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 - The Bronze
(Song:) Never and Easy Way - Morcheeba
The camera extended out from the catwalk, looking straight down onto the people below. They were dancing to the slow, sensual rhythm of the song. Buffy/Eric, Brooke/Wyatt, Brady/Alice, Zoey/Oz, Xander/Cordelia, Carmen, and Willow were dancing on the dance floor. Even though Carmen and Willow didn't have a boyfriend to dance with, they still seemed to be having a decent time. Angelus and Bianca were watching them dancing.
Bianca: (voice over) "Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping. Waiting. And though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir. Open its jaws and howl."
∞
Alley
The Scoobies walked outside. Willow and Carmen led the way, their arms linked. The couples followed them, arms around each other. They walked past a couple, apparently engaged in a kiss. The man lifted his head from the woman, raising his head, revealing it was Angelus, just finishing a bite, letting the woman's dead body fall to the pavement, stepping out into the alley, leaving the woman's body lying there. Bianca walked out of the Bronze, watching the group as they walked away, completely unaware of their presence and Angelus' deed.
∞
Chase Mansion - Outside
Angelus was watching Carmen from outside, while she was in her room. Carmen walked around her bed past the window. and on her way back, she paused by the window, looking out, lifting the blinds a little, scanning around, unable to see Angelus from where he was hiding out, walking over to her closet, unzipping the back of her dress along the way.
∞
Carmen's Room
Carmen was in her pajamas now, setting her alarm, getting into bed, reaching over to turn off her light, settling in to sleep. The camera closed in on her a little, turning to include the window in the shot, revealing Angelus outside looking in. The camera closed in on a sleeping Carmen. A shadow came across her bed. Angelus reached a hand over to stroke her hair with his fingers, sitting on the edge of her bed, looking down at her.
Bianca: (voice over) "It speaks to us. Guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?"
∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞
Day Two
Morning - Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room
The camera panned from the foot of her bed up to Carmen's face. Carmen stirred, waking, opening her eyes to look over at her clock, but they fixed on an envelope left next to her on her pillow. She let out an inquiring moan, pushing her hair back, picking up the envelope as she sat up, looking down at it, seeing that it was blank, opening it, taking out the paper inside, unfolding it, and could only stare at it in disbelief. It was a pencil sketch of her sleeping.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Library
The Scoobies were gathered.
"He was in my room," Carmen told them, walking past Giles at the counter, toward the others at the table.
Giles looked up. "Who?"
"Angel," Carmen answered. "He was in my room last night."
Giles walked out from behind the counter and followed her over to the table. "Are you sure?"
"Positive," Carmen answered. "When I woke up, I found a picture he'd left me on my pillow."
Carmen crossed her arms over her chest.
"A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy," Xander told her.
"Wait," Cordelia told them. "I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited them in."
"Right," Wyatt agreed. "But once you've invited them in, they're always welcome."
"You know, I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms," Xander told them.
Cordelia realized something. "Oh, God!" She looked at Carmen. "I invited him in my car once." She looked at Wyatt. "That means he can come into my car whenever he wants."
"Yep, you're doomed to having to give him and his vamp pals a lift whenever they feel like it," Xander told her. "And those guys never chip in for gas."
Cordelia looked away, disgusted.
"Wyatt, there has to be some sort of spell to reverse the invitation, right?" Eric asked. "Like a barrier, a no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing?"
"Yeah, that works for a car, too?" Cordelia added.
"Something that we can use on our house too," Buffy agreed. "Since Bianca tricked our mom into inviting her in."
"Yeah, the day that Bianca and Drusilla nearly killed Alice and Brooke," Brady told them. "The day everyone was distracted with the love spell."
Eric hopped up from his chair. "Hello!" They all looked behind them to see Jonathon and a girl walk into the library. "Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?"
Jonathon gestured to the library before him. "We're supposed to get some books. On Stalin."
Xander pointed at Jonathon. "Does this look like, a Barnes & Noble?"
"This is a school library, Xander," Brooke told him.
"Since when?" Xander asked.
Alice looked at Jonathon. "Uh, yes. Uh, third row." She gestured to the stacks. "Historical biographies."
"Thanks," Jonathon told her, leading the girl past them, up the stairs and into the stacks.
They watched them go until they disappeared. Alice pointed out of the library. They picked up their things and started out.
Giles looked at them, confused. "What..." Layla gave him a look. "Oh!"
They walked out of the library.
Jonathon walked out of the stacks. "Hey, did you say that was the..." He saw that they were gone. "Hello?"
∞
Hallway
They all walked down the hall.
"So Angel and Bianca have clearly decided to step up their harassment of us," Brooke told them.
"Yeah, if what happened with the love spell isn't evidence enough," Wyatt agreed.
"Yeah, but Angel sneaking in Carmen's room and leaving stuff?" Cordelia asked. "Why doesn't he just slit her throat or strangle her while she's sleeping or cut her heart out?" Everyone gave her a look. "What? I'm trying to help."
∞
Outside
They left the hall and walked along the colonnade.
"Yes, but Angel's goal isn't to kill Carmen," Layla told them. "Just like Bianca's wasn't to kill Brady. Or Spike's wasn't to kill Wyatt."
"Right," Buffy agreed. "They just wanted to kill Alice and Brooke."
"So what about Angel's game with Carmen?" Brooke asked. "Or Bianca's with Brady?"
"Or Spike's thing with killing Brooke to get to Wyatt?" Brady added.
"Uh, it's like a classic battle strategy to throw one's opponent off his game," Alice answered.
"They're trying to provoke us," Wyatt agreed. "Uh, to taunt us. To goad us into some trap. Again."
Xander looked back at Wyatt, speaking in a singsong voice. "The nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah approach to battle?"
"Yes, Xander, once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form," Giles told him.
Xander smiled.
"Guys, Wyatt once told me that when Angel was obsessed with Drusilla, the first thing he did was to kill her family," Brooke told them.
"And now Angel's teaching Bianca," Brady told them.
Wyatt looked at them. "Buffy, Brooke and Brady's mom. Carmen and Cordelia's parents."
"You're going to have to tell them something," Layla told them. "But the truth?"
Giles approached them, waving his finger. "No. You-you-you-you can't do that."
Eric was trying to lighten the mood. "Yeah. The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us."
"But we've gotta tell them something," Buffy told them. "We've gotta do something."
