Tabula Rasa- rewrite
A-N- Tabula Rasa with my characters Marcie and Lorne. My first Buffy rewrite.
Disclaimer- A lot of the words do NOT belong to me. Nor do the characters besides Marcie and Lorne Benson.
Marcie and Lorne Timeline- They're already married, and it takes place when Marcie is pregnant with their first child- about eight weeks along.
"Do you think she ... walked around on clouds, wearing like ... Birkenstocks and played a harp? 'Cause those are just not flattering. You know, the clunky sandals, not a harp. I mean, who ... doesn't look good with a harp?" Anya said.
Everyone looked at her, looking grim. Marcie brought her hand up to her forehead.
"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking, right baby?" Anya said the last bit to Xander.
"You are attractive and have many wonderful qualities," Xander said.
Usually something like that may have caused Marcie to giggle or at least try to hide a smile. Not this time. The conversation was a bit too serious for that.
"It's totally not stupid to wonder what it was like for Buffy. But it could have been any one of a zillion heavenly dimensions. All we know is that ... it was a good place and she was happy there," Tara put in
"And we took her away from that. We wrecked it for her," Willow said.
"We didn't wreck. We didn't know."
Marcie nodded, agreeing with Xander.
"We didn't wanna know. We were so selfish. I was so selfish."
Xaander shook his head. "Maybe we were. I just feel weird feeling bad that my friend's not dead. It's ... too mind-boggling. So I've decided to simplify the whole thing. Me like Buffy. Buffy's alive, so, me glad."
Lorne nodded, a hand on Marcie's knee.
"Not to be Miss Psycho Pep Squad, but we have got to stop obsessing about what we did and start trying to make things better for Buffy," Tara said.
"I'm with Miss Psycho Pep Squad," Anya said.
"Me too," Marcie said.
" Ah, we need to spend more time with her, just hang out. Maybe have ... weekly dinners over here, or, uh ... a book club. Short books. Videos." Marcie smiled a little at Xander's conclusion.
" I can fix it. I know a spell," Willow said.
"No! No more spells!" Tara exclaimed angrily.
Xander looks from Tara to Willow, confused.
"Then what? This isn't something that's gonna be fixed by a video club. I know I messed up, okay, and ... I wanna fix it."
"I can't believe that we are talking about this again. You know how powerful magic is, how dangerous. You could hurt someone, you ... you could hurt yourself," Tara said.
Willow shook her head. "I know a spell that will make her forget she was ever in heaven."
"God, what is wrong with you?"
Xander got up. "I'm gonna go get that ... phone you probably don't hear. High-pitched ring, ears like a dog."
"I'm gonna help you with that," Anya said.
"Yeah, we should get going," Marcie looked at Lorne, sensing an argument coming between Tara and Willow.
Lorne nodded. "It's getting late."
Marcie picked her jacket up, and the two left the apartment.
"You alright?" Lorne asked.
Marcie nodded. "Fine."
*LINE*
"Hey Dawn, hey Tara!" Marcie smiled, opening the door.
"Hey," Dawn said.
"Hi," Tara greeted.
"Willow, come on, you ready?" Dawn called up the stairs.
Willow appears at the top of the stairs wearing a towel around her body and another towel on her hair.
"Not so much. You go ahead, tell Giles to hold up. I'll be there in a sec," Willow called down to them.
"Fine," Tara said, moving towards the door, obviously annoyed.
"Hurry up. You don't wanna miss the lowdown on our latest featured creature," Dawn called. Marcie smiled.
Willow watches Tara, Dawn, and Marcie leave.
*LINE*
Giles, Anya, and Tara sat at the round table. Anya and Tara were thumb-wrestling. Buffy sat on the stairs leading to the loft, Dawn standing nearby. Lorne stood behind the cash register, Marcie sitting on the floor in front of it.
So, whadda we got?" Dawn asked.
"Sorry?" Giles asked.
" What kind of oogly-boogleys? Lizardy types, or um, zombies, or, or vampires, or what?"
"There are no oogly-boogleys, Dawn," Giles said.
The door opens and Xander and Willow enter. Willow is wearing Xander's jacket.
"Thanks for the jacket. It's cold out there," Willow said.
"Not a problem, the cold only makes me stronger and more macho-like," Xander replied, causing Marcie to laugh.
The two joined the others. Giles stood up. "I'm glad you're here, um..."
