Groundhog Buffy

by maxser

Some of the Buffyverse find that the days are repeating.

GROUNDHOG BUFFY

A STORY BY SCOTT ALAN HANSON

PROLOGUE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "I hate mornings," he said to himself.

His cell phone on the night stand began to ring. He angrily kicked off the covers and sat up. He reached out for the phone. "It's Xander," he said, answering the phone. "Gunn? What's up?... I know... We're expecting you later today... It's not a problem. I'm looking forward to it... Buffy is... hard to get a straight answer out of recently... Nina is more than welcome. I don't have a problem with it... Have the pilot call on approach. I'll send out transportation... See you soon."

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

He reached over and picked up the radio. "Hey Dawn," Xander replied. "You leaving?"

"On my way out," she replied. "Sort of missed you for breakfast."

"I'm having trouble getting started today," he stated. "I'll see you after school."

"What time are they coming?" Dawn asked.

"By the time you get back, they should be here," he replied. "You didn't tell Buffy, right?"

"Far as I know, she doesn't know a thing," Dawn stated. "She's not going to be happy with the surprise."

"Get to school," he replied.

"I love you," she stated.

"Love you too," he replied. He stood up slowly and stretched.

"What do you think she's going to be less happy about?" a female voice came from the bathroom. "That you invited L.A. to come for a visit? Or you and me?"

"I didn't keep you and me a secret," He replied. "If she was ever around, she would know. Rolph knows. Dawn probably knows."

"Yeah," Faith stated. "They do. But you could have told her."

"She doesn't seem all that talkative lately," Xander replied.

"No one likes being dumped," she stated.

"The Immortal," Xander said. "What kind of name is that anyhow?"

"He's very powerful," she said. "And not hard on the eyes."

"Hey!" Xander snapped.

"And nothing compared to my guy," she said as she walked into the bedroom. "You're the only one for me."

"God," Xander replied. "I wish that was true." He looked her up and down. "I love you so much, Faith."

"That was a different life," she stated. She walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed passionately. "You are the only guy I want in my life, ever again."

"Then why won't you move in with me?" Xander asked as he stared into her eyes.

"It's a lot to take in all at once," Faith replied. "I've only been here for like six months. We've only been together a few weeks. That's a long commitment for me. Can we just, take it slow?"

"Of course," he stated. "I understand."

"Hey," she replied, tilting her head towards him. "I've waited... You told me we should wait. So I have."

"I know," he replied.

"You are attracted to me, right?" she asked, suddenly.

He looked at her with surprise. "It is very hard to look at you and not...," he tried to answer. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"That's a lot of pressure," she replied. "Soon."

"Yes," he replied. "I just thought you should know me first. The real me."

"I've spent almost every minute with you for the past two weeks," she stated. "We sleep together... literally. I think I know you."

"And you still want to be with me?" he questioned.

"Yes," she replied. "Absolutely." She pulled him tight against her and softly kissed his lips. "So, everyone's coming today."

"Yep," he stated.

"I understand that you wanted to get everyone together," she said. "The whole gang. Your group. The L.A.'s. But why not tell Buffy?" Xander began to get dressed.

"I was afraid she'd take off," he replied. "She's feeling all hurt and embarrassed about the Immortal thing. And I'm sure she's heard about Angel's new girlfriend. I figured a surprise attack was best."

"Like that's not going to blow up in your face," Faith stated. She looked over at the clock on the dvr. "You woke us late. We should probably get to the office."

"We had a late night," he said with a sly smile.

"Full body massages take time," she replied. "I can't believe you went to sleep after that. If I didn't have personal experience, I'd be wondering about you."

"I'm not gay," he stated.

"I've been sleeping in the same bed with you a while," she replied. "You're definitely not gay."

"That's not really something I can control," Xander said with some embarrassment. She smiled wide.

She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him towards the door. "Work," she stated.

"Do we have to?" he whined.

"I can't believe I'm the responsible one in this relationship," she replied. "You told me that I should have a job. You hired me."

"The president of the Council needs an assistant," he stated.

"The president of the Council needs to get to his office and start working," she replied.

"You ever have one of those days where you just can't get going?" he asked.

"Most days," she replied. "Usually, you're dragging me from bed."

"It just feels like this day has gone on forever," he stated.

"You just got up," she replied.

"I know," he stated. He walked over to the refrigerator and retrieved a beer.

"I'm not sure that is the best way to get going," she replied.

"It's the way I start everyday," he stated. "You know that."

She grabbed the beer from his hand. "Not today," she said. "Work." He made a pouting face. "I don't like being the responsible one." She handed the beer back to him. He smiled. "When did you become the bad influence?" He smiled wider and kissed her hard.

i*****

"Hurry up," Kennedy yelled.

"It's a private jet," Willow yelled back. "It's not like they can leave without us."

"It doesn't mean that Xander doesn't have them on a schedule," Kennedy replied. "It's a week. We're not moving."

Willow stepped into the room carrying two large suitcases. Kennedy just shook her head. "It's cold there," Willow said. "I needed winter clothes. And swimsuits for the pool. And hiking shoes. And dresses if we go out to dinner. And..."

"I get it," Kennedy replied. She lifted a small duffel from the floor. "We are really nothing alike."

"That's why you married me," Willow replied with a sly smile. Kennedy walked over and kissed her lips tenderly. She handed her duffel to Willow and picked up her two suitcases.

"Let's go," Kennedy stated. "The limo is waiting."

"I can't wait to see everybody," Willow said. "It's been so long."

"Are you going to talk to him about the other stuff?" Kennedy asked.

"You're willing to do that?" Willow questioned. "You want to move back there once we finish school?"

"Why not," Kennedy replied. "The lab job Xander offered you is incredible. He gave me a list of available positions for me." They exchanged a quick glance. "Naughty." She wagged her finger. "He's really willing to bend over backwards to find me something." Willow started to smile again. "So, why not. It's a great opportunity for you. And you'll get to see your friends."

"You're the only one I want," Willow stated. "I need you to be happy. There are a lot of opportunities available in the world. Even ones at other Council offices."

"No," Kennedy replied. "I want you to accept the offer. It's a good one. You'll have your friends. We'll still be together all the time."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Kennedy replied. Willow threw her arms around her neck and hugged her. She lifted her head and kissed her lips. "Honey. I am a Slayer. But my arms still get tired."

"Sorry," Willow said.

"And the limo driver is getting very impatient," Kennedy added.

"I'm ready," she replied. They walked out the front door.

i*****

"So, Spike was talking earlier," Nina said, from the bed.

"Oh, honey," Angel replied from the bathroom. "I've warned you before about listening to him."

"He said that this place we're going to, the Council, is your ex-girlfriend's castle," Nina continued.

"It's not a castle," Angel replied.

"I did just notice that you didn't deny the ex-girlfriend part," Nina stated. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "Buffy lives there."

"You know we're not like that anymore," he said as he stepped from the bathroom in a towel. He held another one in his hand and dried his hair.

"So you and Spike didn't fly halfway around the world and traipse across an entire country looking for her?" she questioned.

"That was a case," Angel replied.

"Yes, the case," she replied. She rolled back onto her stomach and stared at him. "The missing head that you were supposed to retrieve. But you didn't actually return with the head, did ya?"

"Who exactly have you been talking to?" Angel asked. "Because I warned you. This is an evil law firm. The employees are evil."

She smiled crookedly. "You told me I could use your computer to learn more about the history of what I am," she replied. "I read some of your reports."

"I thought they were going to give you an access level," Angel said under his breath.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"So, Buffy?" she asked.

"That's noth...We're just friends," he replied.

"Does she know about me?" she asked.

"Well... it's not like I ... we don't have a lot of communication...," he stammered.

She shook her head. "You're going to hurt something, stop," she replied. "Just wanted to know what type of reception I should expect."

"Xander and Dawn know you're coming," Angel stated happily.

"Read about him too," she replied. "You should really watch your language in official reports. He can't really be that bad."

"He's not," Angel stated. "We just... don't get along so good."

"And yet he invited you and your staff," she replied. "That was nice."

"You will probably like him," Angel said. "And he'll like you." He turned away. "Probably too much." He said quietly.

"I heard that," she replied. "You tend to forget. Werewolf. Super hearing. So you two have this jealousy thing going on over Buffy?"

"Not exactly," he stated with a sigh. "Hey. I thought you were looking forward to this. Why the third degree?"

"I just wanted a vacation with my boyfriend," she replied. "I didn't realize we were walking into an episode of Dawson's Creek."

"If we were," Angel asked pointedly. "Who would you see me as? Dawson or Pacey?"

"It's more than a little disturbing that you actually know the names," she replied. She kicked her legs around and sat at the edge of the bed as Angel pulled on a shirt. She stood up and began buttoning it for him. She looked into his eyes. "Do you really want me to come? I would understand if you didn't."

He leaned down and softly kissed her lips. "Yes," he replied. "I want you to come."

"Wesley said Illyria was coming," she said. "Why?"

"We're not exactly sure what would happen if we left her alone," Angel replied. "She's a little unpredictable."

"That's...scary," Nina replied. "Wesley said it was sort of a grey area."

"Yeah," Angel replied. "We use that phrase a lot."

"Like when you let the ancient demon take away the world's free will last year?" she asked.

"You heard about that?" Angel asked.

"That," she replied, "and I suddenly remembered it in like two seconds while I was in the middle of a class."

"When Wolfram and Hart takes on a job, they definitely go the whole way," Angel commented.

"Yes," she said. "Thank you for making me suddenly remember sleeping with my ceramics teacher last year. In retrospect, he didn't even give me a good grade."

"Sorry about that," Angel said honestly.

She smiled. "Your lives are different than other peoples," she said.

"You noticed that," he replied. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "You ready?"

"Sure," she stated. "Cause there is no way that this could go badly."

i*****

Ice clinked against the glass Lorne held as he swirled it. "Don't you just love limos?" he asked.

"Do you ever not have a drink in your hand?" Gunn questioned.

"Honey buns," Lorne replied. "We're on vacation."

"What's your excuse the rest of the time?" Angel asked.

"So what is this Council place like?" Nina asked.

"Don't know," Gunn replied. "Never been there."

"It's a giant estate on a huge piece of property outside Seattle," Lorne replied.

"It's the Watcher's Council," Wesley stated. "The new Council. After the original Council was destroyed last year, Giles and the others took control of the Council's vast holdings. They formed the new Council."

"What is the ...Watcher's Council?" Nina asked. "If it's not secret." She looked to Angel.

"I've told you about the Slayer," Angel stated. "The Watcher's Council basically kept track of and trained the current vampire Slayer. Wesley was a watcher."

"You were?" Nina asked.

"With rather disastrous consequences," Wesley replied.

"That's an understatement," Spike said, also sipping from a glass.

"She saved our butts last year," Gunn stated.

"She did," Angel acknowledged. Nina looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Faith went bad for a while," Angel stated. "She went to prison."

"Wesley helped bust her out last year," Gunn continued. "She helped us capture Angelus."

"Is she good now?" Nina asked.

"She's working at the Council as Xander's assistant," Lorne stated. "Possibly more."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"Dawn said that things are changing with them," Lorne replied.

"Xander and Faith?" Angel questioned, with a little too much joy. Nina looked down.

Lorne looked to Angel and nodded towards Nina. Angel wrapped his arm around her. She smiled. "Have you been in contact with Dawn?" Wesley asked.

"Some months ago, Xander called to see if I could get him some tickets for a concert for Dawn," Lorne replied. "I managed some front row tickets and a backstage pass. Dawn called to thank me later. We've been phone buddies ever since." He sipped his drink. "It turns out that having a teenage girl's input in my line of work is very beneficial."

"So Xander is like the president of the Council?" Nina asked.

"Xander's the president," Angel replied. "Giles is the vice president. Actually, Xander included all of us when they set up the Council. He put Willow, Buffy, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne and me on the board."

"I thought he didn't like you," Nina stated.

"He doesn't," Wesley replied. "But he's become a very good president. Very generous to include us as part of the new Council."

"What's he like?" Gunn asked.

"An infantile child," Angel replied.

"Hey," Lorne said. "He's a nice guy. And he's lost a lot over the years. He lost his eye last year in battle. A few days later, he lost his girlfriend."

"How old is he?" Gunn asked.

"You don't know?" Nina asked.

"We've never met," Gunn replied. "Only Angel, Spike and Wesley know him from when they were back in Sunnydale."

"He used to date Cordelia in high school," Angel added.

"She was different then," Wesley stated.

"Yes she was," Angel replied, with a sentimental smile.

"We've lost a lot," Wesley suddenly said.

Angel looked to Lorne. "Any idea why he invited us?" he asked.

"Dawn doesn't know, specifically," Lorne replied. "He just made it very clear that he wanted everyone there."

"He probably just wants to knock off the leaders of Wolfram and Hart," Spike commented.

"He wouldn't do that," Lorne stated. "Dawn talks about Xander a lot... or all the time. He's taking care of her. He got her into an incredible school. She spends most of her free time with him... and Faith."

"Where's Buffy?" Spike asked.

"That's the million dollar question," Lorne replied. "Without Xander, Dawn would have no supervision whatsoever."

"I thought you said Xander was a jerk," Nina said to Angel.

"Not at all honey muffin," Lorne replied. "He's a really nice guy. And what exactly have you been telling her?"

"The guy just bugs me," Angel said.

"And yet he's the leader of a multi-billion dollar mega-conglomerate," Wesley stated.

"Billion?" Nina questioned.

"Billion?" Angel echoed.

"Angel," Wesley scolded. "You're on the board. Do you not read the reports he forwards?"

"I skim," Angel replied.

"The Council has a net worth of nearly two billion dollars," Wesley stated.

"I thought the Council fought vampires," Nina said.

"It does," Wesley replied. "But since that is not exactly a paying business, it needs other ways of making a profit. The Council has it's fingers in a lot of pies. Real estate. Insurance. Banking. Investment houses. It's holdings are vast. Hotels. Restaurants."

"Holy crap," Gunn commented. "And this Xander guy controls it all?"

Angel nodded. "I can't wait to meet him," Nina commented to Angel's supreme dislike.

"I just hate that guy," Angel stated.

"Play nice," Lorne said. "We're coming to his house."

"Castle," Gunn stated. "Or so it looks from the pictures."

"I told you," Nina said.

"And Xander's like our age," Gunn stated. He looked around the car. "It was a lot easier to make that kind of comment a few years ago. I'm the youngest person in this car."

"The baby of the group," Lorne commented.

"How the hell old are you anyhow?" Gunn asked.

"Time is relative, sweet bread," Lorne replied.

"Xander's maybe twenty four," Wesley stated.

"That's pretty impressive," Nina replied.

"You'll think differently after you meet him," Angel said.

"Angel cakes," Lorne replied. "Jealousy is such an ugly trait." Angel glared.

The limo stopped. "We're here," Gunn said. "Stay put. I'll get the tarp." He climbed from the car and retrieved a tarp from the trunk as attendants loaded the luggage on the plane. "Vampire protection is here." He handed the tarp to Angel. Everyone, except Spike and Angel exited the limo. Angel and Spike covered themselves and ran for the stairs.

i*****

"Hey!" Faith said loudly as she tossed a pen across the desk at Xander. "Wake up."

Xander took a deep breath. "Can't we do something fun?" he asked.

"What's with you today?" she questioned.

"Just tired," he replied. "Come on. Let's go swimming. Or take out some horses."

"This is a work day," she stated.

"Every day is a work day," he replied.

"Okay, but this is a weekday work day," she stated. "Where we actually have work."

"There should be more holidays," he replied. "Don't we have a lot of dead presidents?"

"You're right," she stated. "You're not getting anything done. You're working at like one tenth speed. Go take a nap. Or swim. Just take a break until you're ready."

"Alone?" he questioned with a pouty face.

"You are such a baby," she replied.

He looked at her slyly. "Maybe baby needs a feeding," he said as he looked down then up.

"You're the one that wants to wait," she replied. "I'm pretty much climbing the walls." They heard the key card slide right before the door opened. "Hey, B."

"What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"He's goofing off," Faith replied. "Like always."

"Want to go swimming?" Xander asked Buffy.

She looked to Faith. "Please," Faith replied. "Take him. He's useless today."

"So?" he asked.

"Sure," Buffy replied. He stood up and walked around the desk. He stuck out his tongue as he passed Faith. She just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Something wrong?"

"Just not into the whole work responsibility thing today," he stated. "How about you?"

"Bored," she replied. "You really want to go swimming?"

"Unless you have a better idea," he stated.

"No, that's good," she replied. They crossed the lobby and climbed the stairs.

"I'll meet you out there in ten minutes." He nodded. They turned opposite directions when they hit the fifth floor landing.

i*****

There was a knock on the door. Faith reached under the desk and buzzed. "Rolph," she said as a man entered. "What's up?"

"I saw Xander out in the pool with Buffy," he replied. "So I figured I shouldn't tell him in front of her. The Council jet will be landing in about fifteen minutes."

"Thank you," she replied. "You know what. I'll meet them myself."

"Very good, ma'am," he stated before turning and leaving.

Faith made some notations on some papers on her desk before turning off the computer and exiting. She passed through the lobby and walked towards the back doors. Even through the steam rising from the pool, she could see that it was empty. She moved further to her left. "Swimming my ass," she said to herself as she looked out at Xander and Buffy next to each other leaning back in the whirlpool. She started to get angry but shook it off. Xander turned around and reached for a bottle of beer sitting on the patio behind him. He saw her. She crossed her arms and spread her legs further apart. He smiled weakly. She shook her head and smiled. She waved before turning and walking towards the west corridor.

i*****

"Hey," Willow said questioningly as she walked down the stairs. "I kind of expected Xander."

"I know," Faith replied. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," Willow stated. She reached out her arms reluctantly and hugged Faith quickly. "How are you?"

"Fine," Faith replied. "Xander's having a bit of a day."

"No one should ever have to fly in anything other than this," Kennedy commented from the top of the stairs. "I am never flying commercial again."

"Like the plane?" Faith asked.

"It is incredible," Kennedy replied as she walked down the stairs carrying Willow's suitcases. "It's like being on the couch in your living room, except you're traveling."

"We have people that can do that," Faith said to her.

"I got it," she replied. "Willow couldn't decide so she just brought everything."

"I get that," Faith replied.

"Is Xander okay?" Willow asked.

"He's having a...strange day," she replied.

"Something wrong?" Willow asked.

"No," Faith replied. "He's just being lazy. He and Buffy are off screwin around."

"They're together?" Willow asked apprehensively.

"Oh, no," Faith replied. "Goofin off. They're in the whirlpool."

"Oh," Willow said. "Why?"

"I don't really know," Faith replied.

"Faith," Rolph's voice came over her two way.

"Go ahead," she replied.

"Look up," he stated. "L.A.'s here." She looked up and saw the Wolfram and Hart jet on approach.

"Busy airport," Kennedy commented.

"I can't take everyone," Faith said into the radio.

"Tony's sending two trucks," Rolph replied.

"Thank you," she said.

"Angel's here?" Willow asked. Faith nodded. "Why?"

"I don't exactly know that either," Faith replied. "Xander just wanted to get everyone together. Thought it would be fun. Spring break and all."

"I am glad to be out of Boston for a while," Kennedy commented. Faith led them to the truck and helped load their luggage into the back. "Although, I think it was warmer in Boston."

"But not as crowded," Willow added. They turned as the Council's plane touched down. "Are we waiting?"

"Might as well," Faith replied.

"How's Buffy?" Willow asked.

"About the same," Faith replied. "Mopey. Withdrawn. Pretty much like always."

"That's not fair," Willow stated.

"You haven't been here," Faith replied. "She's been pouting since the day I got here. The Immortal is just the current reason."

"And she and Xander?" Willow asked.

"No," Faith replied. "No movement there."

"What about you and Xander?" Kennedy asked with a sly smile. Faith looked away quickly. "I knew it." She looked to Willow. "Ten bucks."

"What?" Faith questioned.

"Come on, Faith," Kennedy replied. "You're a vampire Slayer. And you're doing secretarial work? Why else would you be here if you didn't have the hots for him?"

Faith looked up slowly into Willow's eyes. "It's very new," she stated softly. "No one knows."

Willow smiled. "If you're both happy," Willow replied. "I have no problem with it. Just don't hurt him. He's lost enough."

"I would never," Faith replied. "He's just so... I love him."

"Wow," Willow replied. "Love? You're already at the love stage? That's so...not you."

"I know," Faith replied. They turned and watched as the Council's jet was pushed into the hangar. The Wolfram and Hart jet taxied to the end of the runway. Faith walked towards it as the stairs were extended. Angel appeared in the doorway above.

"Faith?" Angel questioned.

"Why is everyone so surprised to see me?" she asked.

"I don't know," Angel replied. "I'm not really. It's good to see you."

"You better stay put for a minute, big guy," Faith stated. "The trucks are coming. Wouldn't want to have to sweep up after you."

Angel stepped back and allowed Gunn, Wesley, Lorne and Illyria to climb down the stairs. "How are you doing, my little caramel apple?" Lorne asked as he approached her, arms outstretched. They hugged briefly.

"Five by five," she replied.

"It's a little better than that isn't it, sweetie?" Lorne said slyly. She looked at him questioningly. "It's a little hard to miss. You're a woman in love." She looked around quickly. "And just say yes. You know you want to move in with him."

"I didn't...," she tried to reply.

"Hey Faith," Gunn said. "Long time."

"You're lookin' good," she replied. "The lawyer life must be agreein with you." She looked over to Wesley. "Wesley."

"Faith," he replied.

"Short and sweet," she stated. "You must be Illyria. Heard about you."

"I was god king of all dimensions," Illyria stated.

"Good to know," Faith replied. The trucks rolled up. She looked up to the plane. "Time for your mad dash." Spike and Angel came down the stairs quickly, covered by the tarp. They ran towards the truck and climbed inside. Nina came down the stairs after.

"Um, hi," she said quietly. "I'm Nina."

"Hey," Faith replied. "I'm Faith. Glad you could come."

"You're not Buffy?" she asked.

"God no," Faith replied. Nina stood with her arms crossed. "Don't worry. The Council can be a little intimidating at first. You'll get over it." She looked over at everyone. "You guys climb in. I've got to drive that one back. I'll let you all get settled. How about we meet in the private dining room in about an hour?" Everyone nodded. Faith walked back over to the truck with Willow and Kennedy.

"Who's the girl?" Willow asked.

"Which one?" Faith asked.

"The one that's not a demon," Willow replied.

"Nina," Faith replied. "Angel's girlfriend."

"Does Buffy know?" Kennedy asked.

"That's a good question," Faith replied.

i*****

"So, what's up with you?" Buffy asked. "You never take a break in the middle of the day. Hell, you never take a break."

From Xander's position, he was able to see the two planes land. "How would you know?" he questioned.

"Well, you never take a break with me," she stated.

"You haven't exactly been around a lot," he replied. "I'd love to spend time with you." She looked away quickly. "Don't worry. That's not what I meant." He reached over and took her hands in his. "I kind of have a few things to tell you. You might not like them."

"What?" she asked fearfully.

"First, everyone is here," he replied.

"What do you mean?" she questioned confusedly.

"I invited everyone here for a week," he replied.

"Who's everyone?" she asked.

"Willow, Kennedy, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne, Illyria," he replied. "You know. The gang."

"Angel?" she questioned.

"Kind of," he whispered. "And Spike and Nina." He said the last part real soft.

"SPIKE?" she asked loudly.

"You remember Spike," he replied.

"I remember that he died," she stated.

"He...um...got better?" he stated hesitantly.

"YOU KNEW?" she questioned angrily.

"Little bit," he replied. The entire complex could have heard that thwack against his chest. "OWWWW!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked angrily.

"At first he came back kind of wrong," Xander replied. "He was a ghost but he kept slipping out of our reality. No one was sure he was going to stay or just disappear."

"So, he's a ghost?" Buffy asked.

"Not exactly," he replied. She slapped his chest again. "Owww. He kind of got recorporealized. He's still a vampire though."

"You knew all this and you didn't tell me?" she questioned.

"I didn't exactly hide it," he stated. "If you had been around, you would have known."

"Does Faith know?" Buffy asked. "Dawn?" He nodded. She looked at him angrily.

"I'm sorry," he stated.

"Who's Nina?" she questioned suddenly.

"Please don't hit me anymore," he pleaded.

"Who's Nina?" she asked.

"She's a werewolf, actually," he replied.

"Why did you invite a werewolf?" she asked.

"I didn't exactly," he replied. She stared at him with piercing eyes. "Angel invited her."

"Why?" she asked softly.

"She's kind of his girlfriend," Xander replied. She swung again. "Owwww. Buffy. That's really starting to hurt." He was holding his chest which was already turning black and blue.

"Oh, God," she stated. "I'm sorry." She moved next to him and gently rubbed it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I?" he replied. "You're never around. If you are, you're moping. Why should I have to be the bearer of all the bad news." She looked into his eye. "Ow."

"I really didn't mean to hurt you," she said honestly. "We should get you to the infirmary to have that checked out." She leaned down and kissed his chest lightly.

"Buffy, don't," he said softly. Faith stepped out onto the patio. She stood watching.

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked. "I can kiss it and make it better."

"Do you promise not to hit me anymore?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied. She leaned down and kissed his chest again. She sent her tongue in circles. Faith crossed her arms angrily.

Xander grabbed Buffy's shoulders and pushed her back. "Buffy," he said softly. "Please, don't." She looked at him curiously. "I'm in love with Faith." Buffy's eyes grew huge. "Don't hurt me."

"Faith?" Buffy questioned very softly. "You and Faith?"

"I'm sorry," he stated. "She's just...I love her. I can't help it. I don't want to help it. I've been alone for a very long time."

"So that's why she's your assistant?" Buffy asked angrily.

"No," he replied. "She's my assistant because she asked me for a job. You could have been my assistant."

"Sure," Buffy replied. "From my back."

"I can't believe you said that," Xander stated. He stood up and pushed her away angrily. "You don't know anything about me. You never did. You never cared to."

"I'm sorry," she said. "That was a stupid thing to say."

"I needed someone I could trust as my assistant," Xander stated without emotion. "Faith wanted a job. It was hard at first. But she got the hang of it. She didn't sleep with me to get it. I can't believe you would even think that about me. In fact, we haven't slept together. Well, in high school. But you knew about that."

"You said you were together," Buffy said.

"Yes," he replied. "I did. We are. And we've spent a lot of night's together recently...sleeping. I don't love Faith for sex. I just love Faith."

"And how does she feel about you?" Buffy asked softly.

"I don't know, completely," he replied. "She likes me. I hope it's more than that. But... just to be with her. It's enough, for now. I can't scare her away. I don't know what I would do if I lost her. I'm sorry this is a shock to you. All of it. But it isn't about you. I'm your friend. You've made it very clear from the beginning that is all it would ever be. Which is fine. Angel has a girlfriend. I don't know if it's serious. I don't think so...but. And I have... something. No one did these things to you. They're just part of life."

"And this party?" she questioned.

"I just wanted to get everyone together," he replied. "It seemed like a good idea. Get old friends back together. Meet some new ones. I thought it would be fun. Dawn, Willow and Kennedy are starting spring break. It just seemed like the right time."

"You don't know how Faith feels about ...whatever this is?" she asked.

"She likes me," he replied. "We're together, mostly. I just want to be with her. And not in the way you want to imply. Buffy..." He looked into her eyes. "I love her more than I've ever loved anything. I'm sorry you're mad. But..." He shook his head slightly. "I love her. I hope one day she'll love me."

Suddenly, Faith walked up. She knelt down by the edge of the whirlpool. She reached her hands into the water and found his. He turned to her. "I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear," she stated. "I thought I did. I love you, Xander. More than I ever thought possible. You are not alone in this relationship. We are very much together." She lifted his chin and stared into his eye. "I don't spend every night lying naked next to a guy for nothing. The fact that, that is all you wanted makes me love you that much more. I'm sorry I didn't make it clear. And, I will move in with you. I have no idea why I even hesitated. It's what I've wanted for a long time." She leaned down and softly kissed his lips. Buffy slid across the pool. A tear ran down her cheek. Faith looked over. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Buffy stated. "I'm the one who's sorry. About what I said. About your chest. God. I'm so sorry I hit you."

"It'll be okay," Xander replied.

"I'm happy for you," she stated. She stood from the pool. "I should probably get changed if I'm going to meet our guests." She looked down at Xander sadly. "I really am sorry. For all of it."

"I know," Xander replied softly. "I didn't mean to spring all of this on you at one time."

"I should have been around more," she stated. "I'm sorry what I said about both of you. It was... I'm sorry." She turned and walked inside.

"That went well," he said. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to make me want to cry for you," she replied. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Any way I could persuade you to join me?" he asked. She looked around quickly. She kicked off her boots and removed her shirt and jeans and climbed in. "That wasn't exactly what I meant."

"It's not like I'm naked," she replied. "My suit is skimpier."

"You're right about that," he stated. She moved over and sat in his lap. He wrapped his arms around her. "I wasn't trying to put any pressure on you. I do love you."

"I know," she replied. "And I love you. It's stupid to play this game where I think I have to wait for the inevitable let down. You are a good man. I need to trust you. Moving in with you is a great idea. I'm pretty much living there already." He squeezed her tighter.

She turned her head to look at him. "Is now the right time?" she asked softly.

He looked around. "It's a little public," he replied. "And we have a lot of guests."

"You've been in here a while," she stated. "It's time to come out. Let's go upstairs."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She smiled very wide. "I can't believe you would ask that?" she said. "I know you want to. And you're still concerned with me. You are just too good to be true."

He climbed from the pool. "Wait," he asked. He quickly walked over and got his towel. He came back and held out the towel for Faith to step into. She just smiled and shook her head. He wrapped the towel around her.

He started to collect her things. "Leave em," she said. With his arm around her, he led her in the back door.

i*****

"Oh my God," Faith stated. She rolled onto her back. "You made me wait all this time."

He was breathing heavily. "I don't think it's going to be like this every time," he replied.

"I don't care," she stated. She rolled onto her side and looked into his eye. "I've never made love before."

"Yes you have," he replied with a smile.

"No," she stated seriously. "I've had sex. This was different. This is what it's supposed to be about. I never realized that. Sex isn't just a recreational sport. It's about more."

"Faith, I wasn't trying to just...," he started to reply.

"I get it," she stated. She climbed back on top of him and stared into his eye. "It's about more. Thank you." He smiled warmly.

There was a knock at the door. Faith and Xander looked at each other quickly. "Xander?" Dawn questioned. He scrambled for his phone.

"Damn," he whispered. "It's after four." She looked at him with wide eyes. "What should we do?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"Xander," Dawn asked again. "No one was in the office. Are you sleeping?"

He looked to Faith and sighed. She slid off him and leaned against him. He pulled the covers up to their necks. "Come in, Dawn," he said.

The door opened. "Are you okay?" she asked as she entered. "Oh my God."

"Shhhh," Xander replied quickly.

"I knew something was going on with you guys," she said.

"This isn't exactly how I wanted you to find out," Xander stated. "And it's not just some fling or something. We're together."

"We are," Faith agreed. She kissed his cheek lightly. "I'm moving in."

"Oh my God," Dawn said again.

"Stop that," Xander stated. "I'm sorry we didn't talk to you first."

"How long?" Dawn asked.

"A few weeks," Faith replied. "Dating. For a few weeks. This...is new."

"I should probably go," Dawn said.

"No," Xander replied quickly. "Um... this is awkward. We're not... Sex isn't a game. We didn't just jump into this."

"We've been together for a few weeks," Faith stated. "I've spent most every night here. Nothing happened. We waited. Until it was right."

"Does Buffy know?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah," Xander replied softly. "I told her a little while ago. Everyone's here."

