3rd Person's POV

In the Summers house, the dining room table is beautifully set with Joyce's best china, crystal and silverware. Buffy is dressed up for the occasion. She is putting the last setting into place when the doorbell rings. She looks over the table one last time and then goes to open the door. Through the window she sees Pat waiting there, holding a large plastic food container. Buffy opens the door.

"Hey, there you are!" Pat comes in, "Not thinking about any more flights of fancy, I hope."

Buffy can't believe her comments, and just closes the door.

Pat smiles, "Joyce said there was room for one more, so I said forget facial night and let's party! I bet you like empanadas."

She holds out the container to Buffy, who takes it and gives her a fake smile.

"Do you want to see my mom?"

"Please."

Buffy whines loudly and frantically, "MOM!"

Pat looks up the stairs and sees Joyce appear at the top.

"Oh, Pat! Good. Buffy, I hope you don't mind."

The two women embrace.

"Hi! You look great!" Pat smiles once more.

The doorbell rings again, and taking the empanadas under one arm, Buffy turns around to answer it. It's Devon with the band.

"Hey, Buffy. So where do you want the band to set up?"

He walks into the living room and looks around for a good spot.

Buffy stares confused, "Wh-the band?"

Two girls follow him in carrying parts of the drum set. Oz follows in behind and then Laney. Laney peeks over at Buffy before continuing on. Colby steps into the house with a grimace as Buffy gives him a 'what did I do stare'.

"She's just cranky right now. She didn't eat lunch."

Colby pats Buffy's arm and follows after his girlfriend as Buffy turns to look at them. She watches as Laney hugs Colby and he kisses her forehead. As soon as Laney makes eye contact with Buffy, the girl quickly looks away rolling her eyes.

Buffy groans as she closes the door and walks into her kitchen.

Minutes later lots of people are there, and the party is in full swing. Dingoes Ate My Baby are set up in the corner of the living room and are playing "Kids In America."

Colby plays the bass as Devon is the drummer for the night. Meanwhile Oz on his guitar and Laney at the mic.

"Looking out a dirty old window
Outside the cars in the City go rushing by
I sit here alone And I wonder why

Friday night and everyone's moving
I can feel the heat but it's soothing
Heading down
I search for the beat in this dirty town

Downtown the young ones are going
Downtown the young ones are growing
We're the kids in America (Oooohhh)
We're the kids in America (Oooohhh)
Everybody live for the music-go-round"

Half of Sunnydale High must be in attendance, the place is so densely packed with people. Willow sits leaning against a table, smiling at Oz while moving to the beat of the music.

Buffy looks around at all of the people, not sure who half of them are, trying to find Willow. She spots her, and walks up to her.

"Hey!"

Willow smiles still listening full attention to the band, "Hey!"

"Bright lights the music gets faster
Look, boy, don't check on your watch
Not another glance
I'm not leaving now, honey not a chance"

Buffy glances at Laney and frowns then looks around at the full living room, "This is large!"

Willow looks at Buffy, "You like?"

"Yeah. It's great. I-I was just sort of hoping it would be... us."

"Hot-shot, give me no problems
Much later baby you'll be saying never mind
You know life is cruel, life is never kind"

"Sorry. What?" Willow indicates that it's too loud to hear.

Buffy speaks louder, "This is amazing, but I was sort of hoping we could just hang together, the gang."

"Kind hearts don't make a new story
Kind hearts don't grab any glory"

Willow indicates to the band and makes like she totally can't hear Buffy. She turns her attention back to Oz and smiles at him.

Buffy senses that Willow is more into watching Oz play with the band than anything else at the moment, and decides to leave her alone.

After walking a ways back into the crowd, Buffy changes her mind, deciding that she wants to talk to Willow now. She touches Willow on the arm and indicates they should go someplace to talk. Willow lets Buffy lead her away through the crowd.

Buffy finds a relatively quiet spot in the dining room where they can talk.

