Split Second Choices by Andy Johnson

Author's Note: So, I was sitting here watching the second season of Buffy on DVD and I wondered, what if the path of one of the Scooby's took a severe divergent path which would change the entire plot to that season. This is a re-working of the Season 2 Buffy episode "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered" which was written by Marti Noxon and Directed by James A. Contner, so if you see any similarities (and there are a lot) it's because it's a direct transcript - BUT ONLY AT FIRST. Possibly the first in a several part-er.

Feedback: Yes please ... the more, the merrier

Spoilers: Buffy Season 2, Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered

Distribution: Email me and it's all yours *S* .....

~~~~~ Teaser ~~~~~

"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."

It was night time and Xander had decided to join Buffy on her patrol. He wanted to go with her specifically to talk with Buffy about Valentine's which was fast approaching, and as a surprise he'd decided to get Cordelia, his girlfriend a little gift to show just how much he'd loved her.

"So, what do you think?" Xander asked as he pulled out a little heart- shaped necklace and showed it to Buffy.

Deciding to take a break, Buffy stopped walking and sat back against a headstone to take a look at what Xander was holding in the air.

"It's nice." she replied.

Xander approaches Buffy, still dangling the locket in the air. "Yeah, but do you think Cordelia will like it?"

"I don't know." She says as she pulled it towards herself with her hand to take a closer look at it. "Does she know what one of these is?"

Xander took back the necklace and placed it back into his pocket. "Okay, big yuks." he commented with a slight chuckle. "When are you guys gonna stop making fun of me for dating Cordelia?"

"I'm sorry." Buffy apologised. "But never. I just think you could find somebody more .. better."

"Uh, in a parallel universe, maybe." Xander said as he started looking around the graveyard. "Here the only other person I'm interested in is, um ... unavailable. Besides, Cordy and I are really getting along. We're not fighting as much, and yesterday we just sat together, not even speakin'. You know, just, uh, enjoying comfortable silence." His mind skipped back and remembered that experience he'd shared that night and softly laughed. "Man, that was dull."

Seeing that made Buffy smile. "I'm glad that you guys are getting along, almost really. And don't stress over the gift."

"Well, this is new territory for me. I mean, my valentines are usually met with heartfelt restraining orders."

"She'll love it." Buffy said reassuringly.

"I wish dating was like slaying you know, simple, direct, stake to the heart, no muss, no fuss."

Xander turned to face her again just as the vampire they were looking for began to crawl from it's grave. Xander reacted quickly and jerked back as the newly risen demon came for him, but he tripped and fell backward onto his butt.

Buffy hopped off of the gravestone and grabbed the vampire from behind as he was about to grab Xander and throw him away. He hit the ground hard. His momentum carried him into a reverse somersault, and he rolled to his feet. He darted towards Buffy and she leapt at him, performing a double kick to his chest with both feet in rapid succession and landed upright again as the Vampire staggered back into the corner column of a small mausoleum. Buffy approached him, but the Vampire was ready and blocked her first two punches and ducked a third. Buffy's fourth and fifth punches, however, connected, but the Vamp isn't fazed in the slightest. He pushed her to one side into a nearby wall of the mausoleum, and after he regained his balance came at her again. She slid down the wall and kicked out with her leg, making him trip and spin down to the ground. As he got up she leapt at him with a high kick and knocked him back down once again. Buffy reached into her jacket for a stake, and when the Vampire stood back up again and tried to make a grab for her she deftly plunged it into his chest. He immediately bursts into a cloud of ashes.

Buffy yanked the stake back and watches with satisfaction as the ash rains to the ground. Then she headed over to Xander and gave him a hand back up to his feet.

"Sorry to say, Xand," Buffy said brushing some dirt off his clothing, "slaying is a tad more perilous than dating."

"Well, you're obviously not dating Cordelia." Xander replied as they both started to walk out of the cemetery.

~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~

It was the next morning outside Sunnydale High School as Cordelia walked towards the steps from the street. As she got nearer she saw her friends, Harmony and the other 'Cordettes' who were sitting on a wall and decided to head over to them. When they saw her coming they all stood up and made their way towards the main entrance, ignoring her. They'd been ignoring her ever since she started dating Xander as they all thought that he was so un-cool. Especially as he was friends with people like Willow and Buffy.

"Wait up. Hey, wait up!" Cordelia called out. "Excuse me! Where's the fire sale?"

Harmony and the others stopped walking just in front of the entrance and looked around at Cordelia.

"Oh sorry, didn't see you." Cordelia lied.

"Well, why didn't you call me back last night?" Cordelia asked. "We need to talk about our outfits for the dance. I'm gonna wear red and black, so Kate, you need to switch."

"Red and black? Is that what Xander likes?" Kate asked.

"Xander? What does he have to do with this?" Cordelia asked confused.

"Well, a girl wants to look good for her geek." Harmony mocked.

"Xander's just..."

Harmony didn't wanna hang around her much longer and so decided to cut her off, mid conversation. "When are you two gonna start wearing cute little matching outfits? Because I'm planning to vomit." Harmony looked around to the rest of the group. "Let's go."

They all turn away and head into the building, leaving Cordelia behind on her own. Cordelia desperately wanted to be apart of the 'in-crowd' again, but at the same time she desperately wanted to be with Xander. Was she in love with him? Or was it simply because Xander was the only one who never backed down from her cold bitch attitude.

~ American Literature, Later That Day ~

"Papers on my desk." Mrs. Beakman the teacher announced at the end of their test. "Anybody tries to leave without giving me a paper is looking at a failing grade."

Xander was sitting at the back of his row two seats behind Willow and Buffy was sitting on Willow's right.

"Ha, ha, ha. This time I'm ready for you." Xander said to himself holding the paper aloft. "No 'F' for Xander today. No, this baby's my ticket to a sweet D-minus." He stood up with his paper in his hands, the two girls do the same. Willow stepped down the aisle and stopped next to Amy.

"Hey, Amy." Willow said.

"Hey." Amy replied putting her backpack on. "Are you guys going to the Valentine's Day dance at the Bronze? I think it's gonna be a lot of fun."

Willow turned back to look at Buffy with a huge smile on her face.

"Go ahead." Buffy said returning the smile. "You know you wanna say it."

Willow faced Amy again, grinning broadly. "My boyfriend's in the band!"

"Cool." Amy said smiling

"I think you've now told everybody." Buffy joked.

"Only in this hemisphere." Willow joked in return.

"What about you?" Amy asked Buffy

"Oh, Valentine's Day is just a cheap gimmick to sell cards and chocolate."

"Bad break-up, huh?"

"Believe me when I say, 'uh-huh'."

They all carry on walking to the front of the class and hand their papers to Mrs. Beakman.

"Thank you."

Buffy walked out of the room as Willow hands in her paper as well. Xander slowly made his way down the aisle behind Amy.

"Thank you." Mrs. Beakman said as Willow handed her paper in.

Willow quickly followed Buffy out. Amy stood in front of Mrs. Beakman and stared her down. There was a long silence as Amy concentrated on staring into the teacher's eyes. Xander, stood behind Amy wondering what was going on, and slowly losing his smile as he realised what was going on.

A moment later Mrs. Beakman smiled at Amy and gestured as though she was accepting a paper from her.

"Thank you, Amy."

Amy smiled in turn and walks out of the classroom. Xander approached the desk staring open-mouthed after Amy and handed his paper in as well.

"I just hate to think of you solo on Valentine's Day." Willow said as she and Buffy walk down the stairs. As they did, Amy hopped past them with a smile on her face and headed off towards the lounge area. They reached the bottom and the two of them headed down the hall. Xander reached the bottom of the stairs shortly behind them and followed as he watched Amy go off in the opposite direction.

"I'll be fine." Buffy replied. "Mom and I are gonna have a pig-out and vid fest. It's a time-honored tradition among the loveless."

"Did you guys see that?" Xander said to Willow and Buffy as he caught up with them.

"See what?" Buffy asked.

"In class. I think Amy just worked some magic on Ms. Beakman."

"You mean like witchcraft?"

"You know, her mom's a witch." Willow commented.

"And an amateur psycho." Buffy added. "Amy's the last person that should be messing with that stuff."

"Maybe I should go talk to her." Xander wondered.

"Buffy!" Giles called out as he saw the three of them head in his general direction. "Buffy... Might I have a word?"

"Have a sentence, even." Buffy replied as they stopped in front of him

"Oh. Good. Well, uh..." Giles looked up from his downward glance as he could vaguely hear Jenny talking to someone.

"Back it up before you leave." Jenny said to a student as she appeared from the Computer Science room.

She stepped into the hallway and stopped. She and Giles what might be called a strained exchange with each other.

Buffy unable not to notice the exchange looked down sadly.

Jenny in an attempt at conversation smiled thinly at Giles. "Rupert."

"Ms. Calendar." Giles said throwing his glance downwards again.

"I'm glad we ran into each other, actually." Jenny said a little nervous. "I was hoping that we could, uh ... Do you have a minute?"

"Um..." Giles said wondering how he could get out of it. "Actually, not, not just now. Um, I, uh, have a matter to discuss with, with Buffy."

"Right." Buffy commented calmly. "Let's go."

Buffy gave Jenny a quick glance and stood between her and Giles, before heading for the Library. Xander and Willow watched on in silence. Giles looked up at Jenny for a moment, then slowly turned to follow Buffy leaving Willow and Xander standing in the hallway and a broken-hearted Jenny.

Jenny dropped her arms in despair. She threw a look at Xander and Willow, before walking down the hall the other way.

~ School Library, A Few Minutes Later ~

