Time Stands Still

by Jeffrey Patrick

The third chapter of the "Hero" trilogy. Sequel to "Once Again."

Time Stands Still - When You Need An Answer



Xander brought the bo staff down hard, but it was blocked easily, so he spun into what seemed to be a roundhouse, but then dropped into a leg sweep. Xander's opponent landed on his back with a thud. The sparring partner quickly tried to get up and keep the fight going, but a foot on his chest kept him from rising.

"Beat ya," Xander said. "Again." He reached down and helped Angel to his feet.

"Okay," the vampire said. "You beat me fair and square. But I almost had you with that jump kick."

"No way. I saw it coming a mile away. Not to mention that I was holding way back. I mean, you haven't been able to beat me in over a month. I wanted a challenge."

"Gee," Angel said. "Thanks."

Both men walked into the main lobby of the hotel. Wesley and Cordelia sat in the office. Cordelia saw them and immediately walked over to Xander.

"Willow called," she said.

"Oh?" Xander seemed uninterested.

"Again," Cordelia said, sounding annoyed.

"Oh."

"You haven't called her back?" Angel asked.

"In the sense of having picked up the phone and talked? No. Not exactly."

"You're gonna have to talk to them sometime."

"I know. I was just hoping to..."

"Delay the inevitable?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, yeah."

"Xander, I'm sure Buffy has had ample time to adjust her thinking," Wesley offered. "It HAS been three months."

"And while I appreciate the help you've been around here," Angel said. "Especially the rennovations... I think you should seriously consider going back to Sunnydale."

"And I think," Xander said, noticing that all three of his friends awaited what he would say next. "I think I'll go grab a shower. Cordelia, you wanna wash my back for me?"

"Whatever," she said, rolling her eyes.

Xander walked up the stairs. As soon as he was out of earshot, Angel spoke. "Get Willow back on the line. Tell her I'm on my way to get her."




"Who was that?" Tara asked, as she set the table for dinner.

"Angel. He's on his way over."

"Do I need to set another plate? Oh, yeah, I guess he doesn't really..."

"He's coming to take me to L.A. to see Xander."

"Tonight? On Christmas Eve?"

"I'll be back tonight. Hopefully with Xander. I know it's short notice, but..."

"No, it's fine really. It's important, I know."

Willow hugged her girlfriend tight. "Apologize to Oz and the others?"

"Sure. Where should I say you've gone? I mean, I assume you don't want Buffy to know."

"No. Not yet. Angel seems to think it will take some convincing to get Xander to come back. I guess we'll see."




"See what?" Dawn asked.

"The tinsel," Buffy said. "It's come loose there at the back."

"Well it's not like the Christmas tree has to be perfect."

"Yes, it does. You know as well as I do that this is a Summers tradition. The tree must look perfect. Speaking of tradition... Mom, how about that egg nog?"

"On it's way," Joyce shouted from the kitchen.

"Do you miss him?" Dawn asked out of nowhere.

"Dad?"

"No. I know you miss Dad. I meant Xander."

"Dawn..."

"Because you never talk about him."

"Dawn..."

"It's like he never existed to you."

"Dawn...

"I miss him. So does Willow."

"Dawn!"

"And he won't come back until you say it's okay."

"That's not fair, Dawn."

"It's true. Willow told me that Xander called her a few days after he left and said he wasn't coming back unless you asked him too."

"For his sake, I can't do that." Buffy manuevered her motorized chair toward Dawn, stopping just in front of her. "It wouldn't be right."

"For his sake? Please! If I had been through what you've been through and had a guy as in love with me as Xander is with you, there's no way I would let him go."

"That's because you're selfish."

"Selfish? Let me tell you what selfish is."

Joyce stepped into the room with three glasses of egg nog on a tray. Dawn stopped when she saw her. "Go ahead, honey," Joyce told her. "I think Buffy needs to hear your theory."

"You've been talking to Mom behind my back?" Buffy looked furious.

"Dawn had been concerned about you," Joyce said. "We both have. Now, as family, I think you owe us the courtesy of hearing us out. Go ahead, Dawn."

Dawn shuffled her feet nervously. "You said I was selfish. Well, I think you're selfish. You act like you let Xander go out of selflessness. Like it was all because he deserves someone better than you. But the truth is, you let him go so you wouldn't have to FEEL like you were holding him back or keeping him from something better. You couldn't live with that, so to make yourself feel better, you pushed him away. At least that's how I see it."

"You're wrong," Buffy said quietly.

"Is she?" Joyce asked. "What's best for Xander? To be with the woman he loves with all his heart, or to wind up with a consolation prize just because she isn't disabled?"

Tears began welling in Buffy's eyes. "Y-you don't understand. You couldn't possibly..."

"Understand what being confined to a wheelchair is like?" Joyce asked. "No. We can't. We can't begin to understand the pain of losing so much of ourselves. But, Buffy, part of what you've lost was something freely given and wonderful. I haven't seen you smile since that boy left town. You did THAT. Not the fight with Adam. Not losing your powers. YOU did that. And it is the one thing in this whole mess that you can fix."

"I can't fix that any more than I can my legs, or my powers. It's done. It doesn't matter anymore." Tears began rolling freely down her face. "Nothing does."

"Is that why you've pushed Willow and Mr. Giles away?" Dawn asked. "Because they can't help you. Do you think they've let you down?"

"No. I think... I..."

A look of realization washed over Joyce's face. "You feel like You let THEM down. Oh, Buffy... You didn't let them down. They love you. You can't push them away. You need them. And they need you. I need you."

"Me, too," Dawn agreed. Mother and daughters united in a group hug around Buffy.




"You, too?" Xander asked Cordelia as the walked to his car.

"Just a phone call. That's all I'm saying." Cordelia slid into the passenger side and buckled her seatbelt.

"She knows where I am." Xander slid into the driver's side and put the key in the ignition. "She hasn't called ME." He turned the key and the engine rorared to life. "Now can we have a quiet ride to your place. I promised you a ride, not that I would be berated into something I refuse to do."

"Fine. Whatever."

"Good."

"Fine." She pulled down the mirror on the back of the sunvisor and began applying some lipstick. "I just think you're nuts that's all."

"So nothing's changed. How comforting."

"You've always been nuts for her. Even when we were dating."

"Cordy..."

"No. It's okay. We had fun while it lasted. I've moved on. But you haven't. You still love her, Xander. No distance, physical or emotional, is gonna change that."

"Wow. Since when did you get your license in psychiatry?"

"Mock all you want, Xander. I don't care. I just want you to be..."

"What? More courageous? More daring?"

"Happy," she said with a slight smile. "I was gonna say happy."




"You sure Xander doesn't know?" Willow asked.

"Not a clue," Angel responded, glancing down at the speedometer to make sure he wouldn't get pulled over. "I told him I was doing some last minute Christmas shopping. He was gonna catch a shower, have dinner with Cordy and then take her home."

"They aren't, uh..."

"No. Strictly plutonic. He is SO in love with Buffy that he can't think straight. In fact, he's so caught up in the continuous torture of the divide between them that he hasn't even found the energy to hate me for keeping secrets from him."

"What kind of secrets? I mean, I know you and he have talked everything out, but I haven't been able to talk to him about what he's learned."

"I think that's something Xander needs to tell you guys himself."

"Yeah. That's probably for the best. You don't think that he'll be mad I came?"

"Are you kidding? He's missed everyone. He just... I think he's hurt and at the same time, doesn't want to be there if Buffy doesn't want him there."

"But she does. She SO does. She just... She's pushing everyone away. I hope I can convince him to come back."

"You can." The vampire said, re-adjusting his rearview mirror. "If anyone can, it's you."





Buffy watched as Dawn knocked on Willow and Tara's door. Tara answered it wearing a lovely, holiday ensemble that was cheerful, but not unbearably so. She took their coats (for it was uncharacteristically cool) and ushered them into the center of the loft that she and Willow had recently settled in. Giles had already arrived with Olivia. He greeted Buffy and Dawn with a quick hug before offering them some punch.

"Where's Will?" Buffy asked.

A nervous glance shot between Tara and Giles. "She, uh... ran out to catch a sale at Barney's," Giles concocted. "She should be back shortly. And Oz is on his way."

"Any word from Xander?" Dawn asked innocently.

Giles choked on his punch.

"What?" She asked.

"It's okay, Giles." Buffy said. "We... uh, talked about Xander. About him... maybe... you know, coming home for New Year's Eve or something."

"Ah. I see," Giles said. "Well, um, let's have a toast then. To the return of old friends!"

"To the return of old friends," they all repeated before sipping their punch. After the toast, the others milled about making chit-chat. All except for Buffy, who was wondering if Xander would even want to see her again after the way she had treated him.




Xander turned the key and opened the door to his room. He was surprised to find the lights on. Immediately, instinct took over and he assumed a fighting stance. Then he smelled the familiar scent of vanilla and almond.

"Wills?"

Willow Rosenberg, his oldest friend, stepped into view. "Merry Christmas, Xander," was all she said. And for the first time since he left Sunnydale, Xander Harris smiled.




Time Stands Still - O-U-T Spells Out



Buffy watched them all. They were laughing and enjoying each other's company. She hadn't realized how much she missed them. But she was done with pushing them away. Giles understood her. She knew that. He likely wouldn't allow her to apologize properly. Tara would likely just smile and nod. Oz would give her that half-smile he had perfected and just say something like, "Forgiven. Forgotten." Olivia would be gracious as always. She was blessed to have such friends.

"Lost in thought?" Giles asked.

"Uh, yeah," she said, a little embarrassed. "I guess I was."

"He WILL come back, you know."

"I know. But that doesn't mean that things will be the same."

"He loves you, Buffy. He has since the moment he met you. No matter what changes have taken place in his absence, that love will remain."

"Sap alert," Dawn said, stepping in between them. "But he's right."

"Dawn, we were talking," Buffy sighed.

"Sorry. Tara said to get you guys, because we're gonna exchange presents."

"Without Will? Giles, are you sure we shouldn't be looking for her?"

"I'm sure she's fine," Giles said. "I have it on good authority that she is in safe hands."




Xander released Willow from the bear hug, grinning wildly. "Wills! What are you doing here?" He pulled her into another hug. "I've missed you SO much."

"I've missed you too," she said, breaking the hug and looking him over. "You kept your hair long I see."

"And you've grown yours out," he noted. "I like it. Man, Will, I missed you tons."

"Everybody misses you, too, Xander."

"Everybody?"

"Everybody. So I came to take you home."

Xander broke eye contact. "I don't know, Will. Buffy was pretty clear about things when I left. Not to mention that she hasn't so much as called me since I took off."

"You haven't called her either. Does that mean you don't miss her?"

"No, but..."

"Xander, she misses you like crazy. Come home and see for yourself. I promise it will work out. If not, I'll personally pack your bags and give you gas money to come back to L.A."

"But..."

"You're going. I'm wearing my resolve face."

He looked at her for a moment. "Okay, I'll go. But if it turns out she doesn't want to see me..."

"Yeah?"

"No Snoopy dance this year."




"What do you think?" Wesley asked Angel. "Will he go back to Sunnydale?"

"I think so. Willow's his closest friend. If anybody can do it, she can. And, deep down, he wants to go. He wants to see Buffy. It's just that everything is so complicated. Who knows what he'll find when he gets there?"

"You think Buffy might not yet be ready to mend things?"

"Well, Willow said she's been pushing everyone away. Hopefully, he'll be able to get through to her. She can't go on like this."

"It must be difficult for you, Angel. To care for someone so deeply, yet having to be instrumental in seeing that she is happy with someone else."

"I'm okay with it. If it were someone other than Xander, I doubt I would be so selfless. I just think she has a real shot with him. And he loves her... as much if not more than I do. She needs that."

"Well, I think you're a fine man, Angel. It's quite an honor to work with someone so selfless."

"And with Cordy on the other end," the vampire noted. "You have the best of both worlds."





Several hours later, Buffy was listening to Oz talk about his re-integration into Dingoes Ate My Baby, when Willow walked in. Everyone stopped their conversations and stared at her. "Um, hi guys!"

Everyone muttered their hello, except Tara who took her coat and whispered something to her. Willow nodded and whatever it meant, Giles seemed to understand too.

"Well, I hate to party and run, but I must get Olivia home before I turn into a pumpkin," Giles said. "Dawn, why don't you let us give you a ride home?"

"Well, what about Buffy?"

"Yeah," Buffy said. "What about Buffy?"

"Oh, I wanted to give you your present," Willow said. "I'll walk you back after."

"Okaaaaay. What's going on here, gang? Something's up."

"N-nothing's up, as it were," Giles explained. "It's just that Willow has arranged for a special gift and I offered to take Dawn home so you could stay a while."

"But I wanna see the gift," Dawn said.

"You can see it tomorrow," Giles said. "Now come along."

"Will you buy me an ice cream?"

"You just ate a... Fine. Ice cream it is."

Giles, Olivia and Dawn said their good-byes, followed by Oz. Tara left the dishes and vanished into the bedroom. Willow stood in front of Buffy. "Okay... um, I'm way excited about what I got you. It's something you don't have, but I know you've been needing. And... It's just not the kind of thing you would go out and get for yourself, so... Anyway, close your eyes."

