I Want My Mommy!
By Ange-la
Chapter 1
What a night! It was early morning and the Slayer was just getting home. A gang of Vamps had made a nice little home in the middle of Sunnydale. Nice that is until the Slayer and her Slayerttes found their hideout. They were making nice meals out of the locals, until Buffy spotted them. She was on patrol with Willow and Xander.
She was the Chosen One. She was the Slayer. Each generation would produce one and she was it. Here she was a freshman in college and instead of attending the local frat party she was out patrolling for vampires. Well at least she had company. Two of her best friends, as a matter of fact they were her only friends. Willow and Xander. She met them at Sunnydale High School. Like her, they were the so-called square pegs. They didn't fit in with the rest of the 'in crowd.' It didn't really brother her; Buffy knew what the 'in crowd' was all about. She herself was one of them in her old high school back in Los Angeles. That was all before she found out that she was the Chosen One.
After her parents divorced, her mom thought it would be best to start fresh in a new town, Sunnydale, which is located right on top of the Hellmouth. Only the Slayer herself would be drawn here. Things had gotten easier since her mom found out that she was the slayer. Buffy felt good that she wouldn't have to lie to her mother anymore about where she was going at midnight, or where she had been all night. It was hard for Joyce Summers to accept, after all Buffy was her only child. A mother's job was to protect her young. Most times it seem that Buffy was protecting her. Joyce had thought that moving to Sunnydale would be the best thing for both of them. Especially after Buffy burned down her school's gymnasium. Well this time Buffy blew up her high school. It was for a good cause...to rid the world of evil. Joyce just kept telling herself that. Somewhere deep inside it did feel good. Joyce was proud of her daughter. She was as proud as any mother could be. Buffy did a lot of growing up in the past four years. More than expected from most girls. Joyce also loved her daughter as any mother would, unconditionally. Buffy was her world. Joyce just wished that life had dealt her daughter a different hand.
This morning Joyce found herself sitting at her dining room table with a cup of coffee and boxes from the art gallery around her. She couldn't sleep, knowing her daughter was out on patrol, so she decided to do the inventory that she had put off for two weeks. There were at least five boxes full of artifacts. Most were from either the Incas or Mayas. Joyce was so tired that she couldn't tell anymore. She heard the front door open and let out a sigh of relief. Her daughter made it home. She was safe and sound.
"Buffy, is that you?" Joyce called out.
"It's me mom. What are you doing up?" Buffy asked as she entered the dining room.
"I couldn't sleep so I decided that I should finish this inventory. Want some breakfast?"
"Maybe just a glass of milk. I'm really beat." Buffy sat while Joyce went to get her a glass of milk. "Hey, mom, what is this stuff?" Buffy asked as she opened a box and peeked in.
"Oh just some artifacts from the art gallery. I have been putting off checking these things for two weeks. I thought that I should get to it." Joyce handed her daughter the glass of milk.
Buffy stood up and started to open box after box. "What are you doing?" asked Joyce? "Looking for something evil?"
"You never know." Buffy said.
"Well you're not on patrol now, just sit and drink your milk. Then I want you to go to bed and get some rest. It's a good thing you're on break from school."
"Mom, do you ever stop worrying?"
"No, it's my job." Joyce answered.
"Well stop, I'm a big girl, freshman in college, slayer at large, etc etc etc." Buffy said as she pulled out a strange looking object from one of the boxes.
Joyce looked at her daughter with that mom look, the one that said be careful you don't cross that line. "What is this?" Buffy asked trying to change the subject.
"Put it back, Buffy, I have to check everything in these boxes please don't mix me up!"
"Okay okay, I thought maybe I could help." Buffy pouted. "This does look strange."
Joyce started to get angry. Didn't her daughter realize that she had been up half the night worrying about her? "Buffy, please!"
"Mom! What's wrong?" Buffy also started to get angry, didn't her mother realize that she had been up half the night patrolling and slaying vampires?
"I'm just tired. I have been up all night worrying about you and I have to get this work done. I am so behind!" Joyce shouted.
"Well, I'm tired, too. You forget I was up all night walking the streets of Sunnydale. Don't you think I would rather be in my bed?" Buffy shouted.
Joyce walked over to her daughter and tried to take the medal from Buffy. "I wish just for a few days you could walk in my shoes and see what kind of worry I go through."
Buffy tried to pull the item back and said, "Well just for a few days I wish you could walk in my shoes and see what worry I go through."
At that moment a bright light filled the room. Buffy and Joyce just stood there staring at each other. In an instant the light was gone. Buffy almost fell over but Joyce caught her saying "Mom are you alright?"
They looked at each other. "Buffy?" Joyce said, but it came from Buffy's body.
