Author's Notes: Happy Belated X-mas !!!!!! This is a longer piece with the dynamic duo. I got all gushy and rambling towards the end, with Giles' letter and all. Just bear with me. I am by no means the wisest person who ever lived, but I believe my general ideas are getting through. Hope ya'll enjoy it and that your holidays have been happy and merry.

"A medium pepperoni pizza, a diet coke, and -"

 "A beer. Whatever you have."

The waiter nodded at them both and took off towards the bar, nearly colliding with another waitress as she quickly headed towards a table of college frat boys who were making it their business to make as much noise as possible. Not even Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas", which was blaring from above, could drown out their drunken cheers as the waitress dumped the pitcher of beer at their table and hurried off. All of them were wearing floppy Santa hats, fitting in with the holiday décor of the restaurant.

Christmas in L.A. May not be white, but the spirit was present in its own way.

Cordelia glanced over at the drunk Santas, throwing them a slightly annoyed expression, which was of course ignored, and turned her attention back to Giles as he spoke.

"You do know its pointless to drink a diet coke considering that you're going to eat pizza. It's not a low calorie snack." He picked up the wine list and scanned it absently.

Sighing, she sat back in the booth, tapping the table in time with the music. " Every little bit helps. If I can avoid the extra calories by drinking diet coke instead of regular coke then why not? Need to watch my figure as an actress you know."

Giles glanced up at her, giving her a quick once over. "Hardly," he mumbled as he looked back down at the list. She allowed a small smile of satisfaction to tug at her lips, but quickly sighed in frustration as he slapped the menu down on the table and impatiently checked his watch.

"Giles, will you just relax? I'll get you to the airport in plenty of time to catch your flight." And to your little Honey waitin for you over in England.

"Mmm hmmm," he nodded absently as he glanced behind him. "Where is that waiter?" he muttered as he rapped his knuckles on the table.

"Giles?" She leaned forward slightly. "Giles?" She waved her hand in front of his face. "Hey Watcher man?"

He finally turned back around in his seat and looked at her with a slightly sheepish expression. "I'm sorry Cordelia," he apologized. "I'm afraid my mind is elsewhere."

"Yeah. Somewhere across the Atlantic ocean," she raised an eyebrow at him. "You are really itchin to get back to jolly old England, huh? What is it? The muggy dank weather? Getting back to civilization after living with us rude Americans? Or is it that you finally can get scones just like mother used to make?"

Giles clasped his hands together. "Stop, you're getting me all excited," he said in mock glee.

She laughed. "Better not let Olivia hear you say that. She might get jealous," she said in a conspiratory tone. He narrowed his eyes at her, but resisted answering as the waiter returned with their drinks. She picked hers up and sat back with a grin, taking a sip from her straw as he cleared his throat.

"Olivia's not the jealous type," he finally said after the waiter left.

"Well then what type is she?" Cordelia quickly asked and a wicked glint suddenly appeared in her eyes. "Naughty or Nice?"

The look on his face was priceless. His glass paused midway to his mouth as he stared open mouthed, obviously thinking of how to answer her. Cordelia smelled blood as she saw his face slightly flush. He took drank from his glass.

"I'm waiting," Cordelia prodded, controlling her mirth at his sudden shyness. She caught his eye and gave him a pointed look that told him he was going to have to say something and he sighed in exasperation.

"I suppose a little of both," he replied with a small smirk.

She let out an impressed noise and put down her glass. "Dish," she said as she leaned over the table eagerly. " On the naughty, not the nice. Well the nice too if it ties into the naughty," she grinned. Giles pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"A gentleman never kiss and tells, Cordelia."

She let out a groan."C'mon. Not even a little? I already know she's warm and charming and fascinating," she went on in an exaggerated tone.

"And talented and beautiful," Giles added with a small smile.

Cordelia sat back in her seat, pushing her hair back as she studied him silently. She couldn't remember ever really seeing him this way. Sure, he had this *look* before, when he and Ms. Calender were together, but that had been a long time ago. A really long time ago. And when she had died, that look had gone bye bye. Even now when he talked about Jenny and that look flickered onto his face, it wasn't the same. There was some darker emotion also present. A combination of sadness, regret, and grief. And longing.

