Date written: Sun 4 Oct 2009
Author: Starway Man
E-mail: theop at hotkey dot net dot au
Disclaimer: The Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel characters are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar, Kuzui, Fox, WB and UPN; I don't own 'em, and I never will. I also do not own any other characters from any television shows, movies, comics, videogames or literature that I might use. This work is meant merely for enjoyment, and no profit is being made off of it. Some of the text is from various TV episodes or movies or comics or videogames or literature, and so does not belong to me of course.
Symbols: " " denotes speech, ( italics ) specifies thoughts, and # # indicates phone voice.
Main characters: Xander, ensemble
Warnings: There is some violence, bad language, character death and mention of sexual situations in these stories.
Author Notes: A couple of years ago Night Hunter MGS (a.k.a. Matt) wrote an awesome series of stories called "31 Days of Xanderween" (http://www .fanfiction .net/s/3813208/1/31_Days_of_Xanderween), where he published one Halloween fic for each day of October. I was inspired enough to want to do my own version of the concept, and he has graciously allowed me to use his idea for this series of fanfic stories.
Author Notes 2: A big thank you to everyone who's reviewed and sent feedback so far.
Acknowledgments: My thanks of course to Matt for allowing me to dabble with his original idea this way. Also, my deepest gratitude to all my beta readers – Francis Eugene, Greywizard, American Soldier and Nodakskip – for all their help in getting these stories finished on time!
Classification: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crossover, Romance, YAHF
Summary: Thirty-one versions of Halloween, Xander-style. Fic-a-day series.
Title:31 Days of Xanderween Part Deux
***
Story 4: Be Careful What You Wish For
Sunnydale High School, Sunnydale, California
October 30th, 1997
( So I need to buy a Halloween costume, ) Xander Harris thought to himself, as he wandered into the boys' locker room for upcoming gym class. Principal Snyder had said that costumes were mandatory for the child safety escort duty tomorrow night, and there was no point trying to deny the principal's wishes. ( But what kinda costume is it gonna be? Okay, I can't afford much, but I don't wanna look like a complete idiot either... )
"OW! Hey, watch it," the male teenager who had just bumped into Harris growled, before recognition slowly began to set in. "Wait a minute. Don't I know you?"
"Well, this is a big school-" Xander cut himself off, as he got hit by the recognition bug as well. "Owen Thurman?"
"Xander Harris!" Owen said in annoyance. "Yeah, I remember you now. You were the guy who did his best to ruin my chances with Buffy Summers!" The young man saw Xander's look and added, "Come on, you think I've forgotten? 'Buffy doesn't like to be kissed. She doesn't like to be touched. Actually, don't even look at her.' Any of this ringing any bells for you?" Owen demanded.
"Okay, okay, so I didn't exactly want to help you out back then. But in my defence, pal, she dumped you after the Buffster found out about your whole 'danger junkie' thing, which had nothing to do with me," Xander pointed out, even though he now felt ashamed of his actions during sophomore year. "Look, Owen, I'm sorry for how I acted like such a jealous idiot that night. Any chance you'll forgive me?"
"Well...maybe," Owen said, the irritation starting to subside. "So tell me, how far have you gotten trying to snare Buffy for yourself? Crashed and burned yet?"
"Yeah, Spring Fling last year. Uh, turns out Buffy wasn't interested in me anymore than she was in you," Xander confessed, looking away. "Maybe it was that whole Emily Dickinson thing, I don't know. Hey, are you still into that sorta stuff?"
Owen shook his head and took a book out of his schoolbag. "You see this? Thomas Shadwell and his masterpiece, 'The Libertine'. The legend of Don Juan, the original ladies man! All those women, and that guy never had to pay for it once in his entire life!" Owen said enthusiastically.
"I, I think I've heard of him," Xander said, trying to remember details. "Uh, wasn't he killed at the end of the story though?"
"Yeah, he was. Hey, how did you know that?" Owen frowned.
Xander shrugged, "I spend a lot of time in the school library, dude. As it happens, I do happen to read a lot."
