CHAPTER EIGHT

Gone are the days when I was young and free
The future I can't see
Gone are the days of precious love
Relied on, and leaned on
So many days of sleepless nights
By your side
And why oh why
I never thought that it would be like this
My first love the last time

The Corrs - Say

"I wish I could say the building I saw was the middle school but no bells went off when we drove past. I…I think I should recognize the building," Cordy said, scrunching down in her seat as Wesley headed for the Summers' residence.

"It's all right, Cordy. You tried." Buffy felt very odd about this. Cordy had been a help in the past but she had been a bigger pain in the ass. Now Cordelia seemed different. They were both suffering for the greater good. Cordelia's visions weren't letting her walk away from the evil any more than Buffy could. It wasn't often Buffy felt sorry for Cordelia but this was one such time.

That feeling was cut short when Buffy saw Dawn racing away from the house. Given the dressier clothes she had on, Buffy didn't doubt there was a boy waiting for her somewhere. She leapt out of the car even before it was fully parked, ignoring Wesley's startled shout.

"Hold it right there, Dawn."

Dawn winced and slowly turned around. Her expression screamed frustration touched with dread. She tried to ease the tension out of her face. "Oh, Buffy, I didn't think you'd be home yet."

"I'm sure or you wouldn't have come back here after you ditched Aidan." Buffy stalked over to her sister as Cordy and Wes got out of the car but wisely hung back.

Dawn wilted away. "He snitched?"

"No, I found him still abandoned at the Magic Box. Dawn, how could you? It's bad enough you cut class but to leave Aidan alone in Sunnydale was terrible. He's a total stranger," Buffy grumbled, suddenly feeling like her mother had to have whenever she cut class.

"He's okay. He can handle himself. He's not a kid," Dawn argued, her face taking on a defiant set Buffy was growing to hate.

"Yes, he is and that's not the point, Dawn. His mother trusted you to keep him with you." Buffy felt like shaking Dawn and wondered how their mother had resisted doing it to both of them over the years. She was trying to be understanding of Dawn. Buffy knew she was going through a lot but there were limits.

"I'm sorry…it wasn't like we planned it." Dawn flipped her hair back, looking regretful. "He had fun with us but David wanted to go hang out and he didn't want kids around."

"Kids? You're only a year older than Aidan. How old is this David?" Buffy felt the fury bubbling up and the others sensed it, backing away She was suddenly aware of just how made up Dawn was. Her sister had tried to make up over a big bruise on her forehead and her eyeshadow was too bright for Buffy's taste.

"Uh, sixteen." Dawn ducked her head, hiding behind her long swag of hair.

"We'll talk about this more later. Cordy, why don't you go on in and grab a bath. Dawn, you get back inside." Buffy stabbed a finger at the house.

"But Jane is waiting on me." Dawn stamped her foot and Buffy's scowl deepened.

"You're not going, you're grounded." Buffy tried not to wince, hearing Joyce in her tone.

Anger lined Dawn's fresh face. "Buffy, that's not fair."

"It's more fair than what you did to Aidan." Buffy propelled her toward the front door. "Now get in there and call Jane."

Dawn stomped into the house. Buffy shot Wes and Cordy an apologetic look. Cordy smiled wearily and headed up the stairs. Before Dawn could place her call, the phone rang. She snatched it up angrily but the look on her face quickly dissolved into one of horror. Tears squeezed past her eyelids.

"Oh, God. Oh, no! I…I can't come. Buffy…I have to go," Dawn babbled.

"Dawnie, what is it?" Buffy's anger fled, replaced by concern upon seeing the panic in Dawn's eyes. She plucked the phone from Dawn's hands. "Hello, who is this? Jane…what's wrong?" Buffy's face went grim. "I'm very sorry to hear that. No, Dawn can't come meet you." Buffy hung up.

"Buffy, I have to go," Dawn said, swiping at her tears.

"Absolutely not." Buffy grimaced, glancing over to Wesley, the only other adult, for help. This discipline thing was hard. Another wave of guilt over what she put her mother and Giles through over the years washed through Buffy.

"Buffy, what's happened?" Wesley broke in.

"Another girl has gone missing right from her house." Buffy heard the flatness of her voice. She had seen this too often in her years as a Slayer; it had begun to affect her.

"She's not just another girl. Evie Renton is my friend," Dawn sobbed, tossing herself onto the couch.

