Connection

A pair of golden brown eyes burst open and she coughed for air. Nothing was clear. Everything seemed to be trapped in a dark kaleidoscope and her body anchored to the ground. She struggled to come out of the paralysis but the touch of grass cooling her fingertips calmed her. This gave her a moment to finally get a lungful of air and her body was free to roll over to get her bearings. Libby wiped her eyes and realized that she wasn't soaked anymore. She wasn't in the tub anymore. She wasn't even in her house anymore! Jumping to her feet, and regretting that decision, she toppled back and held her aching head, surprised to see a lack of glowing veins.

The boiling pain was gone, except she was somehow standing in a graveyard…at night…alone…in her pajamas. What the hell happened? She took a step to lean against a crypt and looked up to see the name, Alpert. Libby squinted at the letters and knew she had seen them before. Absorbing her surroundings in more detail, it hit her. She wasn't just in a graveyard; this was the famous cemetery in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Libby's memories began to come back with more clarity but there was no logical way to connect the dots. No way that made sense. It was impossible. She couldn't be in Sunnydale because it was a fictional town in California. A fictional town that was destroyed in 2003 no less! No. There was absolutely no way.

Crack.

Libby stilled all nervous movement and slowly turned her head. A few rows over, half covered in shadow and moonlight, was a well-dressed vampire covered in dirt. Libby gasped when he bared his fangs. She trembled at the iconic appearance that played on her screen so many times over the years, only now it was stalking her like prey.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up…"

"Tears will not save you, little girl," he growled as his fingers clawed the air.

Libby backed away, trying not to make him pounce and whimpered, "You're not real. You can't be real."

The vampire laughed as he matched her speed, smiling. "I'm the truest thing you'll ever experience." Libby breathed harder as she worked her way through a row of headstones as he closed in. "Death."

Horror shocked her system into action as the vampire jumped, teeth ready to tear into her neck. She screamed and it echoed throughout the cemetery as she held up her hands to shield herself before they hit the ground.

Libby panted vigorously and shut her eyes, but never felt the pinch of fangs. She didn't feel anything. Opening her eyes, she did not find her killer anywhere near her. No…he was flying through the air and soon tumbling to the ground several rows away. However, Libby watched him instantly get to his feet, a scowl of confusion and rage on his bumpy face. She glanced at her hands and then used them to lift herself up and run in the opposite direction.

"What the hell is going on?"

The slayer tossed and turned with images of a young girl hurling a vampire through the air with a wave of her hand flashing in her dreams. Over and over, Buffy saw the girl run through the cemetery and the vampire being thrown into the air without any physical contact. The same two images finally brought Buffy to consciousness. She turned to see that it had only been three hours since the summoning ritual and in just under two it would be dawn.

Buffy hissed at the sting in her wrist. It felt like the mark was seeping into her skin, releasing venom into her bloodstream. There was no visible difference, but all the slayer could think about was getting to the cemetery. She quickly changed and jumped out of the window. At a dead run, Buffy made it to the cemetery very quickly and the further she went the more the sting lessened. It was leading her to the protector.

Libby ducked down between the foliage of another mausoleum and put a hand over her mouth to quiet her breathing. Any fear the vampire might have felt after he first attacked was long gone now. She couldn't seem to do whatever it was she did before, so she fled. Libby thankfully slowed and softened her breathing enough for the vampire to continue his hunt right by her. However, she stayed right where she sat, covered by shadow and brush. Libby's eyes followed her hand as she removed it from her mouth to somehow see a mark imbedded into her wrist.

It was as precise as a geometric tattoo. A simple double spiral fit across the slender middle of her wrist, the left spiral facing down and the right facing up, with a vertical line going straight down the middle of the whole symbol. Near the top of that line was a downward half circle – like the hilt of a sword – and two solid dots underneath, one on either side of the vertical line. It was simple and unique, but how did it get there?

The venomous sting had all but disappeared and yet Buffy couldn't find her protector anywhere. She vaguely knew whom to look for, but she was mainly relying on her tattoo to guide her. There was still a slight sting so the slayer kept to the surrounding area to search.

Libby tried to straighten between the sharp vines, but her shirt got caught. She turned to free herself and rustled the leaves around her. Ripping the hem away, the young girl pricked herself. She suckled the blood dripping from her hand, but was stopped when the vampire surprised her from the back corner of the mausoleum and grabbed her newly tattooed wrist.

