Inside Giles' house Willow and Giles research Olmec.
"Ιt nests near the hellmouth always." Giles says. "These ancient demons always do."
"Hey maybe I can use a demon locator spell." Willow adds.
"Let's not get carried away just yet." Giles says.
"Not get carried away? A giant bat is flying around out there." Willow says.
Buffy storms in.
"Buffy tell Giles I'm not getting carried away." Willow says.
"Giles, I'm not getting carried away." Buffy says. "I'm going to go to the hellmouth."
Giles gives dumbfounded look.
"Buffy I-"
"You don't have to come with me it's just something I have to check." Buffy says. "In the meantime will you two research the ritual that opens the hellmouth? Just humor me."
Giles and Willow agree.
"Great." Buffy says about to leave.
Xander storms in the room excitedly. "Guess who's joining the initiative!"
Buffy's eyes narrow. "Absolutely not." Buffy states before exiting the house.
—
Buffy ventures off into the night towards the hellmouth.
—
Riley patrols with Forest and Graham, they each hold sensors to try and get the location of Olmec or Octavia.
Riley stops, his mind still fixed on Buffy.
"Something wrong?" Forrest asks.
"Listen, I need a favor from you guys." Riley starts. "I need to go to the old sunnydale high school, Buffy mentioned it earlier. I'm worried something might happen to her."
"Thats way out of our sector." Graham says.
"I'll go myself, I just need you to cover for me." Riley pleads. "If someone is still in the sector they may not notice."
Forrest and Graham finally agree.
"Try and make it fast." Graham says. "And keep your coms open just in case."
"Thanks guys." Riley says.
"Man Walsh is gonna have our asses." Forrest jokes.
Riley runs off.
—-
At the Crawford mansion, the assassins get ready to patrol in units.
Rhys talks to Dayne separately while Naomi playfully nudges Peter.
"Ouch, stop." Peter says.
Naomi continues play fighting with him.
"You think your so tough with that spear." Naomi jokes.
Rhys finishes with Dayne and walks over to Naomi and Peter.
Naomi is upbeat and giddy.
"You ready?" Naomi asks flashing her eyelashes.
"You guys go ahead you know your areas." Rhys says.
"Where are you going?" Peter asks.
"There's one lead I want to look into then I'll catch up later." Rhys says.
"We can come with you..." Naomi says.
"That's all right, we'll cover more ground this way." Rhys says as he approaches the ledge of the Crawford mansion and does a leap of faith off of it.
—-
Buffy is about to enter the school when-
"Buffy." Riley says coming to join her.
"Riley."
"I couldn't let you go alone." Riley says.
"Thanks." Buffy says. "I'm glad you came."
Riley nods and the two head inside.
The pair enters the old decrepit high school. The halls nothing but ruins accented with pieces of the mayors body. They continue down the silent hallways one of Giles' battle axes in Buffy's hand.
"You really went to school here?" Riley asks.
"Oh yeah and trust me it didn't look too great before the remodel anyway." Buffy says.
Riley chuckles slightly.
"Listen, Riley about what I said earlier...I was only-" Buffy starts.
Riley stops her. "It's okay, I'm just here to help."
"Right." Buffy says. They both look at each other a moment, eyes saying more then they should.
They continue until they reach the main auditorium, the room above the hellmouth and who is waiting for them there?
Octavia.
Octavia sits at the edge of the stage as Buffy slowly walks down the main aisle, Riley covering her back.
"Oh you made it I'm so thrilled." Octavia says.
Then she notices Riley in his camouflage gear. "And you're in bed with the commandos? I hope its not literally, Buffy, even I know you can do better." Octavia taunts.
"Shut up, Octavia!" Buffy says. "I'll give you a minute to explain what you're doing here."
"Didn't you know I would be here? That's why you came isn't it?" Octavia says. "Put the weapon down, Buffy. I just want to talk."
Octavia grins.
—
Giles and Willow go through ancient texts while Xander paces around.
"The ritual of three, I've went over this with the initiative, the assassins, I'm sure Octavia doesn't have the capacity." Giles says pondering.
"Bones of an ancient? What classifies as an ancient?" Willow asks.
"See I'm no use to you guys. With the initiative I can be useful, get a nice career going." Xander says.
Willow and Giles ignore him.
"Right yes the bones of an ancient. Could be an ancient vampire or demon." Giles says.
"Then I'll get new military friends and we'll still see each other I'm sure. You know when we have supernatural conferences and so on." Xander says.
Knock Knock!
"Xander get the door please." Giles says.
"Right, see I'm just the doorman of this group." Xander says.
"Would Olmec be considered an ancient?" Willow asks not wanting to know the answer.
