__A Disney Ending__
By Greyangel




Rays of early morning light spilled through the curtains, and he looked up wearily before realising it was finally morning. Pulling himself from the ravaged bedclothes, he stumbled to the bathroom, mindful this time of the wastebasket that he had tripped over for the last four nights in a row. It had been a long time since he had been turned into a demon, but he still felt a slight discomfort when he looked in the mirror each morning. His demonic experience, like many others, was not without it's repercussions. He had felt like a stranger in his own skin for a long time afterwards, and even though the yearly maker of Buffy's birthday was slowly creeping up on them, life still seemed to scuffle by at a comfortably slow pace.

Hearing his door open, then carefully close, he dressed himself quickly and made his way downstairs. Still wondering which of his young friends had decided to drop by, he headed to the kitchen and looked carefully around. 'Hello...?'

Willow smiled from the doorway. 'Giles.'

He jumped at the sound of her voice, then paused, and glared at her briefly.

She pulled a face. 'Jumpy much,' Placing something large on his desk, she waved her hand in the air and produced a paper bag. 'I brought muffins and coriander.'

He nodded in appreciation as she removed the small satchel of coriander from the bag and handed him the muffins. He started the microwave and reached to his cupboard for some plates. 'Thank you for the muffins, though, I don't know about the coriander...'

'For the spell...?' she reminded him, tapping the cage. Trying not to giggle at his somewhat shocked expression, she became suddenly aware of the bags under his eyes. 'Giles, are you okay?'

'I'm just tired,' he replied, remembering their conversation the previous night about the Amy-rat. 'You're sure you want to try again?'

'You mean 'cause last time we turned her into a fish?' her face grew somewhat serious. 'No, I think I can actually turn her back this time.'

As Giles gathered the muffins and made his way around the divider, Willow glanced at the rat cage that sat rigidly on his desk. 'I'm just glad we turned her back into a rat. I don't like fish - they've got the whole eyes on the side of their heads thing and the gills and...' She shuddered. 'They're just creepy.'

'Whereas rats are just majestic creatures, hmm?'

She wheeled and pulled a face at the vampire in the doorway.

Giles sighed. 'Perhaps I should just nail my door closed.'

'Do you have weetabix?' Spike wandered to the kitchen immediately. 'I don't have any money...'

Giles rubbed his brow. 'Sod off...'

'Do you think... we might be able to turn her back?' Willow asked.

'So you don't have any?'

Ignoring the irritating voice coming from his kitchen, Giles focused on Willow. 'Turn her back? Possibly. I was with her when she transformed Buffy back to normal, perhaps I can help this time.' Giles suggested, looking at the little creature in the cage.

Willow nodded, smiling. 'Let's get to it.'

'I smell muffins.'

'Goddess Hecate,' Giles began to chant from one of his textbooks while Willow removed Amy from her cage and placed her on a cloth she had laid on the table. 'Goddess of creatures great and small.'

'Muffins are good. I like muffins - dipped in a little O pos.'

'I hereby licence thee to depart.' Giles looked over the top of the book at the small rat on the table.

The room was silent for a few moments.

'Where are the muffins?'

'Sod off, Spike!' Giles cried over his shoulder.

Willow looked up, concerned at Giles' sudden outburst. 'Are you alright?'

Giles removed his glasses, keeping his eyes closed. 'Yes, I'm fine. Just tired.'

'You don't look too good,' she said gently. 'Maybe you should get some rest. We can try this again tomorrow.'

'No, it's alright, I just need to-'

'Good morning people,' Buffy pushed the door open and slid through. 'You called?'

Giles paused. 'Excuse me?'

She lifted her brow. 'You left a message on the machine, said you needed me and Riley here.'

Riley poked his head around the corner.

Giles blinked, confused. 'I didn't leave any m-'

'Hello,' an irritated voice echoed as Anya and Xander both slumped through the door. 'Make it quick so we can go back to having sex.'

Xander remained silent, only lowering his head and shaking it slightly.

'What is going on here?' Giles cried, lowering his brow.

Xander paused, noticing the group already assembled, and shrugged. 'You called, said it was important.'

Oz slid through the door not far behind Xander, and gave a short wave before making a beeline for Willow.