"Bianca has an all access pass to Buffy, Brooke and Brady's house," Zoey told them. "Angel has an all access pass to Carmen and Cordelia's."
"And we're not always home when our parents are," Brady added. "We can't protect them."
"We told you," Alice told them. "We will find a spell."
"What about until you find a spell?" Eric asked.
"But it wasn't just Drusilla's family Angel went after," Buffy told them. "It was her friends, too."
"Guys, how are we gonna protect all of you?" Brooke asked.
"I understand your concern," Layla told them. "But it's important that you keep a level head through all this."
"I don't know how you can keep a level head, Layla," Carmen admitted. She looked at Zoey. "Or you. Angel killed your guys's uncle." Zoey and Layla looked down. Carmen looked at Giles. "And it's easy for you to tell us to ignore them. You came close to losing Alice, Giles, but you didn't Not like they lost their uncle. And you don't have Angel luring in your bedroom at night."
"Yeah, or nearly get killed by Bianca or Drusilla or Spike more than once," Brooke agreed.
"I know how hard this is for you, especially with Bianca almost being successful in killing Alice more than once," Giles told them. "But as the Slayer and Guardians, you don't have the luxury of being slaves to your--your passions. You mustn't let Bianca and Angel get to you, no matter how provocative their behavior may become. Zoey and Layla had to ignore them after their uncle was killed, as well as after what Angel and Bianca did to Alice, Brady, Brooke and Wyatt, so we have to continue or otherwise..."
"So what you're basically saying is, 'just ignore them, and maybe they'll go away'?" Eric asked.
Alice exhaled. "Yes. Precisely."
"Hey, how come Eric doesn't get a snotty 'once again you boil it down to the simplest form' thing?" Xander asked. They looked at him. Xander looked at Eric. "Watcher's pet."
∞
Computer Class
Jenny was closing class. "Don't forget, I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week." The bell rang. Jenny walked behind her desk. "Oh, and I want both a paper printout and a copy on disk, thank you." She looked down at her desk, back up, reaching out her arm to get Willow's attention before she left. "Willow."
Willow walked closer. "Yes?"
"Um, I might be a little late tomorrow," Jenny told her. "Do you think you could cover my class till I show?"
Willow smiled brightly. "Really, me, teach the class? Sure."
Jenny chuckled. "Cool."
Willow was suddenly worried. "Oh, wait, what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?"
Jenny nodded reassuringly. "Willow, you're gonna be fine, and I'll try not to be too late, okay?"
Willow nodded, calmer. "Okay, good, earlier is good. Will I have the power to assign detention or make 'em run laps?"
The others walked in.
"Hey, Will," Eric told her.
They looked at them.
"Hi, Zoey," Jenny told her. "Layla. Glad you could stop by."
"Willow, we thought we might take in a class," Brooke told her.
"Figured we could use someone who know where they are," Brady told her.
"See you gypsies later," Wyatt told them.
Zoey, Layla and Jenny nodded. The others left.
"How have you been?" Jenny asked.
"Uh, not so good, actually," Zoey answered. "Soulless Angel and Bianca had Amy Madison cast a spell on every woman in town, including us, to try to kill Alice and Brooke to get Brady and Wyatt to lose it. And it almost worked."
Jenny nodded. "That's really bad."
"Angel's been in Carmen's bedroom," Layla explained. "Bianca's been in Brady, Brooke and Buffy's house. We need a drum up a spell to, uh, keep them out of their houses."
Jenny reached down to her desk, picking up an old book. "This might help." She handed it to them. "I've been doing a little reading since Angel changed and Bianca became a bigger threat." She crossed her arms. "I don't think Giles and Alice have that one."
"Thank you," Layla told her.
"So, how's Carmen doing?" Jenny asked. "Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt?"
"How do you think?" Zoey replied.
Jenny sighed. "I know you feel betrayed, but I wasn't trying to hurt the closest family I have. Layla, Zoey, we come from the people that Angel hurt the most. Layla, you believed our parents to be crazy for good reason and you made a right choice to not raise Zoey around that. They never told you the complete truth. They didn't tell me either until after I discovered it on my own. I came here to tell you about who you are and help you know how to control it so you didn't have to hurt anyone and lose your powers like I did. And I lied to you because I thought it was going to protect you. I didn't know what would happen. I just wanna make it right with my closest family. I don't expect more. I just want so badly to make all this up to you."
"We know," Layla told her.
"But we're not the ones you need to make it up to," Zoey told her.
Jenny nodded in understanding. "Zoey, you said before if there was anything I could do to help, it was to help find a way to save Angel and Bianca. I've been looking. For you, for Layla, for your friends. I'll let you know when I know more."
Zoey and Layla nodded, smiling a little, leaving the room. Jenny watched them go, determined but sad.
∞
Night - Summers House - Dining Room
Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Joyce were having dinner. The siblings were just picking at their food.
Joyce put down her fork, folding her hands, leaning forward on the table toward her kids. "Okay, what's wrong?"
Brady looked at Joyce, shaking his head. "It's nothing."
"Come on," Joyce told them. "You can tell me anything. I've read all the parenting books. You cannot surprise me."
"Have you seen Bianca lately?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, I invited her in the other night," Joyce answered. "Why?"
"Because Bianca's been sick," Brooke answered. "It's like dementia and tumors in her head that's been eating away at her brain."
Joyce was horrified. "Oh, my God. Is she okay?"
"She's losing her mind," Brady answered. "Anyway, since her sickness is so far along, since she's changed, she's kinda following me around."
"She's having trouble letting go of the fact that Brady's moved on," Buffy told her. "Mom, Bianca's hurt Brooke, Wyatt, Alice and Brady before."
Joyce looked at them in concern. "Oh, no."
"We just can't see her right now," Brady told her. "Not until she gets help."
"I mean, if Bianca shows up, we'll talk to her," Brooke told her.
"Just don't invite her in," Buffy told her.
"Not again," Brooke agreed.
Brady sighed, shaking his head. "Please."
∞
Francis House - Outside
Oz was sitting outside the mansion in the backyard on a bench, playing his guitar.
Zoey walked closer. "I had to look for Snowy, my puppy so I locked him inside."
"How can you and your mother afford this expensive mansion?" Oz asked.
