Turning the Tables

Chapter 13

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SUNNYDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY (Construction site)

"Mommy?" Buffy leapt down from the scaffolding and walked jerkily towards the last place Joyce had been in a human form, "Mommy? Mommy?" She reached the spot where the dust lay and sank to the ground.

"No, no, Mommy, Mommy, please Mommy," she clawed at the dirt, lifting it, letting it fall through her hands, trying to piece her mother back together, "No…Mommy…" She ducked her head and began to sob.

Giles bit his lip. He had backed away when Buffy had started to advance and now his heart was breaking. Why? Why, oh, why? But now, Buffy looked up slowly. Her eyes met his.

"You bastard." Her voice was detached, shaking with icy fury, "You killed her. You killed my mother."

"Buffy, you must listen, please-"

"No. No more 'please'. No more games." She looked over her shoulder at Spike and Willow, "My mother is dead. And for that…" her eyes focused on Giles once more and her lips twisted into a devilish grin, "This town is going to beg for clemency. And guess what?" her gaze shifted to Xander and Faith, "I dunno what that means."

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SUNNY HEIGHTS (A Few Hours Earlier)

Buffy stared out the window and sighed. Everything was so boring now. Nothing to do…nothing was fun. Hunting wasn't fun…even torturing Angel had lost it's appeal. The high-pitched shrieks coming from the bedroom stopped and Willow exited.

"That Watcher is pretty fun."

"Is he?" Buffy asked without much interest. Who cared? "Where's Spike gone to?" Sometimes Spike still entertained her. Willow smiled a very cat-like smile.

"He's gone to get a surprise for you."

"A surprise?" Buffy perked up. Surprises were good. "What kind of surprise?"

"If I told you…" Willow shook her head and trailed off. Buffy crawled over and ran a cold finger down Willow's neck, brushing the scar she still wore from her change. Willow shuddered and gasped.

"Please…" Buffy made her best puppy dog face. Willow licked her lips.

"I'll give you a clue…it starts with a 'J'."

"J…" Buffy frowned, thinking, "Jam…jump…joy…" she froze and her eyes widened, "Joyce."

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SUNNYDALE HIGH

"A rash of murders and arsons has swept through the city. Officials believe it to be the work of a gang that also terrorized Sunnydale High earlier this year-"

Principal Snyder shut the radio off and leaned back in his chair. Idiots. This was one of the sloppiest cover-up jobs he had ever had to deal with. He could do so much better if only the Mayor gave him more power.

"Sunnydale," he hissed, letting all his disgust for the place seep into the one word. What he wouldn't give to be back on a high profile assignment…he knew Sunnydale was on a Hellmouth but still. He was perfectly able to handle something much larger. He wished he hadn't been passed up for that Loch Ness job. It wouldn't have been hard to do better than the last guy. But Mayor Wilkins had specifically requested him.

"Deep in thought?" an innocent sounding voice asked. He looked up. It was the Slayer.

"Miss Summers. You haven't been in school lately. I'm afraid we'll have to-"

"Oh, stow it Snyder." He clamped his mouth shut in indignation. How dare she talk to him that way! He was the principal! She couldn't just…now she was picking pens up off his desk and studying them.

"Summers I've tried to be patient with you but-"

"But now I've gone too far. I'm a very bad girl," she nodded seriously, "Bad, bad Buffy. I'll have to be punished now," she leaned forward so her nose was only a few inches from his, "But are you big enough to punish me? Little Snyder?" Now he was fuming. 'Little Snyder'?! Is that what those vile students called him? He stood up quickly and walked around the desk to show her just what he was capable of. Bad move.

She grabbed his shirt collar and shoved him up against the wall so his legs dangled helpless in midair.

"Aww, poor widdle Snyder," she made a mockingly sad face, "Not tall enough to discipline naughty Buffy?"

"I…I know that you're the Slayer!" he choked out, "Slayers don't kill humans!" Buffy pretended to consider this a moment.

"No, I suppose they don't. But," she slid into game face, "I'm also a vampire now. And killing humans is sort of what we do."

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"Ding dong the principal's dead," Xander announced when he entered the library that morning.

"What?" Cordy looked up from her nail polish, "Dead? Snyder? No way."

"Way. They found him this morning all slumped over his desk. And guess what was written on his desk?"

"Anesthesiology?" Oz offered as he entered the room.

"'Merry Christmas'…in his own blood," Xander informed them. Cordelia wrinkled her nose.

"Gross. Thanks for the details Harris."

"But who would kill Principal Snyder?" Oz asked. The other two stared at him, "All right, pointless question."

"Oz has a point," Xander admitted, "I mean, who didn't want to kill him…but who actually would?"

"I think it's obvious," Cordy said, rolling her eyes and returning to her 'Berry Kiss'.

"To who?" Xander asked. Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Duh, brain trust. Who do we know who hates Snyder more than most other people and just got upgraded to 'vicious and violent murderer'?"

"Buffy." All three said in unison.

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That's all for now. Terribly sorry about the REEEEALLY long wait. R/R