Author's Note: What if Xander experimented with witchcraft?

Season 2 "Becoming Part 2"

As much as Xander wanted to see Buffy kick Angel's ass, he had to remain in bed. The doctor's report confirmed that his concussion was a little more critical than he expected. They suggested at least another night in the hospital for a full recovery.

Cordelia and Willow sat on either side of his bed, twiddling their thumbs impatiently.

"She'll be fine, it's not like she hasn't kicked his ass before." The boy said.

"That's not what I'm worried about… well it is but, the spell." Cordelia said.

"What about it? You heard Giles; it's only a 50/50 percent chance that it'll work. I think we should just lay back in this itchy hospital bed, let Buffy do her slaying thing, and sip lemonades as she brags about her sword connecting with Angel's chest."

"Xander." Willow said, giving him that look of disappointment he hated. "This is serious. Apocalypse serious. If Acathla is released into the world, we're all doomed."

"Yeah, but if Buffy kills Angel we don't have to worry about him. Right?" A wide-eyed Cordelia asked. .

"It's not that simple, we don't even know if the rituals started." Willow's inquisitive look fell upon her face as she brushed her chin with her index finger.

"What are you thinking?" Cordelia asked.

"I can't remember the entire spell, but I think I can improvise."

"I could drop by the library and grab the book." Cordelia suggested.

"No time. Oz has some supplies in the van. Could you run out and get them?"

"Of course," Cordelia left the room, leaving Xander and Willow.

"Okay, just to get confirmation… we are doing the spell?"

"Right, and I don't care what you say; I think we have a sure chance to restore Angel."

"Fine. What can I do?"

"Chant, it shouldn't take long."

"Yah know you and Cordy owe me for my manly way of stopping those vamps from killing you."

"By manly, you mean nearly getting bumbled to death?"

"Pretty much."

Later

"Candles are lit," Xander said. Cordelia nodded in agreement.

"Stinky herbs are a go" she added.

"Here we go," Willow said. She closed her eyes tightly as Cordy and Xander began their hums. The orb, which was the only thing Cordelia managed to rescue from the library, rested on the wheeled desk placed over Xander's bed. The herbs and candles surrounded it on a shiny, white bowl.

A picture of the rough sheet of parchment flashed in Willow's head. The ancient words came to mind once she began the spell. Lucky for her, the first half could only be re-sighted in the spell caster's native tongue. English.

"I call upon the Goddess of Restoration to seek the lost soul of a warrior. A soul that was once tormented by evil and vicious to the righteous. All that is pure and good shall be returned to the form of Angelus, the destroyer. Let him be pure and the evil that he is consumed in be gone."

"Blessed be, the Goddess of Restoration." Cordelia and Xander chanted.

"Paxapt zo... paxapt zo..." Willow began, but her bizzaro lingo didn't last long. "I can't remember the rest! Damn it. I hate Gibberish.Uh, pum paxapt zo dewol eb lochelaxatien te zo dolsen joxt vo!"

A harsh force collided with Xander's head. The pain showed no sign of simmering once his neck snapped to the ceiling; his pupils black and his arms outstretched.

"Pum caxarr en feth zo belcos eb ovir pi keew te lochelo zo seur eb zo un pulo." His voice was horse and his concentration intact on the orb in front of him. Both Willow and Cordelia took notice and were extremely shaken by the ordeal. The only language Xander perfected was English and he barely spoke that properly. What the hell was going on? "Pum caxarr upen zo. PUM CAXARR UPEN ZO!"

"Hey, speak English." Cordelia ordered, tapping his shoulder. A sudden gust of wind proceeded to force her and Willow back.

"PAUZĂ PE EL! PAUZĂ PE EL!" The orb shimmered and Xander's aching head fell onto the pillows.

Two Days Later

Neither Xander, Willow nor Cordelia had seen Buffy since the hospital. Oz, who was in a hurry to get a tortured Giles out of the mansion, hadn't stuck around to ensure the slayer's safety.

The following Monday, Giles, Willow, Cordelia, Oz and a slightly bruised and battered Xander stood on the lawn of Sunnydale High.

"Maybe the spell did work and they just wanted be alone." Willow suggested.

"Perhaps, but in due time Buffy will have to appear. She still has school to worry about." Giles said.

"Yeah, she'll come up." Oz put in.

"I'm still a little fuzzy on how Xander went all exorcist." Cordelia said.

"Me too. Whatever possessed me provided some serious head trauma."

"Yeah, I looked into that. The spell required me to say 'pass the power of restoration to me and allow the evil to be gone.' Not being a master of either Gibberish or Latin, it came out 'pass the power of restoration to the person next to me and allow them to restore what was gone." Willow explained.

"Mmm, remind me to leave the room next time you do magic."

"Hey," Willow playfully punched the boy in his ribs. She'd forgotten he'd been bruised there. "Sorry." The gang proceeded to the school entrance.

In the distance, Buffy watched as her friends entered the high. This would probably be the last time she'd lay eyes on them, but she needed to get away. Away from this town, away from her… and away from what she did.

She loved them all dearly, even Cordelia, but she needed to cope in her own way.

Running away…

Author's Note: I know the original spell was in Latin, but the translator I used was crap so I used a gibberish translator and it appeared to work. So tell me what you think so far, this is the beginning of Xander's interest in experimenting with the magicks.