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Into every generation, there are Chosen Ones. A Slayer will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. With each Slayer comes a Guardian. They are protectors of the innocent.

Day One

Night - The Bronze

(Song:) Change - Splendid

Buffy/Eric, Brooke/Wyatt, Brady/Alice and Xander/Cordelia were dancing on the dance floor, smiling. Willow and Zoey were looking around for Carmen, looking up and spotting her on the upper level leaning against the railing and watching the band.

A boy named Ben approached Carmen. "Hey." Carmen turned to face him, surprised. "I'm Ben. We had Algebra II together last year."

Carmen shrugged. "Sorry, I pretty much repress anything math-related."

"Ms. Jackson," Ben explained. "Second period. You sat in the seat three over and one behind."

Carmen nodded in remembrance. "Oh, yeah, I remember now. It's the one with the desks and the chalkboards and pencils and stuff, right?"

Ben chuckled in amusement. "That's the one."

Carmen smirked, pointing at her head. "Like a trap."

"So, I was wondering, you know the dance tomorrow night?" Ben asked. "Are you going to the Sadie Hawkins thing? The deal with the girls ask the boys?" Carmen shrugged. "Well, I thought maybe, you know, if you're free, you might ask me."

Carmen was surprised, flustered. "Oh, gosh, I..."

Ben held up his hand. "Oh, oh, hey, hey, no, don't--don't worry about it."

"No, no, you seem like a really great guy, but..." Carmen trailed off. "It's me. I'm not seeing anybody, every again, actually."

Ben nodded. "Oh, that's--that's too bad. Okay, well, I better."

Ben gestured, walking away.

Carmen watched him go, glancing sadly at the band. "Sorry."

Carmen walked toward the stairs, walking down. The girls walked up to Carmen.

"Hey," Buffy told her. "You're bailing?"

"Well, we were gonna stop by the library," Alice explained. "See if my dad wants us to patrol."

"Yeah," Zoey agreed. "And then I was gonna sack it."

Carmen nodded in agreement.

Brooke looked from Zoey to Carmen. "You've both been doing that a lot. Patrolling and sacking. In fact, you've kind of been All-Work-And-No-Play Zoey and Carmen."

"I play," Zoey told them. "I have big fun."

"You did," Buffy agreed. "Before..."

Buffy didn't finish, but they she meant before Angelus had killed Enyos, Jenny and Snowy. Zoey looked away. Carmen looked at Zoey sadly in guilt, blaming herself.

Zoey looked at the others. "We both came here tonight, didn't we?"

"You came," Alice answered. "You refused to dance, which is not normal Zoey behavior at all."

Buffy nodded in agreement. "Carmen saw. She rejected."

Alice nodded upstairs. "We saw you up there with that guy. I know you're not in the date mode right now."

"Well, maybe you need to date to get in date mode," Buffy told her.

"But it's okay if you think you're not ready for that, Carmen," Alice told her.

Brooke looked between Zoey and Carmen. "However, both of you have been thinking too much. Maybe you need to be the fun impulsive Zoey and Carmen."

"Impulsive?" Buffy repeated in amusement.

"Do you remember my ex-boyfriend, the vampire?" Carmen asked. "I slept with him, he lost his soul, he killed people close to my best friend and her mother to punish them for being from the gypsy line that cursed him with his soul, now my boyfriend's gone forever, and the demon that wears his face is teaching Brady's ex-girlfriend to kill our best friends and nearly got Brooke and Alice killed on more than one occasion."

"So what are you saying?" Buffy asked. "That the next impulsive decision you make will involve your choice of dentures?"

"Okay, the Angel thing went badly," Brooke told them. "I'm on board with that. Especially considering Bianca being involved."

"But none of that is your fault," Alice told them. "Any anyways, love isn't always like that."

Willow nodded in agreement, smiling. "Love can be nice!"

(Song Ends)

∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

A boy was chasing a girl as she walked away from him determinedly, yelling angrily. "Come back here! We're not finished." He grabbed her by the arm, turning her around to face him. "You don't care anymore, is that it?"

The girl started to cry. "No, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel."

The boy shook her. "Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

"Will that help?" the girl asked. "Is that what you wanna hear? I don't. I don't! Now let me go."

The girl tried to leave.

The boy stopped her. "No! A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody." He took a step back, raising a revolver, pulling the hammer back, aiming it at her. The girl looked at the gun, then up at him, frightened. "Love is forever."

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

The boy had his gun trained on the girl. "I'm not afraid to use it. I swear! If I can't be with you..."

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice, Carmen, Brady and Wyatt arrived, seeing this, running closer.

"Hey!" Wyatt told them.

The girl was terrified. "Oh, my God."

The girl turned, starting to walk away.

The boy raised his voice to a shout. "Don't walk away from me, bitch!" Down another hall, George the janitor heard the yelling, dropping his mop, starting toward the commotion. Buffy grabbed the boy's arm, raising it, bringing it down over her shoulder, making him drop the gun, elbowing him hard in the gut. Brady grabbed the boy by the shirt, yanking him hard to the floor, making him spin a turn and a half on his way down and land hard on his back. The girl just looked on in shock. George arrived at a run, going over to the girl. They looked over to the others. Brady pushed the boy away, who was in open-mouthed shock over what was going on. "What happened?"

"What happened?" Brady repeated. "You just went OJ on your girlfriend."

The girl looked down, away.

"This is nuts," the boy told them. "I--I don't know why I got so mad."

"Because you're a jerk?" Wyatt asked.

"He's not," the girl answered. "We weren't even fighting a few minutes ago."

"We weren't, I--I swear to God," the boy agreed.

"If you weren't fighting, then why'd you have a gun?" Brady asked.

Wyatt looked around.

"I don't--I don't know," the boy told them. 

"I don't see the gun," Wyatt told them.

The others looked at Wyatt, confused, taking a look around, seeing the gun had disappeared.

∞

Day Two

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Snyder's Office

Snyder closed the door, walking toward his desk, turning to look at Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Carmen, Alice and Brady, who were sitting around the office, and Wyatt, who was leaning against the wall. "I'm sure you know why I asked you here."

"To thank us?" Brady asked.

Snyder walked around his desk. "That's right, I wanna thank you. What would Sunnydale High do without you around to incite mayhem, chaos and disorder?"

"We didn't incite," Wyatt told him in annoyance. "We stopped that boy from killing his girlfriend. Ask him. Ask the janitor."

"People can be coerced," Snyder told them. "I'm no stranger to conspiracy. I saw JFK. I'm a truth seeker. I've got a missing gun and two confused kids on my hands. Pieces of the puzzle. And I'm gonna look at all the pieces carefully and rationally, and I'm gonna keep looking until I know exactly how this is all your fault."

They all glared at Snyder, about to respond.

His secretary buzzed him on his office intercom. "Mr. Snyder, Billy Crandal chained himself to the snack machine again."

