It wasn't that far so we walked. I could hear the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. Meant there weren't so many people on the streets. So got there nice and quick.

"That was what woke me up this morning. It's so loud!"

"Yeah, but bloody useful for a vampire pet. Sunrise and sunset, who needs an alarm clock. Not sure 'bout the other three. 'Sides look at the white stone mosques and the citadel thing we're in. All Arabian Nights…even got our own djinn! Gotta have a soundtrack. It'll be flying carpets next."

"No. No flying carpets. No carpets of any kind! Dusty! Bad Carpets!"

I like carpets…well rugs anyway.



We got to the restaurant. Giles and Anyanka were already there, and clearly in the middle of "A Talk". They were so engrossed they barely registered us taking the empty seats. So I motioned to the waiter for beer and a coke for me and Buffy.

Anyanka was fiddling with her necklace, and looking up at Giles with a deadly serious face. "A version of you destroyed my necklace. Would you do it again?

His looks so torn. "Everything I was taught since I was 10 years old says I not only should, I would have to. I killed Ben because I had to. It was my duty. Duty is bred into the watcher bloodlines you know? Goes along with the magical ability and the brains. Those that betray duty don't tend to survive long enough to pass the taint on.

"You killed Ben? God! I didn't even ask about him. Why didn't I ask? I should have asked. You killed Ben? You killed a human?"

"Watcher did the right thing pet. War for the multiverse, that was! Hell- Bitch would have come right back. Had to be done. War's not clean, not simple. Didn't take out scum like Hitler by turning the other cheek. Had to fight, had to kill. Ben had to die or…or losing you wouldn't have mattered. She'd have come back…Nibblet would have died. We all would. Besides pet, that was no innocent. Bit told me about it over the summer. Gave her over to the bitch for immortality. Gave her over to bleed and to destroy the mutliverse. Lil' Bit had nightmares over that…and losing you all summer."

"Nightmares! But, she never told me. God, maybe she still does. Had so many of my own I never…How do you know about them when I didn't?"

"Me and the Bit pet, spent a lotta time together in the summer. Helped each other get through. Keep going. Weren't easy, bloody hard actually. But, helped each other. Missed it. You can talk about it when you get back, and are well enough."

"Rupert made the only sensible decision. We all helped hide the body. It was fun. But you haven't answered my question Rupert. I need to know…I…I can't take another betrayal."

The drinks arrive. Watcher looks well relieved.

"Anya, I can promise you this. I wouldn't willingly do anything to hurt you. Nearly destroyed myself leaving you and the children. Not talking with you in the shop everyday, not seeing you light up at the simple pleasures of life. Had to leave after we made love under the amnesia spell... Had to do the right thing. But I missed you and the children I'd watched grow. Even missed Spike. On very rare occasions."

"Uh?"

"OY"

"Sorry. Anya "The Necklace" represents everything I was trained and bred to fight against. But one thing I have learned is most things aren't black and white. Having a vampire in the tub who both helped to save the world on several occasions and yet plotted to betray us to Adam shows that."

"Umm, sorry 'bout that again. To you too pet."

"Uh?"

"Some things are utterly evil, and have to be fought with every fibre of one's being. Very few things are completely good. They are worth protecting to the same extent. It was a joy seeing you become happy as a human. I will miss that, if you stay a vengeance demon. If you want to return to humanity I will support you, and I will be overjoyed. But I won't force that choice on you. The me that did isn't me. OK now only on the hellmouth would that make sense. If you want to stay as you are. If that makes you happy I can promise to try. And your necklace is safe from me. Is that enough? I know it won't be easy."

"But it is a start Rupie. Interspecies relationships are always hard."

"Tell me about it!"

"But Clem and Sophie are lovely together. He's even giving up kittens for her. Krelvin ran off to Vegas with Cousin Carol, and opened a repair service. They sent such a lovely postcard to the shop. There's hope. There has to be doesn't there? Over a thousand years of seeing only pain, it's hard…"

"The warty demon? The one I juggled with?"

He reaches across the table and takes her hands. "There's always hope."



The starters arrive. Giles must have ordered earlier for all of us. Good choice though. Nice 'n spicy aubergine thing, Dips and pitta. Nice and social. Then the anvil drops on my girl.



"You slept with Giles? You slept with my watcher? You slept with my watcher, when you were engaged to one of my best friends!"

Oh bugger! Thought it was going too smooth. Mouth shut? Or help 'em out? Bugger! When can I ever keep my mouth shut? Besides owe all of 'em. "Amnesia spell pet. They didn't know, no intent to hurt no-one."

"He's not your watcher anymore," from Anya.

"It really isn't your business Buffy."

"Is to! But you left Giles! And you won't tell me why, for these all big secrety reasons. It's all a lie isn't it? It's 'coz you slept with that That big ho who sleeps with all my men! Going to LA next? Or is it Nepal? Or did you fit him in during the decent from on-high?"



Giles and I just look at each other. Watcher and vampire we might be. But right now we're just two blokes at the dinner from hell.



Waiter refreshes the drinks. Must have a death wish to get between a furious slayer and vengeance demon. Even if they've kept to their seats so far.



