Xander makes it to class on time with Willow. This is just purely unnatural. No power on earth should make a guy go to school on Saturday it's just evil. On the Bright side though Xander figured out why he's here in the first place. Between Gut's memories, the hyena spirit, and now keeping the demented hellhound under control there is just no room in his brain for computers which are overrated anyway.

Jenny started the lesson until Buffy walked in. "The first thing we're going to do today is… Buffy."

Xander shot up. "Did I fall asleep already?" Xander looks at her face not the time to be funny. "What's wrong?"

"It's Giles." Buffy said.

Jenny was instantly concerned. "Is there something wrong?"

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then, when I went over to his place, he was acting... well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I-I think he might've been... I think he was drinking."

"Tea" Willow asked as reassurance.

"Not tea Will. How about you guys have you noticed anything different?"

Willow, Xander, and Jenny shrug.

"It might have something to do with the cop that paid him a visit yesterday." Cordelia said bluntly.

Buffy was in shock. "Why didn't you mention this to any of us?"

Cordelia shrugged. "You never asked."

Xander playfully pats her on the shoulder. "We understand it wasn't about you."

Buffy was instantly alert. "Let's go check out the library."

The scoobies look around in the library but no sign of Giles. Willow hears something up in the stacks and is instantly alert. When whoever is in there tries to dump the stacks on her she pushes right back and dumps it on him to her surprise its Ethan. Willow is using every thing Angel has taught her about control to keep from ripping the chaos mage's throat out.

She yanks him out looking like she could rip his arm off at any second. And throws him down at the others. Xander recognizes him instantly and puts his foot on his chest keeping him from moving.

Buffy looks down and sees why Xander and Willow were so rough with him. It's the man from Halloween. She looks down at him. "What are you doing here?"

Xander is distracted as a zombie burst through Giles office. He goes to fight it but is pushed aside. Ethan tries to make a break for it but gets a knee to his crotch from Cordy for his trouble. Buffy and Willow work together and force the zombie into a cage.

"Well he's pretty spry for a corpse." Willow said.

Buffy turned to her. "How do you" The realization hits her. "Never mind" she whispers.

Willow thought to herself. "That reminds me." Willow grabs Ethan by the hair and throws him into a chair. Ethan goes to run and Willow vamps out. "Give me a reason to kill you, please."

Ethan instantly sits back down and talks to them about why he's here. Buffy calls Giles about the mark of Eyghon. Giles immediately started leaving the apartment for the library.

Xander looked to Buffy. "Why didn't you mention this last night?"

Buffy looked back. "You seemed to have enough on your plate I didn't want to add to it."

Xander just shrugged. "Friends unload on each other all the time it's what we're here for."

Buffy just smiled. "That goes both ways Xander."

"I know." Xander answered.

"Excuse me" Cordelia said cutting everyone off. "When was everyone going to tell me Willow's a vampire?"

"I'm a vampire." Willow said bluntly as she points to Ethan. "It's his fault."

Cordelia just nods in understanding. "It's always the quiet ones."

At this Giles burst through the door and saw Ethan at the chair. "Is everyone alright."

"I kicked a guy and Willow is apparently a vampire." Cordelia said.

"We're fine Rupert." Jenny assured him.

Xander was looking at the cage with Puck. "Dead…guy here interrupted our class. Thanks for that by the way."

Cordelia couldn't believe this was she the only one who didn't know about Willow. "Anything else happen on Halloween that I missed?"

Buffy looked to Xander begging him to let them see Puck. Xander just nodded but he won't go into his past life. "Puck get out here and introduce yourself."

The elf flew out of Xander's shirt and onto his shoulder and waves. "Hiya"

Willow, Giles, and Jenny just kind of wave and make the introductions. Cordelia looks over and wonders what Xander is on as nothing happens. Xander was surprised he figured Willow and Giles would see him but he's surprised Ms. Calendar does too. Maybe he needs to talk to her.

Cordelia just glares at Xander. "Aren't we a little old for imaginary friends Xander."

Puck folded his arms across his chest. "It's not my fault you're too shallow to see me."

The whole group does they're best not to laugh. Cordelia notices and asks. "What did he say about me?"

Willow tells her and Cordelia starts yelling at Xander's shoulder. "How dare you call me shallow it is a testament to my character that I hang out with these people you little-" Cordelia sees Puck on Xander's shoulder. "Naked…Tinkerbell."

Giles goes over and picks up Ethan by the hair. "I would have thought you would have had enough sense to leave town after Halloween."

"Well, you know me Ripper." Ethan gasped out in some pain. "Couldn't go leaving when I still had the shop leased to the end of the month."

Giles let go of Ethan and looked at the man with an expression that said he was about to do more to him than just a little hair pulling.

Sadly however at this moment the zombie broke free. Knocking Ms. Calendar out with the door. Xander pulled Cordelia aside as Buffy and Willow went to work on the deadhead until it melted into a puddle of green goop.

Puck looks over and he is the first to see it "Hey guys Ethan's gone."

Buffy ran out to the halls to try to find Ethan. Giles helped Ms. Calendar awake.

