To Right a Wrong

by mst.52

The light of day brought second chances, a path forward, a bridge from the discord and mistrust that had followed them into the night to a sort of gentle peace and understanding that none of them had realized was desperately needed. They could reset, now. They could begin anew. Passions reimagined, in which Jenny Calendar lives to see the light of day. Told in three parts

2. Buffy

Buffy tried to walk that fine line between respecting the adults' privacy - after all, Ms. Calendar had nearly died, like really, literally nearly died, and she and Giles were both understandably wigged over it - and eavesdropping a bit curiously on their muffled exchange. Her Slayer-enhanced hearing made it less of a conscious choice than it might have been otherwise, so she picked a spot on the table to stare at inconspicuously as she zeroed in on the conversation taking place in the huddle on the very table she was seated at. Normally, she'd be quite opposed to this very grownup and thus very ick sort of affection and confession, but it had been a strange night. A very strange night indeed, Buffy thought, as she took in Ms. Calendar's quiet little gasps amidst Giles's soothing soft voice and gentle strokes on her back.

The whole Ms. Calendar situation had sort of snowballed, that was for sure. And Buffy could admit that, especially after the neck-snapping Ms. Calendar was nearly subjected to, maybe they'd all gone a bit overboard. Which is to say that she had gone a bit overboard and that everyone else, out of loyalty, pity, some misplaced trust in Buffy's instincts, or all of the above, had followed right along. She'd been hurting, yeah, no kidding, from the whole Angel/Angelus mess, and the Ms. Calendar connection - the not quite lies, but certainly leaving out the truth - had given her the perfect scapegoat on which to project all of the hurt and rage and betrayal she really felt toward Angelus but couldn't fully get out of her like she could with any other hunt or thrill of the fight. Maybe it was because Angelus, of course, still wore the face of the Angel - her Angel - that had loved her and cherished her and won her heart and took her to bed. Maybe it all would have been easier if Angelus had simply taken another form and not taken over the body of the boyfriend that she'd loved beyond words, who she'd given everything to only to find that by giving him everything, it made him into something else altogether. So Buffy could admit now, after the events of the evening, that there would have been pain all around, either way. But it had been a bit easier to channel some of - okay, a lot - of that pain into hating Ms. Calendar and watching with some satisfaction as everyone around her, including Giles, seemed to fall right in line.

She hadn't really expected Giles to back her on that completely, at least not for the duration that he'd held out for. Buffy thought about that with some guilt, realizing that if Ms. Calendar had indeed died at Angelus's hand and Giles had lost the woman he loved, some of that would have more than just a little bit been on her. Sure, Giles was an adult and could make his own choices, but he'd sided with his hurt, grieving, heartbroken teenaged Slayer over his actual grown-up girlfriend, who Buffy now had concrete evidence that he actually was in love with. Buffy couldn't really say that she'd had much of an opinion or thought about Giles and Ms. Calendar in all the months that they were together, but she wasn't a complete jerk. She did her thing and let Giles and Ms. Calendar do theirs without trying to make Giles choose between his responsibility to his Slayer and his time and attention toward his girlfriend. And Buffy noticed that Ms. Calendar seemed to do the same. Ms. Calendar never gave so much as an eyeroll or an exasperated look when Buffy's training sometimes ran over into what was clearly date territory, and usually would settle herself at her laptop or with papers to grade without complaint until they were finished. And the one time that Buffy'd had to call Giles at home over some gross demon she'd killed on patrol, Ms. Calendar had greeted her warmly when she'd answered Giles's phone, glossing over any weirdness with that situation, and passed the phone to her Watcher easily. "It's Buffy," Jenny had said cheerfully. "Something weird on patrol, sounds important." And Buffy had felt a little less like she'd intruded on grownup time and more that, no matter what she'd interrupted, she was welcome there.

