Sequel to To Me
He was driven to the uncomfortable silence by his own words. He couldn't believe
what he'd admitted straight to the source. Loving Buffy had been the furthest
thing from his mind lately. Well, that wasn't the complete truth, but he felt
almost certain that his time of pining after her was over. He had Anya now,
and they were engaged. He winced involuntarily at that. He was going to have
to tell everyone sooner or later. Now, though, he was hoping for later. How
would Buffy react to the news? Would she even react?
It was then that he noticed Buffy was just as silent as he was, though she didn't
seem half as uncomfortable as he did. It warmed his heart to see a little of
the innocent returned in her eyes. She had, in effect, been given a new lease
on life. It seemed logical with her 'rebirth' that she'd lose a little bit of
the baggage she'd been carrying around. The kind one never tries too hard to
claim. Let someone overseas have it.
She looked as beautiful as ever, which reminded him just how head over heels
he still was with her. He had tried not to show it, and almost fooled himself
along with everyone else in thinking he was truly over her. But seeing her like
this, alive again and full of wonder, had brought it all rushing back. Not surprisingly,
thoughts of Anya were lost until they turned the corner and the Magic Box came
into view.
He had to tell her. The part of him that could never say no to her, could also
not deny her this bit of information. It would be easier saying it to her alone,
than with everyone else there. Suddenly, with the voice of a nervous teenager,
he spoke, "B-Buffy?" She kept walking, but looked at him, waiting
for him to say whatever it was. It didn't make it any easier for him, "Buffy...
Anya and I... we're engaged."
She stopped in place, looking at him questioningly, "Y-you... but?"
She glanced back the way they came.
He had stopped and turned around when she looked back, his eyes following hers,
"I know, Buffy. I wasn't sure how to tell you. What I said up there was
the truth." He stepped back towards her and hoped his eyes would tell the
tale, "And it complicates things, but I'm still engaged to her. I made
a promise to her, and I intend to keep it. It's the kind of guy I am."
She seemed lost again, "Why, if you don't love her..."
He glared a little, "I didn't say that. I love her very much. It's never
compared to you, though, but you weren't available at any of the times I wanted
you. I've got a good thing with Anya, and I don't intend on making the same
mistake twice."
It took her a moment to catch his meaning, but the memory of the clothes fluke
with Willow came rushing back to her. She sighed loudly, and couldn't help but
notice the worry and concern on his face as she did so. "How long?"
He caught her meaning almost immediately, "Since before we went to fight
Glory. When we were rummaging around for the Dagon Sphere in the basement."
She smiled ruefully, "When you went to have sex." He blushed furiously.
He took a few more steps towards the Magic Box before stopping again, "Even
if Anya wasn't an issue, I wouldn't be with you... not right now."
She was again confused, "Why not?"
He didn't look at her, simply expressed his thought through word, "You're
not exactly yourself right now, Buffy. You're still all jumbled up in your head
from this whole ordeal. I'd feel like I was taking advantage of you... that
you'd want nothing to do with me when you got back to being yourself."
She was about to say something else to him, when he gestured for her to follow,
"We should hurry up. They're probably worrying about us at the shop. We
shouldn't keep them waiting."
"What?" Tara's ears perked up.
Anya sighed, "Nevermind. That's not the point. Xander is going to be dead
and then I'll have to do something moronically romantic like killing myself."
"Such a shame." Willow mumbled. She cleared her throat and glared
at Anya, "They're going to be fine. Buffy can take care of them both."
Anya fumed a little, "Are you implying that Xander can't take care of himself?
He *did* axe that demon, y'know." She was about to pounce on Willow for
her skeptical look, but had not the time, as Xander came rushing through the
front door with Buffy en tow.
"Buffy, Xander!" Everyone declared at once. A round of singular hugs
and group hugs were exchanged, and everyone began gushing about Buffy's return.
Everyone, except Dawn. She was stunned into silence at seeing her sister before
her. Buffy was likewise quiet, for the most part, when it came to her sister.
They stared at each other for a long time.
"Is it really you?" Dawn asked, her voice barely a whisper. Anya was
about to answer the obvious, when Xander threw a hand over her mouth and dragged
her away.
