A/N: My apologies for the delay in updating this fanfic. Expect updates in a more timely fashion from now on. :)

Chapter 6

by buffygirl52789

(Buffy's POV)

I sigh loudly as I realize I'm tired. Not physically, even though I should be after such a fight. But I guess the whole slayer thing pretty much eliminates fatigue. No, it's my brain that's tired. I can't remember anything before a few hours ago and I just had a knock-down drag-out with Faith, who is apparently trying to kill me for some reason that I still don't quite understand. And now I remember everything about my life with Angel, but I don't even know my own name. That fact alone brings even more conflicting emotions. A part of me feels very comforted by his presence, safe even. But I also feel this pain. From the memories that came flooding back, it is clear that our history is...colorful. Tragic, even. That makes me unsure how to act around him. There is a part of me deep down that wants to just kiss him and let him hold me. But something in the back of my mind holds me back. I sit down carefully on a portion of the steps that isn't covered with broken glass and debris from the fight. I look at everyone. "So what happens now?" I ask, trying not to sound as tired as I suddenly feel. It's clear that I'm in charge, and I know I need to set a good example.

Angel stares at me with a penetrating gaze. "I'm not exactly sure. Faith will be back, that's for sure."

Alex- I mean, Xander, raises a hand tentatively. "And who exactly is Faith? I'm guessing not an old friend of the family."

"She's a slayer, like Buffy," Angel says in response. "Only she chose a different path, she went...well, evil." He turns back to look at me. "To make a long story short, you put her in a coma. A year or so later, she came out of it, I...helped her through some of her issues, and she turned herself in to the cops. She's been in jail ever since."

"But a few minutes ago, she was very much not in jail," Randy- er, Spike, chimes in. He's glaring at Angel with a look of contempt, as if he blames him for the whole situation. Angel returns the look. It's obvious there's history there. I'll have to remember to ask Angel about that later.

"She broke out. I got the call earlier, I came as soon as I heard. I knew this was where she'd come."

Meanwhile, I'm still reeling from the revelation that I put someone in a coma, and that this same someone was apparently now trying to kill me. I decide that I'm no longer excited for Faith to return.

In fact, I'm dreading it a little.

> > > > >

(Giles's POV)

I hope I have insurance, I find myself thinking as I stare at my ruined shop. Although I have no memory of owning it, I feel a certain attachment to the place. It is quite quaint, and I would think it would turn a respectable profit, especially if Sunnydale is really the kind of place this Angel bloke claims it is.

But a librarian? I can't be a bloody librarian. Librarians are old, and stuffy.

And okay, I may be older than the rest of these folks. And I am most definitely British. But I saw my reflection in the counter earlier, and I am a fairly handsome and chiseled fellow, if I do say so myself. Much too striking to be a librarian.

I feel a strong urge to clean my glasses, and I do so.

> > > > >

(Dawn's POV)

This is weird. I don't like it here.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any freakier, that Faith chick shows up, and goes all kung-fu on us. And now this Angel guy shows up and Joan- I mean, Buffy, is acting even weirder than before. But you know what the worst part is?

Angel is telling everyone about who we are. Buffy's the slayer. Ran- Spike is a vampire, but apparently a good one. Giles was a librarian, and he owns this shop. Willow and Tara are witches. But what about me? I guess I'm just Buffy's kid sister. Although it's beginning to feel like I'm not even that. She's barely looked at me since Angel came.

Am I the only one in this group that doesn't have anything special about them?

Well actually, Xander doesn't seem to either. That makes me feel a little better.

> > > > >

(Angel's POV)

Well this isn't going exactly as planned.

I look around at everyone. They are all staring at me expectantly, as if I hold the solution to all of their problems.

Great.

I look at Buffy. She seems to know who I am. Which is strange, since she doesn't even know who she is. I mean, I always knew our bond was deep, but not that deep. Something magical must have happened here. A spell took away everyone's memories, but somehow Buffy retained the memories of me. Of us.

As for a solution, that's considerably more complicated. There are hundreds of demons who could be responsible. A disoriented slayer could mean all sorts of fun for them.

But right now we have a bigger problem on our hands. I try to think of the best thing to do.

