AN: I don't own anything but my OC characters and parts of the plot. Everything else belongs to its owners.


It was nighttime in a Sunnydale Cemetery. A bouquet of fresh flowers laid on a gravestone with the name Andrew Hoelich, 1981-1998. Moments later, a hand smashes out of the freshly filled gravesite as it clawed for solid ground. Andrew Hoelich came out of his grave a newly made vampire. He growled when his head cleared the earth. He continued to climb out on his stomach before crawling along the ground. He pulled his legs out before stopping as he saw a pair of wide-spread legs standing before him.

"That's right, big boy," Willow said as he looked up at her. "Come and get it." She mischievously smiled.

All of a sudden, Andrew hopped to his feet and roared. Willow took a few quick steps back as she was taken back by this. The vampire took two steps towards her as Xander grabbed him by the collar of his suit before he pulled him away from Willow.

"I got him! Go!" Xander yelled as Andrew lost his balance in the process.

Oz jumped out from behind a bush and started to run towards him but hesitated for a moment to grab a stake from his jacket pocket.

"Any time now..." Xander added.

Andrew regained his balance before using Xander's grip to stabilize himself. He kicked up with both legs and did a double pike snapping kick to Oz's face. Oz stumbled backwards before falling. Andrew lept without pausing before flipping over Xander's head. Xander tried to rush after him, but Andrew used his momentum to deflect him into Willow. Xander and Willow crashed to the ground as Willow moaned before quickly sitting up to see Andrew running away.

"He's getting away! And..." Willow exclaimed before saying. "Ow."

Oz scrambled to his feet before picking up his stake as he watched the vampire running away. He held up his stake by the tip, preparing to throw it like a knife before Andrew lept over a rock and continued to run. Oz threw the stake, but it whistled through the air as it flew end-over-end. The stake hit a gravestone, and it bounced off of it with a loud think.

"That never really works," Oz muttered as he shook his head before asking. "Are you guys all right?" He turned towards Willow and Xander as they got up.

"First of all, what was with acrobatics? How did that happen?" Xander asked.

"Wasn't Andy Hoelich on the gymnastic teams?" Oz questioned as he looked in the direction that Andrew went in.

"That's right, he was!" Xander exclaimed as he gestured with his arm before shouting after the vampire. "Cheater!"

Oz gave Xander a brief look before staring into the distance again as he looked for Andrew.

"Okay, and the, uh," Xander voiced as he turned to Willow. "The second problem I'm having...'Come and get it, Big boy'?"

"Well..." Willow stammered. "W-well, Slayers always say a pun or-or a witty play on words, and I think it throws the vampire off, a-and it makes them frightened because I'm wisecracking." She took a breath before continuing. "Okay, I didn't really have a chance to work on that one, but you try it every time."

"Uh, if I may suggest: 'This time it's personal.'" Oz voiced. "I mean, there's a reason why it's a classic."

"I'm always amazed at how Buffy and Aurora fought, but..." Xander said as he stepped away before picking up his bag. "in a way, I feel like we took them punning for granted." As he stepped back.

"Xander, past tense rule," Willow replied as she gave Xander a scolding look.

"Oh, sorry," Xander apologized before saying. "I just meant we in the past took it for granted." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Uh... and we won't, when they back."

"Do you think they know school is starting tomorrow?" Willow questioned.

"Tomorrow," Oz muttered as Willow looked at him before saying. "Right. Big day."

"Oh, I'm gonna be busy a lot," Willow said as she went over to Oz. "B-but only till 3 pm. And that's when you usually get up."

"I can't wait to see Cordelia," Xander said before pausing. "I can't believe I can't wait to see Cordelia."

"I wonder what our first homework assignment's gonna be," Willow replied as she smiled before Xander placed his hands on his hips and gave her a look. "Hey, you're excited over Cordelia, okay?" Before saying. "We've all got issues."

"I guess we should pack it in," Oz suggested.

"Yeah," Xander returned as they all started to walk away from Andrew's grave.

"Wouldn't it be great if Buffy, Aurora and the others just showed up tomorrow? Like nothing happened?" Willow questioned.

