A/N 1: I woke up in the middle of the night (thanks to my teething toddler) and suddenly was struck with the idea: What if John and Dean came to Sunnydale during the events of Helpless?

Please let me know what you think. Reviews and feedback are always appreciated.

Please note that throughout this fic I used a lot of original dialogue from the show. In some places I did change it up a bit, to fit this story better, but as always, I own nothing related to the BTVS or SPN universe.

Helpless But Not Hopeless

XXXXXX

Buffy walked through the heavy black curtains to the main area of the mansion. She stopped as she noticed the lit candles that were scattered around the room. As she continued to look around her eyes met the picnic Angel had prepared for sighed conflicted. Her heart swelled at the sweetness of Angel's gesture, but Giles' promised work on vibratory stones had not left Buffy excited and she had been hoping to release some tension with Angel beforehand.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked softly as he approached, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her cheek.

She didn't want to hurt his feelings as he had clearly put effort into the evening, but he always caught her in her lies.

"I just… am feeling the need to work out some tension before patrol," she sighed, "Giles has got plans with crystals and it seems you've planned a sweet, but mellow evening," Buffy rambled, "Which is very lovely, by the way."

Angel met her eyes with a look of worry and understanding, "Is there something else you had in mind?"

"A light to medium sparring?" Buffy suggested with a dazzling smile.

A playfully wicked smile crossed Angel's face as he threw a punch directly at Buffy's face. Buffy dodged the punch with ease, spinning out of the path of Angel's next strike before landing a kick to his gut that sent him stumbling back.

Their sparring continued, neither one wanting to end the match too soon. Angel lunged and gripped Buffy as she had moved in for a powerful strike. He flipped her over his shoulder. She landed on her back with a grunt of pain. Before she could roll away, Angel was positioned over her. Buffy quickly pulled up her legs, kicking him over her before using the momentum to flip herself into a standing position.

She took a defensive stance as Angel came forward with a wide punch. She ducked and again and moved out of Angel's path, but he was quick to strike again. Buffy blocked the punch before attempting a roundhouse kick, which Angel ducked, but she quickly moved to sweep his legs with a second kick. Angel fell back. He grunted with pain from the impact of the floor.

Buffy reached for the baguette from the picnic of untouched food. She immediately rolled toward Angel and without hesitation she straddled his waist before bringing the bread to his heart as though it were a stake.

"Gotcha!" Buffy declared victoriously.

"Uh," Angel cried out in playful defeat, "Right in the heart."

"Satisfied?" Buffy questioned with a pleased smile.

"I am not sure that is the word," Angel admitted regretfully.

Buffy glanced down and suddenly realized their position. Blushing slightly she dropped the baguette at his side before jumping away and taking a few steps back.

Her embarrassment was clear as she fidgeted, "I–uh, didn't mean 'satisfied' like…" Buffy is quickly interrupted by Angel as he stood and tried to reassure her,

"No, I, I, wasn't trying to…"

Buffy lost in her nervous ramble continued, "Cause we're not having satisfaction in the personal sense."

Angel bristled at the reminder of the limitations of their relationship before lightly grumbling, "Of course."

Buffy continued to sense the awkwardness rising between them. She smiled hoping to ease some of the tension as she moved to walk past him pointing at the door, "I should go. Giles is…"

"...is waiting for you, I know," Angel finished for her, his disappointment evident.

Buffy turned back to look at him, "Thanks again, for the workout, it helped."

Before Buffy could turn away, Angel quickly spoke up, "Am I gonna see you this weekend?" Angel had suddenly become nervous and tried to walk back his question, "You, uh, you-you probably have plans."

"Right, birthday," Buffy stated before confirming, "Um, actually, I do have a thing."

"Oh, a thing," Angel's disappointment started to flare again, but he quickly tried to recover as he asked, "A date?"

Buffy smiled kindly, "Nice attempt at casual," then Buffy smirked as she moved closer to him, "Actually, I do have a date. An older man. Very handsome," she teased, "He likes it when I call him 'Daddy'."

Angel smiled with a light laugh, "Your father," but then worry struck his gut, "It is your father, right?"

Buffy chuckled, "Yeah, he is taking me to an ice show. Which should be big fun and I could use a little of that."

Angel reached out and grabbed her hand, "Of course, but I hope to see you. I'd hate to miss out on your birthday completely."

"I'll make sure to stop by," Buffy reassured, squeezing his hand slightly before she pulled away, "But, I really gotta go."

XXXXXX

Buffy sat as Giles waved yet another crystal in front of her. This time it was purple and hanging from a string.

"This one?" He asked.

"Amethyst," Buffy answered correctly.

"Used for?" Giles followed-up.

Buffy's boredom flared, "Breath mints?" she answered as she looked up at Giles with a playful smile.

Giles took a deep breath before he whinged, "Charm bags, money spells, and for cleansing one's aura."

Buffy continued to fiddle with a long piece of Selenite as she questioned, "How do you know if one's aura is dirty?" She didn't wait for Giles to answer before she joked, "Does somebody come by with a finger and write 'wash me' on it?"

Giles put down the amethyst crystal and took off his glasses. Clearly frustrated he leaned forward and placed his hands on the table, "Buffy, I'm aware of your distaste for studying vibratory stones, but since it is part of your training, I would appreciate your glib-free attention."

"Sorry," Buffy apologized before she continued, "It's just with Faith on one of her unannounced walkabouts, I feel like somebody should be patrolling." When Giles gave her a slight look of concern she continued, "I've just had this icky gut feeling, but maybe it's nothing."

Giles accepted her reassurance easily before he continued, "Well, Faith is not interested in proper training, so I must rely on you to keep up with yours."

"I hate being the good one," She grumbled, meeting his eyes with a light scowl.

Giles finally gave in and sent a slight grin her way, "As for patrolling," he stated, "Well, you'll be there soon enough. Now, if it's not entirely beyond your capabilities, let's try to concentrate," he insisted.

Giles placed the large blue crystal in front of Buffy. She glanced at him one last time before she focused her gaze on the crystal.

Giles noticed the mesmerizing crystal had its desired effect. He quickly retrieved his bag and pulled out the syringe box. He glanced at Buffy's from yet again as he gently pushed up her sleeve before he carefully wiped her arm with an alcohol wipe.

He prepared the syringe, his gaze never drifting away from Buffy for long. He watched her cautiously as he tapped out the bubbles in the syringe and swiftly injected the compound into Buffy's arm.

Giles put everything back in its place. Giles observed Buffy one last time, the guilt was evident on his face. He sighed before he moved a hand in front of the crystal, breaking its hold on Buffy.

"Alright, Buffy," Giles grumbled, "Go patrol. We'll pick this up tomorrow."

Buffy looked abashed, before glancing apologetically at Giles. She stood and moved wordlessly out of the library before he could change his mind from letting her out of her studies early.

XXXXXX

Buffy hadn't been on patrol long when she noticed a vampire skulking around Nelson Park. Buffy watched as the vampire positioned himself to watch for a loan teen to be heading for the Bronze. Buffy grabbed her stake out of her pocket and moved into position to take him by surprise.

As Buffy snuck around the vampire he seemed to remain oblivious to her presence. He remained focused on the street. Buffy could have easily staked him, but she had energy to burn and she wanted a fight.

Buffy cleared her throat, "Excuse me?" Buffy said with a sugary false innocence.

The vampire turned ready to attack when Buffy landed a powerful kick straight to the chest that sent the vampire flying through the air. He landed on the slide with a loud thump. Buffy moved quickly, she jumped to the top of the slide as the vampire rolled down it.

As he laid on the ground groaning in pain, Buffy couldn't help but laugh as she quipped, "Wow, that was really funny-looking!" Buffy's smile grew bigger as she taunted, "Could you do it again?"

The vampire picked himself up from the ground and threatened, "I'll kill you for that."

"For that?" Buffy scoffed, unimpressed by the threat. "What were you trying to kill me for before?" she taunted again.

The vampire swung at her head, Buffy ducked clear with ease. This was not the fight she had been hoping for. He was dumb and fairly slow in his movements. Buffy was growing frustrated. She landed a quick succession of punches before ending with a kick that sent him into the merry-go-round.

Buffy moved with determined steps toward the vampire. Buffy pulled her stake back ready to dust the vampire. She wanted to end the fight quickly so she could go find a more worthy opponent. Her frustration was evident in her voice as she huffed, "Okay, so here's the deal–" but before she could finish a sudden wave of dizziness overcame her.

Buffy rocked back on her feet, closing her eyes as she tried to shake away the fuzziness that filled her vision. The vampire was quick to take advantage. He lunged from the merry-go-round and grabbed her by the jacket before throwing her onto the picnic table. The wood splintered and Buffy rolled off the table landing on the ground with a painful thump.

Buffy regained some of her focus and she managed to roll so that she was on her back with her stake pointing up. But before she could fully recover from the harsh blows the vampire jumped on top of her. He straddled her and gripped her hands holding the stake. A malicious smile spread across his face as he roughly forced her wrist to twist, with a slight crack, and pointed the stake toward Buffy's chest.

He slowly leaned over Buffy adding more weight against Buffy's resistance. His simple turned sadistic as the stake inched closer he taunted, "Lemme know if I'm not doin' this right."

The stake pushed closer and closer to her chest, fear swept through Buffy's system. Her eyes grew wide with terror as she continued to stuggle against the vampire above her. Buffy felt the tip of the stake poking her through her jacket. Her survival instincts flared and she swiftly threw her head forward and made contact with his nose. The vampire reared back in pain, which allowed Buffy to push the vampire off of her.

Buffy looked around in a panic for her stake. It had landed just out of her reach. With a desperate crawl Buffy reached to grab the stake. Once again the vampire lunged toward her. Without a moment to spare Buffy turned on to her back with the stake pointing up causing the vampire to impale himself on the stake before turning to dust.

Buffy continued to lay on the ground for a moment. Waves of pain and confusion coursed through her body. What had just happened? She felt sick. She felt scared. Completely confused, Buffy slowly picked herself up, brushed herself off in shock. She looked around at the empty park, now thankful there were no other vampires.

XXXXXX

Buffy had barely slept. She had been unable to calm the panicked thoughts that seemed to play on an endless loop as she laid in her bed. She had nearly died at the hands of her own stake.

As she moved around her room and readied herself for the day she was continuously plagued by waves of dizziness. Her limbs felt sluggish and weak.