Owen unexpectedly put the book into Xander's hands, who just stared at the cover blankly. "Then consider this my good deed for the year and study that book carefully. I'll pick it up from you again tomorrow."
Owen then walked off, as Xander just stared at the literary legend that had come out during the late 17th century. And then he smiled, as Harris got an idea for his Halloween costume tomorrow night.
***
Sunnydale High School Corridor, Sunnydale, California
October 31st, 1997
Xander, dressed as the book's version of Don Juan, walked down the hallway as he saw the white ghost outfit his female friend Willow Rosenberg was wearing. "Hey, Will! Where ya going?"
The young woman, who like Xander had bought her Halloween outfit from Ethan's Costume Shop yesterday, stopped to talk to her life-long crush. "Oh, I gotta hurry and get to my group of little kids. Shouldn't you be doing the same?"
"Yeah, but I just wanna get this book back to Owen Thurman first...and here he is," Xander finished up, seeing the guy coming the other way.
"Owen Thurman?" Willow echoed, turning around to see Owen for herself. "Oh, hey, I haven't seen him in ages!"
"Harris, you got my book? And who's your friend?" Thurman demanded as he came to a stop.
"Uh, hi Owen. It's me, Willow," the girl said from underneath her ghost outfit.
"Willow who?" Owen asked in confusion.
"Willow Rosenberg," Xander replied. Seeing the other boy's lack of recognition he motioned to his best friend, "Take off the outfit for a second, Will, and let him see you."
"But, but I don't want to," Willow said immediately. She was wearing an outfit underneath that made her very uncomfortable, something Buffy had practically forced her to wear; boots, a short black leather skirt, and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, midriff-baring top.
"Why not?" Xander demanded in response to Willow's statement. "Willow, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I..." Then the female hacker sighed in defeat, she knew Xander well enough to understand how now that his concern had been raised, he'd never just let this go. So Willow took off the white sheet, baring herself to the world.
"Oh, now I remember you! Willow, that's right, you were Buffy's friend," Owen nodded approvingly at what he saw. "Looking good there, Rosenberg."
Somewhat slack-jawed Xander quickly shoved the book into Owen's hands and then he departed, dragging Willow along by the arm. Once they were at minimum safe distance, Harris stopped and said in a choked tone of voice, "Great googley-moogley, Willow, what are you wearing?"
Willow was feeling extremely panicky right now. "Uh, well..."
"That top, that skirt! And, and is that lipstick?" Xander could not help going into his pretty-girl-Xander-babble mode.
"Yeah, I-I picked some up from the costume shop yesterday along with the ghost outfit, it was called-" Willow instantly cut herself off, berating herself for even bringing up the subject.
"What? What was it called?" Xander started to smile.
"Harlot," Willow confessed, and then smacked him as Xander laughed out loud. "Hey, it's not funny!"
"You're right. You're right," Xander choked in a strangled voice. "Not funny at all..."
Looking upset, Willow stormed off. She was so annoyed that the redhead completely forgot about the ghost sheet lying at Xander's feet, and everyone started staring at Willow's Goth girl outfit.
***
1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale, California
November 1st, 1997
Xander smiled and stretched, feeling softness and warmth spooned against his back, plus a feminine arm draped across his chest possessively. He had dreamed that Buffy had finally given in to that good ol' Xander Harris charm, and professed her love for him last night. Then they had celebrated that love in the traditional way a man and a woman did when they were alone together. But that was just a dream, whereas this...
The young man instantly leapt from the bed, his gaze taking in the scene frantically. Harris recognized the other person within Buffy's bed, and his brain started analysing the situation in mental shorthand. ( Naked Willow. Naked Xander. Angry Mr. Rosenberg. Dead Xander... )
"Oh, God. Oh, God, I'm dead. Ogodogodogodogod!"
The sound of Xander's hyperventilating awoke the red-haired girl, who smiled up at him sleepily for a second before snapping back to reality herself. Then Willow sat bolt upright, and screamed.
