Chapter 3 What do we do now?
The Magic Box (10.30 AM)
Giles had a hard time processing all the information Buffy had given him. Apart
from the shock that there was a world where Xander was getting married, he still
couldn't believe that in that same world Spike loved Buffy. He found the idea of
that too scary to cope with. So, he turned his attention back to his slayer, who
was looking at him hopefully. Probably expecting him to find a spell and clear
this whole mess up.
'Well Buffy, ehhh....I must say....That was an unbelieveable story. Not that I
mean that I don't believe you. Because I do, it's just I don't know how to
change this. I've never heard of a case like this. Of course, I will check the
books on this. See what I can find out. But right now, I don't have the answers
for you.'
'Not really what I was hoping for Giles. I mean, c'mon, go ! Research ! There
has to be a way to reverse this.'
'I'll try Buffy, I promise. Now, why don't you try to relax for a while. Stay
here, train. Then I'll go into the front and start the search for answers.'
She nodded, looking a little bit calmer. And he left the training room.
The Magic Shop (2.30 AM)
Giles had been researching for some time now, finding nothing. Buffy had been
training and spent the last couple of hours searching the books with him.
Suddenly something crossed his mind.
'Buffy, how come I'm still here in this universe and gone in the real one.'
She looked up from her book. 'Because there was no Anya to take over the Magic
Box in this universe. You probably didn't even think of leaving here.'
He nodded. 'I guess so.'
Buffy wanted to go back to her book again, but a question had been nagging her
for some time now. 'Giles, if Xander wasn't with Anya here, who has he been with
the last couple of years?'
The watcher was a bit suprised by the question. But then he thought of the wish
Buffy had made. And suddenly the question made sense. Of course, he wasn't about
to tell her that. She would deny it.
'Well, Xander hasn't been seeing anybody in particular.'
'So, he's been single here all the time.'
'Well, not really. He has dated. He dated your first roommate. Until you exposed
her to be a demon. And last year he dated the woman who showed him his
apartment for a while. It didn't work out. She had fallen for suave Xander, so
being his regular self wasn't enough for her.'
'That's it? C'mon Giles ! Two flings in two years. What has he been doing? He
can do better.'
'To be fair, he didn't have the best of luck. I mean, there was this thing with
Tara...'
'What thing with Tara?'
'He fell in love with her. Only he didn't know that Tara wasn't just a friend of
Willow but her girlfriend. When he found out he was pretty hurt and shocked.'
'Poor Xander. Look what I did to him. In our world he just thought that Tara was
a little strange when he first met her. There was no pain over her. No pain what
so ever. At least not over Tara.'
Giles cleared his throat. 'I wasn't ready. There was also the matter that
involved you. Well, not exactly you, but Xander didn't know that.'
'What are you talking about?'
'Last year Warren made himself a Buffybot. After his girlfriend had left him and
his other robot broke, he was lonely. Only he programmed her wrong and she
escaped and went looking for a person close to her. You see, Warren had
programmed everything he knew about you into her. Including the fact that Xander
was your best friend. Only the robot mistooke this for love and when she ran
into
Xander she started to seduce him. Now Xander thought that you were drunk or
something. Because you were acting so strange. So he told the robot no. Saying
that he couldn't take advantage of you like that. She got so angry at being
refused that she beat him up. Xander took the beating, all the while thinking it
was you who did it to him. Even after we found out it had been a robot, he
stayed afraid of you for a few months. Knowing that you had nothing to do with
it, but unable to get the image of you beating him out of his mind. Only really
getting over it when you died. Which is why he wanted you back so much. To tell
you he was sorry for blaming you for something a robot did. Even if he didn't do
that on purpose.'
Buffy had been listening to the story silently. There were tears in her eyes.
When he was finished she turned to her book again. Giles looked at her.
'Buffy... Are you...'
'I don't want to talk about it, ok Giles. Let's just get back to the research.
The Magic Box (3.30 AM)
Buffy tried not to think about the story Giles had told
her, but it was hard not to. Xander had been hurt in this universe, by this
thing that looked like her. By this thing he thought was her. And he had been
afraid of her. That thought hurt the most. Xander had been afraid of her. She
decided that she couldn't think about it anymore. It was slowly driving her
crazy. So she looked at her book again. Not for the first time that day. And
then it came to her.
She jumped up. 'Giles, I've got it. I know how to make him happy again. We can
call Anyanka here, make her human and she'll fall in love with him. And
everything will be oke.'
Giles sighed. 'It doesn't work like that Buffy. If you call Anyanka here, she
will be a powerful vengeance demon. Maybe we can make her human. But she will
try to get her powers back. And we have no idea if they will fall in love
either. They fell in love in your universe because the timing was right. Here,
Anyanka is still a demon, who will not become the human she is in your universe
in a split second. That takes time. And...well...Xander is not the same here
too. He has a problem trusting women, and he probably won't fall in love with an
ex-demon. He won't allow himself.'
Buffy felt frustrated. She was a slayer and she was used to problems she could
take care of.
'And you haven't found an answer in that awful pile of books on this table
either?'
'No Buffy, nothing as of yet.'
'Well, I guess there is nothing left to do. We just keep looking for a way to
get back to my own world. Unless...What if I go to LA and find this Lorne guy. I
mean, he made this happen. Maybe he can undo it. Or, is that stupid too?'
Giles smiled. 'No Buffy, that isn't stupid. In fact that is the best idea you
had all afternoon. I must admit, it makes my own ideas look pale too. He might
be able to help us, but I don't want you to go alone.'
'So, come with me.'
'I can't leave the store. Besides it might be wise if I keep doing research. In
case Lorne doesn't want to help.'
'Ok, so I'll take Willow or Tara.'
'They have classes and it is probably better not to take them with you for Dawn.
She has gotten used to the fact that you three take care of her.'
'Giles, we're only going for a quick visit. We're not moving there without
taking her with us.'
'Ok, so that last thing I said was a bit...well...not wise. It's just... I
think you should take Xander with you.'
'I can't take Xander. This all involves him. He'll hate me.'
'He won't hate you. He never has, he'll never do. I think it will help. This
Lorne sounds like a fairly reasonable guy. Maybe it will help if he sees Xander.
Sees the difference between this Xander and your Xander. He might feel more
willing to help you.'
'I won't take him Giles. I'll have to tell him.'
Yes, you'll have to tell him.'
'Giles, understand ! I CAN'T TELL XANDER !'
She screamed the last sentence right when the door opened and Xander came in.
'You can't tell me what Buff?'
Giles looked at his slayer. 'If you don't tell him, I will.'
Buffy realised she had no choice. So, she told the story again. 'Well, it all
began after your fluke with Willow. Since that hurt Cordelia, a vengeance demon
named Anyanka came to town....'
And she told the whole story. A bit scared of his reaction.
'And well...in order to fix this, and get you back were you belong. We...we need
to go to LA. To see this Lorne, to ask him to help us.'
Xander had made his way to a chair during the story. He had kind of a hard time
getting it all. He was supposed to get married? To an ex-demon? And he loved
her and she loved him? It was a bit overwelming.
Buffy looked at her friend. Sitting there, staring at nothing.
'Xander, please. Say something.'
He looked at her. 'I have just one question.'
'Ask away, you can ask anything.'
'Why did you wish I never met this Anya?'
Tbc...