"Close my eyes?"

"You heard me."

"Okay."

"No peeking."

"Yes, ma'am. No peeking."

Willow walked to the front door and opened it. Xander was standing there looking nervous. She motioned for him to come in.

"Hang on a second," she told Buffy. "And keep your eyes closed."

She went to a drawer and pulled out a big, red bow. She taped it carefully to Xander's black leather blazer before leading him to stand directly in front of Buffy.

"Okay," Willow said with a grin. "Open your eyes."

Buffy opened her eyes to see the man that she loved standing in front of her. There were tears welling in his eyes, as though it had been years rather than months since last they had been in the same room. A warm tear ran down her left cheek as she smiled.

"Well?" Willow asked. "What do you think?"

"I-I love it," she said, greeting Xander's gaze with her own. "I-I mean... I love YOU, Xander."

That was all it took. Xander bent down on one knee and put his arms around Buffy and the tears began to flow. But not once did the smiles leave their faces. And for Xander, Buffy and Willow, there never was a happier Christmas.




Time Stands Still - For Whom the Bell Tolls


The ball came down in Times Square as Buffy and Xander watched from the confines of Buffy's den. He had lifted her from her wheelchair and put her in his lap, so they could cuddle. The stroke of midnight brought a passionate kiss that both of them hoped would never end. When it finally did, they both sighed.

"Wow. Now THAT was a kiss," Xander confessed.

"Well, thank you, kind sir," Buffy said, in a Victorian accent. "I found it pleasing as well."

"Gag," Dawn said walking in, flipping on the light and totally spoiling the mood. "I came down to wish you Happy New Year and junk."

"And we're so glad that you did," Buffy said sarcastically.

"Mom fell asleep," Dawn said. "So I thought I'd keep you guys company."

"Cool," Xander said honestly. "What's say we put in some vid?"

"Aren't the rental places closed?" Dawn asked.

"Way ahead of you, Dawn-patrol. Check my coat pocket. There's a gift for you and one for Buffy."

"Presents? Cool!" Dawn ran to the closet and began rifling through Xander's pockets.

"You didn't have to get us anything else," Buffy said. "You being home was the best present we could hope for."

"Oh, I know," Xander said, feigning haughtiness. "But that was Christmas. These are New Year's Day presents."

"I see," Buffy smiled.

"X-men!" Dawn exclaimed. "You bought me X-men!"

"Well, I remembered how much fun we had going to see it, so.... X-men."

"I love it," Dawn said, hugging his neck. "You're the best."

"Where's mine?" Buffy pouted.

"Oh, yeah," Dawn said. "Here."

Dawn handed her a small, black velvet jewelry box. Buffy's heart skipped a beat when she saw it. "Xander?"

"Open it," he said softly.

"Is this...?"

"Open it, silly."

"Um, I'm gonna go wake mom up," Dawn said. "I think she's gonna want to see that." The teenager turned and bolted for the stairs.

Buffy opened it slowly and gasped at the diamond ring it held. "Xander..."

"I love you, Buff. I always have. I always will." He brushed the hair from her eyes. "Marry me."

"Are... Are you sure? I mean..."

"I'm sure, Buffy. I'm sure that I'm sure. So, how about it? Will you marry a guy with a hard to explain past and a questionable future who just happens to think that you're the most wonderful and beautiful woman he's ever met?"

"It - It would be my pleasure," she said, throwing her arms around him.

"Oh, Buffy," Joyce said, coming into the room. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I'm so happy for you." She put her arms around her daughter.

"Me, too," Dawn said, giving Xander another hug. "For both of you."



The next day, at the Magic Box...

"D-did you just ask me...?" Giles stammered.

"If you'll escort me down the aisle?" Buffy repeated. "Yes. You heard me right."

"It would... I would be... That's just the most..."

"I think he means 'yes'," Oz dead-panned.

"Well, for an English guy he doesn't exactly have a grip on the language," Xander mused.

"Of course, I will, Buffy." Giles was obviously proud. "In spite of my misgivings about your choice of husband."

"That's was funny," Xander said. "No, wait. Hey!"

"It will be my honor," Giles continued. "Are you sure it's alright? I mean, your father..."

"Hasn't been here for the hard stuff," Buffy said flatly. "So he doesn't get the good stuff either. You're my father in every way that counts, Giles."

"Well, I... Thank you, Buffy. It means the world that you asked me."

"See?" Xander asked Oz. "He's such a drama queen."

"But he wears it well," Oz stated.

"Any word on Faith?" Buffy asked.

"She was released last night," Giles said. "Riley was able to arrange it. She should be on her way here as we speak."

"Good. Will said vamp activity has been on the rise lately."

"Yes," Giles agreed. "And I can't help but wonder what it means."




"This does not bode well. The one called Faith will not find her destiny as the Slayer. It is the Summers girl that must prepare the way."

"But how? It is far too late to fix what has been shattered."

"Yet soon enough to stop it all before it happens."

"But how?"

"The key. She is the one who can open the door to the past. It is in her hands our fate now rests."




"Sorry, mom," Dawn said, sponging up some Diet Coke from the rug. "I didn't mean to spill it."

"It's okay, honey." Joyce handed her another towel. "Everyone makes mistakes."

"Yeah, but mine are always the ones that ruin the carpet. Maybe it was a mistake for me to stay, after.... "

"Don't even finish that thought," Joyce said. "You're my daughter. You belong with me."

Dawn smiled. She knew Joyce meant what she said. Still, it was hard knowing that most of life as she remembered it, was false. And even though Buffy and the others had saved her from Adam and the Kera'jinn, she had the sinking feeling that it was only a matter of time before she would have to leave them. She quickly dismissed her thought and started cleaning up the mess she had made.





"You're a slob." Faith said, bearing the biggest grin she had worn in ages. "Who'd have thought Sgt. Softy was pig?"

Riley Finn smiled at the young woman who sat across from him in the military transport. "I'm not a slob. I'm just... creative... with the placement of laundry."

"Whatever, Finn," the Slayer joked. "Luckily, we managed to clear the bed off okay."

"Faith!"

"I'm sorry. Did I embarrass my little G.I. Joseph?"

"No... It's... I'm just not sure we should be announcing our relationship to the others. Everyone's been through a lot. Buffy and Xander especially. Since we both have ties to them... I just don't want to make anyone uncomfortable."

"S'okay, babe," Dawn smiled. "I just like making you blush. I'll be low-profile girl. okay?"

"Okay. Oh, and Faith? Don't think for a minute that I don't want people to know. I just want us to get settled first."

"Relax, Finn. We're five by five, you and me. Don't go making trouble where there isn't any."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Ooh... I like it when you call me ma'am."




"Wow!" Willow exclaimed, gazing at the ring. "It's gorgeous."

"It really is," Tara agreed. "I'm so happy for you, Buffy." Tara hugged Buffy and then Xander. "You too, sweetie."

"Thanks, Tara," Xander said with a smile. Willow embraced him next.

"Oh, Xander, I'm so happy for you guys. I just can't believe it," she said.

"Me either," joked Xander. "I'm getting more action since I've been engaged than I ever did when I was single." Buffy glared at him. "Just kidding there, hon. Uh, Sweetie. Sugar pie."

"Forgiven," she said with a smile. "Now, Will, I want you to be my maid of honor."

"Really?" Willow seemed shocked. "You want me?"

"Who else would I ask?" Buffy questioned. "Dawn is going to be one of the bride's maids, but I need help with everything, and you're the only one that can put up with me for any length of time."

"Wow!" Willow said, slipping into geeker joy.

"You'll be beautiful," Tara told her.

"So will you," Buffy said. "You're one of the bride's maids too. If you're willing to be, that is."

"Oh, Buffy... are you sure?"

"Tara, you're family. It's where you belong."

"I- I'd be honored. Thank you."

"Now if Xander could only decide on a best man," Buffy teased.

"I'm working on it," Xander said in his defense. "It's just a hard call to make."

"Between?" Willow prompted.

"Angel and Oz," Xander confirmed. "I'm close to both of them, but Oz and I never REALLY bonded, and Angel is Buffy's ex. I don't want anybody to be uncomfortable."

"Well, go with your heart," Willow said. "I'm sure that, no matter who you pick, the other will understand."

"I guess you're right," Xander said. "I need to just decide. I hate leaving things undone."




"It's all coming undone," Cordelia repeated. Her body convulsed as visions flooded her mind.

"What's undone?" Angel asked, trying to hold her still. "Cordelia! What's coming undone?"

Suddenly, her convulsing stopped. Angel and Wesley waited for her to catch her breath.

"What's coming undone, Cordelia?" Angel prompted again.

"Time," she said, shaking her head. "It's coming all undone."




Time Stands Still - Moments of Truth




"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you out here tonight," Xander started nervously. He looked out at the faces of those he cared most about and found the strength to go on. Buffy sat to his right. On the other side of her sat Tara, then Willow. Oz sat to Will's right. Giles sat at Xander's left, completing the group. "You all know that the sword was changing me, and that I went to L.A. to get answers from Angel. Well, I figure it's time you knew the whole story.

In the ether, Angel had said that the sword had 'always' belonged to me. In fact, the sword was made for me in the year 1238. Now, I know you're probably thinking the same thing I did, which was mainly 'huh?' But the story goes something like this. Alexander of Witherham was a knight and a wizard in the 13th century who fought back the darkness alongside a Slayer by the name of Ides. They were lovers, according to Angel, and Alexander pledged himself forever to the Slayer's protection.

In order to insure that he could protect his Slayer and those to follow her, he worked many years on a spell that would grant him the ability to be reborn into his own family in the event of his death. Basically, his spirit would be transferred into the sword until the next male child was born into his family. That child would have no spirit, but be an empty vessel which he could fill with his own spirit."


"But how?" Willow asked. "If he was trapped in the sword, how did he get into the new body?"

"Well, the family carried the secret and would basically knight the infant, who would then be imbued with Alexander's awareness. Now jump 700 years ahead. My grandfather decided that it was time for the family to be free of such a burden, so he plotted to kill Alexander, who was, at that time, inhabiting the body of my great-great-grandfather. Alexander found out about the plot and gave the sword to a vampire with a soul, whom he had met in New Orleans at the turn of the century. The old man prophesied that he would return in another generation or two and that the vampire would know whom to give it to, because the boy would bear his name and a soul of his own instead of being a blank slate like the others. He said that the boy would be drawn to the Slayer, and that he would lover her as Alexander had loved Ides centuries earlier."

"And you are he?" Giles asked in astonishment.

"Sort of. The plan was for Angel to give me the sword immediately, thus superceding my will. But Angel saw Buffy and fell in love with her. He hesitated because he knew what the prophecy would mean. He also knew that I would be stripped of my will and my choice in the matter. So, partly because he didn't want me to be enslaved to Alexander's plan and partly because he wanted Buffy for himself, Angel hid the sword away."

"Then why bring it when we were hunting the Entegorn?" Buffy asked.

"Because the scrolls of Abergion prophesied my death and the sword's ability to save me. It was a risk, too, because after he moved to L.A., the PTB told Angel to keep the sword from me forever. It seems the PTB is concerned with balance and the sword in my hands tips the scale in favor of the good."

"So you are or aren't Alexander of Witherham?" Tara asked.

"Yeah, I'm confused on that too," Oz said. "You've changed, that's obvious. But you still seem like Xander."

"I am, basically. When I died and Willow sent my spirit into the sword, my soul and Alexander's got mixed up. When I returned to my body, both spirits came with. The sword is so connected to Alexander that, when I hold it, his characteristics come to the forefront. When I'm not holding it..."

"Same ol' Xander," Oz finished.

"Right. Which is why I'm only using the sword for emergencies. He can't take me over, but I feel WAY different, and I'm not comfortable with being that... knowledgeable."

"This is all quite fascinating," Giles said. "Though, I must admit that Angel's behavior seems a bit out of character."

"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "I can't believe he kept all this from us."

"Well, it was selfish," Xander said. "But it was equally about wanting me to have my own life, so I think that wipes the slate clean. Plus, it's fun being all nice and having him all nervous waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"I have a question," Willow said.

"Shoot."

"Why didn't the fire and the drowning kill you? I mean, from what you said, it doesn't sound like Alexander was invulnerable."

"He wasn't, but he was a wizard, so before he died at the hands of my grandfather, he used a spell he had been researching for many centuries. It basically made it impossible for him to die of anything but old age, and even that will be slowed WAY down. The spell was too powerful for him to use it on himself, so instead, he sent it to the next in line to carry on the fight. Namely, me."

"Then, I guess I shouldn't worry about you when you patrol," Buffy offered. "That's a load off. It's very strange, Xand. But I'm glad you told us."

"As are we all," Giles offered. "Now, if I may ask, how go the wedding plans?"




"Plans are under way."

"Then the matter will soon be resolved?"

"Yes. In fact, all the players will soon be in place."

"Then we wait."

"Yes. For there is nothing done that cannot be undone."