"Buffy can't just show up, she got kicked out, and Aurora and the others are probably doing online classes," Xander voiced.

"Well, yeah, I-I know. I just wish... I wish we knew where they were," Willow responded.

Even though she did know where Aurora, Persephone and some of there's had been. She had gotten a postcard from Aurora with a Florida postmark.


DREAM

A wave crashed onto the sand. In a far-off distance, I could see a pier stretched out into the water as I walked across the sand before stopping to look out over the ocean. I closed my eyes and raised my head to feel the sun on my face and hear the waves coming before hearing my daughter playing in the sand with one of her dads. I could feel someone coming up behind me as they wrapped their around me before clasping them over my belly. I covered my hands over the person's hands. I looked back at the man, who I realized was Angel, as he leaned his head over my shoulder.

"How did you find us here?" I asked as I reached up with my hand and brushed it against his cheek.

"If I was blind, I would see you," Angel answered as I lowered my hand before placing my hand upon his.

"Stay with me," I whispered as I closed my eyes and embraced his arms tightly around me.

"Forever. That's the whole point. I'll never leave," Angel said before whispering into my ear. "Not even if you kill me."

I could feel the sadness in my body before I woke.

DREAM

I sadly woke from the dream before pulling my journal and started writing.


Dear Diary,

I've had dreams about Angel since I had to kill him to stop the end of the world, but all I can think about is that we haven't found a way to bring him back to us. Anyway, it's been a week since Kate, Kyra, Rebekah and mine's appointment with the doctor. We had found out that Kate, Kyra and Rebekah are pregnant, and I'm pregnant again. The four of us are exactly 2 months pregnant. It seems that day with Cole after the death of Angel is what got me pregnant. That same day, Persephone had a six-month doctor appointment. We talked about her physical development and hitting her milestones. The doctor also answered some of our questions, and she also had a round of vaccines. Now, it's time to get ready for work and breakfast before Persephone wakes.

A*


I closed my journal and placed it on the side table. I got up before I heard a police siren get louder as it passed the apartment building. I got my diner uniform out before walking into the bathroom. I turned on the shower and got out of my PJs before taking off my jewelry. I stepped into the shower when it was ready. I quickly showered before washing my hair. I got out of the shower before turning it off. I dried myself off before blow-drying my hair. I got dressed in my waitress outfit before doing my hair and placed my trinity necklace and Claddagh ring on. I did my make-up before walking back into the bedroom. When I got back into the bedroom, I grabbed my coat before grabbing my wallet and charged my cellphone before putting it into my bag. I walked out of the bedroom and headed down the hall before looking into the nursery to see Cole feeding awake Persephone a bottle of formula. Cole saw me as he fed her before nodding. I nodded back before heading into the dining room and living room combo.


When I walked into the room, everyone was there except for Jenna, who had school/work in Sunnydale, and they were eating breakfast.

"Morning," Elijah said as he placed my tea on the dining room table.

"Morning," I replied as I sat down next to Kate.

"What's for breakfast?" I asked.

"Oatmeal," Kate voiced as she took a bite of her oatmeal with apple and cinnamon.

I took a sip of my tea before Elijah sat my oatmeal down on the table.

"Thank you," I replied as I put my brown sugar in my oatmeal before stirring it and taking a bite.

"So, how is everyone feeling today?" Klaus asked.

"I'm a little nauseous, but fine," I replied before taking a sip of my tea.

"Same, but it's normal," Kyra voiced as she ate her oatmeal with sliced pears.

"Hey, look who's awake," Cole said as he came into the room with a dressed Persephone.

"Good morning, my love. Did you have a good sleep?" I asked as Persephone squealed as she saw me.

Cole sat her down in the high chair and started feeding her baby cereal with raspberries. I looked over at Buffy to see her eating oatmeal with apple cinnamon. I went back to eating breakfast until it was time to go.

"Aurora, it's time to go," Buffy voiced as I saw the time.

I got up from the table before picking up my breakfast bowl and cup before Elijah said.

"Here, I got it," Elijah said before kissing my cheek.

"Say, bye-bye Mama," Cole voiced as he cleaned Persephone up from breakfast.

