Chapter 29: Homecoming

November 2, 1998 – Monday

The Bronze

Buffy sat at the bar next to Willow and Oz. She knew they were talking and that she should probably be listening, but she couldn't help her wandering eyes as she scanned The Bronze searching the crowds, looking for Faith. She didn't see the other Slayer in the crowded club. Beside her Willow and Oz continued to mumble to each other. Behind them, Xander and Cordelia came up taking seats next to them.

"I think we should get a limo," Cordelia said as she sat down interrupting the conversation Oz and Willow were having.

"A limo?" Xander squeaked thumping his chest as he coughed having choked on the liquid he had just been about to swallow when Cordelia spoke.

"Yeah," Cordelia said happily thumping him on the back as well.

"A big expensive limo?" Xander said looking at his girlfriend and then at the others pleadingly.

Willow ignored him. "That sounds like fun! And it is our last Homecoming Dance, so maybe we should make a big deal out of it," she said excitedly. She had never been in a limo before.

"You want to talk fun? Public bus! You meet the funniest people," Xander said nervously, thinking of all the money it would cost to rent a limo for one measly night. Cordelia gave the others a disbelieving look, fully planning on shooting down anyone who agreed with her boyfriend's idea. "Back me up here Oz," she asked pleadingly.

"Well if it's a dollar issue we could all take my van," Oz offered not caring either way.

"Van?" Cordelia asked condescendingly. "Homecoming Queen doesn't come to the dance in a van," she said firmly, the horror of rocking up to the dance in Oz's beaten-up old van made her cringe.

Willow rolled her eyes; she didn't see anything wrong with Oz's van.

"Well, technically you haven't been elected yet…" Xander began receiving a withering look from his girlfriend, so he changed tacks. "Although certainly without a doubt will be," he covered squirming slightly under Cordelia's hard eyes. "Who else likes a limo?" he asked changing the topic completely and turning his gaze to the others of their small group.

Willow smiled dreamily. "A private limo!" She snuggled up to Oz. "It's pretty cuddlesome." She looked over at Buffy. "And if we all split the cost…" she trailed off a small worried frown on her face as she realized Buffy hadn't been paying attention to the conversation.

Buffy looked over at Willow coming away from her thoughts. "Um, maybe, you know if I go an all," she said biting her lower lip softly.

"Why wouldn't you go?" Willow asked surprised. "You already have your tickets. I mean unless you don't have a date," she said as Scott came up behind Buffy.

Cordelia gave Willow a confused look. "I don't get it. Did no one not ask her to the Homecoming Dance yet?"

"No," Buffy answered. "So, Cordy, what's your strategy for winning the election? Is it safe to say bribes are involved?"

"Bribes are only a part of it. A year ago, I would have had this thing sewn," Cordelia informed her. "But the public's fickle. There's competition now, not to mention my liabilities." She glanced pointedly at Xander.

Xander quickly realized she had meant him. "Are you saying that dating me is some kind of hindrance to you bagging Homecoming Queen?" he asked.

Cordelia smiled. "Oh, sweetie…it's okay, I can overcome it, I'm that good."

"Well, all right then," Xander agreed.

"You guys, I'm getting kind of tired," Buffy interjected. "Think I'll call it a night. See you tomorrow."

Angel's Mansion

Angel stood in front of the fireplace pacing when he heard a sound at the French doors. He moved towards them ready to attack. As he ripped the door open, he scared Buffy.

"It's me!" Buffy said as he backed up to let her in. She handed him the bag in her hand that said, 'Mel's Butcher Shop.'

Angel held the bag to his nose and sniffed before sitting it on the table.

"How are you feeling?" Buffy asked.

"It hurts…less," he quietly admitted.

"I haven't told Giles or the others you're back…" Buffy informed him.

"Giles…" Angel said testing the name on his tongue as if trying to remember who Giles was.

"I'm going to, I'm thinking tomorrow," Buffy admitted. "I wanted to make sure you're better first. And I will keep making sure that you're getting better but...everything's different now, Angel. I'm working harder at school. I'm a Senior now, thinking about college—"

"Buffy," Angel cut in. "I wanted to apologize. For what I—what Angelus said. That night. I know it wasn't technically me, but I still feel very badly about saying that you were—um—You know—"

"A tranny?" Buffy supplied bitterly. "Just a guy in a dress?"

"Yeah," Angel said. "I don't feel that way at all, Buffy. And Angelus didn't either. He just wanted to say what he thought would hurt you the most. Whenever he, Spike, and Dru would talk about you, it was always looking at you from the perspective of having to fight one of the most skilled and dangerous women we'd ever faced. Where you might have started never entered into it."

"Okay," Buffy said. "Thank you for the apology."

Angel searched her face. "But you don't know if you can forgive me."

"It's not about forgiveness," Buffy said. "Girls like me are only ever dead. Slayers, transgender women. And a part of me knows that if people knew monsters existed, they would count me among them. Angelus was right when he thought that would hurt me more than anything. And when I look at you now, those words are all I can hear. Like a pounding in my chest. It's not that I've never heard it before. But from someone I loved…"

Angel bowed his head. "I understand."

Buffy approached him and laid a hand on top of his head. "I will always love you, but I am no longer in love with you. And even if I was, I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

Angel closed his eyes. "Okay."

Buffy pressed the barest of kisses on his forehead and then she left.

November 3, 1998 – Tuesday

Sunnydale High School

Buffy sat in the quad looking for Faith. While her fellow Slayer was officially a high school dropout, she wished that Faith would show up anyways and ask her to the dance.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In a van with darkly tinted windows parked in a parking lot close to the school. A man with a pair of binoculars watched Buffy as she sat in the school quad. A second man came around him as the first man lowered his binoculars. They both stared intensely out the window in the direction of The Slayer.

The man with the binoculars raised them back up to his eyes while the second man attached a small digital video feed to them. An image of Buffy appeared on three small monitors attached to the dashboard of the van. The second man reached over to a modem, connected via cell phone. He flipped open the cell phone and pressed one of the small keys.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

In the lounge of the school, all the senior students lined up, waiting for the photographer to take their photo for the school yearbook. Cordelia sat down on the stool. Giving the camera a glowing smile. Flouncing off once the flash had gone off. Xander sat down next giving a goofy-dimply smile, blinking when the flash went off, before walking to the side to wait for Willow.

Willow's smile faltered when the photographer didn't take her photo straight away, her large grin becoming slightly nervous just as the flash went off. Joining Xander the two of them made their way out of the lounge. "You have to help me pick out an outfit," Willow told him. "I want to wear something that makes Oz go 'oh,'" she said with a grin.

"No problem. I got the tux going on. I'm going to look hot if it even remotely fits," Xander said giving a return smile.

They both looked up as they reached Cordelia who was looking up at a board that had the posters of the other girls running for Homecoming Queen. "Whatcha doing?" Xander asked startling Cordelia into turning to face him.

"Checking out the I laughingly use the phrase competition," Cordelia said her eyes seeking out Holly who was playing with a strand of her hair. "Holly Clarkson: nice girl, brain dead, doesn't have a prayer," she stated with calculating eyes. Her gaze then zeroed in on Michelle who was busy handing out campaign flyers. "Michelle Blake: open to all mankind, especially those with a letterman's jacket and a car." Her gaze returned to Xander her eyes slightly concerned. "She could give me a run," she pouted crossing her arms over her chest, and gave Michelle a scathing glance.

"Where's Buffy?" Willow asked her eyes glancing around. "She's going to miss the yearbook pictures."

"Buffy and Faith are in the library getting all sweaty," Xander explained.

Cordelia gave him an annoyed look. "They're training," she corrected.

Xander gave her a return look. "I stand by my phrase."

"I don't think she was here the day they announced them. Did anybody tell her?" Oz asked having joined the group a few moments ago.

"Oh. I'll tell her now. I have to go to the nurse's office for an ice pack anyway," Cordelia said with a shrug.

Xander put a concerned hand on her arm. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Cordelia smiled at his concern. "No silly. It shrinks the pores!" She giggled before beginning to walk away.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith held up her hands, pads on them to protect her from the worst of the sting of Buffy's blows as she rained several punches on her palms. Faith grimaced and shook out her hand after a particularly brutal punch. "Oh man," Faith whined. "No one asked you to the dance, did they?"

