Into every generation, there are Chosen Ones. A Slayer will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. With each Slayer comes a Guardian. They are protectors of the innocent.
Day One
Night - Cemetery
The camera panned across the cemetery and over the sidewalk along the border. Willow and Xander were walking together. Xander had a ice cream cone, taking an occasional lick.
"Okay, um, until we meet up with Eric and Carmen, we're playing the game, so..." Willow trailed off.
"It's your turn," Xander told her.
Willow nodded. "All right, okay, uh... 'in the few hours that we had together, we loved a lifetime's worth'."
"Terminator," Xander answered.
Willow smiled. "Good, great."
"Um, okay, I got one," Xander told her, imitating Charlton Heston. "'It's a madhouse! A mad--'"
Willow was so excited to answer she did before he could finish. "Planet of the Apes."
"Can I finish, please?" Xander asked.
Willow nodded, smiling. "Oh, sorry, go ahead."
Xander finished his imitation, then indicated she could answer. "'House!'"
"Planet of the Apes," Willow answered. "Okay, good, me, uh..."
"Well?" Xander asked.
"I'm thinking," Willow told him. "'Use the force, Luke'."
"Do I even have to dignify that with a guess?" Xander asked.
"I couldn't think of anything," Willow admitted. "It's a dumb game anyway."
"Well, what else do you wanna do until we meet up with Eric and Carmen?" Xander asked. "We already played rock, paper, scissors. My hands cramped up."
"Well, yes, if you're always scissors, of course your tendons are gonna strain," Willow told him.
Willow stepped over to the wall, hopping up to sit on it.
Xander suddenly got an idea. "I got a movie for you."
Xander tapped her nose with his ice cream.
Willow smiled in surprise. "Xander!"
"You're Amish," Xander told her. "You can't fight back 'cause you're Amish. I mock you with my ice cream cone, Amish guy."
"Witness," Willow answered. "My nose is cold."
"Let me get that for you," Xander told her, leaning in to lick off her nose.
Willow stopped him, smiling. "Xander."
"I'm sorry, I can't help myself," Xander told her. "Your nose looks so tasty."
Xander reached up with his napkin, gently wiping off her nose, taking a much longer than he needed to, looking in her eyes, brushing a hand against her cheek, starting to lean in for a kiss. Willow responded in kind, tilting her head. They stopped just short of making contact, lingering there for a moment.
Eric and Carmen were coming from the other direction to meet up with them, laughing. Xander and Willow pulled away before they could kiss, looking at them, who didn't notice that they had been about to kiss.
"Hey, guys," Carmen told them. "So sorry for being late. Eric and I had to go the long way around. The park was closed off for some reason."
"Maybe because you and Wyatt were practicing magic in the park," Eric told her. "Wrecked some kid things there. Can't blame you though. Considering how everything has been slow around here lately."
"Yeah, you know, I gotta say that this has been the most boring summer ever," Carmen told them.
"Yeah, but on the plus side, no monsters or stuff," Eric told them.
"I'm just so restless," Carmen complained. "I'm actually looking forward to school starting up again."
Willow and Xander laughed in agreement, still awkward because of the near kiss being interrupted, not saying much because of it.
"Yeah," Eric agreed. "And that would be because our best friends Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Alice will be back from where they all ran off to."
"Zoey and her mom Layla went off to their gypsy family to learn about being gypsies and how to use their powers the whole summer," Carmen told them. "Buffy, Brooke and Brady were with their dad, who doesn't know that his daughters are a Slayer and Guardian, and his son is a hunter. But then again, neither does their mom."
"And Alice and her dad Giles had to leave for a little while because of something in England," Eric told them. "Yeah, but they should all be getting back soon, though, right? I've been in contact with Buffy and all that, but nothing from anyone else."
Carmen smirked teasingly. "Yeah, the reason you've been in contact with Buffy is because the two of you actually started dating after going to the spring fling together."
"Buffy, Brady and Brooke are having a good time with their dad while Buffy and Brooke are still training Brady to be a hunter," Eric explained. "He's actually really good at hunting even though he doesn't have any powers."
"Well, that's because Brady's sisters are the Slayer and a Guardian, so it's kinda in his blood, like Alice said," Carmen told them. "And Zoey and Layla are probably just too busy training with their gypsy family and learning about what it all means."
"And Alice and Giles are busy with the Council in England," Eric told them. "Wyatt said that they should be getting back soon, though."
Carmen sensed something wrong. "Do you guys feel that?"
Eric, Xander and Willow spoke together. "What?"
Carmen turned around, seeing a vampire standing on the other side of the wall behind them. They turned to follow her gaze. Willow screamed, jumping off of the wall as Xander pulled her away from the vampire.
"Willow, Xander, go!" Eric told them.
Xander and Willow started to run, but stopped.
"Eric!" Willow told him. "Carmen!"
Carmen chuckled, tilting her head. "Finally. Some baddie I can use magic against. Since there haven't been vampires or demons around to use power against, Wyatt and I've gotten really restless."
Carmen, a natural born witch, used her power to levitate herself in the air over Xander and Willow's heads, flipping down to kick the vampire to the ground, punching him twice. The vampire kicked Carmen off of him, flipping up to a standing position. Carmen used her telekinesis to rip off a branch from the tree to make a makeshift stake, trying to shoot it into the vampire's heart, but he ducked just in time, making the branch fall. Eric punched the vampire in the face before he could attack Carmen, making him fall. Willow was surprised by her brother, impressed. The vampire tried to attack Eric.
Buffy arrived, grabbing the vampire shoulder, pulling him off of Eric, punching the vampire in the face, kneeing him in the stomach, flipping him over onto his back. Brooke, Brady, Alice and Zoey had also come, walking closer.
Brooke and Alice used their red Guardian energy to levitate the vampire over the ground, throwing him to the ground with waves of their arms, both of them acting differently, more showy, cocky, very not themselves.
Zoey took off the gypsy necklace that blocked her power, which started to glow purple, as did power from her hands as she shot it into the vampire, levitating him up in the air, smiling at the feeling.
Everyone looked at each other in surprise.
Buffy looked at their friends, smiling. "Hey, guys."
Zoey used her gypsy power to throw the vampire onto a branch on a tree, impaling him through his back into his heart, killing him, making him burst into ashes.
Zoey smirked. "Miss us?"
∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞
Cemetery
Picking up where everything left off, the Scoobies all hugged after being reunited, talking over each other, saying each other's names.
"Hey, guys," Brady told them.
"Man, your timing really doesn't suck," Eric told them. "Zoey, you got so much stronger and badass."
Zoey smiled. "Yeah, what a summer training with your gypsy family will do for your powers."
"When'd you guys get back?" Carmen asked.
"Uh, just now," Alice answered. "My father and I were at the library, where I met up with Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Zoey."
"And we figured you losers would be getting into some kind of trouble," Brooke told them.
"I think we had the upper hand," Carmen told them.
"Yeah, Carmen was a badass, too," Eric told them.
"And I saw that punch you landed, Eric," Buffy told him. "Very badass yourself." Eric smiled. "Xander, Willow, what about you two? Do either of you even have a cross? Very sloppy."
