Day One - Same Day

Day - Giles Apartment - Outside

Alice walked down the steps leading to the apartment, walking up to the door, taking a deep breath, nodding, knocking on the door, waiting for an answer.

Giles opened the door, not surprised but relieved to see his daughter standing before him, looking like he could finally stop worrying about her. "Alice."

Alice smiled. "Hi, Dad." For a moment, neither of them moved. When Alice took the first step forward, Giles wrapped her in a tight embrace. Alice returned the embrace just as tightly, closing her eyes in relief to be home. "Thank you. For finding a way to let us come home."

Giles chuckled. "Of course."

They pulled away after a moment.

"I missed you," Alice told him.

Giles nodded, smiling a bit in relief. "I missed you. Welcome home, Alice. I'm glad to have you back."

Alice and Giles smiled, walking inside.

∞

Inside - Alice's Room

Alice was unpacking her things, looking around the room.

Giles knocked on the door. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah," Alice answered. "Just been gone for too long. Everything seems familiar yet... not."

Giles knew the feeling she spoke of all too clearly, nodding. "I understand. I assume that you want to go patrol. Even if it's your first night back, you'd never shrink your responsibilities as a Guardian. Especially knowing that Zoey and Eric have been overworking themselves to patrol, hunt and try to help Bianca. Who's been helping with patrolling on her own."

"Exactly," Alice agreed. "I know that you, Zoey and Layla were teaching Eric and Willow to get a handle over their new... witchiness. And training Eric and Zoey to fight better while Brady, Brooke, Buffy, Wyatt, Carmen and I've been away. That Eric and Willow have been using magic to help heal Bianca's mind a little at a time, but having to do so in increments due to the fact that Bianca has Guardian energy, and her mind is liquefied and melted due to her prior sickness. So they don't make things worse." Giles nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure about Xander, Cordelia or Oz, though."

"No, nothing's new with Xander, Cordelia or Oz, besides Oz having locked himself in the library cage three nights a month to control his werewolf nature," Giles answered. "Zoey and Eric have been doing quite well with learning how to fight better over the summer. Zoey's fighting skills can rival that of a Slayer's, more than an assassin's now." Alice was impressed, chuckling. "And Layla, Zoey and I've done well with teaching Eric and Willow to control their magic. It's baby steps for them right now. But the fact that they know control well enough to not make matters worse on Bianca for all the reasons you've stated... it shows that they already have incredible control and skill."

"That it does," Alice agreed. 

"Whatever the case..." Giles trailed off. "We're just glad to have you, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Wyatt and Carmen back, Alice."

Alice managed a small smile. "I'm glad to be back, Dad. And you're right. I do want to go patrol, reunite with all my friends. And we can all come back here, or meet up at the Francis house so that all of us can speak with Layla too. Since everyone in the group considers you and Layla like the parents of what Zoey calls the 'Scooby Gang'." Giles chuckled. "Zoey and Layla are lucky to have such a big house, or rather mansion, due to the fact that Zoey's father, even if he's no longer with them, still cares enough to use his rockstar salary to give them the best he can even if he's not in the state or country. So meeting there would probably be best."

"Yes, indeed," Giles agreed. "I believe Layla will be off of work from the hospital soon. So yes, we will meet you at the Francis estate."

Alice smiled. "All right. I love you."

Giles smiled a bit. "You as well."

Alice walked out of the room.

∞

Night - Chase Mansion - Foyer

Carmen walked into her home, calling out for her family. "Cordelia? Mom? Dad?" She looked around, taking in the sight of the home she had missed for the past few months. She was disappointed that her family wasn't here for her for when she came home. She walked up the stairs to look into Cordelia's room, only to find it empty. "Cordy?"

Carmen shrugged, walking into her room to unpack.

∞

Summers House - Joyce's Room

Joyce was hammering a nail into the wall by the window to hang an ancient tribal mask.

Buffy, Brooke and Brady stepped inside.

"Mom?" Buffy asked.

Joyce was very startled, jumping, accidentally slamming the hammer through the drywall. "Oh! Buffy, don't scare me like that." They cringed at the sight of the hole in the wall. Joyce pulled the hammer out, turning to face her children, smiling while still holding the hammer in one hand, the mask in the other. "Um..."

"Sorry," Buffy apologized.

"No, no, don't worry about it," Joyce told them. "I--I guess I just got used to all the quiet while you were gone." She smiled. "But it's no problem." She looked at the mask in her hand, turning around to hang it on the wall over the hole. The mask was carved from a reddish wood with cutouts for eyes, which were slanted inward to appear very evil. There was a series of long, pointed teeth with extra long fangs for incisors set into the upper lip. There was no lower jaw portion. "Uh, look." Joyce hung the mask on its hook. "It's, uh, Nigerian." She faced her kids. "We got a very exciting shipment in at the Gallery." She looked around. "I, um, thought I'd hang a few pieces in here. It cheers up the room."

Brooke was looking at the mask. "It's angry at the room, Mom. It wants the room to suffer."

Joyce nodded in amusement. "You have no appreciation of primitive art. You three going out?"

"Oh, um, well, if it's okay," Brady answered. "We told Alice, Carmen and Wyatt that we'd go with them to find Zoey, Eric, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz."

"Will you be slaying?" Joyce asked.

"We're pretty sure that Zoey and Eric have had slaying covered since we had to leave," Brooke admitted. "That and Bianca. So only if they need help."

Joyce nodded in understanding. "Uh, can I make you three a sandwich or something before you go? You must be starving."

"We were, until that four course snack you served us after dinner," Buffy answered.

Joyce walked to her dresser. "Well, then, um, you know, why don't I drive you?" She grabbed her keys. "Uh, I mean, they could be anywhere."

"Mom, if you don't want us to go, just say so," Brady told her.

Joyce shook her head. "No, no." She looked down at her keys briefly. "I--I just want to put this whole thing behind us, get back to normal. You go. Have a good time."

Brooke smiled. "Okay."

Buffy, Brooke and Brady gave a smile and a little nervous wave, leaving the room.

∞

Alley

Zoey and Eric were in the middle of a patrol, walking down the alley, looking around for a vampire. They heard footsteps approaching behind them, reacting instantly, turning around. 

Eric instantly went to stake the figure behind him, not yet realizing that it was Wyatt. Wyatt raised his arms in a shape of a cross to block the move, trying to take the stake from Eric. Eric used a burst of yellow magic to burn his hand to make him drop the stake, which fell back into Eric's hand.

Zoey spun to kick the figure behind her, which she didn't yet realize was Carmen, in the legs, making her fall, raising the stake in a threatening move.

"Zoey?" Wyatt asked, impressed. "Eric?"

"Carmen?" Eric asked. "Wyatt?"

Carmen stood. "Damn, guys. You two got better."

Zoey and Eric were surprised to see Wyatt and Carmen, but very relieved, smiling.

Zoey laughed lightly. "You ain't seen nothing yet, Carmen."

The vampire that Zoey and Eric had been tracking suddenly smashed his way out of a crate leaning against a wall, lunging for Zoey, Eric, Carmen and Wyatt, making all four fall to the pavement.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Alice walked into the alley from behind Carmen and Wyatt.

Zoey stood and quickly grabbed the vampire, pulling him up, pushing him back a few steps, spinning around to kick him with a powerful side kick, making him fall back into a pile of trashcans.

Eric, Carmen and Wyatt stood.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt looked impressed by Zoey.

The vampire stood, running toward them, tackling Zoey into the chain link fence. Zoey tried to stake him, but the vampire dodged.

Eric came up from behind the vampire, punching him in the face, making him fall to the ground.

Zoey pushed away from the chain link fence.

The vampire stood, trying to punch Eric. Eric blocked both moves, high clocking his third punch, getting a hand under his chin to hold him at bay. The vampire pushed Eric back into the fence.

Willow, Cordelia, Oz and Xander had heard the commotion, running toward the group.

Eric shot a yellow blast of magic from his hand into the vampire, making him fly across the alley, slamming him hard into a steel roll up door.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Wyatt and Carmen looked on in astonishment, proud of both Zoey and Eric, though not surprised Zoey was this good considering her past with helping them before they were forced to leave, but very surprised by how far Eric had come.

Cordelia realized who was there, smiling in relief to see her sister. "Oh, Carmen!"

Cordelia went to go to Carmen, nearly getting knocked over by the vampire in the process. Zoey pushed Cordelia out of the way toward Carmen to get her out of harm's way. Carmen caught Cordelia as the two sisters embraced tightly.

Zoey pushed the vampire into the steel door. Eric staked the vampire cleanly, making him burst into ashes. As the dust settled down, Zoey and Eric looked at the others who were looking at them, breathing heavily.

Brooke gave them a small smile and wave. "Hey, guys."

"Okay, absolutely no surprise that Zoey's that big of a badass considering things before we left, but damn, Eric, you got good," Brady told him.

Everyone smiled at this.

Buffy walked closer. "Eric, you told me that you were training more with fighting and magic, but seeing this is completely different than hearing about it."

Eric smiled. "Yeah, I missed you too, Buffy."

Eric and Buffy smiled, meeting each other halfway in a passionate kiss, causing the others to smile, completely not surprised.

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞

Francis House - Outside

The Scoobies (minus Giles and Layla) walked up to the mansion.

"You know, I..." Alice trailed off, having second thoughts. "Maybe we should just come back tomorrow. I mean, Layla would have just gotten off a shift from the hospital. She could be tired."

"Layla, tired?" Xander asked. "Doubt it. Let's go, Zo."

Zoey gave Xander a look, opening the front doors to the house, walking inside. The others followed.

∞

Inside - Foyer

The group walked inside, to where Layla and Giles were waiting, looking at them.

"It's Mom and Dad of the Scoobies," Willow said jokingly, causing some chuckles.

"Check it out," Zoey told them. "The Watcher is back on the clock with the Slayer that he tried to get out of me, and the Guardians."

Giles slipped on his glasses. "Thank you, Zoey."

Layla looked at Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Wyatt and Carmen. "Welcome home."

They all smiled.

∞

Living Room

All the Scoobies sat around the huge living room, in couches or chairs, while Giles, Layla and Wyatt were all standing.

"We got in a few hours ago, but Brady, Brooke and I wanted to go see our mom first," Buffy explained.

"Yes," Giles agreed. "Yes, of course. How--how did you find her?"

"Well, we pretty much remembered the address," Brooke told him.

"Ah, uh, I mean, uh..." Giles railed off. The teakettle in the other room began to whistle. "How are things between you four?"

Layla noticed the whistling. "Tea's ready. I could..."

Giles shook his head, standing to go get it.

Oz looked at Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt. "Hey, so you're not wanted for murder anymore."

"Good," Brady said. "That was such a drag."

"So why did you guys go to LA?" Xander asked. "There's always Belgium."

Alice gave him a weird look. "Why would we go to Belgium?"

In the kitchen of the mansion, Giles could still hear he others, getting the cups out of the cupboard and putting them on a tray, smiling as he listened to the conversation, pleased that they were getting along so well again so quickly, removing his glasses, leaning with his arm against the cupboard, enjoying the sound of his daughter's presence again after so many months.

"I think the relevant question is, why wouldn't you?" Xander asked. He smiled hugely, laughing. "Belgium."

The teen Scoobies laughed.

The laughter brought Giles out of his reverie, and he put his glasses back on.

Carmen took a deep breath. "Cordelia, when I got home, you and our parents weren't there, so..."

Cordelia reached out to Carmen to take her hand. "We can talk about all that later, Carmen. I promise."

"What about you guys?" Wyatt asked. "What's up with you?"

"Oh, you know, same old, same old," Eric told them.

Oz shook his head. "Hardly."

"Okay, well, the same as the last time I updated Buffy on the phone a couple days ago," Eric corrected.

"There's a lot new, but I'm sure Eric and Rupert kept Buffy and Alice informed for the most part," Layla told them.

"Yeah, for the most part," Buffy answered.

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Brooke asked. "New is good?"

Zoey nodded. "Oh, yeah, absolutely, except for the obvious. It's not too much."

