Q/A: Boris (2013) - No not every episode will be done. Like my other Charmed Story. I will skip some, there is multiple reasons for that. One, the story would just be longer period and it's already going to be long as is now (approx. 200 chapters). Two, I already have another Charmed Story and would like to not add all of the same episodes to both stories. Some of course will have to be added that's unavoidable such as season premieres and finales among others. Those episodes will likely play out different though.
Chapter 19: Prophecy Girl
May 19, 1997 - Monday
Gateway High
Somewhere near the school Buffy lay on the ground a vampire standing over her. Buffy rolled backwards and came to her feet as a fireball formed in her hand. The vampire snarled at her and when he saw the fireball he hesitated. Buffy smirked as she toss the fireball catching the vampire on fire. As the vampire fell, he crumbled to dust.
"Three in one night," Buffy said as she wiped her brow. "Giles would be so proud."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Inside the Library Giles poured over a book. "The Master shall rise... Yes, this is it," he said excited that he found the correct volume. "The Master shall rise, and the Slayer..." He stopped his eyes going wide. "My God." He grabbed another volume from his desk and rifled through it to a particular passage. He then compared the two. "Oh... no..."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy looked about her, more wary than afraid. It was at that moment an earthquake shook San Francisco as she tried to keep her footing.
May 20, 1997 - Tuesday
Giles emerged from his office heading for the book cage as Buffy walked into the library. She noticed the crack in the floor running across the library. "Morning. Wow," she said. "That damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe in here?"
Giles looked at Buffy. "Buffy..." he said, trying to conceal a rush of emotion.
"Do I have something on my face?" Buffy said trying to puzzle out his expression.
"No..." he told her, "and yes, we're safe." He shook himself and then turned back to his books.
"How're you doing there, Giles? You get much sleep?" Buffy asked looking at what Giles was wearing. It looked like the same clothes he had on the day before.
"I've been working," Giles admitted.
"Me too! Yes I went hunting last night and it's awfully sweet of you to ask." Buffy said as Giles pulled out two volumes. He then walked over to the main desk, on which were piled several others. "It's getting hairy out there, Giles. I killed three vampires last night. One of them was practically on school grounds."
"Their numbers are increasing," Giles agreed.
"And they're getting cockier. I'm not loving it. Last night was a pretty close call." Buffy explained.
Giles nodded absently. "Yes..."
"Giles, care," she said as she began to worry about Giles. "I'm putting my life on the line, battling the undead! Battling warlocks! Battling demons! I broke a nail, okay? I'm wearing a press-on. The least you could do is exhibit some casual interest. You could go, hmmm."
Giles glanced at Buffy and sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm glad you're all right but I need to verify... I just can't talk right now," he explained.
"That's okay. I can't put it off any longer. I have to meet my terrible fate," Buffy said sarcastically.
"What?" Giles said clearly alarmed.
Buffy smiled. "Biology," she called over her shoulder as she headed into the corridor.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Wow, that was... boring." Buffy said as she, Xander, Willow and Aviva headed down the stairs into the quad.
"I don't feel that boring covers it," Xander admitted.
"No, boring falls short," Aviva agreed.
"Even I was bored. And I'm a science nerd," Willow admitted with a sigh.
Buffy looked at her redhead friend as she shook her head. "Don't say that."
Willow smiled. "I'm not ashamed. It's the computer age; nerds are in. They're still in, right?"
"Aviva, Willow, don't you two have a thing?" Xander asked.
Aviva and Willow glanced at each other. A thing? They turned and looked at him clearly confused. "A thing?" Willow said and then she realized that Xander was hinting that she and Aviva should go. "The thing! Yes Aviva and I have that thing."
"What thing?" Aviva said.
"That thing," Willow said as she pulled Aviva along. "We have to go to it. See you later!" She and Aviva hurried off.
"What on earth is their deal?" Buffy wondered watching her two friends walk off.
Xander shrugged. "They're Willow and Aviva. So Buffy! I wanted to—there was a thing I wanted to ask you. To talk to you about."
Buffy turned and looked at Xander as confusion graced her face. "Okay. What's up?"
"Why don't we sit down. Over here," Xander said as he steered Buffy toward the bench by the fountain.
"Okay, now you're making me nervous." Buffy said as she sat down. .
"There's nothing to be nervous about, silly," Xander said as he let out a small chuckle.
"Well?" Buffy pressed.
"You know, Buffy, Spring Fling is a time for students to gather and—oh, God," he said as he realized how nervous he was. "Buffy, I want you to go to the dance with me. You and me. On a date."
Buffy took a moment as she let what Xander said sink in. "Xander, I don't know what to say..." she said.
"Well, you're not laughing, so that's a good start. Buffy, I like you." Xander said finally admitting his crush. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "A lot. I mean, we're friends, and we've shared experiences, we've fought blood sucking fiends together, and that's a good time, but... I want more than that. I wanna dance with you."
