I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television and the WB Television Network.
Author's Note
If you need to refresh on what happened during the last half of season three might I suggest this site - http://www.buffyforever.co.uk/scriptindex.htm - the site I used no longer exists so I hope this one works as well.
With each chapter I will include a song - feel free to ignore them.
Xander was standing next to Willow waiting for her to get her books from her locker.
" . . . That's the Christmas spirit."
"Hello, still Jewish. Chanukah spirit, I believe that was? Anyway, forgiveness is pretty much a big theme with me this year, cause of the -"
Oz appeared.
"Hey," said Oz
"Hey," Willow replied. Oz gently took her arm and led her away.
"Well bye"
Xander was looking after them helplessly when something else caught his eye. A young twenty-something woman was walking down the hall. Dangling from her right hand was a ridiculously small denim backpack with equally ridiculous long straps. Looking around and seeing his eyes on her she walked confidently up to him. Xander blushed and tried to avoid her eyes without looking down her dress.
"Um, do you know the way to the library? I'm looking for Rupert Giles."
"Oh, are you a relation?" asked Xander noting her English accent.
"No, it's just coincidence." she smiled.
"You follow the hall, it goes straight on then to the left. After it's turned it turns again, don't follow it but go straight on through the double doors."
"Okay," she said, frowning slightly.
"Do you need me to help you?" Xander asked hopefully.
"No, you should probably get back to class."
"Break doesn't end for another five-" the bell rang "-minutes." He winced.
"Bye Xander"
"Bye"
She walked away and he slapped himself on the forehead.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot." He punctuated each word with a slap. "Did you even give her the right directions?"
Xander was hiding in the library eating his lunch. It was the only sure way to remain Cordelia-less and stay away from Oz and Willow who were being sickeningly together. Also he had to hide from Giles who was still a bit of a librarian when it came to eating near books.
Then he saw her. A student held the door open for her and she smiled at him and murmured thanks.
From his vantage point he was able to look at her properly. She was quite a bit shorter than him. The dress she was wearing was very decent Xander noticed unhappily, but it was quite flimsy and the effect of the sun shining behind her on the dress had its own effect on Xander. She was wearing a pair of clumpy black Doc Martins on the end of two shapely legs. Her shiny black hair was swept away from her face by invisible hairpins. Black lips and heavily made-up eyes that accentuated her pale skin made Xander wonder for a second, but then he noticed the patch of sunlight she was standing in.
By this time she was in conversation with Giles. Xander watched them with childish glee, knowing that he could see them but they couldn't see him.
"Xander, come here a second."
"Shit"
"Hi," Xander said to the girl, feeling more than slightly embarrassed.
"Hi."
"Xander," said Giles rubbing his forehead nervously, "this is, um"
The girl turned away from Giles to talk to Xander.
"Una," she said. Then, grimacing slightly, "the first," and she shook hands with him.
Xander however was slightly distracted by Giles mouthing "Get Buffy" madly behind his head.
"Nice to meet you, but I have to go and get Buffy," Xander said amicably. Behind him Giles slapped himself on the forehead mirroring Xander's earlier action.
"The slayer?" she said, looking confused. "Oh, I see my reputation precedes me. What have you heard?"
"Um, that you're evil, absolute evil, older than man, than demons."
"I am old, but not evil. Some guys a long way back, who were, decided I was - evil I mean - and they did things in my name. It's very embarrassing."
"Well, all the same," Giles tried to be logical, "I think we would all feel safer if you were in the cage."
"Okay," resigning herself to her fate, "but just until he gets here."
"Xander I'll find Buffy, you lock this Una up." Giles left quickly.
"So who are you looking for?" Xander asked as he shut the cage door.
"Just some guy, he owes me money."
"So do you have a boyfriend?"
"Not at the moment, but you never know what's around the corner." She looked at him speculatively. "You seem to have gotten over the absolute evil idea quickly."
"Well, my two best friends go out with a vampire and a werewolf respectively -"
"Must be interesting"
"-so I guess I'm used to absolute evil."
"Which I'm not." she said, stressing the point.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"So . , do you have a girlfriend?"
"Do you really think it's safe to leave Xander in charge of Miss Absolute Evil over there, especially as he seems to be flirting with her."
"I'm sure it will be fine, maybe it will lull her into a false sense of security."
