Title: Transformations
Rating: PG-14 give or take a few years
Spoilers: I reserve the right to claim that just about anything from the first three seasons is fair game.
Summary: Just the usual. Something decides to use Sunnydale as a playground and turn the scooby gang into scooby snacks but what's up with Xander?
Disclaimer: This is a fictional story. Joss & ME own the characters, I own nothing and make nothing from this story. In other words; Don't want them. Don't need them. Couldn't afforded them if I did.
Note - thoughts
Chapter Three
THUNK!
Buffy landed hard on top of Oz. The arrow, meant for Oz, struck the wall behind them. "Oz, you okay?"
"Yeah."
Buffy moved off Oz carefully as she scanned the room for any more traps. Oz looked up at the arrow, watching as it quivered slightly from it's impact with the wall. Getting Buffy's attention, Oz asked, "Where?"
Absently, Buffy pointed to the corner where the arrow was shot from. She was more focused on the feline watching them. Buffy inched her way over to the metal net that she had kicked across the room earlier. An image appeared in her mind's eye of Xander. How he had looked when he arrived. How his arms were covered scratches and scrapes.
Buffy's eyes narrowed. Her thoughts, fueled by anger, were aimed at the cat.
She almost had the net in her grasp when the cat tilted it's head, as if listening to something. Taking advantage of the cat's distraction, Buffy quickly grabbed the net and ... stared at her hands as the net disintegrated into dust. Buffy turned attention back to the large, black cat. The feline nodded it's head toward her and then faded from view.
"Uhh... Oz? The kitty just disappeared."
"Where did it go?
"How am I supposed to know?" Buffy took a quick look around. "Come on, grab the bags and let's get out of here before something else happens."
Oz grabbed the bag by the door as Buffy carefully picked up the one that the cat was sitting next to. Satisfied that there was no more surprises, Buffy directed her friend out of the mansion and they got into Oz's van.
Oz started up his van and began making his way through the maze of roads in the cemetery, Turning his head slightly, Oz saw the blank look on the Slayer's face. "So what's going on?"
Buffy jumped slightly at his question. She paused before saying. "Just drive and I'll fill you in."
It didn't take long for them to arrive at Giles' home and during that time, Buffy gave Oz a brief rundown on Xander's current condition, her dreams & what Xander might have been through. Now that he had an idea of what was going on, Oz felt concern for his one-time rival.
"Sounds like Xander will have one hell of a story to tell when he wakes up." He remarked optimistically after turning off his van.
"If what I saw really happened, he and I will be having a long talk about him staying out of fights."
Buffy made to open her door as Oz spoke. "You know, Willow will want to talk to you about not telling her before now."
The Slayer slumped back into her seat at that thought.
* ~ * ~ *
Giles leaned back against the railing of the stairs as he watched Willow as she lay across the bed at Xander's feet. Not wanting to disturb her, he decided to wait outside the room for Buffy to return. Giles knew that he had some explaining to do as he remembered what happened shortly after Willow and Oz arrived.
~Flash~
Giles exited his kitchen with a cup of tea in hand. He decided to have something to drink while he waited for Willow to arrive. He nearly dropped his cup when his door slammed open revealing a very nervous Willow. "Where is he?!"
Giles set his drink down. Movement behind the young woman drew his attention to her supernatural boyfriend. Deciding to deal with him first, Giles asked. "Oz, could you do me a favor?"
Oz looked at Willow but answered. "Sure."
"I sent Buffy to, hopefully, retrieve some items that may be important. I was hoping you could meet with her and provide transportation back here for her and anything she might find."
"On it." He said but his eyes were still glued to his girlfriend. Willow was staring at Giles, expecting an answer to where Xander was. Oz waited for a moment before speaking. "Will." Oz cupped his hand around her cheek and turned her head. When she finally looked at him. "I'm sure he's okay."
After Willow stared into Oz's eyes for a few long seconds, she embraced her boyfriend in a tight hug. They whispered back and forth to each other from within that embrace.
Giles, not wanting to interupt them, quietly took his cup into his kitchen. When he came back out, the young couple was standing apart but holding hands. Giles realized that they were oblivious to his presence and coughed softly.
Both looked at him in surprise. Oz just nodded to Giles while Willow looked at her feet and blushed faintly. "Oz, I sent Buffy to the mansion that Angel lived in. Could you meet her there?"
"Sure Giles." Oz shared a kiss with Willow before he left.
