3rd Person's POV

Buffy stands outside of Chris' house. She takes a deep breath before reaching up and knocking on the door. She didn't really like the fact that she was alone right now but Giles was getting ready for his little date with Ms. Calendar, Xander and Willow were on the lookout for Chris and Eric, and Cordelia and Laney were getting ready for the game; seeing as their cheerleaders.

Buffy stands shifting on her feet as she waits patiently. Her heart beats quickly as the door swiftly opens. Chris' mother stands on the other side staring at Buffy in confusion. 

"Hi. Um, I'm a friend of Chris'. I kinda need to talk to him. Uh, do you know if he's home?"

Weirdly enough Chris' Mom ignores her and goes back inside then sits down in a chair across from a television. Buffy frowns but takes a step inside and closes the door.

"So, is he home?"

Mrs. Epps sighs looking at the television screen that plays an old football game, "Westbury game. November 17, '95. Daryl rushed 185 yards that night. Four TD's. He was MVP, and he made All-City that season."

Buffy was getting slightly annoyed by the zombie like lady. But she remembered that the lady lost her son. She was going through a traumatic time still and she had to handle this situation carefully.

"Yeah, that was a great one. Um, but is Chris home?"

Mrs. Epps shrugs, "I dunno. Is today a school day? Oh, watch! Watch this move! Daryl takes a kickoff, he sheds one, two, three defenders, and he breaks into the open field for a ninety-five yard touchdown! He was such a great player. Everyone loved him."

Buffy sighs and turns around looking around the room. She sees the basement door with its 'Keep Out' and 'No Admittance' signs.

Mrs. Epps covers her mouth as her eyes start to tear up, "He woulda been nineteen next week. He didn't deserve that..."

Buffy goes over to the basement door and opens it. As she quietly makes her way down the stairs, she swears she heard Mrs. Epps say something along the lines of 'He didn't deserve to die... she did it... it's her fault...'. Buffy was confused and wanted to know who the girl was that she was talking about. Daryl had been in a car crash so how was it anyone else's fault. Who else was involved in his death? Shaking her head she realizes that they were running out of time. She would figure out this out after they found Chris and Eric and stopped them.

Buffy looks around a bit, and then goes over to the table. There she finds the pictures of herself and Willow. She also finds the plans for the body with Cordelia's face pasted on top.

Buffy whispers, "Cordelia!"

Daryl sneaks up behind her, but the door opens and they both look up. Buffy quickly hops over to the open basement window and climbs out. Daryl watches her go.

...

Back at school, inside the girls' locker room, Cordelia is putting on her lip-gloss as Laney stands looking at herself in the mirror. Joy, the cheerleading squad leader, walks by with Lisa.

"Cordelia. You coming?"

Cordelia nods glancing over at Laney, "Yeah, I'll be right out."

"Alright what about you Laney?"

Laney smiles nodding, "Yep I'll be there just give me one sec."

Joy nods pulling along Lisa. Laney watches and waits till the two girls disappear to quickly drop her smile. She frowns wondering how Buffy was doing. She hated the fact that she was out there alone right now.

"I know it's the anniversary of Daryl's death today... I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about what happened."

Laney sighs with her back to Cordelia before turning around with a fake smile, "Don't be! It was a car crash... it happens."

Cordelia frowns taking her gloss away from her lips for a second, "You know that's not what I meant."

Laney smiles sadly, "I know... I can't do this right now. The night is almost over. Just a few more hours and maybe everything will feel better."

"Do you still have nightmares?"

Laney looks down at her fingers as she plays with her skirt, "They stopped and I was doing really good. All this stuff happening with his brother Chris... it's bringing up memories, and fear, and guilt... it's all too much. I was doing good... now I feel like I'm sinking."

Cordelia doesn't hesitate to pull Laney into a hug. She holds her tight as she hears the girl try to breathe. She pulls away from the hug holding Laney's shoulders.

"Don't cry. First it'll ruin your makeup. Second you're the strongest person I know Lane... you've been through so much and you still stand everyday with a smile on your face. You got this. It's just another tough situation that you've got to fight through. The nightmares will stop again and everything will go back to normal... well as normal as it can be on a freaking Hellmouth town."

Laney chuckles before taking in a deep breath and smiling lightly. She kisses Cordelia's cheek before slowly making her way out the locker room.

