It was twilight and the sun was just setting over the horizon. Sunnydale was about to settle down for the night, even though no one really knew what lurked in the darkness many of the residents have learned it was best to stay indoors when the sun had set.
Xander, Willow, Tara and Anya were standing in a semicircle around the fallen Slayers' grave; Willow stood directly at the foot of the grave dressed in a dark velvet ankle length dress. Her three companions held candles, two of the three where already lit. It was easy to see that tensions were high; if everything didn't go exactly as planned they could have a serious problem on their hands.
The red-headed witch checked the time again and knew that there wasn't much left. She looked around at her friends trying to spot check every last detail
"Does everyone have their candles?"
Anya seemed to be the only one having trouble getting hers lit, every time she was able to gain a flicker from her lighter the wind would gently billow up again and blow out the low flame that flickered in the darkness.
"I'm trying my lighter won't stay lit" she said as she continuously clicked the lighter
"A minute till midnight" Xander making the time known
Willow is now frantic, if this didn't go off then they would have to wait and they might not get another chance, all had to go well if the spell was going to work.
"C'mon Anya, do you have it"
Anya clicked the lighter a few more times and for her efforts she was rewarded with a tiny flame but just enough to lit her candle to complete the circle.
"I got it, I got it, I got it"
The red-head nodded once and started the beginning stages of the very temperamental spell.
"Okay. Start the circle. Now"
Nothing had form where the two beings stood as they watched the rippling pool that reflected the image of the witch and her friends attempt to raise the dead. The Powers knew that with this specific group of people nothing ever went exactly to plan but the witch was messing with forces way beyond her control and all it would lead to was heartache and destruction.
It was the perfect opportunity to set things right, the oracles had been looking for a way to reset the fabric of time ever since Angelus reappearance and the battle with Acathla. From the moment the en- souled vampire and Slayer consummated their relationship nothing went the way it suppose to.
"She is messing with forces beyond her control, dear brother. If she is to succeed in this then all will be lost. We will loose both our warriors and never gain the third that is meant to be" said the female oracle
"Sister be patient, all will be well soon enough. This is the opportunity we've been waiting for. We thought it was a match for the Slayer and vampire but we were wrong. The boy is her true mate, he never did come into his full power and you know it. All three will be needed to fight in 'The End of Days'"
The female sighed heavily all the upper beings knew that the fate of 'The Light' rested in the hands of 'The Chosen'. The Powers of course knew of the other Slayer but she was more of a fluke than anything else. Though it was prophesied that The Slayer would die at the Masters' hand it never said anything about her return but The Powers knew that this young girl was needed.
The little Slayer had to die in order to end the Slayer line; she was to be the last, the immortal. Of course they couldn't leave their most favored warrior alone so a companion was chosen for her. One with whom she could share everything with, a mate and it was not to be the vampire. The en-souled was to merely be an ally and everything was right with the world until the unlikely pair consummated their relationship.
So now everything was as it was but it could be as it should be and all they needed was the Slayers' agreement.
"Bring her forth from 'The Kingdom', brother it is time."
A wind picked up and the air became thick with the feel of magicks and the scent of vanilla. In the center of the space a swirling white and blue vortex opened and The Slayer stepped through. The small blonde was disoriented at first but soon recognized the space in time in which the oracles resided in. She was dressed in a long white dress that fell just passed her ankles but didn't quite touch the floor, she looked so very small and fragile and nothing like the Slayer she was but still breathtakingly beautiful.
"What am I doing here, you told me…that I was done, my time had come" she said softly
The female stepped forward, she being the more compassionate of the two.
"Yes young warrior you were finished but some new developments on earth are now going to prevent you from continuing on in your rest. You see your friends believe you to be in a hellish dimension and are trying to resurrect you as a way to pull you out of your supposed eternal torment"
"But I am…was in heaven I guess would be the best place to call it. I am…was happy there. I don't want to go back, there is so much pain and death there, and please I beg you do not send me back" she pleaded to the upper beings
"We cannot, your friend the witch has power like no other and she is abusing it to bring you back. This we cannot prevent you will have to return to earth as to when is another story"
"What do you mean when?"
"When you first came here my brother and I explained to you that the way things actually happened was not the way they were supposed to be, do you remember?"
"Of course I remember but what does that have to do with anything?"
Both of the Oracles could see that it was going to take a bit explaining than originally thought in order to convince the Slayer.
"We can either send you back to the time it is now or we can literally reset time so you can begin again with the knowledge of what has already happened except would strip you of your memories of heaven. Those would hinder you more so than they would help"
"But the memories won't they be painful also"
"You will only remember what you need to and by dreaming of them, in this new life there will be no old wounds"
For the longest time there was nothing but an unearthly silence when finally the Slayer looked up at the two beings and without saying a word they both already knew her choice.
"Send me back, back to the beginning"
Both couldn't help but smile they knew that she would make the right choice, they turned to the newly awakened warrior and with a slight nod of their head there was a bright flash of light and the powerful siblings were once again left alone.
The young Slayer tosses and turns as she is plagued by nightmares that just don't seem to go away. None of the images are clear they all bleed into one another and they all flash before her so quickly there is not one clear thought. Vampires, witches, potions, demons and finally The Master himself each image is nothing more than a flash just before she wakes with a start.
"Buffy?" her mother Joyce calls for her
Buffy tiredly sits up in the bed and answers her mother as he does so.
"I'm up mom!"
"Don't wanna be late for your first day!"
The small blonde looks around her room and then down into her lap sighing softly she says to herself.
"No…wouldn't want that"
It's the first day back for students at Sunnydale High after a long summer, the sun is shinning and everyone is dreading entering the dismal halls of education. The blonde looks out the window and cringes inwardly at the thought of going to a new school and not knowing one single soul. So she does the only thing she can do, Buffy gets out of the car.
"Okay, have a good time. I know you're going to make friends right away" Joyce says while giving her daughter a thumbs up.
Buffy looks through the open car door and gives her mother a small smile with quick nod. As she turned to go she closed the door behind her but before she can get to far she heard her mothers voice behind her.
"Honey"
"Yeah Mom"
"Try not to get kicked out" she said with a bit of a grimace
"I promise"
"Okay"
And with that Joyce drove off leaving the Slayer to face the Sunnydale High and all that came with it alone. She inhaled deeply before proceeding up the steps all the while looking calm on the outside but on the inside one thought kept running through her mind.
'Don't trip, don't fall, don't trip…"
All the while behind her a boy on a skateboard was weaving his way through the crowd trying to shout warnings as he attempted to ride the skateboard.
"'Scuse me, comin' through, pardon me, 'scuse me, whoa! 'Scuse me, not sure how to stop! Please move, whoa, 'scuse me..."