"Well, according to Wyatt, it's been a slow summer," Brooke told them. "I mean, that's the first vampire you've seen since we killed the Master, right?"
"Yeah," Eric answered.
"It's like they knew we were coming back," Brady told them.
They started to walk.
"So, what about you guys?" Xander asked. "How was your summer?"
"Did you slay anything?" Carmen asked.
"Yeah," Brady answered. "Uh, Brooke and Buffy were still training me while we were away. We got to kill more than our fair share. Lot of experience now."
"Well, Alice, even if you haven't been hunting but with the Council over the summer, you haven't lost your touch," Zoey told her. "That vampire..."
"We all did kinda whale on him, didn't we?" Alice asked.
Eric noticed Buffy's new hair cut. "I like your hair."
Buffy giggled, smiling.
"So, how did you guys fare?" Zoey asked. "Did you have any fun without us?"
Eric, Carmen and Xander said, "No," the same time Willow said, "Yes."
"Uh, our summer was kinda yawnworthy," Carmen told them. "Our biggest excitement was burying the Master."
They stopped walking.
"That's right, you missed it," Willow told them, pointing toward a tree in the cemetery. "Right out by that tree." They followed their gazes. "Wyatt buried the bones and we poured holy water and we got to wear robes."
"Very intense," Eric told them. "You should've been."
"Have you seen Wyatt?" Carmen asked.
"Why would we do that?" Alice asked. "We'll see him where he works at our school, thanks to Brooke giving Wyatt the idea to stay close to school so we can talk to him during class for our after school lives."
Brooke smirked.
"Man, I'm really glad you're back," Eric told them.
Brady nodded in agreement. "Me, too."
∞
Summers House - Living Room
Hank was helping Joyce unpack their kids' things. "Okay, then. This is the last of it."
"More clothes for Buffy and Brooke?" Joyce asked.
"Oh, do shoes count as clothes?" Hank asked.
"How much shopping did you let them do?" Joyce asked.
"Oh, I just thought I was saving you from the big back to school clothing nightmare," Hank told her.
"My nightmares of Buffy, Brooke and Brady in school have nothing to do with clothes or shoes," Joyce told him. "Did they manage to stay out of trouble in LA?"
Hank nodded. "They did, yeah. They were, um, you know, great."
"But?" Joyce asked.
"They were just, I don't know, um, distant," Hank answered. "Not brooding or sulking, just... there was no connection. The more time we spent together, the more I felt like they were nowhere to be seen. They would take off frequently, especially at night, like they were doing something that they didn't want me to know about."
"Hence the shopping that you let Buffy and Brooke do?" Joyce asked.
Hank handed her the shoes. "I may have overcompensated a little bit."
Joyce nodded, amused. "Hmm. What did you let Brady do?"
"Hang out with his old friends from LA a lot," Hank answered. "It's so strange. You know, at least when they were burning stuff down, I knew what to say."
"Well, welcome to my world," Joyce told him. "I haven't been able to get through to them for so long. I'll just be happy if they make it through the school year."
∞
Day Two
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Quad
Cordelia and two friends were walking down some stairs, walking across the quad.
"It was a nightmare, a total nightmare," Cordelia told them. "I mean, they promised me and Carmen they'd take us to St. Croix, and then they just decide to go to Tuscany, but Carmen bailed out because she didn't wanna go anymore than I did, but I still left with them. Art and buildings? I was totally beachless for a month and a half. No one has suffered like I have. Of course, I think that that kind of adversity builds character. Well, then I thought, I already have a lot of character. Is it possible to have too much character?"
Principal Snyder and Giles were walking along.
"The first day back," Snyder told him. "It always gets me."
Giles nodded. "Yes."
"I mean, it's incredible," Snyder told him. "One day, the campus is completely bare. Empty. The next, there are children everywhere. Like locusts, crawling around, mindlessly bent on feeding and mating. Destroying everything in sight in their relentless, pointless desire to exist."
They stopped. Snyder looked around, observing the students.
"I do enjoy these pep talks," Giles told him sarcastically. "Have you ever considered, given your abhorrence of children, school's principal was not, perhaps, your true vocation?"
"Somebody's got to keep an eye on them," Snyder told him. "They're just a bunch of hormonal time bombs." He took two steps away from Giles. "Every time a pretty girl walks by every boy turns into a gibbering fool."
Layla was dropping Zoey off for school, as the two walked up to Jenny.
Giles saw them, smiling slightly. "Layla."
Layla nodded in return, smiling. "Rupert."
Zoey and Jenny smirked knowingly, walking away to leave them alone for a moment.
Giles chuckled. "Well, I, uh... um, hello."
Snyder didn't notice he was talking to Layla, looking around the students. "You see the way these kids gaze at each other, all moony."
Layla looked at Giles. "It's good to see you."
"Yes, you too," Giles agreed, lowering his voice so no one heard. "How was, the, uh, time away with your family, training you and Zoey?"
"Very educational," Layla answered. "We're less afraid of ourselves. More confident in our powers. It's very jarring, though. Although, it was kind of fun learning how to control all this. Even though I am still kind of mad at my family for keeping this from us our whole lives."
Giles nodded in understanding. "One would assume you would be. Do you have to head to the hospital for work, or do you have time to stay for a little while?"
"I don't start back at the hospital until tomorrow," Layla answered. "So I do have the time to talk."
Layla and Giles smiled, walking off together, leaving Snyder behind.
Snyder looked around, not noticing he was alone. "I try and tell them about the important things in life, discipline, responsibility, punctuality. Might as well be talking to myself."
∞
Hallway
Giles and Layla were walking together.
"So how was it?" Giles asked.
"Extreme," Layla answered. "They had drum rituals, mobile sculptures, raves, naked mud dances. You would've just hated it with a fiery passion."
"I can't imagine finding any redeeming, uh..." Giles trailed off, stopping when he realized what she said. "Naked?" He realized, amused, embarrassed with his naivety, sighing. "You're joking."
Layla smiled, nodding. "Mm-hmm. And you probably spent all summer with your nose in a book while you and Alice were in England with the Council."
"Yes," Giles answered. "I suppose you'd consider that frightfully dull."
Layla smiled. "Depends on the book."
∞
Library
Layla, Giles and the Scoobies walked toward them. Wyatt was inside.
"Hey, Wyatt," Brooke told him.
"Giles," Buffy told him. "Layla."
"Yo, warlock, G-man and mama gypsy," Brady told them. "What's up?"
"Nice to see you," Giles told them. "And don't ever call me that."
"Or me," Layla told them. "Hi, kids."
"Hi," Wyatt told them. "Glad we're all back together. How is everybody?"
"Live and kicking," Brooke answered.
"We all killed a vampire last night," Xander told them.
"Xander, we may be in the library," Wyatt told him. "But, still, I think you can get a little more volume if you speak from the diaphragm."
"We've got vampires?" Layla asked. "I thought the Hellmouth was closed."
"Well, is it closed," Wyatt answered. "But not gone. The mystical energy that emanates from it is still concentrated in this area. Which means we're still the undead's favorite party town. I wonder if they're here for any purpose. Particularly."
