Chapter 145: Tabula Rasa

Buffy walks alone, patrolling, but her mind is far away; her eyes are unfocused as she thinks back to what Joyce told her. Several yards back, a shadowy figure trails her, obscured by the mist.

Buffy stops walking as her eyes suddenly snap to focus. Spider senses at the tingle. She whirls around, body tense, stake poised, only to find herself face to face with...

"Can we talk?"

Buffy gives Spike an irritated look. "Vocal cord wise, yes. With each other, no." She turns and starts to walk.

Spike holds his ground, calls after her. "We have to talk."

She turns. Maybe ten feet separate them. "About what?"

Confronted like this, Spike's a bit shy. "Um, whatever. Just conversation. For instance, the weather, the... graves.. the – We kissed, Buffy."

Buffy stares him down, seemingly unaffected. "So?"

"We kissed, you and me, all 'Gone with the Wind' with the rising music and the rising ... music, and what was that Buffy?" Spike said.

"A spell." Buffy turns again and walks away.

Spike follows after Buffy, talking to her back. "Don't you get all prim and proper on me. I know what kind of girl you really are." She stops walking. He walks around her, facing her, close. "Don't I?"

"What we did, is done. But I will never kiss you Spike, never touch you, ever, ever again." Buffy said.

Half a beat and... she throws herself at him. Knocking him to the ground, just as a flying stake whizzes by, missing Spike by inches and impaling itself in a tree just behind them.

They look up, to face a shark-headed demon and his two vampire heavies.

Buffy rolls off Spike and faces the demon and vampires. She's more irritated than frightened. Not in the mood to deal.

The Demon has the head of a shark; smooth, pale flesh split by an unctuous smile. Several rows of teeth glisten. He wears a tight sharkskin suit and stacked heel boots which bring him up to about 5'2". He never stops moving, ever; he's always pacing, always smiling. Smooth and dangerous, somewhere between Christopher Walken, Truman Capote, and well, a shark. He goes by Teeth.

His vampire heavies are poised to fight, one of them holds a stake. Teeth motions for them to relax. "Easy, boys. There's no need to get physical-like. Is there Mr. Spike?"

Buffy looks at Spike. "You know this guy?"

"Yeah." Spike said. "What do you want?"

Teeth walks past Buffy and Spike, reaches up to wrench the stake loose from the tree trunk. He paces, using the stake to clean under his fingernails. Conversational but menacing. "Me? There are a lot of things I would like. A house in Bel Aire with a generously-sized swimming pool; a lady barracuda who loves me for who I really am ..." Suddenly, he's in Spike's face, his voice sharp. The stake at Spike's heart. "And the forty Siamese that you owe me."

"Take it easy. You'll get your kittens." Spike said.

"I trust you Mr. Spike." Teeth pulls away the stake. "That's why I let you gamble the felines in the first place."

"Oh god, what is with you guys? Why kittens? Why can't you use money like normal people?" Buffy said, annoyed.

"She's funny. I like funny in a girl." Teeth said.

"I just need a little time." Spike said.

"Time. Time's what turns kittens into cats." Teeth motions to his vamp heavies with a nod of his head. They come forward, closing in on Buffy and Spike, who back up, biding their time. "I don't want to see anyone get hurt."

Buffy powers up a fireball. "Then you better close your eyes." She throws the fireball hitting a vamp square in the chest and he dusts.

"I said she was the Slayer, Boss." The other vampire said.

"Good for you. The Vampire Slayer." Teeth said. "Have you given any thought to freelance work, a little debt collecting perhaps? I bet you could really bust up a knee cap or two."

"No. Thank you." Buffy said, dryly.

"Boss, he's gone; Spike has split." The vampire said as they all look around. It's true, Spike is gone.

"That's what I get for socializing. C'mon, up and at'em. We'll locate Mr. Spike and uh, 'talk' to him a little more." Teeth said as the vampire follows him. Teeth makes a little bow towards Buffy. "It was a genuine pleasure."

Buffy looks around as Teeth and the vampire walk off. She wonders where Spike went. "If I just stopped saving his life it would simple things up so much."

The next morning at the Manor, Buffy sits with Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Dawn in the living room. "The other day mom came to see me." Buffy said.

"How?" Piper asked, sure no one had summoned Joyce.

"I don't know. Till the moment only Dawnie knew as I told her when she came to find me. She told me some things. I left heaven voluntarily."

"But Willow's spell." Phoebe said.

"Was just a loophole. Or at least that's what I gather anyways. A way for the Elders to send me back if I chose to return." Buffy said. "She told me, and this is something I didn't even tell Dawn at the time. There is two battles on the horizon. One for each of my destines both Slayer and Charmed. From what Mom said I gather someone told the Elders that you all die in those battles. I guess by my coming back I somehow change the outcomes of those battles."

"Wow." Paige said. "Talk about putting pressure on you."

Buffy nodded, "Yeah. Anyways Phoebe back before we all took the empathy blocking potion you were sensing something. I take it my grief at being ripped out of heaven?"

Phoebe nodded, "Yeah, Buffy. Though something bothers me a little. You were grieving about being ripped out. Yet you said you were offered a choice."

"All I know is what Mom told me. I have fleeting memories of being in heaven. Mostly general feelings of being at piece at rest. Though I remember Prue telling me to take care of her namesake. But I don't remember where I heard her say it."

"Do you think she meant me or Celia?" Dawn asked.

"What do you mean you Dawn?" Piper asked.

"Remember the letter Dad gave to Buffy where Mom explained what she wanted to name us." Dawn said as Piper, Phoebe and Paige nodded. "The name Mom wanted to give me was Prudence Penelope Halliwell. Buffy said I should start using that name and Buffy has a time setup for us to go deal with the paperwork next week."

