Welcome to:
Two of a kind
Chapter 1
Toth strode along the back alleys of Sunnydale, searching for the one who eluded him. No one got away when Toth targeted them. He stopped and lifted his head. His target was close. Very close.
This one, this specimen had been chosen for his uniqueness. What he had, none other like him had ever possessed. Nor would they want to. Their existence on this earth was not meant to be lived like that.
He was perfect for Toth. Two sides of a coin, light and dark; an anomaly. Yes, this one would be interesting to study. God help the world when this monstrosity is unleashed once again. Toth actually felt excitement fill his long forgotten heart. Chaos always brought out the best in the human world.
Toth swung round and thrust out his staff, catching the vampire as he tried to escape. Yes, things were about to get very interesting.
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Buffy smiled as Willow said the words and the Xander's were just Xander once again. It had been way too confusing having both of them in the room at the same time. Her head spun when Anya suggested a threesome with the two Xander's'. Gross.
'Let the spell be ended,' Willow intoned.
When she didn't say anything more, Xander opened his eyes 'You gotta be kidding. "Let the spell be ended," that's not gonna work,' he turned to look at the other him to find no one there. 'Oh,' he said happily.
'I liked it the other way… put him back,' Anya complained loudly.
Everyone ignored her. Buffy helped Willow as the witch began to clean up the remnants of the spell. Riley's arms stole around her waist and she fought the urge to remove herself from his arms. Even though she loved Riley, sometimes it still felt wrong to be in his arms.
Her hand came up and covered one of his. She meant to draw his hands away but he took hold of the limb and held onto it tightly. Buffy took a deep breath and forced herself to relax in the commando's arms.
When she looked up she noticed Willow watching her closely. Buffy forced a content smile onto her face before bending back to her task. Riley kissed the top of her head lightly, then let go of her and slipped away to help Xander.
'Everything okay?' Willow asked quietly.
'I'm fine,' Buffy lied to her friend.
She couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness. She'd thought it had been emanating form Riley but even after he had moved away it was still there. Setting down the candles she had picked up, Buffy moved to the front door of the Magic box and looked through the glass out to the street. There was nothing there. She hadn't really expected there to be.
Shrugging her shoulders, she turned and rejoined the mismatched group of friends. Two witches, a commando, a Watcher, a Slayer, a thousand year old ex-vengeance demon, and the self-proclaimed Zeppo made up the group of friends. Buffy wouldn't trade them for the world.
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Buffy picked up another one of Xander's packed boxes and carried it out to the waiting cars. Xander and Riley were doing the same while Anya sat on a stool reading a magazine. The two men dumped the boxes by the door and both turned to survey the room.
'Getting nostalgic?' Riley asks as Xander looked around the room.
'I don't know. At first it's just a place, then you start to make memories, and ... then you're like…that's where Spike slept, and, there, that's where Anya and I drowned the Separvo demon. Oh! And… and right there, that's where I got my heart all ripped out,' he shook his head. 'I really hate this place.'
Buffy strolled back in through the doors as Xander and Riley picked their boxes back up. She headed for another loaded box and noticed Anya sitting there. 'Anya. I see you've joined the non-sling-wearing crowd.'
'Yes, I'm feeling better. And I anticipate many years before my death. Excepting disease or airbag failure,' Anya said brightly.
'That sounds nice,' Buffy placated her before she carried the box out the door.
Xander approached Anya with a box in his arms. 'Ooh!' she tossed the magazine aside and stared at the box eagerly. 'Presents?'
'Not unless you want my collection of Babylon 5 commemorative plates… which you cannot have. I just thought you could help carry a little,' he hinted not so subtly.
'Me?' she pouted. She gestured towards the open door. 'Buffy has super strength. Why don't we just load her up like one of those little horses?'
'Anya. Please,' he said wearily.
'Fine. I'm just your slave,' the ex-vengeance demon took the box from him and marched out the door.
Xander and Riley watcher her go. 'How is it that she can always make me feel Suave Xander's left the building?' he asked the room, not really expecting an answer.
'You two have your friction, but ... she digs the whole package. It's obvious,' Riley said as he packed another box.
'Still, I do envy you sometimes,' Xander sighed. 'I mean for the sanity. Not that I'm still into Buffy,' he said quickly as he noticed the commando's look. 'Not that I ever was,' he amended.
Riley grinned. 'Hey, I'm well aware of how lucky I am. Like, lottery lucky. Buffy's like nobody else in the world. When I'm with her it's like ... it's like I'm split in two. Half of me is just ... on fire, going crazy if I'm not touching her. The other half ... is so still and peaceful ... just perfectly content. Just knows: this is the one,' he smiled slightly and returned to packing. After a moment he raised his gaze. 'But she doesn't love me.'
Xander stood silently staring at the Iowa farm boy. He didn't know what to say. He was saved from an answer however when Buffy appeared in the doorway.
'Got something else for me to carry?' she asked Riley brightly.
'Uh, you can help me pack this,' Riley offered her.
'Sure,' she walked over to him and kissed him quickly. 'Sure.'
Xander watched them, not having noticed Buffy's reluctance to kiss the commando.
What did you think? I'm sorry for those who already read this and were confused because of the no seperating thing... All fixed as you can see.