Buffy sighed wondering how best to let him down easy. "Xander... You're one of my best friends," she said. "The best friends I've ever had. You Aviva and Willow, I mean, I love you guys so much—"
"Well, Aviva and Willow aren't looking to date you," Xander said hoping to steer her to saying yes. "Or if they are their playing it really close to the chest."
"I don't want to spoil the friendship we have," Buffy said with a sigh.
"I don't want to spoil it either," Xander admitted. "But that's not the point, is it? You either feel a thing or you don't." He waited, but he knew Buffy's answer before she ever spoke a word.
"I don't," Buffy reluctantly admitted. "I'm sorry. I just don't think of you that way."
"Well, try. I'll wait," Xander pleaded.
Buffy sighed. "Xander..."
"No," Xander said in clear anger at being rejected. "Forget it. I'm not him. I guess a guy's gotta be undead to make time with you."
"That's really harsh." Buffy says.
"I'm sorry," he told her. "I don't handle rejection well. Funny, considering how much practice I've had."
"I never meant to—" Buffy said trying to apologize.
"You know what? Let's just not," Xander said as he stood and walked off.
Buffy let out a sigh as she sat there clearly bummed at how Xander had taken the rejection. She couldn't help who she loved anymore than Prue, Piper or Phoebe could. It was at that moment that pebbles began hailing down. Buffy stood and ran under the nearest walkway along with quite a few other students.
"Check it out! It's raining stones!" A student called out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy sighed as she stood in the locker room changing into her slaying outfit. She pulled a stake out of her locker and slipped it in her jacket. It never hurt to have a backup incase her powers for whatever reason didn't work. She closed her locker and walked over to the sink. As she bent down to splash her face she noticed that the water had turned to blood.
Buffy hurried out of the locker room and to the library. "Giles?" she called out. "You're not gonna believe—" Her gaze was drawn to the office where she noticed Giles and Angel were having an urgent conversation.
"Angel...?" Buffy said as she moved toward the office, quietly excited. She had almost reached the door when she overheard their conversation.
"It can't be. You've got to be wrong," Angel objected.
"I've checked it against every volume I have. It's real," Giles explained to the vampire.
"Well, there's got to be some way around it," Angel said shaking his head.
Giles sighed, he wished there was a way around this. "Some prophecies are dodgey. Mutable," he said. "Buffy herself has thwarted them time and again." He held up a book. "But this is the Pergamom Codex. There is nothing in it that does not come to pass."
"Then you're reading it wrong," Angel told him, refusing to believe what Giles had told him.
"I wish to God I were," Giles said with a sigh. "But it's very plain. Tomorrow night, Buffy will face the Master. And she will die."
Buffy stared at both her watcher and her boyfriend as she absorbed the information she had just heard. Then suddenly she began to laugh. Attracted by her laughter Giles and Angel turn and saw her standing behind them. She turned and walked toward the middle of the library as they followed her, looking a tad guilty.
Buffy turned back to face Angel and Giles anger evident on her face. "So that's it, huh?" she asked. "My time is up. I remember the drill. One Slayer dies, the next is called. I wonder who the next one is." She looked at Giles pointedly. "Are you gonna train her? Or will they send someone else."
Giles sighed, this was not how he had planned to tell her, if he told her at all. "Buffy, I..." he started unable to think of what he could really say to sooth her.
"Does it say how he's gonna kill me?" Buffy said as she sank into a chair. Angel walked over to her and in an attempt to comfort her his hand brushed her cheek. She pushed him away violently. "Don't touch me!" They could see she was nearly about to break out crying. She looked up at them angrily. "Were you guys even gonna tell me?"
Giles sighed. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to. That there was some way around it."
Buffy instantly stood up her mind made up. "Oh, I've got a way around it. I quit," she said with passion. The question now was how would she tell her cousins that she no longer wanted to be a witch either.
"It's not that simple," Angel objected.
"I'm making it that simple!" Buffy screamed. "I quit! I resign! I'm fired! Someone else can stop the Master from taking over."
"I don't know that anyone else can," Giles tried to explain. "The signs all indicate—"
"The signs?" Buffy screamed even louder as she picked up a book and threw it at Giles, who barely managed to duck out of the way. "Read me the signs!" She picked up another and that one also she threw at her Watcher. "Tell me my fortune! You're so useful, sitting around with your books. You're really a lot of help."
Giles let out a resigned sigh. "I don't suppose I am."
"I know this is hard..." Angel said trying to be comforting and obviously failed.
"What do you know about it?" Buffy snarled at the vampire. "You're never gonna die."
"You think I want anything to happen to you?" Angel said with a sigh. "Do you think I could stand it? We just have to figure out a way—"
"I already have," Buffy reminded him. "I quit, remember? Pay attention."
"Buffy, if the Master rises—" Giles started only to be interrupted again by Buffy.
"I don't care!" Buffy screamed. "I don't care. I'm sixteen years old. And I don't want to die." She closed her hand around the cross Angel had given her the night she met him. With one smooth jerk she yanked the chain off her neck and let it drop onto the table.
Neither man said anything as Buffy hurried out of the room.
Halliwell Manor
Buffy sat on her bed looking through old pictures.
