Chapter 1:

Chapter 1:

Crazy!

She sang on the microphone. She tried not to think about the person in front, watching her sing. But how could she if that person is the one to determine the band's future?

Baby, I'm so into you, you got that something, what can I do?

Baby, you spin me around, oh, the earth is moving

But I can't feel the ground

Everytime you look at me my heart is jumping it's easy to see.

As she neared the chorus, the nervous feeling on her stomach started to relax. She looked beside her and Oz gave her a thumbs up.

You drive me crazy, I just can't sleep

I'm so excited, I'm into deep

Oh, crazy but it feels alright

Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night.

She couldn't take it anymore, she sneaked a glance at the woman in front of them, but she showed no sign that she's enjoying their music.

Tell me, you're so unto me that I'm the only one you can see

Tell me, I'm not in the blue (oh)

That I'm not wasting my feelings for you

Loving you means so much more more than anything I've ever felt before.

This time, she knew what she had to do. She took a deep breath then broke to a dance as soon as she reached the second chorus.

You drive me crazy, I just can't sleep

I'm so excited, I'm into deep

Oh crazy but it feels alright

Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night.

She turned, swayed, and grooved into the music. It took a lot of hard work but she made the steps in the song and she was proud of it.

Crazy, I just can't sleep

I'm so excited, I'm into deep

Crazy, but it feels alright

Everything is better now.

Finally, she dropped the microphone and did an exhibition of dance steps that was a combination of ballet, jazz, tap dancing, and gymnastics. This time, the woman looked impressed.

You drive me crazy, baby

I'm so excited, I'm into deep

But now it feels alright

Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night.

Crazy! I just can't sleep

I'm so excited, I'm into deep

Crazy, but it feels alright

Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night.

Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night!

As soon as she finished the song, the woman stood up from her seat, beaming. "That was good."

She looked at her admiringly. "Where did you learn to dance like that?"

She shrugged. "I took a couple of dancing lessons when I was young."

"Well, I have to say that you've got talent," the woman declared. "You've got a great voice and you can dance. That's something unique from all the bands that auditioned here."

"So does that mean that we're hired?" Pike asked her. "I'm sorry, but you forgot to tell us your name."

The woman laughed. "Sandra Potter. But call me Sandra. I'm not that young but I'm not that old either." Sandra looked a lot friendlier now that she was smiling. She was in her early forties and very pretty with dark brown hair and hazel brown eyes. She looked at Pike. "Yes, you're hired. You'll be playing here every Tuesday and Thursday nights."

"Alright!" Alex yelled. He turned to Oz. "Phoenix is in! We're in, we're in!"

Oz just smiled. "Cool."

Ford rolled his eyes. "That's all you can say?"

Sandra laughed. "That's what I love about young people today, they're very energetic and full of life." She looked at her. "What's your name?"

She hesitated then finally said, "Summer Thompson."

"Summer." Sandra ran her name in her tongue. "Very unique for someone who's very English."

"My mother is an American and she named me Summer," she replied. She looked at Sandra and knew right then and there that the latter believed her. Who wouldn't? It was a well-crafted lie and they were all careful.

She had dyed her long hair black and she wore wire-rimmed glasses that covered her black contacts very well. She looked like an English woman and she also dressed like one. But most of all, she had the accent down pat that anyone believed that she was who she was. Summer Thompson. But things aren't what they seem to be because she wasn't who people think she was. And she wanted to keep it that way.

Sandra nodded. "What's a pretty brunette like you doing in Florida?"

"I'm here as an exchange student," she slipped into the necessary lie. Her past was make-believe and was made very normal.

Sandra smiled. "I'm sorry if I'm being very nosy. It's just that I've never met a girl like you before."

Alex nodded his head. "You're not the only one in the world who thinks that."

She glared at him that caused Sandra to laugh out loud again. She turned to the others. "I think I'll stop interviewing Summer and interview the guys." She looked at them in amusement. "They're the ones who seems to be having fun. Now, what are your names?"

"I'm Alex, that's Pike, he's Ford and this is Oz." Alex introduced themselves. Pike looked more of a California guy than a Florida one and why shouldn't he? He grew up in Los Angeles and is still one of the most gorgeous guys anyone has ever seen. He's the keyboard player of the group.

Alex was different. He was born and bred in Florida. And he is the dream guy of almost all girls. He had the looks to die for, intelligence, wit, and an athlete's bod. He is hot. He's also the drummer of the group.

Ford is also cute and is tall, dark and handsome. His face looked like the one cartoons are based on. He is the guitarist of the group.

Oz is the most laid-back one and also the simplest. He's attractive but not as attractive as the other three. But girls are attracted to him because of his enigmatic personality. He's the second guitarist and the background vocals of the group.

Summer is the lead vocalist. The five of them is on a band named Phoenix.

Sandra was about to say something when someone interrupted and told her that someone was on the phone. She looked at all of them then said, "I want you to start tomorrow. I hope you'll have fun playing your music here at The Front." And with that, she was gone.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The five of them packed up their stuff then let themselves out of the club. The Front was a new club that opened that week and Phoenix was the very first band that auditioned there.

As soon as Oz got his van and put all of their stuff there, they climbed in and were ready to go.

Oz looked at his rearview mirror. She was sitting at the back.

"You did a great job, Buffy." Oz told her.

"Being Summer or getting us the gig?" Buffy asked him.

"Both." Alex answered. "But it was fun watching you do that English stuff, Buff."

Ford grinned. "Yeah, it is kind of funny."

Pike shook his head. "It was all an act to get us the gig and all of us know it."

