Xander felt a little uncomfortable Monday morning as he walked into the school. Cordy had gotten her way and he had new clothes. But because he'd refused to let her buy them for him, they'd compromised and shopped at Goodwill. Cordelia hadn't even known the store existed.

"Well, it may not be brand new, but most of it looks to be in good shape. You only really need to make two changes, Doofus, dark colors instead of bright, clashing colors and ones that actually fit you, instead of two sizes too big."

"Yeah well, I usually need to make sure they last as long as they can and I went through quite a few growths spurts."

"You're nearly six feet, aren't you?"

"Just under and I'm not sure I'm done growing. I'm not yet seventeen."

"Well than we'll compromise. We get pants and shirts that are a little longer and I'll have Lupe hem them up. She sometimes tailors my clothes too. I may get the best, but they don't always fit right."

"You think you could do this for Willow too? You're not the only one who thinks she still dresses like an eight year old."

"Tights at her age are so out. I'll talk to her, for your sake. I don't think she and I'll ever really get along, but I'm willing to try."

"Thanks, Cor. That means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, now try these pants on."

"You know other Cordy managed to overlook his wardrobe, until Faith offered to help him get more money by raiding vamp nests and go shopping with her to pick new stuff for him."

"Faith?"

"The Slayer that came after Kendra. Other Xander saved her life and she decided that deserved a reward."

"Other me didn't kill her?"

"No, other Cordelia decided it just meant other Xander had good taste and besides, given the chance he chose other you. Just like me."

"Then you are capable of good taste. Good to know."

And now he was walking into the school wearing his newer and darker colored clothes and trying to keep the voices out. It wasn't easy, there was a lot more of them then there'd been up 'til now. They kind of blended into a dull roar and he had to work to keep any one voice from getting through. And then Cordelia walked up to him and the rest of the world went away. It was going to be alright .

After school he and Willow met Giles in the library.

"I've spent all day researching." Giles told them. "So far I have found no references to anything that resembles these Shadows and Vorlons. I don't intend to stop looking, just haven't found anything yet. How was your day?"

"I had to work to keep all the voices out." Xander told him. "It wasn't easy, but the classes that Cordelia and I share were easier to handle."

"Cordelia invited me to go shopping." Willow said. "It's probably just another way to humiliate me."

"She's doing it because I asked her to." Xander told her.

"Why would you do that?" Willow demanded. "There's nothing wrong with my clothes!"

"If you're eight years old. Even I can tell your clothes aren't right for you and I know Buffy was always trying to get you to dress better. Gods know I heard the two of you discussing it often enough."

"I don't see what's wrong with my clothes!"

"Willow, you believe Cordy bullies you because of your clothes and yet you refuse to change your clothes. You're calling attention to yourself and yet you object to that attention. Either you want people to pick on you or you're totally ignorant to the fact that you're essentially inviting problems."

"It isn't like you dressed any better!"

"I didn't dress that way because I wanted to, but because those were the cheapest clothes and all I could afford."

"And now Cordelia is buying you clothes."

"No, just picking them out. I still paid for them. They're a little bit more than I would normally pay, but not a lot and they do fit better. Just give her a chance, Willow, for my sake. She offered to help for my sake, can't you do the same?"

"Fine, but if she makes me look like a clown, I'm blaming you!"

"Just don't chase me with a knife, the last clown that did that I knocked unconscious."

"Oh, right, Day of the Nightmares." Giles said. "That was quite a punch. Xander, on your advice, I've been contacting the friends from my old group. I told them a seer foresaw Eyghon's return and that removing the tattoos would keep him from noticing us. I've made arrangements to have my own removed. We honestly don't know if things will progress here as they did in the other reality, but we need to take steps to avoid as many potential problems as possible. In the meantime, Willow, I need you to use that infernal machine of yours and set up an alert so that we know when a low rent housing project gets started."

"I'll do that now." Willow agreed, moving toward the computer.

"Ready to spar, Xander?"

"Yeah, just need to go change my clothes. Be back in a few minutes."

He was heading back to the library when he caught a couple of stray thoughts. 'Cordelia was right, he is salty goodness.'

'He's still a moron, what is Cordelia thinking?'

'Yeah, got to work on my shields.' Xander thought as he mentally rebuilt the wall in his mind that a telepath used to keep the voices out.