See previous part for Disclaimer, etc.

Chapter VI - The Harvest

January 7, 1997

9:30 PM

The Bronze

Music blared from the surround sound speakers strategically placed around the Bronze to create an auditorium. Inter-mixed with the lyrics of "Wearing Me Down" were the loud voices of teenagers sitting at tables or dancing. Spreading the latest gossip on who was dating who, talking about what homework wasn't getting done, getting psyched up for the big basketball game Thursday night. Totally oblivious to the impending danger and apocalypse they would face this night.

Lucky them Buffy thought glumly. If she had a nickel for every time she had wished she could return to that state of blissful ignorance regarding the creatures of the night ... well, y'know. A big bank vault would be involved. Unfortunately, wishful thinking gets a person nowhere, so Buffy tried to ignore that whiny part of her mind and focus on her task tonight. She was the Slayer, nothing could change that, and lives depended on her.

The 'Scooby Gang,' as Xander insisted their little group be dubbed, had met after school to plan a strategy to stop the Harvest. Buffy was anxious about letting her new friends get too deeply involved in the fight. She was the Slayer, after all, the *one* person in all the world, etc., etc. Xander and Giles she was less worried about. The former had proven himself to some extent the night before, while the latter was going to be her trainer and thus had to have some fighting skills himself. Jesse and Willow, however, had probably never faced anything remotely as dangerous as a vampire. Who knows how they would react. Which was why she'd made them promise to stay back and stick together when things got rough.

Looking around the Bronze, Buffy saw that everyone was in position. Giles was on the upper level, gripping the railing tightly as rambunctious teenagers made out, danced or talked above the music behind him. He was obviously not having a good time, Buffy thought with a smile. A zipped up bag filled with a variety of vampire-killing gear, similar to the one she had sitting by her feet, lay on the floor beside him.

Willow and Jesse were hanging out by the bar, Willow wringing her hands nervously and taking a sip of caffeinated beverage every five seconds or so. Jesse appeared more laid back, watching the dance floor with a lecherous smirk. Ogling Cordelia, no doubt. That boy is a glutton for punishment Xander was outside, awaiting the arrival of the 'guests of honor.'

Buffy herself sat nursing her own drink at the table she and Xander had occupied the night before, waiting for him to return. She didn't tell anyone, or let it show in her actions, but she was a little apprehensive herself. The last time she'd faced a group of vampires had been months before, when she'd taken on Lothos in LA. And that time, the fate of the world hadn't been hanging in the balance. Her fight against Darla Monday night had also shaken her self-confidence more than she let on, and an unnerved Slayer was a dead Slayer. Some of her poise was restored from Xander's apparent trust in her abilities, and his reassurances to her about that. Buffy supposed that he had seen her at her worst and best, and would know what he was talking about.

Glancing at the clock above the bar, again, Buffy wondered what was taking so long for the vamps to arrive.

Standing outside by an alley entrance, Xander was thinking the same thing. Though his memory wasn't crystal clear about when Luke and his posse had shown up at the Bronze, he knew the Scoobies had arrived between nine thirty and ten, and the vamps had already arrived. Now it was quarter to ten, and they were no where to be seen.

Seeing the street before him empty of people, Xander decided to check the alley to see if the vamps were coming from that direction. Nothing moved, so he turned to face the street again, sighing in impatience. A voice behind him startled him, but the short flash of fear was quickly replaced by annoyance.

"Hey, kid," a man's voice said. Xander spun around and rolled his eyes as he recognized it. The dark dressed man make that irritating, broody, guilt-ridden vampire stepped out of the shadows he'd concealed himself in beside a dumpster. "If I were you, I'd call it a night. Head on home."

"Deadboy!!" Xander exclaimed angrily to Angel's surprise. "You were here that night and you didn't even lend a hand in saving the world!? What the hell is the matter with you? What kind of dark, brooding hero sits back and waits for the end of the world after giving a cryptic message or two to the good guys?"

