3rd Person's POV

Black boots stand still with a green duffle bag on the ground beside them.

"Flight to Sunnydale, California is now being seated."

The person in the boots picks up their bag with a sigh and walks forward to board the plane. After getting settled, the person checks their flip phone and looks for any messages or calls.

None.

But that was okay. The person wanted their arrival to be a surprise. They didn't tell anyone the exact day or time they were coming back. Just that they would be home soon.

Colby looks out the window of the plane and smiles.

"I'm coming home, Laney."

...

At Sunnydale High School, in the library, Xander and Cordelia are sitting at the table. Laney stands by the checkout counter with her arms crossed. Giles walks up to Buffy and Willow as they stand at the head of the table.

"What are you saying?"

"The curse." Buffy holds out a printout, "This is it."

Willow nods explaining more, "Looks like Ms. Calendar was trying to replicate the original curse. To restore Angel's soul again."

Giles takes the printout, stares at it, "She said it couldn't be done."

Laney frowns uncrossing her arms as she stares at Jenny's ghost figure in front of her.

"Well, she tried anyway."

Buffy nods, "And it looks like it might have worked."

Xander frowns looking away from the two happy faces, "So he killed her... before she could tell anyone about it. What a prince, huh?"

Cordelia shrugs looking around at all the different emotions, "This is good, right? I mean, we can curse him again."

"And allow him to endure the immense pain and suffering once more. Bring back the new memories of all the deaths he's caused. All the torture. Just so we can have him back... possibly." Laney adds shaking her head.

Buffy paces, thinking.

Giles sighs rubbing his forehead, "Um, well, this, um... certainly points the way, but... the ritual itself requires a greater knowledge of the black arts than I, I, I can claim."

Willow raises her hand sheepishly, "Well, I've been going through her files and, and researching the black arts, for fun, or educational fun, and I may be able to work this."

"You've been researching dark magic for fun? Have you lost your marbles?"

Giles stares very concerned agreeing with Laney, "W-Willow... channeling... such potent magicks through yourself, it could open a door that you may not be able to close."

Buffy bites her lip. She was stuck. She wanted to try the spell. But she didn't want her friend to be hurt.

"I don't want you putting yourself in any danger, Will."

Willow shrugs, "And I don't want danger. Big 'no' to danger, but I may be the best person to do this."

Xander scoffs standing up, "Hi! For those of you who have just tuned in, everyone here is a crazy person. So this spell might restore Angel's humanity? Well, here's an interesting angle." He stares harshly at Buffy, "Who cares?"

Buffy frowns, "I care."

Laney chuckles with a pff sound as Xander stares not surprised, "Is that right."

Giles looks between the now split kids, "Let's not lose our perspective here, Xander."

Willow looks at Xander, disbelieving what she's hearing from him.

Xander shakes his head standing his ground, "I'm Perspective Guy. Angel's a killer."

Willow frowns at her friend, "Xander..."

"It's not that simple."

Xander steps away from Buffy disgusted, "What? All is forgiven? I can't believe you people! Minus Laney."

Cordelia gets up, "Xander has a point."

Xander turns to Cordelia, in a raised voice, "You know, just for once, I wish you'd support me," He looks at Cordelia's confused face and smiles sheepishly, "and I realize right now that you were, and I'm embarrassed, so I'm gonna get back to the point," Looking back to the others he stares blankly, "which is that Angel needs to die."

Buffy gapes at him before turning to Giles who gulps lightly sighing.

"Curing Angel seems to have been Jenny's last wish."

"Yeah? Well, Jenny's dead."

Giles approaches Xander angrily, "Don't you ever speak of her in that tone again!"

Xander yells back, "Can't you hear what I'm saying?"

They begin to argue heatedly. Laney rushes over and gets between them.

"Stop it! Stop it now! Giles he didn't mean anything badly about Jenny. He is just saying that we have to take this seriously. We can't just think this is something good. Jenny didn't even know. But she did lose her life because of it. And Xander while I agree, can you be slightly more sensitive to him. He lost the love of his life."

"So did I!" Buffy steps forward towards the group.

They all shut up and glare at each other for a moment. Buffy turns away and goes back over to Willow, very upset. Giles paces away, also very upset.

Laney sighs, "Giles don't you think this is a bad idea? Tell her."

