"Xander!" Cordelia cajoled. "We have to get back to the school. I don't have time to argue with you. Just do it!"

Xander sighed and held one hand over his eyes while trying, somewhat unsuccessfully, to step into the skirt. "Oh, the hell with it. I already touched parts…" he mumbled. He opened his eyes and stepped into the skirt. He pulled it to his waist and did the zipper on the side up. < Yikes! Short! > He tugged on the hem of the skirt, trying to pull it lower. "This is hardly decent! This skirt makes me feel …naked. Give me back the overalls."

"No," Cordy answered. "Consider them gone. Burned. Vanished. You'll look fantastic! Just come on out and let's go!" She actually had Willow's overalls in a shopping bag on her bed, but she wasn't going to admit that to him.

Cordelia began to pace around her room, wondering for the hundredth time if she was making a huge mistake. But this was an opportunity too good to pass up. She had wanted to give Willow a makeover since seventh grade, when Willow started wearing bulky clothes and hiding from guys. Xander hadn't been as cooperative as she thought he would, complaining as she had curled and set his hair and then whining as she'd applied makeup to his face. But he was trapped in her bathroom now, and he'd have to get past her to leave. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't leaving without that skirt.

"Xander, come on out," she pleaded. "Willow's going to be thrilled when she sees how great she looks. I hope," she added in a whisper. She was, in effect, laying any possible future she had as a Slayerette on the line here. Willow, Oz and Buffy would either accept this with good-natured thanks, or cast her out forever. She was still surprised at how strongly she wanted to be accepted by this particular group. It was just - they all cared for each other so much. Protecting each other from the Hellmouth and Principal Snyder - she wanted to be cared for like that.

"Don't you have any ankle-length skirts?" came the complaining wail from the other side of the door.

"Okay, that's it! I'm coming in!" She reached above the doorframe for the key to the door and paused as the door opened suddenly. She inhaled in surprise at how stunning her creation was. Willow's hair fell in soft curls around her face and down her back. Her eyes were highlighted with a simple green eyeliner, her lashes made even longer with mascara. There was a slight blush to her cheekbones that looked as natural as if she was born with it. Her lips were tinted a slight plum colour, and her clothes…. The skirt that Xander had thought was too short actually hung a few inches longer on Willow's petite frame than it would have on her own. The plum long-sleeve shirt was the perfect compliment to the dark green skirt. < Now the shoes… > Cordy turned to get some shoes when she caught sight of the fire that was unmistakably Xander in Willow's eyes and forced herself to remember that it was really Xander in there.

"Are you mad?" she asked uncertainly.

"Let me see," Xander muttered, moving past her to the full-length mirror that took up almost one whole wall in Cordy's bedroom. "Wow. So Willow could look like this all the time? She's so …." He stopped as he realized his girlfriend was standing slightly behind him.

"It's okay, you can say it," Cordy encouraged.

"She looks hot," Xander supplied. "I never saw how beautiful she was before…" He turned to the side and examined his reflection even more.

Cordelia handed him a pair of low heeled boots. "Okay, put these on. Take off those earrings. Let me see that bracelet." She grabbed his wrist and examined the chain. It was gold with small green stones dangling at intervals. "It'll match okay. Hey," she stopped, "One of the stones is missing."

"What?!" Xander exclaimed, yanking his hand from her grasp and examining the bracelet for himself. "She is going to KILL me. Oz just gave her this last week. She spent over an hour showing it to me. I am SO dead….. Maybe I should hide it until I can replace the stone."

"Okay, good, just hurry! We have to be back at school in fifteen minutes.." She grabbed the shopping bag and waited by the door as Xander removed the bracelet and plunked it on her dresser beside the earrings. He then sat on her bed and pulled on the boots. She glanced at her watch and then again at her boyfriend on her bed. He was struggling with one of the boots and making noises very inappropriate for a lady as he did so.

She giggled suddenly. "Xander?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you realize this is the first time you've ever been in my house? Let alone my room."

Xander looked up in shock. "This is not at all how I pictured spending time with you in your room." he acknowledged. He stood up. "Okay, now I'm just depressed. Can we leave now? While I still have any shred of ego?" Cordelia moved closer as he spoke, and he stopped speaking as he met her serious eyes.

"Thank you, Xander, for doing this," she murmured before bending slightly to his height and kissing his cheek softly.

