Since I couldn't post yesterday, and I want to stay on schedule, you get a second chapter today! Huzzah!

Chapter 7

Buffy was woken by pounding on the door and someone rushing in. She sat up right, ready for the attack.

"Oh, thank god," Portia breathed as she sat on the bed next to her son. "I was scared half to death!" She cradled him.

"You forgot the note," he mumbled into his mother's arms.

"Sorry, Portia. He asked to sleep with me and I meant to leave you a note, but we just sort of crashed."

"It's alright. Really. I'm sorry I barged in. At least you were the first place I came. I didn't worry long." She kissed the top of her son's head. "Come on. Let's get ready for breakfast." They both stood and headed for the door.

"Aunt Buffy and Giles were kissing last night."

Portia froze. She slowly turned around, completely shocked to find Buffy's hand over her mouth, eyes wide as saucers. "Uh, let's keep that a secret for now, alright, Alex?"

"Okay." He opened the door and walked out. Portia stood, still gaping at Buffy. "Mum!" he called. She snapped out of it and left the room, giving Buffy one last look before shutting the door.

Buffy sat next to Giles at breakfast. They both greeted one another as if nothing happened.

"Sleep well?" Giles asked.

"Very. I had a handsome young man snuggling me all night. You?"

"No handsome young men for me."

Buffy giggled. "So it was a rough night?"

"At first, yes." Buffy looked to him quizzically. "But after my rather cold shower, things managed to, umm, calm down a bit."

Portia sat down in front of Buffy and Alex in front of Giles. Portia couldn't stop staring at Giles. At first, he didn't even notice, just focusing on his breakfast plate. When he did look up, he did a double take, brows knitted together in confusion. He side glanced at Buffy, who was obviously not looking at him. He looked back to Portia, still staring at him. He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just say it already."

Portia immediately leaned into to Buffy who leaned in also. "When I told you to kiss and make up, I didn't mean literally," she quickly whispered.

"Okay, yes, we kissed and Alex saw and I'm sorry about that, but I won't apologize for doing it."

"You did it?!" Giles choked on his eggs. Portia just shook her head and continued. "I don't need you to apologize, especially not to me. I'm just... in shock, is all. You two haven't even spoken since Xander's-" she stopped.

"Daddy's what?" asked Alex, looking up at his mother. She gave him a small smile and kissed his hair.

"It's just... complicated at the moment, Portia. I'm not sure what to tell you." Buffy pushed the eggs on her plate around.

Portia looked to Giles. "You are being awfully quiet."

Giles looked up from his plate. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression you forgot I was here."

Portia rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm not going to pretend I know what is going on here with the two of you, but know that you have my silence."

"Thank you," Buffy said, patting Portia's hand.

"What about you?" Giles asked Alex.

"My silence is paid in bacon and cake."

Portia giggled. Giles turned to Buffy. "Am I being blackmailed by a 6 year old?"

"Alexander Harris, Jr., Giles. I'd give him the bacon if I were you." Buffy handed her one remaining piece over.

"Pleasure doing business with you."

Buffy returned to her room to get her purse before they headed out for their final fitting. She was heading back to her door when Giles stepped through. He closed and locked it. "What exactly do you think you are doing?" she asked him.

"Oh," he stepped towards her, "I thought I'd do this." He cupped her face with both his hands and kissed her. She hummed and put her hands on his hips, pulling him against her. He opened his mouth and caressed her tongue with his. He moved one hand down her neck and the other to her waist. He walked her backwards toward the bed. When Buffy bumped into it, he turned them around and sat down. She straddled his lap and continued kissing him. His hands went to her lower back and pulled her against him. She moaned at feeling his arousal under her and moved her hips on him. He growled as he spun them around, laying her on the bed and hovering over her.

He thrust against her and started kissing her neck when someone tried opening the door. They both startled and looked to the door, as if they could see through it. Dawn was now pounding on it. "Buffy! Are you in there?! We are going to be late!"

"I'm so glad you locked that," she told Giles.

"BUFFY!" Dawn pounded on the door again.

"Just a minute!" she yelled back. "Balls," she muttered and dropped her head to the mattress. Giles chuckled and tried to get up. Buffy tightened her legs around his waist. "And just where do you think you are going, Mister?"

