Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Buffy shook her head, wondering why she felt so nervous. It was just coffee, with someone she hoped could become a friend. Sure, she wanted to make a good impression on the new doctor, but she was an adult. The rest of her life wasn't going to be defined by how well this went. So that odd, fluttery feeling in her stomach must be something else, she decided.

It wasn't as if she could talk with anyone about it anyway. She was on her own. Tara would have had just the right words to explain things. Or her mother. They'd both been good at rooting out feelings and labeling them, she thought sadly. Dawn wasn't someone she could confide in, even if she wasn't miles away.

Willow? Even if she could call her, they hadn't discussed serious friend things since she'd died and been brought back. And Xander? He'd blab to Anya during an awkward moment and she'd never hear the end of it.

Ex-boyfriends and ex-Watchers were out for reasons more numerous than she could count. And she was really trying to get past the whole leaning on the nearest male shoulder when life got confusing thing anyway. She'd already proved to herself she could be independent again. No point in ruining it by backsliding.

Nodding at her reflection, Buffy took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, and strode out of the bathroom and down the stairs, only pausing long enough to grab her favorite leather jacket before leaving the house.

Arriving a little early, Buffy paced nervously outside the hospital entrance, stopping occasionally to look nervously down at her clothes.

She flexed her feet in her soft, brown leather shoes, great for walking or dancing but not up to the rigors of patrolling, so they rarely escaped her closet. Her faded blue jeans hadn't been her first choice but it was either that or a short skirt that had gone out of style before her last death. Everything else was either in the wash, too formal, or too casual Friday-ish. Her peasant blouse was a very light, soft pink that enforced the cute and harmless look she was aiming for.

She hadn't really worried about her appearance for a long time. In high school, and even during her brief college experience, she would have known exactly what to wear when having coffee with a potential new friend, or even a casual acquaintance. It didn't help that her current clothing budget worked best if she spent it at one of the local consignment shops.

Standing near the reception desk, Ami watched Buffy pacing back and forth for several minutes.

"Hot breakfast date?"

Squeaking in surprise, Ami turned and glared at Nurse Watson. "Coffee," she mumbled. Clearing her throat she repeated, "Coffee, not a date."

"If you say so, Doctor," Watson said, winking at her. "She doesn't bite, that we know of. You're the first person here she's asked out for 'coffee'," she added with a grin.

Shaking her head, Ami took a slow, deep breath. She'd survived encounters with creatures from the Negaverse and she was friends with some of the most powerful women in the galaxy. Coffee with a tiny, blonde, American monster hunter who didn't know she was really Sailor Mercury? Safer than dinner with Usagi. Squaring her shoulders, she crossed to the door and slipped out into the morning sun.

"Good morning, Buffy-san," Ami said.

"Hi," Buffy said. "You don't mind walking?"

"It's a beautiful morning," Ami said softly, nodding.

Smiling, Buffy proceeded to point out landmarks as they strolled towards downtown.

Holding the door open, Buffy guided Ami into the coffee shop and towards a small table in a corner.

"What would you like?" Buffy asked her, waving at the counter. "It's not Starbucks but they have real coffee along with the fancier stuff."

"Tea?" Ami said, sitting in the chair Buffy had pulled out for her.

"Herbal? Earl Grey? Something fancy?"

"Herbal," Ami said, giving Buffy a slight smile.

While Ami waited for Buffy to return to their table, she looked around curiously. It wouldn't have looked out of place in some of the more modern districts in Tokyo.

"Thank you," Ami said, taking the mug and box of assorted teas from the tray Buffy placed on their table. A small pot of steaming water completed the collection.

"This must be different for you," Buffy said, watching her select a tea bag and carefully pour water on it.

Ami looked at her questioningly.

"Isn't tea drinking a big thing in Japan?" Buffy asked. "Something people study for years to get right?"

"Temae," Ami said, nodding, "the tea ceremony. It has its place but not here."

"Sorry," Buffy mumbled. "I was just curious."

"No," Ami murmured, "there is nothing to be sorry for. I am not sure how to describe it. There are some things that I find do not translate well. I am finding ordinary life in America to be much different than I expected. People are very abrupt and often blunt. In Japan, life has layers, and history. I think you would find us too formal. Ordinary activities have been refined into elegant ceremonies. Like making tea."

"We're very laid back in California," Buffy said. "We're practically warm and fuzzy compared to people in the Northeast. I haven't had much chance to travel so I'm sure my cultural sensitivity isn't too well developed. I should probably apologize now for any future foot-in-mouthness on my part."

"We can work on understanding each other's cultures together," Ami said before taking a sip of her tea.

"Good. Did you want a muffin?"

"Buffy!" a loud voice shouted across the room before Ami could answer.

"Anya, what can I do for you?" she asked.

"Have you asked her yet?" the woman asked. "We're reopening in less than two weeks."

"No," Buffy said, clearly embarrassed. Looking at Ami for a second she said 'Sorry' silently.

"Why not?" the woman, Anya, asked.

"Because I haven't run into her?" Buffy said.

"Who are you?" Anya said abruptly, turning her attention on Ami.

Ami stared at the blunt woman.

"Is she the new Tara?" the woman asked, stepping closer. "Does Willow know? She doesn't look like the Earth mother, witchy type that Willow goes for. They don't usually have blueish tinted hair."

