I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Terminator. They belong to Joss Whedon and James Cameron respectively.

Next Moves

November 1st 1997
1630 Revello Drive

Buffy stared at the day's newspaper with growing horror.

The SPD Massacre

Last night the Sunnydale Police Department was attacked by a gun-toting individual. The young man in question was captured on video camera murdering the greater part of Sunnydale's finest. The name of the youth in question is being withheld because he is a minor.

The actual targets of this vicious assault seem to have been Cordelia Chase, daughter of David and Maria Chase, and Alexander Harris, son of Anthony and Jessica Harris. The reason for this attack is still unknown, but both of the primary targets appear to have eluded their potential murderer at this time.

November 1st 1997
Oxnard Holiday Inn

Xander dropped onto his bed with a pained sigh. He had banged his shoulder really badly as he and Cordy had slipped out a window. They had, ironically enough, re-stolen Snyder's car and then hightailed it out of town before the termijock could reacquire them. "Are you done in there, Cordy?"

Cordelia Chase slipped out of the bathroom and sat down on her bed. She had been busy cleaning bloodstains off of her shirt from when a cop had taken a head-shot close to her. "Yeah, Xander. All done. " She was still in shock. And who could really blame her. A high school jock was trying to kill her for birthing a saviour who hadn't been born and might never have existed.

Xander breathed out shakily. "This is so weird. I know its just a movie, and yet all of my memories match up with our reality as it is now. It's not like I remember the events of the movie. I remember a different version of the same idea that has been tailored to fit this reality. It's all screwed up."

Cordy nodded shakily. "You know. I thought I'd seen it all. A couple of guys wanting to use my head for their Frankenstein project… An invisible girl looking to kill me because no one ever noticed her… A witch making me blind because she was having a midlife crisis and she wanted to relive being a cheerleader… I thought I'd seen it all. And then I have a robotic jock trying to kill me and I can't help but be frightened by it. It's stupid, ya know?"

Xander sighed and stood up, planting himself beside Cordy and put his arm around her. "It's not stupid, Cor. You have every right and reason to be scared. But you know what? We're gonna make it through this. We are going to take whatever memories I can hold onto of Connor and whatever memories you can hold onto from those movies and we are gonna figure out a way to beat this guy. Wanna know why? 'Cause I am Xander Harris and you are Cordelia Chase and we were not put on this Earth just to be cannon fodder for the Tin Man."

Cordy smiled softy through her tears. "Thank, Xand."

Xander grinned right back. "You're welcome, Cor. And It's the truth. You've gotta believe that."

Cordy leaned into him and held herself closer to him. "I'll try…"

Xander's smirk went unnoticed by Cordelia. "Do or do not. There is no try."

Cordy slapped him hard upside the head. "You dork!"

November 1st 1997
Sunnydale Motor Lodge

Larry Blaisdell sat on a bed, trying to pry a bullet out of his chest. The police of Sunnydale might not have been the finest in the world, but they still knew how to aim. Another bullet came loose and Larry smiled faintly before moving to the next one.

Larry was reconsidering his mission. He knew he had to kill Cordelia, but he had to be a little more subtle. The police station fiasco meant that everyone and their uncle was looking for him right now.

What he really needed was a skin graft. Larry smirked. There were demons that were more then happy to help for the right price. All Larry had to do was set a deal up with a demon. Larry kills a person and the demon skins the person and gives to Larry to replace his current covering. The facial skin was the real key, and maybe the hair too.

Larry tapped his face with a stolen revolver. It was time to get himself a face-lift of sorts. Then he could go after Chase quite freely and no one would be the wiser. Yes, that would be most satisfactory…

November 1st 1997
Oxnard Holiday Inn

Even as Larry made his plans to catch up with Cordelia, the target in question was getting way too friendly, way too fast with her old sparring partner.

Xander broke off the kiss as an act of will. "Ummm… Cordy? Are we sure that is the time or the place for this sort of…"

Cordy shot him a penetrating glare. "Are you going to make me be the one to give the 'and tomorrow I may die' speech"

Xander shrugged. "I was thinking more along the lines of a 'you'll live to regret this' speech."

"Just as long as I live."

The phrase was like cold water pouring over Xander's body and helped to steel his resolve. "You're frightened for your life and not making rational choices and I'm denying you which shows that I'm the same…"

Cordy blinked. "Huh?"

Xander smirked slightly. "I'm a teenage guy who's denying the chance of doing the horizontal salsa with the most beautiful girl in school. That's irrational…"

Cordy's glare could have melted steel. "Whoever said anything about sex, Harris? I was talking about kissing so why don't you spare me your delusions of grandeur."

Xander shook his head ruefully and did not argue her point. It didn't matter which of them was right, Cordy was going to argue until she was, regardless. "Of course, Cor. Whatever you say."

As Cordy opened her mouth to start a tirade, Xander turned his mind to their next step. They had to get out of Oxnard tomorrow, preferably in a different car. After that, they had to procure weapons and plan how they were going to end Larry's robotic existence…

"Are you listening to me?"

Xander's mind snapped back into focusing on what was at hand. "Of course, Cordy. I understand."

Cordelia glared suspiciously at Xander but let things pass. They had bigger fish to fry..

Jasper