Disclaimer: All BTVS characters belong to Joss...

Anya the Bunny Slayer

Somewhere in Africa in the year 2004...

"Mr. Harris, this came for you in the mail. It's from Los Angeles, didn't say who's it from."

Xander jumps at the voice; he turns around to see the speaker. It's a short and petite woman with reddish brown hair holding a small box wrapped in blue and gold paper.

"Oh...Nida. Thanks. Los Angeles, really?"

"Yep."

Nida hands Xander the small box and steps back. Xander carefully examines it, turning it over at every angle. After what seemed like a minute, Xander sighs and carefully removes the blue and gold wrapping. Beneath the wrapping is a deep scarlet velvet box; one would see such box at jewelry stores. "Who would send me such thing?" Xander murmurs, mostly to himself. "Well?" Nida asks, looking at the one-eyed brunette expectantly. "Well, here it goes," Xander says with a sigh as he opens the jewelry case.

Inside the case a piece of folded paper rests. "Huh? All this fancy stuff for a piece of paper?" Disappointed, Xander picks up the paper and sees there is something underneath the folded paper--a necklace. A small chain of gold with a sparkling green gemstone embedded inside a hunk of gold. "Kinda pretty but it doesn't exactly match with any of my outfits," Xander dryly comments. Nida chuckles and gestures something with her hands.

"Don't forget about that paper..."

"Oh, yeah."

Xander unfolds the paper and rapidly reads inside. He makes a startled noise.

"It's from Deadboy!"

"Who is that?"

"Er, Angel--you know, the head honcho of Wolfram & Hart in Los Angeles..."

"Oh, that Angel. Well, what does the note say?"

"Oh, er..."

Xander--

This necklace belonged to Cordy. She told me before that Anya was the one who gave her this. I thought you'd like to have this. It used to belong to Anya and then Cordy, you know...

Best regards,

Angel (aka, Deadboy)

Xander stares at the handwritten note, his mouth hanging open. Nida looks at her boss sympathetically. She walks up to him and touches him on his shoulder.

"I'll leave you alone now."

Barely registering Nida's hand on his shoulder, Xander nods slowly. "Thanks, Nida..." Nida smiles sadly at him for a moment then she walks out of the bedroom, leaving Xander alone in his shock.

He reads the note over and over, making sure it isn't a cruel trick played by Angel as revenge for enduring years of his insults. Finally, he sighs deeply and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Thank you, Angel..." he murmurs softly. Xander walks to the nightstand by his bed and places the opened jewelry case there. He lies down on the bed, his back up against a pillow. "Ahn...I miss you. I wish I could see you again," the grief-stricken man mumbles softly before falling into a deep sleep. Unnoticed by the sleeping man, the necklace's green gemstone glows eerily for a moment.

Well--how are you guys liking this so far?