A/N New chapter! Hope you enjoy this.

"You're turn!"

"I don't know," Aisling said, sitting on the stone bench beside Buffy. "Mine might be lame compared to yours."

"Not possible," Buffy said. "Come on. Share."

Aisling bit her lip as she thought about it. "OK… uh… I'm in Ireland. In this little white house, with daffodils and lilies planted on the edge of the house, and I'm sitting in the kitchen in my housecoat reading the paper that has posted a glowing review of my latest performance and my significant other comes downstairs and kisses my cheek." She flushed, "Did I do it right?"

"Mostly." Buffy said, "It's supposed to be what current you would be doing if you could do anything you wanted." She said, "Not what you're future goals are."

"But it was very good outside of that." Willow said, "I love the idea of your significant other kissing your cheek."

"It was either that or waking up in bed with him. But I figured that was too erotic for school."

"Ooh him." Buffy said nudging her shoulder slightly, "You have someone in mind." She teased.

Aisling rolled her eyes. "I'm 16. I have had a couple of crushes here and there." She turned to Willow, "You're turning."

"What are you three up to."

"These two are teaching me how to play, 'Anywhere but here.'" Aisling said, "You know how to play?"

"Yeah, Amy Yip at the waterslide park"

"You never come up with anything else!" Willow said exasperated yet fondly.

Aisling leaned sideways to be closer to Buffy's ear. "Amy Yip?"

"actress from Hong Kong." Buffy whispered, "Sex Symbol."

"Ahh"

"You've never watched her?" Xander said with mock horror. "We need to correct that immediately."

"I'm not really interested in movies that have a lot of gratuitous sex in them," Aisling said.

"How'd you know that" Xander said.

Aisling gestured to Xander, "Xander Harris and Sex Symbol, not that hard to figure out."

"You think Giles ever played, 'Anywhere But Here.'" Willow turned her head slightly, Aisling followed Willow's gaze to see Giles walking across the campus.

"Probably," Aisling said.

"What? No way." Buffy said.

"Yeah, Giles lived for school." Xander said, "He's actually still bitter that there were only 12 grades."

"He probably sat in Math Class, thinking, 'There should be more math. This could be Mathier.'" Buffy quipped.

"Come on, you don't think he ever got restless as a kid," Willow asked.

"It's possible." Aisling said, "I mean my dad was completely different when he was younger to how he is now."

"Yeah, but your dad's a vampire who has a demon in him." Xander quipped in. "It's a known fact that vampires change when they turn.

Aisling rolled her eyes, but before she could correct him on that very wrong assumption Giles interrupted them.

Buffy called for Giles, Giles turned and started to walk over to them. "Oh, there you are," He said.

"Good Morning, Say is that tweed?" Buffy said.

Aisling bit her lip to keep from saying anything.

"What?" Giles said, anxiety in his voice, he looked down at his outfit, "Oh, uh yes." He started to walk away still talking, Buffy and the others started to follow after him. "Now, uh look tonight is very important—"

"Now that's a surprise."

Aisling choked back a chuckle at Buffy's sarcasm.

"So, what's on tap tonight that's so important."

"Delivery day." Aisling skipped in. "Probably wants you to get to the blood before the vamps can," Aisling said. "Instead of paying for it like other law-abiding vamps."

"Huh?"

"The hospital sells their expired/about to expire blood," Aisling said, "You didn't know that? almost every vampire town worth their salt has at least one hospital that sells blood. Keeps the neck wounds down and allows the vampires to get the blood they need; the hospitals get a lot less patients with neck trauma (not to mention a little extra cash on the side) Everyone's happy."

Buffy looked vaguely scandalized, "that blood is needed for human patients."

"Expired/almost expired blood." Aisling said, "And they tend not to sell unexpired O- calm down."

"O neg?"

"The universal donor." Giles explained to Buffy before he turned to Aisling his brow furled, "You act like you've bought from the hospitals before."

"Yeah?" Aisling said, "Most vampires do when they need to keep a low profile. Dad and I tend to leave those vampires alone. They don't prey on the unwilling; we don't kill them."