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked a pacing Giles from her position of sitting with her chin resting on her knees up on top of the table.

Giles stopped pacing momentarily and looked at his Slayer. "Me? I-I-I'll be fine." Giles lightly scratched his nose and carried on walking. "Um, I was more concerned about you, actually. Uh, since Angel, um... uh... turned... I've, um, been reading up on, on his earlier activities. You know, uh, feeding patterns a-and the like."

"And?" Buffy asked looking at Giles.

"Around Valentine's Day, he, he, he's rather prone to, uh... well, um, brutal displays of, uh... He would think of it as affection, I suppose."

"Like what?"

"No, no, uh," Giles said standing up, "no need to go into details."

"That bad?"

"Suffice it to say I, I think it would be best if you stayed off the streets for a few nights. I-I-I'll, um ... I'll patrol and keep an eye on things. Better safe than sorry."

Buffy looked over at Giles a little sadly. "It's a little late for both."

~ The Bronze, That Night ~

Everyone was there that night at the Bronze for their Valentine's dance. Willow was staring into space as her boyfriend, Oz, played on stage with the rest of the band 'Dingoes Ate My Baby'. Next to her sat Xander who was nervously playing with a small box that had the necklace that was for Cordelia.

Feeling I've been lost for years

Oz smiled over at Willow and then looked down at his guitar.

You can never understand me Unless you've seen those tears But you never get to sleep

Willow looked up at Oz and smiled. Oz smiled back as he played.

When I'm away I don't mind The deeper..

"Oz has his cool hair today." Willow said to Xander with a big smile on her face.

.. that you lay

"I think I'm a groupie!"

Out of time

The Restroom door opened and Cordelia walked, she was looking for her friends.

Pain, I can't sleep

She found the 'Cordettes' and quickly made a bee-line towards them.

"Oh, hey!" she said smiling.

Seeing Cordelia, they looked at each other then at her before quickly moving away as fast as they could.

Pain, I can't sleep

"Let's get outta here." Harmony muttered.

Cordelia just stood there and watched them go.

Running ..

Everyone was there, except for Buffy.

She and her mother are were lounging back on their couch watching television. In front of them both was coffee table full of plates of cookies, cheese puffs and other snacks and Buffy had a bowl of popcorn in her lap.

A knock at the door suddenly interrupts their vid-fest. Buffy gave look at her mom as if to say 'can we ignore it', but instead exhaled and handed her the popcorn.

"Here." Buffy said.

Joyce started munching on the popcorn as Buffy walked over to answer the door. Buffy opened it and looked out, there was nobody out there. 'Great' she thought to herself, 'get a life whoever you are'. Buffy closed the door and walked back to the movie-fest, but her mum had vanished

"Mom?" Buffy called. She walked through the dining room and into the kitchen. "Mum?"

Buffy looked out the window when she heard a noise, but the blackness of the night stopped her from seeing anything. She looked back into the dining room wondering where her mum her gone, so she didn't notice her step in through the back door.

"Buffy, it's me." Joyce said, calming the Slayer down who had jump out of her skin.

"Yeah. You just startled me a little."

"I was just checking the back door." Joyce said as she locked up the door again. "Somebody, um, left these for you."

Joyce laid a long box on the kitchen table. It was completely black, the only other piece of colour was that of a piece of red ribbon tied around it. Buffy slowly reached for the box and took off the lid. Inside laid a single red rose with a note attached that had one word hand-written on it. It said 'Soon'.

Pain, I can't sleep Pain, I can't sleep

Back at the Bronze, Xander looked around from his table when he spotted Cordelia sitting alone at another table.

Pain, I can't sleep

He slowly stood and walked over to Cordelia, who when seeing him also stood and walked towards him.

"Hey." Xander said.

Cordelia was speechless. For a change Xander was dressed not in his usual style of bright clothing, but very suave and smooth. "Your clothes... You look so good."

"Oh. I let Buffy dress me. Well, not physically."

"Perfect." Cordelia said, actually a little upset that Xander has made an effort for her. "You had to make this harder, didn't you?"

"Okay, clearly the fact that I please you visually has got us off on the wrong foot here."

"Xander..." Cordelia began.

"Let me finish." Xander interrupted. "I've been thinking a lot about us lately... the why and the wherefore. You know, once, twice, a kissy here, a kissy there. And you can chalk it all up to hormones. A-and maybe that's all we have here. Tawdry teen lust. But maybe not. Maybe something in you sees something special inside me. And vice versa. I mean, I think I do. See something. So..."

Xander knew he had contracted Willow's babble-speech and so decided on that moment to pull out Cordelia's gift and hand it to her.

"Xander..." Cordelia said as she opened the box. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

'You definitely had to make this harder' Cordelia thought. "I wanna break up."

This time it was Xander who was speechless. "Okay, not quite the reaction I was looking for."

"I know. I'm sorry." Cordelia said softly. "It's just... Who are we kidding? Even if parts of us do see specialness, we don't fit."

Hearing that, it was as if Xander got struck in the gut. "Yeah! Okay..." he said getting more and more upset by the second. "Do you know what's a good day to break up with somebody? Any day besides Valentine's Day! I mean, what, were you running low on dramatic irony?

"I know." Cordelia said, genuinely sorry "I didn't mean to do it this way. I..."

"Well, you did." Xander said suddenly interrupting her.

Cordelia could do nothing except give Xander an apologetic look. Xander looked into her eyes for a couple of moments before turning around and walking away leaving Cordelia alone with the pendant.

~ Sunnydale High, Next Morning ~

Xander came moping around a corner.

They say that news travels at warp speed, and Xander definitely agreed with that comment as it seemed everyone knew.

"Dude." a student said patting Xander's shoulder "Way to get dumped."

Xander took no notice, he wasn't the first wise-cracker that morning and he would be the last. Looking up he saw Buffy coming quickly from the other way.

"Ooo, Buffy, my bud, you will not believe..."

"Can't talk right now." Buffy replied quickly. "Angel."

"Do you need help?" Xander asked.

"It's alright."

Buffy quickly resumed her rapid trek to the library leaving Xander on his own. As he continued down the hall a group of girls passed around him, who at the sight of him starting laughing and giggling. He exhaled softly and watche them go. A few steps further along he heard Harmony talking.

"Gee, Xander," Harmony joked, "maybe you should learn a second language so that even more girls can reject you."

She and the other girls around her laughed to his face. Xander just kept moping along in silence not knowing what to do. There was no escape from his embarrassment.

A moment later he noticed Amy heading toward the stairs in front of him, and it was then a plan formed in his mind. He knew what to do, and how he was going to do it.

"What are you doing?" Amy said suddenly as Xander grabbed hold of her.

"Amy. Good to see you. You're a witch."

"No, I'm not." Amy said quickly as she looked around the corridor. "That, that was my mum, remember?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking it runs in the family. I saw you working that mojo on Ms. Beakman. Maybe I should go tell somebody about..."

"That's not even..." Amy said angrily. "That is so mean!"

"Blackmail is such an ugly word." Xander said calmly not taking his eyes from Amy.

"I didn't say blackmail."

"Yeah, but I'm about to blackmail you, so I thought I'd bring it up."

"What do you want?" Amy asked folding her arms across her chest.

"What do I want?" Xander repeated with a chuckle. "I want some respect around here. I want, for once, to come out ahead. I want the Hellmouth to be working for me. You and me, Amy... we're gonna cast a little spell."

Amy looked past Xander at Cordelia, and then turned her eyebrows up at him.

~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~

Amy and Xander walk into the nearest empty classroom so he could continue his conversation with Amy more privately.

"A love spell?" Amy said completely surprised at even the thought.

"Yeah." Xander replied. "You know, just the basic can't eat, can't sleep, can't breathe anything but little old moi."

"Well," Amy said trying to get out of performing the spell, "that kind of thing is the hardest! I mean, to make someone love you for all eternity?"

"Whoa! Whoa, back up." Xander said slaking his hands wildly in the air. "Who said anything about eternity? A man can only talk self-tanning lotion for so long before his head explodes."

"Well, then I don't get it. If you don't wanna be with her forever, then what's the point?"

"The point is I want her to want me. Desperately. So I can break up with her and subject her to the same hell she's been puttin' me through."

Amy turned around and took a few steps back. "Oh, I don't know, Xander. Intent has to be pure with love spells."

"Right." Xander agrees. "I intend revenge. Pure as the driven snow. Now, are you gonna play, or do we need to have another chat about invisible homework?"

Amy spent a few moments thinking about it. "I'll need something of hers. A personal object."

"Alright." Xander said and left the classroom.

Giles sat as always in the Library reading a book when Buffy came striding in and up to the table. Giles didn't notice her arrival until she slapped the card that she got with her flowers on the page that she was reading.

"'Soon' what, Giles?" Buffy asked. "You never held out on me until the big, bad thing in the dark became my ex-honey."

Giles stopped what he was doing and stared at the card with fascination. "Where did this come from?"

"He said it with flowers." Buffy answered. "Look, this isn't the time to start becoming Mr. Protective Guy. I can't just hang around, and I can't prepare when I don't know what's coming."

Giles sat up and looked at Buffy straight in her eyes, she deserved the truth and he knew it. "N-no, of-of course, you're right. Uh, s-s-sit, sit down."

Outside the corridor Cordelia was walking to class when she ran straight into Xander who was waiting for her. As she spotted him, she changed direction in an attempt to avoid him, but he soon caught up with her.

"Oh, come on, don't flatter yourself. I'm not gonna make a big scene." Xander said, "I just want the necklace back."

