Chapter 121: Triangle
Buffy and Giles are in the training room. He is holding up pads that she hits and kicks as they talk.
"Now switch. Right lead." Giles says.
Buffy repositions herself, right leg in front. "You really think they might be able to help us?"
"You mean will they help us find out something about Glory? Yes, I think so." Giles says as Buffy hits him with a right. "Saw that coming. You dropped your shoulder. The resources that the Watcher's Council has at its disposal... I mean, the central library alone..."
Buffy rolls her eyes, "Don't talk about their books again. You get all... and sometimes there's drool."
"Sorry, but we really have exhausted all the materials I have here and we've come up empty." Giles says as she hits him with another right. "You're still dropping your shoulder, I know you're going to go with your right. You're doing it again." She hits him hard with a left.
"Little move I came up with. Nice, huh?" Buffy says.
"Yes... terrific." Giles says, a little shaky.
"Glory's all you're going to talk to them about, isn't it?" Buffy asks.
"Let's take a break." Giles says as he rubs his sore arms.
"Answer me." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "I'm not going to mention Dawn's name. I promise I would never do that."
"But you're going to tell them there's a Key. That Glory's looking for something called the Key." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "Knowing her goal is crucial. If anything will help them uncover her origins and plans..."
"I know, it's just that I trust those Watchers about as far as…" Buffy says, noting Giles' arm rubbing. "…you could throw them."
"Thank you very much." Giles says.
"And I gotta say, I'm a little freaked out at the idea of them knowing anything that could point them to Dawn. And to tell the truth so is Piper, Phoebe and Paige." Buffy says.
"Truly, Buffy, if I saw an alternative... If the Initiative were still around I'd say we consider using them. But they're gone. Riley was our last link to the government—" Giles says. "Sorry. Didn't mean to..."
"It's okay. You can say his name. I've been more or less over it for a couple days." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "Have you asked Leo to see if the Elders know anything?"
Buffy nods, "Yeah I have. He's looking into it."
Moments later in the main room of the Magic Box
"You're going away for a week? That's great!" Anya says.
Giles nods, "Yes, yes. Everyone seems quite delighted about it."
"Well, I get to run the store, right?" Anya asks.
"You... There's quite a lot for one person to do..." Giles says. "The trashmen, for example. They've been making such a mess in the alley that the recycling people can't get in there to collect. Someone has to talk to them. Also, there's some health inspector who has decided that potions are technically "food," and that we need a full inspection."
"I can take care of that." Anya says.
"Food? Who's sitting around saying, hey, I could go for some tasty potion." Xander says.
"I'm envious, Giles. A trip to England sounds so exciting and exotic." Tara says. "Unless you're English."
Buffy nods, "Don't worry about the shop. We can all help. Open up the shop and close it, deal with everyone..."
"We can come by between classes. Usually I use that time to copy over my class notes with a system of different colored pens, but it's been pointed out to me that that's, you know, insane." Willow says.
"I said "quirky"." Tara says.
"Hello? I work here. I'll take care of everything." Anya says.
Xander nods, "Yeah, Anya can do it."
Anya smiles, "Thank you, Sweetie. Well said."
"Anya, I trust you completely with the inventory and the money. But dealing with people, certain finesse may be required..." Giles says.
"I have finesse! I have finesse coming out of my bottom! I can completely lie to a health inspector. I can also distract him with coy smiles and bribe him with money and objects!" Anya says.
"There, see? She'll be great." Xander says.
"Giles, don't worry. I'll help her take care of everything. It'll be ship-shape. Better. It'll be shop-shape!" Willow says.
"Hey! Xander, she's talking to Giles like I'm not here! Make her stop!" Anya says.
"Perhaps I should call the airline…" Giles says.
Buffy smiles, "Would you like me to flame you. You can leave now if you wanted?"
"Would you?" Giles asks. "I didn't know you had tried intercontinental yet."
"I'm just trying to help out! Xander, tell her!" Willow says.
Buffy nods, "Well there is always a first time. Just let me know when and I will take you straight there."
Giles nods, "Well I appreciate the offer Buffy. I think I will stick for now with the flight. Maybe once you have successfully tried intercontinental I may change my mind."
Buffy nods, "Okay."