Buffy shook her head, as though she thought Aisling was being naïve, "You can't trust a vampire like that."

Aisling shrugged, "A vampire doesn't have a soul. But they are capable of choosing to do good if you can convince them, it's in their own self-interest. You have no idea the amount of vampires who don't kill." Aisling looked at them, "Dad and I vacationed in Austria once, and there was this one vampire, who just kept a few humans. Didn't kill them. She found it was a bit more fun if she could persuade them to let her feed."

None of the others shared her views. "Do you think that being raised by a vampire skewed your moralities a bit?" Xander asked.

"Oh, hush Xander." Aisling said, "Besides if it's consensual, and no one's dead who cares?"

"Didn't your friend die and come back as a vampire because he consented to having his blood drained?" Buffy asked, "How can you just—"

"All right enough." Giles cut in. "Buffy, I need you to go to the hospital tonight we'll meet at 8:30. I'll bring the weaponry."

"I'll bring the party mix."

Giles sighed, "Just don't be late."

"Have I ever let you down?" Buffy asked.

"Do you want me to answer that or shall I just glare."

At that moment Ms. Calendar walked up, "Morning England."

"Does that mean you're going to start callin' me 'Ireland.'" Aisling piped up, "Or is that just because you and he are flirtin' buddies?"

"Aisling!" Buffy said with a laugh sounding almost scandalized.

Giles looked deeply flushed. "That's enough Miss. Pratt."

"Oi." Aisling said, "Don't call me that."

"It is your name."

"You and I both know you weren't really calling me by my name."

Buffy and Xander looked confused. "Wha…?"

Calendar looked confused and shook her head, "Anyway…" Ms. Calendar turned to Willow, "Willow, are we still on for tomorrow?"

"What's tomorrow?"

"Ugh." Aisling said, "Saturday classes for the students in Ms. C's class who are having trouble with using computers." She looked at Willow confused, "You're the best student in the class."

"She's helping out for extra credit." Ms. Calendar explained.

"Aww. You and some other poor shlubs have to attend school on Saturday."

"9 AM ok with you Xander?"

Aisling snorted out a laugh. "Ha-ha." She said. "Got to shlub it out with the rest of us."

"Think he's got some shlub on his shoe."

Xander gave a nervous laugh, and then Ms. Calendar dropped the second bomb, "Cordelia's going to meet us."

"Ooh gang you hear that, a bonus day plus Cordelia throw in some rectal surgery and it's my best day ever."

"I thought you two were getting along after the whole 'Frankenstein' thing," Aisling said,

"Ha. No." Xander said.

Aisling laughed as the four of them walked away. Leaving Giles to walk Ms. Calendar to class.

"Hey, Buffy." Buffy turned around surprised to see Aisling walking up to her. "Where's Giles?"

"I don't know." Buffy huffed, "Tells me not to be late, and is then late."

Aisling frowned, "Has that ever happened before?"

"No. He considers tardiness to be the 8th deadly sin." She looked Aisling up and down, "Here to buy blood?"

"Yeah." Aisling said, "Got more than enough animal, but with how sick dad is I dare not pass up on getting some unexpired blood."

Buffy wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Why can't he just subside on animal blood?"

Aisling sighed. "Human blood makes vampires stronger." She said. "Blood from the vein is obviously best but since it's not an option I have to go to the next best thing." She tilted her head to the hospital.

"Still..." Buffy said. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"Da's sick," Aisling said. "I'm not about to mess with his diet when he's sick. And why would it bother me? We get it as legally as we can. If it's being sold and the hospital believes they no longer need it..., why shouldn't we have it? Da' needs sustenance too."

Buffy went quiet. Aisling waited to see if Buffy would respond but when she didn't Aisling took a step back, "See you soon Buffy." She said as she hurried across the parking lot toward the back door. She knocked on it quickly before a woman in a nurse's uniform opened the door and let her in.

"Buffy watched as Aisling disappeared through the door, speaking quietly to the nurse. The nurse hurried to the back desk while Aisling waited patiently.

Buffy was so busy watching Aisling that she'd almost missed the blood delivery truck coming by and 2 doctors appearing to grab the cooler.

