Author's note:
[********** means next loop, ......... means later on in the current loop]
Part 4
Outside of Xander's Apartment
6:10 A.M.
Buffy walked up the stairs leading to Xander's apartment. She had been up these stairs many times, but never this early in the morning.
{God, no wonder Xander always seems so tired} she thought, finally reaching the top stair as she walked down the hallway to his door.
When she came to his door she raised her hand to knock, but found the door slightly cracked. This worried Buffy as she cautiously pushed the door open, "Xander?"
"Right here Buff."
"Uh Xander, what are you doing sleeping on the couch? Are you okay?" Buffy asked as she closed the door to his apartment behind her.
"Yeah, and I wasn't sleeping, I was waiting for you." he said staring up at the ceiling.
"Waiting? Wow, if I'd known you were this eager to train I'd came sooner."
Xander's sudden snicker, turning into laughter caught Buffy off guard, "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just dandy."
"Oookay, then are you ready to go to the Magic Shop?"
This drew another laugh from him as he continued to stare up at the ceiling, "She asked if I was ready to go to the Magic Shop." he said towards the ceiling as he continued to laugh.
"Uh, Xander are you sure you're alright because right now I'm thinking hyena?"
When Xander didn't answer she walked over to him and sat down on the couch beside him, "Xander, what's wrong? Did something happen? Something with you and Anya?"
Xander took his eyes off the ceiling to look her straight in the eyes, "No, Anya and I are fine. I'm just stuck in..." Xander slightly exhaled with a smile before continuing, "...a rut."
"Well, tell that rut to let go or else Buffy Summers will come looking for it." she said with a determined look as she got up and extended her hand, "Now, let's go to the Magic Shop. Maybe a little violence will help get you out of funky Xander mode."
"Ummm, Buff violence usually only does you good if you're the one inflicting it."
"Well, maybe I'll let you have a few jabs in here and there."
"You're too kind." Xander said as he followed her out of the apartment.
..........................
The Magic Shop Training Room
11:15 A.M.
Xander now sat on the bench in the training room as Buffy continued to pound on the punching bag. How someone could train for five hours was beyond Xander, but here she was pounding the life out of that poor punching bag. Xander just got back from "his break" as Buffy called it. He had to admit though, this was helping a little. He had lost track of how many times he'd gone to the gang and told them about his problem to which they would research it over and over again with no luck. {Maybe Dawn's right, maybe....phhff}
A towel hitting Xander in the midsection interrupted his thoughts.
"Okay, break's over. Now come on over here and hold this bag for me. It doesn't seem to want to stand still." Buffy said picking up her bottled water off of the floor.
"No."
"No? What do you mean no?"
"No, as in I'm ready for something else. Maybe where I hold something other than a bag."
"What, you want to spar or something?" Buffy said as a slight snicker escaped her mouth.
"Why not?"
"Look, Xander I appreciate you helping me out with my workouts in the morning, but I won't spar with you."
Xander rolled his eyes as she continued, "Xander, I get kind of rough when I spar, you might get hurt."
"Oh, and Giles doesn't? Maybe...." Xander said as Buffy spoke up, "Xander, I'm not sparring with you and that's final."
"...you're just scared that I might actually beat you." Xander finished which drew a glare from the slayer.
"Suit up." Was all that Buffy said as she went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs.
"Suit up in what?" Xander asked just as Buffy turned back around and tossed one of the staffs to him.
The only answer she gave him was a quick thrust forward with her staff to which Xander barely blocked. Buffy backed up and regrouped. That's when Xander gave her an opening as he came forward at her as if he was afraid to hit her. She blocked his semi-thrust forward and knocked the staff out of his hands, then came at him with a quick sweep of the staff under his feet, knocking him to the mat.
{How dare he think he can beat me. You can't push me around, I'm the slayer. I'm...Oh God Xander!} Before she knew it she was standing over him with her staff at his throat.
"Oh Xander, I'm so sorry." she said tossing her staff away as she reached down and extended her hand.
Xander didn't take her hand as he leaned up with a grimace, "That's okay, next time I'll be ready."