Giles crosses over to the phone.
"Well tell her I don't need her help!" Anya says as she Willow are both looking at Xander.
Xander looks very uncomfortable. "Hey, how goes the slaying?"
"I killed something in a convent last night." Buffy says.
"In any other room, a frightening declaration. Here, a welcome distraction. Tell us all about the killing, Buff." Xander says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Pretty standard. Vampire staking."
Later that evening at the Manor Buffy is resting in hers and Dawn's room. She is reading a magazine as Dawn walks in.
"Whatcha doing?" Dawn asks.
Buffy keeps reading. "Playing soccer."
"Can I hang out with you?" Dawn asks.
Buffy nods, "Sure." She sets aside the magazine.
Dawn looks around the room, pauses at Buffy's bulletin board with a blank space on it. "You took down his pictures."
Buffy nods, "Yeah."
"I think I would've done that sooner. Like, boom, don't want to see that face again." Dawn says.
"It didn't feel like that. I was never angry with him." Buffy says.
Dawn sighs, "We both know that's a lie."
Buffy nods, "Your right, I was angry with him, but… not like I didn't want to see his face."
Dawn sits down on her side of the bed, "Buffy. Do you wish you could cast a spell like the one that took you to see Aunt Patty, and change it? So he wouldn't leave."
Buffy sighs, "Sometimes. But I think it's for the best that he left. I know I wasn't paying the attention to him that I should have. Between my Charmed and Slayer responsibilities and being pregnant and trying to go to college. I just didn't have the time for him. The stuff with Cole took my mind off it for a while. It still hurts though a little."
"It'll get better. Won't it?" Dawn asks.
"I hope so. I mean, yeah. It has to. I'll just keep going on like I am, and it'll get better. Every day it'll be a tiny bit better." Buffy says.
"Every day?" Dawn asks.
"Not really. But it'll be better soon." Buffy says.
Dawn leans against Buffy's shoulder. "It still feels all sudden to me. With him gone where no one can talk to him."
"Yeah. But, you never know, maybe he'll come back. Like, he hates the jungle, or, maybe, he wants to try again. I could say the stuff I didn't get a chance to say." Buffy says.
Dawn nods, "Do you think he would have made a good dad?"
Buffy sighs, "I don't know. She needs a good dad. I mean Angel's a good person. But he won't be around. She needs someone who will be around for her. At least Leo is here, he'll be able to help with some of that."
"Yeah but Leo will have his hands full with his own daughter." Dawn said.
Buffy smiled, "Then I guess its good I got you isn't it."
Dawn laughs and hugs Buffy, "I guess it is."
The next day Buffy and Tara emerge from a classroom and walk together. Other students also come out of the room and make their way through the hall.
"New semester. New classes. Whole new vistas of knowledge to be confused and intimidated by." Buffy says.
"I think this one seems kind of fun. Greek art is going to touch on so many things, mythology and history and philosophy..." Tara says.
Buffy shakes her head, "The professor spit too much when he talked. It was like being at Sea World. "The first five rows will get wet.""
Tara laughs, "That was just, you know, enthusiasm."
"It seemed very much like saliva." Buffy says.
"We'll sit farther back next time." Tara says.
"Good plan. Because I need to keep this course. The only other thing that fits my schedule is Central American Geo-Politics and no thanks. I even hear the word "jungle" and all I can think of is him. Like, is that the one Riley's in. I don't need a daily two o'clock knife in the heart." Buffy says.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Is it that bad? I thought you had more or less gotten over it." Tara says.
"Sort of. The stuff with Cole the other day took my mind off it for a while. I'm okay if I don't think about it too much. And I think I'm starting to get more perspective on it. Like maybe he's doing what he's supposed to be doing. I'm starting to think, maybe he had to go where they needed him. Maybe it's all better in the long run."
"Willow says things always happen for a reason." Tara says.
"I know. Who do you think taught her that way of thinking. When it comes to magic, everything happens for a reason." Buffy says. "How about we go collect Willow and maybe indulge in a little after-school hamburger or something?"
"I guess we could. She might still be at the magic shop. I was there earlier and she and Anya got in this kind of little squabble. Xander and I sort of cleared out. He was pretty upset." Tara says.