His babbling was cut off as he caught sight of the breathtakingly new girl to attend Sunnydale High. So of course he missed the on coming banister and smacked right into it and his long time best friend Willow Rosenberg.
"I'm okay, I feel good"
She looks down at him, smiling and pulling her hair behind her ear. He finally notices her looking down at him and greets her.
"Willow! You're so very much the person I wanted to see" he said as he picked himself and his stuff up from the ground. She blushed prettily but the boy was to oblivious to notice.
"Oh really?" she asked as they started walking toward the double doors of the school building.
"Yeah, you know I kinda had a problem with the math."
"Uh, which part?"
"The math, can you help me out tonight? Please be study buddy?"
Willow already knew that she'd help him, not only was he her best friend she had been practically in love with him since the time they were five years old but she still felt the need to tease him.
"Well, what's in it for me?"
"A shiny nickel" he said with an adorable grin on his face.
"Okay. Do you have 'Theories in Trig'? You should check it out" she said as she resigned to her fate of tutoring Xander.
"Check it out?"
"From the library, where the books live" she told him as a matter-of- factly
"Right, I'm there! See, I wanna change..."
Before he could finish the third member of their little group showed up and greeted his friends with too much enthusiasm for the first day back at school.
"Hey, hey!" said the boy
"Hey, Jesse, what's what?" Xander said to his childhood best friend
"New Girl!" he said it as if it was the best thing in the world
"That's right, I saw her. Pretty much a hottie!" recalling the effect said 'new girl' had on him "I heard someone was transferring..." the red-head said finally throwing her two cents in "What's the stitch, what do ya know about her?" Xander was already overly curious about this girl; no other had such an effect on him before. He was just dying to talk to her, just once. "New girl!" he said as if that was all anyone needed to know "Well, you're certainly a font of nothing!" The three of them headed off to homeroom not wanting to be late on the very first day, besides you didn't want to make a bad impression. You wait to do that on the second day.
Buffy is seated in one of the chairs in Principal Flutie's office; she is nervously wringing her hands and trying to keep her cool as she sees him begin to look over her transcript. "You are Buffy Summers, sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting record, quite a career..." he says as he goes to sit down in front of his desk right across from her. He then takes her transcript and tears it up.
Buffy can just look on in awe as this man she has never met puts his faith in her to turn around and be a 'better student'
"Welcome to Sunnydale! A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper, even if it says...Whoa."
Buffy had to cringe at the look that passed across her new principals' face, it was practically priceless.
"Mr. Flutie…"
"All the kids here are free to call me Bob." He said
"Bob..."
"…but they don't" he said as he began to reassemble her torn transcript
"I know my transcripts are a little... colorful" she said with a grimace known that 'colorful' was no where near the right word to describe what her transcripts looked like.
"Heeey... We're not caring about that. Do you think, uh, 'colorful' is the word?" he said as he applied tape to the torn pages. "Not, uh, 'dismal'?" he finished off with a grimace of his own
"Wasn't *that* bad!" Buffy said trying to plead her case at the same time wondering if this man would still give her a chance to prove herself
"You burned down the gym" He stated as if that was all there was to it
Buffy exhaled a breath knowing that there was really nothing she could say to dispute the statement but she had to at least try.
"I did, I really did, but... You're not seeing the big picture here, I mean, that gym was full of vampi... asbestos." She finished lamely, Buffy knew all to well that her knowledge of what goes bump in the night is meant to stay a secret. Also most would think her crazy and the men in the nice white jackets would come for her in no time.
Mr. Flutie looked up to see that the teen was in real distress and he wanted to believe that she was a good kid but her transcripts were just too…colorful to completely rule out every possibility.
"Buffy, don't worry. Any other school they might say 'watch your step', or 'we'll be watching you'... But, that's just not the way *here*. We want to service your needs, and help you to respect our needs. And if your needs and our needs don't mesh..."
Buffy could only look on as he put the poorly repaired sheet back into her file and slapped it shut. So she gave him a thin but nervous smile as she moved to exit his office.
Buffy exited Mr. Flutie's office. As she opened her bag and began to go threw her things she walked right into a pair of students. The girl bumps into her, causing her lose her grip on the bag and spill its contents all onto the floor.
"Oh Sorry"
"That's Okay" said the unknown girl as she walked on, leaving Buffy to pick up the debris.
Buffy groaned at the site of bags contents strewn all over the floor. Xander heard the noise and looked back, he knew instantly that this was his chance so he quickly came over and bent down next to her to help her gather her things. All of a sudden out of no where as their eyes locked he asked…
"Can I have you?"
She just gave him a very confused look in response.
"Duh…Can I help you?" he corrected himself with a nervous chuckle
"Thanks" she said giving him a grateful smile
"I don't know you, do I?"
"I'm Buffy, I'm new"
"Xander is…is me. Hi."
"Um, thanks…I think" she said with a nervous smile. Buffy couldn't seem to place it but there was something about this boy that made her just want to be around him.
"Well, uh, maybe I'll see you around... maybe at school... since we... both... go there."
She just had to laugh softly at his nervousness; it was too cute for words.
"That'd be nice, It was nice to meet you…maybe I'll see you around" she said with a nervous smile.
"Yeah, I mean definitely!" a huge grin plastered across his face
This only caused Buffy's hesitant smile to grow into a more confident one.
"Okay, it was nice you meeting you…Xander, right?"
"Yeah, I mean right, so I guess I'll see ya around"
"Around" she confirmed his statement as she turned and headed down the hall in the opposite direction.
Both walked in the opposite direction of the other but neither could get the thought of the other out of their heads and both were just waiting for the opportunity to meet again.
In one of the few history classrooms it was full of weary students as they half listened to the teacher in front of the room speak to them about 'The Black Death'
"It's estimated that about twenty-five million people died in that one four-year span. But the fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how?"
Though she probably knew most of her student weren't listening to her but she went on with her lesson anyway.
"…as an early form of germ warfare, if you'll look at the map on page sixty-three you can trace the spread of the disease into Rome, and then north..."
Being that Buffy was new she didn't possess a book to look at so she began to look around her neighbors to see with whom she could share with. A beautiful brunette could see Buffys' dilemma and moved her book over so the two of them could share.
"Thanks"
The brunette just smiled in reply as the teacher droned on.
"…and this popular plague led to what social changes? Steve?" Steve and the rest of the class were saved from the boring question/answer portion of the class because of the bell ringing.
"Hi! I'm Cordelia" offering her hand
"I'm Buffy" the little blonde said as she accepted the hand offered to her
"If you're looking for a textbook of your very own there's probably a few in the library"
"Oh, great, thanks, where would that be?" she asked as both of them got up to exit the classroom
"I'll show you, come on. So you're from Hemery, right? In Los Angeles, right?" Cordelia asked
"Uh, yeah" Buffy answered hesitantly not really sure or liking where this conversation was leading.