"No," Buffy answered heading toward the cage.

"I mean it. You got some quality rage going. Gives you an edge," Faith teased walking with her setting down her pads.

"You think?" Buffy asked as she picked up her jacket.

"Yeah," Faith told her as she wiped her cheek with a towel. "You move on, you party—heavily—you'll be fine. You're still going to the dance, right?"

Buffy twisted open her juice bottle. "Maybe," she muttered taking a sip.

"You got the tix already. Why don't we go together?"

Buffy blinked as she looked at Faith in surprise. "You're asking?"

"Of course, I'm asking. You're a hot babe," Faith said before she took a swig out of her bottle.

Buffy twisted the cap back on the bottle. "Okay. I'm in," she admitted with a shy smile.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Out in the hall, Cordelia looked into the library through the round windows. She saw the two Slayers talking, and she went to push the doors open when she noticed two boys walking by. Turning from the library she rushed to catch up with them her promise to tell Buffy about the yearbook pictures completely slipping her mind. "Uh, Bobby! Mashad!" she called smiling and giggling when they stopped to wait for her. "You don't phone, you don't write…" she scolded gently, batting her eyes at them. "Where's the love?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"…Faith," Buffy called as the brunette went to leave, making her turn back to her. "Don't forget to be here after school."

"Babe, I'll be here. Though I don't see why you can't tell me now?" Faith questioned.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't want to have to go through it more than once."

Faith nodded slowly the look on Buffy's face made her heart ache for Buffy. "I'll be here, babe," she promised her sister Slayer before continuing her journey out the door.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow, Buffy, Faith, Giles, Oz, Dawn, and Xander sat in silence as they waited. The silence in the room was such that they could hear a pin drop if one of them decided to drop them. Buffy had brought Dawn with her for this for the single reason that Angelus had attacked her. She felt her sister needed to know as much as her friends, Faith and Giles.

Xander checked his watch impatiently. Looking at the door he got up intending to go find Cordelia and drag her here if he had to. But just then the door swung open and all gazes turned toward the doors to see Cordelia strolling in.

Cordelia paused when she saw them all looking at her expectantly. The cheerleader rolled her eyes. "So, I'm late. I got caught up with my campaigning," she huffed before taking a seat next to Xander on the table he had sat back down on.

Giles cleared his throat his eyes turning to Buffy. "Perhaps now that we are all here." He glanced at Cordelia for a moment, before swinging his gaze back to Buffy. "You could tell us why we are all here."

Buffy squirmed uncomfortably, her heartbeat accelerating as everyone's eyes turned to her. She slipped off the table and began to pace back and forth. She'd had all day to think about how to break it to them, and she still had no clue. "Well, uh, I don't…" she took a deep breath. "Angel is back," she said quietly. She had expected them to shout or scream in disbelief. But there was nothing, but silence. Buffy dared to look up and she saw that everyone except Faith had wide eyes.

"That's not possible!" Xander was the first to break the silence. His eyes went to Giles pleadingly. "Right Giles?! Deadboy was sent to hell! The portal closed…he can't come back!"

"Please tell me, that Xander is right, that it's not possible," Dawn said barely more than a whisper, her fear creeping into her voice.

Giles didn't answer his eyes turning to Buffy concern filling them. "That dream you had? About Angel coming back…it wasn't a dream was it?" he stated standing up and slipping his fingers behind his glasses to massage his eyes.

Buffy lowered her head in shame. "No, it wasn't. I saw him…in the woods…he was feral. Like an animal…no higher brain function than his instincts to survive…" She took a breath and looked up her eyes landing on her sister. Dawn's hurt eyes added to her guilt. "I've been trying to…"

"To heal him," Giles said his voice soft as he collapsed back into his chair, understanding in his voice that made Buffy want to weep gratefully.

"Yes…" Buffy agreed. "And I, I did…well he healed after a couple of days. That's why I am coming to you all now. I wanted to make sure he would be alright before…"

"But didn't you say that you sent him to hell?" Oz asked.

Buffy nodded "I did." She sank to her knees in front of Dawn looking her sister in the eyes. "He apologized Dawnie. For everything Angelus did. For being so mean to me and for trying to kill you to get at me."

"How Is that even possible Giles?" Willow asked.

Giles shook his head. "I don't know…It surprises me that he managed to find a way back to Sunnydale from a demon dimension," he muttered the Watcher in him intrigued. He looked toward Buffy. "Are you one hundred percent sure it's him and not Angelus. After all, when he turned, he twisted the truth to his own ends, remember, to hurt his intended target, you, the most."

Buffy continued to look into her sister's eyes searching for forgiveness. "One hundred percent, I don't know. I don't trust him; I know that much. Not after what he did not only to you guys but to me and Dawn as well, especially to me and Dawn."

"Well you can count me out without knowing for sure he's good!" Cordelia huffed immediately. "There's no way that I'm looking over my shoulder all the time expecting to see Angel coming to kill me!" She turned and walked from the room without looking back, the library doors swinging closed behind her.

After a moment more of silence Xander walked out without saying anything. Everything that had just been divulged swimming around in his brain.

Willow looked at Buffy her eyes wide and conflicted. Buffy nodded her head and smiled reassuringly. Willow then stood and left the room to, giving one last look behind her.

Oz pointed after the retreating redhead. "I'm going to follow…" he trailed off as he walked after his girlfriend.

Faith gave Buffy a smile. "I'll see you on patrol, babe," she said before slipping out of the library to. She wasn't as fazed as the others. Why should she be? After all she was in love with her fellow Slayer and she was fairly sure that Buffy was in love with her. She was sure that Buffy had been right that she no longer trusted Angel.

Buffy looked across at Giles who was still slumped in his chair. "You can leave to Giles. I won't hold it against you. Promise. In fact, I would like a moment alone with my sister."

Giles nodded in understanding as he stood up and walked into his office, shutting the door behind him.

"Dawnie?" Buffy said wiping the tears from her sister's face.

"He hurt me, Buffy," Dawn reminded her sister. "I know technically that was not Angel but Angelus. But…"

"I know," Buffy admitted. "It's why I waited to say anything, especially to you. "I wanted to make sure that he was better, that he wouldn't come after us. Could Giles be right, yes. But I think he's good, Dawn."

"Do you still love him?" Dawn wondered.

"Yes and no," Buffy answered. "I will always love him. But I am no longer in love with him. In fact someone else has stolen my heart."

"Who?" Dawn asked surprised at the revelation.

"Faith."

Restfield Cemetery

After walking Dawn home, Faith and Buffy walked through the cemetery on their patrol. Both girls' eyes were scanning the perimeter looking for danger. "Are you still in love with him?" Faith asked.

"Like I said…" Buffy started.

"Are you still in love with him?" Faith repeated.

"Faith, no," Buffy admitted. "I'm in love with you."

Faith looked at Buffy her mouth open to speak when vampires came out of the woodwork surrounding them. "So, I stole your heart," Faith said as she staked one of the vamps attacking them.

"Yes," Buffy replied kicking one in the kneecap sending the vamp to its knees, before she delivered a roundhouse kick to its head. "It belongs to no one else, not even Angel. Will I always love him, yes. But you are the one I am in love with."

Faith flipped a vamp over her head and onto its back just as Buffy staked the vamp she had sent to the ground. "The reason I am asking is because well…you know what happened with me, the Prof and Kakistos. I'm just worried for you, B," she said as kneed a vamp in the face that she had locked under her arm, before snapping its neck.

Buffy glanced briefly at Faith as the brunette Slayer dusted another vamp. "I appreciate your concern, Faith," she admitted as she twisted hitting a vamp in the face with a small swing of her arm, before thrusting her stake in the vamp's heart.

Faith wiped dust off her hands as she looked around the now deserted looking cemetery. "Your mine, babe. I don't want to lose you."

Buffy brushed some vamp dust from her jacket. "And you won't. We should probably head out. We both need to think about what we're going to wear to the dance."