The others look expectantly at him. Buffy just glares.
"I have something I really have to tell you all. Um ... I know it feels like we've been through this before-" Giles said. Marcie looked at him confused.
"Why don't you just jump to the chase? Tell them that you're-" Buffy cut him off, ending up getting cut of when Spike rushed in, sizzling from the sun. Everyone turned to look at him. Spike was wearing an old-fashioned brown suit with a bow-tie, and a padded hat with earflaps.
"Spike?"
"Holy moly."
"What the hell?"
"You need to give me asylum," Spike said.
"I'll say," Xander said.
"No need to get cute." Spike took off the hat, and threw it down. "It's a disguise. Happens there's a bloke I'd rather not see just now. "
Spike walked farther into the store as the others watch in amusement. He hopped up to sit on the counter beside the cash register
"You met him, I believe. Toothy bloke with the baby-seal breath?" Spike asked Buffy.
Buffy rolls her eyes.
"Nasty fellow, him. And ugly too. He's got a mouthful of choppers just waiting to be yanked out and worn as necklaces."
"Well, now that we've recovered from Spike's ... sartorial humour, I'll jump to the chase. Um ... I'm headed back to England and I plan to stay ... indefinitely." Giles sits beside Anya. Everyone looks surprised, or slightly hurt.
"Now? Not now, I mean, not after ... everything," Xander said.
"Yes, now," Giles replied.
Anya asked, "For real this time? 'Cause honest to Pete, a young shopkeeper's heart can only take so much ... I mean, not that I want you to go-"
"I can't do this," Buffy said, walking quickly past them, towards the door. "I just, I don't think..."
"Buffy, listen," Willow said.
Buffy stopped, and turned back.
Willow said, "I know this must be awful for you, and I, I'm sorry, I ... I'm so sorry for..."
Buffy nods impatiently.
" Sorry. Everybody's sorry. I know that you guys are just trying to help ... but it's just, it's too much. And, and I, I can't take it anymore. If you guys ... if you guys understood how it felt ... how it feels. It's like I'm dying, it-" Suddenly she falls to the floor, unconscious.
The others all fell down too. Giles and Anya slump over together in their seats. Willow and Xander fell to the floor in a heap. Spike fells over onto some books on the counter. Lorne fell behind it. Marcie slumped against the counter.
Hours later Buffy stirred, woke, and sat up. "Huh?" She stood up, frowning, and walked to a light switch and turned the light on.
The others began to stir. Willow sat up, sees that she was snuggled with Xander, gave a gasp and jumped back. Xander saw her and gasps too. They stared at each other. Xander gave her a cheesy seductive grin.
"Hey," Xander said.
"Hey?" Willow replied uncertain.
Anya woke up, and yawned. Giles's head was on her shoulder. He lifted his head, sees that he drooled on her, wiped at her shoulder with his hand. Anya looked very startled.
Tara woke up, and looked around in confusion.
Marcie sat up, and rubbed at her eyes. "Whaa?"
Anya turned to see who's behind her. She and Giles frowned at each other in confusion.
"Hello?" Giles said questioningly.
Spike, still asleep, rolled over and fell off the counter with a crashing noise. Dawn wakes up shrieking at the noise. "Ow!" Lorne complained, as Spike had fallen on him.
Spike got to his feet behind the counter, and looked around, and then started at Lorne.
Dawn sat up on the floor, scooted back into a corner looking around fearfully. Buffy came toward her.
"Who, who are you people?" Dawn asked.
Buffy knelt beside Dawn. Dawn cringed back.
"Don't worry," Buffy told her.
"Please don't hurt me!" Dawn exclaimed, moving away from Buffy.
"Oh, it's okay. I don't know anyone here either," Buffy told her.
"Yeah? Who are you?" Dawn asked nervously.
"I... uh..." Buffy said confused.
"Okay, who are you freaks?" Xander asked, getting to his feet.
Buffy, Marcie, Lorne, Dawn, and Willow stood too.
"You don't know me?" Willow asked.
"Not a clue," Xander said.
"But you were just all like, 'oh, hey.'"
"Yeah, 'cause I thought you were a girl and I'd remember, but..."
"Well, I am a girl! I'm ... not sure ... who I am exactly, but..."
"Okay, why was I on the ground? And why are you all staring at me? Is this some kind of psych test? Am I getting paid for this?" Xander yelled.
"It's not just you. Does anyone remember anything?" Giles asked, standing.
