~*~

It had been a whim. An impulse.

Point of order, Cordelia Chase simply did not do things on impulse. Not anymore. There had simply been too much happening in her life in the last five years for her to take anything for granted. She thought like a lawyer now, and that meant, everything was meticulously thought through, seen from every point of view, all consequences taken in consideration.

Why on earth she had done this she had no idea.

She sighed, drumming her nails on the steering wheel, and from the darkened haze of her sunglasses, looked at the box that was sitting in her passenger seat.

It was quiet. A little too quiet.

Cordelia frowned, reaching a stop light and looking into the box. From the darkness, a pair of blue eyes stared at her.

Cordelia felt herself smile uncertainly. The thing WAS kinda cute. In a... feline way. And didn't she like felines? She had afterall, dressed up as one a very long time ago.

And she never DID get that deposit back.

"Hey kitty," she tried a babyish voice, and then felt like a completely moron, and finally just closed the top of the box, jumping when she heard the honk behind her.

Her eyes flickered up to the green light.

"Alright, alright! Keep your shirt on, you over grown dork," she glared behind her, and then started the car.

A little meow came from inside the box, and she felt herself smile, automatically picturing Giles' face when he saw the animal. It was impossible really, five years ago she would have thought it completely well... WIERD to even TRY to imagine that this is how her life would be like.

She was in love with a LIBRARIAN. An OLD Librarian. And she had moved to SUNNYDALE. That's right. When everyone else was busting their butts trying to get OUT of the hicktown of converging evil, she had moved back IN.

God. Was she mental or what?

Okay, so maybe she wasn't being entirely fair. Giles WAS a rather handsome old fuddy duddy. And rather sexy too, with that little accent and those blue eyes, and good LORD that mouth. And Sunnydale DID have it's merits. It had after all, her friends.

The Slayer. The vampire with a soul who was currently MARRIED to the Slayer. The werewolf rockstar and his wife, the former witch/hacker.

All of whom spent their evenings fighting evil and saving the world.

She pursed her lips. Okay. Good points where?

And she got a cat.

It was the tell tale sign that, bitch status or not, Cordelia Chase was a softie at heart. GOD she hated that. She should NOT have cared that that bitch lady had dropped the thing off on the corner in the box. She should have just called the pound and left it at that. But NOOO, Cordelia's little night job of saving others left fortunately had rubbed off to her day job because before she knew it she had peeked into the box, seen the little kitty with those big blue eyes, and the next thing she knew here she was driving home with an animal.

She liked horses. She liked the stables that she paid to take care of the horses. She had no idea how to take care of yet another living being.

Which was quite possibly why she was giving it to Giles. HE would know what to do with it, right? He was a Watcher, and that meant they... watched things. And he had taken care of a cat before. Granted the thing was dead and it was a zombie cat and he was trying to figure out how it was alive when it should have been dead and all that but still.. that was more experience than she had.

A pothole made the car lurch, and Cordelia winced when she heard another distinct meow, this time it was a bit... angrier.

"Sorree!" she muttered, turning quickly and pulling into her driveway.

Okay... so far so good. He was home. And she just had to... convince him that having a cat was a good thing.

Was Giles a pet person at all?

He SHOULD be a pet person, she decided. Besides her, the man had NO life. He spent the whole day in his library with his musty books or in musty cemetaries and he needed a hobby.

A cat was a hobby.

Oh geez, Cora get over it, she mentally chatized herself. It's just a cat.

With that, she leaned over, picked up the box, and got out of the car.

Another meow, a little louder, and more uncertain made the box jiggle, and Cordelia raised an eyebrow, and kept walking.

The cat was placed on the floor, and Cordelia opened the door, smile wide as she unceremoniously walked in.

"GILES!" The call was met with silence, and she dragged the box in, closing the door behind her. "HEY! OLD GUY!"

"Cordelia if you insist on calling me 'Old Guy' I might resort to calling you something else."

She smiled, turning to find her fiance in the doorway leading down the basement, leaning against it with an affectionate smile on his face that met his dancing eyes.

"Oh?" Her eyebrow cocked and she crossed her arms. "Like what?"

He thought for a moment, and at the look on her face, finally just shrugged. "At the moment, nothing I'm quite brave enough to voice. Hullo."

She grinned, and held her hands out as he came forward, leaning and giving him a quick peck. "HI! Guess what?"

Giles wasn't quite sure whether to be amused by Cordelia's excited display or to be wary. Cordelia very rarely had a 'guess what' moment. Surprises were not something he took lightly, he and Cordelia had had a bit too many of those to not take them with a grain of salt.

But her eyes were sparkling, and her smile was dazzing, and Giles found the emotion infectious, pressing a kiss onto her forehead before sinking down on the couch.

"Would it be of any use for me to guess or would you rather just tell me?"

There was a glint in her eyes as she came forward, settling onto his lap like some sort of feline, and caressing her fingers across his face. "I got you something."

"Oh?" He was a bit distracted by her roaming hands, but the prospect of a present made his eyes light up. "That new copy of Demons and Dreams?"

Her expression froze, and the look that followed made it clear she thought he was a moron.

