Willow nodded eagerly. "Yes. But Serendipity said we'd have to clear everyone else out first. In case there's a … a mix-up… of some kind."

Buffy signaled to Giles and the others. "That's our cue to go, then." She led them to the double doors of the library and waited as everyone filed out. "We'll be just down the hall in the student lounge," she offered. "Good luck, you guys."

Willow waited until she couldn't hear Buffy's booted feet echo on the hallway floor outside before she turned back to Xander. She smiled awkwardly at her oldest friend, standing there in her body.

"Ready?" she asked softly.

He nodded, and closed his eyes, waiting.

She fastened the bracelet around her wrist, noting how much tighter it was on Xander's bulkier frame. Willow closed her eyes as well and took a deep breath, preparing to speak.

"Wait!"

Willow's eyes flew open. "What?!" she asked, obviously startled.

Xander stepped forward and stopped abruptly. "It's just…. Well, I …. See, Will…."

She stared at him, waiting for him to push a coherent thought past his lips. Finally, with that basic sense she'd had since she'd met him, she suddenly knew everything he wanted to say. Her face broke into a lop-sided grin and she stepped closer to him. "I know you're sorry about everything. This isn't going to change us. I'll forgive you in about a week, Xand. After intense groveling and, maybe, a gift. Or public humiliation."

Xander's own Willow-face lit up with a smile. Her reached forward and pulled her to him, hugging her close. "Yeah, that's it."

They broke apart after a moment, all silly grins and warm feelings.

"Can we do this now?" Willow asked, taking a step back.

"No."

"No?" she was clearly confused by his answer. "Why not?"

"Because," he paused, looking for the words to explain to her. "Because I want to kiss you one last time, since, since we can't later."

"You seem to be overlooking the fact that we can't *now*," she clarified.

"Well, yeah, okay, but still," he trailed off and stared at her. "Just once, Will. Please?"

She looked at him, saw *Xander* shining out from her eyes, and her breath caught in her throat unexpectedly. It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen - the pure light of love shining from her own eyes, unmistakably tinged with the soul of her best friend. Her mind whirled at the thought of how extraordinary it was. That she and Xander had gotten the chance to *be* each other. Some couples were together a whole lifetime and never got to feel this close to one another. Although they couldn't be a couple right now, there was something between them, bonding them and protecting their feelings for each other. They would be friends for life. Whether that developed into something else remained to be seen. But standing there, looking into her own eyes and knowing that she and Xander were now a part of each other more than ever, she couldn't help but think that someday they'd have their chance. The chance to be in love with each other and fully explore all that they could be together. She felt her stomach bottom out at all the warm feelings and possibilities floating between them, and although she knew she shouldn't, she stepped closer and leaned in to kiss him.

Xander met her halfway, sighing a little when their lips finally met. The spark that had been there the night before ignited to a full flame, as their feelings were backed up and vindicated with physical sensation. He noted with surprise how when he kissed her, they seemed to be more one entity, not two. He was going to miss this. Willow softly broke apart from him, ending the kiss. His heart dipped for a moment before he looked at her. His own eyes had never shone like that, he was certain. He gave her a wobbly smile and stepped back. They never broke eye contact as she took her own step back and away from him.

"Now?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper in the quiet library.

"Will, can you do me a favor?"

She smiled gently and waited for him to make his request. "What?"

"No matter what happens, or how involved we get, don't forget about this, okay? Because if you do, we may not ever be able to do that again."

She laughed softly and shook her head. "Xander, I couldn't forget if I tried."

He nodded, satisfied. "Okay. Then, I'm ready. Whenever you are."

"You're sure?" she asked teasingly, reminding him with a look that he'd already stopped the proceedings more than once.

Xander stood as tall as Willow's small frame would allow and jutted his chin out slightly. "Absolutely. Good to go."

Willow stretched the arm with the bracelet out in front of her. "Okay."

They both closed their eyes again.

Willow tried to make herself calm, and tried to direct her thoughts and feelings to the goal she wanted. Then she spoke clearly, "I wish to be back in my own body, and for Xander to be in his."

Buffy leaned forward in her chair, looking down the hallway towards the library once again. She huffed impatiently and sat back to look at the others. "What's taking so long? It's been three minutes." Everyone joined her in her next glance down the hallway. "Maybe I should go check on them."

Giles looked at his watch. "Do *you* want to risk getting switched with Xander?" he asked pointedly.

Buffy pouted slightly. "No. But, maybe they're in trouble."

The three teenagers turned to look at Giles expectantly, as if he would know for sure whether or not Willow and Xander were all right.

Giles returned their wide-eyed, hopeful stares. "I don't know what's going on in there any more than you all do."

"Well, then I'm going to see," Buffy announced, standing and squaring her shoulders. "I'm the Slayer. Maybe I'm immune, right?"

