I meant to update yesterday, but I didn't have time to finish this… sorry! Anyway, this chapter's a very in-betweeny one, and in segments. It's short and boring and pretty crap really, but I promise the next one will be way more interesting, and I should have it up tomorrow or Wednesday, hopefully tomorrow.

So, thankyou to:

michebabyblue: she's just gonna be a little annoyed, that's all.

RabidReject: I'm definitely bringing Faith back, not sure about Wesley.

flyersfan3588: I know, she even pisses people off by accident. Aww.

Breathe in Butterfly: the weddings are going to be the fluffiest things ever, I assure you.

rocks and glass: I'm glad you still think it's still great, this chapter may change your mind though, haha.

redrider6612: next chapter's gonna be longer, and there will be more fluff, I promise.

uskohakuchan: I forgive you! Haha.

MrsBrood: PLEASE say that to everyone you know! I'd laugh so much. Kill Doyle, though, never! I'd cry too much I wouldn't be able to type. I couldn't even bring myself to watch the episode where he dies… I'm really that pathetic.

BlackbAngel: glad you liked it. Buffy and Cordy, forever in competition. Ahhh.

Thankyou so much to all you guys, without you, today would have been crap… pier.

Here's the chapter, hope you like it. I have a new favourite word. 'Bitter'. Like how I feel after maths GCSE. Can you tell I'm in a very bad mood?

At least I never have to do maths again. Ever. I'll get on with the chapter now.

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A week went by following the breakout, and the Initiative had had no luck tracking the escaped hostiles. Buffy Summers had not returned to college, and was not living at home. Although her mother had been spoken to, she had informed them that she had no idea where Buffy was.

They were pretty sure she was lying, but had no way to prove it. There was a possibility that she was actually unaware of what her daughter was (through subtle testing the Initiative had found nothing extraordinary about her – she was completely human). They were also aware that the hostiles had not escaped unaided – someone or something had broken them out. Due to the fact that both hostiles were clearly vampires, even considering Buffy's unusual powers, it was safe to assume that a vampire, probably related somehow to the escaped hostiles, was responsible for the breakout.

The idea of vampires working in packs was disturbing for Maggie Walsh, who was used to tackling individual vampires, incapable of any kind of strategy. Vampires working together, helping each other, and actually caring about each other meant bad news for the Initiative.

-

Buffy was angry with Cordelia all week. She knew it wasn't Cordy's fault really, but she couldn't help being pissed off about her moment being stolen. I should've done it like she did, she thought bitterly to herself, quick and straight-to-the-point, without having to think about it. If Angel hadn't stepped in behind her at Cordelia's announcement and given her a look of stern encouragement, she thought she probably would have started screaming in annoyance right then and there. Instead she saved it for when they got back to the mansion.

"It's not fair," she yelled the second they were home. "It was supposed to be my special day! Now when am I going to tell them?" She paused, glaring at Angel. "It's not funny! Why are you smiling?"

"You're so beautiful when you're angry," he said, walking towards her. She fell into his arms, feeling her frustration ebb away as it always did when he held her. "We have all the time in the world to tell them, and to get married," he continued, "let Cordelia have her time now." Buffy sighed.

"Why are you always right?"

-

Spike wandered the streets of Sunnydale, starting to feel very hungry indeed. If it carried on like this, he'd have to start killing animals. The very idea of it sickened him, and he was put off even further by the fact that he knew that Angel and Buffy drank animal blood. They were to blame, he was certain. If it hadn't been for them, he and Dru would still be together, in some other part of the world. Happy, and eating people, and not caring about anything.

He wished they hadn't let him out – he'd rather be dead than like this. Humans walked past him without noticing, and he could do nothing but watch them go past. Occasionally, when it all got too much, he would grab someone and try again to bite them. But, again, the pain would flare in his head and stay for hours.

It left him hating the government very much indeed. But then, he mused bitterly, I was never really into politics.

-

With Willow and Oz all coupled up, Buffy and Angel getting over the clause problem, and now Cordy returning, already engaged, Xander felt a little… left out. He hadn't minded being single when he knew that Cordy was too and that Buffy and Angel's relationship was never going to go anywhere, but now it felt lonely.

He moped around his basement for about a week when he wasn't getting fired from awful jobs. Willow offered him little comfort, as he didn't really want to tell her what he was feeling, thinking he'd sound stupid. This just irritated him further, and he spent Friday night home alone.

After hours of watching useless TV, he heard someone walking down the stairs.

"I've got enough pretzels, mom, don't worry," he said, without turning away from a teen soap he didn't know the name of.

"Xander." The voice didn't sound like his mother's. In fact, it sounded a little like

"Anya?!"

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Well now, that was the most exciting moment in this chapter. Sorry again for the shittiness, but I had maths this morning and it doesn't usually lead to bright ideas. Urgh.

I have RS tomorrow though, and that's far more inspiring.

Review plzkthnx.