1A few hours later, everyone was gathered back around the research table in the Magic Box. From the frustrated looks on everyone's face, no one had found anything of relevance to Xander's problem.

"Dawn, you found nothing on the internet?" Giles asked, looking incredibly frustrated.

"Well, I didn't find nothing on the internet, but I didn't find anything that was helpful in the Xander-type instance. But did you know that..." she trailed off at the glare that she was receiving from everyone. "Nevermind."

Xander groaned and thumped his head down on the table.

Giles glanced down at the piece of paper that Willow had handed him.

"Are you sure that there is nothing more you can add to this Xander? You can't think of anything else?"

"Positive, Giles. That's pretty much all that I've done within the last few days. Other than this, it's not like I lead an incredibly interesting life, ya know."

Buffy glanced at the clock. "It's getting late. I'm hungry. Anyone else?"

Everyone murmured agreement. "Ok. Chinese, or pizza?" Everyone but Dawn wanted pizza, but since she was the youngest she got outvoted.

"Ok. Toppings? I know, Willow. Vegetarian. Gotcha. Everyone else is a carnivore, right? So, one vegetarian, and what, two meat lovers? Good, now that we got the toppings part out of the way, second question. Who's paying?" Everyone turned to the two people who actually had jobs, Xander and Giles.

"Split it 50/50, G-man?" Xander grinned as Giles winced at the hated nickname.

"Fine. But please.."

"Don't use that name." everyone finished for him.

He sighed. He knew that he'd never win on that particular argument. But he'd put up a good fight, nonetheless.

Buffy called and ordered the pizzas. Since it was still light out, Dawn was sent to the corner store to get a case of soda. The pizza got there before she got back. Giles wrote a check, and Xander gave him his half in cash. Dawn got back just as the sun started to set.

Everyone quickly demolished the pizza, leaving only a few crusts as leftovers.

"So. Um, not to be single minded or anything, but what, exactly, have we found out about my problem today?" Xander asked.

"Hmm. Not much." Giles admitted.

"I'll look on the internet later tonight, when I get home. I might be able to find something that Dawn missed. Not that I'm saying that she might have missed anything, or not looked hard enough but– I'll shut up now. You know what I mean, right?" Willow looked beseechingly at Dawn, who just giggled and nodded.

"Right. You do that, and Xander, remember, if anything else unusual happens, write it down, and let me know. Buffy, while you're patrolling, if anything unusual happens, same goes. Well. Maybe not writing it down. Just let me know." Giles muttered.

Everyone nodded, knowing that the same applied to them as well.

"Check. If anything strange happens, let Giles know."

"Anya, if you remember anything about what you were told, same applies to you. And if you happen to see Hallifrax, could you please ask her about this? I'm hoping that this isn't a vengeance thing." Anya nodded.

"I don't think it is, I don't really see how being able to heal really fast would be a type of revenge, ya know?"

"All the same, keep it in mind, please."

Xander stood up. "Well, I'm going to take off then. I gotta be to work early tomorrow, so I'm going to go home and go to bed. I'll see you all tomorrow after work."

He gathered up his jacket, and waved a final goodbye to everyone.

As he left, he didn't notice a blonde vampire walking towards the store. Spike was one his way to the Magic Box to pester the watcher, and to visit with Dawn. He caught a brief glimpse of Xander as he turned the corner at the end of the block.

Wonder where he's off to so early.

Spike shoved open the door to the store, and walked in. He stopped for a moment just inside the door. He was immediately surrounded by the scents of the people in the room. One of them was slightly off.

Xander. Something is different about Xander's scent.

He continued into the room as if there was nothing wrong. Slamming the door behind him, he sauntered over to the table.

"Was that the Whelp that just left?" he smirked at the room, and slid Dawn a surreptitious wink.

Giles sighed. "Yes, Spike, that was Xander that just left. I believe he was headed home to get some rest before he goes to work early in the morning."

"Ah, yes, the working stiff that he is. So, what's new in the life of the 'Scoobies' tonight?" he plunked down in the seat that was next to Dawn, and propped his feet on the table.

"Anything to kill? I'm getting bored with the telly."