Willow watched Oz close the front door and then turned back to Giles. "Now where is he?" The fear was still present in her gaze but it was tempered now. She was now in control of her emotions for which Giles thanked God for.
"He's upstairs."
Giles stopped her from running up the flight of steps leading to Xander. "Willow," He waited until he knew that he had her attention. "before you see him, you should know that most of his injuries are superficial."
"What do you mean 'most'?" Her anxiety jumped ten-fold.
"When Xander arrived, he had numerous cuts and abrasions on his arms and neck and we think that he may have been in a fight." Giles heard her breath hitch and hurried on. "But he appears to be okay. I've treated his minor injuries and they are healing nicely."
"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't telling me everything?"
Giles sighed. "Perhaps we should continue this upstairs."
After climbing the short amount of steps, Giles stopped before entering the room. He could feel the nervousness rolling off the girl and could guess that she had been visualizing every possible thing that could have happened to Xander since Buffy's phone call.
Giles laid a hand on Willow's shoulder as he let her pass. "Remember Willow, I believe that he is as healthy as he was when he left on his road trip." With his calm words, he felt some of the tension drain from the young woman. He removed his hand and watched as the redhead made a beeline to her friend.
He heard her quiet sobs and the soft rustling of the bed sheets. Without looking, Giles could picture her checking every inch of Xander.
"Giles!"
He was waiting for that.
Giles walked in to find Willow standing by the bed, pointing at the white spot on Xander's chest.
"What..."
~Flash~
Willow had fainted as soon as he walked into the room and was not surprised by her reaction, despite her strong personality. He knew that such a noticable wound on her childhood friend would be a shock to her system.
So, as he waited for her to awaken, Giles had been trying to figure out exactly what he was going to tell her. He didn't know how he was going to answer her questions when he didn't know or understand what was happening to Xander. One thing that he did understand was that at least some of the answers must lie within Buffy's dreams.
Giles checked his clock for a third time wondering where Buffy and Oz was. He didn't want to think that they had run into trouble.
"Xander..."
Giles heard Willow moan as she slowly woke up. "Take it easy Willow."
Willow became a little more alert at hearing the ex-watcher's voice. "Giles?" With eyes not entirely open she continued. "Why are you in my bedroom?"
Giles chuckled. "Willow, you are in my bedroom."
Giles thought as Willow's eyes flew open. She looked around and stopped when she saw who was also in the bed. "Xander.. What?" She shot Giles a confused and questioning look.
Sighing, he wished once more that Buffy had arrived before Willow woke up. "You fainted Willow." He was going to explain why when her face showed that she remembered. "Now before you get worked up-"
"Worked up?!" Recalling what she saw, Willow jerked the bed covers down to Xander's waist. She then pointed at the white area on her friend's chest. "Why don't you tell me what that is and I'll decide whether or not to get worked up!"
"I don't know."
Willow's face screwed up in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know."
"Xander arrived here in his present condition." Anticipating her next question, Giles continued. "And Xander collapsed before we could question him."
"So we know nothing?" She said softly.
"Well not exactly nothing."
Willow looked up sharply but then looked at Xander. In a soft voice, she asked. "Is he gonna die?"
Giles laid a hand on her shoulder. "I don't believe so. Not after what he has survived here and, according to Buffy's dreams, elsewhere." Giles mentally slapped himself for mentioning Buffy's-
"Dreams?!" Willow shrieked. "Are you telling me that Buffy has been have dreams about Xander? Slayer Dreams?"
"I didn't say that. I-"
"Yes you did. You said 'according to Buffy's dreams'." Willow stood before her elder with her arms folded in front of her. "And the only dreams of Buffy's that would have you looking for answers are the prophetic Slayer dreams. And you said dreams as in plural. How many has Buffy had? Why didn't-"
Giles covered the redhead's mouth with his hand, cutting her off in mid-sentence. "Now Willow, I want you to calm down and be quiet. Then, and only then, will I remove my hand. Do you understand?" Willow nodded. "Are you going to let me explain?" Another nod. "Good."
Giles backed away from her. "You might want to sit down." Giles waited as Willow took up her previous spot on the bed. Xander had not moved since arriving. "Now from what I have been able to determine is that Xander received this," Giles pointed to the white circle on Xander's chest. "while trying to stop a sacrifice from occurring."
"A sacrifice?"
"Yes. Buffy didn't give me any details but I'm assuming that someone was trying to open a portal to an outer dimension or was making a plea to a greater power for a favor of some kind. We don't have any information of what happened after the sacrifice."
