Finished episode three! the angel scene is one I added and is not in the show btw. enjoy!
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"Witchcraft. Blinding your enemy to disorient and disable them is—it's classic!" Giles informs us, leaning on his hands at the end of the library table.
"First vampire and now witches?" I ask, shaking my head in disbelief.
Xander looks at Giles. "No wonder you can still afford a house in Sunnydale."
"Why would anyone want to harm Cordelia?" Giles asks, getting straight to the point on why we even came to the library.
I shrug, leaning back in the chair I'm sitting on next to Buffy. "Maybe it's because they met her? She isn't the most loveable person." Xander gives me a blank look while Willow is nodding her head beside him. "What? You know it's true."
"And setting Amber ablaze?" Giles questions.
"Yeah, those guys don't—"
"They're cheerleaders," I fill in, interrupting Xander. I sit up in my chair, looking at Buffy. "Why would someone be got to get cheerleaders?"
"Well, you were once one Lindsay. How about you share with the class about what you think could be going on," Xander smirks—he sure likes to dish attitude right back at me.
Drumming my fingertips on the tabletop, I bite the inside of my cheek as I think of possibilities. "I mean, it was tryouts—that's when Amber was hurt. Then when the final spots were announced that's when Cordelia was targeted. Someone must be jealous."
Buffy nods. "Someone must love it too much."
"Amy!" Willow chimes in and Buffy reverberates the name.
"It would make sense," I add.
Xander looks at us three girls. "So, you guys are leaning towards Amy?"
"She's desperate to get on that team," I say, folding my hands under my chin.
The blonde slayer agrees, adding, "I've got this feeling she'd do just about anything to make her mom's dream come true."
Giles furrows his eyebrows behind his glasses. "Uh, let me make sure I have this right. This witch is casting horrible and disfiguring spells so that she can become a cheerleader?"
"I think you're underestimating the amount of pressure a parent can lay on you. If you're not a picture perfect carbon copy they tend to wig," Buffy adds.
I nod. "My mom has always been leery of how I act, but now that my dad is back she's getting more uptight about where I am at all times."
"Wait, your dad is back?" Xander asks.
Oops, I guess I haven't told him. "Yeah, he is. Lets not talk about that right now."
Willow purses her lips. She hates when I put off my problems and feelings, but now is not the time to bring up daddy issues. Willow turns to Giles. "Cheerleading was kind of her mom's last hurrah."
"Look, we still have to stop Amy. We should grab her and—"
"I think we should be sure she's the witch before we arouse her suspicions. She's—she's capable of some fairly unpleasant things," Giles interrupts.
"Okay, alright," Buffy gets up from her chair next to me to stand by Giles. "So, you're in high school, you are desperate to make the team and please your mom, so you turn to witchcraft. What's the first thing you're gonna do?"
Willow stands up. "Check out the books on witchcraft!" She, along with Buffy, walk over to the library computer. Willow sits down in the chair while Buffy stands behind her to watch as Willow types into the system.
Xander walks over to where Buffy and Willow are at the computer, standing awfully close to Buffy. "We don't have a minute! Cheerleaders are in danger. Buffy's in danger." He turns to stare at our slayer friend. "You were the first alternate, you are on the team now that Cordelia's out. You could be next. We gotta get you to a safe house."
"Xander," I sigh, crossing my arms against my chest as I also walk to where Willow it typing away at the computer.
"What?" my dimwitted friend asks.
"Knock it off."
I hear Willow exhale before reading what popped up on the screen. "Witches: Historic Roots to Modern Practice. Checked out by Alexander Harris."
Buffy continues on, "The Pagan Rites, checked out by Alexander—"
I turn to Xander just in time to see him throw his hands out in surrender. "Alright, alright, it's not what it looks like."
Cocking an eyebrow, I smirk at my fluster friend. "You like to look at the semi-nude engravings don't you?"
Xander fakes a laugh, the corners of his lips turning up a little bit. "Oh, well, I guess it is what it looks like."
