Five robed figures walked carefully through the dense underbrush of the forest. Although it was rough going most of the way, their determination and willpower pushed them on. When they finally reached the clearing, they knew their pain and suffering would soon end.

This was the place for their last stand.

Silently, as though they communicated with their thoughts alone, they began the preparations. They drew the pentagram....gathered the herbs...and lit the fire, as they moved as one. The time was drawing near. It would be either now....or never.

Off in the distance, they could hear it. Growling. Snarling. Moving closer to them. It was then that they began to chant...

“Oh God and Goddess of light, hear our prayers. Protect us from the darkness that tries to invade our lives, and banish him for all eternity!”

The demon began to forge through the forest with incredible speed, trying to reach the robbed men, before it was too late. Behind him lay a path of destruction; broken tree limbs, trounced bushes...and death...so much death. The forest dwellers that could not escape his wrath, quickly fell...their souls, ripped from them with brutal force.

“We call upon you, to end our long suffering, and commit this demon to stone!”

He reached the clearing, and towered over the five robbed men. They were standing in the five points of the pentagram, with a glowing crystal, the size of a man’s fist, in the center. Garoth, the Soul Eater, saw this as easy pickings. He would stop these meddlesome humans, once and for...

“O’ben estura rac’ture! Into the prison shall you be!”

Garoth froze.

He felt his body begin to lose form, and his essence, slip from him. And for the first time in his immortal life...he knew fear.

Then...he knew nothing...

“Buffy, will you get that.”

“Okay, Mom,” she called to her mother, who was still in the shower. The teen shook her head in bewilderment, “How does she do it? She’s in the shower, with the water on, and she can still hear the door bell? And they say I have super powers.”

She padded over to the front door, wrapping her bath robe tighter around her petite figure, and opened it. There standing with a look of surprise was the UPS guy. He gave a quick grin, content in the fact that early morning deliveries sometimes paid off. “Um,” he cleared his throat, “I have a package for a Ms. Joyce Summers.”

“She’s in the shower,” Buffy answered, “But I’m her daughter. Can I sign for it?”

He looked her up and down, not being about to focus on anything but this blonde beauty in front of him.

“Hello?” Buffy called out to him, waving her hand in front of his eyes, “Sign...paper...yes? Take package from you...now?” When he shook his head, and handed the clipboard over to her, she smiled, “Welcome back. I was getting worried.” She handed him back the clipboard and took the package, “Thanks.”

‘Well, that was abrupt,’ Buffy thought to herself, as she closed the door on his face, ‘And he was kinda cute too. Of course the ogling part is such a turn off...’

“So,” Joyce Summers asked, drying her hair with a towel, “Who was it?”

“Oh, just some, love struck delivery guy,” Buffy tossed her head.

“Gee,” Joyce frowned, noticing what her daughter was wearing, “I wonder why. You didn’t answer the door, dressed like that, did you?”

“What?” Buffy huffed, pulling at her robe, “it’s not like I was naked.”

Joyce sighed, and shook her head, “Dressing like that was probably worse than being naked. Leaves too much up the imagination...don’t you think?”

Buffy hadn’t really thought about that. The idea that she just made some young delivery guy’s day, made her laugh out loud, “Ooops. I guess you’re right. That could have been the reason why the guy’s clipboard was wet with drool. Sorry.”

“I’m sure he wasn’t,” Joyce smiled. She spied the package in her daughter’s hand and said, “So, let’s see what’s inside.”

“Probably more weird ‘New Age’ stuff.”

Joyce put her hands on her hips and gave a little mock pout, “It’s not weird. It’s art.”

Looking around at the dozens of crystals, and stones, and paintings, and other items for her mother’s gallery, she said, “It’s weird.”

Joyce opened the box and peered in at its contents. Inside were several more crystals and stones, and exotic incense. She carefully took them out one at a time, and placed them on the kitchen island. Some of the crystals where duplicates of what she had already had, but they were attractive none the less. There was a list of the items, along with descriptions of what each one was, and from what part of the globe it came from.

