Summary: Patty Halliwell died and when she was to go on to the afterlife, she was approached by an Angel of Destiny and the Elders to either continue on to the afterlife, or to be reborn and continue the fight against evil. She chose to be reborn and was reborn as Buffy Summers, the Slayer.

Pairings: Buffy/? I am debating either Victor (Prue, Piper and Phoebe's father and Patty's ex-husband) or Sam (Paige's father, Patty's lover and Whitelighter)

A/U: Set during and after the BTVS season 6 episode, Tabula Rosa and the Charmed season 4 premiere, Charmed Again.

Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Buffy the Vampire Slayer, CBS may own Charmed (it appears they do since rumor has it they are looking at rebooting the show).

Prologue: Tabula Rasa

Buffy walked through the cemetery, her eyes held a vacant look. Several yards back, a shadowy figure trailed her, obscured by the mist. She stopped walking as she looked around her Slayer senses telling her something was there. She whirled around, her body tense, stake poised, only to find herself face to face with Spike.

"Can we talk?" Spike asked as Buffy gave him an irritated look.

"Vocal cord wise, yes. With each other, no." Buffy said as she turned and started to walk away.

Spike held his ground as he called after her, "We have to talk."

Ten feet away from Spike, Buffy turned to face him again. "About what?" she asked.

"Um, whatever," Spike said. "Just conversation. For instance, the weather, the ... graves … the—We kissed, Buffy."

Buffy stared him down, seemingly unaffected. "So?"

"We kissed, you and me, all Gone with the Wind with the rising music and the rising ... music, and what was that Buffy?" Spike asked.

"A spell," Buffy said as she turned walked away again.

Spike quickly followed after Buffy. "Don't you get all prim and proper on me. I know what kind of girl you really are," he said as she stopped walking. He walked around her so that he could face her. "Don't I?"

"What we did, is done," Buffy said. "But I will never kiss you Spike, never touch you, ever, ever again." Suddenly she threw herself at him, knocking him to the ground, just as a flying stake whizzed by, missing them by inches and impaling itself in a tree just behind them.

They looked up, and found a face a shark-headed demon and his two vampire heavies standing ten feet away.

Buffy rolled off Spike and faced the demon and vampires, quite irritated at the interruption.

"Easy, boys," the demon said as he paced. "There's no need to get physical-like. Is there Mr. Spike?"

Buffy looked at Spike. "You know this guy?" she asked.

Spike nodded. "Yeah," he said as he looked at the demon. "What do you want?"

The demon walked past Buffy and Spike to the tree. He reached and wrenched the stake loose. He then returned to his pacing as he used the stake to clean under his fingernails. "Me?" he said. "There are a lot of things I would like. A house in Bel Aire with a generously-sized swimming pool; a lady barracuda who loves me for who I really am ..." Suddenly, he got in Spike's face as he held the stake at Spike's heart. "And the forty Siamese that you owe me."

"Take it easy. You'll get your kittens." Spike said.

"I trust you Mr. Spike," the demon said as he pulled away the stake. "That's why I let you gamble the felines in the first place."

"Oh god, what is with you guys?" Buffy asked. "Why kittens? Why can't you use money like normal people?"

"She's funny. I like funny in a girl," the demon said.

"I just need a little time." Spike said.

"Time. Time's what turns kittens into cats," the demon said as he motioned to the vampires, who come forward, closing in on Buffy and Spike. "I don't want to see anyone get hurt."

Buffy grabbed a tree branch and swung forward, kicking the first vampire in the face causing him to stagger back. "Then you better close your eyes," she said as she dropped from the branch.

The other vampire charged Spike, stake in hand as Buffy stepped between them and socked him in the gut. As he doubled over in pain, she hit him on the back of the neck and he crumpled to the ground. She picked up his fallen stake and pushed the first vampire back as Spike gingerly edged away.

"I said she was the Slayer, Boss," the first vampire said.

"Good for you. The Vampire Slayer. Have you given any thought to freelance work, a little debt collecting perhaps? I bet you could really bust up a knee cap or two," the demon said to Buffy.

"No. Thank you," Buffy said, dryly as the second vampire got to his feet and shuffled over to the demon.

"Boss," the first vampire said as he looked around, "he's gone; Spike has split."