"Mom?" Buffy said, but it came from Joyce's body.
They both let out screams.
"What's going on here?" Joyce asked. She looked in the mirror but didn't see her face; instead she saw her daughter's face. She placed her hands over her cheeks. "This isn't happening. I can't be..."
"You're me?" Buffy said. She too looked in the mirror but didn't see her face; instead she saw her mother's face. "I can't be old."
"Well excuse me. I'm not exactly old." Buffy's body said.
"Oh, mom, you know what I mean. How did this happen?"
"Talk about watching what you wish for."
"We have to call Giles. He'll know what to do." Joyce's body said.
Buffy looked again in the mirror. "I'm in my daughter's body. This can't be happening."
Joyce picked up the phone and dialed Giles' number.
"Hello." Giles answered.
"Hi Giles, Help!" Joyce said.
"Joyce? What's happened? Where's Buffy?"
"Giles, calm down. I am Buffy." Joyce said.
"You don't sound like Buffy. What's going on?" Giles asked. Joyce explained how she and Buffy held the medal and the wish they both had made. "Joyce, I mean Buffy I want you both to meet me at the magic shop and bring the medal with you. You better have your mother call Willow and Xandar and have them meet us there."
"Why have Mom call my friends?" Joyce asked.
"I think it will seem strange if Joyce Summers calls Buffy's friends to meet them at the magic shop, don't you think?"
"Yes your right. Ok we'll meet you there." Joyce hung up the phone. She turned to Buffy and said, "You have to call Willow and Xander. Tell them to meet us at the magic shop."
"Me? Why me? I don't know what to say." Buffy said.
"Mom get a hold of yourself. Pretend to be me...at least just ask for Willow and I'll speak to her." Joyce said.
Buffy picked up the phone and looked at Joyce, "What's Willow's number?" she said.
Joyce dialed and Buffy asked for Willow. Joyce took the phone from Buffy and explained everything to Willow. Joyce asked her to call Xander and to meet them at the magic shop. If ever she needed her friends, it was now.
Chapter 2
Everyone was sitting around the table in the magic shop looking through Giles' collection of books. Tara came along with Willow just in case they found a spell. Anya was with Xander, because she was always with Xander.
"You know, I remember something like this happening a few hundred years ago. Only I did the spell and made a man a woman. He needed to know just what PMS really was." Anya said.
Everyone stopped reading and stared at her. "Well, it was what his former girl friend wished for. He was a real rat, if you know what I mean."
"Anya, do you know anything about the spell on Buffy and Joyce?" Giles asked.
"No not really, I never saw a medal like that before. Why don't you two hold the medal and wish to be back to normal?" Anya said.
"We tried that, it didn't work." Joyce said.
"Oh I think I found something." Willow said. "Let me see that." She took the medal and compared it to the picture in the book she was studying. "Yep, this is it. But bad news guys."
"What could be worse than this?" Buffy asked.
"Well it seems that you have to let the wish run its course. That means you two will be like this for a few days." Willow said.
"NO! I can't be my mother!" Joyce shouted. "I have slaying to do."
Giles took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well I would think that you could still slay."
The door of the magic shop open and in walked Spike. Spike, now better known as the vampire with a chip in his head. The Initiative placed a chip in his head that rendered him harmless. Spike couldn't bite, hit or kill anything human.
"Great, just what we need, a puppy vampire." Joyce said as she landed a punch to Spike's jaw.
"Ouch! Hey that hurt. It never hurt before, what's going on?" She said.
"Hey Slayer, you call that your best shot? I think mosquitoes bite harder." Spike said.
Giles went to Joyce and examined her hand. "I've got a feeling that your slayer power has stayed with your body."
Buffy went over to Spike and landed a punch to his nose. "Hey! That hurt. What did I do to deserve that?" Spike shouted.
"You mean that I am the slayer?" Buffy said.
"It would seem so. Buffy wished that you would walk in her shoes and it seems that you are." Giles said.
Joyce started to pace, "This can't be happening. My mom knows nothing about slaying. It could get her killed!"
"Well not if she has your strength. I should work with you on some moves." Giles said.
"No, this is not happening. You mean to tell me that I have to go to the art gallery and do whatever it is that you do there?" Joyce asked.
"I'm afraid so. I will go patrolling tonight." Buffy said with a smile.
"Now remember, you're still Joyce, don't get too cocky." Giles said. "Buffy has had much experience being the Slayer. It is a most dangerous job."
"Well, we'll be there for you, Mrs. Summers, I mean Buffy, I mean, oh I don't know what I mean. This is so confusing." said Willow.
"Well I think it's a very good idea that you all go patrolling tonight with eh, Buffy, or should I call you Joyce? Well anyway all of you should stick together while I research and find if we can reverse this spell." Giles told everyone.