"What?" Cordelia said in disbelief. "I thought it was a gift."

"No. Last night it was a gift. Today it's scrap metal. Figure I can melt it down and sell it for fillings or something."

"You're pathetic!"

"Come on, I'm not gonna add to the Cordelia Chase castoff collection."

Cordelia shot Xander an evil glare. In her heart he was totally wrong for her, but she still felt that something, was it love? "It's in my locker."

"I can wait." Xander simply said.

Cordelia gave Xander another glare then walked over to her locker. From where he stood, Xander could see Cordelia checking her combination and opening the locker door blocking his view of her face.

Cordy reached around her neck and unclasped the pendant that Xander had given her the night before. She so didn't want to give it back, it was the only thing she had that reminded her of Xander that Harmony and the rest of the group didn't know about. She slammed the locker door closed and walked back to Xander.

"Here." she said handing back the pendant. "It's a good thing we broke up. Now I don't have to pretend I like it."

Xander didn't say anything. He just gave her one final look and left.

~ Sunnydale High, That Night ~

Back at the Science Lab, Xander sat bare-chested on the floor in he middle of a painted symbol and holding a large candle. Near him stood Amy who was looking over a mixture bubbling over a Bunsen burner and above it she held the pendant Xander had taken from Cordelia.

"Diana... Goddess of love and the hunt... I pray to thee." Amy changed. "Let my cries bind the heart of Xander's beloved." Amy lowered the pendant into the bubbling mixture and continued chanting. "May she neither rest nor sleep until she submits to his will only."

The flame of the burner became huge as the power of the spell emanated from the beaker and swirled above it and between her hands.

"Diana, bring about this love and bless it."

The swirls of energy began to return to the beaker and disappear.

"Blow out the candle now!" she quickly called to Xander.

With the he spell's power dissipated. Xander blew out the candle and all became calm.

The next morning back in the school Xander decided to see if this spell really has worked.

Xander spotted Cordelia and her friends sitting at a table and strolled over to them with confidence. He leaned in between Cordelia and Harmony and gazed confidently around the group of girls.

"What?" Cordelia asked, wondering what in Hell Xander was doing.

"Morning, ladies. Some kind of weather we've been having, huh?"

"What do you want? You can't be sniffing around for more jewelry to melt, because all you ever gave me was that Smallmart-looking thing."

Xander chuckled and leaned closer to Cordelia. "Is this love? 'Cause maybe on you it doesn't look that different."

"What are you doing?" Cordelia hissed pushing Xander away. "Are you going, like, stalker-boy on me now?"

"Sorry." Xander said. "My mistake."

"Yeah, I should say so."

Xander walked away leaving Cordelia and the others in complete bewilderment.

"What is his deal?"

In the Library, Giles was sitting on the table looking through a book while Buffy sat in a chair across from him.

"Look, here's another." Giles said reading from a small book. "Here. Um, 'Valentine's Day.' Yes, uh... 'Angel nails a puppy to the...'"

"Skip it." Buffy said suddenly.

"Uh, but it..."

"I don't wanna know. I don't have a puppy. Skip it."

"Right you are. I'll get another batch." Giles said closing the book and walking to his office.

"I have a plan we use me as bait." Xander announced as he opened the Library doors and walked in.

"You mean make Angel come after you?" Buffy asnwered

"No, I mean chop me into little pieces and stick me on hooks for fish to nibble at 'cause it would be more fun than my life."

"Yeah." Buffy said standing up. "I heard about you and Cordy. That's her loss."

"Yeah. Not really the popular theory." Xander commented dejectedly.

"You know what I'd like?" Buffy said standing up and smiling warmly at Xander. "Why don't you and I do something together tonight? Just the two of us."

Xander couldn't believe his ears at that comment. "Really?"

"Yeah." Buffy replied. "We can comfort each other."

"Well, would lap dancing enter into that scenario at all? 'Cause I find that very comforting."

Buffy took a step closer to Xander, her eyes never leaving his.

"Play your cards right..."

Xander stopped Buffy so he could take a moment to think about what she just said. "Okay, uh... You do know that I'm Xander, right?"

"I don't know," Buffy said looking down slightly. "I just... heard that you and Cordy broke up, and I guess I was just surprised how glad I was." At that Buffy slowly began playing with the bottom of Xander's shirt. "It's funny... how you can see someone every day but not really see them. You know?"

"Yeah, it's funny." Xander said with a nervous smile. "And it's just gettin' funnier."

She placed her finger to his lips to quiet him and leaned forward for a kiss. As she did, Amy sauntered into the Library.

"Xander, can I talk to you for a minute?" Amy called.

Buffy pulled back slightly at the sight of Amy.

Xander looked back and fourth between Buffy and Amy a couple of times. "Yeah, okay."

Amy walked out with Xander right behind her, then making sure the door is closed, he looked back through the window at Buffy for a second, and then drew his attention back to Amy.

"Xander." Amy said.

"Yeah."

"I don't think the spell worked out right."

"Oh, yeah, it bombed. No biggie" Xander replied smiling at the thought of what just happened in the Library.

"Well, we can always try again."

'Try again' Xander thought to himself. He looked through the round window and spotted Buffy looking back at him with a broad smile on his face.

"I am still pretty new at this."

"Oh, no, no, no. It's okay. You know what? It was wrong to meddle with the forces of darkness. I see that now. I think we've all grown. I gotta go."

"Oh, we don't have to cast any spells." Amy said quickly stopping him from re-entering the Library.

Looking back into the Library, Xander could see Buffy staring back at him with her finger lingering between her lips.

"We can just... hang out." Amy said

"Sure." Xander said before thinking. "What?"

"Well," Amy continued smiling. "I liked spending time with you. You're so sweet. You know, it's funny how you can... you can see a person every day and..."

"Not really see them." Xander finished as he realised what was happening around here.

He looked once more at Buffy. She was still staring at him, this time playing with her hair between her lips.

"Exactly. So, anyway, I thought it might..."

Before Xander got a chance of answering to Amy's proposal one of the Cordette's walked up to Xander, also smiling broadly.

"Hi, Xander."

"What?" Xander answered looking around at her.

"You're in Mr. Baird's history class, right?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"I thought maybe we could study together tonight."

"Do you mind?" Amy interrupted. "We were talking."

At that comment, both girls shot dirty looks at each other making Xander step back a little.

"Uh, I really gotta go. Right now."

Both Amy and the Cordette stared in silence as Xander made a bee-line down the corridor as quickly as possible.

~ Xander's Bedroom, Lunch Time ~

Xander barged into his room, relieved that he was out of the gaze of all the women he had passed on his way home. For reasons that Xander was still trying to figure out, it seems that now every woman in town would love to do nothing except for tear the clothing from his body.

Taking deep breaths to calm himself down he slowly walks over to his bed and sits down on it. 'What is happening to me' he thought to himself. With Xander deep in thought he didn't notice Willow dressed only in one of his shirts sneak from under the covers and gently touch him on the back of his neck.

Feeling someone behind him Xander literally jumps out of his skin and looks around at the person who had touched him.

"Sorry. I wanted to surprise you." Willow said softly, looking at what she always considered her child-hood crush.

"Good job!" Xander replied grinning nervously. "High marks."

"Don't be so jumpy. I've been in your bed before." Willow said smiling.

"Yeah, but Will, we were both in footy pyjamas."

"Xand, I've been thinking."

"Will, I, I think I know what you've been thinking." Xander said quickly cutting Willow off. "But this is all my fault. I cast a spell, and it sort of backfired."

"How long have we been friends?" Willow asked as she gently ran her hands over the bed sheets.

"A long, long time." Xander answered getting more and more nervous. "Too long to do anything that might change that now."

"Well, friendships change all the time." Willow continued as she edged herself to the edge of the bed. "People grow apart. They grow closer."

"Uh, this is good! How close we are now. I feel very comfortable with this amount of closeness. In fact, I can even back up a few paces and still be happy. See?"

Willow gets out of the bed and walks over to Xander who only then realises that Willow was wearing nothing but his shirt.

"I want you, Xander..." Willow said with a smile that sent Xander's blood pressure through the room, "to be my first!"

"Baseman." Xander said now, extremely nervously. "Please tell me we're talking baseball."

Xander didn't realise but Willow had successfully cornered him and he was unable to escape as she placed her hands on his chest and started rubbing it gently.

"Shhh." Willow cooed. "We both know it's right."

"It's not that I don't find you sexy." Xander said quickly, backing away from Willow before she kissed him.

"Is it Oz?" Willow asks leaning her head back slightly. "Don't worry about him. He's sweet, but... he's not you."

"Yes, he is. And you should go to him. 'Cause he's me."

Now, Willow decided to go in for the kill and starts to nuzzle his earlobe, purring with contentment.

"I-I don't wanna use force." Xander blurted, not knowing how to handle the situation.

With that, Willow stopped what she was doing and leans back to face Xander with the biggest smile you could imagine. "Mm. Force is okay!"

She tried to go for the earlobe again, but this time Xander was ready for her and gently pushes her away only to receive a confused look from Willow.

"Th-that's it!" Xander said as if he was making his final 'I have had enough stand'. "This has gotta stop. It's time for me to act like a man." Xander lingers for a second then grabs the door knob. "And hide."

~ Sunnydale High, The Next Day ~

Cordelia exited a classroom and made a headway down the corridor. As she walked down, she eyed up her friends who at the sight of Cordelia turn to face her with their arms crossed.

"Ha. Very funny." Cordelia said as she arrived. "What did I do now, wear red and purple together?"