Giles sees the pleading in her eyes. He knew that this was something big for her to disagree with the restoration of Angel. The two were close. And if she wasn't okay with him coming back at all... that was something that should be considered as well.

"Well-" Giles turns to Buffy then starts to disagree until Buffy yells out angrily.

"Seriously! Every single time. You always take her side! Always! Just once could you please agree with me. Just once say it's going to be okay to me! Just once!"

"Have you gone mad? This isn't about taking sides Buffy! It's about what's right and what's wrong!"

"And changing him back isn't right?"

"No! It's not right! It's as wrong as can be! It's without a doubt the worst idea. Sorry to Jenny. I know she thought this was a good idea but I truly think she was trying to find any way for you to forgive her. And giving Angel back his soul would surely put her on your favorite list."

"So yes whats wrong with that? You said it yourself continuously, he is not the same. Angelus is not Angel. When we give him his soul back, he'll be Angel again."

"You really think we can change him back and he can come back as angel. And that we can all look him in the face and be okay? Now that we've personally gone through his other self's hell and torture. He killed Jenny... I-I watched her eyes go blank... I saw the life leave her body... do you truly believe I would be okay looking Angel in the eyes after I saw..." Laney takes a deep breath, "It was his face, even if he changes from Angelus to Angel, he will still wear the same face. The face of a murderer. Sure it didn't matter as much to us before. He killed centuries ago and we didn't even bat an eye. When he told us about all the bad things he did. But that was when he was Angel and Angelus was his past... but now Angelus is his present and as much as I miss him... we cannot just bring him back. We have to stop him... for good."

Buffy stares at Laney in awe and anger, "You mean kill him?"

Laney stands straight with her arms crossed over her chest, "Buffy-"

"It's not all about you, Laney. What about my feelings? What about that? I love him. He was my boyfriend. He was mine. Not yours. I don't know what you two had going on and I've tried to keep quiet and hold my tongue this entire time. But the truth is, I don't trust you. I don't know what happened with you and Angel. You say that you two were just friends but then how are you the reason that he changed anyways?"

Willow gasps, "What?"

Laney glares at Buffy as Buffy chuckles humorlessly shaking her head.

"Oh sister dearest didn't tell you?"

Xander frowns looking between the two, "Tell us what?"

"That she was the reason Angel turned. Not me. He lost his soul because of his relationship with Laney. He loved me... but obviously he loved you more."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Willow frowns standing beside Buffy.

Laney scoffs throwing her hands up in the air, "This is why! Because all you three do is judge and assume. You don't ask. You don't take into consideration that I was the first friend he has had... ever! That's a different kind of feeling. A different love. I knew if I told any of you that you would take it the wrong way."

"How did you think we would take it?"

"It has nothing to do with you!" Laney yells at Xander, "This was between me and Angel. We didn't even want to be around each other whenever any of you were near because of the mere thought that something had to be going on. Something more. Angel was my friend. And now he's gone. And I know it's my fault and I'm sorry. But I'm not sorry for being his friend. I'm not sorry for being there for him when you doubted him. For talking to him when you hurt him. And he was there for me. When Xander chose Buffy over me, when my ex came back, when nobody was there for me when it was my dead fathers anniversary. Nobody but him, Colby, and Cordy. You three were nowhere to be found. I don't care if you don't trust me. Because I was and will always tell the truth."

"Will you?" Buffy frowns.

Laney chuckles angrily, "Here... how about a little tester. Truth is... I know you kept my hospital stay a secret from Colby."

"Laney it was for yours and his good-" Willow begins to say.

"Was it? Or were you just too much of cowards to handle the situation at hand."

"That's not right-"

"I'll tell you what's not right, Summers. You. The way your brain works. The way you go about things. The way you manipulate and control and just coward away from your duties. Meeting Kendra made me realize how much of a spoiled brat you are. You were given a gift. You are the chosen one. You can stop the bad things of the world. Be a hero that little girls can look up to. But you choose different. You just want everything your way all the time. But you know what... no more."

"What do you mean by that?" Buffy glares as she stands face to face with Laney.

Laney glares back with just as much if not more intensity.

"I will do whatever I have to do, to make sure Angelus doesn't kill anyone that I care about ever again. And if I have to go through you, then so be it."

Without as much as another stare, Laney turns on her heels and strides out of the library. Cordelia groans in exhaustion and hurries after her friend.

Buffy stands with Willow and Xander behind her staring in awe and shock. Buffy shakes her head with her arms crossed over her chest, "I guess we're on our own."