Libby screamed and struggled as he snarled, "Allow me."

Buffy heard the scream and the sting was gone. She ran for the vampire and pulled him off the frightened protector. Libby fell to the ground and wasted no time in crawling behind a large tombstone. She watched as Buffy – Buffy the actual vampire slayer – fight the newly turned vampire. He landed some blows, but the slayer was more skilled and soon drove a stake through his heart. Libby gaped when the vampire exploded into dust and stared at a very young Buffy.

The slayer tucked a few blonde strands behind her ear and attentively walked closer to the shield headstone Libby was crouching behind. "It's okay. It's safe."

Finally blinking, Libby slowly got to her feet. The two girls examined each other without closing in the distance between them. Libby couldn't believe it. It was Buffy Summers. By the length and style of hair – not to mention the youthful appearance – it had to be season two. How could she not be dreaming? How could any of this possibly be real?

"I know you must have a lot of questions and I promise I can answer them, but I think we should have that conversation in the comfort of my watcher's house."

All Libby could seem to do was shake her head. Buffy slowly stepped closer, but stopped when she saw her protector's body become rigid. She took a moment and couldn't control the wisp of a smile on her lips. It was incredible. Buffy could feel the power inside the girl as though it was pumping through her own veins. She was drawn to it like lightning to an umbrella. However, the panic in her protector's brown eyes caused a problem in the completion of their connection.

"I'm Buffy. What's your name?"

Gripping the headstone, Libby realized it didn't matter how any of this was happening anymore. Whether it was a dream, night terror, or hallucination she couldn't stay in the graveyard in her pajamas forever. She wanted a safer place to be until she woke up…and if it was all inexplicably real, she just needed a safe place to be. Libby walked out from behind her shield and said, "I'm Libby. Libby Winters."

Buffy nodded and offered the protector her hand. Libby carefully took it and when their right hands clasped, a surge of power and unity overwhelmed them. They both stared at each other in awe at the intense sensation and even though Libby was still freaked out of her mind, it unexplainably brought her some solace.

"There's a lot you need to tell me…"

"Yeah, there is and my watcher can probably tell you even more."

Libby nodded and followed Buffy to Giles' house. Along the way, she had realized how cold she truly was so Buffy offered up her jacket, which Libby timidly accepted. It was a long, silent walk. Libby kept staring at everything around her, the parts of Sunnydale both shown and never seen over the seven seasons. It was in a word: surreal.

When they arrived at Giles' apartment, the sun had begun to peek over the horizon and light the sky. Buffy pounded on the door until she heard British grumbling on the other side. Libby stared as his voice grew louder and her mouth dropped when he finally opened the door.

"What the bloody hell is so important at this ho –" Giles ranted until he saw two young girls standing at his threshold. "–ur…" He stilled and studied the girl next to his charge.

She had to be the same age as Buffy, though she was slightly taller. Dark, curly hair fell around her face down to her upper arms covering some of the patches of dirt staining her fair skin. The pale blue tank she wore under Buffy's jacket was stained as well, with a rip at the bottom marked with blood. The black cotton shorts did nothing to protect her scraped legs, but the true injury was her bare, bleeding feet. Giles blinked to ensure there was a newly called protector at his doorstep and when those dazed brown eyes kept looking up at him, the watcher knew what must be done.

"Forgive me, please – please come in," Giles fully opened the door and Buffy led Libby inside.

"Here," said Buffy in a soothing tone as she sat Libby on the couch. "Just relax with a pillow and a blanket while I get a bowl of warm water to clean your feet, okay?"

Libby nodded as Buffy left and then she glanced at the disoriented Giles. "I-I'll get antiseptic and-and bandages."

Giles met his slayer in the kitchen and furiously hissed, "What have you done?"

"What I said I would do," Buffy hissed back, making sure the running water was louder than their argument. "You don't understand –"

"No, you don't understand! I told you the existence of the protector to show you why you didn't need one or at most you wouldn't need such drastic assistance until an apocalypse threatened to be unstoppable."

"Right, because a new protector with no time to train or confidence about what's going on would be the key to stopping an unstoppable apocalypse."

"Dammit Buffy! That is not the point!" Buffy blinked and leaned back at the fury in her watcher's eyes and voice. "I told you the repercussions of calling a protector and you blatantly ignored me! You were supposed to realize that it was better to fight alone than to doom someone else to ease your fears. Now, that poor girl sitting and bleeding on my couch – much like you were not six hours ago – is terrified and destined to die for you."

