Chapter 32: The Eyes Have It Part 1
Over the month since Phoebe had briefly become a mermaid, several things had happened to the happy family. The first had been an evil witch had trapped the Charmed Ones in warped classic fairy tales. Faith, Buffy and Dawn were luckily absent during that whole ordeal as Faith had orbed them to Sunnydale to announce Dawn's pregnancy to Xander, Willow, Anya and Tara. Which also meant they weren't there when Piper's baby had summoned Grams.
The following week had seen Buffy, Piper and Paige trying to save Phoebe's life from a scandalous Siren while Piper and Leo's personas had been switched by their unborn child.
Then the next week saw a fiendish demon using a young boy's magical drawings to transform himself into a supervillain. In order to stop the demon, the boy transformed Buffy, Faith, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige into comic book superheroines. They had even found out that both babies had special destinies as being the first born of their respective families. That Piper's baby was twice-blessed by the Charmed Ones and the Elders. And that Dawn's baby was thrice-blessed by the Charmed Ones, the Elders and the Powers that Be.
October 21, 2002 – Monday
Golden Gate Obstetrics & Gynecology
"You ready for this?" Faith asked Dawn who was lying on her back, on an examination table.
Dawn, who had been putting off making a doctor's appointment for fear her baby would react similar to the way Phoebe's had, had finally made an appointment. She turned her head to Faith sharply. "For what exactly? To see our baby or to become a mother?" she asked, eyebrow quirked.
Faith laughed knowing that Dawn was ready to become a mother, otherwise she wouldn't have been artificially inseminated. "To see our baby of course. We already know your ready to be a mother…otherwise…"
"I wouldn't have gotten artificially inseminated," Dawn replied with a nod.
Faith smiled taking Dawn's hand in her own and squeezing it. "You're going to be great mother, Dawn."
"We both are," Dawn retorted as she smiled at Faith, who placed a soft kiss to her lips just as the exam room door opened, and the doctor: Dr. Carpenter walked through.
"Dawn," the doctor greeted with a large smile, green eyes bright and alert, black hair pulled back into a loose bun.
Prue sent her OB/GYN a smile. "Cassie," she greeted back, using her doctor's first name casually.
Dr. Cassie Carpenter had been Dawn's OB/GYN since Dawn had moved to San Francisco, and had been the doctor who had performed the procedure five months earlier that had resulted in Dawn becoming pregnant. They had eventually adopted a first name only basis.
Dr. Carpenter smiled at her patient, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Took you awhile, Dawn. I expected to see you a few months ago, once you discovered that it took."
"Truth be told," Dawn said sheepishly. "After what happened with Phoebe's baby I was kind of hesitant for a while. Afraid I might lose him or her."
"Yes I was sad to hear that your sister had lost her baby," Dr. Carpenter said, she like the rest of the world knew the lie that Piper, Phoebe and Paige were Buffy and Dawn's half-sisters. She smiled at the happy couple. "Well this is obviously not a confirmation scan. I assume this is a combination of peace of mind checkup along with seeing your baby?"
"Yeah," Dawn replied, her eyes glancing quickly at the machine.
Dr. Carpenter nodded, "Alright then, let's get started shall we?" she suggested and Dawn obediently lifted her top and lowered her pants slightly as the doctor reached for the gel, hovering over her patient's stomach. She lifted her eyes to Dawn's and opened her mouth to speak.
"I know, I know." Dawn cut in, "Phoebe said the gel's cold." She rolled her eyes at the clichéd truth and took a deep breath that hitched in her throat as she felt just how cold the gel really was: another clichéd truth.
Dr. Carpenter pressed the fetal doppler to Dawn's stomach and moved it slowly and deliberately along her abdomen, then down past her bellybutton and around, her movements coming to a stop suddenly, the fingers of her other hand clicking specific buttons on the key pad below the screen.
A few seconds later she smiled, turning her attention to the two waiting parents-to-be and smirking as she swiveled the screen and tapped it once, "Say hello to your baby."
Dawn's eyes popped open at those words, her grip—if possible—tightening further on her Faith's hand who was staring with wide eyes at the screen. She took a deep breath and turned her head, eyes bulging at the sight of her baby on the screen before her.
"Wow," Faith breathed, her eyes unblinking as she stared at the screen with the happiest smile on her face.
Dawn nodded a little, "Yeah, wow," she agreed. She quickly glanced to her left at Faith and smiled.
"Would you like to know the gender?" Dr. Carpenter injected into their once in a lifetime moment.
"Please," Dawn said looking back at her doctor.
Dr. Carpenter smiled and turned back to the image and scrutinized it before finally looking back at Dawn and Faith. "It's a girl."
"You were right," Faith said looking at her wife smiling. She looked over at the doctor. "Dawn was adamant that we were having a girl."
"Well she was right," Dr. Carpenter told the happy couple. "Now I will have a nurse come in and draw some blood so we can run some tests. Then you will be free to go."
"Can we get a picture, Cassie?" Dawn asked motioning toward the image on the monitor.
"Of course, Dawn," Dr. Carpenter replied.
Madam Theresa's Fortune Telling
Buffy walked next to Phoebe as they headed for the shop of the fortune teller. Phoebe had told her in confidence that she was not receiving premonitions. "Phoebe why don't you tell Piper and Paige about the fact you're not having premonitions?" she asked.
Phoebe sighed as they approached the door to the shop. "Mom, the only reason I even told you was because I figured you might know something," Phoebe explained as they entered the shop. "I don't want Piper, Paige or even Aunt Dawn worrying that I'm not getting premonitions." She looked toward the fortune teller. "Are you closing?"
