Chapter 2

Buffy wakes up in her dorm room bed. Still feeling the pain of her injuries from last night. Her arm hasn't healed. She looks across to Willow's bed, she's already out and about. Getting out of bed Buffy goes to the window and sees Willow walking with a few of her new college friends. Buffy sighs. —Buffy arrives at Giles' apartment. Buffy opens the door while knocking. She enters, closes the door, and walks to the middle of the room. 'The Smiths' play in the background.

Buffy: "Giles?"

An attractive black woman in the kitchen through the opening over the counter.

Olivine: "Rupert, is this Bleu cheese or is it just cheese that's gone blue?"

She reaches the front room and sees Buffy, she appears to be wearing a shirt and nothing else.

"Olivia: You're not Giles."

Buffy: "Uhm... you know the door was open, so I just... uh, Giles does still live here, right?"

Olivia: "He does."

The background and the music cuts off.

Olivia: "He appears."

Giles comes out of the hallway. He's wearing a bathrobe.

Olivia: "Rupert, you have a guest."

Giles: "Buffy! Hello."

Buffy: "Is this a bad time?"

Giles: "No! Oh, uh, forgive me. This, uh... this is, uh, Olivia. She's, uh, an old friend, she's staying here for a few days."

Olivia: "Couldn't pass through sunny Cal without looking up ol' Ripper."

Buffy: "ol'what?"

Giles: "Buffy's a, uh, was a student of mine. How's, uh, how is university?"

Buffy: "Pretty much the same as high school, in the sense that I need help."

Giles: "Ahh... help... yes."

Buffy: "But, this just looks like a bad time."

Olivia: "No, you guys talk. I'll just go slip into something a little less comfortable."

She and Giles share a look and she leaves the room.

Giles: "So, uh, trouble with, uh, studies?"

Buffy: "This is a bad time."

Giles: "You keep saying that."

Buffy:  "I think someone had just a little too much free time on their hands."

Giles: "I'm not supposed to have a private life?"

Buffy: "No! (In a whiny voice.) 'Cause you're very, very old, and it's gross."

Giles: "Your powers of persuasion are failing rapidly, Buffy."

Giles looks down at Buffy holding her arm. Buffy takes notice of his notice.

Buffy: "There are a gang of vampires working the campus. We need research, an-an-and charts and stuff."

Giles: "I-I still don't see where I fit in. You haven't described anything that you can't do yourself."

Buffy: "Ok, remember before you became Hugh Hefner when you used to be a watcher?"

Giles: "Officially you know longer have a watcher. Buffy, you know I'll always be hear when you need me. Y-your safety is more important to me than anything but, you're going to have to take care of yourself. You're out of school and I can't always be there to guide you. "

Buffy: "I'm sorry to bug you. I have to get to class anyway."

Giles: "Buffy, I..."

Buffy: "You're... you're right. I can handle it. It's just that... I'm on it."

Giles: "I-I'm here if you need me.-"

Buffy leaves.

Olivia: (Walking into the room.) "She's gone?"

Giles: "Yes."

Olivia: "So, did you help her?"

Giles: "I'm not sure."

—

Through boarded up windows we see that it's daylight. The vamps are gathered around and laughing. Octavia sitting on a chair like it's a throne.

Longhairvamp: "N-n-n-n-no! The best part was when you ragged on her clothes. She was like, 'No! Not the ensemble!'"

All the vamps cackle.

FatVamp: "I still think you should've let us have a piece, we could've finished here off."

Octavia: "No, No, a slayer can't be allowed a quick death. We're just getting started. Soon she'll wish she was dead if she doesn't already. We need to show her all her slaying has done absolutely nothing! That it has been all for nothing!"

The vampires sit in silence at the sheer evilness coming from Octavia.

Octavia: "And then we kill her."

The vampires nods and laugh like loyal dogs.

FatVamp: "Totally."

—

Professor Rhys lectures to a full class, Buffy among them. While she has a lot on her mind she can't help but feel invested in whatever Rhys is talking about.

"Plato once said 'Those who tell stories rule society.' What do we think about that? Why should we care, why do we care evidently?" Rhys says. "Why do stories, heroes, villains effect us so much? And why start something that you know will end? Why live a life that ends?"

The entire class really absorbs those questions and silently ponder them as Rhys continues. Rhys' eyes dart around the room, giving each students eyes their fair share of attention.

"Just look at the Bible. A collection of the greatest stories ever told. But why was it written as a set of stories? Because people cannot just be told things they have to see things play out in story. People need to see examples of heroism before they act out heroics." Rhys says. "You're all familiar with the heroes journey, yes?"

Rhys asks while drawing a circle on the board and diagraming the heroes journey.

"If you look in the Bible, specifically in the book of judges, you have the story of Gideon. That story deconstructs the heroes journey. Gideon is called while Israel is oppressed by the midianites. The midianites are strong, with more soldiers and they've taken the land over."

Buffy thinks about Octavia and her gang.

