Author's Note - For those of you in the U.S. have a happy and safe Independence Day.

Chapter 48: Dead Man's Party

September 4, 1998 – Friday

Halliwell Manor

It felt strange to be home, in her own room.

Buffy unpacked her duffle bag and put away her clothes, tucking them into the same old drawers and spots in the closet where they'd always gone before.

It was the same…but not. Changed by her absence somehow—she was changed. Now they would have to learn about each other all over again.

And it was time to start the process.

She picked up her coat, then went down the hall to Prue's room. She walked in as Prue was swinging a hammer at a nail she'd positioned on the wall.

"Prue," Buffy began.

"Buffy—" she raised a mean-looking mask from the dresser and hung it on the nail. "Do you like it?"

Buffy thought the mask, a half-face thing with slashes for eyes and a line of ugly, sharp yellow teeth, was awful. Still, she tried to cover her reaction. "It's, um, really . . ." No good. She decided to go with honesty. With Piper still missing and her absence she felt Prue and Phoebe deserved that much. Well to a point anyways. She wasn't ready to talk about why she had run away to begin with. "It's okay, I guess. Not really my thing."

"It's Nigerian," Prue said. "I got it at this new gallery that opened up. I think it kind of cheers up the room."

The mask glowered darkly from the wall. "It's angry at the room," Buffy said. "Prue, it wants the room to suffer."

Prue saw Buffy's coat and a shadow passed over her face. "You going out?"

Buffy swallowed. "If . . . if it's okay. I'd like to find Willow and Xander."

Prue inhaled. "Alright. But you know we do need to talk."

Buffy tried a small smile. "I know."

"You go—have a good time."

"Okay." Buffy backed out of Prue's bedroom. Then, because she felt she should, she stuck her head back inside. "Thanks."

Prue looked back and nodded. She waited till she heard the door downstairs close behind Buffy before going to find Phoebe. "Well?" Phoebe said.

"I told her we needed to talk and she was like I know," Prue admitted. "I don't think she is going to talk about why she ran."

Streets of San Francisco

Buffy had almost forgotten how quiet and peaceful San Francisco could be after dark, how deceptive. Like now, as she strolled along the sidewalk, passing houses where she could see the glow of lamps and televisions behind the curtains. Nothing moved, not even a cat or—

Wrong.

Up ahead, a noise, like someone knocking over a garbage can down an alley. Could be a dog, but it might be something far, far worse. Instinct demanded Buffy check it out.

She turned noiselessly into the alley. There, on the other side of a garage, was a man. Tall and dark-headed, dressed totally in black, an outfit meant to blend him into the background. She crept closer, focusing on her target and almost ready to grab hold of the back of his jacket—

—then her foot came down on a soda can.

Crunch!

The guy whirled and his hand came up. Everything in Buffy's vision fixed on the object in his hand, that was swooping down and headed right for the center of her chest:

A stake.

Instinct took over and Buffy disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames. When she reappeared she stood two feet back from her attacker. It took her one fast second to recognize him.

Xander.

They stared at each other, his expression a mixture of fright and surprised happiness.

"Didn't anyone ever warn you about playing with pointy sticks?" Buffy asked with a small smile. "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."

Xander was still stuck in stundom. "You...shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I could have really given you a heart attack and flamed in, fireball in hand."

Xander stood there for another beat, then shook his head in disbelief. "Geez, Buff." Then they were hugging and starting to laugh—

A vampire exploded through the rotting wood of the garage wall behind them. It grabbed Xander but let go as it got a solid kick in the side from Buffy.

Both of them advanced on the stunned vampire, stake in Xander's hand, fireball in Buffy's; both of them stopped when they each realized the other was ready to handle it. "Oh," Buffy said. "Go ahead."

Xander bowed out. "No, you go—"

But he seemed so capable. "No," she insisted. "It's—"

A shrill electronic squawk cut her off, then a tiny voice erupted from what Buffy realized was a walkie-talkie hooked to Xander's belt.

"Come in, Nighthawk. Everything okay?"

Buffy looked at Xander dubiously. "Nighthawk?"

Embarrassed, Xander fumbled at the device on his belt just as the vampire used their distraction to leap for Buffy. She went down under its weight, straining to keep the thing's snapping teeth away from her neck. The sound of running footsteps filled her ears and suddenly the vamp was gone, yanked off of her by two more people—Cordelia and Willow. They hurled it against the wall and tried to hold the struggling thing in place.

"Hello?" Cordelia gasped. "This would be dust time!"

Stake raised, Oz dashed up with Xander, but the girls were no match for the strength of the vampire. It kicked Oz out of the way, then one hard lurch sent Willow rolling onto Oz and Xander while Cordelia reeled backward into Buffy.

"Oh!" Cordy said in surprise. "Hey, Buffy—"

Behind her the vampire's mouth opened wide. Buffy gave Cordelia a shove that sent her into the rapidly growing pile of friends on the ground, and flung the fireball home.

Another vampire, dusted.

Buffy turned to face her friends as they sprawled on the ground at her feet and stared up at her. Finally she said the only thing she could think of.

"Hey, guys."

Giles' Apartment

Buffy approached the door to Giles's apartment and reached for the heavy door knocker. Buffy hesitated and looked back at het friends. "Are you sure it's not too late? Maybe we should come back tomorrow."

No one said anything, and Buffy squirmed beneath their gazes. She started to reach for the door knocker again, then stopped once more. "What if he's mad? I already have an appointment for a lecture from Prue."

Xander raised one eyebrow. "Mad? Just because you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends and your cousins and made him lie awake every night worrying about you?" He gave the others a skeptical look. "Maybe we should wait out here."

Buffy frowned at him, took a big breath, and finally knocked three times.

There was a nervous pause, then the door swung open. Giles stood there, as a whole bunch of emotions played across his features. Relief won, but he still seemed unable to speak.

"Check it out," Xander threw in. "The Watcher's back on the clock. And just when you were thinking career change, maybe becoming a 'Looker' or a 'Seer'—"

"Thank you, Xander," Giles said quietly. Xander's yammering fizzled out and for another long moment, the librarian didn't say anything at all. He and Buffy stared at each other, until at last Giles's face softened and he motioned them all inside.