Madame Theresa, smiled at Phoebe. "Not anymore. Please, come in. I am Madame Teresa."
Phoebe nodded, "I'm Phoebe…"
"Yes, I know."
"Really? Did you read my mind?" Phoebe asked.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "No she reads your column," she said.
"She's right," Madame Theresa said. She looked toward Buffy and was sure that even though she had never met the young woman she knew who Buffy was. "And who do we have here?"
"Buffy Summers, I'm Phoebe's sister," Buffy said.
Madame Theresa nodded, she had been correct that the young woman in front of her was the Slayer. "It is a pleasure," she said, she looked back at Phoebe. "You are not sure if you are a believer, are you?"
"Oh, no, I'm a believer. Believe me," Phoebe said. "That's why I'm here. I didn't know where else to turn."
"Sit. Let's see what your hands tell us," Madame Theresa said as she motioned toward the table with several chair s around it.
"Oh, they're probably going to tell you that I need a manicure," Phoebe joked as the three of them sat down. She held out her hand and Madame Teresa looked at her palm.
"You have the gift of foresight," Madame Theresa said. She then took Buffy's hand and nodded in understanding. She could see the real reason Buffy was in Phoebe's life and it was not because they were sisters. "As do you in both this life and in your last life briefly."
Phoebe looked at Buffy shocked, how had Madame Theresa known that she got premonitions and that her mother got premonitions sent by the Slayer side of her and had premonitions in her previous life when she was pregnant with Phoebe. "What?"
Madame Theresa smiled. "But don't worry. Your secrets are safe here," she said as she got out a pen and started drawing on Phoebe's palm. "You are creative, sensitive, straight smart, you have a strong family, close ties. Which is not unexpected with your sister here. I am wondering why you do not turn to them now."
"That was my question when we came in." Buffy said.
Phoebe sighed. "I don't want to worry them, and Buffy is the only one that knows and that is because of her own gifts. I thought she might know something. You see I'm having trouble with my gift and that's why I'm here, I want to try and figure out what's wrong."
Madame Theresa nodded. "These lines on your index finger they are saying that you're overworked."
"Yeah, well, besides my column and my personal appearances, my boss has me giving advice on a radio show. And I-I love it, I do, it's just..." Phoebe said.
Madame Theresa nodded. "Keeping that pace has blocked out other parts of yourself. Including your gift. Your gift must be honored. But so must your work."
"So how does she find the balance?" Buffy asked.
Madame Theresa smiled. "Let's start by unblocking that energy. Breathe with me," she said as she took Phoebe's hands. Phoebe looked at Buffy who nodded and she closed her eyes when Madame Theresa did. Suddenly Madame Theresa started shaking for a second before her eyes snapped open.
Phoebe let go of her hands. "I know that reaction. You just had a premonition didn't you?"
"But I don't have premonitions," Madame Theresa said.
"Maybe not," Buffy said having recognized the signs of a premonition. "But I have seen Phoebe have a similar reaction and she does get premonitions. Maybe you intercepted it for her?"
Madame Theresa immediately stood up. "The reading is over. You both must go."
"No, but, uh..." Phoebe said as she and Buffy stood up as well. She noticed Buffy looking at her and Madam Theresa with a frown on her face.
"I'm sorry," Madame Theresa said as she hurried Buffy and Phoebe outside and shut the door in their faces.
"It must have been bad," Buffy said. "And likely something to do with her since it happened when you two were holding hands."
Sunnydale High School
It was the first day of Tara's new job as the guidance counselor of Sunnydale High. When Faith and Buffy had learned of the school being rebuilt on top of the Hellmouth. They had persuaded Tara to get a job there.
Tara did okay with the hostile guy who turned out to be scared, and the guy looking to hit on her by pretending to be worried about being gay, and the girl who kicked some guy's butt in the parking lot because she was tired of being picked on.
And then . . . Cassie Newton came into her office.
And Cassie told Tara that she was going to be dead by Tuesday . . . almost as if it was no big deal. And no, she wasn't talking about suicide.
Tara was alarmed. "Are you saying you know someone wants to hurt you? Has someone threatened you?"
Cassie shrugged. "No. I just know tomorrow I'm going to die. Some things I just know. I don't know how. I just do." She took a moment, then added, "Like I know there will be coins. And I know that you'll go someplace dark underground."
"What do you mean, underground?" Tara persisted.
"And I know you'll try to help. But you can't, okay?"
And then she told Tara to put on a sweater so she wouldn't stain her blouse, and left Tara's office.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Extremely troubled Tara told Principal Wood, who tried to assure her that kids said awful things, thought awful things. That didn't always translate into doing awful things, like committing suicide.
"Every time there's a threat like this, we do the same dance," he told her. "Inform teachers, search lockers, but we can't know what's going to happen. We can't search their brains. We just do what we can."
"It's not enough. I need to fix this," Tara insisted. Then she spilled coffee on her blouse, staining it . . . and thought of Cassie, who seemed to know too much about the future.
October 22, 2002 – Tuesday
Halliwell Manor
Leo was in the kitchen reading the book, The Joys of Home Birthing as Dawn, Faith, Piper and Paige walked in. He noticed Piper and Dawn were holding yoga mats.
"Well, maybe try a different yoga instructor," Paige suggested as she headed for the fridge.
