"Drusilla," said Buffy, helping him sit up. "She's got it through that screwed up head of hers that kidnapping me will bring Angel back to her."
Xander raised an eyebrow. "These love triangle things are getting way too weird for my taste." He glanced around, immediately noticing the familiar surroundings. "Way too weird."
"Is this the same place?" asked Buffy.
He nodded. "As a matter of fact," he said, sitting up a little further. "I was laying right here when our rescue squad showed up." It certainly wasn't a memory he wanted to relive.
"Maybe there's some mystical energy around this place that draws the wackos to it," Buffy said with a grim smile.
"Some day I'm going to live somewhere where there are no mystical forces. I'm ready to be mystical-free."
"Did you hear that?" said Buffy suddenly, her body tensing into ready alert.
"Hear what?" he asked.
She put a finger to her lips and they listened. Soon the noise came again. "It sounds like a fight."
"And not a small one," agreed Xander as the sounds grew louder and more frequent.
A few moments later, the sound had reached the door at the top of the stairs, and they heard several bodies hit the floor. The door swung open.
"Angel?" said Buffy in disbelief at the person that came through the door, mostly because she hadn't expected him so soon. "What are you doing here?"
"No time to explain," he said quickly. "We've got to get out of here now."
Gunn reached the top of the stairs as Buffy helped the slightly light-headed Xander up them. "Watch the middle section," he called. "It's rotted clear through."
"Don't I know it," mumbled Xander.
When they reached the landing, Buffy stared up at Angel. She had to curb the impulse to touch the already healing cut on his face. "What happened?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," said Angel, rushing them out.
"Something really weird is going on."
Oz had to blink a few times to make sure his eyes weren't failing him. Standing in the ruins, about twenty feet from where the portal had opened up, were two young women, and not the same two that had been there.
One had long, light brown hair and was wearing a dress that probably hadn't been in fashion since the early part of last century. The other, well, the other was the reason Oz was unsure of his eyes.
He slowly inched his way out from behind his piece of wall and walked toward them. He stayed in the open as much as possible, not wanting to startle them. It wasn't long before they saw him coming.
The brunette was panicked, her eyes wide with fear and surprise. "Who are you people?! Where am I?!"
"Whoa," said Oz softly. "Calm down. I was about to ask you the same thing." He looked at the girl with curiosity. "I'm Oz," he said finally, holding out his hand.
The girl didn't shake it, but her fears seemed to drop a little. "Gabriella," she said. "Most people call me Gaby. And you?" she asked, indicating the third person.
The girl looked up, clearly shocked, but sober nonetheless. She glanced
at Oz. "I am Kendra, the vampire slayer."