Shaking my head, I can't help but laugh. "Couldn't grab a magazine from your dad's collection?"
Xander glares, but refuses to say anything.
"Have you all quite finished? We have to find a conclusive test. There may be something in here," Giles chimes in, flipping throughout another old looking book. "Yes, this should do it. You'll need some of her hair, a little quicksilver, and some aqua fortis."
"Well, that's just mercury and nitric acid. You can get that in the science lab," Willow informs us.
Giles continues to read from the books, "Heat ingredients and apply to witch, and if a spell has been cast in the previous 48 hours, witch's skin turns blue." He makes a sound of interested before shutting the book and looking to us. "Oh, and you'll need some Eye of Newt."
*****
Being Buffy's lab partner, means I have to confront the possible witch in order to get some of her hair. Our science teacher is busy demonstrating what to do as we approach Amy. I go to stand at the other side of the table she's sitting at, leaning down on my elbows, as Buffy stands beside her with a pen in her hand which has a pink feather on top.
"Amy, help me. Um, which is the hydrochloric acid and which is the, uh, ammonium hydroxide?" I ask, trying to do scream witch at her face when she smiles at me.
"Well, the bottle that says 'hydrochloric acid' is usually the hydrochloric acid."
I nod my head. "Right, gotta read those bottles."
Buffy makes a deal of dropping her pen to the floor. I watch as Buffy manages to reach into Amber's bag to her brush, getting a nice chunk of hair. As I try to hold Amy's attention, I see her catch of glimpse at Buffy before she stands up. Buffy smiles, trying to play it off, but the way Amber is looking at Buffy makes me convinced Amy is suspicious.
I grab Buffy by the elbow. "Gotta go. Thanks for the tip." Sighing, I whisper to Buffy, "I couldn't stand being by her another minute."
Buffy drops the hair onto Willow and Xander's table so she can work her magic in creating what we need. Buffy and I wait at our table, noticing Amy looking back at us a few times, as Willow is stirring and pouring the liquid into a beaker. I stand up first, Willow giving me the beaker. "Do you have a plan?" Willow asks me, looking like she's trying to get from freaking out.
I shrug, wanting to not lose my cool as well. "Spill it on her, and hope it seems natural."
"We're right behind you—only further back," Xander says.
I let out a fake huff of laughter. "Thanks." Turning, I start making my way over to where Amy is sitting. I hear our teacher call on Lishanne, another cheerleader. As I reach Amy, I let out a soft sigh before spilling the mixture on her arm. I gasp, trying to play it off, and watch wide eyed as her arm turns blue—well shit. My eyes travel to Amy's face, only, she's not staring at me. She didn't even notice I spilt something on her to reveal she's a witch.
Hearing a mumbling sound, I turn to Lishanne to see her shaking her head franticly. Buffy comes up beside to me to see what's going on. Lishanne turns her face in our direction. I reel back in shock, seeing her mouth completely gone. Turning to Amy, fully aware I'm probably glaring at her; I see the pure look on concern on her face. What the hell is going on!
We all crowd around on another in the hall after class gets let out. Xander seems just as shocked as the rest of us. "Did you see? Amy was as freaked out as the rest of us."
"So it's not her?" Willow asks, looking at me.
I shake my head. "The test was positive. I just don't think she knows what she's doing." I turn to Buffy. "Should we talk to her?"
Buffy shakes her head. "Maybe we should talk to her mother. I wonder if she knows what she's created."
*****
The park bench is cool against my jean clad thighs. It's quiet outside tonight. The kids have gone up; most are probably in their beds, which leave me in this lone park. I want a break from home. After school I did my homework in the safety of my room before having dinner with my mom and father. I didn't talk much. Only the usually how was school and how much homework I have. Mom caught on I didn't want to talk, but my father persisted. He kept trying to get answers out of me, and at a certain point I couldn't take it anymore so I left. I would've gone to Willow's place if I knew she wouldn't dig for answers. Tonight I just want to not think. Pretend I didn't have family issues and my friends weren't trying to find a local witch.