Snyder sighed. "Pathetic little no life vegan." He walked around his desk. The others stood to go. "Not so fast. I'm not done with you yet. You stink of lies."

Snyder left the office.

Brady rolled his eyes. "I know he's a human. But he's a disgusting one. Can we use Slayer/Guardian/gypsy/witch power on him?"

"No," Zoey answered. She looked at the others. "Wait, can we?"

Buffy gave them an amused look. "Brady. Zoey."

Over to Brady's right was a bookcase with copies of all of the yearbooks since Sunnydale High had opened. The one from 1955 slid out on its own, falling, startling the others. Brady picked the yearbook up, looking at the cover, looking over at its space on the shelf, shrugging, putting it back.

∞

Computer Class

Willow was still subbing for Jenny's class, walking along the front of the class. "So, for next time, read the chapters on information grouping and binary coding." Giles looked into the class from the hall. "I bet you'll think coding is pretty cool. I mean, if you find two digit, multi-stacked conversions and primary number clusters a big hoot." The class laughed. Giles smiled slightly. The bell rang, releasing the students. Willow watched them go, noticing Giles waiting just inside of the doorway, walking up to him excitedly, smiling. "Giles, I made them laugh, did you hear? I did the joke thing."

Giles chuckled. "Yes, yes, so it seems. I mean, um, uh, you did indeed. Good, good, good show." He walked toward the desk to sit down. "I just stopped by to--to see if you needed any assistance, but you seem to have things quite under control."

Willow put her things away. "Well, I had good lesson plans. Ms. Calendar had them on her computer."

Giles nodded. "Yes, yes, she was very, um, dedicated."

Willow smiled. "And I found a bunch of files and Internet sites on paganism and magic and stuff, and it's very interesting." She picked something up from the desk. "And, uh, I found this in her drawer. She once told me it was a rose quartz, and it has healing powers." She held up a light pink quartz stone strung on a thin leather string. "I thought she'd want Zoey or Layla to have it."

Giles stood, taking the necklace from her, gently turning it over in his hand. "Oh, that's, um, very thoughtful of you, Willow. I'll give it to Layla when I have the chance. Neither Zoey or Layla are quite ready to come back to this class after finding her here."

Willow nodded sadly in agreement.

∞

History Class

The other Scoobies were in history class.

Zoey had her chin propped up in her hand, bored with the lecture and trying not to fall asleep to the drone of the male teacher's voice. "Before 1935, the new deal focused on revitalizing stricken business and agricultural communities. And the new deal also tried to regulate the nation's financial hierarchy to avoid another disaster like the 1929 stock market crash."

Zoey couldn't help but close her eyes for a moment. She wasn't wearing her necklace that blocked her powers.

∞

Zoey's Dream

1955

Day - Sunnydale High School - History Class

Zoey seemed to wake up in a vision of the past seeing the teacher Grace Newman teaching. "Don't forget, your assignments are due Friday, class."

The students began to leave. Zoey looked around, taken aback by the sudden changed appearance of the classroom and the different dress and hairstyles of the other students.

Girl 1 handed a flyer for the Sadie Hawkins Dance to another girl. "I told Ms. Hall we'd go help decorate the gym." Zoey saw the year on the flyer was 1955. "Who are you taking?"

"David said yes," Girl 2 answered.

Girl 1 smiled. "Oh, you're kidding. He's so dreamy."

Zoey looked around, confused.

Grace was collecting papers. "Thank you." A student named James walked up to the desk, handing his paper in. "Thank you, James. How are you enjoying that book I loaned you? The Hemingway."

Zoey observed and listened to the conversation.

"I like it," James answered. "Very much. It's honest."

James slowly reached for Grace's hand, gently taking it.

Grace sighed, smiling nervously. "Yes, it's, um, it's based on a true story, actually. He fell in love with his..."

They were interrupted by the door open, letting of each other's hands.

∞

Reality - Now

Day - Sunnydale High School - History Class

Eric saw that Zoey had passed out in class, reaching over to wake her up. "Hey. Zo. Zoey. Wake up." Zoey woke up suddenly. Eric looked concerned. "Hey. Zo. You okay?"

Zoey nodded, looking around. "I'm fine. Thanks for waking me up, Eric."

"...hours, child labor..." the teacher trailed off. They stared in surprise at what the teacher was writing. "...and collective bargaining." The teacher looked back at the class. The students all started laughing. The Scoobies exchanged a look. The teacher looked back at the board and saw that he had just written "DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME, BITCH!" in huge letters. "Oh, my God!"

He quickly grabbed an eraser and frantically wiped it away.

A boy was smiling. "Did you see what he wrote?"

∞

Hallway

The teenage Scoobies, minus Willow, were walking down the hall.

"I'm telling you, something weird is going on," Zoey told them.

"Something weird is going on," Xander told her. "Isn't that our school motto?"

"Pretty much," Eric answered. "But I don't know. This time it bugs us."

They reached Xander's locker.

Xander started to work the combination. "I don't wanna poo-poo your wiggins, but a domestic dispute, a little case of chalkboard Tourette's? All sounds like Hellmouth Lite to me."

Xander opened his locker, and a wiry-muscled green arm shot out and grabbed him by the throat. Xander screamed, and it pulled at his throat and pulled him into the locker. Xander couldn't breathe. Buffy and Brady grabbed Xander by the shoulders, trying to pull him away, but the arm was extremely strong and pulled him away from them against the locker again. Xander screamed out in pain when he hit it. Carmen used her power to freeze everyone in the hallway so they couldn't see Zoey, Alice and Brooke use their powers to make the arm let go of Xander. Buffy, Brady and Eric pulled Xander away. Carmen unfroze everyone in the hallway. Eric pushed the arm back into the locker, slamming it. Xander coughed, holding his throat in pain, trying to catch his breath. Everyone looked around the hall, seeing the other students' reactions. They were all confused, but stayed away and just stared. Buffy gave the others an intent look, gesturing that they should open Xander's locker again and take a look. Zoey, Carmen, Brooke, Brady and Alice nodded. Eric slowly lifted the latch, slowly opening the door to allow them to peak inside. Nothing. Eric opened it all the way, and it appeared to be completely normal.

∞

Library

They walked into the library, meeting up with Willow, Wyatt, Giles and Layla. Xander was holding his throat, his shirt ripped.

Wyatt noticed. "Xander, what happened? Did Cordelia win another round in the broom closet?"

"You're just a big bucket of funny, Wyatt," Xander told him sarcastically. The girls sat down next to Willow, who was researching on her laptop. Xander walked over to Giles, who was kneeling and going through some books on a shelf. "I'll have you know I was just accosted by some kind of, um, locker monster."

Layla looked up. "Loch Ness Monster?"

"'Locker' monster is what he said," Brady told them. "But it wasn't really a monster. It was, like, this big arm that came out of the locker."

"But then we opened it again," Brooke told them. "It was gone. Nothing."

"This was right after our history teacher starts doing some freaky channeling thing in class," Alice told them.

