"You lost my application!" Willow screamed at the cashier. She was at the housing office trying to figure out why her name wasn't on the assigned dorm list.

She knew she sent her application in on time, along 
with the appropriate registration payment, so it 
couldn't have been her fault. She assumed it had to be 
the school's fault and she went up to the office to 
inquire. 
After waiting in line for what seemed like hours, the 
one teller in the whole place had just informed her 
they had probably lost her application. 

This wasn't happening. 

"I'm sorry, Miss Rosenberg, but sometime this happens. 
When you deal with thousands of students, it's easy to 
make mistakes." the cashier told her. 

"What am I supposed to do? Where am I going to live?" 
cried Willow. 

"The only option I see is coming back at the beginning 
of Winter Quarter to see if any spaces opened up. 
Sometimes we have students deciding they don't want to 
live in the dorms anymore and they move out." the 
cashier raised her hand to signal for the next 
student. "I'm sorry again, Miss Rosenberg. Next!" 

Willow moved away stunned. What was she gonna do? Her 
parents were on a six month study in India and they 
had rented their house, so she couldn't live there. 

What was she gonna do? she thought as she trudged back 
to the dorm. 

Lost in thought, she didn't see Giles approaching her. 
"Willow! Willow!" he yelled trying to get her 
attention. He came up beside her, grabbing her 
shoulder. "Willow!" 

She shook her head and turned to face him. "Oh, hi 
Giles. I didn't hear you." 

"Didn't hear me? Willow, I was practically yelling my 
head off." he said concerned. "What is the matter?" 

"Nothing really." she looked down. Giles shook his 
head. Willow was the worst liar. 

"Willow , don't lie. Come on, let's go have some tea." 
he said, walking with her. " We can go to....what's 
the cafe called again?" 

"The Viewpoint." 

Silently, they walked over to the student union. He 
glanced over at her, wondering what could possibly be 
wrong. He hated seeing her so miserable. It seemed as 
if all the light drained out of her whenever she was 
sad. She was such a bright light in the murky 
blackness that was the Hellmouth and he'd always 
regarded her as his inspiration. 
After they had ordered, they sat down at one of the 
few empty tables. She sat there shoulders hunched, 
looking forlorn. 

"All right, Willow. Tell me, what's wrong?" Giles 
nodded his thanks to the waitress. 

"Today, I went up to the housing office to pay my 
first monthly payment for the dorm," she stirred her 
coffee. Taking a sip, Giles briefly wondered if Willow 
should be having any caffeine in her emotional 
state."...anyway, the cashier told me that they didn't 
have me registered for any housing." 

"What? How did that happen?" 

"I don't really know. I sent in my application in on 
time. I even have the postal receipt but the woman 
said that since the college was so big, that sometimes 
they lose applications by accident." she looked close 
to tears. 

"Did they give you a new assignment?" he asked, 
sipping his tea. 

She shook her head. " The dorms are all booked. There 
isn't going to be an opening until Winter Quarter." 

"But, how could they do that? It was the university's 
fault in the first place. You shouldn't have to pay 
for their mistakes." Giles said, practically yelling. 
Bloody bureaucracy. 

"I know. The worst part is I don't have a place to 
live!" she screamed, causing several people to stare. 

"What do you mean? What about home?" 

"My parents went to India for a six month study and 
they rented our house. And I'd live with Oz except I 
don't think living with a band 24/7 will help my grade 
point average,"she sniffled, "And Buffy already has a 
roommate and Xander.....well, Xander is living in his 
parents basement...." she trailed off. 

"Don't need to say anymore, Willow. I understand." 
Giles looked down at his tea then back up to her. She 
looked so miserable and so sweet at the same time. He 
had a sudden urge to put his arms around her and 
comfort her. 

He was broken out of his reverie when he heard Willow 
say, "What am I going to do, Giles?" 

An idea popped into his head. A simple solution 
really. One that would make Willow and himself to say 
the least, happy. 

"You can move in with me, Willow." 

Her eyes popped out. "Live with you?" 

"Yes. I mean...if you wouldn't mind staying with a 
stuffy old librarian." he said, a little crisply. She 
gave him a strange look and he cleared his throat. "I 
mean..it's only temporary until they let you back in. 
They are going to give you a chance to move back in?" 

She nodded. "The lady said spots might be open up next 
quarter. I f some students decide to move." she looked 
at him, "You're serious, huh?" 

He smiled fondly, "Of course I'm serious. It's only 
temp..." he trailed off, hurt for some reason he 
didn't want to identify, "I mean...I have the distinct 
pleasure of being your last resort." 

"Giles! No! I didn't mean to sound ungrateful or 
anything. I am. I'm very grateful. I just thought I'd 
be a nuisance. I mean...after what Buffy told me.." 
she let the sentence die, feeling a little 
embarrassed. 

"Buffy told you what?" he asked skeptical. 

Willow blushed. "She told me how she saw you with a 
woman named ummm...Olivia, i believe. And I thought by 
having me there,I might be cramping your style." 

He grinned. "No, Willow. You wouldn't. The woman Buffy 
saw me with was an old friend from England. Her name 
is in fact Olivia and she stopped by for a brief 
visit." Willow nodded quietly. "Nothing permanent." he 
added quickly.A little too quickly. 

She smiled tentatively. "So, I wouldn't be a bother?" 

"Willow, you could never be a bother. I'd love to have 
you." Giles blushed at how that must have sounded, "I 
mean.. have you live with me. I'd love the company." 

