Where Darkness Leads

Chapter 15

Buffy walked into the kitchen, seeing her mother's assuring face look up from a magazine.

"Buffy."

"Hi Mom."

"Are you all right, honey?"

"A little worse for wear, but I am alright."

"Dinner's in the microwave."

Buffy walked to the microwave when the blender came on by itself. The garbage disposal started running.

"Uh, not again," Buffy said.

"Buffy, what is going on?"

The microwave started running and growing bright inside until the door burst open, exploding food.

"That's it," she said. "Now I've had it."

The next instant, a knife floated off the table and careened towards Joyce's head.

"Mom! Duck!"

Buffy grabbed her Mom, pulling her to the floor. The knife hit going into the wall. Other knives immediately started flying across the room, hitting everywhere. The lights blinked on and off. The kitchen cabinets slammed open and closed.

Buffy stood back up and shouted, "Wow, is this the best you can do?"

"Buffy?"

"Mom, I can explain everything later."

"You're not scaring anyone," Buffy said into the empty kitchen.

Suddenly, everything in the kitchen quickly stopped.

"Mom, are you alright?" Buffy asked, looking down.

"Yes," Joyce said, rising to stand. "What was that?"

"Warlock or demon, I think," she said, puzzled. "I'm not sure which."

"Oh, of course."

"Mom, why don't you go to bed?" Buffy said. "I'll clean up the kitchen before I go upstairs."

"You sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Okay, good night, honey," she said, kissing Buffy on the cheek.

"Nite Mom," she said as her Mom left the kitchen.

After Buffy successfully cleared away the food that exploded and put everything back, she heard a knock at the door.

"Angel," she said after having opened the door.

"Can I come in?" he asked. "I need to talk to you."

"What happened?" she asked as he walked inside.

"You are probably not going to believe this, but when I went back to the mansion, I was waiting there already."

"You what?"

"I met myself."

"Yourself?"

"Yes, but no," Angel answered, confused.

"No?"

"No, because it wasn't me, Buffy," he said, pausing. "It was Angelus."

"How?" Buffy said with a look of anger and fear.

"I don't know Buffy," he said, shaking his head. "I don't know."

Buffy turned into the living room and sat on the couch, looking straight ahead.

"Buffy?" he questioned imploringly.

"My Mom and I were attacked in the kitchen earlier."

"What happened?" Angel asked, sitting beside her. "Are you okay?"