Chapter 80: The Freshman
Willow sits leaning against a stone, pouring over a U.C. San Francisco course book, trying to choose courses for Buffy.
Buffy stands, paces a bit, restless and a little unsettled by the thought of college.
Propped up on the headstone are a couple of crossbows. Stakes and crosses also lie about. Just behind Willow is a fresh grave.
"Anything?" Buffy asks as she looks out in the night as she says this.
"Ah! Introduction to the Modern Novel. "A survey study of twentieth century novelists...", open to freshmen... You might like that..." Willow says.
"Introduction to the Modern Novel. I'm guess I'd probably have to read the modern novel." Buffy says.
"Maybe more than one." Willow says.
"I like books, I just don't wanna take on too much. Do they have an Introduction to the Modern Blurb?" Buffy says.
"Ooh! Short story." Willow says.
"That's good." Buffy says.
"Oh, no, it conflicts. With Psych." Willow says.
"Maybe I shouldn't take Psych." Buffy says.
"Oh, you gotta! It's fun, and you can use it for your science requirement. Anyway Professor Walsh is supposed to be great, she's like world renowned." Willow says.
"How do you get renowned? Do you have to be nowned first?" Buffy asks.
"Yes, first there is the painful nowning process - wait. "Images of Pop Culture". This is good. They watch movies, shows, even commercials." Willow says.
"For credit?" Buffy asks and she scurries down next to Willow, looks with her.
"Isn't college cool?" Willow asks.
"How did I miss that one?" Buffy asks.
"Well, you did sort of leave your course selection to the last minute." Willow says.
Buffy sighs, "Sorry, Miss "I chose my major in playgroup." Sorry that I was grieving for my sister."
Willow nods and sighs, "I miss, Prue too. You know."
Buffy nods, "I know. "
"How are you doing?" Willow asks.
Buffy sighs, "Some days good and some days are blah. It'll take time. But at least I am beginning to move on. I know Prue, Piper and Phoebe are my cousins. But Prue was like the big sister I never had."
Behind them a hand shoots out of the grave. A vampire starts clawing his way out of the grave. Neither girl sees.
Buffy nods, "Anyways I haven't had a lot of time to think about life at UC San Francisco.
Willow nods, "It's exciting, though, huh?"
"Yeah. Gonna be an adjustment..." Buffy says.
"Uncharted territory." Willow says.
"Giles says I have to be secret identity gal again. If too many people know I'm the slayer, I'm a target blah blah blah... I've been secret identity gal for 3 years, because of being a witch." Buffy says.
Willow nods, "Yeah you don't want to risk exposure, bring back the witch trials."
"Still patrolling is gonna be tough. With a roommate..." Buffy says. "I've been debating just staying in the Manor. I know Piper would like it if I stayed in the Manor. But I told her I have to at least try living in the dorms just once."
The vampire pulls himself out of the grave and stands behind them. He approaches, grinning hideously. He sees the crossbows and whatnot. Stops, considering whether it's worth the fight. Still neither girl notices. He wanders off.
"I'm psyched for college, definitely. I'm just wondering how it's gonna work with my extracurricular activities. I gotta make sure it doesn't take the edge off my slaying or Charmed responsibilities. Gotta stay sharp." Buffy says as she looks back at the grave... "Is that guy ever gonna wake up?"
The next morning Buffy is loading her car with last minute stuff for college.
"Buffy, I really wish you would stay here." Piper says.
Buffy sighs, "Piper, we've had this conversation. Whether or not I turn around and do it a second semester. I want to at least do the dorm thing once, just to say I've done it. I'm not moving out of town. Plus I'm just a flame away if you need me for a Power of Four.
Piper nods, acceptance.
Later Buffy is looking about, her orientation package clutched to her breast. Just a bit overwhelmed.
There is a milling cacophony of students, shouting, greeting each other, running around, protesting this, leafleting about that, being college students. In the midst of it all, Buffy looks just about as small as she feels.
The voice of a student volunteer rings out to one side - Buffy turns to hear, or mostly hear, "Freshmen! We're doing this by folder color! If you're not holding a yellow folder, you're in the wrong group! You belong up by Wiesman hall."
Buffy, having caught most of this over the general noise, looks for her folder. There is a green thing that might be it, but no yellow. She looks about her for some guidance, but there's none, and she finally trudges in the general direction of where the student volunteer pointed.
To the other side, she sees a protest in progress, twenty or so kids and a guy and a girl - both alt-rock hippy types, both pretty pissed off about something. Behind them, an amateurishly painted banner that reads: IT HAS TO STOP! The girl shouts into a megaphone, "WHAT DO WE WANT?"
Twenty kids respond with twenty different answers, all rendered unintelligible in the din.
"When do we want it?"
"NOW!"
Buffy tries to get through the back of the crowd, is suddenly handed a leaflet as she clears. The earnest fellow - dark, wearing a turban - foists it upon her with, "Rally tomorrow night. We have to let the administration know how we feel."
"Okay. Right." Buffy says. She gets a few more paces and a conservative young woman hands her another leaflet.
"Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?"
"Well you know I meant to, and then I was busy all day..." Buffy says. She is trying to keep going, but this is getting to be too much. Her third leaflet comes from an exceptionally nonserious guy.
