Rating: Same as the show.
Disclaimer: Don't own them, yada, yada, yada, Joss Whedon's and everyone else has rights to them. Scenes are similar to "The Puppet Show." All those scenes belong to the writer and junk. But with changes that belong to me. And please don't sue, I'm poor enough as it is. If I were anymore poorer I'd be in a third world country.
Series: 8th, in the Rewriting Series...
Author's Notes: The next ep in the series, "The Puppet Show."
Summary: Just like the ep.... but with my special twist to it.

Torture.

Harsh and painful; the kind that most men wouldn't be able to survive. It made sense to him. It was as if he, being who he was in his situation, had been leaded to this point all his life.

Was it fair? No. Of course not. Who could truly be put through such a... massacre? Pain? Certainly a few old friends he knew, but himself? No. He didn't deserve this. He was an intelligent man, the kind of man who knew what was what. Who could speak several languages, skilled in weaponry--if it involved a sword, and he was damn well good at card cataloging.

Yet still... the torture continued on stage.

"Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all." Cordelia bellowed, using her most charming, I'm-gonna-be-famous, smiles. "I decided long ago..."

Giles was seated in the center of seats in front of the stage. It was almost painfully obvious that the librarian did *not* want to be there. But...

"...never to walk in anyone's shadow." Cordelia dramatically waved her arm about while her words grew more serious and, if it was possible, more horrible, "If I fail, if I succeed, at least--"

"Thank you, Cordelia." Giles interrupted, nearly choking on the lump in his throat from keeping his jaw shut tight. "Tha-that's going to be lovely."

"But I didn't do the part with the sparklers!" Cordelia protested.

"Um, w-we'll, um... save that for the dress rehearsal." Running a hand through his hair, he continued, "Uh, Lisa! Please!"

Letting out an annoyed sound, Cordelia placed the microphone back on its stand and stormed off the stage as the girl, Lisa, began to set up with her tuba. She began, and unfortunately for the Watcher, Giles felt the headache return. Bring up a hand, he rubbed his tired eyes.

"If it isn't the great producer!" Buffy said with a mocking smile as she, Willow, and Xander circled the poor librarian.

"Had to see this to believe it." Xander commented, glancing towards the stage.

"Oh. You three." Giles said, trying to sound bored, but failing.

"The school talent show. How ever did you finagle such a primo assignment?" Buffy questioned.

"Our new Fuehrer, Mr. Snyder." Giles replied, briskly.

"I think they call 'em 'principals' now." Willow informed.

"He thought it would behoove me to have more contact with the students. I did try to explain that my vocational choice of librarian was a deliberate attempt to--" He drew in a breath, "minimize said contact, but, uh, he would have none of it."

"Giles, unto every generation is born one who must run the annual talentless show. You cannot escape your destiny." Buffy chided.

"If you had any shred of decency, you would have participated, or at least, um, helped." Giles retorted.

"Nah! I think I'll take on your traditional role... and watch." Buffy replied.

"And mock." Xander added.

"And laugh!" Willow finished before the three teenagers shared in a short laugh. At seeing her Watcher's frazzled look, Buffy decided to take pity on him, "O-kay. I think maybe we better leave our Mr. Giles to this business he calls a show."

Standing to leave, Giles watched them and sent an irritated look to Xander as the young man patted him on the shoulder. The three were all with smiles before they spotted horrors of new horrors.

Principal... Snyder.

Buffy exclaimed his name, as she and the others lost their smiles.

"So." Snyder drawled, "We think school events are stupid, and we think authority figures are to be made fun of."

Caught, Buffy tried to fix it, "No! No, we don't. W-unless you do."

"And we think our afternoon classes are optional. All three of you left campus yesterday." He continued as if Buffy hadn't spoken at all.

"Yeah, but we were fighting a demon..." Buffy started, then caught her tongue.

"Fighting?" Snyder gazed at them with his deadly gaze.

"Not fighting." Buffy blurted.

"No, we, uh, left to *avoid* fighting." Xander corrected.

"Real anti-social types. You need to integrate into this school, people." Snyder crossed his arms, "I think I just found three eager new participants for the talent show."

Buffy blinked, "What?"

"No!" Xander shook his head.

"Please?" Willow begged.

"I've been watching you three. Always getting into one scrape or another." He went on.

"Well, we're really, really sorry, but about the talent show, pleeease, you can't make us..." Buffy was cut short by the torturer in question, "My predecessor, Mr. Flutie, may have gone in for all that touchy-feely relating nonsense, but he was eaten. You're in *my* world now. And Sunnydale has touched and felt for the last time." With that, he started past them down toward the stage.

"Can I just mention, that detention is a time-honored form of punishment?" Xander began while Buffy nodded vigorously in agreement.

"I know the three of you will come up with a wonderful act for the school to watch. And mock. And laugh. At." He continued down to the stage.

Pointing up with both index fingers and sitting down in a seat, Xander let out an disbelieving, "No!" Buffy spaced out, moaning her protest as she sat next to her Watcher, gazing at him for any kind of sympathy. But the Watcher only tried to hid his smirk just as Lisa's tuba solo finished up. Willow just stood, frown marring her sad face.

"Thank you!" Giles shouted to Lisa.

While the next act was setting up, a familiar kid to both Xander and Willow, Buffy leaned her head backwards just as a familiar face appeared.

"Tough time in Pleasantville?" Angel questioned.

"Hi." For the first time since Snyder appeared, Buffy smiled, standing up and moving towards him. She was about to kiss him hello when she noticed the stack of books he was carrying on a small carrier with wheels, "Uh... what's all this?"

"Oh!" Giles said, almost sounding pleased, "The new books, yes?"

Angel nodded, "The bottom ones are part of your private collection. They just came in from London."

"Wonderful." Giles said, moving towards them and checking them over while Angel guided Buffy back to the seats. "How'd you get passed Snyder?" Xander asked him.

Angel gestured towards the books, "Delivery boy. Not my most famed appearance, but it got me in."

"I'm glad." Buffy said, taking his hand.

He smiled, before asking, "What was that I heard about you being in the talent show?"

Buffy groaned, burrowing her face into his arm before glancing at the stage. "Ewww, dummy!"

"Dyow!" Xander jumped in his seat at the sight of the spandex clad man, petting a nonexistent dog, "Mime!"

"I think dummies are cute." Willow said, moving behind the couple, "You don't?"

"Uuuhhh." Buffy whined in distaste, "They give me the wig. Ever since I was little."

Angel gazed down at her, "What happened?"