'What on Earth?' Giles calmed himself. 'Okay, somebody explain please... ?'

'You left a message on my machine, said I should stop by.' Oz explained. 'Sorry if I'm late.'

Anya folded her arms. 'You called us too. And we were busy.'

Xander nodded. 'Very busy.'

'Having sex.' Anya clarified. 'So hurry it up.'

'For the last time, I didn't leave any messages, I didn't ask anybody to come here!'

'Then why are we all here?' Anya asked, irritated that she'd been called away from her encounter with Xander for no reason.

'I don't know.' He thought for a moment. 'But wait a minute - all of us are here...'

'Look, if you didn't call us, then somebody else did that sounds a hell of a lot like you.' Xander insisted.

'Why would someone want all of us in the same place at the same time?' Riley asked, confused.

Buffy looked up, alarmed. 'A trap.'

All the lights in the room went out, and the morning light vanished from the window as the blinds were drawn closed.

'Why do the lights always go out right after the good guy says 'it's a trap'?' Buffy asked. 'And why can't I hear any breathing? Hello?'

'Buffy.' Giles whispered.

After a moment of silence he realised that he couldn't hear any movement. Not even breathing.

'Buffy? Willow?'

There was no response. He searched around the dim room, barely able to see anything at all but a single red light coming from an appliance in the kitchen.

'Riley? Xander? Buffy?'

Still no response...

He glanced back towards the kitchen, but the red light was gone. He blinked, then realised there was somebody standing in the light's path.

Pain struck the side of his head, and he hit the ground. Rolling onto his back he looked up, and saw a face loom over him. He blinked, unable to see anything, and then passed into consciousness.

'Hello Ripper.'
* * *

The ache in his head was enough to let him know he'd been knocked out.

Again.

'You've got to be bloody joking.'

Giles blinked and pulled himself up, still dizzy, but concerned as memories of the last few moments of consciousness passed before him. Was that... Ethan?

Looking around, he was shocked to find himself surrounded by trees. In the middle of what appeared to be a forest... He lifted himself to his feet and peered around until his eyes finally fell on Riley, Oz, Spike and Xander, who stood several metres away. He let out a slight chuckle, followed by a straight out laugh, and found he was unable to stop himself from laughing.

Spike glared, as did Xander, before they had a good look at him and laughed themselves.

He moved towards them, examining their strange clothes with amusement in his expression.

Oz and Spike were both wearing brown leather pants and a white shirt, knee-high boots and oddly shaped vests that curved inwards at their shoulders - the only difference being, Oz was carrying a small mandolin. Xander's clothes were similar, though his pants were made of a tighter, green material. Riley, on the other hand, was wearing a large brown cloak. Giles controlled his laughter to speak with them. 'What on earth are you lot doing? Why are you dressed like that?'

Lifting the staff that he was carrying, Spike pointed at him. 'Hey! Don't talk too fast, Rupes. Take a look at yourself.'

Finally realising what he was wearing, Giles, under a rather heavy blush, sighed and growled blow his breath. 'Ethan...'

'This is some kind of weird practical joke, right?' Riley asked, shifting beneath his heavy cloak.

'What was the last thing you saw before you were knocked out?' Giles asked.

'Knocked out?' Xander was confused. 'I just remember being called to your house, then the lights went out, then I fell asleep... wait a minute...'

'No, I think I fell asleep too.' Riley agreed with him. 'We were gassed or something.'

'Then why was I knocked out?' Giles rubbed the back of his head.

'Man, you've got to start keeping a tally. Maybe you could, like, win a prize one day.' Oz suggested.

'Thank you, Oz, I'll keep that in mind.'

'Um, people, we have an issue here.' Spike cut in.

Xander lifted his brow. 'And that would be? Aside from the green tights?'

Spike lifted his arms up and waved them around ridiculously. The others were confused for a moment before they realised that he was standing in direct sunlight.

'This is great. Whatever this place is, I like it.' Spike was now jumping in and out of sunbeams like a five year old.

'This isn't real.' Giles realised.

'What do you mean?' Riley looked over his shoulder at the former watcher. 'It feels real. Too real to be a dream.'

