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

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Cordelia had her arms around her current boyfriend Mitch, as they and Harmony were walking down the hall. "I just love springtime. Me and bright spring fashions."

"Spring training," Mitch told them.

Cordelia smiled. "Me at the end of school dance."

Harmony smirked. "The end of school."

"Definitely," Cordelia agreed. "My favorite time of year. I am, of course, having my dress specially made. Off the rack gives me hives."

"Let me guess, blue, like your eyes," Mitch teased, laughing.

Cordelia laughed. "My eyes are hazel, Helen Keller."

"You two will look so fine together in the May Queen photo," Harmony complimented.

"Well, I haven't been elected May Queen yet," Cordelia told them. They reached the library doors as Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice, Zoey and Carmen came out of the room for training, bumping into them accidentally. Buffy and Brady accidentally dropped a couple of weapons. "Uh, behold, the weirdness that our ex friend Zoey and my sister Carmen hang out with."

Buffy looked up at them as they picked up the weapons quickly to hide it. "You're probably wondering what we're doing with this stuff, huh?"

"Wow, I'm not," Cordelia answered.

"Uh, for history class," Alice told them. "My father has this, like, hobby of collecting stuff which he lent us for show and tell."

"Yeah, you did mention it's for history class," Brady told her.

"Carmen, as my sister, do me a favor and stay clear of creepy friends like things and creepy places like that library so you don't murder me socially," Cordelia told her.

"Get over yourself, Cordelia," Carmen told her.

Cordelia smirked, walking away with Harmony and Mitch, looking at Mitch. "Hey, did I ever tell you about the time that Buffy, Brooke and Alice attacked me at the Bronze? I don't know why this school admits mentals like them."

Carmen rolled her eyes.

"That is Cordy for you," Zoey told them.

Brooke sighed. "Let's just get to class."

  ∞ 

English Class

They were discussing 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Ms. Miller was giving the lecture. "'If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?'" She looked at the class. "Okay. So talk to me, people. How does what Shylock says here about being a Jew relate to our discussion about the anger of the outcast in society?"

"Well, how about color me totally self-involved?" Cordelia asked.

"Care to elaborate?" Ms. Miller asked.

"Yeah," Cordelia answered. "With Shylock it's whine, whine, whine, like the whole world is about him. He acts like it's justice, him getting a pound of Antonio's flesh. It's not justice, it's yicky."

"But has Shylock suffered?" Ms. Miller asked. "What's his place in Venice society?"

"Well, everyone looked down on him," Willow told her.

"That is such a twinkie defense," Cordelia told her. "Shylock should get over himself. People who think their problems are so huge craze me. Like this time I sort of ran over this girl on her bike. It was the most traumatizing event of my life, and she's trying to make it about her leg! Like my pain meant nothing."

"Well, Cordelia's raised an interesting point here," Ms. Miller told them. The bell rang. "Which we'll pursue at a later time."

The students stood, walking away to leave.

Cordelia walked up to Ms. Miller's desk. "Ms. Miller?"

"Good observations today, Cordelia," Ms. Miller told her. "It's always exciting to know someone's actually done the reading."

Willow rolled her eyes behind Cordelia, turning away to leave.

Cordelia smiled. "Thanks. Um, I wanna talk to you about my final paper. I'm real unfocused. I have all these thoughts, and I'm pretty sure they all contradict each other."

"Well, I have your outline here, but why don't you stop by tomorrow after school?" Ms. Miller asked. "We'll go over it then."

Cordelia chuckled. "That'd be great. Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome," Ms. Miller told her. "I'll see you then."

"Okay, bye," Cordelia told her, leaving.

Ms. Miller chuckled.

  ∞ 

Hallway

Cordelia met up with her friend. "Harmony!"

"Hi," Harmony told her.

"They called and said the dress is ready," Cordelia explained. "It's so great. Mitch is gonna die."

  ∞ 

Boys' Locker Room

Mitch was coming out of the showers, drying himself off, wrapping his towel around his waist, going over to his locker, drying his hair a bit with another towel, reaching into his locker for some clothes.

Another boy closed his locker, coming over to him as he pulled on his pants. "Hey, Mitch. You going to the Bronze?"

"Later," Mitch answered. "I'm picking up my tux first."

The boy nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Gotta look sharp for the big dig," Mitch told them.

Another boy came over to join them. "Oh, that's right. You gotta look good to be on Cordelia's arm."

Mitch smirked. "Oh, it's not her arm I'm looking to be on." The two other boys laughed, leaving. Mitch could hear footsteps, a girl's giggling, looking around. "Who's there?" He didn't see anyone, so he continued getting dressed, hearing the giggling again, looking behind him where he thought it was coming from. "Okay, fun time's over, come on."

Mitch reached for a bat on top of the lockers, but it floated up by itself, swinging and hitting him, making him fall down. The bat swung again but missed and hit the locker doors, hitting him on the upper left arm twice. Another swing of the bat hit him in the face, knocking him out.

∞ Slayers and Guardians ∞ 

Sunnydale High School - Hallway

Cordelia handed out chocolates while campaigning for May Queen. "Now, remember who to vote for your May Queen. As in me."

"Thanks," a boy told her.

Cordelia saw Harmony and walked over to her. "Hi! Isn't this the bomb? I'm such the campaign strategist."

Harmony took one and saw the 'C' on the wrapper. "'C'. For Cordelia?"

"No, 'C' for Wilma, little brain," Cordelia told her sarcastically. "Of course, 'C' for Cordelia. This way people will associate me with something sweet!" She absently continues to the next student. "Here's a chocolate..." She saw it was Buffy and pulled her hand back. "Oh. I don't think I need the loony-fringe vote."

Cordelia walked away.

"Well, I don't even like chocolates," Buffy told her. "Okay, that was the lamest comeback of our times."

The other Scoobies walked closer.

"So, what's Cordelia up to?" Alice asked.

"Bribery," Eric answered. "She's desperate to be May Queen."

"Cordelia, man, she does love titles," Xander told them.

Willow was reminded by that, laughing hysterically. "Oh, God. Remember in sixth grade with the field trip?"

Eric chuckled. "Right, right. The guy with the antlers on his belt."

Xander smiled. "Be my Deputy."

"And remember the hat?" Zoey asked.

Carmen smiled. "Oh, God. The hat."

"Gee, it's fun that we're speaking in tongues," Brooke told them sarcastically.

"I'm sorry," Zoey told them.

"It's just that we had this, uh..." Carmen trailed off. "You had to be there."

"It's not even funny," Willow told them.

"Really," Xander told them.

