Author's note: This story takes place about five seconds after "Paradise Found".

~~~~~~

“Would some one please tell me what the hell is going on?!” Buffy shouted, her eyes darting from the soggy forms of Willow and Giles. Her best friend and her Watcher.

“Um...” Willow stuttered, “Buffy, I-I can explain. This isn’t what it looks like...”

“You and Giles cast a love spell from this book, magically transporting you to someplace...moist.” Buffy folded her arms.

“O-okay,” Willow answered nervously, “Maybe it is.”

“Love spells?” Buffy said with exasperation, “You two have been casting...Okay, I can’t even think about that, never mind say it!”

“Buffy, please,” Giles moved to place his hand on her arm. When she pulled it away, he sighed, “Can we talk about this later? Willow and I...well...we should change from these clothes...”

“No,” Buffy huffed, “we are talking about this now! What’s going on here?!”

“Buffy,” Riley tried to calm his girlfriend down, “Maybe we should listen to Giles, and give them some time-”

“Yeah, and look what happens when you give them some time!” Buffy snipped. “God, I can’t believe you two...you two....”

“Buffy,” Willow begged, “p-please don’t be mad. Let me explain. See, a while back...”

“A while?! There’s been a while?!” she turned to Riley, “There’s been a while!”

Willow began again, “A while back, I found this book of love spells. At first I just wanted to show it to Giles, strictly as a magical study. But...I was so lonely after Oz left, and Giles was upset about Olivia....I don’t know...it just happened.”

“It just happened?” Buffy clenched her teeth. “You get all lonely and you just happen to sleep with my Watcher?!”

“That’s enough!” Giles growled, stepping in front of Willow, who had begun to cry, “First off, I might be your Watcher, but I’m also a man...last time I checked. And Willow is a very caring, wonderful woman.” He could almost feel a smile appear from behind him, “And second...what we do is none of your business! I don’t inquire into your love life...don’t with mine!”

Buffy was stunned into silence for a moment, unable to even form coherent thought. Riley could feel the tension mounting in her small shoulders, and knew it was only a matter of time before she would find her voice. “Buffy, we should go,” Riley insisted, pulling on the Slayer’s arm. “We’ll come back tomorrow and talk about this.” he turned to Giles, who was still standing protectively in front of Willow, “See you tomorrow, Giles?”

Giles’ jaw was set, and anger was still in his eyes. But when the young man provided a way out, the Watcher sighed in relief, “Yes...tomorrow.”

“But I’m not don---” Buffy began, as Riley dragged her outside.

“Oh yes you are,” Riley said right before he shut the door behind them.

******

Willow and Giles stood in silence for a long while. The young woman was trying to wipe tears from her eyes, before Giles would notice.

“Yes,” Giles said, turning around to face her, “I would say that went rather well.”

Willow looked at him in shock, “Are you kidding?!” she began to pace back and forth, “That was a disaster! Buffy is going to *so* kill me! Did you see the look she had? I thought I killed Mr. Gordo or something. I’m a horrible friend.” She began to sob again, squishing onto the couch.

Giles squished down next to her, trying not to think of the water damage they were doing to his couch, “Willow, you are not a horrible friend.” he soothed, stroking her wet hair, “I can attest to that. And Buffy will come around in time...I’m certain. This just caught her by surprise. And, yes, I’m sure she does feel somewhat betrayed. We haven’t exactly been forthcoming with this, you know.”

“I should have told her,” Willow moaned, “I should have just told her.”

Giles smiled, kissing her on the cheek, “Perhaps. But then again, I should have told her as well. We didn’t though, and now we’re going to have to do a bit of damage control.”

“Why didn’t we tell her?” Willow asked, “I keep thinking about that. I mean, I knew that no matter when she would have found out, she wouldn’t have been happy. So, why did we keep this a secret for so long?”

Giles sighed, and wrapped his arm around her tiny, shivering body, “Because, I think what we have, we wanted to keep to ourselves. Not out of shame or fear, but rather out of the need have something that is just for us.” He felt her body quiver, and frowned, “Willow, you’re shivering.” He stood up, pulling Willow up with him, “I want you to go upstairs and get out of these wet clothes before you catch your death.”

“What about you?” Willow asked, seeing the water still dripping from his clothing.

“Let me put on a pot of tea first,” he smiled, “That will warm us up. Then I’ll change.”

******

When Willow came back down, she was feeling a little better, and much warmer. Giles smiled approvingly at her choice of clothing. She had found one of his button down shirts, and decided to wear it like a nightgown. The smell of brewing tea wafted through the apartment, warming her even more. She took the white towel from her drying hair, and placed it on the chair at the counter.

“Mmm...” she smiled, “That smell good. I have to admit, I’m beginning to discover the wonder that is tea.”

Giles chuckled, “I knew it was only a matter of time. Now, let it sit for a moment, and I shall return.”

Willow watched him retreat to the loft, wanted to follow him. But, after their experience in the tropical forest, she was still pleasantly sated. That, however, didn’t stop her from sneaking a peak at his butt as he climbed the stairs.

“Oh, Willow,” Giles called down, “I took the liberty of phoning for dinner.”

“Really?” Willow said, suddenly realizing the grumbling noise she heard, was her stomach.

“Well, I did promise you supper,” he answered, moving to the top of the stairs, “And I do like to keep my promises.”

Willow grinned as Giles walked down to the first floor. He had changed into his painter’s jeans and a gray sweater. She loved his gray sweater. His hair was still damn, as was her’s, but that “wild” look suited him, somehow. She had always had a crush on the “Stuffy Librarian” Giles, but this “New and Improved” Giles....much tastier.

She followed him into the kitchen and help him take out two plate settings. Together they set the table and had their tea, before the food arrived. In the dim light of the two red candles, Giles and Willow sat, eating their “take out” and enjoying each other’s company.

It was lovely.

“I’m sorry this isn’t the romantic evening you had hoped for,” Giles sighed, taking another bite of his chicken.

“Not romantic?” Willow stood up and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his ear, “This is very romantic. In fact, this is perfect. Because I’m with you.”

Giles stopped eating and turned around to face her. Pulling her onto his lap, he kissed her on the lips, “You are the most wonderful person I know, Willow Rosenberg,” he stroked her hair, “I love you.”

Willow stopped and tiled her head in disbelief.

“What’s wrong?” Giles asked, confused.

“You said it.”

“Said what?”

Willow couldn’t hide her beaming smile, “You said you loved me. You’ve never said that before. Not ever. In all this time....not until now.”

“Really,” he grinned mischievously, “I could have sworn I have...”

“No,” she shook her head, “You never really said it to me.”

“Well,” Giles kissed her firmly on the lips, “That, my love, is an oversight I will never do again.” He looked thoughtfully for a moment, “Mmmm....now. How shall I ever correct this? What can I do to make this better?”

With one of his “Ripper” smiles, he picked her up in his arm and carried her up the steps to his bed.

And Willow thought....it’s good to be home.

The End?