"I'm terribly sorry," she said, struggling to balance the packages in her arms.

Xander sighed and took them from her. "Fine, fine," he said. She brushed her hair from her face with long, slim fingers.

"They're all here," she explained. "Eveything Willow needs. Here, in these packages."

Xander peeked into one of them, but the stench made him crinkle his nose and close it quickly. "Well, the toad's legs are here all right," he said.

"And the rest of them," she said brightly. "The toads, I mean." She took the top box and walked up the stairs, deposited it with a clunk, and dashed back down the stairs. "Listen, I've got to go, so..." She flashed him a smile and grabbed her coat.

"Right," he said, ascending the stairs with the other boxes still in his arms. "I thought you would."

"See you tonight?" She was halfway out the door.

"Yeah."

The door shut.

**

She wasn't there. He parked in the street (never in the driveway), walked to the door in the moonlight, rang the bell: she wasn't there. No note on the door, no car in the driveway, no her.

Xander kicked the starry grass as he walked back to his car.

**

He drove and remembered their conversation of six months ago:

"Anya," he said, holding her arms gently, "if we're going to get married I've got to know where you are at night."

She pouted. "Is this just a demon thing? I'm so sick of the prejudice running rampant in this community."

"That, and--" He let go of her. "I want to be with you," he said plaintively. "I want you to be with me."

"I am with you!" She twirled and ended up in his arms. "See?" She kissed the tip of his nose.

He sighed and gave up for the night. "Okay. Yes. I see."

"I'm glad. You're my fiance. That means we do things together."

Do things together and are together, he thought.

But apparently she didn't.