The next day…(MAGIC BOX)
After the events of yesterday, Xander thought it was the right time to announce his engagement to Anya. Maybe some good news would be able to cheer everyone up.
Brooke and Buffy were sitting at the table, casually holding hands. Brooke was grinning but Buffy was looking at Faith. Faith was pacing back and forth with her arms crossed, impatiently waiting for the arrival of the rest of the gang.
"Faith, could you chill? You're making me nervous. I don't know why it makes me nervous, but it does." Peyton called out from her seat near Rachel.
"Goldilocks, if you ask me to 'chill' ever again I swear I'll-"
Buffy quickly interrupted the other slayers threat. "Faith. Chill."
Faith gritted her teeth but stopped pacing. Peyton made a whipping sound causing Rachel and herself to laugh.
"That's it!" Faith jumped up and started running towards Peyton but before she even got close Buffy stepped in front of her.
"What is your problem?" Buffy scrunched her eyebrows up in confusion.
"Nothing. I'm just…on edge. I need a good vamp fight."
Buffy nodded and Faith sighed in relief that Buffy accepted that excuse. Tara, Willow, Xander, and Anya all walked in before anything else could be said. After a moment or two of shuffling around, Xander stood in front of everyone and made the announcement.
"Anya and I…are getting married!" Applause broke out from Brooke causing everyone else to clap awkwardly.
"Wow…"
"Congrats…"
Brooke jumped up excitedly and ran to Anya. "Oh. My. God. Can I please be a bridesmaid?"
Anya laughed. "I barely even know you! Willow, Buffy, and Tara shall be my bridesmaids."
Brooke frowned. "Please! I totally make any dress look hot, even if it's ugly."
Anya still looked unconvinced.
"I'll buy you a really expensive wedding gift!"
Anya's expression immediately perked up. "Okay! You can take Willow's spot. I never really liked her anyway."
"Hey!" Willow called out, slightly offended.
"Let's be honest Willow. We fight. A lot."
"But…"
"Guys."
"I thought we actually made progress…" Willow rambled.
"Guys!" Buffy shouted a second time. "Do you see that dark puddle over there? That wasn't here when we got here, was it?"
As if he was answering her question, Waterite arose from the dark puddle. "I smell…witches. Two of them. And…" Waterite seemed to sniff the air. "Two slayers. This will be a feast for me tonight." Waterite began advancing on the group of people.
"Peyton, Rachel, Brooke, that's your cue."
Rachel instantly disappeared, and Brooke tried to attack the demon. Like Buffy had done the first time, Brooke went right through him and landed hard on the floor. Peyton had hid behind Tara. "I'm not ready for this." She whispered.
"You can do this Peyton. Go and help your friends."
Before Peyton could react, Waterite sent a shield at everyone except the Chosen Three. They could not get past the barrier, leaving Peyton and Brooke defenseless.
"Ah, the Chosen Three. They get weaker and weaker each time a new generation comes."
Unfortunately, Rachel reappeared inches away from Waterite. "Uh oh."
Waterite sent Rachel flying with a water punch and then encased her with a water shell. She instantly began gasping for air.
"Will you have to do something!" Buffy pleaded with the witch.
"I'm trying!" Willow began murmuring under her breath.
Waterite walked towards the injured Brooke. "One down. Two more to go."
Brooke stood up and regained her fighting stance. She was afraid. Afraid to die, afraid to lose Rachel (even though she barely knew the girl) and afraid to lose Peyton. She was determined to beat this monster.
Just as Brooke was about to make a move, a blinding flash of a purple energy bolt went coursing through the demon. It wasn't very strong, but it caused some damage. The bolt also caught Brooke's left arm.
Waterite screamed and disappeared. Peyton put her arms down and collapsed to the floor in exhaustion.
Instincts kicked in as the shield disappeared. Willow ran to Peyton, Buffy to Brooke, and Faith to Rachel.
Faith bent down and performed CPR until Rachel coughed up the water from her lungs. "Jesus Faith get your nasty lips away from me." Faith laughed and hugged the younger girl.
"Rachel's okay." Faith called out to the other girls.
"So is Peyton."
"I don't know about Brooke you guys. Her arm is burnt." Buffy was worried. This was her fault. She wasn't training them hard enough. She had barely trained them at all.
Faith walked over to the distressed Buffy. "Don't worry about it B. She's probably got slayer healin'. She'll be fine. We'll go home and first aid it."
That night…
"Brooke…I'm really sorry." Buffy apologized as they walked down the sidewalk.
"About what?" Brooke asked, looking at the older girl.
"I…should have made you train harder. You three aren't ready to face him yet. I just wanted to let you guys have a normal holiday and-"
"Buffy." Brooke grabbed Buffy's hand reassuringly. "It's okay. It was my fault for making you let us go clubbing instead. Besides, we're training now, and my arm is going to be fine in no time."
Buffy laughed. "You are way too perky."
Brooke smirked. "You love it."
Faith and Rachel caught up to the two other girls at the cemetery entrance. Faith threw her arm over Buffy. "Let's show them how to kick some ass."
The four of them went into the graveyard and wandered around until they found a small group of vampires. "Brooke and I will get the ones near that big tree stump thingy, and you and Rachel can get the ones over there." Buffy whispered and pointed to three or four vamps near the outside of a crypt.
Brooke and Buffy defeated their opponents in no time.
"Buffy I think you should teach me something. These vamps are no contest."
"Oh god now you sound like Faith." Buffy mumbled.
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Okay…let's see…" Buffy walked around Brooke and without warning the younger girl, she brought her hand in the air and tried to hit her head. Brooke, without hesitation, grabbed the slayer's hand and flipped her to the ground. Buffy got up and faced her but Brooke kicked her to the ground once more. Losing her balance, Brooke fell on top of Buffy.
"Well, it wasn't perfect, but you have good instincts." Buffy smiled at Brooke, hoping to show she was happy with her performance.
Brooke smiled and bravely brushed a hair away from Buffy's face. She let her fingers linger on Buffy's cheek. "You are so beautiful." Brooke whispered.
Brooke leaned down, kissing Buffy. Surprisingly, the slayer let her. It didn't get overly intimate as Rachel came storming towards them.
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM BROOKE!"
AN: Thanks for the reviews!! I think I've decided to leave Peyton's love life alone for now. I'll write it in the story eventually when it fits i suppose.