Xander waited for Buffy to come back having not found Ethan. He slips out determined to track him down before Willow does.

"So where are we going?" Puck asked.

"He still has a lease on the costume store until the end of the month. He might go there." Xander said.

Giles ignored Buffy's questions and focused on Ms. Calendar. Buffy was never one to just let things lie. She sent Willow to research the mark and sent Cordelia to research Giles though Cordy did it under protest. Buffy herself would check out the costume store and maybe kill Xander if she bumps into him for running off.

Xander is looking around the costume store for Ethan. "Puck can you sense him?"

Puck just nods no. "Nothing so far."

Xander just rolled his eyes. He should have grabbed his sword but he was in a hurry.

Ethan showed himself from the back room. "I'm kind of disappointed I was expecting the Slayer."

Xander shrugged. "Well she has better things to do. And the two of us need to talk."

Ethan waved signaling him to come in the back. Xander followed figuring he'd be more concerned with saving his own life. As soon as he was in front of Ethan he heard a familiar voice in his head.

"Guts get down."

Xander dropped to the floor and narrowly avoided getting hit in the head with a mannequin by Ethan. Xander buried both of his feet into Ethan's chest and shoved him back. Ethan ran to the front door and backed up slowly with a staff pointed at his head. Xander watched on as Ethan came back in with the stick held by a girl Buffy's height with green hair and purple clothes dressed as a witch. It can't be her can it?

"Sch-Schierke" Xander asked for clarification.

Schierke smiled. "It's good to see you again Guts."

Xander was looking her over. "Look at you you're...woman sized."

"Well you've been dead for a couple hundred years." Schierke points out.

Xander was doing the math in his head. "That means you're really-"

Schierke glared at him he's as subtle as he used to be. "Finish that sentence and you will spend the rest of your life under the impression you are a six year old girl."

Xander stood back. "You're bluffing."

Schierke just shot him a smile. "I'll have Puck do your hair."

Xander just laughed. "It's good to see you again."

Schierke smiled. "The same here." She couldn't believe it when she returned with Ciro she found the Skull Knight waiting for her. He told her what happened with the Chaos spell but she had to see it for herself. Sure enough as she was reading his OD it was Guts. "So why are you after the Chaos mage?"

"I need to ask him a few questions." Xander replied.

"Ask away." Schierke said. "He's completely under my control."

Xander debated what he should ask first but he decided to go with the immediate threat. "Eyghon what is it?"

Ethan spilled everything how Eyghon was the ultimate drug but it all went bad and they had to kill one of their own. They thought they were free of it but it found a way back to the real world.

Xander looked to Ethan "What about Halloween. I have old memories, I know what caused that but my friend still has fangs. How do we fix that?"

Ethan smiled he didn't expect that. "Nothing to fix your friend has great magic in her."

Xander glared at him. "What does that mean?"

Ethan loved it he didn't think there would be someone powerful enough to permanently affect. "It means your friend can become the most powerful witch on the Western Hemisphere if she wants. The only reason she wouldn't get a boost from Halloween is if she went as something pathetic like a ghost or a princess."

"You turned her into a vampire! She killed someone because she couldn't control the bloodlust!" Xander shouted.

Ethan rolled his eyes even hypnotized. "And I feel just awful about it."

Xander pulled Ethan away from Shierke and tossed him head first into the glass display case. Ethan fell to the floor with a bleeding head. Xander grabbed the glass shard that could closest pass as a knife and approached the mage. Schierke sensed the hellhound emerging from Xander's subconcious and went to quiet it.

Buffy got to the store just in time to see the scene. "Xander don't."

Xander had the shard over Ethan's head. "There's no cure Buff. He turned Willow into a demon and he got a sick laugh out of it."

Buffy was shocked at that she was still hoping since Willow wasn't actually sired she could be turned back but she can't let Xander cross this line just because she can't. "And killing him won't do anything about it except make you as bad as him. Xander please don't kill him he's not worth it. Please just put it down."

Xander wanted so much to kill him and as far as he's concerned he deserves it. But he looks at Buffy and sees she's scared. He's scaring her. He drops the shard. Having Buffy in his life is more important then revenge for what happened to Willow. "Sorry, so what have you been up to Buff?" Xander asks as Puck heals Ethan's face.

Buffy pouted. "I went to see Giles he told me everything."

Xander points at Ethan "So did he. Didn't exactly sound like G-Man."

Buffy nodded. "He was young once just like we are. So who's your friend?"

Xander made the introductions. "Schierke, Buffy, Buffy, Schierke."

Schierke shook the slayer's hand and sensed her OD. It might be a new life but not much has changed and she quickly realizes what suppressed the hellhound.

Buffy wonders what's with the odd looks Shierke's giving her. "I'm going to go call Will tell her you're fine."

When Buffy goes to the phone Schierke whispers in Xander's ears. "You do realize Buffy is-"

"Casca I know." Xander whispered back.

"Then you realize she also has strong feelings for you?" Shierke asked.

Xander nodded. "Yeah best friend I know."

