Buffy yawned and stretched, slowly opening her eyes. She glanced around the room and smiled. She was in heaven, the blissful warmth of Xander's bed. Her bed. In their apartment. Buffy released a content sigh and rolled over, only to find the bed empty.
"Xander!" Buffy called, wondering where her love had gone.
"I'm here," Xander's voice called from the doorway. He stood, propped against the wall, watching her.
"What are you doing?" Buffy asked.
"Watching you," he replied honestly.
Buffy saw the passion in his eyes. She glanced down at the rumpled sheets and blushed. "Why?"
"You're beautiful," Xander stated. He was in awe of this woman, his fiancée. Wow! His. That one word meant more to him than any other in the English dictionary. Xander moved across the room, closing the distance between himself and his blond goddess.
"You're just saying that," Buffy mumbled as she pulled the sheets tighter around her.
"Don't!" Xander grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled it down. The sheet fell down around her waist. "I want to look at you."
"Why?" Buffy asked again. Her skin felt warm, responding to Xander's touch. A simple look from him and her heart sang.
"Why not?" Xander murmured. He leaned in and brushed her lips with his own.
What began as sweet and gentle quickly grew into fiery and passionate. Xander's clothes disappeared in a flurry of motion. All that mattered to them was the moment. Buffy and Xander were together and he intended to make sure it would last forever.
"I love you, Buffy Anne Summers," he whispered into her ear.
She smiled, "I love you, too, Alexander Lavelle Harris."
Afterwards, Buffy curled up, wrapped safely in Xander's loving embrace. She flipped over to face him and noticed his serious expression.
"What's wrong?" Buffy asked, fearing his answer.
"I should ask you the same thing," he replied. Buffy looked scared and Xander rushed to explain. "I've noticed you lately. You're always tired. And sometimes you act..."
"I act like what?" Buffy asked out loud. 'Oh God, does he know?'
"Well, almost like a different person," Xander responded. "I mean, you're Buffy. But you're not exactly 'My Buffy,'"
"'Your Buffy?'" Buffy pulled back, angry at his implications. "How am I different?"
Xander sighed, "I'm not saying anything sweetheart." Xander pulled her closer and nestled her head on his arm. "I'm just worried about you. Something's bothering you. I've tried to be patient, but it's killing me."
Buffy couldn't prevent the lone tear from falling. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
Xander took his thumb and rubbed her cheek. "I'm here, Buffy. Talk to me."
Buffy knew he was right. The gang in the other world knew about her dual life. She needed to share this information with Xander. Her Xander. But should she tell him everything?
"Once upon a time there was this girl who led a double life..." Buffy began.
"Wow!" Xander exhaled after Buffy finished her story.
"Do you hate me now?" Buffy asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hate you?" Xander asked, shocked. "How could I hate you?"
"Because I've been keeping secrets from you," Buffy felt awful. She had been lying to Xander for so long, keeping the other life from him. 'No more,' she promised herself.
"Buffy," Xander said, pulling her closer, "I could never hate you. I don't understand why you haven't told me earlier, but that doesn't matter. I love you. No matter what."
Buffy smiled and placed a gentle kiss on the tip of Xander's nose. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "I love you, too."
"So how'd you find out about this dual world thing?" Xander asked.
"Giles called me before I fell asleep," Buffy explained. "The other Giles, that is. Maybe we should call him 'Alterna-Giles.'"
"And he's married to your mom?"
"No, he's still a lonely bachelor," the Slayer replied.
"And Oz is gone?"
"Long gone."
"And Will is a lesbian?" Xander asked. Buffy nodded. "Cool!" Xander paused. "But we're not together?"
Buffy wanted to cry. She could still feel the loneliness that engulfs her in the other world. To be so close to Xander but not be able to touch him. It was Hell on Earth. How did she ever go so long without noticing him? Inconceivable.
"Well, that's it, then," Xander commented. Buffy looked at him, questions in her eyes. "That world can't be real. Why you'd dream of a world where we are apart is beyond me, but it can't be real."
Buffy was so happy, she felt like she would burst. She threw her arms around Xander in a big hug.
"Uh Buffy," Xander moaned. "Slayer strength."
Buffy pulled back and offered a sheepish grin. "Sorry."
"Sure," Xander mumbled. He looked at the blond and smiled. "I know why you dream of that other place."
"Oh yeah," Buffy wondered what was going on in Xander's warped mind. "Why's that?"
"You dream of a place without me so you learn to appreciate what you have."
Buffy swatted playfully at her companion. "You're horrible!" she cried.
Xander tried to avoid Buffy's flying hand and succeeded only in falling off of the bed and onto the floor. "Ow!"
"Serves you right!" Buffy gloated.
"Buffy, just one question," Xander said from his place on the floor.
"What's that?" Buffy asked, hanging over the side of the bed.
"Who's Anya?"
~Summer's House~
"Giles!" Buffy hollered, entering the house. "Mom!"
"Looks like no one is here," Xander said, walking up behind Buffy and wrapping his arms around her waist.
Buffy laughed as Xander buried his face in her neck. "Xander, that tickles."