"Oh, I would *kill* to live in L.A. That close to that many shoes?" Buffy just had to laugh at the statement as the two girls finally exited the classroom.
As they began to walk down the hall Buffy had to wonder when the interrogation would begin, she didn't have to wait too long because as they rounded a corner Cordelia began.
"Well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but let's see. Vamp nail polish."
Buffy knew that if she wanted to fit in here she'd have to get in with Cordelia first but then again she wasn't sure how well she really wanted in with 'the in crowd'.
"Um, over?"
"So over, James Spader?"
"He needs to call me!"
"Frappaccinos"
"Mmmm, trendy, but tasty"
"John Tesh"
"The Devil"
The girls came to a stop near the water fountain and the double doors of the library as the finished up their conversation.
"That was pretty much a gimme, but... you passed!"
"Oh good" Buffy said with as much false relief she could muster, God, how she wanted to smack this girl let alone acknowledge she use to be this girl.
As they turn toward the drinking fountain a meek looking little red head is quenching her thirst there. She immediately straightened and wiped her mouth nervously as they approached. Cordelia smiled a false smile and proceeded to taunt her.
"Willow! Nice dress! Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."
"Uh, oh, well, my mom picked it out" She answered her as if she was seriously complimenting her outfit, either the red headed didn't notice the obvious sarcasm or she just didn't want a confrontation with the most popular girl in school.
"No wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?" said the voluptuous brunette who was now starting to become annoyed.
Willow looked back and forth between the fountain and Cordelia before it dawned on her what she was actually talking about. She then turned and made a hasty retreat down the corridor. Cordelia watched her for a fraction of a second before turning toward the water fountain and continued on with her rambling.
"You wanna fit in here, the first rule is: know your losers. Once you can identify them all by sight, they're a lot easier to avoid." She threw a fleeting glance toward the direction where Willow stood.
Buffy let out a nervous laugh and nodded her understanding. She looked at Willow again, who had gone through the doors at the end of the hall. Willow looked back one last time at them before she continued on her way.
As the two girls headed toward the library Cordelia decided to extend an invitation to hang with her and her friends that evening.
"…and if you're not too swamped with catching up you should come by the Bronze tonight"
"The who?"
"The Bronze, it's the only club worth going to around here. They let anybody in, but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of town."
"Where's that?"
"…about a half a block from the good part of town, we don't have a whole lot of town here. But, um, you should show!" She said laughing at her own really bad joke.
"Well, I'll try, uh thanks again" as she looked toward the double doors that lead to the library.
"Good. So, um, I'll see you in gym, and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about you" The bubbly brunette gave her a jaunty wave and continued to saunter down the hall.
"Oh that's sounds like fun" she said to herself, the sarcasm clearly apparent
Buffy pushed open the doors to the dimly lit library and began to look around. Since no one was in plain sight she almost though that the room was deserted.
"Hello? Is anybody here?" she called out as she continued to enter the eerily quiet library
She looked toward the book checkout counter and saw a newspaper lying there. A picture has been circled. The caption above it reads 'Local Boys Still Missing.' An unknown man came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, startled by his sudden presence.
"Whoa, anybody's here!"
"Can I help you" a crisp British accent could clearly be heard in the man's speech
"I was looking for some, well, books. I'm new"
Buffy cocked her head to the side she just couldn't place it but there was something about this man that was just…unsettling.
"Miss Summers?"
"Good call! Guess I'm the only new kid, huh?"
"I'm Mr. Giles. The librarian…I was told you were coming" he said as he scurried around to the other side of the counter.
"Great! So, um, I'm gonna need 'Perspectives on 20th Century...'
Before she could finish her book request Giles interrupted her claiming to know what she just had to be after.
With a big grin on his face he pulled out a large old book with the word 'VAMPYR' written in gold leaf on the front cover. Buffy looked up at him with an uneasy gaze, she knew there was something about this man and she was beginning to fear she was right.
"That's not what I am looking for"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm *way* sure!"
Giles face was a mask of confusion so he quickly pulled the book of the counter and bent to put it back in its place. As he ducked his head down beneath the counter Buffy made her hasty escape through the doors. When Giles finally reappeared from behind the counter all that was left of the smile blonde was the double doors of the library swinging back in forth in her wake.
Willow was quietly eating her lunch alone when Buffy approached her from behind.
"Uh, Hi Willow, right?" Buffy asked with a smile on her face, even though Cordelia wasn't all that nice to this girl earlier she couldn't help but like to the shy red head.
Willow looked up in complete shock she couldn't believe that this girl was actually talking to her…nicely especially since she seemed to be one of Cordelias' many associates.
"Why? I-I mean, hi! Uh, did you want me to move?"
Again Buffy had to smile at this girl actions, she just couldn't believe that she didn't have many friends, this Willow was beyond nice.
"Why don't we start with, 'Hi, I'm Buffy,' and, uh, then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while."
The red head looked at her as if she had grown to heads and then said she could walk on water.
"But aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?" she stated more than asked because everyone knew that you just didn't do both.
"I can't do both"
"Not legally" her tone all too serious
Buffy exhaled deeply at the response she received, she still couldn't believe that she use to be like that girl.
"Look, I really wanna get by here, new school, and... Cordelia has been really nice... to me... anyway, but, um, I kinda have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up."
At this the red head instantly brightened, she couldn't believe that this girl was actually seeking her help and wanting to spend time with her. She just didn't want her to do her homework for her; she wanted to do it with her.
"Oh, I could *totally* help you out! Uh, if you have sixth period free we could meet in the library?"
Buffys' head shot up at the mention of going back to that creepy library, she knew that she had better think fast or she was completely screwed.
"Or not. Or we could meet someplace quieter. Louder. Uh, that place just kinda gives me the wiggins."
"Oh, it has that effect on most kids. I love it, though, it's a great collection, and the new librarian is really cool."
This immediately caught Buffys' attention. Too many things were falling into place, she rather wish that they weren't but she had to know.
"He's new?"
"Yeah, he just started. He was a curator at some British museum, or, or The British Museum, I'm not sure. But he knows everything, and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies, and am I the single dullest person alive?"
"Not at all" she said as she smiled at her new friend while pulling her lunch from her bag.
Two boys suddenly appeared as Xander, being one of them hopped up onto the wall behind the two girls and sat in between them. The other just stood in front of them and dropped his bag. The unknown boy greeted the two girls with a simple but enthusiastic 'Hey'.
Both Buffy and Willow replied in kind, seeing that her male companions were not up for introductions Willow decided to take it upon herself to introduce everyone not knowing that Xander and Buffy were already acquainted with one another.