"You're the immortal witch with more knowledge than anyone except the Watcher and the Watcher's daughter who's a Guardian," Brooke told him. "We just work here."
"Yes, I--I must consult my books," Giles told them.
"Oh, eight minutes and 33 seconds," Zoey told them. "Pay up." Willow handed her a dollar. "I called ten minutes before you'd consult your books about something." Zoey looked at Willow, smiling. "Thanks."
The bell rang.
"You guys better get to class," Wyatt told them mockingly.
"Hilarious, Wyatt," Alice told him sarcastically.
They all started making their way to their classes, but not before Wyatt and Giles stopped Carmen, Zoey, Alice, Brooke, Buffy and Brady.
"Oh, I realize we've all only just returned, but when you're ready, I think we should start training again," Wyatt told them. "Slayer training for Buffy. Guardian training for Alice and Brooke. Hunter training for Brady. Witch training for Carmen. Gypsy training for Zoey and Layla. I'm sure all of you have learned a lot this past summer. But there's still plenty room left for improvement."
"Yeah," Brady agreed. "We're ready."
"Well, I understand if any of you want a few days to--" Giles started.
"We're ready," Buffy repeated. "We'll see you after school."
Everyone left.
∞
Hallway
Buffy and Eric were walking together.
"I am very glad that we're back, Eric," Buffy told him. "And that you and I kept in contact all summer long."
"Yeah, me too," Eric agreed. "It was very boring without you here." Buffy smiled. "You, Brady, Brooke, Alice, Zoey."
"Nice save," Buffy told him. They laughed. "But you and I did start to see each other as more than friends after the date at the dance. And you showed me a really good time that I didn't know that I needed. So thank you, Eric."
"You're welcome," Eric told her. "You have so much bad in your life that I wanted to help you have some good in your life."
Buffy smiled, turning to face him. "You are the good in my life right now, Eric."
Buffy and Eric looked at each other for a long moment, smiling slightly, leaning closer to kiss slowly and softly, pulling away.
"That was..." Eric trailed off.
"Overdue," Buffy told him.
Eric smiled, nodding. "Way overdue."
They continued to kiss happily and passionately, pulling away, walking down the hall together, smiling.
∞
Library
Buffy was doing tumbling and kicking exercises that took her all around the library, continuing training with Giles with the quarterstaff.
Alice and Brooke were training with red Guardian energy, throwing each other down, slamming each other against the walls, much more violent and angry than either of them had been before, something clearly off about both of them.
Wyatt and Carmen were training with their witch powers. Wyatt released blue powerful energy that morphed illusions in front of him. Carmen waved her arm, using her power to destroy a board in front of her with a single burst with her magic, which was limited with levitation and telekinesis powers so far, while Wyatt had had many centuries to gain many more powers.
Zoey and Layla were showing them what they learned from spending months with gypsy training, sitting on the floor, meditating, able to create astral projection versions of themselves away from their bodies. The others were impressed, smirking.
Layla held the pendant of her necklace, which glowed bright purple.
Buffy, Brooke, Alice and Giles were also teaching Brady how to be better at vampire/demon hunting, though he was already pretty good as it was. Brady could stand a match with Buffy with the quarterstaff.
Alice and Brooke were flashing back to the Master, using Guardian energy that he had stolen from other Guardians that he had killed before them against them on the night that he killed them, which had a powerful effect on their minds and personalities, making them lose control of their powers briefly as their red energy exploded out, destroying practice dummies in front of them.
Zoey stood in concern, pulling her astral projection form back into her body. "Brooke, that's enough. Alice."
"Uh, safe to say you've all stayed in shape," Wyatt told them.
Buffy was concerned. "We're ready. Whatever they've got coming next, we're ready."
∞
Warehouse
A vampire named Absalom was leading other vampires. "We have been put down, kinsmen. We have lost our way. We have lost the night. But despair is for the living. Where they are weak, we will be strong. Where they weep, we rejoice. Where they bleed, we drink! Within three days, a new hope will arise. We will put our faith in him." He looked at Collin. "He will show us the way."
∞∞
Brooke's Dream
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Student Lounge
The Scoobies were sitting together. Alice was off in her own world.
"Alice?" Brady asked, putting a hand on her arm to bring her out of it. 'Alice."
"Fine," Alice told him. "I'm fine."
"Good," Brady told her. "It's good that you're fine."
"What were you thinking about?" Zoey asked.
"Nothing," Alice told them.
"Oh, come on, you can tell us," Xander told her. "We're your bosom friends. The friends of your bosom."
Willow gave him a look. "Xander."
Zoey had a power bar, wincing. Willow frowned at her apple. Carmen glared at her orange. Zoey gave her power bar to Willow, taking the orange from Carmen. Carmen took the apple from Willow. They started to eat, happy with the trade.
"I wasn't thinking anything, really," Alice told them.
"What'd you do last night?" Brooke asked.
"Mm, slept," Zoey answered. "I had weird dreams."
"Dreams are meaningful," Buffy told them. "Especially when they're coming from gypsy psychic dreams."
"The other night I dreamt that Xander..." Willow trailed off. "Uh, it wasn't Xander. In fact, it wasn't me. It was a friend's dream, and she doesn't remember it."
"I bet she doesn't," Brooke told her tauntingly, sarcastically.
Wyatt found them. "Brooke."
"Wyatt," Brooke replied, standing. "What is it? You look worried."
"This vampire activity, I think I know what they're up to," Wyatt told them.
"Well, we'll deal with it," Alice told him.
"I hope it's that simple," Wyatt told them.
"It is not to worry," Alice told him. "Trust me."
"Oh, I don't know," Wyatt told them, looking at Buffy, Brooke and Alice, laughing evilly. "I mean, I've killed you once, it shouldn't be too difficult to do it again."
"What?" Buffy asked.
Wyatt seemed to be using red Guardian energy to throw Brooke down onto the table, getting on top of her, beginning to choke her. The others just sat on the couch, chewing at their food, smiling. Brooke tried to use Guardian energy to push Wyatt off, but couldn't, clawing at his face, pulling off a mask, revealing the Master underneath Wyatt's face, staring up at him in wide-eyed terror.
∞
Reality
Night - Summers House - Brooke's Room
Brooke woke from her nightmare with a start, looking around, sitting up, rubbing her face, sighing.
∞
Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room
Carmen was just getting home late at night, looking toward the open window, turning away to pull her jacket off. She sensed something behind her, magically picking up a knife, telekinetically throwing it toward the person behind her, turning to see it was Angel, stopping the knife midair before it could impale him in the throat.
Angel chuckled in amusement. "Getting better at controlling your powers, I see. Should probably know better than to scare a witch, though." Carmen sighed, giving him an amused look. Angel used a finger to push the knife aside, smiling a little, sheepishly. "Mind if I come in?"
Carmen magically put the knife on the desk, giving Angel a sarcastic, amused look. "Be my guest."
Angel walked closer. "How are you?"
"Peachy," Carmen answered. "So, is this a social call? It's kinda late. Or, well, it is for me, anyway. What is it for you, lunch hour?"
