They Came From Within
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone in this story, except the old lady/demon.
Summary" Can you really trust your friends when the voices in your head are telling you not to?
The worst day of the week to work in any retail shop was usually a Sunday. There were fewer customers, which equalled lots of boredom and there was little profit to be made. There were lots of shops in Sunnydale that didn't even bother opening up on Sundays because of the lack of profit to be made, but Anya insisted on opening up on Sundays. Just because less people came didn't mean she didn't make any money. Her philosophy was "All profit, no matter how small, counts" On this particular Sunday Anya was sat behind her counter, reading a book titled "How to plan the perfect holiday" It was divided into four chapters, each on planning the perfect holiday depending on who you were going with. The first chapter planed out a holiday with family, the second with a partner, the third with friends and the forth was alone. Anya was more interested in planning a holiday with friends. Over the past weeks she had found herself growing desperate to get away from the Hellmouth and every thing that came with it, but she didn't want to go with Xander. The two of them had been arguing more than usual, mostly things to do with the wedding and Anya believed they both needed some space before one of them ended up on the receiving end of a very sharp kitchen knife.
Anya had plans to get away with Willow and Buffy since they too needed a break maybe even more than she did. She hadn't actually mentioned it to either of them yet, but she knew neither one of them would say no. Buffy had been having problems ever since returning from the dead and Willow's break up with Tara and magic addiction had certainly been stressful. They all needed a good long break, away from vampires, demons and other such nasties.
Willow turned up at the Magic Box around midday, Buffy drifted in around two thirty with Dawn in tow.
"Oh good you're all here" She announced the moment Buffy stepped foot through the door.
"Well that depends if Xander is involved in this" Willow mentioned as she kicked a chair back for Buffy to sit on.
"He's not, I only need to talk to you" Dawn placed a hand in the air.
"What about me, am I involved" She asked.
"No, but you can stay" Dawn frowned and folded her arms across her chest, but said nothing further.
"So what's so important?" Buffy asked. Anya moved round from the counter with the book still in her hands.
"I was thinking we should get away from here for the weekend, next weekend in fact" Buffy and Willow shared a blank stare briefly before Anya continued "I believe it would be healthy for all of us to get away for a while and relax and have fun" Dawn once again raised her hand.
"Why aren't I involved?" She asked, trying not to sound too annoyed.
"I believe that Buffy and Willow would benefit more to a weekend away, plus I have some activities planned that are unsuitable for you, they involve alcohol" Dawn slumped her head down on the table with a huff. Buffy gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
"This sound like a really good idea" Buffy said turning back to Anya "but I can't just leave Dawn here on her own" Dawn shot her head back up.
"Why not" She demanded.
"Because I won't be able to enjoy myself knowing you're alone" Dawn snorted, leaning back in her chair in a sulk. Anya meanwhile had pulled a small notebook from her pocket and was riffling through it.
"I have answers for all the questions I believe you have" She found the right page and read proudly.
"Firstly I thought Xander could look after Dawn since he's not coming on our girly weekend, being that he's a boy" Willow smirked at the term 'boy' knowing Xander would not appreciate being referred to as one. Anya continued.
"I also believe you have a question regarding the slaying. I thought Spike could take over while you're away. He won't mind since he already agreed" Willow and Buffy shared another look, but this time they were both smiling.
"We can see you've obviously put a lot of thought into this" Willow said before Buffy could open her mouth "so I'm going to say count me in" Buffy just smiled. Anya gave a little cheer.
"What about you Buffy, you in?" Buffy looked over at Dawn, who still had a frown planted on her face, but was trying to hide it by turning her head away.
"Is it okay with you?" Buffy asked. Dawn stared at the floor. A part of her didn't want Buffy to go, mainly for the fact that she wasn't allowed to go, but she didn't want to sound selfish or stop her from having any fun, God knows she needed it.
"I don't mind" Dawn said finally, turning her head back to Buffy and putting on a fake smile. "You deserve to have some fun and I'll be okay with Xander" Buffy smiled slightly.
"Okay, I guess I'm in then" Anya literally jumped for joy, clasping her hands and cheering.
"Great, now I've made all the arrangements all ready, there's just one tiny thing I have still to do" At that precise moment Xander entered the shop.
"Xander sweetie, Willow, Buffy and I are going away next weekend and you're looking after Dawn" Xand stared at Anya, then all of a sudden turned around and went straight out through the door only to enter again.
"Hi everyone and Anya what are you talking about?" Anya wondered over to Xander, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his chin.
"You're babysitting Dawn while I'm away with the girls, you don't mind do you?' She rubbed her hands up his back and stared up at him with her big beautiful eyes. Xander could never say no to those eyes and it annoyed him when she used them on him, the way she was now.
"Okay" Anya smiled and kissed him on the lips.
"Thank you, I love you," She cooed. Xander smiled wearily. Anya removed her hands and turned back to the girls. "Okay, it's all settled. Next weekend we leave for the coast"
TBC
Disclaimer: I do not own anyone in this story, except the old lady/demon.