"Okay." She smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, 
Giles." she got up and went over to give him a big 
hug. 

He returned it, a little shyly. "Aaahh... it's 
settled, then. Shall we move you in today?" She 
nodded. "Where are your things?" 

"At Strathmore Hall. They allowed me to store it there 
until 5:00 p.m. "She glanced at her watch. "Yikes! 
It's 4:00 already. I'd better go." She jumped up and 
he did the same. 

"I parked my car in Lot 6. I'll go get the car and 
drive around to the front of your dorm, all right?" 

She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Thanks again, 
Giles." She hurried off. 

He stood there smiling for a moment. 'Oh, the car!' he 
remembered and rushed off. 

********************* 

Strathmore Hall: 

Willow was outside waiting patiently for Giles. She 
still couldn't believe she was actually going to be 
living with him. The idea of it excited her in a way 
it probably shouldn't have. She blushed as a thought 
popped in her head. 

'I wonder what kind of jammies Giles wears?' 

She shook her head. Now was not the time to be 
thinking about Giles and his jammies. She spotted his 
car and waved. 

He pulled to the curb and hopped out. "Here, let me 
help you." He grabbed a box and headed for the trunk. 
"Umm.. the door is opened, if you want to start 
putting some of your things in." She smiled and picked 
up a suitcase. 

About five minutes later, the car was packed and 
ready to go. It didn't take as long as he thought. 
She'd only had a few boxes, couple of suitcases and of 
course, that dreaded machine. 

Slipping into the driver's side, he turned to Willow 
and smiled, "Shall we?" 

She grinned. "We shall." 

***************************** 

During the half hour ride back to Giles' place, there 
was a excitement in the air. Excitement that neither 
Willow nor Giles could describe. They'd been talking 
nonstop since leaving the college. 
They had agreed upon everything, from bathroom rights 
( Willow was to have the downstairs one); to cooking, 
cleaning, and food would be equally shared. He 
insisted on not charging her rent, not even for 
utilities. Even when she'd put her 'resolve' face on, 
he still didn't budge. 
Willow had finally relented but secretly was thinking 
up ways to repay him. There was one issue, however 
that had yet to resolved. Sleeping arrangements. 
Giles wanted her to take his bed and he would sleep 
downstairs. She told him that was absurd. 

"Willow, I insist. You have my room. I don't mind 
sleeping downstairs." 

"Giles, don't be ridiculous. One, I'm the one 
intruding, so why should you have to be the one to 
give up your bed. And two, if I'm to have the 
downstairs bathroom, wouldn't it seem logical that I 
sleep near it?" she admonished. 

"All right. I agree with you on the bathroom 
practicality but the couch is...well.. it's lumpy in 
some places and hard in others." 

"I can sleep on the floor?" She suggested. 

"On the floor! You'll do no such thing."Giles was 
practically yelling. He was tapping his fingers on the 
steering wheel, thinking. 

"Giles, I can't let you do this. I'm already 
imposing.." she trailed off. 

"Willow, for the last time, you're not imposing. 
You're not a bother. If I hear you say that one more 
time, I'm going to get in touch with Anya and tell her 
you want to live with her." Willow looked at him, 
shocked."Do you want that?" She shook her head. "Good. 
Now, I just thought since you've 'resolved' not to 
take my bed," she smiled sweetly," we could buy one of 
those...what do you call them...futons, I believe." 

She brightened. "Good idea, Giles. We can get one at 
Target for a good price. And when I mean 'we'get, I 
mean 'ME'get." Giles mouth opened as if to protest. 
But, she held up her wallet. "Since, I didn't pay for 
my housing, I'm gonna use that money for the futon." 
she smiled widely and he had to grin. 

They drove in silence for a while before Willow asked, 
"You would have paid for the futon, wouldn't you?" 

He simply nodded. 

******************** 
An hour and half later, they were on their way home. 
one futon and many other necessities stuffed into the 
car. Giles idly wondered how the car was able to move 
with all the excess weight. But, it was worth seeing 
Willow happy. 
He parked the car and popped the trunk. Before 
getting out, she asked,"How many trips do you think 
this is going to take?" 

He shrugged. "Well, hopefully three or four. By the 
time we haul everything up and put the futon 
together, we should be finished no later than 
midnight." 

"You're kidding, right?" 

"I hope so." 

****************** 
Two hours later: 

"That's it." Giles clapped his hands together and 
looked around. They did it. 

After lugging her things upstairs, they'd spent the 
better part of an hour, trying to put the futon 
together. Finally, when that was done, they decided to 
put it in the corner near the window. 
She put up the Chinese screen she bought at the 
Salvation Army( another essential stop), to give the 
look of having her own little room. 
The desk she bought, also at the Salvation Army for 
only 30 dollars, was tiny enough to fit into the 
apartment but big enough to suit her needs. 
Giles emptied a small dresser ( 3 drawers) that 
contained extra shirts and moved it under the stairs. 
He also graciously emptied the downstairs closet, so 
she could put her clothes in there. Giles made sure 
everything was near, so it would be easier for her. He 
wanted her to feel right at home in his apartment. 

After she was all settled in, Willow and Giles flopped 
onto the couch to catch their breath. 

"We did it!" she exclaimed, reaching over to take his 
hand. 

"That we did." he agreed and gave her hand a gentle 
squeeze. "Welcome Home, Willow." 

********