November 4, 1998 – Wednesday

Sunnydale High School

"Ms. Moran?" Buffy called to one of her old teachers when she had reached the bottom of the stairs to the quad. She smiled at the teacher when Ms. Moran looked up at her. "Hi! I'm so glad I ran into you," she said as they walked slowly in the direction Ms. Moran was heading. "Um, I had this little incident last year of getting kicked out of school, and I'm back now thou. I've done all my makeup tests, but I still need one written recommendation from a teacher. I think the word Principal Snyder used was 'glowing.'" She smiled awkwardly. "Uh, to put in my file so I can prove that I belong here."

Ms. Moran gave her a confused look. "And um, you are…"

Buffy looked up at her surprised. "Buffy Summers. Back then I was Rutherford…second row, third from the front in your class…" Ms. Moran shrugged. "'Contemporary American Heroes: From Amelia Earhart to Maya Angelou.' The class that changed my life?" she prompted when Ms. Moran still looked confused a sinking feeling in her belly.

"Were you absent a lot, um…"

"Buffy?" Buffy stated again, feeling rather mortified that she wasn't even remembered.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy sat at a table in the cafeteria by herself playing sullenly with a stray strand of her hair as she stared at the untouched tray of food in front of her. She felt rather depressed after her conversation with Ms. Moran. She had agreed to do it, but only because she had felt bad about not remembering her.

Buffy looked up surprised when three trays clattered down opposite her. Willow, Oz, and Xander sat down in front of their prospective trays. "We figured you needed friend's more than empty seats. I mean, pfft, how much fun can they be," Xander quipped.

Willow nodded. "Besides, I'm a very independent person, and I don't let anyone tell me who to hang out with, not even the person I'm hanging out with."

"Besides being with the redhead, we who are transgender have to stick together," Oz said giving Buffy a small smile.

"I've, uh, had, had a thought…" Willow said digging into the small bag she had with her that also carried a few spell books. "I still have…" she murmured lowly looking around for people that could overhear their conversation. She pulled out a yellow disk. One that Buffy recognized immediately. "This. If you want, I could see if I could rework the spell to make sure he still is Angel and not Angelus," she said placing the disk on the table in front of them.

Buffy focused on the yellow floppy disk and then looked up at Willow. "As much as I want you guys to feel safe. I can't ask you to do that, Will."

Willow gave Buffy a sad smile. "I understand, you're worried given what happened when Kendra died. It was only a suggestion." She put the floppy disk back into her bag.

Cordelia walked through the cafeteria on the opposite side of Buffy and the others, holding a pile of campaign flyers in her arms. Reaching out to touch a boy on the arm. "Hi. I hope you'll consider me for Homecoming Queen," she beamed at him, before walking to another student.

"So, I, ah, asked Ms. Mason to write my written recommendation, and I couldn't believe it! She couldn't remember me! My favorite teacher and she didn't even remember who I was. I'm like a non-person." She focused her gaze on Oz. "Am I invisible?" she asked waving her hand in front of him. "Can you see me?"

"Big as life," Oz confirmed. "In all your transness."

"At Hemery I always dreamed I would be Prom queen after I came out. But I won't have that as it its senior year and I'm going to be one crappy picture on one-eighth of the crappy page," she bemoaned.

Xander looked up from his plate, swallowing the food in his mouth before he spoke. "Uh, no actually you're not."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked looking at him with large eyes.

"Well you uh, missed the picture taking," Xander said with a gulp.

Buffy's eyes widened further in surprise. "When?" she asked looking round the table. "Why?"

"We did 'em yesterday," Oz said.

"Didn't Cordelia tell you?" Willow asked nervously her gaze flicking to the campaigning Cordelia, a sinking feeling in her gut. Telling Buffy herself would have known better than to trust the self-absorbed cheerleader.

Buffy shook her head with gritted teeth her eyes following Willow's gaze to settle on Cordelia, her eyes hard. She stood and stalked toward the campaigning cheerleader, moving swiftly through the slowly emptying cafeteria to come to a stand behind Cordelia.

"Thanks for your support," Cordelia beamed at a student before she turned around to smile at Buffy. "Buffy you look so cute in that outfit."

"I'm not voting for you," Buffy said bluntly.

Cordelia scowled. "Then make it snappy," she said curtly.

"How come you didn't tell me they were doing the yearbook pictures?" Buffy demanded crossing her arms.

"Didn't I? Oh, I guess I forgot. What's the big?" Cordelia asked as if it was her, she wouldn't be making such a fuss.

Buffy rolled her eyes, and took a deep breath. "It's just…you could've thought about somebody else for thirty seconds. That's all."

"Hey I'm under a lot of pressure here!" Cordelia defended slightly offended by the comment.

"Oh yeah campaigning. Real rough gig," Buffy said sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"What would you know about it?" Cordelia snapped. "Because of you being…you know…the only thing you have is the fact you were cheerleader for one day. How can you understand how this works?" she snarked.

"Obviously it involves handing out entirely lame flyers," Buffy said looking pointedly at the flyers in Cordelia's arms.

"No. It involves being part of this school and having actual friends." Buffy's eyes harden again as she eyed Cordelia extremely offended by the remark. The words hitting a spot inside her that was insecure about friends since being called. "Now if this was about monsters, blood, and innards then you'd be a shoo-in. I'd like to see you try to win the crown," she challenged sarcastically.

"You would?" Buffy asked. Cordelia huffed and rolled her eyes, turning to leave. "Then you will," she said firmly.

Buffy's words had Cordelia stopping in her tracks. "What does that mean?" she snarled turning to face the blonde again.

"I'm going to show you how it's done. I'm going to run for Homecoming Queen, and I'm going to be first transgender girl to win. That crown is going to be mine." Buffy declared.

Slayerfest Mansion

"Competition is a beautiful thing. It makes us strive. It…makes us accomplish. Occasionally it makes us kill. We all have the desire to win." Trick said as he walked through the room. "Whether we're human," he gestured to three humans. "vampire," he said nodding to Lyle Gorch and his wife Candy. He came to a stop by a yellow skinned creature with spiny looking things coming out of his head. "And whatever in the hell you are my brother. You got them spiny looking head things; I've not seen them before."

"I am Kulak of the Miquot Clan," Kulak introduced himself, not answering the question.

"Isn't that nice," Trick muttered before he continued walking. "The point is you're all here for the same reason."

"Well it sure isn't no philosophy class now, is it?" Lyle taunted earning a smile from his wife.

"Mr. Gorch. My account statement says that your deposit has not yet been made," Trick snapped in retaliation at being so rudely interrupted.

"Well me and Candy…we blowin' our whole honeymoon stash on this little game here," Lyle explained emptying a bag on the table.

Trick looked over the bundled notes unimpressed. "They're dirty."

Lyle smiled. "They're non-consecutive."

Trick gave the money another once over this time an excited light entering his eyes. Taking a step back he addressed the room again. "The games will begin in a few days' time. The first target Buffy, you've all seen. The second Faith is…a little more elusive. But they will both be together and ready for the killing, and that is a money back guarantee," he promised, a gleeful smile on his face at the prospect of the violence to come. "Ladies, gentlemen, spiny head looking creatures, welcome to SlayerFest '98!"

November 5, 1998 – Thursday

Sunnydale High School

"A campaign is like a war. It's won or lost in the trenches," Buffy told her small group of friends as they sat in the library watching her as she stood in front of a board.

The board held pictures of Cordelia, Michelle, and Holly, thermometers beside each one filled with red up to their perceived levels of popularity. Below them a list of strengths and weaknesses for each of them.

Buffy pointed with a small laser stick. "Holly, Michelle, and our real competition Cordelia all have big head starts," she began setting down her pointer. "Speaking of big heads if I had a watermelon as big as Cordelia's I'd be rich," she joked, with a smile.

Xander, Willow, and Oz fidgeted nervously wanting to get out of the library before Cordelia came to collect them, not wanting Buffy to feel upset at them if she found out about them helping Cordelia.

Buffy's smile faded when she got no reaction. "Waits for laugh…Ok your right. Making fun of the competition only makes me seem petty. Now this is just like any other popularity contest. Except I'm not actually popular, although I'm not exactly unpopular. A lot of people came to my welcome home party."

"But they were killed by zombies." Willow pointed out.

Buffy pointed at Willow. "Good point. Okay," she said taking a step toward them. "Here's the plan. Willow I need you to set up at database. See who's for us, who's on the fence and where our real crisis areas are. Oz you take the fringe. Musicians those normally not inclined to vote. Xander what…" she trailed off as she looked up when she heard the library door open, and Cordelia walked in.

