"I beg your pardon?"

"Come on, Giles. How old?"

"I was 17."

"Before Ripper, or after?"

"Before." Xander nodded.

Willow turned to Anya. "If you got your demon powers back, what's the first thing you'd do?"

"Zap Parker Abrams so that he was impotent."

"Why?" Buffy asked, confused.

"Because, he deserves it. Okay you were stupid to trust him, but he tricked you. And a lot of other freshman girls. He deserves it," Anya repeated.

Buffy blinked, surprised. But all she said was,  "Okay." Then she turned to Giles. "Did you ever smoke pot?" She leaned forward in the chair. Waiting to see if he'd answer her.

He looked at her. "Yes."

"Just in your Ripper days? Or since, also?"

"Since."

Buffy's jaw dropped. Then Riley turned to her.

"Why Parker?" He asked her simply.

She bit her lip, considering her answer. "Because he was as far away from the past as I could get. Only it turned out that he wasn't. The morning after still 'sucked'." She finished dryly.

Willow giggled, drawing Anya's attention. "Willow, if Oz came back today, would you take him back?"

Willow's smile went completely away. "I don't know. Things have changed so much, in such a short amount of time. I really don't know. Probably, eventually."

Giles asked his first question. "Riley, do you know what Adam's program was?"

"Not really, I think originally he was suppose to be our weapon against the Sub-t's. Technology's answer to the Slayer. But, his ultimate mission was in the Prof's hands. To learn, probably."

"That would explain why he continues to dissect those he runs across." Giles responded. Riley just nodded.

Willow looked at Buffy with big eyes. "Why did you run that summer?" She blurted out.

Buffy swallowed hard. "I was scared, and hurt. I thought you guys would be better off without me drawing the forces of evil. If I'd stayed you would have made me feel. And I needed not to for a while." Willow nodded, then reached over and hugged her friend. Buffy smiled a 150-watt smile.

Buffy turned to Anya. "Why Xander?" Everyone turned to look at Xander."Not that he isn't very cute, but, why?"

"You can't have Xander."

"Yes, Anya, I know. But why?"

"He's cute, and funny, and he makes me feel good. Special. And I'll always be smarter than him, and be able to get him to do what I want."

"Hey!" Xander protested. Then his shoulders slumped. He knew that it was true.

"But I do like you, Xander." Anya smiled at him. And Xander perked up. "Do you like me?" She asked him hesitantly.

"Yes." He replied simply. "I really do."

"Okay. Then let's leave, that's all I need to know."

"Anya, we're bonding with our friends," he pointed out gently.

"'Our' friends?" She asked.

"Yes," Xander replied, looking at the others for backup.

"Yes," the others chorused, almost sincerely.

"Oh," she said quietly. Then she looked at Buffy. "Was sex with Angel good? Did he bite you?"

Giles, who had just taken a drink, sputtered his tea, then lapsed into coughing. Anya ignored him, focusing on Buffy.

Buffy answered cautiously, knowing that it was a sore subject all of the guys. "It was okay. I don't understand how he lost his soul over it. No he didn't bite me."

"The truth, Buffy," Giles admonished her gently.

She looked at him with soulful eyes. "The truth is, that at the time I thought it was spectacular. But, in retrospect, hey a Giles word, yay me, it was not nearly good enough for what came after. "

Giles had smiled a little at her side comment, and then his smile grew bittersweet as she finished. He nodded, and covered her clenched hands with his own large hand. She gave him a relieved smile.

Willow turned to Xander with sad eyes. "Why Faith?"

Xander's expression grew guarded. "She was there, heat of the moment, willing."

"Is that all? It didn't have anything to do with her being the Slayer?"

"Not the way you mean it. Not as a.substitute. More the wildness." Willow nodded, then smiled that she understood.

Giles turned to Riley. "Do you know who sponsors the Initiative?"

"The US Military is all I know. I was Army, so was Graham. Forrest was Navy. Some of the others were Marines, or Air Force. It's seems to be all of the military. Some government agency."

Anya turned to Giles. "Why do you stay?"

Everyone else's eyes turned to Buffy. She looked back at them and raised her chin. Giles finally answered. "She's my Slayer, I'm her Watcher. Where she is, I go. And I'm certainly not going to leave you lot to look after things," he finished with a teasing smile. Everyone grinned.