"You know what you did." Harmony said angrily. "Xander is wounded because of you."

With that Harmony and the others turned and walked past Cordelia in a huff.

"Are you tripping?" Cordelia called out completely baffled. "I thought you wanted me to break up with him!"

Harmony stopped in her tracks and threw Cordelia a backwards look. "Only a sick pup would let Xander get away, no matter what her friends said."

They all huffed again, and left Cordelia on her own in the corridor.

"What does it take to make you people happy?" Cordelia yelled exasperated.

Xander had decided that enough was enough, and there was only one person he could talk to, Giles. The only thing was, that he had to brave the corridors at school. His plan was to enter quickly and walk quickly to the Library, not stopping for anything.

As Xander walked through the large double doors that graced the entrance, he could feel it .. the eyes. All the girls that were in the corridor at the time were doing nothing but staring at Xander with love in their eyes. Some of them were giggling as he passed, some were flashing him sexy smiles and looks, while some just simply watched him walk.

The only people in the corridor who were not amused by all this happening were of course the guys who were all looking at him with daggers.

Xander wasn't taking count of actually how many girls were eyeing him up until his attention was slightly drawn to several girls who passed directly in front of him with their eyes locked on every part of Xander's body, then he looked around which made his eyes bulge out on stalks.

The corridor was absolutely choc-a-bloc with girls and dumb-founded guys, all wondering how on Earth he could achieve such reactions from so many girls.

Xander breathed a huge sigh of relief as he reached the safe sanctuary of the Library, and a deeper sigh as he noticed he wasn't followed.

"Xander." Giles said, not expecting him to be in the Library. "What is it?"

"It, it's me..." he said nervously walking to wards the Librarian, "throwing myself at your mercy."

"What? Why?" Giles asked as he took off his glasses to clean them.

"I made a mess, Giles." Xander confessed. "See, I found out that Amy's into witchcraft, and I was hurt, I guess, so I... made her put the love whammy on Cordy, but it backfired, and now every woman in Sunnydale wants to make me her cuddle monkey, which may sound swell on paper, but..."

At that point Jenny decided to walk into the Library to have a one-on-one with Giles.

"Rupert, we need to talk." she said as she reached Xander. "Hey, Xander. Nice shirt. Look, Rupert, I know that you're angry at me, and I don't blame you, but I am not just gonna go away." While she was talking she was softly stroking Xander's upper arm. "I mean, I care far too much about you to... Have you been working out?"

While Jenny was talking Xander was nodding slightly with his head towards Jenny to show him exactly what was going on.

Finally it clicked and Giles quickly pulled Jenny to one side out of Xander's reach.

"Oh!" she squealed with disappointment.

Jenny just stood there with a look of desire and lust in her eyes. Giles noticed this and then shot his own look at Xander, but this one was of disbelief and anger at the young man.

"I cannot believe that you are fool enough to do something like this!"

"Oh, no, I'm twice the fool it takes to do something like this."

Jenny just said nothing, she just watched Xander as she idly fiddles with her necklace.

"Has, uh... Has Amy tried to reverse the spell?" Giles asked.

"I get around Amy and all she wants to do is talk honeymoon plans."

"Rupert, maybe I need to talk to Xander alone." Jenny offered taking a couple of steps forward.

"Do you have any idea how serious this is?" Giles said pushing Jenny back, clearly angry. "People under a-a love spell, Xander, are-are deadly. They lose all capacity for reason."

Giles shot a look a Jenny who had began rubbing her hands all over her face and neck, and then lower down her body.

"And if what you say is true and the entire female population is affected, I... Don't leave the library. I'll find Amy and see if we can put a stop to this thing."

Giles made a break to leave the Library, forgetting Jenny was there. She just stood there rubbing her fingers together with glee, before she started to saunter over to Xander to make her own move. Before she realised it thought, Giles had returned and grabbed Jenny by the hand and started pulling her out of the Library.

"No!" Jenny moaned in protest.

Xander realised that he was finally alone with no female company, and so to make that a permanent thing he rushed over to the mobile card drawer and pushed it in front of the doors to stop anybody coming in, then he headed back to the table.

The thing is though, that he'd forgotten the doors swung both ways, and so he never noticed Buffy slowly and sexily walking in wearing a short raincoat that just stopped passed her mid-thigh and a pair of long black high heeled boots.

"Alone at last." she purred.

Xander spun round and as soon as he saw Buffy his jaw literally hit the floor. "Buff, give me a heart attack!"

"Oh," she said as she started to slowly and sexily walk over to him. "I'm gonna give you more than that."

As Buffy walked, she slowly grabbed the ties of the raincoat and began to play with them.

"Buff, for the love of God, don't open that raincoat." Xander said back- pedalling as quickly as he could.

"Come on! It's a party! Aren't you gonna open your present?" Buffy cooed as she undone her top button.

It's not that I don't want to." Xander said as he reached the steps. "Sometimes the remote impossible possibility that you might like me was all that sustained me. But not now. Not like this. This isn't real to you."

Buffy reached Xander and stood with one leg next to his hip.

"You're only here because of a spell. I mean, if I thought you had one clue what it would mean to me... But you don't. So I can't."

"So you're saying this is all a game?" Buffy said getting upset at hearing this.

"A game? I... No!"

"You make me feel this way, and then you reject me?" Buffy said with even more anger. "What am I, a toy?"

Xander knew he was in trouble, and the last thing he knew he shouldn't do was to piss off a Slayer. "Buffy, please calm down."

"I'll calm down when you explain yourself!"

"Get away from him." Amy called appearing from nowhere. "He's mine."

With the appearance of Amy, Buffy stopped eyeing Xander and took a defying step towards Amy. "Oh, I don't think so. Xander, tell her."

"What? I, uh..." Xander said, not knowing what to say.

"He doesn't have to say. I know what his heart wants."

"Funny, I know what your face wants." Buffy calmly said to Amy. Amy had pissed her off now, and she was in Slayer mode. In a heart-beat Buffy pulled back and took a swing at Amy, punching her in the face and knocking her to the floor.

"What is this, you're two-timing me?" Buffy yelled, turning her attention back to Xander.

Xander was dumb-founded at the fact that Buffy attacked Amy. With Buffy distracted, she didn't notice Amy stand behind her with blood slowly dripping from her nose. Her eyes were completely black, she was performing a spell.

"Goddess Hecate, work thy will." she chanted.

"Uh-oh." Xander uttered as he knew whatever happened, it was bad.

"Before thee let the unclean thing crawl!"

Amy threw her arms in front of her throwing the energy of the spell towards the Slayer, which engulfs her completely. When the energy vanished, so had Buffy.

"Buffy!" Xander said in disbelief at what just happened. "Oh, my God!"

~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~

Xander didn't know what to do, except stare back and fourth between Amy and where Buffy's raincoat was laying.

"What, what just happened?" Giles asked as he burst back into the Library.

"Buffy." Xander simply said pointing to the raincoat.

At the sight of Xander, Jenny grinned broadly and tried to make a bee-line towards him only to be stopped by an infuriated Giles.

"Where is she?" Giles asked.

They both look down at the raincoat when they suddenly see a rat appear from one of the sleeves.

"Oh, my God!" said in shock.

Amy took that chance and walk over to Xander and take hold of his arm. "Why is she here?" she asks looking at Jenny.

"Can you focus for a minute?" Xander told Amy. "You just turned Buffy into a rat."

As Buffy, or 'Buffy-Rat' scampered across the Library floor, Giles could do nothing but to stare in wonderment.

"Buffy can take care of herself." Amy said looking at Xander with nothing but lust in her eyes. "Why don't we go someplace private?"

"Can you..." Xander said removing Amy's hands from his arm. "I'm not going anywhere until you change her back."

"You heard him." Jenny said stepping in. "So why don't you undo your little magic trick and get lost?"

"Who made you Queen of the World?" Amy said staring at Jenny. "Well, you're old enough to be."

"Well, what can I say?" Jenny said as she grabbed Xander by his shirt. "I guess Xander's just too much man for the pimple squad."

'Nothing will stop me getting the man of my dreams' Amy thought to herself as she stepped in between Jenny and Xander. She looked defiantly at Jenny, her eyes once again completely black.

"Goddess Hecate, to you I pray, with this..."

Seeing what Amy was about to do, he quickly put his hand over her mouth to gag her. "Would you quit with the Hecate?!"

In the corridor, things were going from bad to worse, and Cordelia was at her wits end. She started down the corridor on her way to the Library, to see if Giles to throw some light on the situation, only to be shortly cornered Harmony and her friends.

"Okay, what now? You don't like my locker combination?" Cordelia mocked,

"It's just not right." Harmony said. "You never loved him. You just used him. You make me sick."

"Okay, Harmony," Cordelia replied sarcastically, "if you need to borrow my Midol, just ask."

That was a complete wrong thing to say as Cordelia was soon on the receiving end of a vicious slap in the face made by Harmony. Cordelia turned the other way to escape but she was quickly stopped by a Cordette who slammed her into a nearby locker, then another one grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the floor.

"You two, sit." Giles commanded angrily at Amy and Jenny "And be quiet. We have to catch the Buffy rat."

"Ooo, there!" Xander said spotting the Buffy-Rat.

Xander was a little too late to reach her, so he decided to catch her off when she got out from behind the bookshelf.

"Good Buffy." Xander muttered. "Just..."

The next moment, Oz was standing over Xander who was on his knees, then suddenly without warning Oz smacked Xander in the face making him stumble backwards into the shelving and startling Giles in the process.

