Chapter 9
Willow gasped at the sight of Xander right there in front of her. She drew breath sharply and let it out in a loud piercing scream that almost forced Xander to cover his ears.
Buffy and Giles were still waiting around the front when they heard Willow's shriek. A split second later Buffy was running around to the back after whispering one word to herself, "Xander".
"Hey hey hey, is that any way to greet old friends?" Xander asked Willow casually.
Willow, slowly backing away, replied "We're not old friends. Xander is dead."
"Well, yeah. But still - no kiss? No tongues, I promise" said Xander with a smile.
At that time Buffy came round the corner at pace. She stopped next to Willow, happy to protect her than having to attack Xander, something she was not yet completely ready for.
"Buffy!" said Xander in excitement. "How are you? I love the way your hair shines in the moonlight."
Buffy actually looked up at the sky before answering. "There is no moonlight tonight Xander, the moon's in shadow."
Xander turned as if talking to an imaginary friend "And people think I'm the dumb one!".
"Anyway, Buff, thanks for joining us, I'm glad you're both here. I need to tell you something. I used to have a crush on you Buffy, but I've come to realise that I was a fool. There was a beautiful and intelligent girl who liked me and I never returned those feelings. I'm sorry for that Willow. I want to make it up to you. I choose you. Come with me, we'll be together for all time, you'll never die" said Xander.
"No. It's not really you Xander" said Willow, taking a step forward without realising it.
"Of course it's me silly. I've known you since the first day of kindergarten. I've been there for you every day since then. What has Buffy ever done for you, huh? I bet if it wasn't for her I would have noticed you more and we would be going out together. Isn't that what you wanted? Don't you want to be with me forever?" pleaded Xander.
Willow was torn between telling herself that this wasn't really Xander, but yet hearing and reacting to all the things she had ever wished Xander would say to her. Had it not been for Buffy holding her elbow Willow might have let herself walk over to him, even though she knew what would happen. It scared her that part of her didn't care, it wanted to be with him regardless.
While Xander was watching Willow struggle with herself, his hearing had recovered from her scream enough to detect movement behind him. Without even turning around, Xander called out "Giles. No need to be so sneaky. Come round the front with everyone else so I can get a good look at you, or you'll have to suffer the wrath of the deadly fart I'm brewing up inside me."
Willow looked up at Xander and said "that's disgusting Xander." She then turned to Buffy and asked softly "vampires can fart?"
Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. I suppose so."
Reluctantly after having been found out, Giles made his way carefully around Xander and bent down to check on Jenny, while still keeping a wary eye on the former Scooby lest he try anything while Giles was kneeling.
"Don't worry G man. I just knocked her out, she'll be fine in the morning."
Xander ignored the look of contempt he received from Giles and turned his attention back to Willow. "So how about it Will? Just take a few steps over here, and you'll never have any worries again. You'll be strong and beautiful forever, plus you won't have to worry about not having a tan" said Xander seemingly light-heartedly.
Willow took two quick steps towards Xander, surprising Buffy who lost her albeit gentle hold on Willow's elbow. Xander's eyes sparkled as he realised he had won Willow over, and eventually he would get Buffy too. 'Can you say ménage a trois' he thought to himself.
Just before Xander could take hold of Willow, she reached into her bag and pulled out an old wooden cross and stuck it right in Xander's face. Instinctively Xander pulled back and growled as his face vamped out. Willow took another half step towards him and said "you're an insult to the memory of Xander, you thing, you demon. You talk and act like him, but the real Xander would never hurt me. Get lost!"
Xander took another few steps backward, shocked at the ferocity of Willow's attack. He quickly regrouped however, and bowed at the waist before saying pointedly "I'll be seeing you. Ladies, Giles.". Xander then turned and ran, gracefully leaping the fence and disappearing into the darkness. Neither Buffy or Giles made any attempt at pursuit, as Willow had fallen to one knee and was an absolute mess, crying and sobbing as the enormity finally hit her, Xander was gone.
Buffy held Willow as she wept, whispering softly "it's ok, let it out Will. We'll do the spell and get him back, you'll see." It was another five minutes before Willow could stand up and compose herself enough to walk back to Giles' car. Finally her resolve had broken, and her emotions burst out like a dam exploding at full strength
Willow gasped at the sight of Xander right there in front of her. She drew breath sharply and let it out in a loud piercing scream that almost forced Xander to cover his ears.
