Q/A: Boris - No not every episode will be done. Like my other Charmed Story. I will skip some, there is multiple reasons for that. One, the story would just be longer period and it's already going to be long as is now (approx. 200 chapters). Two, I already have another Charmed Story and would like to not add all of the same episodes to both stories. Some of course will have to be added that's unavoidable such as season premieres and finales among others. Those episodes will likely play out different though.

Chapter 22: Prophecy Girl

Somewhere near the school Buffy is lying on the ground a vamp is standing over her. Buffy glares at him.

Buffy does a backwards roll and comes up on her feet. She reaches behind her back and pulls out a stake. The vampire snarls, hesitates.

The vamp and Buffy trade couple of quick hard blows and then Buffy SLAMS the stake home. The vampire falls, crumbles to dust.

Tired, Buffy wipes her brow. "Three in one night. Giles would be so proud."

Inside the Library Giles pores over a book. "The Master shall rise... Yes, this is it. The Master shall rise, and the Slayer..." He stops. "My God." He reads further. Grabs another volume from his desk, rifles through it to a particular passage. Compares them. "Oh... no..."

Outside somewhere near the school Buffy looks about her, more wary than afraid. Tries to keep her footing as an earthquake hits.

The next morning in the Library Giles emerges from his office, heads for the book cage. It's fairly obvious that he hasn't slept.

As he reaches the cage, Buffy walks into the library from the corridor, coming up near the cage and seeing the crack running across the library. "Morning. Wow. That damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe in here?" Buffy says.

Giles turns to Buffy, "Buffy..." He looks at her, trying to conceal a rush of emotion.

Buffy tries to puzzle out his expression. "Do I have something on my face?"

Giles shakes his head, "No... and yes, we're safe." He shakes it off, turns back to his books.

Buffy nods, "How're you doing there, Giles? You get much sleep?"

"I've been working." Giles says.

"Me too! Yes I went hunting last night and it's awfully sweet of you to ask." Buffy says. Giles pulls out two volumes, crossing to the main desk, on which are piled several others. "It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night. One of them was practically on school grounds."

Giles nods, "Their numbers are increasing."

"And they're getting cockier. I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call." Buffy says.

Giles nods absently, "Yes..."

Buffy sighs, "Giles, CARE. I'm putting my life on the line, battling the undead! I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, "Hmmmm" ."

Giles looks at Buffy, "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're all right but I need to verify... I just can't talk right now."

"That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate." Buffy says sarcastically.

Giles is alarmed at that, "What?"

Buffy smiles, "Biology." She heads out into the corridor towards class.

Giles watches her go.

Later in the Quad Buffy, Xander and Willow all head out and down the steps.

"Wow, that was... boring." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I don't feel that boring covers it."

Buffy nods, "No, "boring" falls short."

"Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd." Willow says.

Buffy shakes her head, "Don't say that."

Willow nods, "I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age; nerds are in. They're still in, right?"

"Willow, don't you have a thing?" Xander asks.

Willow looks at Xander puzzled, "A thing? The thing! That I have! Which is a thing. I have to go to it. See you later!" She goes off quickly, Buffy watching.

"What on earth is her deal?" Buffy asks.

Xander shrugs, "She's Willow. So Buffy! I wanted to - there was a thing I wanted to ask you. To talk to you about."

Buffy sighs, "Okay. What's up?"

Xander nods, "Why don't we sit down. Over here." He steers her toward the bench by the fountain.

"Okay, now you're making me nervous." Buffy says.

Xander shakes his head,"There's nothing to be nervous about, silly. Ha."

"Well?" Buffy says.

Xander nods, "You know, Buffy, Spring Fling is a time for students to gather and - oh, God. Buffy, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me. On a date."

Buffy takes a moment, as this sinks in. "Xander, I don't know what to say..."

"Well, you're not laughing, so that's a good start. Buffy, I like you." Xander says. "A lot. I mean, we're friends, and we've shared experiences, we've fought blood sucking fiends together, and that's a good time, but... I want more than that. I wanna dance with you."

Buffy sighs, "Xander... You're one of my best friends. The best friends I've ever had. You and Willow, I mean, I love you guys so much -"

Xander nods, "Well, Willow's not looking to date you. Or if she is she's playing it really close to the chest."