"Welcome home, Buffy."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz sat comfortably on two couches in Giles's living room. "I got in a few hours ago," Buffy told them, "but I went to see Prue and Phoebe first."

"Yes, of course," Giles said. "And how did you find them?"

Buffy's answer held a hint of humor. "Well, I pretty much remembered the address."

A corner of Giles's mouth lifted. "I mean, how are things between you?" He stopped and they heard the sound of the teakettle whistling in the kitchen. "Ah, excuse me."

The five of them continued to talk among themselves as Giles got up and went to turn off the hot water. Buffy watched him go. She had never taken a liking to Giles's English tea. But during the time she had been gone she had missed the chamomile tea that Piper always made.

"So where were you?" Xander asked eagerly. "Did you go to Belgium?"

Buffy looked at him as though he'd suddenly grown an extra head. "Why would I go to Belgium?"

Xander made his eyes go wide. "I think the relevant question is 'why wouldn't you?' Bel-gium!"

They all laughed.

"What about you, Xander?" she asked. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, you know." He shrugged. "Same old, same old."

"I'm glad to see you haven't changed, Xander—" Buffy said.

"Right, then," Giles said from the doorway. "Tea's on."

Buffy turned toward Giles. "Chamomile?" she asked hopeful, though she could see the wear Giles sported around the edges. She was sure he was hiding his feelings for her benefit. "Piper is still with Leo and I've missed her chamomile tea."

"I'm afraid I am out," Giles admitted. "All I have is Earl Grey."

Cordelia leaned forward and snagged a cookie from the tray. "Okay, were you, like, living in a box or what?"

Buffy hesitated. "It's…a long story."

Xander grabbed his own snack. "So skip the heart-warming stuff about kindly old people and saving the farm and get right to the dirt—"

"Perhaps Buffy could use a little time to adjust," Giles interrupted. "Before we grill her on her summer activities."

"What he said," Buffy put in, looking relieved.

"Fair enough." Xander sat back. "In fact, you can leave the slaying to us while you settle in. We got you covered."

"I noticed," Buffy said, folding her arms. "You guys seemed down with the slayage. All tricked out with your walkies and everything."

Cordelia frowned. "Yeah, but the outfits suck. This whole Rambo thing is so over. I'm thinking more sporty—like Hilfiger, maybe."

"Still," Willow put in enthusiastically, "we're getting good. I mean, we dust, like, nine out of ten."

"Six out of ten," Oz whispered in her ear.

"Six out of ten," Willow repeated, still enthusiastic.

"Whatever," Xander said. "We've been kicking a little undead booty."

Buffy nodded. "Well, thank you for the offer, but I think I just want to get back to my normal routine. You know, school, slaying, kid stuff." She glanced at Xander. "In fact, I'm jonesing for a little brainless fun. What are you doing tomorrow?"

Awkward silence fell over the group. "Oh, I would," Xander finally said as he put a hand on Cordelia's arm. "But I'm kind of tied up."

Cordelia smiled slyly at him. "You wish."

Buffy turned to Willow. "What about you, Will?"

Willow blinked. "Tomorrow? I . . ."

"Oh, come on," Buffy prompted. "Friends don't let friends browse alone."

Willow glanced at Oz, hesitated, then shrugged. "Okay. I had some school work, but…I can change my plans."

Giles cleared his throat. "As for school, Buffy…you know you'll have to talk with Principal Snyder before—"

"On it," Buffy agreed. "Prue is making an appointment with His Ugliness."

"It may be tough going," Giles commented. "He's quite emphatic about a Buffy-free Gateway High."

"No problem," Buffy said, trying to cover up her worry. "I'm bringing The Intimidator. One look at Prue and I know she can break him."

September 7, 1998 – Monday

Gateway High School

"Absolutely not. Under no circumstance."

Prue faltered as she and Buffy sat across from Principal Snyder. Buffy, unhappy but not particularly surprised, felt sorry for Prue as her cousin's expression went to disbelief. "But . . . you can't keep her out of school!" she exclaimed. "You don't have the right!"

Snyder gave them a thin-lipped smile that showed all his little teeth. "I have not only the right but also a nearly physical sensation of pleasure at the thought of keeping her out of school. I'd describe myself as tingly."

"Buffy was never charged," Prue said hotly.

Snyder happily tapped his fingertips together. "Yes, and while she may live up to the not-a-murderer requirement for enrollment, she is a troublemaker, destructive to school property and the occasional student, and her grade point average alone is enough to . . ." He smiled dreamily. "I'm sorry. Another tingle moment."

Prue looked at him incredulously. "I don't see how you can be so cavalier about a young girl's entire future!"

The principal leaned forward. "I'm quite sure that a girl with talents and abilities such as Buffy's will land on her feet." He looked positively gleeful. "In fact, I noticed on the way in this morning that Hot-Dog-On-A-Stick is hiring." His gaze cut to Buffy. "You'll look so cute in that hat."

Buffy picked up her bag and stood. "Let's go, Prue."

"This isn't over," Prue told Snyder as she moved to follow her cousin. "If I have to, I'll go all the way to the Mayor."

Snyder just sat there, unaffected. "Wouldn't that be interesting."

Out in the hallway, Buffy saw Giles coming toward them. Obviously he'd been trying very hard not to look like he was waiting for the outcome. "Well, how did it go?"

"Have you ever noticed his teeth?" Prue asked fiercely. "They're like tiny, little rodent teeth—"

"Oh, dear," Giles said.

"Horrible, gnashing little teeth. You just want to pull them out with pliers."

Giles blinked at Prue. "Perhaps there's some way he can be overruled," he said as they moved farther down the hallway.

Buffy watched them go, knew they were discussing her 'situation.'

Suddenly the bell rang and students poured from the classrooms lining the main hallway, moving smoothly around her like she was a pebble in the middle of a river. She felt about as big, too, when no one noticed her or so much as said "hi."