The memories from last night quickly came back for both of them. The girl had transformed into an older version of herself, a rock 'n roll groupie that loved both 'Harlot' lipstick and getting laid. The boy had turned into Don Juan, completely confused but still willing to score with anything female, good-looking and containing a pulse. There had been the noblewoman version of Buffy, arriving at Buffy's house, Cordelia Chase, Angel; and then Don Juan sweet-talking the groupie into sneaking away upstairs to Buffy's bedroom, leaving the other three alone downstairs...
Pushed into mental overload, Xander did the only thing he could think of doing. He backed away, ready to run for his life. In the process of backing up, however, he tripped over one of Willow's shoes and fell backward.
His body crashed against the bureau drawer as he collapsed to the floor. Not only that but the lamp that had been standing on the drawer clipped Xander's head on its way down, allowing the youth to slip into blissful unconsciousness.
Willow screamed again, and then clamped her hand over her mouth as Joyce and Buffy burst into the room. After the spell had been terminated and Mrs. Summers had arrived home last night, the vampire Slayer had fed her mom a bogus story about a 'gas leak' that had caused her friends to go slightly crazy. Well, it was a lot more believable than telling Joyce how Willow and Xander had been possessed by their Halloween costumes, in trying to come up with a reason for why those two had had sex in her daughter's bedroom.
"Willow? Are you alright? Xa...what happened to Xander?!" Buffy almost couldn't believe her eyes this morning, spying her naked unconscious friend on the floor.
For the first time in her life, Willow Rosenberg had utterly no idea what to say.
***
Sunnydale High School Library, Sunnydale, California
November 3rd, 1997
As Xander walked out of the library, Willow finally gave in to her urge to cry her eyes out. It was Monday morning, and yet the events of Friday night were still embedded into her mind as if a white-hot branding iron had been used to put them there.
It was so ironic, on so many levels; Willow had been planning to marry Xander Harris ever since she was six years old, and despite the lack of a ceremony, their relationship had now been fully consummated so to speak. She had made love to the guy she loved, but the circumstances...oh, the circumstances...
Buffy came out of her Watcher's private office alone, since she had ordered Giles to skedaddle for a bit whilst Willow and Xander talked. Thanks to her enhanced Slayer hearing, Buffy could have easily eavesdropped on the conversation just now; but she had deliberately chosen not to, wanting her best friend to confide in her of her own free will. "Willow? How, uh, how did it go?"
"We, we talked," the Rosenberg girl choked out. "Hopefully we straightened a few things out too, Buff."
Miss Summers didn't get it. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Willow briefly smiled through her tears. "Xander kept apologizing until I told him to shut up, that it wasn't his fault what happened anymore than it was mine. We were possessed, and neither of us could have prevented what Don Juan and that bimbo decided to do on Friday night. It took me a while to get that concept through his head, but eventually he stopped apologizing and started panicking. 'Cause we didn't use any protection, y'know?"
Buffy nodded. "Did you tell him about your visit to the doctor?"
"Yeah. And thank God Dr. Cohen's discreet, I mean if my parents found out...well, I'm pretty sure my dad would give Xander an in-depth lesson about the theory and practice of circumcision using his pruning shears," Willow choked out, as the tears began to subside.
The Chosen One shuddered. "Yikes. So, uh, everything's gonna be okay then?" Willow didn't answer. "Willow? What's wrong?" Silence. "Willow?"
"BUFFY, HE DOESN'T LOVE ME THE WAY THAT I LOVE HIM!" the red-haired girl suddenly screamed in heart-felt pain. "You should have heard what Xander said just now! 'You're my best friend, Willow'. 'I don't want to lose you as a friend over this, Willow'. God, I've wanted to be Mrs. Xander Harris for almost as long as I can remember...but now, I know that that's just not gonna happen!" Breathing deeply Willow finished up, "You're the only one he wants, Buffy. And it's long past time I stopped kidding myself about that."