Piper nodded, "It'll get confusing and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about you using Prue's name."

Buffy shook her head, "Piper, Dawn will still be Dawn just as I'm still Buffy. It'll just become a nickname like when I changed my name. We'll still refer to her as Dawn but when it comes to legally she will be Prudence. This is in no way shape or form means Dawn is taking Prue's place. Neither of us would want that, right Dawn?"

Dawn nodded, "Right, Buffy."

Piper looked to Phoebe, "I'm ok with it then. What abou you?"

Phoebe nodded, "I think it's a good idea. To tell the truth I never understood Buffy about you being adamant that Dawn had to wait till she turned eighteen."

"To tell the truth. Neither did I." Buffy said. "Anyways it's possible that Prue…" She has a flash of Prue telling her to take of her namesakes, both of them.

"What?" Paige asked noticing the pause.

"It was a memory of heaven." Buffy said. "Prue told me to take care of both her namesakes. She must have considered Dawn her namesake as well."

"If your right then Prue gave Dawn her blessing which I'm okay with." Phoebe said. "Now how are you feeling?"

Buffy sighed, "It's a lot you know. I need time. Is it okay if I take it slow easing back into things. As I told Dawn you all have been watching her and she has been watching Celia. That needs to stop and I need to start doing the things I need to be doing. Celia is my daughter. Dawn you are my responsibility since I'm your legal guardian."

Piper smiled, "We'll try and ease you back into it."

Later at the Magic Box Giles has just told Buffy he is going back to England.

"I'm afraid I have to." Giles said.

"Uh-huh." Buffy said. "What do you mean 'you have to'? You can't! Giles, this is when I need you."

"I know. But you have to be strong. I'm trying to—" Giles said.

"To what? Abandon me, desert me? That's great, that's just really great of you." Buffy said.

"Buffy please, this is hard." Giles said.

Buffy frowned, "Yeah, I know, I know. This hurts you more than it hurts me. And it will be really hard for you over in jolly old England, palling around with all your jolly old friends and riding around in double decker buses or whatever the hell you do there."

"I don't want to leave-" Giles said.

"So don't. Please don't, okay?" Buffy said.

Giles sighed, "As long as I stay, when things arise that you feel you can't handle, you'll turn to me just as you already turn to your cousins. And I'll step in, because... Because I hate to see you suffer." Buffy's had about as much of it as she can take. "And I'm loathe to cause you any more, believe me. But this is... In every mentor relationship, there's a point when the student must kill the teacher-" Buffy glares at him. "Metaphorically. What I'm saying... I've taught you everything you need know about being the slayer. And your mother, then Prue and finally Piper taught you everything you need know about life. But you won't believe it until you're forced to stand alone. I have even had this talk with Piper. She disagrees with me saying you need support. And as your family maybe she's right.

"But why now? Now that you know where I've been. What I'm dealing with-" Buffy said. She had yet to even tell him about the destiny. She needed to know more about it and needed him to help her with it.

"Now more than ever. The temptation to give up must be powerful. I can't let that happen." Giles said.

"So I won't. No giving up. You can be here and I can still be strong. I too have talked to Piper. I told her I have to be strong. They are going to ease me back into everything so it doesn't overwhelm me." Buffy said.

Giles sighed. "Buffy. I've thought this over. And over. I think it's the right thing."

Buffy stands up. Really hurt and mad. "You're wrong."

Giles shook his head, "I don't think so. I hope not."

In Willow and Tara's apartment, Willow sticks her head out the bathroom door. It's obvious she only has a towel wrapped around her. "You go ahead. Tell Giles to hold up, I'm there in a sec."

Tara sighed, "Fine." She headed out the door.

The moment the door is closed Willow steps back in the bathroom and faster you can Wicca, Willow steps out of the bathroom fully dressed and walks over to a bookshelf and pulls back a few books. There, secreted behind the volumes, is a ziplock bag containing dried Lethe's bramble. She pulls it out and replaces the books as she kneels by the fireplace and pulls out four sprigs of the dried weed. She ignites them with a fireplace match and tosses them into the fireplace.

They smolder, producing a dense, foul smoke. She watches for a second, then tosses in a fifth weed for good measure.

"'For Buffy and Tara this I char, let Lethe's Bramble do its chore. Purge their minds of memories grim, of pains from recent slights and sins..." Willow takes a pure white crystal from the breast pocket of her shirt and touches it to the burning herbs. It immediately turns a pale gray. "'When the fire goes out. When the crystal turns black. The spell will be cast. Tabula rasa. Tabula rasa. Tabula rasa." She stands. Gives the fire a final look. Returns the crystal to her pocket. And heads to the door.

The bag of Lethe's bramble, left carelessly near the fireplace, catches fire burning all of it.

At the Magic Box Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Tara, Dawn, Anya and Giles are sitting around the table.

Buffy sits apart from the others, staring into space.

"So what do we got?" Dawn asked.

"Sorry?" Giles said.

"Demons!" Dawn said.

Giles shook his head. "No. No demons."

Just then the door opens and Xander enters with Willow. She is wearing his jacket.

"Thanks, it's cold out there." Willow said.

Xander, having given up his jacket, shivers in agreement. "Not a problem. The cold only makes me stronger and more macho-like."

"I'm glad you're here." Giles stands. "I have something I really have to tell you all. I know it seems like we've been through this but—"

Suddenly, Buffy stands. She's on the verge of angry tears. "Why don't you jump to the chase, Giles? Just tell them that you're-"

Piper glared. "Is that why were here you finally decided your leaving."

