Giles, Xander and Willow are currently in Giles's car heading to Malibu "So Giles, you haven't told us what the big emergency is, that we need to get to the Buffster right away." Xander says still confused as to why they had to be awake this early.
Giles explains "I have heard word that in order to try and get rid of Buffy without putting the council into the public's eyes, they watchers have decided to give her a test. Buffy will be drugged temporarily making her powerless, she will then be locked away with a vampire. And the vampire she has been chosen to face is one of the worsts."
Willow's eyes widen in shock "Oh, my god."
Xander sighs "As much as I hate it, shouldn't we call Mr. Brooding and undead."
Giles shakes his head "Angel is in Malibu at the moment, I did not tell him of the exact specifics, but I asked him to watch over Buffy until we arrived."
Willow sighs sadly "Poor Buffy, first her 17 birthday Angel goes evil, now on her 18th the watcher's council try to make her dinner."
Xander looks at his friend confused "They're gonna make her dinner? But I thought—"
Willow and Giles both roll their eyes "We will be in Malibu, after night fall. Buffy should be safe until then." Giles says as he focuses on the road.
"I feel like I'm going to be sick." Buffy says as her and Tony head back into the car "That food was too nice and too filling."
Tony chuckles "It's not my fault you are tiny and have to appetite of a squirrel."
Before Buffy could respond she stops in her tracks, and starts to wobble, Tony turns to her worried "Buffy, you ok?"
Buffy shakes her head "Fine, just a dizzy spill."
Tony looks at her skeptically "You sure?"
Buffy nods "Yeah. Come on."
Later Buffy walks into the gym and goes to do some weights, before Tony's surprise for her. Buffy walks over and starts to lift one of the weights as she does she starts to struggle. "What the –" Buffy drops the weight and goes to try to pick it back up but can't make it budge.
Buffy looks down confused and worried, she quickly walks over to her knifes and starts to throw them, as she does they all miss they're target. "What is happening to me?"
"Miss Stark there are several people at the gate here to see you." Jarvis's voice comes from over the intercom.
Buffy opens the front door, to see Xander, Willow and Giles "Happy birthday!" Willow yells before throwing her arms around the slayer. Buffy smiles at her friends "What are you guys doing here?"
Giles steps forward "Could we perhaps discuss this inside."
Buffy nods "Sure." She pulls the door open and leads them into the house. All of them look around the mansion stunned "Holy cow. This place is huge Buff. Say how do you think your old man would feel about adopting me." Xander says as he stares out the window at the private beach. "You have a pool? And a beach? Damn. You've been holding out on us. That's it, we'll all be spending the summer here."
Buffy chuckles and sits down on the couch and looks at her friends seriously "So what are you guys really doing here?"
Giles removes his glasses as he answers "The council are going to give you a test."
Buffy's eyes widen "Does this have to do with my strength going. And me throwing knifes like a girl?"
Giles nods "It's a serum, it will temporarily strip you of your powers. The council will lock you up with a vampire."
Buffy and Angel sit in the small abandoned apartment, and Angel hands her gift. Buffy unwraps it to find a book "Thank you. It's beautiful."
Angel smiles "You really like it?"
"Of course I do. It's sweet and thoughtful and...full of neat word to learn and say like 'Wilt' and 'Henceforth'."
Angel chuckles "Then why did you seem more excited last year when you got a severed arm in a box."
"I'm sorry. Uh, it's just suddenly I'm a weak little girly girl. And it's just freaking me out a little bit."
"That's understandable."
"Angel, what if this thing isn't just temporary like Giles said."
"You lived with powers before, you can do it again."
Buffy shrugs "I guess. But what if I can't? I've seen too much. I know what goes bump in the night. Not being able to fight it—what if I just hide under my bed helpless."
"Buffy, you could never be helpless. Not even if you tried."
Buffy stands "Not so sure about that, before I was super Buffy, I was well, let's just say I was like a certain person who will remain nameless, we'll just call her spordelia. Looked like a classical philosopher next to me. Angel what do I do? What do I have to offer? What would you like me?"
"I saw you before you became the slayer." Angel tells her "I watched you, and I saw you called. It was a bright afternoon out in front of your school. You walked down the steps...and...and I loved you."
"Why?"
"Cause I could see your heart." Angel stands and walks over to her "You held it before you for everyone to see. And I worried that it would be bruised or torn. And more than anything in my life I wanted to keep it safe, to warm it with my own."
Buffy hugs him "That's beautiful. Or taken literally, incredibly gross."
"I was just thinking that, too."
Giles uses his resources to find out where the vampire was being kept. As he enters the abandoned house he slowly walks around "Quentin?" He calls expecting the man to be there gloating. When he doesn't hear anything Giles continues to walk aound the house. He climbs up the stair placing his hand on the banister, but as he does he feels something wet, he looks down at him hand to see it now covered with blood. He runs down the stairs and quickly breaks a chair using the end as a stake. He walks around looking in several of the rooms. When he finds a locked one he forces the door open only to be faced with a horrific sight, of a dead watcher's body having been ripped to shreds.