Miss Summers grew even more uncomfortable, as she knew that Xander had always had a major thing for her; the same way Willow had always had a major thing for him, and the same way that she herself had always had a major thing for Angel. And what's more, the Slayer knew that such a love quadrangle couldn't possibly end well for any and all concerned.
( Oh, what a mess, ) Buffy thought to herself with a sigh. Then she said verbally, "Um, maybe you're wrong. I mean, having sex under the influence...uh, no, I mean...well, with both of you losing your virginity that way-" Buffy said uncertainly.
"You still don't get it, Buffy," Willow interrupted her. "See, deep down, I don't really regret what happened. I tried my best to stop it from taking place, yeah, but whatever the circumstances – I honestly don't mind the fact that Xander was my first. There was never anyone else I wanted to fulfil that role, anyway. What bothers me is the fact that after I finally got it through his head how I was okay with sleeping with him that night, it never even occurred to the big goof to wonder if it could possibly mean the start of a real relationship between us. I could see it in Xander's eyes; there was only relief that I wasn't mad at him, that we were still friends. Nothing else!"
"Are you sure about that?" Buffy now understood the extent of her friend's pain, and she also wanted to hit Xander over the head for being such a complete guy that way.
"Positive," Willow nodded her head sadly. "May as well as face it: Xander and I were never meant to be together like that, and that's all there is to it." She got up off the chair, and started wiping her wet, red-rimmed eyes. "I, uh, thanks for being here for me like this, Buffy. Seriously, I-I honestly don't know how I'd cope if it wasn't for your friendship."
Overcome with emotion, the two teenage girls quickly engaged in a big hug as Giles finally made his way back into the library.
***
The Bronze, Sunnydale, California
November 11th, 1997
As was becoming more and more usual these days, Xander Harris sat alone within the nightclub while Buffy and Willow chatted together not far away. Lately the dynamic between the three of them had changed completely, and the young man knew that. Ever since Halloween, the girls had been slipping further and further away from him.
( I should have known, damn it. Like that old saying goes, sex ruins the friendship... ) Xander grumbled to himself with a mental sigh.
In some ways, it was hard for Harris to believe that he'd actually scored with a girl; and with Willow of all people. In other ways, it didn't feel surprising at all; Xander still had all the memories of Don Juan in his head, and he could remember what it was like seducing huge numbers of women in Spain, Italy and elsewhere. He could also remember what it was like being dragged down to Hell, after foolishly shaking hands with the dead father of that virgin girl used and then cast aside like garbage. But that was something Harris had been doing his best to repress during every waking moment, ever since Ethan's spell had occurred.
"All right, I'll bite. What the hell are you doing sitting here all alone, instead of being over there with your two loser friends where you belong?"
Xander looked up to see Cordelia Chase staring at him, hands on hips. "Go away, Cordy," he told the school's social queen irritably. "Really not in the mood for one of our insult contests right now."
The brunette cheerleader sat down within the alcove anyway. "Look, obviously we're not friends. But ever since I learned what it is you tweakos really do in that library-"
"I thought I told you to go away," Xander interrupted, glaring at her.
"And I will, when I decide it's gonna happen. Not when YOU order me to do it," Cordelia glared right back. "Look at you, Xander! Something weird is going on; for one thing, your wardrobe's undergone a complete overhaul. Your clothes are colour-coordinated now, I haven't seen any Hawaiian shirts in ages and your shoes might actually pass muster with anyone that prefers Prada to Payless! Plus a lot of the girls at school are talking to you nowadays, apart from Willow and Buffy. So what gives? Is it something I need to watch out for, in case I suddenly start thinking you're not a dork anymore?"
Exhaling, Xander figured the quickest way to get rid of her would be to tell the Chase girl everything: well, after threatening to kill her if Cordelia ever told anyone that he and Willow had slept together a while back. Miss Chase and her flock did thrive on school gossip, after all.
But to his surprise all that the cheerleader asked was, "So just how good was Willow in bed?"
"WHAT? I'm not discussing that with you," Xander growled, already regretting confiding in her. "Now go away, all right? Consider your curiosity satisfied."
