The blond man grinned at the young woman. �You look beautiful today, luv.�

He brushed his lips against hers in a soft welcoming kiss. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against him as she gave him a feather-light kiss. His tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she welcomed him eagerly. The man slid his hands under her sweater. As he traced small circles on her back, she pressed more intimately against him, settling between his thighs. �I want you so much.� He gasped against her open mouth.

�I want you, too.� She cried as she tugged his white shirt from the waistband of his tight jeans. He helped her pull it up and over his head. Then, he returned the favor by helping her remove her sweater. They slid to the floor in a pleasurable jumble of arms and legs.

�Oh, Willow.� He moaned.

�Oh, Ripper.�

�Oh, bloody hell!� Giles cried as he came awake abruptly.

He had been dreaming about Willow and himself as a young man. Willow and Ripper writhing on the floor in ecstasy and he had just been about to. . .

�Brandy. Need brandy.� He whispered. Giles clumsily made his way downstairs, still troubled by his erotic dream. And its ramifications. He retrieved the bottle and poured himself a generous portion. He placed one trembling hand to his brow, seeking to make sense of his chaotic emotions.

�Rupert? You awake in there?�

�Yes.� Giles snapped. He was in no mood to deal with his captive vampire.

�Glad to hear it. From the sound of that dream were having. . .well, let�s just say I�m relieved you aren�t sleep-walkin� with me all chained up and helpless in here.�

�Just when I think we�ve reached the lowest point in our conversations you cheerfully drag us deeper into the muck.� Giles said this from the doorway to the bathroom.

�They�re your dreams, Rupert, not mine. Besides, with the way all of you treat me, I feel like a redheaded stepchild.� He paused meaningfully. �But, I guess I shouldn�t feel too bad. You like red-haired children, don�t you?�

�Spike, so help me if you reveal-�

�Don�t get your knickers in a twist, Watcher. Tell you what, I�ll keep my knowledge of your pedophilic tendencies to myself, if you do me a small favor.�

�I�ll tell you what, why don�t I get a stake and put it through your black heart?�

Spike wasn�t impressed. �And miss out on all this information in my noggin about those tin soldiers? I don�t think you�d do that. Lets just make this very simple, shall we? You just give me free reign of the house and we�ll call it even.�

Giles was about to argue when he saw the determined gleam in Spike�s eye. �Fine, but you keep your beak shut or I�ll stake you no matter what kind of information you have.� He turned to storm out of the room.

�Giles?�

�What?�

�Are you going to untie me?�

�I�ll do it tomorrow. I�m going to try to go back to bed.�

�Giles?�

�What now?�

�Sweet dreams.�

Willow juggled a bag full of magickal supplies and a box of donuts from the local bakery. She knocked on Giles door. It was swung open quickly.

�W-Willow. How nice to see you, uh, bad choice of words. Not that I was. . .looking. What are you doing here?�

�Truth spell, remember?"

�Oh, yes. The truth spell. Wait. . .didn�t you say that you had a class? You shouldn�t skip classes just to help me out.�

�It was canceled. Are you going to let me in?�

�Oh, of course.� He stepped back from the doorway, he was avoiding eye contact with her.

�Spike!�

�What are you shouting at, Red?�

�He�s free Giles.� She pointed to the vampire who was currently lounging on the couch. He gave her box of donuts an appraising glance.

�I know. He can�t bite. And I�ve got an . . .understanding with him. It�s fine.�

�Well, I guess its okay if you think its safe.� She scowled at the vampire for good measure, though. Willow went to the kitchen and started brewing a pot of tea. She chose Earl Grey tea because Giles favored it. She placed a jelly donut on a napkin for him and he blushed when he took it from her.

�Th-thank you, Willow.� He turned crimson.

�Can I have one too, pet?� Spike asked as he came to stand beside her, hovering over the donut box.

�Sure.�

�Mmm. Glazed donuts, my favorite.� He snatched one up and put it around his index finger. He proceeded to eat his way around the circle on his finger.

She walked over to the coffee table and sat down beside Giles. He looked uncomfortable. Willow wondered if it was because Spike was roaming around his home. She began laying out the ingredients for the spell. �Where�s the spell book?�

He pulled it from a stack of books which were on the floor.

�Giles, is something wrong?� She whispered. �Are you angry about something? Is it me? I probably came at a bad time, do you want me to leave?�

�Want. That�s an interesting word.� Spike drawled.

Giles glared at Spike before answering Willow. �No, Willow, I�m not upset with you. Let�s just perform the spell.� And then you can leave before I do something to embarrass myself.

Spike sat down in a chair and crossed his arms behind his head. �Work your mojo on me, luv. I�m sure we�ll find out all sorts of interesting things.� He smiled at Giles.