Willow bites her lip before whispering quietly, "What do you wanna do?"

Buffy sighs taking a deep breath, "I-I don't know. What happened to Angel wasn't his fault."

Xander angrily paces, "Yeah, but what happened to Ms. Calendar is."

Buffy and Willow stare at him in disbelief.

Xander looks at the two very coldly, "As much as what Laney said hurt, it was true. We are cowards. We haven't been a team. And we won't be until we figure out the right thing to do. Now, you can paint this any way you want. But the way I see it is that you wanna forget all about Ms. Calendar's murder so you can get your boyfriend back."

Buffy refuses to listen to any more of this, and walks out of the library. Willow and Giles just stare at Xander in surprise and shock. He walks back to his chair at the table.

...

"He can't come back..."

Cordelia sighs sadly as she rubs Laney's back as the girl sobs face down on her lap.

"I don't want him to. After everything he's done."

"Angelus..."

Laney shakes her head, "I cannot look him in the eyes and not see the monster anymore. To truly just push away what his evil self has done. He killed someone dear to us, made me think he murdered my boyfriend, and put me in the hospital... I'm scared. I'm truly terrified."

"Laney I don't think he truly wants to kill you."

Laney sits up quickly, "That's just it, Cordy. He doesn't. He wants to do worse. He wants me to be like Drusilla. He wants to ruin me. To change me... I-I can't do this. I miss him so much but I'm so scared. What if it doesn't work? He tricked me once... twice really. He could trick us again. Then kill you all and leave me to suffer alone."

Cordelia frowns as a tear slides down her cheek, "But if they do this it could save you."

Laney feels a bad pit in her stomach and shakes her head, "If they don't kill Angelus now, we're all going to be sorry."

...

Later that night, Laney sits on the edge of her bed holding a necklace in hand while staring at it frowning. She stares at the heart that had been wrapped around two hands holding one another.

"I'm so sorry... but you can't come back. We have to stop you for good. Make sure that you never hurt anyone again... please don't hate me."

TAP TAP

Laney leaps up in fright as she hears something hit her window. She holds her chest and tries to catch her breath as she walks over to the window. Looking out she smiles and pulls the window frame up. She helps the person inside and pulls them into a hug.

"What are you doing here, Ken-doll?"

Kendra smiles at the nickname that had grown on her and moves back slightly, "My watcher sent me back. Something about a dark power rising."

Laney curses, "I knew it... we have to do something Kendra. Maybe you can knock some sense into everybody."

Kendra frowns now taking in Laney's entire figure. Her eyes were red and face blotchy from crying. Her arm in a cast as well as her leg.

"What happened to you?"

"It's a long story."

Kendra sits down on Laney's bed and pats a spot beside her, "Believe me, I have time. But first before you talk about dem... what about you? Are you okay?"

Laney freezes and looks down at her hand before smiling sadly. She sits down beside Kendra and sighs, "Only a handful of people have asked me that... and one of them is now the bad guy. Kendra I'm so totally not okay. Not at all. I want to show everyone that I am. I want to be strong. I want to be emotionless, but I'm not. And it sucks."

"You're human, Laney. There is nothing wrong with you. You don't have to be perfect."

"But I do... because if I was, then all this would be so easy. Everything would be easier... Sometimes I wonder what life would be like before I opened my locker and found that dead body. I wonder what would happen if Buffy never came to Sunnydale. But then I remember that I would never meet you, or Colby. That I wouldn't have Giles as a parental figure... that Cordy and I would still be the bitches of the school. Never growing and learning... becoming better. I would never meet Angel... but seeing how everything is now. It makes me feel like maybe that would've been better."

...

In Angelus' mansion, he and Drusilla walk in across the marble floor to where Spike is sitting in his wheelchair, staring at the obelisk set in front of the huge fireplace.

"It's a big rock. I can't wait to tell my friends. They don't have a rock this big."

Angelus chuckles, "Spike, boy, you never did learn your history."

Spike glares, "Let's have a lesson, then."

Angelus strolls to the obelisk, "Acathla the demon came forth to swallow the world. He was killed by a virtuous knight who pierced the demon's heart before he could draw a breath to perform the act. Acathla turned to stone, as demons sometimes do, and was buried," He turns to face Spike, "where neither man nor demon would want to look. Unless of course they're putting up low-rent housing. Boys..."

