maryperk73703 | Do Over, Halloween oneshot

After the fall of Sunnydale, Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Dawn are investigating a haunted house. Things get really interesting for the four of them.

Chapter 1

"I hate to say this." Xander raised his drink as if he was presenting a toast. "I really miss Sunnydale Halloweens."

Buffy gave her old friend an indulgent smile. "Yeah, me too. Can't top Ethan's costume spell or the mini fear demon, I'm afraid."

"Nope, instead we're staking out some lame haunted house." Willow tapped the laptop screen. "I've got nothing. I don't think this place is haunted."

"You announced your engagement to Anya on Halloween," Dawn directed her comment at Xander. She didn't even look up from the magazine she was leafing through.

Willow looked up from her computer. "Now, there's a day I'd like to do over."

"If I could do it over, I'd be nice to Spike and give him his crumb." Buffy nodded in agreement.

None of the others disagreed with the Slayer. They all knew that Buffy's feelings for the bleached blond vampire were genuine with or without the soul.

"I'd get Anya to elope."

"I wouldn't use the magic."

Dawn scrunched up her face. "I guess I'd convince Janice not to go out with those vamp boys. Maybe make sure they didn't kill Mr. Kaltenbach."

"Return all the stuff you kleptoed," Xander ribbed the young woman.

"That too," Dawn agreed. "Oh, find Buffy a job somewhere besides the DMP."

Buffy chuckled for a moment before she got a wistful look on her face. "If only ..."

Floating above the four humans, two invisible spirits drifted along listening to the conversation.

"They're are filled with regret," Anne whispered.

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty," Joyce said in return while she watched her daughters. "So, what's the plan?"

"Let's see what they do if we give them a chance to change things. Then, we'll go see the others."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Buffy stared into the bathroom mirror of a house she knew no longer existed.

"Buffy, am I having a really vivid dream?" Dawn whispered through the door. "Shit, now she'll think I'm crazy, whackadoo."

"Language, Dawnie," Buffy called out. For some reason, her sister had recently picked up the saying 'whackadoo'. "You're fifteen again."

"Oh, we're really here," Dawn squealed, and Buffy could just imagine her sister jumping up and down while flailing wildly. "Willow. Willow."

Buffy listened to her sister tromp down the hallway towards the master bedroom, calling to the red-haired witch. She wondered for a moment how freaked out Tara would be in the change in most of the Scooby gang.

"What to do first?" Buffy asked herself while she tapped her chin. Spike might notice her change on his own, and she didn't want him to freak out on her. "Okay, to Spike's first. Then, to the Magic Box to talk to Giles. There are so many things to warn him about."

With her plans firm in her mind, Buffy took a quick shower and got dressed. She found the others in the kitchen.

"I forgot how little food we had," Dawn said when she saw her sister. "We have to give Warren the smack down sooner rather than later. And jobs. Those are good too."

Behind Dawn, Willow nodded in agreement. "Too bad we can't get him arrested."

Tara looked at the other three women. "Isn't Warren the guy who made the Buffybot?"

"He is. You know, they're going to steal that diamond pretty soon," Buffy commented. "What we need is for them to get caught during the heist." She looked around the room. "Cameras. We need to check for cameras."

"Diamonds? Cameras? I'm so confused," Tara muttered.

Willow had a thoughtful look on her face. "What if we're only here for a day? How do we know things won't revert to the way they were before? We could just spend the day with our sweeties." She smiled at Tara.

"We were all so self-destructive though. It can't be any worse." Dawn raised her hand. "Shoplifting."

"Magic." Willow nodded.

"The things I did to hurt Spike," Buffy said sadly.

Dawn sighed. "Xander and Anya's not-wedding."

"Xander said he'd get Anya to elope," Buffy replied.

Tara had no idea what to think about what the other women were saying. She was confused by their words. She took a deep breath, and she focused on their auras. She let out a gasp.

"What is it, sweetie?" Willow asked. She moved to take Tara's hand. Willow had been so happy when she woke up beside her lost love, she'd laid there to bask in the warmth for thirty minutes.

"There's something d-different about all t-three of you," Tara whispered. "You're still you, just different."

Buffy looked at Willow and Dawn. She giggled. "I've missed you so much, Tara."

"Me too!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Not as much as I have." Willow swept Tara into a big hug. Buffy and Dawn followed Willow into embracing the dark-haired woman.

