SquidgeWorld Archive

The last vampire erupted into dust as Buffy drove Mr. Pointy through his evil, undead hear. She glanced around her, her senses taking everything in. She did not relax her stance until she was sure they were all gone. Then, she reached a hand down into a freshly dug grave and helped pull Xander out.

"Sorry, Buff." He said with a grin. "I didn't expect the guy to go all WWF on me."

"Not a problem. I thought we agreed you were gonna stay fray adjacent anyway."

"That was the plan, but one was set to blindside you, and I had to act fast. The next thing I know, I'm down there."

"A little early to be looking at plots isn't it?"

"With the real estate boom here in pleasant Sunnydale?"

She smiled at his humor and began walking back toward campus. Xander walked with her and continued talking.

"So that was five vamps in three hours. Busy night for the Buffster."

"Yeah," she admitted. "I wonder what's got them all so jumpy?"

"Double Latte night at Starbucks?"

"Doubtful. Probably means some big bad is going to surface."

"So what's the prob. We scope the sitch, assemble the scoobies and kick some vamp tail old school style." Xander appeared way too excited.

"Settle down, Action Lad. We don't even know where to start."

"How about with me?" The voice was familiar. Buffy said his name before she even turned to see him. "Angel?"

Xander turned his eyes toward Angel and then rolled them back in his head. "The Return of the Dark ,Brooding, Undead Guy Part Two," he mumbled to himself.

Buffy looked at her former boyfriend skeptically. "Were you following me again?"

"No. I just got here. Promise."

"And to what do we owe the torment?" Xander asked with a smile.

"Cordy had a vision. All she got was that I needed to be here."

"Vague enough?" Buffy asked. "Doesn't she usually give you more to go on?"

"Yes, but... this one was cryptic."

"Cordelia? Cryptic?" Xander looked confused. "We are talking about Cordelia "Never-met-a-Versace-gown-I-didn't-like" Chase, right?"

Angel actually smiled. "The same."

"That, I wouldn't mind seeing." Xander decided. Then he looked at the awkwardness between Buffy and Angel and decided that maybe they should talk alone. "Look, I'll leave you guys to your wistful glances and head on home."

"No," Angel said flatly. "You have to stay. You were in the vision."

"A lot of my old girlfriends have visions about me," Xander said. "Granted... they are usually strangling me in those visions, but...."

"Well, it was vague," Angel said, "but I'd rather you go with us."

"Go where?" Buffy asked.

"The Master's Lair."

"So anyone else getting the maxi-wig?" Xander asked as the sifted through the rubble of what had once been the Master's prison. "Last time we were here, Buffy died. I mean... I got to put my patented liplock on her, so I'm not complaining."

"Since you saved my life, I'll ignore that comment." Buffy shot him a smile. She would always be grateful that he had been there to save her. "What exactly are we looking for, Angel?"

"Cordelia said it's a box with a gold bat on it."

"Isn't that a bit Bela Lugosi?" Xander questioned. "I thought vamps weren't big on the Bram Stoker-ish habits."

"We're not... normally. But bats are the symbol of certain demon clans. They could be related somehow."

"Like the crazy uncle that lets you play with his hearing aids at every family reunion?" Xander got a look from Angel and Buffy. "Just me, huh?"

"Do we know what the box is for?" Buffy asked. "I mean is it a jewelry box... a bread box."

"No, it's bigger than a bread box," Angel said, not realizing the joke.

"Well, I'm not seeing anything box like." Buffy continued sorting through the rubble. "Maybe it's already been taken."

"Maybe."

"Or maybe the box stops here, and we just need to keep looking. This wreck is a place." Xander lifted up a rock that seemed to be covering a large hole. "Hey, guys, I think I found it."

He reached his hands into the hole and pulled out a mahogany box with a large gold-leaf bat on its top. Angel and Buffy ran over to see it.

"That's it." Angel confirmed.

"Now what?" Buffy asked.

"We open, right?" Xander asked.

"It's supposed to house the spirit of Acricon, so I'm voting no." Angel said.

"Sounds like a farmer's convention," Buffy added.

"Acricon, not Agri-con."

"Oh."

"So, it's kind of a freaky Lovecraft jack-in-the box?" Xander asked.

"Well, Cordelia said it would be loose, but it seems we got here in time."

"See." Buffy said in a sing-song voice. "No worries."

"Yeah, deadboy. Give us a smile. Show us a little fang."

Angel shot Xander a dirty look. "Have I told you how much I don't miss you?"

Xander glared back. "Have I told you how little I care?"

"Boys," Buffy said, trying to get them to regain their focus. "If you can't play nice, you'll have to go to your rooms."

They both got quiet. "I'll take it back to L.A." Angel said. "I'll keep it in a safe place there."