"It wasn't the instructor, it was all those women showing off their sonogram pictures," Piper said glancing at her aunt with a sigh. Dawn had been one of the women who had been showing her sonogram picture. "No offense, Aunt Dawn, I'm happy to see my niece's first picture. But coupled with everyone else doing the same it was just working on my last nerve."
"Sorry, Piper," Dawn said wrapping her arm around her niece. "I'm just excited you know."
"I know," Piper replied.
"Okay, I thought pre-natal yoga was supposed to make you relax," Leo said looking at the expectant mothers.
Piper shook her head. "Ugh, how am I supposed to relax when I can't even go to a doctor like a normal person?"
"Why not?" Faith asked looking back and forth between Leo and Piper with confusion.
"Because Piper and I agreed that a magical pregnancy was too risky, especially with a baby that heals itself." Leo explained.
"Mine heals itself too, remember?" Dawn said giving Leo a look. "So why didn't you recommend that I not see a doctor?"
"As far as Whitelighter responsibilities go," Leo answered as he looked at Faith. "That's your call. Your Dawn's primary Whitelighter and as her wife."
"Yes, Dawn, has a magical pregnancy," Faith explained. "Even more so than yours and Piper since Piper's is only twice blessed when Dawn's is thrice blessed. But as it goes. Not getting a checkup could be worse than getting a checkup. I'm sorry that I risked exposure. But I don't want my wife coming down with a condition that could threaten the condition of our baby."
Piper sighed. "By the way, Leo. Our baby is not healing my nauseousness and every other woman in that class, with the exception of Aunt Dawn, said that it's supposed to go away after the first trimester."
"Yeah," Dawn sighed. "I would love to stop running to the bathroom to puke every five minutes."
"Okay, well, not according to this book," Leo said indicating the book he had been reading. "According to this book, every pregnancy is different."
"What book?" Faith wondered.
"Uh, this one." Leo said as he picked up the book and showed them the cover. "The Joys of Home Birthing. It also comes with this video." He held up the videotape. "I thought maybe the four of us could watch it together," he looked pointedly at Dawn and Piper, "it might make you two at least feel better about what's in store."
Paige smiled. "That sounds good, I'll make some popcorn," she said excitedly.
Leo's eyebrow rose at Paige's statement. "Uh, since when are pre-natal yoga and home birthing videos your idea of a good time?"
Paige sighed. "Since I became a friendless loser with no life and Mom couldn't make it."
"Paige, you have tons of friends," Piper said. "And where is Mom?"
Paige nodded. "They're all employed. And I'm a demon fighter and I can't tell anyone about it so I basically just come off as this big, dumb, fat, unemployed loser."
"Since we got the gender confirmed," Dawn said. "Buffy is at the store, I think, baby shopping. I swear my sister is more excited about my pregnancy than Faith and I are."
Piper shook her head as she looked pointedly at her sister. "No, Paige, you're a big, fat, unemployed loser who saves the world."
It was at that moment that Phoebe walked in heading straight for the coffee. "Oh, I hope that's leaded. I didn't sleep very well last night," she said as she poured a cup.
"Cole problems?" Piper asked.
"What?" Phoebe said as Buffy came in through the back door carrying a bag.
Dawn groaned upon seeing the bag in her sister's hand. "Buffy, you do know my baby girl is not due for another few months, right?" she asked.
"This isn't for my niece," Buffy answered handing the bag to Dawn. "This is for little sister. I thought you might need some cute maternity clothes."
"No, he's soul searching somewhere," Phoebe told Piper, "or off searching for a soul. I'm just a little overwhelmed with work."
"What's up with your hand?" Piper said as she noticed Madame Theresa's pen markings on Phoebe's hand.
"You know you should tell them." Buffy said pointedly as Phoebe looked at her.
Phoebe sighed and nodded. "Uh...I actually went to see a gypsy, fortune teller," she said as her cell phone rang. "Oh, look. Ha, work. Got to go." She headed for the door as everyone followed. "You coming Aunt Dawn?"
"Not today," Dawn answered as everyone followed Phoebe toward the front door. "Too much nauseousness."
"I feel for you," Phoebe said as she remembered when she had been pregnant and how frequent she had been running back and forth to the bathroom.
"Hey, hey there, speedy, will you slow down and tell us why you went to see a fortune teller?" Paige asked and then she looked toward her mother. "And you knew she went, Mom?"
Buffy nodded. "Yes I knew because I went with her. This is something Phoebe needs to tell you herself. While I think she should have told you and Piper before now, it wasn't my place to do so."
Phoebe sighed with a glance at her mother. "To get my fortune told," she said as Piper looked at her as if to say, what. "Okay, just don't freak out, alright, because I don't have time for a freak out. I went to find out why I haven't gotten a premonition in the last few months."
"You've had premonitions... haven't you?" Faith asked.
Buffy shook her head. "No, she hasn't."
"Yeah the only person who has been seeing things has been me and Buffy," Dawn added as they all looked at her. "I'm seeing Prue's memories, remember? And Buffy had a Slayer dream just last month, remember? And by the way it's easy to see the signs in regards to Phoebe if you're paying attention. And since I'm Phoebe's assistant at the Bay Mirror. I pay a lot of attention."
Everyone nodded as they returned their attention to Phoebe who sighed. "Anyways check this out," she said as she handed her cup of coffee to Leo. "Hold this." She tried to levitate but only made it a couple of inches off the floor. "I can barely levitate."
"Do you think a demon..." Paige said.
Buffy shook her head. "No, she can still cast spells so she still has her basic powers as well as being able to contribute to the Power of Three."