But despite all of that, Buffy thought as she sat frozen at the library table, too deep in thought to even catch Willow's eye across from her, she hadn't really known Ms. Calendar. She'd known the basics, sure, that Ms. Calendar was good with computers and a pretty chill teacher and that she'd taken the whole demon/vampire/Hellmouth thing in stride and that she seemed to be really into Giles. Buffy had wondered a little about that in the beginning - young, pretty, exuberant Ms. Calendar clearly pursuing her very British and often stuffy librarian Watcher - and it had made it easier for her, later on, to proclaim that Jenny had just been spying on them with a hidden agenda and hadn't cared for any of them. But deep down, Buffy doubted her own venom. She'd carefully observed, numerous times, how Ms. Calendar's face would light up whenever Giles would round the corner near her classroom, or the easy way she'd touch his hand or his shoulder when they were all tired after researching in the library. Buffy had never been on the receiving end of it too much herself, but she'd seen Ms. Calendar's gentle camaraderie with Willow, watched as Willow offered shy but enthusiastic extra credit projects and free time in the lab, and Ms. Calendar had reciprocated with praise and encouragement, sometimes even with a reassuring squeeze of Willow's arm and a genuine smile. Willow didn't really have the best situation at home, even though she rarely talked about it, but Buffy had the suspicion that Ms. Calendar had sensed it all the same.

Most of all, Buffy remembered how Ms. Calendar had handled the whole Ted situation, calmly cleaning up bits of robot from Buffy's house and directing Willow and Xander to help her while carefully following Buffy's lead. She hadn't commented on Buffy's trembling lip or wringing hands or nervous pacing, probably sensing that calling attention to it would have made it worse, but she had gently wrapped an arm around Buffy's shoulders once they were finally cleaned up and just stood there for a minute while Buffy got herself together. It was the first time in ages, Buffy realized later, that anyone had treated her like a kid rather than the hellion she was rumored to be or the Vampire Slayer she actually was. And that was the thing about Ms. Calendar, Buffy realized as she sat ruminating. Buffy might not have known her, known her, but maybe that wasn't because Ms. Calendar was two-faced and deceptive, but because she'd been taking her cue from each of them all along. She hadn't forced herself on any of them, as another authority figure or as the girlfriend of the main adult in their circle or even as someone else who fought for their cause, but she'd let each of them set the tone for how she dealt with them. And Buffy felt more than just a tinge of regret and shame that she had kept Ms. Calendar at such an arm's length for so long. It could have been more than that, she realized now, if she had let it be. Ms. Calendar was her Watcher's girlfriend and a cool but harmless teacher, but now Buffy was getting the sense that it wasn't all that she could be. She was glad, in some weird way as they all huddled in the school library hiding out from her sadistic vampire ex-boyfriend, one of them barely alive to tell the tale, that she'd been given this second chance to see what - who - Jenny Calendar actually was. Because she was getting the feeling that it was nothing like she'd thought or known at all.

Buffy looked up as Willow nudged her foot under the table. Willow gestured subtly toward Giles and Ms. Calendar, who were now very much locked in each other's arms, and mouthed something to Buffy that she couldn't quite make out, but seemed to be something along the lines of "giving them space." Buffy couldn't agree more, and shifted in her seat to get moving. She could admit that she hadn't been fair to Ms. Calendar and that maybe there was more to her than she'd originally given her any credit for, but that also didn't mean that she felt like spending the night watching two grown adults amp up the PDA mere feet from where she sat. Although the near-dying did seem to be a valid excuse as any.

Willow managed to creep over to Buffy's side of the table without drawing any attention to herself, and the two of them eased silently in the direction of the stairs. "You two aren't leaving, are you," Jenny called over to them suddenly, her voice soft but still stiff with residual fear. "It's not safe, even if one of you is the Slayer." Buffy watched as Ms. Calendar eased herself back from Giles, who had turned to fix them both with a stern look - for possibly leaving or interrupting, Buffy wasn't sure which, but reached out to take his hand. It was almost like she was afraid to be apart from him, Buffy thought, watching the tense looks on both of their faces as they considered the two girls before them. But that wasn't all it, she realized, her heart clunking around noisily in her chest. That nervous look, the slightly panicked voice, the way she clutched at Giles's hand...Ms. Calendar was worried for them. Had she always been, and Buffy had just never seen it? Or chosen not to? Buffy didn't know.