"You look to be deep in thought," Angel's voice makes me jump. Turning, I see him with his hands in his pockets coming towards me. His hair is styled as it was the last time I saw him, and I'm not surprised he's sporting almost all black clothing. I watch as he rounds the bench and takes a seat a few inches away from me, our feet almost touch when he spreads his legs out. He looks at me, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "How's the whole sidekick thing been going?"
I let out a fake laugh, shaking my head. "I am no sidekick honey," I say, seeing Angel's amusement on his face. Dropping the cool exterior I shrug. "It's been alright, trying to find a witch at the moment. Where have you been?" I didn't want to seem like I missed seeing him around, but I think he picked up on it anyway.
Angel mocks my gesture from earlier and shrugs as well. "I've been around."
"That's very cryptic," I murmur, looking out to the empty playground.
A moment passes of quietness before Angel asks, "So, why are you out here all by yourself? I think you know by now it's not safe."
"I needed to get a breather—from everything. I know how to throw a nice punch so I think I'm good on the whole protecting thing."
"Even against a vampire who's much stronger than any hormone filled high school boy," he says with a hint of distain.
I give him a blank look. "You got me there," I deadpan. "I'll be sure to carry around a stake from now on."
"Has anyone ever told you you're a smartass?"
I smirk at Angel. "All the damn time."
*****
I'm late. Damn it. I overslept and Willow wanted me at the gym a few minutes ago to see Buffy practice. Making my way through the crowd, I see the three walk out of the gym. A confused looking Buffy is being walked by both Willow and Xander.
"What happened to her?" I asked, examining Buffy."
"She got kicked off the team," Willow fills me in. "For throwing a girl into the wall," she whines.
I stare at Buffy in shock. "What the heck?"
"I don't think it was her fault," Xander cuts in, still supporting Buffy.
Our blonde, weirdly acting, slayer shakes her head. "I know you don't, that's because you're my friend. You're my Xander-shaped friend," Buffy says, leaning on Xander's shoulder. She smiles up at him like I smile at a boy when I'm drunk. "Do you have any idea why I love you so, Xander?"
"What in the world is she on?" I ask, walking alongside Willow as they try to get her to Giles probably. "Is she drunk?"
Xander glares at me. "Let her speak!"
Buffy continues, staring at Xander with a goofy smile on her face, while also touching his face. "I'll tell you! You're not like other boys at all."
"Yeah," Xander eggs her on.
Buffy gets peppier. "You are totally, and completely one of the girls!" Buffy turns to the both of us and says, "I'm that comfy with him."
Letting out a smile, I see Xander's face frozen in both surprise and horror. "Wow Xander, didn't see that coming did you?" Willow and I can't erase our smiles.
We start walking against down the hall at a slow pace. Buffy's steps begin to falter and become uneven. "I don't feel so good," Buffy moans before falling back into Willow and Xander's embraces.
"We need to get her to Giles now," I say as we quicken our pace to the library.
*****
In the library we lay Buffy down on a chair. Xander drapes a cloth over her forehead while I help hold her head up as I hold the cloth in place.
"We got to get her to a hospital," Willow suggests, sitting beside me in a chair she pulled up a few seconds ago.
Giles shakes his head while checking his watch on his left wrist. "They can't help her. This is a bloodstone vengeance spell. Hits the body hard like a, a quart of alcohol, and then it e-eradicates the immune system."
"She's trying to get back a Buffy?" I ask, switching hands so my left can now hold the cloth to her forehead since the other was starting to fall asleep.
"Because she knows I know she's a witch," Buffy adds, looking up at me.
Giles is still looking at his watch as he checks Buffy's pulse. "The others she just wanted out of the running. You she intends to—um—," he trails off as he looks at Buffy.
"Kill?" I fill in, seeing Willow's face turn to worry.
My redheaded friend looks to Giles, her eyebrows furrowed. "How much time do we have?"