They all look around and found that it was true, Spike was gone.

"That's what I get for socializing. C'mon boys, up and at'em. We'll locate Mr. Spike and uh, talk to him a little more," the demon said. He made a little bow towards Buffy. "It was a genuine pleasure." He and the vamps walk away.

Buffy looked around for Spike as the demon and the vampires walked away. "If I just stopped saving his life it would simple things up so much," she said.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The next morning in the training room of the Magic Box, Buffy sat on the couch next to Giles. She was in a state of shock at what she had just learned. "No," she said.

"I'm afraid I have to," Giles said, he didn't relish telling Buffy this, but it was necessary.

"Uh-huh." Buffy said. "What do you mean you have to? You can't! Giles, this is when I need you. I'm all messed up. Everything is all messed up."

Giles nodded. "I know. But you have to be strong. I'm trying to—"

"To what? Abandon me, desert me? Leave me all alone when I really need somebody, that's great. That's just really great of you." Buffy said.

"Buffy, please, this is hard." Giles said.

"Yeah, I know, I know. This hurts you more than it hurts me. And it will be really hard for you over in jolly old England, palling around with all your jolly old friends and riding around in double decker buses or whatever the hell you do there." Buffy said.

Giles sighed, "I don't want to leave—"

"So don't. Please don't, okay? I can't do this without you." Buffy said.

Giles shook his head knowing that she could do it without him. "But you can. That's why I'm going. As long as I stay, when things arise that you feel you can't handle, you'll turn to me. And I'll step in, because... Because I hate to see you suffer."

Buffy sighed. "As much of it as I can take—"

"And I'm loathe to cause you any more, believe me. But this is ... In every mentor relationship, there's a point when the student must kill the teacher—" Giles said as Buffy glared at him. "Metaphorically. What I'm saying ... I've taught you everything you need know about being the Slayer. And your mother taught you everything you need know about life. But you won't believe it until you're forced to stand alone."

"But why now? Now that you know where I've been. What I'm dealing with—" Buffy said.

"Now more than ever. The temptation to give up must be powerful. I can't let that happen." Giles said.

"So I won't," Buffy said. "No giving up. You can be here and I can still be strong. I don't have to depend on you as much as I have."

"Buffy. I've thought this over. And over. I think it's the right thing." Giles said.

Buffy stood up, hurt and a tad bit mad. "You're wrong."

Giles sighed. "I don't think so. I hope not."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At Buffy's house, Dawn and Tara stood at the bottom of the stairs as they waited for Willow. "Willow! Get the lead out," Dawn bellowed.

"Coming," Willow called down.

Dawn looked to Tara. "What's does that mean anyway?" she wondered. "Get what lead out of where?"

Tara shrugged. "Cars."

"Oh. For some reason I pictured a pencil," Dawn said. "Willow! You ready?"

Willow appeared at the top of the stairs, a towel wrapped around her body with her hair wrapped up in another towel. "Not so much. You go ahead. Tell Giles to hold up, I'm there in a sec."

"Fine," Tara said.

"Hurry up; you don't wanna miss the lowdown on our latest featured creature," Dawn said as Tara nudged her out the door.

Willow waited a moment at the top of the stairs to make sure they were gone. Then she headed toward her bedroom ... With a little magic she was dressed in a blink of an eye and heading downstairs. In the living room she glanced at an old photo of Buffy taken before she had jumped off the tower so that Dawn would not have to. She hoped what she was about to do would ease the pain that Buffy was in. As well as make Tara forget her uses of magic.

Willow walked over to the bookshelf and pulled back a few books to reveal a Ziploc bag containing dried Lethe's Bramble. She pulled out the Lethe's Bramble and replaced the books. She knelt by the fireplace and pulled out four sprigs of the dried weed and ignited them before tossing them into the fireplace. The Lethe's Bramble smolders, producing a dense, foul smoke as Willow watched. She then tossed in a fifth sprig for good measure.

"For Buffy and Tara this I char, let Lethe's Bramble do its chore. Purge their minds of memories grim, of pains from recent slights and sins ..." Willow chanted as she took a pure white crystal from the breast pocket of her shirt and touched it to the burning herbs. It immediately turned pale gray. "When the fire goes out. When the crystal turns black. The spell will be cast. Tabula rasa. Tabula rasa. Tabula rasa." She then stood as she gave the fire a final look. She put the crystal in her pocket and then headed for the door.

The bag of Lethe's Bramble, left carelessly near the fireplace, is burned by a stray ember.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

At the Magic Box Tara, Dawn, Anya and Giles sat around the table waiting for Willow and Xander.

"So what do we got?" Dawn asked as she looked at her sister who sat near the counter staring off into space.

"Sorry?" Giles asked.

"What kind of oogly-booglys? Lizardy-types, or zombies, or vampires or what?" Dawn asked.

"Dawn. There are no oogly-booglys," Giles said as Willow and Xander walked through the front door.

"Thanks, it's cold out there." Willow said, wearing Xander's jacket.

"Not a problem," Xander said as he shivered slightly. "The cold only makes me stronger and more macho-like."

"I'm glad you're here." Giles said as he stood up. "I have something I really have to tell you all. I know it seems like we've been through this but—"

Suddenly on the verge of tears, Buffy stood up. "Why don't you jump to the chase, Giles? Just tell them that you're—"

But just as Buffy was about to tell them Giles was leaving, the front door banged open and Spike came flying in. They all noted the suit and hat he was wearing.

Spike slammed the door before moving towards Buffy. He smiled nervously. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Spike?" Giles asked.

"Holy moly." Anya said.

"You need to give me asylum." Spike said.

Xander shook his head. "I'll say."

Spike hopped up on the counter as he took off his hat. "No need to get cute. It's a disguise. Thrift shop number. Happens there's a bloke I'd rather not see just now," he said as he looked at Buffy. "You met him, I believe. The toothy bloke with the baby seal breath?"

As everyone stared at Spike, Willow discreetly pulled the crystal from her pocket and checked it. It had turned black as tar.

"Alright, then. If we've recovered from Spike's sartorial humor ..." Giles said as he looked to Buffy. "I will jump to the chase. I'm heading back to England and I plan on staying. Indefinitely."

"Now? Not now, not right after ... everything." Xander said.

Giles nodded as he sat back down. "Yes, now—"

"For real this time?" Anya asked. "'Cause honest to Pete, a young shopkeeper's heart can only be broken so many times. I mean, not that I want you to—"

Buffy, distraught, moved towards the door. "I—I can't do this. I gotta ... You guys just—"

Willow walked over to Buffy and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Buffy," she said, I ... listen. I know this must be awful for you. And I'm sorry, so sorry, for what we put you—"

Buffy turned on Willow, as she broke down, her pain palpable. "I'm sorry. Everybody's sorry. And I know you're trying to help me. But it's all too much, Will. The memories, they hurt," she said. "I can't take it anymore. If you understood how it felt—how it feels now ... It's like I'm dying in—" Suddenly she closed her eyes and crumpled to her knees as everyone else did the same.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The sun had long set when Buffy's eyes blinked open. She sat up, stretched and yawned as if she was had just woken from a long nap. Then suddenly she froze: she had no idea where she was. She squinted, trying desperately to remember... anything. Then suddenly memories rushed into her head. Slowly, carefully, she got to her feet. She looked around the room at the sleeping strangers.

Willow was the next to wake. She looked at Xander and jerked back with a little yelp. "Uhh!"

As Willow jerked away from Xander, he woke and yelped. He looked at Willow, and forced a casual smile to cover for the fact he had no idea who she was. "Hey."

"Hey?" Willow said as she smiled back uncomfortably at Xander.

Tara stretched like a satisfied cat after a nap and then opened her eyes. Satisfaction turned to embarrassment and then confusion.

Anya and Giles woke and looked at each other curiously.

"Hello." Giles said.

Spike woke as he fell off the counter and hit the ground. "AAAaaa!"

And with Spike's yell, Dawn awoke and looked around terrified, her eyes wide with panic. "Who, who are you guys?"

Buffy moved to Dawn and reached out to her. "Hey, don't worry."

Dawn moved away from Buffy, afraid of Buffy's touch. "Please don't hurt me."

"It's okay. I don't know anyone here either." Buffy said.

"Yeah? Who are you?" Dawn asked.