"Well, my mother's a doctor, and my father's a washed up rockstar still living out his glory days, plus the money he made from his skateboard art," Zoey answered. "My father may have cheated on my mother with a witch and left us both, but he always made sure we lived nicely, including in this house with the best clothes he could get me. He's far from perfect but he's not a total monster." Oz smiled. Zoey heard the guitar. "You're getting better."
"Liar," Oz told her. "We're getting closer to the sucking sound."
Zoey sat next to him. "You're not that bad. Let me see." Oz gave her a curious look, handing her the guitar. Zoey took it, pulling the strap over her head and starting to play calmly, singing "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal in a relaxed voice. "There used to be a graying tower alone on the sea / You became the light on the dark side of me / But did you know... / That when it snows... / The light that you shine can be seen."
While Zoey was singing and both Oz and Zoey were distracted, Angelus appeared by the mansion, walking by behind Oz and Zoey, watching them with a smug, sly smirk, walking toward the window to the room where Zoey had locked Snowy inside, opening it quietly to not alert them. Snowy saw the window was open, whimpering, walking up to the window, climbing up to the window.
Once Zoey finished, Oz smiled in awe. Zoey smiled, slowing to a stop, no longer playing or singing.
Oz placed a hand on her cheek. "You're good. Maybe you can take over for Devon." Zoey smiled, drifting closer, nearly kissing him. They heard something clang from the front of the house, looking toward it. "What was that?"
"Probably just my mom getting back from work, but her timing sucks," Zoey told him, lifting the guitar away, letting it down, walking away toward the front of the house. "Mom?"
Layla's car wasn't here. Zoey didn't see her. She looked from one side of the street to the other.
Oz walked toward Zoey. "What's wrong? Layla's car's not here. Which means she's not here. So then what did we hear?" Zoey shook her head, starting to turn toward the door, stopping when she saw a blank envelope on the bird bath, slowly taking it in confusion. "What is that?" Zoey opened the envelope, pulling out Snowy's collar. There was a message written on the top flap in blood: Turn around. They slowly turned around, looking at the rosemary, completely in shock and denial and horror. "Oh, my God."
Snowy nailed to it like a cross. Zoey stared forward in shock. Oz pulled Zoey away, out of there.
∞
Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room
The girls were sitting on the bed. Behind them there was a string of garlic cloves hanging on the wall. Willow had a stake in her hand.
Willow was fidgeting with nervously while she looked around. "Thanks for having us over, Carmen. Especially on a school night and all."
"No problem," Carmen told them. "Zoey, I'm so sorry about Snowy. I know how much you and Layla liked him."
Zoey nodded. "While I'm here, Oz is out there giving him a funeral."
"Okay, I get why Angel's been focused on Carmen," Cordelia told them. "But why is he focused on Zoey, too? I mean, first Zoey's great-uncle, now her puppy."
"Not just Zoey," Alice told them. "Layla. Jenny. Gypsies. From the same line that Drusilla was."
"The same line that cursed him with a soul," Willow agreed. "You think he's purposefully punishing Zoey, Layla and Jenny. For revenge because of his soul."
Carmen sighed in regret. "It's so weird. Every time something like this happens, my first instinct is still to run to Angel. I can't believe it's the same person. He's completely different from the guy that I knew."
"Well, sort of, except..." Brooke trailed off.
"Except what?" Buffy asked.
Brooke looked at Carmen. "You're still the only thing he thinks about."
Carmen looked down at her hands.
∞
Spike's Warehouse
Spike was in his wheelchair at the head of the table.
Drusilla walked in behind him, holding a puppy behind her back. "I brought something for you." She brought out the whining puppy. "Poor thing. She's an orphan. Her owner died." She smiled. "Without a fight. Do you like her?" Spike looked at her. "Hmm?" Dru reached her hand into his jacket, rubbing his chest. "I brought her especially for you to cheer you up." She raised the puppy. "And I've named her Sunshine." She offered the puppy to Spike. "Open wide." Spike looked away. "Come on, love, you need to eat something to keep your strength up. Now." Dru waved the puppy around, growling. "Open up for mummy."
Spike wheeled around the table. "I won't have you feeding me like a child, Dru."
Bianca smirked, leaning against the table.
Angelus walked in. "Why not? She already bathes you, carries you around and changes you like a child."
Bianca looked up. "Why, Angel." Angelus smiled. "Where have you been? The sun is almost up. And it can be so hurtful. We were worried."
"No, we weren't," Spike told him.
"You must forgive Spike," Drusilla told him. "He's just a bit testy tonight. Doesn't get out much anymore."
"Well, the next time I kill Zoey and Layla Francis' puppy, I'll bring you with me, Spike," Angelus told him. Drusilla and Bianca frowned at the mention of dead puppies. "Might be handy to have you around if I ever need a really good parking space."
Spike looked at him in annoyance. "Have you forgotten that you're a bloody guest in my bloody home?"
Angelus stepped closer, leaning in. "And as a guest, if there's anything I can do for you, any responsibility I can assume while you're spinning your wheels..." He looked at Dru and Bianca. "Anything I'm not already doing, that is."
Spike shoved Angelus away angrily. "That's enough!"
Angelus smiled, laughing.
Bianca smirked, giggling. "Aw." Drusilla leaned down to Spike, giving him a peck on the cheek, putting the puppy in his lap, stepping away, going around the table. "You two boys, fighting over Dru and all." Bianca spun around. "Even getting me involved. Makes a girl feel..."
Drusilla looked up, moaning loudly in apparent pain. Bianca stepped over opposite her across the table, looking concerned.
Spike rolled closer. "Dru? What is it, pet?"
Drusilla was breathing heavily. "The air. It worries. Someone... an old enemy seeking help." Spike, Bianca and Angelus exchanged a look. "Help to destroy our happy home." Drusilla leaned against a chair. "Oh..."
∞
Tarot Shop
The camera panned across a display table with a skull in a covered glass bowl, a small gong hung between two horns, a pig fetus in formaldehyde, what looked like a large crab also in formaldehyde and another jar. A pricing gun waved into view, putting prices on the last two jars. The shopkeeper continued on to price other things. Outside, Jenny walked around the railing in front of the shop, taking the steps down to the entrance, walking in, looking around.
The shopkeeper looked up from his work, speaking with a Romanian accent. "Welcome. How may I serve you today?" Jenny turned to face him. "Love potion? Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful--"
"I need an Orb of Thesulah," Jenny answered.