"It's not a social call," Angel answered.
Carmen nodded. "Ah, so let me guess, that means grave danger."
"I'm sorry," Angel told her. "I wish I had better news."
"So, some of your cousins are in town for a family barbecue, and we're all on the menu?" Carmen asked.
"The Anointed One," Angel explained. "He's been gathering forces somewhere in town. I'm not sure why."
"Guess we'll find out soon enough, huh?" Carmen asked.
"You don't sound too concerned," Angel pointed out.
"Well, with Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Zoey, Layla, Giles and Alice back in town, we can handle it together," Carmen replied. "Besides, we've all been restless and could use a little action anyway."
"Don't underestimate the Anointed One just because he looks like a child," Angel warned. "He has power over the rest of them. They'll do anything for him. I've delivered the message. I'll go if you want me to."
Carmen shook her head. "You don't have to go. I missed you."
Angel couldn't help a small smile. "I missed you."
They smiled small smiles, sitting on the bed together to talk throughout the night.
∞
Day Three
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Outside
Joyce was dropping her kids off at school. "How are your new classes?"
"Good," Buffy answered.
"Good," Joyce told them. "Brooke, is there the slightest chance that if I asked you what was wrong, you would tell me?" Brooke looked away. "Of course not. It would take all the fun out of guessing."
∞
Inside - Hallway
The Scoobies were talking at Carmen's locker.
"Angel stopped by?" Zoey asked. "Wow."
Willow smiled. "Was there... Well, I mean, was it having to do with kissing?"
"Willow, grow up," Buffy told her. "Not everything is about kissing."
"Yeah," Xander agreed. "Some stuff's about groping." He looked at Carmen. "It wasn't about groping?"
"Okay, hormones on parade here?" Brady asked.
"Carmen said it was pure shop talk," Eric told them. "Remember vampires, pointy teeth, they walk by night, am I ringing a bell?"
"What did he say?" Brooke asked.
"Oh, something's up," Carmen answered, closing her locker.
"Nothing we can't handle," Alice told them.
They started walking down the hall.
"Oh, hey, did you guys hear that Cibo Matto's gonna be at the Bronze tonight?" Brady asked.
"Cibo Matto?" Eric asked. "They're playing?"
"No, Eric, they're gonna be clog dancing," Zoey told him sarcastically.
"Cibo Matto can clog dance?" Willow asked. Zoey tilted her head. "Oh, sarcasm, right."
"We should attend, no?" Brady asked.
Cordelia walked out of class and engaged them in the hall. "Oh, look, it's the Musketeers."
They looked at each other, not sure what to make of that.
"Was that an insult?" Alice asked.
"Kinda lacked punch," Brooke told them.
"The Three Musketeers were cool," Brady told her. "And there's nine of us."
"I see your point," Cordelia told them. "I just meant that you guys always hang out together. So, did you guys fight any demons this summer?"
Zoey looked around to make sure no one heard. "Uh, yes. Our own personal demons."
"Uh, such as lust and, uh, thrift," Buffy told them.
"What are you guys talking about?" Cordelia asked. "I'm talking about big squiggly demons that came from the ground? Remember? Prom night? With all the vampires."
"Cordelia, your mouth is open and sound is coming from it," Zoey told her. "This is never good."
"No," Eric agreed. "It's, see, we can't mention that stuff in front of other people. Buffy being the Slayer, Brooke and Alice being the Guardians, Zoey and Layla being gypsies, Wyatt and Carmen being witches and all."
"You haven't been talking about our little adventure all summer, have you?" Brady asked.
"Are you nuts?" Cordelia asked. "Do you think I would tell people that I spent the whole evening with you? Besides, it was all so creepy. That Master guy? And all the screaming? I don't even like to think about it. So your secret's safe with me."
"Well, that works out great," Alice told her. "You won't tell anyone our secrets, and I won't tell anyone you're a moron."
Alice walked away. The others were surprised by her out of character response, who was normally a sweetheart.
"Now, that was a good insult," Buffy told them.
"A little too good for Alice," Brady agreed.
Cordelia watched her go. "What's up with her?"
∞
Night - Bronze
(Song:) Spoon - Cibo Matto
The Scoobies, aside from Alice and Brooke, were talking, eating ice cream.
"I just think something's up is all," Willow told them.
"Willow, you're paranoid," Buffy told her.
"Alice and Brooke have never acted like this before," Brady told them. "Brooke's been different all summer, and Alice has been different since we got back."
"Brooke and Alice have always been different," Buffy told them.
"They've never been mean," Eric told them.
"Any sign of them?" Xander asked. "They said they were coming."
"No," Zoey answered. "The band's cool, though."
Buffy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, cool." Willow dipped her nose into her ice cream and smiled, trying to get Xander's attention. Buffy looked at her weirdly. "You got something on your nose."
The smile disappeared from Willow's face, and she wiped the ice cream off with her napkin.
(Song Ends)
∞
Cemetery
Four crosses marked the Master's grave. A shovel stabbed into the dirt, starting to dig. Another one joined in. The camera panned around to Absalom, Collin and two others watching the first two vampires dig.
"Don't just stand there, dig," Absalom told them. "We have to hurry."
The other two got on their knees, beginning to dig. The ground burned their hands.
"The ground is consecrated," Vampire 1 told them. "It burns."
"Dig," Collin instructed.
The two vampires continued digging by hand. The grave was shallow, and they soon unearthed the Master's skull.
∞
The Bronze
(Song:) Sugar Water - Cibo Matto
Brooke walked into the Bronze. Wyatt was here, walking closer.
"Hi," Brooke told him.
"Hi," Wyatt told her.
"So, is there danger at the Bronze?" Brooke asked. "Should I beware?"
"I can't help thinking that I've done something to make you angry," Wyatt admitted. "And that bothers me more than I'd like."
Brooke smirked, shaking her head. "I'm not angry. I don't know where that comes from."
"What is up with you and Alice then?" Wyatt asked. "What did you two see when you were dead, Brooke? You said something about seeing the Guardians before you that wanted their power released from the Master."
"Look, Wyatt, I'm really not in the mood to talk about the time that we were dead," Brooke told him. "Could any of you contemplate that our attitudes has nothing to do with that for a second? We've moved on." She trailed a hand along his shoulder. "Like you could've move on from your vampire brother killing your long lost love to try to turn his immortal witch brother evil like him. So much that you couldn't let yourself love another. You should take a page from our book and move on."
Brooke walked away. Wyatt was stunned, confused, watching her go, wondering about her attitude.
Alice walked up to the other Scoobies. "Hey."
"Hi," Buffy told her.
"Hey," Zoey told her.
Brooke walked up to them.
"What's wrong with Wyatt?" Eric asked.
Brooke shrugged. "Beats me."
Alice looked at Brady, pulling at his shirt. "Let's dance."
Brady was surprised, agreeable. "Okay."
Alice pulled Brady to the dance floor. They began to slow dance. Her movements were very sensual. Alice turned around, her back against Brady, pulling his arms around her waist, grinding hips and shoulders against him, reaching up with her hand, stroking his face.