This drew a questioning expression from Buffy, "Next time?"
*******************************
"...you're just scared that I might actually beat you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. As she turned around she tossed one of the staffs towards Xander who caught it just as Buffy made her move. She made a quick thrust forward with her staff to which Xander blocked, then she waited for an opening. Just when she saw Xander attempt a lunge with his staff she went in, but was surprised to find no opening except her own. An opening that Xander quickly took advantage of as he knocked the staff out of her hand, sending it rattling across the floor before looking at Buffy with a smug smile, "Maybe you're the one who needs to suit up."
Wrong thing to say.
Before he knew it Buffy's foot kicked out, knocking his staff up into the air as Xander watched it gracefully fall into her hands as she backed him up against the wall with it, "You were saying?"
*******************************
"...you're just scared that I'd beat you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. When she turned around and tossed one of the staffs to Xander he caught it with ease as she came at him. Her first thrust was quickly blocked away to which she seemed to back up as if rethinking her line of attack. When she saw Xander make a move she jumped at what she saw as an opening, however, the opening quickly closed up and exposed one of her own as Xander knocked her staff out
of her hand and across the room. Buffy looked up into the eyes of her opponent and could see the
satisfaction in them. {Oh, it's not over yet}
She was wrong.
When she made an attempt at overcoming him without a weapon Xander did exactly what she had done to him before as he sweeped his staff under her feet, dropping her to the ground.
{What the hell?} Buffy thought as she laid flat on her back, looking up into the smiling face of one Alexander Harris.
After a minute or two of taking in his victory Xander extended his hand to Buffy.
Wrong thing to do.
Buffy took his hand with a silent thank you as she used her force to pull him down to the ground with her as she rolled over to a sitting position on top of him, pinning his hands to the mat.
"Where the hell did you learn how to fight like that?"
Xander only smiled.
********************************
"I think you're just afraid that I might wipe the mat with you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. She turned around and tossed one of the staffs to Xander as he caught it without looking, drawing a perplexed look from Buffy before she came at him. Her first thrust was quickly blocked away to which she seemed to back up as if rethinking her line of attack. When she saw Xander just sitting there as if he was bored she jumped at what she thought was an opening. The next thing she knew her staff was rattling across the floor. Buffy looked down at her hands as if not believing what had just happened, when she looked up she saw Xander holding the staff with his left hand and an apple in his right as he took a bite, not even looking at Buffy.
{Who the hell does he think he is?}
The look she gave him was one that would make the first slayer turn tail and run, problem was Xander still wasn't looking at her as he continued to eat the apple nonchalantly.
A couple of seconds later, the blood cry was heard throughout the training room as Buffy came at Xander.
Xander tossed the apple away and tripped her to the ground with his staff.
"Thanks for the workout Buff. We'll do it again sometime." Xander said as he tossed the staff on the ground beside Buffy and started walking out of the training room.
Buffy flipped herself up, "Where are you going? We're not through!"
Xander turned around at the door, "Buffy, I've got some things to do, but I'll tell you what, you train a little harder and maybe I'll give you another crack at me later." he said before turning back around and walking off with a smile on his face.
He missed a very pissed off slayer turn and kick the punching bag so hard it went flying across the room as it hit the weapons display on the wall, knocking all the weapons to the ground.
.....................
Sunnydale High
Ms. Bullard's Room
12:05 P.M.
History Test Paper
Question 1: What events were most responsible for WWI?
{Okay, I can do this. Sure, I didn't study because Lisa wanted to talk on the phone all night, but I can still do this.}
Dawn finished question one with ease as she smiled and turned to the end of the test to find that there were one hundred questions on the test. {Oh Crap!}
Question 2: Who was the general in the WWI picture that wore the funny looking hat. Hint:Third guy from right...{What the hell?}
Before Dawn could even get into question three someone knocked on the classroom door as they came in with a note and handed it to Ms. Bullard.
Ms. Bullard clearing her throat, "Ms. Summers, it seems that you've been excused. Your older brother is here to pick you up."