"Fine." Buffy said. She turned to lead the way out when a tremor shook the ground beneath them. Angel stumbled with the box and it flew into the air. Xander dove for it, trying to keep it from hitting the stone floor. He missed it by an inch and it shattered everywhere. Beneath him a chasm opened and he began to fall, but Buffy dove and caught him by the ankle. She pulled him up and he fought to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest. All efforts ceased, however, when a green mist flowed all around Buffy and finally into her. She turned and faced Xander with green glowing eyes.

"Oh, yeah." Xander said, with fear dripping from his voice. "This is just a red-letter day for Xander Harris."

Angel watched as Buffy picked Xander up over her head and hurled him toward a pile of rubble. Xander hit hard and was knocked unconscious. She turned her attention to him. "Your turn, lover."

"You're not Buffy." Angel said flatly. "You're Acricon."

"Yet still," the creature in Buffy's body responded. "Her thoughts are revealed to me. You once were a prince of darkness. How have you fallen so far?"

"That was the demon... not me." Angel said, with anger rising in his voice. "Now let her go."

"Never," the demon said. It jumped at Angel, covering the distance between them in a heartbeat. Angel was just as fast, though, and managed to block the flurry of punches thrown by the possessed Buffy. He managed to shift his wait and flip her onto her back. It bought him a few seconds, but then she was back again, this time connecting with an uppercut to the jaw which sent him sprawling.

In the corner, Xander came to just in time to see Buffy shattering a crate and taking from it a broken piece of wood for a stake. She was only three feet from Angel who was on the ground trying to shake off her last punch. Xander ran toward her from behind and tackled her. They fell forward into a pile of rubble. The possessed Buffy hit her head on a stone and blacked out.

"Thanks," Angel said as Xander helped him to his feet.

"Don't mention it. Really. Ever." Xander said with a half smile. "What do we do with Apricot?"

"Acricon."

"Whatever."

"Let's take her back to Giles' place. We'll need to research this thing and see if this can be reversed."

"You mean there's a possibility we could be stuck with Linda Blair here?"

"We won't let that happen," Angel replied. "Grab her ankles."

"Good Lord," Giles said, as Angel and Xander placed Buffy on the couch. "What happened to her?"

"She's possessed by a spirit," Angel said.

"And it ain't school spirit, if you get my drift." Xander was joking to hide the worry. He walked into Giles kitchen and got some ice to put on the Slayer's head. She had a contusion there which, though healing rapidly, needed attention.

"What kind of spirit?" Giles walked to his desk and pulled out a first aid kit. He looked to Angel for an answer as he began looking for a bandage. Above the contusion, along her hairline was a small cut. He cleaned and dressed the wound while Angel recounted their experience at the Master's Lair.

"Acricon?!" Giles shouted when he heard the name.

"That's the spirit." Xander said.

"Then Buffy is in worse danger than you realize. Acricon is a Sheb'eroth spirit. The longer he inhabits a body, the less likely he can be evicted."

"The we better act fast," Angel said. "What should we do?"

"Xander, go get Willow and Tara. Bring them as quickly as you can. Angel, in the weapons chest, you'll find some chains. Chain Buffy head to toe, and then put her back on the couch. I'll research the spell we will need."

Xander made for the door and then turned back. "Hey, Deadboy? Mind if I borrow your wheels?"

Angel tossed him the keys and said, "You dent it and I dent you."

"No problem, Overbite. I'll bring it back in one piece."

Less than thirty minutes later, Acricon was awake and screaming.

"You'll all burn in the pit for this effrontery!" It screamed through Buffy's mouth.

Tara held on to Willow's hand. The sight of the possessed Buffy chained and writhing was truly frightening. She turned her head to give Giles her attention.

"So Willow, Tara and I will perform the ritual. Girls, we must focus and not let ourselves be distracted. This spell is risky for those casting. You must put all of your energy into a well of magic that the spell can feed off of."

"What can I do?" Angel was clearly disturbed by Buffy's straining against the chains.

"You are to be Xander's anchor. He must journey through her mindscape and find Buffy. Without you to anchor him and lend him strength, he may accept her mindscape as reality and never return."

"But why can't I go? I mean, Xander can anchor me. Wouldn't I be better equipped to find her in there?"

"No. Quite the reverse actually. Buffy is a Slayer by birth. She has natural defenses at play that would recognize you as a vampire. She would automatically hide herself deeper. Remember this is Buffy's subconscience. It is impossible for you to be anything but a vampire there. It is all instinct. Xander will represent friendship and trust. Her defenses will be less formidable, allowing him to find her more easily and quickly. Besides, it is your strength of will that makes you a natural choice for the anchor."

"So what do I do when I'm in?" Xander asked appearing to be a little nervous that so much was going to depend on him.

"You will find it difficult to distinguish between reality and her mindscape, but you must." Giles said. "Things will be dreamlike and likely, quite different. You will see things the way Buffy interprets them. But just as with a dream, your mind will automatically accept what you experience as reality. That is why you will need Angel. He will be there to keep you from being lost."

"I thought you said he wasn't going."

"He's not. In the dreamscape, you will be solid and able to react to the things around you. You will also see Angel and he will see you, but he will be intangible and cannot see anything but you. That will keep him grounded in our reality."