Buffy was caught off guard, one of the last things she remembered was talking to one of the Angels of Destiny and the Elders, about being reincarnated, and about being able to continue the good fight. She was sure this was the body she had been reincarnated in, but the question was why she remembered her old life. "I...nm, I—"

Suddenly Xander leapt to his feet. "Who are you freaks?" he asked.

"You don't know me?" Willow asked.

Xander shook his head. "I don't have a clue."

"But you just acted all, Hey." Willow said.

Xander nodded. "Yeah, 'cause I thought you were a girl and I'd remember in a second but—"

"I am a girl. I'm ..." Willow said and then she realized that she didn't remember her own name. "Not sure who I am. Exactly. But—"

"Okay ... why was I on the ground? And why are you all staring at me? Is this some kind of psych test? Am I getting paid for this? Is this a bad dream?" Xander said, paranoid as he pinched himself. "Yow, okay, no. Am I in trouble? I didn't do it! And if I did, it was an accident."

"It's not just you. Does anyone remember anything?" Giles asked.

Spike shook his head. "Nope."

Buffy watched as everyone shook their heads. She thought about it for a moment then shook her head as well. She knew what she did remember should not have been possible outside of being summoned by her daughters. She looked at the others and didn't see Piper, Phoebe or Prue anywhere and knew that they had not summoned her. So the question was, why did she remember being Patty Halliwell.

"Perhaps we all got terribly drunk and we're having some kind of black-out." Giles said as they gathered around the table.

"I don't think I d—drink." Dawn said, trying really hard not to cry.

"I don't see any booze; I don't feel any head bumps; and I don't see Alan Funt." Anya said.

Xander trying hard not to panic took a few deep breaths. "Okay ... I'm not panicking, I'm not, I'm not. Stop looking at me like I'm panicking."

"Hey, take it easy, guy. No one's hurt, right? And none of us looked like we're going to kill each other, so we're probably safe. Here. Wherever here is," Buffy said as she looked around. She had been in magic shops plenty of times to recognize one. She knew she was in one now. The question was where was it.

"Look at the things on these shelves: weird jars of weird stuff and weird books with weird covers like:" Willow said, "'Magic for beginners'. Oh."

"A magic shop. A real magic shop." Tara said, in awe.

"That's probably it. A spell gone awry." Buffy said.

Giles scoffed. "Magic? Magic is all balderdash and chicanery. I'm afraid we don't know a bloody thing. Except I seem to be British, don't I? And a man. With glasses. Well, that narrows it down considerably."

"I don't like this." Dawn said as she started to cry.

Buffy put her arm around Dawn as she tried to comfort the girl. "Listen, it's going to be okay. We'll take care of each other, okay?"

Dawn nodded at Buffy through her tears.

"Yes, we'll get back our memories and everything will be right as rain." Giles said.

"Oh listen to Mary Poppins! Got his crust all stiff and upper with that nancy-boy accent. You Englishmen are always so–" Spike said before realizing he spoke with an accent. "Bloody hell. Sodding blimy shagging knickers bullocks—oh no. I'm English."

"Welcome to the nancy tribe," Giles said.

Spike eyed Giles, a horrible thought creeping in. "You don't suppose ... you and I ... we're not related, are we?"

"There is a ruggedly handsome resemblance." Anya said.

Giles looked at Spike, dismayed. "And you do inspire a particular feeling of familiarity ... and disappointment. Older brother?"

"Well, I'm thinking more like –" Anya said.

"Father!" Spike said, glaring at Giles. "My god how I must hate you."

"What did I do?" Giles asked.

"Oh, there's always something. And what's with the trollop?" Spike said as he indicated Anya.

"Hey!" Anya said.

"Her?" Giles asked.

Spike nodded, "I saw you ... sleeping together."

"Resting together!" Giles said.

"Look!" Anya said as she showed Giles an engagement ring! "It's okay, we're engaged."

Giles looked at Anya, shyly. "Oh."

Anya smiled at Giles. "It's a lovely ring."

"Great, a tarty step-Mum who's half ol' Daddy's age," Spike said.

"Tarty!" Anya said.

"Old! I'm young enough to still get carded—" Giles said.

"Carded! Driver's licenses!" Willow interrupted as they all scramble through their pockets.

Xander pulled his license out of his wallet and held it up. "Look! Me! Alexander Harris. Cute picture. Hey, I exist!"