"I know," Dawn replied enthusiastically. "I should let you guys..."

"We'll be down in a few minutes," Faith stated. "I'm sorry about this."

Dawn shook her head. "I'm so happy for both of you," she replied. "And thank you for talking to me like an adult. I think I understand a little better now."

"Me too," Faith stated. She smiled warmly at Xander. Dawn turned to leave.

"Could you not say anything yet?" Xander asked. "We'll let everyone know. I just..."

"I understand," Dawn said. "I won't say anything." She exited the room.

Faith stared into his eye. "This is something real, right?" she asked.

"Very," he replied. "Why?"

She looked around for a moment trying to find the words. "Do you think... would you...," she tried to speak. "I want to be here... every night."

"I know," he replied. "I want you here every night. That's why I asked you to move in."

"I mean all the nights," she stated softly. "From now on."

He looked at her questioningly. "For like ever?" he questioned with a frown.

"Never mind," she replied, hurt in her voice.

Suddenly, he smiled. He took her hands in his. "Faith," he said seriously. "Will you marry me?"

She smiled very wide. "In a heartbeat," she replied. They stared at each other for a moment before their lips met. "Married. I like that." She smiled.

CHAPTER ONE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "I hate mornings," he said to himself. Suddenly, he sat up. "Faith?" he questioned.

"In here," she replied.

"How did I get here?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" she questioned as she stepped from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body. He looked at her questioningly. "What's wrong?"

"We were in bed," he replied.

"Yes," she said. "We've been in bed every night this week."

"No," he replied. "We were in bed and Dawn came in."

"Don't even," she stated strongly. "Cause that's sick."

"NO," he said. "We told Dawn about us."

"No, we haven't," she replied.

"But...," he started to say.

"It was a dream," she said. She dropped her towel and began to get dressed. "We need to get moving. You woke us late."

"I don't...," he started to reply.

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn questioned.

He looked at it apprehensively. "I'm here," he replied.

"I sort of missed you for breakfast," she stated.

"I'm just running late," he replied, in a daze.

"When are they coming?" Dawn asked.

"They'll be...here...by the time you're back," he replied.

"I love you," she stated.

"Love you too," he replied. He looked over to Faith. "Are we getting married?"

"MARRIED?" she questioned loudly. "I told you I'm not ready to move in here yet."

His phone began to ring. He picked it up and answered, "Hold on, Gunn."

"What's that about?" Faith asked.

He looked at her questioningly. "I really don't know," he said as he stared at her.

"You're beginning to creep me out," she stated. "Take your call."

"Gunn?" he said into the phone. "Of course... I'm just having a day... Nina is more than welcome... She's kind of hard to...talk...to... right...now." He looked at himself in the mirror. "Sorry... We'll be expecting you... Have the pilot call on approach... Bye."

"What's with you today?" Faith asked as she pulled on her boots.

"Something's wrong," he replied. "I did this."

"Did what?" she asked.

"This day," he replied.

"It was a dream," she replied. She sat down next to him on the bed and gently rubbed his back. "You need to get moving."

"It didn't feel like a dream," he stated.

"Come on," she said as she stood. "We're already running late."

"We aren't getting married?" he asked.

"In your dreams," she replied. "Come on." She pulled him from the bed.

i*****

"Hurry up," Kennedy yelled.

"It's a private jet," Willow yelled back. "It's not like they can leave..."

"It doesn't mean that Xander doesn't have them on a schedule," Kennedy replied. "It's a week. We're not moving." Kennedy walked into the bedroom. "What?"

"I think I need winter clothes," Willow replied.

"Duh," Kennedy replied. "It's not Palm Beach. Which, by the way, why isn't it Palm Beach?"

"And dresses," Willow said.

"Are you okay?" Kennedy asked.

"Where are we?" Willow questioned.

Kennedy became concerned. "Willow?" she questioned. "What's going on?"

"We're home, right?" Willow asked.

"I don't think flying across the country is a great idea right now," Kennedy stated.

"I'm just... a dream," Willow said. "I'm remembering a dream."

"We need to move," Kennedy replied.

"Xander's with Faith," Willow stated.

"You can't go back on your bet now," Kennedy replied.

"What?" Willow asked.

"You already picked your side," Kennedy replied. "You said they were opposites."

"We did this," Willow stated.

"Yes," Kennedy said. "We made the bet the day Xander called and invited us."

"No," Willow replied. "We already went there."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kennedy asked.

"Let's just go," Willow said.

"What about your suitcases?" Kennedy asked.

"It's a week," Willow replied. "We're not moving."

i*****

"So, Spike was talking earlier," Nina said, from the bed.

"Oh, honey," Angel replied from the bathroom. "I've warned you before about listening to him."

"You're going to see Buffy," Nina stated.

"What?" Angel asked. He came from the bathroom wearing a towel. His face still covered in shaving cream.

"The Council," Nina said. "Buffy lives there."

"Um...uh...yeah," Angel stated. "But that's not why..."

"You didn't tell her about me," Nina stated.

"Um, no," Angel replied. "We haven't had a lot of conversations."

"And you're bringing Illyria," she said.

"Wesley is afraid to leave her alone," Angel replied. "What's going on?"

"This is a problem," Nina stated.

i*****

Ice clinked against the glass Lorne held as he swirled it. "Don't you just love limos?" he asked.

"Do you ever not have a drink in your hand?" Gunn questioned.

"Honey buns," Lorne replied. "We're..."

"What?" Angel asked.

"Where are we?" Lorne asked.

"I think someone's reached their limit," Spike commented.

"Are you okay?" Wesley asked.

"We're going to the Council," Nina stated. "In Seattle."

"Xander's in charge," Lorne said. "He and Faith are together."

"He's a nice guy," Nina replied.

"What?" Angel asked. "Xander and Faith?"

"How do you know that?" Wesley asked.

"I don't know, exactly," Lorne replied. "It just know."

"Me too," Nina added.

"What?" Angel asked.

Nina looked at Lorne questioningly. "I just know," she stated.

"What the hell is going on?" Gunn asked.

"I don't know," Nina replied. "We did this."

Lorne nodded. "We did," he stated.

"Did what?" Angel asked.

"This," Lorne replied. "This limo. The flight. Meeting Faith at the Council."

"We are on our way to the airport," Angel said. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"We did do this," Nina confirmed. "I met Faith."

"You've never met Faith," Angel stated.

"But I did," she replied. "It feels like I did."

"What the hell is going on?" Spike asked.

"Is this like a spell or some kind of infection?" Gunn asked fearfully.

"What?" Lorne questioned. "It's not a spell." He looked to Nina. "It's just... we did this." She nodded.

i*****

"What's with you today?" Faith questioned.

"What?" Xander replied.

"Where are you?" she asked.

"I'm just having... you're not moving in with me?" he asked.

"You need to back off a little bit," she replied.

He stood up. "I'm going swimming with Buffy," he stated.

"That's mature," Faith replied.

"No," he said. "I'm just going swimming." He walked over to the door and opened it before Buffy knocked.

"Holy crap," Buffy stated. "You scared me."

"Want to go swimming?" he asked.

"Um, sure," she replied.

He turned back to Faith. "I'm going swimming," he said with questioning eyes. Faith looked at the door as it closed with raised eyebrows.

"What's that about?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Xander replied. "Don't hit me, okay?"

"Why would I hit you?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure," he replied.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked.

"I'm having a very weird day," he replied as they climbed the stairs. "I'll meet you out there." She nodded.

i*****

The phone on the desk rang. Faith looked over at it questioningly. "Mr. Harris' office," she answered. "No one ever calls this phone... I understand. No, I'll meet them. Thank you." She stood up and left the office.

i*****

"Buffy," Xander said softly. She was sitting across from him in the whirlpool, her head tilted back. She lifted her head. "I have to talk to you about something."

"What is it?" Buffy questioned. "Is it Dawn?"

"No," Xander said with a smile. "Dawn's great. I love hanging with Dawn. It's about Faith."

"What did she do now?" Buffy asked angrily.

Xander waited a moment. "We're together," he said seriously.

"What?" Buffy asked. Her eyes suddenly went wide. "You and Faith?"

"Um, yeah," he replied.

"Of course," Buffy stated.

"It's not like that," Xander replied.

"Hey, I'm sure she does a body good," Buffy stated.

"If you weren't my best friend, I'd slap your face for that," he replied. Buffy looked at him with shock. "I'm not sleeping with her. Well, actually, I am 'sleeping' with her." He made the quote sign with his fingers. "We haven't had sex. Well, in high school. But that was...different. We're just together." He stared into Buffy's angry eyes. "I love her."

Buffy scoffed. "That's great," she replied. "What do you want from me?" She smiled weirdly. She moved her foot between his legs.

He jumped up. "Stop it," he shouted, shocking her. He shook his head angrily. "I'm sorry your life isn't working out the way you want. But I love Faith. I thought, just maybe, you'd be happy for me." He scoffed. "God am I stupid. I followed after you for eight years. You've never given me a thought." He started to climb from the pool.

"Wait," Buffy stated. She reached for his arm. "I'm sorry." She pulled him back down next to her. She moved in front of him and stared into his eye. "Are you serious?" She held his hands.

He smiled wide. "I really love her," he stated.

"Is that why you hired her?" Buffy asked.

"Damn it," he said, tossing her hands from his. He stared into her eyes. "I hired her because she wanted a job. I had a position open that I needed to fill with someone I trusted. I hoped it would be you. But, you never wanted anything to do with this place since we started it." He shook his head.

"Wait," Buffy said. "I'm sorry. This is just kind of a shock. When did this start?"

"A few weeks ago," he replied. "We're new. But I Love her, Buffy. And she's spent every night with me and nothing has happened."

"Yeah, right," Buffy stated.

"It's true," he replied. "I want to wait. Until it's right. She agreed."

"Is this serious?" Buffy asked.

"As serious as I've ever been in my life," he replied.

"How does Faith feel about it?" Buffy asked.

"I wish I knew for sure," he replied.

"What does that mean?" Buffy asked.

"She won't move in with me," he replied. "I get it...kind of. She's afraid.

I don't want to scare her away."

"Do you want to marry her?" Buffy asked cautiously.

"I'd ask her this second if I thought she wouldn't run," he replied. "She's everything I've ever wanted." Buffy looked away. "I'm sorry. But you made it very clear a long time ago. And I'm glad. I want her, Buffy. I just want her to want me too."

"What about Dawn?" Buffy asked.

"What about her?" Xander questioned confusedly. "We're not...There's nothing like that with us."

"Ewwww," Buffy replied. "That's not what I meant. How does Dawn feel about this?"

"I don't know," he stated. "She might not know."

"Dawn looks to you as an example to follow," Buffy said.

"First, that's because you're not around," Xander replied. "And second, what am I doing wrong? I already told you, we're not having sex. And even if we were... we're adults."

"Faith's a murderer," Buffy stated.

"So is Willow," Xander replied quickly. "And Giles. And Wesley. And...ANGEL. One of the biggest mass murderers of all time. Faith's good now."

"I'll bet," Buffy stated.

"You know what, I'm sorry I said anything," he said. "I was hoping for some advice on how I let her know how important she is. I can see this is about you... again. Like always." He stood up. "I love you, Buffy. I always have. I probably always will. But you are not a great friend sometimes." He climbed from the whirlpool, grabbed his towel, and walked into the building.

i*****

"Hey," Faith said as Willow and Kennedy stepped down the stairs.

"Hi," Willow said. "Xander's with Buffy."

"What?" Faith asked. "I mean, yeah. He's taking a goof off day."

"I know," Willow replied.

"How?" Faith questioned.

"She's having a bit of a day too," Kennedy stated.

"Faith," Rolph called over the two way.

"Angel's here," Willow stated.

"I'm here," Faith replied.

"Wolfram and Hart's jet is on approach," Rolph stated.

Faith looked to Willow with wide eyes. "I can't take everyone," Faith replied through the two way.

"Tony's sending two trucks," Rolph replied.

"Thank you," Faith stated. "What's going on?"

"Ask her," Kennedy said. "She's been like this all morning."

"We've done this," Willow stated.

"Xander said that," Faith said.

The Council jet was backed into the hangar just as the Wolfram and Hart jet touched down. Kennedy carried the suitcases to the truck and Faith helped her load them. "Something weird is going on," Kennedy whispered to Faith.

"I know," Faith replied. "I'll be right back."

"Faith," Angel called down from the open door of the plane.

"You better wait till the trucks get here," she said. "I don't feel like sweeping the tarmac."

Lorne and Nina pushed past Angel. "Faith," Lorne stated. "Is something happening?"

"Not that I know of," she replied. He and Nina climbed down the stairs.

"I'm Nina," Nina stated, standing in front of Faith. "Where's Xander?"

"He's ...," Faith started to reply. "Why?"

"We've done this," Nina stated.

"People keep saying that," Faith replied.

"Something's happening," Lorne stated.

"Like what?" Faith asked.

"I don't know," Lorne replied.

"I was already here," Nina said. "We already met."

"I've never seen you before," Faith replied.

"I know," Nina stated. "We haven't met...but we have."

"She's right," Lorne agreed. He suddenly stared at Faith.

"What?" she asked apprehensively.

"Congratulations," he stated.

"What?" she asked.

He looked at her questioningly. "You don't know," he said.

"Know what?" she questioned.

"You and Xander," he replied. Faith looked around quickly. "You're supposed to be moving in together."

She scoffed. "Right," she said. "Like that's going to happen."

"It was supposed to happen," Lorne stated. "You accepted." He shook his head. "This is all wrong."

"I'm not moving in," she replied.

The trucks arrived. Wesley and Illyria came down the stairs, quickly followed by Spike and Angel under the tarp. Gunn followed. "Hey," he said to Faith. "How's it going?"

"I'm beginning to question that," Faith replied confusedly. "How about you?"

"I've made some mistakes," he stated as he looked at Illyria.

"I heard," Faith replied. "I'm sorry."

"It's on me," he stated. "But I appreciate it."

CHAPTER TWO

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "I hate mornings," he said to himself.

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

"I know," he replied. "We missed breakfast."

"Who's we?" Dawn asked.

"Faith and I?" he replied.

"Faith was there," Dawn said. "I'm leaving."

Xander looked around quickly. "Faith?" he called out softly. No response.

"Xander?" Dawn questioned.

"Have a good day," he said.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm...I just ...everyone will be here by the time you get back," he said.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"The L.A.'s are coming?" he questioned.

"No they're not," Dawn replied. "What's wrong with you?"

"Just...have a good day," he said. "I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"Whatever," she replied.

He stood up and walked into the bathroom. "Faith?" He looked at the empty counter. He shook his head. He walked back into the bedroom. He looked around the room. Nothing in the room wasn't his. "What the hell is going on?"

i*****

"Hurry up," Kennedy yelled.

"It's not like they can leave without us," Willow replied. "It's a private jet."

"What are you talking about," Kennedy said as she walked into the bathroom. "We leave in less than two hours." She waved the tickets in the air.

"What?" Willow asked with confusion.

"Our flight," Kennedy stated. "Two hours. They say we need to check in at least ninety minutes before the flight."

"Wh-where are we going?" Willow asked.

"Are you okay?" Kennedy questioned with concern.

"I'm...having a weird morning," she replied. "So we're not going to the Council?"

"Why would we?" Kennedy asked. "You haven't talked to Xander in months."

"Months?" she questioned. "Why?"

"You really are out of it," she replied. "He turned down your lab proposal."

"He wouldn't do that," Willow said. "He didn't do that."

"He did," Kennedy replied. "What's with you. Come on. Let's get moving. Cancun awaits."

"This is wrong," Willow commented softly.

"What?" Kennedy asked.

"I don't know," Willow said. "Everything."

"Come on," Kennedy stated. "You really do need a break."

i*****

"So, Spike was talking earlier," Nina said, from the bed.

"Oh, honey," Angel replied from the bathroom. "I've warned you before about listening to him."

"He said that this place we're going to, the Council, is your ex-girlfriend's castle," Nina continued.

"What are you talking about?" Angel questioned as he entered the bedroom. "We're not going to the Council."

"What?" Nina asked.

"The Council isn't exactly on our side," Angel stated. "I told you about that."

Nina rubbed her forehead. "Xander didn't invite you to come for a visit?" she asked.

"Xander," Angel said with hatred. He scoffed. "He's the one trying to shut us down."

"No, he isn't," Nina replied.

"What do you know?" Angel asked accusingly.

"This isn't right," Nina replied. "You're friends... Well, not exactly friends, but not enemies."

"You don't know anything about the Council," Angel stated angrily.

"I know it's your ex-girlfriend's house," she said.

"That was a different life," Angel replied. "I need to go. Staff meeting."

"We're not going away?" she asked.

"You know I can't do that right now," he replied. "What's up with you today?"

"Something's wrong," she said.

"You should stop by the infirmary," he replied. "Get checked out."

"I'm still a werewolf, right?" she asked.

"As far as I know," he replied, looking at her questioningly. He walked over and gently kissed her lips. "I'll let them know you'll be stopping by." He walked out the door.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked aloud.

i*****

"What is everyone doing here?" Lorne asked as he stepped into the conference room.

"Wondering where you were," Angel replied angrily. "You want to sit down so we can get started."

"Get started?" Lorne questioned.

"The meeting," Spike stated as he opened another beer. Angel looked over unhappily.

"Shouldn't we be leaving?" Lorne asked.

"Why?" Wesley questioned.

"We're going somewhere?" Spike asked.

"We're supposed to be going to the Council," Lorne stated.

Spike burst out laughing spraying beer across the table onto Wesley. Wesley jumped up. "Thanks for that," he stated. Spike shrugged.

"Put away the beer," Angel demanded. He looked to Lorne. "Why would you think we'd ever go to the Council?"

"Because you're all friends," Lorne replied. Everyone looked at him questioningly. "Fine. Because we're all on the board."

"On board what?" Spike asked.

"What is going on this morning?" Angel questioned. "You're the second person that told me we were going to the Council." He looked at Lorne suspiciously. "Who have you been talking to?"

"I talk to Dawn a few times a week," Lorne replied innocently.

"What have you been telling her?" Angel asked accusingly.

"Something's wrong," Lorne stated. "This isn't right."

"What?" Wesley asked.

"Everything," Lorne replied. "Us and the Council are friends. We were going there for a mini vacation. Faith and Xander are together."

Angel started laughing now. "First. Xander is in love with Buffy," he stated. "Second. I like Faith. But she's not someone who has relationships."

"Everything's wrong," Lorne said. "I don't know why. But everything's wrong."

i*****

Xander stepped into the empty office. He walked around the desk and sat down. He pulled out his radio. "Faith," he called. No response. "Faith."

"What?" she replied angrily.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"What do you want?" she asked. "I've won three in a row."

"Aren't you coming to work today?" he questioned.

She laughed. "I don't work," she replied. "What is this? Some sort of weird Xander come on?"

"You're not my assistant?" he asked.

"Like that would happen," she replied. "Have you been drinking?"

"Apparently," he said. He leaned back in his chair and threw his phone on the desk. "What the hell is going on?"

i*****

Willow stopped suddenly as she and Kennedy walked across the terminal. "What's wrong?" Kennedy asked.

"We can't go to Cancun," Willow replied.

"I didn't realize you weren't up for this trip," she said.

"It's not that," Willow replied. "Something's wrong. We have to go to the Council."

"Why?" Kennedy asked.

"Something bad is happening," Willow replied.

"Apocalypse?" Kennedy asked.

"I don't know," Willow replied. "But we have to go."

"Wait here," Kennedy said. "I'll see about changing the tickets."

i*****

Nina walked into Angel's office. "What are you doing here?" he asked. "You never come here. Did the doctor...?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "But we have to go."

"Go where?" he asked.

"To the Council," she replied.

He looked at her angrily. "I already told you...," he tried to reply.

"I don't get a lot of what you do...or have done in the past," she said. "The supernatural always seemed like...fairy tales. But something is going on." She stared into his eyes. "I know we haven't known each other all that long. But, do you trust me?"

"I trust you," he replied.

"Trust me now," she stated. "We have to go to the Council."

There was a knock on the door. "What?" Angel questioned angrily.

Lorne stepped inside. "Honey cakes," he said. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Actually...," Angel tried to reply.

"Good," Lorne stated. "We need to go to the Council."

Angel looked from him to Nina. "You cooked this up together?" he asked.

"What?" Nina asked. "I haven't talked to Lorne."

"Why?" Lorne asked Angel.

"Both of you are saying the same thing," Angel replied.

"What?" Lorne asked. He turned to Nina with a big smile. "Something's wrong, right?"

"Um, I think," she replied. She turned to Angel. "We have to go."

"We can't just show up at the Council," Angel stated. "Xander's Gestapo would probably have us shot on sight."

"Call him," Lorne said. Angel looked at him questioningly. "Call him. You'll see. This is all wrong."

Angel shook his head. "Please," Nina pleaded.

"Fine," Angel replied. He reached for the intercom. "Get the Watcher's Council on the line. Xander."

"Righty ho," Harmony replied.

"This didn't go so well the last time," Angel said to them.

"Line two, bossy," Harmony said over the intercom.

Angel lifted the phone. "Xan...," he started to say. "What do you mean?... The last time I talked to you, you said that if you ever saw one of us again, you'd kill us... Lorne and Nina, she's my... How do you know that?... They said the same thing... Not that I don't trust you, but I don't trust you... We don't exactly work together... Why would you have done that?... You don't trust Wolfram and Hart... I have two anxious looking faces staring at me that say I should trust you... I have my own plane... Do you have a theory?... That's what they said... I have to ask you something. Are you and Faith together?" Lorne smiled wide. Angel looked to Lorne with shock. "Alright. Obviously, something is happening. Or you're really going a long way to get rid of me... See. That's a statement that I have trouble believing... She still lives there... Okay. We'll leave as soon as everyone is ready... Bye."

Angel looked at the two. "So?" Nina asked.

"He said he was expecting us," Angel replied. "He said we're on the board there. He said he has nothing against us, just that he doesn't completely trust Wolfram and Hart."

"Not to be a stickler here, Mr. Good and Plenty," Lorne stated. "Neither do we."

"He said we're friends," Angel continued. Lorne grimaced a little. "See."

"It's not that you're enemies," Lorne replied. "You just won't exactly be buddies. But you are tolerant of one another."

"Because of Buffy," Nina accused.

"No, darling," Lorne replied. "Not anymore. They're just kings of their respective kingdoms."

"He said he and Faith were supposed to be together," Angel added.

Lorne smiled wide. "I'm so happy for him," Lorne stated.

"Not anymore," Angel continued. "They're not... they're nothing."

"Something is So wrong," Lorne replied. "This must be very hard for him."

"How would you even know him?" Angel asked.

"I talk to Dawn a lot," Lorne replied. "She keeps me up on things. Cut him some slack. You are... friendly. Or you're supposed to be."

"What is going on?" Angel asked.

"Everything has changed," Nina stated. "By the way. You haven't denied that we're now going to your ex-girlfriend's house."

"That was...," Angel tried to respond. "A long time ago. Things are diff..." He looked to Lorne. "I'm not with Buffy, right?"

"No," Lorne replied. "You and Nina."

"And Xander's with Faith?" Angel asked.

"Supposed to be," he replied.

Angel shook his head. "I'm not sure which reality is better," Angel replied. Nina and Lorne eyed him seriously. "We're going."

i*****

Xander reached for his two way. "L.A. is on their way here," he stated.

"I'll increase the perimeter guards," Rolph replied.

"WHAT?" Xander questioned. "No. I invited them."

"Okay," Rolph replied with confusion. "I'll have security meet them and escort them while they're here."

"What the hell is going on here?" Xander said to himself. He keyed the radio. "They're guests not prisoners. I want them to have full access."

"You can't assign security clearances," Rolph replied.

"If I can't who can?" Xander asked.

"Technically, the board," he replied.

"They're on the board," Xander said with exasperation.

"Excuse me?" Rolph questioned.

"Can I like call for a lockdown or something?" Xander asked.

"Is there a specific threat?" Rolph replied. "Cause that would lockdown the facility. No one in or out."

"No, I just kind of wanted to declare martial law and put me in control of everything," Xander stated.

"I hope that's a joke sir," Rolph replied. "And certainly shouldn't be going out over an open channel."

Xander slapped his hand to his head. "Just let me know when they arrive," he stated. "I'll meet them."

"Very good, sir," Rolph replied.

Xander continued rubbing his face. He reached for the phone. "This is Xander Harris," he stated. "I need to speak with a student, Dawn Summers... I am her guardian... What do you mean, I'm not?... You know what, fine, whatever, it doesn't matter. There has been an emergency at home concerning her sister, Buffy Summers... I'll wait... Dawn... No, Buffy's fine... It's the only way they would let me talk to you. I'm supposed to be listed as your guardian... Well, I was... Never mind. I'm sending a car for you... Nothing's wrong. But I need you back here immediately... Really, Buffy is fine...Everyone is fine. I just need you back here... Fine. Something's wrong with me. I need you back here... No, I don't need a doctor, I don't think. Please... I'll send him now. Thank you."

He hung up. He picked up his two way. "Tony?" he called. "Tony?" He looked at the extension list next to the phone. He picked up the desk phone and dialed. "I need to talk to Tony..." He put his hand to his head again. "There's no Tony?" He shook his head. "Who is this?... This is Xander... Yeah. I need you to send a limo to pick up Dawn at school... I know that. She's getting out early. She's waiting... Thank you."

He hung up the phone and tilted all the way back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. He started to reach for his phone and shook his head. He reached forward and hit the whole complex intercom. "Faith, Buffy, I need you to come to the office," he stated.

A few minutes later, Buffy entered. "What?" she questioned angrily.

"Nice to see you too," he replied. "We're waiting on Faith."

"I have no idea what you think...," Buffy started to say.

"Just sit down," he said pleadingly. She sat. A few minutes later the door opened and Faith stumbled inside. "That's great."

"What's your problem today?" Faith asked.

"Sit down," Xander ordered. Faith reluctantly sat. "Something is wrong."

"I don't doubt that," Faith commented.

"With everything," Xander stated. "It's not supposed to be like this."

"Like what?" Buffy asked.

"Like this," he said pointing at them. "When I woke up yesterday... or today... or today is yesterday...I haven't figured that part out yet."

"I knew you'd been drinking," Faith commented.

He put both hands over his eyes. "I need you both to shut up and listen," he stated angrily. Both of them sat straighter in the chairs, threateningly. "On any other day, you might scare me. Not today."

"What is it?" Buffy asked.

"This isn't how everything was," Xander stated. Faith started to speak but Xander held out his hand. "For one thing, I've been taking care of Dawn since we opened this place." Buffy looked at him angrily. "Her school paperwork should show me as guardian. It doesn't."

"What did you do?" Buffy asked angrily. Faith snickered.

"Nothing," Xander said exasperated. "It's just how it was." He looked to Faith. "You've been my assistant for...a very long time." Faith burst out laughing. Buffy chuckled. He sighed. "The way it was yesterday or whatever day, was that you were my assistant. And a few weeks ago, we had started dating."

Now they both burst out laughing. "Xander," Buffy said through her laughter, "this is just some kind of weird dream of yours."

"Definitely," Faith stated as she looked him up and down.

"You don't know just how much that hurts," he said seriously. Both girls stopped laughing. "That's how it was. Or how it was supposed to be. This is all messed up."

Buffy looked at him compassionately. "Are you okay?" she questioned. "I know you've been working a lot. Maybe you need to see..."

"I'm not crazy," he replied.

"That's what every crazy person says," Faith stated. He looked to her with sadness. "We don't date."

"We did," he replied sadly. "And L.A."

"What about L.A.?" Buffy asked.

"They were coming here," he replied. "All of them and Willow."

Buffy shook her head. "Last time you talked to Angel, you threatened to kill him," she stated.

"All of them, actually," Faith added.

"I never did that," he replied. "I would never do that. We're friends... Okay, maybe not friends. But we're not enemies."

"That's not how it is," Buffy said softly. "And Willow and you haven't talked in...forever."

"That's not right," Xander stated forcefully.

Buffy stood. "Why don't we ...?" she started to say.

"NO!" Xander yelled. Even Faith looked at him with concern. "Angel called a little while ago. They're on their way."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Lorne and Nina know that something is wrong too," he replied.

"Who's Nina?" Buffy asked.

Xander sighed. He wiped his eyes. "Angel's ...friend," he replied.

"Why are you doing this?" Buffy asked.

"It's all true," Xander stated. "You've been down lately. So, I invited everyone here for a get together. I thought it might cheer you up."

"I was down?" Buffy asked. "Why?"

"The Immortal...," Xander started to reply.

"Immortal?" Faith questioned with a big smile.

Xander shook his head. "What's the Immortal?" Buffy asked.

"This unbelievable guy," Faith replied, licking her lips. "Just so..."

"Shut up," Xander stated with true hurt in his voice. They both looked at him with concern. "This isn't the right reality. When Angel gets here, Lorne and Nina can try to explain it better." He looked to Faith. "But I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. If you can care about me so little now, how can I ever trust the other you?" He stood from his desk and walked to the door, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Xander," Faith called. He kept walking, closing the door behind him. "What was that about?"

"I don't know," Buffy replied. "He believed it. I better talk to Giles."

i*****

Willow stared out the window of the plane. "Are you okay?" Kennedy questioned.

"I was just trying to remember as many things as I can about before," she replied.

"Before what?" Kennedy asked.

"Before everything changed," Willow replied. "Xander was sending the Council jet for us. We were moving back there after graduation. I was going to be setting up the new lab."

"That's not the way it is," Kennedy said softly. "I'm sorry."

"But it was," Willow stated.

"It's the way you wanted it," Kennedy replied. "That doesn't make it so."

"No," Willow said. "That's the way it was yesterday... or I guess today, being that today is yesterday." Kennedy looked at her with concern. "Yesterday was Friday. Now today is Friday again."

Kennedy smiled weakly and gently stroked the hair from Willow's eyes. "If you're going to get stuck on a day, Friday is a hell of a lot better than Tuesday," she stated.

"That's not funny," Willow replied.

"I'm sorry," Kennedy said. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I," Willow replied with fear in her voice. "I hope someone there will." Kennedy wrapped her arm around her and pulled her head against her shoulder.

i*****

Dawn came walking into the lobby carrying her book bag. "Dawn?" Buffy questioned.

"Where's Xander?" she asked. Faith pointed out the back glass doors. "What's he doing out there?"

"Having a nervous breakdown, as far as we can tell," Faith replied. Dawn glared.

"Why are you home so early?" Buffy asked.

"He called the school and said I needed to come home right away," she replied. "What's up?"

"I wish I could tell you for sure," Buffy stated. Dawn started to walk out back. "This might not be a good time."

"It'll be okay," Dawn replied. Faith and Buffy watched as Dawn approached him. She sat down next to him on the cement bench. "What's up?"

"More like upside down," he stated. She looked at him questioningly.

"Everything's wrong. Yesterday when I woke up... it was today."

"What?" she asked.

"Yesterday was Friday," he replied. "Then, when I woke up today, it was Friday again. Except everything is different." He looked at her intensely. "Are we close?"

"We're friends," she said apprehensively.

"But are we close friends?" he asked. "Not romantically. Just...do you sit in my office with me after school? Do we watch movies together?"

"Not really," she replied.

He sighed deeply. "We did," he stated sadly. "You were my best friend. We spent most of our time together. Faith too." Dawn laughed a little. "I get that now." He shook his head. "Yesterday... you were my very close friend. The Council and Wolfram and Hart weren't enemies. And Faith and I... we were getting married."

Dawn burst out laughing. "Faith?" she questioned. "She hates you."

"Hates?" he questioned as a tear ran down his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Dawn suddenly asked with concern.

"No," he replied. "I know you all think I'm crazy. But this isn't the way it was. Something happened. Everything's different."

