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Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8

Written by: Heather Martin

Episode 7: Trapped

Sorry it's been so long, guys. I finally figured out what I want to happen. I'm changing episode 7. It won't be revolving around Buffy and Spike, but I think it is a better plot than the original one I had planned. Hope you like.

Prologue

The trouble with Dawn was that she wasn't satisfied with one or two close friends. She was absolutely obsessed with becoming popular. She hadn't succeeded in getting into the in-crowd in Sunnydale, and so she saw her opportunity in Cleveland. It was a new beginning. A fresh slate. No one knew her. They didn't see a freak when she passed by. She was just Dawn, the new girl. She could be anyone she chose to be. Dawn, the flirtinator. Or Dawn, the make-up queen. Or Dawn, the problem solver.

Dawn already had Laura as a friend, and she was grateful for that. The young slayer was really nice, but unlike her sister, Dawn longed for a wide-range of people to hang out with.

So when she heard David Crawford talking about finding volunteers for a ghost hunt she perked up.

"They say the big house, about two miles out of town is haunted. Some people went in and never came out."

David's voice was enough to make any girl melt. It was like chocolate: rich and smooth. And it didn't help that he was drop-dead gorgeous. Tall, muscular, and sexy. He had deep brown eyes with blond hair. All female eyes fixed on his form as soon as he entered any room.

"Yeah, I heard that," Ryan McKay commented.

"Well, I've been meaning to check it out. Want to come with? You can bring Tonya."

Tonya Swanson was Ryan's girlfriend. She wasn't so bad. Once, when Dawn had forgotten her notes at home, Tonya lent them to her during Study Hall to copy. She was a little shallow but that was to be expected.

"I dunno, man, Tonya isn't into that sort of stuff. I couldn't even get her to watch The Sixth Sense," Ryan said.

"Oh, come on," David urged.

"I'll talk to her. But I can't guarantee anything."

"Great."

Dawn saw her opportunity. David had closed his locker, books in hand. She walked over, twirling a strand of hair.

"Hey," she greeted.

David frowned. "Dawn Summers, right?"

A bright smile formed on her lips. He had remembered her name.

"Yep. So, I couldn't help but overhear. You're going on a ghost hunt?"

"That's right."

"That's major cool. I saw a ghost once."

That got David's attention. Bingo, she had won.

"Really?"

"Uh huh. At my old school. They were hanging around the basement."

"Your school?" Ryan asked. He sounded dubious, as if he didn't believe her. David, on the other hand, definitely did. She could see it by his expression. He was impressed.

"Want to join us?" David invited.

Dawn's smile lifted. "I think I could. As long as my sister lets me. But she's been pretty lenient lately." She leaned closer and whispered. "I think she wants the house to herself so she can be with Spike."

"Who's Spike?"

"My sister's boyfriend."

"Great. Then I can count on you?"

"I'll be there," she assured him. And she would, even if she had to climb out the window.

David slipped his arm around her shoulders. He began to walk down the hall, pulling her along. He glanced back at Ryan. "Now we're even. You got Tonya, and I've got my girl."

Dawn's eyes widened. His girl? Oh God!

"Hey, remember no promises," Ryan called after them. "Tonya doesn't like the paranormal."

David ignored him. He kept walking, his arm never leaving Dawn's shoulders.

***********************

Laura sat on Dawn's bed. She watched as the fellow teen carefully applied make-up. Dawn turned around.

"What do you think? Too much eye shadow?"

Laura shook her head. "No, it's great."

Dawn noticed Laura's worried expression. "What?"

Laura fiddled with the unraveling bottom of her jeans. "I just hope you know what you're doing. I've heard some stuff about David. And ghosts. . . "

Fluffing her hair, Dawn turned away towards the mirror. "Don't worry. David is an okay guy. And I'm not going to be alone with him. Tonya and Ryan are going to be there. And ghosts. . . I can handle ghosts. I'm the slayer's sister."

"Does Buffy know where you are going?" Laura questioned.

Dawn paused. "Well, um . . . No, not exactly. I said I was going out with some friends."

"So she doesn't know you are going to explore an abandoned house?"