Xander examined the reflection in the mirror of Cordy kissing Willow's cheek in stunned silence. Cordy's eyes were closed as her lips softly brushed Willow's skin. "THAT is the sexiest thing I've ever seen," he breathed as she backed away. Cordy reached out to swat him but at just the last moment realized that doing so would be disturbing her creation. Xander opened his tightly-closed eyes to see Cordelia's open palm inches from his head. She lowered it slowly.

"We're leaving now," she said forcefully, grabbing one of his arms and pulling him towards the door.

Willow sat in Xander's last period bio class, watching the clock with one eye almost the whole time. She was working on a diagram and idly catching the conversations around her. < Two more minutes. Then I can escape to the library… > She curiously began listening in on the conversation behind her. Two of the more popular guys were discussing some girl at the school.

"It was her, but it was so NOT her too," the first one exclaimed.

"Tell me about it. She's been hiding under all those big sweaters all these years. I never would have guessed she was so hot!" the second one added.

"I wonder when she's gonna get sick of that Oz guy," the first one speculated. Willow's head shot straight up from the diagram she was drawing. She turned quickly before either of them could speak.

"Excuse me, but who are you talking about?"

They looked at each other and then back at her. "Willow," the first one answered. "Hey, you're her bud, right? You can tell me…Is this thing she has with Oz steady? Or do they see other people?"

Willow felt her heart drop to her knees as she pictured Xander doing a striptease in the cafeteria with her body. What had he done to get these guys interested in her? She blushed and stammered, trying to answer the guy's question. "It's - It's totally steady. Li--Like a rock." She laughed nervously. "How come you guys are talking about her?"

"Oh, Xander, man, you should see what she's wearing today. The top was tight and totally shows off her assets," the guy waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You know what I mean…"

"And that skirt, whoo - legs up to here!" the second guy added.

"Yeah," she agreed weakly. < I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him .> The bell rang, making her jump slightly. "I've gotta run," she rushed on, grabbing her books in haste. "See ya!" She didn't wait for their response and bolted from the room. She ran down the hallways to the library, keeping a watchful eye out for Snyder. < I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him… >

Xander's world had rapidly become a nightmare after lunch. In each of Willow's classes, he became aware of the leering stares of the guys in the room. He'd awkwardly pulled on the hem of the skirt a couple of hundred times since fifth period. < No wonder women are always complaining about harassment. >

When Buffy had come into the room for this last class, she'd dropped her books and then giggled. Although she said he looked fantastic, Xander couldn't help but wish that he hadn't let Cordy talk him into this. < My hormones lead me into the most interesting decisions, > he lamented in his brain.

He carefully watched the clock throughout Willow's last period English class. < Two more minutes, and I can find Cordelia and get those overalls back! That's only 120 seconds. 120… 119… > The counting calmed him slightly. A note fell unexpectedly on his desk. He looked over to Buffy, sitting to his left, but she was either doing a fantastic acting job or she really was working on the assignment. Of course, with slayer reflexes, she could easily have had enough time to chuck the paper over and then hunch back over her work.

He looked around for who else could have dropped the note only to see everyone around him diligently pretending to work. He held his breath slightly and unfolded the small paper.

'Will you be at the Bronze tonight?' ~ Ross

Xander slowly craned his head around to the boy sitting behind him. The assistant captain of the football team, the blonde god desired by every female within a hundred yards, the charming and much-pursued athlete sat staring back at him. And then he winked. Xander let out a small yelp and turned around quickly.

Buffy raised an eyebrow and looked over at him. Xander looked panicked and cornered. He tugged on the skirt again. The bell rang and all the students wasted no time in collecting their books and filing out of the room. Buffy was about to lean over the aisle and ask Xander what was wrong when Ross stepped between them.

"So, will you be there?" he asked Xander.

"I, uh, I - um, yes, no wait, no, um maybe. I'm not sure yet!" Xander stammered.

Ross let his killer 1000-watt smile out. He leaned over until he was at Xander's eye level. "Well, if you do decide to come, save me a dance, okay?"

Xander stared at him in open-mouthed shock. Buffy felt her own jaw drop open at the exchange. Ross sauntered out of the room, certain in his overwhelming appeal that Willow would be at the club later.

Buffy was the first to recover. "Someone likes the new look," she murmured, gathering her books and standing.

Xander still sat there in a daze. "Did he just ask me out?" he asked Buffy softly.

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "'Fraid so. You aren't going to faint or yak or anything, are you?"