A look of surprise crossed her mother's face as she entered the kitchen. She glanced over Buffy's dressed and ready form.

"Everything okay?" She questioned, a hint of worry was evident in her voice. Buffy was never ready to go before she had even had the chance to pour her morning coffee.

"Yeah," Buffy mumbled distractedly. As she caught her mother's more intense gaze, she tried to perk herself up for her mother's benefit, "Nothing worry worthy, just needing to meet with Giles about last night's patrol."

Buffy placed a quick kiss to her mother's cheek before she rushed out the door avoiding any further questioning.

When Buffy arrived in the library, Giles was nowhere to be found. Apparently, last night he had actually decided to go home to sleep. The one time she needed to speak with bright and early he wasn't there.

"Typical," Buffy muttered to herself.

Buffy paced the library as she waited for Giles. As she turned toward the weapons cage she spotted a paper target and some throwing knives. She hoped that a simple round of knife throwing would ease her tension and worry.

Buffy stood in front of the library table, the throwing knives spread out in front of her. She still felt off in a way she couldn't quite place. She took one deep breath and grabbed the first knife. Her hand shook slightly as she prepared her throw.

She missed. The first knife was stuck into the upper left corner of the target paper. Fear and panic flooded Buffy's system. She forced herself to shake it off before she grabbed another knife to try again. She missed. Buffy threw a few more knives before she finally heard the swinging of the library doors that signaled Giles's arrival.

For the second time this morning, Buffy was met with a look of surprise.

"A bit early in the day," Giles stated as he sipped his coffee walking toward his office. Buffy had never arrived at the library before him, especially on a day she had classes.

Buffy couldn't contain her worry any longer, "Giles somethings wrong." Buffy turned back to the target, unable to contain her nervous energy as she picked up another knife.

"Wrong?" He inquired, forcing a look of nonchalance onto his face as he sipped his coffee again.

Buffy threw the knife in her hand and it bounced off the target, landing with an audible clang on the floor. This drew Giles's attention to the target with several awkwardly planted knives.

As Buffy shakily picked up another knife, Giles suggested, "Perhaps, you shouldn't–" he was interrupted, by yet another clang of a knife falling to the ground, "do that anymore."

Buffy kept her focus on the target and only glancing briefly at Giles, "On top of that, I got a bad case of the dizzies last night and almost let a vamp stake me," she turned towards Giles the panic rising in her eyes and voice, "With my own stake!"

Giles continued to look at her calmly despite the intense worry that tightened in his gut. He forced himself to sip his coffee.

Buffy huffed with slight irritation and tried to throw another knife. This time it clanked loudly as it hit the railing of the library, nowhere near the target. Buffy felt defeated.

"I am way off my game," she confided, "My game has left the country. It's in Cuernavaca," she attempted to joke, but her worried tone took over as she asked, "Giles, what's going on?"

Despite her immense worry, Buffy felt hopeful. Giles would have the answer. He always has the answer she reassured herself. But when he sat down in front of her, Buffy panicked.

"Well, perhaps, you've got a bad flu bug or something," Giles suggested with a tight smile.

Buffy's dread decreased. The flu, that wouldn't be so bad. When she had had the flu last year she had definitely been off her game, but after a few days she was good as new. Buffy silently thanked her lucky stars there was no big bad to fight. But then suddenly she remembered her birthday plans with her father and a new sense of worry and dread took over.

"No, no, not sick. I can't be sick," she insisted. "My dad's coming to take me to the ice show. We do it every year for my birthday. If I cancel, it's gonna break his heart," she whined.

Giles smiled gently as he suggested, "Well, just, um, take it easy for forty-eight hours. You know, forgo patrolling until you feel yourself again."

Giles, unable to continue looking at Buffy as he lied to her, moved away to put his briefcase in his office.

Buffy felt guilty, Giles never let her out of patrol and especially with Faith not being around she couldn't just not patrol.

"No. No." She called and turned back to the target and picked up another knife. "I just need to spend a little more time training," she continued trying to sound confident.

She threw the last knife, this time it not only missed the target, but she managed to hit and break a reading lamp with a loud clatter of breaking glass.

"I'm gone!" Buffy said quickly as she turned and fled from the library.

Giles moved into his office. The tension in his shoulder increased. He took yet another sip of coffee as he sat at his desk. He hated lying to Buffy and her admission that she had nearly been hurt was too much for Giles. The Cruciamentum was fast approaching and would soon be over. Travers, himself, had said so when they had spoken this morning. But none of that did anything to ease his worry. He glanced at the rolodex sitting next to his office phone and an idea struck him.

He quickly flipped through finding the name and number he needed. He wasted no time in picking up the phone and dialing the number.

"Yeah?" the gruff voice on the other end of the line answered.

"Uh, this is Rupert Giles calling," Giles started, but was interrupted.

"Okay, what you want?" Bobby asked impatiently. Giles had seemed like an okay guy when they had met at an occult sale years prior, but Bobby wasn't ready to roll out the red carpet for him, especially as he was a watcher and they weren't known for being the friendliest bunch.

"I am in need of some assistance, for the next couple of days," Giles asked reluctantly. "I was, um, hoping you could recommend someone?" While this was definitely his best option, asking hunters to come to the hellmouth was not something he did lightly.

Bobby was shocked, but he tried not to let his surprise and confusion enter his voice as he spoke, "Why do ya need a hunter? Last, I heard it, you had yourself the slayer."

Giles released a sigh, "The slayer is currently incopacitated and needs a few days to recover. They would, uh, be needed for a few days of light patrol."

Bobby was still confused. This wasn't the first time a slayer had been injured enough to need a few days off and clearly nothing world ending was happening. Something about this situation seemed fishy, but if he wanted answers he knew just who to call.

"I've got someone to call," Bobby stated. "They should be close by. I'll give you a call back once I hear from them."

Bobby disconnected the call without waiting for any response. He picked up his phone and dialed a familiar phone number.

"John, you still a few hours west of Phoenix?" When Bobby heard the gruff confirmation he continued, "Good, I've got an interesting case for you."

XXXXXX

"Buffy?" Her mom's voice called for her as she came through the front door.

"Present," Buffy called as she came into the kitchen and her eyes quickly went to the balloon and flowers on the island, "Ooo, present!" She said excitedly as she reached for it.

Joyce turned away from the food on the stove to face Buffy, "Uh, they're not," she cautioned, "They are from your father." The disappointment was evident in her voice as she continued, "His, uh, quarterly projections are unraveling and he can't afford to take off right now."

Joyce noticed the sadness flashing across Buffy's face. She hoped Hank truly would make this up to Buffy as he promised in the letter, but Buffy didn't need to hear her doubt.

"He promises to make it up to you. It's all right there in the letter," Joyce said, trying to sound hopeful.

Buffy folded the letter, not wanting to read it. She had really been looking forward to this time with her father. They hadn't seen much of one another lately and when he had called to ask if they were still on for her birthday a few weeks ago, she had let herself become excited. She never let herself think that this would become just another last minute cancellation.

As Buffy turned to head up to her room Joyce offered, "If you want, I could ask somebody to cover for me at the gallery. I-I mean, if you want me to take you."

Buffy smiled sadly at her mother, "No. No, that's not necessary. I-I was just thinking it might be nice to have a quiet birthday," she lied. Buffy didn't give her mother a chance to say anything more as she headed out of the kitchen and up to her room.

Buffy sat at the table as Giles once again brought out the crystals. She did not care about what each of these crystals did and she wasn't sure why she needed to know this, but tonight she was not going to voice her lack of interest. She was going to be on her very best slayer behavior.

As Giles sat the box of crystals on the table, Buffy attempted to start up a conversation,

"This weekend is the ice show I told you about and my dad isn't gonna make it," Buffy hinted.

When Giles continued his work of setting out the crystals Buffy continued, "You know, it's not just cartoon characters. They do pieces from operas and ballets. Brian Boitano, doing Carmen, is a life changer," when Buffy noticed a slight crinkle in Giles Brow she corrected, "Oh, he doesn't actually play Carmen, but a lot of sophisticated people go."

Buffy had hoped that appealing to Giles's love of all things classical would peak his interest, but he didn't seem to be paying her much mind as he responded by setting the large blue crystal in front of her.

"Yes, I think we should start with the grounding crystal tonight," he quietly insisted.

Buffy wasn't quite ready to give up and she prodded further, "You know, it's usually something that families do together."

Giles looked away from her again and moved the crystal box away, as if he hadn't heard her he continued his instructions, "Now, look very carefully for the tiny flaw at its core."

Buffy felt discouraged. She had really thought Giles would've jumped at this opportunity. She took a breath, steeling herself for disappointment, "If someone were free, they'd take their daughter or their student," Buffy paused to meet Giles's eyes, hope reflecting in her own, "Or their slayer," she added poignantly.

Giles moved to avoid her gaze and her topic of conversation as he directed her attention back to the crystals, "Buffy, I think we should concentrate now. Now, look for the flaw at its center," he urged. The hunters were due to arrive soon and he needed Buffy out of the library to avoid more questions than he could answer.

Buffy sighed, she wasn't going to get anywhere with Giles right now. She hoped that tomorrow, on her birthday, he'd be a little more open to this discussion and with that thought she turned her attention to the crystal's flaw.

Giles noticed Buffy's immediate reaction to the crystal's hypnotic influence. He once again kept a close eye on her as he reached for his bag and extracted the needle box. He moved carefully so as not to come between her line of vision and the crystal as he grabbed her arm and pushed up her sleeve. He quickly and gently wiped her arm with the alcohol pad before he extracted a dosage of the compound. He ensured there were no air bubbles in the syringe before he injected it into Buffy's arm.

Giles speedily put the syringe back in the box and the box back into his bag before taking his seat on the table, like he often did. He looked at Buffy one last time, the regret was evident on his face. He took a deep breath and placed a reassuring smile on his face before waving his hand in-between Buffy and the crystal.

Buffy noticed the movement of Giles's hand, but it wasn't until she looked up at him that she noticed the feeling that time had passed without her notice. She was immediately apologetic, "Oh, I'm sorry," she rubbed her head in an attempt to clear the fuzziness from her brain, "Did I zone out on you?"

Giles gave her a small nod and she continued, "I'm still nursing that flu bug."

Giles gave her another reassuring smile as he prompted, "It's best to take care of that. Perhaps instead of patrol you should call it a night?"

