It had been a while since Buffy looked forward to the end of patrol instead of the actual patrolling. After Angel left it was all she'd had. And then again after Parker. She wasn't sure what that said about her that when her heart took a beating she wanted to go out and kill things. The night had taken longer than she would have liked, but since she had not patrolled the night before she tried to make up for it. So, it was pretty late when she finished.

She was standing just about at the halfway point between Giles' and campus. Her backpack was at his place, so she'd have to get it one way or another. Tomorrow was Saturday, though, so she could have just gone to her dorm and gotten it over the weekend. But she hated the idea of having to go somewhere on the weekend.

"Well, I guess that makes the decision." Maybe she'd left the backpack there for a reason. She found the door locked, which wasn't surprising. She pulled the keys out of her pocket and struggled a little getting it to work. She did manage, though. Her eyes fell on her backpack. He had propped it up against the edge of his desk on the floor.

She thought about getting it and just heading back to her room. He had said he'd look forward to her joining him and she had liked waking up next to him. She'd never done that before. And what was more, she'd made love to someone who didn't turn into a creep afterward.

She walked upstairs and pushed open the door to his room. Making her way to the edge of the bed she watched for a minute as he slept. He looked so peaceful. She'd never given much thought to how he slept or that the things she went through were equally hard on him. She bent down and kissed his forehead before going to his bathroom to get ready for bed.

"Buffy?"

"Yeah, Giles. Were you expecting someone else?"

"Not tonight, no. I thought I was dreaming for a minute."

"Nope."

"Is it very late?"

"Pretty much, yeah. You can't get after me for slacking tonight."

"I don't think I've gotten after you for quite some time."

"No, you haven't actually. I'll be right out."

"I look forward to it."

She caught herself smiling as she walked to the bathroom, returning a few minutes later. She wore one of his shirts. He'd left it for her, evidently realizing she wouldn't have thought to bring something to sleep in.

"Well, I can definitely say you do wonders for my shirt."

"You like it?"

"I do."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. You don't need to wear it if you don't wish to, but I didn't want you to think I suggested you come back here just for sex."

"I didn't think that."

"Good. So, how's Willow?"

She told him about Willow's insecurities. It was odd being so forthcoming with him. She was talking to him as she had Angel, confiding in him. Like a boyfriend. A very foreign concept but it felt okay to her.

"You know, Buffy, you should be prepared that they may break up."

"Get out of here, Giles. They're perfect for one another." She sat on the bed, crossing her legs, finding the thought of there not being an Oz and Willow disturbing.

"Yes, well, as much as you may think so, it's not uncommon for high school sweethearts to grow apart."

"But they're more than just high school sweethearts. He's a werewolf and she knows that."

"Yes, you're right, it might be difficult for someone else to understand that about him. I don't know. I just want you to be prepared for the possibility." He stifled a yawn and Buffy knew she should let him get back to sleep. She needed it, too.

"I'm sorry to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully when I got here, too."

"It's okay, Buffy, I rather enjoy talking with you, even if it is close to two in the morning."

"And since it's Saturday I can stay until you kick me out."

"Now there's an appealing thought. I can assure you I won't be kicking you out anytime soon."

"You don't think so? You might get bored."

He scoffed, placed his hand on her knee. "I think not."

"If you insist."

"I do."

"So, we can lounge around all day."

"If you'd like."

"I do like. And you said I look good in your shirt."

"You plan on wearing it all day?"

"Why not?"

"I guess I can't see any reason not to. Although I may not get much work done. I'm only human after all, and you look quite lovely in it."

"Oh well, it's the weekend. You work too much. And if I really distract you I could just stay up here or something."

"Hmm. I'm not sure that would help."

"Tough choice." She slid under the covers, curling against him. "Good night, Giles."

"Good night, Buffy."

She woke in the morning to find him there beside her for the second time in a row. He had no idea how much that meant to her. Or maybe he did. He was pretty sensitive about things, even if he never admitted to knowing stuff.

She stretched and glanced at the clock. It was late, even for her. Of course, it had been pretty late when she went to sleep. She was surprised he slept this late. Maybe she was a bad influence on him. Or maybe he just needed the sleep. She slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb him and headed to the bathroom for a shower. She would have taken one last night since she'd patrolled but didn't want to bother him. She peaked out into the room when she was done, toweling her hair and smiled when she saw he was awake.

"Good morning, sleepy head."

"I'm not sure what got into me."

She put her hair up in the towel and walked to the bed. "It's okay to sleep in once in a while, Giles."

"Right, of course it is, I just don't do it often."

"All the more reason to do it."

