For notes and disclaimers see part 1:
 
Anya sighed, resting her head in her hands. She gazed down at her coffee cup and sighed again. I don’t see why Xander couldn’t get the afternoon off, she grumbled to herself, after all, I did. Anya lifted her head up and glanced around the Espresso Pump. There were few customers, the heat appeared to be having an adverse effect upon business, and Anya sighed once more. I should have stayed in the shop, she thought.

"It’s Anya, isn’t it?" The soft, sibilant voice cut into her thoughts and Anya glanced up, her eyes widening as she took in the immaculately suited appearance of the gentleman standing beside her. He was tall with a shock of grey hair and his face was lined but not excessively so. He smiled down at Anya but, she noticed, the smile didn’t reach the deep, blue eyes that seemed to gaze right through her.

"What do you want?" Anya asked harshly, a sudden inexplicable feeling of unease spreading through her.

"May I sit down?"

"If you want," she shrugged.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he continued, clasping his hands together on the table. "My name is Richard Hutchings. I own "Hocus Pocus" … the new magic shop."

"So?"

He leaned forward, gazing intently at Anya. "I have a proposition for you."

Buffy peered through the window of the "Magic Box", looking for Giles. She smiled as she finally spotted him, sitting at the table with a pot of tea in front of him. The smile slipped slightly as she took in his hunched shoulders and the frown on his face. She sighed, trying to repress the surge of anger she felt towards Willow and Tara. How could they do this to him? Right, she said to herself, you’ve got to cheer him up and don’t tell him about Willow and Tara. Buffy took a deep breath and then flung open the door.

"Hi, Giles," she said brightly, her smile widening into a grin as Giles visibly jumped. He tried to glare at her but found himself smiling back instead. The smile was only small and Buffy felt her heart lurch as she saw the tired, depressed look in his eyes.

"Buffy," he said, "I’m beginning to think that you enjoy startling me far too much."

"I like keeping you on your toes," grinned Buffy as she sat beside him.

"So I see," replied Giles. "Would you like some tea?"

"Giles," said Buffy, "it’s like heatwave time out there and you’re still drinking tea?"

Giles glanced at Buffy in surprise.

"Well, of course I’m drinking tea," he replied slightly testily and Buffy frowned.

"Are things really that bad?" She asked softly, trying to keep the worry out of her voice.

Giles shrugged. "They’re bad … but the mail order business is still okay." Giles glanced at Buffy and smiled. "I’m sure things will improve once the novelty of the new shop wears off."

Buffy let out a breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding. She’d come so close to losing him recently that the thought still terrified her, still caused her to break out into a cold sweat. When Giles had agreed to be her Watcher again, Buffy had happily babbled the information to Willow, who had let slip Giles’ previous intention to leave. Willow had been so distraught at breaking his confidence that Buffy had to make fervent promises to every Goddess in the Wicca pantheon never to mention it again. A sudden thought hit her and she glanced around, puzzled.

"Where’s Anya?"

"I gave her the afternoon off," replied Giles and Buffy grinned.

"Nagged you again, huh?"

"Something like that," he smiled.

They sat together in silence for a few moments, both enjoying the other’s company. Giles sipped at his tea, casting the occasional sidelong glance towards Buffy who was gazing into space, a thoughtful expression on her face. What’s going on in that mind of yours, he thought, or, more importantly, who are you thinking about? It can’t be me … you’re probably deciding where to go tonight … who to go with. Giles glanced at Buffy once more. How long have I loved you … have I always loved you? No, he thought, it was Prom Night … definitely Prom Night. Giles smiled as he remembered turning and seeing her standing there. He’d felt as though someone had hit him on the head with a sledgehammer. I stopped seeing you as a girl that night, he thought … I saw a beautiful woman standing there, smiling at me. Giles frowned suddenly. I was going to ask you to dance, he thought, but then Angel turned up. Is that what I’m going to see when I’m old? Will it always be "I was going to but then…"? Giles sighed and sat back, folding his arms across his chest. Buffy glanced towards him and frowned. I wish I could sort all this out for you, she thought. You’re always there for me, always helping, always guiding … I’m powerless to help you this time though. Why couldn’t it be something simple like Vampires? Or even Ethan Rayne? I’d know what to do then. I hate this … I hate seeing you like this. I prefer it when you smile … I love the way your face lights up. I love your eyes … the way they crinkle when you grin … green depths that I could lose myself in … green except for that wonderful hazel fleck in one eye. I love your lips, your ears … what happened to your earring, by the way? I love your hands, slightly rough and callused with long, graceful fingers … I love everything about you … I love you, Giles. Buffy shook herself from her reverie with a start. Where on earth did that come from? No, that can’t be right … can it? No, she thought, now is definitely not the time to think about this.