"So the angel of the lord appears to Gideon who is hiding. He's a coward. So the angel appears and says "mighty man of valor what are you doing?" And Gideon thinks he's talking to someone else."

The class laughs.

"And the angel tells Gideon he is called. So the first thing he does is complain about his calling and he blames God for all that has happened. And the angel basically tells him "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; did I not send you?" Rhys says.

Buffy and Rhys share a look.

"So eventually Gideon does save Israel but only after he drags his feet the whole way. After he saves Israel he falls and becomes a tyrant, with 1,000 wives and 2,000 concubines and enough treasure and gold for a lifetime. And once he dies all that he worked for is destroyed and Israel is taken by another group of people." Rhys says. "So Gideon resist the call to adventure multiple times. He faces challenges, temptations and loses to both, completes his goal just barely and dies a terrible person, his quest all for nothing."

The class listens intently. Hanging on his ever word.

"So the question is why even go and walk out your path if it could end just the way it started? You find yourself in this dilemma where you want to fulfill your destiny but there's always this threat of stumbling and falling, failing. But the true heroic act is...to try anyway. Stories give us the permission to try. To live." Rhys says.

The class and Buffy especially are captivated by his words. They all think separately about what was just discussed.

"That's it for today. Don't worry about assignments I just want you to think about what was discussed. Really think about it. All right?" Rhys says.

Rhys dismissed the class with a motion of his hand. Buffy exchanges a look with him as she exits. The only time throughout the day she had been able to take a breath and not worry.

—

Buffy can barely keep her head straight in Professor Walsh's class. She's lecturing about something but Buffy doesn't care. The only thing she can focus on is that fact that it's getting dark out.

"Class dismissed." Professor Walsh orders.

The class starts for the door.

"And don't forget you first paper is do the next time we see each other."

A collective groan.

"I know, I know I'm sure you'll all be conspiring with the TA's to come up with a more insulting nickname." Professor Walsh says.

Buffy collects her things and gets read to walk out with willow.

Riley notices some bruising on Buffy's arm. A worried look creeps across his face.

"Bye Buffy." Riley says unexpectedly.

"Bye." Buffy replies as she leaves.

Riley decides to follow behind Buffy.

Buffy and Willow walk out together. They step outside and Buffy freezes seeing the dark foliage between the campus buildings.

Riley lingers in the background. He wants to go up to her, talk to her anything. He barely knows her but somehow he's worried about her. But something holds him back. He decides to go another way.

Willow turns to Buffy.

"Are you patrolling tonight?" Willow asks.

"Yeah, I guess I probably should." Buffy says reluctantly.

"Do you want company?" Willow asks.

Buffy desperately wants to say yes but she knows she might just be putting Willow in more danger given her current state.

"No, Will, it's okay." Buffy says with a frown.

"Oh, uh good because I have a meeting with the girls from the witch club." Willow says all giddy. "Tonight we're going to do conjuring spells."

"Fun, try not to conjure anything that would make my job harder." Buffy says in a snarky tone.

"Oh no don't worry only small stuff tonight." Willow says. "See you when you get back." Willow leaves in another direction.

Buffy glares at the dark forest ahead of her. For the first time she's afraid to patrol but she knows with the gang of vampires lurking she still has to do her duty. Or at least attempt.

Buffy marches forward.

A mysterious figure draped in black watches Buffy from a nearby rooftop.

—

Buffy continues through the campus landscape, the night becoming darker and darker. She finds herself flinching at ever slight sight, sound, anything that doesn't look or feel quite right. A harsh wind blows turning Buffy to a particularly dark cluster of foliage. She swears she can hear something, she swears she can see something, the faint outline of a figure. She looks down at her injured arm then back up at the foliage...Run. Buffy turns and sprints out of the wooded area towards a building, towards the lights. She keeps running never looking back until—

She smacks into a man that was walking parallel with her.

"AH!"

It's professor Rhys. He's dressed really well, relaxed like there's a studied carelessness about him in his style, everything put together effortlessly.

"Professor, oh my God-"

"You can call me Rhys if you like." He says softly.

Buffy calms herself down.

"I'm sorry I just-"

"I know it's hard to be comfortable at night." Rhys says.

"Usually I'm completely fine at night. In the dark." Buffy says.

Rhys starts walking, they're both walking in the same direction.

"What's got you so stirred up?" Rhys asks.

"I think it's just my mind playing tricks on me."

"You should speak to Professor Walsh about the mind."

"You know professor Walsh?"

"You're taking her class?" Rhys asks.

"I asked you first."

Rhys smirks.

"I do know her, though I try to avoid her if she's walking my way."

They laugh softly.

"Yeah, she is a bit scary."

Buffy hears some noises and looks around as they walk, assessing the area always.

"Where are you heading?" Rhys says.

"I'm not sure."

"I was going to the Bronze."

"The bronze?"

"I told some colleagues I'd meet them there. Do you feel like walking with me?"

"Yeah my friends usually end up there anyway so—yeah, yes." Buffy says trying to sound nonchalant.

