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 - Street
On the street that led to the Summers house, the Scoobies were walking together.
"You don't know what you're talking about," Xander told them.
"Xander, he was obviously in charge," Zoey told him.
"He was a puppet," Xander told them. "She was using him."
"He didn't seem like the type of guy who would let himself be used," Willow told him.
"Well, that was her genius," Eric told them. "He didn't even know he was playing second fiddle." He turned to take his girlfriend by the hand. "Buffy."
"Huh?" Buffy asked.
"Who was the real power?" Eric asked. "The Captain, or Tennille?"
"Um..." Buffy trailed off. "Who are these people?"
"The Captain and Tennille?" Carmen asked. "Boy, somebody was raised in a culture-free environment."
"I'm sorry," Brooke told them. "I was just..."
"Thinking?" Alice suggested.
"No, not thinking," Brooke answered. "Having a lot of happy non-thoughts. I love it when things are quiet around here."
Brady nodded. "Yeah. With Spike, Drusilla and Bianca out of the way, we've really been riding the mellow. And I am really jinxing the hell out of us by saying that."
Alice smiled in amusement. "Yeah. But we'll let you off this time."
They turned down the walk to the Summers house.
"So, we're pretty sure that there're not more Tarakan assassins coming our way?" Willow asked.
"Wyatt and Angel's sources say the contract's off," Zoey answered. "How are Wyatt and Angel? By the way? I mean, after everything that went down with Spike, Drusilla and Bianca?"
"Wyatt's dealing with the fact that his brother wouldn't give up on trying to kill me and his friends to make him go insane until he was nearly killed by you, Zoey," Brooke answered.
Zoey smirked.
Carmen smiled. "Angel's getting better."
"And you're loving playing nursemaid?" Willow asked.
"Oh, yeah," Carmen answered.
"So, is it better than playing naughty stewardess?" Brady asked.
"Brady..." Alice trailed off.
Brady chuckled. They climbed the steps to the porch. Buffy got out her key and reached up to put it in the door lock. When she pushed on it to insert it the door just swung in. She stared in, concerned to find the door unlocked.
"You guys wait here a second," Buffy told them.
Brooke, Brady and Buffy slowly walked in and looked around.
∞
Inside - Living Room
The Summers siblings walked in, looking around, hearing a glass fall and break in the kitchen.
They heard Joyce from the kitchen. "No!"
∞
Kitchen
The Summers siblings ran in. "Mom!"
They caught their mother locked in an embrace with and kissing a man named Ted. They broke off their kiss, and all of them stared awkwardly at each other.
Buffy looked away. "Oh, my... I'm sorry. We--we heard..."
"Uh, I broke a wine glass," Joyce explained. "You're home early."
"Hi," Ted told them.
Brady looked at him suspiciously. "Hi."
Joyce looked at Ted. "Oh, uh, these are my kids, Buffy, Brooke and Brady. Buffy, Brooke, Brady, this is Ted."
Buffy, Brooke and Brady just stared at Ted, unsure of how to react.
∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞
Summers House - Hallway
The Summers were talking in the hallway.
"So, all these late nights at the gallery recently, we gather you were cataloging more than art, Mom," Brady told her.
Joyce blushed sheepishly. "Well, I--I've been looking for the right moment to introduce you to him. He's a wonderful man."
"How's you meet?" Brooke asked.
"Oh, he sells, uh, computer software," Joyce told them. "He redid my entire system at the gallery, freed up a lot of my time."
"To meet new people," Brady told her. "And smooch them in our kitchen."
Joyce gave them a look. "You weren't supposed to see that."
∞
Kitchen
The other Scoobies had been invited in to stay for dinner with the Summers and Ted.
Ted was cooking. He opened the oven and slid in a baking sheet full of mini pizzas. "Okay, here we go. Sprinkle that on..."
"Uh, a little more," Eric told him. "Okay. More..."
Ted took the cast-iron pan from the stove, walking over to the island with it and scooping out several finished pizzas.
"I like my new nine-Gig hard drive," Willow told him.
"But you don't love it, 'cause without the DMA upgrade your computer's only half a rocket ship," Ted told her.
"Yeah, but who can afford the upgrades?" Willow asked.
"Well, you can," Ted told her. "I get the demos for free, I don't see why I shouldn't give 'em to you for the same price. Any friend of Buffy, Brady and Brooke's..." Willow squealed with delight. The boys munched on the mini pizzas. "What?"
"Oh, that's the sound my sister makes when she's speechless with geeker joy," Eric explained.
"Can I just say, this is the finest pizza ever on God's green Earth," Carmen told him. "What is your secret?"
"Well, after you bake it, you fry it in herbs and olive oil, but you gotta use..." Ted trailed off, knocking his pan. "A cast-iron skillet. No room for compromise there."
The Summers walked in.
"You know, you should market these things," Zoey told him. "I mean, you can get two, three hundred bucks apiece."
Ted laughed at that and took the plate with the pizzas over to the Summers siblings, and Alice. "Hungry?"
"No, thanks," Alice answered. "I don't eat much."
"Well, that isn't exactly healthy, Alice," Ted told her.
"It's the way I am," Alice replied.
Ted sighed. "Buffy, Brooke, Brady? I want to apologize. That wasn't how I wanted us to meet. I wanted it to be... perfect. I'm very fond of your mother, I guess that's pretty obvious. I know you're the most..." He gestured toward the picture of the Summers on the refrigerator. "Important thing in her life, and, well, gosh, that makes you pretty important to me, too."
Joyce stood next to Ted. "Brady, Brooke, Buffy, I really want you to be okay with this."
"Beg to differ," Ted told them. "We really want you to be okay with this."
They both smiled at them.
"We're okay," Buffy told them.
"You are?" Joyce asked.
Brooke smiled stiffly. "We are."
∞
Park
A picnic in the park was empty. Suddenly a vampire came crashing down onto it, making it collapse underneath it. The vampire shook off the blow, getting up, coming at Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Carmen, Brady, Wyatt and Giles. Brooke and Alice used their red Guardian energy as a shield to block the vampire's moves. Wyatt threw the vampire to the ground with magic. Brady used a trash can lid to hit the vampire over the head repeatedly. Buffy punched the vampire repeatedly. Brooke was torturing the vampire with Guardian power, taking him apart piece by piece.
"Brooke?" Wyatt asked. "I--I think he's, um... I think it's just time to kill him. Really. Don't you think?"
Buffy kicked the vampire in the face, punching him in the jaw. The others sat down, sighing, waiting. Brady punched the vampire in the face, kicking him in the knee, making him fall to the ground, pulling out a stake, staking him in the heart, ashing him. The Summers walked over to the others.
"Any others?" Zoey asked.
"Well, for their sakes, I certainly hope not," Alice replied.
"What?" Carmen asked. "We kill vampires. That's our job."
"Well, true, true," Giles agreed. "Although, you don't usually beat them into such a bloody pulp beforehand." He looked at Buffy, Brooke and Brady. "Everything all right?"
They didn't answer.
"We killed a vampire here on Wednesday," Zoey told them. "Why are they hanging out at the park?"