"Or maybe we're the ones being lulled."
"I must say I prefer the former. I'll go and question her." Giles left Buffy and crossed the room to the cage.
". . . it's nice. What are the crystals for?"
"They have an extremely unpronounceable name, they're sort of a good luck charm."
"Well it's very pretty anyway," and he smiled at her.
"Hello Rupert, want something?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you had any proof that you're not who you say you're not."
"I'm a siren, look it up."
"Buffy, there's a book on the bookshelf behind you, third shelf down, Native North American Culture: or something like that and um,"
"You know what you remind me of someone . . ," Xander started
"Xander go and help her."
"Fine," Xander said annoyed. Bye Una."
"Bye. What do you want to know Rupert?"
"I'd really rather you call me Giles, at least until we get this sorted out." He sat on Xander's chair. "Did you bring Angel back?"
"I don't think so, where from?"
"From hell."
"Well, probably, yeah, but not directly." she said, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.
"Not, um, directly?"
"It's kind of hard to explain, you see . . ," she looked towards the door.
"Angel!"
Giles sat down heavily on the chair and started snoring, behind him Buffy and Xander were sleeping, having a page each.
The girl opened the unlocked door of the cage.
Angel burst through the doors and she ran to him, then stopped, uncertain of herself.
Angel ran to her sweeping her into his arms.
They held each other as tightly as they could; then loosened their hold to look at each other. For a moment it seemed like they might, but they didn't, in the end, kiss.
"Do you know what I'm thinking?"
"Yes."
I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
I'm on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you'll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took the road that brought me to your hometown
I took the bus to streets that I could walk down
I walked the streets to find the one I've looked for
I climbed the stair that led me to your front door
And now that I don't want for anything
I'd have Al Jolson sing "I'm sitting on top of the world"
I'll do my best, I'll do my best to do the best I can
I'll do my best, I'll do my best to do the best I can
To keep my feet from jumping from the ground dear
To keep my heart from leaping through my mouth dear
To keep the past, the past and not the present
To try and learn when you teach me a lesson
And now that I don't want for anything
I'd have Al Jolson sing "I'm sitting on top of the world"
I'm on my way
Author's Note
If you need to refresh on what happened during the last half of season three might I suggest this site - http://www.buffyforever.co.uk/scriptindex.htm - the site I used no longer exists so I hope this one works as well.
With each chapter I will include a song - feel free to ignore them.
Xander was standing next to Willow waiting for her to get her books from her locker.
" . . . That's the Christmas spirit."
"Hello, still Jewish. Chanukah spirit, I believe that was? Anyway, forgiveness is pretty much a big theme with me this year, cause of the -"
Oz appeared.
"Hey," said Oz
"Hey," Willow replied. Oz gently took her arm and led her away.
"Well bye"
Xander was looking after them helplessly when something else caught his eye. A young twenty-something woman was walking down the hall. Dangling from her right hand was a ridiculously small denim backpack with equally ridiculous long straps. Looking around and seeing his eyes on her she walked confidently up to him. Xander blushed and tried to avoid her eyes without looking down her dress.
"Um, do you know the way to the library? I'm looking for Rupert Giles."
"Oh, are you a relation?" asked Xander noting her English accent.
"No, it's just coincidence." she smiled.
"You follow the hall, it goes straight on then to the left. After it's turned it turns again, don't follow it but go straight on through the double doors."
"Okay," she said, frowning slightly.
"Do you need me to help you?" Xander asked hopefully.
"No, you should probably get back to class."
"Break doesn't end for another five-" the bell rang "-minutes." He winced.
"Bye Xander"
"Bye"
She walked away and he slapped himself on the forehead.
"Idiot, idiot, idiot." He punctuated each word with a slap. "Did you even give her the right directions?"
Xander was hiding in the library eating his lunch. It was the only sure way to remain Cordelia-less and stay away from Oz and Willow who were being sickeningly together. Also he had to hide from Giles who was still a bit of a librarian when it came to eating near books.
Then he saw her. A student held the door open for her and she smiled at him and murmured thanks.
From his vantage point he was able to look at her properly. She was quite a bit shorter than him. The dress she was wearing was very decent Xander noticed unhappily, but it was quite flimsy and the effect of the sun shining behind her on the dress had its own effect on Xander. She was wearing a pair of clumpy black Doc Martins on the end of two shapely legs. Her shiny black hair was swept away from her face by invisible hairpins. Black lips and heavily made-up eyes that accentuated her pale skin made Xander wonder for a second, but then he noticed the patch of sunlight she was standing in.
