FF: When First We Met.

["Sam" <shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxx>]

When first we met.
By Sam


Email: shadowmage_draco@xxxxxxx 

Notes: This one came about while talking with Shy in the chatroom, 
here it is as promised. A Buffy/Willow season one fic. Do you 
believe in love at first site? A certain slayer and hacker do.  
Imagine a Buffy verse where they hooked up before from the get go, 
there would be none of that Angel or Oz nonsense to contend with, not 
to mention the horror that was Riley and Parker. This is such a 
universe where things are as they where met to be. Hope you enjoy. 
Italics Indicates though
Rating: PG
Special Thanks: To Coy for being a most excellent Beta reader, 
editor, and provider of sound advise. Thanks a million, you rock.
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire slayer belong to the 
genius of Joss. This is only for fun no copyright infringement is 
intended.
Spoilers: Welcome to the Hellmouth and The Harvest. 
Archive: The usual suspects, all others just ask me, I'll say yes, 
really I will.
Pairing: B/W
Feedback: I crave it, I need it, and it is the fuel that keeps the 
creative fires burning, get the picture.



Buffy sat in her room looking out the window at the quaint Sunnydale 
street; sure this wasn't LA, but that was something she was ready to 
put behind her. A year ago her mom would have had to drug her here 
kicking and screaming, but that was before IT happened, before "her 
calling". First, she had met the watcher Merrick and learned she was 
the Chosen One, The Slayer. She had been introduced to a world she 
wanted nothing to do with, one where Vampires and Demons existed and 
she had to fight them, yes Buffy Summers was indeed glad to have LA 
behind her. It was time for a change, time to start over and try to 
build something that resembled a normal life.  

Tears formed in the petite blonde girl's eyes, as she thought about 
that fateful night, the one that led to her mom and her moving to 
this place. The Master had come; he had killed her watcher, and 
ruined her life. Her friends in LA had abandoned her, and she had 
been expelled from school all because of her calling.

"Buffy," Joyce yelled from downstairs, snapping the girl out of her 
thoughts.

"What is it Mom?"

"You better hurry, you don't want to be late for your first day of 
school."

"No, wouldn't want that," Buffy grumbled, grabbing her backpack off 
the dresser. This time it's gonna be different.

Buffy rushed down stares, "Bye mom see ya later."

"OK, have fun, and don't worry you're going to make lots of friends."

"OK, Mom, bye now," Buffy replied as she headed for the door.

"And honey, try not to get kicked out this time."

"OK Mom, I will."

------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Willow, did you hear? There's a new girl in school," Xander 
Harris stated.

"Yeah, I heard, have you met her yet?"

"Not exactly," Xander sheepishly replied.

"What's that suppose to mean," Willow inquired.

"It means, that he almost knocked himself out staring at her," Jesse 
shouted as he walked up behind his friends.

"I did not," Xander exclaimed.

"Yes you did, I saw it. The X-man here was skateboarding by the 
steps when she walked by, practically crashed into the railing 
because he was busy staring at her, can't say that I blame him 
though, she is totally hot."

"Is that true Xander," Willow asked.

"Yes," Xander sheepishly admitted.

"Then it serves you right," Willow state before heading of to her 
first class.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy sat nervously in the principals' office as he reviewed her 
records from LA.

"Hmm?Hemery High School, looks like you had quite a career there Miss 
Summers, but that's behind you now, welcome to Sunnydale," Bob 
Fluttie replied as he continued to read his new students transcript.

Mr. Fluttie then tore up the transcript, "You have a clean slate, 
what do you think of that?"

"Mr. Fluttie?"

"All my students are free to call me Bob."

"Bob."

"But they don't."

"Oh, uh?Mr. Fluttie, is something wrong?"

"It seems you have a colorful past Miss Summers."

"I know it looks kinda bad."

"You burnt the gym down."

"It wasn't as bad as it sounds."

"I believe you Miss Summers, but you must remember this is not LA, 
and you have a fresh start here at Sunnydale," Mr. Fluttie replied, 
taping the transcript back together.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy sat in her first class of the day and wondered how things were 
going to turn out here. She had gotten off to a bad start with the 
principal and now here she was in history class and without any 
books.  

She nervously looked around the room as the teacher started lecturing 
on the Black Plague. Fortunately the brunette next to her was kind 
enough to share her book.

"Hi, I'm Cordelia," the girl replied as they got up from their seats 
after class.

"I'm Buffy."

"If you need a text book, try the library."

"Thanks, uh, where might that be?"

"I'll show you, come on. So you're from Hemery, right? In LA?"

" Uh, yeah."

"I would *kill* to live in LA. That close to that many shoes."

After walking down a couple of halls Cordelia stopped and looked at 
Buffy. "This is it. If your going to hang with me I will need to 
test your coolness factor first. Since you're form LA we can skip the 
written part. Let me see. Vamp nail polish?"

"So over?"

"Frappaccinos?"

"Trendy, but tasty."

"John Tesh?"

"The Devil."

"That was pretty much a gimme, but... you passed!"

"Oh, goody!"

Cordelia looked over at a redheaded girl at the drinking 
fountain, "Willow! Nice dress, it's good to see you're getting with 
the softer side of Sears."

"Uh, oh, well, my mom picked it out," the redhead nervously replied.

"No wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?"

"Oh," Willow replied as she moved back and turned to go down the hall.

Buffy watched her as she left, she wanted to say something to 
Cordelia about the way she treated the other girl but didn't, after 
all so far Cordelia was the only friend she had at school, but it did 
bother her that Cordelia had treated the redhead that way. Maybe I 
should go find her later.

"You wanna fit in here, the first rule is...know your losers. Once 
you can identify them all by sight they're a lot easier to avoid," 
Cordelia snidely replied.
 
"Also if you're not too swamped with catching up you should come by 
the Bronze tonight," the brunette added.

"The who?"

"The Bronze. It's the only club worth going to around here. They 
let anybody in, but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of 
town."

"Where's that?" 

"About a half a block from the good part of town," Cordelia 
chuckled, "We don't have a whole lot of town here. But, um, you 
should show."

"I'll be there. Well guess I should go in and get some books now."

"Sounds good, later," Cordelia replied as she turned and walked down 
the hall.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy walked through the door into the empty library, "Is any one 
here?"

A middle age man wearing glasses stepped out from behind a 
bookcase, "I'm Mr. Giles, the Liberian."  

"I'm?"

