AN: So, I am rewriting every single episode of Buffy, with one slight change – Jenny Calendar (killed off in Passion, season 2 episode 17) will be in every single one. Don't like it, don't read it. That simple. If you do like it, I would also suggest that you start out by reading the first six rewritten episodes, before you read this. This is the 7th epiosde rewritten for season one. In the summaries S#E# represents what season and episode the story takes place. It would be best if you went in order - I guarantee you will be lost unless you go episode by episode.
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.
In The Master's lair, Collin was tossing stones into the pool. He took a few more from the Master's hand.
Darla came into the lair.
"Zachary didn't return from the hunt last night," The Master stated.
"The Slayer," Darla explained.
"Zachary was strong, and he was careful. And still the Slayer takes him... as she has taken so many of my family." The Master took a breath. "It wears thin. Collin, what would you do about it?"
"I'd annihilate her."
The Master inhaled. "Out of the mouths of babes..."
Darla made her way down to them. "Let me do it, Master. Let me kill her for you."
"You have a personal interest in this," The Master observed.
"I don't get to have any fun," Darla said disappointedly.
"I will send the Three."
Darla was intrigued. "The Three?"
In an alley, three tough guys were lighting up cigarettes. The Three came around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men saw them coming and left.
At the Bronze, a cockroach was being chased along the floor.
"Get it! Go get it, right there!" A boy encouraged.
"I got it!" A girl held the roach up to the bartender and dropped it into his jar. "Free drink, please."
The bartender nodded his head and went to get the drink.
Willow and Buffy were sitting at a table.
"Ah, the fumigation party," Willow stated.
"Hmm?"
"It's an annual tradition. The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches?"
Buffy wasn't paying attention. "Oh."
"It's a lot of fun... What's it like where you are?"
Buffy looked up and smiled. "I'm... sorry, I was just... thinking about things..."
"So, we're talking about a guy?"
"Not exactly a guy. For us to have a conversation about a guy, there'd have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence?"
Willow smiled. "You lack a guy."
"I do. Which is fine with me, most of the time, but..."
"What about Angel?"
"Angel? I can just see him in a relationship. 'Hi, honey, you're in grave danger. I'll see you next month.'"
"He's not around much, it's true."
Buffy looked into space dreamily. "When he is around... it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys?"
"Oh, yeah!" Willow looked over to Xander, who was on the dance floor, making a fool of himself.
He danced up to a girl. "Hey, Annie!" He saw her boyfriend. "Dino, just leaving!"
He backed away and bumped into Cordelia.
"Ouch! Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred-dollar shoes!"
"I'm sorry, I was just..."
"...getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega's boyfriend squashes you like a bug?"
"Oh, so you noticed."
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah, thanks for being so understanding."
"Sure."
"Y'know, hey, I don't know what everyone's talking about. That outfit doesn't make you look like a hooker!" Xander laughed and left the dance floor. He went over to Buffy and Willow. "Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. What are you vixens up to?"
"Just sitting here, watching our barren lives pass us by," Willow answered. She saw a roach. "Oh, look, a cockroach." She stomped on it.
Buffy lifted her eyes to see and then turned them back down.
"Whoa, well, let's stop this crazy whirligig of fun! I'm dizzy!" Xander joked.
"Alright, now I'm infecting those nearest and dear to me. I'm gonna call it a night." Buffy got up.
"Oh, don't go!"
"Uh, yeah! It's early! We could, um, dance!" Xander suggested.
"Rain check? Good night." Buffy left.
Xander let out a breath.
Willow held her shoe up to him. "Want a free drink?"
Buffy made her way out of the Bronze, looking bummed. She passed the stairs. Angel was watching her go. Buffy sensed something and turned to look. Angel was gone. She continued out.
Buffy was walking home, along the street. She sensed something and stopped to look behind her. Nothing. She continued and walked past an alley. She heard a breath and stopped. "It's late, I'm tired, and I don't wanna play games. Show yourself."
One of the Three roared and dropped down to the sidewalk behind her. She reached into her coat, pulled out a stake, and quickly spun around to stake the vampire. Another of the Three grabbed her arm as she swung.
