Her body trembling with anger and humiliation. Joyce Summers marched over to where her daughter was standing look out for Rupert Giles, her thoughts racing through her. "How dare he think that he should know me. That-that stupid son of a--Joyce, calm yourself. Calm--no, I won't be calm! I refuse to be calm! I am not afraid of my own sexuality. Of losing myself in a man. I'm not afraid of wanting a man! I'm just-cautious about a man I want to be involved with. After all, the last time I was with a man, he was a homicidal robot. It's not that I'm not attracted to Rupert, it's just that I want to be sure that he's the right man to lose myself into. I just want-"

"Mom? You know that you're talking to yourself?"

Joyce's head shot up, and she blinked when she saw her daughter's concerned face. Swallowing her anger and humiliation inside, she gave Buffy a weak smile. "Sorry, honey. I was just-I was just thinking to myself."

Buffy looked at her mother and gave her a hug. "Oh, Mom. It'll be okay. We'll get out of here, you'll see. Giles will figure out a way to get us all out of this crystal, defeat Garret the demon and we'll all be in time for dinner."

Joyce gave her daughter a hug back. "I'm sure he will. He's the 'Super-Librarian', as you and Willow like to say."

"And worrying about this will only make you insane," Buffy chided gently. "So stop worrying, else you'll go crazy."

Joyce gave her daughter a mock look of dismay. "You mean that I'm not crazy already? Heavens, did you hear that, Charles? I'm actually considered a sane person."

Buffy giggled slightly when she heard her mother talk to her imaginary friend. It showed that her mother's quirky sense f humor was still in place, despite her soul being sucked into a gem with a soul-eating demon in it. She rolled her eyes for her mother's benefit. "Oh, Mom. You know as well as I do that pretending to be a schizo does not mean that you're insane. Nice try."

"It was worth a shot, honey," Joyce said as she combed the hair away from her daughter's eyes. "You need a trim. We'll schedule an appointment with the hair dresser as soon as we can."

"Okay, can I get a manicure, too? My nails are shot. And a pedicure? My feet need it," Buffy asked with a cajoling smile. When her mother nodded, Buffy allowed a small sense of satisfaction go through her before her eyes focused on the horizon again. "Mom, if Giles doesn't-if we don't-"

"We'll make it,"Joyce said with a determined smile. She hugged her daughter tightly."I know we will. All of us."

Buffy nodded as she laid her head on her mother's shoulder. Then her head came up, and she pointed. "Hey, what's that?"

Joyce looked towards where her daughter was pointing, and huge grin formed on her face. "I think that it's-oh, honey! Honey, it's Rupert! It's Rupert!"

"It's-it's not much farther. Come, we must hurry before Garoth senses our presence," Karl panted as he pointed a little beyond the barren landscape towards a series of caves. Francois nodded as he hurried after his friend, leaving Giles behind with Daniels.

Keeping one eye on Daniels, and the other on the look out for Garoth, Giles stubbornly refused to let his mind wander. Refused to think that Joyce and Buffy had not made it to safety. Instead, he concentrated on this problem that was before him, 'this problem' being his soul, as well as Joyce's and Buffy's, was trapped inside a gem that imprisoned a soul-eating demon. To hell with Ethan's soul.

In fact, to hell with his, as long as it meant that Joyce and Buffy would escape from this gray prison. His soul wasn't worth much, not now. In fact, now that this has happened, he was now sure that he was a failure in every sense of the word. Let him count the ways. He was fired as a Watcher. He had no job now that the school was blown to bits. He allowed his soul, the Slayer's soul, as well as the soul of her mother to become imprisoned in this-this gray hell. He had no one waiting for him should he even return to his body. And that was the crux of the problem, as long as he could concentrate on the Ascension, he could battle his feelings of self-pity and depression. But now that it was over…It seemed like he had nothing left to offer the world. Not even his soul. "Feeling a bit sorry for yourself, old man? Because Buffy and the children have graduated, you have no job, no life, no family to care for and you’re forty. Well, put it off until you get Buffy and Joyce out of here."

"Mon Dieu! What are they doing?"Francois cried as he saw two figures run from the caves."Elles sont fous!"