"There's a reason I'm asking, dummy. You DO know that Willow's been in love with you ever since we were in kindergarten, right?" Cordelia asked archly.
Harris turned to face her again. "What?"
Miss Chase rolled her eyes. "Oh, someone up there give me strength – newsflash, Xander! Are you really that clueless? Didn't being Don Juan for one night teach you ANYTHING about girls?" Cordelia demanded acerbically. "Now I get why Willow and Buffy have been avoiding you lately. That red-haired geek has finally figured out that even sex isn't enough to get you to love her the same way she loves you, so for my money, her and the freakazoid are eventually gonna freeze you out altogether. Makes sense, too, I suppose; who wants to constantly be reminded that your first time meant nothing to the other party involved?"
"That's not true!!" Xander hissed. "And what the hell would you know, anyway!? I love Willow with all my heart-"
"But you don't want to marry her. You want to marry Buffy instead, right? The bottle-blonde social leper who actually prefers a vampire to you," Cordelia smirked, referring to Angel. She knew now that said individual was a bloodsucker, even if she hadn't before Halloween. "Makes me glad that I'm the normal one around here, let me tell you."
"This conversation is so over," Xander muttered angrily, as he began to get up. "And just so we're clear on this, if I hear that you've told anyone anything about what we've discussed tonight? I will throw you to the vamps as a free meal, the moment you least expect it!" He then stalked off, visibly seething.
Cordelia simply shook her head, as she went off to rejoin Harmony and the rest of her friends. All this was really none of her business, after all.
***
Sunnydale High School, Sunnydale, California
November 12th, 1997
The undercover 'justice' demon known as Halfrek wasn't happy. She was behind in her quota, her boss D'hoffryn was constantly hassling her about her performance at work, and her friend Anyanka was on a job somewhere in South America. But she knew that she had to put all that aside and blend in, after Willow's pain had spanned the dimensions and summoned this demoness to the Hellmouth.
"How are you doing, Will?" Buffy asked her best friend as they walked along the colonnade.
"Fine, until this morning," Willow said sadly. "Um, you know how Xander said that he wanted to talk to me today? Apparently, he's finally figured out how I really feel about him – well, uh, after Cordelia of all people spelled everything out at the Bronze last night. And it, it hurt him, Buffy, it hurt Xander so much to know that he caused me so much pain like that."
"Well, yeah – but it's kind of his own fault, Willow. If Xander would simply wake up and discover just what a wonderful catch you really are, you two would be instantly be in 'happily ever after' territory," Buffy pointed out.
"No, it's not that simple. I mean you can't force someone to love you that way, no matter how much they care about you. Still, that 'happily ever after' thing sounds so nice, I really do wish Xander loved me the same way that I love him..." Miss Rosenberg sighed.
Miss Summers nodded. "You're right. Myself, I just wish that Angel and I could simply be a couple of regular kids..."
Halfrek smirked, and decided to do some further investigation. She looked for Xander and eventually, after she found him, she heard the Harris boy mutter to himself, "Why does my love life suck like this, I ask you? Why can't Buffy simply love me the way that I love her? Man, I wish she did, we'd be so happy together..."
Halfrek smirked again, and went off in search of her next target. She found Cordelia gossipping with her Cordettes as Harmony Kendall said, "So Cordy, who was that hunk I saw you talking with at the Bronze last night?"
"Oh, you mean Angel?" Miss Chase said regally. "Please, he's no one important."
"But didn't you say recently that he was, uh, pure salty goodness?" another Cordette asked, looking confused.
"That was then, this is now," Cordelia scowled. "Because he's involved with that nutcase, Buffy Summers. Sometimes I wish he felt that way about me instead of her, y'know? I'd show him what being with a real woman is like..."
( Finally! That ought to do it for my quota this month, ) Halfrek thought to herself in gleeful contentment.
Several hours later, after checking out the Hellmouth for any other possible Wishes that might possibly boost her numbers even higher, the 'justice' demon said simply to all her clients, "Done."
