Title: One.. Two… Part 3 of 20

Author: Michael Dunbar

Summary: Do I have to do all the work.. Figure it out yourself… 

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BEEP.. BEEP.. BEEP

THUD!

Xander found himself lying on the floor clutching at his throat where the hand had squeezed it so tightly and he was even struggling to breathe. He looked around wildly trying to come to grips with his surrounding and failing miserably.

After a few minutes had passed and his breath was his once again he stretched his limbs out and pulled himself up onto the bed, he looked at the beeping alarm clock on his bed side table.

6:04

He never set the alarm clock to wake him up but he was sure glad it had taken this particular time to break him out of his sleep. Wiping the sweat from his face he stood up and looked around shakily, his light was on and his bag was where he had thrown it when he came in.

Upon entering the bathroom he walked straight to the sink and twisted the cold tap, reaching down he splashed some water on his face before looking into the mirror.

Xander stepped back in surprise and reached up to touch the five shallow gashes on his neck right where the hand had been.

That was just a dream though, wasn't it?

"These.. They can't be real.. He was just a dream, wasn't he?"

Without even contemplating the impossible he gently washed the cuts and blood from his neck before trying his best to cover them with plasters and gauze tape. At the end of it he looked almost passable for a severe trauma patient in the local hospital.

Xander sighed; it had to be on his nights to end all nights. Ridding himself of his sweaty clothes he washed himself down then went about getting ready. His first port of call was something he thought he would never wear, a turtle neck jumper that his grandmother had bought him last Christmas for some bizarre reason. Jumpers and California don't exactly go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Once he decided he looked presentable in the warm wearing jumper he pulled some black slacks from his drawers and pulled them on then went to the bathroom and looked himself over.

"Not bad for a man clearly going insane…"

Grabbing a few necessities like his wallet and keys he leapt down the stairs two at a time and rushed out of the front door.

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(Buffy's House)

Joyce looked at her smiling daughter and knew that something wasn't right with the world, because her daughter was never happy or hadn't been for a very long time it had seemed. For so long she had seen something lurking beneath the surface of her daughters eyes screaming for help as if she had the whole world on her shoulders.

Tonight, she looked very happy.

It was quite unnerving but a welcome sight nonetheless.

"So… Why all the smiles? And the dressing up?"

Buffy pulled a blue dress in front of her while looking in the mirror and grinned at her mother's nosy behavior.

"If you must know I am going out tonight…"

"Have you done your homework…" She might like seeing her daughter happy but school work always came first in her book.

"Of course" Buffy replied while rolling her eyes and keeping the grin on her face the entire time.

"Just asking.. " Joyce smiled at her "So… Who are you going "out" with?"

Buffy could hear the accentuation of the word out in the sentence and looked back at her mother "A friend…"

"Would this friend happen to be a boy…"

"Why yes he would…"

They loved playing these stupid mother-daughter games, it was kind of a tradition in there family.

"Does he have a name or a tattoo?"

Buffy laughed at that one and shook her head "He doesn't have a tattoo and his name is Xander…"

Joyce eyes widened slightly "Xander.. Xander?"

"No a completely different Xander that looks exactly like him and has the same name…"

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit you know…"

"Who'd you think I got it from…" Buffy laughed at her mothers smiling face "Yes Xander… Xander. He asked me out.. on a date.. and I said yes.."

"Well.. I'm slightly surprised but he is a nice boy, I'm sure he will treat you right.."

"I'm sure he will too mom.."

Just then the doorbell rang three times then two small times and Buffy shook her head slightly and giggled whilst Joyce looked out of the bedroom door.

"I'm guessing that's him unless someone else likes to do secret knocks and codes to get in houses.. I'll let him in and have a chat with him. You get ready darling.."

Buffy's eyes widened slightly but she smiled and nodded.

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(Outside Buffy's Door)

Xander stood on the porch nervously and clenched his fingers tightly together, the jumper wasn't helping his nerves one bit and he looked through the frosted glass of the window to see a person descend the stairs.

Joyce

The door opened and Buffy's mom looked at him with a soft smile on her face "Come in Xander… We should have a chat, Buffy is still getting changed she will be down in a minute."

He gulped audibly.