Can't Handle the Truth

Buffy walked down the sidewalk with Willow and Xander. It was a beautiful night. Not a cloud in the sky and a nice cool breeze. The trio of friends went out for a fun night since it had been a week free of evil attacks. But all was not well. Libby was not with them. She had been very distant and almost cold ever since Kendra left and Buffy had no idea why. She wasn't acting strange with anyone else. Only her. Giles was suspecting something too, but the slayer and watcher weren't discussing it. Buffy was hoping that it was a period thing and that it would blow over.

"You don't know what you're talking about." Xander said to Willow passionately.

"Xander, he was obviously in charge." Willow calmly replied.

"He was a puppet. She was using him."

"He didn't seem like the type of guy who would let himself be used."

"That was her genius! He didn't even know he was playing second fiddle. Buffy…"

"Huh?" Buffy gasped as she was brought back to the present.

"Who was the real power, the Captain or Tennille?" Xander asked.

"Um, who are these people?" Buffy responded with a confused frown.

"The Captain and Tennille? Boy somebody was raised in a culture-free environment." Xander was astonished as he shook his head in mock shame.

"I'm sorry. I was just…"

"Thinkin?" Willow joined in with a smile.

"Yeah, some serious thoughts actually." Buffy mumbled as she looked at the ground.

"But it's been quiet. What's to think seriously about?" Willow soothed in concern.

"Yeah with Spike and Drusilla out of the way we've really been riding the mellow. And I am really jinxin' the hell out of us by sayin' that." Xander added, wanting to lighten Buffy's mood.

"Yeah, but we'll let you off this time." Buffy tried to smile. "I'm just worried about Libby. She's been off lately. Have you guys noticed?"

"Not really." Xander answered with a noncommittal shrug. "She seems fine."

"A little less talkative maybe, but she it's not like she was ever Cordelia." Willow pointed out.

"I swear that she's been detached from me all week. Ever since Kendra left." Buffy said again, needing her friends to agree or at least believe it.

"Maybe she misses her?" Willow suggested.

"They didn't seem that close." Xander countered.

"I don't think it's about Kendra." Buffy replied.

"What do you think it is about?" Willow inquired, turning to face her best girl friend.

Buffy couldn't open her mouth to speak again. She didn't know. Of course, that was a lie. She's been lying to herself for a long time and it was nagging at the back of her mind.

Libby knows. She knows the big secret you've been keeping from her since day one. Your protector knows that her purpose is to die so you can live longer. You're a great slayer. Lying and betraying Libby like this. She couldn't have lucked out more.

"Something she's not telling me about." Buffy whimpered.

As they all turned the corner, police lights flashed all the way from Buffy's yard. There were four vehicles, one being the coroner. Buffy dashed forward ahead of Xander and Willow and made it to the lawn in seconds.

"Mom! What happened?" The slayer demanded kindly as she held onto Joyce.

"Oh, Buffy!" Joyce exclaimed. "It was horrible! I brought Ted home –"

"Who's Ted?"

"My boyfriend, well he's dead now –"

"Boyfriend? Dead? What?" Buffy shouted in befuddlement.

"He wasn't human! And Libby knew! She came through the door and he was in the middle of saying hi when she stabbed him in the face with my letter opener! His skin ripped open and sparks went off! He was a robot!"

"You're dead boyfriend that I had no idea about was a robot?" Buffy asked stunned.

"Yes! And a murderer! Libby said she saw me with him a couple nights ago and did research because she recognized him from an article. She had his address and samples of his drugged cookies and pictures of his dead wives in his closet! She saved me!"

Buffy hugged her mom and watched as men brought Ted out on a gurney with plenty of restraints even though he was lifeless.

"Ma'am, I have some more questions for you and further explanation of what Ted is." The detective came over and told Joyce.

"Buffy, what's going on?" Xander asked as he and Willow caught up.

"Stay here for the scoop, I'm gonna go inside and talk to Libby." Buffy answered as she ran for the house.

Maybe this is what she was anxious about. It could explain why Libby was acting strangely. Possibly. Buffy entered the house and saw Libby sitting at the dining room table looking incredibly solemn. The slayer immediately went over to her and sat down.

"Are you okay?"

"That's a very broad question." Libby answered flatly.

"I guess…" Buffy was growing scared. "I didn't know about Ted, I would've helped."

"It's not a big deal. Not even a small deal." No change in her voice.

"What's wrong, Libby? You've been acting weird all week and now you're not even looking at me." Buffy's voice was quiet and nervous.

"Have you ever seen a movie where you get to the end and hate how everything turns out? It ruins the entire movie."

"Yeah, I have a couple of times, but I don't und –"

"It's worse with books." Libby reached over and picked up the dreaded volume that Buffy never wanted to see out of Giles' hands.

The protector stood up and finally looked her slayer in the eye. Libby's face was now full of betrayal and her eyes pooled with hurt tears. Buffy felt like she was going to start shaking. Her mouth wouldn't close and her hazel eyes formed tears that soon fell in disgrace.

"All you want to do is unread one sentence that changed everything, but you never can."

Libby dropped the book on the table in front of Buffy and it landed with a thunderous smack with more impact than a gunshot. As she began to leave the room and out the door, Buffy sharply stumbled up and grabbed her shoulder.

"Wait, Libby –"

"Don't." Libby's voice was deep and strict, but softened with melancholy. "Don't."

Libby into the street and vanished around the corner, ignoring her friends and the police.

"Okay, now I can tell something's wrong," Willow said as she walked up to Buffy.

"That was some story." Xander said from behind as he stepped across the threshold. "Crazy Ted with his crazy robot twin."

"Buffy?" Willow asked as she rubbed her arm at the sight of Buffy's tears. "What happened?"

"Libby hates me." Buffy burst into sobs as she fell on the stairs in a fetal position.

"What? Hate you?" Willow was shocked.

"I don't think that's possible." Xander comforted. "You two are family. Besties forever. All of us are."

"Not anymore. She knows now."

"Knows what?" Will asked, trying to calm Buffy down.

"I never told anyone. Only Giles and I knew."

"Buffy…know what?" Xander pried gently as he knelt down in front of her.

"They're finally gone now." Joyce announced as she came in and closed the front door. "Now you two can stay for another hour, but then –" When she saw her daughter crying, Joyce came to her aid. "Honey, what is it?"

"I – I'm – I just can't believe what happened with Ted. What could've happened to you." Buffy lied, knowing she could never confide in her mom about this.

"Oh, honey!" Joyce exclaimed as she hugged her little girl. "Everything's fine. We're fine, thanks to our Libby."

This made Buffy cry even harder.

"Why don't –"

"We leave and see her tomorrow?" Xander finished for Mrs. Summers.

"See you at school." Willow faintly smiled as they left.

"Do you need anything?" Joyce asked.

"I'm just gonna go to bed."

"Is that where Libby is? I expected her to spend the night."

"No, she went home." Buffy sniffled as she climbed the stairs.

"Is everything all right with you two? You seem like you're having a falling out or something." Joyce observed with apprehension. "You and Libby have been so close, I was just wondering what might have happened."

It took all of Buffy's energy and breath to say, "We'll be okay."

"I'm sure of it. You two are like sisters. I'm so glad you have each other. She's been a great influence. Why else would I let her stay over so much?"

As her mom went into the kitchen, a new wave of sorrow flooded Buffy's throat and she began to sob again. Tomorrow was going to be catastrophic for them both.

Libby didn't say a word to Giles all night or on the ride to school. All she would tell him over the last week was that she and Buffy needed to work something out and that he would need to be there. Needless to say, Giles had his own suspicions but left her to her own.

"Are you gonna talk to me?" Buffy asked as they walked down the hall.

"Not here." Libby growled under her breath.

"We need to talk about this. I need to explain everything."

"Library."

Giles was frantically looking for his missing book that contained the information on the protector. He knew he left it in here. It was only ever in his office or it was home with him. So where was the bloody thing? Not that he needed to ask. Libby's silence told him everything.

"The reason I didn't tell you was because I didn't want to scare you." He heard Buffy say desperately out in the open of the library.

"Scare me? Why would finding out that the only reason for my being here is to die so you can live longer scare me?" Giles heard Libby scream back.

The watcher felt the blood leave his face. Libby did take the book. She knew everything now. That's why he found his notebook in a different place on his desk a few days ago.

"I'm not gonna let that happen!" Buffy tried to convince her protector.

"How? Protect me? It's my job to protect you, isn't it?"

"I want us to work together! Like we have been. It's been going so great."

"For you!" Libby chided. "I don't benefit from being here, Buffy. You do."

"I know it's been hard for you, but I thought that you were growing to like it here. I mean you love all of us. Don't you?"

"Right now, not so much." The protector spat. "God, you have no idea how hard it is being here."

"Then tell me!" Buffy shrieked. "I want to know! I want to be here for you, Libby! We're sisters!"

"Are you kidding me?" Libby hollered. "A ritual where you cut your finger and give me powers doesn't make us sisters."

"Then what does?" Buffy demanded in hurtful tears. "Being closer friends than I ever thought possible? Fighting in sync side by side like we can read each other's minds? Helping each other through anything? Because that constitutes us sisters to me! What does all of that mean to you if we're not sisters?"

"Partners. Brought together through a spell." Libby's voice dropped like her tears from her eyelashes. "I thought we were friends. I wanted us to be sisters. But this…this lie is too much. No one who loves you would keep that a secret."

"It's because we love you that we kept it secret." Giles cautiously and attentively said as he stepped out of his office.

"Exactly." Buffy confirmed.

Libby trained her eyes on her watcher. Giles had become the first and only father figure in her life. The fact that he too kept this a secret from her struck her just as hard.

"I deserved to know," Her words slid out like poison from a flask. "You had no right to decide not to tell me."

"You're right," Giles said. "We didn't."

"Giles?" Buffy whispered.