"I don't want to spoil the friendship we have." Buffy says.

Xander nods, "I don't want to spoil it either. But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't." He waits, knowing the answer already.

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't. I'm sorry. I just don't think of you that way."

"Well, try. I'll wait." Xander says.

Buffy sighs, "Xander..."

Xander shakes his head, "No. Forget it. I'm not him. I guess a guy's gotta be undead to make time with you."

"That's really harsh." Buffy says.

Xander ndos, "I'm sorry. I don't handle rejection well. Funny, considering how much practice I've had."

Buffy sighs, "I never meant to -"

"You know what? Let's just not." Xander says as he bails, wandering off under the archway.

Buffy sits by herself on the bench, bummed. Which is when the hail of pebbles starts. The first few get Buffy's attention, tiny hard pellets hitting the ground around her. She stands as more start coming down.

People - including Buffy - all run for cover as the real shower starts. Buffy stands under the archway, watching the hail come down.

"Check it out! It's raining stones!" A student says.

After school Buffy is in the Girl's locker room she is finishing changing into clothes for slaying. She pulls a stake out of her locker and slips it in her jacket.

Buffy crosses to the sinks. She turns on the faucet, looking in the mirror. After a moment she bends down to splash her face. Stops. The sink is filling with blood.

Buffy makes her way to and enters the empty library, looking about for Giles. "Giles? You're not gonna believe -" Her gaze is drawn to the office.

She sees Giles is in urgent conversation with Angel.

"Angel...?" Buffy says as she moves toward the office, quietly excited. Almost reaches the door and stops - when she hears them.

"It can't be. You've got to be wrong." Angel says.

"I've checked it against every volume I have. It's real." Giles says.

Angel nods, "Well, there's got to be some way around it."

Giles sighs, "Some prophecies are dodgey. Mutable. Buffy herself has thwarted them time and again." He hold up a book. "But this is the Pergamum Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass."

Angel shakes his head, "Then you're reading it wrong."

"I wish to God I were. But it's very plain. Tomorrow night, Buffy will face the Master. And she will die." Giles says.

Buffy continues staring, absorbing the information she has just heard. Then, perhaps incongruously, she begins to laugh.

Giles and Angel turn and head for the door.

Buffy turns and walks away from them, into the middle of the library. They come out and stand a ways behind, looking a tad guilty.

Buffy turns back to them. "So that's it, huh? My time is up. I remember the drill. "One Slayer dies, the next is called." I wonder who the next one is." Are you gonna train her? Or will they send someone else."

Giles sighs, "Buffy, I..." He really can't think of what to say.

Buffy sighs, "Does it say how he's gonna kill me?" She sinks into a chair. Angel comes up to her, touches her face. She pushes his hand away violently. "Don't touch me!" She is near tears now, looking up at them angrily. "Were you guys even gonna tell me?"

Giles sighs, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to. That there was some way around it."

Buffy rises out of the chair, "Oh, I've got a way around it. I quit."

Angel shakes his head, "It's not that simple."

Buffy nods, "I'm making it that simple! I quit! I resign! I'm fired! Someone else can stop the Master from taking over."

"I don't know that anyone else can. The signs all indicate -" Giles says.

"The signs?" Buffy says as she takes one of his books from the table and hurls it across the room - almost at Giles himself. "Read me the signs!" She throws another. "Tell me my fortune! You're so useful, sitting around with your books. You're really a lot of help."

Giles sighs, "I don't suppose I am."

Angel nods, "I know this is hard..."

Buffy nods, "What do you know about it? You're never gonna die."

"You think I want anything to happen to you? Do you think I could stand it? We just have to figure out a way -" Angel says.

Buffy nods, "I already have. I quit, remember? Pay attention."

"Buffy, if the Master rises -" Giles says.

Buffy sighs, "I don't care! I don't care. I'm sixteen years old. And I don't want to die." She closes her hand around the cross Angel gave her. Yanks the chain off her neck. Lets it drop. Neither man says anything as she walks out of the room.

Back at the Manor Buffy sits on her bed, looking through old pictures and letters.

Prue steps in. "Hey, Buffy. Are you all right?"

