Disclaimer of the first page of Fic


Part 6

Buffy has run into Xander and he attempts to romance her into his arms yet again. But her mind is only focused on one thing:Angel.

"Why do you throw away one who loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on one who could give you the truest of love?" Xander asked Buffy as she walked away from him. Her eyes scanning the woods for a small trace of Angel.

"Why should I not curse you? You may be possible for my pain. For my Angel is missing and if you have slain him in his sleep and hidden his body from me, I ask that you take the same sword that took his life and take mine as well. For I will no longer live on this earth without him." Buffy pouted as she continued through the dank woods, Xander close behind her.

"I did not kill thy Angel. It is but you who kills me. I love you and you push me away. It makes my heart bleed." he answered truthfully.

Buffy sighed and looked at Xander with annoyance. It was not that he was not attractive, for he was indeed and she often wondered what it would be like to be locked in his dark embrace.

However, he offered himself too easily and gave her no challenge. Angel seemed at one point to not see her at all.

That made him worthy of chasing, but now that she had him, she was sure that she DID love him. Pretty sure anyway.

"Do you know where my Angel is? Ah, good Xander, wilt thou give him to me?"

Xander scowled, "I had rather give his carcass to my hounds."

Buffy glared at him and in a full rage punched his chest harshly, "Out, dog! Out, cur! Thou drivest me past the bounds of maiden's patience. Hast thou slain him, then? O, once tell true, tell true, even for my sake! Durst thou have look'd upon him being awake, And hast thou kill'd him sleeping?"

Xander sighed and shook his head, "I am not guilty of Angel's blood; Nor is he dead, for aught that I can tell."

Buffy sighed in relief, "Well, have you at least seen him then? If you have, please tell me."

Xander gave a sly grin, "And if I do, what do I get?"

Buffy scratched her head, "I do not know."

Xander loomed towards her, "Perhaps a kiss?"

He grabbed her then and forced down his lips on hers. His tongue plunging into her mouth without mercy. Buffy opened her mouth to scream but all that did was give him more access to her mouth and allow him to ravish her more.  Buffy fought against him viciously at first but soon her fights faded and she melted into his arms, her fingernails clawing into his arms.  Who knew he could kiss so well?  His hands drove into the blonde depths of her hair and held her softly as his kisses became more gentle.  Buffy realized she was moaning against him and in horror pushed Xander away.

They were both breathless and then she slapped him hard across the face as was only lady like and stormed off.

However, Xander held a smile on his face and settled down on the ground, his mouth still buzzing from kissing hers.  "There is no following her in this fierce vein:Here therefore for a while I will remain."  He lay on the ground and was soon asleep.

Unknown to him, Giles and Spike had witness his exchange with Buffy and Giles turned to Spike, "What hast thou done?! You hast mistaken quite and laid the love-juice on some true-love's sight! For the man who lies here should be in love with the red-haired maid and not the blonde!"

"So?" Spike asked annoyed. He hated having to figure out love.

"So? SO! Now this man is still in love with the blonde and the blonde's true love, this Angel, is now probably after the red-haired maid! We must fix this!" Giles roared.

"You know, I don't need you ordering me around." Spike sneered.

Giles glared at Spike.

Spike sighed and held up his hands, "Okay, okay, I'll go get the red head and you take care of the dark haired childe. I go; I go see how I go."

Spike left and Giles sighed. He knew that Spike was the type who would work for no one. He only did so for Giles because he knew that Giles had more power in fairy magic than even him. He WAS king after all.

Giles reached into pocket and removed the same flower he had used on Cordelia earlier this evening and tiptoed over to Xander.  He spread the liquid on Xander's lids and whispered, "Flower of this deep red dye, Hit with Cupid's archery, Sink in apple of his eye.  When his love he doth espy, Let her shine as gloriously As the Venus of the sky.  When thou wakest, if she be by, Beg of her for remedy."

~*~

Elsewhere in the wood...

"Xander?" Willow called out. Angel looking at her with lovesick eyes.

"Why do you call him? What has he done to deserve you?"

Willow turned to Angel infuriated, "Would you stop playing this game?"

"There is no game I play, fair Willow. I do love thee."

Willow snorted, "No one loves Willow, Rosenburg's wretch daughter."

Angel took her hand, "Never call yourself a wretch! Why do you put yourself down so?"

