3rd Person's POV

"Laney!"

Laney speeds through students trying to get away from the one person she had been hiding from all day.

"Laney wait!"

She turns around the corner and speeds down an empty hallway as fast as she can. Too bad that the person who was chasing her caught up. As she is yanked to a halt, she glares as hard as she can manage.

"What Xander?"

Xander frowns slightly knowing she was very angry with him. He grabs her hand and holds it in his two large ones.

"Lane I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was worried about you. I mean this guy Spike is a new vamp who no one knows anything about. He could've killed you on the spot if he knew you knew Buffy. I was just upset about the fact that you were in danger and you didn't even know... none of us knew and that scared me. I care about you so much Laney. I'm so sorry a million times sorry. Please forgive me."

Laney sighs looking up into his deep puppy dog eyes, "Fine... don't do that again Alex. That really hurt me!"

"I know I'm sorry. I know you're not the type of girl that throws herself at every guy. I shouldn't have even insinuated that."

"I swear next time I'm literally gonna hurt you. I wanted to punch you in the face so bad."

Xander smiles, "You still can."

Laney shakes her head with a small smile. Xander nods then moves away but is stopped by Laney pulling his hand back. His head turns to look at her but is then quickly snapped the opposite direction.

"Ow!"

Laney smirks while massaging her hand, "What? You said I could."

In the library, the gang including Jenny are researching more about Saturday and the new vamp Spike. The table is full of books, and Xander, Willow and Jenny are looking through them doing research. Buffy and Giles pace around as Laney just sits with a blank face.

Ever since they had seen Spike in the alley she couldn't help but think back to her time with him in the Bronze. He seemed so nice and not vampy at all. He didn't even try to get her secluded so he could drink her blood but that still means nothing. He wants to kill Buffy and either way he was bad. He wasn't Angel... he would never be a good vampire and he would never have a soul.

"Spike. That's a little unorthodox, isn't it?"

Buffy shrugs at Giles, "Maybe he's reformed."

"Perhaps he went by another name in... times past."

Jenny closes a book with a sigh, "Well, whoever he is, we'll need all the help we can get come this Saturday."

Xander shrugs, "So, this night of St. Vigeous deal. If they're gonna attack in force, aren't we thinkin' vacation?"

Willow frowns with a shudder, "We can't run, that would be wrong. Could we hide? I mean, if that Spike guy is leading the attack, yeeehehehe."

Giles shakes his head, "Well, he can't be any worse than any other creature you've faced."

Angel suddenly appears, "He's worse."

They all look at him in surprise, "Once he starts something he doesn't stop until everything in his path is dead."

Laney grimaces, "So, he's thorough, goal-oriented... fun."

Buffy slowly makes her way to Angel but leaves a good distance between them, "We were at the Bronze before. Thought you said you might show."

"You said you weren't sure if you were going."

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

Willow looks intrigued with wide eyes, "Wow, two centuries of dating. If you only had two a year, that's still, like, four hundred dates with four hundred different-"

Laney clears her throat as Buffy gives Willow a look. Willow stammers and looks at a weapon on the table.

"Why do they call it a mace?"

Giles takes a step towards Buffy, "Uh, we do have slightly more urgent matters to discuss."

Buffy sighs, "Yeah, like keeping my mom away from Principal Snyder tomorrow night?"

Jenny scoffs lightly, "And not dying Saturday."

Giles nods, "Angel, do you know if this Spike fellow goes under any other name?"

They all look where he was, but he has disappeared. The library doors finish shutting.

Xander shakes his head, "Okay, that's it. I'm puttin' a collar with a little bell on that guy."

At school the next day, the gang is all in the library getting together supplies. Willow checks the crossbow. Jenny walks behind her with extra pieces of wood to make stakes and sets them on the table between Cordelia and Xander, who are whittling away. Jenny continues walking over behind Buffy. Buffy holds up a large sharp machete, then starts chopping something with it. It's a cucumber. She's preparing a vegetable tray.

"For three nights the unholy ones scourge themselves into a fury, um, culminating in a savage attack on the night of St. Vigeous."

Xander frowns looking at Giles, "Does anybody remember when Saturday night meant date night?"

Cordelia chuckles, "You sure don't."

