Title: Team Building

Author: Alan Hitchen

Email: darkmere2000@yahoo.co.uk

Archive: http://www.realmoftheshadow.com/alan.htm

Disclaimer: BtVS belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, TCF and others.

Pairings: Dawn, Anya (friendship). Others implied.

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7, but nothing specific.

Note: I've not actually seen S7, so apologies for any mistakes I might have made.

Summary: Anya makes a discovery.

Anya emerged from the bathroom and groaned as the incessant chatter from the annoying potentials wafted upstairs, instantly setting her teeth on edge. She silently thanked the powers-that-be that 'General' Buffy would soon be taking her 'army' out for the whole day on yet another team-building training exercise. Then, perhaps, she could have some time for herself.

She would have liked to have spent that time having sex with Xander. But even though they were getting on together better she knew that wasn't going to happen. Anyway, she suspected he was involved with Andrew now.

She sighed and pulled her dressing gown shut. Damn her libido! Her fingers were a pretty good stop-gap, but it wasn't what she wanted, what she needed! She began to wonder if Giles could be persuaded to oblige her, then, distracted by the empty stomach growling at her, she decended the stairs and headed for the kitchen instead.

She paused impatiently at the door, waiting for the crowded room to empty. The potentials, quieter now, were all lined up. Dawn stood by the exterior door. As she handed each potential a packed lunch she kissed them. Anya did a double take. It was no chaste peck on the cheek, but a full-on kiss of the lips.

"I love you - make me proud," said Dawn, then did the same to the next girl.

Lunch - Kiss - "I love you". What was going on? As the last of the potentials left the house, Anya made her entrance and sat down at the counter.

"Oh. Hi, Anya. Funny shapes or rounds?" Dawn asked the ex-demon, moving towards the stove in anticipation of her order.

Anya, as usual, got straight to the point. "Have you been sleeping with the potentials?"

Dawn dipped her head and blushed, realising she'd been caught out. "Yes," she replied sheepishly.

Anya goggled. "All of them?"

"Yes," Dawn admitted. "But not Kennedy," she added. "And not all at once," she amplified, then blushed again. "Well, only the once." She blushed even deeper. "Or twice."

"Dawn Marie Summers..." Anya began sternly.

"Don't tell Buffy, please!" Dawn interjected.

"I was going to say, I'm impressed," Anya continued, adding a reassuring smile.

Dawn was thrown by that reaction. "You are?"

"I wondered why the potentials were suddenly pulling together, becoming a team. I knew it wasn't anything to do with Buffy's silly speeches and daft exercises. It was you. How did this start?"

Dawn relaxed and happily sat down opposite Anya to explain. "It just sort of happened. I cuddled one of them, just to give comfort after a difficult training session. You know, Buffy can be such a bitch sometimes. Then one became two, two became three, until I was cuddling them all. They liked it. And so did I. Then came the kissing... and other stuff..." Dawn stopped, blushing again. "But the thing I didn't expect was what happened next - I fell in love with them."

Anya again evinced surprise. "All of them?"

"Yes. It's not just about sex, you see, it's deeper than that. I really do love them all. And, what's more, they love me back. And that's the best thing of all. To be loved. To be wanted. To be needed."

"Tell me about it," Anya replied glumly, thinking of her own desolate love-life.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking. So Xander..."

"Is doing Andrew."

"Is he? Ewww!"

They both laughed. True or not, it was funny all the same.

"There's always Giles," Dawn suggested, rising to get her own breakfast. "I think he likes you. Not that he'd ever say, but I think he does. He's alone in the basement right now, doing something for Buffy. Why don't you..."

She turned around. Anya was already gone and the basement door was swinging open. Dawn went over and quietly closed it again. It looked like Anya would be doing some team-building of her own. She smiled. Giles didn't stand a chance.