AUTHOR: Goddess Isa
EMAIL: goddessisa@aol.com
SUMMARY: If I told you, you wouldn't have to read it.
SPOILER: The Harsh Light Of Day
DISTRIBUTION: Sure, just email me & lmk where it's going - I like seeing my name in print =) It'll also be at my Buffy site, http://planetslaythis.homestead.com
FEEDBACK: Please, I'd hate to have to Slay for it. =P
RATING: TV-14
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, Joss Whedon does. I want them though, I want them bad, and I want them that way.
"Buffy?"
The Slayer spun around and jumped. She blinked, trying to bring the girl into focus through the tears. The dark wig made her hard to recognize. "Anya?"
"Yeah. Hi."
"What are you doing here?"
"Uh..." she stared at her shoes.
Buffy was in no mood to be friendly. "I mean, you took off before the Ascension when you *knew* we needed your help. Before that, you brought a demonic Willow into our dimension and I'm pretty sure you gave Xander the worst senior prom in history. The one about the math professor at U of D is pretty interesting."
Anya rolled her eyes. "I'm here because.....I cane back to Sunnydale so I could....no." she stared at Buffy and shrugged. "I love Xander."
Buffy laughed.
Anya's lip quivered. "It's not funny!"
"I'm sorry. I just..."
"What?" Please, tell me something, Anya silently pled. Let me be your friend, even if only for tonight.
She shook her head. "It's nothing."
"Are you on patrol?" Anya sounded almost hopeful.
"No, I'm just.....yeah, I'm on patrol."
"Oh. I thought maybe you were walking around trying to make sense of all this shit with Parker."
Buffy's face was a mixture of shock, fear and hate. "How did you--"
"The demon is still inside me, Buffy. I can smell a scorned woman a million miles away."
"So you know everything?" they began to walk together.
"Not really. I mean, details, no. I just know he slept with you and then dumped you."
"Oh God!" Buffy put her hands over her face. "I'm such an idiot."
"No, Buffy, you're not. Not at all. Parker is a guy, and guys are scum."
"All of them? Even Xander?"
Anya nodded. "I have an idea."
Buffy sniffled. "Shoot."
"You promise me we'll never discuss Xander, and I'll never say the "P" word again."
"Deal."
They walked in silence for awhile longer.
"Buffy?"
"No names," Buffy reminded her.
"Did you love him?"
"No," she answered quickly. "Did you?"
"Yeah. I still do."
"We're a real pair." Buffy paused. "We're not friends, right?"
"Not yet." they kept right on walking.
"Anya?"
She smiled at the Slayer. "You're welcome."
