A/N: I accidentally uploaded the first chapter of my other fic instead of that fic and then ff.n cut out and wouldn't let me replace the chapter with the real one, so basically everything to screwed up. Thankfully, now, it's the right first chapter, but if you read this before and it was a different first chapter, it was wrong. Anyways, review. ^_^
"Are… you guys… ok?" Buffy panted.
"I-I'm fine," Willow said, extremely pale. "Jesse passed out, though."
"We can call an ambulance. Right now, we have to get to the library," Buffy said.
"This world is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons demons walked the Earth. They made it their home, their... their Hell. But in time they lost their purchase on this reality. The way was made for mortal animals, for, for man. All that remains of the old ones are vestiges, certain magicks, certain creatures..." Giles trailed off. The two teenagers stared at him, at a loss for words.
When they had arrived at the school, they had called an ambulance for Jesse. The paramedics said that he had major blood loss, but would survive. Now, Giles was lecturing them on the evils of the world.
"In English," Buffy explained, "Vampires. Demons. Whole mess of evil creatures."
"Ok, this is where I have a problem. See, because we're talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it," Xander said, shaking his head.
"Isn't that what we saw last night?" Willow asked timidly, having an easier time accepting this new world.
"No. No, th-those weren't vampires, those were just guys in thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies. It could have been rabies. A-and that guy turning to dust? Just a trick of light. That's exactly what I said the first time I
saw a vampire. Well, after I was done with the screaming part," Buffy said. "Look, I've dusted more vampires than you could have ever imagined and fought more demons than you would want to know about. Every time, there's a slight nagging feeling deep down that it's not real. But it is."
"I thought you'd only been a slayer for a year," Giles said, perplexed. "How could you fight that many—"
"Exaggeration," Buffy said quickly. "But that's beside the point."
"I think I need to sit down," Willow said wearily.
"You are sitting down," Buffy told her.
"Oh. Yay for me," she said.
"Look, I know it's hard to deal," Buffy said. I've had the problem countless times. "But it's all real. You have to face this if you want to live."
"I vote yes for living," Xander said.
"Good," Buffy said. "Then you're on your way."
"Where's my food?" the Master asked Darla and Luke.
"We had two delicious meals for you," Darla said. "But… there was a girl."
"A little girl stopped you?!" the Master shouted.
"We think she may be a Slayer," Luke offered.
"Hmmmm… a Slayer."
"Ok. And that would be a what?" Xander asked.
"For long as there have been vampires," Giles began. Buffy rolled her eyes. I think this is his favorite part about being a Watcher. "there's been a Slayer. One girl in all the world, a Chosen One."
"He loves doing this part," Buffy broke in.
"Alright," Giles said irritated. "The Slayer hunts vampires, Buffy is the Slayer, don't tell anyone. I think that's all the information you need to know." Buffy smiled. That's my Giles.
"Except for one thing: how do you kill them?" Xander asked.
"Stake. Sunlight. Holy water. Basic things. Don't like crosses or garlic," Buffy said, not bothering to tell them that it wasn't their job to kill them, it was hers. They would have to fight vampires anyways.
"There was this bad guy," Buffy remembered. "Luke. He talked about an offering to the Master. That means they probably have some sacrifices which I need to save. Otherwise…"
"Mega deaths," Willow finished, blanching. It was hard just imagining being killed by a vampire, let alone sacrifices. As in plural. "Um… why don't we just call the police or someone?"
"And they'd believe us of course," Giles answered dryly.
"Besides, the police can't handle vampires. I can. I have to; it's my job," Buffy said.
"You have no idea where they went?" Giles asked.
"I looked around, but they were all of a sudden… voom!" Buffy said. I'm missing something… god… I need to remember this…
"Oh! Sewer systems!" Buffy exclaimed. "That's how vamps travel during the day. There's a tunnel access in the mausoleum."
"Would you be able to find it?" Giles asked.
