Disclaimer: Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and Joss Whedon own all the rights to the characters from two of the best shows on television.
Chapter Nine
"And you would be who?" Janice asked as she looked up at Gunther. "Besides a somewhat cute guy who makes coffee."
"And how do you know Rachel? Everyone who knows Rachel is at the store," Dawn pointed out as she too looked up at Gunther.
"I'm Gunther and I need to know where Rachel is. It's urgent!" he said as he began waving his arms around. "Free muffins," he bribed.
Janice shrugged. "What about mocchacchinos?" she asked curiously.
"Whatever," Gunther promised. "Just tell me where she is."
Janice smiled. "Out the street, last store on the right. Tell the cute guy looking at the food that I say hi."
"That would be Joey," Dawn added for Gunther's benefit. "But if you're truly Rachel's friend, you would know that." She looked up at Gunther again, only to find him missing. Dawn shrugged, turning back to Janice. "So do you think Dylan knows that I exist?"
Gunther whistled as he skipped down the streets of Sunnydale. He followed Janice's exact directions to get to the store where his beloved Rachel would be. There it is, he said happily to himself. The store. A bright blue sign was above it and Gunther thought it sounded a bit weird. The Magic Box. He shrugged it off as he pushed through the doors, hoping to find Rachel.
"Welcome to the Magic Box," Anya greeted the man. "Anything I can help you with today, sir?"
"Yes, actually," Gunther said. "I was told a friend of mine was here. She's blond and kinda tall, but not really."
Phoebe looked over at the door. "My god, Gunther, if you want me this badly, why didn't you say something earlier?"
Gunther shook his head. "Um, sorry, not looking for you."
Willow's mouth dropped open. "That's Gunther?" she asked in astonishment. "I was expecting someone a little more…" She stopped, not knowing exactly what she wanted to put in that blank.
"Sophisticated?" Anya suggested casually. She turned back to Gunther. "Are you going to buy something? 'Cause if you're not, you're loitering. I don't like loiterers. They're un-American."
Gunther shot her a look of confusion before shrugging. "Sure I'll buy things," he said as he slowly looked around the store. He figured the more time he spent looking at the things, the more of a chance he would have at seeing Rachel. He studied every item on the shelves carefully. Every so often he would pick up an item and carry it around as if he had the intention of purchasing it.
Gunther kept his search going for nearly an hour. He overheard many interesting conversations going on in the store, but none of them pertained to Rachel. Instead these people talked about demons, magick spells, and such. He thought they might be insane, but if they knew Rachel, he would follow them to the mental institution.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Gunther, the back door opened. A short blond woman came into the main part of the store first. She was dressed only in sweatpants and a t-shirt, but she was not Rachel. An elder man followed her and walked over to the woman who had greeted him when he had walked in. Finally-he saw her. Rachel Karen Green emerged from the back room. She too was dressed in sweats. Sweat covered her forehead, but Gunther thought she was radiant. If they were ever to have children, he imagined this is what Rachel would look like after giving birth.
"You really think I'm ready to start killing demons?" Rachel asked Buffy curiously.
Buffy nodded. "Not alone. Not yet. But I think if you were accompanied by a group of Scoobies and possibly me and Giles, you would do fine."
Rachel gasped, catching sight of Gunther. "Well here's a way to find out," she pointed out as she glared at the coffee man.