Giles yawned as he opened his door. Only one person would knock at 3 am. He stepped back and waved Buffy inside. He was surprised to find her wearing the same dress she wore this (or rather yesterday) morning. "Is everything okay?" he asked worriedly, shaking off the last of his drowsiness.

Buffy paced in front of the couch and twisted her hands together. "Giles, I know that in the past, I've done some stupid things. Really, really stupid things. Not the least of which was hiding things from you."

Giles looked at her with surprise. Her words were true, but in all honesty, he remembered being her age. Follies of youth were to be expected. She was a young woman, not a fully grown adult to be expected to act as such. "Buffy, you do not have to apologize to me. What is past, is past."

She stopped and looked at him. "I saw Ethan today."

Giles wasn't expecting that. His mouth opened but he snapped it closed again when he couldn't think of anything to say. He studied her carefully, trying to get a sense of her state of mind. "Did he harm you?"

Buffy shook her head. "He…um, bought me ice cream."

Again, those were words he wasn't expecting. Again, his mouth opened and closed without making a sound.

Buffy sighed and sat down abruptly on the coffee table. "He asked me out, Giles. On a date. A date-date. Like with food and dancing. He specifically mentioned dancing. Giles, what the hell is going on?"

Seeing the confusion and worry on his Slayer's face broke him out of his own surprise. He walked over and sat beside her. "Buffy, what is really bothering you about this? Are you… do you want to go to dinner with Ethan?"

"It's Ethan," Buffy stressed. "I don't trust him as far as you can throw your ugly car. But he said something big and bad was coming. That's why he's really here. Of course, then he said he likes me and want to maybe date me, which is completely weird. If I do this, I could probably get info from him. But, it's Ethan Rayne! He's turned you into a demon, tattooed me, cursed chocolate, which is just evil all on it's own, but that ended with you and my mom getting naked together, another sort of evil altogether and… and… it's Ethan!" she said in a long-winded ramble.

Giles shook his head. "Buffy, Ethan is many things, but evil isn't one of them. He's mischievous, unreliable, and unscrupulous. But there was a time when I trusted him with my life."

She sighed and looked up at her Watcher. "How could you two ever be friends?"

He gave her a slight smile. "At one time, I was just as bad as he is. Rebellious, focused only on my own pleasures and desires. I cared little for anyone but me. Ethan was my best friend back then." He sighed and shook his head. "Buffy, you cannot forget that Ethan cares for himself above all others. Whatever his motivations really are, I guarantee they don't bode well for you."

Buffy nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know. I think I just needed to actually hear it. Thanks, Giles."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her. "Whatever is coming, we'll deal with it. We always do."

Buffy relaxed and nodded. As long as she had Giles, she knew she'd be okay.

Buffy was halfway back to the dorms when she sensed someone approaching. She spun, pulling a stake from her purse. She relaxed when Ethan stepped into the light of a streetlamp. "Are you following me?" she demanded.

He pointed to a hotel just up the street. "I saw you walk by earlier. It's awfully late to be out, so I thought I'd make sure you got back from Ripper's house safely."

Buffy snorted and crossed her arms. "In other words, you were spying."

Ethan walked over to her and grinned wickedly. "So, did he convince you to stay away from big, bad me?"

Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to continue walking. "As if I needed convincing. You aren't exactly my type, you know."

Ethan walked beside her, looking unconcerned. "Aren't you a bit young to have a type? I'm fairly certain I didn't have a type at your age. At 19 my only criteria was 'willing'."

Buffy looked at him with disgust. "Eww! You know, you're not very good at this seduction stuff if you think that is going to help your cause."

Ethan took her hand and drew her to a stop. They were close enough that Buffy could see the flecks of gold in his eyes. "I'm not trying to seduce you," he said calmly. "There is one thing you can trust about me. I will not lie to you. I give you my word on that. Ask Rip. Once I give my word, I do not renege."

Buffy studied him carefully. Calling herself a fool, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Okay. So why are you doing this, then? If it's not seduction, what is it?"

Ethan shrugged. "Is it so hard to believe I would be interested in you? You're not just the Slayer. You're not just a way to torment Ripper. I have seen you face evil and not flinch. I have watched you fight destiny and win. I have more respect for you than I do 99% of the population. You are a unique and fascinating woman, Buffy Summers."

Buffy watched with surprise as Ethan turned and walked away, not waiting for a response. He crossed the street and walked down the block to the hotel. He opened the door to room #6 and stepped inside. When the light went out she turned and began walking toward the university again.

His words buzzed in her head and she tried to find the threat or lie she was sure they must contain. By the time she slipped into her bed, she was beginning to believe he had spoken the truth. And that wigged her out.