"Party Thursday at Alpha Delt. Gotta be there - free jello shots for freshmen women. That's our guarantee."
"Right. Do you know where Wiesman Hall is?" Buffy says.
Willow comes bounding down to meet Buffy. Her hand is also full of leaflets and folders, but unlike Buffy, she's in heaven. "Buffy!"
"Hey, Will! Boy am I glad to see you." Buffy says as they fall into step together.
"Isn't it cool?! There's so much stuff going on!" Willow says.
Buffy nods, "Yeah!... Almost, one might say, too much..."
"I got all my courses, except I had to switch Modern Poetry for Ethnomusicology, but that's cool, West African drumming, I think it's gonna change everything for me. Have you met your roommate yet?" Willow says as Buffy shakes her head. "Me neither. Hope she's cool."
"I see you got ticketed too." Buffy says.
Willow nods, "Oh yeah! It's great. I've heard about five different issues and I'm angry about each and every one of them." She looks at Buffy's. "What'd you get?"
Buffy holds up the last flyer she got, "Jello shots."
"I didn't get jello shots..." Willow says looking through hers. "I'll trade you a Take Back the Night..."
Buffy hands over all of them, which Willow happily takes. "Are we headed anywhere near Wiesman? I need to get my I.D. Card."
"Oh, I got mine first thing. The lines are really long now. You should have gone early." Willow says.
"Well, I hope that I learn from this, and that I grow." Buffy says.
"I'm being annoying, aren't I?" Willow asks.
Buffy shakes her head, "No, it's nice that you're all excited."
"It's just... In high school, knowledge was pretty much frowned upon. You really had to work to learn anything. But here, I mean, the energy, the collective intelligence - it's like this force, this penetrating force, I can feel my mind just opening up, you know, letting the place just thrust into it and... spurt knowledge... into... that sentence ended up in a different place than it started out in." Willow says.
"I get it, though, I do. I'm all for spurty knowledge, really, I just... it's a little overwhelming, you know? Don't you feel that?" Buffy says.
"Well, I mean... Boyfriend!" Willow says as Oz wanders down to greet them.
"Hey, guys." Oz says.
Willow smiles, "It's my on-campus boyfriend!" She kisses Oz, passionately.
"Gee, I forgot to pick mine up. That line's probably really long now too." Buffy says.
"How are you doing?" Willow asks.
"Good. This is pretty much a madhouse, a madhouse." Oz says.
"Oh, isn't it overwhelming? I was saying that - aren't you just completely disoriented?" Buffy asks.
"Oz!" Paul says as he passes them.
"Hey, Paul!" Oz says.
"Finally matriculating with us, very cool. Tell me you guys are playing this week." Paul says.
Oz nods, "Thursday night. Alpha Delt."
"Ooh! I have that one." Willow says.
"I'm bringing the wrecking crew. Jello SHOTS! Do you know where they're distributing the work study applications?" Paul says.
"Back of Richmond hall, next to the auditorium." Oz says.
"Thanks. See you, bro." Paul says.
"Yeah." Oz says. He turns to Buffy, tries to find common ground. "The band's played here a lot. But it's still all new. I don't know what the Hell's going on." Another student passes. "Hey, Doug."
Buffy nods, "Your not playing Payson's?"
Oz nods, "Were still playing Payson's, Buffy, on Saturday. You don't have to worry were not going to give one of our best gigs up."
A little bit later The girls head for the library.
"Library..." Willow says as she picks an entrance. "Library! Come on."
They walk across the foyer and up the stairs.
"It's too bad Giles couldn't be librarian here. Be convenient." Buffy says.
Willow nods, "Well, he says he's enjoying being a Gentleman of Leisure."
"Gentleman of Leisure. Isn't that just British for unemployed?" Buffy says.
Willow nods, "Uh huh. He's a slacker now."
"Speaking of slack, have you heard anything from Xander?" Buffy asks.
Willow shakes her head, "Not since Prue's funeral. He's still doing his cross country see-America thing. He said he wasn't coming back until he'd driven to all fifty states."
"Did you explain about Hawaii?" Buffy asks.
"Well, he seemed so determined..." Willow says.
Buffy nods, "I hope he gets back soon. It'd be fun to get the gang together, you know, hanging out in the... library..."
They've entered the library, which is not exactly like their old high school haunt. It's somewhat more unbelievably gigantoid. Willow is clearly as excited by it as Buffy is unnerved.
"Wow." Buffy says.
"Isn't it amazing?" Willow says.
Buffy nods, "It's... cozy..."
"You know, I never wanted to hurt Giles' feelings, but occult books aside, our old library didn't have the greatest selection. But this..." Willow says.
"It's, yeah... it'll be great if we ever need a place for... the Nuremberg rallies..." Buffy says.
"It's like a REAL library!" Willow says. Someone shushes them. "See!?" She takes off with manic glee, leaving Buffy to look about her with somewhat less.
Later in the student store Buffy makes her way through the shelves of books, a bunch stacked in her arms. There is chaos here as well - it's thick with students.
Willow joins her with a basket. "Here."
"Thanks." Buffy says and gratefully dumps her books on top of Willow's.
"Introduction to Psychology. Up there." Willow says as she has found their psych textbooks. They are up high, too high for Willow to reach with her burden.
"Here." Buffy says as she stretches... "This store discriminates against short people."