He kissed her nose. "Believe me. It's not willingly." She dropped her legs and he thrust one more time before standing.

Buffy gave a frustrated growl. "Tease." She held out her hand and he pulled her up. She walked over to the door.

"Buffy, now!" Buffy unlocked the door and threw it open, glaring at her sister. "Why was the door locked anyway?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "What? I'm not allowed any privacy now?"

"Not when we are going to be late, no!" Buffy turned to get her purse off the floor next to the bed. Dawn pushed the door open more and stepped inside. That was when she noticed Giles standing in front of the vanity mirror. "What are you doing in here?"

"We were, um, talking," he stammered.

"With the door locked?"

"We didn't want to be interrupted," Buffy responded dryly.

Dawn crossed her arms. "Then maybe you should talk when we aren't on a schedule."

"You've planned every minute of this whole week, Dawn!"

"Yeah! And Buffy and Giles fight club isn't until after lunch!" Both girls stood staring each other down.

Giles took a tentative step forward, praying for his own safety. "Umm, don't you have somewhere to be?"

Dawn looked at her watch. "Crap!" She grabbed Buffy's wrist and yanked her out the door.

"You and Giles seem to be getting along," Willow commented as she looked at her dress in the three mirrors.

"Uh, yeah." Buffy stood still as the seamstress pinned the sides of the dress. "Things have been... nice."

"Dawn said he was like her dad," Nessa said, sitting in an armchair, waiting for her turn to be pinned.

Buffy shrugged and gasped as she was stuck with a pin. "No move!" she was scolded.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Yeah, he kind of was, I guess."

"To all of us, really," Willow added, then she sighed. "I really do not look good in a short dress." She spun back and forth slightly, swishing the slightly poofy skirt.

"Oh, stop it, Will. You look gorgeous."

"She put me in pink. Pink! With my hair? Major clashing."

Nessa looked down at her dress. "Its really more of a peach."

"At least you didn't get stuck in the gray. Ow!"

"No move!"

"So," Nessa said, "what's with the touchy feely?"

Buffy looked confused. "Huh?"

"You and Giles are all hand holdy and arm touchy and smiley. I mean, I loved my dad, but..."

"Buffy and Giles have a, umm, special type of relationship." Willow stepped from the mirrored platform and sat in a chair next to Nessa.

"Yeah. We're more like... partners." Buffy furrowed her brow. "At least, we used to be. I'm not sure what we are now."

"All done. Stand there. Next!" Buffy stepped down and Nessa took her spot.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Nessa asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I'm not sure how my boyfriend would feel if I paid that sort of attention to another guy."

Willow stood next to Buffy, feeling defensive of her best friend. "It's not like that with them. Yeah, they loved each other, but they didn't love each other. They've been through a lot together. We all have. It tends to bring us closer. We're family." Willow held Buffy's hand. She couldn't help the smile Willow brought to her face. They may not see each other as often as they both would like, but they were still besties.

"I didn't mean anything by it." Nessa turned as the seamstress instructed, now looking at the two ladies through the mirror. "I'm just trying to get a feel for the guy. I mean, he's your family and soon will be mine, too, right?"

Buffy was about to respond, but just then Dawn entered the room. Her dress was simple, yet extremely elegant. It was a sheath dress in bright, shiny satin with a small train. It had a boat neck line and when she turned to face the mirror, Buffy saw it was backless. "Oh my wow," Buffy said breathlessly. Dawn caught her eye in the mirror and gave her a smile.

"Dawn, you look amazing," Willow stated. "And I'm gay so I would know."

Dawn chuckled. "Thanks, Willow." She studied herself in the mirror. She ran her hands over her hips and the stomach of the dress.

Buffy stood behind her sister on the platform. She put her hands on Dawn's upper arms and met her gaze in the mirror once again. "You look beautiful, Dawnie."

"I wish mom was here."

Buffy stepped up next to Dawn. She took her hand then laid her head on her little sister's shoulder. "Me, too."

"Hey, Buffy?"

"Hmm?"

Dawn smiled. "You look beautiful, too." She turned to her bridesmaids. "You all do. Really. Thank you so much for being here for me."

The girls all moved in for a hug, but was stopped short. "No!" the seamstress shouted. They looked to her. "Pins!"

"Oh. Right." Dawn said. "I probably shouldn't bleed on the dress."