School Hard

Libby turned over and clutched the comforter close to her chest. Light had begun to sneak in through the dark curtains and it awoke the new arrival. She rolled over on her back. The constellation poster she put on the ceiling was losing its glow. Monday had risen. There was no going back, the Hellmouth awaited.

Crawling to her knees, Libby leaned to the right and opened the curtains. She tilted her head. A sunny day in Sunnydale. She couldn't decide if that was cute or cliché. Libby slid back down and stared at connecting white lines of the constellation poster. It was more comforting at night, falling asleep to the glow and thinking how her family might be looking at the same stars. In the morning it just depressed her. Twisting her head to the left, Libby stared at the alarm clock on a weathered black nightstand. In three minutes it would go off.

A single sunray glinted against the glass of the first photo of the Scooby Gang together. A smile tugged at her lips. They were all sitting on a low, rectangular tombstone at dusk. Buffy had a wrapped arm around her neck, their faces pressed together with wide grins. Xander leaned in next to Libby with Willow leaning against Buffy. It was taken Saturday, before arriving back to Giles' apartment to set up her room. The photo gave Libby comfort, as her first weekend there was thankfully enough fun to help wind down her worries and start to come to terms with her new situation. Therefore, Libby decided to try and relish the fact that she got to live in her favorite TV show instead of being paranoid and afraid of what could and would happen.

The buzzer of the alarm sounded and forced Libby to shove the covers off. Crossing the narrow room to the opposite side of her bed, she pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans along with the needed undergarments. They were higher on the waist then she was used to with more of a flare at the foot, but they were fitting and somehow complimented her well. Libby walked down the length of the room, stopping to peek through the wooden separator to make sure Giles wasn't in the hall to accidently catch her in her lime, white polka dotted bra, and reached the closet. She opened the small double doors, hitting the cranberry swivel love seat. It was a weirdly long room, but not a very wide one. Libby pulled out a moss green tunic off the hanger and put it on. She almost felt normal, especially when she put on the converse sneakers.

However, after finishing up in the bathroom, she realized there was one thing missing. Libby returned to her room and faced the wall on the right, opposite the lean, dark bookcase that stretched over more than half on the other side. It was where Giles stored all the books he didn't regularly need – or rather rarely ever needed – much like the entire purpose of the room. Libby had spent most of Sunday evening making collages and covering the shelves with them. But that wasn't what she needed. In front of her was a black storage cabinet with baskets underneath the drawers. Resting on top were five things: a silver stereo on the right with a green ivy mask leaning on its antenna, a pack of free tarot cards given by the magic shop owner behind several little clay animal figurines, and a jewelry set on the left. It was the mannequin necklace holder that held Libby's attention. Amidst several hanging pendants was one given to her by Buffy, a petite gold cross with smooth corners. She told Libby it was the first cross she got after she became the Slayer and that it would bring Libby luck. Taking the necklace from its hook, she clipped the thin chain around her neck.

"Libby? A–Are you quite ready?" Giles called out to her from the living room. "We'll need to, uh, to be leaving soon."

She grabbed her coffee brown and lilac messenger bag off the railing of the foot of her bed and headed out, not bothering to refold the door separator. "Yeah, I'm ready. In theory."

Libby scrunched her nose in an anxious smile, but Giles countered, "I'm sure you will be just fine. It's unlikely you'll have to face anything, well – erm – paranormal, on your first day."

The protector looked over at her new watcher as he started the car. "Unlikely, but not highly unlikely?"

Giles shrugged. "It is the Hellmouth."

Libby walked up the path to the school with Giles and while he was giving her the longest pep talk, all she could do was stare at the infamous Sunnydale High. Everything was set, the enrollment papers and transcripts, school supplies, and miscellaneous necessities were all ready for her to hand in to Snyder, but Libby couldn't help but feel anxious. Up until this point, none of it was real.

Then Giles left her outside the principal's office. Libby began to pace and tapped her nails on the back of a textbook. If she was this nervous about confronting Snyder with school papers how the hell was she going to handle being attacked by vampires? Consistently? The door swung open in mid-thought and Buffy walked passed Libby, sharing a look of concern.

"You!" Snyder called.

Libby jumped and walked over to the front of his desk.

"What is your business?" he stared her down, already judging her to be a nuisance merely because she seemed to know Ms. Summers.

Libby gulped and answered, "I'm here to enroll, sir."

She handed him the file folder filled with the forms Willow forged and he snatched it so fast Libby thought at least two of his fingers should have been cut. He scanned them over multiple times, every so often glancing up at her like she was a criminal ready to steal something off his desk. Libby remained indifferent on the outside, but her insides were ready to jump out of her skin.

The rat of a principal practically slammed her folder down on top of some other paper work and turned to his computer. His stumpy fingers pattered on the keys and in a matter of moments he turned to stand in front of Libby.

"You will maintain your B average, continue with your extra curriculars, and stay away from those two troublemakers or you're out." His voice wasn't as threatening as Libby thought it might be, but nonetheless she would obey two out of three.

Snyder handed his newest student her new class schedule and stated, "You're lucky I let you in at all without a parent present, but since you're record is clean and your uncle is our librarian, I have no choice but to welcome you to my school."

Libby smiled and thanked him even though his voice indicated that he could care less about welcoming her. She headed toward the main door where she knew the trio would be and looked over her schedule. Standard math, science, history and English with a side of French, choir and gym. Nothing changed there. Libby walked outside into the warm sun and smiled when saw her new group of friends waiting for her by the door.

"Do you think any other slayers had to go to high school?" Buffy whined with her pouty lip.

"Maybe, but they didn't go to school here so you have the right to vent," Libby answered with a tight-lip grin.

"Hey! How did the files work out?" Willow asked in anticipation.

"They worked out great! Thank you so much, Willow."

"Well, on behalf of all students who hate it here," Xander announced with his arms out wide, "We welcome you and hope that you don't die or go insane."

Libby laughed as he gave her a quick hug and said, "As strange as you sound Xander, I really do appreciate it. Thanks."

"Let me see your classes," Buffy squealed, grabbing it right out of Libby's hand. "You have math with Willow, English and science and gym with all of us, history with Xander, French with me and Willow, and choir." She looked up at Libby intrigued. "You sing?"

"Depends on who you ask," Libby joked. She never saw herself as a talented singer even though her family and friends tried to tell her otherwise.

"We're gonna have to plan a karaoke night now," Xander joked with a goofy grin.

"Oh that's so not gonna happen," Libby giggled in sarcastic seriousness.

"It would be more fun than planning parent-teacher night," Buffy sighed in dread.

"You're gonna do great and we'll help if you want," Willow offered with a reassuring smile.

Buffy smiled at her generous best friend as she hooked arms with a nodding-in-agreement Libby.

"Don't worry about it, Buff," Xander added. "It's no big deal. You'll have a nice soirée, the parents will love it. As long as nothing bad happens between now and then you'll be fine."

All three girls stopped and stared at him in complete disappointment and horror.

"Are you crazy?" Buffy exclaimed. "Why would you say that? Now something bad is gonna happen!"

"What you mean? Nothing's gonna happen," Xander countered wanting to fix what he said wrong.

"Not until some dummy says, 'as long as nothing bad happens,'" Willow corrected sternly.

"It's the ultimate jinx!" Buffy informed further with anxiety.

"What were you thinking? Or were you even thinking at all?" Willow yelled as if to scold a child with no common sense.