"Ma-ma," Persephone said before I kissed her head.

"Mama has you to go to work, bye-bye," I replied as I waved to her.

"See you guys after work," Buffy stated as we headed out the door before putting our coats on.

We left the apartment and headed to work.


When we got to work, Buffy started out front while I worked in the kitchen making pies for dessert. But halfway through the lunch rush, I joined Buffy at the front of the diner. I was headed over to put an order in as Buffy walked passed me and picked up two burgers. I could tell Buffy was bored as I took my drinks to my first table.

"Here are your drinks," I voiced with a smile.

"Thank you, young lady," An old man responded.

"Your orders will be here soon," I told him and the lady with him.

"Okay," the lady said.

I looked over at Buffy to see two men disgustingly looking at Buffy. Buffy sat the burgers down before taking out her order pad. I walked back over and grabbed my table's food as it was ready before taking it back over to my table.

"Will that be all?" I asked.

"Yes, that will be all," the old man answered as I placed the order and took out my order pad before giving them the bill.

"Pay at the counter," I voiced before walking away.

I walked over to the counter as Buffy was talking to her customers.

"Anything else?" I heard Buffy ask.

"That'll do us, Peaches," Man #1 said.

"Pay a the counter," Buffy said as she tore off their bill and placed it on the table.

"Sure you don't want me to work it off for you?" Man #1 suggested as the second man laughed.

Buffy walked towards me, but as she went, the second man reached out with his hand before he slapped her ass. Buffy stopped in her tracks as the two men chuckled. She turned her head slightly before I headed towards her, thinking about doing something about it, but I thought differently. I walked over to another table, where a young couple was sitting. I could tell the couple was too into each other to notice me, so I waited.

"You guys ready?" I asked as I got their attention.

"Yeah. I think we're good," The man voiced as he was still looking at his girl. "Um..." He looked at my name tag. "'Phoebe.'"

I ignored him when he said my bio name. I glanced at them briefly before looking down at my pad.

"What will you have?" I asked as I was ready to take their order.

"Well, okay..." the man said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change before asking. "What can we get with this?" As he dumped the coins onto the table.

The coins were mostly pennies, a few nickels, and dimes, but no quarters.

"Um..." I started to say.

"Can we get cake?" the girl asked her boyfriend.

"Don't be stupid. We gotta eat healthy. We can't have cake," the boyfriend answered before turning his head to me and asking. "Can we get pie?"

"We've got a peach pie," I told him before writing the order down. "I can't guarantee there are many peaches in it."

"We shouldn't have blown all our money," the girlfriend said to the boyfriend.

"Come on, it was worth it," the boyfriend replied as the girlfriend smiled before looking up at me and saying. "Hey, check this out."

The boyfriend and girlfriend held out their forearms. I looked at their arms as they held them together to see they each had half of a heart tattoo with a ribbon across it. I noticed that their halves of the ribbon had each other's names on them. It made me remember my soulmate mark that was on my wrist.

"It's nice... and, uh, permanent," I voiced as I weakly smiled.

"Yeah, forever," the boyfriend said as he looked at his girlfriend before putting his around her. "I mean, that's the whole point."

I watched as the girl looked at him and smiled before looking down sadly. I looked up at the girl and realized I had seen her before in Sunnydale.

"Hey, do I know you?" the girl asked as she looked at me.

I could tell she recognized me as well.

"I don't think so," I lied as I looked over at Buffy.

"Really? Where are you from?" the girl asked as she looked harder at me.

"I'll get your pie," I voiced as I avoided the issue before it was mine and Buffy's check-out time.

Buffy and I headed over to the cashier desk before putting my order pad down.

"It's time for us to check out," Buffy stated as she took out her pad before taking off our aprons and laying them down on the counter.

"Okay, have a good day," the other waitress said.

We gave the girl and her boyfriend another look before grabbing our coats and putting them on. We headed out the door as we left the diner.


In Sunnydale. School had started, and students were busy looking for books they would need for the semester. Willow and Giles were walking out of the stacks. Willow had several books in her arms. Jenna was following behind them with her books as she had returned to Sunnydale a week before school started.