Buffy sighs, "I guess. Actually no not really, Prue. Do you remember what Melinda said she saw?"

Prue nods, "That you would be the longest living Slayer and you and your descendants would have many more daughters? Just like Phoebe, Piper and I are supposed to."

Buffy nods, "It looks like her vision was wrong. There is a prophecy. It says tomorrow night I will face the Master and I will die."

Prue sighs and sits on the bed next to Buffy, "Maybe because you know about it now Buffy it won't happen. Regardless tell you what… Piper, Phoebe and I will go with you to the dance tomorrow night. What's more powerful than the Power of Three?"

Buffy smiles, "Only the Power of Three augmented."

Prue nods as she stands up. "Now I think it's time for a gift." She swings open the closet door. Hanging up inside is a genuinely stunning gown. Buffy stares at it. "I saw you eying it at the store. I figured..."

Buffy stands and goes to it, "Prue, we can't afford this."

Prue laughs, "No objections Buffy. It's the least I can do for my favorite cousin."

Buffy smiles, "It's beautiful." She hugs Prue.

Prue nods, "I think you should wear it. To the dance."

Buffy sighs, "I can't go to the dance. Remember big prophecy."

Prue shakes her head, "No worries, Buffy. We will be there you won't die."

A few minutes later Buffy steps in front of the mirror. She has the dress on.

Piper calls out, "Buffy!" She runs in. "There's something on the news. Willow."

A shorttime later in Willow's bedroom Willow is sitting on her bed, knees drawn up, still freaked. Buffy has thrown a jacket over the dress, is sitting on the bed as well. "I've seen so much, I thought I could take anything. But Buff... This was... this was different, it..." Willow says.

Buffy nods, "It's okay..."

Willow sighs, "I'm trying to think how to say it. To explain it so you understand."

Buffy shakes her head, "Willow, as long as you're okay -"

Willow nods, "I'm not okay. I can't imagine what it's like to be okay. I knew those guys. I go to that room every day. And when I walked in there, it was... It wasn't our world anymore. They made it theirs. And they had fun." Buffy looks away, thinking. "What are we gonna do?"

Buffy nods, "What we have to." She stands, decided. "You'll stay in tonight, all right?"

Willow nods. "I tried to reach Xander, but he's not picking up. I'll go by his house tomorrow. We'll get together and figure out what to do."

"Tomorrow." Buffy says as she goes, reaches the door.

"Buffy." Willow says as Buffy turns. "I like your dress."

Buffy looks down at it, looks up at Willow. "Take care." She goes. Willow watches her, puzzled. The finality in Buffy's tone beginning to sink in.

A shorttime later at the library Giles and Ms. Calendar are talking.

"Depends on where he's leading them to. Aurelius wrote of the Anointed one, "the Slayer will not know him, and he will lead her into Hell"." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "So Luca thinks the Anointed is a kid?"

Giles nods, "If the vampire Buffy killed was not in fact the Anointed, it may well be."

"Well then we should warn her." Ms. Calendar says.

Giles shakes his head, "I don't plan to involve her at all."

Ms. Calendar frowns, "What do you mean?"

Giles sighs, "Buffy isn't going to face the Master. I am."

"No you're not." Buffy says as she walks over to them, newfound determination in her face. "So I'm looking for a kid, huh? He'll take me to the Master."

Giles shakes his head, "Buffy, I'm not sending you out there to die. You were right. I've waded about in these old books for so long I've forgotten what the real world is like. It's time I found out."

Buffy sighs, "You're still not going up against the Master."

Giles frowns, "I've made up my mind."

"So have I." Buffy says.

Giles nods, "Well, I made up mine first. And I'm older and wiser and just do as I say for once. All right?"

"It's not how it goes. I'm the Charmed Slayer." Buffy says.

Giles shakes his head, "I don't care what the books say. I defy prophecy. I'm going. Nothing you can say will change my mind."

Buffy nods, "I know." She punches his lights out. He goes down in a heap. She looks at Calendar a moment, then takes the cross Angel gave her from the table. She puts it on. "When he wakes up, tell him... I don't know. Think of something cool, tell him I said it." She takes the crossbow.

"You fight the Master, you'll die." Ms. Calendar says.

