He went and made himself a cup of proper tea, and then settled down in his armchair beside the fire. He had no plans tonight at all. Nobody here knew it was his birthday, and he didn't particularly feel like celebrating it anyway. He had a stack of books on the table beside him, and was going to spend a relaxing evening cross-referencing.
A forceful knock on his front door stirred Giles from his reading. Walking to the door, he peered out of the window and saw a black cab pulling away. Giles cautiously opened his front door. He couldn't quite believe his eyes when he saw Buffy and Dawn standing in his doorway, suitcases in hand. Mouth open in shock, he took his glasses off, gave them a clean and put them back on. To his joy, Buffy and Dawn were still standing there. "Surprise!" Dawn said.
"Yes, it certainly is," Giles said.
"So, are you gonna let us in or do we have to stand out here all night!" Buffy said.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Please, do come in. Here, let me help you with your luggage."
Door closed, Giles tuned to them, a large smile on his face. "I can't quite believe it! This certainly is a wonderful surprise. H-how? Er, why? How did you get here?"
"We hitched a ride on Pegasus," Buffy quipped. She smiled, "Happy birthday Giles."
He slowly moved forward and gave her and then Dawn, a hug. "Please, won't you sit down. Make yourselves at home. Would you like some tea?"
Over tea, Buffy and Dawn filled Giles in on winning the plane tickets. "Well really, what a stroke of luck!" Giles said.
"Nice place you've got here Giles," Dawn told him.
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "It's really nice Giles."
"Thank you."
"How come you're not out partying with some English babe, Giles?" Buffy asked. "I mean, with it being your birthday and all!"
"It's good to have you here Buffy. I've missed comments like that." He smiled wryly at her.
"Oh, we brought a birthday cake from the gang," Dawn said, rummaging in her luggage. She pulled a large icing covered cake out of her bag and handed it to Giles. "Happy birthday. It's from all of us."
Giles smiled at the cake. "Thank you. Oh, another stroke of luck, it's survived the flight. I'll get the candles."
When Giles came back with the candles lit on the cake, Buffy said, "Only three candles Giles! You're a bit optimistic about your age aren't you?"
"Very drool."
"Nah, each candle stands for a hundred, right Giles!" Dawn said, laughing.
"Actually, I thought we'd have a candle each to blow out." On the count of three, they blew out a candle each. All making a wish at the same time. Unbeknown to them, all of their wishes were the same---not to have to part.
When Dawn had gone into the spare room to get ready for bed, Giles turned to Buffy. "You know, I really am glad that you're here Buffy. I couldn't have thought of a better birthday present."
"I'm glad I'm here too."
"I do care about you Buffy. I really didn't want to leave. I thought it was the best thing to do for you. You're like a daughter to me, and I want you to know that." He touched her arm.
"That's why it hurt so much when you left. Because you've been like a father to me. I miss you Giles."
"I miss you too, Buffy." Giles embraced Buffy and they hugged each other tightly.
A forceful knock on his front door stirred Giles from his reading. Walking to the door, he peered out of the window and saw a black cab pulling away. Giles cautiously opened his front door. He couldn't quite believe his eyes when he saw Buffy and Dawn standing in his doorway, suitcases in hand. Mouth open in shock, he took his glasses off, gave them a clean and put them back on. To his joy, Buffy and Dawn were still standing there. "Surprise!" Dawn said.
"Yes, it certainly is," Giles said.
"So, are you gonna let us in or do we have to stand out here all night!" Buffy said.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Please, do come in. Here, let me help you with your luggage."
Door closed, Giles tuned to them, a large smile on his face. "I can't quite believe it! This certainly is a wonderful surprise. H-how? Er, why? How did you get here?"
"We hitched a ride on Pegasus," Buffy quipped. She smiled, "Happy birthday Giles."
He slowly moved forward and gave her and then Dawn, a hug. "Please, won't you sit down. Make yourselves at home. Would you like some tea?"
Over tea, Buffy and Dawn filled Giles in on winning the plane tickets. "Well really, what a stroke of luck!" Giles said.
"Nice place you've got here Giles," Dawn told him.
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "It's really nice Giles."
"Thank you."
"How come you're not out partying with some English babe, Giles?" Buffy asked. "I mean, with it being your birthday and all!"
"It's good to have you here Buffy. I've missed comments like that." He smiled wryly at her.
"Oh, we brought a birthday cake from the gang," Dawn said, rummaging in her luggage. She pulled a large icing covered cake out of her bag and handed it to Giles. "Happy birthday. It's from all of us."
Giles smiled at the cake. "Thank you. Oh, another stroke of luck, it's survived the flight. I'll get the candles."
When Giles came back with the candles lit on the cake, Buffy said, "Only three candles Giles! You're a bit optimistic about your age aren't you?"
"Very drool."
"Nah, each candle stands for a hundred, right Giles!" Dawn said, laughing.
"Actually, I thought we'd have a candle each to blow out." On the count of three, they blew out a candle each. All making a wish at the same time. Unbeknown to them, all of their wishes were the same---not to have to part.
When Dawn had gone into the spare room to get ready for bed, Giles turned to Buffy. "You know, I really am glad that you're here Buffy. I couldn't have thought of a better birthday present."
"I'm glad I'm here too."
"I do care about you Buffy. I really didn't want to leave. I thought it was the best thing to do for you. You're like a daughter to me, and I want you to know that." He touched her arm.
"That's why it hurt so much when you left. Because you've been like a father to me. I miss you Giles."
"I miss you too, Buffy." Giles embraced Buffy and they hugged each other tightly.