Buffy looked at him wanting to argue, but she felt tired and weak. She felt her knees wobble as she stood from the chair, "Yeah, that's a good idea. Thanks."

Buffy walked through the door and heard Giles's goodnight, but failed to notice the figure standing in the shadows just outside the library.

As soon as Buffy was out of sight, John stepped out of the shadows. Bobby was right, something strange was definitely going on. John had wanted to burst in the moment he had seen the watcher prepare a syringe to stick into the slayer's arm, but he needed more information. It had made his blood boil as he watched Giles drug the girl as she remained in a magic fog. Without any further hesitation, John made his way into the library.

Giles turned around at the sound of the door, slightly startled.

"Can I help you?" He questioned in an authoritative tone.

"Yeah, Bobby sent me," John stated before point-blankly asking, "Now, just what the hell is goin' on here?"

XXXXXX

John walked back to the Impala. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Bobby had insisted that Giles was a good guy and that if he was asking for help for his slayer, he truly needed it. He scoffed to himself at the thought. Giles was weakening his own slayer for the purpose of a test. John wanted to just get out of dodge, but he found himself wanting to make sure the young blonde slayer was going to be okay.

As he slid into the car Dean quickly spoke up, "So what do we got?"

"We're just backup," John stated and was met with a look of confusion. He shook his head before continuing gruffly, "The slayer has some kind of slayer test and her watcher doesn't want her distracted. He says it is just going to be a couple of days."

Dean didn't argue with his father. He knew there was no point, but he also knew that he was something he was not saying. But he wasn't going to turn down a chance to hunt on a hellmouth. He was definitely looking forward to his first vampire hunt.

"Shall we hit the graveyards, sir?" Dean asked excitedly.

"That's my boy," John smiled as they drove toward Old Sunnydale Cemetery.

XXXXXX

Buffy had made it through two class periods. Her body continued to feel heavy and sluggish. The occasional flares of dizziness were becoming more common. It had been hard to hide the extent of her illness from the ever watchful Willow and Xander. Buffy had been thankful that her next period was also a solo class, but as Buffy approached the courtyard there was Willow waiting for her.

Wanting to keep the conversation away from her illness Buffy quickly asked, "So how is Amy the rat?"

Willow couldn't contain her excitement as she replied, "Good! She loves her new exercise wheel. She runs around, her nose wiggles–"

Buffy chuckled slightly before interrupting Willow gently, "I meant, how's it going changing her back into a human being?"

Willow blushed slightly at the confusion, "Oh. Still working on that, but I did get her the cutest little bell…" Willow drifted off as she noticed Buffy's attention being drawn to Chaz's angry conversation with Cordelia.

When Buffy saw Chaz grab Cordelia's for a second time and push her against the tree behind her as she tried to walk away, Buffy moved to intervene.

Buffy gripped Chaz's arm remarking, "Oh, I beg to differ."

But when she made her move to pull his arm away and turn him towards her, his arm didn't move. She tried one more time, she grunted with exertion. She didn't have time to fully comprehend her failure, before Chaz pushed her back hard with his arm, sending her falling into the bench that sat a few feet away.

As Buffy laid on the ground pain radiating through her back and hip from the impact with the concrete bench. Even worse than the physical pain was the shock. Some barely successful jock had swatted her down. As Willow helped her up, asking if she was okay, all Buffy could feel was panic. What if she never got her powers back?

Willow escorted Buffy to the nurse's office despite her objections. Willow had insisted on waiting with Buffy, but she convinced Willow to go to class, while she waited for the nurse. Willow had reluctantly agreed stating that she would be checking in on Buffy after computer science class.

Buffy sighed, there would be no hiding the extent of her illness and worry from the gang at this point. She put her head in her hands as she fought back the tears. Suddenly from the corner of her eye she spotted Giles as he walked down the hall. Buffy quickly grabbed her coat and ran from the office to speak with him.

"Giles," the worry in her voice was palatable. Giles slowed his speed for Buffy as she continued, "I just got swatted down by some no-neck and rescued by Coredila." When he didn't immediately respond, Buffy's panic rose, "What the hell is happening?"

Giles kept walking, he couldn't stand here and lie to her. He didn't want to watch her suffer or to see the pain he knew he was causing her.

He attempted to reassure Buffy that this would work itself out, but when Buffy touched his arm and pleaded, "You're not getting the big picture here," he stopped. He looked at her briefly before looking away as she continued speaking desperately, "I-I, have no strength, no coordination, I throw knives like a…"

"A girl?" Giles interrupted with a forced coolness.

Buffy was taken aback at Giles' nonchalant response and hesitantly corrected him, "Like I am not the slayer."

Giles broke her gaze as he looked both directions down the hall before continuing, "Look Buffy," he stated with a forced calmness, "I, I, I– assure you, umm…given time, w-we will get to the bottom of, of whatever is causing this, umm…anomaly."

Giles turned away and attempted to flee toward the library, but Buffy grabbed his arm.

"Promise me," she begged.

Giles flashed back to her desperately asking him to "lie to me" after she had staked her friend Ford the year before. Giles felt his resolve crumbling as he replied, "I give you my word," before he walked away leaving a worried Buffy in the hallway behind him.

Giles once safely back in his office packed his briefcase. He was overwhelmed by the guilt that coursed through his body. Buffy was no longer the effervescent girl he'd come to adore. Her clear panic had sent him over the edge. He needed to discuss this cruel tradition with Quentin. There had to be another way.

XXXXXX

Buffy entered the library only a few minutes after Giles, but was surprised to find he wasn't there. Her own confused thoughts were echoed by Xander as he walked through the doors, Willow and Oz behind him.

"Where's the G-man?"

"I-I'm not sure," Buffy faltered for just a moment before she commanded, "Let's just get started."

The gang nodded, and moved to the shelves to pull books. After making their best selection the group settled around the table for what was likely going to be a long research session.

Buffy and the group had been researching for over an hour. Buffy had once again become lost in her thoughts about what would happen if she never got her powers back when Willow's excited voice met her ears, "Ah-ha! A curse on slayers."

Buffy jumped slightly and looked over at Willow, but before her hopes could rise Willow's shoulders sank and she corrected herself, "Oh, no wait, it uh- it's lawyers."

A look of deep disappointment crossed Buffy's face causing Xander to speak up, "You know, maybe we're on the wrong track with the whole spell, curse, and whammy thing. Maybe what we are looking for is, uhh…" he paused, noticing the new look of hope that had entered Buffy's eyes as she looked at him. He felt a tickle in his throat as the group looked at him expectantly. He cleared his throat before he finished anticlimactically, "Slayer kryptonite."

"Faulty metaphor," Oz countered, "kryptonite kills."

Xander looked at Oz before clarifying, "You're assuming I meant the green kryptonite. I was referring, of course, to the red kryptonite, which drains Superman of his powers."

Oz considered Xander's assertion before he objected, "Wrong. The gold kryptonite is the power-sucker. The red kryptonite mutates Superman into some sort of weird–"

Buffy, frustrated by this unhelpful tangent, rolled her eyes before interjecting, "Guys!" The group refocused their attention on Buffy as she demanded painfully, "Let's get back to reality."

No one having any idea of what was happening became overwhelming. Buffy felt the uncertainty clutch at her chest as her eyes attempted to fill with tears. She closed her book and tossed it back on the table, with a bang, as she stood up and moved away from the group.

Willow stopped her as she went up the stairs, "Buffy, I know, you are definitely, without a doubt, gonna get your powers back."

Buffy for the first time that day felt reassured by Willow's confidence. She smiled softly, "Thanks, Will."

Buffy once again began heading up the stairs, for her minute away, when Willow followed her up the steps and stopped again. "But what if you don't?" she asked cautiously.

Buffy wanted to scream. Buffy wanted to run. Instead she took a deep breath to control her fear as she answered, "If I don't get my powers back, then I don't," she paused for just a moment to reign in her emotions as she continued to lie hoping Willow wouldn't notice, "I'll deal. I mean, there is a whole lot of good sides to it–"

"Actually, this could open up so many…" Willow jumped in to agree, but was interrupted by the sound of the library doors.

Buffy turned away from Willow and ran toward Giles as he entered the room.

"Did you find anything?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"Uh, no, not yet," Giles answered quietly before making his way back into his office. His conversation with Quentin had been unproductive at best. He just couldn't bring himself to research the problem of which he already knew the answer.

Buffy sighed, her shoulders slumped as she moved slowly back to her spot at the table.

XXXXXX

Buffy made her way into the mansion. Once again her birthday had turned out to be one big misadventure. She hoped that Angel would be able to help. Giles didn't seem to be turning up any new information and her friends had found nothing. Worse, it seemed, they all thought her loss of powers wasn't all that bad.

Lost in her own thoughts it had taken Buffy a moment to notice that the fireplace in the living room wasn't lit. It was unlike Angel not to have it lit. She glanced around again, before she called out, "Angel?"

She was met with silence. She looked around the room again, confused before her eyes settled on the handwritten note on top of what looked to be a cloth wrapped present on the fireplace mantle.

She glanced at the quickly scrawled note.

Buffy,

I hope this note finds you well.

More than anything, I wish I was there with you on your birthday.

I have been called away on an important task.

I hope to be back quickly.

Angel

"Great," Buffy muttered to herself as she flopped back to sit on the couch.

Buffy couldn't believe her luck. They had just recently found a level of coexistence. Buffy had found herself recently hoping it would lead to more, but yet again Buffy's birthday resulted in a mission that had to send Angel away. Images of the Judge's arm in the box and Angel on the docks flashed through Buffy's mind.

Buffy was no longer able to handle the continued tidal waves of emotions that had been coursing through her since the graveyard two evenings ago. She laid herself down on the couch, leaving her gift untouched as she sobbed.

XXXXXX

Giles had finally convinced the group that it was best to call it a night on the research. They had very reluctantly agreed, but his assurances that he could and would carry on while they got some much needed rest had sent them on their way.

Now, as he sat alone in his office, all of the things he had done weighed on him even more. Not only was he lying to everyone, but he was risking Buffy's life. He had sent Angel away, to locate Faith. At the time he had thought it best with the Council's presence and the hunters on their way, but now as he watched Buffy crumble before his eyes. He questioned his actions. Injecting her the past few nights had been difficult enough, but now…

The guilt and doubt coursed through his entire body and Giles thought back to his earlier conversation with Quentin. He had let Quentin's words of tradition, duty, and honor cloud his better judgment. Buffy had proven time and time again that she was cunning, imaginative, confident, and self-reliant. He would no longer risk the life of his slayer to test the qualities he already knew she possessed.