"Buffy Summers," Giles answered.

"Good call, how did you know my name? Wait never mind, small town, 
I'm most likely the only new kid here."

"True, but I was told you were coming," the Liberian stated as he 
studied Buffy.

Buffy was beginning to feel nervous about how the Liberian was 
acting; "I need some books."

"Yes, yes, I think I have what you're looking for," Giles stated as 
he reached under the counter and pulled out a rather large book.

He laid the book out in front of Buffy, and her eyes grew wide as she 
red the title, Vapmyr.

"I don't want that, I just want to get books for class," Buffy 
exclaimed as memories of LA flooded back into her mind.

"Are you sure?"

"Way sure!"

Giles gave her a bewildered look, "I'm sorry, I guess I was mistaken, 
let me get your text books for you."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy walked into the quad and immediately noticed Willow sitting 
down at a bench preparing to eat her lunch, so she walked over to the 
other girl, "Um?Hi! Willow, right?"

"Why? I-I mean, hi! Uh, did you wont me to move?" Willow asked as 
she started to get up.

"Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Buffy,' and, uh, then let's segue 
directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, 
but it does involve hanging out with me for a while." Buffy replied 
as she sat next to the redhead.  

Willow's mind filled with confusion as she tried to figure out what 
the beautiful blonde wanted. "What's going on? What do you want?"

"I was hoping that you could help me with my classes but that's 
beside the point. Why do I need to want something in order to talk 
to you?"

"Most everyone else does."

"I'm not everyone else, I'm Buffy. Besides you seem like someone I 
would like to get to know." Could I be a little more lame?

"That would be nice, but aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?"

"I can't do both?" Buffy asked. She's so cute.

"Not legally."

"Then I guess it's her loss. Look, I really wanna get by here, new 
school, and... Cordelia's been really nice... to me... anyway, but, 
um, I kinda have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and 
I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to 
get caught up."


Willow sat there a moment stunned as she gathered her thoughts. Did 
she just say that she would rather be friends with me than Cordelia? 
Thought the redhead.

"Uh, you still there?"

"Yeah," Willow replied snapping out of her thoughts.

"Good, so where would you like to study?"

"We can go to the library." 

"Or not. It gives me the creeps."

"But it's so nice, there's lots of books and the new Liberian is 
really smart. He just transferred here from England." Oh God, I'm 
babbling again.

"England?"

"Yeah, he worked for some museum there." Maybe she didn't notice.

Buffy recalled her visit to the library earlier and then though about 
what Willow had just said. I am Merrick, a watcher. As she set next 
to Willow on the bench she could feel it all beginning again No, it's 
supposed to be different this time.

"Uh, Buffy you still there?"

"Sorry." Buffy said as she came out of her thoughts. "Guess it was 
my turn to space out."

"It's OK. If you don't want to study at the library where would you 
like to go?"

"How about the Bronze?"

"You want me to go to the Bronze with you?"

"Yeah, it would be fun." Please say yes!

"It's kinda noisy for studying."

"Well, we could go there for a while then somewhere else to study."

"Are you sure you want to go to the Bronze with me?" Please say yes!

"I'm positive," Buffy replied hoping that she wasn't coming on to 
strong for Willow.

"That would be nice."

"Hey Wills, see ya met the new girl," Xander replied as he and Jesse 
took seats on the bench across from the two girls.

"Buffy this is Xander and Jesse."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Buffy."

Buffy looked at Willow, "Don't they talk?'

"I think that they both bite their tongues when you talked to them," 
Willow smirked causing Buffy to giggle.

"Hey no fair," Jesse shouted.

"Ditto," Xander added.

Buffy smiled at Willow; "They're funny."

"But harmless," Willow added before turning to the young men, " so 
anything going on?"

"You mean you haven't heard," Xander asked.

"Heard what?"

"They found our quarterback stuffed in a locker in the girls locker 
room."

"What," Willow exclaimed.

"That's what I thought."

"Oh, my. When?"

"A little while ago, it was really freaky."

Buffy's face grew solemn and she walked over to Xander, "What do you 
mean by freaky?"

"I mean they are saying that he didn't have any blood."

Buffy felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. All the 
memories of LA came rushing back. She closed her eyes, she could see 
the Master killing her watcher, hear the screams as the vampires 
poured into the gym, and see them as they closed in on her old 
friends.

She glanced at the two young men and turned to Willow, "Uh, I gotta 
go uh, check on something. See ya tonight?"

"OK," Willow replied as she watched Buffy bolt out of the quad.

"What's wrong with her," Jesse asked.

"It's her first day of school here and someone gets killed. It's 
enough to freak out anyone. I better had go see if she's OK." 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy moved quietly through the locker room, making sure no one was 
there. She didn't want to be there, but she had to know if it was 
starting again.

She found the body laying on the floor and bent over it. She looked 
at it for a moment, afraid of what she was going to find. Finally she 
tilted the dead boys head back revealing a set of fang marks. No, 
this can't be happening, not here, not now.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Willow had looked almost everywhere for Buffy when she decided that 
the cute blonde girl had most likely went home, so she headed to the 
library to try and take her mind off of everything that had happened 
today.  

Willow sat at a table off in the corner trying to read, but it was 
useless, all her thoughts led her to Buffy. She wasn't sure why but 
she knew that she was attracted to the blonde. She had felt it in 
her pounding heart when Buffy had sat down next to her in the quad, 
and felt it in her soul when the blonde had asked her to the Bronze.  
Get a grip Rosenberg; she only wants to be your friend. You keep 
having thoughts like that and you won't even get a chance for that.

Willow closed the book she was reading and prepared to leave when 
Buffy burst into the library. The shy redhead knew something was up 
by the expression on the blonde's face so she stepped back behind one 
of the bookcases and remained silent.

"Hey Liberian guy," Buffy screamed at the top of her lungs.

Giles turned around and looked at Buffy, "Is something wrong?"

"You tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"You did hear about the dead guy, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"'Cause, it's the weirdest thing." Buffy went on as is Giles had not 
spoken "He's got two little, tiny holes in his neck, and all his 
blood's been drained. Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, 
ooo?"

"I was afraid of this."

"Well, *I* wasn't! It's my first day! I was afraid that I was gonna 
be behind in all my classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I 
would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires 
on campus. And I don't care."

"Then why are you here?"

"To tell you that... I don't care, which... I don't, and... have now 
told you, so... bye." 