"Thanks Cordy... I love you. Now hurry up before you miss our performance. You've got the biggest job tonight."

Cordelia rolls her eyes and nods, "Love you too. I'll be out in a second."

She watches Laney disappear then finishes putting on her lip-gloss. As she looks at herself in the mirror she sees Chris appear behind her. She's startled and turns to face him.

"Oh, God! Chris, you scared me. What are you doing in here?"

He looks down and away from her.

"Is something wrong?"

She screams as Eric pulls a bag over her head and drags her off. Chris just looks away.

...

Buffy comes running around a corner and sees Joy and Lisa coming down the stairs.

"Joy! Lisa! Where's Cordelia?"

Joy scoffs playing with her hair, "Cordelia has a game to think about. She doesn't need losers like you."

Joy tries to go but Buffy blocks her way.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Leave them be Buff."

Buffy looks behind Joy and Lisa to see Laney making her way over. Joy and Lisa roll their eyes and continue to walk down the hall past Buffy. Buffy flicks them off behind their back before looking back at a giggling Laney.

"Nice they're probably terrified right now."

Buffy shrugs, "Yeah yeah. So have you seen Cordelia?"

"Yeah I was just with her. She's in the locker room. I gotta go though, if I'm not on the field in two minutes I can kiss being a future flyer goodbye."

Buffy nods and runs past Laney who walks down the hall quickly.

Inside the locker room, Eric has Cordelia on the floor, trying to tie her hands. Buffy comes running down the adjoining hall and stops to look into the locker room. Eric sees her and gets up to defend himself. Buffy comes running in and jump kicks him, knocking him down. She crouches down and pulls the bag off of Cordelia's head.

"Are you okay?" Buffy looks down at Cordelia in concern.

Cordelia freaks out looking around, "Oh my God, Buffy!"

Eric gets up and runs away.

"Don't worry, he's gone."

"I was on my way down to the field when Chris came in, and all of a sudden someone jumped me."

"Shh! Quiet down. Relax. Take it easy."

Cordelia freezes as she hears music, "That's the fight song. Oh my God, it's time for the cheerleader pyramid at mid-field. I've gotta go."

Buffy looks at her crazy. The girl was almost kidnapped and just attacked.

"Well, are you sure you're okay to go out there?"

Cordelia nods running out, "Yeah, you don't understand, I HAVE to go. I'm the apex!"

Buffy hears a noise and looks around, "Chris?"

He walks slowly and reveals himself wearing a guilty face.

Buffy sighs, "I know what you're trying to do. You and Eric. I know about the bodies from the cemetery. But you haven't hurt anyone yet."

Chris paces around slowly.

Buffy continues, "Look, I know what it's like to lose someone that you're close to. But that's no excuse. What you're doing is wrong."

Chris shakes his head, "I have to do this for him. He needs someone."

"Who, Eric? He needs industrial strength therapy!"

"He always looked out for me... always. I let him down. He stood up for me. He's all alone. Everybody loved him. And now he's all alone."

"Who are you talking..." She gasps finally realizing who he was mentioning. Chris' mother has said the same thing. "Oh my God!"

...

"You promised me! You promised I wouldn't have to be alone!" Daryl yells as he trashes the basement throwing things all around.

Eric shakes his head holding his hands up in surrender, "It's not too late."

Daryl comes over to him and lifts him by the shirt.

"Nothing's changed! We can still do this! You and me. Your brother's not the only one who can create life. Whadaya say?"

Daryl sets him down. Eric takes a few deep breaths.

"Alright... Let's go scare you up a date."

...

Buffy and Chris run inside the basement and quickly descend the stairs.

"Daryl! Daryl? Daryl!"

She takes a quick look around.

"He's not here. Where else could he be?"

Chris looks around frantically in confusion, "But he would never go out. U-unless..."

Buffy lets out a harsh breath, "He's gonna pick up where you left off."

...

On the football field, the teams are getting in position for the next play. The ball is snapped.

Meanwhile under the stands, Daryl is crawling along, looking for Cordelia. He sees the action on the field and stops a moment to watch and remember. A player on the field gets tackled, but has gained several yards and gets high- fives from his teammates. Daryl lowers his eyes a moment, then notices Cordelia.

Cordelia stands taking a break from cheerleading. She walks over to the coolers next to the bleachers for a drink. Daryl slowly makes his way from under the bleachers but freezes as a figure makes its way to Cordelia.

