"Out Of Character"
Sequel to Tasty Little Morsel

Spoilers: Bargaining Parts 1 & 2; Afterlife; Flooded; & All The Way

Summary: A continuation of "To Me", "Best Laid Plans", "Head Under Water", "Working Class Girl", and "Tasty Little Morsel" Ongoing, week-by-week rewrite of Season 6. My own twisted little universe. :)

Author's Note: The musical doesn't happen. I just don't have the ability to write a musical... well, I could, but it'd suck. The basic premise survives, and is semi-explained, but the musical itself doesn't happen. That make sense? I probably should have just gone with the musical. Giles still rules. I also ignore the Buffy/Spike interactions. Especially that damned kiss.

*FADE TO: Xander & Anya's apartment. They're flipping through marital catalogs. Xander is looking lost as Anya is flying through and marking all the things she wants to have at the wedding.*

Anya turned the catalog she was holding around, for Xander to see. His eyes bulged, "Anya, I love you, but I'd rather tango with a Chaos demon than wear that color tuxedo. I'd rather just go with a simple black."

Anya frowned, "But then our wedding will be just like anyone elses. I want ours to stand out."

"Anya, I think the fact that you used to be a vengeance demon pretty much sets us apart from everyone else." He found a tux that he liked and showed it to her, "See? Nice, simple, and affordable. We can't exactly throw our money around, Ahn."

Anya scrunched her face bitterly, "Well if you hadn't given all our money to Buffy..."

He sighed deeply, "We have this conversation every day now, don't we? I did not give *all* our money to Buffy, okay? I didn't even give half of it. She's my friend and I can't stand by and watch as she loses everything. I'd like to think I've taught you that much about humanity by now."

Anya was still snippy, "Sure, yeah, you've taught me *lots* about humanity... like the first half of the Kama Sutra." She sniffed and marked a few things off her list as 'too expensive.'

Xander's face fell and he pulled her out of her seat into his lap. She refused to look at him, turning her head away from him. "Anya." He gently brought her face around to look at him with his fingers, "Anya, I don't want to make you cry. I just want us to be married and have all the hub-bub over with. I want you to be Mrs. Harris already."

She smiled faintly, but continued to sniffle, "I just don't want to lose you to her, Xander."

He looked stricken, "Lose me to her? What do you mean?"

She refused to look into his eyes again, so instead she focused on his hands, "Ever since Buffy came back from the dead she's been... a Xander groupie. She's always too happy to see you, and she fawns over you like she's crazy about you. I don't want you to help her out so much that she... that she tries to take you away from me."

He flinched momentarily, but shook his head, "Anya, that'll never happen. I asked you to marry me, and I plan on following through. You're..." He paused oddly, "There's only one person in this world I want to marry."

Despite the vagueness of the endearment, it brought her up to face him again, where she saw an unconditional love in his eyes. Her smile was evident immediately. It was mere moments before she planted a kiss on his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. After a few minutes, they parted, and Anya relented, "I suppose there are a few things I can live without having for the ceremony. The flock of white doves *is* a little extravagent." He smiled warmly back at her as she got up off his lap and returned to her catalogs.

*CUT TO: The Summer's House. First person perspective of Spike(looking at him).*

A look of regret, something many never dreamed would ever pass across his face again, came over Spike's face. He pleaded, "Forgive me, please. I care about you lots, and all I want to do is make it up you. I'll do anything, I swear. Want me to stake myself? Just ask... well, okay, I'm not quite stupid enough to actually do it, but I'd get as close as I could get, just for you. Please?"

Dawn looked at him with intense... anger would probably be a good enough word for it. She almost looked as if to make the request he had jokingly suggested, before crying, "Spike, I hate you! You let the first boy to ever kiss me get killed!" She stopped speaking and took a large bite out of a bite-sized candy bar. There was enough candy around her to feed an army of children, but she still didn't seem pleased.

"I know, Nibblet, I know... but he *did* try to kill you, y'know." Spike spoke wisely.

A clear voice spoke out behind him, coming from the entryway, "Some might say that's a turn-on with the Summers women." Xander spoke a little bitterly.

Spike jumped up, his anger flaring easily with the young man, "I ought to..."

"What? Bat at me like a kitten with a string. Spike, we all know by now that you're about as harmful to humans as a bowl of water." Xander enjoyed one of the few things he could easily hold over Spike's head. Spike flared again, prepared to try attacking him anyway, when Xander held up a hand, "Spike."