Buffy stops, concerned. "Anya and Xander are in trouble?"
Tara shakes her head, "Oh! No. I said that all wrong... it was nothing. Willow and Anya were sort of fighting and Xander kind of snapped at both of them and he left."
"He left? He left Anya?" Buffy asks.
"Um… no. Not left her, left her. He just left. It was only a little thing. Really." Tara says.
Buffy gets more and more worked up, "A little thing. See, thing is, a little thing gets bigger. You don't catch the little thing and then boom, you've got this whole huge thing."
(A/N – This episode works in a little with the pregnancy stuff. You could say she is getting worked up not only because of Riley leaving but because of hormones due to her being pregnant.)
Buffy bursts into tears. Big honking crazy Lucille Ball tears, just letting go. "Nooo!"
"Oh dear." Tara says.
Buffy cries harder. Starts hiccupping too. "Not them! With the... the... little thing! They can't... can't break up!"
"I think..." Tara says as if suddenly remembering Buffy is pregnant.
"They have a... a... beautiful love!" Buffy says, almost wailing.
Tara shakes her head, "I think they'll be fine..."
Buffy grabs Tara, cries on her shoulder, gasping wetly. Other students stare. Tara pats Buffy's back awkwardly.
"Mmrccllvv." Buffy says, her voice muffled by Tara's shoulder.
"What?" Tara asks.
Buffy raises her head, surreptitiously wiping her nose on Tara's shirt as she does so. "A miraculous lo- lo- love!"
Later at the Magic Box Buffy is searching the damaged magic shop. She looks tear-stained, as if she might cry again at any moment. "This is very bad." She leans over the counter where the remains of the spell lie scattered...
"Willow! Anya?" Buffy says as she blows her nose violently as Tara enters from the training room.
"They're not back there either. They're gone." Tara says, panicky. "Buffy, something's been here and Willow's gone."
Buffy pulls herself together, the strong Slayer and Charmed One again in the face of Tara's fear. "Don't worry. We'll get her back. I promise. C'mon, this thing's probably leaving a huge trail."
Buffy and Tara run for the door.
At Payson's P5 Spike and Xander talk and play pool. Piper keeps a wary eye on Spike.
"They get in these fights and then they're both looking to me, like I'm the referee. Also, sometimes I'll say something about Anya, and Willow will get this look. This "what the hell do you see in her" look." Xander says.
"I know that look. Lot of people never really got Dru, you know?" Spike says.
"Well, she was insane. And then it's like, I get all torn, because Willow's my best friend, and I really value her opinion. But Anya's my girlfriend, you know?" Xander says.
"What's the Slayer think of all this friction in the ranks? Can't be good for morale." Spike says.
Xander shrugs, "I don't know."
"She's a little pre-occupied, maybe. It's understandable. What with all the upset, all the blaming of innocent bystanders that got caught up in the mess." Spike says.
"What?" Xander asks.
Spike is getting angry, taking it out on Xander without even thinking, closing in threateningly... "I mean, did she want to be made a fool of?! And what does someone have to do to make it right? –" Someone jostles Spike's elbow. "Hey! Watch it, mate!"
Spike turns and finds himself face-to-chest with the troll, Olaf. "Second thought, do what you like."
"ALE!" Olaf says as he strides to the bar. An employee with a hand-truck is delivering kegs to the bar.
"YES! FRAGRANT ALE! I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED FOR MANY CENTURIES AND ALONG WITH MY TASTE OF FREEDOM I WOULD APPRECIATE THE TASTE OF A FINE GRAIN-BASED BEVERAGE!" Olaf says as he tucks his hammer into its holster and picks up a (full-sized) keg with one hand. He bites through the metal and drinks heartily. Customers move away from the bar, but the whole place does not clear out. Spike and Xander watch the obviously supernatural troll.
Piper frowns and reaches for the phone dialing, "Buffy, pick up."
"So, um… think I should run get Buffy?" Xander asks.
Spike shrugs.
Olaf throws the empty keg to the ground. "BARMAID! FETCH ME STRONGER ALE! AND SOME PLUMP SUCCULENT BABIES TO EAT!"
"Hello?" Buffy says over the phone.
"Buffy, where are you at?" Piper says.
