Part 15
"Grand Re-Opening October 19th" proclaimed the banner across the front of the Magic Box. Giles paused to admire the artful display of magic paraphernalia and books in the new picture window, as well as the shiny brass door latch on the new wooden door that made the shop look homey and welcoming. He shifted the large box from his right and to his left and let himself in. The bell at the top of the doorway announced his presence. It was one of the few things in the shop that had survived Willow's attack.
The store interior was pristine and ready for the next day when, hopefully, it would be full of customers. Xander had outdone himself. Giles was glad Anya had insisted on the top-of-the-line insurance coverage. Her business instincts were unparalleled.
The subject of his musings was currently polishing a display case filled with crystals and ceramic figurines. "Giles!" she greeted him. "Isn't this great?" Her enthusiasm was infectious.
"Yes." He nodded. "Quite wonderful. Tomorrow should be a success."
"That's exactly what I was thinking." She noticed his box. "What have you got there?"
"Just a little gift for the big day."
"You brought me a gift?" Anya's head tilted and her expression softened into a sweet smile.
"Er, yes." He acknowledged modestly. "Just a bit of something to help with the." He trailed off as she hurried out of the room. ".transition." he finished.
She re-entered from the back room with a package wrapped in gold paper. "Look. I've got something for you too!" She was beaming proudly.
"Thank you Anya. This is unexpected."
"Open it!" She urged.
He lowered his box onto the counter and took her gift. It was about a foot long and heavy for its size. He broke the string and unwound the gold paper. Inside was a small statue. It was quite ugly with large protruding eyes, as well as a large. "Anya, would this be a fertility idol?"
"Yes!" She nodded her head, pleased that he had recognized it. "It signifies good fortune and wealth. When I saw it I knew it would be perfect for you."
"Well thank you. It was a lovely thought."
"What did you get me?"
He gestured to the box. "Why don't you open it and see?"
The box was sealed shut. Giles handed her a pocketknife and she cut through the tape and pushed the flaps out of the way. Inside was packing paper that she quickly discarded onto the counter. "Oh Giles!" She exclaimed peering in. "Is it.? Yes!" She squealed happily. She lifted out the new electronic scanner. "It's perfect! I can use this with my new cash register and sell my merchandise with a greater speed and accuracy." She turned to him. Her eyes were glowing. "Thank you!"
"You're quite wel." He was cut off by Anya's grateful lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close while she kissed him, then released him just as suddenly.
"My goodness." Giles was stunned.
"You know that I had sex with Spike, don't you?"
"Why do I keep hearing confessions to that effect?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you knew. Some people around here have trouble forgiving other people around here. It's much easier when things are out in the open."
"I appreciate that Anya, and yes, I did gather that something had occurred with William."
"It was just a one time thing. We were drunk."
"Of course."
"Did you like that twisty thing I did with my tongue?"
"Umm. Well, yes. It was quite.nice."
"It used to get Xander all worked up so that he wanted to, you know." She reached out and stroked his tie. "I thought you might like it too."
"Well I can't say that I've ever." She was kissing him again. For the life of him, Giles didn't understand why he was letting her. To be truthful, he seemed to be kissing her back. He really needed to put a stop to this, but Anya was a breath of fresh air in what had been a particularly dreary year. Besides, the girl happened to be a phenomenal kisser.
"My god Anya. Is there a man around here that you won't give it up for?" Xander stood inside the front door, his face flushed with resentment.
Giles and Anya had been so intent upon each other that they hadn't heard the bell ring when he came in. Now they jumped guiltily.
"Well, there's you." Anya sneered. "Besides, I wasn't giving it up. I was kissing him and it's none of your business."
Xander stalked over to her, his toolbox in his right hand, his left clenched into a fist. "Were you always this much of a slut, or is this part of the Vengeance Demon thing?"
"That's enough Xander." Giles' voice was hard. "You owe her an apology."
Xander looked over to him and chuckled bitterly. "I hope you're not letting her lead you on. She's doing this just to get back at me, since she can't curse me herself." He stormed away. "I'm just going to get the rest of my stuff, and I'm through."
Giles moved to follow him, his color high with anger.
"Stop." Anya held onto his arm. "Whatever you say to him won't do any good."
"What I want to say?!" Giles huffed indignantly. "More likely where I want to hit. He had no call to speak to you in that manner."
Anya's expression became wistful. "He wasn't always so bitter." She shook her head. "Oh, I don't know what to do to make things better."
Giles looked back at the doorway to the back room. "I just wish he'd get over his ridiculous obsessions!"
Anya smiled and grasped her pendant. "Granted!"
"What?" Giles whipped his head back to her.
