Chapter 7: Witch
March 31, 1997 - Monday
Gateway High School
In Gateway High's library, Giles was beside himself. "This is madness!"
"You don't like the color?" Buffy asked as she looked down at her old Hemery High cheerleading uniform.
"I what? I don't... " His tone went to exasperated as he put some books on the cart. "Buffy, do you ignore everything I say as a, as a rule?"
"No, I believe that's your trick," Buffy explained. She had told Prue, Piper and Phoebe about going out for cheerleading and they had been happy that she wanted to find something normal outside of both slaying and her Charmed responsibilities. As he pushed the cart into the book cage, she skipped in front of him and posed. "I told you, I'm trying out for the cheerleading squad!"
"You have a sacred birthright, Buffy," Giles said as he went back to the table. "You were chosen to destroy vampires, not to... wave pompoms at people. And as the Watcher I forbid it."
"And you'll be stopping me how?" Buffy asked with a roll of her eyes.
"Well, I..." He sat on the edge of the table and crossed his arms. "By appealing to your common sense, if such a creature exists."
"I will still have time to fight the forces of evil, okay? I just wanna have a life, I wanna do something normal. Something safe. Something that doesn't involve vampires or warlocks."
He knew it was a losing battle as he sent Buffy on his way. He turned his attention to the two women who had come in with Buffy, her cousins, Piper and Phoebe.
"We understand that she like us may never get away from this life," said Piper. "But one thing we have strived for since becoming witches is to try and have as normal a life as we can. So I say let her have this. She's a sophomore. A teenager. She needs to be allowed some feeling of normalcy, or she won't be too willing to carry out her duty as a witch or as a Slayer."
Giles sighed. "I suppose you're right."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the gym, cheerleader tryouts were about to start. Girls were stretching and practicing, doing back handsprings, cartwheels and walking handstands. One girl did a roundoff followed by a back handspring. Buffy, Willow, Xander, Piper and Phoebe came through the door.
"Giles didn't approve, huh?" Willow asked.
"He totally lost his water. We haven't seen a vampire in over a week. I'd say he should get a girlfriend... if he wasn't so old."
"Buffy," Piper scolded.
"Sorry, Piper," Buffy apologized.
"Well, we're behind you," Willow supported.
"So are Piper, Prue and I," agreed Phoebe. "Even though I've always thought Cheerleading was kind of dumb. It's something normal outside of our destiny."
"Yeah Phoebe was a bit of a rebel when she was in high school. You should have seen the gang she hung out with," Piper said. "Anyways I talked with Rupert after you left the room, Buffy. I told him you need some normalcy just like Prue, Phoebe and I do. Though I may have pleaded to his sensibilities a little by saying that not having something normal could make it so you don't want to be a witch or a Slayer."
"People scoff at things like school spirit, but look at these girls giving their all like this!" Xander was enjoying the view. He noticed Amber doing the splits between two chairs. "Ooo, stretchy! Where was I?"
"Teenage boy," Phoebe said as she glanced at her sister who nodded in agreement.
"You were pretending that seeing scantily clad girls in revealing postures was a spiritual experience," Willow answered pointedly.
"Who said I was pretending?" Xander said before turning to Buffy. "Oh, hey! Here's a good luck thing for tryouts." He handed her a bracelet.
"What's this?" Buffy asked.
"What's that?" Willow echoed.
"Oh, how sweet!" Buffy read the inscription she'd just seen out loud, "'Yours Always.'"
"I-i-it came that way, really, they all said that!" Xander stammered, embarrassed. He wasn't about to let Buffy know that he was totally crushing on her. Not yet.
Willow let out a breath.
Cordelia approached them. "Just look at that Amber. Who does she think she is, a Laker Girl?" she saw watching Amber stand on one leg and hold the other straight up in the air.
"I heard she turned them down," Willow lied, not actually having heard that.
Joy, the cheerleading squad captain, stepped up with her clipboard and called for everyone's attention. "Okay, listen up! Let's begin with—" She checked her clipboard. "Amber Grove. If you're not auditioning, move off the floor."
"Amy! Hi!" Willow greeted an old friend, Amy Madison, walked toward her.
"Hi!" Amy returned the greeting.
"I didn't know you wanted to be a cheerleader!" Willow said as she glanced at Amy. "You lost a lot of weight."
"Had to," Amy admitted.
"Do you know Buffy?" Willow asked as she turned to face Buffy.
"Hi," Amy greeted.
"Hi," Buffy replied.
"Oh, how I hate this, let me count the ways," Amy said referring to the waiting that came with the process of auditioning. Buffy smiled, warming to her honesty.
Amber began her routine. It was very athletic. She started off with a needle-split lift followed by a double spin and a jumping double spin. After landing, Amber launched herself into an aerial and a cartwheel. Jazz slides were then followed by a single spin. Everyone in the gym was intent on watching her.
"She trained with Benson. He's one of the best coaches money can buy," Amy told Buffy.
Buffy blinked, there were cheerleading coaches. She never had one back in Hemery. The only coach she had ever had was when she was ice-skating. "They have cheerleading coaches?" she asked.
"Oh yeah. You don't have...?" Amy asked.
"No," Buffy admitted. She then turned and looked directly at her cousins. "Do you think Prue would pay for me to have a coach?"
"Not very likely," said Piper. "That kind of thing can be rather expensive."
"I know," admitted Buffy. "I used to ice-skate when I was little. Mom and dad paid for a coach back then. I of course didn't know how much money they spent but from some of the fights I knew it had to be expensive."
"There are ways to save on the expenses," Amy told Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. "I train with my mom, three hours in the morning, three at night."
"I envy you there," Buffy said as she looked at her cousins, they could see the crestfallen look on her face.
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other knowing instantly that Amy mentioning her mother that Buffy was now feeling down as a result because Buffy would never Joyce in her life ever again. They moved to Buffy and wrapped an arm around her, holding Buffy tightly between them. "That's why we're here for you, Buffy," Piper whispered to her cousin.
"I know it's kinda hokey... but she's really great." Amy continued oblivious to what was happening next to her. She was intent on watching Amber.
Piper and Phoebe took a step back when they saw Buffy's attention return to Amber.
Cordelia turned her back to Amber with a look of contempt on her face. "Hmm!"
Buffy and Xander watched Amber in amazement. Amy and Willow were impressed, too. Amber's hands began to smoke.
"What the?" Buffy wondered. That couldn't be good.
"That girl's on fire!" Willow cried out.
Cordelia, who was facing away, therefore not seeing the smoke, replied, "Enough of the hyperbole!"
Amber's hands caught fire. She dropped her pompoms and screamed. Amber flailed her hands in the air as Buffy jumped up onto the bleachers and pulled down a banner. She ran back to Amber, knocking her down and snuffed out the flames with the banner. Everyone stared in shock.
Buffy tried comforting Amber, "It's okay, it's okay, you're gonna be... okay." It was at that moment that she was thrown into a premonition.