"Uh, Cordelia just has a history of trying too hard," Zoey explained.

"Yeah, what girl would wanna be May Queen anyway?" Alice asked.

"Buffy and Brooke were," Brady answered.

"They what?" Alice asked.

"At our old school," Brady explained.

"Well, we didn't call it 'May Queen'," Brooke told them. "But we had the coronation, and the dance, and all that stuff. It was nice."

"Well, you know, you don't need that anymore," Brady told them. "We got new and better friends now."

Brooke and Buffy smiled, nodding in agreement.

Willow cracked up again. "Be my Deputy. Oh, God..."

Buffy, Brooke, Brady and Alice felt a little left out of the story and laughter.

Suddenly a guy came running down the hall with news about Mitch. "Guys! Come on!" They looked toward him. "Mitch got whaled on! I think he's..."

∞ 

Elsewhere

In the doorway to the gym, Principal Snyder was talking to the students. "Dead? Of course not. What are you, ghouls?" The paramedics opened the doors, wheeling Mitch out. Everyone looked at them. "There are no dead students here. This week. Clear back, make room, all of you."

Buffy grabbed the gurney, making it stop. "Mitch, what happened?"

"I don't know," Mitch told her. "I heard something. I tried to grab a, a bat... that hit me"

"What hit you?" Buffy asked.

"The bat," Mitch answered. "But itself, the thing was floating, it knocked me out."

The paramedics wheeled him away.

Alice sighed. "We better check out the scene."

Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Carmen and Zoey walked toward the locker room.

Snyder stopped them. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um, Mitch wanted us to get his comb," Zoey told him. "He likes his comb."

"I don't think Mitch needs his comb right now," Snyder told them. "I think Mitch needs medical attention." Willow, Brady, Eric and Xander exchanged a look. "And you need to stay away from the crime scene. Always sticking your nose in."

Eric spoke loudly to get Snyder's attention. "Sue? What did you say? Mitch was gonna sue the school?"

Snyder looked toward them, as predicted, distracted. "Sue? Who?"

Buffy looked at Eric, mouthing, 'Thank you'. Eric nodded. Buffy smiled, walking into the locker room with Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen.

"Well, his dad is the most powerful lawyer in Sunnydale," Brady told them.

"Hold on," Snyder told them. "What have you heard?"

"His dad, the lawyer," Xander told him. "You haven't heard of him?"

Willow nodded. "Other lawyers call him, 'The Beast'."

∞ 

Boys' Locker Room

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen walked in quietly, looking around, seeing the bat on the floor. Brooke nudged it with her foot and it just rolled away. They walked into the nearest row of lockers where five of the locker doors were damaged and wide open. They looked into one of the lockers, noticing a large letter on the door next to it.

"Guys," Brooke told them.

Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen each closed a locker doors, seeing that the word 'LOOK!' was painted in red.

∞ 

Cafeteria

The girls met up with the others, eating lunch.

"'Look'?" Brady asked. "That's all it said?"

"Look at what?" Carmen asked. "Look at Mitch?"

"Maybe," Buffy told them. "All we know is it's a message."

"And..." Eric trailed off.

Giles and Wyatt found them.

"Ah, there you are," Wyatt told them.

"And monsters don't usually send messages," Alice told them. "It's pretty much crush, kill, destroy. This was different."

"I'd have to say you're right," Giles told her.

"I love it when he says that," Alice told them.

"Any theories?" Brooke asked.

Giles and Wyatt sat down.

"Uh, we're, uh, it's a big of a puzzle, really," Giles told them. "Um, I've never actually heard of anyone attacked by a lone baseball bat before."

"Maybe it's a vampire bat," Xander told them. No one responded. "I'm alone with that one, huh?"

"Well, assuming the bat itself is not possessed, uh, there are a few possibilities that bear investigating," Wyatt told them. "Uh, someone with telekinesis, an invisible creature, or possibly a poltergeist."

"A ghost?" Zoey asked.

"Yes, and a very angry one," Giles answered.

"Yeah, I'd say," Buffy told them. "The locker room was a real scene."

"If it's a ghost, then we're talking about a dead kid," Wyatt told them.

"Great," Brooke told them sarcastically.

Wyatt looked at Willow. "You know, why don't you compile a list of dead or missing kids? It's probably a good place to start."

"And, uh, I'll research all the possibilities, ghost included," Giles told them. "But, uh, boys, if you're not doing anything, would you like to help me?"

"What, so there's homework now?" Eric asked. "When did that happen?"

"It's all part of the glamorous world of vampire slayage," Brady told them. "I've done enough research to last a lifetime."

Willow looked at Buffy,Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen. "So, what part do you guys have?"

"They are going to find out what they can about Mitch," Wyatt answered. "This attack wasn't random."

Brooke smirked teasingly. "I love it when you take charge like that."

"Well, I want that part," Xander told them.

"Fine," Carmen told him. "You can help us do it. Ask around, talk to his friends."

Zoey got an idea. "Oh, hey. Talk to Cordelia so we don't have to."

"Talk to Cordelia?" Xander repeated nervously. He looked at Giles. "So, research, huh?"

∞ 

Balcony

Harmony found Cordelia at the drinking fountain. "Hi."

"Oh, hi," Cordelia told her.

"Cordelia, you weren't in fifth period," Harmony told her.

Cordelia nodded. "I went to the hospital."

"Oh, Mitch, how is he?" Harmony asked. "Will he be okay?"

"Well, the doctor says he'll be fine," Cordelia answered. "Layla Francis, by the way, Zoey's mother. Layla's gonna send him home tomorrow. But, you should've seen him lying there all black and blue. How's he gonna look in our prom pictures? How am I ever gonna be able to show them to anyone?"

"Well, they can do wonderful things with airbrushes these days," Harmony told her.

Cordelia smiled. "You think?"

∞ 

Flashback

Day - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Back when Carmen and Zoey were still friends with both the popular crowd and Willow, Eric, Xander and Jesse. Harmony and Cordelia walked up to them.

"Hi," Harmony told them.

"Hey," Zoey told them.

"Did you see Mitch?" Cordelia asked. "He just broke up with Wendy eight seconds ago, and he's already nosing around."

"It's shameless," Harmony told her.

"In the spring, if he makes varsity baseball, maybe I'll take him on a test drive," Cordelia told them. She looked at Zoey. "You know, unless he asks the lowest one first."

Zoey nodded awkwardly. "You saw us talking."

"Talking?" Cordelia repeated. "Try like, P.D.A version of fliriting."

"I never touched him," Zoey told her.

