Buffy sighed as she opened her eyes. Which world was she in? Her double life had been going on for almost two weeks now and she was tired. She didn't know what was real anymore and she wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. Both Willows were hard at work, trying to find out what was happening to her. But so far, no such luck.
"Buffy!" Joyce's voice was muffled through the door. The doorknob turned and the door creaked open. Joyce stuck her head through the opening. "Better get up or you'll be late for class."
Buffy noticed the scarf on Joyce's head and figured she was in world one. The world now known as "Not with Xander." She saw her cross necklace and bare ring finger and knew she was right.
"I'll be ready in a minute," Buffy rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She climbed into the shower and let the hot water rush over her tired body. She was always tired now. Before, she had been getting by on the bare minimum of sleep. But now, it felt like she never slept. In a way, she guessed that was true.
'At least school is easier,' Buffy thought. It had better be. Most of her classes were identical, so she had to sit through the lectures twice. Total deja vu. Cruel and unusual punishment? Yes. But helpful? Definitely.
Buffy turned off the water and methodically went through the motions to get ready for school. She pulled on an outfit, not caring about how she looked. She was too tired to care.
"Honey, are you all right?" Joyce looked at her daughter, concern in her eyes.
Buffy glanced at her mother. "Yeah, mom. I'm fine." Joyce stared at the Slayer, not believing a word she said. "Really," Buffy tried to assure her.
Joyce decided to let it go. "Maybe we could go shopping later. You know, spend some time together, just the two of us."
Buffy smiled at her mother's attempt. "Could I get a raincheck on that?"
Joyce smiled, "Of course, dear. Tomorrow?"
"Is this for me or for you?" Buffy laughed.
"Maybe both of us. I'm just worried about you," Joyce admitted. "Ever since you and Riley began having problems, it seems you haven't been sleeping."
Buffy's face grew dark. "Riley and I are working on it. In fact, we have plans tonight. That's why I can't go shopping."
"That's good honey," Joyce replied. "Just try to get some sleep. Please? For me?"
"I'll try, Okay?" Buffy sighed.
"That's all I ask," Joyce commented before falling into silence. Gauging her daughter's reaction, Joyce asked, "How's Xander?"
Buffy's face lit up. "Xander's doing really well. His construction job is perfect for him. He's really good at it."
"And how's Anya?"
"They're still very happy together," Buffy growled. She hated thinking of them together. He deserved so much more than even she herself could give him. But she would still like the chance to try.
Joyce watched her daughter carefully and smiled. 'So Buffy has feelings for Xander,' she thought. 'I wonder what brought that about.'
Buffy gathered her stuff and made her way to the door. "Well, I gotta go or I'm gonna be late!"
"Have a good day!" Joyce called out as Buffy closed the door behind her.
Sighing, Buffy began the long walk to the campus. Sometimes, she missed living on campus. Other times, however, she enjoyed the time alone. This was one of the latter. It gave her time to think.
The dream served many purposes to Buffy. Mostly, it made her painfully aware of what she was missing in life. In her dream, she had a real family and good friends. But most of all, she had a love. A love so generous and caring, she knew she would never be alone again.
In real life, things were completely different. She was incredibly lonely. Physically, Riley was still around. But they didn't have any emotional connection. To be honest, Buffy didn't know if they ever did. Buffy still had her friends, but they were no longer as close as they used to be. Time had caused them to drift apart and go their separate ways. The biggest loss, in Buffy's opinion, was Xander. He had moved on. He found a new love, had a new place, a new job. He didn't need her anymore. But Buffy needed him. She knew that now, but was it too late?
The day flew by and Buffy drifted from class to class. She went to each class, took notes, and struggled to stay awake. Finally, she found herself sitting in Psychology 201. The dull drone of the other students' voices lulled Buffy to sleep.
Willow, explaining her new discoveries, watched as her best friend's eyes closed. The witch felt bad for her. Living two lives had to be hard on her. Constantly moving, never knowing what exactly was going on. It had to be rough. Willow understood Buffy's short attention span. She was trying to find a solution, but so far, there was nothing. In fact...
"Um, Buffy!" Willow nudged her friend.
The blond grumbled and attempted to turn away. The redhead gently shook her until she opened her eyes.
"What?" Buffy growled. Willow mutely pointed to the front of room. Professor Walsh was at her desk, pulling notes from her briefcase. "So, Professor Walsh is here," Buffy mumbled. The Slayer realized the room was silent. Glancing around, she noticed the shocked looks on the other students' faces.
"Willow?"
"Huh?" Willow squeaked.
"Professor Walsh is dead in this world, isn't she?"
