Author's Note : Seems a few people here and there were happy to see this one continue. Still, more reviews and feedback is needed. And in order to spurn you on, here is the part with the major cliffhanger: What's the wish? How will it affect the world? Well, this one will at least answer the first question.

And to answer some points:

Queen Boadicea : Sure I remember you. You were one of my most faithful reviewers on this story. Hope you plan on taking up that role again. And it was years ago, actually. I started this story in 2001.

Serrafina : As said above, you won't quite get your wish yet, but starting next chapter we'll find out what effects Cordy's wish has on the world. Oh, and that thing about Cordy and Faith? Whatever gave you that idea?

Enjoy!

Part 3:

School started much too early the next day, leaving Cordelia with no time to try out all her new shoes. Not that shoe shopping had really managed to distract her for long. Her mind was still going in circles over the same topics as yesterday.

"Hi, Cordelia," Anya greeted her.

"Hi, Anya. So, you made it to your second day, have you?"

"Barely," the new girl smiled. "Are you subjecting every new student here to that torture session you call shopping?"

Cordelia laughed. "Hardly. And you could hardly call that one a session. You quit after just four shops."

"How many shops did you visit?"

"Twelve! But only because Darcy's had closed early."

The two girls chatted as they walked down the corridor. Cordelia hardly noticed where they were going until she almost ran into a familiar body. Looking up, she saw Xander's face.

"Cordy, hi," he said, shyly brushing his hand through his hair. "How... how are you?"

There'd been a time not too long ago when she'd had zero trouble figuring out Xander Harris. Not that there had been much to figure out. Like most teenage boys his thoughts had centred on one of three things: Sex, food, and sports. Well, not so much sports.

Now, though, he constantly confused her. They seemed to have come to terms recently, yet something still stood between them. And it wasn't just the fact that Cordelia herself felt no particular desire to resume their relationship, despite still having feelings for him.

"Fine. I'm fine. You?"

"Oh, just great. So... see you later at the... you know?"

They were having a Scooby meeting (again with that silly name) later on, hoping to find some new information about Sebastian Khan. No sense mentioning evil vampires in front of the new girl, though.

"Yeah, I'll be there. So... see you then."

They walked past each other and Cordelia felt Anya's eyes boring into her side.

"Let me guess. Ex?"

"Hi, Giles," Buffy greeted the Watcher as she strode into the library.

"Hello, Buffy. Faith told me that she and you want to check out a new student today? Uh... she added that ‘to check out' was not supposed to be taken in the sexual way."

"That's Faith," Buffy laughed. "Anyway, we saw Cordelia with this girl yesterday. Something about her... was strange. Not sure, but I thought it couldn't hurt to give her the once-over."

"Faith said much the same thing. Ah, here she is now."

Faith strode into the library, waving hello. "I just asked Red for C's whereabouts. Looks like she has chemistry now. Still remember where that is, B? Or was it too long ago for your ancient, senile brain to recall?"

"Ha! Ha!" Buffy couldn't quite keep the smile off her face. "I'll have you know I was pretty good in chemistry. And I do remember where the classroom is... I think."

She frowned for a moment, trying to remember.

"Third room behind the cafeteria," Giles supplied. "Not that you needed my help."

Buffy gave him an offended look. "What's the world coming to if even my Watcher is making cheap puns nowadays? Let's go, Faith!"

"If you're sure, B. I can get you a walking aid if you need it."

"Come along, youngling, and offend me no further!"

The two Slayers strode out the doors, still exchanging puns and trying to keep up earnest faces.

That is, until they rounded a corner. At that moment both their Slayer senses went on alert.

"You feel that?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, someone's making with the voodoo. That way!"

The two took off running.

"Let me guess. Ex?"

Cordy sighed. She so didn't want to explain all this stuff to someone she had only just met. Then again, maybe talking about it would help some. And unlike her mother she didn't see the sense in paying some shrink hundreds of dollars an hour just to listen to her whining.

"Something like that," she finally said. "Shoulda known better, really. When I got together with him he was still pining like crazy after Buffy. Did some... really stupid things. I finally broke up with him."

"So you're still mad at him?" Anya asked, something like a predatory gleam in her eyes. Cordy ignored it, though. Sure, Buffy and Faith had said something about strange vibes coming from Anya, but honestly? If she were a demon, why would she be quizzing her on Xander Harris of all people?

The question was interesting, though. Was she still mad at Xander?

"No, not really," she said after thinking on it. "It's just... I'm kinda mad that things worked out the way it did. There were so many points where, if things had just gone differently, it would have turned out okay. If anything, I'm mad at him for being so stupid about the Buffy thing."

"Buffy thing?"

Cordelia frowned. How to tell this without going into the whole vampire/demon/Slayer thing?

"It was... well, Buffy was this girl he was pining after all the time. She shot him down once, but he kinda didn't get the message that she wasn't interested. Then Buffy's boyfriend... sort of went nuts on us."

"I'm sure Xander really liked that," Anya suggested.

"Oh boy, did he ever. It was like his vindication or something. Anyway, Buffy went to confront Angel -that's the boyfriend- about his... behaviour. Problem was, we... Xander, Willow , me, some others... had just found out... why he was behaving so badly. Long story. We sent Xander off to tell Buffy and... he didn't. And things went really ugly between Buffy and Angel. I'm talking End of the World ugly, you know?"

"Man," Anya huffed. "If my boyfriend had done something like that, I'd have ripped him a new one."

"Oh, I did. Multiple times. It's just... I kinda got over it. I guess Xander and me were never meant to last. We sort of reconciled, but... I don't want us back together. Besides, I think there might be someone el..."

"So you're not mad at him anymore?" Anya interrupted her. "Not wishing that he would... I don't know, get syphilis or something?"

Cordy gave Anya a look. "What? No, nothing like that. If I could wish anything, I guess I..."

"Yes?" Anya asked, a very eager look on her face. Cordelia did not notice, nor did she see Buffy and Faith coming around the corner or the looks they were giving the new girl.

"I guess I wish Xander would have had enough brains to tell Buffy about Angel and stuff. Then everything..."

"Done!"

That single word sent chills down Cordelia's spine. The voice wasn't Anya's. It was a deep timbre, menacing, chilling. She looked at her new friend and could barely suppress a scream. Anya's face had changed, almost like a vampire's game face, but worse. Her eyes gleamed. Cordelia heard Buffy yell something, the blonde Slayer running toward her, Faith hot on her heels.

"Wish granted!"

For a moment the entire world seemed to swim in front of her eyes. The scenery shifted. She was seeing a street somewhere. Buffy was there, walking purposefully toward a mansion with a sword in hand. Xander was running up behind her, nothing but a rock in hand.

She saw the two talk for a moment. Buffy gave Xander a stake in place of his rock. She wanted to stride on, but Xander held her back. At her quizzical look he hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"Willow , uh... she told me to tell you..."

"Tell me what?"

Xander hesitated another moment, then came to a decision. "She will try the Curse again. So... if deadboy suddenly gets a funky gleam in his eyes or something, no longer tries to destroy the world and stuff... you know."

The last thing Cordelia saw was the flash of hope in Buffy's eyes. Then everything spiralled away into darkness.

TO BE CONTINUED