"They got you, Xander, sorry," Libby shrugged at his defeat. "Parent-teacher night is doomed."

Buffy sighed as Willow rolled her eyes and the girls walked off, leaving Xander to hold his backpack in fear and guilt.

"You guys don't know. Maybe this time it'll be different."

As Buffy and Libby walked home from school together, the slayer talked about how Snyder has it in for her, how her mother is still disappointed in her, and that she had a bad feeling about parent-teacher night. All the while, Libby walked along next to her listening as well as thinking about something else entirely. She knew that Buffy wouldn't get expelled Thursday and her mother would be proud, but Libby was still trying to figure out how the hell she was supposed to live and function in a fictional world.

The protector had to devise a way of being the new 'knowing' power for them all, but at the same time keep the series down the same or similar path it's supposed to be on. Libby thought the best way was advise more than flat out tell, so she would stick to that for the time being.

"So what do you think is going to happen on Thursday?" Buffy asked nervously. She needed everything to go well or she was royally screwed.

Putting her idea to the test, Libby answered, "Everything and nothing you're expecting, but it all ends up okay."

Buffy frowned and asked, "Really? Spare any details?"

"Well, you're mom won't be disappointed in you by the end of the night."

At that, Buffy gave her a hopeful smile and Libby breathed a little easier.

"Ow!" Buffy whined as she brushed her blonde locks.

"Still tangled huh?" Libby asked, trying to conceal a giggle.

"Stupid cream rinse formula," the slayer mumbled as she pulled through another tangle.

Libby went back to finishing the last of her homework and stuffing the rest of her papers into her bag against Buffy's bed. The girls had managed to convince Mrs. Summers into letting Libby spend the night, which was slightly out of the norm as it was a school night.

Libby froze and her head darted to her closed bedroom door, which made Buffy stiffen in front of her mirror.

"What?" Buffy whispered.

"I think your mom's coming," Libby hissed.

"So?"

"So, it's not a conversation I should be in here for," she answered and dove into the closet. It was surprisingly clean, but still dark and cramped with clothes and shoes.

The slayer was at a loss of what to do and awkwardly went back to brushing her hair like her protector didn't just plunge into her closet for no reason.

"Ow!" Buffy whined again.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked as she entered her daughter's room.

"I spent a good part of my allowance on this new cream rinse and it's neither creamy nor rinsey." Buffy complained.

"Life is hard dear."

"Don't I know it. Is that a split end?"

"Where's Libby?"

"Uh, she's in the bathroom…"

"Oh, good. Well, I got the mail," Mrs. Summers informed with her parental tone.

"Good." Buffy replied, trying to avoid the conversation she knew was coming next.

"Which included a reminder notice about parent-teacher night Thursday."

"Oh, that's good." Damnit.

"Which you were planning on telling me about?" Joyce pried.

Buffy turned to face her mother, hoping Libby wouldn't suffocate in the closet since this talk could take a while. "Oh, for the last two weeks…"

"Uh huh, so, what do you think your teachers are going to tell me about you?"

The young blonde went to sit on the bed, trying to keep the dialogue going with few pauses. That way, it would be over faster. She hated these talks. The look in her mom's eyes was full of disappointment and distrust that it hurt to even look at her sometimes. If she would only understand what was going on, everything could be so much better.

"Well, I think they'll all agree that I always bring a pen to class ready to absorb the knowledge."

Joyce knew her daughter was trying to get out of the school talk so she continued, "And – uh – this absorption rate? How is it reflected in your homework and test scores?"

That I'm slaying vampires instead of studying? "What can you really tell about a person from a test score?"

"Whether or not she's ever going out with her friends again."

"Oh that," Buffy looked at the closet for a moment and wanted to crawl in there next to Libby.

"Well I look forward to meeting your principal."

"Won't that be something…"

Buffy looked down and seeing her daughter in distress, Joyce walked over to sit on the bed with her and said gently, "Look sweetheart, life is more than grades and homework and not getting kicked out of school."

"I know," Buffy said softly.

"But we moved once because of you getting in trouble. I had to start a new business not to mention a new life in a whole new town-"

"And you don't want to do it again," Buffy finished in understanding.

Joyce looked in her daughter's eyes in seriousness and love as she corrected, "What I don't want is to not be disappointed in you again."

You've got to be kidding me! Buffy screamed in her mind. You think I want that? You think I want to live my life like this? "Mom that is the last thing that I want too." Buffy said in earnest. "I'm trying, I really am it's just…I have a lot of pressure on me right now."

Trying to sympathize, Joyce placed her hand over her daughter's and said, "Wait till you get a job." She got up and left the room saying, "Sleep tight."

Buffy followed her out and closed the door, turning around to see a thoughtful Libby.

"I have a job," she sighed solemnly.

"Yeah, but you're not the only one who does now," Libby tried to smile reassuringly.

Buffy sat back down on the bed next to her and plopped her golden head on her protector's shoulder complimenting, "You're here three days and you can already make me feel better."

"I know what might help," Libby perked up, "We should have a girls night with Willow and we can sneak Xander in if you want."

Buffy looked at her interested, but made it obvious that she needed more pitching just for fun.

"We can make a junk food run, pick up a whole bunch of movies at Blockbuster, teepee Snyder's house! Maybe sometime next week? It could be fun."

"You have a brilliant mind," Buffy giggled in agreement.

The next morning, Buffy, Libby, Willow and Xander all gathered in the school lounge to help Buffy with the parent-teacher night banners. It was a relatively clean workspace, but the process was incredibly dull.

"Sheila's a no show?" Willow asked as she helped Buffy paint in the letters on a banner. "She goes to this really rank bar, the Fish Tank. Sometimes they have raids and other things that can make you tardy."

"I guess that means they don't card," Libby laughed to herself.

"Doubtful," Willow answered with a grin. "But Sheila's not much for helping or niceness or being around to try either."

"Do you think you can help me with some French tonight?" Buffy asked her best girl friend. "I don't want Mr. Digon telling my mother I'm an imbecile."

"I thought we were going to the Bronze tonight? Cause how you thought Angel might show?" Willow reminded.

"If he does and meets some other nice girl. Studying comes first!" Xander cut in, wagging a paintbrush at them.

"We're going to the Bronze," Buffy stated.

"And what happens to not getting expelled?" Libby challenged with a smirk.

Buffy straightened herself up as she answered, "I can study and party and do parent teacher night and make my mother proud as long as I don't have to –"

"Buffy!" Giles called out as he came over with Ms. Calendar.

"Fight vampires," finished the slayer as she sent a vexed look over to Libby and Willow.

"There is nothing in the chronicles about an extraneous lunar cycle," the librarian tried to explain.

"The Order never accurately calculated the Mesopotamian calendar!" Jenny argued. "Rupert, you have got to read something that was published after 1066."

"Very funny."

"What's the up, guys?" Xander interrupted.

"Ms. Calendar as been researching, well surfing, on her computer and according to her calculations this Saturday is the night of St. Vigius." Giles told them in seriousness.

"Let me guess," Buffy huffed. "He didn't make balloon animals?"

"He led a crusade of-of vampires. They swept through Edessa, Iran and Points East."

"And they didn't leave much behind." Jenny finished for Giles.

"Well if I survive parent-teacher night tomorrow, I'll see what I can do about Saturday." Buffy announced as she began to go back to her work.

