"Well at least my daughter's not crazy in the head!" Karen growled, in response to Joyce's comment that Amanda wore 'crazy clothes'.

Joyce stopped walking and pinned Karen with a glare that could freeze lava. "That was uncalled for, Karen." She hissed, "Buffy's not crazy."

The entire Dress Club had stopped at this point, and were standing in a rough circle on the sidewalk. Although it was difficult to notice, Joyce realized that Nancy, Lynn, and Barbara were standing just a shade closer to Karen, indicating that they sided with the mousy, brown-haired woman. She was alone.

"She's insane to the bone, Joyce!" Karen countered, "She thinks that she fights vampires. Amanda told me that she once walked into the library, and there was Buffy, telling Willow all about it."

Joyce bristled. "She's not crazy. It's true."

The other women stared at her. Finally, Karen said, "Well, now we know where she gets it! You probably told it to her, and now she believes it! Really, Joyce! What is she, Buffy the Vampire Hunter?"

Joyce closed her eyes and counted to ten, willing herself not to scratch the other woman's eyes out. "She's the Vampire Slayer, actually." She hissed, mentally hitting herself for revealing Buffy's secret. Now that it was done, though, she had to defend it. She pulled aside the collar of her shirt to display two small scars at the side of her neck. "Vampires exist. I've been attacked by one."

The other women leaned in and looked at the bite, with the exception of Karen. "Oh?" She scoffed, "And did Buffy slay it?"

Just then, there was a growl from the shadows, and three hideously deformed faces emerged from the darkness. They had the women circled, and there was no escape. Joyce held up a cross in front of her and the nearest one backed away. "Well, Karen," She growled, "Here's your proof. Let's pray Buffy or one of her friends comes along about now, or you won't live to tell about it."

But no one came. Joyce pulled a wooden stake out of her purse, thankful that Buffy had insisted she carry it, but wondering what in God's name she was going to do with it. Then one of the vampires was flying through the air, and it hit the wall of the dime store with a thump.

"Thanks, Mom!" The stake was snatched out of her hand, and Joyce looked up in time to see one of the vampires turn to dust, care of Buffy and her stake. "Now, that's not very nice." Buffy hissed at the remaining vampire. The other one had not risen from its introduction to brick and cement. Buffy kicked the vampire, punched it, kicked again, elbowed it in the face, and ran it through the heart with her stake, effectively eliminating it from the equation. She stalked over to the other one and staked it, turning it, too, into dust. "Mom," She called, "Think fast!" And Joyce barely caught the stake Buffy tossed back to her. "Night, Ladies!" She waved cheerily, and disappeared back into the dark.

Joyce looked back at her Dress Club, who were standing clustered together, shock written across their faces, and stuck out her tongue. "Told you so!" She growled. She then packed her stake and cross back into her purse, and stalked off in the direction of her house. "I hope you make it home okay!" She called, reveling in her motherly pride.