'No, not a dream - it's too real in that sense. But Spike in sunbeams? No, we're definitely not awake.'

'But check out the attire,' Oz looked around. 'Pretty lively.'

'Robin Hood.' Giles mumbled.

'Excuse me?' Riley lifted his brow.

Giles looked up at him. 'That's it. Robin Hood. This is Sherwood Forest.' He moved forward, looking around. He pointed to Xander. 'Will Scarlet.'

Xander lifted his brow. 'O-kay.'

Pointing to Oz and then Riley, Giles continued. 'Allan Adale, Friar Tuck.' His eyes finally fell on the half-dancing vampire. Holding his brow, he sighed. 'And Little John.'

'Little John?' Spike stopped his romp through the sun and retrieved his staff. 'Excuse me? Little John? Little my ass.'

'That's just the character's name, Spike,' Giles turned around, looking through the trees. 'I'm betting that somehow Ethan is simulating this inside our minds... or mine.'

'Ethan?' Riley asked, confused.

'The man you arrested,' Giles explained. 'The one that turned me into a demon awhile back.'

'How the hell did he get out?' Xander asked, irritated.

'I don't know, but all that matters now is that he did.' Giles insisted.

Riley held up his hand. 'But if we're all those characters that you said, that makes you ...Robin Hood..."


Giles shrugged. 'It makes sense. Who else would Ethan focus on?'

'Buffy.' Oz suggested.

Riley looked around. 'Where is Buffy?'

'Willow and Anya are missing too.' Xander looked concerned.

Giles noticed his expression. 'If we're here, it's likely they're elsewhere in the same story. We just have to find them.'

'Harder than it sounds.'

They all wheeled around quickly and spied a man sitting atop a black stallion. His dress was that of a sheriff, and he smiled mischievously

'Ethan.' Giles growled.

'Hello, Ripper. Or should I say Robin? How are you? '

'I've been better.' Giles commented through clenched teeth. 'The Sheriff of Nottingham, I presume?'

Ethan's grin broadened. 'Indeed. Quite a gig, I must say. But still: Robin Hood. How fitting for you.'

'Where are we?' Riley demanded.

'Why, Sherwood Forrest. You should have figured that much out by now.' Ethan replied with a smile. 'Your pathetic group of outcasts happen to be the biggest outlaws in all of Nottingham.'

'This isn't real.' Giles moved forward. 'Where are we really?'

'The only way you can find that out,' Ethan turned his horse, 'is to play the game. I'll be waiting, Ripper.'

He began a trot, but looked over his shoulder. 'Oh, and Marion sends her regards.'

Giles stopped in his attempt to catch his nemesis and blinked stupidly. 'Marion?'

'Maid Marion.' Xander explained. 'You know, the chick that lives in Prince John's castle in Nottingham, Robin Hood's one true love, etcetera. See I did pay attention in class.'

'In first grade.' Oz added.

'And what's the bet that Marion is either Red or the Slayer?' Spike joined the conversation.

Xander paused. 'What about Anya, she's still unaccounted for.'

'It's Buffy.' Giles said gently.

Riley lifted his brow. 'What makes you say th-'

'Just trust me,' Giles cut in, 'it's her.'

'Well, now that we have that sorted out.' Spike folded his arms. 'Lets go get us some game. You need to get the ladies and get out of here, and I'm betting that, because I've got the whole sunbeam thing going, this chip is likely to be temporarily inactive. Lets get a-killing people!'

'Not that easy.' Giles paused for a moment, thinking.

'Why not?' Spike asked, still excited about the idea.

Xander looked over to Spike, unsure of what Giles meant. Then he realised. 'With the sunbeams and everything, my guess would be that you're human now. And as a human, well, you bite someone and the worst you're going to do is give them a severe hicky.'

'What?!" Spike's initial shock soon turned to annoyance when he realised he couldn't transform into his game face. 'Dammit!'

'And on top of that, we don't know where we are in the story.' Giles looked around. 'Did Ethan bring us in right at the beginning or half way through.'

'Well, I think the most likely would be the beginning.' Riley offered.

Giles looked sideways at him. 'You're right, but this is Ethan. He's very unpredictable when it comes to his pranks.'