Phoebe nodded in agreement with her mother. "Whatever the problem is it seems more natural than supernatural."
"Phoebe, why didn't you come to me?" Leo asked. After all he was the primary Whitelighter for the Charmed Ones. "I'm your Whitelighter."
"Oh, because both you and Aunt Faith have been very busy," Phoebe lied. Truth be told she was the one that was busy not Leo or Faith. "I almost didn't even go to Mom for the same reason."
"Buffy, L and I've been busy?" Faith snorted. "Yeah, right, Phoebe."
"Well I have been busy," Buffy admitted. "Getting the gallery open and off the ground."
Phoebe sighed. "Okay, well, I've been busy. My work schedule's been really hectic and I'm coming to you guys now."
"Okay, you guys yell at her, I'm going to check with the Elders and see what they know." Leo said. "He looked at Faith. "If there is…"
"I will orb up there right away," Faith replied as Leo orbed out.
Piper frowned, "I can't believe you went to a fortune teller instead of coming to us."
"Hey I did go to mom first," Phoebe said in her own defense. "Remember she did get that premonition when I was still in her womb, and the Slayer does send her premonitions in form of dreams. So I thought she might know something but she didn't. Anyways I'm really sorry, but I just didn't want to worry you guys. But now we're on the subject..."
"What?" Dawn asked suddenly worried. "Please tell me the first premonition you had in a while wasn't something bad about mine or Piper's babies?"
"We don't know," Buffy answered with a sigh. "Because something really weird happened during Phoebe's reading."
"I felt like I was getting a premonition and then Mom and I think Madame Theresa intercepted it," Phoebe added.
"That's what it looked like to me," Buffy finished the explanation. "I've seen Phoebe get premonitions enough times in the last year to know how to recognize the signs."
"Intercepted it? How?" Piper wondered.
Paige smiled and looked at Buffy, "She's a gypsy, she probably channeled it. You know, being that I have nothing to do, I've actually been reading up on a lot of gypsy magic lately. And Mom has been a great help also."
Piper looked to Buffy with a raised eyebrow. "I've met a few Romani in both lifetimes," Buffy explained. "Romani, by the way, is the term they prefer nowadays instead of gypsy. Anyways during this lifetime one of the teachers at Sunnydale High School was a Romani from the Kalderash people."
"Ms. Calendar?" Dawn asked remembering the computer science teacher at Sunnydale High. Buffy nodded. She wrapped a comforting arm around her sister as she remembered how Ms. Calendar's death had affected Buffy. "Sorry."
"I know, Dawn," Buffy returned as she leaned her head against Dawn's shoulder. Even today the teacher's death still had an affect on her because if she hadn't had sex with Angel, he wouldn't have lost his soul and killed Ms. Calendar.
"Anyways," Phoebe said watching Buffy's reaction at the mention of the teacher. She placed a comforting hand on Buffy's arm. "Whatever she saw must've been pretty bad because she closed up shop very quickly."
"Well, maybe you and Mom should swing by and check up on her," Piper suggested.
"Yeah, I was going to but..." Phoebe said as her phone rang again. "Oh, that's work, I really have to go."
"I'll go with Mom for you. You know, I have no life and all." Paige said.
Phoebe smiled at her baby sister. "Really? Oh, that would be great. Thank you so much. Find out what she saw," she said as she left.
Summers Home, Sunnydale
"Cassie Newton had done well in school, had been fine . . . and then, there was a sudden drop in her GPA, absenteeism, and comments about apathy and depression," Willow said looking at her laptop. She had hacked into Cassie's school records.
"It's hard to do homework if you think you're about to die," Tara observed.
Her medical reports yielded nothing substantive.
And then Willow asked, "Have you Googled her?"
And that was when they hit the mother lode. Cassie had her own website . . . and her own very sad, very death-oriented poetry.
Xander said, "Poem. Always a sign of pretentious inner turmoil."
Willow began to read aloud:
"The sheets above me cool my skin,
Like dirt on a madwoman's grave.
I rise into the moonlight white,
And watch the mirror stare.
Pale fish looks back at me,
Pale fish that will never swim.
My skin is milk for no man to drink,
My thighs unused, unclenched.
This body is not ready yet,
But dirt waits for no woman,
And coins will buy no time.
I hear the chatter of the bugs,
It's they alone who will feast."
"Okay, death is really on her brain," Xander said as he shook his head. "This girl isn't just dealing, she's giving death a long, sloppy word-kiss. She has a yen for the big dirt-nap."
"I don't know," Willow said thoughtfully. "I mean, a lot of teens post some pretty angsty poetry on the Web. I mean, I even posted a melodramatic love poem or two back in the day."
Xander perked up. "Love poems?"
"I'm over you now, sweetie," Willow said gently. "Look, all I'm saying is that this is normal teen stuff. You join chat rooms, you write poetry, you post Doogie Howser fan-fic. It's all normal, right? Let's see what other sites there are."
And that was when they located Cassie's father's police record. He had a record of violence and drinking.
And so Tara and Xander were out the door and on their way to Cassie's dad's house.
Madam Theresa's Fortune Telling
Buffy and Paige found several police officers there and from what they gathered Madame Theresa was dead.
Buffy pulled out her cell phone and dialed. When Phoebe answered she hit the speakerphone button. "It's Buffy, I'm with Paige at the fortune teller."
"Oh, really, what'd you guys find out?" Phoebe's voice carried from down the line.
"Nothing good unfortunately, Phoebe, she's dead," Paige told her older sister.
"What?" They could here the clear surprise in Phoebe's voice.