But tonight that old look was back. No trace of sadness or heaviness but… a real happy gleam in the old guy's eye.

Giles was smitten. Hit hard by cupid's little arrow.

And just like any guy who's got it bad for a girl, he was a gushy, impatient, eager beaver just itchin to just be with her.

He was so cute.

"Hmmm. Talented AND beautiful?" she repeated as she leaned forward again, crossing her arms in front of her on the table "Well she sounds like a keeper."

"Perhaps," he said innocently as he raised his glass.

Oh, puh-leeze, Cordelia nearly grumbled. Giles was being so damn coy.

"Perhaps? If she survived her harrowing adventure on the Hellmouth when all that fairy tale monster stuff was happening and didn't go running off into the night, then I say you better do everything short of paying her to keep her."

"I should think my winning personality should be enough," he replied tapping his glass impatiently.

"Then again offering the woman cash may not be such a bad thing," Cordelia grumbled as he glanced behind him for the umpteenth time and then turned back around with a cross look.

"You really like her don't you?" she grinned. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. And the expression on his face when he looked up just confirmed it.

"Gee, how could you tell?" he drank from his glass.

"You're so eager to get out of here that I bet you'd swim to England if you thought it'd get you there faster." She licked her lips as he silently fiddled with the wine list menu in front of him.

"Yes, I really do like her," he finally said. "It's funny. Four months ago when Olivia came to visit me I wasn't even contemplating a relationship of any sort-" he stopped furrowing his brow a bit.

"And now it's not such a bad thing," Cordelia finished. He gave a slight nod, but she noticed some hesitation. "But…?"

He gave a short chuckle. "But she's just starting to realize that everything I've told her-about the Hellmouth, demons, vampires-" he sighed. "She's realized that they are real and I suspect it makes her uneasy."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Um, Giles I'm sure it scares the sh- well it scares her a lot. I was way past uneasy when I saw a vampire for the first time. I've lived and seen all kinds of creepy crawly things for two years now and I'm still not okay with it," she sighed. "But like I said if she stayed after everything that happened then she doesn't scare easily. And that's a good thing as far as you're concerned. Some of the things you've cooked for me make fighting vampires seem less dangerous."

"There is nothing wrong with my cooking. It's just that one time, I used a little too much sherry and I suspect Dennis also was up to no good-"

Cordelia raised her hand. "Giles, please-"

"And if you want to talk about questionable cooking, your chunky, lumpy coffee has to be the rankest concoction I have ever-"

"Rank?" Cordelia squeaked sitting straight up. "Did you say rank?"

"I most certainly did," he said emphatically.

N'Sync's new Christmas tune filled the silence between them. Cordelia opened her mouth to retort, thought better of it, and finally sat back in her seat and cleared her throat.

"In the interest of keeping in tune with the season of joy and peace, I'll refrain from wailing on you but good." She frowned as Giles merely smiled at her in victory and lifted his glass to her.

"You know," he put his glass down and cocked his head at her thoughtfully. "She reminds me a little…of you."

Cordelia smirked and absently began twirling a strand of her hair. "Yes, well, beautiful, talented, fascinating, having you wrapped around my little finger-"

He snorted. "Contrary to popular belief there are some men able to resist your charms. The only thing you have wrapped around your finger is a strand of your hair."

She looked down at her finger and quickly disentangled her hand. "Stop picking on me," she whined.

Giles rolled his eyes slightly and bowed his head briefly. "I'm not," he raised his head with a small grin. She kept her frown, picking up her glass again and taking a long sip. "Cordelia, I was only teasing you. You know make with the funny?" She put her glass down and crossed her arms in front of her silently surveying the restaurant. " Cordelia I'm sorry, I didn't intend to offend you," he gave her a sincerely sorry look.

She sighed and slowly turned her head back around to look at him. After a moment a satisfied grin spread across her face.

"Immune to my charms huh?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. He let out a frustrated groan as she lifted her glass to him.

"Well," she sighed as she put down her drink. " I think that you may have something good going here. She likes you, you like her, she knows about your secret life, about Buffy and still is willing to show you a good time for Christmas. I say, enjoy yourself." She smiled at him.