They both glanced at Dawn, who began crying anew, "Will you two just STOP?!" She cried. With that, she grabbed as much candy as she could, and ran up the stairs, her door slamming behind her.

Both men looked up the stairs with regret. Spike glared at Xander again, "Great, now look what you..." The look Xander gave him stopped him, "We've done. I'm going to try to talk her down."

Xander begrudgingly agreed, "Tell her I'm sorry."

"That you are..." Spike mumbled under his breath.

Xander plopped down on the couch, grabbing a few candy bars that were just lying there. He moped a little as he chewed on the candy. A few moments later, the kitchen door opened, and Buffy came waltzing out. She smiled when she saw him, and took a seat by him on the couch, "What was that commotion a few minutes ago?" She mock glared at him, "Were you and Spike fighting again?"

He hung his head defeatedly, "Yeah... right in front of Dawn. I think she's still mad at me because I staked her vamp-boyfriend."

Buffy looked aghast, "Boyfriend? He was *not* her boyfriend. Please say he wasn't actually her *boyfriend.*"

"Yep, Buff, it runs in the family." He smirked. The smack he received on his arm made him yelp.

"That is SO not funny, Xander." She sighed and took a candy bar of her own, "Are you here for a reason?"

He rolled his eyes, "I *need* a reason to come visit you and Dawn, Buffy? I can't just drop by?"

"Not when you eat twice as many candy bars than usual." She gestured towards the wrappers on the coffee table, "It means you're nervous. What's up?"

"Giles just wants you to stop by the shop before you patrol. He, uh, said there was something wacky with magic going on tonight. He managed to halt it, but not before an incident broke out."

Buffy watched him as he devoured candybar after candy bar, and became concerned, "Xander... you're eating even more. What happened?"

He laughed, "Let's just say, I informed Giles about several things I'd kept secret about me..." He could see Buffy's eyes bulge out, "He now knows the unfortunate details of what Anya and I did in the basement the night we stopped Glory, the Fabulous Ladies' Night Club... and that I love you." He lowered his head.

"He didn't take it well?"

"Actually, he took it quite well. A lot better than the love spell. He's just pleased I'm not... y'know, taking advantage of you. I have no intention of that, Buffy."

She smiled faintly, "I know that, Xander. You're a perfect gentleman." She saw he was still tense, and decided to push, "Still nervous there, Xan. Talk."

He laughed shortly, before looking around at everything but her, "The whole thing... y'know, telling Giles and all that? I kinda did it in song."

She had to hold back the laughter the image brought to her, "In song?" Her voice cracked. She could see him turning even more red.

"I was singing, okay, Buff? I, Xander L. Harris, was belting out a full-on musical confession."

Buffy couldn't hold a few stray giggles from escaping, but she managed to keep it from getting away from her, "I'm sorry, Xander, but that's just priceless." She gave him a short side-hug, "Giles managed to stop whatever was brewing?"

He nodded, "Yep, but not until after I'd gone and embarrassed myself. He has nice timing that way."

"I'm sure it wasn't *that* bad... especially since I wouldn't have minded getting some details about your night as a male stripper." Her mega-watt smile was enough to make him return one.

"No power on this earth, Buffy. No power on this earth."

"None at all?" She wasn't exactly sure where it had come from. The tone of her voice conveyed an underlying message, which Xander would have been blind not to pick up on. His eyes closed, and he tried to get his thoughts straight.

"Y'know, I should get going... and you should get to visiting Giles. I'll talk to you soon, Buffy." In the blink of an eye, the spot on the couch he had occupiedHis speed in exiting the house rivaled her own Slayer speed.

Now she regretted whatever had made her say those words, that way. She looked towards the entranceway, hoping he'd come back. She wasn't exactly sure why she wished so hard for him to come back. It confused her even more when she wanted him to come back, sweep her into his arms, and kiss him passionately.

He was engaged now. Off-limits. Where was she when he wasn't? Moping over Angel. How had she missed out? Before she could analyze further, she was brought out of her daze by a concerned looking Spike, "Buffy? What's wrong? You look like a puppy someone just ran over."

"I'm fine, Spike. I have to go see Giles." She got up and left, just like Xander. Spike looked after her, before growling lightly and heading out the door, closing it behind himself.

*CUT TO: Xander enters through his front door. Anya is watching some TV.*

She saw him enter and smiled widley. "Xander!" She jumped up and hugged him, "I missed you!"

