"When She Was Bad"
Based on the Episode Written by Joss Whedon
The following story is copyright © 2021 by Mark Moore.
Author's note: Hey, I'm just giving some advance notice regarding the schedule of this fic. I try to put out four chapters per month (roughly one per week), but four of my relatives are coming down to visit from October 15-19 for my birthday, so it's possible that chapter 39, which is the first half of the next episode, will be delayed.
Buffy woke up. It was still mostly dark, but the room was slightly lit by light from the still-to-rise sun. Dawn lay asleep to her left, snoring loudly. Careful to not disturb her, Buffy got out of bed and left the bedroom through the open door.
She walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and got out a small bottle of orange juice. She closed the fridge, unlocked and opened the back door, and walked outside.
Standing there in the pre-dawn darkness, Buffy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She let out her breath slowly and then opened her eyes. It was mostly silent, but sometimes a distant siren could be heard. Turning to face east, she opened her bottle and drank her orange juice.
"Hey."
Buffy briefly looked over her shoulder and saw Tara. "Hey."
Tara came and stood to Buffy's right. Buffy offered her the bottle. Tara took it, took a few gulps of orange juice, and offered the bottle back to Buffy, who took it.
"Couldn't sleep either?" Tara asked her.
"Nope. I guess the anticipation of tomorrow is making me nervous." Buffy paused to finish her drink. "First day of junior year."
"That's not why you're up."
"Oh?" Buffy asked.
"Something's bothering you."
"What makes you say that?" Buffy asked.
"Well, for one thing, we still haven't made love...fully."
Buffy didn't say anything.
Tara sensuously rubbed her side against Buffy. "I wanna taste you, sweetie."
"Kinda difficult, given the sleeping arrangements."
Tara shrugged. "Fine, be that way. I'll have to settle for having hot, sweaty sex with Cordy. By the way, we left your old bed sheets covered in cum stains."
Buffy didn't even crack a smile. She just closed her bottle and set it on the nearby grill.
Tara looked at Buffy in concern. "Okay, now I know something's wrong. Spill."
"My cum?" Buffy asked sarcastically.
"Buffy!" Tara yelled in anger.
It wasn't often that Tara raised her voice. Buffy looked at her in surprise.
"What's going on?" Tara asked firmly but with a note of love.
Buffy tried to collect her thoughts. "Okay, I'm cookie dough. I'm not done baking. I'm not finished becoming whoever the hell it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I make it through this year, and the next year, and the next year, and maybe one day I turn around and realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And then, you know, if I want someone to eat me—"
Tara had heard enough. "I'll have you know I love eating cookie dough."
"Probably not the healthiest thing."
Tara smiled. "But it nourishes my soul."
Buffy smiled despite herself. "When we get home, you can enjoy soft, sweet, delicious cookie dough me. We'll sixty-nine and everything, I promise."
Tara grinned.
"I'll even lick your asshole." Buffy suddenly lost her smile, worried. "If...that's something that you're into."
"It...wasn't, but you're definitely welcome to do it." Tara gently kissed Buffy on the lips. "Now, tell me what's really going on with you."
Buffy stared at her girlfriend and sighed, and then she looked east. "Give it a few more seconds."
Tara looked east. The sun was rising. The two girls watched the sunrise for a couple minutes in silence.
Tara looked at Buffy. "I don't understand."
Buffy looked at her. "Kiss me."
Tara kissed Buffy on the lips.
Buffy broke the kiss and turned her head. "No, my neck. Kiss it. Lick it."
Tara started kissing Buffy's neck gently. It was the same spot where the Master had bitten Buffy, but the wound had completely healed by now, leaving no sign. Tara stuck out her tongue and licked the length of Buffy's neck repeatedly, confused as to what Buffy was getting at. Then she smelled it. It was very faint, but it was unmistakably the smell of burning hair. Some of the ashes got into Tara's mouth. She swallowed some of it, but then she turned and spat the rest out.
Tara looked at Buffy. "What the fuck?"
"Something happened to me. I'm not sure what. I think...I got partially turned."
"Is that even possible?" Tara asked in surprise.
"I dunno."
"Well, when we get back, Mr. Giles can figure it out. Or maybe Angel."
"Angel?" Cordelia asked, walking outside. "What about Angel?"
Tara wasn't sure how to handle this. "Um..."
Buffy shook her head. "Never mind. I'm just going through some shit."
"So...any big plans for our last day in L.A.?" Cordelia asked.
Tara smiled. "I've got an idea."
"Does it involve celebrities?" Cordelia asked her.
Tara grinned. "No, but I guarantee safety and fun."
Buffy, Tara, and Cordelia were riding horses along a trail.
"So...what do you think?" Tara asked them.
Buffy smiled. "I like it. It's very relaxing."
Cordelia smiled and looked down at the horse that she was riding. "This guy is a cutie."
"So what are we gonna do next?" Tara asked.
Cordelia looked at them and grinned. "I vote shop!"
Buffy frowned. "I'm hungry."
Tara looked at Buffy and then at Cordelia. "Maybe we can stop for lunch first."
"Yeah, okay." Cordelia sniffed as she noticed an odor. "Anyone else smell that? Smells like something's burning."
Buffy looked at her. "It's me. I, uh, have a skin condition."
Cordelia, Buffy, and Tara got their Checkers food and walked over to a table. They sat down, took their food out of the bags, and started eating.
Cordelia smiled. "I can totally picture myself living here someday."
Tara stuck a fry in her mouth. "I dunno if I can. I heard it's pretty violent."
Buffy looked at Tara. "I grew up here. It's safe enough."
Just then, a blue pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio and L.V. was blasting from the speakers. Tara looked at Buffy with a doubtful smile. Buffy shrugged.
The truck parked. A young, bald, black man and a young black woman got out and went over to the order window.
Cordelia looked at Buffy and noticed her skin was flaking. "Buffy, you need some moisturizer, stat!"