Crossing her arms Buffy looked between her nervous friends and the smug Cordelia. "Uh, Cordelia…ok look. I know this is a little awkward, but I don't see any reason why we all can't get along during this campaign time." Cordelia shrugged and nodded, not really seeing Buffy as a threat so she didn't see why not. "I mean we're…almost friends, and…we are all riding together in the limo."

"Yeah great," Cordelia said curtly. "Willow how's the database coming?"

Willow looked down at her knees. "Uh, it's…just about done," she said with a sigh.

"Xander?" Cordelia demanded.

Xander whipped around to face her. "I got your new flyers," he said with a thin awkward smile.

"Let's get cracking," Cordelia said with a smile.

Buffy looked at them all feeling betrayed.

Xander slipped off the table. "She's my girlfriend," he explained, before he walked over to Cordelia.

Willow slid off the table and gestured with her hands helplessly. "It's just that…she needs it so much more than you do."

Oz got up to follow his girlfriend. "As Willow goes, so goes my nation."

"Oz," Buffy said feeling the sting of his betrayal. She would have thought at least he would have stuck with her. After all what she was trying to do was for his benefit as well since they were both trans.

"Thanks for what you said Buffy," Cordelia standing proudly amidst the small group of embarrassed friends. "I think we're getting along great. Don't you?"

Buffy took the jibe silently watching as her friends gave her a few last apologetic looks, before following after the cheerleader. When they were out of sight Buffy slumped down in a chair, just as Giles walked out into the main area of the library. "Are you alright?"

"Not in the slightest. I need this more than Miss Popularity-bound-to-be-remembered-by-everyone Cordelia," she sighed reflecting on her want to be remembered for who she really was not who she had been, not for what was between her legs.

Buffy swiped her bottle of apple juice managing to take a sip before the bottle cracked and broke under the strength of her hand. She sighed; she hadn't done that in a while. She collected her flyers.

Giles watched Buffy leave a concerned look on his face at the underlying sadness he heard in her voice, and her last spoken words echoing around in his brain made his heart clench in sadness for the girl who had come so far in her journey to become the woman she had always dreamed she would be.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy smiled encouragingly to a group of students she was talking to. She handed them each a flyer before looking across the quad her eyes landing on Cordelia.

Cordelia looked over at Buffy almost at the exact same moment and their eyes met. She glanced away focusing her full attention back on her campaigning, and the group of students that surrounded her, some of which already had her flyer clutched in their hands.

Slayerfest Mansion

A man checked his rifle as he walked past the two brothers wrestling on the floor. He glanced at Lyle and Candy as they sat kissing on the couch, and resisted rolling his eyes at the lovers. Who didn't seem in the least concerned about preparing to face the two Slayers.

Sunnydale High School

Buffy walked across the quad to the board where flyers of the contestants were posted. Glaring at Cordelia's, she pinned her much larger flyer right on top of Cordelia's. A small petty smile of satisfaction graced her face, before she turned and walked away from the board.

Slayerfest Mansion

The Gruenstahler brothers' boss was sitting at a table checking maps and coordinates on his computer. Making final checkups, to make sure everything was in working order and that there were no mistakes in their data.

Behind him the brothers continued to wrestle, training and testing themselves for when they faced The Slayers.

In another corner of the room Jungle Bob tested one of his bear traps. Setting it up, he used a mannequin leg to spring the trap. The jaws clamped shut immediately shattering the leg to pieces.

In another section Kulak raised his arms, before with a quick jerk he snapped them out. His forearms split open, from elbow to wrist. Long serrated green throwing weapons pop out from each arm to rest in his hands. With a furious roar he threw them at the wall, both landing within inches of each other.

Sunnydale High School

Buffy walked down the stairs a small bounce in her step, when she reached the bottom she pretended to stumble slightly and deliberately dropped her flyers. Scott who had been walking across the quad close to the stairs, saw her and walked over to her. He bent to help her pick them up. "Here," he said as he handed them back to her with a small smile.

"Thanks," she told him.

Scott looked at the flyer. "I heard you were doing this."

"It's just something to fill the time, it's kind of silly, really," she told him.

"I don't think so," Scott countered. "There should be more diversity in our Prom Kings and Queens. For what it's worth, you've got my vote."

"Thank you," Buffy said as she beamed with pride. As Scott walked off, she opened her campaign notebook, and checked off his name. Closing the book, she looked up to see another boy coming her way. Tossing down her flyers again making it look like it was an accident. The boy walked over and bent to help her pick them up. She smiled happily, as she looked up at him.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy walked out into the quad cupcakes in a basket. She walked up to a boy who Holly had just given a brownie to and offered him a huge chocolate cupcake. Beaming radiantly, he disposed of the brownie in favor of her cupcake. Turning and walking away the smile still on her face she looked for the next person she was to give a cupcake too. Checking off Leafe Small's name in her notebook as she walked.

After a while, having given away most of her cupcakes, Buffy walked over to a bare column to post one of her flyers. Cordelia walked past her and up to the students that Buffy had just given cupcakes to, and gave them a basket full of sweets each. Smiling radiantly at them, as she opened a bag for them to put their cupcakes in, before walking over to a bin and dumping the bag in the bin. Turning to Buffy she gave her a confident smug smile. The crown was so hers. Walking off to continue her campaigning she left Buffy to seethe.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Willow stood in one of the halls in the school looking sadly up at the two flyers of Buffy and Cordelia next to each other. Sighing she turned to walk off along the hall. She only got a couple of paces away when she almost bumped into Buffy.

"Hi," Buffy greeted.

"Oh, hi," Willow said nervously. "How are you? You good? You look good. Anything new?" she asked with a large flustered smile. "Hey did I mention you look good?"

"Will, it's ok, you helping Cordelia. You're my friend, I'm not going to hold it against you."

"No, I'm not a friend," Willow whined. "I'm a rabid dog who should be shot! But there are forces at work here! Dark, incomprehensible forces."

"And I'm sure they're more important than all we've been through together, or… the number of times I've saved your life," Buffy said sadly, using the opening Willow gave her.

Willow gave Buffy an imploring look. "What do you want?"

"Fifteen minutes alone with Cordelia's database."

Willow nodded. "Okay," she agreed her voice a little squeaky as they walked over to a table by the window.

"So, I called the limo place and we're all set," Buffy said as they sat down. "It's going to swing by Faith's, then my place and then your house, unless you're going to be at Oz's, and then…"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Near the school the dark tinted van that belonged to the Gruenstahler party waited, the two occupants listening in to the conversation that the two girls were having. One of them watching through binoculars, whilst the other had the parabolic listening device trained on them. Recording their conversation for future use.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Jonathon took a big bite out of a chocolate cupcake as he walked slowly along a hall of the school. Buffy walked beside him with an arm thrown around his shoulders. "You know Jonathon, I've always felt a special bond between you and me," she lied through her teeth.

Jonathon though didn't buy it knowing exactly what she was doing. And so he cut straight to the chase. "Cordelia…" he began through a mouthful of cupcake, "…gave me six bucks. That buys a whole lotta cupcakes," he finished stopping his slow pace when Buffy stopped in her tracks, shocked to at hearing of Cordelia methods.

"Okay, how 'bout…you vote for me and I don't beat the living crap out of you," Buffy informed him.

Jonathan stopped chewing and swallowed. "That works good for me," he said as he backed away.

"Tell your friends!" she said cheerily.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Are you kidding?" Cordelia beamed as she talked to a group of students, ones that she normally wouldn't be caught dead talking to. Holding up her fingers in a 'V' her smile widened. "I've been doing the Vulcan death grip since I was four," she lied poking him in the forehead with her spread fingers. Blissfully unaware that she had no clue as to the first thing about doing a Vulcan nerve pinch, not even the correct pronunciation of the word.

Buffy stalked up behind her seething. "So, you're really giving out money huh?" she questioned.

Cordelia turned to face her annoyed at the interruption. "So? Is that any tackier than your faux I'm shy but deep campaign posters?"

"Yes," Buffy said instantly.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "This whole trying to be like me really isn't funny anymore," she grumbled arrogantly.