The girl's smile light sup the night sky making Daryl's heart skip a beat. He watches the two hug then sees Cordelia skip away. Still standing by the coolers, the short brunette girl drinks a cup of water before throwing it in the trash. She sighs dropping her Pom poms to hold her head.

Daryl takes slow quiet steps closer to her.

"Laney..."

Laney hearing her name freezes for a moment before her hand starts to shake. She knew that voice. She didn't want to turn around.

Daryl grabs a cloth covered in chloroform and grabs her from behind. She screams, but her yell is drowned out by the crowd cheering another touchdown. The other cheerleaders jump and wave their pompoms. On the field the players help the scoring team member up and pat him on the back.

Minutes later, Buffy and Chris arrive by the bleachers.

Buffy starts to freak out as she looks around the field, "I don't see her. Do you?"

Chris shakes his head, "No."

Buffy lets out a frustrated breath.

...

"Why was there no picture of her?"

"It was for my private collection-"

Laney hears people struggling as she slowly starts to wake up. She still couldn't see because she was blindfolded. And she couldn't move either, since she felt herself tied up to a gurney.

"You didn't tell me she was alive."

"I d-didn't realize she meant so much to you."

"She means everything."

Laney chooses this time to try and pull her hand out of the tie but it doesn't budge.

"Hey! Please, what's going on? Just take off the blindfold. I promise I won't scream! I promise!"

Daryl ignores her and lifts the sheet from the headless body they've constructed.

"She's beautiful!"

Eric moves Daryl's hand, "No! It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

Daryl nods and puts the sheet back down then goes over to Laney.

He caressed her cheek before running his hands through her hair.

Laney's body shivers in fear. She knew her ex's voice but there was no way that he was alive. He died in the car crash. She would know... she was there.

"Please? Just take off the blindfold! I promise I won't scream! I promise!"

"Laney?" He takes off her blindfold. She takes one look at him and screams at the top of her lungs.

Eric chuckles, "You can scream all you want. We're in an abandoned building."

Laney screams for help at an even higher pitch. Eric holds up a pan and threatens to hit her with it.

"Okay, that's enough."

Laney stops her screaming, and Eric puts the pan back down, "Fuck you. What the hell did you do?"

Eric shrugs, "My buddy was sad, feeling guilty for not being there for Daryl when Daryl was always there for him. He wanted to see if he could bring Daryl back... and he did. With the help of me of course."

Laney's lip quivers as she glances over at Daryl who looks at her with gleaming eyes. She quickly reverts her eyes as they connect with his. She sees the stitches and cuts and darkened rotting flesh all over his face.

"You brought a monster back." Laney whispers as she clenched her fists. Her nails dig into her palm as she tries not to see the flashbacks of the past.

Daryl runs his finger down her cheek, "You were so good to me... always good to me. Always noticed me. Always loved me... But I ignored you. And I'm sorry. I'm glad I have a second chance to tell you that."

Laney shakes her head as tears form in her eyes. The tears were from sadness and fear. She started to panic as she saw Eric sharpening a knife.

"D-Daryl? You cheated on me. You hurt me... you broke- W-What more do you want from me?"

Daryl shakes his head, "I was thoughtless. I see that now. But I've changed. I've learned to appreciate how much it meant that you wanted to be with me. That you cared for me. That you were by my side through it all. You never left even when I gave you reasons to. Now it's my second chance to not leave your side."

"We're ready." Eric pops up beside Laney's head.

Laney frowns craning her neck to look at him, "Ready? Ready for what?"

"You're gonna feel a little pinch, maybe some discomfort around the neck area. But don't worry. When you wake up, you'll have the body of a seventeen-year-old. In fact, you'll have the body of several."

He lifts the sheet, and Laney lets out a very intense scream when she sees the body.

...

Buffy starts to look around frantically as she walks away from the field. The cheerleaders had been by the bleachers and she had yet to see Cordelia. Something on the ground catches Buffy's eye making her run over to the cooler. She bends down picking up a pair of Pom poms.

"He was here, Chris. Cordelia is in danger-"

"I am? Not again!"

Buffy snaps her head to the side staring at Cordelia with wide eyes.

"Cordelia!"

"That's my name! Now what the heck is going on?"

"Where were you?"

"Uh the bathroom... I'm sorry am I not allowed to unload my freaking bladder. I've been attacked tonight and almost kidnapped and I can't go pee?!"

