Buffy shifted from one foot to the other as she stared at the door in front of her. She nervously checked that her hair was smooth before lifting a hand to knock softly. She heard a muffled groan and footsteps, which almost made her bolt. She was so not ready to do this! The door opened and a gruff voice greeted her.

"What do you wa... Buffy?"

She held up a deli bag and smiled uncomfortably. "Donuts?"

Ethan stared at her for a moment before leaning his head out the door, squinting in the sunlight and looking around the parking lot. "Are your friends waiting in the bushes to jump me?"

Buffy was so stunned by his wariness that she burst out laughing. "What? Of course not!"

Ethan stepped back and gestured for her to come in. "You have to admit, after the way we left things last night, seeing you on my doorstep is a bit suspicious."

Buffy blushed and sat down on the edge of a chair. She looked at the pizza box and empty beer bottles in the garbage can before setting the bag on the table. "I want to talk to you," she said softly. "A serious, real talk."

Ethan sat down on the edge of the bed facing her and gave her a sigh. "You want me to leave town."

"No!" Buffy's blush deepened and she shifted uncomfortably. She swallowed nervously and lowered her voice. "I mean, no, I don't want you to leave. I want you to ask some questions, and I want some honest answers, okay?"

Ethan studied her face and nodded. "Alright. Ask your questions, but I should tell you I already told you everything I know about the Initiative."

Buffy nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment before giving a tiny nod and sitting back in her chair. "Alright. Why did you start sending me flowers?"

His eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected question. "At first? To annoy you. A little joke to remind you that I was still around. After the candy incident, I did it because you fought so hard. I wanted to thank you for not making me a baby murderer. There are many things I am willing to do, I freely admit. But that? Those deaths would have haunted me, and rightly so. I knew when your birthday was, because I had rifled through Ripper's journals when I was dosing the candy. I wanted to make sure he didn't know a counter-curse. So, when your birthday was approaching, I just... felt the urge to send you more flowers. It's just something I do now. A tribute to your strength."

Buffy felt her stomach flutter but kept her face expressionless with effort. "Okay. Why the bunny and the earrings? Why the cross? That's not just a trinket, Ethan. That's a very serious gift to send someone you hardly know."

He stared at her so long, she was beginning to wonder if he intended to answer. She opened her mouth to ask for an answer when he leaned forward and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you want honesty?" he asked hesitantly.

"Absolutely," Buffy said firmly.

"Alright," he said. "I sent you them because I wanted you to have them. Buffy, do you have any idea how I see you? Strong. Not just physically, which can be scary enough all on it's own, but strong mentally and emotionally. I have seen you take on everything life has thrown at you and emerge stronger than before. I have watched you defend the people you have never met with your whole heart and soul. You have spilled your blood for a world that will never even know your name, and you did it with grace and poise and a tenacity that amazes me."

Ethan let out a slow breath and sat back. "I sent you the gifts because I care for you."

Buffy shivered from the intensity in his eyes. "And last night? That wasn't about giving me information, was it? You planned a real date for us, didn't you?"

Ethan shrugged without answering.

Buffy hated being emotional. She felt the weight of her calling every second of every day, and every time she had given in to her emotions, bad things happened. Angelus, running away, Faith being comatose. Surprisingly, his answers today had eased some of the tension she was feeling.

"Alright," she said after a long moment of silence. "First of all, I need to apologize for last night. I was harsh, and you didn't deserve that. Second, you are right. I am attracted to you. Third," Buffy gave him a hopeful smile, "would you like to join me for lunch?"

"It must be the water in Sunnydale," Ethan mused after several seconds of silence. Buffy's brows rose in question and he grinned. "I can usually tell what people are thinking or about to do. Except in Sunnydale. You and Ripper, especially, keep surprising me."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

Ethan stared at her for a couple of seconds before leaning forward, placing a hand on her nape and tugging her forward for a brief kiss. "I'll let you know once I figure it out," he teased.

Buffy blushed and gave him a shy nod. "Fair enough. Lunch?"

"I'd love to, Pet." He stood and pulled her to her feet. "I need to shower. I'd ask if you wanted to join me, but I don't want to ruin the good will you've shown me this morning. Shall I pick you up a noon?"

"Okay," Buffy answered, deliberately ignoring the shower remark. "I'll see you then."

Ethan watched her cross the parking lot and head toward the college campus with a sigh. He knew the smart thing to do would be to leave now. He never was very good at doing the smart thing, though.

A/N: Sorry for the delay, but I've been sucked back into another fandom, and finding the time to write for both is a bit difficult. However, I have never left a story unfinished, and I'm not about to now. )