"I was never trying to be like you, and when was it funny?" Buffy growled angry at the cheerleader's assumption that everyone would want to be her.

"I don't see how your desire to be female gives you the right to splinter my vote," Cordelia said oblivious as always to the pain her blunt unmonitored words caused.

"How can you think it's ok to talk to people like this? Do you have parents?" Buffy asked feeling shocked and disbelieving that anyone could talk like that to anyone.

"Yeah two of them…unlike some people," Cordelia said giving Buffy a pointed look.

"You do know my father left because he didn't like having a transgender daughter?" Buffy snapped angrily. "How would yours react if you had been born male and he found you playing dress up with your mom doing your makeup?"

Xander and Willow walk into the hall at that moment looking between the two girls practically seeing the ire growing between the two of them as a tangible force.

"Why don't you do us both a favor and stay out of my way?" Cordelia snapped more hurt by the comment then she cared to admit. As she began to walk past Buffy she put a hand on the other girl's shoulder to push her away forgetting in her ire that the girl was The Slayer.

Buffy grabbed her hand harshly and pulled it from her body. "Don't you ever do that again!" she snarled.

Cordelia jerked her hand away. "You're sick you know that?"

Xander took Cordelia's arms from behind not wanting her to attack Buffy and get hurt in the process. "Ok let's not say something we'll uh, regret later…" He was cut off by a screech from Cordelia.

"You crazy freak," Cordelia yelled hitting a very tender spot in Buffy's mind.

"Vapid whore!" Buffy shot back without thinking, just wanting to hurt the cheerleader like she had just been hurt.

"…Like that!" Xander sighed, as he restrained Cordelia as she tried to attack Buffy.

"What did you call me?!" Cordelia snapped.

Xander quickly pulled Cordelia down the hall before more things were said and whatever friendship that the two had become unrepairable.

Summers Home

Buffy walked into her room closing her bedroom door briskly behind her. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair falling loosely down her shoulders. She headed straight for her wardrobe opening the door. She had a little less than an hour to finish getting ready for the Homecoming Dance. Pulling out a bright red spaghetti strap evening gown. She laid it out carefully on the bed not wanting to put any creases in it.

"Buffy?" came Dawn's voice from the other side of the door.

"Just a second, Dawn," Buffy answered. "I'm changing." She dropped her towel to the ground as she walked over to her drawers, pulling out a strapless bra and underwear.

After getting dressed she opened the door to find Dawn patiently waiting.

"Wow, Buffy," Dawn said appreciatively as she took in Buffy's appearance. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Dawnie," Buffy said as she hugged her sister.

"Before you go to the dance, I have a quick question," Dawn admitted. "Are you okay?"

"The homecoming queen campaign has divided myself and Cordelia," Buffy admitted. "She brought up the fact mom was divorced."

"Oh, Buffy," Dawn said as she wrapped her arms tightly around her sister trying not to crease the gown. Buffy and their mother, at Buffy's insistence, had explained to Dawn why Hank had disowned Buffy. "I'm sure she's sorry that she said that."

"I'm sure she is, Dawn," Buffy agreed. "She just didn't think at the time. Want to help me with my hair?"

Dawn smiled and nodded and they walked out of the room.

A half an hour later the sister's returned. Buffy's hair was now brushed. Walking back to her wardrobe she pulled out her shoes. They were strappy red high heels that matched the dress she was wearing.

"Mom went all out didn't she," Dawn admitted.

"Well she has to get some practice in for when you get ready for your senior prom," Buffy said as she slopped one shoe on at a time placing. "Would you get me my jewelry box?"

Dawn nodded as she walked over to the vanity and returned with Buffy's brand-new jewelry box. She opened it for her sister, who snatched at a necklace.

"Angel's cross?" Dawn asked in surprise as Buffy clasped the necklace around her neck.

"Despite things that went down it is still a symbol of protection," Buffy said. "Though truth be told I have thought about getting a new one. One that has a matching cross for you my dear sweet sister."

The sisters walked out of Buffy's room made their way down the stairs, and into the living room. "So, what do you think?" Buffy asked her mother who had been waiting for her eldest daughter to get ready.

"You look beautiful, Buffy," Joyce exclaimed standing up, picking up her camera as she went, holding it up in silent demand.

Buffy blew out a breath and moved further into the room standing in front of a wall. "Come here, Dawnie."

Dawn smiled as she moved beside her sister. Buffy pulled Dawn in front of her and a smile stretched both sisters' lips as they looked into the camera that their mother was holding up to her face. The flash went off and they both blinked.

Buffy turned her head as she heard a car pull up outside. "That'll be the limo," she said making her way toward the front door.

"Have fun Buffy…and be safe," Joyce called after her daughter.

"What mom said," Dawn agreed.

"I will. I'll see you both when I get home," Buffy said turning to give her mother and sister one last smile, before she walked out the door.

Dawn looked up at her mother a smile on her lips. "She looks beautiful, doesn't she?"

"Like a princess," Joyce admitted thinking back to when Buffy played dress up with her and she did Buffy's makeup. "Her dreams are finally coming true."

Outside Buffy walked toward the black limo, the limo driver stepping out of the driver's seat to open the passenger door for her. Hopping inside without even glancing at him, she was surprised to see the only other occupant was Cordelia.

Streets of Sunnydale

"What's going on here? Where's Faith?" Buffy asked Cordelia who was wearing a green satin dress with a corsage on her wrist.

Cordelia silently picked the card she had found when she had entered the empty limo. Buffy took it and flipped it open.

Dear Cordelia and Buffy,

We won't be riding to the dance with you.

We want you to work out your problems because our friendship is more important than who wins Homecoming Queen.

Your friends.

P.S. The limo was not cheap. Work it out.

Buffy folded the card back up and set it down. "Well…" she began awkwardly wondering what to say. She noticed the small box that was between them. "They bought us corsages?"

"I took the orchid," Cordelia told her.

Buffy rolled her eyes, expecting no less from the cheerleader. "Okay."

They drove in silence both girls not having anything to say to the other, both knowing that after this was over, they'd move on…probably.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Cordelia said suddenly breaking the silence.

"I'm not making a big deal. You wanted the orchid you got the orchid."

"It goes with my complexion better."

"It does have that sallow tint," Buffy agreed as the limo pulled to a stop. "Finally, we're here." She sighed eager to get away from the frustrating brunette for a little while.

Woods

Both girls could hear the driver's door open then slam, before his running footsteps as he ran off. Buffy gave Cordelia a concerned look, her instincts telling her that something had gone wrong. Opening the door slowly she got out of the car, her hazel eyes observing that they were not outside The Bronze, but in the middle of the woods. Cordelia stepped out of the car as well slamming the door shut behind her.

"What is this?" Cordelia muttered to Buffy, before raising her voice. "Okay guys we've had enough of your stupid little game!"

Buffy ignored Cordelia her eyes focusing on the TV and VCR sitting on a rock. "What's massively wrong with this picture?" she muttered suddenly feeling very exposed without her usual weapons. 'Something tells me my normal night just got abnormal.' Buffy thought annoyed. She walked over to the set and did as the note attached to the VCR told her. She pressed the play button and Trick, she recognized the vampire from when he was working for Kakistos, appeared on screen.

"Hello ladies. Welcome to SlayerFest '98." Buffy and Cordelia looked at the monitor in disbelief. "What is a SlayerFest you ask? Well as in most of life there's the hunters and the hunted. Can you guess where you fall? From the beginning of this tape you have exactly thirty seconds." They saw him check a watch. "No that's seventeen now to run for your lives." He smiled at them. "Faith. Buffy." His smile widened. "Have a nice death." The picture faded to black and the word 'SlayerFest' appeared in red and white across the screen.

Cordelia looked around her peering into the woods fear coursing through her. "Hello! How stupid are you people?" She pointed to Buffy. "She a Slayer." She put her hand against her chest. "I'm a Homecoming Queen!" she yelled hoping that they would just leave her alone and let her get to the Dance. They both heard the distant crack of a gunshot and a moment later the monitor exploded as the projectile hit it. She gasped in terror. Buffy began to run tugging on her arm to get her moving.

The Bronze

Willow and Xander stood a meter apart being careful not to look at each other. Willow had her hands folded in front of her, her expression one of sadness as she felt extremely uncomfortable, finding herself wishing that Buffy was here to distract her. Xander nibbled at a finger sandwich his gaze directed at the floor a frown of concentration on his face as he fought the urge to look at Willow.

