Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Fanfiction

Rewind

Summary: After having saved the world from another apocalypse, Buffy and Willow find their lives reset to the day they first met. While they search for a way home, they must also prevent the evil they already killed from destroying what they already accomplished. However, the feelings and actions that matured inside them may have an unforeseen effect on the future. (i.e. Willow's sexuality and Buffy's advancements since her early days). It isn't all easy since their future memories get clouded with the past, making it harder and harder to remember what they did before. How will the future change for these unwilling time travelers?

* Heads Up* Willow and Buffy's friendship gets increasingly intense. So lots up Wuffy moments. Also, this mostly follows the script but I upped the drama at certain times. This is Buffy-centric and Willow-centric, but Will's my favorite so she's the centric of the centric. Xander would be considered the supporting character, but I'm not getting rid of him.

As for the canon relationships, they will play as in the series, but I can't guarantee how long they'll last.

S1E1: Welcome to the Hellmouth

What are we gonna do now?

"Buffy…"

Buffy's thoughts were foggy, as if she was being pulled away from a dream. She clung to a fading image of her destroyed Hell town as familiar voices spoke behind her, trying to come up with a plan.

"Buffy…"

Buffy's own thoughts were smiling as much as she was. Her own thoughts were blissful as she looked out at the remnants of the destroyed Hellmouth. It was all over. Years of constantly being on edge and on guard, and now she feels… at peace. Like she was, her family and friends were… safe.

"Buffy Anne!"

"Huuhh!" Buffy sat up, gasping in shock as her world suddenly fell down with a metaphorical crash. She shook her head clear of foggy memories and raised her eyes to meet her mother's. Her heart stopped and head spun. It was impossible.

"You don't want to be late for your first day, Buffy. Get moving,"

Her motherly eyes… Her soothing voices… Her stern words as she tried to get her teenage daughter to listen… Buffy was frozen in shock as her mom left the room. Dreams were hazy. They were always light as you could feel how easily you might be ripped from those precious dreams. But here… Right now… Her mom's curly, wavy hair and unique features. They were as she remembered.

Buffy looked around her room at all her teenage possessions. She closed her eyes, willingly herself to feel the world around her. Trying to sense if it was real. It was. All her senses were solid. She didn't feel faded or confused. Well, she was confused but everything still felt pretty real.

"Buffy!"

"Coming!" Buffy jumped out of bed with her heart racing. She threw on her outfit and eagerly ran downstairs to do what her body was screaming for… She hugged her mom.

Joyce stiffened at the surprise hug but instantly hugged her daughter back lovingly. "Sweetie, we gotta get going,"

"What day is it?"

"Monday… First day of school, remember?"

Buffy let go and looked away as memories from years before became more recent. "1997…" Today is when she met Xander and Willow.

"Buffy, honey? Are you feeling okay?" Joyce put the back of her hand to Buffy's forehead.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded awkwardly. "Just first day jitters,"

Joyce smiled. "Awe, you'll do fine,"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"I'm up!" Willow bounced awake, nearly falling from her bed. Her… twin sized bed. Her teenage–hood bed. "Ooohh…" Willow looked around her old room shakily. She hadn't seen this room since she left for college. Having never been "family oriented" with her family, she rarely visited. Well, she was usually saving the world with Buffy, but still. "Oh. My. Flashback…"

She gasped as she jumped out of bed, tripping over her blanket, and stumbling to her mirror. "Ahhh…" Willow gulped as she touched her long, bland hair and plain face. Her look was as dull as before. Before she became more confident. Before she met Buffy.

"Willow,"

Willow spun around to see her mom standing at the door. "I laid out a nice outfit for your first day of school," Then she left.

Same cold, tight smile. Same loveless eyes… Willow sighed. She knew, logically, her mom loved her. She just wished she'd show it more often.

She looked back at the mirror of her fifteen–year–old self. What the heck is going on?

Willow looked at the familiar, taunting dress from her first day of sophomore year and suddenly… She was feeling like the old, geeky Willow of geek–dom. The shy nobody that everybody picked on.

Buffy. Xander.

Willow pushed down her nerves and got dressed. She just prayed to the gods and goddesses listening that her friends would be in the same predicament. Not that it would be this great thing… She just hoped they could work together to figure this strangeness out.

"Willow! You're so much the person I wanted to see,"

Willow jumped a little, having been distracted by her own thoughts. It was so strange… All her previous nerves and overall feelings had come back. As if she was going through everything all over again. Except, with more knowledge. But even then, she had to mentally visualize all she's been through. All the evils she faced… And all her losses.

Xander. Willow's heart sped up as Xander got up from the sidewalk he was knocked down to. "Oh, Really?" Willow spoke quickly, picking at her fingernails. This moment seemed familiar enough. Such a small moment… But a clear recollection. Including her jumpy heart whenever she saw her handsome best friend. Wow, ew! Willow was beginning to feel conflicting emotions and it gave her a headache.

"Yeah. You know, I kind of had a problem with the math," Willow smiled at the tall, dark haired boy and his dashing grin. Wow… I can't be back to those feelings… Willow internally grimaced. She did feel her crush–iness return, but it was remaining emotional rather than physical. Yep. Still like girls…

"Which part?"

"The math. Can you help me tonight? Please? Be my study buddy?"

