Giles paced the library nervously, stopping every so often to clean his spotless glasses. He wondered if Buffy was going to actually listen to his order to stay put. He doubted it; she was the most confounding girl sometimes. Last night, when she had crawled back through the window, he had been waiting for her; she was surprised to say the least and hurriedly rushed to explain and apologize. Her guilty expression had reminded him so much of his Buffy he couldn't stay mad at her for long. She had then explained everything to him. The other Giles, which majorly freaked him (he was starting to think like the kids), the necklace that was supposedly destroyed and Cordelia's wish. Though the exact phrasing of the wish was still unknown. Maybe Cordelia could shed some light on the subject later.

It was the destroyed necklace that bothered him, if the necklace was destroyed it couldn't be the power that drew Buffy into this world. And what of Buffy herself, was she some sort of doppelganger or a different version of the real Buffy? Or was this Buffy the real Buffy and the world they lived in the false one? All of this was giving Giles a major headache, he needed tea.

How was he going to act around the children? If he seemed in too good of spirits they may suspect something or worse, think that he had forgotten Buffy. As for Cordelia, he hoped she could keep quiet, if Willow or Xander found out nothing could stop either of them from rushing to Buffy's side. In the end it would only cause both unimaginable pain. This Buffy didn't seem to want friends so her rejection of them or her leaving would be like losing her all over again.

As if his musing summoned them, Xander, Willow and Oz trailed into the library. They still met with him every morning before class, it was their way of clinging to Buffy's memory. They were also helping him figure out Faith and the Mayor's plan for Graduation; with no new slayer he needed all the help he could get.

"Hey, Giles." Xander plopped down in his usual chair, but said nothing else. Xander hadn't been his wisecracking self since Buffy's death. He only really responded if someone asked him a direct question.

"Good morning, Xander, Willow, Oz. Would anyone care for tea?" He hated keeping things from them but had no choice.

"No thanks, Giles. We were just wondering if anything was going on?"

"Going on? Why would you think anything would be going on? Did Cordelia say something?" Giles jumped more than a little at Willow's question.

"I only meant about Graduation. Is everything OK, Giles, you seem kinda jumpy?" Willow worriedly looked at Giles, he looked tired.

"Oh...yes...of course, Graduation, you meant Graduation. Well nothing as of yet, but I'm still researching and well maybe something will...pop up." He finished lamely.

"Not up to your usual caliber of vocalization." Oz thought Giles was acting weird, but lately all of them were acting weird.

"What does that bitch Cordelia have to do with anything?" This came from Xander, his bitterness of his ex-girlfriend's cavalier treatment of Buffy's death burned like acid in his stomach. He would love to tell her off and if he was actually acknowledging her existence on the planet, he would.

"Xander, don't stoop to her level." Willow placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Buffy would've just said it was Cordelia being Cordelia and we should just blow it off." Tears welled up in Willow's eyes as she imaged her best friend playfully blowing off Cordelia's cattiness.

"I know, but it's not right. Buffy should have some statue or something dedicated to her. Not some spiteful girl's comments who's not worthy enough to even say her name." Xander's voice choked up and he couldn't go on; he missed Buffy's wit, her grace under pressure. She'd brought light and laughter into their lives along with a mix of danger. Things were never dull with Buffy around, he had loved her. At one time he thought he was in love with her, but now he realized that he loved her spirit, her kindness, her just being her. She was one of his best friends and he wished he could have one more chance to tell her how proud he was of being her friend, how proud he was of her. But his last words to her were some stupid remarks about her growing close to Angel again.

*So, Buff, you think you can drop us line after you screw Angel this time? Oz and I need some warning so we can hide Willow. It only makes sense that Angel goes after Willow like he did Jenny, since he knows she restored his soul last time.* Buffy's eyes had filled with tears and he had walked away.

It was the last time he ever saw her alive. If he had another chance he would make it up to her, he would research day and night to find a way to make Angel's curse permanent, but he was never going to get another chance. He was never going to get a chance to say, "I'm sorry."