"So," said Buffy, trying to drag her mind away from thoughts of Giles, "what do you know about the new magic shop guy?"

"Not a lot," shrugged Giles. "Every time I go over there it’s closed. I’ve yet to meet him."

"I don’t get it," remarked Buffy, leaning forward, elbows on the table and resting her head in her hands.

"What don’t you get?" Asked Giles and Buffy sighed.

"I don’t get why Will … everyone is going over there," she finished lamely.

Giles didn’t reply, merely looked at Buffy with one eyebrow raised. Buffy shifted uncomfortably.

"Okay," she said, knowing she couldn’t brazen it out in the face of the look Giles was giving her. "I saw Willow … she’s getting her stuff at the new place."

"I know," replied Giles softly and Buffy looked at him in surprise. "Well, I guessed."

"Couldn’t you give her a bigger discount or something?"

"A bigger discount?" Giles smiled at Buffy’s slightly puzzled expression. "Buffy, I wouldn’t dream of charging Willow or Tara … or any of you for that matter."

"She gets it all for free?"

"Well, yes," replied Giles, "within reason, of course."

A sudden thought hit Buffy. "Giles, Willow said that this ‘Richard’ guy could get hold of things for her … you don’t think that she’s … you know."

"Dabbling in dark magic?" Giles shook his head. "No, Willow’s too sensible for that."

"Really," remarked Buffy, a sarcastic tone slipping into her voice. "Willow tends to leap into things without thinking … remember when she blinded you?"

"She doesn’t think of consequences, I grant you but … "

"No buts, Giles," replied Buffy. "Look, what if this ‘Richard’ is using dark magic to draw customers to his shop? It makes sense … why else would your regulars desert you so quickly."

Giles smiled and shook his head. "I appreciate your concern, Buffy," he said, "but I’m sure it’s all quite innocent."

"Why won’t you even consider it?" Asked Buffy, ploughing on before Giles had a chance to reply. "And that’s another thing … this isn’t like you."

"What isn’t like me?" Giles frowned.

"This …" Buffy waved her hand around. "This sitting back and letting things happen. Letting it affect you like this … it’s not you at all, Giles."

Giles opened his mouth to reply but shut it again when the door to the shop was dramatically flung open. Giles and Buffy glanced up to see Anya stride in, slamming the door behind her.

"Anya," said Giles, standing up, "what are you doing here?"

"I’ve just seen that new shop guy," said Anya without preamble. "He’s offered me a job … with more money than you’re paying me."

Anya looked at Giles reproachfully and he sighed, aware of Buffy gently touching his arm.

"So," he said softly, "when do you start?"

Anya frowned. "I don’t," she said.

"I will be very sorry to lose …" Giles broke off as her words penetrated his brain. "What do you mean – you don’t?"

Anya took a deep breath. "I didn’t like him," she frowned. "He made me nervous … smiled all the time … and his eyes …" Anya shuddered. "Anyway, Xander’s been teaching me about friendship … he said that you put your friends first and then there’s this weird loyalty thing." Anya looked searchingly at Giles. "Xander says you’re a friend, you’re not just my boss … so, did I get it right?"

Giles stood still, completely dumbfounded, and Buffy squealed with delight, pushing past him to envelop Anya in a bearhug.

"You got it right, Anya," she said excitedly. "You got it more right than a lot of others I could mention."