"Sounds like a plan," Xander said. "Let's roll."

Giles placed his hand on Xander's shoulder. "I feel I must warn you," he said. "If you should buy into the fantasy, you could become trapped there."

"No sweat, mum," Xander said with a phony, pathetic accent. "I'll have Casper here to save me bum." Everyone just stared. "Okay, I know this is serious. I'm scared that I'll screw up. But if I don't chance it, Buffy's toast. It's not like I have a choice here."

Giles nodded and motioned for Tara and Willow to take their places. The three spellcasters joined hands. Giles told Xander and Angel to join hands as well. They both gave him equally dirty looks. He responded with a stern look of his own.

"For Buffy?" Xander said holding out his hands.

"Only for Buffy," Angel responded taking them in his.

The last thing he heard before the room went dark was Xander saying, "Relax, big boy. I don't bite. That's your gig."

Xander felt like he had been hit by a truck. He opened his eyes to find himself still standing in Giles' living room. Angel was still in front of him, but appeared disoriented. There was no one else in the room. He walked across the living room and called out, but no one answered.

"Okay... something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto." Xander looked Angel over. He seemed to be staring blankly at the space in front of him.

"Xander?" Angel said waving his hand in front of him. "Can you hear me?"

"I'm over here, Deadboy." Xander said, approaching the vampire. Angel didn't respond. Instead his eyes trailed across the room, following the path Xander had taken.

"Xander? Can you hear me?" Angel followed his path. Xander stood still, knowing Angel would eventually bump into him. Instead, Angel went right through him, which caused a chill to run up Xander's spine.

"Okay, think...." He spoke out loud, though he spoke to himself. "Why is this happening? He can't hear me, but I can hear him. Only.... Wait... I'm having a thought. Yep. That's a thought, alright. This is a test of the Xander broadcast system. my theory is that somehow our timing is off. You seem to be about thirty seconds behind me. By the time you'll hear this, I'll be standing to the right of the front door. If you can hear me, look my way."

Xander began counting out the seconds, while he walked to the front door. He positioned himself and watched Angel following nothing across the room and then stopping near where Xander himself had stopped. By the time Xander had counted to 28, Angel turned his gaze right at him.

"Okay. I'm exactly 28 seconds ahead of you. Not too bad. It just makes communication hard. I'm gonna stand right here, for a minute or so, in case you need to tell me anything."

Angel was already halfway to him. When he got there, he looked at Xander and waited. "This is strange," he said. "But it could be worse. Giles didn't mention this could happen, so this is a variable. Go ahead and begin your search. I'll just be 28 seconds behind you. Start with places she would be most likely to go."

"I'm on it," Xander said. "Let's start with her mom's house."

After 28 seconds, Angel responded. "Yeah, that would be my pick too. Just don't run or anything. All I see is blackness around you; and you look like a snowy picture on a television."

"Deal. Oh, and Angel?"

28 seconds took forever to pass. "Yeah?"

"First one to spot her gets the congratulatory kiss."

Part Two

Xander glanced down the street to see if Angel was still behind him. The vampire was nearly thirty yards behind, making his way toward Joyce Summers' home. Xander turned his attention back to the road. No cars in this Sunnydale, he realized. He figured it was because Buffy didn't have a car. The town itself, however, looked more menacing than usual. He stopped and turned to look back at Angel.

"By the time you hear this, I'll be up the road, so don't bother responding," he said. "Have you noticed how everything looks creepier? This must be the way Buff sees Sunndydale. No wonder she feels trapped here. Thinking that this is all there is for you, would upset anyone. "

When Angel heard the message, he looked up and down the street. He knew Xander was right. Buffy was going to be a sophomore in college, carrying the weight that most Slayers, even the ones who hadn't lived on the Hellmouth, didn't live past the age of twenty-five. He had always wondered what that knowledge did to her inside. He had a feeling he would soon find out.

Xander knocked on the front door and, when no one answered, let himself in. "Buffy? Buffy, are you here?"

"Xander? Is that you?" The voice from the kitchen was a familiar one.

"Yes, Mrs. Summers. Is Buffy around?"

"No, dear. Would you like some cookies?"

Xander felt the strangeness in the air. He followed the voice to the kitchen and found her. Joyce Summers wore an evening gown with an apron tied about her waist. The kitchen was filled with ancient artifacts and food. Lots of food. She was baking. Brownies. Cookies.

Xander was caught up in the glorious smell and suddenly found himself wondering why Buffy and Willow had not come back from the library yet. "Do you mind if I wait here for Buffy and Will?" He asked. "And perhaps partake of a scrumptious brownie, Joyce.. er, uh.... Buffy's mom?"

"Don't eat the brownies," Angel said, half a moment later. "We have to find Buffy. You're buying into the fantasy. Buffy's mom, whatever she appears to be, is not the real thing. Put down the chocolate and let's search the house, before you get us both stuck in here."