If Snyder wouldn't let her back into Sunnydale High, what was she going to do?

Caffe Trieste

"Don't worry about school, Buffy." Later, Prue pulled the car over to the curb where Buffy was supposed to meet Willow. "If we can't get you back into Gateway, maybe we can swing private school."

Buffy was horrified. "You mean like with the jackets and kilts? You want me to get field-hockey knees?"

Prue just smiled. "It's not that bad."

Buffy looked at her eldest cousin hopefully. "What about home schooling? You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore."

"We'll work something out. Okay?" Prue told her as Buffy nodded. "Tell Willow I said hi," she called as Buffy got out.

Buffy watched Prue drive away, then wandered around outside the Caffe Trieste as she waited for Willow. Maybe they could do a little shopping when she got here, or just sit and talk. There was so much to catch up on.

Or not.

Shocked, Buffy looked at her watch and realized she'd been hanging around the coffee shop and daydreaming for almost half an hour. Where was Willow? It wasn't like her to be late like this.

Discouraged, Buffy checked her watch again, then settled on one of the beat-up couches the shop had put outside on the patio. Willow had said she was originally supposed to do school stuff—maybe that's what had made her so late.

Buffy decided to give it a few more minutes.

Halliwell Manor

Buffy had decided she would rather walk home than flame there. So as a result it was a lonely walk home. The streets and houses were familiar but the sight of them did nothing to comfort her. Even the Manor didn't look very welcoming as she turned up the walkway. It became even less so when a strange woman hustled out the front door.

Buffy stopped as the woman, blond and about Phoebe's age, noticed her.

She hurried forward, smiling and fluttering like an oversized butterfly. "Oh, my word!" she exclaimed. "You must be Buffy! Look at you." Her smile widened. "Aren't you a picture!"

Buffy tried valiantly to smile back. "Thank you."

"I'm Pat," the stranger said, grabbing Buffy's hand and shaking it excitedly. "Phoebe and I have a class together. I'm sure she mentioned me."

"Actually—" Buffy began.

Pat started dashing toward the street. "Well, I'm off," she called gaily. "We're making empanadas in my Spanish class tonight. You go be with your cousins. You all need to rebond."

'Yipes,' Buffy thought and made for the front door. The world's gone a little weird—maybe I'm safer inside. She couldn't help feeling irritated as she went into the kitchen and found Prue paging through a cookbook and Phoebe sitting at the kitchen island. "Pat wishes us quality time," she said dryly.

Phoebe looked up. "Oh, I met her in—"

"She said one of your classes. Got it."

Prue looked up at Buffy from the cookbook. "Before I forget, Willow just called."

Buffy's face clouded. "Where was she?"

"She got held up," Prue told her. "But she said she tried to call."

"Was there a message?"

"No." Prue looked back at her cookbook momentarily, then lifted her chin. "But I had a thought. What if I invited Willow, Xander and Rupert for dinner tomorrow night? Don't you think that would be nice?" When Buffy hesitated, she hurried on. "Since I sort of already did, I'm hoping for a 'yes.'"

Dinner with Prue, Phoebe and her friends. "It would be fun," Buffy managed.

Prue smiled. "Great. Do me a favor? Run down and get the company plates?" she asked. She had always wondered why Piper stored the good dishes in the basement.

"Prue. Willow and everybody aren't company plate people. They're normal plate people."

"Humor me, Buffy," Prue told her cousin.

Buffy tramped down to the basement. She positioned a stepstool in front of the storage shelves so she could reach the plates, but stopped halfway up the climb. There, tucked facedown on a middle shelf, was a familiar framed photo—her, Xander and Willow. They all looked so happy, but she felt like she was looking at a picture of someone else's life. Would they ever be the same?

Buffy sighed and slid the photo back where it'd come from, then stretched overhead to pull out the box of company plates. Before she could get her hands on it, she bumped something else she couldn't see and felt the object come loose.

She yelped and barely kept her balance when a dead cat fell past her and landed on the floor with an ugly thump.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

A small, shallow grave in the backyard. Somehow, Buffy never thought she'd be digging one there.

Prue had put the sad-looking, formerly gray cat into a plastic garbage bag. Now she stepped forward and dropped it gingerly into the hole Buffy had made behind the flower bed. Buffy looked from the bag to her cousin.

"Next time, I get to pick the bonding activity," Buffy quipped.

"At least it wasn't Kit," Prue said.

"Your right," Buffy agreed as she thought about Kit, the cat had been hers and her mother's before Joyce's death. And after she had moved in with Prue, Piper and Phoebe Kit had slowly become the entire family's cat. She picked up the shovel and began to fill in the grave.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Her second night at home, in her own bed, and Buffy felt no more welcome than the night before.

The partial moon cast a cold, blue light through the window. Of all the places she'd reacquainted herself with over the past few days, her room felt the least familiar of all.

Wasn't there any warmth at all left in her life?

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Prue slept soundly. She never saw the eyes in the dark wood of the Nigerian mask begin to glow a rich, deep red, throbbing with secret power.

Outside, as if responding to an unearthly command, the loosely packed soil of the cat's grave began to quiver and heave. After a few seconds, the smooth surface split outward, and the cat, its fur matted and caked with grime, ripped its way free.

It fled into the bushes with an otherworldly yowl.

September 8, 1998 – Tuesday

Halliwell Manor

"I've been on the phone with the Superintendent of Schools," Prue said as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "At least he seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid bigoted rodent man."

Buffy tensed. "Prue—"

"Anyway, I'm going in to speak with him this afternoon. As for private schools," Prue pushed a small stack of papers toward Buffy. "Castilleja School accepts late admissions. I wrote the information down for you."

Buffy's mouth fell open. "A girls' school? So now it's jackets, kilts and no boys? Care to throw in a little foot binding?"

Prue's expression turned hard. "Buffy, you've made some bad choices. You just might have to live with some consequences."

Buffy stood there, frozen, unable to process this horrible news. After a moment, Prue's face softened. "Nothing's settled yet," she amended. "I'm sorry really, Buffy. I know what you went through was difficult. It's just running away like you did…"

Buffy sighed. "I know, Prue."

