Giles had been called into the museum on a consulting job and he'd suggested that Anya call Xander to help set up the new bookcases. The plan was to get the books out of the closet they'd been packed into when Giles got home. Anya had seen no reason to wait and when the assembly had gone quickly she and Xander had started to get the books in order on their own. It would be a wonderful surprise for Giles.
"W- Wha--? Dear lord, Anya, what have you done?" Giles looked at the bookshelves in front of him in horror.
"Don't you like it?
"How could you possibly think I would? Nothing is in order," Giles said.
"I know it's not the way they were in the library, but this is a home. I was watching television and this man was demonstrating the proper way to arrange a bookshelf. He said to arrange the books artfully according to size and the color of the binding. I thought it would be the perfect surprise for you." Anya stiffened her back and went on the defensive, "It took me hours and we're almost done."
Giles said, "I realize that, but we'll have to reorganize."
"Stop sounding so… librarian-ish. You're retired," Anya reminded him.
Xander walked part of the way into the room carrying the last box of books from the closet. "Um. Hi there, you two." Giles ignored him in favor of glaring at Anya and she did the same. "I'll just go on home," Xander said. "Not that you two haven't made me feel welcome. You've made me feel really at home. I think I'll come back when you're not. Reminding of home, I mean."
Anya and Giles chorused, "No. Stay," to Xander before he got to the front door.
"Anya, these are books. Books, not bloody flowers! You don't arrange books, you shelf them according to the alphabet. And just when did you start taking anything on television seriously? I realize I'm being a bit particular but they're books," Giles said, having no better way of explaining.
"Oh…It was HGTV; I thought I could trust it to be factual. I mean, it wasn't like it was something on the History Channel or SciFi. But I guess I should have known, what with Martha Stewart on the same channel and all. And anyway you keep leaving the toilet seat up!" Anya added the last bit with a look that clearly said 'so there!'.
"Hey, not that I'm picking sides, 'cause both sides look scary… I mean, right. Um, look, it's just a couple of book shelves here, not a whole library," Xander tried to intervene.
Giles continued to ignore Xander and asked Anya, "What on earth does the toilet seat have to do with anything?" He could tell by the look in her eyes that Anya was prolonging the fight because she wanted the last word . And possibly more to make up for later but her method puzzled him.
"Wasn't that the point in the argument where I was supposed to bring up a totally irrelevant past misbehavior? The seat thing was all I could come up with. I wasn't prepared to get into a fight."
Xander said, "I should leave."
"Now you sound like Buffy when she visits," Giles said. "Stay. We'll need your help putting this right."
"I thought you'd give me a back rub tonight in gratitude for all my work, followed by leisurely sex. I'm wearing my red panties."
Giles reached out to touch Anya's face and pulled her into a hug. "The shelves still need to be changed. I need to be able to find the books I want when I need them."
Anya kissed Giles and pulled away with a smile. "If finding the books is the only problem I can show you where they all are."
"Surely, you can't remember where you've placed them all? Find Demons of the New World by J.M. Rogerson for me, please."
Keeping her back to the bookcases Anya said, "Top row of the case by Xander. It's the second book on the left, red binding and black lettering." Anya didn't even look smug when Xander gave Giles the book, or after repeating the process four more times. After the fifth she said, "What are you doing? These books have nothing in common."
"Anya, don't you know this is extraordinary? Did you always have a photographic memory or is it something you acquired as a demon and have retained?" Giles asked.
Anya shrugged. "How should I know? I just remember what I remember. If I've forgotten anything I don't remember it, right?" Then with an equal measure of hope and worry Anya asked, "Does this mean I could still have some power?"
Xander made a choking sound and grabbed Giles by the arm. Giles pounded him on the back and Xander's cough became real. "I think you need to help me get a drink in the kitchen, Giles," Xander said when he could squeeze the words out, and he pulled a reluctant Giles into the kitchen. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but, Giles, are you sure you know what you're doing living with her?"
"I have been making my own choices in that area longer than you've been alive," Giles said quietly, holding his temper deliberately in check. For the first time in a long while he could feel the power Anya said he still had simmer in the back of his eyes.
Xander stood his ground. "I know you're the grown up here, but I was that girl's prom date. She, whatever she is, has a real nasty past. If Anya's not human, if she still has powers of some kind, what's gonna happen the next time you fight? Is she going to chop you up in little pieces or start sucking your soul out of you like Cathy, the roomie from hell?"
Giles mentally counted to ten and paced the kitchen as far as he was able in the small space before answering. "While uncommon it is not unheard of for a mortal human to have a photographic memory, Xander, and whatever her past, Anya is mortal." Giles paused, and decided to be honest with Xander. "I love her, and for some reason, she feels the same for me. If she had horns and a tail I'd still count myself a lucky bastard."
Giles handed Xander a drink of water and poured himself one. "Next time Anya and I fight, we'll do exactly what we always do; argue until we reach a compromise or run out of steam." Giles reached up for his glasses and cleaned them. "I cannot imagine her ever harming anyone again. In any case, it's my risk to take."
"Honestly, I hope you're right, no guy I know deserves happily ever after more. I've just never seen this kind of risk pay off."
"I was raising demons at your age and I don't recall being that cynical."
"Yeah. But how many have you gone out with?" When Giles was about to answer Xander raised his hand to halt any comment. "Anyway, you were rebelling against your parents' high expectations back then. I've already exceeded the expectations of mine just by graduating high school; it makes for lots of cynically-ness." Xander put down his glass and said, "So long. I suppose it would be a good idea for me to knock when I stop by from now on?"