Buffy nodded. "Pike's right. The only reason we auditioned for The Front is because we had to. Not because we wanted to." She sighed as she looked at her reflection in the side mirror. She did look different. No one from her past would've known her if they didn't know what happened to her. "I just hope that what we're doing is all worth it," she said in her normal voice.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Sandra picked up the phone. "Hello," she said and her face lightened up considerably when she realized who it was.

"Of course all of you should be here next week!" Sandra exclaimed. She shook her head when she heard the reply on the other end. "On the contrary. You need to be here in order to start the arrangements for our wedding."

The voice at the other end answered. Sandra's face paled then she replied, "You do know this is unfair? Rupert, you asked me to marry you but you're the one who doesn't seem to be the least bit thrilled about the idea of preparing for the wedding!"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Sandra, it's not that I don't want to prepare for our wedding, it's just that there is a demon here in Sunnydale that needs to be taken care of." Giles tried to explain on the phone.

He sighed. "Of course I want to marry you. It's just that why does the wedding have to be in Florida when it can be here in California?"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"Because this is where I live and you agreed, Rupert!" Sandra defended herself. "And besides, you know that I can't leave The Front. It just opened and I put all my savings in this business."

She couldn't help adding, "I even had a band hired just awhile ago and they were great!"

"Rupert Giles, if you still want me to marry you, you have to be here next week or else forget about the wedding!" And with that, Sandra slammed the phone and sighed.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Giles stared in utter bewilderment. "She hung up on me!" He turned to them. "I can't believe Sandra hung up on me!"

"Well, you did tell her you won't be able to come next week to prepare for your wedding," Dawn Summers answered softly. "I think any woman would have been pissed."

Giles looked affectionately at the 17-year-old girl he had come to love as his own daughter. These last 2 years, Dawn had grown up to be as smart and as beautiful as her sister was. "I think I've learned that already."

"What did Sandra say to you?" Dawn asked him.

He sighed as he sat beside her. "She told me that if I don't come to Florida next week, there won't be any wedding." Giles grimaced. "I didn't know if she was telling the truth."

"What are you going to do about it?" Dawn asked him.

"Well, my best shot is to defeat this demon before we go to Florida on Monday and today's Wednesday." Giles had a look of disbelief. "And how am I going to do that if we don't even have a clue to who this demon is?"

"Maybe if you told Faith the truth, you wouldn't be worrying right now." Dawn pointed out.

Giles sighed. "I didn't think it was appropriate for her to know about this when it is still uncertain." "And besides," he added. "Faith is really psyched about this trip."

Dawn nodded. "You can't blame Faith, though. I mean being the Slayer on top of the Hellmouth, she needs a break." Then she shook her head. "And it won't do you any good to change the subject."

Giles looked at her innocently. "I'm not trying to change the subject. But seriously, I should tell Faith about this and let her kill the demon and then we go to Florida." He groaned. "Which means a lot of sleepless nights for me." As Faith's Watcher, Giles knew that was the right thing to do.

Dawn smiled. "Alright, change of subject. What made you decide to let us go with you to Florida?"

"That's simple," Giles said. "All of you are my family, Dawn and I want all of you to be there to witness my wedding."

"So when is the wedding?" Dawn asked him.

Giles shrugged. "It's supposed to be next month that's why I need to go to Florida next week. There's a lot of things to be taken care of and we haven't even started yet."

"Don't worry," Dawn said. "We'll all help. Which reminds me," Dawn stared at him. "You haven't told me who's coming with us on this trip to Florida." She raised her eyebrows. "In order to plan a wedding on time, you will need lots of help. So, spill, Giles," Dawn said. "Who's coming with us aside from Faith?"

Giles looked at her with plain admiration. Dawn is a smart kid for her age. "Well, I asked Willow, Tara, Xander, Oz, and Anya to come." Giles answered. "Since we haven't seen them for a long time."

"Keep going, Giles." Dawn replied. "You won't get away from this one that easily."

"I also asked Cordelia and Wesley to come." Giles said.

"Which probably means Angel will come." Dawn's eyebrows narrowed. "Why do I feel like you're guilty over something?"

"I also asked Riley to come." Giles confessed. "Not to mention that I also invited Spike and-."

"And that means total chaos!" Dawn exclaimed. "Riley, Angel, and Spike don't get along well!"

"They were all part of the Slayer's circle." Giles interjected. "And besides it's not yet final if they'd make it."

"And I'm sure, Riley wouldn't hurt Angel and Spike just because they can now walk in the sun because of a spell Willow and Tara performed." Dawn said sarcastically. "Giles, you were playing with fate and you know it!"

"Dawn, nothing is going to come wrong!" Giles said. "If you're worried about the fact that the three men who were in love with your sister is going to be at the same place at the same time, you don't have to be. Buffy's been dead for two years now and nothing in the world can change that."

Giles regretted what he said when he saw the pain in Dawn's eyes. "Dawn, I didn't mean-."

"You already meant your point, Giles." Dawn said softly. "I didn't mean for Buffy to jump and I certainly didn't mean to be the Key!"

Giles hugged Dawn. "Oh, honey. I didn't mean it like that. It wasn't your fault that Buffy's dead and I wouldn't be taking care of you right now if I was blaming you for her death." He tried to keep his emotions intact but talking about the daughter that he never had, it was difficult.

"It's just that I miss her," Dawn said in a small voice. "I mean, you are taking care of me and Faith is protecting me, but the two of you aren't Mom and Buffy."

Giles looked at her sympathetically. He knew how much it hurt Dawn to lose both her mother and her sister in the same year; but it also hurt that her biological father doesn't seem to care. He pulled her to him more tightly and let Dawn cry her heart out.