"No. GEEZ. You and your BOOKS. Giles I thought I had a trained you to have a life BESIDES them."

"I have a life besides them. I have you, don't I?"  There was a giggle that escaped her before she clamped her mouth shut.

"And you're a damn lucky man, Rupert."

"Indeed I am," he murmured, pressing his lips to the hollow of her throat.

She shuddered slightly, and pushed him back. "You are SUCH a horndog."

"You mean this isn't my present?"

"Giles honey, you get that for free." She winked, and then slid off of him, tuning towards a box he hadn't noticed before. "THAT is your present."

His eyes fell onto the dirty cardboard, and his lips pursed, unsure what to make of it. "You got me an old box?"

A huff came from his girlfiend before he received a whack on his shoulder. "NO, it's INSIDE the box."

He stood, about to respond when his eyes widened when the box seemed to make a distinct noise.

"What the..."

And the box jumped.

He jumped with it, and Cordelia laughed, running forward and opening the box.

GOOD LORD Cordelia had brought home a cat.

The four legged feline was staring at him curiously, dangling from Cordelia's hands, meowing all the while.

For a second he could do no more than stare, as the cat and man sized each other up.

"Well?" Cordelia demanded.

Shaken out of his shock, Giles coughed, reaching up and rubbing at his glasses for the sake of something to do. "That ... ummm.. Cordelia, you got a cat."

"Well aren't you Mr. State the Obvious." She shook the animal at him again, something the little thing simply did not appreciate, as it squirmed and meowed and tried to claw at Cordelia, who yelped, and dropped it.

It immediately ran under the couch.

Her hand went to her mouth and after sucking at the injury, she managed to mutter, "Don't you like it?"

"It's ... ermm... interesting," he managed, shaking his head, getting down on all fours and peering under the couch. From the darkness, the little creature stared back.  "Cordelia," he said, wheezing after a bit as he reached under, flailing his hand a bit under the couch where the cat should have been. "Where... how... a cat?!"

"What? I thought it was cute, and you know... I thought you needed one." He felt a hand on his shoulder, and was pulled up to find Cordelia getting ready to glare at him.

"Are you saying you don't like my present Giles? My gesture of love? Of Affection?"

Uh-oh. "Of course not, Cordelia," he said quickly, squeezing her quickly. "It's just that a cat is a major responsibility and-"

"It's just a cat, Giles. Don't go having a cow on me."

He rolled his eyes, and then leaned back down, continuing to peer under the couch. "We don't even have the right... we need a litter box and food and good Lord what more-"

She sighed heavily, pushing him away and sliding under, grabbing the cat out immediately and depositing it into his lap.

The kitten gave a loud meow and clawed out, making him wince slightly.

She gave him a smile. "See? She likes you already. Let's go shopping."

~*~

"Okay...." Cordelia's hand were on her hips as she inspected the ray of merchandise on the shelves. "So... hmmm... THIS looks good!"

Giles leaned forward. "SHEBA!? Cordelia that's about a dollar a can!" He grimaced, putting it back and picking up another can. "What about this? It's on sale. Four for a dollar."

He received a glare as reward. "Giles, my kitty will have nothing but the best you hear me?"

"Your kitty?" She buried him with ten cans and then pushed the shopping cart further down the aisle.

"OOH! LOOK! TREATS!"

"Cordelia, you don't think Sheba's enough of a treat for her?"

"Made from liver and imported fish!"

"Cordelia we're in Sunnydale. Everything is imported."

She ignored the remark. "A collar with rhinestones!" She swung around and shook it at him. "HOW CUTE is that?!"

He raised an eyebrow, feeling the back pack behind him move, and another meow emerged.

"Ummm... Cordelia you don't think we could have left the little animal at home?"

"On it's first night? Giles!" She admonished him and then turned to the cart. "Do you think we have everything?"

He grimaced when the claws dug further into his back from the bag.

"You don't happen to have a cat claw trimmer in there, do you?"

"No. But we can take her to the vet for that."

Good Lord the vet. Giles eyes closed when he began to hallucinate dollar signs. "It needs its shots."

"I know, I have a vet in Beverly Hills that is just wonderful with my horse. I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking a look at little Priscilla."

"Priscilla?" he repeated.

She smiled. "Sure! Isn't it cute?"

"I keep envisioning drag queens," he remarked as they made their way to the check out counter. "What about... something a bit more practical... such as... Fluffy?"

"Oh God. Leave it to the librarian to name the cat something as unoriginal as Fluffy."

"Well it IS my cat," he replied indignantly, pressing the bag closer to him. "You did give it to me, therefore I think I should name it."

She raised an eyebrow, and the two engaged in a small staring contest before she finaly sighed. "Fine. But I have to agree."

He smirked, looking down a the moving bag. Ha.

~*~

"Gina?"

"NO."

"Silvia?"

"NO."

"Edna?"

"EDNA?!" Cordelia rolled her eyes as she turned, her hand pausing mid brush from the vanity. "Giles!"

'What?" he asked innocently, looking down at the little animal that was attacking his toes with as much ferocity as the little kitty could muster. "It looks like an Edna."

