Disclaimer: The characters of BTVS belong to Joss Whedon and various entities/companies none of which I have any affiliation with.

Author’s note: Some dialogue taken from “Double Meat Palace” and “Older and Far Away” Thanks to Bloodytearsoflife for the betaing and the great advice.

Thanks to Cewcew, margaret, CM, Marzbar, Idk, and Tasha for the great reviews!
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Chapter 25: Family Ties

Buffy teleported into her New York apartment, blood smattering her clothes as usual. She had long given up being frustrated at the amount of clothes she went through in the course of a week. At least she’d found out about the joys of stain remover.

Her apartment was pock marked with burns all over the floor indicating the number of times and places she’d entered via portal into the place.

There was one spot on the floor that was unusual though. The doorway, seldom used, its pristine hardwood floor holding a strange white envelope.

She had mail.

Curiously Buffy picked up the envelope and inspected it. It had been years since she had gotten anything in the mail. She didn’t even know if anyone who actually had this address was alive anymore.

Noting the address was correct and that the name on the envelope was hers, Buffy opened it, her heart fluttering with nervousness.

Xander Harris and Anya Jenkins
request your presence
to celebrate our joyous union
in married bliss
Bison Lodge, Sunnydale, California
March 3 2002
RSVP

Buffy couldn’t help the nervous giggle that issued from her lips.
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Buffy teleported into a very well lit apartment, kinda reminded her of what her New York apartment looked like when she had first acquired it in 1953. There was a man, with large upper arms and a dim expression, sitting on the couch, talking to someone in another room.

“Ahn, that was Liz, she's working late, so I might have to go- yah!” yelled the large man.

Buffy understood the reaction, she was in her game face. It tended to strike terror into the hearts of those she was called to do vengeance upon.

This is going to be fun, she thought. “I have been called, and vengeance shall I wreak.” She was doing an excellent job of sounding completely serious. Buffy pointed at the large man on the couch. “Cower, masculine one ... tremble as you face my wrath!”

Buffy loved how the man was cowering further into the couch. It was comical really. She really enjoyed her job. Buffy turned her attention as another being entered the room, unaware of her presence.

“Xander, I'm starting to think that maybe we should do a pot-luck thing,” said Anyanka.

“Honey?” asked the man on the couch.

There was a gasp from Anyanka as the former demon saw her friend.

“Hello. I am here to tear this man apart. How many pieces do you wish?” asked Buffy keeping up the joke.

“Erixel!“ cried Anyanka happily.

“Anyanka!“ gushed Buffy. “I’m so happy to see you!“ Buffy continued leaning in to hug her friend.

“How are you, how are you?” asked Anyanka.

“You two ... you know each other?” asked the large man on the couch, his eyes darting between them.

“Funny, Erixel, I didn't summon you to kill Xander. I called to invite you to our wedding” explained Anyanka.

“I got the invitation only a couple of minutes ago. I’ve got to see the ring!“

Anyanka presented her hand to her friend.

“Wow, it’s beautiful Anyanka!” Buffy exclaimed, examining the ring from every angle.

The man, Xander, stood up.

“Wow, um, you two clearly have some catching up to do. So I'll, uh ... I'll not be in the apartment.”

Buffy gave him a critical eye as the man left the apartment. The two friends shared a look and then flopped down on the now vacant couch.

“Gosh, it's swell to see you again, Rixy, I didn't mean to have you materialize all the way here, I mean, not-not till the ceremony, I mean.”

Buffy laughed. “I wanted to surprise you! I haven’t seen you in years! So, um ... you're marrying that man with the large upper arms?”

Anyanka smiled. “Yes.”

“Why?” she asked puzzled. If there was one thing Anya had always been certain about it was that men were designed to be used and tossed away.

“Well,” she started. “Because I love him.”

“Oh?”

“Oh, we're gonna be very happy together.”

“Uh huh. Tea?“
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Tea was produced, served on Anyanka’s collection of fine china cups, a throw back to the days when just the two of them had tea on a regular basis.

“Tell me more about Xander,” asked Buffy, genuinely interested in this incredibly human man that Anyanka had fallen in love with.

“You keep asking about him. Do you think I'm making a mistake?”

“Do you?” she countered back.

“Well, no! Xander, he... He's very kind, and brave ... he has the sweetest smile and the nicest body, and ... he loves me. I mean, sometimes it isn't easy, but, he does.”