"Is everything okay? You... You seem to be avoiding me, i-in the one-on-one sense."

Willow looks surprised, "What? This isn't avoiding. See? Here you are, here I am."

Buffy grimaces, "So we're cool?"

"Way! That's why, with the party, 'cause we're all glad you're back."

She isn't being very convincing, but Buffy decides to accept it for now.

"Okay."

"Okay. Good." Willow goes back to watch the band again. Buffy isn't at all convinced that everything's good.

Xander and Cordelia sucking some serious face by the stairs.

Buffy comes walking out of the crowd and sees them. She tries to walk by without being noticed, but Xander sees her. Cordelia doesn't stop kissing him on the face and neck while he talks to Buffy.

"Hey, Buff, uh... what are you doing?"

"I was just taking a break from all this wacky fun."

Xander grins, "Some kind of party, huh? I guess a lot of people are glad to have you back."

"It seems like people I didn't even know missed me." She looks around at the crowd, "Did Giles say he was going to be late?"

"Uh, he was Library Man last time I saw him. But he'll be here. He wants to celebrate your homecoming. We all do. I mean, it's great to have the Buffster back." Xander smiles once more then moved away a bit trying to get Cordelia's attention.

"Isn't it?"

Cordelia grins with a nod, "Totally!" She turns to Xander and frowns, "Except you were kinda turning me on with that whole Boy Slayer look."

"Was I now?"

Buffy gags as Cordelia bites her lip looking at Xander.

"You bet, Nighthawk."

They smile and giggle at each other, and resume their kissing. Buffy definitely feels like the odd person out.

"Well, I'll just be, uh..." Buffy finally gives up and leaves, "...oh, yeah."

Buffy is at the snack table gathering up empty cups. A guy reaches in front of her and grabs a handful of party mix, leans his head back and dumps it into his mouth. Most of it spills to the sides and onto the floor.

Buffy just gives a shrug, grabs a few more cups and turns to go throw them out. She passes two guys talking and overhears their conversation.

Party dude, "Hey, what's the deal with this party anyway?"

Stoner, "This party? Heard it was for some chick that just got out of rehab." He takes a drag from his joint.

Buffy stares at them, less than happy about that rumor, but she ignores them and continues on toward the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Joyce and Pat are having a little fiesta of their own, and pour some schnapps into two glasses. They raise their glasses, clink them together and each take a good sip.

"Whew!"

Pat smiles and nods at Joyce, "Now, how you holding up, Joyce, hmm? Really."

Joyce smiles then looks at Pat sadly, "Really? I'm... I don't know. While Buffy was gone, all I could think about was getting her home. I just knew that if I could put my arms around her and tell her how much I loved her, everything would be okay."

"But?"

Buffy reaches the kitchen and overhears.

"Having Buffy home, I-I thought it was gonna make it all better, but in some ways, it's almost worse."

Buffy takes this super hard. She huffs and feels her eyes water as she shakes her head and goes to turn back around. She looks around at everyone downstairs and quickly turns and goes up the stairs.

In her room, Buffy comes in and swings the door partially closed behind her. She looks at her bed sadly and sniffles. She bends down to pull her bag out from underneath, slams it onto the mattress and opens it up. She goes to her closet, gets out a pile of folded clothes, goes back to her bed and stuffs them into the bag.

"Didn't take you as a quitter."

Buffy freezes and bites the inside of her cheek then peeks over her shoulder to look at Laney who had been leaning on her doorway looking at Buffy's bag nonchalantly.

"It isn't what- I mean it probably is what you think. But-"

"I mean leaving like this is just so weak and loser like." Laney sips her drink then shrugs standing up straight, "It's kinda sad actually."

Buffy grits her teeth then shrugs, "I don't care what you think. I can't stay here anymore. I won't. Why would I?"

Laney chuckles shaking her head, "Oh Buffy...You just simply can't handle the fact that everyone was okay without you."

Buffy frowns, "Exactly why I should leave."

