Chapter 5

The next morning Buffy stormed into the library and threw a short sword down on to the oak table in the middle of the library.

"Giles this stupid magic sword is broken!"

"What do you mean?" The confused watcher replied as he thought to himself, 'what magic sword?'

"The one that Scorchio gave me to kill the vamps with, in the Bronze last night.

"Scorchio?"

"She means Scorpion, Giles." Cammy answered.

"Scorchio, Scorpion; anyway after the Bronze I decided to use it on patrol. It was fine at first dusting vamps with just a scratch but after a while it stopped working and some stupid vamp managed to rip my new top!"

"Maybe it only works for its owner, or only for a set period of time, or may be its powered by a spell." Willow babbled.

A resounding knock on the library door ended all the speculation. A ninja dressed like Scorpion but in blue entered carrying a scroll. Scanning the room as if searching for a particular person or threat, he eventually addressed the group.

"I am Sub-Zero, master of the Lin Keui and I am here to challenge the warrior known as Scorpion." His quiet yet commanding voice resonated around the library.

"Why come here?"

"Because I believe that he is in this room, after all three times he has come to the aid of the slayer, just like a good friend would. Besides to ensure that he turns up we have a friend of yours."

Ken stood up from his chair and approached,

"I am Ken Masters, National Karate Champion , blood brother to Ryu the wanderer and a student of the Shun Goku Satu style and master of the Shoryuken, I accept your..."

"Sit down!" The ninja his voice glacial, froze the watcher in his tracks.

"I have no quarrel with you, I seek to banish the fiend Scorpion before he can subvert your group to his evil schemes. The Gym, Midnight."

His message delivered he left the library and vanished into the shadows.

"Xander! They've captured Xander. We have to save him."

The Willow babbled was mostly undecipherable to all present in the moment of silence followed as they try to work it out.

Xander entered the library he was supposed to meet Cordy out front 10 minutes ago but she hadn't turned up.

"Xander!"

Willow noticing his entrance spent towards him his air arms outstretched to envelop him. Sidestepping the last possible second to avoid her embrace he turned to address the others missing the look of hurt on her face.

"What's up?"

After being briefed by Giles look of anger crossed his face coming to rest in his eyes.

"They've got Cordy. She was supposed to meet me outside 10 minutes ago. "

He turned to leave the library but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

He looked into Giles's concerned eyes and his trademark smile graced his lips with his eyes burnt with fury.

"I'm going to get Scorpion and rescue my girlfriend."

"If you know who he is and you have to tell me I mean us!" Willow exclaimed.

"I have to what? What makes you think I have to tell you anything?" Xander turned and stormed from the room.

Dinnertime found Buffy searching for Xander, finding him sitting under a tree in the quad she slowly approached.

"You hurt her you know, avoiding her hug before."

Looking up at the slayer, Xander patted of the glass beside him. Sitting down Buffy waited for a reply.

"I've known Willow a long time Buffy, and that is something that I know about her that you don't. Willow is a master manipulator. That look of hurt on her face when I avoided her was just for you. Counting on your anger she expected you to find me and start issuing orders demanding I apologise, knowing I would refuse and so widen the rift between us. By the way, why aren't you screaming at me?"

"Shouting wasn't getting me any answers and just left us both mad so I thought I'd try a change of tactics and talk."

Taking a close look at the Slayer and seeing the earnest expression on her face Xander thought about his answer.

"Ok something's for you to think about, did I ever like Angel? No. Did I ever hide the fact or pretend to like him to get closer to you? No. After you told me that you didn't think of me like that did I ever ask you out again or pester you? Be honest, was it you who thought I was jealous or was it Willow who implanted the idea?"

"I don't know, this is a lot to think about and take at face value."

"Believe me or not that's your choice, but do me a favour, when you see Willow tell her we argued. Tell her I asked you to think about what Angel would have wanted, would he wanted to be re-souled to find out he had hurt or even killed the girl he loves. Then listen ."

"What?"

"Listen to what she says, really listen because I can guarantee that it will still be all my fault for lying to you and now how it's just you and her forever."

Standing Xander looked at the quiet slayer.

"I do love you Buff, like a sister. I just don't like you very much at the moment."

Standing Buffy looked at the young man in front of her. He hadn't apologised for his lie nor had he tried to shift the blame for the act and yet he had given her a lot to think about.

"There's a meeting in the library after school to plan to save Cordelia."

Noticing the pain in his eyes, Buffy reached up and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek, which was observed and noted by many.

"We will save her you know."

"I know Buff, I know."

The meeting in the library was yet to start. Ken, Cammy and Xander had still to arrive. Buffy had been strangely quiet since lunch and it was starting to bug the red haired witch.

"What's the matter Buffy?"

Deciding to put Xander's theory to the test, Buffy began to rant about how her and Xander had fought yet again and how he had brought up Angel's possible point of view. Willow was quick to respond, her face a mask of anger and sympathy but her eyes held a flash of satisfaction, victory?

"How would Xander know what Angel would have wanted, he hated him remember! Trying to use Angel's feelings for you to shift the blame is a low blow even for him. You could have held off Angelus till I had completed the spell and then you and Angel would be happy together. I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to him again, the lying traitorous ...!"

The sound of the library door opening halted her rant mid flow as Ken, Cammy and Xander entered the library.

Willow was glaring at him as he expected, Buffy stood slightly behind her offered a sad smile before nodding her head slowly and turning her back.

Using her military knowledge Cammy was the main voice in planning the rescue with any and all additions put forward by Xander being shot down and ridiculed by Willow, until the frustration became too much for him.

"There are only two problems with the plan. One these are ninja and so will be expecting and planned on sneakiness and secondly I won't be there to carry out my part."

"What?"

"What's the matter Xander too cowardly to help rescue your girlfriend? Well if you can't be bothered why should we?"

"I have to do something for Scorpion; it's the price for saving Cordy."

"And what is this price may I ask?" Cammy inquired, concerned that the ninja expected payment.

"The Xander Harris you know must die," he whispered and before anyone could stop him he left the library and vanished into the night.

Buffy hearing his whisper raced after him to stop him but was too late.