Opening the passenger door, Willow coaxed Buffy in, closing the door behind her. Buffy snuggled further into Riley's coat, hoping to receive some much-needed warmth. But the rains had soaked clean through the thick wool, chilling her skin further.

Willow quickly got behind the wheel of the old clunker. Noticing Buffy's lips were slightly purple from the cold and her teeth were chattering rapidly, Willow placed the key in the ignition. Turning the car on, Willow began fumbling with the heater hoping to get warm air circulating. She had to hit the dashboard several times to get the thing going, but once it started, the car quickly warmed up. "Are you sure you don't want to go in and change? You can't be comfortable," Willow said, motioning to Buffy's lack of dryness.

"N-n-no!" Buffy managed to get out through her chattering teeth. "I-I don't want to set foot in that place again." Willow scooted over, pulling Buffy close. Rubbing her hands up and down Buffy's arms, she tried desperately to warm her.

It hurt to breath. The compressions Riley had performed on her chest had most likely bruised her. Her throat and lungs burned from the water that she had inhaled. Buffy hoped that her slayer healing power would kick in soon and the burning pain would cease. Leaning into Willow's warmth, she took comfort in the fact that at least she could still feel the pain.

Glancing quickly around the room, Riley made sure that nothing was left behind. Grabbing his duffle bag from the bed, Riley followed Giles out the door. Shifting the weight of Buffy's bag from his left hand to his right, Giles descended the stairs with Riley close at his heels. "I'll take Buffy to the hospital, get her checked out. Then take her home to rest." Riley offered.

"Yes, that sounds good. You should also get your neck and hand checked out by a doctor while you are there. You could have further damaged your hand when you fell," Giles said, holding the door for the young man.

Riley nodded his agreement before stepping out into the rain. The mud hampered the short run to the car, as Riley slipped several times on the way. Quickly placing both his and Buffy's bag into the back seat, he unlocked the door for Giles before Riley rounded the car to let himself in.

Shaking the rain from his hair, Riley started the engine. Instantly the car was filled with warm air as it began slowly making its way down the drive towards the police cars. Giles waved to a policeman as they passed by, merely getting a nod in return. Riley slowed the car as they neared the Nova. Putting the car in park, Riley hopped out, jogging to Buffy's door. Giles headed for the driver's side just as Willow emerged from the car. Willow smiled at Riley as he and Buffy walked back to the other car, noticing how he held her close, protectively.

Riley was helping Buffy into the car when Giles flashed his taillights, signaling his departure. Offering a reassuring wave, Riley closed the door to the passenger's side as he watched Giles and Willow disappear down the road. Climbing behind the wheel, he noticed Buffy wince as she tried to put on her seatbelt, "Here, let me help." Riley reached across her, grasping the seatbelt, gingerly bringing it across her chest, and snapping it into place.

As they made their way down the drive, Buffy tossed one last glance back at the house. The light from the newlywed's room burned bright. Shadows passed by the window, evidence of the police activity still underway. Looking toward the room she and Riley had occupied, she felt a twinge of regret. This was suppose to have been a relaxing week, yet once again the forces of darkness had rained on her parade.

As she was about to turn her attention back to the road, Buffy noticed something in the window that hadn't been there before. For a moment, she thought that a curtain had been suctioned to the window by the outside wind. But, even from this distance, she could tell that the window was closed. In an instant, the white shadow in the window dissolved into nothing.

Shaking it off as her eyes playing tricks on her, she settled back into her seat. Leaning her head back into the headrest, Buffy let the purr of the car lull her to sleep.

The doctor had been amazed that Buffy's chest had been compressed just hours ago. No injury was noted, only slight discomfort when she moved, so the doctor quickly released her to Riley's care, insisting that she get plenty of rest and watch for pneumonia. After a nurse wrapped Riley's hand and checked his neck for any injury besides bruising, the couple was off.

It was after midnight when Riley and Buffy walked through the door at Lowell House. As quietly as possible, the two made their way up the stairs to Riley's room. A quick call to Willow and a change of clothes and Buffy and Riley were fast asleep, holding each other tightly, each not willing to let the other go.

The sun hurt his eyes. Raising a hand to shield the blinding light, he gazed around the cemetery, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. In the distance, he saw her. Buffy's black dress clung to her small body making he appear older than the nineteen years she actually was. Then again, maybe it wasn't the dress. Her face was a mask of sadness and pain as she stared down at the tombstone in front of her. The years of fighting and pain were evident on her young face.

As Riley approached her, she didn't raise her head in acknowledgment, she continued to stare at the marble as if it were an apparition. "Buffy?" Still no sign that she knew he was there. Circling around the stone, Riley noticed for the first time the wet streaks gracing her delicate cheeks. He watched as she wiped them away before kneeling before the headstone, planting a light kiss on the cold marble before standing and walking away.

Perplexed by the scene that had just played out before him, he watched her retreating form until she disappeared around a crypt. "Who died?" New sod had been placed on the grave, indicating a recent burial. Fresh flowers from the funeral still surrounded the plot. No one had told him anything, he had seen Buffy just the other day and she had not mentioned a death.

Turning so that he faced the gray stone, his face turned from an expression of curiosity to one of horror. Kneeling on the ground, he reached out in astonishment, tracing each of the letters with his fingers, trying to tell himself they weren't real. Yet, in the dark recesses of his mind, he knew the etchings spoke the truth. Stubbornness pushed those thoughts further back as he shook his head in denial, tears of frustration forming. As he traced the `R,' he heard the thunder in the distance. Glancing up, he noticed that the clear blue sky of just moments before had completely disappeared, as gray clouds swirled above. Lightening leaped forth, illuminating the quickly darkening sky.

Rain began to fall rapidly as he glanced back at the headstone in front of him. The name was still there. The rain had not washed it away. `This is a cruel joke, it had to be.'

Standing up, the mud already sticking to his jeans, he made a vow to find the perpetrator of this jest and do some bodily harm to him. Stepping back to leave, he found his way barred. His left foot had sunk a little into the mud on the fresh grave.