With that going on, nobody noticed the Buffy-Rat emerging from behind the bookcase and slipping out through the partly open Library door and into the Hall.

"That kinda hurt." Oz commented shaking his hand.

"Kinda?!" Xander retorted, rubbing his cheek. "What was that for?"

"I was on the phone all night, listening to Willow cry about you. Now, I don't know exactly what happened, but I was left with a very strong urge to... hit you."

"I didn't touch her. I swear." Xander replied in self-defence as Oz helped Xander back on his feet.

"Xander!" Giles hissed. "Where's Buffy?"

"Amy turned her into a rat." Xander said to Oz.

"Oh." Oz simply said looking around the floor for the Buffy-Rat.

Giles and Xander get on their knees again, making squeeking noises as if they were calling out to Buffy.

"I don't see her." Giles said after a few moments." If anything happens to her, I'll..." Giles looked up and shot Xander a look of disgust. "Oh, just go home. Lock yourself away. You're only going to cause more problems here. Now, Amy, Jenny and I will, uh... try and break the spell. Oz, if, if you could aid us in, in finding, um... Buffy."

"Sure. Absolutely."

"Just go." Giles said stopping Xander from making any comment. "Get out of my sight."

Xander stared at Giles for a few moments, clearly upset, but then realises that he was of no use and so he made a break for the Library doors and Oz crouches back down again looking for Buffy.

"Don't be a fool Xander," Giles yelled. "Do you think you'll last a single moment in those Hallways!"

"But?" Xander replied confused.

"Take the exit behind the stacks for God sake."

Xander stopped for a moment before turning around and walking to the back of the Library where the back fire exit was located. Giles was right, if he'd gone through the corridors, chances were he wouldn't have escaped alive.

~ The Library, A Little Later ~

Jenny was pacing like a trapped animal, and Giles was sitting at the table thumbing through a book of magic spells. Amy was sitting opposite him wipy turned her into a rat." Xander said to Oz.

"Oh." Oz simply said looking around the floor for the Buffy-Rat.

Giles and Xander get on their knees again, making squeeking noises as if they were calling out to Buffy.

"I don't see her." Giles said after a few moments." If anything happens to her, I'll..." Giles looked up and shot Xander a look of disgust. "Oh, just go home. Lock yourself away. You're only going to cause more problems here. Now, Amy, Jenny and I will, uh... try and break the spell. Oz, if, if you could aid us in, in finding, um... Buffy."

"Sure. Absolutely."

"Just go." Giles said stopping Xander from making any comment. "Get out of my sight."

Xander stared at Giles for a few moments, clearly upset, but then realises that he was of no use and so he made a break for the Library doors and Oz crouches back down again loves me." Amy said to Jenny. "We look into each other's souls."

"No one can love two people at once." Jenny said defiantly. "What we have is real."

"Instead of making me ill, why doesn't one of you try to help me?" Giles snapped at the girls.

"I can't believe that Xander would resort to the Black Arts to get a date." Cordelia muttered. "Go figure."

"He didn't want a 'date'," Giles stated looking directly at Cordelia. "He wanted you back."

'He really loves me?' Cordelia thought to herself in wonderment.

"You have no idea what I'm going through." Amy muttered looking into her mirror.

Giles had finally had enough. "I know it's not love." he said to Amy. "It's obsession. Selfish, banal obsession. Now, Xander has put himself in very great danger. If you cared at all about him, you'd help me save him, rather than wittering on about your feelings. Now, let's get on with some work." He turned to Jenny just as she left the Library. "Now, Jenny... Great!"

It was early evening as Xander came running down one of the streets of Sunnydale. Completely exhausted, she slowed to a walk.

"Okay, now I really think I've lost them." he muttered to himself. "Thankfully some peace."

Even after what he'd witnessed, he still couldn't get over it. The hottest women he'd ever seen at that school were lusting, no drooling over him and would have done absolutely anything for him to make him happy. All that is, except for the one girl that he really did want, Cordelia, who still hated him.

He looked around, wondering where in Sunnydale he was, then he saw a familiar house. It was the Summers' residence. He knew he'd get protection there from Buffy's mum. He quickly ran up to the door and knocked quickly and loudly, always checking to see if there was a mob following him.

"Come on!" Xander quipped.

"Xander, what?" Joyce said puzzled as she opened the door to him.

"Can I come in?" Xander almost begged.

"Sure," Joyce replied opening the door wider.

Joyce let Xander in and slammed the door behind her, then they both looked back out through the small side windows to check again if he was followed. Then Joyce led Xander through into the Kitchen area.

"What happened? Why are you all scratched up? Where's Buffy?" Joyce asked gesturing Xander to a nearby stool

"She's, um... around." Xander answered, not wanting to tell her that her only daughter was now a rat with a cheese fixation.

"Well, tell me about it. I'll just go to the bathroom and get some bandages."

'Oh no,' Xander thought, 'what if.' Xander almost shot from the stool and looked at Joyce. "I know, I'll go and get those bandages."

"No, you don't have to." Joyce said reaching out to rub his back. "I'll get them for you."

"No, I insist." Xander said quickly. Before Joyce could answer, he backed up quickly and made a frantic bee-line upstairs. 'Buffy's room!' he thought,

"Sweetheart..." Joyce called after him.

Xander entered inside Buffy's room and closed and locked the door. Sighing deeply, he took a moment to consider his options.

"Good. The mob still hasn't found me." Xander said looking out of an open window. "I should be safer up here."

Just as he looked back from the window Angelus grabbed him from outside.

"Works in theory." he snarled and pulled Xander outside the house.
~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~

Down in the boiler room of the School, the Buffy-Rat was scurrying around in an attempt to dodge any adversary that could, well, quiet easily beat her in battle. The Buffy-Rat crawled around the floor, trying to find the source of a scent she'd picked up. It was a baited rat trap.

"Where's Buffy?!" Angelus snarled at Xander.

Before Xander could answer, Angelus threw Xander off the room onto the grass below. Then he jumped down after him and stood over him ready to pounce.

"Perfect." Angelus said with a smile picking up a helpless Xander. "I wanted to do something special for Buffy, actually to Buffy, but this is so much better!"

Xander, taking the opportunity of Angelus babbling, kneed him in the crotch, but he wasn't fazed in the slightest and he flipped Xander though a three-sixty black-flip. Then Angelus reached down and grabbed Xander's hair lifting his head up of the grass.

"If it's any consolation, I feel very close to you right now."

~ Sunnydale Library ~

"Ah, ah." Giles said triumphantly. "I think I've found something. It's the transformation spell that will revert Buffy back to her true form."

"That's nice," Cordelia said absentmindedly.

"What about you?" Giles said to Amy. "Any ideas on how to reverse this love spell?"

"Well," Amy said leafing through another magic book. "There are two ways to break the spell."

"Which are?" Giles pushed.

Amy turned the book she was reading around the placed it on top of the book Giles was reading. Giles looked down and read the passage.

"Good, we can sort this out." Giles said. "What's the other?"

"Xander has to accept and embrace his 'true' love, the one infected with the spell. Once that happens the spell that embodies that person will be shared with them both and they will experience true love forever."

"But it's not 'true' love," Cordelia countered. "It's only infatuation. Love induced through magic? It wouldn't be real."

"But if all the females are indeed infected?" Giles said.

"Then everything would return to normal for all of them, except for the one who he accepted." Amy explained.

"I feel sorry for the poor one who Xander accepts," Cordelia mocked. 'Though now, I wished it were me' she thought silently.

~ Same Moment ~

Just as Angelus was about to bite down on Xander's neck a hand grabbed him by the shoulder and tossed him into a nearby tree. Seeing this, Xander was immediately relieved. 'They turned Buffy back' he thought to himself.

"Buffy, how..." he began.

"Don't fret, kitten." Drusilla said helping Xander back to his feet. "Mummy's here."

"I don't know what you're up to, Dru, but it doesn't amuse!"

Angelus and Drusilla exchange a hated glare at each other before she turned back to Xander.

"If you harm one hair on this boy's head..." she said stoking his hair gently.

"You've gotta be kidding." Angelus said, shocked. "Him?"

"Just because I finally found a real man..." Drusilla said looking deeply into Xander's eyes.

"I guess I really did drive you crazy." Angelus said backing away from them both.

"Your face is a poem." Drusilla told Xander as she passed a finger over his lips. "I can read it."

"Really?" he said terrified. "It doesn't say 'spare me' by any chance?"

"Shhh." she said placing a soft kiss on his lips. "How do you feel about eternal life?"

"We couldn't just start with a coffee? A movie, maybe?"

"I can see." Drusilla said placing a hand on his cheek. "They don't love you, they don't even want you. But I do."

"Who don't want me?" Xander stuttered nervously.

"Cordelia, Buffy and your friends. You have a power you never realised you have" Drusilla purred. "I can show you, yes I can. I can help you achieve everything you should be. All you have to do, is accept."

"Accept what?" Xander said swallowing nervously.

Xander and Drusilla looked around as they heard the sound of the female mob running up the street towards them.

"We can help each other my darling," Drusilla said softly running her hand up her arm.

"Yeah," Xander said slightly convinced at what she was saying. "but I kinda got this thing of not being turned into a Vampire."

"There he is!" one of them screamed.

"It won't come to that. I need you as you are." Drusilla said.

In the Boiler Room, the top door opened and shortly after Oz came walking down the stairs with a flashlight in his hand looking for the Buffy-Rat.

"Here, Buffy." Oz called.

Buffy, if she could understand Oz calling to her had her own agenda, the cheese. She crawled over a small pile of dirty cloths where just beyond laid the rat trap with the piece of cheese.

In the Science Lab, Giles and Amy stood over a beaker of bubbling liquid that stood over a Bunsen burner. Giles made one more check then nodded to himself as he knew he was ready to reverse everything.