Willow's heart broke for Xander. She knew about his and Buffy's argument the day of her death, for awhile she was mad at Xander, but eventually she forgave him. He didn't know what would happen that night. He lashed out at Buffy because he was worried about both Buffy and herself. She couldn't afford to stay mad at Xander; she learned the hard way that life was too short to hold grudges. What she wouldn't give to spend one more day with Buffy, just sitting on the edge of her bed gossiping about boys, more specifically Angel and Oz, laughing about Xander's lame attempts at attracting Cordelia's attention again. Life hadn't been perfect but it had been complete. Now with Buffy gone, Willow felt like a big part of herself was gone, the part that had learned to stand up for herself and not to take crap. She had reverted back to being the shy bookworm. She only came out of her shell for Oz, Xander and Giles.

Willow felt Oz's arms slip around her waist. She was grateful for his silent support; she leaned back and moved closer into the embrace.

Giles looked at the sad group before him, Xander with his head in his hands, Willow with tears on her cheeks leaning against Oz and Oz whispering reassuring words to Willow. How he wished he could make everything right for them. To give them all second chances.

Cordelia chose that time to stroll happily into the library.

"Giles, I thought about last night and I think this is the same Bu..." Her voice trailed off as she spotted the somber group.

Xander jumped up at her voice. "Leave. You're not welcome here."

Cordelia wasn't about to take this; Buffy was back so that cancelled her guilty feelings. She had mourned too, dammit!

"What are going to do about it, Chicken Little? I go whereever I please."

Xander got up in her face. "You know what you are..."

"No, why don't you enlighten me, Mr. Brain Dead!"

"You're nothing but a cold, unfeeling piece of trash that someone forgot to take out. Everytime you open your mouth it's an airborne disease that infects everyone around you. Nobody likes you, you're only tolerated because your dad has money and you screw all the right people. I may be lame and have no cool, but you know what I do have, Cordelia, I have friends, real friends, ones that like me for me. You have nothing...you are nothing!"

Cordelia staggered back. She had expected his usual round of insults, not this ripping apart of her person. Although their arguments usually were heated, she assumed it was the heat of passion that was fueling them, not hatred. The words he had just spoke would forever be between them, her eyes filled with tears and she quickly spun around and ran out of the library.

"Don't you think you were a little on the harsh side?" Giles had witnessed the entire event and his sympathy went out to Cordelia. The girl could be trying, but she did not deserve the verbal assault Xander just dealt her.

"Don't defend her!"

"Xander, I'm not part of the Cordelia fan club either, but remember the last time you ripped someone apart? Go and apologize, if you leave it like this and something happens to Cordy...well, you'll be the one to suffer." Willow's gentle words had the desired effect.

Xander bolted out of the library, he had to find Cordelia fast and apologize. He was angry at everything not just Cordelia but she was the easiest person to take out his frustrations on, but he couldn't imagine losing her too, not after what he just did.

Oz, Willow and Giles watched him go.

"The tempest of youth." Giles hoped that out of this ugly episode maybe those two could find a measure of peace.

"So what was Cordelia talking about anyway? She was saying something about last night and something being the same." Not much got by Oz.

"Well...she was...helping me research, yes that's it, she was helping me research the Ascension and we stumbled onto...another dead end." Giles hoped his ramblings were believable.

"That still doesn't explain...hey ouch!" Willow elbowed Oz in the ribs and started dragging him out of the library.

"I just remember the class we have to get to now and that we have to go!" Oz looked confused but let her lead the way.

Willow waited until they were out of earshot before she started talking.

"Something's going on."

"And that something is..." Oz was definitely confused.

"Well, one of two things, either Giles is hiding something from us, for our own good, of course, or him and Cordelia are having an affair."

"I pick what's behind door number one."

"That's my guess too, he was acting too nervous even for Giles. I say we do a little spy work tonight."

