Xander placed a call to the group using the hospital payphone.
"Our problems have increased. Before Willow could even get going on casting the curse, Drusilla and a pack of minions showed up. Kendra's dead, Giles has been kidnapped, Willow was in a coma for a little while and I have a broken arm. Buffy wasn't there because Angelus sent her an invite to a one on one and she took him up on it. She says Spike came to her and offered her a deal. He doesn't like what Angelus is doing and wants to get him and Drusilla out of town. She's heading to Angelus' lair now. And Willow came out of the coma still insisting on doing the curse."
"If she just came out of a coma, pulling that kind of power could kill her outright." Jessica said grimly over the speakerphone. "It's insane! What is she thinking?"
"That'll it help Buffy." Xander said.
"There's no help in this." Tony said. "Angelus is probably having trouble activating the portal. The Watcher being kidnapped right now is very suspicious. Angelus may suspect, he knows how to activate it. He'll torture him to get the information, partly because he enjoys it. The Slayer should be concentrating on saving him."
"Xander, follow her. Save the Watcher if you can. Do not let her know Willow is trying the curse again. If she has any hope of getting Angel back she might hesitate. We're down to the wire here and the whole world is at stake." Charles ordered.
"I understand. I'll do what I have to. Cordelia's going to keep an eye on Willow. If the world's still here, I'll see you all later."
"So, the world didn't end." Xander said later. "Buffy must have dusted Angelus. She's run away. Apparently Spike revealed the existence of vampires and Buffy being a Slayer to her mother. Joyce freaked, who could blame her? Also, Buffy found Kendra's body and the cops are considering her a suspect. Snyder's expelled her."
"Willow succeeded in doing the curse." Cordelia said. "Or something did. She went black eyed and started speaking in a language I've never heard before. She finished and fell back into the coma. This time, the doctors aren't sure she's going to wake up. there's very little brain activity."
"I'm on the hospital board." Charles said. "I've kept that hospital state of the art. Best doctors and trauma surgeons. I'll get the best neurologist to come evaluate her. If she can be helped, we'll find a way. As for Buffy, I can hire private detectives, see if they can find her. I have no doubt the Watchers will be trying to find her as well."
"How's the Watcher doing?" Madelyn asked.
"He was tortured. Broken fingers. Some burns. Angelus was just getting warmed up." Xander answered.
"Now what?" Joshua asked.
"We still have a year. This summer will be busy for us. While we adults are taking pieces out of Wilkins armor, I want you kids patrolling. Xander, use your military knowledge. Be a visible presence."
"A distraction, like Buffy." Cordelia said, understanding what her father was asking.
"Yes. I'm sorry. But you're already known demon hunters in this town. It'll make sense that you'll want to carry on. And it'll buy us time."
"No worries, we'll do our part." Xander said, turning over ideas on how to do it in his head.
"Kendra's death may have called a new Slayer." James said. "What if we try to find her as well?"
"That's a good idea." Margaret said. "Especially if the private detectives or the Watchers can't find Buffy."
"I'll begin trying to track her." Jessica offered. "It's not easy. Finding Buffy was hard. The Watchers have developed a detection spell that lets them find Slayers, but our contact in the Council doesn't know it and can't get access to it. It took me nearly a year to find Buffy. But I can try."
"Do it. James is right, we may need her."
Everyone scattered to follow their instructions. The summer passed quickly with no sign of Buffy or the newly called Slayer. The group's contact in the Council tried to find out her location as well, but the Council was holding tight to it. Only a few were aware. Apparently, their difficulty in controlling Buffy made them afraid they'd have trouble controlling the new one as well. The neurologist Charles brought in was able to help Willow and she came out of the coma. The new school year started with no sign of Buffy, until more then a month into the year and then she showed up.
"Buffy's back." Xander announced. "Just showed up. She wasn't very far actually. She was in L.A."
"I had private detectives combing the city! How did they miss her?" Charles asked. "It's her hometown, it's the most likely place she'd go."
"She was hiding in a neighborhood she'd never been to. Working as a waitress and living in a flophouse. It made it harder on her to survive, but I guess everyone thought she'd go to familiar places." Xander answered.
"They did, yes. And you said the Watcher was checking for someone fighting demons, but just ran into dead ends himself."
"She ran away from everything." Jessica said. "From being a Slayer to who she used to be. That's a very extreme reaction. I wonder why?"
"She's never like being the Slayer." Xander said. "Or how it disrupted her life. Maybe she just didn't want the reminders."
"Makes sense." Mary said, thoughtfully. "How's she adjusting to being back?"
"She nearly ran away again. Her mother's and our welcome wasn't as warm as she thought it should be. She and Joyce had another fight. When I pointed out how her running away had hurt Joyce, Buffy made fun of me. She's gotten harder and more self involved while she was away. And now she seems to have accepted being the Slayer, instead of fighting it."
"Keep your eye on her. Being out of the environment of Sunnydale and away from the influence of whatever has been affecting her memory may have had a boomerang affect and caused damage." Jessica said. "Magic is so very dangerous, who knows what that damage might be."