Willow stretched her hands above her head trying to work out all the kinks in her back. "I slept all night?" she yawned. She noticed the sun peeking in the window. It was a beautiful sight. Refreshing.
"Morning, Will," she heard Xander say. "Sleep well?"
Willow smiled at her friend. "Yeah." She looked around. "Where's Buffy and Giles?"
"In the kitchen making breakfast."
"What are we having?"
"Not sure." Xander smiled. "Giles is cooking."
"Oh my!" The two laughed for a minute, then walked to the kitchen to see if they could help. Buffy already had the table set and was pouring orange juice for everyone while Giles was finishing his special pancakes.
"Hey, Will," Buffy said cheerily.
"Good morning," Willow replied. "Morning, Giles."
"Uh, oh, good morning, Willow." Giles was reluctant to pull himself away fro his cooking. "Sleep well?"
Willow smiled. This is what it was all about. A good morning with her closest friends. No danger, no big bad, nothing. It felt almost normal.
"I think we have trouble, guys," Buffy said nonchalantly as she set the glasses on the table.
There goes that.
"Gee, Buffy," Xander spoke, a hint of sarcasm on his voice. "You think you could let us eat breakfast before you tell us the world is going to end?" He turned to Willow. "And the day started out so nice."
Buffy glared at Xander, then smiled and shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, if anything, but I have a feeling."
"And right after most of our slayers go on vacation." Xander looked grim. Especially with the eye patch. Willow still flashed back to when that happened. All of them had emotional scars from losing loved ones, or being tortured, but Xander was the only one with a major physical reminder.
Xander felt Willow staring at him and looked at her. She gave him a soft smile. He returned it. I used to have such a huge crush on him. It's amazing how much things have changed in the few years since high school. She laughed out loud, causing the rest of the gang to look at her dumbfounded.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about the time I was jealous of Cordelia." They continued to stare blankly at her. "When I found out her and Xander were dating?"
"Oh!" they all said in union, and then laughed.
"What made you think of that, Will?" Xander asked.
"Nothing," she smiled the little not-so-innocent smile that she had mastered over the years. "Is breakfast ready? Because I'm pretty hungry."
Giles brought a plate stacked with pancakes to the table. "Breakfast is served," he said.
Angela turned as she heard the door open. "Xander!" she exclaimed and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him in a big embrace.
"Easy, hun," he said. "What's the matter?"
She held him for a moment longer. "I had the worst dream last night."
Uh-oh! Xander thought. "What about?"
Angela looked at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. "I don't know. There was a lot of black. A complete darkness. And I was so afraid. I've never been that afraid before." She started to sob. "Xander, it was so horrible."
He held her close. "It's okay, baby," he soothed. "It's okay."
She sobbed for a few minutes. She was so scared. The dream was hours from her and she was still feeling the fear she felt. But wasn't there something else that she was forgetting.
Yes, there was. "Xander?"
"Yeah?"
"There was something else in my dream." Angela had calmed down some. Her fear was starting to die out.
"What's that?"
She thought for a minute, trying to wrap her mind around what she had seen. What was it? Wait. Yes. There it is. "There were two people in my dream. They were being attacked by something. I can't remember what. Maybe vampires. One was a man, a very skilled fighter. The other was a woman and she seemed very scared. They were outside Kennedy and Willow's shop."
"Is there anything else?" Xander was starting to get worried. Something big was coming if slayer dreams were involved.
"There was something else. A living shadow. It mocked them. They were scared of it. And another man. I think a relative of one of them. I can't remember anymore."
Xander gave his wife a big hug, and then left her embrace and ran to the phone. "We're going to need to tell the rest of the group."
The training school had a free hour so everyone that was available met there. There wasn't very many, mainly the four main Scoobies, Angela, and Kennedy. Willow had decided to leave Ally at home. Ever since Kayla's death she had been rash and impulsive. Willow and Kennedy didn't want to see her get hurt. They knew Ally wouldn't like it, but they were essentially her parents and knew what was best for her. Besides, Willow knew what it was like to lose a lover. She didn't want to see Ally go down the same path.
Sara and Elizabeth were left running the Magic Java Connection during the meeting. If anything needed to be done, Willow and Kennedy would fill them in. The rest of the slayers were gone for the summer. Some took a much needed vacation to Disney World, others just spending time with their families. If things were as bad as they seem, then Buffy was glad that they were gone for the week.
Angela finished telling everyone her dream. She couldn't help but cry, remembering the total and utter fear she felt. No one seemed to mind. It was very possible that what they might be facing could be the worst thing they ever faced. But then again, the last time Buffy and Co. Faced a fear demon it wasn't very frightening.
"I'm sorry," Angela apologized.
"No," Xander said. "You don't have to apologize. We face scary things day in and day out. Every one of us has probably wanted to break down at some point or another."
