16

AN: After posting part 4 I found out I've been spelling "berserker" wrong. I appreciate no one pointing out that I'm an idiot but I'll be spelling it right from now on.

AN2: This part includes a short but brutal fight that I hope satisfies the blood lust some have expressed with seeing Xander in action. More to come on that I assure you.

AN3: To the jerk who sent me a scathing flame and told me that all I'm doing is plagiarizing the episodes that already exist I say to you UP YOURS. The entire concept of what I'm doing is that ONE THING has changed and how that will effect things. I'm not going to change EVERYTHING that happens early on because Xander being Wolverine
wouldn't have that profound an effect. Some things are going to happen just as they did in the show. I use the episode as a guide, including some things and then branch off. As I continue more and more things will change but you can either wait for that to happen, or you can quit reading it, I don't give a DAMN which. But EVERYONE that's watched the show knows what I'm using from the episodes and what's mine. I'm not claiming anything that isn't mine, so shove it.

Thursday November 6, 1997

Nighttime Crestwood Cemetery

"I'm tellin' ya Wills ya don't need to come with me on patrol; I'm perfectly fine on my own." Xander said exasperated, as Willow tried to keep up with him.

"No way Xander," the redhead said forcefully, "Buffy wanted me to keep an eye on you. Even though she's training with Giles she said that's no reason for you to be doing her job."

Xander shook his head as he looked at Willow trying to be as quiet as he was. When was Buffy going to get it through her head that this isn't "her" job alone; not anymore. They're all in this together. It was ok that Giles wanted to do some extra training with her; he could pick up the slack for one simple night. A few quick sweeps through the cemetery, maybe a buzz by the Bronze, then home for a nice evening with his mom. But nope, Buffy still had to act like she needed to protect Xander and had asked Willow of all people to go with him and "keep him out of trouble."

He'd almost laugh at the idea if it wasn't so insulting. He didn't need a babysitter. He was perfectly capable of handling just about anything that might come up. He was definitely going to have a talk with Buffy tomorrow and again remind her that he wasn't helpless. He stopped to get his bearings and to let Willow catch her breath. As she stood there looking around nervously he couldn't help but think that maybe, just maybe having Wills along for the ride wasn't so bad after all.

For her part Willow thought she was doing an excellent job of being quiet. This was no small feat for someone that was normally a chatter box, especially when she was nervous. She had told Buffy that Xander was planning on patrolling tonight to give her and Giles a chance to do some training and Buffy had practically insisted that Willow go with him

She didn't see what the point was; Xander was all super-powered now, like Buffy. She had thought that maybe there was something there, but he hadn't made a move in days. Since Ford had left town and Buffy had needed comforting. Something she was more than willing to provide of course, she was Buffy's friend. She did however notice that Xander had been more than willing to offer his own shoulder to the blonde Slayer as well. Willow shook her head sadly. It looked like she was still going to play second fiddle in Xander's heart.

Xander noticed that Willow seemed unusually quiet, almost melancholy and so he had decided he'd have a talk with her. It was time, he decided that he tell her what he was feeling. He had wanted to make sure that she knew that he wasn't taking her as an alternate prize as opposed to Buffy, but from the way she was acting he was starting to get the sinking impression that he had still screwed this up. He turned and took a calming breath before he started, "Hey Wills, I wanted to ask you if OMPFF!!!!" Naturally this was when a gang of vampires decided to make themselves noticed.

Willow screamed when she saw the huge vampire smash Xander in the face with his fist. The blow was devastating and it spun Xander around nearly a full 360 degrees, before he lost his balance and fell heavily to the ground.

Two more vamps seemed to appear out of the shadows and one of them grabbed Willow. The other had a sickening grin on his face, made even more horrible by the 'Game' face he was wearing. He looked her over and said, "Yup these are the two friends of the Slayer all right. Pretty stupid of you; taking a lovers walk without your bodyguard."

"What are you going to do?" Willow asked, wondering if Xander was ok. He had taken a pretty good shot and the other vampire was pounding on him pretty hard.

The apparent ringleader just chuckled, "Oh it's real simple, we're going to gut your friend here and leave his innards as a present for the Slayer. You on the other hand, I'm thinking we'll take you with us for a few days." Willow shuddered in fear as he leaned in and licked her neck before continuing, "Then we'll probably turn you and send you as a present to the Slayer too."

Something inside Willow snapped and she screamed, not in fear but in anger. Her scream caught him off guard and so she was able to land a solid kick up between the vampire's legs. It was a good shot, and he momentarily went to his knees. Unfortunately for Willow the vampire holding her never loosened his grip on her shoulders. So she was forced to stand there as the vampire she attacked slowly got back to his feet. His yellow eyes practically glowed in anger as he grabbed her throat and said, "That was stupid bitch, maybe we'll keep you for a month instead, what do you boys think?"

Any answer was drowned out by the angry growl of an animal. The three vamps looked around trying to figure out where it was coming from, until the one on top of Xander screamed in pain. The other two looked down to see at the human appeared to be grabbing their partner by his nuts. They didn't understand why that would cause this reaction, however they quickly found the truth to be far worse.

Xander shook his head, trying to get his bearings. The blow hadn't really hurt; so much as it shocked the hell out of him. The blow had hit him just as he was turning his head so that motion had actually added to the power of the blow and it had totally knocked him off balance. He was angry with himself for having not sensed the vampires before they got this close, but they had come at him down wind. He didn't know if it was planned so much as just plain rotten luck. He was getting ready to move, the blows the vampire was raining down on him to "subdue" him little more than an annoyance. That was until the other two vamps grabbed Willow. He froze in fear for the girl who now, unbeknownst to her, held his heart. Fear of her getting injured before he could get to her kept him still. The vamp on top of him was mistaking his stillness for defeat.

It wasn't until the vamp in front of Willow talked about keeping her that the rage inside of him started to bubble. When he leaned in and kissed her neck the bubbling turned into a furnace, and he was getting ready to move when he was shocked out of his anger by Willow's actions. He stared in shock at the mighty kick, almost wincing in sympathy for the male vampire. He looked up at Wills, she didn't look to him because she was too busy looking at the vampire she had just kicked, but if she had looked she would have seen pride in his eyes.

Then the angry vampire stood and grabbed her by her throat and said, "That was stupid bitch, maybe we'll keep you for a month instead, what do you boys think?"

It was at that moment that his rage exploded from inside of him with the heat and power of a nova as his vision went red…no one touched his Willow. Not now, not ever.

He didn't bother with pretense as he buried all three of his claws in the crotch of the vampire that was holding him. It screamed in a most satisfying way as Xander slammed a devastating punch into the vampire's jaw. There was an audible snap and the vampire's body seemed to almost levitate off of Xander as it flew backwards like a marionette with it's strings cut. The other two barely had time to react before Xander rolled forward, coming up just behind and to the left of the vampire that had talked about keeping Willow. Adamantium enforced knuckles caught the vampire in the side of the head with a sledgehammer like blow.

