I know a beast who knows a guy

Mostly Filler, Installment 40
3:6 Band Candy

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suburban mom plus
librarian watcher make
the sixties appear

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Funniest Moment:

Hee hee! Willow is so cute in the driving scene. Reminds me of how my sister is always saying, "We are gonna die!" when I drive.

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Favorite Character: Giles
Or Ripper, I suppose. This episode gives us the character we've been longing for ever since the Eyghon episode. If anyone managed to not be in love with Giles up until this point, there's no hope after it.

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Best Dressed: Cordelia

This isn't the best screencap, but this is a typical adorable Cordy outfit. Plaid skirt, love it!

Worst Dressed: Joyce

I guess it's not so so bad, but I just want Joyce to be hipper than this. She is an art gallery chick, after all.

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Musings:

• Studying for the SATs in a cemetery pretty much tells the story of the whole series - slayering superimposed over life. Great scene.
• Angel - I try so hard to care about him, and I just can't. Meh. I do, however, LOVE the music behind Angel's little exercise montage.
• Principal Snyder and the Mayor are both such brilliant characters, and both are played flawlessly. Love love love.
• Joyce and Giles both have fabulous hair.
• I bet this episode was way fun to make for the actors.
• The mailman sitting in the playground reading people's mail is so hilarious. Makes me laugh every time. I have no love for the USPS, so mailmen behaving badly is fun for me.
• One of my favorite lines of Buffy speak is in this episode. I use it all the time. "...somewhere that's else."
• I always wish we could have had Giles/Joyce for real. They would have been a great couple.
• This is one of my favorite episodes. It's just so much fun. And so many fabulous quotations: What? I can't have layers? Those tall, fuzzy hats ain't cheap. But they go with everything. I think that is my doctor. He's usually less topless. Summers, you drive like a spaz!
  

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Band Candy icons and wallpaper

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Band Candy Drabble

"So, why do they call you Ripper?" Joyce asked afterwards.

The part of Giles’ brain that had up until just recently been trying to take back control had disappeared. Not exactly like losing a soul, but…

The words "I was an adventurous lad in my youth, you see, and my chosen comrades were not such that my responsible side often won out" did not form like they should have, and did definitely not make it to the outside air.

Nope. Instead, our Rupert just grinned a devilish grin, leaned back, and struck a match on the sole of his shoe.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

...eccentric, with an option on cool

Mostly Filler, Installment 35

3:1 Anne

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sunnydale just is

not the same without buffy

lily turns to anne

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Funniest Moment:

That never really works. Oz is so stinkin' cute. And Seth Green plays this scene so well - you really believe he's going to hit the heart, and then... no.

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Favorite Character: Giles

He is just absolutely heartbreaking in this episode. He wants to find Buffy so badly. You'd expect the teenagers to be the ones with the unrealistic expectations, but the roles are reversed, and it's poor Giles who jumps at every possibility, no matter how remote. I love that about him. Of course he feels responsible for her leaving, and it's his watcher duty to find her. But mostly, he loves her.

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Best Dressed: Willow

I'm a sucker for purple. And tights. Cute!

Worst Dressed: Singer

I don't actually know who this is, but I do know that outfit is not workin.'

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Musings:

• I love the whole opening scene with Willow, Xander, Oz and Cordy. It sets up the next few episodes well, too, with them being a foursome.
• The way Buffy wakes up from the dream about Angel and the beach is so poignant. She's not jerked awake like she is from the demon or prophecy dreams. She opens her eyes looking resigned to it, like she's used to this, like it happens every morning. So sad.
• It's funny that Xander is so preoccupied that it doesn't even occur to him that Oz shouldn't be in school.
• Lily is such a sad character. I love her because of knowing what she becomes later.
• Buffy has fabulous hair! But how, I ask you, can she afford to get her hair done?
• The scene with Joyce and Giles breaks my heart. I wish the two of them had had more interaction throughout the series. Yeah, OK, Band Candy, but I wish they'd been friends.
• I like the character growth shown in Buffy herself. It's like having to kill Angel gave her a new sense of priorities and a certain recklessness/confidence she didn't have before. What are you doing? I'm breaking into your office and going through your private files.
• Xander and Cordy are just so adorable. Go act baity.
• What the heck are the workers in the evil demon's factory thingy doing??
• Visit Buffy Between Lines podcast to listen to some wonderful writers' and actors' rendition of what happened between seasons 2 and 3. This podcast is completely made of awesome.