Willow laughed. It was such a "high school" Xander thing to say. Her stomach got butterflies just remembering the simpler times. Let's see… What was it she said so long ago? "Well, what's in it for me?"

"A shiny nickel…"

"Okay. Do you have 'Theories in Trig?' You should check it out,"

"Check it out?"

Willow rolled her eyes. Sweet, sweet Xander… "From the library. Where the books live,"

"Right. I'm there. See, I want to change," He patted her back.

Willow and Xander entered the high school and Jesse McNally approached to walk with them. Jesse. Willow had to stop herself from jumping all over the long dead boy. He was her second real friend, after Xander. Then he died. Today.

"Hey," The thin boy smiled his best, cocky smile.

"Jesse! What's what?" They did their boy high fives, clasping each other's hands for a second.

"New girl!" He smirked, bobbing his head thinking about the new chick. Buffy, Willow knew.

"That's right, I saw her. She's pretty much a hotty,"

"Yeah, she transferred," Willow put in quickly, feeling the words push out of her. But she also felt her gay side creep out as she nearly agreed with Buffy's "hotness." Wow… This must be what it could have been like. Had I known back then. Er, now.

"So? Tell," Xander turned to Jesse expectantly.

"Tell what?"

Xander raised his eye brows. "What's the sitch? What do you know about her?"

He shrugged like he knew all he needed. "New girl,"

"Well, you're certainly a font of nothing,"

"Her name's Buffy," Willow smiled. "O – Or so I heard…" She found herself looking down at the ground. Yep… Same old Willow.

"Buffy," Xander smiled, testing out the name. "I likey,"

"Buffy Summers, sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting record, quite a career..."

I can't believe this… Buffy kept glancing up at the analog clock on the wall. All she wanted was to find her friends to see if they're still her friends or if she needs to befriend them again. She didn't have time for Principal Flutie's games as he went through her papers.

Flutie looked at her dead on and raised her records and ripped them into four pieces.

Here we go again. Buffy sighed.

"Welcome to Sunnydale! A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper, even if it says..." Buffy crossed her arms as Flutie read about the gym she burnt down. He frowned. "Whoa,"

"Mr. Flutie–" Buffy began.

"All the kids here are free to call me Bob,"

"But they don't,"

Flutie raised an eyebrow. "Uh, precisely,"

He starts to reassemble the sheets he tore.

"I know my transcripts are a little..." What was it he said? "Dismal…"

He looked at her in agreement, but he still tried to meet her level. "Heeey... We're not caring about that," He grabs his tape to piece the records together.

"Yes. I burned down the gym. But it was full of… Uhm… Parasites," She smiled, feeling like her excuse this time is ten times better than the last.

"Parasites?" Flutie questioned skeptically. Then he sighed, folding his hands on the desk in front of him. "Buffy, don't worry. Any other school they might say 'watch your step', or 'we'll be watching you'... But, that's just not the way here. We want to service your needs, and help you to respect our needs. And if your needs and our needs don't mesh..."

He puts the poorly repaired records back into Buffy's file and slaps it shut. Buffy smiles tightly.

"You're dismissed,"

Buffy quickly gets up and hurries out with her only mission being to find Xander and Willow, then Giles. She accidently runs into a girl.

"Oh! Sorry!" The girl accepts the apology and just continues walking while Buffy freezes at seeing Xander headed her way.

"Xander!"

Xander stops in surprise. "Me Xander? You know his – my name?"

"Oh. Right, you don't know… I mean," Buffy shook her head, disappointed to see Xander clearly unaware of what was happening. "Yeah. Xander, right? Harris?"

Xander smiled, undoubtedly satisfied to be on her radar. "Yeah. You're Buffy, right? New?"

"Yep," The bell for class rang.

"Well, uh, maybe I'll see you around... maybe at school... since we... both... go there,"

"Yeah! I'll see you around," Buffy quickly walked past him.

Maybe Willow will know. Buffy considered, then stopped in the middle of the hall as she considered more. No… Willow didn't… She's pass the subconscious crap. Right?

So far, everything seemed like it used to be for Willow in high school. A few Cordettes teased her… Boys ignored her… Cheerleaders "accidently" knocked her books out of her hands… And she was just as smart in her classes, if not more so. Then there's the magic thing.

Back in 2003, she was so advanced that simple levitation spells were like walking. It was natural. But when she tried levitating a pencil, her mind was strained. It didn't even budge. She was back to square one.

Her history class was taking forever. The wall clock was so slow Willow ruled it of as malfunctioning and her teacher, who she once admired with rapt attention, was more like a drone than a fascinating teacher. She just wanted get out and find Giles. Even if he has no future memories, he'd still consider believing her story.

Brring!

Thank God! Willow gathered her things and rushed out. Thirsty and expecting a long spoken explanation to come, Willow stopped by the water fountain. Then she looks up and sees Cordelia with Buffy. Oh, right. She remembers how she met Buffy the first time, then sighed. I guess Buffy doesn't remember. She assumed as much since she still began a sort of friend thingy with Cordelia.

"Willow! Nice dress! Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears,"

Willow gulped, her mind still racing with the fact she was alone in this. "Uh, oh, well, my mom picked it out,"

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

Willow nods, quickly turns and leaves. Buffy watches her go for a moment, saddened at seeing the old Willow.

