Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing, especially the characters in this story. I'm merely borrowing them for the pure pleasure of messing with their lives.

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No sooner did they have him settled in the back seat of Giles' van did Xander begin questioning them again. Amy was riding in the back seat with him, Anya sitting next to Giles in the front but she was turned almost all the way around in her seat so she could keep a worried eye on him. He gave her a tired smile. Willow and Lili were in the seat behind them, Willow's hand sitting protectively on Xander's shoulder. It made him feel good to know that eleven years later their friendship was still so strong.

"Okay, start talking. Let's start with this disease you say I have. HVE? What is it and how did I get it? I'm having flashbacks to Thanksgiving and Chumash curses and syphilis..." Willow chuckled softly and gave his shoulder a light squeeze.

"I suppose we should start with the basics. When HVE appeared we couldn‘t have been more unprepared for it. We had cures for just about every fatal disease you ever heard of, and most of the ones you never heard knew about. This was almost all thanks to a doctor named Isaiah Helborne. He was just about hailed as the Messiah because of it," Willow stated, her tone icy when she spoke the man's name. Xander got what she wasn't saying.

"But this Helborne guy was bad news?"

"The baddest news," Amy replied, picking up the story. "He was a brilliant pathologist, but he was also heavily into dark magick. He was terribly ambitious and too impatient to actually come up with cures through research and testing. He tried to use magick to find a shortcut, and that's when he summoned Menckar. The demon had the knowledge Helborne wanted, but the price was unthinkable. He wanted Helborne to create a plague to wipe all humans from the earth, except for a select few. Then the demons could rule once more, with Menckar as their leader."

"Same song, new dance," Willow muttered, and Xander had to grin at her.

"So Helborne agreed, took the cures, played the hero and then when everyone was feeling like they'd live forever..." Xander trailed off.

"HVE," Anya said with a quiet shudder. Xander didn't think he'd ever seen her so affected.

"As Willow said, the world couldn't have been more unprepared. At the time we didn't call it HVE, we called it the Super Flu. HVE stands for Helborne's Viral Enchantment. Essentially the combination of a genetically mutated influenza strain and a powerful dark spell. The virus kills, but the spell makes it impossible to diagnose. And the treatments that would work on a normal flu only accelerate the progress of HVE. So many died before we figured it out..." Amy's eyes showed memories of the horror of that time, as did the eyes of the others. Xander for the first time was glad he couldn't remember a part of his life.

"When you say we, you mean the universal we, right?" Giles shook his head and smiled proudly from behind the wheel.

"She means herself, Xander. Amy was the one to figure out what HVE was, and to come up with the cure. With the help of Tara and Willow, of course." Xander looked at Amy questioningly. She blushed in response.

"After Willow managed to reverse my spell and make me human, she helped me get into UC-Sunnydale. Being a rat really gives you a lot of time to think, and I had decided if I ever became human again, I wanted to be a doctor. As it turned out, Tara and I entered med school together."

"Tara was pre-med?" Xander asked Willow, who nodded in amusement. "I guess I never asked what she was studying..."

"And the three of us practiced magicks together," Willow added. "I was studying for my advanced degree in chemistry while heading up the computer lab at the hospital, so we saw each a lot. And of course, we were helping the Slayer when we could." Xander noted how she hadn't said Buffy. He was opening his mouth to ask why when Amy hastily continued.

"Anya was actually the key to solving the mystery of HVE, you know. I was just as baffled as everyone else. It never would have occurred to me that a spell might be involved but one day she started relating a story about how she started a plague during her demon days," Anya blushed and made a shooing gesture.

"Oh, Xander's heard that story a million times already, haven't you, honey?"

"Yeah, plague story, check, no need to elaborate, please continue," Xander responded, his eyes pleading with Amy to go on quickly, before Anya changed her mind.

“Anyway, after that I thought maybe magick might be involved, and I did the Tirer la Couture spell. I looked at some of the patients with HVE, and I could see it so plain. Once we knew a spell was involved the three of us came up with a way to enchant one of the Helborne’s enhanced antibiotics to treat the HVE. It was hit and miss, but we came up with an effective dosage and protocol that worked.”

“That’s doctor talk for they found a cure,” Lili interjected softly. Xander started. He had almost forgotten she was there, she’d been so quiet.

“Everything changed then, though. In order for us to get the cure to the population at large, we had to explain about magick and...let’s just say people didn’t take it well,” Amy stated.

“Especially when they realized it was dark magick that helped make everyone sick in the first place,” Willow added.