"We should have told you and I'm sorry, but honestly Libby…how would you have reacted?" Libby stared at him with gritted teeth and eyes that turned a vibrant pink. "Would it be any different from how you are acting now?"

Libby felt as though he was demeaning her feelings. Giles' expression was so…adult. It looked as though he was looking down on her for overreacting or something. This wasn't true; in reality Giles was trying to calm her down enough to speak respectively and understand one another.

"Yes, I would be." Libby hissed in fury. "You still brought me from my home to a world I don't belong in. You still put my life in danger. You still betrayed my trust!"

"But you do belong here!" Buffy cried out desperately. "You are meant to be here! Just as I was chosen to be the slayer you were chosen to be the protector."

"By you!"

"By destiny! I needed you. If you weren't meant to be here I would have never known about having a protector."

"You had a choice though, didn't you?" Libby ordered as she gulped back a waterfall of tears. "You didn't have to call me? Make me a Slayer's Protector? You could've faced your fear. Gotten over it and moved on! Instead, you doom my life instead of yours."

"That's not how I want it!"

"It doesn't matter! You can't change what it is!"

"How do you know?"

"Because that's what I read! It was even in Giles' notes! Wasn't it?"

Buffy was so taken aback that she almost fell onto the counter. She knew that he had doubts about what she wanted out of her relationship with Libby, but did he really believe so strongly against it that he would write it in his notes?

"What?" Buffy breathed as she glanced at her watcher.

"I mentioned that regardless of your efforts, a protector's fate has always been…inevitable." Giles responded after removing his glasses to clean them.

"Why?" Libby asked.

"Because there is no evidence to suggest otherwise."

"Until now!" Buffy yelled. "You'll see! Both of you! This isn't a death sentence. It's a new life. A better, more fulfilling one for both of us."

"How do you know?" Libby pleaded. "What makes you think you can change it? Or that my life in my reality wouldn't be as 'fulfilling' as it might be here?"

"Because I believe it. I feel it." Buffy moved the bracelet out of the way to show her the tattoo that connected them. "I need you to trust that."

"I can't. A tattoo covered by some beads changes nothing!" Libby shook her head and turned her back on both of them. "I hate being lied to like this. I was raised to be honest and just. In my mom's house dishonesty is the eighth deadly sin. When you lie to me, you're slapping me in the face."

"That's not what we were doing! At all!" Buffy tried to reassure her.

"But you did! I always tell you what's going to happen to you. To all of us. And I confided in you, Giles!" She wept in anger. "I do my best to make sure everything works out all right and I promised I would be better, do my best. And in return you do this to me?"

"Do what?" Xander said as he peaked his head in through the library door. Willow was looking in from the window with a worried expression. Cordelia, however, wasn't keen on waiting outside.

"I don't know what's going on, but does it involve me?" Cordy requested selfishly.

"No, it never involves you." Buffy moaned under her breath. She did not need this right now.

"I heard that!" Cordelia shouted.

"There's no need to get nasty." Xander said as he entered with Willow, hands raised.

"Guys, what's going on?" Will timidly asked.

"So they don't know." Libby verified to herself.

"No, they don't." Giles said as he finally put his glasses back on.

"Should we be knowing something?" Xander probed.

"Buffy and I concealed a vital piece of information concerning Libby as the Slayer's Protector." Giles explained in an increasingly trembling voice.

"What's that?" Willow stepped closer to Libby, wanting to show her support.

"The sole purpose of the protector is to die so that the slayer can live longer to vanquish more evil." Giles finished.

"What?" Xander shouted in astonishment. "No way."

"But you found out after, right?" Willow looked at Buffy and Giles. "And you just didn't know how to tell her?"

Buffy shook her head and hung it low to swallow her sobs. "Giles told me the consequences and I summoned her anyway."

"Buffy…" Xander trailed off in disbelief.

"I won't let it happen! I would never allow that to happen! I swear! We're sisters and we're equal partners."

"Okay, so what have we established here?" Cordelia commanded in a huff. "Libby is here to die for her but Buffy doesn't think it'll happen?"

"I think so…" Willow replied as she hugged Libby's unmoving arm.

"Big whoop. Libby's more powerful than Buffy with that moving things with her mind thing plus the knowing things before they happen deal and with Buffy watching her back too all of this is stupid." With that, Cordy left for class because she'd rather deal with academics instead of another Buffy drama session.

"You can't say that she doesn't know how to resolve an argument." Xander said with an eye roll. "She has a point though…right?"

"No, she doesn't." Libby said as she shrugged Willow off and walked away from them.

"God, Libby!" Buffy bawled in frustration. "What do I have to do to get you to believe me? What do you want from me?"

"I want you to admit that you were wrong! That you're sorry for what you did to me!"

"What I did to you?" The slayer snarled. "I gave you a home. I loved you like my family. I gave you a purpose in life. That's more than most people get."

"Most people don't get a prophetic death either, but you know that. You had your own and gave me one too. Thank you so much!"

"Right. You know what? I'm sorry that I brought you here. I'm sorry that I wanted someone who would understand me, someone I could love like a sister. That was wrong of me."