Buffy nods, "Maybe... But maybe I'll take him with me." She pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Ms. Calendar. "After I'm gone call this number. It's my cousins. Tell them I'm sorry and that I love them." She turns and leaves.

Buffy exits the school and walks through the dark. She stops, sensing a presence. She turns to find Collin standing in the dark, looking at her.

"Help me..." Collin says.

Buffy smiles, "It's all right. I know who you are." She walks up to him. "Let's go."

Collin reaches up and takes her hand. They walk off together.

Inside the Library Ms. Calendar is dialing the phone. "Halliwell Residence, Phoebe speaking."

"Ms. Halliwell, it's Ms. Calendar at Gateway High. Buffy wanted me to call you and tell you she's sorry and she loves you all. She's gone to fight the master."

"What?" Phoebe says. "Thank you we'll be right there."

Somettime later Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Xander and Willow are with Giles and Ms. Calendar, being brought up to speed.

"She WHAT?" Xander asks.

Willow shakes her head, "I knew it. I told you something was going on with her."

Xander nods, "And she knew about this prophecy of yours? Oh, MAN! What do we do?"

Prue nods, "That's a good question, Xander."

"We stay calm, first thing." Giles says.

Xander frowns, "Calm!?"

Willow sighs, "I think he's right."

Xander sighs, "I'm sorry - Staying calm may work fine for Locutus of the Borg here but I'm freaked out and I plan to stay that way."

Phoebe sighs and loos to her sisters, "Your in good company."

Prue nods, "How could you let her go?"

Giles sighs, "As the soon-to-be-purple area on my jaw will indicate, I did not let her go. Buffy does as she will."

Piper nods, "Well, how can we help her?"

Ms. Calendar shakes her head, "I'm sorry to bring this up but we've also got an apocalypse to worry about."

Xander frowns, "Do you mind?"

"How come she's in the club?" Willow asks. "I understand Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Their Buffy's family. But her?"

Ms. Calendar sighs, "Hey, once the Master gets free, the Hellmouth opens. The demons come to party and everybody dies. We have to prepare. Rupert, you know I'm right."

Xander frowns, "I don't care. I'm sorry, I don't. I gotta help Buffy."

Giles nods, "But we don't even know where she's gone."

Xander smiles, "No. But I can find out."

Prue nods, "Angel." She looks to her sisters, "Help Giles with whatever he needs. I'll go with Xander, try and see if we can't keep Buffy from dying tonight."

Xander takes off. Willow steps forward – "Xander..."

In a tunnel Collin leads Buffy slowly through the darkness. They reach a part of the tunnels that veers off from the electrical tunnels - an older, rough hewn opening that heads even further down. They move slowly. They are silent.

At Angel's Apt. Angel is looking through his own volumes when someone POUNDS on the door a few times. He goes over to it, opens. And sees Prue and Xander.

"Well. Look who's here." Angel says.

Prue and Xander strides in, brushing past Angel.

"Mind if I come in?" Xander says.

Angel shuts the door, "Everybody's visiting lately. I really should clean the place up."

"Buffy's gone." Prue says.

Angel frowns, "What do you mean?"

Xander nods, "Buffy's going right now to fight the Master."

This news hits Angel pretty hard. "He'll kill her."

Prue nods, "That's what the prophecy says. Except we're not going to let that happen."

"What do you propose we do about it?" Angel says.

Xander nods, "We know you can find this Master guy. He's underground, right? Some old church? Take us to him."

Angel shakes his head, "You're way out of your league, kid. The Master'll kill you before you can breathe - if you're lucky." He then looks to Prue. "You really should have brought your sisters. The power of three might have stood a chance."

"How can I say this clearly?" Xander says as he suddenly holds a cross in Angel's face - Angel moves back, hissing. "I don't like you. At the end of the day I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy, man, she's got a big ol' yen for you. I don't get it. She thinks you're a real person. Right now I need you to prove her right."

Prue nods, "Please, Angel. This is my cousin were here for I don't want her to die."

Angel has sunk into his chair over this last. He looks at Xander. "You're in love with her."

Prue blinks and looks at Xander, "You are?"

Xander nods, "Aren't you?"

