May our hearts beat as one

Rating: Nothing worse than the show I think
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, Fox, and other people, including maybe the WB (who knows? No me) own Buffy, and the characters in this story. My orange fanfic folder belongs to me, as do the original ideas in this story.
Spoilers: Extensive spoilers for Seasons 2 Episodes "I only have eyes for you" and "Go fish". Probably some minor spoilers for up to that point too.
Summary: This is a long Buffy/Xander romance fanfiction. This story takes the events of a few Buffy episodes and twists them into a different shape. The story starts at the very end of "Killed by death", in which events happened slightly differently, as is explained in the story. It continues through the (altered) events of "I only have eyes for you" and "Go fish". Depending on how much I enjoy writing it, and the feedback I get, it may even carry on further.
Authors notes: Despite the fact that I have sent out several other stories, this is actually the first fanfic I started writing. Since it is so long i have got bogged down several times, and it has taken me ages to write. Even typing this in now, I haven't yet finished the story, I'll be writing as I post it. Oh, _ _ means emphasis, [ ] means sound effects, and * * means thoughts. If two people are having thoughts at the same time, one will use * * and the other ** ** to make it easier to tell who is thinking what.
English spellings used And finally I would like to thank my friend Martin who has been forced to listen to me going on about this fic for about half a year, with only a few little bits read out to him. Here you go Martin; it's finally here.
Feedback: I am a hopeless romantic who ge ts lonely :( So sent me feedback!! And it'll probably make me write faster, and make me extend this story's length.
Distribution: Ask. I probably won't say no, but ASK.
Submitted through the 'YG deleted' 0oBuffyXanderFanfictiono0 mailing list. Please join us at 0oBuffyXanderFanfictiono0_2

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

May our hearts beat as one
by Draxar

Buffy and Xander were lying on her bed chatting; Buffy all tucked in under the covers while Xander was stretched out on top of them, idly scratching at the plaster cast on his leg. Joyce knocked on the door, and walked in without waiting for an answer, carefully balancing a plate and a glass as she opened the door

"Here you go honey, peanut butter and jelly, without the crust, just the way you like it." she said, handing the plate and glass to Buffy.

"And the juice?" Buffy asked.

"Two parts orange, one part grapefruit."

"That's my drink."

"I measured it exactly." Joyce replied with a satisfied look on her face.

"Mum?"

"Yes, Buffy?"

"I wanted crunchy peanut butter"

"Oh, sorry"

"And I said _extra_ jelly"

"Ooh... Could I get another bag of cheesy chips please?" Xander asked, smiling at Joyce.

"Anything to help my daughter and her friends get well." Joyce said "_Especially_ when her friend has a broken leg because of running around trying to find you in the hospital basement" she added, giving Buffy a stern glare.

"Well..." Buffy desperately improvised an explanation "the doctors think I had another attack of the fever, so I wasn't really sure what was happening."

"Well then, you should be glad you have a friend willing to risk life and limb for you." Joyce said, while leaving the room.

There was a moment of silence after Joyce shut the door, before Buffy spoke, "Oblivious as my mother usually is to the reality of my life, she did get that right. I am lucky to have you as a friend." She paused for a moment, then added, "I still think you shouldn't have tried to attack the Kinderstod."

"And left a sick Buffy to fight the monster? I don't think so!"

"I was okay."

"C'mon Buff, you were dead on your feet"

"But I still feel guilty that you got this" she said, lightly tapping Xander's cast.

"Buffy..." Xander started, "Unless you knock me out and tie me up every single time you go out to fight evil, you're gonna have to accept that I'll be there with you, helping as much as I can." He paused for a moment, and looked down at his leg before continuing "And yes, I'm not loving the cast, but it's a small price to pay for you being okay."

"Thank you Xander, that means a lot to me" Buffy said, giving Xander a quick hug.

"Mmmm, I like this," He paused for a moment, then suddenly grinned "If you're still feeling guilty, there is one thing you can do."

*Uh-oh, what's this going to be?* Buffy thought, *Oh well, might as well just go for it.* Aloud she said "Your wish is my command."

"_Really?_ Well..." Xander leaned over and whispered something into Buffy's ear.

"You... you want me to _what?_" Buffy stammered, struggling to keep a straight face.

"I don't see anything unreasonable about my request." Xander replied in a deadpan tone of voice. This was too much for Buffy, who was now giggling uncontrollably. Shaking with laughter, she suddenly started to slip off the bed, "Whoa!" she cried.

Xander quickly made a wild grab to catch her and prevent her fall...unfortunately he had forgotten about his cast-covered leg, so when he tried to pull Buffy back, he actually managed to push them both off the bed.

[THUMP]

Buffy and Xander lay entangled on the floor with Xander's leg still propped up on the bed, after staying like that for a long moment they both burst out laughing.

As they both calmed down, Xander lay back, Buffy's hair lying across his face *Buffy really smells nice* he thought *No! Bad thought! She doesn't think of you like that*

**Xander looks really cute when he's smiling. That little lopsided smile...** Buffy was surprised by the thought that had just popped into her head **Where did _that_ come from?**

As they both became quiet, Xander slowly moved his hand to brush Buffy's hair from her face, *She's so beautiful...*

"Hello?"

When Joyce's voice came into the room, Xander instantly jerked his hand away from Buffy.

"Hi mum, we're down here." Buffy called, waving her hand and giggling as Xander wiggled his exposed toes. "We... kinda fell out of bed" she explained, standing up and helping Xander back onto the bed. "You weigh too much Xan" she complained

"All muscle." Xander stated indignantly. "Plus a little plaster" he added, the trademark lopsided grin back on.

"If you've stopped trying to cripple him _again_ Buffy, here are your sandwiches" Joyce said giving Buffy a stern look with her sandwiches, while chucking Xander's cheesy chips to him.

"No..." Xander defended Buffy, "I made Buffy laugh, and she looked like she was gonna fall off the bed so I-"

"-Tried to stop me" Buffy continued, "but actually-"

"-Managed to make us both fall off." Xander finished.

Joyce tried to keep her stern face on, but with both Buffy and Xander having the same fake 'I'm sorry' face on, she couldn't help but laugh. "Okay, okay," she conceded, "I'm just worried with the two of you here for the next week you really break something... or each other."

"We promise we'll be good, don't we Buff?" Xander assured her while Buffy nodded. "And I want to thank you again for letting me stay here while my parents are off working. It'll be about a month before they get back, but I'll go back home when I can walk eas-"

"No." Joyce disagreed, "I hate to think of you alone in your house, especially with all of the crime that goes on here in Sunnydale. You're going to stay here until your parents get home."

"But-" Xander started.

"No buts." Joyce declared adamantly "You're going to stay here. I also think you should stay here whenever your parents are away."

*Lots of Buffy? This is a _very_ good thing.* Aloud, he replied "How can I refuse the company of two beautiful women?. I'll accept defeat, and say thank you again."

"Y'know, I think he's trying to use his manly charm on us." Buffy said, a grin on her face.

"Whatever gives you that impression?" Xander asked, trying (and failing) to look innocent. As an afterthought, he added "Is it working?"

"I'd say yes." Buffy told him, impulsively giving him a quick hug and a little kiss on his cheek. Joyce laughed at that as she left the room.

"I think I've died and gone to heaven" Xander said his hand on the spot Buffy kissed him, and a big smile on his face. "But wait..." he gasped in mock horror "You're trying to kill me with the flu! Aargh!" He groaned, falling back onto the bed. "Buffy, don't you know biological warfare is against the Geneva Convention?"

Buffy laughed at that, then lay down on the bed beside Xander. "So... what do you want to do now Xan?"

"How about that request I made before?" Xander offered.

"That? But I'm still really tired."

"Please Buff?" Xander implored, putting on his best puppy dog pleading expression. "Pretty please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?"

*How can I resist those big brown eyes* Buffy thought, eventually saying "Okay Xander, but just this once."

***

Willow approached Buffy's house, think how much she had missed her friends at school that day. *At least I had Oz* she thought.

Reaching the door, she rang the bell, Joyce quickly came to the door and opened it.

"Hello Willow, how are you?" Joyce asked

"I'm fine Mrs Summers," Willow replied, "I just came over to see how Buffy and Xander are doing."

"I think they are more at risk from each other than their illnesses." Joyce said, "But I'm sure they'll be glad to see you, so just you go on up to Buffy's room."

"Okay, thank you Mrs Summers"

As Willow climbed the stairs, she thought she could hear a deep voice coming from Buffy's room.

"Ohhh....." the voice moaned.

*What's that voice?* Willow thought

"Oh... yesss......"

*That's _Xander_* Willow realised, now standing right outside Buffy's room.

"That's it Buff, right there"

*Buffy?!?*

"Xander, this really smells. When was the last time you cleaned it?" Buffy complained, her voice clearly heard by Willow, "My hand is aching, can I stop now?"

*Her _hand?_* Willow though, her face reddening. Frantic to know what was going on there, she bent down to the keyhole, feeling guilty about it, but still looking.

"Thanks for doing this for me Buffy, it makes me feel so much better." Xander's voice came through the door to Willow, who was still unable to see anything of Buffy or Xander.

After that, the room went silent. *What's going on?* Willow wondered, as she lent forwards, trying to find some angle at which she could see one of her friends.

*Oh no...* Willow though as she realised she had leaned too far forwards, and was now tipping over in the direction. Instinctively her hands came forwards to break her fall, slamming Buffy's door open while Willow hit the floor, rolled, and finally came to a stop on her back, looking up at Buffy and Xander's surprised faces.

"Er... hi guys" she said timidly.

Part Two

"What are friends for?" Buffy replied, an impish grin on her face.

Xander smiled back at her, and as she looked at him their gazes locked

*She's so beautiful* he thought, the silence growing as they lost themselves in each other's eyes.

Suddenly the door slammed open, and Willow tumbled in, surprised at this spectacular entrance, Buffy and Xander turned to look at her.

"Er... hi guys" Willow said from her position on the floor.

"What are you doing there Willow?" Buffy asked, "The way you came in, it looks like you were peeking though the keyhole."

"What was _I_ doing?" Willow retaliated indignantly, "What were _you_ two doing?" she continued, "With _your_ moaning" she pointed at Xander, "and _your_ aching hand." she finished, gesturing at Buffy.

They looked at her with uncomprehending stares.

"Okay, I'm done now" she said.

After another pause, realisation slowly dawned on Xander's face, and he started to laugh, lying back down on the bed, and laughing uncontrollably, while Buffy stared at him with a puzzled frown. After a while of laughing, he regained enough self-control to sit up and whisper in Buffy's ear, before lying back and laughing again. She looked at him incredulously for a moment, before she joined Xander in helpless giggling.

Tears in his eyes, Xander managed to say "Was it good for you Buff?"

She grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, still laughing. Then said, in a passable imitation of a blond bimbo, "But Xander honey, why is my hand hurting?"

*Hey... they're jut laughing about it* Willow thought, *Sex shouldn't be about laughing, it's supposed to be meaningful.... unless I've got it all wrong?* her face going red again.

Calming down, Buffy said "Willow, we weren't doing anything like that."

Xander nodded, "Buffy was just scratching my toes." He explained, wiggling his toes as he talked.

Willow thought about this for a moment, and then came back with the only reply she could think of; "Huh?"

"I can't bend my knee," Xander told her, " my toe is _really_ itchy, and I can't reach it" he leaned forward to show her what he meant.

Willow had thought it was physically impossible to go redder than she was already.

She was wrong.

"Ohh!" she exclaimed "Oh, I thought..." she trailed off, unable to say it.

"Yes, yes. We know what you thought," Buffy admonished her in a mock serious voice "you and your dirty little mind" she added, shaking her head.

"Well... you'd have thought the same thing if it was you outside the door."

"No actually, if Buffy was outside, then I'd be inside, and they'd be no moaning nor scratching to hear" Xander pointed out, a big grin on his face.

"Okay, Okay. Enough teasing Willow." Buffy told him, "How was your day Will?"

"It was great!" Willow gushed, "We've almost finished binary coding in computer class and-"

"Whoa there Willow." Xander interrupted, "Remember some of us aren't quite as learning obsessed as you."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed, "we want the gossip; who's doing what to who? How's Oz? That sort of stuff."

"Well... Oz is great, he would've come here with me, but he had band practice. The rest of the stuff... I really know nothing about."

"Arrgh!" Buffy screamed, "Willow you are useless! How am I supposed to survive without gossip?"

"Because you have me here, your cuddly Xander-bear to play with you." Xander told her in a playful tone of voice.

"Oh, so now you're my boy toy?" Buffy asked, a grin on her face.

"Not my words, but I won't complain at that interpretation." Xander grinned back.

"Guys...." Willow interrupted them, "are you _sure_ it was just foot scratching going on in here?" While Buffy and Xander took their turn at going red, Willow continued, "Anyway, shouldn't Cordy be here, all concerned about her boyfriend?"

"Hmm... she has a point Xander, where is Cordelia?" Buffy agreed.

"Well..." Xander replied, "the only possible response to that would be 'If you get yourself injured looking after you _precious_ Buffy, the _she_ can look after you.'" He said in a pretty good impression of Cordelia.

"What?" Buffy asked, "She has a problem with you helping me? But you've always been helping me, I'd of thought she'd have accepted with that by now."

"Yeah, but... she just got really annoyed with this hospital thing." Xander explained, "What with me staying there all night with you, then Angel visiting, then all that stuff with the Kindestod in the basement, and me getting this," he tapped his cast while speaking, "all of which was while helping you, it kinda made her even more jealous than usual."

Willow looked sympathetically at him, but Buffy's face was troubled.

"Wait a minute Xander, what did you just say?" she asked.

"Huh? Well, Cordy is jealous at the best of times, but with this whole hospital thing she was being far worse than usual."

"No, before that."

Xander thought for a moment, "Er... Cordy was annoyed about the hospital thing... me staying there all night... me hanging around you... Angel visiting..." *Oops! I wasn't gonna mention that" Xander thought, quickly rushing on, "the Kindestod, the Kids, the basement, my leg-"

Buffy interrupted his rush of words "What was that about Angel visiting?"

"Well... you were unconscious, he tried to go into your room, I told him to go away, he did. End of story." Xander told her, drastically over summarising.

"You're not telling me the full story, I want to know _everything_ Xander" She ordered him.

Seeing he had no choice, Xander obeyed her "Well, I was sitting outside your room, drinking some milkshake..."

***

"If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one _microsecond_ that you could stop me?" Angelus asked, standing in front of Xander holding a red rose, and looking though the glass into Buffy's room behind Xander.

Xander was afraid. If it hadn't been for the rose, he might have given in. But this _thing_ that was wearing the skin of Buffy's lover, that had killed one of the few adults he knew and respected, that was tormenting the girl Xander loved with every moment of its unlife, this _thing_ was standing in front of him holding a bunch of roses, as if it were Buffy's boyfriend and not the thing that had caused the most pain in her life. All this passed though his mind in less than a second.

So, with a new confidence he replied "Maybe not...." keeping his eyes locked with Angel's he continued, "maybe that security guard couldn't either, or those cops, or the orderlies... but I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?"

"Buffy's white knight. You still love her." Angleus told him, the contempt obvious in his voice as he learned in closer, "It must eat you up that I got there first."

Fighting the fear that Angel's perceptiveness "You're going to die, and I'm gonna to be there."

***

As Xander finished his tale and came back to reality, he noticed both Buffy and Willow were staring at him.

"Oh... sorry" he said, "I got a little carried away by the memories."

"Oh my god... you faced down Angel." Buffy said, pulling Xander into a hug and burying her face in his shoulder. "I can't believe it's my Angel doing this." She cried, her voice muffled by Xander's shirt.

