It was a few nights after Buffy's conversation with Giles that she was sleeping in the dorm room that she shared with Willow. Her sleep had been more restful, and refreshing. Things with Giles had been going great. She was shocked that she had actually missed training with Giles. The jogging must have helped him, because he seemed to be able to keep up with her better. She hadn't realized that structure, and having someone to share the burden with had been so important. Until it was gone. Now it was back, and she silently welcomed it.

But, tonight, her Slayer senses screamed at her until she sat straight up in her bed, looking frantically around the room. Seeing nothing, she moved to the door, and slowly opened it. What she saw there made her gasp and slam the door shut.

"What is it, Buffy?" Willow asked sleepily from behind her. "Demon?"

"No. Tiger."

"Huh?" Willow joined her at the door and Buffy cracked it so that Willow could peek out.

In the hall outside their door was the largest tiger either of them had ever seen, even on TV. And it was looking right at their door.

"Eep," was all Willow could manage to say. Then she took a few deep breaths. "We should call the zoo."

Buffy stood indecisively. "My instincts, plus the fact that we live on a Hellmouth tell me that something is off. Call the guys. We'll try to capture it." Just then it turned and moved quickly down the hall.

Buffy sprinted after it. It was about fifteen minutes later when she caught up with it in the dorm's community room.

She watched it warily for several minutes as it paced back and forth. That's the way they were when the others found them.

They lined up behind Buffy. "What's the plan, Buff?" Xander asked with a yawn.

"Plan? Yeah, plan, um, catch it?" They all looked at her. "Okay, so we need a.." She broke off as the tiger came towards them. Buffy's eyes grew huge and she held perfectly still as the tiger rested it's large paws on her shoulders. It looked her right in the eyes. As had become her habit since Ethan had turned Giles into a demon, she looked her adversary in the eyes.

Buffy's peripheral vision registered Riley coming into the room and raising a tazer to zap the tiger. "No," she shouted. "It's Giles."

"What?" Riley asked as he came closer. The tiger turned to face him and growled. Riley stopped, looking confused. "Buffy, what makes you think.?"

He broke off as the tiger swiped Buffy's face with his tongue. Buffy raised her hand slowly and rested it lightly on the tiger's head. His green eyes held hers as she trailed her fingers to his ear and scritched as you would a cat. She froze as he made a sound, then relaxed as she realized that it was a purr. She couldn't help but giggle.

Then Riley started toward her again and the tiger growled, deeper than before, more menacing. Some of the other guys from the Initiative came and stood by Riley. The tiger moved to all fours facing them, between their position and Buffy's. Then he threw back his head and roared.

"Get back, Riley," Buffy ordered. "All of you, just get back."

Riley and the others took several steps backwards. Whereas, Willow, Xander and Anya each took a tentative step towards Buffy. The tiger's head swung sharply towards them. Then he sniffed the air. He walked a slow circle around the three of them, who drew closer together. The tiger circled them twice, then sat on his haunches and looked at Riley and his guys. The tiger gave a low warning growl.

Willow moved her had slowly towards the tiger. He looked at her, then licked her hand. "That should be gross," she said quietly. "But I think it's sweet."

"Sweet?" Riley demanded loudly. Then lowered his voice at the tiger's growl. "He's tasting you to see if you'll do for lunch."

"Don't be silly, Riley," Willow returned. "It's *so* obvious that he knows who we are. Kinda' weird, though," she finished thoughtfully.

"He thinks you're his cubs," said Anya as she stepped out from behind Xander.

The tiger looked at her unblinking, then padded to her and nudged her hip, herding her back to Xander and Willow.

"Actually, Anya, I think you're a cub, too," Willow said with a bright smile.

Riley had used the tiger's distraction to move closer to Buffy. Now he stopped short at the low growl from the tiger. The tiger moved quickly to Buffy's side. He stood with his long body circled behind her, facing Riley.

Buffy put her hand on the tiger's head. "It's okay, Riley. We'll figure this out. You guys are just upsetting him."

"Buffy, it's dangerous."

"Nah. Giles would never hurt us. And like Will said, it's obvious that he knows us."

"But.."

"No, Riley. You should go before he eats one of you." She quirked a smile. "That would really upset him when he's back to normal."

Riley grinned at her attempt at humor. "If you're sure?" He tried again.

"Riley, it's Giles."

"I'll check on you guys later," Riley agreed reluctantly.

"Mmmhmm," Buffy replied absently, stroking the tiger's head. For his part, the tiger had his eyes half-closed, although, he watched Riley and his guys warily as they left.

Once they were gone, Buffy led the others back up to the dorm room. She sat on her bed, and Willow, Anya, and Xander sat on Willow's bed. The tiger jumped up on Buffy's bed next to her and rested his head in her lap.

Buffy smiled and once more stroked his head, scratching behind his ears. He purred.

The Scooby-Gang talked quietly; about how this had happened, how long it might last and most importantly, how to undo it.