A very curious, yet happy Dawn quickly gathered her stuff and headed for the door only to be stopped by Ms. Bullard clearing her throat again, "Oh Ms. Summers, I'll expect you to be here early in the morning to take the makeup test."
Dawn nodded with a grim expression before heading out of the classroom. As she walked down the hall she started to worry. {What if something's happened to Buffy....or Mom.}
She hurried to the front of the school and pushed her way through the doors to find Xander sitting outside on the ledge with his back turned.
"Xander?"
"The one and only." Xander said, turning around and looking at Dawn.
"Xander, is everyone okay? My mom...she isn't...I mean, she's okay right?"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. She's fine."
"Buff..."
"Her too."
"Then...then why are you here? Why did you pull me out of class?"
"Well, I just wanted to show my favourite Summer's a day out on the town. Sooo, what do you say?"
"I don't know Xander. I'm really in the middle of an important test and it wouldn't be right."
"Yeah, I guess not. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go to the mall all by myself with this $5,000 limit credit card." Xander said as he made a move to turn around.
"Well, m-maybe I should go...you know, to be like your credit card sponsor."
"If you think that's best." Xander said as Dawn flew past him to get in his car, the only problem was his car wasn't there.
"Uh, Xander?"
"Yeah Dawnie."
"Where's your car and more importantly, why did you just open the door of that red porsche?"
...................
Sunnydale Mall
1:25 P.M.
"Dawn, you are evil pure and simple."
"What?" Dawn asked with an innocent expression as she stood in front of a slumped over Xander who was currently carrying eight sacks filled with six different tops, five pairs of pants, four sets of earrings, three purses, two different perfumes and one um...limited edition Backstreet Boys CD in which Xander had no idea where it had came from.
"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?" Dawn asked as she looked over at one of the restaurants in the mall.
"That depends on if my arms can reach my face to let me drink it." Xander said dropping all eight sacks as he sat on one of the benches in the mall, exhaling.
"Be back in a sec." she said walking over to the restaurant.
Despite his tingling limbs, Xander watched her with a smile.
It seemed like Dawn was enjoying herself and it made Xander feel really good. She had just recently learned she was the key constructed into human form by monks, that could open portals and possibly destroy the earth if used by someone in such a manner and wouldn't you know it, she just happened to live in a town with the largest destroy the world population.
Xander had the far too recent image of Dawn walking into the Summer's residence asking what she was with cuts on her arms pop into his head. He tried to shake the images, instead focusing on her smiling image of just a few minutes ago. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile like that. The next thing he knew it that smile was standing right in front of him again with two large drinks.
"Uh, Xander are you okay?"
"Huh... what?" Xander asked looking at Dawn dumbfounded for a second before coming out of it,
"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you? Are you enjoying yourself?"
The act of Dawn throwing herself into his arms, almost spilling the drinks in the process, answered his question, "If I was only about three years older." she said hugging him.
"What, you're that eager to vote?" Xander said as they withdrew from their hug, while she handed him his drink and then a slight punch to the arm.
"Ow, Summer's strength alert!" Xander said as he grabbed his arm.
Dawn slightly smiled before looking down at the sacks and back up at Xander, "How are you going to pay for all this? I mean, won't this get you in trouble with Anya?"
"It'll be our little secret, besides....." Xander cut himself off as he saw a familiar person walk into a department store across the mall.
"Uh, Dawn wait here, I'll be right back." he said as a wicked smile crept up on his face.
"Umm, okay." Dawn said as she took a swig of her cola and watched Xander enter the antique shop across the mall.
As he entered the store Xander watched her like a predator does his prey.
{Oh yeah, it's pay back time missy}
"Excuse me." Xander said as a blond haired lady, dressed in a red blouse and black pants turned to face him.
"No thank you, I don't need any help." she said dismissing Xander as she turned back around.
"No, no I'm not an employee of the store ma'am. I just saw you from across the mall and I couldn't help but to notice your hair. It's so...so ravishly beautiful."
"R-really? Oh..." The woman said with a slight, nervous smile to Xander's compliment as she dabbed at her hair with her left hand.
