*****

I'll have to stop this soon. I *know* I will.

It's just not *right*. I know that it's not, but I can't help myself. He show's up just when I need him. Just when I'm feeling hollow and empty, thinking that no one cares, he's *there*. And I *need* him.

And he offers me everything. All of him.

He holds out his cupped palm, smiling at me. "Take it, Rupert. It'll be okay." His smile grows wider. "It's a present for you." It doesn't matter to him that he's on the other side of the door.

I don't take it, what ever *it* is, once I open the door, letting him in again. I look outside before I shut the door, my eyes sweeping back and forth, looking for. . . I don't know, really. Maybe someone to catch me. Some one to tell me I'm playing with fire. That I'm going to get burned. No one does. No one tells me I'm a fool and I shut the door, locking it.

I *know* I'm a fool. I *know* I'm going to get burned. I just don't know what he really wants from me, yet. And I want to know. I turn and watch him as he wanders around my shop.

"Ethan?"

He turns, fingering a small object, smiling at me. "Yes?"

"You've come back."

He nods his head, a small smile playing at his lips. "I have."

"Why?"

He turns away from me, carefully replacing the object on the shelf. He moves the other items around, giving them a center he can relate to. He narrows his eyes and nudges a crystal object a millimeter to the left before turning to look at me. "Sex?"

I laugh. No. "No." I move close to the counter and lean my shoulder against it, smiling. "Not sex."

His eyebrows rise, reaching into his hairline. "No?" He picks up the same object he just centered and tosses it up into the air, catching it. "No? And why not sex?" He replaces the small crystal figurine. "Why *not* sex?" He asks me again.

I roll my eyes at him. "You can get *sex*, Ethan. I've no doubt about that. Why are you *here*?" And I want to know. Really I do.

Maybe I do.

He smiles then, wrinkles of age and hard living lining his face; this is a smile he doesn't often give. I know he doesn't. Ethan is many things and vain is at the top of them, but here he is, *smiling* at me. A real smile. He walks to me, vain as I've said, stomach sucked in and thighs taunt, stopping next to me, still smiling. He leans in close. "And what if I said, Rupert, my dearest, my one and only love, what if I said I come baring a gift for you?"

I lean in closer. "I'm sure I'd say something witty about Greeks and all that."

Ethan throws back his head and laughs. He slaps me on the back, moving closer to me. He kisses me, a quick peck upon my closed lips. "See, Ripper? *This* is why I love you. Who else can make me laugh like *you* can?"

I pull back. "I've no idea." I turn and begin to dust the counter. It's dusted and clean, but I need something to do. I shouldn't have let him in. I shouldn't have opened the door. I shouldn't have been such a fool. But I am. I can't help it.

"Um." Ethan runs a finger across the counter, studying it. "Spotless. Finished, then?" He smiles at me.

Damn his smile.

I pick up a counter display and dust beneath it. "No."

He shrugs his shoulders and moves around the shop. Touching here, fingering there, smiling at this, frowning at that. "I never told you how much I like your shop, have I?" He turns his head and smiles at me. "*Have* I?"

I rub at a particularly stubborn imaginary spot on the counter. "No, you haven't." I rub harder.

"Sorry. I'm sure I meant too. It suits you, this place does. Has 'Rupert Giles' written all over it."

I smile, and the damn spot vanishes. "Thank you."

"It's fitting, you know. . .you here. . .in a place like this. Magic. You and magic. Ripper and magic."

"My name is-"

"Rupert." He finishes for me, smiling. "Yes. Rupert Giles: watcher, leader, and father. Yes, I know." He smiles and reaches into his pocket pulling out his cupped hand. "And I *still* have a present for you." He wriggles his fist. "Come on, then. Aren't you even a *little* curious?"

I sniff. "No."

He shakes his fist again, turning it over and opening it quickly before closing it. I catch a flash of light. "Not even a *little*?" He smiles at me, placing his hand into his pocket. He pulls out his empty hand, palm held out to me. "It's nice, Rupert. You'll like it." He winks at me. "Promise, you will."

I lay down my dust rag. "What is it?" I give in.

He walks towards the back room. "Come see."

He's very calm, very casual, he doesn't expect me to rush him, giggling like a schoolboy, as I jump on his back and dig my hand into his pocket. I pull out the heavy link bracelet, holding it up and letting the light glint off the shiny links. "It's silver." He tells me. "To keep you safe."

End.