"You smell nice."

"Well, thanks. That would be the showering thing I did."

"I don't recall my soap smelling that nice on me."

"Oh well, I think it does."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"I stand corrected then. You really plan on lounging around in nothing more than my shirt all day?"

"That's the plan. In fact, I was thinking of studying right here in bed. Would that bother you?"

"Not at all. Make yourself comfortable and at home."

"Oh, speaking of," she said walking to her clothes from the day before. "Before I forget to give your key back to you."

"Keep it."

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

"Giles."

"What? It's not as if we just met. And unless I'm seriously mistaken I imagine you'll be spending a good deal of time here."

"Yeah."

"Late nights like last night after patrols won't be unusual. So, keep it."

"Wow, okay. You're sure?"

"Absolutely. Unless it bothers you. I'm not suggesting you move in tomorrow or implying you need to use it every night. It just makes sense for you to have it."

"Okay."

"Buffy, what is it?"

"I just don't want you to think I expect this. Or that I'm using you for a place that isn't my dorm."

"You'd stay with your mother if that was the case. And I know you weren't expecting it. I wasn't really either to be honest. It just makes sense. As last night is proof of we're capable of just sleeping together and I'm sure there will be nights your patrols bring you here later than last night."

"I've never woken up to someone before."

"What?" He look confused now and she imagined it was a rather sudden change in subject.

"I haven't. You're the first. My night with Angel, he'd left and when I saw him again he had lost his soul. Parker, I guess it was morning, but well."

"Yes, I understand."

"Thanks. Anyway, I just never got that before. I can understand now I guess why Willow's so afraid of losing Oz."

"That's very flattering, Buffy. I'm sure Willow would get through a breakup, just as you have. And will again."

"You breaking up with me already?"

He chuckled. "Hardly. You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I think I do. It's nice."

"What is?"

"Waking up to you."

"I enjoy it as well, so you're not alone."

"I'm going to go make a bagel or something. Do you want anything?"

"You could start the coffee if you were so inclined."

"All right. Coffee I can do."

"I'll join you shortly."

Buffy did end up taking her books upstairs, feeling kind of in the way with Giles and his organizing. And, she had to admit, his bed was comfortable. It was nearing dinnertime and Giles had come up a while ago to ask what she was in the mood for. He put in an order for Chinese delivery and she was about to head downstairs. She glanced at her key ring on the table near her clothes. She liked it here, liked knowing Giles was right downstairs. It was a different feeling than living with her mom. She supposed that meant something, but she didn't want to think about it now.

She was the last to finish eating. Giles hadn't eaten that much and was sitting on the couch reading. Go figure, she mused as she cleared off her plate.

"Whatcha reading?" He showed her the cover of some foreign looking research book. "Oh."

"Yes, well, as dry as it may appear there's some fascinating information in it. I doubt it will come in handy in Sunnydale, but one never knows."

"So, nothing pressing?"

"Hmm? No."

"Nothing requiring your undivided attention?"

"No," he replied.

She took the book from him, setting it on the desk behind him and then straddled him. "That's good."

"Yes, quite."

She kissed him, taking one of his hands and sliding it to her breast. He took a deep breath, which she took advantage of meeting his tongue with hers. His other hand moved behind her, lifting the tails of the shirt so he could touch her skin to skin. He groaned into her kiss when he discovered she really wasn't wearing anything but his shirt.

"Problem?"

"No, not at all. I had no idea."

"Did I leave out that detail?"

"Yes."

"Sorry."

"I'm not sure I should let you get away with leaving out such important things."

"Hmm," she said, finding the same spot on his neck she'd marked before. Her hands slid between their bodies, working the buttons on his shirt until she met the waist of his pants. She unfastened them, pulling his shirt out.

"Off," she whispered as she reached between his legs. He seemed to understand and removed his shirt, tossing it aside followed by his undershirt.

"Buffy," he whispered. Her eyes met his as she stroked him. "We can move upstairs."

She silenced him with a kiss, using her hands to make him accessible to her. She slid onto him then, slowly, deliberately taking him inch by inch. This ignited their kiss for both of them. He worked the buttons on the shirt she wore, breaking the kiss to kiss her breasts. She wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but seeing him sitting there reading so nonchalantly had done something to her. She had been ready for him before coming to the couch, suspecting how he'd react when he found out what she wasn't wearing.

His hands rested at her hips, guiding her along his length though he let her set the pace until he brought her over the edge. He took over then, setting the pace his mouth busy lavishing attention on her breasts. Her hands found purchase at his shoulders, clutching onto him as he drove her over a second time. She knew he was close himself. His breathing was more labored, his thrusts less controlled. She murmured to him, not even sure what she was saying, encouraging him to his release.

