Shannon and Xander were walking through the park, just like he had been with Anya the night before. Except it hadn't been Anya, after he kissed her it had been the vampire Anna there ready to kill him. Xander found that he was still confused, he been going out with Anya for while even though he found her annoying. Another reason was that he saw a lot of Cordelia in Anya, because of their common lack of tact. He always disliked Cordelia including times when they were dating; still they went out with each other. He probably dated them because he saw more in them then just animal magnetism.

Xander looked down and saw Shannon's hand. Something made him want to grab it so they would be a couple, but he didn't know if the feeling was mutual. He was having flashbacks of the good dream. He looked back up. It was another lovely night it Sunnydale, the air was warm, the sky only had a few clouds and a half moon was shining brightly. He couldn't see the stars properly due to the light pollution otherwise it would have been one of those perfect romantic nights that he had often seen in movies with Buffy and Willow. He would have preferred a horror film, but they got more than the standard amount in real life.

"You're very quiet tonight." Shannon broke the silence.

"I know, it's very strange for me maybe I've been possessed by a quiet person."

"That's your problem not mine."

"Ah but I may become so boring the silence may kill you. You could say I bored you to death." They both let out a small laugh before it went quiet again.

"Look Xander I have something to tell you and what ever you do don't laugh or I may have to kill you." Shannon paused to take a deep breath "You're very cute, sweet and you are a funny guy and I thought so the first time I saw you. Well I didn't know you were funny cause you didn't tell any jokes, but you looked cute and sweet. This is the point where you laugh and I kill you."

"You didn't tell a joke so I won't laugh unless you want me to now. It's kinda strange to be on the receiving end of this, normally that's what I say just before I ask a girl out."

"That's why I like you, we're kinda like each other except for the obvious."

"Yeah and the good news is I'm not too dumb to notice."

"Ah bless ya, you're looking sweet again."

"Do I have those big old puppy dog eyes?" Xander put his arms around Shannon.

"No you have big old brown cute human eyes." Shannon stood up on her tiptoes and they kissed. Xander knew this time it wasn't a dream. He knew he should have stopped to tell her about Anya but he didn't want to spoil the moment.

"Well, well, well wait till Anya finds out about this." It was Naomi who was standing there staring at them with her arms crossed. Hey I didn't want to spoil it, but that doesn't mean I gave you permission. In a way Xander wished he'd said that out loud.

Shannon gave Naomi an evil look. Grrrr…spoil my kiss with Xander why don't you. Shannon also didn't have a clue about who Anya was and wondered if she was a girlfriend or if Naomi had made her up.

"Naomi I'm gonna kick your butt all the way to a stake in China."

"And how do you expect to do that?"

"I'm that good." Naomi started to run so Shannon went with her first instincts to follow her "Xander don't go anywhere, I need to talk to you afterwards." Shannon didn't like the way that last sentence came out it made her sound like a teacher. After she had shouted back to Xander she continued to chase Naomi.

Xander knew that he should follow Shannon to help her but first he needed a weapon. Shannon had left her bag on the ground. He opened the bag to find that Shannon had taken her stake but had left her cross behind. Better than nothing thought Xander he decided that he would pick up a sharp stick if he saw it along the way. The park was a good place to find branches, which had been broken off by younger people swinging on them.

There was a scream in the distance coming from a similar direction to where Shannon had run off after Naomi. Shannon. He had to catch up with the noise he had just heard. Where he had expected to see Shannon in a fight he saw Anna getting her dinner. It was a young woman, Xander could be so observant at times. She screamed again. There was no time to spare. Xander ran up, cross in hand, and the girl dropped to the floor. He thought it was strange that Anna wasn't too bothered about having a cross-shoved in her face. As he knelt down to check she was okay, Anna grabbed his neck from behind and pulled him to his feet. He gave one last look at the girl, who to his surprise, jumped to her feet and flashed him a wide smile. Then he understood it was a trap. Then before he could realise, Lynette had pushed something soft into his face and a strange scent filled his head. Xander went to a happy place, and temporarily leaving the conscious world.

Naomi had been annoying and had run off without a real fight. She had finally made it back to where she had left Xander on his own. The strange thing was that Xander was no longer there.

"Oh fuck." She looked around "I swear this was the right place." Then it hit her it had all been a trap. She blamed herself for Xander's disappearance. She ran in the direction of Giles' house, setting a new land- speed record. She just hoped they could help her save Xander. She couldn't bear the thought of them hurting him otherwise she would be royally pissed off.

