At school, outside, Buffy, Willow and I were sitting on a bench.

"I'm on a beach, but not one of those American beaches, one of those island beaches where the water's way too blue, and I'm laying on my towel, and it's just before sunset, and Gavin Rossdale's massaging my feet," I told them.

"Oh, that's good," Willow told me. "Uh, I'm in Florence, Italy, I've rented a scooter that's parked outside, and I'm in a little restaurant eating ziti, and there are no more tables left, so they have to seat this guy with me, and it's John Cusack."

"Ooh," Buffy said. "Very impressive. You have such an eye for detail."

"'Cause with the ziti," I told her.

Xander walked up to us. "What are you three up to?"

"Just having a quick game of 'Anywhere But Here'," Buffy answered.

"Ooohhh," Xander said. "Amy Yip at the waterslide park."

"You never come up with anything new," I told him.

"I'm just not fickle like you three, okay?" Xander asked. "I'm constant in my affections. Amy Yip at the waterslide park."

Willow looked at Buffy and me. "Do you think Giles ever played 'Anywhere But Here' when he was in school?"

We saw Giles walking toward us.

"Giles lived for school," I told them. "He's actually still bitter that there are only twelve grades."

"He probably sat in math class thinking, 'There should be more math. This could be mathier,'" Buffy agreed.

"Come on, you don't think he ever got restless as a kid?" Willow asked.

"Are you kidding?" I asked. "His diapers were tweed."

Xander chuckled.

Buffy saw Giles about to walk by and called out to him. "Giles!"

Giles turned to see us. "Oh! There you are."

Giles walked closer.

"Hey, morning," I told him, looking at his jacket. "Say, is that tweed?"

Giles was preoccupied. "What? Oh, uh, yes. Um, now, uh, look, tonight is very important, um..."

Giles walked inside.

Buffy followed. "Now, that's a surprise." We followed Giles inside through the halls toward the library. "So, what's on tap tonight that's so important? Uprising, prophesied ritual, preordained deathfest?"

"Ah, the old standards," Xander said.

"Um, a medical transport is delivering the monthly supply of blood to the hospital," Giles told us.

"Mm," Buffy hummed. "Vampire Meals-On-Wheels."

Buffy stopped at her locker.

"Hopefully not," Giles told us. "Uh, we'll meet outside the hospital at 8:30 sharp. I'll bring the weaponry."

"I'll bring the party mix," Buffy told him.

"Just don't be late," Giles told her.

"Have I ever let you down?" Buffy asked.

"Do you want me to answer that, or shall I just glare?" Giles asked.

Ms. Calender walked toward us, looking at Giles. "Morning, England."

"Oh, hello, Ms., uh, uh, tuh, Jenny," Giles told her.

Willow looked at me, smiling. "Feel the passion."

I smiled back. "Mm-hm."

"Willow..." Ms. Calendar trailed off.

Willow coughed. "Coughing, not speaking."

"We still on for tomorrow?" Ms. Calendar asked.

Willow smiled and nodded.

"What's tomorrow?" Xander asked.

"I'm reviewing some computer basics for the couple of students who've fallen behind," Ms. Calendar answered. "Willow's helping out for extra credit."

Xander chuckled. "Those poor schlubs have to attend school on Saturday."

"9am okay with you, Xander?" Ms. Calendar asked.

Xander's smile faded.

Willow bobbed her head in amusement.

I looked at Xander. "Got a bit of schlub on your shoe there."

"What about you, Zoey?" Ms. Calendar asked.

I smiled weakly. "Why would I wanna do that?"

"Well, Cordelia's gonna meet us," Ms. Calendar told me.

"Ooo, gang, did you hear that?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "A bonus day of class plus Cordelia. Mix in a little rectal surgery, and it's my best day ever."

Ms. Calendar looked at Giles. "Walk me to class?"

Giles smiled. "Pleasure."

Ms. Calendar and Giles walked for her class.

We watched them go.