"Liar," Willow told her. "You've been running yourself into the ground to keep things safe in town, Zoey. So has Eric, and Bianca, even though she tries to keep her distance."

Giles carried a serving tray into the room.

"Bianca," Brady repeated. "How is she?"

"Adjusting," Willow answered. "Eric and I've been helping her."

"Yeah, you know, a little at a time, so that newbie witch magic doesn't make things worse on a vampire with a soul that also has Guardian energy and a melted brain," Zoey answered. "Bianca's been trying to make things right from afar."

They all nodded in understanding.

Wyatt and Giles handed out the tea.

Cordelia looked at Carmen. "Our parents dragged me onto a vacation to get us away from the press about the murder investigation."

Carmen nodded. "Right. Sounds like our parents. Cold hearted to the core."

"Sorry about that," Wyatt told them.

"Anyone else get to leave?" Alice asked.

"No, sadly," Layla answered.

"Dad offered me to go on one of his worldwide tours again, but I, uh..." Zoey trailed off, laughing once sarcastically. "Just couldn't leave this town."

"I feel for you," Buffy told her.

Giles finished passing out the tea. "Here we are then. Cheer us up."

Giles sat down in a chair, taking a drink.

"So were you, like, living in boxes or what?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, it's a long story," Brooke told them.

"So skip the heartwarming stuff about kindly old people and saving the farm and get right to the dirt," Xander told them.

"Well, there's a lot of evil in LA," Wyatt explained. "A lot more than any of us expected. We were kept quite busy."

"A lot of slaying," Brady agreed. "Hell, we even went to this alternate universe, a slave world and kicked some ass there."

"I'm definitely thinking that the city needs protecting too," Alice agreed. "But sadly, most of us have too much to deal with here on the Hellmouth as it is."

"That's true," Carmen agreed. "But I do kinda wanna go back someday."

"Right then," Layla agreed, giving Xander a look. "Maybe Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt could use a little time to adjust before you grill them more on their summer activities."

Wyatt nodded in agreement. "What Layla said."

"Fair enough," Zoey told them. "In fact, you can leave the slaying to me and Eric while you settle in. We got you covered."

"We noticed," Buffy told them. "Zoey, Eric, you both seem down with the slayage, fighting better than ever, even though Zoey didn't even have to use her gypsy powers."

"Zoey and Eric definitely fight with more motivation than ever," Brooke agreed.

"Well, someone had to take charge of keeping the town safe, and Zoey and Eric volunteered," Giles explained. "And they had the most qualification aside from Bianca, out of us that were still in town."

"Yeah, but Zoey may have taken it way too far," Oz told them. "Vampire slayage overload. Work overload. Eric had both issues and magic overload. We even had to give them an intervention. And one to Bianca so that she would let us, or Eric and Willow, help her more."

Zoey and Eric rolled their eyes at the mention of the intervention, yawning.

"Yeah, I can see the circles under Zoey and Eric's eyes," Brady told them.

"Shut up, Brady," Eric replied.

This caused chuckles.

Zoey shrugged. "You guys suck. Whatever. Eric and I were kicking a little undead booty."

"A lot more than a little," Willow told them.

Layla gave her daughter a look. "Zoey, you told me that you would talk to me about this if you thought the pressure was getting to be too hard so that I could help you and Eric."

Zoey looked at the others. "See what you did? You got me in trouble."

"Good," Xander replied. "Maybe Mama Gypsy Layla can talk some sense into you and Eric."

Layla gave Xander a look, shaking her head. "I told you to never call me that."

There was more laughter.

"Zoey, Eric, thank you for the offer to take up slaying for us until we readjust, but I think I just want to get back to my normal routine," Alice told them. 

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Wyatt and Carmen nodded in agreement.

"You know, school, slaying, kids stuff," Carmen told them.  "In fact, I'm jonesing for a little brainless fun. What are you guys doing tomorrow?'

"Oh, I would, but, uh..." Xander trailed off, reaching his hands around Cordelia's arm. "I'm kind of tied up."

"You wish," Cordelia told him, pushing him away.

Xander sat back into the couch, embarrassed.

"Zo?" Carmen asked.

"I've been beat, like they said, so I'm planning on sleeping for the next week," Zoey told her honestly.

Buffy nodded. "Understandable."

"Yes, Zoey is getting rest, and Eric should too," Layla told them. "Doctor's orders."

They all smiled.

"But tomorrow, Eric and I were supposed to check on Bianca again and do the spell to help her mind," Willow explained.

"Right," Brady agreed. "You know, why don't I go with you two? I need to talk to Bianca." He looked at Alice. "If you're cool."

Alice was a little awkward, but nodded in agreement. "No, it's fine. Bianca has a soul now, thanks to Zoey and Layla. And Eric and Willow have been helping her." Xander rolled his eyes. Zoey, Willow and Eric gave him a look. Brady and Carmen noticed Xander's look but ignored him. "And she's been trying to make amends. You should talk to her."

"Right," Brooke agreed. "Yeah, see where Bianca's head is at. But we did hear that she wanted to turn herself in for us."

"That's gotta count for something," Eric told them.

"Definitely does," Wyatt answered. "Eric, Willow, if you need help with magic... on Bianca or not..."

"Yeah, yeah, we know, Wyatt," Eric told him, flashing a smile. "We got the expert back to help us. And with a little help from Car Chase..."

Carmen shook her head in amusement. "I knew Eric couldn't resist calling me that as soon as we got back."

They all smiled.

"You guys don't have to do it alone anymore," Alice told them. "We're back."

"And it feels really good to be back," Brooke told them.

"Yeah," Wyatt agreed.

Buffy smiled. "Totally."

Buffy and Eric held hands, smiling.

They all smiled.

Giles raised his cup. "As for school, where Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Carmen are concerned, and Wyatt's former job, uh, we'll have to talk to Principal Snyder..."

"On it," Brady told him. "Mom is making an appointment with His Ugliness. I know she can break him. And if Mom can't, either you or Wyatt can. Since you would kinda have to for Alice, Giles. And Wyatt to get his job back."

Giles looked up from his tea, nodding with an unsure little grin.

∞

Day Two

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Snyder's Office

Snyder was sitting at his desk, looking intently at Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Joyce on the other side. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the Chase parents about the Carmen girl. And the same thing I told the librarian about Alice Giles. And the same thing I told Wyatt Pratt about getting his job back. Absolutely not. Under no circumstances."

"But you can't keep Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Carmen out of school, and you don't have the right to keep Wyatt out of the job that he did perfectly before," Joyce told him.

"I have not only the right, but also a nearly physical sensation of pleasure at the thought of keeping them out," Snyder replied. "I'd describe myself as tingly."

"They were all cleared of all those charges," Joyce told him.

"Yes," Snyder agreed. "And while they may live up to the not murderers requirement for enrollment or job application, they are troublemakers, destructive to school property, and the occasional student. Just like Zoey Francis but I never had the grounds to expel her, regrettably." Buffy, Brooke and Brady glared at him for that. "But their grade point average is enough to..." Snyder's eyes glazed over for a moment. "I'm sorry. Another tingle moment."

Snyder smiled smugly.

Joyce controlled her anger. "I don't see how you can be so cavalier about young children's entire future!"

"I'm quite sure that children with the talents and abilities of Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Carmen will land on their feet," Snyder told her. "In fact, I noticed as I came in this morning that Hot Dog on a Stick is hiring." The siblings glared at him. "You will look so cue in those hats."

Buffy tried to ignore him. "Let's go, Mom."

The Summers got up and turned to he door.

Brooke glared at Snyder. "This isn't over."

"Not by a long shot," Brady agreed.

The siblings walked out.

Joyce gave Snyder a hateful look. "If I have to, I'll go all the way to the mayor."

Joyce followed her children out.

Snyder smirked. "Wouldn't that be interesting."

∞

On the Road - Joyce's Car

Joyce was driving. Brady was in the passenger seat. Buffy and Brooke were in the back.

"Don't worry about the school," Joyce told them. "If we can't get you back into Sunnydale, maybe we can swing private school."

"Private school?" Buffy repeated skeptically. "You mean like jackets and kilts? You want us to get field hockey knees?"

Joyce smiled. "It's not that bad."

"What about home schooling?" Brooke asked. "You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore."

"We'll work something out, okay?" Joyce asked.

They nodded.

∞

Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room

Carmen and Cordelia were sitting together on Carmen's bed.

Carmen shook her head in confusion. "I don't understand. Before I left, we were fine. I mean, our whole family was fine."

"Well, that was months ago, before the feds realized that Daddy was making, quote unquote, 'mistakes' on his taxes for the last 12 years," Cordelia explained, using air quotes when she said 'mistakes'. That's why we weren't in when you came home yesterday. We were trying to figure out what it would mean for the family."

"Are we losing everything?" Carmen asked.

"Not all at once, but yeah, eventually," Cordelia answered. "Carmen, I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to come home to this. And, I mean, I didn't want to tell anyone. Not Zoey, not Xander..."

"And you don't want me to tell them either," Carmen realized.

"Could you imagine what they would say and how they would look at us?" Cordelia asked. "We don't need anyone's pity."

Carmen processed all of this, running her hands through her hair, swallowing. "Cordy, I'm so sorry. I haven't even talked to you all this summer, mostly because you and our parents weren't at home and I couldn't call you because I didn't have your vacation number..."

"Yeah, Daddy's fault, big shocker," Cordelia told her sarcastically, a little bitter toward their father.

"I didn't realize that things would get so screwed up," Carmen admitted.

Cordelia looked down. "Yeah. Neither did we. What are we gonna do? I mean, with us losing the money, the house, everything, and Snyder won't let you back into school... what do we do?"

Carmen shrugged, upset. "Pray. Hope for a miracle. Or that we can survive losing everything we've always known."

Carmen and Cordelia looked at each other sadly, sharing an embrace.

∞

Francis House - Hallway

Layla walked toward Zoey's bedroom door to check on her, seeing that she was sleeping, managing a small smile. She turned off the light and closed the door quietly.

∞

Living Room

Giles was waiting with some tea.

Layla walked in. "Zoey's asleep. How is Alice?"

"Deeply annoyed that Snyder won't allow Alice, Brooke, Buffy, Brady and Carmen back into the school, and won't allow Wyatt to have his job back," Giles answered.

Layla nodded in understanding. "I can imagine.  Snyder's a rat." They chuckled. "But if anyone can figure out what to do about his stance against them, it's you, Rupert. I mean, you're the one that found the way to clear their names and let them come home to begin with. Now with Alice, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt, Buffy and Carmen back, Zoey and Eric don't have to run themselves into the ground anymore. We can help Bianca more. Eric and Willow can learn more magic. I'm not saying that it's going to be easy right away, but at least it will be easier than it has been."

"Indeed," Giles agreed. "Layla, I know you're worried about the state Zoey's been putting herself in to protect this town, but someone with her strength of character, her abilities and her capabilities... especially with Alice, Brady, Brooke, Wyatt, Buffy and Carmen back, she will be fine. As will Eric and Bianca."

"I hope so," Layla told him. "But that's not the only reason why I'm thrilled to have them back, Rupert. I was worried about them when they were away. Like all of you. Alice is your daughter. And she's bonded with me and Zoey deeply already, and I didn't know what I would do if anything happened to her, too."

Giles managed a small smile. "I know the feeling, after having been worried about what you and Zoey were put through last year and when you were both hurt and put in the hospital."

"Yeah," Layla agreed. "Things have been tense lately, but hopefully things can cool down now. At least in some areas."

Giles raised an eyebrow curiously. Layla smiled, leaning closer to kiss him softly. Giles returned the kiss sweetly.

∞

Rosenberg House - Eric's Room

After some decent rest, Eric was waking up, sitting up.

Willow passed by his door, stopping when she saw him get up. "Eric, hey. You get some well needed rest?"

Eric gave his sister a sarcastic look. "Yes, Mom." Willow tilted her head. "Relax, Will. I'm fine. Better than fine now. The gang's all reunited."

