Bring Me To Life

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel Crossover Event

Part 65

Empty Places, Part 6


Sunnydale, California, USA - Summers Residence

8:17 p.m.

Days Left Before the End of Days: 10


"Are you sure he didn't say anything else?" Darla desperately asked Dawn, her beautiful blue-gray eyes filled to the brim with maternal panic, love and worry for her child.

Dawn sadly shook her head, her own eyes having barely dried the tears after hearing Connor's heartbreaking call to her.

"No. I tried, God, I tried so hard, Darla, but he wouldn't tell me where he was," Dawn said, her own voice slightly shaky. "I never heard him sound like that. He sounded…scared. And lost. And…and alone. God, he sounded so alone. So…hurt."

The girl known as The Key took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, willed herself not to start crying at the memory of the pain in Connor's voice, his not-so-silent cry for help that she couldn't give him because she couldn't find him.

Amanda, Molly and Vi all circled around their friend, giving her silent comfort even as they all worried about Connor's whereabouts.

Wesley put a comforting hand on Darla's shoulder, let her lean on him for support, both the metaphorical and physical kind.

"This is all my fault," Darla muttered, stricken with grief as the tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "I did this to him. Oh, God, my poor, sweet baby…"

"Darla, none of this was your fault," Wesley told her in comfort, rubbing tender circles along her back. "You didn't have a soul when you were trying to halt your pregnancy. And you certainly didn't mean for him to overhear it."

"How does that make it better, Wesley? How?" Darla asked him, her eyes brimming with hurt and guilt. "That's twice I've failed him! My little boy is out there alone, hurting and scared and alone and I can't do a damn thing about it!"

"You can give him more time," Wesley said, gently, as he tenderly brushed a stray lock of hair from her face. "Darla, you know that Connor won't come back if we try to force him. All we can do is give him the time he needs to process this and realize where he belongs."

"What time? We're running out of time, Wesley!" an increasingly panicked Dawn all but shouted, her voice rising to near hysterics. "You didn't talk to him, you didn't hear how much pain he was in, but I did! We have to find him, and we have to bring him back now before he hurts himself, or maybe someone else! Or both!"

Wesley could only think of one compromise. "We give him another two days. After that, we'll try a locator spell, see exactly where he is and head out to find him. But the fact that he reached out to you is good, Dawn." He turned his strong, yet compassionate eyes towards Darla. Tried to give her assurance. "He knows deep down through his pain that there are people here who care for him. All we can do for now is give him time…and hope he comes to his senses."

Darla didn't like it, but she knew that some of what Wesley was saying made sense. Connor couldn't be made to come home, he had to want to. As much as it broke her heart to have her son lost out there, all she could do was wait. And hope.

Dawn sighed, but gave him a sad nod. She could only pray for now that whatever compelled the boy…the young man…that she loved to call her would resurface again and bring him back home. Back into her arms, where he belonged.

Giles silently watched the display, deciding to stay out of it if nothing else but for respect for Darla and Wesley's decision. He was quietly impressed by how Wesley had handled this delicate situation of Connor's disappearance with decisiveness and compassion. In the old days, the younger version of Wesley was more about the former and was pathetically lacking in the other. It made Giles smile on the inside to think about how much the young, hotshot ex-Watcher that had annoyed him so back in the day had apparently changed for the better.

Among the other Potentials, Kennedy merely sat silently, fighting not to roll her eyes. The rich boarding school brat hadn't really had much interaction with Connor. Frankly, that kid kinda creeped Kennedy out sometimes, him being all broody and silent and lurk-y like his bastard undead father Angel.

Still, Kennedy knew better than to voice her actual instincts of demanding that they forget about the drama behind some missing teenage freak with issues and focus on the real threat—stopping Caleb, the new Black Hat that seemed determined to single-handedly wipe out all that remained of the entire Slayer line himself. Kennedy might have been brash, but even she knew this audience would not be receptive to her brusque sentiments. So she remained silent…for now.

"They found Buffy."