Alice turned to Brady, tilting her head up to his, close enough to kiss. "Brady? Did I ever thank you for saving my life?"
"No," Brady answered.
Alice slowly slithered around him, making sure not to lose contact with his body. "Don't you wish I would?"
Alice broke off, leaving him standing there. Brady wasn't sure what to make of it all, knowing something wasn't right with Alice or Brooke, worried, concerned, but not liking how that moment just ended. Alice walked back to the table, retrieving her jacket, barely glancing at her friends, walking past Cordelia as she made her way out of the Bronze. Brady watched her go.
Brooke walked past Wyatt as she pulled on her jacket to leave the Bronze, brushing past him. Wyatt turned his head to watch her go.
(Song Ends)
∞
Outside
Cordelia followed Brooke and Alice outside. "Brooke. Alice." They stopped. "You're really campaigning for bitches of the year, aren't you?"
They turned to face her.
"As defending champion, you nervous?" Alice asked.
"I can hold my own," Cordelia replied. "You know, we've never really been close, which is nice, 'cause I don't really like you that much, but you have on occasion saved the world and stuff, so I'm gonna... do you a favor."
"And this great favor is..." Alice trailed off.
"I'm gonna give you some advice," Cordelia answered. "Get over it."
"Excuse me?" Alice asked.
"Whatever is causing the Joan Collins 'tude, deal with it," Cordelia told them. "Embrace the pain, spank your inner moppet, whatever, but get over it. 'Cause pretty soon, you're not even gonna have the loser friends you've got now, and your families aren't gonna be much more fond of you either."
"I think it's about time you start minding your own business," Brooke told her.
"It's long past," Alice agreed.
Brooke turned around, walking away, flipping up the hood of her jacket. "Nighty-night."
Alice walked away in a different direction.
"I'll just see if Wyatt or Brady feels like dancing," Cordelia taunted them.
After Brooke and Alice were gone, Cordelia was suddenly grabbed by two vampires coming out of the shadows, dragged into an adjacent building.
∞∞
Basement
The two vampires forced Cordelia down the stairs. At the bottom, they shoved her into the room.
Cordelia was frightened, looking around, taking a step sideways, bumping into a hand, looking down to see an unconscious Jenny, kneeling next to her to see if she was okay. "Ms. Calendar? Oh, God, Ms. Calendar?"
∞
Cemetery
Alice was walking alone, seeing the Master's grave, finding it dug open and his bones exhumed, stepping back slowly, thinking she saw the Master out of the corner of her eye, quickly turning to look, but no one was there.
∞
Day Four
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Student Lounge
Buffy, Zoey, Carmen, Willow, Brady, Eric, Xander, Wyatt and Giles were talking about Brooke and Alice.
"They're possessed," Buffy told them.
"Possessed?" Giles repeated.
"That's the only explanation that makes any sense," Zoey told them. "I mean, you should've seen them last night. That wasn't Brooke and Alice."
"They were totally brushing Wyatt and Brady off," Xander agreed. "And according to Carmen and her ability to see soulmates, Wyatt and Brady are Brooke and Alice's soulmates, and they were completely shaming them."
"And normally they're so sweet," Willow told them. "They're possessed."
"Alice was a little off while we were in England, but we didn't see much of each other while I was with the Council," Giles admitted. "But what would they be possessed by?"
"A possessing thing," Eric told them.
"Well, that narrows it down," Wyatt told them sarcastically. "There's an entire sodding list of 'possessing things', Eric."
Xander looked at Wyatt and Giles. "Well, other than Alice, you're the experts."
"Well, maybe when the Master killed Brooke and Alice with Guardian power that he stole from the Guardians he's killed before them, and they were brought back to life with a mixture of Wyatt's magic and CPR from Brady, Eric and Wyatt, after they saw the previous Guardians before them, it caused a disruption in their minds and personalities," Giles told them.
"That's what it was," Willow told them. "I mean, why else would they be acting like B-I-T-C-H-E-S?"
"Willow, I think we're all a little too old to be spelling things out," Giles told her.
"Bitcaes?" Xander asked.
Eric was not surprised by Xander's misunderstanding. "Yes."
"Alice and Brooke said that when they died, the Guardians they saw when they were dead wanted their power to be released from the Master like it should be," Giles told them. "I don't think we released the Guardian power after we killed the Master. And that could be the reason why they're acting so out of sorts."
"Well, how do we help them get back to normal?" Brady asked.
"We have to release the Guardian power from the Master, right?" Eric asked.
"It may be very well much more difficult than that," Giles told them. "Layla and Zoey, or Carmen and Wyatt may have to use a spell to help bring them out of it."
"Yeah, we can do that," Carmen told them.
"So either we release the Guardian energy from the Master's bones so that the ghosts of the Guardians will let Brooke and Alice get back to normal," Buffy told them. "Or Zoey, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla cast a spell to help them get back to normal. Or both."
Zoey noticed Brooke and Alice in the doorway behind Giles and Wyatt. "That's a very interesting point about trout. You just brought up now."
Brooke and Alice walked up to them.
Giles looked at Zoey in confusion. "Trout?" They all saw Brooke and Alice. "Trout. Yes, trout is a fish. Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Like a rock," Alice told them. "Master's gone."
"I'm sorry?" Brady asked.
"The Master," Alice answered. "I went by his grave last night and they have a vacancy."
"Good God," Giles told them.
"What would somebody want with Master bones?" Brady asked.
"A trophy?" Eric asked. "A horrible conversation piece?"
Wyatt realized. "They're gonna bring him back."
Brooke looked at Wyatt, Alice and Giles. "They're gonna bring the Master back to life, and I seem to recall the three of you telling us he was history."
"Brooke, I've never heard of a revivification ritual being successful," Wyatt told her.
"But you've heard of them?" Brooke asked. "Thanks for the warning."
"Well, guys, Wyatt did bury him and--" Xander started.
"Look, this is Slayer and Guardian stuff, okay?" Alice asked. "Could we have just a little less from the civilians, please?"
"Okay, that's just about enough," Wyatt told her. Brooke gave him a look. "We know what's happening to you and Brooke, Alice. And we think that we can help reverse it."
"We think," Buffy agreed. "We're not for sure."
"But we are gonna figure it out," Brady told them. "Promise."
Snyder walked toward them, looking at the students. "I believe some of us have class?" He looked at Giles and Wyatt. "And some of us have jobs."
"Yes, well, I'll, uh, I'll see you all, uh, in the library later," Giles told them. "We'll continue this discussion."
They all stood.
"About trout," Xander told them.
The students walked away.
Snyder watched them go, looking at Giles and Wyatt. "There's some things I can just smell. It's like a sixth sense."
"No, actually, that would be one of the five," Wyatt told him with honest sarcasm.
Snyder looked at Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Zoey and Carmen. "Those girls and that boy. I smell trouble. I smell expulsion, and just the faintest aroma of jail."
"Well, before you throw away the key, you might consider giving them the benefit of the doubt," Giles told him. "They may surprise you."
"You two really have faith in those kids, don't you?" Snyder asked.