"You wanna fit in here, the first rule is: know your losers. Once you can identify them all by sight," She looks pointedly in the direction of Willow. "They're a lot easier to avoid,"

Buffy forces a laugh as she looks at Willow again, who went through the door at the end of the hall. Willow looks back at them, at Buffy, before continuing straight to the library.

"Uh, Cordelia, sorry but I gotta go somewhere," Buffy excused herself, leaving Cordelia to roll her eyes at being ditched.

Buffy quickly followed the way Willow went, which ended at the library.

Willow walked into the spacious room and looked around. "Giles!" She called out, his name feeling natural to her lips.

"Ah, pardon me?" Giles appeared out of nowhere with a few thin books in hand.

Willow breathed uneasily, preparing a longwinded explanation to an unbelievable story. "G – Giles, what I'm about to tell you will be unbelievable and you might not want to believe me, you might think it too bizarre and the magicks too complicated to comprehend, at least for now, but I'm totally lost. It's like, 'Welcome to Wonderland, Willow!' or a trip to Oz–"

Giles stopped the redhead with a raised hand to make the rambling stop. "Slow down, Miss…"

"Willow. Rosenberg," Willow shifted in her spot nervously, realizing she should have started slower. Maybe build up a conversation first. She threw her hand out towards him. "Willow Rosenberg,"

"Willow," Buffy had walked in not long after Willow and heard her babbling speech.

Willow spun around, anxiously twiddling her fingers. "Buffy?"

"Oh thank God!" Buffy ran to embrace her best friend. Willow gratefully hugged back.

"I – I thought I was alone! What the heck is going on, Buffy?" Willow gave a desperate look.

"I don't know. I thought maybe... You…" Buffy gave an apologetic, pointed look at what she was suggesting.

"What? Me? Nooo," She shook her head wildly, then bit her lip at the possibility. "I – I don't think so. I mean… Maybe, but. Nooo…"

"Are you sure?"

"Uhm, excuse me," Gile's heavily British accent cut in. "Can I help you girls?" He put his books down and cleaned his glasses.

"Giles," Buffy approached the man. "I know this is going to sound… insane," She glanced back at Willow, who was nodding in agreement, still picking at her fingernails. "But you have to believe us – Oh!" Buffy suddenly remembered Giles didn't know her name yet. "Buffy!" She grabbed his hand and shook his hand forcibly. "Summers,"

"Miss Summers?" He suddenly has a look of realization.

"Yes, and I know you're my watcher, and no, I'm not interested in that Vampyre book,"

Giles had listened to the two unfamiliar students' story, but quickly stopped any information about the future. It was bad enough he was now aware of an apocalypse in the distant future, he didn't want to risk small information changing big things. Afterwards, he sent the kids back to class and promised to look for answers on time travel.

In the quad during lunch, Buffy saw Willow sitting on the bench and couldn't help but feel sorry. She can already see the old Willow. The Willow who was confused by Buffy befriending her. Who even though what Buffy wanted was her seat.

Willow looked around the school grounds, remembering how awful it was. She loved school, but never felt like she belonged. She was either invisible or the convenient target of bullying.

"Hey Will,"

Willow jumped when Buffy appeared beside her.

"H – Hey Buffy," She smiled, but Buffy saw right through her.

Buffy sat down and played with the girl's auburn hair, moving it over her shoulder, scooting closer and pulling her into a side hug. "What's wrong? I mean, besides the obvious,"

Willow shrugged and rubbed her wrist.

"Will?" Buffy lifted the girl's chin and saw her eyes watering and lip quivering.

"I'm scared Buffy," Willow turned to her friend, tears starting to fall and her body was trembling. She was noticeably paler and shaking her head. "I – I feel horrible and I don't know why. It wasn't this bad, Buffy,"

"Oh God, Will," Buffy pulled Willow into her, letting her cry into her shoulder while she rubbed her back. It helped. After a few moments, Willow pulled away and wiped her face with her sleeves.

Willow breathed in shakily, shaking her head again. "I – I'm sorry Buffy. I just don't know what's happening,"

"We'll go see Giles after school. Maybe he found something,"

"Hey!"

Xander suddenly hops onto the short wall behind them while Jesse comes up to them from the front, dropping his bag as he shoots what he thinks is a charming smile at him.

Xander looks between the girls. "You guys busy? Are we interrupting? We're interrupting,"

"No!" Willow quickly says, finally getting her nerves in check. "No interruption is – is happening," Willow nods for emphasis at Buffy.

"Awesome," Jesse continues to smile at Buffy.

"So Will, I see you met Buffy," Xander says. "Me and Buffy go waaay back, old friends, very close," Buffy and Willow grin at each other. "Then there's that period of estrangement where I think we were both growing as people, but now here we are, like old times, I'm quite moved,"

Jesse laughs. "Is it me, or are you turning into a bibbling idiot?"

"No, it's, uh, it's not you,"

"Well, it's nice to meet you guys,"

"Well, you know, we wanted to welcome ya, make ya feel at home, unless you have a scary home..." Jesse says.