Phoebe and Paige move beside Buffy and put their arms around her holding her close.

It's just then that Spike comes flying through the front door. He's flushed and panting and dressed in a tweed suit. He slams the door, closing Buffy in. Smiles nervously, talks fast. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Spike?" Giles and Piper asked

"Holy moly." Anya said.

"You need to give me asylum." Spike said.

Xander nodded, "I'll say."

Spike crosses to the counter and hops up. "No need to get cute. It's a disguise. Thrift shop number. Happens there's a bloke I'd rather not see just now." He looks to Buffy. "You met him, I believe. The toothy bloke with the baby seal breath?"

Everyone stares at Spike.

Discreetly, Willow pulls the crystal from her pocket and checks it. It is black as tar.

"Alright, then. If we've recovered from Spike's sartorial humor..." Giles looks first to Buffy, whose face is tight, pained as she is held by Phoebe and Paige. He looks to Piper and she glares back at him. "I will jump. To the chase. Piper is right I'm heading back to England and I plan on staying. Indefinitely."

"Now? Not now, not right after... everything." Xander said.

Giles sits down. "Yes, now-"

"For real this time? 'Cause honest to Pete, a young shopkeeper's heart can only be broken so many times. I mean, not that I want you to—"

Buffy, distraught, breaks from Phoebe and Paige and starts heading for the door. "I - I can't do this. I gotta... You guys just-"

Willow moves to her. Puts a hand on her. "Buffy. I... listen. I know this must be awful for you. And I'm sorry, so sorry, for what we put you—"

Buffy turns on Willow, finally breaking down. Her pain palpable. "I'm sorry. Everybody's sorry. And I know you're trying to help me. But it's all too much, Will. The memories, they hurt. I can't take it anymore." Piper sighed and moved towards Buffy and pulled her into an embrace. "If you understood…" Her eyes suddenly closes, as if she's going to faint, and crumbles to her knees.

Everyone else is doing the same thing as they all fall asleep.

Later the sun has set and the shop is dark. Moonlight and street lamps provide the only light.

Anya and Giles sitting at the table. Anya's head resting on Giles' shoulder, his head on hers.

Tara sleeps in her chair, curled up in a blissful ball of extra cuteness.

Spike lies on the counter top, his hands behind his head.

Willow and Xander are snuggled together, his jacket still wrapped around her.

Dawn is curled up on the floor.

Buffy and Piper have fallen asleep on the floor by the front door resting against each other.

Phoebe and Paige are also on the floor asleep against each other.

Buffy's eyes blink open. She starts to sit up and notices Piper leaning against her. She looks at her and wonders who Piper is, as she tries to recall what's going on. She nudges Piper and she wakes up as she sits up.

Willow awakes and looks at Xander. Yikes! Who's this guy and what's he doing snuggled next to her? She jerks back with a little yelp. "Uhh!"

Which wakes Xander. He yelps. "Uhh!" Looks at Willow, and, covering for his ignorance, forces a casual smile. "Hey."

Willow doesn't 'fess up either. Smiles back uncomfortably. "Hey?"

Tara stretches like a satisfied cat after a nap -then opens her eyes. Satisfaction turns to embarrassment. Then confusion.

Anya and Giles look at each other curiously as they come to.

"Hello." Giles said.

Phoebe and Paige wake and look at each other both of them wondering what they are doing here.

Spike falls off the counter. "AAAaaa!"

Spike's yell wakes Dawn and she looks around. "AAAAAA!" Everyone is awake now. Dawn is terrified. She glances around, her eyes wide with panic. "Who, who are you guys?"

Buffy goes to Dawn. Reaches out to her. "Hey, don't worry."

Dawn shirks away. "Please don't hurt me."

"It's okay. I don't know anyone here either." Buffy said.

"Yeah? Who are you?" Dawn asked.

Buffy's caught off guard. "I...nm, I—"

Suddenly Xander leaps to his feet. "Who are you freaks?"

"You don't know me?" Willow asked.

Xander shook his head. "I don't have a clue."

"But you just acted all, 'Hey.'" Willow said, hurt.

"Yeah, 'cause I thought you were a girl and I'd remember in a second but—" Xander said.

"I am a girl. I'm..." Willow said before realizing she doesn't know who she is. "not sure who I am. Exactly. But—"

"Okay... why was I on the ground? And why are you all staring at me? Is this some kind of psych test? Am I getting paid for this? Is this a bad dream?" Xander said panicked as he pinches himself. "Yow, okay, no. Am I in trouble? I didn't do it! And if I did, it was an accident."

"It's not just you. Does anyone remember anything?" Giles asked.

Piper shook her head. "No."

"Nope." Spike said.

They shake their heads as they gather around the table.

"Perhaps we all got terribly drunk and we're having some kind of black-out." Giles said.

"I don't think I d-drink." Dawn's trying really hard not to cry.

"I don't see any booze; I don't feel any head bumps; and I don't see Alan Funt." Anya said.

Xander is trying equally hard not to panic. He takes deep breaths. "Okay... I'm not panicking, I'm not, I'm not. Stop looking at me like I'm panicking."

"Hey, take it easy, guy." Piper said. "No one's hurt, right?"

"And none of us looks all hatchet murder-y, so we're probably safe. Here. Wherever here is." Buffy said.

"Look at the things on these shelves: weird jars of weird stuff and weird books with weird covers like: 'Magic for beginners'. Oh." Willow said.

"A magic shop. A real magic shop." Tara said, awed.

"Maybe that's it. Maybe something magic happened to us." Paige said.

Giles scoffs, "Magic? Magic is all balderdash and chicanery. I'm afraid we don't know a bloody thing. Except I seem to be British, don't I? And a man. With glasses. Well, that narrows it down considerably."

"I don't like this." Dawn is starting to cry, just a little bit.

Buffy puts her arm around her. This time Dawn lets her. "Listen, it's going to be okay. We'll take care of each other, okay?"

Dawn nods at Buffy through her tears.

"Yes, we'll get back our memories and everything will be right as rain." Giles said.

"Oh listen to Mary Poppins! Got his crust all stiff and upper with that nancy-boy accent. You Englishmen are always so –" Spike said as he heard himself speak. "Bloody hell. Sodding blimy shagging knickers bullocks - oh no. I'm English."

"Welcome to the nancy tribe." Giles said.

Spike eyes Giles up and down, a horrible thought creeping in. "You don't suppose... you and I... we' re not related, are we?"

"There is a ruggedly handsome resemblance." Phoebe said.

Giles looks at Spike, dismayed. "And you do inspire a particular feeling of familiarity... and disappointment. Older brother?"

"Well, I'm thinking more like –" Anya said.

"Father!" Spike glares at Giles. "My god how I must hate you."

"What did I do?" Giles asked.

"Oh, there's always something. And what's with the trollop?" Spike indicates Anya

"Hey!" Anya said.

"Her?" Giles asked.

"I saw you... sleeping together." Spike said.

"Resting together!" Giles said.

"Look!" Anya displays her engagement ring! "It's okay, we're engaged."

Giles looks at her, shyly. "Oh."

Anya smiles back, shy too. "It's a lovely ring."

"Great, a tarty step-Mum who's half ol' Daddy's age." Spike said.

"Tarty!" Anya said.

Giles frowned. "Old! I'm young enough to still get carded—"

"Carded! Driver's licenses!" Willow said.

They all scramble through their pockets. Xander holds up his license. "Look! Me! Alexander Harris. Cute picture. Hey, I exist!"

"I'm Willow Rosenberg. 'Willow'!" Willow said. "Funny name."

Tara smiled. "I think it's pretty."

"What do you got?" Willow asked.

"Tara. And look, I'm a student at UC San Francisco." Tara said.

"Me too! Maybe we're study buddies." Willow said.

Phoebe pulls out her ID from the Bay Mirror. "Phoebe Halliwell. Hmm looks like I'm a reporter."

Paige pulls out her drivers license. "Paige Matthews."

Piper pulls out a drivers license and then looks to Phoebe. "Did you say Halliwell?" Phoebe nodded. "We maybe related. My drivers license says Piper Halliwell."

"I don't have a wallet." Dawn said.

"Neither do I. But here…" Buffy touches Dawn's 'nameplate' necklace. "You're 'Dawn'."

Dawn looks at the necklace, reads it upside-down. "Or 'Umad'." She and Buffy smile.

Giles goes through his billfold. "I'm called, let's see, 'Rupert Giles'."

"Rupert." Anya said, swoony.

Spike smirks. "Rupert."

"You're not too old to take over my knee... Son. What did I call you anyway?" Giles said.

Spike pats his back pocket, no wallet. Nothing in his interior pocket either. Then he reads a label inside. "'Made with care for Randy'. 'Randy' Giles?! Why didn't you just name me 'Horny Giles' or 'Desperate-for-a-shag Giles'? I knew there was a reason I hated you!"

"Randy's a family name. Undoubtedly." Giles said defensive.

"I've got a name on my jacket too." Willow said as she reads the embroidery over her heart. "'Harris'."

"Harris? That's my last name. Hey, maybe I have a brother and you go out with him." Xander said. "... or, maybe you go out with me."

"We did wake up all snuggly wuggly. I guess maybe you're my boyfriend." Willow said.

"Either that or I have one pissed off brother out there somewhere." Xander said as he and Willow smile at each other.

"I'm Anya!" Anya said from the front door, testing a key on the interior lock. She pronounces her name 'Ann-ya'. "My key fits the lock and I found some forms by the register that say Rupert and Anya own the shop together. That's me. Anya Shop-owner."

Giles glances about. "This is our magic shop? Well, that's... very progressive of me. You know it truly is a small mind that fails to acknowledge the, um, alternatives to our rational, scientific understanding of the universe. Oh look! Fancy herbs!"

"So you don't have a name?" Dawn asked Buffy.

"Of course I do. I just don't happen to know it." Buffy said.

Dawn smiled. "You want me to name you?"

"That's sweet, but I think I can name myself. I'll name me.. Joan." Buffy said.

Dawn recoils. "Ug!"

"What? Why'd you 'ug' my name?" Buffy said.

"I didn't. It's just so.. .blarg. 'Joan'?" Dawn said.

"I like it. I feel like a Joan." Buffy said.

"Fine. That's your purgative." Dawn said.

"Prerogative." Buffy and Piper correct her and they look at each other. Something in the back of their minds wanting to make its way to the front.

"Whatever." Dawn said.

"Whatever." "Buffy said. "Boy you're a pain in the neck."

"Boy you're bossy." Dawn said as an idea strikes them both. "Do you think we're—"

"Sisters." Buffy said and it feels so true that she and Dawn can't deny it. They grin and hug.

Piper smiled.

"You never showed me affection like that. I'd wager." Spike said.

"We've got to figure out what's going on. We need to get help." Buffy said.

"Looks like 'Joan' fancies herself the boss." Spike said as Buffy ignores him.

"We've got a kid here—" Buffy said.

"A teenager." Dawn said.

Buffy nodded, "A teenager, and we have no idea what's wrong with us. I think a hospital's our best bet."

"Alright then, let's head out." Giles said as they head to the door.

