She needed to clear her head, and not think about Spike. All of this – this place, the soul-ed vampires, the soulless humans – nothing made sense to her. ‘Everything is flip-flop…vampires are good and humans are bad? How ridiculous! I’m not soulless! And I don’t love Spike!’ She continued to think of all the ridiculous things she had heard today. Worst of all, she was no where close to understanding how to get out of here.


‘What do I do? I need a plan. Think, Buffy, think!’ She yelled to herself as she walked the streets of Sunnydale. Amidst her thoughts she realized that the only thing she could do was to go back to the gang and try to get their help – who else did she depend on to help her solve the Sunnydale mysteries? Just the thought of how Giles and the rest of the gang treated her made her wince. And the kiss made her frown. Was she really only a few minutes away from having sex with him? How did she allow it to get that far?


“Oh Slayerrrr…” came a female voice.


Buffy didn’t find an answer to her internal questions. ‘Will someone leave me alone long enough to think!?’ Turning around with obvious annoyance, she came face to face with Harmony.


“Harmony? What are you-,” Buffy paused. Harmony was human. “Huh? You’re human?”


Harmony had one arm on her hip as she rolled her eyes. “Um OK. And people say I’m a dumb blonde. What’s your deal?”


“I…um…nothing. So-,” Buffy began, not sure of how to react. ‘All the humans are vampires…and all the demons are humans…except for me and Spike? Huh.’


“Whatever. What do you think you’re doing on my territory? You know my crypt is around here! People will think you’re associated with me and think I’ve become a backstabber like you have! We had a deal remember? I won’t unleash my minions on you, and you won’t tell anyone that I actually talk to you.”


“What? Unleash your minions?” Buffy thought for a second what that meant here. “Your…human minions? Who signed up for that lame job?”


“Oh shut up. Just go back to your own crypt or I’ll…I’ll…think of something really good to do to you and hurt you real bad!” Harmony said unbelievable conviction.


“Sure, Harmony. I’ll just go now because I’m really terrified of you.” Buffy said sarcastically, as she turned to walk away. ‘She’s an airhead anywhere you go.’


‘Sigh. I can’t do this right now. I’m going to sleep and tomorrow I’ll go check up on mom and Dawn.’ Buffy made a face when she remembered where she had to go back to sleep.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Buffy woke up feeling really cold, and remembered where she had gone to sleep after encountering Harmony: the crypt.


She got up to go see her mom and Dawn as soon as possible, until her stomach began to grumble at her uncontrollably.


With a groan, she got up and went to the fridge. To her pleasant surprise, the fridge was stacked with real food – milk, bread, veggies, lunch meat, leftover steaks, etc. She felt like she could eat the whole fridge.


“oOo cookies,” Buffy noticed happily, grabbing two.


After her two-cookie meal, she dressed quickly and headed out towards Revello Drive, suddenly feeling very nervous.


‘I don’t know if I can handle seeing them like vampires…How will they react towards me?’ She twisted her fingers in her hands while biting on her bottom lip nervously.


She approached the house slowly, not sure whether she should actually knock on the door. Buffy heard voices coming from inside – stepping to peer inside the window, she saw mom, Dawn and Spike, in the kitchen.



******Inside the House******


“Mom, can I go to a friend’s house?” Dawn inquired eagerly, with an angelic expression.


Joyce was stirring the cocoa she was making, while Spike popped marshmallows in his mouth, waiting and leaning against the counter for his mum to finish making him a cup.


“No, you can’t.” Spike said plainly.


“Why nottttt? Shut up Spike!” Dawn whined. She turned to Joyce hopefully, “Mom? Can I go?”


“Spike, why don’t you want Dawn to go?” Joyce said calmly, not turning around from her task.


“Welllllll…” Spike began with a taunting look towards Dawn. Dawn abruptly turned to Spike with pleading eyes.


“…DAWN here, decided to go and skip around with some mini-poofter the last time she told you she ‘wanted to go to a friend’s house.’ Then, I had to go rescue her ass again, because her little date decided it would be mighty fun to go to the human-side of town.” Spike finished with a lifted eyebrow and a lecturing look.


Joyce turned around to look at Dawn with a stern motherly look. “Honey, you know that you’re not allowed to go to the cemetery! How many times do I have to tell you? I’m sorry, but you can’t go out tonight because you’re grounded.”


Dawn crossed her arms and pouted, with her eyes averted to the ground.


