Repercussions, Part 7





It was a big day for Sunnydale. Well, not really. It was a big day for Anya, and in her world that meant a big day for everyone else, as well. Spike had to smile as he watched her flit around the shop with her feather duster, dusting shelves that were already pristine. Normally, he would be working evenings, allowing the shop to stay open a few hours longer, and giving Anya more opportunities to 'rake in the cash,' as she was fond of saying. But today he was there for the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. As cheesy as it was, he was happy for Anya. Now, she was going over some supply lists with Giles, looking up at him and smiling prettily. 'Good for you, old chap,' Spike said to himself.

Spike went back to arranging the display shelf next to the cash register. He had taken it upon himself to place several smaller, less expensive items here. Things that people might tend to pick up on a whim as they waited at the cash register. He'd never fancied himself a business man, but between this gig and the analysis he'd prepared for the council, he thought he wasn't half bad at it. He still loved poetry, though he'd never admit it; he'd stick to reading it now.

The bell rang above the door, and Spike looked up to see Buffy enter. She waved to Anya and Giles and ducked under the ribbon that was stretched in front of the doorway.

"Hey," she said, walking over to him.

"Hello, Buffy."

"So, today's the big day!"

"So it is." He hopped up on the counter.

"I just dropped Dawn off at school so I thought I'd drop by and catch the ceremony." She and Spike shared a grin. "Is Willow going to show?" she asked him.

"Nah, not today, at least. Doesn't want to ruin the day for Anya."

"Yeah," she sighed. " I know Anya's not really mad at Willow, but she probably doesn't want to be reminded of why she had to go months and months without making any money."

"Indeed. That's not what capitalism is all about, after all."

"Soo..." said Buffy. Spike cocked his scarred eyebrow at her, waiting for her to continue. "Sooo...Oh, thank God, I mean, look, the media has arrived." One lone photographer from the Sunnydale Herald had entered the store. "Surely you could do better with the publicity, marketing boy?"

"The Pennysaver's running a full page ad. No photos, though."

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Buffy managed to survive the ribbon cutting ceremony, although the combination of the photographer's flash and Anya's ultra bright smile had nearly blinded her. Her real reason for going, of course, if she admitted it to herself, and she would since she was No!Denial!Buffy, on the inside at least, was the gorgeous blonde behind the counter. Or on the counter, as the case may be. She nearly had palpitations when he jumped up there. She didn't really know why she was putting herself through this when he was obviously not interested. He was cool, calm, and collected while she had been...not. He was friendly, just as he said he wanted to be. Let's be friends. Yay. Why did that upset her? Why couldn't they just be friends? Because she wanted more, dammit. Why, she wasn't sure. Because he was different? Was that a good thing, or not? Why did things always have to be so complicated?

So, forget it. She would just forget about him, and move on. Yup, that's exactly what she'd do.

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Buffy stood outside the school waiting for Dawn. "Buffy! What are you doing here? I didn't know you were picking me up."

"Want to go to the Magic Box? It's the grand reopening today!" They began to walk.

"Not so much, Buffy. I've got a lot of homework, and I'm really kind of...."

"Want to go to the Magic Box? It's the grand reopening today!"

"Oh, you mean you need an excuse to go gawk at Spike."

Buffy looked down at her shoes, then back up at Dawn. "Yes."

"Well, why didn't you say so? Let's go."

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When they entered the Magic Box this time around, it was bustling with activity.

"Wow," said Dawn, "I haven't seen it this busy in here since Halloween."

Buffy looked around the shop to find Giles manning the cash register, Anya on the phone, and Spike surrounded by a group of coeds who were obviously more interested in the help than the merchandise. She walked to the back of the store, where Xander lurked about, picking things up and setting them down without really looking at them. All the while he kept one eye on Anya.

"Xan man, what's up?"

"Nothing. Absolutely, positively nothing." He set the statue he was holding down just a bit too hard on the glass shelf, causing the other object to rattle and teeter precariously. Anya looked up from her phone call and glared at him. He held up his hands and mouthed 'sorry' to her, and she turned away in thinly veiled disgust.

"You still trying to get Anya to give you another shot, huh?"

"With no success, and hope is currently in the 'slim to none' category."

Buffy had become rather tired of Xander's mooning over Anya all summer, but today she felt oddly sympathetic.

"I'm sorry, Xan. Love is just...dumb."

"Couldn't have said it better myself."

Buffy noticed that Anya was off the phone and she and Dawn were now chatting. She left Xander and walked over to join them.

"Buffy! Dawn tells me that you're here looking for your young man?"

"What?! Dawn!"

Dawn burst into hysterical laughter. "I just told her that you had a crush on a boy, and you were here hoping to catch a glimpse of him."

"I am so going to kill you."

"So," said Anya, "is it one of these college boys in here? Because I must tell you, most of them seem to have been brought here by a female. Although all the females seem to be congregated around Spike now, so you may still have a chance."

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Oh, I know!" said Anya. "I'll guess! It'll be a game. You give me three accurate but misleading clues and I'll try to guess who it is."

"I am not going to do this."

"I will!" said Dawn. Buffy put her head in her hands and sighed in defeat. "O.K., clue number one, he's really old. Number two, uh, he's blonde, sort of...and number three, he's, he's British!"

"Tough clues, Dawn," said Buffy dryly.

"Hmm, old, blond, and British. Well the blond part leaves out Giles, thank God, for so many reasons. Let's see, let's see," she pondered, looking around the shop. "Ah! That Krushnil demon over there!" Buffy and Dawn looked to where she was pointing and saw a middle aged man with a shock of unnaturally yellow hair who looked entirely human except for a rather bluish cast to his skin.

"Nope, sorry, and you only get one guess," said Buffy quickly.

"Phooey! O.K., now it's my turn. You have to guess who I have a crush on," said Anya.

"You have a crush on someone?" asked Dawn with a smile.

"Yes, and here are your clues. He's very handsome. He's very smart. And he has the most adorable habit of cleaning his glasses when he gets upset."

"Oh. My. God. You have a crush on Giles?" asked Buffy, looking at Dawn, who had clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from squealing.

"Yes! You got it on the first try! It was that 'smart' clue, wasn't it?"



TBC