The four women stood there in the kitchen, just hugging until Tara finally muttered, "You guys are being weirder than normal."

Dawn chuckled. "Yeah, that's us. A bunch of weirdos. We have so much to do today."

"Yes, we do," Buffy agreed with a nod. She pulled away from the others. "Dawn, convince Janice to stay in tonight. I'll deal with the amorous vamp boys. Willow, go to the Magic Box. Talk to Giles. For God's sake, take the time to finally apologize."

"I will," Willow said. "Oh, if Xander and Anya are eloping today, we'll need some help at the store for the sale."

Tara looked at Willow in confusion. The whole morning had been just so confusing for the young woman. "Xander and Anya are eloping? I didn't even know they were engaged."

"That they are." Dawn grinned. "We can still have a reception though, right?"

"Yes, we can," Buffy agreed. She pointed at Dawn. "Maybe that's how you can convince Janice to stay in. "

Dawn's face lit up. "Yes, that's perfect."

Buffy turned to Willow. "You and Dawn have your assignments. Mine is figuring out what to do with Warren."

"Infiltrate the Nerd Herd, and break it open from inside," Dawn suggested.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You know Andrew was our resident nerd, Dawn."

"Oh yeah." Dawn pouted. "It was a good idea though."

"I'll ask Spike," Buffy announced. "I know he had Warren check the chip at one point. Dawn, school. Willow, the Magic Box." She marched out of the kitchen.

"No Double Meat Palace," Dawn called after her sister. She turned back to Willow. "I'll call Xander and let him know I'm catching a ride with Janice."

Willow smiled at Tara. "You're not too freaked out by all this, are you?"

Tara shook her head. Then, she nodded. She was freaked out. This was weird, even for Sunnydale. "You didn't do a spell, did you?"

"No, I learned my lesson," Willow promised.

"How?"

Willow took a deep breath, and she let it out slowly. "Warren shot you. So, I tried to end the world."

Tara gasped in horror. She covered her mouth with her hands. She wasn't horrified by her own death. That was going to happen no matter what. It was Willow's descent into darkness that bothered her the most. Tara looked at Dawn for confirmation.

"She really did," Dawn said. "It was a really bad time for all of us. Xander saved the world though."

"He did," Willow confirmed.

"I'm off to call Xander. You two have fun at the Magic Box." Dawn waved over her shoulder as she left the kitchen.

Tara gave a half-hearted wave to Dawn's retreating back. "You're right. If Xander and Anya elope, we're going to need help at Magic Box."

Willow grimaced when she remembered how busy the Magic Box had been for the Halloween sale the first time around. "Yes, we will."

"You know, the Wicca club has a new president. She knows I hang out with you at the Magic Box," Tara said in a hesitant voice. "She asked about the store. Maybe she'd help. If ... If we give her a discount or something."

"Anya will hate that," Willow commented.

Tara giggled. "She will, won't she?"

"Let's get ready. We need to talk to Giles." Willow grabbed Tara's hand. "We're so going to get this right this time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Xander rolled over, and he opened his ... eyes. He gasped before reaching up to feel his face. He was whole again.

"Go back to sleep, Xander," Anya mumbled into her pillow. "The Magic Box doesn't open till eight."

Xander sat up in bed, and he looked around. He was someplace she shouldn't be at all. "Let's elope," he announced. "You call in sick to Giles, we'll get in the car, and we'll go to Vegas."

"We're having that sale at the Magic Box." Anya reached out and patted in Xander's general direction. "We can't elope."

"Sure we can," Xander replied. "The others can handle the sale. I want to get married! Today!"

Anya rolled over to look at Xander. "You're serious."

"Damned right I am." Xander crawled out of bed to go call his boss Tito. He hadn't thought about Tito in ages; not since the whole gang had abandoned the sinkhole that Sunnydale had become after the Hellmouth closed.

Before Xander could use the phone, it started ringing. He picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Are you eloping today?" Dawn hissed as a greeting. "Because Buffy just left to go find Spike, and Willow has taken Tara to talk to Giles about the bad magic."

"I did not say the W word," Xander declared.

Dawn snorted. "Neither did I. Maybe that house really was haunted, and the ghosts gave us a Halloween present."

"Quick, check for the cheese man." Xander looked around the apartment.

"Who?" Both Dawn and Anya said at the same time.