He tries to stay positive, but when Buffy demands the truth he sighs. "Couple of hours—three at the most."
"Well, how do we reverse the spell?" Xander asks from the spot he's standing in.
Giles gets up from Buffy's side. "Well I—I've been researching that and we can reverse all the spells if," he stops to take off his glasses and rub his eyes, "we can just lay our hands on Amy's spell book."
Sighing, I remove my hand from the cloth when Buffy decides to hold it herself. "Sounds easy enough, but no doubt will be a pain in the butt to get. What if we can't get the book in time?"
"Well, the other way is to cut the witch's head off," Giles says, putting his glasses back on.
"Show of hands!" Xander holds up his hand, nodding at me to lift up mine.
"It's not Amy's fault. She only became a witch to survive her mother," Buffy cuts in, shooting down Xander's plan.
I look at Buffy. "I'll do whatever it takes. As long as you're alive in the end then that's all that matters."
Buffy's smiles in appreciation, but I know the last thing she wants if for us to kill Amy. She turns to Giles and asks, "Giles, where would she be casting these spells?"
"Oh, she needs a sacred space. A pentagram, um, large pot."
"Her home," Buffy decides. "Help me up." Willow and I help Buffy stand up from the chair. "We'll just go to her house and we'll get her book."
"I'm coming with," I add.
"We'll go with you," Willow says, giving me her innocent stare that always manages to make me agree with her.
Buffy shakes her head. "No, you guys stay here and keep an eye on Amy. Lindsay and Giles are enough."
As Giles grabs Buffy from Willow and me he tells them, "And keep her away from the science lab. We'll need it to cast our counter-spells." He walks off with Buffy.
I smile at Willow, my hand going to squeeze hers. "See you later."
"Be safe."
*****
Getting out of Giles's car, I follow him and Buffy up to the front door. I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, knowing things are about to get out of control. I wait next to Buffy as Giles knocks on the door repeatedly. Tapping my foot, I look through the glass on the door to see a figure approaching. A second later the door opens revealing a woman with short brown hair cut to her shoulders.
"Who are you? Is there something wrong?" she asks in a soft voice.
"Mrs. Madison, we need to talk to you about your daughter," Giles says to the woman.
The woman's eyes change to panic. "I'm not allowed—you'll have to come back later." The woman's goes to shut the door, but Giles puts his hand out so she can't.
"Excuse me," he says, pushing the door open so Buffy and I can walk in. I put my arm around Buffy as I walk her to the couch so she can sit down. Giles continues to tell Amy's mother, "Your daughter is meddling with something very dangerous, are you aware of that?"
Amy's mother crossed her arms against her chest. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh please lady," I scoff, mimicking her stance. "It's obvious you do."
"You've got to go. She's gonna be home soon."
Giles interrupts her, stepping closer to Amy's mother. His tone turns hard as he tries to get her to understand. "Now you will shut up and you will listen to me! Your daughter has access to some very powerful magic's, and somehow your obsession with cheerleading has made-"
Amy's mother interrupts Giles, "I don't care about cheerleading! It's not my fault she's doing stuff."
Stepping forward next to Giles I stare at the woman. "As her mother you should assume some responsibility for her actions."
She laughs, trying to pass this up. "Well, you know, these kids today! She's out of her mind. Ever since dad—her dad left I can't control her."
"Are you afraid of her?" Giles asks the woman, his face softening.
"Amy?" Buffy's voices sounds out behind us. Us three turn to look at Buffy slowly trying to stand. I see Amy's mother—or Amy?—face still blank as if she wasn't expecting Buffy to figure it out. "Are you Amy?"
"I don't understand," I murmur, stepping away from Amy who appears to be in her mother's body so I can stand closer to Buffy.
Buffy continues to look at Amy. "She switched. She switched your bodies, didn't she?"
The woman lowers her head, knowing the truth has finally come out.
I look at her, seeing her diminish in posture. It finally clicked why Amy is in her mother's body. "She wanted to relive her glory days."