"I saw a dummy. It gave me the wig..." She shook her head, "There really wasn't a story there."

A moment later, after watching Morgan and his dummy in action, Giles gazed at the three, "There, you see? I'm sure you three can come up with something... equally exciting..."

Buffy groaned, before Angel stood up. She pouted. "Do you want me to leave these in your office or in the cage?" Giles looked at him, "Oh! Uh... my office will be fine..."

Angel nodded, looking at Buffy and her pout again, "It's not that bad. I'm actually looking forward to your act."

"What?" Buffy stood, "You mean, you're actually gonna...watch?"

Angel shrugged, "Why not? I can play the supporting boyfriend. I mean, I am the boyfriend, right?"

"Duh." Buffy said, then looked at him seriously, "Do you have to come? It'll be completely humiliating and I don't want you to see it!"

"You'll be fine." Angel reassured her, wheeling the books towards the doorway, "It's not the end of the world."

"That's what you think." Buffy retorted.

Angel smirked, "Kiss me."

Buffy turned her nose up at him, "Why should I?"

"Because I'm the boyfriend who'll laugh when you fall off the stage." Angel teased, "But don't worry. I'll be there to catch you."

"You are so gonna get it." Buffy grumbled as she neared him.

"Might be interesting." Angel replied before he sealed his lips over hers in a quick kiss.

"Animal." She murmured.

"Only around you." He winked before going away.

Buffy moved back towards her friends and Watcher and noted the big smile on Willow's face. Buffy sat down beside her as a ballerina began to perform on stage. Giles made several notes on his clipboard while Xander went off into la la land as he peered at the ballerina's legs. After a moment of watching spinning, Buffy looked at Willow, "What?"

"Nothin'." Willow replied.

Buffy shifted after a while, "Have you seen Dave around?"

"Oh, yeah." Willow began to murmur, "Actually, we kind of... have... a, well.."

"A thing?" Buffy lifted a brow.

"Kind of." Willow finished, but cut off Buffy before she could start, "It's not a big thing. It's not a date--I refuse to think of it as a... date... because its not! He just wanted to see me for some computer related problems... It's just him and me... alone..."

"Which equals to some pretty heavy atmosphere." Buffy retorted.

"It's not a date!" Willow argued.

"Who has a date?" Xander glanced at them.

*****

"So, how'd the date go?"

Willow silently grinned. Xander was asking her how her date went? Wait, her mind protested, it was not a date... but... he was questioning her about it. He... he even looked worried about it, too.

Seated just outside of school, the two friends waited for Buffy so they could all walk to the auditorium together. They had decided just shortly after they left for home that they would do a dramatic seen. As Willow had said, it didn't actually require talent. "All you have to do is remember your lines and say them."

Munching on the pop-tart, Xander gazed at Willow, waiting. "Well?"

"It was..." Willow smiled, "good." That should get on his nerves, Willow though with a secret smile.

"Good?" Xander questioned, "Like... I-wanna-start-dating-other-people good? Or... Lets-have-sex-again good?"

"Xander!" Willow exclaimed.

"Sorry." Xander murmured, "It's just... Buffy's got her thing with Angel and... you've got your thing with Dave--"

"It's not a thing." Willow said, honestly.

"And I just feel--"

"You feel?" She lifted a brow.

"--you don't have a thing?" Xander started, seeing if he heard right.

Willow shook her head, "But, you were feeling--and, no... we don't." She shifted on the school steps, "Dave's nice... we have a lot of things--computer wise, in common. But I don't think we're having a relationship. But as far as actual dates go, it wasn't too bad. He made coco and brought me donuts. The kind with jelly in `em. And we talked a lot... he mostly wanted to apologize... y'know? For the whole... Malcolm incident. Anyway, he did, but he promised me that he was gonna make up for the Malcolm thing. He just feels in debt is all. So, no thing... just a boy who wants to make amends. Why can't more boys be like that?"

"Oh." Xander said, letting out a breath, "Okay..."

"And you were feeling?" Willow prodded.

"Ah..." Xander said, feeling a bit warm with embarrassment, "I was... feeling... feelings..." He nodded, "Which... involve... my stomach. Yes, my stomach is rather upset right now. It feels... pain." He bit out.

"Oh." Willow nodded, "Well, maybe we can pick up some Tums or something at the nurses' office." Glancing forward, she smiled, "Buffy! Hi!"

Xander let out a sigh. Okay, so his ego was being pushed and beaten at. Okay, so his two girls were starting to get their admires... of course, he had little doubt about Buffy, but now Willow, too? Not that there wasn't any relief in knowing that Dave was just begging Wills for forgiveness, but the thought that someone was interested her in that way... was pretty scary.

Maybe they were all just changing. Maybe it was just... time...

Or maybe, Xander thought as he stood, the Hellmouth is just playing one nasty joke on me.

*****

When the scream filled the hallways, it startled everyone. When Giles went to go see what happened, Buffy and the others listened. When the librarian came out of the locker room, into the hall, and under the yellow tape, it woke them out of their agitated states.

"It was Emily." Giles informed after clearing his throat.

"Emily." Willow murmured, before her eyes widened, "Dancer Emily?"

"Oh, man! I hate this school." Xander exclaimed, shaking his head slightly.

"Uh, it must have happened just after, uh, dress rehearsals." Giles continued on, "There was a cross-country meet at Melville. She, she, she never showed up for it."

"Vampire?" Buffy asked, arms crossed in tension.

"Um, I think not." Giles said.

"Giles, share." Buffy demanded, "What happened?" Willow and Xander both gave small nods of encouragement.

"Her heart was removed." Giles blurted out, uneasily.

"Yikes!" Willow exclaimed, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Does that mean anything to you? Besides..." Buffy shuddered, making a not-so-creepy ghost sound.

"Uh... There are various demons which, which feed off human hearts, but..." Giles subtly gestured backwards. The murder weapon was being put into an evidence bag.

Buffy felt her defensive sense kick in, "But demons have claws. And teeth."

"They got no use for a big old knife." Xander carried on.

Giles nodded, "Which more than likely makes our murderer..."

"Human." Buffy finished.

"Did I mention that I *hate* this school?" Xander jested in a way that was perceived as annoying, while it really did its job in hiding his own fear.

"So Emily was killed by a regular human person." Willow turned her glossy eyes to the Watcher.

"The evidence certainly points that way." Giles said.

"No, wait. I-I'm not buying, you guys." Buffy sighed, "Remember the Hellmouth? Mystical activity is totally rife here. This to me says demon."