"Buffy," Prue said as she stepped into the room looking at her cousin with concern. Buffy hadn't touch a thing of her dinner. "Are you all right?"
Buffy sighed. "I guess. Actually no not really, Prue. Do you remember what Melinda said she saw?"
Prue though back to the time when they had summoned their ancestor and nodded. "That you would be the longest living Slayer and you and your descendants would have many more daughters? Just like Phoebe, Piper and I are supposed to."
"It looks like her vision was wrong," Buffy let out a sigh. "There is a prophecy. It says tomorrow night I will face the Master and I will die."
Prue sighed as she sat on the bed next to her cousin. "Maybe because you know about it now, Buffy, it won't happen," she suggested. "Regardless tell you what… Piper, Phoebe and I will go with you to the dance tomorrow night. What's more powerful than the Power of Three?"
Buffy smiled. "Only the Power of Three augmented."
Prue nodded as she stood up. "Now I think it's time for a gift." She swung Buffy's closet door open to reveal a stunning white gown. "I saw you eying it at the store. I figured..."
Buffy stood and walked over to the gown. "Prue, we can't afford this. Claire has been on to you for all the absences already."
"Buffy," Prue said as she smiled at her cousin. "Let me worry about Claire. I want you to worry about how beautiful you are going to look in that dress at the dance tomorrow."
"It's beautiful," Buffy said as she turned and hugged Prue. "But, Prue, I can't go to the dance. Remember big prophecy."
"Buffy," Prue shook her head. "Let Piper, Phoebe and I worry about this prophecy. I want you to have a good time tomorrow. We're not going to let you die."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy sat there, staring at the beautiful dress and she knew that she would have to fight the Master alone, without her cousins. She had never seen or read The Codex but talking to Giles and Angel she had gathered enough to know it was supposed to be infallible. She would fight the Master, and she would die. She decided if she was to die tomorrow, the least she could do was she how beautiful she would have been. So she did her hair, put on her makeup, and slipped into the dress before. She stood looking at herself in the mirror and smiled, she was beautiful.
"Buffy!" Piper called out from downstairs. "There's something on the news. Willow."
Rosenberg Home
Willow sat on her bed, her knees drawn up and clearly freaked out over what had happened. Before her sat Buffy still in the white dress. She hadn't bothered to get changed as she had rushed over.
"I've seen so much, I thought I could take anything." Willow said trying to explain to her friend what had happened. "But Buffy... This was... this was different, it..."
"It's okay..." Buffy said trying to sooth Willow.
Willow let a sigh. "I'm trying to think how to say it. To explain it so you understand," she admitted.
Buffy smiled. "Willow, as long as you're okay—"
"I'm not okay," Willow admitted. "I can't imagine what it's like to be okay. I knew those guys. I go to that room every day. And when I walked in there, it was... It wasn't our world anymore. They made it theirs. And they had fun." She looked at Buffy in time to notice Buffy look away, obviously thinking. "What are we gonna do?"
Buffy turned back toward Willow and smiled. "What we have to," she said as she stood up. She realized she couldn't escape destiny not when her friends lives were on the line. "You'll stay in tonight, all right?"
Willow looked at Buffy not noticing that this might be the last time she saw Buffy alive. "I tried to reach Xander, but he's not picking up," she told her friend. "Aviva or I'll go by his house tomorrow. We'll get together and figure out what to do."
"Tomorrow," Buffy agreed as she walked to the door.
"Buffy," Willow called after Buffy who turned to look at her. "I like your dress."
Buffy looked down at the dress and smiled before looking up at Willow. "Take care," she said as she walked out of the room. Willow looked at the door for several minutes after Buffy had left and then realization began to sink in. She wouldn't see Buffy tomorrow, that Buffy believed tomorrow she would be dead.
Gateway High
"Depends on where he's leading them to," Giles said. "Aurelius wrote of the Anointed one, the Charmed Slayer will not know him, and he will lead her into Hell."
"So Luca thinks the Anointed is a kid?" Ms. Calendar said thinking back to what she had heard.
"If the vampire Buffy killed was not in fact the Anointed, it may well be," Giles said, he was loading weapons into a bag.
"Well then we should warn her," Ms. Calendar said wishing she had the phone number for the Halliwells.
"I don't plan to involve her at all," he admitted as he looked at the crossbow that still lay on the table.
"What do you mean?" she asked as she began to realize what he intended to do.
Giles sighed as he reached for the crossbow. "Buffy isn't going to face the Master. I am."
"No you're not," Buffy said as she walked into the library, a newfound determination on her face. "So I'm looking for a kid, huh? He'll take me to the Master."
"Buffy, I'm not sending you out there to die," Giles said as he looked at Buffy. "You were right. I've waded about in these old books for so long I've forgotten what the real world is like. It's time I found out."
"You're still not going up against the Master," Buffy objected.
"I've made up my mind," Giles countered.
Buffy smirked. "So have I."
"Well, I made up mine first," Giles told her. "And I'm older and wiser and just do as I say for once. All right?" He hoped that was the end of the conversation.