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Anne wallpaper (shareable)

Anne Drabble

Buffy?

Hello, I, er, is this Mrs. Summers?

Speaking. Can I help you?

I, well, this is Giles, Rupert Giles, the, uh, librarian from Buffy’s school.

Buffy! Have you heard from her!

No, I, I’m sorry, I’m afraid I haven’t. But I’m searching, contacting anyone who might be able to help. I have a few leads. And Buffy is an extremely capable young woman. I’m sure she’s fine.

Mr., um, Giles, is it? Why are you calling me? What do you know about my daughter’s disappearance?

Mrs. Summers, I have some things to tell you. About Buffy. About Buffy’s destiny.

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Credits: screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

So it's a normal teenager, only dead.

Mostly Filler, Installment 31

2:19 I Only Have Eyes For You

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teacher/boy romance

is way creepy and so is

the word scapula

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Funniest Moment:

Snyder only has two small scenes in this episode, but he manages to be completely hilarious in them. The bit where he swears to Buffy that he'll keep looking until he finds a way to connect all things of badness directly to her is pretty funny in a way that isn't at all funny when the president does it. But I digress.

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Favorite Character: Giles

Oh, Giles, how I love you. This character really gains some depth in this episode. It's so heartbreaking that his Jenny love clouds his judgement so much - especially since he's normally rational judgement guy. Both scenes with Giles and Willow - when she gives him the rose quartz and when he admits to her that it couldn't be Jenny - are just lovely.

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Best Dressed: Angie Hart

I love this. It's unique and feminine at the same time.

Worst Dressed: Xander and Willow

Actually, no one is suffering any severe fashion trauma in this episode, but the double sweaterpalooza is a bit much.

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Musings

• I adore the singer at the beginning. Here's the wiki info on her. She shows up again in season 7 with the song Blue, which is absolutely brilliant. She's got this unassuming yet powerful voice. Love it.
• I miss Jenny :(
• Willow teaching is so adorable.
• I really hate guns. A lot.
• There are some wonderful, funny lines. Xander: I'm dead as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore. Giles: ...Xander speak... Xander: ...cling to my one lame idea guy. Spike: They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated. And my personal favorite, Cordelia: ...nip this thing in the butt." So perfectly Cordy.
• Angel is big time creepy in this episode. We're finally used to him being evil instead of insipid, soul-having, whiny Angel, and then the female spirit takes over, and it's icky. And then when he turns back, I jump out of my skin. Creeeeepy.
• I like the idea of the episode. I'm glad they found a mildly interesting way to explore the whole Buffy is so guilt-ridden deal.
• Crazy Drusilla is always fabulous.
• Why black candles? I would have thought white candles would be more the expelling type.
• I so love the moment when Spike gets up out of the wheelchair. It's one of the best "just you wait, hehehe" moments ever. Plus, I love Spike.

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I Only Have Eyes for You Fanart

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I Only Have Eyes for You Drabble

Who did he think he was? Take it up with the mayor, indeed. He thought most emphatically not. He had this under control, these raging, writhing beasts called teenagers. Of course he was the man for the job.

He was biding his time. He knew it would come. The reason. The moment when he could finally utter those two beautiful words, you’re expelled, to Buffy Summers was on its way. He could taste it. And then the mayor would see.

Just a sewage backup. Happens sometimes. Couple of days, everything will be back to normal. Don’t worry about a thing.

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Credits: Screencaps found at screencap-paradise.

I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you.

Mostly Filler, Installment 29
2:17 Passion

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main character killed

wow that's a nervy plot twist

I still miss Jenny

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Funniest Moment

There really isn't any funny in this episode. Usually the humor/trauma balance is good, but I think the whole Cordelia and her car deal failed miserably. It just wasn't funny, mostly because it didn't make any sense. You don't live in your car (well, Cordy doesn't, anyway), therefore vampires don't need to be invited or de-invited.