Giles stood up. "Ooh, sounds like paranormal phenomena."

Layla looked interested. "A ghost? Interesting. Cool."

"Oh, no, no, no, no cool," Xander told them. "This was no wimpy chain rattler. This was 'I'm dead as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore.'"

"Well, despite the Xander-speak, that's a fairly accurate definition of a poltergeist," Giles told them.

"I defined something?" Xander asked. "Accurately?" He closed a book on the table. "Guess I'm done with the book learning."

"So we have some bad boo on our hands?" Layla asked.

"Yeah," Zoey answered.

"Well, why is it here?" Buffy asked. "Does it just wanna scare people?"

"Unfortunately, he doesn't know exactly what he wants," Wyatt told them. "That's the problem. See, uh, many times the spirit is plagued by all manner of worldly troubles. Being dead, it has no way to, uh, to make its peace, so it lashes out, growing ever more confused, ever more angry."

"So it's a normal teenager, only dead," Brooke told him.

"Well, what can we do?" Carmen asked. "Is there any way to stop it?"

"Uh, the only tried and true way is to work out what unresolved issues keep it here, and, um, resolve them," Alice answered.

"Fabulous," Brady told them. "Now we're Dr. Laura for the deceased."

"Only if we can find out who this spirit is," Eric told them. He considered. "Or was."

∞

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

George was doing his usual mopping. Behind him a classroom door opened, and a teacher walked out to go home.

"Working late, Ms. Frank?" George asked.

Ms. Frank nodded. "My fault, let myself get behind. Is it okay to walk here, George? It is George, right?"

"Oh, yes, ma'am," George answered. "You go ahead."

"Thanks," Ms. Frank told him, continuing on her way. "You have a nice evening."

"You too," George told her. "Drive safe." He looked up. "Oh, Ms. Frank?"

"Yes?" Ms. Frank asked.

George dropped his mop, approaching her. "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

Ms. Frank shook her head. "There's no way we can be together." She stepped closer. "No way people will ever understand. Accept it."

"Is that what this is about?" George asked. "What other people think?"

"No," Ms. Frank answered. "I just want you to be able to have some kind of a normal life. We can never have that. Don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life," George told her. "I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Ms. Frank stepped closer, putting her hand on his cheek, causing him to look down sadly. "I know. But it's over. It has to be."

Ms. Frank turned around, starting to walk away from him determinedly.

George looked up, starting to chase after her, yelling angrily. "Come back here! We're not finished!" He grabbed her by the arm, turning her around to face him. "You don't care anymore, is that it?"

Ms. Frank started to cry. "No, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel."

George shook her. "Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

"Will that help?" Ms. Frank asked. "Is that what you wanna hear? I don't. I don't! Now let me go."

Ms. Frank tried to leave.

George stopped her. "No! A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody." A gun materialized in his hand. He took a step back, raising the revolver, pulling the hammer back, aiming it at her. Ms. Frank looked at the gun, then up at him, frightened. "Love is forever."

∞∞

Library

Giles and Layla were going through his things.

They could faintly hear George's voice. "I'm not afraid to use it. I swear! If I can't be with you..."

They could faintly hear Ms. Frank's voice. "Oh, my God."

They heard George's shouting voice. "Don't walk away from me, bitch!"

Giles looked up from his desk.

Layla was nearby the door, hearing a faint female voice, posing as her sister's voice, echoing and eerie, making it seem like it said their names more than once. "Layla. Layla? Layla! I need you. And Zoey... Zoey... Zoey... Zoey."

Layla looked around, confused. "Jenny?"

∞

Hallway

Giles and Layla walked into the hall, arriving at an intersection.

On the outside balcony, George aimed his gun. "Don't!" Giles and Layla looked in the direction of his voice, seeing him out on the balcony holding the gun up to Ms. Frank. "Don't do that, damn it! Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb--"

Giles and Layla ran to the other side of the intersection to try to get there in time, but the gun went off.

Ms. Frank went into shock from the bullet wound, beginning to fall backward, tumbling over the balcony railing down to the base of the stairs below.

George saw her lying dead with her eyes closed, panicking, running into the hall.

Layla pushed George to the floor with magic.

George lost his grip on the gun. The gun slid away, dissolving, disappearing in a whiff of black vapor.

Giles knelt down to hold George down.

George was completely confused. "What's going on?"

"What's going on?" Giles repeated. "You just shot a woman."

George was stunned by the realization that it actually happened.

∞

Angel's Mansion - Garden

Angelus walked in, leading Spike, Drusilla and Bianca inside on a tour. "And this is the garden."

Drusilla walked through the flowers. "Wow. Look. Jasmine."

Dru held a flower.

Bianca smiled, picking some flowers, waving a hand glowing with watered down, weak Guardian energy. "Night blooming. Like us." She turned in excitement, waving her arm over her head, leaving a trail of red fading energy in the air. "Oh, Angel, it's fairyland."

Spike was still at the entrance. "It's paradise. Big windows, lovely gardens. It'll be perfect when we want the sunlight to kill us."

Angelus walked closer. "If you don't like it, Spike, hit the stairs and go. Take a stand, man."

"Well, our old place was just fine till you pissed off Zoey and Layla Francis, two powerful gypsies, and had Zoey and Layla burn it down," Spike replied.

Angelus walked around the center stone table. "Things change, Spikey. You gotta roll with the punches. Well, actually, you pretty much got that part down, haven't you?"

"Very funny, mate," Spike told him sarcastically.

Angelus peeked his head out from behind Dru. "What can I say?" He peeked his head out from behind Bianca. "I just love to see you smile, buddy."

Angelus held up a jasmine bloom, brushing it across Drusilla's cheek as he growled into her ear.

"Yeah, you're a giver," Bianca told him sarcastically.

Spike rolled his eyes, turning, rolling out.

∞

Day Three

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Library

The Scoobies were gathered after what happened.

Giles was in his office. "It was just as with the, the couple you encountered the other night. The janitor remembered everything, he knew he'd killed this poor woman, but he had no idea why, and they--they had no intimate relationship."

Giles walked out with a few books and headed into the main area.

"What about the gun?" Zoey asked. "Did you find it?"

"No, no," Layla answered. "The police, everybody, we searched high and low. I think it's very clear what's happening here."

Giles walked into the cage with the books and put them away.

"Fill me in then, 'cause I've read the book, seen the movie, and I'm still fuzzy about what's going on," Buffy told her.

"It's Jenny," Layla told them.

Brooke, Xander and Wyatt spoke together in surprise. "What?"

"You think Aunt Jenny's the ghost?" Zoey asked.

"I heard her voice calling to me last night," Layla explained. "And she died here under tragic circumstances, and now she's trapped."

"But what about the gun?" Willow asked. "I mean, Angel didn't shoot Jenny."

"Sometimes, the violence of the this is what matters," Alice explained. "Sometimes objects that appear are insignificant. But I'm not sure that this is Jenny."

