The dining room was a flurry of activity as everyone finally got to the point of settling down to eat before Buffy realized that no one had thought to get drinks and she reluctantly left her place at the head of the table to go get some.
Xander had arrived home from work with Chinese, having expected as he reasoned that no one would be in the mood for cooking and well with there being a full contingent of Scoobies now cooking wouldn’t the easiest thing anyway. He’d secretly been happy when even Anya had arrived to lay claim to her favourite dish, which he’d been careful to buy extra of.
The carpenter was even prouder that he’d remembered Madalene was a vegetarian and had successfully chosen a few dishes that the otherwise quiet spellcaster seemed drawn towards.
“A little bit of rice please.” Willow nodded softly to the question as Tara carefully dished out the white sticky mixture next onto her plate.
“The rice looks nice.” Tara smiled her encouragement as she served herself some too. “The Chinese must love us.” She added as she looked around the many and varied boxes
“The little man at the shop calls Xander his American son.” Willow giggled as she played with her napkin.
“Apparently I’m putting his kids through college.” Xander piped in laughing as he reached back to get a drink from the Slayer as she handed them out.
At the far end of the table Giles smiled at the conversation and shifted a mouthful of food onto his fork and into his mouth.
“Mmmm this is very good, prawns with cashew?” He asked of Xander enjoying the dish.
“Oh is it nice, we all have to try it then.” Tara grinned and reached to steal a forkful.
“Tara!” Willow jumped up her hand smacking at the fork sending the mouthful soaring across the room to land on Xander’s shirt. Everyone stopped mid word or movement as the redhead’s body shook, her hand still clasped around the utensil.
“Will?” Buffy frowned as Xander pushed the hot food off his shirt onto a napkin.
“Prawns... prawns are shrimp.” Willow shook her head. “She’s allergic.”
“I am?” Tara turned to look at Willow.
“You’re allergic, they make you sick.” Willow looked at the blonde nodding. “If you eat them your throat would swell up and you’d go into anaphylactic shock and I don’t have your Epi pen anymore cause it expired and we didn’t need a new one cause...” She stopped and looked over at the Slayer. “We need a new one now.”
“Oh my love.” Tara beamed and impulsively hugged Willow tightly.
“You don’t remember but I do.” Willow hugged her back.
“You see salt and pepper.” Tara leaned back. “Need each other.”
“Guy’s I’m really sorry,” From his place Xander apologised profusely. “I just got what we’d been getting. “ He looked more and more uncomfortable.
“Xander, it’s fine.” Buffy put a hand on his shoulder smiling. “Tara never minded us getting shrimp before.” She whispered to remind him before moving back to her chair. “Now someone give me food!” She grinned and held out her hand for one of the boxes since her plate was empty.
“Being considerate isn’t one of Xander’s better points but we all know he’d never do that deliberately.” Anya leaned over and whispered in Tara’s ear.
“No, no before piglet gets some I want more of the balls.” Dawn intercepted the box as it was passed down the table.
“Dawn!” Buffy snorted as the table went silent for a moment, Xander’s amusement contrasting to Giles’ mild horror.
“What?” The teenager looked around and then flushed scarlet. “Oh.”
“G-man you sure you want to stay?” Xander laughed as he looked over at the watcher who was attempting to eat again quietly.
“Oh yes, I really quite… missed this.” He admitted slightly reluctantly.
“You’re staying?” The squeak came from Anya suddenly and Giles laid his fork down slowly and looked up at her.
“Yes, I am.” He admitted gently.
“But the shop...” Anya went pale.
All other conversation at the table died down to concentrate on the two of them as everyone else ate to cover up that they were listening.
“Its quite all right Anya.” Giles sighed gently. “I signed the papers, I’m not going back on it.”
“Oh no, this is just a horrible horrible day.” The vengeance demon pushed her plate away.
“Anya, he doesn’t want the shop.” Xander tried to make her feel better. “He’s still your silent partner.”
“For how long?” Anya turned to him her face horrified. “Oh this is just the way it is for those of us in retail. Everything is alright and then wham, you life is falling apart.” She wailed.
Tara glanced at Willow briefly to check her lover, before looking at Anya with a frown. Willow chewed her rice almost oblivious to the conversation.
“Anya he doesn’t want the store.” Buffy tried to figure what she was going on about. “Retail is all yours.”
“No, he says that now but who knows tomorrow? I might not even have a store, not with the horrors happening.” She went on and with this statement made everyone look up.
“What are you taking about?” Buffy questioned her immediately.
“Thieves.” Anya looked around.
“Demon thieves?” Dawn questioned immediately.
“Well, I don’t know about that there were no obvious horns.” Anya shrugged. “I might be able to convince them to leave my store alone if they are.”
“Does anyone know what she’s talking about?” Buffy poked her fork angrily in the air.
“Mmmm not so much.” Xander looked at his ex. “What are you talking about? We need a bit more.”
“The robberies on Main Street, do you live in a bubble?” Anya replied staring at Xander.
“Who robbed what?” Xander chewed on the end of his egg roll.
“The lighting store, the furniture store, the jewellers.” Anya reeled off. “Pretty much anything of value.”
“When?” He pushed her further.
“Over the last three days.”
“Didn’t it strike anyone think to tell me about this if it might be demon related?” Buffy whined lightly.
“Oh I didn’t say demon, could just be robbers, human robbers, they stole mainly metal and leather goods, like chairs, a couch and some tables.” Anya began eating again as if this offered her some solace.
“This is Sunnydale.” Buffy shook her head. “I better take a look around.”
“It can wait till after Chinese Buffy.” Giles prompted softly.
“Yeah we’re having family dinner.” Dawn smiled at her sister.
“Yes, and isn’t it wonderful.” Tara said softly from her place as everyone tried to move away from the robbery and onto more pleasant topics.
******
Gotta love the family dinner, the whole group together again 
at the Chinese man calling Xander his American son LOL. Anyway great update once again ladies and i look forward to more 
at: 7/17/02 7:15:04 am
... and no Giles should never had left, having to hunt for an apartment is now just punishment
at: 7/17/02 1:53:16 pm
Ok I am confused. What the hell is going on and who dared chained my ....I mean Tara's Willow up? 