Back at the library Willow is looking at the door, worrying about Prue, Xander and Buffy. Piper, Phoebe, Giles and Ms. Calendar are trying to work out what to do - needless to say, some books are open between them.

"The Master is as old as any vampire on record. There's no way to tell how powerful he will be if he reaches the surface." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "Okay. Here's my question. The Hellmouth opens."

Piper nods, "Yes?"

"Where? If he's underground, and it's right where he is, where's it gonna open?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Giles nods, "Good point. Check through the Black Chronicles, and, uh, Willow - Willow."

"Huh?" Willow looks at Giles.

Giles nods, "Can you look through the town histories please? Search for any common denominators. Location of incidents and such."

"Right. Okay." Willow says.

Piper looks at Giles, "What do you want me and Phoebe to do?"

Giles hands them each a book. They nod in understanding.

Willow crosses to the computer, throwing a last look to the door.

"How big is a Hellmouth, anyway?" Phoebe asks.

Giles shrugs, "I don't know. Hellmouth-sized."

In the Church underground Collin leads Buffy down the tunnel toward the church. He stops, indicating she go alone.

Buffy nods as she steps down into the church. Looking around her.

"Welcome." The Master says.

Buffy looks around, "Thanks for having me. You really ought to talk to your contractor. I think you've got some water damage."

"Ah, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight. Darling, why don't we just cut to the -" The Master says.

Buffy spins and shoots.

The Master catches the arrow an inch from his heart. "Nice shot."

In the Tunnels Prue, Xander and Angel make their way through. Xander looks at Angel.

"What." Angel says.

Xander shakes his head, "You were looking at my neck."

Prue rolls her eyes.

"What?" Angel asks.

"You were checking out my neck! I saw that." Angel says.

Prue shakes her head, "No he wasn't."

"You just keep your distance, pal." Xander says.

Angel sighs and looks to Prue, "I wasn't looking at your neck!"

"I told you to eat before we left." Xander says.

Prue shakes her head, "How far?"

In the Church Buffy reloads, never taking her eyes off the Master.

"You're not going to kill me with that thing." The Master says.

Buffy smiles, "Don't be so sure."

"You still don't understand your part in all this, do you? You're not the hunter. You're the lamb." The Master says as he steps back, disappearing into the shadows.

In the Library Research continues. Ms. Calendar reads, "I've got nothing specific in here."

Phoebe nods, "Ditto."

Giles sighs, "Nor I."

"I don't either." Piper says.

"The Vampires have been gathering. They know he's coming. They will be his army." Giles says.

Ms. Calendar nods, "You think they'll gather at the Hellmouth?"

"Well, the last time the Master tried to rise was the Harvest. He sent a bunch of vampires to get him fresh blood. Maybe this is the same." Willow says.

"Where did that go down?" Ms. Calendar asks.

"The Bronze." Giles, Piper and Phoebe say at once.

Willow frowns, "The prom."

They look at each other.

Ms. Calendar nods, "We've got to warn them."

"You four go. I'll concentrate on Demon killing." Giles says.

Piper nods, "Phoebe stay and help Giles."

Phoebe nods, "Be careful."

Willow, Ms. Calendar and Piper head out.

Ms. Calendar nods, "My car's in the lot."

"Stay close together. And be careful." Giles says.

Willow nods, "We will."

In the Church Buffy walks slowly about, crossbow ready. "For somebody all-powerful, you sure do like to hide."

His voice comes from the other side of the room. She spins, standing in front of a pool of water. "I'm waiting for you. I want this moment to last."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't."

The Master grabs Buffy from behind, knocking the crossbow to the ground. "I understand."

Outside the school Piper, Willow and Ms. Calendar are rounding a corner, headed for her car.

"What if they get to the Bronze before us?" Willow asks.

Ms. Calendar looks around, "Don't worry about it."

Willow shakes her head, "Don't worry? Why not?"

Piper stops and notices what Ms. Calendar has seen. "'Cause they're not going to the Bronze."

Headed for them, in a line, moving slowly like zombies, are the vampires. Twenty of them. The women turn slowly, fear ripening on their faces.

Three vampires are passing Ms. Calendar's car. No way to reach it.

Willow turns to look back the way they came.

Four more.