"Yeah, she was murdered last night and from what Mom and I can gather it seems demonic," Paige said. "She had her eyes gouged out."
"I should've been able to prevent this."
"How do you figure?" Paige wondered.
Bay Mirror Newspaper Offices
"Well, if my stupid powers had been working," Phoebe answered as Elise walked into her office.
"Is Dawn coming in?" Elise asked.
"No, she said she was nauseous this morning," Phoebe answered Elise.
"Let her know I feel for her. I was nauseous throughout my pregnancy. Anyways I just thought she would love to hear the news," Elise admitted as she smiled at Phoebe. "They loved you over at Hotline. They want you to guest host for the rest of the week.
"This is not your fault, Phoebe," Buffy's voice came through the phone. "Okay, if you were meant to stop Theresa's murder you would've had a premonition about this."
"I know, I know," Phoebe told her mother, making sure not to add the reflexive mom to the end. She looked at her boss and shook her head. "I can't."
Elise rolled her yes. "Sorry, but I already booked you."
"Can't what?" Paige asked through the phone, confusion lacing her voice.
"I'm swamped," Phoebe told Elise with a sigh.
"Swamped?" Paige asked. "But Phoebe, we have to find this demon and stop him."
"Twice is success, kiddo," Elise told Phoebe as she walked out of the office.
"Phoebe, hello?" came Buffy's voice in obvious concern.
"Sorry, Mom. Elise was in here talking to me at the same time. Uh, I'll meet you at home and we'll get right on it, okay," Phoebe said. She then placed the phone back on the cradle as she chased after Elise. "Elise? Elise, wait. Is it possible that we can postpone the radio show because I barely have time to write my column let alone all the other stuff that I have to do."
Elise rolled her eyes. "Dear Phoebe, my career is on the fast track, I'm wildly popular and the money is pretty damn good. What should I do?"
Phoebe sighed knowing what Elise was saying was a gentle reminder of her current situation. "Stop whining?" she replied.
Elise smiled. "Damn, you are good."
Newton Home, Sunnydale
Phil Newton didn't want to let Tara or Xander in. But when Tara mentioned Cassie, he did so grudgingly...and the first words out of his mouth about Cassie did not endear him to Tara.
"So is she screwing up her grades again? Because she's not the sharpest apple in the barrel."
He had been drinking; his words were slurred. Tara saw the open bottles and pressed her case.
"Frankly we were worried that you might drink too much and hurt Cassie."
He was outraged. "You come in here in the middle of the night, into my home, and start accusing me of beating on my daughter? Did Cassie's mother put you up to this? 'Cause I pay my support, okay? She just wants to take away the one weekend a month I get to be with my girl."
"Which is when?" Tara asked.
"What?" He was confused.
"Which weekend is it?"
"I...I just had her last weekend." He took a breath. "Look, I may not be the greatest dad in the world, but I don't beat up my daughter."
"So, you won't be seeing her this Friday, then?"
"Not unless my ex-wife gets a personality transplant."
Tara and Xander left shortly thereafter...to find Cassie in the driveway. She used her car security remote, which let out a little beep. Tara and Xander both looked at her as she approached them.
"It's not him," Cassie told them. "He's not the one who does it. Thank you for trying, but I probably shouldn't have told you anything. You're making such a big deal out of it, and I want it all to just go away."
Xander asked bluntly, "Are you talking about killing yourself?"
"No, of course not," Cassie replied.
"Then fight. Try," Tara told her.
"There's no point." Cassie sounded patient, almost detached. "I told you."
"This doesn't sound like someone who really wants to live," Tara accused her.
"You think I want this? You think I don't care?" Cassie began to cry. "Believe me, I want to be here, do things. I want to graduate from high school, and I want to go to the stupid Winter Formal." She sniffed, smiling sadly, looking scared.
"I have this friend, and it would be fun to go with him. Just to dance and hear lame music and wear a silly dress and laugh and stuff." She sniffed again. "I'd like to go. There's a lot of stuff I'd like to do. I'd love to ice skate at Rockefeller Center. And I'd love to see my cousins grow up and see how they turn out 'cause they're really mean and I think they're going to be fat. I'd love to backpack across the country, or, I don't know, fall in love. But I won't. I just never will."'
Tara said firmly, "You will. Cassie, you will. You just have to tell us what you know. You have to tell us everything. Please, help us."
"I can't," the other girl replied, just as firmly. "I don't know why and I don't know how, but something out there is going to kill me."
Halliwell Manor
Dawn came back from the bathroom. "Ah, I hate being nauseous," she glanced at the TV. "What did I miss?"
"Not much," Faith answered. "I had them pause it till you got back."
"And I think I've seen enough of that particular image," Piper said shaking her head.
The video had been paused on the woman giving birth.
"Yeah," Dawn said as she wrinkled her nose. "I've seen enough of Faith's vagina not to be grossed out by the sight of a vagina. But that, yeah I think I need an epidural just to watch that."
Piper closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Aunt Dawn, too much information!" she cried.
Dawn giggled as she sat down between Piper and Faith and patted her niece's hand. "Sorry, Piper. I forget sometimes that because you see me as your aunt that it can be like Buffy talking about having sex with your father."
"Exactly," Piper replied.
"You know," Leo suggested. "Let's fast forward to the part where the parents get to meet the baby," He grabbed the remote and hit the fast forward button. A second later he hit play again.
"At this point, the birthing partner will coach the mother's breathing," came the narrator's voice from the TV as the woman on screen screamed in pain.
