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Previously: Buffy goes to the library to investigate missing girls and finds a book instead. This book proves to be magical and she is transported to another world, along with a certain annoying vampire…….

Of course it wasn't going to be easy. Nothing ever is, is it? Not in my life. Nope. Buffy paced and she tried to come up with a plan that wouldn't end with her dead or worse. There was always worse.

Damn. She didn't have the book to look at and she hadn't read much of anything that would help her. Everything had happened so quickly. This must be how the other girls disappeared. Well at least she was on the right track.

She turned to look in the direction of the castle. It was beautiful, of course. It was just like she had seen in books. It didn't look menacing, so of course it was probably evil. How could anything so beautiful be so evil?

"Hey, slayer". Spike spoke so loud that it jolted Buffy from her thoughts. Beautiful and evil, yes, that certainly was possible wasn't it? Buffy shook her head as though those thoughts could be emptied with enough effort. Bad Buffy. Spike is annoying and many other things I don't like. Don't let him distract you from the mission. She had never really thought much about his looks before. No, that was a lie. She had, but just not too much. He was a vampire after all, and her chosen enemy. You don't think of the enemy as handsome.

"Slayer, hey, anybody home?" Spike was waving his hands in front of Buffy's face. "What's with all the staring? We have investigat'in to do you know, we don't have time for starry eyed girls all goo goo over the castle!"

Right. Spike the annoying. How could I forget? "I am not being all starry eyed. I am thinking ahead and trying to make a plan. It's more than what you have been doing. Unless, of course, you count smoking 10 cigarettes and swearing every five minutes. That's not helping." Why did he always have to be so insightful when it came to her thoughts? She hated that. He always seemed to be able to read her thoughts and it was just a little bit too wiggy.

Spike inhaled the smoke deeply and sat on a rock. She was right of course. He wasn't helping much, but he was waiting for her to come up with something. He thought she would appreciate that. But, of course, she doesn't. Never appreciates anything that he does.

"So, what's the plan then?" He was getting impatient, and hungry. When did he last eat? Can't remember, but the hunger was getting intense, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could remain cool about it.

"I think maybe we should wait for darkness and then….

"Bloody hell we will wait for darkness!" Spike interrupted. "We have already been waiting here for hours and that's all you come up with. More waiting!"

"We don't know what we are dealing with here Spike. It's not safe in the daylight. We need to scout at dark." This was the plan. Why was he being so stubborn?

Spike was pacing now. "How do you bloody well know it gets dark here? Have you been here at night before? This waiting is getting us nowhere. I say we go up to the door and knock and see who answers. If they are demons, we will take them on. If not, we find out what the hell kind of place this is and how we get back home."

Buffy felt her plan was better but arguing about it for the next 3 hours was not going to be helpful. "Alright Spike, we try it your way this time. But if this turns out bad, you do what I say from now on without argument. Agreed?"

Spike smiled a little smile and cocked his head sideways looking the slayer up and down. He loved a good deal when he could get one. "Sure, slayer. Anything you say."

Meanwhile.........back at the Magic Box.

The phone rang suddenly, abruptly waking Giles. He had fallen asleep. He lifted his head from the desk and rubbed his eyes. "Oh my, what time is it?" He was talking to no one as the room was empty. He must have fallen asleep while researching last night. Oh yes, the phone.

"Yes". His mind was still fuzzy from too little sleep but the voice on the other end was loud and clear. "Giles, this is Mr. Hargis." Giles remembered suddenly and became very concerned. "Do you have information? Have you heard anything about Buffy?" He might not like him asking but Giles had to do something. He hadn't heard from Buffy since she set off on her mission to the library and he was very worried. He was becoming very sorry that he had gotten them involved with Mr. Hargis.

"Everything is fine Giles. That's why I am ringing you. Buffy has succeeded in the first part of the mission to recover the girls. She's fine. You need not be concerned at all."

Why weren't those words comforting. Maybe because the man giving him this information was not to be trusted. Giles knew that going in. He really should have researched this more before agreeing to this fiasco. "I am very grateful for your information, Mr. Hargis, but I really would prefer to talk with Buffy herself. Has she reported to you in some way? Have you heard from her?"

"Let's just say that I have information that she is well and continuing on the mission that we discussed. You will not be hearing from her for awhile. She is unable to contact you, but please, be assured that there is nothing to worry about. You have done your job, sir. Now, let me handle the rest." With that Mr. Hargis hung up.

Giles sat holding the phone and removed his glasses. He pinched his nose and placed the receiver slowly down on the phone. He sat in silence for a few moments staring out into the room. His next words hung in the air like a thick smoke. "What have I done?"