After Angel got a call about a problem in Sunnydale and headed off, Buffy slowly heads back to the mansion, as she does she hears a man humming. She suddenly walks into a vampire "Let me go." Buffy says terrified.
The vampire smiles "You didn't say please."
"Get...off me!" Buffy screams for help and manages to escape his grasp she runs and sees a metal fence she tries to climb through the gap in the fence as another vampire grabs onto her legs. Buffy kicks him and manages to get into the road, she continues to scream for help when Giles pulls over in his car "Get in!" He yells before quickly driving the two of them away.
Tony and Pepper are arguing in the garage when Jarvis voice comes over the intercom "Mr. Stark, there seems to be someone hurt just outside the grounds."
Tony and Pepper look up at the security seen to see someone on the ground "Buffy!" Tony says seeing her jacket. The two of them run up the stairs and down to the gate "Buffy?" Tony says as he walks towards the figure.
As him and Pepper step closer the figure turns to reveal Zachary Kralik, the vampire Buffy is meant to face. "Not exactly." He says with a smile.
Buffy enters the mansion and winces as she takes off her jacket, Giles had gone to get the others so they could come up with a plan, and he had told her to stay put as Zachary would not be able to get to her inside her home. "Tony? Pepper?" Buffy calls as she walks into the living room. Buffy heads down to the garage only to find it empty she sighs and then heads upstairs. "Jarvis, where is everyone?" Buffy asks the A.I.
"Miss. Potts and Mr. Stark went down to the front gate over half an hour ago and have not returned since."
Buffy starts to get worried and quickly runs out to the front gate, as she gets there she spots Pepper's phone lying on the ground. She picks up the phone and then spots the photo next to it. Buffy lifts the photo to see Kralik with Tony and Pepper.
Buffy runs back to her room and pulls out her weapons chest, pilling as much as she could into her bag. She slips a bottle of holy water into her pocket and then after struggling to lift up the bag, she makes her way out of the mansion.
Tony and Pepper stare in horror at the crazed man as he speaks "You know, my mother was a person with no self-respect of her own" Kralik says as he continues to take photos of the two "So she tried to take mine."
Tony turns to the vampire "Yeah yeah. Whatever. Look I gotta ask what's with the makeup. I'll admit it's creepy but—"
Kralik crouches down in front of Tony "Oh, your think this is make-up?" He asks, as he points at his face "I'm surprised, I thought your daughter would have told you the truth."
Tony glares at him "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Well about vampires of course. Now can I continue? Thank my mother you wouldn't believe what did took with those scissors. But she's dead to me now." Kralik giggles "Mostly because I killed and ate her, but none of that matters now. Cause I won't be alone much longer. I'll have your daughter. I won't kill her, I'll just make her like me. Different. She'll go to sleep and when she wakes up, you and your friend here will be the first thing she eats." Tony pulls at the ropes as Kralik puts the gage back in his mouth, he turns to Pepper who is trying not to cry 'I'm sorry' he mouths.
Buffy slowly makes her way inside the house. She grabs her crossbow and places the bag of weapons on the ground. She slowly makes her way around the room and pulls one of the doors, open only to reveal a brick wall. Suddenly Buffy hears a door slam shut, she spins around terrified but continues to search the house. When she hears someone behind her she spins and shoots the crossbow at him but he deflects it. She runs towards the bookcase, and as he runs towards her she pushes it causing it to fall on him.
Kralik turns to Pepper and Tony and smiles "She's here. Come to safe you." He mocks. He takes one more photo before smirking "Looks like the slayer's come to play Hide-And-Seek."
He quickly exits the room leaving a yelling Tony and Pepper in his wake.
"Hide-And-Seek" Buffy hears Kralik whisper as she makes her way through the house. Buffy looks around the room terrified as she holds the weapons bag in her hands clutching it to her chest. Suddenly one of the doors open and Kralik steps out wrapping a hand around her neck. "Why did you come to the dark of the woods?" He rips the bag from her grasps "To bring all these sweets to grandmother's house." He smiles as he drops the bag on the ground then leans closer to Buffy. He backs away as Buffy hold out a cross. Kralik just starts laughing and pulls Buffy's hand closer placing the cross on his chest "Uh—oh, no, no. Just a little lower. Right. Oh, yes. Yes, oh."
Buffy stares disgusted before running. She runs through the rooms searching for a weapon; she runs up the stairs only to have Kralik grab her legs, she manages to free herself and runs up the stairs. She hides in one of the room locking the door, she switches on the light, only to be horrified by the hundreds of photos of Pepper and Tony placed on the wall. Suddenly Kralik comes crashing through the other door, Buffy runs but he catches her stepping right in front of her, blocking her path. "If you stray from the path, you will lose your way." Kralik grabs her and tries to bite her, Buffy strains as she tries to hold him back "I won't take it all." He assures her, as Buffy screams. Just as he is about to bite her he backs away grabbing his head. He quickly pulls out a bottle of pills from his pocket, Buffy comes up with a plan and grabs the pills and as Kralik screams, she runs jumping into one of the vents that leads downwards.
