Part 2

Revelations

"Are you wacky?" Francis (AKA Frannie) Malone virtually yelled at Buffy - her closest friend - as they walked across the crowded school yard towards the main building.

"Yeah Frannie, I'm wacky. Totally bonkers," Buffy answered sarcastically while rolling her eyes.

Francis looked at her like she'd grown a second head, "Do you realise what's gonna happen now, don't ya?"

"I'm gonna see a shrink and sort out those damn weird-ass nightmares, so I can get on with the rest of my life," Buffy replied convincingly.

She didn't want to discuss this with Frannie - or anyone else at all -, but Sam had taken that choice away from her when she had discussed it with Frannie's father Bailey Malone, Sam's boss and closest friend, although Buffy and Frannie suspected there was much more to it.

"Buff, shrinks equal putting you away somewhere you can't hurt yourself or others," Frannie replied seriously.

Buffy told her, "I trust Aunt Sam not do that to me."

"Let's hope your right. It'll be no fun around here without ya."

They heard the bell go off and Buffy slowly entered the building along with the rest of the masses and headed off to her classes, while Frannie headed off campus to do whatever she wanted.

When Xander and Cordy arrived at the library at lunchtime they saw Giles, Willow and Oz already there, obviously waiting for them.

"What's up?" Xander asked lightly while a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

Giles cleared his throat before commencing, "Willow had a run in with Ang..."

Xander cut him off, "That sonofa..."

"Xander, please listen for once in your life," Giles said frustrated.

"Fine," Xander grumbled, upset that his tirade for the day had been blocked. "Why do I have to behave?"

Giles wished there was another way, but he knew Xander had a right to know. "We've... well Willow, has discovered why Angelus is after Buffy."

"Because she went all slutty and slept with him," Cordy replied bitchily. "Then she skipped town and left us the mess. I mean like really, everytime I get stuck dealing with the cute but sucky vampire I break a nail."

"Hey, her parents died Cordy. It's not like she had a choice about leaving," Willow said in defence of her best friend.

Cordy felt guilty and pretended to just examined her nails, "Whatever!"

"Children," Giles interrupted, "Could we please keep our attention on subject matter?" He waited while the room fell silent, "What we have discovered has more to do with what Angel did, more than Angelus."

"What *else* did Deadboy do before he became Evil Deadboy?" Xander asked sardonically.

Unsure of how to proceed he looked at Willow, wordlessly beseeching her to fill in the blanks which he could not bring himself to do.

"Well... uh... well, you guys remember the funeral," Willow began tentatively.

"Where Buffy wore the heinous black dress," Cordy said as if she was actually illuminating it for someone.

Willow blushed a deep crimson, but bravely continued on, "She was wearing that ring..."

Cordy nodded, but Oz and Xander were drawing visible mental blanks.

"Angel gave it to her..."

"So?" Xander cut her off.

"So..."

"Just tell us damn it," Xander yelled.

Willow erupted, "It's a damn wedding ring."

The room fell into a shocked silence for a few moments. Xander managed to regain his voice first, "What does that mean exactly?"

Giles answered, "It means she bound herself to Angel."

"And?"

"And..." Giles continued, "The demon is bound buy what the soul did. So when Buffy unknowingly married Angel..."

"She also married Angelus," Xander finished with a bleak look on his face.

"So Buffy," Dr. Morton said pleasantly. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself?"

Buffy was not relaxed, so far the so-called shrink had been very nice to her, but she rapidly knew that being there might be a blunder. There were just a variety of things about herself that she could not reveal - for example, one mention of vampire slaying and it would be hello to the nuthouse. She should've listened to Frannie and cancelled the damn appointment.

"Buffy?"

She sighed and said, "I just feel comfortable enough to talk about me."

"Well then... how do you feel about living with your Aunt?"

"It's okay," Buffy replied, "But different."

"Different how?"

"For starters back home, I was an only child and now I have my younger cousin following me everywhere."

"Home was where again?" Dr. Morton asked, picking up on the fact that even after six months Buffy still called another place home.

"California."

"Do you miss it?"

Buffy nodded, then shook her head and shrugged. "Sometimes I do, but I don't think I could go back there. Too many bad memories."

"Not any good ones?"

"Sure," Buffy answered. "But I don't know if they're enough to block out the bad."