"Yeah, I think Alice's right, Layla," Carmen told her. "These fights these couples keep having? It's sort of specific."

"They're right," Brady told them. "It's a pattern that doesn't fit with the way that Jenny died."

Layla was pacing. "Yes, well, I, uh, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter, and, in fact I encourage you to, to always, uh, challenge me, uh, when you feel it's appropriate. You should never be cowed by authority. Except, of course, in this instance, when I am clearly right and you are clearly wrong. I heard Jenny's voice, and I know it was my sister's voice."

"Layla, it may be possible that the ghost could be just using Jenny's voice to get to you," Eric told her. "I don't think it's actually Jenny, but the ghost's way of getting to you."

Layla didn't know the answer, looking away. Zoey looked down sadly.

"I don't know, Eric," Layla admitted.

Zoey sighed. "I think Eric's right, Mom."

∞

Computer Class

The teenage Scoobies and Wyatt walked in. Zoey stood nearby the door, facing away from the desk because she couldn't look at the desk after she and Layla had found Jenny there.

"This is freaky," Buffy told them. "I don't ever remember ever seeing Layla be this weird. No offense, Zoey."

Zoey shook her head, not looking at them.

"Layla's usually Investigate-Things-From-Every-Boring-Angle Doctor," Xander told them. "Now she's I-Cling-Onto-My-One-Idea Girl. What gives?"

"She misses Aunt Jenny," Zoey answered. "Neither of us have been able to think straight since that night. We didn't even get to say goodbye. Mom just wants the chance to say goodbye."

"And you do too?" Brooke asked. Zoey didn't answer, still not looking at them. "It's okay if you do, Zoey. I mean, this ghost playing with Layla's mind about Jenny?"

"It's not fair to either of you," Alice finished. "But this ghost stuff is something else. Will, can you do a crosscheck on other shootings at the school?"

Willow nodded.

"Yeah, we need some alternate ghost theories," Brady agreed. "What do we know?"

"Dog spit is cleaner than human," Xander told them.

"Besides that?" Eric asked. Willow pulled up the information. "Oh, boy, we know plenty."

Willow scrolled through a newspaper article on her laptop. The title read Sunnydale High Jock Kills Lover, Self.  "Eric's right. It says a student murdered a teacher on the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance. The rumor was they were having an affair, and she tried to break it off. After he killed her, he went into the music room and shot himself."

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a ghost," Wyatt told them.

"It is one of those two, right?" Carmen asked.

Wyatt sighed. "It all fits. The gun, the Sadie Hawkins Dance."

"Which is tonight," Buffy told them.

"How come we've never heard about this murder-suicide thing before?" Brooke asked. "When did it happen?"

Zoey and Brady answered together. "1955."

The others looked at them in surprise.

Alice frowned. "Zoey? Brady? How did you know?"

∞

Later

After Zoey told them about her dream/vision, Brady had brought the yearbook he had noticed fell from Snyder's office and put it back before in front of the others, opening it to a picture of Ms. Newman.

"Okay, here's the new strangeness," Eric told them. "Zoey, you're saying you dreamt of this woman, Grace Newman, the other day?"

Zoey nodded, turning a few more pages. "Her and this guy."

Zoey pointed at James.

"Jim Stanley?" Willow asked.

"He's the one," Buffy told them.

Alice nodded. "He did it."

"Your dreams are getting wicked accurate, Zoey," Carmen told her.

Zoey turned away from the desk, closing her eyes, which didn't escape the notice of the others who gave her a sympathetic look.

Xander tried to cheer her up. "You wouldn't happen to see me coming across some big cash? Or possibly knowing the love of a woman in a full body sense?"

"Zoey, we told you we didn't have to do this in here," Carmen told her.

"I'm fine," Zoey told them.

"Zo..." Brady trailed off.

"I can't keep being afraid of coming in here," Zoey told them.

Wyatt sighed, looking down at the pictures of James and Grace. "He couldn't make her love him so he killed her. Sicko."

"He looks so normal on this picture," Brooke told them. "He was smart, too. He made the honor roll."

Carmen looked up. "Smart? He killed a person and killed himself. Those are pretty much two of the dumbest things you could do."

"I know, but..." Willow trailed off. "Well, don't you feel kind of bad for them?"

"Sure I feel lousy," Alice answered. "For her. He's a murderer and he should pay for it."

"With his life?" Eric asked.

"No," Buffy answered. "He should be doing sixty years in a prison. Breaking rocks and making special friends with Roscoe the Weightlifter."

"Yikes," Brady said. "The quality of mercy is not Buffy."

"Whose ghost do you think we're dealing with?" Eric asked. "His or hers?"

"Well, considering how violent it is, I'm gonna say his," Wyatt told them.

"That tracks," Xander agreed.

"I've been going through spellwork from Aunt Jenny," Zoey explained. "Maybe I can find a way to communicate with them."

"And then we can find out what he wants," Willow told them. "Cool."

"Who cares what he wants?" Wyatt asked. "We need to shut him down before some other innocent guy goes and kills some poor nice girl and then blows his brains out all over the music room wall."

"Okay!" Xander said, smiling and rubbing his hands. "Who's hungry?"

∞

Cafeteria

There was spaghetti and Kraut dogs for lunch.

Cordelia walked over to teenage Scoobies' table with her tray. "I hope you guys aren't going to the Sadie Hawkins Dance tonight." She sat down. "'Cause I'm organizing a boycott. Do you realize that the girls have to ask the guys? And pay and everything? I mean, whose genius idea was that?"

"Obviously, some hairy-legged feminist," Brady said sarcastically.

Cordelia took that literally. "Really! Well, we need to nip this thing in the bud. I mean, otherwise, things are going to get really scary."

Suddenly we heard several students scream. The hotdogs and spaghetti had all turned into snakes. A boy pulled his snakedog away from his mouth. He had a snake protruding from his lips. He dropped the bun, spitting out the snake and quickly stood up, backing away from his table. The Scoobies looked back at their table to see snakes all over it as well. They all quickly got up, except for Cordelia, who was too busy screaming to think. She finally looked at the table again. A snake lunged at her and bit her on the cheek. Carmen froze everyone in the cafeteria so she could pry the snake off of Cordelia before it could seriously hurt her sister, its fangs barely grazing Cordy's cheek when Carmen froze him. Carmen unfroze everyone. Snyder came through the door and saw the mayhem. He stepped back just as a student came running by and falling over a table. Moments later, the cafeteria was deserted.

∞

Outside

The police was there. A team of pest controllers were gathering the snakes, which in the meantime have managed to make their way all around the school. Students were still fleeing the building and running around. Cordelia and Carmen sat in the back of an ambulance while a paramedic dressed Cordelia's snakebite.

Cordelia looked at her sister sarcastically. "Perfect. I'm gonna be scarred and swollen. Why didn't you just let them kill me, Carmen?"

Carmen gave Cordelia a look. "Seriously, Cordelia?"

Snyder held a car door open for Chief Roy from 2.03 to get out.