Faith's words, which she announced as she came down the stairs, Spike not that far behind, immediately drew all eyes to her.

"Buffy? When? Where? Is-is she okay?" Dawn asked, concern etched in her large, bright blue eyes. Between Angel's fate still being unknown and Connor still missing, she was grateful for at least one piece of good news so far.

"Where is she?" Giles pressed as he stood up, a paternal-like worry creasing his older, yet handsome features.

"When are they coming back?" Wesley added his own inquiry to the growing list of questions.

"Um, in short order, yes…sort of…she was at the school, and they're headed back now," Faith replied as she ticked off each of their questions. "Fred didn't give me a whole lot of deets. Just that B was in a bit of a jam, they helped her out of it and they're on the way back after they make a stop or two."

Faith met Dawn's worried gaze, offering her subtle comfort. "The most important thing is that she's okay, though. Right?"

Dawn took a deep breath and nodded, giving Faith a grateful gaze. Even after all the tension between them lately, Dawn didn't know what she would do if something happened to her sister. Buffy was the only real family that Dawn had left. No matter how furious with her the younger Summers sibling had been, Buffy was still her sister and Dawn could never stop loving her.

Even if she doesn't care if I live or die, a bitter part of Dawn's mind cruelly whispered, making her heart ache.

"Right. At least we know that Buffy's coming back," Darla nodded.

"Oh, and hey, Kate and Lindsey said they had to split. They said something about Angel needing help with something," Faith said in yet another announcement.

That piqued the others' curiosity.

"Angel?" Giles asked, startled.

"He's alive?" a surprised and hopeful Dawn asked.

"Angel? You mean…they heard from him?" Wesley asked, before he cooled the visible concern in his eyes. He remembered that things were still not well between himself and the vampire detective or his former friends.

Darla spotted that, however, biting her lip in concern for her…boyfriend? Lover? Paramour? She wasn't sure…for Wesley. Wesley had a good heart, she knew that, but this rift between him and his old friends wasn't mending for him and that was only going to hurt him even more the longer it went on.

"Angel's alive? Is he okay?" Lorne piped up, the green-skinned Pylean demon's worry for his old friend more than apparent in his ruby-red irises.

Faith gave Lorne a sympathetic glance, sharing his concern for their mutual friend and her mentor. "Yeah, looks like. But it sounds like he needed some help with something…legal, go figure what that means," the dark-haired Slayer beauty shrugged. "Kate and the ex-Wolfram and Hart flunkie ran off to help, though they didn't say where or what they'd do. Only that they'd be back in a day, maybe two."

"Legal?" Anya asked, a pretty blonde eyebrow raised in suspicion. "An apocalypse is kind of a weird time to be getting legal advice, isn't it?"

"Trust me, dumpling, when Wolfram and Hart are involved, it's not as weird as you'd think," Lorne said, frowning in distrust at the situation.

Spike said nothing, but silently he agreed with Lorne. His poncy know-it-all Grandsire was obviously hiding something from the others, he realized. What it was, Spike didn't know, however…not yet.

"Did Angel say when he'd get back?" Dawn eagerly asked Faith. "We…" She stopped, choosing her words carefully. "We could really use him around here."

The others looked at each other, silently in solemn agreement. They needed Angel back, now more than ever. This battle with The First had become even more dangerous with this new enemy Caleb lurking around out there heading up the cabal of fiends plotting their destruction. Even Spike—though it felt like his pride was being dipped in holy water and then thrown into the Sahara sun at noon time for admitting it silently—relented that things were going badly here, and that the big lummox could be a big help.

Faith sadly shook her head, causing Dawn to lower her eyes in disappointment. "Sorry, D. They didn't say," the Boston-born Slayer replied sympathetically.

"Kate and Lindsey went off…together?" Darla asked, frowning, not sure if she should be curious, concerned or jealous…or maybe a tiny bit of all of them. Wesley noticed that, frowning at the mild curiosity in Darla's voice, a not-so-small part of him worried if his…girlfriend? Lover? Temporary foxhole romance? He hadn't had time to discuss the nature of their relationship with her yet…if Darla still had some feelings left for Lindsey.