Giles picked up the phone. When he was met with John's voicemail he sighed before he left a message, "John, this is Rupert. I may need your help with a specific task. Please meet me at the library in one hour."

Giles hung up the phone and swept his jacket from the chair and pulled it on as he left the library. He was determined to put a stop to this archaic, cruel test once and for all.

Giles opened the front door of the old board house. He was not met with the sounds of work being done as he had expected. Giles paused for just a moment and listened, but still the house remained silent.

"Quentin?" Giles called out expecting to hear some response.

Giles closed the door before he moved further into the house. He checked the sitting room first: no one. Giles had a strange feeling. There was something off. As he walked down the hall, there was no one. The stillness of the house was eerie.

Giles turned and began to walk up the stairs as he called out, "Hello? Quentin? Hob–" Giles stopped as he noticed that the palm of his hand was sticky and wet.

He pulled his hand from the railing and turned over his hand. He was met with the sight of fresh blood, his eyes immediately went to the box that had been holding Kralick earlier.

Giles rushed down the stairs only to stop for a quick moment as he broke away the wooden railing. He moved with determined steps to the prison crate and pulled the door open. Empty. Giles closed the door and looked around as he listened. Nothing. He moved toward the dining area as he spotted a large smudge of blood on the ground.

He opened the door prepared to strike, but nothing came. He felt for the light and flicked int on. Before him on the table was Hobson. He had been bitten savagely over several parts of his body. Giles had never seen such a feeding. Bile rose in his throat and he covered his mouth as he turned, stumbling from the room.

Giles rushed out of the house and headed back to the library to wait for John.

XXXXXX

Buffy didn't know how long she had laid on the couch, but she noticed the mansion had gotten darker. The indirect light that usually made its way around the thick black curtains of the mansion was no longer there. With a deep and heavy sigh, Buffy pulled herself up and wiped her tear stained cheeks before heading out into the dark to make her way home.

Buffy had never felt like the walk from the mansion to her house was long, but as she jumped at yet another noise, she realized just how scary her life would become without her powers.

Buffy was about halfway home when she crossed the street near two men leaning against the hood of a van, drinking. Buffy purposefully looked away from the men as she walked past them, but it didn't stop one of the men from whistling at her before he called out,

"Hey sweet girl! How much for a lap dance for me and my buddy?"

As the men laughed, Buffy stopped. For a moment, she was going to turn around and give those dirtbags a piece of her mind, but then she thought about how easily Chaz had pushed her down. Buffy shuddered and then forced herself to keep moving. She turned the corner as the creeps continued to cat-call after her.

Buffy had made it a few drives down when she heard humming. She looked around, but saw no one. She looked behind her once again and assumed it was the drunken jerks.

Her annoyance mounted and she muttered, "Hummers. Big turnoff. I like guys that can remember the lyrics."

As she turned back around she collided with a hard chest and then was quickly grabbed and was barely able to move.

She looked up at him, eyes going wide with fear, Kralick smirked at her and remarked, "You know, I wish I could, but my mind just isn't what it used to be."

His grip on her tightened as Buffy struggled against him and begged, "Let me go."

She attempted to pull away again, but he just tugged her closer and taunted, "You didn't say please."

Buffy felt her panic rising and she pounded her fists against his chest. She tried again to pull away. She called out, "Help me! SOMEBODY, PLEASE!"

Kralick continued to hold Buffy against him, chuckling as she struggled and called for help.

Finally, Buffy managed to break away from his grasp. She turned to run, but he gripped the sleeve of her coat. Buffy pushed forward and out of her coat as she attempted to run away. She had only made it a few steps when Blair jumped out in front of her.

Buffy called out again, "SOMEBODY, PLEASE! HELP ME!"

She turned and ran across the street not noticing that Kralick hadn't attempted to catch her again, but rather just stood there in the street smelling her coat with a dangerous smile.

Blair continued to chase Buffy down the street. She called out again for help, but no one came to her aid. As she reached the end of the street, a fence blocked her path. Quickly, Buffy attempted to scale it, but she was unable to pull herself up. She tried again desperately as Blair rounded the corner. That was when she noticed the whole at the bottom of the fence. She wasted no time in dropping to her knees to crawl through the hole. She had made it about halfway through when she felt Blair grabbing at her leg. She screamed and kicked until she was able to get away.

Again she ran down the street calling for help. She had finally made it to a main road, cars rushing past her. She ran out into the street. Desperately she waved hoping somebody would stop to help her.

She continued to signal for the car that was approaching her, "Stop! Please! I need help!" she cried out in distress.

The car honked its horn slamming on its breaks only to avoid hitting Buffy before it drove away. Buffy looked around, she could see that Blair was gaining ground, but thankfully there was another car speeding toward her.

"Stop! Please!" She cried.

This time the black car slid to a stop as the young man in the passenger seat opened the door and called, "Hurry! Get in!"

Buffy leapt toward the open door. The young man started to pull her in between himself and the older man driving, but was stopped when Blair grabbed her leg. She heard a growl followed by, "Son of bitch!"

Dean punched the vampire in the face twice in quick succession as his father stepped on the gas. The vampire lost his grip on the girl and Dean was finally able to shove the vampire away as he hauled the girl between him and his father. The door slammed shut as they drove.

Dean moved quickly to help the young blonde into a seated position. He noticed that her eyes were wide with fear and darting in all directions. His father must have noticed this too because he ordered, "Dean, grab a blanket from the back."

Dean reached back and felt around for just a moment until he felt the slightly ratty blue blanket he often used when he slept in the Impala. He pulled it into the front seat and moved to wrap it around the shaking girl.

Buffy felt an arm move around her and she flinched wildly.

"Whoa, whoa!" said the young man, as he pulled his arm back and raised his hands in the air for her to see.

"Easy, easy," he cajoled, "I was gonna wrap this blanket around you." He extended his hand holding the blanket ever so slightly toward the girl.

Buffy let out the breath she had been holding and accepted the blanket. Her whole body shook as she wrapped the blanket around herself. She swallowed and took another breath before she attempted to speak.

"Thank you, for helping me," she said, her voice only a little above a whisper.

This time it was the man driving who spoke. His voice was deep and gravely, "Of course, where to?"

Buffy looked at him hesitantly before answering, "Oh um, Sunnydale High…Thanks."

"Why would ya want to go back to school at night?" Dean asked curiously.

"Oh, uh," Buffy had never been good with on the fly explanations for her odd behavior, but tonight made it especially hard. Her mind just couldn't focus enough to create anything approaching plausible.

John watched as she fumbled for an excuse before he decided to put her at ease, "I know who you are Buffy."

Buffy's eyes went wide with panic and as she glanced toward the younger man. When she noticed he too looked surprised by the man's words she calmed just a little. Buffy's mouth opened as if she was going to speak, but when nothing came out her mouth closed again and John continued,

"I'm John and that is, my son, Dean. Your watcher, Giles, called us into town to help. We were actually on our way to go see him when we ran across you."

Buffy's shoulder sank with relief and she took yet another deep breath in an attempt to hold back the tears that were threatened to fall. Buffy jumped as she felt something graze her shoulder. She forced herself to relax when she realized Dean was trying to place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You're gonna be okay," he whispered.

Dean couldn't believe the small girl next to him was the slayer. He didn't know much about the slayer, but from what his dad had told him, she was supposed to be incredibly strong and more than capable of taking on the monster they both faced each night.

"Thanks," Buffy whispered, interrupting his thoughts.

Buffy didn't know why, but she believed him. He wasn't the first to tell her she'd be okay since all of this started, but there was something about the gentle confidence of his voice that truly made her believe it.

John pulled the car into the parking lot behind the school, closest to the library. He wasted no time as he turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. Dean quickly followed his father, but he stopped and held out his hand for Buffy. She blushed ever so slightly at the flirty smile he gave her as he helped her out of the car.

Buffy made a move to shed the blanket and place it back into the car, but Dean quickly reached out and pulled the blanket back around her shoulders.

"Keep that on for a little while longer," he insisted as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Buffy enjoyed the feeling of Dean's arm around her as they walked into the school. She couldn't help but snuggle even closer to him as he rubbed his hand up and down on her arm. Buffy blushed again when she saw the flirty smirk that crossed his face as he caught her looking at him.

They were just outside the library doors. John stopped Buffy and Dean from entering.

"Dean, you wait here while Buffy and I speak with her watcher," he ordered.

Dean opened his mouth to object, but the look his father gave him was enough to know this particular order was not up for debate. Dean huffed ever so slightly before he nodded with a quiet, "Yes, sir," as he leaned against the wall just next to the library doors.

Giles turned as he heard the library doors open.

"Good lord," Giles said as he saw a frightened Buffy, wrapped in a blanket, walk in with John. Giles stepped forward, placing his hands on Buffy's shoulders, "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Vampire." Buffy answered.

Giles looked at John expectantly as he led Buffy to a chair, insisting that she sit.

"We found her calling for help out in the street. A vampire hot on her tail. She was lucky we were there," John stated, leveling Giles with a knowing glare as he took a seat at the end of the table.

Buffy looked at Giles, this time a tear did fall down her face as she confessed, "Giles when I hit him, it felt like my arm was broken, it hurt so much." Buffy, unable to stop the tears, sobbed as she pleaded, "Giles, please! I can't be just a person, I can't be helpless! Please Giles, you have to figure out what is happening to me."

Giles looked down with immense guilt as he picked up his briefcase and pulled out the syringe box. He opened the box before placing it in front of her.

Giles kept his eyes focused on the floor as he explained, "It's an organic compound of muscle relaxants and adrenal suppressers. The effect is temporary," he reassured, "You'll be yourself again in a few days."

Buffy was unable to tear her eyes away from the syringe in the box in front of her. She was speechless. Giles, the man she counted on the most, had poisoned her. As she listened to Giles explain what he had injected her with she began to reach out to touch the tube of liquid that had taken away her powers.

"You?" she accused. Her eyes briefly looked up at Giles before they were once again transfixed on the box in front of her.

Giles took a deep breath before he explained, "It's a test, Buffy."

