TITLE: BUFFY'S TURN 8\?

AUTHOR: RICK

E-MAIL: amulet@my-dejanews.com

DISCLAIMER: ALL THE BUFFY CHARACTERS BELONG TO JOSS WHEDON AND OTHERS.

SUMMARY: Okay, now we have Buffy back into the fold. But, alas and alak, now Xander is the problem. So we'll have more angst. But, if it were easy to get them together these fics would be very short, right?



CHAPTER: 8-OH, SO SHE JUST WALKS BACK IN AND BECOMES THE MAIN PLAYER, AGAIN...NO WAY!

Buffy curls up in Willow's lap. She cries to break her heart. Willow asks her.

"Buffy, tell me the whole story. Why did you run from us?"

The two women talk and cry and talk some more. It is very cleansing.

"Buffy, I knew if we were patient you would come back to us."

"Am I ever going to be able to make it up to you guys, Will?"

"Well I know Giles wants you back, Buffy. And Tara and I want you back."

"Will, what about Oz?"

"Buffy, I honestly don't know. I'm so glad we are best friends again. I don't know what's going to happen."

"How does Tara feel?"

"Tara loves me. She will support anything I need to do."

"God, that must be really scary for her to say, Will?"

Buffy has to ask about Xander. "Will, is Xander...you know, involved with any one?"

"Buffy, he has this whole network of people he deals with."

"And let me guess. They're all women."

"Xander is very different. So is Oz."

"Yea, I saw that. Hard as a rock, both of them."

"They had to get that way, Buffy. A lot has changed with us too. Most of it I can't even tell you about."

"You're scaring me Will!"

"You need to talk to Giles as soon as possible Buffy."

She goes to see her watcher. After a long, long lecture he is very forgiving. He invites her to the next meeting. Both Xander and Giles are away on a long excruciating training mission. One month of pure hell.

In the mean time Buffy gets herself back into the swing of things. She goes back to being her old reliable self. But no one has told her of their extracurricular activities as of yet. She is filled with questions about Xander, of course.

"Giles, where exactly is Xander?"

"He's away, Buffy."

"When is he coming back?"

"In a few weeks, Buffy. But, no more questions about either he or Oz, understood."

Buffy is a little shocked at his reply but when she looks around both Tara and Willow just look at her emotionless. She decides to drop it.

"Okay, Mr. Watcher. I'll behave."

Buffy knows there are some things she is not being told. This saddens her but she knows that she went off the deep end. As least she is back where she belongs. As soon as she shows every body she can be trusted again she is sure she'll be told the whole thing.

But what about Xander? She hasn't seen him since the day she tried to come on to him. Did she really kill his love for her? She can only hope that she didn't.

On the way home one night she runs into Spike and Faith. The Vampire asks.

"What's up Slayer? Are you deserting us?"

"I can't do the wild life, Spike. It's just not me."

"It's him isn't it , Buffy? The little boy. You have the bloody hots for him don't you?"

"That's only part of it, Spike."

"Yea, but it's a big part and he's going to pay for it every time I see him!"

"No Spike, you better leave him alone! Besides, he doesn't...even care for me anymore."

Spike goes away mumbling to himself. He is going to get Xamder if it's the last thing he does. Now all Buffy can think about is that she endangered Xander. She knows Spike. The blonde vampire will hunt him. What she doesn't know is that Xander has little or no fear of Spike at all.

Both Xander and Oz are honing their skills at a surprising rate. Two things keep them alive, Hellmouth experience and mental toughness. They are away an extended time. Even Willow is worried. She finally asks Giles.

"Giles, I know we're not suppose to ask but are they coming back to us?"

"They have been detained."

"Giles, that isn't a code way of saying they're..."

She trails off not wanting to complete the thought.

"Willow, as far as I know they are fine."

Buffy is back, all the way back. She has buried herself in her training. They thwart a hellmouth opening. Xander's absence has not put any distance between them in Buffy's heart. She has tried to stop thinking about him, to try to be realistic with her feelings but she can't. She loves Xander...all the way. She only hopes that time has healed his heart where she is concerned. Every one is entitled to a bad run. She had hers, twice. But now she is back, in it until the end. If she can only have Xander to do it with her.

But, there is another problem with her loving Xander, the competition. There is that Janice Hill woman. Buffy has apologized to her for the night she was cruel to her. She has even befriended her. But she loves, Xander, no doubt about it. And Willow told her about this Inez, Xander's so called personal trainer. And then there's the police woman from LA, Kate. Willow told Buffy she really likes Xander too. And last but not least there is Cordelia who is back in the picture. Willow told her she will get to meet every one at a party being thrown when Xander and Oz get back.

Xander and Oz come to the end of their grueling ordeal. They are permanently assigned to the drug wars, x-files division. All that means is to Giles. Oz talks to Xander.

"Willow tells me Buffy has given up the wild life. She's back to being our favorite slayer."

"So what?"

Oz just keeps looking at him. "Okay, wolf boy, what does that stare mean?"

"You still have that basic sleep thing...the thing where you say her name and talk about her."

"Well, it's just my way of getting her out of my system!"

"Okay, if you say so." Oz just laughs. Xander throws some thing at him.

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