"It's not." Xander told her, pulling back from her embrace so he could look her in the eye. As she didn't immediately say anything, he continued, "You keep on talking as if this is all your fault, and that it's Angel running around killing people. It's not." Xander looked deep in Buffy's eyes to make sure his message was getting across, "It isn't Angel, it's Angelus, and those are two very different people. Much as I might like to deny it, Angel was a good guy, and he would _never_ do anything with the intention of hurting you. Angelus on the other hand, is a soulless bastard who deserves to die. The only thing the two share is an obsession with a certain blonde slayer."

"When did you get so smart?" Buffy asked with wonder in her voice.

"I'm not loving the implications of that," Xander replied with a sardonic half grin, "just cause I didn't like Angel doesn't mean I didn't respect him." Brightening up a bit, he said "Anyway, enough deep and meaningful conversation, lets go downstairs and watch some trashy comedy!" he declared, waving his video of American Pie.

The girls helped him up, and each took an arm as they guided him down the stairs. With one arm draped over each girl's shoulder, Xander commented "I could definitely get used to this. Ow! Oww! Ow!" he yelped as Buffy and Willow pelted him with light slaps.

***

//The way you love,
Have you got a name for it?
Cause I don't understand it.
The language is an annoying necessity,
And I depend on all the regular things,
Got a list tattoed on memory,
Of how our tryst should unfold.//

Xander was wandering round the Bronze, with a glass of coke in hand, looking for Buffy. He saw her on the upper level, leaning on the railing and staring into space.

*I don't know why I bothered to come.* Buffy thought, while listening to the singing of the band.

//I'm falling from the opposite,
What good is it?
Fight the map with no key attached,
My heart's enlarged and I charge.//

"Hey."

Buffy was jerked out of her reflection by the sound of an unfamiliar male voice. Surprised she turned around to see a brown haired boy who looked about her age.

"I'm Ben," he began, "we had Algebra II together last year."

Thinking for a moment, Buffy came up with nothing, "Sorry, I pretty much repress anything math related." she explained.

"Ms. Jackson?" he ventured, a hopeful expression on his face "Second period? You sat three over and one across.

*Still nothing.* Buffy thought, *I'd better pretend so I don't hurt his feelings.* Aloud, she said "Oh... yeah, I remember now, it's the one with all the desks and chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?" *Okay, that was a particularly feeble attempt at humour by the slayer.*

//What do you say,
to a dream that won't go away?
Cause I don't know if I can stand it.
Forever isn't something you want to be,
And I rely on familiar things.
Seven days all have special meanings,
But you just call it a week.//

"That's the one." He agreed with a smile.

"Like a bank vault." Buffy told him, tapping her head and forcing a grin *Okay, small talk over, what do you want?*

"So, I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow night, you going?"

"You mean the Sadie Hawkins thing?" she replied, still puzzled about why this boy was here, her brain not having made the obvious connection, "The deal where the girls ask the guys?"

"Yeah, I thought... if you're free you might ask me"

"Oh..." Buffy gasped in surprise, "you... I..."

"Oh, hey... don't worry about it." Ben said, the disappointment obvious in his voice.

"No, you seem like a great guy, it's... it's me. I'm not seeing anyone. Ever again actually."

"Oh. Well, I'd better go." He turned around and went down the stairs.

"Sorry" Buffy said to the empty air.

//I'm falling from the opposite,
What good is it?
Fight the map with no key attached,
My heart's enlarged and I charge.//

"Did I just hear the Buffster declare eternal chastity?" Xander's voice came from behind her. She turned and saw him walking towards her, his grin almost completely hidden by a mournful expression he was putting on. "That leaves me no reason to live," he declared melodramatically as he reached her, "I suppose I'd better just end it all now. Goodbye cruel world," he sighed, putting one of his feet on the railings as if he was going to climb over and jump off the higher level.

"Xander..." Buffy said, grinning at his antics despite her best efforts not to.

"Ah, a smile from the fair lady." Xander replied, his grin now obvious, "I think I may be able to go on."

"Keep this up and I'll push you off myself." Buffy threatened him, but her smile was still there.

//The night is young,
And the moon is a mother to both of us,
We both understand this.
Marrige is old and tired religion,
And I love all the traditional things,
Domnestic bliss and all that shit.
Confusion is a definite direction.//

"So, you want another coke?" Xander asked, indicating her empty glass.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna go, Ill pop by the library and see if Giles wants me to patrol, and then sack it."

"You've been doing that too much lately, patrolling and sacking. In fact you've kinda been all slay no play Buffy.

"I play, I have _big_ fun." Buffy protested, "I came here tonight, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you came you saw..." Xander pause for effect, "didn't do much else though."

"I'm just not in a bronzing kind of mood."

"Maybe you should try actively embracing the fun." Xander suggested, "Be impulsive."

"Impulsive?" Buffy asked, "Do you remember my ex, the vampire? I slept with him, he lost his soul, now my boyfriend is gone forever and the demon who wears his face is killing my friends. The next impulsive decision I make will be my choice of zimmerframe." she vowed.

"Buffy," Xander said intently, looking into her eyes, "you have to _stop_ blaming yourself for that, it is _not_ your fault." Buffy turned away and looked at the floor. Noticing this, Xander continued, "But if you're not enjoying yourself, we might as well patrol."

"_We?_"

"Yes, _we_." Xander declared, "Hey, I have ten years of Army combat training, I can look after myself."

"Thanks Xan, but I don't think Cordelia would appreciate me getting her boyfriend killed, and a fight between the Slayer and Queen C. could get messy. Where is she anyway."

"She stood me up." He replied with a resigned sigh, "So I _am_ going with you".

"So now I'm just cheap Cordelia substitute?" Buffy asked with a smile on her face as she started to lead Xander out of the Bronze.

"Never." Xander told her, his voice serious despite his grin matching hers, as they strolled into the night.

//I'm falling from the opposite,
What good is it?
Fight the map with no key attached,
My heart's enlarged and I charge.

I'm falling from the opposite,
What good is it?
Fight the map with no key attached,
My heart's enlarged and I charge.//

***

In the halls of Sunnydale High, a teenage boy was chasing a girl as she strode quickly away from him.

"Come back here! We're not finished!" he shouted angrily, catching up to her, grabbing her arm, and turning her round to face him. "You don't care anymore? Is that it?"

"No, it doesn't matter," she sobbed, turning her face away from him, "it doesn't matter what I feel."

"Then tell me you don't love me." he demanded, shaking her, "Say it!"

"Will that help? Is that what you need to hear?" she asked him, her face now resolved. "I don't. I don't!" she tried to pull her arm away from him, but he resisted her attempts. "Now let me go."

"No! A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody." His face set in a determined mask, the boy stepped back and pulled a revolver from his jacket, slowly aiming it at her chest, cocking the hammer as he did so.

"Love is forever."

Part Three

"I mean... how could Rachel not see Ross's love for her? It's _so_ obvious." Buffy argued as she and Xander walked though the empty halls of Sunnydale High.

"To you and me, yes." Xander replied, "But we see everything; Ross drooling over Rachel, Ross talking to the guys about her, but Rachel sees much less. Plus there's the whole psychological side; whatever clues she gets she ignores, cause she's not prepared to accept he might have deeper feelings for her."

"Wow. You've obviously been thinking about this too much"

"Well... I emphasise with Ross."

"What? You want to be a palaeontologist?" Buffy asked with a raised eyebrow. As they turned a corner they saw a girl running towards them.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME BITCH!"

They looked to see the origin of the shout and saw a boy pointed a gun at a girl who had now frozen to the spot.

Buffy and Xander started running instantly. Xander grabbed the girl and pulled her out of the line of fire, while Buffy went for the boy. She grabbed his arm, raised it high and then brought it down again over her shoulder, knocking the gun out of his grasp. Then she elbowed him in the stomach and swept his feet from under him. While Buffy concentrated on pummelling him, the gun slid across the floor disintegrating like a wisp of smoke as it went.

As she backed away from him slowly, the boy got up "What happened?" he groaned.

"What happened?" Buffy yelled at him. "You just went OJ on your girlfriend!"

"This is nuts, I don't know why I got so mad."

"Because you're a jerk?" Buffy asked caustically.

"He's not." The girl said, as she and Xander approached Buffy, "We weren't even fighting a few minutes ago."

"If you fighting then why'd you have a gun?" Xander asked.

"I don't know, it's not mine, I didn't even have one a minute ago."

Confused, Buffy summarised "So, a happy couple get into a violent argument with a gun that just appears-"

"And disappears." Xander pointed out, "I can't see it anywhere."

Buffy and the boy looked around the hallway, but the gun was nowhere to be seen.

***

Buffy and Xander sat in Principal Snyders office. He glared at the two of them as if all of the problems in the world were their fault. "I'm sure you two know why I've called you here."

"To thank us?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"Yes, that's right," Snyder sneered sarcastically, "what would I do without you around inciting mayhem and assaulting pupils."

"I don't incite." Buffy protested, "I stopped that guy from killing his girlfriend."

"A likely story Summers" he said dismissively, "Anyway, it isn't you who I'm after for assault." he continued, turning to Xander.

"Wha-" Xander stared to say

"The girl."

"Hey! I got her out of the line of fire," Xander told him angrily, "that's not assault. Ask her, ask the guy."

"People can be coerced Harris." Snyder said, "I'm no stranger to plots; I saw Conspiracy Theory."

Suddenly the intercom on Snyders desk buzzed.

[Principal Snyder, please go to the science extension building site. Richard Mason has chained himself to on of the trees again]

"Pathetic lowlife hippie." He grumbled as he began to walk to the door.

As he opened the door Xander and Buffy started to get up.

"Not so fast." Snyder commanded, "You two are involved in this, and I'm going to keep investigating till I know how this is all your fault." With that, he left the room.

"Good to see our teachers are fair in their attitude to punishment." Xander remarked.

"He can't do anything to us." Buffy assured him, "We didn't do anything wrong, and we have witnesses to prove it.

"And yet we are still confined here, wasting our time, and ensuring that I'm going to get hell from Cordelia for not being with her and lavishing all my attention on her."

"Well, look on the bright side Xan, with Cordy you're relatively safe."

"Huh?"

"Well, look at your past relationships; Ms French, nasty monster, tried to kill you. Ampata; nasty monster, tried to kill you..."

"Y'know I'm still not seeing the difference here Buffy" Xander said with a grin. "What I need to do is hang around you so if she does try and kill me you can save me a third time."

"Well, I came close to attacking you a couple of times last Valentines Day, but that was only while lusting after you.

"Don't remind me..." Xander groaned, "having the entire female population trying to marry and/or axe murder me is not an experience I want to repeat."

"Hmm.... I do believe I've just been insulted."

"Huh? Oh! No, don't worry Buff, you in that raincoat is a memory I will treasure until the day I die." he assured her, "but it was _everyone_ after me. I mean Drucilla and Mrs Miles were both there, I'm not sure which one scares me more."

"Would you two be quiet!" Snyder complained, walking back into the room, "You're supposed to be considering what you've done, not gossiping." He paused, then reluctantly continued, "Unfortunately, it seems that there is no evidence _yet_ to prove that this was your fault. So that means you to can go to your next class.

Buffy and Xander quickly got up and left the room, Buffy whispered "Yay, we win." to Xander, while Snyder glowered at their retreating backs.

"What's this?" Snyder said, noticing one of the school yearbooks was on the floor, "The 1955 yearbook? What were they doing with this?"

***

"So, for next time read the chapters on information grouping and binary coding." Willow told the class, "I bet you'll all think coding is pretty cool. That is, if you find two digit multi-stacked conversions and primary number crunching a big hoot."

The class all laughed at that, which gave Willow a satisfied smile. Then the bell rang and the pupils started to file out of the room. When the last one had left, Giles walked in from the corridor.

"Giles!" Willow exclaimed, "I made the class laugh, did you see that? I did the joke thing."

"Yes, you did, well done." Giles replied "I just stopped by to see if you needed any help, but you seem to be doing very well."

"Well, I had good lesson plans." Willow explained modestly, "Ms. Calendar had them on her computer."

"Yes..." Giles said slowly "She was very conscientious."

"I also found a bunch of files and internet sites on paganism, magic and stuff like that."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it's really interesting. And I also found uh... this." she added, holding up a pinkish crystal on a leather thong, "It's a rose quartz, Ms Calendar told me about it; it has healing powers.... I thought she'd like you to have it." she said, passing it to him.

"Oh, thank you Willow," Giles said, taking the crystal and smiling at her, "that's very kind of you." he added, slowly walking out of the classroom and slipping the crystal over his head as he went.

Willow watched hi go with a small smile on her face, *He's getting better.*

***

Buffy sat in history class, her chin propped up on her hand. Xander sat in the desk next to her, his arms folded over his pile of textbooks, his head resting on his arms. *I bet Xander's found some way to sleep with his eyes open* Buffy though, as she tried to stay awake and listen to the monotone drone of the teachers voice.

"Before 1935 the new deal focused on revitalising stricken business and agricultural communities. And the new deal also tried to regulate the nation's financial hierarchy to avoid another disaster like the 1929 stock crash..."

Despite her best efforts, Buffy closed her eyes for a moment.

"Don't forget, your assignments are due on Friday" a woman's voice said.

Surprised by the new voice, Buffy opened her eyes. *What's happened?* she thought, she looking around to see that everything was different. The people had all changed; Xander was no longer sitting next to her, it was a brown haired girl.

The students all started to leave the classroom, as they did so Buffy noticed that the style of their clothes was quite different to what she was used to. *What's going on?* she thought again.

"I told Ms. Hall we'd go help decorate the gym." a girl told one of her friends, "Who are you taking?" she asked, giving her friend a flyer with the words 'Sadie Hawkins Dance, 1955' on it.

"Thank you" Buffy turned around to see the teacher, a young dark haired woman, collecting papers from the students.

The last student, a brown haired boy wearing a football jacket went up and gave her his paper.

"Thank you James." she said, "How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemmingway?"

"I like it very much." he told her, "It's honest." he said slowly taking her hand in his.

"Yes..." she agreed, breathing out slowly, "he fell in love with his- Buffy"

*_What?_*

"Buffy!"

Finding her eyes shut again, Buffy opened them to see Xander looking at her, concern on his face.

"Huh?" was all she could manage to say.

"You dropped off." He explained, adding "I think someone needs to get more sleep.

"I think someone else needs to watch what they're doing." Buffy replied as she looked at the board, where the teacher had written 'DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME BITCH!' in large letters.

As pupils started laughing, the teacher realised what he had written and frantically rubbed it off.

"Does _everyone_ in this town have issues?" Xander asked with a grin.

***

"This is cool, Mr Thornley let us out early," Xander said, "he never does that."

"I'm not surprised." Buffy replied, "I bet he's a nervous wreck after what happened."

"Sounds like he's not the only one worried by it Buff."

"It's not just that, there's that fight last night, plus I had a really weird dream when I fell asleep in there. I'm telling you, something weird is going on."

"Something weird is going on" Xander echoed, "Isn't that our school motto?"

"Pretty much, but I don't know... this time it bugs me."

"Well, I hate to express doubt in the slayer sense, but a domestic dispute and a case of chalkboard tourettes? Sounds like Hellmouth lite to me." He paused for a moment, as they headed towards their lockers "Anyway, if you want to talk about weird dreams, I had a really strange one last night. You were in it Buff, you were wearing a big pink rabbit costume and then you... nevermind" he finished, abruptly turning to face his locker while his face went red.

*Ooh... I wonder what I did?* Buffy thought, grinning at Xander's slip *Hey... should I be annoyed at Xander for that?* she asked herself. *Not when I've been dreaming about him too, and in rather less than a bunny suit...*

As Buffy dealt with her internal debate, Xander managed to sort out he combination on his locker. Having finally got it unlocked, her opened the door.

Suddenly a big green arm shot out, grabbing Xander by his shirt and slammed him against the lockers at speed.

"Aaaaargh!" he yelped, trying to push himself away from the lockers and failing miserably.