"I'd like to think you're right. A demon is a creature of evil, pure and very simple. A person driven to kill is, is, um, it's more complex." Giles said, grimly.

"The creep factor is also heightened. It could be anyone." Willow babbled, on the verge of freaking, "It could be me!" In return, the three of them who were not Willow gave her disbelieving stares.

"It's not, though." Willow said, quietly.

Giles shook his head, "Uh, demon or no, we have some investigating to do. I suggest we start with your... your talent show compatriots. One of them may have been the last to see her alive."

Most of the day was spent interviewing talent show compatriots. Buffy got Lisa, the band girl. Giles walked along with Elliot. Willow sat and ended up playing a game of cards with Marc, while Poor Xander spent the time walking around with Cordelia when he could have been admiring the practicing cheerleaders nearby.

During that time, Buffy's only real suspect was Morgan and his little dummy, Sid. If anything, the Slayer wanted to avoid all confrontations with the dummy. It was weird enough to think that a Sunnydale death was an actually murder with no demon strings attached. Now she had to go deal with Morgan and his freaky dummy?

"This is so not far." Buffy growled under her breath after she grabbed a quick lunch after spotting Willow's slight grouchy look, an ace of spades tucked in her hands. Her lunch was just as uneventful as her interview time. She thought about calling Angel at his apartment, but decided against it. He was busy with college like things.

Like studying, Buffy checked off the list, Studying.... err...

What else did college guys do besides studying? She knew that Angel had his demon down time where he'd read demon books just for fun. That was only when Buffy wasn't dragging him away or when he wasn't helping her with her homework.

Besides studying? Buffy thought a moment, then felt a tremor of dread. When college students weren't busy studying to become whatever it was they wanted to become, they were busy at frat parties. Parties that involved beer and loud music and college girls with their... open collegy ways. And Angel was exposed to all of it!

The Slayer was about to stomp off campus to hunt Angel down for betraying her when reality and sense settled in. Angel would never do that to her. He... well, he cared for her. She was almost certain of that.

"And you don't hurt the ones you care for." Buffy gave a nod as she turned on her heel and headed to find Morgan. She'd rather face the evil dummy from hell than have thoughts of Angel with some college bimbo frat chica at his side.

"Morgan!" Buffy nearly screamed as her boots picked up their pace.

*****

"Okay, next time we split up someone else is on Cordy detail. Five more minutes with her and we woulda had another organ donor." Xander grumbled as they piled into the library.

"You didn't have to play Houdini's assistant." Willow cleared her throat, "But I think I had a bit more luck. Everyone I talked to seemed to point their fingers at the same person."

Giles' office was soon filled with the three as Buffy blankly let out the young boy's name.

"Morgan." Willow agreed.

"We have a winner!" Xander declared.

"I fear I was led to the same conclusion." Giles sighed.

Buffy absently nodded. She heard what they were saying... she just... had two disturbing pictures in her head. One of them was of Morgan's little fun with his dummy several moments before.

The other was of Angel and frat parties. Which really pissed Buffy off since any picture of Angel usually sent her into happy, non- slaying land.

"... set up a complex sting operation where we get him to confess!"

"...I should wear a wire!"

Buffy twisted, "Hey, you guys, all we know is that Morgan is a grade A large weirdo. That doesn't lead directly to murderer."

"Guy talks to his puppet!" Xander said loud and slowly, as if Buffy didn't comprehend that Morgan was crazy. Willow helped him out, "And for his puppet."

"Well, yeah, but what about the whole 'it's a demon' theory?" Buffy suggested, her mind settling on demons. At that moment, Giles theory of humans killing being more complex made perfect sense. Demons Buffy could handle. It was the people thing she was having a difficult time with.

"I'm looking into that, but, uh, my investigation is somewhat... hampered by our life in the theater." Giles sighed.

"Uh, priority check, Giles?" She held out her hands like weights, "Talent show, murder."

"Yeah, we can't do the talent show, it's unthinkable. I'm not able to think it!" Xander threw in. If there was a possibility, any at all, that he could get out of proving to Sunnydale that he was a talent- less hack, all the better.

"Principal Snyder is watching us all very closely." Giles reminded them, sternly, "Now, if he chooses, he can make all our lives extremely difficult. A Slayer cannot afford that! We will find this murderer, but in the meantime... the show must go on."

"This is so unfair." Buffy moaned; it wasn't fair that she had to be in the talent show. It wasn't fair that she had to also deal with a case of Morgan and Sid Syndrome. It wasn't fair that she had to balance the two, along with possible demon killers together.

And it wasn't fair that she kept giving herself unpleasant thoughts of Angel that only seemed to infuriate the Slayer and make her even more grouchy for the day...

"... can I still wear a wire?"

Angel and frat college girls... and their wires!

"Dammit Xander!" Buffy cursed as she made her way to the lockers.

*****

"No, I can't do it!" Morgan cried as he stopped pacing. His mind had been racing all day, processing everything that he was told as fast as he could. It seemed as the days went by, it was harder and harder to keep track of everything he had to do. Advanced this, college course that, a talent show he wanted no part of, and the knowledge that he was about to let this... thing kill a student...

"It's the only way."

It's a demon! Morgan's frazzled mind reminded him. Just as Sid said... but he couldn't!

Morgan tried harder, "I don't want..."

"She's the one."

"But..."

"You saw what she did, how strong she is."

"I know," Morgan tried, desperately. "but..."

"She's the last! Just this one more, and I'll be free."

His head was throbbing and his conscience tightened its resolve.

"I won't."

"I will."

*****

What a day...

Buffy had been looking forward to a very good night sleep. Since the talent show murder thing was the primary goal, Giles had let her off early for the slaying. She had been thankful, except when he had told her she would be practicing with Willow and Xander again. She kept reminding herself, even threw their lame rehearsal, of her hatred for being put in such an embarrassing act. Not only was Sunnydale going to see it, but her boyfriend to... not to mention the hell demon that was Principal Snyder was going to be sitting with Giles.

She couldn't understand how the little pest had caught her in the act of rummaging through Morgan's locker. She was usually the one who caught others off guard, not the other way around. With the exception of Angel and random demons, that is.

A yawn escaped her as she trudged up to her room. Luckily, Buffy was able to fit in some of her old before bed rituals. Those that consisted of taking a nice, hot bubble bath. Rubbing lotion on her tender muscles from the long day and if she were lucky, painting her toenails a glossy pink.

