Tara grimaced. "Are you sure we're going to need a plumber?"

Xander stuck his head out from under the kitchen sink, and dropped the wrench back in his toolbox. "Fraid so, beautiful one. The garbarator is way more than clogged. I think it's rusty."

"But." And Tara frowned, bit her lip. "Aren't garbarators supposed to be, y'know. Rust-proof?"

"And yet with the rust." Xander wiped his hands off on the towel she gave him, and then looked around the kitchen. "I'll call a guy I know for you -- hopefully you can get a union rate for the labor. Cheap yet trustworthy."

"That's good news." Tara took the towel back, wrinkling her nose at the grot that was all over it, Xander's face, and the floor. "Maybe we'll just leave this for Dawn to clean up."

Xander grinned. "That's what teenagers are for, after all. Menial labor!"

Tara giggled, pouring them both a glass of orange juice. "That's not nice, Xander."

"But oh so true."

Willow and Dawn both came in the back door, and covered their noses. "Oh, god, guys!" Willow said, disgusted. "What's that smell?"

Xander and Tara both pointed to the sink, where part of the pipe was still laying on a rag on the linoleum, as well as Xander's toolbox still sitting out. They said in unison, "Garbarator."

"Oh, like, gross." Dawn looked apologetic. "If it's okay with you guys, I think I'm just gonna go upstairs and pretend to be brooding and teenage until the smell dies down--"

Tara tried to look stern as Dawn inched out of the room. "Guess again, Dawnie... I need someone to clean this up."

Dawn made a desperate and quite horrified face, eyes wide. "You're not serious, are you? I mean, you wouldn't do that to me... would you...?"

"if you do," Tara added, "I'll buy you those boots you were eying."

"Really?!" Dawn squealed. "Thank you thank you!" She did a little hop, and ran out the kitchen calling, "Just lemme change so I don't get these clothes all gross!"

Xander was still sitting on his stool, drinking orange juice. "Well, never let it be said that teenagers are useless."

Willow added, "Straight out bribery works wonders."

Tara laughed. "hey. I was gonna buy them for her anyway. I mean, she does need new shoes. This way," she said with a grin, "I don't have to clean up the kitchen, too."

Xander whistled, looking impressed. "And the quiet one turns out to be an evil genius!"

Looking pleased, Tara answered, "That's me."

 

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