"That's not how it goes," Buffy reminded him. "I'm the Charmed Slayer," she said as a fireball formed in her hand.
"I don't care what the books say. I defy prophecy, and I am going. There's nothing you can say will change my mind." Giles was so determined as he made that announcement that Buffy would have smiled had the situation been different, had they not been arguing about which one of them was going to go and face the Master, which one of them was going to die.
"I know," Buffy responded as Giles turned from her obviously considering the matter closed. Buffy took a deep breath as she prepared herself. Then she drew back her fist and hit him hard knocking him unconscious. She then walked over to the table where she had left her cross. She picked it up and returned it to where it belonged, around her neck. "When he wakes up, tell him... I don't know. Think of something cool, tell him I said it," she said as she picked up the crossbow.
"You fight the Master, you'll die!" Jenny said trying to convince the teen not to go.
"Maybe..." Buffy agreed. "But maybe I'll take him with me." She pulled out her cell phone and handed it to the computer teacher. "After I'm gone call the number listed as the Manor in my contacts. It's my cousins. Tell them that I'm sorry and that I love them."
Ms. Calendar watched as the young woman left to face her destiny. She let out a sigh as she looked down at the phone in her hand and began dialing.
"Buffy? Where are you?" came Phoebe's voice from the other end of the phone.
"This isn't Pay… Buffy," Ms. Calendar corrected herself. "I'm Jenny Calendar. We met when we dealt with Moloch the Corruptor. Buffy handed me her phone. She wanted me to call and tell you she was sorry and that she loved you all. She's gone to face the Master."
"Alone!" Phoebe said startled. "Thank you." Just before Ms. Calendar heard the dialtone she heard Phoebe yell, Prue! Piper!"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy exited the school and found Collin standing not far away, looking at her. "Help me..." he said.
Buffy smiled. "It's all right. I know who you are," she said as she walked up to him. "Let's go."
Collin nodded as he took Buffy's hand and led her away from the school.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Prue, Piper and Phoebe had arrived just as Xander, Willow and Aviva had. Giles and Ms. Calendar had been informing them on everything that had transpired.
"She what?" Aviva yelled.
"I knew it," Willow said as she looked at Xander and Aviva. "I told you something was going on with her."
"And she knew about this prophecy of yours?" Xander said as she glared at Giles. "Oh, man! What do we do?"
"That is a good question," Prue agreed.
"We stay calm, first thing." Giles told them.
"Calm!?" Xander yelled, clearly freaked out.
Willow sighed. "I think he's right," she agreed.
"I'm sorry—Staying calm may work fine for Locutus of the Borg here but I'm freaked out and I plan to stay that way," Xander said as he looked at his friend.
Phoebe sighed as she looked at her sisters. "Your in good company," she admitted.
"How could you let her go?" Prue growled at Giles.
"As the soon-to-be-purple area on my jaw will indicate, I did not let her go," Giles explained looking Prue in the eye "Buffy does as she will."
"Well, how can we help her?" Piper wondered glancing at her sisters.
Before Prue or Phoebe could answer Ms. Calendar spoke up. "I'm sorry to bring this up but we've also got an apocalypse to worry about."
"Do you mind?" Aviva said as she glared at the computer teacher. She didn't care about any apocalypse, she wanted to help her first real friend. Who had seen the inner her and brought that person to the surface.
"How come she's in the club?" Willow added. "I understand Prue, Piper and Phoebe. Their Buffy's family. But her?"
Ms. Calendar sighed as she looked at Buffy's friends and family. "Hey, once the Master gets free, the Hellmouth opens. The demons come to party and everybody dies. We have to prepare. Rupert, you know I'm right."
"I don't care. I'm sorry, I don't. I gotta help Buffy," Xander objected.
"Same here," Aviva agreed as she looked at Prue, Piper and Phoebe. "You guys know why I have to do this."
Prue, Piper and Phoebe nodded as they looked at each other. They did know. It was because of them and Buffy that Aviva was free of Kali's control. And as a result Buffy had shown Aviva true friendship.
"Okay," Prue said as she looked at Aviva. "I can find Buffy that won't be a problem. Just need to scry for her. The problem is finding the entrance."
"I think I can help with that," Xander said. "I know where Angel's place is. He probably knows where the entrance is."
"Then I don't need to scry, we can just have him lead us there." Prue said as she glanced at her sisters. "Help Rupert with whatever he needs. Aviva, Xander and I'll go and see what we can do to keep Buffy from dying tonight."
Electrical Tunnels
Collin led Buffy slowly through the darkness down the electrical tunnel. They then veered off into an older, rough hewn opening that led farther down into the earth.
Angel's Apartment
Angel had been looking through his own books for some way to keep Buffy from dying. It was at that moment that he heard someone pounding on his front door. "Well. Look who's here," Angel said when he opened the door to find Prue, Xander and Aviva outside.
Prue brushed past Angel, followed by Xander and Aviva.
"Mind if we come in?" Xander told the vampire.