Giles turn sharply to her and snatches an ancient book. "Yes, he could be." Giles says furiously flipping pages.
Xander opens the door to Spike.
"Spike?" Xander says.
Giles and Willow turn towards the door.
"Hello, kitties." Spike says cheekily.
"Scoobies." Willow corrects.
"Whatever, c'mon let me inside." Spike says.
"Why would we do that?" Giles asks.
"You know I can't hurt you, ask him." Spike points at Xander.
"Right, the chip." Giles says. "As much as I'd enjoy your company Spike I must ask why again?" Giles says sharply.
"Because I have news on Octavia." Spike says. "Before I give out said information I'll need a few guarantees, one I will not be slain, two I can crash here until its safe to find a new home, three I like O negative blood." Spike smiles cheekily.
Giles looks annoyed.
—
Buffy, Riley and Octavia still at a standoff.
"Right, let's talk, do you or do you not plan on opening the hellmouth? Yes? No? Axe time?" Buffy says threatening with the axe.
Octavia slides off the stage and begins trekking slowly towards Buffy. Riley checks around the room, stun baton at the ready, just in case Octavia has backup.
"I know you saw her too. The first slayer." Octavia says. "Ever wondered why you feel more comfortable in the arms of a vampire than around regular people? Ever wonder why you seem drawn to the darkness? Don't you want to know what you really are? I can show you."
Octavia inches closer, reaching out her hand.
"Give me your hand and you will see." Octavia says.
Buffy stares at her hand the temptation is strong. She never wanted to fight Octavia, in a way she almost reminds her of Faith. Maybe she can show her the truth and maybe Buffy can pull her back to the light.
"Don't listen to her Buffy."
Rhys appears at the side entrance, sword drawn, pointed at Octavia.
"Rhys!" Octavia snarls.
"Don't touch her hand Buffy, it's a deception." Rhys says.
"You would know all about deception." Octavia says. "Out of all the assassin's he's the worst of them!"
"What? What is she talking about?" Buffy confused.
"Buffy." Riley says motioning to shadows moving around the auditorium.
"Buffy, you have to see." Octavia says innocently, sincerely, for the first time. She reaches out her hand once more.
Buffy's eyes fixed on her hand. She looks at Riley, Rhys then back to Octavia.
"Buffy please." Rhys says.
"Buffy." Riley says.
"Buffy, take my hand." Octavia says.
Buffy, almost in a trance, let's go of her axe and quickly grabs Octavia's hand-
"NO!" Rhys says charging.
A surge of energy hits Rhys and Riley back as Octavia and Buffy go into a shared Vision:
The vision shows a group of templars chaining the first slayer to a rock. They force a demonic spirit into her, stealing her life and forcing her to become the slayer.
It is shown that the templars were then persecuted by the french king because of their actions in creating the slayer, half human, half demon. Light and darkness. The slayer, a powerful yet pitiful instrument in the eternal fight against evil, a creature caught perpetually between sanity and madness.
"And what they had created was unholy! And they received judgment!" A voice commands.
The templars then had to become the assassin's in order to work in the dark as they say. In case they needed to draw upon the darkness once more either out of desperation or temptation.
The people loved the slayer for keeping them safe but feared that because of the slayers dark side it would one day turn against them. Leading to the first slayer being shunned, exiled and living a life of isolation.
They see the horrible life each slayer was forced to lead, all the way until they see themselves then-
They come out of the trance-
Rhys and Riley hit the walls hard and collapse.
Buffy looks at Octavia.
"You see Buffy? They made you. Forced you to fight their battles forever. Condemned you to a life of solitude. That's why we're closer to vampires. Vampires have their souls ripped from them, we had our lives ripped from us. You don't fight the forces of darkness, you are darkness." Octavia says. "You have no speech, no name. You live in the action of death, the blood cry, the penetrating wound. You are destruction! Absolute! Alone!"
"No!" Buffy yells as she covers her ears, eyes welling. "I can't."
Riley and Rhys struggle to get up. Riley quietly radios for backup.
"I don't want to fight you, Buffy. You and me are the same, the same as her." Octavia says referencing the first slayer.
Buffy is still in disbelief.
"Made as a cruel joke. Without choice." Octavia says. "This is why I have to open the hellmouth, this is our only choice, our only way to get back at them. I will judge the ones that made me!"
"Octavia no, the innocent-"
"What innocent people? The ones who forced us into isolation and expect us to fight for them? There are no innocent people." Octavia proclaims.
Buffy is confused, a little scared and for once unsure about what to do.
"Join me, Buffy. Please." Octavia delivers the line as if they were sisters.