"Hey, boys," Aisling said as she hurried down the steps. "You know the rules here."

"Why bother buying when we can just steal it?"

Buffy furrowed her brow in confusion before she realized what Aisling had already figured out.

"Cause… I don't know… the humans your fellow vamps put in here might need it?" Aisling wrinkled her nose at the thought.

Buffy stared, Is she honestly trying to reason with them?

One of the Vampires scoffed, "Why should we care about that?"

"Ok… fine… if you want to go the logical route instead of the altruistic one, there's the fact that Buffy's right there," Aisling said pointing to the shadows.

The vampire turned wide-eyed.

"So… run," Aisling said.

The vampires didn't waste any time before they turned and booked it. Aisling stepped forward bent down picked up the cooler and carefully carried it inside.

Buffy didn't waste time, she shot off after the vampires leaving Aisling behind.

"Thank you." The nurse said relieved taking it from her. "What did you say to them to get them to drop everything."

"Told them that the Slayer was here and that they should run."

"Nice." The nurse said.

"The best part is that it was true." She said.

The Nurse pursed her lips, "I don't know if I like that." She said, "We want vampires to come here." She said, "If they are coming here for their blood, they are not hurting humans."

"Yeah, but also they're not hurting anyone if they're dead," Aisling said, ever the devil's advocate.

"True. But all it takes is one vampire getting away and fewer vampires will come here." The Nurse said, "Next time you come can you bring Buffy? I'd like to speak to her."

Aisling shrugged, "No idea. But I'll try."

"School on a Saturday, it throws off my internal clock." Cordelia huffed annoyed.

"Ha!" Aisling laughed, "Try being the adoptive daughter of a vampire. I don't have an internal clock." Aisling said.

"When are we gonna need computers for real life, Anyway?"

"Hmm, let's see. There's home, school, and work games."

"You know I think computers on the way out. Papers gonna make a great comeback."

"Along with the Abacus,"

"Yeah, you don't see enough abaci."

Aisling laughed as she followed them into the classroom. She pulled her backpack off and took a seat next to Willow.

"Alright, the first thing we need to do is- Buffy?"

Aisling's head shot up to see that Buffy had appeared right behind Jenny.

"Hey, Buffy," Aisling said standing up. "Everything alright?"

"Did I fall asleep already?"

"Aww, you miss your friends?"

Xander stood up, "Sit here, Buffs. Demilitarize the zone between me and Cordelia."

Aisling rolled her eyes, "What's wrong Buffy? Isn't Saturday normally the day you use to catch up on sleep?" Aisling yawned to prove her point.

She'd but up half the night, her father had had a bad night, and she needed to sit with him and help force blood down his throat.

Spike had assured 1000 times when she contemplated skipping the class that he would be fine. She pulled out her cell to check for messages and breathed deeply when she didn't see anything.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you for a second."

"What's wrong?"

"Is there some crisis, that requires instant action-"

"Geeze Xander be less excited, would you?" Aisling snarked.

Buffy turned back to Ms. Calendar, "It's Giles,"

Immediately MS. Calendar shifted looking more concerned, "He's all right, isn't he?" She asked.

"I don't know." Buffy said, "He didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then… when I went over to his place, he was acting… well… very anti-Giles." Buffy looked back at Miss Calendar, "He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I think he might have been…" Buffy hesitated for a moment as though she couldn't bear to relate the word to her watcher, she lowered her voice a little, "I think he was drinking."

MS. Calendar's eyes, widened, "He was home alone drinking?"

"But Tea, Right?" Willow piped up, looking like her idol was on the verge of falling off the very high pedestal she'd placed him on.

"It wasn't tea will."

"Is that really so odd?" Aisling asked. "Lots of people drink."

"Not Giles," Willow said. "Not… alcohol." She said.

"Yep. Yep. I knew this would happen."

"Did you, now?" Aisling asked unimpressed. "Weren't you laughing just yesterday at the idea of Giles being restless?"

Cordelia chuckled, Xander ignored the both of them. "Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting."

