Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Season 8 Episode 15
The Truth is Out There
Chapter 2.

Buffy left the basement late that night. She couldn't remember how long she'd been down there but from the appearance of the straw-filled training dummy it had been a couple of hours. She'd set foot in the main hall to find the last patrol of girls coming home. Buffy wondered what the teachers of the High School must think when the girls arrive in the morning. At least three quarters of the Slayers in training where below 18 and lately after patrols the girls where coming home with cuts and bruises that even Slayer powers took time to heal. Buffy stood still and watched the eleven girls limp through the threshold and up the stairs. Buffy held the collar of her suede grey jacket as she released a tired breath. She heard the ruffled sniffling of some of the girls and looked closely at their faces. Tear streams fell down their cheeks as they did their best to get safely to their rooms. Buffy inclined her head in a confused expression when she noticed that only ten of the eleven girls she'd scheduled had climbed the main stairs of the manor.
Andrea, a 21 year old Slayer who had survived the battle in the Hellmouth, closed the manor door and dropped her head in her hands in exasperation. Buffy slowly edged towards her. "Andrea?" Buffy called softly.

"Oh," sniffled Andrea, "Buffy, you're up," she said.

"Andrea, w-what's happened?" Buffy stammered.

"It's um…it's Ana-Lucia…Buffy she's um-we did the best we could…they just…" Andrea didn't have the heart or strength to say what needed to be said. But Buffy, who had dealt with death all her life, knew what had happened. Ana-Lucia was a 15 year-old Hispanic girl who'd made the choice to stay at the North America 'Slayer Central' after the watcher's council had gotten rebuilt. Buffy had never taken the chance to get to know the girl, she hadn't with a lot of the girls, but the news hit her like a stake through the heart.

"V-vampire?" Buffy stuttered; her gaze cold and stuck.

"Not of the normal variety but…yeah," Andrea sniffled as she tried to keep herself together.

"How many?" Buffy asked.

"They…they were so fast I couldn't even begin to guess. They were waiting for us Buffy…I knew going down that alley was a stupid idea but it had just gotten so late and with school…they ambushed us Buffy…they took the world from beneath our feet and they twisted it," Andrea told with an icy stare. "I didn't even know they'd d-dragged her out because there were just so many. What're we gonna do Buffy?" Andre asked with her tears rolling down her mocha skinned cheeks.

"We'll uh, have a…service…or something…I guess I'll call her parents and they can have the-"

"Body?What Body? Buffy there isn't a body left to bury," Andrea snapped interrupting her fellow vampire slayer.

The rushing images that flooded through Buffy's mind felt like a slap in the face. 'There isn't a body left to bury'. The words rung in her head as she tried to deal with the situation rationally. Buffy knew the situation with the sun-resistant vamps was a bad one, but she never had the time to deal with it. It was always one thing after another since she'd left Sunnydale.
Willow going missing, getting her back, the spirits in the manor, Cordelia coming back and saving Chris and killing the Troxen, rescuing Dana, dealing with Amy and Wolfram and Hart, saving Dawn from zombie high, re-killing the master, Nicholas being stabbed, Willow going off the deep end, Dawn and her werewolf boyfriend drama…she could have gone on all night. And let's not forget our fashionable mysterious man in the suit who keeps popping up in all the wrong places and not to mention whatever is going on with Faith's abilities. She decided enough was enough.

Buffy walked Andrea to her room and headed towards Giles's office. Buffy had noticed a change in attitude with Giles over the last few weeks; he seemed off with her but for the life of her she didn't know why. She saw the light streaking out from below the door of his office and guessed he was still awake too. She knocked on the wood and waited for a reply that she never got. Impatiently opening the door and walking in expecting to see Giles asleep behind his desk, Buffy instead found a Giles-less room of musty books. She breathed a deep breath in and walked to his desk. She looked confused at the books she found there.
'Aurelius: A Guide to the Vampyr.'
'The Mythology of the Hellmouth.'
'Resurrection: A Codex on the re-living after a supernatural Death.'

"Looking for something in particular, Buffy?" Giles asked from behind the Slayer. Buffy dropped the books and whirled round to find Giles leaning on the doorway wearing a grey jumper with his arms folded. "You've been crying," he acknowledged.

"Giles…something's happened," Buffy told.

Buffy spent the better part of a half hour repeating what she'd been told by Andrea in the main hall. Giles was taken aback by the news. Ana-Lucia's death was the first since the death of the eight girls after the Man in the Suit ambushed Rona's patrol. Giles didn't know Ana-Lucia very well either, but the news struck him hard. Buffy went on to say "…and there…there isn't even a b-body we can bury…I just don't know what to do. I guess we should call her family but Ohio is a long way from Spain."

"I don't think there's a family to call Buffy," Giles told.

"I thought you said you didn't know her?" Buffy asked confused.

"I meant I didn't know her personally," Giles acknowledged. He pulled a file from a draw labelled Girls 13-16."You have a file?" Buffy asked inclining her head toward the thin fold of black plastic.

"Part of the agreement that we could still get our funds from the frozen Watcher's Council accounts was that I document everything," Giles replied.

