Epilogue

New Year's Day, 2003

At the sound of the telephone ringing, Buffy burrowed her head under the white sheet and groaned, then peeked out again. "Ugh. What time is it?"

"Nine o'clock," William told her as he reached to answer it.

While he listened to the caller, Buffy stretched and wiggled her toes. Her mind went back over the events of the New Year's Eve party they'd had at Xander's the night before. He and William were still not particularly close, but they managed to tolerate each other. The evening had turned out to be a lot of fun.

"Well, congratulations old man. I'll pass on the word. Yes. Goodbye." William hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" Buffy asked sleepily.

"Giles," William told her. "Apparently he and Anya just eloped in London."

Buffy sat up. "What? Giles. eloped?! That's so. so impulsive."

"People are full of surprises, love." He smirked. "Even middle aged shopkeepers."

"Wow," Buffy said. "Can you imagine Quentin Travers' face when Giles introduces Anya as his wife? He knows she was a demon."

"If you ask me, she's a lot less of a demon than that old wind bag."

Buffy snuggled up to him and laid her head on his shoulder and nodded. "Maybe he is a demon. How long has he been around anyway?"

William's forehead wrinkled in thought. "You know, when Dru and I were tearing through London in 1912, the head of the Watcher's Council did bear a striking resemblance to that old poop."

"Oh, no," Buffy groaned. "Not another demon conspiracy."

"I'll gladly change the subject." William kissed the top of her head. "D'you think Dawn had a good time at her." He frowned. "What did you call that sleep-over thing again?"

"Slumber party. I'm sure she had fun. Those crazy girls probably didn't even go to bed last night."

"Nibblet has a right group of cronies now."

"Yeah." Bemusement played across Buffy's face. "Ever since Chelsea saw us in action at Halloween, Dawn has moved up in the popularity polls. She's getting her own little Scooby gang going."

She felt a growl in William chest. "Just so long as it doesn't include Angel's little offspring!"

Buffy lifted her head. "Connor?" she questioned.

"Yeah. When were in LA visiting your father for Christmas, the scalawag was giving her the eye." William shifted his shoulders and pulled Buffy back down. "I don't want to see her getting' mixed up with that sort."

"I know," Buffy hugged him. "A girl has to keep an eye out for those bad boys."

"Exactly!" he told her.

"You sound like Xander."

"The prat has a point."

"Speaking of that prat. I mean Xander. What did you think of his date?"

He shrugged. "She seemed nice enough."

"I thought so too. Do you think she'll stick around when she finds out how out of the ordinary we all are?"

"You mean you didn't notice?"

"Notice what?"

"Forget I said anything. Xander will figure it out sooner or later."

She punched him in the arm. "I hate it when you do that!"

He moved his hand under the sheet. "But you love it when I do this."

"You're changing the subject."

"You noticed that, did you?"

"Umm hmm. Oh, stop it. I can't think when you do that!"

"That's the whole idea, pet."

"It was good to see Willow happy."

"You're thinking of Red right now?"

"No. I'm thinking of how nobody deserves to be alone if they don't want to be."

William nodded in agreement. "That Oz guy sure wasn't much of a talker."

"No, he's not, but what he says is worth listening to."

"What was he telling you about animal crackers?"

"Something weird about the monkeys wearing pants. I really didn't get it at all."

"Oh, the monkeys." William nodded in understanding. "That's right!"

"Must be a guy thing."

"Not really. It's just that."

"William?"

"What?"

"Can we stop talking now?"

He leered evilly. "If you insist."

"I definitely insist."

"Anything for you, Love," he told her, "Anything."

THE END