Title: Dreams Of Nothing
Author: Annanara
Email: ananara@aol.com
Setting: I'd set this after the season finale.
Disclaimer: I don't own, Buffy and Co. and don't really feel a need as Joss is doing a wonderful job! This is purely for fun. Well..not that I enjoy torturing Xander or anything....

Xander stood in the middle of nowhere. He was surrounded my nothing but white mist and a blanket of black in the distance. Other than himself, nothing else seemed to exist.

I'm dreaming, he thought. I have to be, even in Sunnydale nothing is this...vacant.

"Xander," a voice called out behind him. He turned to find Buffy standing before him, her eyes dark and emotionless.

"Buffy!! Boy am I glad to see you!" Xander exclaimed. He was so happy to see her, he didn't notice that she never smiled at him. "What are you doing here? Where did you go? What happened to you and Angel? Giles is going nuts!"

He waited for Buffy to reply, but she just stood there silently. "Buffy?" He tried to walk toward her, but whenever he took a step forward it seemed like nothing happened. It was like he was walking on a treadmill. He couldn't tell if he was really moving at all. The lack of landmarks didn't help in judging distances either.

He started running to her, but the result was the same. He was always out of reach of her. He kept running and running until he had to stop to catch his breath. When he did, Buffy suddenly turned to her side as the mist churned from being disturbed. Out of the mist Angel, sporting a part human, part demon face, came walking out. She smiled up at Angel and hugged him. Turning to Xander one last time, she said, "I love Angel," before walking into the mist with him.

"Buffy, wait!!" Xander lept at her, but it was not good, they were gone. "Buffy...."

"Xander," a new voice said behind him. He spun around quickly to find himself facing Cordelia.

"Cordy? Cordy, Buffy was just here and she was with Angel! We have to find her!" Xander moved towards Cordelia and got nearly within reach before he was mysteriously stopped again. He ran, jumped, sprinted, everything he could think of to get nearer, but it was no use.

"Buffy did this, Buffy did that. Buffy, Buffy, Buffy. What about me?" Cordelia asked, her voice as cold as ice.

When he realized that Cordelia wasn't commenting on his antics, he became worried. "Cordelia?" He paused, his heart sinking. "You...you know I like you, right?"

"I can't say ‘I love you.'" Cordelia stated and turned, walking into the mist that whispered her name in a chant.

Xander lunged at her in one last desperate attempt to keep her from leaving, but as with all the others, it was useless.

I'm useless, he thought mournfully. I'm losing them all. He fell to the ground, hugging his knees and rocking. I must be dreaming, I have to be dreaming...I can't be losing them...but I am...I'm lossing them all. Everyone but...

"Xander."

He stopped his rocking and hid his face, closing his eyes tightly. Not her too, please god, not her too, Xander silently pleaded. Have mercy. Anyone but her...

"Xander," the voice repeated.

I won't turn around. Maybe she'll just...I don't want to face her... His thoughts were in confusion. He hoped she'd go away, but he didn't want her to leave him. On the other hand, he didn't want to hear the words she'd have to say to him.

"Xander," the familiar voice said again, it's tone cold and distant.

Xander shook his head. He hazarded a glance from his hiding spot and saw Willow standing before him. "Willow..." he sighed sadly. This time, he could see the total lack of emotion on her face, the emptiness in her eyes. He wanted to look away, but found himself standing instead.

Her dull eyes watched him as he stood. He tried to mentally brace himself against what she would have to say. I can take it, he thought stoically, knowing that, in the end, it wouldn't be able to.

A shifting in the mist caught his attention again and he watched as a part werewolf, part human Oz walked out of the mist. He walked up to Willow, pulling her into a hug. She smiled up at him, her whole face lighting up, her eyes filled with contentment and joy.

Xander tried to look away, but couldn't. Words could never describe the pain he felt in his heart upon seeing them together like this. It was worse than anything she could ever have said.

He stood up taller as Willow turned her attention back to him. Her eyes became dull again. He wanted so much to cover his ears, but he couldn't move. He was wrong. There was something even worse that she could say to him.

He heard her words, each one seemed to echo in his ears, "I...love...Oz...." Without saying anything more, the love of his life turned and walked with Oz into the mist. As they did, he heard Oz clearly whisper to her, "You have the sweetest smile...."

He felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. He bolted after her and felt his fingers touch her hair before they vanished into the mist. His Willow was gone. The Willow he found he loved was taken away by...by...

"By someone who appreciated her more than me," he cried softly. He stared into the vast nothingness and cried out Willow's name as the existence surrounding him went dark.