"But he wanted to touch you," Cordelia replied in a sing song voice. Zoey and Carmen rolled their eyes, seeing Willow, Xander, Eric and Jesse, smiling, walking toward them. "Oh, yeah, those losers you hang out with. No wonder it's a no brainer that you're not completely one of us."

"And we're so not getting into it any further," Carmen told them. "You guys treat Zoey badly anyway, and I'm not like you, Cordy."

"So we're done here," Zoey told them. "And we can never see each other ever again."

"Sounds good to me," Harmony told them.

Zoey and Carmen rolled their eyes, turning around, starting to walk away.

A girl named Marcie walked up to them. "Hi, guys."

"Sorry, excuse us," Carmen told her as Zoey and Carmen walked away.

Cordelia looked at Marcie indignantly. "What do you want?"

∞ 

Now

Day - Sunnydale High School - Balcony

Cordelia and Harmony were walking along the balcony toward the stairs.

"I just hope they can prop him up long enough to take the picture," Cordelia told her.

Carmen and Zoey walked toward them.

"Cordelia, can we talk to you?" Carmen asked.

"Oh, great," Cordelia told them sarcastically. "Carmen, you bring Zoey here to beg back for your spots back in the clique and have your old popularity back?"

"Ew, no," Zoey answered. "I've completely buried that part of the past. I'm glad to be who I am."

"So am I," Carmen told them.

"Well, that's not saying much about Zoey and Carmen--" Harmony started.

Harmony jerked backed and tumbled down the stairs, like someone had pushed her. Cordelia, Carmen and Zoey ran down the stairs toward her.

"Harmony!" Cordelia cried.

Other students surrounded her. Buffy, Brooke and Alice saw the fall from nearby, running closer to check on them.

Snyder ran toward them. "Oh, for heaven sakes! Clear back, everyone! Give her some air!" He looked at a student. "You! School nurse, now!"

The student nodded, running away.

"Ow!" Harmony cried. "Oh, my ankle! I think it's broken."

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

Snyder looked at Buffy. "Hey! Who's the principal here?" He looked at Harmony. "What happened?"

"She fell," Cordelia answered. "She--she--we were standing at the top of the stairs and she just fell. All by herself."

"No!" Harmony told them. "I was pushed." Alice stood, hearing laughter and footsteps going up the stairs, following the sounds up the stairs. Buffy and Brooke followed. Snyder leaned down, touching Harmony's ankle. "Ow!"

Snyder pointed at her. "Don't sue."

∞ 

Music Room

Buffy, Brooke and Alice followed the noises into the room.

"Is anybody here?" Brooke asked.

They felt something bump them and heard footsteps going around.

Alice looked around, confused. "Hey. Who's there?"

They walked further into the room, hearing activity somewhere. The ceiling access hatch in the corner rose up, but the girls didn't notice it.

"Okay, we know someone's here," Buffy told them. "Look, we're not gonna hurt you."

"We just wanna talk to you," Brooke told them.

The ceiling hatch lowered back into place. The girls looked around, finally leaving. The camera panned from them up to the ceiling hatch in a corner above a cabinet.

∞ ∞

Outside

At the entrance to the school, everyone was leaving for the day. The Scoobies saw two men dressed in black suits watching the students' activity.

"Giles, Wyatt, have you ever touched a ghost?" Brooke asked.

"Uh, no," Giles answered. "From what I've heard, uh, having a ghost pass through you is a singular experience. It's a rather, uh, cold amorphous feeling. It makes your hair stand on end."

"You see, that's the problem," Alice told them. "We touched the thing, but it didn't go through us. It bumped into us. And it wasn't cold."

"So, we're talking about what, an invisible person?" Wyatt asked.

"A girl," Buffy told them. "She laughed."

"A girl on campus with the ability to become invisible," Wyatt told them.

"That is so cool," Xamder told them.

"Cool?" Willow repeated.

"Well, yeah, I would give anything to be able to turn invisible," Xander told them. "Well, I wouldn't use my powers to beat people up, but I'd use my powers to protect the girls' locker room."

"It must be a fairly heady experience... having that ability," Giles told them.

"How'd she get it?" Willow asked. "Is she a witch? 'Cause we can fight a witch."

"Hmm," Eric hummed. "Greek myths speak of cloaks of invisibility, but they're usually for the gods." Everyone looked at him. "Research boy comes through with the knowledge."

"This girl's sorta petty for  a god," Brady told them "She's got grudge. But why Harmony?"

"Harmony and Mitch," Brooke told them. "The common denominator is..."

"Cordelia," Wyatt finished.

"So what now?" Willow asked.

"First thing tomorrow, why don't you pull up that missing kids list?" Wyatt asked.

"Got it," Willow answered. "I'll see ya then."

"Bye," Wyatt told them.

"See you," Eric told them.

Willow, Eric and Xander walked away.

"Oh, hey, do you guys wanna come to our place tonight for dinner?" Xander asked. "Mom's making her famous phone call to the Chinese place."

"Xander, do you guys even have a stove?" Eric asked.

They continued walking away, leaving for the day. The others stayed with Giles and Wyatt.

"So I will look into ways that you can de-cloak an invisible person," Giles told them. "What about you?"

"I think Cordelia's gonna be working on her May Queen dress tonight," Carmen told them.

"Carmen, Zoey, you keep an eye on Cordelia," Buffy told them. "Brady, Brooke, Alice, Wyatt and I'll start the hunt."

"How exactly do you hunt someone you can't see?" Brady asked.

"You all may have to work on listening to people," Giles told them.

"Very funny," Brooke told him sarcastically.

Giles chuckled. "I thought so."

Brady smirked. "But thanks for letting me in on this to actually train me."

"You said you wanted to become a hunter so you can help your sisters not die," Alice told him. "And being that you, Brady, are the brother to a Slayer and Guardian and have already been attacked more than once to get to them, you were right about you needing to know how to defend yourself."

"So, yes, we will train you," Wyatt told him. "Let's go."

Brady smirked.

∞ 

Night - Sunnydale High School - Hallways

Buffy, Brooke, Wyatt, Brady and Alice were walking through the halls. They heard the sound of a flute playing, following the sound.

∞ 

Dressing Room

Zoey and Carmen were keeping watch on the room, looking inside toward where Cordelia and her friends were getting her dress ready as they fussed over the dress, hearing the conversation and laughter.

"Should I wear my hair up?" Cordelia asked. "Do you think I should wear it up?" Zoey and Carmen watched through the door to keep on eye on Cordy. "How does the, um, hem go? Is it--is it long enough, or... isn't it beautiful?"

Zoey and Carmen heard the flute in the distance, looking toward the sound.

∞ 

Library

Giles walked up the stairs to the stacks, stopping when he heard the music, too. The music stopped.

Giles continued into the stacks, hearing a squeaking, stopping again. "Who's there?" After a moment, he took a few steps to a glass enclosed bookcase, seeing his reflection, turning away, startled by Angel standing there, looking at his reflection but didn't see one for Angel. "A vampire casts no reflection."

"Don't worry," Angel told him. "I'm not here to eat."

"Wyatt and Carmen told me you don't feed from humans anymore," Giles told him.

"Not for a long while," Angel answered.

"Is that why you're here?" Giles asked. "To look for them?"

"Wyatt, yes," Angel answered. "It's too hard for me to be around Carmen."

"A vampire in love, being soulmates with a witch," Giles told him. "It's rather poetic in a maudlin sort of way. What can I, uh, what can I do for you?"

"I know you've been researching the Master," Angel told him.

Giles nodded. "Yes, the vampire king. I've tried to learn as much as I can about him for the day that Buffy, Brooke and Alice must face him."

"Something's already in motion," Angel told him. "Something big. But I don't know what. You've read all the Slayer and Guardian lore there is, right?"

"I've studied all the extant volumes, of course," Giles answered. "But the, uh, most salient books of Slayer and Guardian prophecy have been lost. The Tiberius Manifesto, the Pergamum Codex..."

"The Codex?" Angel repeated.

"It's reputed to have contained the most complete prophecies about the Slayer and Guardians' role in the end years," Giles explained. "Unfortunately, the book was lost in the 15th century."

Angel shook his head. "Not lost. Misplaced. I can get it."

Giles exhaled, astounded. "That would be most helpful. Uh, my own volumes have been rather useless of late."

Angel looked at his book. "Legends of Vishnu?"

Giles was a bit embarrassed. "There's an invisible girl terrorizing the school."

Angel seemed a little amused. "That's not really my area of expertise."

"Nor mine, I'm afraid," Giles agreed. "Uh, it's fascinating, though. By all accounts, it's a wonderful power to possess."

"Oh, I don't know," Angel told him. "Looking in the mirror every day and seeing nothing there." He looked at the mirror, only seeing Giles' reflection and not his own. "It's an overrated pleasure."

∞ 

Flashback

Day - Sunnydale High School - Girls' Locker Room

The girl Marcie looked at herself in the mirror.

Cordelia walked in with her friends. "God, I am never  sitting through another one of those alumni lectures again. Two hours of 'My Trek Through Nepal'. Hello, there is nobody caring."

"And did you guys see his toupee?" Marcie asked. "I mean, it looks like a cabbage."

It was like the other girls didn't hear or see her.

"And those slides," Cordelia told them. "'That's a mountain. That's a mountain, too. Now look at some mountains'."

"I swear, he had three slides and just used them over and over," Harmony told them.

"I know, but did you guys see his toupee?" Marcie asked. "I mean, it was, like, the worst."

"We're talking, okay?" Harmony asked.

Cordelia smiled. "Oh, and did you guys check out that extreme toupee? Yeah, that's realistic. It looked like a cabbage."

Cordelia and her friends laughed, leaving the room. Marcie stayed behind, feeling very left out.

∞ 

Now - Day Two

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Quad

A stage had been set up for May Queen.

Snyder stood on the stage. "The winner is Cordelia Chase. Let's bring up our new May Queen."

The students in the quad all applauded. The Scoobies walked out of the crowd.

Cordelia started her acceptance speech. "Thank you for making the right choice, and for showing me how much you all love me." There was applause. "Being this popular is not just my right, but my responsibility, and I want you to know I take it very seriously. It all began when..."

Wyatt found the Scoobies in the crowd, walking closer.

Eric looked at Buffy, Brooke, Zoey, Alice and Carmen. "So, Giles and Wyatt said you would be here. Why are you being here?"

"Last night was a bust," Brooke told them. "But we still think Cordy's the key."

Willow held a paper toward them. "This is the dead and missing list. I pulled up their classes, activities, medical records..."

"Good work," Buffy told her.

Brady noticed the two men in black suits loitering by some stairs. "Carmen, has Cordelia hired a bodyguard or something?"

They followed his gaze. They all exchanged a look.

"Hey, you guys, check out this one," Carmen told them. "It's the most recent one, Marcie Ross, disappeared, like, six months ago."

"I don't know her," Xander told them.

"Me neither," Willow told them.

"Ditto," Zoey told them.

"I don't think so," Eric told them.

"Her only activity was band," Buffy told them. "She played the flute."

"So?" Xander asked.

"Well, last night when we were hunting, we heard this flute," Wyatt answered. "But we couldn't figure out where it was coming from."

"And it was in the band room that we lost Miss Invisible yesterday," Brady told them. "You know what? This all tracks."

"I'm gonna check it out," Wyatt told them. "You guys head to class. See you later."

"Thanks, Wyatt," Brooke told him. "See you after geometry."

"While the rest of us still have school lives to tend to, Wyatt doesn't," Alice told them. "Let's leave him to it."

Cordelia was still giving her acceptance speech. "Ask not what your school can do for you, ask: Hey. What am I wearing to the Spring Fling?"

∞ 

Band Room

Wyatt looked around, noticing a boot print on a chair, guessing it was used as a step to climb, looking up, noticing in the corner of the ceiling that there was the access hatch, using his power to levitate up to crawl into the hatch, crawling through the space. Near a skylight, he found Marcie's things. Her flute was there, and Wyatt picked it up to look at it. The camera showed Marcie's view as she watched Wyatt go through his stuff.

Wyatt picked up the teddy bear, looking at it, putting it back, looking under some sheet music, finding Marcie's yearbook, pulling it out, opening it. "Marcie Ross. So it is you."

As Wyatt sat there and reflected, a knife floated in midair behind his left shoulder. Wyatt closed the yearbook, taking it with him as he started back to the hatch.

∞ 

Band Room

Wyatt closed the hatch, jumping down from the ceiling, leaving the room.

∞ 

Ms. Miller's Class

Ms. Miller was waiting for Cordelia to show up. Marcie walked in, closing the door, still invisible.

Ms. Miller was working on papers. "Cordelia, could you possibly be on time?" She looked up, but couldn't see Marcie, thinking no one was there, going back to her work. Marcie walked around behind her, giggling. "Who's there?"

Marcie slipped a plastic bag over Ms. Miller's head, tying it off, suffocating her.