Xander said two words, "Will, DOWN!!" as he came back with the same right hand. This time claws out, and he caught the vampire holding her at the neck. The vampire had just enough time to look shocked before he started to collapse and his head came away from his neck and his body and head both exploded into dust.

Xander took just a moment to check and make sure that Willow was ok before he spun back to the two still remaining vampires. The one he had clawed in the crotch was still twitching on the ground, evidence to Xander that his punch had most likely broken its neck. That was fine by him. He looked at the vampire that had done all the talking.

The vampire was just recovering from the punch to its head and looked around getting its bearings. One of his guys was still on the ground. He would have thought him weak if he himself had not felt the power in one of this human's punches. Humans weren't supposed to be this strong. That thought was quickly replaced by another as he looked into the human's eyes, THIS was no ordinary human. Those eyes help nothing for him but destruction and he quickly turned to run.

He only got three strides however when he heard a sound that couldn't possibly come from a human throat and he was taken down in a flying tackle. He spun and tried to fight back. Landing a blow that should have decapitated a normal man, it only seemed to make this thing angry. The first blow to his face felt like he was hit by one of the pile drivers he used to work with before he was turned. The next two blows were almost as hard. By the fourth he was slipping into unconsciousness and by the sixth he was blissfully unaware of the rest of the blows that rained down on his head, crushing cartilage, ripping tissue, and pulverizing bone.

Willow could only stare in numb horror. She had loved reading Wolverine comics with Xander as a kid. They were a guilty pleasure for the bookworm, something her mother and father would never have approved her wasting her time on. But she had read them and enjoyed them and had always been amazed at the "berserker rage" as it was called. It was at those times that she tried to imagine just what Wolverine would really be like. Now seeing it in true Technicolor it was a horrifying sight. Xander was pounding on the vamp like he was possessed, and in a moment of clarity Willow realized he was. She watched the vampire closely, looking for any sign of consciousness, but it had long since ceased any movement at all, but he didn't seem to care. Slowly she approached him, and called his name. She didn't know if he would even hear her.

Apparently he did because he froze in mid swing at her voice. Slowly he turned and looked at her, and the look in his eyes nearly sent her running in terror despite herself but she quashed that feeling down. This was still her Xander, and nothing would change that. She couldn't let what had happened change anything. He had saved her life, how could she give him her fear for that.

Slowly, Xander turned back to the vampire and seemed to see for the first time what he had done. Willow heard a sound escape his throat that was somewhere between a gag and a grunt and he stepped back, dropping the body away from him as he did so.

Xander turned to Willow, and she looked into his eyes. She saw it there in those deep brown orbs; she saw his fear, fear at her reaction. She stepped up to him and held her arms out and he gratefully went into them. She held him as he sobbed. Not at what he had done, because there was nothing to be sorry for there, he was sorry that she had seen him do it. That she had seen him like that. She held him gently, and rocked him till he calmed. She looked over his shoulder and saw that the first vampire he had hit was starting to stir.

She pulled away from him gently and went to the vampire, pulling one of her stakes as she did and buried it in the monster's chest. He exploded into dust and she quickly put her stake away. She turned to see that Xander was now standing back over the vampire he had beaten. He didn't say a word as he bent down and severed its head. He turned and went to Willow and picked her up, hugging her tightly, "I thought I was going to lose you Will."

She was shocked into stillness by the raw pain in the voice. It wasn't just the sound of someone that was a friend; this was the sound of love. She didn't know how she knew it, she just did. This was someone that loved her. She hugged him back, clutching him fiercely.

Xander stopped the hug for a moment and stepped back. Willow looked questioningly at him as he stepped in closer, cupping her face as he did. She saw a look in his eye and she dared to hope it could be the look she had so desperately wanted to see in them. She didn't know why, but she had to be sure, she had to ask, "Xander, what are you doing?"

Her friend didn't answer her at first, as he simply stroked the side of her face. Finally he said, "I'm ending our friendship."

Willow's face betrayed her shock at his words, until the true meaning of the words slammed into her. Any uncertainty was dispelled as Xander leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. She lost herself in that kiss; amazed that it was as wonderful as she had ever thought it would be.

This would be a day that she would remember for the rest of her life, no matter how long or short it might be. On the Hellmouth that was the way one had to think.

Willow and Xander were making their way towards the school. They had both decided that it was prudent to let Giles and Buffy know what had happened tonight. As they were making their way to the library they heard the unmistakable sound of someone screaming for help. Quickly they took off, heading for the sound of the yells.

Xander arrived first and saw a middle-aged man pounding on the door to the library. Xander could hear the sound of Buffy's workout music coming from inside. As loud as it apparently was the pounding was pointless. Xander also saw, smelled the decaying figure approaching the man. He moved into action with all the speed that his enhanced reflexes could give him and he slammed into the decaying, thing, knocking it away from the man.

The man was relieved to see Xander and said, "Please, please you must help me. I must find Rupert Giles." Xander saw the thing starting to get up, his first instinct was to stay and fight but now he had two people to protect and he didn't know if there were more of them. Tactics won out over instincts and he pushed the man aside and used his body as cover as he popped his center claw through the lock, effectively destroying the lock.

He yanked the door open and quickly he pushed the man and Willow in through the door before slamming it closed. A chair shoved down into the handle made an effective door jam as whatever was on the other side of the door tried to get in.

"Willow, get to the library." Xander ordered. The redhead took off like a shot. The man moved as if to follow her and Xander locked his hand around his shoulder and said, "Uh uh, you stay with me. Till I know who you are you're not going anywhere with my girlfriend alone."

Xander grinned to himself, not even an hour and the words "girlfriend" had rolled off his tongue as if it was always meant to. Quickly he turned back to the matter at hand as he could hear the thing on the other side trying desperately to get in. He grabbed on and held it with all his strength. Whatever this thing was, being rotten sure wasn't taking away its physical strength. He could feel the door starting to give way.

Just then he heard Buffy and Giles come running up with Willow.

"Xander, Xander what's going on? Willow said..." Giles stopped in mid-sentence as he saw the man with Xander.

"Philip? Philip is that you? My god man, what are you doing here?"

The man in question, Philip said, "It's Eyghon, Rupert, he's back."

The color totally drained from Giles face as he heard this. Xander took it in for a moment then said, "People, not to ruin a good reunion but we have major strong dead thing tryin' to get through this door and I don't know how much longer I can," then just like that it stopped. Xander could just hear on the other side of the door, "Hey what's all that noise? I hey NO HEL…"

Xander slammed the door open, but it was already too late, Mr. Larmey, the school janitor was lying on the ground. His neck turned at an impossible angle. The thing that had done it seemed to freeze for a second, and then collapsed to the ground. It quickly disintegrated into a puddle of green goo.

"Disgusting." Xander heard Willow comment. He had to agree. That however wasn't the thing on Xander's mind. He tuned to a still pale faced Giles and said, "So Giles, who, or," he looked over at the puddle and then back at Giles, "WHAT is Eyghon?"

