*Contains dialogue from BTVS season 3 The Prom

Sam and Sarah joined Buffy, Willow, Oz, and Xander at the same picnic table that Sarah saw Buffy and Willow at her first day back. They were talking about prom.

Oz was commenting on Xander's date, "Anya, huh? Interesting choice."

"Choice is kind of a broad term for my situation. See it's either Anya or the sock puppet of love for this boy." He holds up his hand to make a puppet and talks in a silly voice, "I love you Xander. I'll never leave you." Sam and Sarah chuckled.

"Well if Anya tries to get you killed, put me down for a big fat 'I told you so'," Willow added.

Xander continued with the puppet voice, "Who's this Anya? Is she prettier than me?"

"She just better not try to cross me. That's all I'm sayin'."

Buffy smiled, "Well at least we all have someone to go with now. Some of us are going with demons, but I think that's a valid lifestyle choice. More importantly, I have the kick dress."

Willow brightened excitedly, "Ooh, the pink one?"

She smiled, "Angel's gonna lose it. But not his soul. He's gonna lose it. His it. Someone stop me?"

Sarah smiled, "I'm glad you guys are happy, but what's the deal with prom? Everyone goes nuts about it."

Oz looked at her, "You did the high school thing. Didn't you go to prom?"

"I graduated high school at eleven. I was the brainy little kid. I didn't go to prom."

Willow bounced up and down in her seat, "You could go now! You're getting a second chance, you should have some prommy fun."

"I'm a 'sophomore' remember? The prom is for juniors and seniors."

"We can buy you tickets. Come on it'll be fun. We can dress you all up and do your hair. What'd ya say?" Buffy and Willow leaned in and smiled.

"Going to prom means getting a date."

"I will totally find you a date." Buffy saw the look Sam gave her and figured she had the perfect candidate.

Sam didn't like that idea. "I'll go with you."

She looked at him, "You will?"

"Yeah this may be my only opportunity to see you all dressed up. Besides knowing my dad I won't be at another school long enough to go to my own prom. Might as well take advantage of the opportunity."

Willow clapped excitedly, "It's all settled. I can get your tickets after school and meet you in the library."

"Well looks like I'm goin' to prom."

After school the gang was in the library. Giles was trying to get them to focus on the ascension but the prom was the only thing on anyone's mind. Buffy and Willow were discussing the dress Will was thinking of getting, "So it was blue and sorta short."

"Not too short, medium. And it had this weird, sorta fringey stuff on the arms."

Giles walks in, "What's that, a demon?"

"A prom dress that Will was thinking of getting. Can't you ever get your mind out of the hellmouth?"

"I'd be delighted to. However, the day of the Mayor's Ascension is fast approaching and we don't know what to expect."

Xander sat up, "Well, what about the pages that Will stole from the Mayor's book? Look, she put her life on the line there, pal. Don't tell me they're useless."

"On the contrary, no, we, uh, we know the Ascension refers to a human transforming into a demon, the living embodiment of an immortal. And Graduation Day, our Mayor Wilkins is scheduled to do just that."

Wesley enters followed by Cordelia, "Trouble is, we don't know which demon he is going to become."

"There are thousands of species," Giles added.

"So, it's safe to say we shouldn't waste any time of such trifling matters as a school dance."

Cordelia looks Wesley over, "Well, that's too bad, because I bet you would look way 007 in a tux."

Sarah leans over to Buffy and whispers, "Could she be any more of a ho?" Buffy giggles.

Wesley clears his throat. "Except, of course, on the actual night, I will be aiding Mr. Giles in his chaperoning duties."

Giles looks up flustered, "What? Excuse me? Fine, fine, fine."

Already bored with the conversation Buffy turns to Willow and Sarah, "We'll get you guys dresses. You know, we should check April Fools."

Cordelia freaks, "Don't go there! I shop there."

A huge smile appeared on Xander's face, "I myself am dipping into my road trip fund to procure a shiny new tux, so look for me to dazzle."

Sarah pokes Sam. "Ooh you need one of those too."

Giles rolled his eyes, "And I myself will be wearing pink taffeta as chenille would not go with my complexion. Can we please talk about the Ascension?"

"Giles, we get it. Miles to go before we sleep. But especially if we're all gonna vaporize or something on Graduation Day, we deserve a little prommy fun. One night of glory, not too much to ask."

Saturday morning everyone, including Dean, was in the library watching a surveillance video from the attack at April Fools. Xander pointed at the screen, "Right there. See, it's, it's like he just realized he forgot to put money in the meter or something."

Cordelia added, "You know the part that totally weirded me out? That thing had good taste. I mean, he chucks Xander and went right for the formal wear."

Xander was offended, "That's right. He left behind his copy of Monsters Wear Daily."

"I'm serious. Look at the outfit that Xander's wearing. Now look at the kid that the monster went after. Very smooth lines, 'til he was shredded."

"I don't want to see it again." Buffy turned away.

"Buffy, I know it's horrible, but if you're going to hunt this creature, you should study it," Giles said.

"Think I got it."

Dean spoke up, "She's right. I mean, you've seen one big hairy bringer of death, you've seen 'em all."

Wesley looked at the creature again. "If I'm not mistaken, this is a hellhound."

"Yes. It's particularly vicious. It's sort of a demon foot soldier bred during the Machash Wars. Trained solely to kill. They feed off the brains of their foes."

Sarah was confused, "A hellhound? Hellhounds are invisible except to the people they are after. Maybe it's like the whole vampire thing?"

Everyone was looking at her confused. "What are you talking about?"

Buffy looked up at her confused, "Yeah, please explain to those of us who are me."

