particular question. Finally he heard the delicate tinkling noise and he knew she was at last finished.

"Doncha hafta potty too?" she questioned when the door was about to be unlocked

"Errr… I don't have to right now." He really didn't know how he was supposed to pull off using the restroom today, it's not like he could go all day without it but he wasn't about to have a million questions launched by a 3yr old either.

"You gotsta try, what if you habs a accident?"

"See doncha feel better?" Buffy asked as Giles flushed the toilet. He had finally given into using the lavatory as soon as he made sure Buffy would face the wall and not turn around.

"Yes, quiet." He said in a hushed voice as he escorted her to the sinks. He lifted her so that he could help wash her hands, once done he had her wait beside him while he washed his.

"How come those boys are usin da potty standin' up?" she asked loudly while she pointed to two men using the urinals.

Giles stopped drying his hands as he felt his cheeks and ears start to heat up, he quickly grabbed Buffy and exited the restroom as fast as he could. He made it back to the stroller, buckled her in and made it to the pachyderm exhibit in record breaking time.

Buffy was completely amused with the size of the elephants and even more amused with the baby elephant named Packer that was splashing about in the water. They sat there watching him as he filled is trunk with water then sprayed it all in the air as he pounced around by his mother. Buffy giggled and giggled at the little mammals antics. Willow had given him a disposable camera that she wouldn't be needing and told him to use it today so he pulled it out and snapped a few of Packer and his mom and of Buffy smiling hugely for the camera.

They walked around some more taking as many exhibits as they could before it got too late, Giles wasn't about to risk being out after dusk with his slayer. He checked the map and seen they had yet to walk through the giraffes so that's the direction they headed.

It was just after 3pm when they got there and seen there was a small crowd of people waiting by the exhibit entrance. There was a sign that was blocking the entry that read 'Giraffes get hungry too! Thank for being patient as we feed these big guys, if you sick around we could sure use some help getting them their dessert – zoo staff' Giles checked his watch… waiting wouldn't hurt. He sat on a bench and chatted with Buffy who was trying hard to be patient to see the animals. Soon a man dressed in safari gear came to talk to the small crowd.

"Thank you all for waiting. Our tall boys were getting hungry but now they have been fed and want their dessert! Who here can help us out with that?"

There were a bunch 'Me's' and 'I can's' tossed around and Buffy bounced in her seat and she held up her hand as high as she could.

"Well it looks like we have a great crew with us today!" he moved the sign out of the way and waved his hand for everyone to follow him into the giraffe exhibit.

Buffy skipped excitedly beside Giles as they followed the crowd. Giles held onto Buffy's hand until the group stopped and the man turned to face them then he picked Buffy up and set her on his hip. The man went over how to feed the giraffes their cookies. Buffy watched in awe as the giraffe came to the shorter wall and bent its long neck down so that its head was next to the man, who patted his head as he spoke.

Giles could feel Buffy's eagerness as she bounced against his side. He smiled at her innocence and tried not to think about the dark forces that were out to get her; he was pulled from his thoughts when he felt Buffy tugging on his shirt and pointing to the large animal a few feet from them.

Soon it was their turn to feed one of the giraffes so he walked up to the zoo worker who handed them leaf shaped biscuits the sized of his palm and showed them once more how to feed them to the animal. As soon as the giraffe seen the cookies in their hands he walked over to the wall they were standing near and bent over so that he was basically face to face with Buffy. Her eyes got wide with wonder and then after a beat she attentively put out her small hand and rested it on the large mammals head and smiled when it nudged her hand.

After letting her pet the giraffe for a few moments Giles showed her how to hold the cookie out for the animal to eat it. She watched as he held it up to the giraffe that swooped up to meet his hand then his tongue slipped out and wrapped itself around the cookie before taking in back into it mouth. Buffy again began to bounce in his arms "My turn! My turn!"