Buffy wiped dandruff off her face and out of her eyebrows.
After an afternoon of shopping and getting pampered at a spa, the ladies returned to the house and packed their suitcases. They loaded them into Cordelia's trunk and back seat.
Buffy went out to check the mail. When she came back in, Dawn was putting dinner on the table. Tara and Cordelia walked into the kitchen.
"Ooh, what smells good?" Tara asked.
Dawn smiled. "My newest culinary creation!"
Cordelia stared at the substance in the bowls in dread and crossed herself.
Dawn stuck out her tongue. "Try before you pass judgment upon pizza in a pot."
"Pizza what?" Cordelia asked.
Dawn smiled. "Have you ever had a craving for pizza but didn't want the bread?"
Cordelia shook her head. "No."
Dawn stuck out her tongue again. "Well, anyway, I mix ground beef, olive oil, chopped onion, garlic powder, sliced sausage, pepperoni slices, sliced bacon, olives, tomato sauce, cheese, and Italian herbs in a pot, bake it in the oven, and voila!" Dawn smiled proudly. "Pizza in a pot."
Cordelia looked at Tara.
Tara shrugged. "Let's give it a try."
Dawn put the pot and large spoon in the sink. She, Tara, and Cordelia sat at the table.
Hank Summers came in from the dining room. "Hey, girls."
Dawn smiled. "Hey, Dad."
Buffy smiled. "Hey."
Tara smiled. "Hi, Mr. Summers."
Cordelia smiled. "Hey."
Hank smiled. "Boy, oh, boy, somethin' sure smells good!"
Dawn grinned. "I call it pizza in a pot."
Cordelia looked at Hank. "Personally, I'm not too excited. Now, if it was pot in a pizza..."
Tara laughed.
Buffy held up the mail. "Oh, Dad, I got the mail."
"Anything good?" Hank asked.
Buffy looked at the envelope. "Lindsey McDonald of Wolfram & Hart, Attorneys at Law."
"Oh." Hank walked over and took the envelope. "I wonder what he wants."
"Who is that?" Buffy asked him.
"My, uh, my divorce lawyer."
Buffy frowned. "Oh."
"What else ya got?" Dawn asked her.
Buffy walked over to the table, holding a flier. She sat down. "Missing person flier. Girl went missing last year." She set the flier on the table.
Dawn, Tara, and Cordelia looked at it. The photo showed a young woman with long, dark brown hair.
"She's cute. I hope they find her." Cordelia ate a spoonful of pizza.
Tara rolled her eyes but didn't say anything.
"What the hell kind of name is Winifred, though?" Buffy asked.
Tara shrugged and ate a spoonful of pizza. She smiled. "Mmmm! This is so good!"
Dawn looked at Cordelia and grinned. "See?!"
Cordelia shrugged. "It's okay."
After dinner, everyone went out to the driveway.
Hank and Buffy hugged each other.
"Have a safe trip."
"Thanks, Dad."
They released each other.
Dawn hugged Buffy. "Visit again soon."
Buffy hugged Dawn. "I'll try, Booger."
They released each other.
Hank waved at Tara and Cordelia. "See ya, girls."
Tara and Cordelia waved back. "Bye."
Buffy looked at Cordelia and held out her hand. "Gimme the keys."
"What? Why?" Cordelia asked.
"I wanna sit up front with Tara."
Cordelia shook her head. "I ain't sittin' in the back with the fuckin' luggage. Besides, if I die in a car crash, it's going to be at my own hand."
Buffy and Tara looked at each other.
Tara gestured at the car. "You can have it, Buff."
"You sure, sweetie?" Buffy asked.
Tara nodded. Buffy kissed Tara on the lips. Dawn grinned and squealed in excitement.
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "C'mon! The sooner that we leave, the less traffic laws that I have to break!"
Cordelia drove past the Welcome to Sunnydale sign. Buffy was sitting in the passenger seat. Tara was sitting in the back seat. The three ladies were rocking out and singing along to "Bitter Sweet Symphony" by the Verve, which was playing on the radio.
Tara grinned. "We oughta perform this sometime!"
"Can you play the violin?" Cordelia asked her.
Tara shook her head. "No, but I've been meaning to try."
Buffy looked out the window as they approached the cemetery. "Hey, Cordy, pull over."
"What is it?" Cordelia asked.
Buffy smiled. "I see our peeps!"
Amy and Katrina were on their way home. They had gone to Baskin-Robbins to get some ice cream. They walked on the sidewalk along the border of the cemetery.
Katrina still had her ice cream cone and took an occasional lick. "Y'know, I just gotta say that this has been the most boring summer ever."
Amy shrugged. "Yeah, but, on the plus side, no monsters or stuff." She stepped over to the wall and hopped up to sit on it.
"I'm glad that school is starting up again. I can join engineering club."
"There weren't any summer programs that you could join?" Amy asked her.
"Not around here. Still, I got to hang with my big sis for a bit. That's something at least. How was your vacation?" Katrina asked her.
"Good. I mostly did some reading and practiced the craft."
"Getting better at it?" Katrina asked her.
"Yeah. Have you heard from the girls?" Amy asked her. "Did they mention when they might be gettin' back?"
"I haven't heard from them. I got a couple e-mails when they went to L.A., but then, like, nothing."
"Well, they're probably with Dawn and Buffy's dad, having a good time."
"Yeah." Katrina hesitated and then suddenly tapped Amy's nose with her ice cream.
"Trina!" Amy exclaimed, surprised.
Katrina smiled.
Amy pouted. "My nose is cold."
"Let me get that for ya." Katrina leaned in and licked the chocolate ice cream off Amy's nose.
"Trina!" Amy exclaimed, giggling.
"I'm sorry, I can't help myself. Your nose looks so tasty." Katrina looked into her eyes. She brushed her hand against her cheek.
