PART 14 

Scene:

A sunny bright morning. (It’s already after breakfast, and for those want to know, Quinn and Buffy cooked good old-fashioned frozen waffles for everyone. Yeah they took the easy way out.)

The maze. (Yeah they have a garden maze! We find out new stuff about this damn house all the time.) Alli, Bobby, and Jubilee are wandering through it. 

Allison: I don’t get it. We cast that stupid spell two days ago. Nothing. 

Bobby: Maybe they aren’t really in love with each other. (Alli smacks him on the back of the head.) Ow! 

Allison: Shut up! They are too in love! 

Jubilee: (shrugs) Oh well. If they aren’t then at least I get $50. 

Allison: (glares) You can have the money any way. It’s not like I need it. (Pouts) I just want to see them get together. 

Bobby:  You are a Buffy/Xander shipper aren’t you? 

Allison: Yeah, back home I’m on a bunch of mailing lists and stuff online. I miss all that fan fiction. (Sniffles in a fake crying way) How did you know? 

Bobby: I was surfing the net earlier. Cat’s got her mainframe wired with inter reality net stuff or something. 

Allison: (perks up) She does? Oh! I need to check email! Fan fics!! Yes baby! (She squeals and runs off) 

Bobby: She is way too perky. 

Jubilee: Yup. So, find anything good online? 

Bobby: Not really. But I did find this one story about.. (Pauses) Erm. Never mind. 

Jubilee: What?? Tell me! 

Bobby: You’re too young to hear about it. 

Jubilee: (glares at him. She points at him warningly.) Don’t make me paff you dude. 

Bobby: Trust me, you do not want to hear it. 

Jubilee: (sighs) Fine. (Looks at him curiously) Was it that bad? 

Bobby: Oh yeah. 

Jubilee: Then why were you reading it? 

________________________

Scene:

The Training Hall. Stealth is just finishing up a scenario involving several mech-armored soldiers. Caitlyn is watching from her position in the control booth. 

Stealth: (to Cat while he’s fighting) I still don’t see why you started me at level one. 

Caitlyn: Standard procedure. Deal with it.  Besides, you’re up to level nine now. With out your suit. That’s pretty keen. 

Stealth: Keen? 

Caitlyn: I can’t even go level nine without one of my suits. Of course I’m not really a fighter though.

(Stealth finishes off the last soldier and the scenario ends.) 

Caitlyn: And you are done for today mister. 

Stealth: Already? 

Caitlyn: Yes. Go do something non-violent now. Like bake me some cookies. I like M&Ms and nuts in them. 

Stealth: I don’t think so. 

Caitlyn: (shrugs) Worth a shot. See ya. (She teleports to her lab.) 

(Stealth turns to the exit and is startled by Silia leaning against the door.) 

Silia: You’re not as good as I thought. 

Stealth: Oh really? 

Silia: If I wasn’t me, I could have killed you already. 

Stealth: You don’t seem the type to worry about that. 

Silia: (speaking softly, more to herself than anything) Not everyone is what they seem. (Louder) Still, that was an impressive show you put on. Think you could beat me? 

Stealth: After what you did to Ares? 

Silia: (smiles and strolls over to Stealth. She stops right in front of him.) That wouldn’t be fair if I used my powers. (Sweetly) I’d wear a power inhibitor just for you. 

Stealth: (warily) Uh huh. So in other words a friendly sparring match. 

Silia:  Exactly. Friendly. (She leans closer to him, her face centimeters away from his.) Very friendly. One might even say.. intimate. (She smiles seductively) I bet I can give you a real work out. (Before Stealth can speak she kisses him.) 

(Stealth’s eyes widen and he pulls away from Silia.) 

Stealth: What’s wrong with this picture? 

Silia: (looks confused) Huh? 

Stealth: I barely know you, and you’re throwing yourself at me.  

(Stealth pauses as Silia turns away. She starts shaking as if she’s crying. Stealth starts to speak up when he realizes Silia is laughing.) 

Silia: Throwing myself at you? Don’t flatter yourself soldier boy. (She stops laughing and stares at him. Her eyes are cold and empty.) I do NOT throw myself at any one. I just like to.. (A sadistic smile plays across her lips) play. 

(Silia waves her hand and forms and fireball from what seems to be a black flame. She gets ready to throw it at him and her eyes widen. With out a word she teleports away.) 

Stealth: What the hell just happened? 

_______________ 

Meanwhile.. 

Scene:

Cat’s lab. Bobby is sweeping the floor and muttering. 

???: Ahem. 

Bobby: (spins around) Ack! Scare the hell out of me! 

???: (Ignore) What are you doing? 

Bobby: As you can see I’m enjoying the fine life of a janitor. 

???: Want out of this arrangement? 

Bobby: Yes, but why are you asking? 

???: Just answer me. 

Bobby: Of course I want out of it! 