It was during her bath, oddly enough, that she thought of Morgan again. Everything seemed to point to him, but Buffy felt something was missing. The facts were as followed: Morgan was weird. He talked for and to his dummy. His dummy gave her a big case of the wiggins, but if someone were to inform her that some student in school were killing other students, she couldn't deny that she would be a little paranoid.

Maybe that was Morgan's case. Maybe the death of Emily had struck a cord with him and he was just keeping an eye out. There wasn't any real connection with Morgan and Emily, though. She doubted that Morgan and her had dated or that they had been friends. Morgan didn't seem at all like the stalking type...

That meant it had to be something else...

She let out a sigh as she stepped out of the bath, wrapping an extra fluffy towel around her as she set off to pick a comfortable set of sleep wear. It was best she saved all of her worries for tomorrow. Worrying about it wouldn't help, either. It was best to think of good things.

Buffy considered calling Willow and asking her about Dave. Was Dave still freaking over the whole Malcolm thing? In any case, having your own personal slave was exactly what Willow had. Buffy didn't envy her. She could call Xander, but the last time she did he was in the middle of some video game that involved blowing up people with guns that he seemed very interested in. That and he talked with what she thought was a Twinkie in his mouth.

Better off settling for bed.

In fresh pajamas, Buffy settled down with some lotion and began to lather up her hands. When the thought of Angel entered her mind, she broke out into a silly grin. After her initial spaz attack had vanished, she had truly realized at how silly she was being.

"Buffy?" Her mother called before opening the door. The Slayer quickly snapped out of her daydream. When her boyfriend and her mother collided in her thoughts, things just did *not* mash.

*****

"Has the college life been good to you?"

Angel chuckled at his uncle, accepting the tea he offered. He sipped at it, before placing it on the coffee table before him. Seated on the couch opposite Giles' chair, he answered tiredly, "It's wearing. U.C. Sunnydale is a good school and all, but it's a little hectic."

"Oh?" Giles questioned, sitting down on the chair and stirring his tea. "Any hectic than what's been going on at the high school?"

"I don't know." Angel confessed, "Something... it's just something about that school. Something that bothers me." Maybe its because Buffy's not around, he thought.

"Well... the transfer from a high school and a college is rather different." Giles offered, "But I wouldn't worry about it. You're getting your education and you're doing errands for me as well. Not to mention the time you've put in training with Buffy... though I must say, I thought I was the one who was supposed to take care of her..."

Angel smirked, "You noticed, huh?"

"Of course. I am a Watcher."

Angel chuckled.

Giles sipped his tea.

*****

After the talk with his uncle, Angel made his way home. He wasn't that surprised that Giles had commented on his relationship with Buffy. He wasn't surprised that Giles hadn't disapproved. If anything, he wanted Angel as well as Buffy to be happy. Angel's mother had been happy. She had given birth to a baby boy and had cherished every moment.

On the way out, Angel had encountered two stray vampires. He quickly disposed of them and continued on his way when he stopped and found that he was actually heading off in the direction of Buffy's home.

I guess I do miss her, Angel thought. When he did attend Sunnydale High, he was guaranteed the privilege of seeing her. Now he only saw her when he was delivering something to his uncle at the school or when they would go out on the hunt at night. His schedule during the week was tied up as it was. He would have to head out to Los Angeles soon and pick up some rare books. Not to mention he had some business with an old friend he needed to settle soon.

He didn't like the idea of involving Buffy in anything that would risk her life. Being the son of a former Slayer, Angel knew all the risks that came with it.

He stopped short in front of Buffy's house, then squinted at the two figures in her window. One, he could easily make out as Buffy. The other was Joyce, Buffy's mother. His trained eyes darted near Buffy's window and scanned the area. But nothing was there.

Moments later, Buffy was alone, moving towards her window and peering outside around the tree that he had gotten familiar with whenever he would meet Buffy on her roof. She looked shaken.

Without another thought, he scaled the tree and met her. She gave a gasp, a glare, and then found her way into his arms, confessing her worry. He would lighten her, if he could. He would do anything if it meant she could share and leave the pain behind.

*****

"Another one."

Morgan fidgeted in the stall of the boy's bathroom the next day. There were only five stalls, while the majority of the boys were busy elsewhere. Talking normally, if not loudly enough. The boy brought his free hand up to his temple, unsure if he should be thankful for the noise or grateful that it droned out his own conversation.

"I thought you only had one more to go." Morgan said, shifting through his bag for the pills. They were too strong, too intense. He needed to take those pills now. Though it barely dulled the pain, it was better than the harsh throb that vibrated to and fro inside of his skull.

"I did." Replied the voice. "But looks like there's another..."

"Are you going to kill this one, too?" Morgan asked softly, his hand pausing in his search for his pills.

"Probably." It said.

"Why?" Morgan demanded, "You said one more, and it would be over..."

"It's just an interference with our target." The voice rebuffed, "As long as it doesn't get in our way, it'll be fine. We can leave him."

Morgan looked worriedly down at him, "But..."

"As soon as it's over, I'll be free..." It said, it's voice filled with certainly.

"Then... you`ll go away." Morgan thought, almost pleased.

Dimly, he heard it whisper to him. "Morgan... take your medicine..."

He nodded, grabbing the container of pills. His mother had agreed to use the experimental drug. She didn't care what side effects it would have on her son, as long as it would help with his condition. The pills helped some, but that wasn't the real reason Morgan took it...

Ever since his uncle had died and left Sid in his care, he had been weary of him. The moment he had started on the drugs, Sid had begun to talk to him. Morgan couldn't stop taking the medicine, so the pain of Sid had to be lived through. The dummy had assured Morgan, as soon as he killed the last of them, Sid would become quiet forever, and Morgan's wish to live a quiet, peaceful life would finally take effect.

"Take your pills, Morgan..." Sid's voice, dimmer now, informed.

"Yes." Morgan agreed.

As smart as Morgan was, he'd rather humor the dummy then live through the hallucinations that his medicine brought him. He didn't know how Sid was able to talk to everyone, when, only months ago, it was Morgan who was trying to convince his mother that something was wrong with his uncle's dummy.

It's all in your head, Morgan.

It's the pills. It's the pills. It's the pills.

*****

"And my lovely assistant steps into the box..."

Xander and Willow bit their lips together as they watched Marc's magic act. His assistant, decked out in a pink Vegas styled dress, stepped into the magic box. Marc quickly closed it, spun it around once, and let out a loud, "And behold!"

With another flick of his wrists, the door opened.

His assistant, unfortunately, stood with the same smile on her face.

"You were supposed to leave." Marc said, exasperated.