He took off his glasses as tears welled in his eyes as the shame and regret flooded his body. He forced himself to calm as he continued his explanation, "It's given to the Slayer once she... uh, well, if she reaches her eighteenth birthday"

He paused, swallowing hard. He glanced at John and was once again met with a hardened stare of disapproval.

"The Slayer is disabled and then entrapped with a vampire foe whom she must defeat in order to pass the test." He turned away as he paced toward his office, "The vampire you were to face... has escaped. His name is Zackary Kralik… As a mortal, he murder and tortured more than a dozen women before he was committed to an asylum for the criminally insane. When a vamp–"

Buffy couldn't listen anymore. Her shock and fear had merged into white hot anger. She stood the blanket falling from her shoulders into the chair and threw the box at him, but like all of her throws, recently, it missed its mark. Giles stopped speaking the moment the box flew past his head and hit the wall.

"You bastard," she seethed.

Buffy stared at him in disbelief. As she watched him look back at her, her rage was overcome by the feeling of loss and she began to cry, "All this time, you saw what it was doing to me. All this time, and you didn't say a word!"

Giles for the first time in several days looked her directly in the eyes as he pleaded, "Buffy, I wanted to."

"Liar," Buffy accused as she shook her head in disbelief.

"In matters of tradition and protocol, I must answer to the Council…" Giles asserted, but he was stopped short by the utter look of betrayal on Buffy's face.

As she ran her fingers through her hair, clearly overwhelmed. Guilt wracked his body and he pleaded again, "My role in this... was very specific. I was to administer the injections and to direct you to the old boarding house on Prescott Lane.

Buffy's hand gripped her hair tighter as she shook her head no over and over again. She repeated in a building panic, "I can't... I can't hear this."

Giles desperately cried, "Buffy, please."

Buffy paused to look at him. She shook her head as she asked, "Who are you?"

She lowered her hands from her head and asked with complete disbelief, "How could you do this to me?"

Giles took a step forward as he admitted, "I am deeply sorry, Buffy," when he reached out to touch her she jumped back, her body shaking.

"If you touch me, I'll kill you," Buffy sneered.

Giles had only ever heard that tone in Buffy's voice when she faced the most ruthless of monsters. He was heartbroken to realize that Buffy now classified him as such a threat and he dropped his hand.

"You have to listen to me," he begged, "Because I've told you this, the test is invalidated. You will be safe now, I promise you." Giles glanced at John before looking back to Buffy, "Now, whatever I have to do to deal with Kralik... and to win back your trust–" Giles was interrupted by Buffy's pained shout.

"You stuck a needle in me! You poisoned me!"

Suddenly, the library doors swung open and Dean walked toward Buffy. The look of anger on his face would have scared any man. Dean's eyes never left Giles' as he moved to place himself between the two. When he stopped protectively in front of Buffy he looked at his father and questioned, "You knew about this?"

"Dean," John said sternly as he stood from his chair, "I told you to wait outside. This is not our business."

"Not our business?" Dean scoffed, "We don't sit by and let people get hurt!" He stated with a confidence he didn't actually feel.

He didn't disobey his father and he certainly never talked to him this way, but he couldn't stand by and listen to Buffy's suffering. He turned his attention to Giles as he once again approached Buffy, "You back the hell off," he glanced back at Buffy, "I think she has made it very clear she doesn't want you near her."

It was clear to John, Dean wasn't going to back down. While he didn't enjoy his son's blatant defiance, he was proud of the way he stood up for Buffy.

"Dean," John stated gruffly, "Mr. Giles and I need to sort out a plan for this Kralick," he stated as he fished out the keys from his pocket, "Why don't you drive Buffy home?"

Dean's angry gaze left Giles as he looked at his father. His face softened and he gave a nod of agreement with a quiet, but clear, "Yes, sir."

John tossed him the keys which he easily caught. He was about to lead Buffy out of the library when he noticed that she was once again pale and shaking.

He met Giles's eyes with another glare. The warning of danger was clear, before he stepped away from Buffy and retrieved the blue blanket that had fallen from her shoulders. He quickly moved back to her side, wrapping her in the blanket and placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Let's get you home," he offered gently.

He kept his body between Giles and Buffy as he led her out of the library.

XXXXXX

Dean opened the passenger door of the Impala for Buffy. She cautiously slid in, still wrapped securely in the blanket. Once she was fully seated he shut the door and jogged around to the driver's side.

He placed the key in the ignition and turned the key. When he heard the engine roar to life he couldn't help but smile. He turned to Buffy to ask her where to go, but she spoke instead.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Dean scoffed before he continued with a wink, "That was nothing, sweetheart."

Buffy looked at him, despite his over confident tone, she saw a glimpse of discomfort in his eyes.

Buffy huffed slightly, "Well, it was something to me," before Dean could interrupt her she continued, "You saved me tonight and then you stood up for me, like no one has before." She looked at him again, this time her lips formed a small smile, "You're a good guy, Dean."

Dean's heart swelled at her compliment, but he refused to let her see the true affect her words had on him. He quickly put on his most confident, flirty smirk as he asked, "Where to, Blondie?"

Buffy rolled her eyes at his obvious deflection, but answered anyway, "1630 Revello Drive."

Dean pulled out of the school parking lot as "The Rain Song" by Led Zeppelin started playing on the radio.

Buffy couldn't quite place what it was about Dean, but she liked him. She snuck a quick glance his way. He was definitely rough around the edges, but she could see just how caring he was. It of course didn't hurt that he was attractive, though he also clearly knew that. As they continued to drive, Buffy took another deep breath allowing his scent that filled the car to comfort her.

Dean was similarly lost in his own thoughts. He found himself wanting Buffy in a way that he hadn't wanted a girl since his time at Sonny's Boys' Home. Sure, she was beautiful, hell, she was gorgeous. Despite her small frame, she was typically a power house of strength. Dean found himself, wishing he would have the opportunity to see her at full slayer strength.

As they pulled up to the front of Buffy's house, Buffy noticed the house was fairly lit up. Buffy sighed, she had been hoping her mom had gone to bed by now.

Dean noticed Buffy's slight hesitation, "Hey, are you gonna be okay? Do ya want me to go in with you?"

"No," Buffy answered quickly, as she reached for the door handle, "I was just hoping my mom had gone to bed. I hate explaining fresh bruises."

Buffy opened the door and exited the car. She took off the blanket and placed it in the seat she had just left. She moved to close the door, but stopped and ducked her head into the car one last time, "Thanks again, Dean," she said sweetly.

Buffy didn't give Dean any chance to reply before she closed the car door and headed around back. She hoped going through the back door would allow her a little more time to avoid her mother.

Dean watched until Buffy was out of sight, once she had disappeared around the back of her house he pulled away. As he headed back toward the school, he couldn't help but reach over and grab the discarded blanket. He smiled, it smelled like her. The scent of musky vanilla mixed with some kind of light floral scent he couldn't place. He shook his head lightly and placed the blanket back on the seat as he raced back toward the high school. There was a vampire that needed to be ganked.

As Buffy made her way into the kitchen, she noticed the flowers from her father. Another man who had let her down. She put her arm out and swept the flowers into the garbage below as she walked toward the dining room.

As she entered the dining room, Buffy noticed her mother's gallery's account books on the table. Buffy thought it was odd that her mother had left them out and open. She moved further into the house, she was about to call out for her mom when she noticed a polaroid photograph that had been slid under the door. On the back was written, "COME". When Buffy turned it over, there was a picture of her mother being held by Kralick. Her mother's terrified look haunted her as she raced up the stairs.

Buffy quickly changed into a pair of overalls as she loaded a duffle bag full of every type of weapon she had. She was just about to leave, when she remembered she had a bottle of holy water in her dresser drawer. She quickly placed it in her front pocket before she moved to pick up her weapons bag. She grimaced as she struggled to lift the heavy bag, but once she had it on her shoulder she moved as quickly as she could to leave the house. Powers or no powers she was going to rescue her mother.

XXXXXX

When Dean entered the library he noticed his father was sitting at the tables sharpening his knife. He glanced around, but saw no sign of Giles. It wasn't until he stepped further into the library he saw Giles in the library on the phone.

"Did you get her home alright?" John asked, pulling Dean's attention back to him.

"Yes, sir," Dean answered as he walked over to the table and sat across from his father, "So what is the plan?"

"Giles is trying to find a way to locate the vampire Kralick. Once he finds him we go and take him out," John answered.

They sat in silence for another moment before John spoke up again, "Dean, you better not disobey orders like that ever again. I get it, Buffy is a pretty girl in trouble, but I need you to follow orders. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Dean answered firmly with a nod.

The doors swung open as an older man in a tweed suit with thinning white hair entered the library. He gave John and Dean a curious glance over and he noted the knife in John's hand. He didn't shrink under their dangerous glares, but rather stated, "I am looking for Rupert Giles."

Upon hearing Quentin's voice, Giles stepped out of his office, "Quentin, I have been attempting to reach you."

"I was on watch. Shall we speak privately?" Quentin questioned as he spared a glance over at John and Dean before he gestured toward Giles' office.

"No, these hunters are here to help," Giles stated. "If you were on watch then you know what has happened?"

"Yes," Travers replied evenly.

Giles' furry surged at Quentin's lack of response, "He killed Hobson and made Blair one of his own. Your perfectly controlled test seems to have spun rather impressively out of control, don't you think?"

Travers glanced at John and Dean who had remained seated before looking back at Giles, "Unfortunate, but it changes nothing," he stated before he moved toward the teapot that was sitting on the library counter and began to pour himself a cup.

"Well then let me," Giles sneered, "I have told Buffy everything."

Quentin's cool resolve broke momentarily, "That is in direct opposition to the Council's orders."

Giles scoffed, crossing his arms in defiance, "Yes, well interestingly enough, I don't give a rat's ass about the Council's orders. There will no longer be any test."

Quentin simply smiled lightly at Giles as he made his way across the room to sit down at the table. He sipped at his tea before he stated, "Hmm, the test has already begun. Your slayer entered the field of play about ten minutes ago."

"What?!" Dean shouted as he stood, "I dropped her off at home. She was planning on talking with her mom and going to bed. She wasn't gonna go out hunting when I left her. What did you do?"

Giles glanced at Dean before he turned his attention back to Quentin as he asked, "What's happened? Why did she go?"