"Yeah, well ok, but Spike, I am warning you, behave yourself. If anything happens to my mom, you will regret it." Joyce said.
"Me? Why me? Don't forget I have that chip in my head. I haven't had a good meal in months. Besides, I kind of like Joyce, she understands me."
They all looked at Spike. "What?!" asked Joyce.
"You know, that night when I came back to Sunnydale, and Joyce and I spoke about Dru and how she hurt me..."
"Yeah, yeah. Remember, it's up to you to keep my mother out of trouble."
"Well, we can go and kick some butt eh Joyce?" Spike said.
"Wait, it's not that simple." said Giles. "You may be the Slayer but you still are Joyce. You have no training. I know you have Buffy's strength, but you will need me to give you some kind of training."
"Fine, let's get started. Where do we go for training? Some gym?" Buffy asked.
"No, I have a sort of gym set up in the back of the store. I suggest that you go home and change into something more comfortable, a jogging outfit, and we meet back here in about one hour. In the meantime, Buffy, err Joyce, I suggest that you start living your mother's life." Giles said.
"What am I suppose to do? Go to the art gallery?" Joyce asked.
"Well yes, you see from what I have read, if you don't live in your mother's shoes, you will remain this way forever." Giles said.
"WHAT??!!!!! I have to be old? I have to...." Joyce yelled.
"Hey! I am not old! You just make sure that you don't fill my body with junk food. I have worked very hard to keep my weight down. I don't want you going home and eating all the ice cream out of the carton. Understand?" Buffy said.
"Don't worry mom, I mean daughter. Hahaha! I get to boss you." said Joyce.
"Don't get too comfortable, young lady; we will switch back. Right, Rupert?" Buffy asked.
"Oh yes, most definitely, as long as you each live the other's life." stumbled Giles.
"Oh by the way, keys please. You know the keys to the car, if I'm Joyce Summers, then I need a car, after all it is my picture on the license and my name on the title of the car." Joyce said as she held her hand out.
Buffy handed her keys saying, "Just don't drive too fast and go straight home. While you're home you may want to catch up on dusting, laundry, and oh yes that inventory. Oh and don't forget dinner, you may have to go shopping for groceries. Better check the cupboard."
"Thanks" said Joyce as she walked out the door.
"Now then, Buffy, I think we should go to the back room and let me teach you a few moves." Giles said.
"Sure, Rupert. Or should I call you Giles?" Buffy said.
"Giles will do. Come along then." they headed to the back room where Buffy, or Joyce, depending on how you saw things, would start training to become the slayer.
Chapter 3
Giles was flat on his back thinking that he was getting too old for this sort of thing. "Buffy, where did you learn that move?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you while I was in college I had taken some self-defense classes. Not bad for an old lady eh? OH! Giles I didn't hurt you did I?" she said as she helped him up.
"No, I'm rather quite use to being thrown onto my back. That old saying 'like mother, like daughter' is true."
Buffy smiled, "My daughter is like me?"
"Well you both know the moves. Now you must learn the tools of the trade."
"Like what? Stakes, I know stakes, holy water, I know holy water, garlic etc."
"Well have you ever used a crossbow?"
"Hmmmmm, I did take archery classes in..."
"College?" Giles finished.
"Yes." Buffy said.
"Well, Buffy, is there anything that you did not take in college?" Giles was starting to wonder if he was wasting his time.
"Giles, look I didn't mean for this to happen. I know you have to watch what you wish for. It's just that Buffy doesn't understand how worried I get. Knowing she's out there and that this may be the night that she doesn't come home to me. Can you understand? I'm her mother, I worry. It's what parents do. The worrying never stops, regardless how old they get. I was there to catch her when she took her first steps and fell. Now I have to come to the realization that I can't be there for her. You don't know how hard that is."
"But I do." Giles said.
"No, you don't. I know you love Buffy as if she were your daughter. But she's not, she's my daughter. I don't want to sound mean or like I don't understand your relationship with her. You've been more of a father to her than her own. But I am still her mother."
"Joyce, I do understand what you're saying. Look it'll be getting dark soon, you and the others should get ready to patrol. Keep Spike close and please do be careful."
"I wonder how Buffy is doing. I really should stop home and at least have dinner. Want to come?"
"Sounds like a good idea"
"Great, besides I need a ride." Buffy said with a smile.
Buffy and Giles locked up the shop, they arranged with everyone to meet at the Sunnydale Cemetery at dusk. They then went to Buffy's house.
"We're home. Is dinner ready yet?" Buffy shouted. They heard a crash and ran into the kitchen. "What have you done to my kitchen??"
There were pots and pans piled in the sink to the ceiling, there was flour everywhere including Buffy's face. "I cooked dinner."
