"Ungh!" Echo leapt up from the table, upending it, toppling over the applesauce. Without realizing it, she kicked out at Sierra, who crumpled to the floor in a blubbering mess.

"Echo's malfunctioning again! Get someone in here! Now!" Boyd raced to the scene, barking orders into his walkie talkie. He grabbed Echo by the wrist, attempting to calm her. "Echo, are you alright?" Echo looked at him, her eyes wild. "Echo, are you alright?" Before he could blink, she attempted to punch him. "I need back-up!"

A team of security agents rushed to the scene, quickly overtaking Echo, who struggled against the strong security agents. "Someone get me a tranq!"

Boyd's eyes went wide. "You can't tranq an Active!" He drew back his arm, attempting to punch the security agent who was holding the tranquilizer. He stopped mid punch as things suddenly got quiet. He glanced at Echo, who was looking around, a blank look on her face once again. She tilted her head to the side.

"There's a mess." She looked around, her eyes falling on Sierra. She looked at Boyd, pointing. "What happened to Sierra? Does she hurt?"

"Sierra's fine Echo."

"But, she's crying." Echo walked over to Sierra, leaning down. "What's wrong Sierra?"

Sierra looked up at Echo, cowering. She started to cry.

"Sierra, why are you crying?"

Sierra stood up, backing away from Echo as Victor came up behind her. He lightly tapped her on the shoulder. "Sierra, do you want to paint with me?"

Forgetting her ordeal, Sierra looked at Victor, smiling. "I like painting." She dutifully followed him to the painting room.

Echo stared after her friends, preparing to follow them. As she turned to leave, she felt something grab her elbow. She stared at Boyd.

"Echo, you're coming with me."

"Actually, she's coming with me." Boyd looked Topher up and down, questioning him wordlessly. He nodded. "Come along Echo, it's time for your treatment."

"But, my treatment isn't until later."

"Well, you have an early one today; come along." Echo dutifully followed Topher to the treatment room.


"Stupid Willow! Stupid Xander! Stupid Giles!" Buffy's voice was close to screaming as she slammed her clothes into her suitcase. "Yanking me out of heaven; I was happy there, do you hear me?! Happy! And you had to bring me back to this…this…misery!" She snapped her suitcase shut, kicking a stake out of the way that had missed the trashcan. "I'm going back to L.A!" With that, she stormed out the door, not even bothering to look back.