Needless to say, Angel was taken aback by Xander's outburst. "I know who you are, Angelus," Xander continued. It was one of his favorite new hobbies to watch people (or the undead) gawk at him when he unveiled their deepest, darkest secrets. Despite his normally stoic exterior, Angel was no exception. "Scourge of Europe until those pesky gypsies came along, huh?"

"Who are you?" the vampire asked, his composed demeanor restored after a moment.

"Xander Harris, soul boy," he answered. "You and I have a mutual acquaintance. Guy about so high," Xander said, holding his hand about eye level. "possibly the world's worst dresser, likes to balance stuff."

"Whistler?" Angel asked. "How do you know him?"

"Welllllllll," Xander drawled out. "He gave me pretty much the same mission you got. Help the Slayer. Stop the Master."

Angel looked at him suspiciously. "But you're just human."

"Well, excuse me for living, but we can't all have vampire super strength, Deadboy," Xander winced at his unintended pun. "There are other ways to help besides getting involved in shoot-down, drag-out fights," Xander left it at that. You're not the only one who can be cryptic, smart ass

Angel apparently didn't like when the shoe was on the other foot and he pressed on. "So, how are you supposed to help her?"

Xander didn't get to answer. Up ahead, a group of figures had just turned the corner. A big, hulking man led the way, with ten or so 'friends' behind him. Xander thought that there were more vamps here this time than he remembered. Well, duh. Darla's dead, they didn't get Jesse, so they sent out for reinforcements. That's why they're late! Oh, great, here's one of those unintended consequences

Deadboy! He can help! Xander tore his eyes from the approaching vampires and looked at Angel. "They're coming. We're outnumbered big time. We're gonna evacuate the Bronze. Distract them for a couple minutes. Take out a couple if you can," Xander tried to sum up the situation with as few words as possible, then turned and ran back to the Bronze to give his friends the signal. I hope Angel doesn't pull another disappearing act on us this time

As Xander rushed past the Bronze's doorman, Angel was considering doing/ just that. For the past hundred years or so it had been his natural instinct to stay out of supernatural or, for that matter, human affairs. He was loathed by his own kind, by his own sire even, while he also had no place in the human society. When he had tried to resume his vampiric ways after his soul was restored, he failed to live up to the barbarism that Darla had demanded of him. When he shook himself from his brooding stupor long enough to try and help humanity, he'd been betrayed by the very people he'd been trying to help. So, he exiled himself from both communities, living on the streets, subsisting on the blood of vermin.

That is, until he met Whistler. The Balance Demon took Angel under his wing, so to speak, and showed him something that gave him a flicker of hope that he was not doomed to a miserable, solitary existence. Showed him someone, really. Buffy Summers.

The future Slayer had exuded an inner strength that Angel knew he couldn't match, but she also possessed an innocence that made her seem to be the most vulnerable creature on earth. She was just a child, really, but she would be facing the most horrid and unspeakable dangers the world had ever known. It had made him yearn to help her, to protect her. He wanted to fight for her.

And now she was in danger. Angel watched a dozen vampires walk by while he stayed in the shadows. He recognized Luke, whom he'd met centuries before during his first encounter with the Master. The monster had only been about fifty years old at the time, but had developed into one of the Master's most powerful and trusted minions. And that was over two hundred years ago. This many vampires plus Luke would push any Slayer to their limit, and Buffy was still relatively inexperienced. She'd need help. He could give it.

"Luke!" Angel called out, stepping out of the shadows onto the sidewalk. "Long time no see, old friend."

The behemoth stopped in his tracks, and his minions followed suit. Turning slowly, Luke growled. "Angelus. Or is it Angel now?"

Angel scoffed in his best Angelus impression. "Oh, please. Like that pathetic soul could keep me contained for long."

Fortunately for Angel, Luke may have been long on brawn, but he was definitely short on brains. He seemed to consider that for a few seconds. "So. You have returned to your murderous ways, then, brother? Do you wish to join us tonight in bringing about the end of history?"