"What a mess. I hope you realize you're going to clean this up." Buffy said.
"Now wait a minute, I cooked you could at least help me clean." Joyce said.
"No way young lady. I have patrolling to do after dinner. What did you cook for dinner? And what is that smell??"
"I made egg foo young."
"Egg foo young? It looks more like egg foo yuck!"
"Hey, that's not very nice. I worked very hard."
"Look, Buffy why don't you call for say pizza and I'll help Joyce clean this up." Giles said. He felt he needed to get between them before they really started to argue. They looked at him confused. "The real Buffy will help me clean this up and the real Joyce will call for pizza."
The call was made for pizza and the kitchen was cleaned up. Buffy, Joyce and Giles sat at the table finishing up the last of the pizza when Giles looked at his watch. "You know Buffy we really must get going if we're going to meet everyone at the Sunnydale Cemetery."
"Yes you're right." she said as she stood up. "Oh 'mom' don't forget that inventory, and when you're finished please take the artifacts to the gallery."
"Yes 'daughter' I will." Joyce said with a smile. She hugged Buffy and said "Be careful."
"I will be. Besides I have good back up." Buffy said as she and Giles walked out the door.
Joyce sat down and thought, "I think I know what mom feels when I walk out that door." and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Chapter 4
Buffy, aka Joyce and Giles met Buffy's friends at the Sunnydale Cemetery. Giles had Buffy's weapons bag over his shoulder. "Now remember, we're here to back you up. You are the slayer, at least until dawn." Giles said to Buffy.
"I know, but I am going to do some slaying right? I mean, how am I to find out how hard my daughter's life is if I don't slay?" Buffy said as she rolled her eyes.
"Joyce, get something straight, this is not a game your daughter plays. Lives are on the line here, including hers. Buffy has on more than one occasion saved our lives as well as the world. This isn't to be taken lightly."
"Rupert, I don't need you to tell me about how my daughter places her life on the line. I know I'm her mother. There isn't a night that goes by when I don't lie in bed waiting to hear that front door open. There isn't a night that goes by when I am not praying for just one more day with my daughter. Making light of this?? I think not."
"That's not what I meant. I know you worry about your daughter, I worry about her too. I do love her you know. But for now you have to see life through her eyes. That is the only way you will know what she goes through. Think about when you were in college. What did you do during your free time?"
"Well I was...dating, going to parties, joining the local sorority. I think I may be starting to understand. Buffy doesn't do those things, does she?"
"No, she doesn't. She does what she does best, slay, and keep the world safe for the rest of us. So are you ready to slay your first vampire?"
"Yes I think I am. Let's slay." Buffy said.
Well it turned out to be a really quiet night. Willow and Xander went home while Spike and Giles continued to patrol with Buffy. After a few more runs through the cemetery Spike also called it a night.
"Is it usually this quiet?" Buffy asked.
"Sometimes." Giles answered.
"I don't think I could have handled this when I was Buffy's age. I would have missed all the parties! I would have missed all the good times and for what? For a night of nothing."
"Well you have to understand that it's not always this quiet. Most nights she is slaying. But it is because she is the Slayer that she does miss most things that 19 year olds enjoy."
"My little girl is not a little girl anymore is she?"
"No she's not." Giles said.
"I understand. This is really not a life for anyone her age. This should be a time for her to enjoy life not worry about the world." Buffy said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I think we should call it a night. Hopefully tomorrow you will both wake up in the right bodies. Hopefully you both got a better understanding of what the other faces in all of this." Giles said as he wiped the tear from Buffy's face.
"Let's get me home."
Buffy walked in her front door and found light coming from the dining room. "What are you doing still up?" she asked Joyce.
"Well that inventory had to be done, so I decided to finish it up for you. One less thing you have to worry about. How did slaying go?"
"We didn't. Not one vamp all night. Wouldn't you know it. The first night I go out patrolling and nothing, nada. Look, Buffy, I want to tell you how sorry I am.."
"No mom I'm sorry."
"I think we're both sorry. We have learned a lot tonight. Let's get to sleep. Hopefully tomorrow morning I will have my body back and you'll have yours."
"Good idea." Joyce said as they hugged.
They both went to their rooms and fell fast asleep. What seem like minutes turned out to be a few hours. Buffy's alarm went off at 7:30AM. She ran down the stairs. "Mom?"
"I'm in the kitchen making breakfast." Joyce shouted.
Buffy ran into the kitchen and the two women looked at each other. They ran to each other and hugged.
"Oh it feels good to be me." Said Buffy.
"I'll say." Said Joyce.
"You know, mom, we both have it tough. But as long as we are there for each other, that's all we need."
"You're so right, Buffy."
