"Okay,
Buffy, we all know I have always had a problem with Deadboy, but I really think
that you should reconsider everything that sailor moon is saying and..."
Xander stopped in his tracks when he saw Buffy starting ahead blankly,
"Buffy! Are you okay?"
Buffy gave him a sad smile, "Hey Xand."
Xander sat himself down next to her carefully. "Wanna talk about it?"
Buffy stared off into space, "Not really."
"What did they say about Dea-Angel?"
Buffy shrugged, "Nothing much. I'm just getting some bad memories I
guess."
"Is he okay?" Xander asked, trying to put as much compassion in his
voice as he could muster.
"Fine."
"Are *you* going to be okay?"
"I don't know. It's just not fair, you know? Things with me and him were
never easy. But it was easy because I knew that he loved me and I loved him and
love conquered all." Buffy felt tears come to her eyes as she remembered
their last meeting. Things had been so cold between them, the love that they
had once shown had been replaced by cold indifference. "And then he left
me."
Xander found himself feeling something cold seep into his gut and he suddenly
*knew* what the outcome to this was going to be. And then the knowledge was
gone.
"You have Riley now."
Buffy looked confused for a minute as if she didn't know what he was talking
about. Light dawned in her eyes and she smiled at him trying her best to seem
happy. "Yeah, I have Riley."
At that moment Giles and Willow appeared out of wherever they had been. Giles
was holding a book open and had his nose in it. Without looking up he said,
"If you must insist on staying would it be possible for you to tell us why
a morah demon might be here?"
Xander, Buffy, and Willow looked at him blankly. "Uhhh, Giles?"
Willow said hesitantly.
"Hmmm?"
Xander rolled his eyes, "Check out Mr. Librarian the second
everyone!"
"Giles, they're gone," Buffy clarified.
Giles finally looked up from his book. "Oh, well, that is quite
unfortunate."
"Have you found *anything*?" Buffy asked.
"Not as of yet," Giles replied.
"Then what's so interesting, G-Man?" Xander rubbed his hands together
eagerly.
This time Giles looked up and shot Xander a nasty glare. "Actually, this
is rather fascinating. Do you know how many spells there are that are just
combinations of flour and water?"
Buffy blinked, "Oh, that *is* interesting."
"Not to bust your bubble or anything, Giles, but most of them don't
work," Willow added.
Giles shut the book, "Yes, yes, of course."
"Hey!" Xander said suddenly, "Where did my ex-demony girlfriend
go?"
"I'm back here," Anya appeared out of the back room with a statue in
her hand. "What is *this* doin
g back here Giles? Do you have any idea how priceless this is for an object
that doesn't do anything?"
Xander got up quickly and pried the object from his girlfriends fingers,
"An, remember when we talked about yelling at the boss?"
Anya pouted but, luckily, the phone rang before she could insult her boss
further. "Hi! This is the Magic shop! Your one stop trip for all things
bright and magicky... oh. Hold on a minute."
Anya put down the phone and looked at Buffy. "It's for you."
Buffy frowned, "Me?"
"Yes you! And don't take too long. Other customers may be trying to
call."
Buffy nodded absently at Anya and picked up the phone, "Hello?"
"Hey."
The voice on the other end of the line managed to make Buffy's skin tingle from
head to toe from one single word.
"Angel," Buffy whispered.