Xander jumps down from the wall, squeezing himself between Willow and Buffy. "So what do you do for fun, what do you like, what do you look for in a man, let's hear it,"

Willow frowns, tuning out the others, feeling a familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach. Xander was flirting with Buffy. And she was jealous. No. Her frown deepens because, despite this feeling, the idea of being with Xander no longer interested her. In fact, just thinking about it made her feel sick.

Tara. She feels even sicker thinking about the beautiful woman she lost. How the woman made her feel things even Oz didn't. She missed her so much. Missed being touched by her. Then Tara was ripped away from her by a bullet. A stupid, human-made bullet. After three years being around dangerous demons, having her sanity eaten by a goddess, and being attacked a number of times… all it took was a bullet.

"Your shirt,"

"Willow?" Xander touched Willow's shoulder, making the girl gasp. "You okay?"

Willow nodded, mouth open in words that wouldn't leave. The image of Tara's blood…

"Are these guys bothering you?" Cordelia Chase walks up to the small group.

"Uh, no!" Buffy answers the cheerleader.

"Hey! Cordelia!" Jesse slides up next to her.

"Oh, please," Cordelia rolls her eyes. She turns directly to Buffy. "I don't mean to interrupt your downward mobility, but I just wanted to tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with the chest hair, because gym was canceled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker,"

"What?" Buffy leaned forward as she remembered what had happened this day seven years ago. A quick glance to see Willow's look of realization and she knew she wasn't alone.

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!"

"Dead," Because of a vampire.

"Totally dead. Way dead,"

Because The Master is Back.

"It's not just a little dead, then?"

Cordelia scowled at the boy. "Don't you have an elsewhere to be?"

"Y'know, if you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to nibble on..." Jesse tries to get closer again. She brushed him off her in disgust.

Buffy and Willow's eyes lock. "Um, I gotta book," She stands up, but then grabs Willow's arm. "I mean, we gotta book,"

"Yes," Willow agrees. "Book-age is… Uhm, needed,"

Cordelia gives Buffy a judgmental look, wondering why she'd be going with the nerd.

"Willow's helping me with studying," Buffy explained to the group. "I struggled last year, so want to get ahead. Let's go, Willow,"

They grab their things and leave, toward the library. Cordelia stares after them, starting to think maybe Buffy wasn't as cool as she thought.

"Giles!" Buffy and Willow barged into the library. "Giles!"

"Yes, yes," Giles appeared from behind a bookshelf, an open book in hand. "What's wrong?"

"You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?" She gets right to it.

"Yes," Giles claps the book shut and steps further into the light.

"He was bitten by a vampire. Does anything important come to mind?"

"I was afraid of this," Giles takes of his glasses to clean them with his shirt. "Is he… will he rise again?"

Buffy rolls her eyes. "No, Giles," She turns and pulls Willow over to her, motioning between them. "From the future, remember? We know all about what it takes to become a bloodsucker,"

"Yes, yes, of course," Buffy huffed, recognizing this look her watcher has. It's too relaxed. Unthoughtful. Dismissive. A slight roll in the eyes.

"You have got to be kidding me," She laughs to herself.

"Pardon me?"

"Oooh no," She wags in finger in his face. "Don't ask for a pardon in that English accent, you don't believe us!" She turns to Willow in amazement. "He doesn't believe us,"

"You don't believe us?"

"Well – Well I–" Giles was at a loss for words. Logically, he knew it was possible after everything he's learned over the years. But still, he had his doubts.

"You sing!" Willow suddenly exclaimed, pointing up at the librarian. "You – You…" She racked her brain for another fact. "Were rebellious in your youth," She nods in Willow fashion, the rare times she was sure of herself during this period. "Oh! And you were into dark magics at one point,"

"Ahhh… Yes. That – I think I can believe you now," Giles cleans his glasses again.

"Look, Giles. Something big is going to happen, and soon. What is it?"

"Yes, well. Over the years something has been building over this spot,"

"Because it's the Hellmouth,"

"Yes. The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval, very soon. Days. Possibly less,"

"Okay, I remember!" Buffy stops him and turns to Willow. "The Master,"

Buffy quickly realized how messed up their memories were, fluctuating between remembering the future or the past better. Then there's Willow's intensified emotions. Whatever happened to them, they didn't get out of whatever time vortex was created without side effects.

"Okay, Giles, I need you to look up time vortexes or whatever. Anything that can explain what's happening. Maybe it was multiple spells at once or something, dig deep,"

"I'll go do that," Giles obeyed, quickly turning around then stopping for a second at realizing he had become an assistant, not a teacher. He shook his head and stepped to it anyway.

"We're going to the Bronze,"

"What?" Willow straightened up.

"Jesse, remember?"

Xander then walks in and stops at seeing the girls. "Hey ladies. What's up?"

"Nothing, bye," Buffy rushes out, dragging Willow by the hand with her.

"Buffy Buffy Buffy," Willow digs her heels into the ground, forcing the blond to stop in the middle of the hall.

"What?"

"School's what," Willow nodded backward, towards the class they needed to get to. "We have another half of school after lunch, you know,"

"Will, I think we have more important things to worry about,"

Willow bit her lip and looked down at the ground, twiddling with her fingers while trying to get the courage to speak her mind. This is ridiculous. She thought, head hurting. This whole thing they're in was confusing her.

"I – What if… You know. We – We can't get back?"