"I wasn't finished." Laney takes a step towards Buffy making the blonde feel slightly intimidated. "They are happy it seems but you don't understand that they had to get past the hurt and betrayal by you leaving them in the dust."

Buffy scoffs and turns back to her bag stuffing more clothes inside, "I had to leave. I couldn't stay here. I needed to get over losing him."

"Hm... right... him. I get it, you were hurting. You lost your first love. That's fair. I'll give it to you. I would've disappeared for a good week maybe more. But you see where my issue lies with you is the fact that you can't seem to get this one simple thing. You're not the only person who lost him. You're not even the only person who lost someone. Kendra was killed, Summers. You remember her? Or is your brain too clouded by the rose colored glasses you wear?"

"Of course I do. I will forever feel guilty about that. It was my fault. I j-just... I thought if I was far away it would keep everyone safe and then I could learn to live on my own. Now I'm back and it seems like everyone is happy I was gone."

"They are." Laney holds out one of Buffy's shirts for her, making the blonde roll her eyes and go to take it but Laney snatches it from her reach, "Now... they had to learn to be okay. They had to learn to survive in this town, because the Slayer up and left them. I get it, you were devastated and broken. But you didn't realize that other people hurt too. Now you come back why? Because your life wasn't going the way you wanted? You missed everyone? I'm not really sure but all I do know is that you're leaving because everyone seems okay without Buffy Summers."

Laney walks around Buffy laughing to herself, "You're the vampire slayer and they don't even need you for that. You want to feel needed. You want to be selfish and have everyone to yourself. You cannot bear the thought of everyone living on without you." Laney freezes in front of Buffy and stands face to face with the Slayer, "Like right now. So what do you do? Up and leave. Well that's fine. Go ahead and run away again. Make me happy, Summers. Because truth is, me personally... I didn't even think about you once. But those people downstairs. Your friends and your mom... even Giles. They missed you. And as much as I have my own issues with them, they didn't deserve what you put them through. And what you're about to do again."

Buffy sighs in frustration as she tries to stuff one more thing into her bag, Willow shows up at her door and sees her packing. She looks between Laney and Buffy then frowns.

"You're leaving again?"

Buffy gives her a quick glance and goes back to packing. Laney chuckles shaking her head while drinking her drink once more.

"This was a fun talk."

Willow looks at Buffy upset then takes a step into the room as Laney walks past her out the room, "What, you just stopped by for your lint brush and now you're ready to go?"

"It's not like anyone will mind."

Willow laughs heavy with sarcasm, "Oh, no. Have a great time. Oh, oh, and don't forget to not write."

Buffy faces Willow, sobbing, "Why are you attacking me? I'm trying."

"Wow, and it looks so much like giving up!"

"Not you too. I'm just trying to make things easier."

Willow frowns, "For who?"

"You guys were doing just fine without me."

"We were doing the best we could! It's not like we had a lot of choice in the matter."

"Sorry that I had to leave, but you don't know what I was going through."

"There you go again! You always say that. Well someone knows. Laney. She knows. Maybe not all of what you feel, but some of it. She went through something and she still hasn't told any of us. And I may not know anything about what you were going through, but I'd like to."

Biffy shakes her head, "You wouldn't understand"

Willow considers, "Well, maybe I don't need to understand. Maybe I... I just need you to talk to me."

"How could I talk to you when you were avoiding me?" Buffy scoffs.

"This isn't easy, Buffy! I know you're going through stuff, but... so am I."

"I know that you were worried about me, but--"

"No! I don't just mean that. I mean, my life! You know? I, um... I'm having all sorts of--I'm dating, I'm having serious dating with a werewolf, a-and I'm studying witchcraft and killing vampires, and I didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff." Willow begins to sob, "And you were my best friend. My sister used to be a long time ago. Then we grew apart and we were finally doing better. But I realize now that I completely shut her out because I put you first. And you know what, I think some things are more important than just worrying about you... when you don't do the same with us."