The two vampires reach up with crowbars and pry open the tomb. The lid crashes to the floor, stirring up plenty of dust. Inside is a tall, horned, stockily built stone demon with a sword protruding from the right side of its chest. Upon seeing him Drusilla closes her eyes, raises her hands to the sides of her head and begins to sway it back and forth.

"He fills my head. I can't hear anything else."

Spike stares ahead, "Let me guess. Someone pulls out the sword..."

"Someone worthy..." Angelus replies.

Spike frowns, "Mm. The demon wakes up, and wackiness ensues."

Drusilla opens her eyes, lowers her arms, "He will swallow the world."

Angelus smirks, "And every creature living on this planet will go to Hell."

He walks up to Acathla for a closer look, and turns to face the others with an evil smile.

"My friends... we're about to make history... end."

...

Giles comes out of his office into the main room where Buffy and Kendra are waiting at the table. Willow is behind the counter, researching in a book.

Laney stands at the doorway of the office far from her sister and Buffy. She didn't even want to look at either of them. It was always what Buffy wanted. What she thought was best. No matter if that seemed like the worst idea ever or not. And the fact that her feelings weren't even considered showed her that she would now keep to herself and never trust them the same ever again.

Giles leans on the table groaning, "I've been on the phone to the museum. The artifact in question is missing, and the curator has been murder. Vampires."

Buffy frowns, "And you're sure this was the tomb of Alfalfa?"

Laney rolls her eyes, "Acathla... gosh if you even paid somewhat a slight bit of attention-"

"Laney... not now." Giles says with a pleading tone.

Laney looks at the older man who had slowly become like a father to her. She sighs and nods then looks away from the group.

Giles continues, "And yes, the information provided by Kendra's Watcher seems conclusive."

He straightens back up. Willow walks out from behind the counter.

"Okay, somebody explain the whole 'he will suck the world into Hell' thing, because that's the part I'm not loving."

Laney scoffs before chuckling to herself at how slow Willow and Buffy seemed to be in the face of disaster.

Willow looks to her sister and frowns. She had no idea that her older sister would show so much distaste and anger towards her just because they disagreed with one another.

Giles puts on his glasses as he sits at the table, "Well, the, uh, the Demon Universe exists in a dimension separate from our own. With one breath, Acathla will create a vortex, a-a kind of, um... whirlpool that will pull everything on Earth into that dimension, where any non-demon life will suffer horrible and... eternal torment."

Buffy smiles nervously, "So that would be the literal kind of 'sucked into Hell'. Neat..."

Laney smiles sarcastically, "It's almost as if by learning this we should stop him now before he actually figures out how to awaken Acathla."

Buffy frowns and turns to Willow, "Willow, I think you should try the curse."

Kendra clears her throat, "I tend to side with Laney and your friend Xander on this one. Angel should be eliminated."

Buffy shakes her head, "Oh, I'll fight him. I'll kill him if I have to. But if I don't get there in time, or if I lose, then Willow might be our only hope."

Willow snaps her head to Buffy taken aback, "I don't wanna be our only hope! Uh, I crumble under pressure! Let's have another hope."

"We have." Kendra pulls a sword from her bag, "Blessed by the knight who first slew the demon." Giles looks at the sword, intrigued, "If all else fails, this might stop it. I tink."

Giles approaches and slowly takes the sword from Kendra, "Ooh. May I? May I? Thank you. Well, l-let's, uh, hope all else doesn't fail."

He turns to Willow, "Um, how close are you to f-figuring out the ritual of the curse?"

Willow goes to her pack and picks up some papers and reads, "I need about a day, and... an 'Orb of Thesulah'? Whatever that is."

Giles turns to Laney who is staring at the sword with slight interest. He holds out the sword to her. She looks at him in question making him nod towards the sword. Taking a deep breath, Laney reaches for it. Just as her finger grazes the handle, she gasp slowly and feels herself being pulled into a vision of some kind.

In her head she sees Angel standing in front of Acathla. He is suddenly stabbed and his face shows betrayal. As he is pushed into the stone rock, Laney comes back to and frowns.

She looks around seeing Giles walk past her into the office and the three girls still by the table not paying her any attention. She gulps lightly and looks down at sword in her hand. She quickly walks over to the table and throws it down. Kendra gives her a look as if asking her was she okay.