"Chasing something I'm not sure what. It's leaving a big trail." Buffy says.
"I think it's here." Piper says.
"Ok I'll get there as soon as possible. You me to get Phoebe and Paige?"
"Yeah you might."
Olaf fixes Xander and Spike with his trollish gaze. "YOU THERE! DO YOU KNOW WHERE THERE ARE BABIES?"
"What do you think? The hospital, maybe?" Spike asks.
"What? Shut up!" Xander says to Spike before turning his attention back to Olaf. "Um... listen..."
"I FIND MYSELF VERY HUNGRY AND WHEN I AM HUNGRY I GET SHORT OF PATIENCE!" Olaf says.
"Hey, we can take care of hungry. How 'bout you just sit down, on one of the sturdier chairs, and we can talk calmly and have some food." Xander says, soothingly.
"CAN IT BE BABIES?" Olaf asks.
Piper walks over, "I'm sorry but that's not on the menu. That actually reminds me I should talk to Buffy about adding some food items to the menu."
"Uh, Piper, I don't think now's the time." Xander says.
"YOU CANNOT APPEASE ME! DO NOT TRY!" Olaf says and turns his back to the bar. "MORE ALE!"
"Look this is a place of business." Piper says as she tries to freeze Olaf but nothing happens. "I can't just give you beer or any other alcohol without payment."
Olaf looks at Piper, "I TAKE IT YOU OWN THIS FINE ESTABLISHMENT?"
Xander looks to Piper and whispers, "Choose your words, wisely."
Piper nods, "Yes I do."
Olaf pulls out a bag of gold coins and hands them to Piper. "THERE YOU GO FINE BARMAID. NOW MORE ALE."
Piper sighs and motions towards the other keg as Olaf picks it up.
Spike and Xander back away from the distracted Olaf and run into Willow and Anya, who have just entered. Willow carries a book.
"Xander! You shouldn't be here! There's a troll!" Anya says.
Xander nods, "Big guy? Hammer? Think I noticed him."
Piper walks over to Willow, Xander, Spike and Anya. "Willow do you know anything about this guy?"
Willow sighs, "Yes."
"You didn't cast a spell did you?" Piper asks.
Willow looks down, "Yes. But it was only a spell that would help Buffy patrol. She could cast it and have instant sunlight. Anya here interrupted me while I was trying it out. And somehow it released him."
Buffy, Phoebe, Paige and Tara come from the backroom, having just flamed in, and make their way over to Piper, Spike, Anya and Willow.
"Ok what's the sitch? Where'd he come from?" Buffy says.
Tara goes immediately to Willow, hugs her. "I'm so glad you're okay."
Spike hasn't been able to take his eyes off Buffy since she came in. He steps toward her tentatively. "Hello, Buffy."
Buffy shoots him an evil look. He steps back, rejected.
"Willow stole ingredients and released him from a purple crystal. He's a troll." Anya says.
"You did this?" Buffy says.
Willow looks down again and nods. "It was an accident. I was working on a spell for you when you patrol. Anya interrupted me while trying it out."
"But we can stop him. Willow, do the spell." Anya says.
Olaf lowers his second keg. He bothers to notice the group. Turns and stares at Anya. He grabs his hammer.
Willow opens the book, steps forward. "Let the conjuring be—"
Olaf raises his hammer. "STOP!"
Startled, Willow stops. "No one lets me finish."
Olaf looks to Anya. "YOU TOLD THE WITCH TO DO THAT. YOU SEEM TO BE DETERMINED TO PUT AN END TO ALL MY FUN, JUST LIKE YOU ALWAYS DID WHEN WE WERE DATING!"
Everyone looks at Anya. Especially Xander.
Anya considers her position. "Hmm."
"You dated him?" Paige asks.
"You dated a troll?" Phoebe asks.
"And we're what? Surprised by this?" Willow says.
Anya shakes her head, "He wasn't a troll then. He was just a big dumb guy. He cheated on me and I made him into a troll. Which, by the way, is how I got the job as a vengeance demon—"
Olaf smashes the bar with his hammer. Debris flies. Everyone jumps.
"Hey I have to pay to replace that," Piper says.
"We're forgetting about the troll. Let's pay attention to the troll." Tara says.