"I'm Willow Rosenberg. Willow!" Willow said as she looked at her UC Sunnydale student ID. "Funny name."

"I think it's pretty," Tara said.

"What do you got?" Willow asked.

"Tara. And look, I'm a student at UC Sunnydale." Tara said as she looked at her UC Sunnydale student ID.

Willow smiled. "Me too! Maybe we're study buddies."

Dawn looked to Buffy. "I don't have a wallet."

"Don't worry, me neither. But here..." Buffy said as she touched a nameplate necklace hanging around Dawn's neck. "You're Dawn."

Dawn looked at the necklace. "Or Umad," she said reading it upside down. She and Buffy smile at each other.

Giles went through his billfold and pulled out his license. "I'm called, let's see, Rupert Giles."

"Rupert." Anya said, swoony.

Spike smirked, "Rupert."

"You're not too old to take over my knee ... Son. What did I call you anyway?" Giles said.

Spike patted his back pocket, no wallet. Nothing in his coat pocket either. Then he notice a tailor's label inside the coat. "Made with care for Randy," he said as he looked at Giles, aghast. "Randy Giles?! Why didn't you just name me Horny Giles or Desperate-for-a-shag Giles? I knew there was a reason I hated you!"

"Randy's a family name. Undoubtedly." Giles said.

"I've got a name on my jacket too," Willow said as she reads the embroidery over her heart. "Harris."

"Harris? That's my last name. Hey, maybe I have a brother and you go out with him." Xander said. "... or, maybe you go out with me."

"We did wake up all snuggly wuggly. I guess maybe you're my boyfriend." Willow said.

"Either that or I have one pissed off brother out there somewhere." Xander said as he and Willow smiled at each other.

"I'm Anya!" Anya said by the front door, testing a key on the interior lock. "My key fits the lock and I found some forms by the register that said Rupert and Anya own the shop together. That's me. Anya Shop-owner."

"This is our magic shop?" Giles said glancing about. "Well, that's ... very progressive of me. You know it truly is a small mind that fails to acknowledge the, um, alternatives to our rational, scientific understanding of the universe. Oh look! Fancy herbs!"

"So you don't have a name?" Dawn asked Buffy.

Buffy smiled. "Of course I do. I just don't happen to know it."

"You want me to name you?" Dawn asked.

"That's sweet, but I think I can name myself. I'll name me … Patty." Buffy said deciding to use the name she remembered.

"Ug!" Dawn said.

"What? You don't like my name?" Buffy asked.

"It's just so ... blarg. 'Patty'?" Dawn said.

"I like it," Buffy said.

"Fine. That's your purgative." Dawn said.

"Prerogative." Buffy corrected.

"Whatever. Patty." Dawn said.

Buffy said and in that moment something nagged at the back of her mind telling her to retaliate. "Whatever. Umad," she said. "Boy you're a pain in the neck."

"Boy you're bossy." Dawn said looking up at Buffy as an idea struck her. "Do you think we're—"

"Sisters?" Buffy asked having finally understood the nagging at the back of her mind. She was sure it was true as she hugged Dawn.

"You never showed me affection like that. I'd wager." Spike said to Giles.

"We've got to figure out what's going on. We need to get help," Buffy said.

"Looks like Patty fancies herself the boss." Spike said.

"We've got a kid here …" Buffy said ignoring Spike.

"Teenager," Dawn interjected.

"Teenager, and we have no idea what's wrong with us. I think a hospital is our best bet." Buffy said.

"Alright then, let's head out." Giles said as they headed for the door.

"Any suggestions on how we get there?" Buffy asked.

"Dad can drive. He's bound to have some classic mid-life crisis transport: something red, sporty, shaped like a penis." Spike said.

As Buffy opened the front door the two vampires that worked for the demon Spike and Buffy had met the night before snarled and charged!

"AAAAAAAaaaaaa!" Giles, Dawn, Anya, Willow, Tara, Xander and Spike screamed.

Instinctually Buffy brought up her hands and the vampires and the group, save herself and Dawn, froze.

"What happened?" Dawn asked looking around.

Buffy looked at the group at the vampire and the group and shook her head wondering how she still had her powers. "I shouldn't have my powers, but since I do it proves you and I are sisters. Only good witches don't freeze."