Laney nods with a fake smile and quickly walks away and stands by herself behind the counter. She pulls out a piece of paper and begins to jot down what just happened to her. Hiding it in a book that had been checked out under her name, she puts it under the desk. Just in case she needed it in the future and forgot what had just happened to her.

"Spirit vault for rituals of the undead. I've got one. I-I've been using it as a... paperweight."

"One of the most powerful things in the world and you've been using it as decoration?" Laney mutters.

Willow frowns looking to Buffy, "This means I can't help you study for tomorrow's final."

"Ah, I'll wing it. Of course, if we go to Hell by then, I won't have to take 'em." Buffy then stares worried, "Or maybe I'll be taking them forever."

Giles comes back with the Orb, "Angel has a ritual of his own to perform before he can remove the sword and awaken Acathla. With any luck, it should take some time."

Buffy stares at the Orb as Giles hands it to Willow.

"Well then let's do this."

...

Two vampires drag in a young man, barefoot and bare-chested with his hands tied behind his back. They drop him to the floor before Spike, Angelus and Drusilla.

Angelus comes toward the young man, "I will drink... the blood will wash in me, over me, and I will be cleansed. I will be worthy to free Acathla." He looks at Spike and Drusilla, "Bear witness... as I ascend..." He looks ahead and morphs into his game face, "as I become."

He grabs the man by the hair and lifts him up, holding his head at an angle to expose his neck. He roars and bites the young man hard and fast on the neck. He drinks deeply, brings up his hand to brush it against the man's wound and then lets him fall to the floor dead. He looks at the blood on his hand. He lowers it and starts to walk slowly toward Acathla.

"Everything that I am, everything that I have done, has led me here."

He approaches Acathla, still vamped out.

"I have strayed, I have been lost. But Acathla redeems me. With this act, we will be free."

He grabs the hilt of the sword with both hands. A blindingly bright light emanates from it. Drusilla smiles and bathes herself in it.

Angelus begins to shake with the power of the sword.

He holds onto the sword tightly, trying to draw it out of Acathla. It won't budge, and a moment later a bright red flame bursts from the sword, throwing Angelus back and onto the floor.

Spike chuckles before saying in sing-song teasing way, "Someone wasn't worthy."

Angelus scrambles to his feet angrily, "Damn it!"

Drusilla moans freaking out, "This is so... disappointing!"

Angelus paces angrily, "There must be something I missed. The incantations, the blood... I don't know!"

Spike tries hard to suppress a snicker, hiding his mouth with his hand.

Drusilla begins whining, "What are we going to do?"

Angelus looks ahead menacingly, "What we always do in a time of trouble: turn to an old friend... or two."

Hope returns to Drusilla's eyes.

Angelus smiles viciously, "We'll have our Armageddon. I swear!"

He grabs a vase from a shelf and heaves it at the far wall, smashing it into hundreds of tiny pieces.

...

Next day at Sunnydale high, Willow, Buffy, Xander, Cordelia, Laney and the rest of the class are taking one of their final exams. Everyone is intent on it. Buffy looks up and glances around briefly, then turns her attention back on her paper.

In the hall, there are very few students. A mysterious figure with a shawl over its head walks slowly toward the room where the team is taking their test. The few students who pass don't take any notice.

Everyone in the classroom is concentrating on the test, and no one notices as the vampire comes in and pulls the shawl away from its face.

"Tonight... Sundown..." Everyone looks up, "At the graveyard..."

The teacher gets up, "Excuse me..."

Exposed now to the daylight, the vampire begins to smoke.

"You will come to him." She takes the shawl off, "You will come to him or more will die."

She points at Buffy and ignites. Buffy watches, taken aback by the vampire's direct approach at delivering her message.

"Tonight!"

The students scream, jump out of their chairs and begin to run from the room. Cordelia and Xander also jump up, but don't run. Buffy remains calmly in her seat.

Laney curses looking between the flaming vampire and the frozen Slayer, "Oh fuck..."

"His hour is at hand!"

She combusts in a flash of flame and smoke. Buffy just stares at the empty space before her.

The Scooby Gang all hurry into the library after everyone had run out the school. It was said there was an intruder who set themself on fire. But only the Scooby gang truly knew what was happening.

Xander, Cordelia and Willow are researching at the table. Kendra approaches with her sheathed sword. Giles, Laney, and Buffy are up on the mezzanine.

"She said more would die. I have to go."