"N-o," Dawn answered slowly.

A sigh escaped Laura. "Fine, do whatever you want. But I'm not lying for you."

Dawn spun around. "You won't tell her will you?"

"I won't talk unless I have to."

"Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Laura shook her head. "But I will if I have to."

Dawn grinned. "You're a great friend, Laura." She came over and hugged her.

***********************

Tonya came, but she looked unenthused. As they neared the believed haunted house, she clung to Ryan's hand.

The house came into view and the four high-schoolers halted in their tracks. It was big. Not exactly a mansion, but near it. It didn't look spooky at all. It was just a regular house, cream colored, two stories, and with an attic. The lawn was uncared for, the grass in desperate need of a mowing.

Dawn smiled and headed up the walkway. She glanced back, confident and unafraid. She motioned for them to follow.

Tonya was clutching Ryan's whole arm now. She turned to her boyfriend. "Are you sure?"

"Ton, baby, you don't have to if you don't want to," Ryan said.

"Don't back out now," David said. His voice was warning, indicating that she might be sorry if she retreated.

"I-I'll go," Tonya stammered. "Ryan, don't let go of me."

Ryan pressed a quick kiss onto her lips. "Promise."

Dawn turned on her flashlight. She pointed it in front of her. She made it up the steps and opened the door. She peeked inside. The place was empty, and she saw nothing threatening.

"Come on," she called to the people behind her.

Dawn stepped into the house. David came next, then Tonya and Ryan as one. As soon as Tony and Ryan passed the threshold, the door slammed shut.

Tonya jumped. She pointed to the door. "It closed by itself!"

"It was probably the wind," David assured her. He set down the Outja board he had brought. Then he went over to the door. He took hold of the knob and turned.

Nothing happened.

David tugged harder.

Still nothing.

They were trapped.

____________________________________________

Scene One

Buffy took her pointer-finger and pushed the doorbell. She waited a moment before pressing it again. He had to be there. It was ten. Not too late that he was sleeping. Not too early that he was gone somewhere.

After another minute Buffy’s mind developed pictures. She remembered the time she had come over and found Olivia. Ah, badness. Could Giles have a new friend? That would explain his slowness answering the door. He hadn’t mentioned it. But, he hadn’t mentioned Olivia before either.

Buffy rang the doorbell again. Just then the door flung open. Her former watcher smiled out at her.

“Hello, Buffy,“ Giles greeted.

The slayer stepped inside. She was led into the living room.

“Tea?”

Buffy took in Giles’ house. The floor was covered in boxes.

“Buffy?”

Her head snapped to attention. “Hmmm?”

“Tea?”

“No, thank-you.” She pointed to the mess. “What are those?”

She was startled by his reaction. He became . . . giddy. She had become accustomed to old people being so . . . well, old. Giddy Giles was scary. He had this beaming expression, as if he were about to open the first present on Christmas.

Giles sprinted (literally) over to the largest box. He dug into it. When his hands emerged they were holding books. He took out book after book out until he had created a pretty good pile. He held the last one up. It had some weird symbol on the front.

“Books,” Giles chirped. He let out a laugh. “Massive mountains of books.”

Buffy just stared. This scene is so disturbing, she thought. There has to be something wrong when someone gets this excited over words.

“Robson sent them,” Giles went on. “They’re from the council.”

Buffy glanced into a box near her. Sure enough they were from the council. They were too ancient and dusty to be from anywhere else.

“I thought the council blew up,” Buffy said.

“It did. But they didn’t store all their material in one place. Robson knew where they kept a second library.” Giles’ smile faded. “I suppose I didn’t know because of my disloyalty.”

“Wow, Giles,” was all Buffy could say.

The gloominess left the man’s face again. He held up a walkman. “They even had documents on tape! I was just listening to their reference to Brackon mating rituals when you rang the doorbell. It took me a moment to hear it over the headphones.”

Buffy was tempted to tell him audio tapes were so over, but squashed the urge. He seemed so enthused. He had been sort of down ever since Sunnydale, as if he couldn’t find his place. He was no longer a librarian, watcher, or shopkeeper.

“I’m happy for you,” Buffy said.