"Is he, w-will he... rise again?" Giles asked quietly

"Will who rise again?" Buffy replied in a normal tone of voice.

"The boy, in the locker room that's who." Giles sighed.

"No. He's just dead."

"Can you be sure?"

"To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood. And then you 
have to suck their blood. It's like a whole big sucking thing.  
Mostly they're just gonna kill you, and why am I still talking to 
you?"

"You really have no idea what's going on, do you? You think it's 
coincidence, your being here? That boy was?was?just the beginning."

"It's not fair, it was suppose to be different here. Why can't you 
people leave me alone!"

"Because you are the Slayer. Buffy, into each generation a Slayer is 
born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the 
strength and skill to hunt the vampires..."

"For cryin' out loud!" Buffy exclaimed. "I know that?with the 
strength and the skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of 
their evil blah, blah, blah. I've heard it, okay?"

"I really don't understand this?this?attitude. You, you've accepted 
your duty, you, you've slain vampires before."

"Yeah, and it cost me everything. I'm moving on."

Giles looked Buffy square in the eyes. "Tell me, what do you really 
know about this town?"

"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus?"

"Not even close. Dig a bit in the history of this place. You'll 
find a, a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. Now, I believe 
this whole area is a center of mystical energy, that things gravitate 
towards it that, that, that you might not find elsewhere." 

"Like vampires."

"Yes, for starters. But there are also werewolves, incubi?ah,ah? 
succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told 
yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!"

"Excuse me, did you like send away for Time-Life series on this 
stuff?"

"Ah, w-w-w-yes."

"Did you get the free phone?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"The calendar." Giles answered sheepishly.

"Cool! But okay, I'm the Vampire slayer and I'm retired. Hey, I 
know! Why don't you kill them?"

"It doesn't work that way. I-I'm a Watcher, I-I haven't the skill."

"Oh, come on, stake through the heart, a little sunlight. It's like 
falling off a log."

"A, a Slayer slays, a Watcher..."

"Watches?"

"Yes. No! He, he trains her, he, he, he prepares her," Giles 
replied.
 
"Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? For losing 
all of my friends? For having to spend all of my time fighting for 
my life and never getting to tell anyone because I might endanger 
them? Go ahead! Prepare me because I've already been down that road."

Buffy then turned around and exited the library as quickly as she had 
entered it. Giles watched as the door slammed behind her and hit his 
fist on one of the tables, "Damn!"

Giles stood there for a moment the bolted out the door after Buffy.  
Willow stepped out from behind the bookcase and stared at the door. 
Who are you Buffy Summers?

------------------------------------------------------------------

Giles caught up with Buffy in the hallway, "It's getting worse you 
know." Giles whispered as he leaned in close to her as not to be over 
heard.

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked as Giles grabbed her by the arm and 
pulled her to a stop.

"I mean something big is about to happen."

"What do you mean by big?

"Supernatural phenomena, End of Days prophesy," Giles replied as he 
turned to look down the hall to see if they were being overheard.

"You guys crack me up. It was one vampire, I'll find him, stake him, 
and it will be over. I mean this is Sunnydale, what could possibly 
happen here?"

------------------------------------------------------------------

On the far side of town, well below the surface a group of vampires 
had gathered bearing torches. They gathered around as their leader 
began to chant, "The sleeper will wake, the sleeper will wake, the 
sleeper will wake, The sleeper will wake, and the world will bleed.  
Amen!"

------------------------------------------------------------------

Xander and Jesse sat in their normal booth at the Bronze and watched 
as Willow fidgeted in her seat. "Do I look OK," the redhead 
nervously asked. 

"Wills for like the millionth time, you look fine," Xander replied 

"GoodbecuaseIwouldn'twanttolookbadoranythingnotthatit'simportantoranyt
hingit'snotlikeIhaveadatatleastIdon'tthinkIdo."

Xander and Jesse both looked at each other. "Did you understand a 
word of that," Jesse asked.

"No, not a word." 

The two of them looked at Willow for clarification, only to notice 
that their friend seemed oblivious to their existence, her eyes where 
gazing past them watching the other side of the Bronze.

The two boys turned to see what had caught Willows attention and 
noticed Buffy slowly walking towards the booth.

Xander looked at Willow, took a second glance at Buffy, then turned 
to Jesse. His eyes looked like they where about to pop out of his 
head, "Uh, Jesse I think we might want to leave."

"Why?"

"I think Wills has a crush and I don't want to be in the way."

"A crush? On who?"

Buffy walked up to the booth and quickly sat down next to Willow. It 
was obvious to the two young men that she was just as nervous as 
their redheaded friend was.

Jesse looked at Xander, "Oh, uh?I think your right."

"Right about what," Willow asked, trying not to stare at Buffy. God, 
does she have to be so beautiful?

"That me and the J-man here need to hit the dance floor and find some 
girls."

Willow and Buffy where starting to grow comfortable with sitting 
close to one another and talking. Both of them could feel the 
chemistry starting to develop between them, it was like they had 
known each other forever even though they had just met. They sat 
talking about everything, anything, and nothing. Just enjoying each 
other's company.

"Uh, I hate to interrupt but we need to talk," Giles stated as he 
stood next to the booth.

Buffy looked over at him with fire in her eyes; "Can't it wait?"

"NO, I'm afraid it can not."

"Buffy it's OK, I'm not going anywhere, go talk to Mr. Giles," Willow 
replied.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

Willow watched as the blonde got up and walked over to the corner 
with the Liberian, she wondered if they where talking more about 
vampires and slayers again. She didn't know what it all met but 
somehow knew it was important, she just hoped that it didn't end up 
costing her the price of not getting to know Buffy.

"This had better be good," Buffy stated as she glared at Giles.

"Two more bodies were found earlier this evening."

"So any leads on the vam? Oh. My. God."

"What's wrong?"

"That," Buffy responded, as she pointed to Jesse talking to a young 
girl across the dance floor.

Giles looked over at them, "What's wrong with that?"

"That's Willow's friend."

"And?"

"That girl he's leaving with is a vampire." Buffy deadpanned.

"You sure?"

"Positive." She said shaking her head at the librarian. "You stay 
with Willow. Make sure nothing happens to her. I'll be right back."

Giles nodded his head and walked back over to the booth only to see 
that Willow wasn't there. Great not only can't I get the slayer to 
listen, now I can't even keep tract of a normal girl.

Willow burst into the ally that she had seen Buffy race toward.

