"Buffy?" Giles called as he came through the door bearing boxes of Chinese food. "Are you here?"

"Hey Giles," the Slayer replied as she came down the stairs.

"From your tone of voice, I take it the hills are not alive?"

"My hills are seriously flatlining. Ooh, Chinese! They may recover with enough of that. Did you get sweet and sour?"

"What has you so depressed, Buffy? And where is everybody?"

"Sweet and sour, yes or no?"

"Yes. Now will you please answer my question?"

Buffy shrugged and took several cartons from Giles.

"Will and Tara are off doing some Wicca thing, Dawn is spending the night at Melinda's - and before you can ask, I went with her to make sure she got all the way across the street safe and sound - and Anya and Xander are headed to a big bridal fair. Anya thinks she can win a bunch of prizes. They invited me along, but.."

"I see. Yes, I can well imagine that would be the last place you'd want to go with Anya"

"Not really much point, is there? It's not like I'm getting married anytime soon"

Giles looked carefully at Buffy. He was concerned at her drawn face and frumpy outfit. This wasn't like her at all.

"So, it looks like it's just the two of us. What would you like to do? My treat"

"Giles, really?"

"What would you like? We can do anything within reason"

"Well...you already bought me dinner. How about a movie to go with?"

"Alright. You check the papers and decide what you'd like to see"

"Um...not really in an out on the town mood, Giles. Maybe we could watch a tape instead. That way we can watch while we eat and at the end I can head upstairs and you can just stretch out on the couch. No big production numbers. Okay? And is it okay if I choose a total chick flick?"

"A total chick flick it is. And my wallet thanks you"

While Giles arranged the cartons on the coffee table, Buffy picked a film and inserted the tape into the VCR. Thus it was that Giles had no idea what he was sitting down to watch until the opening scene of Emma caught his attention. Buffy noticed him squirm slightly.

"Top of the stairs, if you need it, Giles. I can even pause the movie"

He fixed her with a glare.

"I do not need the bathroom. I was simply adjusting my position to a more comfortable one," he told her while taking an inordinate interest in the cashew chicken.

"Adjust away," Buffy said. "Let me know when you're comfy"

"I'm perfectly fine"

They settled down to watch the movie. After a time, Buffy rested her head against Giles' shoulder.

"I wish I could find one of those," she muttered at length.

"One of what?"

"A Mr. Knightley. Okay, so he's a little stuffy, but he's nice and he's not boring and he loves Emma so much. I can't believe it takes her like forever to see it"

"He is a good deal older," Giles reminded her.

"Yeah, but it's not like he's old old or anything. He's a long way off from dentures and Depends. And he's pretty easy on the eyes, too"

She looked up at Giles from her vantage point and suddenly realized he had pulled off his glasses and was blinking too hard.

"Are you okay, Giles? Is it something I said?"

"No, no, not at all, Buffy. It's just....I'm sorry, I don't mean to.."

A tear rolled down his cheek. Buffy reached up to capture it with her finger.

"You're crying. What's wrong?"

Giles pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Buffy. I'm afraid...well...I tend to get a bit emotional at romantic films and books. Always have. Even back when I was with Ethan and the others. One of Ethan's favorite sports was to read the death of Little Nell and get me sniffling like a schoolgirl and then...tickle me. I've no idea why I just told you that"

"It's okay, Giles. I kinda like the softer side of you. Makes you easier to know"

She put down her chopsticks and wrapped an arm around his waist. After a moment's hesitation, Giles put his arms around Buffy as well.

"So.." Buffy said, "you're ticklish?"

"Buffy.." he warned.

"Where? Here?"

Her fingers danced across his ribs, making Giles jump and swear.

"Oooh, found a good spot," she taunted him.

Giles' eyes narrowed dangerously. In an instant, he was assaulting her belly with his fingertips. Buffy doubled over and shrieked with laughter.

The pair rolled on the floor seeking all the ticklish spots on one another until Buffy called a halt to the proceedings.

"Stop, Giles, stop it! No, I mean it! I'm gonna pee myself!"

The pair fell on their backs and giggled wildly, clutching their stomachs and trying desperately to catch their breaths.

When they'd settled a bit, Giles rolled to his side and supported his head on his hand.

"Feeling better?"

"Worlds. You?"

"Much"

Buffy looked at Giles' face for the first time in a long time - really looked. The warmth in his eyes, the gentle smile that framed his lips, the always surprising sturdiness of him.

Giles became concerned when Buffy was silent for so long. He wondered what she saw in his face that intrigued her so.

At long last, she reached out a hand and caressed his cheek softly.

"I'm such an idiot," she murmured.

"Hardly that, Buffy," he admonished her.

"I am too. An idiot of epic proportions. I so owe Emma an apology. I was hard on her for not seeing Mr. Knightley faster, and look at how long I haven't really seen you"

"So long as you've noticed me now, I'm contented with the situation"

He leaned over her and pressed his lips gently to hers. When he pulled back, Buffy reached up to entwine her arms around his neck and pull him down to kiss her again, and again. So engrossed they were in their own private world, that neither heard the door open and Xander and Anya enter the room.

Xander's jaw dropped to his knees. He turned to Anya who had developed a glazed expression in her eyes.

"Okay, Toto, I want to go back to Kansas now. Either that, or please shoot me"

"Or you could take me home for sex," Anya told him.

"Yeah, Or that would work"

The pair headed out the door.

As the door clicked shut, Giles lifted his head.

"Did you hear something, luv?"

"Nope. Not a thing. Unless you count my hills coming back to life and dancing jigs"

"Ah, that must have been it"

Neither heard anything else of import for the rest of the night.

THE END

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