Prue emptied the trash can and went to take the trash out. As she opened the door the cat—the very same one they'd buried the day before—scrambled through the door with a screech and disappeared into the house. "Was that?" she asked looking at Buffy.

"I think so," Buffy answered as they turned and hurried after the cat.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy opened the front door for Giles, who stepped inside holding a small animal cage. "Welcome to the Hellmouth Petting Zoo." She motioned for him to follow her upstairs to Prue's bedroom, to where they'd easily tracked the cat.

With admirable fearlessness, Giles reached under the bed and grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck. It hissed and yowled as he pulled it out and, holding it as far away as he could, deposited it into the cage. "Oh, my God," he choked out. "What a stench."

"You know, I wanted Forest Pine or the April Fresh, but Prue wanted Dead Cat," Buffy said, trying to lighten the mood.

Bomb out. Giles looked at Prue. "I'll get it back to the library," he said. "See if we can determine its exact origin."

Prue nodded. "We'll look in the books."

Buffy saw Giles's gaze cut to the ugly mask on the wall. "That's striking. Nigerian?" he asked.

Prue nodded. "Yes, I bought it at this new gallery that opened up."

"You know," Buffy said, jumping in. "I love art talk as much as the next very dull person, but we have work to do. Giles—research mode?"

She started for the door, then realized Giles hadn't moved. "Shouldn't you stay with Prue and Phoebe, Buffy? You must have—"

"Let me guess," Prue interjected. "So besides not being allowed back in school. Buffy isn't allowed on school property?"

"Yes," Giles answered almost reluctantly.

"Oh." Stung, Buffy tried to be glib. "This marks a first. I want to go to school, but the school doesn't want me."

"I'm sorry," Giles said gently. "I'll call as soon as I know something."

"And we'll see you tonight," Prue put in. "Dinner?"

Giles looked startled, as though he'd already forgotten. "Of course. Tonight, then."

'Wow,' Buffy thought as she and Prue watched him leave. 'Willow stands me up, Xander doesn't want to hang, and the school won't take me.' She felt even more of an outsider than ever.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy, dressed in a pink satin dress with a beaded top, set the table, carefully arranging the good silverware around the company plates. Her heart gave a little jump when the doorbell rang, but she hurried to open it anyway. It might be tough at first, but these were her friends—

"Hey, there you are!" said Pat as Buffy answered the door. "Not thinking about any more flights of fancy, I hope?" Disappointed, Buffy tried valiantly to hold her smile as Pat hustled inside and chattered away, not giving her a chance to reply. "Phoebe said there was room for one more, so I said 'forget facial night and let's party!' I bet you like empanadas." She pushed a Tupperware container into Buffy's hands.

Buffy didn't know what to say. Finally, she gave Pat a thin smile and asked, "Do you want to see Phoebe?"

"Please," Pat said kindly.

"Phoebe!" Buffy yelled, too late realizing she actually sounded desperate.

Phoebe hurried down the stairs, pleased to see Pat. "Oh, Pat—good. Buffy, I hope you don't mind."

The doorbell chimed again, saving her from having to answer. Relieved, Buffy yanked open the door, then her eyes widened.

"Hey, Buffy," said Devon. He stood there, loaded down with musical equipment, while a couple of giggling band groupies hovered behind him.

"Uh . . . hey." Stunned, Buffy stared at them, trying to fit him into the neat little evening she'd imagined.

He grinned as he pushed past. "So, where do you want the band to set up?"

"The…band?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow stood against the wall, swaying in time to the song that Dingoes Ate My Baby were playing in the living room. There seemed to be a hundred teenagers in the first floor of the house, most of whom she didn't know. How had they found out about the party? She and the rest of the Buffy's friends had told a few people, but if this was word of mouth, it was awesome.

"Hey!"

Willow turned and saw Buffy standing behind her. She'd barely heard her friend's greeting over the noise. "Hey!" she yelled back.

Buffy gestured at the kids crammed into every corner. "This is . . . large!"

Willow nodded. "You like?"

"Yeah—it's great," Buffy shouted back. "It's just—I was just sort of hoping it would be us."

Willow shook her head, catching only a few of Buffy's words. "Sorry—what?"

Buffy tried again. "This is amazing. But I was sort of hoping it would be a gathering of the gang—"

Willow smiled and shook her head again. She mouthed the words "I can't hear you!" and looked back at the band, giving up.

But Buffy wasn't ready for that yet, She pulled Willow out of the living room and up the stairs, where they could actually hear each other talk. "Is everything okay?" she asked. "You seem to be…avoiding me. In the one-on-one sense."

Willow tried her best to smile, hoping Buffy couldn't see how uncomfortable she was. "What?" she asked. "This isn't avoiding. See? Here you are, here I am."

Buffy looked doubtful. "So…we're cool?"

"Way," Willow said emphatically. "That's why, with the party." She gestured down the stairs to indicate the jam-packed first floor. "'Cause we're all glad you're back."

Uncertainty shadowed Buffy's features, but she finally nodded. "Okay."

"Okay," Willow repeated. "Good." And she beat a quick exit back down the stairs, knowing Buffy didn't feel any better but unable, yet, to do anything about it.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Downstairs, the band played and the people laughed, unconcerned, unknowing, about the evil slowly spreading itself via Prue's Nigerian mask on her bedroom wall. She'd left all the lights on because of the party, and still the wicked red glow of its pulsating eyes outshone everything in the room.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy wandered through the party, wincing at some of the lame moves she was witnessing, trying to find someone, anyone she knew.

"I think you'll be impressed," she heard a guy she thought was named Jonathan tell a cute girl as she passed. "It's the Cadillac of mopeds—"

The girl rolled her eyes and walked away and Buffy gave her a mental thumbs-up, amused at the way Jonathan sauntered off in the other direction as if he hadn't just received a brush-off. She found a niche where she could stand and nod in time to the music, at least look like she belonged here. That illusion was blown by the disturbing words of a couple of out-of-it guys she'd never seen in her life.

