Part: 24/24
Author: Psycgurl
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Set in season three of Buffy, around the episode 'Enemies'.
Feedback: Always appreciated.

Distribution: Ask me or tell me where it's going.

Disclaimer: Don't own anyone. I have had urges to own DB or JM…but that's another story.

CHAPTER 24

EPILOGUE-EVERYONE

~*~*~*~

Giles and Buffy

~*~*~*~

" Giles…I understand." Buffy agreed with her former Watcher. The two sat in Giles' car in front of Buffy's house.

" Buffy, I know that we won't remember by tomorrow and especially in three years time, but I really want you to understand why I left you in the future, the second time. I left because it was time you didn't depend on anyone, especially me, anymore. You needed to…" Giles began.

" Be on my own. I understand, Giles. And I also understand that without you I was a mess."

" Buffy…"

" Giles, no matter what happens in our future. I want you to know that you are my father figure. I've never missed my father…you've always been there for me. I look up to you and I always will. Never feel like I don't love you. And especially don't think I want you to leave." Buffy interrupted, tears welled in her eyes.

" I'll always be there for you, Buffy. May it be a little late…but I will." Giles replied with a smile. The two looked at each other for a while. Buffy then wiped her eyes and turned to open the door.

" Thanks for the lift Giles. I'll see you tomorrow." Buffy replied as she got out of the car and walked to her door.

" Take care, Buffy." With that Giles drove off towards his house. Buffy stood on her doorway glancing at the key in her hand, contemplating something.

She turned to the door, hearing noises from the television being played inside and then turned away from the door and walked off.

~*~*~*~

Willow and Oz

~*~*~*~

" You weren't going to tell me?" Oz asked his girlfriend. The two had decided to take a walk and now sat on a bench on the side of a road.

" I d-didn't want to hurt you." Willow responded.

" Will, I wouldn't have minded. I-I just wish you would have told me." Oz replied calmly.

" I know I should have. But Oz, I was so troubled with the rest of my future…the whole dark magic thing, that having a girlfriend seemed to be the only good part and I didn't want to…I guess I didn't know how you would react." Willow said.

" It's a shock. It's just a shock to learn that you'll love someone else." Oz replied. Willow held his hand sympathetically.

" I love you now though. And part of me probably always will love you." Willow replied. The two sat in silence for a while.

" Why were you into the whole dark thing, Willow?" Oz asked his girlfriend curiously, interrupting the silence.

" I don't know. The rush…the feel. There was just something about the surge of power through me…it was so intoxicating. Oh god…I'm so disgusted with myself!" Willow cried, covering her face with her hands.

" I know what you mean. The feeling of becoming a werewolf is so different from my human self. I have control over others…I don't have to worry about much…" Oz began, putting his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

" Oz, how do we become junkies? I'm so happy right now and I was happy then too. What would have changed me?" Willow protested.

" Pain…I know that I played a part in my frequent transformations as a werewolf."

" Pain?" Willow asked.

" Losing you. It hurt…and I guess without you, I was weaker. I gave into my temptations." Oz remarked.

" When I lost Tara…because of the magic. Instead of quitting the magic then…I let it control me too. I was too stubborn to listen to Tara or anyone." Willow realised.

" I guess it's true what people say." Oz said.

" What?"

" It's always the quiet ones." Oz replied with a smile.

~*~*~*~

Angel and Cordelia

~*~*~*~

Cordelia sat on her bed, pretending to read a magazine. But all she could think of was her future and how happy she was…and how much her present sucked compared to that. And tomorrow it'd all go away. She wouldn't remember any of it.

" Can I come in?" A deep voice spoke from her window. Cordelia shrieked in shock, quickly touching her wound as her stitches pulled.

" It's Angel." The voice quickly added. Cordelia covered her mouth and then quickly took it off realising who it was.

" Are you nuts? It's like 2 in the morning and you're coming through my window? My parents would freak!" Cordelia yelled.

" Then maybe you shouldn't yell." Angel countered with a smirk. Cordelia glared at him.

" Okay, so my parents are away on ummm…some trip. My neighbours are nosy though, so get your ass in here!" Cordelia mumbled.

" I sort of need a more professional invitation than that." Angel replied.