"I can't get this undone," Riley said, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Y'know for someone who can put an M-16 together in 57 seconds, you sure are having trouble with my..."

Knock, knock.

"Uh... Who is it?" Faith asked.

"Xander. You decent?"

"Not usually. Hold on."

Riley climbed out the back window. Faith put on a tank top and opened the door.

"Hey, Xand. How's it hangin'?"

"It's.. uh, good."

"Cool. SO... what's up?"

"Just thought I would patrol with you tonight. I need to fill you in on some stuff."

"Okay. Let me get my jacket."

"Sure. Then we'll walk around back and get Riley before he has a chance to sneak away."

Faith just stared at him for a second.

"Relax, Faith. Everybody knows. You two have been inseparable for weeks. Now let's go get the lug so I can fill you both in."

Faith laughed. "You're a piece of work, Harris. I like you."

"Thanks. I like you, too. Hey, quick question..."

"Yeah?"

"How would you like to help me with a little surprise?"

"Interesting. Tell me more."





"No," Buffy protested.

"But you have to let us throw you a bachelorette party," Willow whined amusingly. "We can get down and party with the best of 'em."

"I can hook you up with sound," Oz offered. "Provided you throw in a box of animal crackers to sweeten the deal."

"Yes, do let's be as loud as possible," Giles mumbled.

"You won't be there, Giles," Willow stated. "Girls only."

"And Oz," Tara corrected.

"Actually, I'll bail once the sound is set up. I should probably set up something similar for Xander. Any ideas, Giles?"

"We could gather at Up in Smoke for a celebratory cigar and a brandy."

Oz stared at the Watcher for a beat or two. "So... Any ideas, Giles?"


Later that evening-

Angel's convertible screeched to a halt in front of Sunnydale's oldest cemetery. It was usually where Buffy began her patrol. He hoped that the same would hold true for Xander and the others. It didn't take him long to find them. Xander, Faith and Riley were surrounded by a gang of nine vamps. None of them appeared to be too worried. Angel stayed in the shadows and watched. He was close enough to lend a hand if they needed it.

Xander made the first move, staking two of the vamps before they had time to react. Faith followed his lead, and while the vamps watched Xander moving like lightning, Faith dusted two more. Riley sucker-punched the one closest to him during the ensuing confusion, knocking the vamp on his back. He then dropped beside the creature and plunged his stake into the heart. Down by over half of their number, the remaining vamps tried to beat a hasty retreat. Unfortunately for them, they ran right into Angel. He beheaded the first one with the battle axe in his hands, before spinning into a roundhouse that took another vamp off its feet. Riley staked it before it ever hit the ground, while Faith and Xander dispatched the other two.

"Well, that was convenient," Riley said, fighting to catch his breath.

"A bit TOO convenient," Xander replied. "What's the bad news?"

Angel looked at him and grinned. There was no fooling Xander anymore. "Cordelia had a vision. She said that time in coming undone."

"Which means what exactly?" Faith asked.

"I don't know. But it has something to do with me and you and Xander."

"Oh, no." Xander protested. "No screwing around with time for this guy. I'm getting married in two weeks. I'm not running off on some adventure. Not when I'm this close to having everything I've ever wanted."

"But at what price?" Angel asked. "If you ignore this and the whole world is forfeit, what will you have gained?"

"Man has a point," Riley said. "Does Cordelia know what will fix it?"

"No," Angel replied. "She just said that it will all be revealed soon. I'm gonna stay in Sunnydale a while and see if I can figure out what's going on. Faith, you continue to patrol with Riley. Xander... You're right. You're too close to your wedding date to get involved until this thing comes to a head. If you're needed, I'll come get you. Until then, just focus on Buffy and the wedding."

"Thanks, Fangface. You still gonna be my best man?"

"I'd be honored."


The next day -


"I'd rather face a crypt full of slime demons... or John Tesh... than to do this another minute," Buffy complained.

"Now, honey," Joyce said, patting her daughter lovingly on her shoulder. "You have to pick out your bridesmaids dresses. It's part of the process."

"You mean part of the insanity."

"It's not that bad, Buffy." Willow sat down on the floor and looked up at her friend. "I liked the powder blue, satin thingy that Tara tried."

"You think?"

"Sure. It was beautiful."

"And expensive. I don't want mom to have to spend so much."

"It's not a problem, Buffy. I can't take care of it," Joyce offered. "Get the ones you want."

"I'll pay for mine," Tara said, stepping out of the dressing room in her own clothes.

"And I'll get mine," Willow offered.

"But..."

"No buts, Buffy," Willow said with a smile. "Don't make me put on my 'resolve' face."

"Okay, okay. I wonder if the boys are having this hard a time?"




"You're pinching," Xander complained.

"Well, if you knew how to tie a bow tie," Giles said. "You wouldn't have to have me do it for you."

"And if I had a guitar, I'd be George Harrison."

"I took you more for a B.B. King man," Oz said, making sure his own tie was straight.

"Honestly, Xander, if you'd stop fidgeting, I would be done already." Giles straightened his glasses and attacked the tie from a different angle.

"And exactly what was wrong with the clip-on?"

"I won't even dignify that with an answer. You see, of course, that Oz had no trouble with HIS tie."

"Watcher's pet."




Dawn sat there in front of the TV, half asleep from having stayed up most of the night planning Buffy's bachelorette party with Willow. Suddenly, her mind was on fire with images. She saw Xander fighting a huge flying creature. She saw Spike killing Tara, while Oz and Willow looked on. Then, she saw Buffy kissing Riley goodbye as he left to rejoin the Initiative. Then and image of Xander at Tara's birthday party... with Anya instead of Buffy. Tears fell from her eyes.

"No. Not now."




Time Stands Still - All Aboard



"I'd like to present a toast. To Xander and Buffy," Angel said, raising his beer high. "May they bring each other happiness and contentment throughout their years. And as my people used to say, may the light of happiness ever light your way."

"Here, here!" Giles shouted, proving that he had indeed had one too many, as the others suspected.

"Congrats, guys," Oz said with a genuine smile.

"Now see," Buffy said to Xander. "Isn't this better than having separate bachelor and bachelorette parties?"

"Oh, yeah," Xander said sarcastically. "I'm having the time of my life. Bring on the male stripper."

"No strippers... sadly," Buffy said. "But I do have a gift for you."

"A gift? But I thought... I mean, aren't we doing our wedding gifts to each other after the wedding?"

"Yes. This is just a little something I wanted to give you." She noticed the uncomfortable look on his face. "You weren't supposed to get me anything. Just call it a delayed New Year's present if you want."

"Okay."

"Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

"Done."

Buffy placed a small object in his hand. "Okay... Open them."

Xander viewed the object and looked confused. "It's... the Claddagh ring that Angel gave you. I didn't know you still had it."

"I know. I didn't tell anyone." She smiled at him the warmest smile he had ever seen. "Now, I have no more secrets. Angel was my past, but my future lies with me."

"You're not getting ready to tell me you're my father, are you?"

"Huh?"

"Sorry. Star Wars flashback."

"I just wanted you to have the ring, so that you would know that I'm not holding on to the past."

"I know, Buff." He gently kissed her and then smiled lovingly. "You have nothing to prove to me. I love you. And I believe that you love me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here."

"Good," she said with relief. "I love you. You love me. All systems are go."




"We are ready to proceed."

"Then the pawns are in place?"

"Yes. All is according to plan."

"Good. Let's get the ball rolling, then. Shall we?"




A few weeks later found Xander nervously pacing back and forth in one of the Sunday school rooms at Sunnydale UMC that Xander and the others were using for a dressing room. The minister had already taken his place at the pulpit, and Xander imagined that Buffy and the others were in a mad scramble to get ready. He just hoped Faith delivered Buffy's present on time.




Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Who is it?" Willow called out from the choir room. "'Cause if it's Xander, I already told you that you can't see her."

"Relax, Will," Faith called from outside. "Is B decent? I've got a present that I promised Xander I would deliver."

"Let her in," Buffy said, trying to get over the butterflies in her stomach.

Faith came in and looked Buffy over. "You look beautiful, B."

"Thanks. You said something about a present?"

"Yeah. Xander sent me out to find it a few weeks ago. Took me a while, but I finally tracked it down and had it flown here?"

"Doesn't he want to wait until after the wedding?"

"No. I think it's kinda crucial that you get it first."

"Oh. Okay."

"Hold on," Faith said, stepping back into the hall. "Uh, close your eyes."

"What is it with closing my eyes lately?"

"Just do it," Willow prompted. "It turned out good last time."

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Buffy closed her eyes. "Okay, Faith."

Willow watched as the man entered the room. She recognized him immediately from his photograph. "Um.. Buffy?"

"Yeah?"

" Keep your eyes closed. I'm gonna go see if the guys are ready."

"Okay."

Willow left the room and pulled Faith with her. "Open your eyes, Blondie!" Faith shouted as the door closed. Buffy opened her eyes to find the one man she hadn't expected to see.

"Dad?"



Dawn paced back and forth through the church's playground. He mind was reeling. It was getting worse. The images were driving her insane. She had kept it from her mom and Buffy for one reason only. She knew it would change everything.

"Dawn?" Joyce knew something was wrong. They had been getting her ready in the room next to the one Buffy and the others were in, when Dawn suddenly seemed to panic and run out. "What's wrong, honey?"

"It... It's all wrong," she muttered. "All of it. It has to be undone or we'll all die."

"Who'll die, honey?"

"Everyone. Everything. Xander has to stop it. But..."

"But what?"

"It'll change everything. It'll erase so much."

"Dawn, what's this about? Let's go talk to Mr. Giles and see if he can help you fig..."

"He can't help. It has to be Xander. And Angel. And Faith. Oh, God, mom. It's gonna kill him. What Xander has to do will kill him?"

"Dawn?" A familiar voice came from behind her. She turned to see Xander in his tuxedo with a worried look. "What's going on? What is it I have to do?"




"I can't tell you how good it is to see you, honey." Hank Summers said softly.

"Yeah," Buffy said, mentally refusing to look at him. "Strange how when I lost the use of my legs, I only got flowers and a letter. I guess I only rate high on the priority list when it comes to something pleasant."

"Buffy..."

"No. You weren't here when I needed you. You haven't been in so long that I've almost forgotten what it's like to have a father. Why come now? Why would Xander...?" She stopped herself, searching her mind for a reason behind Xander's surprise.

"He loves you," Hank said. "I could tell that from his letter."

"He wrote you?"

"Yes. Sent that young lady named Faith after me."

"Why?"

"Well... I'll let you hear it for yourself. I have the letter right here." He pulled his reading glasses from his coat pocket and slipped an envelope from his overcoat. "I'll read it to you."

"Mr. Summers,

I'm ashamed to say that you and I have never met, in spite of the fact that I have, for the past 5 years, been one of your daughters' closest friends. I met Buffy her first day at Sunnydale High and fell madly in love her from the word 'go'. Throughout high school, we (along with our mutual friend Willow) were practically inseparable. We've been through a lot together over the years, and through it all, Buffy has been both strong and courageous. I have no doubt that I would not be half the man I am today were it not for your daughter's loyal friendship and love.

In a few weeks, Buffy and I are getting married. Our friend and mentor, Rupert Giles will be giving her away in your place. I fully support Buffy's decision in this, but I can't help but think you should be there. Not because it is simply your duty as her father. That is, if the past is any indication, something you care little about. I want you be there, because when Buffy walks down that aisle with Giles, I don't want there to be one regret... not one single moment of sadness.

By all accounts, you were once a really good father. All I ask of you is that you consider what kind of father you are today. If you truly love your daughter, pride will not keep you from her. If you truly care, you can give her the greatest gift of all... your love and attention. If you feel in any way that I am out of line or don't know what I'm talking about, then please do not attend. But if you can see even a glimpse of the truth, come give her your love. For your sake and for hers, reconcile this mess before it costs you any more.

I have supplied Faith with a plane ticket and a wedding reservation. Whether you use them or not is up to you. I pray you will make the right decision.


Sincerely,

Alexander Harris


Buffy stared at her father with tears in her eyes. He smiled at her, and then, his eyes welled with tears. "Can you forgive an old fool for searching for his dreams, when they were right under his nose all along?" He asked. "You see, this young man of yours was right on two counts. I do love you enough to try to make things right. I know I can't just apologize and have everything fall back into place. But I want to start the process of healing this relationship, if it isn't already too late. The other thing he was right about was that for so long, my pride has kept me from acknowledging the damage I was doing to you and your sister... even your mother. I knew I had failed and couldn't deal. So I ran from everything that could remind me of that failure. Buffy... I'm sorry. Even though the words don't change anything, I have to say it. I'm sorry and I love you. Can we start over? I know I need to have this same talk with Dawn, but... Will you forgive me? If you can't, I won't blame you. Perhaps it's too late. If so, I'll go."

Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes.

"But, even if you can't..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm still gonna be around more. I'm still gonna try harder. In fact, I might become a real pain."

"Dad, I... I don't even know how to start putting things back to normal. But... I love you. That's the only reason it hurt so bad."