"And I'm sorry about it, Dawn, really I am. But you can't help Evie. This is more than you being grounded. You're not going out at night, not until we stop these people harvesting for the Moufyng demon and that's the end of it," Buffy snarled.

"But, Buffy..." Dawn clutched one of the couch pillows to her chest.

"No!" The look on her sister's face hurt so Buffy tried to soften some. "Dawn, you can go to Jane's in the morning."

"I hate you!" Dawn screamed, winging the pillow at Buffy then leapt from the couch and stormed up the stairs.

Buffy turned watery eyes on Wesley. He shifted uncomfortably.

"She doesn't really mean that," he ventured, closing the space between them.

"What do you know about it?" Buffy snapped and he backed off.

"Admittedly, not much but I remember losing my temper with my mother a time or two and saying things like that. I didn't mean it even if I felt like it at the time. Usually regretted it pretty quickly. I dare say it's something we all go through. It's part of growing up, that challenge to authority," Wesley said softly. "And to have a friend disappear…"

"I know but…" Buffy trailed off, rubbing her arm. She had goose bumps.

"It's hard to play the tough parent when you're not," he supplied.

"Exactly. I wish I knew better what to do." She hugged her arms tight around herself. "I wish Giles were still here to help."

"He'll be here soon with the others." Wesley glanced up the steps. "I should get the car back to the mansion and talk to Angel. If you don't mind me leaving Cordy here for a little while."

"No prob. I didn't even ask Dawn if Evie was one of the ones with her all day. It could have been Dawn who went missing." Buffy's eyes went wide with fear at the idea. "I have to ask her."

"Buffy, may I suggest waiting until Giles gets here. You may want him to do the asking."

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing again for her mother's return so she'd no longer have to bear this burden. "I'll go tell Cordy you'll be back for her later."

He nodded and headed out the door.

"So the top does go up on that car and here I thought Peaches was too macho to ride in the car unless the top was down," Spike called from where he sat on the Summers' house steps smoking.

Angel tossed him a dirty look and a dirtier gesture. "Ceara's mostly ready for her shoot tonight and didn't want her hair in a snarl."

Ceara slid out of the car, her red high heels glittering in the streetlights. Spike's lips parted slightly, a look of appreciation on his hollow-cheeked face. Seeing the spill of raven hair, Spike understood why she wouldn't want it to get tangled.

"I can't blame Nancy boy for changing his habits for a lovely lady," Spike said, getting to his feet. He dusted off his jacket in a male version of primping.

She flipped her long hair back. "Thanks."

"Don't be too flattered Ceara. He wants something," Angel warned.

She smiled coyly at him over her shoulder. "All men do, Angel."

"Now that's just harsh," Spike took a long drag on the cigarette. "Your pet Watcher tell you about the situation going on in there?" He jerked his head toward the house.

"Wes brought us up to date. Dawn still locked in her room?" Ceara's eyes flicked to the second floor windows that blazed with light.

"Yeah, think so."

Ceara nodded and headed into the house. Her son crawled out of the car and followed her. Spike noted that he was in a tux and looking uncomfortable about it.

"What kind of work are you doing that needs all this spiffying up?" the pale vampire asked.

"Haunted former nightclubs," Aidan said. "They want us to look like we would be out clubbing. I feel like a drongo. Who goes to clubs looking like this?"

"Not normally," Spike agreed.

"Don't get Mum started on it. She hates being dressed up like an overgrown doll for these shoots," Aidan warned and went inside. He gave Dawn an uneasy look, seeing that she wasn't locked in her room any longer. She sat on the living room floor by the fireplace, glaring at everyone. Xander, Anya, Tara, and Willow were trying hard to pretend they didn't notice and Cordy looked like she could care less, between her headache and her own veil of self-importance. Dawn gave him an intensified glower.

"I can't believe you told on me," she said.

He glared right back, instantly irritated at her trying to fix blame. "I didn't. Your sister got back to the Magic Box before I could get out of there and she figured it out." He gestured to the black and blue mark on Dawn's forehead. "How's your head?"

Dawn's face softened as she gently touched the spot. "It hurts."

"Evie was the girl with us today, wasn't she?" Aidan sat next to her.

Dawn's face threatened to crumble. She covered it with her hands then dropped them with a sigh. "Yeah."