Buffy nodded, and within moments, was enveloped in a bearhug that rivaled her
Slayer strength. She returned it, and felt her long-unshed tears beginning to
flow. Dawn's sobs could be heard, though muffled through Buffy's dress. Her
head lifted from Buffy's shoulder, just enough for her to hoarsely mumble, "I
love you, Buffy."
Her eyes instinctively, she wasn't sure why, found Xander on the other side
of the shop. Her eyes closed tightly as she replied easily, "I love you,
too, Dawn."
The moment was broken as Willow cleared her throat. Buffy looked at her quietly,
her look expectant, "Yes?"
"I... uh... I'm sorry to interrupt... but I wanted to ask you some things...
about where you were and how you're feeling."
Buffy released Dawn from the embrace, keeping an arm around her protectively,
"I don't really think there's much to it. I was in hell, had a really not
good time with a bunch of hellbeasts, did the eternal torment thing, and now
I'm back. Other than that, I'm pretty much peachy."
"Buffy... I... this isn't something we can just joke about. We have to
know if we brought you came back alright. If you're all *you.* We want to make
sure there weren't any mistakes."
"Mistakes?" Dawn asked, incredulously, "You mean you did this?"
"Yes... we... it's complicated, Dawn." Xander tried to answer gently,
reaching a hand out to her.
She quickly batted it away, "Don't touch me. You knew you could do this
and you waited so long? You didn't tell *me* about it?"
Tara replied, "D-Dawn, we didn't want to get your h-hopes up... in case
it didn't work. We didn't want you to get your feelings hurt."
Dawn clutched her sister protectively, "By lying to me? How did you think
you'd break it to me if it worked? 'Oh hey, Dawn. By the way, we brought Buffy
back. Here she is!' I can't believe you did this!"
"Dawn." The calm voice startled her. Buffy looked down at her, "Dawnie,
please, try to calm down."
Dawn unexpectedly broke away from Buffy's protective arm, looking at her in
disbelief, "Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?" She sniffled
deeply, tears beginning to form again, her eyes became angry, "How do I
even know you're real?" She looked at Willow and the rest of them with
something bordering on hate, "Is she even really my sister?"
The words stung them all, especially Buffy. The look on her little sister's
face was enough to break her heart. The young girl stumbled away, towards the
stacks, sobbing openly. She turned away from them.
"Yes, she's your sister!" Willow responded, "We wouldn't use
anything to trick you. We love you, Dawn. We don't want to hurt you."
"You idiots." The voice was barely recognizable. There was only a
trace left that they could recognize as Dawn's. She spun around, bearing pure
white eyes and a menacing glare, "You have no idea what you've done."
"Dawn?" Buffy was breathless.
"You'll be made to pay for your transgression. And it will be by my hand."
Dawn's mouth opened wide, and a startling burst of flame spouted forth. They
all ducked out of the way, as Dawn finished spouting and collapsed to the floor.
Xander grabbed a throw pillow and began beating out the fire that had been started
in the books on the table. The rest of them rushed to Dawn's side to see if
she was okay. After finishing to put out the fire, he rushed to Dawn's side,
sitting right above her head.
"W-What happened?" Dawn croaked out, disoriented.
Xander stroked her forehead, as the others comforted her in other ways, "Someone
decided to rent Dawn Patrol for a minute. Are you okay?"
She nodded weakly, giving them all relief, "My throat's dry."
Anya looked amused, "Well that's what happens, y'know, when you spit fire."
"Fire?" Dawn was confused.
"The thing that took you, it made you..." Buffy paused, "It's
not important. You're okay, that's all that matters."
"Wills, I think we should hit the research pretty hard now. Find out what
this is. Anya and I will take Dawn back to the Summer's house, get her some
rest. Uh, Buffy... you can go either way." He avoided her eyes as he spoke
to her.
Buffy looked torn, but then came to a decision, "I'll come along with you...
in case it takes her over again and we find out the human torch isn't the only
thing in its bag of tricks."
Xander nodded, and started helping Dawn out of the place. He stopped, letting
Anya and Buffy resume the carrying of Dawn, and turned back to Willow, "Willow...
whatever you find out, see if it took over Dawn because she was the key, or
if its after mystical hosts... cause then I'm coming back here to keep watch
over you two. Just... find out something, okay?"
Willow nodded and stuck her nose back in a book, while Tara ran around the stacks
grabbing a few other books. Xander headed out after the others.
