The old woman was smiling at her, and even though she could not, Buffy wanted desperately to believe her.

"He's not dead," Mrs. MacComb said. "He's trapped in the vortex, but he's not dead."

Buffy felt a knot growing in her stomach. If this was true, then there was a chance that she could get him out of there. But that would mean going back and asking Giles for help. And her friends wouldn't want her back now, after everything. She couldn't face them, or her Mom.

"I know you're scared," the old woman said. Her face was beginning to become younger and younger. She was taking on a familiar voice, too.

"If he's in hell right now, he's in a lot of pain, so maybe it's better that he's dead, right?," Buffy said.

Mrs. MacComb was no longer there. The woman that sat before Buffy took Buffy's hand, and when Buffy looked up, she was in shock.

"Miss Calendar!" Buffy screamed. "What is happening? Why are you here?"
Jenny Calendar brushed a tear off Buffy's cheek.

"I had some unresolved issues with you, Buffy. I let you down and Rupert, too, and when Angelus killed me, I wasn't quite ready to go yet. So they let me watch over you."

"I'm sorry for what he did to you," Buffy said.

Jenny Calendar gave the young girl a hug.

"Things are going to be fine now, I promise you. You and I need to get back to Sunnydale. Are you ready to go?"

Buffy sat back on the couch.

"There's nothing left for me there," she said. "I can't go back there."

Jenny Calendar grabbed Buffy's shoulder.

"We're going."

Buffy was helpless. She couldn't say no.