"I know. And I'll do my very best never to hurt you or your sister like that again. That is, if you are willing to give it a try."

Buffy smiled. "I think it's worth a shot."

"Thank you, honey. That means more than you'll ever know. I'm going to find a seat so I can watch the most beautiful bride in the world come down the aisle. I'm certain I don't have to tell you how wonderful your groom is for having cared enough to do something so difficult as putting me in my place. I'm sure you'll be very happy together."

"We already are," Buffy said with a smile. "We already are."




No," Xander said, walking away from Dawn. "I can't do this. It's not fair."

"You're right, Xander," Joyce said plainly. "It's the most unfair thing I can imagine."

"It's time isn't it?" Angel asked, stepping onto the playground with Faith.

"Time for what?" Xander shouted. "To give up the woman I love? That's what Dawn says will happen. That, and all whole load of bad news."

"But it's what was supposed to happen," Dawn said. "I don't want it to be, but it is. If I could make it right some other way, I would. You have to know that, Xander."

"I do, but... Damn it! Give me one good reason to change things."

"Buffy will walk again," Dawn said softly. "And she'll still be the Slayer."

"Oh, God!" Xander cried falling to his knees. "No. Please..."




Time Stands Still - The End of the Beginning



Xander sobbed so hard he felt like he would implode. He felt alone and empty. He was scared. Angel and Faith just stood there quietly, waiting. They knew he would need a moment to pull himself together. Neither thought for a second that he might not do the right thing. Xander was many things, but he was not foolish. He knew that he would have to save the world even if it meant losing the love of his life. Dawn and Joyce shed their own tears. Xander had become a treasured part of their family. They could only guess the depth of his pain.

"Xander, I'm so sorry. I don't want it to be this way, but it's tearing the very fabric of reality apart," Dawn put her hand on his shoulder. "If there were any other way..."

"I know," he said, wiping his eyes. "It's not your fault." He stood to his feet. "This is all tied to me somehow, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"I mean... I have this feeling that part of this stems from you giving me the sword. That I was never supposed to get it."

"You may be right," Angel agreed. "Or maybe I gave it to you too soon. The PTB were pretty secretive about it. Originally, I was supposed to give it to you earlier. Maybe there was a missed window of opportunity that threw the whole thing off. Maybe missing the window meant you shouldn't get it at all."

"Okay," Faith said. "You guys are confusing the hell out of me. I, for one, say we listen to Dawn on this deal, since she seems to be the one that knows what's going on."

"What about Buffy?" Joyce asked. "Shouldn't she have a say in this?"

"It wouldn't change anything," Xander said quietly. "If reality comes undone, we're all history. That's the deal, right Dawn?"

"I would have to send you back in time to change certain events. You would have to complete each and every task for it to work," Dawn said.

"And how do you know what those things are?" Faith asked.

"I saw them. Seven events that were not to be. Ethan Rayne should never have accessed Amy's power to raise the mayor. Angel should never have brought the sword to Xander."

"Which means he'll die and we can't save him?" Angel asked.

"No. The Entegorn could be stopped earlier. That is the third thing. The shape shifter must never be allowed to poison Buffy. Xander must not be burned alive by the Cy'nog. And Adam must never break Buffy's spine."

"That's six," Xander pointed out. "What's the seventh?"

"The seventh task is for me alone," Dawn said. Xander noticed she didn't even sound like herself anymore. It was as if, when she accessed the power at her command, her human guise slipped a little.

"So how do we make this happen?" Angel asked.

"I will place everyone in the proper place and time," Dawn said. "Once you each complete your first task, I will move you to the second."

"Then that's it? That'll fix everything?" Xander asked. "Buffy will be okay?"

"Yes."

"But something will happen and we won't be together."

"I haven't said that you will never be together."

"Yeah... But you haven't said we will, either. Whatever. There are no choices here. Let's just get it done."

"What about Buffy?" Dawn asked. "Aren't you going to say goodbye?"

"No. I'm gonna lie my ass off. I may not have a choice here, but I don't want to ruin this day for her. Whatever time this reality has left, I want her to enjoy it."

"What are you gonna tell her?" Faith asked.

"I don't know. I'll think of something."





"The minister is up front," Willow said. "And the sanctuary is beginning to fill up. I just saw Xander's Uncle Rory. Does he always smell like peppermint?"

Buffy smiled. "Pretty much."

"Knock, knock," came Giles' voice from the hallway. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Willow said, opening the door. "It's just the groom that can't see her."

Giles stepped in with a small, black box, tied with a white ribbon. "I wanted to give you this," he said. "You might need it for the ceremony."

Buffy took the box and smiled at her Watcher. "I just love presents." She opened the box to find a delicate embroidered handkerchief.

"It was my grandmother's," Giles explained. "She was a Watcher before me. An extraordinary woman. Much like you, Buffy. I think she would be honored to know I passed it on to you."

Buffy didn't know what to say. She fought back her tears. She couldn't afford to start the make-up process all over again. "Giles, I... Thank you. It's beautiful."

"And quite old," Giles said. "I thought you might need it before the wedding."

"Oh, yeah," Willow said. "And I have something blue." She reached into her purse and pulled out a blue ribbon. "This was a ribbon I wore in my hair when I was 5. Jimmy Harkcom took it from me and ran off. When Xander found out, he went and knocked Jimmy on his butt. He brought it back to me, which is when I developed my crush on him... that is now over... and has been... for a while now."

"Relax, Will," Buffy chuckled. "It's wonderful."

"Now we just need something borrowed and something new," Giles said.

"Actually, Angel gave me something new," Buffy said. "The locket I'm wearing. It has a picture of Xander in it. See?"

"It's beautiful," Giles admitted. "What does the inscription say?"

"Love never fails," Buffy said with a smile.

"Oh, and I have something you can borrow," Willow said. She produced a small crystal heart. "Tara bought this for me. You can wrap it up in the handkerchief."

"Thanks, Will. Okay, then... I'm ready. Go find my husband-to-be and tell him it's time to get the show on the road."




Xander was getting ready to knock on the door when Willow stepped out and bumped into him.

"Xander! You're not supposed to be here!"

"I know, Will, but.... I have to talk to Buffy."

"But it's bad luck to..." She didn't finish her thought. There was something about his expression. Something in his eyes. There was a desperation she had never seen in him before. It stopped her in her tracks. "What's wrong?"

"It's... I need to... I have to see her, Will."

"O-okay."




Xander walked into the room and was immediately blown away by the sight of Buffy in her wedding dress. She started to protest to his seeing her before the ceremony, but then she saw the look on Willow's face. "What is it?" She asked.

"Giles, Will... Could you guys give us a minute or two alone?" Xander asked.

"But the wedding is about to start," Giles protested. Willow grabbed his arm and began dragging him out. "What's going on?" Xander never acknowledged the question. He just let Willow lead the Watcher out of the room, and waited for the door to close behind them.

"What is it, Xander?" Buffy asked again.

"Relax," he said with a smile that was meant to calm her, but had the opposite effect. "I'm not bailing on you or anything."

"Then what?"

"I... I just wanted to tell you something before we go out there."

"And it couldn't wait until after the ceremony?"

"No."

She smiled at him, hoping to calm whatever she saw in his eyes was tormenting him. "What do you need to tell me."

"It's that... Well, I... I love you."

"I know that."

"I know you know. But I want you to know how much. Buffy, I love you so much that it haunts me every moment. It's like I can't even remember what it was like not to love you. I'm a better man because of you and what you bring to my life. That's why I asked you to marry me. That's why I want to spend the rest of my life with you. It's as if every other desire I have is secondary to the longing to be with you. I - I just thought you should know that before you walk down the aisle." A single tear ran down his face. "Because... I don't want you, for even a second, to doubt the depth of my love for you."

"I don't," she said, kissing him tenderly. "And I won't."

He held her tightly. "I have to go now," he said, knowing how unfair it was not to tell her. "It's about time to begin."

She kissed him again with more passion than ever before. "Thank you. I'll see you out front."

"Right." He turned to go, afraid he would break down before he made it out the door.

"And, Xand?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, too."

"I know, Buff. I know." Xander walked out the door and closed it behind him, and in his heart, he said goodbye to the woman he had loved more than any other.




Time Stands Still - Loose Ends



Sunnydale-

Ethan Rayne watched silently as Tara vacated the dorm room she shared with Willow to head for her morning classes. He remained hidden for a while just outside their window to make sure no one would return. Then, when he was sure the coast was clear, he opened the window and made his way to the habitrail. He was just getting ready to open the cage when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Keeping his back to the unwelcome guest he raised his hands.

"Only a Slayer could sneak up on me," he said. "How are you, Buffy?"

"Wrong Slayer, pal," Faith said, knocking man out with a blow to the head. "One down. Six to go."


Los Angeles-

"This is weird," Angel said to himself as he watched himself loading the car for his trip to Sunnydale. He had a good view from across the street. And since he remembered exactly how he had packed the car that day, he knew the sword was not yet in the car. He waited. His past self soon returned with the sword and slipped it into a bag in the front seat. As soon as he had re-entered Cordelia's apartment, Angel dropped from his perch on the rooftop and made a break for the car. He knew he had only about thirty seconds to act. He grabbed the sword, switched it for a duplicate and slipped under the van parked in front of his convertible, just as his past self came walking back to the car. He listened as the convertible roared to life and took off down the street.

"Well," he sighed. "That was easy enough. I just hope Faith and Xander are fairing as well."


Sunnydale -


"I'll hit it with my blaster," Riley said. "That'll bring him to the ground. Then we lay it on."


"Works in theory," Angel said. "But it won't be that easy. Once he's grounded, we need to surround him. When one of us is busy dodging his attacks, the others can hit him with everything they've got."


"Whatever. Let's just kill the bloomin' thing and get on with it." Spike stepped up in Angel's face and sneered. "I don't fancy working with you again at all. Especially, since You I could hurt."


"Try it, Goldilocks, and see how far you get." Angel didn't seem the least bit concerned.


"Especially considering that I haven't had a chance to try out my sword," Xander said. "Remember. You start playing nasty, then I'll have to play nasty."


"Oh, help me someone," Spike said rolling his eyes. "The ice cream man is after me."


"I'm with Xander," Riley said. "You step out of line, and you're dust. Got it, O Impotent One?"


"One of these days, I'll figure out a way to get this bleeding chip out of my head, and then we'll see if you lads are really so tough."


"Well, I held my own against Angel and I hear you're a novice by comparison. So forgive me for not quaking in my boots." Riley got up in Spike's face. "We have a job to do. Shut up and help or we dust you here and now."


Spike looked as if he was going to say something else, but he backed down. Riley and Angel took point and started walking. Xander motioned for Spike to go ahead of him. Before bringing up the rear, he stopped and winced. His body was stiff and ached all over. He tried to shake it off, but it didn't help. He turned and followed the others into the darkness.

Up front, Angel caught up to Riley and spoke softly so the Spike wouldn't hear him. "About you holding you're own?"


"Yeah?" Riley said.


"I was going easy on you. I don't kill humans, remember? I was only giving as good as I got."


"Your point?"


"That Spike may not always be neutered. So be careful. I may not like you, but if Buffy loves you, then... you should be warned. That's all."


"Then I consider myself warned. But I still think I could take you."


"In your dreams, Finn. Only in your dreams."


Xander watched them from the shadows as they walked off. He knew he had about thirty-five minutes until they would enter the warehouse and attack the Entigorn. "Cool," he said to himself. "I get there first... massacre, massacre... and mission accomplished." He turned and began making his way toward his destiny, unaware of the eyes that followed him as he went.




"Someone has been sent to intercept the knight."

"Blast! I had hoped to avoid any complications. Did they send the girl?"

"Yes. Who else could convince him?"

"You have a point."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait. I believe Alexander will make the wise choice."

"How can you be certain?"

"I cannot. But we can do nothing now but wait... and hope."



Xander dodged a blast of arcane energy and spun into a roundhouse, knocking the Entigorn into a pile of crates. Before the thing could right himself, Xander swung his sword in a wide arc, lopping the creature's head off. It fell to the ground with a loud thud. "There," Xander said. "See if you can kill me now, creep." He sheathed his sword and slipped out the back, just as he heard Angel and Spike on the roof.



"So let me get this straight," Xander said to Riley as they stood at the entrance of the warehouse. "We're gonna attack the Matterhorn...."


"Entigorn."


"Whatever... and they are going to position themselves on the roof?"


"Right."


"Great plan. Let me guess... Spike's?"


"Mine, actually."


"Yeah, well... next time, leave me out of the stupid half of the plan."


"Funny. I thought the stupid half would suit you."


"Cute, but leave the jokes to me."


Xander and Riley stepped into the warehouse, moving quietly. Riley's blaster was ready to fire, but he cursed himself for not bringing his night vision goggles. He glanced at Xander and his new toy. The sword was awkward, but Xander seemed comfortable with it. It was quiet, so Xander motioned for Riley to spread out a little. Xander was just getting ready to complain about the dark when he tripped over the headless corpse of the Entigorn. "Uh, Riley?"

Riley ran to his side and helped him up. "You found it," he said.