"Most definitely," Buffy said, smiling. Finally, her knowledge was paying off. Actually, it already has. I saved Jesse and Willow, unlike last time.
"A Slayer! Have you any proof?" The Master asked.
"Only that she fought me and lives," Luke said.
"That's proof enough. She mustn't stop the Harvest!"
"Don't worry… I believe she'll come to us," the Master said smiling. "A Slayer never turns down the chance to save an innocent."
"So, what are we going to do?" Xander asked.
"We are going to do nothing," Buffy said, even though she knew it was useless. "I'm the Slayer. You're not."
"I knew you'd throw that back in my face," Xander quipped.
"You guys can help Giles research," Buffy said. "That'll be enough." Although it's pretty useless to research. I already know what'll happen.
Buffy stopped by the gate. Oh no… not him… 3…2…1…
"And where do we think we're going?" Principal Flutie said from behind Buffy.
Yep… there he is.
"I was getting something for Giles," Buffy fibbed.
"You're not allowed to go off-campus. Maybe Mr. Giles believes that's acceptable, but here it isn't. Are we clear?"
"Crystal." Buffy nodded.
"That's what I like to hear!" Principal Flutie exclaimed and left Buffy. Buffy glanced in his direction, and after being sure he was gone, she jumped over the 7-foot fence.
Buffy entered the mausoleum. What happens next? Last time I was rescuing Jesse. This time, it's whoever else they have holed up in there.
"I don't suppose you have a key on you," Buffy said like clockwork. She turned to see Angel behind her. Figured he'd be there.
"They really don't like me dropping in," Angel admitted.
"Now why would that be?" Buffy asked, amused. "Perhaps the soul thing? The helping people trying to kill them thing?"
"Something like that." Buffy turned around to work on the entrance.
"Don't' go down there!" Angel warned.
"Deal with my going." Just a few more seconds of work on it…
"You can't be putting yourself at risk. Unless you stop it, the Master will rise again."
"And you're not going to stop because—just a guess—you're afraid?"
Angel smiled. "You surprise me every time I see you."
"Which would be a total of two times now. Wow, I'm impressed," Buffy said sarcastically. She turned her attention back to the entrance.
"They have a kid o—"
"I know where he or she would be," Buffy said. Been there, done that. She successfully opened the entrance.
"Good luck," Angel offered. Buffy smiled.
"Did you see anything?" Xander asked.
Crap! Not Xander! I need to be alert and remember these things!
Buffy sighed, "Xander, you shouldn't be here."
"I want to help!" Xander shouted. "I'm sick of standing by the side doing nothing!"
"Look I understand," Buffy said. "But go!"
"I can't do that," Xander said. Buffy rolled her eyes.
"Fine." I forgot how stubborn Xander used to be. Actually, he still is. The whole Anya thing for starters, and—
Buffy heard a footstep, interrupting her thoughts.
"They're close," she said.
"How can you tell?" Xander asked.
"Trust me on this," Buffy said. "They are."
"Help me! Please!" a boy cried on the ground.
"It's all right, we got you," Buffy said, breaking his chains.
"Think anyone else heard that?" Xander asked.
"I think so."
In the doorway were 7 vampires. Three too many for me! At least right now, when all I have is a stake. I knew I should have gotten Giles's crossbow!
"Run!" Buffy yelled and the three ran down the way they came.
Wait… no… they'll be waiting for us! I remember from last time!
"No, not that way! In here!" Buffy said, grabbing the two.
"Great, there's no way out of here!" Xander shouted. "We're going to die!"
"Nope," Buffy said, shaking her head. "Up there."
"She escaped? She walks free when I should be drinking her heart's blood right now? Careless…" The Master shouted.
"Master, we had her trapped!" Colin said.
"Oh, are you going to make excuses?" the Master asked.
"You are all weak. It has been too long since you have faced the Slayer. Huh. It is no matter to me. She will not stop the Harvest. Just means there'll be someone worth killing... when I reach the surface. Is Luke ready?" The Master asked.
"He waits."