Giles nearly choked on his donut. �I�ve changed my mind, Willow. We won�t be doing that spell just yet.�

�But I bought all the ingredients. And I got up early to come over here even though I could have slept in. And-�

�My decision has been made.� He said sternly. He hoped she would give in.

She pursed her lips but didn�t argue with him further. �Fine.� The Watcher had not been himself lately, his mood swings were becoming more and more exaggerated. Willow was also worried that he might be abusing alcohol.

�So, uh, shouldn�t you be going back to your dorm? You said you had gotten up early. Why don�t you take a nap?�

She frowned. �Because Riley was coming over. Buffy and he are probably flirting and maybe even smooching and. . .�

�That�s disgusting, Red. I don�t want to hear about the slayer�s love life.� He put a hand to his throat. �I think my donut�s backing up on me.�

She ignored him. �Giles, can I stay here? I can do some research, I�ve got my laptop in my backpack.� She gave him an overeager grin. Willow didn�t want to be alone but she couldn�t sit there and watch two people fall in love. It was just too painful after Oz�s swift departure.

Giles correctly interpreted her emotional state. �Of course, Willow. Why don�t you get on that infernal machine of yours and try to find out more about the soldiers?�

Willow beamed at him before she went to get her computer.

�Do you two need some alone time?� Spike asked. �I can always make myself scarce.�

Willow frowned. �Why would we-�

�Spike.� Giles said sharply. Willow shook her head and looked down at the screen. He picked up a stake from his arsenal of weapons and made a stabbing motion in the air.

Spike put his arms out in defeat. He smirked at Giles before he sat down next to Red. The Watcher frowned at him and his close proximity to the young witch. In truth, Spike thought Willow was quite beautiful. He could understand Rupert�s infatuation with her. Lately, he�d been entertaining thoughts about her as well. Spike draped an arm around her back. Willow was oblivious, intent on her work. Giles wasn�t, he glared at the vampire. Spike stood up and whistled a jaunty tune as he went to get some blood from the fridge. He�d had a bloody good 24 hours. He was free to roam the house. Imagining what Giles dreamt about was better than watching the telly. Even Passions! And teasing him about his fixation was just as amusing. His unlife was starting to look up.

Giles stared at the object of his lustful dreams. He had an awful suspicion, he was beginning to think that those weren�t just dreams. Giles was afraid that those were repressed memories.

Willow was busy perusing a government website, looking for references to the �Initiative�. So far, there wasn�t even a mention of it.

Giles looked up from the book he�d been reading about Tract demons. �Willow, I was just wondering something. Have you , by any chance, been doing some spells lately?� Ones that make older men lust after you?

�Of course! Nothing serious though, I know that with my concentration a little strained because of. . .you know. . . that wouldn�t be a good idea.�

�A wise decision, Willow.� He said thoughtfully. Maybe it was Ripper. In the past, he had somehow gotten a time travel spell. Spell books that contained that type of magick were scarce. Partly because it wasn�t wise to visit the past, changing the slightest thing could alter the universe. They were also notoriously unreliable. Though, that wouldn�t have scared his younger self in the least. Damn that boy!

�Why do you ask?�

�I have been having these. . .� he needed her assistance to get to the bottom of this, but he didn�t want to tell her the nature of these dreams. �. . .dreams about my younger self in this time period. I think that they might be memories, Willow.�

�Wow! What were you doing in the dream?� Spike, who was sitting on the chair across from them, seemed to find that question amusing.

�Hold on, you were dreaming about yourself as a whelp?� Spike had a mental image of a pimple-ridden tweedy nerd shagging Willow and almost fell to the floor.

�Talking.� They did speak to each other before they. . . it wasn�t a complete lie.

�About what?�

�That�s not the issue.� He said. �I need your help, Willow. Can you look up references to time travel magick?�

�Of course.� She crossed over to his formidable library of books and pulled out some likely candidates.

�This is getting us nowhere.� Willow said closing yet another book. They had spent most of the day researching and had found nothing.

�I�m afraid you�re right about that.� Giles closed his eyes. He was contemplating writing the Watcher�s Council. He knew that they had cast him out but he had a very real problem.

�Giles, can I call it a day?� Willow said, standing up. �I promised to meet Buffy at The Bronze.�

�That�s fine. You have a good time, Willow.� He said, reaching for another book.

�Bye, Spike.� Willow said.

�Bye, pet.� He called, not even raising his head, he was glued to the television.

�Willow, let�s keep this to ourselves for now. I don�t want to get Buffy involved unless its necessary.� She nodded as she scooped up her belongings and headed for the door.