Tears welled up in the back of her throat and began to fill her hazel eyes. She turned away from Giles and dampened a cloth under the faucet. "I won't let that happen, Giles. I will protect her as much as she protects me. It's a partnership. An equal partnership."

"Equal?" he challenged. "Tell me, did you find a spell to send her home whenever she wishes to leave?"

Buffy watched the water overflow the rim of the bowl and answered, "No."

"And you won't because there isn't one."

"Give me time."

"Time is the one thing she may not have! It doesn't matter if you create an equal partnership with her, Buffy. The protector's sole purpose is to die so the slayer can live."

"It does matter!" Buffy nearly yelled over the steaming water as she held up her tattooed wrist. "We are equal, Giles. And balanced in our destinies. And as I've changed a prophecy once before I will do it again to make sure she lives."

Giles removed his glasses and sternly said, "Buffy, you can't be sure of anything."

"Yes I can! You're the one who doesn't understand. I can't do this alone and I would've always been alone no matter who was around me because I am separated from everything normal, Giles. This," she pressed the tattoo again, triggering Giles' curiosity. "Libby changes everything. I'm not alone anymore so we will both live."

Giles rubbed his eyes and put his glasses back on. He turned to the counter and tucked the supplies he used on Buffy into his elbow so he could carry them and the bowl of warm water to the new protector. As he turned off the faucet, he murmured, "Until you discover a spell to send her home, tell no one of her true purpose. The last thing we need to do is frighten her more."

Buffy closed her eyes and deeply breathed to calm the waves of doubt flooding her conscience. Suddenly, she reached for the phone and dialed Willow's number. "Hello?" said a very groggy voice. Buffy sadly smiled at the sound of her best friend. "Hey Willow."

"Buffy? Mmm. It's so early. What's going on?"

"Something's happened. Something really big and I want you to be here for it."

"Big? What kind of big? Where?"

"Giles' place. I'll explain when you get here. And call Xander for me? I need to get back, but I want him here too."

"Um, okay, yeah. We'll be there soon."

"Thanks, Will." Buffy hung up and looked out the bar window to see Giles tending to Libby's wounds. It would be all right. It had to be all right.

She walked out into the living room where Libby instantly looked up and met her eyes. "Is everything okay?" The brunette looked to Giles and back to Buffy.

"Yeah, we just, uh –" Buffy looked to Giles who finished, "An argument. As I told you."

Libby frowned and asked, "About me?"

"No, about whether or not to invite friends." Buffy smirked at Giles and concluded, "Which I did. I thought they should be here when we tell you everything."

Libby nodded and pried, "And exactly what is everything?"

"Okay…sure…what?" the newfound protector yelled. Buffy and Giles had concluded their explanation of what was happening and Libby's reaction matched the baffled expressions of Willow and Xander.

"Is there anything you don't understand o-or is it rather, um, all together d-difficult?" inquired Giles thoughtfully.

Libby slowly closed her mouth and stared at the once fictional librarian from his couch. She never blinked, intensifying her golden glare like a jaguar through a glass barricade at the zoo. You just told me that I've entered a reality where "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is real and that traveling here has given me random "Charmed" powers! Got our own symbol and everything! So what? I was magically summoned by Buffy – freakin' – Summers to be her protector, which doesn't even exist in the TV show? Are you kidding me?! Libby blinked and stated, "Difficult to process."

Buffy shifted in her seat and replied, "I know it's a lot to take in and I wish I could make it super easy to understand, but I can't so feel free to ask us anything."

Libby turned her cat-like stare on the slayer. Questions you say? As though I have a shortage of them! I barely know where I should start! What year is it? What episode are we in? If we're even in a specific one. Why exactly am I here? How long will I be here? Will I be able to go home? Where will I live until I go home? And if I can't go home, is there a way to fix that? Am I going to school on the Hellmouth in the meantime? How much do you think I know? I mean, I know pretty much everything. Am I supposed to tell you that I know pretty much everything? Should I tell you where I'm really from? Should I confess that all of this is supposed to be a fictional TV show? If I do tell, do I tell Buffy? Giles? All of them at once? Or just keep it to myself? Am I here to change everything, assumingly for the better? What if I make things worse? If I fail do I get sent back home? Do I die? What will happen to me when the series ends?