A whistling noise silenced them all, and Giles looked around wearily. 'Hold still.'

He ducked, and the twang of an arrow striking a tree was enough to make the others duck as well.

Pulling himself up, he noticed the arrow poking out of the oak tree that stood directly behind him. He unravelled the piece of paper that was bound to the shaft, and read it. 'Here ye, here ye - citizens of Nottingham, His royal highness Prince John has this day decreed the challenge of an archery contest to be held during the spring celebrations.'

'Nice timing.' Oz lifted his brow.

'The archery contest.' Riley stepped forward. 'If I remember correctly, that's pretty close to the end.'

'It is.' Giles confirmed, rolling up the piece of paper. 'At least we don't have much to do.'

'But don't you have to win the contest to finish the story?' Xander asked Giles, weary of the former Watcher's skill with a bow and arrow... or lack thereof.

Giles nodded. 'Yes, I believe so.' He looked down. 'The celebrations begin tomorrow, it says so on the invitation.'

'Then you need to practice and find a disguise.' Xander insisted.

'Disguise?' Riley inquired.

Xander nodded. 'Yeah, in the story he had to go in disguise or he would have been arrested. They'd recognise him instantly. He is, after all, the grand poo bah of outlaws.'

'Indeed.' Giles, worried and irritated, lifted his brow. 'Disguises will be your concern, though. I have to... practice.'

'You do that.' Xander nodded, and watched Giles wander away, unstrapping the quiver and bow from his back.

'Is he good with a bow and arrow?' Riley asked, looking sideways at Xander.

'Well, he's not brilliant or anything... actually he's pretty average. But he was watcher guy, and he knew a lot about weapons so I might be wrong... but I don't think... he might be...' Xander paused, then looked up at his friend. 'We're doomed.'

* * *

Buffy roused her red-haired friend from her bed just as a second knock sounded from the door. 'Will. Will wake up, it's morning.'

'Hmm?' Willow rolled over and peered up through dreary eyes. 'Buffy?'

'We're still in the castle, and there's somebody at the door.' She looked over her shoulder. 'Come in.'

'Ladies, my ladies.' The tall, overly handsome ruler stepped into the room with servants by his side. 'Good morning.'

'Him? Why is he still here?' Anya was sitting upright in her bed, looking somewhat annoyed.

Buffy lifted her brow. 'And what do you want?'

The Prince folded his arms. 'I see we still fail in our manners this morning. Remember, I am your Prince.'

'Not caring.' Anya flopped back into her bed. 'Now go away.'

'Highness, these ladies are all very out of line!' One of the servants cried. 'They should be punished!'

John nodded. 'Indeed they should, but at a better time. Today is the first day of celebration - and the archery contest is set for this afternoon. If Robin shows, as the sheriff has promised me he will, then I believe I will have a very good day.'

He turned to depart, but paused before closing the door. 'I'll deal with you three later. You will sit upon the podium with me, Marion. The crowd will be... disturbed to find their lady absent. However, be mindful. Irritate or offend me in any way and I will have to report you are sick with illness. Needless to say you will not be sick.'

Buffy glared. 'Never threaten me.'

'And you,' he growled, 'do not try me!'

He slammed the door behind him, and Buffy sat on the end of Willow's bed holding onto her forehead. 'This is insane.'

'But today is the archery contest.' Willow insisted. 'Not long now.'

Anya rolled over. 'I'm trying to sleep.'

The others ignored her. Buffy looked down at her friend. 'Will, if you're right and the guys are really Robin Hood's men, then they will be there today - and we can sort this whole thing out.'

'Buffy, think about it. If you're Maid Marion...'

'That would make Riley Robin Hood, right?' Buffy finished for her. 'And if he has Xander, Oz and Giles with him, they should be fine.'

'Or they could all be dead.' Anya offered.

Buffy glared. 'Yes. Of course. Thank you Anya.'

Willow rested a hand on Buffy's arm. 'Stop worrying. We have to get dressed before Adam gets back.'

'Prince John.' Buffy corrected. 'Adam was never that human.'

Willow nodded. 'It's strange to see him human.'

'He's gorgeous.' Anya noted from across the room.

Willow and Buffy both shot her looks.