"Great." Rhys says.

The two continue walking, the tension dies down. Buffy feels she doesn't have to worry anymore at least for tonight.

"So how old are you again?" Buffy asks.

Rhys laughs.

"Why do all my students asl me that? —Twenty-five."

"You always wanted to be a teacher?" Buffy asks.

"Well, sort of."

They reach the entrance to the Bronze. They walk in, stop and scan the room together.

"Sometimes you don't know where life will take you. You think you'll go one way and you end up another." Rhys says.

"I know that feeling."

Rhys looks in her eyes.

"Did you like my lecture?"

"Yeah, actually I think that's the first time I ever payed attention in class." She says.

Rhys laughs.

"Don't tell professor Walsh." Buffy says.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Rhys says.

A couple of people wave at Rhys from the bar.

"College is a great place to figure out what you want out of life." Rhys says.

He starts walking to his colleagues.

"You'll be all right, Buffy." He says as he winks and goes to his colleagues.

Buffy stands there for a bit. There's a band on stage playing a slow, sad song. She walks over to a couch and spots a man across the room turned three quarters away from her that looks like Angel. He turns enough so that she can see his face and it isn't him.

Xander: "The whole world in front of her, and she comes back to this dive.'

She turns around and sees him.

Buffy: "Xander!"

She gives him a one-armed hug.

Xander: "Hey, Buff."

Buffy: "Oh, when did you get back?"

Xander: "Couple days ago."

Buffy: "You freak of nature. Why didn't you call me?"

Xander: "Well I knew you guys were starting the whole college adventure and I didn't want to, um, you know... help you move."

Buffy: "I missed you. How was your trip? Is America nice? I hear it's nice."

Xander: "There's some purple mountains majesty, I'm gonna have to say."

Buffy: "What'd you do? What'd you see?"

Xander: "Basically, I got as far as Oxnard and the engine fell out of my car, and that was literally. So, I ended up washing dishes at 'The Fabulous Ladies Night Club' for about a month and a half while I tried to pay for the repairs. No one really bothered me or even spoke to me until one night when one of the male strippers called in sick and no power on this earth will make me tell you the rest of that story. Suffice to say I traded my car in for one that wasn't entirely made of rust, came trundling back home to the arms of my loving parents, where everything was exactly as it was except I sleep in the basement and I have to pay rent. How's college?"

Buffy: "Male strippers?"

Xander: "No power on this earth!"

Buffy: "Ok. College is good."

Xander: "Ok, uh, once more with even less feeling."

Buffy: "No, really! I-I mean, Willow's in heaven and Oz has this really cool house off campus with the band."

They both sit on the couch.

Xander: "And you're sitting here alone at the Bronze looking like you just got diagnosed with cancer of the puppy."

Buffy: "Technically, I came here with someone."

Buffy motions across at Rhys on the other side of the bar. Rhys gives a little cheers and goes back to talking with colleagues.

Xander: "Who's that?"

Buffy: "My professor."

Xander gives a look.

Xander: "Doesn't look like you're having that bad of a time."

Buffy: "Stop, we just happened to be walking the same direction. He's here with colleagues."

Xander: "Ah."

Buffy: "It's just... there was this vampire, and she took me down, and I just... I don't know how to stop her."

Xander: "Then where's the gang? Avengers assemble! Let's get it going!"

Buffy: "No, I don't want to bug them. I mean they're just starting school, and they don't need this."

Xander: "Ok Buff, what's the 'what' here?"

Buffy: "It's just, what if I can't cut it?"

Xander: "Can't cut what? Slaying?"

Buffy: "Slaying, everything."

Xander: "Buffy, this is all about fear. It's understandable, but you can't let it control you."

Buffy: "Thanks for the pep talk, I feel much more abstract now."

Xander: "The point is, you're Buffy."

Buffy: "Yeah, maybe in high school I was Buffy."

Xander: "And now in college you're Betty Louise?"

Xander gets up and crouches down in front of her.

Xander: "Buffy, I've gone through some fairly dark times in my life, faced some scary things, among them the kitchen at 'The Fabulous Ladies Night Club.' Let me tell you something, when it's dark and I'm all alone and I'm scared or freaked out or whatever, I always think, 'What would Buffy do?' You're my hero. Ok, sometimes when it's dark and I'm all alone I think, 'What is Buffy wearing?'"

Buffy: "Can that be one of those things you never, ever, tell me about?"

Xander: "It's a deal."

He stands up.

Xander: "Let's put this b¡tch in the ground! What do you say?"

She holds out her right hand and he helps her up.

Buffy: "I think I say thank you."

Buffy was so happy to have Xander back by her side. She felt things might be turning around but there was still the looming threat of Octavia.

End of Part II

Author's note - Again I did take directly from the show in certain parts because they setup certain things perfectly, like the return of Xander. As we dive deeper into the story we'll divert a bit from the show so bear with me for these first few parts. And I'm going to try and incorporate more AI artwork! Thanks for reading!