"Yes," Wyatt answered. "We do."
Snyder walked away. "Weird."
∞
Library
Everyone was gathered to talk. Layla was even here.
"All right, all right, we've got something," Carmen told them. "It's Latin, so bear with us."
"Uh, to revive the vampire they need his bones, which they have, the blood..." Wyatt trailed off. "This is very unclear. Of the closest person, uh, someone connected to the vampire."
"That'd be Brooke, Alice and me," Buffy told them.
"Perhaps," Giles told them.
"We were close," Brooke told them. "We killed each other."
"It really promotes togetherness," Buffy agreed.
"Well, is there anything on when the ceremony might take--" Zoey started. A rock shattered through a window. "Whoa!"
Carmen caught the rock. It had a note wrapped around it and kept in place with a bracelet.
"That's Cordelia's," Carmen told them.
Eric took the note, reading it. "'Come to the Bronze before it opens or we make her a meal'."
Carmen was angry and worried with her sister in danger.
"They're gonna cook her dinner?" Xander asked. Everyone gave him a look. "Oh, pretend I didn't say that."
"What do we do?" Layla asked.
"We go to the Bronze and save the day," Brady told them.
Buffy, Brooke and Alice stood.
"I don't like this," Eric told them.
"Nor I," Layla agreed.
"Yeah, well, you guys aren't going," Brooke told them.
"What do you mean?" Willow asked.
"I can't do it anymore," Brooke told them. "We can't look after you guys while we're fighting."
"Well, what about the rest of the note?" Willow asked.
"What rest of the note?" Buffy asked.
"The part that says, 'PS, this is a trap'," Zoey answered.
"You'll be playing straight into their hands," Layla agreed.
"We can handle this," Alice told them.
"Stop saying that," Willow told them.
"God, we know what's wrong with you," Brady told them. "But we can't do anything about it until we find the Master's bones."
"Cordelia may be dead," Xander told them.
"And she's Carmen's sister," Eric agreed. "You can't tell us to stay behind."
"Carmen, your powers get out of control when you're emotional," Buffy told her. "And this is a trap for you, so please stay here and protect this guys. We will make sure that Cordelia's safe."
"Zoey, Layla, stay here with them too," Wyatt told them.
"This is our fight," Alice told them. "I'm not letting anyone get hurt because of this."
Brooke looked at Wyatt, Brady and Buffy. "Are you coming or not?"
Wyatt sighed, worried, concerned about Brooke and Alice while they were like this, but knowing it wasn't their fault because of everything going on. "We're coming. Let's go."
Buffy, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt and Alice walked out together. The others watched them go, sighing.
∞
The Bronze - Outside
Buffy, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt and Alice arrived, seeing Angel.
"What are you doing here?" Brady asked. "Carmen gave us the warning of impending doom."
"Thought you could could use some help," Angel answered. "Someone to watch your backs."
"Sure you don't mean our necks?" Brooke asked.
"What's going on with you?" Angel asked.
"We don't trust you," Alice told him. "You're a vampire." They gave her a look. "Oh, I'm sorry, was that an offensive term? Should I say 'undead American'?"
"Alice and Brooke are having issues because they didn't release the Guardian power from the Master's bones like the ghosts of Guardians past wanted them to," Buffy explained. "So the Guardians are changing them and making them lash out until we find the bones and release the power into the earth to appease them so they'll leave them alone."
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Angel asked.
"We do," Brooke answered.
"Well, you're wasting time," Angel told them.
"Just stay out of our way," Brooke told him, walking toward the Bronze.
Angel sighed. "Happy to oblige."
∞
Inside
They walked into the Bronze, slowly walking through the empty club, coming upon a girl crying in a corner, stopping.
"That's not Cordelia," Wyatt told them.
The vampire laughed, turning toward them. "Cordelia couldn't make it."
"Where is she?" Wyatt asked.
"I'm not supposed to tell," the vampire told them.
"I don't like this," Brady told them.
"Don't like what?" Alice asked.
"There's the bait," Brady told them. "Where's the hook?"
The vampire attacked, but Alice and Brooke easily used red Guardian energy to throw the vampire down, pinning her. They looked at Brady.
"You're right," Wyatt told him. "Why would they send just one?"
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
The others were continuing research.
"I still think we should've gone with them," Carmen told them.
"Brooke and Alice are about to lose it," Xander told them. "I think we should be trying to reach minimum safe distance."
"At least until we find the Master's bones," Willow agreed. "So that Brooke and Alice could release the Guardian power back to the earth. To get them to leave them alone."
"Xander, Willow, you know it's a trap," Eric told them. Zoey and Layla were distracted and confused, thinking. Eric noticed. "Zoey? Layla?"
"Sorry," Layla told them. "Just thinking."
"About what?" Willow asked.
"Well, they've had three months," Layla told them. "Almost four months to bring the Master back. Why wait until now?"
"Maybe they were waiting for Buffy, Brooke and Alice," Willow told them. "I mean, they're the ones that they need, right?"
"I don't know about that," Layla told them. "I mean, I've been trying to call Jenny. I couldn't get an answer. Not since yesterday. Jenny always answers her phone. And if they needed Buffy, Alice and Brooke, why would they need Cordelia?"
Giles was still reading, and he got their attention when he found something. "Ah! Ah, ah, ah! Uh, the Latin is translated from the Sumerian, and rather badly. Closest to the Master actually translates as 'nearest'. Physically. The the person or persons who were with him... when he... The ones who were in the room with him."
"Willow," Layla told them. "Zoey. Carmen. Cordelia. Rupert. Jenny. Me."
"They weren't waiting for Buffy, Brooke and Alice to get back to town," Zoey told them. "They were waiting for Giles. My mom. Aunt Jenny. And me."
Carmen was worried. "It is a trap. It just isn't for Buffy, Brooke and Alice. It's for us."
Smoke started to fill the room, making them all cough and gasp for breath, unable to breathe, making them pass out, so that Zoey, Carmen and Layla couldn't use their powers in defense. Vampires walked into the room to take Zoey, Carmen, Willow, Giles and Layla while they were unconscious.
∞∞
The Bronze
Alice and Brooke were keeping the vampire pinned easily with their power.
Brooke looked at Angel. "Watch her. Don't kill her unless you have to."
"Guys," Angel told them. "What's going on?"
"We'll be back," Brady told him.
Alice, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt and Buffy left.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
Alice, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt and Buffy came running in, stopping short when they saw the place in shambles. Xander and Eric were the only ones still there, waking up.
Buffy ran closer worriedly. "Eric. Xander."
"What happened?" Alice asked.
Xander was out of breath. "Vampires. The ones you could handle yourselves."
"Where are the others?" Brady asked.
"I don't know," Eric told them. "We just have to think. Where would they have taken them?"
Wyatt frowned in confusion. "Why did they take them and not you?"
"Giles said the ritual was, um..." Xander trailed off, thinking. "They needed people who were close to the Master. Physically close when he, uh..."
Wyatt realized what he was saying. "The ones who were with the Master when he died."
Eric nodded. "Zoey. Layla. Carmen. Cordelia."