Faith came up behind them looking between the both of them, wondering what in the hell had gotten into the both of them. "What are you two so mopey about?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Xander looked up quickly from the floor to meet her gaze. "Oh, we're not mopey. We're grooving." He pointed to the stage where Oz was playing. "On Oz's band. He's a great guy Oz," he added to remind himself why he wasn't going to look at Willow.

"He wrote this song for me," Willow piped in for something to say so that it didn't just look like she was standing there uncomfortably.

Faith gave them disbelieving looks, before her eyes glanced over the crowd looking for Buffy. "Come on, B. Where are you?"

"Why are you wondering where Buffy is?" Xander wondered. "We know where she is. In the limo with Cordelia working out their issues."

"She's my date," Faith snapped as Xander and Willow looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I thought she would have told you. We both like each other."

Willow nodded. "Well Buffy did say she was bi, remember?" she said directing the question at Xander without looking at him.

"Right," he agreed remembering his first meeting with Buffy. He glanced back at Faith. "It's just surprising given the last person she was interested in…"

"It's okay, I understand," Faith admitted.

Woods

Buffy led Cordelia through the woods at a brisk pace. Jogging to cover more ground. Her eyes scanning their surroundings looking for any signs of their hunters.

"I have an idea," Cordelia said through panted breaths. "We talk to these people we explain that I'm not a Slayer and they let me go."

Buffy slowed to a walk ignoring Cordelia's idea, knowing that all it would do was get her killed. Her eyes scanned the woods looking for movement, the slightest rustle that wasn't them.

"Look out!" Cordelia yelled her eyes having been on the ground to see something shiny under Buffy's foot.

Buffy yanked her foot back out of the way of the bear trap unharmed as the trap sprang closed on thin air. She scowled at the trap before grabbing Cordelia, knowing that whoever set the trap would have to be near, watching them. "Get down!" she yelled pulling Cordelia to the ground just as a shot went off making Cordelia scream in fear.

Buffy grabbed the useless sprung trap and threw it in the direction of Jungle Bob hitting him square in the forehead. The impact made him stagger back accidently stepping into another one of his traps the viscous jaws clamping down on his leg. She ran over to him, Cordelia not too far behind. She picked up the rifle he had dropped when the trap sprang and pointed it at him. "That's got to smart."

Jungle Bob didn't reply instead he focused on trying to get the jaws of his bear trap to release his leg. His blood making the metal jaws slick and slippery.

"Now I can let you out of that, or put a bullet in your head. How many are there in this little game, and what are they packing?" Buffy demanded making her voice sound at least slightly chirpy. Jungle Bob stared at her mutely not believing that she would fire on a human. She scowled at him before pumping a fresh round into the chamber.

Jungle Bob's eyes widen and he rethought his position. "There's me, two Germans with AR-15s and a grenade launcher…yellow skinned demon with long knives…Vampire couple from Texas named Gorch."

"That everybody?" Buffy asked.

"Everybody who's out here. Germans are wired. Their boss is tracking them on computer. Now get me out of this!" He demanded.

"Could I just ask you an eensy favor? Could you just tell your friends I'm not a Sl…" Cordelia's favor was cut off as Kulak's long serrated knives sliced through the air and into the tree in front of her, missing her by inches.

The Bronze

Faith smiled up at the boy who had just approached her. "Hi," she breathed. "

"Do ya want to dance?" he asked.

Faith thought about it for a moment. She was here with Buffy, but Buffy and Cordelia had yet to show. One dance to pass the time wouldn't hurt her chances with Buffy would it? She held out her hand and the boy took it.

The boy spun her out on to the dance floor, a tent already appearing in his pants as he looked her over. He didn't think he'd seen her around campus before. "So, I haven't seen you before?" he whispered into her ear.

"Nah. I'm here with my girl," Faith said.

"Your girl?" he asked with a frown.

"I'm bi," Faith admitted. "I lean toward women but I swing both ways. My girl knows and is okay with it. Well I hope she is anyways."

"Uh," the boy said stepping back. "I mean no disrespect. Your beautiful. But I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"She's running late," Faith explained pulling him back toward her. "If she has a problem when she gets here. She and I will work it out. Till then…"

Woods

Buffy kicked the door in to an old rundown cabin that they had stumbled across. She held the rifle in one hand as she pushed the door shut after Cordelia had run in. Grabbing a chair, she used it to barricade the door. She turned and walked over to the windows, closing the shutters and drawing the tattered old drapes over them.

"We should be safe in here for a while. You need to find a weapon," Buffy told Cordelia calmly trying to calm the terrified girl.

Cordelia panted in fear her emotions running high with her fear. "Safe? I'm not safe. I'm going to die!"

Buffy shrugged. "Yeah you are if you just stand there," she said without looking at Cordelia as she went to close the shutters at another window. As she touched them, they fell to the floor with a loud clatter. Buffy drew the drapes again to at least block them from view to the outside world.

"I'm never going to be crowned Homecoming Queen. I'm never going to graduate from high school. I'm never going to know if it's real between me and Xander, or if it's just… some temporary insanity that made me think… I loved him. And know I'm never going to get the chance to tell him." Cordelia wailed in between sobs.

Buffy glanced at Cordelia surprised by her admission. She turned her full attention towards the brunette for a moment. "Yes, you are. We are going to get out of here and we are going to head back to the library where Giles and the rest of the weapons live. Then I'm going to take out these guys just in time for you to congratulate me on my sweeping victory as Homecoming Queen," she announced firmly before heading back to the window she had been standing beside.

"I know what you're up to," Cordelia said accusingly causing Buffy to turn back to her with a raised eyebrow. "You think if you get me mad enough, I won't be so scared. And hey! It's working! Where's a damn weapon?" she cried looking around for something that may be useful. She spotted an end table with a chest of drawers. She sauntered over to it and started rummaging for something that may be useful.

Buffy peeked back out the window looking for any signs of animals hunting them. "You really love Xander?" she asked as she glanced over at the still rummaging Cordelia.

"Well, he kind of grows on you, like…a Chia Pet," Cordelia explained as she searched, making a small triumphant sound as she pulled out a spatula and walked over to Buffy.

"That's it?" Buffy asked surprised as she looked at the spatula.

"Just this and a telephone," Cordelia shrugged.

"A telephone?" Buffy asked looking over at the drawers. "And you didn't think that'd be helpful?"

"No this is better for…" Cordelia swung the spatula a few times and realized that it probably wouldn't be much use at all. "Oh," she sighed out wondering if there was possibly anything else, she could use.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy held the small cell phone to her ear having dialed Giles' number only to get voicemail. "If you get this message, Giles, get help and get out here…" Buffy said when a she heard a click and the phone's battery died. "Hello?!" she said taking the phone away from her ear.

"What happened?" Cordelia asked hoping that the blonde had gotten through to Giles and that the calvary would be coming soon.

"It went dead," Buffy muttered throwing the phone down on the table.

Sunnydale High School

Giles entered the library with a sigh, resisting the urge to rub at his tired eyes. The mood of Xander and Willow concerned him more than he believed possible. He walked into his office and looked at his phone, the red flashing light telling him that he had a new message. Pressing the play button, he stood, his eyes focused on the device as the familiar voice of Buffy drifted through the office.

"Giles it's me… and Cordelia. We're in a cabin in Miller's Woods and we're in big trouble…"

Woods

Cordelia sat on the old cot as she fixed Buffy with an accusing look. "Why is it every time I go somewhere with you. It always ends up in violence and terror?"

Buffy didn't even bother looking at the cheerleader as she answered drawly. "Welcome to my life."

"I don't want to be in your life. I want to be in my life," the cheerleader whined.

Buffy turned to look at her, her eyes clearly saying 'you think I chose this.' "Well there's the door," she said using the rifle as a pointer and gestured toward the door. "Please feel free to walk out anytime and live your life." She moved to another window peeking out through the drawn curtains.

"All I wanted to be was Homecoming Queen."

Buffy looked back at her again, lowering the rifle so that it pointed towards the floor. "And that's all I wanted too Cordelia," she sighed deeply looking down at her once immaculate dress that was now dirty, and stained. "This was a gift from my mom for my very first dance that I was attending as a girl." She looked out the window again, thinking that she may have heard something.