When she got to the bottom of the box, her hand brushed up against something hard and warm. Another crystal, she thought, as her hand wrapped around its firm structure. She pulled it out and looked at it curiously. It was irregular in shape, about the size of a man’s fist. Joyce looked at the onyx crystal, and was taken in by its simplistic beauty. She had never seen anything like it before. It was blacker than black, almost completely sucking in all the light that hit it. She felt as though, by looking into the crystal, she could see the entire universe...

“Mom? Hello? Earth to Mom.”

“Oh, Buffy,” she said, shaking her head, and transferring her focus to the concerned expression on her daughter’s face, “I’m sorry. This is so beautiful.” She rummaged through the box, and found nothing else inside, “I wonder what this is?”

Buffy picked up the invoice and studied it carefully, “Mmmm...” she said thoughtfully, “I don’t see it on here.”

“Let me see,” Joyce said, taking the invoice from her daughter, “It has to be somewhere here.” After searching through the paper, confirmed Buffy’s first observation, she sighed, “I don’t understand. I mean, it was put down here at the bottom. That means, it was put here first, right. I guess they forgot to add it to the invoice.”

“Can you call the people who sent it?”

Joyce nodded, “Yeah. They have a phone number on the invoice. From England. There goes the long distance again.”

After talking on the phone for about twenty minutes, Joyce hung up. She looked even more puzzled than she had been before. “This is strange.”

“What is?”

“Well,” she explained, “When I talked to Mr. Samuel Donavon, he had no idea where the crystal came from.”

“So, we have to send it back?”

“No.” she shook her head, “He said that since we already have it...it’s ours. But I still don’t know what it is.”

A light went on in Buffy’s head, “Hey! Maybe Giles has some books on weird, black crystals. I can borrow a few from him, and we can figure what this is together.”

“Like a mother and daughter thing?” Joyce gave a wiry smile, “Are you sure it won’t be too embarrassing.”

“Well, if you said, you wanted to go on a double date...” Buffy grinned back.

He watched the Slayer leave her house, and sighed with relief. This would be easier than he thought. Only her mother was inside, and he could con her easily...if she didn’t remember him from the last time they met.

Ethan Rayne stayed hidden in the bushes across the street until the utility vehicle, Buffy borrowed from her mom, was down at the end of the block. When he was sure it was safe, he stepped out and headed to the Summer’s home. He knew he had to play this just right, if he wanted to get the black crystal that was just delivered.

He was hired by Everett Daniels to retrieve the missing Gem, and would have had it sooner, if that damned woman in London didn’t catch on and send it away. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t too hard to track where it went. Of course, it would be his luck that the crystal was delivered to the mother of Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer. But that was just a minor inconvenience, now that the Slayer was away.

So, mustering all of the charm he could, he began to walk up to the front door. This mouse was going to play.

“Buffy?” Giles said, after he opened the door, “What are you doing here?”

“What, can’t a Slayer visit her Watcher?”

Giles sighed and let her in, “I’m not your Watcher anymore, remember?”

“Minor technicality,” Buffy shrugged, as she bounced in.

She looked around at the small apartment and shook her head. What was usually the epitome of neatness, and order, was in the grip of chaos. Boxes and boxes of books were strewn everywhere, taking up every available spot. This was to be expected, with the library being destroyed. But there was something else that concerned her even more...the general feel of the place. Ever since Giles was fired, he had changed a bit. Actually, the more she thought about it...she could remember the change taking place when she came back to Sunnydale last Summer. He seemed distant.

Of course, having your girlfriend murdered, and being tortured, by the man who killer her...who also happened to be the ex-demon/lover of your Slayer, would tend to do that, she figured.

And when he was sacked by the Council, she saw that bit of distance between them shrink, as he was no longer a Watcher, and more part of the Scooby Gang. But now...something wasn’t right. The distance between them not only grew, but it took on a life of it’s own. There where times in which Giles went out on extended trips, not telling anyone where he was going, for entire weekends. When Buffy inquired about it, he told her it was personal and none of her business. But, he was her....okay, he was her Ex-Watcher...but still, it WAS her business. Right?