"You're being entirely flip; don't you think this is serious?" Giles urged, standing directly in front of her across the table.

Buffy looked up frustrated and rebutted, "And getting kicked out of school is laughs a plenty?"

"You know what happens when you-" Giles lifted his hands off of the wet paint and continued, "Let your life interfere with your slaying."

"Okay well, if my slaying doesn't get me expelled then I promise my banner making won't get me killed, okay?" Buffy debated. "Besides I have Libby now so can you please just let me get through this week?"

"This Saturday is going to need a great deal of preparation," Giles fought.

"Not really," Libby stated.

They all turned to her, surprised that she actually spoke up. For the past few days, Libby just went with the flow trying to adjust and now she was apart of the Slayer-Watcher conversations.

"And why would you say that?" Giles inquired quizzically.

"My calculations are correct," Jenny butting in defensively.

"I'm not saying you're wrong I'm saying nothing's gonna happen," Libby explained.

"Really?" Buffy asked in a hopeful tone.

"Are you sure of this?" the watcher inquired once more.

Libby thought of how to answer and after a couple of seconds she replied, "Yeah, I just know Saturday isn't gonna be all that battle-y."

"Sounds good to me," Buffy cheered as she went back to painting.

"You cannot be sure," Giles pushed, testing how well Libby could handle herself.

"Yes I can," Libby argued and catching what Giles was up to. With a smile she answered, "It's why I'm here. To be sure in the knowing and helping."

"And I love it!" Buffy smiled.

Giles was about to compliment her, but Jenny grabbed him by the arm and asked, "Shall we leave the kids to work?" as she tilted her head toward Snyder by the water fountain.

"Ah yes we shall," the librarian answered as they scurried away.

The four students turned and faced the stout principal who stomped over in suspicion.

"You wouldn't be helping Buffy in Sheila's place would you?" He asked Willow, Xander and Libby.

"No," Xander chuckled a tad frightened.

"We're hindering," Willow answered and she held her stomach in nerves.

"I'm helping to set a good example to the bad apples," Libby replied enthusiastically as Buffy stifled a giggle at her sister's dry sarcasm.

"She ditched," Snyder realized in joy as he took in an imaginary sweet scent. "I feel an expulsion coming on."

"No, no," Buffy lied. "Sheila's been helping us for hours – um – she just went out to get some more paint.

Winning the perfect timing award, Sheila walked in looking utterly stoned and possibly ready to barf. Libby frowned in disgust at the pointless case standing in the hallway, but Buffy decided to keep covering anyway.

"Oh! Oh, is there no more teal in the art room?" Buffy hurried over to a confused and non-caring Sheila. "I know you wanted everything to be perfect, but let's just go with what we have."

"Just make sure everything is perfect…on Thursday." Snyder barked before turning away from the wretched students.

"Thanks for covering," Sheila moaned in sincerity. "The guy's a serious rodent."

Buffy shrugged and replied with a nonchalant, "No problem."

"Did you really burn down a school building one time?" The punk girl asked genuinely interested.

"Um, not actually one time." Buffy answered in embarrassment.

"Cool."

"Yeah, she's our little bad ass." Libby smirked at Sheila and Buffy flicked some paint at her protector playfully.

Laughing, Sheila asked, "So what does that make you?" She looked over Xander and Willow continuing, "If she's the bad ass, he's the loser, and the redhead's the nerd, then what are you? I mean I've never even seen you around before."

Libby met her gaze straight on and stated, "For your information, Xander is the comic relief and Willow is the genius. As for me, I'm the smart-mouth."

The Scoobies stared at her in disbelief of how quickly the answer came to her as well as the blunt delivery. Buffy had no idea Libby had that in her and they all suspected that there would be more surprises from Libby.

Sheila backed down and chuckled, "I like you."

Libby's glare went back to her thoughtful expression after she rolled her eyes and they all finished decorating the lounge.

The Bronze was remarkable. Libby always wanted a hang out spot like it in her reality, but actually sitting inside this club was more amazing than her world could muster. The energy was full of youth, the lights and the shadows were dancing in tandem, and the live music was actually good.

Buffy and Willow were studying French at their table and Xander was dancing by himself while Libby walked around the entire club. Some spaces were open and others were cramped with people, but all in all it was even better than in the show.

"Guys! I'm all alone out there! Someone has to dance with me," Xander said as he bounded over to his gal pals.

"Well we are studying," Willow informed.

"I'll dance with you," Libby exclaimed as she leaned in over Xander's shoulder, next to Buffy.

"Yeah?" Xander asked excitedly.

"Of course! I mean this is my first time here, we've gotta dance!"

"So who else will dance with us?" Xander urged his other girls.

"We need to study," Willow said again.

"C'mon, one dance!" Xander retorted. "It's Libby's first time at the Bronze and you've been studying for like what, twelve minutes?"

"No wonder my brain's fried! We shall dance the night away in Libby's honor!" Buffy laughed in newfound, slightly sarcastic euphoria.

"C'mon!" Libby said as they all grabbed Willow and dragged her to the dance floor.

Suddenly, the infamous vampire Spike stepped out from the shadows closer to the now empty table and watched the group as they went to dance; time to find the slayer and begin his plot to kill her for his own master plan.

The boy wasn't important to him…

The redhead was of no use to him…

But the blonde…

He sensed her power as he studied her move her hips skillfully to the beat and lift her arms up smoothly in her dancing but wait – Spike stopped in his tracks for a single moment when his eyes fell onto the brilliantly brunette young woman next to the blonde.

She was a different kind of power. New and untamed to his senses. She didn't have the same confident air in her as the blonde, but that meant sweet weakness to him. She was a little bustier, but about as slender. She was a little bit taller, her hair was thicker and longer, eyes deeper-set, and she was filled with a more tantalizing scent he had never smelled before.

Spike didn't know what that girl was, but he knew the beautiful blonde was the slayer and that's what was important to him. Besides, he'd kill them both anyway. He stalked over to one of the Annointed's goons and ordered, "Go get something to eat."

Walking back over to where the group was, Spike called out, "Where's the phone? I need to call the police. There's some big guy out there trying to bite someone!" In an instant, Buffy ran off to the alley with Libby right behind her and Spike smiled victoriously to himself.

Buffy threw the vampire off the girl as Libby rushed over to comfort the traumatized victim.

The vampire got to his feet and growled, "Slayer."

"Slayee," Buffy spat right before she kicked him in the face.

He swung for her head, but she ducked and went to punch him, but the vampire blocked her blows and flung her across the alley and into a wall. Buffy rose to her feet, wary of the vampire coming at her again. She was able to avoid his blow and land many of her own.

Libby ushered the girl over to Xander and Willow shouting, "Get her inside!"

"A stake would be nice!" Buffy added while she repeatedly punched the vamp in the face.

"Here!" Libby yelled, ready to toss it to the slayer.

However, Buffy was knocked to the ground nice and hard. Libby tried to stake him herself but he shoved her away like she weighed two ounces.

The vampire huddled over the slayer and taunted, "I don't need to wait for St. Vigius. You're mine."

Upset that she wasn't helping and got pushed around, Libby swung her hand and was able to make the vamp stumble backwards. Buffy leapt to her feet and Libby threw the stake into her hand from a few feet away.

"Spike! Give me a hand!" The vampire ordered, but it was too late.