'What?' She pulled a face back at them. 'He is. He's no Xander, but still.' Anya continued.

'Please,' Buffy begged, 'let's just get dressed.'

Pulling herself from her bed, Willow pulled on her petticoat. 'This is so strange, being inside a story and all.'

'Worthy of a good wiggins.' Buffy agreed. 'But let's panic and be awestruck after we find the guys and get whoever is behind this.'

The others agreed and continued to dress.

* * *

'It's better than a kick in the teeth, at any rate.' Xander jibed Riley of his new disguise. 'I wouldn't recognise you.'

'Good. But it's Giles we have to worry about. He's the only one that they'll be really looking for.' Riley noted.

Giles stepped forward in his new attire and sighed. It was simple - a black cloak to cover his clothes and a large, brimmed hat to hide his face. 'This is so basic. They'll recognise me straight away.'

'It's what he wore in the story.' Xander offered. 'If it makes you feel any better nobody can see your tights.'

Glaring, Giles pulled the cloak over his shoulders and fastened it.

'We should get going.' Oz piped up from the back. 'It's almost time.'

Spike, also toting a cloak and hat, brought up the rear as they began the trip towards the nearby town. The main town square, just in front of the Castle, was where the note had said the contest would be held. Once they arrived they noticed a podium had been set up to house the Prince and his officials, and guards were posted just about everywhere. Local villagers had set up tents and shops in a square shape around the main archery ground, on which sat ten targets, all perfectly aligned.

'Man, that guy is huge.' Xander commented, his voice croaky.

'Who?' Giles followed Xander's line of sight to the royal podium where a tall, well built man stood, bearing the royal symbol. 'That,' he informed them, 'would have to be Prince John.'

'Prince John?' Xander almost shrieked. 'Isn't he supposed to be a weasely little guy?'

'Obviously not.' Spike folded his arms. 'But I can't see Red anywhere... or the Slayer.'

'They'll be here. If they've figured out what story they're in, they'll definitely be here.' Riley insisted.

'He's right.' Giles looked around, wearily, surprised to find his long-distance eyesight perfect even without his glasses. Spike's sudden humanity wasn't the only thing that was different in this world.

A trumpet fanfare heralded the entrance of further royal patrons, and finally the women emerged from the side of the podium to sit in three decorated seats to the right of the Prince. Giles pushed through the small crowd they had found themselves in to get a better look.

'It's Buffy.' He looked over his shoulder. 'All three of them - they're sitting in the podium.'

'She is Marion after all.' Riley lifted his brow. 'At least that means she'll be safe, for now.'

'The archers are taking their places.' Oz nodded towards the ground where the first ten archers had assembled. 'Maybe you should get over there.'

Giles nodded and pulled his bow out from the back of his cloak. 'I'll go over - if anything should happen, promise me you'll get the girls and get as far away as you can.'

Xander hesitated before nodding.

They watched him drift into a small group of men that were lining up for the next wave.

'We should try and get as close to the podium as we can.' Riley suggested. The others followed him, sneaking around the back of several tents and sliding in between them occasionally to avoid guards.

Watching from above on the edge of the podium, the sheriff nodded his approval of the groups of archers that assembled. He looked over to the Prince. 'He's here. I know he is.'

John smiled and nodded. 'Good. Finally, he's going to be mine.'

The Prince folded his arms and observed the sour-looking maiden beside him. 'What's wrong, my lady?'

Buffy didn't gratify him with a response, but stared down to the group of archers that had begun to fire arrows at the targets... she couldn't see Riley anywhere.

'My lady, you know the good sheriff.'

Buffy waved her arm without looking up, and Ethan smiled to see her so captivated with the motion down below. 'Ah, yes. Marion knows me well.'

Her head shot up at the sound of his voice. 'Ethan Rayne.' She growled.

He smiled. 'Ah, Maid Marion. How good to see you again.'

'You will address my Sheriff with all due respect, Lady.' The Prince glared at her briefly before returning his attention to his Sheriff. 'Will you be in the contest today?'

'I will, my Prince. I hope to reveal Robin while down there. It will make for quite a scene.' He smiled.