"Doesn't really surprise me. Those two have been looking a little cozy, of late," Spike absently wondered aloud.

"Didn't notice, but whatever," Faith shrugged again. "As long as they can help bring Angel back home, I say 'Adios, have a good trip.'" Then Faith thought about it a little more. "But not too good, seeing as how I'm not crazy about either of them."

Spike tried to stifle a chuckle, but Faith overheard him, turning to him and giving him a ghost of a smile—surprising both Spike and herself—before she caught herself, wiped it away from her face and turned back to the others…again, much to Spike's quiet disappointment.

Giles looked at Spike in some consternation. "Spike, I thought you would have been heading off to Gilroy by now to investigate that convent that Caleb has visited."

Spike gave Giles a distasteful look. "I'll head out a little before midnight. When the sun is good and down. Unless you fancy trying to plot my death via the sun this time…Rupert." He said the Watcher's name acidly, like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Giles said nothing, merely glaring back at Spike without a hint of any apology.

Faith frowned in confusion at the tension between them. "Okay, am I missing something here? Because you two have been sniping at each other like a couple of cheerleaders fighting over the squad captain spot all day, and frankly, it's starting to get old," she sighed tiredly.

"Don't worry 'bout it, pet," Spike replied to Faith somewhat affectionately, yet not taking his cold blue eyes off of Giles. "Some not-so-ancient history from just a bit before you came here. Rupert here was a part of a plan to kill me...for Buffy's own good."

Dawn's eyes were wide as saucers at what Spike said. She had no idea that Giles had tried to have Spike killed. "What?"

"Oh, yeah," Spike continued. "Set me up for the big, bad Principal Man to try and ka-bob me with stakes in a sneak attack under the pretense of having us work together on a mission. So you can understand if him sending me away on another mystery 'mission' triggers my Spider-Sense." Off Andrew's eyes lighting up at the comic reference and looking like he was about to speak, Spike cut the Trio nerd off harshly. "Shut up, Urkel, or I'll tie you to the hood of my bike for the whole trip."

Andrew immediately shrank back, not daring to risk the vampire's wrath.

Faith's eyes widened at Spike's revelation, turning to Giles for confirmation. "Giles? Is that true?"

Giles stood stoically, offering no sense of remorse or regret. "Yes. Ancient history, though. Plans were set in motion, they didn't work out. Life goes on," he replied dismissively, the phrase both simple yet chillingly cold how he said it.

Stunned, Faith took a moment to consider all of that. "Well, that makes me feel better about me…worse about Giles…" She looked at Spike, her eyes scrunched in thought. "Still kinda shaky about you."

Spike could only offer her a rueful grin, to which Faith covered her mouth and turned away, lest he see her smile back.

Tentatively, Andrew picked up the file papers and handed them to Dawn.

Deciding to save her questions about this attempted killing of Spike for later, Dawn refocused her attention to more positive news and turned to Amanda, Vi and Molly and said eagerly, "Well…see? That's something, right? Buffy's coming back, and Angel, too. And between the files we have on Caleb, maybe we'll catch a break on using something that could help us beat him. We'll have some news soon."

Though not exactly brimming with confidence, Molly and Vi at least tried to smile. But Amanda did not return the joy.

"Sure. Maybe that'll get us somewhere," Amanda said unconvincingly as she slouched back with the other Potentials.

"Wouldn't hold my breath," Kennedy muttered sarcastically.

Dawn, Giles, Wesley, Spike, Anya, Darla, Lorne and Faith registered the fact that the new development had done absolutely nothing to improve morale.

"Meantime," Faith said, "the 'troops' here have to sit and stew, feeling crappier by the minute."

Giles sighed. "Yes…their spirits do seem rather…well, pathetic, quite frankly."