Buffy staked him through the heart and he was dust. Clapping sounded from behind them and the girls turned around a bit startled. Spike emerged under the street lamp and declared, "Nice work, pets."

"Who are you?" Buffy asked more timidly than she liked.

"You'll find out on Saturday."

"And what's happening Saturday?" Buffy inquired curiously.

"I kill you both," his voice was steady and soaked in certainty.

As he began to stride away into the darkness, Libby called after him, "Why wait?"

Buffy sharply turned to her protector, but Spike spoke before the slayer had a chance to. "It would be no fun to kill you now," he growled in taunting, thick with his British accent. "I've got this whole thing planned."

Buffy stepped closer to Libby in total alarm and whispered, "What the hell are you doing?"

Foolishly ignoring her, Libby said, "You don't seem like a big thinker let alone a planner to me."

Spike's eyes scorned in insult and Libby had to bite her lip to not laugh. She couldn't believe Spike was standing in front of her. He was one of her favorite characters and there he stood as the new big bad and as evil as ever. Oh right! Libby scolded herself. He's still evil and could actually kill people in season two! Crap!

Spike took three strong paces and stopped right in front of Libby. Buffy immediately backed away to try and find a stake but William the Bloody never broke his demonic stare on Libby.

The protector figured Spike was sizing her up as well as threatening her life, but she couldn't help but study how terrifying he could actually be. He wasn't too tall, but he wasn't short and you could see how strong he was through his clothes. Spike's blue eyes revealed how deadly he could be and his scowl was nothing less than wicked.

"Just you wait, love," Spike's voice rumbled in his throat, causing Libby to break out in goose bumps. "I'll kill you last so you know just how carefully I think things through."

Right as Buffy ran back over to fight him off and stake him, Spike vanished into the darkness of the night.

"What the hell was that?" Buffy demanded again in a shrill and panicked tone. "Did you want to get eaten?"

"Of course not," Libby explained as the adrenaline pumped through her system and caused a sporadic heart rate. "I was – uh – seeing if – um – I forgot that he – erm – I made a mistake, okay? I'm sorry. Really, really sorry."

"Why would you do that in the first place?"

Libby looked down and dragged her foot in the gravel. "I thought he couldn't hurt me."

"What?" Buffy snapped. "Are you crazy? He's a vampire! Of course he can hurt you!"

"You'll get why I thought that later," Libby mumbled.

"Later? Wait, how much longer is he gonna be here?"

"How bout we just focus on the doomed parent-teacher night…"

Buffy rolled her eyes and groaned, "Doomed parent-teacher night? Perfect!"

The Scoobies all gathered in the library preparing for the battle that at least appeared to still be happening on Saturday, on top of Thursday.

"Spike? That's what the other vampire called him?" Giles inquired. "That's a little unorthodox isn't it?"

Libby shrugged. "Seems bold enough for me."

"Maybe he's reform," Buffy added.

"Perhaps he went by another name in time's past," the watcher pondered…in Libby's direction.

"Whoever he is, we'll need all the help we can get come Saturday," Ms. Calendar joined in.

"How clear do I have to be to convince ya'll that nothing happens Saturday?" Libby huffed under her breath, but not low enough so Ms. Calendar couldn't hear.

"You're still honing your powers," Jenny answered sharply. "I trust your knowledge after some more time with training."

"So this night of St. Vigius deal…" Xander mused to interrupt the argument. "If they're gonna attack in force aren't we thinking vacation?"

"We couldn't run! That'd be wrong," Willow interjected emotionally. "Could we hide? I mean if that Spike guy is leading the attack eeeeegh!"

"Well he can't be anything worse than any other creature you've faced," Giles reassured with empty information.

"He's worse," Angel stated from behind them. Buffy spun around and a wave of relief washed over her. He always made her heart beat so fast, but somehow ease her breathing at the same time. "Once he starts something he doesn't stop until everything in his path is dead."

Xander nodded in cynicism and concluded, "So he's thorough, goal oriented-"

"And obsessive," Libby finished, gaining a nod from Xander.

Buffy gracefully rose to her feet and walked over to Angel with a flirtatious look in her eyes, which Angel instantly responded to. "We were at the Bronze before. Thought you said you might show?"

Angel replied coolly, "You said you weren't sure if you were going."

Smirking amiably now, Buffy answered, "I was being cool. C'mon you've been dating for like what? 200 years? You don't know what a girl means when she says maybe she'll show?"

"Good luck finding a come-back to that," Libby smiled.

Angel frowned at her and said, "I don't believe we've met?"

Libby got out of her chair, held out her hand and politely greeted, "I'm Libby, Buffy's newly arrived protector. It's great to finally meet you."

"Protector? And finally?" Angel smiled, not knowing to feel complimented or uneasy.

"Uh…Buffy's mentioned you once or twice," Libby covered her tracks. "So yes, I'm finally glad to meet you and she'll fill you in on the protector thing."

"I look forward to it," Angel gave a friendly smile to the girls.

However, Giles needed everyone to get back on track. "We do have some slightly more urgent matters to discuss."

"Yeah like keeping my mom away from Principal Snyder tomorrow night," Buffy agreed.

"And not getting killed on Saturday," Jenny added, receiving a 'you're not helping' look from Buffy and an aggravated one from Libby.

"Angel, do you know if this Spike fellow goes by any other name?" Giles asked, but when he looked up from his book Angel had gone.

Buffy's face fell as Xander groaned, "Okay that's it! I'm putting a collar with a little bell on that guy."

"Look up William the Bloody," Libby told Giles.

"William the Bloody?" the librarian sprung to life as he searched for new books.

"Yeah, that's the name Spike used to go by."

"Oh, good, thank you. Now I just need to narrow the books down…"

A couple of hours into researching the origins of Spike and St. Vigius, Libby retreated with a book of possible no-consequence. She slid down into a sitting position against one of the bookcases and opened it. Libby had no idea a book about cannibal demons could be even more boring than an algebra book.

Luckily, Willow came by to save her from a pointlessly dull read.

"Hey," the researcher greeted as she sat next to Libby. "How're you doing with all of this?"

"I'm trying really hard not to fall asleep," Libby smiled as she bit at her nails. "It's also quite annoying to not being able to intervene as much as I'd like."

"Why can't you? I mean if it could help –"

"It'd make everything too easy and could diverge you guys from the road you have to stay on," she looked at Willow, who raised her eyebrows in question. "It's the whole cosmic order thing and I've got the complicated job of knowing when or when not to mix things up."

Libby didn't know why she was confiding in Willow, but she was sure glad she was. The sweet and understanding pre-witch grinned her way and nodded in support and that eased Libby's insides a bit more. Willow was just so easy to talk to.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, but Libby observed Willow twiddling with her shirt and noted that she had a conflicted expression on her face. The redhead wanted to ask Libby something important to her, but after what Libby just said, Willow was now at odds as to whether she should or not.

"You can ask, ya know," Libby gently pried with her eyes.

"Ask what? There's no asking. No asking here," Willow answered nervously. "I couldn't ask, could I?"

Lightly laughing, Libby replied, "You really like him, huh?" The protector knew the bookworm had strong feelings for Xander, but experiencing it first hand was cute in a heartbreaking way.

Seeing that Libby cared about the situation Willow's emotions were tangled in, she nodded and replied, "Yeah, I like him with big muchness."

"I know how hard that is."

"Really? Did it work out for you?"

Libby attentively frowned at the memory and shook her head.