Pulling, he tried to free himself from the suction of the mud. His foot was almost free when he saw what was actually restraining him. A hand had clasped onto his foot, trying to pull him into the soft earth below. Panic overtook him as he struggled to free himself from its grasp. Digging his nails into the flesh of the hand only caused the grip to tighten. He watched in shock as another hand broke free from the confines of the earth, grasping his jeans just above the knee. He felt himself being pulled deeper into the grave, as both his feet disappeared under the mud.

The pull was so strong that within seconds, the mud was at his waist. Bending forward, his hands searched for something to hold on to. Grabbing the grass in font of him, he tried desperately to pull his body free. The sod had not yet taken root though, and large clumps of grass were pulled up in his hands. Frantically he grabbed more with the same results. Soon he was clawing at the mud, hoping that a tree root would magically appear to save him. "Oh, God, please! Please help me." came his plea, panic over taking him. Another hand broke free from the soil, grabbing his shoulder, forcing him downward, faster. Screaming for help proved futile, his cries drowned by the thundering of the storm above.

His shoulder quickly sank below the grave as he felt a pulling on the back of his head. His head was forced backwards into the mud. Even through the pounding rain, he could make out the faint impression of the tombstone above.

A solitary figure stood hovering just behind the gray slab, her face illuminated by the lone candle she held, her hand cupped around the dancing flame. Her dark hair swirled around her in a mass of curls. The smile of satisfaction gracing her delicate features. "Please, help me." Riley silently pleaded, his mouth below the deadly mud. The young woman, eyes dancing with joy, merely pointed to the headstone in front of her.

A crack of lightening illuminated the sky, lighting the gray stone. As his head was pulled under, the last thing he saw was "Here lies Riley Finn."

Kicking and swinging his arms to try and free himself from the mud, Riley sat up with a strangled cry. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was in his dorm room, the sheets wrapped tightly around his legs and waist.

The red digital numbers emanating from the clock radio on the bedside table verified the time. 3:21 am. Glancing over at Buffy, he found her curled in a ball, facing the other way, the comforter wrapped around her. Glad that he hadn't disturbed her, Riley carefully slipped out of bed. Soundlessly, he opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Wiping his hand across his sweat-covered face, Riley headed for the bathroom to try and calm himself. His heart was pounding hard against his chest, the images of his dream still fresh in his mind.

Riley entered the bathroom and headed straight for the sink. Leaning over, he let the water run through his fingers before cupping a little in his hands and splashing it on his face. The cold water running down his face did little to comfort him. Every little noise made him jump. Shaking his head at his overactive imagination, he tried to tell himself it was only a dream. Looking in the mirror, he realized how worn out he looked. The events of the night had taken their toll. He still couldn't believe how close he and Buffy had come to dying. No wonder he was having nightmares. Raising his head to the side, he cringed as he saw the large bruise still present. Touching it gingerly, Riley hissed as pain shot through his neck.

Drying his face with a hand towel, Rile turned to look out the window. Expecting to see a wall of pitch-black sky, he was surprised to see the sky ablaze. Or so it appeared for a moment. Stepping closer to the window, Riley found that it wasn't the sky. A forest fire was ravishing the hillside. Taking one last look at the inferno, Riley threw the towel onto the sink before exiting the bathroom.

Climbing back into bed, Riley felt his body relax, the feelings of dread and discomfort that the dream had incited, gone. Riley had just settled in when Buffy rolled over, throwing her arm and leg over him. Wrapping his arms around her, Riley snuggled into her warmth and soon joined her in a restful slumber.

The newspaper slammed down on Giles's desk before he even realized anyone was there. Looking up, he found an obviously upset Buffy staring down at him.

"Look at this, Giles." Buffy nodded to the paper on the desk.

"Capital! Earth, Wind and Fire are in concert!" A smile crossed Giles face at the thought of taking in one of their gigs.

"Not that." Leaning over so that she could point out the headline on the front page. "This!"

"Fire Consumes B and B," the large black letters read. "There was a fire?" Giles asked.

"Yeah, it happened sometime late last night. It seems a lantern got knocked over in the barn. The fire spread so fast that by the time the fire department got there, the house was already a lost cause."

"And, what does this have to do with us?" Giles asked before taking a sip of his tea.

"Giles, this was the place haunted by a pretty vengeful ghost. A ghost, as you may recall, that tried to kill me and Riley. And now the place suddenly goes up in smoke?"

"Buffy, I know where you are going with this. But this," Giles pointed to the paper, "this was a man-made disaster."

"What if the exorcism didn't work? Five people died in that house last night, Giles."

"I assure you, Buffy, Willow and I did that spell precisely. There is no way the entity could have escaped it."

The door to Giles's apartment swung open as a disheveled Willow rushed in with her kitten in tow. "We have a problem," Willow said as she handed the kitten off to Giles. Throwing her bag on the table, she began searching through the contents.

Holding the cat at arms length, Giles inquired about her previous statement. "What sort of problem?" Giles watched in horror as Willow began pulling cat toys out of her bag.

"Well, Tara forgot to mention that her seven-year-old nephew was playing in our spell ingredients last week. And well, he thought it would be funny to switch the labels on the eye of newt and the rat's eye."

"And that's a problem why?" Buffy interjected.

"The spell we performed last night called for eye of newt. Which means..."

"Which means we used rats' eye instead!" Giles cut her off, instantly reacting to the new information; he dropped the kitten on the couch and walked determinably to his bookcase. Out of the corner of his eye, Giles noticed Willow inching towards the door.

"Well, I would love to stay and help with the research and everything, but I have a plane to catch. Besides, I'm sure rats' eye is a perfectly good substitute for eye of newt. Anyway, I left an instruction list for Miss Kitty on the table. Be sure you speak *lovingly* to her for at least an hour a day. Bye." Willow breezed out the door before Buffy or Giles could protest.

