"They were able to re-start his heart, although they are at a loss on why it stopped in the first place. All of his cholesterol was normal, as was his blood pressure. I have to admit I am quite astonished as to why this happened." Giles' explanation was barely acknowledged by the somber crowd.

Xander was hurt, really hurt, for the first time in seven years.

"Is he going to be ok?"

"Actually that's what... It seems they need to keep him on these machines. You see his heart, it keeps stopping for no reason."

"Oh god." The witch sat down in one of the hospital chairs being comforted by a particular SIT.

"It has to be a spell then.... Right? I mean if the doctors don't have an explanation, then it has to be something supernatural." Kennedy looked to the others for some sort of acknowledgment.

"I think it must be... I'll start my research, Willow if you don't feel up to-"

"I'll help. I'll do anything you want me to."

"Thank you."

"I'm with the redhead... That is I can do research, the whole spell thing isn't really-"

"Thank you Kennedy. Before we go... they told me we should go in to see him one at a time... just in case he...."

**********

Buffy closed the door behind her and looked over to the man she had known for seven years. She sat in the chair beside the bed. She was the last to come in here and sit with him. Even Spike came in here before her. Just her and Xander in a room together, she didn't know what exactly to say.

"I know if you were where I am you would be cracking jokes. I always wanted to know how much of that was for our amusement, and how much was you trying to deal with the seriously scary situations that always come up. Giles thinks its a spell doing this to you but.... Did I do this? It happened right after... I still don't love him you know. But when I started to date Riley or Angel I didn't love them. He has done so much to help me, and Dawn... He has a soul now so you really can't blame him for what he did before. I.... This whole dying thing, I tell you it's not all its cracked up to is. Sure the first time was just a whirly gig of fun but let me tell you the second time... Ok so I'm not that good at the jokemaking, that's why you need to be here. I love you, you can't die. If you die the whole slayer thing... It won't make any sense any more. Can I tell you a secret? You're the reason I do it. You and Dawn. I... I didn't know it was hard for you, you know. I kinda eavesdropped while you were talking to Dawn. I never.... I didn't know. I guess with the whole superpowers I was so caught up in my own pain to even realize... Oh god Xand I am so sorry. I need to make this right. You have to live so I can make this right again."

************************

Buffy had elected to stay in the room with Xander. It was no use for the hospital staff to try to get her to leave; she was staying no matter what. That's when she got the idea. It wasn't one of those ones that slowly come to you, it was like BAM! She knew one way to try to get Xander back.

"So, could you do it Will?"

"I guess.... but I'm not sure this would work any way. The time I did this with you it was a psychological thing. This, if this is witch craft I can't help."

"I don't think it is Will."

"You think Xander was able to do this to himself? Buffy I really don't-"

"It wont hurt to try, will it?"

Willow was not ready to do this kind of thing to Xander. Whatever Xander was thinking was his own business. The only reason she did it with Buffy was Glory needed to be stopped, which took precedent over any bad feelings she would get by going inside her friends mind. But this was different. Xander was being put under a spell of some kind, or something mystical. This wouldn't help them at all. In some ways it would hurt, Buffy would be so sure that it would work and when it wouldn't she would turn the blame to Willow. Willow was doing something wrong, Willow was the one who failed. An idea popped into her head. 'Buffy could be the one to go into Xander's mind. She's the one that wants it done so badly; she can be the one to do it. And she wouldn't blame me because she would be the one going in there.'

Willow went to help Buffy for the 'trip' she was about to embark on.