If it were possible even more of the color drained from the Watcher's face.

The police came and went, taking the body of another victim of "gang activity" with them. They had mostly talked to Giles since he was the adult and had told him and the others that they would possibly have more questions for them at a later time, but if it was anything like usual, they'd "forget".

After they had gone, Xander had cornered both Philip and Giles and said, "Ok Giles so let's have it, who is Eyghon?"

"It's not your concern, Xander. I will take care of it."

"Take care of it?" Xander asked incredulously, "Giles, it was here at the library, on school grounds and because of what I did, rather than your friend here dying, someone else did. I made a decision; I took action that resulted in someone's death. I think that qualifies as our problem, don't you?"

Xander actually took a step back at the anger he saw in Giles eyes. This was not the tweed wearing befuddled Englishman he had come to begin to care for like a father, this was something else, this was someone else.

Giles stood and started the young man down, and said, "I appreciate your concern Xander, and I'm sorry about Mr. Larmey's death certainly, but I am telling you unequivocally to stay OUT of it. Now I will see you all tomorrow. Philip, I have a guest room you can stay there."

The two men stood and started to head out of the library. After they were gone Xander looked at his two best friends, "So what do we do?"

"I don't know, I mean if Giles says he can take care of it, shouldn't we let him?" Willow asked. Always willing to defer to her elders, it was one of the things that made her so sweet.

"Maybe we should wait till tomorrow. See what Giles has to say then. Maybe he'll be a little calmer." Buffy said. It was two to one and Xander knew he wasn't going to change their minds. They were still willing to assume Giles knew best simply because he was older. Xander knew now that wasn't always the case but he'd never convince them of that.

"Ok," Xander said finally, "We'll wait and see what happens tomorrow."

"Walk me home?" Willow asked, grinning impishly as she did. Xander caught onto her infectious grin and said, "Absolutely."

Friday, November 7, 1997

Sunnydale High School

The next morning found Giles and Ms. Calendar discussing a book she had borrowed. When Buffy, Willow, and Xander came up to them Giles was completely unwilling to discuss the events of the previous evening. Instead he immediately started telling Buffy about her assignment the coming evening, a shipment of blood for the hospital.

Ms. Calendar distracted the youths by discussing the Saturday computer class they would have to attend, sans Buffy who wasn't taking computers. Xander was trying to figure out a way to avoid the class, as it would involve school on Saturday and Cordelia as well. The attractive teacher would have none of it however and she left with Giles as Xander was still trying to explain he didn't need the class anymore. Of course it fell of deaf ears.

That night found the three friends waiting for the shipment, no Giles to be found. Buffy was getting worried, and so was Willow. Xander was starting to get concerned himself, but he was trying to keep it out of his face and words so as to try and make his two friends less nervous. It was working so far. At one point he had joked that maybe Giles was spending some quality time with Jenny Calendar. Both girls had given him a dirty look for putting that image into their heads.

The shipment showed up and the doctors from Sunnydale General took it from the delivery truck. Of course as soon as the truck was gone Buffy had inquired, "Since when do doctors take deliveries?"

As if in answer lights of a formerly hidden car came on and it pulled up to the now game-faced pseudo doctors. Buffy took one look at Willow and Xander and said, "Show time."

Quickly she and Xander moved into attack the vampires. Xander spun at the sound on approaching footsteps and had to pull back from decapitating Angel who had arrived to help. The fight didn't last long after that of course. As they were calming down Xander looked at Angel and asked, "How did you know about this?" Angel shrugged and said, "Its delivery day, everyone knows about this."

Xander just shook his head and said, "Ok, all joking aside, where the hell is Giles?"

Buffy looked at him, and said, "I thought you weren't worried, 'Mr. Quality-time?"

He just glared mildly at her, "Oh come on, Buffy? Giles late for something like this? Are you kidding? The guy counts tardiness as one of the deadly sins. Of course I'm worried. I just didn't want you guys to worry. There's something definitely going on with his friend and I think it's time we found out."

"I don't think he's going to appreciate us storming in and demanding he tell us what's going on." Willow said.

"You're probably right, Wills," Xander said, "But that doesn't mean he doesn't need to tell us."

"Ok," Buffy said, "How about you guys get the hospital the blood, and I'll go over to his place and try and get him to talk."

Xander looked down at the blood and said, "Are we sure the hospital's going to want this stuff?"

"They only drank from one of them," Angel said, "The rest are ok."

They nodded to that information and Xander said, "Alright Buff, we'll take care of our end, you go take care of yours."

Buffy nodded and was quickly off. Xander and Willow watcher her go and Willow asked, "You sure she'll be able to get him to talk?"

Xander shook his head, "No, but we've got to try something. We've lost one person already because of this; I don't want to lose anymore innocent people. Besides I've got enough to worry about that's making this a bad week already," he said, Willow knowing instinctively he meant last night's vampire attack on them, "I don't need anymore this week."

Angel could sense something wrong with the young man, but he knew they still weren't friends and there was no way Xander would talk to him. He sighed as he picked up the container of blood packets and the three walked into the hospital.

Buffy approached Giles door and knocked softly. She waited patiently and heard someone moving inside. The door unlatched and Giles opened the door just enough to stick his head out, "Oh Buffy, is something wrong?"

"Yeah, Giles, there is. Hospital? Meals on wheels for vamps? Blood delivery? Any of these things ringing a bell?"

"Oh, oh right. Well, are you hurt?" he asked, his voice showing at least some concern for her well being.

"My feelings maybe," she said, with a slight pout, "Giles what's going on?"

"I'm sorry Buffy I'm trying to take care of some important business. Now if you'll excuse me I'll see you on Monday." He started to shut the door but her hand easily stopped the motion.

"This business have anything to do with Eyghon?" she asked, "Because Xander is still a little upset about last night and so am I. Giles it's supposed to be my job to fight things like this. You're not supposed to be keeping me in the dark."

His face seemed to soften ever so much and he said, "I'm sorry Buffy, but you're going to have to learn that some things have to be taken care of without you. Good night." He then shut the door before she could overcome her shock at his brusque tone.

Saturday November 8, 1997

Morning

Sunnydale High

The following morning found Willow, Xander, Cordelia, and Ms. Calendar headed into the school computer lab. Xander was still practically whining about having to attend.

"I'm telling you guys Logan was like a whiz with a computer. Everyone thought he was just a brawler, but he wasn't. He was a highly trained covert operative, and computers were one of his specialties."

Ms. Calendar listened with no small amount of amusement, and a great deal of interest. Finally she said, "Well, I'll tell you what, Xander, you show me you're up to speed on this and you won't have to come back next weekend."

"Excellent," the teen said; "Besides I don't see why we need computers anyway."

"Let's see," Ms. Calendar said, "There's home, school, work, games."

"Ah, I think computers are on the way out. Paper's going to make a huge comeback." Xander said, smiling.

"Oh yeah," Willow said, returning his smile, "and the Abacus."

"You know you don't see enough abaci."