The shopkeeper dropped the accent. "Oh, you're in the trade. Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine's Day, I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge of past lovers." He walked behind the sales counter. "Sad fact is, Ouija boards and rabbits' feet, that's what pay the rent around here." He walked into the back. "So how did you hear about us?"
Jenny was checking out a few things. "My Uncle Enyos told me about you."
The shopkeeper looked out at her. "So which one are you? Jenny or Layla?"
Jenny looked at him. "Jenny. Layla's my sister."
"Sorry to hear about your uncle," the shopkeeper told her.
"Thank you," Jenny told him.
The shopkeeper came back with a round wooden box. "He was a good customer. He told me all about you and your sister Layla. Your little niece Zoey. I'm sorry for all your loss." Jenny nodded. The shopkeeper put the box down, opening it. "Well, there you go, one Thesulan Orb. Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead." Jenny reached into her purse. "I don't get many calls for those lately." Jenny pulled out her wallet. "Sold a couple as new age paperweights last year." Jenny handed him a credit card. "Yeah, I just love new-agers, boy. They helped to send my youngest to college." The shopkeeper imprinted the card, filling in the form. "By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost." He handed her the form and a pen. "Without the annals, the surviving text is gibberish."
Jenny signed. "And without a translated text, the Orbs of Thesulah are pretty much useless. Yeah, I know."
Jenny handed him his copy.
The shopkeeper put the lid on the box. "Well, I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds."
"It's okay," Jenny told him. "I'm working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text."
The shopkeeper scoffed. "I don't like computers. They give me the willies."
Jenny picked up the box. "Well, thank you."
"You're welcome," the shopkeeper replied. Jenny took the lid off of the box, slowly walking toward the door. "By the way." Jenny looked back. "Not that it's any of my business, really, but, uh, what are you planning on conjuring up? If you can decipher the text?"
Jenny lifted the Orb. "Presents for two friends of mine. Well, friends of Zoey and Layla, that is."
"Really?" the shopkeeper asked. "What are you gonna give them?"
Jenny looked into the Orb as it began to glow. "Their souls."
∞∞
Day Three
Morning - Sunnydale High School - Outside
The girls were talking as they walked along the sidewalk and then up the steps.
"We'll be in hiding, probably..." Buffy trailed off, mouthing a word.
Willow mouthed a word.
"Siberia," Alice told them.
Xander, Eric and Brady walked up behind them.
"Well, good morning, ladies," Eric told them. "And what did you do last night?"
"We had kind of a 'pajama party sleepover with weapons' thing," Brooke answered.
"Oh," Xander said. "And I don't suppose any of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment."
Willow smirked. "I have to go. I have a class to teach in about five minutes, and I have to arrive early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers." She saw Jenny and Layla arriving. "Oh, darn, she's here." She started to walk away. "Five hours of lesson planning yesterday down the drain."
Zoey walked up to Jenny and Layla, walking with her aunt and mother.
Carmen watched them for them, looking at the others. "You know what, I'll see you in class." She walked up to Zoey, Layla and Jenny. "Hey."
"Hey," Layla told her. "Uh, is there something that... Did you want something?"
"Look, Jenny, I know you feel badly about what happened, and I wanted to blame you for what happened, but I can't do that," Carmen told her. "Not when you're the closest family my best friend and her mom has."
Jenny, Layla and Zoey were only slightly surprised by that, smiling slightly.
"Carmen, I am sorry," Jenny told her. "You know that if I have the chance to make this up, to you, to Zoey, to Layla, to everyone, I will. No matter the consequences."
They stopped walking.
"Jenny, what are you saying?" Layla asked. "You're starting to scare me."
Jenny shook her head. "There's no reason to be scared, Layla. I'm just trying to make this up to everyone. I love you. You and Zoey."
"We love you, too," Zoey told her. "Aunt Jenny, what's going on?"
Jenny smiled slightly. "Nothing you or Layla need to worry about, Zoey."
Jenny walked away. Layla and Zoey watched her go, confused and concerned. Carmen looked between them.
∞
Student Lounge
Giles was talking to a couple of students while searching through his briefcase for some flyers. "I put it here somewhere." He found the flyers. "Oh, yes, yes, that's it." He handed the flyers to the students. "Could, you, um, hang those up?" The students nodded. "Thank you."
The others walked closer.
"Hey, guys," Wyatt told them. "How was your night? Mine was sleepless. But no human fatalities."
"Layla, what are you doing here?" Xander asked.
"I found a ritual to revoke the invitation from vampires, in a book that Jenny gave me and Zoey," Layla answered.
"Oh, thank goodness," Cordelia told her. "I actually had to talk my and Carmen's grandmother into switching cars with me last night."
Carmen rolled her eyes. Layla handed the spell information to Giles for him to read.
"The ritual's fairly basic, actually," Giles told them. "It's just the recitation of a few rhyming couplets, burning of, uh, moss herbs, sprinkling of holy water."
"All stuff I have in my stuff," Wyatt told them, looking at the spell. "Hanging of crosses..."
∞
Night - Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room
The girls, Eric, Xander, Wyatt and Brady were in Carmen's room doing the spell. Carmen nailed a cross next to her French doors, pulling the curtain over to hide it.
Eric looked at Carmen and Cordelia. "You're gonna have a hard time explaining that to your dad."
"You really think it'll bother him?" Xander asked.
"Not as much as it would bother my and Will's dad," Eric answered. "Willow and I have to come over to Zoey's mansion just to watch 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' every year with Zo, Carmen and Xander, and hang out in their mansion's game room to have actual fun."
"I see your point, Eric," Brady told him.
Xander smiled. "But you have to admit, Eric. It's worthwhile to see me do the Snoopy Dance."
Xander did the Snoopy Dance to lighten the mood and make everyone smile, or at least smirk in amusement.
"You know, we've already done the Chase Mansion to keep lurkers out of Carmen's bedroom," Buffy told them. "We've done Cordelia's car."
"Now all that remains to be done is Buffy, Brooke and Brady's house," Wyatt told them.
"Right," Alice agreed. "And then we can call it a night."
"Thanks, guys," Cordelia told them. "And you know I'd do the same for you if you had a social life."
Eric sat down on the bed, seeing a blank envelope there. "Oh." He picked it up. "This must be for you."