"Buffy, this is Jesse and that's Xander"
"Oh, me and Buffy go waaay back, old friends, very close. Then there's that period of estrangement where I think we were both growing as people, but now here we are, like old times, I'm quite moved."
Jesse and Willow were both startled to see the small blonde giggling at Xanders' horrible attempt to joke. It was a well known fact that Xander Harris never got the girl, especially one that looked like Buffy Summers. Jesse turned toward his other long-time best friend, confusion marring his face.
"Is it me, or did he just turn into a babbling idiot?"
Willow could do nothing but shrug her shoulders; she also couldn't help the feeling of her insides turning over because of the looks that the blonde and brunette continued to throw one another. For as long as she could remember her heart belonged to Xander Harris and with the beginnings of high school she had hoped that he might see her as more than just his best friend but now she was beginning to see that it just wasn't meant to be.
Buffy and Xander seemed to be in a world all there own. Xander wasn't too sure what it was about the tiny blonde but there was just some connection there that he just couldn't ignore.
"So, uh where are you from originally?"
"Los Angeles…"
"…and you moved here?"
Buffy just laughed at his dumbfounded expression. I mean why anyone would willingly move to a small town with only one movie theatre and very minimal shopping options was beyond her.
"Yeah well my mom and dad were…are on the outs and stuff, then with the divorce…my mom just thought it would be best to start over… someplace new I guess." She looked up to see him looking down at her with a soft smile on his face and his eyes full of understanding.
"I know how that is…the fights and stuff only my parents are still, well whatever they are I *know* that they're not happy…I just know that I never wanna turn out like my parents" he said with a heavy sigh.
At that moment the little blonde already knew that the person sitting in front of her was nothing like his parents and he never would be. If she didn't know any better she would've sworn she could literally feel his emotions rolling off of him and onto her. With a gentle hand she touched his wrist causing him to raise his eyes to hers.
"You'll never be…that way. I know we just met but I can already see that you're a good person and that will never happen. Whatever you're afraid of becoming…" she just shook her head in negation to finish off what was left unsaid. Xander just smiled softly at the girl in front of him. There was just something about her that put him at ease; she brought on a sense of contentment he never felt before.
"Oh, you dropped this earlier to return this" he says as he pulls the stake out of his bag and shows it to her. "The only thing I can think is that you're building a really little fence" in the end handing to her, this however finally drew the attention of their two companions.
"Hey what's that about?" Jesse asked
Buffy quickly grabs the sharpened piece of wood from Xanders' grasp while struggling to come up with a somewhat believable explanation.
"Hah, no, um, a-a-actually it was for self-defense. Everyone has them in L.A. Pepper spray is just so passé." She says with a nervous laugh hoping her new friends will buy the poorly thought up lie.
"So, Buffy since you're new in town, how about I show you around. I mean I know there isn't a whole lot to look at in a one Starbucks' town like Sunnydale but…"
Buffy looked up into Xanders' hopeful brown eyes and knew that right then and there that she was in serious trouble if he continued to look at her like that. She began to get little flutters in her stomach and that could only mean one thing…she was falling for Xander Harris.
"I'd love to, do you think…"
Before she could finish and before anyone could notice the small redheads' look of despair Queen C strutted up to the group of misfits and began to rattle off something about no gym and not meeting a gym coach with chest hair but what caught the Slayers' attention was the mentioning of a dead body.
"What?"
"Yeah, what are you talking about?" Xander chimed in
"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!"
"Dead" the Slayer stated bluntly
"Totally dead, Way dead"
"It's not just a little dead, then?" Even Buffy had to stifle the urge to roll her eyes, Xander maybe a cutie but sometimes he was a bit much. However Cordelia had no such reservations.
"Don't you have an elsewhere to be?"
Jesse then felt it was his time to throw his two cents in.
"Y'know, if you need a shoulder to cry on or just to nibble on..."
Buffy was beginning to become a bit frustrated with the group around her. She knew that it was just the Slayer in her but still…if they would just shut up for two seconds I might find out something.
"How did he die?"
"I don't' know!"
"Well, were there any marks?"
"Morbid much! I didn't ask!" her nose scrunching up in disgust
A nervous expression marred her face as she looked around at everyone. Buffy knew that she had to get to that body before it was moved and then she'd never know for sure if it was what she was so hoping it wouldn't be.
"Um, I gotta book. I'll, I'll see you guys later." She took off with her bag and jogged toward the building and away from the quad.
"Hey Buff!" Xander trailed off as he realized that the blonde really wasn't listening. He wasn't to bothered by it, he was meeting up with her after school anyway but he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was up.
"I gotta bail too, I'll catch you guys later" he said as he too walked off in the same direction as Buffy.
After a few tense moments the ever tactful Cordelia spoke up.
"What's their deal?"
Buffy crept up to the locked doors of the locker room, double checking to make sure that no one was near by she used her strength to forcefully open the door and gain entrance to the inside. Walking through the row of lockers until she came upon the place where the body lay under a large black tarp. Kneeling down she gently removed the tarp from the upper portion of the body.
As she leaned in her eyes widened slightly at the expression on the man's face along with his bluish-white complexion but what made her sag in defeat and have the little Slayer pout was the discovery of two very small holes in his neck.
"Oh Great!"
Buffy storms into the library determined to get to the bottom the creepy situation and hopefully put it all behind her before anything else happens. She thought for sure she left all this crap behind when she left L.A.
"Okay, what's the stitch?"
At that Giles came out from behind the stacks curious as to what all the noise was about.
"Sorry?"
"You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker!" she said with a no nonsense attitude.
"Yes"
Buffy dropped her bag onto the table and began to head up the steps into the upper portion of the library.
"'Cause, it's the weirdest thing. He's got two little, little holes in his neck, and all his blood's been drained." Now she standing directly in front of him, he towers of the tiny blonde but she is in no way intimidated by his stature. "Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going, ooo?"
"I was afraid of this" Giles said as he began to head for the steps, however her voice stopped him and he again turned to face her.
"Well, *I* wasn't! It's my first day! I was afraid that I was gonna be behind in all my classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires on campus. And I don't care."
He surprised her by asking her the question that even she didn't have the answer for.
"Then why are you here?"
"To tell you that... I don't care which... I don't, and…have now told you, so... bye." With that she turned sharply and began to walk away.
Again she is dramatic exit is brought to a stop by his voice.
"Is he, w-will he…rise again?"
Turning truly perplexed as to whom he was speaking of. "Who?"
"The boy" pinching the bridge of his nose wondering how in gods name Merrick handled this girl, she was everything a Slayer wasn't. She willful and stubborn as all hell, he liked her instantly but that didn't make is job any easier.