"Alright that's enough you two." Ms. Calendar finally said, smiling, "Get in there."

As everyone sat down Ms. Calendar began, "Ok, now the first thing we're going to do is….Buffy?"

Xander's head snapped up, "Huh? What's wrong?" he asked seeing the stress in her face.

"It's Giles," she said in answer to his question, "Things didn't go so well."

"What is it, what's wrong with Giles?" Ms. Calendar asked, concern for Giles snapping to the foreground immediately.

"We're not sure; something happened the night before last and, well something attacked us." Xander said, looking at Cordelia for a moment then dismissing the idea of euphemisms around her, she knew about the night life and they didn't have time to be nice about anything.

"It was a zombie, I'm pretty sure, or at least something like it. It's what killed Mr. Larmey, and it was after a friend of Giles'" Buffy said in explanation, coming to the same conclusion about Cordelia as Xander had, "They said something a name, what was it?" She seemed to lose focus as she tried to remember the name that Giles had spoken last night, "Eihon?" she guessed.

"Eyghon," Willow called out, "He said Eyghon."

Jenny looked in thought and said, "That sounds familiar, but I can't place the name. I think it's some kind of sleeping demon but I'd have to check?"

"Man," said Xander, "don't people know well enough to let sleeping demons lie?"

He looked up as everyone just stared at him in shock; he simply smiled sheepishly and said, "I'm taking credit for that one since I don't think Logan ever had quite my gift for humor."

Cordelia looked at him strangely and asked, "What is your deal? Who is Logan?"

Xander just looked at her and said, "Cordelia, it's not about you so don't worry about it because we don't have time."

He didn't notice the wounded look his comment caused Cordelia as he turned to Buffy and said, "What happened when you went to see him last night? No explanation?"

Buffy shook her head, "Nothing, he said I couldn't help him, and I think he was drinking?"

"He was home alone drinking?" Jenny asked worriedly.

"But tea right?" asked Willow, the look on her face almost enough to break someone's heart.

"It wasn't tea, Wills." Buffy said sadly.

"And from the look on your face, I guess there weren't frolicking whores involved in this drinking either, was there?" Xander asked, already knowing the answer.

"He was alone," Buffy confirmed, "Or at least I think he was, his friend might have still been there."

"So Giles is hiding at home; maybe with an old friend, maybe not, while there's a demon or at least a demon's zombies in town killing people. Does that about sum it up?" Xander asked angrily.

"Maybe," Buffy said, "I don't know it's just; he's acting so anti-Giles I don't know what to think. He won't let me in, literally or figuratively and I don't know what we should do."

"I'll tell you what we do," Xander said, "We go over to his house, we kick in his door and we MAKE him tell us what this thing is and then we kill it."

Cordelia snorted, "Oh right Xander, like you're going to kill anything. Holding Buffy's purse while she kills a demon doesn't make you a we, it makes you a loser."

Xander just turned to her, his eyes devoid of humor even as he smiled down at her, "Oh that's right, Cordelia, you don't know what's going on, now a days, do you?" he raised began raising his hand and Buffy knew he was ready to show her just how much things had changed since Halloween. Normally she might enjoy the shock that something like that would cause the stuck up girl but they didn't have time today.

"Xander," she called out to get his attention. He turned and looked at her, his eyes narrowing just slightly at her as she said, "We don't have time to waste on her, demon remember?"

Xander just nodded and said, "You're right Buffy, you're right. So trip to Giles?"

Buffy shook her head, "No, I'm gonna call him first, give him one last chance to come clean and tell him if he doesn't come here and start explaining, I'm going to let you come drag him out of there by the scruff of his neck."

Xander grinned at the prospect as Buffy left the room headed for the library.

Buffy ran into the library, intent on calling Giles, but she never made it as far as the phone when she heard something in the stacks. Slowly, and quietly she made her way up there, looking for whomever, or whatever might have caught her attention. Suddenly she looked up just in time to see someone pushing one of the stacks over on her.

With the agility that was her birth right she nimbly avoided the stack as it came crashing down and was over it and upon the person that had dumped it on her, spinning them around and finding…

The guy from the costume shop.

"Hey, I know you; you're the guy that sold me that dress for Halloween, the one that nearly got us all killed."

"Well I'm pleased you remember, and you look great, so what's the problem." he asked, arrogantly.

Buffy let loose with a punch to his jaw that nearly dropped the man where he stood, "So now we're even?" he asked, rubbing his jaw.

"I'll let you know when we're even. You did something to a friend of mine and he's never going to be the same, you know that right?"

"Ah yes the young man that went as the comic book character. How did that work out for him? Did Rupert call his precious Council and have them come to take the freak away in chains?"

Buffy looked shocked, "No of course he didn't Giles would never do that. Why would the Council do something like that, they're the good guys."

Ethan smiled at her as if she was a learning impaired child, "Of course they are my dear, and they'd never do anything to harm one of your friends. They're the good guys, just like you said."

Buffy looked at him darkly, disliking the condescension in his tone, "Never mind that, what are you doing here?"

"Snooping around." Ethan said simply.

"Honesty," Buffy said, shocked, "Nice touch."

"It's one of my virtues," Ethan said pleasantly, he smiled for a second and then the smile faltered as he seemed to consider his last statement and then said, "Well, not really."

"I have an idea," Buffy said, tired of this man already, "How about I call the cops and let them handle you, and I can get back to more important things."

Ethan smiled, "Ah yes, the police, they'll have all kinds of questions and they'll really need Rupert to answer them all. Particularly about Eyghon."

"How do you know about that?" Buffy demanded, "And what does it have to do with Giles."

Ethan gave the Slayer an unhealthy smile and said, "Oh my dear, Giles and I go way back."

Buffy looked at him, clear distrust in her face but finally she said, "Come on, we've got a phone call to make."

She grabbed Ethan and dragged him behind the counter and picked up the phone, calling Giles' number. It picked up after the tenth ring, and Buffy was almost heartbroken to hear the confusion and exhaustion in Giles' voice, "Hello?" he asked.

"Giles it's Buffy."

"Buffy," Giles began in irritation, "I told you last night that this is something I have to handle on my own, now unless this is an Emergency I'll see you on Monday." Buffy could hear the phone moving away from his head and thinking quickly she said, "Ethan Rayne says hi."

Giles voice was back in an instance, "What do you know about Ethan?" he asked urgently.

"I'm here with him now, Giles. He said he needs to see you and I thought that was pretty convenient since I need to see you too."

Immediately the Englishman's voice was alert and urgent as he said, "He's there with you now?"

"Yup," Buffy said, "Here and ready to tell me everything I want to know, even if I have to beat it out of him." Buffy saw Ethan smiling. Obviously enjoying whatever discomfort he imagined her words were having on Giles. However that smile vanished at her last statement, and the realization that he wasn't entirely sure the girl was bluffing.

"Buffy," Giles said, snapping her back from her glaring at Ethan, "I want you to listen to me very carefully. You're in terrible danger while Ethan is there. I want you to put down the phone and get as far from him as you can."