So not laugh-out-loud funny, but still whoppin' adorable - this scene where poor Willow's hours of lesson planning are for naught. She is just so darling.

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Favorite Character: Giles

Giles is wonderful in this episode, but he's only my favorite by a very small margin. I adore the whole cast, especially Willow, Buffy, Jenny and Joyce.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

This is just so flattering on her. I'm normally one to hate white pants, but this works. I love the simplicity and the flowiness.

Worst Dressed: Xander

Neon bad. Neon with plaid very bad.

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Musings

• Why didn't it occur to anyone before this point that Angel could come into their houses any time?
• I love this episode quite a lot. There's only one thing about it that bothers me. Xander is just so glib at the start, and it doesn't seem right. He loves Buffy and hates Angel, so the quipping seems out of place to me.
• I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you. And my heart is officially broken. That whole Giles/Jenny conversation is really lovely and well-done.
• They really succeeded with the creepy factor. Angelus lurking and spying everywhere, the dead fish shot from the other side of the aquarium, Joyce and Angelus - I found that scene terrifying.
• The scariest for me was the chase scene with Angelus and Jenny. All through it, you don't think she could possibly die. She's on her way to being Giles' girlfriend. She's beautiful. She's recurring. They won't kill her. Wow. I'm not one of those people who gets mad at Joss for killing off a character, because, well, that's ridiculous. It was a brilliant move for the show. But I loved her more than a person should love a fictional character. RIP Jenny.
• I always love when Jonathan shows up. He's so adorable.
• I love Giles' apartment.

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Passion Icons and Wallpaper (shareable)

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Passion Drabble

Buffy looked up at her watcher, at the bruise just starting to darken. She touched his cheek lightly, and the weight of her guilt choked her words. She hadn’t meant to hit him. God, he’d already had the worst day of his life. And it was her fault. Angel was evil. No, Angelus was evil. And she was weak. She should have stopped this. But she hadn’t, and now the people she loved were suffering.

Giles looked back down at her. The pain was unbearable, but he didn’t blame Buffy. He was just grateful to have her by his side.

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Credits: caps from screencap-paradise, photoshop brushes from creamuts

Do I deconstruct your segues?

Mostly Filler, Installment 14

2:2 Some Assembly Required

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Zombies? Demons? Nope.

Just two ghoulish nerdy kids

a bit misguided.

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Funniest Moment:

Uh, zombies, more likely. For most traditional purposes a voodoo priest would require more than one.

Well, sure, for most "traditional" purposes. Duh.

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Favorite Character: Giles

He's like a teenager himself, trying so hard to impress miss Calendar. It's just cute. Plus, his nerdy knowledge of all things zombie.

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Best Dressed: Jenny

I adore every single stitch of this outfit. First of all, the lace shirt is absolutely to die for. So pretty. Khakis are always of the good. The cut of the jacket is perfection. And I know my lack of fashion sense is showing here, but I think that belt is adorable. And the necklace matches the belt in a circly sort of way, which is cool.

Worst Dressed: Giles

I take serious issue with that pink vest. Not because I think men shouldn't wear pink. I just don't like it. That is all.

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Musings, in no particular order:

• OK, here's the thing. This episode has what we Americans call issues - most prominently, the inconsistencies out the oiseau. 1. Grave robbing - why on earth would they have left one open for Buffy to fall into and the other one completely closed up and re-buried for Giles and Xander to dig up? 2. Vampire rising - how the heck long does it take for a vamp to rise? Sometimes it takes overnight, sometimes a few days, sometimes ten minutes. Does anyone know the rules here? I would really like to know, because I don't get it. 3. Locker pictures - come on, seriously, that kid would not have had the picture of building the girl on his locker door. He just wouldn't. Not because he'd be afraid of someone seeing it, but because boys like that do not hang pictures in their lockers. 4. And last and also least, why the frilly heck is Giles wearing gloves to the football game? It's not cold.
• Angel is lame and bloody stupid in this episode. Just sayin'.
• I don't recall my high school ever having a science fair. Is this a real phenomenon? Did your school have science fairs? Did everyone have to participate? Do tell.
• I will admit, despite its issues, this episode does have some funny lines. It's a fruit. (Willow) ...men dig up the corpses and women have the babies. (Buffy) Miss Calendar's my father. (Jenny)
• The general and persistent ignoring of poor Cordelia in this episode amuses me. I like the idea that we all have our places where we are the uber-cool (well, we do if we're lucky), but move us to somewhere that's else and perhaps even the most popular of us become ignored nobodies.
• I like that Giles gets to start being a real person on a date. And I like the irony of him trying to mix his sacred duty with a social life much in the way our heroine is constantly attempting (and usually failing) to do.
• I liked Chris a lot. Wish they would have kept him as a recurring minor character. There could have been some great story line there.

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Some Assembly Required Banner (shareable)

(click for bigger)

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Some Assembly Required Drabble

Rules? Why were there rules?

Chris remembered his mom. How she used to be happy. She was on the PTA. She wore lipstick and cooked casseroles for dinner. She cheered at the football games and called Aunt Maddie when Eric won the science fair. She fed the cat and yelled at Daryl to take out the trash. She bought girl scout cookies from the neighbor kid and perused tabloids in the check-out line.

Chris wanted to bring her downstairs, give her son back, make her happy again.

But Daryl said no, they couldn’t tell her. That was breaking the rules.

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Spank your inner moppet

Finally...



It's time to start Mostly Filler Season 2. Had a bit of a hiatus, but now I regale you with my brilliant philosophical musings once again.

Mostly Filler, Installment 13

2:1 When She Was Bad

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she's possessed you say

Cordy says get over it

shopping didn't help

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Funniest Moment:

There are some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense.

No, actually, that would be one of the five.

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Favorite Character: Giles

I have to admit that at this moment in time, I might very well pick Giles as my favorite character in any episode. I'm on a real Giles kick right now. I even had a dream this week that I talked him into singing in my choir. Now, how fabulous would that be? But I digress.

Our librarian is extra lovable in this episode. His interactions with Jenny, Principal Snyder, and the kids show so much of his personality and make him a well-rounded character with lots going on.

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Best Dressed: Buffy

I so love this outfit. I've heard you're not supposed to mix neutrals, but I adore the gray pants with the tan bag. And you wouldn't think that a plain white tank top (yes, I know the name for those, and I'm not using it) would be the order of the day with what are essentially really hip business suit slacks. But on our little Buffy it works. Tres chic.

Worst Dressed: Jenny

This is no good. It's mostly the hair.

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Musings, in no particular order:

• Willow and Xander - why are they out walking at night in Sunnydale?? And as I continue to root for the two of them to get together, I am once again disappointed.
• I love the reintroduction of all the characters. One (or two) at a time they show up, and within a brief moment remind us exactly who they are. Cordelia: No one has suffered like I have suffered. I'm especially happy to see Jenny, and at this point we can still block out the upcoming badness and blithely think she's going to be around to have Giles' babies in a few years. (Let's take a moment and imagine how fabulous their kids would be...)
• Despair is for the living. Now there's a quote.
• One of the wonderful aspects of Buffy is the clever portrayal of universal issues, those feelings that we all have all the time. Like Buffy's daydream about the Master being disguised as her watcher and her friends completely ignoring the whole scene. And Buffy's defensive wall with Angel. Loneliness, paranoia, emotional self-preservation, it's all there. Oh, the angst...
• I usually sympathize with, well, everyone else, but I actually found some tenderness in my heart for poor Buffy this time. She's got a rough gig.
• I decidedly do not like Cibo Matto. Clog dancing would be an improvement.
• The phrase from this episode that has made its way into the regular vocabularies of several friends and me is it's entirely pointy.

