Chapter 7

(Next Morning – Library)

Xander looked at Buffy and the others, "So, when I disappeared, you thought I went somewhere and wasn't, you know, dead?" Jenny nodded at him, as did Buffy and Willow, and he shook his head, "Why?"

Buffy and Willow looked down, as if embarrassed, but Jenny didn't and answered, "I had faith in the fact you were still alive, Xander."

Xander frowned a little more, "But the logic of that is… flawed. Given where we are, how could you keep faith in something like that, given the evidence that you had?"

Willow spoke up, "And why is it that you're still talking like the Terminator-y you when you aren't anymore?"

Xander looked at her for a moment before blushed, "Um, habit?"

Buffy nodded, idly munching on some deli-style chips he'd brought her that morning, "Same deal here. I mean, sure, we kinda thought that you COULD be dead… but maybe we were hoping for the best?"

Willow nodded and stole a few of Buffy's chips, ignoring the fact she got growled at by the Slayer, "Yup, that's it."

Giles spoke up at this point, cleaning his glasses, "Tell me, Xander, have you noticed anything… different about yourself after this ordeal?"

Xander sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Other than the fact that I've eaten everything I've come across so far and know a lot of things that I probably shouldn't? No, not really." He then looked at his bandaged finger, frowning a bit, "Well, that's not true. Jenny, you cut me fairly deep, right?"

Jenny nodded, "Yes, and I'm sorry for that."

He shook his head, "No problem." He removed the bandage and saw that there was now only a red scar where the cut had been, "I seem to heal a little faster now. A lot faster, actually."

The others came over and inspected the finger, seeing that, indeed, it had healed to the point that it was a scar, and when they pulled back, Giles was frowning, "I must say that this is highly irregular."

Jenny just rolled her eyes, "That's an understatement, Rupert. Could it have anything to do with the… supposed identity of the person who changed Xander back?"

Giles nodded slowly, "That is a distinct possibility, Jenny, but until I am able to run a full battery of seeing spells on Xander, I would not say that is the case."

Xander shook his head, "No, no spells."

Giles stiffened at this, "Xander, we must know precisely what has happened to you."

Xander glared at him, "Oh, just as you did with Aura, Jenny, Willow and Buffy? Why am I being made to take these tests?"

Giles growled and tore his glasses off, "Because you're the one who's technically DIED and come back, drastically altered from your human state, and has since been reverted back into a state that is NOT NORMAL!"

Even as the girls flinched back, Xander didn't budge, "'Normal' is a relative term here on the Hellmouth, Ripper. If you are going to perform these tests on me, then you're damned well going to do them on everybody."

Giles narrowed his eyes, "Why, Xander? Why do you want this?"

Xander growled, "Because, damn it, I DON'T want to be singled out. I mean, what if this is temporary? Do you think I want to know that I'm going to change back some time soon?"

Giles stopped at this and realized what Xander was talking about – for months, he had not been human, and now he was. Xander did not want to learn if this was a permanent effect, or if it was temporary… it scared the hell out of him, apparently, "Xander, I think I understand why you do not want to do this, but we must. One way or another, we must know the extent of this."

Jenny walked over and draped an arm around Xander, pulling him into her side as she leaned to his ear, "Xander, do you honestly think that He would do something that cruel? Give you a taste of humanity… and then take it away?"

Xander snorted, but said nothing.

Now it was Buffy who walked up, "Xand, look, we know you have issues with God, I do, too, but are you going to pass this up because you're stubborn?"

Xander responded to this with a glare, "Oh, YOU are calling me stubborn. That's rich."

Buffy stomped her foot, "I am not stubborn!"

Willow nodded, "No, you're just childish on occasion." Everyone looked at Willow, who turned beet red, "Did I say that out loud?"

Buffy turned back to Xander, "Look, I'm just saying take it while you can and, well, if you turn back… at least you had this time."

Xander stood there silently for a moment before he sighed, "Sure. Alright, fine, use logic on me. Now, if you'll excuse me," he checked his pockets and smiled, "I do believe there is an extra large pizza with everything on it calling my name."

Jenny smiled at him, "And, just think, now you and Aura can have fun… the real way."

Xander stopped and blushed a little, but refused to say anything, not wanting the taste of his foot to sully the anticipation of the pizza.

AN: Short one, I know, but it explains a few hangers and it sets up Aura's return. Reviews, please.