Cordelia arrived at the door, knocking, walking in. "Ms. Miller?" She saw her, horrified. "Oh, my God, Ms. Miller!" She ran closer to lift her up and pull the bag off. "Oh, my God, are you okay?" Ms. Miller drew a sudden breath, beginning to cough. "Ms. Miller, what happened?"

Behind them at the chalkboard, Marcie picked up a piece of chalk which seemed to float up, beginning to write.

"Attacked," Ms. Miller answered. "Didn't see."

The piece of chalk seemed to write on its own, making noise on the board, causing Cordelia and Ms. Miller to turn to see Marcie finish writing the word 'LISTEN' without seeing Marcie.

∞ ∞

Library

The Scoobies were gathered.

"A nest?" Zoey asked.

"It looked like she'd been there for months," Wyatt told them. "It's where I found this."

Wyatt opened the yearbook, putting it n the table for them to see.

"Oh, my God," Willow told them, reading. "'Have a nice summer. Have a nice summer.' This girl had no friends at all."

"Uh, once again I teeter at the precipice of the generation gap," Giles told them.

"'Have a nice summer' is what you write when you have nothing to say," Eric told him. "It's the kiss of death."

"You guys didn't know Marcie Ross?" Buffy asked.

"Never met her," Xander told them.

Carmen and Zoey shook their heads, confused.

"She looks familiar, but that's all I got," Zoey told them. "Why?"

Brooke pointed to the signatures. "'Cause you all wrote it, too."

"'Have a nice...'" Xander trailed off. "Yeesh!"

Carmen looked at her signature. "Oh, my God. I didn't even realize."

"Where am I?" Eric asked. Buffy pointed at his signature. "Oh."

Willow found her signature. "'Have a great summer.' See, I cared."

"You guys don't remember her?" Alice asked.

"No, I probably didn't see her except to sign the book," Xander told them. "I mean, this is a big school."

"Guys, you each had four classes with her last year," Brady told them. "So, no one noticed her. And now she's invisible."

"What, she turned invisible because no one noticed her?" Buffy asked.

"Of course," Wyatt told them. "We've been researching the mystical causes of invisibility when we should have looked at the physics."

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say, 'Huh?'" Brooke asked.

Giles picked up a book. "It's a rudimentary concept that, that reality is shaped, even... created by our perception."

"And with the Hellmouth below us sending out mystical energy..." Alice trailed off.

"People perceived Marcie as invisible, and she became so," Wyatt finished.

Everyone was in shock from this.

∞ 

Flashback

Day - Sunnydale High School - Ms. Miller's Class

Marcie was having another flashback in class.

"So, who knows the answer to this one?" Ms. Miller asked. "Think about it." Several students, including Marcie, raised their hands. "Cordelia?"

"Well, just because the story's about him, doesn't necessarily mean he's the hero, right?" Cordelia asked.

"Exactly," Ms. Miller answered. "So, what do we call him? Carmen?"

"Well, the protagonist," Carmen answered.

"Eric?" Ms. Miller asked.

"Why can't he be both?" Eric asked. "I mean, he did do some things that are pretty heroic."

Ms. Miller smiled, nodding. "Absolutely. Who doesn't agree with that?" Several students including Marcie raised their hands. Ms. Miller pointed to one. "Okay." Marcie raised her hand again. Ms. Miller pointed to someone else. "And how about you?"

Marcie became weary of constantly being passed over, sighing. She looked at her hand, watching as it became translucent and then transparent.

∞ 

Now

Day - Sunnydale High School - Library

The Scoobies were still talking.

"This isn't this great power that she can control," Zoey told them. "It's something that was done to her. That we did to her."

"No wonder she's miffed," Buffy stated.

"What does she want?" Brooke asked.

Wyatt looked at the yearbook. "Just what we thought. Cordelia."

Wyatt turned the yearbook to the others to show them the marked up picture of Cordelia, with horns and her face scribbled out.

Cordelia walked into the library and overhears her name. "What? I knew you'd be here. Carmen, Zoey, I, uh, I know we've had our differences, with you being so weird and all, and hanging out with these total losers." Buffy, Brooke, Willow and Xander couldn't believe that she had just said that in front of them, but Alice, Brady and Eric weren't surprised, rolling their eyes. Zoey and Carmen just waited for Cordelia to finish. "Well, anyway, despite all of that, we used to be close, I know that you share this feeling that we have for each other, deep down."

"Nausea?" Zoey asked.

"Somebody is after me," Cordelia told them. "They just tried to kill Ms. Miller? Uh, she was helping me with my homework. And Mitch. And Harmony? This is all about me. Me, me, me."

"Wow," Alice told her. "For once, you're right."

"So you've come to Zoey and Carmen for help," Brady told her.

Cordelia nodded. "Because, Carmen's still my sister, and besides her, Zoey's, like, the only person that I trust anymore who's not hurt, or dead. Besides, all of you are always around when all this weird stuff is happening, and I know you're very strong, and you've got all those weapons. I was kind of hoping you were in a gang." They couldn't believe what they were hearing. "Please, I don't have anyone else to turn to."

Giles stood, and offering her a chair. "Please. Sit down."

"Okay," Cordelia told him, sitting. "Thanks."

"You know, I... I don't recall ever seeing you here before," Giles told her.

"Oh, no, I have a life," Cordelia told him.

"Okay," Buffy told her. "Cordelia, your attacker is an invisible girl."

"Who is really, really angry at you," Brooke told her. "Which I can't imagine personally."

"But it..." Brady trailed off. "Takes all kinds, you know?"

"Well, I don't care what it is, just get rid of it," Cordelia told them.

"Well, it's not that simple," Wyatt told her. "It's a person. It's..."

Carmen showed Cordelia the yearbook. "It's this person. Now, do you have any idea why she'd be so..."

"Oh, God," Cordelia said. "Is she really wearing Laura Ashley?"

"So homicidal?" Alice asked.

Cordelia exhaled. "I have no idea. I've never seen this girl before in my life."

∞ 

Ceiling Crawl Space

Marcie was manically freaking out. "I won, 'cause you didn't see me coming. Cordelia, you don't remember me. I remember you, all your idiot slut friends, I hate them. They take your life and they suck it out of you. But then they didn't see me coming. They gotta learn. They gotta learn."

∞ 

Library

The others were still talking to Cordelia.

"According to what you told us about the attack on Ms. Miller, we now have two messages from Marcie," Alice told her. "Look and listen."

"Messages we don't understand," Willow stated.

"I don't think we're supposed to yet," Buffy told them. "Marcie's not quite ready."

"But from what she did to Cordelia's picture, I would say that she's wigged on the whole May Queen thing," Eric told them. "Maybe she's gonna do something about it."

