A/N: I own nothing of the Whedonverse nor any fairytales and I am not profiting from this work.

Chapter 19

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Angel, I don't think we were ever actually friends

Pack of wild dogs couldn't drag me away

Good night, Buffy

"Oz and I kind of, well, broke up." Willow was washing potatoes and keeping her eyes glued to the spotless spuds.

"Oh my God! You what?" Buffy nearly dropped the pumpkin pie filling. This couldn't be happening. This was Oz and Willow. Willow and Oz. They were adorable. They were sweet. They had made it through...things. They were the stable couple in the group. The Stable Couple.

Buffy took a mental breath. This wasn't like her parents or any of the boys before or after the Age of Angel/us. This was not another failure for her and she so didn't need the timeshare in that headspace. This was Willow time not Buffy will totally die alone time. "I mean, are you okay?"

"Nice save Buffy. Yeah, it was mutual. He wanted to go see his Aunt Maureen and Uncle Ken. It turns out his cousin Jordy was the one who turned him and the terrible twos are pretty bad when the kid has lycanthropy. So Oz went to see what they have in the way of control techniques. You know since it seems to 'run in the family'."

"Woah Wills, I don't think you're supposed to waterboard the peels off." Xander looked between the other kitchen occupants. "And, I interrupted something, didn't I?"

"Xander, where was I supposed to place the Jetpuffed sweet potatoes?" Anya looked at the three of them. "Why won't you answer me?"

"Ahn." Xander placed a guiding hand on the small of her back.

"Oh, I understand. We have interrupted something. Here. I will place the odd dessert that is not a dessert but is a side dish on the table and go watch the dog show with Mrs. Summers." She glanced at Xander. "When you're done I'll be there."

As Anya flounced jauntily to the front room Xander couldn't help but smile. They had talked about her insecurities in the group and he had, kind of fumbled, but explained that Buffy and Willow were his friends and very special to him but that Anya herself was a different sort of special and just as important.

"So, should I ask what happened?"

"It's okay. Oz and I are pretty much broken up and we will probably see each other again, as friends, but he doesn't want to put me in danger until he can control himself when he isn't, um, himself."

"Like Jennifer Walters." Xander said with a sage nod.

"The news anchor?" Buffy tried to find the connection.

"No, She-Hulk. The Hulk's cousin who is super-smart and kinda sexy but in control of her evergreen persona."

Both girls went back to cooking with a joint sound of displeasure.

"What? It's not sexist. What's sexist is that you guys are the ones cooking Thanksgiving. I mean that's pretty-" He stopped at the hand on his shoulder.

"Quit while you're ahead mate. And anyway it doesn't look like you have time to volunteer or get enlisted. Demon Gal is going on about the unfairness that Hellhounds are still not in the hound category. Now, it's crackin' up the niblet but the new girl is lookin' a bit off."

"New girl?" Buffy held out a tasting spoon for the cranberries and Spike unconsciously took a bite and gave a nod and smile before addressing the little group again.

"Yeah," Buffy handed him a bowl and he started stirring while talking. "Glinda, sweet girl. Didn't catch her name but you can just smell the magic comin' off of her. Like I said sweet girl. Can't imagine her being the bad sort."

Willow and Xander went out to the front room to handle their respective guests and Spike finished up preparing the potatoes Willow had abandoned.

"So," Buffy initiated as she started back on getting the pumpkin filling in the pie shells and then into the oven. "Am I good or am I bad?"

Spike made a show of thinking it over as he dried his hands on a dishtowel. "Why I thought you'd know, luv. You're not a witch at all." Just as he was reaching up to remove a bit of, something, from her cheek an odd mumble came from the cookbook. And, why, it wasn't a cookbook at all. Buffy flipped her tome of Watcher closed so he could speak clearly.

"All of the knowledge in the known universe and she uses me to know how best to prepare stuffings and pie." Giles appeared highly offended.

"You know, luv, you could've just picked up the prepared stuff from the grocers."

"I guess so. I mean it would've cost a little more but it would've tasted good enough and I would've been able to spend time with everyone. Well, it's pretty locked in now."

Giles harrumphed quietly. "I made a lot of these points earlier, but fine, no one listens to me."

"Sorry Giles." Buffy smiled at him while Spike stirred, seasoned, and basted. She had to figure out how he knew this stuff.

"Oh." Giles felt silly having been caught out moping. "Well, alright, just remember to set the timer."

"Will do Watcher-mine."