Things were moving so fast lately. She graduated. She blew up the school. She was starting college in one month. And now Giles was going to be footloose and fancy free? Why couldn’t things be simple, like they were when she was just Buffy, the High School Vampire Slayer. So, okay...her life was never simple....but...

“What can I help you with?” Giles asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“Oh, sorry,” Buffy apologized, “Well, I was wondering if I can borrow a book on crystals and gems.”

Giles’ face brightened, as he gave a wry grin “Pardon me...did I hear you right? Did you want a book to read?”

Buffy placed her hands on her hips and squinted her eyes, “Oh, ha ha...very funny Giles. That would be sarcasm, right?”

Her mentor chuckled, reaching for his cup of tea, “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Now, might I ask the reason behind your sudden interest in knowledge?”

“What? Can’t I be knowledge girl?”

Giles stared blankly at her.

“Okay,” she admitted, “You know my Mom is having a New Age exhibit at the Gallery?”

Giles nodded.

“Well, she got some new crystals and things today, and she got this crystal that didn’t come with instructions.”

“I wasn’t aware that crystals came with a set of instruction.”

Buffy looked at him indignantly, “You know what I mean. Everything else had an explanation with it. This one didn’t. And when we called the shipper...they had no idea where the crystal came from. So, are you gonna help me, or what?”

Giles chuckled at that. “Of course, I’ll help,” he said, moving to one of the piles of boxes, “Why don’t you describe this crystal to me, while I look for the books.” He looked at her apologetically, “This might take some time. I’m afraid in the haste of packing up the library, I failed to mark all of the boxes.”

“That’s okay,” Buffy said, sitting on his couch, “Okay....what does it look like...” she began, “Well, it’s about...hey Giles, make a fist.” He complied, “yeah, it’s about that big.”

“Really?” Giles said, pulling out book after dusty book, “What shape is it?”

Buffy though about it for a minute or two before she answered, “Well, it’s kinda weird shaped. With pieces jutting out everywhere. And it’s black....really, really black. Like looking into a...well, I’ve never looked into anything this black before.”

Giles froze.

“Did I say something?”

“Blacker than coal?” Giles asked, opening a book.

“I’ve never really seen too much coal before...but, sure....I guess it would be darker than coal. Why?”

Giles said nothing. He turned around with the book in his hand, and for the first time, Buffy noticed he was white as a sheet.

“Jeeze, Giles,” she said nervously, “What is it?”

Giles showed her the book and asked, “Does it look something like this?”

She didn’t have to study the picture for very long, “That’s exactly what it looks like!”

“Damn.”

“What?”

The Watcher sighed and sat down next to her, “The Soul Gem,” he began to read from the book, “was used by ancient Druids to entrap a very powerful Demon named Garoth, the Soul Eater...”

“Soul Eater?” Buffy gulped, “Why don’t I like the sound of that?”

“You shouldn’t,” he continued, “Garoth survived for thousands of years, feeding off the essence of the living...”

“Um, sounds like another demon we knew and loved,” Buffy quipped, “Remember the Judge?”

“Yes,” he agreed, “But the Judge fed off the life essence of humanity, leaving nothing behind. Garoth, fed only on the soul...leaving the body and empty vessel...”

“Not very efficient was he?”

“Buffy,” Giles scolded, “this is no laughing matter! Garoth was a very powerful demon...”

“...who is trapped in a crystal my Mom has.” Buffy finished. Then it hit home. “A CRYSTAL MY MOM HAS?!”

“Calm down,” Giles said, “Without the spell to activate the crystal, Garoth will remain inside the Gem.”

“You mean,” Buffy practically shouted, “there’s a spell to release him?! Why would anyone trap a demon, then make a spell to let him go?!”