Xander snapped back to reality and whispered, "Thanks for the Gene and Roger there, my fine fanged friend." He turned to Joyce and said, "If you don't mind, I'll wait for Buffy in her room."

"I don't think that would be proper at all, dear." Joyce shook her head as she spoke. "But you're welcome to wait in the den."

Xander excused himself and, when he was sure Joyce wasn't following him, he made his way through the house, room by room. He thought it strange that Buffy thought of her mom as the June Cleaver type. Then again, the way he saw Joyce wasn't that normal either. There was no sign of Buffy. He stopped in the hall and waited for Angel to catch up. "Okay, Deadboy. Where next? Her dorm room? Riley's? Willow's home?"

After the 28 second pause, Angel shook his head. "She could be any of those places and we're running out of time. We've gotta think this through. She's gotta be scared, disoriented. She probably knew the truth at first, but she may have already bought into this fantasy. Where would she feel most safe? Is it with the tin soldier?"

"Gee, jealous much?" Xander said with a wink. "I don't think it would be Riley's. He's too new to her world. Where would she go to feel safe? What would be her home away from home?"

"The Bronze?"

"No... Wait. I'm having a thought here. Oh, yeah. Good thought, too. The library."

"The library was destroyed."

"But maybe not here. Maybe she's been hanging on to the place. You know... Her own private..."

"Idaho?"

"Security blanket."

"Sounds likely. Let's go."

Giles, Tara and Willow continued with the spell, but they were tiring quickly. Xander had been in for nearly an hour. They would not last another. On the couch, Acricon screamed through Buffy's mouth. "You'll never find her," it said. "This form is mine now and forever." To their credit, the spellcasters paid the spirit no mind. Instead they redoubled their efforts hoping to buy Xander and Angel some more time.

Across the room, Angel's and Xander's bodies stood perfectly still. Still joined at the hands, they did not so much as sway. They were empty shells... devoid of heart and soul, except... something stirred inside Angel. His eyes opened slowly and gazed about the room. A grin crawled across his lips. He was free.

Sunnydale High had always been a bit different, but what Xander saw when he arrived at the campus was the pinnacle of strange. All around it, Sunndydale itself was dark and foreboding. Over the school, however, the sun was shining. No longer a charred ruin, it stood there as good as new, brimming with students. He was set to ask Angel a question when the bell rang.

"Crap. I'm gonna be late again." He took off running across the campus. Chemistry was his first class, so he headed for the lab. Cordy had saved him a seat.

"It's about time you showed up." She said with a half-smile.

He apologized just as Angel made his way into the room. "Uh-oh," Xander said. "Anyone mind telling me what Angel's doing walking around in daylight?"

"What are you talking about, feeb?" Cordelia gave him a strange look. "I don't see him anywhere."

"You don't?"

"No. Did you go on a chocolate binge or something, because you're acting a bit... No. I guess, for you, this is normal."

"Nobody sees me but you." Angel said flatly. "We're in Buffy's mindscape. Remember?"

"Mindsca...? Oh, yeah. Whew. That was close." Xander waited for Angel to catch up.

"You're telling me. All I see is blackness and you, and you practically disappeared on me."

"Sorry, man. Let's head to the library."

"Who are you talking to, Harris?" Cordelia demanded. "You're freaking me out. Why I ever..." She stopped herself and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Why I ever wrestle with you in the broom closet is beyond me."

Angel shot Xander a funny look. "Why are you pausing. Did someone say something?"

Xander grinned. "It's just that some things never change. That's all."

The library was perfect. Xander smiled at the sight of it. It was the Scooby Gang's Hall of Justice... their Batcave... their Fortress of Solitude. He had missed it. He also missed the person sitting at a table, flipping through a large dusty tome.

"Oz," he said, trying to remember that it wasn't the real Oz. "Good to see you man."

Oz shot him an odd look. His left eyebrow raised slightly. "Ditto."

"You seen Buffy around?"

"Earlier. Ms. Calendar's class. Wigged. Something up?"

"Just the usual world in peril stuff. Do you think she's still there?"

"Doubt it. She talked to Willow and Giles, then bolted."

"Where to?"

"Your guess. Giles seemed concerned."

"Okay, thanks." Xander turned to walk out, but then stopped and looked back at Oz. "Hey, Oz?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope I see you again."

Oz got that look on his face again. "Sure. We'll do lunch."

Xander stood still outside the door and waited for Angel to catch up.

"You miss him?" Angel said as he came out of the room.

"Yeah. Not maxing out with the guy friends, you know?"

"Buffy told me about him coming back. It's a shame he couldn't stay."

"Everything's changed. That's why this place looks like it does. These were the good old days for Buffy, too."

"So she came to school, talked to Giles and Willow, and went?"

"To your old place."

"You think?"

"I know. Let's get there before she disappears."

Angelus looked at the sheep around him, and his features became distorted and demonic. The Slayer appeared to be possessed, chained up and hurling profanity at the three others. "Interesting," he thought. "Very interesting." He looked at the one across from him. "I wonder what Angel and the boy are up to. Whatever it is, I'm certain I want no part of it."