"I think there's a protest next week." Willow says.
"Got it!" Buffy says as she grabs the bottom most one - it sticks out - and pulls, causing the whole pile on top to tumble off the shelf and on to the head of a kneeling student, Riley. "Oh! Oh god, sorry!"
"I'm okay. It's okay." Riley says as he stands, shaking his head. He smiles wryly at the diminutive pair. "Well. That was bracing."
"I'm so, I just... the books were too high, and then everything was bad." Buffy says as she scrambles to pick them up.
Riley kneels. "Let me give you a hand." He sticks a few books on a lower shelf. "Let's put a few down here. So, are you girls taking Intro Psych, or do you just want me dead?"
"Uh-huh. I mean the first one." Buffy says.
"Well, you'll have a lot of fun. Professor Walsh, she's quite a character." Riley says.
"You've taken it?" Willow asks.
Riley nods, "I'm a T.A. I'll be helping the professor out. I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners in all the concussion. I'm Riley."
"Willow. And this is my friend Buffy." Willow says.
Riley smiles, "It's nice to meet you both."
"I'm nice to meet." Buffy says.
Before Buffy can work out what went wrong with that sentence, Willow continues. "Do you know if we're gonna cover operant conditioning in the first semester? I heard that was kind of Professor Walsh's specialty."
"Absolutely. You know her treatise on Dietrick's work?" Riley asks.
"I know of it..." Willow says.
Riley nods, "It's not on the syllabus but it's a fascinating read, if you're into that sort of thing. They have it here."
"Ooh! Where?" Willow says.
"I'll show you." Riley says as the three of them start off together. "I don't meet a lot of freshmen that know that much about psychology."
"Well, it's fascinating." Willow says.
"Yeah, 'cause... you know, everyone's got a brain..." Buffy says as Riley smiles politely at this lamest of comments. Buffy trails behind the other two, awed by her own ineptitude. "Or, almost everyone..."
At dusk Buffy makes her way through yet more students to get to dorm room. She enters to find her new roomie, Kathy, setting up her side of the room.
"Hello?" Buffy says.
"Oh! Are you Payson?" Kathy asks.
Buffy nods, "Yeah."
"Kathy." Kathy says.
"Yeah, it's nice to meet you." Buffy says.
"Yeah." Kathy says.
"So. It's a pretty nice room." Buffy says.
Kathy nods, "I was surprised, 'cause you hear horror stories about freshman housing. You took the right side."
"Uh, yeah, but if you wanted to be on the right..." Buffy says.
Kathy shakes herhead, "No no, I just wanted to make sure that was what you wanted. Are you excited for classes tomorrow?"
"Painfully." Buffy says.
"I bet there's a lot of parties to go to this week, too. Not that I'm a crazy partier - and I'm not always this hyper, either. I'm just excited." Kathy says.
Buffy nods, "I know. Me too."
Kathy puts up a Backstreet Boys poster. "I'm really glad they put me with someone cool. I can tell you're cool. I just know this whole year is gonna be superfun!"
Hours later Lights are out. It's two thirty in the morning. Buffy lies wide awake.
Kathy sleeps soundly, making smacking noises with her lips, plus the occasional snore and mutter. Superfun.
The next day Buffy takes a seat near the back of the lecture hall as Professor Riegert talks.
"The point of this course is not to critique popular American culture, it is not to pick at it or look down upon it. And it is not to watch videos for credit." Professor Riegert says.
The students laugh. Buffy turns to the students next to her and whispers, "Did he say if this course is full yet?"
"The point is to examine its structures, its schemata and recurrent themes and there are two people talking at once. I know that one of them is me." Professor Riegert says. Buffy stops, looks around her. "The other is a blond girl. You. Blond girl. Stand up." Buffy does, meekly. "I'm very excited to hear what you have to say that's worth interrupting my lecture for."
"Well, I..." Buffy says.
"Getting off to kind of a slow start." Professor Riegert says.
"I just didn't know if the class was still open, if we could still sign up..." Buffy says.
Professor Riegert holds up attendance sheet, "If your name isn't on this sheet then you are wasting everyone's time. Are you on the sheet?"
"No, but - I was told that –" Buffy says.
"Do you understand? You are sucking energy from everyone in this room. You are taking their time, their energy. They came here to learn. Get out." Professor Riegert says.
Buffy frowns, "Look. That was just rude. I was told I could sit in to see if I wanted to take this class. But you know what, I don't now. Also I will be reporting you to the Dean for your treatment of students." She turns and leaves.
Later Buffy makes her way down the hall to her next class. She pauses, not sure where she is, as Riley comes up from nearby.
"If you're looking for psych, it's through here." Riley says.
"Oh. Thanks." Buffy says as they walk a bit. "How's your head?"
"Sorry?" Riley asks, confused.
"Yesterday... in the store... You don't remember." Buffy says.
"Oh, no, sure I remember you. You're Willow's friend." Riley says.
"Yeah." Buffy says, crestfallen.
Riley nods, "My head's fine. It just stung for a bit and I lost most of my basic motor functions. No biggy." They enter the class. "We're here. I'm sorry, I'm trying to –"
"Payson, Payson Halliwell." Buffy says. "But my friends call me Buffy."
"Right. Have fun." Riley says.
