Buffy and Faith pulled up just in time to catch Giles sitting in the driveway waiting for the garage door to open up all the way before pulling his rental car in.

“Well, I guess that answers who’s home or not,” Buffy said over her shoulder to Faith, both of the girls climbing out of the car they were in. Pressing the remote on the keychain for her car, Faith walked around to the trunk as the lid popped, reaching inside to separate her purchases from Buffy’s. It was strange. She figured as much as a girly girl Buffy was, she’d have bought more than she did, but her own bags outnumbered Buffy’s by 3.

“I think the whole near-death, end-of-the-world thing might have done something to you Faith,” Buffy commented as she peeked inside the trunk.

“How do you figure, B,” Faith looking questioningly at the shorter blonde woman.

“Well you’re wearing a skirt for one. Secondly you’ve bought more stuff than I did today and thirdly you bought shoes that show your toes,” Buffy looked up smiling.

“Nah, B. That doesn’t mean anything. I mean we all lost everything we owned back in the pit that used to be known as Sunnydale. Have to replace it sometime,” she replied, an embarrassed smile pulling up one side of her mouth.

“Faith. You got a pedicure,” Buffy pointed out matter of factly, looking down at Faith’s newly manicured toes peeking out of new sandals with straps that wrapped around her slim ankles.

Looking down at her own feet, Faith wiggled her toes experimentally before looking back up at Buffy and grinning. “Well, I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about.”

Picking up her bags, Buffy laughed lightly before stepping up on the curb.

“You comin in,” she turned to ask the woman behind her.

“Nah. I want to get back and make sure the guys haven’t destroyed the place and gotten fish guts all over. Thanks for the lunch Slayer. Say hi to the rest for me,” and with a nod and a smile, Faith turned back to the driver’s side of the car and got in.

Walking up the walkway, Buffy turned to wave at Faith’s beep of the horn before she pulled away from the curb. Letting herself in through the front door, she deposited her bags at the foot of the stairs before heading into the kitchen for a drink, meeting up with Giles as he came through the door to the garage.

Looking at him brightly, Buffy smiled, leaning to the side to look over his shoulder before looking back at him questioningly.

“Where’s Willow,” she asked her Watcher.

Looking back over his shoulder, he replied “She got a call just as we were pulling into the driveway. I suppose she is still in the car talking to whomever,” he said dismissively, taking down the container of cookies Buffy was finding was just out of her reach before handing them to her.

Smirking she mumbled ‘Thanks’ before popping the Tupperware lid and digging into the peanut buttery goodness of the cookies Willow had made sometime earlier in the week.

“Mmmmm,” Buffy said around a mouthful of cookie, sighing deeply through her nose. “Willow added butterscotch chips,” she added happily after swallowing her biteful.

Looking over the rim of his glasses, Giles peered into the container longingly and Buffy tipped it towards him in silent offering. Dipping in and snagging two cookies, Giles grabbed a napkin and set them on top of it. Walking over to his teapot on the counter, Giles lifted the lid, and a small tendril of steam escaped. Satisfied with how long the tea had steeped, he poured the still steaming liquid into a mug, filling it halfway before opening the refrigerator and taking out the milk and honey. Behind him, Buffy continued to make mmm noises as she worked on her second cookie.

Taking his mug with him, Giles sat at one of the barstools at the breakfast bar stirring his tea carefully before taking a bite of his cookie and joining Buffy with the mmm noise making. Quietly, they spent a few minutes enjoying the company and the cookies, Giles taking in Buffy’s appearance and noting that she looked more at ease than she had since defeating the First. Noticing that he noticed, Buffy smiled softly at the man that was more than just her Watcher.

Putting the cookies down on the counter, she stepped closer to the man that meant so much to her and threw her arms around his shoulders, laying her cheek against his ear. Surprised, Giles lifted his arms to pat her own awkwardly, unsure of what caused her to hug him and when she tightened her embrace, he wrapped his own arms around her returning her hug with as much emotion. Moments ticked by and neither moved, satisfied to be where they were for the time being. Only when they heard the car door, did they move apart, Buffy’s smile full of gratitude and all the things she couldn’t put into words. Giles looking a bit addlepated but lovingly at the young woman in front of him, he returned her smile and offered her the container of cookies once more. Hearing the door open, they both shared a small smile before turning to the redheaded witch coming through the door.

Closing her phone, Willow stepped into the kitchen. Seeing Giles and Buffy at the counter, Willow started, not sure but almost swearing she walked into a ‘moment’ between her best friend and her watcher.

“Oh, hey Buffy. How was your day today,” she asked the petite blond woman in front of her.

“It was ok. I went out with Faith and did lunch and some shopping,” she replied succinctly.

“Faith went shopping willingly,” Willow asked, surprised.

“Not only did she go willingly, but she bought more than I did,” and at Willow’s widened eyes she added, “And she got a pedicure too!”

“Faith got a pedicure,” Giles repeated, incredulous that such a thing was possible.

“Who knew she had toes,” Willow added.

“I also got a package in the mail today,” Buffy added. “A nice big envelope stuffed full.”

“A package? From who,” Giles asked, his accent giving extra emphasis on the h sound in who.

