(Lyrics later on: Superhero - Bif Naked)

**********
Buffy went back downstairs, and found her mom cleaning up the supper
dishes. She started to help her, saying, "Sorry about the outburst. I
just need a little time to deal with stuff."

"I get that," Joyce nodded. "And I'm sorry if I upset you, but you
have to understand that I can't _not_ upset you if I don't know what
I'm _not_ supposed to say or do."

"I know," Buffy sighed. "How about this. Angel and me or Angel in any
context is a really sore subject for me right now. I can't explain why
because there's too much and it's too soon. So can we just leave it at
that?"

"Of course we can," Joyce said. "And you don't ever _have_ to tell me
anything, I just want to know that you're okay."

"I am," Buffy said. "It's just going to take some time for me to be
normal again."

"Fair enough," Joyce replied. "Now do you want to rinse the dishes or
load them into the dishwasher?"

"Load," Buffy said, joining her mom at the kitchen sink.

After Buffy had finished helping her mom, she decided to go for a
walk. She went upstairs, remembering the usefulness of Mr. Pointy
after sunset. She walked down the street to the park, and Slayer or
not, was still demon bait. She heard the vampire approaching from
behind, and turned quickly to face him down. "Hi. You picked the
wrong dinner," she said with a grin.

To her complete surprise, the vampire shrieked and ran in the opposite
direction. Buffy couldn't help laughing. "I guess my reputation
precedes me." When she realized that the vampire was now out of
sight, she sighed. "Bad Buffy. You're not supposed to let them go,"
she berated herself. "Although, how much trouble could he be? ...
No," she shook her head. "I can just hear Giles now. 'The Slayer does
_not_ take pity on soulless demons. She slays the forces of evil,
because it is her calling.' Yes, Giles, I hear you even in my head,"
she muttered as she started off after the vampire.

**********
The Bronze

Xander arrived late for his date, due to a run-in with a vampire.
Lucky for him, the vampire hadn't been too smart, and had been easy
to stake. Unluckily for him, he didn't think Cordelia's anger would
be nearly as easy to defeat. He scanned the room and saw her sitting
at a nearby table, looking irritatedly at her watch. *Okay, charm.
Get me out of the doghouse*

He walked up to Cordelia, and said, "Hey, Cordy. I'm really sorry I'm
late, but--"

"But you just had to go see Buffy, and you lost track of time, right?"
Cordelia accused him.

"No. Well, yes, I went to see Buffy, but I actually did leave there in
time to get here on time for our date. But then there was a vampire
who decided he needed a snack, so I was kind of detained for a while.
I'm really sorry."

"Fine," Cordelia sighed. "Let's just try to salvage the evening,
okay?"

"Fine with me," Xander agreed. "So you're leaving tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Cordelia answered, not looking at him. She was still obviously
irritated.

Xander sighed, and thought *This is going to be a looooong evening*

**********

Buffy had finally caught up with the vampire, and followed him into
the sewers. "Why do they love sewers? What's to love about sewers?
The rats? The unidentified substances that ooze through the walls?"
She stopped to consider the bottom of her shoe. "Or sit on the ground
waiting for you to step on them?" she made a face.

"Ow!" she yelled as a vampire rushed at her and knocked her into the
opposite wall. "Where'd _you_ come from?" she asked, as she picked
herself up off the ground. "And you were not the one I was looking for
at all. But you'll do," she shrugged.

She ran at the vampire, ready to stake him, but he was ready for her.
He dodged to the side and tripped her, sending her to the ground yet
again. "That's not funny anymore," Buffy protested.

"Not trying to be funny," the vampire said, his voice thick with an
English accent. "Just trying to kill the Slayer."

"Emphasis on try, and can I suggest you also add fail to that?" Buffy
replied. "You're dead, and this time I mean permanently."

She punched him in the face, and he responded likewise. "That's gonna
cost you," Buffy warned. "Because if there's one thing I can't stand,
it's a black eye."

"You talk too much," the vampire said as he backhanded her across the
face. "You're not giving me half the challenge I thought you would,"
he sighed. "I'm not really interested in this anymore." He grabbed
her and sent her flying. When she landed, she felt pain as her head
hit the floor, and then all was blackness.

When she came to, she was alone, still where she had landed. "Oh my
head," Buffy moaned. "That certainly didn't end the way I intended.
Guess Slaying was a bad idea tonight" She picked herself off the
ground slowly and headed out of the sewers and back home.

When she arrived home, Joyce's face proved that she looked worse than
she felt. "Oh my God!" Joyce yelled. "What happened?!"

"Slayers don't usually go out for nice, quiet walks," Buffy answered.
"It's nothing. Just get me some ice for the eye okay?" Joyce nodded,
and Buffy stopped at a mirror in the hallway. She touched the bump on
the side of her head, but was relieved to see no blood when she
removed her hand. "And some aspirin!" she yelled. "Oh, no yelling,"
she reminded herself as her head screamed its disapproval. "Thanks,"
she said gratefully as she took the aspirin and ice and headed
upstairs.

She turned on her radio as she entered her room

I used to be a superhero
No one could touch me
No not even myself
You were like a phonebooth
That I somehow stumbled into
Now look at me
I am just like everybody else

"Shut up," Buffy said irritably, and turned the radio back off. "I'm
still the Slayer," she assured herself. "I'm just an out-of-practice
Slayer."

*********

Xander had tried and failed to start a conversation with Cordelia for
the tenth time that night, and was contemplating finding a train to
jump in front of. He sighed with relief as he saw Willow and Oz walk
up. "Hey guys, sit?" he begged. Willow caught the look on his face,
and decided to take pity on him. She sent a pleading look to Oz who
nodded his agreement.

"So how's Buffy?" Willow asked.

"Aagh!" Cordelia screamed and made the quickest escape anyone had ever
seen. Xander followed her with his eyes until he saw that she was just
getting a drink. "Buffy is not Cordelia's favorite topic right now,"
he shrugged. "Buffy's okay. She's just got a lot of stuff to deal
with."

"If there's anything I can do," Willow started, then shut up as
Cordelia returned. "So, Cordelia, are you looking forward to Bermuda?"

"Oh, definitely," Cordelia replied, happy to be talking about herself
rather than Buffy. She then went into a detailed explanation of
everything she would be doing on her summer vacation. Leaving everyone
else, including Willow, to be very sorry that she had asked in the
first place.

*************
END Four