"No, he's just dead"
"Can you be sure?"
"To make you a vampire they have to suck your blood. And then you have to suck their blood. It's like a whole big sucking thing. Mostly they're just gonna kill you. Why am I still talking to you?" she said out loud to herself as she began to turn and descend the few steps as quickly as possible.
"You really have no idea what's going on, do you? You think its coincidence, your being here? That boy was just the beginning." He said coming to the railing and gesturing toward the doors.
"Oh, why can't you people just leave me alone?" she turned to face him, her face pleading with him to let it be
"Because you are the Slayer…" he said as he came down the stairs "Into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires..."
Buffy interrupted the British man and continued on in where he trailed off.
"...with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil blah, blah, blah... I've heard it, okay?"
"I really don't understand this attitude. You, you've accepted your duty, you, you've slain vampires before..."
"Yeah, and I've both been there and done that, and I'm moving on"
All of sudden there was a loud thud that could be heard and stumbling out of the stacks came a very wide eyed and disheveled Xander Harris. The Watcher and Slayer were frozen in place as he collected himself and slowly descended the step. He came to a stop only a few paces away from the pair. There was a very tense silence until it was broken by Xander who finally mustered up the courage to say something.
"Umm I don't think that's and option"
This seemed to pull both from their shocked induced stupors but since Buffy was able to form a coherent thought first she fired off the first question, the one of many to come.
"What's not an option?" she asked softly
"The moving on…thing, see umm I thought it was some bad pizza or something but a few nights ago I had a really funky dream. And anyway there was just some really not normal stuff in it. Like there were these guys and they had a serious case of the bumpies with these really gross yellow looking eyes. Oh and then there was this whole thing about demons, witches, spells and a whole bunch of other stuff. Then at the very end there were these two…things they looked human enough except for the bluish skin and stuff. It was really weird. They said something about protecting her, 'The guardian of light' needs a guardian of her own and that I was him, 'The Guardian'. Do either of you know what that means?"
Buffy just looked at him like he had a second head. She had seen and heard some pretty odd things in her line of work but nothing like this before. Giles on the other hand seemed to be in deep thought. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, if what this boy in front of him was saying was true than these two young people in front of him had a greater destiny than any could imagine.
"The Oracles…" he said softly, suddenly turning and scurrying into his office to retrieve one of his books.
"The what?" Xander questioned
"You got me, lets see what he comes up with" Buffy walked over to the table and pushed herself up onto it. Xander followed in suit and placed himself next to her as they waited for the Watcher to return. When he finally did return his nose was in a small leather bound book that looked fairly worn.
"Ah…here it is"
"Here what is?" both asked
Giles looked up from the book confused for a second before realizing he wasn't alone.
"This is the Tigris Chronicles, its like The Codex, The Codex holds all the most pertinent prophecies pertaining to the Slayer whereas the Tigris Chronicles speak more of their lives what will happen to them in the since what type of paths they'll follow…that's the best I know how to explain it but its entirely in Portuguese"
"Well get to reading!" Xander exclaimed
"Don't you mean translating" Buffy chimed in
"Whatever" he replied
"Can I please; O slayer encontrar-se-á com seu mate…The Slayer will meet her mate."
"Mate!?!?!" both Buffy and Xander were in complete shock at the very first line
"Please let me get through this and we'll move on from there" when he was meet with two small nods and silence he continued.
"…sua ligação crescerá até uma deixará este plano somente ao retorno ao lado dos seus mates' outra vez. A ligação crescerá o tempo excedente que cría o poder como nenhum outro... na extremidade dois que os guerreiros eternal para a luz remanescerão... immortal"
When he finished he was meet with silence mostly because there was nothing either of them could say because it was in Portuguese after all.
After inhaling and exhaling deeply a few times Buffy pressed forward and asked softly what exactly it all meant. Giles took off his glasses and began to wipe them with a white handkerchief he took from his breast pocket.
"Basically it said that the Slayer will meet her mate…their bond will grow until one will leave this plane only to return to their mates' side again. The bond will grow over time creating power like no other...in the end two eternal warriors for the light will remain...Immortal" he finished with the last word in nothing more in a mere whisper, he was having trouble grasping the idea himself.
"So you're sure that I'm the Slayer that this…book is talking about. I mean I'm not all that great and…oh god…" she sighed heavily and felt tears begin to leak out of her eyes. She couldn't believe that it would never end; she was destined to fight for basically an eternity…not fun times!
Xander was lost in thought when he was suddenly hit with a wave of such sadness and despair it nearly knocked him over. At first he had no idea why he felt this way and where such strong emotions were coming from. Then he turned to face the small blonde to his right she was hunched over and her face was buried in her hands. He walked slowly toward her before taking her into his arms.
As Buffy felt Xanders' strong arms come around her she broke down completely. It was so odd the emotions that she was feeling. At first she was consumed by sadness and despair at the thought that the fighting would never stop but then as Xander wrapped his arms around her the loneliness and sadness began to ebb away and all that was left was a feeling of warmth and contentment. She knew now that she'd never have to be alone ever again.
Giles watched somewhat in awe as the two teens in front of him embraced. If he didn't know any better he would've sworn that they'd known each other for their entire lives with the way Xander was lightly running his hands up and down Buffys' back and whispering calming nonsense into her hair, as soon as Xander touched his Slayer she seemed to have calmed considerably.
Eventually the two separated but Xander kept an arm wrapped around her waist while Buffy absently played with his fingers that lay in her lap. Giles noticed the pair were looking expectantly at him and took that as his cue that it was once again okay to continue.
"What do you know about this town?" he asked softly
Xander just shrugged his shoulders but Buffy seemed to be struggling with something, as if she was deciding on whether to share the knowledge or not.
"Boca Dell Inferno…it means The Hellmouth. My first Watcher, Merrick he told me about but said that I should never go there unless I had to. That it was dangerous and all sorts of the nasty are drawn toward it" she said softly, her eyes cast focused solely on Xanders' fingers.
"Merrick was right…zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!"
At this Buffy looked up and asked…
"What? You, like, sent away for the Time-Life series?"
"Ah, w-w-w-yes"
"Did you get the free phone?"
"Um, the calendar"
"Oh, that's cool…so what happens now?" she asked no one in particular, the question itself could've been for either of the males in the room but Giles was the one to answer first.
"I'd like to see what exactly type of bond it is you to share, so could you both be here after school. It won't take too long; we'll just begin the preliminary research this afternoon."
"Sounds good to me, Buffy?"
"Okay"
With that the two teens exited the library and headed off to English while the Watcher entered his office and made a trans-Atlantic phone call.