"So, no joy at the cemetery?" Giles questioned as they came down the stairs.

"No, he got away. We still have some glitches like... vampires getting away. But I think we're improving," Willow voiced as she smiled.

They split up as Giles and Jenna headed through the door before going behind the check-out counter.

"Please be careful," Jenna told her as they met at the counter.

"We mean, uh, we appreciate your efforts to keep the vampire population down until Buffy and Aurora return, but, uh..." Giles conveyed to her. "Well, if anything should happen to you and... you should be killed, we should take it somewhat amiss." As he scanned her books out.

"You'd be cranky?" Willow questioned.

"Entirely," Giles voiced.

"We also would be upset. If you all got hurt," Jenna responded.

"Well, we try not to get killed," Willow voiced as Giles's office phone rang. "That's part of our whole mission statement. 'Don't get killed.'" She took her books before stacking them together again.

"Good, good," Giles replied before tapping one of her books. "I think you're going to love that one." Before heading into his office as Jenna started reading a book on the counter.

"Bye, Jenna," Willow said as she picked up her books.

"Bye," Jenna replied before going back to the book she was reading.

Willow started out of the library, but before she could take any more steps, Cordelia came up to her.

"Hi!" Willow said.

"Hey, Willow," Cordelia replied as she placed her bag on the counter.

"How was your summer?" Willow asked.

"Oh, I can't believe you brought that up. Las Palmas was the nightmare resort. They ordered you and around and make you have organized..." Cordelia answered before using quotes with her as she said. "'Fun', and I used sarcastic quote marks." She grabbed her bag, and they started out of the library. "Plus the fact there are cockroaches in Mexico big enough to own property. It was all about dread. How was your summer?"

"Oh, it was okay," Willow voiced as they walked through the library doors and into the hall.

"Is Xander around?" Cordelia questioned.

"Well, uh, yeah. Somewhere," Willow replied as they stopped in the hall.

"Good. Great. I haven't seen him, yet," Cordelia stated as she pulled her hair behind her ears before asking. "Do I look okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Willow said as she nodded with a smile.

"How's my hair?" Cordelia asked with worry in her voice.

"Uh, it's good!" Willow exclaimed as she smiled.

"He didn't meet anybody over the summer, did he?" Cordelia questioned. "No, who's he gonna meet in Sunnydale, but monsters and stuff? But then again, he's always been attracted to monsters." Before she asked Willow in worry. "How's my hair?"

"Still good," Willow voiced as she turned to leave and saw Oz before saying with a big smile. "Hi!"

"Maybe he's forgotten me," Cordelia said as she grabbed Willow's arm before turning Willow around to look at her. "Well, I'll just have to make him remember." She let Willow go before smiling. "See ya." Cordelia walked away from them.

"You came to visit me," Willow said as she turned back to Oz before seeing books in his hands and asking. "And you came with books? Are the books for me?"

"Well, actually, they're kinda for me," Oz told her.

"I don't get it," Willow responded.

"Well, it's sort of a funny store," Oz said as they started to walk before saying. "You remember when I didn't graduate?"

"Well, I know you had a lot of incompletes, but that's what summer school was for," Willow replied.

"Yeah. Well, you remember when I didn't go?" Oz returned as two students ran past them.

"Whoa. Slow down, people," A teacher said as the students stopped running. "Summer is over. Be Somber."

"But you never said anything," Willow said as they walked by the teacher before asking. "How am I supposed to react to this rather alarming news?"

"Well, actually, I was pretty much banking on you finding it cute," Oz replied.

"Well, traditionally..." Willow voiced as they stopped at the student lounge. "you know, repeating a grade isn't exactly a turn-on." Before she started to stammer. "A-and you're practically a genius. You're Mr. Test SCroes. I-it's all a little weird."

"So the cute thing is out?" Oz questioned as Xander rushed up to them.

"Have you guys seen Cordelia?" Xander asked them.

"Yeah. She's around here somewhere," Willow told him.

"I don't want to come on too geek, but, uh, um, I'm psyched!" Xander said as he flashed a big grin. "There's gonna be some heat if you know what I mean, so you guys might want to duck and cover." Willow sighed at what he said before he continued. "And I'm starting to be geeky." He grinned again. "Okay, bye." He started to go but came back. "How's my..."