"Sorry." Aidan gave her hand a squeeze. "Dawn, do you have a picture or a personal item of Evie's? Mum and I could see if we can get a hit off of it."

"I borrowed one of her sweaters last week. Would that work?" Dawn's entire face lit up with hope.

"It might," he said, and Dawn bolted up the stairs.

"Evie disappeared no more than twenty minutes after Dawn left her. It could have been Dawn they got," Buffy said, her voice shaky.

"But it wasn't," Giles said, putting his hands on her shoulders. She leaned into him, craving comfort. She wanted to be small and taken care of if only for a moment. "I'm more concerned that Dawn doesn't understand why you're angry with her."

"I know. I'm afraid she'll try sneaking out," Buffy said. "I would have." She stared at her feet. "Any suggestions, Ceara?"

"It's not easy to make teens see reason, no offense, son. But they do appreciate being spoken to like an adult. Sit down with her, talk it out but don't forget in the end you're in control. You're adult and you can't always be her friend," Ceara said with unaccustomed solemnity.

Buffy sagged onto the arm of the couch, displacing Xander's hand. He gave her thigh a comforting pat. She ignored the jealous glare that earned her from Anya. "It's hard."

"I know." Ceara pointed with her chin as Dawn reappeared with a sweater in hand.

Dawn turned it over to Aidan who got up and shared it with his mother. Both of them concentrated for several moments. Ceara shook her head.

"Nothing?" Giles asked, as if he expected it.

"Less than," she replied, flexing her fingers as if trying to rid them of something.

"Same here. Sorry," Aidan said.

"What does that mean? Is she dead?" Dawn asked, her voice squeaky and strained.

"It doesn't mean much." Aidan took her hand. "She could be alive or it could mean nothing at all. We don't get images all the time. Usually we don't. If we could always do it, there'd be a lot less missing persons out there."

"Oh." Dawn crumpled. "But she could be alive, right? It would be worse if you got something and knew she was dead."

"That's always worse. I wish we could have helped." Aidan glanced at the wall clock. "Mum, we have to get moving. If we're late, Cari will hit the roof again. She's going to tell you letting you dress at home won't save time like you said it would."

Ceara gave him the evil eye but nodded. "Buffy, do you still want to come with us?"

Buffy glanced over at Dawn who grimaced.

"Just go," Dawn said. "I won't sneak out. Willow and Tara will be with me."

Buffy locked eyes with her friends who nodded. "All right. I think it best I patrol around the site. It makes too juicy a target."

"And I'll be there as well," Angel said.

"Same here," Spike said, obviously still unwilling to be outdone or left out. He ignored the fact no one seemed happy about it.

"I'm not going to protest any help I can get," Ceara said. "Just stay out of the cameras' way. Cordy, do you want to observe again?"

Cordy seemed fragile and tired as she slowly shook her head. "Not tonight. My head is still killing me."

"And I'll gladly never deal with a ghost again if I can help it," Wesley said, shuddering.

"I would like to observe, if I may," Giles said softly. He found he was actually able to meet Ceara's eyes without feeling guilty.

"Of course. Just do what the techies say," she said.

"Thank you." Giles looked at her shyly. "And Ceara, you look lovely."

She pursed her lips. "I'll give you that one, but no praising the outfit where my producers can hear. I'm tired of being totted up. I find chasing ghosts highly uncomfortable in clothing like this."

"Understandable," Giles said, smiling gently.

"At least your skirt is tight enough it won't end up over your head like that one time, Mum." Aidan beamed.

She rolled her eyes saying, "Thanks for sharing, son," as she swatted half-heartedly at him.

He danced out of reach. "Any time."

Ceara jerked a thumb at him. "For this I have stretch marks."

"Hey!" Aidan stuck his tongue out at her.

"In the car, son. Xander, could you and Anya run Wes and Cordy back to the mansion for us?" Ceara asked.

Xander looked relieved to have something to do besides sitting around doing nothing much. "Of course."

"Aidan," Dawn piped up. "You look nice in that tux."

He grinned widely. "Thanks. I'm glad. Otherwise, I'd feel like I'm looking like a drongo for nothing."

Ceara caught his hair and gently tugged him along. "We're late. You can flirt later."

He pouted. "You always say that."

She shrugged, her zirconium choker rippling with the motion. "We're always late."