"I believe I was the one who pointed that out," Aisling said.

"My uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you ever me – by day. By night it was booze, whores, and fur flying. Were there whores?"

Aisling rolled her eyes.

"He was alone," Buffy said.

"Give it Time."

"Hey. Xander." Aisling piped up. "Shut up."

Buffy turned back to the matter at hand, "So. None of you have noticed anything different lately?"

"No," Willow said, looking worried.

"Not really." Ms. Calendar said.

"I've only known him a couple months." Aisling said, "I don't really know 'normal Giles' from 'Not Normal' yet."

"You haven't seen anything weird," Buffy asked.

"No, he seemed perfectly normal yesterday, when I saw him talking to the police."

Everyone's head snapped toward Cordelia. "And you waited till now to tell us this because?"

"I didn't think it was important."

"We understand it wasn't about you."

Aisling didn't think that was really fair. On a Hellmouth, where Vampires roamed wild, and fed on anything with a pulse Buffy would naturally be found near a few dead bodies. It wouldn't be surprising if part of Giles's job was smoothing things over with the police to let Buffy off the hook.

Given everyone else's reaction, however… it wasn't.

"What were the police talking to him about?"

"Oh, don't tell me I know this one, um… Something about… a homicide?"

Aisling looked to Buffy but given her concern, it was obvious this had nothing to do with her.

"That's it. I'm calling him right now." Buffy turned and walked out of the room.

"Hey, wait- and she's gone." Aisling sighed. "Was going to tell her that she could use my cellphone."

"Well since Giles is MIA guess we should probably—"

"Nice try, Xander," Jenny said. "Sit."

To Ms. Calendar's credit, they did try and focus on computer work. But a few minutes into the lesson they heard the sound of glass breaking. Xander was the first person out of his seat and out the door. Aisling and the rest of the Saturday study group followed after.

They all barged into the library, to see Buffy fighting a zombie-looking creature and…

"Ethan Rayne?" Aisling asked, her look immediately darkening. "What are you—"

"Don't let him get away."

Aisling and Xander both sprang into action, Xander grabbed his shirt and held him to the checkout counter, while Aisling grabbed his arm and pinned it to the desk.

"Someone grab the other arm," Aisling screamed as Rayne started fighting.

Calendar jumped forward and pinned his other arm down.

In the meantime, Buffy had managed to trap the zombie into the cage.

"I'm not getting close enough to get a pulse, but… he looks dead."

"Cept for the walking and attacking part."

"Magic's involved." Aisling sighed, "Rayne. Talk."

"He's dead. Sorry Phillip, really am."

Aisling rolled her eyes but before she could say anything else Giles barged through the library.

"Is Everyone alright?"

"We're ok," Jenny said.

"Dead guy here, interrupted our tutorial," Xander said, he leaned closer to the cage. "Been meaning to thank you for that," Xander said, then jolted away as the zombified Philip lunged toward the door.

"Yep," Aisling said as she gave a half glare to Rayne. "He was just about to explain himself."

Giles walked forward to get a better look.

"It can't be."

"Oh, it can," Aisling said unsurprised. "Possession or magical reanimation." Aisling looked from Giles to Rayne. "Which is it?"

"You're quick as a whip," Rayne said before he turned to Giles. "Hello, Ripper."

"I thought I told you to leave town," Giles said, his expression one of cold rage.

"You did." Rayne agreed. "I didn't. Shops lease is paid till the end of the month" he said while Giles walked toward the former shopkeeper.

"Why did he call him Ripper?" Cordelia whispered to Xander.

Giles calmly, coldly, reached out and grabbed a fistful of Raynes's hair and pulled him up. "You should have left when I told you."

"Oh," Cordelia said.

Aisling bit her lip to keep from smiling. She still remembered the pain she went through during Halloween. How she'd given up her mind. How time as a 7-year-old re-awakened her nightmares of that horrific year.

Aisling blinked and forced herself to pay attention to the scene in front of her.

"Giles!" Buffy said horrified.

"You put these people in Danger." Giles said, "People I care about."

"If you cared so much about them, why didn't you leave town."