"And Buffy saw this in her dreams?" Giles nodded.
"How many dreams has she had?"
Giles shrugged. "I don't think even Buffy knows for sure but she has been having them for the last week."
"Why?"
"That's what we don't understand. The dreams she has been having are not normal, even for a Slayer. In fact, Buffy believes that she is experiencing Xander's memories of what has happened to him on his road trip." Giles looked at Xander and wondered briefly at the young man's condition. Since Xander collapsed shortly after arriving, he hasn't moved at all. "It sounds as if she is able to read minds again but she only viewed these memories from Xander and only while she was asleep, not when she was awake."
"Giles," Willow trailed off, unsure if she wanted to know. "can you tell me what happened to Xander in Buffy's dreams?"
"From what I could gather, most of the dreams were very short and were of unimportant matters like Xander's troubles with his car, places he visited and people he had met." Giles paused for a moment, wondering if he should continue. "In one dream, Xander saved a woman from a couple of vampires but he didn't get hurt." He added quickly when he saw the alarm in Willow's expression. "Buffy also said that Xander watched the same woman that he saved, argue with two police detectives who were pointing at pictures pegged to a wall behind them." Giles studied Xander for a moment. "I don't know any more than what I've just told you. For more information, we will have to wait and hear it from Buffy."
Willow was quiet as she absorbed what Giles said. She absently held Xander's left hand in both of hers and began gently rubbing the back of his hand when she realized something. "Uh Giles? Didn't you say that Xander's arms were covered in scratches?" She asked, running her hand over the smooth, unbroken skin.
Giles moved to the other side of the bed and examined Xander's right arm. "Yes they were." He set the arm down and checked both sides of the young man's neck. "The wounds on his neck have healed also." Giles brought his attention to the white area. "But this seems unchanged."
"Giles, what is happening?"
Giles looked troubled. "There maybe something about the white area that is affecting Xander. That could explain the rapid healing that occured but..."
"But what?"
"But nothing." Giles leaned against the wall. "Without all the facts, I'm just guessing and I don't want to make assumptions just from guessing."
"What about a spell?"
"I thought about that but since we don't know what kind of magic Xander was exposed to in the first place, any we use could complicate matters for him. No. Until Xander awakes, I would like to refrain from using the arts."
"So there's nothing we can do?"
With a small grin, Giles said. "You could go order a pizza. I've never known Xander to be able to sleep if there is food to eat." Willow gave a small smile at that thought.
* ~ * ~ *
Outside Giles' home, a small humanoid figure, no bigger that a squirrel, scampered up the side of the building to the second story. Darkness clung to the figure like a cloak as it moved to the window. Peering inside, the creature froze as it saw a reflection of a black cat behind it in the window.
The cat pounced on it but before the cat could snap it's jaws around it, the creature disappeared in a small puff of smoke. The cat shook it's head in an effort to remove the smoke from it's sensitive nose and eyes.
A noise startled the cat. Looking behind itself, the cat watched as two enhanced humans began walking towards the building it was sitting on.
Unconcerned, the cat turned it's attention to the window and looked into the room. There was three humans in there. Two were leaving the room and the other was stretched out by the far wall. Oddly, as the cat stared intently at the prone human, it started to purr.
* ~ * ~ *
Giles walked down the steps behind Willow. He was about to suggest that they do some research when Willow turned to him. The look on her face was clouded with concern. "You said that you thought Buffy could read minds."
Giles nodded. "It sounds like that. Buffy said that she experienced the memories from Xander's point of view. That sounds like the descriptions that I have read about a telepath's ability to read memories."
"Will we have to deal with Buffy going mad like when she was infected with that demonic telepathy?"
"No, I don't believe so." Giles paused, a look of intense concentration on his face. "Buffy never mentioned being able to sense Xander. She didn't even know that Xander was at the door until he announced himself." Giles went to a bookshelf and removed a couple of books. "It's possible that Buffy's precognitive abilities coupled with how she feels about the absence of Xander over the summer, may have been enough to form a connection between the two."
"Has this happened to any previous Slayers?" Willow asked.
"No, not that I'm aware of. Of course Buffy is the only Slayer to my knowledge that had any social contact outside her Watcher or the Council." Giles set the books down on the table. "If truth be told, had I stayed true to the rules of the Council, Buffy probably would be dead now."
"See! I told you we were good for her." Willow exclaimed with a smile.
"Who are you good for?" A familiar female voice rang out behind her.