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The fan art vibe just isn't happening this week, so here are just a few

When She Was Bad Icon Bases (shareable)

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When She Was Bad Drabble

Mr. Giles watched with contained concern as Buffy, his slayer, his responsibility, punched and kicked the training equipment to shreds. Ripper remembered those feelings, the out-of-control hormones, the inability to rein in one’s emotions, the fear that everything would unravel at any moment, that an unstoppable demon would appear. But he had been an irresponsible, arrogant teenager who, with the help of some equally immature peers, had brought his problems on himself. The girl near tears in front of him, on the other hand, had done nothing to deserve this but be born and grow up to save the world.

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Credits: screencaps from screencap-paradise.

Willow, do shut up

Mostly Filler, Installment #10

1:10 Nightmares

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astral projection

uncontrolled phobias leak

into Sunnydale

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Funniest Moment:

Cordelia swears she's not even in the chess club.

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Favorite Character: Giles

1. He's hot. 2. His nightmare is of Buffy dying. That breaks my heart every time. I love the progression of stuffy old Giles becoming "too emotionally involved," as he'll be fired for later, with the slayer. 3. His "aha!" moment is hilarious. 4. He's hot. 5. Giles all confuzzled because he's lost in the stacks and can't read is too adorable for words. 5. He's just really hot.

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Best Dressed: Willow

Is is possible to be any cuter?

This outfit ranks high for me. Black and white is always good. Polka-dots are always good. Tights in bright colors are always good. The complementary red/green is very cool without being Christmasy.

Worst Dressed: Xander

Well, we're back to the shirts of weirdness, and not in a good way. And then to add insult to injury, the pants. Dear god, make it stop.

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Musings, in no particular order

• 
  
  The dream episodes in general, are some of my favorite Joss-verse work. This one is so chock full of character development, and I love to be able to learn about the scooby psyches in a different way.


• 
  
  Why are tarantulas/spiders scary? Is that conditioned or genetic?


• 
  
  How did Laura (the smoking girl) survive the attack?


• 
  
  Any reader opinions on astral projection? I'm fairly sure I don't believe in vampires, but astral projection seems within the realm of possibility to me.


• 
  
  Oh, ouch to the scene with Buffy's father. The other nightmares are pretty out there and unlikely; this one is just around the corner. On the bright side, it helps cement the idea of Giles as Buffy's father figure, which is warm and comforting.


• 
  
  G: It's Billy. X: Well, that explanation was shorter than usual.


• 
  
  OK, so the blood, guts, gore, demons and general grossness of this whole series is somehow fine with me. Yet Xander talking with his mouth full of chocolate completely disgusts me so I have to cover my face with my hands and only look through the cracks. And also, I don't really get the whole chocolate bar deal. I guess maybe they represented the kind of nightmare that starts off as a happy dream and turns bad.


• 
  
  Yay for Xander punching the clown. I love the impulsivity and inconsistency of his character. Perhaps because I relate.


• 
  
  The swarm of giant bees reminds me of the children's book The Giant Jam Sandwich.


• 
  
  Why doesn't Buffy go evil as a vamp? I would have loved for the episode to go differently from that point. What would have happened if she'd popped out of the ground ready to kill the gang?


• 
  
  Recurring nightmares. Do you have them? What are they? I finally don't have them anymore, haven't for several years, but I used to. When I was a teenager, the dream was me being swung around in circles over a witch's fire. It was very orange and black, and I was always nauseous (what with the swinging around and all). I also had the archetypal forgetting where class was, realizing I hadn't attended all semester, forgetting my locker combination. Oh wait, that last one happened for real. Pretty regularly.

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Nightmares Wallpaper (shareable for anyone who wants it)

Click for bigger.

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Nightmares Drabble

Nightmares – It’s All About the Girl

Hello?

Mrs. Summers, this is principal Snyder. I’m afraid I have some bad news. Your daughter has picked her last fight and flouted her last school rule. As of this afternoon, she is expelled from Sunnydale High School. I will be making her permanent record available to other schools in the area, should they request a reference. Good day, Mrs. Summers.

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You’re getting married? You? And Xander? Now? Before you’ve even finished high school? But I thought … I mean I… and you… well, there’s something…

Sorry, Mr. Vampypants, it’s gonna be me and the Buffster happily ever after.

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