"What do we do now?" Ms. Calendar asks.

Willow nods, "I vote panic."

Piper looks around, "I'll start freezing but I don't know how many I can hold off."

In the Church The Master holds Buffy by her arms. She twists but cannot break free. "You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was going to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They didn't tell you everything." He whispers intimately in her ear. "You're the one that frees me. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."

The Master buries his fangs in Buffy's neck. She cries out - the Master shakes with the power he is drawing from her. Her cry becomes a mewl, the expression of pain and horror freezing in her eyes. He rears his head back. "God, the power!"

Buffy's eyes shut. She sags in his grasp. The Master looks at her.

"By the way..." The Master says as he lets Buffy fall. She goes to her knees, then face-down into the pool of water. "I like your dress."

The Master crosses to the mystical wall. Pulls his hand back and shoves it through. The wall ripples, breaks up - as he steps through it disintegrates, the energy crackling around him. He walks through and up into the tunnel.

In the Tunnels Prue, Xander and Angel stop, hearing the mystical wall disintegrate. From the distance, a glow briefly illuminates them.

"What is that?" Xander asks.

Angel frowns, "It's too late. He's gone up."

Prue nods, "Come on. Come on!"

They race through the tunnel, Angel with a good head start. He sees Buffy, runs to her. Pulls her out of the pool and turns her over. Holds her, hand on her wrist, ear to her mouth.

Prue and Xander runs up to them, stops.

Angel looks up at them. "She's dead."

Prue and Xander rushes to Angel's side. They move Buffy away from the pool, laying her out.

"She's not dead." Xander says.

Angel shakes his head, "She's not breathing..."

Xander looks to Prue, "If she drowned there's a shot. CPR."

Prue nods and kneels down next to Xander, "I'll do chest compressions. Xander you breathe for her." She looks to Angel. "I'm assuming you don't breathe right?"

Angel nods, "I have no breath."

Then Xander leans over Buffy. Closing his fingers over her nose, he gives her mouth to mouth. Prue the heels of her hands to Buffy's chest and pumps the heart rhythmically.

Nothing. Xander breathes into her mouth again. Then Prue pumps the heart again.

"Come on. Come on." Xander says.

Prue watches Buffy, "Please you don't want to prove Melinda's vision wrong."

Outside the school Piper, Ms. Calendar and Willow are backing slowly up, with nowhere to go.

"Why are they coming here?" Ms. Calendar says.

Willow shakes her head, "Not caring..."

"Something tells me the Hellmouth isn't at the Bronze." Piper says as she freezes a vampire. "There is too many for me to do this forever."

They turn - there really is no avenue of escape.

A car pulls up next to them. Behind the wheel is Cordelia. "Get in!"

In the Church Xander is breathing into Buffy's mouth. Prue continues to pump Buffy's heart. Angel watches.

"Breathe!" Xander says.

Angel shakes his head - it's not working.

Buffy's eyes suddenly eyes open. She sucks in a huge gasp of air, coughing powerfully after.

"Buffy?" Xander and Prue says.

Buffy eyes focus, and she looks up, "Prue? Xander?"

Xander does a pretty good job of holding back his emotions - just smiles. Buffy looks over at Angel.

Xander smiles, "Welcome back."

Prue pulls Buffy into an embrace, "I thought I lost you there, Buffy."

Outside the School everyone gets in Cordelia's car.

"I was sitting where Kevin and I used to park, and suddenly these things were coming at me - I tried to get out but the gate's locked. Who are these guys?" Cordelia says.

A vampire jumps on the car.

"What do we do?" Cordelia asks.

Willow nods, "We've got to get to the library."

"Library. Right. Great." Cordelia says as she slams down on the gas pedal.

Willow, Piper and Ms. Calendar brace themselves as they realize how Cordelia plans to get them there.

The car races for the entrance to the building, Vampires jumping out of the way.

"Of course, we generally walk there..." Willow says.

The car BLASTS through the doors down the school corridor, the vampire still on the hood. Vampires on foot follow hard behind.

The car continues down the hall at a good clip till Cordelia slams on the brakes and the car screeches to a halt right outside the library doors. The vampire flying off the hood.

