Characters: Joss Story: Me A promise to stay together forever.

Buffy was exactly where Giles thought she'd be, curled up on his bed. He climbed onto the bed next to her and pulled her into his arms. "I hate being angry with her Giles. We're supposed to be family, but families don't say such hateful things to each other."

"Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it. I'll send her back to the coven if it's what you want."

"I want you Giles, even if everyone hates us and we have to live in a tiny house and never see our friends again. We can talk to Willow later," she squeezed him.

"Buffy, can I show you something?"

"Anything."

He got up and went to his closet. After rummaging through it for a moment before he pulled out a small box. "This has been passed down through the generations in my family." She had tears in her eyes. "This isn't a marriage proposal, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We could get married tomorrow, or never, whatever you'd like, but I want you to have this."

"Oh Giles." She took the necklace in her hand. "But what about your future? What about kids? I can't give you those. We never actually talked about whether or not you wanted a family."

He sat next to her on the bed and put his arm around her. "I admit that there was a time I wanted a family, but I assumed that my life was too dangerous. I don't need a family to be happy Buffy, just you." He kissed her.

"Giles," her voice was quiet and wet with tears, "can I stay with you tonight?"

He chuckled quietly, "did you think I would let you leave?"

She smiled and walked to his mirror, fastening the silver chain around her neck as she went. Giles began to change out of his clothes and into his silk pajamas. "Buffy I've laid out something for you to wear to bed." He gestured to the boxers and t-shirt on the bed before climbing into it. Buffy continued to look in the mirror as she shimmied out of her clothes. Soon she was standing in just her underwear, white cotton with yellow duckies, the silver pendant cool against her breast. She came toward the bed and his eyes widened, "is that all you're wearing?"

"Why? Don't you think I'll be warm enough?" She climbed in next to him after turning out the light and removing her underwear. "Giles?"

"Yes love?"

"I love you."

"I love you too." He held her tighter, her naked form turning his body traitor. Without realizing it he had begun to caress the flat plain of her stomach and the soft swell of her breast. She arched inot him and all it took was a slight movement of his hips for him to enter her. They made love for what felt like hours, silently but for the sweet words they whispered. Eventually sated they fell into a deep and restful sleep.