After another moment, Katrina started to move in for a kiss. Amy responded in kind and tilted her head. They stopped just short of making contact and lingered there a moment. Then Katrina closed the gap and kissed Amy full on the lips. Amy kissed Katrina back.
When their lips parted, Katrina saw a vampire standing on the other side of the wall. Amy noticed her glance and looked, too. She screamed and jumped off the wall as Katrina pulled her away from the vampire.
"You didn't happen to bring any stakes, did you?!" Katrina asked her.
"No!"
"Great! Me neither!" Katrina replied, upset at herself for her own stupidity.
Katrina put herself between Amy and the vampire. Amy watched as Katrina punched the vampire in the face. The vampire wasn't fazed. He grabbed Katrina and tried to bite. Katrina struggled with him to keep from being bitten. Amy raised her hand, palm outward, and willed the vampire's head to stay in place, so he couldn't bite Katrina.
After a few moments of wrestling, Buffy grabbed the vampire by the shoulder and pulled him off Katrina. Buffy punched the vampire in the face, kneed him in the penis, and flipped him over onto his back.
Buffy turned to Amy and Katrina. "Hi, guys!"
The vampire got up. Buffy turned her attention back to him and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying into a tree, where he got impaled on a dead branch.
Buffy stared at his body for a moment and then turned back to face Amy and Katrina. "Miss me?"
Amy grinned. "Buffy!"
"Hey!" Katrina hugged Buffy.
Buffy hugged Katrina. "Hey, Trina!"
They released each other.
"Hey, Amy!" Buffy hugged Amy.
Amy hugged Buffy.
"Girl, your timing really doesn't suck." Katrina laughed at her own dorky joke.
"When'd you get back?" Amy asked Buffy.
"Uh, just now. I saw you two walking and jumped out of the car to say hi. Good thing I did. I figured you two losers would be getting into some kind of trouble."
Amy felt a bit offended. "I think we had the upper hand. I-In a subtle way."
"Does either of you even have a cross? A stake? Holy water?" Buffy asked them. "Very sloppy."
Katrina shrugged. "Well, it's been a slow summer. I mean...that's the first vampire that I've seen since you killed the Master."
Buffy thought about that. "It's like they knew I was coming back."
The three of them started to walk toward Cordelia's car.
"So...what about you? How was your summer? Did you slay anything?" Katrina asked Buffy.
"No. Uh, just hung out; partied some; shopping was also a major theme."
Katrina smiled. "Well, you haven't lost your touch. That vampire..."
"I did kinda whale on him, didn't I?" Buffy asked. "So...how did you guys fare? Did you have any fun without me?"
Katrina shrugged. "Sure. I hung out with my sis."
Amy smiled. "I practiced my magic in Avalon, which is something that I can definitely say truthfully."
Katrina looked at Buffy. "Mr. Giles and Ms. Calendar buried the Master."
They stopped walking.
Katrina pointed. "Right out by that tree. Mr. Giles buried the bones, and Ms. Calendar poured holy water, and they got to wear robes. Very intense. You shoulda been."
Buffy looked.
"Have you seen Mr. Giles?" Katrina asked Buffy.
"Why would I do that?" Buffy asked her. "I'll see him at school."
Katrina smiled. "I'm really glad you're back."
Buffy looked at the tree again. "Me, too."
They started walking again and reached the car. Cordelia and Tara were standing in front of it, waiting.
Amy and Katrina smiled. "Hey."
Cordelia and Tara smiled. "Hey."
Buffy's beeper suddenly beeped. She took it out of her pocket and checked the phone number. "Shit, it's my mom. She's probably wondering if I'm back yet. I guess I gotta go home."
Tara smiled. "I'll join you."
Suddenly, her own beeper went off. She took it out of her pocket and checked the phone number.
Tara sighed. "Fuck, never mind. I'll help you carry in your suitcases, anyway."
While Cordelia waited in the car, Buffy and Tara unloaded Buffy's suitcases, four in total, from the car and lugged them to the front door.
The front door opened, and Joyce walked outside.
Joyce smiled. "Welcome home, sweetie!"
Buffy smiled. "Thanks, Mom. I'd hug ya, but..."
Joyce looked. "How is it that you've returned with double the suitcases that you left with?"
Tara smiled. "Magic. Hi, Mrs. Summers."
"Hi, Tara."
Buffy and Tara walked into the house, upstairs, and into Buffy's bedroom. Buffy hit the light switch with her elbow.
The two girls dropped the luggage on the floor.
Buffy looked at Tara and smiled. "Thanks. I wish you could stay. Rain check on the fuck?"
Tara smiled. "Of course."
"Great." Buffy kissed Tara on the lips. "See ya at school tomorrow."
"See ya."
The next morning, at Sunnydale High, Cordelia and two of her friends walked down some stairs and across the quad.
"It was a nightmare, a total nightmare. I mean...having to share a bed with Tara. She wears stupid pajama shorts and has belchy lemonade breath. I mean...who the fuck gets up in the middle of the fucking night and has lemonade as a midnight snack?" Cordelia sighed. "I was totally sleepless for three months. No one has suffered like I have. Of course, I think that that kind of adversity builds character. Well, then I thought, I already have a lot of character. Is it possible to have too much character?"
Nearby, Giles and Principal Snyder were walking along the colonnade.
"The first day back. It always gets me."
"Yes."
"I mean...it's incredible. One day, the campus is completely bare. Empty. The next, there are children everywhere. Like locusts. Crawling around, mindlessly bent on feeding and mating. Destroying everything in sight in their relentless, pointless desire to exist."
They stopped. Snyder looked around, observing the students.
"I do enjoy these pep talks. Have you ever considered, given your abhorrence of children, school's principal was not, perhaps, your true vocation?" Giles asked him.
"Somebody's got to keep an eye on them. They're just a bunch of hormonal time bombs." Snyder took two steps away from Giles. "Every time a pretty girl walks by, every boy turns into a gibbering fool."
Giles spotted Jenny coming toward them. "Ms. Calendar!"