"Okay, give that to me," Piper said as she grabbed the remote from her husband. She hit the mute button just as Buffy and Paige walked into the room. "Look, just tell me when the baby is out and all wiped off. But seriously though, I need what Aunt Dawn has…a sterile hospital, magical baby or not, and medical people. Lots of professional medical people."
"Now you see why I've been adamant that Dawn see a doctor," Faith told her niece.
"Yep," Piper agreed.
"Oh, gross, what are you guys watching?" Paige asked as she looked at the TV. "Is that some horror movie?"
"No," Dawn answered. "it's 'The Joys of Home Birthing'."
"Strangely I'm not feeling the joy," Piper added.
"Yeah," Dawn reluctantly agreed.
Buffy smiled at Piper and Dawn. "You both do remember you have someone you can talk to if you have questions, right?" she gently reminded her sister and daughter. "How many children have I had?"
"Four," Piper answered as her eyes went wide in realization. "Oh you're right, Mom. I didn't think about that. And I do have questions."
"So do I, Buffy," Dawn admitted.
"Anyways," Paige interrupted, "we are on demon duty now. Turns out Madame Theresa was murdered,"
"The fortune teller?" Piper asked looking to her mother.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, Paige and I checked with Darryl, it's the third in a string of Romani killings, all of them have had their eyes gouged out."
"Ugh," Piper said slightly grossed out.
"Now that video doesn't seem so gruesome," Leo admitted as he smiled at the mothers-to-be.
"Yeah, sure," Dawn scoffed with a roll of her eyes.
"Ha!" Piper said agreeing with her aunt. "Speak for yourself."
"Leo, someone having their eyes gouged out is nothing compared to what a woman has to go through during labor," Buffy told her son-in-law as Phoebe joined them.
"Okay, let's go, people, I've gotta fit this vanquish in between two deadlines and three meetings," Phoebe said. "Leo, what did you find out about my powers? What's wrong with them?"
"Well, technically nothing, which means the disconnect is tied to your emotions." Leo said.
Paige nodded, "I think it's a case of use them or lose them. Hey, you know, if he's after gypsies, we should stop by Theresa's funeral. I know where it is, maybe you can get some sort of premonition that will help us find the demon."
"Wow, pre-natal yoga this morning and now you want to crash a stranger's funeral? You really do need friends." Piper said.
"Piper Penelope Halliwell," Buffy scolded.
Piper sighed, "Sorry, Paige, that was mean."
Memorial Cemetery
Dawn stood with her arm wrapped on her sister as she, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Faith watched as a woman give the eulogy. "Well, I don't know what she's saying but the symbolism's beautiful," Paige admitted.
Buffy glanced at her sister and smiled. She knew why Dawn had her arm around her. After all this was the second gypsy funeral she had ever attended. Which had brought up memories of Ms. Calendar again for the second time that day. "It is," she agreed. "You know this is the second Romani funeral I've attended. I attended the one for Ms. Calendar when she was killed."
"Uh, don't you guys think Theresa looked a little crowded?" Phoebe asked having noticed the food and other items that had been placed in and around the coffin.
"It's Romani custom to send their people off in to the next life with things they might need," Buffy explained to her middle daughter.
"Okay, well, I need a cracker in this lifetime," Piper said glancing at her mother. "Would it be bad if I grabbed that box of saltines?"
"Yes, Piper," Buffy said. "It would be very disrespectful of their customs."
"Maybe so," Dawn groaned as she covered her mouth. "But like Piper I need something to settle my stomach or I'm going to have to find a bathroom soon."
"May I join the choir invisible of those immortal dead? Who live again in minds made better by their presence," the woman said just as Phoebe's cell phone rang.
"Phoebe, enough with the work," Paige told her sister who set her phone to vibrate so as not to interrupt the rest of the eulogy.
"Well, go on, you're not going to get a premonition standing here," Piper said when the woman finally concluded the eulogy and the violinist began to play. "Put a little shoulder into it."
"Okay," Phoebe replied as Piper nudged her.
Buffy watched as Phoebe headed toward the coffin as Dawn took off for the nearest tree. She was torn go with Phoebe and see if the Slayer gave her a premonition or chase after her sister. Thankfully Faith made the choice easier as she headed after her wife.
"Hi, uh, excuse me, uh, pardon me, hi," Buffy said as she pushed through the crowd following Phoebe.
"Are you staying for the Pomona? I made stew," the woman said another woman.
The second woman shook her head. "Aren't you worried about the gypsy hunter?" she asked causing Buffy to stop and listen to the conversation.
The first woman smiled. "He won't attack in a crowd, which means you'll be safer here too."
The second woman sighed. "Please stop. I have no interest in staying, Aunt Lydia. This isn't my life. Please accept that. I have to get back to work." She turned and walked away from her aunt.
"Eva. Eva, wait," Lydia called after her niece as she started to follow Eva. She bumped into Buffy and Phoebe, who stood next to Buffy.
Both Buffy and Phoebe gasped as they were forced into a premonition.
The Gypsy Hunter stood before Lydia removing her eyes.
"I'm sorry, are you both okay?" Lydia asked when she looked at the two women apologetically.
Phoebe looked at Buffy who nodded. She looked back at Lydia and smiled. "Yeah, we're fine."
Lydia nodded and walked away as Dawn, Piper and Paige join them.
"I think the Slayer is playing with me," Buffy sighed as Dawn, Faith, Paige and Piper joined them. "Two premonitions in the span of a month. I don't usually get that many or that often."