"Libby?" Buffy carefully snapped the protector out of her trance, causing a flinch in surprise. "You okay? Looked like your thoughts had you trapped in there."

"Yeah," Libby sighed. "Good word, trapped."

"Well, yeah!" Willow burst from her seat on the coffee table and at the startled looks she softened, "I mean, it's just a lot has happened in a very small window of time and everything's unfamiliar. I don't even understand what's going on, really."

Libby slightly smiled, thankful that she wasn't the only one in that way of feeling. By the look on Xander's face, his thoughts were discombobulated in trying to figure the whole thing out too. "Yeah, I don't know if it's the crazy, early bird hour or if my tiny Xander brain isn't equipped to understand…but how are you not wiggin' out right now? I mean you just unwittingly traveled from God knows where to a place you've never been to find people you've never met to be a part of something you never knew existed!"

A small giggle bubbled through her lips. Xander just summed up everything that was driving her over the edge and it somehow put her just enough in reverse so she wouldn't topple over. Seeing her reaction, Xander relaxed and gave her a shrug with a grin. "Just saying."

"Yeah, I guess I'm just more the wig out in my head kind of girl."

They all nodded and after a few moments, Buffy gently tried again. "Care to voice any of those wigging out questions? It might help."

Libby curled up her legs closer to her chest and finally answered, "I just don't understand why I'm here. You'd be fine without me."

Buffy took a breath and deeply replied, "Okay, what it comes down to is I need someone who can understand me – my calling, my life – someone who can share those things on a level no one else can. I need that someone so I can finally feel safe in order to keep on saving the world without getting killed again. When I read about Protectors – about what you would be – something inside of me was pulled to the ritual like I knew it was right. Like this was…" Buffy held out her wrist, rubbing the tattoo, trying to find the words.

"Destined by the Fates?" Libby finished, looking at her own before meeting Buffy's fiery eyes.

"Exactly. They just needed to wait for me to find it and summon you."

Everyone was silent when Libby looked back down to the spirals and sword on her wrist. She didn't understand why Buffy came upon the calling of a protector, or how it struck her, but she did understand the feeling of balance and unity that it forged between them. Libby felt it when she clasped the slayer's hand; it was in her blood, sealed in the tattoo. It was weird enough being in the Buffyverse without having a magical connection to a not so fictional slayer.

"So you read about Protectors and instantly thought that you needed one. That's why I'm here?" Libby pried firmly. "Because you need to feel better with your slaying after the Master bit you and left you to drown?" They all stared, shocked, and Libby began to panic. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"What? No!" reassured Buffy. "No, it's just…"

"How did you know about the Master?" Xander loudly cut in from the floor by Buffy.

Willow nodded. "I don't think we mentioned him specifically."

"We didn't," Giles calmly explained as he cleaned his glasses in the corner chair. "It's her power of knowing."

Libby slowly drew in a sharp breath as her mind flashed with a series recap. Yup. That's me. The new and apparently protective know-it-all.

The blonde blinked at the sense of wheels turning in the brunette's brain and her hazel eyes involuntarily sparkled. It was unbelievable. Her protector was gaining powers within the first day and they would only grow. In that moment, Buffy let herself feel the connection completely. She wasn't alone. For the first time in her life, she had someone who would be on her side of life, someone who truly knew. Buffy loved her watcher, her friends, her family and she was grateful for them, but no matter how close she was to them, there would always be that barrier that had the slayer cut off. No longer. Not with a protector.

Through curly tendrils, Libby saw the Slayer/Protector connection in Buffy's eyes and felt it in her blood. She had to admit, as weird and crazy and impossible as it was, it was damn powerful and downright amazing. For that reason alone, she knew she had to get it together.

Shattering the silence, she asked, "How long will I be here?" She didn't know if Willow or Xander saw it, but for a brief moment both Buffy and Giles looked concerned. A familiar concern she witnessed in the kitchen… However, it vanished and nothing seemed ill-fated.

"As long as I'm here," said Buffy, fighting the guilt threatening to seize her voice.

Libby faintly frowned when she saw Giles remove his glasses for a second cleaning and pushed, "Okay, then how would I go home?"

"I suspect the Powers That Be might intervene or I pull resources from the Watcher's Council to find a spell to send you home," responded Giles.

