A New Face Shows Up

"We need to try again," Xander argued.

"No," Giles said firmly. "The Sisters of Jhe was a **** circumstance. I don't know how you talked me into it with Faith. These are powerful magics. We should count ourselves lucky that it hasn't worked."

"But..."

"Under no circumstances will I..." Giles paused as the doors opened and Willow walked in.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked.

"Not at all, can I help you?"

"I know I have been distant. But...I heard about what happened with Faith," she said as she put a hand on Xander's arm to comfort him. "But I'm here."

"Thanks, but...not now," Xander said as he headed out of the library.

"Okay, later," she said as she turned back to Giles. "Could you update me on where we are with the Mayor? I know we've had our problems, but maybe you could use some tech help."

-

Xander opened the broom closet door and slowly peaked out. He glanced back to Cordelia who was putting her clothing back together. They had never progressed beyond the broom closet stage. Cordelia certainly wasn't going to make things official and have a sex tape shown in front of the school and ruin her reputation. But that didn't mean she wasn't up for some fun from time to time. It helped relieve the stress of being Queen of the School (a position she had never lost), and at the moment Xander just needed any kind of distraction.

"Xander, I've been looking for you."

Xander slammed the door shut. "Hi, I was just...who are you?"

"My name's Anya," she said as she introduced herself. "And I hear there is a spell that you are trying to cast. I think I can help."

-

Xander watched as Anya read the spell. Something was up with her, he could tell that. But he needed this spell. Things were breaking apart. Buffy and Angel relationship was obviously in trouble, Giles was cut off by the council, Wesley was useless, Cordelia was happy to just be the school queen, and Faith was...a big problem. That Willow might be ready to reconnect was the first good sign he'd had in a while. He didn't think she was ever going to get over the sex tapes, or Cordelia, or that Buffy and he had taken on a bigger role in the Slaying since Halloween without her.

He'd worry about that another time. He could tell the spell was working.

A woman appeared in front of him, "Wow, that was a good one."

He looked her over. "Wolfram and Heart."

She smiled back at him, "Yes, I see you've become well informed since...you know, it doesn't matter. The name is Eve. I'm just here to monitor and make judgements on the spell."

"I can't believe it worked this time," he said relieved.

She just smiled back at him, "You know how it works?"

"I do," he said, though he wasn't sure how he knew all of the particulars. "Faith..."

"No."

"What, I get to choose one."

"You don't get to choose the same subject twice."

It took him a moment, "The spell has always been working. None of us remember the changes."

"And you won't remember the this. But, no backing out now. The spell is already in play."

It didn't take Xander long to figure out what the most important thing after Faith was. "Mayor Wilkens..."

"Interesting," she said. "Here are your other two."

"Training and exercise..."

"Anya..."