Part 20

"Meg," Giles shouts to the figure rushing down the street.  "Meg, wait!  Mary Margaret Farrell, I am telling you to stop right where you are and wait for me!"

Meg stops and waits for Giles to catch up to her.  When he does, he takes her in his arms and holds her tight.

"Oh Ripper," Meg sighs as she leans against him.  "Why do they have to make it so hard?  Don't they see that this is to their benefit?"

Giles slips his hand under her chin and raises her face.  "It's alright love," he says kissing the tears from her cheeks.  "They've been through quite a bit in the past few years.  They are wary of just about everybody. 

A soft breeze blows a strand of Meg's hair across her face.  Meg reaches up and pushes it behind her ear absentmindedly.  She looks up at Giles, squinting a bit against the warm California sunshine.

"I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it," she admits to him.  "I was especially keen to take on this task because it would give me a chance to be with you, but I don't know if I can cope with all the anger and resentment those people have inside of them."

"Are you saying you can't do it?" questions Giles.

"Oh, I can bloody well do it, it's more a question of do I want to do it"

"Well, I know what I want to do," says Giles as he presses kisses on her neck.

"Ripper, we have more pressing matters at hand," begins Meg as Giles pulls her more closely to him.  "Well, maybe they can wait for a while," she concedes before kissing him fully.

Giles becomes aware of two voices laughing in the background.  Releasing Meg, he turns to find Dawn, and Tara standing next to them, trying to contain their laughter.

"Is this what you're planning on teaching us Meg?" asks Dawn with a saucy grin on her face.

"As usual, your timing is less than impeccable," sighs Giles  "Is there something you girls want, besides destroying my love life that is?"

"Yeah," says Dawn. "We all talked, and we were well, kind of jerks back there.  We do want to work with you Meg," she says turning toward the other woman.  "In fact, we have a surprise for you if you want to come back to the Magic Box with us."

"But," says Tara tactfully.  "If you have other plans for the afternoon, that's fine too.  Right Dawnie," she shoots Dawn a look.

"Oh yeah, right," the younger girl says giggling.  "Well, it'd be cool if you come back soon, but if you have other plans or something, that's cool too."

"W-well," stammers Tara.  "Dawnie and I are on a soda run, so we'll let you get back to your, uh whatever.  Bye!"

The two girls wave as Tara pulls Dawn down the street with her.  As they walk away, Giles and Meg hear them giggling.

"For some reason, I feel so incredibly old," says Giles.  "Well Meg, it's up to you.  Do we go back, or to we go get something to eat?"

"What is it the American's say?  I want what's behind door number three.  I'd much rather go home and show you that you are not incredibly old," Meg says, reaching up to kiss him.  "But I do have a job to do, so I guess we go back.  However, I believe I have a surprise for you tonight," she says with a wink.

"Oh, yes, well I must say, I can hardly wait," says Giles as he takes her by the arm and they head back towards the shop.

When they enter the Magic Box, they find a flurry of activity.  Anya has one of their demon reference books on the counter, and next to it, a notebook in which she is scribbling notes.

Willow, Tara and Dawn are sitting at a table, drinking their soda's while Tara outlines the principal beliefs of Wicca to Dawn.

Meg and Giles exchange glances but don't say anything.  They continue through the shop and open the door to the training room.  Buffy and Spike are showing Xander some classic self-defense moves.  Meg closes the door quietly and looks at Giles.

"I guess I'm staying," she says.  "Do you have an office or some private place where I can speak with Ms. Rosenberg privately?