Vampires are already closing in as the four women pile out of the car and into the library. Cordelia is the last one in, closing the door behind her as a vampire is inches from grabbing her.

Phoebe and Giles rushes up to them as they barricade the door. "What's going on?"

"Guess!" Ms. Calendar says.

"They're not going to the Bronze." Piper says.

A vampire arm smashes through the round window in the door, clutching at them. Willow grabs the library sign and hits the arm till it withdraws.

"But why are they coming here?" Giles asks.

"My thought is somewhere under the school is the Hellmouth." Piper says.

In the Church Buffy starts to sit up.

"Easy..." Prue says as she and Angel takes her arms, helping.

"The Master..." Buffy says.

Angel nods, "He's gone up."

Buffy stands.

Prue shakes her head, "Buffy, you're still weak."

Buffy looks to her cousin ,"No, I'm not. I feel strong. I feel... different." Prue, Xander and Angel look at each other. Buffy looks at the entrance to the church. "Let's go." She starts out, strength in her stride.

After a moment, the boys and Prue follow.

In the Library The group is barricading the door when they hear the CRASH in the back.

"They're coming in through the stacks!" Giles calls out.

Piper looks to Phoebe, "Come on." They run to the back, shut the doors.

"The bookshelves!" Phoebe says as she and Piper hoist one in front of the door just as Vampires reach it, begin pounding on it from outside.

As Phoebe holds the bookcase firm. A tendril is creeping toward her.

Giles hears another crash. "My office." He runs to it.

Outside the school Buffy strides toward the school, the Prue, Xander and Angel flanking behind her.

"How do you know where the Master's going?" Xander asks.

Buffy nods, "I know." A vampire steps in front of them. "Oh, look. A bad guy."

Prue rolls her eyes as Buffy punches the vampire and sends him flying.

Buffy never breaks stride as they walk into the school and down a corridor.

Buffy reaches a door marked "Roof Access". The lock has been broken and the door is ajar. She turns to the others. "You guys wait here. Keep the rest of the vampires off me."

Xander nods, "Right."

Prue frowns, "Buffy I don't think…"

Buffy smiles, "I know, Prue. But this is something I have to do alone." Prue nods in understanding. "Don't worry I'm not dying twice tonight." She looks at Angel. "Angel, better put on your game face."

Angel turns to her, his face now vampiric. "I'm ready."

Buffy nods, "This won't take long." She starts up the stairs.

Prue, Xander and Angel turn and stand by the door like bodyguards.

In Giles office, Giles runs in just as a Vampire is breaking the window. Giles grabs a stake and drives it home. Starts moving the bookcase in the way of the window.

In the library Cordelia beats on the hand holding her, finally biting it till it lets go. "See how YOU like it."

Phoebe and Piper hold the bookcase.

Phoebe shakes her head, "This won't keep them out for long!"

A tendril wraps itself around Phoebe's leg. Willow looks down and screams!

Piper grabs Phoebe, tries to pull her away. They both fall to the floor, Piper tugs at the snared Phoebe. "Giles! GILES!"

And then it rises, bursting through the wood of the floor. It's a tentacle - or an arm - or something: grotesque, twisted flesh dripping with slime, dull, glassy eyes and mewling, razor-toothed mouths opening incongruously along its length. There is no reason to it. It's demon.

Giles runs out of his office and stops. "The Hellmouth..."

On the roof the Master looks down at the demon through the skylight.

The Master smiles, "Yes... come forth. My child... Come into my world."

Buffy shakes her head, "I don't think it's yours just yet."

The Master turns, disbelieving. "You... are dead."

Buffy nods, "I may be dead, but I'm still pretty. Which is more than I can say for you. Besides I'm Charmed."

The Master frowns, "You were destined to die! It was written."

Buffy smiles, "What can I say? I flunked the written." She powers up a fireball

The Master reaches out suddenly, clutching the air as though it were her. Locks eyes with her. Stares, mesmerizingly. "Come here. And extinguish that…"

In the library Piper pulls at Phoebe. "Giles! Gape later!"

Giles is shaken out of it. He runs to the book cage, to the weapons cabinet. Emerges with a tasty battle axe.

A horrible mouth opens - and then Giles sinks the axe into the tentacle holding Phoebe. Black ichor gushes from it - every mouth on it screams - and a second one bursts through the floor.