"Any suggestions on how we get there?" Phoebe asked.

"Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic mid-life crisis transport: something red, sporty, shaped like a penis." Spike said as they open the front door.

Two vampires wait just outside the door. They snarl and charge and upon instinct Piper throws up her hands and ever thing freezes vampires included. Well except for Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Willow who scream before they notice only they are moving.

"What happened?" Paige asked.

"I… I think I did magic." Piper said. "I think I froze them."

"How come were not frozen also?" Dawn asked.

"Maybe…" Piper said unsure how to broach the subject. She feels a sense of familiarity not only with Phoebe but with Paige, Buffy and Dawn also. "We're related?"

They look at each and just like a moment before when Buffy and Dawn were sure beyond a shadow of a doubt they were related. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Dawn all are sure that what Piper said is correct that they are indeed related.

"Okay you two are definitely sisters because both of your ID's have the same last name. Paige here has a different last name than you two. And Dawn and I have no ID's so we don't know our last names or in my case my first name." Buffy said. "So maybe if we are cousins?"

"But that doesn't say anything about us." Willow said.

"Well this is a magic shop." Tara said. "Maybe we're all witches."

"It's possible. Till we get our memories back or find other evidence to the contrary we shouldn't assume too much." Piper said as Giles, Anya, Xander, Spike and the vampires unfroze.

"Slayer!" Vampire said.

Piper slams the door.

"Vampires!" Spike said as they crouch down behind the door.

"Maybe it's Halloween." Tara said.

Dawn shook her head. "Doesn't feel like Halloween."

"Even if it is, those were definitely not kids and they were definitely not wearing costumes. Randy's right. We got vampires!" Xander said as the vampires bang on the door, rattling the doorknob. "And I don't think they're knockin' for candy."

"Doors! We should check for other doors, make sure they're locked and then put big heavy things in front of them! Come on!" Willow grabs Xander and disappears into the back of the shop.

"Monsters are real... Did we know this?" Buffy said.

"I don't know. We n-need our memories back! We have to get to the hospital!" Tara said.

Piper nodded, "I have to agree with Tara. We need our memories back."

"Speaking as the proprietor of a Magic Shop, I propose we fight back. We can use things here in the shop, magic... tricks or whatever they call—" Giles said.

A vampire slams up against the front window as the other continues to bang and rattle the front door. "Send out Spike!"

"They seem to want spikes." Giles said.

"Oh, I saw some..." Spike scooches over to Giles' desk and grabs a handful of stakes among the clutter. "Here. Let's give 'em these."

"Wait. What are they going to do—" Dawn said.

"Slayer! Come out and play!"

"Slay her! That's just what they said before. They're going to use those spikes—" Tara said.

Buffy looked between Tara, Piper, Dawn, Phoebe and Paige. "To slay someone. A female someone! Who do those jerks think they are?"

"Bloodsuckers, that kill, by sucking blood. Take it easy, Joan." Anya said.

Spike puts the stakes in his jacket pocket.

"You guys!" Willow said as she and Xander come running back, breathless.

"There's a trapdoor in the basement, seems to lead to the sewer." Xander said.

"Let's go." Anya said.

They head for the basement, just as vampire busts through the window. Everyone freezes as he strides around them, blocking their exit. They scurry into the front corner.

The other vampire breaks through the door. They're trapped.

Xander gets down on his knees and genuflects. "Now I'm not sure what I am, so bear with me here, okay? Um, Now I lay me down to sleep... Shema Israel...uh, Ohm, Ohm."

One of the vampires starts breaking things and yanks the phone from the wall. The other vampire gets in Spike's face. Pushing him against the wall. "You owe us!"

Spike grabs the stakes in his pocket and tosses them at the vampire's feet. "Fine! Take the damn spikes!"

The vampire snarls as the stakes clatter to the floor. He takes a step closer. "Don't be stupid."

The other vampire grabs Buffy from behind, holding her in the air. She wriggles and kicks her legs. "Let go 'a me, you big, nasty—"

He clamps a hand over her mouth.

"I said, you owe us!"

"Who, me?" Spike asked.

"You got the boss' kittens!"

"Kittens?" Spike looks at the vampire confused.

Fed up, the vampire lunges at Spike as Buffy chomps down on the other vampire's hand.

"Bitch!" He said as Buffy kicks him in the groin. "Argh!" He drops her and staggers back.

Buffy hits the ground. Instinctively grabs a stake. "Stay away from Randy!" He stakes the other vampire and he turns to dust.

"Whoa!" Dawn said.

"What did you just do?" Paige asked.

Buffy looks as shocked as the rest of them. "I don't know." Suddenly, she grins, a great big, proud as hell grin. "But it was cool."

The other vampire jumps back out the broken window. "The boss ain't going to like this. I'll be back and I won't be alone."

Spike goes to the front of the shop and and pulls a metal security gate across the entrance.

Buffy feels her bicep, in awe of her own strength. "I think I know why Joan's the boss. I'm like a superhero or something."

Piper rolls her eyes and lifts her hands hoping to freeze the room again. Luckily she does manage to freeze the room without exploding anything. "Superhero, really?"

"Well maybe not the only one. But I'm wicked strong." Buffy said. "You have that ability to freeze time."

Later four vampires surround the Magic Box outside. Teeth is with them now, pacing as always. He extracts a long cigarette from a silver case.

"The boys want to taste blood Boss. They want to break down the door."

"The 'boys' are barbarians. There's no need for that. The humans will turn on him soon enough. And if not..." Teeth lights his cigarette. "We'll burn the place to the ground."

Inside Buffy and Piper peer out the barred window, looking at the gang of vamps. They turn around and face everyone else.