"You got another?" Dawn questioned her sister who nodded. "Yeah it's weird. You haven't had them that often since our first year in Sunnydale before…"
Buffy nodded as she wrapped an arm around her sister. "I know," she whispered to her sister. She knew why Dawn couldn't finish what she was saying. Because for Dawn, Buffy's first death at the hands of the Master, had been one of the worst moments of Dawn's life, since Dawn had been there to watch as it happened.
June 2, 1997 – Monday
The Master's Cave
The Master held Buffy by her arms pinning her so that she could not escape. "You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was going to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They didn't tell you everything," he said as he whispered intimately in her ear. "You're the one that frees me." He smiled. "If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."
The Master buried his fangs in Buffy's neck as he drank her blood. He reared his back at the power flowing through him for Buffy's blood. "God, the power!" he said as Buffy sagged in his grasp. "By the way..." he said as he left Buffy to her knees before falling face-down into a pool of water. "I like your dress."
He walked out of the cave passing twelve-year-old Dawn who had been hiding and watching everything unfold. When he was gone, she ran to Buffy and pulled her sister out of the pool. "Buffy?" she said.
Buffy didn't respond, Buffy wasn't even breathing. Dawn feared her sister was dead.
"Buffy, please," Dawn begged her sister as she cradled Buffy's head in her lap. It was then she heard footsteps approaching. When she looked up, she saw Xander and Angel approaching. "Xander!"
"Dawn!" Xander said as he rushed to her and Buffy, shocked to see Buffy's little sister there.
"She's not breathing, Xander. Help her, please," Dawn begged as tears streamed down her face.
October 22, 2002 – Tuesday
Memorial Cemetery
Buffy sighed as she looked at her sister. She knew the only things worse for Dawn than her death in the Master's cave had been their mother's death and her own death when she had jumped from Glory's tower. She wrapped an arm around Dawn and held her tightly.
"What did you both see?" Piper asked having noticed that Phoebe too had gotten a premonition.
"Uh, kind of, just bits and pieces," Phoebe admitted.
"Yeah," Buffy sighed. "I haven't had one that cryptic in years." She looked at her middle daughter. "You saw candles, lanterns and Theresa in her coffin?"
"Yeah," Phoebe replied looking back at her mother.
"No offense, Mom," Piper said glancing at her mother with a wave of her hand toward the coffin. "But you don't need a premonition to see that. Anything else?"
"Yeah," Phoebe answered. "The woman, who bumped into us. Her eyes."
"Go on with them, Faith," Buffy suggested. "I will take Dawn back to the car. I just need a moment with my sister."
Faith nodded in understanding as she, followed Piper, Phoebe and Paige as they took off after Lydia.
"Sorry, Buffy," Dawn whispered as they headed for the car.
"For what, reminding me about…" Buffy replied shaking her head. "It should be me who is apologizing, Dawn. While we both know the memory was altered with your creation. We also know the effect that particular memory has had on you. After all it was not only your introduction to my life, but it was the first time I died. And you were there watching the whole thing."
"I had bad dreams for awhile after that," Dawn admitted as they sat down on a bench next to the car.
"I know," Buffy said as she looked at her sister with sad eyes. "So did I. And if memory serves me right, there were quite a few times you and I slept with each other that summer."
Dawn smiled. "I remember. You helped me chase some of the bad dreams away."
"You did the same for me," Buffy admitted. "I guess even when you were a bit of a brat, you were still really supportive."
"Well sibling rivalry is normal," Dawn admitted as she smiled at her sister. "But so is big and little sisters looking out for each other, right?"
"Right," Buffy agreed as she hugged her little sister tightly.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Lydia ran through rows of wood stacked into piles. "Eva? Eva!" she called out for her niece.
"Nice funeral," said an echoing voice. "Very touching. Will there be any Shuvanis left to throw you yours?" It was then that the owner of the voice, the gypsy hunter, stepped out of the shadows behind Lydia, who spun around to face him.
"Waffediyok!" Lydia shouted as green light shot out of her eyes and hit the ground. A dust storm formed around the gypsy hunter and he groaned and covered his face. He shot a red beam of light at Lydia and knocked her to the ground as the dust storm settled.
"You're the one," he said as two red beams of light shot out of both his hands and into Lydia's eyes as Faith, Piper, Phoebe and Paige ran around the corner.
"Hey!" Piper said as she tried to blow the gypsy hunter up but instead sent him flying onto a pile of wood. "He was supposed to blow up. Why did he not blow up?"
"No idea," Faith said as she held up her hands and stream of ice flew from her hands. She formed a wall between them and the gypsy hunter. "That's not going to hold for long," she told them as she ran over to Lydia. "I'll get her to Leo." She took Lydia's hand and orbed out with the woman.
Sunnydale High School
Principal Wood had the lockers searched. And Tara grilled Mike Helgenburg. She had learned that he had asked Cassie multiple times to the dance and Cassie had said no each time. Turned out he wasn't very pissed about much except getting a "B" in Egyptian history
Then behind Tara, Principal Wood and the security guard opened another locker, coins rained from the locker onto the floor.
Lots of weird coins, which Cassie had mentioned to Tara . . .
. . . so Tara took the locker's owner into her office.
"I want you to tell me what this is, and what this has to do with Cassie Newton."
At first he protested his innocence.
At first.
Halliwell Manor
"Thank you. I have to go." Lydia said as Leo finished healing her eyes.
"Wait, you don't have to be afraid." Paige told the woman.