The pair broke out into giggles as they watched Marc close the door to the box and butt his head against it. Though the two members of the Slayerette team were enjoying the plunders and bloopers of the other talent show patriots, a certain Watcher of now was on his last nerve.

"I don't understand why I... why I have to follow Brett and his stupid band." Cordelia complained, albeit with the perfect tone of testiness.

"Because we have to clear their equipment before the finale. I told you." Giles informed as he made his way through the chaos backstage.

"But the mood! It'll be all wrong!" Cordelia shouted, maneuvering in front of him and stopping him in his hurried tracks, "My song is about dignity and human feelings and personal..." She shook a hand, searching for the word. "hygiene or something."

Giles had the quick pleasure of momentary silence before Cordelia went back on her warpath, "Anyway, it's sappy, and no one is gonna be feeling sappy after all that Rock and Roll."

It was enough. Quickly, he looked at the young, nerve wracking girl in distress. Unsure if he was doing this right or not. He raised his hand then paused.

"Uhhh, what?" Cordelia exclaimed.

"Oh! I'm sorry." Giles apologized, adding a slight frown to his features before bringing his hand up to his temple, "Um, your hair, uh..."

"There's something wrong with my hair?" Cordelia nearly shouted, pulling a strand behind her ear. Another fretting hand hovered before she noticed the librarians continued stare. "Ohmigod!" She shouted, hurriedly running towards the nearest mirror.

A sigh of pure relief came out of Giles, before a small smile found itself on his lips.

"Xander was right. It worked like a charm."

His prideful moment disappeared as he saw his Slayer walking down the aisle with a shaken look on her face. Quickly, he made his way to her. His concern evident with his choice of words, "Hello. You look a bit worse for, uh..."

Buffy moved towards Willow and Xander and sat down without a word.

Giles followed, "What exactly are you the worse for?"

"Where's Morgan?" She asked, sitting.

"Uh, I, I... haven't seen him." Giles said, glancing towards the stage again.

"Did he do something to you?" Xander asked, gazing at the worried girl.

"No, it was his..." She exhaled, "Sid, the dummy." At the sight of Giles full attention, Buffy took another deep breath, "Okay, everyone look at me like I'm in a bunny suit, `cause that's how stupid I feel saying this... I think Sid was in my room last night."

"With Morgan?" The redheaded hacker asked, scandalized.

"No." Buffy murmured, "He was alone. And alive."

"Did you see him?" Xander questioned, doubtful.

"Well, I saw something. I-it ran across my floor, under my bed and then it attacked me." Buffy argued.

"Attacked you?" Giles sat, almost placing a worried hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. "How?"

"It was like it pounced on my face." She went on.

"Like a cat." Xander added, his doubt running up the mountain.

"Yeah, exactly!" Buffy agreed, oblivious at the moment at the weird gaze Xander was sending her, "But when I turned the lights on it was already gone. I-I think it went out my window."

"Like a cat." This time, Xander's doubt had taken a leap into the ocean of disbelief.

"Yeah!" Buffy grunted, "No! It was Sid, the dummy." Her resolve was strong. She wasn't going to have her friends think she was some nutcracker.

"Or possibly the nightmare of somebody who had... dummies on her mind." Her Watcher suggested.

"You did say they creep you out." Willow reminded her friend.

"Excuse me? Can I have a *little* support here, please? I'm not just some crazy person, I'm the Slayer." Buffy argued.

"The dummy Slayer?" Xander offered, before flinching at the Slayer's look, "There's nothing funny about that."

"Besides." Buffy added, "Angel stopped by right after it attacked me. He said whatever it was that shook me up must have been real." Silently, the Slayer thanked her fellow warrior for his compassion and sweet kisses.

"Well," Willow started, steering the conversation away from the Dummy- Is-Alive theory, "on the side of the 'Morgan's just crazy' theory there is," At the sight of said boy, Willow swallowed hard, "well, Morgan."

"I'd like to see Morgan without his better half for a few minutes. Bet he could tell me something." Buffy mumbled, scowling unconsciously at the glossy, wooden doll that now took its familiar place in Morgan's lap.

"Oh, uh, i-if it's any consolation, I... I may have found a possible demon culprit." Giles informed, holding up a book, "The-there's a reference in here to a brotherhood of seven demons who take, uh, the form of young humans. Every seven years these demons need human organs, a-a-a brain and a heart, to maintain their humanity. Otherwise they, they, they revert back to their original form, which is, uh, uh, slightly less appealing."

Truth to his words, Xander held up the sketch of the rather... ugly looking demon. And it was only a sketch!

"So Morgan could still be the guy, only demon Morgan instead of crazy Morgan." Willow guessed, watching Morgan fuss over Sid.

Giles did much of the same thing, while he explained, "It's said that these demons are, are, are preternaturally strong, and, and, and... Morgan is, is... Well, he seems to be getting weaker every day." Indeed, he did seem weaker. Morgan rubbed his temple again.

*****

The terror of the dummy, known as Sid, had finally reached home. Buffy glared openly at the thing while Willow and Giles filled into the library with customs in their arms.

"Where did you get that?"

"Oh, I, uh, took it out of Mrs. Jackson's cupboard. I thought you said you wanted to be able to speak to Morgan alone, and uh... well, Morgan's alone, and, uh... Sid's with me." Xander explained.

Xander's expression took that of malice; manipulating Sid, he spoke openly in a twisted little voice, "Hi, Buffy! Hi, Willow! Would you like to hear some off-color jokes?"

"I really don't think you should be doing that." Buffy scolded, even as she felt the chocolate iris's of the dummy stare at her.

"What? C'mon..." Xander cleared his throat and became `Sid' again, "I'm not real!"

"Xander, quit it!"

"He's... not... real!" Xander emphasized each word with pounding Sid's head against the counter. He picked him up a moment later, "I think our demonstration proves that, uh, Sid--" He knocked his fingers on Sid's head several times, "--is wood. Now, why don't you go and find Morgan and prove he's... whatever he is?"

"I imagine he's looking for his puppet." Giles replied.

"I'll go find Morgan." Buffy moved towards the door, but glared at Xander a moment with a warning, "You watch the dummy."

"Bye-bye, now." Xander's Sid voice said, "I'm completely inanimate."

Buffy bolted.

"Red Rum! Red Ruuum!" Xander wailed.

"What do we do with him?" Willow asked.

"Eh, I'll keep him company." Xander replied, glancing over the dummy.

Willow gave him a look, "I was talking about you, Xander."