Everyone shakes their heads.
"Nope."
"Nah-da."
|Well, maybe we all got ... terribly drunk and this is some sort of, uh, blackout," Giles said.
"I don't think I drink," Dawn said uncertainly.
" I-I don't see any booze. I don't feel any head bumps .I don't see Allen Funt," Anya said, looking around.
"Who?" Giles asked.
"Okay. I'm not panicking. I'm not. I'm not. Stop looking at me like I'm panicking!" Xander said, all panicky.
"Hey, hey, take it easy, guy. Okay, no one's hurt, right? And, and none of us look all hatchety-murdery, so ... we're probably safe. Here. Wherever here is," Buffy said.
Willow looked around. "Look at this stuff on these shelves. Weird jars of weird stuff."
She goes over to the counter, looks at the jars behind Spike and Lorne.
"Weird books with weird covers, like Magic for Beginners. Oh!" Willow picked up a book.
Tara got up. "This is a magic shop. A-a-a real magic shop."
"Well, maybe that's it. Maybe something magic happened-" Buffy said, and got cut off by Giles before she could finish.
Giles scoffed. "Magic! Magic's all balderdash and chicanery. I'm afraid we don't know a bloody thing. Except I seem to be British, don't I? Uh, and a man. With ... glasses." He removed his glasses. "Well, that narrows it down considerably."
Marcie smiled a little.
"I don't like this," Dawn said tearfully to Buffy.
"It's okay, don't worry. We'll take care of each other." Buffy brushed hair back from Dawn's face. Dawn smiled a little.
"We'll all get our memory back, and it'll all be right as rain," Giles said.
"Oh, listen to Mary Poppins. He's got his crust all stiff and upper with that nancy-boy accent. You Englishmen are always so...Bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! I'm English!" Spike exclaimed.
Marcie giggled. "There's nothing wrong with being British," she imitated their accent.
"Welcome to the nancy tribe." Giles put his glasses on.
"I'd like to point out, I'm not British!" Marcie said, without the fake accent.
"You don't suppose you and I ... we're not related, are we?" Spike asked Giles, giving Marcie a look like she was crazy.
"There is a ruggedly handsome resemblance," Anya said.
Giles smiled at Anya.
"And you do inspire a, um ... particular feeling of ... familiarity and ... disappointment," Giles said to Spike.
Spike walked up to Giles, scowling. They looked at each other.
"Older brother?" Giles suggested.
Spike scoffed. "Father. Oh, god, how I must hate you."
"What did I do?" Giles asked.
"There's always something, and what's with the trollop?" Spike indicated to Giles.
"Hey!"
" Her?" Giles asked.
"I saw you! Sleeping together."
" Resting together," Giles corrected Spike,
"Look!" Anya held up her hand with the engagement ring. "It's okay. We're engaged."
Giles smiled. "Oh."
" It's a lovely ring," Anya said.
"Oh, great, a tarty stepmom who's half old Daddy's age," Spike said.
"Tarty?" Anya asked.
Giles looked outraged. "Old? You little twerp, I'm young enough to still get carded."
"Carded! Driver's licenses!" Willow exclaimed.
Everyone reaches into their pockets and bags to dig out I.D.
It's me! 'Alexander Harris.' Cute picture. Hey, I exist!"
"I'm Willow Rosenberg. Heh, Willow. Funny name."
"I think it's pretty," Tara said.
Willow smiled at her. "Whadda you got?"
Tara held up her ID. "Tara, and look, I'm a student at U.C. Sunnydale."
"Me too! Hey, maybe we're study buddies," Willow suggested, and Tara smiled.
"I'm Lorne Benson," Lorne said, looking at his ID.
"I don't have a driver's licence," Marcie said. She looked down at her Medic-Alert bracelet. "But according to this, I'm Marcie Benson, and a diabetic." She looked toward Lorne. "You said you're name was Benson?"
Lorne nodded. "Are we siblings?"
Marcie shrugged. "Maybe?"
" I don't have a wallet." Dawn told Buffy.
" Don't worry. Me neither. But here, look." Buffy reached to Dawn's neck. Dawn was wearing a necklace with her name on it. Buffy held it in her fingers. "You're Dawn."
"Or, Umad." Dawn smiled.
"I'm, uh, called Rupert Giles," Giles said.
" Rupert." Anya smiled fondly.