" Fine! I invite you in Angel."

" Where'd they go?" Angel asked as he stepped into the brunette's room. The room was filled with pictures and a lot of pink and purple. The smell of perfume and Cordelia overcame him.

" Who?" Cordelia asked confused.

" Your parents." Angel answered as he picked up a picture of Cordelia in her cheerleading uniform.

" Uhhhh…" Cordelia searched her brain for an answer.

" They didn't go away?" Angel asked as he put the picture down. Cordelia looked at him and sighed.

" No. Daddy's sort of struggling with some financial issues. Apparently, we might be broke soon. And if he can't sort them out he'll go to jail or we'll be evicted. And my mother, well once she learned about this crisis…she split. She's off on the Caribbean islands with her sister sipping on smoothies." Cordelia bit out.

" I-I'm sorry. I had no idea." Angel sympathised as he sat down across from Cordelia and touched her hand.

" Well until a few days ago, we hardly knew each other." Cordelia stated.

" So…do the others…" Angel began.

" No. They don't know…and they're not going to, understand?" Cordelia ordered.

" Yeah. Not that I'm going to remember any of this tomorrow." Angel said with a hint of annoyance.

" I don't want to take that potion tomorrow. I-I want to keep these memories." Cordelia moaned.

" If you kept them, then the chance of that future occurring is going to be very minimal." Angel replied rationally.

" But I could probably persuade myself to finally go for it with you." Cordelia grumbled.

" Cordy, I know I'm sort of well…slow and hopeless in the future. But, I think we might just happen." Angel stated. Cordelia moved nearer to him, their lips a few centimetres away from one another.

" Presently, I love Buffy." Angel interrupted. Cordelia's eyes saddened and she backed away.

" Uh huh."

" But…I think I'm feeling something for you." Angel continued. Cordelia smiled.

" Ohhh."

" It'll probably go away tomorrow. But…" Angel mumbled as he moved closer to Cordelia.

" Today's not tomorrow."

" Yeah. So since it'll be a while in our future…"

" Here's to our future selves." Cordelia finished as she leaned in and kissed Angel tenderly.

~*~*~*~

Xander and Anya

~*~*~*~

Xander stood in front of a door, a piece of paper in his hand. He stood for a while and then finally knocked on the door.

No answer.

Xander continued knocking, each knock louder than the one before.

" Who is it?" A sleepy voice asked.

" Xander Harris." Came his reply. The door opened a crack and Anya peeked her head.

" What the hell do you want? It's two in the morning." She asked.

" I was wondering if you wanted to talk."

" Ummm…no." Anya replied as she shut the door. Xander knocked again. Anya then regretfully opened the door again.

" Go away! I'll call those flashing men if you don't." She threatened.

" Flashing men? Police?" Xander asked confused.

" Yeah. And they'll put you in a cell for eternity." She bit back.

" Don't…wait. I know this is really weird. I, a person that knows about your hatred for men, am at your doorstep in the early…" Anya began to close the door.

" Okay, okay. Can you just listen to me for a little while?" Xander asked as he attempted to open the door again.

" Will you go away then?"

" Yes."

" Okay. What?"

" I know we don't know each other that well now…but we will. Believe me. We'll be in love, we'll live together and we'll get engaged." Xander began.

" Me…with a man? Let alone you. I don't think so." Anya scoffed.

" Just listen. I just…I just need you to promise me that when we eventually get together…you'll never let me leave you. Tie me to a chair, make me a rat…whatever. Just don't let me leave you." Xander blabbed. Anya stood looking at him confused.

" Fine, I promise…now go away." She replied tediously and then closed the door. Xander paused for a second then turned around with a huge smile and walked away.

~*~*~*~

Buffy and Spike

~*~*~*~

" Tell me!" Buffy exclaimed as she hit a vampire.

" Seriously slayer…I don't know where Spike is." Buffy hit the little vampire again.

" The only thing I know is that a while back he went back to his psycho girlfriend in South America. That's all I know." The vampire meekly responded.

" Well, when he comes back tell him that I want to see him." Buffy replied.

" Okay." The vampire said. Buffy let go of his collar and he fell to the floor and scrambled off.

" Wait!" Buffy yelled to the vampire, who stopped and turned around.