"Right." he said to Amy. "Go on. You first."

Amy stepped in front of Giles and momentarily closed her eyes before starting the spell. "Goddess of creatures great and small, I conjure thee to withdraw. Hecate, I hereby license thee to depart."

Giles threw a powder mixture into the beaker which made it react violently sending sparks and a brilliant flash of light from the beaker.

It found it's mark exactly as planned as down in the Boiler room Oz was momentarily blinded by a blind light that emanated from behind a couple of packing crates. After a few moments, everything returned to blackness.

"Buffy?" Oz called out to her.

In response Buffy jumped up from behind the crates, and, thankfully for her strategically placed as they concealed her nakedness from Oz.

With the first spell out of the way, Giles took over from Amy and placed a pinch of herb into the beaker from a small jar.

"Um... Diana, goddess of love, be gone." Giles recited from the book "Hear no more thy siren's song."

"Giles,." Amy said looking around the room slightly. "I think ."

Giles didn't hear Amy as he picked up the pendant he had given Cordelia and waved it over the top of the beaker before dropping it into the mixture.

"Giles," Amy repeated.

Suddenly a form of smoke appeared over the top of the beaker which seemed to hang in a perfectly formed circle, but nothing else visible seemed to happen for several moments before the smoke seemed to backfire and blow outwards knocking both Amy and Giles off their feet and onto the floor.

Out in the street the mob of females that were standing in front of Drusilla and Xander stopped in their tracks and looked around completely dumbfounded.

"What's going on?" One of the girls said. "Where am I? What's going on?"

"Why are we all here outside this house?" another one asked.

In the Basement Buffy looked squarely at Oz from behind the crates. Oz realising Buffy's predicament quickly turns off the flashlight, while Buffy hugged herself in an attempt to cover-up her embarrassing state she was in.

"Hi, Oz!" Buffy simply said.

"Hi."

"I seem to be having a slight case of nudity here." Buffy said blushing.

"But you're not a rat. So call it an upside."

"You think maybe you could get me some clothing?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, I can. Just, uh... don't go anywhere."

"Really not an issue." Buffy said looking around.

~ Sunnydale High, Next Day ~

Buffy and Giles were walking down the corridor toward the Library

"It was completely weird." Buffy said. "I was like a Slayer-Rat."

"R-really?" Giles said looking at his Slayer. "You mean you still had your Slayer powers while you were a rat?"

"Yeah it was really wiggy, and you guys looked really huge."

Hearing that, Giles couldn't help but to giggle at the imagery of what Buffy might have seen.

"So," Buffy continued as they entered the Library, "everything's sorted out with Xander."

"As far as I know." Giles said. "We performed the spell last night. And seeing that no female is going all crazed over the boy it seemed that it worked true to form."

Buffy didn't mention what had happened before she got turned into a Rat, she through it was embarrassing that she was walking the corridors of Sunnydale High wearing nothing but boots and a raincoat.

"Speaking of," Buffy wondered, "where is Xander?"

"He's not here," a dejected Willow said sitting at the Library table. "He hasn't been in school at all today."

"Maybe he's unwell," Giles said.

"Or maybe he felt a little too embarrassed." Buffy said sitting next to her friend. "How you feeling Will?"

"A little embarrassed myself." Willow confessed. "You know how much I love him Buffy and .."

"Yeah." Buffy said quietly. "I know Will, I know."

"Have you tried calling his home?" Giles asked re-appearing from his office.

"I tried," Willow answered, "but there was no answer. His parents usually leave for work before he wakes up, so I though he had left for school."

"Okay," Cordelia's voice echoed as she entered the Library, "I don't get it. Where's Xander? Is he like, all embarrassed 'cause of the completely lame-ass thing he did yesterday with the magic?"

"We don't know," Buffy answered staying close to her friend to give her support.

"Why do you care anyway?" Willow asked looking up from where she was sitting.

"I don't," Cordelia simply remarked. "It's just that he missed Science and we were supposed to do the damn dissection together and instead I got dumped with Larry." Cordelia gave a huff and sat opposite Willow and Buffy. "I'm not really sure, but I think Larry's a little gay."

"You mean happy?" Giles dumbly asked popping his head out from one of the stacks.

"Yeah," Cordelia answered shaking her head in wonderment. "So, we Bronze- ing it tonight?"

"I dunno," Buffy answered. "Maybe I should go patrolling, see if I manage to run into the love of my un-dead life. I mean, as much as I love him, while he's killin' I do have a job to do .. and that's to kill him."

"Oh come on," Willow said this time trying to cheer Buffy up. "We could swing by Xander's place and drag him out with us. What d'a say Cordy?"

"Well if he REALLY has to come," Cordelia moped. 'I definitely hope he comes' she thought.

"Then I guess it's a date." Buffy said standing up. "Nine at the Bronze. Hey Giles."

"Yes Buffy?" Giles called from the back of the Library.

"Up for some training?"

~ The Bronze, That Night ~

They'd arrived at the Bronze after their nightly patrol. Although Buffy had come across a couple of Vamps, there wasn't a single peek of Angelus. As they walked in, they were immediately apart of the usual mass of bodies that regularly inhabit the Bronze, 'cause basically it was the only half decent place to hang out in Sunnydale. That night there was no live band, and so instead there was a DJ who was currently playing a selection of imported tracks. The one that was playing was a song he'd called 'Never Be The Same Again' by ex-Spice Girl member, Melanie C.

I call you up whenever things go wrong You're always there, you are my shoulder to cry on. I can't believe it took me quiet so long To take the forbidden step, is this something that I might regret.

Buffy and the group found their usual table, and while Buffy went up for snacks, Willow and Oz decided to dance to the tune which left Cordelia all on her lonesome at the table. Before they had arrived at the Bronze, they had passed by Xander's place to ask him why he'd never turned up at school, but he still wasn't at home. So they thought they would see him while they were either on patrol, or he'd turn up at the Bronze.

I thought that we would just be friends, Things would never be the same again

'Things will never be the same again' Cordelia thought idly in her mind, 'yeah damn right about that'.

It's just the beginning it's not the end, Thing's would never be the same again

Cordelia looked up at the dance floor and saw Willow and Oz dancing close together and she remembered all those times when Cordy and Xander actually got to dance together before her wanting to be back with the 'in-crowd' again.

It's not a secret anymore now we've opened up the door Starting tonight and from now on Will never, never be the same again

"Hey," Buffy said to Cordy as she returned to the table, her arms full of snacks for the rest of the gang.

"Oh," Cordelia said realising that Buffy was talking to her. "Sorry, was miles away."

"So, what was it like where you were?"

"Better than," Cordelia said slowly looking for the right words.

"Better than living in a place where Xander isn't scrabbling for your attention through arguing and fighting?" Buffy offered.

That comment struck a nerve. Cordelia turned her head towards Buffy and for a moment gave her a severe icy stare, but that soon faded. Buffy was right, as always.

"Look," Cordelia said. "I know that I'm like the bitch-queen of Sunnydale High, and as much as it's weird, I do kinda have feelings for Xander. And I don't care what you, or anybody else thinks of that."

"It's cool," Buffy said quickly. "I'm cool, we're cool. So, you have actual feelings for Xander?"

Cordelia definitely fell for that one when she said it. "Yeah," she finally admitted, "but I thought I could be back with Harm and the others again, but.."

".. It was one or the other, not both." Buffy finished with a nod from Cordelia.

I thought that we would just be friends, Things would never be the same again It's just the beginning it's not the end, Thing's would never be the same again

"Hey." Oz whispered softly in Willow's ear as they danced.

"Hey back," Willow muttered, her head nestled on his shoulder.

"Penny for your thoughts. You been quiet all evening since after school."

"Kinda it's just .."

"You're still worried about Xander?" Oz asked rhetorically. "We all are Will, but he'll turn up sooner or later."

"Hopefully sooner," Willow said leaning her head back and looking into Oz's eyes.

The song ended, and they both stood up and looked at each other smiling. Looking back over they could see Buffy and Cordelia smiling at them and in front of them a table full of food and drink. As they walked back, Willow looked up slightly to where a second lever gantry was suspended from the ceiling, and amongst the crowd of people that were up there, she saw someone that stood out extremely clearly .. or she thought so.

"Will. You okay?" Oz asked turning around to where his girlfriend was standing.

"Yeah." she simply replied. "Do you ever get that feeling that you see someone you recognise, but you don't know why?"

"Sometimes." Oz simply said taking her arm. "Who was it?"

"I don't know," Willow said re-thinking what she thought she'd seen. "Maybe I was seeing things."

"Maybe." Oz said as they sat at the table.

"Maybe what?" Cordelia asked.

"I think I maybe saw someone I thought I recognised." Willow said receiving mixed facial reactions form both Buffy and Cordelia.

"Have you been reading Dr. Seuss again?" Buffy asked with a slight smile on her lips.

All of them settled down with the refreshments and started chatting about all the things that had taken place that day in school. Buffy looked up for a moment from eating her double-choc muffin, and this time she felt that sensation .. or more to the point, saw that sensation.

The person was barely visible, at the back of the club walking in front of where she was looking towards the back entrance. She couldn't make out if it was a guy or a girl but whoever it was had a definite thing for black clothing. Dark jeans and boots, black silk shirt which reflected the coloured lights, and a long three-quarters length leather jacket and completed the ensemble.

"Will," Buffy said not taking her eyes off the mysterious person. "Was that the 'maybe' you thought you saw walking to the back exit?"