She nuzzled against his neck, licking and kissing the pulse point there. It was heady to know she did that to him, made his body react like it did. To her. She found his ear, nipped at the lobe.

"Sorry, didn't want to wait to get upstairs."

"I gathered as much."

"Is that okay?"

"Yes. You're not going to hear complaints out of me."

"You just looked so sexy sitting here reading."

"Buffy, you've seen me reading books for years now."

"Yes, well. You're complaining because I find you sexy?"

"I guess it did come out sounding like a complaint."

"Yeah, it did," she said with a light laugh, kissing him.

"I guess I'll have to read more books."

"Mm, I guess so. And refrain from reading them when other people are around."

"Very well, if you insist. I'll delegate Willow to research then."

"Sounds like a plan." She bit his lower lip, her breathing was normal again. His seemed to be, too. "I'm going to get some of that iced tea. Want some?"

"Sure, why not?"

She slid off his lap, a little unsteady on her feet. She wasn't used to the position her body had been in for the last little while. "Wow, different muscles used there."

"Are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, never better." She buttoned the shirt up enough so she wasn't entirely exposed but left the first couple of buttons undone as she padded into the kitchen. She filled two glasses with ice and poured tea into them, returning to the living room just as Xander barged through the front door without knocking.

"Giles. We need to find Buffy. Something's going on on campus. Willow doesn't know where she is and I checked her usual patrolling haunts."

He obviously hadn't seen her yet.

"What's going on?" she asked, handing Giles his glass of tea while setting hers on his desk.

"Buffy. You're here. Willow didn't know where you were."

"I'm here, so tell me."

"I don't know. It's the guys at the bar, they're acting all caveman-like."

"What?"

"I'm not good with the explaining. I think you'd have to see it to believe it anyway. But someone's likely to get hurt if we don't do something. They're acting crazy, like they don't belong here in our time."

"Okay. Um," she glanced at Giles. He had apparently put himself together before Xander came barging in. That was good. Of course, it wouldn't be good when Xander stopped rambling and realized she was wearing one of Giles' shirts.

"Wait a minute." She grazed her teeth along her lower lip, bracing herself for what was coming. "You're here and you're not wearing anything."

"I am, too."

"But you're wearing his shirt. Oh man, I so did not need to see this. You," he gazed from Buffy to Giles and then focused his attention somewhere in between them on nothing. "Wow. This doesn't quite make sense, but in an odd way it does." Buffy felt the heat of Xander's gaze. It didn't take much of an imagination to ascertain what she was or wasn't wearing at the moment.

"I'll be right back down," she said and quickly made her way upstairs.

She took a minute in Giles' bathroom, running her fingers through her hair as she put on the clothes from her backpack. She'd have to go back to her dorm room to get more, or stay the night there. She didn't want to, though, and that thought frightened her a little bit. It would be so easy to stay here, not that Giles had asked her to do that exactly. She grabbed her keys, slid them into the pocket of her jeans and went back downstairs.

"I'll drive you. It will be faster."

"Cool," Buffy said. She saw the questioning look he gave her coming down in an outfit other than what she'd been wearing yesterday and shrugged it off.

"Has anyone been hurt yet?"

"Well, no, not yet, but on the verge. The only way I got them out of the bar was to threaten them with my lighter."

"What?"

"Fire. It scared them. I'm just afraid a girl's going to get raped or something."

"So, this started at the bar?"

"Yeah, those guys that you saw last night."

"Right."

"They were back again tonight. And they were just getting stupider and stupider. It was like they were regressing or something."

"Very astute observation, Xander. I'm impressed."

"Yeah, well, I'm not a complete waste."

"No one claimed you were."

"So am I allowed to ask?"

"No," Buffy and Giles replied at the same time.

"Okay."

"Can I tell Willow?"

"I'll tell Willow."

Buffy looked at Giles, wondering what he was thinking. She hadn't exactly planned on Xander walking in on them. Thank God he hadn't walked in five minutes earlier. It was bad enough as it was. Maybe he was feeling just as unsure as she was. It had been more her idea to hold off saying anything than his. With that in mind, she placed her hand over his. He turned to look at her briefly and smiled.

"So, it's just that group?"

"Yeah. There are a few others, but they're not as bad as those guys are. It's weird."

"Giles and Xander, you two check out the bar. It sounds like something's going on there. I'll see if I can't find and restrain our time travelers."

"Be careful, Buffy."

"Always," she said and went her way while Giles and Xander went theirs.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com