"Fine. I call shotgun. Maybe you should let Mum drive, Angel. You drive like an old man," Aidan said, heading for the door.

Angel's mouth dropped open. "I do not."

"He is an old man, Aidan," Willow said as she opened the door for them.

"He drives like one," Aidan repeated.

"I'm driving," Angel grated out and Aidan rolled his eyes.

Buffy couldn't hold in a snicker. "I'll patrol my way over. See you there." She loped off into the darkness.

Aidan got in the car as Spike left on his motorcycle. Giles found himself alone with Ceara in the big backseat. Giles felt rather grateful for the generous space in the back of the GTX and uncomfortable at the same time. He glanced over at Ceara and wondered if he should say anything to her; Maybe ask to be left on the side of the road and go back home where he belonged. He turned his gaze out the window, thinking too many thoughts at once. He couldn't remember ever feeling so conflicted except when he had learned of Jenny's betrayal of their trust.

Giles felt something prodding his ankle. He glanced down taking in the red high-heeled pump and the dark, lean leg it was attached to. He let his eyes slowly travel up her body, the other occupants of the car forgotten. Red suited Ceara. She was stunning. His mind went from too many conflicting thoughts down to just one. Gone was his fear about what being a father meant, even further from his mind was the Moufyng demon and the culler of children in his name. All that was in his mind was the smell of her perfume, their first night together in northern England and the fiery days afterwards.

"Penny for your thoughts," she said softly.

He decided to keep his lusty thought to himself. "I should be researching the Moufyng demon, not following you to a shoot. I've seen you talk to ghosts many times before."

"Willow and Tara are working on the research. So is Wesley, not to mention Anya, Xander and Cordy throwing in as well. They're all more than capable, right?" She patted his hand. "Taking time for yourself isn't a bad thing, Roo."

"Too much time lately." He dropped his gaze. "Maybe I shouldn't have gone back home."

"Buffy knows why you left. She understands you're trying to make her stand on her own two feet," Ceara said, placatingly.

"But maybe now isn't the time to do it," he lamented. "She needs me."

"Your children always need you. It's hard to let them go. I know Aidan still needs me even when he pretends I'm just in his way. Sometimes I do have to stand aside and let him grow. But if he doesn't quit checking us out in the rearview mirror he's not growing any older." Her voice rose at the last.

"Oh, like I would be looking in the rearview mirror at you two." Aidan snorted. "I'm looking at the speedometer to see what new speed of slow Angel's found."

"I'm five miles over the speed limit," Angel protested.

"Yeah, speed limit for a horse and buggy." Aidan twirled his long hair around a finger.

"It's not like I can go roaring through town," Angel shot back.

"What was your excuse on the way here? You wouldn't even open her up on the highway. You probably don't even have a license, do you?" Aidan asked and Angel glared. "Come on, mate. You have a muscle car. Let her run, Angel."

Angel sighed, wondering if he would have one day be having this conversation with his own son if he managed to rescue him from the horrible place Holtz had taken Connor. "I can't let her run through town and do you have any idea the crappy gas mileage this thing gets?"

"Ah, so you don't drive like an old man, you're doing your bit for the environment," Aidan said, squirming impatiently in his seat.

"Ceara, I'm beginning to see why you say this boy won't live to adulthood," Angel shot over his shoulder.

Ceara reached over the seat and tapped her son on the head. "I've had to put up with him for years, though this vampire baiting is a new behavior."

"He probably hasn't had the opportunity before this," Angel said.

"Rather puts me in mind of Buffy and Xander when I first met them," Giles said, taking his glasses off for a quick polish.

"Did he just get a shot off on me?" Aidan growled, glaring over the seat.

"You can safely assume any comparison to Xander is an insult." Angel smirked.

"That's not true," Giles protested and Angel half-swiveled to look over his shoulder at him. "All right, it is."

"I'd watch him, Giles. He has a habit of pranking people he thinks insulted him," Angel warned.

"Yes, he does but how do you know that?" Ceara leaned over the front seat, studying her son and the vampire alternately.

"He sewed me into the bedding while I slept." Angel snorted.

"Very smart, son." Ceara patted Aidan's shoulder. "Annoy the vampire, that's a good strategy for long-term survival."

"He called me a chatterbox," Aidan protested, stabbing a finger at Angel.