Buffy and Giles were still waiting around the front when they heard Willow's shriek. A split second later Buffy was running around to the back after whispering one word to herself, "Xander".
"Hey hey hey, is that any way to greet old friends?" Xander asked Willow casually.
Willow, slowly backing away, replied "We're not old friends. Xander is dead."
"Well, yeah. But still - no kiss? No tongues, I promise" said Xander with a smile.
At that time Buffy came round the corner at pace. She stopped next to Willow, happy to protect her than having to attack Xander, something she was not yet completely ready for.
"Buffy!" said Xander in excitement. "How are you? I love the way your hair shines in the moonlight."
Buffy actually looked up at the sky before answering. "There is no moonlight tonight Xander, the moon's in shadow."
Xander turned as if talking to an imaginary friend "And people think I'm the dumb one!".
"Anyway, Buff, thanks for joining us, I'm glad you're both here. I need to tell you something. I used to have a crush on you Buffy, but I've come to realise that I was a fool. There was a beautiful and intelligent girl who liked me and I never returned those feelings. I'm sorry for that Willow. I want to make it up to you. I choose you. Come with me, we'll be together for all time, you'll never die" said Xander.
"No. It's not really you Xander" said Willow, taking a step forward without realising it.
"Of course it's me silly. I've known you since the first day of kindergarten. I've been there for you every day since then. What has Buffy ever done for you, huh? I bet if it wasn't for her I would have noticed you more and we would be going out together. Isn't that what you wanted? Don't you want to be with me forever?" pleaded Xander.
Willow was torn between telling herself that this wasn't really Xander, but yet hearing and reacting to all the things she had ever wished Xander would say to her. Had it not been for Buffy holding her elbow Willow might have let herself walk over to him, even though she knew what would happen. It scared her that part of her didn't care, it wanted to be with him regardless.
While Xander was watching Willow struggle with herself, his hearing had recovered from her scream enough to detect movement behind him. Without even turning around, Xander called out "Giles. No need to be so sneaky. Come round the front with everyone else so I can get a good look at you, or you'll have to suffer the wrath of the deadly fart I'm brewing up inside me."
Willow looked up at Xander and said "that's disgusting Xander." She then turned to Buffy and asked softly "vampires can fart?"
Buffy shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno. I suppose so."
Reluctantly after having been found out, Giles made his way carefully around Xander and bent down to check on Jenny, while still keeping a wary eye on the former Scooby lest he try anything while Giles was kneeling.
"Don't worry G man. I just knocked her out, she'll be fine in the morning."
Xander ignored the look of contempt he received from Giles and turned his attention back to Willow. "So how about it Will? Just take a few steps over here, and you'll never have any worries again. You'll be strong and beautiful forever, plus you won't have to worry about not having a tan" said Xander seemingly light-heartedly.
Willow took two quick steps towards Xander, surprising Buffy who lost her albeit gentle hold on Willow's elbow. Xander's eyes sparkled as he realised he had won Willow over, and eventually he would get Buffy too. 'Can you say ménage a trois' he thought to himself.
Just before Xander could take hold of Willow, she reached into her bag and pulled out an old wooden cross and stuck it right in Xander's face. Instinctively Xander pulled back and growled as his face vamped out. Willow took another half step towards him and said "you're an insult to the memory of Xander, you thing, you demon. You talk and act like him, but the real Xander would never hurt me. Get lost!"
Xander took another few steps backward, shocked at the ferocity of Willow's attack. He quickly regrouped however, and bowed at the waist before saying pointedly "I'll be seeing you. Ladies, Giles.". Xander then turned and ran, gracefully leaping the fence and disappearing into the darkness. Neither Buffy or Giles made any attempt at pursuit, as Willow had fallen to one knee and was an absolute mess, crying and sobbing as the enormity finally hit her, Xander was gone.
Buffy held Willow as she wept, whispering softly "it's ok, let it out Will. We'll do the spell and get him back, you'll see." It was another five minutes before Willow could stand up and compose herself enough to walk back to Giles' car. Finally her resolve had broken, and her emotions burst out like a dam exploding at full strength
