Xander felt like he was hitting a wall at 1000 miles an hour as the black faded and the world stopped spinning. He left Andrew behind on this one. Time travel adventures worked best in pairs but this one felt more personal. He looked around catching his breath. He recognized the place immediately. He was at the Bronze.

Xander looked around "Oh my God it worked.."

Willow sat down at the table carrying her diet soda. "What worked?"

Xander looked in the mirror across the bar. He was in his old body. "Will ya look at that I have both eyes."

Willow opened her mouth "Okay and just like that I think you are cut off."

Xander shook his head. "Hey Willow what is the date?"

"What?"

Xander shook his head and decided to go with the Marty McFly route. He went to the table and picked up the news paper reading the date. "February 25th 2001 Holy Hell I am not too late."

Willow looked on confused. "Too late for what?"

Xander looked at Willow. "I got to go. I'll explain later."

Before she could respond he ran out of the Bronze and stopped as he saw his car parked on the street. He reached in to his pocket and felt the keys. "I got wheels."

He hopped behind the steering wheel and stepped on the gas speeding the entire way. As he pulled up in front of Buffy's house he pounded on the door. Dawn answered it smiling. "Hey Xander. Buffy isn't here. "

Xander shook his head. "Where is your mom?"

"She's getting ready for her date. " She walked to the steps. "Hey Mom. Xander is here and he wants to see you."

Joyce came down the steps wearing a black cocktail dress and a shawl. "Good evening Xander. Is everything okay?"

Xander smiled. "Buffy is fine. We have to go. Come on."

Joyce laughed. "Go where? I have a date."

Xander shook his head. "He can reschedule. We are gong to the hospital. Now."

Joyce looked at him like he was joking "Xander I don't know what you are playing at but I still have make up to put on and Chet is going to be here in 20 minutes."

Xander shook his head. "Joyce he can reschedule. I have to get you to the hospital. NOW. "

Joyce shook her head. "Xander I know you are the funny one and most days I appreciate that but today I don't have time. So good night and."

Dawn looked on concerned "Mom maybe you should."

Joyce interrupted. "You are scaring Dawn. This isn't funny anymore."

Xander bit his lip. "Oh God I hope you can forgive me for this."

Joyce looked confused. "For what?"

Xander picked her up carrying her over his shoulder. "You are going to the ER."

Joyce yelled. "PUT ME DOWN."

Xander opened the back of his car and tossed her in locking the back seat before she could get out. Joyce yelled. "DAWN CALL BUFFY"

Xander stepped on the gas with Joyce screaming yelling and kicking the entire way. He pulled up to the Emergency Room entrance and threw the car in park. He scooped Joyce out of the car and carried her in through the doors. He yelled "We need a doctor NOW."

Joyce jumped down and stood on the ground,. "Xander take me home."

With all of the commotion 2 nurses and a Doctor worked there way to the waiting area. Doctor Dorian stepped forward. "What is going on here?"

Xander looked at the doctor. "She is going to have an aneurism and you need to operate on her now."

Joyce looked at Xander. "I appreciate the concern but Xander I am feeling fine."

Doctor Dorian looked at Xander. "How did you come to this conclusion?"

Xander rolled his eyes. "God Damn it if I'm wrong you lost nothing but."

Dorian looked to Joyce to calm her. "Let me check your pulse listen to your heart. We will humor him."

Joyce sighed and nodded. As Dorian took her pulse he looked at her with a bit of concern. "Follow my finger for me."

Joyce did as he asked and feeling stupid about it. Dorian looked at Joyce. "I'm sure it is nothing but humor me and let's just do a quick work up."

Joyce now looked concerned. "Doctor you think."

One of the nurses grabbed a wheel chair. Dorian pointed to the chair. "Have a seat and we will probably have you out of here in an hour. I just want to eliminate all possibilities."

Xander sat in the waiting room watching tv. He hoped he had gotten there in time. Almost an hour had passed and he hadn't heard anything from any of the doctors.

The ER doors flung open as Buffy and Dawn came running in. Xander stood up walking to her. "Buffy."

Buffy cut him off angry. "What the hell do you think you are doing?'

Xander shook his head. "I know how this seems but you got to understand I am doing the right thing. Your mom is going "

She poked his chest. "So you are a doctor now."

Xander breathed a deep sigh. "It's complicated."

Buffy made a fist. "Do you know you scared the hell out Dawn. She called me crying. This isn't funny"

Before Xander could respond Doctor Dorian came trough the waiting room doors finding Xander. "You are the one who brought in Joyce Summers?"

Buffy furrowed her brow. "I'm her daughter. How long before she can go?"

Dorian looked at her. "We ran a basic cat scan. Upon doing so we found as your friend predicted. There is an enlargement of her artery just past her temporal lobe. The good news is we found it in time. We are prepping for surgery."

The color drained out of Buffy's face. "Surgery?'

Dorian nodded "I know you are worried but this is in a good location and should be fairly routine."