Buffy grabbed Xander's shoulder and pulled him away from the locker, but the green arm was too strong and it slammed him into the lockers again. Seeing she needed to pull harder, Buffy positioned herself behind Xander, and gripped him under his arms before giving an almighty heave back.

As the arm let go, taking a sizeable chunk out of Xander's shirt and T-shirt with it, Xander was unable to stop himself flying back into Buffy's arms. *Mmmm.... nice Xander, muscley Xander* Buffy thought as his motion made her arms wrap around his chest. *No! Bad thoughts! Monster to deal with.* she admonished herself.

Having managed to keep a rather clearer mind than Buffy, Xander slammed the door of the locker. When nothing else happened to the door, he cautiously stepped towards it, leaving Buffy's arms and completely failing to see the pout that that movement had caused.

Turing around, Xander looked at the other students, but while they were all staring, none of them moved towards the pair. *You gotta love that Hellmouth Good Samaritan attitude.* he thought cynically.

Buffy gave him an intent look and gestured at the locker, so he stepped to one side and slowly opened the door.

Nothing happened.

Opening it the whole way, Xander and Buffy peered in, but everything was normal again. Xander shrugged and dumped his books in the locker, commenting "If that thing wants my books it can have them!" then he and Buffy started to walk down the corridor towards the library. They were almost there when Cornelia came round the corner at high speed and crashed into Buffy. While Buffy just stopped walking and stood steady as a rock, Cordelia was sent stumbling backwards and she fell over.

"Sorry," Buffy apologised, "let me help you up." She offered, holding out her hand. "I think you've done enough already" Cordelia retorted, refusing the hand and getting herself up. Noticing Xander, she commented, "I might have known you'd be with her..." then she noticed the state of Xander's clothing "My god, what have you been doing to him?" she demanded of Buffy, "You little-"

"Cordelia," Xander interrupted, "SHUT UP!"

"How dare you-" Cordelia started.

"How dare_I_?" Xander interrupted her again, "How dare _you_!" he retorted, "Buffy has just saved me from losing a lot more than a bit of my shirt, and then you attack her. I have been injured all last week, and you haven't visited me once. Then you stood me up at the Bronze last night," she looked away after comment, "and I haven't seen you today until now. _Buffy_ on the other hand, has looked after me over the last week, cheered me up at the Bronze, and just saved me from a grizzly death. So, I don't really think you have any right to comment on her."

With that, he walked off, motioning to Buffy to come with him, and leaving a shocked Cordelia and a few gawking onlookers speechless

Part 4

Willow was sitting the library reading a computer manual and Giles was sorting through a large pile of books, when Buffy and Xander waked in. She immediately noticed the state of his shirt.

"Xander, what happened? Did Cordy win another round in the broom closet?" Willow teased him. She was surprised when he didn't respond with a witty comeback, instead giving her a dark look as he sat down in one of the chairs by the table.

"Actually Will, he was attacked by some sort of locker monster." Buffy told her.

Giles looked up from his books, and asked "Did you say 'Loch Ness monster'?"

"_Locker_ monster." Xander corrected, "This big green arm came out of my locker and grabbed me. It slammed me around a bit before Buffy pulled me free, and then when we looked again it had disappeared. Pretty nasty, though not quite as nasty as the other monster we encountered on the way here." He added, his grin now back in place.

"I can't imagine what you're smiling about Xander," Giles told him, "encountering two monsters on campus is a very serious issue-"

"I'd agree with you about the first one," Buffy interrupted, "but unfortunately I don't think the Watchers Council will sanction any action against the second monster.

"What are you talking about Buffy?" an exasperated Giles demanded.

"It was Cordelia." Xander explained.

"Ahh." Giles sighed, understanding at last.

"Shouldn't you be defending her Xan?" Willow asked.

"No, I think it's a pretty fair description." Xander disagreed, "Mind you, that's probably because we've just had a bit of a fight."

"A _bit_ of a fight?" Buffy repeated, "Xander they probably heard you on the football pitches."

"What happened?" Willow asked, thinking *Hmm... despite all we've been though with her, I still love hearing anti-Cordy gossip. Does that make me a bad person?*

*I sense an opportunity for huge amounts of exaggeration and fun* Xander thought.

So, taking a deep breath, he turned to Willow and began his tale, "Well, after my traumatic locker experience, I was escorting this fair lady to the library." he explained, indication Buffy, who smiled at the compliment, "And then we encountered... the Cordy-monster! Moving at high speed and ignoring the clearly posted traffic regulations, she bumped into Buffy, but much like a wave crashing against the cliffs she was sent falling back, while our Slayer stood steady as a rock."

Xander was in full flow now, and had their full attention, even Giles was just listening with a small smile on his face, rather than questioning the obvious inaccuracies.

"Rudely refusing the aid and apology that were offered to her, she first attacked me for being with my friend. Then she noticed the state of my attire and because of that insulted Buffy, obviously assuming our heroine had been ravishing me in the nearby maintenance closet, and that Slayer strength had been to much more poor old 60% cotton." He continued, winking at Buffy suggestively and making her blush.

"Leaping to the defence of her sacred territory, not me but the closet, she began to utter the ancient phrases that could only lead to that most brutal of ritual combats; the cat fight."

While Xander paused for breath, Buffy jumped in and continued the tale, "Xander quickly assessed the situation, and he saw that such a battle could cause serious civilian casualties, not to mention structural damage, so he stepped bravely into the breech. After quieting her fearsome bellowing, he pointed out that she had been neglecting her champion, despite the grievous injuries he had but recently sustained on the field of battle, and thus she had no right to question his conduct. Leaving her to ponder upon his words, he left her and finished his task of accompanying the Slayer to her secret headquarters, a task in which he performed admirably."

As they finished the story, Willow and Giles burst into a round of spontaneous applause.

"Judging by your new vocabulary, I do believe this place is beginning to rub on you two." Giles commented with a smile, "Although it does seem to have given you a nasty habit of referring to yourself in the third person. Anyway, thank you for the epic saga, but could you please tell me more about this arm in your locker." He added, steering them back to serious matters.

"Hmm... Big. Green. Muscley." Xander described, "Not much else to say... except that our history teacher did some freaky channelling thing in class."

"Plus I had a dream full of people who looked like they should be on 'Happy Days'." Buffy said, seeing Giles' blank look she explained, "They had '50s clothes and hairstyles."

"Sounds like paranormal phenomena to me." Giles commented

"A ghost?" Willow asked, "Cool."

"If the arm i anything to go by, this is no wimpy chain rattler." Xander warned, "This is 'I'm dead as hell, and I'm not gonna take it no more'"

"Hmm... well, despite the Xander speak, that sounds like a pretty fair description of a poltergeist." Giles said

"I defined something? Accurately?" Xander asked incredulously, "Guess I'm done with the book learning." He concluded, slamming shut one of the books on the table, and grinned at Buffy.

"So we have some bad boo on our hands?" she summarised, grinning back.

"Er... yes" Giles agreed.

"Why is it here?" Willow asked, "I mean, does it just want to scare people or what?"

"I doubt it knows what it wants to do." Giles told them, "You see, often a spirit is plagued by all sorts of worldly troubles, but being dead it can't resolve them. So it lashes out, growing ever more confused, ever more angry."

"So it's a normal teenager," Buffy commented cynically, "only... dead."

"But what can we do?" Willow said, "It there any way to stop it?"

Sitting on the table, Giles replied, "The only tried and true way is to work out what unresolved issues keep it here and well... resolve them."

"Fabulous." Buffy complained, "Now we're Jerry Springer for the deceased."

"Only if we can find out who the spirit is." Giles said, "Or was..."

***

George the janitor was doing his usual cleaning rounds, slowly mopping his way though all the halls of Sunnydale High, when one of the teachers passed him on her way out.

"Working late, Ms. Frank?" he asked her.

"My fault, I let myself get behind." she said, stopping for a moment "Is it okay to walk here George? It is George, right?"

"Oh yes ma'am," he assured her, "you go right ahead."

"Thank you George." She said, starring to walk away, "You have a nice evening."

"You too. Drive safe." he told her. Almost as and afterthought, he said, "Oh Ms. Frank?

"Yes?"

He dropped his mop to the to the floor and slowly walk towards her, saying "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

"There's no way we can be together," she replied, shaking her head, "no way people will ever understand it, or accept it."

"Is that what this is about, what people think?"

"No! I just want you to have some sort of normal life, we can never have that. Don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life! I'm going crazy not seeing you... I think about you every second."

Ms. Frank stepped closer to him, lifting her hand to his check. "But it's over. It has to be." She told him, turning and walking away."

"Come back here! We're not finished!" he shouted, running after her, grabbing her arm and pulling her round to face him. "You don't care any more? Is that it?"

"It doesn't matter if I care," she cried, tears in her eyes, "it doesn't matter what I feel."

"Then tell me you don't love me." he demanded, shaking her, "Say it!"

"Will that help?" she asked, looking up into his eyes, "Is that what you need tom hear? I don't." she said, trying to pull away from him. "I don't." she repeated, "Now let me go."

"No. A person doesn't just wake up one day, and stop loving someone. Love is forever" He said, his face grim as he pulled a revolver from his pocket and aimed it at her. "I'm not afraid to use it -I swear, if I can't be with you..."

"Oh my god!" she gasped, running away from him.

"DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME, BITCH!"

***

Sitting in the library, Giles heard shouting from the halls. He went to the library door and peered out, but seeing nothing he turned and headed back to the table.

"I need you"

The faint feminine voice stopped him in his tracks. Looking around and seeing no source, he quickly jumped to a conclusion, "Jenny." He whispered

Giles ran out into the corridor, looking around to see what was happening.

"Don't!"

George's voice reached him, echoing through the empty corridors. Running towards the source, he came to a window through which he saw George pointing a gun at Ms. Frank on a balcony.

"Don't do that dammit!" George shouted, "Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb-"

[BANG]

As soon as he saw the gun go off, Giles started running down the hallways towards the balcony. Seeing George come out from the intersection just ahead of him, he put on an extra burst of speed and floored him with a rugby tackle that Jonah Lomu would have proud of. As the gun fell from George's grasp it faded in a whiff of black smoke.

After a moment lying on the floor George tried to get up, but Giles pushed him down again.

"What's going on?" he asked, confused.

"What's going on?" Giles echoed in shock, "You just killed that woman."

George slowly went pale as he realised what had just happened.

***

Hmm... maybe I should see a doctor about this cliffhanger thing, it could be serious.

An extra quick installment, but you'll probably have to wait a little while for part five, cause I have exams every day Monday to Thursday next week which will reduce my typing time, and since Thursday is the end of exams, I intend to go out and get very drunk on Thursday or Friday, and that probably won't help either (although Nick Huicik might disagree with me there. Send me feedback anyway; go on, you know you want to :)

Part 5

"And this... this is the garden."

Angel walked around the plant covered atrium, Drucilla trailing after him.

"Ooh!" she exclaimed, rushing to one of the flowers, "Jasmine!"

"Night blooming." he commented, moving close to Drucilla and stroking her cheek with a pair of pruning shears, "Just like us." He whispered in her ear."

"Oh, Angel. It's fairly land!" she said, spinning round with glee.

"It's _paradise_." Spike commented sarcastically, sitting on his wheelchair in the entrance to the room. "Big windows, crumbling old masonry. If the _sunlight_ doesn't kill us, we'll be crushed when it collapses around us."

"If you don't like it Spike, hit the stairs and go." Angelus teased, looking over Drucilla's shoulder. "Take a stand, man."

"Well our old place was just fine, till you got it burned down."

"Things change Spikey, you gotta roll with the punches. Well," he snickered, "you've pretty much got that part down, haven't you?"

"Very funny. Mate." Spike said in a quiet but deadly voice.

"What can I say?" Angelus asked, moving around Drucilla and stroking her cheek with a jasmine petal. "I just love to see you smile."

"Yeah," Spike said acidly, "you're a giver." With that, he turned his chair around and rolled out.

***

"It was just as with the couple you two encountered," Giles told Buffy and Xander as he picked up some books from his office, "The janitor remembered everything; he knew he had killed Ms. Frank, but he had no idea why. Apparently they hardly knew each other." He added, coming back to the table in the middle of the library, Buffy, Xander and Willow followed him, sitting around the table.

"What about the gun?" Willow asked, "Did you find it?"

"No, no we didn't. We all looked everywhere, both the police and the staff, and we couldn't find anything." He sat down at the table in front of them, declaring, "I think it's very clear what's going on here.

They all looked at him in puzzlement, Xander putting their confusion into words, "Fill us in then, cause I think I missed the 'weird shootings for dummies' chapter in my Slayerette's handbook."

"It's Jenny" Giles told them, as if he expected that to explain everything.

"_What?_" Buffy said, shocked.

"You think Ms Calendar is the ghost?" Xander asked, equally surprised.

"Well, don't you see? She... she died here under tragic circumstances, so now she's trapped."

"But what about the gun? Ms. Calendar wasn't shot." Willow pointed out.

"The gun is insignificant. It's the violence of the death that matters."

"I don't know..." Buffy said, "The fights these couples keep having, it's kinda... specific."

"She's right," Willow agreed, "Both times it was the same argument, and I really doubt Angel and Ms. Calendar had that sort of conversation."

Standing up from the table and moving towards his office, Giles said "Yes... well, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I, uh... encourage to use initiative and challenge me when you feel it's appropriate." Standing in the doorway of his office, he turned around to face them again, "Except on this occasion, where I am clearly right, and you are clearly wrong."

***

"This is freaky." Willow said, sitting at her desk in the computer room, with Buffy and Xander standing behind her. "I don't think I've ever seen Giles this wigged before."

"Yeah." Xander agreed, "He's usually all Scully; professional and cool, considering all the possibilities. Now he's gone Mulder, obsessive and jumping to conclusions. What happened."

Buffy sat on the edge of Willow's desk, her eyes distant "He misses her." She said, "Just a little more fallout from my lovelife."

Xander smacked his hand against his forehead in exasperation. "Buff..." he sighed, "I swear I'm gonna start using electro-shock therapy to cure you of this 'Everything wrong in the world is my fault' attitude. Now, repeat after me..." he ordered, "It was not my fault."

"It was not my fault." Buffy repeated, deciding to humour him.

"I will move on."

"Xander is a sex god"

"Yesss...." Buffy was as surprised as her friends when that slipped out of her mouth. *Oops,* she thought, *I'd better bluff my way out of this.* Aloud, she said "Ha! Got you Xander!" and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Okay, if you two have finished flirting, we need some alternate ghost theories." Willow said, "I'll check to see if there have been what shootings have happened at the school."

"So, what do we know?" Buffy asked, moving so she could peer over Willow's shoulder.

"Fire bad, tree pretty?" Xander suggested in a deadpan tone.

Despite her best efforts to resist, Buffy started giggling at that. Slapping Xander on the arm she said, "_Besides_ that?"

Willow rolled her eyes at the antics of her best friends, thinking *Why do they find a closet and make out already?* Willow then got back to business, and gave them the information. "Oh boy, we know plenty." Reading from the screen, she told them; "Sunnydale High jock kills lover and self. A student shot a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance, the rumour was that they were having an affair and she tried to break it off. After killing her, he went to the music room and shot himself."

"I think we have our ghost." Buffy said.

"It all fits!" Willow agreed, "The gun, the argument, the Sadie Hawkins dance..."

"Which is tonight." Xander added.

"How come we've never heard of this whole affair-murder-suicide thing before?" Willow asked, "When did it happen?"

"1955."

"How did you know that Xander?" Buffy said.

"Duh." Xander replied grinning, "It's right there at the bottom of the screen" he told her, pointing it out.

"Oh..." Buffy said, embarrassed. "Wait a minute... 1955? I need to check something."

A few minutes later they were all standing in the library, looking through the 1955 yearbook.