"Mr. Giles!" Jenny exclaimed.
"Well, I, uh, um..." Giles paused. "Hello!"
"You see the way these kids gaze at each other...all moony."
Jenny smiled. "It's good to see you."
"Yes."
"You think they're thinking about learning?" Snyder asked.
"Uh, were you headed to the, uh, faculty room?" Giles asked Jenny.
"Sounds like fun!" Jenny replied.
They headed off to the faculty room, leaving Snyder behind.
They walked inside and through the student lounge.
"How was your summer?" Giles asked.
"Extreme. I did Burning Man in Black Rock, ohhh, such a great festival; you should've been there. They had drum rituals, mobile sculptures, raves, naked mud dances; you would've just...hated it with a fiery passion!"
"I can't imagine finding any redeeming, uh..." Giles stopped at the base of the stairs. "Naked?"
"Hmm. And you probably spent all summer with your nose in a book."
"Yes. I suppose you'd consider that frightfully dull."
"Depends on the book." Jenny smiled.
Amy and Katrina came down the stairs. Buffy and Tara were not far behind them.
Tara smiled. "Hello, Mr. Giles."
Giles smiled. "Nice to see you all."
Jenny smiled. "Hi, kids."
"Hi!" Tara replied.
Giles looked at Buffy. "How are you?"
"Live and kicking."
Tara looked at Giles. "Buffy killed a vampire last night."
Giles looked around to see if anyone overheard. "Uh, I think you can get a little more volume, if you speak from the diaphragm."
Tara frowned. "Sorry."
"We've got vampires?" Jenny asked. "I thought the Hellmouth was closed."
Giles looked at her. "Well, it's - it's closed - but not gone. The mystical energy that emanates from it is still concentrated in this area."
Katrina sighed. "Which means we're still the undead's favorite party town."
Giles thought for a moment. "I wonder if they're here for any purpose, particularly."
Buffy shrugged. "You're the Watcher. I just work here."
"Yes, I-I must consult my books."
"While you're doing that, I want you to look up something else."
"Yes?"
"I've felt different ever since the Master killed me, and I was brought back to life. Stronger. The sunlight has been setting my hair on fire and causing my skin to flake. Is it possible for me to have been partially turned into a vampire?" Buffy asked him.
Giles stared at her in surprise. "I don't know, but I will research it."
"Thanks."
The bell rang.
Amy looked at the other girls. "We better get to class."
They all started making their way to their classes.
"Oh, uh, Buffy!" Giles called.
Buffy looked back.
"Uh, I realize you've only just returned, but, when you're ready, I-I think we should start your training again."
"I'm ready. I'll see you after school." Buffy started to go again.
"Well, I-I-I understand if - if you want a few days to-"
"I'm ready." Buffy left.
In the library, after school, Buffy did tumbling and kicking exercises that took her all around the library. Then she and Tara continued training with the quarterstaff. Buffy swung it at Tara's hand pads. Tara retreated as Buffy hit. Tara ducked a swing, but Buffy continued around with the quarterstaff and knocked her back into the chairs by the table. Next, Buffy practiced her punches on the wooden punching dummy. She had a flash of the Master and began to go crazy on it, throwing continuous rapid punches.
Giles was concerned. "Buffy, that's enough."
She kept whaling on the dummy.
"Buffy!" Tara yelled.
Buffy kicked it, and it broke.
Giles looked at it. "Uh, safe to say you've stayed in shape."
Buffy was breathing hard. "I'm ready. Whatever they've got coming next, I'm ready." She bunched her hair above her head. "Yeah."
Tara looked at her in concern.
In the student lounge, Buffy was upstairs on a couch, off in her own world. Tara, Amy, and Katrina came up the stairs to her.
"Buffy?" Katrina asked.
There was no response.
"Buffy!" Amy called.
"Fine!" Buffy replied. "I'm fine."
"Good!" Amy replied. "It's good that you're fine."
Tara sat next to Buffy on the couch. Amy and Katrina sat on the couch opposite them.
"What were you thinking about?" Tara asked Buffy.
"Nothing."
Tara gave her a doubtful look.
"I wasn't thinking anything, really."
"What'd you do last night?" Tara asked her.
"Mm. Slept. I had weird dreams."
"Tell me about them."
"Buffy!" Giles called.
"Giles!" Buffy got up. "What is it? You look worried."
"This vampire activity, I think I know what they're up to."
"Well, we'll deal with it."
"I hope it's that simple."
"It is not to worry. Trust me."
"Oh, I don't know." Giles chuckled. "I mean...I've killed you once; it shouldn't be too difficult to do it again."
"What?" Buffy asked, confused.
Giles took a hard backhand swing at her face, knocking her down onto the table between the two couches. He got on top of her and began to choke her. Tara, Amy, and Katrina just sat on the couches. Amy smiled at Katrina. Buffy reached up to Giles' face and tried to push him off. She clawed at him and suddenly pulled off a mask, revealing the Master underneath. Buffy stared up at him in wide-eyed terror.
Buffy woke from her nightmare with a start. She was in her bedroom. It was night. She looked around and over at her open window. She sat up and rubbed her face. When she looked back at her window again, Angel was there, leaning against the sill.
Buffy started. "Holy shit!"
"Sorry. Mind if I come in?" Angel asked.
"Be my guest."
"How are you?"
"Peachy. So,...is this a social call? It is kinda late. Or, well, it is for me, anyway. What is it for you, lunch hour?" Buffy asked.
"It's not a social call."
"Ah. So...lemme guess. That means grave danger." Buffy smiled despite herself. "Goddamn, it's good to be home."
"I'm sorry. I wish I had better news."
"So...some of your cousins are in town for a family barbecue, and we're all on the menu!" Buffy exclaimed.
"The Anointed One. He's been gathering forces somewhere in town. I'm not sure why."
"Guess I'll find out soon enough, huh?" Buffy asked.
"You don't sound too concerned."