Angel sighed as he closed the door after them. "Everybody's visiting lately," he said. "I really should clean the place up."
"Buffy's gone," Prue told the vampire.
"What do you mean?" Angel asked suddenly worried.
"She's gone to face the Master," Aviva said.
Angel looked at each of them and could see the truth in Aviva's statement in their faces. "He'll kill her."
"That's what the prophecy said," Prue admitted. "Except we're not going to let that happen."
"What do you propose we do about it?" Angel asked looking at the oldest Halliwell sister.
"I was going to scry for Buffy," Prue answered returning his gaze. "But the problem is, I don't know where the entrance is exactly. It could be miles away from where Buffy actually is. That doesn't help us much. Then Xander said you might know where the Master is and could lead us to her."
Angel shook his head as he looked at Prue. "You should have brought your sisters instead of these two. Together the Power of Three might have stood a chance against him. Alone you could very well end up dead yourself."
"How can I say this clearly?" Xander said as he withdrew a cross from under his shirt and held it in Angel's face, causing the vampire to back away. "I don't like you. At the end of the day I pretty much think you're a vampire. But Buffy, man, she's got a big ol' yen for you. I don't get it. She thinks you're a real person. Right now I need you to prove her right."
"Please, Angel," Prue begged. "This is my cousin were here for I don't want her to die."
Angel glanced at Prue, Aviva and Xander. He could see it in their eyes. They each loved the girl in different ways. For Prue it was sisterly. For Xander it was as a potential boyfriend. For Aviva it was as a lover who hid her feelings from the person she loved. He nodded at them. "I know where he is."
Gateway High
Willow watched the door, worrying about Prue, Xander, Aviva and Buffy. Behind her Piper, Phoebe, Giles and Ms. Calendar were trying to work out what to do.
"The Master is as old as any vampire on record," Giles said looking at the books in front of him. "There's no way to tell how powerful he will be if he reaches the surface."
"Okay. Here's my question. The Hellmouth opens," Ms. Calendar said as she looked at Giles, Piper and Phoebe. "Where? If he's underground, and it's right where he is, where's it gonna open?"
"Good point. Check through the Black Chronicles," Giles agreed. "Willow."
"Huh?" Willow said as she turned to look at Giles.
"Can you look through the town histories please?" Giles said. "Search for any common denominators. Location of incidents and such."
"Right. Okay." Willow agreed.
Phoebe had an idea as she moved toward the computer. "I'm going to look online. Remember the earthquake. It had to have an epicenter, right?"
"Right," agreed Piper as she followed her sister. "And it should be documented." She looked at Giles. "So how big are we thinking the Hellmouth actually is?"
Giles shrugged. "I don't know. Hellmouth-sized."
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
Collin led Buffy into the ruins of the old church that had become the Master's prison. He stopped and indicating she had to go on alone. Buffy nodded as she stepped into the open space.
"Welcome," the Master called from somewhere in the dark.
"Thanks for having me," Buffy said trying to find the source of his voice. "You really ought to talk to your contractor. I think you've got some water damage."
"Ah, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight. Darling, why don't we just cut to the—" He was cut off as Buffy spun and shot a bolt directly at the sound of his voice. He caught the arrow inches from his heart. "Nice shot."
Electrical Tunnels
Angel led the way down the tunnel as Prue, Xander and Aviva followed. He noticed that Xander was staring at him. "What?" he said as he glanced at Xander.
"You were looking at my neck," Xander said.
"No he wasn't," Aviva said. "I know you don't like him, Xander. But he wasn't staring at your neck."
"You just keep your distance, pal," Xander said ignoring what Aviva had said.
Angel sighed and glanced behind him at Prue and Aviva. "I wasn't looking at his neck!"
"We know," Prue said. "As Aviva said, Xander kind of errs on the side of caution since he obviously doesn't trust you. Anyways how far?"
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
Buffy quickly reloaded her crossbow, never taking her eyes off the Master. "You're not going to kill me with that thing," he said.
Buffy smirked. "If not this, then I have something else that might work equally as good."
"You still don't understand your part in all this, do you? You're not the hunter. You're the lamb," the Master said as he stepped back into the shadows, disappearing from sight.
Gateway High
"I've got nothing specific in here," Ms. Calendar said as she looked at the book in her hands.
"I'm having trouble finding the epicenter," Phoebe added. "I guess mystical quakes don't show up on a seismograph."
"I am not having much better luck either," Giles said as he looked up from a book he held. "The Vampires have been gathering. They know he's coming. They will be his army."
"You think they'll gather at the Hellmouth?" Piper asked.
"Well, the last time the Master tried to rise was the Harvest," Willow reminded them. "He sent a bunch of vampires to get him fresh blood. Maybe this is the same."
"Where did that go down?" Ms. Calendar asked.
"The Bronze," Giles, Piper and Phoebe answered simultaneously.
"The prom," Willow said suddenly afraid for her fellow students.
"That's tomorrow night though isn't it?" Phoebe asked.
"It is," Willow answered. "But there will be people there getting ready for it."