“Who told you that it isn't easy to love you?”

“Well, you know, I'll do something, or say something, and, and then he has to say stuff like, 'it's incorrect for you to appreciate money so much,' or, or, 'Observe: here is how a real human would behave.'“

“Oh, so he corrects you?” asked Buffy, looking for clarification.

“Well, no, it's just ... um ... well, no, I mean, now I'm all confused, I mean, what, do you think there's something wrong with, with the way he treats me?”

“Do you?” asked Buffy.

“Okay, you have to stop doing that. I love Xander,” she stated with a nod of her head.

“Even though he thinks he knows better than you?”

“B-but he doesn't, he doesn't think that.”

Buffy didn‘t comment right away, but took a sip from her teacup. “I was just curious. I want what is best for you Anyanka, you are my friend. My first friend as a demon, and I want you to be happy. If you say that this Xander person is the your soulmate, then I’ll be right there behind you. I have never found it hard to love you. You are my best friend.“

“Aww! Rixy! You are too sweet! Of course that’s cause Reagan what’s her name is dead.“

Buffy laughed. “Yes, Reagan is no longer alive. But that doesn‘t mean what I‘ve said isn‘t true. She never understood the demon thing.“

Anya nodded in understanding. “Tried to get you to be a Watcher, while you were a demon! Oh that was fun!“
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Buffy smiled sweetly across the desk from her potential vengeance seeker. This one reminded her of Annette. She missed Annette. She missed whom Annette had initially reminded her of, her little sister Danielle.

“Just a follow-up after your ... your loss. And since I'm new here, I thought it would give us a chance to know each other,” began Buffy knowing exactly how to approach this subject.

Buffy had eagerly looked over all the files at this school and this one had caught her attention. Of course it helped that Buffy could feel this girl’s pain, her despair at her neglect, how no one paid attention to her like she deserved.

“Great,” responded the teen a little hesitantly.

“So, I've been looking through your file and, um ... your grades have slipped a little,” she commented, flipping through the file for a second before looking back up at the teen.

“I have really hard classes this quarter.”

“Yeah, still. Teachers say that you seem a little distracted lately.”

“I'm not. I-I'm fine.” The girl sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than anything else.

“Okay. It's just, you know, I know it must seem weird, talking to a stranger about stuff, but, um ... I want you to know that if something's going on, something's up, my job ... the most important part of my job ... is looking out for you.”

Buffy smiled at the teen. Yep, if she had half a mind to, this Dawn Summers would be the perfect girl to take Annette’s place. Summers, Buffy chuckled to herself. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. Absently she wondered if the Watcher’s Council records still maintained that Anne Summers was a demon hunter.

The teen smiled back.

“I'm really okay,” Dawn said with a small smile.

Buffy leaned back in her chair. She was bringing out the big guns now.

“I know there's been ... a lot of loss.”

Dawn looked down to her hands.

“Yeah. Kinda,” the teen began quietly, finally looking up as she continued. “I-I mean, yes. People keep ... people have a tendency to go away ... and, I miss them. And sometimes ... I wish I could just make them stop. Going away.”

Another wish to add to the tally. Buffy smiled.

“But seriously, it's, it's no big deal. I'm fine,” said the girl waving her hands.

Buffy sat back and let the girl continue on about how she’s doing much better, how much her whole family was doing better. Buffy nodded. There was something much more familiar about this girl, other than the passing resemblance to Annette. She had always thought that Annette had looked like her little sister. Dawn Summers...No it couldn’t be.
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Buffy arrived at the child’s house, a comfortable looking home but one with a lot of people in it that called out for vengeance. Hiding in the shadows, Buffy waited for the door to close before stepping into the light and doing what she did best.

Buffy shifted into her demonic guise and uttered the words that made her famous. “Wish granted.”
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Buffy was pursuing another wisher when she heard a summons.

“Rixy, get your ass down here!“ came Anyanka’s voice into her head.

Buffy rolled her eyes and teleported to her friend’s location, which happened to be inside of the home of the last wish she granted..

“You shriek and I appear,“ said Buffy sounding bored, her demonic face conveying the emotion.