"Xander," Dawn stated. "It was just a dream...or something."

"It wasn't," he replied. "Do you know how many nights we fell asleep together on the couch in the study?"

"What study?" she questioned.

He shook his head. "In the other reality, I loved you," he stated. She looked at him questioningly. "Not romantically. As family. And I loved Faith...romantically. I know you don't understand. Maybe I am going crazy. But this isn't the way it was. And..." He took her reluctant hands in his. "Even if we fix this, how can I ever believe the way it was. Faith said she loved me. So did you..as a brother. I mean..."

"Xander," Dawn stated, pulling her hands free. "You need to talk to someone."

"You'll see," he said. "When L.A. gets here. Some of them know it too. You'll see." He stood up and walked towards the forest.

Dawn walked back inside. "What did he say?" Buffy asked.

"That this is wrong," she replied. She looked to Faith. "Could it be true?"

"Not likely," she stated.

"This is a problem," Dawn said. "I know how weird things can get in our life. If he's just sick, he's in a lot of trouble. But if he's right... he's still in trouble. The way he describes life..."

"It's better," Buffy stated.

"For who?" Faith asked.

"Wouldn't you like to be truly in love?" Dawn asked.

"Not with him," Faith replied.

Dawn turned to Buffy. "Get Giles."

i*****

The cab pulled around the front circular driveway. "I can't believe we're here," Kennedy said. "You said never again."

"I never said that," Willow replied. They climbed from the car and walked up the front steps. As they stepped into the lobby, Buffy came running up the stairs.

"What are You doing here?" Buffy questioned. "Security just told me."

"Ask her," Kennedy stated. "I have no idea."

"We were supposed to be here," Willow stated. She reached out her arms. Buffy reluctantly allowed her to embrace her. "What's wrong?"

"We haven't even talked in over six months," Buffy replied.

"This is all wrong," Willow stated.

"Not you too?" Buffy asked. Kennedy looked at her with shock.

"Who else?" Willow asked quickly.

"Xander," Buffy replied. "Can't stop going on about how everything is wrong."

"Where is he?" Willow asked.

"Security is out back searching for him," Buffy replied. Willow looked at her fearfully. "He got upset. Wandered off."

"I get that," Willow stated. "What did Faith say to him?"

"What?" Buffy asked.

"They're supposed to be together," Willow replied. "In love."

"Did you two work this all out for some kind of weird joke?" Buffy asked.

"No joke," she replied. "So, I'm guessing they're not together now."

"No," Buffy stated matter of fact.

Willow turned to Kennedy. "Can you take this?" she asked, handing her bag over. "I need to find Xander."

"I'll get you a room," Buffy stated.

"Where?" Willow asked.

"In the woods," Buffy replied. Willow headed out the back doors.

i*****

"Everyone thinks you've gone crazy," Willow said as she approached. He was sitting on a tree stump throwing stones into the snow on top of a small pond.

"Maybe I am," he replied.

He turned and looked at her. "Are we even friends?" he asked.

"We're best friends," she replied. "Although, I've been told we're not supposed to be."

He smiled wide. "You know?" he asked hopefully. He stood and ran to her.

"Everything's wrong," she stated. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her from the ground.

"Oh God, it's so great to see you," he said. He began kissing her face.

"We're not that good of friends," she replied with a smile. "Put me down."

"I'm sorry," he said with embarrassment. "It's like I'm in some movie and no one gave me a script. The motor pool guy's name is Nick."

"What happened to Tony?" she asked.

"Who knows?" he replied. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know," she stated. "I got up yesterday..."

"Or today," she said quickly.

"Yeah, that's weird," she replied. "You sent the plane for us. Faith met us here. I found out about you two. Congratulations."

"Thank you," he said. He embraced her again. "It's just so good to hear someone else say it."

"Next thing you know, it's today again," she replied.

"I get that," he said. "Yesterday, when the alarm went off, Faith was already getting dressed. Today...no one was there. Supposedly, you and I don't talk anymore. And Angel is the devil." He smiled sinisterly.

"I'm guessing you're loving that part," she stated.

"No," he replied. "Not really. Everyone's meaner. Or not as close. Dawn's not my friend, I guess. This life...it must suck. Faith's drunk."

"You know that other things must have been different here?" she asked.

"She hates me here," he stated. "How can she love me there if she hates me here?" A tear ran down his cheek.

Willow moved to him quickly and wrapped her arms around him. She gently pulled his head against her shoulder. "We have no idea how much of this has changed," she stated. "Maybe every moment in their lives. I talked to Faith...the real one. She's in love you." She tilted up his head and kissed his lips lightly. "We have to fix this."

"What is this?" he asked.

"I have no idea," she replied.

"The others don't remember any of it," he stated. "They already think I'm crazy. How can we figure this out if no one else remembers?"

"I wish I could tell you," she replied.

"L.A.'s on the way," he said. "At least Nina and Lorne remember too."

"That's good," she replied. "But not exactly the two people we need to help with this."

"It's not like we have a choice," he stated.

"How long till they get here?" she asked.

"Soon," he replied. "I had to actually order security not to kill them on sight."

"What the hell happened here?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "Something bad."

"We should go to the lab and start...I don't know, looking for something," she said.

"It beats throwing rocks at a pond," he replied. They wrapped their arms around each other and walked back towards the building.

i*****

"What are we supposed to do about them?" Buffy asked.

"Has he done anything that would put anyone or this place in danger?" Giles asked.

"I don't think so," Buffy replied. "Just talking weird...And a bizarre obsession with Faith."

"I don't think we should remove him," Dawn stated. "But..."

"What?" Giles asked.

"He's a little creepy," she replied.

"Did he...touch...," Giles tried to ask.

"No," Dawn replied. "Ewwww. Just...closer than was comfortable."

Giles looked to Buffy. "It's up to you," he stated. "You're the next ranking member."

"Let's let this play out for a little while," he replied as they watched Willow and Xander approach.

"You do know that Angel and his people are on their way here?" Buffy asked.

"No," he replied. "Why?"

"Xander invited them," she said.

"Okay," Giles said. "Tell Rolph to have security with them at all times. That includes Willow and Xander."

"How can we justify that?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure," Giles replied. "I'll get back to you."

i*****

"What exactly are we looking for?" Xander asked Willow, who was sitting across the table at the computer facing him.

"I don't know," she replied.

"Groundhog-itis?" he asked.

"That's not funny," she replied.

"Believe me," he stated. "Nothing today has been funny."

"So Faith, huh?" she asked.

"I guess not anymore," he replied, throwing his hands in the air.

"I'm sorry," she said. "It's just...unexpected."

"I stood a foot away from her today and she looked right through me," he stated sadly. "How can this be the same person?"

"It's not," Willow replied. "In this version, I was supposed to be on my way to Cancun."

"I'll trade you your vacation for losing the love of your life," he said.

"She's the love of your life?" Willow questioned.

His eye misted over. "Stupid, huh?" he asked softly.

"Not at all," she replied. "Not if you're happy."

"I was," he stated. "Until I woke up today...again."

"Wolfram and Hart's plane is on approach," Rolph said over Xander's two way.

Xander looked to Willow. She nodded. "We're on our way," he replied.

i*****

Lorne stepped from the plane first. Security was standing around the tarmac. "I'm so sorry," Lorne stated as he approached Xander.

"We seem to be having a day," Xander replied.

"We all are, puddin," Lorne replied. He looked around. "Not too welcome?"

Xander shrugged. "I have no idea," he replied.

"Hey sweetie," Lorne said to Willow. He reached out and embraced her. "I'm glad you're on our team."

"Don't be too happy," she replied. "I have no idea what this is."

Lorne turned as Nina came down the stairs. "This is Willow," he said. "Nina."

"Hey," they both said.

Xander stepped up. "Hi," he said with a big smile.

"This is really weird," she replied. "And it's nice to meet you."

"I know," he replied, shaking his head. He hugged her briefly.

Gunn came walking up. "I'm Charles Gunn," he stated, offering his hand.

"I know," Xander replied. They shook hands. "I'm Xander." He looked up towards the top of the stairs. "Are you two ready for the mad dash to the truck?"

"How can I trust this isn't a trick?" Angel replied.

"I have over four hundred Slayers worldwide," Xander stated. "If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I have no problem with you...except that we don't get along so well."

"Okay," Angel replied. He and Spike came down the stairs quickly with a tarp over their heads. Xander opened the truck door and let them jump inside.

"This is Illyria," Wesley said as he approached Xander.

"Hey," Xander said to her after shaking Wesley's hand. She didn't acknowledge him. "Not too friendly."

"She has two modes," Wesley replied. "Indifferent and attack."

"Good to know," Xander replied.

i*****

Dawn, Buffy and Faith were waiting in the lobby when they all arrived. "Dawn would you mind finding everyone rooms?" Xander asked.

"What?" Dawn questioned.

Xander shook his head. He looked to Faith. "Oh hell," he commented. "Do I have an assistant?"

"Of course," Buffy said.

"Would someone mind asking him or her to get rooms for everyone?" Xander asked exasperated. "And I need Willow, Lorne and Nina to join me in the lab."

"What?" came a lot of voices, loudest was Angel.

"I'll be fine," Nina told him.

The four walked down the stairs.

"Who's she?" Buffy asked Angel.

i*****

"What do you remember?" Willow asked Nina.

"Coming here," she replied. "Meeting you and Faith and Kennedy. It was cordial. I was nervous. But I thought it might be fun to finally meet the people in Angel's life."

"Oh darlin," Lorne stated, "it will be. If we can actually get them back."

"I'm sorry," Xander said, looking at Nina. "Your first time with all of this and you seem to have been swept up in the front lines."

"It's different," she replied. "I'm sorry about Faith."

Xander looked to the floor. Willow shook her head quickly. "I have no idea what has happened," Willow stated.

"Where do we start?" Nina asked.

CHAPTER THREE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "I hate mornings," he said to himself.

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

"I know," he replied. "We missed breakfast."

"Yes you did," Dawn stated.

Xander smiled wide as he rolled over. Suddenly, he screamed. He rolled the other direction and fell off the bed with a thud. Buffy yelled.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Dawn yelled over the phone.

Xander reached for the phone lying by his head. "Just startled," he replied. "Have a good day."

"See you," Dawn replied.

Xander reluctantly lifted his body and looked at the bed. Buffy was sitting. He looked away quickly. "Um...you should ...you know...cover up," he stated with embarrassment.

"What?" Buffy asked with confusion. "What's wrong with you?"

"Well," he whispered to himself, "better than yesterday." He looked to Buffy. "I'm gonna be a little late today. Maybe you should shower."

"Come on," Buffy replied. "Come back for a few minutes."

"Not today," he said quickly. He stood with a groan and grabbed his phone. "Bathroom." He avoided looking at Buffy as much as possible. He walked into the bathroom and dialed the phone. "Willow...I know... I just woke up with Buffy... You'd think. Now it feels like cheating. What the hell is happening?... I know. I'll send the jet immediately... I knew enough not to ask where Faith was... Funny. At least it started better than yesterday...or the third today... I don't know. I didn't look... See... Just get here... I know. I'll start researching right away. Bye." He looked towards the bathroom door with actual fear.

i*****

"We have to go," Nina said with urgency.

"What?" Angel questioned, poking his head from the bathroom, his face covered with shaving cream.

"We need to get to the Council," she replied.

"The Council?" Angel questioned. "We're not welcome there." He looked at her questioningly. "What do you even know about the Council?"

"Xander wants us there," she stated.

"How do you even know Xander?" he asked angrily. Angel's phone began to ring. He reached to the night stand and picked up the phone. "Hello... what?... Who is this?.." He looked to Nina. "Why?..." He looked angrily to Nina and handed her the phone.

"Hi," she said. She looked over at Angel. "He's confused... I understand. I'll convince him... About the same so far... That's...interesting... I'm sorry. We'll be there soon." She hung up.

"Why is he calling you?" Angel asked angrily.

"I guess you guys would call this an apocalypse," she stated. "Although we really have no idea yet. The days are repeating."

"Repeating?" Angel asked.

"This is repeat day three," she replied. "And every day, everything is different."

i*****

Lorne slammed his glass down on his desk. "Not again," he stated. He reached for the phone.

i*****

"What the hell is this?" Xander asked as he met Willow at the plane.

"Where's Buffy?" she replied.

"I'm trying to avoid her," he stated. "Apparently, we're a couple."

"That's what you always wanted," Willow replied.

"So I thought," he stated. Kennedy came down the stairs shaking her head. "Even if I thought we might continue from here for good, it's not what I want. I want Faith."

"Have you seen her?" Willow asked.

"She's not here," he replied. "She didn't stay."

"I'm sorry," she said.

He shrugged. "How are you two?" he asked.

"About the same," Willow replied. "She's not happy about this trip."

"This is making less and less sense," he stated. "If something evil is doing this, to what end?"

"I don't know," Willow replied. Xander lifted her bag and tossed it into the back of the truck. "So, you woke up with Buffy?" She smiled.

"It's not funny," he said seriously.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I..."

"It should have been," he said as he climbed into the truck. "I just don't... she's not..."

"You're really in love," Willow stated.

"If we don't fix this," he replied, "I will die."

"I'm sorry," she said honestly. She leaned closer to him. "I really am sorry. I forget. Everyday, I wake up with the woman I love. I'm sorry you don't."

"Why is that?" he asked. "I don't mean why do you. Why is My ...morning different?"

"I don't know," Willow replied as they pulled away. "Maybe that's the first place we should focus."

"I want her back," Xander said. "I know there are a million things that are probably wrong... I just want her back."

"I get it," Willow replied.

"I don't get any of this," Kennedy commented from the back seat. "What's different?"

"The world," Willow replied.

i*****

Buffy met them in the lobby as they entered. She walked up to Willow and hugged her tightly. "Did you hear?" she asked. She waved her hand in Willow's face. "I'm engaged."

Xander's jaw dropped. Willow's eyes went wide. Xander tried to walk away but Buffy wrapped her arm around his waist. "That's...unexpected."

"What are you talking about?" Buffy questioned. "You've been talking to me about this for months."

Willow looked to Xander quickly. He shrugged. "I know," Willow stated, lying. "I just was surprised he finally asked."

"I'm so happy," Buffy stated. She kissed Xander's cheek.

"We...um...we have to go to the lab," Xander said. "Willow and me."

"What's going on?" Buffy questioned.

"Don't ask me," Kennedy said. "This is all her...and him."

Buffy looked at him questioningly. "What's up?" she asked.

"Just...work stuff," he replied. "Why don't you and Kennedy work out...or something."

Buffy looked at him with raised eyebrows. "That's a great idea," Willow agreed. "Set us up in a room and I'll find you later." She leaned forward and kissed Kennedy's cheek.

Kennedy shook her head. "Okay," she said. "Whatever." Xander quickly grabbed Willow's arm and dragged her towards the stairs.

"Engaged?" Willow questioned as they descended the stairs.

"This makes less and less sense every time," Xander replied. "First. Buffy would never date me let alone sleep with me. And she is definitely Not someone who would marry. And certainly not me."

"And Faith would?" she questioned. He looked at her crossly. "Sorry. And what's with the sudden resets? I mean...there's no common theme. It just suddenly resets."

"I have no idea how we're going to figure this out," Xander replied. "We start to learn a little bit about the current time line, but when it resets, everything is different."

"And where is Faith?" she asked.

"As far as I can tell, she never came here after Sunnydale," he replied. "If there was a Sunnydale battle." He threw his arms up in frustration. "Who knows? There seems to be four of us who know. What if that changes?"

They walked into the lab. "Are Nina and Lorne coming?" she asked.

"On route," he replied. "And, I guess in the current time line I'm not completely an enemy of Angel. But it's still not what it's supposed to be."

"Xander," she said taking his hands. "I have no idea where we should start. I love research. But... research what. Time spells? Because I've kept up with the Wicca study. I've never heard of a time spell."

"Maybe we're doing this wrong," he replied. "Maybe the clue is in what is different. Maybe we should be studying us."

"Possibly," she stated. "The changes with your social life might be a clue. But how do we research our own lives. Kennedy already thinks I'm going crazy. If I start asking questions, she's not going to be happy."

"I avoided Buffy as much as possible," he replied. "I didn't know we were engaged. If I start asking too many questions, she's going to think I'm just trying to get out of it."

"Possibly," Willow replied. "That's the way a guy would probably start that."

"And what if one of these time lines doesn't reset?" Xander asked. "We can't completely destroy our relationships if these are what we're stuck with."

"Did you try to reach Faith?" she questioned.

"I looked," he replied. "Since she never came here, she doesn't have a phone. According to reports, she's in Berlin. But so what? She doesn't like me here. And God forbid, Buffy finds out." He put his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes.

"You have reports?" she questioned.

"It seems that no matter what else is different, I'm a workaholic," he replied.

"Let's start there," she said. "Are you still writing weekly summary reports?"

"From what I saw, yeah," he replied.

"We should start from the beginning," she said. They sat down in front of the computers. "My code won't work."

"You're not exactly welcome in this time line again," he replied. He walked over and punched in a password. "And what's with that? How would we ever not be friends?"

"That would never happen," she said with a big smile. "Don't ever think that. We've been together our entire lives. We're going to spend the end of our lives in the same nursing home."

"I know," he replied. "Me and Angel not being friendly makes some sense. Not you and me."

They had worked silently for about ten minutes when Rolph called over the radio. "The Wolfram and Hart jet is on approach," he said. "I'm sending security."

"No," Xander called back quickly. "I'm going."

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Rolph replied.

"I invited them," he stated. "Willow and I will meet them."

"Yes, sir," Rolph replied.

"We should go," Xander said to Willow.

"I keep waiting to wake up in bed again," she replied.

He sighed. "I know," he said. "I don't know what to tell you. It's reset each time at no specific place."

"No offense," Willow replied as they walked out the door, "I don't want to wake up with you."

"Why did you even say that?" he asked, shaking his head. "I love you, Willow. But I don't want that visual for the rest of my life. I'm already going to have trouble looking at Buffy from now on."

"You're a guy," Willow replied. "Nice guy, but still a guy. You loved it."

"You know what?" he asked. "I know that I really love Faith because I really didn't like seeing Buffy. Don't get me wrong, she's got an incredible body. But I don't care anymore. It's not her I want."

"Wow," Willow replied. "You got it bad." He smiled and nodded.

i*****

"Hi Willow, Xander," Nina said enthusiastically as she raced down the stairs.

"Hey," Xander replied. "Doesn't it seem weird to you that in our real life we've never met."

"I know," she said. She reached out her arms and reluctantly hugged him. She turned to Willow and did the same. She looked to Xander. "Buffy, huh?"

"Apparently, I'm engaged," he replied. She laughed lightly. "I'm sorry."

"Next time line, you may wake up with Spike," Xander said.

"Oh...ewww," she replied.

"I've already decided that I don't want to wake up with him," Willow added. Nina looked over questioningly. "We've been friends forever. We tried our almost relationship a long time ago. It would just be kind of creepy."

"Thank you," Xander said. "You could do worse." Willow smiled and kissed his cheek. Gunn followed Lorne down the stairs.

"Hey Willow," Gunn stated. "Good to see you again." She and Xander exchanged a quick smile.

"How are you doing?" Willow asked.

"I'm confused," he replied.

"I'm Xander," he said offering his hand.

"You're not what I expected," Gunn said as they shook hands.

"I'm sure you expected either a retard or the devil," Xander replied with a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Deju vu, honey muffins," Lorne stated as he approached.

Xander looked up and saw Angel standing in the doorway. He nodded. "Where's Illyria?" he asked Gunn. Lorne shook his head quickly.

"Who?" Gunn asked.

Just then, Wesley walked past Angel and led a girl down the stairs. "Fred?" Willow asked with shock.

"Oh God," Xander replied. He looked to Lorne. "So if we... then she...?" Lorne nodded. "Oh God." He turned to Willow with his mouth hanging open. She just shook her head. He quickly walked to the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey, I'm Fred," she said sweetly. "It's so nice to finally meet you."

Xander reluctantly reached out his hand. "It's very nice to meet you," he replied. "Willow tells me you could become a pretty powerful witch yourself if you wanted."

"Magic isn't for me," she said. "I just like the research."

"Xander," Wesley said. Xander nodded.

"You mind," Angel called down.

Xander walked over to one of the trucks and opened the door. "Anytime you're ready," he stated.

i*****

The large group walked into the lobby. As Angel and Spike removed the tarp, Buffy approached. "Why are they here?" she asked with hostility.

"Buffy," Angel replied coldly.

"Surprise," Xander said.

Buffy turned to Xander. "Kennedy was full of interesting information," she said pointedly to Xander.

"Really?" he replied, looking to Willow.

"What is going on?" Buffy asked.

"I'd kind of like an answer to that too?" Angel added.

"Why don't we get everyone settled," Xander replied. "Then, we'll meet in the dining room for lunch." He reached for his phone and dialed. He walked away from the others. "This is Xander. Do I have an assistant?... Just call him and send him to the lobby, please." Nina and Willow looked over with a crooked smile. "Confusing." They both nodded.

i*****

Buffy grabbed Xander's arm hard as they walked down the hallway. "Owww," he said.

"Sorry," she replied. "But what is happening? Yesterday, you couldn't keep your hands off me. Now, you won't even look at me."

"If I tell you, you're going to be upset," he replied. "And possibly dangerous."

"You don't want to get married," she stated.

"No," he said. "It's nothing like that. Listen, everyone is going to have the same questions. Let's just do this all at once."

She grabbed his hands. "You don't want to be with me?" she asked.

"It's more complicated than that," he replied.

"No, it's not," she said, dropping his hands and walking away. Xander sighed deeply.

He followed Buffy into the private dining room. "Buffy," he called after her. She walked around the table and sat down. Willow looked at him with concern. He shook his head.

"Why are we here?" Angel asked immediately.

"Everything's different," Nina replied quickly.

"Who are you?" Buffy asked.

"Sorry," Nina replied. "I'm Nina Ash."

Buffy looked to Angel. "My girlfriend," he said softly.

"Of course," Buffy replied.

Nina looked to Xander. "Are we supposed to tell?" she asked.

"Why not?" he replied. "It will just reset and they won't remember anyhow."

"What?" Wesley asked.

"The day keeps restarting," Willow stated.

"That's not...it's impossible," Fred replied.

"No," Lorne commented as he sipped his drink. "It's true."

"This is Friday number three or four," Xander stated.

"And things keep changing," Willow said.

"This is insane," Giles commented. "Why would you remember and not all of us?"

"If we had the answers, we wouldn't be talking with all of you," Xander replied.

"Who of you think this?" Wesley asked.

"Me, Willow, Nina and Lorne," Xander replied. "We seem to be the only ones that remember."

"No offense," Spike stated. "But Nina is barely part of our group. Why her?"

"Hey," Angel commented.

Nina blushed deeply. "I don't know," she said softly.

"There is no reason to any of it," Xander replied. "So, leave her alone." Nina smiled at him thankfully. Angel wrapped his arm around her and glared.

"What is different?" Fred asked.

The four uttered a collective sigh. "There are lots of things," Willow stated. She looked to Xander. "But Xander had a rather scary thought. If this timeline remains, and we tell you, everything is going to be different. Relationships will be ruined." Kennedy looked to her with concern.

"You don't think we're supposed to be together," Buffy stated. "That's why you're acting like you are."

"It's more complicated than that," Willow said.

"Why tell us at all?" Wesley questioned.

"Because we have no idea what to do," Xander replied. "I'm embarrassed to say, but we're lost."

"I don't even know what to look for," Nina added.

"I've checked for spells," Willow said. "There's nothing."

"Maybe the four of you are just going bonkers," Spike commented.

"If it was just me," Xander replied, "I'd say bring on the straight jacket and the padded room. But, Willow. And Nina and Lorne who I've never even met...until yesterday...Friday number three."

"I'm sorry," Wesley stated. "But this isn't possible."

"I agree," Lorne replied. "Yet...it is."

"This is ludicrous," Giles stated.

Xander looked to Willow. She shrugged. "Buffy and I are getting married," Xander stated. He looked at her sadly. "But the Buffy I know, has never noticed me in eight years. And she certainly would never get married, to me or anyone. Not yet." Xander looked to Angel. "She's cookie dough." Angel looked back confusedly.

Buffy stared at him angrily. She pulled the ring from her finger and threw it at him. It bounced off his cheek and landed on his plate. "Buffy," Willow said quickly. "It's...He's... This isn't the life we had yesterday...or three days ago. It's very confusing."

"These are the types of things you were worried about?" Giles asked.

"Yes," Xander replied. "If this is my life now, I guess I just messed it up."

"You guess?" Buffy questioned.

"In the last timeline, you actually hated me," Xander replied. "Everyone hated everyone. Angel and I were just about warring with each other." Angel glared. "I don't know how it is here. We're supposed to be ...well, not exactly friends, but colleagues. You're on the board of directors here."

Half the people laughed. "Right," Spike stated.

"We were all friends," Willow replied.

"What else?" Gunn asked.

"No," Nina stated. "Look at what just happened."

"Some of us aren't supposed to be here," Lorne said softly.

"What?" Fred asked. All four looked down.

"You're saying that if you get your...supposed time line back, some of us will die?" Gunn asked.

"Screw that," Spike stated. "And screw you for good measure."

"Shut up Spike," Buffy said. She looked to Xander. "You really don't have feelings for me?"

"I did," he replied. "Before...But you made it clear that it wasn't going to happen."

"You found someone else," Buffy said. Willow and Xander looked down. Buffy looked around the table.

"She's not here," Xander replied very softly. Willow gently set her hand on his back.

"So here, you're miserable?" Buffy asked.

"I love you Buffy," he replied. "That's true in any timeline. But..."

"Stop," Willow said. "This is our problem."

"How much is different?" Wesley asked.

"It's hard to say," Willow replied. "We've pretty much only noticed the personal stuff. Xander and I were just starting to read reports to find out how much else is different."

"Who?" Buffy questioned.

"Don't," Willow said quickly. She looked to Buffy. "If this stays, it doesn't matter. She's not here."

"Who?" Gunn questioned.

"It's got to be another Slayer," Angel commented. Nina squeezed his arm hard. He looked to her quickly. "You?"

"No, not me, you moron," she said. "Just...leave it."

"Why does time reset?" Giles asked.

"We don't know," Willow replied.

"This is the longest the day has played out so far," Xander added.

"But if we fix our timeline, someone will die," Willow stated.

"Which makes me pretty selfish," Xander said. "Since it seems that I've been most affected. How can I...basically kill someone to have my life back the way I want it."

"If this really isn't the correct reality," Fred said, "there must be a reason. And probably not a good one."

"Who died?" Spike asked.

Xander looked to Lorne, who shook his head. "We're not going to tell that," he stated. "What would be the point?"

"Has the world been affected?" Wesley asked.

Xander turned to Willow quickly. "Jeez," he said. "I never even thought to check. Who's the president?"

"Bush," Giles replied.

"It would have been nice if someone had fixed that," Willow commented. Everyone nodded.

"Are we at war?" Xander asked.

"Not exactly," Giles replied.

"Iraq?" Nina asked. Most everyone nodded.

"Xander," Fred said softly. "This life...it's...you're not happy?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I've had it all of six hours."

"But your other life, you were happy?" Buffy asked. "With someone else?"

"Buffy," Xander replied, "I don't know you. How long have we been together?"

"Eight years," she stated.

"We've been dating since high school?" he questioned.

"No, you dope," she replied. "We've been dating for about six months."

"For the past three months," Willow stated, "you've been living in Italy. You just came back a few weeks ago after you broke up with The Immortal."

"The what?" Buffy questioned.

"Who?" Angel asked with hatred and anger.

"You were dating him?" Spike asked also angry.

"Not me," Buffy replied. "Remember."

"This is too much information," Giles stated. "We could pollute this reality."

"Not that I'm an expert," Willow replied, "but this is this reality. Saying what happened in the other one won't change this one."

"Were you married?" Buffy asked softly.

"I'm not your Xander," Xander replied. "If you want to know if I ever thought about marrying you, I did. For many, many years. But...you didn't think about me like that. We're friends. Nothing more."

"So, I should be pretty embarrassed about this morning," she said.

"What happened this morning?" Gunn asked.

"You didn't," Spike stated.

"It was a bit of a shock," Xander said.

"Hence your scream," Buffy stated.

"If this is where we stay, I don't know what happens with us," he said sadly. "I wish..."

"This needs to stop," Giles stated. "If all that you are saying is true, you are hardly responsible for how you feel or how you act."

"So, do we try to fix it?" Angel asked.

"I don't want someone to die because my girlfriend is gone," Xander replied quickly. Buffy looked down. Xander reached over and took her hand. "You'll always be in my heart."

"That's just pathetic," Spike commented.

"Shut up Spike," Buffy and Willow replied.

"We need to find out what else is different," Wesley stated. "I'm sorry if this isn't the world you had. But...I don't think we should risk someone's life if everything else is perfectly the same."

Buffy squeezed Xander's hand hard. "Sorry," she said softly. He smiled at her weakly.

"Where do we start?" Fred asked.

"I guess where we were already," Willow replied. "We'll start with the reports from here. Maybe the rest of you...from here...could put together a short report about the past few years."

"A more extensive report may be helpful," Giles stated. "An overview of history."

"I'm not exactly an A student," Xander stated.

"Keep it simple," Willow said. "We don't need to know about the War of 1812. Unless we didn't win."

Xander, Nina and Willow looked to Giles. "We won," he said.

"World War 2?" Xander asked as a joke.

"We won," Fred replied with a smile.

"Someone should continue looking into why this happened...or how," Wesley suggested.

"I will," Fred replied.

"I'll work with her," Wesley stated.

"Are you two together?" Xander asked.

Fred blushed slightly. "Um...well...we've..," Wesley tried to reply. Fred wrapped her arm around him. She kissed his cheek.

"Did you and Gunn date?" Willow asked.

"What?" Gunn and Wesley questioned.

"I guess that's a no," Xander stated.

Fred and Gunn looked at one another. "We dated?" she asked.

"Try to say that without so much shock," he replied.

"These are the kinds of things I'm talking about," Giles stated. "We don't know if this time line will change. Things said now can have consequences." Everyone looked to Buffy.

"I'm sorry," Xander said to her. "I should have kept quiet."

"Let's take this to the lab," Willow stated. Everyone stood and began to file out. Buffy held Xander back.

Willow hesitated, but Xander waved her off. "I'm sorry I put you on the spot," Buffy said. "You and...my Xander... I can't look at you and not see him."

"I know," he replied. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh," he said. "It's hardly your fault."

"I still feel bad," he replied. He took her hands in his. "I Do love you. Always have. Always will. And Dawn... Are her and I close?"

"Inseparable," she stated.

"Thank God," he replied. "The last time line we were barely friends."

"You've taken care of Dawn for a long time," she stated. "I was worried about the closeness at times."

"Never," he replied.

"I know," she said. "You're happy in the other time?"

"I was," he replied. "I didn't realize how much until everything changed. But... I'm not sure about you." She looked at him questioningly. "I don't really know if you were happy. We're friends... but, you keep to yourself a lot." She looked away. "How can I reset this? You're happy here."

"Not so much, anymore," she said.

"But you could be," he stated. "We... maybe..."

"I don't want to be your second choice," she said.

"In my time, you would have been my first choice...for a long time," he replied.

"Until she came along," Buffy stated.

"Yeah," he said, looking away.

"You can tell me," Buffy stated.

"I don't know," he replied. "I'm pretty sure you're not friends in any time line."

"That's what I thought," Buffy said. "Faith." He started to smile and stopped. "That's okay. You were happy together?"

"She was my life," he replied. "I didn't even know it for a long time."

"You should call her," she said.

"Why?" he replied. "It's a lot like you and me. It's different here."