Xander asked Buffy, "Have you ever kissed another girl?" He sat on the edge of his seat. "And if so, are there pictures?" He wiggled his eyebrows in teasing suggestion.

Buffy; recognizing that he was trying to lighten the mood, shot an amused glance at her Watcher, only to catch him with that same intrigued expression he'd had before. Her eyes widened, and then she got herself under control. She answered Xander in the same teasing tone he had asked the question in. "Only on the cheek, Xander. If I do, I'll be sure to take a few snapshots for you."

"Thanks, Buff." He grinned at her.

"You can't have my Xander." Anya said belligerently.

"Thanks for reminding me, Anya." Buffy said, trying to be understanding.

"Giles?"

"Yes, Willow?"

"Do you *really* hate Ethan?"

Giles paused thoughtfully. "I hate what he represents. What he forces me to re-live. But Ethan was my best friend for a long time. Which isn't to say that I don't enjoy thrashing him." He finished cheerfully.

"Too much, I think," said Buffy with a grin.

"You're a fine one to talk. You enjoy thrashing him, yourself."

"Yet another thing we have in common."

"Yes, which apart from being a little weird.." He started with a grin.

"Is kind of okay." She finished, also grinning.

"Mr Giles?" Riley hesitantly asked.

"Hmmm?" Giles replied, distracted by Buffy.

"Why did they call you Ripper?"

Everyone else held their breath to see if Giles would actually answer that question. "Well, er, you see," he stopped and took a deep breath. "When I first joined Ethan and the others, there was a girl, and we fu- er, were intimate. I ripped portions of her clothing off. She had a big mouth," he stopped and grinned, surprising the others with his double entendre, then shook his head, "And told everyone. Hence the name Ripper."

"Oh," Buffy said breathlessly. "What portions?"

"Most of them." He replied evenly.

"Oh," Buffy said again, staring at him in shock.

The others looked at Buffy, looking at Giles, who was holding her gaze. Then Giles and Buffy realized what they were doing and blushed, looking away.

Xander was still reeling from Giles' smirking comment about the girl's mouth and was unprepared for Anya's next question. "Does your dad actually live with you, because I've never seen him."

"He does. When he's home. It's quieter when he's gone."

"Oh." Was all Anya could find to say.

"Mr. Giles?"

"Yes?"

"Do you ever think of the girls, you know, 'that' way?"

"Excuse me?" Giles looked at Riley, not really certain how to answer. "Are you asking me if I find them attractive?"

"Do you think of them? You know, sexually." Giles was really perplexed, completely at a loss. Riley continued. "Have you ever dreamed or fantasized about any of them?"

Giles' eyebrows shot straight up. "I-I don't know how to answer that. They are quite lovely; I'd have to be blind not to have noticed that. As far as dreams go, sometimes. One can't really control such things. Intentional fantasy's? I-I, perhaps." Everyone stared at him, in surprise. "What? I'm not dead yet."

"No, Giles, it's okay. We're not upset. Are we Willow, Anya?"

"No," said the other girls.

Giles released his breath. "When did 'Buffy 101' become 'Giles' sex life'?" Giles asked curiously.

Buffy chose to answer the question. "You just never talk about the past. Not your past anyway. We can't help but be curious. And we haven't just asked about sex."

Xander added, "You know all about ours. Buffy, Willow, mine, even Anya. It's only fair."

Giles almost smiled. "That's true enough, I suppose. Although my knowledge of your, er, activities comes through no deliberate attempt to garner that information."

Buffy looked at him askance. "You don't seem embarrassed by our questions." It was almost a question itself.

"Buffy, up 'til now, every comment from you lot about my possible sex life has been accompanied by smirks and/or giggles. This is the first time you all have acted like adults about it. I'd die for any one of you. Do think that I would balk at sharing?"

"Oh," was all Buffy could say.

"So you don't mind, right?" Xander wanted clarification.

"As long as you're mature about it."

"Ooh, there's a challenge," said Xander, with a smile. "Then can I ask what you miss about your Ripper days?"

Anya answered. "Lot's of orgasms."