"Whoa, check out whirlwind Willow," Buffy said, gently picking up the discarded kitten and scratching her behind the ears. Buffy was happy that her friend and Tara were taking time away to explore their budding relationship, even though it couldn't have come at a worse time. "So, what was that you were saying about `precisely doing the spell' and `no way it could have escaped'?"

Giving Buffy an exasperated look, Giles turned back to the book he was reading. "Call Xander and Anya, see if they can come over and help research. I want to make sure we didn't conjure anything while we are at it."

An hour later, the amorous couple arrived, holding hands, grins stretched across their faces. "Hey, Buff, how was the R and R?" Xander said, grabbing a book off the stack Giles had set aside as possible leads. Buffy tearing her eyes from the book she was studying, answered Xander with a simple glare. "That good, huh?"

"What, Riley didn't put out?" Anya beamed, proud that she had been able to use a popular slang term. Giving her a warning look, Xander handed Anya a book instructing her to start researching.

"Speaking of `Mr. Long and Lanky,' where is he?" Xander asked.

"I didn't want to bother him. I don't think he slept well last night. He tossed and turned a lot. Besides, I think he is still freaked about what happened last night. He looked ragged this morning. He said he was just going to stay home and veg today." Buffy resumed her search through the book in front of her.

If channel surfing were an Olympic sport, he would be a gold medallist. After an hour of flipping through soap operas, talk shows, and infomercial's, he had finally found a pre-season football game to entertain him. The house was extraordinarily quiet. After the battle with Adam, the remaining men had either gone home for the summer or sought other residence. Only a handful of soldiers remained. Soon all that would be left of Lowell House would be a dirt lot. The house was to be torn down before classes resumed in the Fall. Riley had made arrangements along with the rest of the Scoobies to live in an off campus house, but that wouldn't be ready until school started.

It was rare that he got this opportunity to enjoy the recreation room on his own. Usually Graham would join him for a sporting event that was on, or a bunch of the guys would gather for a sappy movie. After seeing all their comrades die, most of the men steered clear of the action/adventure flicks. They struck too close to home. While understanding their reasoning, Riley thought that if he had to sit through Runaway Bride one more time, his head was going to explode.

As he sat watching the game, Riley's eyes began to feel incredibly heavy. He hadn't gotten much rest last night, and the little he did get hadn't been peaceful. His dreams were plagued by visions of death, mostly his own. It was quite disturbing. His head rolled back as Riley adjusted himself on the large couch so that he was lying down. Shutting his eyes, he relaxed, letting the nnouncers lull him toward sleep.

He was about to drift off into never-never land when he noticed the sports caster's voice become louder. Opening his eyes, he noticed the volume bar on the television increasing. Figuring he must be sitting on the remote, he sat up, looking for its location. He was surprised to find it resting where he had left it, on the coffee table. Grabbing it, he turned down the volume. He laid back down as the sound dulled to a low murmur, remote still firmly in his hand.

As soon as he was prone once more, the television turned off. Frustrated, he pushed the power button, turning it back on, only to have it switched back off. Looking around to see if someone was pulling a prank on him, Riley found himself alone. He moved off the couch and walked over to the outlet. Checking the plugs, he found that everything was as it should be. Shaking his head, he pushed the power button on the television as he passed by on his way back to the couch. The television played for a second, then turned off again.

Hearing light footsteps run from the rec room into the hall where they stopped, Riley jumped up. Realizing the guys must be playing a joke on him, and not being in a mood for pranks, Riley stalked towards the hallway. Rounding the corner, he found the space empty. "Hello?" No answer.

Riley walked down the hall a little way, and asked again "Hello?"

"Hey man!" Turning around, Riley was greeted by the sight of Graham entering the backdoor of Lowell House. Graham had on his basketball shorts and was sweating heavily, obviously just back from a pretty competitive game. "What are you doing?"

"Someone's messing around with the TV. Trying to pull a fast one on me."

"Who?" Graham asked, looking around for evidence of someone else in the house.

"I don't know, one of the guys," Riley guessed.

"Ry, all the guys are over at the Cinema. They're showing matinees of the old Shirley Temple films. Nobody's here," Graham said as he pushed past Riley on his way up to his room to change. "I'm just on my way to meet them, you up for it?"

"Naw, man, I'm just going to stay here." Riley continued to look around the ground floor until he noticed Graham leave. Giving up his search, he walked down the hall towards the kitchen. He made himself a sandwich and was pouring a glass of milk when he heard furniture scraping across the floor in the next room. Discarding the half eaten sandwich and milk, he quickly made his way to the rec room, hoping to catch the perpetrator in the act.

Entering the room, he found that all the furniture, except the TV, had been pushed up against one wall, several items on top of other items. What frightened him more was that no one was in the room. They couldn't have escaped without Riley seeing them exit.

Confused, Riley walked over to the pile and began looking it over. Just as he began pulling items off the pile, he heard the TV behind him flick on. The TV began to go through each channel, flipping through them rapidly so that Riley caught only bits and pieces of the shows. Riley watched as the television began to shake violently and was horrified when it was flung across the room, straight at him. He ducked and the television barely missed his head before smashing into the wall behind him. Riley sat up and looked at the busted TV in disbelief.

Then he heard it, soft, clear and familiar. A giggle.

"Ahaa!" Giles exclaimed. Laying the book on the table, he hovered over it, rereading the material.

" `Ah ha' what, Giles?" Buffy asked from her seat on the couch.

"It appears that the rat's eye would not have exorcised the spirit, but rather released her."

"Released her from…?"

"Buffy, often when an entity does not pass over, it remains confined to a particular space. I believe our Miss Donahue was confined to the property of Mrs. Tuttle's establishment." Giles pulled the chair out and sat down, removing his glasses as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"So, now she is free to cross over…right?"

"No, the gateway to the other side would still need to be opened for her to do so, the exorcism would have accomplished that."

"Would have?" Buffy asked, her eyebrow crooked.