"Hey," drawled the smaller of the two to his buddy, "what's the deal with this party, anyway?"

"This party?" His friend looked completely out of it. "I heard it's for some chick who just got out of rehab."

'Enough,' Buffy thought. Like the girl dumping the Moped King a little while ago, she figured she'd rather be anywhere but here.

But escape wasn't easy. She angled out of the living room and ran straight into Cordelia and Xander when she turned the corner. Arms wrapped around each other, they obviously didn't need her company. Buffy did an about-face, but it was too late.

"Hey, Buff," Xander said. "What're you doing?"

"I was just . . . taking a break from all that wacky fun," Buffy said, trying to back away.

Xander grinned and held on to his girlfriend. "Some party, huh? Guess a lot of people are glad you're back."

Buffy glanced toward the living room. "Seems like people I don't even know missed me. Did Giles say if he was going to be late?"

"He was library man last time I saw him. But he'll be here. He wants to celebrate your homecoming—we all do. I mean, it's great having the Buffster back." Xander smiled at Cordelia. "Isn't it?"

"Totally," Cordelia agreed, looking surprised that Buffy was even there. She gave Xander a slinky smile. "Except, you were kind of turning me on with that whole 'boy slayer' look."

Xander's grin widened. "Was I now?"

"You bet," Cordy cooed. "Nighthawk." She giggled and nibbled on his ear.

"Well," Buffy said, since it was obvious Xander was thinking about anything but Giles and the party. "I'll just be…" She slipped away unnoticed.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the kitchen, Prue, Phoebe and Pat sat around the kitchen table chatting. Pat gave the sisters a serious look. "If you two don't mind me asking. How are you both holding up? Really? Buffy was gone for months. Your sister Piper is still gone."

Phoebe and Prue looked at each other for a long moment. "Really?" Phoebe said. "I think Prue will agree that all we've thought about is both of them coming home."

"Phoebe's right," Prue agreed. "Buffy was gone almost four months and Piper is, as you said, still gone. As much as we miss Piper, she is an adult though. Still it would be nice if she called. Anyways as far as Buffy is concerned, we can see how unhappy she is. It's why we haven't pressed her on the reasons she ran."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the darkness outside, shadows gathered and moved, a small army of the undead.

And all aiming for the Manor.

Gateway High School

'Drat,' thought Giles. 'I really ought to get over to Buffy's party.'

But the research had taken longer than he expected—still no logical reason why the cat had come back from the dead. He picked up the book on reanimation he'd looked at earlier and flipped through it. There must be something—

He froze.

"Oh, Lord," he whispered. He stared down at the illustration on the page, a rendering of a mask from Nigeria.

The same one hanging on Prue's bedroom wall.

Giles snatched up the telephone receiver and dialed the Manor, pacing as he waited for someone to answer.

"Party villa. Can I rock you?"

"Excuse me?" Giles said. "Hello?"

"What can I do you for, London-sounding guy?" asked the stranger on the other end. Music blared in the background, nearly drowning out the speaker's voice, Oz's concept of a hootenanny in full swing.

"I need to speak with Buffy, Prue or Phoebe," Giles said loudly, gripping the telephone cord. "Immediately. I have some information here that's extremely important—"

The sound of breaking glass followed by a cheer cut him off. "Yeah!" the voice crowed. "Fiesta foul! You gotta do a shot!"

"I need to speak to Buffy, Prue or Phoebe!" Giles yelled into the phone. "Now!"

"Buddy?" There was a pause and Giles realized the guy wasn't even listening to him. "That guy has to do a shot!"

"Buffy! Prue! Phoebe!" Giles yelled again.

There was another pause and the sounds of the party grew louder. Giles heard the speaker call out, could imagine him holding out the phone toward the room—as if anyone there could hear how desperate he was. "Hey, I need to talk to a Buddy, a Prude or Phobos. Is there a Buddy, Prude or Phobos here?" After a moment, the voice came back in Giles's ear. "Sorry. They're not here. You got the wrong casa, Mr. Belvedere."

Dial tone.

"Hello? Hello?"

Exasperated, Giles slammed the phone down and grabbed for his coat.

He'd just have to bring the bad news in person.

Halliwell Manor

The lost look on Buffy's face had finally eaten far enough in to make Willow feel guilty, so she went to find her friend. When Buffy wasn't downstairs, she headed up—she had to admit that there were dozens of people here who were total strangers. With no one she knew to really talk to, maybe Buffy had retreated to the sanctuary of her own room.

'Bingo,' Willow thought. The door wasn't quite closed and she saw Buffy moving around inside. She pushed it open, an apology on her lips, then froze.

Buffy was packing.

Everything Willow had planned to say fled. "You're leaving again?" she demanded instead. "What, you just stopped by for your lint brush and now you're ready to go?"

Buffy didn't look up, just kept shoving things haphazardly into the duffel bag on her bed. "It's not like anyone'll mind."

"Oh, no, have a good time," Willow said. She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. "And don't forget to not write."

Buffy stopped. "Why are you attacking me? I'm trying—"

"Wow," Willow cut in. "And it looks so much like giving up!"

Buffy stuffed another wad of clothes into the bag. "I'm just trying to make things easier."

"For who?"

"You guys were doing just fine without me."

Willow stepped closer. "We were doing the best we could. It's not like we had a lot of choice in the matter."

"Look," Buffy said. Tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry I had to leave, okay? You don't know what I was going through."

Willow stared at her. "Well, I'd like to."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Well, maybe I don't need to understand," Willow said, hurt. "Maybe I just need you to talk to me."

"How can I talk to you when you were avoiding me?" Buffy demanded angrily.

"This isn't easy, Buffy!" Willow inhaled. "I know you're going through stuff, but so am I."

"I know that you were worried about me, but—"

"No! I don't just mean that. I mean, my life. I have all sorts of…I'm dating. I'm having serious dating, with a werewolf! And I'm studying witchcraft and killing vampires, and I didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff." Willow felt her eyes fill with tears as she faced Buffy. "And you were my best friend."

