"Then what happened?" asked Willow, excitedly.
"Well, then Riley explained to me how the whole 'smacking your enemy's face into broken glass' is, well, not the kind of thing we heroes are supposed to do."
"It does seem a bit villain-esque," Willow agreed.
"I know, I get it, I went overboard. But there was that whole 'my friends are dying from drinking acid' thing on my mind at the time. Kinda makes it hard to think straight, you know."
"Sure. And, plus, you were also under its effects. It could have been wigging you out."
"Exactly," said Buffy. "But Riley was right - Dale might be a born-again jerk, but he's not a demon. Different rules apply.�
"So how did you get him to talk?"
Buffy blushed slightly. "Riley did it. We called an ambulance, and Riley just talked to him the whole time we were waiting for it. You know, told him what had happened, made him see he was crazy. It was pretty neat, actually," Buffy added with pride.
"I never really picked Riley for the negotiator type."
"Must be all the military briefings. But trust me, when he wants to, that boy can do amazing things with his tongue." Buffy stopped and blushed again. "OK, that came out wrong..."
Willow just smiled. "So is he going to be OK?" Buffy looked confused. "Dale, I mean."
"He's going to be fine" said Riley, coming in the door. "I just talked to his doctor. Some nasty cuts, but they'll heal, and the potion doesn't seem to have done any permanent damage to him."
"So he's back to regular-sized Dale again?"
Buffy nodded. "Yup. I wish I could lose weight that fast."
Riley remembered himself. "Oh, and - flowers for the patient" he said, presenting the bouquet in his hand. Willow sat up a bit more to take them from him. "Oh, they're lovely! Thanks Riley. Oh, and look! Yarrow-blossoms - for healing!"
Riley and Buffy shared a very quick glance. "You got it," said Buffy confidently. "Speaking of healing," she continued, "you are going to be OK, right Wil?"
Willow raised her nose from her bouquet and waved away her concerns. "Oh sure, I�ll be fine. The doctor said my throat will be sore for about a week, and I can't have anything to drink for another twelve hours, but I'm gonna be fine. I guess the antidote really worked, huh?"
"Sure did. I just wonder how the doctors are going to deal with seven miracle cures in the same day..."
�Noo, Giles said he was sneaky. He actually put on a mask and gown, so he could slip into the trauma rooms. Then he just said the liturgy quietly and slipped back out.�
Buffy was impressed. �Giles? Sneaky? I don�t believe it.�
�Guess the old dog still knows plenty of tricks,� said Riley.
Willow nodded. �Anyway, the first thing I heard about it was when I came round and all the doctors were all saying how lucky I was.�
�We�re the lucky ones, Wil. We couldn�t go on without you.�
Xander was hunched forward in the chair by Anya�s bed, her hand in his, his thumb gently caressing along her knuckles in an absent-minded pattern. He looked up when the door opened.
�er, Buffy is here,� said Giles. �She�s fine, she�s OK. A few scratches.�
�Dale?�
�She dropped a stained-glass window on him, apparently.�
Xander grinned. �Really? I gotta say, the girl has style.�
�She, she�ll be along in a minute, she�s seeing Willow first.�
Xander just nodded and turned back to look at his patient. There was a moment of silence.
�I can take her with me, right? I mean, the Watcher training - it�s not like joining the marines or going to a monastery, is it?�
�Well, no, you�ll be in a college, or near the university, and you should - �
Xander cut him off by jumping to his feet and peering close at his girlfriend�s face as her eyelids fluttered slightly. �Anya? Hey there. Can you hear me?�
Anya blinked, and a faint groan came from her lips. Her head rolled back slightly. Xander laughed nervously and he gently pulled her hair from her face. After a few moments, her eyes opened slightly, and her voice returned.
�Xander��
�I�m here, Anya. You�re going to be OK.�
�Xander, I�m so sorry.�
Xander laughed again. �It�s OK. It�s all very much in the OK zone now.�
�I shouldn�t - I shouldn�t have said those nasty things. I shouldn�t have said I didn�t enjoy the sex. The sex is great.�
�Hah, OK. That�s good. I forgive you.�
�I mean, really really great. That thing you did last night, mmm, in the kitchen��
Xander laughed again. �OK, you need to shush, be quiet now, An, get some rest - "
�And then with the whipped cream��
�Giles! What a surprise! Giles is here to see you too. He�s right here. In the room. RIGHT NEXT TO ME.�
Anya lifted her head and opened her eyes all the way. �Oh. Giles. Hello.�
Giles smiled. �Good to see you back with us, Anya."
She smiled in return and then turned back to Xander. "So can we go home soon and have make-up sex?"
Xander laughed weakly once more, patted her hand, and then rammed his head into the bed frame in despair. Then he shot a look across to Giles from the corner of his eye.
�But I can take her with me, right?�
Giles nodded politely. �Oh, please do.�
�And how�s our favourite little demon girl doing?� announced Buffy, pushing open the door.
�Buffy? I think my body is functioning properly again, yes. Thank you.� Anya began to pull herself up and take in her surroundings. �Except, um, these don't seem to be my clothes. What happened to my clothes? Xander, I think someone may have seen me naked!� Anya gibbered.
�Yup, she's fine all right,� said Buffy, after a beat.
Xander stood up and crossed to his friend and they embraced. �Thanks Buff,� Xander said simply. �I guess that�s another one I owe you.�
Somewhere deep down, Buffy trembled, and she held him a moment longer. �No,� she said happily, �I think we�re pretty much even.�
Although it was still late summer, the night was chilly as a cool breeze whipped across the lonely grey cement of the Sunnydale bus depot. Giles was talking to Riley and Buffy while Xander checked his ticket inside.
��so, yes, it seems Father Duncan simply mistook Dale for another Templar scholar, like himself. So he saw no danger in lending him the books, because, in his mind, what they described was purely, er, theoretical, even allegorical. He simply never thought Dale would actually put them into practice.�
�Guess he shoulda got some references before letting him have his library card,� quipped Buffy.
�And the spells?� asked Riley, his arms around Buffy�s shoulders.
�Er, well, the books are all quite fascinating. All original copies, possibly dating from the 14th century, and they include the journals and notes of a group of Templar knights which, which have been lost for centuries. It�s an amazing find, really. The church was apparently built by Italian missionaries, so I�m presuming they came over then, but I haven�t been able yet to trace down their - �
�Actually Giles, I was just curious about whether there were any side-effects to the punch? If Buffy�s going to suddenly become the flying nun in a week, I�d kinda like to know about it.�
Buffy smiled and jostled her lover jovially. �Not entering a convent just yet, lover boy. And so far, no aftershocks from the Power-of-God-ade, from me, or anyone else at the party. Right, Giles?�
�Right, and yes, well, according to what I�ve translated, the incantation should have completely reversed the effects. You�ve nothing to worry about.�
Buffy smiled and looked up at the man holding her in his arms. �Ooh, darn it, because you�re so good at that.�
�Yep, there go my plans for the weekend,� Riley returned and they shared a quick kiss.
�And Dale?� asked Giles when they had broken apart.
�Still recovering, in more ways than one, but I think he's going to be OK.� said Riley. �Oh, and we ran into Paul today. He�s running the group now, and he�s promised they�ll cut out the preacher feature from now on.�
�And he was wearing jeans,� added Buffy, significantly. �He looked...almost normal.� She gave a mock shudder at the thought.
�We may not have saved his soul, but we did save his fashion sense - and isn�t that what really counts?� said Xander, joining them by the bus. �Oh man, Willow�s still not here?!� he whined. �She has to be here! I need my Willage, dammit!�
�Xander, she�ll be here,� Buffy reassured him. �She�s just a few minutes late. You know her mom, always doing a million things at once.�
�She has to be here,� he said again, staring down the road. Behind him, the bus doors hissed open to underline the point. Xander quickly handed the driver his suitcase, and then sauntered back towards his friends, nervously clapping his hands together.