"As she is no longer confined to a space, an exorcism will no longer work. She is free to move wherever she feels inclined."

"So, she's free to go around and kill people at random?!" Buffy clenched her fists as the memory of having her head shoved in a trough came rushing back.

"I don't think she's killing at random, Buffy. From the information you gathered from Mary, this spirit attacks mainly couples." Giles watched in awe as Xander quickly disconnected himself from Anya, crossing the room and depositing himself in a chair as far away from her as possible.

"Better safe than sorry!" Xander said, shrugging when he received a pouting look from Anya. "So, what do we do, send out flyers saying `Be careful who you snuggle with, they might beat you to death with a shovel'?"

"We have two options available. Find what the spirit wants, what's keeping her here and give it to her, thus opening the door for her to pass on. Or, we can trap her back in her body, then try the exorcism again. The problem with that is that we have no idea where the body is. We will also need to find a spell to trap the entity."

"Then, more research. We need more information on this girl, where her body is, or what she wants. Let's move!" Grabbing another book, Buffy began scanning it for information.

The sound of the phone ringing broke the silence that had plagued the small apartment for more than an hour. Giles was the first to reach the phone, answering it with a quick "Hello?" Concern etched across Giles's features as he looked to Buffy. Holding the phone out for her to take, Buffy could hear the sobs coming through the receiver from where she sat. "Buffy, it's Riley!"

Jumping from the couch, Buffy raced for the phone. "Riley? Honey, what's wrong?" The other end was nothing but sobs and incoherent mumbles. Every once in a while she was sure she recognized her name and "scared."

"Riley, stay where you are. I'll be right over." Buffy reluctantly hung up the phone. Handing it back over to Giles, she grabbed her bag as she raced to the door.

"Buffy, is he all right?" Giles asked, worried about what would cause Riley to become that upset.

"I don't know." Buffy slung her bag over her shoulder. Turning back to the group she gave out orders. "You stay here, research. Find out what that spell did. I'll be back in a little while with Riley and then we can figure out our next move." Without waiting for a reply, Buffy was out the door, determined to get to Riley as soon as possible.

As soon as Buffy entered Lowell House, she could tell that something was off. The usually chaotic atmosphere that surrounded a house full of young men was nowhere to be found. Night had fallen and Buffy was surprised to see that none of the lights were on in the house. She had told Riley to stay where he was, and the caller ID on Giles's new phone had verified that he was calling from his dorm room.

"Hello?" She called out into the house, looking for signs of Riley or his commando companions. Receiving no answer in return, Buffy made her way to the stairs. In the dark it was hard to find her way. With many nights of practice, she thought walking through the foyer would be a piece of cake. Her shin connected with the corner of a table and she let out a frustrated breath. Apparently not. Searching for the light switch on the wall, her hand fumbled for a second before finding it.

As light flooded the space, Buffy was shocked to see the house in such disarray. Couches were toppled over, chairs were overturned and several had broken legs. Lamps were shattered, pictures had been thrown across the room, and glass covered the floor. Buffy carefully made her way through the mess, pushing several items out of her way.

The house was extraordinarily cold for this time of year. If Buffy's memory served her right, Riley had mentioned that the central air being on the fritz since early summer. As she reached the stairs, she pulled her sweater a little tighter around her, hoping the flimsy material would warm her a bit.

As Buffy ascended the stairs, she saw that the floor that Riley's room was on was in much the same condition as the main floor. Books had been thrown from the bookcase, and the table had been thrown over. The door to the bathroom gaped open, revealing various bathroom items strewn all over the floor.

Reaching Riley's room, she slowly turned the knob. Finding that her way was not barred, she stealthily entered, the stake she had pulled from her bag poised in her hand.

"Riley?"

The room was much the same as the rest of the house, clothes strewn about, CD's littering the floor, the stuffed frog Riley's little sister had given him, slit open, the cotton hanging out of the body. The bedclothes were disheveled, and upon closer inspection, Buffy found the sheets to be shredded. "Riley?"

A whimpering from the closet brought Buffy around. Slowly edging her way to the closet, Buffy grasped the knob firmly. Swiftly swinging the door open, stake at the ready, Buffy positioned herself to attack.

Much to her relief and surprise, Buffy found Riley huddling in the closet, eyes closed tightly, hands covering his ears, and his legs drawn up to his chest. The phone was craddled between his legs and chest. The sight of Riley, tears streaming down his face, humming and gently rocking himself, stunned her. As she knelt down next to him, she felt tears well up in her own eyes.

Having never seen him like this she was unsure of how to approach him. Laying her hand gently on his shoulder, she felt him tense before pushing his body away, eyes opening as he began screaming. Buffy jumped back a little, giving him space. The look of horror on his face was quickly replaced by one of relief as he took in the sight of Buffy before him.

Crawling from the closet floor, Riley flew into Buffy, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, his tears wetting her shirt as he continued to sob and hiccup her name over and over again. "Buffy."

"Shh, honey, I'm here. Shhh!" Buffy kissed his head as she felt him squeeze her tighter against his trembling form.

Calming Riley enough to gather some items in an overnight bag, Buffy quickly ushered him out of Lowell House. As Buffy carefully maneuvered Giles's Nova through the town, she kept glancing at Riley. Remaining silent since they had left the bedroom, Riley looked drained; physically, mentally and emotionally. Every now and then, she would see a tear streak from his eye, which he wiped away hastily as if he didn't want Buffy to see.

"How is he?" Giles asked as he saw Buffy descend the stairs.

"He's sleeping." Buffy was dead tired. Riley had been adamant about Buffy staying with him until he fell asleep, which, thanks to Giles's sedative, hadn't taken too long. As he began to dream though, his face had furrowed, and he mumbled and tossed in his sleep. Buffy's soothing words helped calm him and soon, the writhing had stopped. Peace had finally etched his face.

"Well, we scored in the info department," Xander said, jumping up from the couch and handing a leather-bound book to Buffy. "There's your ghost."