"hold it out like I showed you" Giles coached and watched as Buffy held out her cookie, that looked huge in her small hand, and waited for until the giraffe noticed her. When the animal didn't come to her right away her lip popped and she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Just wait a moment" at the same time he spoke the tall animal noticed the treat being held out for him, Giles shifted his sight back to Buffy and spoke quietly "Look"

Buffy turned her head as the mammals face was leveled with hers. She held her treat up a little higher and squealed in delight as the giraffes long tongue wrapped around her cookie and slurped back into its mouth. Giles laughed at Buffy's reaction, she was in the middle of waving her hand that had previously held the cookie and animatedly talked about how it was 'slimey' now. The older man made his way to the sinks near the exhibit so that they could wash their hands; they were about to leave when a zoo employee with a camera hanging from around her neck stopped them holding out a slip a paper.

"Take these to the photo booth to see your pictures of you feeding the giraffes" she said with a cheerful smile "Did you have fun?" she asked Buffy who was now standing next to Giles

"Yeah!" she bounced on the balls of her feet "I feeded it and licked my hand and it was soooooo slimey!"

Giles smiled and didn't bother correcting Buffy's grammer "Thank you"

He took Buffy's hand and led her back to the stroller. She skipped alongside him still talking about everything that had just happened. Giles checked his watch, it was almost 4 pm, and the sun would set around 5 so he decided it was time to head home.

Buffy climbed into her stroller and waited to be fastened in "Can we see da pandas now?" she asked with a big smile

Giles bent to buckle her in "It's getting late we will have to get going Imp"

He watched as her smile wavered and watched as a little boy walked by with his mom holding a stuffed tiger and balloon, she looked back at Giles "Can I get a toy first?"

When he didn't answer right away she added a please and batted her lashes at him. He couldn't help but picture her older-self doing the same when begging to be excused from a Friday night training session; he let out a sigh, he couldn't deny her then there was no way he stood a chance now.

"Yes, you may get one toy. One."

The drive home was quiet, Buffy had fallen asleep as soon as he turned the engine on and they left the parking lot. He glanced back at her in the rearview mirror then checked the red light he was sitting at while cracking his back. Giles let out a chuckle to himself at how sore he was; he had helped older Buffy stop the world from ending who knows how many times and now he felt every muscle burn and ache from chasing his little slayer around the zoo all day.

He pulled his car into the driveway and parked. Giles then opened the back passenger door to carefully release Buffy from her car seat when he hear rustling in the bushes near him making him pause his movements and reach for his trusty stake that he had always seem to have on him. Scanning the area her heard the noise come from, he listened again for any sign of movement. He glanced down at Buffy then to walkway that lead to the house, his fingers tightening their grip on his weapon when he heard movement again. Squaring his shoulder in a defensive stance he readied himself for what was about to show itself; sending a silent prayer for Buffy's safety.

The leaves shook as something pushed its way through them and Giles tensed then let out a sigh of relief as his neighbors collie came jotting up to him with his tongue hanging out and tail wagging happily. He noticed the leash was dragging on the ground beside the dog as he crouched to pet the dog behind the ears and looked around "where's your owner, hmmm?"

As soon as he said the words he heard the thumping of sneakers on the pavement and turned to the sound to see a younger female in her early 20's come jogging up and stopped in front him, out of breath she said "Sorry about that Mr. Giles he got away from me when he seen a cat"

Giles handed her the leash and gave a polite smile "It was no trouble really" he turned to open Buffy's door

"Someone has her daddy hooked" the younger let out a chuckle

"Excuse me?" he turned to face her

She pointed to a sleeping Buffy "I just meant… all her toys. Someone's a daddy's girl" she gave him a smirk

"Oh" he just gave another polite smile "yes, well apparently her zebra needed friends so she wouldn't be lonely"

The young women patted her dog on the head and smiled back "split parenting sucks. Divorce can be rough. My parent split when I was young and I didn't get to see me dad much."

"Divorce?" he asked with a raised brow

"Oh, sorry… I just assumed she lived her mom since I have never seen her here before… I didn't mean…"

Giles held up a hand it quite alright "It's quite alright, really." There was an awkward silence after that. He let her believe what she wanted, it was better than the truth anyhow and it would make explaining her absence easier when they were able to return Buffy to her actual age "Well… I must be getting her inside now it's getting late."

Taking the hint the younger women said her goodbyes and walked away with her dog in tow. Giles was finally able to remove Buffy from the car and carried her towards the loft, she snuggle into his neck and let out a content sigh. When opened the door he found Ethan sitting in the armchair and Willow and Xander on the couch hanging onto every word her spouting out.