"You're sexy when you're re-con girl." Oz playfully kissed her on the lips. This was the most animated he'd seen her since Buffy's death and he was relieved. He was starting to get majorly worried.

"But what if were both wrong and...UGH! Giles and Cordy!" They both broke into smiles and walked to next period class.

Same day lunch period.

"So, did you find her?" Willow was sitting by the fountain with Xander and Oz. It was a nice day so they opted for eating lunch outside.

"No, I looked everywhere, even waited by her locker but no Cordelia." Xander looked majorly bummed. "You don't suppose something happened to her do you?" His worried gaze met Willow's.

"It's daytime, Xander, nothing happened to her. She probably went home. Try going by there later. Better yet, we'll all go by and pick her up. The Scooby Gang needs to team up again to go on Giles stake out. Plus I think she knows something about what's going on with Giles. If you suck up enough, maybe she'll give us a clue." Willow had already confided to Xander her and Oz's suspicions.

"Great. So we go and kidnap her and take her along to go and invade Giles' privacy because he's probably trying to keep us alive by keeping us in the dark." Xander shook his dark head. "Hell, we might us well make it an official party and swing by the mansion to pick up Angel."

"Now you're thinking. Good idea." Oz nodded approvingly.

"I was kidding. I don't need to see Dead Boy anytime soon."

"I thought you were being better with the Angel thing?"

"Will, it's not like I hate him, I don't. But when I see him I can't help but to think about Buffy, it's too weird to see him around and not see her. They were like Pinky and the Brain."

"I know. You're right, we shouldn't include him. I'm sure it's just as painful for Angel to see us." They all fell into companionable silence while they reminisced about a certain blonde.

Buffy knew she was going to disobey Giles again, she knew the minute she promised not to leave the house again that she was going to do it anyway. She hated these feeling of guilt, why couldn't he be some spineless jerk like her watcher Merrick, she was starting to like and respect Giles and she didn't want to, everytime she liked someone they ended up dead. Her curiosity had gotten the best of her though; she wanted to see these friends she never had.

It was easy enough finding Sunnydale High; Sunnydale wasn't that big a town. She had worn a baseball cap and sunglasses to help conceal her identity along with a baggy windbreaker she had found in Gile's closet. She hoped nobody recognized her.

She wandered around a little and wondered what it was like going to school here, having lunch with friends just hanging out and being young. She never made it past freshman year, the council had supplied some tutoring but she would scare the tutors away. Who needed school when you had an early death to plan for?

Now a part of her wished she had stayed in Hemery. This other Buffy obviously found a way to balance her life, why couldn't she? What made her different? Where did their lives split?

Deep in thought, she didn't realize she had wandered to the back of the school, she was about to turn when she heard the unmistakable sound of weeping.

*Buffy to the rescue and in broad daylight no less.*

Buffy rounded the building and saw a girl with her head down, squatting on the floor behind the bushes; her arms were wrapped around her legs.

"Are you OK? Do you need help?" Buffy felt very uncomfortable, she wasn't used to these types of crises.

"Go away." Cordelia lifted her head to get rid of whoever was intruding on her pain.

"Cordelia?" Buffy couldn't believe that the arrogant girl from last night and this one was one and the same.

"What are you doing here? Didn't Giles warn you about wandering around? Jeez, once a Buffy always a Buffy!" Cordelia got up and wiped the tears from her face. She was glad that she now had a target to focus her wrath on. "This is so like you, only thinking about yourself, what if the others saw? Then what? When are you finally going to learn to be less selfish"

"What just happened here?" Buffy was amazed at the girl's lightning fast change of demeanor.

"Come on, let's get you out of here."

"Wait. I want to see who Xander and Willow are." There she finally admitted it; she was more than a little curious.

"Well, you can't. There too busy being self-righteous right now." Cordelia never wanted to lay eyes on Xander again.