Buffy turns to see Willow waving for Buffy to sit with her and Oz. As Buffy takes her seat, Professor Maggie Walsh sweeps into the room. She peers at her students a moment as they quiet down.
"How was Pop Culture?" Willow asks.
"I decided not to take it." Buffy says.
"Okay. This is Psych 105, Introduction to Psychology. I'm Professor Walsh. Those of you who fall into my good graces will come to know me as Maggie. Those of you who don't will come to know me by the nickname my T.A.'s use and think I don't know about, the Evil Bitch-Monster of Death." Professor Walsh says. "Make no mistake: I run a hard class. I assign a lot of work, I talk fast and I expect you to keep up. If you're looking to coast through this, I recommend Geology 101. It's where the football players are."
That evening Buffy walks looking around her, she's lost. She looks about her for a signpost or anything, she suddenly bumps into the innocuous figure of Eddie. She jumps back, startled, as does he. "Oh!"
"Oh. Wow. Sorry." Eddie says.
"No, I'm sorry. Wasn't looking." Buffy says.
"Did you, uh, lose your way?" Eddie asks.
"No, no, I'm just heading to Fischer Hall, it's right... uh, I know it's... on the Earth planet, I'm sure of that..." Buffy says, "Recently voted Most Pathetic, uh huh."
Eddie shows her map, "Well, I'm lost, and I have a map, so..."
"Ooh! I come in second." Buffy says as she comes next to him and looks at the map. "I'm Payson, by the way."
"Eddie. Edward. I mean - Edward. But I aspire to be Eddie." Eddie says.
"Okay, here's Fischer Hall..." Buffy says.
"Yeah, and this is Dunwirth, that's my dorm, but it's us I can't find." Eddie says.
"Are we the blue part?" Buffy asks.
"No. Yes." Eddie says.
Buffy smiles, "Yes. Okay, I came from here, so, we go... that way." She points. "To the bike path."
"You sound very certain. I'm in." Eddie says as they start walking. "Are you taking Psych 105 with Professor Walsh?"
Buffy nods, "Yeah. I mean, I'm gonna try. She's not afraid of the long words, is she?"
Eddie nods, "She's pretty intense. A lot of the courses are really tough."
"I'm a little upset. I had it on good authority this was a party school." Buffy says.
"I think it gets easier." Eddie says.
Buffy nods, "Yeah, I still feel like carrying around a security blanket."
"Of Human Bondage. Have you ever read it?" Eddie says.
Buffy shakes her head, "No, I'm not big on... porn... I mean I've cut way back."
"No, there's no actual bondage. It's just a novel. I've read it like ten times, I always take it everywhere. Security blanket." Eddie says.
Buffy nods, "Oh. I don't really have one – unless you count Mr. Pointy."
"Mr. Pointy?" Eddie asks.
"Hey, bike path!" Buffy says as they have come to the bike path. They stop and Buffy hands Eddie the map. "Thanks. It's nice to know I'm not the only entirely confused person on campus."
"I suspect there's a lot of us." Eddie says.
"I'll look for you in Psych." Buffy says.
Eddie nods, "Yeah, maybe we can help each other figure out what the hell they're talking about."
"Cool." Buffy says.
Eddie smiles, "Maybe even make it through the year."
They part ways, both somewhat reassured by the encounter. Eddie walks away, then turns back to look at the departing figure of Buffy. He turns around and bumps into someone else.
She's about the age of a senior, and has been for more than thirty years. Face very white, lips very red, attitude very dangerous. Punked out, schoolgirl style, and flanked by three big vamps. Her name is SUNDAY, and she leers at little Eddie with predatory glee. "I'm sorry..." Eddie steps back, terrified... "Did you lose your way?"
The next day in Professor Walsh's class. Maggie and Riley confer at her desk as Buffy cranes to find Eddie.
"Looking for someone?" Oz asks.
Buffy nods, "Yeah..."
"You've made a friend? Good for you." Willow says.
"Thanks, Mom..." Buffy says, distracted. Where is Eddie?
Later Buffy enters Eddie's room as his R.A. talks to her. "Yeah, Eddie just took off. Packed his stuff, left a note. It happens sometimes. Some people just can't handle it. There's always a few kids lose it early in the first semester and bail. The weak ones, I guess."
He wanders off. Buffy looks about at the empty room, feeling pretty weak herself. She sits on the bed. Something catches her eye. She leans over to the bedside table, reaches into the drawer. She pulls out Eddie's copy of Of Human Bondage. Turns it over in her hand, suspicion growing on her face.
Later Buffy is at Giles' apartment, the door is slightly ajar, so Buffy swings it open, "Giles?"
There is no answer. Music plays, a Van Morrison album that perhaps has drowned her out. She enters, looking up towards the bed area, and so does not notice Olivia in the kitchen until she actually speaks. "Rupert, is this blue cheese, or it is just cheese that's gone blue?"
Buffy turns as Olivia emerges from the kitchen, wedge in hand. The two women regard each other, surprise on both sides.
"You're not Giles." Olivia says.
Buffy nods, "You're not Giles either - unless he had a much more interesting week than I did." Olivia smiles at that. "The door was open, I just – Giles does still live here, right?"
Olivia nods, "He does." Giles emerges from the back room, wearing a dressing gown over his clothes - elegant, but decidedly casual. "He appears. Rupert, you have a guest."