"Okay, I've got a plan." Buffy said.

"All ears." Xander said.

"They seem to want Randy. And I seem to be pretty strong. Wicked strong. So, while you all go through the sewer and find the hospital, Randy, Piper and I'll take the monsters for a run." Buffy said.

"That's your plan?" Spike asked.

Buffy nodded, "Yes."

"I think it's a good one. They only seem to want you. This will allow the others to escape." Piper said.

"Right." Spike said.

"I'm not leaving the shop. I need to protect the cash register and... do spells." Anya said.

Giles nodded, "Perhaps magic can help us. It's worth a shot."

"Alright. You two work on that then. We gotta go. Ready Randy, Piper?" Buffy said.

Piper simply nodded.

Spike nodded, aware of the danger. Deadly serious. "Ready Joan."

They head for the door but are stopped by:

"Son?"

Spike turned back towards Giles.

"Come here please." Giles embraced Spike. They hug, very stiffly, clapping each other on the back.

"Right." Spike said.

"Good then." Giles said.

Hastily, embarrassed by this outpouring of emotion, they push each other away.

Then Piper, Buffy and Spike throw open the door and run right through the pack of vampires.

Catching the four vampires off guard, Piper, Buffy and Spike are able to get by them. But not for long, the vampires give chase. Teeth watches as they go, taking a drag from his cig.

Within a few seconds, the vampires are upon them. One of the vampires grabs Spike.

"Randy!" Buffy and Piper shout.

Spike throws a punch at the vampire and as he does, he morphs into vampface. The Vamp goes flying, totally airborne. He turns to Piper and Buffy, delighted at his unexpected display of super strength. "Hey! I'm a superhero, too?"

Buffy spots Spike's vamped noggin. She freezes for a stunned second - then turns tail and takes off running.

Piper frowned and looked at Spike for a moment and then takes off after Buffy.

"Joan, Piper! Where ya two goin'?" Spike called after them.

In the sewer tunnel below the Magic Box. Xander and Tara are waiting at the bottom of a very long ladder. Dawn is making her way down.

"Almost there." Xander said as Dawn gets to the bottom rung. There's a three-foot drop to the ground. "Here." He extends a hand.

Dawn accepts it and he leads her down to the ground. "Thank you."

Willow is the next to come down and Xander extends his hand, but Willow instinctively reaches for Tara at the same time Tara reaches for Willow. Tara guides Willow down. They pause a moment, still holding hands. Then release them. Phoebe is the last to come down the ladder as Xander helps her down.

They look at the different tunnels.

"Which way?" Phoebe asked.

"All directions look equally dank and stinky." Xander said.

Tara points in one direction. "How 'bout this dank and stinky way?"

"Sounds great." Xander said as they troop off in that direction. Into the darkness.

Dawn sings softly. "The ants go marching one by one. Hurrah! Hurrah! The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hur-AAAAH!"

A vampire emerges from the shadows.

In the Magic Box, Paige, Giles and Anya stand beside an empty table. Anya holds a big leather book to her chest. Giles is holding a much larger stack of books.

"Let's do some magic." Giles said as they all smile at each other. "I picked out a fine dusty selection of interesting-looking texts."

Giles starts setting his books down on the table, displaying them one by one.

"This must be nice for us." Anya said.

"Sorry?" Paige asked, wondering about the change of topics.

Giles sets down his last book he notices something in his suit jacket pocket. Unseen by Anya, he takes it out and looks at it: a single plane ticket.

"I mean, I know there's the vampire problem and our memory loss and all that, but still. To spend this time together. Alone. It must be nice." Anya said.

Giles tucks the ticket away again. Still distracted. "Uh.. Yes, quite right. So, which book shall we start with?"

Anya plops the book she was holding onto the table. "This is the book for us."

"Oh good, it focuses on mind control or memory loss?" Paige asked.

"Not exactly. I just...my intuition tells me this is the book. And I figure being a magic shop owner and a natural at the supernatural, I should trust my intuition." Anya said.

Giles nodded, "Fine. But as you'll recall, I too own a magic shop."

"True. But, my intuition says you're not so much the 'magic guy' and more of a paperwork type." Anya said.

"A paperwork type!" Giles said.

Paige rolled her eyes wishing she had that freezing power that Piper had.

"You probably sweep up too. Now, here we go." Anya opens the book at random and begins to incant.

"But you don't even know what you're—" Giles said.

"Bara Bare Himble Gemination!" Anya reads as a white rabbit appears on the table! "AAAAAAaaaaa!"

Paige and Giles stares at her, appalled.

On the streets Spike charges after Buffy and Piper trying desperately to catch up with them. Running into a residential neighborhood. "Wait up!" He catches up and puts out an arm as he catches Buffy by the elbow, spins her around.

Instinctively and smoothly, Buffy uses her momentum to flip Spike backwards, launching herself forward onto him at the same time. She ends up straddling him, pinning his hands to the ground on either side of his head.

"Bloody hell! What're you doing?" Spike said.

"You don't know who you are." Buffy said.

"Right. None of us do. And we're being chased by the fiendy—" Spike said.

"You're a vampire." Piper said.

"How could you..." Spike said. "I... me a vampire... Nah..."

"Check out the lumpies... and the teeth." Buffy sits back, releasing his hands, but still atop him.

Spike reaches up, feeling the bumpy ridges of his face like a blind man. He runs his tongue over his fangs. Absorbing this. Then puts his fingers to his throat: no pulse.

"We kill your kind." Buffy said and somehow she knew it was true that she and Piper both had dusted vampires before.