"Don't you dare twist this on me!" Libby furiously yelled.

"Why not? I've made my case but it's not good enough for you! I'm not the only one who's caused this problem."

"There are many aspects to this dire issue but we need to–" Giles offered but was interrupted by Buffy.

"No, there's no 'we' anymore. Libby doesn't want it that way."

"You have no idea what I want."

"Feel like sharing? 'Cause I seem to be the only one doing that!"

"Know what I want?" Xander cut in loudly. "I want everyone to go back to their corners and take a breather before you two start throwing punches."

"Stay out of this, Xander." Libby ordered. "This has nothing to do with you."

"Ouch. I'm just trying to help. We are all friends here." Xander replied feeling put down by his newest best friend.

"Libby, I think Xander's right. We all need to take a step back and clear our heads." Willow defended her oldest friend while trying to mend fences.

"Willow, this isn't about you or Xander." Libby explained harshly. "It's how Buffy and Giles lied to me and willingly put my life in danger."

"Oh come on," Buffy grunted as patience left her body. "It's not like I sold your soul! Why can't you trust me?"

"Because you've proven yourself not to be trustworthy!"

"How? By protecting you? Sorry!"

"Try saying it like you mean it." Libby glared.

"You know, maybe you're right. I shouldn't have called you here. My life would probably be a hell of a lot easier without you."

Everyone fell dead silent. Giles kept rubbing his head because he couldn't believe how horribly this was progressing. This was the exact opposite of what he hoped the argument would end up. Xander was holding his breath and bracing himself for more pain. Not only was he hurting from direct contact but it was indirectly cutting him up to see Buffy and Libby going at each other's throats. Willow reverted back into her shell because she was frightened on what would happen next.

Buffy was burning up on the inside. She was so upset with herself, hurting for Libby but infuriated at her protector for not trusting her. Buffy had no idea what to do and since she wasn't thinking clearly, things weren't going to smooth over.

Libby never expected those words to hit her as hard as they did. She was actually thinking Buffy wouldn't say anything like that. Libby really did want acknowledgment of the wrong that Buffy did, but a part of her wanted Buffy not to regret what she did. She felt the connection of the tattoo and the bond of the bracelets. Knowing her true purpose didn't change that fact, it changed how she saw herself and her slayer. Despite feeling betrayed and hurt and angry…Libby was now completely enraged she was gutted so deeply.

"It probably would. I mean, in my reality, all this is a freaking TV show!"

"What?" Xander blurted out.

"Oh yeah. Ya'll are a bunch of fictional characters who go through crap in every episode but overcome it because that's what happens in TV. It's all fake."

"How can you say that?" Buffy hissed, striding closer in intimidation.

"What? Feeling betrayed? Not so fun is it."

"You're such a hypocrite! We can't keep a secret to protect you, but you can?"

"Libby, what exactly are you saying?" Giles pried in seriousness. "Are we not real to you? Or are you trying to hurt us?"

"God, Giles! Stop being so – so…British! In my world, you're all actors playing these roles! I'm not making it up!"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Xander guffawed in horror. "Why would you tell us?"

"Do you think we're not real?" Willow began to weep.

"I don't know. Here you are, but not back home and you have no idea how confusing it is!" Libby passionately answered. "And c'mon! You guys can't be too surprised by it! How else do you think I know so many freakin' details about what's going to happen? I've only seen every episode at least a dozen times! Which really adds on the pressure for me here."

"Oh poor Libby! You have it so hard! I've had it with your pity party!" Buffy shouted.

"Pity party?" Libby spat in rage.

"If you really think all of this, all of us, are freakin' fictional then why are you still here? If you hate us so much for doing nothing but welcoming you then get the hell out of our lives!"

"If I wanted out of your lives all I'd have to do is wait for an opportune moment and watch you die."

The Protector felt her stomach churn over as disgust rose in her chest. The brunette was about to work up the moral courage to apologize as she didn't mean a word, when Buffy took a powerful step forward with her arm pulled back. There was no time to react. The swing came so fast and hard that for a moment Libby completely backed out. The punch bruised so deep into her jaw that the roots of her teeth throbbed. Libby didn't come back into the light until she slammed her face into the table and fell to the tile floor in a heap.

Giles ran to Buffy and yanked her back in disapproval. "Buffy stop this!"

"Okay, everyone's really angry and saying things they don't mean…" Willow rambled in a fearful shudder. "Maybe we should – um – uh –"

"Leave each other alone for a while." Xander finished in a low tone as he moved Will back with him.

The protector brought her hand to her face and winced as she barely touched the left side of her cheek. When she pulled her fingers down she saw blood. Libby could feel her cheekbone gashed open and the cut on her lip. It burned in a way she never experienced before: different from touching a hot stove and worse than slamming into cement.

Suddenly, Libby no longer cared about the consequences of her actions. Up until that moment she was afraid of what would result out of the fight, but now it was physical. A switch went off and it was time to retaliate. Libby lifted herself on her feet and glowered at Buffy. In one fluid movement, the protector waved her hand and sent the slayer flying through the double library doors and plummeting into a wall of lockers. The doors continued to swing and when Buffy smacked to the ground there was a huge dent in the row of lockers.