It was clear Xander was asking if he would still be welcome here and that it mattered greatly to the young man. For a moment he felt ridiculously guilty for the times he'd thought of Xander as a pest. "Knocking is always a good idea, Xander. But this is Anya's home, too. Understood?"
When they left the kitchen Giles found his arms full of affectionate Anya. "That's the first time you've told anybody else how you feel," Anya said, after kissing him with enthusiasm.
"You heard all of it?" Xander asked, red faced with guilt.
"Yes, you don't need to worry about Giles. I'd never hurt him, and why would I suck his soul when there are so many other nice parts?"
"I think that's my cue to leave," Xander said.
"No," Anya said. "Stay and help, I've changed my mind, they're Giles' books and should be put where he wants. Besides, there won't be room for all of them this way."
Giles said, "Three people will get it done faster." At this point he was a little disappointed to win the argument. He would rather have got rid of Xander and then got Anya out of those red knickers. But he knew Anya, she couldn't leave anything half done for later.
"Gotcha, just explain to me that crazy system you call the alphabet and we're in business."
A few hours later, Giles, Anya and Xander stood back and admired their handiwork. The books had all been put back in order along with the ones Xander had brought out of storage. Anya said, "It looked better before."
Xander said, "Yeah, it was prettier, Anya. I can't believe we found room for all of them." He gave the pile of empty boxes an incredulous look.
Giles said, "I cannot believe we managed to get it all done in one night."
"Yeah, just like Santa," Xander said with a huge yawn, "So much for steady employment. I'm headed for my hovel. See you guys."
Anya said, "You should get out of that basement, get a place of your own. You're a diligent worker and you shouldn't have trouble finding employment." She sounded ready to give poor Xander a maternal pat on the head.
"Yes, Mom, I'll do that. Bye, G-Man."
The first ring of the phone was drowned out by the sound of the door closing and a chorus of "Don't call me that!"
"A call this late must be for you, Giles."
Giles sighed and picked up the phone. What Anya hadn't said was that it was probably trouble. "Hello? Buffy… The Gem of Amara. Are you sure? Uh, oh, it's just, uh, it's not real. It's uh, the vampire equivalent of the Holy Grail. The source of some enormous power was conveniently vague." Giles put his hand over the phone to ask Anya for Myths and Legends of the Undead smiling his thanks when she handed it to him. "Thank you, here it is, yes. There was a great deal of vampiric interest in locating it during the, uh, oh, the 10th century. Questing vampires combed the earth, but no one ever found anything… It was concluded that it never existed… Yes, well, I'll research it as best I can. You've done all you can for tonight. Why don't you go to bed."
"If we're going to be all night I'll make some tea; want anything to eat while I'm at it?" Anya headed for the kitchen and sighed. "Boy, those red panties are sure going to waste tonight."
The Scooby Gang gathered at Giles' and Anya's apartment the following night. Seating was crowded and Anya settled herself nearly on Giles' lap. He was comfortable like that, but it was obvious from their sidelong glances that Buffy and Willow weren't. In an obvious effort to avoid staring at Giles, Willow studied the Gem of Amara and remarked, "I like it."
"It's small." Oz said.
"Really worth getting my ribs bashed in," Xander added.
Giles said, "It's also very dangerous. And we're destroying it."
"We can't, don't you remember? It can only be destroyed by a vampire," Anya reminded.
"Any vampire that gets his hand on this is going to be essentially invincible. Who could we trust?" Giles said. He looked at Buffy for a moment and saw her intent in her eyes. "Oh."
Oz offered, "I have that gig in L.A. I could swing by."
"What's going on? What's in L.A?" Xander asked.
Willow said, "She's giving the ring to Angel. Don't make a fuss."
"Buffy, are you sure?" Giles asked.
"He should have it. He'll do the right thing," Buffy stated.
"Come on, Rupert," Anya said, rising and wisely changing the subject. "Let's get everyone some snacks.You know, if everyone's going to be here all the time it might be am good idea to get a bigger place?"
"Hey, a place with a game room, maybe a pool. That would be so cool," Xander said.
Oz said, "I could hook you two up with a killer sound system."
His guests had been giving him and Anya uneasy looks all evening and Giles couldn't resist giving them a hard time this once. "Anya, love,we are not buying the residential equivalent of the Bronze." He gave her bottom a pat for good measure and stage whispered, "They'll never leave us alone and won't get the chance to try out the sofa again."
Xander jumped off the sofa he was sitting on like it had just caught fire. "Hey, Anya, how about we save those snacks for another night. I think I'll just head on home and rest those ribs of mine."
"Yeah, um good idea, Xan. I'm getting pretty sleepy, too. I think I'll head for the dorm. Buffy, you want to go, too? Come on, Oz, walk us back," Willow said, practically dragging her boyfriend out the door.
Once they'd all gone Anya turned to Giles, and kissed him. "Rupert Giles, has anybody ever told you you're just a little evil?"
"It has been hinted at."
"You did that on purpose and I love you for it," Anya said.
"Buffy agrees with me, and so does Xander, I mean he didn't say, but I could tell he thought it was weird. Why aren't you even saying, 'Oh, that's interesting' or something, Oz?" Willow asked while they headed for campus.
"Yeah, Giles and Anya are so cuddlesome it's just creepy." Buffy added, "Not in a Hellmouth way but still. Not. Right."
"Anya is an interesting choice for Giles, granted, but as far as the cuddlesomeness goes, it's no big, my parents are like that all the time," Oz said. "You'll learn to deal." Buffy and Willow shared a shocked look.