Twisting his lips into a cruel smirk, Angel responded. "Let's just say I have my own interests at heart." The souled vampire was relieved that Darla was not among the vampires tonight; his sire could have seen through his charade in an instant. Where is she anyway? he wondered idly. Angel slowly sauntered toward the vampires, gripping the stake in his oversized trenchcoat pocket. He knew what the symbol etched in blood on Luke's forehead meant. If he could get the jump on Luke, he could prevent the Harvest.

He didn't make it in time, though. A shrill alarm suddenly cut through the night, overriding the muffled music emanating from down the street. Abruptly the music cut off, and only the alarm could be heard. The vampires turned toward the Bronze, where they realized the fire alarm was coming from. To his credit, it didn't take Luke long to figure out he'd been had.

"Treachery!!" he spat at Angel. "You cannot stop the Harvest! The Master will arise and end your pitiful existence! You three," he motioned to three of his minions, "take the traitor! The rest of you come with me. The end of days is at hand!" he ranted, advancing toward the Bronze's front entrance.

Angel cursed to himself. He'd been so close! Now he had to settle for keeping the three vampires left behind busy. Something he was prepared for, nevertheless. He'd been weak and uncoordinated when Whistler had found him on the streets of Manhattan, but he'd been brought back up to his formidable vampiric powers in a matter of months.

The first charged him carelessly, and Angel withdrew his stake from his coat pocket and quickly plunged it into his chest. The remaining two witnessed their comrade's demise and proceeded more cautiously, circling Angel in opposite directions. Expecting him to adopt a defensive posture, the vampire on Angel's left was caught off guard when the souled vampire leapt forward and nailed his opponent with spinning jump kick. The surprised vamp went flying into the Bronze's wall.

Hearing growling behind him, Angel spun into a vicious backhand, solidly striking the third vamp. He was a big guy, though, and only faltered back a few steps. Angel aimed a kick at the vamp's midsection, but he just dodged out of the way. He lunged forward with his big fists, connecting twice and staggering Angel back before the third punch was blocked. Angel grabbed hold of his opponent's arm with his own, and rained down four quick punches to the vamp's face. Dazed, the vamp couldn't prevent Angel from judo flipping him to the ground.

Sensing the recovered second vamp, Angel back kicked, catching it in the chest. Angel quickly grabbed his dropped stake and leapt forward, jamming it into the stunned vamp's chest. Before his dust had settled, Angel turned back to the last vamp, who was back on his feet, although shakily. He lashed out with a clumsy punch, which Angel easily blocked, followed by a fast stake to the heart, and then he was no more than dust.

Angel stood there momentarily, stake in hand, as he felt the demon inside him howl in rage. He'd killed other vampires before, but that had been before his soul had been restored. They died as a result of brood wars, or were minions that had failed him in some way or another. This was the first time, however, that he'd killed his own kind in order to protect humans. That went against Angelus had stood for. It was a small victory, Angel thought, over the bloodthirsty beast that inhabited his body.

His part done, Angel cautiously approached the Bronze's entrance, wanting to witness the remainder of the battle in the shadows and render assistance if needed.

Xander brushed by the doorman without a word, intent on his task. He stopped in the doorway, his eyes searching the establishment. He saw Buffy sitting at their table, her fist under her chin, propping her head up. He caught her eyes and she shot up, grabbing the weapons bag beside her. Xander kept looking around until finally he saw Jesse and Willow sitting at the bar. Jesse was looking out over the dance floor, while Willow was seated nervously beside him. Willow finally noticed Xander standing by the door, and she stood, elbowing Jesse and saying something to him. His male best friend stopped leering at Cordelia long enough to get the message.

The two of them made their way to one of the nooks and crannies in the Bronze, disappearing from Xander's view. They were looking for the hidden-away fire alarm somewhere in the night club's hallways. Xander looked up at the second floor and saw that Giles had also observed his reentrance. The Watcher was giving his glasses one last good wiping before all hell broke loose. Hopefully not literally

Xander didn't have anymore time for introspection because at that moment the ear-splitting cry of the fire alarm rang out. Most of the dancers stopped, and a few nervous nellies jumped in their seats at the unwelcome sound. The doorman abandoned his post to see what was going on inside. Xander and Buffy grabbed either side of him and started guiding him and everyone else toward the back emergency exit. A few stragglers exited through the front, Xander saw, but thankfully they went in the opposite direction he'd seen the vamps approaching from.