"You self-righteous little cow! Just because you were quite ready to jump the bones of the most boring bearer of the Y chromosome in existence, the moment he deigned to return to Sunnydale, don't judge everyone by your own standards! That's my job!"

"You were going to take back that pillock? And you question my right to have a relationship with Anya now we're both free. Or anyone in fact, the whole time I was in Sunnydale!"

"No of course not! He was married! I wasn't happy about you having sex with my Mother! Not on top of a police car! And I didn't mind you being with Jenny…much."

"Rupert I haven't tried a police car…"

"Didn't mind!!! Thank you so much!"

"You wouldn't really have gone back to that tosser would you pet?" The family at the nearest table is looking around, and looking distinctly worried.

"No! And Giles I'm saying things all wrong."

"Buffy. As you have heard. Anya and I didn't do anything deliberately wrong. We thought we were engaged and about to die. Once we got our memories back we didn't want to hurt anyone. So we decided it was best to keep it secret. I was leaving anyway. Not because of Anya. Not because of you. Not because of all the things I will tell you later when you can process things more clearly. All of these things contributed. But if Xander had behaved like a man I would have been happy for her and him. It would have been hard. But I would. He didn't. He continued to hurt and insult her. I don't like that. I don't like you doing it to her. I have never enjoyed you doing it to me. And mentioning Jenny…"

"Giles I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned her. You know I am sorry about her right? I couldn't bear it…" Tears and pout. He's crumbling.

"I will always be your watcher if you want me. You'll certainly always be my slayer. We don't own each other. Neither of us has the right to veto our relationship choices. However, unusual. But we can care about each other very much. But I also care very much for Anya. You hurt me as well as her when you insult her. I don't like seeing you like that, you're better than that. I know you are."

"Sorry Giles. All this stuff just comes out and I don't know from where and I hate it and I just want it to stop!"

He's looking at her and holding her hands now. "It's because you're not well. We're going to fix it, it's what we do. Now say sorry to Anya."

"Sorry."

"OK. I know you are all emotionally crippled and dying and things, so this time…ok. But say anything like that after we fix you and we are talking smiting!"

"Hopefully not dear. I would greatly prefer if you two could get on. Can we try?"

"Of course Rupert. I'll try if she will."

"I will". The two girls, who between them could have destroyed the city let alone the restaurant, stood up and hugged. Good to see. Thank god for that. Not fun, for anyone, cathartic hopefully. Un-live in hope anyway.



The waiter seeing a lull in the conflict brought the main course. Some lamb and herb thing. Tasted nice. Plenty of silence to enjoy it in.



Watcher boy breaks the silence. Always knew he's a better man than me. But, hey early stages and all that.

If in doubt use the weather, or football. Hot, bloody hot - so not much of a topic of conversation there. And two Englishmen, one of whom supports Chelsea and with the FA Cup tomorrow, well it's a no-brainer. We can even bond over mutual loathing of Arsenal. What is a surprise is that Anyanka joins in, and knows what she's talking about too. Know girl is ancient but still surprises. So I ask why?

"Lots of business over the years from women scorned for sport. Almost as many as I got from women kept in harems. Boy, this place brings those back memories. Disguising myself and granting wish after wish from all those women. Ah…happy days."

"Harem girl outfits?" That was the watcher I point out.

"Oh yes. Mmm…"

"Back to football". Before it all gets out of hand again. Hey, don't mind picturing Anyanka in a harem girl outfit but that way lies pain and possible stakage, from a couple of candidates. "Wishes right? So I got all this pain and no shortage of 'em right?"

Giles and I both get the idea at the same time.

"The World Cup!"

"Even better than Becks foot. 30 years of hurt be dammed. I wish…"

"Sorry that's against the rules."

"There's rules?"

"Oh yes. First couple of days as a vengeance demon is all learning the rules. You know: don't destroy the universe: don't lose your necklace: don't mess with the Guardian; avoid the Council of Watchers; blood larvae are flattering: burlap covers a multitude of eating ice-cream; that sort of thing.

Football and sports games were added a century ago. D'Hoffryn got fed up with different people's wishes to change results just going to and fro. Stopped us from getting on with more fun work. Besides he supports Brazil. No way could I make England win. He even keeps the rule himself. Otherwise Brazil's team in 98…ouch."

"Bugger! So no chance of any Arsenal destruction either?"

"Sorry, no. And lots of people have wished for that over the years."

"Not surprised", from Giles.



Buffy's face has sort of glazed over during this. So I change topic.



"Giles you called."

"Yes. About the ritual. We need some items from the bazaar. Some pure wax candles, some perfumed oil, and some white cloth. I won't be able to do it…I have to arrange access to the site, assuming my friend recovers from the shock of Anya's arrival."

"I did say sorry."

"He'll love it once he calms down, it was rather fun wasn't it?"

They giggle, I kid you not. "What sort of oil?"

"That's the difficult bit. It's not set. It will just smell right to supernatural senses. You'll both know it when you smell it on you Buffy. Can you both do that. We need to get this right, so both sets of noses."



We both nod. So wanna know more so I ask. "Where's the site Watcher?"



"Has to be a tomb with great symbolic power."



"The Great Pyramid."