Disclaimer: The following story is intended for entertainment purposes only. This document can be freely distributed with the condition that no part of the text is modified, and this notice is included with all copies.
Some characters and elements of this story are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy and are used without authorization. No copyright infringement is intended. The author receives no compensation from the distribution of this work. Any comments or criticism would be welcome.
Note: This story follows on from "No Longer Looking", "As the Stars Rise", and "Seeing by my Own Light" and should only be read after that one.
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"Ah, Buffy," Francis greeted Buffy enthusiastically as she entered the library, Willow and Xander close behind her.
"Why do I have this sinking sensation in my stomach every time you say that?" asked Buffy
"Well, I..." began Francis, trying to recall his previous thoughts. "I wanted to discuss our action against Snyder..."
"Ha, there you are. I should have known I'd find you here. Actually, while I'm here..."
"Cordelia, why are you here?" asked Buffy bluntly.
"Well, you are into weird, right. And this is weird. Snyder's gone, and it's like a huge monster went through his office. There's this huge hole in the wall, and... I'm too traumatised to even think about it..."
"Ah, right, Cordelia," interrupted Francis. "Perhaps you should go home and rest. Try not to think about it."
"Y'know, you're right. I need to get out of here. I have to call somebody, I'm way too generous coming to tell you lot about this first, I should look after my inner self." Cordelia spun round and marched out of the library.
Xander grinned. "Nice going, got Cordy out of the library in less than 5 minutes. I stand in awe. Well, sit in awe anyway."
Francis coughed. "Well, as I was saying, I believe we must chase Snyder, find out precisely what is going on and stop him before anything further happens."
"Sounds good," agreed Buffy. "Do I get to kill him?"
"Am I missing something, or didn't Willow say Snyder was out to get you?" Xander glanced at Willow, expecting support. Instead, she sat slumped in her seat, apparently daydreaming. "Will?"
"Snyder's always hated me, that's of the past," answered Buffy. "Is Willow OK?"
"I'm not sure." Xander peered worriedly at his friend, gently tapping her shoulder. She stirred slightly, but otherwise barely responded.
"I'm afraid we don't have time to waste. Buffy, you and I must get going as soon as possible," insisted Francis.
"But..."
"Xander can take care of Willow, the chances are she simply needs a good night's sleep. The last few days have been rather stressful on us all."
Xander nodded, catching Buffy's eye. "Go get him, Buff."
Buffy nodded, following Francis out of the room. "I take it you have a plan?"
"Yes, and I'm in rather a hurry. I was beginning to think you would never get to the library and send out a search party."
"I didn't dawdle that much," pouted Buffy.
Francis glared at her. "Come on."
* * *
Xander turned back to his best friend, shaking her slightly. "Will? You OK?"
She opened her eyes abruptly, staring at him in confusion. "Xander?"
"What's up?" he returned her gaze.
Willow burst into tears.
For several moments, Xander simply stared at her, his heart aching horribly. Finally, he placed an arm round her shoulders. "Please, Will. Tell me what's wrong."
"I-it's nothing. I'll be OK," she sniffed.
Xander frowned, her lie hurting him more than her initial sobs. "Will..."
"I'll be OK. I can take care of myself," she snapped, climbing out of her chair and flinging Xander's arm from her shoulders abruptly.
Xander found himself speechless as his oldest friend stormed from the library. "This is well wiggy, I gotta find help." He glanced around, realising how alone he was. "Why does everyone desert me at times of great crisis? This is so not good." He shrugged, dejectedly. "OK, it'll just have to be Xander-style. I'll talk her into submission."
* * *
Xander headed for the Bronze, hoping to find Willow, despite Buffy's absence. Initially there was no sign of her, so Xander settled down at a table, still hoping to see her.
"Xander," a quiet, male, voice greeted him.
He looked up. "Oh, Dead-boy. Buffy's gone hunting the Principal with Francis. She's not coming."
Angel ignored the teenager's abruptness. "I'm not looking for Buffy." He paused. "I need to speak to you."
"Why on earth would you want to speak to me? I'm not gonna fall for the tortured soul crap just because Buffy isn't here to, umm, whatever. I don't trust you, and I won't, ever."
"It's about Willow," continued Angel.
"What!" Xander stood up, alarmed. "What happened? Where is she? If you let your buddies do anything to her."
"Something's going on with her. I can feel it."
"You can..." Xander was interruptedby a scream from outside. "That's Willow, we gotta help her," he yelled.
"I can't," said Angel, suddenly blending into the crowd.
Xander cursed the vampire loudly as he raced out of the Bronze, digging round in his pocket for a cross and stake Buffy had given him. "I'm coming, Will."
Willow was still screaming when Xander got to her, but there was no sign of any vampires, she was simply screaming.
"Willow! What's wrong?" he yelled over the noise of her voice. He pulled her into his arms, trying to protect her from whatever had scared her. "Shh, it's OK. No monsters tonight. Come on, let's get inside." He pulled her behind him, noticing her lack of resistance.
For several moments, Xander watched Willow as she sat opposite him at the table, still shaking slightly. "What happened, Will?"
Briefly she looked as though she might burst into tears again, but instead she calmly and matter of factly replied. "There was a frog."
"You wigged out totally over a frog? I know you don't like them, Will, but..."
"I-it was quite a big frog," protested Willow, but something in her voice implied that perhaps she was equally puzzled.
"C'mon, Will. Tell me what's going on," pleaded Xander. "I'm your bestest buddy, the one you share all your darkest secrets with," he grinned at her, making Willow smile back, weakly. "Please..." he grabbed her hands, which she held clasped nervously on the table.
"Ow!" Xander leaped back. "You burned me!"
"Huh?" Willow looked down at her hands, bewildered. "I didn't do anything... why did...?"
"I-I don't know," stammered Xander, desperately blowing on the palms of his hands.
"Are you OK? Let me see," Willow instructed Xander.
Xander obediently held out his glowing red hands. "I'd hate to see what you'd do to our enemies, Will," he quipped feebly, gritting his teeth at the pain in his hands.
"That's me, a danger to all, umm, bad guys," smiled Willow. She noticed his expression. "You better get them under cold water, come on."
Lurking in a dark corner of the Bronze, Angel sighed.
* * *
"I'm bait? I'm the Slayer, how can I be bait?" objected Buffy. "This is so not fair."
"Buffy, please be quiet. It won't work if you go shouting it out to the world now, will it." Francis glared at her.
"I suppose," pouted Buffy.
"And you're quite sure your Mother will be away until the weekend?" Francis glanced at the house nervously.
"I'm sure."
"Well then, this should work..."
"Buffy Summers," interrupted another voice. "I was hoping I'd find you here. I need to speak to you."
"Better than I expected, actually," muttered Francis to himself.
"Sure, so I gather," replied Buffy, ignoring Francis. "Call me old fashioned, but I'd've said walking up to me and speaking to me at school would've been so much simpler than kidnapping Xander."
"This is Watcher business. It should be kept away from school, something that no good librarian never seemed to understand."
"What do you know about Giles," spat Buffy.
"Err... Buffy," interrupted Francis. "I believe you should leave now."
"Yeah, go home," sneered Snyder. "Wait for me there." He turned his attention back to Francis. "And who, are you?"
"Francis Giles, I believe we've met. When you hired me to take my cousins' place."
"I did no such thing. Why would I want to replace that stupid librarian?"
"And Watcher..."
"I'm the Watcher, not you. So stay out of my way. I'm not putting up with your interference any longer. If it wasn't for you, I'd've had her now."
"You are no Watcher," yelled Francis, uncharacteristically angrily.
"Fascinating." Snyder turned and left, leaving an even more frustrated Francis.
* * *
"How are your hands now?" Willow asked Xander guiltily, as they walked down the stairs at school.
"Will, stop wigging, you've asked me 3 times already. They're OK, really, the bandages were just a precaution the nurse said. Well, at least, I think she said that. I have to admit, I got a little distracted..."
"Xander!" Willow giggled.
"OK, yes. That's what she said, but anyhow, I'm thinking protection against future incidents, look." Xander patted Willow's head. "Even the firey bit is safe."
"As long as I'm careful," said Willow sadly.
"Maybe you should test it on Cordy," suggested Xander. "Just to be sure."
"Oh! You remember that time when the..."
".. oh yeah! And the siren went off," chuckled Xander.
Willow smiled broadly, her guilt temporarily forgotten. "Come on, we better get to class."
"Trust you to spoil a perfectly good day, Will," moaned Xander, following her into the classroom. As he watched Willow walk through the classroom in front of him, he saw several of the empty desks shift towards her.
"Will? Did you touch that?" asked Xander, concerned.
Willow turned round, confused. "Touch what?"
"So the weirdness even passes on to loser friends now, huh? Remind me not to spend time with you guys. Oh, that's right, I don't need reminding." Cordelia smiled, pleased with her insult.
"What?" asked Willow, still unable to see what they were talking about.
Xander grinned. "Siren..."
Once again, Willow's face lit up with a smile, her concerns pushed to the back of her mind.
* * *
"Francis!" yelled Xander, racing into the library and causing Francis to look up suddenly, hitting his head on an overhanging shelf.
"Ow! Must you do that, Xander?" he grumbled. "I have a lot of work to get done, and I suspect it would progress more rapidly without interruption... unless you plan to help?" Francis glared sternly at the boy, waiting for him to respond.
"Umm, well actually, I need your help," stammered Xander.
"Can't it wait?" complained Francis. "Is it likely to cause the end of the world?"
"I can't believe I'm answering this. No, the world probably won't end. Not this time anyway," replied Xander grimly.
"Good, thank you, Xander," muttered Francis, wandering back into the stacks.
Xander sighed. "Research boy it is then. OK, so where to find the books on possessed desks..."
* * *
"You're still here," observed Snyder, glaring at Francis as he encountered him in the school corridor.
"Err, yes. As are you, it would seem. Although I plan to assist your swift departure," replied Francis levelly.
"You do, do you?" sneered Snyder. "You know you could save us both a lot of trouble and let me speak to Miss Summers, alone."
"I'm afraid not. I suspect it wouldn't be her first choice of action either."
"So what? I'm in charge here. I'm the Watcher too, don't you forget that. All you need to do is leave everything alone, and I'm out of here. For good. And good riddance too, I can't believe you put up with these kids voluntarily."
"You intend to change occupation?" asked Francis, confused.
"Hardly," muttered Snyder, walking off.
"This is really becoming quite a dilemma," observed Francis. "I do hope Buffy is careful."
* * *
Xander sighed, english class. It hadn't even started yet and he was already bored. He turned to Willow. "So, Will. You thinking..."
Willow shrieked and ran from the classroom, just as the teacher entered.
"Will?" Xander quickly stood and followed her, almost knocking over the english teacher in the process. "Will?"
She stood outside, obviously somewhat panicked. "Xander, What's happening? I can't switch it off."
"What?" Xander was confused. "What happened?"
"T-the chair," stammered Willow. "I melted it. I-it just... melted."
"Hey, Will." Xander patted her shoulder gently. "It's OK."
"But I can't make it go away. Y'know I couldn't sleep last night coz of the light. No wonder Angel didn't want to come anywhere near me."
Xander smiled down at her. "It's OK, Will. We've stopped the whole of the vamp population of Sunnydale in the past, I'm sure we can handle one out of control ghrian."
"Maybe you should get away from me though," suggested Willow. "Just in case."
"Will, I promise if I see any erupting fireballs I'll run for it," grinned Xander. He glanced at his arm. "Come to think of it, you've already given me a great tan."
Willow smiled.
"C'mon, Will. Let's go see what Francis can tell us. I'm guessing he's dying for a good excuse to play with his books again."
"Yeah, and this is new," grinned Willow, her mood greatly improved.
"Too right. Bookman is gonna be so excited," agreed Xander.
Francis jumped as Willow and Xander simultaneously burst into the library. "Argh! Will you please stop doing that."
"Sorry," said Willow, sheepishly.
"Willow's power's gone wiggy," announced Xander.
"Excuse me?" asked Francis.
"My light, err, thing's gone funny. I can't turn it off," explained Willow.
"Oh. Oh my. I've never heard of that. Well, we'd better get to work." Francis made his way into the stacks.
* * *
Xander looked up from his latest book to see Willow finally asleep. He glanced at Francis. "She didn't sleep well last night," he whispered.
"No, I imagine not." Francis watched her with Xander for a moment. "Xander, do you think the glow is fading?"
"Maybe. Hang on, I'll just try switching the lights off," said Xander, jogging over to the switch.
"Oh. Yes, good idea," agreed Francis, watching Willow intently as Xander flipped the switch and plunged the room into darkness.
"So why are we working in the dark here, guys?"
Xander and Francis turned to see Buffy in the doorway.
"We err..." began Francis.
"... Snyder's gone," announced Buffy. "And we have to find him."
"Right. I suggest a diversion of our talents..."
"...or lack thereof," added Xander.
"Willow?" Francis nudged her lightly.
"Hmm?" she asked.
"We need to find Principal Snyder," Francis gently informed her.
"Oh. Oh! Right." Willow quickly woke herself up.
"Xander?"
"What? Oh, right. Research. I got it," Xander walked resignedly into the stacks.
"Look at it this way, Xand. We're out to get Snyder,"grinned Buffy.
* * *
"Hey! Guys?" called Willow. "I found something."
"What?" asked Buffy, glancing round to see Francis and Xander emerging from the stacks.
"Look at this. Snyder's been around for years, he must be over a hundred," exclaimed Willow.