With the Bronzers going with the flow towards the back exit, Buffy came up to Xander and yelled in his ear so she could be heard over the siren. "Great plan, Einstein! I can't even hear myself think!"

Xander had the decency to look ashamed before he shouted back. "All right, so it's not my best idea ever! But I didn't hear you come up with anything better Little Miss Chosen One!"

Buffy shook her head and rolled her eyes, then got back to business. "How many!?" she asked earnestly.

"About ten! Less if Deadboy does something!"

"Deadboy!?"

"Yeah! Angel!" Doh! She's probably wondering why I called him that. No time to explain now, though. I just hope he doesn't go all fangy in front of Buffy if he shows himself

The last Bronze patrons were shuffling out the back when a six and a half foot tall ox-of-a-vampire charged through the front door, with eight puny (in comparison) minions on his heels. All were wearing their 'game faces' and looked thoroughly pissed. Xander noticed their drop in numbers. Thank you, Deadboy! I'm getting you an economy size bag-o-blood when this is over. Assuming you're not a pile of dust and I'm not a stain on the dance floor

Luke seemed about as peeved at the noise as they were, and finding its source, reached above the doorway to wrench the fire bell off the wall. The wail finally ended, though everyone's ears were still ringing.

When the vamps walked in the door, Buffy had unzipped her bag and pulled out a crossbow, preloaded, and tossed it to Xander. She retrieved her own, as well. Though Buffy had never picked up a crossbow before tonight, inherent weapons skills came with the whole Slayer package. She'd proven that after her first six practice shots at the library were all bulls-eyes.

Buffy and Xander stood in the middle of the vacated dance floor, crossbows pointing at the ground. The vamps hung by the door until Luke had finished ripping the bell off the wall. Willow and Jesse had returned from tripping the alarm and were wielding a cross and a stake, respectively.

"Thanks for doing that," Buffy said calmly to Luke after he'd turned to face her. "Kicking your ass'll be a whole lot funner when you can hear my witty repartee."

Xander smirked. Same old Buffy

Luke laughed mockingly at them. "Pathetic children. You think you can stop the Master's ascension? Your lifeblood will set him free!"

"Y'know," Xander said, "Darla thought that too. Until I shoved a piece of wood through her chest." Good move, Harris. Piss off the walking pile of muscles

Luke's yellow, animalistic eyes flared with rage. "You!! The Master has his own plans for you!"

"Wow. I've been noticed by the big guy himself. Y'know, I always wanted to be popular in high school," Xander said with a smile.

Before any more words could be spoken, there was a thwack from the Bronze's second level, and an instant later, an arrow impaled one of the vampire minions through the chest. An instant after impact, it exploded into ashes.

Giles had a crossbow, too.

Human beings, in situations of stress, can sometimes fall victim to their instincts, even if their safety is compromised by them. Apparently, that failing can be passed on to the undead.

In this case, all the vampires automatically snapped their heads toward the source of the sound, and saw Giles reloading his crossbow. Depending on the individual intelligence of each vampire, it took anywhere from less than a second to a few moments to remember that there were two other crossbow-toting enemies facing them.

Which was not enough time for the two targets. Buffy and Xander raised their weapons when the first vampire died and fired, the Slayer a second earlier than Xander. Neither took a shot at Luke, who had been the first to turn back to them. Xander had advised against it, since older vampires have sharper reflexes and thus the ability to dodge arrows or even snatch them out of the air. The two arrows flew true, and seconds later there were two new dust piles where once stood creatures of the night.

Three down, six to go Xander thought grimly. There was no time to reload his crossbow, because the vampires had leapt in to attack. Luke hung back, waiting for his minions to bring the sacrifices. One charged up the stairs toward Giles, while the other four bore down on Buffy and Xander. The undead misjudged the situation badly, with three taking on Xander, by appearances the bigger threat, while the runt of the pack advanced on the 110-pounds-soaking-wet Slayer.