Giles looked at her, "Do you know that you'd be quite lovely if you didn't speak?" Anya opened her mouth, then shut it again, having no idea of what to say. Giles just looked at her for a few seconds then smiled at her. She slowly smiled back. "To answer your question Xander, I miss the freedom, the lack of responsibility. But I wouldn't trade what I have now for that."

"What do you have now?" Riley asked curiously.

"A family," Giles answered as if it should have been evident.

"Oh," said Riley quietly. He looked at the others, noting their warm smiles and lack of surprise. "I see."

"Do you?" Giles wondered.

"I think so." Was Riley's answer.

Giles looked at him for a second, nodded, then turned to Willow. "What sort of magic have you and that Tara been up to?"

"Don't you trust me?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You don't. You don't trust me."

"Willow, you have to answer the question, or you can't stay." Buffy pointed out gently.

"Fine." Said Willow. To everyone's surprise, she stood and flounced to the door. She slammed it behind her.

"Now what was *that* all about?" Anya asked.

"I'm not certain, but I think we should definitely find out," Giles responded.

"Agreed." Said Buffy.

They all looked at each other, nodding.

They were quiet for several minutes, still reeling from the loss of the first person. Then Xander turned to Riley. "Do you know how long the Initiative has been here?"

"A couple of years, I think. No longer, not here."

"Were they somewhere else?" Xander pursued.

"I get the impression that they were. But I am unable to confirm that." Xander stared hard at him, then nodded his acceptance.

"Giles?" Anya began. He focused on her. "Are you in love with Olivia?"

Buffy leaned forward in her seat to hear the answer, not realizing that both Xander and Anya were watching her. "I-I am, of course, very fond of her. But in love, ever after, children, no. Which is just as well since she will most likely not come back."

"Scared, huh?" Asked Xander with surprising sympathy.

"Yes, rather." Giles smiled at Buffy, who had reached over to pat his hand. "It's all right, one survives."

"Tell me about it," said Buffy dryly.

Riley frowned at Xander. "I know that you have a girlfriend, and everything, but, are you, I mean do you, well, are you gay?"

"What!!?" Xander exploded. "Who told you that? Did you talk to Larry?"

"Larry who?" Buffy asked, interested in spite of herself. "Larry from High School? Gay Larry?"

"No, another Larry," Xander said quickly, trying to stop this. Buffy just looked at him, her eyebrows raised. "Anya, I'd like to leave now. Not because I feel threatened by the question, but because it's late."

"Riiight." Said Buffy with a teasing grin.

"Bye," said Anya as Xander dragged her out the door.

"And then there were three," said a still grinning Buffy.

"Indeed."

"I didn't mean to upset him, he just acts, well strange, sometimes."

"It's just Xander's way. Believe me, he likes girls." Buffy assured him.

"If you say so," said Riley dubiously.

"I know. When I got the Aspect of the Demon thingy and could read minds, the boy *obsessed* about girls."

"You could read minds?" Buffy nodded at Riley's question. "What was the scariest thing you, um, heard?"

"The lunch lady planning to kill all the students."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I tried to read my boyfriend at the time, but it didn't work out the way I planned. Although, he told me what I wanted to know. Still, I was never really sure.." Her voice trailed off as she stared at Riley. She gasped as she thought about it, then blurted out her question before she could chicken out. "Who was better? Me or Faith?"

Giles felt bad for Riley, knowing that there was no safe way to answer the question.

But Riley tried. "You, of course." Buffy stared at him. He started fidgeting in his seat. "I mean it was really different, I guess I should have realized that it wasn't you. She was wilder, a lot less, um, inhibited. More aggressive."

"You liked it." She accused.

"No."

"So you didn't come?" She asked harshly.

"Uh.." He looked at Giles for help. Giles looked at him with some sympathy. Then sighed, putting Buffy's happiness before his own.

"Buffy, it was in all likelihood simple biology."

"Don't defend him," she snapped. Giles' eyes widened. Then he blinked at her. Her eyes held Riley, anger and betrayal plainly read on her face.

Riley did the only thing he could think of. He stood. "You're upset, we shouldn't talk about this now." He walked to the door. "Goodnight Mr. Giles, thanks for trying to help me. Goodnight Buffy." And he left.

The End

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