"Well, can you blame them?" Lorne said as he looked at the scared teen girls with pity. "Those poor kids are being picked off one at a time. Between that and Caleb, it's a miracle they haven't run out screaming into the night yet."

"Wouldn't help. We had a Potential that tried that, Annabelle," Anya shrugged. "An UberVamp caught her and turned her into a meal. Staying indoors after dark? Way safer for them."

Wesley silently agreed, but even he had to admit that stewing in their current predicament wouldn't do well for such young girls.

"Still, idle hands won't do them any favors," Wesley mused. "Without something to distract them, all they have to focus on is the battle ahead. Which frankly, I'm still not sure they're ready for."

"Well, it's not exactly like we can pack up and take them for a field day to bloody DisneyLand, is it, Percy?" Spike drawled at Wesley, who scowled at the unflattering nickname though Spike ignored it as he continued. "Our options are thin, and we can't protect the lot of 'em if they decide to go skipping off on their own."

"Maybe…we can try some board games?" Andrew suggested, 'helpfully'. His eyes lit up. "Ooh! I've got a 'D & D' board somewhere in my backpack! Or maybe 'Warhammer 40k?'"

The others looked at the awkward blonde nerd like he was speaking Klingon.

"Another one of your weird nerd games? I think I'll take some more UberVamps, please," Anya replied somewhat frostily.

"Still...they're just kids," Darla sighed, feeling a pang of pity for the girls as she wrapped one hand in Wesley's own. "They need time to remember that, not just be ready to shove off into war. That kind of stress on them won't do us or them any favors."

"Darla's right. We should keep them occupied," Dawn agreed, earning a small smile from the blonde ex-vampire, to which Dawn inwardly jumped at giddily given the thought of earning points with her missing boyfriend's mom.

Suddenly, a wicked idea sprung in Faith's mind.

"Yeah." Faith brightened, smirking devilishly as she looked at Dawn, who eyed her with confusion. "Yeah, I think I know how to keep 'em occupied."


Sunnydale, California - The Bronze

One Hour Later


It was the Bronze.

It was time to party down, get a little buzz on and let it all just frickin' go.

It was Faith's show and the music was . . . okay, the kind of music they play at the Bronze, although Aimee Mann, Faith was sorry she'd missed her. But anyway, the cloud of gloom seemed to have finally breezed away, for a little while at least, and the hot young Potentials, once down in the dumps not but a few hours ago, were finally strutting again.

Playing pool, listening to music, talking, flirting, dancing… and Faith was dancing like, well, she'd been locked away in prison for three years.

It didn't take long for the girls to agree to a night out of the house. They all scrambled to get their best clothes on and fought for a mirror and the bathroom, but one hour later, the same group of girls and heroes that were down in the dumps and dragging their tails were now shaking it and dancing like there was no tomorrow…and in all likelihood, there might not be, Dawn realized.

"So, what kind of band plays during an apocalypse?" Molly asked Dawn, grinning.

"I think this band might actually be one of the signs," Dawn replied dryly with a light smile, but despite her own sadness, she had to admit, it was all kinda funny, not all scary.

Dawn looked around the club, and saw Faith dancing, grinding and getting down on the dance floor, a ton of horny guys zipping to her like she was the Queen Bee dipped in honey. Looking like she was the old, lively Faith again, and not like she had just escaped brutal captivity and torture at the hands of The First Evil and its minions.

She saw Spike, brushing off the occasional pretty girl who tried to buy him a drink, his eyes only for Faith as he watched her sultry frame dancing on the floor, his knuckles balling occasionally into jealous white knots when he saw guys trying to grind onto her.

She saw Darla and Wesley in the corner, sitting and drinking coffee, almost like they were on a real date…the gentle way Darla held his hand causing the now-stoic and brooding Wesley to even crack a small hint of a smile, for once, Dawn noticed.

She saw Anya, laughing airily as she entertained two guys flirting with her and vying for her attention.

She saw Molly, smiling and flirting with the very interested handsome boy next to her even as she continued to dance with Dawn.