"Then we've got to warn them," said Ms. Calendar.
"Okay," Piper agreed. "Phoebe, you stay with Giles and help him find a way of keeping the Hellmouth closed and our cousin alive." She looked at Willow and Ms. Calendar. "Jenny, Willow, you two are with me."
"Be careful," Phoebe said as Piper nodded leading Willow and Ms. Calendar out the door.
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
Buffy walked slowly about, crossbow ready. "For somebody all-powerful, you sure do like to hide," she said.
"I'm waiting for you. I want this moment to last," he said. To Buffy it sounded like his voice came from the other side of the room.
Buffy spun, standing next to a pool of water. "I don't," she admitted.
The Master smirked as he grabbed Buffy from behind, knocking the crossbow to the ground. "I understand," he told her.
Gateway High
Piper was leading Willow and Ms. Calendar towards her jeep.
"What if they get to the Bronze before us?" Willow asked.
"Don't worry about it," Ms. Calendar said having spotted something. "May I ask Ms. Halliwell what is your power?"
"Freeze," Piper answered. "Why?"
"You might want to use it." Ms. Calendar answered.
Piper glanced in the direction that Ms. Calendar was looking and that was when she saw them. The vampires weren't going to the Bronze. Piper did a quick head count of the vampires. "I don't know if I can freeze that many," she admitted. She looked at her jeep and noticed that there were more there.
"What do we do now?" Ms. Calendar asked having noticed the additional vampires.
"I vote panic," Willow suggested.
"I'll start freezing," Piper offered. "Hold off as many as I can."
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
The Master held Buffy by her arms as she tried to break free. "You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was going to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They didn't tell you everything," he whispered intimately into her ear. "You're the one that frees me. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."
The Master buried his fangs into Buffy's neck causing her to cry out in pain. He shook with the power he was drawing from her, both Charmed and Slayer. Her cries became a mewl, the expression of pain and horror freezing in her eyes. "God, the power!" he said as he reared his head back.
Buffy's eyes slowly closed as she sagged in his grasp.
"By the way..." the Master said as as he let Buffy fall to her knees and then face-down into the pool of water. "I like your dress." He walked over to the mystical barrier that held him prisoner. He pulled his hand and shoved it through. The barrier rippled and then distengrated as she stepped through. He headed up into the tunnels above.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Prue, Aviva, Xander and Angel were nearing the Master's cave when they heard the sound of the mystical barrier disintegrating. In the distance they could see glow briefly illuminate the walls around them.
"What is that?" Xander asked looking at Prue.
"Angel?" said Prue. She had no idea what it was.
"It's too late," Angel answered. "He's gone up."
"Come on. Come on!" Aviva shouted as he ran off leading the way. They ran into the Master's cave and found Buffy face-down in the pool. Aviva pulled Buffy out of the pool of water and turned her over.
Prue knelt down next to Aviva and Buffy and place her ear to Buffy's mouth listening for any sigh of breathing, there was none. She then checked for a pulse. "No!" she screamed. She looked up at Xander and Angel. "She's dead."
"She's not dead." Xander said.
"She's not breathing," Prue told him.
"Prue," Aviva said as she looked at her friend's cousin. "She may not be gone, yet. CPR!"
"Hold her still, Aviva," Prue said. "Xander, I'll do chest compressions. Xander, you breathe for her." She looked to Angel. "I'm assuming you don't breathe right?"
Angel nodded. "I have no breath."
Prue nodded as she leaned down and pressed the heels of her hands to Buffy's chest and pumped her cousin's heart rhythmically. When she stopped Xander blew into Buffy's mouth. Then she checked Buffy, there was still no pulse and Buffy was still not breathing.
"Again," Prue said as she pressed the heels of her hands to Buffy's chest again and repeated the steps.
"Come on. Come on." Xander said after he had breathed for Buffy again.
Prue checked Buffy again. "Please, Buffy, you don't want to prove Melinda's vision wrong."
Gateway High
Piper, Ms. Calendar and Willow were backing slowly up, with nowhere to go. Piper continued to freeze what vampires she could but it was futile due to the sheer numbers of the blood sucking fiends.
"Why are they coming here?" Ms. Calendar wondered.
"Something tells me the Hellmouth isn't at the Bronze." Piper answered as she froze another a vampire. "There is too many for me to do this forever."
It was at that moment a car pulled up next to them with Cordelia behind the wheel. "Get in!"
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
Prue and Xander continued to repeat their individual CPR steps as Aviva and Angel watched.
"Please, Buffy," Aviva begged as she brushed Buffy's hair aside.
"Breathe!" Xander ordered.
Buffy's eyes suddenly flew open as she sucked in a huge gasp of air, coughing powerfully afterwards.
"Buffy?" Xander, Aviva and Prue cried in relief that they had done it.
Buffy eyes focused on her friends and her cousin as she looked up at them. "Aviva? Prue? Xander?"
Xander smiled, doing a pretty good job of holding back his emotions. "Welcome back."
Prue pulled Buffy into her arms. "I thought I lost you there, Buffy," she whispered into her cousins ear.