"Wuh!" Buffy was surprised.
The third member came up on her other side and grabbed her other arm.
"Ooo! Okay, okay, nice..."
They pulled her into the alley and up against a fence. The first one approached her.
"Okay, okay... Look, I really don't wanna fight all three of you... unless I have to." She snap kicked him in the crotch, elbowed the third, and tried to punch the second. He blocked her swing and thrusted his knee into her gut, slamming her into the fence. The other two recovered and grabbed her again. The second one slowly approached her with death in his eyes. Buffy was terrified and struggled to get away.
In an alley, a vampire came up to Buffy, grabbed her head, and moved in to bite.
Angel came up behind him, grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him off of her. "Good dogs don't..." He punched the vampire. "Bite!"
Buffy was surprised, but quickly regained her head. Using the support of the two vampires holding onto her arms, she kicked up with both feet and hit them both in the face with a straddle kick. One of them grabbed her again and held her against the fence. Angel continued to fight the other two, punching one and snap kicking the second. One of them pulled a piece of iron bar off of a window.
"Look out!" Buffy cried.
Angel turned around, only to be sliced in the chest with the bar. Buffy shoved an open palm into her assailant's chin, pushing him off of her, punched him once in the gut and then slammed both fists into his head. Angel was bent over in pain and was about to be stabbed again. Buffy quickly side kicked his attacker in the face, and he fell back away from Angel. She helped Angel up.
"Run!"
Buffy and Angel ran out of the alley. The Three got up and gave chase.
On Buffy's street, she and Angel jumped over the bushes in front of her house and ran onto the porch. The Three were hot on their trail.
Buffy got the front door open. "Get in! C'mon!" She rushed inside. Angel was right behind her. Buffy slammed the door on one of the vampire's hands. He struggled a moment, but pulled his hand back out. She slammed the door shut and locked it. The vampire looked in through the glass. Another one looked in through the window.
"It's alright. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited," Angel told her.
"I've heard that before, but I've never put it to the test." Buffy leaned on the door and saw his wound. "Oh... I'll go get some bandages, just... take your jacket and your shirt off." She headed into the kitchen. Angel looked out the window one last time and followed her. He took off his jacket and his T-shirt. Buffy looked at him from behind and saw his tattoo of a griffin straddling a large "A" below his right shoulder. She brung over the first aid kit. "Nice tattoo." She exhaled. "I was lucky you came along." She looked up at him. "How did you happen to come along?" She began to bandage him.
"I live nearby. I was just out walking."
"So, you weren't following me?" Buffy asked. "I just had this feeling you were."
Angel smiled. "Why would I do that?"
"You tell me. You're the Mystery Guy that appears out of nowhere. I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight, but... if you are hanging around I'd like to know why." She finished bandaging him.
"Maybe I like you."
"Maybe..."
They smiled at each other. Buffy heard the door open and quickly went to intercept her mom. She was also worried about the Three outside. She pulled her mom into the house and closed the door.
"Hi! What are you doing?" Joyce asked.
"There's a lot of weird people outside at night..."
Joyce started toward the kitchen. Buffy started after her.
"...I just feel better with you safe and sound inside. You must be beat."
"I am. We're a little gallery. You have no idea how much..."
Buffy interrupted, "Well, then why don't you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea?"
"That's sweet!" She thought for a moment. "What'd you do?" She asked suspiciously.
"Can't a daughter just be concerned about her mother?"
Angel went into the living room behind Buffy.
Joyce saw him. "Hi."
"Hi."
"Oh! Okay... Um... Angel, uh, this is my mom. Mom, this is Angel. Uh, we ran into each other on the way home."
"Nice to meet you," Angel greeted.
"What do you do, Angel?" Joyce asked.
"He's a student."
Joyce gave Buffy a disbelieving look.
"Uh, first year community college. Angel's been helping me with my history, you know I've been toiling there."
"It's a little late for tutoring. I'm gonna go to bed, and, uh, Buffy?" She started up the stairs.
"I'll say good night and do the same!"
Joyce looked back down at her daughter and nodded. "It was nice to meet you," she told Angel.
