Buffy's Bedroom – Early Morning
Buffy awoke slowly, sitting up in her bed stretching out her arms as she let out a yawn. After a few seconds she realized that something wasn't quite right. She looked at her bedroom window. It was open. She was sure she had left it closed. Had someone entered her bedroom while she had been sleeping? She jumped out of bed, reasoning that they could still be in the vicinity of her room, or elsewhere in the house. As she threw the bedspread back a folded sheet of paper fell to the floor. Perturbed she picked it up and opened it.
An awful chill shot through her entire body and she could feel her heart racing as the panic set in. Dazed, she sat down on her bed needing the support as she continued to stare at the paper that she held in her hands. A charcoal drawing of her sleeping peacefully stared back at her hauntingly.
Angelus was her only thought.
The Library
Xander, Willow and Cordelia sat around the library table chit-chatting idly while Giles pondered about the library, returning a pile of books to the stacks.
"How many people actually check out books from this school library?" Xander called.
"Xander. This school library is a valued service for many students. Many actually value the written word. Granted they are in a minority in this school."
"And I'm one of the minors in that minority," Willow chimed in.
"Some of those books are a health hazard. The dust and the dull small print. You should get some magazines in here. Trust me; more people would use the library," Cordelia suggested.
"Cor, I think Giles prefers it that way; you know the whole Watcher thing with its secrecy and all?" Xander chided her.
"Whatever," she replied curtly.
Abruptly the Library doors flew open, each slamming hard against the walls due to the sheer level of force exacted on them.
Buffy stormed into the library, immediately altering the happy-go-lucky atmosphere that had preceded her entrance.
"Whoa, Buffy. To what do we owe this pleasure?" Xander asked sarcastically, referring to her foul mood.
Buffy glared at him impatiently before spinning towards Giles whom had now descended the stairs, towards the group.
"He was in my room. Angelus was in my room last night. And he left me a memento," Buffy said, thrusting the piece of paper in her hand at Giles.
Giles examined the paper.
"He was in your room?" Xander asked incredulously.
"How come you're still alive?" Cordelia asked, tactlessly.
"Cordelia!" Willow shushed her.
"Buffy he's trying to provoke you. You can't let him get to you," Giles told her.
"Can't let him get to me? But he already can get to me Giles. Whenever he wants. Who knows what he might try to do next time around," Buffy yelled, anxiously.
"Buffy's right," Xander piped up.
"Xander, please," Giles said, trying to calm the situation.
"No, seriously Giles. Angel is a vampire, a killer. He's already been terrorizing Sunnydale for far too long. I say our Slayer slays."
"It's too reckless. And, he'll be expecting it," Giles insisted.
Willow stood up and approached Buffy, standing mere inches away from her as she spoke quietly, "Do you really think you could kill him?"
"He's not Angel anymore, Will. And, I think I'm finally able to accept that. If I wait for him to make the next move it could be too late. He's moving in closer now and I can't be here to protect all of you all the time. I can't take the risk that he might kill one of you, when I'm not around."
"How about taking the risk of him killing you?" Cordelia pointed out.
Buffy turned around to face the entire group, "I live with that risk every day," she said sombrely.
"Buffy-" Giles started to protest.
"Giles. I can't keep waiting around. Besides, Angelus isn't as strong as he thinks he is."
"He has an advantage over you though."
"What, that he's psychotic and I'm not?"
"Well…uh…yes…but also, he knows you well. You don't know him, you knew Angel. Angelus is a master at manipulation, Buffy."
"I'm aware of all that, Giles. I'm going to do this. I'm ready to do this," she said.
Giles remained silent as he looked at her. He understood why she wanted to go after Angelus immediately. She couldn't deal with being made to feel like a victim. She hated being powerless. Her natural reaction was to fight back. The only problem was Angelus already knew that about her. And, he would surely be ready. Yet, Giles knew that any further attempt to stop her would only fall on deaf ears. So be it, we'll take the fight to him.