"Your hair is fine," Willow interrupted.

"Cool," Xander responded with another big grin before darting away.

"This is our year, I'm telling you. Best football season ever. I'm so in shape, I'm a rock," They heard Larry say as he and another jock walked behind Willow and Oz before stopping by the vending machine. "It's all about egg white. If we can focus, keep discipline, and not have quite as many mysterious deaths, Sunnydale is gonna rule!"

"I'm trying to get to cute, really," Willow told Oz as they walked into the lounge towards the other side of the tables. "But I'm still sorta stuck on 'strange.'"

"Well, I'd be willing to bargain down to 'eccentric' with an option on 'cool,'" Oz responded as they walked past the raised area where the couches were.


Behind Oz and Willow, Cordelia and Xander finally meet up.

"Hey!" Xander said as he walked up to her.

"Hey!" Cordelia replied as she saw him.

"Good summer?" Xander questioned.

"It was all right," Cordelia responded.

"Cool!" Xander exclaimed.

"Yeah," Cordelia said with a disappointing tone.

"Well, I'll see ya," Xander replied as they looked around with uncertainty for a moment.

"Yeah, whatever," Cordelia voiced before Xander turned and headed down the stairs while Cordelia walked towards the other hall.


Back in LA...

After work, we headed back to the apartment to change and get some other work done. By the time we got back to the flat, Persephone was awake from her second nap and was eating mashed pears. We showered in our bathrooms before changing into clean clothes.

"Ma-ma," Persephone said as I walked out of the room and into the living where Kyra, Buffy, and Kate were with Persephone.

"Hello, my love, did you have fun with your daddies while mama went to work?" I asked her as she crawled to me. "Such a good crawler, my love. Soon enough, you'll be walking and talking. After that, the world had better watch out." I knelt before kissing her head.

"I'm going to make sure we have everything ready for baking and making the chocolates," I voiced as I headed into the kitchen.

"Okay," Kyra responded as Kate took Persephone back.


After I walked into the kitchen, I checked everything before walking back into the living room where Kyra and Kate were playing with Persephone.

"Where's Elijah and Cole?" I asked.

"Elijah had a phone call, and Cole went to get groceries," Kate answered.

"How was work?" Kyra questioned.

"I saw someone that we saved in Sunnydale," I voiced.

"Who?" Kate asked.

"I don't remember her name," I replied as I got onto the floor and started to play with Persephone as she stacked the cups.


After an hour of playing, Cole and Elijah came back, so Kyra, Kate, and I got to work on the products for our business. Thirty minutes later, we were halfway done when Buffy came into the room.

"It's time for a quick patrol," Buffy voiced as he came into the room.

"Okay," Kyra replied before we got up from the table.

We headed out to the living room, dining room and Kitchen combo.


When we walked into the living room, dining room and Kitchen combo, Elijah, Klaus, and Finn were making dinner in the Kitchen. While Kol, Andy, Rebekah, Jeremy, and Cole were playing with Persephone.

"We're heading for a quick patrol," Kate voiced.

"Be careful," Elijah said as he kissed me on the forehead.

"We will be," I replied.

We headed out of the door.


When we got outside, we headed to Helen's Kitchen area as we walked along the street. We saw a homeless man sitting on the curb as another man crouched down beside him, holding out a leaflet.

"Hey, how are you? Can I talk to you for a moment?" We heard the man ask before saying. "I have something you might be interested in."

We continued to walk down the street as we passed a store where a homeless woman was cowering.

"I'm no one," We heard the homeless woman say.

We looked over at the woman as she continued to say, "I'm no one."

We looked away as we hid our faces from the woman. Buffy pulled her hair behind her ear as my expression became very sad.

"I'm no one," the homeless woman repeated.

We continued.


Back in Sunnydale...

Giles was on the phone in his office as Jenna worked on her laptop.

"Yes?" Giles said before thanking the person on the phone. "Thank you, thank you." Before he hung up.

Jenna looked up from her laptop before getting up and following Giles out of the office.