"You have no idea how much I missed you. Everyone. I wanted to call every day."

"That doesn't matter, Buffy. It doesn't make it okay that you didn't."

Joyce walks by the room and sees the bag on Buffy's bed, "What is this? Is this some sort of a joke?"

"Mom, please, could you, could you just--"

Joyce interrupts her, "No, I can't just! Buffy, what is this?"

Willow frowns crossing her arms over her chest, "She was running away again."

"No, I wasn't." Buffy pauses, very confused, "I'm not sure."

"Well, you better get sure and explain yourself right away! If you think you can just-just take off any time you feel like it--"

Buffy now interrupts Joyce, "Stop it! Please! I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing."

She rushes from her room and heads downstairs. Joyce and Willow follow right on her heels.

Buffy comes rushing down the stairs with her mother and best friend right behind. She stops at the front door, and turns into the living room when she finds Xander and Cordelia locked in a passionate embrace, blocking her way out.

"Don't you leave this house, young lady!"

Buffy doesn't stop her determined walk.

"You know what? That's it."

She runs up behind Buffy, grabs her arm and turns her around to face her.

"You and I are going to have a talk."

Laney looks over at the two confused as she stops singing. She looks at the guys and makes a hand gesture slicing her neck as if saying 'cut it.' The band quickly stops playing and most of the people in the room stop talking. Suddenly the level of noise in the room is reduced to just a few voices. Buffy looks around at everyone staring at them.

Buffy implores, "Mom, please--"

Xander and Cordelia come into the living room.

Joyce interrupts, mad, "You know what? I don't care. I don't care what your friends think of me, or you for that matter, because you put me through the wringer, Buffy." She inhales deeply once then exhales, "I mean it. And I've had schnapps."

"Mom, this isn't the time--"

"Do you have any idea what it's been like?"

Willow looks around, worried. Oz comes up next to her. Everyone still stands around awkwardly watching. Buffy can feel the embarrassment oozing from her being.

Laney groans rolling her eyes. She hurries over to Joyce and taps the older woman's shoulder, "Joyce could you wait like two seconds."

Joyce raises an eyebrow then shrugs.

Laney clears her throat and looks around at the crowded room of teens. Some laughing at Buffy others looking like they were the ones getting yelled at.

"You all have five seconds to get out before I kick your asses. And I will enjoy it. So y'all better hurry."

Some kids run out the room while others look at Laney with raised brows. Colby clears his throat and leans into the mic, "She's not joking. She will hurt you."

Laney smiles as the remaining people hurry out the room.

"You may continue, Joyce."

Buffy sighs, "Mom-"

Joyce interrupts again, "You can't imagine months of not knowing. Not knowing whether you're lying dead in a ditch somewhere or, I don't know, living it up--"

"But you told me! You're the one who said I should go. You said if I leave this house, don't come back. You found out who I really was, and you couldn't deal. Don't you remember?"

"Buffy, you didn't give me time. You just dumped this thing on me and you expected me to get it. Well, guess what? Mom's not perfect, okay? I handled it badly. But that doesn't give you the right to punish me by running away."

Buffy stares in awe, "Punish you? I didn't do this to punish you!"

Xander scoffs, "Well, you did. You should've seen what you put her through."

Buffy smiles annoyed, "Great. Thanks. Anybody else want to weigh in here?" She sees Jonathon who was in the middle of brining a chip with dip to his mouth, "How about you by the dip?"

Jonathon freezes and looks around nervously at everyone suddenly staring at him, "No, thanks. I'm good."

Laney rolls her eyes, "Didn't I say get out of here?! Two seconds!"

Jonathon's eyes widen as Laney takes one step to him. He takes the whole bowl of chips and the small dish of salsa then runs out the house.

"You know, maybe you don't want to hear it, Buffy, but taking off like you did was incredibly selfish and stupid."