"Dear lord…" Giles breathed, gazing at the horrendous, emotional mess that was taking place.

Xander stared at Buffy and then Libby like they were strangers. Inconceivable and threatening strangers. Willow gripped onto Xander's sleeve and hid half of her face behind his shoulder. She had no words to describe how truly and wholly awful her heart felt.

Students stared and murmured around Buffy as she limped to her feet. The slayer didn't scream or run back in to start a full-blown battle. She just stood there, challenging and mystified.

"How did it come to this?" Buffy thought to herself. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Libby returned Buffy's gaze as she walked ahead. The protector stopped and tore her gaze from all of them as she grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder. No one said a word and no one stopped her as she left the library. Buffy held her ground as Libby stood directly in front of her, but neither of them spoke.

"What the devil is going on here?" Snyder approached them in his usual tyrant tone.

"Don't worry yourself," Libby replied strongly. "Just more trouble from Buffy."

With that, Libby left the blonde in front of the ruined lockers, mortified and alone. Snyder yelled and reprimanded her in front of everyone, but all Buffy was aware of was her protector, sister, and best friend walking out of her life.

The second Libby was out of the school she ran as if the wind was carrying her over the ground. She didn't stop or slow down until she reached Giles' apartment. As she looked at the cozy, corner home all Libby could think about was how she wished she could return to her own.

It was an amazing experience to live in her favorite TV show and Libby cherished the wonderful moments she's had, but the protector didn't know how to function normally. She was always out of her element and trying not to make a mistake and therefore made several. And after learning the truth… Libby just wanted her mom.

The brunette sprang down the stone steps, into the house and around the hall into her room. She was thankful to be the only soul in the house. That never happened to her back home. Libby's mom was always up and about with breakfast ready when she woke up and was always home with hugs and stories at the end of the day.

Libby curled up on the bed and stared at the hidden collages she made of her mom. Kelley Winters. She was Libby's family, hero, and best friend. She was Libby's whole world. Now, she had no one. Libby had not only pushed everyone away but she hurled Buffy into a wall. Why couldn't she just go home? Her mom would know what to do. She always did.

Libby came stomping through the blue front door and slammed it so hard that a picture of her grandmother fell off the wall.

"Libby? What are you –" Kelley called out but her daughter ignored her voice and headed to her room.

Kelley followed down the narrow hall and knocked loudly on the door. "You knocked down Grandma so you better open this door and tell me why." Her tone wasn't angry, but it was determined.

"I don't want to talk about it." Libby sobbed from her pile of pillows and stuffed animals on her plushy bed.

"Sweetheart, let me in," Kelley cooed, hearing the sadness in her daughter's voice. "Let me help."

Hesitantly, Libby got up and opened her door. And there her loving mom stood, no anger in her eyes and a sympathetic smile on her lips. Libby quickly turned around and dove back into her hide out on the bed.

Following, Kelley asked, "What's got my girl crying? Do I need to load the emergency revolver?"

Libby choked out an answer, "N-No."

"Okay, that's a start. Tell me what happened."

The nine-year-old lifted her head and met her mother's warm hazel eyes. She came out of the feathered and fuzzy fortress and snuggled up in the safe embrace of her mom's arms and cried into her causal black blazer.

"They came at me and Tiffany during recess. It was really bad, Mom," Libby bawled as Kelley caressed her ringlet hair. "They trapped us at the top of the slide and threw rocks at us."

"What? Who did that? Where were the teachers?"

"The same boys as last time. They waited for when Mrs. Whitfield went to the bathroom. No one would help us! It was horrible! They called us freaks. They said that's why my father doesn't want me and why Tiffany has two moms…because we're freaks born to show how other people's lives could be worse."

"Oh, my sweet little girl." Kelley kissed the top of her head.

"It's when we started screaming that Mrs. Whitfield came back and the boys ran off. We told her what happened, but they didn't get in trouble!"

"I'm sure your teacher called their parents and the punishment is being discussed."

Libby sniffled. "Sean was there too. He stood back and watched. He didn't do anything!"

Kelley lowered her head to look her daughter in the eyes. "Sometimes friends make mistakes," she said as she wiped away the tears. "I know you liked him and he was wrong to betray you, but sometimes we feel forced to make a choice and it can cloud our judgment."

"But I don't understand why," Libby explained further. "Sean was nice to me yesterday. He gave me his brownie because he said it was sweet like me. Why would he do that yesterday and not help me today?"

"Sweetheart, this is your first experience with peer pressure. Sometimes we can't count on people. That's why we learn to forgive."

"He doesn't deserve it."

Kelley smiled. "Maybe not right now, but when you cool down you might be able to look passed it and talk to him. Find out why he didn't come to your rescue."

"I don't know."

