Chapter Five – Home Sweet Sunnydale
"Xander!"
Buffy just stood there staring at the space where she had only moments before seen her friend vanish into thin air (thin air? Damn stupid clichés). She was not the only one staring. Several anonymous members of the public also had a look of disbelief of their face. Some of them were asking each other if they saw what they thought they saw. Buffy was still just standing there, not moving at all. Then suddenly she turned around and ran. She ran and ran. She didn't seem to care where she ran, she just ran. Tears were streaming down her face and making her vision hazy but she just kept running. Finally she stopped and looked around and saw the Magic Shop. She headed towards it and opened the door with so force that everyone inside turned to face her. Giles, seeing the tears in her eyes, immediately went towards her with a look of unconcern. "What's happened?"
"Xander."
"Xander?"
"Xander."
"Something has happened to Xander?"
At this moment Willow appeared and upon seeing Buffy's appearance and hearing Giles's words she became extremely worried. "What's happened to Xander?"
"Buffy?"
"Vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Vanished? What does she mean?"
"I don't know."
"Vanished." Buffy repeated.
"Xander's vanished?"
"Vanished."
"Buffy what exactly happened?"
"He was there then he was gone."
"Gone?"
"Vanished."
"Giles?" What's happened?"
"I don't know."
"Vanished." Said Buffy in a quiet voice.
*****
Far across town another person was about to vanish but in a way completely different to that of Xander.
"Help!" Screamed the woman desperately trying to out run the creature that was bearing down upon her. She didn't have a hope. The creature was playing with her. Finally she was thrown to the floor where the creature pinned her down and began to eat her, alive.
*****
"What did the council say?" Asked Willow.
"They have never heard of anything like this." Replied Giles.
"So they can't help?"
"They said they would look into it but…" Giles trailed off.
The two of them looked at each other then across to a very subdued Buffy sitting by the table.
"She is taking this hard." Said Giles.
"I think seeing it happen made it worse, much worse."
"Yes, yes your probably right."
"I tried to talk to her but she was all clammy."
"I suppose we just have to give her some time."
"Time? But we are going to get Xander back really soon though, right?"
"Oh, yes, of course."
*****
"Eaten alive?" Said Giles into the telephone.
Willow returned to the shop to find Giles talking on the phone and Buffy still sat staring into space. She walked up to Buffy and asked, "Who is Giles talking too?"
Buffy didn't seem to heard Willow but just as she was about to ask again Buffy said, "Don't know."
Willow nodded and waited for Giles to finish his conversation. After a couple of minute he did.
"Something wrong?" Asked Willow.
"A girl has been eaten alive."
"Eaten alive?"
"Yes."
"That sounds like a demon thing to do."
"Indeed."
"What are we going to do?" Asked Buffy.
"I think we need to research as this demon appears to be very dangerous."
"No, I meant about Xander."
"Xander? I don't think there is anything we can do."
Buffy looked up at Willow and then back at Giles, "What do you mean?"
"Well we don't have anything to go on."
"But that is what all the researching is for."
"Yes but without more information it would be like searching for a black object in a large dark room."
"We must be able to do something?"
"I have the council working on it."
"The council?"
"Buffy I think there is a more pressing matter than Xander."
"More pressing?"
"We have a human-eating demon out there."
"I don't care."
"I know how both of you feel about Xander, I do too, but he would understand that we have to find a way of stopping the demon first."
"He would understand? He would understand?"
"Buffy…"
Buffy interrupted him and asked in a direct manner, "Are you going to research the demon or Xander?"
"The demon." Upon hearing this Buffy ran out of the shop.
*****
"Buffy?"
"Anya, I have something to tell you. It's about Xander."
"Oh."
"He kind of, well, kind of vanished."
"Yes, I know."
"We're not sure what exactly…excuse me?"
"I know."
"You know?"
"Yes."
"Know that Xander vanished?"
"Yes, I make him vanish."
"You?"
"I sent him away."
"Where?"
"A hell dimension I know."
"A hell dimension?"
"Yep."
"You sent Xander to a hell dimension?"
"What? He deserved it after what he did to me."
"Anya! Xander could be in a great amount of pain right now."
"Good."
"He could be suffering untold amount of torture."
"Excellent."
"Anya!" Buffy violently pushed Anya against the wall.
"Ow."
"Bring him back."
"No."
"Bring him back!"
"No!"
Buffy's fist appeared as if it was going to hit Anya but she got herself under control again.
"Anya, you don't want this."
"How do you know what I want?"
"You want him to suffer? That's understandable but do you want him to die?"
Anya didn't say anything.
"He was suffering, you think he wanted to do what he did?"
"Why did he do it if he didn't want too?"
"I don't know but what I do know is that he was suffering, suffering a lot."
"He was?"
"Yes."
"I just wanted him to feel what I was feeling."
"I know."
