Dinner was, as Xander predicted, very good. Buffy wasn't sure exactly what the food was because she had never done that well in French. But she did discover that amazing things could be done with food. The subtle play of flavours, and occasional sharp bite of something, reminded her that the physical world did have its pleasures.

No one was paying her particular attention, apart from the occasional reassuring glance from Dawn or Spike. She was able to sit quietly and observe the group. After the end of the first course the President stood up and raised his glass. Everyone immediately fell silent, but they did understand that this wasn't a time they also had to stand up.

"We are to celebrate and commemorate many things," he began. "Sam, C.J, if you could explain those to Charlie. We are here celebrate life; the joy, love and beauty in the world. Today was a day great things happened, some terribly great things. Now is chance to reflect on them, to reflect on what we have learnt and begin our lives anew. To life!"

"To life."

Everyone raised their glasses and drank. Buffy nodded, smiling. Spike was smirking; he liked the irony.

"On that note, I think Xander has some words."

The President sat down and looked expectantly at Xander, three seats down. Xander stood up and coughed nervously. Anya, beside him, looked excited. Buffy, opposite him, was beginning to look concerned.

"Anya and I are going to be married," he announced, calmly.

Buffy blinked once, then grinned widely. Xander felt relieved. Anya was grinning at him again, and her eyes were full of such love and joy that his heart almost stopped.

"We haven't set a date. But we're engaged. And with everything we've done today, we though you all should know."

There was stunned silence for a few moments. Only Jed and Abbey had been prepared. It wasn't really their place to say anything, although the President was beginning to worry that his advice had been ill-timed.

Giles raised his glass, "Congratulation," he said.

Everyone else raised their glasses, toasted the couple and drank. Willow still looked particularly shocked. She recovered from the slight bout of jealously and threw Xander a particularly cheeky grin of her own; he blushed.

Anya pulled Xander back into his seat to kiss him. He was pleased to be out of the centre of attention.

Slowly the conversation picked up as the new event was drawn into the previous conversations; except Xander and Anya's. Anya kept Xander occupied for a good few minutes. Willow grinned. When Anya let Xander up for air, Willow leaned forward to hug him.

"Congratulations, Xander," she said, with all the weight of twenty years of friendship.

She knew something about Xander's parents and was glad he had the confidence to more beyond that. And she thought Anya would be very good for him.

Xander nodded happily. He turned to Buffy, still a little high from the announcement.

"Sorry for stealing your thunder, Buffy."

"Oh, no," Buffy said. "I didn't want any thunder. It's sort of loud."

"Faith's pretty much a lightening rod. She can do the storm type stuff."

"That's the plan," Buffy said, looking pleased with herself.

Anya whispered something to Xander which caused him choke on his wine. Buffy and Willow shared an amused look past their friends before continuing their conversations. Willow was talking across the table to Donna about falling for the wrong people; and had been sneaking looks at Spike and Buffy for the last few minutes. They had actually been having a pleasant conversation.

"You'll be alright, love," Spike said. "If you rest a bit. Dying really takes it out of you."

"Spike!"

"What, you disagree?" Spike asked.

"You're hardly being reverent," Buffy said.

Although, if she was being honest, it was kind of nice, in its way. Spike wasn't going to put up with her being a brat, and she didn't care enough about how he felt to worry about what his reaction was going to be. There was something comforting in the fact that she didn't have to worry about his reaction.

"I got a soul, not a personality transplant," Spike muttered.

"Good," Buffy said. "I'd miss you."

"Thanks, love," Spike said, with no small measure of defensive amusement.

"No, I mean—" Buffy said. She tried to work out what it was she actually meant. Spike was Spike, and trying to work out what that meant was difficult. But he was able to understand her when she didn't understand herself.

"I get you," Spike said hastily.

He squeezed her hand gently to show his support. Buffy smiled gently at him. It was a long time since anyone had felt William worth anything. And no one had ever thought that of Spike.

Sam and C.J had managed to produce a coherent account of who the other people at the table were. They were less successful at explaining what had happened. Charlie still thought they were having him on.