"Right, well, as I'm here indefinitely… Where am I gonna stay?" Libby had to move on from that question. All she could think about was what her family would be going through and how her friends would be feeling. Just because you wish you could live in one of your favorite TV shows doesn't mean you actually want to or should for that matter.

Simultaneously, Giles and Buffy declared, "Here" – "With me"

Buffy turned to her watcher and demanded, "Why would she stay here?"

"Because I see no conceivable way of you explaining a new permanent houseguest like Libby without telling your mother the entire truth about who you are," Giles strictly said.

The slayer knew he was right, but the teenager wanted her new protector with her too much. "Giles, the ritual didn't just make her my protector, it made her my sister. Shouldn't we learn to live together as both?"

"Yes, and I'm sure if a time presents itself you may both live under the same roof, but for now I truly believe it's best that Libby resides here."

"I'm the slayer, Giles, and as the slayer the protector should live with me."

Giles rose from his chair and determined, "I'm the watcher, Buffy, and Libby will need my guidance as much as your balance…if not more in this transitional period."

Libby saw Willow scoot to the side and Xander curl up into a ball much like she did. Buffy had no choice but to submit into the cushions. However, she did look to her protector for the deciding vote.

"I don't want to offend anyone, but I think Giles is right," she resolved. "We'll spend practically all day together anyway, right? I don't want to complicate anything, especially when there'll be a better time for me to move in with you."

Reluctantly agreeing, Buffy nodded and relaxed at the thought of days to come. "All right, so what else do we need to figure out?"

Willow raised her hand and said, "She's going to need clothes and records for school and stuff."

"We should all go shopping and buy her lots of hot little outfits!" Xander declared. His eyes grew very wide as he realized that he just said that out loud and stuttered, "Except I'm kidding! I totally did not mean that! At all! Please forget I said that."

And so was the first laugh of Libby Winters and it was instantly infectious. Willow rolled her eyes and Buffy smacked his shoulder. A new normal was being created…at Xander's expense.

"Despite Xander's lewd idea, what are we gonna do about all that?"

Giles looked at the clock and replied to Buffy, "We can take her to breakfast and then shopping for everything she needs today."

Buffy hesitated before asking the inevitable question, "With what money?"

"Mine,' replied Giles.

"I couldn't put you out like that," said Libby as she straightened in her seat. She didn't entirely mean it since she knew she needed more than just the clothes off her back, but then again she also knew that Giles would have to buy literally everything and that would be very costly.

"You're not in the least," Giles kindly assured, "It is, after all, a necessity."

Libby smiled up at him. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome."

"Okay great!" Buffy exclaimed as she got off the couch. "So I'll go get an outfit for you to wear today and then we'll go have a whole day of shopping."

"Oh!" Willow shouted and jumped up as well. "I can go get my laptop so I can forge all of the documents that she'll need to enroll in school on Monday."

"And I can go get money for breakfast," said Xander.

Giles shook his head and ordered, "Be back here in one hour."

They all waved and when the door closed, Libby dropped her head back against the arm of the couch. Giles came to sit next to her, ready to plan out where she'd be staying in his apartment only Libby's words came out first. "I think I need to tell you something about my knowing power."

Fumbling for a moment, Giles nodded and silently wished for as many books on protectors as there were on slayers. "Yes?"

"Okay, here it is…" Libby drew in a long breath. "You said my powers would start out weak and get stronger through training, but my knowing was instant. And it's not like a seer; there are no flashes of certain images that I need to piece together. I have a long stretch of knowledge of the future and it's not just about danger and magic. I know all of you, your lives and everything. The details don't leave much room for interpretation. There's a path y'all need to stick fairly close to and, well, a lot of it is painful. But if they don't happen then the whole chain reaction will start and other things, good things that happen out of the bad, might not happen." Libby paused to breathe and grew worried by Giles' expression. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. What am I supposed to change? And if I do change it, how the hell do I go about it? Should I lay out the whole picture or just reveal enough pieces? Oh, and let's not forget about certain stuff I can't change. It doesn't take this knowing power to know I'm gonna feel very guilty and y'all are gonna be really hurt and angry. How am I supposed to do this? Be this? It's not like the knowledge of your lives automatically included me in them when I got here. Giles, please help me."