"Willow, we have some hunting of our own to do." Giles told her, before Xander could reply.

"Once again I'm banished to the demon section of the card catalog." Willow said with a sigh.

*****

"Sid?"

Morgan's frantic cries were met with an echo that sounded up and down the aisles.

How could this have happened? Sid couldn't have gone off by himself; he just couldn't! This was all just a hallucination. That's right, a hallucination brought on by the drugs...

Morgan rubbed his temple, before a strange sensation rippled through him. A moment later, his vision was settled on a pair of swinging doors. He squinted.

The library?

It was the library he was seeing, wasn't it? The library. On the right was the library's check out, to the right, was that small cage that he'd seen before. He heard it was used to lock up the British librarians witchcraft books. A rumor he didn't believe for a moment...

Sid? Morgan said silently.

Sid ignored him.

A hallucination. That's all it was...

The library shifted over towards a brunette boy who was nibbling on his pencil. Morgan stared; Alexander? Xander Harris? Was that him? Was that who he was seeing? But... why was he seeing him? What--

Sid? Morgan called again, helplessly.

Stay there, Morgan. The voice told him.

Sid! Morgan cried, Sid, where are you?! What's going on?! Why... the library--how did you end up in the library?!

Stay there, it repeated.

But--

"Morgan!"

The boy turned, and the vision of a short view of the ground, of Sid scurrying out of the library doors vanished.

"Buffy!" Morgan cried, surprised. He hadn't expected to see her there. What was she doing here? Surely she wouldn't try to... no. That was what Sid said, it didn't mean it was true.

A hallucination... it's just a hallucination...

He crept down the aisle and hurried onto the stage. Morgan didn't like being alone, but he didn't like having Sid around either. No matter what he did, Sid wouldn't go away. He hurried backstage when something caught his arm. He let out a short yelp.

"Morgan!" Buffy exclaimed, glancing over the startled boy. "Morgan, are you okay?"

"Buffy." He said, backing away. "I... no, I... you should go."

"Wait, Morgan--" She tried to approach him, but Morgan merely backed away. He fumbled down the stairs that led towards the lower deck of the backstage. Buffy followed.

"Stay away." Morgan told her. "Something's.... something is wrong..."

"Morgan," Buffy said, almost urgently. "I want to help you. Just tell me what's wrong? What's wrong?"

He stepped back, his clumsy body moving through the beaded curtains. "I don't--I can't explain! It's not important! You have to go. It's dangerous."

"Morgan." Buffy started, tentatively, "Do you... do you know who the killer is?"

"Killer?" Morgan looked at her, almost half crazed. His head began to throb, and he couldn't help the pained groan that tore through his throat. His vision shifted and he was with Sid again. Sid was moving around. His feet scurrying above.

Above!

Stay there, Morgan.

No, I can't!

"Morgan--" Buffy walked forward, touching the beaded curtain and moving it aside.

"Buffy, no!" Morgan cried.

But he couldn't stop it. It snapped above her. He tried to will himself to move forward. To act, to do something but he couldn't. A moment later, she was crushed beneath an iron chandelier.

Morgan moved towards it. Grabbing onto the side, he heaved, but couldn't make it budge. Complied with the pressure in his skull, Morgan collapsed.

*****

Though he had been knocked out, in his mind he could clearly see it all.

Buffy came to barely a moment later. Sid's footfalls echoed around her, causing her to become full alert. At the sight of the catwalk, she tried to pry the chandelier off of herself, but it was too heavy.

Moments later, Sid held a butcher knife and was slashing down at Buffy who barely managed to move her skull aside. She pulled and squirmed until she managed to lift herself and smack the dummy aside. With another movement, she caught the dummy and shoved him against the wall with her arm.

A tired grunt met her ears as Sid spoke, "You win. Now you can take the boys brain and your heart and move on."

"I'm sure they would have made great trophies for your case." Buffy retorted.

"That would have been justice." Sid rebuffed.

"Yeah, except for one thing: you lost," Buffy proudly told him, "And now you'll never be human."

"Yeah, well, neither will you." Sid said.

A moment later, after an exchange of glances, twin sets of "What?" rang out.

"Morgan." Sid said, almost sadly.

The boy was dead.

*****

"This is what I do. I hunt demons. Yeah, you wouldn't know it to look at me."

Giles and Xander stares were wide-eyed and open-mouthed amazement. Comical, really, very comical. While the two women of the group merely stared and listened, their own expressions much more turned down.

"Let's just say there was me, there was a really mean demon, there was a curse, and the next thing I know I'm not me anymore. I'm sitting on some guy's knee, with his hand up my shirt." Sid grumbled, almost at the memory of it.

"And ever since then you've been a living dummy?" Willow questioned.

"The kid here was right all along. I shoulda picked you to team up with. But I didn't because..."

"Because you thought *I* was the demon." Buffy finished, realization settling over her.

"Who can blame me for thinking? Look at you! You're strong, athletic, limber..." A moment later, Sid escaped into his own world, "nubile..." Then was shaken from it, while Xander seemed to lose his own bearings.

"I'm back! In any case, if the demon gets a brain, he gets to keep the human form he's in for another seven years." Sid explained, almost in disgust. He knew that the demon had been targeting Morgan, but the boy had died. He wasn't entirely sure if the demon would take it, though. Half of the demons he'd come across needed fresh kills while the others easily got them from recently dead bodies...

The situation with Morgan was done. Sid had tried to explain the situation as best as he could. He only explained the surface though. Of Morgan's uncle's death and how he'd ended up in his care. There were some things Sid couldn't explain. How Morgan naturally logical mind had convinced him he was hallucinating, when, in reality, the pills and perhaps Sid's own curse, had bounded their minds together.

It was almost painful when he had felt, in the back of his own mind, Morgan's own brilliant brain give out.

Sid was almost glad that his present form distracted everyone so much. With his and the little groups first priority was to find the demon, Sid didn't have to worry about explaining exactly *why* or rather *how* Morgan had died...

Yet.

"I must say, it's a welcome change to have someone else explain all these things." Giles said, tending to the tea.

"There were seven of these guys. I've killed six. If I can get the last one, the curse will be lifted and I'll be free. I'm sure it's someone in that stupid talent show." Sid informed, "But whoever it is, might not be there."

"How come?" Willow questioned.

"Morgan's brain." Sid replied. "It's possible the demon might have it... I can't be sure."

"But if the demon has what he wants, he'll be moving on." Buffy countered.

"So, once we know who's missing from the show..." Sid went on.

"We'll know who our demon is!" Buffy finished.

