It was a time after rebirth, but before an addiction became transparent. Before doubts became obvious. Before an odd alliance became an odder passion. The extended Scooby clan was watching one of many Fall premieres, in this case, that of 'Dark Angel'. The dialogue was scintillating.

*Logan, don't go after these guys!*

*Max, don't you understand? These are the laughers! These are the terrorists that did this to America, while the rest of the world cheered. They have to die.*

*Then let me do it. If you're sure its them.*

Xander, sitting snuggled with a woman he would hurt and yet would remain hard-pressed to see her own role in that hurt, shrugged and spoke.

"Its not them."

Spike, anxious perhaps to shoot Harris down, looked over at him.

"Makes you so sure?"

The reception from the cable company then went awry once again, but a gesture from a woman who would lose love twice in the same year corrected that. Her lover winced a bit, but said nothing as yet. Xander responded.

"Because. I mean, hasn't it always been obvious that the people behind the pulse were the evil corporate types that created Max and her pals?"

Actually, this pet theory of Xander's had only ever been obvious to him, but Spike seemed to find it intriguing, nonetheless.

"I get it. Make America all chaos-like, the better to conduct nasty experiments and such. Its what I might do."

Dawn was on the verge of telling two men she sported crushes on that they were making too much noise, when the on-screen Max turned and looked at Logan.

*Logan, could it have been them?*

*Well, I never did think we got them all last spring. Hey, thanks Xander. I appreciate the help.*

As he left the screen, Max nodded as well.

*Thanks, Xander. This one's been a real obsession with him. We'll let you know how it turns out.*

After Max left the screen, five minutes of dead air followed before the network pleaded technical difficulties. All eyes turned on a sheepish Willow.

"Well, you kinda sorta have to admit, I did improve the reception."

----------------------------------------

The fall premieres continued, amid a promise of no more magic. Comments were another story, however. Dawn stared in disbelief as 'Charmed' played out.

"Maybe I'm not the one to talk. But just like that, they bring in a sister we've never seen before?"

Spike rubbed his head.

"Oh, C'mon! Just how long is Cole supposed to stay lock-step goody-goody?"

Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Death is, ya know, supposed to mean something? I mean, something other than Phoebe's new grim-funk."

Willow shook a finger at the screen.

"What if they beat the Source too soon? Who'll be the big-bad then? You can't have a show like that without a clear-cut Big-Bad."

Xander bit a slice of cheddar, then added in his two cents.

"Is Leo just there to fetch things and maybe get beaten up?"

Anya motioned to Tara, and the two withdrew.

"Tara? Which one of those three is Captain Janeway?"

Tara shook an opened palm.

"No, Anya...this is the one that takes place 200 years before that."

"Ok. So which one of them had the maybe-alien baby?"

"Ummm....Piper, I think."

ANOTHER UNIVERSE, SAN FRANCISCO

Paige, who had missed a full season of the popular 'Buffy', stared in disbelief as its sixth season began.

"Maybe I'm not the one to talk. But just like that, they bring in a sister we've never seen before?"

THE END?