"Huh?"

She sighs and looks up again. "What if this is permanent and we mess up our futures? What if we do fix this later on. Oh I don't know, like in a year, a month even, but what we did in that month prevents us from graduating on time, or kills more people than we lost in the first place. What if we save Jesse but in exchange, we lose Xander,"

"Woah! Will!" Buffy's eye grow wide and she grasps the girl around her forearms. Willow's eyes are getting watery again and she was shaking.

"Buffy, I loved Jesse. We weren't as close as I was with Xander, but he was my only other friend I spent more time with than just classes. But – But if I had to choose,"

"Jesse died," Buffy nods, understanding what Willow was saying. She took a deep breath. "You're right, Will. If we can't get back to the future, we can't risk things changing. Jesse needs to die. It's hard, but who knows what him living could do,"

"Or Tara,"

Buffy smiles sadly and hugs Willow.

Willow tenses, her stomach fluttering and her eyes widening and Buffy's smell suddenly becoming intoxicating. Oh no. She hugged her back, starting to finally feel a little relaxed again…

After school, Buffy shuffles through her closet for an outfit to the Bronze. She had told Willow to meet her there, like when they met there by accident. She just hoped Willow's past memory will keep up. So far, Buffy discovered, she would remember some things as little as what she ate for breakfast or as big as how she met Cordelia. But then she'd forget things like Jesse. She didn't want to tell Willow, but she had completely forgot about Jesse. When she "met" him in the quad, he just felt like one of those people that could be just a passing face. She forgot he'd be dying soon. He forgot how it affected Willow and Xander's lives deeper than her own.

"Hi, hon," Joyce Summers, Buffy's mom, walks in to see her daughter getting ready.

"Hey!" Buffy says, deciding on a blue blouse with a white shirt underneath and a pair of yoga pants.

"Are you, uh, going out tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm going to a club,"

"Oh. Will there be boys there?"

Buffy laughs, but lovingly admires her mom. She really missed her motherly ways. "No, Mom. It's a nun club,"

"Well, just be careful,"

"I will,"

"You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing... I'm gonna get the Gallery on its feet... Oh, uh, we may have found a space today,"

"That's great, Mom," Buffy stops shuffling around her room to look up at Joyce. "I'm really happy for you," She quickly goes and hugs her tightly, but still minding her slayer strength.

"Thank sweetie," Joyce hugs back then let's Buffy finish getting ready. "Oh, and that school is a, a very nurturing environment, which is just what you need,"

"Yep, sure is…" Buffy smiles tightly.

"But not too nurturing. I know, you're sixteen, I've read all about the dangers of over–nurturing,"

"It's hard. New town and everything... It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work," Joyce takes her daughter's hand. "I'm going to make it work,"

Buffy smiles at her. Joyce, indeed, made it work. She gave Buffy a very happy life and even supported her not-so-normal side. Buffy was heartbroken when she lost her mom. "I know,"

"Oh, you're a good girl, Buffy," She pats Buffy's head. "You just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that is all behind us now,"

"It is. From now on I am only going to hang out with the living – I mean, lively. People. People who are, nice. And good,"

"Hmm. Okay. You have fun then,"

"I will,"

Buffy is walking down the dark street on the way to the Bronze, when she senses that she is being followed. She keeps walking until she can duck down an alley and looks around for a place to hide. A cat yowls and kicks some cans as it runs away. She spies something above her, a thick metal bar. Smiling, she jumps up, grips it and flips herself to hold herself upward.

Then she sees him. Angel. He comes into the alley but doesn't see her.

Angel. The man, the vampire, she fell in love with. The one with a soul and that made her heart squeeze in so many different ways. Both good and bad. Until now, she had forgotten this is when they met.

When Angel has passed underneath her, she swings down and kicks him in the back before landing on her feet perfectly. He is knocked to the ground, and Buffy positions herself above him with a foot on his chest.

Angel smiles at her awkwardly. Buffy now knew this was his intention back then. To feign innocence. "Ah, heh. Is there a problem, ma'am?"

"Yeah, there's a problem. Why are you following me?"

"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite,"

Buffy scoffs and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, I know," She backs off him and lets him get up. She actually felt a little satisfaction at having the upper hand. Even if the memory came last minute.

"Truth is," Angel says, looking her up and down. "I thought you'd be taller, or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though," He rubs his neck, feeling the after–Buffy affect like most people have after getting knocked by her.

Buffy scrutinized him, trying to remember what happens from here. If she remembered, this could pass faster. Giving up, she crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"The same thing you do,"

"I highly doubt that,"

"You want to kill them. To kill them all,"

"Oh how mysterious of you to say," Buffy smirks. "But sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax," She starts to walk away.

"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open,"

She stops, turns to him and looks at him unfazed. "I know, Angel. I'm working on it,"

Now Angel looked surprised and unsure how to continue. "Okay," He nods, taking her answer positively. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small box. He tosses it to her. "Because you've gotta be ready,"

"I know," Then Buffy bites the inside of her lip, realizing that in fact, while she knew something bad was happening and it had to do with the Hellmouth, she couldn't remember what to call it. "Uhm, what for, exactly?" She asked dumbly, blushing a little in embarrassment.