By this time she was in conversation with Giles. Xander watched them with childish glee, knowing that he could see them but they couldn't see him.
"Xander, come here a second."
"Shit"
"Hi," Xander said to the girl, feeling more than slightly embarrassed.
"Hi."
"Xander," said Giles rubbing his forehead nervously, "this is, um"
The girl turned away from Giles to talk to Xander.
"Una," she said. Then, grimacing slightly, "the first," and she shook hands with him.
Xander however was slightly distracted by Giles mouthing "Get Buffy" madly behind his head.
"Nice to meet you, but I have to go and get Buffy," Xander said amicably. Behind him Giles slapped himself on the forehead mirroring Xander's earlier action.
"The slayer?" she said, looking confused. "Oh, I see my reputation precedes me. What have you heard?"
"Um, that you're evil, absolute evil, older than man, than demons."
"I am old, but not evil. Some guys a long way back, who were, decided I was - evil I mean - and they did things in my name. It's very embarrassing."
"Well, all the same," Giles tried to be logical, "I think we would all feel safer if you were in the cage."
"Okay," resigning herself to her fate, "but just until he gets here."
"Xander I'll find Buffy, you lock this Una up." Giles left quickly.
"So who are you looking for?" Xander asked as he shut the cage door.
"Just some guy, he owes me money."
"So do you have a boyfriend?"
"Not at the moment, but you never know what's around the corner." She looked at him speculatively. "You seem to have gotten over the absolute evil idea quickly."
"Well, my two best friends go out with a vampire and a werewolf respectively -"
"Must be interesting"
"-so I guess I'm used to absolute evil."
"Which I'm not." she said, stressing the point.
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"So . , do you have a girlfriend?"
"Do you really think it's safe to leave Xander in charge of Miss Absolute Evil over there, especially as he seems to be flirting with her."
"I'm sure it will be fine, maybe it will lull her into a false sense of security."
"Or maybe we're the ones being lulled."
"I must say I prefer the former. I'll go and question her." Giles left Buffy and crossed the room to the cage.
". . . it's nice. What are the crystals for?"
"They have an extremely unpronounceable name, they're sort of a good luck charm."
"Well it's very pretty anyway," and he smiled at her.
"Hello Rupert, want something?"
"No, I just wanted to know if you had any proof that you're not who you say you're not."
"I'm a siren, look it up."
"Buffy, there's a book on the bookshelf behind you, third shelf down, Native North American Culture: or something like that and um,"
"You know what you remind me of someone . . ," Xander started
"Xander go and help her."
"Fine," Xander said annoyed. Bye Una."
"Bye. What do you want to know Rupert?"
"I'd really rather you call me Giles, at least until we get this sorted out." He sat on Xander's chair. "Did you bring Angel back?"
"I don't think so, where from?"
"From hell."
"Well, probably, yeah, but not directly." she said, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.
"Not, um, directly?"
"It's kind of hard to explain, you see . . ," she looked towards the door.
"Angel!"
Giles sat down heavily on the chair and started snoring, behind him Buffy and Xander were sleeping, having a page each.
The girl opened the unlocked door of the cage.
Angel burst through the doors and she ran to him, then stopped, uncertain of herself.
Angel ran to her sweeping her into his arms.
They held each other as tightly as they could; then loosened their hold to look at each other. For a moment it seemed like they might, but they didn't, in the end, kiss.
"Do you know what I'm thinking?"
"Yes."
I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
I'm on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you'll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took the road that brought me to your hometown
I took the bus to streets that I could walk down
I walked the streets to find the one I've looked for
I climbed the stair that led me to your front door
And now that I don't want for anything
I'd have Al Jolson sing "I'm sitting on top of the world"
I'll do my best, I'll do my best to do the best I can
I'll do my best, I'll do my best to do the best I can
To keep my feet from jumping from the ground dear
To keep my heart from leaping through my mouth dear
To keep the past, the past and not the present
To try and learn when you teach me a lesson
And now that I don't want for anything
I'd have Al Jolson sing "I'm sitting on top of the world"
I'm on my way