Quentin shrugged casually before he answered, "I don't know. I returned there just as she entered."

John stood up, "Dean lets go, we've got work to do."

Quentin stands from his chair, "We are not to interfere, this is a matter of tradition. The slayer must be tested."

"Listen," John disputed firmly, "Your council may have some control over Giles here, but you can't stop me and my boy from goin'." He glanced at Dean before leveling Quentin with a knowing glare, "We aren't gonna stand by and let that girl face off against those vampires alone."

John and Dean made their way past Quentin when Giles moved toward the weapons cabinet.

Travers moved in front of him, "Now Giles, we've no business…"

"This is not business!" Giles shouted as he grabbed him by his lapels and shoved him against the cage. Giles grabbed a few weapons before he followed behind John and Dean.

XXXXXX

Buffy approached the old boarding house. She paused briefly as fear coursed through her body. The house was unnaturally dark. Buffy grabbed her crossbow from her bag and loaded it with a bolt and placed the others in her back pocket. She took one last breath to push her fear down as she moved toward the house.

Once Buffy entered she placed a spare stake in the door to keep it from closing. It was so dark and Buffy was barely able to see anything. She noticed a slight flickering of light from a fireplace in the common room. Buffy moved cautiously toward the light. She placed her weapons bag on the couch and continued to move through the house.

Buffy approached the closed door at the end of the common room. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She prepared and steeled herself for the likelihood of being attacked as soon as she opened the door. She took a couple quick breaths before she reached out for the handle and pulled the door open. She stepped back quickly and raised her weapon.

The doorway was filled with bricks. Great, she thought as she realized this place had been designed to keep her in. Buffy closed the door and began to walk away, when she heard the front door slam shut. She pushed herself into the dark corner, giving her some cover as she waited for her enemy to appear.

She waited, listening, but she was met with silence. For several minutes, nothing made a sound. Unable to remain still, as she needed to find her mother, Buffy started to move through the house, crossbow at the ready.

As she passed the stairs, she came across another door. She tried the handle, shaking it, as it refused to turn. Then she heard the growl from behind her. She spun around firing her crossbow, but the bolt flew past Blair's face. Before she could move, Blair grabbed the crossbow. He jerked it away and threw it on the ground. In an instant, he was on her, his hands wrapped around her throat as he choked her.

Buffy began to feel light headed as she struggled to breath. She desperately grabbed at the hands around her throat, but was unable to pry them away. Using all the force she was able to muster, she stomped on Blair's foot causing him to release her from his grip. She pushed him away as she ran for her weapons bag.

Buffy dug through her bag and Blair launched himself over the couch. She dodged and quickly moved to the side of the bookshelf just a few feet away. As Blair stalked closer she tipped the bookshelf over on top of him. He struggled, but was pinned to the ground.

Buffy reached for her weapons bag, but Blair grabbed at her ankle and attempted to pull her down. Buffy desperately looked around the room for any weapon. Her eyes landed on the fire poker. She fought against Blair's hold and managed to wrap her hand around the poker. She turned and without hesitation swung at him, hitting him again and again, as hard as she could, until he let go.

Buffy wasted no time. She grabbed her weapons bag and fled from the room into the hallway.

Buffy quickly began to look in every direction. She attempted to assess her best option, but her mind was racing.

Suddenly a voice called out, taunting her, "Hide and seeeeek…"

Buffy turned around: no one.

The voice called out again a little louder, "Hide and seek."

Buffy looked down the hall and up the stairs: nothing. As Buffy entered the next room, her eyes immediately landed on Kralick's crate. She approached slowly, the fire poker clutched tightly against her body. As she began to reach for the door, it suddenly swung open and Kralick jumped and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her from the ground causing Buffy to gasp.

Buffy forced herself to remain calm as Kralick taunted her, "Why did you come to the dark of the woods?" He yanked the weapons bag from Buffy's hands. He glanced in it before he cheerfully mocked, "To bring all these sweets to grandmother's house?"

Kralick smiled viciously as he tossed the weapons bag away. He leaned in as he slowly brought his fangs closer to Buffy's neck. He dropped her and backed away as she shoved a small wooden cross between them.

Kraclick's malicious smile caused Buffy to shake with fear as she held out the cross. Buffy was frozen as she tried to formulate a plan of what to do next, when suddenly he grabbed her arm and yanked her to him. The cross landed on the open skin of his chest.

"Oh-oh, no, no. Just a little lower," Kralick moaned in ecstasy as he moved the cross lower.

Buffy looked at him with a mix of fear and disgust as he continued to take pleasure in the burning of his own skin.

His grip relaxed as he looked at her with deranged pleasure and whispered, "Thank you very much."

Buffy dropped the cross in fear. She quickly turned away and broke free from his grasp as she ran. She came to a door, which thankfully opened. As she shut the door behind her she noticed the grisly scene in front of her. A dead man was laid on the table, having been bitten countless times as he was drained of his blood. Buffy pushed the grisly sight from her mind. She didn't have time to dwell on the bloody scene, instead she continued to move into the kitchen area.

Frantically, she searched for anything that could be used as a weapon, when suddenly the house went silent. Buffy stopped, she watched the doorway, but nothing came. She glanced around several times, but again there was nothing. She moved away from the kitchen cabinets and crept toward the door. She paused briefly before she cautiously opened the door.

She was met with an empty hallway. She cautiously moved around the hallway looking and listening. As she got to the foot of the stairs, the voice in the back of her head said RUN! Buffy didn't hesitate as she ran up the stairs. She had only made it up a few stairs when a hand shot through the railing. It grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her down. Buffy's head hit the stairs and she let out a painful moan.

Kralick began trying to pull her down the stairs by her leg. Buffy struggled despite the dizziness and the ringing in her ears the fall had caused. As Kralick pulled her down, her hand brushed a broken piece of the wooden stair railing. She gripped it and stabbed blindly at Kralick. He laughed maniacally as he let her go.

Buffy struggled to her feet and propelled herself up the stairs. Kralick followed closely behind her. As she ran through the upstairs hallway she tried several doors, finally one opened. Buffy with a sigh of relief shut the door before she locked it. She leaned against the door as she caught her breath.

Buffy moved toward the center of the room where the dangling light cord brushed her face. She clicked the light on and terror flooded her body as she looked around the room. The walls were plastered with polaroid pictures of her terrified mother who was bound and gagged.

Buffy grabbed a picture off of the wall as Kralick began pounding against the door. It was only a moment before his fist made it through the door and searched for the lock. Buffy spotted another door across the room and dashed through it. As she made her way down the hall Kralick jumped in front of her and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"If you stray from the path, you will lose your way," he whispered, as he brushed Buffy's face with his hand. He kept his hand on her face and grabbed her shoulder with his other hand. He attempted to pull her in as Buffy struggled against him.

As his fangs drew closer to neck, he repeatedly whispered, "I won't take it all."

Buffy cried out in fear. She attempted again to push him away, but he was too strong. Just as the tip of his fangs brushed against her neck, he suddenly reared back and cried out in pain. Buffy was frozen in shock as he grabbed his head in pain. MOVE, her deep inner voice called and Buffy tried to push past Kralick, but he grabbed her and threw her back into the wall.

Kralick began struggling with his pills as Buffy fought to overcome the wave of dizziness and nausea from the blow. Buffy's eyes focused on the pill bottle and a plan emerged. Buffy had to move quickly. She lunged forward and took the bottle from Kralick before she ran down the hall.

Kralick called out "No!" several times as he struggled to chase her.

Buffy spotted the laundry shoot at the end of the hall, she pushed herself to run faster and without hesitation she drove head first into the shoot.

Buffy came crashing down into the basement and her mother called out to her. Buffy moved toward her mother and began attempting to release her from the ropes that tied her to the chair. Buffy struggled against the knots, but they wouldn't budge.

Joyce panicked at the sight of Buffy's beaten face and cried out, "Buffy, we have to get out–" Joyce stopped as Kralick burst through the door at the top of the stairs.

Kralick stomped down the stairs. Buffy turned away from her mother toward the table beside her and poured in the vial of holy water into the waiting glass. Just as Kralick reached the bottom of the stairs Buffy turned back towards her mother and slipped the vial back into her pocket.

Kralick's eyes shot to Buffy as he demanded with pained anger, "Where are they? Where are they?!"

Buffy rushed forward, his pills in hand. He grabbed her and threw her against the wall once again, this time with much less force. Buffy let him take the pills from her easily.

Kralick moved swiftly to the waiting water as he shoved a handful of pills into his mouth. He gulped down the waiting water and then turned calmly and looked at Buffy.

"You don't seem to understand your place in all of this. Do you have any idea-ah" he stopped talking as a burning pain seared through his gut.

"Oh my!" he called out in pain gripping his stomach as he looked at the glass, "What have you…? My pills?" he questioned as he began to shake.

Buffy stared down Kralick coldly. She silently pulled out the vial of holy water from her pocket and held it out for him to see.

Kralick shook more violently as the smoke from his burning stomach began to escape his body as the holy water seared through him. He cried out in pained denial.

"If I was at full slayer power, I'd be punning right about now," Buffy taunted coldly.

Kralick screamed one last time before he disintegrated into dust.

Buffy sighed in relief as she heard Dean call out her name from upstairs.

Buffy cried out, "Here!" as she rushed toward her mother.

Buffy removed the gag and once again began to struggle with the ropes that bound her mother to the chair.

"Thank god you're okay," Joyce exclaimed, joyfully, but suddenly became confused as Buffy continued to struggle with the ropes. "Can't you just…" she jerked at the chair motioning for Buffy to break it apart.

"Not right now," Buffy feebly admitted as she moved away to look for something to cut the ropes.

"Buffy!" Dean cried out as he pulled her into his arms. He looked her over briefly, taking note of her injuries, but noticed that she overall seemed okay.

"Do you have a knife?" She asked quietly, nodding toward her mother.

Dean dropped down and began cutting the ropes away from Joyce when he heard a vicious growl and Buffy's scream of fear. He jumped up prepared to strike when he noticed that Giles had followed the vampire down the stairs and had it pinned against the wall.

Giles pulled a stake from his jacket and staked the vampire. Giles' eyes met Buffy's and he stepped forward toward Buffy; she once again backed away.

Dean stepped forward placing himself between the watcher and the slayer. He handed Giles his knife to Giles, "Why don't you help Joyce?"