Willow smiled. "True. I'm just worried about you, you know? I mean, Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Wyatt, Carmen and even Layla all have experienced powers by now, and they've been fighting nasties for longer than we have. So has Brady, even though he doesn't have powers. And you and me, we're barely coming into ours. And you've been fighting for less time than they have."

"Yeah, but it feels like forever thanks to what happened on Halloween," Eric pointed out.

Willow tilted her head. "That's not the point."

"I know the point, Willow," Eric told her. "But believe me, I am okay. I'm good. You don't have to worry about me. It feels good to finally be able to do something to help rather than sitting on the sidelines. I can't do that anymore when that could get the people that I love, including you, very hurt. Do you get that?"

Willow smiled. "Yeah, I get it. Still, I have all rights to worry about my little brother."

"I'm one year younger than you," Eric told her.

They smiled, as Willow embraced Eric. Eric smirked, but gave in and hugged back. They pulled away.

"Come on," Willow told him. "Brady said that he would meet us at Bianca's soon."

Eric nodded. "Right."

∞

Summers House - Living Room

Brady was about to leave, bumping into a woman named Pat outside on the porch as she was about to leave as well. Brooke and Buffy walked outside as well.

Pat smiled. "Oh, my word. You must be Buffy, Brooke and Brady. Look at you three. Aren't you a picture?"

Buffy frowned in confusion. "Thank you."

Pat offered a hand. "Oh, I'm Pat, from your mom's book club." They shook hands with Pat. "I'm sure she mentioned me."

Brooke shook her head. "Actually--"

"I, um, I sort of took it upon myself to look after her while you were, you know, off and away or what have you, and..." Pat trailed off. The siblings looked away. "Well, between, uh, your situation and reading 'Deep End of the Ocean', she was, uh, she was just a wreck. You can imagine." The siblings looked guilty. "Anyway, I'm off. We--we're making empanadas in my Spanish class tonight. You go be with your mom. You four need to rebond."

Pat walked out.

Joyce walked in, taking some notes from a book.

"Pat wishes us quality time," Brady told her.

Joyce looked up. "Oh, I met her in a--"

"Book club," Buffy finished.

"Yeah," Joyce answered.

"Got it," Brooke told her.

Joyce smiled. "I had a thought. What if we invited Zoey, Layla, Alice, Mr. Giles, Eric, Wyatt and everybody over for dinner tomorrow night? Don't you think that would be nice? Since I sort of already did, I was hoping for a yes."

They smiled, nodding.

"It'll be fun," Brady told her. "Um, Mom, is it okay if I invite one more person?"

"Sure," Joyce answered. 

Brooke looked at Brady knowingly. "You're going to invite Bianca?"

"Look, I can't help but feel guilty and like I'm part of the reason why she went so insane, after killing Ford and all," Brady explained. "And her brain literally melted and she didn't have a soul, so..."

"But she has a soul now?" Joyce asked. "And Layla said that Eric and Willow were helping Bianca mentally."

"Yeah, kinda, but it's complicated," Buffy answered.

"Well, Layla did say that Bianca wanted to make amends, even wanted to turn herself in to clear your names," Joyce told them. "I think maybe it could be a good idea."

"Okay," Brady agreed. "Then I'll ask her when I go with Eric and Willow to see if she's okay."

"Great," Joyce told him. "Buffy, do me a favor? Run down and get the company plates."

"Zoey, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Layla, Giles and everybody aren't company plate people, Mom," Brooke told her. "They're normal plate people."

Joyce shrugged. "We never have guests for dinner. Indulge your mother?"

"You guys do that," Brady told them. "I'm gonna go."

Brady walked out.

∞

Basement

Buffy grabbed a stepstool, setting it down in front of an old bookcase full of stuff, stepping up on it, noticing a picture on an upper shelf, pulling it out into the light. It was a photo of Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Carmen, Xander and Willow. They were on a lawn. Buffy smiled nostalgically, putting the picture back, looking up where the good china was. She reached for the box, starting to pull it down, when a dead and rotting cat suddenly fell off of it. Buffy jerked her head forward, and the cat fell behind her to the floor. "Ew!"

∞

Backyard

Buffy, Brooke and Joyce were standing together.

Buffy shoveled a bunch of dirt among some bushes to make a shallow grave for the cat. "Next time, I get to pick the mother-daughters bonding activity."

Brooke had a bag with the dead cat inside, dropping it into the grave. "Nasty."

"Do you wanna say something?" Joyce asked.

"Like what?" Brooke asked. "Thanks for stopping by and dying?"

Joyce gave her a look, trying to think of what to say. "How about, um... goodbye, stray cat, who lost its way. We hope you find it."

Buffy and Brooke accepted that. Buffy turned to the hole to fill it back in.

∞

Angel's Mansion - Living Room

Bianca was still staying here, pacing alone, sighing, tilting her head in boredom. She held her hands in front of her, letting a few strands of Guardian energy dance along her skin, but not fully using the power. She stopped when she sensed someone behind her, already looking guilt-ridden. "Eric and Willow just left. They had to get back home for their parents. They did help me though."

Brady walked closer from behind Bianca. "I'm glad that Eric and Willow have been helping you."

Bianca took a deep breath, knowing that seeing him after everything would bring back all the memories of what she had done even more, turning to face him slowly, looking hurt and incredibly regretful. "They told me that you were back. With Alice, Brooke, Wyatt, Carmen and Buffy."

"Yeah," Brady agreed. "Just got back last night."

"And you already came to see me?" Bianca asked.

Brady shrugged. "We were gonna have this talk sooner or later. I just wanted to..."

"Get it over with?" Bianca suggested. Brady looked down. "Don't look so ashamed. I would want to get it over with too. After what I've done to all of you... Brady... I'm so sorry."

"You didn't have a soul, Bianca, and your mind... wasn't at its best state," Brady told her.

"But before I even became a vampire, I betrayed you," Bianca reminded him. "And I was terrified of dying, and Billy made me think that what we were doing was the right thing, so that we could survive, no matter who had to die, or who had to be hurt in the process. And I was scared. I was so scared of losing him, of dying, and... I know that's not an excuse. And that nothing I can say can ever make any of what I did right... to Brooke, to Alice, to Wyatt, to you... I even helped Angel torture Giles. I didn't hurt the others. Not Zoey, Layla, Eric, Willow, Xander, Buffy, Carmen, Cordelia or Oz, but... I know that other vampires, Angel and the ones that he ordered, did hurt Eric, Willow and Xander, and I know that he made life hell for Zoey and Layla..."

Brady tried to get her to stop. "Bianca. Bianca, listen." Bianca was so upset she had tears in her eyes, fighting them back. "Look, I admit, we all went through hell last year. I didn't forget any of it. But I know that this, this wasn't you when we were together back in LA. You got sick. And it destroyed your mind as it melted your brain, literally. And I know that Ford had convinced you to do what you did when you were human."

"Yeah, Billy said it was the only way," Bianca answered. "And he was using me, manipulating me. But that doesn't change what I--"

"I know," Brady agreed. "But we all know why you did what you did. And most of us do not blame you. Especially when you have your soul back and Eric and Willow are helping your mind heal."

"Xander blames me," Bianca told him. "He thinks I should have died with Angel. That I'm a monster and will always be a monster and that I'll go insane again and hurt or kill someone."

"Forget what Xander thinks, all right?" Brady asked. "He's not right about you. He didn't know you before this. Neither did Zoey, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen, Willow, Layla or Giles. But Buffy, Brooke and I did. And we know that you never would have done any of this if it wasn't for you getting so sick and Ford using you like a pawn. What you were, what you did, that is not who you really are. The girl I loved back in LA, and the vampire that wanted to turn herself in to clear our names, no matter the consequences for you, that's the girl I remember. That's the girl you are."

Bianca only looked a little reassured, swallowing, wiping her cheeks. "Still. I'm so sorry. And I did love you. Before all of this. And even if I'm not in love with you anymore, not like before... I still care."

"I know," Brady agreed. "Listen, my mother is having a dinner at our house for all our friends. As a welcome home dinner for me, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt and Carmen. Zoey, Eric, Xander, Willow, Layla, Giles, Cordelia and Oz will be there, but... I asked if I could invite you too."

Bianca looked at him in surprise. "Why would you do that?"

"I don't want you thinking that you have to do everything alone anymore," Brady answered. "You've barely let Eric and Willow help you over the summer. And I'm pretty sure Xander's the only one that blames you, but I don't care. I think the others would want to help too. You already know that Zoey does. Just think about it, okay?"

Bianca considered, nodding. "Yeah. I'll think about it."

Brady managed a small, tight, weak smile, before turning around and leaving the mansion, careful not to let in too much sunlight so that it didn't burn Bianca behind him.

Bianca watched him go, and let the show of strength fade as she struggled not to break down from the guilt, regret and self-loathing she felt from seeing him after so many months after what she did and had turned into. She sat on the couch, crying silently, not knowing what to do.

∞

Wyatt's Loft - Living Room

Wyatt was sitting on the couch, looking out of the wall of windows to the view outside, having a drink.

Brooke walked closer to sit down. "What are you thinking about?"

"About how weird it is to be back here after so many months," Wyatt answered. "Everyone's been so cool about everything. But it still feels weird."

"Yeah," Brooke agreed. "I hope it gets back to normal soon. How long do you think it'll take?"

"I don't know, Brooke," Wyatt told her. "A lot has happened. Maybe more than some people can handle. Some things may never be the same again."

Brooke was slightly amused. "Wow. That got dark fast."

Wyatt smirked. "Like our lives." Brooke nodded in agreement. Wyatt put his arm around Brooke, as she leaned into his side and rested her head on his shoulder. "But it doesn't mean that all the changes are for the worse. Some might be for the better. All we can really hope for is that it's for the better."

Brooke nodded seriously, taking this in. "Well, let's hope it's for the better then. 'Cause I don't think any of us can go through worse, Wyatt."

"Everyone thinks that they can't go through worse, Brooke," Wyatt pointed out. "But when worse comes, they prove they can survive that too. As long as they don't have to go through it alone. And none of us have to anymore."

Brooke managed a small smile. "Yeah. As long as I've got you, as long as any of us have got you, since you're a major reason why we've made it this far... I think we can survive, Wyatt."

Wyatt chuckled. "You've done plenty of surviving on your own. We're all survivors in our own rights, Brooke. But whatever the bloody hell comes our way next... we can get through it together."

Brooke gazed at him with love in her eyes, smiling. "I love you."

"I love you," Wyatt replied.

Wyatt and Brooke looked at each other, smiling, sharing a sweet, passionate kiss.

∞

Summers House - Buffy's Room

Buffy was sitting on her bed, looking bored, a little out of it.

Eric stood in the doorway, knocking. "Buffy?"

Buffy looked up, smiling a bit when she saw him. "Eric, hey. I thought you were coming over sooner."

"I was supposed to, but Willow and I had to go home after we helped Bianca, 'cause of family stuff," Eric explained. "But I'm here now."

"Willow told me that you were sleeping most of the day before you two went to go help Bianca," Buffy explained. "And good. You and Zoey have been overworking yourselves from the sounds of it."

Eric tilted his head, sighing. "Not you too."

Buffy smiled. "I'm kidding, sort of. I know you can handle yourself, Eric." She let the smile fade, sighing. "It's just... if you're out in the field, and you're exhausted, it's that much easier for someone vampire or demon to get the upper hand, and we don't want you or Zo to get hurt."

Eric took Buffy's hands in his own. "Well, with you guys back, we don't have to worry about that as much, do we?"

Buffy smiled, shaking her head. "No, you don't."

"We're fine, Buffy," Eric told her. "Especially with you guys back. And things might actually get better now than they have been."

Buffy nodded. "I hope so." They embraced, holding each other close for a long moment. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

Eric chuckled. "Pretty sure I can. 'Cause I might have missed you more. And I hate that this sounds like a corny cliche."

They laughed lightly, pulling away.