"Stop the coronation tonight maybe," Brooke told them, looking at Cordelia. "Keep you guys away from the Bronze?"

"Nothing is keeping me from the Bronze tonight," Cordelia told them.

"Uh, can we just revel in your fabulous lack of priorities?" Zoey asked sarcastically.

"If I'm not crowned tonight then, then Marcie's won," Cordelia told them. "And that would be bad. She's evil, okay? Way eviler than me."

"Cordelia has a point," Carmen told them.

Cordelia held a hand toward her. "Carmen's with me on this."

"Anyway, continuing the normal May Queen activities may be the best way to draw Marcie out," Brady told them. "We can use Cordelia as bait."

"Great," Xander told them. "Bait?"

"Willow, Eric, Xander, you'll help me begin our research anew," Giles told them. "Unless we find a way to cure Marcie's invisibility, then Brady, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Carmen, Zoey, and Wyatt will be..."

"Sitting ducks," Wyatt finished. They all stood to do their tasks. "Come on."

"I'm not leaving without Carmen and Zoey," Cordelia told them. "And I have to try on my dress. Am I really bait?"

∞ 

Hallway

Carmen, Zoey and Cordelia were walking together. Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Wyatt were keeping their distance, but keeping an eye on them.

"So how much the creepy is it that this Marcie's been at this for months, spying on us, learning our most guarded secrets?" Cordelia asked. "So, are you saying she's invisible because she's so unpopular?"

"That about sums it up," Buffy answered.

"Bummer for her," Cordelia told them. "It's awful to feel that lonely."

Brooke nodded. "So you've read something about the feeling?"

Cordelia turned to face them. "Hey, you think I'm never lonely because I'm so cute and popular? I can be surrounded by people and be completely alone. It's not like any of them really know me. I don't even know if they like me half the time. People just want to be in the popular zone. Sometimes when I talk, everyone's so busy agreeing with me, they don't hear a word I say."

"Well, if you feel so alone, then why do you work so hard at being popular?" Alice asked.

"Well, it beats being alone all by yourself," Cordelia answered, walking down the hall into the other hall.

The others considered this.

Brady nodded to Zoey and Carmen. "Go in there with her. Not all of us need to be in there."

Zoey and Carmen nodded.

∞ 

Library

Willow, Eric, Xander and Giles were still in this room, hearing a flute starting to play.

"Shh," Willow told them. "Listen."

They all listened for a moment, looking in the direction of the music.

"Come on," Eric told them. "We could... talk to her. Reason with her. Or possibly grab her."

"There are four of us," Xander told them. "Let's go."

They left the library.

∞ 

Mop Closet

Carmen opened the door, turning on the light.

Cordelia sighed. "If you ever tell anyone that I changed in a mop closet..."

"Your secret dies with us," Zoey told her. "Looks okay."

"But hurry," Carmen told her.

Cordelia nodded. "Okay."

Zoey and Carmen left the closet, closing the door.

∞ 

Basement

Giles, Willow, Xander and Eric walked down the stairs and into the basement and looked around. They all listened for the next direction to take.

Xander heard the flute through a pair of heavy metal doors. "Over here."

∞ 

Boiler Room

Zoey opened the door, walking into the boiler room. They followed him.

"Marcie?" Willow called. "We know what happened to you. Please, can we talk to you?"

"We're sorry we ignored you," Eric told her.

Xander followed the sound of the flute over to a shelf where there was a tape recorder playing. "Can you say 'gulp'?"

Marcie could be heard running from the room and slamming the doors behind her. They heard hissing.

Giles looked around. "What's that sound?"

∞ 

Hallway

Further away from the closet, Buffy, Brooke, Wyatt, Brady and Alice were waiting, hearing the flute in the distance, exchanging a look.

"We'll handle the situation a lot better if we stop Marcie before she gets to Cordelia," Buffy told them.

"Zoey and Carmen are keeping an eye on Cordelia," Brooke told them.

Brady shrugged. "Let's go."

"We need to be careful though," Wyatt told them.

"Fighting something blind is not easy for physical or magical," Alice agreed.

They started to follow the sound of the flute to try to stop Marcie before things got worse.

∞ 

Other Hallway

In the other hallway, Carmen and Zoey were standing outside the closet, talking to Cordelia through the door.

"You know what you were saying before?" Carmen asked. "I understand. Somehow it doesn't seem to matter how popular you are when..."

"Yeah, you guys would get it because you were popular for a little while until we had the fight," Cordelia told them.

"Point is, we did sort of feel like something was missing," Zoey told her.

"Was that the reason why you two walked away so easily and hung out with giant losers, becoming that way yourselves?" Cordelia asked.

"Okay, can we have the heartfelt talk with a little less talk from you?" Zoey asked.

There was no answer.

Carmen frowned, worried. "Cordelia?"

They heard noises inside the closet and some muffled screaming.

Zoey tried to open the door but it was locked. "Cordelia!"

Zoey used her power to tear the door down, allowing them to run in and see Cordelia being pulled through the ceiling.

Cordelia struggled. "Carmen! Zoey!"

Carmen and Zoey tried to grab her legs, but Cordelia was pulled through too quickly. Carmen stepped back, taking Zoey by the arm, levitating them up with her power to go into the ceiling.

∞ 

Boiler Room

Willow, Eric, Xander and Giles were still trapped.

"It's gas," Giles told them, checking the furnace. "She's snuffed out the pilot light. The gas is on full." He looked around. "I can't find the shutoff valve."

Xander found the valve handle on the floor. "Is this it?"

"Okay, that's bad," Willow told them. "How about the door?"

Willow, Xander and Eric slammed into the door, trying to open it. It didn't budge. Xander saw a bar, grabbing it, starting to swing it at the door like a ram.

"No!" Eric told him. "One spark and you'll take the whole building with us."

Xander stopped.

∞ 

Ceiling Crawl Space

Zoey and Carmen looked around, finding Cordelia lying there. "Cordelia!"

They knelt next to her, worried, taking her pulse to make sure she was alive, looking around for what to do. Marcie kicked them, making them roll away and fall through the ceiling panel and onto a desk below, smashing it and knocking them out.

∞ 

Classroom

Zoey and Carmen were knocked out after the fall. Marcie dropped a medical bag next to them, opening it. As Zoey and Carmen started to wake up, Marcie injected them with two syringes, making them fall unconscious.

∞ ∞

The Bronze

Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia were tied to chairs on the stage, starting to wake up.

"Carmen?" Cordelia asked. "Zoey? You're awake?"

They were all disoriented and unable to focus because of the sedatives.