"…And that's the night he got his bloody ear pierced…" Ethan let out a roar of laughter until he noticed Giles standing the door holding a sleeping slayer in his arms and a glare on his face, he let out forced cough and clapped his hand together "Well kiddies looks like daddy's home"

Both teens turned to the older watcher and smiled, Xander got up from the couch and immediately began inspecting his ears for any piercing evidence only to have Giles shift his head from the boys view "I need to lay Buffy down"

He didn't wait for a response before he walked upstairs. When Ethan let out another laugh both teens looked to him "Guess that was a story I wasn't supposed to share with you"

Giles came down the steps to see the teens packing up their things "You're not walking, it's after sunset"
he wasn't going to taking any chance after what happened to Xander

Willow stopped putting her folders away "Did you have fun at the zoo?"

"I'm sure Buffy is the one who had the fun." He collapsed into the second armchair "That was exhausting"

Ethan tutted and shook his slowly "Sounds like daddy here 'as reached his limit for the day kids looks like you'll 'ave to tuck yourselves in tonight"

Giles was too tired to glare but Willow and Xander had no qualms about doing it for him, he couldn't stop the smirk that played on his lips at their matching glowers. He watched as Xander flopped back onto the couch only to try and recover from the wince that flashed across his face.

"How are you feeling Xander?"

The teen smiled at the concern that laced the librarians words and shrugged a shoulder "Been worse"

"That's not what I asked"

Xander held back a sigh "I'm still really sore"

"Well that's to be expected. Are you feeling any nausea or headaches?" Giles sat up to look Xander in his eye as he waited for an answer

"Naw, nothing." At Giles raised brow he continued "Really G-man, I'm just sore"

Giles didn't bother correcting him on his dreadfully given moniker and stood up and left the room, only to come back with a glass of water and medication "These should help"

Willow sat on the arm of the chair "So were you really in a band? Buffy is gonna flip when she hears this"

This time Giles found the strength to glare at Ethan and then took the now empty water glass from Xander "Gather your things you two, I'll take you home"

Ethan hid his smirk, not wanting a smack upside the head for having a big mouth and pretended to pick an invisible piece of lint from his pants. Only when he noticed Giles grabbing his keys did he speak "Oi mate! Where do you think you're going?"

"I thought that much was obvious when I said I was taking them home"

"And what about the mini-slayer?" his eyes flickered to the ceiling above him then back to Giles

"Again, I thought much was obvious."

"You have gone bloody crazy if you think I'm going to watch the little bit while you are off playing daddy" he crossed his arm in front of him and frowned

"Oh do belt up you ponce. I'll be gone for all of ten minutes. Surely the master of dark arts can handle it if a toddler wakes up from her nap" Giles didn't wait for answer as he usher Willow and Xander out the door, leaving Ethan to pout in a child-like manner.

When Giles returned home about fifteen minutes later he found Buffy sitting in Ethan's lap as she listened to him spout out a made up story about wizards and princesses, as per her request.

At the sound of the door closing Buffy looked up and the biggest smile graced her little face when she seen Giles "You're home!"

Ethan mumbled under his breath 'about bloody time' but there was no malice in his tone. Giles lifted Buffy into his arms as she bounded towards him and hugged him around his neck telling him how she missed him.

Putting Buffy back on the ground he smoothed down the stray hairs that fell loose in her sleep "Are you hungry?"

"Uh huh and uncle Eefin too!"

"yeah mate, uncle 'Eefin' too" Ethan mimicked with a smirk

"See?" Buffy asked when Ethan spoke as if he had proven her point

"Well the uncle Ethan can make dinner while you have yourself a bath, you smell like a little monkey"

Just then Buffy started making monkey noises and dancing around "Like at the zoo, member?"
she stopped her little monkey act and looked around then asked "hey, were are my aminals?"

"Animals and I'll have to get them out of the car for you, Imp" Giles steered Buffy towards the bathroom to ready her bath. Ethan went to rummage through the kitchen to see what he could manage for dinner, not that he fancied playing homemaker but it was better here with protection then out there without it.

Buffy stripped herself as best she could before she had to ask for help with the button on her jeans which he simple undid and slipped off her. She stood next to Giles as she waited for the tub to fill when she turned to him and threw her arm around him in a tight hug "I love you Gilesy!"