Willow looked down at her hand joined with Angel's and blushed a red as dark as her hair, "Tell me, good sir.  Why I should hold myself highly?  For I am not a beauteous or strong maiden like fair Buffy, who you have conveniently fallen out of love with.  No man has ever wished my company except sweet Xander.  He did love me once or said he did.  Perhaps he is like you, and fickle in the love department.  Perhaps all men are that way; hmm?  Changing their minds as to who their hearts belong to all the time. Then again, they are inclined to be lead around by their-um-swords." she giggled at her terminology, unable to say the organ in question but then a thought dawned on her and she pulled her hand from Angel's, her face cold.  "If that's what this is about, if you now 'love' me because Buffy has cast you from her bed and now you wish to warm mine, you may forget it! Despite what people of Sunnydale may say or not, I am no whore."

"If any man has called you a whore, their tongue I shall rip from their head!" Angel growled and he reached out cupping her face, "I do not pretend to love you, play a game with you, or wish simply to have your body despite
what a beautiful body it is. I desire what's in here." he said pointing to where her heart is, "For you have mine and with yours, we have a pair."

Willow let a tiny smile creep on her face but she pushed him away, "Sweet words and I do wish I could believe them. But have you forgotten that I have been romanced before? Xander said similar things and now he desires Buffy.   No, no I say again that you lie to me."

Willow walked farther into the woods and came to the same section of the woods where Xander slept on the ground. She did not see him however nor did she see Giles who saw her wide-eyed.

Spike, who had just saw Willow and Angel farther in the wood and through magic had led them to here, landed near Giles, "Am I good or what? I found Willow here at hand; in the woods not far from here with the youth, mistook by me, pleading for a lover's fee. I lead them here to where Xander lies and where I knew you'd still be.
Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be!"

Giles glared at Spike, "You are enjoying this misplaced love mischief aren't you?"

"Hell, yeah!"  Spike laughed.

Giles rolled his eyes, "Stand aside: the noise they make Will cause Xander to awake. When he sees Willow, he will fall for her. Then you and I will work fast to make Angel fall back for Buffy again."

Spike frowned as he looked at Xander, "I don't like this.  I don't think that boy deserves the fair maid Willow."

"Neither do I." Giles muttered in agreement.

Willow stood not hearing nor seeing Giles and Spike and looking around as Angel spoke again.

"It is me then? Do I not appeal to your eye?" Angel asked and looked down.

Willow couldn't help but laugh, "Are you joking good, sir? Yours is one of the most handsomest faces I have laid eyes on! Even more so, then my Xander I'll admit. But I just can not believe the words you say. You see, I am not a lovely maid, as I have all ready pointed out to you. You, are a handsome man of virtue, the kind that deserves what you have or had with the gorgeous Buffy. I can not believe that you would switch in Buffy for me."

"I would, I would a thousand times I would. You are a goddess compared to Buffy. You are the sun and moon in my sky, you set my blood afire with your words and your eyes sear my very soul. To have you in my arms would feel as if owning the heavens. I love you sweet, sweet Willow and I need you to believe me for I swear that I shall die without you in my life to give me warmth."

There was a silence and Willow took a seat on a flat rock, over looking the moonlit sky.

"So many stars." she whispered.

Angel found a rare flower on the ground, it's orange red color matching Willow's thin cotton dress and he handed it to her, "A weak token of love, I assure you. But it is all I have."

Willow looked from him to the small flower and couldn't help but let another smile creep on her face, she took the flower, "Thank you."

Angel took a seat next to her on the rock and asked gently, "Tell me maid for I have yet to recieve a good answer. Why do you throw yourself down so? And why do you resign yourself to Xander alone? Tell me, for whatever he does to capture your heart I shall try to do as well."

Willow looked at him, twirling the flower's stem in her hands, her eyes liquid, "He does nothing special. As a matter of fact he has done nothing at all except at one point look at me as you do now. I give myself to Xander
because no one else shall have me or has asked of me. I run to him because I know he cared for me once and I hope I can get him to have those feelings again. If I lose him, I shall have no one. For I myself am no one."

"That is not true nor will it ever be! You are the innocent, beautiful Willow, who is filled with so much strength and wisdom it brings tears to my eyes. I can't even express what affection in me you move with words, I-"
Angel decided not to show her with words, but instead reached a hand out and caressed her face.

Willow gasped and thought to push his hand away but his feather light touches felt so good. it had been SO long, too long since a man had given her words of love, tokens of affection, and touched her gently that she felt she may weep.

Angel edged closer to her and licked his lips, before setting his lips on top of hers. He moved his lips across her so softly, tenderly. He was so cold and she felt so hot at the moment that she couldn't help but sigh in relief. Her
mouth opened slowly for this sigh and Angel's tongue darted out, slipping between her lips and making her let out a gasp, one of shock and also arousal as he began to explore her mouth.