Willow put an arm around Angela. "It's true. You're still new to all this. I remember when we first met Buffy. Withing hours, a vampire was trying to eat me. That was pretty scary."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "Several bad things happened after I came to Sunnydale." They all stopped and thought for a moment. "I mean, not as bad as if I wouldn't have came. Remember that time Cordelia wished I was never there?" "No," Giles interjected. "And, technically, neither do you."
"Well, I mean, we met evil Willow when Anya was trying to restore her power source."
Kennedy looked at Willow, confused. "That was before I went evil," Willow reassured her wife.
"Do you guys realize how confusing you all can be?" asked Angela.
Giles said, "Yeah, I guess I can see your point."
"Oh, and that's not all," Xander said, putting his arm around his wife again. "I was even possessed by a Hyena once."
"I thought you didn't remember that," Willow asked.
"I don't." Xander walked to another corner of the room, the smile no longer on his face.
"Not to interrupt this trip down memory lane," Giles said, a slight irritation to his voice. "But do any of you think we can get back on topic sometime tonight?"
"He's right," from Buffy. "Giles, Nathan is in England right now so you are our resident researcher. Think you can find anything on fear demons and living shadows?"
"Just point me to Nathan's collection," he said.
"Willow, Kennedy? I want you two to keep an eye out for these visitors tonight."
"Guess we better get some sleep then," Kennedy gave a wink to Willow.
"What about us?" Xander asked. "What are Angela and I to do?"
Buffy pondered for a moment. "Angela, I want you to patrol with me tonight. Whatever you dreamt last night seemed to affect you in a big way. Whatever it is we are going to face, I don't want you anywhere near it until we are sure what it is."
"I understand," Angela was relieved. She didn't want to face this...this...whatever it was.
"And Xander," Buffy said. "Um...you can...uh..."
Xander listened anxiously. "Don't leave me hanging, Buff."
"I have no idea what you can do," Buffy finally relented.
Giles came to the rescue. "You can help me, Xander."
"Gee," Xander moped. "Everyone gets to have fun except me."
"I'll have you know," Giles was getting defensive. "There are a lot of positive qualities in looking through old, dusty tomes."
"Like what? Allergies?"
The two left the room and earshot. Buffy nodded to everyone and the dispersed to do their various duties. Buffy looked at the clock. They had several hours before nightfall. Hopefully everything would go okay tonight. They couldn't afford any more loss.
"Morning, Will," she heard Xander say. "Sleep well?"
Willow smiled at her friend. "Yeah." She looked around. "Where's Buffy and Giles?"
"In the kitchen making breakfast."
"What are we having?"
"Not sure." Xander smiled. "Giles is cooking."
"Oh my!" The two laughed for a minute, then walked to the kitchen to see if they could help. Buffy already had the table set and was pouring orange juice for everyone while Giles was finishing his special pancakes.
"Hey, Will," Buffy said cheerily.
"Good morning," Willow replied. "Morning, Giles."
"Uh, oh, good morning, Willow." Giles was reluctant to pull himself away fro his cooking. "Sleep well?"
Willow smiled. This is what it was all about. A good morning with her closest friends. No danger, no big bad, nothing. It felt almost normal.
"I think we have trouble, guys," Buffy said nonchalantly as she set the glasses on the table.
There goes that.
"Gee, Buffy," Xander spoke, a hint of sarcasm on his voice. "You think you could let us eat breakfast before you tell us the world is going to end?" He turned to Willow. "And the day started out so nice."
Buffy glared at Xander, then smiled and shook her head. "I don't know what's going on, if anything, but I have a feeling."
"And right after most of our slayers go on vacation." Xander looked grim. Especially with the eye patch. Willow still flashed back to when that happened. All of them had emotional scars from losing loved ones, or being tortured, but Xander was the only one with a major physical reminder.
Xander felt Willow staring at him and looked at her. She gave him a soft smile. He returned it. I used to have such a huge crush on him. It's amazing how much things have changed in the few years since high school. She laughed out loud, causing the rest of the gang to look at her dumbfounded.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about the time I was jealous of Cordelia." They continued to stare blankly at her. "When I found out her and Xander were dating?"
"Oh!" they all said in union, and then laughed.
"What made you think of that, Will?" Xander asked.
"Nothing," she smiled the little not-so-innocent smile that she had mastered over the years. "Is breakfast ready? Because I'm pretty hungry."
Giles brought a plate stacked with pancakes to the table. "Breakfast is served," he said.
Angela turned as she heard the door open. "Xander!" she exclaimed and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him in a big embrace.
"Easy, hun," he said. "What's the matter?"
She held him for a moment longer. "I had the worst dream last night."
Uh-oh! Xander thought. "What about?"