"Okay, more weirdness." Buffy said, "I dreamt about this woman, Grace Newman." She pointed at a young black haired woman on the teachers photo page. "Her, and this guy." she indicated one of the pupils.

Taking a close look at the pictures, Willow gasped, "That's them! James Stanley and Grace Newman."

"Your dreams are getting wicked accurate Buff." Xander complimented her, "You wouldn't happen to see me coming across some big cash?" he asked, "Or possibly knowing the love of a woman? In a full body sense?"

Turning away to hide the blush and the naughty thoughts that Xander's surprisingly accurate words had caused, Buffy concentrated on the picture of James. "She dumps him so he kills her." She said, "I think that's a _little_ extreme."

Willow sighed, "He looks so normal in the picture. He was smart too, he made the honour roll."

"Smart?" Buffy echoed sceptically

"He killed a person and he killed himself. Those are pretty much two of the dumbest things you can do." Xander said

"I know... but don't you feel kinda sorry for them?" Willow asked.

"Sure I feel sorry," Buffy answered, "for _her_. He's a murderer, and he should pay for it."

"With his life?" Willow said.

"No..." Buffy replied, "he should spend his life in prison, breaking rocks and making friends with Roscoe the wife-beater."

"Yikes." Xander exclaimed, "The quality of mercy is not Buffy."

"Whose ghost do you think we're dealing with?" Willow asked.

"Considering the violence, I'd say his."

"That tracks." Xander agreed, "plus Giles said that ghosts turn up because they have issues, and I'd guess that since this guy shot her and himself, he has more issues to deal with."

"Hmm..." Willow considered their options, "maybe I could use some of Ms. Calendar's pagan stuff to communicate with the ghost, and then I suppose we could help him deal with his issues."

"We don't have time to learn the idiots guide to ghost counselling." Buffy disagreed, "We need to shut him down before he makes another innocent guy shoot some nice girl, and then blow his brains out all over the trumpets and trombones."

"Okay Buff, calm down." Xander said, "Remember Yoda; Anger, fear, hate. Of the dark side these are."

Buffy smiled at his quote, before pointing out, "I thought aggression came into there somewhere."

"You're right there," Xander admitted, "but seeing as you pulverise vampires most nights, me telling you aggression is bad might not be a great idea. But being serious; don't let this get to you Buff. Obsession is not good." Xander warned her, thinking to himself, *As I know only too well...*

Part 6

Buffy, Xander, Willow and Oz were sitting in their normal place in the cafeteria, but unusually for them, they weren't speaking. This was because they were all to busy stuffing their faces with hot dogs.

"Oh my god, It's amazing." Buffy exclaimed with her mouth full, "This actually tastes good."

"Maybe that fat cook is trying to kill us all, and is using great food to hide the arsenic?" Xander suggested.

"I suppose that's possible," Buiffy admitted, "but until I learn mind reading, I'm just gonna assume she actually learned how to cook somt-"

"Xander," Cordelia rudely interrupted, walking up to him, "I'm ready to accept your apology for yesterday. Then we can talk about what you're going to wear to the Sadie Hawkins Dance tonight, and then-"

"Cordy?" Xander gave Cordelia a taste of her own medecine by stopping her mid-flow, before he began to verbally lay into her, "I see a few flaws in your master plan. The entire point of the Sadie Hawkins dance is that the girls ask the guys. So, that means not only do _you_ have to ask _me_, but you also have to _pay_." Even though he knew he shouldn't, Xander really enjoyed the way the blood drained from Cordelias face when he said that, *She looks like she almost fainted, and just at the mention of her paying.* he thought. "Also," he continued, "I have abosolutely _no_ intention of appologising to you. If anything, you should be the one appologising, it's you that has been attacking me and Buff without any good reason."

"'Buff'?" Cordelia sneered, "So now you have a pet name for the little bitch you obsess over?"

"Attack _me_ Cordelia, leave my friends out of this"

"Your friends?" Codelia said mockingly, "Let's see; the school nerd, a psychopathic blonde wearing an ugly dress, and a guy with painted fingernails and a new hair colour each day. Yeah, I think I'll stay as far away as possible from them."

Getting to his feet, Xander yelled at her, "That's _too_ far!" After that outburst he had the attention of the entire cafeteria, everyone watching as Xander continued, "I thought you were better than this Cordy. I thought I could help you rise above your obsession with popularity and appearance, cause one thing I've learnt over the last few years with Buffy is that popularity _really_ don't matter in the big scheme of things. I think you could be a better person if you realised that." Xander pause for a moment, and when he continued his face was sad, "I'm really sorry Cordelia. I do care for you, but I don't think we should go out anymore."

"Wait a minute!" she spluttered, "_You_ are breaking up with _me_? That is _so_ not happening. I am breaking up with _you_."

"Okay Cordy," Xander replied, his voice calm now, "whatever makes you feel better."

"I don't want to associate with you or you loser friends any more!" She declared, "The next time the world is about to end, you can find someone else to help you!"

Cordelia marched quickly out of the cafeteria, trying to keep her face angry and hoping no-one could see the tears that came to her eyes as she thought, *I've lost him...*

When she had left, Xander slowly sat down, his face sad. All around them the normal buzz of conversation returned as people returned to their conversations.

"Intense." Oz commented.

"Are you okay Xan?" Buffy asked, her concern for him obvious in her voice.

Looking up at her, Xander managed a small smile as he replied, "Yeah... it's just that I really did care about her, and she does have the potential to be a great person... I wanted to help her become that person, but..." he trailed off and paused for a moment before he spoke again, "I didn't mind when she attacked _my_ appearance, or my life, but when she attacks you guys that's too much. All the things we've been through together, all time times each of you has saved my life, you _are_ my life.

Touched by his words, Buffy and Willow hugged him from both sides. He smiled, ignoring the jealous stares he was getting from some of the other guys in the cafeteria.

"Deep." Oz commented.

As the girls began to let go of him, he turned to Oz, "Should we hug?" he asked with a grin.

Considering the matter for a moment, Oz replied in his ever-deadpan voice, "I think a grasping of forearms would be a more masculine response. According to Hercules it is anyway."

"Okay," Xander agreed, "as long as we're not afraid to be in touch with our feelings." Having said that, he gripped Oz's forearm as the guitarist did the same to him.

While Xander and Oz indulged in their male, the floor of the cafeteria began to shake. Suddenly a score of green and scaly arms with clawed hands errupted from the floor, scattering the tables and chairs, grabbing whatever they could reach.

The students paniced and ran madly fort the doors. Willow and Oz managed to keep their calm and quickly made their way to an exit. Xander was about to follow them when he saw that one of the arms had grabbed Buffy. She was strgugling but couldn't get free. "Help me Xander!" she cried.

He rushed to her side, grabbed her by her waist and tried to pull her away from the arm, but it was too strong and responded to his attempt by bashing Buffy into him, which sent him flying across the floor.

As he got up, Xander noticed a carving knife on the floor in front of him, so he picked it up and quickly made his way to Buffy, carefully avoiding the demonic arms. He shoved the knife as far into the scaly flesh of the arm as he could. The claw finally let go, but it had cut deeply into her leg, and she almost fell over. Luckily Xander managed to put his arm around her back to hold her up.

*She's never gonna be able to run past these things like that* Xander thought. So he swept her feet from under her, and started to run out of the cafeteria, holding Buffy in his arms. As they reached the door, she put her arms around his neck. *Just so I don't fall.* she thought, *No other reasons...*

As they got through the doors, Xander strode quickly past the other still frightened pupils and into the main corridors. He was walking past the student lounge, getting a few strange looks for carrying Buffy, when he was spun around and slapped in the face.

As he saw who had attacked him, Xander slowly let Buffy's feet down to the growth, though he still kept his arm around her as support.

"Cordy?" he asked, confused by her unprovoked attack, "What-"

"You bastard!" she spat at him, "We've been broken up for five minutes and already you're carrying this little _slut_ around as if you were just-"

[WHACK]

As Buffy slowly withdrew her arm, she looked down at Cordelia, who was now lying on the floor.

"Shut up!" Buffy snarled, "We've just had demon arms coming from the floor to grab us, and Xander," she emphasised her words by putting her arm around him, "_saved_ me from them. The blood rapidly dripping from my leg onto the floor and soaking into your dress should tell you why he's carring me." She explained. After a moments pause she added, "It isn't any of your business anymore anyway. You and Xander broke up, so he can do whatever he likes." thinking, *And I wish he would...* before giving Cordelia an order "Now go away and leave us alone." After that, Cordelia quickly got up and walked quickly away without a word.

When she had gone Xander turned to Buff and thanked her, "I know I shouldn't be promoting violence, but... thank you Buff."

Buffy sighed, "I just could take her constantly and unreasonably attacking you." She pulled him close for a hug, "I think we've lost what little chance we had of her rejoining the scoobies though.

Xander shrugged, "Ah well, I suppose I'll have to take up the role of confusing the vampires by insulting their fashion sense, it's a heavy load but I think I can do it... Now," he proclaimed, grandly sweeping Buffy back up into his arms "where would you like your transport company, Harris Enterprises for Re-Positioning of Enfeebled Slayer, or HERPES for short, to take you?"

"Hey! Who are you calling enfeebled? Anyway, you don't need to carry me." She told him, "But I've never been one too look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I'm not just _any_ gift horse." Xander corrected her, "I'm your faithful steed."

Buffy was giggling as she said, "Very well my faithful Dobbin; to the library!" and pointed down one of the corridors.

"Uh... Buffy? The library is that way" Xander told her, pointing down the another corridor.

"Then..." momentarily nonplussed, Buffy quickly recovered, "To the library!" she repeated, this time pointing down the correct corrdidor.

"Ow!" Buffy looked around and saw a guy rubbing his arm. "Look where you're pointing." He told her, he then looked up at Xander and said, "Try to keep you're girlfriend under control.

"Hmm..." Xander mused, shaking his head at Buffy in mock dissaproval, "Lets get you to the library before you do any more damage."

***

"Okay, how's that?" Willow asked, as she finished bandaging Buffy's leg.

"That's good, thanks Will." Buffy replied, "With slayer healing I'll be fine in no time." She then turned t Xander "In all the confusion I didn't get a chance to thank you for saving me. You're the best Xander."

"What confusion?" Willow asked.

Xander shrugged and nonchalantly answered her, "Oh... just Buffy taking down Cordelia."

"_What_"

"Well..." Buffy started, embaressed by it all, "she saw Xander carrying me, jumped to the wrong conclusion, she slapped and insulted him, and I don't like _anybody_ doing that to my Xander." *_My_ Xander* Buffy thought, *Possessive much? Where did that come from?* Hoping no-one had noticed her Freudian slip, Buffy continued her explanation. "She was being so unreasonable, it was too much, she had _no_ right... so I hit her."

"Hey, it's okay." Willow told her, "I'm not judging. But didn't I tell you to count to ten before doing stuff like that?"

"Okay, okay." Buffy said, "I'm a psychopathic loony. Now can we deal with the murderous ghost please?"

"Sure, we've got a bit of time for reasearch anyway." Willow sad, explaining, "They've cancelled afternoon classes. Giles won't be here for a while though, he had to go to a staff meeting."

"Good." When Willow looked strangely at her for that comment, Buffy continued, "He's too obsessed with his Jenny theory to be much help till we can _prove_ to him that he's wrong."

They setted down for some reasearch. About half an hour later, Willow printed off several pages from the computer and went over to the table where the other two were reading through various books.

"Forget the plan to talk to the ghost, he's too violent." Willow said, "We need to deal with this thing, and we need to do it fast. The only solution is the final solution."

"Nuke the school?" Xander joked, "I like that idea."

"Not quite... exorcism."

"What's the deal?" Buffy asked quickly, cutting Xander off as he was about to make a head-twisting joke.

Willow laid out a map of the main school building, with three points marked and connected by dotted lines set in a triangle around a fourth point.

"Okay, you see the balcony here? That's where the original teacher died in 1955 and where Ms. Frank died too. That's the hot spot, the place where the spirit is anchored." Willow explained, "To get rid of the bad mojo we need to create a mangus tripod. One person chants on the hot spot, and the other three chant in different places around the school, forming a triangle." She pointed out their places out on the map. "It should bind the spirit and stop it from doing any more harm."

"Well, I'll take the hot spot." Buffy decided, "If there's any trouble, that's where it'll be.

As Willow nodded her agreement, Xander said, "This ghost seems to be fixating on you Buff; the dreams, the claws... are you sure you;re gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine." She assured him, "If the ghost shows up I'll kick its ass into the next state.

***

That night they all gathered in the front hall of the school, ready to do the ritual.

"Okay, we all have our places." Buffy said, "We do the ritual at midnight exactly. Any questions?"

"Is this gonna work?" Oz asked.

"It should." Willow assured him, "By the way, I've made us all scapulas."

Puzzled, Xander suggested, "So we can pick up the ghost if it gets stuck to the frying pan?"

"_Scapula_" Willow repeated ahanding each of them a back bundle on a string, "not spatula. You wear it around your neck, it should protect you from the ghost."

Sniffing his, Xander commented, "It smells like brimstone and ashes." After a moments pause, he added, "It's _scary_ that I know that."

"Sorry, I didn't have a lot of time." Willow apologised. "I had to use sulphur; stinky but effective."

"Okay, let's do this." Buffy ordered.

They all walked down the main corridor, and through the student longue, Xander nervously saying "No problem, this'll be a piece of cake... right?"

Suddenly, they heard first a creaking, and then a crahsing and a slamming. The spun arpund in time to see tje entrance doors had just shut and locked themselves

[SLAM]

Swiftly all the doors on the way to the exit had slammed shout with no visible help. The group quietly split up, each making their way to their appointed positions.

***

"This garden is wonderful!" Drucilla gushed, stroking a flower, "Maybe I'll sleep underground. I could dig myself a little burrow."

Nearby, Spike commented from his wheelchair, "What about your pretty dress, pet? It'll get all dirty."

Ducilla smiled as she saw the solution, "Then I'll sleep naked, like the animals do."

"You know, suddenly I'm liking this plan." Angelus smirked as he walked into the garden and approached Drucilla.

"Fortunately, no-one cares what you like, _mate_."

"Oh yeah?" Angelus sneered, "Lets ask Dru."

Drucilla started laughing, "There's a gate! It's-"

Anglus and Spike looking down at the suddenly quiet Drucilla.

Spike eventually broke the silence, "See, I told you the masonry here was no good."

"...I suppose you were right." Angelus grudgingly admitted, "Dru?" he said.

"Honey?" Spike called, looking at Drucilla lying on the floor, a large chunk of stone from the arch above her, slowly rocking on the flor by her head, which now had a large bruise.

Part 7

Willow walked slowly towards the main stairs, which were her assigned position, nervously looking around the empty halls. Just as she crept by the library, the doors opened, hitting her leg.

"Aaaah!!!" she screamed, whirling around.

"Aaaah!!!" echoed Giles, having opened the door he had been surprised by Willow's presence and reaction. Seeing who it was, he quickly calmed down, asking "Willow? What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here at this time of night."

"Me?" Willow yelped, still not recovered from her shock, "What about you?"

"I'm er... I'm trying to... I think I may be close to contacting Jenny." Giles explained.

*He still thinks it's her* Willow thought, a sympathetic smile on her face.

Giles started to go back into the library, but paused when he saw the bag hanging from Willow's neck. "What's that, Willow?"

"It's my scapular."

"Ah right," he sniffed the air, "did you use sulphur?"

"Yeah."

"Very clever of you. Er... run along now, there may be some paranormal phenomena if I manage to get though to Jenny, and you don't want to be in the line of fire. Goodnight." Giles said, then returned to the library.

"Okay, night." Willow called to his retreating back as she started walking towards the stairs again.

***

Oz leaned silently against the sinks in the washroom, waiting for midnight. His chin began to get quite itchy, so he turned around to look at it in the mirror.

