Buffy handed the customer his change and smiled her fake smile.
Please come back to the Doublemeat Palace. Customers like you make our day.
As soon as the customer left, Buffy wiped the phony grin off her face and rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait until her shift was over. She wanted to see Spike. Right now she needed a good work out'.
Buffy was interrupted from her thoughts by a nerdy looking redheaded boy walked to her till.
Buffy Summers? the redhead asked.
The redhead pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. Buffy's name was scrawled on the paper in black ink. Before Buffy could ask, the redhead answered.
Some guy told me to give this to you. He was pretty strange. He was all dressed in Black and said his name was Alex or Anthony or something like that. He wouldn't come out of the shadows either, and if you ask me, the guy looked like he could use some sun.
Buffy whispered.
Yeah, that's it. Look, miss, I'm starved. You gonna take my order or what?
Sorry, it's my break time. Buffy smiled, this time authentically, and placed a closed sign in front of the till. Quickly she fled to the back room before the redhead could object.
Closing the door behind her and making sure she was alone in the room, Buffy unfolded the note and read it.
Buffy,
Meet me in the cemetery after dark. Please come alone,
I just want to talk.
Angel
Buffy folded the note back up and slipped it into her pocket. Angel was in town and wanted to talk to her? Why did he have to show up now? This couldn't be good. She had to get to Spike before Angel did.
Buffy frowned. Before she could do anything, she had to finish her shift at the Doublemeat. It was going to be a long day.
***
Willow searched ferociously through her bag. How could this happen to her? Willow Rosenburg was never found on exam day without a number 2 pencil. It just didn't happen! Even if the Hellmouth broke open, Willow would have been ready with a number 2 pencil no matter what.
Suddenly, a large thud at the front of the room caused Willow to look up from her bag and gasp. The exam questions written in white chalk on the large blackboard were now smeared with a bright red fluid, making pinkish blobs instead of words.
Willow followed the gaze of her classmates and professor, past the pinkish goo, to a large brown heap on the floor. The light and dark brown feathers told Willow it was a bird of some sort, although, what kind she did not know. It was a big bird.
Blood!
Willow continued to stare with her classmates and professor in stunned silence at the dead bird.
Obviously the bird had flown through one of the windows that had been opened to allow fresh air to flow in the room. The question was why had it gone for the blackboard?
The professor's voice interrupted Willow's thoughts, Ummm...I guess, due to the fact that the exam questions are unreadable at this time, the exam will be postponed until tomorrow.
A cheer rang out in the classroom as students stuffed their pencils back in their bags and departed the room in haste before the professor changed his mind.
Willow packed her stuff back into her back with slight relief as she had a chance to find out where her pencils had gone. However, the pinkish streaks trailing to large brown lump on the floor at the front of the room, stained itself into Willow's mind.
***
Xander glanced at his watch and sighed. Finally it was quitting time. Watching the men clear out, he grabbed his jacket and laid his hard-hat on a table nearby before heading to the Magic Shop and his lovely fiancé.
On his way past the staff area, he noticed something wasn't quite right. In the middle of the area was a small, portable blackboard used for announcements such as a change in schedule. The white chalk now, however, was a mess. Blood spattered the board and on the ground below it was a rather large brown bird. It was dead.
Xander looked around to ask what had happened, but all the guys had left. Xander frowned and rushed to his car. His girlfriend was waiting.
***
Anya waved goodbye to a customer and smiled. Owning a store was fun! Especially when good paying customers came in. Her smile widened as she placed the crisp fifty dollar bill into her register before closing it. The bell over the door rang announcing another customer.
Anya beamed.
Dawn dropped her bag on the round table in the back and fell into a chair with a huff. She did not look impressed.
Dawn? What's wrong? Anya sat down on a chair facing the slayer's sister
Dawn frowned and sighed heavily before answering.
It was my turn to give my history presentation in front of the class today.
What happened? Did you throw up? Anya asked surprisingly concerned.
Dawn wrinkled her forehead.
Oh. Well, did you faint?
Dawn huffed with disgust. I hardly started my presentation when this huge bird flew in the open window and crashed into the blackboard!
Oh no! Was he hurt?
Was he hurt? Dawn glared at Anya. That stupid bird splattered blood all over my visuals---destroyed them! Now I have to redo everything and give my presentation again on Monday. I was hoping I could hang with my friends at the mall this weekend. There is no way Buffy will let me go unless my project is finished. Dawn crossed her arms and slouched lower in the chair. Her frown deepened.
Willow walked over to the table and put her bag next to Dawn's. Dawn looked up with slight surprise. She didn't remember hearing the bell.
