Title: No Going Back
Fandom: BtVS
Author: badly_knitted
Characters: Xander, Jesse, Giles, Buffy, Willow.
Rating: PG
Word Count: 300, a triple drabble.
Spoilers: Welcome to the Hellmouth / The Harvest.
Summary: Xander’s world has been turned upside down; nothing can ever go back to the way it was, but maybe he doesn’t want it to.
Content Notes: None needed.
Written For: Challenge 279: Amnesty, using Challenge 20: Mythology.
Disclaimer: I don’t own BtVS, or the characters; they belong to the great Joss Whedon.



Vampires, demons, incubi, succubi, witches, all manner of supposedly mythical creatures; according to the school’s new librarian, they’re all real… Until a few days ago, Xander had happily watched horror movies, revelling in the harmless thrill of being scared sleepless by things that couldn’t possibly exist. Now his whole life has turned into one, he doesn’t want to watch another horror movie for as long as he lives.

It’s terrifying.

But at the same time, a lot of things about Sunnydale are finally starting to make sense.

Given the choice, would he rather go back to the happy little bubble he lived in before, not knowing the truth about the creatures of the night stalking his home town’s streets? Would that bring Jesse back?

Of course not; Jesse was turned, and then he was dusted; he won’t be coming back, he’s as dead as it’s possible to get. Xander will have to live with that knowledge, but he’s not the only one; Willow was there too, and Mr Giles, and Buffy, the Slayer, the girl whose responsibility it is to protect the world from not so mythical monsters.

Buffy doesn’t get to choose what she is or what she does, but she shouldn’t have to face it alone, and she won’t have to. Now Xander knows the truth he can’t close his eyes to it. He’s terrified, more than he ever was watching horror movies, but he’s already helped save the day once, and survived to not tell anyone about it. This is his fight now as much as it is Buffy’s; Willow agrees.

They’ve lost one friend, but found another, maybe two if they count Giles; that’s gotta count for something. Maybe the four of them working together can avenge Jesse’s death. That’d be a good place to start.


The End