Buffy's expression went shamefaced. "You have no idea how much I missed you, and everyone! I wanted to call every day."

"It doesn't matter, Buffy," Willow insisted. "It still doesn't make it okay that you didn't—" She broke off as Prue and Phoebe stepped into the room.

Phoebe stared at the duffel bag in amazement. "This is a joke, right?"

"Phoebe," Buffy said. "Can you just . . . Willow and I are talking—"

But the Halliwell sisters were not to be stopped. "No, we can't 'just'! Buffy, what is this?" Prue asked.

"She was running away again," Willow said accusingly.

Buffy took a step back "I—I wasn't. I mean, I'm not sure what—"

"Well, you'd better get sure and explain…" Prue cut in.

Phoebe held up her hand silencing her older sister. "Buffy, talk to us, please," she pleaded.

"Okay," Buffy agreed. "Let's start with Pat."

Phoebe sighed. "I'm sorry. She heard me talking on the phone to Giles about the party. What was I going to do tell her no?"

Buffy sighed as she shrugged. "I guess, not."

"What else is bothering you Buffy," Prue wondered as she sat down on Buffy's bed.

"I know I put everyone through the worst four months of their lives. But I had hoped I guess that everyone would I don't know be okay," Buffy admitted. .

"Buffy," Prue said as she patted the bed, indicating for Buffy to sit down. "We've all been through the rollercoaster with you being gone. Phoebe and I didn't know if you were alive or dead, especially with Piper still with Leo."

Buffy sighed. "Oh," she said as she sat on the bed next to Prue. For a moment her own problems had taken root and she had forgotten that both Piper and her father weren't there. She looked at the floor as tears began to glisten on her cheeks.

Phoebe looked at her older sister as she moved to sit next to Buffy on the opposite side from Prue. "Buffy, we don't know what happened that night. Why you felt you needed to run. And I will be the first to admit it was handled badly on both sides."

"Phoebe's right," Prue agreed. "I think we've all been hard on each other. Maybe having a get together this early after you got back was bad idea for all of us." She looked up at their fellow witch. "Willow, why don't you go downstairs and let everyone know the party is over."

"Sure," Willow agreed as she started for the door.

"We'll have you all over for dinner later this week," Prue added before Willow could leave the room. "No party though this time."

Willow nodded in agreement. "I think that's a good idea."

Downstairs someone crashed through the living room window.

"What now?" Prue wondered as they rushed out of the room and down the stairs.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The guy that had come through the window was being followed by someone else, then someone else again. He lurched through the living room, then stopped in front of some dude who along with everyone else was trying to escape to the door. The stranger grabbed a partyer's head and twisted it viciously. The party dude dropped like a limp rag.

Buffy, Willow, Prue and Phoebe came down the stairs. They, Xander and Cordelia went in different directions. As more breaking sounds came from the kitchen, Buffy leaned over and grabbed a fireplace poker. "Xander, Prue—the kitchen!" she yelled and tossed it.

Xander neatly snatched the poker from the air. "Got your back!" He, Prue and Cordelia headed through the dining room. Phoebe and Willow turned to see Buffy pummeling the weird guy that had come through the window. They realized that no matter how many times Buffy beat him back, he just kept coming.

This time when the guy started to go for her again, Phoebe stepped up behind him and brought a heavy vase down on his skull.

Willow spied a piece of broken window sash, nice and sharp, and grabbed it. "Buffy, heads up!" she called and threw it.

Buffy's hand shot out. She caught and twirled the stake, then slammed it down into the center of her attacker's chest. He looked at her, then it, and fought to get up again. "Not vampires," she said. She glanced at Phoebe. "I think we got…"

"Zombies," Phoebe finished for her cousin.

By the front door, a terrified Pat was almost outside. Her luck didn't hold, though—only a couple of inches to go, but she didn't see the zombie step from the shadowed hallway behind her. She only felt its rotting hand cover her mouth as it dragged her back into the depths of the house.

In the kitchen, Xander and Cordelia did their best to beat back their own zombie, while Prue using her telekinesis tried to keep anymore zombies outside. Xander picked up a bottle and whacked it on the head; Cordelia skewered it with a long barbeque fork. Nothing worked.

"Man!" Xander exclaimed as he smacked it again. "This sucker wobbles but he won't fall down!"

In the living room, the others kept pounding on the creatures, to no avail.

The chip and dips forgotten, a guy reached over and grabbed one of the band's guitars. "Not my guitar!" Devon barked at his side. "Use the bass!"

A few feet away, Buffy, Willow and Phoebe still fought to control the same, unstoppable zombie. "He just keeps coming!" Willow cried.

"I know!" Buffy latched onto one of his flailing arms and pulled. "Try to get him back outside!"

Willow and Phoebe jumped to help, and the three of them hauled the foul thing toward the front door. Oz was there with his hand on the knob.

"On three!" Phoebe exclaimed. "One, two, three!"

Oz yanked open the door, then kicked at the zombies waiting outside before they could pile in. Willow and Phoebe shoved their zombie out, using him like a bowling ball to take down the others. There was a harrowing moment as they fought to close the door against the hands trying to snake around its sides, then they turned the lock and leaned against it in relief.

"Help me barricade!" Buffy shouted. Devon and several others rushed to pile furniture and anything else they could find against the broken windows. "We need some help out here!"

In the kitchen, Xander sat hard on the zombie's back, forcing the thing's face to the floor as he finished trying it with telephone cord. "I got it," he told Prue and Cordelia. "Go help Buffy and Phoebe." Prue and Cordelia hurried out of the kitchen, joining the others as the last of the furniture was settled on top of their makeshift barrier.

"Great," Buffy said, drawing a much-needed breath. "Good job every—"

The center of the door crashed in as one of the creatures slammed its arm right through it.

The group scattered in all directions. Oz, Phoebe and Cordelia hightailed it for the stairs and Buffy grabbed Xander as he came out of the kitchen. "Upstairs!"

Oz and Cordelia headed for the stairs, then found themselves cut off from the others as a zombie smashed through the weakened front door. They changed directions, forced back toward the kitchen.

