Disclaimer: I still do not own any of these characters, situations, or anything of the sorts. I wish I did, but I don't.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reads this, and especially to everyone who reviews. I know it's one of the more popular stories I have, so I'll try to update soon. Really soon. Until then, just enjoy and review.

Chapter Seven

Elizabeth was the first to enter the coffee shop. The warm, welcoming scent of fresh coffee filled her body as she stepped further into the place to allow Giles to follow her. "Cozy little place you've got here," she noted as she walked up the relatively short line. There were a few people in front of her, but considering the fact that most people were getting out of work for the day, the lines were not as bad as they could be.

"It gets the job done," Giles told her. "I'm more of a tea person myself, but as a Scooby I've had to drink coffee. This place does a decent job."

"You don't think it's weird that you refer to yourself as a cartoon character?" Elizabeth asked him as she took a few steps forward in the line.

Giles shrugged. "It was not my idea to use the name in the first place," he began, "but it grows on you," he admitted. "You don't have to use it if you don't like," he added with a small shrug.

The corners of Elizabeth's mouth turned up into a smile. "Do you mean that?" she asked.

"It's not that hard a concept," Giles told her. "Although I don't really know what else we'd call you…"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No, not the name. Do you mean that I'm part of your group?" Just saying that felt good.

"I would say so. You are working for us, and you would be spending a great deal of time with us, at least in the beginning," Giles was saying. He wanted to tell her more. He wanted to tell her that of course he considered her part of the team. She would be more valuable than any Slayer could ever be. Maybe not that far, but she was an irreplaceable part of the team. He needed her.

He glanced down at Elizabeth, stunned by her silence. "We don't have a huge orientation ceremony," he told her.

"And I wasn't expecting one," Elizabeth responded as she kept moving towards the counter at the coffee shop.

Giles glanced down at her. "You are handling this remarkably well," he told her.

Elizabeth shrugged. "I've seen some pretty weird things back at County. This actually offers an explanation for some of it," she said as she kept her focus on the menu. She could not decide what she wanted to drink.

"Still," Giles said. "It can be extremely frightening."

"I guess it hasn't hit me yet," Elizabeth remarked. "I've only seen the result of the attacks, not the cause of it. Things would be a lot different if my flight had landed twenty minutes earlier."

"I understand," Giles told her. "And I'll protect you no matter what," he added. "Oh, that brings me to something I meant to ask you earlier. Where are you staying?"

"Hotel," Elizabeth answered plainly. "Why?"

Giles smiled. "Save the bills. You'll get reimbursed."

Elizabeth smiled. "Cool," she said as she walked up to the counter to order. "What's next?" she asked as she turned back to Giles.

Giles frowned slightly. "Never ask that question," he told her.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked. The confusion was apparent both in her voice and on her face.

At that moment, the door was ripped off. Its offender was something large. It could not entirely be seen, but it growled into the shop. The force knocked one of the tables over before the thing walked inside. It was about ten feet in height, and it had large spikes going down its back. It growled again.

"That's why," Giles said as he stepped in front of her. "Now get down."