"I can handle myself. Besides, I could use a little action, anyway."
"Don't underestimate the Anointed One just because he looks like a child. He has power over the rest of them. They'll do anything for him."
"Is that it? Is that everything?" Buffy asked him. "Y'know, 'cause you woke me up from a really good dream." She turned away from him and lay back down.
"Sorry. I'll go."
Cordelia walked back into her bedroom, sipping lemonade from a champagne flute. She saw Angel at her window, leaning against the sill.
Cordelia smiled. "Hello."
"Hey. How are you?" Angel asked.
"Good, now that you're here."
Angel kissed Cordelia on the lips. Cordelia pulled him into a deep kiss.
When their lips parted, Cordelia stared into Angel's eyes and grinned. "Goddamn, I've missed you."
The next morning, Buffy was sitting at the island in the kitchen, eating a breakfast of sausage links and eggs. Her mother took the pan and spatula to the sink. "It Doesn't Matter" by Alison Krauss was playing on the radio.
"How are your new classes?" Joyce asked.
"Good."
"Good." Joyce paused and looked at her. "Is there the slightest chance that, if I asked you what was wrong, you would tell me?"
Buffy looked over at her mother and hesitated. "It involves the kind of stuff that you don't like to talk about."
Joyce didn't say anything else; she just turned her attention to the dishes.
At school, Buffy, Tara, Amy, and Katrina were hanging out at Buffy's locker.
"Angel stopped by?" Tara asked. "What did he say?"
"Oh, something's up." Buffy closed her locker. "Nothing I can't handle."
They began to walk down the hall to class.
"Oh, hey, did you guys hear that Cibo Matto's gonna be at the Bronze tonight?" Katrina asked.
Tara smiled. "Cibo Matto? They're playing?"
"We should attend, no?" Katrina asked.
Cordelia came out of class. "Oh, look, it's the Four Musketeers."
They looked at each other, not sure what to make of that.
Buffy looked at Amy. "Was that an insult?"
"Kinda lacked punch."
Tara smiled at Cordelia. "The Three Musketeers were cool, and there are four of us, so that makes us 1.333333 times as cool."
"I see your point."
Amy looked at Cordelia. "I woulda gone with Stooges."
"Well, I just meant that you guys always hang out together. So...did you guys fight any demons last night?"
Buffy shook her head. "Nah. I patrolled a bit, didn't find anything, and headed home."
"Really?" Cordelia asked, surprised. "What about big squiggly demons that come from the ground? Cause Angel says shit's goin' down."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Angel always says shit's goin' down. He told me that last night."
Cordelia stared at her in astonishment. "He was in your bedroom?!"
Buffy looked around nervously to see if anyone overheard - or, more importantly, cared - and then looked back at Cordelia. "Cordelia, your mouth is open, and sound is coming from it. This is never good."
That night, at the Bronze, Cibo Matto was on stage, playing "Spoon". Amy and Katrina were sitting at a table.
Amy had a cup of ice cream and swallowed some. "I just think something's up is all."
"Ames, you're paranoid."
"Buffy's never acted like this before. Ever since she got back, she's...different."
"Buffy's always been different."
"She's never been mean."
Katrina sighed. "Any sign of her? She said she was coming."
"No. The band's cool, though."
"Yeah, cool."
Amy dipped her nose into her ice cream and smiled, trying to get Katrina's attention.
Katrina looked at her, laughed, and licked the ice cream off Amy's nose. She then took Amy's nose between her lips and sucked on it for a bit, then she kissed Amy on the lips. The two girls giggled.
The band started their next number, "Sugar Water". Buffy, Tara, and Cordelia walked into the Bronze. Angel saw them come in and came over to them.
Cordelia smiled at him. "Hi."
"Hi."
"So...is there danger at the Bronze? Should I beware?" Buffy asked him.
Angel looked at her. "I can't help thinking I've done something to make you angry. And that bothers me more than I'd like."
Cordelia gave him some side eye.
Buffy shook her head. "I'm not angry. I don't know where that comes from."
"What are you afraid of? Me?" Angel asked her.
"Could you contemplate getting over yourself for a second?" Buffy asked him. "It's not you, dead boy."
Buffy and Tara headed over to Amy and Katrina's table. Cordelia watched Buffy go and wondered about her attitude.
"Hey!" Buffy exclaimed.
Tara smiled. "Hi."
Amy smiled. "Hi."
Katrina smiled. "Hey."
"What's wrong with Angel?" Amy asked Buffy.
"Beats me." Buffy looked at Tara. "Let's dance." She pulled at her shirt.
Tara smiled. "Okay."
Buffy pulled Tara by her shirt to the dance floor. Amy and Katrina looked at each other, and then they stood up and walked out onto the dance floor, holding hands.
Buffy and Tara began to slow dance. Buffy's movements were very sensual. Buffy turned around and spooned in against Tara, pulling her arms around her waist. Buffy grinded her hips and shoulders against Tara. She reached up with her hand and stroked Tara's face. Cordelia noticed a hint of jealousy in Angel's eyes, so she took him by the hand and dragged him out onto the dance floor. Buffy continued her grinding. She turned to Tara and tilted her head to hers, close enough to kiss. Tara closed the gap and kissed Buffy on the lips. Buffy stuck out her tongue and licked Tara's lips. This was a bit much for Tara, considering the audience that they had, but she decided to put up with it, sticking out her tongue and french-kissing Buffy.
Cordelia and Angel stayed at the Bronze long after Buffy, Tara, Amy, and Katrina had left for the night. Finally, the two of them went outside.
Cordelia looked at Angel. "Sorry about Buffy's 'tude."
Angel shrugged. "It's all right. I've heard worse. Do you want me to walk you to your car?"
"No, thanks, I'm good." Cordelia kissed Angel on the lips. "Good night."
"Good night." Angel turned and walked away.
Cordelia walked toward her car, but she was suddenly grabbed by two vampires coming out of the shadows and dragged into an adjacent building.