Giles looked to where Francois was looking, his heart beating faster. His legs took a life of their own as he ran towards them. "No, no. They're not crazy! They're-Buffy! Joyce!"

"Giles! You're safe!"Buffy screamed as she flung herself towards her Watcher, catching him in a bear hug.

Giles winced as Buffy's arms held him tightly around his chest. He gasped, "Buffy? Ow."

"Sorry,"said Buffy as she sheepishly let him go. Smiling, Giles hugged Buffy quickly as he thanked the gods that she was unharmed. He barely had time to let her go before he was flung slightly back and his arms were filled with a soft form.

Stunned, Giles had barely enough time to acknowledge that it was Joyce Summers's soft form that was wrapped around him. Her face that was buried at the crook of his neck. Hesitantly, his arms wrapped around her as he buried his face into her hair. He held her tighter as he felt her tremble. "It's all right. It's all right. I'm all right."

"We were so worried about you-we thought you were dead," Joyce whispered as she lifted her head from his neck. Giles dropped his tight hold on her as she shifted to look at him, but didn't completely let her go, his arm was still wrapped around her waist. She gave him a wobbly smile. "Glad to see that you aren't."

"Real glad, Giles," Buffy said as she filled his other side and gave him another hard hug. "Try not to worry us like that again, will you?"

"I'll do my best, Buffy," Giles promised as he gave her shoulder a small squeeze. Joyce gave a small chuckle at the dry tone of his voice. He gave Joyce a quick smile before he pushed them ahead of him. "Now we must hurry to safety before-"

"Mein Gott! Are you three insane to stand out here? Time for reunions later! When we are in the safety of the caverns!" Karl whispered as loudly as he could. Francois nodded as he came up behind his friend, Daniels merely ignored the trio and went past them."Hurry! We must go! Before Gaorok senses us!"

Karl shook his head as watched the man called Giles nod quickly, then with unspoken agreement, shove the older woman between himself and the young girl before they made their way to the caves again. "Mein Gott. What a place to have a family!"

Daniels seethed with anger as he silently made his way to the caverns. His anger and hatred growing with each step he took. This was all that bastard's fault. His and his friends. He never would have known about his wife's infidelity if not for him. He never would have been inside this damned gem, if not for him. He never would have started to hope to get Laura back if not for him. Damn him to hell. Damn them all to hell. He was stuck inside this hell because of them.

As he entered the cave and passed the fire, his mind was made up. After he dealt with his adulterous wife and her lover, he was going to destroy Ethan Rayne and his friends. He turned to the guard, an older man and young woman. "Where the hell is Laura?"

"Nice 'tude," the girl Buffy muttered as she entered the cave before her mother and Giles. "Wake up cranky this morning?"

Daniels turned to give the girl a scathing remark when her mother entered the cave, and placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Buffy. Joao and Tina here said that Laura is probably in the back of the cavern. She likes to spend her time near the smaller underground pool."

Daniels didn't acknowledge her as he marched off to look for his wife and her lover. Joyce turned to Giles and introduced him to Tina Wittingham and her father George Chambers. Giles nodded at them before looking after the path that Daniels took. "We're going to have trouble with him."

George Chambers nodded thoughtfully as Francois and Karl entered the cavern. "Yes, we are. But no matter, we will deal with him when the time comes."

Francois nodded as he politely pointed the way to a different entrance than the one Daniels took. "S'il vous plait, this way. I will show you the comforts of this cavern, and the chamber where you and your family can stay."

Joyce started at that. "We're not-"

"Thank you,"Giles interrupted and pulled Joyce to him before she could say anything more. He squeezed her shoulders and gave Joyce an affectionate smile. "My fiancee and I would appreciate that very much."

The three remained silent as Francois lead the way to a passage, different from the one Daniels took. With three sets of eyes watching the trio thoughtfully.

When they were alone in the small cave, Buffy rounded on her Watcher. "So, what's with the guy tactics, Giles?"

Giles shrugged as he studied the cave. It had only one entrance, and was the size of his office and circulation desk combined. "There's safety in numbers, Buffy. We don't know anyone here with the exception of Ethan-"

"And we trust him as far as we can throw him," Buffy added. Joyce echoed her agreement.