His hands had manged to find their way into her hair and he pulled her closer to him, almost pulling her body onto his lap as he kissed her with a sweet heating passion.

Willow had been holding back so far but her body was screaming at her to respond and shyly, tentatively she let her tongue brush against his.

Angel groaned low in his throat which encouraged her to continue to kiss him back. The flower he had given her dropped from her fingers as she let her hands rest on his shoulders and began to kiss him back with what very little knowledge of kissing she knew. Most of it on instinct.

Instinct, however, was dead on and Angel couldn't help but growl against her lips, "Christ! What are you doing to me?"

Willow was pleased that she could affect him so and wrapped her arms around his neck, one of her hands playing with the ends of his dark hair and she kissed him back with all she had in herself.  Angel returned the kiss, feeling as if she was burning him alive.

The kiss that had started so gentle and innocent became a raging inferno of heat and need. Willow hadn't been kissed for so long and Angel loved her so that they threw themselves heartily into the task of kissing each other.
Angel's hands left her hair and swept along her shoulders and her sides and her waist until she was trembling and his lips finally tore from hers to run along her neck.

Willow shivered when he let his tongue reach out and trace the shell of her ear and she pushed him away, "My lord this can not continue."

Angel's breath came out ragged and he did not want to stop in the least. His kiss had started gentle to prove his love but now his love had turned to passion and was driving him mad. He let out a shaky breath to relax. She was
right, this was not the place for such things. When he had his first time with her he wanted it to be in a place of such beauty that the only thing that could best it was her face. He wanted it to be sweet smelling and oh so
perfect that she forgot Xander forever.

So, he nodded, "My lady is right. We shall stop."

Willow grinned and she couldn't help but touch his face, "Quite the kisser you are."

"Better than Xander?" he asked hopefully and she could not deny him.

"Far better. Buffy is or rather was lucky."

"And now you are lucky. I ask you, I beg you, Willow to rethink all and consider me.  I want to be with you.  I love you but if you still think me a liar then I say that I will go and let you be with Xander, I most likely will perish without you, throw myself from Mt.Olympus itself, crying and screaming your sweet name as I fall but I will not haunt you endlessly for I could never cause you pain; that would hurt me far more than your refusal or death.
I tell you now though, that yes, I did love Buffy but even when I was with her I was attarcted to you. When Buffy and I escaped to this wood, I fell asleep and dreamed of you. My mind then was telling me of my mistake and when I awoke and saw you- well now you know the truth. I loved Buffy but that love was a false love it was the mooning, syrupy-sweet kind of unfeeling love.  What I feel for you is real love.  So I ask you, consider being with me. After all, truth be told Xander loves Buffy and loves you not-"

Xander awoke then and saw Willow, his eyes growing wide, fire in his veins,  "O Willow, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne?  O, let me kiss this princess of pure white, this seal of bliss!"

He rushed to Willow's side and took her hand, kissing it, she pulled it back as if it had been bitten, "Xander! What are you doing! Have you gone mad! Last I checked you did not love me so! Now it is you who plays a game on me!"

Angel nodded, "You are unkind, Xander; be not so; For you love Buffy; this you know I know:And here, with all good will, with all my heart; In Buffy's love I yield you up my part; And yours of Willow's to me bequeath, Whom I do love and will do till my death."

Xander scoffed and took Willow's arm, "Angel, keep thy Buffy; I will none:If ever I loved her, all that love is gone. If I did love her then it was just a short visit for now my heart returns home to Willow."

"Is that what you want Willow? Xander seems to love you now. Do you want to be with him?" Angel asked softly.

"Of course she does!" Xander snapped.

Willow glared at him and pulled her arm from his grip, "I can make my own choices, sir! You treated me like a dog at one time! Did not you not threaten earlier this evening to tear me apart?  Well, no more will I lag after you
with love sick eyes just as you wanted.  Something in this woods, some magic, doth change me as it did you two as well and I know now what I want, and what I want is Angel."
 
Part 7

Giles and Spike watch in amazement as Willow choses Angel over Xander.

"Him?" Xander gasped.

"Me?"  Angel squeaked.

Willow smiled and turned to him, "Yes, my Angel.  For you would sacrifice your rights for me to make me happy.  You do not force me to do things I do not want, you do not make choices for me and you look at me as if I am
beautiful.  Your one kiss moved more in me than a thousand kisses from Xander would.  I apologize for calling you a liar, for now as I look in your eyes, I know true that you do love me and are the first to truly ever have and now as you look in my eyes.  What do you see?"