His face was covered in fur, and his elongated teeth were dripping blood.

*Oh no... not now* Oz thought, stumbling backwards in shock and falling to the floor. He sat there, leaning against the wall for a moment while he got his breathing under control. Slowly he got up, still leaning on the wall, and he looked in the mirror.

His face was normal. Relieved, he sank back to the floor.

***

Xander cautiously opened the door to the cafeteria. Apart from the gaping holes in the floor, and the chairs and tables scatted all over the room, it seemed normal. *No demonic arms pulling me down to hell. This is good.*

He slowly moved into the room, all sense alert. As he passed one of the holes a clawed arm snaked out and made a grab for Xander's ankle. As he dodge that, and then another that cam from behind, he saw they were identical to the arms that had attacked that lunchtime.

Now even more careful, he made his way to a table which was in a hole-free area in the centre of the room. As he sat down, he was glad to see that none of the arms could reach him, and so they quickly gave up trying. *Now I just sit and wait...*

***

Buffy slowly walked down the endless school corridors towards the balcony. As she walked she began to hear a haunting melody echoing through the school halls.

My love must be a kind of blind love.

Looking for the source, Buffy saw a light shining from one of the nearby rooms.

I can't see anyone but you.

As she approached it, she saw it was the music room, and both the music and the light were coming from there. She also noticed a poster for the class of '55 Sadie Hawkins dance.

Looking, into the room, she saw a young man and older woman she now recognised as Grace and James. They were holding each other close and slowly swaying to the music, dancing in small circles.

The moon may be high,
But I can see a thing in the sky,

As they danced, their faces filled with love, Grace's head blocked James' face from Buffy's view for a moment. When James swayed back into view, his face was rotted and skeletal.

Cause I only have eyes for you.

Buffy jerked back in shock, and when she looked in again the dancers had disappeared.

***

Willow climbed up the stairs, reaching her agreed position. Getting to the landing, she put her candle on the floor and started to search her pockets for matches. The moment she did so, the floor beneath started to darken and swirl. As Willow tried to move away a scaly green arm came from the whirlpool and grabbed her leg.

Quickly grabbing the stair rail, Willow screamed at the top of her voice, "GILES!!"

In a moment he had run out of the library, looking round for her and calling back, "WILLOW!"

Still sinking, and starting to lose her grip on the railing, her cries became even more frantic, "GILES! GILES!"

"WHERE ARE YOU!" he yelled, running into the student lounge.

"PLEASE!!" Willow pleaded, finally losing her grip on the railing and grabbing the edge of a step instead. "HELP! Help, help, help!"

Giles ran into the student lounge and saw where she was, he sprinted towards her getting there with Willow waist deep into the whirlpool. He grabbed her outstretched arms and pulled. They almost both fell in when the demonic arm started to pull harder, but Giles redoubled his efforts and slowly pulled Willow out of the whirlpool.

As her feet cam free, the arm suddenly let go. Not expecting this, Willow snapped forwards into Giles' arms, and sent them both flying down the stairs, and they landed in a heap at the bottom. Giles disentangled himself from Willow, and after checking to see she wasn't injured he climbed the stairs to see if the whirlpool was still there. Satisfied it was gone, he turned back to Willow.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his concern for her evident in face and voice.

Still recovering from the shock and fear. Willow turned to him, "Giles..." she started, searching for the right words to say, "Jenny could never be this mean."

Giles sighed and looked at the floor for a moment before replying, "I know..." he admitted, "it's not her, is it?"

"I'm sorry"

***

Reaching the fateful balcony where it had all happened, Buffy looked around. Seeing nothing unusual, she put the scapular round her neck, thinking *Eww! Stinky!*.

After waiting for a while, Buffy was staring aimlessly into space, then she sensed something coming, suddenly she was assailed by a series of visions.

~||Grace ran down the halls out onto the balcony. As she reached the open air, James caught up with her

"Stop!" he shouted, raising the gun.

Grace faced James, "Just clam down." She pleaded, her voice pleading.

James shook the gun in his hand as he yelled at Grace, "Don't do that dammit."

[BANG]

Grace slowly put her hand to her chest, then lifted up it till they could both see the blood on it.||~

~||James walked slowly through the school corridors. Eventually he reached the music room, he went in, and put a record on. Tears flowing freely down his face, he raised the gun to his head. Standing there in the middle of the room, his finger tightened on the trigger of the gun...||~

Buffy stood stupefied for a moment, trying to absorb all she had just seen, then suddenly a skeletal James appeared and grabbed her by the arms

"GET OUT!" he yelled, then he just disappeared.

***

Outside the school, the town clock slowly started to chime midnight.

***

"Oh god" Willow exclaimed as she heard the chimes. She scrambled back up to the top of the stairs where her candle was sitting.

"Be careful up here." Giles warned, joining her on the landing.

Willow fumbled with her matches, unable to light them. Giles knelt beside her and used his lighter to do the job.

As he did so, Willow began her ritual, "I shall confront and expel all evil."

***

"Out of marrow and bone..." Xander chanted, sitting cross-legged on his table in the cafeteria. *This magic stuff isn't so hard. And at least there aren't any snakes!*

***

"Out of house and home..." Oz recited, sting with his candle on the floor of the boys toilets."

***

"Never to come here again." Buffy finished, as she stood on the balcony with her lit candle on the wall in front of her.

***

All five waited silently for some sign of success or failure.

Suddenly a ghostly breeze swept though the school blowing out all the candles. Surprised by this, the all looked around. Seeing nothing else amiss, they returned their attention to the glowing wicks and smoke in front of them.

A low buzzing noise slowly became audible throughout the school.

Giles and Willow cautiously made there way down the stairs, looking around in an effort to find the source of the noise. They saw a huge black cloud flowing towards them, as it got closer they saw it was a huge swarm of black wasps.

Buffy ran down the stairs to join them, and they started running for the exit. Oz, and then Xander joined them from the side corridors as they ran. They reached the doors out and tried to open them, but they refused to budge, and the swarm was getting frighteningly close.

"Get back!" Buffy yelled.

As they all moved away, Buffy kicked the door, breaking its lock and shattering the glass. They all rushed out and across the school grounds with the wasps right behind them.

As they reached the street, Xander slowed and turned around. "Check it." he said, stopping on the pavement, and looking at the wasps that had completely surrounded and filled the school grounds, but they were making no attempt to go any further. "I'd say schools out for good."

***

The group all sat in Buffy's living room, Buffy and Giles facing each other on the chairs while the others sat between them on the sofa.

"So, what do we do now Giles?" Willow asked, "How do we stop James?"

"Well... he's obviously reliving the night of the Sadie Hawkins dance, when he killed Grace." He stated, "It's common enough for a spirit to this, to recreate some tragedy."

"But why?" Xander asked, "What does he want?"

"He's trying to resolve whatever issues keep him in limbo... put the wrong things right. What he actually needs, I'm not su-"

"He wants forgiveness." Buffy interrupted.

Giles considered this for a moment, and then agreed "I imagine he does. But when he possesses people, they do _exactly_ the same as what happened that night. He's going through some kind of purgatory, and killing Grace over and over again. Forgiveness is... impossible."

"Good." Buffy stated coldly, "He doesn't deserve it."

Giles looked at her and quietly replied, "To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It's not done because people deserve it, it's done because they _need_ it.

"_No._" Buffy disagreed, "James had a person he truly loved and destroyed it all in one moment of blind passion. And that's _not_ something you forgive, no matter _why_ he did it, no matter if he now knows it was wrong and selfish and stupid. It's just something he's going to have to live with." She told them, then turned her head away from them to stare at the floor.

Xander got up for his chair and went to Buffy, he knelt in front of her chair and spike to her "Buffy..." he said, but she ignored him and carried on staring into space. "Buffy, look at me." He commanded, taking her chin gently in his hand and turning her to face him. "I know this is hard for you, and it's bringing up lots of painful memories. But we _have_ to deal with this now, before more people die. We need you to be strong, so we can solve the problem, no matter whose fault it is. We need you for this, and we need you with a clear head." He told her, staring deep into her eyes to make sure she saw his sincerity. "Now, are you going to be okay?"

After taking a deep breath, Buffy nodded, "Yeah..." she answered, "I... I just need a minute alone" Xander moved back to his seat, and Buffy got up and went into the kitchen.

When she had left the room, Willow turned to Giles "So, what do we do now? Do we go in again?

"No," Giles replied, "the spirit is too angry, too powerful. We have to work out how, and indeed if this thing can be defeated."

***

Buffy leaned against the kitchen table, thinking things over, *Xander is right, we need to deal with this, so _I_ need to deal with this.* Having dealt with that, he mind began wandering down other avenues of thought, *Since when did Xander become the great psychologist? Why am I only now seeing all these great sides of his personality... and his body... why have I never noticed any of this before?*

With those thoughts in her mind, Buffy stood up and started to move back towards the living room. As she walked, she put her hands in her pockets, and was quite surprised to find a piece of paper there. Curious as to what it might be, she took it out and unfolded it, 'Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance' she read.

"I need you."

Without knowing where the spectral voice was coming from nor what it wanted, Buffy accepted its plea, and walked out of her back door. She wasn't sure why she was doing this, it seemed like she had no choice.

As she reached to school, the swarm of wasps parted to let her in, as she approached the main doors they opened without a touch. When she had gone in the door shut itself, and the swarm refilled the gap in their barrier.

***

Back in Buffy's house, Xander had got concerned about Buffy, so he went into the kitchen to find her. *I hope Buffy's okay. Wait... where is she?* "Buff?" he called out, "Where are you?"

Looking at the table, he saw the Sadie Hawkins poster, *Oh no...*, "Get in here everyone!" he shouted. As they all crowded in, he showed them the poster, "I think she went back."

"Why?" Oz asked, "What would make her go back."

"I think she may be under the spirits thrall." Giles explained, "He's calling her, s he can re-enact the events again, to try and get a happy ending.

"But that won't ever happen, it always ends the same." Xander pointed out, then he realised what that meant, "Buffy's just gone there to get shot!" He quickly ran to the door, then looked back at the others, "We might still be able to catch her before she gets there, but we're gonna have to be quick." He said, then turned to the door and ran out in the direction of the school.

***

*Must save Buffy.* was Xander's only thought as he sprinted towards the school. He reached it quickly, easily outpacing the rest of the group, but he was too late; he didn't see Buffy anywhere on the way.

He knew she must already be inside the school, so ignoring the risks he approached the swarm of black wasps, stopping when they were right in front of his face. Paying no attention to the sounds of the others approaching, he slowly moved his hands closer to the wasps. As soon as he put his hand into the area they had taken as their domain he was immediately stung. Fighting past the pain, he managed to grab a wasp, getting another couple of stings as he did so. When he pulled the wasp into the open air away from the others, it simply dissipated into a wisp of black smoke, leaving him with just an aching hand for his efforts.

"Xander..." Giles gasped, out of breath from running, "Buffy... is alone... in there..." Giles paused and took some long deep breaths. "She isn't in danger at the moment, but if you go in you'll end up shooting her.

Xander sighed in defeat, *I don't like it, but he's right.* "Okay," he said to Giles, "What do we do n-"

"I need you."

The voice came from nowhere, Xander didn't know who or what it was, but when he heard it, all Giles' thoughts on how to save Buffy became unimportant, and he turned back towards the school. Ignoring the shouting of his friends, he walked towards the school. As he approached the swarm opened to let him past, much as it had for Buffy, then it closed before anybody else could run through.

"Oh _great!_" Giles exclaimed sarcastically, as Xander disappeared from their sight, "Now the spirit is controlling them both, that means he _can _replay the tragedy."

"Can't we do something?" Willow asked desperately, "Anything? We have to find some way to save them."

"I... I don't know." Giles admitted, "All the books I've got that deal with this sort of thing are in the library, and we can't get there. I don't think any of the books at my house would be useful here."

"Plus by the time we got there and back, we'd probably be too late." Oz pointed out.

"So... what? We just wait?" Willow said incredulously.

"There's not much else we can do at the moment I'm afraid/.

***

Xander didn't know what was going on. He tried to turn back so he could rejoin Willow, Giles and Oz. That's when he discovered he had completely lost control of his body.

*Stop! STOP!!!!!!* his maid screamed at his unresponsive body *What do I do now?* Then he suddenly realised what this possession meant for him *I'm going to shoot Buffy! NOOOOO......*

**Shh...** Another voice echoed in Xander's mind. Momentarily surprised by this, he was still able to detect a definite feminine note to the voice. **be calm.**

*What?* Xander thought, very confused, *Who are you? What's happening?*

**My name was Grace Newman, I was a teacher here-**

*In 1955.* Xander interrupted, *You got shot by James, the kid you had a thing with.*

**That's right,** she agreed, **And it's James who is forcing you to replay our tragedy.**

*If you're a spirit too, can't you stop him?* Xander asked.

**No... his anger and pain have made him too powerful for me to stop. I'm a spectator here like you.**

*So, I'm gonna shoot Buffy, the person I care the most about in the whole world, and there's nothing I can do about it?*

**Not exactly. Why do you think you're talking to me, and not James?**

*_What?_ You mean _I'm_ playing your part? Buffy is going to shoot _me?_*

**Yes.** Grace told him. **I don't know why, but James chose to posses your friend rather than you.**

*Good. That means the guys outside will have more time to save her.*

**You really love her, don't you?** Grace asked him. Without waiting for a reply, she continued, **That was how I felt for James.**

*If you loved him then why did you break up with him?*

**I was scared... scared of what people would think, of what they would say.** she explained.

Having got all the information he could, Xander turned his attention away from his internal discussion and concentrated on the world around him instead.

He was surprised to see that he was only now approaching Buffy; the entire conversation with Grace must have taken less than half a minute. Buffy was turned away from him, facing the wall. As he approached her, she spoke to him.

"You're the only one. The only person I can speak to."

As Buffy said the words that started the fateful encounter, Xander experience the strange sensation of dual perception. As well as seeing this from his own point of view, with Buffy standing in front of him, he could also see it though Grace's eyes, with James standing before her, all those years ago.

"You can't make me disappear, just because you say it's over" Buffy said, turning to face him.

"There's no way we can be together." Xander said

~||No way people will ever understand" Grace explained

"Is that what this is about?" James demanded "What other people think?"

"No!" Grace denied.||~

"I just want you to have some kind of normal life," Xander said, "We can never have that, don't you see?"

"I don't give a _damn_ about a normal life." Buffy cried, "I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute..."

"I know..." Xander replied sadly, raising his hand to Buffy's cheek. *I love her,* he thought *This can't happen.*

~||"But it's over, it has to be!" Grace declared, turning and walking quickly away from James.

"Come back here!" he ordered, chasing after her.||~

"We're not finished!" Buffy caught up to Xander, grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. "You don't care anymore? Is that it?"

*I do, I do. I love you!!* Xander thought.

**I love you James.** Grace echoed Xander, but only he could hear her.

"It doesn't matter," he sobbed, "it doesn't matter what I feel..."

"Then tell me you don't love me!" Buffy shouted

~||"Say it!"||~

*I do!* Xander thought, trying to speak aloud.

**I _do!_** Grace agreed, but their efforts were fruitless.

~||"Is that what you need to hear? Will that help?" Grace asked, oblivious to the cries of her ghost, "I don't."||~

"I don't." Xander repeated, his mind still screaming *I do! I love you more than anything else!!* "Now let me go." He ordered, trying to pull away.

"No." Buffy disagreed, "A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody."

**I didn't.** Grace's mind called out, **I always loved you.**

*You know I love you Buffy...* Xander thought

~||James stepped away from grace and pulled a gun from his jacket. Slowly he raised it to aim at Grace, coldly told her "Love is forever." His hand was shaking he looked her in the eye and said, "I'm not afraid to use it, I swear. If I can't be with you..."