" I plan to-"

"Don't plan. Do. Good grief you get to go back home. See family and friends and your girlfriend. You get to get away from all this for a while. Go have fun. And when you come back give me some good dish on what you did and didn't do."

He let out a laugh and nodded his head. "Will do," he finally relented. "Although I reserve the right to edit my report for content."

"Party pooper," she huffed.

"So what do you have planned for the holidays?" he asked gently.

She felt him put on the kid gloves. "No exact plans, really. I will drop by to see mom-and perhaps dad. Never know about them these days." She could feel his gaze on her as she played with her straw.

"I'm sure they'd be glad to see you."

"Yeah well," she sighed and looked up at him. "With them you never know what to expect." The last time she'd talked to her mother was on the phone a few weeks ago and it hadn't been the most enjoyable conversation. She knew this Christmas probably wasn't going to have all of them sitting around the fire for a good ole fuzzy time. In fact she'd probably just drop by and say hi and end up back at Angel's for a warm feast on whatever he had at his place that wasn't from the butcher's trash heap.

But no reason for Giles to know that. He'd worry.

"I'll be way busy anyway. I have some auditions to practice for." She struck a superman pose. " 'Have you ever had that not so fresh feeling? In the morning? Afternoon? After a workout? If so, try 'Knock Out'. The only feminine freshness shower gel that guarantees to knock that not so fresh feeling," she hit the table "Out."

He actually looked like he was physically ill. "Tell me you made that up," he said slowly.

"Are you kidding? I could make up better stuff off the top of my head than that crap. But it's what was sent so it's what I gotta work with."

"But still," Giles frowned in wonder. "THAT's what they want you to say? Are you in some type of superhero costume. And if so, tell me you're wearing a mask of some sort to hide your identity."

She snorted. "I need the exposure, Giles. Sure it sounds stupid, but it is the sign of a good actress if she can rise above reeky material. I know I can make this work. I just need to practice a little. I'll win the casting people over, the commercial will go national-"

Giles picked up the game. "And you'll get your big break, sail off to fame and fortune-"

"And be rich as all get out," she sighed dreamily. "And remember to pay my taxes." She added quickly.

"Hey, I believe you. Just keep me in mind when years from now my savings has run out. I might need a little loan to help me eek out the last days of my existence."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll put you in the finest retirement home for Watcher's that my money can buy," she smiled sunnily. He made a very un-Giles like face at her and she couldn't help but chuckle. But then she saw that serious look come on his face and readied herself for the question she knew was coming.

"How are the headaches?"

She shook her head, her smile dropping a degree. "No. We are not talking about that. We already talked about it and-tonight we talk about other stuff-like what do you plan to give Olivia for Christmas- materially that is."

"I'll tell you if you answer my question," he said patiently and she grimaced. He knew how to play her when he wanted. "Anymore since the last time?" he asked with a hint of concern.

Her face sobered despite the jingly music in the background. Adam Sandler was now wailing his Hanukkah song. The frat boys sang along.

"A few blurs every so often. I've bought economy size aspirin which helps. A little. Hey, at the rate I'm taking them I'll be protected against heart attacks. At least that's what it says on the bottle." She gave him a serious look. "I'm…dealing. And like I said instead of looking on it as a curse, I'm looking at it as a blessing. Doyle gave it to me so…" she let the sentence trail off glancing around the restaurant, a wave of sadness washing over her as she thought of the prickly faced demon half-breed.

Part of her still wanted smack him silly for giving her these visions. But if he were here for her to smack him silly, then she wouldn't need to.

She looked up at Giles, who had his usual concerned face on and she cleared her throat. "Okay I answered. Now you go. And if you tell me you bought the woman soap or socks or some other idiotic gift I'm gonna be really disappointed in you Ripper."

He looked at her offended. "Miss Chase I should hope that you would know that I have better taste than to give someone close to me a gift as mundane as soap or socks. Good Lord I'm not on that restricted an income."

"Giles, as far as I know you have NO income. Unless…" she cocked her head at him, "Are you some eccentric millionaire who gets his kicks being frugal and living way below his means? I mean the Citreon would finally make sense if you driving it was just some big joke."