�Now, don�t worry about Anya� Giles was saying. �As soon as she�s fit to travel, she�ll be on the next plane.�
Xander nodded. �Thanks.�
�When you get to Heathrow, you�ll be met by your instructor - she�s got your flight time and number already. But just in case, I�ve written her name and phone number down here, so you can call her and let her know where you are.�
�Got it.�
�And my number is there as well, in case you can�t reach her, or if anything - �
�Giles, I got it. I can handle it,� said Xander, testily. Giles simpered for a moment, then caught himself. �Yes, yes, sorry. Anyway, well, do, do look after yourself, and, and er, make sure to write and tell us how, how you are doing�� Giles was blathering and he knew it. He trailed off, composed himself, and stuck out his hand. Xander took it, and the shake was solemn. Giles held it and smiled at him with worry and respect in his eyes. �Make us proud,� he finally said. Xander just nodded, with an uncertain half-smile.
Xander broke off the handshake, and swivelled his hand into a firm, manly grip with Riley. �Now, you look after my Slayer, you hear me? She�s your responsibility now,� said Xander, finding his joking voice again. �I don�t wanna come back from England to find her damaged or broken.�
Riley smiled his broad, reliable smile. �Don't worry, I'll keep my eye on her. Not a scratch, I swear.�
�Attaboy� he said, slapping him on the shoulder, and already looking past him.
A few steps down the impromptu line, slightly apart, stood Buffy, staring down at her hands. Xander crossed to her and gently pulled her chin up. Tears were glistening in the corners of her almond eyes. She shook her head, and swallowed, trying to find her voice.
�Don�t go,� she said, simply.
�Shhh�� said Xander.
�You can�t��
�I have to, Buff. Cos if I don�t, now...then I might never do anything.�
�But I need you!� Buffy rasped as a single tear traced down her cheek.
Xander just smiled. �No, you don�t.� He gave a quick glance over his shoulder. �Not any more.�
Buffy took his hands in hers and pulled him even closer. A flood of emotions washed through her, drowning her, and her face twisted and shook as she could find no words to voice any of them. So Xander said it for her by leaning in and kissing her firmly and deeply on the lips. As their mouths slowly separated again, their faces stayed just an inch apart and she whispered what she wanted to say.
�Thank you.�
�For what?�
�For saving my life.�
Xander grinned. �Thank you for giving me something to save.�
And then his hands moved down and he took a step, and another, and then their touch was broken. Distraught, Buffy collapsed back into Riley�s arms. And Xander was left standing, disconnected, waiting, uncertain. Behind him, the bus suddenly revved into life, and the passengers began filing up the stairs.
Finally, there was a screech of tires, and they all turned to see a familiar car skid into the parking bay. And then a blur of movement as a familiar red-haired girl burst from the passenger door and ran full speed across the concrete and didn�t stop until she had leapt into Xander�s arms. He dropped to his knees under her weight, but the embrace didn�t stop. The two figures clung to each other with all their strength, unbreaking, unending. There were no words; none needed and none possible. The only sound was Willow�s quiet sobs as her tears ran untrammelled, until both their clothes were sodden.
They stayed there, arms around each other, for a very long time.
Finally, ever so slowly, Xander gently slipped Willow�s arms up and away from him, and pulled himself back so he could face her. There was nothing but fear and despair in her face, and in his heart, and there was nothing he could do to make it better for either of them.
�You�re my best friend, Wil. You know that?� And he managed to smile as he said it.
Then he kissed her just once, lightly, in the centre of her forehead, and stood up. He gave one last wave to his friends, and in another step, was on the bus. There was a hiss of the door closing behind him, and then a roar as the bus slipped into gear. As it passed out through the gates, they caught one last glimpse of him from a window, hand pressed firm against the glass, and then he was gone, lost in the darkness, vanished from their lives.
And the four who remained were left standing there, alone and apart, on the empty grey concrete in the cool summer night.