Willow spun around to see Buffy and Oz walk in the front door. "I was telling Giles that Xander and I are good for you." Willow said after receiving a hug and a kiss from her werewolf boyfriend.
Buffy smiled. "Yes you are." Buffy glanced at Giles briefly. Seeing the resigned look on his face, her smile dimmed as she asked. "Is Xander.."
"Other than some accelerated healing, there has been no change in his 'condition'."
"What do you mean 'accelerated healing'?"
"The wounds on his arms and neck are completely healed. There is no scars or any other evidence that would suggest that he was wounded."
"But the.." Buffy trailed off unable to continue.
"Yes the circular burn is still there."
Buffy felt helpless, unable to do anything for Xander. She felt guilt rise up when she looked at her other best friend. "Will, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about my dreams but-"
Willow cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I know Buffy. Giles and I talked about it and I think I understand why you didn't tell me but I won't lie and say that my feelings aren't hurt." At Buffy's downcast look, Willow then stood up. Feeling the need to lighten the tension in the air, she did her best imitation of a scolding parent. "But don't you do that again, young lady."
A warm smile tugged at Buffy's lips. "I won't Willow."
"Buffy?"
The blonde turned to Oz with a raised eyebrow. Oz just lifted his hand that was holding Xander's bag and pointed to it's twin that was still in Buffy's grip. "Oh, right. Here ya go Giles." She walked and set the bag next to the pile of books on the table. Oz did the same but on the other side of the pile. "This was all we could find of Xander's at the mansion."
"Did you find the books?"
"No, just the bags, Oh, and we had a face-off with a supernatural cat."
"Pardon, supernatural cat?" Giles asked, confused.
"Deadly, little magical furball." Oz supplied.
"Little?" Buffy said incredulously at Oz. "Yeah maybe if you think of a tiger as being 'little'." Oz just shrugged at Buffy's retort.
Turning back to Giles, she said. "When I got there, a net was dropped on me. I managed to kick it off and I found a 'large'," She paused to give Oz a pointed look. "black cat. I thought it was going to attack me but it just sat there staring at me. Then it looked at Oz and a crossbow appeared in one of the corners and shot an arrow at Oz." Buffy heard a gasp and turned to watch Oz try to convince a frantic Willow that he was alright. "Then the net fell apart in my hands and the cat just faded away. I decided to get out of there before anything else happened so I grabbed one of the bags and told Oz to get the other, then we left."
"That was the most prudent option to follow, however.." Giles sighed.
"However what Giles?" Buffy asked when he didn't finish.
"I was hoping that the books might hold some information that Xander might have written down what happened to him or about what the sacrifice was for." Both Buffy and Giles were quiet for a moment until a voice cut through the silence.
"What are these books you keep talking about?" Willow asked as her boyfriend stood silently next to her.
Giles looked at Buffy who sat down on the couch. He turned back to Willow "Before you arrived, Buffy had a vision, for the lack of a better word, about Xander when she touched the white area on his chest. In the visions, there were two books. One, I assume from Buffy's description, was possibly a book of spells while the other looked to be a journal that Xander was keeping. It was my hope that Xander might have written down any information that could enable us to help him."
Willow leaned silently against Oz as she mentally sifted through everything she has learned in the last hour. "There's one more thing Willow." Buffy said softly drawing the redhead's attention. "That night of the sacrifice, Xander wrote that he was somehow changed."
That thought rang endless about Willow's mind before she ruthlessly squashed it knowing that she would have to stay calm if she was going to be able to help Xander. And to do that, she had to know everything.
Willow calmly and gracefully sat down next to the Slayer and asked. "What happened in your dream of the sacrifice that Xander tried to stop? I know you told Giles that Xander was hurt but we need to know exactly what happened if we are going to help Xander."
To say that Buffy and Giles was surprised at how Willow was acting would be an understatement. They were half expecting Willow to break down and fall apart but to see Willow show this kind of maturity made them feel guilty for underestimating Willow.
Oz just gazed lovingly at his girlfriend. He knew the strengths that Willow possessed when she needed it and expected no less from her.
Taking a deep breath, Buffy began. "Well it started off with Xander stumbling across a kidnapping..."
* ~ * ~ *
Outside the bedroom, a soft voice could be heard as a story was being told. The boy on the bed started to twitch slightly. With each passing minute the twitches became more pronounced, more violent until finally he settled down. A peaceful expresion graced his features just a moment before turning into a grimace. His breathing deepened and his eyes began moving from side to side under his eyelids.
As if on cue, the story being told sparked a memory from within him and Xander Harris began to dream a little dream.
