Oz's van pulled into a parking space at Sunnydale High school's parking lot. Buffy and her friends shuffled out of the Scooby mobile with books and schoolbags in hand. As they headed for the entrance, Buffy continued to relay about her sister's irritability and not without complaint.
"Can you believe she said that? As if I am the only reason that little…" she groaned exasperated, "She just makes me so mad. And it's not my fault we live on a Hellmouth. She should blame mom for that."
Willow and Oz gave each other a knowing look that said this wasn't the first of the Summers sister squabbling they had heard. Willow gave Buffy a smile and patted her back comfortingly.
Oz opening the door for the school entrance and let the ladies go first. "It's sounds like you got yourself a Tween on your hands."
Buffy looked confused, " A Tween? Is that suppose to make sense? Willow, tell Oz to make sense."
"You know a tween?" Oz said with his charming grin, "Someone who's not a teenager yet and not quite a little kid anymore."
Their friend Xander walked into the conversation as they turned towards the hall that headed to the library. "So what's happening gang?" Xander exclaimed, "Lots of spooky stuff to make sense of at Giles' Library of Knowledge?"
Buffy smiled warmly at Xander as she explained, " No spooky stuff… well yet. Just problems with my tween sister."
Zander stopped walking and said with wide-eyed expression, " Wait! Buffy has a twin!" he starts to catch up with the group as they enter the library, " Is she single?"
Willow, Oz and Buffy looked at each other disgusted as Xander continued with his wild imagination, "I know I am going with Cordy and all, but I think me and her could work something…"
"Xander!" Willow interrupted, "She's talking about Dawnie."
Xander realized how stupid he just sounded. He mouthed the word Oh and sat at a table in the library hoping become invisible.
Willow turned to Buffy and said, "You know Buffy, Oz is right. Dawn is still young. She's had to deal with a lot even earlier then you did. I am sure she didn't mean that she blames you." She continued trying her best to comfort her best friend, " It's just… Well, imagine if you were 13 and found out vampires, witches and werewolves were all real. I mean it's one thing at 16 but… 13 is a different story."
Buffy looked a little shell shocked at what Willow brought to her attention, "Yeah, maybe I should talk to her sister-to-sister, you know… Oh…or I could…" Giles interrupted her sentence as he stared out the window of the library door.
"…Let her skip school and sneak around her big sister high school?" Giles finished.
Buffy gave Giles a strange look and replied, " Not exactly what I was thinking. I thought more along the lines of shopping and ice cream while doing the big sis talk. But skipping school that a little much don't ya.…think". Buffy trailed off as she saw Giles was pointing to the library door. A head was peeking back in the door of the library that looked like Dawn and disappeared caught in the act.
Buffy started to walk toward the door and called, " Dawn…?" Buffy opened the door to the hallways. Kids were streaming through, then the bell rang and the hall cleared. There was no sign of Dawn.
Willow, Xander and Oz started to head for class but stopped to look with Buffy. Willow asked, "Was it Dawn?"
"I think so.. but she ran off." Buffy replied.
"It's not like her to skip school…is it? I mean … she likes school." Willow said worried.
Buffy shook her head, "No it's not like her… at all. You guys better get to class, 1st period is starting. I will tell Giles to call Dawn's school and see what's going on."
Willow and Oz started to head to class. Willow glanced behind her toward Buffy with concern still on her face. Xander hung behind to talk to Buffy.
"So…" Xander said looking at Buffy seriously, " I still don't get it. How did Dawn become your twin?"
Buffy sighed exasperated, " Go to class Zander."
Zander pulled to attention like a solider and saluted. "Yes, ma'am right away."
Buffy headed back inside the library to talk to Giles as Xander took his time to class. As he walked by one of the windows of the school's pavilion he noticed someone peering behind a bush. "Someone's playing hooky." Zander said in a tattletale voice as he opened the only door to the pavilion.
In the library, Giles was on the phone and Buffy sat next to him on the main library reception desk. Buffy stammered with concern for her sister, " There must be something wrong Giles. Why would Dawn come here?" Giles held a finger to his lips for Buffy to be silent as he waited on hold with Dawn's school.
Xander, now investigating the pavilion, headed toward the bush where he thought he saw… Yep it's her. It definitely Dawn, he thought, as Dawn's head popped out of the bush and giggled.
Xander stood in front of the tall bush Dawn was hiding behind. "Hey Dawnie! You know Buffy is worried about you? Why don't you come from behind there and we'll go talk to her and tell her you're okay?" He said in the best comforting tone he could possibly muster. There was no answer. Xander sighed, a little fed up, as he walked around the bush and looked on the other side. Smiling the whole time ready to grab her when he assumes she will run. Quickly his smile leaves his face as he quickly glances around at nothing. Dawn is gone. Which is impossible without Xander seeing where she went. "Okay. Maybe you're not alright…" Xander says to himself with hesitation. And then starts in a run back towards the library.
Buffy looked at Giles frustrated as he got off the phone. "So how can that be Giles? I saw… you saw her."
Giles took off his glasses and wiped them feeling just as frustrated but trying not to panick. " Yes, they were sure. Come to think of it Buffy I only saw eyes so maybe…" Zander rushing in to the library out of breath cuts off Giles, "She disappeared!"
Buffy raises an eyebrow, " Who did? You didn't really find my twin did you?"
Zander still out of breath said, " Dawn… I saw her in the pavilion."
"That's impossible! We just called her school. Her teacher said she's been in class all morning." Giles said with panic and unbelief.
With the shake of his head Zander said with faithfulness, " No it was Dawn. I am sure of it. She just disappeared before my eyes. Poof Dawnie there then, Pooff Dawnie gone.
Buffy turned to Giles for answers "Giles, What's going on?"
Giles turned to Buffy," I honestly don't know Buffy but we should call you mother. You said she drove her to school this morning correct?"
Buffy nodded and picked up the phone.