When Buffy got back home, she washed the breakfast dishes and then began to pace nervously around the house. Just as she thought she was going to jump out of her skin, the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and answered the door. "Hi, daddy," she greeted her father.

"Hello, sweetheart," Hank said giving his eldest daughter a big hug. Buffy led him into the house and showed him where he'd be sleeping. They went down to the kitchen and Buffy began to prepare lunch for the two of them.

"You're looking good," Hank said watching Buffy make her way around the kitchen.

Buffy smiled and said, "I'm feeling good."

"I'm glad," Hank said. "I was a little worried when you didn't come with Dawn to visit. She told me you couldn't miss your therapy, but I sensed that there was something more to it."

Buffy was glad her back was to her father when he said that. "No," Buffy lied. "I was just learning to adjust, you know, and I couldn't get away. Lunch is served."

They made small talk for the rest of the afternoon until it was time to pick up Dawn. Hank drove and got out of the car to wait. Dawn came up to the car, cried "Daddy!" and gave him a big hug. While they drove back to the house, Dawn told them all about her day. Back home they all sat in the living room talking. Dawn looked at Buffy and Buffy cleared her throat. "Dad?"

"Yes, honey?" Hank replied turning to look at his older daughter.

"Remember how you said you wanted to meet my friends?" Buffy asked.

"Of course, honey," he replied. "Am I going to get to meet them while I'm here?"

"Well, I invited them all for dinner tonight," Buffy answered. "I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Hank said cheerfully. "I can't wait.

"And you'll get to meet my boyfriend," Buffy blurted out before she could chicken out. Hank almost asked why Buffy hadn't mentioned him before, but realized with his absent father routine, he didn't really have the right to ask her that.

Instead he settled for saying, "Tell me about him."

Buffy took a deep breath and said, "Well, he's probably the best man I've ever met. He's sweet, kind, and forgiving. And he's really smart. He's English and, well, he's a little bit older than I am."

"He sounds like a nice boy," Hank said. He saw Buffy and Dawn exchange a look and decided to ask, "How much older?"

"Well," Buffy said. "He's probably close to your age."

"You're dating someone old enough to be your father?" Hank demanded trying to keep his temper. Buffy went over to her father, placed her hand on his knee, and looked him in the eye.

"Daddy, please give him a chance," Buffy said softly. "He's a good man and he makes me happy." Hank looked at his daughter and thought about all this. He didn't like the idea of Buffy dating someone his age, but he also remembered how over the past month his conversations with Buffy had become a lot better. She had seemed happier than she had in a long time.

He sighed and said, "All right. I'll give him a chance."

Buffy hugged her father and said, "Thank you, daddy."

"So Dawn what do you think of Buffy's boyfriend?" Hank asked.

"He's the best," Dawn said. "Of all the boyfriends she's had, he's definitely the best. They're perfect together." Buffy flashed Dawn a look of gratitude and Dawn smiled back. They talked for a little while longer and then it was time to get dinner ready. Buffy had just finished up when the doorbell rang. She went to open the door and found her father waiting in the foyer to meet her friends. Buffy sent a nervous prayer up that Giles wouldn't be first and opened the door. It was Anya and Xander. "Anya, Xander, I'd like you to meet my father. Dad, this is Xander Harris and his fiancée Anya Jenkins."

Hank and Xander shook hands. "Please to meet you Xander," Hank said. "You've been a friend of my daughters since high school right?" Buffy was surprised her father remembered that.

"Yes, sir," Xander replied. Anya said hello. Anya had promised to be on her best behavior tonight and to try and keep her comments to herself. They went into the living room to wait with Dawn. The doorbell ran again. This time it was Willow and Tara.

"Willow, Tara, I'd like you to meet my dad. Dad, this is Willow Rosenberg and her girl friend Tara Maclay." Buffy looked to see what her father's reaction would be to that.

She was surprised that he seemed to be okay with it and was even more surprised when he said, "Willow, your another one of my daughters high school friends, right?"

Willow smiled and said, "Yes, I am." Tara said hello and the two witches went and joined the others in the living room. The doorbell rang yet again and Buffy opened it eagerly expecting to see Giles.

"Spike," she said a little less enthusiastically.

"Nice to see you too, pet," replied Spike. "This must be the old man." Buffy glared at Spike and he said, "Sorry, I'll behave."

"Spike, this is my father. Dad this is Spike, he's a friend of Rupert's."

"Hello, Spike," Hank said. "That's an unusual name you've got there."

"Well, I used to be in a band," Spike replied remembering what they had told Buffy's mother so long ago. "My real name's William, but no one calls me that anymore." He then joined the others in the living room. Finally the doorbell rang again. Buffy opened the door and was greeted by a bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you, Giles, that's so sweet," Buffy said taking the flowers from him. "Giles, this is my dad. Dad, this is my boyfriend, Rupert Giles."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Giles said shaking Hank's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Hank said to the distinguished English gentlemen. He turned to Buffy, "Buffy, wasn't your high school librarian named Giles?"

Buffy blushed and replied, "Yes, Giles was the librarian." Hank started to get angry, but then he remembered that they hadn't started dating until recently so he calmed down. He was determined to play nice unless given a reason otherwise. He had just gotten back into his daughters' lives and he didn't want to do anything to ruin it. "Well, now that everyone's here, why don't we eat?" Buffy said. They all went into the dining room and sat down for supper. About half way through the meal the doorbell rang again. "I wonder who that is?" Buffy said. "I thought everyone I knew was here." Buffy went to get the door.

Buffy opened the door and was shocked to see Ethan Rayne standing on her front stoop. "Where's Ripper?" Ethan said. "It's an emer…" He didn't get to finish his sentence before Buffy punched him in the face. He fell in a pile on the doorstep.

"Giles," Buffy called. "It's for you."