"You have your memories?" Dawn asked.

Buffy shook her head. "Not the memories I should have. I was reincarnated after I died. This body is the one I was reincarnated into. I shouldn't remember anything of my former life."

"So that's why you called yourself, Patty?" Dawn asked. "Because that's what you were called back then?"

"Yes. I'm going to unfreeze the room. You need to pretend that no one else froze okay?" Buffy said.

"Why?" Dawn asked.

"Because it risks exposure." Buffy said. "We can't risk exposing that we're real witches."

"Because of things like the Salem witch trials?" Dawn asked as Buffy nodded. "Okay."

Buffy turned back towards the door as she unfroze everyone.

"Slayer!" the first vampire said as Buffy slammed the door shut.

"Did you see what I—" Buffy said playing the innocence card. Of course she knew they were vampires. It had been why she had reacted on instinct and froze everything. She wondered about the word Slayer. She remembered reading something in the Book of Shadows about Slayers, but couldn't remember what.

"Vampires!" Spike said as they crouched down behind the door.

"Maybe it's Halloween." Tara suggested.

Dawn shook her head as she looked at Buffy. "Doesn't feel like Halloween," she said as she smiled at Buffy.

"Even if it is, those were definitely not kids and they were definitely not wearing costumes. Randy's right. We got vampires!" Xander said as the vampires in question banged on the door. "And I don't think they're knockin' for candy."

"Doors! We should check for other doors, make sure they're locked and then put big heavy things in front of them! Come on!" Willow said as she grabbed Xander and disappeared into the back of the shop.

"Monsters are real ... Did we know this?" Buffy said, keeping the fact she knows they are real a secret. The first thing her mother, Penny, had drilled into her was to keep the family secret.

"I don't know. We n—need our memories back! We have to get to the hospital!" Tara said.

Giles nodded. "Speaking as the proprietor of a Magic Shop, I propose we fight back. We can use things here in the shop, magic ... tricks or whatever they call—"

The first vampire slammed against the front window as the second one continued to bang and rattle the front door. "Send out Spike!" the first said.

"They seem to want spikes." Giles said.

"Oh, I saw some ..." Spike said as he scooted over to Giles' desk and grabbed a handful of stakes among the clutter. "Here. Let's give 'em these."

"Wait. What are they going to do—" Dawn said looking at Buffy.

"Slayer! Come out and play!" the second vampire said.

"Slay her! That's just what they said before. They're going to use those spikes—" Tara said.

Buffy thought for a moment as she tried to remember the passage in the Book of Shadows that talks about the Slayer. "To kill a girl," she said as Spike put the stakes in his jacket pocket.

"You guys!" Willow said as she and Xander come running back, breathless. "There's a trapdoor in the basement, seems to lead to the sewer."

"Let's go," Anya said as they headed for the basement. Just then the first vampire bust through the front window.

The first vampire strode around them, blocking their exit. Scared everyone except Buffy scurried into the front corner as she followed them at a more sedate pace keeping herself between the vampire, the innocents and her sister.

The second vampire then broke through the front door.

Xander got down on his knees. "Now I'm not sure what I am, so bear with me here, okay? Um, Now I lay me down to sleep... Shema Israel...uh, Ohm, Ohm."

The first vampire started to break various items in the shop as the second vampire got up in Spike's face.

The second vampire pushed Spike against the wall. "You owe us!" he said as Spike grabbed the stakes in his pocket and tossed them at the vampire's feet.

"Fine! Take the damn spikes!" Spike said.

The second vampire snarled as the stakes clattered to the ground. He took a step closer to Spike. "Don't be stupid."

The first vampire grabbed for Buffy who instinctively froze the room once again. "Stupid vampires."

"Patty?" Dawn asked.

"I'm fine. I just need to unfreeze the room," she said as she unfroze the room.

"I said, you owe us!" the second vampire said to Spike.

"Who, me?" Spike asked.

The second vampire nodded. "You got the boss' kittens!"

"Kittens?" Spike asked confused.

The second vampire lunged at Spike!

Buffy kicked the first vampire in the groin as she grabbed a stake and thrust it into the second vampire's heart.

"Whoa!" Dawn said as the second vampire dusted and then smiled. "Way to go, Patty!"

