"Take care, Gregor," she bade her farewell with a rare use of his full first name. Buffy had once seen a Gregor sliced through the chest with a hubcap and she often prefered to distance herself from any association between that violence and her recent friend; however, today? Gregor deserved his name. So -- in Spike's skin -- she gave him one last smile before slipping out of the apartment.

In the tall but narrow gift bag left behind, he'll find a pair of cowboy boots. Simple but supple enough. And red. With them was a note:

Greg,

Voila the riding footwear of my countrymen: cowboy boots. I'm not sure it gets any more plebe than this. If you like them, I'll get you a matching hat at Christmas.

Thanks for the lessons. Can't wait to get back to them when I'm feeling more myself. By now, you either know what I mean or you'll find out later.

Happy Birthday & many more,

- Buffy