Angel smiles with a light chuckle. Buffy hated that he, once again, got the best of her. "For the Harvest,"

"Oh! Right!" Buffy nods emphatically. "I knew that,"

Angel laughs again. "I'll be in touch," He leaves.

Buffy stares after him for a moment, then opens the box. She smiles at the silver cross and chain inside it. She sighs as a few small memories of the man come to mind. She pockets the box but puts the necklace around her neck before continuing to the Bronze.

Willow sits in the crowded club, Sprung Monkeyplaying "Believe" loudly in the background, and Willow was looking around at the people on the dance floor. Everyone was having fun, laughing and probably feeling carefree. She snacked on some raisins while waiting for Xander – No! Buffy. Buffy, this time. What – What for?

Willow frowned, staring harder at the bar top. Something was really wrong. Willow could feel it. She felt overwhelmed, but she couldn't figure out why. Well, yeah, she was sent back to 1997, but it was more than that. She was constantly tense and anxious. Like at any moment, something bad would happen to her. Either something as insignificant as her making a fool of herself, or she screws up and somebody gets hurt.

Willow swallows and leans over the bar, head in her hands and eyes squeezed shut. She grips her hair while trying to gather and sort her thoughts. They were starting to get all over the place. She'll thing about her goal, why she was currently in the Bronze, but then she'd remember Kennedy and them staring out at the destroyed Sunnydale. She'll flash back to when she first met Tara, then to her first intimate moment with Tara, then her first fight with Tara, then when she lost Tara…

"Will," Buffy appeared beside Willow and quickly pulled Willow into her arms.

Willow didn't know until now she was crying. Her body shook with her sniffling and she gripped onto the back of Buffy's shirt while she sobbed into her neck.

"Will, what's wrong?" Buffy forced Willow to look at her, but Willow only shut her eyes and shook her head, looking away. "Okay, Will. You are scaring me,"

Willow sniveled.

Movement caught Buffy's eyes and she looked down. Her heart plummeted right then because Willow's idle, nervous fidgeting turned into full on abuse. Her nails were scratching hard against her arms and there was angry, red scratches, a few bleeding.

"Willow," Buffy grasped at her arms and separated them. She flashed back to magic addicted Willow and how far that Will had gone. She had been gone for far too long and it nearly hurt others. Then the withdrawal itself nearly killed her. But this was different. She was deliberately harming herself, whether on purpose or a nervous tick, it was still happening.

"Buffy," Willow finally looked up at her. "I don't feel so good,"

Buffy couldn't stand the sound her best friend's voice was making. It was too vulnerable. Her lip kept quivering and her eyes were red and flowing with tears. This Willow was broken. Willow had only been this bad when Oz left her. Then a completely explosive meltdown when Tara was murdered. But Buffy had only saw Willow as damaged.

"I – I –" Will breathed heavily. "Something's wrong, Buffy. Really wrong," Her face contorted in emotional pain as she sobbed again and fell forward for Buffy to hold her. So Willow could hug her. Hugging Buffy made her feel better. Buffy was with her. This Buffy is from 2003. Being held by Buffy made Willow feel a little calmer. Like everything would be okay.

"Shh, Will. We'll figure this out,"

"It – It hurts Buffy. Everything hurts,"

"Sweetie, you have to breathe," Buffy pulled away and cupped Willow's face, wiping away some tears with her thumb. She catches sight of Giles in the above area of the Bronze. He looks below, looking around until he sees Buffy. "I see Giles. Maybe he found an answer,"

Willow nods, her fingers going back to scratching. Buffy promptly stops her. "I'll be right back, okay? Please, just don't…" She holds her hands. "Don't hurt yourself,"

Willow nods again, crossing her arms to just grip her own sleeves to keep her hands occupied.

"I'll be quick,"

Buffy hurries away, climbing the steps up to the upper area. She stops by Giles at the railing.

"What's the update?" Buffy asks him.

"Huhm?"

"The news. The newest information,"

"On what?"

Oh lord… Buffy sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. I don't remember him being so… dull? "With us. Me and Willow. Travelers of Time?"

"Oh! No, sorry,"

"Then why are you here?" Buffy asked, irritated.

"I knew you were likely to show up, and I have to make you understand how dangerous the Hellmouth is becoming. You need to focus on what needs to be done,"

"The Harvest is coming,"

"What did you say?"

"The Harvest. That mean something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank,"

"I'm not sure. Uh... H – How'd you come across this information?"

"This... guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I met him in an alley. He was following me,"

"The Harvest. Did he say anything else about it?"

"He just said the Mouth of Hell was starting to open. Basically the same things you said,"

"I said?"

"Oh! Sorry, the first time we met didn't go so well. You had to chase me down and explain how the Hellmouth has been getting more powerful,"

"Ah, yes," He seemed put off, so looked down at the crowd below them. "Uh, so in this future of yours, can you tell them apart?"

Buffy laughs. "Yes, Giles. You taught me well,"

"Well, try now. Show me,"

Buffy smiles softly at her watcher, knowing he probably felt a little pointless, having a slayer who already knew most of the important things. She amuses him, looking out at the crowd. "There's… one," Buffy slows, pointing to a tall boy in the mass wearing vintage jacket and rolled up sleeves, and talking to a cute girl, who was emotionally distraught. Willow.