He smiled, "I missed you too, Ahn." He sighed imperceptably, "Let's go to bed, hon. I've got some, uh, tension I need relieved."

Anya smiled widely, and began leading him to the bedroom. He couldn't help but steal a long look at the picture of Buffy on the wall. Interspersed between pictures of all their other friends, as well, but that didn't matter. He was stuck on her again. He just hoped it was simply a momentary thing. A night with Anya would clear his head, and he'd be the happy fiancé again. He clung to that hope like a life preserver, because otherwise, they were in for so much trouble.

*CUT TO: Spike's Crypt. Spike is watching Passions on tape, though his mind really isn't on the show.*

He tried his hardest to enjoy the show. He did tape it for a reason. He couldn't, however, keep his mind focused. Buffy had returned. She was back and more beautiful than ever. He wasn't sure how to function with this new factor thrown in the mix.

He took a moment to get insanely angry at the Whelp and the Rat Pack. They more than likely had no idea what they'd done. What they'd probably unleashed. He grabbed the charm they'd insisted on placing in his crypt and threw it at the far wall, shattering it to pieces. It served them right. Buffy had been dead. More than likely, for all the good she'd done, she was in heaven. At least that's what he liked to think.

He had the urge to run out and snap the neck of the Whelp, for what he'd seen in his eyes. The same hidden, uncondional love he'd probably be staring at in his own eyes if he'd had a reflection to look at. How dare he? Buffy had never shown any interest in him, why did he have to be ga-ga over her as well? It actually hurt him to think the boy had spent the past month with Buffy, time he wished he could have spent himself.

He jumped back to the issue at hand. The redheaded witch probably knew the risks of pulling Buffy back from the afterlife, but simply chose to ignore them. She was getting callous and careless. It was going to end up getting them all killed. In his case, a second time. He'd have to have a talk with her about her recklessness sometime soon. Spike did a double-take, "Since when am *I* the voice of reason?"

Spike shook his head, and his eyes visibly clouded over with white. He let out a little chuckle, "Well isn't this an interesting situation." His voice had no trace of an accent. It actually seemed quite jovial.

He stretched out, glancing around the room, "It's been so long since I've been able to walk around. Feels nice." He caught sight of the television, "Oooo, Passions!" He watched for a few moments, before getting up and pulling on Spike's duster, "It's just too bad I'm on the clock, but I better be going!" He said to no one in particular.

*CUT TO: The Magic Box. Giles is relating how the musical demon was stopped.*

"So you're saying Xander summoned it?" Buffy was confused.

"He found the incantation and ingredients here in the store. He said he hoped it would help him find his true feelings. Who they were meant for, by tapping into his subconscious." He tried to avoid answering her, "It appeared only to make things more complicated. He loves you, Buffy. That much is truly evident. But he feels duty bound to Anya, whom he also loves, because he'd made a promise with the engagement."

She sighed, "And it has *nothing* to do with the fact he's scared she'll go demon again and liquify his insides?"

Giles picked up on the bitterness in her voice, "It's more than likely a factor, yes... but he can hardly be blamed for not wanting to spark Anya's return to vengeance. He played a large part to her acclimating to life as a human again, he cares for her deeply." He paused for a moment, "Buffy, for the sake of argument... what are your feelings for Xander?"

"My feelings? I..." She stopped and thought, "I like him. A lot. I think about him a little. Okay, a lot. I just don't know if I can say I love him... or if it's just me being needy."

"It's good for you not to want to jump into things. Xander has just as much to sort out as you do." Giles stated softly.

"Have *I* been summoning demons to try and solve my problems for me?" She grumbled.

"He meant no harm in summoning it. He had the best of intentions. And it was merely incidental that, as the summoner, he was also the only one who could stop the demon. It was lucky he had chosen to confess it to me, or else things might have gotten out of hand."

"Wait? He stopped the demon? How?"

Giles looked at her strangely, "Well, he fairly effectively beheaded it with an axe. What does it matter?"

She looked striken, "He told me *you* stopped it. Why would he lie to me about something like that?"

Giles cleaned his glasses, "Well, Buffy, perhaps he didn't wish to evoke a reaction out of you that would make it even more difficult on him. He doesn't wish to take advantage of your current state, either. Much like with his expreience with that cursed love spell... he's showing much more maturity now than the first year I knew him."

"I just don't know if I..."

"Well, well, well. Isn't this a nifty little establishment?" Spike came walking in with his eyes clinched closed.

"Spike, what are you doing here?" Buffy demanded with a bite.