"Well, they're scattered, you know," Wyatt answered. "Now their leaders are gone. Weakened. In times of crisis, they usually return to the easiest feeding grounds."
"Vampires are creeps," Carmen said. "Not all, though."
Giles nodded. "Yes, that's why we slay them."
Brooke sighed. "I mean, people are perfectly happy getting along, and then vampires come, and they run around and they kill people, and they take over your whole house, they start making these stupid little mini pizzas, and everyone's like, 'I like your mini pizzas,' but I'm telling you, I am..."
Wyatt cleared his throat. "Uh, Brooke? I believe there is something entirely different bothering you. Are you sure there's nothing you three wanna share?"
Buffy shook her head. "No, forget it."
Alice looked around. "Think there'll be any more? We can wait."
∞
Day Two
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Hallway
The Scoobies were walking down the hallway together, meeting up with Wyatt.
"If you say one more word, things will become dire," Brady told them.
"Did you even bother to taste 'em?" Carmen asked. "No! Well, I did. And I'm here to tell ya those mini pizzas have changed my life. Ted is the master chef."
"Fine," Eric told them. "So he's a good cook. Well, what does that really tell you about a person?"
"Everything," Xander told them.
"You don't like him?" Willow asked.
"We don't know him," Buffy told them. "I--I mean, so far all we see is someone who apparently has a good job, seems nice and polite, and our mother really likes him."
"What kind of a monster is he?" Eric asked in a rough voice.
"We're just saying there's something a little too clean about this clown," Brooke told them.
Willow giggled. "He's a clean clown." They gave her a look. "I have my own fun."
They arrived at the vending machines.
"Guys, you're lacking evidence," Zoey told them. "I think maybe we're in Sigmund Freud territory."
Zoey put coins into the machine.
"Zoey has a point," Willow told them. "Separation anxiety, the mother figure being taken away, conflict with the father figure..."
"He's not our father figure," Brady told her.
"Having issues much?" Zoey asked.
"We are not," Brooke told her.
"Brooke, who do you think you're talking to?" Zoey asked. "My rock star dad cheated on my gypsy mom with a witch that tried to kill me because I told her daughter about it and her dad overheard and dumped her for it."
"Zoey, this is completely different," Buffy told her.
"Same context," Willow told them.
"I admit that this is weird," Wyatt told them.
"Well, yeah," Alice agreed. "Of course it is."
Buffy sighed. "Seeing our mother frenching a guy is definitely a ticket to therapy land, but it's more than that."
"We're pretty good at sensing what's going on around us and there is definitely something wrong with this... Ted," Brooke told them.
Eric spotted Ted coming down the stairs behind them. "Ted!"
"Of course, Ted," Brady told him. "Who'd you think we were talking about?"
"Hi, Ted!" Eric told him, looking at Buffy, Brady and Brooke. "Ted, who's here."
"Hello, kids," Ted told them.
They turned to face him.
"What are you doing here?" Wyatt asked.
"I'm updating the software in the guidance office," Ted answered. "Which reminds me." He pulled several disks from his pocket and handed them to Willow. "Your upgrades."
Willow eagerly accepted the disks. "Oh, what a day. Thank you."
Brady, Brooke and Buffy gave Willow a look.
"Think nothing of it," Ted told her. "Oh, this must be Wyatt, Brooke's boyfriend. It's nice to meet you."
Wyatt warily shook Ted's hand. "Likewise."
Ted smiled. "Kids, do you like miniature golf?"
"Who doesn't?" Eric asked.
Ted looked at the Summers siblings. "Well, your mother and I were thinking maybe this Saturday we could drag all of you and your friends out to the course, spend some time swinging the iron with the stuffy old people. Wyatt, you can come to. I want to get to know you better."
"Well, uh..." Alice trailed off.
"I'm making a picnic basket," Ted told them.
Willow's eyes went wide. "With mini pizzas?"
"And cookies," Ted added.
Xander inhaled in wide-eyed, open-mouthed rapture.
"You know what?" Alice asked. "We would love to. Honestly. But, um, unfortunately, we have that thing on Saturday."
Zoey nodded. "Oh, that thing." They looked at Xander. "That thing."
"Hey, we can do that thing anytime," Xander told them. "I'm tired of doing that thing." He looked at Ted. "We're on."
"Great," Ted told them.
The girls, Eric and Brady could only smile halfheartedly and awkwardly.
∞
Hospital - Waiting Room
Layla was working.
Giles walked up to her. "Hello, Layla."
Layla was only slightly surprised to see him, managing a smile. "Rupert. Hi."
"I wanted to thank you for helping us even after everything," Giles told her.
"Well, I was also on the wanted dead list of assassins," Layla told him. "I had to be around you guys to be safe. And to keep my daughter safe. And her friends. So that's a pretty flimsy excuse for coming by to see me."
Giles chuckled lightly. "You should have heard the ones I threw out. I just wanted to, uh, see how you were doing."
"I'm doing pretty good, actually," Layla answered. "I stayed out of mortal danger for a whole three weeks before everything with the assassins. Getting back into helping people, out there in the field where I could save someone... it helped me cope." Giles smiled at that. "I'm still having trouble sleeping, though. That could be because of my all the time shifts, but..."
Giles stepped closer. "Oh, of course. Um, you--you--you need time."
"And you gave me the space that I needed," Layla told him. "For three weeks, you stayed away, knowing I needed space. So thank you for that." Giles nodded. "But I didn't like the way things were left."
"Neither did I," Giles agreed.
A man called from nearby. "Dr. Francis."
Layla sighed, looking at Giles. "I have to get back to work." Giles nodded in understanding. "But thanks for coming by to check on me. I'm sure that with the way our supernatural lives are... being under constant threat and all... we'll see each other again. Sooner rather than later."
Giles chuckled in agreement. Layla nodded to him, turning to get back to work. Giles knew that things weren't completely fixed between them but they were getting better, sighing in relief, still worried and concerned, leaving the hospital.
∞
Angel's Apartment
Carmen was replacing the bandage on Angel's right hand while he lied in his comfy chair. "I'm sure it gets so lonely for you here alone in the apartment during the day."
Angel chuckled in agreement. "Loneliness is about the scariest thing there is. I'm just glad that you're here. That you're okay."
"Same for me about you," Carmen agreed.
Angel smiled. "Kiss me."
Carmen smiled. "Finally. Something I wanna do."
Carmen leaned over to kiss Angel lightly. They continued to make out passionately.
∞
Day Three (Saturday)
Day - Mini Golf Course
Ted and Joyce were mini-golfing with the Scoobies, including Wyatt, since Ted invited him.
"Ah, the dreaded five-par cuckoo clock," Eric told them. "Ha! So many have come. So few have conquered."
Eric put his ball in place and studied his shot, taking a perfect shot.
Buffy smiled. "Good shot, Eric."
Eric smiled. "Thanks, Buff. I didn't think I would make it."
"You two are adorable," Carmen told them teasingly. "Really."
Wyatt stood nearby Brooke. "Brooke? You sure you're okay?"