Gateway High
"I was sitting where Kevin and I used to park, and suddenly these things were coming at me—I tried to get out but the gate's locked," Cordelia explained as a vampire jumped on her car. "Who are these guys? What do we do?"
"We've got to get to the library," Willow said.
"Library. Right. Great," Cordelia said as she slam down on the gas pedal and spun the car around. Willow, Piper and Ms. Calendar brace themselves as they realize how Cordelia planned to get them there. Cordelia drove the car straight at the doors that Willow, Piper and Ms. Calendar had exited minutes before.
"Of course, we generally walk there..." Willow said.
Cordelia crashed her car through the doors and drove down the hallway, a vampire clinging to the hood of her car. Behind them more vampires follow. Suddenly Cordelia slammed on her brakes right outside the library doors sending the vampire on the hood flying off. The quartet jumped out and ran inside the library. Cordelia is the last one in, closing the door behind her as a vampire was inches from grabbing her.
Phoebe and Giles rushed up to them as they barricade the door. "What's going on?" Giles asked.
"Guess!" Ms. Calendar said.
"They're not going to the Bronze." Piper explained.
A vampire smashed the round window of the door and reached in trying to grab one of them. Willow grabbed the library sign and began hitting him till he with drew his arm.
"But why are they coming here?" Giles asked.
"My thought is somewhere under the school is the Hellmouth," Piper answered
Master's Cave, Hellmouth
"Easy..." Prue said as she helped Buffy to sit up.
"The Master..." Buffy said looking at the quartet surrounding her.
"He's gone up," Angel told her.
"Buffy, you're still weak," Prue said as Buffy got to her feet.
Buffy smiled as she looked at her cousin. "No, I'm not. I feel strong. I feel... different," she said as Aviva, Prue, Xander and Angel exchanged glances with one another. She headed for the entrance to the cave with a clear purpose. "Let's go," she told them.
Gateway High
As Piper, Cordelia, Willow, Giles and Ms. Calendar barricaded the front door of the library they heard a crash from the back. "They're coming in through the stacks!" Giles called out.
Piper looked at her sister. "Come on," she said as they ran to the back. They threw their weight against the door shutting it.
"I wish Buffy or Prue was here," Phoebe said as she rushed around to the otherside of a nearby bookshelf. "Tipping this over would be easier."
"Agreed," said Piper as she came around and tilted the bookshelf over so it fell in front of the door trapping the vampires outside.
"My office," Giles said as he heard another crash and ran toward his office.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Aviva and Xander followed Prue and Angel who flanked Buffy toward the high school.
"How do you know where the Master's going?" Xander asked.
Buffy glanced over her shoulder at Xander and Aviva and smiled. "I know," she said as a vampire stepped out front of them. "Oh, look. A bad guy," she said sarcastically as a fireball formed in her hand and she threw it causing the vampire to explode into dust. Never breaking her stride she walked with the others into the school and toward the roof access door.
As Buffy reached the door she found the lock had been broken and the door was ajar. She looked at Aviva, Angel, Xander and Prue. "You guys wait here," she ordered. "Keep the rest of the vampires off me."
"Right," Aviva and Xander agreed.
"Buffy, I don't think…" Prue started to object.
Buffy smiled at her cousin. "I know, Prue," she said. "But this is something I have to do alone." Prue looked at Buffy for a long moment before nodding in understanding. "Don't worry I'm not dying twice tonight," Buffy said as she hugged Prue. She turned toward Angel. "Angel, better put on your game face."
Angel turned toward Buffy and she could see his face had already morphed into his demonic visage. "I'm ready," he said.
"This won't take long," Buffy said as she started up the stairs.
"Okay," said Prue. "Angel and I will be in the center. Aviva, Xander flank us. With the four of us we should be able to keep them away from Buffy long enough for her to take out the Master."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Giles ran into his office just as a vampire broke the window. He grabbed and plunged it into the vampire's chest scoring a direct hit. He then moved a bookcase in front of the window to try and keep the other vampires out.
At the front doors Willow was beating a hand with the library sign that had ahold of Cordelia through the window. "See how you like it," Cordelia said as she bit the hand causing the vampire to release its hold on her.
In the stacks Phoebe and Piper held the bookcase against the door. "This won't keep them out for long!" Phoebe said as tendril wrapped her leg. The tendril yanked Phoebe who screamed and was pulled off her feet.
Piper grabbed her sister and tried to pull her away from the tentacle. She flicked her wrist trying to freeze the tentacle to no effect. "It's immune to my power," she told her sister. "Giles!" she yelled calling for help.
Giles ran out of his office and stopped as he looked at the demon the tentacle was attached to. "The Hellmouth..." he said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Master looked down at the demon through the skylight. "Yes... come forth," he said. "My child... Come into my world."
"I don't think it's yours just yet."
The Master spun around and his eyes went wide at what he saw, Buffy standing there newly baptized. "You... are dead."