It was dark, and there were flowers and herbs hanging upside down from the rafters to dry and personal items with identification tags. There was also a woman, who moved around in the darkness. She stopped at a cauldron. She waved a pendant on a chain over the brew, then pulled it back. She went over to a rack and yanked off a doll hanging there by its neck on a wire.
Piper and Phoebe looked at each other instantly recognizing the sign of a premonition.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
After hearing what Buffy had seen, Piper and Phoebe returned to the Manor to look in both of the books.
In the library Buffy paced while Willow and Xander sat at the study table.
"I've been slaying vampires for more than a year now," said Buffy. "I've also been fighting warlocks, and helping ghosts since becoming Charmed. I have seen some pretty cringeworthy things. But the only person I ever saw with a fire power was myself, and even then my hands have never gotten toasted before."
She looked toward Giles. She was hesitant to mention her premonition since she wasn't sure what it was actually saying. Was the woman she had seen actually a witch or something else? And if it was a witch, could it have been Amber casting a spell that had personal gain consequences? Still she knew more about what she had seen, she didn't want say too much in case she had misread her premonition.
"Buffy?" Giles said noticing her hesitation.
"So what could have caused this?" Buffy said.
"Spontaneous human combustion is, is rare, and, and scientifically unexplainable, but there have been cases for hundreds of years," he said. "Usually all that's left is a pile of ashes."
"That's all that would have been left if it hadn't been for Buffy," Willow stated.
"So, we have no idea what caused this. That's a comfort," Xander retorted.
"Well, that is the thrill of living on a hellmouth," Giles admitted. "One has a veritable cornucopia of fiends, devils and ghouls to engage." Everyone looked at him as though he had grown a second head. "Pardon me for finding the glass half full," he said as he moved to sit on the edge of the table.
"Piper and Phoebe went back to the manor to look in the books. See if they could find anything," Buffy said. It was the truth, even though they were looking into more than just Amber potentially setting fire to herself. "So let's focus for now on the spontaneous combustion angle, is there any common denominator in such cases?"
It took strength for Giles to bring his eyes to look at Buffy. "Uh, rage. In most cases the person who combusted was, was terribly angry or, or upset."
"So maybe Amber's got a power like Buffy? Except with hers she can make herself be on fire. It's like the human torch, only it hurts," Xander suggested.
"Which means I need to get the skinny on Amber," Buffy admitted. "I'm not sure, Xander. After all if she is like me, Prue, Piper or Phoebe, she is going to keep that hidden."
"Unless it's like when you came into your powers," said Willow. "Didn't you say that you four at first had trouble controlling them?"
Buffy thought about it and nodded, Willow was right. "Alright then I need to see if anyone else might have seen any other times she might have accidentally lost control. Assuming of course she is new to her powers," she said as she started to leave.
"That means hacking illegally into the school's computer system..." Willow said excitedly. "At last something I can do." She and Xander got up and went over to Buffy.
"I'll ask around about her," Xander offered.
"You guys don't have to get involved," Buffy pleaded. It was nice she had friends she could talk to. But they didn't have powers of their own in case they were attacked by something she herself had to fight.
"What d'ya mean?" Xander said as he smiled at Buffy. "We're a team! Aren't we a team?"
"Yeah!" Willow agreed enthusiastically. "You're the Charmed Slayer, and we're, like, the Charmed Slayerettes!"
"I just don't like putting you guys in danger," Buffy admitted.
"Oh, huh, I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away." Xander wasn't exactly helping his case.
"Okay, just walk softly, at least until we know a little more," said Buffy. She then looked at Giles. "What if Amber didn't cause this herself?"
"Well, then we have to determine who or what did, and, uh, deal with it accordingly," Giles stated. He was definitely getting butterflies, especially when the teens left.
Halliwell Manor
In the kitchen Buffy found Prue sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee and looking at picture of artifacts for a tribal arts auction that was coming up at Bucklands.
"Hey!" Buffy said as she smiled at her eldest cousin. "What you looking at?"
"Hi. Their pictures of artifacts for Bucklands next auction. I took the pictures so I could do some more research from home," Prue said as she looked up at Buffy. "So how was school?"
"Cool!" Buffy examined a picture. "We had tryouts today."
"How'd it go?" Prue asked.
"Piper and Phoebe didn't tell you?" Buffy asked.
"I was being polite," said Prue. "Yeah they told me. They also told me you had a premonition. Not much to go on there, sadly."
"Yeah," agreed Buffy. "I was hesitant even mentioning the premonition to Giles because of that, and in the end I didn't. But I was like could Amber be a witch and had personal gain consequence to a spell she herself had cast? Or was I seeing someone else who meant to do Amber harm. Though Xander and Willow brought up a third possibility. Amber might be a witch with a power similar to mine and is having trouble controlling it like we did at first."
"Any is possible," agreed Prue.
Buffy and Prue hurried to the attic to see if Piper or Phoebe had found anything.
"So did either of you find anything?" Prue asked her sisters.
"No," Piper said as she and Phoebe closed the books. "There is nothing in the book about a person suddenly catching on fire. Though Phoebe …"
"I know I shouldn't have thought it," Phoebe reluctantly admitted. "Especially when you had a premonition. But you didn't use your powers on her did you, accidentally?"
"How?" Buffy said. "My fire powers don't work like that and you know that. I can create a fireball and I telekinetic flame, but that's it. I mean maybe as my powers advance I could do that someday, but not now."
April 1, 1997 - Tuesday
Gateway High School
Tryouts resumed.
While pacing, Joy addressed the girls, "Despite the terrible thing that happened yesterday we still have to pick new cheerleaders. If you make the team you'll find your names posted in the quad after lunch. Let's begin with group performance." She looked down at her clipboard as she called out names, "Cordelia, Buffy, Amy, Morgan, Janice and Lishanne."
Amy spoke to Buffy before the group started, "Why do my hands have to sweat when I get nervous?"
"Don't worry. You'll do great," Buffy said as she looked around trying to spot anything out of the ordinary.
"Five, six, seven, eight!" Joy said as she amped up the volume.
Everyone chanted, "Gateway! Gateway! We never fail! We never fail! Jump and Shoot! Swish and score! The other team is such a bore! Yeah!"
"I don't understand why Buffy wants to join the cheerleading squad," she said as she looked at her sister. She and Piper had come back not only to help see if they could spot anything out of the ordinary but to watch Buffy try out again.
"Phoebe she enjoys it," Piper reminded her baby sister. "Remember, Buffy said before she received either of her powers. She used to be on the cheerleading squad at Hemery. She used to enjoy it." As she returned her attention to the tryouts she was just in time see Amy go cartwheeling into Cordelia.
Cordelia yelped as she fell and then quickly got up. "You saw that, right? That wasn't me! You saw that, right?" She looked at Amy and back again. "Right?"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
After tryouts Amy stood before a trophy display case admiring the trophies in the case with a longing look. Buffy, Piper and Phoebe came up next to her. Amy noticed them, smiled and pointed to a picture in the case. "That's my mom!"