He jerked his hands free and the link was severed. A shockwave rippled through the room and knocked the spellcasters down. They scrambled to regain their senses. Acricon laughed hysterically from inside Buffy's body. Xander's body lay lifeless on the floor, and Angelus, the dark warrior, was loosed.

Xander was at the entrance to the mansion on Crawford Street where Angel had once lived. Quietly, he made his way down the stairs leading into the courtyard and saw that the door was ajar. Then Angel screamed in agony. It was a blood-curdling scream of epic scale. He turned and saw the vampire writhing in pain. He ran to him, but it was too late. Angel simply blinked out of existence.

Part Three

Giles was weak, but he knew he had to act. He ran toward Angelus, only to have his face pummeled by a fist that easily could have broken his jaw. He went sprawling backward over the couch. Angelus laughed and made his way toward the fallen Watcher.

Willow and Tara joined hands and sent Angelus flying backward so hard that he knocked down the door to Giles' home. Angelus stood up and dusted himself off. He walked in slowly and calmly. "I always thought you were a witch, Willow. I just never meant it literally."

Willow and Tara turned to run, hoping they could barricade themselves in the bathroom. But Angelus leapt over the couch and knocked them both to the ground, causing Tara to strike her head on the wall. He picked Willow up by her throat, even as Tara lost consciousness. Gasping for air, Willow did her best to focus on a spell, but she was blacking out. Then the unthinkable happened.

A baseball bat came crashing down between Angelus' shoulders and he loosened his grip. She fell to the floor with and was only able to focus on the bat crashing again and again into the vampire's back. She didn't need to see his face to know who had saved her. The room was spinning and she couldn't hold it off any longer. She only managed a few words before she passed out. "Don't... kill him... Spike."

Xander convulsed and fell to the floor screaming. The pain was almost unbearable, but he focused on it. Angel had disappeared. He had to focus on something to keep his mind from what he saw around him. If even for a second he excepted it as real, he would be lost. He closed his eyes and imagined himself walking around in Buffy's brain. It was gross, but more real than what he could see. The pain began to subside. He was just attempting to stand up, when he felt her hands on his back.

"Xander, what happened? Were you attacked?"

"I don't know for sure. I was just standing here with Angel, when...."

"Where is he? Where is Angel?"

"He disappeared. It's a long story. Can you take me in side?"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I can't open my eyes. I'll explain when we get inside."

"Okay then. Take my hand."

"Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you're okay."

Willow woke to the sound of cursing. Tara was next to her on the couch holding a cold compress to the back of her head. Giles and Spike were on the stairs carrying the possessed Buffy upstairs to Giles' room. Angelus was nowhere to be seen. As if reading her mind, Tara said, "They carried Angel upstairs already. They chained him up, too. Strange that Giles has so many chains, but handy."

"What about Xander?" She asked, realizing for the first time that she had watched him slump to the floor. "Is he?"

"He's alive. But Giles said he's just barely holding on. When he lost the anchor, he got trapped in Buffy's mind along with Angel. Except..."

"Except what? No except. I hate except."

"Except that, we don't really know what would have happened to Angel. Giles thinks there may still be hope, but... I don't know how we could get them back. I mean, if Xander believes what he sees there, he'll be lost. And Angel... I don't know what would have happened to him."

"Well, there's got to be something we can do. Maybe I could go in after Xander and Buffy... and... and Angel, if he's still... you know."

"Giles said that it wouldn't be possible to send anyone else."

"Why? I'm sure we could find another caster to help with the spell."

"No... There are three people roaming Buffy's mind... well, at least two, plus Acricon. Giles thinks we could cause permanent damage to Buffy by sending someone else in."

"So what's the plan then? Wait? Because waiting is a bad plan. The worst plan. Waiting is...."

"The only option we have at the moment." Giles was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He looked at her with kind eyes. "I'm worried too, Willow. But this situation is dire enough as it is without acting rashly. That's what got us into this in the first place. Buffy and Xander run off with Angel with no back-up. I get us involved in this stupid spell not realizing that with Angel's will out of his body, Angelus would be unleashed. No. I believe now, more than ever, we must think things through."

Willow knew Giles was right, but she didn't like it.

Buffy took off her blouse and double checked to make sure Xander still had his eyes closed. She took some scissors and cut a four inch strip from the bottom of the blouse and then put it back on. Her midriff was exposed, but it wasn't too bad. She walked over to Xander and tied the strip around his eyes. "Okay," she said. "I've been Trust Girl so far, but I just ruined my favorite shirt to make a blindfold. It's explanation time and guess who's in the hot seat?"

"Okay. It's like this... You aren't really in Sunnydale. Well, you are, but you're possessed. Not here. There. In the real Sunnydale. I'm in your head, trying to bring you out and Angel was around to remind me that this isn't Sunnydale. Only, now, he's disappeared."

Buffy stared at her blindfolded friend.

