A/N: Annnddd. . . I'm BACK! I'm on a roll! A roll of what? Preferably sourdough, please. /pause/ Can you tell I'm tired? I do not own "Easier to Run" by LINKIN PARK, whose lyrics will be scattered throughout this chapter. . .

(Chapter Seven - - - - - - - -)

It's easier to run

Replacing this pain with something numb

It's so much easier to go

Than face all this pain here all alone. . .

Willow and Giles chanted the spell over and over, hardly taking time to take a breath. The door creaked and the pair stopped and turned to face Xander and Buffy who looked back. They all looked at the door impatiently.

"Wesley?" Willow whispered. Suddenly, the door blasted off it's hinges and broke into splinters. The blast knocked Giles and Willow backwards like feathers in the wind.

Buffy looked back to her friends, making sure they were alright, which they were, before returning her attention to the door. There was nothing at first. No sounds. No motion. Then, in the quiet, there were footsteps. Wesley (or shall we call him Victor now?) stepped out of the veil of darkness.

"Wesley? What happened?" Buffy asked, but Victor laughed. He spoke and he used Wesley's voice, but there was a deep horrifying echo to it now.

"Wesley? I'm sure he's in there somewhere." Victor used Wesley's arm to point at his head. "Not sure he can hear you, but he's there." Wesley's eyes glowed a pulsating red.

"What do you want?" Xander yelled at Victor.

"To settle a score." Victor plainly answered as Giles helped Willow to Buffy's side. The two magic users looked to each other and began to chant the spell to expel Victor, to expel the infection. "Oh, be quiet." Victor waved Wesley's hand and Giles went flying. Willow knew she couldn't do the spell by herself and shut her mouth.

"The person you're looking for is dead. I'm afraid you're a couple hundred of years late." Buffy approached Victor cautiously, getting a better view of Wesley's wrists. Victor looked at the wrists on his new body as well and smiled.

"He did that. Tried to get me out. I fixed that." Victor grew serious. "He can't be dead. You people are all a trick of mind. My house has not aged the way it looks." Victor stated. Buffy raised a fist to punch, but Victor stopped it and threw the slayer back. "Excuse me. I have business to take care of."

With that he walked off. Willow and Xander made sure he was gone before helping Buffy up. Willow then went to Giles and helped him.

"We have to follow him. Wesley tried to kill himself." Buffy made a beeline for Giles' car. "Can you drive?" she asked him as she got into the front passenger seat.

"I suppose so, yes." Giles rubbed the back of his head and climbed into the drivers seat. Xander and Willow scrambled into the back and slammed the doors.

"Step on it." Buffy ordered. And step on it Giles did.

(------)

Something has been taken

From deep inside of me

A secret I've kept locked away

No one can ever see

Wounds so deep they never show

They never go away

Like moving pictures in my head

For years and years they've played

Victor seemed to be in no rush and Wesley cried inside his head. He had heard and witnessed the whole encounter with the people he trusted.

"What if they never trust me again?" Wesley asked.

"They never did." Victor whispered. "Be quiet." He walked to the main street and stopped. Strange things whizzed by him that he'd never seen before. Everything was different. He didn't know what any of this was.

He stumbled back into the bushes in shock. He didn't know what to do or where to start. He emerged again after a moment and looked down the street to the right and spotted a familiar sign post. It read "POLICE STATION" and he smirked. That, he figured, would be the first place the man would be.

(-------)

If I could change I would

Take back the pain I would

Retrace every wrong move that I made I would

If I could

Stand up and take the blame I would

If I could take all the shame to the grave I

Would

Giles sped down the grass to the main street and stopped the car, rocking everyone forward.

"Why did you stop?" Buffy had a tiny speck of panic in her voice. "He could hurt someone. . . or himself."

"I'm trying to figure out where he went."

"How about the police station?" Willow pointed out the window and offered helpfully. There was a loud crash as a window blew out. "Definitely the police station." Willow nodded as Giles took a hard right and turned swiftly into the parking lot.

They fell out of the car and ran inside to see Victor holding an officer in mid air, while the other officer eyed her gun, ready to pounce on it at the right moment. As the four pounded into the station, she figured this a big enough distraction and she dived.

The officer grabbed her gun and Victor dropped the officer he was holding and turned. Guns had evolved slightly since his time, so he was unsure of what it was exactly.

"One step closer and I'll shoot." The officer checked the gun for bullets. Buffy opened her mouth to protest, but the officer spoke to her. "Don't say anything girl." Victor took a step closer and the officer lifted the gun and clicked it.

"Where is he?" Victor asked as he raised his hand.

"I don't know who your talking about. Step closer and I'll shoot, I swear." The officer warned one last time. Thinking himself invincible, Victor stepped closer. It all happened so fast. All Buffy recalled was Giles yelling "NO!" and ending up on the floor bleeding.

Everyone grew silent and for a moment, Wesley's eyes turned to normal. They were puffy as he looked up at Buffy.

"Mr. Giles? Oh, god. What have I done?" Wesley ran out the door. Willow knew she should've stayed but was compelled to follow Wesley and she slipped out.

(-------)

Just washing it aside

All of the helplessness inside

Pretending I don't feel misplaced

Is so much simpler than change

Whew. That's all I have to say.