She stepped over the clutter. Then she plopped down on the white couch with a huff. Giles glanced up from his perusal through a volume.

“Is there something you wanted?”

She shook her head.

“Why aren’t you out . . . er, hanging? Or at home?”

By at home, Buffy knew he meant ‘with Spike’. He just couldn’t bring himself to say it outright.

“Willow and Xander are busy. Spike has a poker game with some buddies he met up with. Dawn went out with some friends. And Laura is studying. Which means, alone Buffy. Added with bored Buffy.”

“I see.”

“Yeah. I seem to be the only one who hasn’t got anything to do. I already went slaying tonight. There wasn’t much activity. . . Should I get a job?” She leaned back into the couch cushion. “Oh never mind.”

Giles appeared to not even be paying attention at this point. He was occupied by the shipment he had received earlier, studying the spines and stacking them.

“What are you doing?”

“Alphabetizing,” Giles replied.

Buffy sighed. She got up off the couch. She was desperate and she knew it.

“Can I help?”

 

Scene 2

David set up the Ouija board. Dawn helped with the candles they had brought, making a circle around them.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Tonya said. She cuddled closer to Ryan, who held her securely to him.

David glared. “What do you want us to do? Bang on the windows and doors?”

Tonya didn’t answer.

Dawn kept quiet, keeping herself busy with igniting the candle wicks.

“You’re sure someone will come find us?” Ryan asked.

Dawn looked up from her task. “Yeah. Might take awhile, though. I told Laura not to tell anyone where I was unless it was majorally important.”

“Great,” Ryan huffed.

A whimper came from Tonya.

“Chill, guys,” David said. “The lady says we aren’t stuck here forever. So let’s have some fun while we wait.”

“Who wants to go first?” Dawn asked. She scanned over the Parker Brothers box, finding the instructions on the back. “It says only two at a time. Preferable boy-girl.”

David laughed. He nudged Ryan. “Hear that, boy-girl. Well, I say I’m first. And since Tonya is hooked round Ryan with a chain link, Dawn you’re up.”

The slayer’s sister shrugged. “All right,” she agreed.

David leaned over the board.

“No,” Dawn said. “Not like that. The board has to rest on our knees.”

They positioned the board so that the corners were on their knees. Then they placed their fingers onto the mysterious (in the words of Parker Brothers) indicator.

“You ask,” David ordered.

Dawn nodded. She didn’t mind being bossed around. As long as David liked her she would put up with anything. Well . . . almost.

“Is someone there?” Dawn questioned.

All eyes went to the indicator. It circled the board slowly. It came to land on YES.

David grinned up at everyone. “Isn’t this cool?”

No one answered.

“Who’s there?”

The indicator moved again. It traveled the board, stopping occasionally on a letter. After it was through, Dawn lifted her gaze.

“What did it say?” Ryan asked. “I didn’t catch it.”

“I did,” David said. “It said Freddie.”

“Freddie?” murmured Tonya.

“Yeah, like Freddie Cougar.”

Tonya took her leg and kicked David. The board almost fell onto the wooden floor, but Dawn saved it.

Their attention went back to the Ouija.

“Are you in the house?”

YES

Tonya abruptly stood up. “I don’t like this! Let‘s stop!”

“Scared?” David teased.

“Yes.”

Ryan got to his feet also. He rubbed Tonya’s arms. “Baby, it’s only a game.”

“I don’t think your girl can handle it, Ry. I think maybe you should take her out of the room,” David said.

Tonya turned to face her boyfriend. “That’s a good idea. Let’s go into another room. The kitchen?”

“Okay, okay,” Ryan agreed. “We’ll go into the kitchen, far away from the naughty game.”

Tonya playfully elbowed him.

“It isn’t real,” Ryan said. “And besides, I bet David was pushing it.”

Tonya nodded. “I still want to go.”

“Okay.”

The couple left, assuring David and Dawn that they would be in the kitchen.

“What a pathetic loser,” David said after they were alone. “She’s nothing like you. You aren’t scared of much, are you, Dawn?”

Dawn wanted to laugh. Nothing could top a hellgod.

