Title: Second Time Around - Prologue

Author: C-Man

Disclaimer: You can't sue me, I'm broke! Ha! But I still don't own these characters. In fact, I stole the story concept too, so I own nothing!

Rating: PG-13, I think

Summary: After a tragedy, the Powers That Be make Xander an offer he can't refuse...

Spoilers: I wrote this before the season-ending Six-Pack (of episodes), and therefore nothing that happened in them happened in my story. And Joyce is still alive because I was in denial at the time.

Distribution: Hey, get your grubby hands away from my fic!!! Actually, I could care less. Want? Take. Have.

Feedback: Absolutely. It's like a drug. [email protected]

Notes: This was my first try at BtVS writing. It gets better, though, don't worry. :-)

... - thoughts

* * * * * - time passes

Chapter I - Just My Luck

August 3, 2001

10:45 PM

Sunnydale, CA

Damn Hellmouth. That's what it is. It's probably responsible for the fact that I've never been happy for any extended period of time in my entire life. Maybe it's a curse. Yeah, that makes sense. My family has lived in Sunnydale for four generations, and I've been cursed for my ancestors' stupidity for staying in this hell hole for that long. Because there's no way that a normal person's luck can suck this much.

It's been a few months since we faced off against Glory in the final battle. I've survived a lot of wicked fights - against the horde of vampires the night the Master rose, leading the attack against Mayor-snake, fighting Adam as a quarter of the enjoining spell cast last year. But the fight against Glory redefined the word 'chaos.' The fact that I lived through that night just makes my current predicament that much more tragically ironic. Anyway, after we sent Glory back to her demon dimension and locked the door behind her, it was time to sit back and relax, and wait for the next threat to the world to emerge.

For me, though, it was a time to mope. Before we went into the fight against Glory, we all knew the odds were heavily stacked against us. Anya didn't want to go with us, saying it was suicidal. She also told me not to go, but I told her I'd never turn my back on my friends. Anya would not take no for an answer, though, and gave me an ultimatum: her or my friends. I had no choice. I walked away.

When we got back from the fight, battered and bruised, I found a note from Anya. She said she'd stolen D'Hoffryn's medallion from Willow and demanded her powers back, and, seeing her anger at being scorned again, the demon lord agreed. Apparently, she didn't expect us to save the world this time, and she needed to get gone ASAP. Fortunately, Anya promised in her letter she would not take vengeance on me if we did survive. It was small consolation.

So, I brooded (yes, that's right, I went all 'Deadboy' and moped in the dark) for a few weeks in my apartment, with my friends visiting frequently. They all made me feel a bit better (except for Spike, who dropped by once to mooch off me), especially Buffy, who could empathize most with me. After all, she'd been the victim of an unfair ultimatum before, and I helped her out with that. So now, she returned the favor.

Buffy and I had gotten a lot closer since Riley had left and Spike had professed his 'love' for her. She'd needed reassurance that she was not doomed to have bad relationships with all men. So, I did my best to cheer her up, and something started stirring in the bottom of my heart. Those long buried feelings for my best friend were waking up again.

Anya leaving only brought them back to the surface, and by the time I'd recovered from the loss of my girlfriend, I was back to heavy-duty Buffy-pining. Only this time, there was no Angel, no Riley, no one she confessed to having a thing for. I thought I might have a chance this time. We got back into our old routine of me bombarding her with sexual innuendoes, and her wittily brushing them off. Except, as time went on, her comebacks became rather weak, and sometimes she just gave me that cute half-smile of hers and changed the subject.

I didn't know at the time if she was giving me signals or not, but, yesterday, I finally sucked it up and asked her out. I braced myself for the 'I love you as a friend' rejection, and nearly fell off my chair when she smirked and said, "About time, Xan," and launched herself at me, catching me in a passionate and demanding kiss. I immediately felt light headed as the blood quickly left my brain, for, uh, other parts, and I kissed her back with all the pent-up longing I'd stored up for five and a half years.

Buffy was straddling me by this time and began to writhe against me. She moaned into my mouth, which just turned me on even more as I pulled her even closer to me. When oxygen deprivation became an issue and we broke apart, panting, I saw the almost wanton desire plainly written in her deep blue-green eyes, and it must have been mirrored in mine. We just stared at each other for a few moments, both of us getting our raging hormones under control. Neither of us just wanted to jump to the sex before actually starting a relationship, so we grudgingly separated. I offered to pick her up at seven the next day for 'dinner and dancing.' Cliched, I know, but there's a reason why it's a classic.