Kendra walks up the stairs, "Den I should go wit you."

Buffy faces Kendra, "No. I need you here just in case. I can take care of myself."

Laney shakes her head frowning, "Unless it's another trap. Does no one else feel the Deja vu?"

Buffy sighs, "Look, as long as Angel's fighting me, then he can't do this end-of-the-world ritual thingy, and that's a good."

The four walk down the stairs and stand at the table. Buffy frowns looking at Willow in worry.

"Will, what do you think?"

Willow looks over her research, "I just want to cross-check..."

Buffy shakes her head biting her lip, "We don't have time. If this is gonna work, it has to work now."

Willow nods, "Okay. Then I need maybe half an hour once we're all set up."

Giles looks at the shelves, "Which means you just have to hold Angel off. Don't let him close on you." He pulls out a book, "If the curse succeeds, you'll, you'll know."

He tosses the book down to Xander. Xander checks the title, and hands it to Willow.

Cordelia peeks over at Laney who looked tense as she looked towards the window.

"Why don't you just wait here to find out if it worked, see if he phones you?"

Buffy walks past Cordelia frowning, "I can't risk him killing any more people. I better go."

Starts out and freezes as Xander says, "Be careful...", she turns around and looks at him grateful then peeks over at Laney and shakes her head seeing the girl still hadn't even looked her way.

"I will."

"Here..."

Kendra grabs a stake from the table. Buffy stops and looks back. Kendra goes over to her and holds up the twisted but very sharp stake.

"In case de curse does not succeed, dis is my lucky stake. I have killed many vampires wit it. I call it Mr. Pointy."

"You named your stake?"

Kendra chuckles a bit embarrassed, "Yes."

Buffy smiles, "Remind me to get you a stuffed animal." She accepts the stake from Kendra and looks it over, "Thanks."

Kendra exhales finally feeling the worry that Laney was probably right about everything. But she couldn't tell Buffy that. The girl would still go. It wouldn't even matter.

"Watch your back."

Buffy leaves the library.

...

Buffy walks through the cemetary, watching all around as she goes. Angelus walks out from behind a small mausoleum.

"Hello, lover. I wasn't sure you'd come."

Buffy chuckles in annoyance, "After your immolation-o-gram? Come on, I had to show. Shouldn't you be out destroying the world right now, pulling the sword out of Al Franken or whatever his name is?"

"There's time enough. I wanted to say goodbye first. You are the one thing in this dimension I will miss."

"This is a beautiful moment we're having. Can we please fight?"

Angelus takes a slow step down from the mausoleum and sighs, "I didn't come here to fight."

Buffy raises her eyebrows, "No?"

"Gosh, I was hoping we could get back together. What do you think? Do we have a shot?" He gets a look from Buffy and smiles evilly, "Alright. We'll fight."

He rushes at her.

Back at the library, Willow is sitting cross-legged on the table. Before her is the Orb of Thesulah within a sacred circle and surrounded by candles, bones and stones. Willow casts some stones. She looks at them and then gives Giles a nod. He opens a book and reads the Latin text.

"Quod perditum est, invenietur."

Translation: What is lost, return.

Cordelia swirls incense into the air while Xander watches and Laney paces gripping tightly onto a small katana she had found in Giles' weaponry.

"'Not dead nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum I call...'"

Buffy ducks a punch from Angelus and comes up behind him. He spins around to block her return swing. He blocks another jab from her, and punches her in the face. He follows up with a left hook, and Buffy loses her balance and nearly falls down. Angelus grabs her by the back of her coat and throws her over onto the grounds. She rolls away and onto her back, and looks up at him.

"Come on, Willow." Buffy mutters as she swiftly gets back to her feet to continue fighting.

Kendra guards the main doors sneaking peeks at Laney who had been looking towards the back window since Buffy left.

Willow sits still continuing on with the spell, "'Let him know the pain of humanity, gods. Reach your wizened hands to me. Give me the sword...'"

Suddenly a vampire comes out from the stacks and attacks Xander from behind. Laney curses turning towards the Vamp and slicing his arm making him let go of Xander. The main doors fly open, and Kendra spins around to defend as two more vampires walk in.

Giles points to the steps and yells at the girls as a fourth vampire appears from the stacks.

"Get out! Go!"

Willow and Cordelia make for the stairs. Kendra punches the first of the two vampires to reach her. The fourth one jumps over the mezzanine railing and lands on Giles' back, knocking him into the table.