Giles gave her an understanding smile. "And how these people came into the gem. And these people are from different times in the past, where the women are under supervision... I think it best that we stick together."

Confused, Buffy looked at Giles. "Where the women what?"

"Before women's lib, Buffy," Joyce said quietly as she felt for a soft spot on the hard ground. As if there were any. "This looks like a good sleeping spot. Where women were locked up at home, or in this case, the cave and had no rights save for what the nearest male relation gave her."

Buffy snorted as Giles knelt to study the ground that Joyce picked for a sleeping spot. "Mom, that's so neanderthal it has hair on it. I don't need a man's protection even it is from my Watcher. You forgot, I'm the Slayer."

"Yes, but your mother is not," Giles said ruthlessly. He looked apologetically at Joyce when she started. "I'm sorry Joyce, but we have no idea how this society works, and until we do-"

"There's safety in numbers," Buffy repeated with a nod. She was willing to take chances with her own safety, but not that of her mother's. "Got it. Want me to go exploring and see the what's what around here?"

Giles nodded as he looked at Joyce. "Yes, that would be wise."

"Mom? Stick with Giles until we get a feel for this place," Buffy ordered her mother with a hug. When Joyce nodded, Buffy gave Giles one hard look before she disappeared into the caverns.

In the stifling silence, Joyce wrapped her arms around herself. Giles coughed. "I think that we should make a fire here. For defense, should Garoth break into the caverns and we're trapped-"

"I want to learn how to defend myself," Joyce announced suddenly. Startled, Giles looked at Buffy's mother. Taking his silence for objection, Joyce argued her cause further. "I took some defense classes while we lived in L.A. and I know how to defend myself from muggers, and I know how to use holy water and crosses but I don't know how to use a stake against a vampire or a weapon or even defend myself from a demon-"

"Not many of us known how to defend ourselves from a demon," Giles said dryly.

Joyce shook her head at him. "But you, Buffy, Willow, Xander and Oz do for the most part, Rupert," Joyce argued. He was about to say something, but she stopped him. "I don't want to be a weakness to my daughter. And I'm so tired of being scared to go out of my house at night. Help me learn. Please?"

Giles's brow lowered as he thought about it. She had a point, and he was surprised that he hadn't thought to make it a point with Buffy before. If Buffy was constantly worried about her mother's safety, it could seriously hamper what needed to be done at a crucial moment. Plus, it would make him less concerned about Joyce's safety as well. He nodded his head. "Fine, then. When would you like to start?"

Looking around her, Joyce gave him a lopsided smile. "It seems like this would be a good place, but not a good time."

"Why is now not a good time?"Giles asked, surprised. This seemed like a perfectly good time to learn how to defend oneself.

"Because I'm hungry and we have to settle things like sleeping arrangements and several cave responsibilities," Joyce said with a smile. In mock seriousness, she pointed a finger at him.. "Let me tell you now, I don't do walls and I don't pick up after Buffy, so you have to know that I won't pick up after you. And can you cook?"

Ethan listened to the banter and division of responsibilities outside the cave that Giles and the Summers were given, and shook his head. It was always like this, somehow Ripper always managed to land on his feet.

The man could commit murder in front of everyone he knew, and there would still be those who would still believe that him innocent. He admired that ability of his as much as he hated it. No one had ever given Ethan Rayne a quarter, he had to earn every aspect of his life and take what was or what should have been his. It wasn't fair and it wasn't right. And one of these days, he was going to have all that Rupert Giles held dear. It would make it even more delicious if Ripper would watch helplessly as that happened.

Hearing the couple about to leave the cave, Ethan moved quickly into the shadows.

"So, who gets to cook the first meal?" Joyce asked as she quirked her eyebrow at him. "Gentlemen first?"

Innocently, Giles looked at her. "I'm not sure that I can make whatever passes for food here tasty like you can, Joyce."

"Are you trying to flatter me so that you won't have to cook, Mister Giles?" Joyce demanded with a mock frown. "Even Buffy can do a better snow job than that."

"Does it get her out of her responsibilities at home?" Giles asked her curiously.