"She's not here Will's," yelled a confused Xander as he raced after 
his friend.

"We've gotta find her! I think she could be in trouble."

"Why?"

"It's hard to say, you just have to trust me on this."

"OK. Then I guess we should go and find her for you."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy tracked the vampire to a nearby graveyard, the whole time she 
was doing so she had the feeling that she was being followed, however 
she sensed that whoever or whatever was following her wasn't evil so 
she continued on her search for Jesse.

After a few more minutes of searching the slayers luck picked up and 
she spotted Jesse and the vampire going into a crypt. Quietly she 
followed them in, she was about to make her move when she heard 
Xander call out from behind her, "See Wills she's safe. Can we get 
out of here now?"  

The Vampire spun around and looked at Buffy, who now had Willow and 
Xander protectively behind her.

The vamp grabbed Jesse by the collar and threw him to the ground, "I 
see that we have more gifts for the Master," hissed the blonde female 
as she put on her game face and several other vampires moved from 
their hiding places within the shadows of the crypt.

Buffy looked back at Xander and Willow and pulled a stake from her 
jacket, "Get out of here! Now!"

Willow stood there confused as to what was happening as these human 
looking creatures with their twisted faces began to close in on 
them. She wanted to run away from this place but her fear had the 
best of her and she was unable to move her legs as her mind screamed 
for her to go.

Buffy launched into an attack and quickly dusted two of the vampires 
that where closest to them; she struck a third one in the face 
knocking him to the ground. Another vampire tried to rush past her 
and get to her new friends but she closed-lined him sending him to 
his back. Buffy dropped down on one knee and staked him. She lend to 
her left and leg swept the other vampire as he tried to get up and 
staked him when he landed, Turning him to dust.

She stood back up and turned to face the only two remaining vampires. 
The female she had followed here and a male.

The female vampire stared at her for a moment before speaking. "I'm 
Darla, who might you be?"

"You mean there's actually someone in this town who doesn't know 
already? Whew, that's a relief, I'm telling you! Having a secret 
identity in this town is a lot of work." 

The male stepped forward, "Return to the Master, she's mine."

Xander looked over to Buffy. "We bail now, right?"

"Not yet!" The male vampire yelled.

"Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay?  
You look like DeBarge!" Buffy taunted as the vamp closed in on her. 
Turning to Darla who had yet to run Buffy said, "Now, we can do this 
the hard way, or... well, actually there's just the hard way."

"That's fine with me!" Darla said as she began to advance on Buffy.

"Are you sure? Now, this is not gonna be pretty. We're talking 
violence, strong language, adult content..."

"Enough!" The male vamp yelled. "Return to the Master? Now!" He told 
Darla.

He then charged Buffy. She kicked him in the chest knocking him back 
a few feet but he didn't go down.
"You're strong." He said as he reached out and backhanded 
Buffy. "But I'm stronger." 

Kicking out the male vamp tried to grab Buffy by the arms, but she 
moved to fast for him.

"I take it you're a slayer. Always wanted to kill a slayer." hissed 
the vampire as he struck Buffy across the face sending her reeling 
backwards.

"Leave her alone," Willow shouted as she rushed towards the slayer. 

"No! Willow, don't," screamed the slayer as saw the redhead coming 
towards her.

Her plea was too late and the vampire grabbed Willow and threw her to 
the ground, "I'll save you for later."

"Like hell you will," Buffy screamed, charging the vampire and struck 
him with a barrage of powerful hits forcing him away from Willow.

The vampire quickly regained his composure and rushed Buffy but she 
continued to fight like nothing he had ever seen before. There was a 
fire in her eyes that he couldn't place, but he knew he was in 
trouble.

The vampire managed to block a couple of her blows and did a leg 
sweep. Instead of trying to take advantage of the situation he 
bolted into the back of the crypt and vanished.

Buffy rolled up off the ground and quickly scanned for any remaining 
vamps, she then rushed over to Willow as Xander was helping the 
redhead off the ground.

"Are you OK, none of them bit you or anything," Buffy inquired, her 
voice filled with concern.

"Yeah, all he did was throw me down, though it did kinda hurt."

"You don't need medical help, do you?"

"No I'm just sore, but what about you?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure," Willow asked, "I mean those look like some pretty nasty 
cuts."

"I hate to interrupt this, but where's Jesse," inquired Xander.

Buffy quickly looked around the crypt, a look of concern came across 
her face, "They got him."

"They, being those things that just attacked us?"

"'Afraid so," answered Buffy sadly.

Willow walked over and placed her hand on the slayers 
shoulder, "Buffy what where they?"

Buffy looked Willow in the eyes; she could feel her stomach muscles 
starting to knot up. She knew that there was something happening 
between her and Willow and now she had to come clean about the 
vampires and her being a slayer. Please don't run away from me when 
I tell you.

"They where vampires."

"I was afraid of that," answered Willow. Sighing she looked around 
the crypt.

"You were?"

Willow looked back over to Buffy, "Yeah, I sorta heard you talking to 
Mr. Giles in the library."

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"And you still met me at the Bronze," inquired Buffy in awe as some 
of her fears began to fade away.

"Why wouldn't I," asked Willow.

"Because everyone else who has found out about this has abandoned 
me." Buffy said as she glanced down to the ground.

Willow cupped Buffy's face in her hands, "Then it's their loss," she 
said looking into Buffy's eyes.

The blond looked at Willow and saw the sincerity that was 
there, "Thanks."

"Hey I really hate to interrupt whatever is happening with you guys 
but could we get back to this whole vampire thing," exclaimed Xander.

Remembering that the two were not alone, Willow released Buffy's face 
and brought her hands back to her side.

Buffy looked over to Xander and then to Willow, "I guess I have a lot 
of explaining to do, but I am not going to do it alone, meet me in 
the library at lunch. OK?"

"OK." They both answered.

"Good, now let me get you guys home safely."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy and Willow had just walked Xander home and now they where 
headed towards Willow's house. They hadn't said much to each other 
since they left the crypt, mostly because they both knew what they 
where feeling deep inside. They knew that they needed to talk about 
it, but neither of them wanted anyone else around when they did.

"Willow?"

"Yes."

"Can I talk to you?"

"You're doing that now aren't you?"

"That's not what I met."

"I know, it's just that I don't know how to tell you what I'm feeling 
about you."

Buffy took a big gulp, "Willow, I know we just met and I really want 
you to be my friend. I just hope you'll still be around after I say 
what I'm about to say."