THE END
By Ange-la
Chapter 1
What a night! It was early morning and the Slayer was just getting home. A gang of Vamps had made a nice little home in the middle of Sunnydale. Nice that is until the Slayer and her Slayerttes found their hideout. They were making nice meals out of the locals, until Buffy spotted them. She was on patrol with Willow and Xander.
She was the Chosen One. She was the Slayer. Each generation would produce one and she was it. Here she was a freshman in college and instead of attending the local frat party she was out patrolling for vampires. Well at least she had company. Two of her best friends, as a matter of fact they were her only friends. Willow and Xander. She met them at Sunnydale High School. Like her, they were the so-called square pegs. They didn't fit in with the rest of the 'in crowd.' It didn't really brother her; Buffy knew what the 'in crowd' was all about. She herself was one of them in her old high school back in Los Angeles. That was all before she found out that she was the Chosen One.
After her parents divorced, her mom thought it would be best to start fresh in a new town, Sunnydale, which is located right on top of the Hellmouth. Only the Slayer herself would be drawn here. Things had gotten easier since her mom found out that she was the slayer. Buffy felt good that she wouldn't have to lie to her mother anymore about where she was going at midnight, or where she had been all night. It was hard for Joyce Summers to accept, after all Buffy was her only child. A mother's job was to protect her young. Most times it seem that Buffy was protecting her. Joyce had thought that moving to Sunnydale would be the best thing for both of them. Especially after Buffy burned down her school's gymnasium. Well this time Buffy blew up her high school. It was for a good cause...to rid the world of evil. Joyce just kept telling herself that. Somewhere deep inside it did feel good. Joyce was proud of her daughter. She was as proud as any mother could be. Buffy did a lot of growing up in the past four years. More than expected from most girls. Joyce also loved her daughter as any mother would, unconditionally. Buffy was her world. Joyce just wished that life had dealt her daughter a different hand.
This morning Joyce found herself sitting at her dining room table with a cup of coffee and boxes from the art gallery around her. She couldn't sleep, knowing her daughter was out on patrol, so she decided to do the inventory that she had put off for two weeks. There were at least five boxes full of artifacts. Most were from either the Incas or Mayas. Joyce was so tired that she couldn't tell anymore. She heard the front door open and let out a sigh of relief. Her daughter made it home. She was safe and sound.
"Buffy, is that you?" Joyce called out.
"It's me mom. What are you doing up?" Buffy asked as she entered the dining room.
"I couldn't sleep so I decided that I should finish this inventory. Want some breakfast?"
"Maybe just a glass of milk. I'm really beat." Buffy sat while Joyce went to get her a glass of milk. "Hey, mom, what is this stuff?" Buffy asked as she opened a box and peeked in.
"Oh just some artifacts from the art gallery. I have been putting off checking these things for two weeks. I thought that I should get to it." Joyce handed her daughter the glass of milk.
Buffy stood up and started to open box after box. "What are you doing?" asked Joyce? "Looking for something evil?"
"You never know." Buffy said.
"Well you're not on patrol now, just sit and drink your milk. Then I want you to go to bed and get some rest. It's a good thing you're on break from school."
"Mom, do you ever stop worrying?"
"No, it's my job." Joyce answered.
"Well stop, I'm a big girl, freshman in college, slayer at large, etc etc etc." Buffy said as she pulled out a strange looking object from one of the boxes.
Joyce looked at her daughter with that mom look, the one that said be careful you don't cross that line. "What is this?" Buffy asked trying to change the subject.
"Put it back, Buffy, I have to check everything in these boxes please don't mix me up!"
"Okay okay, I thought maybe I could help." Buffy pouted. "This does look strange."
Joyce started to get angry. Didn't her daughter realize that she had been up half the night worrying about her? "Buffy, please!"
"Mom! What's wrong?" Buffy also started to get angry, didn't her mother realize that she had been up half the night patrolling and slaying vampires?
"I'm just tired. I have been up all night worrying about you and I have to get this work done. I am so behind!" Joyce shouted.
"Well, I'm tired, too. You forget I was up all night walking the streets of Sunnydale. Don't you think I would rather be in my bed?" Buffy shouted.
Joyce walked over to her daughter and tried to take the medal from Buffy. "I wish just for a few days you could walk in my shoes and see what kind of worry I go through."
Buffy tried to pull the item back and said, "Well just for a few days I wish you could walk in my shoes and see what worry I go through."
At that moment a bright light filled the room. Buffy and Joyce just stood there staring at each other. In an instant the light was gone. Buffy almost fell over but Joyce caught her saying "Mom are you alright?"
They looked at each other. "Buffy?" Joyce said, but it came from Buffy's body.
"Mom?" Buffy said, but it came from Joyce's body.