"No Giles," Buffy said, unable to believe what he was saying. Didn't he remember who she was, "I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers, either from him or you."

Suddenly there was the sound of breaking glass from somewhere in Giles office. Ethan turned towards the sound and then jumped behind her, shoving her slightly towards whatever it was coming through the apparent broken window. She took a moment to glare at him for his cowardice, and then turned back towards the direction the sound came from.

"Buffy!" she heard Giles urgent call, but she had already dropped the phone, falling into a defensive stance. Then around the corner came Mr. Larmey, the janitor. He was dead, she knew it, and yet here he was. It was daytime so he obviously wasn't a vampire, but it didn't matter, dead meant she had to defeat it, and protect Ethan, even if she really didn't want to.

She kicked Mr. Larmey in the chest backing him off, and then she jumped over the counter to give herself more room. Mr. Larmey turned towards her, obviously considering her a threat to his intentions and therefore needing to be removed first.

Buffy saw Ethan scramble over the counter and start towards the double doors of the library, just as Xander and the rest came through the same doors.

"Don't let him get away." Buffy shouted, as she turned her full attention back to her attacker.

Xander was standing behind Ms. Calendar as she searched the internet for any information any of her contacts might have on Eyghon, but she wasn't having much luck. "Might be too old," she had commented absentmindedly, as she continued her search. Xander moved back towards the door, earlier he had thought he heard something fall, but he had listened intently and hadn't heard anything else so he had let it go. Now he looked at his watch and said, "What's taking Buffy so long?"

"Well if she's not back yet, maybe that means she's getting Giles to talk," Willow said, "That's good, right?"

"Maybe Wills, I just…" He trailed off as his snapped around to the door and then Willow saw him take off at a full sprint out the door. She hesitated for only a moment, shocked at his sudden departure and then she was off right behind him.

Xander was sure this time, he had heard the sound of breaking glass and that couldn't be good. Inwardly he cursed himself as he neared the library. There was a sound he had probably heard earlier and he hadn't trusted himself enough to check it out. Buffy could be hurt or even… No, he wouldn't let himself think like that. She was fine he just needed to get to the library and fast.

He burst through the doors of the library and he heard Buffy call out to him, "Don't let him get away."

"Him" turned out to be the guy that had sold Xander the costume. He easily remembered the face and he took great delight in grabbing his shoulders and shoving him back. Xander felt the man try to twist Xander's weight to throw him off, but the man didn't have a chance of shifting Xander's five-hundred pounds from it's trajectory as he picked the man up slightly and slammed him up against the counter. Xander smiled down darkly at the man and said, "Hey there old pal, how ya doin'?"

Xander took no small amount of pleasure in the way the man shuddered at his dark grin. Xander looked up, to make sure that Buffy was ok and saw the unmistakable form of Mr. Larmey, trying to attack her. Well actually it was what was left of the man as the odor easily identified him as quite dead. Xander could have told that even without his enhanced senses.

It was obvious Buffy had the fight handled as he saw her look over her shoulder quickly at the book cage. He realized what she was doing even as she shifted her path slightly to line herself up with the door. The thing that now inhabited the old Janitor's body lunged at her and she dodged away with her speed and then slammed the door to the cage, trapping the zombie inside.

Xander turned his attention back to the man he was holding against the counter and said, "Now that the first part of today's entertainment is over, what shall we do with you?"

Xander saw Ethan gulp slightly and try to smile at the young man as he seemed to realize at that moment that Xander could, and more importantly would rip him to shreds. He suddenly felt like a small mouse in a cage with a hungry tiger and he didn't know why. All he did know is that he'd made it a long way by listening to his instincts and right now they were telling him to freeze.

Buffy had finally convinced Xander to move Ethan to a chair rather than bent backwards over the counter. She could tell that the position was playing havoc on the man's back and no matter what he had done, she didn't condone unnecessary cruelty so she had Xander back off and then ordered Ethan into the chair.

While Xander was standing over Ethan looking quite intimidating as he did Willow wandered over to the book cage. She looked at the ex-janitor and said, "I'm not gonna get close enough to check his pulse or anything, but I'm pretty sure he's dead."

"Except for the walking and attacking Buffy thing." Cordelia chimed in.

Ethan demonstrated a small amount of courage as he spoke up and said, "Oh he's dead alright." He then looked over at the cage occupant and said, "Sorry old chap, don't know who you are but still, better you than me."

Xander took a step towards the man, ready to slap him right out of the chair for the callous way he was treating the janitor's death. He never got the chance as Giles came bounding through the doors at that moment, his friend, Philip, right behind him.

"Is everyone alright?" he demanded even before he had stopped.

"Great," Cordelia said, "Xander beat up a guy."

Xander shrugged, "Hey, it got us out of the computer tutorial, right?" He looked over to the cage and said, "Been meaning to thank you for that." The dead janitor's answer was to growl angrily and slam his hands against the cage door.

Giles approached the cage, "It can't be."

"It is I'm afraid." Ethan said.

Giles shifted his look to Ethan and it was easy to see the change that came over him. Gone was the friendly, if sometimes befuddled librarian and something else was in its place.

Ethan smiled at him, "Hello Ripper."

Giles' eyes narrowed as he approached Ethan. Instinctively Xander got out of his way, not wanting that glare directed his way, even if he could take Giles now a days.

"I told you to leave town," Giles voice said, only slightly above freezing in its tone.

"You did, I didn't. Shop's lease is paid through to the end of the month."

"You have the gall to show up here, after what you did to this boy; do you have any idea what your little game is going to mean to him?"

Ethan just shrugged, "Well as long as the wrong people don't find out about it, he'll maybe be better off than the sniveling little child he was before."

"Why did he call him Ripper?" Cordelia asked Willow, who simply shrugged.

"You would know all about sniveling, wouldn't you?" Giles asked as he grabbed him by the back of the neck, Ethan's wince a testimony to the pressure being exerted as Giles pulled him out of the chair, "You should have left when I told you."

"Ohhhh." Cordelia said when she saw the calm viciousness behind the simple gesture.

"Giles!" Buffy said, moving towards her Watcher, but Xander rested his hand on her shoulder, shaking his head when she turned to him. She gave him a glare before turning back to watch the man she was beginning to think of as a father start to come apart right in front of her.

"You put these people's lives in danger, people I care about." Giles said angrily.

"If you cared about them so much why didn't you leave?" Ethan asked in mock innocence. He yanked Giles' hand away from him and shoved the arm away. "You know what's coming," he looked over at Philip, who till this moment was satisfied to simply stand off to the side glaring in pure hate at his former friend, "You both know what's coming. You're having the dreams, I know. So am I."

"Wait a minute, wait." Buffy finally interrupted her natural discomfort with not being in control forcing her to try and get answers once and for all, "What dreams? What's coming? Giles what is going on?"

"Tell her Ripper," Ethan said smugly, "Tell her or I will."