Rhys struggles to get to his feet. Riley does the same.
—
In Giles' apartment, Spike is tied to a chair for good measure. Spike finishes giving the information.
"That's why she wants to open the hellmouth, to judge those who made her." Spike says.
Giles, Xander and Willow have worried looks on their faces.
"She doesn't have all she needs yet but apparently that bat thing lives to serve the hellmouth so... only a matter of time." Spike says bluntly.
Giles, Xander and willow all get the same hopeless look.
"Unless the scoobies can stop them!" Spike says with a sarcastic over dramatic smile.
—-
Buffy remains frozen in front of Octavia.
Riley and Rhys have helped each other up.
"Whatever happened Octavia, however we were made, we can't just kill people. I'm sorry for whatever happened, we can still try and turn you back. Give you your soul back. It doesn't have to be this way." Buffy says now reaching her hand out.
"Look at what you are Buffy! You are darkness and destruction! You have to accept that." Octavia.
"No, I can't. I have to choose to be more than that." Buffy says.
Octavia pierces her with her eyes. A mix of anger in her eyes and also a sense of longing, longing to take Buffy's hand.
"I knew you didn't have it in you. You're not even a real slayer. You have friends and support systems and no dedication to what you're destined to be." Octavia says as she secretly produces a knife from her sleeve.
"Well, that's who I was...and now you'll see what a true slayer is." Octavia says as she stabs Buff with the knife. Buffy falls to the ground.
Rhys jumps in front of Buffy sword pointed at Octavia.
Riley grabs Buffy and lifts her.
"Get her out of here." Rhys demands.
Riley does so.
"Where was this heroism when I was still the slayer?" Octavia asks.
Rhys eyes Octavia. No words are spoken again. They just begin their battle.
Octavia's knife vs Rhys sword. They clash and fight at the heart of the auditorium.
—
Outside Riley carries Buffy to safety as the initiative backups run into the building.
—
Back inside Rhys and Octavia duel, Octavia pulls out another knife and attacks furiously. Some of her knarls start to creep in but the initiative storms in first and they come in guns blazing. Electric bolts firing everywhere forcing Octavia and Rhys to stop fighting. Some of the knarls are killed in the crossfire but others are able to slice and paralyze the men with their claws.
The initiative looks like its about to corner Octavia when a thundering roar sounds from outside.
Olmec crashes through the ceiling and lets out a roar. The initiative fires their bolts but it does little to affect Olmec.
Rhys ducks for cover.
Olmec scoops up Octavia and flies away with her.
—
Back at Giles' apartment the phone rings. Giles receives a call from Riley explaining what happened. He says Buffy is safe and not badly hurt. She's recovering in the initiative base. Giles thanks him and hangs up.
Giles turns back. "Spike was right, Octavia is trying to open the hellmouth, she attacked Buffy and she's recovering in the initiative base."
"See." Spike says.
"What?" Xander say.
"Oh my God." Willow says. "Can we go see her?"
"I don't think they want us in there." Giles says.
"Say, if only we had an inside man who worked there." Xander says.
"Well, I told you so." Spike says. "So it looks like I get to move in."
Giles scoffs.
"Say, Spike, you escaped the initiative, you wouldn't happen to remember where their secret base is would you?" Xander asks.
"Oh, I didn't escape, I was released." Spike says.
—-
Inside the initiative, Buffy recovers in a hospital bed with Riley at her side.
She wakes up to see Walsh and Riley.
"This is hardly the way I wanted to show you the initiative." Walsh says. "Coincidentally your clearance was approved today."
Walsh hands Buffy her ID card.
"What happened? Where's Rhys?" Buff asks.
"He was fighting Octavia so we could escape but my men confirmed they got there in time and he's okay. Octavia escaped though." Riley says.
"You were right, Buffy. We're going to fortify and secure the hellmouth under 24/7 surveillance as you suggested." Walsh says.
"No one in or out without us knowing and we'll be ready if Octavia comes back." Walsh says. "We'll talk more in a little bit, you should rest now."
Walsh leaves the room.
Riley stays.
Buffy sits up at the edge of the bed and faces Riley.
"I appreciate you being there for me." Buffy says.
"No problem."
"Looks like I'm officially official." Buffy says holding up her ID card.
"Oh, yeah." Riley says.
"Did Professor Walsh yell at you?" Buffy asks.
"Only a little, not the end of the world." Riley says with a chuckle.
"No, it's not." Buffy says smiling.
She leans in and kisses him.
Then they separate.
"Did Xander ask you about joining the initiative?" Buffy asks.
Riley smiles and kisses her again.
End of chapter 4