Chapter 2

Author's not: time line for Buffy is after the events of "Beneath you", months after. (I used spoilers from Buffy 7 and Angel 4)

Beta by Sigma

Willow and Spike carried Buffy to her bed, tucking her in carefully. Willow then motioned Spike to follow her outside.

"What…?"

"Not here, Spike." She whispered, "Downstairs."

He took last glance at her sleeping form before reluctantly following Willow to the kitchen.

"O.K, Red, an explanation will be good at this point. What the hell just happened here!?! First thing I remember is we're fighting this demon with Buffy and Anya...where the hell is she anyway?...and the next the Slayer's gone and you're trying to bring her back...and then...then I don't know exactly what happened."

Willow looked scared "I…I don't know what happened, either. Well, I do know that we were fighting and all, Buffy hit him real hard…the demon, I mean...and he was really pissed off at her. I think she said something about 'ugly demons always in her life,' then some vampires came and you, me, and Anya fought them…then Buffy said something about her lousy future and lack of it anyway…oh my God!" she gasped.

Spike jumped to his feet, shaking her lightly, "Hey, Red, snap out of it! What the hell's wrong with you?"

"I remember…Buffy…she made a wish…she…she said…'I wish I could kick your sorry ass to the future, that will put me in rest for five years'."

"Huh? What kind of wish is that?"

"Gee, Spike, I don't know. Why don't we ask Buffy? Oh, wait, we can't because she's GONE!"

"O.k., enough sarcasm for one LONG night. So…she made a wish and Anya made her wish come true, but I still don't understand what happened here."

"I do…she probably sent Buffy to the future or something…with that demon…and when she realized her mistake, she brought them back…only the real Buffy returned older. Is that making any sense?"

Spike nodded his head, "No."

"Oh."

"Look, Red, even if what you're saying is true, which I seriously doubt, why does this Buffy look..."

"...different?"

He nodded.

"I don't know. We should call the rest of the Scoobies, and try to figure that out before this Buffy wakes up."

An hour later everyone was there.

"So..." Xander was the first to speak, "what's the big hurry, guys? And where's Buffy?"

Anya sighed heavily, "You would expect her to be here, you know."

Willow looked at her, furious, "I haven't even started with you yet!!"

"What?! What did I do?"

"Well, how about granting Buffy's wish changing her?"

Giles cleared his throat, confused, "Ah…Willow, why don't you start from the beginning by telling us what exactly happened."

Willow and Spike told them, as much as they remembered, what happened with Anya inserting an occasional remark.

Xander was stunned at his ex-fiancée, "You can't just grant wishes every time someone uses the word!"

"Yes, I can. It's my job description."

"Then quit."

"What? I can't just quit! Are you nuts? There are benefits and lots of money…I like money."

"I can't believe you." He mumbled.

"Well me neither, Xander. You know, instead of being all judgmental, you could have been more supportive. This is why we broke up in the first place."

"No An…we broke up because you slept with Spike."

"Hey!" Spike complained, everyone looked at him, "It was just once."

Anya put her hands on her hips, "Well, Buffy did, too."

"Good thing I'm not Angel." Spike snorted.

"Guys" shouted Dawn, "That doesn't matter right now. What matters is…what Buffy did we get?…and how do you know she's not our Buffy?"

Willow looked at Dawn comfortingly, "I know she's not our Buffy, Dawnie...She's just...Spike?"

"She's right, L'il Bit. This Buffy…well, for starters, her hair is very long…the clothes she was wearing…she looked all glamourous and...just different."

"I still don't understand. Where's our Buffy then?"

Suddenly, the door opened and Buffy marched in. Her hair was a mess, her clothes were partly torn, and she had a huge scratch on her face.

Everyone stared at her, shocked and relieved.

"What? I know I don't exactly look like the Jennifer Anniston gal here, but I don't look that bad do I?...Guys?"

Dawn grabbed her in a huge hug, and was quickly joined by Willow, Xander, and Giles.

Buffy gasped, "Ah…guys…needing the air here."

"Sorry" mumbled Giles. They let her go, and then she noticed Spike and Anya.

"Well, look who's here. Anya…the wish thingy you did totally didn't work...I found myself in a dumpster not far from here." She sighed, taking a piece of dirty paper out of her hair. "What? Spike, no witty comments?" She frowned at them."And...why are you all here in the house...my house...having a meeting without me? Not that you can't meet without me, but I thought you guys cared..."

"We...we care...we very care." Willow jumped in,"Right?"

"Yeah" Xander answered quickly, "totally into the caring, Buff."

"You are here," stated Anya, matter-of-factly.

Buffy looked at her oddly, "Why won't I be here? It's my house."

"Is it? Then who is the Buffy sleeping in your room?"

"What?" Buffy frowned. "What Buffy?"

She raced upstairs, too fast for the others to catch her. Flinging open her bedroom door, she gasped, staring at the petite blond curled up in her bed.

To be continued.

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