"You see, I work for an ad agency out of L.A. called uh,..." Xander's gaze went slightly to the left at an item on the shelf as he kept his smile in check before continuing, "Angel Inc. and we're looking for someone that has that special something and youuu...I'm sorry what was your name again?"
"Oh, uh...Katrina, but you can call me Kat." she said adding a little something to the word Kat as she held out her hand to Xander who took ahold of it while kissing the top of her hand, trying to hold back his disgust.
"Angel Inc.? I've never heard of that name before. Is your agency new?" Katrina asked with curiosity.
"Well, yes and no. You see we merged with another company and changed the name. The new owner thought his name would be more fitting for the company." Xander shakes head before continuing, "I'm just glad the board members talked him out of going with that hair gel idea."
After receiving a frown from the woman, Xander continued, "Anyway, I'd like for you to come into our photo shoot next Friday. How does that sound?"
"That sounds wonderful! Thank you." she says as Xander tells her an address that he hopes doesn't sound too made up.
"No, thank you." Xander says, making a move to leave before turning back around to face the woman, "Oh, I almost forgot. What if you need to get in touch with me. How stupid of me." He says feeling around his pockets as if he's looking for something, "Well, I don't seem to have any of my business cards with me at the moment, but maybe, oh I don't know, maybe you have a way I could reach you in case something comes up with the shoot and we have to reschedule."
"Oh, yeah...sure." the woman says hesitantly before digging into her purse and pulling out a piece of paper as she writes her name, address and cell number down on it before handing it to Xander.
"Ok, thank you Katrina....Kat." Xander corrected, drawing a smile from the woman.
"Will I see you again? Perhaps at the shoot or something?"
"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. I guarantee our paths will cross again." Xander said excusing himself as he walked out of the store looking down at the piece of paper with a wicked smile, however, when he looked back up his smile started to fade as he looked across the mall at Dawn.....and the boy she was talking to.
Xander's smile returned a little as he saw the way Dawn was shyly looking down at the ground while she talked to the boy. The slight smile faded, however, when he saw the boy reach out and slightly touch Dawn's stomach....
Xander almost became Xandelus as his soul fought against the urge to go other there and maul the boy in front of Dawn.
"So, y-you think I should, huh?" Dawn said as she blushed looking down at the her belly button.
"Should what?" Xander asked as he came up beside Dawn startling her a bit as she jumped.
"U-uh nothing." Dawn said before looking back and forth between the boy in front of her and Xander, then finally resting her eyes back towards the ground.
"I just said she should get her belly button pierced. It would be wicked cool." the boy said looking at Xander who at that moment had a nice visual of the boy's head stuck on post like the enemy use to do to those they killed back in mid-evil times.
"Yeah, that would be wouldn't it." Xander stated without enthusiasm before reaching his hand out to the boy, "Name's Xander."
The boy reached out and accepted Xander's hand with one of his own, "Kevin...oww, nice grip." he said shaking his hand from the pain as he removed it from Xander's grasp before continuing, "Sooo, you're like her brother or something?"
Dawn laughed a little, "No, he's just a friend of my sister."
"Yeah you know, your sister. The one who likes violence." Xander said not taking a single eye off of Kevin.
Dawn noticed a knot forming in Kevin's throat.
"Say Kevin..." Xander said with a little too much enthusiasm for Dawn's liking, "Would you like to come along with Dawn and I?"
"Uh, w-where, where are you going?" Kevin asked as Dawn watched the knot being swallowed.
"Well, first I have to swing by the shop and pickup that Chainsaw that I need for tomorrow's job I've got lined up, then perhaps we could go to the movies or something. I hear the digitally remastered version of Psycho is playing."
"Ah...well, I just remembered that I have to....um, get home and uhh...do some homework. Yeah gotta hit the books, get an education you know." Kevin said with a shaky laugh while backing up as he looked at Dawn, "I-I'll see you later." before turning tail and walking away as fast as he could without it being called a sprint.
"Bye." Xander said waving with a smile before turning towards Dawn as his smile faded upon her glare.
"What?" Xander said as Dawn began stomping off towards the mall exit with Xander in tow calling out her name.