"I don't know," Buffy stated. "When you dated her in high school I always thought it would last."

"WHAT?" he questioned loudly. "Faith and I...we didn't date in high school. We slept together once. Then, she tried to kill me when she became evil."

"Faith was evil?" Buffy asked.

Xander looked puzzled. "Why would that be different?" he questioned.

"So, you're dating someone evil?" Buffy asked.

"No," he replied. "Well...she repented. Went to jail."

"Jail?" Buffy asked.

"Definitely not the same Faith," he said.

"Did you fight the mayor?" he asked suddenly.

"Big snake guy," Buffy replied. "Actually, Faith saved my life."

"In my time...," Xander started to speak.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"You're happy here," Xander stated. "Faith isn't atoning for an evil life. And one of our friends is still alive. We can't fix this. Not that we may have any control over it."

"And you'll stay here, unhappy," she replied.

"How can I be unhappy?" he asked. "You're still my friend."

"Maybe more?" she questioned.

"Three days ago I asked Faith to marry me," he stated.

"I understand," Buffy said sadly. "You proposed to me three days ago...or the other you."

"I wish that was me," he replied. He pulled her close to him and gently kissed her forehead. "You are one amazing woman...in any time." He hugged her tight.

"We should...probably go," she said. "You should call Faith."

"No," he replied. "She was always out of my league...she just didn't know it." He looked into her eyes. "So were you."

"I didn't think so," she said. She lifted up and gently kissed his lips. "You're doing it again."

"What?" he asked.

"Making me fall for you," she replied softly. "Let's go."

i*****

"I've got a preliminary history report," Giles stated.

Xander looked to Lorne. "I'm not from this world," he said, sipping from his drink. "I know what I learned watching the History Channel."

"Unfortunately," Xander replied, "so did I." He looked to Nina.

"I'm an art student," she stated.

"No offense," Xander said as he looked from Lorne to Nina. "But if God, or the universe or whoever was going to let some of us remember, why us? I get Willow. But why not Giles or Wesley or Fred. We're not exactly the brainiacs of the group." Willow took the papers from Giles.

"Maybe that is a clue," Fred stated. "Maybe you each possess something necessary to solve this."

"Unless it's a severely damaged liver," Spike stated. "What could Lorne bring to the party?"

"Hey," Lorne replied.

"Xander," Willow whispered. He leaned over. She pointed to the paper.

"How many nuclear weapons do you have on the planet?" Xander asked.

"What?" Gunn asked.

"What's a nuclear weapon?" Fred asked.

"That's not good," Nina stated. "Or it is."

"I just realized that we could take over the world," Xander stated.

"That's not funny," Willow replied. "Besides, do you actually know how to make one?"

"Plutonium," Xander stated.

"What's plutonium?" Fred asked.

Willow began typing quickly. "Oh my God," she stated. "I don't exactly have this memorized anymore. If I need something, I look it up. But there's no plutonium." She turned her screen showing the periodic table.

"They haven't discovered it?" Nina asked.

"What is plutonium?" Giles asked.

"Can I field this one?" Xander asked. Willow nodded. "It's an element. One that can be used to make a bomb. A very small bomb...say this big." He spread his arms. "One of those can level an entire city."

"In your time, cities have been leveled?" Gunn asked.

"Just two," Willow and Nina replied.

"The end of world war two," Xander stated, "the Japanese didn't surrender until we dropped two nuclear bombs. Hundreds of thousands died."

"That's insane," Wesley replied.

"The government believed it would cost more lives than that to invade," Nina stated.

"Is this significant?" Willow asked. "I mean, why is this different?"

"Maybe," Giles replied.

"Or maybe all of this is random," Fred stated. "Maybe whatever is causing this time loop has no motive. Just an accident."

"Or a by-product of something else," Wesley added.

Xander stood and took Willow's hand. He led her away. He pointed for Nina and Lorne. They huddled separately. "It should be our business too," Gunn stated. Xander held up his hand.

"Buffy's relatively happy here," Xander stated softly. "Faith was never evil. Fred's alive. And there are no nuclear weapons. Should we bother trying to change this."

"We still don't know what else may be different," Willow replied. "Maybe they never cured polio."

"So do it and make a billion dollars," Xander stated.

"What about Faith?" Nina asked. Xander shrugged. "You love her."

"And here she has nothing to atone for," Xander replied. "No regrets."

"Muffin cake," Lorne stated, "you don't need to fall on your sword."

"This may be a better world," Xander replied.

"Maybe," Willow said. "But we still don't know what else is different. Or if it will even last till tomorrow."

"Okay," Xander replied. "But unless we find something major wrong, and...as long as we don't suddenly wake up back in our rooms, I vote we don't try to fix it."

"What if something...evil wants us to do this?" Lorne asked. "Getting us out of the way for some evil plan?"

"He's right," Willow stated.

"Do we really have the right to decide that?" Lorne asked. "I love Fred. But maybe it was destined."

"Lots of things are destined," Xander replied. "In fact, if you believe that, then we were destined to be here too."

"Why don't you try to reach Faith?" Nina asked.

He looked over at Buffy who was staring at him. "Because it ...it's very complicated," he replied.

"You and Buffy?" Willow asked.

"Not like that," he replied. "But...I love her. You know that. I certainly don't want to hurt her. This has been bad enough."

"My sweet children, this is all moot," Lorne stated. "This isn't the way things are supposed to be. Better or worse...it's not up to us. This was played out over millennia."

"Guys," Angel said. "Want to share."

The four returned. Buffy took Xander's hand. He looked down and into her eyes. He winked. "We were just discussing whether this world is better," Willow said. Kennedy placed her hand on Willow's back.

"I don't really think that's something you should decide," Giles stated.

"We still don't know what caused this," Fred added.

"You're dead," Xander said to her sadly.

"XANDER!" Willow shouted, scaring a few of them.

"HOW DARE YOU," Wesley added.

"That was uncalled for," Giles said.

"That's what we have to live with," Xander stated as he looked around. "Like it or not. If things go back to the way they were supposed to be, we will probably remember. I know that I don't know you personally. But I've known about you. You're a sweet beautiful girl. And... I don't want you to die."

Fred looked at him fearfully. "Stop it," Wesley stated. Angel stood threateningly.

"Just giving you the facts," Xander said. "Faith and I were going to be married." Buffy looked at him and dropped his hand. "She's not even a part of this anymore. I'll give that up, if it means a world without nuclear weapons." He looked to Fred. "And a world where one of our friends is still alive."

"You don't know we have a choice," Willow stated.

"Or that something worse is already here," Lorne added. "Take that from a guy that's been to another world."

"Now you all know, mostly what we know," Xander stated. "Sure, let's continue to work this. Make sure that in this time line the world isn't about to be destroyed by an asteroid. But if we actually have a choice, I will accept this world."

Fred looked away ashamedly. "Do you know how?" she asked softly.

Everyone looked at Xander angrily. "Not the specifics," he replied. "But it will hurt." Buffy slapped his chest hard. "Owww." Lorne shook his head. "And Wesley and Gunn won't fair so well after."

"What?" Gunn questioned. "Why?"

"Don't," Lorne warned.

Wesley pulled Fred's head against his shoulder. "That was cruel," he stated.

"Actually, no," Willow replied. "What happened to Fred would have already happened here. Everything's different. And the rest of you...if things switch back to the original way, you...the people you are now, won't exist anyhow."

"I'm getting a headache," Spike replied.

"Down another scotch," Angel said sarcastically. "That should help."

"Oh God," Nina commented. "I never thought about it like that. You'll all die, basically."

Everyone looked at her questioningly. "You won't be the people you are now," Willow explained. "Buffy, Angel the rest of you may still exist. But you won't be this Buffy and Angel or any of you."

"We're all the product of our experiences," Giles stated.

"So we just cease to exist?" Buffy asked.

"Uh-oh," Willow said as she looked at the screen.

"Un-oh?" Xander asked. "You're not allowed uh-ohs. Not in our business."

"The good news is that I don't think that you will cease to exist," Willow stated.

"Well...that's better than not existing," Gunn said.

"What is it?" Giles asked.

"I don't think we're reliving days," Willow said.

"Sure we are," Nina stated.

"No," Willow replied. "We're shifting dimensions."

"You mean we're sliders?" Xander asked with a big smile.

Gunn laughed. Everyone else looked at him unhappily. "Why do you think that?" Giles asked.

"For one thing, if we really were going back in time, everyday should, at least, start the same," Willow replied. "This world shouldn't be so different. The only difference would be what we do after we get here. And second, there's a spell."

"What kind of spell?" Fred asked.

"It's a very vague transferring dimensions spell," Willow replied.

"If you're right," Buffy questioned, "where are our people?"

"Quantum physics dictates that two of the same things can't exist within the same dimension," Willow replied. "For want of a better explanation, they were forced out into another dimension. Possibly our own."

"No," Xander stated. "I saw the episode where Quinn met his double on the world with the plague."

"You're not allowed to talk anymore when we're doing the technical stuff," Willow replied. Gunn laughed.

"It's not funny," Buffy stated. She looked at Xander. "You're not him."

"No," he replied. "So he should still be out there. A lucky man." Buffy smiled wide and leaned in and kissed his lips. "Lucky man." He winked. She blushed slightly.

"How do we get back?" Lorne asked.

"The better question is what's doing this in the first place," Wesley said.

"And why us?" Nina asked.

"Maybe someone or something needed you out of the way," Angel stated.

"Us?" Xander questioned. "Okay, I understand Willow. Maybe me cause of the president thing. But, no offense, again, why them?"

"How do we fix this?" Nina asked.

"Here's the spell," Willow said. She turned the computer screen.

CHAPTER FOUR

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "NO!" he yelled. His phone began to ring. "What?... A dorm room. I thought you lived with Kennedy at her parent's house..." He heard the shower stop. "I don't know yet...

Oh my God, I'm going to prison..." He quickly looked to the other side of the room.

"Who's on the phone?" Dawn asked.

"Um, no one...sweetie?" he replied. "W-why are you here?"

"My shower broke," Dawn stated.

"Oh, thank God," he replied. He rolled back over to look at her and looked away quickly. "You need to adjust the towel or something." She blushed.

"Oh," Dawn said quickly. "Is everything okay?"

"Where's Faith?" he asked, still unable to look in her direction.

"Who knows?" she replied. "Probably with the guy of the night. Who's the new security guard?"

"Never mind," he said. "I'll see you at breakfast."

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he stated.

"Buffy will come back," Dawn said before she walked out. "She's just...immature."

"Yeah," Xander replied. The door closed. "Not fun... NO I DIDN'T. Shower, that's all... What difference would it make? It's not like I was in control anyhow... Tell me you're still in Boston... Plane will be on route... I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you.

Xander reached for his phone and dialed. "Let me talk to Nina," he stated.

i*****

"Hey again," Xander said as Willow stepped from the plane. He waited for a second. "No Kennedy?"

"Apparently," Willow replied, her eyes clouding over, "she vaguely remembers me."

"I'm so sorry," he stated as he wrapped his arms around her. "I can't believe we slid again."

"Stop saying that," she replied. He smiled wide. She reluctantly followed suit. "So you and Dawn?"

"I thought for a second..." he stated. "My heart almost stopped. Don't get me wrong. Dawn is a beautiful girl. And if she was older, who knows. But she's like my daughter. At least in our world. It was a little creepy...and a little more revealing than it should have been."

"Faith?" she asked as they climbed into the truck.

"Apparently mating with everyone except me," he replied. Willow gently set her hand on his leg. "I get it. It's not her. I just don't understand how every world could be so different."

"Every choice we make creates an alternate reality," she said.

"So somewhere you and I are married and raising a bunch of spoiled kids?" he asked with a smile.

"Possibly," she replied. "Although...still gay."

"So you're going to leave me for the nanny?" he asked. "How could you do that to our children?"

"Funny," she replied.

"Do you think there's a world with dinosaurs?" he asked happily.

"This isn't funny," she replied. "I liked my life. I want it back."

"Me too," he said. "You know me. Cracking jokes in the face of ...the end of everything."

"So do we bring the others into it today?" she asked. "Or yesterday. Or whatever today is."

"Do you have any idea why it's always the same day?" he questioned.

"Not a clue," she replied. "Theoretically, it shouldn't work like that."

"That's what Quinn said," he said with a big smile. She slapped his arm hard.

"So the others?" she asked.

"You tell me," he replied. "You possibly found the spell. But we still have no idea who's behind it or why. Or if it was even deliberate. Or how to undo it. And why us. I get the you and possibly me part. But Nina. She's not really even a part of us."

"Giles, yesterday's Giles, was right," she stated. "That might be the biggest clue. Why us? Why not all the Slayers? Or Wesley? What's the common thread between us?"

"Three of us are in relationships," he replied. "I'm not entirely sure which way Lorne comes down on that."

"Ewww," she said. He looked at her questioningly. "I was more thinking of demon...and hey."

"You know that there's nothing wrong with two women in love," he stated. "And a camera." She slapped his arm hard. "Owww. One of these days, I'm going to fall over from an aneurysm. And it's going to be because of all the bruises I've gotten from you girls hitting me."

"Then ultimately, your mouth would be to blame," she replied. He reached his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm glad it's you that's on this...whatever," he stated. "We've been apart far too long."

She laid her head against his shoulder. "I never really thought about it," she stated. "God. What if you weren't here with me? I'd be so terrified."

"Same here," he replied. He stopped the truck in front of the main entrance. "Angel and them probably won't arrive for another hour or so. Anything you want to do?"

"I've never gone riding with you," she replied. "Wait. Does this version have horses?"

"I saw the stable earlier," he stated. "You know, one of the hardest things to remember every day is to look at an employee list." They climbed from the truck. She took his hand.

"Today was surreal," she said. "I woke up in a different place. My roommate, Sarah, nice girl, possibly, was staring at me like I was insane. I didn't know where the bathroom was."

"At least I've woken up here every day," he replied. "What if I wake up in my parent's basement on one of these slides?"

"Stop calling it that," she said.

"What do you want me to call it?" he asked. "Our magically induced transdimensional travel to a new location. It's a slide." He stopped walking and looked into her eyes. "Believe me. I want to go home. I miss Faith. And I'm beginning to wonder if our dimension is the only one where we're together."

"What about this Buffy?" she questioned.

"Dawn told me this morning that Buffy would come back," he replied. "I'm assuming she's left me...or this place. Who knows? Figuring the personal stuff out each time is confusing. And the last time... I really cared for that Buffy. It's getting a little difficult."

"I'm sorry," she said. "It must be hard."

"For you too," he replied. "I'm sorry she's not here this time."

"It does make it a little easier knowing that these people aren't the people we know," she stated.

"I have a million questions," he stated as they approached the stable. "But I have one that's been bothering me. If we can't be duplicates, that means that our doubles are filling in our lives right now. What if... I mean..."

"I know," she replied sadly. "I've thought the same thing. They could be taking our places or totally trashing our lives. We have to fix this quickly."

"I know who I'm supposed to be with," Xander stated. "I won't cheat. She doesn't know."

"Hopefully our doubles are as confused as we are," she replied.

"I'm a guy," he said as he helped her onto the horse. "I try to do the right thing. But...seeing Buffy ...well buff, made me think twice. A different me may not be so...nice."

"You've always been a nice guy," she replied. "I can't see how you possibly could be that different anywhere."

"Faith is really hot," he said.

"I don't need to know that," she replied as they directed the horses towards the path. "But...she is hot."

"I knew it," he stated. "Okay, late night dreams knew it. You think my girlfriend is hot."

"If it wasn't for all the murder and mayhem," Willow replied. He looked down quickly. "I'm sorry. That was a joke. Yes. Faith is a hottie. And I'm very happy for you. Not just because you got a hot babe. You're in love. That's always good."

"Thank you," he said. "You think my girlfriend is hot. You think ..." He sang.

"I may not be a Slayer," she stated, "but I will hurt you."

They came to the top of a rise and Xander stopped the horse suddenly. "Do you notice anything wrong with this picture?" he asked.

"I haven't really been here that much," she replied. "What?"

"Where's the Space Needle?" he asked.

"Wow," she stated as they looked out over the city. "And why is the water green?"

"This just gets a little more disturbing every time," he stated. Suddenly, a motorcycle roared down the Council road off to their left. Xander's horse reared. He toppled to the ground and hit hard. "Owww." Willow jumped down quickly and knelt beside him. "I really wish we were going back in time." He groaned.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I doubt that when we slide again, my broken ribs will be healed," he stated.

"Oh God," Willow said in a panic. "What do I do?"

"Just sit with me for a few minutes," he replied. "I just need to catch my breath."

"Who was that?" she asked.

"My guess...would be...Faith," he said, his breathing difficult.

"Nice girlfriend," she stated with a smile.

"I really missed you," he said softly.

She leaned down and softly kissed his lips. "You're a dummy," she said. "By the way, I'm coming back. As soon as school is over. I accept the position."

"What makes you think it's still open?" he asked.

"Cause you can't live without me," she replied. She gently lifted his head into her lap. "I should call security."

"No," he said. "I'll be fine. It was just a little jolting."

"We don't even have bad guys this time," she stated, "and you still got hurt." He laughed and instantly groaned.

"Could you call Faith?" he asked.

"It's not her," she replied.

"I know," he said. "I...just want to see her." She reached into his pocket. "You always wanted to do that."

"I'd hit you if you weren't already hurt," she replied with a smile. "And yes. You missed out. You could have had me in grade school."

"Thank you for that confidence," he said. "You couldn't have actually had me until eighth grade." She looked at him questioningly. "A guy thing."

"When I said had, I didn't exactly mean that," she stated and blushed deeply.

"I love you," he said sincerely. "Best friends forever."

"Without any doubt," she replied. "I knew the second I heard that first repeat day that those people weren't us."

"I need to tell someone something in case...we can't fix this," he stated.

"Don't talk like that," she replied quickly.

"No," he said. "I want you to know. The way you felt about Tara...it's how I feel about Faith. I can't explain it...it's just..."

"Inside you," she replied. "I can't ever tell Kennedy. I love her. But it's not the same."

"That Buffy yesterday... I could have loved her...maybe," he stated. "But it would never have been the same."

"Faith," Willow called over the two way. "It's Willow."

"WHAT?" Faith replied annoyed.

"Could you come here?" Willow asked. "By the rise."

"Why?" Faith questioned.

"Xander's hurt," she replied. He looked at her with anger. "I had to tell her something."

"On my way," Faith said with a sigh.

"You know it's not her," Willow stated. "Whatever she says or does...it's not real."

"I know," he replied. "I just want to see her." He looked to Willow. "She's my pretty girl."

Willow laughed. "It's a little weird hearing anyone describe Faith that way," she said. "You better never let her hear you say that."

"I already did," he replied. "I'm not allowed to say it in front of anyone else."

"I get that," she said. A motorcycle roared down the drive and stopped. A moment later, Faith walked over.

"What happened?" she asked with little care.

"Pretty girl," he said as he looked up at her.

"He got thrown from the horse when the motorcycle startled it," Willow said pointedly.

"Sorry," Faith commented off handedly.

"Have you and I been dating?" he asked.

"Did he hit his head?" Faith questioned.

"Possibly," Willow replied, looking at him with wide eyes.

"You don't love me?" he asked.

"Ewwww," Faith replied. "I barely acknowledge you."

He looked to Willow. "Help me get him up," she said. Willow and Faith lifted him from the ground.

"Wow," he stated. "This hurts considerably more than I expected."

"Wimp," Faith said.

Willow looked at her angrily. "It's your fault," she said.

"I'm sorry," Faith said sincerely.

"So ...we never...?" he asked.

"What's wrong with you?" Faith asked.

"Never mind him," Willow replied. "Let's just get you back inside." She looked to Faith. "Can you take them back?" She looked to the horses.

"I'll take care of it," she said.

Willow dragged him towards the back of the Council. "What was that?" she asked.

"I just..." he tried to respond. "I don't know."

"She's not her," she replied.

"I know," he said. "We need to fix this."

"Are we telling the others?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "We don't really need to know what's different anymore."

"No offense," she said, "but the four of us researching might not be enough."

"I know," he replied. "But if we have to tell, the explanation could take a while. And they might not believe us."

i*****

"Hi," Nina said happily as she ran down the stairs. She quickly embraced Xander. He let out a short cry and almost collapsed. "I'm sorry."

"Just a ...little accident with a horse," he replied with difficulty.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I was...just happy to see someone who knows."

"I get that," he replied.

She looked to Willow. "Are you injured?" she asked.

"No," Willow replied. They hugged briefly.

Angel looked down from the top of the stairs unhappily. "What's going on?" he questioned. "Where's Buffy?"

"She's not here," Xander replied.

"Why are we?" Angel asked.

"Let's all get inside," Xander stated. "We have a lot to discuss. Where's Lorne."

He appeared in the doorway. "Just getting a refill," he said holding up his glass. "I figured I might not get a break soon."

"Hi," Willow called up.

"I'm sorry muffin cake," Lorne replied. "But it's not her."

Wesley and Fred came down the stairs followed by Gunn. "Where's Spike?" Xander asked.

"Who?" Gunn questioned.

"No Spike this time," Nina stated.

He looked to her with a smile. "Any chance you and I might wake up together?" he whispered. She blushed slightly and looked up the stairs at Angel.

"Don't say that out loud," she replied, also with a smile. "He doesn't like you very much...ever."

"I get that," Xander replied.

"I'm a vampire," Angel called down. "We hear really well."

"Oops," Xander said to Nina.

"He was just making a joke," Nina said to Angel. "Nothing else."

Xander held up his hands. Willow slapped his arm. "This is not the time for sex jokes," she said.

"You brought it up with me," he replied. "Make your run." Xander looked up to Angel and opened the truck door.

i*****

"Why am I here?" Faith questioned.

"Because you get paid," Xander replied angrily.

"What's with the attitude?" she asked. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"Do what?" Giles asked.

"Xander's horse reared up," Willow replied. "He took a fall."

"Are you okay?" Fred asked.

"Couple of broken ribs," Xander replied. "No big deal."

"You know you have to carry those...," Nina started to say.

"I know," he replied. "They won't be fixed by a reset...I think."

"You should get to the doctor," Fred stated.

"Not now," he replied. "But thank you. We have a lot to discuss."

"So, I've gathered," Angel stated.

"We're," Willow started to say, "that is...me, Xander, Nina and Lorne are not your people. We're from another dimension."

"WHAT?" almost everyone asked.

"We thought we were reliving days," Xander explained. "Because every time things reset... or we move... we start back on Friday morning."

"That's impossible," Wesley stated.

"We've done this," Nina replied. "It's true." Angel looked at her with concern. "I'm not your Nina."

"How is this possible?" Gunn asked.

Xander looked to Faith. "In my world, we're together," he said. She laughed. He looked at her seriously. "I'm sorry it's a joke to you. Because...seeing you... it's hard not to see My Faith."

"I'm having trouble believing there's a world where I'd be with you," Faith replied. Xander looked away hurt. Willow shook her head quickly. "You're telling the truth?"

"Do you get how hard it is to find yourself in a different world every day?" Willow asked.

"Everything's different?" Giles asked.

"Relationships seem to be the biggest changes," Lorne replied.

"Although the last world didn't have nuclear weapons," Willow said. "Do you?"

"Not personally," Gunn replied. "But they exist."

"Well, that's bad, I guess," Nina said.

Xander was staring at Faith. "I'm not her," she said. "Or you're not him."

"I know," he replied. "But... I miss her...or you...or whatever."

"I'm sorry about the ribs," she stated.

"No worry," he said with a slight grunt. "I'm sure my Faith would have eventually broken a couple anyway. I have a big mouth."

"Why are you telling us?" Fred asked.

"Something is doing this," Willow replied. "We don't know why. We possibly know how. But, we have no idea when things will change again or even if they'll change."

"We could get stuck here," Lorne stated as he took a deep sip from his glass. "And your people would be stuck wherever they are."

"Where are they?" Gunn questioned.

"We don't know," Xander replied. "Maybe on our world. Maybe not."

"I'm sorry," Giles stated. "Not that I don't believe you, but this is a lot to take in."

"Parallel dimensions?" Gunn asked.

"Einstein did postulate that every one of our actions creates an opposite action that causes an entire new dimension," Fred stated.

"It's not that hard to believe," Lorne said. "Pylea is another dimension. It's just an entirely different dimension. These are only slightly off."

"Like what?" Gunn asked.

"Relationships are different," Nina replied.

"Sometimes different people are here and others are gone," Xander added. "He looked to Fred. In our world, you died."

"I'm dead?" she asked softly.

"I'm so sorry, honey," Gunn said, wrapping his arm around her.

The four looked to one another quickly. "You should not be divulging these details," Giles stated. "You may accidently change our future."

"It's always the same year," Willow replied.

"The same day, the same minute," Xander added.

"We don't know the future," Nina stated.

"Just certain things obviously went differently here," Willow added.

"How exactly do you expect us to help?" Wesley asked.

"I don't know," Willow replied. "We don't even know if this was done to us. Since we are obviously replacing other peoples lives, maybe they were the target. We just need research. Is there anyone that would have a reason to do this?"

"Any current threats?" Xander asked. "Any demon that has ever been rumored to have the ability to do this?"

"I'll check and see if the spell is listed here," Willow stated.

"Why you?" Gunn asked. "You four?"

"We have no idea," Nina replied.

"That could be a clue," Giles stated.

"Yeah," Xander replied. "We've thought about that. And I think that the first thing we need to do this time, is write out a brief biography. Things we've faced. Lives we've changed. Bad guys we've fought. And then compare."

"Not that I think that's not a good idea," Lorne stated, "but Nina and I never even met you before this started."

"But we were going to," Nina said. "The visit. Everyone coming together."

"What does a one eyed bureaucrat, a powerful witch, an empath demon and a werewolf have in common?" Xander questioned.

"Sounds like the first line of a joke," Gunn replied.

"Joke's on us," Lorne stated.

i*****

"This is ridiculous," Xander said as he paged through a pile of papers. "We've never even remotely worked on something together, all of us. The closest we came was Illyria. But Willow wasn't involved in that at all. All I did was make a few phone calls."

"The only thing we were going to do together was coming here," Willow stated.

"How stupid are we?" Xander said looking around the room. "The first day ended the second we all got together."

"Something didn't want us to be together," Nina stated. "But still, why me?"

"You're a werewolf," Angel said. "You have enhanced abilities. Smell. Hearing."

"And Lorne's an empath," Fred stated.

"And what about me?" Xander asked.

"If you're anything like the Xander from here, you have a lot of resources at your disposal," Giles stated.

"Or maybe it's not about you," Willow stated. "You're upset because she's not the same person." She looked to Faith. "What kind of havoc does the new Xander in our world reek on Buffy and Faith."

"Two Slayers distracted," Xander agreed. "And you. What if you're not with Kennedy? Three Slayers."

"Whatever the threat is, it must be close to us," Lorne stated. "Inside."

"If it's even you they're doing this to," Wesley stated.

"This might sound stupid," Nina said. "But I don't think Angel wanted to go in the first place. I kind of convinced him."

"I think someone or something is planning to attack the Council," Willow stated. "You said it yourself last week that activity seemed to be down everywhere."

"The usually means someone is building forces," Angel said.

"Since Xander took over," Giles stated, "with all the new Slayers and offices, the world is much more dangerous for the bad guys."

"Let's just jump on these assumptions," Xander said. "What we need to be looking for is someone or something that isn't happy about the new Council."

"And powerful enough to be able to do this dimension trick," Willow added.

"Someone in power," Angel stated. "Vampires, individual demons, aren't going to stick their necks out. This person has something to lose if the vampire and demon numbers keep dropping."

"So we need to research powerful demons...," Willow started to say.

CHAPTER FIVE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "SON OF A BITCH!" he yelled. His phone began to ring. "Hello?... Good for you... I haven't checked yet... I know. Plane will be on route... Let me ask you something. Are you getting tired?... We don't sleep. We're up all day and suddenly we're up all day... Maybe I will... See you soon."

"Is something wrong?" a female voice called from the bathroom. Xander lifted the covers back over his head and didn't reply. He heard footsteps approach. "Time to get up, sleepy head." She pulled the covers free.

He reluctantly turned to look. "Devon?" he questioned.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she replied. "You don't look very good."

"Just tired," he stated.

"Well," she said, leaning down to kiss him, "you have work."

He pulled back quickly. "Morning breath," he replied. She kissed his cheek.

"No going back to sleep," she stated as she walked towards the door. "I'll get started. You shower."

"Thank you," he replied. The door closed. He pulled the covers back over his head.

i*****

"Hurry up," Kennedy yelled.

Willow closed her eyes hard. "Where are we supposed to be going this time?" she questioned.

"Wow," Kennedy replied. "You really are out of it." She walked into the other room and found the two suitcases still not fully packed. "Honey, my parents are waiting."

"I'm sorry," Willow stated. "I can't go."

"What are you talking about?" Kennedy asked. "You've been excited about this trip to Spain for weeks."

"I have to go to the Council," she said quickly.

"WHAT?" Kennedy asked angrily. "Why?"

"There's been an incident," Willow replied. "Xander needs me."

"Since when?" Kennedy asked. "For what?"

"He needs some help with a spell and some research," Willow replied.

"They have people for that," she stated. "How would he find the time anyhow? He's been sleeping his way through every Slayer there is."

"Xander?" Willow said. "I thought there was a rule."

"Excuse me?" Kennedy asked.

Willow walked over and gently wrapped her arms around her. "I'm sorry," Willow said. "I really have to go."

"And what should I tell my parents?" she asked.

"Tell them I'm very sorry," she replied. "But I have a friend in trouble."

"Is there something else going on?" Kennedy asked.

"How could you ask that?" Willow replied. "He's just my friend. You better get moving."

"Are you breaking up with me?" Kennedy asked.

"Never," Willow replied, gently kissing her cheek. "Now get." Kennedy reluctantly turned and left the room.

i*****

"So, Spike was talking earlier," Nina said, from the bed.

"Oh, honey," Angel replied from the bathroom. "I've warned you before about listening to him."

"I have to go," she said suddenly.

"What?" Angel questioned quickly stepping out of the steam filled room.

"I need to go," she replied. "Is there any chance I could use the Wolfram and Hart jet?"

"Why?" he questioned. "Where are you going?"

"To the Council," she said.

"Right," he replied. She nodded. "Why would You be going to the Council?"

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

"Nina," Angel replied. "This isn't about trust."

"Me and Lorne have to meet...," she started to say.

"Who's Lorne?" he asked.

"That can't be good," she commented softly.

"What?" he asked.

"Listen," she stated. "There's a really, really, really, really long explanation. But the short version is...something bad is happening. And I need to get to the Council. Xander and Willow are waiting."

"How do you even know them?" he asked.

"Can I take the jet or not?" she questioned. "Cause I'll need to make other arrangements."

"Not without me," he replied.

"Fine," she said. "Let's go."

Just then his phone rang. "This is Angel," he stated. He looked to her quickly and questioningly. "It's for you."

"Hello?" she asked. "Oh thank God. Where are you at?... We'll pick you up on the way..." She turned to Angel. "Do you know a place called Caritas? Where it is?"

"You mean that demon bar Wesley used to talk about?" he asked. She nodded. "I know basically."

"We'll be there soon," she said into the phone. She looked to Angel. "Let's go."

"What the hell is going on?" he questioned.

"I'll try to explain on the way," she said as she walked from the room.

i*****

"Hey," Devon yelled from across the desk. "Wake up."

"What?" Xander questioned. "Oh, crap."

"What are you even doing over there?" she asked. "None of the reports have been read."

"I'm looking for a powerful demon," he replied.

"Why?" she questioned. "Did something happen?"

"You could say that," he replied. "Where's Buffy?"

"What is wrong with you?" she asked. "Buffy and Dawn are in Italy."