"She does NOT look like an Edna," Cordelia replied firmly, coming forward, and gently sliding into her side of the bed. Watching the animal's movements, she smirked. "See? Told you you need to change those socks. She thinks they smell too."

Giles gave her a sideways glare and then leaned forward, scooping up the kitty and depositing it in the hallway. "Ready for bed?"

"Mmhmm." He closed the door just as the cat was about the saunter in, barely registering the look of shock on the kitten's face at being closed off. Instead, his eyes fell over his fiance, who was smiling at him from the bed, her hair loose and tumbling gently in soft waves around her.

"How sleepy are you?" he suddenly asked.

She gave him a startled look and suddenly laughed. "Horndog. Come here."

He obeyed, settling into her embrace with a sigh, leaning up and kissing her gently. Her lips moved over his own firmly, and her hands slid around his body, rubbing against him in such a way that he was soon moaning in return, assisting her with shrugging off his shirt.

The look on Cordelia's face was ravenous as she pressed her lips firmly against his neck, and he closed his eyes with a silent moan, leaning back when her fingernails raked across his nipples gently.

"Good Lord," he whispered, and she smiled, reaching for his belt when she suddenly paused.

"Giles?"

"Hmmm?" He answered, his eyes still closed.

"Ummm... Is the cat crying?"

His eyes shot open. "What?!?"

"The cat." He swallowed, trying to contain his excited body as Cordelia turned from him, moving towards the door. His ringing ears drowned out all other noise, but soon, sure enough, there was the distinct sound of a plaintaint cry from the other side of the door.

"Aww. Giles, the baby's crying."

"Cordelia, it's just a cat. We can't cater to it just because it hasn't learned to be by itself."

Cordelia hesitated, and turned away. "I still think-"

He silenced her with a kiss, smiling into it in victory when her body pressed against his, and her fingers slid to the nape of his neck.

He was just about to manuveur her to the bed again when she pulled back, seperating their lips with a loud smack. "She's still crying, Giles."

"Oh for heaven's sake," he mumbled, moving around her and pounding on the door. "You stop that!" he cried through it.

Cordelia's eyes widened. "GILES!"

He listened at the doorway, nodding sharply when there was no other sound. "You see? All it needed was a stern talking to."

"You probably gave it a heart attack."

"Cordelia. You can't baby the animal. You must be firm from the start, you must-" He was cut off when an even louder "MEWWW" emerged.

His hands flew up in a gesture of submission as Cordelia flew past him, her desire for a night of... play forgotten as she opened the door to find the little white speck of a thing looking up at her with what appeared to be tear streaked eyes.

"Oh! the poor baby!" Giles rolled his eyes as Cordelia leaned down, scooping up the kitten. "Come on sweetie. You're coming to bed."

Good Lord.

He crossed his arms and glared at the little animal who was sitting where Giles very much wanted to be at that moment, between Cordelia's breasts. And dammit all, he could have sworn the little fiend was looking smug.

Cordelia must have caught the look, because she just rolled her eyes, and settled on the bed. "Giles come on, ONE NIGHT without sex is not going to kill you."

"I beg to differ," he muttered, rolling his eyes and walking forward, sliding into the bed, and flopping back.

He sighed when the animal seemed to prefer his chest better than his fiance's and settled onto it for the night.

He was about to push it off when Cordelia settled onto his side, her head on one pectoral, her hand stroking the kitten. She mumbled something about it liking Daddy, and it was then Giles knew he was lost.

He sighed, scarcely daring to breathe as he tilted his head to looked down at the happily purring cat and his sleeping fiance.

Four legged fiend.

And the cat purred again, slipping one eye open to regard her new master. Giles stared right back, and the cat merely moved further up his chest, licked his face once, and felt back to sleep.

What on earth possessed Cordelia to get a cat he had no idea, but despite himself, he found a smile emerging on his face as the warmth of the little creature became curiously pleasant, the two bodies nestled against him making him feel decidedly loved.

Oh, what the bloody hell? So he had a cat. So what if it turned his life completely upside down.

That had happened once, when he fell for Cordelia Chase, and that had turned out rather pleasant, didn't it?

He sighed, slipping an arm around Cordelia, feeling the cat move with him, and finally he just leaned back and closed his eyes. The feline purred happily.

Like he needed another woman in his life.

And he pressed his lips as well as he could against Cordelia's head and then for good measure, against the fur pressed against his cheek, and when the kitty mewed, he smiled.

"Right then. Mistress you are."

"Hmmm?" came the sleepy voice of Cordelia.

"The cat's name is Mistress, Cordelia," he repeated gently.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Shut up and go to sleep."

The cat seemed to echo that sentiment when she pressed her padded paw directly against his mouth.

And obediantly, Rupert Giles, famed librabrian and Watcher of the famed Slayer lay his head back, took a breath, and closed his eyes.

He spent the rest of the night not moving, not daring to disturb woman nor feline. And despite the warm contented feeling that passed through him, he still couldn't quite let one last passing thout enter his mind as he drifted between fits of sleep.

He had a family. A real family. With a blasted cat and everything.

Good Lord he was getting old.

It felt quite nice.

Quite nice indeed.

FIN