Hey, Dawnie. Sorry to hear about your presentation.
Dawn sat up in her chair and leaned an elbow on the table's edge. It's okay. I've already written the report so all I have to do is find more pictures. There's tons on the net. Dawn sighed, apparently over her fit. So how was your day, Willow?
Well, everything was fine until my Psych class. I had this huge exam but for some reason all my number 2 pencils are gone from my bag. Before I could even think waht to do, this huge brown bird flew in one of the windows and right into the blackboard. There was blood everywhere! It smeared the exam question so I'm lucky cuz now the exam isn't until tomorrow which will give me time to find my number 2 pencils. At first I thought it was just a freak accident. Birds are always flying into windows and stuff, but this bird was huge! And it happened to you too? Something's going on.
The bell above the door rang as Tara, Buffy and Xander walked in.
Hey, guys! What's up? Buffy sauntered over to the table.
Xander moved to take a seat beside Anya as Tara stood beside Willow who smiled up at her lover. Buffy frowned slightly.
Hey, Buffy. Willow chimed. How was your day?
Oh, the usual. Me making burgers, me wrapping burgers, me selling burgers, me getting a note from Angel, me coming home smelling like burgers. Yep, the total Buffy Usual' day. How was yours?
Dawn wrinkled her nose. You don't smell that bad, she said somewhat comfortingly.
Dawn and I had quite the day today. We both found out that birds and blackboards don't mix. Willow quickly explained the occurrences before turning to Tara to ask, Did any birds fly into any of your blackboards today?
Tara shook her head. No, nothing unusual happened today. It was all nice and boring. Tara smiled her sweet smile.
Wait just a minute! Xander suddenly stood up from his seat and glared at Buffy. You got a note from Angel?
Everyone fell silent and looked at the slayer.
You did? Willow asked meekly.
Buffy winced within herself. She had hoped nobody would notice what she had said. She knew nothing was wrong otherwise Angel would have mentioned some sort of urgency or come himself as soon as it was dark. She didn't want to get all dramatic.
Uh, yeah. It was nothing. Angel just wants to meet sometime tonight and talk while I patrol. It's no big deal. He's probably in town on business and dropped by to say hi. Buffy brushed it off and hoped the rest of the gang would do so too. Hey, Xander, didn't you say something about a bird and a blackboard at work? Buffy asked in an attempt to change the subject. It didn't work.
What does Angel want to talk about? Willow asked.
I don't know. The note didn't say. But he didn't sound urgent so everything is okay. What was that you were telling me on the way in, Xand?
Ooh! Are you going to get back together with him? Dawn asked excitedly.
Buffy said out loud but was really thinking maybe. It's nothing. Angel was probably in town on business and thought he'd say hi. It's no big deal. It sounds like these birds are the problem. It is the hellmouth, maybe they are possessed or something.
An omen! Anya burst out, making everyone jump and look at her with curiosity. The birds and the blackboards, they're an omen that something is going to happen. Anya quickly finished.
Anya, honey, that's just superstitious nonsense. Xander quipped.
Anya shook her head at him. Omens are very real, Xander. Every time I see bunnies I know something bad is going to happen--and it does! Anya's voice was serious forcing Xander to look at her with wonder.
Willow started thinking. If the birds are omens, then what do they mean? And why didn't Tara get one?
Oh that's easy, piped Anya. The birds symbolize someone getting hurt but don't see it coming. You, Dawn and Xander seeing the omens means either you are going to witness it or it's going to happen to someone that the three of you are close to.
Willow, Xander and Dawn looked at each other worriedly then straight at Buffy.
Buffy rolled her eyes. Guys, I'll be fine! It's me--the slayer, remember? I can handle Angel. I killed him once before, I can do it again.
We didn't say anything about Angel, Buffy. Willow said quietly.
Buffy stared at Willow who stared back.
What if is he's Angelus again? Anya asked.
He's not Angelus anymore! Buffy huffed. And even if he is, I can handle him.
Everyone sat quiet and stared at each other. Nobody wanted to worry about the slayer, but they couldn't help it. Buffy was their friend. None of them had ever thought it possible for her to die, yet, she had--twice!
Buffy sighed. It's almost dark so I better go. Will, can you take Dawn home and watch her for me? I might be late again.
Willow smiled softly and tried to cover her worry.
Thanks. I'll see you guys later. Buffy glanced over her friends before turning and heading home for a quick clothing change and weapons stock up.
Xander watched the slayer go then tried to resurrect his friends' morale. So who wants pizza? My treat!