* ~ * ~ *
Rating: PG-14 give or take a few years
Spoilers: I reserve the right to claim that just about anything from the first three seasons is fair game.
Summary: Just the usual. Something decides to use Sunnydale as a playground and turn the scooby gang into scooby snacks but what's up with Xander?
Disclaimer: This is a fictional story. Joss & ME own the characters, I own nothing and make nothing from this story. In other words; Don't want them. Don't need them. Couldn't afforded them if I did.
Note - thoughts
THUNK!
Buffy landed hard on top of Oz. The arrow, meant for Oz, struck the wall behind them. "Oz, you okay?"
"Yeah."
Buffy moved off Oz carefully as she scanned the room for any more traps. Oz looked up at the arrow, watching as it quivered slightly from it's impact with the wall. Getting Buffy's attention, Oz asked, "Where?"
Absently, Buffy pointed to the corner where the arrow was shot from. She was more focused on the feline watching them. Buffy inched her way over to the metal net that she had kicked across the room earlier. An image appeared in her mind's eye of Xander. How he had looked when he arrived. How his arms were covered scratches and scrapes.
Buffy's eyes narrowed. Her thoughts, fueled by anger, were aimed at the cat.
She almost had the net in her grasp when the cat tilted it's head, as if listening to something. Taking advantage of the cat's distraction, Buffy quickly grabbed the net and ... stared at her hands as the net disintegrated into dust. Buffy turned attention back to the large, black cat. The feline nodded it's head toward her and then faded from view.
"Uhh... Oz? The kitty just disappeared."
"Where did it go?
"How am I supposed to know?" Buffy took a quick look around. "Come on, grab the bags and let's get out of here before something else happens."
Oz grabbed the bag by the door as Buffy carefully picked up the one that the cat was sitting next to. Satisfied that there was no more surprises, Buffy directed her friend out of the mansion and they got into Oz's van.
Oz started up his van and began making his way through the maze of roads in the cemetery, Turning his head slightly, Oz saw the blank look on the Slayer's face. "So what's going on?"
Buffy jumped slightly at his question. She paused before saying. "Just drive and I'll fill you in."
It didn't take long for them to arrive at Giles' home and during that time, Buffy gave Oz a brief rundown on Xander's current condition, her dreams & what Xander might have been through. Now that he had an idea of what was going on, Oz felt concern for his one-time rival.
"Sounds like Xander will have one hell of a story to tell when he wakes up." He remarked optimistically after turning off his van.
"If what I saw really happened, he and I will be having a long talk about him staying out of fights."
Buffy made to open her door as Oz spoke. "You know, Willow will want to talk to you about not telling her before now."
The Slayer slumped back into her seat at that thought.
Giles leaned back against the railing of the stairs as he watched Willow as she lay across the bed at Xander's feet. Not wanting to disturb her, he decided to wait outside the room for Buffy to return. Giles knew that he had some explaining to do as he remembered what happened shortly after Willow and Oz arrived.
~Flash~
Giles exited his kitchen with a cup of tea in hand. He decided to have something to drink while he waited for Willow to arrive. He nearly dropped his cup when his door slammed open revealing a very nervous Willow. "Where is he?!"
Giles set his drink down. Movement behind the young woman drew his attention to her supernatural boyfriend. Deciding to deal with him first, Giles asked. "Oz, could you do me a favor?"
Oz looked at Willow but answered. "Sure."
"I sent Buffy to, hopefully, retrieve some items that may be important. I was hoping you could meet with her and provide transportation back here for her and anything she might find."
"On it." He said but his eyes were still glued to his girlfriend. Willow was staring at Giles, expecting an answer to where Xander was. Oz waited for a moment before speaking. "Will." Oz cupped his hand around her cheek and turned her head. When she finally looked at him. "I'm sure he's okay."
After Willow stared into Oz's eyes for a few long seconds, she embraced her boyfriend in a tight hug. They whispered back and forth to each other from within that embrace.
Giles, not wanting to interupt them, quietly took his cup into his kitchen. When he came back out, the young couple was standing apart but holding hands. Giles realized that they were oblivious to his presence and coughed softly.
Both looked at him in surprise. Oz just nodded to Giles while Willow looked at her feet and blushed faintly. "Oz, I sent Buffy to the mansion that Angel lived in. Could you meet her there?"
"Sure Giles." Oz shared a kiss with Willow before he left.