"The show!" Giles nearly panicked.

"What?"

"It's gonna start! I'm supposed to be there!" He panicked.

"Okay, um, start pulling everyone's addresses in the talent show. I- if they're not there, maybe we can catch them at home." Buffy instructed Xander and Willow.

"And you, get 'em all on stage, form the power circle. Then we can see who's a no-show." Sid instructed Giles.

"Um, uh, the what?"

"The power circle. You get everyone together, you get 'em, you know, revved up." Sid explained.

"Right." Giles replied, though his confusion was obvious.

Sid turned to look at Buffy, "How'd *he* ever get that gig?"

*****

"Sid?"

"Who's Sid?"

"Angel." Buffy turned, grabbing his arm. Confused, Angel followed her through the backstage. They passed by the tuba player, the mime, the magician, but Angel stopped her in front of Cordelia who was stressing over her hair.

"What's happening?" He asked her, closing the distance between the both of them so their words would go unnoticed by the nervous and excited participants in the talent show.

"It's this whole big--" She stopped, staring down at the surprise in his hands. She gazed back up at him, "You... you brought me flowers?"

Angel raised the banquet of roses up, as if acknowledging them for the first time. "Ah, yeah. I figured if your performance went without a hitch, you could have the customary flowers... and if it bombed, well, you'd get a nice keep sake."

"That's so sweet." She said, reaching up to kiss his cheek, before jerking back, remembering that this wasn't her and Angel time, but evil demon searching time. "But that's not what we're doing."

"So, what are we doing?" Angel asked, still as clueless as ever.

"You, me, library, now!" Buffy said, pulling him along.

Cordelia pushed a strand of hair aside. "Stay, stay, stay..." She whispered softly to herself.

*****

"Costumes." Willow murmured to herself, "Costumes, costumes..."

Though there was still the demon-heart-brain-and-talking-puppet thing going on, Willow still needed to find those three white robes for their performance tonight.

Willow stopped next to a workbench, glancing around when she felt something drip down near her red-brown hair. She made a face, glancing up. A leak? Frowning, she reached up, feeling a shelf above her. She moved her hands a bit and then felt something textured and heavy fall into her hands.

She let out a screech at the brain and let it fall out of her hands.

"Willow?"

She jerked around.

"Don't tell me." Dave said, "Another... demon?"

*****

"I'm never gonna get that image out of my head." Willow groaned as her hands typed away at the library computer.

Buffy walked up to her, "I would never stop washing my hands, if I were you."

"So, the dummy tells us that he's a demon hunter." Xander stated, "And we're, like, fine, la la la la. He takes off, and now there's a brain. Does anybody else feel like they've been Keyser Soze'd?"

"Sid's on the level, I'm sure of it. But why would the demon have rejected the brain?"" Buffy started, glancing at Angel who was sitting at the library table. Dave was next to Willow, hovering, and was doing nothing to help Willow's frazzled nerves.

"Morgan was the smartest kid in school." Dave commented.

"He was, look at his grades: all A's." Willow said, after bringing up his profile. "He was even taking college classes. Wait a second."

"What?"

"Look at this. All these sick days." Willow looked it over.

"He was off for, like, half the year!" Xander added.

"Check the school nurse's file." Dave instructed.

"Look at this! 'In case of emergency, contact Dr. Dale Leggett, California Institute of Neurosurgery, Cancer Ward.'" Willow read out loud.

"Brain cancer?" Xander questioned.

"That's why he had all the headaches." Willow said.

"This means that whatever's out there still needs a healthy, intelligent brain." Buffy stated.

"In other words, I'm safe!" Xander smiled, for the first time pleased that his lack of intellect was worth something. Angel coughed nearby, but didn't say anything.

"And it's gonna be looking for the smartest person around." Dave said, looking pointedly at Willow, as did everyone else.

"What?" Willow asked, stumped.

*****

"Yes, if you, you calibrated the units of weight then you could calculate the, uh, specific maximum velocity achieved before the point of impact." Giles informed while that magician boy, Marc, was setting his props up.

"Gee, Mr. Giles, you're really... smart!" Marc commented, "Could you do me a favor?"

*****

"What could a demon possibly want from me?" Willow asked, naively.

Xander sighed, "What's the square root of 841?"

"29." Willow answered, then realized it. "Oh, yeah."

"Don't worry, Willow. As long as you're with us there's absolutely no way that demon is gonna get what he wants." Buffy promised.

*****

The guillotine flew down quick and fast, slicing the honeydew melon. Marc smiled while the librarian gingerly took half of the melon into his hands.

"Oh, my!" He said, examining the butchered fruit.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Marc grinned.

"Are you sure there's no one else who could help you out?" Giles asked, almost nervously, though he tried to hide it from his voice. His fear of medieval weapons withstanding, the idea of having a simple high school student holding the fate of his life in his hands wasn't holding.

"My assistant got sick. You won't have to say anything." Marc said, frowning, "I'll, I'll show you. Lie down."

"Uh, uh, how, how exactly does it work?" Giles asked, glancing over the device.

Marc pulled the blade back up by its rope and tied it down. "A good magician never tells his secrets." Before glancing down at his arm and glowering at the inhuman skin. He pulled his sleeve down. "C'mon. We haven't got much time."

*****

"This is ridiculous." Buffy paced hurriedly, "We can't just sit here and wait for him to come to us. We have to figure out who we're dealing with."

"I still vote dummy." Xander said, lifting a hand.

Buffy shot it down. "Okay, so we ruled out all the people in the talent show..."

"That's because they were all there. But that's before we found the brain." Willow said.

"Right. So it probably *is* one of them." Buffy rationalized. "And, and Giles doesn't know! He's with them all right now!"

"Giles can handle himself. I mean, he *is* really... smart!" Xander realized, panicking.

Before anyone could make a sound, Angel was already dashing out the door, followed closely by Buffy and the others.

"GILES!" Angel shouted.

*****

Giles nervously tightened his hands. He was strapped down to the guillotine bench and glanced at Marc. "Sh-sh-shouldn't it be aimed at my neck?"

Marc shook his head. "No. No, this way your scalp gets sliced off and your brains just... come pouring out." He slid the head restraint down onto Giles' forehead. With ease, he reached and locked it down with a padlock.

"What exactly is the trick?" Giles questioned.

Marc looked down at Giles, almost confused. He pulled the chest restraint tighter around him.

"Trick?"

"Marc?"

