Title: Of Magic and Machinations (7/?)

Author: Jeffrey Patrick

Type: B/X... at least, it will likely be... sort of.

Description: Xander is back from the dead in a different body... a junkie's body, to find that Angel has assumed his position in Buffy's life. This isn't going to be pretty.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but a Zippo lighter and penchant for smoking grape vines. Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all things Buffy related. I just throw their names around to get a decent table at my favorite restaurants.




"This is weird," Buffy said. She sat at the conference table in the Magic Box, staring at Xander Harris who now wore the face of a total stranger.

"Tell me about it," Xander said, shaking. "I think I'm going through withdrawal, and I've never even experimented with drugs. Unless you count eating glue in kindergarten."

She put her hand to his brow. "You're burning up. How did you end up in an addict's body?"

"Beats the stuffing out of me. One moment I'm watching your face fade to black, the next I'm a poster boy for Sickly Man Magazine."

"We should get you to a doctor," Giles said.

"Not yet," Xander said. "I've got too many questions. First, how did Soulboy end up in my body?"

Buffy looked away. She glanced up at Giles and then back to Xander. "We did a spell to bring you back."

"Well, looks like it worked, just not quite the way you expected."

"Actually, we performed that spell a little over three years ago. Angel came back in your body," Buffy said softly.

"He tricked us," Giles explained, "into believing that the spell had worked. He apparently saw it as his chance to be with Buffy."

"Oh," Xander said, looking away. "So... you guys believed him?"

"He was... extremely convincing," Giles said weakly. "He convinced us that the spell left him with some memory loss."

"Ah." Xander said. Buffy still had not returned his gaze. "He convinced you too?"

A tear ran down her cheek as she raised her eyes to look at him. She nodded silently.

"So you... were... together... and everything..."

She didn't have to nod. He saw the truth in her eyes.

"You thought it was me," he said, putting his hand on hers. "I... I'll deal. I... I'll just deal."

The tears flowed more freely now, from Xander's eyes as well as Buffy's. "There's more," she said softly.

"Oh, good," he said sarcastically, "because I was hoping there was more."

"I... I thought he was you. I was so happy to have you home."

He still had his hand on hers, when it suddenly hit him that she was wearing a ring. He took his hand away and stared at the ring. Buffy realized what had happened.

"Xander..."

"No." He stood to his feet and turned his back to her. "Just... give me a minute... or two... or a couple of thousand."

"I married you," she said, hoping he could see that through the pain and confusion.

"No. You married HIM. Maybe... maybe you didn't know, but... three years?"

"Xander," Giles offered. "We just learned the truth a few weeks ago. Buffy immediately sent Angel packing."

"Well, that just fixes everything, doesn't it?"

"Xander," Giles said, "let's try to keep our perspective."

"I'm perspective guy, remember? Angel stole my life! He married... the only woman... Damn him! I'd kill him myself if he wasn't human now."

Buffy said nothing. She just lowered her head. Xander knew what must have been going through her mind.

"I'm not angry with you, Buffy. It hurts, sure. But you didn't know... couldn't have known." He sat down next to her and gently touched her face. "We've both got stuff to deal with. It may not be easy to deal with you having... well, you know. But you have to deal with me wearing this ugly mug and this scrawny body. It's just... It's gonna take some time."

Buffy just stared at him with tears flowing. Giles cleared his throat to get Xander's attention.

"There... is still... more, Xander," the Watcher said gently.

Xander's gaze moved back to Buffy. "Tell me. Whatever it is. I swear to God that it won't change anything. I will love you... just as much as ever. I swear to you. Just talk to me."

"I... I..."

He put his hand on hers again and leaned forward. With a gentle kiss to the forehead, he said, "Tell me."

"I have a daughter," Buffy said just above a whisper.

Xander took a minute to let it sink in. "A daughter," he repeated. "How old?"

"Three."

"But she's... I mean, we didn't... We used... She's not mine?"

"I thought she was," Buffy said. "I thought I had married the only man I wanted to have a family with. I thought..."

"Shhh," he said, kissing her hand. "We'll... This will all be okay. I just... My head is spinning, you know? I... I know that I love you. I know that you didn't know it was Angel. We'll... We can get past this."

"Do you... Do you want to?" Buffy asked wiping tears from her eyes with the back of her tiny hand.

"I came back for you, Buffy. You are... and always have been... the one thing in my life worth living for."

She leaned forward and kissed the unfamiliar lips of the body Xander now wore. He gently returned the favor.

"Where do we start?" Buffy asked, pulling herself together.

"We keep tabs on Deadboy and figure out if there is some way of getting me back in MY body. If we can get Angel into this one, he can let the heroin kill him for all I care."

'You're shaking."

"I'll be fine. Just need to clean up a little. And sleep. God, I haven't slept in days. This withdrawal stuff is no fun."

"I'll take care of you," the Slayer promised.

"I... I appreciate that. I do. But I don't think your daughter should have to see me just yet. Not like this. Besides, her father split and some new guy shows up? I won't do that to her."

"Wh-what are you saying? You aren't coming home?"

"I am home," he said with a smile. "Home is with you. No question about it. But I think I should stay with Giles until we figure out if I can get my body back. No sense upsetting... What's her name?"

"Dawn," Buffy said, attempting a smile.

"Dawn," Xander repeated with a grin. Then his face grew sad. "I miss her."

Buffy thought of her sister and smiled. "Me too."

"I just don't want to be responsible for... I mean, she's three. She shouldn't have to deal with the craziness that is this situation. Not now."

Buffy nodded. "You're probably right."

"Oh my God!" Xander screamed, suddenly realizing something. "Willow! She was shot... bleeding..."

"She's fine," Giles assured him. "She no longer has the use of her legs, but she and Oz are quite happy."

"Wow," he mumbled. "I guess she wasn't as gay as she thought."

Giles smiled. "May I say something?"

"Shoot, G-man."

Giles' smile got bigger. "Welcome home. I know I speak for us all when I say you were missed."

"That's Giles' way of saying HE missed you without getting his tie all soggy," Buffy said.

"Yes, well..." Giles mumbled. "It's late. I suppose we should all try to rest up. Especially Xander. Like it or not, I'm having a doctor look him over tomorrow."

Buffy stepped closer to Xander, who slipped his arms around her and rested his forehead against hers. "I wish you were coming home," she said softly.

"Me too."

"I love you, Xander."

He raised his head and looked into her eyes. "I know. I love you too."

They just stood there for a moment while Giles turned off all the lights. They could not bring themselves to let go just yet. There was an unspoken feeling between the lovers that their hardships had only begun.








"You have something for me?" Lilah asked.

The man in front of her pulled an envelope from his pocket. He handed it to Lilah and stepped away from her desk. Lilah reached into the envelope and pulled out a handful of photographs. The first pictured a frail, sandy haired young man stepping off of a bus. The next showed that same young man dusting a vamp is front of him as another crumbled behind.

"He's ahead of schedule," Lilah mused. "We'll need to get our team to Sunnydale. We'll have to collect the children sooner than I thought. I knew, of course, that our spell would not keep his spirit at bay forever, but this will rush things a bit. I imagine the Slayer is at her wit's end. And you are sure this is he?"

"The Kray'lik demon confirmed it. It is the Harris boy without question."

"Good. Let's turn up the heat a little."



To Be Continued...