Aisling tilted her head confused when something on Ethan's forearm caught her eye.

A tattoo.

Aisling's eyes widened. "Eyghon." She said.

Everyone turned towards her.

Buffy tilted her head surprised.

"Dealt with that monster a couple years ago when Da' and I were vacationing in England," I say. "A group of dumb college kids were trying to get high by summoning Eyghon. IT… uh… didn't go well. She looked from Ethan to Giles. "I take it that you…"

"Shut up Aisling," Giles said.

"No," Buffy said. "Aisling keeps talking. Tell me about this Eyghon."

"That's really all I know," Aisling said. "I wasn't there when Dad dealt with him. He was out of it for a couple of days though, but he never told me what went down." She looked at Ethan, "Why should Giles have left town.

Ethan looked at Giles, "You've had the dreams. I know. I have. We both know what's coming."

"Dreams?" Buffy asked. "What dreams. Does this have to do with Eyghon?"

Giles looked at Buffy and glared at Aisling.

Aisling was undeterred. "Oh, I'm sorry." She told Giles, "Would you rather we were caught unawares?"

Just then the zombified Philip burst out of the cage. The cage smacked into Ms. Calendar, and she fell to the ground unconscious.

Cordelia screamed as Xander turned to protect her.

Buffy took up a fighting stance, as did Aisling.

"Jenny!" Giles cried, hurrying toward her.

Buffy and Aisling both kicked the zombie into the cage walls.

"Thanks," Buffy said.

"No problem," Aisling said. The Zombie turned to a goopy blue liquid.

Jenny jerked awake, and Giles helped her up, they hugged. Aisling couldn't help but find the whole thing kind of cute. Reminded her of her father, and how devoted he could be when he was in love.

Ethan Rayne of course had disappeared.

Giles and Calendar made the decision to head back to Giles's apartment after the day Ms. Calendar had had.

Buffy meanwhile had decided to assign everyone to start researching. While Buffy had Aisling get her da' on the line.

Aisling hadn't wanted to, but given the scope of the issue, she decided to risk her father's ire.

"Eyghon?" She heard her father say on the other line. "Aisling." His tone was disapproving.

"Ok. Hey. Stop. You can't blame me for this. I didn't know until like… 30 minutes ago."

"Sorry, uh… Mr. Pratt."

"Gah. Call me William. Or Spike. Or add a Mr. In front of either of those names. Mr. Pratt makes me feel old."

"Aren't you 144?" Aisling asked cheekily.

"Oi. Did I ask for your cheek?"

"Got it from you, didn't I?"

"Ok. Sorry, you two get back to bickering later." Buffy said annoyed she turned back to the phone "But Mr. uh… William, is there anything you can tell us about Eyghon that would help us destroy him?" Buffy asked.

"Destroy? No. Not unless you want to kill his host." He hesitated for a moment "But… If you're not against using a vampire. I'd get one of them there and then he would fight the monster. Being dead, the demon will try and hop into him when he feels threatened."

Aisling's eyes widened. "Wait… is that how you got rid of Eyghon that time?"

"Yeah."

"But how do you know it won't just kill Angel?"

"Cause I'm not dead." Spike Paused, "Well not dust anyway. Vampires are dead and already have a demon inside, that's always itching for a good fight. Eyghon and the demon will fight, Eyghon will feel threatened by it and will flee back to his realm."

Aisling jumped in by that point. "Ok, Da' thank you. Bye."

"But—" Aisling hung up the phone. "Ok. So, vampire works. That'll help right?"

Buffy looked at Aisling.

"No," Aisling said.

"But…"

"No," Aisling said. "He's injured, and his demon is weakened forget it."

"What about Angel?" Willow said standing up. "We could ask him about it."

Buffy bit her lip. "We don't even know if Eyghon's body jumped." She said. "No one was dead."

"No," Aisling said.

"Hold on," Willow said standing up. "I think I know how they're possessing the host."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Willow said, "Eyghon possesses an unconscious host. There's some kind of ritual, and the person who is possessed has a feeling of euphoria and power."

"That makes sense," Aisling said unsurprised. "Given the majority of people were college students."