Cordelia and Willow run up the stairs and see Xander elbow the vampire on his back, knocking the demon into a bookcase. Laney seeing that Kendra needs help, runs over to the three and grabs one shoving her into a wall. The first one gets up and rushes in to fight as Kendra gets back up.

Willow runs around behind the stacks to try to escape. Cordelia is frozen in fright. Giles grabs a vase from the table and smashes it over his attacker's head. Xander's assailant rushes him again seeing as Laney was nowhere around, but Xander sidesteps him. He spins around, grabs Xander and shoves him into a bookcase.

Laney stabs one vamp in the chest making them fall to the ground. Another vamp breaks through the glass window in the weaponry cage and leaps down into the room.

"I don't wanna say I told you guys so... but god dammit I told you guys so!" Laney yells as she runs over to the new vamp that had joined the party.

As Kendra fights the one that has been stabbed, the other down below hops up onto the table, runs across it and leaps over the railing above. Willow sees him coming, and hides behind a bookcase. The vampire doesn't stop and just pushes the case over onto Willow. She falls to the floor, and the books and case land on top of her, knocking her out.

"Willow!" Laney yells out as she sees her sister under a bookcase.

The vampire takes this distraction and yanks the weapon from her hands. It then backhands her and kicks her into the weaponry cage. Laney hits the case of daggers and knives then falls onto the ground. The vamp slams the door closed and hurries over to fight Kendra once more. Laney whimpers holding her side as she slowly gets up on all four. She brings her hand to her waist and shakily brings her hand into sight. Her now bloody hand revealed that she had been hurt. Looking down at her waist she sees a small dagger sticking out her side. She screams out in pain as she quickly yanks it out.

The vampire Kendra is fighting ducks her swing. Xander's opponent grabs his arm, loops his own around it tightly and pulls down, breaking it. Xander yells out in pain.

Kendra ducks a roundhouse kick from her enemy and blocks several swings. Xander grabs his tormenter's hair and smashes his head down on the railing.

Below Giles ducks a swing and punches the vampire in the gut. Kendra lands two punches in the face of her attacker. Giles pounds his assailant on the back, but he just roars and spins around with a punch to Giles' face, knocking him out. Xander picks the dazed vampire up and shoves him into the other one going at Cordelia, knocking him down.

"Go!" He grabs his broken arm and winces in pain. Cordelia screams and runs out through the stacks.

Xander watches Kendra's opponent punch her in the face, but Kendra ducks and backs into her and comes up holding back the vampire's head. She plunges her stake into her heart, and she bursts into ashes.

Xander winces again in pain. Willow lies prone under the fallen bookcase. Kendra looks around for her next target. She sees the one going for Giles, and rushes over to pull him off. She shoves him around to the floor. He tries to get up, but she just punches him back down. He tries again, and she grabs him and throws him through the window into Giles' office. Just then another one tackles her from the side.

At the cemetery, Buffy punches Angelus, but he takes it in stride.

She swings again, but he grabs her arm and holds on tight. She swings with the other one, but he grabs it, too, and then pushes her away.

Angelus frowns, "Jeez, is it me, or is your heart not in this?"

Buffy pulls out Kendra's stake.

"Maybe I'll just go home, destroy the world."

"Well, I think Mr. Pointy'll have something to say about that. Come on. Let's finish this. You and me."

Angelus chuckles shaking his head, "Y-you never learn, do you? This wasn't about you."

Buffy freezes remembering the same words she had said to Laney a day ago.

Angelus smirks holding his arms out beside him, "This was never about you."

She realizes the trap was set for the others, and begins to run.

"And you fall for it every single time!"

A vampire punches Kendra, and she stumbles, but regains her footing. Up in the stacks the other one comes at Xander and punches him in the face, knocking him out. Laney holds onto the gate pulling herself to stand as she yanks on the locked door.

"Fuck!" She tries to pull at it more as she sees Kendra fall to the ground after being hit with a roundhouse kick.

The library doors swing open, and Drusilla walks in. The vampire tries to kick Kendra, but she blocks it and swings out with her leg, tripping him, and gets back to her feet to face the other two, the one that came down from above, the other one now back out of Giles' office. Laney shakes the cage door now running on adrenaline feeling it slightly move as she watches all the vamps surround her friend. The third one is up again also, and they close in on her, but before any more fighting can ensue Drusilla claps her hands.