"That's a statement of fact, not an insult," Ceara replied and Aidan pouted.

"I'm not talking to any of you and the first one to thank me gets smacked." Aidan slumped as far as the dashboard allowed.

"You just have a nice sulk up there," Ceara said, sitting back and he muttered something. Ceara rolled her eyes and leaned close to Giles. "He gets uptight and pissy. Must have inherited it from you," she whispered.

He gave her an affronted look. "I beg your pardon."

"See? That's the pissy look I had in mind." She tapped his cheek lightly.

He gently captured her fingers then let them slide away. "Yes, well, you're quite infuriating yourself much of the time."

She laughed, patting his thigh. "Trust you to remember that. And as I recall you thought that was a charming quirk back then."

He smiled. "Well, yes I suppose I did."

"If I wanted to listen to a soap opera, I'd go watch Aunt Jessica on the set," Aidan groaned.

"I thought you weren't speaking to us," his mother shot back.

He didn't respond to that instead pointing to the club that loomed into view. It was brightly lit with light stands and a small crowd had formed in front. "We're late."

"As usual," Ceara replied wearily.

Once Angel parked, Ceara got out and headed for the site. Aidan followed her, dodging Spike and his rather pathetic-looking motorcycle, which he parked next to Angel's car. Giles stayed with the two vampires, hovering around the outside of the club while Ceara and Aidan got into make-up. There were a half dozen or more townspeople outside as well. Giles knew he shouldn't be surprised. There was something alluring about filming for television. It was enough to override the natural instinct most Sunnydale dwellers developed about not going out at night.

Buffy joined them just as Ceara reappeared with Aidan and their cousin, John. "This will make it hard if something happens." Frowning, she waved a hand at the civilians and the crew. "Not a good sitch."

"You've handled worse. It could be a bit too public for vampires to want to try it," Giles said but didn't look particularly convinced himself.

"You'd think by now most of my kind would know to avoid the Slayer," Spike said. "Even Angelus knew that much, one of the first things he taught me."

Angel rolled his eyes. "You didn't listen. You had to go prove yourself against three that I know of. And there could easily be vampires around dying to prove they're better than the Slayer."

"Hey, Angel almost made a funny," Spike said, lighting up one of his ubiquitous cigarettes.

Angel growled. "Spike, why don't you go patrol over there. In fact why don't you just keep on going?"

"Plonker," Spike grumbled but he headed off for the south side of the building at a snail's pace.

"I'm assuming you'll be staying out here to guard the site, Buffy and to keep our domesticated vampires from killing each other," Ceara said and Angel turned his glare on her. She ignored it.

Buffy grinned, pulling her pony tail tight, readying herself for work. "That's what I'm here for."

Ceara nodded, her hair moving stiffly from too much hair spray. "Roo, would you like to observe the shoot from the inside?"

"Of course," he said, an irritated look on his face seeing the expressions on Buffy and Angel's faces, not to mention Spike's who still hadn't moved out of earshot.

"Roo?" Spike snickered around his cigarette.

Giles flashed him a two-fingered salute and followed Ceara into the building. He found that it wasn't very exciting to watch on one level, having seen her do things like this many times before, and seeing her uncover nothing was dull. On another level observing his son at work was exciting. Aidan took it seriously to a degree that amazed Giles in someone so young. It was almost depressing that the boy seemed so adult.

A half hour into it someone shrieked, followed by laughter. Several crew members swarmed toward the sound as the cries of "security" went up. Giles was nearly run over by the burly security men. He loped along after them, seeing Ceara, John, and Aidan heading that way, too. Security caught hold of three teen-aged boys as they tried to bolt from where they had been hiding to scare the crew.

"Aw, I don't believe this. I know one of those wallies," Aidan said. "The one with his hair all up in rubber bands."

"The one who looks like he has a field of corn tassels on his head?" Ceara asked.

"Yeah, he's the one who was driving today, Dawn's friend, David. I was talking about doing this shoot. Sorry." Aidan looked completely contrite.

"It's not your fault. You couldn't know he was going to sneak in here and act like an ass," Ceara said, giving her son's shoulder a shake.

The security escorted the boys out. David pulled to a halt.

"Having fun, spook boy?" he taunted, waggling his fingers to imitate a ghost in flight.

Aidan just ignored him, turning his back. He made an obscene gesture behind it at David as security hauled him off.