"You aren't going to. Whatever it is, it's not you." He squeezed Dawn's
hand, "We're going to figure out what it is, and we're going to kill it.
Just for you."
Dawn smiled faintly, "I'm glad you're back, Buffy."
"I'm glad to be back. I couldn't leave my sister for long." She leaned
down and gave her a kiss on the forehead, "You should get some rest. If
you need anything, just get our attention. Just don't do that fire thing again.
That's one trick I could live without ever seeing again. Goodnight, Dawn."
"Goodnight, Buffy. I love you."
"I love you too."
Buffy left the room and closed the door behind her. She made her way down the
stairs to see Xander sitting apprehensively on the couch, trying to not look
extremely worried. When he heard Buffy come down the stairs, he nearly leapt
off the couch to interrogate her, "Is Dawnie okay? Is she sleeping?"
Buffy smiled a little, "She will be soon, on both counts. How are you doing?"
"Other than being freaked out that my favorite little Summers was spewing
fired less than an hour ago? I'm fine."
Buffy couldn't hold back a smile as she asked, "Who's your favorite *big*
Summers?"
Several emotions fluttered through Xander's eyes, but settled on discomfort,
"Buffy... can you please not use that against me?"
She nodded quietly, before changing the subject, "Where's Anya?"
He was thankful for the change, as he motioned towards the kitchen, "She
went to make some tea in case Dawn had trouble sleeping... you, too."
"Well, I'll have to remember to tell her tha..."
She was interrupted by a soft, pleading, "Xander?"
They both looked over to see Anya, with pure white eyes, marching out of the
kitchen with an open scissors held to her face. When she knew she had their
attention, she smiled wickedly, "Upon the world you have unleashed an unspeakable
evil. I will have vengeance upon this place, and all who reside, for as many
centuries as I need. And the glory will be in the means of destruction. Your
own bodies will be used against you." To accent the point, the possessed
Anya brought the blade of the scissors down across her cheek, opening a large
gash.
"Anya!" He was about to make a dive, but was halted by an unseeable
force. The non-Anya continued to mark up her own face, a delighted smile on
her face as she did so.
"The human race will be their own undoing. I shall be the hand, you shall
be the tool. At the mercy of my influence. And you will not know when it will
come. I use this body as an example."
The scissors was brought to Anya's throat, but before the slash could be made,
Anya was tackled from behind, "No!" Dawn grabbed Anya's arm, knocking
the scissors from her hand. Before anything further transpired, Anya dropped
to the floor unconscious, taking Dawn with her.
"Dawn!" Buffy rushed to her sister's aide, as Xander went to Anya.
As soon as she knew Dawn was alright, she sprung up, "I'll get bandages!"
She bounded up the stairs.
"Ahn, speak to me... please. Let me know you're okay." He was beyond
relieved to see the blade only nicked her throat, the small spot of blood nothing
compared to what it could have been. He rocked her gently in his arms, whispering
her name repeatedly.
He didn't notice her slight shiver as she regained consciousness, continuing
his ritualistic rocking, until she barked, "Xander, stop it, you're making
me nauseous."
He smiled with relief, leaning down and planting a kiss on her with no heed
to the fact he was getting blood all over himself. Buffy returned with the bandages,
and helped him move her onto the couch, where he immediately started dressing
her wounds.
Buffy led Dawn back up to her room and put her back to bed. When she came back,
Xander had finished bandaging Anya's face, and she had since fallen asleep.
He sat over her, as if to watch and make sure she took ever breath she was supposed
to.
Buffy came to stand by him, and he looked up. She could see his eyes were wet
with barely held-off tears. She laid a hand on his shoulder, "Is she going
to be okay?"
He stood up, leading her across the living room, "Yeah," He whispered,
"The cuts were mostly shallow. She should be fine, but she almost..."
She squeezed his arm, "I know, Xander. But she's okay. Focus on that."
He sighed, "I suppose we should call Willow... warn her. This thing...
it made her... how can we stop this, Buffy? It's using us against ourselves."
"Well find something, Xander. And we'll kill it for what it did to her.
I promise."
He smiled weakly, "Thanks. Well, I don't want to move her, so it looks
like we're spending the night here."
"Where are you gonna sleep? Anya has the couch, Dawn had her room, Willow
and Tara have the main bedroom... I..." She stopped, something running
through her mind.