She makes eye contact with me, her lips turned in a frown. "She said I was wasting my youth. So she took it."
*****
Amy moved to the couch to sit beside Buffy. Giles sits beside Amy on another piece of furniture as I sit on the floor, listening to Amy tell the story of what happened. "I didn't know anything about her powers. I mean, when dad was here they would fight and yell and he would call her a witch and I mean, I would, just thought he meant—Oh, God—when he left I wanted to go with him. But she wouldn't even let me call. She went crazy, I mean, she'd lock herself upstairs for days, and she was always coming down on me, telling me I didn't deserve to have it so easy, and that I didn't know how hard it was to be her, and I guess she showed me, huh?"
I purse my lips together. I can't believe a mother can do this to her own daughter. Buffy takes her hand. "Amy, it's going to be okay."
Amy continues, "A few months ago, I woke up in her bed! I didn't know where I was, and then I looked in the mirror-"
"She locked herself upstairs?" Giles asks, interrupting her.
Amy nods, "Yes."
"Show me."
Amy takes us up to the attic. Giles has to knock his body into the door in order to get it open. Once he does, we follow him inside the darkened attic. Buffy waits downstairs on the couch, and I know time is ticking away. A cauldron is sitting in the middle of the room, but what is behind it dangling catches Giles and my attention. We see dolls hanging on a string attached to the ceiling. This screams witch. I see two dolls held together. I reach for it and take it in my hand.
"This must be the ones for the body switching spell," I tell Giles.
He exhales. "I believe we can reverse your mother's spell. Well, all of them, in fact."
"You could? Really, you could?" Amy asks, standing back by the door.
"We need to find her books. There'd be specific volumes she'd need for this kind of casting," he tells both of us as we all start looking.
I come across a trunk. Giles pushes the items on it off and opens the top. Something jumps at us. Gasping, I jump back and see a black mass of fur scurrying across the floor. "Shit. I love cats but that one almost gave me a heart attack," I breathe out, trying to calm down my heart rate. I see Giles pull out a book.
"This is it."
We descend the stairs in a rush. Seeing Buffy on the couch looking weak makes me jump into a panic. "Did we find it?" she asks.
I nod, helping her stand up. "We found it." I wrap her arm around my neck as I help steady her.
"But where are we going?" Amy asks.
"We're going to the school," Giles answers.
I try to help Buffy walk, but she's too weak to even move her legs that much. As I try to move her, I can't hold her up so a long amount of time. I look at Giles in a plead. He wraps his arm around Buffy and hoists her up in his arms. I follow behind him and Amy as we pile into his car to head back to the school.
*****
Getting inside a science classroom, Giles carries Buffy to a lap table and lies her on top of it. Giles takes off his jacket, balls it up, and rests it under Buffy's head to give her support. "I'm gonna stop this. I promise. Just hang on."
I stand by Buffy as Giles goes and grabs the book from Amy's hands. Buffy is getting paler as her breathing is becoming more uneven. "Everything is going to be okay Buffy," I say softly, reaching down to hold her hand.
Buffy watches as Giles does the reverse spell. She tries to lift her head, but soon gives up and rests it back on Giles's jacket. I squeeze her hand tighter, noticing how clammy her hands are becoming.
"It's working," I hear Amy breath out, seeming to come unbalanced in her mother's body, almost falling back into the skeleton set as a prop. Giles continues, the lights flicker off, casting the room in darkness. "She's coming."
Giles gets going with the spell, raising his arms as he chants what he needs to. Once he says what he needs to, he sticks his hands into the potion that seems to be bubbling. The doorknob jiggles. All of us turn to the door. Giles continues on. The jiggling of the doorknob has stopped, but just when I thought she gave up the emergency ax slices through the door. It's a race against time. The more chopping at the door Amy's mother does, the closer Giles is done with the spell. Suddenly, the door is yanked open—Amy's mom, in Amy's body, walks straight to Buffy. I round the lap table, getting in front of Buffy. The ax is swung back into the air. I catch an inhale, seeing the red emergency ax headed in my direction. Just as I go to defend myself, I hear Giles finish the spell—a flash of light blinds me.
