Waking Willow

Time Period: Pre-Season One Disclaimer: I'm not Joss, unless Joss is a really woman from New England. Don't sue. I don't own anything anyway, unless you want my Buffy and Angel DVDs and comics.

Summary: Pre-Buffy Sunnydale. Xander and Willow have a strange experience.

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Waking Willow

Willow entered the library and inhaled the smell of the room. The books had a musty odor, older than normal. She reveled in it.

"Hello." The English man welcomed her. "Can I help you?"

"No." Willow said softly. "I'm just, ah, looking for a book."

"I see." The man said. "I'm Mr. Giles, the new librarian."

"Willow." She smiled. "History?"

"I'm sorry?" Giles said.

"The History section?" Willow clarified.

"Ah, upstairs, three stacks over." Giles pointed.

Willow smiled shyly and walked off.

*

"Will." Xander called from behind her. "Where ya been?"

"Library." Willow said.

"On the hunt for mighty knowledge." Jesse said as he joined the group. "I heard Miss "I'm the librarian so shut up and study" Cambridge got canned."

"The new librarian's kind of hot." Willow's smile turned to a frown as both Xander and Jesse shot her an odd look. "I really need some female friends." Willow deadpanned.

** Later that night.

Willow, Xander and Jesse walked home from The Bronze. Xander walked Willow to her house and waved as he headed home.

Willow sighed as she entered the house. She walked up to her bedroom, dreamily thinking of Xander, if only he knew how she felt. If only he felt the same way. Willow undressed, pulled on her nightshirt and climbed into bed, dreaming of the day that she and Xander would get together. Willow closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

*

Xander woke and climbed out of bed; his eyes remained closed against the morning light. He stumbled into the bedside table and yelped as he stubbed his toe. Xander groggily stumbled into the bathroom.

"This isn't the bathroom." Xander said as he opened a linen closet. Xander looked around, he wasn't at his house. He looked down the hallway before noting he was at Willow's. Xander trudged into Willow's bathroom replaying the night before. He could have sworn he walked Willow home before going on to his house. He vividly remembered his parents screaming at each other when he got home. Xander splashed cold water into his face and looked into the mirror. He let out a startled gasp. Willow stared back at him from the mirror.

Xander tentatively reached his hand to his face; the Willow in the mirror mimicked the movement. Xander patted his face, neck and head; the Willow in the mirror did the same. Xander continued to stare into the mirror; he quickly looked down.

He was Willow!

"Oh boy." Xander said, his eyes wide in shock.

Xander rushed back into Willow's room and grabbed the phone. He dialed his own phone number and listened as the line rang.

"Hello?" His voice answered.

"Willow?" Xander said, in Willow's voice.

"Who is this?" Willow replied, in Xander's voice.

"Will, it's me, get up."

"Me, who?"

"Me, Xander."

"Xander?" Willow was confused. "Are you sick?"

"No." Xander whined. "Just get up and look in the mirror."

Willow opened her eyes, she was instantly confused. She walked to Xander's closet and opened the door. She was Xander.

"Oh!" Willow said shocked.

Xander heard the closet door slam, before remembering that he had gone to bed naked the night before.

"Will?" Xander asked.

"What's going on!" Willow demanded.

"If I knew, I'd tell you." Xander said.

"Look, get dressed and meet me at the school." Willow said.

Willow climbed out of bed and moved to the closet again, she tried to keep her eyes closed as she dug out something to wear.

Xander tore through Willow's closet and pulled her clothes on. Xander looked at the Willow in the mirror. "So much I could learn about a woman." He muttered before shaking the thought from his head. Xander ran down the stairs.

"Willow, is that you?" Mrs. Rosenburg called.

"Uh, sort of?" Xander said.

"What was that, dear?"

"Uh, yes mom." Xander said.

"Where are you going?"

"School."

"Have fun." Mrs. Rosenburg said absently.

Xander rolled his eyes and ran out the door.

*

"Took you long enough." Willow said as she saw herself approaching.

"What am I wearing?" Xander said, looking at the outfit Willow had chosen.

"What?" Willow asked insulted.

"Never mind." Xander said.

Willow and Xander entered the school and quietly walked to the library.

"What are we doing here?" Xander asked.

"It was the only place I could think of to come." Willow said. "Okay, whatever's happening started last night." She thought out loud. "So, we retrace our steps."

Willow and Xander walked through the hallways, then left and walked to The Bronze, they followed their path home, with Willow in Xander's body waving and walking away.

Both arrived home and climbed into their beds.

**

Minutes passed. Willow opened her eyes and looked around the room. She was in her own bedroom, in her own clothes. She looked around before calling Xander.

"I just had the weirdest dream." Willow said as Xander answered the phone.

"Me too." Xander said.

**

"What should be, now is, what was once, shall be. Bodies and minds united, the spell is undone." Giles softly shut the dusty tome in his hands. "I see this place will indeed be a challenge." He said as he sipped his tea.