"And I bite yours." Spike looks at them and his ferocious expression melts. "So why don't I want to bite either of you? And why am I fighting other vampires? I must be a noble vampire. A good guy. On a mission of redemption. I help the helpless. I'm a vampire with a soul!"

Piper and Buffy gives him a look.

"Oh my god, 'a vampire with a soul'?! How lame is that?" Buffy said.

Inside the Magic Box, about five or six bunnies hop everywhere. Anya stands on a chair, terrified. Paige and Giles try to contain their exasperation.

"Perhaps we should try another book." Paige offered.

"No! This book made the little fluffers, this book's gonna send 'em away. I've got it this time." Anya continues to incant from the same spell book but in the high-pitched tones of panic. "'Himble abri. Abri Voyon."

Another bunny pops into existence.

"Yes, dear." Giles said.

On the streets Spike is standing up now, pacing, expounding on his identity. "I'm a hero, really. I mean, to be cast such an ugly lot but then to rise above it, to seek better, nobler things. It's inspiring, in'it?" He looks at Piper and Buffy who are watching him, expressionless. "And the two of us!" He looks at Buffy as he said that. "Natural enemies thrown together to stand against the forces of darkness! Utter trust! No thought of me biting you. No thought of you staking me..."

"Kinda depends on how long you keep on yakking—" Buffy said as she heard something. "What's that?"

Four vampires are approaching them and they stand together against the forces of darkness.

In the sewers Phoebe, Xander, Dawn, Tara, and Willow run from the vampire. They duck into an alley and watch as the vampire runs past.

"C'mon. This way. Up the ladder." Phoebe said.

Quickly, they dart across the main path and scramble up a ladder built into the side of the sewer tunnel.

The ladder leads to an old pipe built along the concrete wall: 4' diameter, 8' long. Once used as part of the sewage network, the pipe is now empty save for a few scraps of wood. A perfect, albeit cozy, hiding place. They can look out either end, but inside they're completely hidden.

Phoebe enters first, Willow, Dawn, Tara, then Xander.

Xander peeks out and quickly pulls his head back in. "He's coming."

They hold their breath, waiting.

The vampire walked walking back through the tunnels, methodically checking for the humans.

Inside the pipe Tara and Willow are pressed close together. Their faces are only inches apart. They catch each other's eyes. Tara looks away. And then back. Another second and then Willow looks down, embarrassed by the intensity. And then back. Holding it.

The vampire passes by, oblivious.

In the Magic Box Anya is atop the table now, still panicking, still with the book. The shop is in total chaos. At least two dozen bunnies run rampant. The ceiling seems to be gone, replaced by swirling green mystical smoke.

Paige and Giles both are about to burst at the seams.

"That is clearly not a helpful book, dear. Come down and we'll go about fixing this in a sensible fashion." Giles said through gritted teeth.

"Sensible?! You think it's sensible for me to go down into that pit of cotton-top hell and let them hippity-hop all over my vulnerable flesh?" Anya said.

"Fine. Stay there and make bunnies. That's a capital plan." Giles said.

"What? Capital? I never know what you're talking about. Look, shag brolly: what the hell is all that?" Anya said.

"Look, there's no way you remember me saying any of those words—" Giles said.

Paige shook her head wondering why she didn't go with Phoebe, Dawn and the others.

"Oh bugger off, you.. brolly!" Anya said.

On the streets Piper, Buffy and Spike face off with the same four vampires Spike got away from earlier.

"You know what you're doing?" Spike asked Piper and Buffy.

"Not really. But. Yes." Buffy said as Piper has to nod in agreement. Something seems awfully familiar about all of this.

From behind the vampires, Teeth swaggers out and paces in front of them. "Why if it isn't Mr. Spike, the Slayer and if I'm not mistaken a Charmed One. It seems there was some miscommunication between us. Somehow you've killed three of my vampires."

Piper shook her head. Somewhere in the back of her mind the term Charmed One has meaning. She just wishes she could remember it.

"Hey, so no big deal, they're a dime a dozen. But you know? You still haven't paid me my kittens. And that's okay too." Teeth continued as he steps aside. "Because you'll pay me now. At 'em, boys!"

Piper rises her hands intending to freeze and a vampire explodes into dust.

Buffy and Spike look at Piper shocked.

Then Buffy notices her hand is seemingly on fire. No more of the fire is held in it. "Woah." Buffy said as she tosses the fire ball and another one dusts.

Spike pulls a stake from his jacket as he headbutts a third vampire and dusts him.

"Check me out." Buffy kicks the last vampire, who staggers towards Spike. Spike lands a right hook, and the vampire ricochets towards Piper who raises her hands hopping to explode it again. This time the fourth vampire freezes and Spike dusts this one too.

In the Magic Box Paige and Giles are feverishly swordfighting with animated skeletons. Anya is incanting random words from the book.

"Get a different book. Put that book down. Do you hear me? Not that book. Bad book. Bad book!" Giles said.

In the sewer Xander is keeping watch out his end of the pipe. Phoebe and Tara does likewise at theirs.

In the middle of the pipe, Willow turns to Dawn. "How ya doin', Dawn?"

"Okay. It's scary. But weirdly? Kind of familiar." Dawn said.

Willow nodded, "I know what you mean."

"How are you?" Dawn asked.

"A little confused. I mean, I'm sweaty, I'm trapped, no memory, hiding in a pipe, from a vampire –" Willow glances at Xander and then at Tara. "I think I'm kind of gay."

In the Magic Box Paige, Giles and Anya are hiding behind the counter. Anya still clutches the spell book. They are hiding from some monster that is growling and snarling at them.

Giles peeks above the counter and then ducks back. "Look what you've done now, you lunatic woman!"