"I have a lead," Giles said as Willow and Xander looked up from their homework. "A friend in Oakland has a-a-a sketchy report of..." As he grabbed his overcoat. "Two girls fending off a group of vampires..." As he grabbed his bag. "...about a week ago." Before looking at his watch. "There's a plane out in about an hour."

"And what makes this different from the last nine leads?" Xander questioned as he and Willow exchanged a look.

"Well, I believe there's a meal on this flight," Giles answered.

"Look, I don't mean to poop the party here, it's just, you get your hopes all up, and then it's just big fat raspberry, and I feel bad," Xander responded.

"But it's good that you're looking, though," Willow voiced before saying. "You shouldn't give up."

"Oh, yeah. Definitely," Xander returned.

"Yes, one must try. Well, I-I-I should go," Giles replied before rushing out.

"Be safe!" Jenna yelled after him before heading back to the office.

"You don't think maybe he'll find them?" Willow questioned.

Even though Willow had known where Aurora and some of the others were during the summer. She just didn't know where they were now.

"I think he'll find them when they want to be found," Xander responded before they went back to doing their homework.


Back in LA...

We were walking back to the apartment after a quick patrol when we heard someone behind us.

"Phoebe? Anne?" I heard the girl from the diner say.

We didn't respond.

"Phoebe? Anne?" the girl said a little louder but still got no response from us before saying. "Aurora? Buffy?"

We all stopped in our tracks as the girl caught up to us.

"Don't be mad. I won't turn in or nothing," the girls said as she came around us before saying. "I guess you don't recognize me."

"Lily?" Buffy and I whispered after thinking for a moment.

"I mean from before. I was calling myself Chantarelle then. I used to..." Lily said before sighing and continuing. "Well, I was in this cult that worshipped vampires. So lame, I know."

"Yeah... I, uh, I remember," Buffy replied.

"But... you and Aurora kinda saved us. I never thanked you or anything," Lily responded.

"Did you tell anyone who we were?" Kyra asked.

"Oh, no! N-not even Rickie. I mean, I was so surprised to see you here, waiting tables... But I wouldn't tell. I know how it is when you gotta get lost," Lilly voiced as we started to walk again.

"Do you, uh, do you live nearby?" Buffy questioned.

"Well, there's a couple of places. Uh, they're abandoned, and lotta people stay there," Lily answered before she paused before asking. "So, how come you came up with Anne and Phoebe?"

"It's my middle name," Buffy replied.

"It's my biological name," I told her.

"Lily's from a song. Rickie picked it," Lily returned. "I'm always changing my name. Chantarelle was part of my exotic phase."

"It's nice. It's a... also a mushroom," Kate responded.

"It is?" Lily returned. "That's really embarrassing."

"It's an exotic mushroom. If that's any comfort," Kate told her.

"Well, before that, I was following this loser preacher," Lily voiced before telling us. "I was calling myself 'Sister Sunshine.'"

"What do they call you at home?" I asked.

Lily looked away from us as she didn't respond.

"I like Lily," Buffy told her.

"It's cool for now," Lily voiced before asking. "Hey, do you have any money?"

We stopped before giving her a surprised look.

"I didn't mean that like... Well, I just mean... I know this guy. He's gonna have this kinda rave thing in his basement," Lily continued before saying. "We could go. I mean, I could show you if you had... 'Cause I'm broke."

"I-I don't think so. We just kind of... We want to be alone," Buffy stammered.

"I didn't mean to bug you," Lily returned.

"No! I-I didn't, I didn't mean that it's just..." Buffy stuttered.

"Well, she meant that it's a lot of people, and it's too much," Kate voiced.

Lily crossed her arms as she looked very disappointed.

"W-we do have the money, though... so," Buffy said as she looked down and started to dig through her purse before suggesting. "Why don't you and Rickie go, and then maybe we could meet you some other time..."

"No. It's okay, it's okay, forget about it. Just..." Lily replied as she raised her hands to wave off the offer before a homeless man rudely pushed his away between Kate and Lily before Lily said. "That's not very polite." As we stared after the homeless man.

"Are you okay?" Kyra asked as the man turned around and looked blankly at us.