A bit later, Buffy was holding the front door open. "Good night! We'll hook up soon and do that study thing!" She closed the door. Angel was still there behind it. They went up the stairs and into her room. She closed the door quietly.
"Look, I don't wanna get you in any more trouble..." Angel started.
"And I don't wanna get you dead. They could still be out there." She moved to the center of the room. "So, uh-" She realized something. "Oh... two of us, one bed. That doesn't work." She faced him. "Um, why don't you take the bed? Y'know, you're wounded..."
"I'll take the floor."
"Uh, no, that's not..."
"Oh, believe me, I've had worse," he said reassuringly.
"Okay. Um, then why don't you check and see if the Fang Gang is still loitering and, um, keep your back turned while I change?"
Angel went over to the window to have a look. Buffy went to her closet and changed.
"I don't see them," Angel said.
"Y'know, I'm the Chosen One, it's my job to fight guys like that. What's your excuse?"
"Uh, somebody has to."
"Well, what does your family think of your career choice?"
"They're dead."
Buffy finished changing and went over to him. "Was it vampires?"
Angel faced her. "I-it was."
"I'm sorry."
"It was a long while ago."
"So, this is a vengeance gig for you."
Angel paused. "Y-you even look pretty when you go to sleep."
"Well, when I wake up it's an entirely different story."
They went over to her bed. She handed him the comforter from it. "Here. Sleep tight."
He laid the comforter down on the floor next to her bed. She got into her bed and he laid on the comforter.
"Angel?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you snore?"
"I don't know. It's been a long time since anybody's been in a position to let me know." He turned his head to look at her.
Buffy smiled and settled in to sleep.
The next day in the library, Buffy shared gossip with her friends.
"He spent the night? In your room? In your bed?" Xander asked.
"Not in my bed, by my bed."
"That is so romantic! Did you, uh... I mean, did he, uh..." Willow didn't know how to phrase her question.
Buffy smiled. "Perfect gentleman."
The girls exchanged smiles.
"Buffy, c'mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book." Xander wasn't impressed.
"What? Saving my life? Getting slashed in the ribs?" Buffy asked.
"Duh! I mean, guys'll do anything to impress a girl. I-I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath." Xander grinned.
"It was pretty impressive. Although later there was an ick factor."
Giles came over to the table. "Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening?"
Buffy sat down.
"You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires." He put a book in front of her. "Did they look like this?"
"I'd better get Ms. Calendar." Willow started out.
"And say what? 'Sorry, you need a last minute substitute, we've got to fight evil. Let's go!'?" Xander asked.
"Good point." Willow returned.
Ms. Calendar emerged from Giles' office. "Knock knock. Already here."
The girls smiled, trading happy looks.
"Okay, now, I'm not one to usually pay attention to these things, but don't you have class?" Xander asked.
"She, uh, called in sick. She h-has a sub today...s-sh-sh-she chose to devote her day t-to 'fighting evil' a-as you phrased it," Giles told them.
The girls perked up.
"Who is this new and exciting Giles? Hiding away a supposedly sick teacher. Kudos!" Buffy was proud.
"Anyway-" Giles pointed to the book. "Did they look like this?"
"Yeah. What's with the uniforms?" Buffy asked.
"It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong."
"How is it you always know this stuff, both of you?" Willow asked Giles and Ms. Calendar. "You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on."
"Well, you weren't here from midnight until six researching it, a-and neither was Jenny."
"No, I was sleeping," Willow replied.
"Uh, o-obviously you're hurting the Master very much. He, he wouldn't send the, the Three for just anyone. We must step up our training with weapons."
Ms. Calendar perked up. "Weapons! Fun."
"You really want to call the training your job in all this?" Giles asked.
"Duh! Do you not see the excitement on my face?"
Giles rolled his eyes. "Very well."
"Buffy, you should stay at my house until these Samurai guys are history," Xander told her.
"What?" Buffy turned to him.
"Ah-ah-ah, don't worry about Angel, Willow can run to your house and tell him to get out of town fast."
"Angel and Buffy are, are not in any immediate jeopardy. Eventually the Master will send someone else, but in the mean time the Three, having failed, will offer their own lives in penance," Giles told them.