Buffy groans listening to Xander, "Okay! Okay. I screwed up. I know this. But you have no idea! You have, you have no idea what happened to me or what I was feeling!"

"Did you even try talking to anybody?"

"There was nothing that anybody could do. Okay? I just had to deal with this on my own."

"Yeah, and you see how well that one worked out. Why not ask Laney? She pretty much lost the same people who meant something to you too. Ms Calendar, Kendra, An-"

Colby clears his throat shaking his head, "How about we stay away from that specific name for a little bit."

"Right... sorry." Xander nods then turns back to Buffy, "You can't just bury stuff, Buffy. It'll come right back up to get you."

"It's not the same. As if I even could've gone to you, Xander. You made your feelings about Angel and I perfectly clear."

"Guys... we agreed."

Buffy sighs, "Sorry."

"Look. I'm sorry that your honey was a demon, but most girls don't hop a Greyhound over boy troubles." Xander says.

"Oh Xander... Get off your high mighty throne please!" Laney grumbles as Colby rubs a hand down her back reassuringly as he notices her body begin to tremble. He knew she was thinking about Angel and how his death affected everybody.

"Uh yeah time out, Xander." Cordelia raises a finger up in the air, "Put yourself in Buffy's shoes for just a minute. Okay? I'm Buffy, freak of nature, right? Naturally I pick a freak for a boyfriend, and then he turns into Mr. killing Spree, which is pretty much my fault... well kind of. Not as much my fault but my friends. And then my friend is taken and tor-"

"Cordy!" Laney yells while twisting her ring on her finger.

Cordelia grimaces, "Sorry Laney."

"Get outta my shoes, Cordy!" Buffy sighs.

Cordelia frowns, "I'm just trying to help, Buffy."

Willow breaks the tension between the two, "Buffy, you never--"

Buffy nears the breaking point, "Willow, please. I can't take this from you, too."

Xander groans, "Let her finish! You at least owe her that."

"God, Xander! Do you think you could at least stick to annoying me on your own behalf?"

"Fine! You stop acting like an idiot, I'll stop annoying you!"

Buffy steps up to Xander, "Oh, you wanna talk acting like an idiot, Nighthawk?"

Laney rips herself from Colby's grip. He curses following behind quickly as she pushes Buffy back slightly away from Xander and stands face to face with her.

"As much as Xander gets on my nerves, you need to back up."

Buffy scoffs, "What's your issue with me, Laney?"

Laney grins almost laughing, "Me? What's your issue with me? Do we have a problem? I really wanna know because ever since you came into town, I think you have had a problem with me."

"Laney calm down."

Laney smiles looking at Colby, "I am calm." She looks back at Buffy, "How are you feeling, Summers? Wanna squash whatever imaginary beef you've had with me? Wanna go a few rounds?"

Oz taps Colby and has Colby move Laney away as Oz himself stands in between the two girls, "Okay. I'm gonna step in now, being Referee Guy."

"No, let them go, Oz." Willow gets a look from Oz and shrugs, "Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence."

A zombie suddenly smashes though the living room window and comes in. Others quickly follow right behind.

Willow gasps in disbelief, "I was being sarcastic!"

A zombie grabs Xander, and they start to wrestle. Another one grabs Oz's arm, Colby quickly grabs its' head and twists it violently, breaking his neck. Oz thanks Colby as Laney raises an eyebrow and bites her lip.

"Oh wow."

Cordelia slaps the back of Laney's head, "Not the time."

Laney grimaces, "Sorry."

Xander gets the upper hand on the slow-moving zombie and throws him back out of the window. Willow scrambles to help out. A zombie dives through the kitchen door window.

"Xander, kitchen!"

Xander nods at Buffy, "I got your back!"