Giles nodded with a regretful sigh and Dean turned back toward Buffy. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and started to lead her toward the stairs, "Let's get you out of here."

"No," Buffy resisted, "Not without my mother."

"We'll be right behind you Buffy," Giles reassured her. When her mother nodded in agreement, Buffy allowed Dean to guide her up the stairs.

When they reached the living room they were met by John, "Kralick?" he asked.

"He's dust," Buffy confirmed.

Dean looked down at the tiny and shaking girl in his arms. He was impressed. "How'd you manage it?" Dean questioned softly.

Buffy looked up at him with tear filled eyes and shook her head no. She couldn't talk about it yet.

Dean gave her a small smile as he pulled her closer. He made a few shushing sounds before he reassured, "You don't have to talk about it now."

Giles and Joyce entered the living room as he stated, "I think it best if I take Joyce home before heading back to the library. Buffy, would you like to come with us?"

Buffy was torn, she didn't want to leave her mother, but she also did not want to be alone with Giles. She wasn't ready.

This time it was John who spoke up, "Rupert, why don't you take Joyce home. Buffy can ride with us to the library and we'll meet you there."

When both Giles and Joyce looked like they were about to object when John spoke again leaving little room for argument, "We've got a first aid kit in the car, we can get her patched up before we head over."

Buffy was thankful for John's instance. Her mother shot her one last pained look before she nodded in agreement. Joyce pulled Buffy into a warm embrace before she allowed herself to be led out of the house by Giles.

Dean escorted Buffy out of the house followed by his father. When they reached the Impala, Dean reached in for the blue blanket, wrapping it around Buffy's shoulders before he gently lifted her and placed her on the hood of the car.

When he saw Buffy's look of confusion, Dean smiled, "My dad is gonna clean up that head wound for you."

XXXXXX

Dean had his arm warped around Buffy as they waited in the school's parking lot for Giles. She had stopped shaking on the drive over, but he once again checked to make sure the blanket was secure around her shoulders. Buffy smiled up at him before sinking back into his arms.

John looked at the pair curiously. He was well aware of Dean's exploits when it came to women. He used his good looks and charm to help him reel them in, but he also used those very same qualities as a shield. Never letting anyone get close. But Dean wasn't using his usual lines on the blonde slayer, instead he had quickly become fiercely protective of her and showed her a gentleness he'd only ever shown Sam.

John's thoughts were interrupted as Rupert's car pulled into the parking spot next to them.

Buffy tensed as Giles stepped out of his car. She noticed the bruise that marred his cheek as he looked at her before he turned his attention to John.

"I can't thank you enough for your assistance, but I think it best that Buffy and I talk with Quentin alone," His tone was light, but firm.

John nodded, "We'll be around a few more days, until Buffy is fully back on her feet," he stated before he turned towards his son and called his name.

It was clear from his father's tone, he was being ordered back into the Impala. He glanced at his father before he lifted his arm from around Buffy's shoulders. He noted the look of surprise that crossed her face as he turned her towards him, gripping her hands, "Are you gonna be okay?"

He had to ask. He wasn't exactly thrilled about the thought of disobeying his father for the second time this evening, but if Buffy asked him to stay, he wouldn't leave her.

"Yeah," she whispered quietly. She shed the blanket and as he placed it in his hands she leaned in on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks again for everything," she said softly as she pulled away.

"Wait!" called Dean as she began to turn away.

Buffy turned to look at him curiously and noticed that he was digging in his jacket's pockets. He smiled at her as he pulled out a pen. Without saying anything he grabbed her hand again and wrote his cell number.

"Just in case," He reassured her.

Buffy smiled, she felt a little of her old self flare as she asked flirtatiously, "Does it have to be tonight?"

"Sweetheart, you can call me anytime," he flirted back with a wink as he dropped her hand.

Buffy smiled at him one last time before she turned and began walking toward the school, Giles just behind her.

Dean watched her until she entered the building. With a sigh of relief and disappointment he slid into the passenger seat of the Impala.

XXXXXX

Buffy kept her distance from Giles as she entered the library. She paused briefly at the sight of Quentin Travers.

"Have a seat, Miss Summers," Travers stated pointing to the chair next to the head of the table where he stood.

Buffy immediately looked to Giles. When he nodded, she moved to take her appointed seat.

Giles followed her into the library, but chose to keep his distance and stood outside his office doorway.

"Congratulations, you passed," Travers stated as Buffy looked up at him, "You exhibited extraordinary courage and clearheadedness in battle. The Council is very pleased."

Buffy scoffed with a glare, "Do I get a gold star?"

Travers bristled slightly at the disrespect, "I understand that you're upset–"

Buffy couldn't believe the condescension she was receiving from the man in front of her. Her glare became more threatening as she interrupted him, "You understand nothing. You set that monster loose, and he came after my mother."

"You think the test was unfair?" Travers asked, dismissing Buffy's concerns.

Buffy wondered if all the other council members were like this. For a brief moment, her anger at Giles lifted and she was thankful she had him. However, her anger flared again as she stared Travers down, "I think you better leave town before I get my strength back," she threatened.

Travers ignored her threatening words and continued his lecture, "We're not in the business of fair, Miss Summers, we're fighting a war."

Giles interjected, "You're waging a war. She's fighting it. There is a difference," hi voice filled with indignation.

Quentin teemed with frustration at Giles' disrespectful interruption, "Mr. Giles, if you don't mind–"

Giles lost all patience and interrupted Quentin angrily, "The test is done. We're finished," he stated as a clear signal to leave.

Quentin wasted no time in countering back, "Not quite. She passed," he nodded at Buffy before he looked back at Giles and squarely met his eyes, "You didn't."

Buffy's eyes widened with shock as she looked at Giles and she saw the same surprise reflected in his own.

Quentin was undeterred and continued, "The slayer is not the only one who must perform in this situation. I've recommended to the Council, and they've agreed, that you be relieved of your duties as watcher immediately. You're fired," it was clear that Quentin had taken pleasure in saying those last words.

Giles objected, "On what grounds?"

Buffy's anger toward Giles softened as she worried about what his firing would mean. Before her thoughts could spiral away, she heard Travers begin his reasoning, she focused her attention on Giles as Travers spoke.

"Your affection for your charge has rendered you incapable of clear and impartial judgment. You have a father's love for the child, and that is useless to the cause."

Buffy's heartbroke. She had always known Giles cared for her. She had often teased him about being a stuffy watcher, but in her heart she had always known his care for her was strong. The betrayal she had felt earlier wasn't simply going to melt away, but hearing Travers' statement about Giles' obvious feelings towards her did remind her of just how much she truly cared for Giles.

"I would be best if you had no further contact with the slayer," Quentin continued.

Buffy looked away from Giles, to look anxiously at Travers. She couldn't imagine her life without Giles.

"I'm not going anywhere," Giles stated his tone was firm and left no room for argument.

Quentin huffed slightly, but was not surprised, "No, well, I didn't expect you would adhere to that," His tone became very firm, "However, if you interfere with the new watcher or countermand his authority in any way, you will be dealt with. Are we clear?"

Giles sighed, "Oh we're very clear."

Quentin nodded at Giles in confirmation and turned his attention back to Buffy, "Congratulations again," he stated.

Buffy turned to look at Travers, her eyes filled with hatred as she sneered, "Bite me."

Quentin chuckled uncomfortably as he turned away muttering, "Yes, well, colorful girl," as he left the library.

The library doors swung closed, signaling Travers departure, the dam of Buffy's emotions broke. Tears welled in her eyes. She shook as she reached out for the ice pack that sat on the table. She hissed in pain as she attempted to place it on her head wound that was being held together by the butterfly stitches John had placed.

Giles watched as Buffy's hands shook as she struggled to hold the ice pack to her head. He noticed the tears streaming down her face. His heart shattered. He hesitated for a brief moment before he moved toward her silently. When her eyes met his as he approached and she didn't stop him he knelt down and took the ice pack from her hand and held it to her head gently.

"It'll be okay," he cooed before he took a slightly more serious tone, "I am so sorry, Buffy."

"I know," Buffy whispered, meeting his eyes briefly. She looked down as the tears continued to stream down her face as she let Giles care for her.

XXXXXX

The scoobies were gathered around the kitchen making lunch as they discussed the events of the night before. Buffy and Xander were busy spreading the jelly on the sandwiches as Oz and Willow finished making the lemonade.

"I can't believe Giles was fired," Willow exclaimed before she continued worriedly, "How could Giles get fired?"

Oz focusing more on Buffy, "So, how did you manage to kill Kralick?"

Before Buffy could answer, her mother gushed with pride, "Oh she was very clever."

Buffy looked at her in disbelief and embarrassment.

Noticing Buffy's discomfort Joyce chuckled and turned to Buffy, "Uh, you go ahead and tell it, dear. You tell it better."

Before Buffy could respond, Willow spoke up, "Now, now, when you say fired, do you mean fired?"

"You're not cruising past this concept any time soon, are you?" Xander teased in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Willow continued with exacerbation, "Well, it's just…I mean, he's been fired! He's unemployed! He's…" she paused before whispering in disbelief, "...between jobs."

Buffy sighed before turning toward Willow's continuously fidgeting figure, "Giles isn't going anywhere, Will," she reassured as she pointed out, "He's still librarian."

"Okay, but I am writing an angry letter," Willow protested firmly.

"You know, nothing's really gonna change," Buffy stated before attempting to lighten the mood with a joke, "The important thing is that I kept up my special birthday tradition of gut-wrenching misery and horror."

Joyce shot Buffy a concerned look, clearly about to ask Buffy about her comment, when a knock on the front door interrupted her. Joyce shook her head and stated before she left the kitchen, "I'll go get that."

As Xander and Willow continued to look at Buffy with pity, Oz jested back, "Bright side to everything."

Buffy briefly smiled in Oz's direction before she grabbed the jar of peanut butter in front of her. As she struggled to open the lid she sighed, "I'll just feel better when I get my strength back."

Xander, using his best voice impression of a cowboy, asked, "Give ya a hand with that, little lady?"

Buffy huffed and rolled her eyes as she handed him the peanut butter jar, "You're loving this far too much."

"Admit it," Xander said cheerfully, trying to open the jar, "Sometimes you just need a big strong man around."

"A peanut butter crisis is why you called, Blondie?" Dean teased as he entered the kitchen.

All eyes turned to Dean.