After recovering from nearly being knocked over by a half-naked slayer he returned the hug "And I you Buffy. Did you have fun today?"

She shook her head excitedly "Uh huh! 'member when we saw'd the Cheetos?!"

"seen the cheetahs… And yes I do remember." He turned off the water and turned to removing the last of her clothing before tucking his hands in her arms and lifting her into the tub.

Giles had just finished scrubbing his little slayer before she decided she was going to act like Packer, the baby elephant from the zoo. She splashed around waving one arm around pretending it was her trunk and made, what she thought, were elephants noises.

After what about the 5th 'tidal wave' of water over the side of the tub and onto his clothes Giles turned Buffy to wash her hair; telling her to keep still so that the soap wouldn't sting her eyes. After she was rinsed he told her she had five minutes left before it was time to get out.

Buffy splashed about and played with a cup and some squirt toys while Giles mopped up the water that had escaped during Buffy pachyderm performance. After doing so he let the water drain and pulled Buffy from the tub using a big fluffy green towel. He set her on the ground next to him while he picked up her clothes from the day then ushered her out of the bathroom when she let the towel slip from her shoulders and made a beeline for the door letting out a string of giggles.

Ethan was at the stove when he heard the 'whoop' and looked up just in time to see a stark naked Buffy run down hall, laughing her head off as Giles fumbled behind her.

"Alright young lady enough of that now" Giles said as he scooped her and wrapped back into the towel as she giggled and squirmed in her watchers arms "Let's get you into your PJs"

He carried upstairs to get her ready for the evening. By the time Ethan had set the table Buffy came scurrying into the living room and plopped herself onto the armchair with one of her 'I can read' books and started to intently study the pages.

Ethan came and sat on the arm of the chair "What are you doing bit?"
He watched as Buffy traced the word on the page and put her hand to her chin, looking as if she were deep in thought. That's when Giles game down in a pair of dry clothes and gave Ethan a questioning look but all he got was a shrug of his shoulders.

Deciding to let it go for the moment he looked to the table "What disaster have you managed for dinner?"

"Oi Rupe, I happened to be a magician in the kitchen"

"Right.."

After a surprisingly good meal of spaghetti and garlic toast Giles went out to the car and retrieved Buffy's animals for her. She was now sitting in the floor playing contentedly alone.

Giles sat at the table watching Buffy until Ethan placed a tumbler of whiskey in front of him "Bottoms up, mate" At the look he received he added "What? One bloody glass won't kill you and besides after the last few days I say you could use it"

"Who am I to argue?" he held the glass out in cheers and Ethan followed suit then they both tossed back the shot of amber liquid.

"See? Just like old times Rip"

Giles rolled his eyes "Like bloody hell"

Ethan chuckled then sobered "You know, wonder boy looks up to you… what's his story?"

"He's Buffy's friend"

"Aw come one. You expect me to believe that? Just her friend?"

"They are not romantically involved… I suspect Xander may like her more than that" he glanced at Buffy then back to Ethan "though I doubt he will ever let her know"

"And where do you fit in the boys life?"

"I'm Buffy's watcher."

"But not wonder boys"

"Don't call him that." The watcher frowned "He and Willow are Buffy's friends… she doesn't have the opportunity to lead a normal life and I'll be damned if that means she isn't allowed to have friends as well. They are a packaged deal"

Giles let a small flash across his face at a memory of Xander calling himself and Willow a package deal when told it wasn't safe for them to patrol with Buffy. 'Call now and order your very own slayer and if you act in the next 5 minutes we will throw in 2, that's right 2, all night researching scoobs at no extra cost'

"I 'ave seen that look in the boy eyes before Rip…"

"Ethan…"

"Who?"

"Enough."

"Look mate, I can tell you care for the lot way more than you will ever admit and I can also tell that the boy 'as trust issues but he clearly worships the ground you walk on"

Giles just stayed quiet and stared at the now empty glass that he set on the table. Ethan sat forward so that his elbows rested on his knees "The other night when he came in beaten bloody you asked if it was his old man"

It wasn't a question but a statement. Giles just stared at his empty glass and listened to the sounds of Buffy playing in the back.