Anything Giles might have said was cut off as the thing formally a Sunnydale High School janitor burst free of the cage and surged forward. The door slammed into Ms. Calendar knocking her to the floor. Giles dove for her, not thinking of his safety as he saw the woman he cared for fall to the ground. Mr. Larmey saw an easy target and began to reach for the oblivious Giles. Philip, who had moved across the room while Giles and Ethan had their confrontation and had shoved Willow and Cordelia away when the cage door burst open grabbed a chair.

"Rupert!" he shouted as he slammed the chair down upon the back of the thing reaching for his friend.

Mr. Larmey stopped his motion and instead turned back to Philip, slapping him away in contemptuous ease with a back hand. By this time Buffy and Xander were both in motion, as the zombie attempted to punch Xander he blocked the punch, leaving the midsection exposed for Buffy to nail it with a perfectly executed side kick to the chest.

The force of the blow sent the zombie into the cage and to the ground. But after only a moment the thing started to climb back to its feet.

Giles watched in horror as two of his children fought a fight that should have been his. He didn't know what to do and that indecision was causing him to sit in paralyzed fear. He didn't want to leave Jenny unprotected, but he didn't want Buffy and Xander facing the thing alone.

His need to take action suddenly became moot as the zombie got to its feet then suddenly froze in place, its eyes widening in fear and almost pain, before it collapsed to the ground, dissolving into the same sticky green substance they had seen last night.

Almost unbeknownst to them all, some of it brushed against Jenny's hand and it twitched almost imperceptibly. Almost.

Xander saw the twitch and watched as Ms. Calendar slowly crawled to her feet.

"Ow," she said, as she did.

"Where's Ethan?" Buffy asked, glancing around for the wayward costume seller, and bad guy. Not seeing him she took off out the library doors, intent on tracking him down.

Willow and Cordelia helped Philip to his feet, carefully examining him to make sure he was alright.

All the while, as this activity was going on around him Xander stood totally motionless, processing everything his senses were telling him. Something was not right on the Hellmouth.

One of the first things he did when he realized how important his senses were going to become to him was to memorize the scent of every person that was even remotely important to him. Willow, Buffy, Giles, even Cordelia, Joyce, and yes Jenny.

He knew all their scents by heart, and right now his nose was telling him that something was very, very wrong with Jenny's scent.

As Giles pulled the dark haired teacher into an embrace, softly stroking her hair, Xander saw it, the flash in her eyes, a green color that he knew couldn't be normal.

Xander acted without thinking, "Giles get away from her," he said, even as he grabbed the teacher by her neck and arm and threw her away from them all.

"Xander what the hell are you doing?" Giles demanded, nearly attacking the young man in his anger.

"Something's wrong with her Giles. Her scent's off." Xander said, never taking his eyes off of the teacher that was slowly crawling to her feet. She turned back to them and her eyes glowed with the eerie green color Xander had seen just moments before.

"Well, well, well, Ripper," the thing inside Jenny said, "Looks like you've got a problem doesn't it?"

"Eyghon, let her go, it's me you want." Giles said as he tried to step forward, easily restrained by Xander's arm.

'Jenny' laughed, the sound unpleasant coming from its throat and said, "Oh no, I want you ALL Ripper. Two down, three to go." Eyghon began to back up towards the doors, "Be seeing ya." and with that it turned and sprinted towards the door, slamming Buffy aside easily as it caught the Slayer off guard.

Xander ran to check on Buffy even as Giles ran out of the library trying to follow Eyghon. His return only a moment later told them he'd failed.

His anger was plain to see as he stalked towards Xander, "Why did you stop me? I could have stopped it."

"How?" Xander demanded, as he helped Buffy to her feet, "By sacrificing yourself? And we're so sure that it would just give up Jenny's body once you committed that suicide? Nope, sorry Giles, that would have been a tactically stupid move as it would have meant losing our best source of information so we can defeat this thing."

Giles looked as if he wanted to say more but Xander didn't give him a chance, "It's done, and it's over with. Now we need to regroup and figure out what we're going to do."

Giles shoulders slumped, "Xander, I don't know how to stop it without killing Jenny."

"That's ok Giles; we'll figure it out together. Let's sit down and think this through." Xander and Buffy both put their arms around Giles shoulder as they walked the defeated man to the table, and into a chair.

Giles looked at Philip as he lowered himself into a chair next to him, "Will you help me Philip, please?"

Philip didn't even hesitate as he said, "Of course I will old friend. We owe it to Deidre, Thomas, and Randall if nothing else. Besides, I'll be saving my own skin as well, won't I?"

The two friends clasped arms for a moment before Giles turned to Xander and the others and said, "Let's get to work."

Hours later found the group neck deep in books. Giles and Philip had taken turns, telling the Scooby gang all about their trip to the dark side, and what it had cost them. How their friend, Randall, lost control and Eyghon took him over completely. How they desperately tried to save him but eventually were forced to kill him. They're separation after that, each going their separate ways, trying to bury the fear and shame at what they had done.

For Giles it was especially hard to go back with his tail between his legs to his father and beg him to get him back into Oxford, and the Watcher Training Program. His father had never been the same after that, as if sensing Giles brush with evil.

The Scoobies sat there in rap silence as they listened, finally Buffy asked, "So how do we stop it?"

Giles shrugged, "I don't know. Eyghon can only exist in our reality by possessing the dead or the unconscious. That's how it was able to get into Jenny. But we didn't perform the rituals to protect her; I have no idea how we're going to get it out of her."

Buffy stood, "Well while you guys are doing that I think I better find Ethan. After Eyghon finishes with him, he'll be after you two. If I can protect him I'll protect you."

As Buffy started for the door Giles called out, "Buffy, please."

She simply nodded to her Watcher and said, "I'll try not to hurt her Giles."

With that she was gone.

Xander sighed in frustration, it was an hour after Buffy's departure and they were still trying to figure out a way to save 'Jenny' as everyone was calling her now from Eyghon. The ticking clock was beginning to wear on everyone and finally Xander asked in only half seriousness, "What about a dead body? We could get it to jump into it." Xander asked.

Giles shook his head, "It would have no reason to do that. Even if we did we'd still have the problem of it being in this plane."

"Wait why can't we get it to jump into another body?" Cordelia asked, and then thought about it, "And let me tell you all that I blame all of you if I need therapy after this."

Xander smiled at her and turned to Willow, "Well genius, why can't we do that?"

Willow shrugged, "It's safe inside Jenny, and it won't leave her behind for a dead body because its energy breaks down the dead body quickly."

Giles nodded, "Where as in a living person it can manifest fully."

"So we need a way to get it to want to leave your friend then Rupert." Philip said.

"Right," Xander said, "and how do we do that?"

"Oh, OH, I got it. I got it." Willow said, suddenly jumping to her feet and heading for the door. She stopped just before she got to them and said, "Well come on slow pokes."

Xander laughed as he turned to Cordelia and said, "She's good."

As they began to move Giles and Philip both collapsed to the ground, disoriented.