She saw her friends Amanda and Vi laughing together at their table, Amanda eagerly chugging down on her first beer that Rona had somehow snuck to her, a giddy Vi engrossed with talking with some nice-looking guy trying to flirt with her, while Caridad giggled as she entertained two cute guys who had approached her offering drinks and their company. She saw Kennedy in the corner, a sour look on her face and not in the mood to socialize, Kennedy rolling her eyes whenever a guy tried to flirt with her, clearly not interested. She saw Chao-Ahn, eagerly chatting with a group of Chinese students from UC Sunnydale in her native tongue, obviously relieved to have someone to finally talk to her age.

She saw Lorne, wearing some kind of charm bracelet that Willow had once whipped up for him pre-power loss that disguised his green demon'ish appearance to that of a handsome young human male with frosted yellow highlights in his brown hair, wowing the audience around him with his drink-mixing skills and sweet vocals in some impromptu karaoke to the sound of thunderous applause.

She even saw Andrew, eagerly rolling the dice as he got into a spirited game of 'Dungeons and Dragons' with a group of bookish types at a nearby table.

As Dawn looked around, felt the music pulsating through the club, saw the not-so-small number of interested guys and admirers eyeing her with flirtatious looks and devilish, yet boyish grins while they danced near her, felt the vibe of energy, of being alive, of being a stupid teenage kid and it being okay, she felt the faintest hint of a smile come onto her pretty face.

For the first time in a while, Dawn wasn't thinking about anything.

Wasn't thinking about Connor, her boyfriend, missing and out there all alone, and how much she missed him.

Wasn't thinking about Buffy, missing and growing more isolated from her. About how her own sister didn't care if she lived or died if it meant winning a battle.

Wasn't thinking about brave little Matthew, dead because of her. Or Anna, her sweet friend who died days ago.

Wasn't thinking about Angel, risking his life halfway around the world for them all.

Wasn't thinking about Mom, and how much Dawn wished she was still alive.

Wasn't thinking about Xander, her sweet, affectionate first crush and friend, and how he was lying in some hospital bed, missing an eye.

Wasn't thinking about that monster Caleb, or how helpless she felt in his grasp, how black his soulless eyes were as she looked into them on that horrible night at the vineyard.

Wasn't thinking about her budding superpowers and whether she was strong enough to handle them, or the looming apocalypse, or The First Evil and its army of fiends trying to kill her and everything she loves.

For the first time in a long time, Dawn Summers, the Key, sister of the Slayer, the girl with world-rending, world-ending power flowing through her veins…felt like she could be just 16 years old. And that it was okay.

She could use a break, the youngest Summers girl decided. And this felt…nice. Good, even.

A little good. A little like…like life was still happening.

Unbeknownst to Dawn and all of them, a small army of enchanted cops and other fiends were heading their way, intent on livening the party up even more…


Sunnydale, California, USA - Summers Residence

9:57 p.m.


Aching and still sore, Buffy slowly staggered into the house, leaning on Fred for support with her arm slung around behind Fred's neck as the brainy physicist gingerly helped her, Gunn on Buffy's left as he placed a hand on the small of her back to steady her.

All in all, not one of Buffy's best days, the blonde warrior mused through the aches and pains. But she silently acknowledged she was lucky to feel anything at all right now. Buffy had barely gotten away with her life, and she knew that. Caleb could have easily killed her if he wanted to, but he didn't. He kept her alive, humiliated her, just for kicks.

Because he and The First weren't done with her yet.

The thought made her both angry and afraid at the same time, and she was having a hard time reconciling each emotion from the other. For a moment, she wished her mom was here.

Or Angel.

God, she could really use some Angel Time right now, she mused sadly. He always seems to know just what to say in times like this

Buffy angrily swatted that thought away. She didn't even know if Angel was coming back. She couldn't feel him in her soul like she normally could. And even if...he was the one who decided to leave. Again. And if that's how he wanted to play it, then screw him, she angrily decided.