Angel looked into her deep emerald green eyes and felt his heart jump.  He swallowed, a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes, "My Willow, either I am mistaken, or you love me."

She grinned and bit her lip, wrapping her arms around her neck, "What do you think?"

He laughed happily and kissed her quickly.  She opened her mouth and returned the fevered kiss, her hands tracing his back.

Suddenly there was a sound of moving leaves as Buffy emerged from the woods and into the clearing.  She, same as Xander and an unseen Giles and Spike, watched wide-eyed and gapping mouth as Willow and Angel kissed each other with an unexpected and unknown chemistry and love.

Buffy felt herself explode, biting out, "WHAT-IN-HADES-IS-GOING-ON-HERE!"

Willow and Angel broke apart and looked at Buffy, who stalked towards Angel, "Angel!  Why unkindly didst thou leave me so?  And why were you kissing Willow?!

Angel's eyes narrowed as he pulled away from Willow and he sneered towards Buffy, "Why should I have stay, when love doth press me to go?"

Buffy blinked, feeling lost,"What love could press you from my side?"

"My love for Fair Willow, the rapturous beauty before you. Why seek'st thou me?  Could not this make thee know, the hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?"  Angel snickered towards her.

Buffy shook her head, this HAD to be a dream, she HAD to wake up, "You speak not as you think: it cannot be."

Willow touched Angel's shoulder lightly, "Do go a bit easy on her, dear heart.  For it must be as hard for her as it was for me that your feelings could vanish so."

"Not so much vanish as evolve."  Angel whispered, touching Willow's cheek.

Buffy watched this tender scene feeling totally livid and she turned towards Xander, "Xander?  What are you doing here?  What have you done to Angel to make him turn from me?"

"Aren't we a bit self-possessed?"  Xander asked scornfully, "I did nothing to him, he did it himself.  He now pretends to love Willow.  Love Willow?  HAH!  For it is I who loves her true! I who would give my life for her."

"You?"  Buffy asked, her minding darting around wildly.  Had Xander not but minutes ago kissed her?  Declaring his love again?  Had both of her suitors gone mad?  Bad enough she should lose Angel but Xander too!  It was all the fault of that redheaded harpy!

Buffy turned on Willow in a rage, "This is you who does this! You are a witch of some sort and have used wicked trickery to pull my men to your side! But I will not let you win you wretch! Do you understand? I will not!"

Buffy leapt at Willow then, kicking and punching at her.  Xander grabbed Bufy, tugging her roughly off of Willow, who Angel helped up.

"LET ME GO!"Buffy screeched, stretching her hands out, her nails itching to dig into Willow's flesh.

"I will be damned if I release an uncontrollable animal such as yourself!  One who's throat I should slit now for attacking my one true love!"  Xander hissed in her ear.

Angel looked Willow over, "Hurt?"

Willow shook her head, "No, I am fine bodily.  All though my heart aches at Buffy's hatred of me."

"She has no importance.  Do not think of her."  Angel said softly and kissed her head.

It was now Xander who faced Angel in a rage, "Do not touch your lips to my love again unless you want my sword in your heart!"

Angel stood away from Willow and drew his sword, his voice low and as cold as steel, "I have had enough of you, sir.  When I believed I loved Buffy you wished to take her and now I have true love with Willow and you wish to take it as well?  I am sick of you.  I say we end this now."

"We shall!"  Xander cried, drawing out his sword.

Buffy took Xander's arm, "NO! Don't hurt Angel, please!"

Angel smirked at Xander, "You seem to be held back, my lord."

Xander shook his arm violently, knocking Buffy aside, "Hang off, thou cat, thou burr!  Vile thing, let loose, Or I will shake thee from me like a serpent!"

Buffy gaped at his words, "Why are you grown so rude?  What change is this?Sweet love-- Do you not jest?"

She did not know why it mattered to her so much that Xander no longer cared for her.  It was Angel she loved was it not?  It was Angel she should be concerned with that no longer loved her.  Perhaps it was because she had had a feeling in her that she knew her and Angel would never truly work out and if such a thing should take place she
could fall back on Xander.  But now there was no Xander to fall back on and it terrified her.

Xander ignored her, "Angel, I warn you, I will keep my word with thee and I will fight you this night.  I will kill you for Willow's love if I must."

"You'll have to.  For I will not give my Willow away but why not just given in to the young maid at one time you wanted so much behind you.  I see by her face she is scared by your loss of love for her."  Angel said, pointing the tip of his sword at Buffy, who stood at Xander's side.

Xander growled at Buffy and pushed her a little away from him, "What should I do?  Hurt her, strike her, kill her dead?  Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so."