The scream that pierced the air from the direction of the library could have been heard clearly on the other side of the school, had anyone been there to hear it. It sounded like Xander, but whether it was Xander-Xander or Willow-Xander screaming, they had no idea.

Buffy took off in an instant, reaching the library in a matter of seconds. She threw open the doors and jumped into the room, automatically assuming a battle stance.

Willow and Xander stood, Willow slightly behind Xander with her hand clamped over his mouth. They turned to look at Buffy as she burst through the doors. A moment later, Buffy felt Oz bump into her back. She could see Cordelia and Giles come to a halt just inside the door with her peripheral vision.

Buffy arched her eyebrow and quickly scanned the library for any dangers. Not finding a vampire or a demon in sight, she relaxed slightly. "You called?" she asked, flippantly.

Willow put her hands over her eyes and tried to take a deep, calming breath, fighting her urge to scream her lungs out again.

"It didn't work," Xander blurted out. "I'm still in here." He gestured downwards, indicating Willow's body.

"I'm sorry I yelled like that," Willow murmured. "It was just so…. Disappointing."

Giles' face scrunched up in puzzlement. "It didn't work?" he repeated. "Did you touch the bracelet?"

"Yes!" Willow cried. "I'm wearing it! See?" She thrust her arm out for inspection.

"Did you say--?"

"GILES! I wished myself back! Nothing happened!"

Giles removed his glasses and breathed a small, "Oh, dear."

Buffy moved to Willow and wrapped her in a hug. "We'll figure it out, Will. Don't panic."

"B-But, the stone is lost. What if that's the problem? What if we can't find it? What if we never switch back?" Buffy watched her friend crumple before her eyes. She turned to Giles, trusting eyes encouraging him to find the answers needed. Giles sighed under Buffy's gaze and made his way slowly to his office, intending on trying to find another reference to enchanted jewelry. Some days he wished she expected less of him.

Oz and Cordelia stood by impotently, not sure what to do next. Xander flopped into a chair at the table, staring at an unseen point in the distance. He felt so guilty for losing that stone in the bracelet. If he hadn't, everything would be fine. Maybe.

Buffy led Willow over to one of the chairs and gently sat her down in it. "Are you okay?" she asked cautiously, lowering herself into the seat beside her friend.

Willow nodded. "As okay as I can be, I guess."

"Okay. I'm going to check with Giles, and then I'm taking you to my place for brownies. Chocolate helps with the wiggins."

Xander raised his hand tentatively. "Can I come too? I'm very definitely pretty wigged."

Buffy smiled at him softly. "Yes, you can come too." She turned to Oz and Cordelia, standing nearby. "You guys can come too, if you want." Both of them shook their heads to the negative.

"I've got a gig at the Bronze tonight. I've gotta leave in a few minutes," Oz explained. He took a few steps forward and kissed Willow's forehead. "Sorry, baby."

"It's okay," she mumbled, awkwardly patting his hand. "I knew you had the thing."

"I've got a dinner at the country club tonight," Cordelia chimed, looking slightly guilty. "But I can come by later," she offered.

Buffy shook her head. "We don't know what's going to be happening by then. Call me on my beeper first."

Cordelia nodded and stepped over to give Xander a hug. "I'll see you later," she whispered softly to the ear buried beneath the red hair. Then, unexpectedly, she moved to hug Willow as well. "I hope it works out," she murmured, smiling as she released her boyfriend's body and turning to go.

The three at the table watched as Oz and Cordy left. Once the doors swung shut, Buffy stood and poked her head in Giles' office. The librarian sat at his desk, holding his head in both hands. "Could you try to look a bit more inspiring, please?" Buffy whispered.

He jumped back, startled. "I was thinking," he defended himself.

"Yeah, sure you were. Listen, is it okay if we leave? I think they need some cheering up," she nodded her head in the direction of Willow and Xander as she spoke.

Giles' eyes gazed past the Slayer and rested upon her friends, sitting forlornly at the table. He sighed. "Get the bracelet from Willow and leave it with me. I'll see what I can find."

Buffy grinned happily and bounced back out into the library's main section. "ChocolateFest is on!" she announced. "We just have to leave the bracelet here."

Willow wordlessly unfastened it from her wrist. She handed it to Buffy.

Buffy turned to head back into the office when Willow interrupted her. "Buffy? Shouldn't we stay here and help with the research? Shouldn't we DO something?"

Buffy bent down so she was at Willow's eye level. "Need I remind you who was practicing primal scream techniques? You need some time away from all this."

"We can come by and help research later," Xander added. He rubbed his head. "I think an overdose of chocolate is just what the doctor ordered."

Buffy threw Willow a look that said, 'See?' and flounced into Giles' office. A second later she emerged. "Let's roll."