In The Master's lair, a vampire reported to him, "We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you." He handed The Master a spear. The Master passed it to Darla. She started to walk around behind the Three as The Master went over to Collin.
"Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn." The Master crouched beside him. "With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life - I'm not talking about humans, of course - is a serious matter."
One of the Three raised his head in hope.
"So you would spare them?" Collin asked.
"Hmm." The Master got up. "I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy." The Master began to walk away, and Collin followed. Darla watched them go and smiled. She lifted the spear and dispatched the first of the Three.
The Master stopped and turned to Collin. "Of course, sometimes a little is enough." He looked over at Darla as she killed the next one, then continued away.
Giles sat a sign outside the library by the door that read, 'Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.'
Inside, Buffy was checking out the weapons cabinet.
"Cool! Crossbow!" She lifted it out, and saw the bolts. "Huh. Check out these babies." She took out a bolt. "Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?"
"Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later." Giles took the crossbow from her and went to put it back.
Buffy was disappointed.
"You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat."
Buffy looked bored.
"And let's begin..." Giles came back with two poles. He handed one to Ms. Calendar, and the other to Buffy.
"You girls ready?"
They sneered at him.
"Alright. Let's start with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training. I speak from experience."
"Giles, 20th Century? I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck." Buffy thought the crossbow was way cooler.
"You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting." He helped Ms. Calendar with getting the protective gear on. "And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we'll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads."
Buffy laughed. "I'm not gonna need pads to fight her."
Ms. Calendar raised an eyebrow, daring her to go on.
"Well, we'll see about that." Giles did the smart thing and took Ms. Calendar's side. "En garde!" He stepped away so he wouldn't get hit in the process of training.
Ms. Calendar made several thrusts and Buffy parried them all. She took the offensive, pushed her staff to the floor and punched her in the face. She came around with the staff into her back, and again to knock her legs out from under him. Ms. Calendar fell onto her back. She stands over her.
Giles was stunned. "Good. Think she's ready for the crossbow?" He asked Ms. Calendar.
"Uh-huh."
That night at the Summers' house, Buffy came into her room. She closed the door and looked around. "Angel?"
"Hey."
She turned on her desk lamp. "Brought you some dinner. It's a little plateless, sorry." She handed him a plastic bag full of food that she pilfered from dinner. He accepted it and looked at it. "So! What'd you do all day?"
"Uh, I read a little."
Buffy looked over to her diary. It was out of place.
"And just thought about a lot of things. Buffy, I..."
"My diary? You read my diary?" She went to put it in a drawer. "That is not okay! A diary is like a person's most private place!" She walked over to him. "I... You don't even know what I was writing about! 'Hunk' can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that your eyes are 'penetrating', I meant to write 'bulging'."
"Buffy..."
"And 'A' doesn't even stand for 'Angel' for that matter, it stands for... 'Achmed', a charming foreign exchange student, so that whole fantasy part has nothing to even do with you at all..."
"Your mother moved your diary when she came in to straighten up. I watched from the closet. I didn't read it, I swear."
She just looked at him. "Oh!" She looked down, realizing what she'd said. "Oh."
"I did a lot of thinking today. I really can't be around you."
Buffy looked up.
"Because when I am..."
Buffy looked down. "Hey, no big. Water... over the bridge, under the bridge..."
"When I am all I can ever think about is how badly I want to kiss you."
"...Over the dam..." She looked up at him. "Kiss me?"
"I'm older than you, and this can't ever... I better go."
"H-how much older?"
"I should..." Buffy approached him. "...Go... You said..."
They kissed. They kissed again. They kissed passionately. She put her arm around him. The kiss went on for several moments. Angel suddenly pulled back and looked away.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?"
He turned to face her and growled. She saw he had his vampire face on and screamed. He took a last look at her and jumped out of the window. He slid down the roof and off onto the ground. Buffy went to the window and watched him run away.
Her mother came running into the room. "Buffy, what happened?"
Buffy backed away from the window. Her mom took her by the shoulders. She looked at her mom and shook her head. "Uh, nothing. I saw a shadow."
They both looked out the window.