"Will it for me?" Willow asked so softly that Libby barely heard her. "Does Xander ever notice me?"

"And do you two live happily ever after?" Libby finished for her with a caring smile.

"I'm not suggesting that we get married and have two kids with a cute little dog in Boston while I'm getting my doctorate at Harvard, but yeah?"

Libby couldn't help but fully laugh at that as she leaned into Willow's shoulder. The computer-wiz was so adorably literal sometimes you couldn't help but smile at her and fall under that special Willow charm.

"You find love, Willow," Libby answered. "You find it in the best and most unexpected places."

Willow's eyes brightened and she smiled like she just received the best news in the world, but then her face drastically changed to suspicious.

"You didn't exactly answer my question."

"I know, but that doesn't make it un-true."

"Not fair!" Willow whined in a huff of disappointment. "You can't dangle the bait like that and then recoil it like it's nothing! I'm not a fish; I don't think I want the bait and then realize that it's what will kill me! I want the bait, lower that wriggly worm back…please?"

"You have some interesting analogies," Libby giggled as she bent forwards to face Willow. "I know I'm new and I don't want to invade on anyone's relationships with each other, which is why it's not exactly what you wanted to hear from me, but I promise that love is in your future."

Willow hung her head as she absorbed what Libby said and then looked up with a satisfied grin. It wasn't the answer she was searching for, but it was a good one.

"I'm looking forward to our sleepover," the redhead admitted with a bounce as she straightened herself upright.

"Buffy told you the idea?" Libby openly smiled.

"Yup, and Xander expects a pillow fight."

"Why am I not surprised?" Libby hung her head back as the girls laughed together.

The next day - the dreaded Thursday - Willow raised a crossbow feeling like a warrior princess in her innocent green dress, Ms. Calendar walked by watching everyone work and began calculating how much more they would have to do, Cordelia was doing her best to carve a stake but it wasn't what her spoiled hands were made for, Xander was finishing up yet another stake with skilled precision, and Libby was practicing her telekinesis with Buffy's training dummy.

The slayer lifted a long and deadly blade before bringing it down to slice a cucumber for the decorative salad plate for the snack table. This week was one of the most stressful ones she's had in quite some time. Luckily, everyone was helping a great deal which let up some of the burden, but she was still very stressed out. Buffy looked over at her protector and saw that she was getting better with her powers even though she still had a way to go in fully accessing them. Libby looked over at Buffy and they shared a nervous smile, knowing this night was going to be far from perfect.

"For three nights the unholy ones scourge themselves into a fury," Giles read as he pointed the crossbow in Willow's hands towards the ground. "And cultivating in a savage attack on the night of St. Vigius."

"Does anyone remember when Saturday meant date night?" Xander asked the room glumly as he began whittling his next piece of wood.

"You sure don't," Cordy mocked.

"Oh! Parents are arriving in an hour!" Buffy realized in a panic. "Okay so, um, the banners are in place, the lounge is comfy…what am I forgetting?"

"Punch?" Willow suggested.

"Punch! I need punch!"

"My fingers are cramping," Cordelia complained. "How long have I been doing this?"

"Three minutes!" Xander stated completely annoyed.

"So can I go now? She doesn't need this many stakes. I mean if this guy, Spike, is as mean as you all said it should be over pretty quickly."

"That's some really good support, Cordelia," Libby snapped in Buffy's defense when she saw the slayer's eyes nearly boggle out of their sockets in distress.

"We're all still rooting for her on Saturday. I'd be there for her myself if I didn't have a leg wax," Cordy countered, trying to get out of the stinking library. "And you said you're from Texas? Where's the hillbilly accent? And shouldn't you have a pet cactus and be chewing Tabaco or something?"

"I'm from Dallas!" Libby rebutted in vexation. "The freakin Metroplex! Highland Park, if you want to get specific. The most accent I've got is ya'll."

"Okay…You guys hold down the fort. I'm punch bound," Buffy announced as she left her snacks on the table. Not only was she annoyed with Cordelia, but she wanted to save Libby so she added, "Libby would you mind giving me a hand?"

"Yes! Please and thank you."

Those hectic sixty minutes finally ended and Buffy began pouring her yellow punch into the red and yellow cups while Libby made sure everything was in place.

Willow came skipping up behind her best friend and asked, "What kind of punch did you make?"

"Lemonade. I made it fresh and everything," Buffy answered as she handed a cup to Willow.

"How much sugar did you use?"

"Sugar?"

Willow took a sip and was surprised at the sweetness since she did catch Buffy implying that she didn't know sugar was a vital ingredient.

Seeing Willow's confused yet relieved expression, Libby said, "A cup or so. I went by taste."

"Good call," the redhead smiled in approval.

"Okay, now all I have to do is keep my mother and Snyder from crossing paths for the rest of the night," Buffy recapped her list of things to do and prayed that somehow the last and most important thing would work.

"Hey Mrs. Summers!" Willow greeted rather loudly so Buffy would know to turn around.

"Hi Willow, Libby. Hi honey, did you do all this?" Joyce asked, pleased with the setting.

"Yeah, um, here! Have some lemonade," Buffy said in a rush, but then seeing Snyder she changed her course of action. "Right after Willow shows you the library. I have to stay here and hostess."

"Oh right, the library," Willow followed along. "Oh no! Um, Giles and everyone-"

"Is locked in there studying!" Buffy remembered. "Right. French class it is."

Willow led Mrs. Summers down the hall and Buffy went back to looking busy as Snyder hurried over like one of the seven dwarves minus the cuteness.

"Was that your mother?" Snyder demanded.

"Here," Buffy offered him a cup of lemonade, but it spilled over the rim.

Libby caught this and out of reflex she reached her hand out and sent the punch splashing away from the principal's shoes. This caused a lot of pride in herself for accessing her power.

"Oh sorry!" Buffy squealed, sending a grateful look over to her sister. "Um, yeah-yeah. I was gonna introduce you, but – um – she wouldn't have said much you know she doesn't speak a word of English."

Shaking his head in aggravation, Snyder stormed off after Mrs. Summers leaving Buffy's stomach full of nerves in a very tight knot.

Three hours later, parent-teacher night was finally coming to a close and Libby noted that Spike would be crashing through the window relatively soon. Meanwhile, Buffy stood staring at the hallway hoping that her mom had yet to meet Snyder.

"Giles has us locked up in that library working on your weapons! Even slaves get minimum wage!" Cordelia's snooty voice sounded out from behind Buffy.

"What?" the blonde asked, noticing that the tall brunette was staring at her in disgusted disapproval.

"You're starting to look a little slagged…what are just skipping foundation entirely now?"

Rolling her eyes exasperated, Buffy sighed, "Cordelia, I have at least three lives to contend with, none of which really mesh. Kinda like oil and water and a third un-meshable thing."

"Yeah and I can see the oil," Cordy pointed out. "Is that your mom?"

Buffy spun around to see her mother talking with Willow, and Libby come around the corner frantically pointing down the hall, indicating that Snyder was coming.

"That's a woman that knows how to moisturize," Cordelia continued. "Did it like skip a generation?"

"Well, I believe that I have seen every classroom on campus and just as I get there all of your teachers have miraculously stepped out," Joyce informed her anxious daughter.

"Oh, but you haven't seen the boiler room yet!" Buffy suggested when she saw Snyder walk into the lounge from where Libby was pointing. "And you know that's really interesting with the boiler being in the room and all."

