Buffy staggered back into Oz and Giles when Dawn crashed into her. Incoherent words were flowing so quickly that Buffy gave up trying to follow along and just enjoyed the hug. Words could come later.
"Is Willow going to be okay?" Xander asked quietly.
"There's no way for us to know yet." Giles closed the door. "The coven member with her now said Buffy saved her life by giving her the amulet, but the extent of the damage will have to be ascertained as she recovers."
"We should get over there." Xander moved toward the door.
"They sent us home for a reason, Xander." Giles grabbed his arm. "They are trying some delicate spell work. They need space and time to focus."
"I can be quiet, Giles." Xander pouted.
"No one has denied that, but your aura is distracting. Let them do their thing." Giles pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.
"It's okay, G man. I'll behave." Xander's shoulders drooped.
"Must you continue with that horrible epithet?" Giles glared at him.
"Yeah, I must. You wouldn't love me nearly as much if I wasn't so annoying." Xander grinned. "That's a fact."
"An interesting theory." Ethan smirked. "I believe you have some groveling scheduled for this time. Leave Ripper alone."
"So, the whole you with Ethan thing wasn't part of the evil slayer's plan?" Xander looked to Giles with his hopeful puppy expression.
"Can you go a day without a curse on you, Man?" Oz shook his head.
"Uhm, yeah." Xander sighed and looked at Buffy and smiled with half his mouth. "Sorry doesn't really cut it. I mean, wow, I'm a horse's ass."
"I'm so sorry about the spell, Buffy." Dawn pulled back and looked down into Buffy's eyes. "Please forgive me? Please?"
"Nothing to forgive, Kiddo." Buffy stroked Dawn's face. "I want us to move on and be happy. Okay?"
"It seems like I'm getting off too easy." Dawn smiled. "I mean you should so be making me grovel."
"Yeah, well, I missed three years with you and everybody else. I don't want to spend the next three making you jump through hoops." Buffy shrugged.
"I think we might deserve five year sentences." Xander came over and patted her back. "We owe you some heavy groveling. The wicked wizard is right about that."
"Xander, apologize right now." Buffy pushed free of Dawn's hug. "Ethan saved the day. He is part of this family and you will not call him names in his own home. Get me?"
"How did Ethan save the day?" Xander looked over at Giles and Ethan. "He was here removing spells from us."
"He gave me the amulet that saved Willow's life. Kennedy was draining her dry. The amulet bought her time enough for me to fight Kennedy." Buffy smiled at Ethan warmly.
"I'm sorry, Rayne, Man." Xander smiled and his eyes lit up as the new nickname presented itself.
"I think I might prefer the wicked wizard bit." Ethan complained.
"I certainly enjoy it." Giles laughed and hugged Ethan.
"So, I guess he's a permanent addition?" Xander sighed. "I'm gonna have to defend my snarking crown."
"There's a crown for court jester?" Ethan grinned and rolled his eyes. "Americans."
"Is there food? Slayer metabolism will not be denied." Buffy smiled. "Some of us were out all night making the world a safer place."
"As it so happens, I did over cook this morning." Ethan smiled.
"Thank you, Ethan, from the bottom of my stomach." Buffy grinned and looked to Oz. "Race you."
They ran ahead of the others and stopped in the kitchen. Buffy wrapped her arms around Oz and giggled. He stroked back her hair and tucked it behind her ears.
"No more removing protective charms in the middle of a battle, okay?" His eyes were somber despite their playful race.
"Okay." Buffy squeezed him gently and pressed her lips to his. He smirked as she pulled back.
"You can do better than that." He growled and pulled her close.
"What the hell is going on here?" Xander shouted and pointed directly at them.
"Well, we made it to the kitchen first and decided to celebrate." Buffy grinned.
"Yep, we are really hungry." Oz smirked and tightened his hand in her hair. "I mean there's the fighting and the not fighting. We need fuel."
"There's not fighting? What kind of not fighting would that be?" Dawn looked at them with wide eyes.
"The very best kind." Buffy grinned and leaned her forehead against Oz's.
"You're together?" Xander looked between them and nodded. "I can see it."
"How did you know?" Giles looked at Ethan and raised an eyebrow.
"Keen observation and a willingness to see it." Ethan smiled. "You have a father's eye."
"Does that mean you have a mother's eye?" Buffy smiled as she pulled away from Oz and grabbed plates for the table.
"No chocolate chip pancakes for you." Ethan huffed playfully.
"I meant debonair uncle's eye." Buffy smiled and grabbed his hands beseechingly. "You can't be so cruel as to take away my chocolate. Please."
"You might want to watch the chocolate, Buffy." Oz whispered against her ear. "Wolves don't do well with it."
Buffy whirled around and looked at him with wide eyes. She pressed her hand against her stomach.
"It's a thought." Oz shrugged.
"Crap." Buffy flopped down in her seat. "Make me a plate, Oz."
He smiled and nodded, piling two plates with sausage and eggs. Buffy sighed. No chocolate for months.
Oz hummed and reached out to hold her hand. The warm glide of his fingers on hers sent a thrill through her entire body. Oh, yeah, no chocolate was so worth it.
"Buffy, you've got to try these." Dawn took a huge bite of the pancakes. "They're delicious."
"I'm sure. Ethan's wonderful in the kitchen." Buffy nodded to him. "But I need to eat healthier foods until I gain some of my weight back. Hey, do we have any fruit?"
Giles tossed her a pear and raised an eyebrow at her. He wasn't blinded by fatherly affection at the moment. He smiled and nodded thoughtfully. She was so going to hear about this later. She looked around her and smiled. It could be so much worse. She could handle a lecture or ten. She grabbed a croissant. There was nothing bad about croissants.