Spike was roaming around a park. He felt a little lonesome. Buffy never showed. She said that they would go patrolling together. *Probably too scared that I'm gonna dust more bad guys than she will* Spike tried to convince himself. He saw fighting. Cool!

He rushed over there and saw Belthazor fighting some vamps. The girls he was with before were also there, and they were putting up a damn good fight.

"Piper, freeze em all" Paige yelped, dodging a punch "Yikes! Branch!" she called for a branch on the ground and it orbed to her. She then hit the zombie with it. Piper tried to freeze them, though only one of them froze. She then tried to freeze them all though the one who was frozen just unfroze.

"Leo, orb us out. Cole, try shimmering" Phoebe yelped. Leo rushed to Phoebe and Piper who were cornered by six vampires. He orbed them out.

"Well, that's just damn great. I'm stranded here" Paige sighed. Cole grabbed her arm and shimmered out.

Spike was then surprised to see The Master.

"We need to kill them one by one" he dictated to his troops "They're just gonna keep retreating"

Spike heard mumbling in response. Spike then remembered that Belthazor had tried to warn him that the Master was back. Buffy didn't show. It clicked, and he figured out that Belthazor must've convinced Buffy to go after The Master and she must've assumed that he was in Sunnydale. Spike then headed for Sunnydale.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"So that was the Master?" Phoebe complained "I thought he was in Sunnydale"

"Yep, The Master. We're gonna have to slay him" Leo sighed

"Slay? They vanquish *not* slay" Cole frowned

"Well we're gonna have to learn quick" Paige pointed out "We'll have a better chance then The Slayer would. Magic's on our side"

"The Slayer's the chosen one" Cole argued, "She didn't slay The Master properly, so how do you thing you can?"

"Honey" Phoebe looked at Cole "Now is not the time to argue. We gotta learn fast"

"It's quite easy" Leo explained, "Just stake the vampire through the heart and it'll turn to dust"

"Will potions or spells work?" Piper asked

"Potions and spells only work against demons and warlocks. Not against the dead" Leo explained. Phoebe, Piper and Paige exchanged glances.

"Rest, we'll practise in the morning, when the dead are in hiding" Leo suggested

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Buffy was so frustrated. Every time she staked one of the demons, they would howl in pain, though they wouldn't dust.

"Buffy!" Anya yelled, "There's no use"

"Let's go with the most logical strategy" Xander yelped "Let's get the hell outta here". Xander ran though a demon was in his way. Buffy then tried the whole distraction tactic.

"You wanna take me out?!" Buffy yelled to every demon "Coz I know you cant". Most of the demons glanced at Buffy. Some even seemed to chuckle at the absurdity of her statement.

"Get The Slayer," The Source growled. That tipped the ice burg. All the demons attacked her. Willow, Anya and Xander creeped away.

They arrived at Buffy's house.

"Hey guys!" Dawn chirped "Nice slayerish night?"

"Did Buffy make it?" Willow asked Anya. Xander was silent and Anya looked down at the ground. About five minutes past, no sign of Buffy. Xander was frustrated so he looked outside. They then saw Buffy stumble and collapse on the pavement out front. Xander rushed out and helped her inside.

Dawn and Buffy went upstairs to clean up some bruises and wounds.

"We shouldn't have fled" Xander said, looking gloomy

"If we didn't then none of us would have made it" Anya said

"Research time now" Willow said "I'm gonna head to the Magic Box"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"I think I've got the hang of it" Paige said jumping from side to side

"Good, sundown soon" Leo replied. Piper sighed, and Phoebe was distracted.

"A little enthusiasm here?" Leo asked "Showdown. Let's go." They all reluctantly followed Leo to the park they had been in before.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"So they need to be *vanquished*?" Buffy asked, "What the hell is that?"

"Potion and-slash-or a potion" Willow explained "It's basically witchcraft"

"I'm not a witch! I'm a Slayer!" Buffy protested

"Wanna have a look at all these spells? We'll need it. It's nearly sundown"

"No biggy" Dawn yawned "Buffy, just say the spell. And Poof! Magically disappear"

"It's not a 'poof'. It's a vanquish" Anya told her

"Lucky us" Buffy complained and then sat down and looked at the book about The Source.

TBC…