"Of course they are," he replied, shaking his head. "And Faith?"

"What?" she asked.

"Faith?" he questioned again.

"Faith's dead," she said. "She died a year ago. You know this."

He looked away sadly. He stood. "You know, um, I actually need some stuff in the lab," he stated. "I'm just gonna work there for a while."

"Do you want me?" she asked seductively.

"Could you just possibly work on the reports a little?" he replied.

She sighed. "Fine," she said. "But I want to know what this is about later."

"The jet is returning," Rolph said over his two way.

"What?" she questioned.

"Thank you," Xander replied. "I'll meet it."

"Who's on the jet?" she asked.

"Willow," he replied. He bent down and kissed her cheek before leaving.

i*****

Willow came down the stairs. "No Kennedy?" Xander asked.

"She's on her way to Spain," Willow replied. "Where I'm supposed to be."

"Hey," Xander stated. "If you find something on one of these trips and you want to sit it out, be my guest."

"No, we're getting closer," she replied. "Besides. If we don't all come together, maybe the day won't reset."

"I'm sleeping with Devon, now," he stated.

"From what Kennedy said, she's not the only one," she replied. They stepped into the truck.

"I was thinking earlier, every time I wake up and I'm with someone, did I actually sleep with them?" he asked. "Because I sure as hell hope we were careful. Otherwise, there could be a lot of mini-mes out there."

Willow laughed. "God forbid," she replied. "What do you think the penalty is for not paying interdimensional child support."

"I don't want to tell the others today," he said. "They're not really any help."

"I get it," she replied. "It takes too long to explain anyway." He stopped the truck in front of the main entrance. They were met in the lobby by Giles.

"By the way," Xander said softly, "Buffy and Dawn are in Italy. And Faith's dead."

"I'm sorry," she replied.

"Willow," Giles said as he approached. "This is a happy surprise."

They embraced quickly. "Nice to see you," she replied.

"I'm sorry, Giles," Xander said. "Willow and I have some work."

"Anything I should know about?" he questioned.

"Personal stuff, mostly," Willow stated. Giles nodded and walked away.

"Telling doesn't work out so well," Xander replied. "But lying may very well backfire too."

i*****

"I have no demon that could do this," Xander said, looking across the large table at her.

"The spell is the same as before," Willow replied. "But I still haven't found a counter spell."

"Even if someone did do this," Xander stated. "Something obviously went wrong. Say he attacks the Council and wins. So what. The day just resets and he has to do it all over again."

"Maybe that's the point," Willow replied. "He attacks every day and loses. So, he rescrambles the players and tries again."

"Why bother?" Xander asked. "There are a lot of other ways to weaken the Council. Or to eliminate us for that matter. This seems pretty elaborate."

"Or it was a mistake," she replied. "Wait a second. I found it. A spell that will erase his spell."

"That's good," he stated. "Say it and let's go home."

"Well, that's where it gets a little...," she started to reply.

"Don't say it," he said apprehensively. "What's the problem?"

"It can only be performed in the dimension where the original spell was cast," she replied.

"Great," he stated exasperated. "So we'll just wait until ours comes around again. I assume since I'm getting more tired every time, we're aging."

"Theoretically, there are an infinite number of dimensions," she replied.

"Of course," he stated. He thought for a second. "Angel and them once traveled to Lorne's dimension. They opened a portal."

"You think maybe we could open a portal home," she stated. "Possibly."

"That's good," he replied. "Open a portal. Go home. Say the reversal spell and everything stays the same."

"I'll guess that crossing dimensions is harder than it sounds," she stated.

"Angel and Lorne might be useful this slide," he replied.

"Stop saying that," she stated.

"If you don't mind," he said, "we've got about an hour before the others arrive. I'm going to put my head down and get some rest. You should do the same. Rolph will call. If we don't get some rest soon, we're going to need to take an entire one of these trips off before we drop."

"I know," she replied.

i*****

"Do you want to tell me why my girlfriend who's never even met you suddenly picks up a demon and drags us to see you?" Angel asked from the backseat of the truck.

"Nice to see you too, Angel," Xander stated.

"We haven't even spoken in years," Angel replied. "So what the hell is really going on?"

"Didn't you tell him?" Willow asked.

"We told him, cupcake," Lorne stated. "He doesn't believe."

"We're not your people," Willow stated. "It's true."

"Any luck?" Nina asked.

"A lot," Willow replied. "And possibly none."

"We found a reversal spell," Xander added. "But it can only be done in the dimension in which the original spell was done."

"How much do you know about portals?" Willow asked.

"Went through one to get here," Lorne replied. "And I'm not going back again."

"Do you know how crazy this sounds?" Angel asked.

"We'll here's one for you," Xander stated. Angel made his run into the lobby. "In my real dimension, Faith and I are together. On day repeat number three, Buffy and I were together." Angel scoffed. "Today, apparently, Faith is dead. Buffy's gone. And I'm dating, Devon, one of the Slayers. This is not my world. I want my world back."

"I still don't know if I believe any of this," Angel replied.

"We do," Nina stated.

"You went through a portal," Xander said to Angel. "What do you know about them?"

"I didn't go through a portal," Angel replied.

"Wonderful," Xander said sarcastically.

"They used a special book," Lorne stated.

i*****

"Why are they here?" Devon asked angrily as she stepped into the lab. "And why have none of the financials been opened?"

"We have a crisis," Xander replied. She walked over and stood behind his chair.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" she asked. She bent down and kissed his lips.

"Devon," Xander stated. "This is Angel, Lorne, Nina and Willow." They all did their pleasantries. "Do you know anything about portals to other dimensions?"

"They don't exist," Devon replied.

"You didn't tell her?" Nina asked. Xander's eyes went wide.

"We decided to take the truth off this slide," he replied.

"Sorry," Nina stated.

"Stop calling it that," Willow said.

"What are you all talking about?" Devon asked.

Xander took a deep breath. "I'm not your Xander," he replied. "I'm not from this dimension."

"Yeah, right," she said. "That's not funny."

"I know," Angel replied.

"It's true," Willow said. "Lorne, Nina, Xander and I keep moving through dimensions."

Devon looked at Xander angrily. "I know about the others," she stated as she backed away from him. "I'm the big joke around here. Everyone's laughing at me because you're sleeping with everyone and they think I don't know about it. If you don't want to be with me, just say so."

"I don't know what the Xander here was like," he said. "He sounds like an ass. I would never cheat on you. But I'm not dating you. Not in my world."

Devon wiped tears from her eyes with her fingers. "I don't know why you're saying these hurtful things to me," she stated.

"I can prove it," Xander stated.

"How?" everyone asked.

"Since we were all in bed we didn't exactly carry pictures and history books with us," Willow stated.

Xander stood up and gently lifted his shirt. "On the last slide," he stated. Willow glared. "I fell off the horse and broke my ribs." They all stared at the large black and blue marks on his right side. "Did your Xander break his ribs?"

Devon's lip quivered. She gently reached out and touched his side. "You're not him?" she asked. He nodded. "Those should be wrapped."

"Didn't have time," he replied.

"Go," Willow said. "Get those wrapped. We'll be here." Nina nodded.

Devon gently took his hand and led him from the room. "Where is my Xander?" she asked once they were in the hall.

"We don't know for sure," he replied. "They could have switched with our world. Maybe they're just moving randomly. The good thing is that if we can find a way back home, Willow has a spell that will undo it. Everything will go back to normal."

"Will I remember this day with you?" she asked.

"I never thought about that," he replied. "I don't think so. Because not only are we switching dimensions, time resets to Friday morning every time."

"But you'll remember me?" she asked.

"I already remember you," he stated. "You and I spent a lot of time together during orientation. The you from my world."

"Did we sleep together?" she asked.

"Of course not," he replied. "That would be inappropriate."

"My Xander isn't as honorable," she said. "With me or some of the others."

"Why did you?" he asked.

"I kind of liked him," she replied. "He didn't force me."

"Does Giles or the others know?" he asked.

"I don't know," she replied.

"It was wrong," Xander stated. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't you," she said. "And I'm in love with him."

"Don't let him treat you badly," he stated. "You are much better than that."

"You just said I won't remember," she said. "Any of this."

"Damn," he stated.

i*****

Xander and Devon reentered the lab about thirty minutes later. "Do the people we meet remember this day?" Xander asked quickly.

"What?" Willow asked. "Why?"

"Remembering us could cause problems," Nina stated. "Some of the things we've said. What we told them."

"I want Devon to remember something," Xander said. "This Xander is not a good guy. I want her to remember that."

"No," Devon stated. "I love him. I don't want to remember you." Xander looked down. "I think I would love You more."

"Time is resetting every day," Willow stated. "You won't remember."

"And in case we're wrong," Lorne said, "we need to stop interfering with these peoples lives."

Xander took a seat. Devon started to walk around the table. Xander reached out his hand and grabbed hers. He pulled her over and she sat on his lap. "I wish he was a better man," he whispered.

"I hope you find your home," she replied.

"Speaking of," Xander stated, "anything?"

"No demons," Nina replied.

"Or portals," Lorne added.

"We got nothing new," Willow stated.

Xander wrapped his arm around Devon and rested his head on her back. "Things usually reset soon," he said. "Maybe we should take the rest of this one off and get some sleep."

"What if you're wrong?" Nina asked.

"I think we should stay together just in case that changes things," Xander said. "Willow?"

"He's right," she agreed. "I'm seeing double. We all need to start fresh."

"Do I have a study here?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," Devon replied. "Your favorite room."

"Good," he said. "Let's go there. We can spread out on the couches and lounge chairs."

"Can I come?" Devon asked.

"Sure," Xander said with a smile.

i*****

Angel and Nina laid across one end of the couch. Lorne sat at the bar drinking. Willow was asleep in a chair. Xander held Devon tightly on the other couch. "Technically," Devon whispered. "Is this cheating?"

"We're not doing anything," he replied. "Regardless of anything else, we're friends." He leaned over and gently kissed her lips. "I'll miss you."

A tear formed in her eye. "Me too," she replied. "You need to sleep." She pulled his head against her shoulder. "Good luck."

"You too," he said softly as he closed his eye.

CHAPTER SIX

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "Not again," he said to himself.

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

"I know," he replied. "We missed breakfast."

"Who's we?" Dawn asked.

"I mean I missed breakfast," he said. "Get to school."

"I'm going," she replied. "Giles is looking for you."

"Why?" he asked.

"He wants the computer printout from last week's employee reviews," she said. "He's not happy."

"Who's in charge here?" Xander asked.

"You're weird today," she replied. "Giles is the boss. And you're on his list."

"Have a good day," Xander said. He hung up. "This is bad." He picked up his other phone and dialed. "Willow? We have a problem... I guess that makes it two problems... Why Chicago?... Husband?... I'm not in charge. I doubt I can just send the jet... I'll book you the next flight out... See you."

i*****

"Oh hell," Nina stated. "Angel?"

"Are you okay?" a woman asked from outside the door. "Nina?"

She looked around trying to place herself. "Jill?" she questioned. The door opened.

"Bad dreams?" Jill asked.

"You could say that," Nina replied.

"Can you still watch Amanda today?" Jill asked.

"Actually," she replied. "I have to go to Seattle."

"What?" Jill asked. "Why?"

"I have...some friends in trouble," she replied.

"This is insane," Jill stated.

"I'm sorry," Nina said as she climbed from the bed. She picked up the phone and looked at it. Finally, she dialed. "May I speak to Lorne please?... It's me. I'm at home... I'm not sure commercial air travel will work for you... See what you can do. I'll call you back in a few minutes."

"And who is that?" Jill asked.

"A friend," she replied. "I really have to go."

"You're acting very strange," Jill stated. "I've been worried about you lately."

"Don't worry," Nina replied. "I'll be back before morning."

i*****

"XANDER!" Giles yelled over the two way.

"Yes?" he replied sheepishly.

"Where are those reports?" Giles questioned.

"I wish I knew," Xander said to himself. He pressed the phone. "I need to talk to you for a minute."

"Office, now," Giles stated. A few minutes later Xander entered his old office. He sat. "What is it now? And take off that ridiculous eyepatch."

"What?" Xander questioned. "Oh." He realized. "Okay I have a quick story to tell you. I'm not your Xander. Willow, Nina and Lorne too. We're from another dimension."

"I knew you weren't exactly a good student," Giles replied. "But I truly believed that you would at the very least do a minimum of work here. You truly disappoint me."

"No, really," Xander stated. "We keep moving between alternate dimensions."

"Last week it was a chaos demon that crashed your computer," Giles replied. "Now it's not your fault because you aren't you." Xander removed the eyepatch. Giles screamed.

"I told you," Xander said. "I'm not your Xander. In my world, I'm president of the Council. And I do my work." Giles smiled at first and stopped. He stood up and approached Xander. He stared at his face. "It's not fake. Caleb the evil preacher did it."

"You never met Caleb, not personally," Giles stated.

"Apparently, your Xander is not only a slacker but a coward," Xander replied.

"Why is this happening?" Giles asked.

"Demon, spell, possible mistake," Xander replied. "We found a reversal spell. But it needs to be done in our own dimension. Have any idea how we get there?"

Giles walked back over and sat down in his chair. "This is...," he started to say.

"I know," Xander said. "And I really wish I could sit here and explain. Or, at the very least, hand in whatever reports you may be looking for. But time is limited. I have to get Willow, Lorne and Nina here so we can try, yet again, to find the answers before I wake up back in my room and start whatever miserable new life tomorrow, or actually today again."

"You go back in time?" Giles asked.

"Every new dimension starts Friday morning with most if not all of us in bed," Xander replied. "And, so far, not with the one person I actually wouldn't mind waking up with."

"I think that's a clue," Giles stated.

"What?" Xander asked.

"Well crossing dimensions shouldn't alter time," Giles replied. "As far as I know. In fact, time, most likely, would move at different speeds in different dimensions. The fact that you keep going to the same moment in time is highly unlikely."

"Can you help?" Xander asked.

"I'll check my books," Giles replied.

Xander chuckled. "I miss hearing that," he said as he stood. He stopped at the door. "Obviously, I have very little power here. Can you upgrade that for the day? I'll need transportation and access to the books and computers."

"I'll make the arrangements immediately," Giles stated.

"Thank you," Xander said as he exited.

i*****

"Husband?" Xander asked as she climbed in the door.

"Not funny," Willow replied. They pulled out of the airport. "And not easy to explain to him why I needed to jump on a plane to Seattle at the last moment."

"At least you have someone," Xander stated. "Here, I'm not only a doofuss, I don't date and I'm a coward."

"This is getting harder," Willow said.

"What if things keep getting further from the truth?" Xander asked. "I have no power here. If it wasn't for the fact that this Xander has both eyes, Giles never would have believed me. We need the Council if we're going to figure this out."

"We can't think that way," Willow said. "But I understand."

"The last slide was hard too," he stated. "The relationship thing is getting confusing."

"Of course," Willow replied. "You keep waking up next to beautiful women."

"That's not the confusing part," he said. "Everyone that I have been with in these alternate Earths. They're all people who I could have been close to. I don't want them now. But at some point... It's confusing."

"This sucks," Willow stated. "Anything new."

"This Giles thinks that the time shift is important," he replied. "In alternate dimensions, time most likely moves at a different speed. The fact that we keep coming back to the same moment isn't coincidence."

"That's true," she said. "But I'm not sure it helps us."

"Giles is looking into it," he replied.

"Any word on Lorne and Nina?" she asked.

"Nina woke up at home," he replied. "Apparently, Nina and Angel aren't that close. I decided not even to ask about Buffy or Faith this time around."

"I'm assuming Kennedy's in Boston," Willow said. "What difference does it make?"

"Mostly, not much," he replied. "Unless we get stuck here. I don't want to get stuck Here." Xander's phone rang. "Hello... They are?. Good. Could you have someone pick them up?... Thank you. We should be back in about fifteen minutes."

"L.A.?" Willow asked. He nodded. "We have to fix this. I don't want to start over again."

"Neither do I," he replied. "Just wondering. If we do fix this, when do you think we'll return?"

"Why does it matter?" she asked. "The original day was good."

"I know," he replied. "A lot of things happened that day that I would rather not change."

"One problem at a time," Willow stated.

i*****

"Why are we Up here this time?" Nina asked, looking around the conference table.

"Giles doesn't exactly trust you," Xander replied. "He took my story at face, no pun intended, value. But, unfortunately, he's in charge this time. Security is setting up some additional safeguards before we're allowed."

"I told you this was a bad idea," Angel said to Wesley.

"Why did you bring them anyhow?" Willow asked Nina.

"Not a lot of choice," Lorne replied. "Plus, Wesley knows the most about portals."

"Angel," Xander stated. "What do you know about me?"

"Careful," Lorne warned.

"Did you ever hear that I was injured?" Xander asked.

"No," Angel replied. "From what I know, you never exactly got into the fray."

Xander lifted the eye patch. "Oh my God," Wesley stated.

"I'm not the Xander from here," he stated.

"It's all true," Lorne added. "The four of us aren't from here."

"How much did they explain?" Xander asked.

"Most of it," Nina replied.

"Add to it that Giles believes the time shift is important too," Willow stated.

The door opened and Giles entered. "We're ready for you," he stated.

"Whatever," Angel replied.

"Wesley," Giles said with a nod.

i*****

"I've looked through everything I can think of," Wesley stated. "There are a lot of instances of portals. But, none that seemingly go to a similar dimension."

"I've gone over it again," Willow said. "There are no time spells. Not that I've found."

"Time travel does not seem possible," Giles agreed.

"And yet...," Xander stated. "Where's Faith?"

"I thought you weren't doing that," Willow said.

"Prison," Angel replied.

"Oh, That Faith," Xander said with a sigh.

"We're running out of time again," Nina stated.

"Oh my God," Xander said. "We are stupid." He looked to Lorne. "You read destinies. Read one of ours."

"That might not be a good idea," Lorne replied.

"Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream...," Xander sang.

"Stop," Lorne replied. "There's nothing there."

"What do you mean?" Nina asked.

"I die," Xander replied.

"No," Lorne stated. "That would still be part of your destiny. Right now, you have none."

"We just slide forever," he replied.

"Stop saying that," Willow pleaded.

"Oops," Wesley said.

"No, oops," Xander stated.

"Acathala," Wesley said. "Could open a portal to hell. Basically a hell dimension. By using the sword from that dimension. We opened a portal to Pylea using a book from Pylea."

"Can it be that simple?" Willow asked.

"For the slower ones of us, explain," Xander stated.

"With a simple group of phrases, combined with something from your home dimension, we should be able to open a portal," Wesley replied.

"Like our D.N.A.?" Xander asked.

"Maybe not that drastic," Wesley replied. "An article of clothing. A personal item."

Everyone looked at their hands for jewelry. "We have to get watches," Xander stated. "Take my shirt."

"You've been wearing the same shirt every day?" Willow questioned.

"Oh, right," he said. "We were all kind of in bed. Nothing may be from our own dimension." He stuck out his hand. "Cut me."

"Not me," Willow replied quickly.

"I'll do it," Angel stated.

"There's a shock," Xander replied.

"Wait," Willow said. "This portal is magical. It's going to take us to our home dimension. Lorne's not from there."

"I'm not going home," he stated forcefully. "Not ever, ever, Ever, again."

"We can't just abandon him here," Nina stated.

"Once I do the reversal spell, everything should go back to normal," Willow stated.

"That's a good Plan A," Xander replied. "When was the last time Plan A worked."

"What do you suggest?" Wesley asked.

"I should go alone," Willow replied.

"And what if we're wrong?" Xander asked. "Then, you're alone."

"Two go, two stay," Angel commented.

"Which two?" Willow asked.

"Willow has to go," Xander replied.

"Friends should stick together," Nina said. "Xander."

"No offense," he replied. "But Willow is a witch. And, Usually, I have some resources." Giles looked away.

"Besides," Willow said. "So far. Wolfram and Hart and the Council aren't on very good terms. We may need one of each." She looked to Xander sadly. "You've made this so much easier for me."

"I know," he replied. "Let's try not to need a Plan B."

"What is Plan B?" Angel asked.

"If you make it back to the right dimension," Xander replied, "and the spell doesn't work. Try starting with the same information we already had. Try to find the same spell. Maybe it will be close but not close enough."

"Lot of maybes," Nina stated.

"And what if neither plans work?" Angel questioned.

"Then Nina and I are going to spend our days naked in bed, eating and watching tv," Xander replied. Everyone looked at him with shock. "What difference will it make anyhow. We'll just start over again the next day."

"I noticed how you included me in your little breakdown there," Nina said with a smile. "It could be worse."

"Willow, get us home," Xander said sincerely. "Nina's looking pretty afraid over there."

"Sorry, Xander," Willow said. "The whole point of two people going is that Lorne has to stay."

"I'm not spending my days in bed with him," Xander commented. Lorne waved. Xander's body shivered slightly.

"I have a spell that should work," Wesley stated. "You'll need a car."

"Excuse me?" Giles questioned.

"It's this whole thing about being surrounded by metal," Lorne replied. He sipped from his glass.

"Do you wake up with one of those every day?" Xander asked.

"We're not all fortunate enough to be working through the Slayer list," Lorne replied. Xander blushed.

Xander stood and led Willow aside. "If you get back, can you tell Faith that the one of me there isn't me?" he asked softly.

"First thing," she replied.

"I'm sorry," Nina stated. "Werewolf hearing. I'd say first thing is to try and undo this."

"It getting late, puddins," Lorne stated. "We should probably do this sooner than later."

"I agree," Xander said. He turned to Giles. "Can you have a car brought out front?"

"I'll have to assume we won't be getting it back," Giles replied.

"Bill me," Xander said.

They all stood and filed out.

i*****

Xander hugged Willow hard. "You be careful," he stated.

"I promise I'll fix this as soon as possible and talk to Faith," she replied. She kissed him hard. "We'll get you home."

"Are you sure this is a good idea separating like this?" Nina asked. "I just kind of got to know you."

"Lorne can't come," Xander replied. "We'll meet again. At the big party."

"Who's seeing that parties with us are never good?" Willow said.

"I was just thinking that," Xander replied. He walked around the car and hugged Nina lightly. "Be careful."

"You two be careful," Nina said. She and Lorne hugged. He walked around the car and hugged Willow.

"I promise I'll fix this," Willow stated.

"If by some chance, you can't," Xander replied. "I don't blame you. It's not your fault." He turned to Lorne. "The Nina plan was good. Instead, I guess I'll just be getting drunk with Lorne every day." Willow and Nina smiled weakly. "Let's do this." Xander held out his hand. Angel carefully made a small incision across his palm. Xander squeezed blood onto the book. Wesley handed the book to Willow.

"Are you sure about this?" Giles asked.

"We're never sure about anything," Xander replied. He walked up next to the car. "One for luck." He and Willow softly kissed. "Go." She started the car. She began reading.

Suddenly, a circle of spinning light appeared. Willow looked to Xander. He nodded. The car disappeared into the circle. "Now what?" Lorne asked.

"We wait," Xander replied. "And pray."

i*****

Xander, Giles, Wesley, Angel and Lorne all sat at the bar. "This should have worked already," Lorne stated.

"No," Wesley said quickly. "That is a complicated spell. She'd need some ingredients."

"Should we have maybe...PACKED THEM WITH?" Lorne questioned.

"Didn't you say that things normally reset by now?" Angel asked.

"What if sending them back to the right dimension, locked the dimensions?" Giles questioned.

"Oh please no," Xander stated. "I'll happily not wake up next to a supermodel every day. But don't make me stay in Xander's a loser and a coward and will die alone world." Xander finished yet another drink.

"You might want to slow down on those," Giles commented.

"Cause then I'd have to go down to L.A. and try to break Faith out of prison," Xander said to no one. "Convince her that I'm not a big loser and make her fall in love with me again."

"You and Faith?" Angel asked with a smirk.

"That's the way it was in my world," he replied. Lorne gently set his hand on Xander's back.

"What about Buffy?" Angel asked.

"Awash in self pity," Xander replied. "A lot like always." He smiled big. "She did try to hit on me moments before I told her I was in love with Faith."

"I can see why you want to get home," Wesley stated.

"Sure," Angel said. "Xander rock star world."

"It beats Xander incompetent moron world," he replied. "We were on a world without nuclear weapons. No pluto ne-om."

"Plutonium," Lorne stated.

"What he said," Xander said slurring.

"I think you've had enough," Lorne stated. "And coming from me that's something."

"Xander," a voice called over his two way.

"At the bar," he replied. He turned to Giles. "Are Dawn and I friends here?"

"Pretty much your only one," Giles replied. "Sorry."

"That's good," Xander replied.

Dawn walked in. "What's going on?" she asked.

Xander turned quickly and almost fell from the bar stool. "I just want you to know I'm not the same doofy dumb Xander you knew," he stated.

"Just a drunk one," she said. She looked to Giles. And then to Angel. "Angel? What are you doing here?" She came closer and saw Lorne and almost screamed.

"Hey muffin cakes," Lorne stated.

"We have visitors," Giles said. "Angel and Wesley are here from Wolfram and Hart." She nodded. "Xander and Lorne are here from another dimension."

"Right," she commented.

"It's true," Wesley stated. "Willow and Nina were here. They went home."

"I guess we're stuck," Xander said.

"I think I could use a drink," she stated.

"I'm not your guardian here," Xander said. "Have a blast."

"No," Giles stated.

Xander turned to Lorne. "I guess we really are stuck here," he said.

"It's too early to...," Wesley replied.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "GOD DAMN IT!" he yelled, quickly grabbing his pounding head. "Personal note. Hangover travels with."

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

"I know," he replied. "We missed breakfast."

"Who's we?" Dawn asked.

"No one, apparently," he replied. "Have fun at school...Wait. Who's president?"

"What," she questioned. "Bush."

"Not of the United States," he said. "Here?"

"You just love hearing people say it don't you?" she replied.

"Love you, Dawn," he stated.

"You better," she replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" he asked himself. He quickly looked around the room. Nothing feminine was lying about. "Oh joy. Another restart day." He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed. "Willow?... It's Xander... I don't want anything. I just... Sorry to bother you."

He threw the phone across the room and managed to break the mirror. He laughed at the irony.

i*****

Xander walked into the private dining room. Giles looked up. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

"I really don't know," Xander replied. "Where's Buffy?"

"She's probably in the training room," Giles stated.

"Where's Faith?" he asked.

"Who's Faith?" Giles questioned.

"This is fun," Xander commented as he turned and walked out.

A few minutes later, he was behind his desk. He dialed the desk phone. "I need to speak with Lorne," he said. "It's me... I know. I called Willow. She's not our Willow... No Wesley? No Faith either. Listen, I could send the jet for you, but, let's be honest. What are you and I going to do alone. Wesley is the best bet with portals... I think I'm going to take this slide off... I know. And we will. Just not this one... You can try, but I doubt it's her... I kind of lost my phone. If you need me, call the main line. They'll find me... I'm sorry too. Bye."

He stood from the desk and walked out back. He removed his shirt and shoes and dove into the pool. Fifteen minutes later, he was lounging in the whirlpool. "What are you doing?" Buffy asked as she approached.

"I'm taking this slide off," he replied.

"What?" she questioned.

"I'm taking today off," he stated.

"You never take days off," she replied.

"Are we friends?" he asked.

"I thought so," she said. "What's up with you?"

"Like good friends or casual friends?" he asked.

"I don't get what you mean," she replied.

"Are we dating?" he questioned.

"No," she replied questioningly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Do you want to hear a story?" he asked.

"I don't know, do I?" she replied.

"Join me," he said.

"I'm not exactly dressed...," she replied.

"Never mind," he stated. "Stupid idea."

"Give me five minutes," she said. He tilted his head back against the cement ledge. Buffy's splashing woke him a few minutes later. "Late night?"

"More like a long day," he replied. "The longest day." He looked across at her. "Here goes. I can tell you right now, it's all true. I can also tell you that you will never believe it."

"What?" she asked.

"I'm not your Xander," he said. "What I mean is that I'm not the Xander from this dimension."

"Okay?" she questioned hesitantly.

"Did your Xander lose his eye?" he asked.

"Duh?" she replied.

He stood up, revealing the black and blue marks on his side. "How about breaking his ribs?" he asked.

"I don't exactly examine you every day," she replied. "What's this about?"

"In my dimension, we're all friends," Xander stated. "The Council. Willow. Wolfram and Hart. Faith and I are engaged."

"Who's Faith?" she asked.

"She's supposed to be a Slayer," he replied. "I guess she doesn't exist here."

"What's this about?" Buffy asked.

"Never mind," he replied. "I knew you wouldn't believe me."

"You're not exactly acting normal," she said.

"That's because I'm not from here," he replied. "At least before, I had Willow."

"You and Willow?" Buffy questioned.

"No," he said. "Until last night, it was Willow, Nina, Lorne and me that made the dimension jumps every day. But we thought we found the solution. Willow and Nina went home to fix it. I guess it didn't work."

"Who's Nina?" Buffy asked.

"In my world, she was Angel's girlfriend," he replied. She looked at him with confusion. "Let's drop it."

"If you really are telling the truth," she said. "How could you prove it?"

"I guess I can't," he replied. "You can call Lorne."

"That demon that works with Angel?" Buffy asked.

"He could tell you everything I'm telling you," he replied.

"He's a demon," Buffy stated. "And I don't really know him."

"Regardless of whether you believe it," he said, "it is the truth. If things work as they have been, I'll be here for about eight hours or so. Then, I'll wake back up on Friday morning Again, but in yet another dimension. Once up, I'll have to figure out who I am there. Who my friends are. What the world is like. And, if time, How Do I Get Home."

"So why aren't you trying to find that out now?" she asked.

"I took this one off," he said. "I'm tired. And frustrated. And I'm tired of losing people. Or getting close to people that I'm going to lose. And I want my Faith. Not the religious faith. The person."

"Did you and me?" Buffy asked.

"In my world we're good friends," he said. "I wanted more. I waited. Then, Faith came around. In one of the alternate worlds, we were together. Well, you thought we were. It hurt you when I told you we weren't. That was a hard world to get past."

"Either you're telling the truth or you're having a nervous breakdown," she replied. "And Faith?"

"Drifts further away every day," he replied. "Someone she thinks is me is there with her now."

"I'm getting a headache," she stated.

"Try living it," he said.

"What can I do to help?" she asked. "Shouldn't we hit the books or something?"

"You won't even remember me tomorrow," he stated. "Or today as it is. Why don't I grab us some beers and you tell me about your world." He winked as he stepped from the pool. "We can make out or something." She smiled back.

He returned a few minutes later with a plate of sandwiches and a small cooler. "Planning on a long day?" she questioned.

"I never know," he replied. He opened two beers and handed her one. "So. Any guys?"

"Just you," she said. He reached out his arm.

"Can I?" he asked.

"We used to sit together a lot a long time ago," she replied.

"That happened in my world too," he said. "This place. A lot of work."

"I should have helped," she replied.

"Wasn't you," he said. "Or it wasn't me. It's very confusing."

"Obviously, I don't know you," she stated. "But you kind of sound like you're giving up."

"Life could be worse I guess," he said. "New world every day. New stories. New people."

"Nothing permanent," she replied.

"I don't know you either," he said. "But I have a feeling you would like that." He looked into her eyes. "What happened with Willow?"

"A dumb fight," she stated. "Right after we started here. We barely talked since. Any of us."

"That's too bad," he replied. "Because the past few days or weeks, just being around her, made things better. On all these worlds... we're all so much better together than when we're apart. I wish I could make you remember that tomorrow."

"But only you will?" she asked.

"Me and Lorne," he replied. "Maybe Willow and Nina. But, if they're not traveling anymore, maybe they forgot. Which means there's no one trying to help us."

"Why did this happen?" she asked.

"We didn't exactly figure most of it out," he said. "We never might. We just tried to fix it."

