"If this is part of your recruiting speech for joining the side of goodness and light, Rupert, it needs some work. I think I just heard you say you trust me." He glanced towards Annabelle and Molly. "Besides, you have access to a whole group of destined warriors, there's a young woman in Sunnydale--oh, how does that go--chosen from all her generation to fight the evil."

Giles shook his head. "Buffy thinks she knows evil, but she doesn't. She's never lived it, never made it with her own hands."

"Like we have." The cynicism was hard in Ethan's voice. "You want my help because you know a little more dirt on my soul won't make much more of a stain. Such a flattering offer. I think not." He turned to go again.

Giles' sharp voice pulled him back. "That's not why I want your help. I want your help because you won't be horrified by whatever dirt ends up on my own soul. The children, they don't understand. They think they can fight these battles and not have the darkness stick. I don't know what will happen to them when they find out differently. And that's not the only reason."

Ethan gave him a cautious look but said nothing.

"I'm tired of all this between us," Giles went on quietly. "I'm tired of the violence and viciousness and deception. I'm tired of my driving you off and you skulking away. If the world is in real danger of ending, then it damned well is not going to end with me still being at odds with the only person I've never pretended to."

There, he'd said it. And even if Ethan laughed and walked away, he wasn't sorry. Too many bloody people had died on him without him telling them how he felt.

Ethan stared at the dirty platform surface. Around them, the new bustle in the crowd said the train was due soon. Finally Ethan reached into his trouser pocket, pulled something out and held it out. Giles took it and blinked. An ancient Roman bronze coin, with two-faced Janus on one side. Twenty-five years ago, a corruptingly beautiful young man in Soho had worn this coin as a medallion, giving a rebellious university student the opening he wanted to start a conversation.

"You shouldn't need much in the way of a locator spell with that," Ethan said diffidently. "This will be the first time I've ever had it away from me."

Giles wrapped his hand around it securely. "Thank you. I'm afraid I don't have anything to give you."

A different kind of smile tried to escape Ethan's control. "I've never had any trouble finding you."

"No," Giles admitted, "you never did."

"Where will you go next?"

"There's a girl in New York I have to collect, then I'll take them on to Buffy in Sunnydale. I need to see how things are going there, then I think my next step will be Shanghai."

"Shanghai? Are you mad? One doesn't just pop over to China from America in this day and age."

Giles grinned. "Well, that's why I'll have you about. Meet me in Tokyo in three weeks and we'll work out a plan." He laughed outright at the anticipatory cunning in Ethan's face.

Rumbling in the tunnel from an approaching train told them time was up. "Mr. Giles?" Annabelle called anxiously.

"Be right there," he answered. Ethan pulled him into a hug, which he returned without hesitation.

"Be careful, damn you," Ethan growled into his ear. "I will not have you abandoning me here on the side of truth and justice. You're the only one I know here."

"And you save your creativity for when we need it. No ordering drinks for the house then casting a glamour of yourself over some poor sot in the corner while you sneak out."

"That worked, if you'll recall, and you found it hysterically funny."

Giles pushed him back, then kissed him very quickly, hoping the girls didn't notice and not caring if they did. "Yes, I did." The train rattled into the station. "Be careful, Ethan. I'll see you in Tokyo, three weeks."

"Three weeks, Ripper." The wicked grin was back in full force. "I'll reserve us a bath house."

They hugged again, then Giles broke it off to collect Molly and Annabelle and take them to the train. He found them seats and took the strap to stand nearby. Through the window he saw Ethan in the crowd, a slight man already blending into his surroundings as he prepared to disappear again.

It was going to be ugly and dangerous and painful. The Council Headquarters was still smoking, and he had no idea how matters were shaping up in Sunnydale. The Bringers might find them, and they might be cut down before they could even reach Buffy. Nevertheless, Giles had one undeniable victory to throw in the face of the First. He didn't intend to waste it.

I'm not completely happy with the ending. Maybe more schmaltz, maybe less, maybe just a bit more stiff-upper-lip repressed affection. I dunno. But, I'm pleased with it.

Yes, Mr. Vampire!Giles, I know about the other story! Please don't look at me like that!

Nice, connie. I like the ending just the way it is.

Except for the 'it's the end!' part. You're going to write the sequal. Set in China. Right? Right? Right?

(Stop there, Am, or you'll be shouting at her.)

Um... me likey?

I love all the recent postings in here and have been avidly devouring them as they appear. Different lines and scenes from Deb's stories have been running through my head each time I wake up (and I've been doing that a lot).

Connie, I love your writing. The only thing about the ending that gives me pause is that it's so neatly wrapped up. I might like it better if you left off the last paragraph. That's not really saying much, since the best description I had for how I felt after reading it was thinking, "I could just wallow in this."

Whitefonting so Am can ignore the stick-poke if she prefers: Am, where's my Daniel fix?

edited because I've just become incredibly sloppy lately.

He's wondered off for a holiday. The Korean War (or Hawk's blue eyes) have stolen my brain.

BTW, Am-Chau, I like how you wound up putting in the information about the letters. Verra nice!

Oh, yes, the letters! I knew there was something really awesome you'd done lately Am! I forgive you for Daniel (and didn't remember who you were talking about until I highlighted my own whitefont. How tired is that?

I did think there was one thing in one of the letters that sounded more stilted than Hawkeye would have spoken, though I can't remember what, now. Do you want me to go back and find it?

I couldn't stand it, I went back:

1) I don't know if he'd have said "drunken sex" considering that I think there were censors actively working at the time (though I'm not at all sure of that) and he tended to use euphemisms on the show.

2) I don't think he would have used the word bunkmate. I think it more probable for him to have said, "the new guy" or something similar.

Please, Deena. Later, if you like: but any feedback helps, especially of the 'this is stilted' variety. It's not yet a final version (so you could you know, do a full beta if you liked).

Edit: you went back. Thanks.

"I will not have you abandoning me here on the side of truth and justice. You're the only one I know here."

I enjoyed this. But I have to say, as much as I love Giles (and heaven knows how much I love him) no way would he get any of my naan.

I've never eaten Indian food. I once had ceylonese food made at home by a friend from Ceylon. It was okay, but I have no clue what it was called. It had bits of fish, raisins and nuts in it, that's all I remember.

Am, I will look at it again, though the two things I mentioned in my edit were the ones that struck me on first reading.