They both let out screams.
"What's going on here?" Joyce asked. She looked in the mirror but didn't see her face; instead she saw her daughter's face. She placed her hands over her cheeks. "This isn't happening. I can't be..."
"You're me?" Buffy said. She too looked in the mirror but didn't see her face; instead she saw her mother's face. "I can't be old."
"Well excuse me. I'm not exactly old." Buffy's body said.
"Oh, mom, you know what I mean. How did this happen?"
"Talk about watching what you wish for."
"We have to call Giles. He'll know what to do." Joyce's body said.
Buffy looked again in the mirror. "I'm in my daughter's body. This can't be happening."
Joyce picked up the phone and dialed Giles' number.
"Hello." Giles answered.
"Hi Giles, Help!" Joyce said.
"Joyce? What's happened? Where's Buffy?"
"Giles, calm down. I am Buffy." Joyce said.
"You don't sound like Buffy. What's going on?" Giles asked. Joyce explained how she and Buffy held the medal and the wish they both had made. "Joyce, I mean Buffy I want you both to meet me at the magic shop and bring the medal with you. You better have your mother call Willow and Xandar and have them meet us there."
"Why have Mom call my friends?" Joyce asked.
"I think it will seem strange if Joyce Summers calls Buffy's friends to meet them at the magic shop, don't you think?"
"Yes your right. Ok we'll meet you there." Joyce hung up the phone. She turned to Buffy and said, "You have to call Willow and Xander. Tell them to meet us at the magic shop."
"Me? Why me? I don't know what to say." Buffy said.
"Mom get a hold of yourself. Pretend to be me...at least just ask for Willow and I'll speak to her." Joyce said.
Buffy picked up the phone and looked at Joyce, "What's Willow's number?" she said.
Joyce dialed and Buffy asked for Willow. Joyce took the phone from Buffy and explained everything to Willow. Joyce asked her to call Xander and to meet them at the magic shop. If ever she needed her friends, it was now.
Chapter 2
Everyone was sitting around the table in the magic shop looking through Giles' collection of books. Tara came along with Willow just in case they found a spell. Anya was with Xander, because she was always with Xander.
"You know, I remember something like this happening a few hundred years ago. Only I did the spell and made a man a woman. He needed to know just what PMS really was." Anya said.
Everyone stopped reading and stared at her. "Well, it was what his former girl friend wished for. He was a real rat, if you know what I mean."
"Anya, do you know anything about the spell on Buffy and Joyce?" Giles asked.
"No not really, I never saw a medal like that before. Why don't you two hold the medal and wish to be back to normal?" Anya said.
"We tried that, it didn't work." Joyce said.
"Oh I think I found something." Willow said. "Let me see that." She took the medal and compared it to the picture in the book she was studying. "Yep, this is it. But bad news guys."
"What could be worse than this?" Buffy asked.
"Well it seems that you have to let the wish run its course. That means you two will be like this for a few days." Willow said.
"NO! I can't be my mother!" Joyce shouted. "I have slaying to do."
Giles took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Well I would think that you could still slay."
The door of the magic shop open and in walked Spike. Spike, now better known as the vampire with a chip in his head. The Initiative placed a chip in his head that rendered him harmless. Spike couldn't bite, hit or kill anything human.
"Great, just what we need, a puppy vampire." Joyce said as she landed a punch to Spike's jaw.
"Ouch! Hey that hurt. It never hurt before, what's going on?" She said.
"Hey Slayer, you call that your best shot? I think mosquitoes bite harder." Spike said.
Giles went to Joyce and examined her hand. "I've got a feeling that your slayer power has stayed with your body."
Buffy went over to Spike and landed a punch to his nose. "Hey! That hurt. What did I do to deserve that?" Spike shouted.
"You mean that I am the slayer?" Buffy said.
"It would seem so. Buffy wished that you would walk in her shoes and it seems that you are." Giles said.
Joyce started to pace, "This can't be happening. My mom knows nothing about slaying. It could get her killed!"
"Well not if she has your strength. I should work with you on some moves." Giles said.
"No, this is not happening. You mean to tell me that I have to go to the art gallery and do whatever it is that you do there?" Joyce asked.
"I'm afraid so. I will go patrolling tonight." Buffy said with a smile.
"Now remember, you're still Joyce, don't get too cocky." Giles said. "Buffy has had much experience being the Slayer. It is a most dangerous job."
"Well, we'll be there for you, Mrs. Summers, I mean Buffy, I mean, oh I don't know what I mean. This is so confusing." said Willow.
"Well I think it's a very good idea that you all go patrolling tonight with eh, Buffy, or should I call you Joyce? Well anyway all of you should stick together while I research and find if we can reverse this spell." Giles told everyone.