The picture was of a small girl, not more than sixteen. The large eyes seemed to call to Buffy, she read innocence in them. The large curls that covered her head hung below her waist in loose cascades of black silk. The smile was small but sweet, adding to the natural beauty that the young girl had possessed. Printed below the picture was her name: Meghan Donahue.

"Where did you get this?" Buffy asked, looking at the other three.

"It seems that a Watcher, Herbert Morgan, was good friends with Wilhelm O'Connell in his youth. Best friends actually. They grew up together. Seems Mr. Morgan had a crush on Miss Donahue," Giles explained as he sipped his Earl Grey tea. "He drew the picture. That's his journal you're holding."

Glancing at the pages below the picture, she listened as Giles gave her the condensed version of the story. Herbert Morgan had been close to both Wilhelm and Meghan growing up. It was love at first sight for Herbert. He kept his distance, though; she was not of his class and it was therefore inappropriate for him to show affections toward her. Meghan grew to trust Herbert and would often tell her secrets to him. That was how he found out about her love for Wilhelm. Herbert also knew that Wilhelm carried a flame for Meghan, but, like Herbert, Wilhelm could not act on his desires.

It was Herbert who prompted Wilhelm to become involved with Katrina Hassell, his future fiancé. Herbert worked as an accountant for Katrina's father in those days. Mr. Hassell owned the local Mercantile. His wife and daughter's excessive spending had put a strain on the family's assets. Herbert enticed Katrina into falling for Wilhelm, telling her of the great wealth the family possessed. Katrina, in need of marrying well, latched onto Wilhelm instantly.

Herbert also disclosed to Katrina the fact that Meghan was desperately in love with Wilhelm. He encouraged her to release Meghan from employment after their marriage was finalized, as she would be a distraction to Wilhelm. He had an ulterior motive. He hoped that by freeing Meghan physically and emotionally, it would allow Herbert to join with her. After learning that he was to become a Watcher and that he must travel to England to study, he felt that his family's honor would be safe if he married her in England, away from those that knew her status and his.

Herbert was there the night Meghan was killed. He watched as Meghan dashed from the house, clearly distraught, Wilhelm chasing after her. He looked on while jealousy consumed Katrina, filling her with a blinding rage so that she rushed off after the others. Herbert escorted the other couples into the living room, and leaving Mrs. O'Connell to entertain them, ran out into the night with a lantern, hoping to find Meghan before she left.

Her body was already cold when Wilhelm found her, the blood from the wound on her neck staining her pale blue servant's clothing. Her hand, stiff from the rigor mortis that had began to set in, held a satiny material. Peeling her fingers from the fabric, he found that it matched Katrina's gown perfectly. Hearing a shuffling behind him, he turned quickly, only to have the point of a knife shoved in his face. Katrina's eyes were wild, her breathing ragged. She whispered to him in a murderous voice. "If you speak of this to anyone, your fate will be worse than hers." Grabbing the fabric from him, she turned and left the barn, just as Wilhelm entered through another door.

"Does it mention where the body was buried?" Buffy asked as soon as Giles finished the tale.

"There was mention of a simple wooden box under an oak tree," Giles said, taking the book from her and pointing to the pertinent information.

"Giles, the place is littered with oak trees...or at least it was. After the fire, who knows if any trees are still standing."

"Yes, Buffy, I know. Which is why I believe we should try to appease the spirit and give her what she wants."

"And what is that?" Buffy asked, sitting down next to Anya.

"I don't know, but Anya had an excellent suggestion."

Buffy looked to Anya who was beaming proudly. "We try to communicate with her."

"How? Using a Ouija board from Wal-Mart?" Buffy asked, a small laugh escaping her at even the thought of it.

One hour and a trip to Wal-Mart later, the gang gathered around the Ouija board in the center of the living room, hoping that the spirit would hear their pleas and allow them to communicate with her.

His dreams were plagued by death and violence, so much so that Riley feared that he would never wake up, that these nightmare had in fact become reality. Tossing and turning, the images came again.

In the pitch black his eyes tried desperately to focus, but it was no use. Trying to sit up, he hit his head almost immediately. Letting his hands begin the search instead made more sense. Not more than a foot above him, he found a board running from his head down as far as he could reach. Probing with his foot proved that it continued down to his feet. His left arm was up against a wall, and when he reached out with his right arm, he found that the wall to the right was a good foot and a half away. Directly above his head, he felt the ceiling of his confines. He was in a box of some sort.

Remembering the lighter he always carried in case of an emergency, he began searching his pockets, hoping that it had not been lost in his previous struggles. His fingers grazed the metal of the lighter in his front left pocket, much to his relief. Fumbling for a moment, he was able to open the lid. With the pad of his thumb, he quickly pressed the flint. Sparks flew, but no flame. It took him several tries to get a steady flame, but when he did, Riley wished he hadn't.

All around him wood was rotting away. Giant holes in the coffin had allowed dirt and worms to enter the confined space. As Riley shifted some, dirt broke free from the side of the coffin, a large earthworm landing on his hand. Shaking it off in disgust, Riley continued his inspection. The smoke from the lighter was making his eyes water and he had to stifle a cough.

Through the tears that had developed in his eyes, he gazed around looking for an exit. As he turned to his right, he screamed in horror as he came face to face with a rotting corpse. The flesh had begun to hang loosely from the skull, decay and the worms working rapidly together to rid the skeleton of its coverings. The hair was matted back in dark waves, dirt and other matter covering most of it. The funeral gown hung in tatters from the body. Through the thin material, Riley could see indications of ribs.

Riley fought back the urge to vomit as the stench reached him. Though much of the corpse had decomposed, the cut across the neck was still apparent. It almost had a wet look to it. As Riley leaned in to get a better look, he noticed that it was still bleeding. As he hovered over the corpse, he noticed the chest begin to rise and fall gently. Shaking with fright, he glanced up. The eyes, closed before, were staring toward the ceiling of the coffin. The milky white irises soon directed their attention to Riley.