Buffy felt tears as she walked into Xander's view, "What, can you do me greater harm than hate?  Hate me!  Why?  O me!  What news, my love!  Am not I Buffy?  Are not you Xander?  I am as fair now as I was a while ago.  Just tonight you loved me; yet this same night you left me.  But why did you leave me?"

Xander scowled at her, annoyed, "Ay, by my life!  I desire to never see thee more.  Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt; Be certain, nothing truer; 'tis no jest That I do hate thee and love Willow!"

Buffy glared at Willow again, not attacking her this time but just staring at her in utter malice, "You thief of love!  What, have you come by night.  And stolen my love's heart from him?"

Willow now stood up proudly, "I have taken nothing!  Does it seems so insane to you, Buffy.  That there IS a possibility that a man could love me more than you?  Does it not seem strange our roles reversed?  I have them both now and you have nothing.  Do you see how it feels?  I did not ask for this, nor did I want it but now that I have it I assure you that I shall not flaunt them as you have.  I love Angel and ONLY Angel.  Take Xander and be away from this place."

Xander looked at Willow and then at Angel, "I shall not leave you with this devil-would be my fair Willow and so I must slay him!  Into the woods with use, sir.  There, shall one of us be dispatched!"

"Away!"  Angel agreed and Xander and Angel went into the woods to find a space to find each other and fight to the death.

Buffy walked past Willow, muttering to herself, "If they die!  If my sweet Xander dies, it's fault shall land on your head!"

Willow frowned and followed after her, she would stop this before it got to far for she refused to let Angel or Xander die at each other's hands.
 
Part 8 

Spike and Giles had witnessed the whole scene that had taken place and Giles turned to Spike red faced, "This is thy negligence!  And you had best pray that this was a mistake of yours and not some prank. For if it is Spike, I swear-"

Spike held up his hands, "Believe me, King of Fairies, I mistook.  Did not you tell me I should know the man by the Sunnydale garments he had on?  I saw Angel and the Buffy amid first and assumed he was the man by his clothes.  And I was in a hurry or did you so quickly forget I had to go make someone an ass?  Though I have to admit, mistake or no, this is great!  Just GREAT entertainment!"

Giles stared at him through slit eyes, biting out, "SPIKE!  YOU-WILL-FIX-THIS!"

Spike sighed in boredom and annoyance, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"You will lead Xander and Angel astray in the woods, mimic Xander's tongue when near Angel and vice versa when with Xander.  Lead them in circles until they are tired and have fallen asleep.  Then-" Giles pulled out a small
yellow flower and split it in half.  Giving Spike one half and sticking the other half in his pocket, "take this flower and spread the juices from it on to Angel's eyes.  It is an antidote, with this he shall forget his love of Willow and return to Buffy."

Spike frowned, 'My lord, a question."

"Yes?"

"Well, it just seems to me, and not that I enjoy helping mortals or anything, but you and I both agree that Xander is no man for the wondrous Willow."

Giles nodded, "Yes, I'm listening."

"I was just thinking is all.  I mean, Willow is a great being.  If she was not a mortal, why I might inquire her for my bed but Mortals and me that's just-YUCK!"

"The point Spike?"  Giles asked irritated.

"The point is, is that Willow seems to love this Angel now.  And Buffy seems a bit fond of this Xander.  Why don't I anointed Xander's eyes, making sure the first thing he sees is Buffy and leave Angel to Willow?"

Giles stroked his chin, "I must admit.  It is a good idea.  For I do feel that Xander does not deserve Willow.  And Buffy does not seem worthy of Angel or really ANYONE in my eyes for she does seem a bit coarse.  Ah, yes, yes I agree.  I agree whole heartily. This may be an unconventional love we make but give Willow her Angel and Buffy get with Xander and then the world be right again.  Perhaps your mistake was not so bad after all, Spike."

"Yeah," Spike said as he went off to find the mortals and do what he was told, "I'm up for the unconventional!"

Angel was deep in the woods, unaware that Spike flew above his head and called out to Xander, "Where art thou, proud Xander?  Speak thou now."

Spike cleared his throat and then said in an exact replica of Xander's voice"Here, villain, drawn and ready! Where art thou?"

Angel growled at 'Xander's' haughty tone and muttered, "I will be with thee straight!"

Spike just yawned and said in Xander's voice again, "Follow me, then.To plainer ground."

He led Angel on a long ways until Angel was exhausted and annoyed at not having found Xander. He rested himself on the ground and grumbled to himself, "He goes before me and still dares me on: When I come where he calls, then he is gone. The villain is much lighter-heel'd than I. I follow'd fast, but faster he did fly; Too tired am I to continue with the fool so I will rest.  But when thou gentle day comes, I'll find Demetrius and revenge this spite."