"It's time. Bring him to me!"
"Have you found anything of interest yet?" Giles asked Willow as she walked into the room.
"I think, maybe... I surfed through the old newspapers around the time of that big earthquake back in '37? And for several months before there were a rash of murders," Willow said.
"Great! Well not good… but, um… go on?"
"The sounded just like you said. Throats, blood," Willow said, beginning to look squeamish.
"It's all coming together. Though I rather wish it wasn't."
"Did you find a sacrifice?" Willow asked as Buffy and Giles returned.
"Yep," Buffy said. "Saved him too. He's at home now, trying to forget this ever happened. So." She swiveled around. "Giles, anything to make this worse?"
The end of the world? I don't even know why I bother on asking.
"How about the end of the world?" Giles asked.
"What a surprise," Buffy muttered.
"This is what we know," Giles began.
"Don't bother, Giles." Buffy fiddled with a strand of hair. "I know. Master came around 60 years ago because this was a 'Boca del Inferno' and whatnot. He had hoped to open the mouth of Hell and release what was inside. But he screwed up and was trapped. Now, tonight, at the Harvest, he will gain enough power to reopen it."
The other three stared blankly at her.
"Great," Willow complained, frowning. "I do hours of research and she already knows it all."
"How did you know that?" Giles asked, suspicious.
"I'm omniscient Buffy!" she said perkily. Close enough to the truth…
"I see…" Giles said, letting it drop.
"There's another thing," Willow said.
"You need to dust anything with this symbol on its forehead. They're…"
"Vessels that need to be destroyed. And they'll be at the Bronze."
Xander nodded. "A bunch of warm bodies together? Definitely the Bronze."
"Then we should go," Giles said.
"I need to stop at my house for supplies," Buffy said, and then groaned. God, I'm going to be late again. This is so not good.
"Buffy, you're going out again?" Joyce asked as Buffy put some things in a bag.
"Yeah. I know I haven't been around much, but I promise we'll do a mother/daughter thing this weekend, ok?" Buffy asked. Her mind raced. Nope, no one to save, nothing to do, this weekend.
"Buffy…," Joyce said warningly.
"Please, mom. I promise this won't be like L.A. I know I missed some classes, but I was catching up with the librarian. I lost track of time. And I know it looks bad, but it's not what you think. Really," Buffy said quickly without taking a breath. "Just trust me."
Joyce eyed her daughter. "All right. But you have a curfew! Be back by 1, ok?"
Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks. I'll see you later, then."
That went very very well.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Luke shouted at the crowd.
Thank god I got here in time! Buffy thought.
"There is no cause for alarm. Actually—" Buffy held up her crossbow and shot it. One down, a lot to go, she thought as Luke collapsed into dust.
Willow stood by the doorway with Xander, helping the humans escape. Buffy dusted vampires right and left. It's a lot easier knowing what's going to happen.
"She did it," Angel said from the back of the Bronze. "I'll be damned."
"I take it it's over," Giles said.
"Did we win?" Willow asked hopefully.
"We adverted the apocalypse," Buffy said. "I give us points for that."
"What exactly were you expecting?" Buffy asked as she, Willow, and Xander walked down the hall.
"I don't know, something! I mean, the dead rose. We should at least have an assembly," Xander explained.
"People tend to rationalize what they can and can't figure out," Giles told him.
"Believe me, I've seen it," Buffy said.
"Well I'll never forget it," Willow said, letting out a nervous laugh. "None of it."
"Good. Then you'll be prepared for next time," Giles said smiling.
"Next time?" Xander asked, wide-eyed. "But… we destroyed the vessel! The Master isn't going to rise!"
"Well, he's not going to stop trying just because he's failed once! Would you?" Giles asked. Xander looked at him as if to say 'No duh!' Giles sighed. "Oh forget it." Buffy stifled a laugh.
"We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction," Giles said.
And trust me, there's a lot more to come, Buffy thought. More than you can ever imagine.
A/N: Review please!