"Corny?" Buffy asked. "Maybe. Cliche? Kinda. But I know what you mean. And it's true for us Eric, given the circumstances. Demon hunting witch always on a mission to clear his Slayer of a girlfriend's name of a murder so she can their loved ones can come home. Quite a story to tell."

"Hell yeah," Eric agreed. "At least now, whatever happens next, we're all here. I love you, Buffy."

Buffy smiled, resting her hand on Eric's cheek. "I love you... Eric."

They smiled, kissing passionately.

∞

Sunset - Giles Apartment Building - Outside

Alice was sitting outside in the courtyard outside the Giles apartment, holding a guitar, strumming a few notes.

Brady walked down the steps, seeing her play, listening for a moment, smiling slightly, walking closer. "I didn't know you played."

Alice looked up in surprise, turning to look at him. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long," Brady answered. "Just got here." Alice chuckled. Brady walked closer. "Where'd you learn to play?"

"My parents, ironically," Alice answered. "My mother, before she was turned into a vampire and killed, she had a gentle, soothing voice. And my father, he can sing pretty well too. And he can play."

"Giles, really?" Brady asked in amusement. "Nice."

Alice chuckled. "Yeah. I don't play or sing much."

"Clearly, since this is the first I've heard about any of this," Brady told her. "Guess even though we're actual soulmates, we still have a lot to learn about each other."

"Not a lot," Alice answered. "Just enough to make it interesting." They smiled slightly. Brady sat next to Alice. Alice looked down. "You've seen Bianca already?"

"Yeah," Brady answered. "She's torn up really bad, Alice. Can hardly live with herself. Eric and Willow have done a great job mending her mind though."

"But it's not a permanent solution due to the fact that she has Guardian energy inside her," Alice pointed out. "You saw what the spirits of the Guardians did to me and Brooke when they wanted us to release their energy back to the earth after we killed the Master. How they tormented us and turned us dark. They won't be happy that Bianca still has Guardian energy inside her, but we can't get it out of her unless she dies... and we don't want that. We agreed to give her a chance given all of the extenuating circumstances that led to what she became and what she did. And I plan to stand by that decision. I know I didn't know her before, before she became sick, before she and Ford lost their minds. But I know that you did. And you used to love her, and you still care about her on some level. At least the real version of her."

"Alice..." Brady trailed off.

"Brady, it's okay," Alice assured. "I knew that you've cared about her, whenever you wanted to save her and give her back her soul, instead of killing her. And Eric and Willow have been helping her with her mind, but like I said, it might not last because of the Guardian spirits wanting their energy back. They could do the same to Bianca that they did to me and Brooke."

"I know," Brady agreed sadly. "But we can help make sure that it doesn't come to that, right?"

"I hope so," Alice told him. "I think part of the reason why Drusilla's gone so insane, besides Angel's mind games on her, is because the Guardians want back the power inside her. And we've seen what they can do."

"Right," Brady agreed. "We just have to make sure it doesn't happen to Bianca. And hopefully it won't."

Alice looked at him curiously. "You really do care about her."

"Yeah," Brady answered. "Even after everything. I mean, I should hate her. I don't know why I can't."

"Because you knew the girl before the madness, and you want to help her find her way back to that girl," Alice answered. "I know you don't love her anymore, Brady. But it's okay that you still care about her."

"You think so?" Brady asked.

Alice nodded in answer. "That caring side of you, as opposed to the strong warrior side... it's one of the reasons that I love you. And the capability to forgive."

Brady smiled. "I love you, too."

Brady and Alice looked at each other for a moment, smiling, leaning in to kiss slowly, softly and sweetly.

∞

Night - Summers House - Joyce's Room

In the middle of the night, when all the Summers were sleeping, the camera panned from Joyce sleeping in her bed, over to the Nigerian mask on the wall. Its eyes began to glow a deep red.

∞

Backyard

The dirt covering the dead cat's grave began to move. A moment later, the cat poked its head through the soil, meowing menacingly, clawing its way out of its grave. Once out, the cat continued hissing and growling as it walked off.

∞∞

Bianca's Dream

Day - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Bianca walked into the hall from outside. The door closed behind her with an echoing clang, startling her. Bianca looked back at the door, but continued walking. The school was deserted. Bianca walked past the empty lounge toward the library. The doors were wide open. Bianca looked inside the library, seeing that it was just as deserted as the rest of the school.

∞

Outside

The sun shone brightly down the quad.

Bianca walked down the outside stairs slowly, all the while looking around for any indication that anyone else was there. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned out into the quad. 

Bianca's brother, Billy "Ford" Fordham, started to walk with Bianca. "Hi, Bianca."

Bianca paused for a moment, but kept on walking as her brother walked with her. "I thought they'd be here. They said that they wanted me to be here."

"They do," Ford told her. "They're waiting for you."

Bianca looked up at the sun shining down on her, when she knew that she should have burst into flames but she remained fine. "I'm dreaming."

Ford smirked. "I thought that was obvious." Bianca looked around. "You'd better go. They're waiting. You apologized to them so many times, but how can they actually forgive you? How could they let you live after what you did?"

Bianca started to get more worried, looking at her brother. "I'm afraid, Billy."

Ford shrugged, looking at Bianca. "You should be. It wasn't just my fault that you became the monster, Bianca. It was yours too."

Bianca tried to ignore him, walking away. Ford stopped walking, watching his sister go.

∞

Reality

Day Three

Morning - Angel's Mansion - Bedroom

Bianca suddenly woke up with a gasp, catching her breath, looking worried about the dream and what her brother in the dream told her.

∞

Summers House - Kitchen

Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Joyce were in the kitchen.

"I've been on the phone with the, uh, Superintendent of Schools," Joyce explained. "At least he seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid, bigoted, rodent man."

"Mom..." Buffy trailed off.

"Anyway, um, I'm going in to speak with him this afternoon," Joyce went on. "Uh, as for private schools, uh, there are two that accept late admissions." Her kids gave her a look. "I, uh, I wrote the information down for you."

Buffy, Brooke and Brady went to read the papers.

"You want to send me and Buffy to a girls' school and Brady to a boys' school?" Brooke asked. "So now it's jackets, kilts, and none of the other gender for any of us? Care to throw in a little foot binding?"

Joyce set down her coffee mug, stepping closer to her children. "You made some bad choices. You just might have to live with some consequences. Nothing's settled yet." She looked for something to do, spying the trash. "I just wish you didn't have to be so secretive about things." She tied up the trashbag. "I mean, it's not your fault you have special circumstances. They should make allowances for you."

"Mom, Buffy's the Slayer, Brooke's a Guardian, and I'm a hunter," Brady told her. "It's not like we need to ride a little bus to school."

Joyce walked to the door with the trash. "Couldn't you just tell a few people, like Principal Snyder, and maybe the police?" Her kids looked as if they thought she was kidding. "I mean, I would think they would be happy to have... superheroes. Like you three, Zoey, Eric, Willow, Alice and Carmen. And a superhero worker at the school like Wyatt. And a superhero doctor at the hospital like Layla." Buffy, Brooke and Brady couldn't believe Joyce called them superheroes. "Is that the right term? I mean, it's not offensive, is it?"

Joyce opened the door to take out the trash, and gasped in fright when she saw the dead cat run in. The dead cat stopped and meowed at them menacingly.

∞

Foyer

Buffy opened the door to let in Giles and Layla, seeing Giles was holding a cage. "Welcome to the Hellmouth Petting Zoo."

Buffy indicated upstairs. Giles and Layla looked up, starting to walk upstairs. Buffy closed the door behind them, following.

∞

Joyce's Bedroom

The cat was hiding under the bed. 

Giles grabbed the cat by the back of its neck, pulling it out. "Oh, my God, what a stench."

Layla helped put the cat into the cage, closing and locking it.

"You know, I wanted Forest Pine or April Fresh, but Mom wanted Dead Cat," Brooke told them.

Joyce looked at he cat, grossed out by its appearance and smell. "Layla, can you figure out what's wrong? From a gypsy or a doctor prospective?"

"I'm not a vet, but I can guarantee it's something supernatural," Layla told them.

"Yes," Giles agreed. "We'll, uh... we'll get it back to he library, see if we can determine is exact origins." He picked up the cage, noticing the Nigerian mask on the wall behind Layla. "It's, uh, striking, and... Nigerian."

Layla followed his gaze to the mask.

"Oh, yes," Joyce agreed. "I-I-I have this wonderful dealer who specializes in ancient artifacts. I don't know if you--"

Brady cut in. "You know, I love art talk as much as the next very dull person, but Buffy, Brooke, Layla, Giles and I have work to do with the others. Research mode."

"Joyce, do you rather have Buffy, Brady and Brooke here?" Layla asked. "I mean, after our last conversation..."

Joyce remembered how she had blamed Giles and Layla, wincing in regret. "Yes, I'm sorry about that, Layla. I... things were tense. And it's fine. They can go with you."

Giles shook his head. "Actually, they can't. Um, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt are not allowed on school property."

Buffy was surprised. "Oh."

"I'm sorry," Giles told them. "I'm trying to have this fixed."

Brooke nodded, disappointed. "Yeah, of course you are. Thanks."

Layla looked at the three siblings sympathetically. "We'll call as soon as we know something."

Giles and Layla turned to leave.

"Oh, we'll see you tonight?" Brady asked.

Giles nodded. "Tonight, then, yes."

Giles and Layla left.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

Zoey, Layla, Giles, Eric, Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz were all here in the library. 

The caged cat was on the table.

Oz was inspecting the cat closely, apparently not bothered by its stench.

Willow, Layla and Giles were engrossed in research.

Zoey and Cordelia kept their distance.

Eric and Xander shared Oz's fascination, but from a bit further off.

"It looks dead," Oz told them. "It smells dead." Xander nodded in agreement. "Yet it's moving around. That's interesting."

"Layla, Giles, nice pet," Eric told them sarcastically. "Don't you like anything regular? Golf, USA Today, or anything?"

Zoey sat with Willow, Layla and Giles to help research.

Giles gave Eric a look. "We're trying to find out how and why it rose from the grave, Eric. It's not as if we're going to take it home and offer it a saucer of warm milk."

"Well, I like it," Oz told them. "I think you should call it Patches."

"Not helping, Oz," Zoey told him.

"What about Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt's welcome home dinner tonight?" Willow asked. 

"Well, I told Joyce we'd help out," Layla answered. "Bring stuff."

"I'm the dip," Cordelia told them.

Everyone looked at her, but Cordelia didn't notice as she read.

"Uh, you gotta admire the purity of it," Xander told them, chuckling.

Cordelia looked up. "What? Onion dip. Stirring, not cooking. It's what I bring."

Oz leaned back in his chair. "We should figure out what kinda deal this is. I mean, is it a--a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny?"

"What's the difference?" Zoey asked.

"Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings," Oz told her. "Shindig..." He nodded to Cordelia. "Dip." Cordelia smiled. "Less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage. And hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny."

"Well, I hate brie," Zoey told them.

"I know," Eric told her. "It smells like Giles and Layla's cat."

Layla looked up to give him a look. "Eric, it's not our--"

Xander cut her off. "How about we talk about the fact that Brady invited Bianca of all people? What do we say to her? 'So, Bianca, have you killed anyone or lost your mind recently? And oh, by the way, thanks for ruining our lives last year'."

They all gave him a look, while Zoey, Eric and Willow were annoyed to have this conversation again.

"Xander..." Willow trailed off.

"You know what I mean," Xander told them. "You don't wanna talk about it again, so why don't we just shut up and dance?"

"Well, Carmen said she did want to loosen up, you know, have some kid time," Zoey told them.

Eric looked at Oz. "Aren't you guys rehearsing tonight? Why don't you play at the party?"

"Yeah, I think I could supply some Dingo action," Oz told them. "Though, Zoey, Devon's voice got all scratchy from yelling at his folks..."

Zoey smiled. "I can take a hint. I'll sing."

Oz smiled.

"Uh, I--I'm not sure that a--a, um, shindig..." Giles trailed off.

"Hootenanny," Oz corrected.