"So he could know how much he hurt me."
"I think he has suffered enough, don't you?"
Anya looked at Buffy and nodded.
"So how do we bring him back?"
"I just have to do a little spell."
"And he will appear here?"
"No he will appear at the point where he vanished."
Buffy waited for Anya to get together the necessary stuff and took her to the spot where Xander vanished.
*****
"Okay, I think this is it."
Anya performed the spell but nothing happened.
"Nothing happened."
"Give it a little time."
A little time passed.
"Did you do it right?"
Before Anya could answer a blinding bright light appeared from nowhere forcing them to cover their eyes. When they uncovered them they saw Xander curled up on the ground.
"Xander?" Said Buffy. "Xander?"
He looked towards the voice and blinked a couple of times.
"Xander?" Asked Anya.
"It's Buffy."
"And Anya."
Xander took another long look at them and said in a quiet nervous voice, "Who are you?"
[End of chapter five]
*****
[Start of chapter five]
Epic
Chapter Five – Home Sweet Sunnydale
"What happened?" Asked Buffy.
"It's Anya…she's dead." Replied Giles.
"Dead?" Buffy was shocked.
"Yes."
"Killed?"
"Yes."
"By who?"
"A demon."
"The new one?"
"It appears so."
"Where's Xander? Was he hurt?"
"No, he came back after it happened."
"He saw her?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
"He left."
"Left?"
"Yes, after they took away her body he vanished."
"You don't think he went after the demon, do you?"
"I didn't think of that."
"Giles, he is going to get himself killed."
"I don't know Xander can take care of himself."
"No, you don't understand. I came here to talk you that I found the demon. It is in a cave at the edge of town with about ten other demons."
"Ten?"
"Yeah. And Xander has gone after it, alone."
Giles went to a nearby weapons chest and pulled out an axe and threw it to Buffy. "You go to the cave and if he arrives stop him. I'll go get Willow and Tara and we'll search the rest of the town."
"What if I get there and he has already gone in?"
Giles pointed to the axe and Buffy nodded. She turned and ran out of the shop and headed in the direction of the cave.
*****
Xander had seen the demon on the outskirts of the town and was following it through the woods. It was moving fast and he was struggling to keep up but his anger pushed him on. The woods started to clear and the demon made its way for what looked like a cave. As he got closer Xander saw that it was a cave and the demon entered it. He went to its entrance and paused, and then grasping the axe in his hand he moved into the darkness. However he felt a strong arm on his shoulder and he turned round wielding the axe but just realised in time who it was.
"Buffy?"
"Xander, don't go in there."
"But that demon killed Anya!"
"I know but it's suicide."
"I don't care."
"Xander there are ten other demons in there."
"Good, more of them to die."
"They will kill you before you even raise that axe."
"Buffy this doesn't concern you."
"What do you mean it doesn't concern me?"
"Did your girlfriend just die? Did you just see her lifeless body covered in blood? Did you!"
"No, but getting yourself killed won't help."
"Killing them will."
"Xander I know what it is like to lose someone you love but this isn't the answer."
"Then what is? Do we leave to fight another day?"
"Yes."
"Sorry but I have run away for the last time."
"Do you think this is what Anya would want you to do?"
"How the hell do you know what Anya would want?"
"I know that she wouldn't want you to die."
"She would want me to get revenge."
"Yes but not this way."
"What other way is there?"
"Giles is working on a way to kill them and when…"
"Research? They could be long gone before Giles figured out anything. They need to pay and they need to pay now!"
Xander pushed Buffy out of the way and moved towards the cave.
"No! Xander I won't lose you."
Buffy dragged him back and placed herself between him and the entrance.
"It's not your decision to make!"
"Well I'm making it anyway."
"What are you going to do? Kill me?"
"No, just knock you unconscious."
"Are you prepared to do that?"
"If it means saving your life, then yes."
"Well go ahead then." Xander brought up his axe and lunged at Buffy. She brought up her axe and parried his attack.
"Xander you don't want to do this."
He brought his axe down again and again she parried.
"Then let me past."
"Never."
"Why are you protecting them?"
"I'm not protecting them, I'm protecting you."
"I don't want your protection."
"Tough because you've got it."
"It is my life and it is my decision. This doesn't involve you!"
"Yes it does."
"Why won't you let me through?"
"You want to know why?"
"Yes!"
"Because I love you!"
There was silence. Xander's axe fell to his hip and he just stared at Buffy. Finally he said, "You love me?"
"No."
"But you said…"
"Yeah, well, it was in the heat of the moment."
"So you don't love me?"
Buffy didn't say anything and just looked at the ground.
"Buffy? Do you love me?"
She looked up with tears in her eyes and nodded.
Xander moved towards her and they were kissing. However he broke it off looked Buffy in the eye turned towards the woods and ran. He left Buffy standing there simply watching him go.