"What did you just do?" Willow asked, amazed.

Buffy looked at the stake unsure herself. vampires were stronger than humans. She shouldn't have been able to stake one that easily without using her powers to freeze it first. "I don't know."

The first vampire jumped out the broken window. "The boss ain't going to like this. I'll be back and I won't be alone."

Spike went to the front of the shop and pulled a metal security gate across the entrance.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Later four vampires, including the first vampire and the demon surround the outside of the magic shop. "The boys want to taste blood Boss," the first vampire said. "They want to break down the door."

"The boys are barbarians. There's no need for that. The humans will turn on him soon enough. And if not ..." the demon said as he lit a cigarette. "We'll burn the place to the ground."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Inside Buffy peered out the barred window, looking at the gang of vampires. She turned around to face the others. "Okay, I've got a plan."

"All ears." Xander said.

"They seem to want Randy," Buffy said. "And I'm strong. So, while you all go through the sewer and find the hospital, Randy and I'll take the monsters for a run."

"That's your plan?" Spike asked.

Buffy nodded. "Yes."

"Right." Spike said.

"I'm not leaving the shop. I need to protect the cash register and ... do spells." Anya said.

"Perhaps magic can help us. It's worth a shot," Giles said.

Buffy rolled her eyes; very few non-wiccan witches could actually successfully cast a spell she knew. Unless of course they were progenitors. She knew there were no other powered witches other than herself and probably Dawn, she was unsure though if there were any progenitors, since being non-powered witches, the would freeze like anyone else. "Alright. You two work on that then. We gotta go. Ready Randy?"

Spike nodded. "Ready Patty," he said as he and Buffy headed for the door.

"Son?" Giles said.

"Patty?" Dawn said as Buffy and Spike turned towards her and Giles.

"Come here please." Giles said to Spike. Spike walked over to him and is pulled into an embrace.

Buffy walked over to Dawn and smiled. "It'll be alright. I promise."

Dawn hugged Buffy and then nodded. "Okay. But be careful anyways."

"Right." Spike said to Giles.

"Good then." Giles said.

Hastily, embarrassed by this outpouring of emotion, Giles and Spike push each other away.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy and Spike threw open the door and ran right through the pack of vampires who gave chase. Within a few seconds, the vampires are upon them.

"Randy!" Buffy said as one of the vampires grabbed Spike.

Spike threw a punch at the vampire as he morphed his face into is vampiric visage. The Vampire went flying as he turned to Buffy. "Hey! I'm a superhero?"

Buffy frowned as she caught site of Spike's vampiric visage. She would worry about that later, right now she had to lure the other vampires away from the others and her sister. She took off at a run.

"Patty! Where ya goin'?" Spike called out as he chased after her. "Hey Patty, wait up!" He tried desperately to catch up with Buffy as they ran into a residential neighborhood. "Wait up!" He caught up with her and put out his arm and spun her around to face him.

Instinctively and smoothly, Buffy used her momentum to flip Spike backwards, launching herself forward onto him at the same time and pinning him to the ground.

"Bloody hell! What're you doing?" Spike said.

"You don't know who you are." Buffy said.

"Right. None of us do. And we're being chased by the fiendy—" Spike said.

"You're a vampire." Buffy said.

"How could you ..." Spike said. "I ... me a vampire ... Nah ..."

"Check the forehead ... and the teeth." Buffy said as she sat back.

Spike reached up, feeling the bump ridges of his face like a blind man. He then ran his tongue over his fangs. Then he put his fingers to his throat: no pulse.

"I kill your kind." Buffy said. He is a vampire after all which makes him a demon inhabiting a corpse. And in her previous life she had vanquished a vampire or two.

"And I bite yours." Spike said as he looked at her and his ferocious expression melts. "So why don't I want to bite you? And why am I fighting other vampires? I must be a noble vampire. A good guy. On a mission of redemption. I help the hopeless. I'm a vampire with a soul!"

"Oh my god," Buffy said as that was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, "a vampire with a soul?! How lame is that?" She got up letting Spike up.

"I'm a hero, really. I mean, to be cast such an ugly lot but then to rise above it, to seek better, nobler things. It's inspiring, in'it?" Spike said as he looked at Buffy who watched him, expressionless. "And the two of us! Natural enemies thrown together to stand against the forces of darkness! Utter trust! No thought of me biting you. No thought of you staking me ..."