"The vampires that killed my dad weren't like the ones here. They could come out during the day, they had a bunch of sharp teeth that came out of their gums, and their faces didn't get all bumpy. I figured that they were another breed or species of vampire. The hellhounds that I know of are controlled by demons and used to drag those who have made a deal with the demon to hell. I didn't think there would be another type of hellhound. Interesting." Everyone was just starring at her.

Oz pointed at the screen, "What's that? Pause it."

Xander paused the video. A teenage boy was peering through the shops broken window. "Hello hellhound raiser."

Oz took a closer look at the boy. "I know him. That's Tucker Wells. He's in my chem. Lab."

Dean rolled his eyes, "Let me guess. He was quiet, kept to himself, but always seemed like a nice guy." The sarcasm in his comment wasn't lost on anyone.

Oz looked back at him and shrugged, "He didn't seem like the murderous type anyway. Something must have happened to him."

Xander walks toward Buffy, "How's it going over there, Buff?"

" Fine."

"Well, I just wanted to say that your impersonation of an inanimate object is really coming along."

" Thanks."

Willow shouted. "Ooooh! I got into Tucker's e-mail account. Listen to this message Tucker sent to this kid David Metz at school last week. The Sunnydale High lemmings have no idea what awaits them. Their big night will be their last night."

"So, we have a threat against the students on their big night, a hellhound trained to attack people in formal wear..."

Cordelia felt all superior, "Oh, are we all catching up now?"

"Tucker is planning to attack the prom tonight."

Oz looked around. "Once again, the Hellmouth puts the special in special occasion."

Xander slams a few books down on the table, "Why do I even buy tickets for these things, I ask you?"

Willow looks disappointed, "Wonder if I can take my dress back?"

Buffy jumps up from where she was sitting. "Don't you dare."

"But Tucker is going to..."

Buffy didn't wanna hear it. "No! You guys are going to have a prom. The kind of prom that everyone should have. I'm going to give you all a nice, fun, normal evening if I have to kill every single person on the face of the earth to do it."

Xander looks slightly scared. "Yay?"

Dean and Sam look at each other. "Dude is she always this scary?"

"Not normally."

Dean nodded his head, "Hot."

Buffy goes into commander mode. "Okay, Wes, why don't you go to Tucker's house. He's probably not there, but it's worth a shot."

"Alright. Perhaps strength in numbers would be ..."

She points at Cordelia, "You can take Cordy."

"If that's your plan, alright, alright. What about the others?"

Buffy turns to Oz, "Oz, you said you know this David kid that Tucker e-mailed? Why don't you and Will track him down? See what he knows, if he's involved?"

"We're on it."

Buffy looks back at Wesley, "And you know what? Could you two check the magic shop?"

"Magic shop?"

"Yeah. It's right next to the dress store on Main."

Xander steps forward, "I can swing that one. What's the mission?"

"See if anyone's been in, buying supplies to raise a hellhound."

"Gotcha. Or check and see who's been stocking up on hellhound snausages. I hear those pups will do anything for a tasty treat."

Sam stands up, "I'll go with you."

"Giles, you said this thing eats brains. Any brains?"

"Um, I suppose."

"Then Tucker must be feeding it, right? I'll go check the butcher."

Dean walks over to her, "I'll drive you over there."

"Thanks."

"What about me?"

"Sarah, you can help me to get some supplies together."

"Yeah, yeah. This kid orders cow brains a couple of times a week. Goes to this address." He hands Dean a paper with an address on it. "Good luck. He's a weird kid."

Buffy smiles, "Thanks. Thanks a lot."

The butcher walks away. "We have an address. Now what?" Dean asks.

Buffy looks up to see Angel nearby, paying another packer for a plastic bag. He looks up and sees her. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too."

"Sorry. I'm just surprised."

Dean looks at Angel and back to Buffy. "I think I'll meet you at the car."

Angel watched him go then Buffy spoke again. "Me too. I don't know why though. Where did I think you get your blood, McPlasma's?"

"How are you?"

Buffy strained a smile, "Right as rain, whatever that means. Don't look at me like that. I can lie to you if I want to now. We're ex, remember?"

"If it means anything, I miss you."

"Could we not, please? When I think about us, I have this tendency to sort of go catatonic. And I really can't afford to do that right now. Gotta stop a crazy from pulling a Carrie at the prom."

"You still planning to go?"

"Strictly in the chaperon capacity. But it's fine. I mean, the... I'm cool with going stag. I'm over the whole Buffy gets one perfect high school moment thing. But I'm certainly not going to let some subhuman ruin it for the rest of the senior class."

Angel starts to reach out to her, "Let me help you."

"I'm okay."

"If you ever need my help..."

"Look, I got it!" She pauses when she sees how sad he looks, "Thanks."

Dean hadn't gone to the car. He waited around the corner and heard Buffy and Angel's entire conversation. When she walked around the corner he stepped right in stride with her. "So I heard that you were goin' stag to your prom."

"Can we not talk about it."

"What'd ya say we kill these hairy bastards and I'll take you to your prom. I'm not putting a monkey suit on though. You can forget it."

She rolled her eyes, "Thanks but no thanks."

When they walked into the library everyone was sitting on the steps looking glum. Buffy smiled, "Make not with the long faces. I got the address. Now the prom starts in a little while. I want you to go on and I'll catch up with you as soon as I put a lid on this jerk."

"What? No way."

Willow added, "We can't just leave you Buff."

"Buffy, they're right. You need…" Giles started to add.

"To see taillights. Hit the door. I have everything under control."

Dean steps up, "I've got Buffy's back. You guys split."

Oz leans forward, "Buffy, it makes sense to…"

"Have. A. Nice. Time."

"Okay."

"See ya." Willow, Xander, Oz, Sarah, and Sam all jumped up and headed for the door. Once outside the library Sarah and Willow went to her house to get ready while the boys went to Sam's since there were no parents.