[********** means next loop, ......... means later on in the current loop]
Part 4
Outside of Xander's Apartment
6:10 A.M.
Buffy walked up the stairs leading to Xander's apartment. She had been up these stairs many times, but never this early in the morning.
{God, no wonder Xander always seems so tired} she thought, finally reaching the top stair as she walked down the hallway to his door.
When she came to his door she raised her hand to knock, but found the door slightly cracked. This worried Buffy as she cautiously pushed the door open, "Xander?"
"Right here Buff."
"Uh Xander, what are you doing sleeping on the couch? Are you okay?" Buffy asked as she closed the door to his apartment behind her.
"Yeah, and I wasn't sleeping, I was waiting for you." he said staring up at the ceiling.
"Waiting? Wow, if I'd known you were this eager to train I'd came sooner."
Xander's sudden snicker, turning into laughter caught Buffy off guard, "Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just dandy."
"Oookay, then are you ready to go to the Magic Shop?"
This drew another laugh from him as he continued to stare up at the ceiling, "She asked if I was ready to go to the Magic Shop." he said towards the ceiling as he continued to laugh.
"Uh, Xander are you sure you're alright because right now I'm thinking hyena?"
When Xander didn't answer she walked over to him and sat down on the couch beside him, "Xander, what's wrong? Did something happen? Something with you and Anya?"
Xander took his eyes off the ceiling to look her straight in the eyes, "No, Anya and I are fine. I'm just stuck in..." Xander slightly exhaled with a smile before continuing, "...a rut."
"Well, tell that rut to let go or else Buffy Summers will come looking for it." she said with a determined look as she got up and extended her hand, "Now, let's go to the Magic Shop. Maybe a little violence will help get you out of funky Xander mode."
"Ummm, Buff violence usually only does you good if you're the one inflicting it."
"Well, maybe I'll let you have a few jabs in here and there."
"You're too kind." Xander said as he followed her out of the apartment.
..........................
The Magic Shop Training Room
11:15 A.M.
Xander now sat on the bench in the training room as Buffy continued to pound on the punching bag. How someone could train for five hours was beyond Xander, but here she was pounding the life out of that poor punching bag. Xander just got back from "his break" as Buffy called it. He had to admit though, this was helping a little. He had lost track of how many times he'd gone to the gang and told them about his problem to which they would research it over and over again with no luck. {Maybe Dawn's right, maybe....phhff}
A towel hitting Xander in the midsection interrupted his thoughts.
"Okay, break's over. Now come on over here and hold this bag for me. It doesn't seem to want to stand still." Buffy said picking up her bottled water off of the floor.
"No."
"No? What do you mean no?"
"No, as in I'm ready for something else. Maybe where I hold something other than a bag."
"What, you want to spar or something?" Buffy said as a slight snicker escaped her mouth.
"Why not?"
"Look, Xander I appreciate you helping me out with my workouts in the morning, but I won't spar with you."
Xander rolled his eyes as she continued, "Xander, I get kind of rough when I spar, you might get hurt."
"Oh, and Giles doesn't? Maybe...." Xander said as Buffy spoke up, "Xander, I'm not sparring with you and that's final."
"...you're just scared that I might actually beat you." Xander finished which drew a glare from the slayer.
"Suit up." Was all that Buffy said as she went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs.
"Suit up in what?" Xander asked just as Buffy turned back around and tossed one of the staffs to him.
The only answer she gave him was a quick thrust forward with her staff to which Xander barely blocked. Buffy backed up and regrouped. That's when Xander gave her an opening as he came forward at her as if he was afraid to hit her. She blocked his semi-thrust forward and knocked the staff out of his hands, then came at him with a quick sweep of the staff under his feet, knocking him to the mat.
{How dare he think he can beat me. You can't push me around, I'm the slayer. I'm...Oh God Xander!} Before she knew it she was standing over him with her staff at his throat.
"Oh Xander, I'm so sorry." she said tossing her staff away as she reached down and extended her hand.
Xander didn't take her hand as he leaned up with a grimace, "That's okay, next time I'll be ready."
This drew a questioning expression from Buffy, "Next time?"