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "But looks like someone beat us to it."



Xander watched from the shadows as his past self and Riley explained to Angel and Spike that the Entigorn was dead. He thought for a second that perhaps he would simply cease to exist since he changed history, but then he remembered what Dawn had said:

"Even though history will be re-written and set back in order, you three will exist outside the laws of time. It must be that way if you are to remember your mission."

He shook his head. He hated that Dawn had learned the truth. He didn't think any little girl should have to feel so out of place. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind him. He spun into a fighting stance, but the person in the shadows was fast. He felt his legs being swept out from under him. He went down hard and had no chance to retaliate. His attacker sat on his chest and kept him pinned. A hand gripped his throat squeezing so hard that he couldn't breathe.

"What's the matter lover?" Her familiar voice asked. "Aren't you glad to see me?" And with that, Buffy Summers laughed an evil laugh, while Xander's mind reeled from the sight of her beautiful face contorted into the image of a vampire.



Time Stands Still - Harder to Believe Than Not to



Xander lifted his legs behind the vampire's head and locked his feet around it. Before she had time to react, he slammed her head into the pavement and jumped to his feet. "I don't know what you're playing at, but I give you points for creativity," He said, drawing his sword. "Luckily, I've had my share of experiences with shape shifters, so I'm not buying it."

"Then you're fool," Buffy Summers said, as her face lost it's vampire edge. Suddenly, she looked like she always had. "I'm no shape shifter. Just your run of the mill vampire."

"I don't believe you," Xander said, keeping his blade between himself and the vampire. "I know what happens in this timeline. I remember."

"Ah, but you changed things, Xand."

He winced when she used his name like that of a friend. "And I suppose you just expect me to trust you."

"No. I expect you to die." She jumped high for a kick, but Xander dodged it and took advantage of the leverage. He grabbed her leg in mid-air and threw her to the ground.

"Nice," she said, licking the blood from her lips. "You're almost as ruthless as MY Xander."

"What the HELL are you talking about?"

"Not nearly as smart, but ruthless."

"Answer me!"

"Isn't it obvious, lover?"

"Stop calling me that."

"You changed everything. But look how I turned out. See MY PTB said you were killed by a vampire before you could right all the wrongs. Time didn't go 'boom', but reality was warped. You got killed here, so there was no one to save the Slayer from Adam. She was broken... crippled. But it didn't end there. Your little failure caused the remaining Xander to become unhinged. He never found his destiny. Instead, he became reckless. Got himself bit, which changed everything. The Slayer was lost in a sea of despair. She was all set to take her own life, when her Xander-shaped friend returned to her. He offered her the chance to walk again. She had feelings for him hidden deep in her heart. They had awakened when she lost him. He offered her everything she wanted, and in weakness, she took it. We lived for over 300 years together until a Slayer dusted him."

"You're lying!"

"Am I?" She asked with a grin.

"Why are you here? How are you here?"

"The how I barely understand myself. Why? Because the PTB are a little more mercenary in my reality than they are in yours. They know that if you are not stopped here, they lose what they have. See, if you make things right, my reality is undone, so they sent me to take you out of the picture. Since I lost my own Xander, I've felt incomplete. But you can spend eternity with me. You're my second chance."

"Forget it," Xander said with hatred dripping from his voice. "I would never let your fate be Buffy's. I love her."

"Oh, I KNOW how much you love her. You love her enough to go skipping through time to get her legs back, never realizing you're being lied to. The PTB used your friends as pawns and sent you on their little errand, never bothering to tell you the truth."

"And what truth would that be?"

"That once you've undone everything, your future with Buffy is shot to hell."

"They never promised me we would be together."

"Yeah, but they didn't tell you that they know it will never happen. You hear what I'm saying, lover? It will NEVER happen. But if you come with me, we can be together forever."




"I don't like this."

"Nor do I. Unfortunately, we can do nothing but wait and watch."

"Will he do the right thing?"

"We must hope so, for hope is all we have."




Angel knew something was wrong the minute he saw her. "Dawn? Is that you?"

"Yes."

He stared at her, watching the energies swirling around and through her. She appeared to be in her late twenties. "What's going on here?"

"It's all wrong."

"What is?"

"Everything. All wrong."

"Okay, listen. I can't help you if you keep making with the cryptic statements."

"There is nothing you can do. No way you can help."

He looked around them and saw nothing but void. "Why have you brought me here, then?"

"That's what I want to know," said a familiar voice.

He turned and was amazed by what he saw. She was in her thirties, standing there full of confidence despite the strange surroundings. Her name escaped his lips before he even realized she was staring at him as well. "Buffy?"




Xander spun into a roundhouse, but she was too fast. The vampire that was once Buffy Summers caught his leg and brought her elbow down hard on his knee. He heard something crack even as blinding pain shot through his leg. He landed hard in the alley.

"You know, you're not bad," she said. "I'm just WAY better."

Xander struggled to get to his feet, but she nailed him with a right cross that sent him sliding down the alley, his shirt and flesh ripping on the pavement. It began healing almost instantly. He got to his feet. He could feel the knee repairing itself, but it still hurt.

"C'mon," he said softly. "It's my turn now."




Faith found herself someplace totally strange. It looked exactly like her prison cell, but everything was monochrome and strange. Especially weird was the fact that her cell was standing open and there were no other prisoners to be seen or heard.

"What the hell?"

She walked out of the cell and began searching the prison. There wasn't another soul to be found. She walked outside into the yard, where ordinarily there would be dozens of female inmates at a time, working out with the weights or tossing a nerf football. But there was nothing. There was no one but her.

"Where am I?" She wondered aloud.

"You're in the ether," was the response.

Faith turned to find a young man in jeans, a bowling shirt and leather coat. Strangely, she felt she knew exactly who he was. "Are you Doyle?"

"Ah. I see my reputation precedes me," he said, sticking out his hand and shaking hers. "You must be Faith."

"I must be dead." She looked him over. "That's the drill, right."

"Not this time, no."

"Then, why am I here?"

"You're here because the PTB need your help. All of reality is going to come undone if we don't stop it."

"Yeah. I know. That's what we were trying to do."

"No. You don't understand. He's pitting both sides against one another in order to get the prize. You guys have been duped."

"What? That's impossible."

"Not for him. You have no idea what he's already done... what he's capable of. He's manipulated everything. Even the PTB. He's been behind it all. The mayor's return. The splintering timelines. Adam's return. He has to be stopped Faith."

"Who? Who is behind all that?"

"Angelus. And God help us all."



Time Stands Still - Machinations



The vampire that was once Buffy Summers ran at her prey. Her yellow eyes narrowed as she prepared to strike, but suddenly... He was gone. She barely ducked in time, when she heard the blade of his sword whistling through the air.

Xander cursed himself. He knew he was holding back because she looked like Buffy. It was a little easier to fight her, now that she was vamped out, but it was still hard. He knew he shouldn't, but part of him wondered if she was telling the truth about the PTB and their version of the truth. After all, they HAD kept the sword from him, and more secrets than he was ready to deal with. He shook his head, determined to find out some more.

"What's the matter, lover?" The vamp asked. "Can't seem to find it in your heart to hate me?"

"I'm working on it," he mumbled.

"They're playing you for a fool. The PTB knows that you'll never have your precious Buffy. They're just using you to get what they want and you're the one paying the price. If you come with me, you can have the best of both worlds. We can be together forever."

"I can't tell you how little comfort that is, even given your lovely, toothy smile. You aren't Buffy. That much I know."

"You know nothing," she said, as her face returned to its human appearance. "And if you won't come with me, then I really WILL have to kill you."





"Angel?" Buffy Summers trembled as she said his name. "Dawn, how....?"

"He's from a another reality. The walls between ours and his were weak," the Slayer's sister said. "I pulled him here to give us some vital information."

"Wait a minute," Angel said. "Are you saying you two are from some alternate future?"

"As you are from an alternate past," Dawn said matter-of-factly. "The threads of time have become a tangled knot. It threatens to rip the very fabric of reality."

"He's good?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. He is not Angelus," Dawn said.

"I can't believe it," she said, walking up to him and looking him over. He saw tears welling in her eyes. "It's been years since..."

"Since what?" he asked.

"Since I put a sword through you and stopped Acathla."

"Then in this reality... I didn't come back?"

"No," Dawn said. "It was the last any of us saw of you."

"So then, which reality is the true one?" Angel asked. "Yours or mine?"

"Neither," Dawn said softly.

Angel shook his head in disbelief. "Then that brings up a whole slew of other questions."



"First off... What the hell are you talking about?" Faith stared at Doyle waiting for an answer.

"Alright," he said. "I'll break this down as simply as possible. Somehow, an alternate reality was created due to you, Xander and Angel taking your jaunt through time. The alternate then split it's reality and each new one did the same until we've ended up with hundreds of alternate realities. Time and space is not meant to hold such things, which puts all the realities at risk."

"And what does Angelus have to do with it?"

"Somehow in the original splinter from the true reality, Angel's soul was never restored. Instead, Angelus reigned supreme. He figured out the split in realities and began causing even more rifts. Each new parallel world he created was a new reality to conquer and feed upon."

"Great."

"Yeah, and now each reality has someone in it that knows it is an offshoot of the original timeline. So these powers are doing their best to insure that their own reality survives."

"Every man for himself. And in the confusion..."

"Angelus is manipulating time."

"So what Dawn and Cordelia told us..."

"They believed to be the truth, but it wasn't. Our reality is not the original."

"Then how do we fix it?"




Xander avoided Buffy's leaping kick and caught her with a kidney punch once she landed. "Give it up," he said. "You won't beat me."

"You may be right," she said, holding her side. "But even if you kill me, you won't get YOUR Buffy. But you could have me. If you come with me, I"ll even let you use the stone to go back to your reality and kill your friends again."

"What stone?"

She pulled a black stone from her jacket. It was covered in runes. "It's called the Magus Stone. It breaches the walls of time and reality. It brought me here to do you in. I guess, if you aren't willing, I'll have to take you by force." She took a fighting stance, but Xander just stood there.

"You seem to know so much about my reality. Tell me this. Why won't I ever be with Buffy? What is it that keeps me from having my shot?"

"Angel," she said with a wicked smile. "It's always Angel."




"Now let me see if I've got this straight. In this world, you and Xander are married?"

"For 12 years now," Buffy replied.

"But he has no... um, super powers?"

"Xander? No."

"And I'm dead?"

"You always were, but yeah. Dead."

"Then you never brought me back."

"No. I fell in love with Xander. I talked him into going to college with me and Will. We ended up sharing an apartment off campus. Then, during my sophomore year, he popped the question."

"So Adam never broke your back?"

"Who's Adam?"

"Please," Dawn said. "We don't have time to compare notes. Angel I need you to answer my questions. Only with the proper knowledge can I find where the rift began."




"It started when Angelus returned, the year before you came to Sunnydale," explained Doyle.

"B told me all about it. Willow gave him his soul back just before Buffy had to kill him to close the portal."

"Right. Then later, the PTB brought him back from hell with his soul intact."

"So what went wrong?"

"Well, apparently, in one reality, Willow never finished the spell. She was stopped before she could finish. So Buffy still sent Angel to hell, but this time, he went soulless. He fought his way out of hades... a flamin' rebellion. He came back with the armies of hell at his disposal."

"So he massacred one world and started looking for more."

"Exactly," Doyle said. "You're a lot smarter than I was expecting."

"So how did it happen? How did the spell get stopped and what do we do to fix it?"

"How it happened... Well, Angelus sent Buffy, or at least a vampire that was once Buffy to set the whole thing in motion, insuring his reality was secure."

"How?"

"Let's just say that our friend, Xander... is getting ready to make a BIG mistake."



Time Stands Still - Decisions, Decisions



"What gets me," the vampire wearing Buffy's face said. "Is that you had to have know all along. Something inside had to clue you in that a part of me was attracted to you. But you let him muscle in on me. I lost my virginity to him, when it could have easily been you."

"Shut up," Xander warned. "Or you're dust."

"C'mon, lover. You have to know it's true. If Angel would never have been cursed the second time with that pesky soul of his, you could've had me then, too. See, I remember that moment between us. That kiss that almost was. I would've fallen in love with you and stayed with you forever if I hadn't held out hope for him."

"It's history," Xander spat out. His rage boiled inside him. "It doesn't matter!"

"It does matter. The history isn't set in stone. It can be changed. You did it once. But now you wanna play pattycake with the PTB. And in return, you'll lose her forever."

"No!" Xander screamed, swinging a wide arc with his sword. Buffy ducked and caught him with a kick to the midsection.

Xander landed on his back in the middle of the alley. Buffy was relentless. He managed to block her next move and roll back onto his feet, but she kept coming. He ducked as she kicked and shifted her momentum toward the brick wall to his right. She hit it hard and slumped to the ground. He sat on her, pinning her arms with his knees, as he pulled a stake from his back pocket.

"You won't do it," she laughed. "You haven't got the b-..." Before she could finish, she erupted into a cloud of dust.

"You don't know WHAT I'm capable of," he said aloud as tears streamed down his face.




