PART TWENTY-SIX

"Buffy!" screamed Xander helplessly. He sifted through the mist hurriedly
at the spot where he saw Buffy fall. He fell on his knees and searched
furtively for her. "Buffy!"

"She's not here," said Karakos, standing behind him.

"No," said Xander, "I … she's here somewhere. I … I … I have to find her."

"She's not here," repeated Karakos.

"I don't believe you," replied Xander stubbornly. He got up and searched
the area around him, a worried look on his face. "She's here… I… she needs
my help… she's wounded…"

"She's dead."

"She's NOT!" Xander almost screamed. He shook his head, tears welling in
his eyes.

"I killed her."

"Shut up!"

"The way my blade sliced through her body - it was beautiful," said
Karakos, licking his lips. "I almost enjoyed that. No … I enjoyed it
*thoroughly*."

Xander sunk to his knees in desperation. "I don't believe you."

"But she's dead."

"No." Xander's voice grew weaker.

"Yes." Karakos took a step closer. "She's dead."

There was a long, numb pause.

"Dead?" echoed Xander weakly.

Karakos nodded. "Your precious slayer is gone now. There's no one left to
save you."

Xander said nothing and just looked down in hopelessness. "No one."

Karakos put his hand on Xander's shoulder, and he felt a sudden chill.
"Come with me, I'll take you back to your garden."

"I don't want to go back there."

"It's the only place you have left, boy," said Karakos. "Come with me."

Xander looked up at Karakos weakly. "You'll lock me in there."

"That's the easy way," said Karakos. "And if you don't like it, believe me
you won't enjoy the hard way."

"I'm not going."

"I don't want to hurt you," Karakos gave a wicked smile. "But maybe I do."

"And maybe you won't have to."

Xander stood up suddenly and whipped out a shining silver dagger. He lunged
forward and shoved it through Karakos' chest. The vampire recoiled and
stumbled backwards, shocked at the sudden attack. His hands gripped around
the handle of the dagger and his maddening eyes widened as he struggled to
pull it out. He coughed and chocked, and gave a piercing scream before
shattering into dust.

The dagger clattered as it hit the floor.

"Jerk," said Xander, as he wiped his hands on his pants.

* * *

"Xander?!" exclaimed Willow excitedly. "He's waking up!"

Giles scrambled towards her as she pointed eagerly at Xander's slowly
awakening form. Willow ran and flung the door open, calling out to Buffy.

Buffy got up almost immediately and ran into the room. Spike waited for
what seemed to be a suitable interval of "not-caring" before he sauntered
after her.

Xander opened his eyes groggily and ran his fingers through his hair in a
daze. "Whoa. That was weird."

"Xander!" Willow announced happily. She ran to hug him, but Buffy held her
back.

"We don't know if it's really Xander," she said, even though in her heart
she was hoping against hope that it really was him. "It could be Karakos."

"Well… Do you know who I am?" ventured Willow to Xander.

"Willow, we're checking for possession, not amnesia," said Buffy. Willow
gave an 'oh' and took a step back.

"Guys, come on, it's me!" said Xander, as he stood up slowly.

"Step back," warned Giles. "You can't be too careful."

"Oh, that's just a mean thing to say," said Xander. "Look… do you want me
to prove it? Fine. Ask me something only I would know."

"If Karakos has already gained control of Xander's mind, he would have
ready access to all of Xander's thoughts and memories," stated Marcus
suddenly. "He could easily answer any question you pose to him."

"That's just dandy then," said Willow, rather disappointed.

"You're all not very bright, are you?" Spike said after a long silence. "If
it really was Karakos he would have slaughtered all of you while you were
busy yammering about whether or not he was Xander. From my view point, he
had more than ten bloody opportunities to butcher you people and he hasn't
even done a thing."

"He does have a point," said Willow.

"Unless," said Giles, "That is what he wants us to think, to take us when
we are…"

"Oh shut up, Giles," said Buffy as she ran to Xander. She flung herself
around his shoulders. She looked into his eyes for a long while.

"It's really you, isn't it?" she whispered into his ear.

"I would hope so," he replied.

The rest of them stood back and waited for Xander to laugh evilly and rip
Buffy's head off. He did neither, so Giles and Willow ran towards Buffy and
Xander and hugged the both of them tightly, all of them talking at the same
time.

Spike watched them in disgust and turned to go.

"Do you want to join them?" asked Marcus, staring blankly ahead.

"Pfft," went Spike. He looked at Marcus and then at the happy reunion, and
walked out of the door.