Disclaimer: I don't own this, Mutant Enemy and all that does... I just borrowed the characters and wrote under the command of my slave driving friends.

Hey Nari, hey Bun. waves You two rule with whips and Illyria voices. nods

Oh yeah...There's probably slashiness further on in the story. Being me, an' all.

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"It's obvious, you touch it like this…"

"No, you twit!" An arm shot across the oaken table in a blur to swipe the more youthful of hands from grabbing hold of the strange object. It glittered and glistened ominously on a little slab of protective marble, as it had burnt through all other materials it had come into contact with, including Buffy's new cord bag. She was still not pleased - hunched irritably on a chair a little back from everyone else.

"It looks safe enough," snapped Xander childishly as he glared with glinting, dark brown eyes at the Watcher.

Indeed, the relic looked positively beautiful in the way the light hit it, the slightly lumpy but perfectly symmetrical sphere appearing almost cheery in it's pale green tint. Of course, this was the point of it - human hands touching the object were scalded, often badly burnt. Why, Giles had yet to find out. It was on his to do list.

"Just- don't touch it ," sighed Giles. This boy was always clumsy and careless in his actions - one would think after over a year of helping his best friend fight all manners of vampires and occasionally demons he would have twigged on to the 'think before you act' rule the others had adopted. But no, he still insisted on touching what he shouldn't, going where he shouldn't and generally being a nuisance.

That's not to say Giles didn't like him - the boy could be pleasant enough, and had helped sufficiently on more than one occasion. More importantly, he brought a shred of normality to the bizarre group and grounded the others to the reality of things. His humour, though often inappropriate, could lessen the tension of a situation in a blink. All much needed characteristics in such a way of life as this.

"Remind me, Buffy;" started Giles, returning to the original conversation. "Where did you get hold of this? It could help with figuring this out."

"In a crypt, these vamp dudes were all staring at it like it was some porn mag," the petite blonde replied bluntly. "Thought it might be important, so I knocked it into my bag with my stake… Right after dusting the undead of course."

"…It didn't occur to you to keep one alive for more information?" he sighed. This Slayer had a lot to learn about such matters.

"I slew. That's my job, remember?" Her voice was sharp with annoyance. Willow, sat beside her, quickly spoke in her bubbly tones before an argument could break out.

"Want me to go on the net? See if I can find anything?"

"Yes, Willow. That would be most helpful."

-----

Time past rather slowly with the redhead's fingers clicking rather too loudly for Xander's tired ears. He was slumped on the table, his nose mere inches away from the relic, hand resting uselessly on the book he was meant to be reading. It wasn't that he hated research, he just would rather be doing anything but sitting there with his nose in a rather boring, pungently old-smelling book that may as well be written in another language for all the sense it made. In fact, he was fairly certain the words changed on the page, shifting around like a dot of light in your eyelid that you can never quite focus on.

Why am I so tired? he pondered, for he hadn't been doing anything particularly strenuous that morning. He'd had a healthy breakfast of random snack foods, lounged about in class, and the only walking he had done that day was to stroll from his house to school, or from class to class. Nothing that should get him this tired, yet here he was, slumped boredly.

Maybe it was this room. The books smelt so boring. That was probably it… He made up his mind to mention it to Giles. Maybe bring in some air freshener to rid the place of the murky, musky smell. It couldn't be doing anyone any good, surely.

"Xander, are you even vaguely paying any attention to this matter?" Giles' worn-out voice forced Xander to look up and unslouch himself.

"Of course… But I don't think this book is so useful," he reasoned. "I don't think it's in American."

"It was written by demon scholars over a millennium ago, translated in the seventeenth century by the Council," the Watcher explained. He did not sound pleased with his attitude. "So no, it is not in American. Perhaps you'd prefer a book with pictures for ease?"

Xander, of course, took immediate offence. "I'm not stupid. Just tired."

"I never suggested you were," he replied, passing him a heavier book than the one he was slouched on. The pages were thin enough to rip with a forceful breath and it was bound in expensive-looking leather, a squiggly gold pattern adorning the front. Xander took it, flicking through a couple of pages. Each page contained a picture of some form of relic or magical object, in faded delicate colours with a couple of paragraphs on it's origin and purpose. Best of all, it contained next to no musky smell.