Summary" Can you really trust your friends when the voices in your head are telling you not to?
The worst day of the week to work in any retail shop was usually a Sunday. There were fewer customers, which equalled lots of boredom and there was little profit to be made. There were lots of shops in Sunnydale that didn't even bother opening up on Sundays because of the lack of profit to be made, but Anya insisted on opening up on Sundays. Just because less people came didn't mean she didn't make any money. Her philosophy was "All profit, no matter how small, counts" On this particular Sunday Anya was sat behind her counter, reading a book titled "How to plan the perfect holiday" It was divided into four chapters, each on planning the perfect holiday depending on who you were going with. The first chapter planed out a holiday with family, the second with a partner, the third with friends and the forth was alone. Anya was more interested in planning a holiday with friends. Over the past weeks she had found herself growing desperate to get away from the Hellmouth and every thing that came with it, but she didn't want to go with Xander. The two of them had been arguing more than usual, mostly things to do with the wedding and Anya believed they both needed some space before one of them ended up on the receiving end of a very sharp kitchen knife.
Anya had plans to get away with Willow and Buffy since they too needed a break maybe even more than she did. She hadn't actually mentioned it to either of them yet, but she knew neither one of them would say no. Buffy had been having problems ever since returning from the dead and Willow's break up with Tara and magic addiction had certainly been stressful. They all needed a good long break, away from vampires, demons and other such nasties.
Willow turned up at the Magic Box around midday, Buffy drifted in around two thirty with Dawn in tow.
"Oh good you're all here" She announced the moment Buffy stepped foot through the door.
"Well that depends if Xander is involved in this" Willow mentioned as she kicked a chair back for Buffy to sit on.
"He's not, I only need to talk to you" Dawn placed a hand in the air.
"What about me, am I involved" She asked.
"No, but you can stay" Dawn frowned and folded her arms across her chest, but said nothing further.
"So what's so important?" Buffy asked. Anya moved round from the counter with the book still in her hands.
"I was thinking we should get away from here for the weekend, next weekend in fact" Buffy and Willow shared a blank stare briefly before Anya continued "I believe it would be healthy for all of us to get away for a while and relax and have fun" Dawn once again raised her hand.
"Why aren't I involved?" She asked, trying not to sound too annoyed.
"I believe that Buffy and Willow would benefit more to a weekend away, plus I have some activities planned that are unsuitable for you, they involve alcohol" Dawn slumped her head down on the table with a huff. Buffy gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.
"This sound like a really good idea" Buffy said turning back to Anya "but I can't just leave Dawn here on her own" Dawn shot her head back up.
"Why not" She demanded.
"Because I won't be able to enjoy myself knowing you're alone" Dawn snorted, leaning back in her chair in a sulk. Anya meanwhile had pulled a small notebook from her pocket and was riffling through it.
"I have answers for all the questions I believe you have" She found the right page and read proudly.
"Firstly I thought Xander could look after Dawn since he's not coming on our girly weekend, being that he's a boy" Willow smirked at the term 'boy' knowing Xander would not appreciate being referred to as one. Anya continued.
"I also believe you have a question regarding the slaying. I thought Spike could take over while you're away. He won't mind since he already agreed" Willow and Buffy shared another look, but this time they were both smiling.
"We can see you've obviously put a lot of thought into this" Willow said before Buffy could open her mouth "so I'm going to say count me in" Buffy just smiled. Anya gave a little cheer.
"What about you Buffy, you in?" Buffy looked over at Dawn, who still had a frown planted on her face, but was trying to hide it by turning her head away.
"Is it okay with you?" Buffy asked. Dawn stared at the floor. A part of her didn't want Buffy to go, mainly for the fact that she wasn't allowed to go, but she didn't want to sound selfish or stop her from having any fun, God knows she needed it.
"I don't mind" Dawn said finally, turning her head back to Buffy and putting on a fake smile. "You deserve to have some fun and I'll be okay with Xander" Buffy smiled slightly.
"Okay, I guess I'm in then" Anya literally jumped for joy, clasping her hands and cheering.
"Great, now I've made all the arrangements all ready, there's just one tiny thing I have still to do" At that precise moment Xander entered the shop.
"Xander sweetie, Willow, Buffy and I are going away next weekend and you're looking after Dawn" Xand stared at Anya, then all of a sudden turned around and went straight out through the door only to enter again.
"Hi everyone and Anya what are you talking about?" Anya wondered over to Xander, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his chin.
"You're babysitting Dawn while I'm away with the girls, you don't mind do you?' She rubbed her hands up his back and stared up at him with her big beautiful eyes. Xander could never say no to those eyes and it annoyed him when she used them on him, the way she was now.
"Okay" Anya smiled and kissed him on the lips.
"Thank you, I love you," She cooed. Xander smiled wearily. Anya removed her hands and turned back to the girls. "Okay, it's all settled. Next weekend we leave for the coast"
TBC