"Buffy! Hello." Giles says.
"Is this a bad time?" Buffy asks.
Giles shakes his head, "No, uh, forgive me. This is Olivia. Old friend, stopping over for a few days."
"Couldn't pass through Sunny Cal without looking up old Ripper." Olivia says.
Buffy nods, "Uh huh..."
"Buffy is a... was a student of mine." Giles says. "And how is University?"
"Kind of like high school. In the sense of that I sort of need help." Buffy says.
"Ah. Help. Yes." Giles says.
"But this looks like a bad time." Buffy says.
Olivia shakes her head, "No, you guys talk. I'll go slip into something a little less comfortable." She exits into the back.
"So, trouble with your, uh, studies?" Giles asks.
"It's a bad time." Buffy says.
Giles sighs, "You keep saying that."
"Well, it looks pretty bad! I think someone has just a little too much free time on their hands." Buffy says.
Giles shakes his head, "I'm not supposed to have a private life?"
"No, because you're very very old and it's gross." Buffy says.
"Well, before I succumb to the ravages of age, why don't you tell me what brings you here." Giles says.
"There's a student missing." Buffy says.
Giles nods, "Yes?"
"Eddie. He's supposed to have left school, but I don't think he did. I met him outside last night - I went back there and right near where I saw him there was a struggle." Buffy says.
"You suspect vampire activity?" Giles asks.
"That was my first thought. Actually, that was my only thought." Buffy says.
"And?" Giles asks.
"What do you mean, "and"? And we need to stop them! Eddie's R.A. said kids disappear a lot. There could be a group of vampires working the campus. We need research, and charts and stuff." Buffy says.
Giles shakes his head, "I'm still not sure where I come in. You haven't described anything you can't do yourself."
"Okay, remember before you became Hugh Hefner, when you were a watcher?" Buffy says.
"Officially, you no longer have a watcher. Buffy, you know I will always be here when you need me. Your safety is more important to me than anything. But you are going to have to look after yourself. You're out of school now and I can't always be there to guide you." Giles says.
Buffy sighs, "Oh. Okay. I'm sorry to bug you."
"Buffy –" Giles says.
"No. You're right. I can deal. I was just... yeah. I'm on it. Thanks." Buffy says.
"I'm here if you need me." Giles says.
Buffy exits through the front door.
That evening Buffy is dressed for hunting, but there are quite a few people out. She wanders a bit, brow furrowed. "How am I supposed to hunt in this mob? Don't you people have homes?" She stops, sees Eddie off in the distance. He seems to spot her – "Eddie?" – and then takes off. Buffy gives chase."
Buffy turns a corner, easily catching up with Eddie. "Eddie, wait up! God, I was worried something had happened to you and yes of course did because you're a vampire." This last because she has spun him around and been confronted by a grinning vampface. "I'm sorry."
"I'm not." Eddie says and lunges for her.
Buffy easily throws him, powering up a fireball. "You will be."
Eddie rises slowly, a new appraisal of the girl in his eyes. He charges her again as she throws the fireball and he dusts. Buffy looks down at his ashes, alone.
Except for the five vamps who step out of the shadows, surrounding her. Sunday is directly behind, and it is she who guesses first. "The Slayer?" Buffy spins. "Wow, I heard you might be coming here. This is - well, I mean, what a challenge. A slayer."
Buffy just can't keep the boredom out of her voice. "And you are..."
"I'm Sunday. I'll be killing you in a minute or so." Sunday says.
"You know, that threat gets more frightening every time I hear it." Buffy says.
"Are we gonna fight, or is there just gonna be a monster sarcasm rally?" Rookie says.
"I'm in for a piece." Dav says.
Buffy smiles, "Everyone gets to play..." She's putting on an act - she's actually unnerved by the odds here. And Sunday can smell it.
"Guys. This is totally mine." Sunday says.
"Okay, but you gotta share the eatins', 'cause I'm thinking slayer blood's gotta be, whoah, like thai stick." Rookie says.
"I thought people in college were supposed to get smarter." Buffy says.
"I think you had a lot of misconceptions about college. Like that anyone would be caught dead wearing that." Sunday says.
Buffy looks down at her outfit, genuinely concerned - and looks back up to Sunday's fist smashing her face.
Buffy flies back, hits the ground. She scrambles back up but Sunday is on her, easily dominating with rain of well placed blows.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but –" Sunday says as she slams her fist into Buffy's face. "You fight like a girl."
Buffy comes back, gets a couple of good shots in - then Sunday grabs her arm and pulls it out, slams her hand on hears something splinter and she screams. Another blow and she drops to her knees, holding her useless left arm.
"Did you think you were gonna show up on my campus and just swing with the In Crowd?" Sunday says as she sends a kick to Buffy's face. Buffy rolls away, comes up breathing hard. Bloodied and broken. "Come on. What do you got?"
Sunday is all glee, waiting for Buffy's move.
Buffy looks around and then smiles, "Be seeing ya." She flames out and into her dorm room. Thankfully Kathy lies sleeping, occasionally snorting and making teethgrindy noises.
Buffy sits on her bed, tending her wounds. Her left arm is clearly in a lot of pain – she flexes it and winces, settling it gently in her lap. She looks out the window, saying nothing.