“No, no I’m not.”

“I like my girls with fire.”

Dawn was sure she blushed. “Let’s get back to playing.”

He returned his fingers to the indicator. “I have a confession to make. I was pushing it before.”

Her eyes widened.

“I just wanted to spook Tonya. It was fun too.”

“David,” Dawn said, shaking her head.

“I’ll behave now. Promise.” He crossed an X over his heart.

“Okay.”

They prepared for another round of Ouija. Dawn took in a deep breath.

“Is anyone there?”

This time there was a moment before the indicator moved. Eventually it went to YES.

“Who are you?”

It took a long time for the letters to be spelled out. This time Dawn wrote them down.

Victearo

“What? Is that a name?” she asked David.

David chuckled. “Crack-head name if you ask me.”

“We have to be serious. Were you concentrating at all?” she scolded.

They tried again.

“Could you repeat that?” Dawn asked the spirit.

Dawn kept her mind as focused as possible as the name was given. She hoped David was doing the same.

“Victoria?” Dawn inquired, reading off her notes.

YES

“Cool,” David commented.

“Are you a ghost?”

YES

“Are you in the house?”

YES

“Are you in this room?”

YES

A shiver went through Dawn. Oh God. Relax, girl. Remember, you live with a vampire. Ghost should be nothing.

“How’d you die?”

The answer to this took a long time. Finally Dawn was able to make out the sentence.

HE KILLED ME

Dawn gaped.

“Major cool,” David remarked.

Cool? This was so un-cool. A person was murdered. A person who had lived in this house!

“He? He who?”

The indicator zipped across the board, going haywire. It didn’t land on anything, just circling all over.

“What the hell?” David said.

The candle fames flickered.

“Victorea, are you there?”

The indicator slowed. It came to land on NO.

“Who is this?”

WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO KNOW

Dawn took her hands off. She scooted away.

“Hey, why’d you stop? It was just getting interesting,” David said.

“I want to quit.”

A frown marred David’s lips. “Now, Dawn, I don’t like my girls to be party-poopers.”

Dawn scrambled to her feet.

“Maybe I don’t want to be your girl. Did I ever say I did?”

Just then the candle flame flickered again, but this time it went totally out. Dawn let out a squeak.

“David?”

She couldn’t see a thing. It was pitch-black.

“David?”

Something grabbed her foot. She lost her balance and fell to the floor with a thud.

“David?”

“Guess again.”

The voice was David’s, but it wasn’t. It was deeper, rougher. Dawn screamed.

___________________________________________________

Scene 3

Buffy came home at eleven. Dawn still wasn’t back. Surprisingly Laura had gone to bed. The slayer turned on the TV, waiting for her sister and boyfriend to return. She had expected Spike to still be out, him being nocturnal and all, but she was worried about Dawn. I’ll give her until midnight, she decided.

There was an old Alfred Hitchcock movie on. It was already in the middle, but she didn’t care. Before she knew it twelve had gone and went. That was it, Buffy was past worried. She was panicked. In her life late meant definite danger.

She went to Laura’s room and knocked on the door. She heard the bed squeak and a moan.

“Hmmm?”

“Laura,” Dawn isn’t back yet. Did she mention where she was going?”

A moment later the door opened. A sleepy teen peeked her head out.

“I knew this would happen. I told her it was wrong.”

Buffy’s heart sped up at the words. “Where is she?” she demanded.

There was a pause. Then Laura said, “The haunted house.”

“What haunted house?”

“All the kids talk about it at school. I’ve passed it once. Doesn’t look that scary to me.”

“Get dressed and show me.”

Laura nodded. She went to make herself presentable. When she came back she was wearing a gray t-shirt and jeans. Her brown hair was combed and pulled up into a pony-tail.

“Let’s go,” Laura said.

On their way out Buffy grabbed a sword. She handed the other slayer a dagger. Laura eyed the weapon warily. She still was a little uncertain about pointy objects despite her training with Buffy.

The trek to the house was made in silence. When they arrived Buffy took a moment to gaze upon the structure. Its owners had obviously been well-to-do considering the size. If this was a haunted house the ghosts were newly risen because it couldn’t be older than a couple years. It looked new actually. The only indication of bareness was the unkempt lawn. The windows were dark, but that didn’t mean Dawn wasn’t inside.

“I’m going in,” Buffy announced.

“Buffy,” Laura protested.

“I’ll be fine. You wait here. If I’m not back within twenty minutes go get help.”

Laura opened her mouth, but then quickly closed it again. She nodded.

Buffy smiled. “I’ll be fine,” she repeated.

Buffy headed to the front door. The knob turned easily and she found herself entering.

Scene 4

Dawn kicked. She scooted backwards.

“Stay away from me!” she warned.

She tried desperately to see her attacker, but all she could make out was blackness. She thought she heard him move, though.

“Now, Dawnie . . .”

“Who are you?”

The reply she got was a chuckle. No real answer.

“You’re not David,” she said.

“Figured that out on your own did you?”

“What did you do?”

“David went bye-bye for the moment. He won’t be back for awhile.”

Dawn shuddered. She had not been this scared for a long time. She felt vulnerable. He could see her she was sure. But her, she couldn’t make out even his silhouette.

Suddenly her hair was roughly grabbed. Her head tilted back. She could feel hot air on the side of her neck.

“You smell so good,” the ‘thing’ said.

Something wet trailed over her neck. Oh no, though Dawn. His tongue. He was tasting her. Gross.

Dawn struggled. His fingers dug into her skin. She struggled more. Her foot found his and she stomped. She heard a howl. Thank God for heels. She slammed back her head like she’d seen her sister do many times. The act freed her.

Dawn groped, searching for something she could use. Her fingers curled around something metal. She brought it up and used it. She was rewarded with a smack as it connected with his skull.

Scene 5

The first thing that hit Buffy was the tingling. It always touched her on the back of her neck, giving off warning. It alerted her, making her muscles sing. The vibe prepared her for battle. Or in Spike’s case, made her hot and ready for other things. Nevertheless, Buffy knew a vampire was near. She clutched her sword tighter.

She stepped into the house. The door slammed shut behind her. What the . . . huh? It wasn’t even windy out. She didn’t have time to dwell over the phenomenon. That was when she heard the scream. Dawn!

Buffy went into action. She hurried toward the noise. It didn’t take long. She found her sister in a living room. She was hovering over a fallen boy.

“Dawn?”

Dawn lifted her head. “Buffy? Is that you?”

“Yeah.”

“I-I can’t see you.”

Buffy spotted some candles and matches on the floor. She knelt, lighting them. When she was done she stood up again.

“Keen slayer sight,” Buffy explained.

“You never mentioned it before,” Dawn said.

“I didn’t? Oh. Well, I can see well enough in the dark. Not as good as a vamp, but better than a human.”

“Cool.”

The slayer eyed the unconscious boy. Then she took in Dawn. Her sister held a silver candle holder.

“Dawn in the parlor with the candlestick.”

“I didn’t kill him, did I?” Dawn asked.

Buffy stepped forward. She raised her sword. “No. Step back, Dawn. I have to remedy that.”

Dawn’s eyes widened. “What!? Buffy, that’s David.”

“That’s a vampire.”

“No, he’s really not.”

And then Buffy realized she was right. The tingling was moving. It no longer came from the boy. It was in the air. Buffy’s gaze darted around the room. Then it vanished. Buffy blinked. Weird.

“Something isn’t right. We have to get out of here,” Buffy said. She took Dawn’s hand.

“We can’t. We’re locked in here. They won’t let us leave.”

“Who won’t?”

“The ghosts. Or one ghost. I’m not really sure if the other one is bad yet.”

Buffy groaned. “Great. It is Halloween all over again.”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

Scene 6

It had been longer than twenty minutes. Laura was sure of that. She ran toward the nearest Scooby, which happened to be Willow.

___________________________________________________

Scene 7

“We need to find Ryan and Tonya,” Dawn said.

Buffy wished she had something to tie David down with. There was no guarantee that he would be himself again when he came to.

“All right, let’s go find your friends,” Buffy reluctantly agreed.

