CHAPTER 7

Buffy paced back and forth beside the dinning room table occasionally dragging her nails across its surface. The front door opened causing all five occupants of the room to straighten, their attention nailing Riley in place. Upon recognition they all looked away, disappointed.

"Well that's a friendly greeting," he remarked, sardonically.

"They're late," Willow said, glancing up at him and back down at hers and Tara's joined hands. Evidently she found that to be explanation enough.

"Who?" Riley asked, his face, somewhat farm-boyishly, displaying his confusion.

"Mysteries Inc.," Dawn said.

"They haven't returned from visiting the Hellmouth," Giles finished.

Riley opened his mouth to respond but before he had a chance to say anything the front door opened again.

"Hi every-" Xander started, pausing as Anya stop stock still beside him, turning ashy.

She shrieked in utter terror and ran out of the house.

Everyone stared at the space she had occupied then hurried to follow her.

"Anya?" Xander called walking down the porch steps toward where his girlfriend stood in the road, ringing her hands. "What's wrong Honey?"

She ran to meet him in the middle of the sidewalk and flung her arms around him, burying her face in the thin material of his brown t-shirt. Sobs shook her frame and Xander gently wrapped his arms around her.

"I was so afraid I never see you again!" Anya cried. Looking over his shoulder her terror transformed into anger. "This was all your idea wasn't it!" she spat at Willow. "You… you… you…! With you're 'let's make fun of the ex-demon' and…"

Willow looked totally confused and took half a step back from the sheer force of Anya's hysterical anger. Then something snapped inside her, like it always did when she was forced to deal with her best friend's demonic paramour. "What the frilly-heck are you talking about?" She spat back. "I didn't do anything. You're the one that freaked out and ran out the house for no reason!"

"I KNOW it was you! You cast some kind of spell again! I bet you thought it was really funny to bring that bunny here, but just you wait; I bet it'll get you first."

"Bunny?" Willow said slowly. She blinked and barely managed not to giggle. "This is about the bunny?"

"It will kill us all, with its floppy ears and twitchy nose!" Anya proclaimed, seeing their expressions change from concern to ill concealed humor.

A glance back through the open door showed the rabbit, clearly visible in the hutch that Buffy had brought home last night, curled up in a tiny dark ball with its eyes tightly closed. Its nosed twitched as it dreamed and its long ears shuddered once.

"I'm sorry Anya," Buffy said, mostly straight faced. "I brought it here last night, I forgot you where afraid of them."

"So you're keeping it captive until you can Slay it?" Anya asked hopefully.

"No! No Slaying," Dawn said animatedly. "It's mine. It's a pet."

"A pet!" Anya screeched. "You're keeping one of those beasts as a PET?"

"His name is Jellybean," Dawn offered.

Anya opened and closed her mouth several times but no sound emerged.

"So about the missing ghostbusters-" Riley began when it became clear Anya was incapable of speech.

"Oh fine, ignore me! I've only been a demon for the past couple centuries, what would I know about dangerous evil? --Dangerous evil that you brought inside your very home and gave cute pet names to?"

"We'll deal with the bunny later Anya, you don't have to go near it. Right now I think we need to head over to Sunnydale High and see if we can locate Mysteries Inc." Buffy said answering Riley's unfinished question. She had known it was a bad idea to get outsiders involved in the Slaying.

"Great!" Dawn said. "I'll just get—"

"No," Buffy said. "You're staying here."

"But-"

"Buffy," Giles interceded. "It might be best to let Dawn come along. We are unlikely to run across anything truly dangerous and she could get into more trouble if she follows us on her own."

"Fine," Buffy said. "But if I tell you to get out of there, I want you to do it, no questions. Run as fast as you can until you get someplace safe."

"I promise I'll be good!" Dawn said earnestly.

"Tara, I want you to watch out for her. If things get bad make sure Dawn's safe."

Tara nodded in acceptance. She could see why Buffy picked her, but Tara thought she might have been better with someone else. Tara wasn't that powerful and didn't know if she could truly bring herself to leave Willow if things got apocalypsy, despite whatever Tara might tell herself to do or how much she cared about Dawn.