"That didn't make much sense did it?" He had just realized how it all sounded and that his job would probably be much harder than he had originally thought.

"No. It doesn't." She looked at the ridiculous picture before her. She reached out and put her hand on his cheek. "But that means it's probably true; especially since I've been having this weird feeling that things weren't right somehow. Start from the beginning this time and go slow."

Xander took his time, though he felt as if they were probably out of it, and explained to Buffy the whole story, including why he had to wear the blindfold.

"Okay. So you can't see things for long without buying the fantasy version. I obviously am not immune to this. But if I blindfold myself, we'll never find Angel and get out of here."

"If Vamp-Guy is still with us. He just blinked out, like someone flipped a switch or something. What if something happened to him on the other side? It would explain the soul wrenching pain I felt when he went hasta. That would mean I'm stuck here."

She smiled at him, though he couldn't see it. "No way am I going to have you crawling around my thoughts for the rest of my life. We'll have to try to find him."

"But wouldn't beating Acricon here straighten everything out? If Angel is here and trapped somewhere, he should be released when Acricon is defeated." Xander wished desperately that he could afford to see.

"Now I'm worried."

"Why?"

"You actually made sense."

"Great. You know, when I daydream about you blindfolding and teasing me, this isn't what I have in mind."

"Off topic much?"

"Sorry."

Spike plopped down on the couch next to Willow. "Well, Red... How about that thank you?"

Willow looked at him strangely. "Well, sure. I mean, thanks. But I'm just wondering... Why? I could've sworn you...."

"Hate you and want you dead? I do. It would have been a jolly, old time of torture and violence if I would have left you with Angel. It's just that, as much as I hate you lot, I hate Angel that much more. It did my heart good to pummel him a bit."

"Well, uh, that's... I'm sorry but I have to take back that thank you." She got up and went upstairs to check on Buffy's body.

"Typical," was Spike's reply.

"So where do you think Agricorn is holing up?" Buffy asked as she armed herself from Angel's weapons chest.

"Acricon," Xander corrected. "And I have no idea. This is your mind. Where does the evil dwell?"

"I don't know. This is too surreal. You didn't think to ask Giles before you slid into my brain?"

"Well, no. I mean, we just thought..."

"You'd play it by ear? Good plan, Xand."

"Maybe it was. Maybe we just have to figure it out, and then we're halfway home. Maybe knowing is half the battle."

"Sage advise from G.I. Joe?"

"Exactly. Let's think about this. We're in your mind, so you should be able to do just about anything."

"Such as..."

"Taking us to the bad, post haste. Do not pass go. Do not collect the two C-notes."

"You're talking teleportation?"

"Nothing so sci-fi. I just mean that, technically, we aren't occupying any space. We're pure thought. Well,.., okay... I'm impure thought, but you should be able to move us to the evil dude before he gets squatter's rights on your mind and soul."

"It's worth a shot, since it's all we have to start with. What should I do? And why am I asking you?"

"Giles withdrawal?"

"Of the worst kind."

"Then let's plant this creep and blow your mind."

Willow looked at him. He still looked like Angel, but what she had faced, she remembered all too well. Angelus might as well have been the Devil, himself. Suddenly, he stirred. Acricon hissed through Buffy's clenched teeth.

"Giles!" She called. "He's waking up."

Giles bounded up the stairs with Spike on his heels. "Do I get to beat him some more, Rupert?"

"Not just yet," Giles responded calmly. He stepped over to Angel's body and jumped back when the eyes opened suddenly.

"Giles? Willow? It's okay. It's me. It's Angel."

Part Four

Buffy held on to Xander's hands, closed her eyes and then, opened them again. "Wait. What if I buy into the fantasy again? Isn't that a bad?"

"Well, I figured I could sort of be your anchor. I mean, I can't see, so I can't be fooled. Plus, the sight of me in a blindfold should be a good reminder that we're not in Kansas anymore." Xander squeezed her hands. "Now let's go. I could be dying. If you don't want Xander on the brain, we best get started."

Buffy closed her eyes again and tried to picture evil personified. When she felt the room go cold, she opened her eyes. Xander was still blindfolded and holding her hands, but everything else had changed. Instead of Angel's living room, they looked to be in the bowels of the earth.

"Hey, Buff? It's hot here. Where exactly is here?"

"Hell, from the looks of it. Let's find Apricot and get out of here."

"Now you're doing it on purpose." Xander let a smile play across his face, despite the circumstances. He was one of the Scooby Gang, and as far as he was concerned, there was no better place to be than with the Slayer.

Angel tried to sit up in the bed, but the chains kept him down. "Just listen to me. I'm Angel, not Angelus. I was with Xander when Angelus broke the link. What he didn't realize was that, when he pulled himself out of the link, he pulled me out of Buffy's mindscape. I was literally ripped out of there. Just before I found myself back in this body, I saw Xander go down. We've got to get me back in there."

"What are you saying about being ripped back into your body?" Giles was clearly not willing to just take his word for it.