“The use of all magick has been completely bureaucratized now. Only licensed medical practitioners are supposed to cast spells of any kind. Willow’s been working on getting licensed so she can work spells with the others, but it‘s difficult, there are so many rules and regulations. And the penalties for unauthorized castings are severe. On the other hand, Amy and Tara and others like them are much in demand,” Giles commented. Xander could feel him warming to the subject and was desperate to get them back on topic. And to get to the most important part of what had happened to Buffy and Dawn.

“How did you know that Helborne was responsible?” Xander asked.

“It became pretty clear when he tried to kill Amy,” Anya responded.

“Rupert saved me,” Amy murmured, and seeing her husband watching from the rear view mirror, gave him a bright smile. “Helborne was killed, and people finally realized what was going on. But unfortunately that’s when Menckar began to come after us himself.”

“We were able to defeat him, send him back to his own dimension. He no longer can walk the earth, but his minions can,” Giles told Xander as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

“Shape-shifters,” Lili said.

“He’s tried to hurt us on more than one occasion,” Giles added.

“He’s succeeded.” Willow’s quiet statement seemed to confirm Xander‘s fear.

“Buffy, he did something to Buffy! Took away her Slayerness or something.” Xander again noticed their evasiveness when he brought up the subject of Buffy being the Slayer, but he also saw the sadness in their eyes. Whatever this was about was much worse than just the loss of Buffy‘s Slayer mojo.

“Not Buffy, Xander. He did something to Dawn,” Anya’s face looked for the first time to be older to him. In it he saw pain he had barely known she was capable of feeling for another, and his heart sank. “Dawn, she’s...”

“No, she’s not. Dawnie’s not dead,” Xander interrupted.

“Not dead, but...she’s dying, Xander. And we don’t know how to stop it.”

They had walked into the hospital side entrance and Xander stopped short as Amy attempted to take his arm to guide him.

“Is she here?” he asked.

“Xander, you need to-” Amy began, but Xander cut her off impatiently.

“Is Dawn here?” Amy nodded, her face solemn. “I want to see her.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Amy responded.

“Listen to Doc, honey, if she doesn’t think-” This time Xander cut Anya off, his eyes never leaving Amy’s.

“I want to see her. Please.” Amy sighed, relenting.

“Fine, let me get a blood sample first. And make sure someone stays with you,” she glared at her husband meaningfully, “in case you faint again. And Xander, remember to be on your guard and be careful. We believe that it might have been one of Menckar’s minions that infected you with HVE in the first place. The disease hit you fast because it was administered straight into your bloodstream somehow.”

“But what did Menckar have to gain? He knows we can cure HVE,” Lili’s voice was clearly frustrated, and Xander had the feeling they had been having this discussion for the past month. Amy just shook her head.

“I don’t understand either, but let‘s get you admitted...Anya, can you please go down to admissions and get Xander’s file started?”

“Paperwork. Nice to know some things haven’t changed,” Xander said with grim humor, wincing as Amy used another one of the strange new syringes to get another blood sample. Willow indicated she and Lili would stay with Amy. Giles led him down a well-lit corridor. Xander sniffed. “And the hospital smell is the same. I hate that smell.”

“I used to hate it,” Giles murmured softly. “But Amy’s changed a number of things for me.”

“So, G-man...”

“...that, on the other hand, I still hate...”

“...when are you going to tell me what happened to Buffy?” Giles’ mouth set in a grim line and he began walking more briskly. Xander had to hurry up to keep pace. “Okay, you don’t want to tell me that one, how about this...how did Cordelia and I wind up having a kid together?” Giles stopped abruptly and turned to Xander, who nearly knocked him over.

“We’re here. This is Dawn’s room.” Xander stared at the sign that said ICU. He walked towards it, then realizing he was alone looked back at Giles.

“Are you coming?”

“In a bit. It’s...very hard. I’ll be out here if you need me...” Xander saw the glimmer of tears in Giles’ eyes before he turned away, and swallowed. He reached out and tentatively approached the door, feeling like he should knock first. He hesitated, then pushed it open and stepped inside instead. He had expected to see numerous complicated machines, but other than a small oxygen tank there was nothing. Xander’s breath caught in his throat. He was taken aback by how beautiful Dawn was. The only hint of illness was the pallor of her skin. It seemed almost translucent; this just made her look more delicate and lovely to him. Her chestnut hair was fanned around her head like a crown. She looked like a sleeping princess awaiting her prince, and Xander felt his eyes fill with tears. Dawn couldn’t die. He wouldn’t accept it.

