"Ms. Calendar is part of the gypsy tribe that cursed Angelus." Xander announced at the next meeting. "She was here on assignment, to watch him and report any changes to her people."
"Dang, wish we'd known that sooner, we could have ask her alot of questions." Jessica said
"She doesn't know much about the curse actually. She was never given any details. And Buffy conveniently managed to forget that I suggested researching the curse. She's blaming Ms. Calendar for not warning them about it."
Charles rubbed his face. "It's beyond coincidence at this point. Both she and the Watcher just don't seem to see what's right front of them. All the warning signs about Angel. The lack of research and follow thru. Someone has been playing with their memories. That's the only thing that makes any sense."
"I agree." Jessica said. "But again, without doing an evaluation on them, we have no proof. The most likely candidate is Angel, but with Angelus loose, we can't sit by and do nothing, even if the whammy does survive him being dusted."
"Buffy demanded that the curse be redone. She didn't ask any specifics about it, but Ms. Calendar told her, it's been long lost to her tribe and she doesn't think she has the power to do it anyway."
"No one should be doing that curse. It's insane." Mary said.
"Someone from her tribe is coming to Sunnydale to explain a few things in regards to it. I'll let you what they tell us." Xander said.
"Do that." Charles said. After Xander left he looked at the other adults. "This is going to get worse before it gets better. And our kids are caught in the middle. I'm kicking myself for ever bringing them in on this."
"Ignorance isn't bliss in this town, Charles." Tony said. "They may be caught in the middle of it, but at least with knowledge, they have a fighting chance."
"True." Said Madelyn. "But Charles is also right, that it's also going to get worse before it gets better."
It did.
"Ms. Calendar is dead." Xander reported the next day. He had dark circles forming under his reddened eyes. "Giles found her in his bed, surrounded by rose petals with a broken neck. And a very life-like drawing. Angel can draw and it seems, so can Angelus."
Jessica held her son as he cried. Madelyn held Cordelia. Aura and Johnathan were in just as bad of shape. Ms. Calendar had been a popular and well liked teacher.
"Buffy stopped Giles from doing a revenge kick." Xander reported next. "And Ms. Calendar's uncle, the guy from the tribe, is also dead. Messily."
The next couple of weeks brought Buffy getting hospitalized with the flu and killing an invisible demon killing kids and Xander going undercover with the swim team to flush out who was killing off the team members. Only to end up in the hospital himself.
"What happened?" Jessica demanded to know.
"Coach was dosing the team through the steam. Everyone else mutated. I've only been exposed three times and they can flush it out. The docs say I'll be okay."
"He did look really hot in the speedo." Cordelia commented, trying to lighten the atmosphere in the room.
"Cordelia, dear." Jessica said sweetly. "I no more need that information then your father does. Both of us are still slightly in denial about the two of you growing up."
"Or doing grown up things?" Cordelia asked with a grin.
"Yes, stop before my head explodes." Her father begged. All though it did feel good to not feel the weight of the world for a moment, which, he was sure, was her intent.
And then Willow discovered that Ms. Calendar had recreated the curse.
"Willow is insisting she can do the curse. She's never floated a pencil and she thinks she can curse a soul." Xander told the astonished group. "I tried arguing against it. None of them are listening to me. Giles says, it was Jenny's last wish. Buffy's desperate to get Angel back. Willow wants to prove she can do it."
"She might be able to. The amount of power she'd need to pull would be enormous, though. It'll change her." Jessica said. "It could open her up to something out of her control. And the consequences of using black magic on a soul. What are they thinking?!"
"They're not thinking, that's the problem." Charles said. "We can't let that curse happen."
"We may not have a choice." Xander said. "Angelus has gotten his hands on a statue of a demon called Acathla. It can create a portal to a demon dimension, if he can get it open. Kendra's in town. She brought a special sword with. The last time Acathla was active, a Slayer and a holy Knight put it down. The Knight blessed two swords. One's currently in Acathla and Kendra has the other. Willow's going to try the curse tonight. If she succeeds Angelus won't be able to activate it."
"But if she fails, Buffy has to deal with Angelus and keeping him from activating it." Charles said. "If it comes down to the world or Buffy getting Angel back, the world has to come first."
"Agreed."