"Where?" Giles asks in disbelief.

"I gotta go," She runs away and down the stairs to get to Willow. Willow was too out of it right now. Buffy's biggest fear was Willow wouldn't remember him as a vampire.

You're okay. You're okay. You're okay.

Willow felt sick. Her skin was clammy and her head felt… strange. Not a headache, but like it was static. Like on cable when you hit a static channel. That was her mind. Everything was getting harder and harder to understand.

"Hello,"

Willow sits up to see a handsome young man. He stood next to her, leaning against the bar looking at her with genuine, concerned eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh – I –" Unable to form words, she just shook her head and looked away. She was no longer crying. She was sure her face was back to being pale. But she was still a little shaken.

"My names Thomas," He stuck his hand out for her.

Pushing pass her nerves, she shook it. "Willow,"

"That's a pretty name, Willow,"

"Th – Thank you!" Willow breathed.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you feeling okay? You look kind of shakey,"

Willow bit her lip and shrugged. "I – I haven't been feeling so much 100% lately,"

Thomas smiles sympathetically. "Maybe being in a crowded place isn't the best thing,"

"No, probably not,"

"I can take you home, if you want,"

"Willow!" Buffy suddenly came running. She got between the two and shot the boy daggers with her eyes. Or stakes.

"Buffy, it's – it's okay!"

Buffy turns to Willow in disbelief and hisses quietly at her. "He's a vampire,"

Willow's eye's widen and Buffy's follow when her eyes begin to water again. "I'm such an idiot,"

"Jesus, Will. Don't, not again," Buffy felt for Willow, she really did. But she didn't have time to comfort her friend. She turns around to take care of Thomas, but he's gone. "Crap,"

"Buffy," Giles approaches the girls. "Did you take care of it?"

"No! Giles," Willow is clawing herself again and Buffy grabs her. "No! Willow,"

Giles grabs Buffy by the arm and turns her to face him. "The vampire is not dead?"

"No,"

"So, what do we do?"

"Uhg!" Buffy throws her hands in the air, the situation just getting more and more intense. "I'll take care of it!"

"I – I – I need to come with you, yes?"

"No!" Buffy breathes in, calming herself. Focus, Buffy. What needs to be done? Vamp-boy. "Okay," Buffy pulls Willow out of her seat and pushes her to Giles. "One vampire I can handle. What I need you to do is watch Willow,"

"You – You want me to babysit?" He asks, genuinely confused by the request.

"Yes. Whatever brought us here has seriously messed up Willow. She keeps…" She shakes her head, lifting the girl's red arm. "Hurting herself,"

"I – I see,"

"Go back to the library and research The Harvest, but also make sure Willow doesn't keep doing this,"

Jesse… Xander… "Nooo, B – Buffy,"

"Willow, I'm not asking. I'm telling you. Go. With. Giles,"

"Let's go, Miss Rosenberg," Giles gently leads Willow away and towards the front exit.

With Willow safe with Giles, Buffy exits through the back way and starts a steady jog towards the cemetery.

"Uh, hey. The ice cream bar is this way,"

Cordelia Chase stopped at the beginning of the cemetery, where the new boy she just met at the Bronze had walked into.

"I know a shortcut," Thomas turns back to grab her hand, smiling smoothly at the young girl.

Cordelia just shrugs and lets him lead her further in. "Okay, but cemeteries are full on creepy,"

"Hey, you're leaving already?" Xander calls after the blonde who just ran pass him.

"Oh, Xander!" She stalls in her steps. "Uhm, yeah," She points at him, about to say something, but stopped for a second.

She remembers Xander had come with her last time, when Willow was in danger. But now Willow was in danger of herself. He had also tried getting Jesse to safety, but she had said the truth before. Jesse has to die. If Willow and Buffy could help it, they couldn't make any major changes. But, by Willow not being there with the vamp-boy, was there a major change?

What if we save Jesse but in exchange, we lose Xander.

Will's right. What if by Willow not going with Thomas, another girl was taken. What if she had an inadvertent effect on the future.

"Uh… Buffy?" Xander waved a hand in the girl's face.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? You kind of spaced,"

Buffy nods, then thinks quick. "Willow!"

"What about her?"

"Uhm, she's at the school library. I need you to go there and look after her,"

"Why? Is she okay?"

"No, she's not. I just need you to go and stay there with her. She needs you and whatever you do, don't panic. I'll meet you there soon,"

"But –"

"Go." Buffy stares into his eyes, portraying the importance. "She needs you,"

"Okay, thank you," Xander runs away quickly.

"Okay, this is getting weird," Cordelia huffed, pulling her hand out of Thomas' to cross her arms. "You're not one of those Goth freaks or Emo kids, are you? Into all that death and morbid crap? Because I would kind of like to leave the cemetery now,"

They arrive at the mausoleum.

"Hey! Ever been in one of these?"

Cordelia gives him an incredulous look. "Uhhh, no! Have you not been listening? Cemeteries are creepy,"

"Come on," Thomas goes behind Cordelia and moves her hair over her shoulder. He gets closer to her neck, smelling her sweet blood. "It'll be fun,"

"Uhhh… Yeah," Cordelia brushes him off. "I think I'm gonna just go, because you're actually kinda creepy.