Willow watched Oz close the front door and then turned back to Giles. "Now where is he?" The fear was still present in her gaze but it was tempered now. She was now in control of her emotions for which Giles thanked God for.
"He's upstairs."
Giles stopped her from running up the flight of steps leading to Xander. "Willow," He waited until he knew that he had her attention. "before you see him, you should know that most of his injuries are superficial."
"What do you mean 'most'?" Her anxiety jumped ten-fold.
"When Xander arrived, he had numerous cuts and abrasions on his arms and neck and we think that he may have been in a fight." Giles heard her breath hitch and hurried on. "But he appears to be okay. I've treated his minor injuries and they are healing nicely."
"Why do I get the feeling that you aren't telling me everything?"
Giles sighed. "Perhaps we should continue this upstairs."
After climbing the short amount of steps, Giles stopped before entering the room. He could feel the nervousness rolling off the girl and could guess that she had been visualizing every possible thing that could have happened to Xander since Buffy's phone call.
Giles laid a hand on Willow's shoulder as he let her pass. "Remember Willow, I believe that he is as healthy as he was when he left on his road trip." With his calm words, he felt some of the tension drain from the young woman. He removed his hand and watched as the redhead made a beeline to her friend.
He heard her quiet sobs and the soft rustling of the bed sheets. Without looking, Giles could picture her checking every inch of Xander.
"Giles!"
He was waiting for that.
Giles walked in to find Willow standing by the bed, pointing at the white spot on Xander's chest.
"What..."
~Flash~
Willow had fainted as soon as he walked into the room and was not surprised by her reaction, despite her strong personality. He knew that such a noticable wound on her childhood friend would be a shock to her system.
So, as he waited for her to awaken, Giles had been trying to figure out exactly what he was going to tell her. He didn't know how he was going to answer her questions when he didn't know or understand what was happening to Xander. One thing that he did understand was that at least some of the answers must lie within Buffy's dreams.
Giles checked his clock for a third time wondering where Buffy and Oz was. He didn't want to think that they had run into trouble.
"Xander..."
Giles heard Willow moan as she slowly woke up. "Take it easy Willow."
Willow became a little more alert at hearing the ex-watcher's voice. "Giles?" With eyes not entirely open she continued. "Why are you in my bedroom?"
Giles chuckled. "Willow, you are in my bedroom."
Giles thought as Willow's eyes flew open. She looked around and stopped when she saw who was also in the bed. "Xander.. What?" She shot Giles a confused and questioning look.
Sighing, he wished once more that Buffy had arrived before Willow woke up. "You fainted Willow." He was going to explain why when her face showed that she remembered. "Now before you get worked up-"
"Worked up?!" Recalling what she saw, Willow jerked the bed covers down to Xander's waist. She then pointed at the white area on her friend's chest. "Why don't you tell me what that is and I'll decide whether or not to get worked up!"
"I don't know."
Willow's face screwed up in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know."
"Xander arrived here in his present condition." Anticipating her next question, Giles continued. "And Xander collapsed before we could question him."
"So we know nothing?" She said softly.
"Well not exactly nothing."
Willow looked up sharply but then looked at Xander. In a soft voice, she asked. "Is he gonna die?"
Giles laid a hand on her shoulder. "I don't believe so. Not after what he has survived here and, according to Buffy's dreams, elsewhere." Giles mentally slapped himself for mentioning Buffy's-
"Dreams?!" Willow shrieked. "Are you telling me that Buffy has been have dreams about Xander? Slayer Dreams?"
"I didn't say that. I-"
"Yes you did. You said 'according to Buffy's dreams'." Willow stood before her elder with her arms folded in front of her. "And the only dreams of Buffy's that would have you looking for answers are the prophetic Slayer dreams. And you said dreams as in plural. How many has Buffy had? Why didn't-"
Giles covered the redhead's mouth with his hand, cutting her off in mid-sentence. "Now Willow, I want you to calm down and be quiet. Then, and only then, will I remove my hand. Do you understand?" Willow nodded. "Are you going to let me explain?" Another nod. "Good."
Giles backed away from her. "You might want to sit down." Giles waited as Willow took up her previous spot on the bed. Xander had not moved since arriving. "Now from what I have been able to determine is that Xander received this," Giles pointed to the white circle on Xander's chest. "while trying to stop a sacrifice from occurring."
"A sacrifice?"
"Yes. Buffy didn't give me any details but I'm assuming that someone was trying to open a portal to an outer dimension or was making a plea to a greater power for a favor of some kind. We don't have any information of what happened after the sacrifice."
