Chapter Two

Guest Stars:

Seth Green

Charisma Carpenter

David Boreanaz

Vincent Kartheiser

Previously on Buffy:

"I'm leaving. After the Ascension, after it's finished with the Mayor and Faith. If we survive, I'll go."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"Is this really happening?"

"You work here?"

"Yes. Yes, I work here."

"But, uh, why?"

"I'm trying to buy a dress."

"But don't you already have all the dresses?"

"I have nothing, okay? No dresses. No cell phone. No car. Everything's been taken away because Daddy made a little mistake on his taxes. For the last 12 years. Satisfied? Are you a happy Xander now? I'm broke. I can't go to any of the colleges that accepted me. And I can't stay home because no longer have one.

“Come in.” Willow’s voice shakes as she steps away to let the three pass through into the house.

“Oz!” Cordelia exclaims surprised, “where’d you come from?”

Oz and Angel exchange their simple greetings, but Willow can see the worry grow in both of their expressions. “Is Buffy here?” Angel asks up front, looking around the house.

Willow shakes her head, “she’s at work.”

“Right,” Angel nods, “of course.”

“Buffy is in danger.” Cordelia blurts.

Willow’s hands clench again as she listens to everyone talk. “That’s why you’re here Oz, isn’t it?” Angel questions.

“We’re not sure.” Oz responds shooting a look at Willow.

“What’s going on Willow?” Angel asks. “Buffy is in danger.”

“Who are all of you to know this?” Willow snaps. “Buffy might be in danger but you guys aren’t giving me anything to back this up.” Willow shakes her rd hair over her shoulder and storms upstairs.

“Oz, what’s wrong with Willow? And what exactly are you doing in Sunnydale?” Cordelia asks for the trio.

“My stuffs in the kitchen. Maybe you guys should take a look at them, Willow isn’t taking the news well.”

“Where did you get these?” Angel questions after minutes of studying the papers.

“Her name is Greer Jameson, she was the watcher of...”

“Etana Hadassa.” Angel cuts in.

“You know of her?” Oz asks surprised.

“I looked into great detail into the life and death of the slayer whose death called Buffy.” Angel responds.

Oz nods suddenly realizing that it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Angel knew more about Buffy’s slaying then anyone else, probably even Buffy herself.

“So,” the one out of the three that Oz doesn’t know begins to speak, “this is basically saying that there may be a new slayer called soon.”

Oz nods and Angel states, “something evil is coming. Everything is pointing to it, we need to tell Buffy.”

“Just not tonight,” Willow comes into the kitchen her eyes red from crying. “There is a party for the administration tonight, let Buffy enjoy it before she has to fight again, and I’ve called Giles he’ll be in tomorrow at noon.”

“Wil, you here? Where’s the part?” Xander’s voice rings in front the entrance way.

“Xander we’re in here!” Willow calls back.

“Oz.” Xander stares stunned but smiles until his gaze falls on the rest of the group. “Cordy, Angel and, you must be Conner. Now instead of party I ask, where’s the apocalypse?” Catching his first read slight of Willow, Xander suddenly asks quickly, his cold expression turning to one of concern, “Wil, what’s wrong?” Everyone exchanges glances and Xander has to ask, in a higher more concerned voice, “is Buffy all right?”

Everyone’s gazes finally rest on Oz, the original bearer of bad news and Oz launches into his speech for the third time.

“We need to tell Buffy.” Xander states firmly.

“I have to agree with Xander.” Angel responds, “Buffy isn’t going to like not being told right away, even if it is for some party.”

Cordelia shakes her head, “I think Willow’s right, Buffy deserves one final night of normalcy, especially if she could be dead by the end of the week.”

Willow and Xander shoot death glares Cordelia’s way but Angel and his son remain expressionless.

“Giles wants us to wait for him anyway,” Willow responds, “so we’ll wait until he gets here.”

Xander sighs, “fine, but I’m doing this under protest.”

Willow nods, “fine.”

“If we are going to keep Buffy from getting suspicious shouldn’t all of you get going before Buffy comes home?” Xander states.

Cordelia nods, “we are staying at my parents house so you can reach us there.”

“Angel will you be all right?” Willow asks.

Angel nods, “it’s still cloudy enough.”

Cordelia exchanges good-byes but Conner and Angel only nod before they slip out of the house.

“Like father like son.” Xander mutters.

“Son?” Oz asks intrigued as he writes down the number for the hotel he is staying at. Willow nods and tries to explain how Conner came to be, but considering she knew very little about it she couldn’t tell him much. “Intriguing,” Oz responds, “I’ll leave these with you so you can go over them more throughly. Give me a call when you want to have the meeting tomorrow.”

Willow nods and she and Xander call good-bye to him, “are you all right Wil?”

Willow doesn’t respond to Xander’s question but states instead, “I want to go over these on my own, I just have to be sure.”

“Hey guys.” Buffy and Dawn call slamming the front door shut.

“It’s miserable out there.” Buffy states pulling of her soaking jacket, “I was thinking about not going to the party tonight.”

“Don’t do that.” Xander and Willow cut in quickly.

“But,” Buffy continues, “I decided that nobody wants to be out in this weather , not even vampires.”

“What about vampires?” Spike asks coming into the kitchen, through the kitchen entrance.

“Just that not even vampires are going to be out tonight.”

“No,” Spike shakes his head, “it’s bloody miserable out there.”

“Spike, I thought we should leave about 6:30.” Buffy states.

“For?” Spike asks his face a blank expression.

“The party for work. I reminded you about it this morning.” Buffy responds with a slight sigh.

“Oh, right, that. Bloody hell, yeah 6:30 is fine.”

“All right, well I’ve go to take a shower.” Buffy responds.

“So do I.” Spike states and when all eyes are on him he adds, “so I think I’ll take a nap until Buffy is done.”

As the two make their way up the stairs Xander turns his attention to Willow and Dawn, both of whom wear looks of disgusts. “Might I just say...ew? No matter how long they are together I will never get used to them together.

“I have some things I want to go through.” Willow states.

“Actually I was wondering if I could steal you away from your friends to have a little Xander and Dawnie one-on-one time.” Xander says to Dawn.

Dawn nods, “sounds good to me, I have no plans.”

Xander smiles, “good. Do you want to leave now and catch a movie and then get dinner?”

Dawn nods, “bye Willow, tell Buffy I went out, all right?”

“Sure thing Dawnie, have fun guys.”

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