"Anya!"

"What?" she said, scrunching up her nose. "New Watcher? She looks smart."

"Anya," Buffy repeated, "This is Dr. Mizuno. She just started at Sunnydale Memorial."

"Oh," Anya muttered, pausing for a moment. Ami glanced at Buffy who seemed to be bracing herself for another outburst. "If you need any special ingredients for healing spells, I can get them in 24 hours, cash in advance."

"She's not that kind of doctor, Anya," Buffy said.

"You can come to the Grand Reopening and buy things anyway," Anya said to Ami. "Don't forget," she said to Buffy before turning and striding energetically away.

"I'm so sorry," Buffy said, rubbing her eyes.

"Healing spells?" Ami asked curiously, wondering what Buffy would say since she didn't know that she'd run into Ami earlier in the week.

"She runs the local magic shop. She's remodeling after the last earthquake," Buffy said, giving the standard explanation. "She has some of that New Age stuff, since this is California, but the rest of it is authentic. If you believe in that kind of thing," she added.

"Do you?" Ami asked.

"Would you think I'm crazy if I said yes?" Buffy asked nervously.

"No," Ami said. "But I would need you to explain what you mean by magic."

"Magic is magic," Buffy said, shrugging. "You say words in some old language, sprinkle some herbs, or make a potion, that kind of thing, and something happens that can't be explained."

"Can anyone do it?" Ami asked.

"In Sunnydale? Some people can do a lot. Some people almost none. But more than enough to keep Anya in business. Outside of Sunnydale? The Magic Box, Anya's shop, does a lot of business on the Internet."

"Are there other kinds of magic?" Ami asked. She wondered if the nexus energy she'd been detecting somehow powered the magic that Buffy talked about. Or if it was a physical manifestation of the magic. Its' source seemed to be very different than the source that powered the Princess's crystal and Senshi abilities.

"I'm not sure," Buffy said. "It isn't something I've studied. But we do have all sorts of supernatural creatures wandering around so you do need to be careful, especially at night. In fact, you probably should stay inside at night."

"Creatures?" Ami asked, wondering if they were anything like youma or the creature she'd seen Buffy attack the other night.

"Mainly the classics," Buffy said. "Vampires, demons, the occasional werewolf."

"Vampires? Like Dracula?" Ami asked.

"I'm not sure Dracula was actually a regular vampire," Buffy told her, frowning. Giles had never really given her a good answer to that question. "Real vampires can't fly or turn into bats. At least that's what I'm told. They can only come into your home if you invite them."

"Oh."

"I really enjoyed this morning," Buffy said, standing with Ami in front of her apartment building in one of Sunnydale's yuppified older neighborhoods. "We should do that again."

"I would like that," Ami said.

"Good. Good." Buffy smiled. "You must be tired," she said. "I won't keep you up."

"Goodbye," Ami said, turning to the lobby door.

"Don't forget," Buffy said.

"Hmm?" Ami looked back at her.

"They can only come in if you invite them," she said.

Ami nodded, before opening the door and stepping in.

"Bye," Buffy said, right before the lobby door closed behind Ami.

'Bye'? Buffy grumbled to herself as she walked home. Very articulate there, slayer. And 'don't invite them in'? Very helpful advice. She wonder if Anya has any supernatural self-defense books she could get her. It was either that or tell her about the whole slayer thing, she decided.

"Hey Xander!" Buffy said, waiting for him at his car at the job site later that evening.

"Hey Buff, what's up?" he asked, opening the trunk and throwing his things in.

"Have you heard anything about Sailor Whats-it from your Buckaroo friends yet?"

"They don't know much," Xander told her. "But they have some theories."

"Good guys? Bad guys?" Buffy asked.

"Definitely of the good," Xander said. "But they aren't regular super-heroes. They're mainly body guards for that princess of theirs."

"So what's one of them doing in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked. "What's the theory?"

"They're either from another dimension or they're elementals?" Xander said.

"Huh?" Buffy frowned. "What's an elemental, Xander-giles"?

"Magical creatures? I think." Xander shook his head. "They have power over the elements, and the planets. Something like that."

"But they're good guys?"

"Yes," Xander said.

"And why Sunnydale?"

"Why don't you just ask her?" Xander said, getting into his car.

"Because..." Buffy muttered, not having a good answer. The excuse she'd given Anya wouldn't work with him. Grumbling under her breath, she climbed into his car.

"They think it was Willow," Xander said several minutes later, pulling up in front of the Magic Box.

"When she had her melt-down?"

"Yup. The government has all these sensors and satellites pointed at Sunnydale, left over from when the Initiative was here," he said. "They recorded some strange energy thing that day."

"And?" Buffy asked, getting out of the car.

"The same kind of energy used to show up on the satellites around Tokyo whenever the Moon Princess and her bodyguards fought whatever they fought."

"Sounds like a coincidence," Buffy said.

"Maybe, but they have scientific proof," Xander told her. "Pictures, and graphs and recordings."

"And they didn't say anything until now, because?"

Xander sighed. "They were told it was none of their business."

"By our favorite interfering London old boys club?" Buffy asked. His silence was answer enough. "You know, I appreciate what they did for Willow, letting us clean up here ourselves, but they need to learn to make with the info sharing."