"And Buffy saw this in her dreams?" Giles nodded.
"How many dreams has she had?"
Giles shrugged. "I don't think even Buffy knows for sure but she has been having them for the last week."
"Why?"
"That's what we don't understand. The dreams she has been having are not normal, even for a Slayer. In fact, Buffy believes that she is experiencing Xander's memories of what has happened to him on his road trip." Giles looked at Xander and wondered briefly at the young man's condition. Since Xander collapsed shortly after arriving, he hasn't moved at all. "It sounds as if she is able to read minds again but she only viewed these memories from Xander and only while she was asleep, not when she was awake."
"Giles," Willow trailed off, unsure if she wanted to know. "can you tell me what happened to Xander in Buffy's dreams?"
"From what I could gather, most of the dreams were very short and were of unimportant matters like Xander's troubles with his car, places he visited and people he had met." Giles paused for a moment, wondering if he should continue. "In one dream, Xander saved a woman from a couple of vampires but he didn't get hurt." He added quickly when he saw the alarm in Willow's expression. "Buffy also said that Xander watched the same woman that he saved, argue with two police detectives who were pointing at pictures pegged to a wall behind them." Giles studied Xander for a moment. "I don't know any more than what I've just told you. For more information, we will have to wait and hear it from Buffy."
Willow was quiet as she absorbed what Giles said. She absently held Xander's left hand in both of hers and began gently rubbing the back of his hand when she realized something. "Uh Giles? Didn't you say that Xander's arms were covered in scratches?" She asked, running her hand over the smooth, unbroken skin.
Giles moved to the other side of the bed and examined Xander's right arm. "Yes they were." He set the arm down and checked both sides of the young man's neck. "The wounds on his neck have healed also." Giles brought his attention to the white area. "But this seems unchanged."
"Giles, what is happening?"
Giles looked troubled. "There maybe something about the white area that is affecting Xander. That could explain the rapid healing that occured but..."
"But what?"
"But nothing." Giles leaned against the wall. "Without all the facts, I'm just guessing and I don't want to make assumptions just from guessing."
"What about a spell?"
"I thought about that but since we don't know what kind of magic Xander was exposed to in the first place, any we use could complicate matters for him. No. Until Xander awakes, I would like to refrain from using the arts."
"So there's nothing we can do?"
With a small grin, Giles said. "You could go order a pizza. I've never known Xander to be able to sleep if there is food to eat." Willow gave a small smile at that thought.
Outside Giles' home, a small humanoid figure, no bigger that a squirrel, scampered up the side of the building to the second story. Darkness clung to the figure like a cloak as it moved to the window. Peering inside, the creature froze as it saw a reflection of a black cat behind it in the window.
The cat pounced on it but before the cat could snap it's jaws around it, the creature disappeared in a small puff of smoke. The cat shook it's head in an effort to remove the smoke from it's sensitive nose and eyes.
A noise startled the cat. Looking behind itself, the cat watched as two enhanced humans began walking towards the building it was sitting on.
Unconcerned, the cat turned it's attention to the window and looked into the room. There was three humans in there. Two were leaving the room and the other was stretched out by the far wall. Oddly, as the cat stared intently at the prone human, it started to purr.
Giles walked down the steps behind Willow. He was about to suggest that they do some research when Willow turned to him. The look on her face was clouded with concern. "You said that you thought Buffy could read minds."
Giles nodded. "It sounds like that. Buffy said that she experienced the memories from Xander's point of view. That sounds like the descriptions that I have read about a telepath's ability to read memories."
"Will we have to deal with Buffy going mad like when she was infected with that demonic telepathy?"
"No, I don't believe so." Giles paused, a look of intense concentration on his face. "Buffy never mentioned being able to sense Xander. She didn't even know that Xander was at the door until he announced himself." Giles went to a bookshelf and removed a couple of books. "It's possible that Buffy's precognitive abilities coupled with how she feels about the absence of Xander over the summer, may have been enough to form a connection between the two."
"Has this happened to any previous Slayers?" Willow asked.
"No, not that I'm aware of. Of course Buffy is the only Slayer to my knowledge that had any social contact outside her Watcher or the Council." Giles set the books down on the table. "If truth be told, had I stayed true to the rules of the Council, Buffy probably would be dead now."
"See! I told you we were good for her." Willow exclaimed with a smile.
"Who are you good for?" A familiar female voice rang out behind her.