"I DID NOT CHEAT! NOT IN MY HEART." Olaf says. "IT WAS ONLY ONE WENCH AND I HAD HAD A GREAT DEAL OF MEAD- NEXT THING I KNOW, I'M A TROLL! CURSE YOU, ANYANKA! YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS!"
Phoebe shakes her head, "But, but, you seem to enjoy the... being a troll..."
"I ADJUSTED. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED? WITCHES! DISGUSTING WITCHES! THEY TRAPPED ME! I WAS IMPRISONED IN THAT CRYSTAL FOR CENTURIES! A CURSE ON ALL WITCHES! ALL MUST DIE!" Olaf says.
Angry, he's swinging the hammer now, staring at Willow.
Piper, Paige, Phoebe and Buffy glare at Willow for a moment.
"Willow! Again!" Buffy says.
"Let the conjuring be undone, return the beast to native form—" Willow says.
"WITCH! YOU MUST STOP!" Olaf says as he steps toward Willow.
"And keep him far from us and ours as long as my voice shall sound." Willow says.
Olaf roars in defeat. Then he realizes something. "HA! IT DID NOT WORK!"
"Okay, wait..." Willow says. "Let the conjuring... that's right—"
Infuriated, Olaf charges at the vulnerable Willow.
Buffy looks at Piper who shakes her head.
"He won't freeze." Piper says.
Buffy throws herself at him.
"The hammer! Watch out!" Anya says.
Spike realizes that Buffy is heading in for the fight. He leaps to join in, but never makes it...
Buffy lands several good blows before Olaf swipes casually at her with his hammer and sends her flying. She lands on top of Spike.
"The hammer is his power." Anya says.
"Paige!" Piper says.
"Were talking exposure, Piper. Massive exposure." Paige says as she looks at the customers still inside.
Piper looks around and notices Paige is right, "We got to get him outside."
Spike and Buffy untangle themselves and stand up. Spike manages a few inappropriate feels as they do so.
Olaf roars and smites the pillars supporting the recently added loft-level with his hammer.
Buffy runs at Olaf, trying to stop him. "Not my club!"
Too late! The loft-level collapses onto the people below. Buffy is thrown to the ground, pinned under the wreckage.
Buffy looks around, debating to flame out from underneath the wreckage. But there are too many people around. So she pushes up the debris that covers her, an impressive bench-press display of Slayer-strength and quickly frees herself. The others, Spike, Xander, Willow, Anya, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Tara crowd around her.
"Where is he?" Buffy asks.
"Gone." Willow says.
Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Tara start lifting more of the debris, trying to get at the pinned victims. Willow, Anya, Xander start to help too, but Buffy has a plan.
"Piper, you and Xander follow him. Paige you go with Willow and Anya, head back to the Magic Box, try to come up with a spell that'll actually stop him. Phoebe you help me and Tara."
Piper, Paige, Xander, Willow and Anya head off, leaving Buffy, Phoebe and Tara struggling alone. Spike steps in to help, lifting alongside Buffy. Buffy suddenly notices who is working beside her. She opens her mouth to send him away.
"I got someone here. Help me get 'er out." Spike says.
Buffy hesitates, and then reaches in, helps Spike free a girl.
At the Magic Box Paige orbs in with Willow and Anya.
"Woah." Paige says. "Olaf did this?"
Willow says as she steps over some debris, really noticing it for the first time. "Yeah."
"Giles is going to be pissed." Paige says.
"This is a terrible mess." Anya says.
"-forget spells to put him back into the crystal. 'Cuz that didn't go too good. We need another way-" Willow says.
Giles is standing right behind them, holding a broken statuette - body and head.
"Maybe later we can hide some of the broken stuff-" Willow says.
Paige and Willow senses Giles and they turn around to face him.
Willow gives a little wave. "You got the earlier flight! Yay."
Giles smiles, kind of a creepy, manic, "There was only one undamaged statue of the Goddess Lithra in the world. This was it!"
"And you've got the wrong head there. That's a head from a dog statue." Anya says.
Giles looks at what he's holding. "So it is! Funny!"
"Um... Giles? Could you maybe make an angry face? 'Cuz the smile is kind of scaring me." Willow says.
"The damage. Was it a demon?" Giles asks.
