SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Cenas-lil-hottie (9-10): Oh, my gosh! I can't believe I forgot you when I posted ch 10. I musta received your review afterwards, sorry! You seem familiar though. Have you reviewed any of my stories before? You're kiddin'. Nobody else has done this? Thanks. I wouldn't say a god, just very smart. Thanks. I will. Yes, I understand what you're tryin' to say, and I'm glad you're enjoyin' the fic.

FLOAT-ON-CLOUD-9: Thanks. I will.

Windyfontaine: Sorry about the cliffie. Hey, I'm just glad you're able to get in. I never read the comics either, but they had made a cartoon series of X-Men, which is where I got the Shadow King from. Oh, I have a way in mind. This probably won't be soon enough, sorry.

DISCLAIMER

Both shows belong to the WB. The Shadow King belongs to Marvel Comics, though I've made up some of his powers.

"Great! Just great!" Buffy seethed.

"Where'd he go?" Dean wondered.

"He could be anywhere," Angel answered.

"I am so mentally-challenged!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Hey! Get a grip! That freak's inside my brother and we have no idea where he went! Panicking's not gonna help anything!" Dean told her. Buffy shot Dean a dirty look.

"You're preachin' to the choir here," she snapped.

"Buffy," Giles said gently.

"Giles, Sam's in danger. I think I'm entitled to a freak out," Buffy snarled.

"Well, ain't that typical? When the going gets tough, the chick always loses it. How you even managed to survive all this time is beyond me," Dean sneered derisively. With speed that Dean hadn't known was possible, he was flat on his back with Buffy on top of him, her hand against his throat.

"Listen to me, you jerk! I don't have a choice about what I do here. Yeah, your daddy raised you to fight evil 'cuz your mom was killed. But you have the choice to walk away. I don't," the Slayer told him. Dean gagged.

"Buffy, you're killing him," Angel said, coming up beside them. He gently pried her away. Once released, Dean coughed as air came rushing back to his lungs.

"Dang, she's strong," he rasped, standing up.

"Of course she's strong. She's a Slayer, you idiot," Cordelia responded.

"Can't we all just calm down?" Willow queried.

"I don't believe this! I don't believe I let him get to me!" Buffy seethed. Her fist came down on a table, smashing it.

"Hey! My table!" Giles protested.

"Sorry," Buffy apologized sheepishly. "I just---I can't believe I let the Shadow King trick me like that," she continued softly.

"We'll get him back, Buffy," Cordelia promised.

"Yeah, no worries, Buffster. We banished this freak once, we can do it again," Xander agreed.

"Hey Giles, where's the book that you got the spell from the first time this happened?" Willow wondered.

"I'll get it," Giles stated. He went over to where the books, and browsed through the titles until he found what he was looking for. "Here we are. Now where was that banishment spell?" he queried. The Scoobies gathered around as Giles flipped through the pages. Then, "Ah! Here it is!"