Before she could get much farther, he interrupted her, "I can manage on
the floor." Before she could argue, he kept going, "I'll go give Willow
a call, let her know what happened. Just grab me some pillows and a blanket
or two from upstairs."
She did so reluctantly, and he made a short call to the Magic Box. When she
came back down, he was exiting the kitchen with a couple of cups of tea. He
handed her one, and started talking without prompting, "Wills said she
didn't find much on what this is. She did, however, find a general warding spell.
It should keep whatever this is out... she and Tara just got done doing it at
the Magic Box, and they'll do it here as soon as they got home. Hopefully it'll
do its job... I really don't want to have that happen again." He motioned
towards Anya on the couch.
"Alright... so we just wait for Willow and Tara to get home, and hope the
boogie man doesn't try to catch us again. Sounds fun."
He almost laughed, when his eye caught movement in the front yard. The blonde
hair reflected in the moonlight told him exactly who it was. Without a second
thought, he took Buffy's empty cup of tea and suggested, "Why don't you
go upstairs and get ready for bed? I'll clean up down here, and then we can
hang out until the witchly women get here."
Buffy was apprehensive about leaving him alone again, but didn't put up too
much of a fight. When the door to her room closed, he put the cups down, and
headed out the front door.
"Anya and I dropped Dawn off here. We found her wandering around downtown."
Xander answered.
Spike looked irritated, "Oh, right, so I suppose now you're gonna blame
me for letting her get out of my sights, right?"
"No. Hell broke loose tonight, Spike. You probably did your best to keep
her inside... but we both know how stubborn she is. We ran into her after taking
out the demon leader. They pretty much fled town after that."
"Took out the demon leader? What did Red cook up to take the wank out?"
Xander's face tightened, "Willow didn't kill him."
Spike was surprised, "Oh, the little blonde one then?"
"No, Spike. I killed him."
Spike let out a laugh, "You? No offense, droops, but you don't have what
it takes to off whatever bloke was ringleading this."
"I'm just full of surprises, *William.*" Xander kept himself even.
Spike just rolled his eyes, "Right then. I'm gonna go check on the nibblet."
He tried walking past Xander, but found a strong arm blocking his way, even
pushing him back, "I don't think so."
"Get out of my way, boy."
Xander wanted to start a fight. It would surely relieve a lot of his built up
tension. He didn't, though, for Buffy's sake. "She's sleeping, Spike. She's
had a *very* rough night. Why don't you just come back tomorrow night?"
"And just who do you think you are, telling me what to do?" Spike
spat back impetulantly.
"I think I'm a person who's looking out for Dawn's welfare at the moment.
I said you could come back tomorrow, Spike, I suggest you take me up on my offer
before it's retracted."
Spike felt like tearing him apart. Vamping out, and sucking the throat right
out of him. He sighed inwardly when he remembered he couldn't. He glared at
the young man for a while, before turning around and storming off back down
the sidewalk, cursing as he went, "Wanker. Git. ...Wanker."
Xander waited a little while before turning around and going back in the door.
Upstairs, Buffy's head pulled back from looking out the window.
Xander finished putting the dishes away before heading up the stairs towards
Buffy's room. He stopped at the door and nearly fell over. She was dressed for
bed, alright. As if she was expecting some dashing young man to come spend the
night with her.
Xander gulped loudly as he thought he might be the man she was envisioning.
The sophomore boy in his head was doing backflips and taking his pants off already,
but Xander mentally shook his head. He put on a simple smile and spoke, "Will
and Tara should be home any minute. You can go to bed and we can do the ward
spell on our own. You need your rest anyway."
She took his statement as a subtle refusal to her advance. She'd known it was
futile the minute she'd slipped on her nightgown, but still felt like trying.
Of all the emotions she was struggling to get a grasp on again, love was one
she knew she wanted most of all. His outright statement of his love had drawn
her towards this. Towards almost throwing herself at him. Despite his refusal
of her silent advances, she did not take offense to it, or look at it as a rejection.
She simply saw it for what it was; a friend respecting her too much to take
advantage of vulnerability. One dedicated to another and not about to go repeating
past mistakes. She smiled slightly, "Goodnight, Xander. Sweet dreams."
He returned the smile, "You too, Buff. You too."