"I don't even get why you care about Homecoming when you're doing stuff like this," Cordelia muttered.

Buffy turned back to look at her judging whether, or not the brunette really wanted to know. "Multiple reasons. First is because this is all I do. This is what my life is. Second being born a boy I've never been able to do stuff like being homecoming queen." She looked at the floor, and stepped away from the window.

Cordelia kept herself quiet looking at Buffy as she spoke, hearing an ache in Buffy's voice that she hadn't noticed before. "I could pick up a yearbook someday and say I was there. I went to high school not as Rutherford Summers but as Buffy Summers. That I finally started my journey into what you were given at birth. And there'd be proof. Proof that I was chosen for something other than this…Proof that I was Buffy Summers and that everyone saw me as Buffy not Rutherford…even if I don't live to be able to pick up a yearbook. There'd at least be something other than old stuffy Watcher's journals giving proof that I not only lived but I lived as a girl."

Cordelia gave Buffy an understanding look, feeling a connection with the blonde she hadn't felt before.

Buffy raised the rifle pumping the chamber with another round. "Besides…I think I would look good in a tiara." She smiled at Cordelia as she said it, needing to lighten the mood.

Cordelia gave a small laugh. Feeling a kind of amusement that one could only feel when they were in grave danger. A growl penetrated the air making Cordelia freeze. "Do you hear…"

In the next moment there was a loud crash and Kulak smashed through a window. Using the unexpectedness of his arrival to his advantage he grabbed Buffy throwing her down on the old mattress and pillow that was discarded on the floor. During the fall her fingers slipped on the rifle causing her to drop it. She rolled out of the way as Kulak swung one of his large knives at her. The knife imbedded itself into the pillow ripping it to shreds.

Buffy ran to the far wall grabbing a set of antlers off the wall. Kulak took another swing at her ignoring Cordelia, who slapped him on the back with her spatula. Buffy brought up her antlers blocking the swing of the blade. Shoving the antlers to the side Buffy maneuvered the blades away from her, sending Kulak to the ground as she added extra force before she dropped them.

"Cordy, the gun!" Buffy yelled.

Kulak got to his knees snarling angrily before he took a large swing at Buffy, one of his blades nicking her arm, causing her to fall as she moved quickly out of the way to avoid a deeper cut. Cordelia found the rifle in the dark cabin hurrying to pick it up. He got to his feet and moved to swing again. Buffy looked down, before grabbing the rug he was standing on, and heaving sending him sprawling on his back.

Cordelia raised the gun and she waved it around wildly trying to find a target to shoot at. She saw Kulak get to his feet and fired without thinking, her shot hitting a bottle on a shelf.

"Cordelia, the spatula!" Buffy cried deciding that the brunette was too dangerous with the rifle.

Kulak took a lunging swing at the blonde. Buffy stepped out of the way, grabbing the ceiling lamp above her as a support for her weight. She delivered a solid kick to Kulak's face sending him flying backward. He hit the desk that was set up against the far wall and slid to the floor.

Cordelia waved the rifle at Buffy trying to get the other girl's attention. "Buffy!" she cried making the blonde look over at her. She threw the rifle at the Slayer.

Buffy caught it easily, aiming at Kulak as he picked himself up off the floor. With a loud roar he charged at her. Forgetting the chamber was empty after Cordelia's shot, she pulled the trigger and heard the hammer click emptily. She raised the rifle in time to block Kulak's swing of his knife imbedding it in the stock of the rifle. She twisted the gun around pulling Kulak's arm with it, pinning him in the process.

Just then a grenade crashed through a window of the cabin and bounced to the floor coming to a stop in front of Buffy and Kulak. They looked at each other as if silently communicating. Letting go of the rifle they were grappling for they headed for separate windows. Buffy grabbed Cordelia and dove through a window. They raced away from the cabin.

Kulak jumped for the outside, but he crashed against one of the few still shuttered windows and hit the floor of the cabin. Looking at the grenade he took a quick terrified breath knowing that there was no way he could make it in time.

Buffy and Cordelia were blown off their feet as the cabin exploded, the noise ringing in their ears. Looking at each other they panted for breath. "We got to get back to the library," Buffy muttered, picking herself up. Cordelia followed suit not wanting to be left on her own. They ran through the woods heading in the direction, they hoped, of the school.

Sunnydale High School

In the library Lyle and Candy stood around the table, their raid on the book cage having been most successful. Candy picked up a crossbow from the table that was lying amongst the battle-axes and a mace. She loaded a bolt into it. Turning around she pointed it at Lyle, feeling rather impatient after having to wait.

"Easy darlin'," Lyle said nudging the weapon away from him. "These things go through you faster than Grandpa Pete's chili."

"I want to do Buffy!" She whined. "My Wedding present for what happened to your poor brother."

"Tector."

Candy scowled impatiently. "When's she comin'?"

Lyle looked to the floor to where Giles lay unconscious. "Well he's her Watcher. She'll show… just as soon as she gets rid of some of the competition."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy and Cordelia rounded a corner the library coming into sight at last. "Jungle Bob and spike-head are down and out. We've lost the Germans twice, but they seem to keep finding us. If we take them out and the Gorches, we can still make Homecoming," Buffy told Cordelia who nodded determinedly.

"Those animals! Hunting us down like poor defenseless…well animals," Cordelia growled just before they pushed the doors open to the library.

"We just need to find Giles…" Buffy was cut off by a furious roar, a strong hand grabbing her arm. She was swung around by Candy.

The vampiress let go of Buffy expecting her to fall only for Buffy to remain on her feet. Buffy stumbled back a bit as Candy kicked her in the face. Before Buffy could regain herself, Candy grabbed her by the back of the neck and smashed her into one of the many bookcases. The force broke several of them as Buffy fell to the floor, books scattered around her in a wild disarray.

Lyle smiled with satisfaction as he watched his wife beat on The Slayer. Buffy shot out her leg sweeping it under Candy's legs and knocking her off her feet. She scrambled up looking toward Cordelia as the cheerleader screamed her name. "Buffy!" Cordelia tossed her the spatula that she had never let go of during the fray at the cabin.

Buffy caught it with ease turning back to face Candy. Candy used the coat rack to help her stand get up, Buffy moved forward plunging the handle of the spatula deep into Candy's chest. Candy didn't notice the spatula to lost in her vengeful rage. She hit Buffy with the base of the coat rack, sending Buffy staggering back. She fell over a wastepaper basket, and into a potted tree, before she fell to the floor unconscious.

Candy dropped the coat rack and finally noticed the spatula embedded in her chest. She gave Lyle a confused look. Lyle's face was filled with terror as he looked up from the spatula to meet her eyes for the last time just as Candy burst into dust.

"Candy!" Lyle yelled. "Oh, Candy…" he breathed. He looked at the unconscious Buffy and he stalked toward her intent on finishing her off. "I'm going to kill both of you for this! You hear me?" he roared as he got closer to Buffy.

Cordelia calmly stepped in front of the vampire blocking Buffy from his view, a determined furious look on her face. "I hear you, you redneck moron. You got a dress that goes with that hat?" she taunted, she was too mad at being delayed for the dance, not to mention the fact that her dress was probably ruined beyond repair.

"I'm going to," Lyle began furious.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Rip out my innards, play with my eyeballs, boil my brain, and eat it for brunch? Listen up, needle brain. Buffy and I have taken out four of your cronies, not to mention your girlfriend."

"Wife," Lyle cut in with a roar.

"Whatever. The point is I haven't even broken a sweat." Just then she felt a drop of sweat run down her spine in denial of that statement, but Cordelia ignored it. "See in the end Buffy's just the runner up. I'm the Queen. You get me mad," she leaned toward him with a hard glare, "what do you think I'm going to do to you?" Cordelia asked raising an eyebrow of impatience when he didn't answer straight away. This needed be dealt with and fast the Coronation would start soon.

Lyle gave a quick nod, before finally, carefully skirting around Buffy and Cordelia making his way out the door. "Later," he called as he left, not planning on coming back.