The first minion was halfway up the stairs when Giles finished reloading his crossbow. He hurried his shot, and as a result, struck the vamp above and to the left of its heart. The creature grunted in pain, but resumed climbing after a moment of discomfort. Dropping the crossbow, Giles quickly bent over and rummaged through his bag. The vamp reached the top of the stairs and snarled at the Watcher before springing at him. Giles jumped back just out the vamp's clawed reach. It was off balance long enough for Giles to pop the cork on a bottle of holy water and splash it in the creature's face.

It howled in pain, clawing at his smoldering face. The Watcher barreled forward, pushing the vampire against the railing and flipping it over it. The vamp flailed his arms wildly as he went over, his claw catching Giles on his right arm, ripping his tweed jacket but not digging into his arm. The vampire fell fifteen feet to the stage below, right onto a microphone stand impaling him through his abdomen. Giles regarded his ripped coat with dismay.

"You're bloody lucky I have a closet full of these," he mumbled to no one in particular. He retrieved a cross and stake and headed downstairs to assist his Slayer.

Buffy, meanwhile, had a pathetically easy time with the scrawny vamp that approached her. It lashed out at her carelessly, which she easily ducked. She grabbed his arm and effortlessly flipped him on his back. Stunned by the turn of events, the vamp put up no resistance when Buffy plunged the stake into his chest. "I'm not even gonna dignify that fight with a retort."

Xander was in for it, however. He could take on a vamp one-on-one and have a good chance at survival, but being on the wrong end of three-to-one odds as he was, he was doomed. He let the first one charge in close to him, then jammed a cross in its face. The vampire's act of pulling his upper body back while still moving forward sent him stumbling to the ground. Xander was about to stake him when he was blind sided by the second vamp, and sent sprawling.

Xander lost his grip on his stake, but held onto his cross. He tried to jump back to his feet, but was instead hauled up by an angry vampire grabbing him by his jacket. He tried to bring the cross up to defend himself, but it was kicked out of his hand by the third vamp. Now completely defenseless, Xander was hurled at the feet of the first vampire, just getting up. "Give him to Luke. A soul for the Master!"

I'm really not liking the way this is going Xander thought irrelevantly. All of a sudden, the second vamp, the one who'd thrown him, gasped in pain. He was pushed forward, revealing his attacker as Jesse, and a stake in his back. The vamp fell to the ground and...

Didn't burst to dust.

"Missed the heart, Jess," Xander groaned. The first vampire, picking Xander up, abruptly dropped him, owing to the fact that his arms, and the rest of him had turned to dust. Xander looked up and saw his blond savior above him.

"But I didn't," Buffy said. She was about to attack the third vamp, which had turned on Jesse and Willow when two meaty hands grabbed her shoulders and threw her across the room into a stack of chairs.

"So, the Slayer," Luke growled, picking up a woozy Buffy and heaving her into a wall. "I was expecting something more."

"Join the club," she grumbled, getting to her feet before the monster could reach her. He grabbed for her again, but she ducked out of his grasp. She leapt into a spin kick which caught Luke in the back of his head, staggering him forward into the wall she'd previously met. He tried a backhand punch that Buffy ducked, and she responded with two roundhouse kicks to Luke's abdomen. He grabbed her leg when she attempted a third, and hurled her backwards, in amongst the tables.

Xander regained his feet soon after Luke had sent Buffy flying into the wall. He got up in time to see the third vamp punch Jesse in the gut, winding him and sending him crumpled to the floor. Willow jumped to her friend's aid, shoving the cross she held in her shaking hand at the vampire. "Get away from him!" she yelled as forcefully as she could. The vampire cowered back, growling at the red-head. Xander knew that the cross wouldn't hold him back forever.

The second vamp, the one with the stake in its back, had gotten to its knees and was trying to remove said stake. Xander reared back and kicked it squarely in the jaw, probably loosening a few teeth. The creature flopped forward again, and Xander withdrew the stake, eliciting another moan of pain from the beleaguered vamp.