In the shadows, a demon lord watched her leave and allowed himself a quiet laugh. No matter what they do, they cannot escape from me.

Spike walked into his home to find yet another surprise. There was a person lying unconscious or even dead on the floor. Ever since when did they deliver? The phase sounded quite familiar to him, but he couldn't think when he had used it previously. Spike knew that he couldn't harm a living person but this guy on his floor didn't look too lively. He grabbed the strangers' head and pulled it back ready to bite his neck. The face looked familiar from the side, so he decided to see whom the person was. His hand lost its grip and Xanders head hit the floor.

"Alright, is this some kind of joke?" Spike didn't think it would be too wise to eat the slayers friends, who would piss her off and Spike was in no condition to fight Buffy. Wait till I get this bloody chip out of my head.

"Spike don't eat him."

"Anna, what is Xander doing here?"

"You know the plan Spike I need somewhere to keep him."

"Well why don't you take him to an abandoned warehouse like all the other villains do." Spike was pissed off with Anna.

"You don't want me to think that you going to rat out on us, do you? You're not acting like mister co-operative."

"Hey the kid annoys me as much as the others, but I've got my own plans and I don't want you lot screwing them up. Remember you didn't have live in his smelly basement."

"I would have loved to be there, a sleep over with both Xander and Spike." Anna was talking like there was no one else in the room.

"What are you trying to flirt with me?"

"Depends do you like it?"

"I don't get what you Welsh girls are up to, with your flirting with me."

"I think it's the hair or maybe it the accent only one to find out." Anna grabbed Spike and they snogged. "Naomi was right you are a good kisser, but I prefer Xander. He's got that whole cute thing going for him."

Spike sight came back into focus "What just happened than?"

"I snogged you." Said Anna slowly "Don't tell Naomi she gets a little moody when I snog the lads she's going out with. Oh and I did to change the subject."

"Where is Naomi by the way?"

"Getting food with Lynette. Lynettes the best at getting something to eat as she normally finds something tasty. When they get back we'll move Xander to the typical villainous abandoned warehouse hideout." The door opened. "Speak of the devil."

"I'm not the devil, I'm Lynette not Ronan." Lynette dragged in a lad's body, which was going slightly blue. Naomi followed with another lad who was just unconscious. "Near dead guy is for you Spike."

"How come I get the scraps?"

"Cause you can't hurt this one otherwise you get a big headache remember?"

Naomi came round to Spike and they kissed dropping the lad on the floor. A hungry Anna picked him back up and started drain his body of his blood.

"Hey save me some." Naomi stopped snogging Spike to have her dinner. Three of the four vampires drug their teeth into lads who would not be waking up again.

"Mmm…tasty, but not up to your usual standard of finding something good to eat."

"They bugged me, I named them Wednesday s' wankers cause I saw them last Wednesday and they pretty much bugged me then. I drunk some of the most annoying one at the park, but he was still alive when decapitated him. The bugger blew cigarette smoke in my face."

"That is so disgusting." Anna said.

"And what you lot do isn't." Xander had regained consciousness and though he was still a little groggy, had managed to stand up.

"I thought this was America where you act like it's one of the seven deadly sins." Anna walked a few steps closer to the Xander but he walked closer to the door.

"Well I may not like it but well both are disgusting habits."

"Hey I'm not ready for a debate, go back to sleep." Anna walked right up to and punched him out "I wish I hadn't done that now he's gonna have a big bruise."

The door was only open for a second before it was slammed shut.

"Guys were in deep shit, well we're not but Xander is." Shannon regretted going to Giles as she knew what question would follow and she had a feeling they wouldn't be happy with her. Though she would have do tell them for Xanders sake, she needed there help to save him before Anna gets her filthy teeth into him.

"Shannon, what happened to Xander?" asked Buffy

"You know Anna got him. We were walking through the park to get back to his basement after seeing the movie. I saw Naomi and I followed my instincts to chase her. She soon disappeared and went back to where we had been, but he was gone. Now I'm on a major guilt trip."

"Do you have any idea where they may have taken him?" Buffy asked the question again.

"No, if I knew that don't you think I would be there."

Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose before he began to speak to the girls and Oz.

"If you three look around Willow and I will research if there's anywhere they may have taken him like an abandoned building somewhere. Which park were you at?"

"I'm not quite sure of the name, but I can take you there and we can begin the search round that area." The name of the park was on the tip of her tongue. She could see the sign in her mind, but the picture was out of focus. I better find them, because I'm so pissed off and I want to take it out on them, especially Anna with her huge stupid crush on Xander. They left Giles' house and Oz drove them in the directions Shannon pointed. Shannon knew in her the bottom heart that so far things were not looking hopeful.