"I can't believe that my Xander would do such a thing," Buffy said.

"But it isn't your Xander," Dawn reminded her. "Any more than this is our Angel."

"But it is my reality's Xander, right?" Angel asked.

"Yes," Dawn said. "Which is why we reached out to you specifically. Since you did not come back in our reality, we know nothing of the circumstances. Please, fill us in as best you can. And quickly, for we must formulate a plan."

"Okay, but first a question. You are not at all like the Dawn I met. Your personalities are worlds apart. Why?"

"Because, unlike the Dawn of your world, I came fully aware of who I am and what my purpose is. Your Dawn, though still a child, was not to know her origins so soon. That is but one of many things that altered reality."

"And to fix it, you need to know why and how I came back?"

"Yes."

"Then, get ready for the abbreviated version."






"So Xander is going to stop Willow from doing the spell to restore Angel's soul, which will set this whole thing in motion. How do I get to Xander?"

"You don't," Doyle said. "Angelus tricks him into taking that action. Since it furthers Angelus' plans, he will see that Xander has protection. Our best bet is to take the fight to Angelus' world. He won't expect us to be so bold."

"Yeah, well that could be a problem. Talk about your suicide missions."

"Yeah, well, you're not gonna be alone. It'll take two teams to get this job done. You'll have to assemble them, but with this," he said, producing a black stone with runes on it. "We have all the time in the world."




The stone glowed eerily as Xander picked it up. He realized vamp Buffy must have dropped it during the fight. He pictured her... His Buffy. She was in her wedding dress, looking more beautiful than he had ever seen her. She was standing, waiting for him at the alter. He would never see it. Not unless.... He shut it out of his mind. "She couldn't have been telling the truth," he thought. But it began to become clearer in his mind. The PTB, Angel... All of them did what was right for them. He and Buffy wanted to be together. After everything they had both been through, why should he let them or anyone else keep them apart?

He took the stone in his hand and thought about the night he had walked out of Willow's hospital room to meet Buffy at the mansion on Crawford Street. He opened his eyes and found he was there. He was just outside Willow's room. He heard Oz say, "I missed some stuff didn't I? Because this is making the kind of sense that's... not." Xander knew he had only about a minutes head start, before Cordelia and Oz would get in Oz's van and head for the school to get the stuff for the spell. He would need more time than that. He bolted down the hall and then down the stairwell. He didn't slow down a bit as he made a beeline for Cordelia's car. He felt under the car, pulled out the magnetic box that held her spare key, and took off toward the school.





"So we think Xander somehow screwed up the spell?" Angel asked.

"Given what we know, that seems the most logical plan," Dawn agreed. "I'll send you to intercept him."

"I'm going too, Dawn," Buffy said. "If that Xander is as powerful as Angel here claims, he'll need the Slayer with him."

"Impossible," Dawn said flatly. "You play another part in this matter. You must trust me in this."

"I do," Buffy said.

Hearing her say those words, Angel suddenly realized what Xander must be feeling. He had been SO close to seeing his dream come true, that Angel couldn't blame him at all for wanting to be selfish. It pained him to think he must set himself against Xander to save all of reality. But there was really no choice. "I'm ready," he said softly. "Let's get this over with."

The strange energies began coursing around and through Dawn once again. And as suddenly as Angel appeared, he was gone. But in his place, stood another.

"Hey, B," Faith said, astounded by the sight of an older Buffy. "I'm on a recruiting drive. Let's talk."




Xander threw the computer disk into the air and slice it in two with one swing of his sword. The two pieces clattered to the ground. He looked down at the printed copy on the table before him. Less than ten feet away was the outline of where Kendra's body had been. He shook his head and picked up the spell. He walked out the emergency exit of the library, knowing Giles had long before unhooked the alarm from it. He had hidden Cordelia's car behind the school, hoping she and Oz wouldn't see it there. He planned on returning it to the hospital parking lot. But when he got back to the car, he knew he wasn't going anywhere. Not just yet.

"What are YOU doing here?"

"I came to stop you from making a huge mistake, Xander." Angel was sitting on the hood of the car. "I can only assume you destroyed the disk."

"That I did."

"And that is the only copy of the spell?"

"Yep."

"And you're not gonna let me have it, are you?"

"Nope. You're obviously the Angel of my reality though. Let me guess. The PTB sent you."

"No. Buffy did. And Dawn. They said this changes everything. That I can't let you do this."

"Oh, and I should believe you, right? Because... God knows you've never lied to me!"

"Xander, I'm sorry. I couldn't be more sorry for the things I kept from you, but this isn't about me."

"You're right. It's about me. And Buffy. You were never supposed to be part of the picture. You were never supposed to be with her. You KNEW that. And you STILL hid the truth. You STILL lied."

"Xander, now isn't the time for this. We have to put things right. I've got to have that spell now, or...."

"Or you'll never come back to make Buffy's life hell for a year? Pardon me if I don't care."

"Xander... I'm gonna take that spell. Don't make this hard on yourself."

"Please," Xander said, pulling the stake out of his back pocket. "I know your moves. I beat you before. I can do it again."

"But I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. I'll see to that."

"Then you leave me no choice," Angel said. He moved almost faster than the eye and clocked Xander on the chin. Xander got to his feet quickly.

"This should be fun," he said, drawing his sword. And the fight was on.



Buffy opened her eyes and found herself in the ether. Standing around her were somewhat familiar faces. Willow was in her mid-twenties. Her hair was long and she wore a dark overcoat. She looked very tired. Xander was there as well. But it wasn't her Xander. He was all in leather. There was a patch over his left eye and a gun holstered at his side. Giles was younger than she had ever seen him, but she recognized from old pictures that he was in his "Ripper" phase. Tara was in her thirties, looking very strong. Her hair was pulled back in a pony-tail. Oz appeared to be stuck between changes. He smiled and nodded at her. Cordelia was in her late twenties. Her hair was short and there was a scar down her right cheek. Angel stood there looking young and thin as he had when she first met him. Gunn was the oldest. He appeared to be in his forties. He had a huge axe hanging over his massive shoulder. Wesley in leather, with a crossbow and dark shades. Amy was in her thirties. Light swirled all about her. Riley was in uniform. His Initiative ID was hanging from his belt. Dawn was in her late teens and beautiful. She looked wise beyond her years. Spike was in his leather duster. She knew he must still have the chip in his head. Kendra stood next to him, looking like she did the day she dies. And Faith stood next to Doyle with a grin on her face.

"As you can see," Faith said. "The Scooby gang is all here."



Time Stands Still - Inevitable Paths


Xander ducked. The punch missed by a mile. Angel wasn't trying very hard. Xander swung his sword with perfect aim. He cut a rather large gash in the vampire's shoulder.

"Xander, what are you playing at here?" He said, seeming honestly surprised that Xander wounded him. "You HAVE to know that there are serious consequences for screwing around with time."

Xander dodged a kick and swept Angel's leg before sticking his blade through the vamp's midsection. "I'm not PLAYING at anything. This isn't a game. It's life and death."

Angel spit out some blood as Xander pulled the sword from him. "So what does that mean? You gonna kill me?"

"If I have to."

"Why? What did they say to you to make you do this?"

"The truth, actually. That you have been in the way since the beginning. You kept the truth to yourself so you could make time with the girl that was meant for me!"

"In the beginning, maybe... Look. I thought we were past this. You asked me to be your best man, for crying out loud."

"My mistake. Just one more case of me turning a blind eye to your manipulation. You and the PTB think you can just tell everyone to take a spin through time and change the things that YOU want to change. Well, the HELL with that!"

"It's not like that." Angel held his chest. He was losing blood quickly.

"Really?" Xander asked. "You know, the longer I have this sword, the more I remember of old Alexander's memories. You were there when he died. You swore to him that you would get the sword to the next in line. You SWORE! And it was all a lie."

"I didn't intentionally lie."

"Well, that just makes it all okay," Xander said, with a back hand to Angel's jaw.

Angel collapsed toward Xander, who caught him and supported his weight. Angel wheezed and straightened himself. "If it means anything... I'm sorry."

Xander moved faster than he ever had before. Angel never even saw the wooden stake until it pierced his heart. He looked at his friend with sadness in his eyes, before his entire body crumbled to dust.
"If it means anything to you," Xander said softly. "So am I."




Buffy hugged Kendra tightly. "You, my friend, are a sight for sore eyes."

"As are you. But I must warn you that we have all been asked to say nothing of out own timelines as a few of them may be similar. We endanger the future by knowing too much of the past."

"I know. I saw Back To The Futures 1-3. Big Michael J. Fox fan."

"He was a cutie," Spike snarled with a roll of his eyes.

"I already told you once," Xander said, putting his index finger in the center of Spike's chest. "Keep you trap shut. I don't even know why you're here."

"Easy man," Riley said. "He's safe with that chip in his head."

"I don't even know who you are, Sgt. Slaughter. So, forgive me if I don't listen to you."

"Enough," Angel said. "We have a job to do here. The less talk the safer we'll be."

"He's right," Doyle said. "Everyone listen up! This is how the plan will work...."




"Where is he?" Buffy whispered.

"He'll be here," Willow said, hoping to goodness that she was right.

"It's our wedding day."

"I know. And.. he knows. He-he was just here."

"But he was acting strange..."

Oz came in shaking his head. "Giles is checking the other side of the church, but so far... no sign of Xander, Angel or Faith."

"Okay... Major wig," Buffy said. "Oz, go find Dawn and my Mom. I'm gonna stay here and panic."

"On it."

"No, no..." Willow said, trying to hide her own panic. "Let's not jump to conclusions."

"Well, what am I supposed to do, Will? Because panic seems to be the only option here."

"Actually no," a voice said from nowhere. "There is something you can do."




Buffy looked back at the assembled Scooby gang. There were obviously many stories to tell, but she understood the need for secrecy. She closed her eyes with the others while Willow and Tara worked their spell. When she opened them again, they were in Sunnydale, in the old high school library.

"Wow," she said softly. "It's been a while since I've seen the place pre-dynamite."

"Dynamite?" Cordelia sounded shocked. "We burned this place down."

"Wrong-o as usual," Xander said. "We blew the place up, when Dracula was after Dawn."

"This isn't share time," Faith said. "Everyone be quiet and follow me. We're headed for the mansion. The second team should be arriving soon, courtesy of our two missing teammates. They'll begin the distraction to call out the troops while we go to the main event."

"Hmm," Buffy said. "I was wondering why those two were missing."



"Is it time?" Jenny Calendar asked.

"Yes," Anya complained. "Time to put this stupid plan into motion and die."

"We'll be fine," Jenny said. "They are all assembled. We only have to open the portal."

"Then let's get this done," Anya said. "I want to get back to MY Xander. He just told me he loved me and I want to get back before he changes his mind."

"Right. Then let's begin."

The two women joined hands in the center of the circle they had drawn with chalk on the roof of the Bronze. The incense was lit and the chanting began. Moments later, the portal was open and in the alley below over three hundred Slayers, past and future, stepped out ready for battle.



"He has done it?"

"Yes. As we knew he would."

"And the Scoobies?"

"Are in the high school preparing their 'surprise' attack."

"Good," Angelus said with a smile. "Then we have them all right where we want them."




Time Stands Still - Repercussions



Buffy motioned for Angel to take the point. It was chaos all around as hundreds of Slayers pressed their advantage against the forces of hell. Angel led them around the conflict, though the war was so spread out, there were times they had no choice but to wade through it.

The Slayer's eyes wandered to Xander. She knew, of course, that he was not HER Xander, but it felt good just knowing he was near. Her Xander was safe at home, if any reality could be safe. He would be tucking their daughter, Briar, into bed. He always told her some ridiculous story about dragons and valiant knights. You'd think he had actually lived those stories, he told them with such conviction and passion. Briar was the best thing that had ever happened to either one of them. It pained Buffy to think that her reality might be wiped from existence.

Willow caught up with her, while Angel and Oz dispatched a few demons who got in the way. "Are you okay, Buffy? I mean, this is weird for all of us, but..."

"I'm fine. It's just so much to take in. I'm still not sure I understand it all."

"I know. And Xander... He seems... broken somehow. Harder than my Xander."

Angel motioned for them to follow. Then did as they continued talking. "So THAT Xander isn't from your reality?"

"The one with the patch? No. I just can't see myself being married to pirate Xander."

"You and your Xander are married?"

"Yeah. We got married shortly after I became a Watcher. Look... Angel's signaling us."

Buffy moved forward, driving Willow's comments from her mind. Angel and Giles were whispering. "What's up?" She asked.

"Bloody buggers set up a perimeter around the mansion," Giles said. "But it doesn't look like it would be too difficult to sneak past them if we go two or so at a time."

"And that's what bothers me," Angel said. "No way would I leave myself so open to attack. Not unless I was expecting it."

"And setting a trap for your attackers," Buffy finished. "Smart thinking. But how could he have known?"

"Time is relative," Giles said. "It is entirely possible that he became aware of our little recruiting drive."

"Then we plan B him," Willow suggested. "There has to be a way to regain the element of surprise."

