Buffy stood waiting at the front gate in the airport, where Giles was supposed to get off. Xander was with her. They waited, watching every passenger get off of the plane, wondering if he had reconsidered coming back.

"Do you think…maybe he decided to stay?" Xander asked Buffy.

"He would've called. Maybe something's wr--" Buffy started to say as the two of them saw Giles walking towards them. Buffy ran over to him and hugged him for what seemed like an eternity. Her real father was home. He came back. She smiled and let go of him.

"Oh Buffy…" Giles whispered, almost tearing up, a wide grin across his face.

"Giles, I'm so glad you're here. I've missed you so much." Buffy said sincerely.

"We have missed you so much." Xander corrected Buffy.

"Yes. We." Buffy corrected herself, too.

"I couldn't be happier. It was wrong of me to go. You are my slayer and I left you. If something were to happen to you…" Giles said, recalling her recent death. "I wouldn't ever forgive myself for not being here for you. When I should have. Would you be so kind as to forgive me?" He asked, dearly.

Buffy hugged him again, answering him with actions instead of words. He understood.

The front door of the Summers/Rosenberg house opened. Willow and Tara were on the couch, practically on top of one another. Giles cleared his throat and the two women jumped at the surprise of someone watching them.

"Uh…Giles! Hi!" Willow rambled. Tara waved, her face red with embarrassment. Giles recognized something different about the two. The last time he saw them, Tara was crying and packing her things. Although he didn't pay attention much then because he was leaving as well. But he expected all looked fine. Willow ran over to him and hugged him, followed by Tara.

"Er, where's Dawn and Anya?" Giles asked, a hint of worry.

"Dawn's upstairs and Anya, umm…" Willow started.

"She doesn't come around all that often anymore." Xander said, dropping his head in sorrow.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Giles said, patting Xander on the back as men do.

"So what else has changed since I was away?" Giles asked, changing the subject for Xander.

Everyone looked at each other and then focused their attention on Willow and Tara.

"Well, you see…there was this magic-thing that kind of happened. We don't know how, exactly, but--" Willow started, just as there was the sound of a baby crying upstairs.

"There's a baby?" Giles asked, astonished, looking at Xander.

"Not mine." He said, at ease.

"Uh…the baby would belong to…uh, us." Willow said, a bit worried.

Giles took his glasses off and rubbed the lenses with his shirt. The two mothers looked at each other and then him.

"I am guessing that baby wasn't adopted." He stated.

"You'd be right." Tara said.

"She's kind of really, really, ours. Somehow." Willow said.

"I see." Giles tried to comprehend. "So, when did this happen?"

"Almost a week. Willow and I got back together when she found out I was, uh…" Tara said, turning red again.

"Are you mad?" Willow asked, looking a bit like a wounded puppy.

Giles's face expression turned to udder happiness and peace as he walked over to the two mothers and embraced them in a strong, meaningful hug. A tear swam from Willow's eye as Giles backed up and looked at them.

"Congratulations. Both of you." Giles said, smiling. Tara turned to Willow, wiping away her tear.

Dawn came down the stairs with Alphania in her arms. She looked a bit overwhelmed. When she got to the bottom of the staircase, she turned to see Giles.

"Giles!" She gasped. Giles smiled warmly at her and then glanced at the baby.

"Tara, I could make her stop crying. I tried bouncing her, rocking her, talking to her, everything! I don't know what you do to make her quiet." Dawn exclaimed in exhaust.

"Its okay, Dawnie. I'll take her." Tara said, easily taking the child into her arms. She hushed quickly, as always. Giles couldn't help but notice the mother in her. He glanced over to Willow, who was gazing into the baby's eyes and then into Tara's. They were loving every moment of this.

"Er, what did you decide on for a name?" He asked.

"Well, I tried convincing them to name her Rupert, but…I've come to conclude that that is a male name." Xander joked.

"Alphania Rose. Mostly we just call her Allie." Willow said, still focused on her girls.

"She's beautiful, really. A mix of your best qualities. It's always wonderful." Giles proclaimed.