She tosses him an andiron from the fireplace, and he runs into the kitchen with Cordelia close behind. A zombie attacks Buffy, and she launches herself into a hopping side kick to his gut. She sidesteps a punch and swings under his arm with an uppercut to his jaw, but he isn't fazed. He swings at her with both arms, knocking her aside. Joyce watches Buffy fight, cringing at every blow. Buffy punches the zombie twice in the face and then ducks past him as he lunges at her with his arm trying to grab her. He turns around and tries to make a grab for her, but Joyce comes up behind him with a vase and smashes it over his head. The party guests are having limited success keeping the zombies out of the house. Buffy leg sweeps the zombie and knocks him down.

"Are these vampires?"

Buffy frowns confused, "Uh, I don't think so."

Willow gasps, "Buffy, heads up!"

She tosses Buffy a piece of the broken window frame. Buffy catches it out of the air and tries staking the zombie. He just looks up at her as though she pinched him.

"No, not vampires." Buffy grimaces.

The zombie starts to get back to his feet but suddenly falls to the ground as his head flies off across the room. Buffy looks to the right of the zombie seeing Laney holding a baking roller.

"Always go for the head."

In the kitchen, Xander swings the andiron at one of them, making him stagger a bit. Cordelia looks around and finds a stake on the counter. She jams it into the zombie's gut. He staggers back again. Pat looks into the kitchen from the hall, not paying attention to her back. A zombie comes up behind her and grabs her by the jaw and the back of her head. She screams as she's dragged off. The zombie in the kitchen comes at Xander again. Another one is trying to crawl in through the window over the sink.

"Man, this sucker wobbles, but he won't fall down!"

He swings the andiron at the zombie's legs and knocks him to he floor.

Joyce hits a zombie repeatedly over the head with a broken piece of wood. Oz is holding a guitar, ready to smash it over the zombie's head.

"We got to get 'em back outside!" Buffy yells.

"On three!" Joyce orders.

Devon grabs the zombie by the back. Oz and Joyce each grab an arm.

"One . . . Two . . . Three!"

Together they drag him to the front door, where Laney is waiting to slam it shut. The three of them throw the ghoul out and barricade themselves against the door. The zombie slams himself against it, trying to get back in.

"Okay! We're gonna have to barricade this door! Colby and Oz start moving that table this way!"

Xander and Cordelia have their zombie pinned face down to the floor with his arms behind him.

"We need some help out here!" Laney yells as the door starts to budge open slightly.

Xander nods to Cordelia, "I got him. Go help Buffy."

Cordelia rushes into the living room to help while Xander ties up the zombie.

Cordelia takes the boys' place at the door with Laney and Joyce as Colby and Oz drag the table back and position it against the door. Devon goes off to get another one and Xander shows up to help, too.

Suddenly the zombie punches through the door and makes a grab for Oz's shoulder.

"Upstairs!" Buffy yells as she helps Willow fight off another.

The two then run up the stairs and into Buffy's mother's room. Xander quickly follows behind. Laney looks between Cordelia and Colby with a frown.

"Go ahead. We'll be right behind you." Cordelia smiles worried as she tries to help Oz.

"But-"

Colby grabs her arm and moves her away from the door nodding towards a startled Joyce.

"Help her upstairs. I'll make sure Cordy is okay."

Laney nods and grabs Joyce's hand pulling her upstairs. At the top of the stairs Joyce sees Pat lying unconscious on the floor further down the hall.

"Oh, Pat!"

She rushes over to Pat. Willow and Buffy run over to help also.

"Oh, God..."

Pat wakes, and Willow and Joyce help her up, each getting under one arm.

"Careful!"

Xander watches the stairs, "Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry."

Joyce to Pat, "I got you. Okay."

They drag her toward the bedroom. Xander ushers them in and follows.

The stand at the door has to be abandoned. Devon runs out the back. Cordelia helps Oz get away from the zombie outside the door, and they try to run up the stairs, but another zombie grabs Oz from behind and pulls him down to the floor.

"Oz!"

Cordelia reacts quickly and comes back down holding her hand out to Oz, but he waves her off as Colby punches the zombie and helps him out.

"GO! GO!"