The younger Summers led her sister to the kitchen, holding a lit black candle in her hand. They were met by an empty room.

Nice kitchen, Buffy thought. Spacious. There was a fridge, sink, oven, island with stools, and a table and chairs.

“Tonya? Ryan? You guys here?” Dawn called.

“Shhh,” Buffy hissed.

The slayer listened closely. There was a tiny whimper. She spotted a door to the far left of the kitchen. The basement? She went over and tried the knob. It wouldn’t turn.

“Tonya? Ryan? Are you in there? It’s Buffy, Dawn’s sister. Open up the door. We’re here to help you.”

There was a span of silence. Then a shaky female voice asked, “I-Is he gone?”

For the moment, Buffy thought.

“Yes. It’s safe,” Buffy said.

The door opened. Tonya’s blond head peeked out. She eyed the other girls with uncertainty.

“Where is Ryan?” Dawn inquired.

“I don’t know,” Tonya said. “He was acting . . . It wasn’t him. He was different. His eyes. . . It happened right before I heard you scream. He told me that I wasn’t safe and should lock myself in the basement. So I did.”

“Great,” Buffy said. “We got a MIA possessie and another unconscious possessie.”

Just then David stormed into the kitchen. His eyes were wild, blazing with darkness. He stopped before them, clenching and unclenching his hands. Tonya screeched, jumping back into the basement and slamming the door behind her.

“Step back, Dawn,” Buffy ordered.

David swung at Buffy. She dodged it. She hopped, swinging out her legs. They pounded into David’s middle, and he staggered back into the round table and chairs.

He recovered quickly. “You can’t stop me, slayer. Would you honestly kill an innocent boy?”

Buffy punched him in the jaw. “Know of me?”

“Buffy Summers, right?”

“That’s me.”

“It is an honor to finally meet you.”

Buffy laughed. She somersaulted out of the way. “Sorry, no autographs.” She bounced back up to her feet.

“Mind if I ask what you are?” Buffy asked.

“Thought you would have had that figured. I’m a ghost,” the psycho David said.

“Don’t think so. Dead humans don’t know about vampire slayers.”

David moved with lightning speed. He slammed Buffy into the counter. She grunted from the impact.

“How’d you get so strong?” Buffy questioned. She threw him away from her.

He was inhumanly powerful, but not super strong like Spike. In reality Buffy could have snapped this possessed boy’s neck in two seconds. But underneath was a regular high school student. Somewhere. She had to restrain herself.

Buffy went for blocking instead of dishing out blows herself. She had done enough damage.

David grinned. “I work out.”

“Watch out, Buffy!” Dawn shouted.

A knife came out of nowhere. Buffy jumped back before the sharp object could scrape her. He must have grabbed it from a drawer.

“Osiris! Let the soul cross over!”

Buffy turned to see Willow. The witch was pulsating with energy.

“Hey, Will,” Buffy called.

Seeing Buffy distracted, David took the opportunity. He cut into her arm. Buffy took his arm, prying the knife away. The weapon went clattering to the linoleum.

“Osiris, send the soul on to where it belongs!”

The spell had no effect on David. He continued to struggle with Buffy.

“Willow, doesn’t seem to be working!” Buffy yelled to her friend.

Willow furrowed her brow. “Osiris, let the soul cross over!” she repeated.

Somehow David managed to grab the knife again. He held it out, almost jabbing the slayer.

“Do something!” Dawn shouted at Willow.

“I don’t understand,” Willow said.

Something clicked then. Buffy processed the tingling on the back of her neck. Vampire.

Ducking, Buffy said, “He’s a vampire.”

“Huh?” Dawn said.

Absurd as it sounded Buffy said,” He’s a ghost vampire.”

“Smart one, slayer,” David told her with a chuckle.

All of a sudden the basement door burst open. Tonya emerged. There was something different about her. She seemed confident and determined. Her green eyes crackled with rage.

“Cole!” Tonya addressed David.

David spun. “Victoria?”

“That’s right, Coley.”

“B-But you don’t know how to enter bodies.”

Tonya smiled. “I figured it out earlier tonight.”

