Unknown Factors (Book One)

CH.51: Is it the wife or is it the adviser

  "So, I was thinking maybe a June wedding." Anya stated as she stood next to Xander. "But then I remembered that they always had the highest percentage of calls for vengeance. So now I'm leaning towards as soon as damn possible." She glanced at Xander as Buffy, Pops, and I sat on the couch in that order. "With mortal life being so short, we gotta cram in as much marital bliss as we can before we wither and die." Xander began to get this look on his face as Anya kept going. "I mean, there's just so much to consider though. I mean, planning the wedding and new cars, a house and babies. You have to plan for babies, otherwise, they'll just run roughshod over your entire existence."

  "Yeah. You-You gotta know what to call them before they hit college." Xander grinned.

  "Ah. Rupert is an exceptionally strong name." Pops pointed, making Anya laugh.

  "Yeah. If we want our progeny to eat paste and have their lunch money stolen." That made Buffy and I chuckle, and Pops gave me a look.

  "What?" I covered my smile.

  "Look, all that matters is that they're happy." Buffy waved a hand at the couple. "Everything else is thick gravy goodness."

  "I know." Anya nodded. "I mean, I'm the luckiest ex-demon in the world. I mean, to be able to find the one person in-in all dimensions that I was meant to be with and-and have everything work out exactly as I dreamed. I mean, how often does the universe allow that to happen?" Anya asked, and Buffy got this look on her face.

~

  "Air. Sweet mother oxygen." Xander said as he and Buffy went outside. I followed, also getting the same feeling as the human male.

  "Are you okay?" Buffy questioned.

  "Yeah, I just...." He trailed off as they sat down. "It's just I didn't think it'd be so much."

  "But this is good, right?" I sat down across from them. "Isn't this how all those movies finish with a happy ending?"

  "Yeah. This is love and celebration and moving forward." Buffy nodded. "Anya's right. This is the way life's supposed to work out."

  "Right." Xander nodded his head. "Deep pools of ooey delight." He chuckled. "I'm wallowing, not drowning."

  "Definite wallow action."

  "Okay. So, once more into the breach?" Xander stood up.

  "Oh, I think my breaches are wearing a little thin." Buffy rose to her feet.

  "Wanna take Spike up on the offer to patrol?" I asked. "While we're out, we can cash in these raffle tickets." Smiling, I pulled two little tickets. "Got them while I was out lookin' for a costume. They're good for tonight only."

  "Sure. Plus, there's gotta be somethin' out there cruisin' for a smack-down." Buffy nodded as I handed a ticket to her. Xander went back inside while the Slayer and I went down the porch steps.

~

  "So, I just hand this to the guy, and he reads the number to see if I won anything?" Buffy asked as we stood in line behind two other people.

  "Yeah. Sometimes you'll win money, small prizes, vacations, all kinds of stuff." I waved my hand. "Hey, be your luck, you might get a good cash prize." Smirking, we went up next to the ticket collector.

  "I wish." Buffy looked down at her ticket. "What have you won before?"

  "Money, coupons for groceries, Hell, I even won a car once. But I never had a license, so it went to the Watchers at the council." I shrugged as Buffy handed over the ticket in her hand. The guy looked at the number, found it on the list next to him, and saw the prize. Reaching under the table, he smiled while handing Buffy a brown paper lunch bag.