"What does this have to do with Giles."

"I don't know," Willow admitted. "But the Etruscans used to use those rituals in bacchanals and orgies. If he's threatened, he'll jump into the nearest dead or unwilling host."

"Ok. Giles and Orgies."

"Please," Aisling said with a roll of her eyes. "If my dad can go from 'a proper Victorian gentleman' to having the reputation he currently has. Then Giles can go from demon summoning to being the tweed-wearing book-loving man he is now."

"Yeah. But I mean… it's Giles."

Aisling rolled her eyes.

"So… does this mean Eyghon is gone? There was no one dead or unconscious to jump into."

"No one dead," Buffy said slowly.

"But someone unconscious." Xander finished.

It took Aisling too long before she caught on. "Oh. Oh no."

"Thank you, operator," Buffy said before she hung up. "There's no answer at Ms. Calendar's, and Gile's phone is out of order."

"Fuck." Aisling said, "OK. We'll see about asking Angel to risk possession. You go see about stopping Eyghon from killing Giles."

Buffy hesitated before she nodded and hurried out of the room.

Aisling and Willow turned to each other and nodded before they hurried out of the library.

"Sup," Aisling said as she strolled into Angel's apartment with the other three members of the Scooby gang. "Need a huge favor, that'll save Buffy's life. And probably Giles."

"Aisling, willow, Xander, what are you…"

"We need you to scare a demon into body jumping into you," Aisling said sitting on his couch.

"Yeah," Willow said stepping in. "He only body jumps into the dead or unconscious and since you are already dead…"

Angel winced. "Ok. Ok." He said I'll see what I can do.

"Good." Willow said, "Buffy's already headed off to Giles' house. Hopefully, we can get there before Eyghon decides to go after Rayne… if he wants to go after Rayne."

"Rayne? That's the… Halloween store guy, right?"

Aisling glared into the aether. Don't remind me." She said.

"Ok. Since we've got what we came for can we go?"

Aisling rolled his eyes, "You just want to do this in the hopes that it fails, and you have a reason to cut off Angel's head."

"Hey… I resent that." Xander said. "I'm only in this to protect Giles and Buffy." Xander paused, "But if it does fail… perk."

Aisling smacked Xander upside the head. "Ass." She said.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me that a part of you doesn't want the same."

"No," Aisling said shaking her head incessantly. "You don't get to compare this." Aisling insisted. "I dislike Angel because he had a hand in creating the person who ruined my life. You don't like him because you're jealous he's dating someone you like. It's not the same."

"It's not just that," Xander said. "I mean he's a vampire and—"

"Guys," Willow said. "Knock it off. We have more important things to do than determine who has more of a right to hate Angel. Which for the record none of you do."

"Excuse me?"

"You hate Angel because he created Drusilla? But he has a soul now he's already suffering for it. So, hating him on top of that makes no sense." Aisling popped her mouth open in surprise, but William had already turned to Xander.

"And you, Xander, Buffy's not dating you. So what? Doesn't give you the right to hate her boyfriend. Or even worse want him dead because of it."

They reach Giles's apartment, only to realize that, unfortunately, Buffy has already come and gone. Giles looks off into the distance horrified.

"Jenny – Eyghon." Giles said, "She – he-they went after Ethan Rayne. Buffy went to…"

We barely finished the sentence when we managed to hurry out the door. Hoping and praying that we aren't too late. We all pile into Angel's care and he tears down the road to the former costume shop.

They're barely too late. The possessed Jenny is fighting Buffy, but Angel wastes no time he attacks Jenny. Giles tries to stop him, but Willow and Aisling hold him back.

"NO trust us," Willow says.

Angel starts to strangle the Jenny-Eyghon hybrid, and just as the scoobies had hoped the demon hopped from Jenny into Angel.

Angel threw himself to the wall, his face changing back and forth from Angel to Eyghon and back again. Then a faint spirit jolted out of Angel and disintegrated in the air.

Aisling takes a deep breath. "Is it over?"

"I think so."

Giles hurries over to Jenny and helps her up.