Anya was excited and bounced happily. "You just made a wish in anger, and I granted it!"
"Do you mean...?"
Xander, who had walked back into the room with a sheepish expression, interrupted him. "Giles, Anya... about all that crap I just dumped on you... listen, I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from."
"Uh, that's all right Xander. Are you feeling well?"
"I'm feeling great! I can't wait for the big day tomorrow."
"Xander," Anya stepped forward. "Do you hate me?"
He seemed to be astonished by the question. "Of course not, An."
"And what about Spike?"
"Wow, he has a soul now. How about that?" He shook a finger at Anya. "You know, he hates being called Spike."
"And Buffy?"
"I'm glad she's doing better. It's good to see her smile sometimes."
"What about Willow?"
"I miss her. I hope she gets better soon."
"And your parents?"
Xander shook his head slowly from side to side and blew out a long breath. "There are two people who just can't let go of old baggage. It makes me sad that they've chosen to spend their lives being miserable." He looked around the shop. "Anya, this place looks really great. I'll be here tomorrow for your big opening. Let me know if you need anything before then." He gave her a quick hug, shook Giles' hand, and walked out of the shop whistling.
"What was that?" Giles asked, flummoxed.
"Zipidee-Doo-Dah, I believe."
*****
Xander was so upbeat and carefree as he exited the shop that he didn't notice the slight man standing across the road gazing at the building. His benign expression revealed none of the complex thoughts going on behind his strange, dark eyes.
A few minutes prior Doc had sensed a small surge of magical power, which had attracted him to this spot. Interesting. The witch had not returned, yet some power was still present. He had wanted to determine the source of it. Since this appeared to be a magic shop, small amounts of mystical energy were to be expected, so this was no cause for concern. His plan was coming together nicely; he just had to wait patiently for the right time. Waiting was not a problem. He was patient. He had made a foolish mistake before, but it was nothing that couldn't be rectified. This time there would be no surprises. He had tested the slayer and the vampire, and knew that they were resourceful. He hadn't expected the young minions he had sent to the house to actually defeat them, but he was impressed with the speed in which his young vampires were dispatched. Then there had been that display of passion between the warriors afterward. That was an interesting development. It might prove useful when the time came to implement his plan. They would not be easy to capture, but there was a path of lesser resistance that would serve to bring the others to him.
He smiled coldly. It would happen soon, very soon.
"Grand Re-Opening October 19th" proclaimed the banner across the front of the Magic Box. Giles paused to admire the artful display of magic paraphernalia and books in the new picture window, as well as the shiny brass door latch on the new wooden door that made the shop look homey and welcoming. He shifted the large box from his right and to his left and let himself in. The bell at the top of the doorway announced his presence. It was one of the few things in the shop that had survived Willow's attack.
The store interior was pristine and ready for the next day when, hopefully, it would be full of customers. Xander had outdone himself. Giles was glad Anya had insisted on the top-of-the-line insurance coverage. Her business instincts were unparalleled.
The subject of his musings was currently polishing a display case filled with crystals and ceramic figurines. "Giles!" she greeted him. "Isn't this great?" Her enthusiasm was infectious.
"Yes." He nodded. "Quite wonderful. Tomorrow should be a success."
"That's exactly what I was thinking." She noticed his box. "What have you got there?"
"Just a little gift for the big day."
"You brought me a gift?" Anya's head tilted and her expression softened into a sweet smile.
"Er, yes." He acknowledged modestly. "Just a bit of something to help with the." He trailed off as she hurried out of the room. ".transition." he finished.
She re-entered from the back room with a package wrapped in gold paper. "Look. I've got something for you too!" She was beaming proudly.
"Thank you Anya. This is unexpected."
"Open it!" She urged.
He lowered his box onto the counter and took her gift. It was about a foot long and heavy for its size. He broke the string and unwound the gold paper. Inside was a small statue. It was quite ugly with large protruding eyes, as well as a large. "Anya, would this be a fertility idol?"
"Yes!" She nodded her head, pleased that he had recognized it. "It signifies good fortune and wealth. When I saw it I knew it would be perfect for you."
"Well thank you. It was a lovely thought."
"What did you get me?"
He gestured to the box. "Why don't you open it and see?"
The box was sealed shut. Giles handed her a pocketknife and she cut through the tape and pushed the flaps out of the way. Inside was packing paper that she quickly discarded onto the counter. "Oh Giles!" She exclaimed peering in. "Is it.? Yes!" She squealed happily. She lifted out the new electronic scanner. "It's perfect! I can use this with my new cash register and sell my merchandise with a greater speed and accuracy." She turned to him. Her eyes were glowing. "Thank you!"
"You're quite wel." He was cut off by Anya's grateful lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close while she kissed him, then released him just as suddenly.