Willow decided that argument happening next to her was too annoying. She abandoned Donna to Spike and turned to Charlie.

"Magic is about balance, and drawing on the power in the Earth."

"So you can really do things?" Charlie asked.

Willow held out her hand and set her expression. Slowly the saltcellar floated across the table and hit her palm.

"Okay," Charlie said. "That's pretty cool. But that can't be why we're here."

Charlie looked at Sam for an explanation. Sam wasn't sure enough of the answer to actually describe what had happened, he looked to C.J.

Willow broke the silence first. She managed to put the main ideas into four sentences.

"Wow," Charlie said. "Vampires, magic, and super strong little women."

"C.J and Donna are super strong, now," Willow reminded him.

"That'll explain the whole new sisterly vibe," he said slowly.

Sam raised a questioning eyebrow at C.J, but she nodded.

Charlie eyed the saltcellar thoughtfully. "And I'll be more careful of Abbey."

"I thought you and Donna were good friends," Josh said.

His concern touched C.J deeply. He could be so sweet sometimes.

"Oh, we are. But our claims on you clash."

Sam looked fascinated, "How?" he asked.

Josh was beginning to think he really wanted to run.

"I get the big sister privileges of vetting perspective girlfriends."

Sam blinked like things suddenly seemed to make sense. Charlie nodded. Josh refused to understand.

"You do know that you're in love with Donna, right?" Sam insisted.

Josh shook his head, "She's my assistant," he hissed. "Like you had Kathy, we had that conversation."

"And you remember I said that it was different?"

"She's my assistant," Josh repeated.

He glanced nervously at Donna. She wasn't sitting that far from them. Although she was currently arguing with Spike.

"I think it's great," C.J said, as if that should be enough. Josh didn't think so.

"So do I," Tara said.

Josh turned quickly to face her, and ignore C.J

"It's obvious you feel for each other," Tara went on quietly. "At least it for me."

"Tara can read people's auras," Dawn explained.

Josh hit his head against the table. C.J shared a triumphant smile with Sam.

"Rupert, a word in your ear?" Marbury asked suddenly.

Giles was glad to listen to something other than Dawn and Tara's advice on how Josh should approach Donna.

"My Lord," he acquiesced.

"I want you to do something for me."

"If I can," Giles agreed.

Marbury was delighted with the response.

"Take this book," he said.

He pulled the little book out of his jacket pocket and made to hand it over. Giles pulled away.

"My Lord, I really couldn't."

"You would refuse an order?" Marbury asked, with a carefully raised eyebrow.

"No," Giles admitted.

"Than I order you," Marbury said. "I've been doing this long enough. You will need the book."

Giles accepted the small leather bond volume. He held in reverently. He carefully opened it to the title page. He frowned at the hand written inscription.

"Who appointed you Lord Watcher?" he asked slowly.

"Her Majesty Elizabeth, Queen of England," Marbury said.

"Who came before you?" he asked.

"Walsingham," Marbury said.

"How old… forgive me my Lord."

"You're right, that question is not relevant. It's not the one you wanted to ask, anyway."

"What do you want me to do?" Giles asked.

"Just read the book," Marbury ordered.

The President watched the table. With Abbey sitting on one side of him he couldn't ask Leo what he knew. With Leo there, he couldn't ask Abbey why she had chosen him to run to. Given the day and the last two weeks he'd had he was surprised that he was able to think that much.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Abbey, Toby and Buffy had fallen into a mild game of one-upmanship. He was relieved to see Xander and Anya talking seriously. The only one upset seemed to be Donna. She was shaking her head vehemently at whatever Spike was telling her.

"Leo," he asked. He nodded down the table. "What's that?"

Leo looked at them too. He suddenly smiled and shook his head.

"I think he's telling her what to do about Josh."

The President tried to process that for a minute. There was a vampire at his table, in outlandish clothes, giving one of his staff relationship advice. But then, it was to Donna on how to deal with Josh.

"Good," he said.

Leo nodded. "C.J and I agree," he said.

The President sighed happily. "I think the meal is almost over."

"Yes, sir," Leo grinned.