Eric handed the envelope to Carmen. Carmen gave them a worried glance.
Alice took the envelope. "I'll get it." Carmen sighed in relief. Alice opened it, seeing what it was, worried, handing it to Brady. "It's for you."
Brady unfolded the paper, seeing the note: From Bianca. Buffy and Brooke stood behind Brady, looking at the pencil sketch of all four Summers sleeping, realizing that their mother was in danger now. "Mom."
∞
Summers House - Outside
Joyce pulled into the driveway. Bianca was waiting. Joyce saw her as she pulled to stop, turning off the engine.
Bianca walked up to the car. "Mrs. Summers, I need to talk to you."
Joyce got out with a bag of groceries. "Bianca."
Bianca pushed the door closed. "Did Brady, Buffy or Brooke tell you about me?"
"Buffy told me that you're sick, and that they want you to leave them alone until you get help, because you hurt Brady, Brooke, Wyatt and Alice," Joyce answered. "Bianca, you need to leave Brady alone until you get better."
Bianca shook her head. "I can't. I can't do that."
"You're scaring them," Joyce told her.
"You have to help me," Bianca told her. Joyce walked toward the house. Bianca followed. "Joyce... I need--I need to be with Brady. You can convince him. You have to convince him."
Bianca walked around in front of her.
"Look, all I'm telling you is to leave him alone until you get the help you need," Joyce told her.
"You have to talk to him for me, Joyce," Bianca told her. "Tell him I need him."
Joyce walked around her. "Please, look, I--I just wanna get inside, okay?"
Joyce let go of her bag with one hand, rummaging in her purse for her keys, but she couldn't keep her grip on the bag, and it fell. Several oranges rolled out and around.
Bianca righted the bag, scrambling to pick a few of the oranges up. "You don't understand, Joyce." Joyce found her keys. "I'll die without Brady. He'll die without me. He'll die if he's with Alice. They both will."
Joyce gave her a look. "Are you threatening them?"
Bianca shook her head. "Please. Why is he doing this to me?"
"I'm calling your parents now," Joyce told her.
"That won't do any good," Bianca told her. "My mother's dead, died of the same sickness that I have, that Billy had. And our father's in LA."
"Then I'm calling your brother," Joyce told her.
"Won't help either," Bianca told her. "Billy's dead."
Joyce was stunned by this news. "Oh, no wonder you're like this. I'm calling someone to help you. Police, hospital, something."
Joyce forgot the grocery bag, walking toward the door. There, she fumbled with her keys, trying to find the right one, finally getting the key in the door.
Bianca walked up next to her, pretending that she felt guilty. "I haven't been able to sleep since the night I hurt Brady, Alice, Brooke and Wyatt. I have to apologize. I need Brady. I know you understand."
Joyce opened the door. "What I understand is you're a very sick girl, Bianca. One who needs help."
Joyce walked into the house. Bianca tried to follow, but came up against an invisible barrier. Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Zoey, Alice, Carmen, Willow, Eric, Xander and Wyatt walked into view.
Wyatt, Carmen, Willow and Eric muttered the spell. "Hicce verbis consensus rescissus est."
Brady walked up to the door. "Sorry, Bianca. Changed the locks."
Brady closed the door in Bianca's face. Bianca couldn't help but smirk, backing away, tilting her head, sighing, turning around, walking away.
∞
Tarot Shop
The shopkeeper turned out the light by the front entrance, heading toward the back. Drusilla, holding her puppy, walked in.
The shopkeeper blew out some candles. "Sorry, honey, we're closed." He looked up, nervous. "What do you want?"
Drusilla looked at the puppy. "Miss Sunshine here tells me you had a visit today, but she worries." She looked at the shopkeeper. "She wants to know what you and the mean teacher talked about. The sister to Layla Francis. The aunt to Layla's daughter Zoey."
∞
Sunnydale High School - Computer Class
Jenny was working at her computer, tapping a few keys, looking up at the screen. A percent complete window appeared over Rumanian text, and the bar zipped across it.
Jenny whispered. "Come on, come on." The bar disappeared, and a translation scrolled up next to the original text. Jenny smiled. "That's it. It's gonna work." She saved the result. "This... will work. I can make it up to Zoey and Layla." She popped out an unlabeled yellow floppy disk, setting it aside by some books near the edge of her desk. In the mean time, a hard copy had started to print out. Jenny wheeled her chair over to the printer, looking it over, looking up, seeing Angelus sitting in a desk at the back of the class, gasping, jumping out of her seat. "Angel..." She slowly moved toward the door. "How did you get in here?"
"I was invited," Angelus answered. "The sign in front of the school, 'formatia trans sicere educatorum'."
Jenny translated. "'Enter all ye who seek knowledge'."
Angelus chuckled, standing. "What can I say? I'm a knowledge seeker."
Jenny was frightened. "Angel, I--I--I've got good news. I've been doing something for Zoey and Layla, to help you and Bianca."
"I heard," Angelus told her. "You went shopping at the local boogedy-boogedy store." He saw the Orb on her desk, picking it up. "The Orb of Thesulah. If memory serves, this is supposed to summon a person's soul from the ether, store it until it can be transferred. They can even hold more than one soul at a time, two at the most." The Orb began to glow as he looked into it. He glanced up at Jenny for an instant as she edged away from him. "But you know what I hate most about these things?" He threw it into the chalkboard behind her, making her scream as it shattered into hundreds of pieces and a lot of dust, smiling. "They're so damn fragile." He lost the smile. "Must be that shoddy gypsy craftsmanship, huh?" Jenny had backed into the wall, trembling with fear, inching her way toward the door. Angelus reached over to the PC, turning the monitor so he could see it. "I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries." Jenny had reached the door, trying to open it, but it was locked. Angelus turned the monitor back around. "It's a miracle to me. You--you put the secrets to restoring my soul and giving Bianca one as well in here." He shoved the computer off of her desk, onto the floor, breaking it, making it shatter and sparks start to burn, tearing the printout from the printer. "It comes out here." He looked at the paper. "'The Ritual of Restoration'. Wow. This--this brings back memories."
Angelus started to tear the printout in half.