Angel lay under some tree branches and closed his eyes, falling fast asleep.  Spike, now imitating Angel's voice, led Xander towards the very same spot Angel rested.

Xander cried out to 'Angel' in annoyance, "Angel! speak again: Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?"

Spike enjoyed torturing Xander and said, "I'M the runaway?  The coward?  I think not, you can't even find me in these woods you blind boob!  I am not even that far away and still you search.  I guess it's unfair advantage
though; I can keep track of you well in this dark night, but that is because unlike myself, you have a very unpleasant odor, easy to follow."

Xander frowned as he entered the same clearing where Angel slept under the tree. Xander was too tired and angry to see him and said loudly, "I have had enough of you for one evening and my bones grow weary.  So I shall rest here and in the morning find you and take my revenge."

Xander lay on the ground and fell fast asleep.  Spike considered getting some cow dung he had seen nearby and use it to wake Xander up so he could play with him some more but it was no longer an option when Buffy suprisingly appeared.

She was much too sleepy to see Xander or Angel and fell to a dark, dirty corner of the ground, curling up in a ball and crying, "Oh I will return to Sunnydale tomorrow.  For these woods are not at all kind.  Here have I lost my Xander and my Angel.  If I could have but the love of one of them again, I would be filled with an endless joy.  But alas, this is not meant to be."

Buffy cried until she fell into sleep and Spike rubbed his hands together gleefully, "Yet but three?  Come one more; Two of both kinds make up four.  Here she comes, curst and sad. Do not worry lovely fire maid, I will soon
rescue your heart."  He whispered as Willow approached as if a domino affect, also not seeing her sleeping companions for the sandman called to her as well.

"Never so weary, never so in woe, I can no further crawl, no further go; My legs can keep no pace with my desires. Here will I rest me till the break of day.  Heavens shield my Angel, do not let him die on Xander's sword, nor let foolish Xander die as well.  If either died it would be my fault.  Oh, if only Xander gave up his quest for me, then Angel and I could be happy." Willow whimpered as she fell in a deep sleep like the others.

Spike floated to the ground, whistling and happy, he had a lot of fun this evening indeed.  He pulled put the yellow flower giles had given him and poured the juices from it onto Xander's eyes saying a little rhyme:
 

"On the ground,
Sleep sound:
I'll apply
To your eye,
Gentle lover, remedy.
When thou wak'st,
Thou tak'st
True delight
In the sight
Of thy former lady's eye;
And the country proverb known,
That every man should take his own,
In your waking shall be shown.
Jack shall have Jill;
Nought shall go ill;
The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well."

Then Spike stood up and brushed his hands off. He gently picked up Buffy and arranged her so she would be the first thing Xander saw when he awoke.  He let out a breath and then grinned as he spotted some horse manure near by.    Chuckling, and unable to resist himself, he used his fairy powers to make the disgusting pile float near and land right behind Xander's head, forcing the sleeping man to have that scent about him in his dream and for when he awoke.

With that and a chuckle, Spike left to find Giles.

Part 9

Not far away from where Angel, Willow, Buffy, and Xander slept was Cordelia and Oz.

They lay in her bed, after an hour or so of sweet lovemaking. Oz still unaware that he has the head of an ass oddly enough.

"Oh my Oz, I am glad to have you lie here in my bed and kiss thy fair large ears, my gentle joy." Cordelia whispered as she kissed Oz.

"I am glad to be here with you lovely, Cordelia. I wonder as to where your servants have gone?"

As if an answer Amy suddenly appeared.  Oz wrapped the lily white sheets of Cordelia's flower bed tighter around himself and coughed, blushing in embarrassment.

Amy spoke, "Did you call?"

"No, no I am quite all right." Oz muttered, still red.

"My dear, do not be shamed.  If you require them then they shall come."  Cordelia said as suddenly Anya, Harmony, and Drusilla approached as well.

Oz coughed again and said, "Well, my head kind of itches and I thought-"

Amy rushed over and scratched Oz's head without hesitation.

"And-and I am a bit hungry-"

Drusilla flew off and soon returned with a plate full of fruits, honey, and other delicious looking things.  Handing them to Oz.

"A drink might be nice, too." Oz said and sure enough Anya left and returned with a glass full of crimson-colored ale.

Oz sighed as Amy scratched his head and he ate and drank. Anya, Drusilla, and Harmony sat at the foot of his bed in case he needed something more when Cordelia spoke, "Do you enjoy music, my sweet love?"