'Indeed.' the Prince agreed, smiling. He turned to Marion. 'Will you give the winner a kiss, my Lady?'

Buffy looked to the grinning Sheriff and shuddered. 'Bite me.'

John lifted a hand to strike her, but stopped himself. 'One day that tongue of yours will get you in serious trouble, Lady!'

She ignored him, but before his anger could rise up again, Ethan stopped him. 'Forgive her, my Prince. She is very young, and very naïve.'

'Indeed.' The Prince mumbled, looking down to the ground below where the second wave of archers had assembled.

'I'd better get down there.' Ethan turned and proceeded down the steps.

The first round had begun, and Giles waited nervously for his turn at the target. Finally, he stepped up and aimed his bow, breathing heavily. After a long, tense moment, he released the arrow and closed his eyes. Silence fell, and he finally opened his eyes, knowing all at once he'd missed the target entirely. It wasn't until the crowd roared that he realised quite the opposite had happened... the first bullseye of the contest had been struck.

Riley shook his head from where they stood. 'That was subtle. They'll know it's him now.'

Xander kept his eye on the three girls. 'Giles will deal with that, we have to worry about getting them out of here.'

Spike jogged back towards them from his small scouting expedition around the perimeter of the podium. 'There's at least ten guards around the edge, six more up top.'

'We can't take all of them. There are four of us, sixteen of them, and I don't like the idea of four to one.' Riley growled. 'We just have to hope Giles comes up with a plan.'

'He will.' Xander nodded, nodding to Spike as they moved for another perimeter scout to see if any of the guards had left.

'What makes you so sure?' Riley called after him, but got no response. He sighed, turning back to Oz. 'Well?'

Oz lifted his brow.

'What makes him so sure?' Riley repeated.

Oz smiled gently. 'He's Giles.'

The second round had already begun on the archery field, and Giles was lined up for his second shot.

'Looking to win, Ripper?'

Giles gasped softly. 'I figured you'd come down to see this. Not one for the sit back and watch?'

'On the contrary, I do enjoy a good sit back and watch, but it's usually what gets me caught. This time I figured I'd help propel things a little quicker, and I never realised how much more fun it is to be right in the action.'

'And what makes you think I wouldn't turn around and fire this damned arrow straight through you?' Giles growled.

Ethan smiled. 'Oh, I don't know. Perhaps the fact that I could have any of them killed whenever I want to. The second you harm me, they all die. Sorry, Ripper. I've taken precautions this time.'

'How very clever of you. But you're forgetting one thing.'

The sheriff laughed. 'And what's that?'

'Do you think that Prince John could possibly face up against a Slayer?'

Ethan paused briefly, then fired back. 'I don't think it's Prince John you should be worrying about. You see, she may be able to take him out, but what about the twenty odd guards within proximity? The hundred odd in the general area? No, I think our Slayer has her hands full. And so do you.'

Giles looked to where Ethan was pointing and realised that it was his turn. Stepping up he took his shot - not quite a bullseye, but close enough to keep him in the game. Surprised at the quality of his bow skill, he stepped back again, baffled.

'Your sight is fixed according to what Robin's would have been. What made you think you didn't have his bow skills either?' Ethan inquired.

'I didn't realise... we...' he froze. 'That means...?'

'That dear Buffy is helpless? For the most part, yes. Not that she knows that.' Ethan grinned widely, moving up for his shot. A bullseye, straight and clean, just like his last shot.

Giles knew he had to win the competition to play the story out to it's finish. After several more archers took their turn the third round finally came, with only three competitors left.

The first took his shot, at least two rings from the bullseye, and stepped back once again, disappointed. Giles stepped up, aimed, and took a quick look up to the podium where the girls sat. Without really knowing why, Giles closed his eyes and released the arrow, listening for the clear crack as it struck the target. A cheer went through the crowd, and he smiled.

Ethan stepped up next to him. 'Nice shot, Ripper. But you do realise I've already won. Two bullseyes already, and a third is pretty much a sure thing. So sorry.' He smiled, making his way to the mark and taking aim.

Giles glared his nemesis, and stepped in a little closer.

'But if I kill you now I could really solve a great deal of my problems.' He whispered, jabbing the Sheriff with an arrow tip.