Xander crept up behind the vamp threatening Jesse and Willow, and tapped it on the shoulder. Then it did exactly what Xander expected. It spun around and tried to backhand him. Xander simply ducked, popped back up, and stabbed him through the heart. Poof, dust, dead.

Willow sighed in relief, lowering the cross and bending down to help Jesse up. Xander did so as well, setting his stake on the floor. He heard a snarl behind him a few seconds later, and mentally berated himself as he groped after his stake. He'd forgotten about the last vamp in his concern for Jesse. He finally grasped it and stood, only to have the wounded vampire barrel into him. However, as he went down with the vamp on top, the thing suddenly crumbled to dust, and a stake fell harmlessly onto Xander's chest.

Xander sneezed when the dust cloud descended on him, then opened his eyes to see Giles extending him his hand. Xander grabbed it and the older man helped him to his feet. "Thanks, G-Man," Xander wheezed, followed by another sneeze.

"Don't call me that," Giles responded after a half-hearted sigh.

Xander just smirked.

Until he heard an 'oof' from the table area. He turned and saw Luke marching toward a fallen Buffy.

Buffy flipped herself to her feet in time to face the big vampire. He swung a haymaker at her head, but she blocked it and answered with a three punch combo of her own, finishing with a jumping front kick that caught Luke under his chin. The Vessel tottered back, bumping into and sprawling back on a table.

Buffy grabbed a metal stool as she stalked toward Luke. Raising it over her head, she brought it down on his midsection. Once. Twice. Three times. Then she swung it in his face, sending Luke tumbling over onto the floor. She discarded the dented stool and looked around for something wooden and pointy.

"Buffy!" someone yelled. She spun around to see a stake flying end-over-end through the air, courtesy of Xander. Deftly catching it, Buffy turned back to Luke, who was back on his feet.

"All right, Vessel-boy, this is where you get off," she quipped. Luke roared and lunged at Buffy. She stepped to the side and quickly spun on her heel, burying her stake in his back as he missed her by a mile. Luke's body blackened and crumbled away before it even hit the ground.

A post-battle silence descended over the Bronze, but was broken by a moan from Jesse, still nursing his sore gut. "I kicked his ass right?" he rasped out. "I-I beat him down and saved the world?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure ya did, Jess," Xander replied, grinning. "Sure ya did."

"Is it over?" Willow asked tentatively

"Yup!" Xander exclaimed. "Dusty over there is dust, so we can go party now. Woowoo!!" he whooped, throwing his arms in the air in celebration.

Everyone looked at Xander like he'd grown another head.

"No party, then?"

* * * * *

January 8, 1997

12:15 AM

The Master's Lair

The Master looked upon his depleted ranks with shock and rage. If it wasn't for the fact that so many of his minions had fallen in the last two nights, he'd have ripped a few of them apart by now to sate his fury. Only one vampire, barely two years a member of the undead, had escaped the Bronze alive, if not unharmed. He was still clutching his midsection in pain where he'd been impaled by a metal pole.

Luke was dead. The Master knew that. He'd felt his eldest (after the death of Darla) childe die as he'd awaited his opportunity to break down the mystical barrier keeping him from the world. Now his eldest minion was Jason, whom he'd sired in Britain in 1918. If the last two nights were any indication, however, he was not nearly a match for his enemies.

Especially now that the nature of the forces arrayed against him had become clear. A Slayer. A powerful one at that if she had defeated Luke. Angelus. Darla's favorite childe now had turned and bit the hand that fed it. And four humans. One a Watcher, as the Master assumed he was based on the first hand description his injured minion had given. The other three, though, seemed to be mere children. Except for the fact that one Alexander Harris was among them. The surviving minion reported that he'd recognized Harris as he'd destroyed one of his comrades. He and the Slayer had fought side by side and he'd carried himself well in the battle. He was the wild card in the deck, and the Master knew not to underestimate those he did not understand.