The ratty principal quickly stepped between Buffy and Cordelia and glared at Buffy before meeting Joyce's gaze head on.

"Hi, I'm Joyce Summers, I'm Buffy's mother."

"Principal Snyder," he practically growled. "I'm afraid we need to talk. My office is down here."

Joyce followed the short man while Libby and Willow gathered around a frightened Buffy. Cordy just beamed watching Buffy's doomed future walk into the principal's office.

"He didn't look very happy," Buffy shook her head as she picked at her cuticles.

"He doesn't know how to look happy," Libby scoffed at the closed door.

"And you did such a good job," Willow pointed out to try and ease Buffy's nerves.

"When they're done talking," Cordy grinned.

"What?" Buffy asked.

"My guess, tenth high school reunion, you'll still be grounded."

The blonde looked as if she was about to burst into tears so Libby said, "Hey Cordelia, your make-up is smudging."

"What? No way!" Cordy yelled as she ran for the bathroom.

"Oh there you are," Giles announced as he took another sip of his tea.

Jenny turned around from a scroll of text she was reading and asked, "There who is?"

"Our new friend, Spike; Libby was right he was known as William the Bloody. He was nicknamed by torturing his victims with railroad spikes, oh dear." Giles informed as he carefully placed the mug back down on the table while barely taking his eyes off the book.

"Well here's some good news, he's barely 200; he's not even as old as Angel," the watcher paused as he continued to read and Xander waited for the dreaded 'oh' that sighed from his throat a few seconds later.

"That's a bad look right?" the teenager stated more than asked.

"I think your suggestion of running away this Saturday might have been a good one," Giles pondered as he made brief worried eye contact with Xander before looking back down at his book to finish, "Spike has fought two slayers in the last century and he's killed them both."

Principal Snyder walked from around the hallway corner with Mrs. Summers, both looking quite unhappy. Libby patted Buffy's knee when she saw them and she, Buffy and Willow stood awaiting the verdict like a jury was deciding whether the young blonde was guilty or innocent of murder.

Snyder brushed passed them as if they weren't there and Joyce stopped directly in front of her daughter. She looked as if Cordelia hit a bull's eye with the conversation she just had with the principal and that made Buffy's adrenaline vigorously pump through her body.

Libby squeezed Buffy's hand to try and reassure her that everything really worked out fine and Buffy squeezed it back a hell of a lot harder for support.

"In the car, now," Mrs. Summers ordered in a calm, but harsh tone.

Buffy looked at Willow and Libby before walking toward her mother and looked back one more time to still see Libby standing there with a comforting look on her face. Snyder went to turn out the lights and as soon as it became dark, five vampires crashed through the window, knocking over tables with their game faces on and ready to kill. Buffy stepped forward and away from her mother to get a good look at them. She realized it was Spike just after she noticed Libby had walked up beside her in combat support.

"What can I say?" Spike declared as if he had shown up for a party early. "Couldn't wait."

Libby slightly leaned closer to Buffy and whispered, "At least your Saturday's wide open."

Spike lunged for Buffy as the others followed but the slayer was prepared and threw a chair at them, succeeding in slowing them down. Libby flung her arms in their direction and managed to send them falling backwards, buying Buffy a little more time to get the people out.

Enraged, Spike jumped up and grabbed a man by the color of his shirt bellowing, "Nobody gets outs out! Especially those girls!"

Buffy grabbed her mother's hand as she ran with a crowd of people into the hallway pointing and shouting, "Everybody this way, c'mon!"

As the crowd ran through the double swinging doors Buffy pushed a janitor's cart into two vampires who were knocked to the ground like bowling pins. In the same hallway, Cordelia was grabbed by a vampire, but Willow saved her by whirling a statue of a head into the vamp's face. They managed to lock themselves in a janitor's closet before anyone saw where they went.

"What the hell?" Giles exclaimed as he, Xander and Jenny ran into the hallway just in time for Buffy, Libby, Joyce and several others to slam through another set of doors in utter panic.

"Spike and an army!" Buffy screamed. "Look out!"

They turned to see a female vampire attacking from behind so they darted back into the library and barricaded the doors as fast as they could manage.

Libby managed to hurl the vamp a ways down the hallway as Buffy directed everyone into a science room. Libby soon joined them and immediately went to shut and lock the second entrance, relieving some of Buffy's angst in having to do everything herself.

That's when things got bad. They cut the power and everything was very dark.

Spike stood still holding the middle-aged African American man waiting to be served his slayer and the other girl he hadn't come up with a name for.

A tall and unattractive vamp ran up to him in a huff and reported, "We cut the power. Nobody got out."

"And the slayer…and that other girl with the mind throwing thing?"

"They either went that way or that way. I saw two others."

Frustrated beyond belief, Spike yanked his victim around his other side and yelled, "You don't know?" When he got no response, Spike released his catch of the day with a pat on the chest saying, "I'm a veil kinda guy; you're too old to eat." The man hardly had time to feel relief because Spike took no time in waiting to break his neck in a near 360 twist.

"But not to kill." The body fell to the ground with a morbid thump and the other vampire looked terrified. "I feel better." Spike smiled.

Giles desperately banged his fingers down on the phone, but there was no sound. He shouldn't have been surprised and yet he couldn't calm himself.

"They've cut the phones," he stated nervously. Desperate, he looked out the windows for some kind of answer and luckily he found one. "Wait a minute…there's a way out through the stacks." Giles turned to Xander, grabbing his shoulders and pleadingly ordered, "You can get out that way. Find Angel, he knows about Spike. We need him."

"No," Xander replied, "I'm not going anywhere until I know Buffy, Willow and Libby are all right."

"No one will be all right unless we get help!"

Understanding, but not liking it, Xander left in a hurry to find Angel.

Buffy and Libby pushed another piece of furniture against the door as everyone behind them panicked more and more.

"I didn't get much of a look," Joyce said, "But is there something wrong with their faces?"

"Yes," Snyder hissed. "PCP! It's a gang on PCP!"

He headed for the windows and began attempting to escape. Hearing Snyder announce that they had to get out, Buffy rushed over to stop them.

"You can't go outside! They'll kill you!" She yelled up at him on the stool.

He towered over her in a failed attempt to intimidate her. "You don't tell me! I tell you!"

Infuriated, Buffy pulled him down and harshly stated, "They will kill everybody in this room. Nobody goes out, nobody comes in until I say so. Do you hear me?"

"Who do you think you are?" Snyder snapped aghast.

"She's your only hope of surviving, so I'd shut your mouth and listen to her if you don't want to die," Libby backed Buffy up with a glare that nearly made Snyder's scowling eyes melt. "Are you clear?"

Smiling, Buffy walked passed the principal and checked out the ceiling.

"Buffy, are you crazy?" Joyce asked in fear as she took hold of her daughter's shoulders. "I know you've been accused of fighting and other things but those guys are serious. You can't go out there!"

Rolling her eyes, but looking at her mother in seriousness, Buffy answered, "I know. That's why I'm going up there." She walked over to the middle of a square and said, "Libby? Can I have a boost?"

Nodding, the protector lifted Buffy up to the ceiling with clamped hands and very focused telekinesis so she wouldn't drop the slayer.

Buffy looked down and reassured, "Don't worry, Mom."