Laney snorts not looking up from the book where she was trying to find out more information about Spike.

Buffy check s her watch, "Ooo! Parents start arriving in an hour. Okay, so, um, banners are in place, the lounge is comfy... What am I forgetting?"

Willow shrugs, "Punch?"

"Punch. I need, I need punch!"

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

Xander smirks, "Three minutes."

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

Buffy looks up at her with a blank stare.

"We're still all rooting for you on Saturday. I'd be there for you myself if I didn't have a leg wax."

Buffy shakes her head with a light smile, "You guys hold down the fort. I'm punch bound."

She leaves the library. As soon as she's gone Xander and Cordelia both reach over and grab something off of the vegetable tray. Buffy sticks her head back in the door.

"No!"

Later at Parent-Teacher night, Buffy is doling out the punch into cups as Willow and Laney walk over.

"What kinda punch did you make?"

Buffy smiles at Willow and hands the two a cup, "Uh, lemonade. I made it fresh and everything."

Willow tilts her head in question, "How much sugar did you use?"

Laney chugs the drink but then freezes in an instant.

"Sugar?"

Laney grimaces at the incredibly sour taste, and puts the cup down with a shudder.

"It's very good."

"Okay, now all I have to do is keep my mother and Snyder from crossing paths for the rest of the night."

Willow smiles as she sees Joyce, "Hi, Mrs. Summers."

"Hi, Willow... Laney. Hi, honey. Did you, uh, do all this?"

"Yeah! Um," Buffy picks up a cup, "here, have some lemonade."

Before her mom can sip the drink it's yanked out her hand. Buffy sees Snyder and walks around the table trying to quickly push her mom out of view.

"Right after Willow and Laney show you the library. I have to stay here and hostess.

Willow smiles, "Great, the library. Uh, um, ooo, no, G-Giles and everyone..."

Laney grabs Joyce's arm with an award winning smile, "...is locked in there studying. Right. French class it is!"

Buffy smiles at Laney gratefully as her and Willow lead her mother out of sight. Just as they disappear, Snyder storms over to Buffy.

"Was that your mother?"

She grabs a cup and a ladle full of lemonade and turns toward him.

"Here."

She fakes a spill, "Oh! Oh, sorry! Um, yeah! Yeah, I was gonna introduce you, but, um, she wouldn't have said much. Y'know, she doesn't speak a word of English."

Snyder doesn't believe a word of it, and makes tracks to follow Joyce and Willow. Buffy lets out a worried moan and looks up at the clock.

6:15.

•

•

•

8:45.

Cordelia comes walking in.

"Giles has us locked up in that library working on your weapons. Even slaves get minimum wage."

She stares at Buffy's face.

Buffy frowns, "What?"

Cordelia looks at her in shock, "You're starting to look a little slagged. What, are you just skipping foundation entirely now?"

"Cordelia, I have at least three lives to contend with, none of which really mesh. It's kind of like oil and water and a... third unmeshable thing."

Cordelia nods, "Yeah, and I can see the oil."

Cordelia shuts up as she sees Joyce talking to Willow, "Is that your mom? Now that is a woman that knows how to moisturize. Did it, like, skip a generation?"

Joyce comes over not looking the happiest, "Well, I believe that I have seen every classroom on campus, and just as I get there all your teachers miraculously have stepped out."

Willow smiles over Joyce's shoulder, proud of herself.

"Oh!" Buffy notices Snyder coming back into the room, "Oh. Um, but you haven't seen the boiler room yet. And, you know, that's really interesting, what with the boiler being in the room and all."

She laughs nervously as Snyder comes up to the group. Joyce offers her hand to him.

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

Snyder ignores her hand, "Principal Snyder. I'm afraid we need to talk. My office is down here."

Joyce follows Snyder to his office. Cordelia watches them go with a huge smile on her face.

Buffy watches worried as they disappear, "He didn't look very happy."

Willow frowns, "But you did such a good job."

Cordelia smiles, "When they're done talking..."

"What?"

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

Buffy gives her a look.

Willow smirks, "Cordelia, have some lemonade."

𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑠 𝑠𝑜 𝑚𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔!! 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑑!!

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑤 𝑔𝑢𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑘𝑒? 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑? 𝐼𝑠 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑠 𝑏𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑?