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FEEDBACK: Any comments would be appreciated. SPOILER: Would be better if you have seen from Phases on in the second season. DISCLAIMER: The characters of this story and any other references to Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the property of it's creater Joss Whedon,and it's owners Mutant Enemy productions, Kuzui Productions, Sandollar Productions, and 20th Century Fox. In other words, these characters do not belong to me, and I am just borrowing them to explore my creative side. AUTHOR's NOTE: Please be kind this is my first attempt at fanfic. Please read on...

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Buffy awoke with a jolt from her alarm clock that she had put out of reach last nite as part of her new "get a jump on the day" plan, which in the light of day seemed more like "a pain in the butt" plan. Reluctantly she pushed back the covers and put her feet on the floor. She stretched and yawned and raised up to standing position letting her warm sleepy feeling sink back into her bed. She turned off the nagging alarm clock with one quick blow and headed for the shower. Once in the shower she hummed the latest Sarah McLachlan tune which she couldn't remember the title of and thought about the day she had ahead of her. Mmmm...she thought. Willow will spend the entire day babbling on and on about how cool Oz is and well, Buffy had to admit to herself that he was kinda cool and she was a little jealous of her brainy friend's boyfriend. Giles would lecture her again on how important it was for her to start training in the morning and then get lost in his own thoughts and forget she was even in the library. On the other hand there was Xander, what should she do about that little demon, she laughed to herself as she got out of the shower. She then quickly headed back to her room and finished getting ready. She was excited to show Willow her new black leather boots that went so well with all of her clothes and made her legs look even thinner than they already looked. After glancing at herself in the mirror she put on her sunglasses and headed downstairs for a quick glass of orange juice and out the door into reality she went.

Buffy arrived at school just in time to find Giles searching the halls for the slayer. Just once she thought it might be nice to just slip into class and not have to go directly to the library to inform Giles of the night before's hunt, but she knew that she should be glad she had someone like Giles looking out for her.

She snuck up behind Giles and said, "Where have you been? I've been to the library several times and you were no where to be found? You know if it we're up to me we would already be half way through the vamp report and have plenty of time left for the latest version of Guess Who's Trying To Take Over The World or at least Sunnydale now? Tsk, tsk...naughty librarian."

"Are you about through with your witty remarks? Shall we get on with the task at hand? You really should take your duty much more seriously Buffy." Giles obviously was in no mood for Buffy's teenage antics this morning and he started walking towards the library.

"Geez, he needs to start using less starch and more fabric softener..." Buffy replied under her breath and then followed him into Demon Headquarters aka the library.

Upon entering the library Giles and Buffy were greeted by the rest of the Scooby gang. They all said their hellos and then Giles continued on with business as usual...

"Am,um...Buffy did you notice anything unusual on last night's patrol? Anything at all. And Xander please, for the tenth time this week, please take your feet off the table." He looked over at Xander with some disgust at the boy's lack of proper conduct, but then softened when he saw that the boy was quickly removing his feet and sitting up in his chair.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Actually, now that I think about it, nothing at all. It was quiet as a mouse out there last night. Actually, it was even quieter than that... I am rethinking this mouse thing and I think that sometimes they can make a lot of noise, especially if they are running across a hard wood floor and ..." Buffy was then interrupted by Giles.

"Buffy. Enough with the mouse metaphor. What about your patrol? Are you saying that there was no activity at all?"

"Nope. It was just me sitting around in a graveyard hearing nothing but my own breathing patterns. The graveyard didn't even have that dead quiet feeling, it was sorta a calm feeling now that I think back to it." Buffy contemplated.

"That's it. You've gone and done it again Daphne. You're not only beautiful, but you've cracked the case wide open. The Hellmouth is missing." Xander said sarcastically, and then turned to Willow and continued, "Well, Thelma looks like it's time for you and Fred..." at that Xander glances over at Giles, "to hit the books." Willow and Buffy laughed, but as usual their humour was lost on poor Giles.

"Although it is beyond me exactly what young Mr. Harris is jabbering on about I think he is right about the Hellmouth."

"What it's just missing? What do you mean? It didn't just get up and walk away." Buffy replied.

"No Buffy, what I mean to say is that Xander is right in accessing the fact that the Hellmouth vibe as you kids like to refer to it as has gone on a hiatus and that is not of the norm. In fact I was reading in one of the Watcher journals last night about how this happened once before to a Riley O'Keefe and his slayer Josephine in 1821 I believe... actually I have the journal here someplace....." and with that he faded out as he went into the stacks to find the journal of which he spoke.

"Well, Willow you win again. It took him exactly 9 minutes to go off to the stacks. That's the third time this month that you guessed exactly right. I think you may have some secret powers of your own developing. Anyway...who's up for The Bronze tonight?" Xander glanced over at the girls for a response and found that they were already in a whispered discussion of their own. "Emmm...Emmm...excuse me. Ladies, there is another person in the room?"

"Sorry Xan. Just some gal chit chat about a certain guitar playing werewolf that we all know and love." Buffy responded.

"Not all of us are in love with the great and powerful Oz." Xander stated matter a factly.

"Why don't you like Oz?" Willow asked in a very gentle and obviously hurt voice.

Xander feeling bad said, "Just kidding Willow, but you know he and I aren't like amigos or pals or whatever. He is part of that whole I'm cool group while as my girlfriend will gladly let you know I am not."

"So now you're calling Cordy your girlfriend, eh? Big step. So are you guys super serious now, or still just classic closet partners?" Buffy asked in a rather cool tone.

"Well...um...she's not well...I just...Hey Giles what's taking so long with finding that journal? Don't we have some research or something to do?" Xander changed the subject much to Buffy's disappointment. Ever since the night at the funeral home when Xander comforted her and then they had that moment when their eyes met and ...

"Buffy. Buffy!" Giles said a little more loudly to catch Buffy's attention.

"Ah...Yeah...Slayer here and alert. So what's the dirt?" Buffy came back into reality.

"You're a poet and you don't know it." chuckled an easily amused Willow.

"Ah, yes. Here it is. The journal states that Riley O'Keefe and Josephine were pleased by the unexpected peace, but that they were..." Giles trailed off with a look of panic on his face.

"They were what? C'mon Giles don't hold out on us now." Buffy demanded.

"Well, ah, it seems that they were, ummm, ahh...." at that moment Cordelia walked in to hear Giles finish by saying, "decapitated."

"Ewwwww. Don't you people ever talk about fashion or music or whatever?" Cordelia remarked.

"Well, sometimes we do discuss why you are always late, but then again you are always late so you always miss that conversation." Xander retorted snidely.

"Good to see you too, dear." barked back Cordelia.

"I was just kidding, man, can't you take a joke and anyway..." Xander was off and running at the mouth yet again.

"Could you two save this fight or foreplay or whatever until after we find out whether or not Giles and Buffy are destined to lose their heads or not." Willow said to the shocked couple and then turned her attention back to Giles and Buffy.

Buffy's hand went immediately to her throat and she looked with fear at Giles for him to contradict her friend. "Well, Giles, are we? Going to get decapitated, I mean."

"It says here that a force like no other presented itself in the form of it's own choosing and befriended the two in order to gain an opportunity to dispose of them and continue on with it's rein of terror. In the end the only people left alive were the new slayer, the new Watcher and a local sorcerer who together concocted a spell in order to bind the demon, but they were not sure if it the spell would last forever." Giles then lifted his head from the book and look gravely at Buffy and the rest of the gang.

"Can I just say one thing? GULP!" Xander said looking at Buffy with concern. Perhaps a little too much concern because Cordelia slugged him on the shoulder and responded with a quick, "Stare much?!"

Luckily for Xander, Willow after much thought spoke, "Just because it was quiet last night doesn't necessarily mean that you two are in danger. It could have just been a fluke or something else, couldn't it have been Giles?" Willow looked hopefully at the Watcher.

"I suppose Buffy that Willow may be right. There is no need to panic as of yet, but please be a little bit more alert when dealing with anyone new and while on patrol tonight. That goes for all of us. We need to be suspicious of all around us."

"Great now I can become the paranoid and unpopular guy. That's just what my image needed." said Xander.

"Don't worry, no one will notice." Cordelia replied.

"Xander don't worry we still love you." said Buffy quickly to console her friend and then realized that maybe she said that a little too quickly because both Willow and Cordelia were looking rather closely at her. She continued, "Well...it's off to class for us or else I know who will have my head. Snyder, that little...." Buffy was interrupted by hearing someone clearing their throat and Xander's eyes popping out of this head.

"Did I say little, I meant, big role model of whom I admire and well I..."

"Drop the act Summers and get your behind to class and take your friends with you." Synder barked and then left the library.

"Am, ummmm, yes, you should all go to class and then report back here at lunch." was all that Giles could say and with that the gang reluctantly headed off to their latest doom - English class with Ms. Caldwell who if you looked at directly resembled the wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz.

Once in class Buffy's usual daydreaming was interrupted by Ms. Caldwell introducing a new student, a studly student. "Students let me introduce the newest member of our class, his name is John O'Reily and he will be joining us for the rest of the school year."

Buffy looked over at Willow who was doodling a heart with her and Oz's name on her binder and whispered, "Psst...Willow...take a look at the latest arrival to Sunnydale High. On a scale of one to ten I give him a 15!"

Willow giggled and responded, "He is cute. You should welcome him to the neighbourhood and ask him to come meet us at The Bronze!"

"Yeah...I've always wanted to be part of the welcome wagon and let me tell you he is definitely welcome." was Buffy's response before the teacher called them to attention and started discussing their new assignment on the tragic hero of Great Expectations. Buffy didn't want to be too hopeful but she too had some great expectations. She struggled to pay attention to Ms. Caldwell as she read a passage from the Dicken's novel, but her eyes kept roaming over to steal glances of the new guy. He was so good looking. His dark hair and eyes and great body were all part of this great package. Maybe Willow was right, maybe after class she should just go up and introduce herself. And right after that thought the bell rang. She had been paying so much attention to John that she had lost track of time and class was now over. So... she thought to herself...Why not ask him out? If I am going to lose my head, I might as well completely lose it. She then got out of her seat, gathered her books and headed for John.

"Ah, yeah, hi...my name's Buffy and well...I know how hard it can be the new person at school and I was just wondering if we could, I mean if you wanted to hang out with a bunch of us tonight at the only semi-cool place in town, The Bronze." Buffy smiled and waited for his reply.

"Sure. I'd love to. That sounds great." John replied with a toothy grin and then walked off to his next class.

Buffy stood there for a moment and took in what she had just done. It was the first girl/guy thing she had done since well, since Angel and she was now feeling a little guilty.

"Will, was that the right thing to do? Should I have asked him out just like that?" Buffy asked Willow in the school cafeteria line. Only before Willow could respond Xander interrupted with, "Ask who out?"

"Buffy asked out the new local cutie..." and then an arm came around her waist as Oz responded with, "The new local cutie, eh? I guess I've lost my charm already."

Willow and Buffy giggled and then Willow said,"By cutie, I mean by Buffy standards not mine, because well I wouldn't know because I'm not even looking around anymore."

"Good answer. Quick save.", Oz said before leaning over to give Willow a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Anyway...if you two are done making out in the lunch line could we return to the real question at hand and that would be who is this so-called cutie?" Xander asked with some anxiousness in his voice.

"Well...his name is John and he is so good looking that English class only seemed to take 3 minutes as opposed to it's usual 3 days and well upon Willow's suggestion, I asked him to join us at The Bronze tonight and well...he accepted." was Buffy's bubbly response.

"Great. That sounds just great." Xander said Well, I'm headed to the library to see Giles as instructed. Anyone care to join me or are you starting your own We Love John Fanclub?" and with that Xander grabbed his tray and headed off to the library.

"What's his problem? I thought he and Queen Cordelia were still holding court together?" asked a confused Oz.

"They are, but you know he kinda has feelings for Buffy still." Willow quickly responded and then the two of them left for the library leaving a surprised Buffy standing in the line. What did Willow mean by still have feelings for her? Buffy was confused and curious to find out more so she too headed for the library.

Once everyone was seated, Giles came out of his office and started in, "Ah...good, you're all here. This concerns all of us so we should now discuss the situation."

"What situation? Could I buy a vowel?" asked Oz.

Cordelia drew in a big breath and blurted out, "Well...see there is this prophecy kinda thing and it states that Buffy and Giles will get their heads chopped off and then the rest of us will die in a big demon type mess thing."

"I understand much more now. Thanks Cordelia." Oz replied sarcastically and then turned to Willow, "Do you mind interpreting what she just said?"

Willow and the gang took the next few minutes filling Oz in and then he was up to speed and ready to learn more.

Giles continued, "So...as I was saying that we should all be extra careful of those we hang out with and don't turn your back on anyone. Well...I guess that's all for now. Just be careful and well use discretion. Ah, Willow would you be willing to fire up that computer of your's and do some research on any and all criminal behaviour surrounding Sunnydale after school?"

After a quick disappointed look at Oz she responded, "Sure." She wasn't exactly pleased to be investigating because it was the only day that week that Oz didn't have band practice and she thought maybe they could have some alone time and maybe...

"I can help too Giles." Oz interrupted Willow's thoughts and made her smile.

"Great. Then it's agreed. After school the three of us will research and perhaps later tonight Cordelia and Xander, you could help Buffy do a quick patrol of the graveyard."

Buffy was not overly impressed with the idea of spending time with Cordelia and Xander together, but she agreed that it would be better to have backup in case any of this prophecy came true. The gang went back to class and then after school it was back to solving the latest Sunnydale mystery.

Time past quickly as Oz and Willow searched the internet for any signs of paranormal idea and as they stole quick kisses when Giles wasn't looking. Willow and Oz decided that book research may be the right answer so they started helping Giles go through the archives. It was getting late and Willow was anxious to get to The Bronze so she could see if Buffy and the new guy had any sparks, but then thought maybe it would be better if she and Oz were late because it would give Buffy and John some alone time. Willow hoped that they would hit it off because she was worried about Buffy being all alone, especially now that she had Oz and that Xander had (yick!) Cordelia. Willow forced herself to get back to the books and occasionally she stole glances of Oz who was so sweet for wanting to help her and her friends.

Now at The Bronze, Buffy was getting anxious because she was the only one so far who had shown up and she was nervous about spending time with John. She had gone to the mall after dinner with her mom and convinced her mother to buy her a new sundress. She was just starting to think about leaving when John walked over to the table, "John. You made it. That's great. My friends seem to be running late so I guess you're stuck with just me."

"I don't think of it so much as being stuck, but more of it being a twist of fate that has brought us together." was John's smooth reply.

Something about his choice of words made Buffy uncomfortable, but not for long because as soon as he smiled and asked her to dance she forgot all about it.

Cordelia and Xander were on patrol in the graveyard, but because there wasn't anything going on they started to kiss. But then Xander stopped due to an eerie feeling he was having.

"What's your damage?" Cordelia snapped.

"Nothing. It's just that well, we are in a graveyard and man, shouldn't we go to The Bronze and check things out there."

"Don't you mean, shouldn't we go to The Bronze and check out Buffy's date?"

"No. I just mean that well wouldn't it be more fun than being here."

"Anything would be more fun than being around you while you obsess about your precious Buffy. Come on let's go."

The bickering couple entered The Bronze just as Buffy and John were walking on to the dance floor. Buffy was looking up into John's eyes and smiling. Xander was obviously not in the mood to watch Buffy go after yet another guy that wasn't himself.

"Let's get out of here. It looks dead."

"No. I want to stay and have a latte. Go get us a table, I'll be right back." and with that Cordelia was off to fetch her latte and to gossip with Harmony and her other stuck up friends.

While on the dance floor Buffy could feel someone watching her, she turned and saw Xander staring at her, but as soon as he noticed her noticing he looked away. Buffy wasn't sure, but from where she was dancing it looked like Xander was blushing because she caught him looking at her. Buffy suggested to John that they take a break from dancing, but he said, "Just one more slow song." and smiled. They continued to dance.

Back at the library, Willow was becoming frustrated that they weren't finding anything. Giles was pacing back and forth like an expectant father with the Watcher journal in his hands and Oz had fallen asleep in one of the chairs. Willow said softly so she wouldn't wake Oz, "Giles. Maybe we aren't finding anything, because maybe there isn't anything to find."

"Maybe you're right Willow." and with that he sat down at the table and placed down the journal with a jolt and it bounced open to a page with a picture of a young man.

"Oh my god...That's John." Willow said loudly enough to wake Oz.

"What do you mean? That man is the Watcher I was telling you all about his name is Riley O'Keefe." asked a confused Giles.

"No. That is a picture of the guy, the cutie, you know the guy that Buffy and I told you about." she said looking over at Oz and then back to Giles, "She's in danger Giles. He's not a real kid. He's the demon who has taken on the form of Riley O'Keefe and is now posing as John Riley, Sunnydale High's answer to date night! Come on we need to get to The Bronze and warn her." Willow said and grabbed her coat and headed for the door with Oz and Giles in tow.

Back at The Bronze Cordelia's frustration in Xander's obvious interest in Buffy had finally come to a breaking point. She stomped over to Xander's side and said, "You know it's bad enough that I am dating such a lameo, but do you have to drool after Buffy in public now too. I mean could you be more rude?"

Snapping his head around to see Cordelia's red with anger face Xander quickly tried to cover by saying, "There is something about that guy that bothers me. I wasn't looking at Buffy, I was looking at well, her date."

Just then Xander and Cordelia noticed that Buffy was walking out of The Bronze arm in arm with John. Both were a little shocked by Buffy's sudden interest in the new guy especially after how cautious she had been since the whole Angel situation. After Buffy and John left, Cordelia continued on telling Xander how much he didn't appreciate her and how she could do much better than him. To everyone in the general area's surprise Xander responded, "Well, then do better. I've had enough of you and your attitude. If you think me being concerned about my friends is too much to handle than you should just move on to the next sucker in line 'cause sister I've had with you too." Cordelia stood silent for a moment, and right as she was ready to blast Xander Harris for being so cruel in ran Willow, Oz and Giles looking worried and yelling, "Where's Buffy?"

"She went for a stroll down lover's lane with the new superstar John." replied Xander dryly.

"What??? Where did they go Xander, it's important? John is the demon!" said Willow in a rushed and angered tone.

A stunned Xander responded, "I don't know where they went she left with John and didn't even say goodbye. My god...I was right. There was something weird about that guy."

"This is no time for I told you so's Xander, we must find Buffy before....well just before. Now what will be our plan for finding her?" said an obviously panicked Giles to the slayer's friends.

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