Brooke nodded unconvincingly.
Joyce looked at Ted. "That picnic was delicious. You know how rare it is to find a man that cooks?"
"I know I've been looking a long time for one," Ted told them. "So, girls, I bet the boys are lined up around the block trying to get a date with you."
"Not really," Willow told them. "Well, for me, anyway. Boys are for Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen. But Buffy and Brooke are taken by Eric and Wyatt. And Alice and Brady. We're trying to set Zoey up with a guy named Oz. Carmen's only interested in a guy named Angel."
"Bit of an overshare, Will," Zoey told her.
"Glad to see that you all have love in your lives," Ted told them. "But I wish your grades will be picking up soon."
Ted leaned down to position his ball for his shot.
"Our grades?" Brooke repeated, pacing over to Joyce. "How does he know about our grades?"
"I told him," Joyce answered. "He wants to know everything about you. He's concerned. That's a good thing." Ted made his shot. "Ooh, nice shot, Ted!"
They went to the next hole with a castle. Buffy was ready to take her shot.
"Keep your eye on the ball," Ted told her. "Watch those elbows." Buffy swung a bit too hard, and the ball ricocheted off of the castle and into the rough behind it. "Oh! Bad luck, little lady!"
Buffy started to walk to retrieve her ball for another try.
"Oh, we won't count it," Joyce told her.
"We won't?" Ted asked.
Buffy stopped and turned back to look at them.
"Well, it's just miniature golf," Joyce told him.
"It is, but the rules are the rules," Ted told her. "And what we teach them is what they take out into the world when we're not there, whether it's at school or an unchaperoned party." He looked at Buffy. "I don't mean to overstep my bounds, this is between you and your mother, I just think right is right."
"He has a point," Joyce told her.
"Fine," Buffy told them. "I'll just go hit my ball from the rough." She walked away. Brooke and Brady followed. Buffy picked up her ball, thinking no one saw her drop her ball into the hole. "Hey, how 'bout that! Got a hole in two!"
Ted walked closer. "Beg to differ."
They turned to see him standing next to the castle where he could just see.
"Okay, so fine her score or whatever," Brady told him.
Ted walked closer threateningly. "I think you're missing the point here. Right is right, wrong is wrong. Why don't people see that?"
"It's just a game," Brooke answered.
Ted nodded sarcastically. "Right, it's just a game, do your own thing. Well, I'm not wired that way. And I am here to tell you." They noticed how he was tapping his ankle with his club pretty hard without even flinching. "It is not a game. It does count, and I don't stand for that kind of malarkey in my house."
"Then I guess it's a good thing we're not in your house," Brady replied.
"Do you want me to slap those smart ass mouths of yours?" Ted asked. Buffy, Brady and Brooke couldn't believe their ears, noticing the others come around the castle. Ted followed their gaze, acting completely normal again. "Who's up for dessert? I made chocolate-chip cookies."
Joyce opened the zip-lock bag of cookies.
"Yum-my," Alice told them sarcastically, not planning on eating.
"Cookies," Willow told them.
Buffy, Brady and Brooke stared at everyone.
"Yeah," Ted said. "I-I made, uh, too many, so you guys are gonna have to take some home."
Everyone but Wyatt, Alice, Buffy, Brooke and Brady had a cookie and was munching away.
"Mm!" Joyce said. "Guys, you've got to try one of these. They're really good. Mm."
Ted offered them one with a smile.
Wyatt shook his head. "Mm-mm. No, thanks."
"Mm," Zoey hummed. "These are tasty."
∞∞
Day Four
Morning - Summers House - Kitchen
Buffy, Brady and Brooke walked into the kitchen.
Joyce was getting orange juice from the fridge, bringing it to the island counter. "Good morning, sunshines."
"Hey," Brady told her.
Joyce set down the OJ. "I've got juice, I've got sticky buns, oh, don't they smell good?" They picked up part of a bun. "Ted made them." They put them back down. "What?"
"We'd just like to eat something around here that Ted didn't make," Brooke answered.
"Oh, what kind of an attitude is that?" Joyce asked.
Brooke sighed. "Look, Mom, I know you think he's great and I, but we--"
Joyce poured some juice. "You know, he went out of his way to be nice to you three, and you couldn't say two words to him on Saturday." She poured another glass. "I do not expect you to love him right away like I do, but I do expect you to treat him decently."
"You love him?" Brady asked skeptically.
Joyce put the juice carton down. "I don't know. That just slipped out." She took the juice carton to the fridge. "But I guess, I mean, it's not exactly like men beat down the door when you're a single..."
"When you're a single parent," Buffy finished.
Joyce sighed. "Guys, look. I wouldn't have anything to do with anybody if they didn't care about you, but he does. I don't understand why you can't see that."
"Maybe because he threatened us," Brooke answered.
Joyce walked back to the island. "What?"
"He threatened us," Brady answered. "He said he was gonna slap our faces."
Joyce gave him a disbelieving look. "He said no such thing. Brady, Ted told me what happened. He caught Buffy cheating, didn't he? And he caught you and Brooke seeing it but not planning on doing anything about it."
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I kicked my ball in. Put me in jail. But he totally wigged."
"And he didn't say anything about it in front of the others, did he?" Joyce asked.
"Uh, no," Brooke answered. "But I don't think that's the--"
"Well, I thought that that was pretty decent of him," Joyce told them. "Ted said we are just gonna have to give you time to come around. Oh, speaking of which, he's making dinner for us tonight, so I'd like you at home, please." She pointed down for emphasis. "Promptly at six." The siblings gave their mother a look, walking out. Joyce shrugged, letting them go, eating part of a sticky bun. "Mm, this is so delicious."
∞
Sunnydale High School - Outside
The Scoobies were walking across the quad. Xander was munching on a cookie.
"What do you mean?" Alice asked. "Check him out?"
"We mean investigate him," Brady answered. "Find out his secrets, hack into his life."
"Can you say 'overreaction'?" Zoey asked.
"Can you say 'sucking chest wound'?" Brooke replied.
"It just seems like you want him to be corrupt," Wyatt told them. "Or something."
"The guy lost his senses over mini-golf," Buffy told them.
"So he's a little uptight," Xander told them. "Last I heard that's not a slaying offense."
They gave them a look.
"Don't give me the look," Eric told them. "I'm on your side."
"I'm just saying," Zoey told them. "There are some things in life you have to accept."
The girls sat on a bench.
"And I know what you're thinking," Carmen told them. "That Ted ain't one of them. But is he really so bad?"
"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out," Alice told them. "Won't we?"
Xander noticed Cordelia walk past them behind the bench. "Hey, Cordy, nice outfit."
Cordelia stopped to look at him. "Oh, very funny."
"Not really," Xander told her.
"What are you saying?" Cordelia asked.
The others looked up at Xander.
"Nice outfit?" Xander said what sounded like a question.
"Well, why don't you just keep your mouth shut?" Cordelia asked, walking away.
"Would you guys excuse me for a sec?" Xander asked, following after Cordelia.
Wyatt watched them go. "What's up with them?"
