CHAPTER 2: Hawaiian Shirt?

ONE WEEK LATER

Dawn jogged around the corner and pressed herself against the wall, trying to hold her breath. Someone was following her. Some creepy guy in a Hawaiian shirt and weird, torn shorts.

"Dawnie? What are you doing?" Willow crossed the alleyway to the younger Summers, a worried frown budding on her face. "Are you ok?"

"Someone's following me."

"What?" Willow looked around the corner; tried to spot anyone who looked shifty. "Who?"

"Some weird guy in a Hawaiian shirt."

Willow's brows lifted, then relaxed. She waved at someone and laughed, saying "Hey, you in the Hawaiian shirt!"

"Willow! No-"

Xander stepped around the corner, smiling at them both. "Hello ladies. What can I -"

"No, it wasn't Xander!" Dawn said, her teenage voice squeaking when she growled. She grabbed the Scoobies and pulled them with her.

INSIDE THE MAGIC BOX

"I don't care what the vendor told you. Those are not genuine eyes of newt."

"How can you tell?"

Anya snorted and picked up the jar she'd just unpacked. "Because a jar of newt eyes this size would cost triple the amount you paid!"

Giles frowned and gently took the jar from her, placing it back on the counter. "That's not a valid argument."

"Fine, don't believe me. But when some customer comes in complaining about her lover's testicles losing their potency rather than -"

"I'm sorry, losing their -?"

Anya opened her mouth to continue, but was interrupted by the bell hanging over the shop door. Dawn stomped inside, a grinning Willow and Xander behind her.

"I'm serious!"

"It's just a little hard to believe, Dawnie," Willow said, smiling to take some of the sting from her words.

"But he was really there!"

"What's going on?" Giles asked, the argument with Anya forgotten. Anya rolled her eyes and stowed the new jar of amphibian eyes on the shelf behind her. Dawn scowled and pointed past the Scoobies to the street outside.

"Some guy followed me from school. I had to jog here from Madison Street because I didn't know if he wanted to kidnap me or something."

Willow frowned and stiffened, and Xander's teasing expression left his face. "You didn't say anything about following you from school, Dawnster. What did he look like?"

Giles stepped forward, glaring at them before placing a hand on Dawn's shoulder. "Would you be able to describe him to me?"

"I-I don't know. He ducked when I looked his way."

"I could take a peek," Willow said quietly, wincing when Xander twisted to her. "I know a spell. I could pull an image from Dawn's recent memory." She looked to Giles, biting her lip. "I learned a few things while I was connected to Glory."

Giles' glare wasn't at full force, but it was severe enough that Willow knew what was coming next. "We need to talk. As for now, is it in any way painful?" His hand cupped Dawn's shoulder again.

"No, it's a simple connection, a-and I could bring you all into it, so you can see it, too."

"What ingredients do you need?" he asked, looking to Anya. She frowned but turned to Willow, ready to hear the necessary items.

"Just permission."

Anya smiled bright and gave a little nod. "That's the kind of spell I like. No inventory required." At Giles' look, she raised her brows. "What? It's saving our store money. That's good."

Giles sighed and shook his head, his grin both reluctant and amused. "Let's get this done, then. I wanted to take you all to dinner tonight after we picked up Buffy."

"Oh really? Where we headed, Big G?"

"You'll be headed home if you call me that again," Giles growled, not looking back at the boy. Xander just chuckled and winked at Anya.