Seeing Amy's disoriented behavior, I turn to Buffy to see her sitting up on the lab table. Buffy stands in front of me, looking at Amy.
"Buffy?" Amy sighs, as Buffy questions her name.
My side slams into the lab table as Amy's mother tackles Buffy to the ground—clipping me on the way to Buffy. Giles tries to say something, but doesn't get far when a lap table is pushed his way, knocking him unconscious to the ground. Amy is still holding the ax, looking at her mother like a deer caught in the headlights.
"You! You little brat!" her mother spats.
"Back off bitch," I seethe at the woman.
Amy's mom curls her lip, her hand sticking out in a symbol for chocking me. My throat feels contradicted. I try to breath, but it's hard to get any air into my lungs. Kneeling to the fall, I try to relieve the pressure, but it's all too much. Maybe I shouldn't run my mouth against a witch next time.
The pressure is released, just in time for me to see Amy's mother take the ax from Amy using her witchy powers. "How dare you raise your hand to your mother! I gave you birth. I gave up my life so you could drag that worthless carcass around and call it living?" Amy's mother swings the ax so it craves into the table, staying in place. "You've never been anything but trouble. I'm going to put you where you can't make trouble again!"
I start in stand when I see Buffy behind Amy's mom. "Guess what?" Buffy smiles as Amy's mom turns around. "I feel better." Buffy punches her and she flies into a lab table before rolling off.
"That body was mine! Mine!" Catherine, Amy's mother, complains.
Buffy scoffs. "Oh, grow up!"
Catherine raises a hand, sending Buffy against the wall. Buffy falls to the ground. I walk over to where Buffy landed and helped her up, glaring at Amy's mother.
"I shall look upon my enemy!" Catherine begins to cast a spell, looking at Buffy as her eyes turn pitch black. "I shall look upon her and the dark place will have her soul!"
Buffy and I look around us, turning to find some way to protect ourselves. My eyes travel up the mirror being held up by a pole.
"Corsheth, take her!"
Thinking fast, my leg kicks out, hitting the thing holding the mirror up. The mirror swings forward, the reflective side facing Amy's mom. Her screeching screams pierce my ears. I look around the mirror to see her being engulfed in this bright light as she reaches out for some sort of help. In no time, Amy's mom gets taken away by her own spell, leaving where she just stood empty.
"Great thinking Lindsay," Buffy sighs, walking around me to check on Giles who is just now waking up.
"Well, that was interesting," he says, his glasses all lopsided on his face.
"Lindsay saved the day—and my butt," Buffy smiles at me.
I roll my eyes, shaking my head. "Oh please. This was only one time. How many other people have you saved Miss. Slayer? Giles is the one who manages to cast the spell."
Suddenly, I see Xander burst through the door. He wraps his arms around Amy yelling, "I got her! I got her! Cut her head off!"
"Xander, what are you doing?" I exclaim, wide eyed.
"Saving you guys."
I roll my eyes, pushing his hands off of Amy. "Get them off of her."
"But she's evil," he states, looking at me cautiously.
"It wasn't exactly her," Giles adds.
Amy smiles awkwardly. "I was my mom."
Then, just as I anticipated would happen any moment, Willow barges in with a bat in her hands, ready to kick some butt. "Where is she?"
"Willow, it's cool," Xander says, looking at Amy.
Willow lowers her bat, looking at me. "It is?"
Xander nods. "I took care of it." Oh please.
*****
Kicking off my shoes on the mat, I stretch my toes out before walking into the living. I stop when I see my mom there, alone, watching television. She turns to face me, a soft smile on her lips. "I figure it can just be us tonight. I've missed you."
My heart squeezes. I walk over to the couch and lie down beside her, stretching my legs out. I rest my head on my mom's thigh, wrapping an arm around her leg. Her fingers run down my scalp, sliding through the strains of my hair. "I missed you too Mom."