"Yes, Cordelia. I'm quite wealthy. I made my money investing in the stock market. Pork bellies. Geritol. Apple computers. Buy high, sell low-"

"Funny, Giles," Cordelia cut him off. She leaned forward eagerly. "What did you get her?" she asked in a sing song voice.

He slowly rolled his head from side to side. "I bought her -" he paused. "Here let me show you." He reached into his pocket and her eyes were immediately drawn to the small box he pulled out.

A jewelry box.

Oh, baby.

Jewelry. This was serious. WAY serious.

"Now, I would like your honest opinion. Buffy and the others have met her and all, but I think you'd have a better idea of whether she would actually like it."

Cordelia watched him as he nervously fumbled with the box and for some reason felt herself get a little excited. He just asked for her opinion. An opinion she was happy to give. An opinion-

Oh. WOW.

Oh wowie, wow, wow.

Wow.

"Cordelia?" she faintly heard Giles say.

It wasn't like she hadn't seen jewelry before. It wasn't like she hadn't HAD jewelry before. It wasn't like she didn't see good jewelry everyday in L.A. But-

"Wow," she breathed as she gazed down at the open box. Inside it lay a beautiful, exquisite, ruby pin.

"Sterling silver, deep ruby stone in a diamond cut-" she looked up at him and then back down at the box. "This is perfect," she pointed at it.

"Perfect? You don't think it's too-"

"No," she shook her head. " It's perfect. I mean I love it and you say we seem kinda alike so," she looked back down at it and sighed. "She'll love it," she murmured softly.

Lucky, lucky, luck.

"I'm never gonna question your taste in gifts ever again." She lifted her hand to touch the pin briefly before he took it away to look at a bit more closely.

"I hope she likes it," he frowned. " I want her to like."

"She'll like it." Cordelia said. She quickly checked the sides of her mouth. God, she had practically been drooling into the box.

"You think?" He prodded again. Damn he was really sweatin this.

"I know," she nodded taking a much needed quick sip from her drink. " She'll like it. Why are you so worried?"

He shrugged. "It's been my experience that women can be quite….selective regarding gifts-"

"Well lemme tell ya-She'll like it. Trust me on this Giles. Olivia will be in quite a good mood come Christmas Day and I have a feeling you will too."

Giles thought to himself before his face relaxed. He snapped the box closed. "Alright, then." He placed the box back in his pocket. and looked around again. 'Where is that bloody pizza?"

"Giles chill. The pizza will get here. We'll eat it and we'll leave here in plenty of time to catch your flight. It doesn't leave until seven," she stopped at the look on his face. "What?"

"My flight leaves at five o'clock," he said.

They both looked up as the waiter came to their table with the pizza.

"Put it in a box," they both said and the waiter scurried off.

"Five o'clock?" Cordelia choked out turning back to him.

"Yes, five o'clock. I told you-"

"No YOU told me seven-"

"Seven? I did no such-" he paused as he thought to himself. "Oh. OH."

"'Oh' what?" Cordelia nearly snapped.

"I told you the time I'm getting back from England, not the time-"

"Oh you-," she looked down at her watch. 3:30. Oh crap.

With the holiday traffic, airport traffic, and the time he needed to check in, Giles just might be able to watch from the terminal as his plane took off.

"Giles do you not have a watch so that you can tell time and -"

"Cordelia-"

"Pay the bill," she said quickly as the waiter returned with the boxed pizza.

"But-"

"Throw down a twenty, grab the pizza, and move your lovestruck butt," she grumbled as she scooted out of the booth, dragging her purse along with her.

I can do this, she said to herself. I can get him there. No problem.

"Cordelia there is no way you will be able to make it-"

"Giles. You've driven with me before. I'll get you there with time to spare," she said quickly as they exited the restaurant. Thank God they hadn't left his stuff at her apartment. Then he'd really be in trouble.

"Not if you drive this car into the ground. It's not used to-"

She opened the passenger side door. "Get in."

She ran to the other side and got in. Buckling her seatbelt she silenced Giles with a shush.

"Giles. Buckle your seatbelt and your mouth. And hold the pizza. I'll show you what this car can do if handled by the right driver." She started the engine, backed out of the space and peeled out of the parking lot.