Xanders' face was pounding. He opened his eyes to find that he had been moved from Spikes' crypt. Xander was pissed off with Spike he knew that he wasn't to be trusted but he also didn't expect Spike to working with Anna. It made sense though Anna knew where to find him and Spike knew the gangs' hangouts.

Xander wanted to rub his sore face but his hands were tied behind a post of some sort. He didn't know if it was part of building or if it had put there especially for him. He tried to see if he could get off the ropes, which tied his hands together, but after getting those off he knew he would have to try struggling out of the ropes, which held his arms and chest to the post. Some one was coming towards him. The shadow face soon showed Anna in normal features. She put her cold hand against the part of his face where he was sore.

"That looks like it hurts, I'm sorry."

"Out of all the things I thought you may say I didn't expect an apology, though if you really want me to forgive you for it, you could start by letting me go."

"Nice try, but recall asking you to forgive me," Anna kissed Xanders bruise then his lips ", but I hope that helps make up for it."

"No not really, though you could tell me why I'm not dead or soon to be undead."

"Cause if I killed you now I'd have to wait for you to die then come back and I'm not a patient person."

"So are you ever going to turn me into a vampire?"

"Sounding a little anxious aren't we?"

"No I'm just happy standing here tied to a big old post wondering when I'm going to die, so when am I going to die?"

"I'll probably do it just before I go to bed that way I won't have to wait long when I get up."

"Are we alone here?" Xander decided if he asked the right questions that he might be able to find a way out.

"Naomi and Spike are off somewhere fucking and Lynette walked off somewhere for a snack before sunrise."

"Oh. These ropes are a little tight can you loosen them a little."

"Yeah and I have the word idiot printed all over my forehead." Anna was not stupid enough to do that. Xander had hoped that she was, but he was obviously unlucky. He didn't want to talk to Anna, but he also didn't want to get bored, as all he could do was talk or sleep at the moment. Buffy and Shannon will save him someone always did. He was trying to stay a little hopeful and was thinking what he chances of survival are.

He looked at Anna who was being quiet maybe hoping for him to say a comeback. Xander wasn't planning to say anything; also the reason was he didn't want to be too cocky in case Anna decided to kill him sooner instead of later. Anna was wearing a red sleeveless top and black trousers. The top was blood red just like in his dream.

"Am I meant to say something evil, because I stumped for something to say."

"If you want to, but general conversation is good too." Xander for a second didn't think of Anna as the evil vampire that was going to kill him, but just another person.

"Hey, it makes you anymore uncomfortable I could have an attempt at an evil laugh or maybe a freaky giggle which I use on Naomi to annoy her. It doesn't work to well if I'm not in hysterics in first place."

"Oh I'm so disappointed." Xander said sarcastically.

"Don't worry they'll be plenty of time for that in the future." Xander was disappointed but it was more about Anna had gone from nice person trying to be evil, but she had returned to a vampire that's going to kill him.

Lynette walked into room; it was the first time he had seen Lynette properly. She had some blood around her mouth, which was removed, when she wiped it off with her sleeve.

"Naomi is coming, she'll be here in a minute." Said Lynette but Anna answer with an unexpected sigh.

"We're no longer alone then, shame I wanted to talk some more." Anna whispered to Xander before Lynette came into hearing range.

"He's up then, hello Xander, I'm Lynette I don't think we had time to be introduced yet."

"Anna, have you got any more friends or is this it just the three of you."

"Nope me, Lynette, Naomi and there was Shannon but she's not undead so she kinda out of the loop now. I guess if she was to become a vampire that she could come back into the group. Though there may be a little friction at first for the whole trying to eat each other thing."

"Hello." Naomi walked towards her friends.

"Isn't anyone going to say hello to me?" Anna recognised the voice, which had been as cold as the air in the room. She spun round to meet the face of the thing she didn't really want to see.

"Shit," Anna saw the big demon take off its cloak to reveal its wrinkled grey skin and long sharp claws. It had a ring of different sized horns on the top of its head, which looked like a crown. It grinned at the occupants of the room with its small but razor sharp teeth. "It's old prune face Gerathon."

"Still attempting to be cocky Anna just like you did after your obvious failed attack to destroy me."

"Yeah well I always wanted to rebel against something. Come on we don't want to be like before, do you guys?" Anna ran towards Gerathon, she jumped at him to try and bring him down. Her belly was by the back of Gerathons hand, which slammed her against the wall. She slid down to the ground. Naomi tried her luck with a kick to his chest, but like Anna she failed.

