Author's Note: Greetings, folks! I bring you a multi-chapter story. Huzzah! I will post 1 chapter, each day, for 5 days. Because there are only 5 chapters. Obvious. I pulled a Barry Allen and messed with the timeline just a smidge. Giles owns the Magic Box, but that isn't a huge part, and Buffy and Willow are sharing a dorm together. Mainly because I like them in a dorm together. I don't think those two things happened at the same time on the show.

Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated. Isn't proofread by anyone other than myself, making all mistakes my own. Usual disclaimer of not owning any of these characters. Also, name of title is no relation to the episode of the same name. Please enjoy!

Chapter 1

It was nearing 2 a.m. when Buffy trudged up to Giles' door. Being as late as it was, she knew knocking wasn't an option. She tried the knob and found it unlocked. Rolling her eyes at his carelessness, she entered. He knew she had a key. He had given it to her after all. She sometimes wondered if the man had a secret death wish.

There was a small table lamp still on next to the couch. She walked over to turn it off and lie down. That was when she noticed the assorted Watcher Diaries and an open bottle of scotch with a glass next to it on the coffee table. She picked up the bottle, examining it. It was about two-thirds of the way empty, but was sure it was already half gone the other day. She briefly thought of looking through the diaries, but then decided against it. Her eyelids already felt like sandpaper and she was barely able to keep them open. That was why she had stopped at his place. It was closer and she wasn't sure she would make it home. She had already started to fall asleep while patroling, letting a vamp get the jump on her. After she dusted him, she figured it was time to call it a night. For her own safety.

But first, to check on Giles. Drinking and being sentimental hardly ever ended well for him. She climbed the stairs to the darkened loft. It took her eyes a second to adjust, but she could see him lying in bed. His light snoring confirmed he was still breathing, so she turned to head back downstairs. Swaying slightly before that first step, she thought maybe it best to stay up here.

She turned back towards the bed and crossed the small distance over. She kicked off her shoes and stared at the bed. Giles was lying on his stomach, facing away from her, his arms curled up around his head. He was kind of crooked, legs stretched to the other side. And she noticed for the first time he wasn't wearing a shirt. Too tired to really care, she stretched out on the mostly empty side of the bed. Her leg from the knee draped over his. It didn't matter to her. After all, he was under the covers and she on top, so what was the big deal? She closed her eyes, already starting to drift off, not noticing the snoring had stopped.

"Are you getting vampire on my sheets?" he grumbled into the bed.

"Probably."

He groaned and slid his leg out from under hers, giving her more room. Still on his front, he turned his head towards her. "Everything all right?" he whispered, not sure if she had fallen asleep yet or not.

She hummed. "Just dead tired." He chuckled. "No pun intended." She turned her head to him. "You? Saw the party remains on the table." He hummed in response, eyes already closed and drifting back to the land of nod. Her eyes closed and she soon joined him.

3

Buffy woke the next morning feeling more relaxed than she had in days. Sleep hadn't been easy for her for a while. Never getting more than 90 minutes at a time. She would always wake up with a nervous energy she just couldn't figure out, then it would take her another hour or so to fall asleep, just to start the cycle over again. Hence last night's complete exhaustion.

Her eyes caught sight of an alarm clock, seeing it was now half past seven. She was surprised to realize she had slept for five hours. It wasn't a full night, but it was a start.

She stretched out, feeling the tingling pull of her muscles. She moaned in relaxed satisfaction. Her leg bumped into something next to her and she suddenly remembered where she was.

She turned her head to see Giles was still asleep. He was in the same exact position as when she last saw him. His face was half hidden behind his arm and his hair was sticking up randomly. The sheets were half way down his bare back. He looked rather cute with bed head. She turned onto her side and ran her fingers through his hair. He moaned and she smiled, pulling back her hand. "Good morning, sleepy head."

He opened his eyes, one peering at her over his arm. "Morning," he mumbled. He vaugley remembered her climbing into bed with him last night. At first he had thought he dreamt it, but he had briefly woken up a second time to see she was actually there before quickly nodding off again.

"Sleep well?" she asked. He hummed. "Not so much word guy in the morning, huh?" He groaned. She touched his forehead. "You feeling okay?"

"Headache." Buffy ran her thumb over his eyebrow a few times and then rubbed tiny circles on his temples. Giles closed his eyes. "Feels nice."

"I can get you some asprin."

He lifted his head. "I can get it." He rolled over. "Need to use the bathroom any-," he froze just before throwing the sheets off himself. "Oh."

Buffy sat up next to him. "What's wrong?"

"I, uh..." he looked at her, tinted pink. She looked so confused. He gave a nervous laugh. "I'm not... wearing any..."

She tilted her head questioningly. Then her eyes widended with realization. "Oh!" She looked forward but didn't move. She slowly turned her head to look at him again, biting back a laugh. He titled his head to glare at her. She giggled. "I slept next to a naked you all night."

He hung his head and groaned. She laughed again. "I wasn't exactly expecting company."

"I figured. But thank you for letting me crash here anyway."

"Why are you here?"

"Honestly?" He nodded, she shrugged. "I was just exhausted and your place was closer than mine."

"Ah."

"I was going to take the couch, but then saw what you had been doing all night. I came up to check on you, then just kind of crashed here. Was that okay?"

"Yes, of course. My door is open to you any time, Buffy." She smiled at him. "Except for now. Get out." Her eyebrows shot up. He looked down at himself then back at her.

"Oh, right." She climbed out of bed and grabbed her shoes. "I should go home and change anyway. Even though most of the vamp dust is now on your bed."

"Lovely."

"Later, Giles!" She bounded down the stairs, pausing to slip her shoes on at the landing, then was out the door.

It was later that afternoon that Buffy walked into the Magic Box. She smiled at Anya who was busy with a customer ("It costs more because it's better!"). She headed straight on back for the training room door and knocked. She opened it a bit to stick her head inside, calling out, "Are you decent?"

Giles opened the door the rest of the way for her. "Ha ha. Very funny."

She walked in, he closed the door behind her. "I thought so, yeah."

"How is your day going?" He walked to the weapons cabinet as she began her stretches.

"Pretty good, actually. Its amazing what more than 2 hours of sleep can do for you."

He turned towards her. "2 hours? Is that all you have been getting?"

"Not even."

"How long has this been going on?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Umm," she thought as she stretched. "Last night would have made it a week."

"A week?!" His arms dropped to his sides. She confirmed. "But you did actually sleep last night? For how long?"

She stood with her hands on her hips. "A little more than 5 hours. Thanks again for that."

"Buffy, I didn't actually do anything." He turned back to the cabinet and grabbed two quarterstaffs.

"You didn't kick me out. That's something." She took the weapon he offered, twirling it around to get a feel for it.

"I wouldn't kick you out of bed." Buffy dropped the weapon. "That-that is, umm-".

"Unclench, Giles," she giggled and picked up the weapon. "I got you."

"Wish you would have told me."

"So you could do what? Just a bit of insomnia, Giles. Nothing you could do about it. Besides, I slept great. All better now. Must have been your nakedness."

He rolled his eyes and got into stance. "Mmm hmm," he hummed skeptically. "Well, let's see if we can't tire you out for a good rest tonight, shall we?"

Buffy grinned. "Bring it on, Watcher!"