Somewhere Else: Chapter 8/INTERLUDE 5
by ang118
“I so thought it was cordy that was gonna dump Xander, not Angel,” Willow said.
“I know,” Buffy agreed. “That look on Xander’s face was priceless!”
No argument from me here,” Willow said. “But,” she stammered on, “Not because that worlds Xander was gay. I’m pro gay, as you all know from my past relationship. So, the gay part- not funny.”
“I know, Will,” Buffy said. “The funny part was the way our Xander felt about the Angel on our world.”
“That was amusing,” Anya admitted. “I think we all needed a good laugh after what we’ve been through for the past few days. In fact, I could us another one right now.”
“Was it that bad?” Willow asked.
Anya nodded. “I’ve made no secret about the fact that you guys aren’t and never will be my best friends... but seeing that worlds versions of you like that was... I couldn’t even wish that on my worst enemy. What those demons did to them was far worse than anything I have ever done in my career as a vengeance demon.”
“Cheer up,” Buffy said.
Anya looked up at her and waited.
Buffy sighed. “This is the part where I’m supposed to supply a reason for you to cheer up, isn’t it??”
Anya nodded.
“Well, sorry,” Buffy said. “I’m fresh out of cheer-up reasons. I really need to start that thinking before you speak thing.”
“Might help,” Willow said.
“Ooh!” Buffy said. “Here’s a bright side!
“What?” Anya asked.
“At least nothing bad has happened on this world yet!”
Willow groaned. “Guess that’s my cue to start with the spell casting,” she said.
“Why?” Anya asked.
“‘Cause little miss jinxy pants just opened her big mouth.”
“What’s up?” Xander asked as he stepped through the front door of this worlds magic shop.
“We’re leaving,” Buffy said.
“What?” Xander asked. “Why so soon? I was just starting to get used to the quite. You know, all the not having Angel trying to dump me and not seeing the alternate versions of myself and my friends mutilated. Plus, I found a couple machines outside that dispensed prepackaged, reprocessed, and possible previously digested food.”
“Buffy jinxed us,” Willow said.
“Now why did you go and do a thing like that?” Xander asked the slayer. “I got food. And I was seriously considering buying a condo...” He stopped. “What did she say?”
“She was trying to cheer Anya up so she said ‘at least nothing bad has happened on this world yet,” Willow said.
“Alrighty then,” Xander said. “We are so out of here!”
INTERLUDE 5:
“You don’t really say much, do you?” Dawn asked.
“Were we supposed to talk?” Connor asked. “Is that what your sister does when she patrols?”
“Sometimes,” Dawn said. “When she has people with her. Mostly she just kills stuff.”
“Does she ever take you on patrol with her?”
“Sure,” Dawn lied, “all the time.”
Connor stopped walking and turned to face her. “You’re lying,” he said.
“How... how did you know that?” she asked, surprised.
“Your voice,” he said.
“Oh, huh?”
Connor started walking again. “When people lie they talk different then normal. It’s easy to pick up on if you know how.”
“So then anyone could do it?”
“Yes,” Connor said.
“Could you teach me?” Dawn asked.
“It would take too long,” Connor said. “Besides, we have to patrol.”
“Oh.” Dawn was disappointed.”
***
“What are we going to do if we can’t find them?” Fred asked.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Gunn said.
“What did you come up with?”
“Don’t know. Dawn’s only sixteen so we can’t leave her here by herself.”
“We could take her with us when we go back to LA,” Fred suggested.
“Maybe,” Gunn said.
“It’s not like we don’t have room for her at the hotel,” Fred said.
“Yeah,” Gunn agreed.
“I just don’t know what else to do,” Fred admitted. “I have no idea where else to look. We really need Angel.”
***
“We should head back to the magic shop,” Dawn said. “It’s getting late.”
“Ok,” Connor said.
Dawn followed him back to the Magic Box in silence.
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