"Your silence speaks for itself Rupe" Ethan paused, finished off his drink then continued "I could take care of it, you know. Give the bastard what's coming to 'im"

"No." Giles said finally looking up from his glass

Ethan smirked "You want to Rip, I can tell. You want to rip that man apart… That look in your eyes that night was Ripper wanting to come out of that damn box you 'ave 'im locked in"

"Ethan enough" Giles tone was sharp enough to make Buffy look up from her zoo animal tea party "What is it you anyway? You have never worried about anyone but yourself"

"That's not true… I always had your back"

At the look Giles tossed him Ethan let out a chuckle "When did we become so different?"

"We have always been different. I just didn't see it right away" Giles looked to Buffy who was humming to herself and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes then back to Ethan who was also looking at Buffy "Not seeing the error of my ways would have meant never knowing Buffy and that's a life I cannot imagine. She gives the reason I was placed on this Earth purpose. I will die before any harm comes to her"

"I 'ate to admit it but I may 'ave developed a soft spot for the runt" Ethan said with a shake of his head as if dismayed.

"With Buffy it is hard not to" Giles stood and stretched then looked at Buffy who was on the verge of dropping to sleep at any moment "Alright little imp, it is time for bed"

At the mention of bed Buffy whined and tried to hold back the yawn that wanted to escape but failed "Awwww but im not tireddd"

Giles watched her cross her arms and her lip poke out and resisted the urge to roll his eyes "Well I am and whether you like it or not it is bed time. You, little one have had an adventurous day."

He walked over to Buffy who had decided to stay where she was still pouting and picked her up to sling her over his shoulder making her laugh, he gave her bottom a playful smack as she squirmed and giggled "It's off to bed we go"

Letting out a string of giggles Buffy managed to say goodnight to Ethan "G'night uncle Eefin"

Ethan watched as the two climbed the stairs and shook his head at how easily a 3 year olds mood could change and shook his head with a smirk. He waited until they were out of sight to make pull out his cellphone and make a few calls.

Once changed for bed Buffy and Giles laid next to each other, Giles with his eyes closed and Buffy babbling about all the animals she had seen today. After a few minutes Giles peeked an eye open and gently told Buffy it was time to sleep, she rolled to her side and gave him a toothy grin and shook her head no "But im too awakeee. See?"

As if to prove her point she widened her eyes and put her hands on the side either side of head. Giles laughed "Oh yes, I can see but I think if you were try and sleep…"

"But I'm not…"

Giles put a gentle finger to Buffy's lips to hush her "No more talking then"

He rolled to his back and closed his eyes and listened to Buffy huff and puff before quieting after a few minutes, the corners of his lips curved up in triumph until he heard "What ya got in da big box?"

His eyes popped open before he sat up and turned on the light beside him. Giles turned to face Buffy who sat up when the light rushed the dark away "Xanner said stay away fwum it but…"

"No buts. You are not to go near it unless you are an adult… are you an adult?" his voice wasn't harsh just firm

Letting out a sigh she mumbled and answer.

He reached over and used his finger to tap her chin, making her look up at him "Are you?"

"No… but…"

"Buffy you will not like the consequences if I find you even touched that chest"

The little girl nodded then flopped down on her pillow mumbling about being a big girl now. Giles watched her for a moment, her back was to him now and she sniffled. He laid on his side facing her and turned by tugging her shoulder towards him; her eyes were shiny with unshed tears and the corner of her lips were curved down.

Giles smoothed her air out of her face "You are not in trouble love and yes, you are a big girl just not big enough…yet. One day you will be even older and I will let you see what is in the box, alright?"

"Pwomise?" she asked through thick lashes

"I give you my word"

Buffy nodded and looked at Giles expectantly "welllllllll? Where is it?"

"Where is what, Imp?"

"Your word!" was the exasperated response

Giles let out a laugh and pulled Buffy into a hug "It just means that I promise, silly girl"

"You coulda just said that" came the muffled reply into his chest

Letting out another laugh "Yes, I suppose I should have"

They laid there in comfortable silence until Giles notice Buffy's breathing had evened out, she had her tiny fist clenching his sleep shirt and her mouth slightly parted. He gently rolled to his back to turn the light off then returned to his previous position and just watched Buffy until sleep also took over his body still holding the little slayer in his arms.