She's heard the speech countless times now, enough so that Buffy practically has it memorized herself. Much like Willow, Fred can never be too prepared, and tiring though it got at the end (more than once she remembers urging the brunette to relax) she has been happy to help. As Fred takes the stage, Buffy flashes a smile and a quick thumbs-up for support, both eager and hopeful to hear the speech delivered at last. Eager and hopeful, however, were dire mistakes on her part: she should have known better than to wish for the best. Taking a page out of the Sunnydale Book of Mass Terrorization, the island delivers unto Fred a gift that from the looks of it is not at all well received.

At first, she thinks nothing of the pause, assuming it to be a bout of nervousness — Fred is prone to stammering, after all — and no more. Only when Buffy looks up to offer another meaningful glance of support does she note the expression on Fred's face, the brand new (and rather vulgar) accessory around her neck. Buffy doesn't need to know what it is to know that it's bad; Fred has fought the forces of evil with the best of 'em and she's nothing if not courageous. She shudders to think what might bring so intense a look of fear to her eyes, then scolds herself for having time to shudder at all, pushing her way through the crowd not a split-second later.

"Fred!" Calls Buffy as she hoists herself up onto the stage, immediately falling to her knees at Fred's side. "Hey, hey, Fred, look at me," she presses, grazing her shoulder lightly. "Fred, what's wrong?"