"I may be dead, but I'm still pretty," Buffy quipped. "Which is more than I can say for you." She then smirked. "Besides I'm Charmed Slayer."
"You were destined to die! It was written," the Master said stunned that she was there.
Buffy smirked. "What can I say? I flunked the written," she quipped again as a fireball formed in her hand.
The Master reached out suddenly, clutching the air as though it were her. He locked eyes with her and stared, mesmerizingly at her. "Come here. And extinguish that…"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Piper continued to pulled at her sister trying to free Phoebe. "Giles!" she called out. "Gape later!"
Giles shaken out of his stupor ran to the book cage and to the weapons cabinet. He grabbed an axe and ran to Piper. He sank the axe into the tentacle holding Phoebe. Black ichor gushed from the wound as the demon screamed and a second tentacle burst through the floor.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy looked at the Master for a moment and then decided to play along as she extinguished the fireball. She moved toward the Master, never taking her eyes off him.
"Do you really think you can best me here, when you couldn't below?" the Master said as he moved toward Buffy as she came right up to him.
"You've got fruit punch mouth," Buffy quipped.
"What?" he said shocked that she hadn't been under his control.
Buffy swung and hit the Master full in the face. His head snapped back from the blow and sent him bodily to the ground. "And save the hypnosis crap for the tourists."
The Master roared as he stood. He leapt at her. She blocked his attacks and delivered a series of blows back at him the caused him to stagger backwards. He finally managed to land a hit with animal ferocity which sent her flying backwards.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The new tentacle swung ag Giles who was knocked over the railing and slammed down on top of the table splintering it. From being broken in half part of the table sat upended just below the skylight, it's jagged edge pointing at the sky.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Aviva, Prue, Xander and Angel stood at the ready as four vampires rushed them.
In the Hall Prue, Xander and Angel stand ready. Two vampires appear, run at them.
Xander pulled out a stake and a cross. He tossed the cross to Angel who accidentally caught it. "Ooh! Ow! Hot!" he said as he tossed it back.
"Sorry," Xander admitted as he tossed Angel the stake instead. As the four vampires attacked. He managed to get one to back down with the cross before punching the vampire in the face.
Angel staked another vampire one dusting him.
"Aviva," Prue said as she telekinetically lifted the vampire attacking Aviva and moved him onto Angel's stake.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy and the Master trade blows. He eventually manage to grab her throat and held her. Buffy looked through the skylight right beside her and saw the broken table.
"Where are your jibes now?" the Master asked. "Will you laugh when my Hell is on earth?"
Buffy grabbed the Master by the throat and an arm. Her grasp was stronger than his as she removed his hand from her neck. "You're really that amped about Hell?" Buffy said as she pulled him close. "Go there." She lifted him up and flipped him bodily over her head throwing him behind her so he landed on his back and crashing through the skylight. She smiled as a fireball formed in her hands, she sent it flying after him.
The fireball hit the Master and he dusted leaving only his skeleton which impaled itself on the broken table.
Suddenly there was a rending shriek from the Hellmouth as the demon tentacles withdrew back into the Hellmouth. Within moments everything was quiet. No vampires were trying to break in, no demons were trying to escape the Hellmouth, nothing. They heard the front doors open and as they turned they saw Buffy, leading Aviva, Prue, Xander and Angel into the room.
"The vampires?" Giles asked.
"Gone," Cordelia answered.
"The Master?" Angel wondered having not spotted the skeleton yet.
"Dead," Giles answered looking at the skeleton. "And the Hellmouth has closed." He turned and looked at Buffy. "Buffy?"
Buffy began to sob as tears began to roll down her cheeks. Her cousins instantly moved to her pulling her into their arms. As Buffy managed to get her emotions under control; Prue, Piper and Phoebe released her from the group embrace. "I'm sorry. It's been a really weird day," she admitted.
"Yeah, Buffy died and everything," Xander added.
"Wow. Harsh," Willow said.
Giles smiled at Buffy with obvious pride. "I should have known that wouldn't stop you," he said intending it to be somewhat of an apology.
"See I told you, you had nothing to worry about," Prue said as she smiled at Buffy.
"You were right Prue," Buffy agreed,
"Well, what do we do now?" Ms. Calendar asked.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd really like to get out of this library. I hate it here," Giles said.
"I was thinking," said Prue. "How about before the dance tomorrow. Everyone comes over for dinner?"
"Can we get Quake to deliver?" Piper said not really wanting to cook for nine people.
"Yeah we can get Quake to deliver," agreed Prue.
"Could be fun..." Xander said as he smiled.
"Yeah!" Cordelia agreed.
"Buffy?" Aviva asked looking at her friend.
"Sure. We saved the world. I say we party," Buffy said and then she looked at her tattered dress. She looked up at Prue. "Though I think I need something else to wear."
"Don't worry about it," Prue said. "Then this weekend we can do something together, just the family."
"I'd like that," Buffy agreed as Piper and Phoebe smiled.
"What about him?" Ms. Calendar asked pointing at the Master's skeleton.
"He's not going anywhere. Loser," Buffy said as her cousins smiled at her.