"Do I got a file?" Buffy asked.

"Yours needed a much bigger draw," Giles replied. Buffy smiled. "Ana-Lucia was given to her watcher when she was very young…it would be impossible to find her real family without Willow."

"Speaking of, she's been gone for over a week now, Giles," Buffy echoed worried.

"I'm sure Willow's just getting the help she needs," Giles replied.

"I hope you're right," Buffy replied.

Buffy watched curiously as Giles pushed the folder back in the draw and tried casually to place the books that Buffy had seen back on the shelf. Buffy wondered about how her and Giles had spoken that night, like it were like old times, they had barely looked at each other lately, especially after his and her argument about Dawn last week. "Giles, we're okay right?" she asked timidly. Giles eyes darted from his slayer.

"Of course," he lied with shaking fingers turning to angry fists. Giles wasn't ready to let Buffy know that Chris had told him about Spike, now especially with Ana-Lucia's death. Changing the subject back, Giles said, "perhaps we should let the girls who were on patrol with Andrea tonight stay home from school tomorrow."

"Yeah I think that's a good idea, do you think I should check on them?" she asked.

"I think it's best to let them sleep for now," Giles replied.

Willow breathed a sigh of relief when she found out that her long, sweaty and dangerous journey across the equator was not wasted. Chief Nuwengu, although he seemed the lovable tubby grandfather type, showed a smug smile that made Willow think that the methods by which he could help her may have consequences. "How? H-how can you help me?" she asked.

"We'll have to wait for sundown," the Chief echoed as Willow bit her lip anxiously.

Daylight shone through the thin drapes of Dawn's bedroom. The light creaked its way up the bed as the sun rose over the lake before it lay faintly on Dawn's eyes causing her to wake up. Her eyes opened lazily after not having much sleep after her dream and talk with Nicholas. She kicked the quilt off of her sore body and grabbed her sling from the bedside table. She wrapped it over her pyjama shirt and shot a look to the photograph of her mother. Dawn had a hard day ahead of her and she just wanted her mother to tell her that she was her little pumpkin-belly and that everything would be okay.

She descended the numerous flights of stairs that were required to get to the dinner table and sat down between Abbey and Carmen. They both wished her good morning but Dawn preferred to lightly smile instead of indulge in meaningless small talk. Her mind was consumed with dread of confronting Chase and Katie about what they where and how they would react. Katie would think Dawn was a nut-job for sure and she hoped the least Chase would do is run away. "Breakfast!" Andrew sang as he and Faith pulled a huge trolley out of the old closed door.
Waffles and Pancakes and Juice and Fruit littered the table as the girls began to tuck in. Dawn reached for the enormous jug of orange juice when she saw Buffy and Giles descend the stairs together. Dawn had noticed they hadn't been getting along lately too and smiled at the image until she noticed her sister looking more tired than she did. Faith, who grossly consumed everything in sight, picked up on it too and Buffy signalled her over. Faith caught Buffy and Giles in mid conversation.

"…I went in earlier this morning and switched off all of their alarms clocks," Giles went on to say.

"I guess I'll take this mornings patrol and when I get back I'll just talk to 'em," Buffy suggested.

"And say what?" Giles asked.

"I don't know," Buffy said as she wiped her hands over her face in exasperation.

"What's the big?" Faith asked.

"We uh, we lost a girl last night," Buffy struggled.

"Who?" Faith asked startlingly companionate.

"Ana-Lucia," Giles answered her. "Andrea's patrol was jumped and they were to fast."

"Where?" Faith asked, her eyebrows narrowing and her face becoming stern.

"An Alley near 5th on Main," Buffy replied. Faith turned swiftly, her brown curly hair falling onto her upper back.

"Faith, wait," Buffy said a little louder than she intended.

"For what B? More girls to get killed? Since we've been here this is girl number nine we've lost and I will be damned if I let that get to double-digits," she said. "I should be able to track them from the alley."

"And then what? Faith if 12 slayers couldn't take them out what makes you think you can?" Buffy warned.

"The first rule of slayin' B? Don't die…we let Ana Lucia down and you can either sit your blonde ass down with the newbies or you can get your coat and do what we were chosen to do." Life seemed to flow into Buffy's cheeks as she felt the urge to be the Slayer she hadn't been lately. Since returning from Wolfram & Hartand fighting the Master again Buffy wasn't the slayer she used to be.

"Get your coat," Buffy ordered, "This ends now, the guy in the suit, the vampires, everything, it's time we put a stop to it," Buffy preached.

"Nice to see you again, B," Faith winked.

Buffy, knowing everything Dawn was going through in her own world, didn't want to worry her so she told her she had to run some important errands with Faith and that she shouldn't worry and should concentrate on school and helping Chase. Dawn saw right through this but knew her sister only lied to her to keep her safe. Then Buffy and Faith entered the basement and Buffy broke open her personal weapons chest and beamed proudly at the crimson Scythe that lay in the wooden crate in front of her. She gripped her fingers around the hilt and held it close to her chest. "Let's go," Faith said, grabbing the standard stake from the table.