"Wait," Jenny told him. "That's your--"
Angelus finished tearing. "Oh, the cure for me and Bianca? No, thanks. I've been there, done that, and deja vu just isn't what it used to be. And Bianca is happy the way she is now." He looked at the computer burning. "My, isn't this my lucky day. the computer and the pages." He held the paper over the flames, burning them, warming his hands. "Look like I get to kill two birds with one stone." He crouched over the fire to warm himself more. Jenny reached for the door to unlock it. Angelus looked up at her, sporting his game face. "And teacher makes three."
Jenny started to run for it. Angelus roared, quickly jumping and grabbing hold of her.
Jenny struggled. "No!"
Angelus threw Jenny back into the locked door, making it break open. Jenny looked at him, scrambling to her feet, running.
"Oh, good," Angelus told her. "I need to work up an appetite first."
∞
Halls
Jenny ran down the hall, opening the door leading to the lounge area, running to another set of doors to outside, but they were locked, so she ran through the lounge again, seeing Angelus coming, running further down the hall. Angelus pulled open the doors, following her at a fast walk.
In another hall, Jenny burst through the doors, running along the colonnade. Angelus was not far behind, continuing after her at a quick pace, soon starting to run as well. Jenny kept running, checking behind her every so often, reaching the next building, struggling with the door, looking back, seeing Angelus running toward her with an evil grin on his face, yanking hard at the door several more times before it opened, running through, closing the door behind her, making Angelus slam into it, running down the hall. Angelus had to yank at the door a couple of times before it opened for him too, running in after her. A cleaning cart was in the hall by the stairs. Jenny grabbed it, pushing it into Angelus, making him slam into it and flip over it to the floor, while she ran up the steps. From a view down the stairs from above, Jenny was shown running up and out of view. Angelus wasn't on the floor below anymore, nowhere to be seen. On a landing by a large arched window, Jenny ran up onto it, right into a waiting Angelus, screaming when he grabbed hold of her.
Angelus chuckled, putting one hand around behind her, touching her lips with the fingers of his other. "Sorry, Jenny, this is where you get off. I'll give Zoey and Layla my condolences." He took his fingers from her lips, putting his hand under her chin. In one swift movement, he twisted her head, snapping her neck, letting her body fall, looking up, around, breathing heavily from the running and excitement. "Ah, I never get tired of doing that."
∞∞
Summers House - Foyer
Layla knocked on the door. Willow opened it. The others walked closer, including Giles.
Giles smiled. "Layla, good evening."
"Hi," Xander told her. "Come on in."
Layla walked in.
Brooke handed Layla the spell book. "Here's the book."
"Right," Buffy agreed.
"The ritual go all right?" Layla asked.
"Oh, yeah," Brady answered. "It went fine."
Willow smiled. "Eric and I got to help cast it."
"Well, it went fine until Bianca showed up," Xander agreed.
"Yeah, she tried to get to our mom," Brooke explained.
"You would have been proud of Brady, though," Alice told them.
Eric nodded in agreement. "He totally kept his cool, even after what Bianca did to Brady, Alice, Brooke and Wyatt during the love spell."
"Well, thanks for tonight, guys," Brady told them.
"Right," Buffy agreed.
"Well, we'll see everyone tomorrow," Brooke told them.
"Definitely," Xander agreed.
Wyatt nodded. "I'm guessing that Zoey and Layla need to get that book to Jenny."
They nodded.
"Go ahead," Carmen told them.
Willow smiled. "We'll be fine here."
∞
Sunnydale High School - Hallway
(Song:) La Boheme - Puccini
Zoey and Layla were walking through the high school, looking for Jenny, confused when they heard opera music leading them through the halls. They looked around, finding a rose on the floor. Layla picked the rose up in confusion, inhaling its aroma, managing a small smile.
"Hello?" Zoey called. "Aunt Jenny? It's me and Mom."
They looked around, following the sound of music, pulling off their necklace, glowing with purple power, in case they had to use their magic. They saw a chilled bottle of champagne and three long-stemmed glasses on a tray in the hall. On top of the crystal ice bucket was a folded piece of paper leaning against the bottle. Layla picked up the note, reading: Classroom. They knew that something was wrong, walking more quickly. The opera music got louder as they got closer to the computer class. There were roses leading the way on the floor.
∞
Computer Classroom
Jenny was laying dead on her desk, her dead eyes looking at the door when Layla and Zoey walked in. They saw Jenny dead like that on the desk, in complete shock and denial, devastated, starting to breathe heavily, starting to cry. Layla pulled Zoey away, pulling her daughter's head to her shoulder so she didn't have to see her aunt like that, looking away from her sister's body.
∞
Outside
Angelus was watching Zoey and Layla's reaction to Jenny's dead body through the windows, watching them cry, smirking smugly.
∞
Inside
After the police had arrived, Jenny and Layla were leaning on the wall by the door, staring blankly into space, watching the coroners take Jenny's body away.
A police officer approached. "Layla and Zoey Francis. I need to ask you to come with us. Just to answer a few questions."
Layla was still staring blankly. "Of course. Yes. Procedure."
Zoey looked up. "I need to make a phone call... if that's all right."
∞
Summers House - Outside
Bianca was looking into the dining room through the window from the porch, watching the others walk through it and into the living room.
Bianca: (voice over) "Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love. The clarity of hatred. And the ecstasy of grief."
The phone rang. They went to answer the phone.
Buffy answered the phone. "Hello? Zoey, hey."
Buffy listened to what Zoey had to say, in shock, unable to move.
Brooke walked closer, taking the phone. "What?" She spoke into the phone. "Zoey?"
As she listened to Zoey, Brooke's expression became increasingly blank. She lowered the phone from her ear.
Alice took the phone from Brooke. "What's wrong? Zoey?"
Buffy and Brooke leaned against the wall and slid down against it.
"Does someone want to tell us?" Carmen asked.
"Or do we have to play a game of pass the phone?" Brady asked.
Buffy, Brooke and Alice were in complete shock.
"Jenny's dead," Buffy told them.
"Zoey and Layla found her," Brooke told them.
Alice couldn't blink. "It was Angel. Layla could sense it."
Everyone was in shock. "What?"
"No," Eric told them.
"Oh, my God," Xander told them.
Wyatt shook his head. "No."
Willow started to cry. "No!"
Giles realized what they could have been going through. "Oh, Zoey and Layla."
Bianca watched them from outside, smirking, starting to smile, walking away.
∞
Outside
Cordelia and Oz drove up to everyone, getting out.