Buffy shakes her head holding a hand up, shushing her, "That's not what I'm saying. Eric just tried taking you... Chris told me that Daryl is in fact alive, we went back to his place and saw the place trashed yet no sign of Eric or Daryl. They wanted you! So where the hell could they be?"

Cordelia freezes before shaking her head with fear in her eyes, "Did you just say Daryl is alive?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah that's why we thought they came after you. But you're here so where are they?"

Cordelia glances at the Pom poms in Buffy's hand before running over to the cheerleaders. Buffy looks at Cordelia in confusion and concern as she grabs every girl and looks at them.

Cordelia runs back frantically with tears falling down her face. Buffy was very scared as concerned at this point. She had never seen Cordelia freak out this bad.

"They took Laney. The last time I saw her she was at the coolers. No one has seen her since."

Buffy frowns, "Why would they take-"

Chris' eyes widen, "She was there with him... through it all. He didn't know she was still alive."

Buffy holds her head feeling a headache coming on. She couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. It was like everyone was speaking in riddles.

"Still alive? What the hell are you talking about?"

Cordelia shakes her head covering her mouth as she begins to quietly sob, "She was in the car crash with Daryl. When he found out she was still alive he must've changed his mind and taken her instead."

Buffy's mouth drops. Everything now made sense. What Mrs. Epps said, Laney's weird behavior... everything.

"Where did he take her?"

Chris sighs, "To the rest of the body. To the lab."

Buffy crosses her arms over her chest, "Where is that?"

Chris shakes his head, "I promised him that I..."

Cordelia grabs Chris' shirt pulling him close to her face as she showed nothing but anger.

"Look, here you stupid asshole! He'll kill Laney!"

Buffy nods, "You can't just give and take lives like that. It's not your job."

Chris looks down, "He's in the old science lab. Everything's set up there."

"Thank you." Buffy looks at Cordelia, "Now you two find Xander and Willow and tell them what's going on."

She leaves quickly for the lab as Cordelia lets go of Chris. The two look at each other before going to find the others.

...

Back at the lab, Eric is pouring gasoline into a sink.

Laney looks at Daryl frightened, "Daryl, please. You don't have to do this."

Daryl frowns, "We have to. So we can be together."

"We'll be together anyway! I'll be with you, I promise!" Laney almost gags into her own mouth.

Daryl noticing her lie, smirks down at her, "Is that right?"

Laney nods frantically not looking him in the eye, "Mm hm!"

Daryl slams his hand on the gurney beside her head making her scream out in shock.

"You see anything you like?"

Laney closes her eyes, making tears fall down her face. Daryl goes over to the other body and lifts the sheet.

"And when you're finished you won't go out. You won't run away."

Laney cries out as she pulls on the ties more, "Please just let me go. Untie me. I won't run."

Daryl frowns looking at her, "You did once before. But not again. Now we can hide together."

Laney looks very frightened as she pleads. Usually she could be strong and fight, but in this situation she felt like her freshman young self again. She felt trapped. She didn't want to be hurt again. One wrong move and he would explode.

"Please! Please!"

Eric holds a knife into a flame a moment, and then comes over to her.

"Sterile enough for government work."

He bends over Laney to begin the procedure. Laney starts to go into shock as memories of the past start to form.

"No! No, please! Don't do this! I'll be good! I promise I will! Please!"

There is a loud pounding on the door. It breaks open and Buffy comes in. Eric turns around, sees Buffy then throws the knife at her. She catches it in midair.

Laney cries out in joy, "Buffy, help me! Please hurry!"

Eric runs away as Daryl continues to stand beside Laney's shaking body.

"Daryl, listen. I know what you're doing, okay? Your brother sent me to stop you."

Daryl shakes his head, "He wouldn't do that. My brother loves me."

"Buffy, they're freaking crazy! They brought him back. He's dead. He's supposed to be dead! I don't want to go back. Please don't make me!"

Buffy wants nothing more than to pull Laney into a hug and let the girl sob her eyes out. But she had to stop Daryl.

"It's okay, Laney. I'm gonna get you outta here."

"No, I'm not done with her yet!"

He turns to the instrument tray and fumbles around for something. He grabs a cleaver.

"I'm not finished!"

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑤𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘? 𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤ℎ𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑎? 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑑𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡?

𝑊ℎ𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝐿𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑦'𝑠 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑡?