Anya remained quiet and still even though it wasn't in her nature to be either, especially when she was trying to be angry. Giles was so deeply engrossed in the book he was studying that he hadn't noticed her enter the library. She reminded herself that no matter how nicely shaped he was, a Giles was the reason she'd lost her power.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Do you need help finding a book?" Giles asked, with a slight smile of apology.
This Giles seemed less desperate and a little softer around the edges than the one she knew. Studying him closely though she could see a patina of sadness; life had left its mark on this Giles too. Anya cleared her throat loudly, stiffened her spine and tried to banish the annoying sympathy she felt. She had a well practiced rant and the aggravating man had to smile in a way that didn't reach his eyes. When he took off his glasses she acted just like the stupid teenager she appeared to be and blurted out her first thought. "Your eyes are green."
"Yes, they have been for a while," Giles said and smiled a little wider.
"Here I was feeling all warm and soft and you're laughing at me? I'm not some little girl!" Anya practically growled. "I'm over 1100 years old and I'm mad at you, or at least I was until you smiled. It's just not fair."
Giles sighed and said to the universe in general. "Of course, nothing is ever simple or fair is it?" He didn't see any signs that the girl in front of him was about to drain away his life force or dismember him. Not knowing what else to do, he fell back on training that predated even what he learned from the Council; he pulled out a chair and handed the girl or whatever she was, his handkerchief. "Would a drink help?"
"God, yes, the strongest you have; I'm not in the mood to be picky."
"I was thinking of a glass of water or tea."
"In that case, no thank you," Anya said, disappointed.
"Do you think you're ready to tell me what this is all about?" Giles asked kindly when the girl seemed less distressed.
"My real name isn't Anya, it's Anyanka, I was a vengeance demon. My field was scorned women; I was up for employee of the century until my power center was destroyed and it's all your fault. A girl named Cordelia summoned me and everything was going well; the world where Buffy never came to Sunnydale was pretty much hell on earth, then you tried to take my pendant that was my power center. Anyway, when you weren't fast enough to get it, I decided to play a game. I said I would spend until sunrise sharing orgasms with you. I put the pendant on a dresser across the room and the first person to get up and reach it could do whatever he or she wanted with it."
Anya told him what happened during that night in more detail than Giles really wanted but she was sketchy on the facts of the morning after. She ended simply by saying that he had been the first to reach the pendant. When her tale was finished Giles sat back stunned. He just couldn't see himself making the sort of bargain Anya claimed his Alternate-self had made with her. It was too sordid and seemed egotistical. Anya had been very frank in telling him what had transpired; he couldn't sort out his feelings- embarrassment, fascination, perhaps a twisted hint of jealousy.
"He, the other you, was desperate," Anya concluded.
"Yes, well. What exactly did you come in here for?" Giles asked. He half expected her to say she wanted to try for two out of three. Recent candy related activity not withstanding he didn't know if he was up for the challenge. Even though part of him was saying that he could be with very little encouragement.
"My first thought was to find that redhead of yours. You know - Rowan? Fern?"
"You mean Willow?"
"Yes, that's her. I thought she could help me do a spell to get my power center back but I changed my mind. Kids that age almost always screw up the magics no matter how much natural talent they have."
Anya glared at the grin he tried to suppress and Giles shrugged. "You have to admit, you appear to be a 'kid that age' yourself."
"You don't believe I'm not?" Anya asked. She was ready to storm out of the library until Giles put his hand over hers. It was as big and warm as she remembered. "I was going to demand you help me get my amulet back. Then you were nice and gave me your hanky and offered tea." She sighed in resignation. "Oh, what's the use? D'Hoffryn will only be angry and take it away again if I get it back anyway."
"So, what is it you want now, Anya?" Whether she was 17 or 1100 the woman in front of him looked so lost he couldn't help reaching out to her.
She wanted to throw herself at him and demand that he make love to her. It would be nice, better than nice and he would feel tied to her. Anya hated being so adrift. Instead she asked for what she really needed and wasn't so sure she could get. "Do you think you could help me? I don't know how to do this, be human, anymore. I know it's ludicrous but could you be my friend?"
"Well, it's no more ridiculous than anything else that's happened since I've arrived in Sunnydale. I'll be here if you need me. Now, I think you need to go to your next class." He was smiling and cleaning his glasses when she left.