ANs: Personalized AN's at the bottom:)

Writing, writing, writing like a mad woman. Right now, I'm finding that if I don't post chapters as soon as they're done, I lose focus. I don't think it will always be this way, it's probably just new writer immaturity. Eventually, I hope to be able to write a story completely, then post it leisurely so that y'all can really enjoy it. For now, please forgive my frantic pace.

After going back and watching episodes in various seasons this weekend, I noticed a pattern. The more Buffy is isolated and in pain, the more obnoxious her behavior. Because it served their purposes, the show's PTB led us to believe that during the summer after Angel was sent to hell, Buffy walked around LA in a numb fog for three months. Well, that's a beautiful theory, but it's not particularly true to her character, nor is it very entertaining. I think we can all agree that season two was fairly rough on Buffy. In fact, I think she was crazy out of her head in pain at the end; she must have been, not to mention the fact that she's a teenage girl going through all that comes with that. Obviously, in this story, episode 3:1 will not have happened. She will simply return to her family as of 3:2. In episode 3:2, I found her behavior to be subdued and a little strangely submissive, so I've tried to lay the ground work for that here in the next few chapters.

I'm sorry to do this to you, gentle readers, but for a few short chapters, here comes the Buffy we love to hate.

Duck and Cover

Westchester, NY May 11, 1998 10:30 AM

John, Bobby, Buffy, and Marie sipped iced mochas at a café table in front of a local coffeehouse. Marie and Buffy were surrounded by several very full shopping bags. John had one bag. Bobby had two.

"Remind me agahin why I agreed to ditch, Buffy," Marie asked, as a sheriff's patrol car passed by and Buffy pulled her black ball cap lower in front of her face.

"Your unquenchable thirst for adventure?" Buffy replied with a smirk.

Marie rolled her eyes.

Buffy laughed. "No? How about a compulsive drive for wardrobe expansion? I know that's why I'm here." Buffy sighed, "The sale signs... the window displays... the beautiful music of a credit card going through." She smiled ruefully, "It's an itch. And I must scratch it."

Marie seemed to be seriously considering this theory. "Well, yes..."

Bobby nudged her. "But..."

"Oh yeah... mah point is, don't ya think we should be gettin' back? Not to sound pahrahnoid. But, that whas a little too close."

"Go back now? Why would we want to do that?" John asked, baiting Marie.

Bobby answered, taking up for his girl, "Do the words: Buffy, murder suspect, and serious slammer time, mean anything to you?"

Buffy shrugged, "I'm not all that worried. I don't know why Xavier is. It wouldn't be the first time."

Bobby, visibly startled, asked, "You've been accused of murder before?"

Buffy laughed. "Go to jail. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Arson. Felony, last time I checked."

John smiled boyishly and kissed her cheek. "I knew I liked you for a reason." Then, pulling back, he shrugged, "I just couldn't remember what it was."

Buffy punched him playfully.

John winced and rubbed his arm. "Oww! Easy there, big Slayer."

"Suhbject change. Somebohdy. Please."

Bobby rubbed his girlfriend's shoulder, and with a teasing grin said, "Only this once."

John picked up his cup, swirling the chocolate concoction before taking a sip. "Anybody see Professor Logan this weekend?"

"Logan? No, I heard he took Scott's Buell and went into the city." Turning to Buffy, he explained, "He does that sometimes... just takes off..." Pausing, Bobby contemplated the table for a minute, "ever since Dr. Gray..."

"Scott's fiancée, you mean?" Buffy asked, plainly startled.

"Yeah," said Marie sadly. "Logan knew they were engahged, but he jus' couhldn't help himself. Fell hopelehssly in love with her."

Buffy shrugged. Her face turned cold for a moment. "Love equals crazy."

"Speakin' of crahzy," Marie said, as she stood, took Buffy's hand in her gloved one, and pulled Buffy to her feet. "We'd be crahzy to hang out here any lohngah."

Buffy smiled, "Ok, Ok." Then lifting up her bags, she said, "Back up the trunk."

A few hours later in Professor Xavier's office, Buffy was beginning to suffer buyer's remorse. Although, she mused, the little red dragon dress might just be worth the first forty-five minutes of the lecture she was presently ignoring, after getting caught sneaking back in to the school.

"Buffy, are you listening to me?" Scott hollered.

Buffy looked up at Scott, then behind him at Xavier, Ororo and Logan. Nodding, she said, "Mmm-hmm. Bad Buffy. Buffy bad."

Scott just groaned and turned to look at the window.

"Buffy," Xavier began, "You must understand that when you left school grounds with the other students, you were endangering them, as well as yourself."

Buffy sighed. "I get it. I got it. We're good."

Xavier nodded. "Very well, you may go."

Scott whirled around. "You can't be serious! When I was a student, you'd never let me get away with that crap."

"Scott, Buffy's not a student. She's a guest. I think she understands, and will be more careful when making decisions in the future."

Scott glared.

Buffy groaned. "Scott, if you want me to leave, just say so. Otherwise, can we wrap this up? I have a wicked Mocha hangover. I'd like to go take a nap."

"Fine."

Buffy left the office and Logan trailed close behind. When she reached the stairs, she stopped on the second step and said, "What?"

Logan grabbed her arm and turned her around, "You're acting like a selfish, spoiled brat, Buffy."

"Am I?" she asked, lowering her eyes to his hand on her arm.

"You are. And what's more, you know it."

She pulled her arm out of his grasp. "Logan," she snapped, "Stay out of it."

Buffy resumed her slow stroll up the stairs. After a minute, she called out to him, "Logan."

"What?"

Without turning around to face him, she continued, "If you ever touch me again without my permission, you'll be very, very sorry."

(end chapter)

A La Sombra - shortie, longies, I just can't control it. Maybe once I have a few stories completed I'll get better at that. Sometimes I just need to shoot a little info to y'all, so I have short chapters. After chapter 13, I think I'll have something long again.

Wild 320 - Thanks darlin'! Here you go. I'm a huge fan of yours, so it means a lot that you decided to stop by:)

Tangled Junky - hey bebe! I know, as a reader I much prefer longer chapters. I just need to get this story out. for the past week or so, I've been writing on average 12-15 hours a day. I keep trying to take a break, but then a new idea comes or something inspires me and I'm back at it again. I hope that the quick updates make up for the shorties!

Traci - the next two chapters are for you. Thanks for helping me to refocus on the conflict in a kind and gentle way. I really appreciate it.

desiny-ruler - I know, right? Poor bebe, hopefully he won't have to suffer for too long. HA! Who am I kidding. I love the angsty broody boys:)

Anna - thanks, I'm trying to put in as much X-men as I know about, while blending the two worlds into one:)

Robin - I probably won't use Gambit as he's not in the films, but I wish I could... We share the same hometown, and boy, can I write me some Cajun dialect... oh well...

Lora - I love Angel, too, bebe. But this is definitely a Buffy/Logan pairing. Sorry ;)

Alexandra - Thanks so much! You're support makes me want to work even harder...:)