"You have to decide if he's worth it. Only then can you forgive him and move forward. If not, then you know you weren't meant to grow up and fall in love like in the movies." She smiled as her daughter's breath began to even out. "Just stick with Tiffany until you feel ready to talk to Sean, but no matter what, learn to stand up for yourself and your friends. You're much stronger than silly boys who throw stones and words around like they know anything about anything."

"Or you could homeschool me?"

"There's a thought," Kelley giggled. "No, you're meant to face and conquer your fears, my dear."

"Are you sure?"

She kissed Libby on her crown, her soft brown waves falling over the nine-year-old's dark curls. "Positive. There's nothing you can't handle as long as you believe in yourself and those you love."

Libby cried into her pillows as she heard her mother's voice in her head. Words could not express how much she wished she could be with her mom again. However, Libby knew she had to get it together. She sat up in bed and wiped her eyes free of tears. Despite the fact that her mother wasn't there to help her through it, she did give Libby perfect advice.

"There's nothing I can't handle. I need to believe in myself and I will conquer this." Libby repeated to herself.

The protector pulled her duffle bag out from under the bed and packed as many items of clothing as she could inside of it. It didn't take her too long to pack everything she needed and as soon as she was done, Libby left Giles' apartment indefinitely.

Buffy went through three classes. She didn't take notes and didn't listen to a word any of her teachers' said. All Buffy could think about was the fight…was that punch. She didn't blame Libby for throwing her into the lockers. She was defending herself. The whole thing was so screwed up.

"I have to fix this!" Buffy announced as she strode through the library doors. "I can't concentrate on anything. Tell me what to do."

Giles put his glasses back on as he took a deep breath. "Buffy, I'm not sure you can do anything at the moment. You both need to take some time."

"I took time. Three classes worth of time."

"You know that's not what I mean."

Buffy dropped her stuff on the table and groaned loudly. "I don't care. I was horrible. Cruel. We both were and it has to stop. Giles, I have to fix things."

"Yes, you do. But it's not just about you and Libby anymore."

"It's about all of us," Willow responded with verve as she entered the library. "Libby's not just your protector. She's our friend too."

"That's right," Xander joined in behind Willow. "She came into all of our lives so she's not just yours. And this problem is ours too."

Giles straightened his back and beamed with pride in his charges. They understood how tight their team – their family – was and the watcher was impressed on how they chose to face the issue at hand.

"We have to get her back." Buffy said.

"She probably thinks we hate her." Xander responded as he sat down.

"But we don't!" Will exclaimed. "We have to find her and tell her."

"You know, she probably hates all of you." Cordelia piped up from her compact mirror. "I mean from what Xander filled me in on, she's probably hoping to never see any of you again."

"That's not what I want to hear right now." Buffy ordered in irritation.

"Too bad. You guys said awful things to each other and then you hit her! And then Libby's obviously gonna retaliate and the fact that she chose to chuck you into that enormous slayer-size dent in the lockers proves that she's royally ticked. I'm just saying, she's probably taken off so she won't have to talk to you guys anymore."

"No, she wouldn't do that…would she?" Xander asked as he looked up at Buffy.

"No, she wouldn't. I mean, it's Libby." Willow replied in a quivering voice.

"It doesn't matter," The slayer declared. "If she's gone we find her and if she's not we talk things out and fix it."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Giles asked thoughtfully. "Some fairly awful things were said and done on both sides."

"We'll work it out. It's Libby. We have to."

Libby had been walking for hours and her feet felt like they had bricks tied to them. The duffle bag was slowly moving her shoulder out of its socket it was getting so heavy. She had no idea where she was going; all she knew was that she had to keep moving.

As she turned yet another corner, Libby saw the perfect motel for her to take residence in. It was a decent size and it didn't appear like a place bad dealings would go down. The paint was pealing off some of the walls and there weren't a lot of cars in the parking lot, which told the protector it was on the cheap side. The motel wasn't a Best Western, but it was sure as hell better than the place Faith would stayed at in season three.

The young brunette walked through the door and a wimpy bell sounded. She didn't wait for the manager or whoever to come out before dropping her overly large duffle to the ground and laying her head down on the front desk.

The owner, a tall man with unkempt hair, arrived at his desk to find this girl seeking refuge on the counter. Without having to see her face, the man concluded that she was a runaway. And he had no sympathy for runaways.

"All right, if you have money you can get a room, but I don't give freebies to kids on the lamb from their families."

Libby shot up at the sound of his loud, raspy voice. She didn't get the impression that he was rude, however, she was afraid of being turned out on the street for the night. Thankfully, the fear started to fade when the protector saw the man notice her wounds. The owner's expression lightened with concern and he came to stand closer to the desk in order to make friendlier contact.

"Do you need me to call someone for you?"

At the sympathy that now resided in his tone, Libby had to take a deep breath and shake her head before she could speak.

"I have no one to call."

