It's Not Just You: It's Not Just You
by Empada M
Summers walked aimlessly through the dark streets of Sunnydale. It had been awhile since she had been there. Actually five months; five long painful months. She wondered how everyone was doing, if they had gone on with their lives and forgotten all about her.

How were Xander and Willow? How about Oz and Giles? As much as she hated to admit, Buffy missed Cordelia. But the one person that Buffy wanted to see most of all (besides Angel) was her mother.

One solitary tear slipped down Buffy's cheek as she thought of her mother. Buffy knew she had dropped a bombshell on her mother when she told her she was a vampire slayer. She sould have only been putting her mom in danger had she stayed. That was one of the major reasons why Buffy felt as though she had to leave Sunnydale.

Buffy continued to walk. She didn't know what had brought her here or why she had come back.

As she neared the familiar graveyard, Buffy broke down and started crying and shaking. All the pain that she had been trying to repress came back to the surface and she sobbed like a lost little girl. Crawling to a large gravestone, Buffy leaned against it and continued to cry.

Buffy's shoulders shook and she felt the hot tears flow. She tried to erase the image of Keendra lying dead in the school library. But it was one of the many memories that kept coming back to haunt her.

She also tried to banish the picture of her plunging the sword deep into Angel. Buffy sighed and glanced at her hand. Through blurry vision she saw the ring Angel had given her. A shuddering sob escaped her throat and she buried her head in her hands.

If Buffy did not have her head buried in her arms, she would have noticed a shadow in the bushes across from her move.


* * *
The next day at Sunnydale High School, a fight was going on in the library. It was between Grace Taylor, the new Slayer, and Rupert Giles, the Watcher and librarian.

Grace Taylor had short, wavy auburn hair and a slim built. Grace thought the idea of being a Slayer was pretty cool. But then she found out that she had to stay up late and guard cemeterys and other stuff. She didn't like the idea of killing vampires and not having a social life. And deep down inside, she liked vampires. Grace knew a Slayer should not think like that, but she could care less about all that destiny crap. At that moment she had more important things to worry about then saving Sunnydale.

"Giles, I don't want to!" Grace Taylor threw down the stakes she was holding and glared at Giles. "I have a date tonight and I really don't want to go patrolling." Grace stomped across the library and plopped herself down on a chair.

Rupert Giles walked calmly over to the stakes and picked them up. He then turned around and deposited them in Grace's lap. In return, Grace stuffed them into her backpack and hurled the bag onto a chair.

Giles was sick and tired of arguing with the new Slayer. Grace was an obnoxious, self-centered brat. And he was trying as hard as he could to explain to her the duties of a Slayer, without losing his temper.

"Grace, you know your duties and you should except the--." Giles was cut off by her loud, annoying voice.

"Listen you Four-Eyed Weirdo," Grace gave Giles and icy glare. "I am a 16-year-old teenager, except THAT!" With that being said, Grace picked up her backpack and stormed out of the library.

Giles removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Looking toward the swinging library doors, he headed to his office. Willow, Xander, and Cordelia had been quietly sitting at a table watching the display of rebellion. Cordelia put down her pen and scrunched up her face unattractively, "That girl is really starting to bug me."

Xander put his arm around her and said, "Well, as annoying as she is, Cordy, she is the Slayer and she saves lives," He dropped his arm and rolled his eyes. "When she doesn't have a date."

Willow giggled and turned her attention back to her computer. She was looking up newspaper headings of neighboring cities. She was desperately looking for anything that mentioned a blonde girl. Without telling anyone, she even looked at the obituaries. Sighing, Willow placed her chin on her hands. A heading of a recent clipping caught her attention: UNKNOWN TEEN SAVES ELDERLY FROM GANG. WIllow quickly clicked her mouse button to enlarge it. Her mouth gaped open as she read.

The article said that and elderly lady was walking home late at night when she was attacked. The woman said that the 'gang' tried to bare her neck and 'kiss' her. The old lady thought they were going to rape her. The lady later recalled that she had fainted. But when she woke up the 'gang' was gone. After the lady had gotten up, she noticed a young blonde teenage girl running towards the dark alley.

Willow needed to read no further. She knew it was Buffy that rescued the old lady. Willow smiled and decided not to tell Xander or Giles. If it wasn't Buffy she didn't want them to be dissapointed. Shutting off her computer, Willow got up to leave. The door to the library swung open and Oz sauntered in waving to Willow.

"Man, I just saw Grace," He said as he put his arm around Willow and gave her a quick peck. "Is it me or is she always in a bad mood?"

"It's not just you." Xander smiled and gathered his books. Xander had always been the babbling idiot. But since Buffy had left, he only spoke when it was neccessary.

Cordelia picked up her stuff also and headed towards the door. "And is it just me of is she never patrolling and killing bad people?"

Everyone answered her, "It's not just you."

"You're right, Cordelia." Willow stopped in her tracks and turned around to face her. "Everything seems to be getting worse. Grace hardly goes patrolling and last night I saw at least seven vampires! I'm just glad they didn't see me." Willow looked around at all of them and continued, "And just the other day I think I saw that cheerleading trophy glow red!" Willow shuddered. "We should tell Giles."

Oz steered Willow towards the door. Willow immediately started resisting and tried in vain to reach Giles office. Oz tried to talk though her squirming. "Babe, you promised me that you would go eat ice-cream with me. We never do anything anymore. You can tell Giles later."

Willow stopped resisting. "Oh yeah!" She turned towards Xander and Cordelia and said, "Guys, please tell Giles, will you?" Then without another word she left with Oz.

Cordelia looked over at Xander and saw his face. It was blank from all emotions. She worried about him these days.

"What's on your mind, Xander?"

He snapped around as though he had been shot. Xander looked at her as what seemed like the first time. He smiled and took her hand. Cordelia knew he was worried about Buffy. The strange thing was, Cordelia was not jealous.

She smiled and started walking towards the door. His next words brought tears to her eyes. If it wasn't for her mascara, Cordelia would have cried.

"Is it me or does anyone else miss Buffy?"

Giles had stepped out of his office at that moment and had heard the words. He looked at the departing teens.

Giles noticed the changes in all of them since Buffy had left. But now he finally noticed that he had changed also.

A strange lump formed in his throat and his vison blurred with unshed tears.

Xander was near the doors now, but if he was closer he would have heard Giles mumble, "It's not just you."

THE END


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