Giles stared, dumbfounded, with his mouth ajar. It became clear why she had had been so closed mouthed and so resistant. He resourced all of his own knowledge and insight so he might answer her with helpful, comforting advice, but without understanding the vast picture in her mind there was only so much he could do. He looked up from the book on the coffee table and met two expectant eyes.

"To be honest, Libby, I am unaware of what your power is exactly or what it can become. I do believe you possess the rather unique ability of omnipotence over every single one of us." He watched the horror spread across her face and rushed, "To a degree, of course. A smaller, ungod-like degree." When she relaxed a bit, Giles continued, "Libby, you have a fragile gift that others would kill and die for and the reason for that isn't merely because of the enormity of your power; it's because it's all about judgment. I wish I could tell you what to change and how to change it, but I can't. You were given this power because you have a mind and heart that will learn how to cope with the things you shouldn't change and deal with the things you can, like every protector before you. Now, if you ever need my help or advice, I will always be here, but ultimately it is up to you."

Libby curled her body into the back of the couch and hugged one of the pillows. Some of the stress left her body and Giles could now see how exhausted she was through the fluttering of long, heavy eyelashes. It felt good to tell him. She just wished it wasn't all on her. Worried for her, Giles attentively moved closer and placed a compassionate hand on her shoulder. Libby gazed up at him and half smiled.

"I promise, I will make sure everything will be all right for you while you're here. As will Buffy."

"Thanks Giles… I'm just afraid it might not be all right because of me."

"Really? I'm not concerned about that at all." He smiled and got a small chuckle from the young girl fighting sleep on his couch. "Now try to get some rest before the others come bursting through that door demanding we leave for breakfast."

Libby took his advice and slid down into the cushions. She burrowed her head into the pillow as Giles laid a blanket over her. They knew she barely had forty minutes to sleep. Libby didn't care. Any sleep was worth it at this point. It took a little while to give in, but she was able to get a full 28 minutes of deep rest. 1,705 blissful seconds and then Buffy came in and it was over.

"We're back!" she announced and draped herself over the couch. "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were sleeping."

Libby stretched and replied, "Don't worry about it."

"Well, I got you some clothes." Buffy handed the pile to her protector. "If you like them you can keep them."

"Thank you," Libby smiled and got off the couch. "I'll go change…"

"Down this hall," called Giles from the back room Libby had no idea about. "Bathroom's on the left."

She followed the directions and locked the door behind her. For a moment she stared at the tub and then moved her attention to the mirror. 1,705 seconds was not enough. Whatever warm glow she had in her brown eyes was covered in shadow. Most strands of her curly hair were frizzing out of place and there were still traces of dirt on her pale skin. Libby smoothed her hair with water and got as many tangles out as she could with her fingers. Thankfully, the result was significant so she went to wash her face before changing.

Buffy had brought her a nude bra that was one size too small, a tank top, a skirt, and ankle boots. Libby examined the bra and with the right adjustments and some smooshing, she managed to make it work. The top was soft, delicately crocheted, and a not too intense coral. Libby was happy to find that it fit, as did the high waist, dark blue skirt. She liked the smooth suede and the easy silver snap buttons down the front. Lastly, she put on the black ankle booties with the 90's thick heel. Libby looked at herself in the mirror and, after deciding to tuck in the top, knew it was time to face the new reality once more.

"Hey! You look great." Buffy complimented.

"Do you feel better? Being out of your pajamas?" Willow asked.

Libby nodded as she reclaimed her spot on the couch. "Yeah I do, and thanks, Buffy, for the clothes."

"No problem."

"You wear them well," winked Xander and got an embarrassed kick from Libby.

They all waited in semi-awkward silence for Giles to come out of the back room. When something crashed and British slander was heard, every teenage head peeked down the hall. Soon, the recollected watcher emerged and said, "I do believe that's – uh – everything. Shall we go?"

When they all agreed and began lifting themselves off their seats, Libby spoke up. "Um, actually, I have one more big question." Immediately, they all sat down around her. "What… What year is it?"

Xander laughed in disbelief while the others looked at her confused. "Wait," Xander hushed his inappropriate outburst. "You really don't know?"

Libby shook her head. "My best guess is late 90's by your clothes."

"We're nearing the end of 1997," answered Giles. "September 24, to be exact."

"Where, I mean, when are you from?" Buffy curiously inquired.

"Nearing the end of 2007."

Willow gasped, astonished and beyond interested. "You're from the next millennium?"