"Aren't you going to try a miserable attempt Lynette?"

"No, there's no way that I'm gonna be able to bring you down on my own. Look at them for example, it looks like it hurts a lot."

"You were always the sensible one. Who's this here?" He pointed at Xander.

"That's Xander."

"He'll do fine."

"Fine? What will I be fine for? Will someone please tell me?"

Anna got up from floor slowly she put her hand on her back where it hurt the most. "You can't take him, he's mine!"

"Still waiting for someone to explain what the hell is going on."

"Gerathon feeds on souls and he can take them from those who are pure of heart." Explained Lynette "Obviously you are and well ain't it just lucky that you're here."

"Gerathon fuck off we no longer work for you, we are now independent upon ourselves. Hey we've even able to survive round here where there's a slayer lurking." Naomi was too off the floor and walking around.

"A slayer! Well I haven't had one of those in centuries and I can still remember how tasty the soul was. Anna I'm willing to make a deal which may please you."

"Yeah I know. We get the slayer for you and I can have Xander."

"No that wasn't what I was thinking."

"Why what were you thinking of?" asked Naomi.

"I have his soul now then you guys bring me the slayer and I won't kill you for what you did."

"I preferred mine." Said Anna thinking about it.

"Hang on that doesn't make sense to me." Said Lynette " Why should I get myself killed trying to save him. Who is going to die anyway it just depends if he stays dead."

"Hey do I get to make a decision about my life?" Xander said though in a way he knew what the answer.

"NO!" replied all the other occupants in the room.

"Look Lynette, 'cause if you don't do it I'll kill you." Threatened Anna

"That's not very nice and who says you're going to get the chance to kill me."

"I've decided. You've got tomorrow night to bring me the slayer or else I will have Xander's soul and kill the rest of you."

"You so unfair I hate you, I mean I don't even like the guy and I'm stuck here with my life in the balance. Anna this is your problem not mine."

"Naomi if you die you won't see Spike again and that means no more fucking." Anna pointed out for Naomi; she didn't like the way her friends wouldn't help her.

"Will you girls please shut up!" There was more anger in Gerathons voice "Either the slayer dies or you do, get this in your thick heads."

"Any luck?" asked Willow as Buffy, Shannon and Oz entered, but she could tell by the look on their faces that they were not lucky.

"No." said Buffy "What about you?"

"I'd like to say yes, but I leaning more towards no. That's lots of places where he could be, there's abandoned warehouses, stores and houses and who's to say they're there."

Giles appeared from another room,

"You need sleep. I know you may not want to but the sun will be rising soon and they won't be going any where in the day time."

"I'm not tired." The yawn that followed shortly afterwards did not help Shannon. She wanted to hide it but then it would look like she was going to fart. "Damn it, they may not be able to go outside but that wouldn't stop them not having a midnight snack on Xander. You know what else annoys me the plan was so simple and I couldn't see that it was a trap."

"Shannon you're obviously tired and frustrated I would recommend some sleep. A few hours will do you fine." Giles didn't think it would be too good for them if they were going to fall asleep in battle.

"Giles read my lips," she mimed the word no "I'm going back out there and if I fall a sleep then I'll just have to collapse on to the floor."

"I think if you want to make it dramatic you should storm out of here slamming the door behind you." Buffy suggested but it also sounded like she was being a bitch.

"Maybe I will and you guys can join me on my guilt trip if I never return."

"Now Shannon it's not your fault." Giles tried to make her feel better.

"Yeah. You keep hold of that thought, I'm going' to look for Xander." Willow stood up and put her hand on Shannon's shoulder.

"Giles is right. We'd all do better after a good nights sleep." Shannon gave a guilty look.

"Maybe you would, but I'm not shutting my eyes until he's safe." She walked off, about to slam the door, then thought the better of it and closed it slowly. Giles sighed and began to wipe his glasses with an old tissue.

"Shannon seems to have taken well to Xander. Which is nice." Willow looked at him. "Why exactly?" Giles looked thoughtful.

"Well, it's just that Shannon has always had a certain Faith-ness about her, and well, I just thought the more she is involved in the group, the less likely it is that she will, er, go bad." Buffy knew what he meant. She had noticed it too. But right now, she had to spend her worry tokens on Xander.

"I will sleep, I promise, just one more hour of panic-stricken searching for Xander. Come on Will, I'll walk you home. Bye Giles." Then he was left alone, quietly worrying about current events.