Angel opened the door, dropping his keys in the dish on the side, and closing it behind him. He knew Cordelia had taken Phoebe, it had took Buffy a long time to agree with the idea, but she finally accept. The house was silent. Xander and Anya had probably returned home, Faith and Giles were probably at the magic box or patrolling, but Angel worried about Dawn.

"Dawn ?" he called.

No answer.

"Are you home ?" Angel questioned.

Still no response. Angel sighed and walked up the stairs, wondering if she was asleep. He hoped that one of the others had taken her, which they probably had, because it was no safe time to leave a teenager alone. Angel opened Dawn's door and peeked inside; no one. Angel cocked his head to the side and closed the door, turning to face down the hall. He opened Willow's door; no one again. He sighed, frustratedly, and turned towards the bathroom.

After opening most of the doors, he was left with his and Buffy's room. He opened the door; his jaw dropped. Giles sat in the center of the room, tied to a chair, and a trickle of blood running down his face. Angel was about to run over when something hard struck his head, sending him into darkness.

--

Buffy's eyes fluttered open. The room was dark, only a lamp in the corner was lit, and the place had a cold vibe about it.

"Oh, this can't be good," whispered Buffy, streching her kneck.

"It doesn't seem that way, does it, Slayer ?"

Buffy knew that voice. Buffy tried to stand up, only then did she realise that she was strapped to a chair. She pulled against her restraints, however they only became tighter, and Buffy knew there was no way out of this. She sighed and leant back in her chair, allowing the echo of the voice to wash over her. The Master stepped forwards, a cruel and twisted grin was produced over his face.

"What do you ?" questioned Buffy, not meeting his eyes.

"You know, Slayer, I thought you were braver than this," chuckled The Master. "But, obviously not!"

Buffy looked up into his eyes. His eyes were cold, harsh, twised, and, above all else, full of pure evil. His face was old, anicent nearly, and was wrinkly due to his vampire face. He wore the same clothes like that night. The night that, sometimes, still haunted her to this day. Buffy closed her eyes, she felt the tears burn as she remembered the night when she died ...

"I wish to God I were! But it's very plain! Tommorow night Buffy will face the master, and she will die," said Giles, taking off his glasses.

Giles hated to admit it. The worst thing about being a watcher was knowing there was a chance your slayer could die. Giles hated thinking of Buffy dead, buried beneath the ground, when she was only sixteen. However he had a job, he had sworn down on an oath, and that was to save the world. He also had to tell others what they didn't want to hear, what they shouldn't have to; it all came in a package for the job. Giles pushed his glasses back on the brim of his nose and sighed.

"Well, have you verified the text ?" questioned Angel.

Angel didn't understand what had made him fell head-over-heels in love with this Slayer. But, whatever it was, it had drew him in deeply. Angel couldn't bare the fact that she would die, it tormented him. It broke his heart. His dutie, as a vampire, was to kill the slayer and fight for evil, but this girl had taken over his head and heart. Maybe it was her eyes, Angel thought.

A soft, but terried, laugh echoed around the room. Angel and Giles spun around to see Buffy, standing in the doorway. Giles and Angel exchanged a look, wondering if Buffy had witnessed their conversation. Buffy slowly walked away from the office door, not saying a word. Angel followed after her, desperate to hold her in his arms and promise her that none of it was true. Giles shuffled after Angel, although remained in the doorway.


"So that's it, huh ? I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, next one's called! Wonder who she is," mumbled Buffy, her eyes focused on Giles. "Will you train her ? Or will they send someone else ?"

Giles hated the terror in her eyes. He didn't know whether to lie or be honist.

"Buffy, I -"


"They say how he's going to kill me ? Do you think it'll hurt ?" whispered Buffy, cocking her head to the side.

Buffy just couldn't accept the fact. For the first time since she had become a Slayer, she was frightened to hell. Her life was on the line, infact her life was already over. She was destined to die; today. Buffy would never see the sun set again, she would never comb her hair or eat breakfast. Sixteen years old, sixteen years of life, and she was already dying. Tears began to flow freely from her eyes, the thought of death had overwhelmed her. She noticed Angel step forward, trying to hug her, but she raised her hand and stepped away.


"Don't touch me!" she cried. She turned to Giles. "Were you even gonna tell me ?"

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. That there was ... some way around it. I -"

"I've got a way around it. I quit," Buffy spat.

"It's not that simple," whispered Angel, hating himself for causing her more pain.

"I'm making it that simple. I quit! I resigh, I-I'm fired, you can find someone else to stop the Master from taking over!" said Buffy, firmly.

"I'm not sure that anyone else can. All the ... the sign indicate -"

"The signs ?" questioned Buffy.

She looked at Giles. Suddenly her emotions got the better of her. She picked up a book and threw it at Giles.

"READ ME THE SIGNS!" she yelled, throwing another book. "TELL ME MY FORTUNE! YOU'RE SO USEFUL SITTING HERE WITH ALL YOUR BOOKS! YOU'RE REALLY A LOTTA HELP!"

"No, I don't suppose I am," mumbled Giles, frowning.

"I know this is hard," whispered Angel, stepping closer.

"What do you know about this ? You're never gonna die!" cried Buffy, shaking her head.

"You think I want anything to happen to you ? Do you think I could stand it ? We just gotta figure out a way -"

Angel was interrupted oncemore.

"I already did. I quit, remember ? Pay attention!" snapped Buffy.

"Buffy, if the Master rises -"

"I don't care," cried Buffy, yanking the cross from her kneck. "I don't care!"

Buffy looked down at the cross in her hand.

"I don't care," she whispered, trying to convince herself. "Giles, I'm sixteen years old. I don't wanna die,"

Buffy's voice was no more than a whisper. It sounded like she was begging. Like she was begging to stay part of the world, the normal world she longed to live in. Giles watched her, he was at loss for words. Angel, too, seemed lost for words as he watched Buffy. Buffy threw her cross down on the floor, tearfully, and walked out of the library without looking back.

"You remember that day ?" questioned the Master. "The day when you died, I still remember the taste of your blood on my lips."

"I remember," whispered Buffy.

SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! Homework, hey ? Here the next piece is. I hope you enjoyed it and I'm sorry if it was boring. So let me know what you thought in your reviews! :) x