"Damn X, you got some good moves going on." Faith told Xander.

"According to Leo, I have to use the Soldier Boy knowledge in my head or I'll lose it. And I'm meant to use it. Between that knowledge and the boxing lessons he's been giving me, knowledge is turning into muscle memory, which will make it easier to keep and use it."

"Well, it's proving effective. That makes eight vamps tonight. And you said summer was slow."

"It is slow. Now that school's started back up, the numbers will increase."

"Damn. Four or five a night was a good night back in Beantown. Let's call it a night, I've got a test tomorrow."

"Yeah and I've got homework."

Buffy watched as the two walked away. The girl was a Slayer, Kendra's replacement. They didn't need her, maybe she should just go. But she missed her mom, so she decided to stick around and headed to Revello. She knocked on the door and her mother opened it.

"Buffy?"

"Hi, mom."

"Buffy." And Joyce held her, it felt good. They didn't talk, Joyce could see that Buffy was exhausted and thin, she'd lost weight. She just let her go upstairs to bed and followed her up and went to bed herself, hoping it wasn't a dream and Buffy would still be here in the morning.

She was. Joyce made them breakfast and waited for an explanation, but Buffy didn't offer one.

"So what's been going on?" Buffy asked, hoping to find out who that girl was.

"Alot, actually. Now that I know about this, Mr. Giles has been teaching me a few things. There's a new Slayer in town. Xander asked Mr. Giles to request that she be sent here, since no one had any idea if you'd ever come back."

Buffy furrowed her brow in confusion, why did her mom sound angry?

"Both Xander and Cordelia found out some family secrets this summer, but since they're their secrets, I'll let them tell you about them. Willow won't be doing Magic anymore."

"Why not? She saved Angel, it's not her fault it happened after the portal had been activated."

"Because she didn't save Angel, Buffy. She accidentally pulled energy from that Hellmouth thing, which damaged her and she tore his soul from its new incarceration."

"What do you mean? What incarceration?"

"The soul had moved on Buffy. It was part of a new life. One that died because of that curse."

"No, Angel wouldn't do that." Buffy protested.

"Do what, Buffy?"

"Leave me. He loved me, he wouldn't leave me."

"From what Mr. Giles says, he only had two choices, Heaven or reincarnation. There was no other choice."

"You're saying, Angel wasn't here anymore. That it was just Angelus."

"Yes and now the soul is suffering in a demon dimension."

"He was gone? All this time, he was gone?"

"Yes. I will never understand how you could get involved with that creature. Not to mention that you committed a crime and so did he."

Buffy stared at her mother, even more confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Soul or no soul, he was a dead body, which means you committed necrophilia by having sex with him. That's a crime, every where. And he committed statutory rape, by having sex with a minor. If he were human, I'd have him in prison."

"You can't be serious!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Yes, I am. You hid this relationship because on some level, you had to know it was wrong. I'm certain he did."

"He loved me! I love him! We were happy!"

"Doesn't change the facts, Buffy. And people suffered and died for your choices. You have to live with that."

Buffy honestly had no idea what to say.

"Are you going to explain yourself?"

"Explain what?" Buffy asked, still not understanding why her mom sounded angry.

"Why you ran away. Why you didn't bother to let me know you were alive."

"You told me to go. You found out the truth and you couldn't handle it. You told me to go!"

"You didn't give me a chance, Buffy. I reacted badly, yes. But I'd just found out that you'd been lying to me for two and half years. I'd just found out things I thought were myth were actually real. I needed a minute to understand that. You didn't give me that. And it doesn't excuse you letting me think you were dead. Was it to punish me for not immediately going 'Yah, Buffy's a Slayer?!"

"No, I didn't think, I didn't realize."

"You didn't think. That doesn't surprise me. You never could see anything except yourself and how it affects you. It would really be nice Buffy, if you could think about other people and how your choices affect them. Think about that. I missed you, Buffy. So did your friends, but you put us through Hell and we didn't deserve it."

"I didn't deserve it either! I never asked to be a Slayer. I never asked for the guy I fell in love with to turn into a monster."

"He wasn't a guy, Buffy. He was a monster. Soul or no soul, he was still a vampire and vampires are monsters."

"No, he was different."

"The soul set him apart, yes. But that didn't change the vampire part."

"It should."

"No, it can't. Just because you want it to, doesn't make it true. You have alot to make up for Buffy. I would start with apologizing to everyone for your thoughtlessness. I'm sure they'll forgive you, they are your friends."

"Apologize?"

"Or aren't you sorry for letting us think you were dead?"

"I didn't know you thought that."

"I don't see how you couldn't, Buffy. But, as I said, you tend not to think about how your behavior and choices affect others. It's time you did. Especially, if you want to keep your friends."