“It’s not like that,” Giles tried to explain, reading from the book, “The spell to activate the Gem is not commonly known...but it has been used over the ages, so it is in existence. The Druids knew this, so they put a curse on the crystal. If anyone tried to activate the crystal after the Gem was sealed, it would entrap them as well.”

“So, no one would want to,” Buffy surmised, “right?”

“Well...”

Buffy rolled her eyes. Nothing was ever easy on the Hellmouth. Her Mom couldn’t have a simple, nice crystal delivered to her....nooooo. She had to have, demon, death crystal, and masked that raised the dead. Nope. Never boring here.

“Giles,” Buffy stood up, “I guessing this is NOT something we want her to have at the house....spell or no spell.”

Giles thought about it for a moment, then remembered Buffy’s welcome home, party from hell, “Oh, dear God...no.”

The two of them raced out of the house, in the hopes of averting any potential disasters that always seemed to follow the Summers’ women and strange artifacts.

Joyce had just finished unpacking the rest of the crystals when the doorbell rang. Well, it wasn’t Buffy, she thought, walking to the living room. Not unless she forgot her keys again. Perhaps it was another delivery. She was expecting a few statues, that hadn’t arrived yet. And who knows...maybe another mystery gem. She shook her head, as she opened the door...mysteries were not things a person wanting to have in Sunnydale, as she had quickly found out over the past year.

When the door swung open, she didn’t see the expected UPS delivery man, but rather...

“I know you. You’re that man with the horrible candy, last year,” Joyce said, her eyes narrowed, “Ethan....Ethan...”

“Rayne,” he finished, trying to muster all of the charm he could, “Ethan Rayne. And you must be Joyce. Buffy’s mother. Well, you look just as attractive as the last time I saw you,” he admitted truthfully.

Joyce said, blocking the doorway, “What do you want?”

Ethan smile broadly, “I know you have no reason to like, or trust me...”

“No reason?!” Joyce practically shouted, “First you make this....this...cursed candy...”

“Aw come on,” he tried to soothe, “I didn’t even feel the slightest good being sixteen again?”

Joyce thought for a minute. She had to admit, she did have fun with Ripper...but... “That’s beside the point! It almost cost the lives of innocent children! Babies!!”

He raised his hands in surrender, “Now wait a minute. I had no idea Trick was going to do that. If I had...”

“You would have what?” Buffy said, coming up behind him, “Raised your fee?”

Ethan was surrounded! His gaze went from Joyce to Buffy, then to Giles, “Hello Buffy...Ripper,” he grinned nervously, “I know what this must look like...”

“Do you really?” Giles said coolly.

“Look,” he shifted uncomfortably, “could we finish this inside? Less prying eyes and all.”

“This is Sunnydale,” Buffy snipped, “the people around here have given up prying.” Then she sighed and pushed him through the door, “Fine...make it quick.”

Ethan tried to be calm and cool, but with the hard cold stares of Buffy and Giles pounding into him, it was difficult.

“Well,” he began, “I’m here to retrieve the Soul Gem.”

“Honesty,” Buffy snipped, “nice touch. This is becoming a habit with you.”

“The Gem was previously owned by a Mr. Daniels...”

“No one has ever ‘owned’ the Gem,” Giles interrupted.

“Fine,” Ethan amended, “was acquired by him...or I should rather say, his wife, about seven years ago. It was stolen from him...and he hired me to get it back.”

Buffy moved closer to him, “Now, why don’t I believe you?” Ethan was about to speak when she continued, “Ethan, this doesn’t sound like the type of job you would do. You’re more of a ‘let’s see what nasty spell I can cast’ kinda guy.”

“This Daniels,” Giles added, “wouldn’t want to open the crystal, would he?”

Joyce watched the exchange between the three. Then turning to her daughter she asked, “Buffy, what’s going on?”

Ethan hedged away slightly, looking down at his feet.

“He does!” Giles practically shouted, “Is he insane?!”

“Buffy?!” Joyce insisted.

“Not now Mom,” Buffy snapped. Then turning to Giles, she asked, “What would happen, if he did open the Gem, and the curse didn’t go off?”