"I was pulled back, but Angelus had already taken control. He held me back until Spike knocked him out. I fought him back down. Everything's okay. Really."

"Don't believe him." Spike said. "Angel was always the con. The one with the angelic face, they called him. I'd wager this is all an act."

"It's not an act," Angel insisted. "Look, whether you believe me or not, you have to help Xander and Buffy. Without me to anchor him, Xander may already be lost. And without him, Buffy may be as well."

"Let him up," Giles said, handing the key to Spike. "If this is a trick, you may beat him to your heart's content."

Buffy and Xander had wandered around their hellish environment for what seemed like eternity, before finding exactly what they were looking for. In a chamber filled with chained human servants and rotting corpses, Acricon sat upon his throne of bones. She thought they were safely hidden behind a pillar, but Acricon was in her mind. There was nowhere in her mindscape she could go unseen.

"Fools," he said, before they had time to fully formulate their plan. "You cannot hide from the great Acricon. Seize them!"

Undead guards came from everywhere at once. To her credit, Buffy put up a good fight but, in the end., was overpowered. Acricon laughed out loud. In the ancient days, he had faced a slayer and had been barely able to beat her. This slayer seemed much slower and weaker, and her companion did not even put up a fight. The guards brought them before him and forced them to their knees.

"Now, Slayer, I will rid myself of you and use your powerful body to rule the ball of mud you call your home. Come. Let us make war together."

Buffy and Xander knew they only had a few moments to put the finishing touches on their plan. Xander was the first to act, rushing headlong and swinging wildly, as his eyes were still covered. Acricon laughed at the pitiful display and backhanded him across the room. He landed in a heap and didn't move.

Buffy looked at Acricon and the spirit was almost certain that he saw fear flash in her eyes. "Th-that was mistake, Acricon. You're gonna have to die now."

The demon laughed at her pathetic bravado. His green eyes glowed casting a putrid light over his scaly flesh. He stood over seven feet tall and wore a king's robe and crown. The sight was disturbing to say the least. He motioned for the guards to release Buffy, and they did.

"Let's get this over with, Puppy Chow. I've got class tomorrow, so I'll be needing my brain back." Buffy moved forward cautiously. "You should really think about getting an interior decorator in here, because Early Hades was out two years ago."

"Are you quite finished?" Acricon was annoyed.

"Actually, no. I can't help but notice that all your servants here are men, and you're possessing the body of a girl. Do we have some Freudian issues to discuss with the group?"

Angel rubbed his arms where the chains had dug into them. Willow, Giles, and the new girl, Tara, all stared at him suspiciously. Spike just looked at him with contempt, as usual.

"Giles," he asked. "What would happen to Xander without me there to anchor him?"

"Well, that would depend on susceptibility to the fantasy of Buffy's mindscape."

"Hmmm... There were a few times when one second he was with me, and the next, he was buying it at face value. There were a couple of close calls."

"Then, chances are, he's already lost. Unless, of course, he found a way to shut it out and still find Buffy. But his body is getting weaker by the moment. I fear that if something doesn't give soon, he and Buffy will be lost to us."

"I think we may have found Buffy just before I was yanked back. Send me in again, even if you have to chain me down. We can't let our fear of Angelus keep us from helping them, and I'm the only one who can do it."

Giles looked at him kindly, realizing that it truly was Angel, after all. He turned and motioned to Tara and Willow. "Set up for the spell again. Spike, set Xander in a chair facing Angel. Tie their wrists together so they maintain contact, and then chain Angel down. We're going to bring them home."

Acricon swung hard at the slayer, who managed to avoid the blow though somewhat clumsily. She pulled a stake out of her back pocket and jabbed for the heart. All she got for the effort was a backhand that sent her sprawling. She was slow getting up, the blow had obviously been a harsh one.

"Okay. That was a good one. Gonna need some dental work. We could probably butt heads until kingdom come, so let's make a wager instead." Buffy looked at him, not sure Acricon would go for it.

"What kind of wager?" The self-proclaimed king asked.

"Simple. You pick one guy from your team to fight one of us. You can pick whoever you want, but each fighter only gets one blow to kill the other opponent. If we win, you let me have my body back. If you win, you kill the other one and you've got the body. Either way, this is over quick. A fight to the death. Winner takes all."

Acricon looked at her carefully. Perhaps she thought he was a fool. It was obvious she was holding back in the fight, even facing the guards. There was much more to her than what the naked eye could see. She assumed his ego would have him continue the fight with her. "I get to pick the two who fight?"

"Yeah," she said rubbing her jaw. "You lose you die. End of story."

"Then I choose to fight for myself."

The slayer suddenly looked as though that wasn't a part of the plan. She raised her fists and said, "Come on then, Ton-o-fun. Let's finish this."

"Not you," Acricon said with a smile.

Xander had just managed to get back on his feet when he caught up with their conversation.

"I choose the boy." Acricon said before breaking into a cruel laugh.

"Oh, boy," was all Xander could say.

