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Buffy is wretchedly, disgustingly bad at math.
And though Anya and Sam had convinced her that becoming a forensic science major was the best option for a Slayer (kept her near the dead bodies, had her near the police force but never actually too close to be found, and - according to Anya - had a pretty decent pay rate) it was a major in name only and she had been pretty much hiding out in the Humanities department for the past two years working on her general requirements and avoiding the math and science classes that should be dominating her life.
Also, to be fair, she had never before had a need for a part-time job and didn't need to file a tax form in her life.
Also - just for the record - her mother had a really lovely accountant that charged about three times the going rate, but managed to squeeze out a very tidy return for them every year.
Only now her mom was gone and she had a job and a house in her name and a sister and all kinds of crazy things that she had no concept of being able to deal with.
And now it was tax season.
(Or, as Anya had more accurately put it, it was now the very last week of tax season and she needed to get her ass in gear.)
And she had no idea where or how to start.
Which is probably why Tara found her in a pile of receipts in the dining room, crying over a pint of Chunky Monkey.
Okay you win.
This kinda looks like I lost something. Or you did.
I'll call Anya in the morning and ask for her help.
You're putting down the ice cream right now and calling her immediately. And you are going to apologize. And you are letting Dawn and I pick out a really nice gift to thank her for helping on such short notice.
Yeah... can I have five more minutes of wallowing?
Only if I can have some of that ice cream, too.
They bundled up everything into a rather large box and Anya closed down the Magic Box for the day. Buffy would have felt guilty if she didn't look so damn perky about it, her curls bouncing away as she explained really large terms and scolded her furiously about things Buffy had no way of understanding.
Mostly she just sat there and felt very ineffectual and useless. (Which Anya told her on more than one occasion.)
Sam brought donuts and then hid in the training room for the rest of the day, peeking in occasionally and shooting Buffy a look of general concern.
Olivia dragged Giles in and brought her ancient calculator. Giles stood in a corner with a cup of tea and looked as uncomfortable as Buffy felt while Olivia and Anya chuckled to each other over tiny rows of numbers and stacks of receipts.
More than once Anya muttered under her breath about the fact that Slayers don't have any tax write-offs for their job. Around three hours in, she made a call to England that was rather loud and explosive, but afterwards seemed even more chipper.
If that was even possible.
Anya and Olivia woke Buffy up around three in the afternoon, their faces tired but beaming.
I think we actually got you a return!
Anya is a real wiz with numbers.
I'm going to demand that you let me invest the majority of the money you get back.
I'm going to demand that you let her. Aren't we, Rupert?
Ah-- yes, yes of course. That sounds best.
So... is everything okay? Buffy couldn't keep the fear from creeping into her voice.
Everything is pretty awful and I wish I could have given Joyce a real talking-to. But it's not as bad as it could be. And I'm going to teach you how to watch out so that it's not so bad next year.
And the ... you called England?
Anya's brow furrowed, I can't wrangle a salary out of them. But they've agreed to start covering job expenses. You know, house repair and stuff like that.
Olivia cuffed Anya's arm playfully, This girl can probably convince them that our donuts and your wardrobe and Dawn's school supplies are all tied to your job.
Anya rolled her eyes, Well of course the donuts and your wardrobe is related to the job. And medical expenses for the rest of us if we get injured. Your school tuition of course. And if they don't pitch in for the donuts, I'll fly over to England and give them a piece of my mind.
Buffy looked at them dumbfounded.
You'll still have to work. I can't get them to compensate for everything. And it will be mostly refunds that they'll hold for months because that's how corporations work. But this year should be easier.
This has never happened in history, Giles sputtered from his corner.
You have a salary. A good one. Why shouldn't Buffy? Olivia bit out at him forcefully.
Why shouldn't Buffy? Buffy whispered to herself with a smile. Oh Anya I owe you a pony.
Anya shrugged, Next time just put me in charge at the beginning. This mess wasn't too hard to dig you out of. But I don't want to do it again. Did you hear that, Sam?
You have all my receipts already, demon!
Anya smiled, Also I'm taking 10% of your return and Dawn will be working the Magic Box on the weekends all summer.
Buffy slumped back in her chair, Deal.