***
Sunnydale High School Library, Sunnydale, California
November 13th, 1997
( This must be a Thursday. I know Buffy babbles on about Tuesdays a lot, but myself I never could get the hang of Thursdays, ) Giles thought to himself idly, as he tried to sort through his catalogue collection. ( Ah, well, one must forebear I suppose. Just as long as no one interrupts me... )
Of course, that was just tempting Fate as Willow blasted open the library doors, running to hide behind the British Watcher. "Giles, you gotta help me! I think everyone's gone completely INSANE!"
"What? Willow, what are you..." Rupert started to say. But just then Xander entered the library as well, with Buffy hot on his heels; and the looks on their face were enough to make Giles pause in astonishment.
"Willow! Where are you, sweetheart?" Harris called out, his voice thick with need and desire.
"Forget about her, Xander! I'm the one you've always been in love with, remember?" Buffy snapped. "And now that I've finally realized that we were always meant to be together, you're giving me the cold shoulder? I don't fricking think so!"
"Buffy, please. What I felt for you before was just a stupid crush, like I heard you whine about to Willow often enough – when you two thought I wasn't listening," Xander told her with far too much honesty. "I mean, what kinda life could we possibly have had together, especially when you add Dead Boy into the mix? But it doesn't matter anymore, I know now what my heart wants-"
"Funny, because I know what your face wants!" Buffy snarled, her alpha female mentality not dealing very well with rejection. She hit Xander as hard as she could, but then instantly cried out in pain, clutching her hand as Harris barely even staggered backwards.
"OW! That hurt! And God, I think I broke a nail!" Miss Summers complained.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Giles roared, startling everyone else present. "Now what the devil is going on here? What's the matter with you two?"
"Nothing!" Xander and Buffy said at the same time.
At that moment, a screaming Cordelia came hurtling into the library as well, hiding behind Xander. "Keep him away from me!"
Less than two seconds later, a teenage human version of Angel came running in as well. "Cordelia? Cordelia, love, where are you?"
"Back off, you sicko!" Miss Chase shouted at him.
"But why? I love you!" Angel pleaded with her, trying to get around Xander. "Back in my time we'd have been married by now, and you'd be expecting our first child-"
"Well, this isn't your time anymore, and keep your hands off my ass!!" Cordelia screeched angrily at the former vampire.
Xander looked confused. "Is anybody else noticing how the walking corpse is standing in the sunlight, and yet somehow isn't spontaneously combusting?"
Rupert Giles had had enough. Grabbing Angel by one arm and Xander with the other, he tossed the two males into the book cage and locked it behind them. "All right, let's start at the beginning. What happened this morning, exactly?"
"I don't know," Willow replied, still trying to come to grips with everything. "Giles, I have no idea what's going on here! I mean...Xander's professing his love for me, Buffy's proclaiming her love for him – as well as losing her Slayer abilities – and Angel's ended up human, as well as having pledged his love to Cordelia...but I have no idea why!"
"I don't know why I put up with you people, I swear to God," Cordelia added venomously. "I should have asked Daddy to transfer me to a school in LA ages ago!"
"Buffy," Giles said, noting how the blonde was at the walls of the book cage; staring longingly at Xander instead of Angel, and totally indifferent to the fact that her former heart's desire concerning the vampire boyfriend had finally been granted. "Buffy! Pay attention!"
"Huh? What?" Miss Summers asked, turning around.
"Answer me," Giles commanded. "Why are you acting like this? For that matter, why are Angel and Xander also acting like this? You've never shown any interest in Xander before, just like...just like Xander's never shown any interest in Willow, nor Angel in Cordelia..."
The Watcher seemed to get an idea, as he paled and began rifling through his various reference books. Then he said, "Uh, Willow, Cordelia, you two are the only ones currently thinking straight, so please start looking through these volumes. See if you can find anything that might cause an emotional enchantment of the type we're seeing here. This, this could be anything from a satyr's prank to a mischief demon's curse..."
"Great, research duty again," Cordelia grumbled, as she and Willow sat down.