Schierke looked at him did he not know. "Guts it's a lot more than that."

Xander just looked at the witch. "I doubt that and it's Xander now. Also don't let Buffy onto anything that might bring back her old memories."

Schierke just nods in understanding. If that's what he wants "Got it"

Buffy gets off the phone. "Willow's on her way she says she knows how to kill the demon which is currently in Ms. Calendar."

Puck finished healing Ethan. "In the meantime what do we do with him?"

Willow entered the magic shop to a scene. Ethan Rayne tied up and gagged to a Chair with Buffy in front and Xander behind him. Along with a witch who just looked her over.

Schierke turned to Xander it was just as she thought. "Sorry Xander, but there's nothing I can do just she's just too powerful for my magic to work."

Xander frowns he didn't want to hear that. "I understand."

Willow turned to Xander. "You asked her about me?"

"She's the most powerful witch I know if anyone could have taken it out of you I thought it would be her." Xander defended himself.

Willow just looked the witch over. "OK"

Buffy looks to Willow. "So what is the plan?"

"You're not going to like it. Just trust me." Willow said.

At this point Ms. Calendar broke in mutated into something resembling a vampire. She went for Ethan but was quickly interrupted by Willow choking her.

Ms. Calendar smiled. "You can't kill me."

Willow smirked. "I'm just stalling."

At this Angel enters the store followed by Giles. Willow throws Ms. Calendar at Angel who continues the choking. Willow would have done this herself but she still has a heartbeat and Eyghon only gets in through dead or unconscious bodies. Giles comes in and is instantly horrified. He tries to get to Angel but Willow stops him. Something exits Ms. Calendar and enters Angel. Angel shifts between three different faces and pushes out Eyghon whom fades away to ash without a host.

Buffy looks down to Ethan. "What do we do with him?"

Ethan had a smile on his face because oh how predictable good guys were. "Nothing you can't prove I did anything wrong. So if you'll untie I'll be on my way."

Puck whispers something into Xander's ear which shocks him that the elf could be that cruel. Xander whispers it into Schierke's ear and she nods in agreement. She walks over and unties Ethan. She puts her staff to his head and orders him. "Walk until your feet bleed and then keep walking, when you finally stop you won't even remember enough about magic to make a pencil float." Ethan walks right out of the costume store for parts unknown.

Xander excused himself and Schierke followed him out.

"Thanks for saving me back there from Ethan." Xander said. "I wonder what he would have done to me."

"He would have branded you with the mark of Eyghon and destroy his own letting the demon kill you in his place." Schierke answered having sensed it in Ethan's OD.

Xander was furious he can't believe this. "I would have been a demon magnet again. Isn't getting branded in one lifetime enough."

Schierke looked at him oh god he doesn't know. "Xander you're still branded. Not as strong as when you were as Guts but you were branded down to your soul which is still in you in every life."

Xander looked at her. "You mean to tell me I'm going to be a demon magnet till the day I die."

Shierke nodded. "Buffy too."

"Son of a bitch"

Schierke and Xander said their farewells. Xander was a little surprised to see Schierke dip her finger in a bottle of blood. Schierke draws on air and it activates a portal to a forest which he assumes is her current home since she could never stand villages let alone a city. Xander was shocked at this she usually draws her power from the spirits not blood.

"When did you start using dark magic?" Xander asked with concern for a friend.

Schierke realizes what has Xander so freaked out. "Oh I'm not using the blood just the energy in it."

"You're going to have to explain that one." Xander said.

"You'll get it in a few years." Schierke answered.

Schierke walked through the portal and disappeared. Xander walked back into the costume shop and all he saw was Giles and Puck.

"Where'd everyone go?" Xander asked

Giles was cleaning his glasses. Xander instantly knows this wasn't good and asks. "What now?"

Giles stopped. "Buffy has told me where you've been living."

"It was just for one night." Xander said.

Giles looked at him he didn't believe him for a second. "The crypt Xander."

Xander caught on Buffy had tattled him out. "Oh that was a bit lo-"

"Shut Up" Giles said cleaning his glasses. "I don't have to remind you of the dangers Buffy constantly faces." Giles faces Xander sternly. "What would be the point?, Nor shall I remind you that you have recklessly endangered your life along with all the lives you hold dear by taking up residence in a place where vampires can get in uninvited."

"I can hold my own." Xander said.

"Be quiet." Giles ordered and Xander instantly shut up. "It would have only taken one lucky vampire and they could have had a vampire that was a master swordsman and knew all the inter workings of the Slayer and her friends. I can't think of anything more dangerous. What you did was irresponsible and immature on every possible level."

Xander just looked down with a sad face he never even thought of any of that. "Giles I"

Giles looked at him. "Just go to Buffy's and get your things. You're staying with me for now so I can at least keep an eye on you."

Giles left and Xander and Puck are on their way to Buffy's.

"You were afraid of Giles back there." Puck teased.

"Was not." Xander replied. "You don't think I'll have to drink tea do you?"

Author's notes

Already halfway through this isn't a long story.

Up Next: The Scoobies finally get some good news.