Oz grinned, his donkey ears flooping unknown to him, "I have a reasonable good ear in music."

"Good." Cordelia clapped her hands and Amy, Drusilla, Anya, and Harmony hopped up.  "Then I shall let music lull you to sleep for you need rest, my gentle lover."

The four girls began to sign soft and low.  Oz found himself so comfortable and exhausted from earlier lovemaking that he feel into a comfortable sleep.  Cordelia joined him, snuggling into his arms.  Soon the four singing fairies
grew weary as well and fell to the floor to rest.

Slowly Giles and Spike crept out.  Spike had managed to find Giles easily enough and inform him that he had fixed Angel and Willow's plight.  Now there was only to deal with Cordelia.  When Giles saw Cordelia in bed with an
ass-headed Oz he had to hold in his laughter, turning red-faced, "Ah, good Spike.  See'st thou this sweet sight?"

Spike nodded, holding in his own laughter.

Still, Giles sighed growing serious, "Her dotage now I do begin to pity; For I meet her of late this evening while you dealt with Willow and the others and I did ask of her her of the child which straight she gave me.  And now I have the boy, I will undo This hateful imperfection of her eyes for I know, despite her bitchiness and all, I do still love her."
 
Giles crept over and placed the yellow flower's juices on her eyelids, then turned to Spike, pointing at Oz, And, Spike take this transformèd scalp from off the head of this Sunnydale man."

"AWWW-Do I HAVE to?"  Spike whined, "I think he is better this way."

Giles shook his head, "Yes, you must return the man to normal."

Spike stuck out his bottom lip dejectedly as Giles continued, "When he awakens, he will think no more of this night's accidents but as the fierce vexation of a dream.  Now take him."

Spike sighed and lifted up Oz, flying off with super speed.  He dropped Oz near the edge of the woods and threw dust at him, muttering some words.  Oz's head returned to normal and then Spike muttered in annoyance as he flew back to Giles side quickly.

Giles slowly woke Cordelia, "My darling, my darling-awaken."

Cordelia screamed and jumped up, wide-eyed, throwing her arms around Giles, "My Giles! What visions have I seen! Methought I was enamour'd of an ass!"

"It was but a dream, sweet love.  Unless of course the jackass you saw was me." Giles took Cordelia's face in his hands, "I have been a blind fool to you, I know.  But now you have given me the babe and-and I ask that perhaps
you love this jackass monster again for he loves you with all his heart."

Cordelia smiled, and took gentle hold of his tweed jacket, "I love tweed-"she kissed him, "And you. My darling Giles."

The two kissed passionately, their love blossoming anew.  Spike just smiled at the now awoken Drusilla, Anya, Harmony, and Amy.  He rubbed his hands together, "Well?  Who wants to go first?"

The four girls looked at each other and then at Spike, grinning from ear to ear.  Spike held out his arm and each of the four ladies took it.  He chuckled and led them away thinking, 'I'm good, I'm damn bloody good!'

**
 

The next morning the sun arose and the Mayor, Faith, and Joyce were on a walk in the woods when they came across Buffy, Xander, Angel and Willow.

"What is this?" the Mayor gasped.

"My lord, this is my daughter here asleep; and this, Angel; this Xander is; this Willow, old Rosenburg's Willow! I wonder of their being here together!"

The Mayor just shook his head, "They probably were just working out their problems here in this woods."   He looked down at Faith, "My dear, is not today the day I decreed Buffy must make her decision?  Marry Xander or the nunnery."

Faith held tighter to the Mayor's arm, "It is my darling."

"Well then, let's awaken these lovers. Good morrow, friends! So, who is with who now?" the Mayor said loudly and jovially.

Slowly Buffy, Xander, Angel, and Willow opened their eyes.  Xander felt his heart jump for joy at the sight of Buffy.  Buffy, his true love Buffy!  Angel's own heart was in his throat at the sight of Willow, who he loved even
more than ever.

"So what are you all doing here?" Faith asked.

Angel spoke first, "My lord, I shall reply amazedly. Half sleep, half waking: but as yet, I swear, I cannot truly say how I came here. But I think that I came with Buffy here: our intent was to be gone from Sunnydale, where we
might, without the peril of theSunnydale law."

Joyce snapped, "Enough, enough! My lord; you have enough: I beg the law, the law, upon his head! They would have stol'n away; they would!  Xander, thereby to have defeated you and me, You of your wife and me of my
consent, Of my consent that she should be your wife."