“Oh here we go again! Always with the pout…” Spike rolled his eyes and threw a marshmallow at her playfully. Dawn threw him an angry look, but when Joyce glanced back at Dawn, she quickly resumed her pout.


“SIGH. I guess I’ll just sit in my room. ALONE. Doing NOTHING.” She put on her best puppy dog face and when Joyce shook her head ‘no’ in an answer, Dawn began to step heavily out of the kitchen in a dramatic display. “Fine! Ruin my life!”


“I’ll tell you what, bit. We’ll watch movies and eat junk food. How’s that huh?” Spike offered as a brotherly gesture to ease her punishment and make up for having sold her out. He always felt bad whenever he had to be the mean big brother.


Dawn didn’t answer, but rather lifted up her head slowly to look at him with an angry glare.


“C’mon…you’re such a fake,” Spike suddenly tickle-attacked her until she giggled and broke her act. “See, what did I tell you, mum? A regular drama queen.”


“Alright you two.” Joyce turned to look at both of her children, and patted both of their cheeks, eliciting a “mum!” from Spike, who hated when she treated him like a little boy. It threatened his masculinity ok?


“Let’s eat dinner and have some cocoa first. Then you guys can do your little movie-fest.” Joyce brought out two mugs for each of them on the dining table, one with cocoa, and one with warm blood.


“What are we having?” Dawn chirped, forgetting her previous anger and disappointment.


“It’s cow’s blood today.” Joyce answered. “Let me know if it’s warm enough.”


After they were seated at the table, they all simultaneously vamped out and began to drink eagerly.


Spike only put his mug down, at the sound of something outside.


-------------------------------------


Buffy had been watching them intently. She saw Dawn put on her dramatics and her mom making something on the stove. It shocked her how much they looked like a real family. Even more so, she was shocked at how wonderful Spike was interacting with them. He was so normal at that moment, that she completely forgot all her presumptions about him. The sight warmed her heart, at the same time she was resentful that SHE was suppose to be in there.


She had been perfectly still, until she saw them all sit down at the dining table. Then the reality of this world came crashing down upon her, as for the first time, she saw her mom and Dawn, vamp out. Letting out a gasp, she stepped back, snapping a twig under her foot.


‘I sensed they were, and Spike told me, but I really didn’t believe it. Oh god oh god…’ She fought to remain calm and not tear up. At that moment, Spike burst out of the front door to scan the yard, as his eyes caught Buffy standing there in the dark.


“Buffy! What the hell are you doing here!?” Spike yelled as he decided to be pissed off and completely ignore what had happened earlier between them. “You’re not spying on me again, are you?”


“What? No! I just…I came to say hi to Dawn and Mo-, I mean Joyce,” She quickly recovered.


“Listen Slayer, stay away from them. They’re not your friends.” Spike said calmly and firmly.


Suddenly, Joyce, emerged through the door that Spike had left hanging open. “Spike? Why’d you leave? You haven’t finished your dinner...” She saw Spike standing in front of Buffy in the yard.


“Oh hi Buffy! How are you?” Joyce gave her a pleasant smile, as she morphed back into human appearance.


Spike sighed in frustration, also changing out of his vamp face – no matter what he said or what happened, he couldn’t convince his mum to stop being nice to Buffy. Joyce made it extremely difficult to cut Buffy out of all of their lives.


Buffy was relieved to see that her mom treated her with welcome, and definitely relieved that she let her vamp face slide away. “I just wanted to say hi to you and Dawn, to see how you were doing,” said Buffy quietly and added a timid smile, trying to appear as undisturbed as possible.
“Oh how nice of you! I’m doing great. Let me get Dawn out here…” Joyce turned to call Dawn. “Dawn! Come out here for a moment, sweety.”


“Mum!” Spike yelled in frustration.


“Oh relax. She’s just going to say hi really quick.” Joyce ignored Spike’s huffy mood.


“Hi Buffy! Omg I’m so glad you came because I really wanted to show you these cute tops I got at the mall! I was going to go visit you, but Spike yelled at me and wouldn’t let me leave the house,” said Dawn all in one breath, and then turned to glare at Spike a moment. “You prison warden.”


“I’m sorry Dawnie. I…I’ve been busy, but I’m here now.” Buffy suddenly realized how much she loved Dawn and her mom. It’s not until you don’t have them that you realize how important they are.


