Buffy was cleaning the dishes, when Snyder came down into the kitchen.

"Buffy," started Snyder, "I want you to move the boxes in the basement to the sub-basement. Then, I want you to clean the drapes, scrub the floors, clean the chimney, and mow the lawn."

He turned to leave. Buffy sighed. I have a lot of work to do, thought Buffy.

But, at that very moment, Snyder turned around, and added, "Oh, and plant the flowers, water them, and wash all the clothes in the house."

"What about the ball?" called Buffy after Snyder.

"Only if you finish your work in time."

Buffy was sad. She didn't know if she was going to make it to the ball.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to work extra hard."

Half the day past, by the time Buffy was done with the boxes, drapes, floor, and chimney. She went right to work on the yard work. She finally finished with that, a couple hours before dusk. She quickly started to get the clothes clean.

Her stepfamily was about to leave when she finished the last dress.

"Stepfather! Stepfather! I'm done!! May I go to the ball?" yelled Buffy, as she ran through the house. Buffy got to the main hall. Then the three started laughing.

"Are you really going to the ball in that dress?" asked Cordelia.

Buffy looked at her clothes. She was so worried about her chores, she forgot about getting any dresses for herself.

The three kept laughing as they left. Buffy just stood there. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. Finally she just bust out sobbing. She covered her face as she ran all the way up to her bedroom in a drafty attic.

She fell to the floor right next to her bed. Sobbing.

"Sweety?" asked someone. "Don't cry darling."

"What? Who?" started Buffy. Buffy looked up. Standing there before her was a transparent woman.

"Who are you?" asked Buffy. "Wait? Mother??"

"You remember."

"How could I forget you?"

Buffy's mother smiled.

"I'm going to send you a friend angel of mine. She looks your age, but she already has her wings. She can help you."

All of a sudden, there was a bright flash. Buffy's mother disappeared. In her place stood a young woman. More of a teenager really. She was about Buffy's age, by her looks. She was about the same height. The angel had red hair and hazel eyes.

"Hi," greeted the angel. "My names Willow."

"Hi," replied Buffy.

"So, what's the problem?"

"Well, I really wanted to go to this ball at the palace today and--

"Say no more. Come with me."

Buffy wanted to finish what she was saying earlier, but Willow had this resolved face. Buffy didn't want to say anything, after Buffy saw that face.

Buffy followed Willow outside. Then she waited.

"Okay, you need to get to the ball. So??????"

"There's an old carriage in the back??"

Willow, pulled a wand out of a small bag she held. She said some weird words. Then Buffy watched as her old broken up carriage drove up to the front of the house all by itself. As it came up it started to turn into a beautiful sparkling carriage.

"There, now, you need horses."

"There are horses in the stable, over to the side of the house. But they might be to old."

Willow said a few more words, waved her wand around and two horses came trotting up like they were only five years old instead of fifteen. They were all clean, and somehow they changed from brown, to white horses.

For a driver, Willow turned the family dog, Oz, into a human.

"Now, about your dress...what color?"

"Well, I don't know, blue, purple? Something beautiful."

"I've got it." Willow waved her wand and Buffy was suddenly wearing an ice blue gown fit for a goddess.

"Oh, Willow!! Thank you! It's so beautiful! Thank you!! And the shoes, their gorgeous!!" Buffy went over to hug Willow.

"Okay, you better get going. You've got until the stroke of twelve."

"Oh, then that only leaves me three hours. I better get going."

And with that, she was off. As they were going, Buffy sat next to the window. She waved back to Willow. Buffy, then, stared at the stars the rest of the way to the ball.