"You've got to be kidding me," said Xander. "You're telling me there are FOUR slayers now?"
Wesley jumped up from his seat and went immediately to Giles' bookshelf, pulling off a book he had seen earlier and flipping wildly through the pages.
"What did I say?" Xander asked innocently.
"There cannot be four slayers," said Gaby, who was beginning to look less calm than she had finally managed to get. "There cannot even be two. In all the world there is only one slayer. She alone will-"
"Yeah, yeah. We've heard it," said Xander. "One dies, a new one is called. Well, let me give you the quick run-down. Buffy died, I revived her, but Kendra was still called. That makes two. Then Kendra died and Faith was called. Still only two. Now you two have been brought back from the dead and, if you are who you say you are, that makes four. Got it?"
Gabriella didn't say anything else, looking a bit surprised to have been put down so effortlessly by the other.
"Ah ha!" called Wesley, slamming the book down on the desk on top of the others. "Here," he pointed.
"This is an index of other books," said Giles, looking at the other former watcher and not the book.
"I know that. Read."
Reluctantly, Giles turned to the book that was opened to the "I" section. "The Ishmarian Chronicles," he read. "Prophecies detailed by the great Ishmar Burhad including references to the fall of the kings, the Valorian chasm, the Chantia blade and the age of the slayers."
"I always thought that was a typographical error," said Wesley, "But maybe not. The age of the slayers. Plural."
Giles shook his head. "Unfortunately, I don't have that book."
"I do," said Angel, rising from his seat purposefully. "I'll get it. I need to go back anyway."
Buffy had to fight to keep her voice calm and cool. "Already? You just got here."
"We did our part," said Cordelia, standing up. "All my vision pointed to was you getting kidnapped by psycho-chick, so now we can-"
"No. Stay here." Angel was already at the door. "I'll be back as soon as I take care of some business."
"It'll be daylight soon," insisted his employee, coming to his side. "I'll drive."
"I need Wes on this one. He can look through the books back at the office and bring back any that might be of some use."
"But-"
Angel put his hands on the girl's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "If he's there, I'll bring him back. I promise."
Wesley hurriedly went after Angel, avoiding Cordelia's jealous gaze and the two left for L.A.
"Uh, guys?" said Willow. She had been quiet, trying to deal with everything that had been thrown at her that day, but in all that thinking, something had occurred to her. "People that were dead have been coming back to life, right? I mean, Kendra, Larry, vampire me..."
"What are you getting at, Will?" asked Buffy.
"Have you thought of the others that could have been brought back? Any of the million vamps you've killed, not to mention the Order of Taraka or-"
"The Master," Buffy finished quietly. "We've got to go on patrol." She jumped up and eyed the group before her, an impossibly large number to go all together. All the better for covering the town. "We need to cover as much ground as possible, hitting all the highest death areas."
"That means our favorite haunt," said Xander with extreme sarcasm. "The cemetery could be vamp city by now."
"And the Bronze," input Willow. "Always the popular attack spot."
"If the people from the dreams are coming back, someone needs to hit the UC Sunnydale campus," said Oz.
Buffy nodded, not making him mention his dream about Veruca in front of Willow. The girl had way too much to think about as it was. There was no reason to drudge up old unpleasant memories.
"OK, I'm taking the high school, no questions asked," said Buffy. "The possibility of some pretty nasty things showing up there is pretty high. Will, do you think you're up to going with me? I might need some of your magic skills."
Her friend only nodded.
"Kendra, you and Oz take the Bronze. Riley, take campus with-"
"I'll go with him," spoke up Gunn.
Buffy turned to face the owner of the voice, yet another face that she didn't recognize. "You came with Angel, right?"
"That's Gunn. He's been working with Angel," Cordelia explained. "He rode with us into town."
"I have family here," Gunn clarified.
"I'll pick up Graham on the way, too," added Riley. "We could use the extra help."
Buffy allowed herself a small smile in her boyfriend's direction and then was back to business. "OK. And Cordelia-" she started, but then noticed the look on the girl's face at the mention of her name. The look that said nothing was tearing her out of the reach of the phone. "You stay here and help Giles with the research. Larry, you'd better stay here too."
Larry was still a bit stunned by it all, and made no effort to disagree.
"Gabriella, do you think you're up to a little slaying?"
"You mean, like vampires?" the girl asked timidly.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Vampires, demons, monsters in general. Yes, that would be in the job description of 'slayer'."
"It's just that I-" Gaby stopped and looked at the eyes that were on her. "Yes, I think I can handle it."
"Good," continued Buffy, anxious to get started. "Xander, you and Gaby get the cemetery. And guys, if there's too big of a problem for you to handle, get out of there. That goes for all of you."
As they all dispersed, Riley caught Buffy and pulled her aside. "What's going on?"
"What do you mean?" she asked, scrunching up her forehead. "That's what we're trying to figure out."
"I mean with Angel."
Buffy studied his face for a split second before she realized what he was getting at. He was jealous. "You're not going back to that, are you? Angel and I haven't been together for a year. Why can't you get over it? I have."
He stared into her eyes, trying unsuccessfully to read the thoughts
beneath them. "Have you?"