disclaimer in part 1
"Great!" Buffy shook her head as she spoke. "So the place I wanted to go!"
Spike looked at her quizzically. "What's the matter, cutie? Lost your appetite for destruction?"
"Look, I've had just about enough from the peanut gallery. Now, do you want Drusilla back in one piece, or am I going to have to go back there and tear her limb from limb?"
"Oh, I want her just the way she is. What's the plan?"
"The plan is we go after her before she decides to make my friends her next meal, okay? Without me there, they're likely to do something even more courageous than usual, which usually leads to trouble where they're concerned."
"So I've noticed." Spike gave Buffy a smile, leaving her to wonder what had come over the bleach blond bloodsucker.
"Are you going to help me or do I dust you now?"
"I guess I made a deal, and I'll stick with it, as long as you keep your end up. Let's go." He motioned for her to get into the car, which she did reluctantly.
She put on her seatbelt as he hit the gas. Let's hope he's a better driver than Cordelia, she thought as the car sped off toward Sunnydale.
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Willow rolled along the hallway, trying to get away from Oz. He was calling after her as she went. She didn't particularly care at the moment, and was rolling as fast as her arms could push. But Oz easily caught up with her and grabbed the handles of the wheelchair to stop her flight.
"WIllow, where are you going?"
"Away. I do NOT need this right now!"
He ran around to face her. "But don't you know that I love you, too?"
She looked up at him. "Yes, I know. But that's not the point."
"Oh," he concluded. "Then what is? Just because I wasn't the one to say it when you came out of the coma doesn't make it any less true."
"You just don't get it! I loved Xander for like 11 years, and to hear him say it back makes it so hard to disregard. I can't just drop it, like Oh well, that part of my life is over, because no matter how much I love you, there was always a special connection with Xander- and now, I'm just so confused! Let me go figure things out, please."
He looked back at his girlfriend as she struggled with her emotions. "Fine. Do what you have to. But I want you to know that no matter what, I will always love you."
She turned her head as tears began to flow freely down her cheeks. "I know. I love you, too." She rolled out the front door. He watched her go, knowing she needed to be alone. He never hated anyone as much as he hated Xander Harris at that moment.
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Giles turned to the wayward teen who had just interrupted one of the most important conversations he had ever had in his life. "Not now, Xander."
Xander turned to Joyce with a confused look in his eyes. "Hi Mrs. Summers. Any word from Buffy?"
She looked at her daughter's friend sadly. "No, nothing."
Xander turned back to Giles. "I guess this isn't the best time. I'll come back later." He turned and exited the library, walking to the front of the school, and taking a seat on the steps.
What else could possibly go wrong in his life? he thought. One of his best friends was missing, the other one was probably never going to speak to him again, and his girlfriend had just punched him in the face. Plus, he didn't know how he felt about her. I mean, Cordy was great- beautiful, sexy, and she was getting better in the personality department. And he was beginning to think she actually cared about him. But then there was Willow- his best friend for how many years? It seemed like forever. What DID he feel for her? He wasn't sure, but there was one thing he was sure of. All of this just didn't bode well for Xander Harris.