"My goodness." Giles was stunned.
"You know that I had sex with Spike, don't you?"
"Why do I keep hearing confessions to that effect?"
"I just wanted to make sure that you knew. Some people around here have trouble forgiving other people around here. It's much easier when things are out in the open."
"I appreciate that Anya, and yes, I did gather that something had occurred with William."
"It was just a one time thing. We were drunk."
"Of course."
"Did you like that twisty thing I did with my tongue?"
"Umm. Well, yes. It was quite.nice."
"It used to get Xander all worked up so that he wanted to, you know." She reached out and stroked his tie. "I thought you might like it too."
"Well I can't say that I've ever." She was kissing him again. For the life of him, Giles didn't understand why he was letting her. To be truthful, he seemed to be kissing her back. He really needed to put a stop to this, but Anya was a breath of fresh air in what had been a particularly dreary year. Besides, the girl happened to be a phenomenal kisser.
"My god Anya. Is there a man around here that you won't give it up for?" Xander stood inside the front door, his face flushed with resentment.
Giles and Anya had been so intent upon each other that they hadn't heard the bell ring when he came in. Now they jumped guiltily.
"Well, there's you." Anya sneered. "Besides, I wasn't giving it up. I was kissing him and it's none of your business."
Xander stalked over to her, his toolbox in his right hand, his left clenched into a fist. "Were you always this much of a slut, or is this part of the Vengeance Demon thing?"
"That's enough Xander." Giles' voice was hard. "You owe her an apology."
Xander looked over to him and chuckled bitterly. "I hope you're not letting her lead you on. She's doing this just to get back at me, since she can't curse me herself." He stormed away. "I'm just going to get the rest of my stuff, and I'm through."
Giles moved to follow him, his color high with anger.
"Stop." Anya held onto his arm. "Whatever you say to him won't do any good."
"What I want to say?!" Giles huffed indignantly. "More likely where I want to hit. He had no call to speak to you in that manner."
Anya's expression became wistful. "He wasn't always so bitter." She shook her head. "Oh, I don't know what to do to make things better."
Giles looked back at the doorway to the back room. "I just wish he'd get over his ridiculous obsessions!"
Anya smiled and grasped her pendant. "Granted!"
"What?" Giles whipped his head back to her.
Anya was excited and bounced happily. "You just made a wish in anger, and I granted it!"
"Do you mean...?"
Xander, who had walked back into the room with a sheepish expression, interrupted him. "Giles, Anya... about all that crap I just dumped on you... listen, I'm sorry. I don't know where that came from."
"Uh, that's all right Xander. Are you feeling well?"
"I'm feeling great! I can't wait for the big day tomorrow."
"Xander," Anya stepped forward. "Do you hate me?"
He seemed to be astonished by the question. "Of course not, An."
"And what about Spike?"
"Wow, he has a soul now. How about that?" He shook a finger at Anya. "You know, he hates being called Spike."
"And Buffy?"
"I'm glad she's doing better. It's good to see her smile sometimes."
"What about Willow?"
"I miss her. I hope she gets better soon."
"And your parents?"
Xander shook his head slowly from side to side and blew out a long breath. "There are two people who just can't let go of old baggage. It makes me sad that they've chosen to spend their lives being miserable." He looked around the shop. "Anya, this place looks really great. I'll be here tomorrow for your big opening. Let me know if you need anything before then." He gave her a quick hug, shook Giles' hand, and walked out of the shop whistling.
"What was that?" Giles asked, flummoxed.
"Zipidee-Doo-Dah, I believe."
*****
Xander was so upbeat and carefree as he exited the shop that he didn't notice the slight man standing across the road gazing at the building. His benign expression revealed none of the complex thoughts going on behind his strange, dark eyes.
A few minutes prior Doc had sensed a small surge of magical power, which had attracted him to this spot. Interesting. The witch had not returned, yet some power was still present. He had wanted to determine the source of it. Since this appeared to be a magic shop, small amounts of mystical energy were to be expected, so this was no cause for concern. His plan was coming together nicely; he just had to wait patiently for the right time. Waiting was not a problem. He was patient. He had made a foolish mistake before, but it was nothing that couldn't be rectified. This time there would be no surprises. He had tested the slayer and the vampire, and knew that they were resourceful. He hadn't expected the young minions he had sent to the house to actually defeat them, but he was impressed with the speed in which his young vampires were dispatched. Then there had been that display of passion between the warriors afterward. That was an interesting development. It might prove useful when the time came to implement his plan. They would not be easy to capture, but there was a path of lesser resistance that would serve to bring the others to him.
He smiled coldly. It would happen soon, very soon.