"That's the price you gotta pay for being part of the Scooby Gang, Cor!" Xander called out from within the cage. "Just don't strain those hazel eyes of yours too much, okay? Your groupies are gonna smell blood in the water, just like that."
"Hey, you don't talk about my girl that way!" Angel snapped out.
"Cordelia's YOUR girl? Yeah, right," Xander sneered at him. "As if you'd ever have eyes for anyone other than Buffy, if it wasn't for this spell or whatever it is!"
"Like you wouldn't, either? How is it that despite how Buffy and Willow think that you're a jealous idiot, Xander, that simply doesn't mean anything to you? Are you really that self-centred?" Angel shot back.
"Hey, I'd rather be that than a coward like you, you...you cradle-robbing ex-bloodsucker!" Xander shouted furiously.
"You tell him, honey!" Buffy called out to Xander encouragingly, as the two males began to settle their differences with fisticuffs.
"Oy, you two pillocks – knock it off in there!" Giles thundered out. "Or I'll get my tranquilliser rifle out, and put you both down for the duration!"
"This cannot possibly get much more disturbing," Willow shook her head in disbelief, glancing briefly at Cordelia.
"Tell me about it. How the hell I could ever be more comfortable around the doofus instead of the hunk is like completely beyond me..." Miss Chase replied. Then she saw something in one of the books. "Hey, wait a minute! I saw someone wearing an amulet like this one, just yesterday!"
Quick as a flash, Giles came over and grabbed the book from her. "Ah...a vengeance demon? Oh, bloody hell, one of D'hoffryn's mob. This isn't gonna be easy..." He paused for a few seconds to consider the situation, and then began issuing orders.
"Willow, go to my office, bring me my bag of magical supplies. Cordelia..." Giles went behind the counter of the library, and gave the girl a glass bottle he'd left there after having lunch yesterday. "Trace out a circle with this salt, please. One big enough for a human being to stand in."
Buffy, Xander and Angel all just frowned as they watched the busy activity taking place within the library. As Giles began preparing some heavy-duty wards around the sacred circle, Cordelia turned to Willow and said, "What's he doing?"
"I, I'm not sure," the redhead replied, as Miss Summers finally joined them. "Buffy, what do you think?"
"Oh, I don't care really, to be honest. Listen, Willow...would you be interested in being my maid of honour when Xander and I finally get married?" the former Slayer asked hopefully. "I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have riding shotgun than you!"
"Right, that should do it," Giles grunted, missing out on Willow's groan in the background. "Now, let's see...the herbs, yes, the incantation, got that too..." He mixed together the requisite ingredients, and began the summoning ceremony. "Halfrek, in the name of scorned children everywhere. I beseech thee to appear before me!"
There was an explosion of smoke within the circle, and when it cleared the demoness could be seen trapped inside. "WHO DARES-?" Hallie screamed, upon finding herself imprisoned this way.
"I dare," Giles cut her off. "You have bewitched a number of my friends with a Wish. Now undo it, lest I encompass you with the Sphere of Infinite Agonies!" Giles threatened her. "You have five seconds to decide."
( Damn it! There goes my quota, I bet! ) Hallie thought to herself in dismay, after seeing the look on Rupert's face. ( Oh, why can't I ever seem to catch a break? Anyanka wouldn't ever have had this sort of trouble, I'm sure! )
"Four, three, two, one..." Giles counted down.
Grinding her teeth, Halfrek called out at the last moment, "Fine! Fine. Let the spell be ended!"
Straightaway, everyone except Giles fell down to the ground. Slowly, blearily they picked themselves up and dusted themselves off, refusing to look at each other as the turmoil of what they'd said and done recently took hold in their minds. Especially Buffy and Angel, who were once again a Slayer and a vampire.
Hallie ignored them all and said to Giles, "Happy now?"
"Is everyone alright?" the Watcher called out. "Buffy?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Kinda freaking, but at least I'm me again," Miss Summers said helplessly.
"Same here," Angel reported, recovering quicker than the mortal teenagers.
"Me too," Xander muttered to no one in particular.