∞
Elsewhere
Cordelia was walking along the colonnade. Xander caught up to her.
"What's wrong with you?" Cordelia asked.
Xander didn't get the big deal. "I gave you a compliment."
"In front of your friends," Cordelia told him. "My sister. They're gonna know."
"Know what?" Xander asked.
Cordelia scoffed. "Please. It's too traumatic for me to even say it."
"That we kissed?" Xander asked. "Look, I'm not gonna tell, they're not gonna know. Not your friends, not my friends. You wanna go to the utility closet and make out?"
"God," Cordelia complained. "Is that all you ever thing about?" She considered the offer. "Okay."
They went off to make out.
∞
Elsewhere
The others were still talking.
"Guys, we're not wrong here," Brady told them. "Ted has a problem with us."
"He acts like we're in the way or something," Brooke agreed. "And Mom's been totally different since he's around."
"Different?" Alice repeated. "Like happy?"
"Like Stepford," Buffy answered.
"Okay," Zoey told them. "We'll help you."
"You know we will," Willow agreed. "What do you want us to look for?"
"Let's start small," Wyatt told her. "Can you find out where he works?"
Willow nodded.
∞
Ted's Office
Buffy, Brooke and Brady went to the office, seeing Ted at his desk, walking into the snack area to observe him.
A man named Neal has the desk next to Ted's, both talking with customers over headsets. "Yeah, it's a terrific product. No PC should be without it."
Ted spoke over headset. "No, Mrs. Lawnsdale, it is not an inexpensive piece of software. As a matter of fact it's a very expensive one. Which removes the risk of crashing your whole system. Of course, if you prefer something cheap, I can always recommend... Trust me, you won't be sorry. Thank you very much." He took off his headset, putting it down. The Summers siblings saw him get up, quickly crouching down to hide under the snack table. Ted walked over to the salesboard, making another mark by his name. "Going to lunch."
Ted walked out. Buffy, Brooke and Brady stood, watching him leave, glancing over at his desk, at the sales board.
Neal walked up to get a cup of coffee, noticing them. "You're new, aren't you? I'm Neal."
"I'm Betty," Buffy told him.
"Linda," Brooke told him.
"Chris," Brady told him.
"You just temping for the day?" Neal asked.
They nodded, looking at the board.
"Now, that guy's a salesman," Buffy told him.
"I guess he's the one to beat around here?" Brooke asked.
"Nobody beats the Machine," Neal told them. "The guy's a genius. Knows everything about computers, never loses a client. If I sound bitter, I am."
"Well, nobody likes an overachiever," Brady told him. Neal chuckled. "Uh, he's probably got ex-wives, and families to support?"
Neal shrugged. "He's just got a girlfriend. I'm amazed he let her clutter his desk." They looked at his desk. There was a single picture frame on it beside the computer and nothing else. "Thank God he's taking time off for the wedding."
"The wedding?" Buffy repeated in surprise.
Neal nodded. "Yeah, he's got it set for two months from now. Believe me, I am counting the day." He saw his boss. "Uh-oh, the uber-boss. Back to the salt mines."
The siblings casually made their way to Ted's desk, looking around to see if anyone noticed them, looking at the picture of Joyce, and it struck them as familiar. Brooke took it, opening up the back, pulling it out. They noticed it was folded, and when Brooke unfolded it, they saw it was the picture of the three of them and Joyce from their fridge at home with their faces folded back.
∞
Night - Summers House - Dining Room
The Summers and Ted were sitting at the table.
Ted was saying grace. "We thank you for what we are about to receive, and we ask that you bless this house, and help the people in it to be more productive, more considerate and more honest. Amen."
Joyce smiled. "Amen."
They laid their napkins in their laps. Joyce started to eat.
"Well, another great day at work," Ted told them. "How was school? Did you learn anything?"
Brooke nodded. "Quite a bit."
"Good for you," Ted told them. "Joycie, what do you think?"
Joyce smiled. "I think every home should have one of you. It's fantastic." She looked at her kids. "Don't you think?"
Ted smiled over at them.
"Looks good," Brooke told them.
"Well, you know, little guys, it's not just for looks, it's for building strong bodies," Ted told them.
"Guys?" Joyce asked.
"Are you two engaged?" Buffy asked.
Ted raised his head in realization.
Joyce gave them a look. "Goodness, no. Whatever gave you that idea?"
"Now, Joycie, let me handle this," Ted told her. "Buffy, Brady, Brooke, your mother and I are taking it one step at a time. And if things go the way I hope, maybe someday soon I just might ask her to tie the knot. How would you feel about that? It's okay to have feelings, and it's okay to express them."
"I'd feel like killing myself," Brady answered.
"Brady!" Joyce told him.
"No, no, I told them to be honest," Ted told her. "Guys, you should try to get used to me, 'cause you know what? I'm not going anywhere."
Brooke looked at Joyce. "May we be excused?"
"You can go to your rooms," Joyce answered. "That's where you can go." They stood, leaving the table without another word. Joyce sighed. "Ted, I am so embarrassed. I don't know what's wrong with them."
Ted took her hands. "Joycie, you don't get to be a salesman of the year by giving up after a couple of rejections. They'll come around."
∞
Park
Buffy, Brooke and Brady were sitting in the park. Buffy and Brady were tapping stakes in their hands. Brooke was fidgeting with her hand, allowing red glowing energy to trail along her fingers.
Buffy sighed. "Vampires."
Brady called out. "Here, vampires."
They were frustrated because they couldn't work out their anger, deciding to head home.
∞
Summers House - Brooke's Room
They snuck into the house through the window. Ted was waiting in a chair for them to come home.
"What are you doing in here?" Brady asked.
"Your mother told you to go to your rooms," Ted told them. "We all know she didn't mean climb out a window and go gallivanting about town."
"First of all, this is my room," Brooke told him. She noticed Slayer/Guardian/hunter stuff lying on her bed. "Second, you've been going through our things?"
"Yes, I have," Ted answered.
"That's our personal property," Buffy snapped. "How dare you?"
"I don't see how it's any different from you snooping around my office, do you?" Ted replied, raising Brooke's diary, reading. "What exactly is a vampire Slayer and Guardian and hunter? Gypsies and witches?"
"It's none of your business," Brady told him.
Ted stood. "Beg to differ. Everything you do is nothing but my business from now on."
"I think you better get out of here," Buffy told him angrily. "Now!"
Ted stepped closer. "Or what? You'll slay me? I'm real. I'm not some goblin you made up in your little diary. Psychiatrists have a word for something like this. Delusional. So, from now on, you'll do what I say, when I say, or I show this to your mother, and you'll spend your best dating years behind the wall of a mental institution. You get to say goodbye to Eric, to Alice, to Wyatt. All your little friends. Your mother and I are going to be happy. You're not going to stand in the way. Sleep tight."
Ted started to leave the room, opening the door to go out.
Brooke followed him, grabbing hold of his hand that had her diary. "That's mine. And you are not leaving my room with it."
"Take your hand off me," Ted told her.
"No," Brooke told him.
