A New Freedom

Chapter Two: School, Again? Revised

School. Oh god how long had it been? She hadn't been to high school in what? Four years? Not counting picking up Dawn, and actually working for the school, that hadn't been the original Sunny Dale High. She flinched- Dawn, her little baby sister that never was. And what would become of Buffy now? Now that she didn't have her powers? Did things still go bump in the night? Even with out her as slayer?

"You don't have to go to school today if you don't want to." Buffy's mother's voice cut through her thoughts. She would be starting her first day at Sunny Dale high school, again. At first she thought she would be going to her old school- but the whole 'catching the gym on fire' really had happened. She had imagined her self as a slayer and instead of saving peoples lives; she had been the monster to endanger them. They didn't want her back. Besides, her mother and father had moved here to get her better health care and the house was fixed up. It was just as she had remembered it.

"No, I want to go. I want to do better." Buffy turned to look at her mom. Joyce was still worried about her daughter. Elizabeth had an unnatural pallor about her. Her hair was thin from not enough light. There were bags under her eyes. But she insisted on moving on.

"Well have a great day sweetheart." Buffy nodded and stepped out of the car. The sight that greeted her made her choke back a sob. It was Sunny dale. With cheerleaders on the lawn jumping around, the jocks watching with smirks, 'nerds' sitting on the benches talking. It was the school before it was destroyed by the mayor.

"Get the bloody hell of my back." An English accent drawled with venom. Buffy's head turned sharply to see a blond teen, maybe a couple years older then her, arguing with a guy with spiked raven hair. Angel and Spike. Buffy thought to her self. Then she wasn't the only one here, but they were vampires- and this was the middle of the day.

Things didn't go bump in the night, the world would live and she wasn't its protector. Their were bigger things to worry about now, littering and whose going to be the president of the United States. It felt as though a huge weight had been lifted, she could breathe freely. But was she the only one who could remember? Did they know who she was? What about- Oh god Xander, and Willow, did they make it? Who was the librarian, or their principal?

"Buffy?" She turned around again to see, Anya.

"Anya?" Buffy asked, more of a whisper, a whoosh of air being released. She hadn't even realized she hadn't been breathing.

"Actually, I'm Annie. I'm supposed to show you around. Close though." Annie was studying Buffy as though Buffy had sprouted another head. "Have I met you before? You look so familiar..." Buffy shook her head sadly.

"How did you know my name?" She asked with suspicion.

"Your necklace, it says Buffy. Besides Principal Flutie gave me your description and all."

"Oh. Am I supposed to go see him or something?" Buffy asked her thoughts shifting to said Principal. She remembered what had happened to him. She had felt bad, angry that she hadn't made it in time- she knew Xander had felt worse. He had been apart of it.

"You there?" Anya- Annie was waving a hand in front of her face. Buffy blinked.

"Oh yeah- sorry."

"Good. Office is this way." Annie started walking towards the school, not looking behind her to even make sure Buffy was following. But Buffy had stopped following. There was Cordeila, looking a little worse for wear- but she was with her old friends. And Willow was sitting on the bench talking to Xander, and another boy. One who looked familiar but Buffy just couldn't place. He had been important at one time- in the beginning. If she could just figure out his name maybe she could remember? But it wasn't as important as her two best friends; they were alive- even if they didn't remember her. She didn't bother to brush away the salty tears.

Xander had seen her; he was watching her with a peculiar expression. Willow's eyes were wide as though she had seen a ghost. Buffy wanted to hug them, never let go. She took a slow step towards them-

"Buffy, office-this way." Annie gently took her hand and pulled her into the school.

TBC