Willow started with, "Since tonight's the night before a full moon, I'm thinking that he might be a were-tiger."

"That's a good point, Will," Buffy agreed. "And if someone, namely Ethan," the tiger growled at the name. "If Ethan did this, he can undo it. Right after I bust some of his bones."

"But didn't the Initiative take Ethan?" Xander asked.

"Yeah, but he's wily, and really good at getting free. Weasel."

"True," Willow agreed. "And the first thing he'd do would be to hurt and/or humiliate Giles in some way. Again."

"Yes," Buffy said as she continued to pet the tiger. "As far as the Were thing goes, Oz wasn't so, well, aware. He kinda' recognized you, Will, but Giles seems to be pretty placid and sorta' able to communicate."

"As long as Riley and his guys aren't around," Xander observed. The other's nodded their agreement. "So what do we do?" He finally asked.

"Mostly, we keep him from hurting anyone, then when he's Giles again, we'll research," Buffy responded, now using both hands to scratch his ears. The purring increased in volume and timbre, causing her lap to vibrate oddly. Buffy tried to ignore the sensation. <I'm sick, getting turned on by a.. > Her trail of thoughts stopped when she realized that she couldn't actually define the creature currently sprawled on her bed, even when he *wasn't* a tiger.

Suddenly he moved, burying his nose in her crotch, obviously aware of her body's response to the vibration. She whacked him on the head. "No, Giles. Bad." His green eyes stared at her, and her breath caught at what she thought she saw there. <Oh my God>

"He thinks you're his mate," said Anya bluntly.

Buffy's eyes widened in shock. "You're crazy," she said emphatically, more in denial of what she had been thinking than Anya's casually spoken words. "I'm a cub, too." She frowned. "That's not what.."

"No. She's right, Buffy," Willow said, her tone thoughtful. "A tiger wouldn't do *that*," here she gestured at the tiger. "Not with a cub. I don't think so, anyway." She frowned.

"Euw," said Xander.

"Shut up, Xander," said Buffy, distracted by the thoughts running amok in her mind.

As the night moved towards morning, Riley came to check on things. Anya and Xander were sleeping, cuddled up on Willow's bed, and Buffy, Willow and the tiger were sprawled on Buffy's bed.

The tiger raised his head at the knock on the door and growled, low. Willow quickly hopped off of the bed and edged out the door.

"Riley, hi," she paused. "He just gets upset when you're around," Willow told him breathlessly. "You should go." Her green eyes widened.

"Wait, I don't mean that you aren't welcome, 'cause, of course you know.but Giles, Tiger-Giles, not Giles-Giles, will growl, and possibly.. I've never heard Giles-Giles growl, I wonder if, not *really* wonder, just, you know, idly wonder.."

"Willow," Riley interrupted her with a grin. "I'll go now. I wouldn't want to upset Giles. Tiger-Giles, not Giles-Giles," he said with a teasing grin.

She gave him a playful slap on the arm. "Hey. Don't make fun of my babble. It's an art form."

"One *you've* perfected."

Her face lit with a smile. "You really think so?"

"Definitely," he assured her. "Even Buffy-babble isn't.." He trailed off awkwardly.

Willow looked at his feet. "I-I'd better get back."

"Yeah. Tell, tell Buffy I'll see her tomorrow."

"Today, actually."

"Yeah, well, today then. Bye, Willow."

"Bye, Riley."

Willow slowly walked back into the dorm room.

"Thanks, Will," Buffy said quietly from her spot on the bed. The tiger's head was resting on her stomach.

Willow couldn't shake the feeling that she had somehow done something naughty. "It's okay, Buffy. It's not like Tiger-Giles was going to let you out of his, um, sight. Riley said that he'll see you later today." Willow reached to pet him and he blinked lazily, then purred as she lighted scratched behind his ears.

Buffy stared thoughtfully at the tiger. After a quick glance to be sure that Xander and Anya were still sleeping soundly, she addressed her friend. "Willow?"

"Hmm?"

Buffy bit her lip. "Do *you* think that he thinks that I'm his mate?"

Willow's eyes widened. "I-I don't know. It's possible. I never did believe that stuff about a father's love. A father couldn't do what Giles has done." She met Buffy's eyes. "And I don't think most fathers would have stayed with all that's happened." Her eyes were not accusing, just honest.

"His place in my life is so complicated. 'He's Giles' is really the only way to describe it."

"Your Giles."

"Huh?"

"He's 'your Giles'. Not that he doesn't love all of us, 'cause he does. But *you* are the reason he's here."

Buffy frowned. "That's what he said," she said as she absently ran her fingertips over the tiger's head. He started purring again and she smiled. He licked her face and settled back down on his right side.

The sun was just creeping over the horizon when Willow spoke again. "I sure hope he changes back at dawn."

"Me, too."

The thought hit them both at the same moment. Just as the sun burst into the room, right in Anya's face, causing her to wake. Buffy and Willow shared a wide-eyed look and said, "Uh-oh."