(Bobby’s eyes widen suddenly. He collapses onto the floor with a thud, the broom clattering down beside him.) 

__________________ 

Scene:

The hallway outside Xander’s door. Buffy is standing there impatiently. 

Buffy: (pounds on the door) Xander come on! What’s taking you so long? 

Xander: (pulls open the door and Buffy grins at him) Sorry. I couldn’t find my other shoe. 

Buffy: (points) In that mess? Not much of a surprise. 

Xander: It’s my mess and I’ll lose stuff if I want too. 

Buffy: Not when it takes up my time. 

Xander: Where are we going any way? 

Buffy: We’re on grocery duty this week remember? 

Xander: (groans) Anything but that. Last time we went I almost got trapped under a shelf full of cookie stuffs. 

Buffy: (Drags Xander with her) That wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t climbed up on the damn thing. 

___________

Scene:

The kitchen, Buffy and Xander are unloading groceries. The house is unusually quiet. 

Buffy: (Places a jar in a cabinet) Huh.. 

Xander: What is it? 

Buffy: It’s just.. I dunno, quiet. 

Xander: Then let’s finish up, and scope the house.

________ 

Scene:

A few minutes later in Caitlyn’s lab. The gang is sitting in what looks to be a meeting room with computer consoles, large monitors and a huge round metal table surrounded by chairs. 

Jubilee: (angry) What did you to him Cat?! 

Caitlyn: I didn’t do anything! I came in to the lab and found Bobby lying there. 

Jubilee: Yeah right. You.. 

Xander: Wait! What’s going on? There happens to be two of us lost here. 

Quinn: Iceman is in a coma. 

Buffy: What? How? 

Jubilee: Cat. She was the one using him as a guinea pig. 

Caitlyn: I didn’t do anything! I would never do that to some one unless I had a good reason. 

Terry:  We need to calm down. (Stares at Jubilee in particular) Where was everybody when this happened? 

Silia: (Casts a quick locating spell and pushes her hair over her shoulder) Apparently I was talking to Stealth, Cat had just left the training hall booth, Buffy and Xander were leaving, Alli was online, Jubilee was stealing Twinkies again, Quinn and Terry were playing Soul Caliber, and Ares is busy in his orb. 

Jubilee: See? She left to go mess with Drake! 

Caitlyn: I did not! (Turns to Silia) You know me better than anyone! I’d never do this! 

Silia: What were you doing after you left the training hall? 

Caitlyn: I was in my lab. I told Bobby to sweep up the other room. I got up to see if Bobby wanted to get some lunch and he was lying there unconscious. 

Jubilee: Yeah right. 

Buffy: We have that miracle med lab, can’t that wake him up? 

Caitlyn: (Shakes her head sadly) Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve run every diagnostic test and scan I have. Nothing is telling me what’s wrong. (She turns to Silia) Sil.. I hate to ask.. but.. 

Silia: (nods) I’ll go cast some spells and see what I can do. 

Stealth: I’ll go with you. 

(Silia glances at him curiously, and then just nods slightly. They head for Bobby’s room.) 

Jubilee: I bet you.. 

Allison: SHUT UP JUBILEE! 

(Jubilee snaps her mouth shut and stares at Alli in surprise.) 

Allison: Just shut up. We aren’t getting anywhere. 

Jubilee: Well then DO something! 

Allison: Once Sil is done, everything will be fine. Bobby will tell us what happened and everyone will back to their normal selves.

____________ 

Scene:

Bobby’s new home in the med lab. Silia has just finished a second spell and is staring at Bobby’s comatose form in curiosity.  Stealth is watching her carefully. 

Silia:  Why did you feel the need to keep an eye on me? 

Stealth: No reason. 

Silia: There’s always a reason.. Is it because of what I did earlier? 

Stealth: You think? 

Silia: (Sighs and turns to him.) Look I’m sorry. I just.. Some one cast a spell the other day and for some reason it managed to affect me. You unfortunetly wound up getting the effects of it. (She pauses) You think I did this don’t you. (Waves a hand at Bobby) 

Stealth: Could you have? 

Silia: I was with you remember? 

Stealth: …..

(Silia sighs and resumes her spell casting. After about ten minutes more of spells with no results she stops.) 

Stealth: Anything? 

Silia: Nothing. I don’t get it. I should be able to do something. Anything. But there’s nothing there. 

Stealth: Any educated guesses? 

Silia: Who ever did this was good. Extremely good. They used some kind of shielding spell. I can’t even break through it… 

Stealth: Magic?

Silia: Magic is keeping me from finding out who did this, but I don’t think it did this to him.. 

Stealth: So could Caitlyn have.. 

Silia: There’s nothing else I can do right now. We better head back. 

(Stealth grabs Sil’s arm as she walks past him.) 

Stealth: Could Cat have done this? 

Silia: (Wrenches her arm free) Could she? Yes.. with help. Would she? I doubt it.

Get me away from here before I go insane!