Ted slapped Brooke hard, almost punching her, making her hit the wall.
Brady walked closer protectively, angrily. "Oh. I was so hoping you would do something stupid like that."
Brady punched Ted in the jaw, making him stagger back into the open door. Ted pushed himself upright, backhanding Brady in the face, making him fall against the side of Brooke's bed, and onto the floor. Buffy kicked Ted in the shin.
Joyce ran to the door to see what all the noise was about. "Buffy! Brooke! Brady, stop that!" Brooke elbowed Ted in the face. "Stop it!"
Buffy kicked Ted in the chest, making him stagger backward out into the hall, where Joyce had to quickly move out of the way. Brady stood.
∞
Hallway
They were all in the hall. Brooke punched Ted in the face. Ted tripped down to the end of the hall before regaining his balance, where Brady was there to kick him. Ted spun around, falling down stairs, tumbling to the bottom. When he hit the floor, his neck sounded like it had been broken.
Joyce came running down the stairs after him. "Ted!" She knelt next to him, trying to shake him awake. "Ted. Ted!" The siblings slowly walked downstairs. Joyce took Ted's arm to feel for a pulse, but didn't find one, looking up at her kids in shock and horror. "You killed him."
They all stared at the unmoving body, not believing what had just happened.
∞∞
Foyer
Ted's body was zipped up into a body bag. The coroners wheeled him out of the house on a gurney.
∞
Outside
The siblings were sitting outside on the porch steps by the pillar. Joyce watched the coroners wheel Ted's body away.
A detective walked closer. "Ma'am, I'm Detective Stein. I'm sorry, but I need to ask you a few questions. Your relationship with the deceased?"
"We were, uh, seeing each other," Joyce answered.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Stein asked.
"He fell," Joyce answered. "I see. Uh, did he slip? Do you know what made him fall?"
"I hit him," Brady answered. Stein turned to look at him. "I hit him."
∞
Police Station
Joyce was sitting by Stein's desk, waiting to find out what was going to happen. The camera panned across the room over to her, looking apprehensive.
∞
Interrogation Room
Buffy, Brooke and Brady were sitting at the able, being interviewed.
"He was in my room," Brooke explained. "And we got into an argument."
"About what?" Stein asked.
"He, um..." Buffy trailed off.
"Was this the first time that you had an argument with him?" Stein asked.
Buffy looked up. "No. He threatened us. He said that he would slap us."
"That was tonight?" Stein asked.
"No," Brady answered.
"But he had my diary, and I tried to take it back, and that's when he hit me," Brooke explained.
"Where?" Stein asked. Brooke raised her hand to indicate her right cheek. "Well, it doesn't look like he hit you very hard."
"We don't bruise easily," Brady replied.
"And he hit you after you defended Brooke?" Stein asked. Brady nodded. "Yeah, I can see the mark on you, Brady. Big mark. So you've been hit before?"
"Yes," Brady answered.
"But Ted never hit you?" Stein asked.
"We told you," Brooke told him.
"Before tonight, Ted never hit you before tonight?" Stein asked.
"What do you want?" Buffy asked. "We told you what happened."
"I didn't mean to," Brady told him.
"I believe you," Stein told him. "Things get out of hand. He's a big guy who threatened you and your sisters before and had just hit Brooke and you. You acted out in self-defense."
∞
Main Room
Joyce was still sitting by Stein's desk. "Are you charging Brady with something?"
"We're not bringing anything up against your son or daughters right now," Stein answered. "They say Mr. Buchanan struck them, and that's obvious by the growing bruise on Brady's face. And if that's the case? Anyway, we've gotta examine it further. Right now, I think you should just take them home, and the four of you should try and get some rest."
∞
On the Road - Joyce's Jeep
The Summers were driving home. Joyce was driving. Buffy was in the passenger seat. Brooke and Brady were in the back. They were all in shock, looking down sadly.
∞
Day Five
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Hallway
The Summers siblings walked in. Everyone was staring at them as they slowly made their way down the hall.
∞
Student Lounge
The other Scoobies caught up with them.
"Buffy," Alice told her. "Brooke. Brady. Are you okay?"
"Hey," Zoey told them. "Of course you're not okay. Why... How come you're here?"
"We couldn't stay home," Buffy answered, sitting down. "Mom won't even look at us."
The girls sat on the couches. Eric, Brady and Xander sat on the table facing them.
"What happened?" Willow asked. "Unless you don't want to talk about it."
"We had a fight and we lost our temper," Brady answered. "We really let him have it."
"The paper said he fell," Carmen told them.
"He fell," Eric agreed. "Hard."
"What was he?" Xander asked.
"What?" Alice asked.
"What was he?" Xander repeated. "A-a demon? A giant bug? Some kind of dark god with the secrets of nouvelle cuisine? I mean, we are talking creature-feature here, right?" Buffy, Brooke and Brady looked at him a moment and then lowered their eyes. "Oh, man."
"But I'm sure it wasn't your fault," Willow told them. "He started it."
Eric was worried, horrified. "Yeah. But that defense only works in six year old court, Will."
Carmen looked at Buffy, Brooke and Brady. "Court. Wait. Are they charging you with something?"
Buffy shook her head. "We don't know. Not yet."
They looked at them sympathetically.
∞
Empty Class
Alice had brought Brady in to talk to him alone. "I know you're not okay. But you can talk to me about this."
Brady looked down. "He was a person and I killed him."
Alice reached out to comfort him. "Brady. Don't say that."
Brady looked up at Alice. "Why not? Everyone else is. And it's the truth, Alice."
"It was an accident," Alice told him.
"Buffy's the Slayer," Brady told her. "Brooke's a Guardian. I'm a hunter. I may have been the one that did the final move, Alice, but we were all apart of it. We had no right to hit him like that."
"Look, Brady, I don't know what happened exactly," Alice told him. "But I do know you. And I know you would never hurt anyone intentionally."
"Unless they were dating our mother?" Brady asked.
"It's not your fault," Alice told him. "You know that Eric, Wyatt and I believed you before, right?" Brady nodded. "We still do. Even if you don't believe in yourselves. So we're gonna go out there and prove it. And we're gonna have our friends, your friends, with us. You're not in this alone, Brady."
Brady was slightly relieved to hear this, but still overwhelmed with everything. "Thank you, Alice. I gotta go."
Brady grabbed his bag, turning to leave. Alice caught his hand. Brady paused, looking down, sighing heavily, more effected by this than he wanted to admit, trying not to feel anything about it, still in too much shock to really feel. Alice knew better than to believe that he was doing as well as he wanted to convince everyone, wrapping her arms around him. Brady was slightly more at ease with relief, returning the embrace.
∞
Hallway
Brooke walked around a corner.
Wyatt saw her, walking closer. "Brooke? Are you all right?" Brooke just looked up at him. "Oh, uh, stupid question. I'm sorry. Look, if there's anything you need, of course. Just ask."
Brooke noticed a man guarding the door. "What's going on?"