"There may be," Giles said. "But I will need the help of an experienced witch."

"Will?" Buffy asked.

"What? I - I gave up on magic a long time ago. And I never did more than research it. That girl, Tara... I believe Faith said SHE was a witch."

Oz overheard and obviously thought that last statement a bit strange. "I'll fall back and get her," he said.

"Good," Giles said. "Now we just need a volunteer to take a little journey."




Xander was waiting for Buffy atop a hill behind some bushes. He knew she was heading for the mansion. He cursed himself for not bringing a stake. Still, he had a pretty big rock which might prove helpful. His arm itched beneath the cast on his right arm. It hurt, too, but he had taken a pain pill at the hospital, before leaving Willow to attempt the spell that would restore Angel's soul. He was against it. There was no denying that. But Willow had shown her resolve face, so there was no talking her out of it. He had promised her that he would tell Buffy about the spell so she could buy some time, but he was seriously doubting the wisdom of that.

He knew Buffy much better than even she realized. If he told her of Willow's attempt, she would be holding out hope that the spell would work and there was no guarantee that it would. Besides, he thought, what if something happens and Willow can't complete the spell. She was very weak, after all, and hardly experienced at casting. Besides, Buffy might go easy on Angel if she knew, and he was far too viscous to go easy on. The last thing he wanted was to see her hurt. "After all," he thought, " I lo..." His thought was interrupted by a rock landing near his feet. There was a note attached to it. He looked around to see who might have thrown it before reading it and sticking it in his pocket. He had a major wiggins, but he would keep it to himself. Buffy had enough on her mind. That was when he saw her walking up the street. He slid down the hill and onto the street right beside Buffy.

"Xander!" Buffy said, caught a little off guard.

"Cavalry's here," he said. "Cavalry's a frightened guy with a rock, but it's here."

Buffy held up a stake. Xander tossed the rock aside and took it from her.

"That's better," he said.

"You're not here to fight," she said, walking with determination toward the mansion. "You get Giles out, and you run like hell, understood? I can't protect you." She pulled an old cloth off of the sword she was carrying. "I'm gonna be too busy killing."

"Now, that's a new look for you."

"It's a present for Angel."

"Willow," he said, remembering his dilemma. "Uh, she told me to tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

He looked into her eyes and before he realized it, the words had escaped his lips. "Kick his ass."

Without a word she continued walking. Xander hesitated a moment and then followed.

Above it all, unseen by either of them, Xander watched the Slayer and his past self go to meet their destiny. "Now nothing can go wrong," he whispered to himself. "Nothing."




Jenny Calendar stared at the younger Rupert Giles. He could not help but be a bit flummoxed by it. There was an intensity in her eyes he had never known before. It was clear from the start that in her reality she must have had a close relationship with "her" Giles. Still, young "Ripper" Giles was a bit unsettled by it all. The Slayer that he had been called to help was not at all like his father's Slayer. The whole deal seemed considerably over his head. Still, he had an extensive knowledge of the Slayers and the arcane. He knew the others were counting on him.

"What do I need to do, Rupert?" She asked.

"We will be sending you to the one who can end all this. Once you make contact, explain the situation. Xander must be stopped before he causes the original rift."

"And how does the messenger make the trip?"

"Give her this," he said, handing her a small black stone with runes carved into it. "The messenger must concentrate on the Xander of THAT reality, and it will do the rest. What happens from there on out is in the hands of the fates, I suppose."

"And you don't think Angelus will suspect?"

"I'm quite certain that he will," Giles said. "It will be a race to the finish. Whoever wins in the past, controls the future."

Jenny looked as though that notion disturbed her. "Then let's hope we've chosen the right messenger."




"She has returned, master."

"Good," Angelus said, dropping the lifeless body of the woman he had been feeding on. "Show her in."

Buffy Summers stepped into the room, her vampire features hidden by the shadows. Her yellow eyes piercing the darkness. "He did exactly what you said her would, master." She kissed him passionately on the lips. "The past and the future belong to us."

"Strangely, you don't sound happy. You had hoped he would come with?"

"Yes," she said with a pout. "But instead, he staked me. If ol' Drac hadn't taught me a few of his tricks, I might've stayed a pile of dust."

"Yes. You must teach me that trick sometime."

"Of course, darling. Is all going as planned?"

"Yes, my dear. The wolves are at the door. The trap has been set. And even now, the army of Slayers should be finding out how grave their situation truly is."




Percy Langlais staked a vampire and then resumed her fighting stance. This world was a far cry from 1835 Boston. Still, she was needed to fight the good fight, so she went into the unknown. The soldiers of hell were amassed in this place called Sunnydale, and she and many other Slayers were called into battle. There was one among them that unnerved her, though. She was a young woman with dark skin, wrapped in what appeared to be grave wrappings. She could not speak, nor walk fully upright. She was tense like a jungle cat. She looked always on the verge of pouncing. She was a killer. Pure and simple. Percy shook her head and let it go.

She had, unwittingly, become the leader of a small group of Slayers. One, named Misha, was a young Russian girl born in 1867. There was an Egyptian girl from centuries earlier and a young Israeli girl, named Katherine Hoffman from nearly a century in Percy's future. Of the three hundred plus Slayers present, these were the few she had come to know in some miniscule way. They fought hard, as she did, knowing that they were to be the holding action. She smiled. She strangely felt like part of a family, which was something she hadn't felt since she lost her parents as a child. But then, suddenly, her smile disappeared altogether. Portals began opening on every side, and out of them all streamed thousands of vampires.

"What does this mean?" Katherine asked.

"If I were to guess," Percy said. "I'd say that each of those portals is from a timeline Angelus has control of. And he's had plenty of time to turn each population."

"Then that means..." Katherine started.

"That we're as good as dead," Percy finished. "As good as dead."




Time Stands Still - Days of Yore



Willow glanced at Xander and wondered what had happened to his eye. The patch made him seem more like a stranger than her her oldest friend and husband. He noticed her staring.

"Angelus."

"Where?" She said, suddenly at red alert.

"No. I didn't see him. He's the one that took my eye."

"Oh."

"That IS what you were wondering, isn't it?"

"Well... Yeah."

"He had taken Faith... Well, I guess we're not supposed to share too much. I mean, if we fail, we may go back to our own realities."

"But for how long? I mean, the universe can't really take this much longer. All existence might just blink out."

"Faith won't let that happen. Not if she and Buffy have anything to say about it. I'm just sorry it was an alternate ME that got us into this mess."




Xander watched as his past self brought Giles out of the mansion. He had forgotten what a beating his friend had taken. Still, he knew that Angel would pay for what he had done. In fact, the final blow would be struck any second.

"C'mon," he whispered quietly. "Read the freakin' note, you idi... You handsome man, you."

His past self reached into his pocket. "That's it, buddy. Read the note."



"We m-must help her," Giles said, struggling to stand on his own. "Did... Did you bring weapons?"

"I've got a stake," Xander said. "Not much to gamble the fate of the world on. But Buffy is. She's a safe bet. But," he pulled the note out and read it. "I think we should stick around just in case. If she has to kill him... She'll need us."

"Right," Giles said, as Xander helped him sit on the curb. "I'll just wait here and bleed a while."

"Yeah, well.... Here." Xander handed Giles a bandana. "It's Cordy's, so you know it's clean."

"Thank you," Giles whispered. "Perhaps you should go back in."

"No. If I get in the way or get in trouble.... Well, I won't have her getting hurt on my account. Besides, she's Buffy. The day is as good as saved, G-man."

"One would think this condition would entail at least a modicum of sympathy. Yet, still you insist on using that name."

"Hey, I'm just trying to keep you alert. Those head wounds can be nasty."

"Yes. Remember that the next time you think of using that name."




"What now?" Buffy asked Giles. All around them, the Slayers were being slaughtered.

"We do whatever it takes to get you inside," he said. "The rest of us are expendable, but you must get to Angelus and keep him distracted."

"I'll have to move fast," she said, glancing at Xander. "You a good shot with that thing?"

Xander pulled the pistol from his side holster. "One of the best."

"Then you stick with me and Faith. Take down any opposition that gets through Angel and Oz. They'll take the point and clear the path. The rest of you close up the sides and back."

"What happens if we can't get you in?" Cordelia asked.

"Not an option. We get in or we die trying."

"Are you sure you're ready to face him?" Willow asked.

Buffy looked around at all her friends and nodded with determination. "I killed him once," she said. "I can do it again."



Xander watched from his hiding spot as Buffy came out of the mansion. There were tears streaming from her beautiful eyes. Part of him wanted to rush over and comfort her, but his past self beat him to it. Buffy collapsed in Xander's arms. The tears came slowly. She was clearly in shock. It felt strange spying on himself.

"Was it worth it?"

Her voice startled him. He spun around and literally gasped for breath at the sight of her. "Buffy?"

She pushed her wheelchair forward. There were tears in her eyes, too. "Answer me, Xander."

"I - I just... I didn't want to... I couldn't lose you. I just wanted to insure that I could be with you."

"At what expense, Xan? Jenny Calendar came to me. She told me what was happening. You were tricked."

"Or you were."

"Xander, I don't pretend to understand all of this. I mean, I get confused by the Marx Brothers. But I do know YOU. You love me. I know that. I had every intention of meeting you at the alter and spending the rest of my life with you. But this is WRONG, Xander. You've got to see that."

He didn't respond to her statement. Instead, he turned away from her gaze. "How did you find me?"

"Jenny gave me a stone. She said if I focused on you it would bring me to whatever time or reality you were in. Xander, we have to make this right. I can't love you if everyone else has to pay for it. That isn't what real love is about. I would die for what we share in a heartbeat. But I can't let innocent people pay the price."

"But..."

"Should Giles pay? O-or Oz? What about Willow? Xander they will ALL just cease to exist right along with me and you."

"It's a lie," he said. "The PTB just told us that so we would do their dirty work. I can't believe anything they say."

"Maybe not," she said softly. "But you SHOULD be able to believe ME, Xan."

"Even if I did, it's too late."

Buffy saw the movement behind Xander too late to alert him. The knife was at his throat faster than Buffy could follow. And the sight of what she saw left her unable to form thought.

"He's right, you know," the vampire said in Buffy's own voice. "It's far too late."

Buffy could do nothing but watch in horror as Xander's throat was slit from ear to ear. He slumped to the ground spilling blood by the liter. The vamp licked it from her knife. "Alright, Rollergirl," she said with a wicked grin. "Take a wild guess who's next."




Time Stands Still - The Final Approach



Buffy knew many of her friends would not make it. Cordelia and "Ripper" had already been lost. But they were only a block away from the mansion, and she had to get inside. Angel was wounded badly, yet he and Oz continued moving forward, killing every demon and vampire in their path. Xander kept pace with the Slayer, shooting anything that managed to get past Angel and Oz. He apparently had wooden bullets in the gun, because the vamps were exploding into dust as they were hit. Gunn and his axe guarded Buffy's back.

She heard Willow scream, but by the time she turned to help her, she was dead. "Xander can undo this," she whispered to herself. "He HAS to undo this."

"Look out!" Angel shouted. An Entigorn had appeared on the roof of Angelus' mansion. It took to the sky, it's leathery wings clawing at the air.

"We can't stop," Buffy reminded. "We have to keep going. Xander?"

"On it."

Xander pulled the clip from his gun and inserted different one. "Wooden bullets don't work on these uglies." He fired a few rounds. The bullets exploded on impact, blowing sizeable holes in the monster's midsection. "That's why I invented these puppies."

She smiled at him. He wasn't her Xander, but he was definitely Xander. She just hoped that whichever Xander started this mess was on his way to fix it.




"What's wrong?" Vamp Buffy asked. "Have I offended you in some way?"

Buffy was in shock. Her fiancée, Xander, lay bleeding on the ground. His throat had been cut by the twisted version of herself that stood before her.

"C'mon, Buffy," the vampire said leaning into her face. "Talk to me. It isn't like I cut YOUR throat."

At that, Buffy swung hard, catching the vampire off guard. There was a loud crack when her fist connected with the vampire's jawbone. Buffy winced in pain. She had shattered her knuckle.

"That almost hurt, blondie." The vampire smiled widely. "Too bad you don't have your slayer powers. You might have taken my head off with that punch. Must suck to be so weak and helpless. I'm almost ashamed to waste a cripple." The vamp lunged at her, fangs bared. She realized something was wrong when Buffy didn't look the least bit frightened. Instead of fear, there was hatred in her eyes. Her mistake was made clear as wood pierced flesh and bone and she dissolved into dust.

"I may be crippled," Buffy said softly. "But I'm still the Slayer."




"They are at the door, Master."

"Good," Angelus said. "How many survived?"

"Two of them. The Slayer and the man with the gun."

"Hmm. Somehow I knew it would be those two. Leave me with my guards. This moment is meant for us alone."

"Yes, master."




The door to Angelus' mansion splintered into hundreds of pieces, causing all the vampires within to shudder. They could feel the Slayer's presence within their sanctum sanctorum and it made their blood run even colder than usual.

"Knock, knock..." Buffy called at the top of her voice.