"Oh my god!" Grace gasped, running away from him.||~

*Please god, make this stop.* Xander thought, *I love her.*

~||Chasing after her, James shouted at Grace, "DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME-"||~

"-BITCH" Buffy finished, catching up with Xander at the door to the balcony. He ran till he reached the balcony wall, "Stop it" Buffy warned him, "Stop it! Don't make me..."

**Don't do this James.** Grace's spirit called, **I _do_ love you!"

*Please Buffy... you can't do this... not after all we've been through together...* Xander's mind implored, *I love you.*

"You know you don't want to do this." Xander said, his voice shaking with fear.

**I love you James, I wish I had told you, I really do love you...*

*I love you Buffy, more than anyone, more than the world, more than life...*

**I love you.**

*I love you.*

"I love you." Xander's voice said aloud.

Unable to cope with this sudden change in the script, Buffy/James was shocked and her hand was shaking violently "Wha-"

[BANG]

Buffy's fingers had tightened in unthinking reaction to her shock. Xander was knocked backwards and fell to the floor, a gaping wound in his stomach.

Buffy was at his side in an instant "Grace... what have I done?" she sobbed.

"Shh" Xander told her as he lay on the ground, "It's okay."

"It's not okay," Buffy disagreed, "I killed you."

"It was an accident, it wasn't your fault."

"It _was_ my fault". Buffy whimpered, "How could I-"

"Shh," Xander repeated, "I'm the one who should be sorry James. You thought I stopped loving you. I never did. I loved you with my last breath." Saying that, he pulled Buffy close to him and caressed her face with his hand, "Shh, no more tears." He told her, as he brought her head down to hiss and they kissed.

The kiss carried on for a long time, both Buffy and Xander could feel the long dead lovers kissing within them as well. As they kissed, golden wisps of light flowed out of them, coalescing into a glowing ball above their heads.

As the spirits finally left them, Buffy and Xander slowly pulled apart.

"Buff..." Xander whispered, fighting past the pain of the bullet in his gut. He tried to speak again, but instead he started coughing, blood spilling from his mouth and staining his lips. With a huge effort, he managed to speak again, Buffy... I... lo..." but he couldn't go on, and he slowly slumped to the floor.

"Xander?" Buffy said to him, looking down at him and slowly seeing the light fade from his eyes. "XANDER!" she howled, a wail of indescribable loss.

She started to weep uncontrollably, her head lying on his bloody chest, clutching his still body to her.

Part 8

As Buffy cried, lying there over the Xander's slowly cooling body, the sphere that had been formed by the departing ghosts started to glow more brightly. After a few moments, it emitted a golden ray, which hit Buffy and passed through her into Xander.

As Xander moved away from the blackness of the void he assumed was from a particularly bad case of unconsciousness, the first thing he became aware of was a weight on his chest, and then the sound of weeping.

Opening his eyes he saw Buffy's head covered in blood lying on his chest, which was also red with blood. She was weeping hysterically.

"Buffy," he said in a reassuring tone, "it's okay."

"What... how?" she spluttered, cradling his head in her hands, "Are you okay?"

"I think so... I don't know how though." He admitted, "I suppose it must have been a going away present from the ghostly couple. I still _feel_ like I've been shot in the chest, even though the wound is gone. Plus this shirt is ruined, pity the ghosts couldn't get rid of the blood too."

Buffy smiled down at him and gently caressed his cheek with her hand, inadvertently getting more blood on his face. "I don't care about the mess, as long as your back with me..." she cooed.

"Are you okay?"

Buffy and Xander turned around, breaking the romantic moment, and saw Giles and Willow standing in front of them, both looking very worried, and Oz next to them, still maintaining his customary unruffled expression.

"Oh look Buff," Xander said, "it's the cavalry come to save us. Whatever would we do without them?"

"Don't be nasty Xan." Buffy chided him, "It's not their fault they _arrived_ after everything happened. Maybe they were trying to be fashionably late." She joked/

"If they're cracking jokes then they're okay." Giles decided, "Let's go back to my house and we can sort out what on earth happened here."

Xander tried to get up but couldn't, "I know I've been healed, but it's still too painful to walk.

As Giles and Willow moved to help him, Buffy stopped them. Unwilling to move away from Xander, she said, "It's okay guys, I've got this one." She carefully slid her hands under Xander's body and then stood up, lifting Xander with her. She signalled to the others to start moving and followed them, carrying Xander in much the same way as he had carried her earlier that day.

"Oh this is nice..." Xander said, looking up at her.

"So, what happened here?" Willow asked.

"Well... Buffy decided I had made one too many bad jokes, so she shot me. Very volatile tempers these slayers have." Xander explained with a wink.

"Xander, dear?" Buffy asked in a sweet tone of voice, "I wouldn't say that when my arms are the only thing stopping your butt from hitting the floor at high speed."

"You wouldn't..." Xander stated. Looking Buffy in the eyes, he changed his mind, "You would. Okay... since she's such a nice person, Buffy was very sorry after she shot me, so she gave my wound the slayers magic kiss, which healed me. Better?" he asked Buffy.

*I'd like to show him a thing or two about the Slayer magic kiss...* Buffy thought dreamily, *No! I'll deal with that _later_* "Hmm?" she replied aloud, distracted by her thoughts. "Um... yeah that's more like it Xan." She told him, looking into his deep brown eyes as she spoke.

Willow looked from Buffy to Xander, both totally absorbed in each others eyes, she realised that she'd have to wait if she wanted to find out what had happened, *I hope that whatever it was will finally convince them to get together.* she thought as she carefully guided Buffy along so she didn't fall over, *These long stareathons are beginning to get silly.*

***

When they reached Giles' house, Buffy and Xander settled down on the sofa and described what had happened to them.

"So..." Giles said, "you replayed events exactly as they originally happened, until you reached the balcony where Xander possessed by Grace said 'I love you'."

"Yeah, that's right." Buffy agreed, "I'm not complaining, but why was it different this time?"

"I... I don't know." Giles admitted/

"I think I might know why." Xander volunteered. Surprised, they all turned round to look at him, so he continued, "Willow, you remember Halloween, when you turned into a ghost, and I became army guy?"

"Sure." She answered, bushing slightly at the memory of the clothes she had been wearing.

"Didn't you ever think it was strange that a US marine was taking orders from a teenage girl in skimpy clothes, especially when he could walk right through her?"

After a moments thought, Willow saw what he meant, "You're right, I never really thought about it until now. Why did you do what I told you then?"

"Well... I _think_ it was because the soldier part was used to being ordered around by the chain of command." Xander explained, "And I trust you _totally_. Those two together meant that soldier-Xander trusted you to give him orders."

*I remember Xander in his military outfit... mmmm... I'll have to come up with some excuse to get him to wear it again.* Buffy thought happily, *Wait a minute! If it was Xander's feelings that allowed him to change the events, doesn't that mean that he has feelings for me?* she suddenly realised. "So what you are saying is that it was your feelings that meant you were able to break the cycle?" Buffy asked, trying to appear calm and sound like it was just curiosity that made her ask.

"Uh..." Xander stalled while his mind raced, *How do I answer this without admitting I love her?* he thought, *I _really_ don't want to go through her shooting me down again.* "Well..." he started hesitantly, "Grace wanted to end the cycle, but she couldn't because James' anger made him too powerful." He took a deep breath before continuing, "I have been through a _lot_ with you and you really matter to me. I wasn't too happy with the idea of you shooting me and then yourself, so between me and Grace we were able to break James' control and stop the events from replaying."

The hopeful expression that had been on Buffy's face drooped as Xander made his explanation without mentioning his deeper feeling for her. Xander couldn't see that from where he was sitting, but Willow could.

*_Aaargh_* she mentally screamed, *They both want each other, but they're not going to admit it cause they think the other doesn't feel the same.* Willow quickly made a decision, and her expression shifted to the dreaded 'Resolved face', *I usually think relationships should happen naturally, but these to are so dense I'm gonna have to play matchmaker.*

Oz noticed Willow's determined expression and was puzzled, wondering what she was thinking about. The he noticed where her glare was targeted, and he quickly realised what she was thinking about. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Those two don't stand a chance with you plotting against them." Willow was surprised that he had so easily guessed her thoughts, then she smiled and squeezed Oz's hand to thank him for his support.

In the kitchen the kettle started to boil, so Giles went through to make the tea. Feeling tired after all the action, Buffy yawned and carefully laid her head on Xander's shoulder, fitting perfectly into the nook between his shoulder and neck, and snuggling up closer to him.

Surprised by this, Xander looked down at her. Her face was the epitome of contentment, and he gazed at her face with wonder in his eyes. *She's so beautiful* he thought. Forgetting about everyone else in the room, he gently smoothed out Buffy's hair, then rested his head on hers, trying his best not to wake her while breathing in the deep aroma of her hair.

After a few moments they were both asleep. Willow and Oz, the other occupants of the room looked on, partly in bemusement, partly in amusement.

"Could they be _more_ disgustingly cute?" Willow whispered to Oz.

He shrugged, and then quietly replied, "Now you know how we make people feel sometimes.

***

Buffy wandered through a large ballroom, dressed in a stunning blue dress. All around her couples were dancing to slow romantic music, but Buffy was alone.

She knew she was looking for someone, but she couldn't remember who, nor why she was here, she couldn't even remember why she was looking for this person, just that it was important, so she kept on searching, hoping she might recognise them on sight.

As she looked around, she saw a familiar face. When their eyes locked, the crowd parted and the music stopped. *Angel!* she thought happily, running towards him.

He smiled at her, "Buffy..." he said, taking her hand in his and bowing his head to kiss it.

Buffy's joy rapidly turned to horror as Angel raised his head, because his face was now showing his demonic visage. He lowered his head again and tried to bite her, but she ran away from him, tears flowing down her face.

Rushing through the crowd, she crashed into someone. "Sorry" she sniffed, turning around to see whom it was she had hit.

It was him.

***

Xander walked slowly around the ballroom, dressed in a smart black dinner jacket, looking for someone, but not knowing who or why.

*They look so happy.* he thought enviously, watching the dancing couples.

"Would you like to dance with me?" Xander was surprised by the unexpected offer, and looked to see who said it. He saw a pretty brunette about the same age as him. Not seeing any reason to refuse, Xander accepted and they stared a slow dance.

After less than a minute, Xander stopped dancing at stepped away from the girl. "I'm sorry." He said, backing away.

The dancing had been good and the girl had seemed nice, but there was just something missing.... He had felt no connection to the girl, no spark of feeling that she might be 'the one', and staying with her was only making him feel more lonely.

When he had moved a distance away from the brunette, an equally attractive blonde girl came up to him. She too asked him to dance, but as soon as she took his hand he felt the same lack of connection he had felt before, the terrible feeling of loneliness and emptiness. He pulled his hand away from her and went back into the crowd of dancers.

Suddenly dozens of girls were running at him, touching him and trying to grab him. Usually this would be the stuff of fantasies, but each contact only served to send a chill through Xander. The feeling of pointlessness and isolation was too much for him, and he sprinted away.

He easily outdistanced the mob, and was weaving his way through the dancers when he bumped into someone. He turned around to apologise to them, and saw who it was.

It was her.

***

As Buffy and Xander's gaze locked, the music stopped, the lights dimmed and everyone else in the room just faded away.

They stood there motionless, looking at each other. It was just the two of them in the huge ballroom, with the lights dimmed so the only things they could see was each other.

Simultaneously they moved towards each other. As they got closer, they heard music echoing through the room from some unknown source and a spotlight fell on the two of them, bright enough so they could see each other, yet somehow they weren't blinded by its glare.

I didn't hear you leave,
I wonder how am I still here,
And I don't wanna move a thing,
It might change my memory.

Standing close together, Buffy and Xander hesitated nervously, neither confident enough to initiate the dance

Slowly they edged towards each other, getting more confident as they saw the other one was moving closer and wanted to dance.

When they were standing together, Xander put his arms around Buffy's waist, while she linked her hands behind his neck. Holding onto each other, they began to sway to the music. Their dancing was perfectly synchronised, they were moving as one.

Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want,
But I can't hide...

Buffy felt... secure. There wasn't the sense of danger she had felt with Angel, nor the knowledge it could only end in pain. But there was still the passion, and an overwhelming feeling of love. She knew that Xander would _always_ be there for her, no matter what.

Xander felt... whole. As if he had been going through life missing a part of himself, and he had now found it. In the few relationships he had head, he always cared for the girl, but there was never this sense of connection, nor as great a feeling of love as he felt now.

And I won't go
I won't sleep,
I can't breathe...

As they danced Buffy and Xander slowly moved closer together, until you wouldn't even have been able to slide a piece of paper between them.

*She is so beautiful.*

**I need him so much**

They looked into each other's eyes, and saw love. Total, faithful, passionate, caring, eternal love.

Until you're resting here with me.

Buffy thought over her times with Xander over the last few years...

~||She came out of Mr. Flutie's office, opening her bag and rummaging through it as she walked into the hall. A girl was wandering the other way and bumped into her, making her lose her grip on the bag, and it hit the floor spilling its contents all over the floor.

"Oh! Sorry!" Buffy apologised to the girl.

"That's okay." The girl replied

Buffy looked down at the mess of books and paper at her feet, "Oh... " she sighed.

Xander heard the noise, looked back and quickly came over to Buffy. He squatted down next to her, and helped her gather up her things. When she had finished, he turned to her and asked "Can I have you?"||~

And I won't leave,
I can't hide,

~||Xander following her into the sewers to find Jesse.||~

~||Xander standing with her and Willow while they watched the girls getting ready for cheerleader tryouts. Xander turned to her "Oh, hey! Here's a good luck thing for tryouts." He said, handing her a bracelet.

"What's this?" she asked.

"What's that?" Willow echoed.

"Oh, how sweet!" Buffy cooed, reading the inscription "Yours Always."||~

I cannot be...
Until you're resting here with me.

~||Xander holding on her down the floor, and kissing her, while possessed by a hyena.||~

~||Xander standing before her, his hands nervously fidgeting as he spoke to her "Buffy, I like you. A lot. And I know we're friends, and we've had experiences... We've fought some blood-sucking fiends, and that's all been a good time. But I want more. I wanna dance with you."||~

I don't wanna call my friends,
They might wake me from this dream,

~||Xander resuscitating her when she drowned.||~

~||Xander in a military uniform...||~

~||Xander talking to her, "You gave up your life."

She replied, "I had you to bring me back."||~

~||Having just staked the vampire Theresa, Xander leaned down to her, offering her a hand and asking, "Are you okay?"

She took his hand and pulled herself up, saying "This isn't happening. He's gonna keep coming after me." She hugged Xander as she stood up.

Xander hugged her back gently) Don't let him get to you. He's not the same guy you knew.

She pulled back a bit and looked up at him. They stood there for a long moment, lips just inches apart, before she let go of him.||~

And I can't leave this bed,
Risk forgetting all that's been.

~||Xander in the library, nervously backing away from her "Buff, for the love of God, don't open that raincoat."

"Come on! It's a party!" She told him, "Aren't you gonna open your present?" she asked, undoing a button.

Xander kept on backing toward the stairs, babbling as he moved "It's not that I don't want to. Sometimes the remote impossible possibility that you might like me was all that sustained me. But not now." He tripped and fell back onto the stairs "Not like this. This isn't real to you." He told her as she walked up to him and put her leg over him "You're only here because of a spell. I mean, if I thought you had one clue what it would mean to me..." he shook his head "But you don't. So I can't."||~

~||Xander fighting the Kinderstod to protect her, flailing around with a wooden pole, trying to hit what he couldn't see.||~

~||Xander being thrown by the Kinderstod into a wall, hitting with the crunch of breaking bones.||~

Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want,
But I can't hide...

