"Thanks. That - really means a lot."

"I know there's a lot of humans being hurt, and there's an argument that we should prioritize helping people who aren't causing trouble that maybe even makes sense, but - "

"Someone's gotta try. And I'm not the type of person who can just not. So maybe it's a really bad idea, but... I want humanity to be able to say, well, someone did their best. Someone reached out a hand, and if that was dangerous or bad or wrong - "

"There'll be another Slayer, if I'm wrong."

"That's - really beautiful, Nausicaa.  I kind of want to - give you a hug about it."

"I think I could use a hug."

Hug.

Cuddles!

"Thanks, Kaylee. I - think I'm feeling better, now."

"I'm glad I could help."

Hug. "You're a really good friend, and a great help with this."

Pet.  "I do what I can."

"It matters a lot to me."

Grin.

Then, softly: "Do you think we should - check on - Mr. Giles, soon?"

"Probably, yeah."

"Well," she says.  "Ready when you are."

"Well... I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be, so." Stand?

Stand.  Knock.

Giles opens the door.  "Hello."

"I think... I am ready to resume, if you are."

"Yeah. I think maybe I am."

He stands aside to let them in.

Nausicaa enters, and goes back to leaning on Kaylee once she's settled.

He shuts the door.

"First of all," he says quietly, "I believe I owe you an apology.  I... have a great many different fears and worries, and I think I did not successfully sort them out from each other before I allowed them to push me into speaking sharply with you.  We have our disagreements, about important things, but I think it is important that we find a way to work together wherever we can, and I have not been doing my part to enable that."

He looks at her.  "If you have any other - grievances with my behavior today - I would encourage you to air them," he says sincerely.  "You've shown yourself to be - intelligent and reasonable, if more ambitious than me - and I want to make myself someone you can speak frankly with."

"Thanks."

"It feels... Like you're not taking me seriously. Like you think I don't know what I'm talking about, or that I'm a little kid. I realize that trying to befriend vampires is unlikely to work and likely to get me killed someday. I know that, and I think it's worth it, anyways. I know the Slayer line won't end with me, and it's important to have someone who tried."

"I see," he says.

He adjusts his glasses.

"I think it is... a fair accusation, that I... attributed to you a certain naive optimism that you do not possess.  For that, I also apologize."

"Thanks. And... I'm sorry if it's seemed like I was ignoring you a lot."

He nods.  "Thank you.  It is clear to me now that you aren't."

"I think... for now, we should return to the debriefing, and I will not raise the issue of whether it is ever wise to leave vampires alive."

"Yeah."

Shaky smile.

"Where were we?"