"Look at them," Buffy told us.

"A twosome of cuteness," I told them.

"Can't you just imagine them getting together?" Willow asked.

Our expressions all changed to ones of being grossed out, walking away.

••

School, on a Saturday?

Ms. Calendar, Xander, Willow, Cordelia and I were walking for the computer classroom.

"This isn't right," I told them. "School on a Saturday. It throws off my internal clock."

"When are we gonna need computers for real life anyway?" Xander asked.

"Hmm, let's see," Ms. Calendar said. "There's home, school, work, games..."

Ms. Calendar unlocked the classroom door.

"You know, computers are on the way out," I told her. "I think paper's gonna make a big comeback."

"And the abacus," Willow added.

"Yeah, you know, you don't see enough abaci," Xander told us.

We all walked inside the room. Willow, Xander, Cordelia and I each took a seat in front of a computer.

"All right, guys," Ms. Calendar told us. "The first thing we're gonna do is... Buffy!"

Buffy followed Ms. Calendar into the room.

"Huh?" I asked. "Did I fall asleep already?"

"Aw, you miss your friends?" Willow asked.

"Uh, sit here, Buffs," Xander told her, standing. "Demilitarize the zone between me and Cordelia."

"Yeah, and delouse him while you're at it," Cordelia told her.

Buffy looked at Ms. Calendar. "Actually I wanted to talk to you for a second."

"Something wrong?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"Is there some crisis that requires instant action?" I asked. "Very far from here?"

"It's Giles," Buffy told us.

"Well, he's all right, isn't he?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"I don't know," Buffy admitted. "Uh, he didn't show up when he was supposed to last night, and then, when I went over to his place, he was acting... well, very anti-Giles. He wouldn't let me in, and he looked really bad. I--I think he might've been... I think he was drinking."

"He was home alone drinking?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"But... tea, right?" Willow asked.

"Wasn't tea, Will," Buffy told her.

"Yep, yep, I knew this would happen," Xander told us. "Nobody can be wound as straight and narrow as Giles without a dark side erupting. My Uncle Roary was the stodgiest taxidermist you've ever met by day. By night, it was booze, whores, and fur flying. Were there whores?"

"He was alone," Buffy told us.

"Give it time," Xander told us.

"So, none of you guys have noticed anything different lately?" Buffy asked.

"No," Willow answered.

"Not really," Ms. Calendar answered.

"Uh, you haven't seen anything weird?" Buffy asked.

"Nope," Xander answered.

"No, he seemed perfectly normal yesterday when I saw him talking to the police," Cordelia told us.

Everyone looked at her.

"And you waited till now to tell us this because...?" I trailed off.

"I didn't think it was important," Cordelia told me.

"We understand," I told her. "It wasn't about you."

"Well, what were the police talking to him about?" Ms. Calendar asked.

"Oh, don't tell me, I know this one," Cordelia told us. "Um... Something about... a homicide."

"That's it," Buffy told us. "I'm calling him right now."

Buffy went to the library to use that phone.

Ms. Calendar rubbed her head with worry.

••

We walked into the library when we heard a fight.

Buffy was fighting a guy we didn't know.

The guy from the costume shop was running toward us and the door--Ethan.

"Don't let him get away!" Buffy told us.

Xander pushed Ethan up against the counter, but Ethan pushed him aside.

The doors were held wide open, and Ethan tried to make his escape past us.

I kneed him in the crotch, making him collapse, sending an elbow into his back to make him stay down.

Buffy looked around for what to do with the other guy and spotted the open cage door. She backed toward it, then turned and made like she was running in. The guy hurried to follow, but she sidestepped the door and kicked him into the cage as he ran by. She slammed the door shut and locked it.

Ethan was still lying in pain on the floor.

••

Ethan was sitting in a chair at the table being watched by Buffy.

We observed Philip.

Willow had seen enough and walked over to Buffy. "I'm not gonna get close enough to feel his pulse, but... he looks dead."