~||Xander turning to Cordelia, his face sad, and saying "I'm really sorry Cordelia. I do care for you, but I don't think we should go out anymore."||~

~||Xander running out of the cafeteria, cradling her in his arms.||~

~||Xander standing before her, possessed by Grace and yet saying "I love you."||~

~||Xander lying on the floor, bleeding from a gaping wound in his stomach.||~

Xander standing right in front of her, right now, holding her close to him, his eyes filled with love.

And I won't go,
I won't sleep
And I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me.

Xander was also reminiscing over past events...

~||Xander weaved through the crowds of school kids on his skateboard, making his way to the main entrance, shouting warnings to people as he moved "'Scuse me, comin' through, pardon me, 'scuse me, whoa! 'Scuse me, I can't stop! Please move, whoa, 'scuse me..." Suddenly he noticed Buffy walking up the steps to the school "Whoa!" He stared at her and didn't notice that he was heading right for the stair railing. He crashed into it and fell beneath, grunting in pain.||~

And I won't leave,
And I can't hide,

~||Listening from behind a bookcase, while Giles talked to Buffy on her first day "You are the slayer, one girl in all the world with the strength and power to fight the darkness.||~

~||Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder, looking pretty out of it "You're my Xander-shaped friend!" she told him, "Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"

Willow was worried "We gotta to get her to a..."

He stopped Willow with a gesture, saying "Let her speak!"

"I'll tell you! You're not like other boys at all." Buffy said in a overhyped voice.

Xander began to reply "Well..."

"You are totally, and completely one of the girls!" she said, adding to Willow "I'm that comfy with him."||~

~||Buffy saying "It's not Amy's fault. She only became a witch to survive her mother."

He replying "Look, I don't care why, I just care that you go on breathing."||~

I cannot be,
Until you're resting here...

~||"I don't want to spoil the friendship that we have." Buffy told him

"Well, I don't want to spoil it either." He replied, "But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't.

Buffy looked at the floor before she answered him "I don't. Xander, I'm, I'm sorry. I-I just don't think of you that way."||~

And I won't go,
And I won't sleep,

~||Hearing the prophecy that Buffy was going to die, he began to panic for her safety.

"Hey! Once the Master gets free, the Hellmouth opens, the demons come to party, and everybody dies." Jenny reminded him.

"Uh, uh, I don't care. I'm sorry, I don't. Right now I gotta help Buffy." He replied.||~

And I can't breathe,
Until you're resting here with me.

~||He stopped his mad dash through the Master's cave and stared at Buffy face down in the pool. Angel reached her and quickly pulled her out of the water. He held her and tried to listen for breathing. Nothing. Angel looked up at Xander, saying "She's dead!"||~

~||"C'mon! Breathe! Breathe!" He yelled at her still body. Angel looked down in sorrow, then looked back up, while Xander kept on pumping. "C'mon!" After another moment he stopped pumping, believing her to be gone.

A second later Buffy opens her eyes wide and draws a breath. She looks around with her eyes.

"Buffy!" he gasped, shocked. She turned her head to the side and coughed out a bunch of water. Xander and Angel looked at each other and smiled. Xander put his hand on Buffy's forehead and stroked it gently. She looks up, surprised to see him. "Buffy." Xander repeated

"Xander?" she replied, still getting her wits together

"Welcome back." He said to her, happy she was alive.||~

And I won't leave
And I can't hide,

~||Buffy took his hand, and pulled him towards the dance floor, saying "Let's dance"

Not sure what was going on, he stammered "O-okay..."

While the band played a slow, sultry song she pulled him close and swayed with the music. She leaned forwards and rested her forehead on his while they dance. Then she turned around and leaned back on him, pulling his arms around her.

"Xander..." she whispered, rubbing her body against his, "did I ever thank you for saving my life?"

Hardly able to think, let alone talk, he eventually managed to answer her "No..."

She stepped behind him and ran her hands along his arms, "Don't you wish I would?" she asked as she walked away||~

I cannot be...
Until you're resting here with me.

~||Standing in the library, looking around to make sure no more love-spelled girls were coming after him.

"Alone at last." He whirled around to see Buffy standing in the doorway, wearing just a very short black raincoat, and a pair of black high heels.

He stood there staring open mouthed, "Buff... give me a heart attack!"

She smiled and started a sexy, swaying walk towards him "Oh I'm gonna give you more than that." She took her raincoat belt in her hands and began to untie it...||~

Oh I am what I am,
I'll do what I want,
But I can't hide...

~||Angelus looked at him disdainfully, asking, "If I decide to walk into Buffy's room, do you think for one _microsecond_ that you could stop me?"

"Maybe not." Xander admitted, then he looked around at the other people in the corridor, "Maybe that security guard couldn't either. Or those cops... or the orderlies... But I'm kinda curious to find out. You game?

"Buffy's White Knight. You still love her." Angelus sneered, leaning in close he added "It must just eat you up that I got there first."||~

And I won't go,
I won't sleep,
And I can't breathe,
Until you're resting here with me.

~||Buffy being beaten up by the Kinderstod.||~

~||Buffy flooring Cordelia with a single punch when she was insulting him.||~

~||Buffy shooting him, while possessed by James.||~

~||Buffy weeping over his body, when she thought he was dead.||~

Buffy looking up at him now, holding him close, her face happy and content.

And I won't leave,
And I can't hide,
I cannot be...
Until you're resting here...

"I love you"

Buffy and Xander had spoken simultaneously, and they were both stunned that they both felt the same.

As it sunk it they both smiled shyly. Xander slowly raised his hands to Buffy's head and brushed her hair out of her face while softly caressing her cheek. Meanwhile, Buffy kept her hands behind his neck and began to pull him down towards her.

And I won't go,
And I won't sleep
And I can't breathe,
Until you're resting here with me.

No longer dancing, their faces moved inexorably towards each other, both of them holding tightly to the other as if afraid they might disappear. Xander leaned down and Buffy stood on tiptoes, and their lips met in the middle.

The physical feeling of the kiss was amazing, there was more joy and passion in those few moments than many people have in their entire lives. But even that was dwarfed by the emotional and spiritual aspect. This was the joining of two beings, of two halves that created a whole infinitely greater than the sum of its parts.

As the kiss continued on and on everything around them faded to white, until it was just to two of them in a white void. Slowly, they to began to fade, till all that was left was their heads... their faces... their lips... and nothingness.

And I won't leave,
And I can't hide,
I cannot be...
Until you're resting here with me...

Part 9

As the sun shone in through Giles' windows, it looked down on Buffy and Xander slumbering on the couch. Its shining gaze kept on staring down at them and eventually they started to stir.

During the night their position had shifted quite a bit. While you could explain the fact they were now lying horizontally on the couch by their bodies moving and relaxing, or Giles and Willow trying to make them more comfortable, it would be a bit harder to rationalise how their hands became firmly clasped together, and why their arms were entwined.

They both just stayed like that for a while, unwilling to move. Buffy lay their, thinking and then she heard a low thudding noise. *That must be Xander's heartbeat* she thought. She listened again carefully *No... wait. That's my heartbeat... is it?*

She closed her eyes and concentrated on the thump, thump, thump she was hearing. After a while she realised it was _both_ their heartbeats. By some strange coincidence their heartbeats had become synchronised, matching each other beat for beat and pump for pump.

"Morning gorgeous."

Buffy twisted her body around and looked up to see Xander smiling down at her. She smiled back and began to smooth out his hair, which had been a little, messed up during the night. As she did that they both slowly became _very_ aware that Buffy's shift in position had left her almost straddling Xander.

"Ah, you're up"

Giles' voice interrupted their moment and they scrambled apart, trying to make sure he didn't catch them in a compromising position.

"Morning G-man" Xander said, smirking as Giles winced at the nickname.

"Hey Giles" Buffy echoed, "Sorry about dropping off like that last night."

"Don't worry about it." Giles assured her, "You must have both been very tired after all that happened. How are you both?"

"I'm good" Buffy answered, "I'm still a bit tired, but I had a really nice dream last night, and that's made me feel much better" she added with a small smile.

"Me too." Xander agreed, with a near identical expression, "Plus that feeling like I've just been shot is gone, which is good cause it was a little weird to feel that there's a hole in your chest when there isn't."

An evil grin appeared on Buffy's face at that remark, "Does that mean I can get away with... this!" she asked, leaping back onto Xander and ticking him.

Giles rolled his eyes and retreated into the kitchen while Xander began to retaliate.

"You think ?hey- you can take on the ?ha ha- Xand-man?" he asked, his words interspersed with involuntary laughter.

With an almighty heave, he flipped Buffy off his body, then quickly grabbed her feet, pulled her shoes off and began to drag her around the room by her feet, ticking them as he went.

"Hey ?no fair!" Buffy giggled, wrapping her arms around Giles' sofa as she slid past it. Xander refused to let go off Buffy, and Buffy refused to let go of the sofa, so slowly the sofa began to move.

"If you two have quite finished behaving like six year olds, then there's some breakfast in here." Giles' voice admonished them from the kitchen.

"Food..." Xander let go of Buffy instantly and rushed into the kitchen.

Buffy got up and followed him in. "So food is more important to you than I am, Xan?" she said, her lips pouting.

*Uh oh* Xander thought *She's has me there. Gotta think fast.* "Uh..." he said, "The bacon and eggs will go cold if we don't eat them soon, but you, you're _always_ hot Buff." He explained *Oh, nice save* he silently congratulated himself.

Buffy blushed at the compliment, and since she was unable to think of any reply she sat down and started to eat. Xander grinned then began eating too.

"It's a good thing my mother is away on an art trip, or she'd be climbing the walls by now." Buffy commented between mouthfuls.

"Yeah," Xander agreed, "And she doesn't get back until tomorrow. Whatever can we do to pass the time?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Xander!" Buffy giggled again, giving him a light punch on the arm.

"Huh?" Xander suddenly looked up as if she had surprised him. "Sorry, I was thinking of something else... Oh, and by the way, could you try to remember that you're the one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to break a mans arm with a light tap. "Owww" he moaned, rubbing his arm.

Those two comments side by side had been too much for Buffy, and she helplessly dissolved into fits of giggling. Watching her, Xander started to laugh too. The both just kept on laughing and laughing, unable to stop until...

"Ahem." Finally composing themselves, they turned around to look at Giles. "If you two have _any_ intention of going to school today then you might want to come with me now. We can quickly stop by your house Buffy, so you can both pick up your bags.

"But... but I need to shower and put on my makeup and do my hair and?"

"Buff." Xander quietly but firmly interrupted her babbling, "We have about five minutes till we have to be at school; there's no time for all that. Anyway, I think you smell nice and look good just as you are now."

She smiled at that "Thank you." She said, "You're sweet. You lie about as convincingly as a Jehovah's Witness, but you're sweet."

"Okay, let's go." Giles ordered, *Good.* he thought, *I interrupted them before they got into one of their long 'lost in each other's eyes' moments.*

***

Buffy walked into the library, having no better place to spend her free period. She sat down and stared into space, feeling slightly strange. *I feel like...* she tried to define what the feeling was *...like I'm missing something.*

Hearing a tapping sound she looked around the room and saw Willow sitting at the computer. "Hi Wils" she said, getting up and walking over to her.

"Hi Buffy" Willow replied, turning away from the screen. Staring pointedly at the empty space next to Buffy, Willow asked "Where's Xander?"

"He had to go to the toilet" Buffy answered, "What's with the long stare?"

"Oh... nothing." Willow said, deciding *I'll go with the subtle approach first.*

"Okay" Buffy said with a shrug. "Hey, have you heard about the beach party tonight?"

"Isn't it a bit cold this time of year to have a beach party?" Willow said.

"The swim team has had their first wining streak since... forever." Buffy explained, turning to look at the library doors while she spoke "It's the teams win, so it's their choice. Plus swimming means water, water means sea, sea means beach, so I suppose it makes sense."

As she finished speaking, Xander wandered in though the library doors she still had her eyes trained on. "Xander!" she called out to him, he looked at her and smiled, making her smile back. *He's been away for less than five minutes, but I still feel giddy when he enters the room... I've got it bad.* she blushed at that thought, and tried to cover it up by asking Xander a question, "So, are you going to the beach party tonight?"

"Hmm..." Xander mused, "Well, as much as I hate to miss weird Bollywood movie marathon night on cable, I think I'll be sociable and join the party." After a moments pause he added, "Okay, I'm hungry. Who wants to hit the cafeteria?"

"Sure" Buffy agreed.

"Sorry guys," Willow said, I'm waiting for Oz."

"We could wait with you." Xander offered

"Nah, I wouldn't want to watch Xander starve to death. You two go on ahead."

"Okay." They replied simultaneously. They both turned and looked at each other, surprised at their synchronised speaking, then they shrugged (again simultaneously), and left the library.

When she was sure they were gone Willow turned towards the stacks and called out "Okay, you can come out now."

Oz walked out from behind a bookcase at his usual unhurried pace. His normally expressionless face looking slightly puzzled. "I know you want to get them together." He said, "But is me hiding in the stacks really necessary?"

Willow shrugged, "It gets them together without us there," she explained, "meaning they can have long meaningful looks without being stopped by our presence, and without making me feel nauseous.

"Okay, it's your evil master plan." Oz said, with the very faintest hint of a smile.

Willow just grinned back at him

***

"Is."

"Isn't."

"Is."

"Isn't."

"Is so."

"_So_ is not."

"Oh yes it is."

"Oh no it isn't"

"Wait a minute Xan." Buffy said, ending the amicable bickering they had been indulging in as they waited in the lunch queue, "What are we actually arguing about?"

"Uh... it was... I dunno." He admitted, "But it was fun, whatever it was about" he pointed out, grinning."

"Yeah" Buffy agreed, sharing his smile. "But still, what issue could have the slayer and her sidekick?"

"Her dashing and handsome sidekick." Xander interjected

Smiling indulgently at him, Buffy began again, "What thorny issue could have the _beautiful_ slayer and her dashing, handsome, sexy..." she watched as he puffed himself up proudly at her comments, "_modest_ sidekick so opposed?"

"Crunchy or chewy?" Xander suggested, "Normal or super sized, uh... regular or decaf?" he finished, unable to come up with any more."

An evil smirk on her face, Buffy leaned in towards him and said in a half-whisper, "Ribbed or flavoured?"

Xander went very red when he heard that, he couldn't say anything and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish.

Buffy giggled at his reaction, "Oh my poor sweet innocent Xander." She teased him, playfully tweaking his nose. "Don't worry," she added, "you'll be totally corrupted by the time I'm done with you."

Finally finding his voice, Xander drew himself up and said, "Buffy has been a bad girl. She must be punished!"

Cordelia walked past them carrying her food, and she couldn't resist making a nasty comment, "What could you two freaks be talking about now?" She sneered "Some stupid demon perhaps, or maybe just how to be complete losers?"

"Actually, we were talking about spanking." Buffy told her. Turning to Xander she asked "At least, I think it was spanking you were suggesting. Was it spanking?"

His evil grin matching Buffy's, Xander answered, "Well spanking was definitely in there. I was also thinking about other things, maybe involving whips and chains. Of course, if we're taking inspiration from Monty Python, then after the spanking must come the or?"

Cordelia's face had gone first red, then white as she listened to Buffy and Xander, and before Xander got the chance to finish what he was saying she fled to the table where the rest of the Cordettes were sitting.

"That was really _evil_ of us." Buffy said, laughing.

"Yeah, but it was _fun_" Xander replied.

"True. Ooh, finally time for food." Buffy exclaimed, noticed they had reached the front of the queue. "Here's hoping there are no demon arms this time." Buffy said as she got her food.

"Yeah," Xander agreed, grabbing his meal, "How did they manage to explain that one anyway?"

"Mass hallucination caused by drugs added to the food is what I heard. Apparently they arrested the head chef."

"Huh. Same old cover-up." Xander commented cynically as they sat down at a free table and started to eat. "Hey, there's Willow." He said waving over to her. Willow waved back then joined the lunch queue with Oz. "Aww, they make a cute couple." Xander said.