Tonya grabbed a stool by the island. She swung it at David. Then she repeated the act over and over. He fell to the floor. Even though he was down she kept hitting him. He’s going to kill him, Buffy thought. She rushed forward, tugging the girl away.

“Stop!” Buffy ordered.

The girl relaxed. She took in a deep breath.

Dawn took a step closer. “Victoria?”

Tonya looked over at Dawn. She nodded.

“He killed you, didn’t he?”

Tears formed in Tonya’s eyes. Her gaze fell to David’s body. “I loved him,” she said. “He came back one night not right. His face was wrinkled and his beautiful eyes were golden. I killed him.“ She broke down. “I thought it was over. But then one night I woke up to see a knife hovering over my chest. I knew it was him. He came back to kill me. After that . . . He wouldn’t let me leave.”

“Poltergeist,” Willow muttered. “Ghosts who can move objects.”

Tonya put her face in her hands. “He said he wanted us to be together forever.”

“I can make him leave,” Willow said. “I know what I did wrong now. It was my wording. Vampires don’t have souls.”

“You can do that? You can set me free?”

The red-head smiled. “Pretty sure.”

“Thank-you.”

Scene 8

“That should do it,” Willow announced.

There were in the living room, David’s inert body in the center of the room.

“How do we know if it worked?” Dawn asked.

They got the answer quick enough. Tonya/Victoria’s head flung back. Her eyes were wide with wonder.

“Beautiful,” she whispered.

Buffy hugged herself. She watched on with discomfort.

“So warm.”

Buffy shut her eyes.

“This is my exit. Thanks,” Victoria said.

The blond teen breathed in deeply. Then she fell to her knees. When her head lifted it was Tonya. She stared with fright. She scrambled to her feet, backing away.

“Tonya?” Dawn said.

Tonya held her arms out. “Stay away from me!”

The sound of running feet could be heard. It neared. A second later Ryan entered the room. He spotted Tonya and came to her side. She collapsed in his arms.

“Get me out of here!” Tonya demanded.

Ryan surveyed the scene. “I think that would be best.” He sent Dawn a glare.

Ryan noticed his best friend on the carpet. “What the hell,” he muttered. He knelt, checking vital signs.

“He’s fine,” Buffy said. “Just recovering from a violation.”

Without a word, Ryan hoisted David up over his shoulder. He grabbed Tonya’s hand and then they were gone.

A long sigh escaped Dawn. “I give up! I’ll never be popular!”

“Buffy, are you all right?” Willow asked with concern.

Ever since Victoria moved on Buffy had fallen into silence. She blinked at Willow’s words. She forced a smile.

“Fine. Let’s get out of here.”

The three misfits went to the door. It hung open, letting them pass. The sun was peeking over the horizon.

“You are so grounded,” Buffy told Dawn.

Dawn pouted. “Figures.”

The slayer took a moment to gaze upon the house. “Ya know, this is a nice place.”

Dawn and Willow gave her questioning looks.

“It’s big. Big enough for a band of girls.”

Comprehension came over Dawn and Willow.

“The price is probably cheap considering its former condition,” Willow said.

“Exactly.”

Scene 9

Buffy undressed in a daze. She felt disconnected. She slipped into bed, pulling the covers to her chin. There weren’t many things that could frighten her, but she had to admit she was right then. She hadn’t felt like this in a long time. Not since . . .

The sound of the door opening hit her ears. She didn’t bother moving.

A moment later the bed shifted. A cold body spooned against her, an arm falling around her waist.

“Spike?”

“You awake, pet? Didn’t mean to make much noise.”

She rolled over to face him. She studied his face, taking in his sculpted features. “How was your poker game?”

“Fine. How was your night?”

She laughed. “Great. Just great.”

He gave her a long look. “You okay, Buffy.”

She scooted closer. “Fine.” She let her eyelashes fall closed. “I love you.”

Spike’s lips pressed against her forehead. “Love you too. Always.”

Before drifting off Buffy thanked the powers. Thank you for reminding me why I’m here.

_______________________________________________

End of Episode 7.

Coming soon . . .

Episode 8: Tactics

The slayer school is in session. Can the scoobies transfer their knowledge to the next generation?


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