"No!" Buffy said in disbelief. She read the inscription. "Catherine Madison. Get down with your bad self!"
"Her nickname was 'Catherine the Great'. She took that team and made them tri-county champions," Amy explained. "Y'know, no one's ever done that before, or since. She and my dad were Homecoming King and Queen. They got married right after graduation."
"That's kinda romantic," Buffy admitted, she could see that Piper agreed with her.
"Well, he was a big loser," Amy said. "Never made any money. Ran off with Miss Trailer Trash when I was twelve."
"Okay, that part's less romantic," Buffy said. "My folks split up, too, a few months before my mom passed away."
"Same with our parents," added Piper as she motioned between herself and Phoebe.
"Drag, huh? Uh, he left my mom with nothing. She put herself through cosmetology school." Amy smiled. "Bought me everything I ever wanted." She shook her head. "And never once gained a single pound."
Buffy walked around to face Amy. "Uh, she sounds really great, Amy, but, um... it doesn't mean that you need to lock step as far as this cheerleading thing." Seemed to her Amy was trying to hard to become her mother.
"She was the best!" Amy admitted. "And I can't get my body to move like hers! I choked in there so bad!"
"No, Amy, you did fine," Piper said trying to comfort the young woman.
Amy took on a dejected tone, "I'm gonna get changed."
"Wait! No..." Buffy called after Amy. But it was too late. Amy was already walking away.
Willow walked by. "Hey, Amy!" she said as she passed Amy. She walked over to Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. "Is she okay?"
"No," answered Piper. "She's worried about living up to her mother."
"Yeah, her mom's kinda..." Willow said in understanding. She remembered what Catherine Madison used to be like back when she and Amy used to hang out.
"...Nazi like?" Buffy suggested.
"Buffy," Piper scolded.
Buffy let out a sigh. "I know, Piper," she said apologetically.
"If she gains an ounce she padlocks the fridge and won't eat anything but broth," Willow explained. "There's a bitter streak. But Amy's nice. We used to hang in Junior High. When her mom would go on a broth kick, Amy'd come over to my house and we'd stuff ourselves with brownies!"
They started down the hall.
"Hey, any word on Amber?" Buffy asked.
"Nothing thrilling," Willow said as she pulled out a sheet of paper from her book bag. "Average student. Got detention once, for smoking. Regular smoking... with a cigarette, not, like, being smoky."
"So Amber may not be a witch," said Piper with a sigh. "Which means we're still at square one."
"So we just have to wait and we'll see what happens," Buffy said. "Maybe nothing will."
"We can only hope," said Piper. "Well I need to get to Quake, Buffy. Phoebe why don't you go fill Rupert in before heading back to the manor to go through the books one more time. Just in case we missed something yesterday."
"Okay," Phoebe agreed. "I'll see you at home Buffy."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the girl's locker room, showers dripped. Amy was alone at her locker. She heard a noise and turned to look. Nothing. The showers kept dripping. Amy closed her locker and started to go, but was surprised by Cordelia. "I have a dream. It's me on the cheerleading squad, adored by every varsity male as far as the eye can see! We have to achieve our dreams, Amy. Otherwise we... wither and die!"
"Look, I'm sorry about..."
Cordelia cut her off, "Shhh! If your supreme klutziness out there today takes me out of the running, you're gonna be so very beyond sorry!" She smiled. "Have a nice day." She turned to leave. She threw her scrunchie into an open locker and slammed the door as she rounded the corner, but it didn't stay shut.
Amy leaned against her locker, apparently shaken.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe strolled into the library.
"Hear anything?" Giles asked.
"We can rule Amber out as potentially being a witch," Phoebe said. "Willow looked into Amber and said she was a pretty average student. Nothing too interesting, nothing too suspicious. This could just me being paranoid. But I say, with the exception of Buffy, we keep an eye on all the other potential cheerleaders."
"You think it could be one of them, desperate to get on the team?" Giles asked.
"Possibly."
Giles nodded. "Should we focus more on those who don't get in?" he asked.
"I think if it is a witch, theu would be the likely suspects," admitted Phoebe. "I was never in the popular crowd in school. But I know that to get onto the cheerleading squad made the people on the squad instantly popular. That kind of pressure might cause people to do just about anything, even turn to witchcraft, just to get on the squad."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Willow and Xander were walking along the colonnade of the quad as they talked.
"I told Buffy, Piper and Phoebe about Amber," Willow told him.
"Cool! Was Buffy wearin' it? The bracelet, she was wearin' it, right? Pretty much like we're goin' out," he said.
"Except without the hugging or kissing or her knowing about it," Willow said shaking her head.
"So I'm just a figure of fun." He sighed. "I should ask her out, right?"
"You won't know till you ask," Willow told him.
"That's why you're so cool!" Xander told Willow. "You're like a guy! You're my guy friend that knows about girl stuff!"
"Oh, great. I'm a guy." That was far from what Willow wanted him to see her as.
"Oh, hey, they're posting the list!" He ran off to check the list of names for the cheerleading squad.
There was a crowd in front of the bulletin board. Buffy and Amy were at the back. A girl rushed away in tears because her name was not on the list.
"I can't take this," Amy said nervously.
Lishanne saw her name on the list. "Yes!"
Xander came up behind Buffy and Amy. "Cover me, I'm goin' in." He pushed his way through the crowd and looked at the list.
Cordelia came out of the crowd. "You're lucky!" she told Amy.
"I made it?" Amy asked hopefully.
"I made it!" Cordelia said as she glared at Amy. She turned and headed away from them.
Xander came back out of the crowd, getting hit on the way. "One of those girls hit me really hard! You should test for steroids. Okay, not only did you make the team, but you, Miss Haliwell, are the first alternate, and Amy's number three."
Amy looked at Buffy, badly disappointed, and hurried away.
"And what a better way to celebrate than with a romantic drive through..." Xander started as Willow interrupted him.
"Xander, alternates are the ones who didn't make the team. They only fill in if something happens to the ones who did."
"Excuse me." Buffy went after Amy to console her.
Xander was downtroden. "For I am Xander, King of Cretins. May all lesser cretins bow before me."
Buffy caught up with Amy. "At least it's over. And you know what I think we should do about it? Brownie pig-out, my house, after school."
"It's just how many more hours a day can I practice?" Amy asked Buffy. "How much more can I do? This would never happen to my mother. Never." She walked off.
April 2, 1997 - Wednesday
Halliwell Manor
In the kitchen the next morning, the toaster popped up, and Buffy pulled out a freshly toasted half of a bagel.
Piper walked in holding what looked like a high school yearbook. "Look what I found. I was sorting through some of Aunt Joyce's things that we had yet to unbox and found her old high school yearbook." She flipped through yearbook till she found the picture of Joyce, under which said Patience Halliwell. "Oh, look! There she is." She put the book down on the island and went to get a cup of coffee.
Buffy looked at the picture. "Piper, I've accepted that mom had sex. I am not ready to know that she had Farrah hair."
"I think they called it Gidget hair," admitted Piper.
"Did Phoebe find anything yesterday?" Buffy asked.
Piper sighed as she shook her head. "No," she said. "While I still believe it's possible this a witch or has something to do with a witch. Without knowing more we may never be able to do anything about it."
"I know," Buffy said with a sigh. "Well, I better get or I will miss school."
Gateway High School
Cordelia walked past Willow and Xander in a daze. "Cordelia, you haven't been mean to me all day. Is it something I've done?" It was as if Xander was talking to thin air. He directed his attention to Willow. "Okay, see how she has no clue that I'm even a mammal, much less a human being?"
Willow removed the pen from her mouth. "I see that."
"This is the invisible man syndrome. A blessing in Cordelia's case. A curse in Buffy's."
Willow closed her locker. "You're not invisible to Buffy." She chewed on her pen some more as they started to walk down the hall.
"It's worse! I'm just like a part of the scenery, like an old shoe," he admitted. "Or a rug that you walk on every day but don't even really see it."
Willow took the pen out of her mouth. "Like a pen that's all chewed up, and you know you should throw it away, but you don't, not 'cause you like it so much, more 'cause you're just used to..."
"Will, yeah, that is the point, you don't have to drive it through my head like a railroad spike," Xander replied. "I'm gonna take your advice and not beat around the bush."
"Or I could be wrong!" said Willow. "Maybe you should beat around the bush more."
"Nah, I gotta be a man and ask her out," he admitted. "Y'know, I gotta stop giving her ID bracelets, uh, subtle innuendoes, taking Polaroids outside of her bedroom window late at night, that last part is a joke to relieve the tension because here she comes."
Buffy came out of a classroom and walked toward them.
"Okay, into battle I go." Xander quickly turned to Willow. "Would you ask her out for me?" He grabbed her by the shoulders, startling her. Buffy saw Cordelia trying to work the combination on a locker.
Xander pulled himself together. "No. Man." He let go of Willow. "Me battle." To Buffy, "Buffy! Would you like to, uh..."
Buffy reached Willow and Xander. "Is that even Cordelia's locker?"
They saw Cordelia give up and continue down the hall.
"Huh?" he asked slightly confused. "Oh, I don't know. What I'm saying is accompany me Friday night..."
"Hang on, Xander," Buffy said. "I have to... we can pick this up later, you don't mind, do you?" She walked over to the locker and placed her hand on it, throwing her into an premonition.
Cordelia struggled with the shifting lever of the car she was driving.
"Let's move forward through the cones with a gentle even turn to the..." said Mr. Poole, the driving instructor.
The car took off backward, crashed into some signs and stopped. Cordelia got it in drive, and the car raced forward, burning rubber.
"Slow down. Slow, slow, turn right! Turn right!"
Cordelia lost control as the car raced along the course, knocking down cones and signs.
"Brakes! Brakes!"
The car crashed through a fence and bushes and careened out onto the street, where it came to a sudden halt. Another car just managed to swerve around them.
"Everybody out!"
They all got out. "Oh, my God, I, I can't see anything!" Cordelia wailed as she walked in front of an approaching van.
As Buffy came out of the premonition she turned and rushed after Cordelia.
Mr. Poole was waiting impatiently for Cordelia. "Nice of you to join us, Cordelia," he said as he saw her approach. "We didn't keep you waiting or anything, did we? It's your turn to drive." He addressed the other students, "Okay, people, let's buckle up."
Cordelia went around the front of the car. "I don't wanna drive today, Mr. Poole."
"You've flunked Driver's Ed. twice already. Show me some moves, or you'll be taking the bus to college." He got into the car. Cordelia got in last.
"Okay. Check the brake. Check the mirror. Start the engine," Mr. Pole ordered.
As Cordelia turned the key and the engine started, Buffy rushed to the car, knocking on the driver's side window. Cordelia reached to roll the window down, missing it the first time, as if she was having trouble seeing it. She rolled the window down.
"Cordelia," said Buffy. "Didn't you tell me your doctor said not to drive today, not till your eyes cleared?"
Mr. Poole looked at Cordelia. "Is that why you didn't want to drive today?" he asked. "Why didn't you say so? Your excused for today, Cordelia."
Cordelia got out of the car slowly as one of the other students took her place behind the wheel. Buffy led Cordelia back towards the school. "Thank you," Cordelia said. "Why can't I see?"
Buffy glanced at Cordelia and saw that the girl's eyes had completely glazed over, leaving Cordelia effectively blind.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the library, the team was sitting at the table. Giles had the answer. "Witchcraft. Blinding your enemy to disorient and disable them is, it's classic!"
"Not for me it's not," Buffy said as she glared at her Watcher.
"That is because you are a good witch," Giles told her. "Only a dark witch would resort to something like this. Now the question is why would anyone want to harm Cordelia?"
"Maybe because they met her?" Willow suggested. "Did I say that?" She was shocked that she'd been so bold.
"And setting Amber ablaze?" Giles asked, curiously.
"Yeah, those guys don't hang..." Xander informed.
"They're both cheerleaders," Buffy stated.
"Someone doesn't like cheerleading," Giles said as he remembered what Phoebe had suggested, that it could be someone desperate to get on the cheerleading squad.
"Or likes it too much..." Buffy suggested.
"Amy!" Willow cried out.
"Amy!" Buffy repeated in agreement.
"So, you guys are leaning towards Amy?" Xander.
"She's desperate to get on that team, and I've got this feeling she'd do just about anything to make her mom's dream come true," Buffy explained.
"Uh, let me make sure I have this right. This witch is casting horrible and disfiguring spells so that she can become a cheerleader?" Giles asked.
"I know how tough it can be to get on the squad," said Buffy. "I wouldn't put it past anyone to turn to witchcraft just to get on the squad. Also," she looked directly at Giles, "I think you're underestimating the amount of pressure a parent can lay on you, Giles. If you're not a picture perfect carbon copy they tend to wig. Shoot Prue is kind of that way."
"Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah," Willow added.
"Look, we still have to stop Amy." Xander stated. "We should grab her and..."
Giles cut him off, "I think we should be sure she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions," he said as he flipped through a book. She's capable of some fairly unpleasant things."
"Okay, alright." Buffy got up. "So, you're in high school, you are desperate to make the team and please your mom, so you turn to witchcraft. What's the first thing you're gonna do?"
"Check out the books on witchcraft!" Willow voiced her epiphany. She and Buffy went over to the computer to access the online library card catalog.
"Uh, no! No, that would be the last thing you would do!" Xander said afraid they would find out he had checked some of those books out. "You don't wanna leave a paper trail. Forget that!"
"It'll just take a minute." Willow told Xander.
Xander got up and stood behind them. "We don't have a minute! Cheerleaders are in danger. Buffy's in danger." He turned his attention to Buffy. "You were the first alternate, you are on the team now that Cordelia's out. You could be next. We gotta get you to a safe house."