Riley began to scream as her mouth, though partially rotted away, formed a smile. An arm grasped onto Riley's shirt tightly, pulling him to her. His face only inches from her and eyes wide in disbelief, Riley struggled to get loose from her hold. But the tight confines made that impossible. As he was pulled even closer, he heard her whisper to him "Together forever!" He closed his eyes tightly, feeling her fetid breath on his cheek.

In one last effort to free himself from her grip, he fell onto his back, pulling her on top of him. Her arms and legs wrapped tightly around him. He couldn't breath, he felt himself thrashing to rid himself of her. The pressure on his lungs was unbearable and he feared that if she didn't let go soon, he would die.

Then she was gone, the pressure and fear along with her. Just a figment of his imagination. In the distance, he heard Buffy telling him everything was fine, that she was there beside him. Knowing that, he drifted off once again, his dreams safe from the presence of evil as long as she was there to protect him.

"He is still asleep, a little restless, but unconscious none the less," Buffy informed the group before joining the circle. Giles was just lighting the last of the candles as Anya and Xander sat down cross-legged next to Buffy. Turning off the lamp, Giles joined the rest of the group, placing his fingers on the pointer. Three other sets of fingers joined his as they began to prepare mentally for the experience.

"I'll go first," Giles insisted. Getting nods from the other three, he closed his eyes and began to concentrate on Meghan. Following suit, the three young adults closed their eyes also, as Giles began requesting Meghan's spirit to join them. "Meghan Donahue, we beseech you. Join us here. We strive to relieve you of this endless pursuit. Come to us now so that we may help you. Tell us what it is you desire."

Giles fell silent, his thoughts never leaving Meghan. The only sound in the room was the soft breathing of the four participants. The kitten, nestled in the couch cushions, merely watched with curiosity. Five minutes passed as the group waited for a sign from the entity. Getting none, Giles whispered Xander's name, indicating that he should try. "Meghan Donahue,..."

The kitten's low growl stopped Xander from continuing. Opening his eyes, he noticed the young feline on the couch, its back arched, hair standing on end, hissing at the kitchen. Giles also stared in awe at the kitten, but soon his attention was drawn back to the board as he felt the pointer twitch under his fingers. The others noticed the movement too, and Anya, terrified, began to slid her fingers from the pointer. Receiving a stern look from Giles, she thought better of it, positioning them on top once again.

As the flames began to dance wildly on the wicks of the candles, Giles began again. "Meghan Donahue, we know that you are near. Tell us what it is that you want." Giles waited for a moment, hoping for some sign. The entity did not disappoint. The pointer slowly made its way across the board. Barely touching the "W", it changed directions, making its way to the "I". The group watched as the remaining letters were signified. W-I-L-H-E-L-M.

"She wants Wilhelm, but how can she have him? He's dead!" Buffy asked Giles.

"Maybe she wants something from him, like James wanted forgiveness from Grace," Xander said, remembering their first experience with ghosts. He was just glad this one hadn't involved snakes. So far.

"What is it you want from Wilhelm?" Giles asked the entity. Again the pointer moved, slowly, deliberately. W-I-L-H-E-L-M. "But, Wilhelm is dead!" Giles tried to reason with the ghost.

Giles felt the pointer shudder before it began to move again. N-O-U-P- S-T-A-I-R-S.

"Okay, did she just go into some foreign language, because I didn't get that at all," Xander quipped.

"It was two words, Xander. 'no' and 'upstairs'!" Giles glanced toward Buffy.

"But, Riley is upstairs," Anya said, stating the obvious.

"Look..." Buffy began, speaking authoritatively to the host. "That's my boyfriend up there, not yours. I'm sorry that you're dead and didn't get a shot at Wilhelm. That doesn't mean you can go around killing whoever you want..." Before Buffy could continue her "boyfriend" rant, the board began to vibrate. Giles slipped his fingers from the pointer, pulling everyone else's along as well. The pointer began to move, picking up more speed as it went. Y-O-U-M-U-R-D-E-R-E-R-B-I-T-C-H-M-U-R-D-E-R-E-R The pointer moved so fast that it became a blur on the wooden board as it continued to spell out obscenities, calling Buffy a murderer. The candle flames where extinguished as howling wind penetrated the air.

Giles stood up, pulling Buffy up and away, watching as Xander did the same with Anya. The pointer launched itself into the air, hurtling at breakneck speed toward Buffy. Throwing her body out of its path, Buffy watched as it lodged itself in the wall behind her. The board flew at Xander, hitting him square in the back, knocking him to the floor.

Books from the table began to fly off the table, hitting each of them repeatedly, chairs scurried across the floor, slamming into Anya, tripping her. Anya screamed as the couch began to tip over, coming at her. Xander caught it before it could trap her. Scrambling out from under it, she grabbed on to Xander, burying her head in his chest. Xander wrapped his arms around her trying to shield her from the flying objects. Buffy was defending herself pretty well. Kicking objects away before they could hit her seemed the best course of action. Soon the onslaught became too much and she yelled to the rest that she needed help. Glancing around she noticed that the others where in much the same predicament. All except for ....Giles. "Where's Giles?"

Then she heard it, Giles voice, echoing through the room. His Latin fluent and clear. Noticing his leg sticking out from beneath the table. She made her way towards him. He was doubled over, a small flashlight grasped firmly in hand, reading from an older book. A small circle of light stretched from him, encompassing first himself, then Buffy and soon Anya and Xander. The circle formed a sort of bubble, protecting them from the assault of the spirit.

"A protection spell, simple but effective. We should be safe for now." Giles got up from beneath the table, turning on the lamp that had miraculously remained, he watched as all around them his prized possessions were thrown about. The bubble of protection didn't reach very far, just far enough to encompass the four of them.

"What happened? One minute we are all playing nice, the next someone is throwing a tantrum!" Xander asked as he tried to soothe the shaking Anya.

"I believe the ghost thinks that Riley is in fact Wilhelm and since Buffy is with Riley, she sees her as.."