"We're not leaving," Willow said quickly, stepping forward a little bit in a way that seemed to be reassuring. "Really, we weren't. That'd probably be like...suicide, or something, at this point."

"Yeah," Buffy added, trying to break the tension. "Neither of us are into that. We promise." She met Giles's gaze for a moment before addressing Ms. Calendar directly. Even as she stood there, she could barely count on one hand the number of times she'd done that prior to today. "We probably should call our moms. Give them the usual. I'm staying at Willow's, she's staying with me, etcetera, etcetera."

Willow looked over at her, the events of the night catching up. "Your mom's going to be so mad," she said to Buffy warningly. "She was already mad about Angel, and she wouldn't have even let us out if Giles hadn't come to get us and convinced her."

Buffy winced. She was definitely in for it. "She's going to freak. But it'll be worse if I don't call. I'll make up some excuse. And your mom is…"

"Probably not going to notice, but I'll call just in case." Willow's voice took on that quietly resigned tone that Buffy was familiar with whenever her mom came up in conversation, but she watched as Ms. Calendar's eyes narrowed a bit at Willow's comment. So she was protective. Buffy felt her respect toward Ms. Calendar growing even more.

"We should figure out some sort of plan for the night," Giles offered. "No need for us all to be sleep-deprived and miserable."

Buffy shrugged. "We should both get out of here early enough to get home and get changed," she said, looking at Willow for confirmation. "No way is my mom going to let me skip tomorrow. So, first light, we're up and gone."

Ms. Calendar nodded. "I agree. We all need to be out of here early before Snyder comes poking around. Regroup a little before class."

"I think you definitely earned the morning off, Ms. Calendar," Willow suggested gently, but Ms. Calendar shook her head.

"I don't think I could stand being alone. Even in the daylight." She looked at Giles as she spoke, almost as if her understandable trepidation was some sort of confession of weakness, but also with a quiet desperation. Ms. Calendar didn't want to be alone. Buffy could understand that, probably more than anyone in some ways. Somehow Buffy was always alone, even when she was surrounded by people. The Chosen One basically translated to the one who walked the barren path.

"You won't be alone," Buffy said, surprising even herself with the forcefulness in her voice. "And tonight Willow and I...we'll just sit on the stairs. Gossip. Braid our hair. Nap. Do the whole "sleepover in the library" thing up right. You two could...isn't there a couch in your office, Giles?"

"It's a sofa," Giles said primly, causing all three women to stare at him, unimpressed, until he relented. "Which, to answer your question...yes. You two will be comfortable on the...stairs?"

"Probably not," Buffy deadpanned. "But it's better than those chairs. If I have to sleep in one of them, I might as well go out and let Angelus beat me up. Same effect." She was surprised to see a quick smile cross Ms. Calendar's face, and even more surprised when she found that she was smiling in return. "Come on, Will. Phone calls then siesta."

"I didn't think you knew Spanish," Willow commented as she went to grab the phone behind the desk.

"Know is sort of a strong word," Buffy answered, a bit distracted as she watched Giles carefully help Ms. Calendar off the table, their hands intertwining as they headed for his office. Maybe they'd be okay after all. "I mean, come on, who doesn't know siesta?"

-BtVS-

"So," Buffy mused, trying to sound casual as she and Willow lay draped across the stairs side by side. "Are you awake?" If her squinting at the clock was accurate, they were hovering somewhere around 1am.

"Yeah." Willow's voice was sleepy but grounded. "I want to sleep but I don't think I can."

"School is going to be all sorts of fun tomorrow. Maybe I'll nap in history."

"You always nap in history."