"First off I'm a witch with an active power. Second we don't even know if I would be the next to be targeted," Buffy said as she glared at friend. "If it is Amy, she could target any of the others to get on the squad."
"Xander..." Willow said drawing his attention to her.
"Yeah," he said.
Willow exhaled as she read the monitor, "'Witches: Historic Roots to Modern Practice.' Checked out by Alexander Harris."
Buffy smiled as she too read the monitor, "The Pagan Rites, checked out by Alexander…"
"Alright, alright, it's not what you think," Xander said trying to think up a good excuse. Then he smiled, he could blame it on Buffy being a witch. "I just wanted to learn more about …"
"You like to look at the semi-nude engravings?" Willow interrupted.
"I was going to say to learn more about the witch side of Buffy," Xander said with a sigh. "But yeah you're right."
"Have you all quite finished? We have to find a conclusive test. There may be something in here..." Giles paged through one of his many books. "Yes, this should do it. The dunking stool. We throw her in the pond. If she floats, she's a witch; if she drowns, she's innocent."
"Please," Buffy said with a roll of her eyes. "I may not have been a witch for long but even I know that one doesn't actually work."
"Some of my texts are a bit outdated," Giles admitted sheepishly.
"You think?" Buffy said sarcastically.
Giles picked up another book and flipped through it. "This should work. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver and aqua fortis."
"We may have some of that at home," Buffy said trying to remember if she, Prue, Piper and Phoebe had those ingredients at home, sadly she couldn't remember for sure. Their stock of ingredients for potions was still a little lacking.
"We can get them in the science lab," Willow told her friend. "It's just mercury and nitric acid."
"'Heat ingredients and apply to witch, and if a spell has been cast it will turn the witch's skin blue," Giles said as he continued to read.
"Any information on how long?" Buffy asked. "I would hate to accidentally spill it and be outed as a witch. It's kind of the first rule Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I agreed on after you all found out. Don't get me wrong I am happy to have someone to talk to about it outside of my family."
Giles knew exactly what Buffy was saying, it was the same reason in part that the Slayer was supposed to be a secret. "I understand, completely," he said as he glanced back down at the book. "It says 48 hours." He shut the book. "Oh, and you'll need some Eye of Newt."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In science class, Dr. Gregory held a frog up for the class to see. "Those of you in track one may begin your dissections... now." He indicated where the students should cut their frogs.
Meanwhile, Xander was trying to take his frog's eye out with tweezers.
Dr. Gregory carried on, "Those of you in track two, take your hydrochloric acid and your ammonium hydroxide and carefully pour them into your beakers." He began to pour.
Xander was still struggling with the frog's eye.
"Now slow, slow..."
"I can't." Xander gave up.
Willow grabbed the frog and took out its eye.
"...capping one, I'm being safe. And you get..."
Willow dropped the eye into a beaker. "Eye of Newt!"
The ingredients in Dr. Gregory's beaker reacted and began to bubble and smoke. "...that."
"Wow, you've got a killer streak I've never seen before. Hope I never cross you," Xander said.
"I do too, then I'd have to carve you up in neat little pieces," Willow agreed as she smiled at him.
Xander turned and looked Buffy. "How's Buffy doing with the hair?" he asked as Willow followed his gaze.
Lishanne was at another lab table, close to Buffy. "Isn't this exciting!" she said to her.
"Oh, yeah!" Buffy agreed before turning to Amy. "Amy, help me. Um, which is the hydrochloric acid and which is the, uh, ammonium hydroxide?"
"Well, the bottle that says 'hydrochloric acid' is usually the hydrochloric acid," Amy replied.
"Read the bottles. Good concept!" Buffy laughed nervously and dropped her pen. "Oops." She crouched down to pick up the pen. She reached into Amy's bag and pulled some hair off of her brush. She got up and tried to pretend nothing happened. She glanced at Amy to gauge her reaction.
Amy smiled weakly, she had noticed what Buffy had done. She wondered if Buffy was a witch like herself. For only another witch would have reason to need her hair.
Buffy waved her pen and smiled. She headed back to her lab table with an expression of relief at having avoided a close call. She put the hair on Willow's bench as she walked by. Willow picked up the hair and mixed it into the potion.
Amy looked back at them to see what exactly what they were doing.
"Smile and wave to the nice witch," Xander gritted through his teeth as he and Willow waved at Amy nervously.
Willow took the beaker and poured the potion into a test-tube. "All set." She handed the tube to Buffy. "Do you have a plan?"
"Spill it on her," Buffy said. "Try 'n' make it look natural."
"We're right behind you, only... further back." It was Xander's way of being supportive.
Buffy slowly made her way over to Amy.
Dr. Gregory spoke openly, "Lishanne, can you tell me why these chemicals have this reaction?"
Buffy poured the potion onto Amy's arm, as she feigned that it was accident. She saw the potion turn blue upon contact.
"Lishanne?" Dr. Gregory repeated.
Amy apparently hadn't noticed the spill. She was looking over at Lishanne.
"Are you... Oh, my God!" Dr. Gregory freaked.
Buffy looked over at Lishanne now, too, and saw her shaking her head violently. Everyone saw that she no longer had a mouth. Buffy stared in amazement, like when Cordelia was blinded, she didn't know witchcraft could actually do that. She looked back at Amy, who looked amazed, too. Willow and Xander were also stunned.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the hall, Buffy, Willow and Xander were discussing the result of potion.
"Did you see?" Xander asked. "Amy was as freaked out as the rest of us."
"So it's not her?" Willow asked.
"The test was positive! She's the witch. I just don't think she realizes what she's doing." Buffy was firm.
"Well, should we talk to her?" Willow asked.
"Maybe we should talk to her mother," Buffy suggested instead. "I wonder if she knows what she's created."
Madison Residence
Amy walked through the front gate with determination. The gate had a gargoyle face on it. She entered the house and looked around for her mother. "Where are you?"
Catherine Madison, Amy's mother, quickly turned off the TV and got up.
"Another productive day in front of the TV?" Amy asked as she spotted her mother. Catherine just looked back. "I got a history report due tomorrow." She dropped her bag. "Write it!"
Catherine could only keep looking and sighed.
"I should be on that team by now," Amy said as she thought about the science class. "But instead that witch and her are sneaking around stealing bits of my hair. Only reason they would need that would be for a potion." She opened her hand, and out dropped Buffy's bracelet. "I'll be upstairs."
Catherine watched her go.
April 3, 1997 – Thursday
Halliwell Manor
In Buffy's room the next morning, she still slept. That is until the alarm clock went off. She slapped it with her hand hard enough that it smashed under her strength. "Oh! Oops! Oh... " she giggled as she sat up. "Mm..."