Thomas laughs, then snatches her. She lets out a yelp as he digs his fingers into her arms and pushes her into the mausoleum. She trips down the stairs and stops up against the stone coffin. She turns around.

"What's your deal!" Cordelia was angry, but also a little scared. She didn't know if she was about to die… Or worse.

Thomas strolls down the steps. She backs away from him and against a wall.

"I'll scream,"

He laughs. "No one will hear you. Well, they won't be able to save you,"

He comes toward her again, freaking her out. She makes a run for it. Thomas smirks in amusement, letting her pass. Only for her to be blocked by a blond chick. Startled, Cordelia jumps back.

"Is this the best you could do?" The girl smiles cockily, strutting forward.

"Okay," Cordelia shakes her hands at both them, done with whatever they had plan. "Look, just let me leave," She charges forward.

"Nope!" She is pushed back by the blond with a forces that tosses her into the air, knocking her to the ground.

"She's fresh, Darla,"

"Hardly enough to share,"

"Why didn't you bring your own?"

"I did,"

Jesse suddenly stumbles into the mausoleum, holding his bleeding neck.

"Hey! Wait up!" He speaks to Darla.

"Jesse?" Cordelia sits up shakily, her arms scratched up from her fall.

He staggers down the steps, weak from blood loss, and collapses. He falls beside Cordelia.

"Y'know, you gave me a hickey," He says. He looks at Cordelia and gives a nod with his not-so-charming smile. "Hey, Cordy,"

Thomas gives Darla a look at seeing the boy had already been tasted.

Darla shrugs. "I got hungry on the way,"

"What the Hell do you want?" Cordelia shouts.

Darla laughs, stalking towards her. Then, her face begins to shift. Cordelia gasps. Darla's face was suddenly monstrous. Her forehead was bumpy and eyes were glowing yellow. She bore her teeth at the tan girl. "We want to feed!"

"Ahhh!" Cordelia screams. Thomas' faces changes too. "Ahhh!"

Then Buffy charges into the mausoleum. Her eyes widen at seeing Cordelia. She decided she had definitely made the right decision. Cordelia had been a big part of their lives. So much could have been ruined.

"Who the hell are you?" Darla scrutinizes her.

Normally Buffy would participate in sarcastic banter with her enemies, but she was so on edge about making a mistake that messed up the future that her only focus was saving Cordelia.

"Who am I?" She repeats the rival blonde's question instead. "I'm the one with a stake," She wipes out her wooden weapon. "Now, I assume we'll be doing this the hard way,"

"Is there any other way?"

Thomas roars and charges at her. Buffy easily deflects his claws and stabs him through the chest, striking his heart. He falls back and turns to ashes. Darla can't believe her eyes. Neither can Cordelia or Jesse. Cordelia was stuck between oh shit and what the fuck. Jesse was thinking hot.

"See what happens when you roughhouse?" Buffy smirks.

"He was young and stupid!" Buffy leaps forward, kicking her hard in the stomach and sending her flying back into the stone wall.

"Cordelia, go!"

Darla gets back to her feet and charges again. She punches high, aiming for Buffy's face only to get blocked by the slayer. Cordelia tries to run away, but her heart suddenly kicked her and she found herself helping Jesse and running out with him leaning against her for support. Darla throws a backhand punch, but Buffy blocks again and follows up with a front snap kick to Darla's stomach. As she leans forward from the pain, Buffy slams her elbow into Darla's back. With the vamp-bitch down, Buffy stabbed the stake through her back. She turned to dust.

"Ah!" A large, beefy hand abruptly wrapped around her neck from behind and she was lifted in the air. Luke, a larger, muscular vampire working for The Master, throws her roughly behind him, slamming her into the wall and shattering the area into stone chips. He approaches Buffy as she starts to get up, still a little dazed. Luke attacks Buffy with a double punch, but she blocks it and delivers a punch to his gut and a hopping front snap kick to his jaw. He steps back, but isn't fazed.

"You're strong," Luke chuckles.

He lands a solid backhand fist to her face. She's thrown through the air.

"I'm stronger!"

Buffy achingly gets to her feet. "Damn. I forgot about you,"

Cordelia and Jesse make it a ways away from the mausoleum, but Jesse's weight makes her trip and they fall amongst the graves. "Damn it," Cordelia growls. They look up and their hearts stop. A group of vampires stand in front of them. "Damn it,"

"You're wasting my time," Luke growls at the slayer. She backs away up the stairs toward the exit.

"Hey, I have better things to do too," Buffy says, circling the coffin that's between her and Luke.

Luke shoves the heavy lid off of the coffin, sending it flying at Buffy, who does a cartwheel onto and over it to avoid it and kicks Luke in the chest with both feet, knocking him down. She grabs the stake she had dropped on the floor and lunges at Luke. She feels the tip meet his flesh, but he manages to catch her wrist but she did any damage.

"You think you can stop me? Stop us?" He growls.

He grabs the stake with his other hand and breaks it. Then he grabs her by the shirt.

"You have no idea what you're dealing with,"

He throws Buffy. She lands in the coffin and he jumps in after her, spouting some kind of scripture. Luke is in her face, getting closer.

"And Hell itself will come to town," He laughs.

Buffy struggles to get him off, but her fight was losing energy.

"Amen!"