Xander held up a hand to stop Joyce's babbling, "My lord, fair Willow told me of their stealth, of this their purpose hither to this wood; and I in fury hither follow'd them,  Fair Willow in fancy following me. But I tell you know that I do not change my mind, for I do indeed love Buffy but ask that you let Angel go, for I remember-vaguely-that he now has a new found love for Willow."

"It is true!" Buffy snapped, jumping to Xander's side, "And together they belong for my heart, my soul to Xander belong."

Xander turned to her, "Is this indeed true?"

Buffy's looked up at him, her blue eyes bright, "Do you love me?"

"With all my being and soul."

"Then I love you as well and wish to be your wife." Buffy said and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a deep and moving kiss.

The Mayor chuckled happily, turning to Joyce, "Well, a happy woman you must be.  It seems that marriage and love have won after all."

Willow pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and Angel walked over to her, "My love?  What troubles you."

Willow's eyes were downcast as she spoke, "I worry that last night was but a dream-and no love for me do you hold."

Angel laughed and pulled her into his arms, kissing her tenderly, "No dream, dear heart.  I love you still."

As the groups kissed The Mayor just chuckled again, "For in the temple by and by with us these couples shall eternally be knit: Away with us to Sunnydale; for I am hungry for breakfast. Come, Faith."

The Mayor, Faith, and a dazed but happy Joyce left and the four teenagers were left to rub and shake their heads.

"What a strange night." Xander muttered.

"Indeed, for everything seems to have changed. I came here, my heart set upon Xander and now I have found Angel like a jewel, Mine own, and not mine own." Willow said as Angel kissed her hand.

Xander scratched his head, "And now Buffy, my life and love finally loves me in return Are you sure that we are awake?  It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream.  Do not you think The Mayor was here, and bid us follow him?"

"Yea; and my mother." Buffy said dizzyingly as she held to Xander's arm.

"And Faith." Willow replied.

Angel now spoke, "And he did bid us follow to the temple."

Xander just shrugged happily, "Why, then, we are awake: let's follow him and by the way let us recount our dreams."

As the couples walked away but they didn't get far before everyone asked why Xander mysteriously smelled of animal dung.

**

At the edge of the forest Oz awoke, tired and stretched his limbs. He felt numb as last night raced through his mind and whispered to himself, " I have had a most rare vision."

He sighed and touched his face, standing up slowly he walked towards Sunnydale, "I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.  Man is but an ass, if he go about to expound this dream.  Methought I
was--there is no man can tell what.  Methought I was,--and methought I had,--but man is but a patched fool, if he will offer to say what methought I had.  The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man's hand
is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom; and I will sing it
in the latter end of a play, before the duke: peradventure, to make it the more gracious, I shall sing it at her death."

As he walked away he wondered who's death.  He silently remembered the dark haired beauty.  Cordelia?  He just shook his head and it fell away.

That evening the weddings took place. Faith married the Mayor, Xander and Buffy were joined in marriage as were Angel and Willow.  Oz had returned to Larry, Snyder, Jonathan, Wesley, and Devon who were glad to see him alive.  They did indeed perform their play for the wedding party.  Giles, Cordelia, and their fairy train arrived as well.  Invisible to the party guests.  Spike had his arms around Anya, Harmony, Amy, and Drusilla who were all his dates.   They watched the play along with everyone else.

There were plenty of mistakes but it was enjoyable to watch.  The only moment of true acting was when Pyramus (Oz) found Thisbe (Devon) his true love dead.   As oz began the difficult lines of sorrow, he swore that in the crowd, almost invisible to his eyes, was a woman with long, chocolate hair-Cordelia.

Oz felt his heart pound as he spoke, "Fair Thisbe, I loved thee and yet I losed thee. So sweet you were to me that I did not feel an ass- I felt whole."

Larry looked at Snyder, "What happened!? Those are not the lines! AND He doesn't suck anymore!"

Snyder just shook his head as Oz continued, "But it was fleeting, having your love for it was not at all real. At least not for you and love has to be real and equal on either parts for it to survive."

Willow, Buffy, and Faith had tears in their eyes. The whole hall silent as Oz spoke.

"It was but a midsummer night's dream. Now lost in the winds to me. I have lost your love and you, but now-I shall be reborn again." With that Oz stabbed himself with the rubber knife. Pyramus died, and time stood still.

The play finished to roaring applause and at the end Cordelia whispered to Giles, "I have this feeling-it is strange. I feel as if I loved that mortal, that Oz, a long time ago. In some dream."

GIles sighed and whispered to her, "Perhaps you did. Like the young man said-in some midsummer night's dream."

The End!!!

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