In the kitchen, Piper was making fresh-squeezed orange juice. Buffy came dancing in singing and wearing her cheerleader outfit. "Macho, macho, man! I want to be a macho man. Macho... Oh, hey, juice!" She grabbed a glass of fresh OJ and drank it. "Mm... Quality juice. Not from concentrate!"
Piper glanced at her. "You're in a good mood," she observed.
"I am!" Buffy said excitedly. "I'm on the squad, which is great, 'cause I feel like cheering and leading others to cheer. Ooo, hey, juice!" She took a second glass and drank again.
Piper watched Buffy with a worried expression. Something was wrong. "Did anything happen yesterday?" she asked.
"Yeah Cordelia lost her eyesight," Buffy said happily. "And it's looking like we may have a witch casting spells to get herself on the cheerleading squad."
"I'm coming to school with you," Piper said as she walked over to where the keys hung, her hand was poised to grab them when Buffy spoke up.
"I'm ok Piper, really."
Piper glanced at back at Buffy, she wasn't sure in the least that Buffy okay. "Okay, but if you decide to confront this witch you give me, Prue and Phoebe a call so we can be there to back you up with the power of three."
"Will do, Peeper," Buffy said excitedly.
Piper frowned as she looked at her cousin. Since when did Buffy have a nickname for her. She understood why Buffy sometimes called Phoebe, Pheebs, because she and Prue did it and Buffy had caught on to the nickname. But herself and Prue, Buffy had never said anything but their names. "Buffy, are you feeling well?" she asked.
"What? Oh, I'm, I'm fine, y'know? What, like, I can't be in a good mood? Is it, like, a new house rule? Fine, y'know? It's just fine, fine, fine, 'cause..." Buffy broke out in song. "I'm a macho, macho man! I want to be a macho man!" She bobbed her head. "Macho, macho man!" She left the kitchen. "I want to be a macho man!"
Piper followed Buffy to the front door and watched cousin leave, a worried expression on her face. "Prue! Phoebe!" she called out as she turned toward the stairs to head for the attic.
Gateway High School
In the gym during cheerleading practice, Buffy was positioned next to Joy in the lineup.
Joy chanted loudly, "Five, six, seven, eight!"
Buffy, Joy and the rest of cheerleaders began practicing the routine.
"Turn up the music!" Buffy said enthusiastically. As the routine continued until she accidentally stomped on Joy's foot.
"Ow!" Joy yelled. "We have a game in less than four hours!"
Buffy started jumping with glee as she spotted Willow and Xander walking into the gym. "Willow! Xander! My buds are here! I love my buds! Hi!" She noticed everyone was staring at her. "Hi... Oh..." She got back in line, and the routine continued.
Xander asked Willow, "Is it me, or is Buffy a bit looped?"
Willow cast a worried gaze Buffy's way. The cheerleaders continued with a series of assorted cartwheels. "We better get her outta there."
"Yeah, before she..." Xander started as Buffy overthrew Joy's aerial, sending her crashing into the gym wall. "...hurts someone. Ay..."
Joy got up as Buffy came running over.
"Did I do that?" Buffy asked confused.
Joy pushed Buffy. "You are so out of here!"
Willow and Xander came running up and they each grabbed one of Buffy's arms.
"It's not her fault!" Willow cried.
"She's on medication," Xander hoped that would explain Buffy's loopy behavior.
"What?" Buffy screached.
"Well, obviously not enough," Joy scoffed. "Who's our next alternate?" She saw Amy. "Oh. Amy, you just made cheerleader."
"No, no, no. You don't want her, she's a wi..." Buffy started.
Xander quickly clamped his hand over Buffy's mouth. "A wise choice indeed!" he said as he and Willow pulled Buffy away, nodding and casting nervous smiles at Amy and Joy. Amy stared after them. They hurried from the gym, supporting Buffy between them.
"She's a witchy!" Buffy finished her earlier statement. "I just got kicked off the team, didn't I?"
"I don't think it was your fault," Xander offered supportively.
"Hmm, I know you don't, that's 'cause you're my friend. You're my Xander-shaped friend!" Buffy leaned her head on his shoulder. "Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"
"We should call…" Willow started thinking they should call Prue, Piper or Phoebe.
Xander cut Willow off with a gesture. "Let her speak!"
"I'll tell you!" Buffy continued. "You're not like other boys at all. You are totally, and completely one of the girls!" She looked at Willow. " I'm that comfy with him."
Willow smiled widely.
"That's great." That hadn't exactly been what Xander had been hoping to hear.
"Any other guy who'd give me a bracelet, they'd... wanna date me, and be like a..." Buffy began to feel woozy. "Oh! I, I don't feel so good."
"Hurry," Willow said to Xander as Buffy slumped, pale and sweaty. "Get to the library, Giles should have the number for the Manor. Get him to call Prue, Piper and Phoebe."
Xander nodded as he hurried off.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the library, Buffy was lying back in a chair with a wet cloth on her forehead.
Willow supported her head, keeping the cloth in place with her hand. "We've gotta get her to a hospital!" she said as Prue, Piper and Phoebe rushed into the room.
"They can't help her," Giles stated. "This is a bloodstone vengeance spell." He took Buffy's pulse. "Hits the body hard like a, a quart of alcohol, and then it e-eradicates the, uh, immune system."
"Bloodstone vengeance spell?" said Prue as she glanced at her sisters. They had spent the day searching the books trying to find why Buffy had acted the way she had that morning. She vaguely remembered coming across the entry in Buffy's book.
"So what does this spell actually do? Why did the witch cast it on Buffy?" asked Phoebe as she looked at her cousin worriedly.
"Very likely trying to kill her," Giles said reluctantly as he looked at the Charmed Ones.
"'Cause she knows, that I know, that she's a witch," Buffy said weakly.
"How much time do we have?" Piper asked looking at Giles.
"I'm sure we have…" Giles started as Piper glared at him. "Couple of hours, three at most," he reluctantly told the sisters.
"So how do we reverse the spell?" Prue asked. "I remember seeing a mention of it in Buffy's book but not how to reverse it."
Giles stood up. "Well I, I've been researching that, and, uh, we can reverse all the spells if, um..." He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. " ...we can just lay our hands on, on Amy's Book of Shadows."
"And if we can't get a hold of it?" Willow asked.
"We have to vanquish her," Prue said as she looked at Giles who nodded in agreement.
"Prue!" said Phoebe as she looked at her eldest sister. "She's still human!"
"She might not be," Prue said as she turned and looked at her baby sister. "If she is messing with dark magic, even if she didn't start out that way, she could be a warlock now. Sadly we may have to vanquish if it means saving Buffy."
Giles put his glasses back on.
"Show of hands!" Xander raised his hand.
"It's not Amy's fault. She only became a witch to survive her mother," Buffy insisted.
Xander spoke to Buffy, "Look, I don't care why, I just care that you go on breathing."