The next day Buffy walks slowly. She sees Willow and Oz across the quad. A moment's hesitation. She puts her hand to her bruised cheek. She takes off, making sure they don't see her.
At the Manor Buffy enters through the kitchen door. "Piper?"
There is no reply. Buffy moves through the kitchen, looking at everything, taking comfort from home.
She walks up the stairs just as Piper emerges from her bedroom.
"Buffy! Sweetie, how are you?" Piper says and gives Buffy a hug.
Buffy sighs, "Is Leo here?"
Piper shakes her head, "Leo!"
Leo orbs in, "Hey Buffy. How's University."
Buffy sighs, "Bad. Can you heal me. I got trashed by some vampires. I think my arm maybe broken."
Leo nods and moves to Buffy and holds out his hands and heals her arm.
"You had no one with you?" Piper asks.
Buffy shakes her head, "No I didn't."
Piper sighs, "Buffy you know we always want you to patrol with someone."
"I know, Piper. I know." Buffy says.
Piper nods, "Alright when Phoebe gets home we'll go out with you tonight. See what we can do about this vampire problem."
Buffy smiles, "Thanks, Piper."
Leo nods, "And you know you don't have to come home just for me to heal you."
"I know, Leo. I just wanted some time away. I didn't have classes today, so…" Buffy says.
"We'll meet you in your dorm room," Piper says. "7pm sound fine?"
Buffy nods, "That's fine."
They hear the phone ring. Out of habit Buffy moves to it and picks it up. "Halliwell Residence." Silence. "Hello?" The person on the other end hangs up. Buffy hangs up herself, "Must have been a wrong number."
Piper nods, "Okay we'll see you tonight."
Buffy nods, "Okay. And thanks, Piper." She flames out and into her dorm room. She sees her side of the room completely cleared out - in exactly the same manner Eddie's was.
Kathy is nowhere to be seen. Buffy takes a note off her bed, sits as she reads it. From her face, it's clear it's more or less the same as Eddie's.
In a fair approximation of Buffy's handwriting, it reads: This is all just too much for me. I have decided to take off. Sorry I didn't have time to say goodbye but I need to be by myself. Good luck this year. Buffy.
A little death sentence from Sunday.
Later Buffy is at Payson's. A sad, slow, Splendid song is being performed on stage as Buffy walks in.
She makes her way through the crowd, passively seeking a familiar face, or at least a familiar vibe. She takes a seat not far from the stage, looks at the crowd.
"The whole world in front of her, and she comes back to this dive." Xander says from behind her.
Buffy turns, "Xander! How dare you call my club a dive." She pulls him into a big ol' bear hug.
"Hey, Buff." Xander says.
"When did you get back?" Buffy asks.
"Couple of days ago." Xander says.
"You freak of nature! Why didn't you call?" Buffy asks.
"I knew you guys were starting the whole college adventure, I didn't want to, you know, help you move." Xander says.
Buffy hits him playfully. "I missed you. How was your trip? Is America nice? I hear it's nice."
"There was some purple mountains majesty, I'm gonna have to say." Xander says.
"What'd you do? What'd you see?" Buffy asks.
"Well..." Xander says.
"Come on, tell!" Buffy says.
"Grand Canyon." Xander says.
"You saw the Grand Canyon..." Buffy says, admiringly.
"Well, I saw the movie "Grand Canyon". On cable. Really lame." Xander says.
"Oh." Buffy says, confused.
"Basically I got as far as Oxnard and the engine fell out of my car. And that was literally, so I ended up washing dishes at the fabulous "Ladies Night" club for about a month and a half while I tried to pay for the repairs. Nobody really bothered me or spoke to me there until one night one of the male strippers called in sick and no power on this Earth will make me tell you the rest of that story. Suffice to say I traded in my car for one that wasn't made entirely of rust and came trundling back home to the arms of my loving parents and everything's exactly as it was except I sleep in the basement and I have to pay rent. How's college?" Xander says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Male strippers?"
"No power on this Earth." Xander says.
Buffy nods, "Okay. College is great."
"Uh huh. Once more with even less feeling." Xander says.
Buffy sits in the alcove, and he comes around and sits next to her. "No, really. Willow's in heaven – Oz got this great off-campus house with the band..."
"And you're sitting alone at your club looking like you were just diagnosed with cancer of the puppy." Xander says.
Buffy nods, "It's just... it's this vampire. She took me down, and I'm not sure how to stop her."
"Then where's the gang? Avengers assemble, let's get it going." Xander says.
"I don't want to bug them... just starting school, they don't need this... Piper and Phoebe are supposed to meet me later though." Buffy says.
Xander nods, "Okay, Buff. What's the what here."
"I don't know, I just... what if I can't cut it." Buffy says.
"Can't cut what? Slaying?" Xander asks.
"Slaying... everything." Buffy says.
Xander sighs, "Buffy, this is all about fear. It's understandable, but you can't let it control you. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to anger... no wait... Fear leads to hate, hate leads to the dark side... hold on... Hate... no First you get the women, then you get the money, then you get... okay forget that."
"Well, thanks for the dada-ist pep talk. I feel much more abstract." Buffy says.
"The point is, you're Buffy!" Xander says.
Buffy sighs, "Yeah, sure, in high school I was Buffy..."
"And what, in college you're Betty Louise?" Xander asks.