Anya shakes her head, "Troll. Willow released him during some thievery."
Willow looks down, "I was just trying to do a spell to help Buffy. Anya interrupted me and well… Anyways he collapsed the loft at Buffy's club. Buffy and Phoebe are there helping people. We're going to find magicks to stop him."
"A troll. Fine. I'm going to… going to… do something!" Giles says.
"You can yell at us or go help Buffy rescue the innocent." Willow says as Giles hesitates. "I understand it's difficult."
"I will rescue the innocent!" Giles says and he looks at Paige. "Orb me to the club?"
Paige nods, "Sure."
At Payson's P5 there is another section of the loft in danger of collapse. Buffy is on the dangling section of loft, leaning over the edge. She lowers an injured girl over the edge to Tara.
A few paramedics work behind them.
"Got her!" Tara says as she leads the girl away.
Buffy flips herself gymnastically to the ground off the edge of the loft. Spike is there, tending an injured woman. "What are you doing?"
"Making this woman more comfortable. I'm not sampling, I'll have you note. I mean, look at all these lovely blood-covered people, I could... but not a taste for Spike. Not a lick. Knew you wouldn't like it." Spike says.
Phoebe shakes her head, "You want credit for not feeding off bleeding disaster victims?"
"Well... yeah." Spike says.
"You're disgusting." Buffy and Phoebe says as they move away.
At the Magic Box Willow is pulling books off the shelf and loading them onto the table. Anya is gathering armloads of magical ingredients and lining them up on the counter.
"Hurry up!" Willow says. "I'm taking everything with relocation spells, suspension spells... and, what the heck, spells to make him really sleepy, because, slightly better."
"In case we need 'em, I'm getting more of all the things you stole." Anya says.
"I didn't- Why do you do that?" Willow says.
"What?" Anya asks.
"You're so rude! I mean, sure, at first, ex-demon, doesn't know the rules. Well, now you've been here forever. Learn the rules!" Willow says.
"The rules are stupid." Anya says.
Willow sighs, "Great. Whatever. Just thought you might be interested in acting more like a human. Some of us enjoy it."
They're both flipping through the books now.
"Oh, look for spells about dimensional portals, too." Willow says.
"I am a human. And there are many humans who are stranger than me." Anya says.
"Uh-huh. But, unless I'm really wrong about Crazy Larry down at the bus stop, he probably isn't going to turn Xander into a troll." Willow says.
Anya shakes her head, "Well, it's a complicated proced-Oh! You think I'm going to hurt Xander? I'd never hurt Xander!" Willow shrugs. "You really think I would do that!"
"Anya, it's what you do. You spent, what, a thousand years, hurting men. You got your thousand years of hurting men gold watch." Willow says.
Paige orbs in having returned from Payson's P5.
"I was a demon then. I don't even have any powers now!" Anya says. "Is this the spell?"
Willow shakes her head, "Only if we want him to double in size and grow extra arms, which, let's not. And by the way, you weren't a demon when you turned Olaf into lord of the hammers and you managed that. Also, there's other ways to hurt Xander."
Paige walks over to the counter, "Any luck Will?"
"I don't do magic now. You're the one with that kind of power. In fact, D'Hoffryn offered you my old job! You're closer to being a vengeance demon that I am! Maybe Xander should be afraid of you!" Anya says.
"Xander's my best friend!" Willow says.
"And you don't want anyone else to have him. I know what broke up him and Cordelia, you know. It was you! And your lips." Anya says.
"No, it was not! Well, yes it was so! But that was a long time ago! You think I'd do that again?" Willow says.
"Why not?" Anya asks.
"Hello, gay now!" Willow says.
Paige whistles and they turn to look at her, "Is this all you two have done?"
Willow nods, "More or less. We have been looking though and not found anything yet."
Olaf smashes in! He crashes through the front door with his hammer. He towers over them, waving his hammer. "A-HA! I KNEW IT! YOU TWO! OR THREE! PERFORMING MORE SPELLS! I COULD BE PILLAGING! DEVOURING BABIES! MAKING MERRY WITH THE LOCAL VIRGINS! BUT INSTEAD I HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY BACK HERE TO KILL YOU!"
"Anya! Willow! Run!" Paige says.