"Man, that guy gets creepier. I didn't think it was possible, but I was wrong. Oh how wrong I was. Do you think he was an actual Nazi?"
"Xander, please be quiet." Francis stopped him. "Anything else, Willow?"
"Well, he's always around children..."
"... interesting," mused Francis.
"But do you have an address?" pressed Buffy. "Anywhere he might be found."
"Just a second," replied Willow, turning back to the computer. "Yes! Here it is." Willow pointed at the screen.
Buffy moved behind her. "Right, I'm on it. That little troll pushed me around for the last time," she announced, racing out of the library.
"But, Buffy..." began Willow. "He wants you to go to him."
"Oh boy," groaned Xander.
"Quite," agreed Francis.
Simultaneously, the three of them stood and went to follow her.
* * *
"Finally. I can't believe how long it took you, Summers. I thought you could sniff out a fight anywhere."
"Your odour must have put me off," countered Buffy.
"Fascinating. Come on then, Slayer. Let's see what you've got," Snyder took up a fighting stance.
"What're you doing? You can't fight me," exclaimed Buffy. "I'm the Slayer!"
"And I'm not," smiled Snyder.
Suddenly, the shape in front of Buffy changed shape, growing significantly. "Wha...?" whispered Buffy in shock.
"I'm something else," he sneered. "Come get me, Slayer."
"No problem," agreed Buffy, swinging her leg out to kick Snyder. He didn't react. Buffy altered her stance slightly, but continued to fight.
Snyder laughed. As Buffy kicked out again, he knocked her foot away, sending her flying to the ground. "You understand yet, Slayer?"
"Why don't you help me out?" gasped Buffy, getting up.
"Sure, you may as well see it coming. For once. I need you. You're the one who can make me carry on in my, shall we say, more pleasing form," answered Snyder.
"Great," groaned Buffy, attacking again.
Once again, Snyder knocked her to the ground, this time moving to hold her in place with a huge, stone-like, hand. "Finally I have you right where I want you," he smiled.
"Let her go," shouted Willow, bursting in on them.
"You're going to stop me? I don't think so. I'm immune, remember." Snyder glared at Willow.
"What're you doing, Will?" whispered Xander, from behind her.
"It's OK, trust me," she whispered back.
"You should test that theory," said Willow, trying to sound as mean as she could.
"Willow, no," groaned Buffy.
"I think a more cautious..." began Francis.
Willow replaced her hands, moving them strangely. "You think you can resist me? That was then..."
Snyder began to move towards her, leaving Buffy on the ground behind him. "You..."
"I don't like you threatening my friends," stated Willow.
Before everyone's eyes, Snyder began to shrink, his troll body slowly crushed beyond recognition. Finally, there was simply a small, tennis ball sized, rock.
Buffy picked it up, silently. Then, glancing at the others, she hurled it out of the window. "That felt good," she smiled.
"Will? We need to have a serious talk," gasped Xander, unable to believe what his best friend was now capable of.
Willow smiled and closed her eyes. Momentarily, Xander's feet left the ground.
"Wow," said Xander, suddenly lost for words.
"I guess this means we need another Principal," observed Buffy.
"We sure do get through them," grinned Xander.
"Let's hope the next one's an improvement," added Willow.
"I assume they'll send another Watcher too,"commented Francis.
"A new? Snyder?" Buffy's jaw dropped.
"B-but he was bad. He can't have been..." stammered Willow.
"Strangely, even authorities such as the Watcher's council can sometimes make mistakes. I recall my cousin swearing at their stupidity on several occasions." Francis turned to the others. "I suspect my time here is coming to an end."
"Ah, so you plan to run like a sissy girl," said Xander.
"Thank you, Xander," replied Francis levelly. "I'm sure Snyder's replacement will be equally glad of your help." Francis smiled to himself.
They began to walk back to the school library. "I wonder if the next Watcher will be big on tweed," mused Buffy.
"I'm thinking the tweed was a good thing... rather than Snyder, that is," suggested Willow.
"Y'know, Will. I think you're right," laughed Xander.
"Life on Hellmouth, you never know what's going to happen next," grinned Buffy.
"Oh my," groaned Francis. "I definitely need to go home."
* * *
"So Francis is really gone then?" asked Willow.
"He’s gone," confirmed Buffy sadly.
"So we’re thinkin’ new Watcher…" observed Xander, trying to lighten the mood.
"I’m having tweedy thoughts again," pouted Buffy. "I want Giles back. That whole thing with Snyder was way too icky."
"B-buffy?" stammered Willow, unable to believe her eyes.
Buffy’s jaw dropped slightly. "Giles? You’re alive? But…"
"… But I killed him," whispered Willow miserably.
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