"Rupert!" Spike laughed.
"You're not too old to put across my knee, you know ... sonny. Anyway, what did I call you?"
"Uh." Spike examined his clothing, found a label on the inside of his suit jacket. "'Made with care for Randy.'" He looked at Giles angrily. "Randy Giles? Why not just call me 'Horny Giles,' or 'Desperate for a Shag Giles'? I knew there was a reason I hated you!"
"Randy's ... a family name, undoubtedly," Giles said,
Anya fingered something around her neck ,and went behind the counter.
" Oh, hey, I have a name on my jacket" Willow took off her jacket to look. "Harris."
"Harris? That's my last name. Maybe I have a brother and you go out with him. Or maybe you go out with me," Xander suggested.
"Well, we did wake up all snuggly-wuggly. Maybe you're my boyfriend."
"Either that, or I got one pissed-off brother out there somewhere." Xander and Willow smiled at each other.
" I'm Anya!"
Everyone looks over at Anya by the cash register.
"Um, this key fits this lock. And, uh, the forms ... next to the cash register say that, uh, Rupert and, and Anya own the shop together."
"This is our magic shop?" Giles walked over to Anya. "Uh, well, that's very, uh, uh, progressive of me."
"So you don't have a name?" Dawn asked Buffy.
"Of course I do. I just don't happen to know it," Buffy replied.
"You want me to name you?" Dawn asked.
"Oh, that's sweet, but I think I can name myself." Buffy thought for a moment. "I'll name me ... Joan."
Dawn made a face. "Ugh!"
"What? Did you just 'ugh' my name?"
"No! I just ... I mean, it's so blah. Joan?"
"I like it. I feel like a Joan."
Dawn chuckled. "Fine, that's your purgative."
"Prerogative," Buffy corrected.
"Whatever, Joan."
"Whatever, Umad."
"Boy, you're a pain in the," Buffy said as Dawn said, "Boy, you're bossy!" They looked at each other in surprise.
"Do you think we're-"
"Sisters?" Buffy finished Dawn's question. They smiled and hugged each other.
" You never showed me affection like that!" Spike said to Giles, who looked confused. "...I'd wager," Spike added.
"Well, we need to figure out what's going on. We need to get help," Buffy said.
"Looks like Joan fancies herself the boss," Spike said.
"We have a kid here-"
"A teenager," Dawn corrected Buffy.
"A teenager. And we have no idea what's wrong with us. I think a hospital's our best bet."
Anya is fiddled with Giles's clothing.
"Uh, yes, let's, um, let's head out," Giles said.
They all started walking toward the door. Xander offered Willow his arm, and after a moment she took it.
" Any suggestions on how we're gonna get there?" Buffy asked.
" Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic midlife-crisis transport. Something red, shiny, shaped like a penis," Spike said.
They all get to the front door. Buffy opened it.
The shark demon's two vampire minions stood there, snarling.
Everyone screamed. Buffy closed the door and they all huddled on the floor under the window.
"Did you guys see that?" Buffy asked.
"Vampires!" Spike exclaimed.
"Maybe it's Halloween," Tara suggested.
Marcie shook her head.
"It doesn't feel like Halloween," Dawn said.
"Even if it is, those guys are definitely not kids, and those are definitely not costumes. Randy's right. Looks like we have vampires," Xander said.
Marcie twisted the gold band on her finger. Lorne looked at it, then down at his hand, where he also had a golden wedding band. "Hmm."
There was banging on the door, causing Marcie to jump.
"Slayer!" One of the minions called.
"They're definitely not knocking for candy," Xander said.
"Okay, doors, we need to check to see if there's other doors, a-and make sure they're locked and put large objects in front of them. Come on," Willow said to Xander, and the two go off toward the back.
"Monsters are real. Did we know this?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know, but we n-need our memories back. We have to get to a hospital," Tara said.. Buffy nodded.
"As, uh, proprietor of a magic shop, I propose we fight them. We can use things here in the shop, you know, magic ... tricks or whatever."
The vamps continue banging. One of them is at the window.
"Send out Spinke!" a vampire ordered.
" They seem to want spikes," Giles said.
"Oh!" Spike went off, and came back with a handful of stakes. "Let's give 'em these."
"Well done," Giles said.
They all pick up stakes and examine them.
"But wait, what are they going to do with them?" Dawn asked.
Lorne shrugged. "Poke people?"