"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Wyatt told her. "They're just asking a few questions about your behavior. Buffy and Brady's, too." Brooke walked toward a room, seeing Stein talking with two of their teachers. "Of course, we told them you, uh..." Brooke was so overwhelmed she didn't know what to do, walking off. Wyatt kept up with her. "Brooke. Hey."
∞
Class
Wyatt and Brooke walked in.
"This shouldn't be happening, Wyatt," Brooke told him. "We didn't mean to hit him like that. He just hit me. Brady acted out to defend me. He got hit and knocked down. So Buffy and I started to really whale on Ted. But I didn't use my powers. And then Brady..."
Wyatt walked closer. "Hey. It's not your fault. It's not Brady's. It's not Buffy's. I'm sure that you three were right before. When you said that there was something not right about Ted. And I'm gonna prove it. Alice, Eric and I believed you then. We believe you now. We're all gonna prove it."
"And how are you gonna do that?" Brooke asked.
Wyatt managed a chuckle. "Just leave that to us."
Brooke nodded, tears in her eyes. Wyatt pulled her into his arms, holding her comfortingly. Brooke was able to relax in his arms, sighing heavily.
∞
Outside
Buffy and Eric were walking together.
"I know you're not doing as well as you want everyone to believe," Eric told her.
"I'm handling it better than Brady and Brooke," Buffy replied. "But that's because I've accidentally hurt someone human before. They haven't. It's harder on them than it is on me, Eric. Especially Brady."
"It's still not easy on any of you," Eric told her. "You or Brooke or Brady. And I know you're trying to be strong for them, which is making it harder. Look, whatever happened, me, Alice and Wyatt? We believed you. And we're gonna prove that you guys are innocent. I don't know how, but we will."
Buffy nodded. "I know you will, Eric."
Buffy and Eric embraced. Buffy was fighting back tears as Eric held her close.
∞
Library
The others were in the library. The girls were at the table. Willow was surfing for information. Giles was behind them in the cage getting together some weapons. Cordelia sat across from the other girls. Eric was standing.
Xander was pacing. "Man. This is killing me. That bastard was up to something. I know it. If I could just get my hands on him..." They gave him a look. "Earlier this week."
"I thought you liked him," Cordelia told him.
Xander stepped over to her. "I sometimes like things that are not good for me. Besides, no way, no how do Brooke, Brady and Buffy put the big hurt on an innocent man. Nice Uncle Ted was dirty."
Giles walked out of the cage with his bag in one hand and the crossbow in the other.
"We've gotta prove that somehow," Carmen told them.
"Alice, Wyatt and I are way ahead of you," Eric told her.
"Oh, yeah?" Carmen asked. "And how are you gonna do that, Eric?"
"We're working on it," Eric told them.
"Zo, do you have a pen?" Willow asked.
Zoey opened her bag to get a pen. Giles set his bag on the table and put the crossbow in.
"If Buffy, Brooke and Brady have to go to jail because of that creep, I'm gonna lose it," Eric told them. "He's gonna be in there, guys. Uh, history of domestic violence? A criminal record?"
Xander found a zip lock bag of Ted's cookies. "Ooo! Cookies!"
Xander, Zoey and Carmen started to eat. Giles walked back into the cage for more weapons.
"I don't get it," Cordelia told them. "Buffy's the Slayer. Brooke and Alice are Guardians. Carmen and Wyatt are witches. Zoey and Layla are gypsies. Brady's a hunter. Shouldn't they have..."
"What?" Alice asked. "A license to kill?"
Zoey sighed, handing the pen to Willow.
"Well, not for fun," Cordelia told them. "But you guys are like superheroes. Shouldn't there be different rules for you?"
"Sure," Zoey told her sarcastically. "In a fascist society."
"Right," Cordelia said. "Why can't we have one of those?"
Zoey put her hand to her head.
"Buffy, Brooke and Brady are not going to jail," Willow told them. "It's not fair."
Wyatt walked into the library.
"Hey," Carmen told him. "Wyatt? Did you talk to Brooke?"
Wyatt nodded.
"Brooke left," Alice told them. "Brady left. Buffy left. They're not going down for this."
Giles came back. "Whatever the authorities have planned for them, it can't be much worse than what they're doing to themselves." He added an ax and other stuff to the bag. "They've taken a human life. The guilt, it-it's, it's pretty hard to bear, and it won't go away soon."
"I guess you should know, since you helped raise that demon that killed that guy that time and nearly killed Layla?" Cordelia asked.
"Yes, do bring that up as often as possible," Giles told her sarcastically, walking back to the cage.
"So?" Willow asked. "Giles? You taking over tonight?"
"Um, well, Buffy, Brooke and Brady are not in any shape to patrol," Giles told them, walking back to the table. "And I'm leaving the rest of you to find a way to prove their innocence."
"You actually wanna fight creatures of the night?" Cordelia asked skeptically.
Zoey rolled her eyes. "I know it might be controversial, Cordy. But people actually wanna do work for the greater good. And help keep people safe."
"The least I can do is pick up the slack," Giles told them. "Someone has to."
Giles added several crosses to the bag.
"Dad?" Alice asked. "You shouldn't go out there alone."
"I won't be alone," Giles answered. "Layla offered to come help me after her shift at the hospital is over."
"If you or Layla need help..." Willow trailed off.
"Uh, Buffy, Brooke and Brady need your help more than I," Giles told them. "As long as I have Layla with me, I'll be fine. You carry on investigating, see if you can find out as much about this Buchanan chap as possible."
"You and Layla be careful," Eric told him.
"We will," Giles told them, leaving.
"Ted's got no criminal record," Willow told them. "Damn. This guy's like citizen of the year."
"Don't sweat it," Xander told them. "It'll be fine."
"Don't sweat it?" Willow repeated.
"Yeah, besties," Carmen told them, walking closer to the girls. "We'll work it out." She ruffled their hair. "No worries."
"What happened to 'this is killing me'?" Cordelia asked.
Zoey shook her cookie at Cordelia. "Worrying isn't gonna solve any problems."
The cookies caught Wyatt, Eric and Alice's eye and they grabbed them from Zoey, Carmen and Xander, breaking off most of them.
∞
Summers House - Kitchen
The Summers were in the kitchen. Joyce was packing away a bunch of baking pans and bowls.
"Can we help?" Brady asked.
Joyce wouldn't look at them. "It's done. I've been meaning to clean out this junk for months. Do you, uh, have homework?"
"We didn't mean to hurt him," Brady told her.
"I don't wanna talk about this," Joyce told them.
"Mom, please," Brooke told her. "You have to know--"
"I can't," Joyce told them. "Not yet. Please, just go to your rooms."
Buffy and Brooke were close to tears, while Brady looked numb, all turning to go to their rooms. Joyce was almost crying, picking up the box, taking it into the basement.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Science Lab
The others went to the science lab. Several cookies were sitting on a scale. Willow was staring into a microscope.
"Okay," Eric told them. "What do we know?"
"Well, apparently the secret ingredient..." Zoey trailed off, looking up. "Is not love."
"Well?" Carmen asked. "What is it then?"