*******************************
"...you're just scared that I might actually beat you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. As she turned around she tossed one of the staffs towards Xander who caught it just as Buffy made her move. She made a quick thrust forward with her staff to which Xander blocked, then she waited for an opening. Just when she saw Xander attempt a lunge with his staff she went in, but was surprised to find no opening except her own. An opening that Xander quickly took advantage of as he knocked the staff out of her hand, sending it rattling across the floor before looking at Buffy with a smug smile, "Maybe you're the one who needs to suit up."
Wrong thing to say.
Before he knew it Buffy's foot kicked out, knocking his staff up into the air as Xander watched it gracefully fall into her hands as she backed him up against the wall with it, "You were saying?"
*******************************
"...you're just scared that I'd beat you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. When she turned around and tossed one of the staffs to Xander he caught it with ease as she came at him. Her first thrust was quickly blocked away to which she seemed to back up as if rethinking her line of attack. When she saw Xander make a move she jumped at what she saw as an opening, however, the opening quickly closed up and exposed one of her own as Xander knocked her staff out
of her hand and across the room. Buffy looked up into the eyes of her opponent and could see the
satisfaction in them. {Oh, it's not over yet}
She was wrong.
When she made an attempt at overcoming him without a weapon Xander did exactly what she had done to him before as he sweeped his staff under her feet, dropping her to the ground.
{What the hell?} Buffy thought as she laid flat on her back, looking up into the smiling face of one Alexander Harris.
After a minute or two of taking in his victory Xander extended his hand to Buffy.
Wrong thing to do.
Buffy took his hand with a silent thank you as she used her force to pull him down to the ground with her as she rolled over to a sitting position on top of him, pinning his hands to the mat.
"Where the hell did you learn how to fight like that?"
Xander only smiled.
********************************
"I think you're just afraid that I might wipe the mat with you."
"Suit up." Buffy said as she quickly went over to the wall and retrieved a couple of staffs. She turned around and tossed one of the staffs to Xander as he caught it without looking, drawing a perplexed look from Buffy before she came at him. Her first thrust was quickly blocked away to which she seemed to back up as if rethinking her line of attack. When she saw Xander just sitting there as if he was bored she jumped at what she thought was an opening. The next thing she knew her staff was rattling across the floor. Buffy looked down at her hands as if not believing what had just happened, when she looked up she saw Xander holding the staff with his left hand and an apple in his right as he took a bite, not even looking at Buffy.
{Who the hell does he think he is?}
The look she gave him was one that would make the first slayer turn tail and run, problem was Xander still wasn't looking at her as he continued to eat the apple nonchalantly.
A couple of seconds later, the blood cry was heard throughout the training room as Buffy came at Xander.
Xander tossed the apple away and tripped her to the ground with his staff.
"Thanks for the workout Buff. We'll do it again sometime." Xander said as he tossed the staff on the ground beside Buffy and started walking out of the training room.
Buffy flipped herself up, "Where are you going? We're not through!"
Xander turned around at the door, "Buffy, I've got some things to do, but I'll tell you what, you train a little harder and maybe I'll give you another crack at me later." he said before turning back around and walking off with a smile on his face.
He missed a very pissed off slayer turn and kick the punching bag so hard it went flying across the room as it hit the weapons display on the wall, knocking all the weapons to the ground.
.....................
Sunnydale High
Ms. Bullard's Room
12:05 P.M.
History Test Paper
Question 1: What events were most responsible for WWI?
{Okay, I can do this. Sure, I didn't study because Lisa wanted to talk on the phone all night, but I can still do this.}
Dawn finished question one with ease as she smiled and turned to the end of the test to find that there were one hundred questions on the test. {Oh Crap!}
Question 2: Who was the general in the WWI picture that wore the funny looking hat. Hint:Third guy from right...{What the hell?}
Before Dawn could even get into question three someone knocked on the classroom door as they came in with a note and handed it to Ms. Bullard.
Ms. Bullard clearing her throat, "Ms. Summers, it seems that you've been excused. Your older brother is here to pick you up."