"Thanks, man," he said, a smile of gratitude directed at Giles, who looked away and took the currently discarded book from beneath Xander to study.

With this book, Xander contemplated, maybe he could be the one to find the correct answer for once.

----

A good hour passed, mostly silent, the air thick with the sounds of turning pages and constantly clicking fingers, mingled with irritated sighs and the sound of Giles cleaning his glasses. Xander was the only one still interested - some of these objects did amazing things. There was one necklace which, when used, summoned up a singing, dancing demon. That had to be fun. There was another that gave you the ability to change gender, and one to make your eyebrows curl. Why would anyone make these things? he wondered. There were truly some bizarre humans - and demons - in this world. Anything you could think of could be found, somewhere. The ingenuity of these people astounded him, and the excitement of potential discovery urged him onwards.

"Found anything, anyone?" Giles enquired, mostly to break the heavy silence. After a second of negative responses, he dropped the book on the table, causing a heavy thump that made the Scoobies jolt in surprise. He glanced around at them. "Well as fascinating as this book is, I don't think we are going to achieve anything tonight. Please, go home. We'll research some more tomorrow. I fear this is bordering on pointless right now."

"Oh thank god," sighed one very relieved Slayer, dropping her own book in a similar fashion to Giles, not even bothering to close it. "See you, guys."

She left quickly, as if worried Giles would change his mind. The others trailed after her, penultimately Willow because it took her a couple of moments to get the computer to shut down. Xander was still sat down, eyes on the book, as if he wasn't really aware it was only him and Giles in the room. It took the Watcher a couple of minutes to realise, too- and when he did, Xander couldn't help but laugh at the surprised expression upon his face.

"Is there something I can help you with, Xander?" he asked, for the boy didn't seem to want to leave. His eyes had lowered back down to the book once more. "Only, your friends have left and it's getting rather late."

"Sorry," he grinned up at him. "This book though, really interesting."

"I'm going home now," he sighed. "You are welcome to bring that book home with you - but please, do not damage it. Books like that do not come cheap."

From the look on his face, you'd think he'd just been given an immensely important task. Giles watched him stand up, gather his things and tuck the book under his arm. "I'll be careful," Xander promised with a little mock salute. "Thanks. I'll call you if I find anything."

"Or you could wait until morning," Giles suggested - but under his breath so as not to have Xander hear. He sounded so pleased at having even this much responsibility, with the aptitude enough to understand it, that he couldn't bring himself to deflate the boy's bubble. It wouldn't have mattered if he had said it louder anyway - Xander was already on his way out of the library, doors swinging to a close behind him.

With a mildly amused smile, Giles shifted the marble slab and relic into the shut off part of library, locked up and made his own way out.

-----

Fortunately for the fatigued man, he managed nearly a whole night's sleep before the shrill ringing of the telephone awoke him. It was still dark, but not pitch black outside - the first hints of dawn were pressing slices of light through the sky, hinting at the brightness of the day to come.

Giles, however, was far too tired to notice any of this. As he stumbled inanely to the phone and picked it up with fumbling, sleep-lagged hands, all that was on his mind was the urge to stop that horrific noise piercing the previously comfortable silence of his home.

"Hello?" he slurred, having to clear his voice to get the huskiness out of it.

"Hi Giles, it's Xander," came the chirpy voice.

Giles groaned. "Xander, it's not even daylight yet. What are you doing up?"

"Actually G-man, I haven't been to sleep." he sounded so cheerful that Giles decided, to Xander's relief, to ignore the annoying nickname.

"…Right. Of course. You do realise that school starts in a couple of hours, yes?"

"I know. I'll be fine," he assured him, though his excited voice was laced with weariness. There were small pauses between his sentences, dragged out as though he had to summon the energy to continue. "I've found something. In the book. I know what the relic is for."

When he didn't continue, Giles felt the need to encourage him. "Yes, and?"

"Can I come around and show you?" he requested in a slightly paranoid voice, as if someone could be listening down the phone.

"Xander… Perhaps it would be best to wait until school time," he suggested. "I've only just woken up - I'm rather tired."

There was a tense silence, as one very annoyed teenager nodded down the phone. "Fine. Whatever."

"…Wait," Giles said quickly as Xander went to put the phone down. When he was sure there was still someone on the other end of the phone, he continued. "Come around. I trust the book is still in once piece?"