At The Bronze, Willow spotted the gang at a table. They all gave her tentative smiles, she could see they were in �Cheer up Willow mode�.

Sighing, she went to the bar and ordered an iced mocha before going over. �Hi.� She said, hoping that they wouldn�t ask any direct questions about what she had been doing today. She was a terrible liar.

�So, Wills, how are you feeling?� Xander asked.

�Fine. I get a little better every day.�

He smiled and put a brotherly arm around her shoulders. �I�m glad, I was worried about you.�

Riley looked over at her. �How�s your term paper coming?�

�It�s going really well. I�m doing it on treatments for depression.� He smiled back at her and Buffy threaded her arm through his. It was plain to see she was falling for him.

Buffy smiled at Willow. �It�s good to see you out here again.�

�Can we dance now?� Anya asked.

�Anya, we�re talking to Willow-� Xander began.

�No, really guys, it�s fine. Go dance! I�ve got my mocha and its not such a bad day for me.� She just didn�t want to see any more of their pitying looks.

They all went to the dance floor and Willow settled back in her seat, looking at the crowd. There were a lot of familiar faces. That�s when she saw him. He seemed out of place but unconcerned about it. He was leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette. He wore tight blue jeans, a white shirt and a black leather jacket. Willow could see the young man was watching her as well. He crushed out the cigarette on the bottom of his boot and slowly walked over to her.

�Hello, luv.�

�Hi.� Goddess! He sounds just like Spike, come to think of it, he looks a little bit like him too. Of course, his hair was more blonde than white. And he was a touch taller. But there was something in his attitude, in the way he walked, something not quite safe, that reminded her of Spike.

�What�s a pretty thing like you doing all alone?�

She blushed a little, fiddling with her straw. �Would you like to join me?�

�Why don�t you join me, on the dance floor?�

She was captivated by the young man. �I�d love to.�

He pulled her on to the dance floor as a slow song was playing and wrapped his arms around her as they danced. �I forgot to ask your name. I�m Willow.�

�Willow, like the tree.� He said softly. He thought a moment, before he answered her, not sure if he should give his real one. . . considering the circumstances. �I�m Ringo.�

�Ringo.� She repeated. Like Ringo Starr? Something about the expression on his face when he had been thinking a minute ago struck her. There was something familiar about him. The clothes, the accent, the stupid alias. . .Ripper. He was here in Sunnydale doing Goddess knows what. She glanced over at her friends but they were absorbed in dancing and Giles edict to keep this quiet echoed in her mind. She was on her own and she could see only one way out of this.

He smiled as he held her closer, she felt so good in his arms. He was quite clever for coming up with that name, its not like The Beatles would still be remembered. This was turning out to be fun. . .he�d see himself as an old man, have a few laughs, and maybe a good shag if he was a lucky bloke.

�Uh, Ringo?�

�Yes, luv?�

�What are you doing this evening?� She had to find some way to make him come with her. Giles needed to find out what he had done.

He smiled slowly. �What ever you want me to, pet.� He pulled her even closer, letting her feel the evidence of his interest in her.

She gave him a weak smile and closed her eyes briefly. Think Vamp Willow, Rosenberg. When she opened them, she said. �Why don�t we go someplace we can be. . .alone.� She winked at him.

�I like the way you think.� He shook his head in delight and wonder. �Lead the way, luv.�

By the time, they had reached Giles� apartment, Ripper had grown impatient. He pressed her against the door and kissed her. The he began whispering the most. . .wicked things in her ear. She slipped out of his hold and knocked on the door. �Do you have a roommate, pet?�

The door was swung open by a harried looking Giles. �Willow, do you have any idea what hour it is because-� he broke off when he saw Ripper, standing behind her and holding her too close. He reached out and yanked the young man inside by his ear.

�Bloody hell, Willow. You didn�t tell me your dad was living with you.�

�I am your future self, imbecile.� Giles ground out, finally releasing the young man�s ear.

�What? I was about to shag my own daughter?� Ripper looked a little green.

�Did somebody say shag?� Spike asked, coming down the stairs. He had been listening in upstairs. He looked at Ripper and frowned. �Hey, you aren�t tweedy.�

�I�m not Willow�s father and you weren�t about to, uh, shag anyone.� Giles blushed, he hoped he had stopped that from happening at least! He looked at Willow for confirmation.

�I had to get him here somehow. He just kissed me. That�s all!� Willow flushed and looked away. She realized that Giles would probably eventually �remember� that all he had done was kiss her.

�You have a lot of explaining to do, young man.� Giles said.

Ripper looked at Giles bathrobe, glasses, and disheveled hair. � No, I think you have a lot of explaining to do, old man. What the hell happened to me?