She starts to run toward the back, Oz and Colby scramble out of the zombie's reach, running right behind her. Giles runs into the back of the house running into a scared Cordelia.

"Oh thank god you're here."

In Joyce's bedroom, she and Willow have to drag Pat the rest of the way in and lie her down on a large padded wicker chair and footrest while Buffy and Xander try to get the door closed to keep a zombie out.

Laney hurries over and feels for a pulse on Pat's neck, "She's--"

Joyce frowns dropping her face into her hands, "Oh, God! Pat! She's dead!"

The zombie gives the door a good bump, knocking Xander back and into the far wall. The impact vibration knocks the mask from its hook. Buffy manages to shove the zombie back a bit. Willow, Laney, and Joyce run to help.

The eyes of the mask begin to glow red again. Xander gets back up, and now all five of them are pushing against the door to get it closed.

"What do we do if they get in?"

"I kind of think we die." Xander jokes.

The mask's eyes keep glowing. Pat suddenly sits up eyes open wide. The zombie at the door overpowers Buffy and the others, pushing the door in violently.

Joyce and Xander fall to the floor. The zombie comes in and backhand punches Buffy, sending her into the wall. Pat sees the fighting, but her attention is drawn to the mask lying on the floor. Its eyes glow a bright red now. Xander tries to grab the zombie from behind, but it throws a backhand punch and hits Xander in the jaw. Xander goes flying in a high arc onto the bed and rolls off of the far side onto the floor.

Pat stands up, her gaze fixed on the mask, and steps over to it. Joyce sees her stand up, and looks at her amazed. She gets up from the floor and goes over to Pat.

"Oh, God! We thought you were--"

She tries to hug Pat, but Pat grabs her outstretched arms and pushes her hard onto the bed. Joyce rolls off next to Xander. Pat bends down to pick up the mask and holds it to her face as she stands back up. The eyes suddenly glow a very bright red, and the mask integrates itself into Pat's face.

The zombie immediately stops fighting Willow and Laney then falls to his knees, screaming and cowering before Ovu Mobani incarnate.

Xander turns to Joyce, "Generally speaking, when scary things get scared: not good."

Willow looks at Mobani, transfixed by its stare.

Mobani, "I live, you die."

Laney looks over at a frozen Willow confused, "Willow? You okay?"

Buffy tries to get between them seeing as Laney is distracted. Ovu Mobani turns to her, and its eyes flash, mesmerizing Buffy. It backhand punches her, and sends her flying in a high arc against the closet door. Buffy falls into the closet while pieces of wood drop ontop of her from the door.

Mobani turns to Laney and she stands frozen. Willow goes to move but then Mobani turns to her. Laney only now slightly dazed, sees Willow back away from Mobani fearfully.

Laney frowns, "Willow, don't look!"

Mobani's eyes flash again at Willow, and she freezes. The demon strides over to her and grabs her by the jaw and the back of her head. Laney groans before lunging at Mobani. She dives and grabs it as the two then smash through bedroom window, fall onto the roof, and roll off. They hit the railing of the back porch and break it, then fall over some bushes and roll into the backyard.

Laney moans in pain as she looks up at the second floor of the house, "Ugh that's much cooler than it looks in the movies. Hurts more than it looks too."

Giles, Oz, Colby and Cordelia stand inside on the stairs. They hear the crash through the window and rush into the dining room as a zombie appears and takes Giles by the neck.

Buffy finally recovers and jumps through the window then leaps down to the ground watching as Ovu Mobani gets to their feet. Buffy looks away and quickly puts some distance between herself and the demon, shading her eyes as she goes.

"Not looking." Buffy chants to herself lowly as Mobani makes tracks after her, "Not looking!"

With Ovu Mobani no longer 8' the bedroom, the zombie has quit its cowering and gun attacking the mortals. Xander and Willow each have the zombie by an arm, and Joyce swings a baseball bat hard into his back. The zombie screams and flails its arms, shaking Xander and Willow loose. He turns to face Joyce, who keeps swinging the bat. The zombie blocks the blows with its arm, but Joyce doesn't stop.