Giles gestured to Oz. "Hootenanny is really the order of the day. Uh, it should... maybe something a little more intimate. I-I-I mean, Alice, Brooke, Brady, Buffy, Wyatt and Carmen just got home. I'm sure they're still feeling a little disoriented."

"All the more reason to make them feel welcome, and--and a big party says, welcome home to Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Wyatt and Carmen," Willow told them.

"I don't know," Layla admitted. "We should talk with them first."

"Why ruin the surprise?" Xander asked, patting Giles and Layla on the shoulders.

"Maybe because we don't wanna overwhelm them," Zoey answered in a duh voice.

"Good point," Eric agreed.

Xander ignored them. "Okay, so four votes from the gypsies, hunter/witch and Watcher for a smelly cheese night, and how many votes for actual fun?"

Willow, Xander, Cordelia and Oz raised their hands and smiled.

Layla rolled her eyes. "All right, all right, have it your way. I'm just glad to have them home." The cat meowed again. "Now things can get back to normal."

As Giles flipped a page of his book, while he was looking at the cat instead, he didn't notice that on the page was a drawing of Joyce's mask. He flipped another page before turning his attention back to his book.

∞

Night - Summers House - Dining Room

The table was beautifully set with Joyce's best china, crystal and silverware.

Buffy, Brooke and Brady were dressed up or the occasion, putting the last settings into place.

Alice, Wyatt and Carmen walked in, also dressed up.

"Hey, there you are," Carmen told them. "Not sure how tonight's gonna go with the whole gang and Bianca all gonna be here, but..."

"Well, time will only tell," Wyatt pointed out.

Alice looked at the Summers siblings. "How are you?"

"Fine," Buffy answered. "Well, things with our mom are really awkward, but..."

"Mom invited one of her friends, Pat, over for the dinner too," Brooke explained.

"I just wanna get through tonight," Brady told them.

They heard the doorbell ring.

∞

Foyer

Buffy, Brady and Brooke went to get the door, revealing Devon and the band outside.

"Hey, guys," Devon told them. "So where do you want the band to set up?"

Devon walked into the living room, looking around for a good spot.

"What?" Buffy asked. "The band?"

∞

Later - Full Blown Party

(Song:) Never Mind - Dingoes Ate My Baby (Four Star Mary)

The band was set up in the corner of the living room, playing Never Mind, but with Zoey helping out with the singing. The camera panned from the drummer past Oz on his guitar and Zoey at the mic into the crowd.

Zoey was singing. "You can send me a savior / That lives till the end of time / Time / The promise of heaven / But that only leaves me dry / Dry / Too many saviors / And I won't die / I never cried, but I needed more from you / I found my life without you now / And I never mind / I'm only half as blind / 'Cause I needed more from you / And I never mind / I'm only half as blind / 'Cause I needed more from you..."

Half of Sunnydale High must have been in attendance, the place was so densely packed with people.

Willow was leaning against a table, smiling at Zoey having fun for once, the first time in a while, moving to the beat of the music.

Eric walked through the crowd with drinks toward Buffy. "I'm so sorry. Zoey and I tried to get Xander, Willow, Cordelia and Oz to tell you,  Brooke, Brady, Alice, Wyatt and Carmen about the surprise party, but they went ahead and called everybody, and we tried to call you but you didn't answer."

Buffy took her drink from Eric. "It's fine, Eric. We were probably at Mom's appointment with the school superintendent. That's why we didn't answer. I mean, I was just sort of hoping it would be us, but..."

"I know," Eric said. "Sorry. Well, as long as we're at a party, could I at least ask my girlfriend to dance with me and have some fun for once?"

Buffy smiled, touched. "Yes, I'd like to dance."

Eric took Buffy's hand, spinning her around, causing her to laugh lightly, as they started to dance.

∞

Elsewhere

Carmen walked through the crowd, finding Willow, as they both watched Zoey with the band. "Hey!"

Willow smiled. "Hey!"

"This is large," Carmen told her.

Willow looked at Carmen. "You like?"

"Yeah, it's great," Carmen answered, watching Zoey with the band. Zoey saw Willow and Carmen together, smiling, waving. Willow and Carmen waved back. "You guys took what I said about silly stupid kid fun seriously, huh?" Willow smiled. "This is amazing, but we were sort of hoping we could just hang together, the gang."

"We thought you'd be happy," Willow told her.

Carmen managed a small smile. "I am. I just wish we could hang out more."

Willow nodded. "We just thought, with the party, it'd be cool, 'cause we're all glad you're back."

Carmen chuckled. "Okay."

(Song Ends)

∞

Joyce's Room

The mask's eyes started to glow a deep red again.

∞

Accident Scene

A Sunnydale police car, red and blue lights flashing, was parked next to the body of a victim. One officer walked past it while another interviewed witnesses. The camera panned down to the dead man lying in the street. The emergency medical technician tending to him got up and went to get a gurney. The camera stopped on the victim's face. His forehead was severely lacerated. Suddenly his eyes opened. The one under the wound was red with blood. The zombie victim immediately sat up.

∞

Summers House - Party

(Song:) Sway - Dingoes Ate My Baby (Four Star Mary)

Xander and Cordelia were by the stairs, making out.

Alice and Wyatt walked by, seeing Xander and Cordelia, and awkwardly turned around to walk by without being noticed.

Xander noticed them. "Alice, Wyatt, hey." Cordelia didn't stop kissing Xander on the face and neck. "What are you doing?"

"We were just taking a break from all this fun," Alice answered.

"Some kind of party, huh?" Xander asked. "I guess a lot of people are glad to have you guys back."

Wyatt nodded sarcastically. "It seems like people we didn't even know missed us. Did Layla and Giles say they were going to be late?"

"Uh, they were at the library the last time I saw them," Xander explained. "But they'll be here. They want to celebrate the homecoming. We all do. I mean, it's great to have you guys back." He tried to get Cordelia's attention. "Isn't it?"

Cordelia smiled, nodding. "Totally."

Xander and Cordelia went back to making out.

Alice and Wyatt were annoyed, walking away.

(Song Pauses)

∞

Joyce's Room

The mask's eyes continued to glow red.

∞

Sunnydale General Hospital 

A trauma team was trying to revive a burn victim. A nurse held a pair of defibrillation pads ready while the doctor pumped his chest and another nurse bagged him. The man was flat lining. The heart monitor beeped insistently while the cursor just moved flatly across the screen.

"All right, look," the doctor told them. "These burns are too extensive. It's 7:43. Let's call it."

The doctor walked away. The nurse put away the bag while the other put away the defibrillation pads. The camera panned in to the dead man. He had severe second and third degree burns all along the right side of his face and body. His eyes suddenly popped open. He sat up on the bed, leaving a puddle of blood on the pillow.

The nurse was horrified. "Oh, my God."

The reflection on the heart monitor screen showed the zombie burn victim violently hitting people out of his way as he went out.

∞

Summers House - Party

(Song Resumes)

Buffy, Brooke and Brady were trying to keep the house from getting too trashed, picking up trash and food and so on.

Two guys walked past.

"Hey, what's the deal with this party anyway?" Guy 1 asked.

"This party?" Guy 2 asked "Heard it was for some guys that just got out of rehab."

Buffy, Brooke and Brady were not happy about the rumor, but they ignored the guys, continuing on their way to the kitchen.

∞

Kitchen

Joyce and Pat were having a little fiesta of their own, pouring some schnapps into two glasses, raising their glasses, clinking them together, each taking a good sip.

Pat smiled, nodding. "Now, how you holding up, Joyce, hmm? Really."

"Really?" Joyce asked. "I'm... I don't know. While Buffy, Brooke and Brady were gone, all I could think about was getting them home. I just knew that if I could put my arms around them and tell them how much I loved them, everything would be okay."

"But?" Pat asked.

Buffy, Brooke and Brady reached the door outside the kitchen, stopping when they heard Joyce.

"Having Buffy, Brooke and Brady home, I--I thought it was gonna make it all better," Joyce admitted. "But in some ways, it's almost worse."

The siblings were hurt by this, and walked away.

(Song Ends)

∞

Joyce's Bedroom

The mask's eyes were still glowing red.

∞

Outside

Bianca had finally arrived, walking up to the house, hesitating, not sure if she wanted to go in, but decided that she was already here and she might as well have, knocking on the door, since her previous invitation into the house had been revoked by a spell before she got her soul back.

∞

Park

Several zombies were making their way through the park toward the Summers house.

∞∞

Sunnydale High School - Library

The cat meowed acidly in the cage.

Giles and Layla were looking through books again.

Giles found the page about the mask in his book this time, quickly reading. "Oh, Lord."

"What?" Layla asked.

"The mask, from Joyce's bedroom, the Nigerian one," Giles explained. "It has the powers to raise the dead back to life. Or, well, unlife. They would be like this cat. Zombies. And they would all be on the way to the mask to try to take it and become all powerful."

Layla stood, walking toward the phone quickly, dialing the Summers number.

In the party, Guy 2 from before was the only one that heard the phone ringing during the party, picking up the phone, holding it tightly to his ear, plugging his free ear with a finger. "Party villa, can I rock you?"

"I need to speak to Buffy, Brooke or Brady," Layla told him. "Um, immediately. I have some information that is extremely important."

In the party, someone broke a glass.

Guy 2 looked across the room. "Yeah, fiesta foul! You gotta do a shot!"

"Do you know where Buffy, Brooke or Brady are?" Layla asked. "I need to speak to them, now."

"Bunny, Broke or Buddy?" Guy 2 asked. He looked at his friend, pointing. "See? That guy's gotta do a shot."

Layla corrected the names though Guy 2 didn't understand. "Buffy, Brooke or Brady."

Guy 2 held the phone out to a crowd. "Hey, I need to talk to a Bunny, Broke or Buddy." He spoke into the phone. "Sorry, they're not here. You got the wrong casa, Mrs. Belvedere."

Guy 2 hung up.

"Hello?" Layla asked, realizing he hung up on her, slamming the phone down. "Rupert, we have to go."

Giles and Layla quickly grabbed their things to leave.

∞

Summers House - Hallway

In a quiet hallway, away from everyone, Carmen looked like she was about to leave. Zoey, Alice, Buffy, Brooke and Willow walked closer.

Carmen saw Zoey. "What happened to the set? You were doing so good."

"They're doing the instrumental," Zoey told her. "What are you doing? Are you leaving?"

"I just needed some fresh air," Carmen told them.

"Are you sure?" Alice asked.

"It's not like anyone will mind," Carmen told them. "They're all too busy gossiping about us behind our backs and they don't even know us."

"But we were gonna talk after the party," Buffy told them.

"I thought that a party was what you wanted, Carmen," Willow told her. "You know, crazy silly kid fun like you wanted."

Carmen sighed. 

"Look, we have to try to start talking again," Brooke told them. "'Cause what we've been doing since we got back, we haven't been talking."

"Carmen hasn't said anything to anyone all summer," Zoey pointed out.  "Even when some of us were going out of our minds worrying about her."

Carmen tilted her head. "Zoey... I was just trying to make things easier."

"For who?" Willow asked.

"Sorry that I needed time alone, but you don't know what I was going through," Carmen told them.

"Well, we'd like to," Zoey told her.

"You wouldn't understand," Carmen told them. "Buffy, Brooke and Alice, and Brady and Wyatt, even Bianca, they were there. They get it, but..."

"And you think that even after everything that Willow, Cordelia, Xander, Oz and I've gone through, that we wouldn't?" Zoey asked. "Because we're not Bianca, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Brady and Wyatt."

Carmen shook her head. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Zoey asked. "Because after my mother and I were put into the hospital and nearly a freaking coma, because we were trying to give Angel and Bianca their souls back, Angel sent his vampires in to kill us and nearly did, after he already killed my great uncle, Aunt Jenny, and even my puppy. And when everything was over, you didn't even call or make sure that we were okay. And all I could think about was making sure that you were okay when I heard from Bianca of all people that the spell worked and she and Angel got their souls back but that Buffy had to kill Angel anyway because of the hell portal."