"Wait," Buffy said. From behind the manual book case, Buffy pulled the mysterious sword that Willow and Nicholas had recovered from Amy and the man in the suit a couple weeks ago.

"What is it?" Faith asked.

"Willow and Nicholas brought it to the house a couple weeks after stealing it from that weird guy in the suit and Amy. They went through a lot of trouble to make sure we didn't get our hands on it. Giles doesn't know what it is but y'know…here, just in case," Buffy said.

"Aren't we gonna attract the wrong type of person, two hot chicks like ourselves sporting some rockin' weapons in broad daylight?" Faith grinned.

"On a Hellmouth? I think people have seen weirder," Buffy said, handing Faith the sword. Faith reached out to take it. "So are you sure once we get to the alley that you'll…Faith?" Faith had taken the hilt of the sword and became instantly mesmerised. Her eyes changed from their usual dark brown colour to a fluxuating pink and purple glow. The same colour from Faith eyes seemed to glow from her back…from her tattoo. Faith's roots were becoming darker and straighter and her features seemed to be changing. Faith stared at the sword blankly seemingly unaware of what was happening.
Buffy, panicking, gripped Faith by the shoulder and the glowing light around her and in her eyes disappeared completely. Faith blinked vigorously before shaking out of Buffy's grip and giving her a confused look.

"Alright, don't get pushy B, let's go," Faith said, turning with the sword in hand.

"Faith, what was that?" Buffy asked wide-eyed.

"What was what?" Faith asked confused.

After sitting in the chiefs house for hours waiting for sundown and convincing the natives that Willow and Riley were not a threat to them, the sky over the jungle turned a hazy pink and blue colour and the last streaks of light where beginning to fade through the tall trees. "It is time," Nuwengu announced.

"Finally!" Riley rejoiced.

"Not you son," Nuwengua snapped.

"What?" Riley complained.

"What he said," Willow said nervously.

"This part of the journey is for you alone," the chief told in his deep African accent. Willow looked nervous. "Once you come with me, there is no turning back," Nuwengu warned.
Like an old silent movie, in her mind, Willow watched herself tear the skin from Warren's body, she watched herself scar Xanders' face with scratches, draining the dark arts books, fighting with Buffy…

"Let's go," she said.

Willow hugged Riley and received his words of warning before reassuring him that she would be fine. Nuwengua grabbed a large wooden staff and both he and Willow headed out into the jungle. The village was quiet, eerily quiet, no light, not wind, just the village. As the Chief and the Witch neared the edge of the jungle Nuwengu thudded his staff to the floor and the top of it erupted in bright blue flames. "This way," he issued. He led Willow through a path of dead grass and leaves, over a quiet steams and through about a half a mile of trees before they reached their destination. Willow's feet ached from the journey and she did her best to adjust her toes in her hiking boots as she looked upon the scene in front of her.
A sort of crop circle had been carved in the jungle and around the circle where four fire torches that lit up a small hut in the centre. Here, the wind howled and the stars shone brighter than Willow had ever seen. The wind blew open the cloth like material door of the hut and inside Willow could see a burning fire.

"Where are we?" Willow asked.

"Salvation," Nuwengu echoed. The chief inclined his huge feathered hat toward the hut and Willow shot her glance towards it.

"This is all making as much sense as," Willow turned back to Nuwengu but instead found an empty circle of fire and dead grass, "something that's not making sense," she continued. "Here goes nothin'," Willow announced as she trudged toward the weak material hut. Once inside, Willow found the hut was too low for her to properly stand up and so she sat cross-legged in front of the fire. What now?Willow wondered as she stared at the fire. It was then that she noticed the fire wasn't burning on wood or grass but in mid air. Mesmerised, Willow's gaze lingered on the fire and in a few short seconds the fire turned a hazy blue colour. Willow closed her eyes and thought of nothing, she let her mind hollow out to make room for the help she sought for desperately. Feeling as though she was spinning, Willow continued to concentrate on the void that was forming in her mind.

"Psssst!" called a voice. Willow ignored it and concentrated still.

"Psssst!" the voice hissed again. Willow tried her hardest to keep her eyes closed.

"Oh for heavens sake, Willow!" a familiar voice complained.

"Anya! Do you mind! I'm trying to…Anya?" Willow snapped opening her eyes and then widening them at the blonde woman peering inside the hut.

Author's Note: *cry cry cry cry cry* I'm so sorry it took over three weeks for this. I hope your still interested but I can't blame you if you're not. I'm doing my best to begin episode 16 before my exams start next Monday but like I said with studying and preparing for 8 whole GCSE's…I just wish I had more time. Thankfully though I'm off for a week so i'm going to kick myself in the ass everyday to finish this episode within the week and start episode 16.
I have to think my reviewers of my last chapter as always :Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, Calilily, twin who likes to travel, em . lbh and PrincessAlicia. I love you guys.
So you know in the summary of the last chapter, I have a feeling I might take a different path but I might not so don't pay too much attention to it but if I do change the plot of the episode I'll go back and change the summary.
Please review
and
Thanks for reading
xx.