Buffy and Xander entered the library after their last class and Giles was no where to be found. They just shrugged it off and went took seats at the table. Xander slumped back in his seat and propped both his feet up on the table chewing his gum obnoxiously loud, while Buffy just plopped down into the seat next to him and began to fiddle with her nails. The two were only kept waiting for a few minutes before Giles stepped out of his office and quietly closed the door but in the silence of the library it sounded otherwise.
At Giles disapproving look Xander instantly removed his feet from the table and closed his mouth and visibly swallowed his gum. Giles just shook his and sighed heavily as he dropped down into one of the chairs across from him.
"I was on the phone with 'The Council' all afternoon. They literally can't believe that it is you but once I explained everything to them; they could do nothing but agree. All the facts are there, I mean you are she, The Immortal Slayer."
"You mean…I'm immortal already…I thought some prophecy thing or whatever had to happen first" a confused expression marring her face
"Yeah, so what about that whole 'mate' thing, I mean not that being… mated to Buffy is a bad thing or anything but I thought a whole bunch of other stuff was suppose to happen first"
"You're right; there are a number of events that will lead up to your… ascensions as it were. Not only are you two becoming immortal, you will be more powerful than anyone or thing can imagine. I mean you two will become the demons' version of the boogiemen"
At this they all had to laugh a little, it helped to lighten the tense mood. This new information changed so many things.
"So I was thinking that maybe…"
"You know what Giles it's been a long day and well frankly I'm kinda tired and well you know what they say: 'A Cranky Slayer is a Careless Slayer'"
"Yeah G-man, I think I'm gonna motor also, Buff wanna walk home?"
The two proceed to gather up their belongings and head of the library, just as they were about to pass through the doors Giles voice halted them.
"It's getting worse!"
"What's getting worse?" Buffy asked
He waved both of them back into the library which earned a heavy sigh from both.
"The influx of the undead, the... supernatural occurrences, it's been building for years. There's a reason why this is happening and a reason why it's now!"
"Giles no normal teenager should be in school after hours unless absolutely necessary and what I mean by necessary is detention or some after school program you either gain some credit or popularity for" Xander responded
"Something's coming, something, something... something is, is gonna happen here. Soon!" he tried to make them understand the severity of the situation
"Gee, can you vague that up for us?" Buffy chimed in
"The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval, very soon. Days. Possibly less"
The pair looked at the watcher as if he'd grown a second head, yeah it was the Hellmouth but nothing that hadn't really couldn't handle.
"Oh, come on! This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be here?"
The cavern is dark and dank, the dripping of water could be heard and the area was lit only by numerous candles. A man with a hideously disfigured face, a vampire stood before a pool within the cavern. His hands race towards the heavens as he spoke in a loud domineering voice.
"The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake, and the world will bleed. Amen!"
Buffy stood in front of her mirror trying to decide on the numerous outfits thrown all of her room. After she and Xander had left the library Xander walked her home saying that he'd back to pick her up around seven o'clock, both we're pretty tired after everything and wanted a little while to themselves before heading back out.
As they walked towards 1630 Revello Drive they both decided that as Xander gave her a tour of the town they'd patrol at the same time. It'd give them a chance to spend some time together, patrol and check out their bond all in one shot. Xander said something about taking her to a club called 'The Bronze', she vaguely remembered Cordelia mentioning the place but then again she wasn't really paying attention to the brunette.
The little blonde sighed heavily and picked up another outfit and held it up in front of her while looking at herself in the mirror, it basically consisted of an extremely high cut skirt and an exorbitant amount of leather.
"Hi! I'm an enormous slut!" Instantly deciding against that, she then held up a blue floral dress curious as to how that one might look on her.
"Hello! Would you like a copy of 'The Watchtower'?" sighing heavily she lowered the dress and pouted into the mirror. She couldn't believe she was having so much trouble with choosing an outfit, her favorite past time use to be shopping for Christ sakes.
"I used to be so good at this."
Just then her mother came into her room. She knew that Buffy had some problems back in L.A. but she was hoping that now that her daughter was out of such a stressful environment things would turn around.
"Hi, hon"
Buffy smiled as she returned to her closet followed by a not so enthusiastic 'Hey'. Joyce somewhat nervously picked up a pillow and began to play with its frayed edges.
"Are you, uh, going out tonight?"
The little blonde didn't stop her quest for the perfect outfit but did inform her mother that she was going to a club and that the boy that dropped her off this afternoon was picking her up in about an hour. Of course this only caused more questions to arise from her mother.
"Oh. Will there be…uh other boys there?"
At this she had to look up at her mother and the expression on her face was all the answer Joyce needed. In fact as soon as the question passed her lips she knew how ridiculous it sounded. Joyce just sighed and smiled knowing that she had to put her trust in her daughter.
"Well, just be careful"
"I will"
After a few moments of a comfortable silence with Buffy still searching for an outfit and Joyce glancing over the contents of her daughters' room she spoke again.
"You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing... I'm gonna get the Gallery on its feet... Oh, uh, we may have found a space today."
"That's great mom" Buffy replied as she held up a pair of black boot cut slacks against her body.
"Oh, and that school is a, a very nurturing environment, which is just what you need" smiling at her daughter as she continued her quest to find a top
"Well, actually..." turning to face her mother while holding a black tank in her right hand and black sheer long sleeve in the other
"Oh, not too nurturing. I know, you're sixteen, I've read all about the dangers of over-nurturing" holding up her hands
Buffy just smiled slightly and walked over to her bed dropping the three pieces of clothing upon it. She then turned and walked over to her dresser to pick out a black bra and some panties.
"It's hard. New town and everything... It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work" she then walked over to her daughter and took her hands into her own. "I'm *going* to make it work."
"I know"
"Oh, you're a good girl, Buffy; you just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that is all behind us now" Joyce smiled encouragingly at her daughter
"It is. From now on I am only going to hang out with the living. I mean, lively, People." She smiled nervously trying to cover her slip up.
"Hmm, Okay. You have fun"
Joyce smiled one last time and exited her daughters' room. Buffy just shook her head once and headed off to take a quick shower. About twenty minutes later Buffy walked into her room with a towel wrapped around her. She sat down at her vanity and began to apply moisturizer and brush out her hair. When she finished there she dressed herself in the black boot cut pants, black tank and black sheer long sleeve shirt. Buffy then pulled on her ankle leather boots and ran a brush through her hair one last time. As Buffy did one last spot check in the mirror she heard the doorbell.
"Buffy, Xander's here!"
"Be right down!"
Downstairs Xander sat nervously on the Summers' living room couch. Joyce sat across from him in one of the easy chairs as they both waited for Buffy to come down. He'd never really dated before let alone met the girls' parents so this was completely new territory for him.
"So you just meet Buffy today?"
