Appy Aniversery ... Almost?
by ColeAndPhoebeForever and FaithInHim-4ever
Copyright April 27, 2010-March 5, 2012.
Disclaimer: We don't own any of the fabulous characters in this story. They all belong to Joss Whedon, except for Buffy's daughter, Belle, who belongs to FaithInHim-4ever. I'd like to thank my BFF and co-author for helping me write this story and for creating Anya and Xander's six-year-old daughter, Anna, who, despite having a bunny-hating ex-demon for a mother, is totally sweet!
Summary: It's Xander and Anya's aniversery of their first official date, and nothing can go wrong...but then again, this is Sunnydale, right?
Buffy Summers patroled the streets of Sunnydale, searching for something to destroy. As the Slayer, she was destined to vanquish evil. It was almost daylight and she hadn't found one single vampire or demon to either dust or send back to hell. Right now, she'd even settle for a round or two with Spike. "Well, I guess they're finally giving me..." Hearing a scream of terror, she turned into a back alley and saw a dark figure crouched over someone, feasting. "Well, hallelujah, it's about time! Sorry, am I interrupting your late dinner?"
The vampire looked up from his meal, only to be punched hard by his archenemy, causing him to relinquish his hold on his prey. Before the vamp could register what had occurred, Buffy pulled out her signature stake and dusted him. "Buffy? Oh my god, it really is you!"
"Are you okay?" The Slayer asked, walking over to the twenty-one year old who nodded, smiling weakly. Buffy helped her to stand up. "Lily? Oh, I forgot, it's 'Anne' now, right?" Buffy smiled at her old friend from Los Angeles. "So, what are you doing back here?"
"Just stick with Anne." she replied. "Oh, this may be way overdue, but thanks for getting me the job at Helen's Kitchen Diner. I had some time off, so I decided to come visit. Of course, I should have timed it better. Considering everything I know about vampires, almost getting killed by one isn't exactly the best way to say 'hi'! I really appreciate everything you did...you'know, with saving my life and all."
"You're welcome," Buffy replied, "so, do you have a place to stay?" Anne shook her head. "Well, you could stay at my house."
Buffy lead Anne into the house. She realized that there some of the potentials were probably awake as well as Anya and Xander's four-year-old daughter, Anna Grace. But the more the blond Slayer thought about it, Anna was probably asleep as she should be. She pointed out the downstairs bathroom as well as some rooms down the hall. As they walked into the kitchen, they found Anya thumbing through a cookbook of some kind. Buffy looked over her shoulder and started reading. "Oh. SO I guess you decided to go with the normal food?"
Anya nodded once she realized Buffy was there. "Yeah. Xander said that shrimp and zucchini rolls were better for a wedding."
Buffy nodded. "And better for my stomach." she commented.
"That too." Anya agreed.
"Did Dawn have dinner?" Buffy asked.
Anya shook her head. "No. She went to bed kind of early."
"That's strange." Buffy said. "She usually gobbles down your cooking. I'm gonna go check on her. By the way, we have a guest." Buffy quickly explained about Anne. Anya nodded and returned to her cooking ventures. Just then, Anne entered the kitchen. "Anne, Anya, Anya Anne. You guys talk and I'll be back." With that, she left for the basement.
"Bloody hell!" Spike cried just as Buffy hit the last stair.
"What are you guys doing down here?" she demanded.
"I was beating him until he got a hold of the golden key!" Spike explained rather irritated.
Buffy rolled her eyes and ignored his comment. "There are people trying to sleep." she informed the blond vampire and the teenage boy sitting across from him. "Two of them being under eight years old." she added, referring to Isabelle and Anna.
"Did I wake Belle up?" Spike asked. He sounded concerned, which Buffy had to get used to.
"No." she replied. "But please, keep it down. Not all of us can take the night life"
Spike smirked. "You did once."
"That's not how I meant that and you know it." Buffy said, glaring at him. "You say that one more time, my first is going down your throat. Got it?"
Spike nodded. "All right, all right."
"That's what I thought." Buffy replied.
Spike nodded. "Whatever you say, Slayer." With that, the two went back to their game.
Getting back upstairs, Buffy checked on Anne and Anya before going to check on Dawn. On her way to her sister's bedroom, Buffy checked on her six-year-old daughter. Isabelle was sleeping soundly, her teddy bear clutched in her arms. Landing a kiss to her forehead, Buffy put a hand through her hair before leaving the room.
Meanwhile, back downstairs, Anya and Anne had gotten into a conversation of their own.
"So how long are you in town for?" The ex-vengeance demon asked as she chopped up little shrimp cakes.
"A few weeks." Anne replied.
"So how do you know our Buffy?" Anya asked.
"She kind of saved me from some weirdo who wanted to kill me." She replied.
"She does that a lot." Anya said. Anne nodded.
