By Pamela

"Mom!" Buffy shouted, running to her mother with open arms.

Joyce hugged her daughter back tightly. "Oh I missed you!"

"I missed you too!"

"Did you have fun?"

"A blast!"

Joyce pulled back and checked out Buffy's left hand. "I see you said 'yes,' huh?"

"Was there ever any doubt?" Buffy grinned.

"Not in *my* mind, your boyf… fiancé, however, was worrying." Joyce replied, grinning as Angel approached them. "You spent
a week with her, are you sure you want to be stuck with her forever?"

Angel smiled back. "Yeah.. she's pretty cute, you know."

Giles gingerly walked up to them. "H-hello Buffy."

"Hey Giles! You're part of our welcome wagon?" Buffy replied.

"Actually Honey, Rupert and I have some things we thought we'd discuss together with you."

Buffy looked at them strangely. They were up to something. "Okay."

"Good." Her mother smiled. "Now why don't we go get your bags and the four of us can go get dinner?"

Angel sighed as Buffy pulled him by the hand; following her mother and an extremely nervous looking Giles to the baggage
claim area. Whatever was going on was probably not a good thing.

* * *

Joyce was pleased that Buffy got a quesadilla at the Mexican restaurant that they went to. She wouldn't have any sharp
objects in her hands. She felt pretty guilty. Not only about the bombshell she was about to lay on her daughter, but about the
fact that she was telling her in a crowded restaurant so that Buffy couldn't make a scene.

She looked over at Rupert. He had hardly said two words since they had picked Buffy and Angel up. Chances are, he'd be of
no help. She looked over at Angel. The poor guy looked like this was the last place he wanted to be. From the look on Buffy's
face, she knew something was up, and was getting more nervous by the moment.

Joyce cleared her throat and began. "Buffy, Mr.Gi…Rupert.. and I have something to tell you."

"What?" Buffy asked, her voice very apprehensive sounding. "Is everyone okay?"

"They're fine." Joyce assured. "Remember how I told you I was going to Las Vegas last week overnight?"

Buffy nodded.

"Well, Rupert decided to join me."

"Giles in Vegas?" Buffy asked, in disbelief, gesturing over to Giles. "This Giles?"

"Yes Buffy, I was there."

"Well, you just don't seem like a slots kind of guy."

Giles flushed even more. "Can we please get back to the matter at hand?"

"Yes, let's." Joyce agreed. "We had a little bit too much to drink.. and um…. Well… we woke up the next morning in bed together
and.."

"Mom!" Buffy exclaimed, putting her face in her hands. "I don't want to know this stuff!"

"No Buffy, you need to know!" Joyce replied.

Buffy looked back up and shook her head fervently. "No Mom! Please! What if I get visuals tonight? I'll have nightmares!"

Angel had to fight the urge not to laugh. Giles had to fight the urge not to die. Joyce just wanted it over with.

She grabbed Buffy's wrists and told her firmly. "Just listen. We woke up together, and realized that while we were drunk the
night before we had eloped."

Buffy felt all the color drain from her face. She couldn't believe it. Yes, she had started to accept that Giles and her mom
were interested in each other, and maybe someday, but this was so not what she was expecting.

Angel watched Buffy has shocked expression and felt so bad for her. He knew she wanted the best for her mom, and given
time, she could have accepted her mom marrying another man, especially Giles; but it would have helped if she been given some
time to adjust to the idea. He could see from the look on Joyce's face that she felt awful doing this to Buffy, and Giles
seemed to feel the same way.

After a moment, Joyce said "Buffy?"

Buffy looked up at her. "I'm sorry, but I can't just say that this is okay with me. Not right now anyway."

Joyce nodded. "I understand that."

Giles looked over at Joyce. "We should just tell her all of it now."

"There's more?" Buffy exclaimed, leaning back in her seat.

"Yeah, I told her the hard part, you tell her this." Joyce told him.

Angel decided just to sit back and let them handle this. He would be here for Buffy, in case she needed him.

"But you're her moth…" Giles argued, stopping when he received an ice-cold glare from Joyce. He turned to Buffy and smiled
weekly. "We were g-g-going t-to have the um, marriage annulled, but-but-but we ch-changed our mind. We.. um… we're going to
s-s-s-see if we c-can make it work."

Buffy remained silent for a moment, taking it all on. "So you're going to be my stepfather? We're going to try the cute little
family thing?"

"You make it sound so negative Honey." Joyce frowned.

"Mom! Okay, I know that Giles isn't some psycho, he's a really nice guy, and he cares about me- and you- and you could do
worse, but you can't expect me to find out you eloped when I was gone for a week and cheer about it!"

"No, of course not, but keep an open mind?"

Buffy closed her eyes and answered softly. "I'll try."

* * *

"Angel please let me stay with you tonight! I bet Mom will let me! She wants me to stay home from school tomorrow anyway!"
Buffy begged as they stood in front of the door to Angel's apartment.

"Buffy, you know I want to spend every night with you forever, which we'll do after we get married; but you know you need to
spend this time with your mom."

Buffy nodded sadly. "I know, but this is…such a pain… I mean Giles is my stepfather! What if he makes me call him Dad? I
already have a dad. He may be absentee, but he is still my dad!"

"Calm down Buff, that's what tomorrow is for. You and your mother and Giles are going to discuss everything. Lines,
boundaries, names, all that."

"Boy that sounds fun. I'd prefer school." Buffy pouted.

Angel smiled, then leaned down, and kissed her deeply. "I love you more than anything, don't forget that. And no matter what,
I'll be here for you, whatever you need."

"I love you Angel. I don't know what I'd do without you."

They kissed once more and hugged goodbye, then Buffy left with a promise to be careful, and Angel entered his apartment.

* * *

"Okay, first things first. Buffy, eventually Rupert is going to move in."

Buffy nodded. "I understand that, married people often live in the same house. Same bed even!"

"We were thinking that I-I would move in this wee-weekend." Giles stuttered.

Buffy had never seen him so jittery. She felt kind of bad that it was all because of her.

She nodded. "I can live with that."

"Okay, now about who you have to listen to, I think we have a one up on most people in our… situation. Since Rupert is your
watcher, you are already accustomed to listening to him."

"And I assure you Buffy, I understand that you are almost eighteen and very independent. I know you are capable of making
smart decisions…… usually." Giles added, with a small smile.

Buffy returned the smile. "I promise to try to refrain from the 'you aren't my father' line the first time you say something I
don't want to hear."

The three of them smiled. Things seemed to be going well. This just might work out…..



The End