"The same goes for us, Buffy," Prue said as she moved to her cousin. "I'm sure Piper and Phoebe agree that we don't want to lose you. Not after finally knowing you." She looked toward Giles and Phoebe. "You two go to her house. Find her Book of Shadows and bring it back." She turned and looked at Xander and Piper. "Keep an eye on Amy." She glanced at Willow. "You will stay with Buffy, make sure she is comfortable." She looked back at Giles. "Where is the best place to cast the reversal spells?"
"Science lab," he told Prue. He looked at Xander and Piper. "Keep her away from there."
"Will do," agreed Xander.
Madison Residence
After twenty minutes, give or take, Giles' old Citroen pulled up at Amy's house. Inside, Catherine had a plate of brownies on her lap. She took a bite out of one.
Phoebe went to knock on the door and was pulled into a premonition in which she saw Catherine Madison casting a spell that caused her to swap bodies with her daughter. She looked at Giles. "We have this all wrong," she said.
"What?" he asked.
"Amy is not the one casting the spells, her mother is," Phoebe told him. "Amy's mother cast a spell that swapped her and Amy's bodies. She's been walking around who knows how long now in Amy's body."
"Dear lord!" Giles said shocked.
Phoebe knocked on the door. Catherine looked up, startled. Phoebe knocked again, louder this time. Catherine slid the plate under the coffee table and got up. She walked to the door and opened it. "Who are you two?" Catherine asked. "Wha, um, uh, is there something wrong?"
"Amy," Phoebe started.
"I'm not allow... You'll have to come back later." Catherine tried to close the door, but Giles prevented her and pushed his way in.
"Amy," Phoebe said as Catherine looked at her with wide eyes. "I'm Phoebe Halliwell and this is Rupert Giles. We know your mother cast the spell that swapped yours and her bodies."
Catherine looked down, defeated. She stepped back as Giles and Phoebe entered the home. "She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it," she said as they moved to the couch and sat down. "I didn't know anything about her powers. I mean, when dad was here they would fight and yell and he would... call her a witch and... I mean, I would, just thought he meant... Oh, God, when he left I wanted to go with him. But she wouldn't even let me call. She went crazy, I mean, she'd lock herself upstairs for days, and she was always coming down on me, telling me I didn't deserve to have it so easy, and that I didn't know... how hard it was to be her, and... I guess she showed me, huh?"
Phoebe took her hand. "Amy, it's gonna be okay."
"A few months ago, I woke up in h... her bed! I didn't know where I was, and... then I looked in the mirror..."
"She locked herself upstairs?" Giles asked.
"Yes."
"In the Attic," said Phoebe as Catherine nodded. She glanced at Giles. "Makes sense, that's where we keep ours."
Moments later, Giles was breaking in the attic door. When it was down, he and Phoebe came in and started to look around. Catherine came in after them. She was trying to stop them, "Don't! If she finds out I've been here she'll kill me!"
"We won't let that happen," said Phoebe as she walked around the cauldron to the rack with the hanging dolls. She saw two dolls bound together for the body-switching spell and took them in her hand.
"My God!" Giles exhaled as he looked at the dolls.
"Keep looking for her book," said Phoebe. "Once we find it we should be able to reverse all of the spells." She looked toward Catherine. "Including the one trapping you in your mother's body."
"You really could?" Catherine asked hopeful.
"Yes," Phoebe said as she glanced back at the dolls. "Whatever magic she is dealing with is like nothing Prue, Piper, Buffy and I know of." She glanced at Giles. "Think we need these?"
"Might not be a bad idea to take them just in case," he admitted.
As Giles started to open the trunk, a black cat jumped at him and surprised him. "Ah! Nice kitty..." he said in surprise. "Let's see what you were guarding." He opened the trunk. "Ah, yes!" He took out the book. "This is it."
"But where are you going?" Catherine asked as she followed Phoebe and Giles back down the stairs.
"We're going to school," Giles said. "And you're coming with us."
Gateway High School
In the the gym, the Gateway High basketball team came through the doors and ran onto the court. Amy stood among the cheerleaders, clearly very happy to be there. Xander and Piper watcher her from the bleachers.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Giles carried Buffy into the science classroom, followed by Phoebe and Catherine. He laid her down on a lab table, knocking everything off of it in the process. He took off his coat, folded it and put it underneath Buffy's head. "We're going to stop this. I promise. Just hang on," he told Buffy, who moaned.
Prue pulled the book and the dolls out of the box that Phoebe had set beside her.
"How is she?" Catherine asked in a concerned tone.
"We only have a few minutes left," Giles reluctantly admitted.
"Phoebe, look at this," said Prue as her sister moved beside her and looked at the page Prue had the book opened to.
"That don't look anything like anything in our book," said Phoebe as she noticed that the reversal spell called on Corseth and Gilail. And then something occurred to her. "Remember when we thought dad was trying to take our books out of the Manor?"
Prue's eyes went wide in realization. Amy's book if it had similar protections to theirs would have resisted being taken out of Amy's house by anyone but Amy. "Something definitely is going on," she said. "We'll worry about that later. Need to get this cast so we don't lose Buffy." She glanced back down at the book. "Okay, Phoebe, I'll need lead, sulphur, some sort of diacetate…"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Meanwhile, the cheerleaders cheered in the gym, "Go, Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go! Six, seven, eight! Go Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go, Gateway go! Go!" The cheerleaders yelled over-enthusiastically.
Amy, in the crowd of cheerleaders, had a wide smile on her face.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the science classroom, Catherine was cutting an eye from a frog and being squeamish about it.
Phoebe looked toward Buffy who obviously getting weaker. If the reversal spell didn't work, they would lose her.
Prue recited the counter-spell as she mixed the potion, "The center is dark. Centrum est obscurus. The darkness breathes. Tenebrae respiratis. The listener hears. Hear me!"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the gym, the cheerleaders were doing a counting chant. Amy stopped chanting and looked startled. Her vision flashed to what Catherine saw in the science lab - the book and the frog. Then she was back in the gym and took up the count again, she had a worried look on her face.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Oh, it's... it's working!" Catherine almost couldn't believe it.
Prue picked the book up from the table and read, "Unlock the gate. Let the darkness shine. Cover us with holy fear. Show me…"
Catherine staggered back and covered her face as the lights went out in the classroom.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the gym, some of the cheerleaders were lifting Amy up. Once she was up, she thrusted her fists into the air and gave the crowd a big smile. Her smile faded as she had another flash to the lab, where she got a glimpse of Buffy. She came back to the gym and began to lose her balance. Xander and Piper watched. The cheerleaders supporting Amy struggled for control, but they collapsed. The crowd reacted to the fall. Xander and Piper saw everything.
"Amy, what's your problem?" Joy demanded.
Amy shot her a dirty look. Joy was taken aback. Amy got up, as she was about to run from the gym. Piper flicked her wrists and everything froze including Amy.
Piper ran from the gym seconds before everything unfroze. Amy ran from the gym heading unknowingly following Piper.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the lab, Catherine warned, "She's coming!"
Giles glanced at Phoebe and Prue, looking worried.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the hall, Amy violently pushed open a door.