"What was that?" Cordelia wanted to know, and then she started cringing over what had happened to her clothes from collapsing to the floor.
"Magic," Willow breathed delicately, full of understanding. "Black magic..."
"Demon, begone!" Giles shouted, satisfied. "You are cast out of this place, and by Kali, Kronos and Kassiel, I curse you and your kind never to return!"
With another explosion of smoke and sound, Halfrek disappeared – screaming her lungs out in fury and indignation. As soon as Giles opened the book cage Xander left too, straight out the library doors without saying a word to anybody.
***
The Bronze, Sunnydale, California
November 14th, 1997
( Things are never gonna be the same again, I'll bet, ) Xander mused to himself as he played pool alone inside the nightclub. ( I don't know if my friendship with Willow and Buffy is gonna survive all this, I honestly don't. I'm pretty sure Angel wasn't being a liar yesterday; and some of the things I said must have hurt my girls a LOT! )
"Well, at least this time you're not sulking in that booth over there. I suppose that's got to count for something," a familiar female voice said directly behind him.
"Hello, Cordelia," Xander said, not looking around. "To what do I owe this pleasure, so to speak?"
"I'm honestly not sure," Miss Chase said slowly. She looked around to make sure that none of her Cordetttes were present tonight before saying, "I guess it's because I need to talk to someone about everything that happened yesterday, and for some insane reason you're the one whose company I find the least intolerable right now."
"Really? Huh," Xander said as he turned around. "Listen, uh, when Dead Boy was drooling all over you like that...he didn't do anything too bad, did he? I mean, I saw for myself at the time just how quickly you ran into the library!"
"You can relax, it was more or less just some naughty touching. Believe me, if it had been anything more I'd have been screaming 'attempted rape' so loud everyone on campus would have heard me," Cordelia told him in no uncertain terms. "What about you, how are you holding up?"
Xander laughed without a trace of humour present. It was almost enough to give Cordelia a chill, hearing that sound coming out of his mouth.
"Me?" Harris asked rhetorically. "Oh, I'm just peachy. Because not only did I call the friendly neighbourhood vampire a paedophile directly to his face, but the only two friends I have in this world aren't speaking to me right now. Willow because she's ashamed of wishing for something that she's always wanted but can't have, and Buffy because she's mad at ME for wishing for something that I've always wanted but can't have."
"Oh, they'll get over it," Cordelia said with a 'pfft' gesture, grabbing her own pool cue. "Despite personal feelings, I'm sure those two will get past this and forgive you for everything. Eventually, anyway."
"Myself, I'm not so sure," Xander shook his head. "And even if they do, I don't know if I will. I said a lot of stuff yesterday that I can never take back, Cordy. Even to you, that crack about you and your groupies – uh, sorry about that by the way."
"Please, don't apologize. It's true enough, all those girls would turn on me in an instant if it suited their purpose. But you know what? I don't care," Cordelia declared, as she sunk the red ball in the corner pocket. "Let 'em do their worst. I plan to leave Sunnydale as soon as I can, and it's not like I'm ever gonna see any of them again once we all graduate high school!"
"So where are you gonna go when the time comes?" Xander wondered, as he stared at all the different coloured balls on the table.
"Somewhere far away from here. Colorado, Durham, New York – anywhere I can find that's got a good college, and doesn't have any vampires or demons on campus," Miss Chase said fervently, as she missed her next shot. "Damn. You?"
"I don't know," Xander admitted. He lined up the cue ball. "I have utterly no idea what I'm going to do once high school is over. Somehow, I don't think Don Juan's ability to seduce women is gonna come in very handy, at least not in today's society."
He missed Cordelia's speculative look as the male teen aimed for the side pocket, and even if he hadn't – well, it was doubtful Xander would have been interested in hearing just how much the average gigolo in Los Angeles made nowadays.
The white ball slammed into a group of other balls on the pool table, sending them careening all over the table; like shards of fate, or destiny, spilling forward out into the unknown future.
***
Next: Story 5 - Xliders