"Yeah, I was the careful man with it. Not a scratch," he promised. Happiness had returned to his voice. "I'll be round in a moment. I just gotta get dressed."

After saying a quick goodbye, Giles sighed to himself and rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. Maybe he could fit in a nap in the library, he thought as he walked slowly back to his bed to find his glasses and clothe himself before Xander could appear.

-----

"Tea?"

"Got any coffee?" Xander asked. "I'm kinda in a coffee mood."

"Of course. And I fear I shall have to join you in that," he admitted. "I'm rather exhausted."

"Sorry about that," came an extremely apologetic voice from the sofa. Giles peered over at him from the kitchen, where he was preparing to make two strong coffees, and was greeted with the sight of an only semi-conscious young man flopped against the arm with a book open on his lap. With another smile he turned back to his coffee making, almost dropping teabags in out of pure habit and only just catching himself in time.

Xander watched Giles through heavily lidded eyes for a while. He didn't know for sure why he was so adamant about coming over; perhaps to get the pleased approval of a job well done all to himself for once. He was certainly pleased himself with the result. Not only had he discovered what the object was, he discovered just exactly what they needed to do.

Moments passed sluggishly before Giles appeared beside him with cups of bitter, tasty-smelling beverages. He placed them carefully on the table before them so as not to spill a drop, and sat himself beside Xander on the sofa.

"What did you find?" Giles enquired, curiosity and intrigue overtaking the need to be back in bed, sleeping soundly for another hour or so. "What is it? What will we need to do?"

"Nothing," the triumphant boy replied. "Absolutely nothing."

There was a moment of thoroughly confused silence as he stared disbelievingly at him. "Now, Xander. No fooling around. It's too early for that."

"No, really," he confirmed his statement with a forceful nod. "It's a demon toy - used by some unpronounceable vampire sect to trick humans. You know, burn them. It's just a trick toy."

"You came all the way over here to tell me bugger all?" Giles asked, his voice somewhat higher than it need be. "You get me up at this godforsaken hour to tell me that?"

"Well, would it make you happier to find out it's a mystical equivalent of a nuclear bomb?"

"No, of course not."

"I thought you'd be pleased that it was one less thing to worry about," Xander announced with a little bit of hurt in his voice. "I stay up all night, when I coulda been sleeping, and I don't even get a thanks or a cookie. Fine. Sorry to not be the bearer of bad news."

"I'm sorry, Xander," he sighed after a tense gap. "Good job. Thank you. I must admit it is a relief - bloody vampires. Pun not intended."

"Yeah, undead sense of humour sucks," grinned a delighted Xander. "Pun very much intended."

"…Now that's out of the way…" Giles paused to yawn away a smidge of the tiredness. It certainly wasn't a distraction to hide the amused grin that was forming... "Perhaps it would be best if you were to try and get a couple of hours sleep before school. I have no doubt the others will be pleased at the lack of work your discovery entails, but maybe it would be best if you could open your eyes enough to see them."

"Yeah, I'll get home."

Before he could shift himself from the sofa though, Giles shook his head and stood up himself. "You stay there. I'll get you blankets. We can't have you disturbing your parents again."

"Fine, whatever…" sighed Xander as he kicked off his shoes and raised his legs to get into a comfy lying position. So tired was the satisfied boy that he had drifted into a deep enough sleep not to notice when Giles draped the fresh-smelling blankets over his dozing form, an almost fatherly smile upon his face as he picked up the discarded and forgotten coffee cups.

-----

Dreams of a Sunnydale-wide clothes shortage pleased Xander's sleeping mind, a tiny smile hovering over his face as he slept soundly on the couch. On hand draped over the side, fingertips brushing the spine of the book he spent so long studying. He looked so peaceful, so trouble free and comfortable that Giles couldn't bring himself to wake him when the time came for school to start. However, he had to leave, so he wrote a quick note and left it by Xander's dangling hand and made his way out of the house. If Xander woke up refreshed enough later, he could come in after lunch perhaps. Giles had no problem leaving him alone in the house - he was sensible enough, in a common sense sort of way. He knew what not to touch and where the fridge was, he could manage well enough. Besides, the Watcher trusted him.

With a final glance at the sleeping figure with a touch of fondness, he shut the door quietly behind him.