Xander shook his head slowly and stood up. He looked at her with desperate seriousness. "We HAVE to switch back now!"

"Come on," Buffy encouraged, looping her arm through his. "I'll lead."

They began the trek to the library.

Willow threw open the doors to the library in a rage. She had to find out exactly how Xander had made her look. She had hideous pictures of a tight halter top and a leather skirt topped off with hooker-like makeup running through her head at a dizzying speed.

Giles emerged from his office, tiredly rubbing his eyes, "Xander, didn't we have the discussion about the doors-" he stopped abruptly as he saw Willow standing there in Xander's body. "Willow?" he asked cautiously. She nodded in the affirmative. "Oh, just, nevermind," he said, waving slightly in her direction.

"Do you have anything?" she asked fearfully.

He examined her worried face for a moment. "I'm afraid not."

Willow groaned and let Xander's book bag fall from her shoulder in a heap to the floor. "I UNWISH it!" she called out frantically to the ceiling. She morosely looked at Giles, realizing that unwishing did nothing.

"Why don't you check that machine?" Giles suggested, pointing to the computer on the table.

"Mmmm," she made a sound of agreement and walked to the monitor. She flipped it on and sat, waiting for it to come on.

She heard the doors open and looked up expectantly --- only to see Cordelia saunter in with a grin on her face. "Hi," she greeted Willow.

"Hi," was the dejected answer. "Have you seen Xander lately?"

Cordelia noted the unpleased note in her voice and unconsciously stepped backwards. "Um, not since lunch." She laughed nervously. "Why do you ask?"

Willow opened her mouth to answer when the doors swung open again. Oz came in and looked around. "Hey guys," he offered. He approached Willow slowly. "You in there Will?"

She nodded tiredly. The computer beeped and recaptured her attention. "I was just going to check-"

Buffy and Xander exploded through the doors, interrupting her.

Cordelia immediately stepped behind a book cart, intending to use it for self-defense if necessary. Her hand curled around the spine of a book, in case she needed a ready weapon or projectile.

Willow closed her eyes, almost afraid to look. Then she decided she could judge by Oz's reaction how hideous the damage was. She examined his face closely. His eyebrows had shot up in surprise before a slow, appreciative grin spread across his face. "Wow," he breathed, his eyes trailing down and then back up again. "Cool." Willow's brow furrowed in confusion as she studied Oz's face, and then she slowly turned her head to look at the newest arrivals. Her own mouth dropped open in disbelief as she took in Xander's appearance. She stood slowly, never taking her eyes off her body, a few feet away. She walked in an unhurried circle around Xander as Buffy backed away. She couldn't believe that this was her body. This person looked like model-Willow or movie-star-Willow. Oh sure, the skirt was shorter than she would have liked, but the subtle makeup and slight curls to her hair made her look almost-angelic.

Xander took in her deliberate examination and decided to save his own skin. "Cordy did it!" he blurted.

Willow looked to Cordelia, still standing behind the book cart. She looked anxious and tense. "Are you mad?" Cordelia asked, an almost pained look on her face.

"How did you do this?" Willow breathed, smiling in wonder. "The makeup and hair I mean," she rushed on. "I like the way my eyes look…"

Cordelia's face erupted into a wide smile. "You like it?" she asked breathlessly. "Really?"

"Yeah, yes. I really do."

Cordelia let go of the book. "Oh, thank goodness. I was worried when I came in here that you would hate me even more."

"Hate you? Why would you think that?" Willow's face scrunched up in puzzlement. "I-well, we like you Cordy. I mean, I know we tease you and all, but you always help when it really counts, and, well, um, you've kinda been nicer for a while now. It's nice to have you around on some days." She grinned impishly. "Although there's a four day stretch every month where I kinda wish you lived in another state. Besides, we need you to keep Xander in line."

Cordelia looked around at Oz and Buffy, who were nodding in agreement. Her eyes drifted to Xander in Willow's body as unexpected tears rushed to her eyes. He was right. They didn't hate her! "Well, it's just that-I mean-" Cordelia struggled with the emotions of relief and embarrassment warring within her. "Oh, nevermind." She eagerly dug in her purse. "Xander sit down." Smiling widely, knowing Cordy was happy, he did just that without a moment's hesitation. "You have to use this kind of eyeliner," she began, showing Willow the brand name. "And you have to draw on the lid just like this…You can have this one when I'm done showing you. And then…"