Chapter 2

: Outside the home of the slayer :

Giles walked out of the cab his face sullen as he headed to the door of his adopted daughters home and knocked on it. The door opened and the head of one Xander Harris popped out from the half-opened door.

"Giles! Thank God, you're here. We've missed you G-man." The young man hugged the older watcher tightly and began to cry softly as Giles himself broke down.

"How's Buffy and Dawn doing?"

"Not good at all. They've been in Buffy's room all day long. This has really torn them apart. Shit Giles! Tara dies, and then there's Spike's attack on Buffy, and Anya going all vengeance again and now Willow's dead. Why are things going so horribly wrong?"

"We will get through this, just like we do with all the tragedies we have faced, Xander. Come, let's go see Buffy and Dawn."

"Yea, right, G-man."

: Sunnydale International Airport :

A lone blonde-haired girl walked off the airport tarmac and began looking over the airport terminal as she wandered over to customs.

"Passport ma'am and anything to declare."

The young blonde handed over her credentials to the security agent. "I'm here to visit family. My parents couldn't come." She lied easily enough, looking even younger than she liked to.

"Have a nice stay in the States."

"Thank you sir."

She walked out to see an attractive woman walking up to her. Her face looking positively miffed.

"You're a young one. When Angel told me I was to look for someone young, I didn't think high school young. Well, I'm Cordelia Chase. I was 'asked' to take you to Sunnydale and show you around. I haven't been here since graduation a couple years ago where we blew up the school."

"Cammy White. Thank you Ms. Chase. I'm afraid until I can see the slayer and her group from a distance I can't let myself be known. Things are touchy lately, so I am going to be your cuzin from England."

"Whatever, spy girl. All I know is that this has something to do with what Wesley told Angel and those friggin seer images I had a few days ago about Willow. Oh by the way, I'm told to tell you that things with Angel have gotten a bit rough where he's at so he's unable to help you with whatever's going on."

"We better go, I'm exhausted from my trip. I'll fill you in with what I can. Thanks for helping me Cordelia."

: Buffy's home :

Giles knocked on the door of Buffy's room and waited silently as the door slowly opened.

Buffy looked up at the man standing outside her door, her face bearing the marks of prolonged grief from all the crying she had done the past few days.

"Giles! Oh, thank God you're here." She leapt at the older man, wrapped her arms around him, and began crying even harder.

"Giles, what am I gonna do? My best friend is dead."

"We will work things out, Buffy, I can promise you that." He kissed her gently on the forehead and held her all night.

: Sunnydale cemetery :

A bright light formed over a lone grave as a woman laid nude on the cold dead ground. The young woman looked around worriedly her body beginning to lose consciousness quickly.

"Where am I? Am I home?"

Out of the darkness, a menacing voice called out as three dirt-covered men walked out of the darkness. Their faces transformed into the horrific faces of vampires as they stalked towards the confused woman.

"Lookie here, we got ourselves a nice piece of tender meat to chew on."

"I wouldn't do that, blokes. I doubt my boss would like you putting your grave-dirtied hands on her."

A bleach haired man walked out from behind a tree holding a cigarette and smiling evilly. His face morphed and he leapt at the unsuspecting vampires. The lone vampire kicked the lead vampire in the face and snapped a stake into its undead heart. The others turned and begin running away only to come face to face with a dark haired woman who rammed with incredible speed two stakes into each of their chests dusting them both.

"Sheesh, when Angel had that demon law firm get me loose and told me that the big bad Goddess wanted me to work with you to take care of dead girl here, I didn't think we would race after every vampire in Sunnydale, and play hide and seek with B and her little Scooby group."

"Oh don't go all bitchy Faith come on let's get Red's bird inside, out of the view of any other nightly nasties."

"Yea, your right. Let's get to the hotel room Angel set us with boy I wish I knew what was going on. Angel was really secret man and so was Mrs. Omnipotent."

The two grabbed the unconscious witch's arms and carried her away from the cemetery.

As the three headed to the motel, Faith put the sleeping witch onto a bed and walked over to the phone.

"Yo, fang man, it's Faith. We found her in the cemetery about to become vamp food for some newbie's. Yea, she's good, just nude and out like a light. Well duhhh, Spike and I know our roles, Buffy isn't going to like it one bit if she finds out we are running parallel with her. She isn't going to be happy since Red's gone. I liked the little spunkett and blondie here is going to go nuts when she finds out. She may be back but her girl is who knows where. Ok cool, I'll tell Spike. Ciou."

Faith turned around and looked darkly at Spike who was leaning against the wall.

"Angel says we are to keep hiding here and Cordy has made contact with mystery girl. I wonder what the hell is going on. First we get forced together—and believe me if I could, I'd stake your ass after getting that email from Anya about you and Buffy's situation—then Willow's taken and we have to let Buffy think she's dead. Angel wants us to be cold hearted to Buffy's pain and that just sucks. Willow was a sister to her and now we got to baby sit blondie here who's gonna freak out when she wakes up."

"I could care less Faith. All I know was I was given the choice of either being crispy critter on the spot for what happened to Buffy or join in this babysitting."

: Summerland :

"It has begun, my husband. The players are in place, now all we can do is hope that the slayer can face the terror of the dark warrior and his brainwashed daughter and all those involved."

"Yes, my darling wife. I'm sure your champions will prevail—especially with the return of your hero, the white witch. I hope she's got the strength to see through the dark times ahead."