"So are you a demon?" Anne asked.
Anya shook her head. "No. Ex vengeance demon. Punisher of evil males. But that's all in the past now. I have an awesome boyfriend, soon to be husband and a daughter who I wouldn't trade for anything."
"You must love her a lot." Anne said.
Anya nodded. "Anna's the greatest." She affirmed. "She's brought so much joy to our lives."
"So those orderves you were making..." Anne began.
"I know. They could use a little work." Anya conceded. She added, "I never think I'd ever get used to being Human. But there are perks. There's sex with Xander, then there's the job which heads to money. That's always a good thing. And then more sex with Xander and then late night movie fests which lead to cuddling. Which leads to more sex with..."
"Okay, okay! I get it!" Anne said, stopping the former demon in mid sentence. "Is that all you think about? Sex and money?"
Anya shook her head. "No." she replied honestly. "There are certain...rewards that come with it."
"I don't even want to know," Anne sighed, thinking about going to see what Buffy was up to.
Just then, Anna joined them. "Mommy?"
Anya whirled around and smiled a genuine smile. "Hey, sweetie." she greeted. "Are you okay?"
The six-year-old nodded. "Yeah. I thought I heard thunder." She admitted.
"No. That wasn't thunder, honey. That was just Spike and Jonathan on the wii. Aunt Buffy went downstairs and yelled at them for being too loud." Anna nodded. She came over to Anya, who picked her up lovingly.
Anya turned to Anne once her daughter was safely in her arms. "Anne, this is Anna. Anna, this is Anne. She's a friend of Aunt Buffy's."
Anna gave the newcomer a small shy smile. "Hi." she said.
"Hey." Anne replied.
"Well, I'm gonna tuck Anna back in bed." Anya told her. "Help yourself to anything in the fridge." With that, she was gone. She carried her daughter upstairs and into her room. Tucking her back in, she sat down on the edge of the bed and put a hand through her reddish gold hair.
"Aw, there you go, sweetie." Anya said softly. "Sweet dreams, okay?"
Anna nodded. "Can I ask you something?" The little girl asked.
"Sure." Anya replied. "You can ask me or Daddy anything, you know that."
"Why are you having your anniversary near Easter? Is it because you don't want the Easter Bunny to come?"
"Something like that." Anya told her.
Anna giggled. "Tommy Carter said the Easter bunny was sued by Santa Clause. Something about him giving eggs in exchange for presents. He said something about being on Jerry Springer."
"Okay. We need to get your seat changed." Anya said. After a moment she added, "And I'm going to have to have a little chat with this friend of yours."
Anna looked puzzled. "I thought you'd be happy." she said. "Since you don't like bunnies."
Anya let a little smile spread across her face. Anna was something else all right and she and Xander were blessed to have her.
"Sweet dreams." Anya said while kissing Anna's cheek.
"You too." Anna replied. "I love you, Mama."
"I love you too, sweetheart." With that, Anya left the room after making sure her daughter was going to be okay.
Buffy sighed as she walked down the basement steps to investigate what was keeping her from blissful sleep. Some of the potentials were obviously having a late-night training session. As she reached the bottom she heard her own voice say: "Hey! Get off him!" Then a series of punches and kicks, followed by a sharp cry of pain. "The only one who gets to straddle Spike is me! Got it? Now, release him!"
The Buffybot! I should never have allowed Willow to resurrect that stupid machine! "What's going on down here?" The real Buffy burst into the training area to see her duplicate opening up a can of whoop-ass on Kennedy, Willow's former girlfriend. For once, Buffy felt pleased that the too-perky robot had finally done something useful! "Hey, people are trying to sleep! Something that's becoming a very dim memory latelly."
"Buffy!" the robot smiled at her flesh-and-blood double as Kennedy got to her feet, painfully. "Wanna join inn? I was just teaching Kennedy not to mess with my Spike." She grinned over at the vampire who was getting to his feet. Buffy sighed in exasperation and left.
The next morning, an exausted Slayer entered the kitchen to find Willow eating rice crispies. "Hey Will, what's up? Where's Dawnie?"
"Still asleep, I think," her best friend replied, "along with everyone else." Buffy started rummaging in a cupbard. "Oh, if you're looking for the Trix, Anya threw them out."
"She did? That was a brand-new box, why would she do that?"
"She was muttering something about the rabbit in the commercial traumatizing impressionable children, like Anna and Belle. Now she's on the phone to the Kellog company and, you won't believe this, she thinks the Trix Rabbit is in league with Peter Rabbit and the Easter Bunny."
Author's Note: Okay, people, review time! Y'know that little button at the bottom of your screen? You do? Well, press it and send me a review, please? My creative spark for this story has kind of dissipated, fizzled out. So if anyone wants to continue this fan fiction, please send me either a PM or an email first. Thank you and have fun with it!