Xander quickly moved to Giles side and asked, "Giles, what is it?"

"Ethan," Giles said in near panic, "He's going to give Buffy to Eyghon."

Xander began to growl low in his throat, the sound causing Cordelia and Philip to both back away from him.

"That's NOT going to happen," Xander said, his voice coming out in a throaty deep parody of its normally warm tone. He turned to Willow who nodded her head in understanding, "Go, Xander, GO!"

He was gone like a shot, bolting past Willow and out of the school. Heading at a full run towards the only logical place they could be, the costume shop.

Ethan smiled down at the bound form of the Slayer. He had been careful to bind her face down, with her arms wrapped around the table; it effectively eliminated any leverage she might gain to free herself. He had been able to quickly and easily give her the "Mark of Eyghon" tattoo at the base of her neck. He knew doing this that Giles would kill him if he ever got his hands on him. Well no matter. Once he was done here he was never coming back to this accursed town again, ever.

The boy was a real shock. Apparently Giles wasn't as stuffy as he had first thought. The Council would have surely wanted to know about something like the boy's new abilities. Giles however had kept them secret, apparently caring more about the boy than the Council. It was nice to know he wasn't a complete git after all. However that was just further proof that he needed to be out of town before Giles, or the boy, got their hands on him.

"Ethan," he heard the girl below him say, "You don't need to do this. We can fight Eyghon."

"No, Buffy, this is the way that works best for me. Now that you're marked, and I'm not," He held up his arm where he had used acid to burn the tattoo off of his arm, "I can go about my business. I do apologize but really I have to watch out for number one."

'SNIKT'

"You are so dead, you know that, right?" The sound and the voice caused Ethan to spin around and then freeze in place. It was the boy and he looked pissed, and by Chaos there were actually CLAWS coming out of the back of his hands. It was at that point that the Chaos mage remembered that part of the costume and realized that apparently the spell had gone better than he had thought…too bad for him.

Xander had snuck quietly into the shop as he heard Ethan jabbering on like a bad James Bond super villain. As he got into the shop and saw the state of Buffy, and realized exactly what Ethan was planning he couldn't help but pop his claws.

"You are so dead, you know that, right?" he asked with no humor in his voice. He took a step towards Ethan who looked like he wanted to try and run, but Buffy, Showing she was alright and more than a little pissed, shifted and used the flexibility only a Slayer could have to push Ethan towards Xander even with her ankles tied together. Xander took advantage of that moment to spring forward and lock one of his hands around Ethan's throat, and lift him right off the ground.

"You know," Xander said in a matter of fact voice, "its bad enough you cast that spell, and turned me into a freak. I've actually been able to turn it to my advantage. My dad's in rehab now. My mom's sober and actually acting like a mom for the first time I can remember. I've finally got a girl that I love and who loves me back. And I'm even able to help Buffy keep people I care about safe, as well as keep others safe from vampires, and I really REALLY hate vampires." Xander said as he shook Ethan slightly, and increased pressure on his neck, causing Ethan to start to gasp.

"Then you just had to push it and come back here," Ethan tried to speak but Xander didn't give him a chance, "Oh I know, I know you had to deal with this Eyghon thing. But you could have worked with us. But no, instead you try to sacrifice one of my best friends to cover your own ass."

He looked down at Buffy who pulled her hands from under the table; apparently she'd been working herself free the whole time. Xander smiled warmly at her and she smiled back as Xander then turned back to Ethan and pushed the man down to his knees and raised his claws.

"Xander!!" Buffy shouted, and grabbed his arm, "What are you doing?"

"He was going to kill you Buffy," Xander said simply as he glared down at Ethan, "Even before I turned into Wolverine I'd have killed him for that, human or not. Logan's even less forgiving than I am and I'm starting to realize that there's a lot more of him inside of me than just knowledge."

Buffy looked at him, concern in her eyes, "What do you mean?" she asked, still holding his arm.

"Ask Willow later." he said simply.

"Slayer you have to do something, you can't let him…erk" Ethan's plead was cut off before it was finished as Xander squeezed his throat harder.

"Shut up Ethan," Buffy said, "You're not helping." She focused again on Xander and said, "Xand, I know how you feel about him, I really do. I've got a brand new tattoo because of him. I know what he was going to do, but it was going to be done to me. Doesn't that mean that I should get to decide what happens to him?"

Xander thought about it for a second and finally said, "You want me to let him go, don't you?"

"Only because of what killing him would do to you Xand, please, don't do this, we don't kill humans." Buffy nearly had tears in her eyes, thinking about Xander becoming a killer for her. She couldn't live with that kind of guilt.

"No Buff, you don't kill humans, Logan does," Xander said simply.

"You're not Logan, you're Xander. Please don't kill him."

A sad look crossed Xander's face when she said he wasn't Logan. She just didn't understand that there was more of the mutant running around in his head than any of them first realized. Of course it didn't help Ethan's case that Xander was completely ok with the idea of killing, even humans, to keep his friends safe. What? Did Buffy forget his promise to her the night Willow and the others had been kidnapped?

Finally, after a few tense moments Xander popped his claws back in, "Fine," he said as he shifted his position quickly and kneeled next to a gasping coughing Ethan Rayne. He grabbed him by the back of the neck and forced him to look at Buffy, "This girl, that you were about to sacrifice just saved your miserable life. Think about that the next time you try something."

Xander was going to say more but a light at the front of the store caught his eye and he looked at the door as an eerie green light began to glow from outside. He saw a form approach the store and the door opened on its own and through it stepped Ms. Calendar, or actually through it stepped Eyghon in the teacher's body.

Xander's sharp eye was easily able to see the beginnings of the demon's manifestation from Jenny's body. Her ears were now misshaped, and her skin changing into some strange demonic form.

"It's your time," Eyghon said, its voice a deeper rumbling sound than it had been before. It looked at Ethan with something akin to hunger and satisfaction, before it sniffed the air. A puzzled look crossed its face for a moment before its eyes locked on Buffy and they flashed green.

Xander snapped up in front of it, "No way Eyghon, you don't get her except through me."

Eyghon looked at him and smiled for a second, "Ah how noble."

Eyghon stepped forward and Xander went to meet it, but his desire not to hurt the body of a friend caused him to hesitate, and that was all the time the demon needed to deliver its blow. Eyghon's hand flashed across Xander's throat and Xander grabbed it instinctively, feeling the blood draining from his now lacerated carotid artery.

"XANDER!" Buffy shouted as the demon shoved Xander aside with contempt.

"Eyghon!" a voice shouted.

The demon stopped in its approach of Buffy and turned to the door as Giles came through with Philip, Willow, and Cordelia right behind him.

"Take me instead," Giles said, "I'm the one you want."

Buffy sprang around to stop the demon from touching her Watcher, "No!" she said, but Eyghon extended its arm towards her and she was flung across the room.

