Carolee smiled and turned down the radio as the song ended and the commercials started. Her left hand rested in Giles’s. He had been holding her hand ever since they left Eugene and headed back home to Whispering Pines.

“I love that song, especially when you sing it.” His voice gave her chills, truth be told. It was that good.

He smiled and took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at her. “I love that song too. It reminds me of you a bit.”

“It does?” She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

He nodded. “Yes, it does. You’ve been through a lot, especially recently. You are more beautiful than you know, inside and out. Your heart fills up everything inside of you, and it just pours out of your smile. I would wait in the rain for you, just to see you smile. You deserve love, and I’m here to give it to you, if you want it.”

Carolee was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Giles chuckled and turned his eyes back to the road. Carolee just settled on giving his hand a gentle squeeze instead.

“Giles, I’m not sure this is real. I mean, am I dreaming? Did I stay stuck in that other dimension?”

He laughed at that. “No, I assure you, this is real. I’m real.” He held up her hand that was held inside his own. “This is real. It’s not one of your stories this time.”

She paled at that and looked at him sharply. “My stories?”

“Oh, uh…yes…part of the research before. I’ve read your online journal, your stories and your fanfic. “ He saw her turn crimson and hastily added. “Very talented, I must say!”

She gave him another piercing look. “Bloody awful fanfic?” She recalled his statement on that first night they met. It hadn’t even bothered her that he knew all her deepest secrets and emotions from her journal. Hell, she was an open book anyways.

He colored at that, and would have polished his glasses if he could reach them. His hands were otherwise occupied however, the one in her grip, the other on the steering wheel. “Present company’s excluded, of course.”

Carolee giggled at that. “Of course. Well, at least you aren’t really with Buffy. I don’t think my spinning heel kick could take her out.”

They both burst into laughter at that.

It had been a long day for the both of them. Baby now sat in the back seat in her carrier, asleep to the world. She always traveled with ease, thankfully. Applebee’s had been a breeze. Giles had received papers via fax from Andrew, and had posed as a CIA agent. Carolee had been recruited. End of story. Sorry, Applebee’s, but two weeks notice could not be given. Carolee was needed for a top secret mission.

The family would be more difficult, but they didn’t really want to think about that right now. Carolee didn’t want to lie to them, but the truth wouldn’t be very believable as well. Then, as they were just finishing a quiet lunch Buffy had phoned Giles with the news about Howard. They had immediately packed up the Suburban with some of Carolee’s things and headed back to Whispering Pines. They’d be there before dark.

Giles had been rather quiet about the entire thing. He was lost in thought, and Ethan was not a subject he’d like to discuss. Being with Carolee, singing along to the radio, it all helped him to be at ease, but inside his mind was a turmoil. They should have been done with Ethan years ago!

Carolee’s thoughts kept wandering to those of Allison. How was she coping? She must be a wreck. The timing really sucked. Here Carolee was, happier then she’d ever been, and her best friend was suffering! Without realizing what she was doing, Carolee had placed both her hands around Giles’s right hand, holding it up to her face. Her pursed lips ran over Giles’s fingertips, unwittingly giving herself comfort.

Giles was mesmerized. He didn’t say anything, noticing the far away look in her eyes. Yet, his fingers tingled from her touch. He found it hard to concentrate on his driving. Carolee sensed his stillness, and realized what she was doing. She tilted her head and found his eyes again resting on hers. He had a small smile on his face. Carolee took his hand and lightly kissed it before resting it on her lap.

“I’m sure Allison is fine, sweetheart. We’ll have her husband back by her side shortly. Buffy is determined to keep Dawn safe as well.”

Carolee nodded. “I know. Besides, this stuff, it’s what you all do, right?”

He guffawed at that. “Yes, it is. But I’m sorely needing a vacation.”

Carolee smiled at that and sunk back against the seat, massaging his fingers with her own, lightly running her fingertips around his palm, and up and down each finger. “If you could leave on a vacation right now, where would you go?”

“Somewhere with you, of course.”

Carolee giggled. “Well, that’s a given, silly.”

His eyes wandered from the road back to her as she giggled. He loved that sound. His eyes turned back to the road as he thought on her question. A smile broke over his face as he realized the truth of his answer. “I’d take you home, to my home, in England. Bath, to be exact. I have a farm there, with horses, and wild flowers, and dogs. Have you ever ridden before?”

Carolee nodded with excitement. “Oh, yes! One of my best vacations ever was when I went horse back riding in the snow! Then we followed it up with pina colodas in the hot tub. I was there with my family. But spending that kind of time with you, alone, and seeing your home? I’d love that.”

“It’s a date then. As soon as we get everything cleared up here, I’m sweeping you off your feet.”

And She Will Be Loved…

Howard stepped out of his cage and into the arms of Heidi. His mouth searched for hers with a fierce hunger. She smiled as she opened her mouth to his probing tongue. However, as he began to wrap his arms around her to pull her closer against him, she stepped back, breaking off the kiss. “Later, big boy.” She turned her gaze behind her into the room to fall upon the intruders.

Allison stood stock still in the doorway, her mouth wide open in shock. Spike stood over Ethan, his hand wrapped into the sorcerer’s collar. He too had a look of surprise on his face. “What the?” His eyes found Heidi’s and he cringed.

Ethan’s face was red in rage. “Heidi, you are mine!” It came out as a beg, and not as an order like he had intended. It wasn’t easy to speak with the vampire’s knee in the small of his back.

Heidi shrugged and held her arms up at her sides. “There is plenty of me to go around, boys.” Howard’s hand trailed down her back, his eyes never leaving her for even one second. He had been freed from one prison, to be enslaved by another. He didn’t seem to mind, however.

Allison finally wrestled free from the shock, to be replaced by anger. “Hey, that’s my husband. Howard, get your hand off of her!”

Howard seemed to not even notice. Heidi, however, did. She reverted into vamp face, growling at Allison. Spike’s head tilted up, his eyes squinting. “Don’t even think about it, bitch.” He dropped Ethan, his head lolling to the side. Then Spike advanced towards the new vampire, but before he could make another step, Ethan’s voice rang out. “Rigescere!”

No one moved. They were all frozen in time and place. Ethan slowly got to his feet, re-adjusting his clothes and dusting himself off. When he had every hair back in place, he walked over to Heidi. He snapped his fingers in front of her face and she became re-animated. She smiled at him, purring, rubbing her body up against his. He took her hands and wrapped them around his waist, plunging his tongue into hers, fangs and all. She was still in vamp face, but he didn’t care. Her cold skin against his hot body was the ultimate turn on. When he was left breathless from the kiss, he pulled his mouth away, smiling down at her.

She batted her eyelids at him. “Let’s get out of here. What do you say, bad boy?”

He grinned and nodded. He gave Howard a glance. He couldn’t care less about Dawn now. Heidi was all he needed. He took her hand in his and began to pull her from the room.

“Wait! I want him too!” She pointed at Howard, frozen in the entrance to his cage, his hand hung in mid air as it had caressed Heidi’s backside.

Ethan pouted. “What? I’m more than man enough for you. We don’t need him.”

Heidi’s look grew furious. “But I want him!”

Ethan continued to pout, but knew he would not win. Ah, well, it wasn’t like it would be a new thing for him. He leaned over and snapped his fingers in Howard’s face. Howard immediately turned his puppy dog eyes onto Heidi. She took his hand in her free one, and then let Ethan pull them both out of the room. As they dispersed, Ethan looked back over his shoulder and said one last word. “Dissolvo!”