After a good six hours doing research on how to remove the hex in the school library, Xander has finally face planted it on the desk. He almost wanted to be stuck back in the book again at this point. At least there he didn't have to deal with Giles' constant badgering. He was just about to drift into dream land, when a familiar scent filled his nostrils.

"Cheeseburger," he breathes out opening his eyes and sees a cheeseburger directly in front of him.

"Figured you be hungry," Faith says sitting on top of the table Xander was at. "So I went out and got you something."

"Thanks, Faith," Xander says seizing the burger.

"So how's the search going for you?" Faith asks him as he devours it.

"Terrible," he says with a mouthful of the cheeseburger. He chews then swallows. "We've torn up this library and yet we haven't seen any sort of way to end the hex. This whole fiasco sounds like something out of a poorly written episode of a television series."

"I can imagine. Anyway, what's it like in there?" Faith asks pointing to the books.

"I can't really comment as I've spent most of my time on bed rest after Victoria ambushed Buffy and I," Xander explains while finishes his burger. As he ate the last bite, his body started to glow. "Here we go again. Thanks for the cheeseburger," he says as he becomes engulfed in a flash of light.

The light dies out and Xander finds himself back in his hospital bed. He lets out a brief, but quiet gasp when the feeling of his injuries all return. Relief quickly follows, however, when he looks at the clock and sees it's the exact same time it was when he was in the book last.

Thank goodness, I don't have to explain my disappearing act to anyone, he thinks. Hope fortune favors you the same way, Buffy.

"…you want to run that by me again?" Edward asks Emmett once they meet up after school.

"One minute Buffy was there, then there was this flash of light, and poof, she was gone."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"To be fair, we don't make sense either. Maybe she's got an ability of her own."

"But you said she didn't smell like us."

"I know. I'm just telling you what I saw. Speaking of which, I haven't gotten to the weird part yet."

"…how could there possibly be a part weirder than her vanishing act?" Edward asks in disbelief.

"I can't explain it, but when she disappeared, her scent went with her. I couldn't track her down at all. It's like her scent was never there in the first place."

"I definitely need to keep a closer eye on Bella now," Edward says watching the unsuspecting girl getting into her truck.

"How is Bella suddenly the topic of discussion now?"

"If Buffy's dangerous, then I need to make sure Bella is safe."

"But we don't even know if Buffy is dangerous."

"Then I suggest you go look for her and find out," Edward says then leaves for his car without another word.

"Wait, but I…oh forget it," Emmett utters.

"Is Edward being extra Edward today?" Rosalie asks stepping beside Emmett.

"Oh, you have no idea."

Hi, it's Buffy Summer's. Leave me a message and I'll get back with you.

"Hey Buffy, it's Bella. I'm just calling to find out where you are. Charlie hasn't seen you and when I spoke to Xander, he didn't know either. He seemed pretty concerned when I told him I didn't know where you were as a matter of fact, and I'm starting to worry too. It's getting late, so please call me back when you get this message. I'll be at the bookshop for the next hour or so. Bye." Bella says and hangs up. It was the third time she tried Buffy since leaving school. True, Buffy looked like someone that could take care of herself, but Bella still wondered what was up.

Just then, a glint of light beyond the alleyway she was cutting through caught her eye. Despite her gut telling her to go in the opposite direction, Bella's curiosity won out and she approached where the light had just been cautiously.

"H-hello?" She stammers as she enters a deserted parking lot. She sees nothing at first, but then hears someone groan. She turns to her right and spots someone lying on his chest.

"Where am I?" Spike asks rolling onto his back and then takes in his surroundings. He's somewhere completely different and there's no trace of Buffy or Angel anywhere.

"Are you alright? Do you need some help?" Bella asks keeping a healthy distance from Spike. He turns towards her and the smallest traces of an evil smile appear on his face.

"Oh, I'm just fine now," he says standing to his feet and then walks straight towards her.

This guy was starting to give Bella the creeps so she decided it was best to cut and run now. "I'll just go then," she says taking a few steps back and then tries to make a run for it, only for Spike to snatch her arm and pull her right back to him.

"I think not," Spike says and Bella's throat goes dry and her body freezes up. Spike smirks and prepares to bite her when the sound of screeching tires enters the scene and a familiar looking car pulls straight into the lot. Spike's grip loosens in surprise letting Bella slip away as Edward emerges from his car.

"Get in the car," he orders her. Bella doesn't need to be told twice and races to the safety of his vehicle.

"How sweet. The boyfriend to the rescue," Spike says. Edward fixes him with a cold stare and Spike gives a light chuckle. "Nice game face, pretty boy. Let me show you mine." Spike switches to his vampire face and Edward's eyes widen in shock and he takes a surprised couple of steps back.

What on Earth? He thinks and then notices Spike's scent. It's like nothing he's ever smelled before.

"This is what you get for messing with the big bad in the dark," Spike threatens and rushes Edward.

Edward breaks out of his surprise and shoves his hands into Spike's chest propelling him back several feet.

"Big mistake!" Spike shouts not even bothering to wonder how Edward did that.

He stands back up, rushes him again, and leaps over Edward's next punch. He grabs him from behind and throws him at an alley wall making it partially crumble on impact. Spike sprints forward, but Edward ducks his punch and angrily snarls at Spike before punching him in the back knocking him into the same wall. He then grabs his jacket and tosses him halfway across the parking lot where he makes a hard landing on the pavement.

Spike hops back onto his feet, however, and shakes his head a bit to get his bearings before the two come at each other again. Edward leaps back dodging Spike's left hook. He throws out a straight jab, but Spike dodges it, grabs Edward's arm, and slams his fist on his wrist. Edward yells out leaving him open to Spike kicking him in the ribs. Edward falls to one of his knees and Spike punches him across the face. He goes for another punch, but Edward springs up and uppercuts him out of the parking lot and into the alley. He looks back at the car and sees Bella's panicked expression. He doesn't waste another second and gets into the car.

"I'll explain later. Right now I need to get you away from that man," he says and speeds them both away.

"Ok, that didn't go as planned," Spike groans in the alley.

Just what was that guy? Vampire?…no. Scent was all wrong, but definitely not human. That's just what I needed; more supernatural defenders of the meat.

"Hey dude, you ok?" He hears someone ask and spots a group of teens coming his way. Spike grins at the unquestionably human scents.

"Never better," he says changing to his vampire face again.

To Be Continued...