"Yeah," Zoey answered.

"I can't feel my face," Cordelia told them.

"What do you mean?" Carmen asked.

"My face," Cordelia answered. 'My face is numb. What is she doing?"

"We don't know," Zoey told her.

They looked at the curtain to find 'LEARN' was written on it in glitter.

"What does that mean?" Cordelia asked.

Carmen shook her head. "I don't know."

∞ 

Sunnydale High School - Boiler Room

Eric tried to turn the gas valve off with his bare hands with some success. "That should give us a few minutes, but we b... If we don't get out of this room soon..."

"Why is Marcie doing this?" Willow asked.

"The loneliness, the constant exile, she's..." Giles trailed off, coughing. "She has gone mad."

"Ya think?" Xander asked.

They coughed.

∞ 

Hallway

Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Brady and Wyatt were walking down the hallway.

"Of course Marcie set up a trap for us," Buffy told them. "To lure us away from Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia so she could take them."

Brooke gave her sister a look. "How about a little less of the pity party? And more looking."

Alice paused, looking confused.

"Alice?" Brady asked. "What is it?"

"Do you smell that?" Alice asked. "Gas."

Wyatt realized. "Eric, Willow, Xander and Giles."

"Leaving them locked up so that she could distract us from finding Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia," Brooke told them.

"Trying to make us choose who to save," Buffy agreed.

"Well, I'm not choosing," Alice told them. "We're saving all of them. Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia. And my father, Eric, Xander and Willow."

They ran along.

∞ 

The Bronze

Still tied up, Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia watched as a tray was wheeled over to them by invisible Marcie.

"Uh, I'm disappointed," Marcie told them. "I'd really hoped you guys had figured it out by now."

"Well, why don't you explain it?" Zoey asked. "Come on, Marcie, what are we supposed to learn?"

"Yeah," Carmen told her. "What do you wanna teach us?"

"You don't get it," Marcie told them. "You're not the student. You're the lesson."

"What did you do to my face?" Cordelia asked.

Marcie chuckled. "Your face. That's what this is all about, isn't it? Your beautiful face. That's what makes you shine just a little bit brighter than the rest of us. We all want what you have. To be noticed, remembered, to be seen."

"What are you doing?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, I'm fulfilling your fondest wish," Marcie told her, pulling off the cloth covering the tray, revealing several surgical instruments. Cordelia gasped when she saw them. "I'm gonna give you a face no one will ever forget."

Carmen struggled worriedly for her sister.

∞ 

Sunnydale High School - Boiler Room

Willow slouched on the floor, weakened by the lack of oxygen.

Eric took off his jacket and wrapped it around the pole Xander found to prevent sparks. "One, two, three!" Eric, Xander and Giles rammed the door with the pole, and it made a deep, loud boom, but it doesn't budge. "Again!"

The door still wouldn't budge.

∞ 

Hallway

The others heard the big boom, turning  around.

"It came from over there," Buffy told them.

"Where is it coming from?" Brooke asked.

"Gotta be the basement," Brady told them.

"Boiler room," Alice told them.

"Let's go," Wyatt told them.

They ran toward the sound.

∞ 

The Bronze

Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia were still tied up. Zoey couldn't use her powers while she had her necklace on. Carmen was trying to get enough focus, but couldn't after recovering from the sedative.

"Marcie, you can't do this," Zoey told her.

"What are you gonna do, slay me?" Marcie asked.

"Marcie, you know this is wrong," Carmen told her.

Marcie punched them. "You should've stayed out of my way. You know, I thought you would understand my vision, but you're just like them."

Marcie took a scalpel from the tray, swinging it at Cordelia's face.

Cordelia gasped. "Please don't do this!"

Worried and horrified, Carmen struggled. "No!"

"You should be grateful, Cordelia," Marcie told her. "I mean, people who pass you in the street are gonna remember you for the rest of their lives. Children are gonna dream about you. And every one of your--your friends who comes to the coronation tonight will take the sight of the May Queen to their graves."

"Wait!" Cordelia told her.

"No, we really have to get started," Marcie told her. "The local anesthetic's gonna wear off soon, and I don't want you to faint. It's less fun if you're not awake."

∞ 

Sunnydale High School - Boiler Room

Willow was unconscious. Eric, Xander and Giles were on the floor now, too.

"You guys are..." Xander trailed off. "I'm blacking out on you."

Xander collapsed onto Willow.

∞ 

Basement

Buffy, Brooke, Wyatt, Brady and Alice ran up to the boiler room door, calling out for them in turn.

"Get back," Wyatt told them.

"You use too much power you'll blow us all away," Alice told him.

"Yeah, so, uh, be careful," Buffy told him.

"No pressure, Wyatt," Brady told him. He pulled Alice, Brooke and Buffy back. "Come on."

Wyatt carefully used his power to start to open the door.

∞ 

The Bronze

Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia were still tied up. Carmen was getting more awake and alert, able to slowly use her power to untie her, as her head was still groggy and it was hard to focus.

Marcie was holding the blade close to Cordelia. "Let me see, I think we should start with your smile. I think it should be wider."

Cordelia was crying. "Marcie, I know you think I don't understand, but I do."

"Yeah, I'll bet you know how I feel," Marcie told her sarcastically. "I'm sure you can just be with all your friends and feel so alone 'cause they don't really know you. You're just a typical, self-involved, spoiled little brat, and you think you can charm your way out of this, don't you? Isn't that what you think?" She swung the scalpel, cutting Cordelia's cheek. "I see right through you."

Worried, angry that Marcie hurt and terrified her sister, Carmen used her power to break free, magically throwing the instrument tray into Marcie, sending her flying away from Cordelia. They could hear Marcie fall to the floor.

Cordelia was shocked. "Oh, my God. Get me out of here, please."

Carmen turned to use her power to untie Zoey and Cordelia. "Hold still."

Marcie could be heard getting back up. She kicked Carmen away from Zoey and Cordelia, making her fall.

Cordelia cried. "Oh, my God."

∞ 

Sunnydale High School - Boiler Room

Giles was weakly slapping against the door. It suddenly opened and Giles fell through it.

Buffy, Brooke, Brady, Alice and Wyatt walked in. "Come on."

Buffy pulled Eric up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to pull him out. Alice used her Guardian energy to levitate Giles and carry her father out. Brooke used her Guardian energy to levitate Xander and carry him out. Wyatt picked Willow up, carrying her out.

∞ 

Basement

Now everyone was safe in the basement, able to breathe.

"What happened?" Xander asked.

"You tell us," Buffy told them.

Willow was waking up. "I'm up, Mom."

