Sunnydale Preschool

8:45 AM

Xander and Anya came through the gates of the tiny playground hand and hand. Nicky and Alex immidiatley ran toward a group of boys who were playing with monster trucks in the sand box.

"Xander I'm going to go in and get lesson plans from the principal k?" Anya said letting go of Xander's hand.

"Alright," he said and stood for a few seconds watching the kids rumble about with each other. He didn't take much notice to any of them until he spotted Emily. She sat alone scratching things into the sand with a twig. Xander went over to her.

"Hey Emily. Whatcha doin'?" he asked.

"Thinking," she replied.

"About what?" Xander asked.

"Can ya keep a secret?" she asked looking up at him.

"There's no one that will keep your secrets safer than me," he replied raising his hands up in peace.

"Okay. I have this friend and she hurts real bad," Emily said looking back down at the sand

"And when she hurts I hurt and I don't know what to do." Xander flashed back to the events of the day before.

"How olds your friend Emily?" he asked. She shrugged.

"Nobody knows. She's been alive for a long long time."

"Does she go here?" Xander asked. Emily shook her head.

"No. She lives at home with her boyfriend. She's a little koo-koo in the head."

"What's her name?" he asked her. Before Emily could reply back the bell rang and she took off leaving Xander with his mixed up thoughts and unanswered questions.

10:15 AM

Anya had gotten the kids started in groups. Some were on the computer, while others drew on the chalk board or pictures. Xander went around with stickers. Emily sat alone by the water fountain coloring a picture. It was a picture of her family, her mom and her dog. Then under the grass was a picture of 2 people who seemed to be floating. One had black colored hair and the other one's hair was colored in with a yellow crayon. Her father was absent from the picture, but above the family on a hill was a picture of a girl with blonde hair and what seemed to be a long triangle in her hand. This picture disturbed Xander to no end.

"Anya," he whispered to her. She was bent over trying to help the computer group with a math equation.

"Yeah?" she said snapping up.

"I'm going to take Emily outside for a minute, okay?" She nodded and Xander handed her the roll of stickers. Xander tapped Emily lightly on the shoulder. She looked up and smiled at him

"Hi Xander."

"Hi Emily," he said, he didn't want to scare her.

"Will you come with me for a minute?" he asked.

"Am I in trouble?" she asked.

"No. Xander would just like to ask you some questions about your picture." Emily got her picture and took Xanders hand as he led her out onto the playground. He sat her down on a bench then sat next to her. It was eerily quiet outside with no one on the swings, or in the sandbox.

"You don't mind me asking any questions do you?" Xander asked. Emily shook her head no. Xander pointed to the dog in the picture. He decided to kind of ease her into it so she would become more accustomed to the whole questions thing.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"That's Boden my dog," she answered.

"Who's that?" he asked pointing to what he knew was the mother.

"That's my mommy," she answered simply. Xander gulped then he pointed up to the girl on top of the hill.

"That's the slayer," Emily answered.

"Her names Buffy." Xander was in shock and was quiet for a long time. Emily found it time to explain.

"Buffy is the vampire slayer. She's the chosen one. Dru told me about her." She pointed to the floating character with black hair.

"She's my friend I was talking to you about this morning. That's her boyfriend Spike. Their my angels." Xander looked at little Emily. This little girl was so small and innocent but knew way too much. Just as Rose did.