Sunnydale Preschool

1:30 PM

Buffy and Willow had dropped Rose off at Giles' with Cordelia before arriving at the preschool. When they got there they spotted Xander on a bench with a little girl. Rain continued to drizzle lightly.

"Took you long enough," Xander said standing up. Emily's eyes grew wide.

"Your the girl Drusilla's been telling me about! Your Buffy!" It was as if Emily had just visited Disneyland for the first time and Buffy was one of the characters come to life. Buffy was taken aback but Willow came to the rescue and smiled at Emily.

"You know about me?" Buffy asked. Emily nodded and handed Buffy her picture.

"See? I even drew you into my picture." She pointed to things as she explained.

"This is you. And on the bottom right there are my guardian angels Drusilla and Spike. They talk to me and tell me all kinds of cool secrets. They told me that you were the slayer and you fought vampires to keep us all safe."

"Sweetheart," Buffy started, feeling like she would start crying at any minute "I don't know what Drusilla or Spike have told you but...their vampires too."

"But their good vampires right? Like your guardian angel? Like your Angel?" Buffy silently shook her head.

"No, they aren't good sweetie."

"Why do they talk to me?" Emily asked, sounding extremely hurt, "Why don't they talk to Aaron? He's a bad kid and..., but I'm not." Buffy knew they needed to take Emily with them but how? How would her parents ever allow that?

"Emily where's your dad in this picture?" Willow asked.

"I don't have one," Emily explained sheepishly.

"He's just my mommy's boyfriend."

"How do you get home Em?" Willow asked.

"I don't go home today," Emily replied.

"Today's Friday. Mommy and Robert go out and I go with my gaurdian angels." Xander gulped. Just like that. Just like that this little 3 year old had been exposed to such a disaster he had lived with for the past 6 years. When he met Buffy.

"Will you come home with us tonight instead?" Willow asked.

"I'm not upposed to go anywhere with strangers," Emily said.

"We know, sweetie, but we can help you," Willow said. Emily seemed to think this over as she twiddled her now soaking wet paper.

"Will Ms. Chase be there?" Emily asked. The three nodded together.

"Okay," Emily agreed.

"Just make the voices stop."