Buffy shoved Willow's shoulder lightly. "Tomorrow it's going to be way past casual snooze, that's for sure." The strangeness of the evening seemed to settle around them once again. "Will," she asked, lowering her voice even further. "Do you think she's okay?"

Willow was quiet for so long that Buffy thought she'd fallen asleep. "Yes and no," she finally answered. She rolled toward Buffy and propped herself up on an elbow. "She's alive, so yes. But, also no."

Buffy could understand that, even without an explanation. "What's she like," she asked offhandedly, as if the question hadn't been churning in her brain for the past few hours.

"Ms. Calendar?" Willow sounded perplexed. "You...you know her, Buffy. Even if she didn't tell the whole truth about who she was and why she was here, you still know her. You've known her for like, over a whole year."

"I guess. I mean, yes, technically. But I don't...know her, know her is what I mean. I knew you after a year. And Xander. And Giles. I probably even knew more about Cordelia or, gosh, even Amy the witch. But she's...different."

"Maybe because you're calling her 'she'", Willow pointed out gently. "It doesn't make it sound so much like she's someone you want to know."

"But it's because I don't," Buffy countered. "Know her, I mean. Not really. Maybe it's my fault or hers or no one's. But...I feel like I know Ms. Calendar the computer lady or Ms. Calendar who's dating my Watcher or Ms. Calendar who happens to be in the know about the Hellmouth. But none of those things tell me anything about...her."

"You probably know more than you think," Willow said, but relented when she caught sight of Buffy's face, clearly sour even in the near darkness. "Okay, well, I'll go first and then you can try. Ms. Calendar's pretty cool. I mean, that's fairly obvious, I guess, but she's especially cool in class. She talks to us like we're more than stupid kids. And she's nice, like beyond just being, you know, friendly and all. She never minds if I stay late in the lab or go there during my free. She talks to me like I'm actually there, you know? Like I'm important or that she likes me or likes that I'm around. I mean, besides Giles, which teachers at our school actually do that?"

"I guess that's true," Buffy said slowly. "I don't think I ever really noticed."

"It's different with you, I think," Willow offered, and Buffy tried not to let it sting. But Willow followed up with a hasty explanation. "Not different, like bad. Or like she doesn't like you. I think she likes you a lot. I think she likes all of us a lot, really. But it's different because she knows how important you are to Giles, and how important he is to you, even if you guys don't talk about it. I don't think she wants to feel like she's getting in the way, or that she's part of some package deal with Giles. Like that if you want to, you know, do Slayer stuff with him, that she'll just tag along."

"So you're saying that she's kept her distance because...she cares? Like, it wasn't just to shut me out or because she didn't like me, but because she didn't want to force herself on me just because she was with Giles?"

"Is that so hard to believe, Buffy? Really? That she could just be doing something to be nice and not to be two-faced?"

Buffy ducked her head, knowing she'd been called out and that it was deserved. "It's not," she said honestly. "I guess I just never realized it before tonight."

"You didn't want to," Willow said pointedly. "Because you were hurt. And angry. And you needed something to take it out on. Someone."

"I can admit when I screw up," Buffy sighed. "I just...I know how close we came, how close Ms. Calendar came, with Angelus. And all I keep thinking about is how much it would have gutted Giles and you, even, and it makes me think I missed something because I'd be sad and sorry and especially sad for Giles, but...I feel like I didn't know her at all."

"Maybe you didn't," Willow admitted. "Maybe you didn't want to. Or you two just sent each other bad signals. But you can now. And maybe that would be good. I mean, having Giles has been good, right?"

"Oh sure," Buffy said, half-sarcastic, half-serious. "Totally good. Extra homework and responsibilities and saving the world, all with a dash of Brit for good measure. But yeah...Giles. He's a grown up but he gets it."

"And that's what Ms. Calendar is, too," Willow explained. "Or she's been for me, anyway. She's like a female Giles but more...techy than library and like, cool American than serious England. Coffee over tea, that sort of thing. But Buffy, she's safe and she's a grownup and she gets it, too. I mean, isn't it nice to have another grownup that actually knows things, that we all don't have to bend the truth with all the time?"