"All right, everyone, back to work," Cari said, a pinched look on the producer's face.

"Sorry about that, Cari," Aidan said. "For some reason that guy has a real problem with me."

"Forget about it. We'll pick up where we left off," Cari said.

"What did you do to him?" Ceara asked as they passed by Giles on the way back to where they had been on the mezzanine of the club.

"Nothing. I think he likes Dawn and she was mostly talking to me all day." Aidan shrugged. "Jealous."

Giles lost the thread of the conversation as they moved out of earshot and he settled back to watch them again.

"Jerks. You can't keep us out," David shouted at the guard.

"Push off, or we'll call the cops," one of the security men said, stationing himself at the door.

"You'll regret it," David snarled but the boys backed off.

Buffy, hearing a ruckus, headed toward it, Angel hard on her heels. They had been patrolling side by side like old times but now it was strained. They didn't talk. There were worlds between them, heaven and hell literally. Still, she had to restrain herself from throwing herself against his broad chest and just holding on until all the pain drained out of her. She sensed that being with Angel could lance the boil that had been growing in her since she had been ripped from heaven.

Whatever she had been trying to do when she lost herself in Spike, it had only made the pain worse until she thought it would burn her to ash from within. She still felt dirty and, what was it Spike had called it, naff? That was the word, naff...cheap, tawdry. Even though that madness was over and done with, it still made her feel tawdry. At least Spike had nothing to say on the subject within Angel's orbit. He had given no hints he and Buffy had any relationship, no matter how twisted, at least not in her hearing. The fact he wasn't dust was proof enough he hadn't said anything when he and Angel had been alone. Whatever else that could be said for Spike, he had a strong will to survive, his penchant for provoking Slayers not withstanding.

Buffy ground to a halt, seeing three teens picking up rocks, getting ready to pelt the club. How disappointing. She wanted something to punch on. She recognized the kid with the dumb hair-do. He had been in Dawn's circle of friends more than once.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Buffy said sternly.

The boys whirled, dropping their intended missiles, except the oldest of them. David scowled.

"I know you. You're Dawn's sister," he said, giving her a look as if he had stepped in dog crap as he tossed his rock from hand to hand.

Buffy just gave him a cold, flat grin.

"Don't you think you boys ought to be getting home," Angel said with more menace packed into those simple words than any screamed threat could have had.

"Come on, I don't want to get grounded again," the skinniest of the boys said, tugging on David's shirt.

David jerked away, tossing the rock to the ground but they headed off.

"Tell me we weren't that big of a wanker when we were that age," Spike said, ambling up, obviously lured in by the ruckus as well.

"I wasn't. You always have been," Angel said, pointedly.

Spike's face morphed but before he could do anything screams cut through the night. All three of them raced in the direction of the scream. Even some of the on-lookers followed.

Several beings, all in black down to their bank-robber ski masks, were trying to muscle David and his two friends into a black van. Spike swung on one, hit him then fell back screaming.

"Damn. That means they're human," Buffy called to Angel as she tackled one of the men. Something hit her back and the feeling of being lightning-struck sizzled through her. She could hear Angel calling her name but her body wasn't under her control. Her body jerked in a sick dance. Everything went black.

When Buffy opened her eyes again she felt sore all over. She looked up into the faces of Angel, Giles, Spike, and Ceara and felt a little like Dorothy at the end of Oz.

"What happened?" she moaned.

"They tasered you," Giles said. "Are you all right?"

She tried to sit up and managed it with Angel's help. "I'll survive. The boys?"

Angel shook his head. "They got one of them. David called him Tom Ward. I got the license number of the van but by the time I got to my car I'd lost them."

"The police will be here any second," Giles said. "We'll have to give them the license number for all the good that'll do with our local constabulary."

"That really hurt," Buffy moaned, trying to get up without Angel's help. "Hurts worse that we didn't stop them."

"They all got away, I'm afraid," Giles said. "We'll let Willow see if she can trace the license number as well. That's the best we can do."

Buffy scowled. "It's not good enough."

"I know the feeling. I think I'm going to go back inside the club and handcuff my son to me until we're home safe," Ceara said.

"I'm not going to feel safe until we stop this thing," Buffy said.

"None of us will," Ceara shot back and headed back to the abandoned club as the red and blue lights became visible at the top of the street.