Buffy closed her eyes and tried finding strength. "Are we going to lose her?"

The doctor shook her head. "I can't make any promises but we have a good on call surgeon. This is pretty straight forward. I am giving her good odds."

Xander crossed his arms. "Define good."

Dorian looked at him. "I'd say at least 90 percent odds of a full recovery."

Buffy sucked in a breath. "When will the surgery happen?"

Dorian sighed. "Were prepping her but if you make it quick you can see her before surgery."

Dawn and Buffy ran to the back to see their mom. Xander sat in the waiting room. 30 minutes later they came back. Buffy looked at Xander confused.

"How did you? I mean the doctor himself said."

Dawn sat on the floor pulling her knees up to her chest. "The doctor said the next time she went to sleep she might have not woke up."

Xander shook his head. "Hey you heard the doctor. Your mom has good odds. More than that though she is a fighter. She is going to make it."

Buffy looked at Xander. "They said the surgery is going to take any where between 6-8 hours." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "I was hoping. I mean."

Xander reached and took her hand. "I'm going to stay here till we hear she is fine."

Xander held Buffy's hand and with his other hand he held Dawn's hand. He was looking over and taking care of his girls. He would be there for them as long as they needed him.

Just before sunrise a nurse came to them. "I just wanted to tell you your mother is out of surgery." The nurse could see Buffy was afraid to ask. "Your mom is going to be okay."

Buffy felt the tears. "Oh thank God."

Dawn felt the same joy. "When can we see her?"

The nurse smiled. "She is in recovery but in a few hours she should be awake and able to see you."

Buffy nodded. "Thank you." As the nurse left Buffy turned to Xander. "I need you to know. I can never repay you for what you gave me tonight."

Xander looked in to her eyes. "Hey. Your mom is amazing and the world is a better place with her in it."

Dawn hugged him and buried her face in his chest. "Thank you."

Xander hugged her back. "I'm going to go to the cafeteria see what we can grab for breakfast. I'm going to call Willow and Giles and update them on the situation."

Buffy nodded "Hurry back"

An hour later Willow, Tara and Giles all showed up in the Emergency room for support. Xander brought back donuts coffee and milk.

Giles looked at Xander. "I'm still confused. How did you know?"

Xander shrugged "You know I had a vision."

Dawn tilted her head. "Like ESP."

Xander nodded. "Sure why not."

Finally the nurse returned finding Dawn, Buffy and Xander. "Okay so she is comfortable and in her own room. She can have visitor but it can't be long. She has asked to see you."

Xander nodded looking at them. "Go. Your mom wants to see you." The two of them stood by the nurse ready to follow.

The nurse looked to Xander. "She wants to see you too."

Xander nodded and stood between Buffy and Dawn. "Let's go."

The nurse took them to a room on the fourth floor and Buffy sighed a breath of relief as she walked in. Joyce was sitting up in bed. "My Girls." She opened her arms to them for a hug.

Buffy grabbed her mom hugging her. "God you are okay. I was so worried."

Joyce clung to them. "Oh I'm okay. I'm not leaving my girls yet."

Xander stood in the doorway. "I think you have a good excuse for a reschedule on that date with Chet."

Joyce looked at Xander in the doorway. "You get in here. We have to talk."

Xander stepped to the side of the bed. "I'm sorry if I scared you last night but I had to get you here."

Joyce reached out and took his hand. "You saved my life. From this day on you aren't just Buffy's friend you are my savior. You are my hero."

Buffy smiled trying to hold back the tears. "Mine too."

Dawn nodded "Double for me."

Xander stepped back. "I am taking a mental picture cause I want to remember this forever." He stepped to the door. "I'm going to give everyone an update on the situation but I'll see you soon."

As he left Joyce looked at Buffy. "He is amazing and spectacular and Riley was nice but it's time you get your head out of your ass and make your move."

Buffy laughed. "MOM."

Joyce shrugged. "I almost died tonight. Perspective is a beautiful thing."

Xander rubbed his eyes a little tired. As he walked out in to the ER Tara approached him. "Hey you look tired. I got this for you." She handed him a tall cup of black coffee.

Xander just smiled "You are the best Tara"

Tara shrugged "From what I here you get that title today."

He smiled about to say something but stopped as he heard the all too familiar British voice that was his equivalent to nails on a chalkboard.

"The only thing Droopy is good at is" scratches his head. "Well honestly I can't think of anything."

Xander rubbed the back of his head. "Thank you Spike. You've made it clear where my next stop is."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

No more words were said as he walked down the hall and waited till he was alone. He pushed the watch button returning to his own time. He took out his phone calling Andrew.

Impatient Andrew answered on the 2nd ring. "XANDER!"

"You ready to go on another trip?"

"Yes. What time we going to now Bill?"

"Get your ass to my place. "

"On my way"

"And Andrew for the record. I am Ted in the group. You are Bill. "

"What ever you say Keanu"