Paper Doll |BTVS| Book One ✔️

Innocence

Walking into the library the next morning I saw Xander, Willow and Giles sitting around "Morning" Willow and Xander call to me with a big smile.

"Morning" I mumble back as Giles nods at me making me smile he promised not to tell anyone about my little breakdown last night.

"What's up? Where's Buffy?" Xander asks looking at me I shrugged "she was with Angel last time I saw her" Xander starts to look concerned "So this Judge guy's already been assembled?" he asks looking at both Giles and I but I turn away.

"Yes," Giles tells them as they breathed deeply as Jenny looked troubled "Then Buffy could be... Okay, we gotta find 'em." Xander says thinking "Um, we gotta go to that place, that, uh, that factory. That's where they're holed up, right" Xander asks looking at me.

I nodded and looked at Xander strangely "Xander she's probably still with Angel" I told him but he shook his head "Let's go" Cordelia looks at him and rolls her eyes "And do what besides be afraid and die?"

Xander looks at Cordelia annoyed and shook his head "Well, nobody's asking you to go, Cordelia. If the vampires need grooming tips we'll give you a call".

Giles sighs looking at Xander "Cordelia has a point. Now, we know Buffy and Angel were not harmed so we don't need to go looking for them".

"Yeah? Well, what about if The Judge went looking for them?" Xander says to Giles snarkily "Xander" Jenny whispers to him shaking her head.

"No, Xander's right! My God, you people are all... Well, I'm upset, and I can't think of a mean word right now, but that's what you are, and we're going to the factory!" Willow shouts as she begins to walk to the door.

Just then Buffy comes into the library "Buffy!" Willow shouts happily seeing my twin sister "We were just going to rescue you" Xander tells her with a smile "Well, some of us were" Willow says throwing Giles and me a look "Well, I-I would have" he stuttered seeing Willows glare.

"Where's Angel?" Jenny asked looking around for the broody vampire "He didn't check in with you guys?" Buffy questions looking at us desperately as we shake our heads "No" Buffy nods and sighs "So as you probably know The Judge is a no assembly required. He's active".

"Why didn't you call? We, we, we thought..." Giles started before turning his head to me and stopping short when my jaw clenched "Well, we, we had to hide. Uh, we got stuck in the sewer tunnels with Nikki being drained by her powers and then we just split up... Uh, no one's heard from him?" Buffy asks again looking sad.

"I'm sure he'll come by" Willow whispers to Buffy with a nod "Yeah, I'm, I'm sure you're right" Buffy smiles at Willow but it soon drops "Buffy, the Judge, we, we must stop him" Giles stutters looking at us nervously.

"What can you tell us?" he asks looking at Buffy and me "Not much. I, um... I kicked him. It was just like a sudden fever. If he'd got his hands on me..." Buffy says with a shiver "But Nikki's telekinesis worked on him so that's a plus".

"In time, he won't need to touch. The stronger he gets, he'll be able to reduce us to charcoal with a look" Giles says grimly "Also, he's not the prettiest man in town" I add and the room goes quiet "What?"

"I better continue researching, must look for a weak spot. The rest of you should get to your classes" Giles tells us heading for his books "Yeah, I better go, too" Jenny says to Giles with a smile.

I watch as Buffy is the first one out of the door "Buffy, wait up!" I call as Willow and I run after her catching up to her she stops and looks at us "You don't think Angel would have gone after the Judge himself, do you?" Willow asks looking scared for Angel.