"I'm not positive, but I think it's Dematorin," Alice told them. "It's like a tranquilizer. Keeps you all mellow and compliant. It also shares a few components with Ecstasy."
"This is evidence," Eric told them. "This is real evidence that Ted was some kind of a crook. Brooke, Brady and Buffy are cleared. Alice? You are the best human ever."
Zoey wrapped her arms around Alice. "Yes. You really are. We adore you."
Willow smiled widely. "Yeah. I think Alice gets it, Zoey. But keep that up."
"Well, that's the cookies talking," Carmen told her. "But you really do rock. Yep."
Cordelia walked into the lab. "Well, your search finally hit pay dirt. You got some personal records, marriage certificates and an address."
Cordelia put the printouts on the table.
"Well, let's check it out," Zoey told them. "Get our friends back on their feet."
"Yep," Eric agreed. "Before somebody gets hurt."
∞
Park
Giles was slowly walking past some bushes, weapons bag in hand, when he was startled, spinning around, holding up a cross with a small yell.
Layla was the one standing there. "Yeah. I get that reaction from men all the time."
Giles sighed in relief. "Layla. You scared me."
"I gathered as much," Layla told him. "I'm sorry."
Giles sighed. "Well, you scaring me is a bit of payback."
Layla gave him a look, but knew that he wasn't being entirely serious. "I'm not trying to pay you back. I said I wanted to help. I meant it. How are Buffy, Brooke and Brady?"
"Not well," Giles answered. "Layla, I am so sorry. About putting you in danger before."
"You've apologized to me before, Rupert," Layla told him. "I needed time and space. But I'm forgiving you." Giles smiled slightly in relief. They heard a vampire growl, turning around to face the sound. "But you and I are both always in harm's view."
∞
Summers House - Brooke's Room
The Summers siblings were sitting together, hearing a noise.
"Mom?" Buffy called.
Brady sighed. "The hell with this."
They walked toward the windows, trying to open them, but they were nailed shut.
"They nailed them shut," Brooke scoffed. "I'm sure she did the same to the windows in both your rooms."
"Well, it's official," Brady told them. "This day can't get any worse."
They sensed something, turning around.
Ted walked in. "Beg to differ."
∞∞
They looked at Ted in shock.
"You died," Buffy told him.
Ted smirked. "That's right, you killed me. Do we have something to say about that? Are we sorry?"
"What are you?" Buffy asked.
"I'm a salesman," Ted told them. "That's what you should've remembered. No matter how you put him down..." He grabbed Buffy by the strap of her overalls, throwing her across the room, making her fall into the wall, hitting her head and knocking her out. "A good salesman always bounces back."
Brady and Brooke prepared to fight back.
∞
Park
The vampire roared, attacking Giles and Layla. Giles held his cross in the vampire's face. Layla removed her necklace, glowing with purple power, punching the vampire in the face with the power magnifying her strength, sending the vampire flying to the ground.
∞
Summers House - Brooke's Room
Brady kicked Ted in the gut, following up with a left punch to the jaw. Ted flinched but didn't back off. Brooke punched Ted twice in the stomach, in the face. Ted grabbed Brady by the throat, backing him into and over the desk, slamming his head against the wall, knocking him out. Brooke was getting fed up, finally using her powers against Ted, using her red Guardian energy to throw him away from Brady into the wall.
"You see, I had to shut down for a while to get you off my back," Ted told her. "You should've seen the intern's face when I got up off the table. It was a hoot. Fun's over, though."
∞
Park
Layla was using her power to throw the vampire around. "Say good night, big guy." Layla enveloped the vampire with purple power as she raised her arms, lowering them with a cutting motion, sending the vampire bursting into ashes. Giles was impressed, relieved. Layla started to laugh. "Oh, my God."
Giles was confused, amused by her sudden laughter. "What? Wha--what is it?"
"Some night, huh?" Layla asked. Giles smirked. "Yeah. You really know how to woo a girl back. Don't you?"
Giles laughed. They smiled, walking off together.
∞
Summers House - Brooke's Room
Brooke used her red energy to throw a knife into Ted's arm, slicing it open to make him back off from the unconscious Brady and Buffy.
Ted backed away. "That wasn't playing fair, missy." He grabbed his left wrist with his right hand, looking down at the wound. There were torn wires and sparks and smoke coming from it. "You're gonna find." His head jerked to the right when some short circuits resulted from Brooke's power and the cut. "Hell of day. Makes you feel like you're 18 again." His head jerked back. "That I don't like being disobeyed."
Brooke looked at him in shock.
∞
Hallway
Joyce came out of the basement with another box, closing the door behind her.
∞
Brooke's Room
They heard the sound of the door closing downstairs.
Ted took advantage of Brooke's distraction, kicking her in the jaw, punching her in the head, knocking her out, making her fall unconscious next to her siblings, walking toward the door, opening it, looking out into the hall, giving the siblings another look, pulling his sleeve down over the cut in his arm. His head jerked again from another short. "Don't worry about me and your mother. We're gonna be very happy."
Ted left the room, closing and locking the door behind him.
∞
Ted's Small Workshop
Zoey, Carmen and Wyatt looked in through the multi-paned window and saw the place is dark and empty, using her power to unlock the door.
"Careful," Willow told them. "Don't make it obvious we were here."
They magically opened the door. They walked in, scanning around the place with magical light that Zoey, Carmen, Wyatt and Alice provided. Willow, Eric, Xander and Cordelia followed their lead.
"Okay," Carmen told them. "Let's look around."
Alice looked over the paperwork they had on him.
"I'll take the back," Eric told them.
"Check for cookies," Xander told him. They gave Xander a look. "For evidence."
"So far I've counted four marriage certificates," Alice told them.
Eric looked at some shelves. "Any divorce papers?"
"Not a one," Alice answered.
"So either our boy was a Mormon," Zoey told them. "Or..."
"Whoa," Alice told them. "Whoa. 1957. Ted must've married young. Like pre-school young."
Eric walked in from the back. "Nothing interesting back here. Doesn't look like anybody's worked here. Let alone lived here."
"Something's missing here," Willow told them. "This doesn't seem like Ted at all."
Carmen looked down. "Yeah. And this rug? It doesn't go with the rest of the decor."
They looked down at the new-looking Oriental rug, exchanging a look.
"Well, well, well," Zoey told them. "What do we have here? Eric? Do you wanna have the honors?"
Eric stepped back off of the rug and lifted it back. Underneath was a trap door.
∞
Summers House - Kitchen
Joyce started to fill the box with more cooking pans and dishes, hearing someone coming. "Oh, Buffy? Brooke? Brady? I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean to..."
Joyce looked over, expecting to see her kids, stepping back, inhaling in fright when she saw Ted standing in the door.
Ted stepped into the kitchen. "Joyce?"
Joyce could only whisper. "Ted? Is it really you? But you were..."
Ted walked closer. "I'm okay. I'm okay."
"I don't understand this," Joyce admitted. "You were dead."
"They said I must've been dead for six minutes," Ted told her. "They said any longer and it would've caused brain damage."
"Oh, why didn't they tell us?" Joyce asked.