"Slayer, come out and play!" a vampire called.
"'Slay her,' that's just what they said before. Th-th-they're gonna use the spikes to-" Tara started.
"To slay someone? A female someone! Who do those jerks think they are?" Buffy asked.
"Bloodsuckers. They kill by sucking blood. Take it easy, Joan," Anya told Buffy.
"You guys!" Willow and Xander returned.
"Trap door in the basement, it seems to lead to the sewer," Xander told them.
"Let's go!" Anya exclaimed.
They all got up, huddled in a mass together, and started rushing toward the back. The vampires peered in the windows.
Suddenly the front window busts in and one of the vampires appears. All the Scoobies scream and ran for the back.
The back door busted open revealing the other vampire. They all screamed more and backed away.
Xander droped to his knees, clasps his hands and looked upward.
" Now I'm not sure what I am so bear with me here. Now I lay me down to sleep, uh, shabat Israel, uh, om, om," Xander said,
The first vampire grabbed Buffy, who shrieked. The second vamp went past Xander and grabbed Spike, slammed him up against a bookcase. Spike looked scared.
"You owe us!" the third vampire said.
"Fine! Take your damn spikes!" Spike pulled the stakes from his jacket and tossed them at the vamp. They clattered to the floor. Spike tried to go past but the vampire stopped him.
"Don't be stupid," the vampire said.
"Get your hands off me, you son of a-" Buffy said, struggling with the vampire. He put his hand over her mouth.
"I said you owe us," the vampire said.
"Who, me?"
"You've got the boss's kittens."
" Kittens?"
Buffy broke free, kneed the other vamp in the groin and punched him. The other Scoobies watched in amazement.
The first vamp pushed Spike back against the wall again. Buffy ran over and pulled him away.
"Hey! Stay away from Randy!" Buffy exclaimed.
She staked the vampire and he dusts. The Scoobies and Buffy watched in complete wide-eyed amazement.
"Whoa!"
"Cool!"
"What did you just do?"
"Uh ... I..." Buffy said, in awe.
The other vamp slid past and makes for the door as Buffy turned to face the Scoobies, holding the stake, still looking amazed.
"I don't know. But it was COOL!" She smiled.
The others slowly began to smile too.
"The boss ain't gonna like this! I'll be back. And I won't be alone!" The vamp fled out the front door. Spike shut and locked it behind him, then dropped the metal security grate down over the broken window.
"I think I know why Joan's the boss. I'm like a superhero or something!" Buffy exclaimed.
The others stared at her. Xander slumped to the floor in a faint. Marcie knelt next to him, and poked him. "Heeee-lllooooo. Wake-y, wake-y!"
*LINE*
Buffy turned away from the window to face the others. "Okay. I've got a plan."
" I'm all ears," the now-conscious Xander said.
" They seem to want Randy. And I seem to be pretty strong. Wicked strong. So, you guys go through the sewers to get to the hospital, and Randy and I'll give the monsters a run for their money," Buffy explained.
"That's your plan?" Spike asked.
"Yes."
"Right."
" I'm not leaving the shop. I have to protect the cash register, and ... do some spells," Anya said.
"Oh. Well, magic might help, yes, it's worth a shot," Giles said.
"All right. You work on that then. We need to go. Ready, Randy?"
"Ready, Joan." Spike stepped forward.
"Um, son." Spike stopped, and turned to Giles. "Come here. Um, please."
"Um..."
"Yes, um..."
Spike went over to Giles and they hugged awkwardly, then Spike pushed Giles away.
"Right."
"Good, then."
Spike and Buffy went out the front. The others, minus Anya, and Giles, go out the back.
*LINE*
Xander and Tara stood at the bottom of the ladder into the sewers helping Dawn climb down the ladder.
"Almost there, come on. There we go."
Dawn reached the bottom with their assistance. "Thanks."
Xander and Tara helpped Willow climb down next. She reached the bottom with her hands on Tara's shoulders. They looked at each other for a moment, then separate.
They helped Marcie down next. "Thanks," she whispered, slightly hoarse.
"You alright?" Xander asked.
Marcie nodded. "Just a little thirsty."
Lorne reached the bottom of the ladder, jumping down to the ground.
They all begin walking slowly through the sewer.
"The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah. The ants go marching one by-" Dawn cut off with a gasp as a vampire appeared in front of them. They all screamed, turned and ran back the way they came. The vampire pursued them.