"Whoa. Stereo." Xander grinned at Anya. "Just someone I met in a Slayer dream once."

Anya lifted one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "You think this is all a dream?"

"It's a very good one, if it is." Xander hurried to reassure his fiancé. He pointed at his face. "I have two eyes, and we're getting married. Today!"

"Okay, you two have fun with that," Dawn replied. "I need to get to school. It should be a breeze the second time around."

"What about your vampire boyfriend?" Xander asked. He remembered Buffy, Giles, and Spike having to deal with Dawn's horrible choices last time they did this little scenario.

Dawn laughed. "Not to worry. I'm going to convince Janice that we need to stay in and plan your reception. It's how I'm going to convince her not to go out with those vampires."

"Oh, that's a good idea," Xander said in a slightly confused voice. "Who do we know that we can invite to a reception?"

Anya dropped her shirt. "A reception for us? Oh, I have so many ideas for that." She looked around. "Where is my planner? I have a list of people that Dawn can use. There's also a budget she can work with."

"Tell Anya thanks," Dawn said to Xander. "Now, I've got to get going to school. Just drop all the info here at the house on your way out of town. I promise to get Anya the most bang for her buck."

Xander was a little dazed by Dawn's take charge attitude. She wasn't like that very often in the future and never with the Scoobies. "Uh, sure. Okay, bye, Dawn. Have fun at school." He hung up.

"Get dressed, Xander," Anya ordered. "It's just under 5 and a half hours to Vegas. If we get a move on, we can be there before three."

Xander moved towards the closet. "What about breakfast?"

"We'll get donuts and coffee from Hassib's"

Xander huffed. " Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll have some of those sausage crescent rolls made up."

"Maybe," Anya answered in a distracted tone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Giles looked up from his book work when Willow slid into the chair across from him. "Willow," he said.

"You're right, you know," the redhead replied. "I was stupid and arrogant." She glanced over at Tara who was on the store phone to Kali, the Wicca president. "I paid for it."

"Willow, what's going on?" Giles noticed the look of grief in Willow's eyes when she looked at her girlfriend.

Willow returned her attention to Giles. "None of us said the 'w' word. I'm sure of it." She laced her fingers together on the table in front of her. "From beneath you, it will devour. The First Evil is back, Giles. I woke that fucker up."

Giles was taken aback by Willow's language. He'd never heard her use a swear word before. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." Willow nodded. "I'm not the only one here. Buffy, Dawn, and Xander are all here too. Xander is eloping with Anya. Dawn is making sure that Janice and her are staying away from vampire boys. I'm here with you with knowledge."

"And Buffy?" Giles asked.

Willow smiled and nodded. "Buffy is with Spike."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Whatever it takes to make things right," Willow said. "He really does love her. Otherwise he wouldn't have ... " She broke off, unsure if she should say anything about a future event that might not happen this time around.

Giles' expression grew concerned. "What did he do exactly?"

Willow took a deep breath, and she started to speak. Giles' face went through a variety of emotions from incredulous to downright horrified while he learned what was in store for the near future. Willow stopped speaking to look at Giles expectantly. "So, things are going to go from bad to the worst."

"We need to write this all down." Giles grabbed two notebooks and pens. He knew he shouldn't believe everything just on Willow's word, but her face was so earnest that he knew she was telling a truthful telling of the future. "Start with the ritual you used to resurrect Buffy and leave nothing out. I need to inform Travers."

"All right." Willow leaned over the notebook with concentration.

Giles rose to cross to the counter where the phone resided. He smiled at Tara. "Did you find someone to help with the shop today?"

"I did," Tara answered. "Kali from the Wicca club is coming to help. We'll need to discuss compensation. She wants 20% off all of her purchases for a year."

Giles considered the proposition. "20% off for six months."

"Deal," Tara grinned. She held her hand out for Giles to shake. "Now, I'm going to prepare for the masses."

"You do that." Giles waited till Tara was out of earshot before he called Travers and the Watcher's Council. "Jane," he said when the Head Watcher's secretary answered the phone. "Let me speak to Quentin."

Travers' voice flowed through the telephone wires. "Rupert, I was just on my way out of the office."

"I apologize, Quentin, but I thought you needed to hear this little tidbit of information." Giles glanced over at Willow who was still scribbling in the notebook. "I have it from a reliable source that the First Evil is on the rise in a big way."