"Uh-huh!
"Okay," Buffy drawled. "I guess it's time to go to Giles."
"Buffy!" Joyce's voice was muffled through the door. The doorknob turned and the door creaked open. Joyce stuck her head through the opening. "Better get up or you'll be late for class."
Buffy noticed the scarf on Joyce's head and figured she was in world one. The world now known as "Not with Xander." She saw her cross necklace and bare ring finger and knew she was right.
"I'll be ready in a minute," Buffy rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She climbed into the shower and let the hot water rush over her tired body. She was always tired now. Before, she had been getting by on the bare minimum of sleep. But now, it felt like she never slept. In a way, she guessed that was true.
'At least school is easier,' Buffy thought. It had better be. Most of her classes were identical, so she had to sit through the lectures twice. Total deja vu. Cruel and unusual punishment? Yes. But helpful? Definitely.
Buffy turned off the water and methodically went through the motions to get ready for school. She pulled on an outfit, not caring about how she looked. She was too tired to care.
"Honey, are you all right?" Joyce looked at her daughter, concern in her eyes.
Buffy glanced at her mother. "Yeah, mom. I'm fine." Joyce stared at the Slayer, not believing a word she said. "Really," Buffy tried to assure her.
Joyce decided to let it go. "Maybe we could go shopping later. You know, spend some time together, just the two of us."
Buffy smiled at her mother's attempt. "Could I get a raincheck on that?"
Joyce smiled, "Of course, dear. Tomorrow?"
"Is this for me or for you?" Buffy laughed.
"Maybe both of us. I'm just worried about you," Joyce admitted. "Ever since you and Riley began having problems, it seems you haven't been sleeping."
Buffy's face grew dark. "Riley and I are working on it. In fact, we have plans tonight. That's why I can't go shopping."
"That's good honey," Joyce replied. "Just try to get some sleep. Please? For me?"
"I'll try, Okay?" Buffy sighed.
"That's all I ask," Joyce commented before falling into silence. Gauging her daughter's reaction, Joyce asked, "How's Xander?"
Buffy's face lit up. "Xander's doing really well. His construction job is perfect for him. He's really good at it."
"And how's Anya?"
"They're still very happy together," Buffy growled. She hated thinking of them together. He deserved so much more than even she herself could give him. But she would still like the chance to try.
Joyce watched her daughter carefully and smiled. 'So Buffy has feelings for Xander,' she thought. 'I wonder what brought that about.'
Buffy gathered her stuff and made her way to the door. "Well, I gotta go or I'm gonna be late!"
"Have a good day!" Joyce called out as Buffy closed the door behind her.
Sighing, Buffy began the long walk to the campus. Sometimes, she missed living on campus. Other times, however, she enjoyed the time alone. This was one of the latter. It gave her time to think.
The dream served many purposes to Buffy. Mostly, it made her painfully aware of what she was missing in life. In her dream, she had a real family and good friends. But most of all, she had a love. A love so generous and caring, she knew she would never be alone again.
In real life, things were completely different. She was incredibly lonely. Physically, Riley was still around. But they didn't have any emotional connection. To be honest, Buffy didn't know if they ever did. Buffy still had her friends, but they were no longer as close as they used to be. Time had caused them to drift apart and go their separate ways. The biggest loss, in Buffy's opinion, was Xander. He had moved on. He found a new love, had a new place, a new job. He didn't need her anymore. But Buffy needed him. She knew that now, but was it too late?
The day flew by and Buffy drifted from class to class. She went to each class, took notes, and struggled to stay awake. Finally, she found herself sitting in Psychology 201. The dull drone of the other students' voices lulled Buffy to sleep.
Willow, explaining her new discoveries, watched as her best friend's eyes closed. The witch felt bad for her. Living two lives had to be hard on her. Constantly moving, never knowing what exactly was going on. It had to be rough. Willow understood Buffy's short attention span. She was trying to find a solution, but so far, there was nothing. In fact...
"Um, Buffy!" Willow nudged her friend.
The blond grumbled and attempted to turn away. The redhead gently shook her until she opened her eyes.
"What?" Buffy growled. Willow mutely pointed to the front of room. Professor Walsh was at her desk, pulling notes from her briefcase. "So, Professor Walsh is here," Buffy mumbled. The Slayer realized the room was silent. Glancing around, she noticed the shocked looks on the other students' faces.
"Willow?"
"Huh?" Willow squeaked.
"Professor Walsh is dead in this world, isn't she?"
"Uh-huh!
"Okay," Buffy drawled. "I guess it's time to go to Giles."