A/N: Not going to disclaimer, of course I don't own Buffy. The only thing I own is the original stuff I've come up with for this fic.

Teenage Giles is just too fun not to play with... so I decided to bring that back... I think this will be a three part-er. I might even throw you in a kiss if you're lucky ;)

Thank you for the favourites and follows and reviews so far! I hope you continue to enjoy!

"There's nobody at the museum Willow. We've been round here three times. Did you manage to find something to break the spell?"

"Well yeah, it's pretty simple actually but I was thinking, maybe y'know, maybe we should leave them that way for a bit."

"Willow please tell me you're kidding! You know what happened last time Giles went all Ripper right?" Buffy made a grossed noise on the end of the phone.

"Well, I mean, I know but maybe if they- y'know, a little helping hand-"

"Ew, Willow no, just bring whatever it is they have to take, and we'll meet you at the store."

#?#

"You alright?" Ripper asked as Maria picked up a broken ornament and slid a book onto the bookshelf. "Got you pretty good there." Ripper moved a strand of hair, his fingers almost but not quite brushing the bruising skin of her neck.

"It's nothing." Maria said tucking the strand behind her ear and looking up at Ripper nervously, her heart was beating a little too fast in her chest and she hoped that he couldn't somehow hear it. "You saved my life."

"Was hardly going to let them make mincemeat out of you." Ripper replied quietly, eyes meeting hers, in the calm after the storm.

"I don't think they would have done that." Maria replied, shifting a little, as though if she did it would move the heat rising in her belly or the flush rushing to her cheeks.

"They might have." Ripper shrugged sliding his hands into his pockets and looking away from her.

"What you said before-" Maria started.

"Ah, ignore me. I was being an arse."

"No, actually. You were right. I am a snob." Maria said starting to pace. "I do think that learning and books make me, not better exactly but, well better than people who drink and smoke and party, but, well I suppose it's really because, well, books and paper can't hurt you can they. They can't reject you and not invite you places, and they can't drive you to a farmhouse and leave you there pretending there's a party." Maria stopped abruptly, realising she'd rambled on too much. Angry tears had welled in her eyes and Ripper felt just a tiny twinge of guilt. "So yes, I'm a bit judgemental but it's to protect myself. I still think you're far more intelligent than you give yourself credit for and I still think you're wasting that intelligence, but I did judge you and I am sorry." She apologised.

"Someone drove you to a-?" Ripper asked his brow furrowed in newfound concern.

"Yes."

"And left you there?" Ripper pressed, things sort of making sense to him now. He'd just thought she was uptight but now there was a reason he felt at least a touch of remorse for winding her up so much.

"Yes. They told me a boy I liked was going, that he'd specifically asked me to go along. I got excited and it turned out there was no party, just a creepy abandoned farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. I had to walk about two miles before I found a telephone box. I was an idiot."

"You're not an idiot, they were." Ripper said. Maria looked up to find he was much closer than before. "That's just bloody cruel." He reached out and tucked the strand of hair back behind her ear. "And you're worth ten of that."

Heat flooded Maria's belly. She hoped her cheeks weren't colouring as her heart thrummed wildly. She suddenly felt sensitive to everything, the air, the proximity to him. Was he going to kiss her? She wouldn't mind if he did now, actually she rather wanted him to. Wanted him to press her into the bookcase with the heat of his kiss. It'd be the perfect time wouldn't it? He'd just saved her life after all.

Ripper wanted to kiss her, god he wanted to kiss her. Not like earlier when it was just because she was pretty and angry and flustered. Now he wanted to really kiss her. Wanted to show her how mad that boy had been to miss out on her. Now he wanted to kiss her to show her that he really meant it, she was worth ten of that, hell she was worth a million of that and a million of him. Ripper's hand hovered at her neck, his thumb almost but not brushing her cheek and then-

The spell was broken, Maria and Ripper sprang apart a little too quickly. Maria's cheeks flushed with colour and Ripper moved away pretending to be fixing his hair.

"What the hell happened?" Buffy asked stepping over the trio of tied up unconscious demons.

"Couple of demons trying to get your artefact. Nothing to worry about." He said taking out a cigarette, that time Maria didn't tell him off.

"Rupert was very brave." Maria said as Ripper came to stand behind her.

"I told you to call me Ripper." He said cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"I'm not calling you that, your name is Rupert." Maria replied but she was smiling. Buffy looked between them, confused and grossed out.

"But what happened? Why did they come here?" Buffy asked lifting one of the demon's unconscious heads.

"Maria figured all that out." Ripper pointed out. "She also took out that one, gave him a right nasty clout."