The two vampires forced Cordelia down a flight of stairs, into a basement. At the bottom, they shoved her into a room. She was frightened and looked around. She took a step sideways and bumped into a hand. She looked down and saw it was Jenny.
Cordelia crouched down to see if she was okay. "Ms. - Ms. Calendar?"
Jenny was unconscious.
"Oh, God, Ms. Calendar?"
In the cemetery, Buffy was going to check out the Master's grave. When she got there, she found it dug open and his bones exhumed. She stepped back slowly and thought she saw the Master out of the corner of her eye. She quickly turned to look, but no one was there.
The next day, in the student lounge, Giles was getting a soda from the vending machine. Tara was with him.
"She's possessed!" Tara insisted.
"Possessed?" Giles asked.
"That's the only explanation that makes any sense. I mean...haven't you noticed she's been a bit...bitchy lately?" Tara asked him.
"Are you overlooking the idea that she may just be...bitchy?" Giles asked her. "She is, after all, a teenage girl."
"That isn't Buffy. I know her. She's possessed."
"Possessed by what?"
"Aaaaa possessing thing!" Tara offered.
"Well, that narrows it down." Giles took a sip of his soda and winced at its sweetness.
"Well, you're the expert. Hey, maybe the Master did turn her when he killed her. That's what it was! I mean...why else would she be acting like such a bitch?" Tara asked.
"I suggest that, uh, the explanation for her behavior may be something more - more mundane."
The bell rang, and the students around them began to leave for class.
Giles sat down. "She may simply have what you Americans refer to as issues. Uh, her experience with the Master must have been extremely traumatic. Well, she was, for at least a few minutes, technically dead."
Buffy arrived and stood in the doorway.
"I-I don't think she's dealt with that on a conscious level."
Tara noticed Buffy.
"She's convinced herself that she's invulnerable...for the very reason that she feels-"
"Mr. Giles." Tara nodded at Buffy.
Buffy walked up to them. There was an awkward moment of silence.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Giles asked Buffy.
"Like a rock. Master's gone."
"I'm sorry?" Giles asked.
"The Master. I went by his grave last night, and they have a vacancy."
"Good God!" Giles exclaimed.
"What would somebody want with Master bones?" Tara asked.
Buffy stared at Giles. "They're gonna bring him back. They're gonna bring the Master back to life, and I seem to recall you telling me he was history."
"Buffy, I-I-I've never heard of a-a revivification ritual being successful."
"But you've heard of them?" Buffy asked him. "Thanks for the warning."
"Well, Buffy, Mr. Giles did bury him and-"
Buffy shot Tara a look. "Look, this is Slayer stuff, okay? Could we have just a little less from the civilians, please?"
Tara recoiled in shock. She couldn't believe Buffy had spoken to her that way.
Buffy was just as shocked at her own words and immediately regretted them. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry, Tara. I-"
"I believe some of us have class?" Snyder interrupted. "And some of us have jobs."
Giles looked at Buffy and Tara. "Y-Yes, well, I'll, uh, I'll see you both, uh, in the library later. We'll - We'll continue this discussion."
Buffy and Tara walked away.
Buffy looked at Tara. "Tara, sweetie-"
"We're good." Tara took Buffy's hand and gave her a smile.
Buffy smiled back at her and leaned in for a kiss. Tara kissed Buffy on the lips.
Snyder watched them go. "There're some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense."
"No, actually, that would be one of the five."
"That Summers girl. I smell trouble. I smell expulsion - and just the faintest aroma of jail."
"Well, before you throw away the key, you might consider giving her the benefit of the doubt. She may surprise you."
"You really have faith in those kids, don't you?" Snyder asked Giles.
"Yes, I do."
"Weird."
In the library, after school, Buffy, Tara, Amy, and Katrina had come to help Giles research. They were sitting at the table.
"All right, all right, I-I-I've got something. It's Latin, so bear with me. Uh, to revive the vampire, they need his bones, uh...w-which they have, and, um, the blood...this is very unclear - of the closest person...uh, someone connected to the vampire."
Buffy looked at Giles. "That'd be me."
"Perhaps."
"We were close. We killed each other. It really promotes togetherness."
Katrina looked at Giles. "Well, is there anything on when the ceremony might take-"
A rock came crashing through a window.
"Whoa!" Katrina exclaimed.
Buffy caught the rock in her hands. It had a note wrapped around it and kept in place with a bracelet.
"This is Cordelia's." Buffy took off the note. "'Come to the Bronze before it opens, or we make her a meal.'"
"What do we do?" Tara asked.
Buffy sighed. "I go to the Bronze and save the day." She stood up and started to go.
Amy looked at her. "I don't like this."
"Nor I!" Giles added.
Buffy turned back to look at all of them. "Yeah? Well, you guys aren't going."
"What do you mean?" Tara asked.
"I can't do it anymore. I can't look after the four of you guys while I'm fighting."
"Well, what about the rest of the note?" Katrina asked.
"What rest of the note?" Buffy asked her.
"The part that says 'P.S. This is a trap'?"
"You'll be playing straight into their hands." Giles took off his glasses.
"I can handle this."
"Stop saying that! Goddess, what's wrong with you?" Tara asked her.
Amy stared at Buffy. "Cordelia may be dead."
"This is my fight." Buffy left, grabbing her coat and bag on the way out.
Tara just watched her go. Amy and Katrina shook their heads. Giles put his glasses back on.
When she arrived at the alley outside the Bronze, Buffy sensed Angel as she neared the entrance. "Free relationship advice for ya: being stalked isn't really a big turn-on for girls."
"You need help. Someone to watch your back."
"Sure you don't mean my neck?" Buffy asked him.
Angel came around her. "Why are you ridin' me?"
"Because I don't trust you. You're a vampire."
Angel gave her a look.
"Oh, I'm sorry, was that an offensive term? Should I say 'undead American'?" Buffy asked sarcastically.