After she lifted herself up, the slayer reached down and pulled Libby up after her. Once they were in the ceiling, everything was much darker and much closer together. Moving was difficult especially since they had to be quick, but quiet. Buffy lead them through wooden slabs that made up the path, but Libby became the ears.

"Stop!" Libby hissed in a whisper.

"What?"

"Listen."

"Here kitty, kitty…" Spike's voice echoed right below them.

The two girls froze, but not for long. Buffy began to move much faster than she did in the episode, so Libby had to catch up and grab her ankle to stop her.

"I find one of your friends first I'm gonna suck 'em dry! Use their bones to bash your head in."

"Willow and Cordelia are in the janitor's closet," Libby explained. "Right where Spike is. You have to move when I say to distract him from crashing down the door. If we keep moving we'll miss the window to save them."

Buffy nodded and tried to listen for it with her protector.

"Are you getting a word picture here?"

"Now!" Libby declared in a hush and the girls made a break for it.

"SPIKE!" A vampire lackey shouted. "Listen…"

Buffy and Libby continued crawling and the scuffling sounds grew louder.

Smirking, Spike sang, "Someone's in the ceiling."

Giles packed a whole bunch of weapons into every pocket he had as well as how many he could hold and made a break for the door. Seeing this, fear overtook Ms. Calendar at the thought of him going out there so she screamed, "Hey, hey!" It didn't slow him down, Giles kept taking down the barrier in order to get out so she continued, "What are you doing? There're at least three vampires in that hall and God knows how many others in the building!"

He turned sharply at her, but not out of anger. "Listen, I am the Watcher. I am responsible for her! Not only that, but I am responsible for Libby now as well! This is her first attack and Buffy's first ambush from a vampire who's succeeded in killing slayers! I have to go!"

"Rupert!" Jenny pleaded, but knew by his expression that it didn't matter what she said, he would still leave her. "Be careful."

Before Giles had a chance to say anything, Buffy crashed down into the library with Libby right behind her. They looked fine, but were smeared with the ickys that resided in the ceiling.

"Buffy, Libby," Giles breathed a sigh of relief as he lowered his weapon. "You're both all right?"

Buffy nodded and went to work as Libby shrugged and tried to slow her heart rate. Just because it all ended okay surprisingly didn't make it less scary.

"How are the others?" Jenny asked.

"Principal Snyder, my mother, and four others are locked in the science room across the hall. Libby said that Willow and Cordelia made it to a janitor's closet and are safely hidden there. Where's Xander?"

"He went out through the stacks," Giles answered quickly, "He's getting Angel."

"Good," Buffy stated, "Okay, I'm gonna take the vamps out in the hall, after I want you to get my mother and the others out the same way."

"Let me help you," Giles eyes wished with bravery and fatherly affection.

"Giles my mother's in that room," Buffy replied with confidence in him. "If I don't get out of here I know you'll make sure she does."

"Bloody right I will," Giles smiled with pride in his Slayer.

"Awe, let him help," Libby mumbled in her seated position on the floor, not bothering to grab a chair that was barricading the door.

"That's how he's helping," Buffy answered, thinking she understood what Libby meant.

Giles, however, caught the nervous fear in Libby's eyes and knelt down asking, "Are you all right?"

"I lived a very quiet life before I got here," Libby shook her head in dumbfounded realization. "I never thought boring would feel better than life-threatening excitement."

Giles rested a comforting hand on her shoulder and was about to say something when Buffy clutched her arm and pulled her to her feet. The act wasn't violent or harsh, it was serious and confident.

"You've done amazing since this whole thing started!" Buffy praised. "You held your own, looked out for others and helped me when I didn't know there was help to have."

Libby stiffened and tried to breathe evenly as the slayer was giving her passionately solid compliments. No one had ever believed that much in her for something she didn't believe herself to be capable of, but now she was beginning to.

"You can do this, Libby," Buffy said. "I need you to believe that I know that."

Libby nodded and responded, "We taking them one–on–two?"

"Yup, set 'em up and knock 'em down," Buffy grinned as she walked back over to the hole in the ceiling. They lifted themselves up without any trouble and got some words of wisdom from Giles, "Watch your back."

Spike listened carefully with his super sense of hearing until he heard the same scuffling noises in the ceiling. Buffy and Libby crawled through the ceiling's maze again only much slower this time since they have already been heard once.

Suddenly, Libby reached out and grabbed Buffy's leg as she did before. The slayer turned to see her protector's eyes wide in caution and gesturing her to be quiet. Buffy realized that they must be above Spike and some of his army so she obeyed and didn't move.

"Okay, they're going to get sharp things to poke us with so move!"

At Libby's shrill command, Buffy made a break for it and the protector was right behind her. Thankfully, they managed to avoid the scare of nearly being ca-bob-bed and Buffy was the one who heard the next set of vampires.

"Guard the door! I'm almost in."

However, right as he swung at the door the slayer crashed down on him and staked him through the heart without a fight. She hopped back up to see her mother's frightened and concerned face looking at her through the axed door.

"Buffy, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom."

"Buffy, get out of here, okay? We'll be all right."

"Just hang on for one more minute until I tell you to open the door."

Buffy turned to creep up on the other vampire down the hallway and Libby followed after a reassuring nod to Joyce. Buffy handed the brunette a stake as Libby put the bag of weapons over her shoulder. The girls were able to walk over the fallen ceiling pieces, but then Sheila came out of the shadows making noise.

"Sheila!" Buffy whispered. "Where've you been?"

"Sorry I'm late," Sheila whined. "There's some really weird guys outside."

Libby glared at her and bent down to get the axe before the new vamp had a chance.

"Shhh!" Buffy ordered. "Yeah, I know. They're trying to kill us."

"How'd you get passed them?" Libby challenged. "They kill whoever they don't need right?" She looked at Buffy who was now becoming confused and suspicious.

"They didn't see me," Sheila rebutted with a snarl.

"Liar," Libby snarled back.

Without warning, the Protector swung the axe at her head and Sheila turned to dust before her head even hit the floor. Buffy looked at her astounded.

"Butterflies turn into lumberjacks?" Buffy softly giggled at Libby's newfound power in herself.

"More like warrior princesses."

"Either way, I like it."

They both kept moving and Buffy was able to kill the other vampire guard before he even knew they were there. Buffy immediately ran for the science room and ushered them all out as Libby got Giles and Jenny to lead them.

"Get them out!" Buffy shouted.

"You're coming too!" Joyce tried to convince her daughter.

"In a minute. Go! Libby c'mon!"

They both ran back to the main hallway where Spike and his soldiers were. Once they reached the door leading to it, Buffy took the axe and Libby dropped the bag. They peered through the window and saw Angel and Spike about to feed on Xander.

"Okay, looks like Angel has a plan," Buffy mused, not knowing what it was.

"He'll lure everyone out to chase him and Xander, leaving Spike to smell you – well – us now I guess."

"No, just me at first," Buffy planned. "Once he's the only one left I'll go out and provoke a fight. I need you to watch and judge when to come out and take him by surprise."

Libby nodded and grabbed another stake from the bag.

"Think that'll work?" Buffy inquired, hoping for a positive answer.

"I do indeed."

Buffy sighed and got to her feet, ready to open the door. She looked down at her sister and gave her a small smile before entering the hallway. Spike stopped dead in his tracks when the tantalizing scent of the slayer filled his nostrils. It was dominating and intoxicating and it had been far too long since he last smelled it.