On the roof Buffy decides to play along and extinguishes the fireball. She moves toward the Master, never taking her eyes off him.

The Master comes towards her as well. "Do you really think you can best me here, when you couldn't below?"

Buffy comes right up to him and smiles, "You've got fruit punch mouth."

The Master frowns, "What?"

Buffy decks him in the face, a head snapping blow that lifts him up and sends him bodily to the ground. "And save the hypnosis crap for the tourists."

The Master roars, leaps up at her - and she blocks, delivers a series of blows that stagger. He gets one in himself, and the animal ferocity of it sends her back.

In the library the tentacle swings - Giles is knocked over the railing and slams down on the table, splintering it. Half the table sits upended just below the skylight, the shards pointing at the sky.

In the Hall Prue, Xander and Angel stand ready. Two vampires appear, run at them.

Xander pulls out a stake and his cross. He tosses the cross to Angel -

Angel frowns, "Ooh! Ow! Hot!" He baubles it and tosses it back.

Xander tosses him the stake instead. "Sorry." And the vampires are on him. He backs one down with the cross, taking the moment to punch him in the face.

Angel stakes the other one dusting him.

Prue telekinetically moves the other vampire off of Xander and onto Angel's stake dusting him.

In the library the tentacle rises over Giles. He crawls backwards, eyes on it.

On the roof Buffy and the Master are into it now. They spar a bit more - each getting in powerful blows - before he grabs her, holds her. The skylight right behind her.

Buffy looks down at it, sees through the skylight the broken table, pointing up.

The Master shakes his head, "Where are your jibes now? Will you laugh when my Hell is on earth?"

Buffy grabs him back, by the throat and the arm, and her grasp - from the look on his face - is stronger than his. "You're really that amped about Hell?" She pulls him close. "Go there."

Buffy lifts him, flips him bodily over her head, throwing him behind her so he lands on his back and crashes through the skylight. She powers up a fireball and sends it flying after the falling him.

The fireball hits the Master and he dusts leaving only his skeleton which impales itself on the broken table.

Everything stops. There is a rending kind of shriek from the Hellmouth and the demon tentacles withdraw.

Buffy makes her way downstairs and enters the library. Prue, Xander, Angel following. Everyone gathers in the middle of the room, a bit dazed.

Giles nods, "The vampires?"

Cordelia smiles, "Gone."

Angel nods, "The Master?"

Giles nods, "Dead. And the Hellmouth has closed." He turns to Buffy. "Buffy?"

Buffy bursts out crying. Prue, Piper and Phoebe pull Buffy into an embrace. Everyone else stands around for a minute, uncomfortably.

Buffy gets it down to a couple of sniffles as her cousins release her from the group hug. "I'm sorry. It's been a really weird day."

Xander nods, "Yeah, Buffy died and everything."

Willow blinks, "Wow. Harsh."

Giles beams at Buffy, "I should have known that wouldn't stop you."

Prue nods, "See I told you, you had nothing to worry about."

Buffy smiles, "You were right Prue."

Jenny nods, "Well, what do we do now?"

Giles nods, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd really like to get out of this library. I hate it here."

Xander nods, "I hear there's a dance over at the Bronze. Could be fun..."

Cordelia smiles, "Yeah!"

Willow nods, "Buffy?"

Buffy nods, "Sure. We saved the world. I say we party." She looks at her tattered dress. "I mean, I got all pretty..."

Phoebe smiles, "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea."

Prue nods, "And then tomorrow we can do something together, just the family."

Buffy nods, "I'd like that."

Jenny points at the Master's skeleton, "What about him?"

They all turn and look.

Buffy nods, "He's not going anywhere. Loser."

Piper, Phoebe and Prue laugh.

They head out.

Giles nods, "I'm not dancing, though."

Jenny shakes her head, "We'll see."

Xander nods, "So what's the story with the car?"

Cordelia smiles, "Oh, that was me saving the day."

Buffy nods, "I'm hungry. Is anybody else hungry? I'm really hungry."

Willow nods, "You can come with us, Angel. Get something to drink. Or, no... don't do that. Just hang out."

They head out of the library.