Willow stopped in her tracks and turned to face Buffy, "I won't 
leave, I promise."

Buffy took a deep breath. Come on, you're the slayer, you can do 
this. "I think I'm falling for you."

"You do," asked Willow as her heart began to quicken.

Buffy's body was starting to shake from the anxiety that was soaring 
through her system, "I...I...D-do."

"I was hoping you were going to say that."

"You were?"

"Yes."

Buffy carefully took Willow by the hand, "So what do we do now?"

"We let it happen and see where it goes."

"That sounds nice," answered Buffy as her and Willow again started 
walking to the redhead's house.

Buffy was headed home after dropping off Willow. She didn't know 
whether she should be happy that Willow felt the same way or sad 
because everything that she had thought she was leaving behind in LA 
was reemerging.

When she rounded the corner she felt her senses kick in. She stopped 
and carefully scanned the area but saw nothing, "Whoever or whatever 
you are I know your there!"

A tall young man with dark hair stepped out of the shadows and 
approached Buffy, "Are you ready?"

"It depends on what you are talking about."

"It's coming, you need to be prepared."

"Listen, I don't wanna play your silly game," shouted Buffy.

"It's not a game, the very mouth of hell is opening."

Buffy looked at the stranger, "Who are you?"

"That's not important, what is important is that you are ready."

"For what?"

"The Harvest."

"What's the harvest?"

"Ask your watcher."

"How did you know I had a watcher?"

"All Slayers do."

The man then stepped back away from Buffy and seemly vanished into 
the night.

------------------------------------------------------------------


Darla forced Jesse into the underground lair, with the male right 
behind her. She pushed the frightened boy to the ground before a 
make shift alter.

"Kneel swine, The Master approaches," shouted the male vampire.

An ancient looking man entered the room, everything about him 
screamed with the essence of evil, "Is this for me?"

"It is an offering Master," replied the male vampire.

"He is a good one, his blood is pure," added Darla.

"You tasted it? What am I a faithful dog that you feed
scrapes," screamed the Master enraged.

"I did not mean that Master."

"I have waited. For three score years I have waited. While you come 
and go I am stuck here, here in this house of worship! My ascension 
is almost at hand. Pray that when it comes I'm in a better mood."

"Master, forgive me! We had more offerings, but there was trouble."

"What kind of trouble," snarled the Master?

"A girl. She fought well and she knew of our breed. I think she 
might be..."

"A Slayer."

"Yes Master," replied the male.

"Then destroy her Luke, nothing can interfere with my rising."

"Yes Master," answered the male.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy sat next to Willow in the library, and watched Giles pace back 
and forth in front of them. Xander leaned over towards the two 
girls, "What's wrong with him?" He whispered

"I'm not sure," answered Buffy.

"What's wrong is that you shouldn't have brought them into this, 
it's not their fight," snapped Giles.

"Look, they followed me, I can't help that." Buffy protested.

"Yes?yes?your right, I'm sorry," Giles sighed. "It's just I'm a 
little stressed about all this, forgive me."

"OK, but you need to tell them."

Giles sat down across from the three of them, "Know this, vampires 
and demons are real. They are not legends or,or, or myths, but real 
creatures without souls."

"Wait a second, they can't be real," exclaimed Xander.

"And how do you explain what we saw, those where real," shouted 
Willow.

Xander hung his head down, "I can't."

"But I can," interrupted Giles, "Those where vampires you saw. I 
know it might be hard for you to take in but it is the truth. The 
last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. 
He was a human form possessed, infected by the demon's soul. He bit 
another, and another, and so they walk the Earth, feeding... Killing 
some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind.  
Waiting for the animals to die out, and the old ones to return."

Buffy leaned over to Willow, "Breath. OK?"

"OK, but he just said..."

"I know, it's a lot to take in, it really freaked me out when I first 
learned about it."

"It did?"

"Yeah, it did."

"Good because you're so calm right now and I was afraid I was the 
only one that was having trouble grasping all of this."

"You're not if you think it will help I'll tell you how I got pulled 
into this."

"It would."

"OK after I get Jesse back we'll sit down and talk about all of this 
vampire and slayer stuff, just the two of us."

"That would be nice," replied Willow before turning her attention 
back to Giles who was explaining some of the finer points of vampires 
and demons to a rather confused Xander.


Willow waited for the Liberian to finish talking then raised her 
hand, "Mr. Giles, what is a slayer?"

"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand 
against the Vampires, the Demon and the forces of darkness. She is 
the Slayer."

Willow turned away from Giles as he finished his speech and looked at 
the blonde whose hand she was holding. She noted the look of sadness 
in Buffy's face and turned back to Giles, "Why her? Why does she have 
to be the one?"

"I don't know, no one does." Giles said as he pulled off his glasses 
and reached in his pocket for a handkerchief to clean them.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"It means that why someone is called as a slayer is a mystery. All I 
do is find them and help them the best I can." Giles slipping his 
glasses back on.

"And how long does she have to fight? How long does this calling 
last?"

"It never ends, it stays with her for the remainder of her life," 
sadly replied Giles.

Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy. She felt like she had just 
been hit by a two-ton truck. For the first time in her life she had 
found someone special, someone that she cared for and wanted to get 
to know better, someone that she started falling in love with as soon 
as she saw her. But, that someone seemed to be slipping away from her 
as she listened to the watchers words. Her new friend and potential 
girlfriend had a calling that appeared to be nothing more than a 
death sentence.

Willow tightened her grip on Buffy and fought back the wave of 
emotions that where ravishing her body, "It's not fair!" She shouted.

Giles lowered his head, "No, no it's not. But there is nothing I can 
do about it."

Buffy assuredly whispered in Willow's ear, "It's not to late for you 
to leave this behind you, and forget that it ever happened."

"I don't want to do that," softly cried Willow into Buffy's shoulder.

"Then we can work through it, together," assured Buffy rubbing 
Willows back.

Willow wasn't sure when she placed her head on Buffy's shoulder; all 
she knew was that it made her feel safe, "together."

Giles waited a few seconds before addressing the slayer and the 
others. Trying to give the time to soak in everything "I think I 
might know where they took your young friend."

Buffy took a breath trying to get her mind to focus. "OK, I'm ready, 
spill," replied Buffy as she looked to Giles, keeping her arms 
loosely around Willow.

"It seems that there is a vast series of under ground caverns that 
run underneath the graveyard, I think they might be there, but I have 
no idea how to get to them."

Buffy paused for a moment, then it dawned on her, "The crypt!"

"What about it?" 

"When we first came into the crypt it was just Jesse and one vampire, 
the rest of them came out of nowhere. The entrance has got to be in 
the crypt."

"Then we go back there and get Jesse," stated Willow pulling 
completely away from Buffy and standing up strait.

"No, I go get him it's what I do. You could be hurt, and that is the 
last thing in the world I want to happen." Buffy said as she grabbed 
on to Willows hand.

"But it's too dangerous for you to go by yourself," Willow protested.

"Then I'll go with her," replied Xander.

"Nobody's going with me. I know what I'm doing."

"But, they're vampires."

"Exactly, and I'm the slayer, that's why I have to go alone."

"She's right you know, plus I'll need your help here," stated Giles.

"You need our help," questioned Willow.

"Yes, you see I have discovered something about the Harvest. It 
seems that it is some sort of preordained massacre. Rivers of blood, 
Hell on Earth, quite charmless. It's really kind of vague after 
that."

"How can I help with that? I'm really not even sure what you're 
talking about." Willow asked curious as to how she could help.

"I need someone to get on that blasted thing and try to find more 
information on this area and references to the harvest," Giles 
replied pointing towards a computer in the corner, "Can you help me.

Willow smiled at Giles, the idea of being able to help Buffy greatly 
appealed to her, "I can do that."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Buffy stood in the crypt mentally preparing for the task at hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," replied the mysterious messenger 
as he stepped out of the shadows.

"And why is that?"

"Because they are down there waiting."

"Who's waiting?"

"The Master and the others that is who, if you go down there, they 
will be there waiting for you."

"I don't have a choice."

"It could be a trap, you don't even know if your friend is still 
alive."

"But if he is I have to save him. If you think it is a trap come with 
me."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid."

"Then at least you could tell me who you are."

"I'm Angel."

"OK Angel, it's been strange talking to you, but I have someone to go 
rescue."

"You shouldn't do that, you are needed here. Tonight is the Harvest, 
if the Master rises all is lost."

"Then I'll just have to make sure I make it back in time. Wish me 
luck." Buffy said with a cheeky grin.

Angel watched as Buffy turned away from him and headed down towards 
the underground world of the Master, "Good luck."

As Buffy worked her way through the maze, she came to an intersection 
where several tunnels converged. Hearing footsteps behind her, the 
slayer reached down in her jacked and pulled out a stake. She waited 
for a moment then quickly spun around, posed to strike, only to come 
face to face with Xander.

"What are you doing here," Buffy hissed at him.

"I followed you. I want to help."

"You can't, now go."

"Uh, that would be a problem," replied Xander.

"And why is that?"

"I kinda don't know the way out of here."

Buffy looked at him and shook her head, "Fine but stay behind me and 
be quite. Comprenday?"

"Will do," answered Xander as he turned on a flashlight.

"Turn that thing off! Do you want them to know were here?"

"Sorry," replied Xander as he quickly turned off the flashlight.

Xander could feel his heart beat rapidly increasing as they made 
their way deeper into the under ground maze, "So, is that stake the 
only way you can kill them?"

"No there's also holy water, sunlight?you know the usual." the slayer 
casually answered.

"How about crosses, because I brought a cross, saw it in a movie."

"It won't kill them but it will fend them off."

Gripping the cross in his pocket, Xander nervously replied, "That'll 
work."

Buffy and Xander approached a large room that was dimly lit.  
Although Xander could not make out much of the room, Buffy's slayer 
abilities allowed her to see Jesse chained to the far wall.  

"He's in there, but we have to be careful this could be a trap."

"A trap, that's just...great," gulped Xander.

Buffy and Xander cautiously approached Jesse.  

"Boy am I glad to see you guys," shouted Jesse, "these things have 
been holding me here for awhile, something about me being some kinda 
bait.'

"Damn it is a trap," replied Buffy, "Xander keep an eye open, I'll 
get these chains off."

"Sounds like a plan," Xander excitably responded, "Don't worry Jesse 
we'll get you out of her, she's some kinda supergirl."

"Great, because I'm ready to leave, and I think that's it's gonna 
take super powers to get out of here."

Buffy quickly grabbed Jesse's chains and snapped them in half, "OK 
guys it's time to get out of here."

"Not so fast," stated a male vampire as he entered the room and 
stared at Buffy, "I assume you are the slayer the Mater told us 
about."

Buffy pulled her stake out and took a fighting stance, "Xander, Jesse 
get behind me!"

The slayer was contemplating her plan of attack as several more 
vampires poured into the room from a door to her left and from the 
door the first vampire had entered through. Buffy noticed one last 
passageway to the right. "Change of plan guys! Run for it!"

The trio made a break for the passageway and darted down a long 
tunnel with several vampires in hot pursuit. They came to another 
intersection and saw three more vamps coming from the left and 
another two blocking the way in front of them.  

"Go right," screamed Buffy.

"I don't like this," shouted Xander.

"Neither do I!"

The tunnel curved to the right and they followed it, before them was 
a large chamber with a door, "It's a dead end, what do we do now," 
Xander shouted in panic.

"Quick, inside, we've got to get this door shut. It's our only 
chance," Buffy yelled as her adrenaline kicked into overdrive.

The three of them rushed into the room and Buffy immediately started 
working on closing the door. Xander spotted a ladder on the wall 
that led to a manhole cover, "We can get out through that."

"I'm afraid not," snarled Jesse.

"What are you talking about," Xander inquired.

"There is no escape from here, the Master has seen to that," smirked 
Jesse as his face transformed revealing his vampire nature, "Now, you 
die."

"But we where friends," Xander squeaked backing away from Jesse.

"You are nothing but a meal to me, I live only to serve the Master," 
growled Jesse as he rushed Xander.

Xander pulled the cross out of his pocket and held it up causing 
Jesse to growl at him, "That can not save you!"

"But it will keep you away from me so Buffy can kick your butt."

"Will it," Jesse hissed striking Xander's arm and knocking the cross 
from his hand.

Terror filled Xander's eyes as his one time friend leapt on top of 
him knocking him to the ground, "Buffy I need your help!"

Buffy rushed over to Xander and pulled Jesse off Xander and throwing 
him into the tunnel at the oncoming vampires. She slammed the door 
shut only to get one of the vampires arms got caught in it. The 
slayer pulled the door back and pushed the arm out before slamming 
the door completely closed.  