" I'll just tell him myself." Buffy responded as she flung a stake at the vampire, who turned into a pile of dust.

" Guess, I'll just have to wait longer to tell Spike how I feel." Buffy muttered as she walked away from the graveyard.

~*~*~*~

Everyone

~*~*~*~

" Morning Wesley." Giles greeted Wesley as he walked into the library the next morning.

" Good morning Mr. Giles." Wesley replied, half-heartedly. Wesley had spent the entire night flicking through books, making sure that all would go according to plan or loopholes. He had spent longer pondering on the events of the previous night. Giles went into his office.

" Ummm…Mr. Giles, before the others arrive. Can I ask you something?"

" What is it?" Giles asked, coming out of his office with a cup of tea.

" Am I a failure?" Wesley asked quietly.

" What?" Giles asked in shock.

" All this pain that you people are going through…it's all because of me. I was Faith's watcher and under my authority s-she was driven to the wrong path. If she hadn't gone through a physical manifestation yesterday, as Buffy said she did…who knows what would have happened. These visions, this whole experience that you people have had to endure it's all because of the Mayor and Faith. It's all because of me."

" Wesley, the change in Faith's behavior is not because of you or any of us. It's because of her. I know deep down that girl is good, but with past pain and then the rush of taking someone's life…it's led her to this path. But, Buffy said she would reform. May it be a long time away…she will and we can be content with that."

" It's just discouraging to think that someone like Faith has left our side. I know she's possible of great things, she has great ability, strength…she's attractive, she's…" Wesley trailed off.

" Hey y'all! Isn't it a beautiful day today?" Xander interrupted coming through the library doors with Willow and Oz behind him.

" You seem…cheery." Giles noted.

" Let's just say, I've made peace with my future and now I'm ready to forget all about it." Xander exclaimed with a huge smile.

" Hmmm…what about you two? Are you ready?" Giles asked Willow and Oz. They looked at each other for a moment.

" I guess." Willow responded solemnly.

" Let's get this over and done with." Buffy declared walking in.

" How are you doing?" Willow asked Buffy.

" I-I'm okay. I know that my future's going to suck, but there just might be a chance that it won't end up like that. I guess this experience has taught me not to dwell on stuff. Dwelling on it makes you distracted." Buffy stated, shooting a smile at Giles.

" You can take the potions once Angel and Cordelia arrive. I'll have to chant a spell over all of you." Wesley said, glancing over his notebook.

" Ummm…where are they?" Buffy asked.

~*~*~*~

Cordelia quickly walked to library, realising she was late and she ran straight into Angel.

" Oomph."

" Sorry. I-I just needed to talk to you before…you know." Angel said as he helped steady Cordelia.

" Well, you better hurry. They're all anxious to get rid of their memories of their future." Cordelia replied bitterly.

" That kiss we had last night…before I left…" He began.

" Yeah?"

" I-it was just future feelings right?"

" I think so. Present you loves Buffy, remember? You mentioned that when we were about to kiss." Cordelia said, confused.

" Yeah. But I-I just feel…it's probably all just my future feelings. But I've got so many of them…I'm not sure how I feel about you in the present." Angel stammered. Cordelia leaned in and quickly planted a kiss on Angel's lips.

" Anything?"

" Still not sure…maybe you should try again." Angel replied with a grin, but was met with a whack.

" Okay, I'll admit. I like you…present me likes present you. But, I know that if it weren't for our connection in the future…I would never act on it." Cordelia asked.

" So even if I did have feelings…no point is saying them now?"

" Yeah…'cos I just might be more determined to not go in there."

" So I guess once we take the potions we go our separate ways." Angel stated.

" Yeah…I guess. It's not like we can't…it'll throw everyone's future off balance and…"

" We don't want that to happen."

" Yeah. So I guess we get this over and done with and then hook up in LA later…the proper way." Cordelia ended with her patent smile, causing Angel to smile.

" I'm game." Angel replied.

" Okay, so let's get in there." Cordelia said as she grabbed Angel's arm and the two entered the library.

" Finally!" Xander sighed.

"Sorry. Umm…we got held up." Cordelia replied, gripping Angel's hand.

