XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Hellmouth

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"I think I'm gonna cry. Is it okay if I cry?" Lisa asked the room in general.

"It's okay... I think I might cry along with you." Lee comforted.

"No... it has to be wrong... of all places..." Jackie joined into the mourning.

"Well I'm sorry, but according to my calculations that's where the Hellmouth is." Marie explained unfazed.

"But the mall!" Jackie cried out.

"It really is a thing of utmost evil." Lisa said solemnly.

They had stayed after school in the library researching the specific location of the hell mouth. After much researching Marie finally found some descriptions as to the area where the Hellmouth was. Wooded area with many hills. A small stream ran nearby, and such. After much circling and crossing out they realized the only place that fit all the descriptions was the mall. Then chaos ensued. Actually it was more like a severe case of whining and mourning. But it annoyed Marie severely anyways.

"Well children if you are all done with your bout of hysteria I would appreciate it if you went there and tried to figure out exactly where in the mall the Hellmouth is." Marie scolded. She then proceeded to rummage through one of her drawers and pulled out a small light purple crystal. It was hanging off a golden chain. Examining it to make sure it was the right one she nodded, and handed it to Jackie. "This crystal will glow brightly when you are near the Hellmouth. The closer you are the brighter it'll glow."

"'K, got it." Jackie grabbed the crystal, putting it around her neck, then the four teens marched out of the school library.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Katie." Lee spit out.

"Lee." She returned equally venomous.

"What are you doing here? I thought -" Lee was cut off by a hand motion from Katie.

"Alisa, and Robbie." She said plainly. Instantly their feud was forgotten as common enemies came into view.

"I thought we made it clear to them that we didn't want them around." Le growled.

"Apparently not clear enough." Katie muttered. Both seniors gave a last glare through the window before planning their method of attack.

"Lee, forget them. We have more important things to do. Lee-!"

"Lisa forget it. He's gone. We'll have to go on without him." With a soft sigh the three high schoolers walked away.

Twenty minutes later found Lisa at the door to the basement, holding a walkie talkie and Jackie and Jeff wandering along trying to find the spot where the Hellmouth was. Five subsequent minutes found them five minutes away from leaving, and two subsequent minutes after that found Lisa scrambling to explain to a security guard why the door to the basement was open and why she was guarding it as if her life depended on it.

"Guys... guys... can you hear me?" Lisa's voice came in through the walkie-talkie.

"Yeah Lisa, we copy." Jackie answered.

"Ok, this guard guy saw me watching over the door, thought it was suspicious, the door being open and all. He went down to check it out. Please tell me you found the spot so we can leave." Lisa's voice came out of the mechanical communicator.

"Sorry. Nothing, and we went over the damned basement a million times. We were just about to come up anyways." Jackie responded.

"Well hurry up!" With that the walkie-talkies were turned off.

"So Jeff?" Jackie looked at the young kid hopefully.

"Shh... he's about... ten feet that way." he pointed behind a stack of boxes. The damn place was like a maze. It was going to be a pain in the ass to get out of there. But after walking around it for about half an hour they knew it pretty well. That, and Jeff's ability to tell where the guard was and where he was going, gave them the upper hand.

They watched the boxes, seeing the beam of light that most likely came from the guard's flashlight. Being careful to avoid the beam the two teens carefully traversed the basement.

"What is it?" Jackie asked.

""What's what?" Jeff asked confused.

"Why are you tapping my shoulder?" She whispered intensely.

"Jackie, I'm not tapping your shoulder." Jackie froze.

"What is on my shoulder?" She managed to choke out.

"Don't scream..." Jeff warned.

"I won't." She reassured in a not too reassuring manner.

"A rat."

Yeah, she didn't scream. She shrieked. Long and loud. Which was then followed by hysterical yelling and frantic thrashing. In the process of the frantic thrashing she knocked over a barrel and some boxes which clattered to the ground.

"Whose there?" The voice from the guard boomed.

"Psh, yeah, like we're gonna answer." Jackie said instantly calmed by the guard's voice... and the fact that the rat had left her shoulder helped too.

"Shut up." Jeff glared at Jackie. Losing his usually limitless patience. Jackie gave him a sheepish grin in response.

"Get out of here you juvenile delinquents... god I don't get paid enough to do this for a living." He muttered.

Jackie and Jeff watched ominously as the guard wandered ever closely in their direction.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Hey! What's going on?" Lee asked as he ran up to Lisa.

"Good news, no Hellmouth. Bad news A guard is down there." Lisa explained. Suddenly as if magically summoned the guard rushed past them storming off in the direction Lee had just come from. "Or... not..." Lisa said happily but slightly confused.

"That," Lee pointed to the guard. "Could quite possibly have been thanks to me." He offered as an apology. Both then proceeded to stick their heads into the doorway looking for their two friends. Quickly finding them, and escorting them out of the mall.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"You know this seems like a good news, bad news kinda moment..." Jackie commented.

The three teens had just dropped Jeff off and were walking to drop Lisa off. They had managed to get out of the mall with no trouble. It was getting pretty late, and although Marlborough wasn't known for "homicidal maniacs", with the Hellmouth not being dormant any longer they didn't want to risk it.

"We already had one of those." Lee interjected.

"Really?...Ok... But is there some sort of rule that says there can't be two good news, bad news moments?" Jackie asked.

"Well I guess not." Lisa responded.

"Ok, so... Good news: the Hellmouth isn't at the Mall. Bad news: we almost got thrown in jail."

"That was our good news/bad news!" Lisa defended.

"No! Is it?"

"Well not exactly, but something along those lines." Lee commented.

"How about... Good news: The hellmouth isn't at the mall, Bad news: we don't know where it is?" Jackie sounded hopeful.

"Yeah. I guess that's okay." Lisa answered.

"Okay, good news: Katie and I put Alisa and Robbie back in they're place, and almost got them arrested, and got free clothes in the process." Lee announced.

"Okay... what's the bad news?" Jackie was slightly confused.

"...Wait... there was no bad news. My bad." There was a round of laughter at Lee's response.

"Oh! Oh. How about this; Good news: We had fun, Bad news: we're going to have to do this again tomorrow." Jackie groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Ugh... What about this one; Good news: We didn't die. Bad news: We might die a different day." Lisa said, a note of humor in their voice. It had been like that the whole way from the mall. Much laughter and joys conversation. Had anyone seen them, they would not have known that these were not ordinary teenagers, but something along the lines of heroes.

"Hey, guys. This is my stop." Lisa said pointing to a white house. "Wanna come in for a sec?" She asked as she walked in the back gate.

"Uh, sure why not?" Jackie said as she pulled a half-heartedly grumbling Lee along. Walking into Lisa's back yard, she saw your average back yard. Trees, grass, lawn furniture, a swing. "Oh! A swing." Jackie squealed striding across the yard.

Lisa and Lee had ignored her proceeding to continue up the back steps . Until they heard a tiny shattering sound. It sounded kinda like a baseball through a window, except it was such a soft sound it couldn't have been. Both of them turned around, not so much worried as curious. What they saw was Jackie, paralyzed with fear.

"Good news: the Hellmouth isn't at the mall. Bad news: It's in your back yard." Jackie said as if trying to someone about to rip her head off. Cautiously and softly.

Lisa just very calmly walked to where Jackie was standing. She pointed down to the ground, as if asking Jackie to confirm. Jackie nodded. Lisa just sighed... rather quietly and looked up to the sky. The she yelled up to the heavens above.

"I hate you so much!"

Calmly and stoically she walked in the house.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

A/N: Ok, once again, not Beta'd. Sorry. Please Review! Many thanks!