A very curious, yet happy Dawn quickly gathered her stuff and headed for the door only to be stopped by Ms. Bullard clearing her throat again, "Oh Ms. Summers, I'll expect you to be here early in the morning to take the makeup test."
Dawn nodded with a grim expression before heading out of the classroom. As she walked down the hall she started to worry. {What if something's happened to Buffy....or Mom.}
She hurried to the front of the school and pushed her way through the doors to find Xander sitting outside on the ledge with his back turned.
"Xander?"
"The one and only." Xander said, turning around and looking at Dawn.
"Xander, is everyone okay? My mom...she isn't...I mean, she's okay right?"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. She's fine."
"Buff..."
"Her too."
"Then...then why are you here? Why did you pull me out of class?"
"Well, I just wanted to show my favourite Summer's a day out on the town. Sooo, what do you say?"
"I don't know Xander. I'm really in the middle of an important test and it wouldn't be right."
"Yeah, I guess not. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to go to the mall all by myself with this $5,000 limit credit card." Xander said as he made a move to turn around.
"Well, m-maybe I should go...you know, to be like your credit card sponsor."
"If you think that's best." Xander said as Dawn flew past him to get in his car, the only problem was his car wasn't there.
"Uh, Xander?"
"Yeah Dawnie."
"Where's your car and more importantly, why did you just open the door of that red porsche?"
...................
Sunnydale Mall
1:25 P.M.
"Dawn, you are evil pure and simple."
"What?" Dawn asked with an innocent expression as she stood in front of a slumped over Xander who was currently carrying eight sacks filled with six different tops, five pairs of pants, four sets of earrings, three purses, two different perfumes and one um...limited edition Backstreet Boys CD in which Xander had no idea where it had came from.
"I'm going to get something to drink, do you want anything?" Dawn asked as she looked over at one of the restaurants in the mall.
"That depends on if my arms can reach my face to let me drink it." Xander said dropping all eight sacks as he sat on one of the benches in the mall, exhaling.
"Be back in a sec." she said walking over to the restaurant.
Despite his tingling limbs, Xander watched her with a smile.
It seemed like Dawn was enjoying herself and it made Xander feel really good. She had just recently learned she was the key constructed into human form by monks, that could open portals and possibly destroy the earth if used by someone in such a manner and wouldn't you know it, she just happened to live in a town with the largest destroy the world population.
Xander had the far too recent image of Dawn walking into the Summer's residence asking what she was with cuts on her arms pop into his head. He tried to shake the images, instead focusing on her smiling image of just a few minutes ago. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her smile like that. The next thing he knew it that smile was standing right in front of him again with two large drinks.
"Uh, Xander are you okay?"
"Huh... what?" Xander asked looking at Dawn dumbfounded for a second before coming out of it,
"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you? Are you enjoying yourself?"
The act of Dawn throwing herself into his arms, almost spilling the drinks in the process, answered his question, "If I was only about three years older." she said hugging him.
"What, you're that eager to vote?" Xander said as they withdrew from their hug, while she handed him his drink and then a slight punch to the arm.
"Ow, Summer's strength alert!" Xander said as he grabbed his arm.
Dawn slightly smiled before looking down at the sacks and back up at Xander, "How are you going to pay for all this? I mean, won't this get you in trouble with Anya?"
"It'll be our little secret, besides....." Xander cut himself off as he saw a familiar person walk into a department store across the mall.
"Uh, Dawn wait here, I'll be right back." he said as a wicked smile crept up on his face.
"Umm, okay." Dawn said as she took a swig of her cola and watched Xander enter the antique shop across the mall.
As he entered the store Xander watched her like a predator does his prey.
{Oh yeah, it's pay back time missy}
"Excuse me." Xander said as a blond haired lady, dressed in a red blouse and black pants turned to face him.
"No thank you, I don't need any help." she said dismissing Xander as she turned back around.
"No, no I'm not an employee of the store ma'am. I just saw you from across the mall and I couldn't help but to notice your hair. It's so...so ravishly beautiful."
"R-really? Oh..." The woman said with a slight, nervous smile to Xander's compliment as she dabbed at her hair with her left hand.