"Yeah, well ok, but Spike, I am warning you, behave yourself. If anything happens to my mom, you will regret it." Joyce said.
"Me? Why me? Don't forget I have that chip in my head. I haven't had a good meal in months. Besides, I kind of like Joyce, she understands me."
They all looked at Spike. "What?!" asked Joyce.
"You know, that night when I came back to Sunnydale, and Joyce and I spoke about Dru and how she hurt me..."
"Yeah, yeah. Remember, it's up to you to keep my mother out of trouble."
"Well, we can go and kick some butt eh Joyce?" Spike said.
"Wait, it's not that simple." said Giles. "You may be the Slayer but you still are Joyce. You have no training. I know you have Buffy's strength, but you will need me to give you some kind of training."
"Fine, let's get started. Where do we go for training? Some gym?" Buffy asked.
"No, I have a sort of gym set up in the back of the store. I suggest that you go home and change into something more comfortable, a jogging outfit, and we meet back here in about one hour. In the meantime, Buffy, err Joyce, I suggest that you start living your mother's life." Giles said.
"What am I suppose to do? Go to the art gallery?" Joyce asked.
"Well yes, you see from what I have read, if you don't live in your mother's shoes, you will remain this way forever." Giles said.
"WHAT??!!!!! I have to be old? I have to...." Joyce yelled.
"Hey! I am not old! You just make sure that you don't fill my body with junk food. I have worked very hard to keep my weight down. I don't want you going home and eating all the ice cream out of the carton. Understand?" Buffy said.
"Don't worry mom, I mean daughter. Hahaha! I get to boss you." said Joyce.
"Don't get too comfortable, young lady; we will switch back. Right, Rupert?" Buffy asked.
"Oh yes, most definitely, as long as you each live the other's life." stumbled Giles.
"Oh by the way, keys please. You know the keys to the car, if I'm Joyce Summers, then I need a car, after all it is my picture on the license and my name on the title of the car." Joyce said as she held her hand out.
Buffy handed her keys saying, "Just don't drive too fast and go straight home. While you're home you may want to catch up on dusting, laundry, and oh yes that inventory. Oh and don't forget dinner, you may have to go shopping for groceries. Better check the cupboard."
"Thanks" said Joyce as she walked out the door.
"Now then, Buffy, I think we should go to the back room and let me teach you a few moves." Giles said.
"Sure, Rupert. Or should I call you Giles?" Buffy said.
"Giles will do. Come along then." they headed to the back room where Buffy, or Joyce, depending on how you saw things, would start training to become the slayer.
Chapter 3
Giles was flat on his back thinking that he was getting too old for this sort of thing. "Buffy, where did you learn that move?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you while I was in college I had taken some self-defense classes. Not bad for an old lady eh? OH! Giles I didn't hurt you did I?" she said as she helped him up.
"No, I'm rather quite use to being thrown onto my back. That old saying 'like mother, like daughter' is true."
Buffy smiled, "My daughter is like me?"
"Well you both know the moves. Now you must learn the tools of the trade."
"Like what? Stakes, I know stakes, holy water, I know holy water, garlic etc."
"Well have you ever used a crossbow?"
"Hmmmmm, I did take archery classes in..."
"College?" Giles finished.
"Yes." Buffy said.
"Well, Buffy, is there anything that you did not take in college?" Giles was starting to wonder if he was wasting his time.
"Giles, look I didn't mean for this to happen. I know you have to watch what you wish for. It's just that Buffy doesn't understand how worried I get. Knowing she's out there and that this may be the night that she doesn't come home to me. Can you understand? I'm her mother, I worry. It's what parents do. The worrying never stops, regardless how old they get. I was there to catch her when she took her first steps and fell. Now I have to come to the realization that I can't be there for her. You don't know how hard that is."
"But I do." Giles said.
"No, you don't. I know you love Buffy as if she were your daughter. But she's not, she's my daughter. I don't want to sound mean or like I don't understand your relationship with her. You've been more of a father to her than her own. But I am still her mother."
"Joyce, I do understand what you're saying. Look it'll be getting dark soon, you and the others should get ready to patrol. Keep Spike close and please do be careful."
"I wonder how Buffy is doing. I really should stop home and at least have dinner. Want to come?"
"Sounds like a good idea"
"Great, besides I need a ride." Buffy said with a smile.
Buffy and Giles locked up the shop, they arranged with everyone to meet at the Sunnydale Cemetery at dusk. They then went to Buffy's house.
"We're home. Is dinner ready yet?" Buffy shouted. They heard a crash and ran into the kitchen. "What have you done to my kitchen??"
There were pots and pans piled in the sink to the ceiling, there was flour everywhere including Buffy's face. "I cooked dinner."