"You have to trust someone. You can't do this alone."
"I trust me."
"You're not as strong as you think."
Buffy gave him a challenging look. "You think you can take me?"
"What?"
"Oh, c'mon! I mean...you must've thought about it. What would happen if it ever came down to a fight, you vampire, me the Slayer, I mean...you must've wondered! Well, why don't we find out?"
"I'm not gonna fight you."
"Come on!" Buffy goaded him. "Kick my ass!"
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Angel asked her.
"I do."
"Well, you're wasting time."
"Just stay out of my way." Buffy walked around him to the entrance.
"Happy to oblige."
Buffy went in and looked around as she slowly walked through an empty Bronze. She came upon a girl crying in a corner. The girl had long brown hair.
Buffy stopped walking, suspicious and sensing Angel behind her. "That's not Cordelia."
The girl laughed and turned around, baring her fangs. "Cordelia couldn't make it."
"Where is she?" Buffy asked her.
"I'm not supposed to tell."
"I don't like this."
"Don't like what?" Buffy asked Angel.
"There's the bait. Where's the hook?"
The vampire attacked.
Buffy flipped her over onto her back on the floor and pinned her down with her foot. "You're right. Why would they send just one?"
In the library, the others were continuing their research.
Tara sighed. "I still think we should've gone with her."
Amy looked at her. "Buffy's about to lose it. I think we should be trying to reach minimum safe distance."
Katrina looked at Amy. "Amy, you know it's a trap!"
"Ah!" Giles suddenly exclaimed. "Ah, ah, ah! Uh, uh, the Latin is - is translated from the Sumerian, a-a-and rather badly. Closest to the Master actually translates as 'nearest'. Physically. The - The - The person or persons who were with him...when he..." He looked up. "It is a trap."
Several vampires were on the mezzanine level above.
"It just isn't for her."
In the Bronze, Buffy bound the vampire's wrists. "Watch her. Don't kill her unless you have to." She shoved her over to Angel.
"Buffy! What's goin' on?" Angel asked.
"I'll be back."
Buffy rushed into the library and stopped short when she saw the place was a shambles. The center table had been tipped over onto its side. Behind it, Katrina regained consciousness and got up, using the table for support.
"Trina!" Buffy rushed over to her to help, gently steadying her. "What happened?"
Katrina was out of breath. "Vampires."
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know."
"We - We just have to think. Where would they have taken them?"
Katrina was on the verge of tears. "Amy..."
"Trina!" Buffy yelled. "Focus!"
Katrina forced herself to get her emotions under control.
"Why did they take them and not you?" Buffy asked her.
"Giles said the ritual was, um..." Katrina paused. "They needed people who were close to the Master. Physically close. When he, uh-"
"The ones who were with the Master when he died."
"Giles, Tara, Amy, Cordelia..."
"Ms. Calendar."
"Odds are they've got a complete set by now."
"We need to find out where."
"How?" Katrina asked.
In the Bronze, Buffy was interrogating the female vampire. Katrina had followed Buffy in, but Buffy had told her and Angel to wait outside.
Buffy threw her down onto the floor. "One more time: where are they?"
"You're too late. Your friends are dead."
Buffy lifted her back up. "Tell me where they are!"
The vampire laughed. "What are you gonna do? Kill me?"
"As a matter of fact..." Buffy threw the vampire onto a pool table. "...yes. But since I'm not gonna kill you any time soon, the question becomes..." She indicated the cross that she wore on her necklace. "...how are we gonna pass the time till then?"
"You think that scares me?" the vampire asked her. She licked the cross.
Buffy unzipped the girl's pants. "No, but I bet it'll hurt like a motherfucker when I rip up your cunt with it."
The vampire suddenly lost her sense of humor. "Wait!"
Buffy waited.
"Let's make a deal."
Buffy entered an old brick warehouse through a side door. Katrina and Angel followed her in. The Master's skeleton had been laid out on a table. Many vampires were there. Tara, Amy, Giles, Cordelia, and Jenny were hanging upside-down and unconscious above the Master's bones from an overhead conveyor.
"Witnesses to our Master's wretched demise. They will breathe their last this night. The blood that pours from their throats will bring new life to the Old One. We gather for his resurrection. For the dawn of this new hell."
Buffy looked up at the five of them hanging upside-down.
"Buffy! Buffy!" Katrina called in a low voice.
Buffy faced her.
"We gotta do something now!" Katrina insisted.
"You two get the others out of here."
Angel looked at Buffy. "We need you to distract the vampires."
Buffy nodded. "Right."
"What are you gonna do?" Katrina asked her.
"I'm gonna kill them all. That oughta distract them."
One of the vampires was holding a kukri. "For the old one. For his pain. For the dark."
"For the dark!" the other vampires echoed.
The head vampire kissed the blade. Buffy assumed a fighting stance and thrust a stake through another vampire from behind, and he instantly died. The head vampire looked at her in disbelief and then roared. Three vampires began fighting her. She easily kept them at bay. Katrina and Angel seized the opportunity to climb the ladder to the platform above to get the others off the conveyor. Buffy continued to fight the vampires below. Katrina and Angel pulled on the chain, bringing the others back over to the platform.
"The sacrifices! Stop them!" the head vampire ordered.
A vampire responded to his command and ran to the ladder to the platform. Buffy continued to fight below as Katrina and Angel kept pulling on the chain. She did a flip over some wooden boxes, grabbed one on the way, and smashed it onto a vampire's head. She kicked the vampire in the face, knocking him down and breaking a few pieces of wood off the box. She got tackled by another vampire.
On the platform above, Giles, Jenny, and Cordelia were already off the conveyor. Katrina and Angel lifted Tara and Amy off as well. Giles rolled on the floor in semi-consciousness. They laid Tara and Amy down and tended to them all. A vampire finally made it up to the platform and growled. Angel looked at him and growled back. The vampire attacked, and Angel rushed to meet him. They fought.
