Angelus (snitch's place)(that would be Willie, the snitch)

"So you little creep. Where are Buffy and her pack of do-gooders?"

Snitch (Willie): "Word has it...... {whisper, whisper whisper}"

Angelus: "Beautiful. I love the poetic justice."

Buffy (1) and crew:

Willow no. 1 starts running. She is really going crazy and is not totally comprehendible. She starts acting like no one has seen her act before. It seems that she is finially snapping from all of the pressure.

Buffy's arms are getting tired. < I may have super strength, but if we get out of this alive, I'm going to have to talk to Xander about going on a diet! > She's about to give out when Cordelia points out her stately home just ahead. They get to Cordy's car, and Buffy lays Xander in the back seat after Willow and Oz climb in. They hold him while Cordy drives. < I think she'd rather hold him, but I don't think she wants one of us driving her car. > "Get us there as fast as you can, Cordy."

Cordy's tires squeal as they pull into the driveway at the emergency room. Once Xander is safely in the hands of the doctors there, Buffy decides to take off. "I'd better see what Giles has come up with. Come when you can, ok?" She looks at the worried faces of her friends. "You guys stay with Xander. When he wakes up, he'll want to see you. Especially you," she finished, looking at Cordy. The brunette smiles weakly, then returns to her own thoughts.

Before she leaves, she pulls Oz aside. "Take this," she says, pressing a cross into his hand. "If Xander vamps out, use it until I get back." Buffy runs from the hospital to Giles' place. She worried about her friends and especially Xander and what he might do, but she needs the advice of her Watcher.

Cordy no. 2 is fighting for composure. She refuses to let anyone see her weakening. She keeps glancing toward the double door that Xander disappeared into. Her heart is on overdrive and she realizes her palms are sweating.

Oz can sense her fear and anxiety, and breaks from his pacing to place a hand on her shoulder. She looks up briefly and smiles wearily at him. Oz returns the smile, then returns to his pacing.

Xander no. 2 lies perfectly still on the operating table. He stops breathing. For ten full minutes he is out, then he feels a surge go through him, and slowly licks his lips. < Mmm >

Xand and Cordy 1's:

"Wait! Okay, wouldn't it be more logical for us to walk back to my house and THEN take a car to Giles' house?"

"Cordelia, have you ever heard of NO TIME, or perhaps the word PANIC?"

"Fine, YOU think of something, Mr. Brilliant one."

"As I said before, we should go and we should go on our feet. You know, those little things that go pitter patter pitter patter on Christmas morning... down the stairs and you find your Mother is kissing Santa Claus, who's not really your Dad, but actually the man from across the way..."

"Oh come on, stop going through your post-childhood Christmas memoirs and GET THINKING!"

"Well, ok, here's the idea..."

Giles' house:

Willow just stares at Drusilla and Spike. Her fear prevented her from moving. Her mouth was open in a mid-gasp. < Move Will, come on, you don't want those scary people to get you, come one, move > she tells herself. She looks at Buffy < I'll just do what she does > she compromises to herself.

Oz regains a sliver of consciousness and hears vaguely familiar British voices. He feels the comforting pressure of Willow's hand against his shoulder and tries to focus on what's going on.

Giles and Giles begin to stutter simultaneously. "Wh-what- how, but- it's still DAYTIME." One of them reaches for a book lying on the table and the other for a crossbow lying conveniently on the arm of another chair.

Buffy (2) swaggers over to them, staying just out of reach. "What are you doing here?" she wonders aloud, twirling a stake in her fingers. She wears a grin similar to that of the Cheshire cat. "And what my Watcher- uh, *Watchers* meant was, HOW?"

Spike wraps his arm around Dru's waist and calmly walks in the front door. This causes Buffy to falter in her attitude.

"How did you do that?!" she demanded, all her cockiness gone. She carefully positions herself between the vamps and her friends.