Mobani tackles Buffy to the ground and turns her over Buffy immediately covers her eyes with her arm, and the demon's eye flashes have no effect on her. Buffy snap kicks Mobani off of her, and the demon flies across the yard and lands hard on its back.

Colby and Giles try to use a ski pole to hold the zombies at bay, but it's not working very well.

"Tell Buffy Mobani's power lies in his eyes!"

Oz kicks one of the zombies twice in the shoulder, trying to force him back so he can get down the stairs. The zombie isn't fazed, so Oz just hops over the stair railing instead.

"She has to go for the eyes to defeat him!" Giles repeats.

Outside, Buffy gets to her hands and knees and scrambles over to the shovel. Behind her Mobani is coming for her again. Buffy turns around with the shovel raised, but the demon flashes its eyes at her again, this time making her freeze.

Behind them Oz comes running out of the kitchen door, "Buffy!"

This distracts Ovu Mobani and slowly brings Buffy out of her trance, but not fast enough. Mobani flashes its eyes at Oz, making him freeze on the porch.

Laney stands up tall and grabs the shovel from Buffy raising it up high, "Hey, Pat!"

Ovu Mobani snaps its head around to look at Laney, who jams the shovel into the demon's eyes, embedding it in its head. Mobani grabs the shovel handle and tries to pull it out, but can't.

Laney smirks, "Made you look."

In a flash of brilliant white light Ovu Mobani disappears.

In Joyce's bedroom, she  is still beating on the zombie. In a flash of light he disappears. Joyce's next swing goes wild, and she stops.

Cordelia is helping Giles hold the zombie at bay with the ski poles, when he disappears in a flash of light, making her fall forward. She reacts quickly and steadies herself against the wall.

Buffy just stares where Mobani was. On the porch Oz shrugs looking at a shocked Laney, "Never mind."

Joyce runs down and into the living room, looking for Buffy. She sees her and Oz come in through the kitchen.

"Honey!"

She embraces her daughter tightly. Buffy hugs her mom back.

"Oh!"

They release their embrace. Oz sees Willow come into the living room and goes to her.

Joyce frowns, "Are you all right?"

Buffy nods, "Yeah."

Joyce nods panting, "So, is this a typical day at the office?"

"No. This was nothing."

Willow and Oz hold hands, and then turn to face Buffy. Xander comes into the living room through the kitchen. Cordelia joins them. Joyce looks around at the mess in the house.

Xander turns to Buffy, "Nice moves."

"You, too."

Willow smiles, and runs over to Laney pulling her into a tight hug making the brunette stand still in awkwardness.

"Um..."

"Thanks for saving my life."

"Well you're my sister... kinda can't let you die."

Willow nods and then turns to Buffy and goes to hug her best friend. They hold each other close for a long time.

Buffy pulls away from the hug and looks at Laney who is now snuggled into Colby's arms. She has small scratches on her arms and a cut on her forehead.

"Thanks, Laney. I guess I really did need your help."

Laney freezes not knowing what to say and if she should. Colby clears his throat and smiles while rubbing her arm.

"She says thanks she knows."

Laney nods then looks down at her wringing hands, "Yeah what he said."

Giles looks on from the other side of the room and breathes deeply.

At least they could be in the same room with one another.

For now anyways.

YALL THAT WAS A SUPER LONG CHAPTER!! Can't wait to write the next one!! I believe Faith shows up!! Super duper excited!!

How are we feeling right now?

I don't know about y'all but I kinda like Buffy and Laney being frenemies at the moment. More tension and action that way. What do y'all think?

How do you feel about what Laney said when she was talking to Buffy while she was packing?

Colby and Laney are still cuties 🤍🥹

Glad Colby can fight now though. He is officially part of the Scooby Gang.

Favorite character?

Least favorite?

Future predictions?

Any special requests...