"Don't blame me. You're a snobby, snotty, thinks-he's-so-great kind of jerk and I feel compelled to TAKE SOME VENGEANCE ON YOU!" Anya bonks him over the head with the spell book.

Giles has reached his limit. "You know, it's no wonder I'm leaving you!"

Anya freezes. "What?"

Paige shook her head. What has she gotten herself into. Hopefully she was just a customer when she walked in when this happened because if she knew these two before she feels she must have been crazy.

Giles whips his plane ticket from his pocket and thrusts it in Anya's face. "A one-way ticket to London and out of this engagement!"

"Of all the nerve!" Anya yanks off her engagement ring and hurls it at him. It glances off his shoulder and rolls out from behind the counter. "Now see what you've done? That Thing is going to eat my ring!"

In the sewer the vampire is right below the hiding place. He hesitates, looking up. "I smell fear." He starts up the ladder. "It smells good." He climbs farther, then peers into the pipe.

Willow, Xander, Dawn, Phoebe and Tara scrambles out the other side of the pipe.

Tara jumps to the ground, then Willow. Dawn is about to jump, when the vamp, having jumped down, lunges for Tara.

Willow throws herself on Tara, pushing her out of the way, landing on top of her. Saving her life. As she does this, the crystal falls out of her shirt pocket, but does not break.

Xander scrambles down the ladder. He is suddenly grabbed by the vampire and thrown into the tunnel away from Willow and Tara! "Yaaa!"

Dawn jumps down and then notices in her hand an energy ball. "Hey!"

In the Magic Box Giles reads from a new spell book. "Himble voyon abri bara!"

There is a bright flash of light and a big poof of smoke. Paige, Anya and Giles stand up from behind the counter.

"Well, that's better." Paige said.

Anya finds her ring on the floor. "Oh, thank goodness." Relieved, she puts it back on. Giles and Anya look at each other, regretful.

"I'm so sorry, Dear." Giles said.

"No, Rupy- I'm sorry. You were right. That was the wrong book." Anya said.

Paige rolled her eyes and mimes gagging.

"Well, yes. Yes, it was. But I'm still sorry." Giles said.

Anya looks up at him, eyes earnest and appealing. "Don't leave me."

"Oh. Oh, Anya." Giles said as he and Anya move towards each other, about to embrace.

In the sewer Dawn throws the energy ball at the vampire and it screams in pain as it's electrocuted by the energy. She grabs a piece of scrap wood and stakes him, and he dusts.

"Wow." Xander said.

Tara and Willow moves to kiss each other as Xander gets up. He steps on the crystal shattering it and the spell Willow had cast is broken.

Their moment shattered, Tara and Willow look toward Xander, Phoebe and Dawn wjp are looking down at the broken crystal. Shocked, Tara looks back at Willow, reading the guilt on her face.

In the Magic Box Giles and Anya are mid-kiss, her body bent back in a passionate dip, Paige has her eyes averted. Suddenly, Giles and Anya freeze, their eyes bug open! Remembering in an instant who they are and what they are doing.

Paige turned to face Giles and frowned finally remembering who she was as well. She then orbed out.

In the streets Buffy, Piper and Spike suddenly remember everything.

And for Buffy it's a bit too much at once. Heaven… Hell on Earth… Choices… Being a witch and a Slayer. She stands there frozen.

"Buffy?" Piper asked.

Buffy looked to Piper, "Piper?"

Piper can see that the memories are threatening to overwhelm her again. She moves to her and holds her close.

In the sewer Tara pushes Willow off her, revolted. Willow opens her mouth but has nothing to say. She feels her shirt pocket: the crystal isn't there.

Xander looks at the crystal beneath his shoe.

Phoebe and Dawn looks at Willow. All of them stare at each other, slack-jawed, broken.

Suddenly, Xander laughs, a weak sound echoing in the cavernous sewers. "Sorry. Just got back the memory of seeing 'King Ralph'. We should go back."

Paige orbs in. "Phoebe? Dawn?"

"We're alright." Dawn said. "Buffy and Piper?"

"I'm going to go check on them. Think you can shimmer everyone back to the Magic Box?" Paige said.

Dawn nodded as she shimmered out with Xander, Phoebe, Willow and Tara.

Paige turned and orbed out.

On the streets…

"You're an odd duck, Mr. Spike..." Teeth ambles his way towards Spike. Menacing, in that airy way. "Fighting your own kind. Palling around with a Slayer amd the Charmed Ones. And, whoa, that suit! Chutzpah must be your middle name."

Spike isn't taking anymore of this shit. He walks towards Teeth, slowly, purposefully. Teeth looks around, noting that none of his heavies are left, and for the first time looks a little scared.

"Uh, hey, look... About our little debt problem... It's okay. I don't need the kittens." Teeth said.

Spike grabs him by the collar; Teeth now very scared. "You'll get paid. I'm no welsher." He releases Teeth, who blinks. Then smiles.

"Right, sure. You're good for it. I know that. So, I'll just, uh... Yeah." Teeth said.

And he backs away and hurries off into the night. Spike moves to Buffy and Piper.

"You two alright?" Spike asked as Paige orbed in.

"Buffy, Piper?" Paige asked.

"We're okay. Can you take Buffy home." Piper said.

Paige nodded and orbed out with Buffy.

Piper glared at Spike and then turned and walked off.

Author's Note: I have been thinking about the Dark Willow arc. I'm thinking of trying to make it work. But I'm thinking since this is a meld of BTVS and Charmed verses that maybe Tara could come back as a Whitelighter, maybe even become Willow and Faith's.

On Faith I am thinking about going ahead and leaving her in prison till she shows up in season 7.