The sound of the alarm clock wakes you. You stretch out and reach over to Rupert's side of the bed. You find it empty and open your eyes. He is standing and stretching beside the bed. "What time did you get home last night Love? I fell asleep waiting."

"Too damn late," he mumbles groggily. "I'm sorry Love. Buffy never showed. She didn't even leave a message until past midnight. By then I'd gotten myself engrossed in updating some of my journal entries and I just lost track of time." He heads off into the bathroom.

'Poor Baby,' you think to yourself. You get a wicked smile and get up out of the bed.

A half hour later, Rupert is showered, shaved, dressed and on his way out the door. "Enjoy your day off Love," he kisses your cheek as he goes. You wave to him, smiling, hoping he also enjoys the day's surprises.

******

"Mr. Giles," Snyder's grating voice stops Rupert as soon as he enters the hallway of Sunnydale High. He resists the urge to slam his briefcase into the smug face of the little homunculus. He even forces a smile through gritted teeth.

"Yes?"

"I ah-ah-ah," he barely stops himself from sneezing.

"Tsk-tsk-tsk, seems you've picked up a little bit of a bug there."

"Yes."

"Nothing fatal...I hope," Rupert's smile widens.

"That's what I wanted to tell you. The whole damn senior staff is going down fast with this virus, or whatever it is. I appear to be fending it off so far but if I do wind up being out with it, you will be expected to fill in as temporary principal. Just until someone competent can get well enough."

"Of course," Rupert says politely and turns his back.

"AAAHHHCHOOO!" Rupert rolls his eyes and reaches for his handkerchief to offer to the troll, ever the gentleman, even if he can't stand him. His fingertips grasp the soft material in his pocket and he retrieves it. As he unfolds it, his eyes grow wide with surprise. He holds in his hand not a handkerchief, but a white lacy pair of your underpants. He blushes deeply, hastily stuffs the garment into his pocket, and hurries off to the library.

Rupert passes Xander, reading at one of the tables and Oz, perched on the library counter scanning a Superman comic. He bids them each a quick "Morning," and heads into his office.

He sits his briefcase on his desk and snaps it open. He looks down and his jaw drops. Inside he finds a copy of the Kama Sutra for Modern Lovers, certain pages clearly bookmarked with red, heart-shaped papers.

"Hey Xand, Oz!" Rupert hears the library doors burst open and Buffy's cheery greeting to her Slayerettes. He quickly snaps shut the case, locking it and setting it to the side of the desk. He goes into the library eliciting a bright smile from Buffy. "Giles! How are we this fine morning?"

"I-I need to speak with you in here for a moment," his tone is stern.

Buffy pouts. "Somebody got up on the wrong side of the Atlantic this morning. What? Is there a world shortage of tea? Scones suddenly been declared illegal contraband?" Xander giggles, prompting a withering look from the Watcher. The boy quickly turns back to his reading.

Rupert leads Buffy, gently but firmly by the arm, into his office. "Don't give birth for goodness sake Giles. What's the sitch?"

"The *sitch* is that you never showed up for your training last night. A cursory "Hey I'm going to the Bronze. Catch you later." left on my machine is not sufficient excuse for neglecting your duties." Rupert is so enthralled in lecturing, he doesn't hear his phone ring.

Xander and Oz exchange "Should we get that?" glances until Rupert's answering machine picks up on the third ring. "You have reached the Sunnydale High School library and the office of Rupert Giles. Please leave your..."

"Hey I needed a little time off and I thought you could use the time for your honey. If you keep hanging around the stacks when you could be home making smoochies, she's gonna find herself a new tweed-clad superlibrarian to get cuddly with."

In the library, the machine beeps.

"Buffy I appreciate your interest...well I think I do, however certain things have to come before our own personal pleasure..."

"Rupert?" Your voice echoes in the library. "It's me Lover." You giggle, a sound which grabs Rupert's attention finally. "I had hoped to talk to you in person but I guess I'll leave this message as a surprise. I have on that teddy you like. You know, the black short satiny one? The one you like rubbing your hands over so much...touching me through...mmm, I love the way your hands feel on me."

"Oh dear God!" Rupert races out of the office, not noticing Buffy dropping into the chair, a hand over her mouth barely suppressing her laughter.

Just as Rupert's hand closes on the phone, Xander snatches the handset from its cradle. He clears his throat and speaks in his best Giles imitation. "Ooh Love, do you know how hot you make me when you speak that way? I just want to tear all your clothes off and shag until the sun comes up." Xander looks up to see Giles standing before him, Ripper etched in every facial feature. Xander's eyes get very wide, his jaw drops and a large wet patch spreads across the front of his blue jeans as he wordlessly hands the phone over to Rupert. He continues to stare the boy down until he whimpers and buries his head in his book once more. The silence in the room is broken by an uncharacteristically boisterous laugh from Oz, followed by a yelp as he tumbles back off of the counter.

"L-l-love? I'll t-talk to you later. I'm a bit busy just now." Rupert hangs up the phone, then sighs.

******

At the end of the school day, Rupert comes home to find all the curtains shut, keeping the room in shadows even as the last rays of day beat against them. He hangs his jacket by the door, sitting down his briefcase, and removing his tie. He begins to unbutton his shirt as he moves to the bedroom.

You are laying on the bed, waiting for him in the black teddy you told him you would be. You stretch with a feline grin and sit up, hugging your knees to your chest. "How was your day Rupert?"

Rupert removes his shirt and kicks off his shoes. This morning he had planned to raise hell with you when he got home. By noon, he was so tired from arguing with Buffy, he figured he'd just come home and nap. Right now, looking at you, he smiles because he thinks you are breathtakingly adorable. He crawls onto the bed, laying you back on the pillows and kisses you senseless...

Have a Wonderful Monday!

GylzGirl :-)