"You made it!" Buffy beamed.

The scoobies all turned back to look at Buffy with bewilderment.

"This is Dean, guys," she said excitedly. "I told you about him," she insisted.

Dean chuckled and moved over to the side of the island where Buffy sat. He smiled at her and reached up to stroke the back of her hair as he joked flirtatiously, "You know, a thank you lunch is usually something better than a PB&J."

Buffy blushed slightly at his attention. As she attempted to look away, Willow caught her eye with a knowing look. Buffy blushed a little more.

Luckily, Xander drew everyone's attention as he continued to struggle with the peanut butter jar before he held it out, "Uh, Will, gimme a hand with that."

Dean grabbed the jar, "Don't worry, I gotcha man," he said as he easily removed the tight lid before handing it back to Buffy.

As she sat the jar down on the counter Buffy regained her composure and introduced Dean to the group.

Willow noticed how Dean's eyes watched Buffy as she went back to making the sandwiches. She couldn't help, but smile at the scene before her. She hadn't seen this side of Buffy since their sophomore year.

She glanced at Oz and then looked pointedly at Xander, "Why don't we finish getting the backyard setup, while you finish the sandwiches, Buffy." She picked up the lemonade as Oz grabbed the plates and glasses.

Xander looked down at his partially made sandwich and was about to object when he was met with Willow's resolve face. He looked back at his sandwich sadly before looking at Buffy seriously, "There needs to be twice as much peanut butter as there is jelly on this sandwich."

Buffy looked at his jelly ladened bread. "You've got it," she said with a slight gulp of disgust.

As the group left, Dean turned his full attention back to Buffy, "How are you?"

"Peachy with a side of keen," Buffy replied a little too sweetly as she busied herself with spreading the peanut butter on the bread.

"Uh-huh," Dean replied unconvinced, "Does that actually ever work on anyone?"

Buffy glanced up at him. She was met with amused, but concerned eyes. "You'd be surprised," she answered softly.

When Dean continued to look at her expectantly, she huffed, "They need me to be okay, so I'm okay."

"You're not, but I won't tell," he offered honestly before he clapped his hands together, "Now, let's get these sandwiches stacked and head out, I'm starved," he prompted with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Buffy chuckled and stacked the sandwiches onto the tray, "You thought you could play Mr. Cool, but I knew you were excited for these painstakingly prepared sandwiches," Buffy playfully teased.

"It's less about the sandwiches and more about the pretty girl who made them," Dean flirted, "I'm really hoping to extend your thanks past lunch."

Buffy blushed and reached for the tray and slid off the stool. She winced as she put too much weight on her ankle. She quickly tried to hide her pain, but she saw the flicker of worry and the once over Dean gave her as he assessed her well being.

He reached out and enjoyed the sensation of his hands resting over hers for just a moment before he pulled the tray from her grip.

"Lead the way, sweetheart," Dean winked at Buffy.

Willow smiled, as Dean pulled Buffy into his side as she talked about dusting Kralick. Buffy and Dean had sat near one another at the start of the picnic. As they had talked and ate, Buffy had gradually inched closer to Dean. Willow had watched with glee at the way both Buffy and Dean would look at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking.

"So Dean, tell us about this life on the road of yours. How is it hunting on the open road?" Xander blurted as he noticed Buffy and Dean's closeness and how his gaze seemed to linger on her.

Dean's attention was drawn away from Buffy as he looked at the group, "A lotta long hours in the car, but I enjoy driving. Plus ganking monsters, pretty awesome," he stated with a cocky confidence.

"It must get lonely, going from place to place," Buffy said softly.

"Nah, I got my dad and my brother," he stated before turning to Buffy with a flirtatious smirk, "Plus now I'll have a pretty girl calling me."

Buffy blushed lightly, but wasn't going to make it too easy on him as she teased, "Oh? Why would I need to call you, I've already provided you with a thank you picnic."

Dean feigned hurt, "So you used me for my hunting skills?" he couldn't contain his laugh as he continued, "Couldn't you at least use me for my body as well?"

Buffy blushed deep as the gang laughed. Dean playfully pulled Buffy closer and placed a quick kiss on the top of her head. Dean looked at his watch and noticed that it was time that he got back to meet his dad at the motel.

"Well, this has been a blast," he said as he stood, "But I better be gettin' back." Dean then focused his gaze directly on Buffy, "I'll talk to you later."

Buffy smiled and nodded in confirmation. Dean began to turn away from the group when Willow stopped him, "We were thinking about taking Buffy to the Bronze tonight, for a redo birthday celebration, you should come," she insisted.

"I'm gonna be on graveyard duty tonight," Dean answered, but when he saw Buffy's disappointed look he continued, "but I'll try to swing by."

XXXXXX

John and Dean walked cautiously through Restfield Cemetery. John finished scouting around the corner of a mausoleum when he noticed Dean glancing at his watch for the fourth time in the last half hour. It wasn't like Dean to be so unfocused while on the job. John had a feeling this had to do with the small blonde slayer.

"You need to be somewhere else?" John asked.

Immediately Dean turned his attention to his father as he straightened his stance as he replied, "No, sir."

John chuckled lightly to himself, as Dean's behavior confirmed his suspensions. "It's a slow night, we probably both don't need to be out here. Why don't you take off and relax for the evening," John offered.

Dean turned to look at his father with mild shock before quickly shaking his head no, "Dad, we gotta job to do. I'll see it through."

John's expression softened, "Dean, go spend some time with Buffy. We head out in the morning."

A brief look of shock and disappointment flashed across Dean's face. "I thought we were staying until Buffy was ready to be back out on patrol?" Dean questioned curiously.

"I talked with Mr. Giles this afternoon about the length of our stay and as tonight we've yet to see a vampire, I think it confirms we are safe to move on. Buffy is going to be back to herself in just another day or two and Sunnydale will be fine," John explained.

Dean tried to hide his disappointment from his father, but John could see it. He had always encouraged the boys not to make lasting connections where they stopped, but Buffy would not only be a powerful ally, it seemed she was good for Dean on a more personal level.

"So, why don't I finish the rounds and you go enjoy tonight? We're gonna head back to Bobby's to get Sam and then I've got a case for us in North Carolina, we've got a lotta miles to burn in the next few days," John stated.

Dean decided to take advantage of this very rare opportunity of sanctioned fun from his father. "Thanks," he called over his shoulder as he turned to leave as he headed for the Bronze.

When Dean entered the club, he was assaulted with the sounds of terrible dance music and far too many high schoolers. He grimaced before he looked around the club for Buffy and her friends. Before he could spot them his eyes landed on the bar. He moved swiftly in that direction as he was definitely going to need a drink.

Dean took a sip of his newly acquired beer and returned to his search for Buffy and her friends. He smiled as he caught sight of her blonde hair at a tall table near the dance floor. He wasted no time in making his way over to her.

"Hey," he said as he leaned in close to her ear.

Buffy turned in her seat quickly as she looked at him with a joyful smile, "Hey, you made it!"

"Yeah, it was a slow night. Where are the others?" Dean asked as he noticed that he had yet to spot her friends.

"Not here yet, which is strange," Buffy noted, "We were supposed to meet about 15 minutes ago," Buffy's eyebrows furrowed with concern. "Do you think something has happened?" she questioned worriedly.

She made a move to stand from her seat, "Whoa, whoa," Dean said as he halted her movement, "Just what do you think you are doing?"

"Going to find them, they could be in trouble and need help," Buffy fretted as she looked around the Bronze once more for any sign of her friends.

"Don't panic," Dean reassured her, "I was just out there and my dad still is. I'm sure your friends are fine. Let's give them a few more minutes before we start the search party."

Buffy relaxed slightly as Dean pulled a chair closer to her and took a seat. He sipped his beer as he rested his other hand on her knee.

"Did you want a drink?" He offered, glancing pointedly at her glass of water.

"No," Buffy laughed, "Alcohol and Buffy are very unmixy things."

"Oh? How so?" Dean asked flirtatiously.

Buffy missed the flirtation as she was still scanning the Bronze for her friends, "I almost ended up a ritual sacrifice to a snake demon at a frat party last year," Buffy summarized.

Dean nearly choked on his beer. Buffy looked at him with slight concern and then embarrassment as she realized she had just steamrolled his flirtation with Buffy drama.

Buffy began to sputter an apology, when Dean leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "You're friends are fine," He nodded his head in the direction behind Buffy. "I think this is a set-up, I just saw Willow peeking her head out from the corner booth."

Buffy made a move to look, but Dean stopped her, "We can go over there if you want, but I kind of like having you all to myself," he whispered seductively in her ear and squeezed her knee.

Buffy met his eyes, "I guess there is no harm in leaving them on their own for a little longer."

Dean made a sound of agreement as he brushed a piece of hair away from Buffy's face before he leaned in and placed an inviting kiss on her lips.

Buffy was surprised, but quickly gave into her own desires and welcomed his lips with her own.

As Buffy kissed back, Dean smiled a little as he continued to kiss her. His hand that had been on the side of her face moved to tangle itself into her hair at the nape of her neck as he pulled her closer to deepen the kiss.

Willow squealed excitedly as she watched Dean make his move. Xander looked at her questioningly before he turned and caught sight of Buffy and Dean kissing.

"Looks like the Buff has a new guy," he observed with a sigh.

Willow swatted at his arm, "Be happy," she hissed.

Buffy pulled away from the kiss, a slightly loopy smile graced her face as she looked at Dean.

A part of Dean wanted to ask her if she wanted to leave. He wanted to enjoy Buffy more privately, but he stopped himself. Buffy wasn't a new town, new girl– kind of girl. He surprised himself, when he didn't want to risk losing her by pushing too far too soon.

You're leaving in the morning. His desire for her challenged, but he pushed those thoughts away and confidently reassured himself, I'll be seeing her again.

THE END

A/N 2: My plan for this is a stand alone fic, but you never know if the muses will strike and I will expand. If I do. I think it would be more as individual fics that unite in the universe, but are mostly stand alones. Let me know if you think you'd like to see more from this verse.

Also, if you have been reading my story The Gift: Re-Imagined, please know I am still working on it. I ran into a few issues with the final chapter, but am still actively working on it. But I took some time to write this to keep my muse working in a positive direction while I am sorting out my vision and story conflicts with The Gift: Re-Imagined. I do hope to be updating that one with its final chapter soon.