"Schoolboy pranks?" Roy asked.

Snyder closed the door as they walked. "Never sell."

"The sewer got backed up?" Roy suggested.

Snyder nodded. "Better. I can probably make that one fly. But this is getting out of hand. People will talk."

"You'll take care of it," Roy told him.

"I'm doing everything I can, but you people have to realize..." Snyder trailed off.

Two men arrived.

"Snyder, what's going on here?" a man asked.

"Backed up sewer line," Snyder told them. "Same thing happened in San Diego just last week." The two men walked into the building. Snyder looked at Roy. "We're on a Hellmouth. Sooner or later, people are gonna figure that out."

"The city council was told that you could handle this job," Roy told him. "If you feel that you can't, perhaps you'd like to take that up with the Mayor."

"I'll handle it," Snyder told him. "I will."

Roy walked away.

∞

Library

Layla was trying her best to form a communication ritual, but she could not think straight at all.

Giles walked closer in concern. "Layla..."

"Are you going to tell me it's not my sister and it's all in my head?" Layla asked.

"I wasn't going to say it's all in your head," Giles answered. "I know you heard something that sounded like your sister's voice. And while I do pray for you to be right, my senses tell me otherwise. This spirit is toying with you while you're in grief after so much loss, Layla. Of course you're reacting this way." Layla looked at him sadly. Giles took out the necklace Willow had given him earlier. "Willow found this in Jenny's belongings."

Layla held the pendant. "Rose quartz for healing."

"I can only assume your sister would want you or Zoey to have it," Giles told her. Layla managed a small smile. "May I?"

Layla nodded, turning her back to Giles, pulling her hair aside so he could fasten the necklace around her neck. They faced each other sadly, embracing.

∞

Night - Chase Mansion - Carmen's Room

The Scoobies were gathered.

Alice was standing. "Remember the plan to contact the spirit and talk to it? Scrap that plan."

"Zoey, Brady, Wyatt, Alice and Buffy were right," Carmen told them. "The time for touchy-feely communication is passed."

"Between gypsy spells Zoey's learning from Jenny's studies and spells that Wyatt knows from witchcraft, they found the only solution is the final solution," Brooke explained.

"Nuke the school?" Eric asked. He smiled. "I like that."

"Not quite," Brady answered. "Exorcism."

"Are you crazy?" Cordelia asked. "I saw that movie. Even the priest died."

"What's the deal?" Buffy asked.

Willow laid down a map of the school building, and they all leaned in to look. "Okay, see here, the balcony? That's where the original teacher died back in 1955 and that teacher last night."

"That's the hot spot where all the bad mojo is coming from," Zoey explained. "Wyatt says we need to create a Mangus-quad, but amped up for the whole school."

"A what?" Brooke asked.

Wyatt pointed around the map. "One person chants here on the hot spot and the others chant in other places around the school, covering the entire place as much as we can. It's supposed to bind the bad spirit and keep it from doing any more harm."

"Well, I'll take the hot spot," Buffy told them, taking the map. "If there's trouble, that's where it'll be."

Willow nodded.

"This ghost, this James guy, is fixating on you, Brady," Alice told him.

Xander nodded in agreement. "He wanted to show you that yearbook for a reason. You sure you wanna do this?"

"Well, I'm hoping he'll show," Brady told them. "I truly am."

∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

The teenage Scoobies and Wyatt walked in.

"Okay, we all have our places," Brooke told them. "We do the chant and light the candle at midnight exactly. Any questions?"

"Yeah," Eric answered. "What if this mangled square thingy doesn't work?"

"Oh, we almost forgot," Carmen told them. "Wyatt, Zoey and I made us all scapulas."

Zoey, Carmen and Wyatt handed them all out.

"Okay, so we can flip the ghost over when it turns a nice golden brown?" Xander asked.

"Scapula, not spatula," Wyatt told them. "You wear it around your neck for protection."

"You expect me to wear this?" Cordelia asked. "It smells like grandpa breath."

"Sorry to bug you, but we didn't have a lot of time," Zoey told her sarcastically, bitter unlike everytime they had a taunt war in goodnature. "We had to use sulfur."

Cordelia even seemed sympathetic to see Zoey like this unlike her normal happy sarcastic self.

Carmen nodded. "Stinky, but effective."

"Okay, let's do this," Buffy told them.

"No problem," Cordelia told them. "This will be a piece of cake. Right?"

They heard a creaking and then a crashing noise. They jumped and looked in that direction too see that the doors at the end of the hall have slammed shut on their own. One by one the other doors at the ends of the two intersecting halls slammed shut. They were trapped.

∞∞

Angel's Mansion - Garden

Drusilla sifted through the dirt in one of the large planters. Spike was in his wheelchair. Bianca was sitting on the bench behind Dru, twirling some flowers in boredom. Angelus was pacing.

"Maybe I'll sleep underground," Drusilla told them. "Dig myself a little burrow."

"What about your pretty dress?" Bianca asked. "It'll get all dirty."

Drusilla smiled. "Then I'll sleep naked, like the animals do."

Angelus smirked. "You know, I'm suddenly liking this plan."

Drusilla laid down on the ground in front of the planter.

"Fortunately, nobody cares what you like, mate," Spike told him.

"Oh, yeah?" Angelus asked. "Let's ask Dru and Bianca."

Drusilla began to laugh as she had a vision. "There's a gate." She rolled onto her back, laughing. "It's opening."

Drusilla got to her knees.

Bianca smiled. "Incoming. I love when she does this."

"What gate, pet?" Spike asked. "What do you see?"

Drusilla bounced gleefully. "It's black. It wants him."

Bianca walked up behind her. "Wants who?"

"Brady," Drusilla answered. "It's time, Bianca." She stood. "He's ready for you now." She danced. "He's dancing. Dancing with death."

"Oh, so our girl Bianca will have another go at our plans that we've tried to succeed time and time again only for them to fail over and over?" Spike asked. "Everything to do with Brooke, Alice, Wyatt and Brady?"

Bianca smirked. "Easy, Spike. Remember that I am the one that came up with the idea of the love spell to turn every woman in this town against Alice and Brooke. Because of love for Brady and Wyatt. And it allowed me to nearly kill the Guardians in front of them. Nearly drove them out of their minds. And taking in so much power from the Guardians, I gained some of my own. And ended up putting them in the hospital. Nearly killed them all over again. And Angel and I did nearly kill Eric, Zoey, Buffy, Brady, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla on more than one occasion."

"That is true," Spike admitted. "You got closer to our goal than we ever did. How do you know that this won't be another failed attempt?"

"I don't," Bianca answered, waving her fingers, which glowed dimly with watered down, weakened Guardian energy. "But at least I have some more advantages this time around." 

Bianca heard a voice in her head. "Bianca. I need you."

Bianca looked up. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Spike asked.

Bianca smirked, chuckling lightly. "Something's calling to me. Saying it needs me."