“Was it a nice package like bubble bath or, or like books or maybe a puppy,” Willow asked, her face falling a bit at Giles, ‘Huh?!?’ look he gave her. “Ok, so maybe not a puppy since you said it was an envelope and puppies cant fit in an envelope,” she finished wringing her hands together in embarrassment.

Rolling her eyes and smiling, Buffy shook her head at her friend. “No, no and no to the puppies too I’m afraid. It was from my father…from Hank.” Buffy’s smile faltered a bit, her brightness dulling somewhat, remembering everything that had happened between them in the last 8 years.

“Oh. I’m sorry Buffy. I…” Willow started, immediately contrite.

“No. No, Willow. It’s ok. It was a good package,” Buffy reassured her, smiling wistfully. “Hank finally answered the questions I didn’t know I had been carrying around with me since…,” Buffy faltered, trying to find the words, looking to the ceiling for help before finishing calmly. “..since what seems like forever now. He-he doesn’t hate me,” and with that her eyes became shiny with tears.

Crinkling her nose and sniffling, Buffy grabbed a napkin, patting at her nose and laughing in exasperation. “God! Look at me! I’ve been teary Buffy all day. Ugh! My nose is going to be so sore tonight if I don’t get a grip.”

“Well considering everything that has gone on in the last few months, I’d say teary Buffy has every right to be here,” Willow added with a nod and a smile, stepping closer to hug her best friend quickly.

“Right. We’d be worried if she didn’t make an appearance now and again,” Giles added in support.

Hearing voices arguing outside, they turned to the backdoor as they heard stomping on the deck outside, moments later Xander coming through the door with Andrew close behind him, arguing over what type of bait was better.

“Hey hey everyone. What’s shakin in the house of brick,” Xander asked cheerfully.

“You guys should see the fish I caught,” Andrew interrupted excitedly.

“Robin and Xander were using these shiny fish-shaped things with all these hooks and they kept having to throw back everything they were catching because all the fish were too small and I kept telling them to use bread because it’s what my Dad taught me when I was a kid and they laughed at me because I wasn’t catching anything, but you see who’s laughing now, huh, Mr Shutup-Andrew-before-we-throw-you-overboard,” Andrew said in a rush, smirking at Xander with the last part, closing the door behind him.

All at once, the smell hit her and her stomach did a somersault. Grimacing, Buffy held her breath for a moment, before venturing to breathe in and out thorough her mouth only.

“Ugh! You guys smell of all things fishy,” Buffy said breathily, fanning her hand back and forth in front of her face, not daring to breathe through her nose. “Did you roll around in what you caught before throwing them back?” she asked, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Bending their heads down to smell their shoulders confusedly, Xander and Andrew then leaned towards each other, sniffing noisily before jumping back quickly, embarrassed at having been watched while smelling another guy.

“Sorry Buff. I guess we didn’t realize it since we’ve sorta gotten used to it, playing catch and release with the scaly gilled ones all day,” Xander said apologetically.

Even with breathing through her mouth, the smell still assailed Buffy’s senses and her stomach did another dip and she bolted for the bathroom.

Giles, Xander and Andrew looked at each other questioningly while Willow grabbed the hand towel off the counter, wetting it with cool water from the sink before following after Buffy. Waiting for the retching sounds to ebb, Willow knocked on the bathroom door, softly. “Buffy, are you ok? I-I brought you a cool towel for your neck,” and with that, the redhead opened the door cautiously, peering in at her friend sitting on the floor in front of the toilet.

Looking up at Willow, Buffy grimaced, her mouth bending in a frown as she took a few deep, even breaths to help alleviate the nausea. Stepping inside, Willow squatted down beside her best friend and wiped her face and neck with the cool cloth, worry stealing over her delicately freckled features as she bathed Buffy with the cloth she held.

Sitting quietly for a moment, Buffy opened her eyes, looking at Willow gratefully before smiling nervously. “I guess I’m not completely over whatever it is that I caught,” Buffy told her sheepishly.

“Maybe you should go to the doctor tomorrow, and make sure its nothing serious,” Willow said quietly. “If you want, I could go with you so you don’t have to go alone.”

Blinking slowly, Buffy offered her friend a small smile before hugging her with one arm. “Thanks Wills, but I’m sure I’ll be fine in another day or so.”

Getting slowly to her feet, Buffy flushed the toilet before turning back to Willow.

“I think I’m just going to go upstairs and lie down for a bit before I have to make dinner.”

“I’ll do it Buffy. You just go ahead and rest. I’ll make sure Xander and Andrew go shower and get rid of the fish smell and stuff and then I’ll have them keep Giles busy while I cook so you can rest.” Willow smiled softly at the shorter blonde woman in front of her.

“No, Wills. You don’t have to. I already have chicken defrosting in the refrigerator and stuff. I’m sure I’ll feel better after a nap…”

“I’m sure. It’s fine Buffy, really. I don’t mind at all. You’ve cooked every night this week, well except the other night when Xander brought home pizza and last night when Robin and Faith ordered all of that Thai, but you cooked the other nights so let me do the cooking tonight. I promise, I’ll send Dawnie up to come get you when it’s ready,” Willow interrupted in a rush.

Hugging her gratefully, Buffy nodded, and turned towards the stairs, taking them slowly one at a time and leaving Willow and Giles to the excited telling of Andrew’s fish tale, unbeknownst to her, there was someone watching knowingly from the doorway of the basement.