"Then you should probably let me call the police. They can –"

"Do absolutely nothing for me. I'm alone here." Libby somberly choked. "I don't have money, but I will work for a room and food. I'll be a maid or a janitor or – or I'll clean the pool everyday or I–I could even detail your car. Please, I just need a place to stay for a little while to figure things out. Please…"

The owner thought for a few minutes, running his hand through his graying hair and fidgeting with papers. He hated getting involved with the young kids on the run. It was never simple, always messy and tended to end badly. Still, there was something about this girl that made her different. He could see it in her sorrowful, brave eyes.

"I don't need a janitor, but one of my maids quit last week and I'll lose my other two if I don't replace her." Seeing Libby's eyes light up, the man almost smiled. "I'll give you a room on the third floor in the back and give you free meals in the cafeteria if you clean the entire third floor once a day."

"Done."

"You know, most kids – or should I say girls – aren't willing to earn their keep. Most try to play the sympathy, helpless card." The owner practically chuckled at just how opposite she was.

"My mom didn't raise me like that." Libby cast her eyes down as she said those words.

"She's the one you want to get back to…isn't she?"

Libby's eyes shot up and connected with the man's understanding ones. "Yeah."

"Well, hopefully you can and won't have to stay in this hole for long." The owner teased.

"This isn't a hole," Libby defended, surprised by the end of his sentence. "That sleazy motel where prostitutes meet most of the time is a hole. Ya know, that place that's like eighteen dollars a day?"

"And that didn't appeal to you?"

"No," Libby burst into laughter for the first time all week. "But if you think about it, that can really add up."

"Well, I'll tell you what. You clean that pool everyday too and I'll give you eighteen dollars a day. If you really think it adds up."

"I do! I will! Thank you so much, Mr…"

"Steve." He held out his hand and Libby politely shook it. "Just because I own this place doesn't mean I want to start being called Mr."

Libby grinned and replied, "I'll try to remember that."

"All right then, welcome to the Sunny Motel, Miss…"

"Libby."

"Miss Libby, now let me show you to your room."

The moment school was out for the day, Buffy ran to Giles' apartment without him. She told everyone to wait for her call just in case Libby gave her a chance to talk things out. Buffy reached his home faster than she ever had before. That didn't mean that the slayer slowed down. On the contrary, Buffy sped up as she crashed through the door and flew down the hall.

Libby wasn't there. Buffy called for her all over the place, but after dozens of shouts and searching more times than necessary, the slayer realized that Libby was gone. She ran back to her protector's room and looked in the closet. It was picked pretty clean…and so was her dresser.

Libby wasn't just gone…she ran away from them.

Buffy skidded around the corner and lunged for the phone on the kitchen wall to call Giles at the library. As soon as she heard his voice, the slayer ordered, "Gather the troops and plan a search grid. Libby's gone."

The room Libby was given wasn't exactly pleasant, but there were no odd smells or any bugs crawling around. The noise wasn't too bad either. The protector nested by placing her clothes in the closet and dresser as well as fluffing the plain pillows and folding back the blue-gray blanket.

Once she was settled, Libby took out the rest of her things and dumped all of her notes and resources concerning the protector, different realities, and transporting spells she had been stealing from Giles on the bed. Libby honestly didn't know how she was going to pull this off, but there was no way she wasn't going to try everything in her power to return home and be with her mom again.

The Scoobies were out looking for Libby before the sun was completely set. Giles created a grid that encircled a great deal of Sunnydale, but it focused near-ish the main parts such as near the school, the Bronze and cemeteries. Buffy paired everyone up and designated the cemetery the meeting place in three hours. Buffy and Willow searched grid one, Xander and Cordelia searched grid two, and Giles and Jenny searched grid three. With any luck, Buffy was sure they would find her protector.

Two hours and seven vampires later, Buffy was feeling extremely discouraged. There wasn't even a minute sign that Libby had even passed through. It was as if she fell off the face of the earth.

"You don't think that she left, left, do you?" Buffy asked Willow.

"What do you mean?" Willow almost shrieked, thinking the worst.

"Found a way to go home, ya know? Like leave this reality." Buffy explained.

"Oh! I don't know," Will replied pensively. "I think it would take more than a day to do that, I mean, wow! That's big stuff. And you have to find out how to do it first."

"So there's a good chance she's still here?"

"Absolutely! Don't worry, Buffy, we'll find her." The sweet redhead locked arms with the blonde as they continued down the alley.

Xander moved about grid two like was looking for cat. He tried to be as quiet as possible and his eyes darted everywhere so he had a better chance of catching Libby in the shadows.

"What's so special about her anyway?" Cordy blurted out.

Xander jumped and yelped at the sudden volume. "Jeez, Cordy! I said we have to be quiet. Not so quiet that I can't hear you." He sarcastically spat.

"She's not gonna let us find her anyway, so why can't we just go home and wait for her?"

"Because she's our friend!" Xander lost all patience and reason with this girl that he wanted and hated so much. "You do know what that word means right? It's that person you care about? Do whatever you can to help them?"

"Yes, Xander, I get it! You all love her oh so very much! But we're almost three hours in and nothing. Maybe she doesn't want help right now?" Cordelia challenged as she stopped walking. "I don't want to waist my time on someone who doesn't want to be found."