"Enough."

She bids Kendra come hither with her waving fingers. The other three just back off. Kendra faces Drusilla, ready to fight.

"Don't! Leave her alone! Ugh you just wait until I get out of here! You bitch!"

Drusilla smiles at Laney as walks around Kendra, "Hush dear one. Or you'll be next."

Kendra kicks at her, but Drusilla blocks her easily, as well as two follow-up swings. She punches Kendra and sends her spinning to the floor.

Down the street, Buffy runs like mad to get to the school.

Drusilla ducks a kick from Kendra and grabs her by the arms. She swings her around and shoves her away. Kendra comes back at her again with a kick to the gut, and Drusilla doubles over for an instant. Kendra lunges at her, but Drusilla grabs her by the throat and forces her back against the counter, gripping hard and choking her.

"No! Kendra!"

Drusilla smirks, "Look at me, Dearie."

She waves two extended fingers before Kendra's eyes and begins to hypnotize her.

"Be... in my eyes. Be... in me."

She lets go, and Kendra is completely under her spell. She sways back and forth a bit, and Kendra follows her every move to stay in contact with her eyes. Drusilla backs away slightly, lowering her arms and never losing eye contact.

Buffy races through a park, leaping a bench as she runs.

Kendra continues to sway with Drusilla. Drusilla extends out the fingers of her right hand at her side. She smiles evilly as she swings her hand up and slices Kendra's neck with her sharp nails.

"No!!!" Laney yells yanking at the door as she watches in horror.

Kendra grabs at her neck as it begins to bleed heavily, and collapses to the floor. Drusilla watches her fall, and turns to look down at her.

"Night-night."

She kisses the air above her and turns to her accomplices.

"Let's get what we came for, dears."

Two of them grab an unconscious Giles by the arms and drag him from the library.

"Giles! No! Ugh, you stupid little puppet!"

Drusilla slowly walks over to the cage and grabs the lock pulling it swiftly. Laney kicks at the door making it hit Drusilla. The vampire stumbles backwards as Laney quickly stabs the other vampire in the throat with the dagger. The vampire grunts out in pain feeling blood run down it's neck. Drusilla groans angrily before standing up straight and grabbing Laney's hand that was about to punch her. She yanks the girl forward and holds up two fingers just as she did to Kendra.

"Be still... be in my eyes... be in me..."

Laney freezes and stares blankly as Drusilla smirks. But just as Drusilla opens her mouth to say something she feels her head snap backwards as Laney headhunts her. The two both groan holding their heads.

"You foolish little girl!"

Drusilla stands up and is about to hit Laney but smirks as she sees another vampire accomplice grab a hefty book and smacks the slayerette with it. The girl drops to the ground unconscious making the vampire quickly grab her body and throw it over his shoulder.

"Let's go home."

Buffy runs across the school grounds. She throws open the front doors and rushes in. As she rounds a corner the scene slows. Buffy runs down the hall in slow motion.

Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments.

Buffy barges into the library and stops.

No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does.

She looks around at the damage, and then sees Kendra lying on the floor. She runs to her, still in slow motion, and skids down next to her on her knees. She sees that she's gone, and takes her hand.

So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.

Buffy reaches up to Kendra's face with her other hand and strokes it gently. Behind her a police officer raises his gun at her.

"Freeze!"

Buffy looks back at him, seemingly caught red-handed.

You'll see what I mean.

Guys... season 2 has literally one more chapters left!! I'm so excited!! Well not happy excited but I'm so ready to finish this season. It was a world wind for sure.

Next chapter is definitely full of surprises. Be prepared with tissues and a pillow. There's going to be a lot of unpack.

How are we feeling right now?

Did we enjoy this chapter? It was super long and I actually loved writing it. Maybe my next one will be as long as well.

Favorite characters?

Least?

Who would you side with in all the arguments? Who was bringing up good points?

I'm actually crying because Ken doll was brought back just to die at the hands of Drusilla. What a waste 😭 I hated Drusilla after this. It was not fair.

Colby is almost here... 😔 is that good? We will find out.

How do we feel about everything Laney was experiencing this chapter? Do you think her having visions is kinda cool? Or do we not like it?

Buffy never learns... she told Laney it wasn't all about her but really none of this was about Buffy. It was about Laney and Giles.

Future predictions for the next chapter?

Any special requests...