"Well yes but I had help from Rupert, I really couldn't have figured it all out without him." Maria started and Willow made an aww noise before clapping a hand over her mouth when everyone turned to look at her.

"I'll just-" She said holding up a bag and walking over to the counter, pulling two cups down.

"So, they needed this-" Maria said holding up the amulet by its chain. "Because it unlocks one of the sarcophagi at the museum, which in turn holds, or is rumoured to hold a sword who's hilt is filled with rubies and emeralds and probably a diamond or two."

"They weren't trying to hurt anyone. It was a heist." Ripper said and Maria glanced back at him. "Maria worked it all out when we found the uniform and the torch."

"From what I can gather and from what you've said, Rupert is the elder, well I mean the older, uhm more experienced member of your little gang. The patriarch, intelligent and strong and learned-" Maria paused realising she'd said too much and been too complimentary. "-and because of this they thought if they incapacitated him in some way, you would struggle to work out what was really happening. Then by the time you did figure things out, or the spell wore off, they'd be long gone with the jewels."

"But they didn't count on Maria here being the beauty of a bibliophile that she is." Maria looked around at Ripper a smile spreading across her face that made Buffy roll her eyes, she resisted the urge to make a gagging sound. "Smart and sexy." He pushed and Maria blushed furiously. Until Xander coughed and Maria looked away from Ripper.

"Uhm, yes, so- so yes, they didn't count on me knowing what I know and being able to read all those languages and they also didn't count on you lot being quite so smart and-"

"Tea's up!" Willow called. "This," She said bringing two cups around and handing one to Maria and one to Ripper. "Should bring you back to normal."

"Normal?" Maria asked.

"Help you remember everything, get you back to your old selves." Willow smiled.

"Oh, that's brilliant. Will- uhm, will we remember everything that happened?" Maria asked glancing back at Ripper.

"I don't think so. Why, is there something you want to remember?" Willows teased.

"No, no, just that well I helped solve a heist and took down a demon. I wouldn't mind remembering that." Maria replied. Lifting the teacup to her lips.

"Don't worry it happens all the time around here." Xander said, playing with the edge of a cabinet.

"Well- uhm- it was-" Maria started, turning to Ripper with a hand outstretched. She was looking for the words to say it had been nice to meet him. She didn't know if that would seem odd though, given that, in their older selves they were clearly friends. "It's been-" She started but what exactly was the correct term in this situation? Pleasant? Interesting? Fun?

"Yeah it's been-" Ripper replied scratching the back of his head before downing the tea Willow had poured out for him.

"I suppose I'll see you on the other side." Maria swallowing down her own bitter tea.

"Oh, bugger it, if we're not gunna remember it anyway." Ripper swept Maria into his arms and into a dramatic kiss that made butterflies erupt in her chest. Heat raced up from her stomach as Ripper's firm, but gentle, hands and lips led them in their brief embrace.

"Are all Bibliophiles this much trouble?" He asked as he pulled away, his lips still dangerously close to hers.

Maria nodded, swallowed and that time it was her who instigated the kiss. Sliding her hands into his hair and wishing that she could pause the moment. Just linger in it a little longer, not forget this and return back to whatever her older life held.

Buffy made a gagging noise and turned away, whilst Willow made an aww sound.

"You definitely don't have time for sex and it'd probably be better if you sit down, just in case you fall." Anya pointed out loudly.

Buffy wrinkled her face up even further, the thought of Giles and Maria having sex no matter how old they word made her cringe inside.

Maria nodded and was about to take a seat when she sneezed three or four times and Ripper did the same. She sniffed rubbing the end of her nose before looking back up at them all.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Oh you and Giles were just-" Anya started and Xander stopped her immediately. It was enough they were going to have to deal with being turned into teenagers. They didn't need the embarrassment of a kiss they couldn't remember on top of that.

"You just ate some bad cake!" He chimed in.

"Bad cake?" Giles said putting a hand to his head. "I feel like I've got a hangover."

"That might be my fault. I think I added too much Copse Coli." Willow added. "At least it reversed the enchantment." She shrugged.

"I can taste cigarettes." Maria licked her lips, before making a smacking motion with her mouth and reaching for the dish of boiled sweets on the side.

"Enchantment?" Giles asked looking around the room before checking his watch and realising he couldn't remember where the day had gone, nor did he know what three demons were doing tied up in the tea shop.

"I think the more pressing question is why on Earth are you dressed like you just starred in a stage production of Rebel Without a Cause?" Maria stifled a laugh looking at the others and then back to Giles. Giles looked down at himself.

"Oh god-"

"Yep." Buffy replied.

"Oh god." Giles repeated.

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