Willow spun around to see Buffy and Oz walk in the front door. "I was telling Giles that Xander and I are good for you." Willow said after receiving a hug and a kiss from her werewolf boyfriend.
Buffy smiled. "Yes you are." Buffy glanced at Giles briefly. Seeing the resigned look on his face, her smile dimmed as she asked. "Is Xander.."
"Other than some accelerated healing, there has been no change in his 'condition'."
"What do you mean 'accelerated healing'?"
"The wounds on his arms and neck are completely healed. There is no scars or any other evidence that would suggest that he was wounded."
"But the.." Buffy trailed off unable to continue.
"Yes the circular burn is still there."
Buffy felt helpless, unable to do anything for Xander. She felt guilt rise up when she looked at her other best friend. "Will, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about my dreams but-"
Willow cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I know Buffy. Giles and I talked about it and I think I understand why you didn't tell me but I won't lie and say that my feelings aren't hurt." At Buffy's downcast look, Willow then stood up. Feeling the need to lighten the tension in the air, she did her best imitation of a scolding parent. "But don't you do that again, young lady."
A warm smile tugged at Buffy's lips. "I won't Willow."
"Buffy?"
The blonde turned to Oz with a raised eyebrow. Oz just lifted his hand that was holding Xander's bag and pointed to it's twin that was still in Buffy's grip. "Oh, right. Here ya go Giles." She walked and set the bag next to the pile of books on the table. Oz did the same but on the other side of the pile. "This was all we could find of Xander's at the mansion."
"Did you find the books?"
"No, just the bags, Oh, and we had a face-off with a supernatural cat."
"Pardon, supernatural cat?" Giles asked, confused.
"Deadly, little magical furball." Oz supplied.
"Little?" Buffy said incredulously at Oz. "Yeah maybe if you think of a tiger as being 'little'." Oz just shrugged at Buffy's retort.
Turning back to Giles, she said. "When I got there, a net was dropped on me. I managed to kick it off and I found a 'large'," She paused to give Oz a pointed look. "black cat. I thought it was going to attack me but it just sat there staring at me. Then it looked at Oz and a crossbow appeared in one of the corners and shot an arrow at Oz." Buffy heard a gasp and turned to watch Oz try to convince a frantic Willow that he was alright. "Then the net fell apart in my hands and the cat just faded away. I decided to get out of there before anything else happened so I grabbed one of the bags and told Oz to get the other, then we left."
"That was the most prudent option to follow, however.." Giles sighed.
"However what Giles?" Buffy asked when he didn't finish.
"I was hoping that the books might hold some information that Xander might have written down what happened to him or about what the sacrifice was for." Both Buffy and Giles were quiet for a moment until a voice cut through the silence.
"What are these books you keep talking about?" Willow asked as her boyfriend stood silently next to her.
Giles looked at Buffy who sat down on the couch. He turned back to Willow "Before you arrived, Buffy had a vision, for the lack of a better word, about Xander when she touched the white area on his chest. In the visions, there were two books. One, I assume from Buffy's description, was possibly a book of spells while the other looked to be a journal that Xander was keeping. It was my hope that Xander might have written down any information that could enable us to help him."
Willow leaned silently against Oz as she mentally sifted through everything she has learned in the last hour. "There's one more thing Willow." Buffy said softly drawing the redhead's attention. "That night of the sacrifice, Xander wrote that he was somehow changed."
That thought rang endless about Willow's mind before she ruthlessly squashed it knowing that she would have to stay calm if she was going to be able to help Xander. And to do that, she had to know everything.
Willow calmly and gracefully sat down next to the Slayer and asked. "What happened in your dream of the sacrifice that Xander tried to stop? I know you told Giles that Xander was hurt but we need to know exactly what happened if we are going to help Xander."
To say that Buffy and Giles was surprised at how Willow was acting would be an understatement. They were half expecting Willow to break down and fall apart but to see Willow show this kind of maturity made them feel guilty for underestimating Willow.
Oz just gazed lovingly at his girlfriend. He knew the strengths that Willow possessed when she needed it and expected no less from her.
Taking a deep breath, Buffy began. "Well it started off with Xander stumbling across a kidnapping..."
Outside the bedroom, a soft voice could be heard as a story was being told. The boy on the bed started to twitch slightly. With each passing minute the twitches became more pronounced, more violent until finally he settled down. A peaceful expresion graced his features just a moment before turning into a grimace. His breathing deepened and his eyes began moving from side to side under his eyelids.
As if on cue, the story being told sparked a memory from within him and Xander Harris began to dream a little dream.