Ethan yelped and released the arrow, watching as it struck the outer ring. A groan went through the crowd.

Ethan turned back to Giles angrily.

Giles suppressed a smile. 'Jumpy much.'

'Robin Hood!' Ethan cried. 'Guards!'

After a brief moment of panic, Giles managed to throw back his cloak and dispose of his hat. He managed to sidestep the first guard that attacked him and obtain his sword, knocking him to the ground. He continued to fight off the next group, struggling to keep up with the overwhelming amount of men that flooded towards him.

Oz spied Giles' predicament, and alerted the others.

With a huge grin, Spike charged towards the massive crowd of guards with Riley, Xander and Oz all in tow.

Seeing that the others had joined the fight, Giles tried to weave his way out of the guards to find Ethan - but the crowd was too dense and Ethan was nowhere in sight.

From the podium John smiled down over the masses. 'Finally - he can't get out of this one.' He looked over to the side of the podium where the Sheriff stood, smiling. 'Nice work, Sheriff.'

Ethan nodded. 'I am glad I have pleased his highness.' He managed through heavy breaths. He had barely escaped the brawl, knowing that he would be safe surrounded by the Prince's main guards - Giles couldn't make his way out of the crowd of guards without being cut down instantly.

Anya was practically hanging over the balcony, trying to spy Xander in the mass fight below. 'I can't see him anywhere?'

'Riley?' Buffy inquired.

'Oz?' Willow lifted her brow.

'No, Xander.'

Willow moved to the balcony with her, while Buffy remained in her seat, trying to figure out how she was going to get the other girls off the podium safely. Since she first arrived she had felt that helpless feeling that had only come over her once before - on her eighteenth Birthday. It wasn't until Willow realised she couldn't cast spells that Buffy had known they were fully a part of the characters they were playing. As a Slayer, Buffy could probably jump from the podium and survive without so much as a scratch. As Maid Marion, however...

The girls on the balcony remained eagerly fixed to the action below.

Suddenly, Willow's shrieking voice caught Buffy's attention.

'It's Giles!' Willow cried.

Buffy froze. 'What?'

'Robin Hood!' Willow jumped up and down, shrieking. 'It's Giles.'

Scrambling to the balcony, Buffy stared down over the crowd to where a small group of men fought off guard after guard. She picked out Xander and Oz, but was unable to see the others. It wasn't until Spike's rather subtle hair came into sunlight that she located the other three.

Suddenly, in a flood of royal blue, a new group of warriors took to the field to aid the small band of thieves. Surprised, but relieved, Buffy made her way down the podium to where Ethan stood, smiling, in safety.

Upon a white horse rode a tall man with rugged, dark hair and a short beard, bearing a crown and a golden sword. He strode through the brawling crowd and up to the podium, where John leapt from his seat and scrambled to the nearest escape route. Caught by the Willow and Anya, he was pushed back onto the podium. Cringing, he looked over to his brother, King Richard III.

The King smiled at the sight of his kin. 'Hello, brother.' He acknowledge the ladies before looking back to John. 'We have to talk.'

Willow lifted her brow, hardly believing what she saw. The man on the horse, suddenly so very familiar, smiled back at her, his blue eyes practically shining. As Anya made her way down off the podium to where the others were still struggling against the black-coated guards, Willow bowed gently to the King... Prince John in the form of Adam had been a surprise, but King Richard in the form of a rather rugged Wesley? The others probably wouldn't believe her...

Excusing herself awkwardly, she made her way quickly to aid Anya. Meanwhile, Buffy approached Ethan from behind and leapt forward, grappling his arm and, lifting it up high, twisted, behind his back as hard as she could without her powers. He let out a shriek of pain.

'Call them off.' She insisted.

He paused, but when she lifted his arm again, he cried for his men to retreat.

Oz, Xander and Riley all took up weapons that had fallen to the ground and continued to dispense of the closest group of guards. Spike smiled at the pile of unconscious men that lay on the ground. 'That's the stuff.'

Giles looked to where Buffy had caught Ethan and dropped his sword, regaining his bow and pulling an arrow from his quiver. Laying the arrow shaft against the bow he made his way over to them.

'How do we get out of here?' Buffy asked.