"Well doesn't that show how much you care." Xander's voice was so low and angry, that it cut into Cordy.

"Libby didn't just come into your lives, she came into mine too. And even though we've butted heads, she actually listens to me when I speak." Xander looked at Cordelia and saw how raw her words felt in her mouth and it made him feel the same. Along with guilty. "I care about her as much as they rest of you, but I'm not afraid to say what everyone's thinking. Libby doesn't want us to find her."

"Of course she does!" Giles told Jenny. "It just may take longer than three hours."

"Rupert, it takes time for someone to get over something that traumatic." Jenny's voice was soothing, but serious.

"You would know, I guess." Giles turned away from her to aimlessly look through some trees.

"I would, but just like me, Libby will be all right and come back."

She took Giles' hand in hers and with a smile they went to meet up with everyone in the cemetery.

It had been nearly five hours of pouring over every single piece of information she had for Libby to realize that she had to stop if she didn't want her head to explode. There were so many note-filled paper and pages of books on her bed that the protector was starting to read it all as gibberish. Needing some fresh air, Libby left her room and took a stroll down the street in the opposite direction of her friends. She wasn't sure if they were out looking for her, but she wanted to make sure there was less of a chance of running into them.

Surprisingly enough, Libby did run into someone. Angel came out of the shadows in his usual long black coat and she was greeted with a surprised grin. "Libby, what are you doing way out here?" Angel asked as they walked to each other.

"Me? Isn't this a little out of your way?"

"I couldn't find Buffy so I'm looking in more unusual places."

"She's not patrolling?" Libby inquired on edge.

"She's supposed to be, but she's not in any of the cemeteries or the Bronze." Noticing that Libby had gotten uneasy, Angel queried, "Is something going on? Did something happen between you both?"

Libby couldn't help it. She spilled everything precisely as it happened. No one was painted in a good light and there was no hopeful ending. Angel listened so intently that Libby felt like it was the first time that she had someone to care for her. And the fact that it was Angel was such a surprise because they had barely spent any time together.

When she was finished, Libby's body was shaking and Angel was holding her close to his chest, trying to comfort her.

"Buffy must hate me. They all probably do."

"No, Libby, that's not possible."

"How can they not? I was so awful and I smashed Buffy into a row of lockers."

"After she hit you. Libby, look at me," Angel held her out gently at arm's length and gave his one sided smile. "Fights happen between everyone, but they're just fights. They pass, become memories and then they mean nothing. You and Buffy just need to talk this out."

"I'm not ready."

"Take all the time you need, but you need to understand that there's no hatred. The reason I can't find her is probably because she's out looking for you."

"Maybe…"

"It's Buffy," Angel fully smiled, trying to coax one out of Libby. "She's looking for you so she can tell you she's sorry."

"My mom was big on forgiveness. She said it tells you a lot about a person, how good someone's true character is. It's how she helped me get passed being bullied as a kid. I've always tried to be honest and forgiving, for her, but sometimes I just can't. Right now, I think only time will get me there."

"I'll find Buffy and tell her to leave you be," Libby looked up at him and met his insightful gaze. "You'll find us when you're ready, all right?" Libby nodded. "And if you need anything, you can find me. I know we haven't talked much before this, but you need to know someone will be there for you."

"Thank you, Angel," Libby replied as she slowly hugged him again. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad you found me. It feels good to talk to you, separate from Buffy."

"I'm glad I could make a difference for you," Angel grinned. "So, who plays me on the TV show?"

Drusilla spun in fluid circles around the long table in the middle of the main floor of the factory. She was dancing to music playing in her head, but she couldn't tell you the name or the words. Spike sat, weakened to a burned lump, in a wheelchair.

"Dru, pet, why don't you go get us someone to eat?" Spike scowled at the floor. Drusilla stopped moving but she didn't make a sound. "Drusilla?"

A quivering moan escaped her lips as she hunched over. It appeared like she was trying to grab something in front of her, but it was just out of reach.

"What is it, love?" Spike asked as she rolled over to her. "Is it a vision?"

"The wings have been picked off the butterfly." Drusilla whispered as she made eye contact with her lover. "And so close to the spider web."

"What did you see, kitten?"

"She's gone, left her…all alone."

"Who?" Spike demanded, dark hope filling his heartless chest.

"The protector left the slayer…wings floating on the wind…body left to crawl."

"The slayer and protector are separated? Willingly?" Spike felt as though God smiled on him at Christmas time. "This is bloody perfect!"

"Better." Drusilla corrected with a delicate finger raised.

"How does it get better, love?"

"The slayer can't be killed with her protector still alive. Slayer slays, protector protects. To squash the butterfly you have to fry its wings."

"What are you saying, Dru? You have to kill the protector first? If they're separated –"

"Protector never outlives the Slayer." Drusilla recited. "Protector dies so the Slayer can live."

Spike's devilish grin returned to his scorched face. "Well, how 'bout that…I think we owe the protector a parting gift."

"Just in time for my party plans!" Drusilla and Spike laughed together.