"Except for the walking and attacking Buffy part," I told them.

"He's dead," Ethan told us. "Sorry, Philip. Really I am."

Giles ran into the library. "Is everyone alright?"

"Super," Cordelia said sarcastically.

"We're okay," Ms. Calendar told him.

"Deadguy here interrupted our tutorial," Xander told him. He looked at the guy Ethan had called Philip. "Been meaning to thank you for that."

Philip jumped at him.

Xander backed away.

Giles walked over to have a look at Philip. "It can't be!"

"Yes, it can," Ethan told him. Giles turned to him. "Hello, Ripper."

"I thought I told you to leave town," Giles told him.

"You did," Ethan told him. "I didn't." Giles approached him. "Shop's lease is paid till the end of the month."

"Uh, why did he call him Ripper?" Cordelia asked.

Giles grabbed Ethan by the hair on the back of his neck and lifted him out of his chair. "You should've left when I told you."

"Ohhhh..." I trailed off.

"Giles?!" Buffy exclaimed.

"You put these people in danger," Giles told him. "The people I care about."

"If you cared so much about them, why didn't you leave town?" Ethan asked, pushing Giles' arm away. "You've been having the dreams, I know. I have. We both know what's coming."

"What dreams?" Buffy asked. "What is going on here?"

"Tell her, Ripper," Ethan told him.

"Giles..." Buffy trailed off.

Philip broke the cage door and threw it open into Ms. Calendar, knocking her out.

Xander quickly backed away and pulled Cordelia with him.

"Jenny!" Giles said, scrambling to her aid.

Buffy got between Ethan and Philip and kicked Philip in the chest three times, forcing him back against the cage. He slid down to the floor, but got back up and went for Buffy again.

Before he could reach her, his eyes grew wide, beginning to convulse and he collapsed to the floor next to Ms. Calendar. He disintegrated into a puddle of slime. It began to spread out.

Everyone stared.

"Now, there's something you don't see everyday," I told them.

"I'm gonna be in therapy till I'm thirty," Cordelia told us.

Buffy looked around. "Where's Ethan?" She ran away. "Where'd he go?"

The slime oozed its way to Ms. Calendar, and her hand stirred when it made contact. She regained consciousness.

Giles helped her sit up. "Are you all right, Jenny?"

"Ow!" Ms. Calendar said, cradling her head in her hand.

"Careful," Giles told her. Ms. Calendar groaned. Giles started to help her stand. "Can you stand?"

"I think so," Ms. Calendar answered.

"This is what happens when you have school on Saturday," Cordelia told us.

Xander gave her a look.

Ms. Calendar was unsteady. "Mm."

"Lean on me," Giles told her, pulling her close. "It'll be alright."

Ms. Calendar pulled away to look at him. "Promise?"

"I promise," Giles answered.

"I believe you," Ms. Calendar told him.

She closed her eyes and leaned on his shoulder, hugging him close.

••

Giles was at the table stroking Ms. Calendar's hair as she rested her head against her hand.

Buffy came striding back into the library.

"How's your head?" Giles asked.

"Throbbing," Ms. Calendar answered.

"I lost Ethan," Buffy told us. "Giles, what's going on?"

"It's complicated, Buffy, and quite frankly, it's private," Giles told her.

"I don't care from private!" Buffy told him. "I care from dead guys attacking us. I care from you lost weekending in your apartment."

"I wasn't..." Giles trailed off. "I was just trying to find a solution."

"Giles, share," Buffy told him. "What is the Mark of Eyghon?"

"Hey!" Giles told her, staring her down. "This is not your battle! And as your Watcher . . ." He stood. "I'm telling you unequivocally to stay out of it." Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I have to get Jenny home."

Giles helped Ms. Calendar stand.

"Mm, thank you," Ms. Calendar told him, resting her head on his shoulder as the two of them walked from the library.

Buffy walked over to us sitting and leaning on the counter. "We have work to do. Will, I want you to find out anything and everything you can about the Mark of Eyghon."