Tara, Willow and Giles had started the spell, and Angel could feel himself being drawn out of his body once again. Spike stood nearby with the bat. In spite of the chains, he would not be caught with his guard down. Not after all that Angelus had cost him.

Acricon had ceased his laughing, and Buffy's body laid there on the couch with a blank stare. Giles had noticed it, but had kept it to himself. He had no idea if it was a good sign or a bad one. He silently willed Buffy to return, knowing it was more for his benefit than hers.

Acricon laughed at the sight of a visibly frightened Xander Harris. "Poor boy. Your friend has orchestrated both of your deaths."

Xander's voice shook. "Y-you never know. I c-could surprise you, big guy."

Acricon grabbed him by the throat and lifted him, cutting off his air. "Or maybe you don't like surprises?" Xander asked, gasping for air. Acricon laughed and let him drop back to the floor.

"You have spirit, young one. Go ahead, and strike the first blow. Do your worst. Surprise me if you can."

Xander looked at Buffy and she nodded with a smirk. Suddenly all pretense of fear fled from Xander's eyes and a sword appeared in his hand. Before Acricon knew what hit him, the sword had pierced his heart and his blood, or what passed for it in Buffy's mindscape, spilled out on the ground.

He struggled to find breath, but his life was fading. He only managed to squeak out one word. "How?"

As his eyes faded to blackness, he saw that it was the slayer who truly stood before him. The humans had switched places and he believed the reality they presented. He had been beaten at his own game. "Surprise," was all the slayer said, but she said it with a smile.

Part Five - Epilogue

Angel arrived in what seemed to be the middle of an earthquake. He was back in Giles' house in Buffy's mindscape. There was no sign of Buffy or Xander, so he made his way back toward the mansion. The sky had changed. It was bluer and brighter, as though the darkness that held Sunnydale under siege was forgotten. He wondered if that meant Buffy had won.

Buffy realized she was hugging Xander too hard. He had, after all, taken quite a beating while posing as her. It had been his idea to use Buffy's control over her thoughts to dupe Acricon into believing that each was the other. It had worked and she was thankful, thus the hug.

"Ow and wow!" He said with a smirk. "Been a while since I got huggage from the Buffinator. Like it. Want more." He opened his arms wide and she chuckled.

"Down boy, before I have you neutered."

Xander yelped like a frightened mutt which only made her laugh harder.

They stood in the middle of Angel's mansion. They had decided it would be easier to focus there, as opposed to the hellish throne room of Acricon. They had no idea how to get out of the mindscape, but they would try.

Buffy managed to control her laughter and mute it, though she was clearly on an after-battle giggle streak. Xander wasn't helping things, but even he decided to get serious for a second.

"Hey, Buff, how 'bout we try to ski-daddle? My body could be mush by now."

"Where did you leave it?" Buffy asked with a grin. "Not in some compromising position, I hope."

"No. My body lies over the ocean. My body lies over.... Ah, skip it. Please, bring back my body to me."

They both started laughing. That's when Angel walked in.

"It seems I'm just in time for Xander's standup routine." He said with a grin. "I always have had bad timing."

"Angel!" Buffy threw her arms around him and then quickly backed away. "We were both worried about you."

"Both?" Angel questioned with a glance to Xander.

"Not me," he insisted. "Captain Corpse always lives to fight another day."

Angel gave a scowl, but then laughed. "Captain Corpse? Pretty funny."

"Yeah, I've been saving that one for the right occasion. What happened to you? And, hey... you're not 28 seconds behind anymore. Cool."

"We'll have time to catch up later. For now, let's get out of here. I assume from the looks of things that you two beat Acrigon?"

"Acricon," Buffy corrected. "And yes."

Xander didn't even catch that Buffy got the spirit's name right. He had some questions on his mind. "Hey, Angel? Is my body okay? In the real world, I mean."

"Not great, but if we get you back now you can start working out." Angel grinned bigger than Xander could ever recall having seen. "Maybe some free weights?"

"Great. The undead are back and this time, their funny. I've seen that movie, but thanks for playing."

"Sorry. It's fine for now, but we're running out of time, so we should go."

"Holy metaphysics, Batman! How are we gonna do that?"

"We couldn't figure it out." Buffy explained. "I tried to will myself back, but it didn't work."

"That's because, we weren't all together. I'm the anchor, so we all go or nobody goes."

"Then let's get gone," Xander said with enthusiasm. "There's a Dukes of Hazard marathon on tonight."

The three of them joined hands and closed their eyes. When they opened them again, they were back home.

After stories all around the gang bid farewell to Angel and then, settled in for an after-battle chat session. The overall consensus was that Buffy and Xander had the scariest experience.

"So Xander really looked like you?" Willow asked Buffy.

"Yeah, good acting job, too. Though his battle banter wasn't as witty."

"I take offense at that," Xander said. "Besides, I was busy fighting the urge to take a shower in Buffy's body."

"Xander!" Everyone sounded shocked in unison.

"Just kidding."