Author's note: Hey everyone, My formal went well so i'm all tickled pink. i decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. hee hee hee. I've also watched 'Pride and Prejudice', and i love it so much. course, i love the book too. I'm such a dork for love/hate relationships. I have another choose their own adventure at the end of this!

this is the former chapter 9 that has now become chapter 12 thanks to suggestions and 'choose their own adventure' which pretty much throws some of my story lines off

Chapter XII - Sunnydale: The Scoobies Have Dealt, Mourned and Moved On

The Magic Box was one of the few shops on Main Street. Over the last ten or so years, this fine institution had changed little, a dependable staple that Sunnydale Residents could rely on should they wish to 'get their occult thang on!' over the years it has gone through little change, going from minor-ly campy to somewhat authentic, passing from owner to owner until several yeas ago, it was purchased by retired Sunnydale High librarian Rupert Giles. The magic box was ideal to him and the Scoobies, it provided extra income for Mister Giles (who already enjoyed a regular stipend care of the Watcher's council) and the others (who were basically quite successful on their own), it replaced the library as Scooby research central and it was the ideal place for the slayer to train.

Yes. The slayer. Faith Mc Addams, Mister Giles's new slayer who was right now taking Physical Studies at UC Sunnydale.

For their part, the Scoobies, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz helped with research, patrol and in Willow's case spells. So life progressed much like it had in high school and though the Scoobies had grown up and moved on, their lives were no less supernatural.

"Good morning, Giles!" Willow as she entered the store. On days that she didn't have classes, like this one, she helped out around the magic box consulting with the customers and suchlike. "Sorry, I'm late."

Giles smiled looked up fro yet another ancient text and smiled at her.

"It's not a problem." he said. "Had some trouble with the little ones?"

Willow nodded biting her lip a little.

"They're in Kinder-care right now." she said as she put down the large canvas bag that she had slung over her shoulder. She pulled out an elastic and tied back her long wavy red hair. "They got sent home the other day, and their caretaker, Miss Hannigan wanted to see Oz and I about them."

At this Giles frowned.

"Oh?"

Willow knew this was her cue to go on. She and Oz had been married since her graduation of senior year only a little after Willow found out that she was pregnant. So in preparation of having a family, Oz accepted a position at the computer company that had been wooing the both of them since career week of Willow's junior year. (Author's Note: circa 'What's my line?') He was bringing in enough money to support them so Willow accepted the offer to go to UC Sunnydale on full scholarship, and worked at the magic box on her free days-more to help Giles than anything else. It was soon after that the newly weds found out that they were not having a baby, they were having a litter.

"Maya wolfed-out in playtime and when Miss Hannigan saw her she freaked and the totally got mad at Dax, Loki, Seth and Janey," Willow stopped and sighed. Her litter, big brother Dax, the most physically powerful of them all, next in line was protective Jane, then sly Loki and then contemplative Seth and lastly, the runt of the litter but the most magically powerful Spunky little Maya. "Big badness." she paused again. "And then she told them never to bring their pets to school and you know how they get about the P word."

Giles removed his glasses cleaned them and replaced them, waiting or Willow to continue.

"so of course Janey blows up yelling at the teacher that wolves are people too and that she should learn to respect animals, and Seth started tossing clay at the ground angrily, this distracted her long enough for Dax and Loki to get away." Willow took another deep breath and went on. "And as soon as they were out of sight they somehow managed to short all the power in the building."

Giles bit back a smile, if the watcher didn't know any better he would have thought that the kids had planned it that way. It was pretty much a norm already. Maya gets into trouble, Janey and Seth distract the grown up while Dax and Loki do something to rectify the situation.

"-so me and Oz were really worried about them and-and-and- Giles you're laughing!" willow ended with a whine. She looked slightly put out. "This is serious!"

"What's serious?"

The bell rang as Cordelia Chase entered the shop.

"The little ones got into trouble at school again." Giles explained.

"And Giles seemed to think it was big on the funniness." Willow pouted.

Cordelia shrugged. She had become a lot easier to deal with when her parents went broke and she got major wake-up call. Things like loosing all your money and a lot of your friends in just a few days so can be big on the humility thing. She and Xander were now living in sin together in a brand new apartment and had just got engaged. Ol' Cordy worked the finances and stuff of the Magic Box to fund her accountancy course in UC Sunnydale

"Kind of is." She said as she made her way behind the counter to re-count the previous day's earnings and log them into her account book. "But then again the cubs are so angelic you are bound to get some form problem from them at some point."

Willow frowned.

"They're just headstrong."

Cordy considered this and nodded.

"Of course they are." She said. "Something that Dax demonstrated when he head butted good ol' Miss Wellington."

Willow cringed at the mention of the cubs' last teacher, who had resigned not two weeks after the cubs were put into her care.

"I heard she's doing well."

"He broke her nose, Willow." Cordy dead panned.

The red head blanched and turned away from Cordy's amused smile

"Only a little." She protested.

Cordy just sighed she sent Giles a happy perky smile that said quite obviously that she wasn't going to be a part of the discussion any longer.

"That's great that you can delude yourself that way, Willow." She said channeling Queen C for a moment. "Really it is." She paused, her smile disappearing. "Now I have to get to money matters."

Willow huffed.

"Fine."

The bell dinged again and in came Dawn.

Buffy's sister grinned and held up a big bag.

"I brought doughnuts." She said brightly.

"Excellent." Willow said. "But the big research party is later. Don't you have school today?"

Dawn shrugged.

"Senior skip day." She said. "I figured I could spare a bit of my time to come hang with you guys and make with the sugary goodness before meeting up with Janice and the others."

Dawn was a Senior at Sunnydale High and had already gotten accepted early decision to UC Sunnydale, she was pretty much coasting her final semester.

"-but don't worry." She continued. "I figure I should be back before sunset though so we can all help Angel with the newest big evil that is doing the 'afoot' thing."

Willow grinned.

"Well, that good because we sure could use your sleeping skills." She teased gently. "And you could use the naptime."

Dawn elbowed her, settled into her usual place around the research table and reached for doughnut.

"Hello all!" Xander greeted as he entered. "And why is the Dawnster here? Doesn't she have the Academics to be engaging in?"

"Senior skip day." Cordy explained looking up from her books and Smiling at her fiancé. "Remember? We had to fight that lizard guy with Angel?"

Xander's brow furrowed with thought.

"Was that before or after we fought those telepathic potatoes of doom?"

"After." Willow said with all seriousness.

Giles shook his head at the assembled scoobies, after work, Oz would arrive with the litter, and they would be settled and sleeping by the time (It seemed to magic the way Oz and Willow handled them, no one else could put those spit fires down. In fact, there was a large possibility it was magic.) Angel arrived at sundown and they would research the newest baddie and all go out to fight it.

He knew that no one would mention the significance of this day. He knew they were all aware of it, but no one would hint at their remembrance of it.

No one but him. He walked into the back office and crossed out another day on his calendar.

Buffy disappeared today.

It had been seven years.

Author's note:

Choose THEIR own adventure:

Why should Buffy and Spike return to Sunnydale?

A) Glory B) Adam and the Initiative C) something of my own devising D) other, please specify

hahahha, i've just answered like... 8 practice tests and 12 surveys henve the option D

send in your votes.