Buffy locked the door with the latch and turned to Xander, "Up the 
ladder now!"

Xander shot up the ladder as the vampires pounded on the door. Buffy 
took a quick look at the door and saw that they where starting to 
break through, 

"Hurry up, that door is not gonna last forever!"

Xander pushed at the man hole cover with all his strength after his 
second try it gave and the light of day poured through the hole.

Buffy rushed up the ladder as a vampire forced his hand through a 
crack in the door and undid the latch. She was almost out when she 
felt a hand grab her ankle and start to pull her back down, "Xander, 
I need your help!"

Xander grabbed Buffy by her arms and pulled her up, brining the 
vampires hand into the sunlight. The vampire screamed in pain as it 
released Buffy.

------------------------------------------------------------------

"She escaped! The Slayer walks free when I should be drinking her 
heart's blood right now," The Master screamed

"Master, we had her trapped," exclaimed a male vampire.

"Oh, are you going to make excuses?"

The Master glared at the other vampire for a moment then 
continued, "You are all weak. It has been too long since you have 
faced the Slayer. It is no matter to me. She will not stop the 
Harvest. It just 
means there will be someone worth killing when I reach the surface.   
Is Luke ready?"

"He awaits your command Master."

"It's time. Bring him to me."

A few minutes later the male vampire returned with Luke. The Master 
looked at him with contempt, "Colin," The Master spoke to the vamp 
escorting Luke. "You failed me. Tell me you're sorry."

"I'm sorry Master!"

"There. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No Master."

"Good, come here."

The vampire approached the Master and knelt before him. The Master 
grabbed him by the head and rammed his finger through the vampires 
left eye; "No one fails me!" 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Willow's face lit up when Buffy and Xander walked into the 
library, "Your back!"

Buffy walked over to her as Xander took a seat at the table. The 
slayer placed her hands on Willow's shoulders, "Yeah, I'm back just 
like I said I would be." Buffy placed her forehead against Willows.

"I'm glad," Willow whispered.

Buffy smiled at Willow and pulled her head back. She didn't know what 
she had done to deserve this sweet girls trust and love but she was 
determined to make it work, "Willow, I'm sorry."

"About what."

"Jesse."

"He was already dead?"

"No, they turned him. I was to late to save your friend."

Willow saw the tears forming in the blondes' eyes. The slayers face 
showed nothing but anguish over not being able to rescue Jesse.  

Willow wrapped her arms around Buffy and gently whispered in her 
ear, "It wasn't your fault, there was nothing you could have done to 
prevent it."

"I could have tried harder."

"Did you give it your all?"

"Yes, but it wasn't enough."

"Buffy, sometimes things happen, and there is nothing you can do to 
prevent it. What's important is that you came back to me safely, 
just like you said you would."

Willow kept one of her arms around Buffy's waist as she let go with 
the other and gently wiped the tears from the slayers cheek, 
"He was my friend, and he's gone now but you're still here. I want 
you to know that no matter what happens, no matter how bad it gets, 
I'm gonna be there for you."

Buffy leaned into Willow and rested her forehead on Willow's 
shoulder, "And I'll be there for you."

Giles looked over and saw Xander wiping his eyes, the boy looked at 
him with a startled expression, "I got some dust in it OK!"

The watcher chuckled and went to take a seat at the table waiting for 
Buffy and Willow to join them.

Buffy walked over to the table holding Willow's hand, "So what did 
you guys learn?"

Giles stood up and looked at the three youths, "This is what we know. 
Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful vampire came to this 
shore, but not just to feed.

"He came 'cause this town's a mystical who's it," Buffy asked.

"Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it 'Boca Del 
Inferno'. Roughly translated, 'Hellmouth'. It's a sort of, um, well?
portal between this reality and the next. This vampire hoped to open 
it."

"To bring the demons back?"

"But he blew it! Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed 
half the town, and him, too," replied Willow.

"Yes, yes, you see, opening dimensional portals is a tricky 
business. Odds are he got himself stuck, rather like a, uh, cork in 
a bottle," added Giles.

"And this Harvest thing is to get him out." Willow stated as she 
rested her head against Buffy.

Giles stood up and walked over to the white board he had set up, " It 
comes once in a century, on this night. The Master can draw power 
from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free 
and open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears 
this symbol.

Giles drew a three-pointed star on the white board and stepped aside 
so everyone could see it.

Buffy started at the symbol, "So, I dust anyone sporting that symbol, 
and no Harvest."

"Simply put, yes." Giles removed his glasses, cleaned them and 
returned the to his face.

"Any idea where this little get-together is being held?"

"Well?there, there are a number of possibilities."

"They're goin' to the Bronze," shouted Xander.

Willow gave her childhood friend a startled glance, "Are you sure?"

"Come on. All those tasty young morsels all over the place? Anyway, 
that's where Jesse's gonna be, trust me."

Giles grabbed his coat and looked at the others, "We had better leave 
now, the sun will be down before long."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Cordelia and some of her friends where setting one of the booths 
making comments about how so out of touch some of the people in the 
bronze where when the lights went out. She looked around to see what 
is happening and noticed a man making his way to the stage.

Luke walked up onto the stage and stared out across the hoard of 
confused teenagers, a sinister smile crept across his face as he 
vamped out, 
"Ladies and Gentlemen! There is no cause for alarm. Actually, there 
is cause for alarm. It just won't do any good."

Pandemonium broke out on the dance floor as several teenagers 
screamed in horror.  

"This is a glorious night! It is also the last one any of you shall 
ever see. Bring me the first," Luke hissed.

A vampire led the door attendant onto the stage and Luke grabbed him 
by the throat, "Watch me, for fear is like an elixir.

Luke sunk his fangs into the door attendant's neck and drained him.  
He dropped the lifeless corpse to the ground and screamed, "Bring me 
another!"

Outside the Bonze Buffy and the others where frantically trying to 
find a way in. They could hear the screams coming from inside, dread 
filled the watcher's face, "We're too late it's begun."

Buffy kicked at the main door to the bronze but it didn't give, "You 
guys try to find a way in I'm gonna check the back door."

Luke had just finished draining another victim as Darla walked up to 
Jesse. She grabbed Cordelia by the arm and started to drag her away.

"She is mine," shouted Jesse.

"They're all for The Master," coldly replied Darla.