Joyce smirked at him."Nope, but I really enjoy her efforts."

Giles and Joyce chuckled as they headed towards the main passage.

Buffy sighed as she cautiously walked along the passage. It was nice that the cave passage lit with torches, but she still had no idea where she was going. "Ollie, ollie oxen free! Where the hell am I going?"

"You're going towards the main meeting hall," answered a voice. Buffy whirled round sharply, her fists ready to fly. Joao stepped back quickly when she saw the girl's fists, then relaxed when she was given a sheepish smile. "I am sorry for startling you."

Buffy smiled back. "Sorry, I'm a bit on edge right now. I have no clue what I'm doing here or where I'm going."

"Allow me to be your guide, Buffy," Joao said as they neared the main meeting hall. "This is where we gather to decide important decisions, such as who is to guard the main fire, make the torches, gather the food and water, and such."

"So who's your leader in this posse?"Buffy asked as she looked around the main hall curiously. The place was empty with the exception of two people wearing cloaks. They were deeply embroiled in conversation with each other. "How do you pick a leader here?"

Buffy's eyes narrowed as Joao stiffened immediately when she saw the couple. Joao turned away from them to look at Buffy, and gave her a strained smile. "We are ruled by general consensus. Each works for themselves and so long as it harms no one else, we do what can be done."

"There is what we use as a gong that we use to assemble all in the cavern," Joao said as she pointed to a large stalagmite and large rock near it. "It is used only as a summons for a meeting or in case of an emergency. There are few rules to live by here-"

"You girl! Come here!" ordered the man. Joao looked at him disdainfully as she ignored him. Buffy's eyes narrowed at the arrogant man's tone. He was about Wesley's age and good-looking, in an 'I am so perfect that you should bask in my presence and beg to do me a favor' way. "I said come here!"

"Maybe she's now deaf, Jerrod," said the woman. Buffy looked at the woman. She had dark grey hair and would have been extremely pretty if she didn't have that royal Cordelia-like sneer on her face. She was about her mother's age. "Girl, I believe Jerrod gave you an order."

Joao narrowed her eyes at the woman. "I obey no one if I do not wish it."

"Oh, the little girl has claws," the woman sneered as she came closer to Joao. "My, my. what do you think of that, Jerrod?"

"Well, Laura, I think that's fine and dandy as long as she knows who her betters are," Jerrod replied drolly. He looked at Buffy. "And who's this newcomer? What's your name, baby girl?"

Ignoring his leer, Buffy gave him a cold look. "I don't see anyone better than Joao here. In fact, I think I see a little maggot."

Jerrod tightened his lips as Laura laughed slightly. Buffy looked at the woman with hard eyes. This had to have been Daniels's Laura. The wife that was the reason that Mom, her and Giles was trapped in this stupid gem. "Or maybe two."

Laura's eyes widened, then narrowed when she looked at Buffy. A slow smile formed on her lips. "Well, well. If it isn't little Buffy Summers. My, how you've grow."

Startled, Buffy looked at the woman, confused. Then her eyes narrowed. "Do I even know you?"

"No, but I know a whole lot about you," Laura smiled as her eyes glittered coldly. "Tell me, how's your mother? And father?"

"You know my parents?" Buffy asked her cautiously.

Laura gave Buffy a brittle smile. "Oh, I don't know much about your mother except that she's a prime bitch. And that your dad likes to promise women the world and then abandon them after he fucks them."

Joyce pointed towards the torches. "These torches all seems to lead somewhere."

"Indeed they do," Ethan announced as he emerged from the shadows behind Joyce and Ripper. He gave them a bright smile as Joyce stiffened and Ripper gave him a silent snarl. "I passed by here earlier. After we had our delightful conversation, Joyce. They all lead towards the main hall. Or what passes for a main hall in this huge tomb we're in. Shall I lead the way?"

"And why the hell should we trust you to lead us?" Joyce asked him coldly. Ethan smiled so charmingly at her that her hand itched to slap the smile off his face, and he gave her a knowing look. His smile grew when he saw Ripper’s eyes dart from Joyce, to him, to Joyce again, the stood protectively in front of the dear woman.