"Uh yeah, we have…well most of our classes are the same, except for a few" he smiled nervously at the women
"Well that's nice, I'm glad she's making friends so quickly…" Before Joyce could continue Buffy came bounding down the stairs and stopped at the threshold of the living room.
Xander stood abruptly at the sight of the tiny blonde that had just entered the room. He lost all ability to speak at the sight of her dressed in all black that hugged her curves in all the right places her hair was held up with a single clip with a few tendrils that fell around her face and her make-up was done a bit heavier than before but nothing overly so. Buffy smiled shyly at Xanders' reaction to her, all the while Joyce just looked on in amusement. 'Ah to be young again'
"Well you two ought to get going; I don't want you out to late Buffy"
This seemed to bring Xander back down from whatever high he was on and he immediately chimed in saying that he'd have Buffy home by eleven. This seemed to satisfy Joyce and she ushered them out of the house.
Buffy and Xander walked down the quiet streets hand in hand; sometimes talking others were just in a comfortable silence. Both could feel the bond tingling between them, they knew already that with each passing moment just spending time together it grew. After walking a little further Buffy felt the familiar tingle of a vampire but it was tinged with something else that she just couldn't explain. Xander could sense Buffys' confusion and the tension that resonated throughout her body.
Only about a block or two from the Bronze Buffy pulled both of them into an alley and pushed Xander behind some crates leaving him there she looked up and found and ideal hiding place for herself. She jumped up grabbing onto the bottom of the metal beam and then hoisted herself up so that she was doing a handstand and waited for the person to reveal themselves.
The dark figure turned abruptly into the alley hoping to catch up with the pair, when he immediately catch sight of them he continued inward at a much more measured and cautious pace. He walked with a predator like grace listening for any sound that would give anything or anyone away.
As the figure passed underneath Buffy, she swings down and kicks him in the back. He is knocked to the ground, and Buffy positions herself above him with a foot on his chest. Buffy can feel Xanders' apprehension about the situation and lets him know that she has it under control and to stay hidden for the time being.
"Ah heh, Is there a problem, ma'am?" the stranger asked from his position on the ground. Buffy hated to admit it but the guy was a total hottie even though he was beyond creepy.
"Yeah, there's a problem, why are you following me?" Buffy hoped that he'd forget about Xander, already knowing that he'd seen the two of them together."
"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite." Again Buffy breathed a silent sigh of relief that he didn't seem to interested in Xanders' whereabouts. She lifted her foot off of his chest stepped back a few paces as she watched his body uncoil up from the floor. He practically towered over her but she was not in anyway intimidated…just annoyed more than anything.
"Truth is I thought you'd be taller or bigger muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though." He rubs the back of his neck still reeling from being shoved to the concrete so roughly.
"What do you want?" She was clearly tiring of the conversation
"The same thing you do."
With this statement Buffy lets her guard drop just a little, she still aware of what's going on around her, she's also extremely aware of her companions seething jealousy toward the good looking stranger. 'I'll just have to…reassure him that he may be yummy eye candy but that's all cryptic guy is.'
"To kill them, to kill them all" he says taking a step toward her
"Sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I want is to be left alone!" she already had to deal with the fact of living and fighting darkness forever now she had strange, annoying yet good looking creepy men following her in the dark. A girl can only take so much in one day…even if said girl is a Slayer.
"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open." This has caught the small blondes' attention and she once again focuses on the stranger. When she faces him again she watches curiously as he goes into his breast pocket and pulls out small black case.
"Don't turn your back on this. You've gotta be ready." He said as he tossed her the case
"What for?"
"The Harvest"
"Who are you?"
"Let's just say... I'm a friend" then turning to walk back out of the alley from which they came
"Yeah, well, maybe I don't want a friend"
He slowed his steps slightly before glancing back at her and throwing of his shoulder… "I didn't say I was yours"
Buffy looked down at the black velvet case he tossed to her and opened to reveal a simple silver cross that lay in pure white satin. When she looked up again the stranger was gone and Xander was starting to come from behind the crates.
"Okay, first who was that and second what the hell did he just give you?" just from the look on Xanders' face she knew that he was upset. The waves of jealousy and possessiveness that were rolling off him at the moment were almost intoxicating. She made a note to talk to Giles about it; it was almost as if she craved these feelings from Xander. Buffy however was pulled from her musings as she felt Xander ripped the box from her fingers.
"You can't take this, I mean you don't if…if it's been stolen or where it's even been…You can not take this Buffy, let alone wear it!!!" his eyes were wide as he looked down at the petite blonde next to him
"Easy Xand, I wasn't going to keep it" at his pointed look she relented. "Okay so maybe I might've but it doesn't mean anything, I mean I think it's pretty"
If she thought his eyes couldn't get any wider, she was wrong. At that moment Buffy couldn't understand how his were still in his head. Then just as suddenly the shock was gone and was replaced with anger. He raised the case to be eye level with her and began to wave it around.
"You think that it's pretty!?! If you ever need or want anything ever again, you ask ME, understand?" Buffy looked at his face and took in the tone of his voice knowing that he wasn't joking with her.
"Okay"
"Okay then" and with that Xander tossed the velvet box into one of the dumpsters and they both proceeded out of the alley unaware of the figure that watched them from the shadows.
The club is packed with people, many are down in the pit just below the stage, and the entire place is pulsing with the beats of Believe by Sprung Monkey.
//Oh, I just want to believe
Can you hear me?
Can you see me?
What's inside of me?
Oh, I just want to believe
If my life can have a purpose
Help me to believe
Oh, I just want to believe
Can you hear me?
Can you see me?
What's inside of me?
Oh, I just want to believe
If my life can have a purpose
Help me to believe//
As soon as the sound hits the tiny blondes' ears she begins to move a bit with the music. Her companion places a firm but gentle hand on the small of her back to guide her through the crowd.
//Everybody wants to find the circle
The line of truth that has no end
Because so many nights I've slept with the feeling of empty
And I say, right now I'm ready to believe//
They both head toward the bar, Xander ask his Slayer what she would like. She just points to a sugary looking coffee concoction. He smiles and nods placing both their orders.
Buffy spots and empty table and points to it indicating that's where she is headed, Xander nods in reply and waits for their order. As she gets closer she spots the shy red head from earlier.
"Hey"
"Oh, hi" Willow looks up from the table top still curious as to why a girl like Buffy Summers would pay any attention to her, let alone openly associate with her in such a public forum that wasn't school. Buffy walks around to take the seat opposite the red head.
"So are you here with someone?"
"No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up."
"Oh…are you guys going out?" Buffy she knew that on this particular topic she ought to tread softly. She had an inkling that the red head might have a 'thing' for her long time best friend but she was hoping to god that she was wrong.