Try as she might, Buffy couldn't detect any _real_ sarcasm or nastiness in Xander's tone. Sure he was making fun of them a little, but he wasn't suggesting they shouldn't be together, which was his usual line on Willow and Oz.

"Do I detect a slight lessening of your insecurity on the Willow/Oz front?" she asked him. When he gave her a puzzled stare as reply, she continued, "Well, let me see... One: no 'go fetch' or other werewolf jokes. Two: no 'What does she see in him' or 'He's not good enough for her' comments. Three: no overprotective, over-possessive 'What's he doing to my Willow' comments."

Xander thought about it for a moment then shrugged, "It's a fair cop" he admitted, "I guess I realised that I've really just got to accept them being together. Otherwise, Willow and I are going to be forced apart by my insecurity, and I don't want that to happen. Plus when I really look at him, I realise that Oz is a good guy and he really loves Willow.

"Wow. Real show of maturity from the Xand-man" Buffy congratulated him. *He keeps on doing things like that. More and more he's looking like the perfect guy.*

Smiling from the compliment, Xander gave her a little bow, trying to make it as gracious as it could be, considering he was sitting down. The overall effect was quite strange and Buffy started to giggle. Just at that moment Willow and Oz joined them, carrying their meals.

After a glance at the giggling slayer Willow turned to Xander. "What have you done to her now?" she asked.

Xander grinned back at her stern expression as he answered, "Merely used my manly charm and rapier sharp wit."

Willow rolled her eyes at that, then pulled up a chair and sat down. "So where are we going to meet before the party tonight?"

"Well, since both me and Xan will be there, we could start from my house" Buffy suggested.

"That's if you can persuade Buffy to leave our little 'den of love' we've got there" Xander said with a wink.

*Hmm* Willow mused, *He's joking about him and Buffy being together. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?*

"Well... after those suggestions you made earlier, I admit it would be tempting to stay and try them out with you." Buffy replied playfully.

*She's playing along, that's good.* Willow thought. Aloud, she asked curiously "What suggestions?"

"Just ask Cordelia." Xander told her, a big grin on her face as he looked towards the fashion queen and waved, getting a scowl in reply.

"Leave her alone Xan." Buffy warned him, "I think we've emotionally scarred her enough for one day."

"You two are quite the dangerous duo, aren't you?" Willow commented.

"Yep." Xander agreed, "Brains, brawn and beauty... and then you've got Buffy too." At that comment Buffy elbowed him in the ribs. "Ahhh!" he cried, "Not again. I think you lost the excuse 'I don't know my own strength' sometime shortly after you started bending iron bars and breaking down doors." He moaned, "God! First you shoot me, now you're beating me up."

"Are you _ever_ going to stop bringing that up?" Buffy complained.

"Not if there's any more cases of battery like this."

"Er, Xan..." Willow interjected, "It's actually only battery if you and Buffy are married." *I have no idea if that's true, but I might as well get them thinking in the right direction.*

She was not disappointed. Xander put his arm around Buffy's shoulders, turned to face her and said in a mock serious voice, "Buff, honey. I think it's time we told Willow and Oz our little secret."

Buffy grinned at him and followed his lead, leaning her head against his shoulder as she rapidly made up a story on the spot. "I suppose you're right, my little Xander-bunny." She sighed, "You see Wil, Xan and me went up to Las Vegas last weekend and got married." She explained, taking one of Xander's hands in her own as she spoke. *Mmm, this feels nice. And it feels right too...*

"_Really?_" Willow said, her voice dripping with scepticism. "Where are the rings then?"

"Uh... Xander lost them." Buffy replied after a moment's hesitation.

"I did _not_!" Xander said in mock anger. "You were too nervous to admit our love in front of everyone at school, so we decided not to wear them here."

"Can you blame me?" she asked, "Even my mother doesn't know."

"Really? I told the entire Harris clan. They're getting ready to initiate you into all the special family rituals."

"Huh?" Buffy's response was slightly worried.

Xander began explaining, "Well you remember when you said you wanted t be part of a tribe where they pierce something or cut something off..."

"Eh..."

"Enough of the sickening fake relationship already!" Willow declared, "That's just... ewwww!"

"Okay." Buffy and Xander replied simultaneously.

The four of them continued to chat about pointless and funny things while they are their lunch. As they talked, Willow noticed that despite moving away from the 'marriage in Vegas' conversation, neither Buffy nor Xander tried to extricate themselves from each other, and they both fed themselves one-handed rather than move their other hands from their comfortable position clasped together.

Part 10

"Xander, you know don't have to com to training with me" Buffy told him as they walked through the school halls, heading for the library.

"I know" he replied, "but I want to. It's not like there's anything else for me to do, with no-one at my house or yours. Plus I never turn down an opportunity to watch you get hot and sweaty" he added with a slight leer.

*Mmm? I'd like to see you hot and sweaty too Xan?* Aloud, she said "Uh... thanks Xan"

Xander started to speak again, this time startling slightly hesitantly "I... also think it might be a good if... if I did some training myself."

Buffy immediately stopped walking and turned to face Xander, when he had stopped too, she started to say "Xan-"

"I know." He interrupted her almost before she started speaking, "I know you're the Slayer, this is your duty, not mine. I know I shouldn't risk myself so much. That's what you were about to say, right?"

"Well... yeah." Buffy admitted, adding silently to herself *Plus the fact I can't lose you. I don't know what I'd do.*

"Newsflash Buff. I _alreadly_ risk myself. The only way you could stop me helping you would be if you knocked me out each night, or tied me up. And that would be just... kinky." Seeing Buffy frown at that, he got back to making his case "Willow and me have been helping you since the beginning. She's computer wiz for research, and despite Giles' attempts to slow her down she's getting pretty good at the magic stuff. But I've got nothing; I stumble through the research Giles gives us, and I'm worse than useless in most of the patroling and fighting you do. I don't want to be extra baggage slowing you down, so I think I should learn how to fight properly. Otherwise I'll just be the zeppo, sent out to buy doughnuts when we research."

Buffy took Xanders hand and held it in both of hers as she spoke to him "Xander, you will _never_ be the zeppo. Even if you're not the greatest fighter in the world I still need you. You're my rock, I depend on you to support me and keep me anchored in reality." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she continued to reassure him, speaking from the heart and realising how much he meant to her as she spoke, "You've always been there for me, whatever I've done you've never abandoned me. I _know_ I'll be able to count on your support, no matter what it's for. That's why I don't like you taking risks; I'm afraid I might lose you."

Xander was struck speecheless by Buffy's words, after a moment he found his voice and said "Thanks Buff, that really means a lot to me... but I still think I should learn to fight."

"You're right, I suppose." Buffy agreed as she started walking again, "We can talk to Giles about it."

"Okay, sounds good to me," He noticed they had just reached the doors of the library, so he held the doors open for Buffy and bowed slighly as he said "After you, my fair lady."

Grinning, Buffy gave him a little curtsey, then walked into the library saying "Why thank'ee sir, thou art most gracious."

"What are you two up to?" Giles asked suspiciously from inside the library.

"I was just being polite, whereas Buffy was doing some weird half mikmaid/half lady thing, I don't know what was going on there." Xander explained, "Either way it's nothing to get your tweed in a twist about G-man."

Giles gave a long suffering sigh "How many times have I asked you not to call me that?"

"I dunno." Xander shrugged, "I lost track after... the first time."

Buffy quickly interrupted their wrangling, "Before you two descend into name-calling and hair-pulling... Xander, I think you wanted to ask Giles something."

"You're right Buff." Xander agreed, he turned to Giles, his face now serious. "I know we haven't know each other all that long, but I feel a deep connection and I think you're the one, so?" Xander got down on one knee "Rupert Giles, will you ma-"

"_Xander!_ Will you _try_ and be serious for a moment?" Buffy yelled at him, trying to hide her smile.

"Okay, sorry." Xander appologised, although the unashamed grin on his face made it hard to believe he regretted what he said at all. Turning back to Giles he said "I thought it might be a good idea if learnt to fight a bit better, so I can help Buffy more and be able to look after myself rather than getting in the way."

"Well..." Giles stood silently while he considered the idea, eventually he decided, "...as long as this doesn't make you risk yourself too much. In fact I think you've come up with a good idea there Xander. You can start by joining the exercise I had planned for Buffy tonight." Giles went to the weapons locker and came out with sereal things in his hands. As he emerged from the cage he threw a quarterstaff over to Buffy, who caught it easily. He then handed Xander a length of cloth.

Xander looked pointedly from the cloth in his hands to the quarterstaffs in the other's hands, then back to the cloth. He cleared his throat "Hmm..." he mused, "I seem to have come off worse in the weapons department." Looking at Giles he said "This is you taking cheap revenge for all the times I called you 'G-man', isn't it?"

Giles sighed "It's a blindfold, Xander. Put it on." As Xander shrugged and complied, Giles explained, "Now, Buffy and I will try and touch you, push you and poke you with our quarterstaffs, and you have to try and block or dodge them . You'll have to listen carefully, because we'll be trying to move as quietly as possible."

Xander looked nervous, "Ah. So it _is_ revenge then." He commented cynically, then concentrated on listening.

Giles made the first attack, successfully poking Xander's hip. Buffy quickly followed up with a jab to the back but to her surprise Xander dodged forwards, out of the way of her stick.

Buffy let out a frustrated huff which only served to further inform Xander of where she was. She swung her staff at his legs, hoping to hit him this time, but Xander sidestepped out of the way. Giles chose that moment to bring his staff round and give Xander a hefty poke in the chest, which sent him stumbling backwards. Despite being off balance, he still managed to bat Buffy's next attack away with his hands.

This continued for a while. Giles managed to get most of his jabs and prods through, although a few missed or were blocked as Xander got the hang of the exercise. Buffy, on the other hand was having much less luck; every swing was dodged, each thrust was deflected and her attempts to be subtle and move very slowly were caught almost before they began She grew increasingly exasperated at this, but her growls and complaints just made it easier for Xander to detect her.

"Aaaargh!" Buffy cried, "I give up!" She declared, throwing her quarterstaff towards Xander, who somehow managed to get his hands up in time to stop six feet of wood hitting his head. And that just annoyed Buffy more, although a small voice inside told her that if he hadn't blocked it he'd probably be unconscious.

Taking the blindfold off, Xander raised his eyebrows at her. "What's wrong Buff?" he asked, "You must have hit me at least half the time, I don't see what you've got to complain about."

"Yes, _half_." Buffy growled, "_Giles'_ half!" Xander's exression was still completely bewildered, so she explained further, "I didn't hit you once."

Xander's expression was shocked for a moment, then he smirked and started gloating. "Yesssss! The Xand-man outwits the slayer. The sidekick is now the superhero! Go Xander! Go Xander! Go Xander!" he chanted, moving is hands in the stiring 'Go Jerry!' motion.

"I might not have been able to hit you before, but I can always make up for it now..." Buffy threatened as she advanced on him.

"Ahem." Giles moved between the teenagers, much to Xander's relief, and then the watcher turned to Buffy. "It's your turn now, put the blindfold on." He ordered her, passing the cloth to her.

"Don't you say 'please' anymore?" Buffy whined, doing what she was told.

"Don't worry Buff, when we're done you might get a _cookie!_" Xander offered sarcastically.

"Yay" she replied unenthusiastically as she settled into her usual fighting position.

Xander was the first to attack, clumsily trying to poke Buffy's bottom. Buffy easily dodged his strike, then stood in an exaggerated pose, one finger leaning on her chin. "Hmm... I wonder who would've chosen my butt as their first target?"

Giles chose this moment of inattention to move, successfully tapping Buffy's shoulder. This brought her concentration back to the exercise at hand. She stood motionless and listened carefully as Giles and Xander slowly circled her, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Giles raised his staff and swung it at the side of Buffy's head, but she heard it coming and ducked underneath. Xander tried to poke her back while she was crouched down, but she whirled around, grabbed the end of the staff that was about to hit her, and pushed sending the other end backwards and poking Xander in the ribs.

"Hey!"

"Turnabout's fair play Xan."

They carried on sparring for a while longer. Giles did quite well in his attempts to hit Buffy, managing to get several hits through the slayer's defences. Xander did less well, all of his attacks were blocked or dodged, apart from a few more where Buffy managed to grab his quarterstaff again.

"Okay, that's enough." Giles eventually decided. As he collected the things from them he said, "You two can go now, I'll tidy up."

"Cool." Buffy commented as she removed the blindfold and looked at her watch. "Oooh! We've gotta dash or my mum will hit the roof."

"Let's go then," Xander agreed, grabbing his bag and following her out, "After all, we wouldn't want major structural damage to be done to the Summers' home. Seeya G-man."

Giles slowly began to bang his head against his desk.

***

"It's officially nippy." Xander complained, looking down at himself he added, "So say my nips. I think it was a stupid idea to have a victory party on the beach anyway."

"It was the teams victory, so it's their choice. I like it; it's festive, a party with nature." Willow said, then added without thinking, "I'm sure Buffy would be happy to keep you and your 'nips' warm."

"Thanks Wil." Xander said out of habit. A moment later, his brain caught up with his ears, "_What?_"

*Oops* Willow thought as she realised what she said. "Uh... I meant... er..." she stammered, stalling for time, eventually she thought of a tried and tested excuse, "I'm looking into the possibility I might have Tourette's syndrome."

Xander gave her a long, unbelieving stare, then shrugged, "Whatever."

As Xander stood by one of the driftwood bonfires, trying to keep himself warm, he got this weird feeling that something was wrong. As he concentrated on it he felt... loneliness. It was strange, because apart from being a bit chilly, he had been feeling fine a minute ago, but now there was this sense of loneliness washing over him.

He reassured himself by looking at Willow and Oz, standing there smiling and gazing into each others eyes as they usually did if they thought nobody was watching. For a moment he felt better, but then they started to remind him that he didn't have anyone like that, that he was alone. Xander felt even worse then, because he had both this strange external loneliness, and his own internal loneliness from seeing what he didn't have.

Feeling awful, Xander glanced around the fire. Suddenly he noticed that Buffy wasn't around their bonfire, nor was she standing by any of the other fires. Concerned for her he started looking around and quickly spotted her a short distance away, sitting on a rock staring morosely out to sea.

*Wow* he thought as he jogged over towards her, *She looks as bad as I feel.* "Excuse me." Xander said as he went past one of the swim team who was walking along the beach towards Buffy. "Hey Buff!" he called out as he approached.

She turned to the sound of his voice, her expression turned from distant to a smile, as she saw him. "Hiya Xan."

"So... does that rock have space for two?"

"Sure." Buffy answered, sliding along to make room.

"Any particular reason why you're sitting alone on a rock, away from the party?"

"I... I just needed some space."

"I could go if you'd like." Xander offered, hoping she wouldn't take him up on it.

"No. Stay here with me, Xander." Buffy told him, grabbing his arm and holding it firmly.

"It's okay Buffy," he reassured her, putting his large hand over her small one that was holding onto him so tightly, "I'm not going to leave you."

Her face was still worried as she looked up into his eyes, "Promise?" she asked, her voice wavering.

Looking back into her eyes, Xander smiled as he replied softly, "I will _never_ abandon you. I promise." As he spoke, he gently smoothed Buffy's hair out of her face. She nestled into his hand and so he started stroking her face.

He slowly learned down towards her face while she used her grip in his arm to pull her body nearer to his. They hesitantly moved closer and closer, constantly checking to make sure the other wasn't pulling away. Moving at a snails pace, their lips slowly touched and...

"Somebody help me!"

END PART 10

Notes:

This orphaned work was originally on Pejas WWOMB posted by author Draxar.
If this work is yours and you would like to reclaim ownership, you can click on the Technical Support and Feedback link at the bottom fo the page.

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