Buffy episode Enemies.

The next couple of months weren't any better as far as Xander was concerned. Things seemed to be spiraling out of control.

'Why am I the only one who seems to understand that Faith accidentally killed that man?' He thought. 'Doesn't Giles understand friendly fire? I can't believe something like this has never happened to a Slayer before. It happens to soldiers and cops, so how could it have not happened to a Slayer before? And if he knows that, then why was I the only one trying to help her? Giles did nothing, Buffy and Angel chained her up and lectureed her over an accident and Wesley tried to kidnap her and take her to England! None of it makes any sense.'

He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice the vampire following him. Buffy had sent him to find Angel and grab some donuts while he was out. 'Errand boy, that's all she lets me do anymore. Run errands for the group and help with research. They not only think I'm useless, they're making me useless. Graduation isn't far off, maybe I should think about leaving Sunnydale. It's not like they want me here anyway.' He thought. 'Gods, now I'm feeling sorry for myself. Next I'll be brooding like Angel. Oh hey, there he is. Wait, what's he doing with Faith?'

"Angel, Buffy wants see you." He said just as Angel slammed a fist into his face and he fell backwards, his head bounced on the curb and he lay still. The vampire that had been trailing him watched the whole thing and smirked. 'Easy meal.' He thought and bent down to get a drink. He immediately spit out the blood.

"What have you been smoking, kid?! I've never tasted human blood that tasted that bad." And the unhappy vampire quickly left to find a better meal, figuring the kid would be dead soon anyway, between the punch, the curb and the chunk taken out of his throat, the vampire figured the kid wasn't long for the world anyway. A few minutes later Xander came to, his throat healed and raced back to the library to tell everyone Angel had gone evil.

"It was a set up?" He asked after they explained that they were trying to find out if Faith had joined the latest Big Bad, who turned to be Mayor Wilkins, the founder of Sunnydale.

"Yes." Willow told him. "So Angel only hit you to be convincing for Faith."

"He hit me hard enough to leave me unconscious, Willow." Xander said.

"He was just in character, Xander. He wasn't trying to hurt you."

"Someone punches a person hard enough to leave them unconscious is trying to hurt them."

"Xander, you're making too much out of it. You're fine!"

"Yeah, it's a good bruise, for a good cause, right?" He said sarcastically.

"We proved Faith is evil, Xander. I knew she was bad news."

Xander turned away in disgust. 'No.' He thought. 'Just a confused girl who thinks no one gives a damn. It really does feel like everything is spiralling out of control. I feel helpless, I really did want to help Faith and now it's too late. What else can go wrong?'

Buffy Prom episode.

Two months later and Xander had a very curious encounter with Anya, former vengeance demon.

"You're serious?" He asked. "You want me to take you to the Prom. I thought you hated men."

"I have nothing but contempt for all men. But I'm stuck in the body of a teenager and now that I'm human again I have all these human feelings. I want to go to the Prom and despite being called to wish vengeance on you, you're less objectionable then most males. And I know you find me attractive too, I've seen you looking at my breasts."

"No offense, Anya. But when a guy does that, it just means his eyes are open." He been kinda hoping Cordy would let him take her to the Prom. Ever since the zombie thing they'd been more friendly towards each other, until the last couple of weeks when she seemed to go cold on him again. Maybe he should take Anya to the Prom, at least she wanted to spend time with him.

"Alright, I'll take you to the Prom." He agreed. "I have to get a tux."

Finding Cordelia working at the store he went to try to find a tux at was a surprise. Finding out why she'd gone cold on him again was an even bigger surprise. 'Her family lost their money, no wonder she's upset. She's been rich all of her life, she has no idea how to live poor.' Before they could continue their conversation though, a Hellhound of all things, crashed into the store.

'Maybe I can help her out.' Xander thought later. 'I can pay off her dress for her, the one she said she was working for. I owe her, I'm the one who messed us up after all. Maybe I'll get a Cordy smile. That would be so worth it.'

He did get a Cordy smile the night of the Prom, even if it wasn't the Prom of his dreams. He wasn't sure which was worse, Cordelia being escorted by Wesley or Anya's gory stories of vengeance. 'Yeah, definitely not the Prom of my dreams. But a Cordy smile goes a long way toward making it worth it.'