"Good!" came the muffled reply.
"Buffy, is that you?" Giles voice grew closer as he came down the stairs.
"Yeah Giles," she hollered. "In the living room."
Giles entered the room and gave his stepdaughter a hug. "Xander," he offered his future son-in-law his hand. "So, what brings you two here? Did patrol go all right tonight?"
"Yeah, patrol was fine," Buffy answered. "You better sit down. This story is long and I'm tired of telling it."
"She's leading a double-life," Xander offered.
"Okay, so it's not that long," Buffy muttered.
"What sort of double life?" Giles interest was piqued.
"Well, Alterna-Giles said it was a dual world, that I'm literally living two separate lives. They are very similar, but not entirely. And somehow this lovely Hellmouth of ours is causing it to happen night after night."
"A dual world?" Giles began to move toward the door.
"Giles, where are you going?" Buffy asked.
"The magic shop," the Watcher replied. Turning to the other two, he asked, "Coming?"
"Right behind you, G-man," Xander grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her out the door.
~Magic Box~
"Ah yes, here we go," Giles pulled out the worn book that contained the information on dual worlds.
"I know there isn't much information," Buffy said, "but it's the best we've got."
Giles barely paid attention to the Slayer as he read the brief theory. "So, both worlds go on simultaneously?"
"Well, I'm living one life while I sleep in the other," Buffy explained.
"So that's why you're so tired?" Xander asked. "You're not getting any sleep?"
"Not really," Buffy answered. She yawned as if to underline her exhaustion.
"Buffy, you have to sleep," Xander worried. "If you don't..."
"She will die," Giles interrupted.
Startled, Buffy glanced at her Watcher. "So, how do we fix this? Giles, I don't want to die due to lack of sleep. There's no honor in that." Xander reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
"I honestly don't know, Buffy," Giles admitted. "Dual worlds have only been talked about in theory before."
"So, in theory, how do we make it stop?" Buffy pleaded.
"I'll have to do some research. Possibly get in touch with the Council," Giles told the young couple. He looked at Xander. "Xander, why don't you take her home and giver her some sleep medication." Xander nodded his head in agreement. "Buffy, take the medication. Hopefully, that will force you to get some sleep. Maybe stay in this world."
Buffy felt numb. Once again, her life was in danger. But this wasn't something she could fight. Not yet, anyway. "You'll call..."
"If I find anything?" Buffy nodded to confirm Giles question. "Yes, of course."
Xander led Buffy out onto the sidewalk. He remained silent, solid as a rock. Buffy looked over at her boyfriend and was shocked to see no expression. Nothing. His eyes were focused on something in the distance. Buffy looked closer and noticed the slight twitch at the base of his jaw.
"Xander," Buffy touched his shoulder.
With her touch, Xander lost control. "It's not fair!" He screamed into the night. His fists clenched up and he looked around for something to hit. Finding nothing, he released another scream of frustration.
"Xander," Buffy said again, tears streaming down her face. Seeing her tears, Xander calmed down. He instantly felt guilty for making her cry.
"Shhh," Xander whispered, wiping her tears away with his thumb. "I'm sorry, baby."
Buffy sobbed against Xander's chest as he enveloped her in a loving embrace. Buffy cried tears of fear and exhaustion until she could cry no more. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up. Buffy had been so involved with her own agony, she failed to notice Xander's. She gently tugged on his sleeve and they began the short walk back to their apartment.
"What's not fair?" Buffy asked, remembering Xander's earlier outburst.
"What?" Xander responded, momentarily confused. "Oh, it's just that every time things seem to be going really well, the Hellmouth has to go and screw it up."
"I know," Buffy added, knowing exactly what he meant. She was truly happy here in this world and now, she was fighting for her life. Fighting an unseen force with no knowledge to use as ammunition. "Life sucks sometimes."
"No," Xander disagreed. "The Hellmouth sucks. Life is wonderful. It was a strange twist of fate that brought you into my life. Luckiest day in the life of Xander Harris."
Buffy smiled and leaned against her boyfriend, "I love you."
Xander smiled as she said those words. Three little words that he never tired of hearing. "I love you, too," he responded. "And Giles will figure something out."
"Of course he will," Buffy agreed. "He always does."
~Magic Box~
"And you'll report back to me as soon as you know anything?" Giles spoke to the person on the other end of the phone line. "Very well. Thank you."
Giles hung up the receiver and removed his glasses. Books lay scattered about the room, covering most flat surfaces. The Watcher had gone into full research mode as soon as the store had closed. So far, he had come up empty-handed.
The phone rang and Giles lifted the receiver to his ear. "Magic Box, Giles speaking."
Giles the voice on the other end confirmed.
"Yes, may I help you?" Giles thought the voice sounded strangely familiar.
Buffy is in danger
"Who is this?"
Cordelia had a vision. Riley is going to kill Buffy.
"Cordelia...who is this?" Giles asked again.
It's Angel...Giles, did you hear me? Angel sounded annoyed. Buffy is in danger
"Angel?" the color drained from the Englishman's face. So the worlds were crossing. "Dear lord," he muttered.