Tonight was the night, Buffy and I's first date. I pulled up to her house at seven on the dot, and jogged up to her front door. Dawn opened the door when I knocked my familiar 'happy knock,' casting me an appreciative glance. Yup, that's me, Xander Harris, with all the Summers women wrapped around my little finger. I waited downstairs with a single red rose for my date, trying not to fidget. I could barely contain my excitement ... and nervousness. I was terrified that I wouldn't live up to her expectations or she'd try to back out at the last minute. My fears were put to rest when Buffy descended her stairs in a simple but ravishing, tight black dress, and, after accepting my flower, looked dreamily up at me and kissed me soundly on the lips. I had to fight the urge to deepen the kiss, and we broke apart after a bit, blushing slightly when we noticed Dawn and Joyce still in the room.

Then we left, and I had the best date of my life. On paper, it was nothing spectacular - just dinner at some fancy restaurant, followed by fun and games at the Bronze - but the fact it was with Buffy really upped the good-ness factor. I found out over dinner that she'd been seeing me as more than her 'Xander-shaped friend' for a month and a half, but was afraid to admit it. She was afraid!? Buffy had never been afraid to confess her feelings to anyone. What was so special about me? My heart screamed that it was love that made her so nervous, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. So, dinner was eaten in silence, and I'd occasionally gaze over at Buffy until she noticed, then I'd avert my eyes. I even caught her staring at me a couple times, which was ... interesting.

Anyway, after the restaurant it was off to the Bronze, where we spent most of our time dancing. She laughed at my spastic moves, like usual, but when a slow song came on, we didn't leave the dance floor for our usual table. Instead, Buffy walked up to me, wrapped her arms around my neck and rested her head on my chest, while I hesitantly held her by the waist. I don't know how long we stayed like that just slowly moving together - I was too lost in utter contentment. Her heavenly scent, her body molded against mine like she belonged there, and the peaceful look on her gently smiling face made me fall in love with her all over again. Geez, thinking about Buffy just brings out the romantic fool in me doesn't it?

After our blissful dance ended, we decided to call it a night. I drove Buffy home, and we shared a tender kiss on her front porch. When we separated, I saw her beautiful eyes twinkling with happiness, and I decided to go for broke. I said the three words I had longed to say to her since the day I'd met her. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest when she said them back with no hesitation, and I felt like crying out in joy. I settled for pulling her to me and kissing her without inhibition, trying to pour every ounce of myself into it, like she had the day before. And that was it. The perfect end to the perfect date.

That was five minutes ago. As I practically skipped back to my car, the dark shadow behind a tree in Buffy's front yard went unnoticed. I was about to open my driver's side door when I was jerked away and landed on the ground. I looked up and saw a familiar platinum blond form standing over me, scowling. I guess Spike was still in his 'stalking Buffy' phase, and I was about to insult the irritating vampire, when fear seized hold of me. Spike had just tried to hurt me, but the chip in his head hadn't sent a searing pain through his skull. He smirked down at me, and before I could react, yanked me to my feet, pinning my arms to my sides

An instant later, his game face was on and he sank his fangs into my neck. I yelled out as loud as I could, hoping Buffy would hear me in her house and come out to save me. It was futile. My blood steadily drained out of me, and I could feel my body growing cold, and my cries grew silent. Finally, Spike dropped me bonelessly to the ground and licked his bloody lips in triumph.

I heard an anguished shriek from Buffy's front porch, and I realized she had heard me, just a bit too late. Spike quickly retreated out of sight and through my bleary eyes I saw my love kneeling over me, Buffy's face contorted into a mask of agony as her tears flowed. I tried to say something dramatic or funny, but I didn't even have the strength the open my mouth. She took me in her arms and rocked me back and forth, telling me she loved me over and over. Then everything faded to black and I could no longer hear her tearful pleas for me to live.

So, here I am. I don't know where here is, just that I'm dead. My reputation as Fate's Bitch is preserved for all time now. I died on the same night I won the heart of the woman of my dreams. I'd be laughing at the irony if I wasn't grieving at the tragedy. Damn Hellmouth.

End I