"But you're our age, right?" Xander interjected, still confused.

"I guess, yeah. I'll be sixteen in two months."

"So you're technically…five right now?" concluded Willow, her fascination peaked.

"Well, in September '97 I hadn't turned six yet."

"Right," Willow easily did some more calculating in her head. "So you were born in 1991."

Libby nodded with a shrug and a self-conscious, tight-lipped smile. "Yup. November 21, 1991. Or 1981 now, I guess."

"Wow, that's insane," mused Buffy. "So where are you from in almost 2008?"

"Texas."

"Oh," cooed Xander as he wiggled his eyebrows. "You're a cowgirl, huh?"

Libby pursed her lips and scoffed, "Dallas, Texas. One of the top ten largest cities in America. It's not like I'm from a Podunk town where I ride a horse or a cow to school through tumbleweeds." At the strange looks, Libby explained, "You'd be surprised how many non-southerners ask me that."

"Really?" Xander chuckled, causing a confirming smile on Libby's face.

"Really. However, I do love Texas toast lathered in syrup and sugar, so breakfast?"

They all fervently agreed and crushingly piled into Giles' car. They chose a local diner and sat in a large booth where it suddenly became about Libby moving to a new town. Little talk was about magic, demons, and destiny. They just sat like a normal group of friends eating an assortment of pancakes, waffles, French toast, and eggs washed down with a steaming pot of coffee. Libby felt lighter in the morning air and much better having eaten. It became completely diverting once they arrived at the mall.

Buffy must have led them all through every store the mall had to offer. Libby kept glancing about comparing it to the Galleria Dallas Mall. She figured you could fit at least a dozen of Sunnydale Malls into the one she frequented at home. Not that there weren't small shopping centers there too. Buffy and Willow kept presenting her with polar opposite clothes for her new style and Libby was having a hard time liking more than one or two things from their offerings. However, the slayer caught on quick and managed to find specific sections in every store that sparked Libby's interest.

"What? I like my clothes to be looser than that. Mainly tees and tanks. I'm all about the comfort."

Buffy huffed and put the satin blouse back. "We have like three stores left to hit before the furniture place and you only have four bags of clothes!"

Libby and Willow stared at each other before saying, "Only?"

"Yes," groaned Buffy with a grin. "We're shopping from scratch through next year. You need to be more open to suggestions." She picked up a ¾ sleeve cream top with two large black crosses on it, one upside down and the other upside right. Libby took it and liked the feel of the soft fabric.

"You have a point," said Libby as she accepted the shirt.

Buffy beamed and went on to find a teal tank, lacey blouse, raspberry dress, a purple print shirt, and a couple pairs of leather pants. Libby was happy to find a horse tank and Willow dug up a long sleeve, loose fitted shirt for layering. Two pairs of flats later, they went on to the second to last store, but not before Xander held up a cropped camisole for sleeping and joked about how Libby forgot to put it with her other things.

By the time they arrived at the furniture store, Libby had six large bags full of clothes and shoes. Giles had spread the cost over two credit cards and after the selection of bedroom furniture he pulled out his checkbook claiming reimbursement from the Watchers Council. According to Giles, the amount of clothes and such were more or less optional, but the need for a place to live, i.e. the bed set that goes with it, was undisputable. He was even able to express the need for immediate delivery and with an extra fee the store loaded all of Libby's new things into a truck and followed them back to the apartment.

As everything was unloaded, Libby heard one of the movers wish Giles' niece good luck on her first day of school. She shrugged as it made more sense than him calling her Protector. When the movers left, Giles and Xander took the furniture out of their boxes and began putting it together in the back room. Libby organized all of her new things and Buffy went straight to hanging them in the closet while Willow folded the rest. They were done very quickly so all five of them finished putting Libby's new room together while eating delivered Chinese food.

When it was done, the gang left with Buffy promising tomorrow would be about hanging out, having fun, and getting to know each other. Libby thanked them by hugging Buffy. It had turned out to be a better day than she feared. Of course, once they left, she said goodnight to Giles and retreated into her new room for sleep.

It was a nice room, especially since Libby had no idea it was ever there. She always thought Giles' apartment was a one bedroom when really it was more like one and a half. The former study wasn't too big, but Libby had enough room to move around comfortably. She laid down in her new bed and closed her eyes, pretending she was back in her own bed at home with her family.