Carmen realized how much she hurt Zoey, feeling so guilty, tears in both their eyes. "Zoey..."

The others looked guilty and sad as well.

"Maybe we don't need to understand what you went through," Willow told them. "Maybe we just need you to talk to us."

"How could we talk to you when all of this is happening?" Buffy asked.

"This isn't easy, guys," Willow told them. "I know you're going through stuff, but so are we."

"I know that you guys were worried about us, but--" Brooke started.

"No," Willow told her. "I don't just meant that. I mean, our lives, you know. I, um, I'm having all sorts of... I'm studying witchcraft. I'm worried that Eric is overwhelming himself with fighting and magic and that my brother could get hurt if he's not careful. And he was driving himself into the ground on top of that trying to find a way to bring you guys home, and both of us trying to help Bianca."

"I'm dating," Zoey told them. "I'm having serious dating with a werewolf, and killing vampires. Do you have any idea how many vampires Eric and I've killed just since I got healed enough to start fighting again? Well, neither do I. I lost count. I was running myself into the ground, guys, because I couldn't stand feeling weak again like that. And Eric was too. We didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff. And you were our best friends."

∞

On the Road - Layla's Car

Layla was speeding along to the Summers house as best as she could.

Giles was in the passenger seat, looking exasperated. "Unbelievable." He mocked Joyce. "Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead."

Layla couldn't help but laugh. "Relax, Rupert. We're almost there."

Giles looked ahead to see that they were about to hit someone. "Layla!"

Layla slammed on the brakes, beginning to skid, ending up hitting the man, who fell onto the hood of the car, bounced off the windshield and slid off as the car came to a stop. The man rolled a few times on the pavement before coming to a rest. Giles and Layla stared in shock.

Layla quickly got out of the car. "Oh, my God." Giles followed as Layla went to check on the man. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

The man rolled over, revealing to Giles and Layla that he was already dead, a zombie, in an advanced state of decay.

Giles pulled Layla away from the zombie as they backed away toward the car. "Good God."

Other zombies approached from an alley, as they started to surround Layla and Giles.

Layla rolled her eyes in annoyance. "To hell with this."

Layla took off her gypsy necklace, causing both her necklace and hands to glow with purple gypsy power, that she used to incinerate the zombie that she had hit with her car, burning him out of existence. She turned to the other zombies, ready to defend herself and Rupert.

∞

Summers House - Hallway

The girls were still talking emotionally.

"Zoey, Willow, I'm so sorry that you both and Eric had to do so much while we were gone," Alice told them. "I wish we could've helped."

"And you have no idea how much I missed you," Carmen told them. "Everyone. I wanted to call every day."

"That doesn't matter, Carmen," Willow told her. "It doesn't make it okay that you didn't."

Carmen knew she was right, tears in her eyes.

Joyce walked in. "What's going on?"

"Mom, please, could you--could you just--" Buffy started.

"No, I can't just," Joyce told her. "Buffy, what's going on? Brooke? Where's Brady?"

"Maybe you should go back to Pat and tell her how you feel about how me, Brady and Buffy being back makes things worse for you," Brooke told her, walking away.

Buffy followed Brooke. Alice, Zoey, Carmen and Willow were stunned by what they said, following. Joyce looked guilty that they overheard her, but a little drunk, was also very defensive and angry, following them.

∞

Living Room

Brady had invited Bianca inside. "Hey, Bianca."

Bianca stepped inside, looking around, hearing the band play the instrumental song. "Hey, Brady. I thought you said that it was just going to be a dinner."

"Yeah, the others threw us a surprise party," Brady explained.

Bianca nodded in understanding, looking overwhelmed.

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Willow, Carmen and Alice walked into the room, followed by Joyce.

Joyce walked up to Buffy, Brooke and Brady quickly. "You know what? That's it. We're going to have a talk."

The band stopped playing and most of the people stopped talking. Suddenly the level of noise in the room was reduced to just a few voices.

Buffy looked around at everyone staring at them. "Mom, please--"

Eric, Xander and Cordelia walked in.

"You know what?" Joyce asked angrily asked. "I don't care. I don't care what your friends think of me, or you for that matter, because you, Brooke and Brady put me through the wringer, Buffy. I mean it. And I've had schnapps. Do you have any idea what it's been like?"

"Mom, this isn't the time," Brooke  told her.

Oz came up next to Zoey.

"You can't imagine months of not knowing," Joyce told them. "Not knowing whether you're lying dead in a ditch somewhere, or, I don't know, living it up--"

"But you told us!" Brady told her. "You're the one who said we should go. You said if we leave this house, don't come back. You found out who we really were, and you couldn't deal. Don't you remember?"

People were beginning to think this was a drag and left.

"Buffy, Brady, Brooke, you didn't give me time," Joyce told them. "You just dumped this thing on me and you expected me to get it. Well, guess what? Mom's not perfect, okay? I handled it badly. But that doesn't give you the right to punish me by running away."

"Punish you?" Buffy repeated. "We had to leave, Mom. We didn't do this to punish you."

"Well, you did," Xander told them. "You should've seen what you put her through."

"Great," Brooke said sarcastically. "Thanks. Anybody else want to weigh in here?" She saw Jonathan. "How about you by the dip?"

Jonathan froze in the middle of bringing a chip laden with dip to his mouth and looked around nervously at everyone suddenly staring at him. "No, thanks. I'm good."

"Guys, come on," Eric told them. "Give them a break. You know that Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Carmen and Wyatt had to leave."

"Thank you, Eric," Alice told him. "And I know that we made some bad decisions. We know this. We tried to make it as easy as possible for others. We kept in contact."

No most people were gone, so the Scoobies could fight with more details about what happened without exposing them.

"Carmen didn't," Xander told them. "She put Zoey through more hell even after Angel wasn't around to torment her and Layla. Zoey and Layla had to heal from nearly been put into comas by her ex and Carmen didn't even say anything to them after they woke up. Didn't say anything to anyone."

"Xander, we already talked about this," Zoey told him. "Back off."

Cordelia didn't think it was fair to Carmen either, interceding. "Time out, Xander. Put yourself in Carmen's shoes for just a minute. Okay? I'm Carmen, freak of nature, right? Naturally I pick a freak for a boyfriend, and then he turns into Mr. Killing Spree, and puts my best friend Zoey and her mother Layla through hell, which is pretty much my fault--"

"Cordy!" Carmen said to stop her. "Get outta my shoes."

"I'm just trying to help, Carmen," Cordelia told her.

"Look, I'm sorry your honey was a demon," Xander told her. "But at least he got what he deserved." He noticed Bianca by the door. "Some demons still live among us and didn't get what they deserve."

"Don't you start with me again," Bianca told him.

"Leave her alone," Wyatt told him.

"Why, so she can spiral back into insanity?" Xander asked. "She doesn't even want Eric and Willow to help her."

Bianca walked closer. "Because I'm worried that I could end up hurting them. Not that you care since you wanted both me and Angel dead even when Zoey and Layla were trying to give us our souls back, and that wasn't up to you."

Xander nodded sarcastically. "Yes, because God forbid that you two died for what you've done."

"You have no idea," Bianca told him. "You have--you have no idea what it felt like for someone that actually had to go through it."

"Of course I don't, since I was hardly hurt in your and Angel's game," Xander replied.

"I was talking about the sickness," Bianca told him.

"You didn't even try to talk to anybody before you and Ford went psycho," Xander countered.

"Billy was using my medication and my agony against me to control me, in case you forgot about that part," Bianca retorted. Xander looked away. "So there was nothing that anybody could do. Okay? I just had to deal with this on my own."

"Yeah, and you see how well that one worked out," Xander told her. "You can't just bury stuff, Bianca. It'll come right back up to get you."

∞

On the Road

Layla was using streams of purple gypsy power to burn through five zombies to disintegrate them.

Another zombie had Giles pushed to the hood of Layla's car. Giles got his foot underneath him, push/kicking him off. 

Layla turned to see this, using a burst to her power to burn the zombie out of existence before it could do more harm to Giles.

Giles stood. "Oh, good show, Layla, but we should be going. They will be more on the way to the Summers home."

"Good point," Layla agreed. They got into Layla's car, but Layla realized that she dropped her keys outside during the fight. "Damn it."

Layla reached underneath the dash, pulling out some wires.

"What are you doing?" Giles asked.

"Todd, Zoey's father, he taught both of us how to do wiring for speaker systems for his band years ago," Layla explained. "We used to say that it was like hotwiring a car." Giles gave her a look, amused. "What? I had a life before being a parent and a doctor, like you did before being a parent and a Watcher."

"Touche," Giles said.

Layla quickly unraveled and stripped the right wires.

A zombie punched through Layla's window, reaching in for Layla.

Layla held out her hand and shot the zombie with a burst of her power to kill him with purple gypsy energy, before touching the car wires together, making them spark and the the engine start. "Like riding a bike."

Layla quickly drove her and Giles away, leaving the zombies behind.

∞

Summers House - Living Room

Now it was just the teenaged Scoobies, Wyatt, Bianca and Joyce in the living room, while partiers were leaving, or in other rooms of the house.

Xander was still ranting to Bianca. "You were insane before you even became a vampire. You set up a club full of people and Brady, so that you could turn him to be with him for the rest of eternity, so you and Ford could live forever, whether or not Ford was controlling you. And when you were a vampire, you tried to kill Brooke, Alice and Wyatt and let Angel torment Zoey and Layla and the rest of us. You fall off the wagon of insanity, plunging into darkness, without a soul, and ever since Zoey and Layla gave you your soul and Eric and Willow have been trying to help your mind, you've been avoiding us."

Bianca was getting very overwhelmed. "You're not saying anything that I haven't already thought about myself, so just shut up! You're very closed minded when it comes to me and Angel, even when Angel was alive and he had a soul, and even when I have a soul now and trying to make up for what I've done and trying not to hurt anyone else and picking up the slack of hunting when everyone else but Zoey and Eric couldn't. The problem with closed minded people like you is that their mouth is always open. I don't need your opinions so keep them to yourself."

Xander scoffed. "Whatever you're doing now, it doesn't make up for what you did before. What you did was wrong, and what you may be doing now is right, but--"

Bianca cut him off. "So do your parents even realize that they're living proof that two wrongs don't make a right? Everybody's entitled to act stupid once in a while, but you really abuse that privilege."

Zoey looked at Xander. "Bianca's trying to make up for what she's done. Mom and I told you why we didn't want Angel and Bianca dead, because our family would want us to give them their souls back, so you had no right doing what you did. If it wasn't for you, things could have turned out differently."

Brady gave Xander a look. "And it's not like you can judge Bianca for what happened. She was sick. Her brain was liquefied by cancer and brain tumors. And everything with Ford..."

Xander nodded. "Yeah, she was sick, she was insane, and her brother was controlling her, but that really gave her the right to do that? She has a tendency for lashing out with Guardian energy even when she doesn't mean to, and that means she could end up killing us if things get too bad."

"So stop making it so bad and we don't have to worry about that," Carmen told him. "Bianca went through hell because of her sickness and losing Ford. She does have a reason for what she did because of her mind and her brain literally being melted like that. That's more reason than most people do. And with Eric and Willow helping her heal now, even though she doesn't want them to because she's worried about hurting them, you still find something to blame her for, and that's your problem, Xander, not Bianca's."

Bianca was surprised by Carmen defending her, looking a little relieved, but still annoyed with Xander. "Do you think I wanted this? That is why I was trying to stay away. To keep my distance. I didn't want to be a danger to anyone. I didn't want to risk slipping further into insanity."

Alice walked closer. "But you're not completely  gone." Bianca looked at Alice in shock, especially surprised that Alice was defending her after everything Bianca had done to her. "And you don't have to be. You've been trying to make amends. And we can help you if you let us, Bianca."

Brady stepped closer. "I know why you kept away. Because you blamed yourself, hated yourself for what you did, to keep the others safe and alive. You would rather be alone than hurt anyone else even though it's dangerous for you to be alone. But it's not your fault."

