The Theory of Relativity

A/N: has nothing to do with the actual theory of relativity.

Disclaimer: Own nothing.

Timesetting: summer between S4 & S5

A/N: Anya left the party during that fight between her and Xander, and Tara saved him instead. She has yet to return.

ÀÀÀ

"Bull-spit!"

Xander watched in glee as Willow begrudgingly picked up all the cards.

"How come you always know when I'm lying," Willow demanded.

"Because, no matter who's Willow you are, you'll always be my Willow," Xander said with a smile.

Willow blushed and shared a look with Tara, who smiled back shyly. Buffy and Riley just rolled their eyes. It had taken some work, but Xander and Willow had finally rebuilt their relationship, back to the point before the Fluke. Tara, after hearing about it for the first time, had been eyeing Xander oddly, trying to see if he was flirting with her girlfriend, but, after some convincing, Tara had accepted that Xander was just being Xander.

"Please, just once, Xander, can you try not to be your usual eccentric self," Giles asked with a sigh as he set down the crackers and tea for himself.

"I don't reckon so, G-Man," Xander said with a smile.

With a resigned sigh, Giles picked up his deck and put down a card, "Six."

"BS," Buffy said with a grin.

"…You looked at my cards, didn't you," she smiled cheekily at him as he claimed his cards.

"My turn," Buffy grinned happily, "Two sevens!"

"BS," everyone said as one.

"…Pooey," she grimaced as she reclaimed her card, "How'd you know?"

"You get majorly happy when you lie," Riley told her.

"I do not," she said, before turning to Willow, "Do I?"

"Only when we play cards," Willow said, "You get happy to cover your bluffs."

"…Pooey," she said.

"T-three eights," Tara said as she laid down her cards.

"One nine," Riley laid down his card.

"Two tens," Xander said.

"BS, Xander," Giles said.

Xander just smiled and showed him his cards, causing Giles to utter a 'damn' as he picked up his ever-increasing deck. A knock on the door caused Giles to get up, muttering about belligerent teens as he did so.

Giles opened the door, and automatically took a step back as he saw the woman who had stood behind it. She was a skinny, pale woman, with long hair, blacker than the night, pulled into a ponytail behind her head. She was dressed in a black tank top and a pair of black jeans, with mid-calf length combat boots on. She had a pale complexion, and coupled with her black eyeliner and lipstick, she looked ghostly.

"Ugh," he took a quick moment to gather himself, "Can I help you, miss…"

"Is Alexander Harris here," she deadpanned to him.

He blinked again, this time because of both her voice and her question startled him.

"…Ugh, yes, he is here," he turned back behind him, "Xander, you have a guest."

He stood back, allowing her entry, and she walked inside, where Xander had stopped moving as soon as he'd seen her.

"Hello, Alex," she greeted him.

Buffy and Willow eyed her wickedly, already suspecting her of being a demon, while Riley and Tara just stared at her.

"…Wednesday," Xander said in surprise, "Hey. What're you doing in Sunnydale?"

"I transferred to UC Sunnydale," she deadpanned, "You didn't call…or write."

"I got busy," he responded, "…Sorry."

"I understand," she commented, "Battling the forces of darkness must be difficult."

Everyone focused their gaze onto him, shocked that he would have told her about what they did.

"Ugh, everyone, let me introduce," he swallowed, "Wednesday Addams."