"I'm no one," the homeless man said as I remember that the homeless woman from before that we had seen earlier had said the same thing.

We watched as he turned back around and walked into traffic as our eyes widened with concern. The man stopped in the middle of the lane as an oncoming trunk came his way. Buffy quickly gave me her back as she rushed into the street. The truck driver honked his horn and slammed on the brakes. We watched as the truck started to skid as Buffy pushed the man out of the way in time to save but in enough time to avoid getting hit. We cringed as Buffy's legs were hit hard by the bumper. Buffy's body slapped down hard onto the hood as she slid into the windshield. We watched as she bounced back before sliding off the truck hood as it screeched to a halt. We ran over as she hit the pavement before flipping over back and rolling to stop in the middle of the street. When we got to Buffy, the driver got out of the truck as Buffy tried to get up.

"Are you okay?" Lily asked as other people came running over.

"Are you alright, Buffy?" I asked her.

"Jeez, I didn't see you," The driver voiced as he grabbed her by the arms and helped her up.

"Oh... Maybe, you shouldn't move," Lily responded.

"Maybe you should lie down," the driver suggested.

"No, I'm fine," Buffy voiced as she nervously looked at the people gathering around us.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" The driver yelled.

"No! I'm okay. I just..." Buffy said as she held her hands up to fend off everyone's help.

"We need to go," I finished for Buffy as I grabbed her hand, and we ran off.

We headed further down the street and towards our apartment building. We walked a brisk pass around the corner as we bumped into a man and knocked something out of his hands.

"Whoa!" the man said as he saw his leaflets on the ground before saying. "Oh..." he and Buffy knelt down to help him pick up the papers before asking us. "Where are you girls running to?"

I could feel something wasn't right with him, but I didn't know what.

"Sorry," Buffy replied.

"Maybe I should ask, where are you running from?" the man questioned as they finished gathering his leaflets before standing back up. "You're pretty new around here," He stared at us before voicing. "Uh, you girls got the 'look', though."

"The 'look'?" I questioned.

"Like you all had to grow up way too fast," the man responded before asking. "What are your names?"

"Anne," Buffy voiced.

"Phoebe," I lied.

"Piper," Kate replied.

"Prudence," Kyra stated as we pushed past him to go.

"Hey, um... I'm Ken," Ken introduced himself before handing me a leaflet. "Here, go ahead, take one of these."

I got a vision flash of him with reddish-orange skin and demonic guards before I looked at the leaflet. The paper read, 'Come home to Family Home,' and it had a drawing of a house with a silhouette of a man as he reached out to hug a child.

"Don't be shy about stopping by. I mean... I guess you're not starving, but..." Ken voiced before continuing. "We're not just interested in feeding the body. You might find something you're missing."

"We're alright," Kate told him as she looked at him.

"Then why are you here?" Ken questioned as he gave us a look of disbelief before we looked away. "This is not a good place for a kid to be here. You get old fast here." Buffy looked at him with a knowingly look before he continued. "The thing that drains the life out of them is despair. I mean, kids come here, and they got nothing to go home to, and... this ends up being the last stop for a lot of them. Shouldn't have to be that way."

We did have a home to go to, but he was right with one thing. The children who live on the streets but sometimes only live on the streets because they aren't safe at home.

"Come on, we have to head home," Kyra voiced before heading back to the apartment.


In Sunnydale...

The other half of the Scooby gang were at the Bronze as music played in the background. It wasn't a busy night as Xander was lounging on a couch off to the side. Willow sat on the loveseat as she looked for Oz.

"Boy, I'm glad we showed up for 'Depressing Night,'" Xander voiced.

"I wonder what they're doing right now," Willow muttered as she thought about the others that weren't there.

"Oh, I know what's she doing. Gabbing to all of her friends about her passionate affair with Pedro the Cabana Boy, laughing bout me, thinking how she still might have feelings about me," Xander expressed before glancing over at Willow as she raised her eyebrows at him and realized she was talking about Buffy and the others. "Oh, it's quite possible you were talking about Buffy and the others."

"It's possible. The Bronze just never seems the same without them," Willow told him as Oz arrived before handing him a drink and sitting down next to Willow.