"You have been associating with Americans far too long," Travers replied. "Over exaggeration is not the Council way."

"It will target the Watchers, the potentials, Buffy, and Faith," Giles snarled. He was over Quentin's bullshit. "Do you want to know how you die, Quentin?' The First blows up the headquarters and your bloody arse along with it."
"Is this event preventable?" Travers asked.

Giles snorted. "Highly doubtful as the event that caused this situation has occurred already."

"Your Slayer's return from the dead by the hand of the witch," Travers guessed correctly. "I assume you have some ideas."

Giles looked at Willow again. "Not yet, but I should by the end of my day. "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Buffy hesitated outside Spike's crypt. She knew he had survived the Hellmouth, because Andrew had let it slip one evening when he'd had too much to drink. She needed to let him know -- now, before all the shit hit the fan -- that he was her monster, and that eventually she would be ready for him.

"I know you're out there, Slayer. I can feel you thinkin' too hard," Spike's voice drifted through the closed crypt door.

Buffy pushed open the door, and she stepped inside. "Uh, hey, Spike." She shifted from one foot to the other. "How's it hanging?"

"Low and a little to the left," Spike quipped. "This is an unexpected surprise."

Buffy's eyes drifted downward. "Um, yeah, of course."

Spike chuckled. "What do I owe the pleasure, Slayer?"

"Oh, right." Buffy jerked her attention away from Spike's crotch. Time enough for that later.

Maybe.

If she didn't fuck this up again.

Buffy's face twitched while she figured out how to bring up the subject of getting Warren arrested.

"You want to take out Robot boy and his cohorts, am I right?" Spike sauntered over to his fridge where he pulled out a couple of beers. "You're not even going to ask me how I know about them?"

"We were checking out this haunted house. I swear, none of us said the 'W' word." Buffy looked around the room. "I'm still not sure it isn't just a dream."

"I'm still a ghost at Angelus' law firm," Spike grumbled. "I'm really enjoyin' this touchin' and tastin' thing right now."

Buffy launched herself at Spike. "You're not dead!"

The beer bottles dropped from Spike's hands, and they broke on the concrete floor of the crypt. He put his arms around Buffy while their mouths met for the first time in almost two years. Spike stumbled backwards under Buffy's assault on his person. He fell into his chair, and he settled her on his lap.

The Slayer and her vampire lost track of time while they had a reunion that they both hadn't even considered in the cards. Both gloried in the feel of the other.

"Uh, Spike," a voice interrupted. "You do know you're kissing the Slayer, right?"

Buffy pulled away from Spike with great reluctance. She grinned at the interloper. "Clem!" She bounced out of the vampire's lap, and she rushed to hug the floppy skinned demon. "It's so good to see you."

"Spike," Clem wailed. "Why is the Slayer hugging me?"

Spike shrugged. "It could be worse, Clem. Just go with the flow. Besides, she can help with my plans."

"What plans?" Buffy pulled away from Clem to look at Spike. "We're not doing anything stupid, are we?"

"Us?" Spike touched his chest with one hand. "We never do anything stupid."

"You just keep telling yourself that," Buffy muttered. "I came here to talk about Warren and his buddies. What are you two up to?"

"The same," Spike grumbled. "I like Tara. She's a right fine gal."

"Okay, let's hear this plan of yours, but just so you know, it's just us doing this," Buffy replied. "Xander is eloping with Anya to Vegas. Willow is helping Giles with the store and telling him the future. Dawn is making sure that Janice won't be interested in going out with that vamp boy."

Spike nodded. "Just the three of us."

"What is the plan?" Clem asked. "I'm pretty sure the Slayer won't let us kill the human."

"I was thinking we could get him arrested." Buffy huffed. "I just can't think of anything he's done wrong yet. They won't steal that diamond till next week, and it's a whole month till Warren kills Katrina."

A knock on the crypt door interrupted the planning session.

"Grand Central Station, I swear," Spike muttered. "Get the door, Clem. It's too damned sunny for soddin' October."

Clem opened the crypt door. "Can I help you?" he said to the person standing outside.

"Uh, is Buffy here?"

"Andrew?" Buffy moved to Clem's side.

Andrew shuffled into the crypt where he looked down at the ground and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Oh, hey, Buffy. I ... uh ... sorry. I know you told me not to follow you guys to that haunted house."

"So, you said you wanted to come back and change something too?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, yeah. I called the cops on Warren and Jonathan," Andrew muttered.