Giles pulled the string back and lifted the bow. 'Answer her, Ethan.'

Buffy held his arm tightly behind his back, and the Sheriff paused before letting out a short laugh. 'You always get me in the end, don't you Ripper?'

Giles' brow lifted.

Ethan shrugged Buffy away from him. 'Alright, alright. You'll all wake up completely once the story is completed.'

Willow shook her head. 'That can't be right - the story has ended. King Richard has returned, and John has been arrested. It's over.'

'Not quite.' Ethan muttered.

Buffy's grip tightened again. 'Not quite? What do you mean not quite?'

'You'd better listen to her, Sheriff.' Xander suggested, smiling.

Ethan rolled his eyes. 'It's bloody obvious.'

'What is?' Oz asked, confused.

'Oh!' Willow's eyes grew wide. 'You mean they? Oh! Oh!'

'Willow, what?' Buffy asked, looking around to where her best friend stood.

'You have to...' she made a strange symbol by pressing the tips of her index fingers together and swivelling them around.

Buffy narrowed her eyes. 'We have to point?'

Willow shook her head. 'No, Buffy, you have to...' she shrugged. 'Maid Marion... Robin Hood... the usual Disney happy ending...'

Buffy blinked.

Giles eyes grew wide.

Buffy's head shot up. 'Oh.'

Willow nodded. 'Yeah.'

She looked over to where Giles stood, his bow now lowered. He looked surprised and maybe even a little worried. Buffy glanced to Riley, who simply gave a resigned nod.

Buffy let go of Ethan, pushing him to Spike.

She stepped toward her former watcher. 'Okay. This shouldn't be too hard.'

'No,' he replaced the arrow in his quiver. 'No, it shouldn't be. We're both adults and it's just...'

'It's just...' she paused and bit her lower lip.

After a tense silence, Willow finally spoke up. 'Well, go on. You're both adults, so grow up and get it over with dammit!'

Xander held his head. 'I'm not even gonna watch.'

Buffy stepped in, unable to look up. 'Okay. Adults. We're fine, right?'

Giles nodded. 'We're fine.'

Willow grinned, and poked Oz with her elbow. 'Told ya.'

Buffy smiled, and after a long moment Giles leaned down to kiss her. She felt his lips touch hers just as a blinding white light surrounded them. After what seemed like only moments, he pulled away and looked down into her eyes.

Not a word was spoken for a short while before they realised they were no longer in Nottingham... nor were they home.

'Where, exactly, are we?' She asked, slightly light-headed.

'Somewhere in between.' He looked around, and finally the furniture of his apartment began to fade into the white light.

She smiled and looked around. The room was slowly materialising around them, and it seemed as though they were lying on the ground, probably where they had fallen.

She sighed. 'Well, this is going to take forever.'

'It would seem so.' He pressed his lips together.

She noticed he was still in his Robin Hood clothing, and she in hers. 'It suits you.'

He looked down. 'Not really. But the dress is very nice on you.' He observed her peach-coloured gown.

Shrugging, she waved her arm. 'Aw, shucks.'

Laughing softly, he folded his arms.

'It was kind of fun being Maid Marion.' She cocked her head.

He lifted his brow. 'You've got to be joking.'

'Well, I did get a bonus right there at the end.' She looked up. 'It was nice.'

He blinked, confused, before he realised what she meant. 'Oh... yes. It was.'

She looked around - the room was still a hazy, half-white cloud.

'You know,' she said. 'Nobody can really see us in here.'

He looked around. 'No, I don't think anybody can see us.'

She smiled. 'Do you want to... we can... you know, give it another go. Before the novelty wears off.'

He pressed his lips together. 'No, we couldn't.'

She crinkled her nose and nodded. 'You're right.'

'I mean, you were my slayer, and that means certain...'

'Certain?'

'Restrictions...'

'Of course.' She agreed.

'And we could never...'

She folded her arms. 'Never.'

There was a long, tense silence. He shuffled his feet, observing the strange boots. She looked up and around as the room continued to slowly materialise. He looked around, then glanced sideways.

Her eyes danced and she stepped closer.

'Oh, bugger it!' he said, and bent his head.


* * *