"I'll try the 'Net, but 'Mark of Eyghon' sounds like Giles and his books sorta deal," Willow told her.

"Then we hit the books," Buffy told us. "Xander, help her." Willow and Xander walked up into the stacks. "Zoey, how do you feel about digging through some of Giles' personal files and seeing what you can find?"

"I feel pretty good about it," I answered. "Does that make me a sociopath? Nah."

I jumped off the counter, starting to go into the office.

Buffy grabbed my arm. "Hey, wait. You pulled off some of your ninja back there. Do you remember everything?"

"I remember, but I don't have the strength that I did," I answered.

"Doesn't matter," Buffy told me. "If you see a threat, find a sword."

"Aye, aye captain," I told her.

Cordelia hopped off of the counter and smiled at Buffy.

Buffy raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"What about me?" Cordelia asked. "I care about Giles."

"Uh, work with Zoey," Buffy told her.

"Well, when I say 'care', I mean..." Cordelia trailed off.

I tilted my head. "Cordelia..."

"Okay, okay!" Cordelia said.

We walked to the office.

Buffy went to do what she could to help, too.

••

Willow had found something. "Ah! Aha! It's not Egyptian, it's Etruscan mistaken for Egyptian by the design pattern, but any fool can see it predates their iconology. Look, the Mark of Eyghon, worn by his initiates. 'Eyghon, also called the Sleepwalker, can only exist in this reality by possessing an unconscious host. Temporary possession imbues the host with a euphoric feeling of power.'"

"Yeah, but what about non-temporary?" Buffy asked.

Willow read. "'Unless the proper rituals are observed, the possession is permanent, and Eyghon will be born from within the host.'"

"I'm guessing eww!" Cordelia said.

"Wait," Willow told us. "Hey, listen. 'Once called, Eyghon can also take possession of the dead, but its demonic energy soon disintegrates the host, and it must jump to the nearest dead or unconscious person to continue living.'"

"I still don't get what this has to do with Giles," Buffy told us.

"I don't know about Giles, but ancient sects used to induce possession for bacchanals and, and orgies," Willow told us.

"Okay!" Xander said. "Giles and orgies in the same sentence. I could've lived without that one."

"Uh, wait a minute," I told them. "The dead guy's all puddly now."

"So the demon's gone," Cordelia told us. "There was no one dead to jump into. I mean, we're all not dead, right?"

"No, no one dead," Buffy agreed.

"But someone unconscious," I finished.

The demon jumped into Ms. Calendar's body.

She was with Giles right now.

••

Buffy was on the phone. "Thank you, operator." She hung up. "There's no answer at Ms. Calendar's, and Giles' phone is out of order. I'm gonna go over there."

Buffy left.

••

I walked out of Giles' office.

"Did you find anything?" Xander asked.

"The most meticulous banking and phone records you've ever seen," I told them. "And, um, this."

I handed them a picture of a young Giles in a leather jacket playing an electric bass.

Willow giggled. "That's Giles?"

••

Willow, Xander, Cordelia and I were researching books.

"We have to figure out how to kill this thing, and we need to do it fast," Willow told us, taking a sip of tea.

Xander read. "Uh, 'hot lava.'"

"That's for a heretic," Willow told him.

"Oh, yeah," Xander said. "Yeah, yeah, okay. Uh, ooo, ooo! 'Bury a potato!' No, that's for warts. Who writes this stuff?"

"I've got the solution right here," Cordelia told us. "'To kill a demon cut off its head.' So we just send Zoey with a sword."

"Oh, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah!" Xander said sarcastically. "Zoey'll, uh, find Ms. Calendar, then she'll decapitate her. Hey! She'll be the first headless computer teacher in school. You think anybody'll notice?"

"Do you know what you need, Xander, besides a year's supply of acne cream?" Cordelia asked. "A brain."

Xander stood. "That's it! Twelve years of you and I'm snapping. I don't care if you're a girl or not, I'm throwing down. Come on."