Xander noticed Angel walking in. "Hi. What do you want?"

Angel looked at Giles. "I brought you the Codex." He handed Giles the book. "I came in through the basement. I smelled the gas."

"Yes, well, shut it off, otherwise, uh, the whole building will go up," Brooke told them.

"I'll get it," Angel told them. "It's not like I need the oxygen."

"Marcie has Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia," Brady told them.

"Carmen?" Angel repeated.

"You handle the gas, vamp boy," Xander told him. "We'll get Zoey, Carmen and Cordelia."

"They'll be fine, Angel," Eric told him. "Let's go."

"Come on," Alice told them.

Everyone but Angel left. Angel watched them go before walking into the room to shut off the gas.

∞ 

The Bronze

Carmen stood.

Zoey was now free from ropes, standing. "You know, I really felt sorry for you. You've suffered. There's one thing I really didn't factor into all this. You're a thundering loony!"

"Zoey, Cordy, are you okay?" Carmen asked.

Zoey was kicked down by invisible Marcie.

Cordelia cried. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God."

Zoey tried to get up again, but Marcie punched her, knocking her into her chair.

Carmen stood, trying to use her power against Marcie, but since she couldn't see Marcie, she couldn't see where to aim her power to stop her, worried about her best friend. "Zoey!"

Zoey fell off of the chair. It tipped over onto herself in the process.

Cordelia screamed. "Zoey! Oh, my God."

Zoey stood, taking a blind swing.

Marcie laughed. "Hey, morons, I'm invisible." She threw Zoey into Carmen, knocking them both down. "How are you two gonna fight or use power against someone you can't see?"

Cordelia was in hysterics, distracting them. "Oh, my God."

"Cordelia, shut up," Carmen told her.

"Okay," Cordelia told them meekly.

The other Scoobies ran in to help.

Zoey realized what she could do. "I might not be able to see you. But I can feel you."

Zoey pulled off the necklace that she blocked her powers, closing her eyes, letting her powers all in. One of her powers being empathy, she could sense Marcie's feelings of pure hatred and rage, able to tell her exactly where Marcie was. Zoey turned around, punching Marcie in the face, using her power to throw her into a red banner, magically wrapping the banner around Marcie, making them both fall to the floor. Marcie couldn't get up with the banner tying her down.

The others were impressed, shocked and proud of Zoey, smiling.

Buffy smiled. "We see you."

The side door opened. Several FBI men ran in.

"Everybody stay where you are," an agent named Doyle told them, gun drawn. "FBI! Nobody move."

An agent named Manetti held out his hand to keep everyone back. "Okay, we'll take it from here."

The agents helped Marcie up.

"Take what from where?" Brooke asked.

"I'm Agent Doyle, this is Agent Manetti," Doyle told them. "We're here for the girl."

"Well, where were you ten minutes ago when she was playing surgeon?" Carmen asked.

"I'm sorry, we came as fast as we could," Doyle told them.

Willow looked around. "Oh, my God."

Doyle handed Marcie off to Manetti. "We'll take it from here on."

"Come on," Manetti told them.

"You can cure her?" Willow asked.

"We can rehabilitate her," Doyle told them.

"In time, she'll learn to be a useful member of society again," Manetti told them.

Marcie was being led out of the Bronze by other agents. "Where are we going?"

"Very useful," Doyle told them.

Willow realized. "This isn't the first time this has happened. Is it? It's happened at other schools."

"We're not at liberty to discuss that," Manetti told them.

"It would be best for you to forget this whole incident," Doyle told them.

"Do you know that you guys are very creepy?" Eric asked.

"Thank you for your help," Doyle told them.

"Oh, and, uh, have a nice day," Manetti told them.

They watched the agents leave with Marcie.

"Can I get untied now?" Cordelia asked.

Zoey used her power to easily untie Cordelia. "There you go."

"Can we go back to when she was tied up?" Xander asked.

Willow chuckled. "Let's go."

∞ 

Day Three

Morning - Sunnydale High School - Hallway

The Scoobies walked down the hall toward the library.

"I just can't believe how twisted Marcie got," Buffy admitted.

"By the way, how did you guys shut off the gas in the boiler room?" Carmen asked.

"Oh, well, when the gas was coming down, Buffy, Brooke, Alice, Brady and Wyatt saved us," Xander told them.

"Janitor, um, went in with a mask to shut the valve off," Giles lied.

"We were lucky," Willow told them.

"I'll say," Zoey told them.

"And you, Zoey, got to use your gypsy powers for good," Alice told her.

"How did it feel?" Brooke asked.

Zoey smiled.

"Amazing, huh?" Eric asked knowingly.

"Empathy did help you find Marcie and take her down," Wyatt told her.

"Score one for Zo," Brady told them.

"Seeing you kick ass like that was very cool to watch, too, Zoey," Buffy told her.

They smiled.

Cordelia walked down the hall toward them at a fast walk. "Hi."

"Hey," Brooke told her.

"Look, um, I didn't get a chance to say anything yesterday with the coronation and everything... but, um, I guess I just wanted to say thank you, all of you," Cordelia told them.

"That's funny, 'cause she looks like Cordelia," Xander told them.

"You really helped me out yesterday, and you didn't have to," Cordelia told them. "So, thank you."

"It's okay," Alice told her.

"Listen, we were gonna grab lunch in a minute if you wanted to..." Willow trailed off.

Mitch walked up behind Cordelia. "Whoa, whoa. You're not hanging with these losers, are you?"

"Are you kidding?" Cordelia asked. "Heh!" She took his arm, leading the way down the hall. "I was just being charitable. Helping them with their fashion problems. Heh. You think I really felt like joining that social leper colony? Puh-leeease."

Zoey and Carmen weren't even surprised, rolling their eyes, sighing.

"Boy, where's an invisible girl when you really need one?" Eric asked.

Brady laughed. "Yeah."

They all walked into the library.

∞ 

FBI Building - Classroom

Doyle and Manetti escorted Marcie to a classroom.

"I think you'll be happy here," Doyle told her.

"You should fit right in," Manetti told her.

Marcie didn't answer, just going into the class. The only person visible in the room was the teacher.

"Welcome, Marcie," the teacher told her.

"Hey," Marcie told her.

"Class, this is Marcie," the teacher told them.

The invisible class spoke together. "Hi, Marcie."

"Sit down," the teacher told her. Marcie took the chair on the end of the second row. "Okay, class, let's get started. Everybody turn to page 54 of your texts."

Marcie opened her book, flipping through to the page, reading the title of Chapter 11: Assassination and Infiltration. "Cool."