He opened his eyes to reveal stark white, "Oh, I think you know why I'm here, Ms. Summers." He remained where he was, looking over the "I just felt like stopping by, saying hello... maybe getting a little vengeance for my little girl."

Giles and Buffy exchanged a look, before Buffy looked back at the possessed Spike, "Uh, little girl?"

Spike slapped his hands together, and assumed a slightly amused look, "Now, don't tell me you don't remember me? We had such fun together, really. Was a pity you had to go out there and kill me."

Buffy and Giles were getting a strange sense of deja vu as the way Spike was speaking became more and more familiar. Spike saw their realiziation rocketing towards them, "Not to stomp on your thought process, but he're a BIG clue!" He smirked with a disturbing serenity, "When I say my 'little girl'... well, I'm talking about no one else but my Faith!"

Audible gasps could be heard from where he stood. He laughed lightly, "Now that gave you a jump start, now didn't it?" He smiled again, "I made a deal with a spirit to take a trip back here, and all I have to do to stay is to kill your pretty blonde head." He looked at the Watcher, "You're just a bonus."

"How can this be?" Buffy looked at Giles, "We killed him! He turned all snake, and then we blew up the school. I know that happened, we've visited the smoking rubble many times. Tell me how this can be."

"I... I honestly haven't a clue, Buffy... I'll have to research."

"Ahem! I'm still here, remember? And I've got a job to do." He fluttered the edge of his duster, "Now, I realize in this body I can't kill you. For all this strength, he's got an annoying little chip in his head that keeps me from hurting anybody. Believe me, I tried several times on the way over. Just got to be too much of a pain. What I can do, however, is use my allotted time to scare the daylights out of you." He grinned.

"Giles, can we get him out of Spike's body already? I can deal with a disembodied voice, just as long as I don't have to put up with seeing Spike talking like the Mayor."
"Now now, missy. It's hardly polite to talk about someone when they're standing right here."

"Will you please just shut up?!" Giles demanded in a tone Buffy rarely saw him use.

Spike/Mayor laughed, "I'm afraid not, Rupert. Your friends have no idea what they've unleashed. This thing, it's bloodthirsty. It makes me look like a kindegarten teacher. And it's got one thing in mind. Destroying you and taking over this little planet by force. It just has to find the right body, and it's home free. It's out there. It's one of your friends, and you won't be able to kill them. I mean, can you really picture yourself killing them, knowing it's just something in their body? It's so deliciously evil."

Buffy looked to Giles, who grabbed something off the counter and threw it to her. She stalked towards him, and immediately brandished her stake, "I might not be able to kill any of them, but I sure as hell can live with staking Spike."

He looked slightly alarmed, preparing to backpedal, "The way this one cares for you, I'm highly surprised you'd be able to stake him so easy."

She glared furiously, "Yeah, well the feeling isn't mutual." She swung the stake at him, but he managed to dodge. He backed up the steps, and was ready to make a break for it, when his body went limp and he crashed through a display table.

Buffy ran over, picking him up by his collar and raising the stake. The eyes that opened during her upswing weren't blank white, and immediately filled with fear. He threw his hands up and bellowed, "Hold up, hold up! What the bloody hell is going on here?"

Buffy didn't drive her stake down, but also didn't put it away, "You were possessed, Spike. I was just trying to save all our lives."

He looked half-relieved, and half-frightened, "Well, alright then. I'm back, you can put away the stake now."

Buffy didn't move, still pinning him down, "Maybe I should do the world a favor and get rid of you anyway, Spike."

"Right, Slayer. Gonna stake a defenseless opponent?" He tried to break free.

"Spike, if there's one thing you've proved time and time again... it's that you're *far* from defenseless." She reluctantly let him up, dropping the stake into the wreckage of a display table, "You just better hope you don't catch me in another mood like tonight. And don't get possessed again, or you're toast."

He adjusted his collare for no reason, and made a hasty exit. Giles walked up behind her, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Perhaps you should go home and get some rest. Let things sink in a little."

"Okay..." She started picking up her things, "You going to be alright here by yourself, Giles?"

"Y-yes, yes. Explaining the table to Anya won't be very much fun, but at least that will wait until morning. I think I can get home just fine, Buffy."

"Don't stay too late, okay? You need sleep just as much as anyone else."

He smiled warmly at her concern, "I'll do that, Buffy, I promise." A goodbye hug was exchanged, and Buffy quietly left. Giles then began picking up the fallen items from the display table.