Willow started to explain, Angel continued to say that since he'd had a demon in him who had been itching for a fight; he was the best choice for this.

Aisling barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was sure she was imagining the condescension toward her father.

"Ash?"

Aisling sighed as she made her way into the house. "Would it help to know that I only fought the demon once?" She said.

"You shouldn't have fought him at all." Spike was lying on the sofa, a mug of blood in his hands, his laptop resting closed on his lap.

"I… helped Buffy," Aisling said sitting by his feet. "Wasn't a big deal. Though Ms. Calendar ended up possessed."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Don't worry we got Angel there. The demon tried to possess him, but you know how vampires are. Eyghon made a break for it."

"Good." Spike sighed. "I wish you wouldn't try to get yourself into so much trouble," Spike said sitting up a little. "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you."

Aisling curled up at the other end of the couch. "I'm mortal. You should."

"That's not funny Ash."

"I'm not tryin' to be," Aisling said. "Whether it's by a monster, sickness, or old age. I will one day die." Aisling leaned her head against the Sofa. "You should prepare yourself for that eventuality.

"Ash—"

"I'm not suicidal," Aisling said. "Don't worry. I'm just… preparing. And I… if something does happen. I want you to be able to… keep going. Mourn me if you need to but… move on. Date someone. Adopt another kid. Fight demons." Aisling looked away. "I know you. You don't do well alone. Not for long periods. You need friends. Good friends."

"I have you."

Aisling shook her head. "I'm not enough." She sighed and turned to the Du Lac book resting on the counter. They'd started reading it but were having trouble understanding it. The Latin was… wonky. They were hoping to be able to translate it soon.

If they couldn't… Aisling looked at her father.

Well… then Spike wouldn't have to worry about Aisling anymore at least.

"Hey, Buffy." Aisling winced when she saw Buffy's back. "Mark of Eyghon?"

"Rayne tattooed me last night." Buffy huffed. "Gonna need to save up enough money to get it removed and hope and pray mom doesn't notice before I do." Buffy looked at Aisling. "Bet your dad wouldn't care?"

Aisling laughed. "Dad's more paranoid about diseases than your mom would be I bet. He lived in a time when people keeled over and died from very curable diseases before he was turned into a vampire. Now that he needs to care about a human, he can be a bit of a worry wort when I get sick."

"What does that have to do with…"

Aisling looked up at the sky. "Spike's read a bit one too many papers on kids getting tattoos. He'd rather I wait till I'm 18." She said. "Same with getting my hair dyed." Aisling shrugged. "I'm not all that eager to do any of that anyway."

Buffy frowned. "I don't think I ever thought of that." She said. "Spike spent…what? 100 years not having to care about human health and then barely a decade ago he has to care about that again." Buffy paused. "You think Angel will be that worried about me?" She asked.

"I don't think so," Aisling said. "You're the Slayer. Your health is supposed to be superior to the average human, right?"

"I guess." Buffy turned to Aisling surprised. how do you—" Buffy paused. "Right, your foster dad is the slayer of slayers right."

"Spent a lot of time studying them," Aisling said. "Learning what makes 'em tick." She paused and then looked at Buffy apologetically. "Sorry," Aisling said. "Livin' with vampires… even one who has a soul… you tend to forget sometimes what's socially acceptable and what isn't. Not that it isn't an excuse to be insensitive."

"It's fine," Buffy said.

"No, it's not, but thanks." Aisling turned. "Hey, will. Hey Xan." She said. Then showing. "Ready for class?"

"Nope," Xander said.

"Of Course."

Aisling sighed, "Then let's get going." She paused "Oh… wait." She turned to Buffy.

"The nurse who sells the donated blood that's expired or close to expired blood wants to speak to you," Aisling said.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Aisling bit her lip, "I don't know. Best to hear it from her anyway."

Buffy looked at Aisling confused but didn't say anything more as the three of them hurried to class.

A/N Yeah that ending is kind of sudden. Short chapter this time.

Aisling doesn't really need to learn the lesson buffy does one of the perks of having a vampire as a father is that she already kind of knows that adults are flawed beings.