Almost up the stairs, Prue, Phoebe, Willow and Buffy stumbled over the unconscious Pat. They hauled her upright and dragged her into Prue's bedroom. Buffy, Prue and Xander left Willow and Phoebe to see to Pat while they built a new barricade, shoving the dresser and chair in front of the door.

Reluctantly, Willow leaned over and touched Pat's throat. No pulse. She looked at Phoebe. "She's—" She didn't finish.

Grief flashed over Phoebe's face. "Oh God—she's dead?"

But there was no time to think about it. Something splintered behind them and Willow and Phoebe whirled to see a zombie had already managed to work its way partially through the door and the furniture piled in front of it. They hurried over to help, forced to leave Phoebe's dead friend lying on the bed.

Fighting for their lives, no one noticed Prue's Nigerian mask on the wall, its eye slits throbbing with deep scarlet.

On the bed, Pat's eyes slowly opened.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Is that your foot?" Cordelia asked in the darkness.

"Oh," Oz said. "Sorry."

"I don't hear anything. Should we check?"

Oz considered this. "Go for it."

Cordelia found the knob and cautiously pushed open the door. They peered out—nothing. Carefully, both clutching ski poles, they inched out of the storage closet in which they'd been hiding. While there were muffled sounds elsewhere in the house, the downstairs seemed clear of any zombie action.

They moved toward the front, rounding the first corner—

—and ran straight into Giles.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Despite their best efforts, one of the zombies had gotten through the door.

As Prue, Piper, Buffy and Xander fought with it, trying to figure out how to get it back out, Willow turned and look toward the bed. She saw Pat pulling herself to a sitting position. "Phoebe," she said.

Phoebe followed the redheaded witch's gaze and hurried over to Pat. "Willow, I thought…"

"She was," Willow answered.

Pat snatched at the mask on the wall. Without hesitating, the woman brought the mask up and pressed it against her face. A demonic green light exploded from behind the thing, momentarily enveloping her.

When the group blinked away their surprise, they saw that the ugly mask, sharp teeth and all, had melded itself to Pat's skin.

Willow yipped as her hold on the zombie loosened. Now it cowered on the floor at their feet, trying to hide its face behind one decayed arm.

"Generally speaking?" Xander told them. "When scary things get scared? Not good."

"No its not," Prue, Buffy and Phoebe all agreed.

The glow receded from Pat's face. "I live," she intoned. Her voice was deep and echoing with power. "You die!"

Buffy scowled and started toward the Pat-demon, then she was bathed in a nearly blinding white light that flashed from the eyes of the dead woman's mask. Prue, Phoebe and Willow glanced at each other realizing that whatever the light was, it had literally paralyzed Buffy. Before anyone could stop her, the Pat-demon advanced on Buffy and brutally backhanded her.

Buffy went sprawling and Phoebe's former friend turned on Willow.

"Willow, don't look!" cried Buffy from the floor, but it was too late. The light flashed again, and all Willow could do was stand there and send useless mental commands to her feet to run. Frozen in place, she felt the demon's hands on her head, ready to twist.

"No!" Head down, eyes averted, Buffy plowed full-speed into the Pat-demon.

Willow fell to one side. Buffy kept going in a full body tackle that took both her and Pat right through the glass of the second story window.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Trying to figure a way to get upstairs, Giles, Oz and Cordelia reversed course when they heard the explosion of glass. There was a heavy thud, then sounds of fighting in the backyard. "Out back!" Giles commanded while upstairs in Prue's bedroom, that struggle also resumed.

With Oz and Cordelia close on his heels, Giles headed back down the stairs, but found them blocked by yet another zombie. The battle began, and Oz backed up, jockeying for a good kick to their zombie's head as Giles and Cordelia beat on it. "Oz!" Giles commanded between blows. "Tell Buffy, Prue or Phoebe—whoever is out there—that Mobani's power is in his eyes! They have to go for the eyes to defeat him!"

A split second decision and Oz changed his tactics, using his position as a springboard to vault over the other two and the creature on the stairs. A good thing, too—the zombie hit the space where Oz's rib cage had been hard enough to punch right through the wall.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The zombie in the room with them had, upon Pat's high-dive out the window, decided it should start fighting again. Prue, Willow, Xander and Phoebe punched and kicked the thing, but it just wouldn't stop. Tossed against the outside wall, Willow sat, stunned, as Prue reached beneath her bed and pulled out a sturdy baseball bat. She whaled on the creature in her bedroom with all her might.

And the two battles raged: one inside the room with her—

—and one outside with Buffy.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The creature that Pat had become found her footing first. She jumped on Buffy, knocking her to the ground and straddling her. Parroting the zombie who'd been so afraid of the Pat-demon, Buffy threw her arm over her eyes to avoid the paralyzing beam that kept pulsing out of the eyes of the mask.

Caught off guard by her victim's tactic, the woman was thrown off by a right cross to the jaw. Buffy scrambled to her knees across the grass, searching for something at the edge of the flower bed—

Got it!

Buffy rose and spun—

—and looked straight into a flash of light from the demon's eyes.

She was stuck.

'Darn,' Buffy thought. 'All weaponed-up and no way to use it.'

"Buffy!"

Startled, the Pat-demon whirled at the sound of Oz's cry and her paralyzing hold on Buffy broke. As the light from the creature's eyes immobilized Oz, Buffy hefted the gardening spade she'd plucked from the lawn. "Hey, Pat!"

The demon turned back, preparing to freeze her again. Averting her eyes, Buffy let instinct guide her hand as she drove the spade right through the eyes of the mask.

"Made you look."

Everything in the world seem to stop for a second, then an enormous bolt of white enveloped the Pat-demon. There was an unpleasant sizzling sound…then Pat vaporized, right in front of Buffy's eyes.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow and Phoebe had been watching Buffy with the Pat-demon. When they saw the demon disappear, they glanced back to what was going on in the bedroom, they realized that Prue was flailing with the bat at empty air. There was a crash downstairs and they heard Giles and Cordelia shout in astonishment—whatever undead thing they'd been fighting had apparently also vanished, as had the rest of the creatures.