Anya and Willow tries to run past Olaf but he sweeps them up and throws them over the counter.
They land there, hurt and semi-conscious. Olaf steps towards Paige and grabs her intending to throw her with Willow and Anya as she orbs out.
Xander and Piper bursts in! "No! Get away from them!" Xander says.
Olaf straightens up and looks at Xander. He laughs as Paige orbs back in next to Willow and Anya. "I WILL GET AWAY FROM THEM AFTER I KILL THEM!"
"You are not touching these women!" Xander says as he charges Olaf, tackling him.
Olaf is unmoved. A flick of his hammer slams Xander against the wall.
Xander lies on the floor, barely hanging on to consciousness. He pulls himself up and charges Olaf again.
"AH. YOU WISH FOR MORE! ADMIRABLE!" Olaf says as he knocks Xander across the room again. And again.
Piper makes her way over to Paige. She looks at Willow and Anya lying unconscious on the floor. "Go get Buffy. I'll make sure he doesn't come after them.
Paige nods and orbs out.
Xander is incredibly over-matched, keeps getting thrown up against the walls over and over, but heroically, he keeps coming back!
Piper raises her hands and uses her exploding power on Olaf. He stumbles back but otherwise seems unaffected.
Xander bruised and battered gets up again.
"HA HA! YOU FIGHT WELL, ALTHOUGH YOU ARE A TINY MAN!" Olaf says as he claps an arm 'round Xander's shoulder. "I SHALL REWARD YOU! ONLY ONE OF YOUR WOMEN SHALL DIE! AND YOU SHALL BE THE ONE TO CHOOSE!"
Anya and Willow are regaining consciousness and struggling to their feet.
"Did he say..." Willow says.
Piper nods, "He did. And my power is no use. I can't freeze him and my exploding power doesn't affect him."
"CHOOSE! ANYANKA OR ONE OF THE WITCHES! ONE OF YOUR WOMEN MUST DIE!" Olaf says.
Xander looks at Willow and Anya. They look back at him. There is a beat where it looks like he will have to choose. "No! You are one crazy troll! I'm not choosing between my girlfriend and my best friend and my other best friend's sister! That's insane troll-logic!"
"Go Xander! I love you!" Anya says.
Olaf laughs jovially. "HA HA! GOOD FOR YOU! YOU ARE A LOYAL MAN!" He takes Xander's arm and cheerfully snaps Xander's wrist. Xander gasps in pain. Willow and Anya blanch.
"Xander!" Willow says.
"Paige! Hurry up!" Piper says.
"NOW CHOOSE!" Olaf says.
"Olaf! No!" Anya says.
"I won't choose!" Xander says.
"THEN YOU SHALL BE THE ONE TO DIE!" Olaf says as he moves in close to Xander, his hammer raised for the killing blow.
Buffy flames in with Phoebe as Paige orbs in with Giles and Tara.
Olaf turns to face Buffy and Phoebe as Xander collapses against a wall, cradling his broken wrist.
"Buffy!" Anya says.
Buffy looks to Phoebe, "Power of Three spell."
Phoebe nods and looks to Paige and then to Piper, "The Power of Three will set us free."
Piper and Paige join in on the chant. "The Power of Three will set us free."
"Tara, stay back!" Willow says.
Buffy starts throwing fireballs at Olaf.
"Buffy! The hammer! The strength is in the hammer!" Anya says.
Olaf charges at her and she dodges the hammer, barely escaping.
"The hammer..."Willow says as she tries to telekinetically rip the hammer from Olaf's grasp. "He's got too good of a hold on it. "Paige orb his hammer."
Paige looks to Piper and Phoebe who nods as they stop the chant. "Hammer!"
The hammer orbs out of Olaf's hands and into Paige's, who drops it due to its weight.
Buffy faces the now-hammerless Olaf! "So. Your power's in your hammer." She starts flinging fireballs again. Olaf staggers backwards.
Piper, Phoebe and Paige begin chanting the Power of Three spell again.
Buffy drives Olaf back with her fireballs, but not much. He swipes at her, and she grabs his arm, twists it back, having to use her whole body to grip it. He shakes free of her.