"Giles," Xander went on. "Willow. Ms. Calendar."
"We need to figure out where," Buffy told them.
Xander sighed worriedly. "Where?"
∞
The Bronze
They returned to the Bronze, where the vampire was still bound with Guardian energy, interrogating her.
"One more time," Brooke told her. "Where are they?"
"You're too late," the vampire told them tauntingly. "Your friends are dead."
Alice lifted the vampire up with Guardian energy angrily. "Tell us where they are!"
The vampire laughed. "What are you gonna do, kill me?"
"As a matter of fact, yes," Brady answered.
"But since we're not gonna kill you any time soon, the question becomes how are we gonna pass the time till then," Alice told her.
Brooke and Alice threw the vampire onto the pool table with Guardian energy, torturing her, using the energy to start to pull the vampire apart piece of dust by piece, making her scream in agony.
"So," Wyatt told her. "One more time."
∞
Warehouse
Collin carried a black case past the Master's skeleton, which had been laid out on a table.
Absalom took the case from Collin. "Begin." Another vampire started to pull on a chain. Jenny, Zoey, Layla, Giles, Willow, Carmen and Cordelia were moved along overhead a conveyor to hand upside down and unconscious above the Master's bones. "Behold, these mortals." Buffy, Eric, Brooke, Wyatt, Alice, Brady, Xander and Angel arrived through a side door. "Witnesses to our Master's wretched demise. They will breathe their last this night. The blood that pours from their throats will bring new life to the old one. We gather for his resurrection. For the dawn of this new hell."
"Guys," Angel told them. "Guys. We gotta do something now."
"Xander, Eric, get the others out of here," Buffy told them.
"We need you to distract the vampires," Eric told them.
"Right," Brady agreed.
"What are you gonna do?" Xander asked.
"We're gonna kill them all," Alice answered. "That ought to distract them."
Absalom was holding a Kuhkri, a long, curved knife. "For the old one. For his pain. For the dark."
All the vampires repeated together. "For the dark!"
Absalom kissed the blade.
A stake was suddenly thrust through a vampire from behind, instantly turning him into ashes, revealing Brady standing behind him in a fighting stance.
The vampires looked at Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Brady and Angel in disbelief, roaring as the fighting began. Eric and Xander were taking the opportunity to climb the ladder to the platform above to get the others off of the conveyor.
Absalom took Collin, ushering him out of the warehouse, coming back, seeing Eric and Xander pulling on the chain and bringing the others back over the platform. "The sacrifices! Stop them!"
A vampire ran to the ladder to get to the platform as the fight continued.
Wyatt waved an arm, creating a line of orange energy that created fire to kill a vampire, and then another, and another, making them burn alive and turn to ash with screams.
Alice used red energy to hypnotize and control the minds of vampires surrounding her, making them turn against each other and kill each other.
A vampire tried to hit Brooke with a pipe. Brooke used red energy to stop him from using the pipe, making him drop it, levitating herself up with red energy to kick the vampire in the face, flipping through the air, landing above him, waving her arms to rip the vampire to pieces with a single thought.
Buffy, Brady and Angel were fighting hand to hand, staking the vampires around them, punching, kicking and killing.
Absalom looked around, rushing out of the room.
Buffy did a flip over some wooden boxes, grabbing one on the way, smashing it onto a vampire's head, kicking him in the face, knocking him down, breaking a few pieces of wood off of the box.
Brady tackled another vampire, staking him, making him fall into dust.
As Eric and Xander pulled the others off of the conveyor, they were starting to wake up.
Zoey, Carmen and Layla were awake enough to realize what was happening. Zoey and Layla took off their necklaces that blocked their powers, which started to glow brightly with purple power.
Zoey used purple power to shoot into a vampire's chest, throwing him down so hard that he was sent flipping backward, levitating off of the table to the floor, using her power to throw a stake into his heart, killing him.
As a vampire restrained Layla from behind, Layla sent a burst of her power through her own body into the chest of the vampire restraining her to make him let go, turning to face him, sending a burst of her power into his chest to make him fall back onto the stake that Brady held ready, allowing him to kill him.
Carmen used her telekinesis power to throw a vampire toward Angel. Angel grabbed the vampire's head. Carmen used her power to pull on the vampire's body so hard that they separated his head from his body, decapitating him, killing him. Angel and Carmen looked at each other in relief, smirking slightly.
A vampire was on top of Buffy. Buffy reached up with a broken piece of wood, jamming it into the vampire's back to kill him, getting ash all over herself.
Layla helped Giles sit up. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," Giles answered.
"Where's Zoey?" Layla asked.
"Right here, Mom," Zoey answered.
Zoey and Layla embraced.
Carmen walked toward Cordelia. They embraced.
A vampire made it up to the platform and growled. Angel looked at him, shifted, growling back. The vampire ran toward them, and Angel ran toward him to meet him. Angel and his opponent fell through a poorly covered hole in the platform.
Eric was helping Willow sit up, watching the fight below.
Willow was surprised to see her brother. "Eric." Willow and Eric embraced. Xander ran over to help. "Xander."
Zoey watched the fight. "Well, Brooke and Alice are working out their issues. Damn."
Underneath the platform Angel's attacker tried to jam a piece of wood into his chest, but Angel stopped him and jammed it into his instead.
Buffy kicked the vampire she was fighting into a storage rack, and he fell down with it.
Absalom showed up in the doorway with a large sledgehammer. "Enough!" They all turned to look at him. The other vampire stood back up. "Your day is done. I'll grind you into sticky pastes, and hear you beg before I smash in your faces."
"So, are you gonna kill us?" Carmen asked. "Or are we just making small talk?"
Absalom raised the sledgehammer in indignation, yelling as he ran forward.
Another vampire ran toward Brady from behind. Brady calmly looked at the tall wooden torch in front of him, breaking it off, turning it a few times in his hands, holding it toward the vampire as he ran closer, impaling him on the broken end, killing him and making him crumble into ash.
Wyatt used his power to set Absalom on fire, burning him alive. Absalom backed away and screamed as the flames spread over him. He made a last desperate attempt to get Wyatt, but Wyatt used his power to make the flames engulf him completely in less than a second, burning him alive and turn him into ash. The sledgehammer fell to the floor with a loud clang.
Brady dropped the torch post.
Alice and Brooke looked over at the Master's skeleton.
"It's over," Willow told them.
"No," Zoey told them. "It's not."
They all knew that Alice and Brooke had to release the Guardian energy from the Master's bones into the earth so that the Guardians would leave them alone and let them return normal. Alice and Brooke walked closer to the skeleton. Alice held her hands over the skeleton, closing her eyes, opening them, revealing that her eyes were glowing with red energy, as her hands started to glow with red energy as well, drawing the Guardian energy out of the skeleton, releasing it back into the earth as it visibly settled through the floor back into the earth. Alice gasped as she felt it end, backing away, letting the red glow fade from her eyes and hands, starting to cry.
Giles walked toward Alice. They embraced. Giles held his daughter as she cried in his arms.
