When Willow and Xander told her and Oz that Snyder didn't have a birth certificate listed in his files and that his credentials were impeccable, they came to the conclusion that Xander was right. Snyder had to be or somehow connected to a demon. Why else would he be so interested in finding his least favorite student?

They'd decided to meet in the Bronze and try to figure out what was up. The only problem was they weren't making that much headway. Actually, none at all...

"I thought it was warlock," Willow said, confused. "Actually, he could be one of those. Except, wouldn't he have used his magic to solve some of our problems before all of this started?"

"He could just be a grumpy, balding man going through a mid-life crisis," inputted Xander. "But a warlock would be more interesting, you were right about that, Cordy."

"Well, at least we know he's not a vampire," Oz said, leaning back a bit in his chair.

"Yeah, we've definitely had enough of those," Willow agreed.

A man standing behind the bar answered the outdated rotary dial phone beside him and said a few words into the receiver. Covering the mouthpiece with his hand, he yelled out, "WILLOW ROSENBURG!"

Continuing their talk at the table, Willow and her friends were discussing things animatedly when Oz heard someone shouting over the loud music. He may not have been in werewolf form and he may be the lead guitar player in a very loud rock band, but he still had excellent hearing.

"Hey, Willow? Some guy's calling for you."

"Huh?" He nodded toward the bar where the bartender was continuing his shouting and got up and excused herself, heading toward the bar.

"Willow Rosenburg?" the man asked her. She nodded, and he handed the phone over to her. "You have a call."

Willow put the phone up to her ear, blocking the noise out of the other one with her hand, and asked loud enough to be heard over the blaring music, "Hello?"

"Buffy! Where are you?"

"I'm at Angel's," the voice on the other end of the line answered. "It's a long story, but I just wanted to tell you I'm okay. I called your house and your mom said you went out, but I just thought..."

"Wait a second. Why are you whispering? And what are you doing at Angel's apartment?"

Willow was full of questions for her friend. You can't just skip town and then show up and expect everyone to accept you just like that...

"Okay." Buffy sighed, running a hand through her hair while holding the phone with the other. "Let me give you the condensed version. I didn't have to kill Angel, just Angelus. But they both went to hell, and a demon - a good one named Whistler who was one of Angel's friends - went to hell and brought him back as a human. Whistler's really Principal Snyder's boss - He's a demon, too - and Snyder went to this really sleazy motel in LA and brought me back to guard the hellmouth. Got all that?"

"Snyder's a demon and Angel's human?" Willow asked in bewilderment. "Wow."

"Yeah, wow. Angel was hurt pretty bad, though, but Whistler said he'll be okay. I'm just being quiet because I don't want to wake him. I actually shouldn't be on the phone for too long so can you tell everyone I'm okay and I'll be back in school really soon? Snyder's going to get the charges dropped and re-enroll me. He said he'd even try to be nicer to you guys, too."

"Wow," repeated Willow. "Being the Chosen One certainly has its advantages."

Buffy laughed. "I guess you could say that. Look, I gotta go. Can you just tell the others?"

"Sure. Bye."

Hanging up the phone and handing it over the counter to the bartender, Willow got up and headed back to her seat. Sitting down, she struggled for a way to explain things to her friends.

"Who was it?" Cordelia wanted to know.

"Uh, Buffy. She's back, and she wanted me to tell you she's okay."

"She's back? Since when? Where was she?" Xander wanted details.

"I guess just now," Willow said, trying to piece things together. "She was really busy so she had to get off the phone. But she was in LA," Cordelia looked at her boyfriend smugly and he gazed down into his soda, "and you won't believe what she told me..."