And so, the Master was pessimistic about his future plans. His adversaries were few, but powerful. His forces, on the other hand, were few but weak. The Order of Aurelius would arrive in several weeks to bring him the Annointed One, but would then depart soon thereafter. With a Slayer on the surface, he dared not risk his few remaining minions in an effort to fill his ranks. As much as he was loathe to admit it, he would require outside assistance in order to once again gain the upper hand in time for the prophecy to open the Hellmouth.

"Jason," the Master called, taking care to keep his voice even and his frustration at bay. "Contact London. Have them enlist The Three and bring them to me..."

* * * * *

January 8, 1997

8:45 AM

Sunnydale High School

"He's a vampire!?" Buffy asked a little too loudly as she and Xander walked up the path to school.

Xander winced at her blurted out question. "Y'know, normally, I'd make some crack about someone really far away not hearing you, but in this town it wouldn't matter. People only hear what they want to hear."

"Oops, sorry," she said, abashed. "But, how can he be a good guy if he's all evil and, y'know, fangy?"

"Well, Angel's a special case. 'Bout a century ago, he *was* all evil and stuff, but then he killed the wrong person. His victim's family cursed him with a soul, so that he'd have to live for eternity with the guilt. So he's doing this whole redemption deal now and helping you is part of that. Therefore, he's a white hat. For now."

"What!? Whaddya mean 'for now?'" Buffy asked, agitated.

"Well, his curse has this escape clause, where if he experiences a quote, moment of perfect happiness, unquote, his soul goes bye-bye and he's evil-killer-guy again."

"Soooo, what qualifies as a quote, moment of perfect happiness, unquote?" Buffy asked with a smile.

"Basically ... sex."

"He can't have sex!?" Buffy asked, again in a raised voice, causing a few heads to turn their way.

Xander addressed the eavesdroppers. "She's not talking about me! *I* am a tornado in the sack!" he said without an ounce of shame. I guess Anya did rub off on me

Buffy was another matter. Her face had turned red after her outburst, and redder still after Xander's. She was also giggling uncontrollably, and had to stop and lean against a wall to catch her breath. Xander's expression of sexual prowess had also jump-started the naughty corner of her mind and sent it veering in interesting directions.

"Are you mocking my manliness, Miss Summers?" Xander asked mock-seriously. "Because I'll have you know, I may be in a sixteen year old body, but I am *ALL* man!" he stated, waggling his eyebrows.

Buffy rolled her eyes after she'd stifled her laughter. "You're all something, all right."

Xander looked at her strangely. "Whatever that means," he said and continued walking the halls. "Anyway, where was I? ... Oh yeah! Deadboy can't get a happy or he goes all serial killer on us." Might as well slip this in... "Not disappointed, are ya? Now that 'annoyingly gorgeous' can't put out?"

"What!?" Buffy exclaimed, in what Xander realized, with some satisfaction, was a tone almost akin to disgust. "Why would I..." she stopped and looked thoughtfully at Xander. "Did I before?" she asked curiously.

Danger! Danger! "Well, you considered it for a while," Like three years "but then realized it could never really work out because of the curse and the whole two hundred years age difference." That's not ... totally a lie Xander justified to himself, then decided to go on the offensive. "Hey!" he asserted. "I'm not here to guide you through your love life, missy. It'll ruin the surprise!"

"OK, OK!" she apologized. "I don't think I wanna go out with a walking corpse, in any case. I think I'll stick to the land of the living when it comes to dating," she concluded assuredly. "Well, I've gotta go check in with Giles before class. You wanna come?"

Xander shook his head. "Na. Tell 'im I'll be stopping by after school though. I've got some stuff I need to talk to him about." She nodded and started to walk away.

"Oh, and Buffy?" Xander added, and she turned around. In a manner he hoped wasn't patronizing, he said, "Ya did great last night."

A half smile crept up her lips before she turned back and headed off to see her Watcher.

Xander smiled all the way to his locker, where he saw Willow and Jesse chattin' it up. As far as he could tell, this first part of his mission had gone off without a hitch. Two of the Master's most powerful minions were dust, the Harvest had been averted, Jesse saved, and Buffy turned off Angel and, he hoped, on to him. Swish! Nothin' but net

End VI