Angela looked at him and he could see the tears in her eyes. "I don't know. There was a lot of black. A complete darkness. And I was so afraid. I've never been that afraid before." She started to sob. "Xander, it was so horrible."
He held her close. "It's okay, baby," he soothed. "It's okay."
She sobbed for a few minutes. She was so scared. The dream was hours from her and she was still feeling the fear she felt. But wasn't there something else that she was forgetting.
Yes, there was. "Xander?"
"Yeah?"
"There was something else in my dream." Angela had calmed down some. Her fear was starting to die out.
"What's that?"
She thought for a minute, trying to wrap her mind around what she had seen. What was it? Wait. Yes. There it is. "There were two people in my dream. They were being attacked by something. I can't remember what. Maybe vampires. One was a man, a very skilled fighter. The other was a woman and she seemed very scared. They were outside Kennedy and Willow's shop."
"Is there anything else?" Xander was starting to get worried. Something big was coming if slayer dreams were involved.
"There was something else. A living shadow. It mocked them. They were scared of it. And another man. I think a relative of one of them. I can't remember anymore."
Xander gave his wife a big hug, and then left her embrace and ran to the phone. "We're going to need to tell the rest of the group."
The training school had a free hour so everyone that was available met there. There wasn't very many, mainly the four main Scoobies, Angela, and Kennedy. Willow had decided to leave Ally at home. Ever since Kayla's death she had been rash and impulsive. Willow and Kennedy didn't want to see her get hurt. They knew Ally wouldn't like it, but they were essentially her parents and knew what was best for her. Besides, Willow knew what it was like to lose a lover. She didn't want to see Ally go down the same path.
Sara and Elizabeth were left running the Magic Java Connection during the meeting. If anything needed to be done, Willow and Kennedy would fill them in. The rest of the slayers were gone for the summer. Some took a much needed vacation to Disney World, others just spending time with their families. If things were as bad as they seem, then Buffy was glad that they were gone for the week.
Angela finished telling everyone her dream. She couldn't help but cry, remembering the total and utter fear she felt. No one seemed to mind. It was very possible that what they might be facing could be the worst thing they ever faced. But then again, the last time Buffy and Co. Faced a fear demon it wasn't very frightening.
"I'm sorry," Angela apologized.
"No," Xander said. "You don't have to apologize. We face scary things day in and day out. Every one of us has probably wanted to break down at some point or another."
Willow put an arm around Angela. "It's true. You're still new to all this. I remember when we first met Buffy. Withing hours, a vampire was trying to eat me. That was pretty scary."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. "Several bad things happened after I came to Sunnydale." They all stopped and thought for a moment. "I mean, not as bad as if I wouldn't have came. Remember that time Cordelia wished I was never there?" "No," Giles interjected. "And, technically, neither do you."
"Well, I mean, we met evil Willow when Anya was trying to restore her power source."
Kennedy looked at Willow, confused. "That was before I went evil," Willow reassured her wife.
"Do you guys realize how confusing you all can be?" asked Angela.
Giles said, "Yeah, I guess I can see your point."
"Oh, and that's not all," Xander said, putting his arm around his wife again. "I was even possessed by a Hyena once."
"I thought you didn't remember that," Willow asked.
"I don't." Xander walked to another corner of the room, the smile no longer on his face.
"Not to interrupt this trip down memory lane," Giles said, a slight irritation to his voice. "But do any of you think we can get back on topic sometime tonight?"
"He's right," from Buffy. "Giles, Nathan is in England right now so you are our resident researcher. Think you can find anything on fear demons and living shadows?"
"Just point me to Nathan's collection," he said.
"Willow, Kennedy? I want you two to keep an eye out for these visitors tonight."
"Guess we better get some sleep then," Kennedy gave a wink to Willow.
"What about us?" Xander asked. "What are Angela and I to do?"
Buffy pondered for a moment. "Angela, I want you to patrol with me tonight. Whatever you dreamt last night seemed to affect you in a big way. Whatever it is we are going to face, I don't want you anywhere near it until we are sure what it is."
"I understand," Angela was relieved. She didn't want to face this...this...whatever it was.
"And Xander," Buffy said. "Um...you can...uh..."
Xander listened anxiously. "Don't leave me hanging, Buff."
"I have no idea what you can do," Buffy finally relented.
Giles came to the rescue. "You can help me, Xander."
"Gee," Xander moped. "Everyone gets to have fun except me."
"I'll have you know," Giles was getting defensive. "There are a lot of positive qualities in looking through old, dusty tomes."
"Like what? Allergies?"
The two left the room and earshot. Buffy nodded to everyone and the dispersed to do their various duties. Buffy looked at the clock. They had several hours before nightfall. Hopefully everything would go okay tonight. They couldn't afford any more loss.