Giles woke up with a groan, getting up slowly. Cordelia just smiled quite impressed with her show of bravado, but now that it was over…her heart was racing a hundred miles a minute.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy and Cordelia sat watching as Giles began to deal with the mess. "That should teach him to mistake you for a Slayer," Buffy said with an amused smile. Cordelia had just told them what had happened after Buffy had fallen unconscious.

"Yes, I must admit I do feel partly responsible. I did give your friends that tacit approval to make the switch in the limousine," Giles said standing from his stoop books in his arms.

"Aw, it's ok. It gave Cordy and me a chance to spend some quality death time," Buffy informed him.

"And we got these free corsages," Cordelia beamed looking at hers to see that it seemed sort of ok after their ordeal.

Buffy pulled hers out looking at it with keen eyes. "Oh, that's nice. Although I don't recall them mentioning corsages," Giles said confirming what Buffy was beginning to suspect.

Buffy frowned. "Jungle Bob…said that the Germans were hooked into a computer system," she muttered giving her corsage a more thorough inspection. She shifted some of the arrayed petals to reveal a transmitter with a small red light flashing every few seconds. "And they're hooked into us," she said calmly.

Both Buffy and Cordelia looked up when they heard the distinct sound of a door slamming shut in the halls of the otherwise quiet school.

Cordelia ripped her corsage off her wrist and handed it to Buffy who took it without comment. "Oh, God. Get rid of these things!" she demanded her voice cracking slightly, not quite believing that they had led the enemy right to them.

Buffy looked at Giles calmly. "I need some wet toilet paper," she said a plan forming in her mind.

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Yeah! That'll help!" she spat sarcastically, having been hoping for a better plan of action from the blonde than that.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The brothers paused slipping their night vision goggles over their eyes not wanting to miss the Slayers now that they were so close to the finish line. They continued to advance down the dark deserted halls of the school listening to the tiny voice of their boss as they walked.

"Transmitting coordinates now…they're fifty feet away."

They kept walking following the directions that their boss was giving them. Suddenly Buffy ran across the hall with quick sure steps. They tried to target her, but she was gone too fast for them to get a fix on her.

Turning a corner Buffy snuck into a classroom. She heard one of the brothers following her in and she smiled slightly at their predictability.

The second brother remained out in the hall listening to the instructions his boss gave him through his earpiece, he aimed at the wall. "Axis six degrees by forty-three." He heard through his earpiece. "I have them both in range."

In the classroom the brother that had followed Buffy into the room scanned around, trying to see Buffy, but finding nothing. "I have the targets together. Twenty feet north and stationary. The final position was locked. Fire when ready." There was a brief pause of silence in the brothers' earpieces. "Both targets seven degrees by thirty-five."

Buffy rose from behind a low bookcase, being careful to not make a noise. Seeing that the brother had his back to her she threw the wad of wet toilet paper that was wrapped around the transmitters. She hit him directly in the middle of his back. She quickly ducked down out of sight again, as he swung around his rifle he looked for what had thrown something at him.

"Adjust! Right ten degrees! Fire!" the boss demanded. The brother out in the hall fired through the wall where he was told. The brother in the room responded to the fire, his instincts to protect himself overriding logical thought as he returned fire. The short battle between the brothers didn't last very long as they hit each other repeatedly. Killing each other almost instantly.

Buffy risked a peek over the bookcase she was sheltering behind to see the destroyed windows and the brother in the room on the ground a dark pool around him, and the scent of blood perpetrating the air.

The Bronze

A hush fell over the crowd as the band's drummer gave a brief drum roll to get their attention. Devon stepped up to the mic. "Hey guys the moment we've all been waiting for…"

Willow looked around anxiously searching the crowd, giving Oz a concerned look. "They're going to announce the Queen! Where are they? What's keeping them?" she cried biting her bottom lip as scenarios each worse than the last ran through her overly active mind.

Oz happened to look in the direction of the door and saw Cordelia and Buffy working their way through the crowd. "I'm going to go with mud wrestling," he said as he looked them over, not quiet believing how dirty and disheveled they looked.

"Oh, God! What did you two do to each other?" Xander asked as he saw them, his eyes wide as he took in their dirty dresses and disheveled hair, and the smudges on their faces.

"Long story," Buffy muttered.

"Got hunted," Cordelia said bluntly, effortlessly summing up all that had happened.

"Not that long," Buffy said dryly. Willow looked between the two of them disbelief plain in her wide eyes. "Tell you one thing though. You don't want to mess with Cordelia."

Xander laughed amused before he cut himself off with a gulp when Cordelia gave him an angry look. "No."

Another drum roll peeled through The Bronze gaining their attention. "In this envelope, I hold the name of this year's Homecoming Queen," Devon said drawing out the suspense like the little speech cards told him to do. Calls echoed from the crowd all wanting him to get on with the naming.

"After all that we've been through tonight this whole who-gets-to-be-Queen escapade seems pretty…" Cordelia paused.

"Damn important," Buffy finished for her with a grin.

"Oh yeah," Cordelia agreed as they turned their full attention back to the stage. Both waited with eager anticipation for their name to be called out.

"And the winner is…" Devon paused as he opened the envelope reading the name inside. "Hey, I believe we have a first for Sunnydale High. We have a tie." Buffy and Cordelia exchanged a smile both deciding that they wouldn't mind sharing with the other after what had happened. "The winners are Holly Charleston and Michelle Blake!" he announced clapping his hands in congratulations.

Buffy and Cordelia's smiles faded as Holly and Michelle pushed between the two to get to the stage. Everyone applauded them, except for Buffy and Cordelia who were slightly stunned that the two they had considered the least of their competition won. Devon not entirely sure what to do about the tie, waved the tiara first over Michelle's head then Holly's. The crowd continued to applaud them and made encouraging noises.

Michelle stepped up to the microphone, tears in the corners of her eyes. "I'm just so honored!" she said with a happy giggle.

Buffy and Cordelia exchanged disgusted looks, rolling their eyes at each other before turning to go, not seeing the point in staying when they looked the way they did. Both of them believed that there was, no way to pull off staying with the way they looked without baring the crown.

"I can't believe it! I mean that you would pick me…or us…out of every girl in the whole school! It's just…it's so wonderful!" Michelle gushed through the mic. Cordelia rolled her eyes again as she walked with Buffy out of The Bronze. "I promised myself I'm not going to cry…" They heard Michelle say tears evident in her voice, making both Buffy and Cordelia roll their eyes again just as they walked out the door, leaving everyone else inside the club.

The two girls rested against a car that was parked outside, both of them looking down at their dirty feet. "Do you think the dirt will come out?" Cordelia asked breaking the silence.

Buffy shrugged used to it. "My mom seems to do alright…If it works, I'll tell you what she did and you can repeat the process," she offered fingering her dress. She didn't see much hope for it.

Cordelia nodded. "I can't believe I didn't win," she pouted. "But if I had a choice," she said as she smiled at Buffy. "I would have chosen you if it couldn't be me."

"Wow," Buffy said in disbelief. "I never…"

"Well you were right," Cordelia admitted. "You should be remembered for the girl you are, not the boy some doctor said you were when you were born. And what better way to do that than to be crowned homecoming queen."

"Again, I have to say wow," Buffy said as she smiled at Cordelia. "And thanks."

They pushed away from the car they had been using as makeshift seats for their weary limbs. "I'm going to call for a ride home… you want a lift?" Cordelia offered.

Buffy looked at the brunette, her mouth opening to accept her offer, when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She smiled at who she saw standing by the door to the Bronze. "No, I think I will pass."

Cordelia followed Buffy's gaze and saw Faith standing in the doorway. "Have fun," she said as she walked off.

Buffy bent down snapping off the buckles to her straps to slip her heels off, feeling like giving her feet a rest. "I got to say, B…you've looked better," Faith said as she smiled at the blonde Slayer.

"Yeah that's what happens when you run around through the woods," Buffy informed her fellow Slayer. "You look beautiful," she said admiring Faith's dress-clad body.

"Thanks, Buffy," Faith said appreciatively. "I have a little confession. While I was waiting for you to show I did dance with this guy."

"It's okay," Buffy said as she smiled at her fellow Slayer. "I don't mind as long as you come back to me."

Faith nodded as she came up beside the blonde Slayer and pulled Buffy into her arms, planting a kiss on the blonde's lips.