"Kinda depends on how long you keep on talking—" Buffy said as she heard the demons approaching. She turned to see the four vampires followed by the demon.

"You know what you're doing?" Spike asked.

Buffy nodded. "Yes."

"Why if it isn't Mr. Spike and the Slayer," the demon said. "It seems there was some miscommunication between us. Somehow you've killed three of my vampires."

Buffy finally remembered what was written in the Book of Shadows. The Slayer was generally a mortal chosen by the Powers that Be, a neutral group–neither good nor evil, to fight the forces of darkness alone. While her family had been gifted with magic to do the same, the Slayer she remembered had been gifted with strength and agility to do the same without needing magic.

"Hey, so no big deal, they're a dime a dozen. But you know? You still haven't paid me my kittens. And that's okay too," the demon said. "Because you'll pay me now. At 'em, boys!"

And the vampires attacked!

Two jump Spike while the other two took on Buffy

Buffy dealt out a couple blows before getting socked in the jaw. She kicked them away as she broke off a nearby mailbox and dusts a vamp with the mailbox post.

Spike head butt another vampire, who collapsed. He pulled pulls a stake from his jacket and drove it into the vampires heart.

Buffy kicked another vampire who staggered back towards Spike. Spike hit the vampire and he ricocheted back towards Buffy. She drove a stake through the vampire's heart.

Suddenly Buffy stopped as memories began to flood her mind; who she really was, her mother's death, heaven, hell on earth. She stood there frozen with the conflicting memories playing at he, the ones from Buffy Summers and the ones from Patricia Halliwell. She remembered both lives now.

The first vampire kicked Buffy in the face sending her sprawling back onto the pavement. She tried to sit up but the memories overwhelm her, making her dizzy and sick.

"Buffy ..." Spike said as he remembers who he is and looked over at Buffy. "Buff—" Empowered by fury, he grabbed the vampires by their scalps and crushed their skulls together. They crumple to the pavement as he staked them. "From dust ... To dust."

"You're an odd duck, Mr. Spike ..." the demon said as Spike whirled to face him. "Fighting your own kind. Palling around with a Slayer. And, whoa, that suit! Chutzpah must be your middle name."

Spike walked towards the demon, slowly, purposefully.

The demon looked around and noted he was alone, that all his vampires were dust. "Uh, hey, look... About our little debt problem ... It's okay. I don't need the kittens."

Spike grabbed the demon by the collar. "You'll get paid. I'm no welsher," he said as he released the demon.

The demon smiled. "Right, sure. You're good for it. I know that. So, I'll just, uh ... Yeah." He backed away from Spike and then hurried off into the night.

Spike walked over to Buffy and offered to help her up from where she still lay on the ground. "You alright?"

Buffy ignored the hand and stood up. She slowly walked away, leaving Spike alone.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

A few days later Buffy entered the front door of the Summers home to find Dawn waiting. "Hi, Dawn."

"I'm just curious, Buffy. Do you still have …?" Dawn said.

Buffy shrugged. "I haven't tried. I remember Patty's life so I know how to control the power. I've just have been kind of scared on what it all means if I tried to use it."

"Then try it." Dawn said.

Buffy nodded as they heard Willow come down the stairs. She raised her hands and froze the room. The footsteps on the stairs suddenly stopped. They look up and saw Willow was frozen.

"I guess that's a yes, Buffy." Dawn said.

Buffy nodded, "I guess it is. I wonder why Willow is frozen though."

"Why?" Dawn asked.

"Good witches don't freeze, remember?" Buffy said. "She could be a progenitor."

"Progenitor?" Dawn asked.

"A witch who is the beginnings of a new magical line," Buffy said. "It would explain how she can be a witch and still be frozen."

"So why am I not frozen?" Dawn asked.

"Remember the monks made your from me. Right?" Buffy said and Dawn nodded. "That means they had to use some of my blood and there is something in the blood that makes me a witch. Which means you likely have powers too. You just don't know how to access them. We'll find out though." She the unfroze the room and seconds later Willow joined them in the living room. They could see she had been crying again, as Tara had left her. "How are you doing, Will?"