Willow turned her head along with Cordy and Oz. "I think," Willow said trying to get any specific details. "Yeah, it was. That person was upstairs."

"Think it's a Vamp?" Cordelia asked throwing a look to Buffy.

"Only one way to find out." she said getting up from her stool and starting towards the exit with the other three in tow.

By the time they'd followed the mysterious person outside the Bronze they'd already fled into the night.

"Was it a Vampire?" Oz asked looking around, stake at the ready.

"I don't know." Buffy said also looking around with a stake at hand. "But I do know that it's another mystery for Giles to figure out."

~ The Library, Following Afternoon ~

There were a lot of questions that were plaguing Giles' mind during that day, and as such he had spent all morning with his nose in several books including the Codex, the book the described the destiny of the Slayer in her later years.

Giles looked up from his book as Buffy entered into the Library with a face full of concern. "Hello Buffy," Giles said as she approached the table. "How was your morning?"

"Something's wrong." she said sitting down opposite him.

"R-really?" Giles asked taking a sip from his tea cup. "What may that be?"

"This is the second day that Xander is a no-show in school, and nobody has seen him at all since that incident a couple of days ago."

"Well .." Giles started to ponder.

"Do you think .." Buffy started saying.

"That maybe he got caught by a Vampire and turned?" Giles finished looking at his Slayer in her eyes. "I may not have known the young man for a long time, but I know he'd rather die. I mean, we all know how much he hates Vampires so he'd never voluntarily become one."

"Yeah, I know," Buffy said sighing. "But we've searched absolutely everywhere, and we couldn't find him anywhere."

"Well," Giles said taking his glasses off and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Then, I hate to compound bad news with more bad news."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked looking at Giles intently.

Before Giles could answer, the Library doors opened and Willow, Oz and Cordelia all walked in.

"Hey guys," Willow said actually smiling. "What's new?"

"Badness." Buffy said to Willow before turning back to Giles. "Spill Giles, you can't lock the stable door after the horse has bolted."

Hearing that saying from Buffy, Giles couldn't help but to slightly raise his eyebrow in amusement. "Well," he finally confessed, "it involves a prophecy that I found in the Codex."

"The Codex," Oz repeated sitting next to his girlfriend. "It's gotta be pretty serious if it's in the Codex."

"It involves a confrontation with a foe whom knows everything about the Slayer and whom is born from death with the power to circumvent the Slayer's plans. This foe, whoever it is will also be equally strong psychically with the Slayer."

"So, I know this foe I'm going to face?" Buffy mused thinking on what Giles just said.

"Who?" Cordelia said looking around. "The only people that know of the Slayer is sitting around this table."

"With the exception of Xander," Willow added.

"Yeah," Cordelia retorted, "but Xander? Please he couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag!"

"Then who?" Buffy said.

"Angelus?" Giles suggested.

"I don't think," Oz said. "A prophecy is something is usually something that is about to come."

"Well, yes." Giles slowly agreed.

"Yeah," Willow caught on, "and Angelus, or Angel has been around for a couple of centuries already."

"True." Giles agreed again. "But that doesn't mean that Angelus couldn't be a main part of the prophecy. Something magical could be used for example."

"Maybe Willy could help us out here," Buffy said. "If anything demonic is happening around here, he'll know about it."

"Right," Giles agreed, "and in the meantime I'll continue to look up anything regarding this prophecy."

~ That Evening ~

"Hey Willy," Buffy said conversationally as she entered a seedy demon bar called Willy's. As always the bar was half empty. For Willy there was no such thing as a regular customer for as soon as Buffy entered for information they usually get up and leave before something happened.

"Hey, Slayer." Willy said loudly enough so all the demons in the bar knew. "What brings you to Willy's Place?"

"I wanna know if anything weird has been happening these past few days?" Buffy said sitting in front of Willy.

"Weird? Isn't that kind of the credo of Sunnydale?

"Well then 'Weird-er' happening?" Buffy re-phrased.

"I don't much," Willy said. "Not a lot has been happening. The usual summer migration from the Hellmouth. But I'll tell you something that I heard was strange."

"Go on," Buffy insisted.

"Word is that Spike has left town. On his own."

"On his own?" Buffy repeated.aking his glasses off and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Then, I hate to compound bad news with more bad news."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked looking at Giles intently.

Before Giles could answer, the Library doors opened and Willow, Oz and Cordelia all walked in.

"Hey guys," Willow said actually smiling. "What's new?"

"Badness." Buffy said to Willow before turning back to Giles. "Spill Giles, you can't lock the stable door after the horse has bolted."

Hearing that saying from Buffy, Giles couldn't help but to slightly raise his eyebrow in amusement. "Well," he finally confessed, "it involves a prophecy that I found in the Codex."

"The Codex," Oz repeated sitting next to his girlfriend. "It's gotta be pretty serious if it's in the Codex."

"It involves a confrontation with a foe whom knows everything about the Slayer andtside where the rest of the Scooby gang were waiting around.

"Any news?" Willow asked.

"There's supposed to be a bad guy on it's way in a day or so, could be related to the prophecy."

"Any details?" Oz asked.

"No, sadly. Where'd Cordelia go?"

"She went on ahead to the Bronze," Willow said, "we said we'd meet her there later on."

"So we patrolling?" Oz said.

"Patrolling it is." Buffy agreed.

~ Restfield Cemetery ~

"Hey, bud got any spear food?" a Vamp growled as they walked through the cemetery.

"Yeah, back in my lair," a second Vamp replied looking around for a little bit of fun. A little while earlier the Vamp and three of his friends had fed off a small group of people who had just left a bar, and the alcohol that was in their blood was now in their blood. Needless to say, they were enjoying themselves by having a little slaughter rampage.

"OH wait," a third Vamp said lowering his voice slightly at the sight of the Slayer and her friends entering the cemetery. "I think food is on the way. Slayer blood."

"Is it me, or is it weird?" Willow commented idly as they entered Restfield.

"What do you mean?" Buffy said looking back at Willow and Oz walking together.

"I miss the Xander-isms he usually makes when we patrol .. or in fact at any other time of the day."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

"Yeah," Oz even agreed, "he's always good at keeping the tension light. I wonder where he is?"

"Let's just worry about the who's here at the moment though," Buffy said point a small group of Vampires that were walking towards them. Buffy counted about four, youngish looking Vamps, probably not long been turned.

"This is going to be fun." the lead Vampire said bearing his fangs in the moonlight.

They were virtually nose to nose with the lead Vampire when the first strike was blown. The Vampire went sailing through the air and crashed with serious bang against the side wall of a crypt.

The Vamps looked back and fourth between the Slayer and their fallen friend before all hell broke loose. Oz automatically went into protection mode guarding his girlfriend and providing backup for the Slayer as she dived into the remaining three Vampires

One of the Vamps, a small pudgy one, tried to get the best of Buffy and throw a punch while she wasn't looking, but he soon had her attention when he found one of the Slayer's hands wrapped around his own and being squeezed fiercely. As Buffy squeezed, everyone in earshot could hear the painful sounds of knuckles popping under the Slayer's powerful grip which made the Vampire squeal in pain.

The odds were soon three to one in favour of the Slayer, and it was a foregone conclusion that it was soon to be over. The Vampire who had the now broken hand looked hesitantly between the Slayer and her friends, then thought better of it and vanished off into the darkness.

"That was, quick." Willow said looking around at three small piles of dust that now littered the cemetery.

"Yeah," Buffy said looking around. "Say, I dunno about you, but I'm ready for a little dancin'. What say we do a pass around the school, then make our way to the Bronze?"

"Sounds like a plan." Oz agreed as they moved of in the direction of the High School.

As Buffy, Willow and Oz left two figures looked at them in the shadows. They smile in the cover of darkness as the taller one folds their arms over it's chest. He then lets out a small chuckle, and they turn and disappear back into the shadows. Everything was coming along perfectly.

It wasn't long before they reached the grounds of the school. It was getting late quickly so they all agreed upon a quick sweep and then they would make tracks to a night of relaxation, though there was no real need to worry about time as the next day was the weekend.

They stopped walking just as they reached the corner of the main building. Around the corner there were three vampires circling something .. a large something, like they were vultures waiting for their prey to die. Buffy was now out of stakes and looking back both Oz and Willow also had no stakes, so plan 'B' it was. Buffy jumped out from the blackness and started running in their direction screaming and shouting. The three demons, knowing that an angry Slayer was usually more dangerous than an armed Slayer, ran into the night.

When Buffy saw them leave she stopped and looked back to where she emerged from where Willow and Oz came out to join Buffy. They both looked back and saw that were the demons were they could see an extremely large imitation of an upside down cross that was placed on the front lawn, which was most definitely weird.

The three of them moved forwards towards the cross to examine why they'd actually plant it in front of the School.

"Maybe they were conjuring this demon person that's part of the prophecy?" Willow pondered as they got closer.

"Maybe," Buffy said.

"Maybe they're just reformed." Oz quipped which made Willow and Buffy giggle at the comment.

They got closer and they circled it deep in thought. When they walked to the other side though all three froze on the spot in terror.

"Oh my .." Willow simply uttered, still in shock.

On the cross was the un-conscious form of their friend, Xander.