*LINE*
The group of Scoobie was running. Tara was in the lead. She looked to her left, saw a space behind some pillars, and ran over to hide there. The others followed.
The vampire ran past, not seeing them. Marcie let out a breath. Tara peeked out.
"Come on. This way. Up the ladder," Tara whispered.
They ran to a ladder, climb up to an elevated tunnel leading to a large pipe. A metal grate blocked the entrance. They moved it aside, climb through. Xander closes the grate behind him while the others huddled around the corner in the pipe.
"He's coming!" Xander whispered.
They all huddled quietly as the vampire went past again, growling.
Willow and Tara are huddled together with their faces close to each other. They looked at each other, looked away awkwardly, but continued sneaking looks at each other.
Marcie bit her lip, trying to keep quiet. Lorne patted her hand. She looked up at him.
*LINE*
Xander and Tara are peered out at the sewer tunnel. Willow sat opposite Dawn.
"How you doin', Dawn?"
" Uh, I'm okay. It's scary ... but, weirdly? Kind of familiar."
Willow frowned. "I know what you mean."
"How are you?"
"A little confused. I mean, I'm ... all sweaty ... and trapped, no memory, hiding in a pipe from a vampire..." Willow paused, looks over at the others, then back at Dawn, still frowning. "And I think I'm kinda gay."
Dawn looked surprised.
*LINE*
Xander peeked out through the grate as the vampire began to climb toward it.
"I smell fear ... and it smells good," the vampire said.
Xander, Tara, Willow, Marcie, Lorne, and Dawn began fleeing through the pipe. The vampire got to the closed grate, peered in to the pipe, retreated back into the sewer.
Xander emerged into the sewer from another hole in the pipe. He peeked around a corner and the vampire punched him. Xander grabbed the vamp, who pushed him away. Xander punched the vamp a couple of times, and then the vamp blocked a punch and threw Xander to the ground.
Tara, Willow, Marcie, Lorne, and Dawn looked out of the pipe. Tara and Willow jump down to the ground, look around, Lorne right after them.
The vampire appeared and growled at them. Willow gasped, grabbed Tara and they fell to the ground, Willow on top of Tara. Lorne jumped back, away from the vampire.
The crystal fell out of Willow's pouch and onto the ground.
"Hey! Over here, big guy!" Xander called.
Willow and Tara gazed into each other's eyes.
Dawn and Marcie duck back into the pipe as the vampire turned toward Xander.
"Check out this throbbing jugular!" Xander yelled.
The vampire went over to Xander and tried to grab him. Xander punched him.
Dawn hopped down from the pipe, looked over and saw the vampire punching Xander in the stomach. Dawn bent down, and picked up a piece of wood from the ground. "Dawn!" Marcie hissed.
The vampire punched Xander again in the stomach and then the face. He threw Xander over a piece of pipe. Xander landed on his back on the ground.
"Alex!" Dawn yelled at Xander.
Dawn thew the piece of wood to Xander, who caught it and used it to stake the vamp as he attacked. Xander and Dawn stared as the vamp turns to dust.
Willow and Tara remained lying on the ground together, their faces inches apart. Tara reached up and brushes hair away from Willow's face. They smiled slightly. Willow bent down as if to kiss Tara.
Xander got up, groaning. He walked forward, stepping on the crystal, as Lorne helped Marcie out from the pipe. Xander looked down at it, looks dizzy for a moment.
Willow and Tara paused before actually kissing. Willow got off of Tara and they both sat up. Tara gave Willow an angry look.
Willow looked over at the broken crystal.
Tara stood up, still giving Willow a look of disgust. Willow stayed sitting, looking up at her. Slowly Willow looked down, feelt her belt pouch and finds it empty.
Dawn went to stand by Xander, both watching Willow. They looked down at the broken pieces of crystal. All stared at Willow. Marcie and Lorne stood near the pipe, looking at Willow.
Suddenly Xander gave a little laugh. Everyone looks at him.
"Sorry, I just got back the memory of seeing King Ralph."
Willow continued to look shock and Tara looked angry.
"We should get back," Xander suggested.
Xander, Marcie, Lorne and Dawn start walking. Tara looked down at Willow. Willow stood up and looked at her. Tara looked away, and doesn't meet her eyes.
Willow looked sad, and started to follow Xander, Marcie, Lorne, and Dawn.
Tara began to cry, turned and followed them as well.