Buffy thought of her mother, their good days and their bad, how even the simplest errands and outings often were soured by vampires and slaying and the supernatural. What would it be like if her mother was in the loop, and not only knew of her other life but tolerated it, accepted it even? Ms. Calendar wasn't Buffy's mother, but maybe Willow had a point. Having another adult around who was fully versed in Sunnydale After Dark could only be a good thing. And there were worse candidates, she realized, than the pretty, apparently caring, in-love-with-her-Watcher, computer nerd Ms. Calendar that Buffy had worked so hard to keep away. Maybe if she put even half as much effort into trying things out and opening herself up, things between them would be better.

"I can tell what you're thinking," Willow interrupted her thoughts, reaching over to smooth the wrinkle between Buffy's eyes. "You're being hard on yourself. Too hard."

"You were right, Will. I did shut her out. I don't think I gave her much of a fair chance. Or tried to see her as anything other than Giles'...girlfriend. That's still weird to say."

"But I saw you before," Willow insisted gently. "When you were cleaning her up. I could tell you cared and that you were sorry and that you were glad she was okay. And if I could tell from across a room, scrambling to keep everything safe from a rampaging bad guy, I bet she could, too."

"But what do I do now," Buffy wondered aloud, half to Willow and half to herself. "I mean, I don't want it to be like all weird or be like...all best friends-y. Mostly because it would seem like I was only doing it just because she almost died and not because I…"

"Actually care?" Willow smiled at her tiredly. "You're thinking too much. Maybe you should just act like you want to act and say what you want to say and feel how you want to feel, and let Ms. Calendar decide how to take it."

"Maybe you're right." Buffy caught Willow's bleary eyes and figured she'd give it a rest. They'd all had enough for one night without her interrogating Willow on how to manage the bruised woman currently asleep with her Watcher in the next room. Or quite possibly laying awake talking about her and Willow much as she and Willow were talking about them.

"You never took your turn," Willow said, her accusing tone undercut by the sleep in her voice. "Remember? I said all the things I knew about Ms. Calendar. Maybe you ought to try, too. See if it helps. If you know more than you think." She rolled onto her back beside Buffy.

Buffy copied her movement, giving herself a moment to think as she adjusted. She kept her voice soft and light, knowing they'd both probably drift off before long. "Well, she...Ms. Calendar, she's funny sometimes," she began thoughtfully. "Especially when she used to snipe at Giles. And it was cute, like in the beginning, with her and Giles even though it was also sort of ick. Growns ups and PDA give me the skeevies."

"Getting off topic," Willow mumbled.

"Right. So funny and...sort of cute. But I guess, like if we're talking not with Giles, she...helps. And helps without freaking or complaining, so that's...good. Like she helps us research when she doesn't have to. And she helped Xander with his homework that time in the library. And with Ted, she... " Buffy's throat closed a little as she thought again about Ms. Calendar's calm expression as she took charge of things, and the feel of her arm around her shoulder, anchoring her to reality even though all of Buffy's instincts were screaming at her to let go. "Anyway, you know, with Ted. And you're right, she doesn't treat us like we're little teenyboppers and she's a big tough grownup. And she doesn't treat me...she doesn't treat me like I'm just some Vampire/demon/all the baddies killing supergirl. She...Ms. Calendar...she's just treated me like...I'm me. Like all of me. Will?"

But Willow was fast asleep beside her. "I guess we'll save that part for another day," Buffy murmured, her own eyes drifting shut. Morning would be here soon.

-BtVS-

Morning did come quickly. Buffy would have liked to sleep in, even on the god-awful steps of the school library, but she needed to get home. Willow was right; her mother was probably furious. But if Buffy made it in early, she reasoned, maybe even made it look like she'd had a change of heart and come home late after her mother had been in bed rather than staying out all night, she may save some face here.

Buffy stretched out her neck and shoulders before turning to Willow and shaking her shoulder gently. "It's light," she whispered. "You coming with me?"

Willow groggily opened her eyes to squint at Buffy. "My mom won't miss me," she said, the harsh truth slipping out between them. "I bet Giles or Ms. Calendar would give you a ride home. Do you want to wait?"

It was tempting, but Buffy needed some alone time. Reality was starting to set in about Angelus and what she was going to have to do, and she needed the walk home to clear her head. "No, but I'll go tell them I'm leaving. And I'm checking the parking lot, too, in case Angel - Angelus - got up to anything."

"Be safe. And see you later." Willow looked about ready to fall back asleep. "And Buffy...just try, okay? Just be yourself. You guys will figure it out. She's...she's not a puzzle. She's just like you or me just...teacher-like and maybe a little witchy. But we like that. Okay? So go easy."

Buffy touched Willow's head, a thank you and an apology all at once. "I will."

She had little to gather having brought next to nothing with her in their hurry and panic the night before, so Buffy crept quietly toward Giles' office. She lingered at the door a bit uncomfortably, ducking her eyes a little before realizing how ridiculous she was being. They aren't doing it on the couch, idiot, with you and Willow asleep in the next room. The whole thing was rather tame, actually, probably due to the stupidly small size of the very fashionable couch. Ms. Calendar was tucked what looked to be rather comfortably into Giles's side, and his arm was around her protectively even in sleep.

Buffy supposed that it would have made more sense to wake up Giles, or even just to call from the doorway that she was leaving and wait for a half-asleep acknowledgement before heading out. But her heart seemed to have something else in mind, and it propelled her across the small room and prompted her to crouch down in front of Ms. Calendar instead. Buffy squeezed her knee gently before reaching out a bit hesitantly for Ms. Calendar's hand - the one that was draped in her own lap rather than across Giles. This was weird, but Buffy had a feeling that she was going to have to get used to it.

"Hey," she said softly. She rubbed Ms. Calendar's hand a little, too nervous to shake her around too much after the night they'd had. "Ms. Calendar?" She watched as Jenny opened her eyes and looked around, taking in the room and Giles and Buffy kneeling before her, and she registered the moment that it all came tumbling back - the wreck in the school, Angelus squeezing her neck, their barely-in-time rescue, and the night in the library. "It's okay," Buffy said quickly, still mindful of her volume. "You're okay. You're safe." She watched Ms. Calendar's eyes come back into focus a little as they met her own, and she fought the urge to pull her hand away. Small progress was still progress.

"Buffy," Ms. Calendar said, her eyes not even drifting over to Giles even as she kept her own tone low. "Are you okay, honey?" She let her fingers close around Buffy's so that their hands were essentially locked together.

Buffy could barely think of the last time anyone asked her that, much less a time that she could actually give an honest answer. She thought of all the times that her mother had casually thrown the question out, as if it could really help anything, even though it gave her mother automatic "watchful mom" points for even asking. But here was someone - someone who had had an infinitely worse night than her - seconds after being woken up, asking how she was doing. It was unnerving, Buffy thought, but not because it was Ms. Calendar. It was unnerving because she wasn't used to it. It seemed connected to the kid she'd stopped being long ago, when she'd set fire to the school gym and started the domino effect that had led to this entire gory mess.

And the honey. It was the sort of thing that would have raised Buffy's hackles immediately if it so clearly hadn't been muttered on pure instinct. Ms. Calendar wasn't awake enough to plot or scheme about how to win Buffy over or soften her up with a nice maternal gesture. It was genuine. And Buffy supposed she knew enough about Ms. Calendar to know that she wasn't the sort of teacher to simper over her students and drop honeys and sweeties in every conversation. So rather than feeling smothered or babied or talked down to, it gave Buffy the odd sensation of feeling like she'd won some sort of prize that she hadn't even known she'd wanted.