"I think we should get out of here," I announce. "This place is trashed, there's nothing that can help us here."

"But this is where we woke up. So shouldn't the answer to what happened to all of us be here?" Willow said in her usual logical manner.

Although I know she could be right, I can't see any way that staying here in a devastated magic shop can really help matters. "That's true, but I think we should go somewhere to regroup. Try and figure out Faith's next move. Buffy, we should go to your house."

She looks at me with an embarrassed look on her face. "I don't know where my house is."

Oh. Right.

"Well that's okay, I do. My car's outside." To my relief everyone seems to agree with this plan, and they all gather their things and head for the door.

It isn't until we get outside that I realize we have another problem. As it turns out, packing ten people into my convertible is quite a feat. After several minutes of complaining and jostling, we're finally headed towards Buffy's house. I find it a little hard concentrating on the road, though, being that Buffy's body is pressed against mine as she sits squeezed between Spike and I. I try my hardest to push the thoughts that this causes to form to the back of my mind. At one point I can't help but glance at her, and I see that she appears to be as tense as I am. For a brief moment our eyes meet, and I see the sadness and desire in her eyes that I know is probably reflected back in my own. The gaze only lasts a moment, and then we're both looking straight ahead as if nothing happened.

> > > > >

(Willow's POV)

Well this is...interesting.

We're in Angel's car on the way to Buffy's house. I'm squished in the backseat between the door and Tara. Tara...and this is bringing up all kinds of feelings.

I think I'm kinda gay.

But this feels right. I actually feel way more comfortable than I should considering the close proximity we're all in. At one point I catch her looking at me shyly and I smile back.

"Are we there yet?" Xander whines. He's on the other side of Tara, and the strange girl Anya is half in his lap, half in Giles's.

"Yeah, are we there yet?" Dawn chimes in from her spot between Spike and the passenger door in the front.

"Almost," Angel says.

I feel something graze my leg, and I feel myself shiver. I glance down to see Tara sheepishly withdrawing her hand back into her lap. "S-sorry," she says, meeting my eyes shyly. We exchange a warm smile.

Oh yeah. Definitely kinda gay.

> > > > >

(Buffy's POV)

We're here.

We pile out of the car, all of us grateful to be out of the small space. I am feeling pretty thankful myself. The extremely close proximity to Angel definitely didn't make things any less confusing. I find myself avoiding his eyes as we step onto the front porch.

"Does anyone have a key?" Angel asks tentatively.

I stick my hands in my coat pockets and rummage around. I'm a little surprised when I actually do find a key. I step up and stick it in the door, and it opens easily. I flash a quick smile at everyone as we step inside slowly, as if we're guests at a stranger's home. Which I guess we are, in a way.

Except that as soon as I enter the homey living room, I feel a sense of ease come over me. "This feels..." I struggle to pinpoint a word.

"Right," Dawn finishes happily. I look at her and we share a smile.

"Well that's a good sign," Angel says, sounding forcefully cheerful. "Maybe some things will start coming back."

I cross my arms across my chest. "Maybe. So...what now?"

> > > > >

(Tara's POV)

I can't stop looking at Willow. Even though I don't know anything about myself or my life right now, something deep inside of me tells me that she is the best part of it. The chemistry between us is electric. I think it might be scaring her a little. But I think she's starting to come around.

I watch as she removes her coat and lies it down on the arm of the couch. "L-let me hang that u-up for you," I stammer nervously. "I think we're g-going to be here for a while."

I wish I could stop stuttering around her. I have a feeling that I don't usually. Just now, with the whole amnesia and all, things are different.

"Alright," Willow says, handing me her coat. I walk to the coat rack I saw just inside the door and hang it on the hook. As I'm removing my own I notice something sticking out of her pocket. I pick it up slowly, examining it. It's a black crystal of some sort. As I hold it up to the light, I notice all the different ways the light reflects off of it. Something is triggered in the back of my mind, and I get the feeling that something important is at the tip of my mind, just beyond reach. As quick as it's there it slips away, and I slowly place the crystal back in the pocket, making a mental note to ask Willow about it later.

> > > > >

TBC. Good luck to all who follow!