"I thought Jonathan was your friend?" Buffy eyed Andrew for a moment.

Andrew nodded his head. "He is, but I couldn't talk him out of leaving Warren. He's being arrested too."

"You know they'll implicate you," Spike said. He shrugged when Buffy and Clem stared at him. "Not that I care or anything. Just thought I'd point that out."

"I'm on my way to Sacramento, actually. My cousin has a business there, and he's willing to vouch that I've been working with him since May." Andrew hitched a thumb towards the door. "Mom's taking me to the train station. He pulled out a business card with his other hand, and he handed it to Buffy. "If you need help with the First, call me."

"Thank you, Andrew." Buffy took the card. She tucked it into her pants pocket.

"You're welcome. " Andrew rushed over to Spike, and he hugged the vampire. "It's good to see you again. I thought you were dead."

Spike awkwardly patted Andrew's shoulder. "Yeah, sure, whatever you say."

A car horn beeped in the distance.

"That's my mom," Andrew said. "I gotta go. Bye, Buffy. Bye, Spike." He backed up towards the door, and he ran into Clem. "Uh, bye, scary demon dude."

After Andrew stumbled out the door, Clem turned to Spike and Buffy. "I'm a scary demon dude. Isn't that awesome?"

"Looks like our Warren problem is solved." Buffy held up one finger. "Xander is on his way to Vegas with Anya." She held up a second finger.

"So, no wedding from Hell?" Spike asked. He leered at Buffy. "I wanted to see you in that green dress again, Slayer. You were radiant."

Buffy gave Spike a dirty look while she held up a third finger. "Willow is talking to Giles about magic and everything that happened. Will happen. Might happen. Whatever."

Spike laughed. "Confusing, isn't it, luv?"

"And last, but not least, Dawn is going to make sure that Janice and her aren't out and about with the vamp boys," Buffy finished.

"So, if you don't need me anymore ..." Clem trailed off when he noticed Spike and Buffy staring at each other. The UST in the room proved too much for the floppy skinned demon, and he skedaddled while the coast was clear.

Spike and Buffy surged together like two things that surge. They surged like a wave meeting the beach, or like electricity during a thunderstorm. Or adrenaline after a good fight. Faith always said fighting made her hungry for horns. No, horny for hungers. Oh, fuck it. Spike and Buffy kissed like two horny, hungry bunnies.

Sorry, Anya.

Oh yeah, bunnies don't kiss. Okay, Spike and Buffy humped like two horny, hungry bunnies.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

LATER THAT NIGHT, AFTER XANDER AND ANYA GOT MARRIED, GILES FIGURED OUT HOW TO DEFEAT THE FIRST WITH WILLOW'S HELP, DAWN AND JANICE SUCCESSFULLY PLANNED A WEDDING RECEPTION, AND SPIKE AND BUFFY BROKE THEIR PREVIOUS 5-HOUR RECORD.

Xander cuddled up against Anya, and he sighed with happiness.

Willow cuddled up against Tara, and she sighed with happiness.

Buffy cuddled up against Spike, and she sighed with tired happiness.

Dawn cuddled up against her pillow, and she sighed with relief. Everything was going to be better after this little trip to the past.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Dawn all jerked awake at the same time. They found themselves back in the haunted house that they had been investigating.

Buffy looked around with sadness. "It was all a dream." Her phone started to ring in her purse.

"Yeah," Xander muttered as he raised a hand to touch his eye patch.

Buffy dug the phone out of her purse, and she hit the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hey luv, when are you bunch gettin' back from that job?" Spike's voice floated out of the receiver. "Demon Girl and the witchlet are gettin' antsy. They're ready for the party to start."

"Spike?" Buffy asked in confusion. "But ..."

"Yeah, it's kinda confusing, Slayer," Spike replied. "Don't forget to grab Andrew on your way back home. Chop, chop, pet."

"I ... uh ... okay." Buffy hung up. Then, she turned to Xander, Willow, and Dawn.

Dawn waved one hand at her sister. "Was it really Spike," she asked.

"Yeah." Buffy nodded. "Apparently, Anya and Tara are ready for the Halloween party to start."

Dawn had a dazed look on her face. "We really did change things?"

"I guess we'll have to go and see." Buffy started to gather up her ghost detecting equipment. "Maybe we really did get our do over."

The End.