Suddenly, there was a piercing feeling in her chest. Buffy looked down to see a sword poking out her front. Now that was something that turned her stomach, even after all these years. Metal swords should not be poking out of her body. Buffy collapsed to the ground.

The next words Buffy heard came from Anyanka’s lips. “Her pendant! Get her pendant!”

Buffy sat up right away, deflecting her would be pendant stealers. Experience told her that being without the pendant led to badness.

“There will be no touching of the pendant,” snapped Buffy hoisting herself off the floor. The stares around the room were hard to ignore.

“What?” Buffy laughed. “Did you think I'd be stopped by a sword in the chest? Flesh wound. Honestly, Anyanka, you used to know better.”

Anyanka approached with a look of pure disbelief. “How could you? Why would you do this?”

“I told you I was going to take care of some business while I was here in town,” explained Buffy brushing herself off.

“Yeah, but cursing us? Some of them are in the wedding party,” continued Anyanka.

“I just go where I'm...” Buffy trailed off as she was distracted by movement to her right and the shock of platinum hair and blue eyes she last saw almost thirty years ago. “William?”

Spike frowned “Hey, wait a minute.”

“You guys know each other?” a voice cut through Buffy’s trance. A blond with green eyes grabbed Buffy’s attention for a moment.

Buffy couldn’t help her blush, but then she hadn’t seen him in years. He was still gorgeous as ever. Except he looked beat up. Buffy took a step towards him and raise her hand up to his cheek.

“What happened Spike?“ she asked tenderly.

Spike backed up from her and shook his head. “Nothing new, vampire, pet. Get my fair share of licks.“

Buffy nodded her head. “Yes, that’s true, you looked terrible after you killed your second Slayer didn’t you?“

“I thought vengeance demons only punished men who wronged women,” said a soft looking blonde from the rest of the group.

“Oh, that was Anya's little raison d'être. Everyone has their own niche. Though we are trying to be more PC in this day and age, Justice Demons,” explained Buffy.

“Niche? Is that how you explain your thing for bad parents?” retorted Anyanka.

“You always agreed with my chosen clients before Anyanka. Remember the family in Paris? The abuser and philanderer? The children really do need me.”

“Hmm! *cough*Daddy issues*cough,*” fake coughed Anya.

“Oy that’s not fair, demon girl!“ spoke up Spike.

Buffy held out a hand to Spike, her eyes thanking him for coming to her defence. “Sling all the little barbs at me that you want, Anyanka, it doesn't change the fact that this girl was in pain,” Buffy pointed towards Dawn, “and none of you could hear it. I could hear her crying out everywhere I went in this town. It was unbearable. And none of you knew.”

Buffy looked at the various people in the room, each other them looking appropriately guilty and upset.

“You people deserve to be cursed. And just for the record, Anyanka. I was an orphan, so I very well can’t have daddy issues if my daddy was viciously murdered by Angelus could I?”

“Excuse me?” asked the blonde with the green eyes. “Hold on. So the knowing each other, check. But your father was killed by Angelus?“ asked the girl.

“Liz, we don’t have time for conversation, Richard needs to get to the hospital,“ Xander reminded her.

“Right,“ noted Liz. “Let us out.“

“Why?“ asked Buffy. “I’m stuck in here with you too, we could have a grand old time. Spike and I clearly need to catch up. It’s been thirty years give or take.“

Liz put her hands on her hips. “Not good enough.“

Buffy looked the blonde over. There was something familiar about her too. Buffy looked at Dawn, then at Liz, back at Spike and then at Liz again. “Answer me a question then, your name is Liz? Family name?“

Buffy turned back to Spike and then Anyanka. “Did you two know about this?“ her voice almost frantic.

Anyanka shook her head and Spike looked confused. Anyanka began circling Liz peering over the girl. “I had no idea, Erixel. But now that you mention it...“

“Mention what?!“ exclaimed Liz. “Spike! What the hell is going on?“

“She’s the Slayer, Erixel, did you know that?“ asked Anyanka.

“Really?“ said Buffy happily, shifting out of her demon visage and smiling.

Liz gasped as she beheld Buffy’s human looking face. She reached out as if to touch Buffy’s face, pulling back at the last moment.

“Anya? Please tell me what’s going on?“ pleaded Liz, her eyes darting between Anya and Erixel.

“Erixel here is your great great great grandmother,“ said Anyanka.

“Huh?“
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tbc...