She didn't need Angel. Or Spike. She didn't need anyone, the dark voice in the back of her head whispered. She was a big girl.

And not just any girl. She was Buffy freakin' Summers.

The Slayer.

The Chosen One.

Prophecy Girl.

The One Girl in All the World With the Strength and Speed to Kick Some Undead Ass.

She made it this far without a shoulder to cry on, and she wasn't about to start now. She had a job to do.

"Take it easy, Buffy, one foot at a time," Fred gently offered.

"Yeah, been familiar with the walking concept since I was 2, Fred, but thanks," Buffy quipped wryly.

"We're just saying, you should take it easy for a bit," Gunn added, also concerned. "Preacher Man packs a wallop, Buffy. You might want to take a siesta or something, take a second to han..."

Seeing the way that Fred stared at him in horror and a wide-eyed Buffy visibly blanched at his attempted use of the word "hang", like Buffy had just done on a cross of Caleb's making, Gunn wisely opted to switch up his words. "...um, han...dle other things."

Wearily, Buffy glanced at him. "Smooth. And…I can't. Can't exactly afford that, Gunn. Funny thing about apocalypses...they're not in the least concerned about Nap Time."

Gunn sighed, but relented. He knew from his own experience that Buffy was right. The Good Fight worked on its own schedule.

Weakly, Buffy called, "Guys? How's it—"

She looked around, finding the normal scrum of people she had gotten accustomed to in her home now not there.

Yet there was Giles at the dining room table, astonished at her tattered appearance.

He walked quickly towards Buffy, concerned. "My God! What…?"

"Caleb." Buffy brushed him off, not feeling in the mood to share much else.

"Looks like he came looking for seconds," Gunn elaborated, much to Giles's appreciation.

"Good Lord," Giles gasped. "Caleb? Is he…?"

"Still able to make me see little cartoon birdies all around my head?" Buffy groused darkly, remembering just how easily Caleb had manhandled her. "You betcha."

A somewhat guarded Fred added, "We're lucky we managed to find her. That school's gone to hell since it's closed down."

Giles, his eyes full of concern and interest, looked at Fred. "And how did you find her?"

Off that, Fred's hand unconsciously went to her pocket, where those polaroids of Buffy hanging on that makeshift cross were. Buffy, now more alert, caught Fred's gaze, and shot her a subtle, yet pleading look not to reveal those photos to Giles.

Fred bit her lip in hesitation, not liking the idea of keeping that info from the Watcher, but Buffy's eyes became more desperate, silently begging Fred to keep those photos a secret for now. Sighing, Fred relented and silently nodded, much to Buffy's relief.

"Um...Caleb left a trail. We followed the breadcrumbs. Pretty much it," Fred shrugged in guarded fashion.

A skeptical Giles didn't buy it, but decided to look into that later.

Painfully, Buffy slowly sat down, Fred guiding her helpfully into the chair.

"The short lack of consciousness was nice, though. I feel rested," Buffy said, trying to go for a light tone, but the effort in it was a little too obvious. She wasn't really in the mood to be quippy and punny after Caleb strung her up in her own school like some kind of macabre Christmas ornament.

Giles sat again, facing her, and the group shared an awkwardly silent moment.

Buffy made the first move, trying to get past it. "How'd the police files work out? Was there anything helpful in there?"

Giles brightened at their brief détente, ready to work. "Oh, yes, very much so, I think," he told her.

Grateful for the change of topic, Fred eagerly added, "Yeah! It looks like from the files Lindsey had, and those police records, that there's evidence that Caleb may have made inroads up north."

"Boy got sloppy, left one breadcrumb too many," Gunn said as he leaned against the wall casually. "He had himself a massacre at this one mission up in Gilroy, it looks like. Don't know much else yet, but it could lead to something."

"Really?" Buffy asked, smiling excitedly. "That's…that's great! That could help us a lot! Good job, guys."

"I sent Spike to look into it," Giles added.

Off Buffy's surprised gaze, Fred, Giles and Gunn were all thinking the same thing: ...oops.