"Because you need me," Ethan said frankly. He approached the couple slowly as he smirked at them. "To lead you to the main hall, get to know the place. To put our minds together and get us all out of this place alive."

Giles grabbed Ethan's shirt and shoved him against the wall. His forearm against Ethan's throat, Giles applied pressure as he snarled at his 'old mate'. "You are right, Ethan, we do need you. To get out of here. Alive. But let me warn you, I'll be watching you very carefully. Any sign of mischief, and I'll rip out your entrails and dance upon them for all eternity. Got it?"

"Why, Ripper! I thought that you didn't even care anymore!" Ethan choked out. Ripper applied more pressure on his throat. "Fine. I understand perfectly."

Giles nodded and Ethan fell on the ground coughing. Giles watched over him, his fists still clenched. Then he felt a cool hand touch his hand. Startled, he turned to look at Joyce and a rush of shame ran through him. After the candy incident, he had never allowed Joyce to see that violent part of him. "Joyce, I-"

"Shush, it's all right," Joyce said as she lifted her other hand to his mouth. She smiled slightly at him, her brown eyes soft and filled with understanding. When Ethan got up, Joyce looked at him. The next thing that Giles knew, Ethan was doubled over in pain and Joyce was rubbing her right hand as she stared at a groaning Ethan. "And after Rupert's done with you, I get a turn. Is that clear, Mr.Rayne?"

"Perfectly, Ms. Summers," Ethan gasped. He straightened, then gave her a cocky smile. "And here I thought you were just a mild and useless mother, Little did I know that you have a fist that matches Ripper's punch. Shall we go? Ladies first."

Joyce gave him a cold smile. "After you. You know the way."

"Indeed, I do," Ethan said as he walked ahead. Joyce and Giles followed the man silently. As they walked, they started hearing loud voices from the main hall.

Joyce started as she heard her daughter's agitated voice. "No, you're lying. My dad would never-"

"You could always ask your sweet mother, Buffy dear," said as saccharine sweet voice. As it oozed with malice, Joyce stiffened as she recognized it and started hurrying towards the main hall. "But you were the cause of so many problems for your dad and so was your mother-"

"Damn it," Daniels muttered as he walked along the passage. The place was so riddled with passages, he was lost. There was no way in hell that he would be able to find anyone without help. As he debated as to call out for help, he heard something. Perking his ears, he listened.

Daniels started as he recognized the musical voice of his wife. His betraying, adulterous bitch of a wife. With narrow eyes he started towards it as he listened to the words.

Joyce ran to the entrance of the main hall and stopped suddenly as she saw her daughter confronting her ex-husband's lover. It was a nightmare that was starting to come true. "No."

Laura looked away from Buffy and looked to where Joyce was, her eyes widened in surprise. "Why, speak of the devil! Isn't it nice to see you, Joyce! Your little Buffy and I have been getting acquainted with each other!"

Joyce's lips tightened slightly as she nodded her head regally at her, knowing that it would annoy the other woman. "Laura. It's been so long since we've seen you. Fancy you being here. But wait, maybe not."

Laura's smile became more brittle and her eyes glittered. "Joyce. Nice to see you after all these years. How have you been after you and Hank ruined my life?"

Joyce lifted an eyebrow at the other woman and gave her a small smile. "I never tried to ruin your life, you did that perfectly well on your own."

"Oh, my. Your sweet little bird has claws," Ethan murmured into Ripper's ears. Ripper turned to glare at the man. Ethan smiled at him. "I hope she tears the nasty cat to pieces."

Laura smiled as she tilted her head. "But I always had help. Didn't I, Joyce? From you and Hank."

"I'm sure you like to think so," Joyce said as she stepped closer to her daughter. "You always did think that everyone else was the root of your problems."

"Mom! This bitch says that she was Daddy's lover," Buffy blurted out. Joyce stared at her child. "That's not true. Right? And she said that you got her fired from her job and ruined her life. That wasn't true was it, Mom?"

"Come on, Joyce, you can tell her the truth," Laura taunted softly as she looked at Joyce with hard eyes. "There are no lies here in hell. Especially here in hell."

"Mom?" Joyce looked at her daughter's pleading eyes and took a deep breath...