Fic: Groundhog Slayer (3/3)

[annelise@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Part 3 Of A ChallengeFic.
Comments/Flames/Etc. to: ladyvyxen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

#INCLUDE <Disclaimer.txt>

Anne-Lise.

--

Buffy ran past Xander where he sat on the grass by the steps to
Sunnydale High's entranceway. She grabbed Willow by the hand and
dashed away, redhead in tow.
"Morning!" Xander called out after them.

*

"Colour me confused," Willow spoke up as they stopped kissing. "But
when did you start feeling this way for me?"
Buffy blinked. "Years ago," she replied, truthfully. "And
yesterday."
"That makes no sense!" Willow stated. "What's going on, Buffy?"
"Well," Buffy sighed. She kissed Willow again, then said, "Over
here."
"A rat?" Willow puzzled as she peered into the cage. "I don't get
it."
"Remember that film, the one with that guy from Ghostbusters? Where
he gets to repeat a day forever until he gets things right?" Buffy
asked.
"Um, no." Willow responded.
Buffy slapped her forehead. "I knew you'd say that, and I still
keep asking. You'd think, after fifteen years, I'd know the answer.
but no..."
"Buffy, you're scaring me!" Willow backed away a little.
"I'm reliving this day. Every day," Buffy said. "I wake up, and its
Groundhog Day all over again, and all I can think about is kissing
you."
"Oh." Willow looked at the floor and started to cry.
"Oh god, Willow!" Buffy took the witch into her arms. "What's wrong?"
"You never really loved me, don't you see? Someone's worked an evil
mojo on you. This isn't the real you!"
Buffy blinked. "But I love you!"
"Yes," Willow replied, "and I've always loved you. But you only love
me because someone made you feel that way."
"I guess I should talk to Giles," Buffy said quietly.

*

"You're late!" Snyder declared as Buffy and Willow entered the
school building. "And for that, you can both have detentions. You're
irresponsible!" He stared at Buffy. "You need more responsibility,
more discipline. You can be in charge of feeding the school mascot!"
"You know," Buffy declared, "I'm having a bad day." She punched
Snyder, who dropped to the floor unconscious. Willow, and a fast-
growing crowd, looked on in stunned approval.
"Maybe tomorrow will be better," she muttered, and stalked off
towards the library.
"You rock!" Xander called out after her, but was ignored.

*

"Ah Buffy," Giles looked up from his text as the Slayer entered the
library. "Is something wrong?"
"Yep. If you put down your porn for five minutes, you can help me
research the evil spell that's been cast on me."
"What?" Giles dropped his book.

*

Sunset saw the Slayer researching wishes in the library with Giles.
"Well," Giles said, "we've certainly narrowed it down."
Buffy looked at the twenty or so volumes, all open at relevant
pages. "Your definition of narrow is depressingly wide."
"Got it!" Giles exclaimed. "Anyanka, a demon who grants the wishes
of spurned females. I'm sure I've seen this face on school grounds."
"Anya?" Buffy boggled. "She's a demon? How come my Slayer sense
didn't so much as twitch?"
"Because, unless she's actually granting a wish, she's completely
mortal in form." Giles read a little further. "To break the spells
she's cast you have to destroy her power centre."
"Her necklace," Buffy nodded.
"You know what she wears?" Giles frowned.
"Hey, spend long enough in one place, you even know how many cracks
are in the ceiling."
"Two hundred and forty two," Giles murmured.
"See? You really need to get out more!" Buffy smiled. "Oh, and you
must have missed one. Did you get the one immediately above the door
frame?"
Giles glanced over to the doors just as they burst open. Oz and
Xander rushed through, bolting the doors behind them.
"Its Willow!" Xander cried out. "She's a vampire! She's killing
people over at the Bronze!"
"Oh my!" Giles looked to Buffy, who shrugged.
"Don't worry about it," she said. "Two, one..."

*

"Then put your little hand in mine. There ain't no hill or mountain
we can't climb. Babe." The music faded away. "Good morning and this
is Sunnydale FM giving you a warm weather forecast on this gloriously
warm Groundhog Day..." Buffy switched the radio off, patted it
lightly, and got dressed for school.

*

"But do you wish things could be different?" Anya persisted as she
followed Cordelia into Sunnydale High.
Cordelia paused, looking over to where an infatuated Xander ogled
Buffy much to her own and Willow's dismay. She caught the look of
resignation in Willow's eyes and thought, 'Loser.' "I wish," she
began, but was cut off as Buffy ran over and elbowed her in the face,
knocking her out of the way.
"And what do you want?" Anya glowered. Behind her, Cordelia was
taking shocked petulance to another plane of existence, one that
involved mobile phones, hand gestures, and grimaces of pain.
"I wish you'd leave us alone!" Buffy growled.
"D..." Anya screamed as Buffy cracked her necklace's gemstone
between thumb and forefinger.
"But I guess we're not that lucky." Buffy smiled.

*

"This," claimed Snyder, "is your new school mascot."
"Its so cute!" Buffy gushed. "Can I take care of it?"
Snyder gave her an evil look. "Certainly not, Miss Summers. We want
someone who can understand responsibility for that signal honour."
Buffy faked a pout. "No fair!" She turned and walked away feeling
pleased with herself.

*

"Thanks Willow!" Buffy glanced at the homework Willow'd written out
for her. "You're the best!"
Willow smiled. "Sure! I even changed the punctuation a little, so
they won't suspect I wrote it."
Buffy chewed her lip. She couldn't mess this one up, but then,
she'd had enough rehearsals.
"Will? Meet me after school tonight? I need to talk to you about
something."
"Okay!" Willow gave her a puzzled frown, but turned her attention
back to the class as the teacher walked in.

*

"Ah Buffy," Giles looked up from his text as the Slayer breezed into
the library. "Is something wrong?"
"Maybe." Buffy shrugged. "We need to talk."
"I see," said Giles after Buffy had told him the whole story. "That
would explain why you seem... more mature."
"Getting hit by a stray fifteen years does that to a girl," Buffy
agreed.
"And you still love Willow, even though the spells been broken?"
"I do, although I think its because I still have all the memories.
It seems like I've spent my whole life with her, and we've been so
happy. Although, for her, every day was like the first day."
"And you never got tired of her?" Giles polished his glasses, mind
running on autopilot.
"Never, although that could just be the spell. I guess after today
we'll find out, but I had to tell you Giles."
"Yes... I'm glad you could trust me."
Buffy smiled. "I'll let you get back to those porn stories then."
"What?" Giles dropped his book.

*

Sunset saw the Slayer luxuriating in the embrace of a certain Miss
Rosenberg.
"This is all so sudden!" Willow inhaled Buffy's scent. "But I've
dreamed about it for so long."
"I know," Buffy whispered. "I know."

*

"Its all been done, woo-hoo-hoo, its all been done, woo-hoo-hoo, its
all been done... before." The music faded away. "Good morning
Sunnydale! That was Barenaked Ladies with 'Its all been done before'.
And now, over to Sunnydale FM's weather centre for..." Buffy clicked
off the radio, tears in her eyes, and Willow's sleeping head next to
hers.

*

End.