Angelus was skeptic. "Right."

Drusilla laughed. "She's not lying. I heard it. It needs Bianca for its plans for Brady. And then we can turn our focus more onto Zoey, Brady, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt, Carmen and Layla."

"Well, I think after we finish Carmen, Zoey, Layla, Alice, Brooke, Wyatt and Brady and all their friends off one by one, it's run its course," Angelus told them. "I'm ready to focus on my energy elsewhere."

"Really?" Bianca asked.

Angelus nodded. "Oh, yeah, what with Spike being special needs boy, I figure I should stick close to home." He grabbed Drusilla's waist, turning her around, crouching down by her, walking his fingers up her thigh and waist. "Spike, you, Dru and Bianca could use another pair of hands."

Drusilla cooed with delight. Spike looked at them angrily. Bianca raised her eyebrows in amusement.

∞

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Zoey and Alice walked along the hall outside of library and slowed down to look down the other hall before continuing. The door opened behind them. Zoey and Alice turned around, letting her hands glow with purple power for Zoey and red Guardian energy for Alice, only to see Layla and Giles standing there. Layla had her hands raised and glowing with purple power as well. Giles yelled out slightly in surprise. Realizing there was no threat, Layla, Zoey and Alice lowered their hands.

"Alice, Zoey, what are you doing here?" Giles asked. "You're not supposed to be inside."

"Us?" Alice asked. "What about you and Layla?"

"I'm, uh, I'm--I'm trying to, uh..." Layla trailed off. "I think I--I may be close to, uh, contacting Jenny, or, uh, whoever is pretending to be Jenny." Zoey looked down sadly. Giles and Alice looked at them in understanding and sympathy. "What's that smell?"

"Zoey, Carmen and Wyatt made scapulas," Alice explained.

"Ah, right, of course," Giles said. "Did you use sulfur?"

"Yeah," Zoey answered.

Giles smiled slightly. "That's clever."

Layla sighed. "Uh, well, uh, run along then. There may be some, uh, paranormal phenomena if I  can contact. Alice, Zoey, you don't want to be in the line of fire."

Layla walked away.

"Okay," Giles told them. "Let's see what we can help with."

∞

Girls' Bathroom

Cordelia walked in with her candle and flashlight, looking around. The place was deserted. She saw her reflection in the mirror with a bandage on her cheek. She walked over to it, setting the candle down on the shelf, pulling the bandage off, wincing at the pain, leaning toward the mirror, inspecting the twin fang marks on her cheek.

∞

Hallway

(Song:) I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos

Brooke walked alone in the hallway, hearing the song, seeing shadows in a bright light dancing against a wall, walking toward the sound and through a pair of doors, seeing another set of doors to the music room. A Class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance flyer was taped to one of the door windows. Brooke stepped over to the other door, looking in, seeing a ghostly version of James and Grace dancing slowly to the music.

∞

Cafeteria

There were still a few snakes here.

Xander walked in, looking around. "Oh, yeah, baby, it's snakalicious in here."

∞

Stair Landing

Zoey stepped up to the stair landing and looked around.

∞

Classroom

Willow walked into a classroom to cover all the classes.

∞

Library

Alice walked into the library to cover the room.

∞

Boiler Room

Wyatt made his way into the boiler room so each Scooby could exorcise a place in the school.

∞

Boys' Bathroom

Brady made his way into the boys' bathroom, looking around.

∞

Boys' Locker Room

Eric made his way inside, looking around.

∞

Music Room

Brooke finished making her way into the music room, watching as James and Grace continued to dance. When James turned into view again, Brooke saw that his face was all rotted, staring in open-mouthed shock. James and Grace were suddenly gone.

(Song Ends)

∞

Girls' Bathroom

Cordelia dug in her purse for some makeup, looking back up and was about to put some on, seeing the side of her face with the snakebite had suddenly become rotten, screaming at the top of her lungs.

∞

Hallway

On the stairs, Zoey set her candle down on the floor. Below her the floor suddenly started to swirl, and a green demonic hand reached up and grabbed Zoey, pulling her down. 

Zoey screamed, grabbing the stair railing to keep from being pulled in. "Mom!"

Layla heard her daughter yelling for help, running closer. "Zoey! Zoey? Zo!" Zoey was struggling to use her power to stay above. "Where are you?" Layla ran into the hall, seeing Zoey sinking into the floor though she used her power to stay above as much as she could, running to her daughter's aid. "No. No. Zoey. No!"

Together, Zoey and Layla held hands and used their combined power to pull Zoey back out. When Zoey was free of the pit, Zoey suddenly snapped into Layla's arms, and they both went rolling down the stairs. They were both suddenly pulled into another vision.

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Grace ran out of the hall onto the balcony.

James followed her with his gun. "Stop!"

Grace turned to face him. "Just calm down."

James' hand was shaking as he aimed it at Grace. It went off. Grace went into shock from the bullet wound, beginning to fall backward, tumbling over the balcony railing down to the base of the stairs below. James saw her lying dead with her eyes closed, panicking.

∞

Music Room

James walked into the music room, putting on a record, crying, raising the gun to his head, crying as he pulled the trigger.

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Zoey and Layla snapped out of the vision, in shock.

∞

Library

As Alice was getting ready for the spell, standing with Giles, the library started to shake around them, causing them to look around worriedly in alarm.

∞

Girls' Locker Room

Carmen was getting ready for the spell. Water started to run from the showers, causing her to turn around. Electrical sparks tried to ignite the water to electrocute Carmen, but she easily used her power to freeze the sparks so they couldn't touch the water or hurt her.

∞

Classroom

As Willow prepared for the spell, everything in the classroom tried to slam into her. Desks, chairs, books. Willow screamed, running out of the way so she couldn't get hurt or possibly killed.

∞

Boys' Bathroom

Brady was waiting for the time to cast the spell, looking around, seeing his reflection in the mirror didn't show his own, but showed James instead. It flickered back and forth from rotted/normal James to rotted/normal Brady.

∞

Boys' Locker Room

Eric was waiting. When the water filled the floor and the sparks started to fly, Eric climbed up onto the locker benches so he couldn't get electrified. The locker doors around him slammed open and closed in an attempt to push him into the water, but he remained standing on the bench.

∞

Cafeteria

Xander was sitting on a table to stay away from all the snakes, though they seemed to be going after Xander now specifically.

∞

Boiler Room

Wyatt was waiting, smelling gas turn on, using his magic to turn it back off and keep it off, dispelling the gas from the room so no one had to die.

∞

Balcony

Buffy walked onto the balcony.

Rotted James appeared in front of Buffy, grabbing her by the arms. "Get out!"

The vision of him faded quickly. Buffy took a few steps back in shock.

∞

Girls' Bathroom

Cordelia was breathing heavily with fear, covering her face with her hands, looking into the mirror again, seeing that her face was suddenly normal again, pulling her hands away, taking a closer look, starting to calm down.

∞

Hallway

Layla and Zoey walked upstairs to make sure the pit was gone.

