Deciding she needed a break, Buffy agreed to a date with Ben, the cute intern from the hospital who'd told them the mental ward was overflowing when Dawn was accosted. Connie cheerfully noted that Ben was a year younger then the clueless Army guy Buffy had last been interested in and therefore closer to her age group.
"Way to go, Buffy. That's progress!" Connie cheered, much to Buffy's displeasure and Joyce's amusement.
"Well, a doctor is certainly a much better choice then a clueless Army guy and infinitely better then a vampire, soul or no soul. Have fun, Buffy."
"Thanks, mom. See you, later."
Buffy did enjoy herself. Ben took her out to a nice restaurant and they spent a couple of hours just getting to know each other. Buffy agreed to a second date and asked him to drop her off at the Magic Box, telling him, the owners were friends. She was just getting out of the car when they were attacked by people dressed as medieval knights. Ben jumped out of the car and followed Buffy into the store.
"What the Hell? What's going on?"
Buffy, trying to cover, said. "Maybe they're more of those crazies that keep popping up around town. I need to call my friends. Just a minute."
The Scoobies managed to get into the Magic Box via the back door. Xander peeked out of the front window trying to get an idea of the numbers attacking them and managed to jerk back just as an arrow came crashing thru the window and hit Tara in the stomach. Ben immediately moved to help her, as Willow grabbed her and helped her to lay down. Ben determined she'd need more help then he could give her under the circumstances. Peering out of the window again, Xander spotted what he was sure was the leader of this group. An older and more elaborately dressed man. Faith came in from the back and reported they were now in the alleyway as well. They were trapped.
"It's a good thing Joyce and Dawn aren't here. Okay, we're going to need to get past those guys to get Tara the help she needs. So let's try asking for a truce. I'll go out and see if they're willing. Giles, you got a white cloth?"
"Yes, a dust rag behind the counter."
Xander took the mostly clean rag and tied it to a broom handle and stuck it out of the door. When it wasn't shot at, he stuck his head out. "I'm asking for a cease fire. We have a wounded civilian in need of medical care. If you truly are knights, then honor should have some meaning. Woman and children, especially injured ones, should be allowed safe passage. Let us get her and another innocent woman out of here and then we can talk, okay? Then you can tell us why you're attacking us."
"Very well, your injured and one other. No one else, may be allowed safe passage. Then we will speak." The one Xander had identified as the leader, said.
"Ben, give Willow your car keys." Xander ordered and Ben handed them over. Xander and Ben carried Tara out to the car and Willow drove off, heading for the hospital. The leader, who identified himself as General Gregor, agreed to come in and speak to them.
"Why are you attacking us?" Xander asked.
"I believe the Slayers lied to my knight. I am certain they guard the Key. The Key is the link, the link must be severed, such is the will of God."
"Your god told you that, did he? And what makes you think we know anything about this key of yours? The description you gave Buffy and Faith isn't familiar to any of us. We haven't seen whatever this key your looking for, is. You're looking in the wrong place."
"You can not deceive us. It makes sense that the monks would give it to the Slayers for protection."
Before anyone could say anything else, Ben suddenly transformed into a nicely dressed woman.
"The Abomination!" The General gasped.
"Hey, it's Gregor!" The woman said. "Maybe you can help me find my Key." And grabbed him and raced out of the shop in a blur. The Scoobies could hear screams from the knights outside. After a moment, they peered out of the door and saw a lot of dead bodies. Whoever that woman was, she'd killed them all.
"Well, I guess we now know who the human male this hell goddess is imprisoned in is." Xander commented. "Poor Buffy, she just can't seem to find a decent guy."
"What are you talking about, Xander? We need to figure out how that woman, who must be the hell goddess, got in here. Did anyone see her arrive?" Buffy asked.
"Yes." Cordelia said. "She came out of Ben."
"Are you saying Ben let her in the shop, Cordelia? But he left earlier. Do you mean he came back and let her in?" Giles asked.
"You mean B's track record for picking losers is holding true? This Ben guy is somehow helping the hell bitch?" Faith asked.
"Wow and I thought I had bad taste in guys." Amy jokes. "I've never had one sell us out to a hell goddess before."
"You don't know for sure Ben had anything to do with this, Xander. You're just guessing. We need to figure out where she took the General guy." Buffy said.
Xander motioned Cordelia to follow him and they slipped into the back, while the others kept discussing how to find where the hell goddess had taken the general and how she'd gotten in.
"They're not remembering what happened. Why are we?" Cordelia asked.
"The snake, it's an animal. We're hybrids, part animal. Maybe all animals can see thru whatever Magic she's working. This means we're not going to able to convince them either. Which means, it's up to us to find Ben and kill him, before the hell goddess can manifest again. We'll check at the hospital when we go to check on Tara. Then we make a plan and finish this."
"Agreed."