"Avon calling," Xander added.

Xander took the lead and headed straight for the main room. Vamps were pouring out of there like ants out of a colony. He just kept firing at them, the incendiary rounds causing each one he hit to burst into flames before collapsing in a pile of ash. He went empty about midway through the short hallway and switched back to wooden shots.

Buffy was holding her own, as well, staking on the move. It was a fast and furious few moments, but they finally made it. Once they did, they wished they had rethought the whole plan. They found Angelus alright. About twenty different version pulled from various timelines.

"Slayer," they all began to mutter like a murder of crows squawking at each other over their dinner.

"Um, is it too late to choose whatever is behind door number two?" Xander asked. And suddenly, the fight was on.




Buffy rolled frantically to Xander, but never made it. A fog swirled in front of her and her vampire alter-ego materialized between her and her murdered fiancée. A hard right cross knocked her out of her wheelchair. A kick to the ribs sent her rolling. She heard and felt one crack with the impact.

"How?" She asked breathlessly.

"Let's just say I'm a lot harder to kill that I seem to be," the vamp responded. She kicked the ribs again, shattering another and sending Buffy shoulder first into a tree. Her collarbone snapped . The pain was immense. "This is a lot like playing kick the can," Vamp Buffy said. "Only more fun. Now what should I do for an encore?"

"How 'bout you die?" Asked Xander from behind her. His throat had healed completely, though he was pale from the loss of blood and his voice sounded like silk ripping. Before the vampire version of his true love could turn around, he removed her head from her shoulders with one swing of his blade. "And STAY dead this time, bitca."

He dropped to his knees beside Buffy. She looked at him and smiled. "Xander?"

"It's me, baby. I'm so sorry. God, what have I done??"

"No... It's okay. I know you've been a little..."

"Crazed? You know, it was like Alexander's thoughts and memories were so jumbled with my own, I just couldn't think straight. He... He lost his love... The Slayer... He never got over it. It was so real. The pain. The torture of being helpless to bring her back."

"It's okay. You came out of it. You saved me."

"Not soon enough. Look at you."

"Yeah. My wedding dress is ruined. But if you're okay, it was worth it."

"Buffy, I..."

"No. No time for apologies. Or even... even good-byes. You have to fix this, Xander. I can't go with you. Not like this. But YOU can go. You can fix it all."

"And if we never..."

"We will." She smiled that smile that always stopped his heart. "I believe with all my heart that we will. If you believe it to, I know it'll happen. WE will happen."

He looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He pulled the stone from his pocket and closed his eyes. And as soon as he realized where and when he needed to go, he was gone.



Time Stands Still - Parting Glances



Angelus smiled a wicked smile and pulled the Slayer to her feet by her hair. "You disappoint me, Buffy. I remembered you being tougher than this."

Her left eye was swollen shut and her bottom lip was split open. Add to that the fact that she had several broken ribs and a concussion. Buffy had seen better days. Xander was unconscious on the floor. She had no idea if he would ever wake up again. She looked at Angelus... The one who started the whole bloody mess. He was surrounded by 5 alternate versions of himself. There had been twenty, but Buffy and Xander had worked as a killing machine and taken the majority of Angelus' guard down before they were beaten. Angelus never even looked worried. Now, he was all smiles.

"You know, of course," the vampire said. "That eventually, I'll kill you. But not yet. I want to savor this moment. I want it to last forever. But you are not immortal, so time is of the essence. I plan on torturing you both, and though normally it would be ladies first, I thought I would keep you coherent enough to watch this awful young man dying slowly and painfully."

Two of his guards picked Xander up from the ground. Surprisingly, he was awake and stood on his own. "You think I'm scared of you?" He asked. "In my world, I staked you a long time ago." Angelus just glared at Xander as the leather clad young man pulled a small flask from his coat and took and sip or two from it. "There. Now I'm good and numb. Beat away." He took another swig from the flask just before one of the guards jerked it away from him.

"I'll take that," the alternate Angelus said. He was dressed in attire from the early 1800's. "I've been needing a drink." He didn't see Xander's smile until the stuff was down his throat. He began spitting up blood. He collapsed to the floor and slowly turned to ash.

Xander spun to the other guard and spit a steady stream of liquid into the vamp's face. It was like acid to the creature. The second it began roaring in pain, Xander poured the stuff down his throat. Soon he was just a pile of dust at Xander's feet.

"Clever," Angelus said, clapping lightly. "Holy water in the flask. One of the oldest tricks around actually. I'm surprised I fell for that."

"Well, you never were as smart as you thought you were," Xander said. "Now there are just four of you and two of us. I'd say the odds are pretty even. How about you, Buff?"

Before Angelus had the chance to turn back to the Slayer, she caught him across the chin with a right cross that knock the head off an ordinary man. Caught off guard, he fell backward and landed on his back in the floor. Buffy spit blood from her mouth, just noticing she had lost a tooth. "I'm ready to rock," she said. "Let's end this."




Xander watched from the shadows as his past self and Riley explained to Angel and Spike that the Entigorn was dead. He thought for a second that perhaps he would simply cease to exist since he changed history, but then he remembered what Dawn had said:

"Even though history will be re-written and set back in order, you three will exist outside the laws of time. It must be that way if you are to remember your mission."

He shook his head. He hated that Dawn had learned the truth. He didn't think any little girl should have to feel so out of place.

Vamp Buffy stood behind him, ready to make her move. She was all set to attack when she heard someone say, "Psssst", behind her. Before she could turn and look at the new arrival, her head fell from her shoulders.

Xander sheathed his sword. As he watched his past self walk away, he began fading from existence.




Buffy checked Xander's pulse. He was dead.

"What did you think you could accomplish here, Slayer?" Angelus asked. "Did you honestly think you could defeat me?"

Through her tears she smiled at him a knowing smile. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't about you. It was NEVER about you."

Angelus watched as all of reality around him began to fade. "Noooo!" He screamed.

Buffy just closed her eyes and welcomed the oblivion.



Dawn and Doyle Stood in silence in the ether and watched the separate realities fading back to two. She looked at him, as if to say something but she had no words.

"You don't have a choice here, kiddo," he said, putting an arm around her. "The PTB pulled you here so you could remember enough to get the job done. Once you correct that one divergent thread, everything will be back to normal. You'll exist in only one reality and won't remember any of this. You wouldn't now, if we hadn't pulled you here. As soon as you fix it, we'll all be safe again."

"But Buffy and Xander..."

"May eventually be together," he said. "But we can't let reality collapse to make it happen."

"I know. But it doesn't make me hate it any less."



It was night, and all the Summers women were snuggled safe in their beds, except for Buffy. Something had killed a woman in the alley behind Quigglie's Pool Joint, and she was staking the place out. Her mother, of course, had tried to get her to stay in, but in the end, she knew it was Buffy's duty. Buffy had to fight the monsters because no one else could. Granted, she had friends who chose to battle at her side, but it was just that. A choice. It was Buffy's destiny. She couldn't escape it.

Dawn had gone to bed long before her mother. Her mind registered a noise in her room, but it was several moments before she opened her eyes. After a few seconds, they adjusted to the darkness and she saw herself standing next to her bed. She sat upright and stared, too frightened to scream.

"It's okay," the other her said. "It's just a dream, but it's an important one."

Dawn rubbed her eyes and looked again. The other her was still there. "Important?"

"Yes. Buffy needs you. You have to go to her tonight. Cheer her up. She's missing Riley and she needs encouragement. If you go, it will ease her troubled heart. She sits and waits for you now, atop the pool hall where she is stalking a monster. Will you go to her?"

"I guess."

"You can't guess. I need your word that you will go to her within the hour."

"Okay, okay. God, I didn't know I was so pushy." She looked up to say something else to the other her, but she was gone. She shook her head and started looking for some clothes to put on. This was going to be a long night.




Buffy watched the sunset from the roof of an abandoned warehouse just three blocks from the Bronze. Her friends were there already, no doubt, while she was stuck waiting for the creeps to come out and play. There had been a murder in the alley below her. A not-so-normal murder. The victim had been one Leslie Pendleton, a waitress at The Magic 8-ball Lounge. She was found in tiny little pieces spread all across Sunnydale like some kind of disgusting pixie dust. The SPD had placed the murder itself in the alley just behind Quigglie's Pool Joint. Buffy could hear the billiard balls clacking into each other in the place below. She and Giles had decided that the beastie might return to the scene of the crime, thus Buffy found herself alone on a rooftop while her friends danced at the Bronze.

The wind was blowing from the north and carried on it the scent of pizza from a parlor down the block. Buffy's stomach rumbled loudly. "Great," she thought. "Way to give away my hiding spot. Rumbling stomach leads to Slayer's death. News at eleven."

She gazed below. The alley was of the stinking-of-urine-and-beer variety with plenty of rubbish strewn about. Buffy was glad she decided to watch from the roof. She found herself a seat leaning against a stack of brick. Apparently, the owner of Quigglie's was going to repair the places around the edge of the roof, where bricks had started to come loose.

She listened intently, but heard nothing but wind. Her ribs were sore from a fight with a vamp the night before. She had taped them, but it wasn't helping. She was tired, too. More tired than she should have been. She had been going nonstop for over a week. There had been a dramatic upswing in vamp activity and then this new creature, whatever it was. Her mind wandered back to the Bronze. She missed her friends. After the debacle with Adam, they had been trying to spend more time together. Xander even planned a trip for them all, but the murder had put their plans on hold. She wished they were there to keep her company.



"We should be there keeping her company," Xander said as he handed Willow and Anya their drinks. "These murders are kind of creepy. When creatures are at play, we usually comfort each other."

"We're her creepy creature comfort," Willow said with a smile to Tara.

"She'll be fine, Xander." Anya gave him a dirty look. It was jealousy, and Xander recognized it well.

"I know," he said, not sounding the least bit convinced. "I just think it's some kind of whack that we're in here doing the boogie-oogie-oogie 'til we just can't boogie no more, and she's on a rooftop waiting for an ugly to pounce."

"Maybe Xander's right," Willow said. "Maybe Buffy thinks we're mean for not tagging along."

"I think Buffy knows you guys better than to think you're mean," Tara offered. "But if you want, we can go check on her before we go home."

"Yeah," Willow suddenly got excited. "And we could take her a mochaccino."

"Well, you go right ahead," Anya said. "Xander and I are going back to his basement. To have sex. "

Tara blushed, but Willow looked angry. Still, she kept quiet which is more than Xander could do.

"You don't speak for me, Anya. Sex is not important. Wait. Who said that? Was that me? Yeah. It was definitely me. Look... Buffy is out there alone and miserable, and being her friend is a little more important that having sex with you tonight... again."

"That's almost telling her," Willow said.

"I don't understand why you feel compelled to help her," Anya said. "Riley will be back tomorrow and you and Willow will be forgotten again."

It was the first time that Willow recalled seeing Xander so angry that he had no clever quips or put-downs. Instead, he just looked at Anya and his face did the talking. His expression went from anger to disgust and then disbelief that Anya cared so little about someone who saved them time and again from dark, evil fates. He turned and walked away. Anya sipped on her drink. Willow and Tara just sat in silence not knowing what to say.


Buffy's eyes had grown heavy, but she fought sleep off with all her might. The night air was cool, so she zipped her jacket and stood again hoping that movement would warm her up. Instead, it made her realize how sore she was. Her ribs ached and her knees were stiff. Suddenly, there was a displacement of air behind her, so she dropped to the ground and spun, sweeping the legs of whatever was behind her.

"Ow!" Dawn cried, holding her head. "What are you trying to do to me?"

"I'm sorry," Buffy said, helping her up and inspecting her head. "I didn't know it was you. What are you doing up here, anyway?"

"I, um, just thought you looked kinda sad today. Thought I'd play the good sister and hang out with you. I'm always good for a laugh, you know."

"That you are," Buffy agreed. "Really, I'm glad you're here. The gang is at the Bronze and I was getting lonely."

"Missing Riley?"

"Yeah. Kind of."

They heard a noise behind them and turned to see Xander. "Dawn... I didn't expect you to be up here."

"Join the club," Buffy said, nudging her sister with her elbow. "She came up to keep me company."

"So did I," he admitted. "The gang was at the Bronze and, you know, Anya, Will and Tara were concerned, so I volunteered to check up on you."

"I appreciate it," Buffy said with a smile. "But I think Dawn and I will be heading home shortly. I suspect she failed to tell mom about her little jaunt in the middle of the night."

Dawn squirmed a little. "She was sleeping."

"And if she wakes up and finds you gone, she'll freak," Buffy said.

"Do you want me to walk you girls home?" Xander offered.

"No thanks, Xan. We're gonna catch up on some girl talk," Buffy said.

"Gotcha. Okay, then... I guess I'll go. Be careful going home."

Xander turned and made his way back down the service ladder.

"He's SO cute," Dawn said.

"Really?" Buffy asked, pondering that for a minute. "Isn't he a bit old for you?"

"What difference does age make when you're in love?"

"Sister o'mine," Buffy said, putting an arm around Dawn. "Have I got a story for you."



The End.... For Now.