"WHAT ARE YOU FIGHTING FOR, MINISCULE BLONDE ONE? YOUR FRIENDS? THESE TWO?" Olaf says indicating Anya and Xander. "THEY WILL NEVER LAST. ANYANKA IS VERY DIFFICULT TO LIVE WITH, AND HE, HE IS LUDICROUS AND FAR TOO BREAKABLE. THEIR LOVE WILL NEVER LAST."
Buffy looks up at him. Her eyes well with tears, her chin trembles. She uses her fear and concern to… kick Olaf against the wall, hard. He looks at her in surprise. She raises her hands over her head as she powers up the largest fireball she has ever produced.
Xander, cradling his wrist, joins Piper, Willow and Anya at the counter.
"She's got him now." Willow says.
Anya looks at Xander's wrist. "Poor baby."
Buffy throws the huge fireball at Olaf and he goes flying.
"You really dated him?" Xander asks.
Anya nods, "Yes."
"But you like me better." Xander says.
Piper rolls her eyes as she continues the Power of Three spell with Phoebe and Paige.
"Yes. Willow likes you too, but not in a sexy way 'cuz she's gay, and she won't break us up so it's all okay."
Olaf hits the wall hard and slides to the floor unconscious.
Moments later Buffy stands over the unconscious Olaf. She holds his hammer. He smiles in his sleep, jovial as ever. Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Anya, Xander, Tara and Giles look on as Willow completes a spell.
"...and let the transposition be complete." Willow says.
There's a magical poof of some kind, and Olaf is gone.
"Where did you send him?" Piper asks.
"The Land of the Trolls. He'll like it there. Full of trolls." Anya says.
"It's hard to be precise, though. Alternate universes don't stay put. Sending him to a specific place is like, like trying to hit a puppy by throwing a live bee at it. Which is a weird image and you should all just forget it." Willow says.
Anya nods, "It's possible that he's in the Land of Perpetual Wednesday or Crazy Melty Land or the World without Shrimp."
"There's a world without shrimp?" Tara asks. "I'm allergic."
"He's prob'ly in Troll-land." Willow says.
"I only care that he's not here and I got a nifty new souvenir." Buffy says as she casually sets the hammer on a glass-topped case. It smashes through. "Oops."
Willow and Anya back away from it.
"Not our fault." Willow says.
Giles nods, "Well, yes. I suppose it's minor, given the other..." He looks around. "Devastation. I'm still not certain how he came to be smashing up my shop."
"An accident." Anya says.
Willow nods, "Not our fault."
Giles gives Anya and Willow a skeptical look.
"There, see how nice things worked out? And look at you guys..." Buffy says, looking at Xander and Anya. "So good and alive and together." She starts to cry as she looks at Willow and Tara. "So together... and good... and alive..."
Piper, Phoebe and Paige walk over to Buffy as she cries harder.
"I'm just so... happy for you!" Buffy says as Piper, Phoebe and Paige pull her into an embrace.
Giles sighs as he looks around, "This is going to cost to replace."
"Welcome to our world," Piper says. "But I think just this once we can help out. Paige?"
"Let the object of objection, become but a dream, as I cause the seen to be unseen." Paige says.
Back at the Manor, Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Buffy, Dawn, Leo and Giles are sitting at the dining room table.
"I cringe to think what the place might have been like if I'd stayed away longer than three days. Thank you though Paige for the vanishing spell."
"My pleasure." Paige says.
"Just don't ask us to do that every time. We don't even do that every time here. You should see our repair costs." Piper says. "Anyways I still don't understand why the Watcher's Council made you go all the way to England if they don't know anything."
"Well, they don't know it yet. They had no record of Glory or anyone like her, but based on what I've told them, they are going to look into it. They might have something soon." Giles says.
"What about the Key?" Leo asks.
"Well, they were interested, certainly. And full of theories. Most of them nonsensical." Giles says.
"But they didn't guess about me right? They don't know I'm the Key?" Dawn asks.
Giles shakes his head, "No."
"Giles, what happens if they figure it out? What would they do? What would happen?" Phoebe says.
Giles shakes his head, "I don't know. Leo the Elders had nothing?"
"The only thing their saying is we have to figure this out ourselves." Leo says. "Basically I think they are saying it is a Slayer related matter. Either that or it's something powerful that they don't want to get involved with."