Before anyone could react Eyghon grabbed Giles and flung him to the ground, standing over him it said, "I've been waiting a long time for this. You'll die knowing that I won't take you instead of your friends, but I'll take them to. Think on that while I rip you open."

It began to reach down towards Giles when Willow shouted, "NOW!!"

And then a dark figure burst through the door and grabbed Eyghon, throwing it off of Giles before it could react.

Angel locked his arms around the throat of Eyghon, and in so doing Jenny Calendar's as well and began to squeeze.

Giles leaped to his feet and tried to go to stop the vampire, "He's killing her!" he shouted, even as Willow grabbed his arm, "No, trust me this is going to work." She then caught sight of Xander collapsed on the ground, "Xander!"

She pulled him up and saw the massive amounts of blood on his neck and tears were already streaming from her eyes as she wiped it away, desperately trying to find the source. All she did find however was unblemished skin.

She remembered at that moment what Wolverine's real power was. It wasn't the claws, or the fighting, or any of that, it was the ability to heal fast. She didn't know what it was that had hurt Xander and she didn't care. All she cared about was knowing that he was going to be alright, she just knew it. She could feel his heart beating and she could tell he was breathing, she held him tight and waited for him to open his eyes.

So concerned for her boyfriend, Willow missed the battle between Eyghon and Angel as Eyghon jumped into Angel's body…just like Willow had planned.

Angel pitched back and forth, bouncing off the wall and one of the counters. His face morphed from his human one, to his 'Game' face and to a sick parody of Eyghon's. It was obviously a difficult battle as Angel's demon fought the invader to its territory and as Eyghon was finally banished from his body Angel collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Buffy rushed to his side and helped him to his feet, "Are you ok?"

Angel nodded, not quite able to speak yet and Buffy asked, "What happened?"

Angel took an unneeded breath to gain his balance and said, "I've had a demon in me for a couple hundred years, just waiting for a good fight."

"You knew if you put it in danger it would jump to the nearest dead body." She said in amazement.

Angel shook his head, "No, not me, Willow figured it out."

"Where is she anyway?" Buffy asked, and then suddenly she remembered Xander, "Oh my god, Xander."

She jumped towards where her friend was resting in Willow's lap, her eyes still streaming tears, but these weren't tears of sorrow Buffy could tell, but of relief.

The others crowded around and Giles asked, as he held Jenny tightly to him, "Willow, is he alright?"

She nodded, "There's so much blood Giles but he's going to be fine, there's not even a mark on him."

Buffy shuddered, "She cut his throat Giles." her voice unable to hold some of the anger that it held as she glared at Jenny.

"Oh gross," Cordelia shouted. She then thought about it for a second and looked at all the blood and finally put it all together, "Hey, you've still got those powers from Halloween."

Everyone just shook their heads at the young woman's seeming pathological inability to focus on the situation at hand.

Giles cleared his throat and said, "Yes Cordelia he does, now do, shut up." Cordelia looked like she was about to tear into him, but the glare Giles shot her way caused her to clam up and instead stalk away from them all. Giles turned back to his pissed off Slayer and said, "Buffy, it was Eyghon that attacked Xander, not Jenny."

Buffy still looked pissed as Jenny looked horrified and stuttered, "I didn't, I couldn't control…, Please Buffy I didn't."

"It's ok," a voice said from behind Buffy, and she spun to see Xander's eyes opened. He looked a little tired as he allowed Willow to help him to his feet, "It wasn't her Buffy. It was the demon," he looked at Angel and demanded, "Right?"

Angel nodded, "He's right, Buffy. No way Jenny could have fought that thing."

The words of her friends combined with Angel's seemed to calm the Slayer and her gaze softened, "Ok, fine." She looked around and said, "Where'd Ethan go?"

Everyone looked around and Philip said, "He must have run in the commotion, he always was one for covering his own ass."

"Damn, I was really looking forward to pounding him till he bled," Buffy commented almost sadly.

Giles pulled Jenny tighter, "Well if you'd all excuse me, I think I'm going to get her home," and with that he walked Jenny out of the shop. Everyone watched him go; wondering what was going to happen now, and no one having the courage to ask.

Monday, November 10, 1997

Sunnydale High

Morning

Things were back to relative normal on the Hellnouth; Rupert had put his friend back on a plane to England, with mutual promises to keep in touch. Cordelia was again not talking to any of them, not that any of them were complaining. All and all it was a happy trio of demon fighting teens that wandered the quad of Sunnydale High before classes.

"You know you scared the hell out of us Xander," Buffy said simply, slugging him in the shoulder as he did.

"You and me both Buff, getting your throat slashed hurts like hell, I can tell you," he answered back with one of his grins.

"Can we please talk about something else?" Willow asked as she shuddered, holding Xander's hand tighter.

"Ok," Buffy said, seeing how the talk about what could have happened, what in fact did happen, was bothering her friend, "Let's talk about the very important pair of shoes I was saving for that I can't buy now because I need to get this stupid tattoo removed."

Xander smiled and said, "If it were me Buff, I'd have the G-man pay for that. After all it was in the line of duty."

"Maybe you're right Xand, maybe you're right." They walked into the school and a thought occurred to Buffy, "By the way, Wills nice going on the whole 'Eyghon jumping into Angel' thing."

"Yeah Wills," Xander added, "You'd make a heck of a Watcher."

The redhead blushed under the praise, "Uh uh, no way, I couldn't handle it. I don't know how Giles does it and doesn't go crazy."

The three teens turned and watched the confrontation between Giles and Ms. Calendar. With their enhanced hearing both Buffy and Xander could hear the total brush off the teacher gave him. Obviously she was more than a little uncertain about him after what had happened to her.

"Are you ok?" Willow asked as the three teens approached the saddened Watcher.

"I don't think she'll ever forgive me. I'm not so sure she should." Giles said in answer.

"Maybe you should," Xander said, "You couldn't have known any of this was going to happen.

"Maybe not," Giles said, "But that doesn't excuse it," he looked up at the teenagers and said, "I never wanted anyone to see that side of me."

"I'll admit it was scary." Buffy said as she leaned next to him.

"Yeah," added Willow, "Here we thought you were an adult and all this time it turned out you're a person."

Giles smiled weakly, "Most are."

"Well then I guess that means we have something in common," Xander said, smiling at the Watcher.

"Enough of this brooding," Buffy said, "We're supposed to be training."

"That's right," Giles said, "You and Xander both need to work on your flexibility."

"And I've got just the music," Buffy said, smiling at her Watcher's frown, "Don't worry Giles, I brought you ear plugs."

"Oh how bloody thoughtful of you," he smiled back at her.

As they all approached the library, another thought occurred to Buffy and she turned to Xander, "Hey in all the excitement I almost forgot. What did you mean more of Logan was in you than we first thought."

Willow and Xander both stopped and looked at one another. Finally Willow said, "We should tell them Xand."

Xander thought about it for a second then nodded his head and started walking again. He looked at Buffy and Giles and started to explain as they entered the library.

"It was the night when your friend first got here Giles and Willow and I were on patrol…"