"What a mess. I hope you realize you're going to clean this up." Buffy said.
"Now wait a minute, I cooked you could at least help me clean." Joyce said.
"No way young lady. I have patrolling to do after dinner. What did you cook for dinner? And what is that smell??"
"I made egg foo young."
"Egg foo young? It looks more like egg foo yuck!"
"Hey, that's not very nice. I worked very hard."
"Look, Buffy why don't you call for say pizza and I'll help Joyce clean this up." Giles said. He felt he needed to get between them before they really started to argue. They looked at him confused. "The real Buffy will help me clean this up and the real Joyce will call for pizza."
The call was made for pizza and the kitchen was cleaned up. Buffy, Joyce and Giles sat at the table finishing up the last of the pizza when Giles looked at his watch. "You know Buffy we really must get going if we're going to meet everyone at the Sunnydale Cemetery."
"Yes you're right." she said as she stood up. "Oh 'mom' don't forget that inventory, and when you're finished please take the artifacts to the gallery."
"Yes 'daughter' I will." Joyce said with a smile. She hugged Buffy and said "Be careful."
"I will be. Besides I have good back up." Buffy said as she and Giles walked out the door.
Joyce sat down and thought, "I think I know what mom feels when I walk out that door." and a tear rolled down her cheek.
Chapter 4
Buffy, aka Joyce and Giles met Buffy's friends at the Sunnydale Cemetery. Giles had Buffy's weapons bag over his shoulder. "Now remember, we're here to back you up. You are the slayer, at least until dawn." Giles said to Buffy.
"I know, but I am going to do some slaying right? I mean, how am I to find out how hard my daughter's life is if I don't slay?" Buffy said as she rolled her eyes.
"Joyce, get something straight, this is not a game your daughter plays. Lives are on the line here, including hers. Buffy has on more than one occasion saved our lives as well as the world. This isn't to be taken lightly."
"Rupert, I don't need you to tell me about how my daughter places her life on the line. I know I'm her mother. There isn't a night that goes by when I don't lie in bed waiting to hear that front door open. There isn't a night that goes by when I am not praying for just one more day with my daughter. Making light of this?? I think not."
"That's not what I meant. I know you worry about your daughter, I worry about her too. I do love her you know. But for now you have to see life through her eyes. That is the only way you will know what she goes through. Think about when you were in college. What did you do during your free time?"
"Well I was...dating, going to parties, joining the local sorority. I think I may be starting to understand. Buffy doesn't do those things, does she?"
"No, she doesn't. She does what she does best, slay, and keep the world safe for the rest of us. So are you ready to slay your first vampire?"
"Yes I think I am. Let's slay." Buffy said.
Well it turned out to be a really quiet night. Willow and Xander went home while Spike and Giles continued to patrol with Buffy. After a few more runs through the cemetery Spike also called it a night.
"Is it usually this quiet?" Buffy asked.
"Sometimes." Giles answered.
"I don't think I could have handled this when I was Buffy's age. I would have missed all the parties! I would have missed all the good times and for what? For a night of nothing."
"Well you have to understand that it's not always this quiet. Most nights she is slaying. But it is because she is the Slayer that she does miss most things that 19 year olds enjoy."
"My little girl is not a little girl anymore is she?"
"No she's not." Giles said.
"I understand. This is really not a life for anyone her age. This should be a time for her to enjoy life not worry about the world." Buffy said as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I think we should call it a night. Hopefully tomorrow you will both wake up in the right bodies. Hopefully you both got a better understanding of what the other faces in all of this." Giles said as he wiped the tear from Buffy's face.
"Let's get me home."
Buffy walked in her front door and found light coming from the dining room. "What are you doing still up?" she asked Joyce.
"Well that inventory had to be done, so I decided to finish it up for you. One less thing you have to worry about. How did slaying go?"
"We didn't. Not one vamp all night. Wouldn't you know it. The first night I go out patrolling and nothing, nada. Look, Buffy, I want to tell you how sorry I am.."
"No mom I'm sorry."
"I think we're both sorry. We have learned a lot tonight. Let's get to sleep. Hopefully tomorrow morning I will have my body back and you'll have yours."
"Good idea." Joyce said as they hugged.
They both went to their rooms and fell fast asleep. What seem like minutes turned out to be a few hours. Buffy's alarm went off at 7:30AM. She ran down the stairs. "Mom?"
"I'm in the kitchen making breakfast." Joyce shouted.
Buffy ran into the kitchen and the two women looked at each other. They ran to each other and hugged.
"Oh it feels good to be me." Said Buffy.
"I'll say." Said Joyce.
"You know, mom, we both have it tough. But as long as we are there for each other, that's all we need."
"You're so right, Buffy."
THE END