Another look out the window and there was Buffy, dusting off her party dress with a satisfied look on her face. Oz was not far away from Buffy, he was standing cool and composed by the remains of the back door. They had no idea why Oz said it, but they heard his words clearly:

"Never mind."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Prue and Phoebe hurried to Buffy. "Buffy, are you all right?" Prue asked.

Buffy's mouth quivered, just a little, and she reached out. "Prue…Phoebe…" Then they were hugging. "Yeah."

Xander stepped up to Buffy. "Nice moves."

Buffy smiled slightly. "You, too." She and Xander slapped hands and Oz and Cordelia moved in to join with them, congratulating each other on another job well done. After a moment, Willow smiled and reached for Buffy, hugging her as tight as she could.

And, slightly back from the rest of them, Giles stood and watched as Buffy's friends found and accepted, once again, their friend.

He would not see them kept apart.

September 9, 1998 – Wednesday

Gateway High School

Giles knocked on Principal Snyder's door, then stepped inside his office without waiting for an invitation. He made sure to close the door behind him.

"Did we have an appointment?" Snyder asked in annoyance as he looked up from a pile of papers.

"I'd like to have a word with you," Giles said politely.

Snyder stood and walked around to the front of his desk. "If that word is 'Payson,' then I have two words for you: 'Good,' and 'riddance.' " He picked up a folder and tucked a piece of paper into it. "Now, if you don't mind, I have an appointment with the Mayor."

Giles stood his ground. "You can't keep her out of this school."

Snyder gave him a nasty smile filled with little teeth. "I think you'll find I can."

"You had no grounds for expelling her."

Snyder's eyebrows shot up. "I have grounds. I have precedent. And a tingly kind of feeling."

Giles made an exaggerated show of courtesy. "Payson Halliwell is a minor and entitled to a public education. Your personal dislike of the girl does not legally entitle you—"

Snyder dismissed him with a wave. "Why don't you take it up with the City Council?"

He started to step past Giles, but stopped at the librarian's next words. "I thought I'd start with the California Supreme Court. You're powerful in local circles, but I believe I can make life very difficult for you. Professionally speaking." Giles made sure his tone was pleasant. "And Payson will be allowed back in."

Snyder hesitated, then his chin lifted in defiance. "Sorry. I'm not convinced."

As the man started to leave, Giles's hand came up and caught Principal Snyder across the collarbone, just below his neck. He shoved Snyder against the wall hard enough to hear the Principal's breath whoosh out of him. But when he spoke, Giles's voice never lost that agreeable tone. He was even smiling.

"Would you like me to convince you?"

Caffe Trieste

Outside the sunshine was bright and the shopping district buzzed with noisy kids and parents. Inside it felt cool and relaxing to Buffy and Willow, a cozy place to reacquaint themselves with each other. A perfect place to share a huge bowl of double chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and catch up on the missing chunks of both their lives.

"I mean," Willow said as she scraped up the last of the ice cream on her side of the dish, "I'm not like a full-fledged witch. That takes years."

"It doesn't take years," Buffy countered.

"You were born with it Buffy," Willow reminded her best friend. "I wasn't…"

"Not true," Buffy interjected. "Did you know only gifted witches get Whitelighters?"

"No," Willow replied. "But that should prove that I'm not gifted like you since I don't have one."

Buffy chuckled. "But that is where you are wrong," she said. "Because you do have a Whitelighter."

"I do?" Willow asked confused.

Buffy nodded. "Let me introduce you to your Whitelighter," she said. She spun around in her seat to make Willow believe for a second it was someone else and then she spun back to face her friend. "Hello, Will. I'm your Whitelighter."

Willow's eyes went wide. "What?"

"Do you remember back in April when Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I dealt with the demon Cryto?" Buffy asked as Willow nodded. "And that before that I had thought I was Prue, Piper and Phoebe's Whitelighter because the Elders had clipped dad's wings?" Again Willow nodded. "Come to find out, after dealing with Cryto, I was never Prue, Piper and Phoebe's Whitelighter. Dad persuaded the Elders to give me my first charge…you. You are gifted, Will."

"Wow," Willow said in obvious surprise.

"And not only as your friend but as your Whitelighter, you will have it easier than Prue, Piper, Phoebe and I did. We had no one to teach us when we came into our powers. I, with the help of Prue, Piper and Phoebe, will teach you."

Willow smiled at her friend, she liked the thought that she had a Whitelighter who was also her best friend. "Then I probably should tell you…I tried to communicate with the spirit world and I so wasn't ready for that. It was like being pulled apart inside. Plus, I blew the power for our whole block. Big scare."

Buffy looked proudly at her friend. "I wish I could have been there with you."

"Me, too," Willow smiled sheepishly. "I really freaked out."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Willow said. "I understand you having to bail and I can forgive that. I have to make allowances for what you're going through and be a grown-up about it."

They sat there in silence for a moment, then a corner of Buffy's mouth turned up and she gave Willow the eye. "You're really enjoying this whole moral superiority thing, aren't you?"

Willow grinned. She couldn't help it. "It's like a drug."

"Fine," Buffy said, flouncing back. "Okay. I'm the bad. I can take my lumps . . . for a while."

"All right," Willow said, relenting. "I'll stop giving you a hard time." She looked at the table, then at her best friend again. "Runaway."

"Will!"

"I'm sorry." Of course she was, but she hadn't had Buffy to tease in so long… "Quitter."

Buffy glanced at her slyly. "Whiner."

"Bailer."

"Harpy."

Willow considered her options for a moment. "Delinquent."

Buffy tilted her head, thinking. "Tramp."

Not even close, so Willow figured she might as well be just as ridiculous. "Bad seed."

Willow laughed as Buffy managed to top everything they'd said so far with humor and, darn it, utter accuracy: "Witch."

But she had one that topped even that. "Witch…Whitelighter…Slayer."

Buffy smiled and nodded. It was true she was all of those. "True," she said. "I'm Charmed."