"I'm not afraid of any of you," Lydia replied looking at the six women. "We come from sister traditions, witches and gypsies. I appreciate everything you all have done but I have to go."
"But there's a demon after you," Dawn reminded the woman.
"I'm not the only one he's after," Lydia countered as she headed for the door.
"Wait," Paige called out moving to stop Lydia before she could leave. "Clearly you have powers but we face demons all the time. Will you please at least tell us what you know?"
"Phoebe and I would not have received those premonitions," Buffy told the woman. "If we weren't meant to help."
Lydia looked at the blonde woman. She was sure she recognized her from her sister Janna's description of the Slayer who had at one time fallen in love with Angelus. "Perhaps," she finally said. "Years ago my tribe threw a curse on a gypsy hunter named Oren. Blinding him so he no longer had the power to spot our people."
Faith looked at Lydia with confusion. "The demon we saw wasn't blind," she reported.
Lydia replayed her memory of the encounter and nodded. The gypsy hunter she had faced was not Oren, but his son… "That was Oren's son, Cree," she explained. "I think he's killing Shuvanis in the name of his father."
"Shuvanis?" Piper asked confused.
"Yeah, that's their form of a high priestess," Paige said.
"Can I ask you your family name?" Buffy asked. "I've had dealings with Romani. Maybe I've heard of your clan."
Lydia smiled. "Of course, if you will give me yours."
"Summers," Buffy answered.
"As I thought, dear Slayer. I am the sister of the one you called Ms. Calendar. My name is Lydia Kalderash."
"The ones that curse Angel a hundred years ago?" Faith said in surprise as both Lydia and Buffy nodded.
"The very same," Lydia answered. "And I take it you are her successor?"
"Indirectly," Faith said. "There was one called between me and B."
Lydia nodded as she smiled. She returned her gaze to Buffy. "I must apologize for my people, Buffy. If you had been told of the curse. Angelus would never been freed and my niece, Eva, would not be absent her mother."
"I didn't know Jenny had any children." Buffy said. "Of course I wasn't that close to her since she was a teacher. Giles was closer since they had been dating."
Lydia nodded as she remembered the man who had been dating her sister. "Rupert Giles..." she said. "I didn't meet him till the funeral. But I do know of him. Janna wrote to me about him in her letters. From I could tell they were very much in love."
"I didn't know that," Dawn said in surprise as Phoebe's phone rang. Phoebe glanced at it and then declined the call.
"That's because you didn't see them that often, Dawn," Buffy told her sister. She looked back at Lydia and smiled. "Thank you for the apology. That said it's not needed. The blame falls squarely on my shoulders. Not yours or your family. Yes I resented your sister for a while, but as time passed on I realized the person I was really angry at was myself. You know maybe we should get off this topic and back to the gypsy hunter?"
"You are right of course," Lydia agreed. "Eva, she's a Shuvani as well only she's rejected her magic which is leaving her defenseless."
"Well, can't you curse Cree like you did his father?" Leo wondered.
"Multiple reasons," Lydia sighed. "Just like with Angelus the knowledge has long since been lost." She looked at Buffy. "Which it is good that your friend, Willow, can do it." She looked back Leo and continued her explanation. "The other reason is that there aren't enough Shuvanis left to pool our power and because Eva chooses not to believe anymore, she won't listen to me."
"Maybe we can help?" Dawn asked as the house phone rang.
"Okay, I'll take care of that." Phoebe said in resignation knowing that it was very likely her boss calling since Elise had been unable to get her on her cell phone.
"Sometimes," Paige said as she watched Phoebe leaving the room, "it's easier to hear the truth from a stranger than it is to hear from family."
"Not always," Buffy said remembering when Jenny had told her about Angel's curse.
Lydia looked to Buffy and then nodded understanding of the unfinished comment. She looked to Paige, "Her name is Eva Kalderash. She's a doctor at San Francisco Memorial."
"OB/GYN by any chance?" Piper asked hopeful.
Lydia shook her head. "No, she's a surgeon."
Dawn sighed. "Piper, I could get you an appointment with Cassie."
"Today?" Piper asked looking at her aunt.
"Probably not," Dawn answered.
"That's what I thought," Piper retorted. "So I'll go."
"Why you?" Paige wondered looking at her eldest sister.
"Because I am done with this nauseousness and I can fight off Cree if he attacks," Piper answered before looking at Leo. "So either you're orbing or I'm driving."
"I think I will go with you," Dawn said. "Just to see what is said. Cassie was like its normal, it will pass. I'm tired of waiting for it to pass."
"I will go with you both then," Faith said as Piper and Dawn looked at her. "Added firepower, besides I want to be there with my wife if she is going to see a doctor." She followed Piper, Dawn and Leo to the foyer. They were getting their coats when she frowned.
"What is it baby?" Dawn asked noticing her wife's expression.
"Tara is calling for me," Faith said. She looked back into the other room. "B, can you go with Dawn, please. Tara is calling for me."
"Sure, Faith," Buffy said as she walked over to her sister as Faith orbed out. She grabbed her coat and then she grabbed Dawn's hand as Leo orbed them out.
"I'm sorry Elise, I just can't make it," Phoebe said as she walked back in the room speaking to her boss on the phone. "Is it possible that we can move it?"
"Hey, we still have a book to check and a vanquishing potion to make," Paige told her sister.
"Alright, alright, I'll be there, I promise," Phoebe told her boss before ending the call.
Lydia sighed looking at Buffy. "I'm sorry, this is interrupting your lives."
"No, no, no," Paige countered. "This is our lives. My sister just needed a little reminder."