Below, one of the vampires was on top of Buffy. She reached up with a broken piece of wood and jammed it into the vampire's back, killing him. She shoved his body off her. The vampire that she had knocked down before with the box got up and rushed to attack her.
Above, Angel and his opponent fell through a poorly covered hole in the platform. Jenny was awake now and crawled over to Giles, who was also awake now and trying to sit up.
"Are you all right?" Giles asked her.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Where's Buffy?" he asked.
Katrina was at the edge of the platform, holding the still-unconscious Amy and Tara with her arms and watching the fight below. "Uh, she's working out her issues."
Buffy was still fighting a vampire below. Underneath the platform, Angel's attacker tried to jam a piece of wood into his chest, but Angel stopped him and jammed it into his instead. Buffy kicked the vampire that she was fighting into a storage rack, and he went down with it.
"Enough!"
Buffy turned to look at the head vampire, who was standing in the doorway with a large sledgehammer.
"Your day is done, girl. I'll grind you into a sticky paste and hear you beg before I smash in your face."
"So...are you gonna kill me, or are we just making small talk?" Buffy asked him.
He raised the sledgehammer in indignation and yelled as he began his attack. The other vampire rushed at her from the other side. Buffy calmly looked at the tall wooden torch post in front of her, broke it off, and turned it a few times in her hands. The vampire impaled himself on the broken end. The head vampire ran into the burning end and was set ablaze. He backed up and screamed as the flames spread over him. He made a last desperate attempt to get Buffy and raised the sledgehammer over his head - but was too late as the flames engulfed him and burned him up. The sledgehammer fell to the floor with a loud clang. Buffy dropped the post and looked over at the Master's skeleton.
On the platform above, Tara and Amy were awake now.
"What's going on?" Tara asked.
Amy looked at her. "It's over."
Katrina shook her head. "No, it's not."
Below, Buffy bent down and picked up the sledgehammer. She slowly walked over to the Master's skeleton and looked at it a moment. Then she swung the hammer back behind her and arced it directly into the Master's skull, shattering it to pieces. She kept whaling on the Master's skeleton as Amy, Katrina, Cordelia, Jenny, Angel, and Giles looked down from above. Tara came up behind her and watched her continue until there was nothing left on the table. She stopped and burst into tears, dropping the sledgehammer to the floor.
"It's okay. It's okay."
Buffy turned around and leaned into her, crying into her shoulder. Tara gently held onto her as she cried.
Eventually, Buffy looked Tara in the eyes. "I am so sorry!"
In response, Tara kissed Buffy full on the lips and held her tight.
At the school, the next day, Jenny and Cordelia walked across the quad.
"What an ordeal. And you know what the worst part is?" Cordelia asked her.
"What?" Jenny asked.
"It stays with you forever. No matter what they tell you, none of that rust and blood and grime comes out. I mean...you can dry-clean till judgment day, but you are living with those stains."
"Yeah, that's the worst part of being hung upside-down by a vampire who wants to slit your throat: the stains."
"I hear ya!" Cordelia agreed.
Buffy and Giles walked the other way on the other side of the quad.
"I don't think I can face them."
"Hmm?" Giles asked. "Of course, you can."
"I can't!" Buffy insisted. "What am I supposed to say? 'Sorry I almost got your throat slit. What's the homework?'"
"Punishing yourself like this is pointless."
"It's entirely pointy. I was a moron. I put my best friends in mortal danger on the second day of school."
"What are you gonna do? Crawl inside a cave for the rest of your life?" Giles asked her.
"Would it have cable?" Buffy asked him.
"Buffy, you acted wrongly; I admit that. But believe me, that was hardly the - the worst mistake you'll ever make. Uh, that wasn't quite as comforting as it was meant to be."
"Well, points for effort. Oh, did you find out what's wrong with me?"
"What? Oh, yes, as far as I can tell, you weren't turned into a vampire, but you were technically dead long enough for a minor demon of some sort to enter your body. A human soul can suppress a powerful demon, as in Angel's case, so this should cause you no trouble. I wouldn't worry about it."
Buffy nodded. "Just enjoy the power boost. Gotcha. But what about my skin?"
Giles shrugged. "You're on your own with that one."
Buffy rubbed her eyebrows and watched the flakes fall. The bell rang.
"See ya." Buffy walked away.
Tara walked over to her and kissed her on the lips. "Hey, babe."
"Hey." Buffy paused. "Once again, I'm really fucking sorry."
Tara smiled. "Once again, you're really fucking forgiven."
Buffy sighed, uncertain. Tara took hold of Buffy's hand, and they walked to class together. They entered the building.
"I'm worried. What if the others aren't as forgiving as you?" Buffy asked Tara.
Tara smiled. "I don't think you have to worry." She looked straight ahead and nodded.
Buffy looked. Amy and Katrina were standing outside the classroom. They looked at Buffy and smiled. Buffy and Tara stopped in front of them.
"I almost got you all killed due to my own stubbornness. I don't deserve your friendship, but I appreciate it."
Amy shook her head. "It's okay, Buff."
Katrina shook her head as well. "We never would have joined your little gang, if we weren't willing to take on the risks."
Tara looked at Buffy. "That's true for all of us."
Buffy smiled and kissed Tara on the lips. Then she looked at Amy and Katrina. "So what's this I hear about you two being a couple?"
Amy and Katrina smiled. Katrina opened the door, and they all walked into the classroom. Buffy closed the door behind her.
They all went and took their seats. Buffy sat by the window and looked outside. The sun wasn't shining on this side of the building yet.
Suddenly, a figure in a hoodie and gloves came out from behind a tree. Carefully, she removed her hood and looked at Buffy.
Buffy nodded and mouthed "Be good, Tara." Tara nodded, put her hood back up, and walked away.
With that, Buffy turned her attention to learning. Still, part of her wondered why she'd spared the vampire. She guessed she'd be learning a lot of new things this year.