"Amy!" Xander said as he moved to stop her.
"Get out of my way!" Amy yelled at him.
"W-wait!" he said hesitantly trying to buy Piper some time to reach the science lab. "I-I-I need to talk to you, I-I can help you."
"Help me? With what?" she asked.
"Uh, well, y'know, all your witchcraft! I, I know this really good cauldron," he said. "Do you actually ride a broom?"
Amy twisted around, growled and held out her hand, grabbing Xander's neck. His hands flew to his throat. Amy skillfully made fists and twisted them. Xander collapsed to the floor, choking. She then started running to the lab.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the lab, Prue continued to chant, "Corsheth and Gilail! The gate is closed! Receive the dark! Release the unworthy! Take of mine energy and be sated!" She plunged her hands into the potion just as Piper rushed into the room.
"Amy's coming," Piper said and then she noticed Catherine. "Who's this?"
"Amy," answered Phoebe. "One of the spells that was cast caused Amy to swap bodies with her mother. She looked at Catherine and smiled. "Amy, this is my other sister, Piper."
"Hi," Catherine said.
"We should try and buy Prue some time," Piper suggested as she moved to the classroom door and locked it.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Amy slammed through another door in the hall and continued walking to the lab with a determined look on her face. She tried the door, but it was locked. She yanked at it.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Prue took her hands out of the potion. Catherine looked at the door and saw that it was being yanked on.
"Be sated! Release the unworthy!" Prue continued.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Amy stopped yanking at the door and found a fire axe in a glass case. She broke the glass with her fist and took out the axe.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy couldn't keep her eyes open and just rolled her head slowly.
"Release!" Prue said as Amy began to chop down the door. "Release!"
Buffy laid prone. Amy had made a hole in the door. She reached through and unlocked the door. After opening it she marched in, axe in hand, straight over to Buffy.
"RELEEEEASE!" Prue bellowed.
Amy started to raise the axe to take the killing blow, but stopped when there was a flash of light as the spells were all broken. She was herself again. She looked around, a bit confused, stepped back and lowered the axe.
Buffy had her strength back and got up from the table. Prue, Piper and Phoebe looked at her relieved that their cousin was going to be okay.
"Amy?" Phoebe asked hesitantly.
"Phoebe?" Amy asked.
Catherine lunged at Buffy from the side and tackled her to the floor, knocking her out.
Giles advanced, holding his arm out and pointing. "You... you..."
Catherine growled and looked at him. She used her powers to force him back and push a table against him, knocking him down and out.
Prue, Piper and Phoebe saw that Catherine had turned her attention to her daughter. They moved in front of the girl.
"You! You little brat!" Catherine screamed.
Prue looked at Catherine who suddenly was telekinetically flung backwards into a wall. "You will leave your daughter alone," she said.
Amy held the axe threateningly. "Mom! Please!"
Catherine held out her hand, and the axe flew from Amy's hands to hers. "How dare you raise your hand to your mother! I gave you birth. I gave up my life so you could drag that worthless carcass around and call it living?" She swung the axe into a lab table. "You've never been anything but trouble. I'm going to put you where you can't make trouble again!"
Buffy jumped behind Catherine. "Guess what?" she said as Catherine turned to face her. "I feel better." She glanced toward her cousins. "Power of Three spell?" she suggested. She turned her attention back toward Catherine and hit the woman, sending her flying over a table.
"That body was mine! Mine!" Catherine screamed as she stood up.
"The Power of Three will set us free," Prue, Piper and Phoebe began chanting as Buffy joined in, "The Power of the Charmed Slayer will set me free."
Catherine began chanting her own spell, "I shall look upon my enemy!" She looked at Buffy. "I shall look upon her and the dark place will have her soul! Corsheth! Take her!" Her spell leapt from her hands and was reflected back by the Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Buffy's spell at her. The power of the spell enveloped her as she screamed. The energy twisted around her and disappeared with a roar, taking her with it.
Buffy surveyed the scene. Amy was badly shaken. Her family, Willow and Giles we're alright.
Prue, Piper and Phoebe walked toward their cousin and enveloped her in their arms, in a big group hug.
"Well, that was interesting," Giles said as he looked at the Charmed Ones and the Charmed Slayer. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"Will do," Piper agreed.
Buffy looked over her family for any injuries. "You guys okay?" she asked as Prue, Piper and Phoebe nodded.
Even though the question was aimed at Prue, Piper and Phoebe, Amy chimed in, "I'm fine."
"I think all the spells were reversed," Giles said.
Buffy looks at her cousins and smiled. "You guys saved my life," she said with feeling.
"Just don't make a habit of it, Buffy," Prue said.
"Prue!" said Piper as Prue smiled. She turned toward her cousin. "We will always have your back, Buffy." She turned and looked at her sisters. "Isn't that right, Prue? Phoebe?"
"Right," agreed Prue and Phoebe.
Suddenly Xander came rushing in and grabbed Amy tightly. "I got her! I got her! Vanquish her!"
"Xander, what are you doing?" Buffy asked.
"Saving you?" he said as he looked at Buffy.
"Get your hands off of her," Phoebe said.
"But she's evil," Xander argued.
"It wasn't exactly her," Giles informed him.
"I was my mom," Amy explained.
"Oh!" Xander released her clearly confused.
April 4, 1997 – Friday
In the school hall, Buffy and Amy were walking together.
"My dad is so impossible!" Amy complained. "He doesn't ever want me going anywhere! He wants to spend total quantity time together. And I'm, like, 'Dad, I can go out, it's perfectly safe!' But he's got all this guilt about leaving me with my mom. And he's being a total pain."
"You're loving it," Buffy said.
"Every single minute," Amy smiled. "This Saturday night he wants to stay in and make brownies. Well, the brownies were my idea."
Cordelia came up behind them. "Hey, I'm really sorry you guys got bumped back to alternate." She reconsidered. "Hold it, wait... No I'm not!"
"Well, I know that I'll miss the intellectual thrill of spelling out words with my arms," Amy retorted.
"Ooo, these grapes are sour!" said Cordelia.
Buffy and Amy stopped at the trophy case while Cordelia continued on.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Amy apologized as she looked at Buffy. "I forgot that you wanted to be on the squad."
"Oh, hey, that's okay. Cheerleading's just a little too hairy for me these days," Buffy said.
Amy took a breath. "That's for sure."
They went around to the front of the case and looked at Catherine's picture.
"Catherine the Great," Amy said.
"And there's been no sign of her?" Buffy asked.
"That last spell... She said I'd never make trouble again. Wherever she is I don't think we'll have to worry," admitted Amy and she and Buffy looked at Catherine's cheerleading trophy.
"And if she comes back you know who to call," Buffy said. "But remember you can't tell anyone that Prue, Phoebe, Piper or I are witches."
"I will on both accounts. Anyways, I'm just happy to have my body back. I'm thinking of getting fat," Amy said.
"Y'know, I hear that look's in for spring," Buffy said.