Title: Again, the Crimson Road (2/??) Author: Tim Williams Rating: TV-14 or so. Violence, adult situations, etc. Pairing: Buffy/Xander, a few hints at others Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, etc. Even the ideas are probably things I've read and half forgotten. Joss owns Buffy, Xander, and crew. Any other characters are owned by someone else entirely. Distribution: Take my fanfic! Please! Also try, if you're looking for past parts, etc. http://www.angelfire.com/tn/twillia/buffy/bufindex.html (updated through WTCR 4). Feedback: I'm definitely looking for feedback, in the worst way. Anything you can tell me, even if it's just "I read it." is wonderful. Spoilers: Some general stuff. Season 1, heavily, mentions of Season 4 (nothing important, I wouldn't think, besides Adam). Summary: Sequel to Carve the Crimson Road and Walk the Crimson Road. It got into Xander's hand and things went bad. Xander ha(s/d) a magical disk implanted in his left wrist, which turns out to be an elemental weapon capable of forming tendrils and weapons from metal. Think Terminator 2 but more so. Now they (Buffy and Xander) have just stepped into a space/time rift that was tuned under a great deal of stress by someone who's only done it a couple of times before (if at all). Good luck, folks! Author's Notice: Well, it's the dawn of a new day, new part, etc. I know that the general idea (maybe) of some of this stuff was just recently done, and done pretty well, by another author on this list, but... it's one of the top ten most used scenarios for fan fiction (of most all sorts, it's kind of what I did in a Sailor Moon fic a couple years ago), so I'm doing it anyway. But I believe the characters will be making more mistakes in my version ;) Or maybe not. I'm borrowing a bit from the original in this. Some lines, especially those of characters besides Buffy and Xander are not changed much. Also, thanks to everyone who's read this and my other parts, and especially those of you who mailed me feedback :) Your contact is much appreciated. Two parts in one night... well, one of them was quite a bit short and the other wasn't huge, but still... I neglected my final report for Power in order to do this, so... hope it's enjoyed ;) *** "... And that's all I remember." I stared at him, not quite believing it. "He was using me as a battery?" He nodded. Have I ever mentioned that I really, really hate ex-boyfriends who turn evil? I mean, REALLY. We hadn't made it as far as the library, instead slipping into a broom closet for a little umm... private time. Alright, I'll be the first to admit that I make a lot of decisions with my hormones. My track record certainly shows it. But it's not like the world was ending. A bit of kissing after being apart from a while is reasonable. I think. Okay, I never lied to myself about why I'm with Xander. It started out as a big hormone induced mistake. Then, I got scared and clung to him out of fear of loosing one of my best friends. Don't get me wrong, I love him. At least, I think I do. It's hard to tell sometimes. Especially when there's friendly love there, too. Anyway, we were apart for a while after the Initiative got me. Most of the time I was only semi-conscious, but sometimes... Riley was in Adam's body and being controlled by something else entirely. It was frightening. He was... evil. He did things... I don't want to remember. Then Xander saved me. At least, that's what he says happened. Anya brought some people who helped him find Adam and he killed him again. But there was something else. Before he died, he turned on a machine that was going to suck out my life in order to rip apart the universe or something. To stop it, we had to jump into the hole in the world the machine had created. Well, I had to go into the hole... he didn't. But he followed me in, anyway. It's hard NOT to love him. There was a bit more kissing before we realized that classes had already started. *** "Buffy Summers, sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting record, quite a career..." I really hate being stuck in this rewind. How he's going to tear up my transcript. "Welcome to Sunnydale! A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper, even if it says... Whoa." Now the bastard's going to tape it back together and look at me like I'm some sort of psychopath. "I know it looks a little colorful..." "Heeey... We're not caring about that. Do you think, uh, "colorful" is the word? Not, uh, "dismal"?" I didn't say anything, knowing it to be useless. "And I hear that you were quite tardy to your first class this morning. Not a good way to start with your clean slate, Miss Summers." "I'm sorry..." I mumbled. I wasn't. Not really. *** It had been a little odd, seeing the library intact again. I mean, the last time I was there, it was little more than a scorched hole in the ground with a gaping Hellmouth in the corner. I let the door swing back behind me as I walked out, having just reintroduced myself to Giles. I played it as close as I could to memory. Xander and I had reached the decision to keep things as close to history as possible. Well, it certainly seemed like a more sound idea than hauling off and changing things. If we let things flow at least mostly like they had before, we could predict what was going to happen next and change it. Alright, so that plan wouldn't work forever, but it sounded like the best option for now. Of course, it had been four years since then, and my memory wasn't perfect. I kept getting the feeling that I was forgetting something important. *** "Mmpfh." Xander and I were having another one of our "meetings" in the closet. Finally, we pulled apart enough to talk. I'll admit it, neither one of us is big on willpower. "So... what do we know?" He was looking at me with those big dark eyes and it took all of my self control to get the answer out. "Nothing odd, I don't think. Except for the fact that we woke up fifteen this morning." "How did the meeting with the Watcher go?" "As close to the original as I could remember." "So... what now?" "I'm thinking we make out for another few minutes." "I second the motion, meeting adjourned." We were back in each others arms in seconds. And no, we didn't make it to the next class on time, either. *** I didn't have any trouble finding Willow at lunch. I knew she was going to be one of the most delicate situations around. I mean, she's still totally in love with Xander at this point. She might not take it well. "Excuse me, you're Willow, right?" She looked up, and there was a brief flash of panic across her face. "Why?" She heard herself say it and realized it made her sound weird. "I-I mean... Hi! Uh, did you want me to move?" "No, not really. Mind if I sit?" "S-sure... but aren't you hanging out with Cordelia." "I think "hanging out" is a bit on the strong side. I think she's trying to size me up for induction into whatever cult she's in." Willow smiled weakly. "Annnnyway. Can I ask you a favor?" She nodded tentatively. "Well, I want to get by here, new school, and all, but I kinna don't think I'm quite at the right place and all. I mean, I need catching up, help, you, from?" I should have rehearsed more. Acting is harder than it looks. "Umm... you want study help?" "Yes, please." "Oh, I can totally help you out. If you have sixth period free, we could meet in the library." "That sounds okay." Xander and Jesse took that cue to arrive, Xander crouching behind me on the low wall we were sitting on and Jesse stopping in front of us. I felt his hand brush my back and shivered, a smile reaching my face. I realized that we were trying to play it low key and glanced sidelong at Willow. If she'd noticed the exchange, she wasn't showing any sign of it. I guess I was overreacting. "We're not interrupting, are we?" Xander was breathing toward me, I could just barely feel his breath brushing on my neck. I admit it. I have a one track mind and an overactive libido. So, sue me. "Not at all." Willow looked blissfully ignorant, thank God. "Hey." "Hey there." Jesse? I barely remember him. I only met him like three times and one of those he was all fangy faced. "Buffy, this is Jesse," she indicated him, "and that is Xander." "We already met," Xander said, grinning. I smiled warmly, trying to hide my nervousness. "Nice to meet you guys. I think." "Well, you know, we just wanted to welcome yah," Jesse chimed in, "Make you feel at home. You know, unless your home is a scary place." "Well," Xander clapped his hands together and rubbed them together. "Tell us what you like, what do you do for fun, what do you look for in a man, all the details, let's hear ‘em." "Um..." "If you have any dark, painful secrets you'd like to get published, we're more than happy to hear those, too." Jesse said, grinning widely. "Gee... chocolate, whatever teenagers do around here, tall dark and handsome, and no, no secrets to be published." Xander smiled oddly. "Tall dark and handsome... so, what time shall I pick you up?" I boggled at him. Much the same expression Willow was directing at the two of us. I laughed nervously and Xander cleared his throat and patted my back. "Joking. See me, making jokes?" "Is it just me," Jesse asked, "or are you turning into a total blithering idiot?" "Oh, it's not you." "I didn't think so."