Ted smiled. "Nobody knew. They took me to the morgue. I was unconscious for almost a day. An intern found me. It's a miracle, Joyce. A miracle."
Joyce sighed, not knowing how to take this. "Oh, Ted."
Ted embraced her. "I know."
Joyce pulled away. "Oh, my God. Buffy, Brooke and Brady. Oh, Ted, I swear, they never meant to hurt you. You have to believe me."
"You don't have to worry about Brady, Brooke and Buffy," Ted told her. "You don't have to worry about anything. Daddy's here."
∞
Ted's Workshop
(Song:) Untitled - Los Angeles Post Music
Wyatt pushed down the ladder and it unfolded into the basement below. He climbed down the steps and reached up his hand to steady the others as they followed. Xander found a switch on the wall and flipped it. The lights came on, and an old record player started to play lounge music. They all looked around. The place was furnished as an apartment, with hippie decor.
"Feels like home," Carmen told them. "If it's the fifties. And you're a psycho."
"Yeah," Willow agreed. "That sounds very true."
They continued looking around. Cordelia checked out some magazines on the coffee table. Willow found a window and pulled aside the curtains. There was just a wall on the other side of the glass.
Wyatt found a closet door. "What do you got in the closet, Ted?" He opened the door and looked inside and couldn't believe his eyes. He quickly slammed the door shut. "Let's go."
"What?" Eric asked.
"Are you kidding?" Xander asked. "We just got here. Wyatt."
"We need evidence," Willow told him. "Wyatt."
"We got it," Wyatt told them.
"What's in there?" Xander asked.
"His first four wives," Wyatt answered.
Everyone left.
(Song Ends)
∞
Summers House - Kitchen
Ted was speaking to the Summers mother. "You know what brought me back, Joyce? It was you. I couldn't go into that light. I had to come back for you. I'm gonna make you so happy."
Joyce smiled. "You should sit down."
Ted smiled. "I feel fine. Never better."
"Ted, I think you should talk to Brooke, Buffy and Brady first," Joyce told him. "Before they see you, 'cause I'm sure they--"
Ted became angry. "Do we have to worry about Brady, Buffy and Brooke right now? How about worrying about Teddy? He's the one who died!"
Joyce was taken aback. "I-I-I'm--I'm sorry. I just--I--I--I don't know what to do."
"Don't I always tell you what to do?" Ted asked. "I'm going to make things right. Then you and I..." He shorted, jerking his head right. "Want a little gravy with that?" He jerked his head back. "Can go away where no one will bother us again."
Joyce was worried. "Ted, I--I think you might wanna rest for awhile."
Ted got more angry. "I think you might wanna stop telling me what to do! I don't take orders from women. I'm not wired that way."
His circuitry could be heard shorting out.
∞
Brooke's Room
The siblings were regaining consciousness, coughing, getting up.
∞
Hallway
Joyce led Ted into the hallway. "I think I could use a drink to celebrate."
"We should probably be hitting the road," Ted told her.
"Hitting the road?" Joyce repeated.
Ted nodded. "You're going to love the house. It's furnished just the way you like it. I spent a lot of..." He shorted, jerking right. "Telling me what to do!" He jerked back. "Time decorating."
Joyce made an excuse to go. "Well, then, I'd--I'd probably better go."
Ted took her arm. "I already have your clothes. They're your size, they're always your size. You left me once, but I keep bringing you back. Husband and wife forever." He shorted. "Forever."
∞
Upstairs Hallway
Buffy kicked the door open.
∞
Downstairs Hallway
They heard the noise from upstairs.
Ted was still holding Joyce's arm tightly. "Let's go."
Joyce struggled. "Ted, let go, please. Get off me!"
Joyce jerked her arm away.
Ted shoved her into the wall, knocking her out, making her slide to the floor. "Fine then. I'll have to carry you."
Ted stepped over to her, bending down to lift her up when he heard a creaking in the next room, slowly walking toward the noise, around the stairs.
∞
Kitchen
Ted walked in. "Buffy? Brooke? Brady, come out. I don't stand for this kind of malarkey in my house."
He heard Brady's voice behind him. "Uncle Teddy?" Ted to face Brady. Brady swung up into his face with the cast iron skillet, making him fly back and hit the floor hard. "This house is ours!"
Brooke used her red Guardian energy to tear away at Ted. Ted rolled over, some of the skin torn from his lips and left cheek, revealing the metal underneath. Circuits were shorting and sparking. They looked at him in shock.
Ted stood. "How about a nice game of Parcheesi?"
Buffy punched Ted in the face. Brady raised the pan, slamming it down onto his head. Brooke used her red energy to wrap around Ted, tearing his apart, making both halves of the robot body convulse and fall, his circuits overloading, crashing, his eyes jerking open in a dead stare. The siblings looked at their handiwork in satisfaction.
∞
Day Six
Morning - Summers House - Outside
The family was sitting outside on the porch benches, munching on cut veggies.
"Do you wanna rent a movie tonight?" Joyce asked.
"Sounds like fun," Buffy answered.
"Just nothing with horror in it," Joyce told them. "Or romance. Or men."
Brooke smirked. "I guess we're 'Thelma and Louise'ing it again."
Joyce nodded. "Good call. I still think he's gonna jump out at me. Especially after what the police found in his house. It's just too horrible."
"I wouldn't worry," Buffy told her.
Brooke shook her head. "He's not coming back."
"I wish I could be so sure," Joyce told them.
"Trust us," Brady told her. "He's on the scrap heat." Buffy and Brooke gave him a look. "Of life."
They smirked.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Hallway
The Scoobies came down the stairs and started down the hall.
"So, I'm Ted," Xander told them. "The sickly loser. I'm dying. My wife dumps me."
Eric nodded, going on. "I build a better Ted. He brings her back. Holds her hostage in his bunker'o'love. Until she dies."
Zoey was weirded out. "And then he keeps bringing her back. Over and over. Now? Now that's creepy on a level I hardly new existed."
"The sad part is the real Ted must've been a genius," Willow told them. "There were design features in that robot that pre-date..."
"Willow, tell me you didn't keep any parts," Alice told her.
"Not any big ones," Willow told them.
Alice gave her a look. "Oh. Will. You're supposed to use your powers for good."
"I just wanna learn stuff," Willow told them.
"Like how to build your own serial killer?" Carmen asked. "I mean, I know. I get it. It's so hard to rent one nowadays."
Willow frowned.
"Can we just drop the subject?" Cordelia asked.
"Absolutely," Wyatt answered. "I plan to forget the whole thing and pick up right where we left off."
The girls looked into the library through the round door windows to see Layla and Giles inside holding each other while they kissed. The boys walked closer to see what they were looking at. They were surprised and happy that they were finally together, but weirded out by seeing this, walking away.
"Okay, that's it," Zoey told them. "I give up. But it's about damn time."
Alice smiled, laughing. "Right."
"Do we have to sound an air horn every time we walk into a room?" Brady asked.
Brooke shook her head. "I mean, what is it with grownups these days?"
The camera closed in on the window to show Giles and Layla embracing and kissing.