"How many plans?" she asked.

"A and B," he replied. "I guess we should have had a C. Well, I had a C but Nina had to go with Willow." He smiled crookedly.

She shook her head. "So, Faith, what's she like?" she asked. "She's a Slayer. Like me?"

He laughed. "Hardly," he said. She frowned. "Faith turned evil...for a while. She became a murderer."

"What?" Buffy asked with shock.

"She kind of went over to the dark side," he said. "You do know what that is, right?"

"Yes," she said smiling.

"She eventually repented," he continued. "Went to prison. Wesley broke her out when they needed help with Angel. She came back to Sunnydale and helped save the world. Then, she came here. Sat in my office with me almost every day while I worked. Hung out with Dawn and me all the time." He was smiling.

"I get it," Buffy said. "It must be hard."

"The day this all started is the day we got engaged," he replied.

"Have you looked for her on other worlds?" she asked.

"I've seen her here and there," he said. "We're not even friendly. And she's been dead. I don't think she was ever born here."

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I'm not really close with anyone," she said. "Not even you. It's you and Dawn."

"Yeah," he said reluctantly. "About that. Is there something more than that? Because she said something weird on the phone when she left this morning."

"Like?" Buffy asked apprehensively.

"I told her I loved her and she said I better," he replied. "Are they?"

"See what I mean?" she asked. "I should know that for sure. I don't."

"Just so you know, my Dawn is my sister or my daughter," he replied. "Nothing else."

"It must be really hard starting every day not knowing where you stand with everyone," she said.

"It is," he replied. "Plus, on the last world, I wasn't president of the Council so I had no resources."

"Any chance you can take me with?" Buffy asked.

"Doesn't work that way," he replied. "I wouldn't if I could. Find a life Here. I know you won't remember this advice. Put it in your heart. Maybe you can somehow remember."

"You said you're having trouble with portals, right?" Buffy asked. "Did a hell god try to kill Dawn on your world?"

"Glory," he replied. "She tried to bring down the walls between all the dimensions."

"Using Dawn's blood," she said. "Dawn's blood and mine is the same."

"We don't want the walls between dimensions to fall," he replied. "That would be bad. Besides, I can probably find a way to get home. But I'd leave Lorne with the choice of returning to his own hell dimension or staying shifting."

Buffy smiled. "That's very sweet," she said softly.

"We don't abandon our teammates," he replied. "I couldn't live with that."

"I'm pretty jealous of this Faith," she stated.

"For the next few hours you have me," he said. She smiled slyly. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know what you mean," she replied. She clinked her bottle to his and drank. "To better worlds."

"To home," he stated.

i*****

"Besides the fact that I've completely pruned," Buffy stated. "It's a little hot."

"I know," he replied. "We can get out."

"We can hang in the study," she said.

"Sure," he replied. He stepped out of the whirlpool and lifted her out. He followed her inside. "I'll meet you there." Giles came up the stairs from below just as Buffy climbed the stairs to her room. He caught Xander in the lobby.

"Why haven't you been to the office today?" Giles questioned.

"I'm taking a sick day," he replied.

"You can't just take a day off without letting someone know," Giles stated.

"If something big comes up, they'll call me," Xander replied. "Otherwise, the paperwork can wait till tomorrow."

"That's not like you," Giles said.

"Don't worry," Xander replied. "You won't remember it tomorrow anyway."

"What?" Giles questioned.

"Nothing," Xander replied. "I'm kind of dripping here."

"Sure," Giles said. Xander climbed the stairs to his room.

i*****

Xander and Buffy were reclined on the couch in the study. Her head rested on his arm. "This was a good day," he said.

"For me too," she replied. "Too bad I won't remember it."

"I may wake up with Rolph tomorrow," he stated. "You never know."

"Are you sure you can't stay?" she asked.

"I don't know how," he replied. "Although this will be the first time we weren't together. No telling what will happen. But..."

"I know," she said. "I'm not your girl."

"For today you were," he replied. "Thank you. For believing me."

"Xander, my Xander may be a little weird," she said. "But even he couldn't make all that up."

He turned on his side and looked into her eyes. "This is the bad part I was telling you about," he stated. "I did have fun today. I like you. And I'll never see you again."

"You would think that the same people would always be the same," she replied.

"Different life experiences," he said.

"How much longer?" she questioned.

"It's never exactly the same," he replied. "Soon."

"And you'll just disappear?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "The day will just start over. You won't even realize it."

"I think I might feel sad in the morning," she said softly.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked.

"Please," she replied. They leaned in and kissed lovingly.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "No," he said sadly. He waited. He picked up the two way. No Dawn. He slowly stood from the bed and checked the bathroom. Empty. "Tony," he called over the two way.

"Yes, sir," he replied.

"I need you to send the jet to L.A. as soon as possible," Xander stated.

"Of course," Tony replied.

He dialed his other phone. "I need to speak to Lorne, please," he said. "The jet will be leaving soon... I had a lot of fun, too much... No nothing like that. It's just too hard meeting all these people... I don't know what we'll do. Something... I'll call with an E.T.A... Bye."

i*****

He stepped into the private dining room. "Hey," Oz commented.

"Oz?" he questioned.

"Yeah?" Oz looked back. "Something wrong?"

He looked around the remaining faces. Giles. Buffy. Sara? A Slayer. "Apparently, not," he replied hesitantly. "I'm just having...a day. Is Dawn around?"

"What?" Buffy questioned. "Why would Dawn be here?"

"I have no idea," he replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'll take one more shot. Where's Faith?"

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Just humor me," he replied.

"Knowing her, she's still asleep," Buffy replied. "Why?"

"Just wondering," he said.

"Is there something wrong?" Giles asked.

Xander walked over and grabbed a beer from the fridge. "No," he replied. "I've got a meeting today. They should be here in a few hours."

"Wait," Oz stated. "We were supposed to get together about the St. Louis project this morning."

"It's going to have to wait," Xander replied. "I can't miss this meeting again."

"As opposed to ours," Oz stated.

"Sorry," Xander said as he walked out the door. He keyed his two way. "Rolph?"

"I'm here," Rolph replied.

"What room is Faith in?" Xander asked.

"What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Where's her room?" Xander asked.

"Oh, 510," Rolph replied.

"What did you mean, what do I mean?" Xander questioned.

"She's not...," Rolph tried to reply.

"I get it," Xander replied. "Thanks." He turned to walk back down the hall and almost ran into Buffy.

"What's that about?" she asked angrily.

"I'm not doing this again," he stated.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means I don't feel like explaining today," he replied. "Maybe tomorrow."

"You and Faith?" she asked.

"No," he replied. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. And I'm taking This slide off from explaining."

"What is wrong with you today?" she asked.

"I have a project and I need to get on it," he said. He walked around her and down the hall. She followed. He entered the lab. She came in behind. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to know what's going on," she stated.

"I need to find a spell to cross dimensions," he replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Classified," he replied.

"From me?" she said. "I don't think so. I'm your executive assistant. There are no secrets."

"Are we dating?" he asked.

"Is that some kind of line?" she questioned.

"Never mind," he replied as he sat down. He booted up two of the computers. He reached into his pocket. "Thank God." He handed her a credit card. "Go shopping."

"For what?" she asked.

"Whatever it is you go shopping for," he replied.

"If something is happening, I have a right to know," she said.

"Just a project, okay?" he replied. "I'll be done by tonight."

"I'll expect an explanation when I return," she said as she exited. Xander began typing. He pulled up two different searches before standing and walking to the magics library in the back.

i*****

"You don't even have to speak," Lorne stated as he descended the stairs from the plane. "The last world got to you...Buffy."

"It's so confusing," Xander said. "Getting close with these people Is cheating."

"I'm not sure that conventional rules apply anymore," Lorne replied as they climbed into the truck.

"I have a few ideas," Xander stated.

"I think it's a little premature for one of them," Lorne said.

"I didn't sing," Xander replied.

"You don't need to," he said. "Your aura is screaming. You want to give up."

"If one of us finds a place where we think we can be happy, I think we should possibly try to stay," he replied.

"And Faith?" he asked.

"We're not close in any of these other dimensions," Xander stated. "Maybe that was the fluke."

"Never," Lorne said. "I read her. She was more in love than you if possible. Not to mention the fact that we would be condemning at least one of our own duplicates to a world not their own."

"That's one consideration," Xander replied. "Plus, that may not fix the time thing. I don't want to live this Friday forever. It's boring."

"Maybe the time problem should be our focus," Lorne suggested as they climbed the stairs into the lobby. "Even if we're not home, fixing the time loop would at least give us time to work with the people here for more than a few hours."

"I think we're out of luck this slide," Xander stated. "You didn't come with Angel and Wesley."

"No Wesley and no Fred," he replied.

"Willow's living in Bern with Dawn," Xander said. "We don't have the help this time. On the upside, there is a Faith. She's just not alone."

"Sorry, milk dud," Lorne replied. The headed down the stairs. "I'm gonna need a little something if we're going to lock ourselves in the lab for the day."

"You know where it is," Xander stated. "Bring me a beer, please?"

"You got it," Lorne replied. "I'll be back."

Xander almost screamed as he stepped into the lab. "Whoa," he said as he almost ran into Faith.

"Rolph said you were looking for me," she stated.

Xander smiled wide. "Not...look...no, it's nothing," he said as he stared.

"What?" she asked. "Is something on my face?"

"What?" he replied quickly. "Um, no. It's...nothing."

"What are you doing in here?" she asked. "What's with all the books?"

"Just some research," he replied. "Do you research?"

She looked at him questioningly. "What is that supposed to mean?" she asked. "Is there something wrong with the way I'm doing my job?"

"Job?" he questioned. There was a knock at the door. Xander buzzed Lorne in.

"My goodness my little sweet crumb, it's good to see you," Lorne stated.

"Hey," Faith replied with some confusion.

"Go ahead," Xander stated. "Tell Lorne what your job here is." Xander looked at Lorne wide eyed.

Faith looked annoyed but spoke. "I'm the teacher of mystic and demonic studies at headquarters," she stated.

Lorne smiled to Xander warmly and nodded. "Maybe you could help us," Xander stated. Lorne poured himself a large glass from the pitcher before taking a seat. "We're trying to find a way to open a portal to another dimension for one thing."

"Why?" she questioned.

"Just wait," Xander replied. Faith took an aggressive stance. "And we need to find a way to alter time."

"Alter it how?" she asked. Xander held out a chair for her to sit. She looked at him questioningly before sitting.

Xander sat very close, next to her. "Say I wanted to make a day repeat over and over," he stated.

"Why would you want to do that?" she questioned suspiciously.

"Oh darling," Lorne replied. "We don't."

"We want to stop it from happening," Xander stated. Faith looked at him very suspiciously.

"You have to tell her," Lorne said. "It's the only way. And it looks like she may be one of the few people we have today to help."

"Tell me what?" she asked, her anger beginning to rise.

"It's sort of a two fold problem," Xander replied. She looked to Lorne. He nodded. "First, I'm not your Xander. What I mean is that I'm not the Xander from this dimension."

"You're not?" Faith questioned sarcastically.

"Let's see," he said. "Did this Xander lose his eye?"

"Duh," she replied.

"Oh," Xander said standing. "Did your Xander break his ribs a few days ago?"

"Not that I know of," she replied. He lifted his shirt. The black and blue marks on his side had diminished substantially.

"Damn," he stated. "It's healing faster than I thought." Faith looked at it carefully. "They were broken."

"If this is going to be our way each time, we may need you to break those again," Lorne stated with a smile.

"Thanks," Xander replied. "So?" He looked to Faith.

"They may have been broken," she said. "It doesn't mean that I would know."

"I'm telling the truth," Xander stated. "The reason I asked Rolph about you this morning was because I didn't know if you were even here. I didn't know you had a job. I had no idea Oz was here. And why is Sara here?"

"She's with Oz," Faith replied hesitantly.

"And Buffy's my assistant?" he questioned.

"That's your thing," Faith replied.

"And we don't...," Xander started to ask.

"Leave it alone," Lorne stated. He looked to Faith. "We are both from a different dimension."

"Obviously you are," she replied.

"This is going well," Xander stated. "Willow, Lorne, Nina and I started jumping dimensions together."

"Who's Nina," Faith asked.

Xander slapped a hand to his head. "Willow was able to find a spell that we believe someone used on us," he continued. "She found the counter to that spell...but it had to be done from our original home dimension. We found a way to open a portal there. But Lorne couldn't go because it would have taken him back to his actual home dimension."

"And I don't want to go back there...Ever," he said.

"Willow and Nina left to try the spell to fix this," Xander stated. "But, it obviously didn't work. Because we're still moving right along. But this is where it gets a little hard to believe."

"Oh really," she said sarcastically. "Cause the rest is just completely plausible."

"Every day in the late afternoon, boom," Xander said, slamming his hand on the desk, startling her slightly. "We go back to Friday morning. And we're in a new dimension again. The day just keeps repeating. But only we seem to notice that."

"So you're saying that every person in every dimension is living the same day over and over but only the two of you know about it?" she questioned. "Yeah, that's ...the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say." She stood up to leave.

Xander grabbed her hands quickly. "Look, it sounds ridiculous," he said softly. "But every dimension is different. The people that were close aren't anymore. Other's don't even exist. I lost a very important person and I want to get home. You don't have to believe us. Just help us. In my world you are the most important person in my life. Here, I mean nothing to you. Do you know what that is like?" She looked at him with shock. "If you can help us, please."

"Every thing he said is true," Lorne confirmed. "He and his Faith were very much in love. Now, you can laugh at that. Every new dimension brings new relationships. New changes. Please."

Faith looked Xander in the eye. "You look at me like...I don't know," she replied. "Not the way you've ever looked at me before."

"Cause that wasn't me," he replied.

She looked to Lorne. "Maybe this is some kind of scam," she stated. "But I tend to believe you. No one ever looked at me like that before. I'll do what I can."

"That's one of our biggest problems," Xander said as they both sat again. "Having time reset. We want to try to fix that first. If time doesn't reset, we might stop moving. Then, all the explanations and all the research can continue."

"You have to explain this to the people each time?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he said. "Sometimes you can just tell it's better not to."

"And if we can't find the answer, I won't remember any of this?" she asked.

"We don't think so," he replied.

"So every day there's a different Xander here?" she asked.

"Most likely," he replied.

"That is just...bizarre," she stated. "If you know how to open a portal back to your dimension, why not just go? Work with the others on finding a way to get Lorne back."

"I'm not leaving him alone in this," he replied.

"It might be time to start thinking about that," Lorne said.

"No," Xander replied. "Besides. We're not entirely sure what happened when Willow and Nina returned. They may no longer remember after the time shifts like everyone else. Which means no one is working on this problem."

"How many days have we relived?" Faith asked.

"I don't remember," Xander replied. "Seven. Maybe eight."

"So basically, the universe is never going to move forward again unless you two fix it," Faith stated.

"That would be universes," Lorne commented. "All of them."

"God," Xander said. "When you say it out loud like that it seems pretty ridiculous."

"I saw this movie once," Faith started to say.

"Don't even go there," Xander stated.

"Okay," Faith said, looking at the computer screen. "I've never actually seen a time spell listed anywhere. So maybe it isn't actually a spell. What good would that kind of spell be anyhow?"

"We had thought of that," Xander said.

"I'm thinking it's more a fracture in the space time continuum," Faith replied.

"Can I just ask you a simple question?" Xander questioned. "Did you actually go to high school?"

"What?" she asked.

"No offense," he stated.

"I graduated from M.I.T. at nineteen," she replied.

"Not your Faith," Lorne commented as he sipped from his glass.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"My Faith didn't exactly go to ...school," he replied. "Any school. She has street smarts."

"So the love of your life is the dumb version of me?" Faith asked.

"When you say it like that," Xander said, "it sounds kind of bad."

"Were you ever in prison?" Lorne asked. Xander waved his arms and stared.

"Prison?" Faith questioned. She looked to Xander. "Your Faith is a dumb, criminal version of me."

"She repented," he replied. "She's good now. And I didn't have a choice about what version I got. I just love her."

"Sorry," she stated. "I'm just surprised. The way you looked at me."

"We should really get back to the fracture in time," Lorne stated.

"Right," she replied. "Maybe time fractured because the dimensions are all screwed up. I think you were right in the first place. You need to fix the dimension thing first. Time should fix itself."

"Our last try didn't work too well," Xander said.

"Can you show me the spells you used?" she asked.

"Here's the one we thought started all of this," he stated.

She looked it over. "It very well might have," she replied. "But so could a lot of other things."

"Are you a witch?" Xander asked.

"I'm a quantum physicist," she replied. "Focus. The reason your plan probably didn't work is because Willow went back and countered the wrong spell."

"How do we find the right one?" Lorne asked.

"Tell me more about the day this started," she said.

"Buffy was bummed ...again," Xander stated. "I started my day in bed with you, well the other you."

"That's kind of embarrassing," she said.

"Thanks," he replied.

"That's not what I mean," she said. "You've basically seen me. It's weird."

"So, we didn't sleep together in high school?" he questioned. She raised her eyebrows. "Never mind. You weren't there. You were at M.I.T. I asked her, you, to move in. She refused. Dawn called and said she was leaving for school. I remember being very tired. I was slow getting up. Faith went down to the office and started work. She's my assistant. Gunn called confirming their arrival. See, I thought it would be nice to have everyone together for like a party. I sent the Council jet to pick up Willow and Kennedy. Angel, Lorne, Wesley, Gunn, Illyria, Spike and Nina were coming in on the Wolfram and Hart jet. I fell asleep in the office. Faith told me to get out because I was worthless today. I found Buffy and we went out to the whirlpool." Faith looked over questioningly. "Just friends. I told Buffy about the surprise of everyone coming. She wasn't exactly thrilled. I told her that Spike was back and that Nina was Angel's girlfriend. She punched me a couple of times. Then, things took a surprising turn as she kind of made a pass. I pushed her back and told her about Faith and I. She hadn't known." Xander looked to Lorne.

"Faith met us at the airport," he stated. "Willow and Kennedy had just gotten there before we did. I read Faith and asked her why she hadn't already said yes. Everyone made their introductions. We drove back here."

"Faith saw Buffy and me," he continued. "She heard me telling Buffy how I really felt. She came over and got in the whirlpool. Buffy left. Faith said she would move in with me. She told me now was the right time. We went upstairs and , you know, for the first time."

"You said you woke up with her that day," Faith stated.

"I did," he replied. "We'd been spending nights together for a few weeks. I wanted to wait for it to be special."

"Wow," Faith said. "That's...wow."

"It was special," he stated. "We must have fallen asleep because Dawn woke us up for dinner. Said everyone was waiting. We had a short talk about us. I asked her to marry me. She said yes. Then, it was morning again. But, a different you. Did my asking her to get married start this?"

"I don't know," Faith replied. "I don't really see how."

"It's a puzzler," Lorne stated.

"Let me see what I can find out about ways to cross dimensions," she said. "Why don't the both of you start looking for a demon or a reason someone would do this."

"We did that the first few times," Xander replied. "There's nothing."

"Then why don't you two start looking into alternate dimensions themselves," she said. "The fact that you're moving into worlds very similar has to be a clue. You could just as easily end up in a hell dimension."

"Can you find a way to anchor us in this dimension?" Xander asked.

"Xander," Lorne snapped.

"What about getting home?" Faith asked.

"You're alive here," Xander replied. "Buffy. Willow. Dawn."

"But there's no Fred or Wesley," Lorne argued.

Faith turned to Xander. "I'm not her," she said. "I'm sorry. I wouldn't be her."

"I get it," he replied.

i*****

"I've already found at least five other curses to cause people to change dimensions," she said. "None of you made a wish did you?"

"I forgot all about that," Xander replied. "Vengeance demon."

"Who would have wished for that?" Lorne asked.

"What about Buffy?" Faith asked. "You said she wasn't happy about you and Faith or Angel and Nina or Spike for that matter."

"Cordelia once made a wish that accidently created an alternate dimension," Xander stated. "But she made that wish to Anya. And she's dead."

"In our dimension," Lorne stated.

"No," Faith replied. "Only one demon exists for all the dimensions. They're not like us."

"What about Lorne?" Xander asked.

"Technically," Faith stated. "Lorne's not a demon. He's a transdimensional being."

"So let's find us a demon," Lorne stated.

"There are many vengeance demons," Faith replied.

"What about their boss?" Xander asked. "I know his name. I met him at my wedding."

"Wedding?" Faith questioned.

"Didn't work out," Xander replied. "His name is D'hoffryn."

"I'm not sure calling on the leader of all vengeance demons is a good thing," Lorne stated.

"Can't we set up some sort of protection spell for us?" Xander asked. "Or a capture spell for him?"

"That's simple enough," Faith replied. "But I told you, I'm not a witch."

"I've been a party to lots of spells," Xander stated. "Never ran one myself."

"Magic isn't like driving a car," Faith explained. "It's not just physical. You have to mentally control it. If you lose control, it could be a disaster."

"We need a witch," Lorne stated.

"What about Giles?" Xander asked. "He was pretty powerful with magics on my world."

"You're going to have to explain all of this again," Lorne stated. "And the day is running out."

Xander reached for his two way. "Giles," Xander stated. "Could you come to the lab please?"

"In case this isn't the reason," she said, "I should show you the other spells and curses I've found... just in case."

"Can you remember those, Lorne?" Xander asked.

"I'll do my best dumplin'," he replied.

"I'll try to explain quickly to Giles," Xander stated. He looked to Faith. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry I'm not her," Faith said softly.

"No, you're not," Xander replied. "That's okay."

"I'm sorry for you, I'm not her," Faith corrected. "I don't want to be her."

"I understand," he said. "In case we run out of time, I just want to say how very proud I am of you. And thank you so much for helping us."

"Little negative?" Lorne asked.

"Lorne," Xander stated. "If time does reset, get the people we need together and on that plane by any means necessary. I'll call for Willow first thing."

"Are we telling?" he asked.

"You know the deal," Xander replied. "Feel them out. Don't get yourself shot as a traitor or something."

The door opened and Giles entered. He stopped as he saw Lorne. "Giles," Xander stated with urgency. "I don't have a lot of time to explain. I need to call a powerful leader of demons here."

"Why?" Giles questioned.

"Faith," Xander said.

"Just do what he says Giles," she stated. "It's important and there isn't a lot of time."

"We need to either set up protection around us," Xander said. "Or a holding cell around the demon. We need to question him."

"About what?" Giles asked.

"About the time loop we're stuck in," Xander stated. "Don't ask. It will take too long to explain. But we'll be looping again soon."

"I don't understand," Giles said.

Faith looked over from what she was showing Lorne. "Giles," she said. "Just find the spells."

"Please," Xander pleaded.

Giles found one of the books on the table and began ...

CHAPTER NINE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "Oh Crap," he said sadly.

"What's wrong now?" the voice asked.

Xander closed his eye and grunted a few times. He took a deep breath and turned on his side. "Cordelia?" he questioned.

"Would you just go already," she stated sleepily and angrily. "I want to get back to sleep." He quickly climbed from the bed and dressed. He grabbed his phones and left the room.

"Not a lot of difference than when we Were together," he said to himself. He ran down the stairs and into the lobby, almost plowing over Dawn in the process.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

He turned to her. "Where's Buffy?" he asked hurriedly.

"Dining room," she replied.

"Faith?" he questioned.

"Europe somewhere," she replied curiously.

"Willow?"

"Boston."

"Giles?" he asked.

"What?" she questioned. "Giles died last year. What is up with you?"

"Have a good day at school," he stated. He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Ewww," she said with disgust. He held up his arms defensively and ran down the stairs.

i*****

"Willow," he said into the phone. "It's Xander... Yeah, um, listen, I need to send the jet to pick you up... If I told you it was end of the world important... I don't know how to make anything that may have gone on right... Please. It's life or death. Mine... I'm not being overly dramatic. I'm serious... I promise I'll explain it all when you get here... Bring whoever you want... It will leave now. About two hours. Thank you..." He hung up. "Tommy?" he asked.

Buffy stepped into the office. "Dawn just called on her way to school," she said. "Said you were acting and talking weird."

"I need everyone in the lab as soon as possible," he stated.

"What is going on?" she questioned.

"End of the world stuff," he replied. "Everyone is on their way here. But I need to explain it to you guys first."

"Xander?" she asked. "I think something may be wrong with you."

"There's no time for this," he replied. "We have about eight hours."

"To do what?" she asked.

"To stop it from happening again," he replied. His phone began to ring. "Hello?... Lorne?... Great. I'm informing my people now... Probably about as well as every other time. Giles is dead. Tell me you have Wesley... Thank God... We'll be waiting."

Buffy looked at him. "Who was that?" she asked.

"L.A. will be here within the hour," Xander replied.

"WHY?" she yelled.

"Because if we don't all work together, we can't stop this," he replied. "Please. Just get everyone."

"Cordelia too?" she asked.

"Oh God, no," he replied.

She looked at him questioningly. "She's not feeling well," he lied. Buffy shook her head and walked out the door.

i*****

"What's this about?" Buffy asked. Xander looked around.

"This is our entire on location staff?" he asked.

"What is wrong with you?" Buffy asked.

"You're ...Danielle?" Xander said.

"Yeah," she replied sarcastically.

"Just bear with me for one minute," he stated. He looked across the table. "Monica?" She nodded. He looked to Buffy. "Where are our researchers?"

"That's us," Monica replied. "What's really going on?"

He sighed heavily. "Hold all the questions until I finish, please?" he said. "I'm not your Xander. I'm not from this dimension. For the past eight days or so, I've been sl...crossing dimensions. Not on purpose. It just happens. Every time I come someplace new, everything is different." The girls all looked around the table suspiciously. "Every day, we try to work the problem. In the beginning it was Willow, Nina, Lorne and I. But we thought we found the solution. Willow and Nina went home to fix it. It didn't fix. Now it's just me and Lorne. The twist, the reason for the urgency is that everything resets every day between four and five in the afternoon."

"Okay," Monica stated. "This is ridiculous." She started to stand.

"SIT," Xander ordered. "I don't know you. Not this you. Or whoever your Xander might be. In my world, I still call the shots around here. Believe it or don't, I don't care. But you will work this problem. Yesterday was the closest we came to fixing it."

"Are you saying that over a week has gone by and we don't remember it?" Danielle asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," he replied. "For whatever reason, only those of us moving dimensions do. Now, we can be stuck on Friday, this Friday, for the rest of our lives. I wouldn't even mind that so much. But, I'm tired of waking up next to the wrong person every morning. I'm tired of meeting the different you's over and over and not knowing anything about you. In one world, I was with Buffy."

Buffy looked over with raised eyebrows. "She was devastated that I didn't feel the same way," he replied. "Two resets ago, I took the day off. I spent the day with that Buffy, just talking and laughing. It was fun. Then, it reset. In one dimension, Xander was a moron and a coward. He never lost his eye because he never went into battle." He stood up and raised his shirt. "You can barely even tell anymore, but five or six dimensions ago, I broke my ribs. I bet your Xander didn't."

"Time is still moving for you," Danielle commented.

"Yes," Xander replied. "Besides the daily nightmare of not knowing anyone, Lorne and I will eventually die of old age on this day. It's confusing and not fun. Sometimes, people are so close. Other times, we're like enemies. Do you have any idea how confusing it is to wake up next to a person that in the last dimension hated you."

"Cordelia?" Buffy asked.

"In my world," he replied, "Cordelia and I dated briefly in high school. She joined Angel in L.A. and helped him fight the evil. She died a few months ago. So, understand, it's a bit of a shock."

"And you and me?" Buffy asked.

"In my world, we're friends," he replied. "Have been for a long time."

"Who are you really supposed to be waking up with?" Monica asked.

"The last real day before this started, I woke up with Faith," he replied. All three started laughing. "See how fun this is. On my world, we're in love. We're engaged. Now, enough of the personal crap. Yesterday, or the today before today, Faith was actually a brainiac. She found a bunch more spells and curses that could have caused the dimensional shift to happen. She believed the time reset is a tear in the fabric of time caused by the dimensional shift."

"Not a bad hypothesis," Danielle stated.

"We had only found one spell when we sent Willow and Nina back," he said. "She was supposed to say the counter spell and fix it. But Faith figured it was the wrong original cause. We eventually came to the conclusion that it was most liked caused by a vengeance demon not a curse."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"That's more complicated and irrelevant," he replied. "Our plan was to create either a protection spell around us or a containment spell around the demon leader we planned to call or both."

"You wanted to call D'hoffryn," Monica stated. "I'm the resident demon expert."

"Yes," he replied. "Get him to find out which of his demons did this and have them undo it."

"Why would he do that?" Buffy asked.

"Because this time loop doesn't do anyone any good," Danielle replied. "Nothing will ever happen again. Not good. Not evil. You could detonate every nuclear weapon in the world and it would just be back to normal after the loop."

"That's a good plan," Monica said. "If a vengeance demon is responsible."

"Lorne is on his way now," Xander replied. "He was supposed to memorize the rest of spells that Faith found. Yesterday, we only had Giles to do the spell. Willow wasn't around. I have Willow on route."

"Good," Monica stated. "Because a spell this powerful is going to require someone pretty versed in magic."

"From my conversation with her," Xander said, "I'm guessing we're not exactly friends anymore here."

"Not really," Buffy replied.

"Lorne is bringing Wesley too," Xander stated. "If Willow won't help, maybe he can do it."

"I don't understand," Monica said. "When Willow found your initial spell and went back, why didn't you all?"

"The spell to get us home wasn't exactly to an address," Xander replied. "It would take us to our home dimension. Lorne would have gone back to Pylea, his hell dimension. We couldn't leave him zapping around alone. So, I stayed."

"I'm sorry," Danielle replied.

"I just want to get home," he said. "And these resets for you take you back to that exact moment. For us, if we're tired, we're still tired. If we get hurt, we stay hurt."

"If you die?" Buffy asked.

"I imagine we'll stay dead," he replied.

"Why wouldn't Willow have kept working once she got back?" Monica asked.

"We guessed that possibly once they were back in the right dimension, the reset rules that apply to all of you, took over," he replied. "Most likely, she started Friday the same way she did the first time with no memory of the rest."

"So you have all these memories of us but we have none of you?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know you," he replied. "Two times ago, when I took the dimension off. I did have a great time with that Buffy. Intimate. Not sexual or anything. Just close. If felt so good. And I look at you, and that wasn't you. I felt a little guilty. It's kind of like cheating. Even though I'm the only one who knows."

"I'll start trying to put together some kind of capture or protection spell info," Danielle stated.

"I'll see what I can find out about D'hoffryn and his vengeance demons," Monica said.

"I'll see if I can find the dimension crossing spell Willow used," Xander stated.

"What should I do?" Buffy asked.

"Why don't you meet everyone as they arrive and bring them here," he replied. "And possibly scare up some food for everyone. I think I forgot to eat during the last few slides."

"What?" Danielle questioned.

"Sorry," he stated. "It's a tv show on my world."

"I know what it is," she replied with a smile. "Wow. You're a Slider."

"My Willow wasn't too thrilled with me calling it that," he stated.

i*****

"Willow is here," Buffy called over Xander's two way.

"I'll meet her in the lobby," he replied. He looked to the other two. "I'll try to explain this to her myself. We used to be friends...I think." He walked out.

Willow saw him as he came up the stairs. "You think you can just order me around now even though you turned down the proposal for the new genetics lab?" she asked angrily.

"I'm going to need you to forget why you're mad at me for just a minute," he stated.

"And why would I do that?" she asked.

"Because I'm not the Xander that did that," he replied.

"You're changing your mind?" she questioned.

"No," he replied. "I mean I never said no. That wasn't me." She started to speak and he could see the anger in her face. "I'm not from this dimension. My you, Nina, Lorne and I started jumping dimensions every day about eight days ago."