"Are you all right?" Layla asked.

Zoey was shaken up, shaking her head. "Mom, Aunt Jenny could never be this mean."

Layla glanced at the landing. "I know." She sat down, sighing. The town clock began to strike midnight. Zoey scrambled back up to the landing to light the candle. Layla followed. "Careful up here!"

∞

Classroom

Willow was relieved when everything in the class stopped moving, hearing the chiming clock. "Oh, God. Oh. Oh, no."

∞

Everywhere

From their respective place Buffy (balcony), Zoey (stairwell), Brooke (music room), Alice (library), Carmen (girls' locker room), Willow (classroom), Brady (boys' bathroom), Eric (boys' locker room), Xander (cafeteria), Wyatt (boiler room), and Cordelia (girls' bathroom) each struck a match, lighting their candles.

Brooke started the spell. "I shall confront."

Brady continued. "And expel all evil."

Cordelia said the phrase. "I shall totally confront."

Willow continued. "And expel all evil."

Eric continued. "Out of marrow."

Xander continued. "And bone."

Wyatt continued. "Out of house."

Zoey continued. "And home."

Alice continued. "Never to come here."

Buffy finished. "Ever again."

Everyone looked around, but nothing was happening. Breezes blew out all their candles.

∞

Hallway

Alice and Giles walked out of the library toward Zoey and Layla. Everyone else walked closer.

"Everyone all right?" Giles asked. Nodding, they heard a faint buzzing. It steadily got louder. At the far end of the hall, they saw a dark swarm of wasps coming toward them. "Oh, my God!"

Alice and Brooke used their Guardian energy to put up a barrier to keep the wasps from coming too close. Everyone broke into a dead run. They reached the far end of the hall where the doors were jammed shut.

"Get back!" Buffy told them, kicking the door open, shattering the glass.

They all immediately ran out. The wasps were right behind them.

∞

Outside

When all the Scoobies reached the street, Eric looked back and stopped. "Check it." They all stopped and turned to look as well. "I'd say school's out for good."

They all stared in amazement. Giles took off his glasses. The wasps had arranged themselves in a wall around the school so that nothing could get in or out.

∞

Chase Mansion - Living Room

Everyone was talking.

Giles poured some tea for himself. "The good news is none of you girls were shot. Well, we've established, based on all the parallels and-and-and Zoey and Layla's visions, that it's James' spirit."

"So what do we do, Giles?" Brooke asked. "About James."

"Well, he's obviously reliving the night of the Sadie Hawkins Dance when he killed Ms. Newman," Giles told them. "It-it's-it's common enough for a spirit to do this, to... recreate a-a tragedy."

Cordelia ate a cracker. "Hey. If Sunnydale High School shuts down forever, do we automatically graduate?"

Xander ignored her. "But why? What does he want?" He thought again about Cordelia's question. "Actually, that's an interesting point."

"He's trying to resolve whatever issues are keeping him in limbo," Wyatt answered. "What exactly those are, I'm not..."

"He wants forgiveness," Brady told them.

Carmen nodded. "Yeah, I guess he does. But when James possesses people, they act out exactly what happened that night. So he's experiencing a form of purgatory instead."

Alice nodded in agreement. "He's doomed to kill his Ms. Newman over and over again. Forgiveness is impossible."

"Good," Brooke told them. "He doesn't deserve it."

"To forgive is an act of compassion, Brooke," Giles told her. "It's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it."

"No," Buffy told them. "James destroyed the one person he loved the most in a moment of blind passion, and that's not something you forgive, no matter why he did what he did. And no matter if he knows now that it was wrong and selfish and stupid, it is just something he's gonna have to live with."

"He can't live with it, Buffy," Willow told her. "Okay? He's dead."

Brady just looked at all of them, walking out of the room.

"Okay," Cordelia told them. "Overidentify much?"

Cordelia munched her cracker.

∞

Kitchen

Brady walked in, having his hands in his pockets, finding a folded sheet of paper, pulling it out, unfolding it, seeing it was a class of '55 Sadie Hawkins Dance flyer, putting the flyer down, hearing a voice. "Brady. I need you."

Brady walked out.

∞

Living Room

Eric stood up from his chair. "So what do we do next? Do we go in again?"

"Well, not now," Wyatt answered.

Giles nodded in agreement. "No, the, uh... the spirit is too angry, too powerful. No, we have to work out exactly how and if this thing can be defeated."

∞

Sunnydale High School - Outside

The school was still surrounded by the swarm of wasps. Brady walked up to it anyway. The swarm parted to let him in. When Brady reached the doors, they opened for him, and the swarm closed the gap behind him.

∞∞

Chase Mansion - Kitchen

Alice walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Brady, are you..." She saw he flyer, realizing what it meant. "Oh, God. Guys!" They walked in. "Brady went back."

∞

Sunnydale High School - Outside

They all stood in front of the school, looking at the swarm of wasps.

"So what now?" Xander asked. "Not even a mega-vat of Raid's gonna do the trick here."

"I don't get it," Cordelia told them. "Is he trying to be a big loner hero or something?"

"No," Buffy answered. "I believe he's under the spirit's thrall. He's calling Brady."

"James needs Brady to re-enact everything that happened on the night that he killed Ms. Newman," Brooke told them. "He wants to change things. Make a happy ending."

"Buffy, Brooke, it can't ever happen," Zoey told them. "It always ends the same. Which means Brady just went in there to shoot some girl and then shoot himself."

"Yes," Wyatt agreed. "But the school's deserted. There's no way for James to play his part."

"Wyatt's right," Carmen told them. "I mean, there's no girl inside for him to possess. No girl that he can force Brady to kill, meaning he can't force Brady to kill himself."

"Exactly," Eric told them. "Yeah. So Brady should be safe until we find a way to get him out."

"Well..." Willow trailed off. "Right? Eric's right. I mean, he has to be."

"In theory, yeah," Layla told them.

They looked back at the school.

∞

Elsewhere

Bianca walked up to the high school, past the wasps. They didn't seem interested in her at all, but Bianca was having fun zapping them with watered down, weak Guardian energy to kill some one by one, killing at least 10, smirking, walking inside.

∞

Inside - Hallway

Brady walked idly through the halls, stopping by the trophy case, turning around.

Bianca approached him from behind. "Fun fact about wasps. They have no taste for the undead. Not that a sting would do me any damage. And it was fun to use Alice and Brooke's stolen power to kill some. It's just... tonight's special. I wanted to look my best for you."

Brady was already acting out as James. "You're the only one. The only person I can talk to."

Bianca was confused, smirking. "Gosh, Brady. That's flattering. What would your soulmate Alice say about that?"

Brady turned to face her. "You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over."

Bianca approached him, suddenly possessed as well, playing out Grace's part, shaking her head. "There's no way we can be together." She stepped closer. "No way people will ever understand. Accept it."

"Is that what this is about?" Brady asked. "What other people think?"