"You see, I work for an ad agency out of L.A. called uh,..." Xander's gaze went slightly to the left at an item on the shelf as he kept his smile in check before continuing, "Angel Inc. and we're looking for someone that has that special something and youuu...I'm sorry what was your name again?"
"Oh, uh...Katrina, but you can call me Kat." she said adding a little something to the word Kat as she held out her hand to Xander who took ahold of it while kissing the top of her hand, trying to hold back his disgust.
"Angel Inc.? I've never heard of that name before. Is your agency new?" Katrina asked with curiosity.
"Well, yes and no. You see we merged with another company and changed the name. The new owner thought his name would be more fitting for the company." Xander shakes head before continuing, "I'm just glad the board members talked him out of going with that hair gel idea."
After receiving a frown from the woman, Xander continued, "Anyway, I'd like for you to come into our photo shoot next Friday. How does that sound?"
"That sounds wonderful! Thank you." she says as Xander tells her an address that he hopes doesn't sound too made up.
"No, thank you." Xander says, making a move to leave before turning back around to face the woman, "Oh, I almost forgot. What if you need to get in touch with me. How stupid of me." He says feeling around his pockets as if he's looking for something, "Well, I don't seem to have any of my business cards with me at the moment, but maybe, oh I don't know, maybe you have a way I could reach you in case something comes up with the shoot and we have to reschedule."
"Oh, yeah...sure." the woman says hesitantly before digging into her purse and pulling out a piece of paper as she writes her name, address and cell number down on it before handing it to Xander.
"Ok, thank you Katrina....Kat." Xander corrected, drawing a smile from the woman.
"Will I see you again? Perhaps at the shoot or something?"
"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. I guarantee our paths will cross again." Xander said excusing himself as he walked out of the store looking down at the piece of paper with a wicked smile, however, when he looked back up his smile started to fade as he looked across the mall at Dawn.....and the boy she was talking to.
Xander's smile returned a little as he saw the way Dawn was shyly looking down at the ground while she talked to the boy. The slight smile faded, however, when he saw the boy reach out and slightly touch Dawn's stomach....
Xander almost became Xandelus as his soul fought against the urge to go other there and maul the boy in front of Dawn.
"So, y-you think I should, huh?" Dawn said as she blushed looking down at the her belly button.
"Should what?" Xander asked as he came up beside Dawn startling her a bit as she jumped.
"U-uh nothing." Dawn said before looking back and forth between the boy in front of her and Xander, then finally resting her eyes back towards the ground.
"I just said she should get her belly button pierced. It would be wicked cool." the boy said looking at Xander who at that moment had a nice visual of the boy's head stuck on post like the enemy use to do to those they killed back in mid-evil times.
"Yeah, that would be wouldn't it." Xander stated without enthusiasm before reaching his hand out to the boy, "Name's Xander."
The boy reached out and accepted Xander's hand with one of his own, "Kevin...oww, nice grip." he said shaking his hand from the pain as he removed it from Xander's grasp before continuing, "Sooo, you're like her brother or something?"
Dawn laughed a little, "No, he's just a friend of my sister."
"Yeah you know, your sister. The one who likes violence." Xander said not taking a single eye off of Kevin.
Dawn noticed a knot forming in Kevin's throat.
"Say Kevin..." Xander said with a little too much enthusiasm for Dawn's liking, "Would you like to come along with Dawn and I?"
"Uh, w-where, where are you going?" Kevin asked as Dawn watched the knot being swallowed.
"Well, first I have to swing by the shop and pickup that Chainsaw that I need for tomorrow's job I've got lined up, then perhaps we could go to the movies or something. I hear the digitally remastered version of Psycho is playing."
"Ah...well, I just remembered that I have to....um, get home and uhh...do some homework. Yeah gotta hit the books, get an education you know." Kevin said with a shaky laugh while backing up as he looked at Dawn, "I-I'll see you later." before turning tail and walking away as fast as he could without it being called a sprint.
"Bye." Xander said waving with a smile before turning towards Dawn as his smile faded upon her glare.
"What?" Xander said as Dawn began stomping off towards the mall exit with Xander in tow calling out her name.