This Title Has Nothing To Do With The Story

Chapter Five – I Can't Believe You Have Made It This Far.

The door to the Magic Shop burst open causing Anya to drop the jar of pennies that she was holding. The jar fell to the ground where upon it smashed into tiny pieces of glass releasing a shower of pennies across the floor. Anya turned towards the door to see who was responsible for the damage.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Shouted Anya.

Buffy walked into the shop and quickly scanned the area for demons. When she was satisfied that there were no demons she turned her attention to Anya. "Are you okay?"

""No I am not okay. There is glass and pennies everywhere." Answered an extremely upset Anya.

"I meant are you okay in the not in mortal danger kind of way." Explained Buffy.

"What are you talking about?"

"Giles said the demons trying to destroy the world would need supplies to do it. Then I remember seeing that demon enter the shop just as I was leaving."

"Oh, him. He just looked around for a while then bought some herbs. He didn't even spend that much."

"He didn't try to attack you?"

"No. Neither did the other demon."

"Other demon?"

"Yeah. About 15 minutes after the first demon, another one came in a bought some other stuff."

"What did he buy?"

"I don't know."

"It is very important, can you find out?"

"I suppose." Anya carefully stepped around the broken glass and went her way to the till. She opened in and started to look through that day's sales.

Buffy didn't know what to do as she waited. She looked down at the mess and thought that she better clean it up. However upon inspection she couldn't see a broom anywhere. So she decided to put the larger bits of glass into the bin.

Then Anya shouted, "Found it."

Buffy looked up.

"He bought a Drangion skull and some Irelay powder."

"What do they do?"

"Well together they are used in the usual open the hell mouth spells."

"And you sell them here?"

"The Irelay powder is also used in most love potions."

"And the Drangion skull?"

"People use it as a paperweight."

Buffy and about to respond when the door to the shop burst open for a second time. In the doorway stood Xander slightly stooped over and sounding like he was dying.

"Are you okay?" Asked Buffy.

Xander nodded and tried to speak. However his breathing was so heavy that he couldn't form words. So he tried to act out what he was trying to say.

"What are you trying to tell us boy?" Joked Buffy.

Xander gave her a stern look and continued his wild arm actions.

After a few more humorous guesses by Buffy, Xander had recovered enough to speak, "Is Anya alright?"

"Oh, that is what you were trying to say." Said Buffy.

"I'm fine." Said Anya.

Xander hadn't been able to see her as where she was standing was in shadow. Upon hearing her voice he visibly relaxed. He moved so that he could see her and smiled, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Replied Buffy.

"I picked up the phone and Giles told me about the demons and I just ran over here." Explained Xander.

"Took you long enough." Said Buffy.

"Well, we don't all have Slayer speed now, do you?"

"You ran all the way over here just to see if I was okay?" Asked Anya.

Xander nodded.

The two of them were staring into each other's eyes. There was silence for a moment. Buffy looked at Xander then at Anya and then rolled her eyes. "I probably should be…. err…you know…I probably should be going." She pointed at the door. Neither Xander nor Anya reacted. "Okay then." Buffy took one last look at the two of them and left.

**********

Dawn was slumped on the couch watching an old black and white film when Buffy returned.

"Hi, where have you been?" Asked Dawn.

"Out."

"I know that. I have been in and you were here. So I assumed you were out."

"I was at the Magic Shop."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter. So what are we watching?"

"You always do that."

"What?"

"Shut me out."

"There was no shutting."

"There was shutting. You are always shutting."

"Alright fine! You want to know what I am doing? Well, we think that there may be some demons trying to open the hell mouth and destroy the world. I went to the Magic Shop because we thought that they might go there for supplies. Happy then?"

"We?"

"What?"

"Who is we?"

"Xander and I."

"Where is he?"

"At the Magic Shop."

"He didn't come home with you."

"No, he didn't."

"Why?"

"Do we really have to talk about it?" Shouted Buffy

Dawn fell silent and turned back to the screen.

"He was talking to Anya." Said Buffy.

"About what?"

"They have some issues."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Well they were working them out."

"I get ya." Said Dawn with a smile.

"What does that mean?"

"They were working it out. Come on, I'm not a kid anymore. I know what you are talking about."

"And what do you think I am talking about."

"They were having sex."

"What!"

"Sex. You meant they were having sex."

"That is not what I meant!"

"Alright fine that wasn't what you meant. No need to go psycho."

"I did not go psycho."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"You totally went psycho."

"I don't know want you are talking about."

"Fine."

Again Dawn turned back to the screen. And again silence fell between the two sisters.

"Why would I go psycho anyway?"

"Coz you like Xander."

"What?"

"You like him."

"And you accuse me of going psycho."

"Hello, in denial much? The thought of Xander and Anya getting back together totally wigs you out."

"That is because they are so wrong for each other."

"Why is that?"

"Because…because she is a vengeance demon and Xander is…. Xander is…well…just because."

"Xander is what?"

"Xander is Xander."

"Great argument. That so put me in my place. However will I recover?"

"Oh, shut up! You don't know what you are talking about."

"Fine."

"I don't like Xander."

"Okay."

"It is just that Anya isn't right for him."

"Alright."

Now both of them turned towards the television screen. This time the silence lasted much longer. Until finally Buffy broke it, "So, what did you say the film was called?"