“She looks like she could just wake up, doesn’t she?” The soft voice echoing his thoughts startled him and he whirled to see Buffy standing there. Wordlessly he went to her and hugged her, trying to poor all of the feeling he couldn’t express with his voice into that hug. Buffy clung to him the same way. When they finally broke the embrace, she looked up at him. “Cordy says you’ve lost your memory.”

“That’s what they’re telling me...Buffy, what happened?” Xander meant so many things by that question, but Buffy took it to mean Dawn’s condition.

“Menckar’s minion. One disguised itself as Dawn’s fiance after killing him and took her. She was missing for two days, and when she turned up she seemed okay, then she just started slipping away. We don’t know what’s wrong, there’s no spell, no disease...it’s like something’s draining away her life force and we don’t know how. Or how to stop it. She’s in a coma now, she won’t wake up again. Doc doesn’t know how long she’ll linger like this, so I try to come everyday. I think she knows I‘m here.” Buffy managed a tearful smile at him. “And I know she’d be happy to see you here.”

“I come to see her, don’t I?” Buffy’s look told him the answer. He shook his head, wincing at a brief flare of pain. Buffy put her hand on his arm in concern.

“Cordy said you were having headaches...you should sit down.”

“I’m okay. Buffy, I keep asking but no one will tell me. Willow said you’re not the Slayer anymore. How can that be?” Buffy sighed.

“It’s a really long story, Xan. But the short version is, there can only be one Chosen One. Hence the “one” in the name. I saved the world as my job description dictated, and when it was all over I wasn’t the Slayer anymore.” Xander wanted to press her further, but could see by the look on her face that she didn’t want to say more. He decided it would keep for a bit; besides, he had another burning question.

“And Angel?” At that Buffy managed a genuine smile.

“Angel got his shanshu.”

“Angel got a dog?” Xander asked in confusion. Buffy glared at him good-naturedly.

“The Powers That Be made Angel human after he averted the apocalypse.”

“Is that all? Didn’t we do that a few times already?“ At the glint of anger in her eyes, Xander changed subjects. She might no longer be the Slayer, but she was still pretty intimidating to him. “So you’re a normal human, and Deadboy...excuse me, Liveboy’s a normal human, and yet you just had my baby,” Xander said in a teasing tone. In wordless agreement they moved together from Dawn’s room into the hall. Xander didn’t see Giles, but assumed that he had left when Buffy had come. She gave Xander a half-smile.

“Yes, well, starting a family was a bit more difficult than we had anticipated, but thanks to you we’ve got two of the most beautiful kids in the world. Deadboy...” she mused. “You know, I’d forgotten how much you hated Angel.”

“Damn, you mean I don’t hate Angel now?” Buffy shook her head, amused. “Do I still hate Spike?” he added hopefully. This brought outright laughter from the former Slayer.

“No one hates Spike!” Almost as quickly as the laughter had come it vanished as Buffy’s mood darkened. “You hate Menckar. We all do, but I think that you hate him so much that it scares me.”

“I don’t remember, but from what I’ve been told, I already have a serious loathing for that guy. Full-blown hate is just around the corner I’m sure.” Xander cleared his throat, still having questions but knowing Buffy didn’t want to answer them. “Buff, about losing the Slayer gig and all, could you maybe be a bit more specific? I don’t get how you could just lose your powers. It’s kind of a ‘in it for life’ thing as I recall.” Buffy met his gaze seriously.

“You’re right, Xan. It is-”

“Buffy, not another word!” Giles called from the end of the hall. A blur rushed past Buffy and knocked Xander over onto his back. The blur solidified into Lili as she straddled Xander, her knees gripping him hard just beneath his ribcage. She held a wicked-looking and razor-sharp knife to Xander’s throat. Xander and Buffy were both shocked speechless as Willow, Giles and finally Amy joined them.

“Lili, get off of him! Giles, what’s going on?” Buffy asked in annoyance.

“I’d like to know that too, Giles,” Xander wheezed painfully. Lili held the knife even closer to his throat and leaned in.

“You already know what this is about, you slimy bastard,” she said, hatred harshening her tone.

“I ran the tests again,” Amy explained softly to Buffy. “There were no traces of HVE anywhere in his blood, and there were other things that were just...not right.”

“Which is how we found you out, you shape-shifting yurg. I’d tell you to take a message for me to your cowardly boss, but I can deliver you in pieces instead and it’s just as good. I’m surely gonna kill you, but you might want to think about whether it’s gonna be easy or hard.”

“I never did well on multiple choice,” Xander moaned, trying to make eye contact with one of the others. His head was pounding with full-blown panic when he heard Lili’s next words.

“If you want to die easy, you have ten seconds to answer this question. Where is Xander Harris?”

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