Bianca looked down. "Maybe it's not. But it's still better for the rest of you, for your own good, if I stayed away."

Xander shrugged. "No arguments here."

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Willow and Carmen all looked at him in annoyance. "Shut up, Xander!"

Wyatt sighed. "Bianca, you might think that that is what's best for us, but we're trying to think of the best for you and everyone around you. You know that feeling that you're going mad, that you are so angry that you want to scream and lash out with all your power and destroy everything around you? That's how I felt when Spike nearly drove me mad the first time. Welcome to the bloody party."

Bianca turned away emotionally. "I was protecting you when I was away, avoiding you. Trying to keep myself from lashing out, from losing control, to keep the rest of you alive. I've already done horrible things to Brady, Alice, Wyatt and Brooke. I didn't want to do anymore. I wanted to protect you from myself in case went back into the madness and was forced to hurt anyone I loved again."

Eric shook his head. "But you didn't have to do it alone. You didn't have to keep it from us."

Bianca gave him a look. "Yes, I did, Eric."

Willow looked at her sympathetically. "You putting yourself under so much pressure is the reason why you're falling so far back into the madness. That's why Eric and I always help you even when you don't want us to."

Carmen stepped closer. "Please, Bianca. You don't have to keep doing this to yourself. We've all been through so much, and I know this is crushing you. You don't have to do it anymore. Not alone."

Bianca sighed. "It's better if I do, Carmen, rather than let anyone else do it and risk losing everything."

Zoey shook her head. "But we don't have to lose everything, and nether do you. Let us save you."

"You guys are all acting like idiots if you're taking her side," Xander told them.

Wyatt stepped up to Xander. "Oh, you wanna talk acting like an idiot?"

Oz stepped in. "Okay. I'm gonna step in now. Being Referee Guy."

"No, let them go, Oz," Zoey told him. Oz gave her a look. "Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence." A zombie suddenly smashed through the living room window and came in. Others followed right behind. Zoey looked at the zombies in annoyed exasperation. "I was being sarcastic!"

A zombie grabbed Xander, and they started to wrestle.

Another zombie tried to grab Bianca. Bianca broke free easily, snapping the zombie's neck, letting him fall, thinking he was dead. When the zombie moved again, Bianca used her stolen red Guardian energy to wrap around the zombie and tear him apart, killing him.

Xander got the upper hand on a slow moving zombie and threw him back out of the window.

Willow and Oz scrambled to help out.

A zombie dove through the kitchen door window.

The remaining party guests in the other rooms of the house all tried to drive them out, but weren't very organized about it.

"Guys, kitchen!" Buffy told them.

"Let's go," Brooke told them.

"We got your back," Alice told them.

Zoey, Brooke, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Bianca all prepared to use more power.

Buffy tossed Eric an andiron from the fireplace. Eric caught it, running to join the fight.

A zombie attacked Buffy, and she launched herself into a hopping side kick to his gut. She sidestepped a punch and swung under his arm with an uppercut to his jaw, but he wasn't fazed. The zombie swung at her with both arms, knocking her aside.

Joyce watched her children fight the zombies, cringing at every blow.

Brady punched a zombie twice in the face and then ducked past him as he lunged at him with his arm, trying to grab him. Brady turned around, kicking the zombie into a table, grabbing a vase, smashing it over his head.

Zoey, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt, Bianca and Carmen all used their power to destroy other zombies.

Eric, not as powerful in magic yet, was using the andiron as a weapon.

The party guests were having limited success keeping the zombies out of the house.

Zoey leg swept one of the zombies, knocking him down.

∞

Kitchen

Eric, Willow, Xander, Carmen and Cordelia were defending the kitchen.

"Are these vampires?" Cordelia asked.

"Uh, I don't think so," Carmen answered.

"Eric, heads up!" Willow told him, tossing him a piece of the broken window frame.

Eric caught the frame out of air, staking a zombie in the heart. The zombie just looked at him as if he had pinched him.

"No, not vampires," Eric told them.

The zombie started to get back to his feet. Eric swung the andiron at one of them, making him stagger into the wall and fall down.

Xander looked around and found a stake on the counter. He jammed it into a dead guy's gut, making him stagger.

Pat looked into the kitchen from the hall, not paying attention to her back. A zombie came up behind her and grabbed her by the jaw and the back of her head. She screamed as she was drug off.

A dead guy came at Eric. Eric spun quickly, kicking him back, shooting a blast of yellow magic at the zombie to send him flying into the wall. Eric swung the andiron at his head, knocking him to the floor.

Another one was trying to crawl in through the window over the sink. Carmen used magic to throw him back outside.

∞

Living Room

Joyce hit a zombie repeatedly over the head with a broken piece of wood.

Brady was holding a guitar, raising it over his head to smash into a zombie to knock him down to the floor.

"We got to get them back outside!" Zoey told them.

"On three," Wyatt told them. Carmen and Eric walked back into the room. "One, two, three."

Zoey, Brooke, Alice, Eric, Wyatt, Carmen and Bianca used their combined power (purple gypsy power for Zoey, red Guardian power for Brooke, Alice and Bianca, yellow magic for Eric, blue/black for Wyatt and light blue for Carmen) to throw the zombies outside.

Buffy slammed the door closed.

Brooke used Guardian energy to create a barricade in front of the door. The zombies slammed against it, trying to get back in.

"Okay," Buffy said. "We're gonna have to barricade all the doors."

Carmen used her power to freeze the zombies outside.

"That works too," Brooke told them.

Brady saw a zombie coming at Eric from the side. "Eric, look out!"

Eric swung the andiron hard enough to make the zombie stagger back into the wall behind him. The zombie came at Eric. Eric spun, swinging the andiron like a baseball bat up into his chin, making him fall back, using yellow magic to throw him through the window outside. "I got it."

The zombies outside started to unfreeze from Carmen's power.

"These things won't stay frozen," Alice told them.

"We really do need a barricade for everywhere," Wyatt told them.

Bianca sighed. "We got it."

Alice, Brooke and Bianca split up to use Guardian energy to barricade every entrance with red Guardian power.

"Upstairs!" Zoey told them, running upstairs.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Eric, Willow and Joyce followed Zoey.

Oz, Xander, Cordelia, Wyatt, Alice, Carmen and Bianca stayed downstairs so they could keep the barricades in place.

At the top of the stairs, Joyce saw Pat lying unconscious on the floor further down the hall. "Oh, Pat!" She ran over to Pat. Brooke, Buffy and Brady ran over to help also. "Oh, God..."

Pat woke, and the Summers helped her up.

"Careful," Buffy told them.

"Oh..." Pat trailed off.

Eric watched the stairs . "Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry."

Brooke looked at Pat. "We got you."

"Okay?" Brady asked.

They pulled her toward Joyce's room. Eric and Zoey ushered them in and followed, with Willow following them.

∞

Living Room

All the remaining partiers had either gotten away or they were dead.

Alice, Carmen, Wyatt, Xander, Cordelia, Oz and Bianca were trying to keep the barricades in place, about to run upstairs when they thought they were safe.

A zombie that had been inside grabbed Oz from behind and pulled him down to the floor.

"Oz!" Cordelia told him.

"Go, go!" Oz told them.

Bianca used her stolen Guardian power to throw the zombie off of Oz into the wall, making the zombie hit the wall.

Alice and Bianca used their combined Guardian power to rip the zombie to pieces, exchanging a look.

"I'm not used to working with you," Bianca admitted.

"I know the feeling," Alice replied.

"Nice team work," Wyatt told them.

"Yeah," Carmen agreed.

Carmen and Cordelia helped Oz up. They all knew they had to remain downstairs in case any other zombies were still inside, or if one got in.

∞

Joyce's Room

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Eric, Willow and Joyce came into the room, helping Pat along the way, laying her down on a large padded wicker chair and footrest.

Seeing a zombie in the hall, Zoey, Brooke, Eric and Willow attacked with their combined magic, destroying it, but more zombies were coming.

Brooke created a barrier in front of the door to keep the zombies out.

Willow felt for a pulse on Pat's neck. "She's--"

"Oh, God!" Joyce said. "Pat! She's dead!"

The zombies tried to force their way into the room, hitting against Brooke's barrier. The impact vibration knocked Joyce's mask from its hook to the floor. The eyes of the mask began to glow red again.

"What do we do if they get in?" Willow asked.

"I think we kind of die," Zoey answered.

The mask's eyes kept glowing. Pat woke up.

∞∞

Living Room

Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander, Bianca, Cordelia and Oz were still maintaining things downstairs.

"I don't hear anything," Cordelia told them.

"We still need to make sure there's no more down here," Alice told them.

Wyatt sighed. "Let's go for it."

They continued to look through all of downstairs, and did not see any zombies, but they could hear noises coming from upstairs.

Carmen found two pairs of ski poles, handing one to Cordelia, one to Xander, and one to Oz so they all had something to defend themselves. "Here."

"Thanks," Oz told her.

"Nothing down here," Bianca told them. "But I hear a lot upstairs. Let's go."

They turned to go upstairs.

Layla and Giles had come in through the backdoor. Layla's hands were glowing with purple gypsy power.

Alice turned to see them, hands glowing with red energy as she prepared to use her power.

Giles stopped her. "Alice, it's us! It's Layla and your father."

"How do we know it's really you and not zombie Layla and Giles?" Xander asked.

"Xander, stop being tiresome," Layla told him.

"It's them," Xander told them.

Everyone relaxed. They started moving toward the stairs again.

"I think the Dead Man's Party moved upstairs," Wyatt told them.

"That makes sense," Layla told them. "It's the mask in Joyce's bedroom they're after."

"Mask?" Alice repeated.

"The mask holds the power of a... zombie demon, called Ovu Mobani," Giles explained. "Evil Eye."

"Well, what happens if they get the mask?" Bianca asked.

"If one of them puts it on, they become the demon incarnate," Layla answered.

"Worse than a zombie?" Cordelia asked.

Carmen gave Cordelia a look. "Yes, it definitely sounds worse."

∞

Joyce's Room

Pat sat up on the footrest.

The zombies at the door broke through the Guardian barrier finally, pushing Zoey, Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Eric to the floor violently. Joyce and Willow ran over to help.

The zombies came in, with one backhand punching Zoey, sending her into the wall.

Pat saw the fighting, but her attention was drawn to the mask lying on the floor. Its eyes glowed a bright red now.

Buffy tried to grab a zombie from behind, but it threw a backhand punch and hit Buffy in the jaw, making her fall into the bed and roll off of the far side onto the floor.

Pat stood up, her gaze fixed on the mask, and stepped over to it.

Joyce saw her stand up, and looked at her, amazed, going over to her former friend. "Oh, God! We thought you were--"

Joyce tried to hug Pat, but Pat grabbed her outstretched arms and pushed her hard onto the bed. Joyce rolled off next to Buffy.

Brooke, Brady, Eric and Willow tried to fight off the zombies, while Zoey and Buffy pushed themselves up.

Pat leaned down to pick up the mask and held it to her face as she stood back up. The eyes suddenly glowed a very bright red, and the mask integrated itself into Pat's face.

The zombies immediately stopped fighting and fell to their knees, screaming and cowering before Pat.

"Generally speaking, when scary things get scared?" Zoey asked. "Not good."

Willow looked at Pat, transfixed by its stare.

Pat's voice was different, since she was now the demon Ovu Mobani. "I live, you die."

Eric tried to get between them. Ovu Mobani turned to Eric, and its eyes flashed, mesmerizing Eric. Eric literally couldn't move.

Willow was worried for her brother. "Eric!"

Ovu Mobani backhand punched Eric, and sent him flying in a high arc into Buffy, Brady, Brooke and Zoey, knocking them all down. The five of them were only slightly dazed, and quickly raised themselves up on their hands.

Willow backed away from Ovu Mobani fearfully.

"Willow, don't look!" Eric told his sister worriedly.

Ovu Mobani's eyes flashed again at Willow, and Willow froze. Ovu Mobani strode over to her and grabbed her by the jaw and the back of her head.