" H-held up?" Buffy repeated. Her voice was accusing and Cordelia blushed. Wesley then brought out the tray of little potions.

" I guess whatever held you two up is going to be gone soon." Buffy muttered. Angel and Cordelia looked at each other for an intense moment, before releasing each other's hand.

" Yeah, I guess you're right." Angel mumbled.

The little emerald bottles were then passed around the library table to each member of the Scooby Gang.

" Drink the potions while I say the incantation." Wesley instructed.

" You're sure this'll work?" Buffy asked.

" Yes. Any memories of the visions and the past few days will be wiped. Including mine. Anyone or anything associated with the event will be cleaned of this incident."

" How does yours go away if you don't take the potion?" Willow asked.

" I'll be reading the incantation. The potions will remove the visions…the spell will remove our memories of the past days." Wesley answered.

" What's this made out of?" Cordelia asked, examining the liquid.

" Believe me you don't want to know, Cordelia." Giles answered as Cordelia twitched her nose.

" Looks like snot." Xander commented, causing a chorus of 'ewww's. Cordelia, Buffy and Willow simultaneously put down the potions.

" It is not…snot." Giles replied.

" Are you sure? Because it looks awfully runny." Buffy observed.

" Just drink the bloody potions!" Giles exclaimed. The girls then reluctantly picked the bottles up with disgusted looks.

" Nihil visum. Nihil tentum." Wesley began.

" Bottoms up." Xander whispered as everyone picked up the bottles and drank as Wesley continued.

" Nihil visum. Nihil tentum. Species absisto. Nihil visum. Nihil tentum. Animus absisto."

Everyone convulsed slightly in his or her seats. Suddenly the cerise-coloured mist escaped from the infected people's mouths, causing them to shoot back in their seat. The mist from each person combined to form one large cloud, which then contracted and disappeared.

The Scooby Gang were left unconscious.

" Animus absisto." Wesley repeated quietly, before collapsing back in his seat, knocked out.

~*~*~*~

A few minutes later

~*~*~*~

One by one, beginning with Giles, the occupants of the library awoke from their slumber.

" Umm…what's going on?" Willow asked, looking around. Giles stood up and rubbed his glasses with a cloth.

" I-I can't seem to recall. Were we researching?" He asked.

" No books." Oz stated.

" It's morning. And he's here." Cordelia remarked pointing to Angel, who sat next to her. Angel quickly shot in his seat away from any sign of light.

" It must be something important if Angel's here in the daylight." Buffy suggested.

"My notebook is in my hand. Maybe it has something in it that we were doing." Wesley said as he flipped through his notebook.

" Thank you Mr. Initiative." Xander remarked. Wesley ignored the comment and continued flicking.

" Anything?" Giles asked.

" No." Wesley replied, confused.

" Anything at all?"

" There's nothing in here. It's all blank." Wesley remarked.

" Well I don't personally care what I'm doing here. I'm leaving…I'm not staying cooped up on…" Cordelia grabbed Xander's arm and looked at his watch.

"Sunday. Wait, it's Sunday?"

" I thought it was Friday. Giles?" Xander asked turning to the former Watcher. He, however, remained perplexed himself.

" Are any of you physically hurt?"

" No."

" Well, then I-I assume we've all just encountered some form of amnesia. I-I suggest we go home and rest." Giles stammered.

His response seemed sufficient for the puzzled inhabitants, who made there way to the door. Giles stopped Buffy on her way out.

" Buffy, maybe you should patrol later tonight."

" Ummm…sure Giles. Angel, you coming with me?" Buffy asked as she slightly clutched Angel's hand. Angel disorderly glanced around the room, his eyes momentarily fixing on Cordelia Chase who was in midst of an argument with her former boyfriend.

" Angel?" Buffy prompted.

" Yeah, sure." Angel replied as he turned to Buffy. Just before leaving he turned around to look at the brunette cheerleader once more, for some reason. This time she looked up at him with perplexed eyes and shot him a 100-watt smile. He, in return, gave her a small smile and left the library.

~*~*~*~

Finis

~*~*~*~

A/N Yay, finished this off before next year!! Thank you for all the reviews and I hope you guys enjoyed it! Oh and sorry if my Latin's rusty. I've always translated Latin to English, never the other way around.