Buffy laughs, "No in college I'm Payson Patricia Halliwell. Hardly no one knows me as Buffy anymore."
Xander nods, "Buffy, I've been through some fairly dark times in my life. Faced some scary things, among them the kitchen of the fabulous "Ladies Night" club. Let me tell you something. When it's dark and I'm all alone, and I'm scared or freaking out or whatever, I always think, "What would Buffy do?" You're my hero." Buffy soaks this in, looks at him. "Okay, sometimes when it's dark and I'm alone I think, "What is Buffy wearing?""
"Can that be one of those things you never ever tell me about?" Buffy asks.
Xander nods, "It's a deal." He stands, all momentum. "Let's put this bitch in the ground, what do you say? Show Piper and Phoebe that you can do it with just us."
"I think I say thank you." Buffy says.
"And nothing says "thank you" like dollars in the waistband. Okay. What do we do first?" Xander says.
Later in the administration office a portion of the door has been punched out and it is ajar. By the light of a single lamp and a computer screen, Buffy and Xander work. Her at the computer, him at files and newspapers.
"Kids disappearing every year. Not too many. Just enough so everyone believes they up and left." Buffy says.
"I can't believe the vampires took your stuff. Murder I expect, but petty larceny just seems so... petty." Xander says.
Buffy nods, "Well, they have to be keeping it somewhere. On campus or real near by."
Xander sees something, "How far back do the disappearances go?"
"Seems like they weren't too common till like '82." Buffy says.
"Magic number. Check it out." Xander says.
Buffy comes to his side, reads, "Psi-Theta loses its charter, building to be closed for renovation."
"1982. And look here." Xander says. He pulls a later paper, "The former psi-Theta fraternity house lies dormant while zoning issues drag on before the city council... I think we have a winner."
"Looks pretty cherry..." Buffy says.
Xander nods, "You up for a little reconnaissance?"
"You mean where we all paint and sculpt and stuff like that?" Buffy asks.
"No, that was the renaissance." Xander says.
Buffy nods, "It's been a long week. Let's go look at the house."
Later they make their way to the outskirts of campus, come to an old boarded up building. They climb to the crest of the roof as Buffy climbs onto the skylight.
"Score." Buffy says. Down below the vampires go over her stuff. "Oh. OH! That's my skirt. You'll never fit in that with those hips!" Xander joins her. "We have to kill them."
"I need a weapon." Xander says.
"I don't see my trunk down there. It was beside my bed. If they missed it - Mr. Gordo! Get your filthy - ooh! Okay. Go to my room. If my weapons trunk isn't there, try Willow's. I'll keep an eye on these - my diary... that's so unfair..."
"I'll hurry." Xander says. "What do you want me to say to Piper and Phoebe if I see them?"
"Tell them to come." Buffy says.
Xander nods and takes off.
Buffy continues to watch as Sunday pulls a blouse out of a box and starts laughing, showing it to everyone. "Laugh all you want. This time, we play it my way, and the rules are just a little bit –"
The skylight collapses.
The vamps scatter as Buffy falls right in front of them in a shower of glass and wood. She lands badly on her left arm, pain shooting through her as she looks up helplessly at the five monsters.
"Ooh." Buffy says.
Buffy rolls over, tries to get up. Her left arm touches the ground and she winces, nearly screaming in agony. "And I just had Leo heal that."
Sunday approaches, flanked by vamps. "Who the hell..." She sees it's Buffy. "Say, don't I know you from beating the crap out of you?"
Buffy scrambles away, backed up against the wall. "Just thought I'd drop in... get it? Drop in? Boy. Tough room."
"I have to say, you've really got me now. This is a diabolical plan. Throw yourself at my feet with a broken arm and no weapons of any kind, how am I ever gonna get out of this one?" Sunday says.
"You've got a nice setup here." Buffy says. "But you made one mistake."
"Really? What was that?" Sunday asks.
"You messed with a Charmed One." Buffy says and powers up a fireball.
In Buffy's dorm room Kathy is talking with Piper, Phoebe, Oz and Willow, as they all puzzle Buffy's empty space.
"It seemed kind of weird." Kathy says.
"Weird's a pretty good word for it." Oz says looking over the note.
Piper nods, "Agreed. Buffy wouldn't have took off, especially when Phoebe and I were meeting her here tonight."
"Buffy?" Kathy asks.
"Payson's nickname." Phoebe says.
"I agree with Piper, Buffy would never just take off. It's just not in her nature except for that one time she disappeared for several months and changed her name but there were circumstances then. There's no circumstances." Willow says.
Kathy nods, "Does Payson have a history of emotional problems? 'Cause on my request form I was pretty specific about a stable non-smoker."
"I don't think this is her writing." Oz says and hands the note to Piper.
Piper looks it over and nods, "It's not her handwriting. It's a good approximation but it's definitely not her handwriting."
Xander smiles, "It's a prank!"
"Xander!" Willow says.
Xander comes in, hugs Willow. "How are my guys!?" He moves to Piper and Phoebe hugging them as well. He then moves to Kathy hugs her hard, suddenly realizing, "I don't know you, do I?"
Kathy shakes her head, "No."
"And this is very intrusive, isn't it." Xander says.
Kathy nods, "Little bit."
Xander pulls away. "Xander."