"I'm okay," Buffy answered, suddenly shy and a bit overcome by all of the revelations running through her head. "I should be asking you that, really. Are you...does it hurt?" She thought back to their little partner first aid exercise the night before.

"I'm okay, too," Jenny reassured her easily. "It sounds sort of lame, but...just happy to be here, I guess. That's the biggest feeling I have right now."

Buffy ducked her head, letting her hair fall in front of her face, and felt the loss of contact when Ms. Calendar shifted her hand from Buffy's. But that was immediately rectified when she felt Ms. Calendar stroke through her hair gently, just as she had the night before.

"I need to head home," Buffy said quietly, not wanting Jenny to stop but knowing she had to go. "Try to smooth things over with my mom."

"You sure you don't want a ride?" The soft strokes continued.

"Thank you, but...I need to walk a little. Clear my head and all of that. But Willow's going to need one. She fell back asleep."

Jenny hummed a sympathetic little hum. "I'll take her. Or...we will. We haven't figured that out yet." She chanced a look at Giles, who was still somehow asleep.

"You love him." Buffy was barely aware of the words coming out of her mouth and she braced herself for Ms. Calendar to pull back from her, shy or indignant or uncomfortable, maybe some combination of all of the above.

But Ms. Calendar didn't stop. "I do," she admitted softly. "So much. I mean, I knew that before I almost died, but almost dying...it makes a lot of things really clear. And I won't hurt him again, Buffy, I promise. Not him or you or Willow or any of you. I'm...I'm in this for the long haul. In every way."

Buffy raised her eyes to Jenny's face then, aware that she'd just gotten something that she hadn't even known that she'd wanted or had been waiting for. "I know," she said simply. She resisted the urge to throw herself in Ms. Calendar's arms and channel her Slayer strength into the hug of all hugs. But this wasn't the time. Giles would wake up and it would ruin the moment and Jenny had been right last night, maybe there was more for them to really say. To really try to understand about each other. So she settled for a compromise, leaning forward to press a tentative but sweet kiss to Ms. Calendar's cheek. Ms. Calendar looked a bit flustered when Buffy pulled back, but her suddenly bright eyes and full smile told Buffy that it was happy-flustered, not freaked, uncomfortable flustered.

Buffy took her hand one more time. "I have to go," she said again, but more earnestly this time. "But, Ms. Calendar, last night...you said about making things right? There's things that I really need to make right. And I will. I promise."

Ms. Calendar cupped her cheek, some of the brightness from her eyes now wetting her own cheeks. "I seem to remember a certain someone telling me that it wasn't my job to make it right. And that I didn't break it and it wasn't on me to fix it. I think the same ought to apply to you."

Buffy bit her lip, the guilt still evident on her face, until she felt Ms. Calendar's thumb gently easing across the tension in her face. "Hey, none of that," Ms. Calendar told her gently. "I'm okay, you're okay...and Buffy, we're okay. Really. Whatever wrong you feel like you've done, consider it...righted? Corrected? One of those."

Buffy smiled a little before the seriousness set in again. "It's more than I deserve."

"You're a kid," Ms. Calendar countered, her hand still stroking on Buffy's face as if to take the sting out of her words. "And a Slayer, I know, but you should get to be a kid. You deserve the world. You have to protect it, sure, but you deserve it too. Okay?"

Oddly, Buffy felt like she could finally breathe. Had carrying all of this betrayal and sadness and hurt and directed it at the wrong person really just been choking her all along? "Okay," she said simply. It felt anticlimactic to ease back from Ms. Calendar after all of that, but Buffy was sure now more than ever that this wasn't the end to their story.

"I'll see you later," she said instead. "Stay safe, okay? All of you. And tell Giles…"

"Where you went and that you'll see him back here later?"

Buffy let herself smile. "Exactly that. Now I gotta run before my mother wakes up and loses her mind." She took one last look at the sight before her, her Watcher and Ms. Calendar, the devotion and love apparent even on the tiny sofa. They were going to be just fine.