Cordelia stood and walked toward him. "I've seen you fight. And don't think I can't take you."

"Give it your best shot," Xander told her.

Willow had enough, standing. "Hey! We don't have time for this! Our friends are in trouble! Now, we have to put our heads together and, and get them out of it! And if you two aren't with me a hundred and ten percent, then get the hell out of my library!"

Willow pointed to the door.

I tried not to laugh.

"We're sorry," Cordelia told her meekly.

"We'll be good," Xander told her.

Willow nodded and sat down. "Okay. Now, we've done the research. We just have to figure out how to use it."

"Oh, hey," Xander said. "Why don't we find another dead body for the demon to jump into?"

"Yes," Cordelia agreed. "At the cemetery."

"Well, that won't kill the demon," I told them. "It'll only give it a change of scenery." Something dead but not dead would kill it. "Oh. Oh!" I smiled. "Oh, I've got it." I ran for the phone. "I've got it."

"She's good," Xander told the others, following me.

Cordelia and Willow smiled and followed also.

••

They were at the costume shop.

Angel ran in through the door, grabbing Ms. Calendar/Eyghon and pulled her to the crate, banging her head into it. He took her by the neck and started to choke her.

Willow, Xander, Cordelia and I ran in next.

I held Giles back as he got up.

"He's killing her!" Giles told me.

"No!" I told him. "Trust me! This is gonna work!"

Angel continued choking Ms. Calendar/Eyghon.

Xander and Willow helped Buffy up.

Finally Eyghon had to jump and did so, right into Angel. He dropped Ms. Calendar as he was thrown back into the wall and began convulsing.

When Ms. Calendar hit the floor, she was herself again.

I let go of Giles.

Giles immediately knelt next to her. "Jenny!"

Angel's face twisted and contorted as the demons inside of him fight it out. He was thrown to the crate and hit his head. His face went through a few more contortions when Eyghon suddenly appeared, apparently gaining the upper hand. After a moment Angel's face shifted back to normal, then back to Eyghon, then back to normal again. He was thrown back against the wall. Another a moment's struggle and the demon inside Angel threw Eyghon out. Without a host body to occupy Eyghon quickly crumbled into ashes.

Angel gasped and collapsed to the floor.

Willow, Xander, Buffy, Cordelia and I ran toward Angel.

Giles reached out to Ms. Calendar. "Jenny!"

"Rupert..." Ms. Calendar trailed off.

Ethan stood and ran from the shop.

"You knew that if the demon was in trouble it was gonna jump into the nearest dead person," Buffy told us.

"I put it in danger," Angel told her.

"And it jumped," Willow said, standing.

Angel stood. "I've had a demon inside me for a couple hundred years...just waiting for a good fight."

"Winner and still champion," Buffy told him.

"Uh, I think that Ethan guy disappeared again," Xander told us.

"Darn," Buffy said. "I really wanted to hit him till he bled."

"Well, at least it's over," Cordelia told us.

We looked over at Ms. Calendar and Giles. She clung to him as they walked out of the shop.

••

At school the next day, Willow, Xander, Buffy and I walked across the quad.

"You know what the worst thing is?" Buffy asked. "I was saving up for some very important shoes, and now I have to blow my entire allowance to get this stupid tattoo removed. Let's just hope my mom doesn't see it first."

"Putting that demon into Angel was pretty brill, Zo," Willow told me.

"I wasn't sure it was gonna work," I admitted.

"But it did," Buffy told me.

"Like a charm," Xander told me.

I looked at Buffy. "Oh, no, but you should've seen Willow last night."

Xander laughed. "She really whooped us into shape."

Buffy looked at Willow. "Hey! Maybe you should consider a career as a Watcher."

"Oh, no, I don't think I could handle the stress," Willow told us.

"And the dental plan is crap," Xander told us.

"I don't see how Giles does it," Willow told us

We saw him walking.

I looked at him sadly. "I don't think he has a choice."