Still overwhelmed with anger and sadness, Brooke used her red Guardian energy to rip the bones of the Master apart, shattering them to pieces, repeatedly ripping the bones apart until it was no longer, until nothing was left on the table.
Everyone was watching in sadness and sympathy.
Brooke stopped, crying, letting her red energy fade. Alice was trying to stop crying, holding her head in her hands. It was clear that the Guardians from before them had been satisfied and let them return to themselves, letting them feel normal once again, and were no longer messing with them.
Wyatt and Brady walked closer.
"It's okay," Wyatt told them. "It's okay."
Brooke and Alice turned to Wyatt and Brady apologetically in regret, unable to believe what they had done and said while they were like that, crying now that they no longer felt the effects of the Guardians. Wyatt and Brady gently held them as they cried.
Everyone watched sadly, knowingly and understandingly, sad for them, but relieved that it was over and that Alice and Brooke could act like themselves again now that they pleased the Guardians. Carmen and Angel looked at each other, taking each other by the hands. Buffy and Brady embraced Brooke as she could stop crying.
∞
Day Five
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Quad
Carmen and Cordelia were walking together.
"What an ordeal," Cordelia told her. "And you know what the worst part is?"
"What?" Carmen asked.
"It stays with you forever," Cordelia answered. "No matter what they tell you, none of that rust and blood and grime comes out. I mean, you can dry clean till judgment day, you are living with those stains."
Carmen nodded sarcastically. "Yeah, that's the worst part of being hung upside down by a vampire who wants to slit your throat. The stains."
Cordelia didn't notice the sarcasm. "I hear you."
Elsewhere, Giles and Layla were walking together.
"I'm glad Alice and Brooke are better now," Layla told him. "I know they're worried about their friends and family reacting to the way they were and the way they are now. But at least the Guardians will leave them alone now. After they released their power back into the earth like they wanted them to."
"Yes, I was very worried about them, Alice especially," Giles admitted.
"Well, she's your daughter, Rupert," Layla told him. "How could you not worry about her? But I imagine that they're both punishing themselves and that they want to crawl inside a cave for the rest of their lives."
Giles nodded in agreement. "Well, now that they're able to return to their normal selves, it shouldn't take long before they're settled back into their lives."
"Pretty sure that none of us are gonna settle into normal lives," Layla told him. "But we can dream."
Giles chuckled. "Yes, we can. You did very well last night, Layla. You and Zoey have come so far already."
"You sound like you're about to say you're proud of us," Layla told him. They smiled. "Thank you."
∞
English Class
The Scoobies were sitting in class, laughing, when Brooke and Alice arrived, sitting next to them hesitantly.
"Hey, Brooke," Willow told her. "Hey, Alice."
"Hey, you guys feeling any better?" Zoey asked.
Alice and Brooke nodded.
"Good," Carmen told them. "We missed the real yous."
Alice and Brooke smiled in relief.
Brady looked between them. "We know that it wasn't really you guys."
"But now with the Guardians leaving you two alone, you are you," Buffy told them.
"There's a rumor going around that, uh, Mr. Cox is the most boring teacher in the entire world," Zoey told them. "Like, I think he won a belt or something."
"Like, yes," Brooke told them.
"Well, I hear he nods off a lot," Willow told them. "So that's a plus."
"So, we Bronzing it tonight?" Carmen asked.
"Wednesday?" Alice asked. "It's kinda beat."
"Well, we could grind our enemies into talcum powder with a sledge hammer, but, gosh, we did that last night," Eric told them.
They all smiled.
"Hey, I got a plan," Xander told them. "How about miniature golf?"
"There's no course here," Brooke told him.
"Okay, uh, miniature tennis," Xander told them. "A very tiny form of tennis that we could invent..."
They made small talk until class began. The camera slowly panned around them as they all smiled and laughed.
∞
Hallway
(Song:) It Doesn't Matter - Alison Krauss
After class, Alice caught up with Brady, through the crowd of students. "Brady, wait."
Brady turned to face her. "Yeah?"
Alice sighed, tilting her head in sorrow and guilt. "Can we talk?"
Brady nodded, leading Alice to the side to talk. "If you're gonna apologize, I'm just gonna tell you that it doesn't matter."
"Of course it matters, Brady," Alice told him.
Brady shook his head. "No. Because it wasn't your fault. We know that. You should, too, Alice. You and Brooke."
"Well, whether it was our fault or not, we still feel terrible about it," Alice told him.
"Of course you do, because you wouldn't be you if you didn't," Brady told her. Alice managed a small smile, looking down. Brady smirked. "Knew I could get a smile."
Alice looked up, sighing, looking at him curiously. "Any other boy would be upset about what I did to you."
"It wasn't you, Alice," Brady told her. "Not really. And either way, I'm not most guys."
Alice chuckled, smiling. "Obviously. Thank you, Brady. For being there for me after I broke down."
"Well, you died, the Guardians wouldn't leave you or Brooke alone until you did what they wanted, and they made you act out, and after that, you two broke down," Brady told her. "It's crazy, but for us, it's not the craziest thing."
Alice nodded in agreement. "That's true. Still. Thank you."
Brady nodded. "You wanna get some lunch?"
Alice looked relieved, sighing. "Absolutely. I'm hungry."
Brady smiled. "Come on."
They chuckled, walking down the hallway together.
∞
Library
Brooke walked into the library, looking around. "Wyatt?"
Wyatt walked out from the weapons cage. "I'm here."
"I wanted to apologize for the things I said and did," Brooke told him. "It was pretty horrible."
"It wasn't you, Brooke," Wyatt told her. "It wasn't Alice. The Guardians wouldn't let you be until you released their power back to the earth. Now that you have, they'll leave you alone, and you can be you."
Brooke smiled a little in relief, nodding. "I still wanted to apologize."
"And I thank you for apologizing," Wyatt told her. Brooke managed a small smile. "There is something you said, even if you were being a bitch, that was right. I never really moved on from what my brother did to the girl I used to love, and so I never let myself love another like that."
"Wyatt, I'm so sorry," Brooke told him, sad and regretful, embarrassed for the things she said. "I never wanted to say that. I never wanted to hurt you like that."
"I know," Wyatt told her. "You don't have to keep apologizing. There is one girl that I've felt like that for, other than the one I've lost back then. Carmen's not exactly secretive about her power of seeing soulmates, so Angel knew that..."
"We were," Brooke finished. "Are, I mean. I get it. It's kind of weird to think that, though? Knowing your soulmate?"
"It's a relief," Wyatt answered.
Brooke smiled in relief, nodding. "Yeah. It is. Glad you feel that way too."
"I just needed to learn to let someone in again," Wyatt told her.
Brooke stepped closer, nodding. "So did you?"
"Yeah," Wyatt answered. "I did."
They smiled slightly, looking at each other for a long moment. Wyatt placed a hand on her cheek, gazing at her, silently asking. Brooke nodded, a little nervous, but happy and content. They kissed slowly at first, then more passionately as time went on, continuing to kiss.
(Song Ends)
∞
Warehouse
Collin was surveying the damage the Scoobies had wrought, looking all around him at the pieces of bone strewn all over the place. "I hate those people."