Buffy crawled though an open window she had found in the back of the 
Bronze and quietly made her way to the upper level. She walked over 
to the edge of the balcony and spotted Luke.

"I feel the Master's strength growing," growled the vampire, "I feel 
him rising. Every soul brings him closer! I need another!"

Buffy glared at him, <The Vessel>. She heard footsteps behind her 
and spun around to see a vampire quickly approaching her position.

 
"Tonight is his ascension. Tonight will be history at its end!  
Yours is a glorious sacrifice! Degradation most holy. Bring me 
another!"

"Here's a pretty one," replied Darla as she drug Cordelia on stage.

Luke caressed the screaming girls' face and was preparing to claim 
another for the master when a vampire landed in the middle of the 
stage. He looked up to the balcony and spotted Buffy.

" Oh, I'm sorry, were you in the middle of something," quipped the 
slayer.

"You!"

"You didn't think I'd miss this. Did you?"

Buffy steps away from the railing, she did a flip off of the balcony 
and landed on a pool table. She spotted a vampire rushing her from 
the right and leapt from the table, grabbing a pool stick before she 
hit the ground. She then ran the stick through the oncoming vampire 
reducing him to ashes. 

Buffy then turned to the stage, " Okay, Vessel boy. This parties 
over."

"I will have your blood," Luke growled, tossing Cordelia off the 
stage.

"That's what all you bloodsuckers say," Buffy remarked, before doing 
a cartwheel onto the stage.

Luke attacked the slayer with a series of punches but Buffy 
successfully fended them off. She then countered with a barrage of 
jabs and kicks that the vampire managed to block.

Willow and the others burst through the back door that Xander had 
managed to get open. Giles quickly spotted the slayer and vessel 
fighting on stage; "We have to get everyone out of here!"

As Buffy and Luke continued there fight Willow and the others where 
directing the panicked teenagers out of the bronze.  

Xander spotted Jesse walking over to them and pulled a stake out.

"You wouldn't want to hurt a friend now would you."

"My friend is dead."

"I thought I was your friend."

"No you're a vampire, who just looks like someone I used to know," 
Replied Xander as he rammed the stake into the beast that used to be 
Jesse.

Willow and Giles where helping the last of the teenagers out of the 
club when Darla hit her from behind knocking her down. Willow rolled 
over on her back and saw the vampire getting ready to pounce on her.  
She pulled the holy water Buffy had given her and tossed it in the 
creatures' face.
Darla clutched her face and howled in pain before running off into 
the night.  

Willow stood back up and turned to the stage, she saw the vessel hit 
Buffy across the face and watched in horror as the blonde fell 
backwards onto the floor.

Even as Buffy did a back flip and regained her composure Willow was 
rushing towards the stage. The redhead wasn't thinking clearly, all 
she knew was that Buffy had been hit and that the vampire was getting 
the upper hand.  

Willow screamed as she got close to the stage and a vampire grabbed 
her from behind.  

Buffy glanced over and saw that Willow was in trouble, she felt like 
her heart was about to explode.  

She grabbed a cymbal off of the drum set on stage, "Willow! Duck!"

Willow looked up at the stage and saw Buffy holding the cymbal, she 
lowered her head and hoped the blonde knew what she was doing.

Buffy threw the cymbal straight at the vampire; it went sailing 
through the air at the creature and decapitated him on impact. Buffy 
breathed a sigh of relief as Willow safety fell to the ground.

Luke saw what was happening and decided to take advantage of the 
slayer being distracted. He rushed over to her and grabbed Buffy 
from behind, "I've always wanted to kill a slayer." 

Buffy arched back and head-butted the vampire breaking his grip and 
sending him reeling backwards, "I hate to disappoint you but I made a 
promise I have got to keep." 

"Nice trick, but it's not gonna be enough," the vampire snapped.

"Well then how about this," Buffy said, lifting up a microphone stand 
and preparing to throw it.

"Foolish slayer, have you forgotten, metal can not harm me?"

"No but you did forget about one thing."

"What?"

"Sunlight," Buffy replied.

She threw the stand like a javelin sending it soaring over the 
vampires head and crashing through a window. Luke shielded his face 
and screamed as the light poured in. After a few seconds he realized 
it was only a street light and stood upright.

Luke turned back to the slayer, and felt her stake penetrate his 
chest, he stumbled off the edge of the stage and exploded into ashes.

Buffy walked over to where Luke fell and looked at the pile of dust 
on the ground, "It's in nine hours moron."

The slayer hopped of the stage and rushed over to Willow as the 
remaining vampires scattered into the night, "Are you OK," she asked 
the redhead.

"Yeah, you?"

"I'm fine," Buffy replied, reaching down to help Willow up.

"Did we win?"

"The Vessels defeated and the Harvest stopped."

Willow smiled at Buffy, "Good, but what happens now?"

"I did promise that I would tell you about me becoming a slayer, and 
I was thinking maybe I could do that tomorrow over lunch, if you 
don't mind that is."

"Buffy are you asking me out on a date," coyly replied Willow.

The slayer nervously kicked the heel of her left foot, "Y-yes."

"Then I accept, I just hope that it's?"

"It's what?"

"The first of many."

Buffy wrapped her arms around Willow and pulled the redhead into an 
embrace, "I see no problem with that."

Willow returned the embrace and buried her head in Buffy's 
shoulder, "I wish this moment would never end."

"It doesn't have to, at least not right away," answered Buffy as she 
laid a tender kiss on Willows forehead.

Xander looked at his friends as they tightly held on to one another, 
and hoped that sometime he would find someone to love as they loved 
each other. He gathered his composure and turned to Giles, "What do 
we do now?"

"We let them have this moment."
 
Xander walked over and joined the watcher at the table and waited 
for his friends to join them.

Outside the Bronze Angel watched as the last of the vampires 
retreated into the night, "I don't believe it, she won."

"What's not to believe," said a familiar voice from the shadows.

Angel turned around and looked at the demon that he was now 
facing, "Whistler, what are you doing here?"

"I was sent to see that you were OK."

"I'm fine."

"No, you are not, you gave the warning that you were suppose to, but 
did not aid in their cause."

"The Slayer has made friends and found her soulmate, there is nothing 
I can do to help."

"You are wrong, the Harvest was stopped but the Master is still out 
there. They will need your help if the two of them are to survive 
the coming days."

"I don't understand."

"Read this then give it to the watcher," replied Whistler.

"What is it," asked Angel as he took the book.

"It is the Codex."