"Kathy." Kathy says.
Xander turns to Oz. "Do we hug?"
"I think we're too manly." Oz says.
"What's a prank?" Phoebe asks.
"Prank? Oh! The room! Some friends of Buffy's played a funny joke, they took her stuff and now she wants us to help get it back from her friends who sleep all day and have no tans." Xander says.
Piper frowns, "She was going to wait for us to help her with them."
Xander sighs, "We thought we could handle it." Xander looks beside the bed. Nothing there. "So they took the chest. Well, let's go then and go to our friend. It was nice meeting you, Kathy."
"You too. Stop by sometime." Kathy says.
They file out.
"Let's go to Will's, get supplies." Xander says.
Piper shakes her head, "Phoebe and I brought weapons. Be quicker to get them from our car, were parked just outside the dorm."
Willow nods, "Is Buffy in danger?"
"She's in a holding pattern. We've got some time." Xander says.
In the abandoned frat Buffy is slammed to the ground. She sees in front of her her weapons trunk. Under some of her other stuff. She crawls towards it.
Sunday steps between her and it and picks up something else: Buffy's Class Protector umbrella. "Oh, this is my favorite item. What better way to say, I am the very most of geek."
"You don't want to touch that." Buffy says.
Sunday drops it - and steps on the handle, breaking it as she grabs Buffy by her left arm. Buffy gasps in pain as Sunday jerks her to her feet. "This arm's not looking so good. It might have to come off."
Buffy is getting fed up. "You wanna know the truth?" Sunday waits. "I only need one."
And before Sunday can react Buffy decks her, spin kicks - starts a furious assault on the vampire. One solid kick sends Sunday to the ground. She comes back up in vampface and Buffy hits her again.
Dav attacks Buffy from the rear but Buffy is ready for her, flips her into the corner. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it, dusting Dav.
"This is starting to suck..." Rookie says.
Sunday comes back up but Buffy is a one armed machine, sends her back. Buffy powers up another fireball as Tom, Jerry and Rookie edge towards the exit.
As the three vamps come toward it, it bursts open. Piper, Phoebe, Xander, Willow and Oz rush in and engage Jerry and Rookie. Willow puts a crossbow bolt into Rookie's heart as Xander and Oz take out Jerry. Tom makes it out the door at top speed.
Buffy approaches a shaken Sunday. "When you look back at this, in the three seconds it takes to turn to dust, I think you'll find the mistake was touching my stuff."
Sunday attacks, Buffy parries, Sunday grabs a hand before Buffy can power up a fireball - then viciously squeezes her other arm. Buffy blanches. "What about breaking your arm?" She squeezes harder. "How does that feel?"
"Let me answer that question with a headbutt." Buffy says and headbutts Sunday, sending her staggering back. "And for the record, my Whitelighter healed the arm. Though I did hurt it coming down." She punches Sunday with her left arm, sending Sunday literally across the room. She powers up a fireball.
Sunday lands in a pile of old freshman possessions. She slowly scrambles out.
Buffy turns to her friends and family as they come from the door.
"Hey, Buff. You need a hand?" Oz says.
Buffy shakes her head, "No thanks..."
Sunday rises behind her, several yards away.
Buffy backhand hurls the fireball across the room without even looking at her target. It hits Sunday in the chest, driving her back into the wall, into dust. "...I'm good."
A moment, as the group settles into victory.
Moments later the group exit the frat, all laden down with Buffy's stuff.
"So, all that other stuff in there, that's just gonna sit there, right? I mean, nobody owns it in the strictest sense..."
"Seems wrong somehow." Oz says.
"Dibs on the rowing machine." Xander says.
"Buffy!" Giles says as he runs up to her, out of breath, laden with weapons.
"Hi Giles." Willow says.
"What's with the arsenal?" Piper asks.
"Buffy, I've been up all night. I know I'm supposed to teach you self-reliance, but I'm not leaving you out there to fight alone. The hell with what's right! I'm ready to back you up. Let's find that evil and fight it together." Giles says.
"Great. Thanks. We'll get right on that." Buffy says.
They walk on, Giles joining them. "The evil is this way?"
Buffy shakes her head, "My car is." She looks at Piper. "You were right, Piper. When a vampire can enter a dorm room uninvited… Well I think I should just move back into the Manor. Where I don't have to worry about them stealing my stuff."
Piper smiles.
Author's Note: The scene with Professor Riegert always ticked me off. If a professor had treated me like that I would have dropped the class. That's why I changed the ending to that scene. Buffy had been told she could sit in and he was just rude to her, not letting her explain the situation. Of course though she should have talked to the Professor before sitting down.
Author's Note 2: I've had more than one person in either PM or Review mention Dark Willow. At this time I don't think there is a way to incorporate that story arc. Here is the reason... Willow and Tara moved into Buffy's house because of Buffy being dead so they can raise Dawn. Since in my story Buffy and Dawn (when she arrives) are living with Piper, Phoebe and Paige - Willow and Tara won't need to move in to raise Dawn. So that brings in how would I make the start of the Dark Willow arc work then? Willow goes Dark because Warren shoots and kills Tara when he's trying to kill Buffy in her back yard. If Willow and Tara are not upstairs in the bedroom overlooking the backyard then how does Tara get killed? At this time I just don't see a way of making that arc work.