3rd Person's POV
"Alex..."
"Yeah Lane..."
"We're supposed to be helping."
"We are... after this..."
Xander kisses Laney pushing her lightly against the classroom door.
The two found an empty room and decided to spend a little Laney and Xander time together.
Laney moans then pulls away slightly pushing Xander but he doesn't move.
"Alex ghost remember... killer ghost."
Xander frowns then let's go allowing Laney to fix her clothes and hair.
"Ugh lets go talk to the wicked witch."
"Alex."
Cordelia and Harmony head down the hall to the top of the stairs.
"I just hope somebody can prop him up long enough to take the picture..."
Suddenly, Xander and Laney appear in their view. The two stop and smile as Cordelia frowns in confusion.
"Laney one of the Scooby gang are beside you."
Laney laughs and pats Xander's shoulder, "Yeah I know. Cordelia... can I talk to you?"
Cordelia starts to say something until she sees Buffy walking towards them.
She sighs looking over at Harmony, "Oh, great."
Harmony frowns as Buffy gets closer, "Why is she always--"
WHAM!
Harmony rockets backwards and tumbles down the stairs. She lands in a moaning heap at the bottom of the stairs. Mr Snyder, passing by, rushes over.
"For heaven's sake!"
Cordelia hurries down the stairs, as does Buffy, Xander, and Laney.
"Clear back, everyone! Give her some air! Air, breathe, good... You! School nurse. Now!"
The student rushes off as Buffy pushes in next to Cordelia. Cordelia wrings her hands helplessly. Harmony moans again in pain.
"My ankle-- I think it's broken..."
Buffy frowns, "What happened?"
Snyder glares, "Hey! Who's the principal here?"
He looks over at Cordelia in question, "What happened?"
"She just fell! We were coming down the stairs and she just fell! All by herself!"
Harmony moans in pain, "No, I was pushed!"
Cordelia kneels down beside her. Buffy hears a girls voice next to them muttering, "She deserved it."
She turns in surprise to the girl next to them, "How can you say that?..."
Only no one's there. The girl is now halfway down the hallway. So who said that? Buffy steps back from the crowd, sensing something's not quite right here. She looks around... and sees a hallway door closing. She hurries toward it and walks into the band room. But it's also empty. Puzzled, she stalks carefully about the room. She looks out the window. Nothing.
"Okay, I know someone's here. I just want to talk to you. I won't hurt you."
Up in the corner, one ceiling tile is slightly ajar. Buffy waits... Still nothing. She sighs and turns around to leave. After a moment, the ceiling panel eerily slides back into place.
"What's the word on Harmony?" Xander asks as him and Laney enter the library.
Giles looks up from his book, "I believe it was a compound fracture. Not wonderful fun."
Laney frowns, "This is a fairly testy ghost we've got."
Buffy shrugs, "Maybe."
"You think 'Testy' is too strong a word? 'Cause I felt Laney was understating--"
Distracted by what happened earlier Buffy ignores Xander, "Giles, have you ever touched a ghost?"
"No I haven't. I've seen one, in Dartmoor. A murdered countess, very beautiful. She used to float
along the foothills, moaning the most piteous-- I've gone away again, haven't I?"
Willow smiles looking at the gang, "It's funny when he does that."
Buffy nods with a slight smile, "We were talking about touching."
"Yes. Well, from what I've read, having a ghost pass through you is a singular experience. It's a cold, amorphous feeling, makes your hair stand up."
"Okay, this is my problem. I touched the thing. It didn't go through me, it bumped into me. And it wasn't cold."
Xander frowns, "So that means, what-- that we're
talking about an invisible person?"
"A girl. She spoke. She said Harmony deserved what she got."
Giles looks through his book once more, "A girl on campus with the power to turn invisible."
Laney smiles, "Man, that is so cool."
Willow looks at her sister in question, "Cool?"
"I'd give anything to be able to turn invisible," Xander agrees. "Well I wouldn't be beating people
up. I'd use my power to protect the girl's locker room."
"Don't you try and do that now, creep?"
Xander sticks his tongue out at Laney making her roll her eyes.
Giles takes off his glasses and closes his book, "It probably is having an awfully heady experience, having that ability."
"So how'd she get it? Is she a witch? 'Cause we can fight a witch."
Willow says trying to make an intimidating face.
"Greek myths talk about cloaks of invisibility, but they're usually just for the gods... Research boy comes through with the knowledge."
Buffy shrugs looking over at Xander, "This girl's sort of petty, for a God."
Laney frowns, "Nah I think she's got a grudge. But why Harmony?"
Xander raises a hand to his chin, "Harmony and Mitch. And the common denominator there--"
"Is Cordelia." Buffy finishes.
Laney frowns and throws her head back looking at the ceiling.
"Does this mean I may be in possible danger again?"
Everyone keeps quiet.
"Ugh it's hard being Cordelia's friend when so many people have it out for her."
Xander pats Laney's head jokingly, "There there."
Willow chuckles, "So what now?"
Buffy stands with her arms crossed over her chest, "First thing tomorrow, pull up that missing kids list. Maybe this girl's made herself invisible for long enough for someone to notice she's gone."
"Got it. I'll see you then."
"Good."
Xander stands and pulls Laney's hand guiding her out the door too, "See ya."
He and Laney walk off together catching up with Willow.
"Why don't you guys have dinner at my place?Mom's making her famous phone call to the Chinese place down the street."
Willow laughs, "Again? Xander, do you guys have
a stove?"
~Flashback~
A girl named Marcie, so mousy she's the human equivalent of wallpaper, washes her hands as Cordelia, Laney, Harmony, and two Cordettes squeeze her aside to primp at the mirrors.
Cordelia sighs, "God, I am never sitting through one
of those alumni lectures again. Two hours of "My Treck Though Nepal". Hello! There's nobody caring."
Marcie smiles and looks over at the group of girls, "Did you see his toupee? It looked like a cabbage."
Complete ignormation, as the group continues.
Harmony nods, "And those slides. "That's a mountain. Yes, that's a mountain too. Now let's look at some mountains."
Laney looks at her nails, "I swear he only had three slides and he just used them over and over."
"Did you guys notice his toupee--"
Harmony looks over at Marcie with a glare, "We're talking, okay?"
Cordelia gets her things together then laughs to herself, "Oh! And did you guys check out the
extreme toupee?"
Laney smirks and fixes her hair in the mirror, "Yeah, that's realistic. Looked like a cabbage."
Everyone nods and laughs as Marcie's eager smile slowly fades. The group exits the bathroom leaving the girl to stare at the mirror, all alone.
~Flashback Over~