"Where're Zoey and Layla?" Brooke asked.
"No luck," Cordelia told them. "By the time we got to the station, the cops said they'd already left. I guess they just wanted to ask them some questions."
"Oz, Cordelia, will you drive us to Zoey and Layla's house?" Carmen asked.
"Of course," Oz answered.
"But don't you think they want to be left alone?" Eric asked.
"Yeah, I mean, their uncle, their puppy, now Jenny," Xander told them.
"I'm not worrying about what they want," Wyatt told them. "I'm worried about what they're gonna do."
∞
Francis House - Porch
Zoey and Layla were trying to stay home and trying to stay calm, but they were close to a temporary breaking point, especially when they heard something from nearby the frontyard water fountain/bird bath, standing, running around the house toward the water fountain, seeing no one was there, walking toward the water fountain, seeing an envelope there with Zoey and Layla's names written on it. Layla slowly picked up the envelope from the edge of the water fountain, opening it, pulling out the parchment inside. Zoey looked at it. It was a pencil sketch of Jenny dead on the desk, and a pencil sketch of Enyos being slaughtered in his hotel room, and a pencil sketch of their dead puppy Snowy on the cross, which was left by Angelus to set them over the edge of anger and grief. Zoey and Layla, not thinking straight, overwhelmed with everything, walked away.
∞∞
Later, after Zoey and Layla had left, the others arrived.
"Hello?" Oz called. "Zoey? Layla?"
"I guess the gypsies can never catch a break," Cordelia told them.
"They're not here," Buffy told them.
Brooke saw the sketches of Jenny, Enyos and Snowy, picking them up. "No, they're not."
Oz saw the sketches, sighing. "Oh, man. Poor Zoey. Poor Layla."
"Calling cards left by Angel," Alice told them.
"Why?" Willow asked.
"To send them over the edge," Carmen answered.
"To lure them to him," Eric answered.
"Well, then where would he lure them?" Cordelia asked.
"To wherever Angel feels safest," Giles answered.
"Where he has the most backup," Carmen agreed.
"That means the factory," Brooke told them.
"Only it won't be just him they'll be facing," Oz told them, worried.
"They'll be facing Bianca and Dru," Brady agreed, worried, angry. "Since Spike is out of commission."
"With Spike out of commission, they would still have a hell of a fight against Angel, Bianca and Dru," Wyatt told them, concerned, angry.
"So Zoey and Layla are gonna try to kill Angel?" Cordelia asked. "Even if it means fighting Bianca and Drusilla?"
"Well, it's about time somebody did," Xander told them.
"Xander!" Willow chided.
Xander scoffed. "I'm sorry, but let's not forget that I hated Angel long before you guys jumped on the bandwagon, so I think I deserve a little something for not saying 'I told you so' long before now, and if Layla and Zoey want to go after the, uh, fiend that murdered Layla and Jenny's uncle, Zoey's great-uncle, their damn dog, and Layla's sister slash Zoey's aunt, I say, 'Faster, Pussycats! Kill! Kill!'"
"You're right," Buffy told him.
Everyone looked at each other.
"Thank you," Xander told her.
"There's only one thing wrong with Angel luring Zoey and Layla there for a little revenge scenario," Alice told them. "Especially with Spike, Bianca and Drusilla there."
"And what's that?" Cordelia asked.
"It's gonna get them killed," Brady answered.
"Angel's been punishing Zoey and Layla because they're gypsies from the same bloodline that cursed him with a soul, right?" Eric asked.
"There's only one last punishment he can deliver them," Wyatt told them.
Giles nodded in agreement. "Death."
∞
Spike's Warehouse
Spike was lecturing Angelus. "Are you insane? You were supposed to kill the bitch, not leave gag gifts for her family."
Drusilla was cuddling her puppy. "But, Spike... Layla's sister / Zoey's aunt was going to restore Angel's soul and give one to Bianca."
"Well, glad Bianca didn't get a soul," Spike told them. "But so what Zoey's aunt / Layla's sister restored his? If you ask me, I find myself preferring the old Carmen-whipped Angelus. This new, improved one is not playing with a full sack." Angelus gave him a look. Bianca smirked in amusement. "I love a good slaughter as much as the next bloke, but his little pranks will only leave us with two incredibly pissed off gypsies."
"Don't worry, roller boy," Angelus told him. "I've got everything under control." Zoey and Layla arrived, using their power to set fire to the table in front of Bianca, Angelus, Spike and Drusilla. Drusilla ran away with Spike wheeling right behind her. They stopped out of reach of the flames. Angelus and Bianca walked across at the end of the table to get away from the fire. Angelus smirked. "I was wondering when you two were gonna show up. Come on. Give me your best shot."
Zoey and Layla magically threw pieces of wood into Angelus and Bianca's shoulders, making them fall, as they pulled the wood out, getting up.
Spike was impressed, clapping in amusement. "Yeah, you can go ahead and kill Angelus, gypsy Zoey. He's getting on my last nerve, and I know he's getting on yours and Layla's. But Bianca's been on somewhat good behavior, not counting what she did to Wyatt, Alice, Brady and Brooke."
Zoey glared at him. "Shut up, Spike, or I'll kill you with them."
Spike nodded sarcastically.
Zoey was holding a baseball bat, using magic to make it catch fire, hitting Angelus in the face with it repeatedly, burning him.
Bianca was amused. "Jeez. Whatever happened to wooden stakes?"
Zoey whaled on Angelus' back several times. Drusilla and Bianca made move to intervene, but Layla held her hand toward them, using her power to cause them so much pain they had to hold their heads and fall to the floor. Angelus tried to stand, but Zoey hit him with the flaming bat again, twice in the face, making him fall, continuing to beat him, using her power to cause him agony, making him collapse all the way. Once again, he tried to get up, but Zoey swung into his jaw from underneath, wielding the still burning bat over her head like a sword as an assassin, spinning around Angelus repeatedly to hit him and burn him.
Finally, Angelus was able to catch the bat, struggling to take it from Zoey, finally getting the upper hand, taking Zoey by the throat, lifting her off her feet, dropping the bat. "Gotta admit, I'm impressed. You two put up much more of a fight than Jenny and Enyos ever did. Or even little puppy Snowy." Furious, Zoey and Layla lashed out at him with purple power, burning him, making him let go of Zoey. Zoey landed on her feet, spinning around repeatedly to kick him and punch him until Angelus fell to his knees. "All right, you've had your fun. But you know what it's time for now?"