"What?" she questioned.

"All of a sudden, we would wake up in a new dimension and everything was different," he explained. "Buffy believes me. I need you to believe me too because I need your power to stop it."

She walked over to the stairs and sat down. "Explain this to me," she stated.

"In my world, we're close," he said. "We're best friends. And when this dimensional shift started happening to us, knowing you were there made it better. But we had a plan and we sent you and Nina home. Now it's just me and Lorne. And because of the instability with the dimensions, time has gone all wrong. Every afternoon, the day starts over. Lorne and I shift dimensions and we start Friday all over again in some new world."

She scoffed. "This is why you ordered me here?" she asked. "To tell me ridiculous stories?"

"I hate that on every stupid new world everyone is so damn different," he said angrily as he stood. "I'm done with this. I don't know why this Xander pissed you off. Maybe we were never even friends. On my world, we were together since we were infants just about. Maybe it was different here." He turned to walk away. "You're welcome to stay or eat. The plane is at your disposal when you're ready to leave. Of course, it that's after four, you won't need it." He walked towards the stairs.

"Wait," Willow yelled after him. "This is real?"

"There is no one on this planet that wishes it weren't more than me," he replied.

She ran to the stairs to catch up. "How is this possible?" she asked.

"We figured out on the last world that it might be a vengeance demon," he replied. "We need some heavy magic. Wesley should be here shortly. But you're the big gun. It has a better chance of working with you."

"Time really resets?" she asked. "Everyone is living the same day over and over?"

"Only Lorne and I remember," he replied. "I'm sorry about your Xander, I really am. But I could really use your help. Not just for me, but for everyone in every dimension."

"I don't know what to believe at this point," she said softly. "But, I'll see what I can do. Can Tommy come to the lab?"

"Sure," he replied. "In my dimension, you're gay."

"Tommi is a girl," she stated.

"Oh," he replied. "Sorry."

"You're really not him?" she asked. He shook his head.

i*****

Angel, Spike, Wesley, Fred, Gunn and Lorne stepped into the lab. "Are you actually believing this?" Angel asked Willow.

"Sounds pretty convincing to me," she replied. "While at the same time seeming impossible."

"Isn't this fun?" Xander said to Lorne.

"It's a joy," he replied, sipping from his drink.

"If this doesn't work," Xander stated. "I'm taking the next slide off again."

"The what?" Fred asked.

"Slide," Gunn replied. "It's a tv show."

"Honey cakes," Lorne replied. "If this doesn't work, we're back to square one."

Xander looked over at the girl sitting next to Willow. "You must be Tommi," he said.

"Yeah, we've met," she replied. Willow put her hand on Tommi's leg.

"Slayer?" he asked.

"Yes," Willow replied.

"I thought you knew all the Slayers," Buffy commented.

"She's not one in my world," he stated. "I think I'd remember you." Xander looked her up and down. Willow looked over crossly.

"We're getting a little off track already," Lorne commented.

"You're right," Danielle stated. "I've found both a protection spell and a containment spell."

"Can I see those?" Willow asked.

"From what I can find out, there are hundreds of vengeance demons," Monica stated. "But from what you've said about how every dimension seems to be about relationships, I think the most likely culprit is Anyanka."

"She's dead," Xander replied. "And according to the last Faith, only one demon exists. There aren't duplicate demons in other dimensions."

"That's right," Wesley agreed.

"How do you know she's dead?" Gunn asked.

"She was made human," Xander replied. "We dated for a while. She died in the last apocalypse."

"You sure did get around," Monica commented.

Just then, the door opened and Cordelia entered. "What's going on?" she questioned. She walked over to Xander and leaned down to kiss him. Everyone was staring.

Xander stood quickly avoiding the kiss. "We've got another apocalypse," he stated. "I called in the cavalry."

"Great," she replied. He sat back down. She sat on his lap. He sighed heavily.

"This is the kind of stuff you were talking about?" Buffy questioned.

"Yeah," he said. "Every slide." Gunn snickered.

"Can you do it?" Wesley asked Willow.

"They're relatively simple," she replied.

"What about D'hoffryn?" Xander asked.

"I think I can summon him," Monica replied. "But I doubt he'll be forthcoming with information."

"Is there something we can do to threaten him?" Tommi asked.

"I don't think we need to," Angel replied. "If any of this is true, it's in his best interest to fix this."

"You got any beer?" Spike asked.

"Spike," Fred snapped.

"Lorne," Xander said. "Show Spike to the bar."

"I could use a refill anyhow," he replied as he stood.

"Is someone going to tell me what's going on?" Cordelia asked angrily. Everyone found a reason to look away. Xander wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm not your Xander," he replied. "I'm from another dimension."

"Sure you are," she said. He patted her sides for her to stand.

"Did your Xander break his ribs a few days ago?" he asked.

"Of course, you didn't," she replied.

He slowly lifted his shirt. "They're getting better," he stated. "But they're still not completely healed."

"What the hell?" she asked.

"We're all right there with you," Buffy said.

Cordelia spun around. "You and I... we were...," she started to say. She slapped his face.

"Hey," Fred yelled. Angel stood up and grabbed her hands.

"I didn't get there until the alarm went off this morning," Xander said. "Whatever you did, wasn't with me."

"It wasn't with the correct Xander either though, was it?" Fred asked.

"We're not sure," Xander replied. "We don't know if we're just switching lives with the people from the current dimension we're in, or if it's like a giant game of musical chairs. Since everyone except our memories reset, I'm not sure it really matters."

"That's probably why the universe tore," Wesley stated. "Too many people in wrong dimensions. It's just trying to fix itself."

"This is crazy," Cordelia said. "I'm sorry I hit you."

"It won't be the worst thing that's happened since this began," he replied.

"We need to get started," Willow commented.

"How much time?" Fred asked.

"It's never exact," he replied. "Sometime between four and five."

"That gives us about three hours," Wesley said.

"Would you mind if I laid down for an hour or so?" Xander asked. "I haven't slept in a few Fridays."

"No, of course," Fred said. "It must be awful for you."

"Some are harder than others," he replied.

"I'm sorry Faith's not here," she said. A lot of people shook their heads quickly. "Lorne told us."

"Faith?" Cordelia questioned. "What's she got to do with this?"

"I'll be in the training room right through that door," he stated. "Get me when we're ready."

"Of course," Buffy replied. He walked through the door at the back of the lab.

"What about Faith?" Cordelia asked.

"Supposedly, in his dimension, they're together," Buffy replied.

"He misses her," Monica stated.

"Do all of you actually believe this?" Gunn asked.

"Yeah," Angel replied. "It all seems a little too... impossible."

"So long as the protection spells are intact," Willow stated, "I don't really see a risk. If he's lying or if he's just crazy, we're not really risking anything."

"What about the wrath of the leader of the vengeance demons?" Monica asked.

"I don't think we have a choice," Fred replied. "I believe Lorne. And their stories are identical. From what I know, they've never even spoken before today."

"That is something to consider," Wesley stated. "They seem to know a lot about all of us that they couldn't possibly know unless they've been communicating...a lot."

"Let's get ready," Willow said.

i*****

"Xander," Cordelia said. "Time to get up."

He looked around quickly. "We didn't reset?" he asked groggily.

"The spells are ready," she stated. She offered her hand and helped him up. "You're really not him?"

"No," Xander shook his head.

"In your world, were we...?" she asked.

"We dated briefly in high school," he replied. "That was all."

"Oh," she said. "It's just a lot to take in. I thought we were getting closer."

"First of all," he replied. "You won't remember any of this. Second. The Xander from here has nothing to do with me. If you two are close, you two are close. He doesn't care for you any less because I'm not close with my Cordelia. It took me a few dimensions to figure that out."

"We should...," she said. He reached out for her hand and smiled. "Good luck getting home."

"Thank you," he replied. She led him up into the lobby. Willow had spread a large circle of sand on the floor. Within, the circle was a square of what looked like tree branches. Willow sat on the ground surrounded by candles. Wesley did the same. Each had a book in front of them.

"It seemed smarter to each do one of the spells than just me trying to hold both," Willow stated. Xander nodded.

Monica walked over and handed Xander a book. "Since you've actually met," she said, "I think you should call him." He nodded. Xander walked over to Lorne.

He took the glass from Lorne's hand and finished it. "I know exactly how you feel," Lorne stated.

"This better work," Xander said. "Or I'm serious about taking next slide off."

"You're thinking of taking all the rest off," Lorne replied. "I understand, muffin."

"Better get started," Fred stated. She lit some incense and slowly walked around the outer circle.

Willow began to read. Wesley followed. A moment later, the circle seemed to flash blue. "Protection spell is up," Danielle whispered.

A few minutes later, the square turned into what looked like a large orange cage of electricity. "You're up," Monica said to Xander. He began to read. Suddenly, there was a bright flash.

"How dare you call me," D'hoffryn postured. He looked around at the people staring at him. "You." He pointed directly at Xander. "I know you. You destroyed my Anyanka."

"That would be the First," Xander replied. "I just broke her heart."

"How dare you summon me," D'hoffryn threatened. "I will see you destroyed."

"And yet you're the one in the cage," Cordelia stated.

D'hoffryn suddenly looked around. "This is wrong," he stated. "You don't belong here."

"Yes," Xander replied. "I know that."

"Can you fix it?" Buffy asked.

"Fix what?" D'hoffryn asked. "I had no hand in this."

"I think someone made a wish," Xander replied. "But the wish fractured reality. We're stuck in a time loop of about eight hours."

"I have no recollection of that," Halfred stated.

"That's because you're stuck in the loop as well," Wesley stated.

"He meant, 'that's because you're stuck in it too, Moron," Xander stated, rolling his eye contemptuously.

"Xander," Buffy warned softly.

"Only Lorne and I seem to be able to remember," Xander stated.

"Why come to me?" D'hoffryn asked.

"Actually," Willow replied, "we summoned you."

D'hoffryn glared. "You're evil, right?" Gunn asked. "Well, whatever evil plan you do today, will just reset at the end of the day."

"You have the ability to communicate with your vengeance demons," Monica stated. "Find out who did this."

"And tell them to undo it," Angel said.

"Oh, no," Wesley stated.

"OH NO?" Lorne questioned angrily.

"Well, if this is because of a wish," Wesley explained, "the spell probably hasn't been cast yet. Time starts over the second the wish is made."

"Which means there's no way to know who did it," Fred stated, "because it hasn't happened yet."

"NOOOO," Xander suddenly screamed. Buffy and Cordelia walked over to him. He held them off. "I'm not doing this anymore." He turned to Lorne. "I can't."

"Wait," Tommi said. "I'm not exactly a witch or a scientist. But I know a little about demons. If this spell was cast in Xander's home dimension, can't you just find out which of your demons is there and stop it?"

"Will that work?" Danielle asked with hope. Xander had sat down on the floor leaning against the wall.

"Possibly," D'hoffryn replied. "But I can go no where while I'm trapped here."

"How can we trust that you will do as we ask?" Fred asked.

"Because it's in his best interest," Angel stated. "Otherwise, he gets to live the same day over and over for eternity with the rest of us."

Willow started to speak. "Wait," Xander said as he stood. He walked to the edge of the circle. "Are you honorable?"

"He's a demon," Cordelia stated.

Xander looked to D'hoffryn. "Are you honorable?" he asked. "I know you're evil. But, evil or not, are you honorable?"

"Yes," D'hoffryn replied.

"He could be lying," Gunn stated.

"I need your word that if you fix this, and you somehow even remember it, that you won't go after any of these people," Xander said.

"Why would I make that promise?" D'hoffryn asked.

"What time is it?" he asked the room.

"After three," Wesley replied.

"Because in less than one hour this all starts over again," Xander stated.

"You don't need to do this," Fred said. "We can handle ourselves."

"This is your chance," Buffy stated.

"Promise or we'll just hold you for the next hour," Xander said. He looked to Lorne. Lorne nodded with pride.

"Um, not to be selfish here, but this affects more than just you and Lorne," Spike stated.

Cordelia set her hand on Xander's back. "So?" Xander asked.

"You want to fall on your sword for these people," D'hoffryn replied. "Fine. But this protection does not extend to you. We already have business between us."

"Deal," Xander stated.

"WAIT!" Buffy yelled.

"Remove the containment," Xander said to Willow.

"Don't," Fred stated.

Xander looked around the room. "I have a feeling that this was about me in the first place," he announced. "And he's right, we did already have bad blood."

Lorne walked over. "You don't know anything for sure," he said.

"Most of these relationship messes since this started were directed at me," he replied. "A kind of torture." He looked to Willow. "We're running out of time."

"How can we just let you do this?" Danielle asked.

"I'm the president of the Council," he replied. "If I'm not willing to sacrifice myself for others, I shouldn't have the job. Listen. Most likely, you won't remember any of this tomorrow anyhow. Maybe he won't either."

"It's one hell of a maybe," Wesley stated.

"I just want to go home," Xander said. "Even if it's only for a little while."

A tear ran down Fred's cheek. "You really aren't the Xander from here," Willow stated.

"Lorne," Xander said. "Tell her to do it."

Lorne closed his eyes hard. "You need to do it," he stated softly.

"This is wrong," Tommi stated.

"Hey," Xander said. "It was really great meeting all of you. Let's fix this once and for all."

"Go ahead, Willow," Angel stated. He looked to Xander and nodded.

Willow began speaking. A few minutes later, the orange box disappeared. "We have a deal," Xander said to D'hoffryn.

"Yes, we do," he replied. He raised his arm and disappeared in a swirl of light.

"I could use a drink," Xander stated.

"That's a very good idea," Wesley added.

"Don't look at me," Lorne said. "I'm way ahead of you."

Xander looked to Buffy. "Do I have a private study here?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied sadly.

"Let's go," Xander stated. Cordelia grabbed his hand as he led them up the stairs and down the hall. He scanned his card in the false wall and the door slid sideways.

"Wow," Gunn said. "It's like a giant a.v. room." He looked to the wall of dvd and video players. Leather couches and massage chairs pointed towards the big screen hi def tv mounted at the rear of the room. Lorne picked up a remote and a wall slid back revealing the large bar.

"This is amazing," Angel stated.

"The really weird thing is that in almost every world, I had this built," Xander replied.

"If he's successful," Willow said, "will that mean that you return home or will you be stuck here?"

"I had hoped everything would reset," Xander replied. He looked to Lorne.

"There are worse worlds," Lorne said. "I'm sorry crumb cakes. I really am."

Cordelia wrapped her arm around Xander's waist. "Would it really be so bad to stay here?" she asked.

"It just wouldn't be real," he replied. "I don't know your lives. I didn't live his."

Xander and Cordelia walked to the bar. "Something strong," Lorne said handing them glasses. "To home." The three clinked glasses.

The door opened and Dawn stepped in. "What is all this?" she questioned.

"Dawnie," Xander said happily.

Buffy walked over to him quickly. "Remember," she said softly. "You're not that close."

"Is this what happens when I'm at school?" she asked. "And there's a mess in the lobby."

Willow walked over to Xander. "Thank you," she said.

"No," he replied. "Thank you." He embraced her quickly.

"Who died?" Dawn asked. The room quieted. "Oh, God."

"No one died," Buffy replied.

"Not yet," Gunn said.

"It's coming up on four," Wesley stated.

"I could use a few more of these," Xander said as he set his empty glass on the bar.

"Remember," Lorne replied. "Hangovers follow us."

"I'll chance it," Xander stated. Just about everyone in the room had surrounded Xander at the bar.

"Will we see it happen?" Fred questioned.

"I don't think so," he replied. "Everyone will just be back where they were this morning."

"What is he talking about?" Dawn asked.

"That's not the Xander from this dimension," Danielle replied.

"Come on," Dawn said. Xander shook his head.

"I don't know you," he stated. "Not this you."

"And we won't remember any of this?" Cordelia asked. He shook his head. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

"Taste test?" Buffy asked.

"It's not our Xander," she replied.

"I don't want to know how she knows that," Gunn commented. Everyone chuckled.

"Listen," Xander said. "Since this should be different from the other times if he actually succeeds, maybe you will remember. You need to remember this." He looked around. "You are all friends. Much stronger together than apart."

"We saved the world," Buffy stated.

"Aga...," Willow started to say.

CHAPTER TEN

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "Not again," he said to himself.

His cell phone on the night stand began to ring. He angrily kicked off the covers and sat up. He reached out for the phone. "It's Xander," he said, answering the phone. "Gunn? What's up?... Um, yeah, expecting you..later today." He looked around. "I'm looking forward to it... Nina is more than welcome... Have the pilot call on approach. I'll send out transportation... See you soon."

Xander's two way came to life. "Xander?" Dawn asked.

He reached over and picked up the radio. "Hey Dawn," Xander replied. "You leaving?"

"On my way out," she replied. "Sort of missed you for breakfast."

"I'm having trouble getting started today," he stated. "I'll see you after school."

"What time are they coming?" Dawn asked.

"Um, by the time you get back, they should be here," he replied. "Does Buffy know?"

"Far as I know, she doesn't know a thing," Dawn stated. "She's not going to be happy with the surprise."

"Get to school," he replied.

"I love you," she stated.

"Love you too," he replied. He sat up slowly and stretched.

"What do you think she's going to be less happy about?" a female voice came from the bathroom. "That you invited L.A. to come for a visit? Or you and me?" Xander screeched and fell backwards from the bed. "What happened?" Faith walked around the bed and stared down at him.

He laid there. "Are you real?" he asked, tears forming in his eye.

"What is wrong with you?" she asked. He suddenly jumped up and wrapped his arms around her tightly. "Can't breathe." He lifted her from the floor and spun her around. He kissed her entire face.

"Faith," he said as he released her. "In case I haven't made it clear to you, I love you completely. You are my entire life. I missed you so much." He kissed her again. "Anything you want, you can have it. I'll...do anything for you. I love you more than you can ever imagine."

"I know that," she replied, looking at him questioningly. "What's with you?"

"I just need you to know," he said.

"I do," she replied. "I'm sorry I'm not ready yet for the next step. But I think I should get my props for waiting. We sleep together, mostly naked, every night and I haven't pushed."

"I want it to be special," he replied. He hugged her tightly again. "I love you, and I hate to say this, but I have to go."

"What?" she asked.

"I need to find Buffy," he replied.

"Why?" Faith asked fearfully.

"I'm not completely sure," he replied as he dressed quickly.

"Is something going on?" she asked.

"Not if I can help it," he replied.

He kissed her lips softly and headed for the door. "What about work?" she called after him as the door closed.

i*****

"Hurry up," Kennedy yelled.

"It's a private jet," Willow yelled back. "It's not like they can leave without us."

"It doesn't mean that Xander doesn't have them on a schedule," Kennedy replied. "It's a week. We're not moving."

Willow stepped into the room carrying two large suitcases. Kennedy just shook her head. "It's cold there," Willow said. "I needed winter clothes. And swimsuits for the pool. And hiking shoes. And dresses if we go out to dinner. And..."

"I get it," Kennedy replied. She lifted a small duffel from the floor. "We are really nothing alike."

"That's why you married me," Willow replied with a sly smile. Kennedy walked over and kissed her lips tenderly. She handed her duffel to Willow and picked up her two suitcases.

"Let's go," Kennedy stated. "The limo is waiting."

"I can't wait to see everybody," Willow said. "It's been so long."

"Are you going to talk to him about the other stuff?" Kennedy asked.

"You're willing to do that?" Willow questioned. "You want to move back there once we finish school?"

"Why not," Kennedy replied. "The lab job Xander offered you is incredible. He gave me a list of available positions for me." They exchanged a quick glance. "Naughty." She wagged her finger. "He's really willing to bend over backwards to find me something. So, why not. It's a great opportunity for you. And you'll get to see your friends."

"You're the only one I want," Willow stated. "I need you to be happy. There are a lot of opportunities available in the world. Even ones at other Council offices."

"No," Kennedy replied. "I want you to accept the offer. It's a good one. You'll have your friends. We'll still be together all the time."

"Are you sure?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Kennedy replied. Willow threw her arms around her neck and hugged her. She lifted her head and kissed her lips. "Honey. I am a Slayer. But my arms still get tired."

"Sorry," Willow said.

"And the limo driver is getting very impatient," Kennedy added.

"I'm ready," she replied. They walked out the front door.

i*****

"So, Spike was talking earlier," Nina said, from the bed.

"Oh, honey," Angel replied from the bathroom. "I've warned you before about listening to him."

"He said that this place we're going to, the Council, is your ex-girlfriend's castle," Nina continued.

"It's not a castle," Angel replied.

"I did just notice that you didn't deny the ex-girlfriend part," Nina stated. She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "Buffy lives there."

"You know we're not like that anymore," he said as he stepped from the bathroom in a towel. He held another one in his hand and dried his hair.

"So you and Spike didn't fly halfway around the world and traipse across an entire country looking for her?" she questioned.

"That was a case," Angel replied.

"Yes, the case," she replied. She rolled back onto her stomach and stared at him. "The missing head that you were supposed to retrieve. But you didn't actually return with the head, did ya?"

"Who exactly have you been talking to?" Angel asked. "Because I warned you. This is an evil law firm. The employees are evil."

She smiled crookedly. "You told me I could use your computer to learn more about the history of what I am," she replied. "I read some of your reports."

"I thought they were going to give you an access level," Angel said under his breath.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

"So, Buffy?" she asked.

"That's noth...We're just friends," he replied.

"Does she know about me?" she asked.

"Well... it's not like I ... we don't have a lot of communication...," he stammered.

She shook her head. "You're going to hurt something, stop," she replied. "Just wanted to know what type of reception I should expect."

"Xander and Dawn know you're coming," Angel stated happily.

"Read about him too," she replied. "You should really watch your language in official reports. He can't really be that bad."

"He's not," Angel stated. "We just... don't get along so good."

"And yet he invited you and your staff," she replied. "That was nice."

"You will probably like him," Angel said. "And he'll like you." He turned away. "Probably too much." He said quietly.

"I heard that," she replied. "You tend to forget. Werewolf. Super hearing. So you two have this jealousy thing going on over Buffy?"

"Not exactly," he stated with a sigh. "Hey. I thought you were looking forward to this. Why the third degree?"

"I just wanted a vacation with my boyfriend," she replied. "I didn't realize we were walking into an episode of Dawson's Creek."

"If we were," Angel asked pointedly. "Who would you see me as? Dawson or Pacey?"

"It's more than a little disturbing that you actually know the names," she replied. She kicked her legs around and sat at the edge of the bed as Angel pulled on a shirt. She stood up and began buttoning it for him. She looked into his eyes. "Do you really want me to come? I would understand if you didn't."

He leaned down and softly kissed her lips. "Yes," he replied. "I want you to come."

"Wesley said Illyria was coming," she said. "Why?"

"We're not exactly sure what would happen if we left her alone," Angel replied. "She's a little unpredictable."

"That's...scary," Nina replied. "Wesley said it was sort of a grey area."

"Yeah," Angel replied. "We use that phrase a lot."

"Like when you let the ancient demon take away the world's free will last year?" she asked.

"You heard about that?" Angel asked.

"That," she replied, "and I suddenly remembered it in like two seconds while I was in the middle of a class."

"When Wolfram and Hart takes on a job, they definitely go the whole way," Angel commented.

"Yes," she said. "Thank you for making me suddenly remember sleeping with my ceramics teacher last year. In retrospect, he didn't even give me a good grade."

"Sorry about that," Angel said honestly.

She smiled. "Your lives are different than other peoples," she said.

"You noticed that," he replied. He wrapped his arm around her waist. "You ready?"

"Sure," she stated. "Cause there is no way that this could go badly."

i*****

Ice clinked against the glass Lorne held as he swirled it. "Don't you just love limos?" he asked, suddenly getting a strange look on his face..

"Do you ever not have a drink in your hand?" Gunn questioned.

Lorne pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. "Xander?" he asked. "Is this home?... I think so too... I'm happy for you... Not letting her wish would be a very good idea... I don't know, maybe not telling her everything all at once..."

Everyone in the limo was staring. "What's that about?" Angel questioned. Lorne held up his hand.

"Me too," Lorne said. "Good luck... See you soon." He hung up.

"How do you know Xander?" Wesley asked.

"It's an incredibly long story that should wait until we get there," Lorne replied.

"Why?" Spike asked.

"Because you'll never believe me if I tell the story myself," he replied. "Trust me. You'll like the story."

"So what is the Council like anyhow," Nina asked.

"Don't know," Gunn replied. "Never been there."

"It's a giant estate on a huge piece of property outside Seattle," Lorne replied.

"It's the Watcher's Council," Wesley stated. "The new Council. After the original Council was destroyed last year, Giles and the others took control of the Council's vast holdings. They formed the new Council."

"What is the ...Watcher's Council?" Nina asked. "If it's not secret." She looked to Angel.

"You don't remember?" Lorne asked.

"Remember what?" she asked. Lorne just shook his head. Angel looked at him suspiciously.

"I've told you about the Slayer," Angel stated. "The Watcher's Council basically kept track of and trained the current vampire Slayer. Wesley was a watcher."

"You were?" Nina asked.

"With rather disastrous consequences," Wesley replied.

"That's an understatement," Spike said, also sipping from a glass.

"She saved our butts last year," Gunn stated.

"She did," Angel acknowledged. Nina looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Faith went bad for a while," Angel stated. "She went to prison."

"Wesley helped bust her out last year," Gunn continued. "She helped us capture Angelus."

"Is she good now?" Nina asked.

"She's working at the Council as Xander's assistant," Lorne stated. "And they're supposed to be engaged. Well not yet."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"Let's wait till we arrive," Lorne replied. Everyone looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Xander and Faith?" Angel questioned, with a little too much joy. Nina looked down.

Lorne looked to Angel and nodded towards Nina. Angel wrapped his arm around her. She smiled. "Have you been in contact with Dawn?" Wesley asked.

"Some months ago, Xander called to see if I could get him some tickets for a concert for Dawn," Lorne replied. "I managed some front row tickets and a backstage pass. Dawn called to thank me later. We've been phone buddies ever since." He sipped his drink. "It turns out that having a teenage girl's input in my line of work is very beneficial."

"So Xander is like the president of the Council?" Nina asked.

"Xander's the president," Angel replied. "Giles is the vice president. Actually, Xander included all of us when they set up the Council. He put Willow, Buffy, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne and me on the board."

"I thought he didn't like you," Nina stated.

"He doesn't," Wesley replied. "But he's become a very good president. Very generous to include us as part of the new Council."

"What's he like?" Gunn asked.

"An infantile child," Angel replied.

"Hey," Lorne said. "He's a nice guy. And he's lost a lot over the years. He lost his eye last year in battle. A few days later, he lost his girlfriend. He just saved the world again, possibly at the cost of his life. Leave him alone."

"What are you talking about?" Wesley questioned.

"Just leave him alone," Lorne said sincerely. "I mean it." Angel looked at him with shock.

"How old is he?" Gunn asked.

"You don't know?" Nina asked.

"We've never met," Gunn replied. "Only Angel, Spike and Wesley know him from when they were back in Sunnydale."

"He used to date Cordelia in high school," Angel added.

"She was different then," Wesley stated.

"Yes she was," Angel replied, with a sentimental smile.

"We've lost a lot," Wesley suddenly said.

Angel looked to Lorne. "Any idea why he invited us?" he asked.

"He wants everyone together," Lorne replied. "Because we're better together than when we're apart. You may want to remember that."

"He probably just wants to knock off the leaders of Wolfram and Hart," Spike commented.

"I'm warning you," Lorne replied. "Just drop it."

"What the hell is going on?" Angel questioned angrily. Lorne looked away.

"I thought you said Xander was a jerk," Nina said to Angel.

"Not at all honey muffin," Lorne replied. "He's a really nice guy. And what exactly have you been telling her?"

"The guy just bugs me," Angel said.

"And yet he's the leader of a multi-billion dollar mega-conglomerate," Wesley stated.

"Billion?" Nina questioned.

"Billion?" Angel echoed.

"Angel," Wesley scolded. "You're on the board. Do you not read the reports he forwards?"

"I skim," Angel replied.

"The Council has a net worth of nearly two billion dollars," Wesley stated.

"I thought the Council fought vampires," Nina said.

"It does," Wesley replied. "But since that is not exactly a paying business, it needs other ways of making a profit. The Council has it's fingers in a lot of pies. Real estate. Insurance. Banking. Investment houses. It's holdings are vast. Hotels. Restaurants."

"Holy crap," Gunn commented. "And this Xander guy controls it all?"

Angel nodded. "I can't wait to meet him," Nina commented to Angel's supreme dislike.

"I just hate that guy," Angel stated.

"Play nice," Lorne said. "We're coming to his house."

"Castle," Gunn stated. "Or so it looks from the pictures."

"I told you," Nina said.

"And Xander's like our age," Gunn stated. He looked around the car. "It was a lot easier to make that kind of comment a few years ago. I'm like the youngest person in this car."

"The baby of the group," Lorne commented.

"How the hell old are you anyhow?" Gunn asked.

"Time is relative, sweet bread," Lorne replied. "More than you know."

"Xander's maybe twenty four," Wesley stated.

"That's pretty impressive," Nina replied.

"You'll think differently after you meet him," Angel said.

"Angel cakes," Lorne replied. "Jealousy is such an ugly trait. Drop it." Angel glared.

The limo stopped. "We're here," Gunn said. "Stay put. I'll get the tarp." He climbed from the car and retrieved a tarp from the trunk as attendants loaded the luggage on the plane. "Vampire protection is here." He handed the tarp to Angel. Everyone, except Spike and Angel exited the limo. Angel and Spike covered themselves and made a mad dash for the stairs.

i*****

Xander caught up to Buffy in the hallway. "We need to talk," he stated.

"That's never good," she replied. He took her hand and led her up the stairs to the private study. "What's this about?"

"Sit, please," he said. She sat next to him on the couch. "I have some things to tell you. You aren't going to like them."

She took an offensive posture and crossed her arms. "Like what?" she asked.

"I invited everyone here for a little get together," he replied.

"Who's everyone?" she asked.

"Willow and Kennedy," he replied. "And the L.A.s."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because we're better together than apart," he replied.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means that we're all friends," he replied. "We need to remember that." He took her hands in his. "First. Spike is back."

"What?" she asked.

"I've known for a while," he replied. "He came back as a ghost. But he kept fading out. They weren't sure if he was going to just disappear."

"Who's they?" she asked.

"He showed up in L.A. at Wolfram and Hart," Xander replied.

"So he's a ghost?" she asked.

"No hitting," Xander replied. "Understand. No hitting. He's solid now. But still a vampire."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I really don't know," he replied. "At first, it was because no one was sure if he was back to stay. I don't know why later. I'm sorry."

"You said, first," she said.

"Okay," he replied. "L.A. is on their way here. Angel, Spike, Gunn, Wesley, Illyria, Lorne and Nina."

"Who's Nina?" she questioned.

He took her hands again. She looked down unhappily. "She's a werewolf," he replied. "And she's dating Angel." She looked at him angrily. "I have nothing to do with that. That's not my fault. You dated the immortal. Why shouldn't Angel date...beyond the curse thing?"

"This is great," Buffy said angrily. She pulled her hands from his forcefully. "What else? You kicking me out?"

"I get you're angry," he replied. "That's part of the problem. Later today, you're going to do something. You probably didn't mean to do it, but you did it."

"Did?" she asked.

"Unless I can change what you do today, something very bad is going to happen," he replied.

"What?" she asked.

"End of the world kind of thing except worse," he replied. "At least that would only happen once."

"You're not making any sense," she said.

"You're going to make a wish," he replied.

"A wish?" she asked. "Ohhhhh. Like a wish."

"I'm not exactly sure what that wish was," he replied. "But it has something to do with Nina, Willow, me and Lorne. I'm not sure about why Lorne. I'm guessing that he was just sort of caught up in the wake of it. I think you wished us gone."