The boy, Marc, went over to where he had tied the rope he had tied to the block. Giles was not a fool, it was easy to see that the rope was the only thing keep the blade from falling down. He watched, as Marc grabbed a hatchet and began cutting the rope.

"M-Marc?"

Marc ignored him, taking another swing, then a third. The blade began to slip and Giles froze, gazing up at it. Marc hacked and the threads were already thinning. One more, Marc began to think, one more and I'll have what I want.

Marc's chance slipped when someone tackled him to the floor. Angel knocked him down again when he was trying to get up. He was about to knock him down again when Marc whirled and growled at him. His skin was beginning to melt away, a green, gray husky texture that was no doubt the demons real skin began to appear.

"Well that's interesting." Angel managed before Marc threw his fist and sent Angel to the floor. The rope was getting thinner, stretching and snapping, and Giles clamped his eyes shut.

It was going to be over, but then nothing happened. Giles stopped, opened his eyes, and there was Buffy, tugging and pulling at the rope. She glanced around, "Willow, open that thing!" She urged, holding the rope.

"Where are the keys?" She asked.

"Angel." Buffy started. He was down and the demon was over him and she had to get away.

"I don't know." Giles said, pulling against his restraints.

"Here." Xander said, spotting the shiny keys hidden near the block. Marc must have dropped them when Angel tackled them. He tossed them to Willow, who began to try them. There were too many!

"Hurry!" Giles shouted.

"Xander." Buffy quickly handed him the rope and ran towards the demon. She kicked, and he flew over Angel who quickly moved towards the thing holding it to the ground but it was too strong. It kicked Angel away and quickly latched onto Buffy and threw her off the stage and she rolled down the other side of the stage and down the stairs with a loud thump.

"Buffy!"

The demon got up, and Angel flew forward, punching and kicking it, exchanging quick blows. The demon stumbled back and fell into the magic box and Angel quickly closed it, searching for a lock. "How do you lock this damn thing?!"

He didn't get an answer. Marc hacked through the wooden box quickly and shoved Angel back.

"What's happening?" Giles demanded.

Willow shoved another key into the padlock. "You don't want to know."

The demon slammed Angel up against a wall, its hand clenched around his throat. Before Angel could fight it off, he was pushed into another wall, and he gasped. "Hurry." Xander said, and Willow nodded, pushing another key into the padlock. She nearly cried when she turned it and the padlock opened.

"I found you!" Angel eyes met Sid's as the puppet began slashing it's knife into the demons back, but it paid no attention to him. Instead, he slammed Angel back and forth against the walls.

Willow hurriedly helped Giles push the head restraint up and Giles rolled away. Giles quickly glanced around for the hatchet, but it was gone. Suddenly Sid was thrown onto the bench and both Willow gasped at the sight. Sid hurriedly slid off of it, turning to see what had sent him flying.

For a moment, Angel wondered if he'd black out, but then the fist became limp and the demon let out a harsh sound and something vaguely sounding like tearing flesh met his ears.

"Buffy?" He gasped for breath.

The demon lurched and Angel quickly shoved it away and it fell onto the bench, it's neck in the guillotine. "Let go!" Angel shouted and Xander did just that, letting the blade fall, chopping off the demon's head.

Willow cringed, along with the others, before she glanced up. The hatchet was in the demon's back.

"Dave?" She asked, seeing him standing a few feet away from Angel, who also looked at him in shock. A second later, Angel bolted towards the other side of the stage, "Buffy!"

"Ow." Came a call and a moment later he was helping her up the stairs and back up onto the stage. She was rubbing the back of her head and Angel kissed the tender spot.

"I did a good thing, right?" Dave asked.

Willow nodded, somewhat dazed.

"Uh... I must say, all of you... Your t-timing is impeccable." Giles muttered.

"And now for the big finish." Sid said, moving towards the demon. "Could you help doll face?" He asked, and Buffy pushed the demon onto it's side. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"It's not enough. He'll come back. You have to get the heart. Then all of this'll be over." Sid said, taking aim.

Buffy frowned, "Let me."

"Nah. I got it." Sid said, glancing at her. "Thanks."

He shoved the knife in, pulled back, and then suddenly Sid was gone. Buffy gazed at Sid sadly and let out a deep breath before gently lifting Sid from the demon and holding him in her arms.

"It's over." She said with a sigh, then froze when she heard the sound of the curtain being drawn. Her eyes widened into saucers as suddenly all of Sunnydale was gazing up at them with hushed murmurs and shushes.

Giles stared out, placing his glasses back on, while Willow sent the audience something of a nervous look. Dave began to move his arm, as if searching for Willow's hand in the dark, his eyes locked out onto the audience. Xander almost stuttered and Buffy and Angel exchanged startled looks.

In the audience, front row center, Principal Snyder frowned as he gazed up onto the stage.

"I don't get it. What is it? Avant-garde?"

*****

"Oh, ruler of my country, Oedipus, you see our company around the Altar, and I, the priest of Zeus!" Willow stammered out, her eyes wide and unfocused, her words laced with fear.

"Ha, ha!" Xander went on, obviously more nervous than he would have liked. "They prophesize that I should kill my father. But he is dead." He shot down to the floor, "And hidden deep in the soil. But surely I must fear my mother's bed."

Buffy walked around her two friends. "Oh, Oedipus, Oedipus, unhappy Oedipus," she laced her fingers briefly into his hair before turning back to her spot, "that is all I can call you, and all that I ever shall call you." She frowned, bored. Her head was still aching, dammit.

Angel and Giles were seated in the front row, sitting next to Snyder. Snyder looked like he was still trying to figure out what was going on, Giles looked on with the tiniest bit of sympathy displayed on his features.

Angel just grinned.

"Darkness!" Xander shouted, standing up. "And horror of darkness. Unfolding, restless, visitant, sped by an ill wind in haste."

Buffy glanced at Willow; she was frozen in fright. She rolled her eyes while Xander began fumbling his lines.

"Madness, and... Madness a-and stabbing pain, and, a-and, uh... oh..." He smiled, eyes darting everywhere, "oh... memory of, uh, i- ill deeds I have done." He finished, almost proudly. Then waited. He glanced at Willow. Buffy did, too, before nudging her.

Too terrified to say her next line, Willow suddenly darted off the stage, prompting a few giggles from the crowd. Buffy and Xander watched, before closing the gap between them.

How was it? I hope it was okay. I got myself confused writing that last couple of scenes with trying to modify it just enough for our Human Angel to be in it.

Anyway, like it enough, email me, tell me about it! I'm a praise hag, send me praise! or whatever: via malani_kira@yahoo.com

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