Zoey kicked Angelus down, pulling him back, slamming him into the spiral staircase. "Still my fun."
Zoey kicked Angelus in the face, shoving him to the floor. Able to overcome her pain given to her by Layla, Bianca stood. Layla kicked her in the face, making her fall. Angelus grabbed Zoey, flipping her over to the floor nearby the fire, slamming her head down to knock her out.
Bianca jumped up to tackle Layla down, raising her arm to hurt her, shocked when she was able to use weakened version of Guardian powers from her hands to knock Layla out, smiling. "Oh, hell, yeah."
Drusilla smiled. "Little Bianca discovered that after so many times of feeding on Guardian blood, she was able to gain some of their powers."
Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Carmen, Brady, Eric, Wyatt and Giles arrived. Eric used his crossbow to shoot and distract Angelus and Bianca in the shoulders, making them look up. Angelus and Bianca tried to escape. Brooke threw out her arms with red Guardian energy to trip them up, making them fall to the floor. Buffy and Brady grabbed Angelus and Bianca by the legs, but they kicked them off, making them fall. Bianca stood, using her newfound Guardian power, which was a lot weaker than Alice and Brooke's since she was a vampire using the power, to throw Alice and Brooke, using the power to cause them pain. Alice and Brooke lashed out with full powered Guardian power to throw Bianca back.
Drusilla quickly wheeled Spike away, leaving.
Bianca saw a stack of crates, running up it to the catwalk above. Alice used red energy to fly up there to meet Bianca there. Bianca tried to punch her. Alice ducked, kicking Bianca in the back of the knee, using red energy to push her into the railing. Bianca held her hands toward Alice and Brooke to use watered down Guardian energy against them, causing them pain. Wyatt created a magical rope to dangle Angelus from around his neck, yanking him back and forth between the railings several times, kicking him in the chest, making him stagger back and fall down. Angelus and Bianca stood. Buffy grabbed onto a pipe over her head, swinging with both feet into Angelus' chest, knocking him down. Carmen magically threw Angelus and Bianca into a barrel and some ducting. Angelus and Bianca stood, ready to fight them all. Bianca ran toward Brady. Brady grabbed her, diverting her past him and onto the catwalk grating, where she landed with her head against one of the vertical railing bars, kicking her in the face. Giles punched Angelus, kicking him repeatedly, banging his head into the railing a couple of times.
Bianca looked down below, starting to laugh. "Are you gonna let Zoey and Layla just burn?"
They looked down below where the flames where getting higher and nearer toward where Angelus and Bianca had knocked out Zoey and Layla. Carmen used her power to freeze the fire before it could burn them. Eric and Giles ran down toward them. Alice and Brooke used their Guardian energy to fly down to help them get them out. Carmen levitated down to help. Angelus and Bianca took advantage of the distraction, grabbing Buffy, Brady and Wyatt, throwing them over the railing toward the frozen fire. Wyatt levitated himself in the air before he could hit the fire. Alice and Brooke saw Buffy and Brady fall, raising their arms to use their Guardian energy to catch them, saving them, lowering them to the floor. Angelus and Bianca took off out of the building. They all turned to wake up Zoey and Layla and get them out.
∞
Outside
Zoey and Layla were crying after everything that happened.
"Why did you come here?" Layla asked. "This wasn't your fight."
"Because he was taking advantage of a weak point in your lives," Giles answered. "He wanted you both here, breaking you both down ever since Zoey's birthday, so he could punish you and kill you just for being who you are."
Zoey cried harder, looking down. "He killed Aunt Jenny. But I shouldn't have gone to kill him like that. I'm sorry, Carmen."
Carmen shook her head, crying, pulling Zoey into her arms. "No, Zo, I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry about what happened to Jenny," Buffy told them.
"We all are," Brooke told them.
Alice sighed, shaking her head in deep sorrow and regret. "But you can't go after them like that."
"Going after them like that's only gonna get you both killed," Brady told them.
Eric walked closer. "And we can't lose you."
"We can't do this without you," Wyatt told them.
Layla started to break down, crying, sobbing. "I'm sorry."
Giles pulled Layla into his arms. "No. Shh."
As Layla cried, Giles held her in his arms. As Zoey cried, Buffy, Brooke, Alice and Carmen held her.
Bianca: (voice over) "It hurts sometimes more than we can bear."
Brady, Eric and Wyatt looked down sadly in regret, sorrow and sympathy.
Bianca: (voice over) "If we could live without passion, maybe we'd know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms. Shuttered and dank."
∞
Day Three
Morning - Cemetery
Zoey and Layla slowly walked toward Jenny's grave, tears in their eyes. The others stood around them, trying to be there for them without being intrusive.
Bianca: (voice over) "Without passion, we'd be truly dead."
Willow looked at them sadly in regret. "I'm sorry."
"I can't imagine what you're both going through," Xander told them.
Carmen looked at the grave. "I'm sorry I couldn't kill him for you, for her, when I had the chance."
"You weren't ready," Alice told her.
"You shouldn't have to be the one to kill him," Brooke told her.
"We can't hold onto the past anymore," Xander told them.
"Angel has gone, and nothing's ever gonna bring him back," Buffy told them.
"And if there isn't a way to bring Angel back..." Eric trailed off.
Brady sighed, looking down. "There isn't a way to bring Bianca back."
"You shouldn't be the ones to kill them," Giles told them.
"Not if it comes to it," Wyatt agreed.
"Just stop," Zoey told them, not wanting to talk about this anymore.
Layla looked down, shaking her head. "Please just stop."
Everyone looked at them sadly.
∞
Sunnydale High School - Computer Class
The students all waited at their desks for the teacher to arrived.
Willow walked in, standing in front of them. "Hi. Principal Snyder asked me to fill in for Ms. Calendar... until the new computer science teacher arrives. So I'm just gonna stick to the lesson plan she left."
Willow walked around to the front of the desk, looking over the books and things that were there, putting down her own books, and in the process, nudging a few books aside a little. As result, the yellow disk that Jenny had set next to the books got pushed off of the edge. It fell between the desk and the small filing cabinet next to it. It it the floor, spinning around a few times before coming to rest leaning against the side of the cabinet.