"No," Bianca answered. "I just want you to be able to have some kind of a normal life. We can never have that. Don't you see?"

"I don't give a damn about a normal life," Brady told her. "I'm going crazy not seeing you. I think about you every minute."

Bianca stepped closer, putting her hand on his cheek, causing him to look down sadly. "I know. But it's over. It has to be."

Bianca turned around, starting to walk away from Brady determinedly.

Brady looked up, starting to chase after her, yelling angrily. "Come back here! We're not finished!" He grabbed her by the arm, turning her around to face him. "You don't care anymore, is that it?"

Bianca started to cry. "No, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what I feel."

Brady shook her. "Then tell me you don't love me. Say it!"

"Will that help?" Bianca asked. "Is that what you wanna hear? I don't. I don't! Now let me go."

Bianca tried to leave.

Brady stopped her. "No! A person doesn't just wake up one day and stop loving somebody."

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Grace looked at James. James took a step back, raising his revolver, pulling the hammer back, aiming it at her.

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

A gun materialized in Brady's hand. He took a step back, raising the revolver, pulling the hammer back, aiming it at Bianca. Bianca looked at the gun, then up at him, frightened.

"Love is forever," Brady told her. "I'm not afraid to use it. I swear! If I can't be with you..."

Bianca was terrified. "Oh, my God."

Bianca turned, starting to walk away.

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Grace walked away.

James raised his voice to a shout. "Don't walk away from me..."

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Brady raised his voice to a shout. "Bitch!"

Bianca ran out of the hall. Brady ran after her.

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Grace ran out of the hall. James ran after her.

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Bianca ran out of the doors, out onto the balcony.

Brady chased her. "Stop it! Stop it! Don't make me!"

Bianca stopped next to the railing, breathing heavily with fear. "All right. Just..."

Bianca turned around.

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Grace turned to face James. "You know you don't want to do this. Let's both... just calm down. Now give me the gun."

Grace held out her hand.

James aimed his gun. "Don't!"

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Brady aimed the gun at Bianca. "Don't do that, damn it! Don't talk to me like I'm some dumb--"

Brady's hand was shaking as he aimed it at Bianca. It went off. Bianca barely flinched from the bullet wound.

∞

Outside

The other Scoobies heard the gunshot, worried about Brady and who he could have shot.

∞

Balcony

Bianca had her hand on her chest, pulling it away, seeing the blood, looking up at Brady, who was staring back in open-mouthed shock at what he had just did. "James."

∞

Flashback - 1955

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

James' hand was shaking as he aimed it at Grace. It went off. Grace went into shock from the bullet wound, beginning to fall backward, tumbling over the balcony railing down to the base of the stairs below. James saw her lying dead with her eyes closed, panicking, running into the hall.

∞

Now

Night - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Bianca began to fall backward, tumbling over the balcony railing down to the base of the stairs below. Brady saw her lying with her eyes closed, panicking, running into the hall.

∞

Music Room

Brady slowly walked in.

∞

Outside

Bianca opened her eyes, propping herself up on her elbows, looking up at the balcony.

∞

Music Room

(Song:) I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos

Brady put on the record, looking into the mirror, seeing James' reflection, tears in his eyes, looking down at the gun in his hand, raising the gun to his head. Bianca arrived, taking the gun, pushing it down.

Brady turned to face her. "Grace!"

"Don't do this," Bianca told him.

Brady frowned in confusion. "But--but I killed you."

"It was an accident," Bianca told him. "It wasn't your fault."

Brady nodded. "Oh, it is my fault. How could I..."

Bianca soothed him. "Shh, I'm the one who should be sorry, James. You thought I stopped loving you, but I never did. I loved you with my last breath." They were both crying. "Shh. No more tears."

They kissed slowly, passionately. Above them in the ceiling, a bright light appeared, and the spirits of Grace and James left this world for the next. As quickly as it appeared, the light was gone.

Brady realized what was happening, now in control of himself, breaking the kiss off immediately, turning away. "Oh, my God. Bianca."

Bianca backed away, in shock. "Brady."

Annoyed and disgusted with being possessed like that while her mind was not even close to being fully in control to begin with, Bianca ran from the room, leaving in a hurry. Brady was in shock.

∞

Library

Everyone walked in.

"Everything seems normal," Willow told them. "Not a snake, not a wasp."

"Yep," Cordelia agreed. "School can open again tomorrow."

"Explain to me again how that's a good thing," Zoey told them.

They all leaned against the counter.

"I'm drawing a blank," Xander told them.

Alice walked toward Brady worriedly. "Are you feeling better?"

"James picked me," Brady told them. "I guess... I guess I was the one he could relate to. He chose Bianca. Because he knew that she couldn't die like that. He was so sad."

"Yeah, I'm sure Bianca, who has half a mind as it is, was thrilled to be possessed like that," Eric told them sarcastically.

"Yeah," Xander agreed.

"Brady, are you okay with what happened with Bianca?" Alice asked.

"Absolutely not," Brady answered. "Just trying to not think about that part."

Alice nodded in understanding, a little awkward.

"What about James and Grace?" Layla asked.

Giles sat down. "Well... they can both rest now."

"I still..." Buffy trailed off, exhaling. "A part of me just doesn't understand why she would forgive him."

"Does it matter?" Wyatt asked.

"No," Brooke answered.

Carmen gazed off. "I guess not."

∞

Angel's Mansion - Garden

Bianca was standing by the fountain, having trouble breathing, scrubbing herself hard with the water.

"You might want to let up," Angelus told her tauntingly. "They say when you've drawn blood, you've exfoliated."

Bianca was not in the mood, clearly freaking out more than an ordinary vampire would because of her mind state. "What do you know about it? I'm the one who was freaking violated. You didn't have this thing in you."

Bianca walked from the fountain, passing them by in disgust.

"What was it?" Angelus asked. "A demon?"

"Ghosts," Bianca answered. "It made me feel love again. For Brady, the guy that killed my brother, no less."

Drusilla pouted. "Poor Bianca. Ghost playing with damaged minds. Not fair."

Bianca paced. "Let's get out of here. I need a real vile kill before sunup to wipe this crap out of my system."

Bianca pulled on her jacket. Angelus walked up to her, growling, which she snarled back to.

Angelus smirked. "Of course. We'll find you a nice toddler."

Angelus and Bianca started up the stairs out of the garden.

Drusilla looked at Spike. "Want to come, pet?"

Angelus walked back down. "No can do, Dru. I'm sure he'd be hell on wheels, but we don't have much time. Gotta travel light." He put his hands on Spike's shoulders. "Sorry. Try to have fun without me."

Angelus started back up the stairs toward Bianca. Drusilla made haste to follow.

Spike watched them go with an angry look on his face, exhaling. "Oh, I will." He took his foot from its footrest, putting it on the ground, slowly standing, standing tall, kicking back at his wheelchair angrily, sending it spinning away, looking up at the garden entryway. "Sooner than you think."