"Did you test it?"
Miranda nodded and placed the box on his desk. "Yes, I did."
"And?" Declan asked, leaning back in his wooden chair and placing his feet on his desk.
"And…it's old."
"How old."
"I can't date it. That's how old it is."
"Wow? So it very well could be a key to this box of hell."
Miranda nodded again, sitting stiffly in the chair across from him. "It could be."
"You don't sound very happy Miranda?" Declan commented, tilting his head.
"I just don't know what there is to be excited about?"
"A really old key?"
"That's just it. A really old key. What does it open? Why did that girl want it?"
"Why did those vampire men want it?"
Miranda shook her head.
"Come on Miranda, what's wrong?"
Miranda sighed and placed her hands in her lap, before she looked up at Declan. His eyes looked concerned behind his dark rimmed glasses, he pulled himself upright and leant on his hands to get a closer look at her face.
"I saw that guy turn to dust last night. Another one." Miranda explained.
"Yeah?"
"Well, it just can't be possible. Not scientifically possible for a man to just…turn to dust."
"Well, doesn't that count for something?"
"A miracle? Declan. Miracles are supposed to be good things. Unexplained acts of god."
"Well this is something that can't be explained." Declan put in, watching her closely. She looked disturbed, her eyes darting back from his gaze down to her hands. "It's truly amazing, but very unbelievable, that vampires could exist."
"People use to think vampires existed." Miranda started, looking up at him again to find the concern still plastered on his face. "But that was before they realised that the people were just in comas. They use to bury them thinking they were dead. So when the people woke up, they were buried alive."
Declan furrowed his brow. "Yes. But obviously these people weren't buried alive. But that's not what's worrying you is it?"
"Nothing's worrying me Declan." Miranda covered. "It's just strange."
"Miranda…"
"Declan."
"Think about everything that we have investigated. Raining fish. Healing cloths. Demons, exorcisms… this vampire thing just falls into another one of the strange categories." Declan smiled reassuringly at her, and she nodded in return, getting up from her seat and making her way towards the door. "Ok?"
Miranda nodded once again. "Yep. I've got a class now."
Declan nodded and watched her quietly leave his office. He sighed with concern and lent back in his chair. "Oh boy."
"What do you mean you didn't get it?" Xanders voice echoed around the magic shop.
"There were complications." Buffy explained . The others looked down at her from their positions around the room, their expectations suddenly squashed.
"What does that mean now?" Willow asked.
"I'm guessing the end of the world. Our hope's all gone." Xander said, crossing his arms and looking over at the slayer.
Buffy shook her head. "Not necessarily. The vampires don't have the key either."
"Well then who does?" Tara asked.
All five slayerettes turned to see Hope walk in the door. She stopped when she saw them all staring at her.
"Hope." Giles greeted from his seated position behind the counter.
"Hey. What's going on?" she greeted in her accented voice.
"You left quite early this morning." Giles stated, watching her take a seat next to Buffy and smile up at him. "Went for a walk."
"Since when do you walk?" Xander asked.
"Since my father spent last night on our lounge."
"Yes. It was quite a surprise to find him there." Giles explained.
"Believe me, you weren't the only one surprised."
"You have a father?" Xander asked, surprised by this sudden news.
"Of course I have a father. What do you think I am? The Immaculate Conception?"
"I think what Xander means is that you've never mentioned him before. That's all." Willow defended.
"Yeah well, I'm just wondering why he's here."
Silence followed quickly as Giles studied her. She sat sideways in the chair, the split in her long green dress showing her thin, tanned legs that crossed over each other, while she looked around at the others through thin framed glasses.
"But anyway, what were you guys talkin' about?"
"Just that Buffy didn't get the key." Xander informed, eyeing his friend closely.
"You didn't get the key?"
"Do we have to go through this again?" Buffy sighed, upset at herself more than anyone else.
"YES!". They all answered.
"But you said the vampires don't have it either." Willow said. "So who does?"
"We got a visit from those people that happened to witness some slayage the other night." Buffy said, looking between the curious faces. "I recognised one of the people from college."
"Who?" Hope asked.
"Well, you might know him actually. You took anthropology right?"
Hope nodded. "Only shortly. Before well…" Hope stopped and looked down at her stomach. "You know."
The others nodded silently, bowing their eyes so Hope couldn't see the emotions that mingled within them. It hurt when she mentioned it, more than she would ever know.
"Well." Buffy continued slowly. "I think it was your professor."
"My professor? Professor Dunn?"
"I'm almost positive it was him."
Hope blinked. "What on earth would he want with a key? You said he witnessed you slaying the other night?"
Buffy nodded. "Yep. He was right there when I dusted a few vamps."
"Uh oh." Hope said, causing all eyes to dart across to her. "That would get him started."
"Started with what?" Xander asked.
"He was into the 'mysterious'." Hope replied, placing her fingers in the air, putting 'mysterious' into inverted commas. "Looking for anything remotely strange."
Willow nodded. "I heard about that. I just never knew who he was."
"Well I guess witnessing some vampire activity could be labelled as strange." Buffy said.
Hope nodded. "Now he's found something else mysterious to chase."
"Yeah. My job." Buffy said bitterly before a new wave of focus came into her voice. "But we do need that key. Soon enough the vamps will find him and track him down. He could be in serious danger."
Willow nodded. "Right. But how do we get it back."
Buffy smiled, a cheeky look unfolding across her face as she turned slowly to face Hope.
Hope looked around the room then at the slayer, who was looking at her with large blue eyes. "Me?"
Buffy nodded, bits of blonde hair falling around her face. "You're perfect."
"How so?"
"Well, you know him."
"You want me to go and get the key off my old professor?" Hope asked, half in disbelief. "Come on. It's not like I can sneak around gracefully. Look at me." She stopped and motioned to her expanding waist. "I'd do more harm than good."
Buffy shook her head. "You don't have to sneak around. Say that you wanted to talk to him about class or something dull like that?"
"Rack off. I haven't seen him for at least five months."
"Oh well, you know what I mean. You can think of something."
The Australian shook her mop of black hair. "No. I'm not doing it. Giles, tell her…" she looked up at the watcher who stood silently behind the counter, watching the conversation that tossed back and forth between the two teens.
He sighed and placed his glasses back over his bruised eyes. "Buffy. Couldn't you…"
"No. Hope's perfect. No one would expect HER to get it." Buffy reasoned.
Giles looked concerned. "But she is also an easy target."
"No she's not." She stopped and turned back to Hope. "Plus, you've been complaining about not being in the team. Now's your chance."
Hope sighed, pushing up her glasses. "I didn't mean it like this. I use to slay demons. Not sit and watch."
"Well, you're not watching anymore. How's that sound?" Buffy slapped Hope on the shoulder enthusiastically.
Hope winced. "Who are you? My coach?"
"No one else is objecting."
"That's because they don't have to do it." She sighed and looked around the room. Everyone sat quietly, looking over at her, waiting for a decision to be made. "Do I even have a choice?"
Buffy shook her head. "Not on this game show you don't."
"Fine. Being jailed for theft doesn't seem that bad, really."
The slayer smiled and pushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. The plan was finalised. "That's the spirit."