Title: Everyone Has A Secret In Sunnydale - Part 7
Author: Femvamp
Email: femvamp000@y...
Feedback:  Yes Please.  
Disclaimer:  You all know the drill.  I don't own the show.  I don't 
own the characters.  I don't own anything of any value except my sick 
and twisted mind.
Spoilers:  The 'I' In Team
Author's notes:  I thought it would be fun to write Dawn into the 
plot.
Further note: *** denotes thought.

Chapter 7: No Second Chances

Joyce was sitting at a table having a girl's night out with her two 
daughters.  It had been three days since the confrontation with Maggie 
and Joyce needed some together time with her children.  They were all 
she had.

Joyce had avoided the Nightlife Bar.  She was afraid she would run 
into Maggie.  She was even more afraid she wouldn't.  As much as she 
hated to admit it, there was a part of her that still loved the woman.  

*** Joyce stop it.  There are no second chances this time. ***

Joyce tried to concentrate on the chatter between her two daughters.  
Buffy and Dawn were having a 'discussion' on who was cuter Brad Pitt 
or Mel Gibson.  Joyce just smiled and tried to pretend that nothing 
was wrong in her world.

Dinner was over and Buffy had just ordered a big desert when Willow 
came running into the restaurant.  Joyce liked Willow she was a nice 
girl who seemed to have everything together even though her 
relationship with Oz had fallen apart.  When Joyce had heard about Oz 
leaving she was sad.  She had liked Oz and had hoped Willow had found 
someone she would spend her life with.

"Oh hi Mrs. Summers."  Willow smiled awkwardly.

"What is it Willow?"  Joyce said worried.

"Vampire."  Willow paused.  "I ran in here.  Forgot you were here."

"Where is he?"  Buffy jumped up.

"Dust."  Willow smiled triumphantly, "Killed him."

"Then why did you run in here?"  Dawn asked.

Willow thought about that for a moment, "Scared."  

Joyce smiled, "Well then dusting a vampire deserves a desert."  Joyce 
paused, "Besides I need to talk to someone about Buffy since she won't 
give me any straight answers about her life."

Willow smiled and sat down in an empty chair, 'What do you want to 
know?"

Joyce paused for a moment and wondered if she should ask the question 
she really wanted to know the answer to, "How about how Buffy is doing 
in school."

Willow smiled, "She's doing very good.  Better then highschool."

Joyce smiled when Buffy smiled, "What about her psychology class?"

Joyce watched as both Buffy and Willow's faces turned white.  Joyce 
was worried. 

"Professor Walsh was killed three nights ago."  Buffy said finally.

Joyce felt her heart stop.  She had seen Maggie three days ago, which 
meant that Maggie had died soon after that.  Joyce didn't understand.  
Joyce simply didn't understand.

"How?"

Buffy paused, "She was creating a super soldier.  Half man half demon.  
It killed her."

Joyce felt every muscle in her body turn to jelly.  She had to get out 
of there fast.  She wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on.

"Oh. "  Joyce paused, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright mom."   

"Yeah, Mrs. Summers."  Willow smiled, "She was a good teacher but she 
had this whole idea that she could create the ultimate soldier.  She 
just didn't understand how dangerous demons really are.  She didn't 
understand that it wasn't a game."

Joyce felt her brain stop working, "I'll be right back.  I have to go 
to the bathroom."

Joyce got up and headed for the ladies room.  When she got there she 
looked into the mirror and began to cry.  She cried for Maggie and the 
woman she could have become.  She cried for the love that they could 
have had.    She cried because there would be no second chance for 
them. She cried and cried and cried.

Finally Joyce dried the tears from her face.  She looked into the 
mirror at the woman staring back at her.  After a few moments Joyce 
put on a fake smile and walked back to her table.

*** Everyone has a secret in Sunnydale, Joyce.  Yours is that you fell 
in love with Frankenstein. ***

Joyce sat down at the table and listened in on the conversations that 
were going on between Dawn, Buffy, and Willow.  They talked throughout 
desert and then Buffy and Willow went back to their dormroom and Dawn 
went to a friend's house to study.

None of them suspected a thing.



THE END.