"Katrina!" Buffy said, shaking her head at her ignorance. "I should have known. No wonder she has been killing couples. She wants Wilhelm to join her and wants revenge on Katrina."

"Precisely. She must not realize that Wilhelm has already passed on. The guests at the bed and breakfast would prove to be the perfect substitute. Wilhelm was wealthy and had servants that waited on him, much like the guests had. She can't differentiate between reality and her own world."

"So, what's our next option?" Buffy asked, watching as the kitten scrambled to find shelter amid the chaos. "We are definitely not giving her Riley." Then it dawned on her. "Riley!" Running toward the staircase, Buffy found herself flying backwards into Giles.

"The spell won't wear off for another minute, Buffy. Nothing can get in, nothing can get out. I'm sure he is fine. The ghost's attention seems to be on us." Giles watched as a large knife was hurtled towards his head. Reflexively shrinking back, he watched in awe as the knife hit the bubble and fell to the floor.

Things seemed a little hazy, dark. Voices echoed in the distance. He thought he could hear Anya screaming. He tried to move, but his body screamed in pain. The memory of the day came flooding back. The furniture turning on him, pummeling his body as he tried to find shelter in Lowell House. Several near fatal blows that had him ducking his head, leaving his back open for punishment. And that laugh; the persistent giggling, filling the air, hammering at his brain. He had never felt fear like that.

Now he felt that same fear seize him once again. The light footsteps came running up the stairs, nearing the bed where he laid. In the dark, he couldn't make out her outline, but he was sure it was Buffy. He started to speak, but a finger pressed to his lips stopped him short. The bed sagged a little from the added weight as she sat next to him, pulling the sheets tight on his chest, trapping his arms by his side.

He felt her fingertips graze his forehead as she pushed a stray lock of hair back. She traced his cheek, gently stroking, her thumbs brushing his lips. He felt her lean her body over him, an arm holding her weight over him, her hair brushing his cheek softly. Then she moved away, suddenly. Her comforting hand was replaced by cool fabric as the pillow was pushed down onto his face. The soft feathers of the pillow felt like bricks as more pressure was applied. Riley, trapped under the covers, shifted frantically, trying to free his arms, fighting for air.

Through the fabric, he could hear pounding as several people ran up the stairs. Bright spots formed in front of his eyes as he gasped for air, only to inhale the pillow.

Giles had found extra scapulas in a drawer in his desk. Handing one to each of the group, he grabbed an extra one for Riley. As the spell dissolved, the items began to converge once again into their space. The scapulas were working well enough that only a few items were able to get through. Giles watched as Buffy bounded up the stairs, followed by Xander and Anya. They were to grab Riley and bring him down while Giles gathered supplies for another exorcism. Calling to Anya, Giles threw her Riley's scapula and then motioned for her to continue.

As Buffy reached the top stair, she flicked on the light. The sight of Riley, a pillow pressed against his face and struggling weakly against an invisible aggressor, enraged her. Launching herself on to the bed, she tried peeling the pillow from Riley's mouth, hoping to get a little air to him. Tears poured down her cheeks as she fought, knowing that Riley wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Feeling a presence behind her, she turned to see Anya holding out the scapula. Grabbing it quickly, she pulled at the sheet that was trapping Riley's left arm. Freeing him, she wrapped the scapula around his hand. She heard him gulp a large breath of much-needed air. The pressure on the pillow had ceased and he was able to sit up. Catching his breath he looked down at his hand, the scapula held tightly in his large palm.

Buffy threw her arms around him, crying freely, pleased that he was safe. It took a moment, but Riley hugged her back, kissing her lightly on the head.

Within minutes they were out the door. Piling in Giles's car, they hit the road, shovels secured in the back, magic ingredients guarded by Xander. Buffy entwined her fingers with Riley's, bringing his hand up to her mouth, kissing him gently. He had been reassuring her since they left that he was fine and very up to kicking some ghostly ass, but he still saw worry in her eyes when she looked at him. Riley offered her a reassuring smile, squeezed her hand, and looked at the road ahead.

It didn't take them long to get there, even considering that it had been raining all day and the roads were slick. Giles pulled up the drive slowly as they drank in the sight before them. The barn was completely gone, the only evidence that it had once existed, a black spot covering a square of earth. The house had faired a little better; the frame, though blackened, remained standing in some spots. The chimney stood proud and tall, pointing towards the dark heavens above.

The gardens had been ravished around the property. The meticulously laid out flower gardens were nothing but ash and debris. Many of the trees surrounding the property had not faired well either. Charred stumps were all that remained of many. The only thing that remained untouched was the small grave yard at the far end of the property. A tall oak tree stood proud, like a faithful dog watching over its owners. The tombstones looked small in comparison to its wide base.

The group ducked under the yellow police tape as they made their way to the fenced-in area. "Do you think she could be buried here?" Buffy asked, opening the fence for the rest.

"It's a possibility," Giles said, laying his shovel on a crumbling tombstone that dated back to the late 1800's. Xander, with Anya grasping tightly to his jacket, used his flashlight to search the surrounding area as thunder broke forth from the sky. "Xander, wait! Go back!" Anya said as he swept over the base of the tree. There, carved on the trunk of the tree, was a small cross, below which were the initials M.D.

"Bingo!" Xander exclaimed, motioning for the others to join them.

Staring at the marker, Buffy asked the question. "So, now what?"

Handing her a shovel, Giles answered her question. "We dig!"

By the time they hit the wooden box, the rain was coming down hard, making their work even more arduous as mud continuously fell into the deep grave. Buffy and Anya had taken the first round, followed by Xander and Riley taking a good portion of the job. Giles was off to the side, grinding ingredients for the spell, trying desperately to keep the rain out of them.

"Giles, we're there!" Riley exclaimed, helping Xander out of the deep grave.

"I need you to open the coffin, Riley." Giles gathered the spell ingredients before nearing the edge of the grave.

