I don't own anything but the story. Joss and the WB own everything else.
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Part Fifteen
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Xander sat near Giles at the same table in the library, that now had more set upon it, than just candles. Giles held up a spell book in front of them, the necessary words bathed in the yellow glow. The space around them was pure black.
Xander had gone around a little earlier, gathering an item that all of them had owned. One of the many cross necklaces of Buffy's, a hat of Willow's, and a ring in Cordelia's locker. For Angel, he had recovered the leather jacket he'd lent Buffy at The Bronze some time ago. All of the objects now took up room in the very middle of the table, as they continued to overlap each other.
Giles would read the spell, while Xander repeated each phrase after him. Giles had control of the lamp as well. When they were through, the jinn was to be bound in his prison for eternity. All of his stolen souls would be released.
Xander hadn't actually thought about saving the world. It was common knowledge to just say it was Buffy's job. But right now, she was in extreme trouble and happened to need his help.
"Forces of darkness, I call upon you to send to us a monster of Mohammedan history, a monster of all that is evil. One who is wreaking chaos as I speak."
He paused a moment, looking at Xander. "What?" Xander shrugged.
"Repeat what I have just spoken. Word for word," Giles advised. "I thought I made it plain-"
"Yeah, yeah. Okay," Xander glared at him and recited the spell thus far.
"Bring this monster to us. Let his evil ways be known. Restore all that is good in the world. Take and do away with all that has taken place in this town. Put this demon in its place."
Xander once again copied Giles' words. A bright glow formed an eery circle around them then. Giles took off his glasses, obviously blinded by the light. The brightly luminated candles almost seemed to rise from their positions.
Giles regained his composure. He focused his eyes to the spell, rather than the surrounding danger. "Bring forth the demon. Let his evil be binded by force!!!"
A cry of deep anguish could be clearly heard. A distorted shape presented itself before them. It twisted every which way, like invisible chains held it in place. "I am immortal!!!!" It shouted.
"Not anymore," Xander taunted, already sensing they had won.
The being lashed out toward them, slowly shrinking deep into its prison.
Giles retrieved the lamp, tried to hold it steady. A deep gust of wind knocked Xander to the ground. This time he had had it. He got up, as if almost nothing had happened, and grabbed the lamp roughly from Giles.
"Xander!!! What are you-" he shouted, nearly out of breath.
Xander had to do something right for once. So Giles could congratulate, instead of acting all.......well British, in his opinion, and be disgusted.
The lamp shook violently, yet Xander still managed to hold on. The shape was slowly being consumed. "I'll forever haunt you!!! I'll be everywhere you go!!!" It screamed.
"No," Xander told it. "You won't. Buffy is the slayer. And to me, she's worth a lot more than your magic."
Nothing remained then, but Xander's shaking hands, as even the lamp completely disappeared. The bright light went away, now shrouding them in darkness. Giles swallowed hard and looked around. "I think we may have well pulled it off," he smiled. "Thanks to you, Xander." He stopped a moment, turning toward the handsome man sheepishly. "I'm sorry I was misguided by your behavior before. But you.....um.....may have saved just about all our lives in some way today."
"It was nothing, G man," Xander offered, acting completely nonchalant.
"Xander-" Giles warned.
"What did I miss?" Called a voice from the doorway. It was Ms. Calendar, spell book in hand.
"Jenny," Giles said softly.
"Rupert," she returned, looking oddly at him and his behavior.
Buffy found herself alone on the deserted street. She examined herself quickly, seeing not a scratch there. Wow, she thought. Been to hell and back all in one night. I'd say it's definitely a record for a........a slayer. She would be okay with her job. She knew that now. She would learn to deal with it. I've even got the gorgeous guy, she reasoned. Yeah. Definitely okay now. But.....where was Angel now anyway?
"Buffy! Buffy!" Willow came running up to her, trying to catch her breath. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Will. What about you?"
"I've learned a lesson," she told her softly. "And......I've decided I'm going to refrain from your advice. About Xander. You will not believe what just happened to me. I think I'll wait. You know? Maybe soemone better will......come along."
"Oh, Will."
"I can deal," the hacker assured her. "Really. I'm okay now."
"For now," Buffy said smiling. "When you see Xander tomorrow, you'll have a second opinion brewing. You'll see."
Cordelia was back by the bus station, no bite marks formed on her neck. She frowned and pulled out a brush to run it through her long, dark hair. As if she had been there the whole time. "Way to go, Giles," she muttered. "Buffy can have her freako boyfriend any day of the week. I want a real man. Ugh, way too creepy."
Angel ended back up in Xander's house. He opened his eyes and suddenly realized that Buffy wasn't with him. He remembered every bit of the experience, only minuted ago. He had to find her. He had a lot he wanted to say........
The following day, Buffy met up with Xander in the halls. He was feeling awfully great and it was mainly due to the hero bit the night before. "Hey! How is the famous Buffster?"
"Hi Xan. Where are you off to?"
"The library," he told her. "Giles says he needs to talk to me about something."
"Oh....no," she said. "That.....uh.....that was me. I told him to tell you that. I was going over there just now too."
"And?"
"I guess.....I wanted to thank you. Giles told me how you saved us. I know I've kind of been ignoring you since-"
"Since you and Angel have been sharing smoochies," he finished.
"Xander. You and Willow. I've never had friends like you guys. At least.....definitely not in Hemery. And I.....I don't ever want it to change."
"And you want me to be understanding?"
"Yeah. I do," she looked up at him and smiled.
"I've thought about it," he admitted. "And, I think it'll work. Hey. maybe me and Cordy will end up getting together! Sunnydale's hellmouth is always ready to make our lives a living hell," he told her laughing.
"Literally, in my case. But.....you and Cordy?" she scrunched up her nose. "Now that would certainly be...........well....something."
Laughing, Xander held the door to the library open for her, and they entered, ready to face Giles.
That night, Buffy sat on her bed, listening to some instrumental music. It was different, but was exactly what she needed at the moment. She studied the cross around her neck briefly. It was the one Angel had given her, when they'd first met. How much had happened since then. Angel. She wondered where he was right now. She hadn't seen him since they appeared in hell together. Wow. What a trip that had been.
"Buffy," came a soft voice behind her. She turned around. Angel stood by her window. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," she said.
He offered a brief smile. "I wanted.....to see how you were holding up," he confessed.
"Well. It's not everyday you make a wish for the worst."
"I don't think of it as bad, actually," he admitted. "Because you were there with me. I guess.....I guess I felt like I had some hope, you know? That there was a way we'd make it out of there."
"You can thank Xander for that," she said.
"It made me realize......that we need more communication.....in our....well....whatever it is we have."
"Getting ourselves nearly killed made you think that? Wow."
"Buffy-"
"No. I'm not going to laugh. Really."
"Promise?" he asked.
"No," she whispered and immediately broke out into hysterics. He offered a half smile, and moved closer to kiss her.
The End
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