"So how was school today?" Xander's mother asked when he got home.

"Besides the horror of Cordy trying to sing for the talent show, a demon cut a girls heart out, then a guys brain out. And nearly Giles' as well. And a wooden puppet turned out to have the soul of a demon hunter trapped in it. He was hunting the demon that killed our classmates. It was part of a group called the Brotherhood of Seven and they're the ones that cursed him into the puppet. We helped him get the demon and he was set free."

"Good, it was nice of you to help him. And Cordelia still can't sing?"

"No, but she still thinks she can."

"Go do your homework, dear. Supper will be ready before long."

"What are we having?"

"Spaghetti and calliflower hearts."

"That's a bad joke, Mom."

"I know. You get your sense of humor from me."

The next meeting of the group happened after a day in which many nightmares literally seemed to come true.

"What caused the nightmares?" Charles asked.

"A kid who'd been beaten into a coma by his little league coach and was trapped in a nightmare. The Hellmouth manifested it, which sparked everyone else's." Xander told them, looking really sad and upset. "The kid is twelve. We figured it out and Buffy got the kid to face his nightmare, which stopped the whole thing."

"Thank gods, if it had gone on for much longer." Tony said, but couldn't finish.

"I know." Xander said. "My nightmares included that clown from my sixth birthday, I punched it out. Cordy's involved being mousy and unpopular, Willow had to sing on stage and Buffy turned into a vampire, herself, for awhile and the Master was roaming free."

"I don't know if it was mine or all of ours, but I saw the Mayor ruling Sunnydale and feeding people to demons openly." Charles said. "In other words, that we failed to stop him."

"We've had our fair share of problems over the years, but is it my imagination or are things getting worse and more things happening?" Madelyn asked.

"It's not your imagination, I've been seeing it too. The Hellmouth is more active then ever. Maybe it's tied to whatever the Mayor is planning. Maybe it's building up to something that he can use." Jessica said.

"That's a terrifying thought." Joshua said. "It's always been bad, but if it gets worse, it's just going to attract more attention, more demons. Some of which are going to want to open it."

"Yet another nightmare to deal with. Hopefully, once we stop him, the Hellmouth will quiet down again." Mary said.

"It's worth hoping for." Coral agreed. "Let's call it a day, we're not going to get anything accomplished feeling the way we are right now. I'm going to take Aura home and the two of us are going to talk out our nightmares and try to put them to rest. I suggest the rest of you do the same."

"It is a good idea." Jessica agreed. With murmured agreements from everyone else, the meeting broke up and everyone headed to their homes.

"The Hellmouth made a girl go invisible and crazy." Xander announced at the next meeting. He and Cordelia were clinging to each other on the couch. "She attacked Harmony, Cordelia's favorite teacher and Cordelia and Buffy. She had decided Cordelia was the reason she'd gone invisible and wanted to cut her face up. Two men in black types took her away. They knew she was here and had been watching. Buffy commented that it must have happened before and they refused to confirm or deny."

"That's disturbing." Charles said. "It suggests the government or least some in the government, know what's going around here."

"Know and apparently aren't doing anything about it." Madelyn said.

"I've got contacts in the government and FBI. I'll make some inquires. Calvin Sheppard used to go to Sunnydale High with us and works for the FBI. He knows what goes on around here. He can check and keep it under the radar. Jessica, I had a thought. You said the Hellmouth might be tied to what the Mayor may be planning. Could you research a way to possibly close it permanently? Without it, he can't do anything, right? We could have that as a secondary plan or something that could preempt him."

"It might be possible. I'll see what I can find. Logically, if it can be opened, it can be closed."

"Cordelia, are you alright?" Her mother asked, concerned.

"My face is numb. She injected me with something, but the feeling is starting to come back. It's kinda tingly like you get after the dentist does something."

"Xander, are you alright?" His mother asked, also concerned.

"Willow, Giles and I were trapped in the boiler room by the girl. She turned the gas on. That vampire, Angel, saved us. Have any of you ever heard of the Pergamum Codex? Apparently, it's a book of prophecy. Prophecies specific to the Slayer. Angel says he knows where it is and Giles has asked him to get it. Giles didn't asked any questions. Like how does Angel know where it is? It seems awfully convenient."

"I've never heard of it, but I can research it." Joshua said.

"Do that." Charles said. "I agree, we need to know more about it. And not questioning the vampire is worrisome. It just adds another brick to the theory that they've been whammied. Why isn't he more concerned by a vampire getting cozy with his Slayer?"

"Because Buffy thinks they love each other and apparently that's all Giles needs to let down his guard." Xander answered.

"That's dangerous." Jessica said. "The Watcher should realize that. The point of the curse is suffering. If the vampire's not suffering, and being happily in love, isn't suffering, then he risks the curse breaking and a monster being loosed."

"I just hope we don't regret not dusting him ourselves." Tony said. "Whammy or no whammy."

A fear they were all wrestling with.