"Yeah, and the slaying isn't getting any easier, either," Xander responded.

"I don't know. I think we're kinda getting a rhythm down," Oz replied.

"We're losing half the vamps," Xander returned.

"Yeah, but... rhythmically," Oz stated.

"We just need to work on our timing, I think," Willow voiced.

"No, I know what we need," Xander responded as he looked up.

"Vampire Slayers & Hunters?" Oz suggested.

"Next best thing," Xander returned as he started to look around.

Willow followed his gaze as Cordelia walked into the Bronze with a few friends.

"Bait," Xander told them.


Back in LA...

By the time, we got back to the apartment Persephone was being given a bath by Cole.

"Good evening, how was patrol?" Elijah asked before pecking my lips.

"Weird. I got a vision from this guy. I don't think he's human," I answered.

"We also ran into someone we had saved back in Sunnydale," Kate voiced.

"How's Persephone?" I asked.

"She's good, she ate and Cole is giving her a bath," Elijah said.

"Sit down, we'll get your dinner heated up," Klaus voiced.

"You don't have to do that," Kyra expressed as we sat down at the kitchen table.

"We could have done that ourselves," Buffy responded.

The boys sat our plates with Pork Chops, Green Beans and mashed potatoes in front of us before handing us our forks and knives.

"What would you like to drink?" Finn asked.

"I'll have Milk," I answered.

"I'll have Water," Kate voiced.

"I'll have Apple Juice," Kyra responded.

"And I'll have Water as well," Buffy stated.

The boys got our drink orders together as we started eating.

"Look Persephone, looks who's home," Cole voiced as he came into the room with a clean and dressed Persephone.

"Ma..." Persephone said as she reached out for me.

"Mama's got to eat but daddy will feed you your bottle and after I'll lay you down to sleep," I told her before starting to eat again.


Twenty-five minutes later, we were done eating and I read Goodnight Moon before laying her down to sleep.

"Mama and your daddies love you, May the Angel watch over you," I whispered as I turned on her noise machine and baby monitor before turning out the light and heading out of the room.

I walked back into the living room, dining and kitchen combo where the girls were getting everything ready for baking. I grabbed my apron that was on a hook nearest to my cart for baking. I put on the apron before tying it.

"What are we making tonight?" Klaus asked.

"We are making Banana Chocolate Chip Bread and Muffins..." Kate answered.

"And Pumpkin flavoured chocolates for the fall season," Kyra added.

We got the ingredients out and started working.


Three hours later, the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread and Muffins as well as the Pumpkin flavoured Chocolate truffles were done and ready for the next day.

"Time for us to head off," Kyra voiced.

"Yeah," I yawned.

"See you all in the morning," Kate voiced as she, Finn, and Leo rolled their cart out banana chocolate chips loaves, muffins and pumpkin flavoured chocolate truffles out of our apartment.

"Night," Buffy, Rebekah, and Kyra said as they followed suit with their carts.

"Night," I replied as the door shut.

"Go have a shower. We'll clean up," Cole voiced.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course. Go shower and get ready for bed," Elijah said before kissing my cheek.

"Okay," I replied as I took off my apron and headed for the bathroom.


When I got into the bathroom, I took off my jewelry, shoes and clothes. I put the dirty clothes into the hamper before turning on the shower. Just as the steam came from the shower, I knew it was time for me to get in. I got into the shower and washed off the day's work and the flour from baking before washing my hair and getting out. I dried off my body before getting my housecoat. I blow-dried my hair as I combed it. I put my protection necklace and Claddagh ring back on before I headed into the bedroom. I grabbed nightclothes before getting dressed in them. I headed out of the room with my housecoat and placed it back in the bathroom before getting into bed. I grabbed the book, I was reading last night and started to read. Thirty minutes later, a wet Cole came into the room. From the corner of my eye, I watched him get dressed in his PJs before Elijah came into the room already dressed for bed.

"Night," I said as I put my bookmark back into the book before setting it on the side table.

"Night," Elijah replied as he got into bed next to me.

Cole soon joined before turning out the light. We turned over and went to sleep.