Positioning the tip of the shovel under the lid, Riley used his weight to push down. Using the shovel as a lever, he felt the lid loosen. Removing the shovel, he handed it up to Buffy before bending down to open the lid. The stench was overwhelming and he had to fight the bile down as he pulled on the lid. Using the side of the grave, he pushed the lid into the mud, securing it.

The sight of the corpse and the smell combined was too much for Riley as he began to gag. The corpse, decomposed a little more, was very much like that of his dreams. Panic began to set in at the realization and he had the urge to scramble out of the grave. He felt Giles tugging on his shoulder as he continue to stare at the remains below. "Riley, you need to rub a little of this on her forehead."

Riley looked at Giles as if he had just asked him to fly. Buffy, noticing Riley's hesitance quickly offered her services. "Giles, let me."

"No, Buffy, it's okay, I've got it." Riley took the bowl from Giles. Placing some of the gritty stuff on his index finger, he bent over. The mud keep falling as he tried to keep his balance. Standing on the edge of the wooden box made it impossible to reach her forehead. With disgust written across his face, he stepped into the small box, careful not to disturb the body. Above him he heard Giles begin to recite a ritual.

Buffy watched as Riley reached out, his hand shaking slightly. His body was tense and it was obvious he was either scared or uncomfortable. Taking a step forward, she watched as he smeared the substance over the dead skin. She was about to offer him help out of the grave when she felt something wrap around her leg.

Looking down, she realized her foot had gotten tangled in some kind of ground cover that littered the cemetery. The thorns ripped into her skin as she tried to kick it off. That having proved useless, she bent down, tugging at the vine. Another vine jumped out of the bush to her right, wrapping tightly around her wrist. Buffy was about to bring her free hand around to get rid of the other vine, but found she didn't have a free hand. Her left wrist was in the same predicament as the right. Struggling, she felt herself being pulled down. "Xander!"

Xander was there in an instant, pulling at the vine at her feet, while Anya attacked the one that had made its way around her throat. Giles looked up from his recitation, noticing Riley was about to leave the grave to help Buffy. "Riley stay. I may need your help in restraining the body once the spirit has been trapped." Riley looked back to where Buffy was struggling. "You can help her best by staying put," Giles pleaded, trying to reason with Riley. Turning his back on Buffy while he could still hear her struggling, gasping for air, was the hardest thing Riley had ever had to do. Tears welled in his eyes, knowing he was needed here, but he couldn't stand thinking of Buffy in pain.

Anya had removed the vine enough that she could breathe a little, and Xander had almost freed her leg. Buffy was feeling a little better about this fight, knowing that with her friends there they could take on anything. That was, until the vines on her wrists tightened. The thorns dug into her soft flesh as she cried out in pain. Then something tugged violently on the vines, reeling them in swiftly as they recoiled from Buffy's skin. The result left Buffy with deep gashes on her wrist which began to bleed profusely.

Riley had turned around when he heard Buffy scream, not realizing that Giles had just completed the spell. The hand grasping his calf brought him back around quickly as he watched the corpse begin to sit up. "Riley, hold her down!" came Giles's shout from above as he began the exorcism.

Riley dropped to his knees, straddling the body. "Wilhelm!" came from what remained of its mouth. Riley felt her arms wrap around his waist, pulling her body to him. Riley pushed the animated corpse away from him, kneeling in the coffin, straddling it, Riley managed to hold it down by the shoulders. His arms, busy as they were holding her shoulders, had left her hands free to roam. They eventually found their way to his neck and began to squeeze, and all thought of holding her down left Riley's mind as he clawed at her hands. The loose flesh from her hands fell in layers as Riley struggled to release himself. Her grip remained constant as she whispered softly to him, "Together forever!"

Overhead, he heard Giles yelling, his voice booming over the storm above. He felt the body underneath him shudder, then grow still, her hands falling away from his neck. The spirit no longer occupying the remains, they settled back into a peaceful slumber. Gasping, Riley sat back on his heels and rubbed his sore neck, thankful for the air that now occupied his lungs. Looking down at the young man, Giles saw relief and gratitude beaming from Riley's face.

"Guys, we have a problem!" came Xander's voice.

Scrambling from the grave, Riley saw Buffy, pale, with Xander's shirt wrapped around her wrists. "She's bleeding badly. We need to get her to a hospital fast." Before Xander could finish, Riley had raced forward, hauling Buffy into his arms. He made a mad dash for the car, the others quickly following. Riley cradled Buffy in his arms, begging her to hold on. Her breathing was coming in jagged spurts, and he knew she didn't have much time left.

"Hey, baby! How're ya feelin'?" Riley placed the flowers on the stand and bent down to kiss her gently on the lips before pulling up a chair. Buffy had scared them all. The doctors had been doubtful that she would make it given the blood loss, but she had pulled through.

"They put me on suicide watch. They think I did this to myself." Buffy grumbled, indicating her wrapped wrists.

"I'll have a talk with them. Tell them that a scary ghost, who wanted to jump your boyfriend's bones, tried to kill you. I'm sure it will go over fine." Riley smiled at her.

"Ha, Ha, funny! I think I'll have Giles talk to them. He's pretty smooth with the doctors. Besides, if I have to eat one more bowl of this hospital's Jell-O, I might just bust out on my own."

"Well, when you do get out of here, I plan on taking good care of you. Play doctor, if you know what I mean!" Riley winked at her.

Blushing slightly, Buffy stated, "I'm going to need a lot of attention. Sponge baths, full body massages, the works."

"I think I can oblige," Riley said, giving her a heated look.

"So, did the exorcism work?" Buffy asked, hoping that this would be the end of Meghan Donahue. She didn't know how many more near death experiences she could take at the hand of that particular ghost.

"No one has seen or heard from her. I'd say she is pretty much history."

The box had been sealed, the dirt resuming its guard over the grave of Meghan Donahue. Her spirit had finally found its rest. And she had found it in the arms of the man she loved, who had been waiting for her for one hundred years. They were finally together forever.

The End