"Please Cordelia, could you just point them out? Please. I get the feeling you didn't like Buffy too much, maybe she did something to you, I don't know, but I can't explain this need I have to know that somewhere, someplace people really cared about me. Even if it wasn't me. Am I making any sense?

"Yes, you're making perfect sense. Come on, I'll point them out, but only from a distance." They started walking toward the front of the school. "For the record, Summers, I liked Buffy, I liked Buffy a lot. She was my friend, maybe the only one I really had, not that I'll ever repeat it."

Buffy realized at that moment that Cordelia was a lot like her, hiding her vulnerability behind a tough demeanor.

"There they are, the three "Dork-a-teers". Willow is the skinny redhead sitting on the fountain. Xander is the dark-haired dweeb trying to balance the skateboard on his head, and Oz is the blonde guy making sappy faces at Willow. You've seen, now you leave."

"Wait." Buffy couldn't help but stare. The boy Xander was doing the stupidest things with the skateboard and the red-hair kept laughing, encouraging him on. The blonde boy seemed to throw a comment in every once and awhile which caused the girl to smile at him. Suddenly, both boys grabbed the redhead and started tickling her unmercifully.

Her shouts of laughter were easily heard by both girls staring at the trio with identical wistful expressions on their faces.

"Xander and I used to go out." Cordelia didn't know why that popped out of her mouth but oh, well, it was out there.

"You." Buffy said while eyeing Cordelia's expensive outfit. "And him?" She then looked at Xander's loud Hawaiian shirt and baggy pants. "That's very interesting?" She didn't know why Cordelia was telling her any of this. "Why'd you two break up?"

"He cheated on me."

"Oh."

"With Willow."

"Oh." Buffy was at a total loss. What was she supposed to say?

"I never forgave him or Willow or Buffy." Cordelia seemed to be speaking more to herself than to Buffy.

"He made a fool of me. Willow pretended to be my friend then stabbed me in the back."

"And Buffy? What did she do?" Buffy was now very curious about this particular group's dynamics.

"She felt sorry for me." Cordelia's eyes filled up with tears. "She still tried to be friends with me, but I blew her off. Now she's gone."

"I'm sure she knew you cared."

"Don't try to make me feel better! No, she never knew I cared because I made it clear I didn't. They don't know I still care..." Cordelia pointed at the group by the fountain. "Because I remind them daily that I don't."

" Who are you angry at anyway, Cordelia? Xander? Willow? Buffy? Or yourself?" Buffy was getting a little sick and tired of Cordelia's attitude.

" I think you're so angry with yourself for not being able to forgive and move on that you take it out on everyone around you. Yes, you got a raw deal, but you only get one life, Cordelia, if you care about these people, tell them before it's too late."

"Who died and left you Oprah? Oh yeah, that's right, I almost forgot. You died." Cordelia flounced away, Buffy's words had hit too close to home.

"Xander, I think I just saw Cordelia over there by that girl." Willow caught sight of Cordelia stomping away and wondered what was wrong now.

"Guys, do you notice anything about that girl, that's well, weird?" Oz was getting some sort of vibe; it was a werewolf thing.

"Only that she thinks she's some kind of celebrity with the hat, breaker and glasses. Total incognito girl." Xander was more interested in looking to see if he saw which direction Cordelia went.

"Now that you mention it, it's the way she holds herself. It's kind of familiar." The three by the fountain all stared at the girl who was staring at them.

Buffy noticed the trio looking at her and decided to get back to Giles's house. These kids looked nice, she didn't want to cause them pain. She already caused enough with Giles, Cordelia and...Angel. Her heart sped up at the thought of him.

*Stop this right now! He's the walking dead, for Christ sakes!* Buffy shook herself mentally and stomped off campus.

"Well there she goes, whoever she was, but you're right, Will, I've seen that walk before." Xander scratched his head. It would come to him.

"So, pick you up at 7:00." Oz directed this at Xander.

"Just call me Xander, Xander Bond." Xander ruined his suave imitation by tripping over his skateboard.

Willow and Oz just grinned.