Buffy's lip quivered. "Why would I wish you gone?" she asked fearfully.

"Because I have one more thing to tell you," he replied. She closed her eyes. He kicked his leg up on the couch and reached out his arms. "Please sit with me." She shook her head. "Please." She reluctantly sat between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her stomach. He leaned his head next to hers. "This isn't about you. It's about me."

"Are you leaving?" she asked. "Sick of me and Dawn?"

He smiled wide. "Never," he replied. "Not in any dimension." He took a deep breath. "I'm in love with Faith." She started to pull away. "Please. Buffy. I've always been there for you. You made it very clear it was nothing more than friendship. But I love her. I want to spend my life with her. She's too afraid of that for now. I guess I can't even fix that here now."

"You keep talking like you know stuff from the future," she stated.

"Your wish sent the four of us into an alternate dimension," he replied. "And, no, I'm not lying or crazy. But, your wish also had a side effect. It tore the fabric of time. Every day around four in the afternoon, the four of us would go back to this morning...but in a different dimension. And in every dimension, everything was different. Relationships were completely changed. No one except the four of us remembered anything was wrong. Every day, we worked the problem. We thought we found the answer. Nina and Willow came home. We were wrong. Once they got back here they were swept up in the time problem too. Only Lorne and I remember everything."

"This is stupid," Buffy said. "If you're with Faith, you don't need to make up stories."

"Buffy, I've slept maybe six hours in the past ten days," he replied. "I've lost track. You've lived the same day over ten or eleven times."

"And you somehow fixed it?" she questioned suspiciously.

"During the last time line," he replied. "This is the first day again. At some point today, someone is going to convince you to make a wish."

"I would never do that," she replied.

"You did," he replied. "I'm sorry you're hurt. No one did it to you. It's just life. I'm still your friend. I'll always be that. Please don't make that wish."

She tilted her head back and looked at him. "I won't," she said sincerely. "I promise." He leaned down and kissed her lips. He heard a noise behind them. He turned his head to see Faith storming out the door.

"Oh great," he stated.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"You don't understand," he replied. "On this day, the original day, Faith overheard me telling you how much I love her and need her. It changed her mind on things. She decided to move in with me and a few hours later we were engaged."

"Engaged?" Buffy questioned.

"So this time she caught me kissing you instead," he replied. "Great." He pushed Buffy forward and stood. "I...this isn't fair. I fixed it. I had to go through hell every day. And now, all of it was for nothing."

"Talk to her," she said.

He scoffed. "She was ready to bolt as it was," he replied. "That conversation she overheard the first time got me everything I ever wanted in life. And now I just lost it."

"Everything you wanted?" Buffy questioned after him as he stormed from the room.

i*****

There was a knock on the door. Faith reached under the desk and buzzed. "Rolph," she said as a man entered. "What's up?"

"I can't find Xander," he replied. "The Council jet will be landing in about fifteen minutes."

"Thank you," she replied. "You know what. I'll meet them myself."

"Very good, ma'am," he stated before turning and leaving.

Faith made some notations on some papers on her desk before turning off the computer and exiting. She passed through the lobby and walked towards the back doors. She looked out back and a tear ran down her cheek.

i*****

"Hey," Willow said questioningly as she walked down the stairs. "I kind of expected Xander."

"I know," Faith replied. "Sorry."

"No, it's fine," Willow stated. She reached out her arms reluctantly and hugged Faith briefly. "How are you?"

"Fine," Faith replied.

"No one should ever have to fly in anything other than this," Kennedy commented from the top of the stairs. "I am never flying commercial again."

"Like the plane?" Faith asked.

"It is incredible," Kennedy replied as she walked down the stairs carrying Willow's suitcases. "It's like being on the couch in your living room, except your traveling."

"We have people that can do that," Faith said to her.

"I got it," she replied. "Willow couldn't decide so she just brought everything."

"I get that," Faith replied.

"Is Xander okay?" Willow asked.

"I wouldn't really know," she replied.

"Something wrong?" Willow asked.

"No," Faith replied. "He and Buffy are off screwin around."

"They're together?" Willow asked apprehensively.

"Who knows?" she replied angrily.

"Faith," Rolph's voice came over her two way.

"Go ahead," she replied.

"Look up," he stated. "L.A.'s here." She looked up and saw the Wolfram and Hart jet on approach.

"Busy airport," Kennedy commented.

"I can't take everyone," Faith said into the radio.

"Tony's sending two trucks," Rolph replied.

"Thank you," she said.

"Angel's here?" Willow asked. Faith nodded. "Why?"

"I don't exactly know that either," Faith replied. "Xander just wanted to get everyone together. Thought it would be fun. Spring break and all."

"I am glad to be out of Boston for a while," Kennedy commented. Faith led them to the truck and helped load their luggage into the back. "Although, I think it was warmer in Boston."

"But not as crowded," Willow added. They turned as the Council's plane touched down. "Are we waiting?"

"Might as well," Faith replied.

"How's Buffy?" Willow asked.

"About the same," Faith replied. "Mopey. Selfish."

"That's not fair," Willow stated.

"You haven't been here," Faith replied. "She's been pouting since the day I got here. The Immortal is just the current reason."

"And she and Xander?" Willow asked. Faith didn't reply.

"What about you and Xander?" Kennedy asked with a sly smile. Faith looked away quickly. "I knew it." She looked to Willow. "Ten bucks."

"What?" Faith questioned.

"Come on, Faith," Kennedy replied. "You're a vampire Slayer. And you're doing secretarial work? Why else would you be here if you didn't have the hots for him?"

Faith looked up slowly into Willow's eyes. "It's over," she stated softly.

"I'm sorry," Willow replied. They turned and watched as the Council's jet was pushed into the hangar. The Wolfram and Hart jet taxied to the end of the runway. Faith walked towards it as the stairs were extended. Angel appeared in the doorway above.

"Faith?" Angel questioned.

"Why is everyone so surprised to see me?" she asked.

"I don't know," Angel replied. "I'm not really. It's good to see you."

"You better stay put for a minute, big guy," Faith stated. "The trucks are coming. Wouldn't want to have to sweep up after you."

Angel stepped back and allowed Gunn, Wesley, Lorne and Illyria to climb down the stairs. "How are you doing, my little caramel apple?" Lorne asked as he approached her, arms outstretched. They hugged briefly.

"Five by five," she replied.

"It's a little better than that isn't it, sweetie?" Lorne said slyly. She looked at him questioningly. "Oh, no. What happened?"

"I don't know what you mean," she replied. "Let's get loaded."

"This isn't right," Lorne stated. "He did everything to get back here. This is all wrong." Faith just stared at him. "Don't you know how much he loves you?" She turned her back and climbed into the truck. "Where's Xander?"

"Ask Buffy," Faith replied. She drove off in the truck with Kennedy and Willow inside.

i*****

Buffy stood in the lobby as everyone arrived. Lorne almost ran up the stairs. "Where's Xander?" he asked.

"Hi, I'm Buffy," she replied.

"Yeah," he said impatiently. "We've met a few times. But you know that. He told you."

"He told me," she replied. "I'm not sure I believe it."

"What happened?" Lorne asked.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"With Xander and Faith," he said angrily.

"She saw us kiss," Buffy stated. "A misunderstanding."

"Where is he?" he asked. Buffy shrugged. "You don't understand. He can't take anymore. He's finally home. If this one doesn't work out...there's no telling what he'll do."

"What?" Buffy asked quickly. "What are you saying?"

The others all arrived in the lobby. Faith started to walk down the stairs. "Faith, wait," Lorne said.

She kept walking. "DAMN IT!" Everyone turned with shock and some fear. Faith stopped. "Get up here." She looked at him with hate. Everyone took a step back. "We have to find Xander before something happens."

"Like what?" Faith questioned.

"Like you find him hanging from a ceiling somewhere," Lorne replied. "Or you just find his body after the demon kills him."

"What are you talking about?" Angel said. "I want answers."

"Find Xander first," Lorne stated. "I'll explain everything after you find him." He looked to Buffy. "Fix this."

i*****

Security had lost track of Xander. His phones were shut off. Everyone had fanned out looking for him. "I'm not really too interested in anything you have to say," Faith said to Buffy as they walked down a hallway, checking rooms.

"Nothing happened," Buffy stated. "He had a lot of things to tell me. About Spike. Nina. You and him. And he had a story. An incredible story. Supposedly about something I was going to do later today. I'll assume that's the story Lorne has for everyone. So, I'll just let him tell it. The kiss you saw was him reminding me that we're still friends."

"I'll bet," she replied.

"He told me that the way this was supposed to go, or the way it went originally, was that you heard him talking to me about you," Buffy stated. Faith looked over questioningly. "It's a long story. But when you heard him describing you to me, you decided to move in with him. He said you got engaged a few hours later."

Faith laughed. "Right," she said.

"He said that's the way it was supposed to be," Buffy stated. "Or, I mean, that's the way it happened before things got changed."

"You're not making any sense," Faith said.

"I know," Buffy said. "What you did miss was him telling me how much he loved you. That he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. He said you were everything he ever wanted in life. He thinks he just lost it."

Faith looked concerned. "Will he hurt himself?" she asked. Buffy shrugged. "Oh, God. I should have given him the benefit of the doubt. I just expected he was like every other guy that ever promised me anything."

"He's not like every other guy," Buffy replied.

"We've slept together for the past few weeks," Faith said softly. "Just slept. Nothing else."

"See," Buffy replied.

"We found him," Rolph called over Faith's radio.

"Is he okay?" she asked fearfully.

"He won't be driving or walking a straight line anytime soon, but yes," Rolph replied.

"He's drunk?" Faith asked.

"That would be a generous description," Rolph replied.

"Where?" she asked.

"In the helicopter on the south pad," Rolph replied.

"We're on our way," Faith stated. She looked to Buffy, who nodded.

i*****

"What the hell did you do?" Faith asked as she looked at Xander's slumped body leaning against the wall of the helicopter, a mostly empty bottle in his hand.

His eye barely opened. "I lo-love my prrrty gil," he slurred. She shook her head. She took the bottle and gently slid him towards the doorway. Buffy and Faith each placed an arm over their shoulders.

"He drank a lot," Rolph commented. "He really needs to get it out of his system."

"We'll take care of it," Faith said. She looked to Buffy. "I'm sure being held upside down will help."

i*****

"How did you even know this place was here?" Giles asked.

"I've been here a few times," Lorne replied. He stood behind the bar mixing a pitcher. "Would anyone like anything?"

"Answers," Wesley replied.

"This is a really cool room," Nina said quietly to Angel.

"Xander had it built himself," Giles stated.

"I could live here," Gunn said.

Buffy and Faith carried Xander into the room. "Why did you do that?" he asked angrily. "That wasn't fun."

"It was that or have you die of alcohol poisoning," Faith replied. She looked to Lorne. "He needs coffee." They gently set him down on one of the couches. Faith joined him and leaned his head against her chest.

"What's wrong with him?" Willow asked.

"He got some more bad news," Lorne replied. "It was one straw too many."

"Okay," Angel said angrily as he stood. "I want to know exactly what is going on. How do you know Xander? What did Nina forget?"

"I'm sorry," Buffy stated as she looked at Nina. "We've been a little preoccupied for introductions. I'm Buffy." She held out her hand.

"Nina," she replied, shaking hands.

"Nice to meet you," Buffy said cordially.

Lorne carried the pitcher and some glasses into the room and set them on the long coffee table. He returned for the coffee. He handed the cup to Faith. She gently lifted Xander's head. "Drink," she said. She poured a little into his mouth. He shook his head.

"What is the story?" Spike stated. "I know the boy isn't much but I've never seen him like that before." Faith and Buffy glared.

"He smells like Wesley," Illyria commented. Wesley looked away quickly.

"Yes, he does," Angel said unhappily.

Lorne sat down. "This would have been better with Xander's participation," he began, "but I guess that's not exactly an option any more." Faith gently kissed his head. "About ten days ago, Friday, this particular Friday, we all came here like we did today."

"No we didn't," Kennedy said.

"What do you mean this Friday?" Willow asked.

"Tell them to shut up until the end," Xander stated with a groan.

"That would help," Lorne said as he continued. "On that day, Xander and Buffy had a conversation in the whirlpool where he told her about our visit, about Spike, about Nina and about him and Faith. After Buffy made a brief pass at Xander, he explained to her just how much he loved Faith. Faith overheard the conversation. It changed her mind about all of her reservations. She told Xander she would move in with him. A few hours later, they were engaged."

"He moves fast," Gunn commented.

Xander tilted his head and squinted to see Faith. "I did it all for you," he whispered.

"He did," Lorne replied. "Somewhere around four that afternoon, something happened. The next thing I knew, I was back to earlier that morning. Actually, everyone was. But, only, Xander, Willow, Nina and I knew it."

"Me?" Nina asked, surprised.

"Us?" Willow questioned with confusion.

"At first, we just tried to get everyone together again," Lorne continued. "Most things seemed about the same. There were some differences. We just thought that time had looped."

"Time loop?" Willow asked.

"He'll get to that," Xander said softly.

"Some things just weren't right," Lorne stated. "Everything was close to the way it had been, but some things were wrong. It took us a while, but we figured out which of us were remembering. Then, everything reset again. Except this time, nothing was the same."

"Not with Faith," Xander said sadly.

"Yeah," Lorne stated. "This was the beginning of the bad days. We finally managed to get the four of us together to try and work the problem when everything reset again."

"Buffy world," Xander said. Faith and Buffy looked at him questioningly.

"He woke up with you Buffy," Lorne said.

"Me?" Buffy asked. Faith visibly tensed.

"This is the world where we started to realize something more than time resets were going on," Lorne explained. "Because Faith wasn't there, at the Council. And..." He looked to Wesley. "Fred was alive."

"Oh God," Willow stated.

"That was when the discussions started about whether or not we should even be trying to fix things," Lorne stated. "Fix the timeline, kill Fred. We started worrying about being stuck in that time line and telling too much and destroying relationships."

"Broke Buffy's heart," Xander said.

"Yes," Lorne stated. "These people thought we were their people."

"What do you mean Their people?" Wesley asked.

"We weren't just reliving the same day over and over," Lorne replied.

"We were sliding," Xander said.

Gunn started laughing. "That's a tv...," he started to say.

"You and television," Willow commented.

"You weren't too happy about him calling it that," Lorne said. "We were in a different dimension. The people there weren't you. And we weren't their people. Do you know how hard it is to figure out how to interact with people who know you as someone completely different."

"Had to tell Buffy that I wasn't the one in love with her," Xander stated. "Made her cry."

"That's awful," Willow said.

"Why don't I remember?" Nina asked.

"I've lost track of all the worlds," Lorne stated. "One world didn't have nuclear weapons. No plutonium."

"Wow," Wesley commented.

"In another world, Xander was with Devon," Lorne stated.

"Who's Devon?" Faith asked.

"A Slayer," Xander replied. "THAT Xander cheated on her and was very mean...and she still loved him. Broke her heart too."

"It was beginning to take it's toll," Lorne said.

"I understand," Nina said. "I'm sorry."

"The next world was...," Lorne started to say.

"Idiot, coward Xander world," Xander replied.

"That's right," Lorne replied.

"What?" Angel asked happily. Nina slapped his chest.

"I was a moron and a coward," Xander replied.

"But it actually worked out for us because that Xander hadn't lost his eye," Lorne stated. "He was able to prove the story quicker than ever before. That's the world where we decided it must be a spell. Willow found the spell and the counter to the spell. But the spell could only be done in the home dimension. We found a portal spell. Problem was that it sent whoever went through it to their home dimension. It would have sent me to Pylea."

"Couldn't leave Lorne alone," Xander said. Faith leaned down and kissed his forehead.

"No, he couldn't," Lorne said with fondness. "Willow and Nina went home. We waited. Nothing happened. We found out later the spell wasn't the cause. And our best guess is that once you two returned home you got caught up in the same time loop as everyone else. We also realized that while you were all going back to the same moment in time, we were getting, tired and hungry."

"And drunk," Xander added.

"That's right," Lorne replied. "Hangovers carried over. So did Xander's broken ribs."

"What?" Faith asked with concern. Xander slowly lifted his shirt. "Oh God. What happened?"

"You," Xander replied. "Kind of." She looked back questioningly.

"They're mostly healed now," Lorne explained. "It has been eight or nine days. We used them a few times to explain us." Faith gently rubbed Xander's chest. "The next day, Xander wasn't doing so well anymore. He was a little... depressed. He found out that there was no Faith in that world. She never existed. And we discovered that Nina and Willow were no longer ours."

"I took that slide off," Xander said. "Spent the day with Buffy." Faith looked to Buffy crossly.

"He never cheated," Lorne commented quickly. "Although how he didn't, I don't know."

"Spent the day in the pool and on the couch talking and drinking," Xander said. "Finally, got some sleep. It was a good slide. I miss that Buffy." Buffy looked away sadly. Faith cast her eyes down.

"It's not like that," Lorne said. "You just don't understand what it was like to suddenly be in these other lives. And all the relationship stuff seemed to be directed at him. A daily assault."

"Faith world," Xander said. Faith smiled questioningly.

"It's kind of funny, thinking back," Lorne stated. "He'd done everything just to get back here to you. And the person that actually solved it was you, Faith. Your double."

"Graduated M.I.T. at nineteen," Xander said. "You slacker." Faith looked at him crossly. "She called you the dumb criminal version of herself." He smiled wide. Everyone in the room chuckled. Faith looked at him angrily. "She was boring. Not my Faith."

"She figured out that Willow was a little premature with the spell idea," Lorne continued. "Plus, she found four more spells that could have caused the same thing."

"Sorry," Willow stated.

"Don't worry," Lorne replied. "It wasn't a spell anyhow. Faith determined that the time loop was just a side effect. Whatever caused the dimension exchanges tore a hole in the fabric of time."

"That makes sense," Wesley stated. "Too many people in the wrong dimensions."

"Where were you eight worlds ago?" Xander asked.

"Faith and Xander finally figured it out," Lorne stated. "It was a vengeance demon. Someone made a wish." Buffy looked away quickly.

"You?" Faith asked on seeing her reaction.

"Don't know for sure," Xander replied. "Kind of makes sense. If Willow, Nina and I never existed, Buffy's life would be different. Lorne may have just gotten swept up in the wake."

"Possibly because he wasn't from this dimension in the first place," Wesley suggested.

"Willow was in Europe in this world," Lorne continued. "So, we had to use Giles for the protection and containment spells. But, he wasn't fast enough. Time reset again."

"But Faithy save our butts," Xander said.

"That she did," Lorne replied. "Last dimension. Xander was on a tear. He got everyone to the Council fast. He got everyone researching quickly. This time, no Giles. But a Willow. He convinced everyone. Willow and Wesley set up the protection and containment spells and Xander called D'hoffryn."

"The leader of the vengeance demons," Buffy stated.

"Why did you think he would help?" Angel asked.

"What other choice was there?" Xander replied. "Even evil doesn't want to be stuck in a time loop forever."

"To say he was not happy to see Xander was an understatement," Lorne stated. "He reluctantly agreed to help. But then Xander realized something. The demon Really wasn't happy. Xander was worried that he would seek vengeance against all of those people." Lorne looked over at Xander. "He made a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Giles asked.

"What did you do?" Faith questioned fearfully.

"He promised to leave everyone else alone, except Xander," Lorne replied.

"WHAT?" half the room questioned.

"Why did you let him do it?" Gunn asked.

"Let didn't come into it, sugar smacks," Lorne replied.

"It was either that or condemn everyone in every world to reliving eight hours for eternity," Xander said.

"You're very stupid," Faith said, a tear in her eye.

"Not stupid," he replied. "I love you."

"See," she said. "Stupid."

"What will he do to him?" Willow asked.

"We're not entirely sure that his memory didn't get erased along with everyone else's when the time reset again," Lorne replied.

"So, this morning is the original Friday again?" Kennedy asked.

"That's why you were so weird this morning," Faith said.

"He needed to tell me not to make a wish," Buffy stated.

"Yes, Buffy," Giles said. "I think it might be a good idea if you stayed around us today."

"I don't feel vengeful," Buffy stated. "Just very, very sorry." She turned to Xander. "Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive," he replied. "I know you never meant to hurt me. You were mad. You didn't do anything any one of us hasn't thought about a million times."

"Who were you with on the last day?" Kennedy asked.

"Cordelia," Xander replied. "He looked to Angel. Sorry." Angel just shook his head.

"So you've like seen half the women around here naked," Gunn commented. Willow reached over and smacked his chest. "Owwww."

Faith looked at him curiously. "Once I realized they weren't the same people, I tried my best to avoid any of that." He glanced at Buffy. "Sorry. You were...aggressive." He looked to Faith quickly. "Nothing happened."

"I'll bet," she replied with a smile.

He looked to Willow. "We had a discussion about how we hoped to God we wouldn't wake up together one day," he said. "It would have just been too awkward."

"I get that," she replied. "We didn't, right?" He shook his head.

"You were married to a guy in Chicago once," he said. She looked over disbelievingly. Lorne nodded.

"Something I should know?" Kennedy asked.

"I may not understand this very much," Spike stated. "But you sort of glossed over something." Xander and Lorne exchanged a glance. "You took the place of your doubles. Where did they go?"

"We decided that one of two things was happening," Lorne replied. "Either we were swapping out for the people we became or the whole universe was just rotating like musical chairs."

"That sounds more likely with the tear in the universe scenario," Wesley commented.

"You're still not saying it," Spike said. "If you weren't here, who were Angel, Kennedy and Faith waking up with."

"Oh God," Buffy said.

"It doesn't matter," Xander replied. "Even if things happened, which there's a Xander out there that needs a severe beating, they actually didn't when time looped. You guys aren't ten days older. We are."

"Hence the facial hair," Faith said. "I thought that was weird this morning."

"And ten days more tired," Lorne added.

"Of course," Giles said. "You should both get some much needed rest."

Xander looked to Lorne. "I'm not sleeping until six, at the earliest," he said.

"I agree," Lorne replied.

"You should get something to eat, at least," Willow said.

"Yes," Giles agreed. "Absolutely."

"It's funny," Xander said. "I think I forgot that almost every day."

"Might not be a great idea quite yet," Faith said rubbing his stomach. Buffy walked over and knelt down next to him. "Take my spot B." Buffy shook her head quickly. "It's okay." Faith held him up as Buffy slipped in. Faith laid his head in Buffy's lap. Buffy looked to Faith and smiled slightly.

"I'm so sorry," Buffy stated. "I can't believe I did that to you."

"You didn't," he replied. "Not even a little bit."

"Why did you tell me not to hit you?" she asked. "What did I do?"

"You punched me a couple of times in the chest," he replied. "No big deal."

She slowly lifted up his shirt. "Oh God," he said. "I did that ten days ago?"

"Hey, hey," Faith said. "Let's keep the clothes on the boyfriend."

"Look at what I did," Buffy said. Faith walked over. "I'm so sorry." She turned to Faith quickly. "Boyfriend?" Faith smiled and blushed.

"Buffy," Xander stated. "Don't you understand? You didn't do that. You may be from this dimension. But you're not that same person that did this. She was from ten days ago. And she seemed angry and unhappy. You don't seem like that person."

"We are better together," Buffy said as she looked around the room. She was gently rubbing his chest. She looked to Faith. "Sorry."

"It's fine," Faith replied. "But I think I'll get some pain rub. I'll be back."

"You didn't ever wake up with Dawn?" Buffy asked apprehensively. Giles took off his glasses and began rubbing them.

"The second or third day, I woke up and Dawn called from the bathroom," Xander replied. Most everyone in the room stopped to listen. "I almost had a heart attack. It turned out that her shower was broken. But her towel was a little short. It was still disturbing. Oh. And on the day off slide."

"Don't call it that," Willow said.

"The one where I spent my time with you," he stated. "When Dawn called to say she was leaving, I said I love you. She replied that I better. I asked that Buffy about it. She confessed to not having paid that much attention."

"So you had fun with that Buffy?" she asked.

"First of all," he replied. "I took the day off from caring. Second. She was just like the old you. The one from high school. The one that sat under the covers and ate popcorn and watched movies. I liked her. I liked the other Buffy too. I felt so bad for her. She didn't understand that I wasn't him. And Devon. So beautiful. So abused. That Xander slept with half the Slayers during orientation. I would very much like to meet him sometime. Have a chat. And I so wanted to help Devon. I gave her advice. But...she'll just have forgotten it."

"I really am sorry I put you through that," Buffy said softly.

"Once again," he replied. "It wasn't you. You're a different time Buffy. You know what was hardest?" She raised her eyebrows. "Before we realized we weren't just in a different time. The mean world. Everyone was mean to each other. Dawn told me that Faith hated me. I didn't understand how she could hate me in another time."

"It wasn't her," Buffy replied.

"I know that now," he said. "Also. I got close to some of these people. I really liked them. And I knew I would never see them again. Worst of all, even if we did go sliding on purpose..."

"Stop calling it that," Willow called over.

"They wouldn't remember me anyhow," he continued. Willow drifted over with a plate of food and sat down in the chair across from them. "It was so great having you with. When you left, I got so lost. We went horseback riding. That's how I broke my ribs. Faith roared by on the motorcycle scaring the horses."

"I'm sorry I left," she said. "I almost wish I could remember. It seemed like quite an adventure."

"Then, we weren't telling it right," Lorne said as he sat on the other chair, still with a drink in hand.

"This guy never didn't have a drink in his hand in any world," Xander said. He looked to Willow. "And it's a slide."

"When we first realized that we were the duplicates and our doubles weren't there," Lorne stated, "he told you that is wasn't possible because Quinn met his double."

Willow started laughing. "I'm guessing I know why I was mad," Willow replied with a big smile. "What are we going to do about D'hoffryn?"

"Why did you do it?" Buffy asked.

He looked to Lorne. "I really liked those people from the last world," Xander replied. Lorne nodded. "They really cared. About me. They almost didn't do it. They were a lot like us."

The door opened and Dawn entered. "Wow," she said. "I expected a lot more yelling."

"Hey Dawnie," Xander said. "I missed you so much." He held out his arms. She came running over.

"Careful," Buffy stated. "He's got some injuries."

Dawn looked to Angel angrily. "What did you do?" she asked accusingly.

"He didn't do it," Xander replied, smiling.

Dawn looked at Buffy curiously. "You and Buffy?" she asked.

"I'm just holding Faith's spot," Buffy replied. Dawn smiled wide. "You should meet Nina. She's very nice." Dawn looked at her questioningly.

"Hey," Xander said. "No hug." She hugged him loosely. "It's been so long."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Hey bitty bit," Spike stated.

"Are you all solid again?" she asked. He nodded. She hugged him lightly. She made her rounds.

"Most of this took place during school hours," Xander said. "I barely got to see her."

"Except when you saw too much?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, for the love of..." Giles stood and walked to the bar.

"I could do without that visual," Xander said softly looking up at Buffy. "You on the other hand." She blushed deeply. "Sorry. I'm just."

"I deserve it," she replied. He set his hand lightly against her cheek. Faith returned. "Your nurse is here."

"Please God tell me she's actually in the outfit," he said. Buffy smiled and shook her head.

"He's been a relatively good boy," Buffy said. She held him for Faith to slide in.

"You did, at least, wrap those ribs?" Faith asked.

"The first day or so," he replied. "Was a little preoccupied."

"Yes," she said. "Sleeping with every girl here."

"Every day started with the alarm going off," he replied. "I truly don't know what happened before that."

"And what about brainy Faith?" she asked with a smirk.

"We played scolded schoolboy," he replied. "I wore a dunce cap."

"You should if you really didn't do anything with all those girls throwing themselves at you," she stated.

"Not Mr. Pining Heart," Lorne said. "Every day it was the same thing. First thing he would do is see if you were there. Second was the begging that he just wanted to get home to his Faith." Xander glared. "He got us back. All for you. He's rather remarkable."

"I know that," she replied. She stared into his eye as she rubbed creme on his chest. "Of course, I'll move in with you. I'm basically living there already. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"I hope I don't give you reason to," he said.

"You're male," she replied. "But, I should realize you're different."

Dawn walked over. "What is everyone talking about?" she asked. "Where have you been?"

He smiled wide. "Sliding," he replied. Willow just slapped her forehead.

"For real?" Dawn asked. "Can I go?"

Everyone in the room yelled, "NO!"

"It's not exactly as advertised," he replied. "Besides. We became the other people. We weren't the doubles. Everyone thought we were them."

"Who's we?" Dawn asked.

"Willow, Nina, Lorne and I," he replied.

"You don't even really know Lorne or Nina," she said.

"A lot better now, marshmallow puff," Lorne replied.

Nina walked over. She looked down. "Sorry I don't remember," she said.

"It was weird," he replied. "We met the third day. Then every day after we just talked like old friends. Confused everyone."

"Were Angel and I always together?" she asked.

"Before everyone starts asking these types of questions," Giles stated, "I want to remind you that these are alternate lives. Not yours. All of their choices may have been different."

"After you left," Xander replied, "you weren't there once. And one time before you left, you woke up at home. You had to explain to your sister why you were suddenly flying to Seattle."

"Do you realize the frequent flyer miles you guys racked up?" Gunn asked sarcastically.

"If I never see another jet, I'll be happy," Lorne commented.

"Did you meet me?" Dawn asked.

"Once or twice," Xander said. He looked to Buffy crookedly. "This took place between eight and four. You were generally at school. You'd usually radio before you left. Once you were in Europe living with Willow."

"Living with how?" Dawn asked fearfully. Willow looked over with wide eyes.

Xander looked to Lorne. "Didn't ask," he stated.

"Can't tell?" Kennedy questioned.

"That's not funny," Dawn said. She looked to Willow. "Sorry. I love you and all..."

"This is what I'm talking about," Giles stated. "Not the same lives. And could we please drop the S-E-X talk."

"I'm seventeen," Dawn replied. "Not five." He looked to Xander. "Were you always with Faith?"

Everyone looked away. "I think that's enough questions for now," Buffy stated. "They've had a hard couple of weeks."

Faith sat up. "I'm not going to make the same mistakes as the others," she said staring into his eye. "Absolutely. I will definitely marry you."

Dawn screeched with delight. "It's about time," Lorne stated. He stood and walked to the bar.

Faith and Buffy hugged hard. "Congratulations," Buffy said. "I'm so glad I didn't ruin it again."

Xander sat up slowly. He took Faith's hand in his. Dawn reached out and hugged him tight. "Took you long enough," she whispered.

"Wow," Willow said. "What a story. The man who crossed dimensions and time to find the girl he loves."

Xander stared in Faith's eyes. "I missed you so much," he stated softly. They leaned forward and kissed for a long time. Dawn began clapping. Everyone joined in. Champagne bottles popped as Lorne opened them. He carried a tray of glasses over for everyone.

"Just a little," Xander said to Dawn. She pouted. He shook his head. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

Everyone held a glass. "To Xander and Faith," Buffy said. "May they have every happiness they ever dreamed of. Xander and Faith." Everyone clinked and drank.

Xander looked to Lorne. "To home," they both said.

EPILOGUE

The buzzing from the clock radio was loud and annoying. Xander reached his hand out blindly and slapped at the top of it until the sound finally silenced. He pulled the covers up over his head. "OH GOD NO!" he screamed. He pulled his head from the covers.

"What's your problem?" Faith asked, looking down.

"It reset again," he stated softly.

She smiled wide. "You're not getting out of marrying me that easy," she replied. She pulled the covers off him and straddled him. "You passed out on the couch. I brought you up."

"What day is today?" he asked.

"Saturday," she replied. "And we have the day off. Any ideas what we could do?" He reached up and pulled her down. "Good idea." She squealed softly.

THE END

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