Buffy lunged at Ovu Mobani, grabbing her and diving out of the bedroom window.

Zoey, Brooke, Brady and Eric stood, running to the bedroom window to look outside.

Buffy and Ovu Mobani fell onto the roof and rolled down and off. They hit the railing of the back porch, breaking it, falling over some bushes and rolling into the backyard.

Brooke and Brady called out for their sister worriedly. "Buffy!"

∞

Downstairs

Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander, Bianca, Cordelia, Oz, Layla and Giles heard the crash through the window.

"Out back!" Wyatt told them.

They ran back down the stairs, but a zombie appeared from the dining room and took Giles by the neck.

"Dad!" Alice told him.

More zombies broke in.

Carmen looked around. "Oh, great, more of these things."

Carmen focused her power to freeze the zombies around them, but they didn't stay frozen for long, starting to move again.

∞

Outside

Buffy and Ovu Mobani got to their feet. 

Zoey, Brooke and Eric crawled out of Joyce's window onto the roof.

"Buffy, don't look!" Eric told her.

Buffy looked away. Ovu Mobani's eyes flashed, but since Buffy hadn't been looking, nothing happened.

Buffy quickly put some distance between herself and the demon, shading her eyes as she went. "Not looking." Ovu Mobani made tracks after her. "Not looking."

Zoey used gypsy magic to levitate herself and Eric down to the ground below. Brooke used her red Guardian energy to levitate herself down.

∞

Joyce's Room

One of the zombies was trying to attack Joyce, Willow and Brady. Willow and Brady each had the zombie by the arms, and Joyce was swinging a baseball bat hard into the zombie's back, making him scream and flail its arms.

∞

Outside

Ovu Mobani tackled Buffy to the ground, turning her over to make her look into its eyes, flashing them, mesmerizing her to not fight back.

Eric delivered a snap kick into Ovu Mobani to send the demon falling off of Buffy to the ground.

Zoey and Brooke used their purple / red power to grab Ovu Mobani, throwing the demon into a tree, and then to the ground.

∞

Inside - Stairs

The group of zombies were attacking Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander, Bianca, Cordelia, Oz, Layla and Giles.

Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Bianca and Layla used powers of red, black/blue, light blue and purple to defend themselves, burning some of the zombies out of existence with magic, while Xander, Cordelia and Oz were using the ski poles to fight others off.

"Tell the others Ovu Mobani's powers lies in his eyes," Giles ordered. Oz kicked a zombie twice in the shoulder, trying to force him back so he could get down the stairs, but when that didn't work, Oz hopped over the stair railing instead. "They have to go for the eyes to defeat him!"

"Oz, go!" Layla told him.

As the others fought off the zombies, Oz ran off.

∞

Outside

Eric found a shovel, picking it up.

Ovu Mobani used its flashing eyes to mesmerize Buffy, Brooke and Zoey, making them stop fighting, before turning to Eric.

Eric raised the metal end of the shovel as a shield against the light.

Oz ran outside, seeing that Eric had a shovel. "Eric!"

Ovu Mobani looked toward Oz, he eyes flashing, making him freeze.

Eric raised the shovel. "Hey!" Ovu Mobani looked at Eric. Eric jammed the shovel into the demon's eyes, embedding it into its head, causing his powers to release Zoey, Buffy, Brooke and Oz. Ovu Mobani grabbed the shovel handle and tried to pull it out, but couldn't. "Made you look."

In a flash of brilliant white light, Ovu Mobani disappeared.

∞

Joyce's Room

Brady, Willow and Joyce were still fighting zombies. Joyce still had a baseball bat. In a flash of light, the zombies disappeared. Joyce's next swing went wild, and she stopped it.

∞

Stairs

Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander, Bianca, Cordelia, Layla and Giles were still fending off zombies with magic or the ski poles. In a flash of light, the zombies disappeared.

∞

Outside

Eric just looked at where Ovu Mobani had been.

Zoey, Buffy, Brooke and Oz were brought out of the trances.

Oz shrugged. "Never mind."

∞

Inside - Living Room

Brady, Willow and Joyce walked downstairs to join Alice, Wyatt, Carmen, Xander, Bianca, Cordelia, Layla and Giles.

Giles and Alice, as well as Carmen and Cordelia, shared an embrace in relief. 

Eric, Buffy, Brooke, Zoey and Oz walked inside from the back, as Eric/Buffy and Oz/Zoey had an arm around each other in relief.

Brady/Alice, Brooke/Wyatt and Xander/Cordelia went to embrace each other in relief.

Joyce went to embrace Buffy, Brooke and Brady.

Willow went to embrace her brother. "Eric."

Layla went to embrace Zoey. "Is everything all right?"

"Yeah," Zoey answered.

Bianca watched as all the others got to hug/embrace someone, looking down, feeling alone now more than ever.

Joyce caught her breath. "So, is this a typical day at the office?"

"No," Buffy answered.

"No, this was nothing," Brooke agreed.

Brady nodded in agreement. "Kind of a slow night."

Joyce looked around at the mess in the house.

The teenage friends all looked at each other, made up from the fight after they had all fought together to defend themselves and save each other.

"You guys had nice moves," Eric told them.

"You too," Carmen told them.

Wyatt smirked. "Yeah."

Zoey smiled tiredly, walking up to Carmen, hugging her tightly. Carmen returned the embrace just as tightly, both still emotional after earlier but just relieved to have each other back. Willow, Brooke and Buffy embraced Zoey and Carmen as well, pulling Alice into the embrace, causing the girls to laugh. The girls pulled Brady, Eric and Xander, and even Wyatt into the embrace as well, all laughing lightly.

Giles and Layla smiled at this.

Bianca looked on from the other side of the room, breathing deeply, turning around, walking out of the house without another word, knowing that they didn't need her there for that moment.

∞

Day Four

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Snyder's Office

Snyder was getting some files from his cabinet. There was a knock on the door, and it opened as Giles walked in.

Snyder glanced over to see who it was, going to his desk. "Do we have an appointment?"

"I'd like to have a word with you," Giles told him.

Snyder dropped the files on his desk, turning to face Giles. "If that word is Alice, then I have two words for you 'good' and 'riddance'. That goes for Brooke, Brady, Buffy, Carmen and Wyatt as well. Wish it could go for Zoey. Now if you don't mind, I have an appointment with the mayor."

"You can't expel Zoey," Giles told him. "You have no grounds to. And you can't keep Wyatt out of a job that he's done perfectly, or keep Alice, Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Carmen out of school."

Snyder pulled on his jacket. "I think you'll find I can."

"You had no grounds for expelling the children or firing Wyatt," Giles told him.

Snyder gave him a look. "I have grounds, I have precedent, and a tingly kind of feeling."

"The Summers siblings, my daughter, and Miss Chase are minors, and are entitled to a public education," Giles told him. "Just as Miss Francis is. And Mr. Pratt was hired before you came to this school. Your personal dislike of them does not legally entitle you to--"

"Why don't you take it up with the city council?" Snyder asked, grabbing the files and his briefcase, heading for the door.

"I thought I'd start with the State Supreme Court," Giles told him. Snyder stopped, turning to face him. "You're powerful in local circles, but I believe I can make life very difficult for you, professionally speaking. Alice, Brooke, Brady, Buffy and Carmen will be allowed back in, Zoey won't be expelled, and Wyatt will get his job back."

Snyder smirked sarcastically. "Sorry. I'm not convinced."

Snyder tried to leave.

Giles grabbed Snyder by he lapel, shoving him back into his filing cabinet, smirking. "Would you like me to convince you?"

Snyder shook his head ever so slightly, looking nervous.

∞

Espresso Pump

The camera panned across the interior, stopping on Zoey, Carmen, Buffy, Brooke, Alice and Willow sitting on stools at a table with a couple of drinks.

"I mean, I'm not a full-fledged witch," Willow told them. "Neither is Eric, not yet. We've just been helping Bianca, and Eric uses magic to help him with hunting. I did a couple of pagan blessings and a teeny glamour to hide a zit."

Carmen shrugged, taking a drink. "Well, we all gotta start somewhere."

"You and Wyatt are different though, Carmen," Willow told him. "I mean, you guys basically get a new power ever year."

"Yes, and while that means Wyatt should have like 100 powers, or like 50 since he said he got a new one every other year, he mostly just sticks to using the ones for patrolling, since the others, he's worried that it could make him go dark like Spike wanted," Brooke explained. "So Carmen's got telekinesis, levitation, freezing people so far. And Wyatt's got flame manipulation, water, ice, earth since he could literally trap vampires inside boulders. The pocket portal things that only really work with small objects. Being able to close portals to other worlds like he did when we were in LA. Also telekinesis. Disintegration. Who knows what else."

"That's true," Zoey agreed. "And being a gypsy, Mom and I've got empathy, psychic dreams, precognition/retrocognition, levitating, astral projection, normal spells like witches besides doing gypsy soul cursing." They chuckled. "But as long as Mom and I've got our necklaces on, we can't use our powers, which is good, because feeling what everybody else feels all the time could drive us nuts."

"Does the magic scare you?" Buffy asked.

"Sometimes," Zoey answered. "Since gypsies can communicate with the spirit world, I tried it once, so I could talk with Aunt Jenny." They looked at her sadly. "I so wasn't ready for that. It's like being pulled apart inside. Plus I blew the power for our whole block."

"Eric and I were there for her," Willow told them. "Big scare."

Brooke smiled sadly. "Wish we could have been there."

"Me too," Buffy agreed.

Alice nodded. "Me three."

"Same here," Carmen agreed. "I am sorry."

"It's okay," Willow told them. "We understand you having to run. We can forgive that."

"It's not like you could stay here and risk getting caught by the cops and arrested and getting us all exposed," Zoey agreed.

"Well, that's true," Alice agreed. "But being a Guardian, the power it has, it can be jarring too. Being able to rip vampires apart with ease, the ability to control the thoughts of actions of others, and using the energy to fly or levitate..."

"It's very freeing, for those of us who the Guardian energy is for," Brooke agreed.

"You're worried about Bianca, and the Guardian spirits wanting the energy she has inside back," Carmen realized.

"Yeah," Alice agreed. "But most of the energy Bianca took, it was from me, and a little bit from Brooke, and more from Sofia, before she killed her."

"I don't think Sofia's spirit would torment Bianca, do you?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think so," Brooke agreed. "And since me and Alice are alive, maybe that means Bianca won't have to be tormented by the Guardian spirits like me and Alice were after we came back to life and we had to release their energy from the Master's bones."

"Hopefully Bianca won't be," Zoey told them. "She's been through too much already."

Carmen smiled a bit. "Zoey, Willow, you two and Eric have really been there for Bianca, haven't you?"

"We try, when she's not pushing us away, which is always," Willow answered. "But we get it."

Carmen nodded, reaching out to Zoey to take her hand. "Listen, I am sorry that I never talked to you after what happened, to you and Layla. I just... I felt so guilty, and I didn't know if anyone would even want to talk to me after everything that happened... Zoey..."

Zoey took her hands. "Carmen, you are my best friends. No matter who you love. You lost him, and I'm sorry. Even after everything that he did, since that was a different him. Angel was different when he was Angelus. I know that. I mean, when he was just Angel, he helped save me and Mom a couple of different times, remember? He helped save both you and me from the reptile demon, he helped me face down Spike and his vampires at the school, and he helped save Mom from being possessed and killed by Eyghon. He was completely different then. He did a lot of other good too." Carmen nodded sadly. "Angelus is the one that wanted us to suffer. Bianca is different now too. And we forgave her for everything. Most of us  anyway, besides Xander. I'm not blaming you for what Angelus did. I could never."

Carmen and Zoey both had glistening eyes as they shared an embrace. Brooke, Buffy, Alice and Willow watched sadly, sympathetically, but relieved they were all communicating again and getting back to normal.

"Well, whatever happens, we're all back now," Alice told them.

Brooke nodded in agreement. "We can handle it. Together."

The girls all smiled.