Unknown: Chapter One
by rockangelz25
It was a few weeks later. Almost everyone was acting slightly odder than usual, probably because of the spell.

Willow was very calm, mainly because she was controlling herself. Angel was still around, but he avoided Willow and Buffy both. Buffy seemed to avoid Spike for some reason that no one could figure out.

Dawn avoided everyone but Xander and Oz. Willow wanted to be alone, and she was willing to respect that. But she liked getting to know Oz, who'd left before she ever even got to high school.

And she still trusted Xander with her life. She didn't know what had happened to everybody during the spell, and nobody told her.

In fact, practically nobody told Dawn anything.

Connor tried to talk to her a few times, but found himself pushed away coldly each time. After a while, he gave up.

Angel didn't try to make friends with her, and Spike seemed to avoid her. She would talk to him once in a while, but it just wasn't like it used to be.

"Dawn?" Xander looked into her room. She was on the computer--she had been doing that a lot lately. She clicked out of a window really quickly.

"Whatcha doing?" He walked over to her.

"I'm IM-ing someone."

"Oh, that's cool. Wait a minute--who?"

"I don't know." She turned around just as he prepared to launch into speech-mode.

"Yes, Xander, I know about Malcom--Moloch--whatever that lodged into the computer and tried to get Willow. But I haven't scanned any funny books, so, probably not that."

"He got into networks," Xander pointed out carefully. "He was everywhere."

"Yeah, but we aren't even romantic. It's more like..... He seems like a werewolf. Or something."

"Oh, even better."

"Well--Oz is a werewolf," said Dawn defensively.

"Yeah, but then there's other werewolves," he pointed out, remembering Veruca. The second time that Willow and Oz had broken up because of someone else, someone interfering.

"Xander, quit worrying. There's also nothing romantic," she repeated, stressing the last two words.

"Okay. Um, Buffy and Faith left again, and I think Spike went after him. I'm going to go get something to eat. Did you want--" he gestured to outside.

"No, I'm fine. I promise I'll come out soon." She smiled at him.

"Behave yourself."

"Xander, I'm--"

"I know. I'm not saying that in the I'm-older-than-you way, but in the be-careful-because-of-the-demons-and-impending-doom way."

"Okay." She turned back to the computer.

"Bye."

"Bye," he echoed her.


ENERGY101: Sorry. Big brother over my shoulder.

DOGZ_BYTE: Oh. Well, is he really that bad? Do you need to get off?

ENERGY101: No. He's just checking on me. Weird things go on.

DOGZ_BYTE: I've heard. Hold on.


"Hey, Xand."

"Hey, Oz. Ooh, instant messaging. And the fever goes through the house like a wind storm."

"I guess so."

"This is your conversation?"

"Yeah."

"You type more than you talk."

"Yeah," he repeated thoughtfully.

"Short, noncommittal phrases again, Oz?"

"Maybe." Xander looked closely at his face--he seemed to be serious.

"Who's the guy?"

"Oh, it's a chick. She's somewhere in Rome. I'm sure I'll see her sooner or later."

"A chick? In Rome?" Xander's heart started falling fast.

"Yeah. Don't know who. She's got good taste in music. Very nice--pretty calm."

"Yeah."

"I think she's..... Different." He swung his head around to look at Xander.

"Oh, she probably is." Xander paused. "Ask her if she was ever a big ball of energy."

"That's kind of a funny question." Oz turned back to the computer.

"I came to ask if you were hungry."

"Yeah, I am, kind of."

"Can you end the talk?"

"Probably." He started typing.


DOGZ_BYTE: Hey.

ENERGY101: Hey.

DOGZ_BYTE: It's getting kind of late.

ENERGY101: Full moon?

DOGZ_BYTE: That's not for two nights.

ENERGY101: Oh. Forgot. Sorry.

DOGZ_BYTE: It's okay. But I'm getting hungry.

ENERGY101: Oh. Um.... Okay. I can get off--I haven't had anything to eat for a while.

DOGZ_BYTE: Talk to you later?

ENERGY101: Yup. Ttyl.


A few minutes later, the sign popped up--"ENERGY101 has logged off." Oz logged off. "Let's go. Is Dawn coming, too?"

"She's--" started Xander, when Dawn yelled from down the hall, "Xander?"

"What?"

"Have you left yet?"

"Yes. This is my echo."

"Thanks! Wait for me? I'll be right there."

"Yeah, she's coming," Xander told Oz.

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