"Fee fi fo fum!" He recited in his own sadistic way. "I smell the blood of a nice, ripe girl."

He turned to see Buffy standing in the doorway holding an axe, ready and willing for what came next. She stared at the vampire and sensed that this would be a more difficult fight than what she was used to with every other vampire, but she was ready. She even had a secret weapon.

"Do we really need weapons for this?" she asked in a taunt.

"I just like them. They make me feel all manly," Spike replied in sarcastic lust and testosterone.

However, wanting a hand–in–hand fight with her, Spike dropped his pole and Buffy dropped her axe right after. He began to saunter over and Buffy decided to gracefully circle him in deflect of his threats. And then the banter started.

"The last slayer I killed, she begged for her life. You don't strike me as the begging kind."

"You shouldn't have come here."

"No, I messed up your doilies and stuff, but I just got so bored," Spike looked down on her and couldn't help but laugh. "I'll tell you what, as a personal favor – from me to you – I'll make it quick. It won't hurt a bit."

"No, Spike. It's gonna hurt a lot."

Spike took a swing for her, but Buffy dodged it. They both fought to strike hard blows on each other but they kept blocking or avoiding them. They were both skilled fighters, but Buffy made the first hit. And that made Spike angry. After a few more dodged punches, Spike struck her across the face, hit her in the stomach and threw her on the floor. Buffy rapidly got back on her feet and received another punch from Spike. This fueled her and Buffy hit him multiple times before Spike slammed her into a wall. He was about to drive his fist through her skull, but Buffy ducked and his fist went straight through the wall.

"Now that hurt," Spike commented before he yanked out a large piece of wood and knocked Buffy to the ground. "But not as much as this will."

Buffy looked up to see Spike loom over her in the shadows and the fear of dying again swelled in her heart and mind. Right as Spike was about to stake the slayer, Libby thrashed her arm in his direction and sent Spike flying into a nearby wall and chairs. It was the best telekinetic throw yet and Libby had to contain her excitement in her success. Spike soon stumbled out of the rubble the collision created and looked up to find the brunette staring down at him with an 'I dare you' smirk.

"Not so tough when there're two of us girls, huh?" Libby insulted.

Buffy rushed to her feet and stood next to her strengthened protector and was able to not only start breathing easy again, but sighed a laugh as the fear drained out of her body.

"Women!" Spike growled in exasperation as he got to his feet and ran out of the window.

"That was a lot closer than I would've liked," Buffy admitted as she leaned against Libby. "Thanks for saving me."

"Yes," Joyce suddenly agreed as she walked out from the corner of the hallway. "Thank you so much for saving my little girl."

She went to hug Buffy and the blonde held onto her mother like she really was a little girl again. Libby smiled at both of them and it made her miss her mom terribly, but nonetheless she enjoyed the sight.

"It's why I'm here," Libby accepted as she got smiles from both of them in return. "Now, I'm gonna leave you two and get Willow and Cordelia."

The protector walked down the hall to the janitor's closet and knocked on the door.

"No one's in here," Cordelia said. "Oh, damnit! Please don't eat us!"

"It's me, Libby! Everything's okay now." Willow opened the door and relief washed over her at the sight of an alive Libby and an empty school building. "You guys all right?" Libby asked.

"Yeah…what happened?" Willow replied in question.

"Buffy and I killed vampires, Xander and Angel helped in the distractions and fighting outside, Giles and Ms. Calendar got everyone out, and we fought Spike but he got away."

"Oh, good," Willow pondered. "Where's Buffy?"

"Probably with her mom."

Cordy half nodded and then ran outside to get away from everything that happened in the school, but Willow stayed with Libby. "So, how was your first day of fighting vampires?"

"Good, actually. I think it ended well."

"See! Nothing to worry about."

Libby outside and saw Buffy walking with her mom. "Yeah, worry free."

"So, what did you and Principal Snyder talk about anyway?" Buffy asked her mother as they walked down the sidewalk to the car.

"Principal Snyder said you were trouble maker, and I could care less," she turned to face her daughter with love and pride and Buffy looked up at her with hope. "I have a daughter who can take care of herself, who's brave and resourceful, makes good characteristic judgments in friends and thinks of others in a crisis. No matter who else you hang out with or what dumb teenage stuff you think you need to do, I'm gonna sleep better knowing all that."

Buffy couldn't believe it; her mother had faith in her and almost completely trusted her. It was the most incredible feeling Buffy had with her mother in a long time and she cherished it. Still, nothing lasted forever.

"But, how long till this wears off and you start ragging on me again?"

"Oh at least a week and a half."

"Very cool."

Spike successfully made it back to the factory before the sun rose, but his confidence was shaken and his temper was fusing. The big bad vampire had no idea how his plan failed so miserably...and he was so close! The whole thing was a disaster and he wasn't looking forward to telling his beloved Drusilla that he failed.

When he entered the factory though the shadows of sunrise, Spike sensed his mate across the floor and slowly walked to her ashamed and aggravated. Drusilla saw him and glided over in what concern vampires were capable of feeling.

"Spike, did she hurt you?" She asked sweetly when she saw his disappointed face.

"It was close baby, but-"

"Oh, come here," Dru hushed him and gently brought his head to lay on his shoulder as she pet his face like he was wounded bird. Sighing, Spike rested against her and took in the comfort she offered.

"A slayer with family and friends," Spike reported with disgust. "That sure as hell wasn't in the brochure. And there was another girl!"

"What?" Drusilla asked innocently but intrigued.

"Yeah, some kind of - I don't know - slayerette or something. She didn't have the stink of a witch but she sure as hell wasn't a normal human. She could move things with her mind, weakly but enough to make things difficult." Spike lifted his head off of her shoulder and made strong eye contact so she'd focus. "You didn't see her? At all?"

Dru made a sad face and shook her head. "She's what made it dark...wrapped the slayer in black paper to hide under the bed so we couldn't see the present."

"Terrific! That should make things easier," Spike sinisterly spat.

Drusilla traced her finger along his sharp cheekbone down to his jaw and purred, "Don't worry, pet. Christmas hasn't come yet...I'll find the pretty packages and you'll kill them. And then we'll have a nice celebration with streamers and songs."

Spike then caught the evil little boy out of the corner of his eye and asked, "How's the annoying one?"

"He doesn't want to play."

"Figures," Spike replied as he turned to his Dru. "Well, I suppose I better go make nice."

The blonde vampire walked over to the Anointed One and knelt before him, but the demon child wasn't pleased. "You failed."

"I - uh - I offer penance," Spike faked smiled; there was no way this was going to work.

"Penance?" A lackey vampire shouted. "You should lay down your life! Our numbers are depleted! The feast of St. Vigius has been ruined by your impatience!"

"I was rash, and if I had to do it all over again-" Spike lost it and began to burst out in laughter. "Who am I kidding? I would do it exactly the same, only I'd do this!"

Spike grabbed the evil boy and threw him over his shoulder while taking out the last vampire follower the kid had. Without any trouble, Spike tossed the Anointed One into a steel cage and locked him inside.

As he walked over to a chain hanging from the ceiling and began raising the kid into the air, Spike roared, "From now on we're gonna have a little less ritual and a little more fun around here!"

In moments the boy burned into ash and Drusilla watched in wonder as well as lust towards her lover.

Feeling much better than he did five minutes ago, Spike walked over to Drusilla and took her hand saying, "Let's see what's on TV."

And so...it truly begins.