"Oh," Buffy said tersely.

She remembered very well what happened when Giles last sent Spike on a mission; it nearly ended with Robin killing Spike...and then Spike nearly killing Robin. Both allies she needed in this war, especially now with Angel away, and most likely dead...something that still grieved her to think about. For whatever reason, Buffy couldn't feel him in her soul anymore. Their mystical soul connection, their bond, had suddenly ceased since the night of the Massacre on Main Street, and it felt like she had lost a hand or some piece of her. She didn't want to think about what it could mean right now, it would only cause her to break down.

So instead, Buffy paused a moment, taking what Giles said in, and then she sarcastically said, "So, is this a mission from which you intend Spike to return alive?"

"Yes," he said firmly, stiffly.

"Um...we sent Andrew with him," Fred helpfully offered, trying to diffuse the situation.

Buffy took that in. Then she deadpanned, "And again, I ask the question . . ."

"Buffy," Giles said reasonably, "you weren't here. Some decisions must be made in your absence."

"Well, those are the ones that have been scaring me lately," the tiny blonde retorted.

Unapologetically, Giles raised his chin, not backing down, and firmly told her, "I did what I thought was right."

Gunn and Fred looked at each other awkwardly, feeling like they had accidentally intruded on a private family moment between a father and his daughter.

Not liking his tone at all, an already frayed and tired Buffy narrowed her eyes, not happy, and tartly gave it right back. "You sent away someone who's been watching my back. Again. And with Angel gone, that number's been dwindling down a lot more than I care for lately. I think—"

"We are all watching your back," the older man countered, tersely.

Buffy's skeptical, non-trusting stare let Giles know his surrogate daughter didn't buy that in the least.

Both Slayer and Watcher traded resentful stares at one another, a thick, unspoken tension forming between two people paired by destiny and once bound together by trust and a bond so deep they were as close as blood.

"Okay, maybe we should cool down a little, guys," Gunn offered, now in the unusual—for him—role of trying to play peacemaker.

Buffy ignored Gunn, focused her resentment on Giles as she addressed him. "Yeah? Funny how I don't really feel that lately." She frostily bit off every word as she stood and moved toward the stairs.

She was tired, and hurt, and humiliated, and hurt, and angry and…and hurt.

Really, really hurt.

"Buffy…" Giles began, trying to reason with her, but failing.

The Slayer paused as she suddenly took stock of a very quiet house. Too quiet. "Where's everyone else? Faith, the girls . . . where'd everyone go?"

Fred and Gunn exchanged awkward glances with each other, then with Giles, who was equally flustered.

"Faith thought the girls needed some time away from their studies," Giles sighed as he told her. "A chance to relax for an hour or two. I thought, given everything learned from our time . . ."

Yet Buffy's eyes grew more impatient for an answer.

Realizing he was not going to win a staring contest with the willful Slayer, the seasoned Watcher capitulated under Buffy's intense, questioning scrutiny. "She took them to the Bronze," Giles relented.

A flustered, surprised and irritated Buffy stared at him as though she couldn't quite believe it.

Then she rolled her eyes, shook her head, turned to the front door, and closed the door behind her as she left the house to find them.

As Fred sighed unhappily, Gunn looked at Giles wearily and shook his head. "Oh, yeah," Gunn sarcastically muttered. "That went well."


To Be Continued…


Next: It's Dance Night in Sunnydale! With the troops on edge, Faith and the others decide to loosen them up with dancing, drinking and more daring escapades at The Bronze. Sparks will fly on the dance floor, and more than just a few hearts might get broken before the night is through. But what will an already on-edge, wounded Buffy think once she finds out? And will it put her on a collision course with Faith?

Meanwhile, Angel brings in help as he seeks to take down a deadly serial killer. How far will he be willing to go to bring the killer down and return to help Buffy in Sunnydale with the Awakening still days away?


Thanks to everyone for sticking to this story. Your feedback is always appreciated! Please read, follow and review!

Peace!

-Jean-theGuardian