~~~~~ Part 5 ~~~~~

Xander's face was badly beaten and from a glance, it had looked like his nose had been broken. He was still wearing the same clothes he had on the day the girls were under the magic influence, but now they were torn and shredded and there were dozens of cuts and bruises on his body.

"Get him down!" Willow squealed as she buried her head into her boyfriend's shoulder and started crying heavily.

Both Buffy and Oz had spent several moments is stunned silence, not knowing what or why this had happened. Then hearing Willow crying, Buffy snapped out of it immediately and walked towards the cross and started untying the roped that bound Xander's body to the cross.

"Xander," Buffy whispered looking down at the body of her friend, tears flowing freely as she pressed her hands softly against either side of his face. Looking down, she gasped softly as her eyes caught sight of two little puncture marks at the base of his neck. 'Had he been turned?' Buffy thought. It was hard enough trying to kill her ex-boyfriend but to have to kill Xander as well .. she just couldn't do it.

Buffy sighed and slowly let her left hand slip down to rest on his neck, and something made her quickly open her eyes in disbelief ..

"Xander?" she said softly looking at his face intently.

"What is it?" Willow asked getting the courage to look around at the body of Xander, her eyes already puffy and red.

"He's .." Buffy said looking back, ".. alive."

~ Sunnydale Hospital, Accident & Emergency ~

"Doctor Sanderson to Emergency Ward three, Doctor Sanderson to Emergency Ward three." a voice echoed through a PA system.

Buffy sat alone in the waiting room for news about their friend Xander. Willow had gone to Giles' place and told him what had happened while Oz went on to the Bronze and got Cordelia who was waiting for them.

Buffy couldn't help but to play through the past several minutes in her head, of the medic listing all the injuries that Xander had sustained.

"Okay, we got multiple fractures throughout his left arm, severe break in his right leg, broken right wrist, concussion, multiple bruises and lacerations over his entire body and excessive blood loss .."

"Buffy," a voice brought Buffy back to reality. "Buffy." She looked up and saw Giles approaching, with Willow.

"Giles," Buffy said standing up as he got near her, and embraced him in a hug. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Buffy said sniffing.

"Have you heard anything?" Willow asked.

"Still, no," Buffy said sitting back down again along with Willow and Giles. "We're still waiting for Oz and Cordelia."

"Here," Oz said appearing from just where Giles and Willow were.

"How is he?" Cordelia asked.

"Still waiting," Buffy said looking up at Cordelia and Oz.

What is peace?

What is contentment?

What is bliss?

Or what is the price for these answers? At this moment, Xander Harris thought he knew the answers to these questions. He was at peace, contented and more than that, in complete bliss. Totally unaware of where he was or what had happened to him.

He was inside his world now, his little world wrapped in a shroud of blackness and silence, where he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time and where he knew everything and nothing.

"What do you want?" several disembodied voices asked from somewhere in the blackness.

"What?" Xander replied.

"What do you want?" the voice repeated. "Where do you want to be? What do you want to do? What do you want to be?"

"I don't understand?" Xander exclaimed.

"You are everything .. You are nothing"

"I know who I am," Xander answered. "I know where I want to be, I know what I want to do and I know who I want to be. Now can you stop with the cryptic and just let me be!"

"You are not ready. You don't know what is to come, what to expect."

Meanwhile back at the Hospital room, Buffy and the others looked on at Xander laying in his bed. Each of them were looking at him and thinking something a little different about the young man in front of them.

Giles saw a young and courageous man who put his life on the line countless times assisting the Slayer in her duties. Though he didn't have any powers he'd jump in at a moment's notice, and he'd always had the ability to keep a tense or stressful moment light with his strangely infectious sense of humour.

Cordelia saw a man who she'd never admitted she loved. He was a kind, gentle and caring man who'd she do anything for.

Oz saw someone who he though a friend. Through the time he had spent with Xander, he had found out that they had quite a lot of things in common.

Willow saw her friend who she knew since childhood, and considered him a bother to her. She had a place in her heart that would always belong to only him. She knew that he had something deep within him that made him standout clearly from every other boy she'd ever met, well except for Oz of course.

Buffy saw the one who had saved her on numerous occasions, and who was always there for her when she needed someone. He was always by her side at the most crucial moment, but at the most important moment he had needed her .. she wasn't there for him, and that made her sick to the stomach. Knowing that somewhere he needed help from his friends and the Buffy wasn't there to help him.

Cordelia was standing just behind Buffy looking on at Xander, just wishing she would just reach out and touch him, comfort him. Buffy looked around and saw the look in her eye's, and she knew what she wanted so stepping aside she gently touched her arm moving her towards the bed.

Cordelia sat in the chair and pushed is gently towards Xander's bed. She reached out and gently pushed a stray lock of hair away from his face so she could see his face completely. Then she took his hand in her own.

"Xander," Cordelia said softly. "Come on Xander, please promise me that you won't die. I have so many things I need to say to you."

She spoke softly almost as not to wake him from a nap. Cordelia knew what she wanted to say, and it had been so long she now decided she wanted to say it and to hell with what others thought.

"Xander. Please listen to me. We need you. We all need you, especially me. Please don't leave me, please. I love you."

Cordelia couldn't handle it any longer and suddenly the ice maiden broke down in front of Buffy and the others. She did love Xander, she did need Xander, and now that she'd admitted it she wasn't going to take it back. Cordelia buried her head in the soft sheets that covered Xander, the rest of his friends looking down at Cordelia with a new sense of understanding of who she was.

Suddenly she felt Xander's hand gently tighten around hers. She looked up, and could see Xander's eyes slowly start to open.

"Dear Lord," Giles said seeing this. "I'll get a nurse." Giles left in a hurry as Xander opened his eyes. He looked around a few times, allowing his eyes to focus. Then gave them a weary smile.

"Hey," he said weakly, "what does a guy have to do to get a little sleep around here?" The gang couldn't help but to give a little laugh at this, relieved to see him back to normal. Well,. whatever normal was for Xander Harris.

"Leave it to you to make a joke out of all this," Willow said shiffing.

"That's just the way I am, Will." Xander replied with a small smile. "Hey there guys, Buffy. How's the Slaying going?"

"It's okay," Buffy replied. "Though we were too worried about you. You'd been gone, like, forever."

"Hey Cordy." Xander said a little surprised to see her crying by his bedside. "What brings you here?"

"Waiting for you to wake up." Cordelia replied between tears. "We were worried that you weren't going to make it back to us."

"What?" Xander said smiling. "And make your lives normal? No way. Besides, you're not getting rid of me that fast."

They let out another laugh, everything was gonna be okay.

Looking around, Xander felt something strange, something powerful. It was a small tingling felling in the back of his head. Normally he'd chalk it up to life on the Hellmouth, but then maybe it an after effect of what he'd been through.

"Xander," Cordelia said softly, "there something I need to tell you."

"It can wait." Xander softly replied.

"No, it can't." Cordelia cut him off. She could see Xander starting to feel back to sleep and so it was either now or never. "Xander Harris, I love you."

Before Cordelia got a response, Xander's eyelids slowly shut enveloping him in blackness once again. At the same time Giles came back with the doctor, who walked over to Xander's side and checked his pulse.

"How long was he awake?" the Doctor asked.

"About a few minutes." Oz replied, "then he fell back to sleep."

"Well luckily he's now in a light sleep." the Doctor said looking over his admission charts. "He's still got a lot to recover from, but this looks like a good start to his recovery."

After a few minutes the Doctor ask the Slayer and her friends to leave, Xander need his rest.

One thing was certain in their minds as they left the Hospital. Xander was going to need a while to recover from his injuries, and while that was to be expected, they would give him all the support, love and attention that any respected member of the Scooby gang deserved.