“Will you two for once just remember that she is human?! Go back inside now. I need to talk to Buffy alone please,” Spike said between gritted teeth.


Dawn pouted and Joyce ushered her daughter into the house with her, exchanging a good-bye with Buffy. Buffy mostly appeared dazed through this whole exchange, since she was shocked from the vamping and caught in her thoughts. Buffy’s eyes followed her mom and sister, until they were inside and out of her view. Turning back to Spike, her eyes were met with angry cerulean blue.


“Ok, before you say anything, NO I did not come here for you. I really just came to see if they were O.K.” Buffy interjected quickly.


“Buffy, they’re not your family. If you were in my position, wouldn’t you keep you away too? I know you have a chip, but Dawn is young and easily persuaded. You’ll get her mixed up in the human world. It’s dangerous.” Spike said angrily, but with a surprising amount of control.


It hit Buffy. This IS exactly how she would act if she were in his position, because that’s HER position! ‘…wow, Dawn must hate me.’ Buffy pondered about her controlling manner toward Dawn back home in her world.


“You’re right Spike.” Buffy said finally with a decided voice.


“Huh?” Spike moved his head back, looking at her like she grew another head. “Did you just admit I’m right? Have you got a fever or something? Still a bit of the crazy?” He tilted his head in wonder.


He hesitated a second before adding firmly, “Well you’re damn well right I’m right.”


“Don’t get all cocky about it,” She rolled her eyes as her arms were folded. “I’m just saying, I don’t want Dawn in danger either.”


Both of them shared a silent moment, looking each other in the eyes, remembering what had happened between them yesterday and feeling a teensy bit of something else at each other’s mutual love for Dawn. Buffy was first to break the moment, “Alright well, I need to get to the Magic Box and find out some information.” She turned to leave, avoiding Spike’s gaze.


“Information for what?” Spike inquired curiously, watching her go.


Buffy paused without turning to face him. “Um…for this problem I have. You know…my amnesia and stuff.” She didn’t really know what to tell him, so she kept walking. They were at a peaceful truce for the time being, and accusing him of taking her life wouldn’t really help anyone.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


“You know, she’s regaining her composure quite quickly. Who knows when she’ll have her little revelation?” commented the male voice.


The female was frustrated. “She’s ruining my fun!” She paused to calm down. “She has to stay vulnerable and confused until everything is ready. I can still add to the game as long as she doesn’t understand it yet...” she said mischievously.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


She walked into the Magic Box as determined as she could. Giles looked up at the sound of the door opening.


“Giles, I know you don’t want me here, but I really need to find out some important information about my amnesia or what’s happening to me. I…I know I’m not your friend…” Buffy said slowly, “but I can assure you this has nothing to do with getting closer to Spike.” She thought it all sounded completely deranged.


Giles took his time to reply. “Well, if I can have your word that this isn’t all some ploy, then I guess I can help you, as long as it is within reasonable terms.”


The rest of the gang came out from the back room at that moment.


“Vamp food, what are you doing here again? Don’t you ever give up?” Xander asked with annoyance.


“Xander, it’s ok. She’s not here for Spike.” Giles turned back to Buffy, “What kind of information do you need?”


“I need to find out if there has been any fishy business in Sunnydale recently. Any strange activities like…spells or self-induced nightmare dimensions perhaps? And I need information on if someone could possibly…reverse the world.”


Xander, Giles, Willow and Anya stared at her with a puzzled look.


“Ok here’s the thing: I had a dream last night and I’m not sure if it was a Slayer vision. I saw someone reversing the world, changing the order of things. Like humans were the majority and vampires were evil.” Buffy knew they would laugh in her face.


And they did. “Hahahaha that’s funny Buffy. In your dreams though!” Xander clutched his stomach as he laughed.


“Listen, I know it may sound ridiculous to you. But I got this feeling when I had the dream – the one I get when I dream of a vision. Can we just spend a little while and look into it? If this is real, it could mess up life as we know it.” Buffy finished with a convincing and serious tone.


“Oh… you’re serious aren’t you?” Willow scrunched her forehead in perplexed thought. “Well, I can see if there are any spells on that, but I’ve never heard of it.” Willow went to get her laptop.


Two hours later, still nothing. Hopelessness crept its way back into Buffy’s emotions.


As everyone was getting up to take a break, a brick flew through the window, shattering the glass with a loud commotion and jolting everyone’s attention to the source.