Buffy crashes onto a table as she falls out of the vent. The table breaks causing her to painfully land on the ground. "Buffy?" She hears, Buffy looks up to see Tony and Pepper. Buffy runs over to them and tries to pull on the ropes "Buffy, what are you—" Tony is cut off when there is a pounding on the door. "Where are they? Where are they?!" Kralik screams as he runs down the stairs. He grabs Buffy and throws her against the wall, before snatching the pills off her. Buffy turns to him as he drinks the water. After a moment Kralik turns to Buffy "You don't seem to understand your place in all of this. Do you have any idea— " Kralik grunts in pain "What have you—my pills."
Buffy pulls out the bottle of holy water and shows it to him, Kralik drops the glass and starts to shake as smoke starts coming off his body. Buffy glares at him "If I was at full slayer power, I'd be punning right about now."
"No! Ahh!" Kralik screams as he turns to dust.
Buffy turns back to the now shocked Pepper and Tony who were staring at the remains of the vampire. Buffy runs over and pulls the gages out of their mouths "Buffy. Are you ok?" Tony asks as he sees the large cut against her head.
Buffy nods "i'm fine." She says as she starts to try and get the ropes open. Buffy stands "Maybe there are some clippers somewhere." Buffy says after she can't get the ropes undone.
Suddenly the door busts open as Giles is shoved through by the other vampire. The two fight until Giles sticks the stake into his chest causing the vampire to turn to dust.
Tony turns to Buffy completely shocked "Buffy, what's going on?"
Buffy hesitates "Don't freak out but... I'm a vampire slayer."
Tony paces the room of Giles's hotel room trying to process everything "So your telling me that vampires are real?"
Giles nods "Yes."
Unexpectedly, Tony starts laughing "Sorry. It's just this is awesome."
"Tony." Pepper hisses.
Tony shrugs "Oh come on. You have to admit this is pretty cool. Despite the whole kidnapping thing."
Buffy turns to Tony "Your taking this a lot better than my mom did. She said I was insane and needed help. Then she kicked me out of the house. After seeing a vampire she wouldn't believe me."
Tony nods "Well, it makes sense. Why your little town has all those mysterious deaths. It's vampires. You kill them right."
Giles steps forward "Buffy is the slayer. A young girl gifted with strength and skill to stop the forces of darkness."
Pepper turns to Buffy "That sounds dangerous. How long have you been doing this?"
"Since I was called, when I was 15."
Tony's eyes widen "15?" He turns on Giles "Are you people insane making a 15 year old fight! Why don't you get another slayer to do it, instead of my kid."
"There is only supposed to be one slayer at a time. When one dies the next is called.'
"He's right Mr. Stark." Says Quentin Travers as he enters the room.
Travers turns to Buffy "Well, done Ms. Summers you have proven yourself."
Buffy glares at him "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that this was a test. We needed to make sure you would not...lets say take advantage of your new links in the weapons community. You proofed that you will not be a risk factor. As even in dire circumstances, you could have turned the weapons on the council yet you chose not to."
"Do I get a gold star?" Buffy asks sarcastically.
"I understand that you're upset—"
"You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after my father and Pepper."
"You must understand, we needed to know that you would not be a threat, this was the most efficient way to do so."
"I understand that you better leave town before I get my strength back."
"Miss. Summers, we're fighting a war."
"You're waging a war." Giles says as he steps up to Travers "She's fighting it."
"Mr. Giles, if you don't mind—"
"Hold up." Tony says as he walks up to Travers "I may technically be a genius but I'm coming up blank on who the hell you are."
Travers turns to Stark "I Mr. Stark, am the leader of the watcher's council of England. Watchers train Slayer such as your daughter here."
Tony nods, then glares at the man "Thanks for the explanation. Now get out. You just tried to have me and Pepper killed and have been using my daughter as a weapon for your war."
Travers turns to Giles "Mr. Giles if we may..." He says gesturing to the door, Giles nods and the two of them leave the room.
Tony crouches down in front of Buffy "You not freaked?" Buffy asks "Why are you not freaked? Mom was freaked, so you should be too."
Tony shrugs "Not sure, I'm as crazy as you. So this all makes sense."
Buffy smiles and flinches in pain as Tony carefully dabs a wet cloth of the wound on her forehead.
Once Tony brings her home, Buffy turns to him "So what was the big surprise?"
Tony turns to her and smiles, he reaches into his pocket and tosses her a set of keys.
Buffy looks at him confused "Do you want me to clean your car or something? Cause after the whole vampire attack, slash me saving your life thing, I figured I wound't have to do any chores."
Tony chuckles "No. The Impala, that's the surprise. It's yours."
Buffy's eyes widen "I can't, you love that car.""
Tony shrugs "It's ok. But think of it as tradition, my dad gave it to me so I'm just following tradition."