"No, we're just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up."
Now Buffy was even wearier than before.
"Yeah, well when did this happen?"
"Oh we were five, he stole my Barbie" she said as a matter-of-factly
"Oh…" before Buffy can continue Xander comes over and kisses her on the cheek while placing her drink in front of her, never noticing the look of shock that crossed his best friends' face; Buffy however was not as oblivious to the red heads' reaction to the innocent display of affection.
"Oh hey Wills, I didn't even see you there"
"Uh yeah, I…um…have to…go…somewhere" with that Willow made a quick exit towards the restrooms leaving a confused soon-to-be Immortal and a guilty feeling Slayer behind.
"What was that about?" Xander asked while looking at his mate with confusion
Buffy sighed heavily; she still had trouble believing that Xander had NO idea about Willows' life long crush on him.
"I think that kiss really upset her…you can't mean to tell me that you had no idea about her…I mean she's practically in love with you Xander" Buffy looked up at him with her big green eyes and Xander knew than that whatever argument he had was shot right out of the sky. So he just exhaled sharply and let his shoulders sag.
"I've known for awhile that Willow had a…'thing' for me but I seriously thought that she'd eventually out grow it. I mean she's my best friend. I just don't feel that way about her"
"I know that and I understand that but that doesn't make it hurt her any less…I'm going to go see if I can talk to her, Okay? I might even see if she'll come back and join us" Xander knew that even though it sounded like a question, asking if it was okay if she came back and joined them but he knew better, Buffy was basically telling him that Willow WOULD be back and that he'd better be gracious about it.
"Okay, you see if you can get Wills back and I'll just chill here. And hey maybe I'll even get spot a few vamps that could use some dusting" he said cheerily
Buffy just smiled softly giving him a quick peck on the lips before hopping off the stool and heading for the ladies room.
Buffy slowly pushed the door to the restroom open; a few girls were standing in front of the mirrors fixing their hair or make-up. The door swings closed behind her muffling the sounds of the crowd and band within the club.
As the last of the girls that were in there left and the room was left in silence soft cries could be heard from one of the stalls. The little blonde continued to walk softly up to the stall just before knocking on the door which instantly caused the soft cries to cease.
"Will…Willow please open the door" Buffy asked softly, she didn't have to wait too long before the door to the stall slowly opened revealing a small trembling red head with tears leaking out of her eyes.
"Oh Willow it wasn't…you weren't…this just happened…what I mean to say is…" Buffy continued to babble not really sure as to what she was trying to say but it seemed that Willow understood what she was trying to say.
"It's okay Buffy; really…I dunno it just hit me kinda hard back there. I always knew that Xander would never be truly mine but a girl can dream can't she?"
"Yeah…look Xander and I, well we would really like it if…maybe you came back and sat with us" Buffy looked at the red heads' profile as they now had moved over to the sinks so that Willow could wash her face.
"I dunno…I mean I don't want to intrude on your date or anything"
"Date…Xander and I are not on a date. He promised to show me around Sunnydale today and I promised to show him all about patro…oh look at that!" Buffy caught herself just in time before giving everything away.
Willow turned to look behind her and when she found nothing she looked back at Buffy, a mask of confusion was her face.
"There was a big…big bug! That's it there was just this huge, disgusting bug…it was really gross" Buffy nodded her head, hoping to god that this flimsy lie was enough to fool the red head.
"Okay then..." Willow just shook her head and finished up at the sink before walking the short distance to the automatic hand dryer and placed her hands underneath thus triggering the device to start.
"So…um Buffy, how do you do it?"
"Do what?" now Buffys' face was the picture of confusion
"Boys…" when Buffy still looked lost Willow elaborated "Well, when I'm with a boy I like, it's hard for me to say anything cool, or, or witty, or at all. I-I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away."
"It can't be that bad"
"No, i-it is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk."
At that statement Buffy looked at Willow like she had grown a third head. "You really haven't been into the whole dating thing"
"It's probably easy for you"
"Yeah real easy…and that was only with Xander thank you very much"
"I-I mean you don't seem too shy" Willow didn't understand what it was about this girl but she made her want to be bolder, to not let what anyone else thought of her effect her.
"Well, my philosophy, do you wanna hear my philosophy?"
"Yeah, I do!" Willow replied eagerly
"Life is short" Buffy said simply
"Life is short!" Willow reiterated
"Not original, I'll grant you, but it's true. You know? Why waste time being all shy and worrying about some guy, and if he's gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead."
"Oh, that's nice!"
"Soooo…do you think maybe you might join Xand and I?"
Willow seemed lost in thought for a moment or so before telling Buffy to go on ahead without her. The little red head continued to be lost in her musings before heading back out into the crowds. Just as the door closed behind her she whispered to herself
'Seize the moment'
//I feel love with my friends
I feel love in my songs
If I could just hold love
Then all the answers might come
I said, oh, if we're all children of God
And we just turned away
I got a lack of belief
I said a world without faith
It's time we turn back around//
Buffy leaned up against the railing her back to the crowds below, Xander came forward and placed a hand on either side of her effectively trapping her in his embrace. Leaning down he lightly nuzzled her neck before placing a chaste kiss there and looking back up into her eyes.
"So how's Willow doing?" Buffy smiled softly at the way his head was cocked to the side with just a bit of his soft chestnut colored hair falling over his eyes.
"She's fine…or so she says but I really do think that she'll be okay" she said sighing softly just before turning in his embrace to face the crowds. Xander came up even closer and pressed his body right up against hers.
"So any of the fang gang hangin' around?" immediately slipping into Slayer mode
"I looked but I didn't see any let alone feel any"
"Feel any? You're able to feel vamps?" turning her head to see her companion better
"Well I get this funny fuzzy feeling on the back of my neck…don't you? Or at least I think I get a funny feeling…I mean I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure that we're able to feel vamps"
"Maybe…" the Slayer mused to herself
"So what was Mr. Cryptic going on about in the alley…he said something about a…harvest or 'The Harvest'" Xander asked
"I'm not sure and all I know is that he mentioned something about 'The Harvest' was coming and something about the Hellmouth…that its about to open. I dunno but he sure as hell gave me the wiggins."
"Giles?"
"Giles"
The couple just continued to watch the crowd below them as the band finished up their last song and started up into the next one. Xander suddenly spots Jesse on the floor and it looked as though he was trying to make time with Cordelia and getting no where fast. He really did feel bad for his friend knowing how much he was into the voluptuous brunette and also knowing at the same time he could do so much better than 'Spordeila'. Xander was soon pulled from his musing by a very frantic Buffy.
"Xander!"
"What is it Buff?"
"Vampire" Buffy just simply pointed below to wear it seemed said vampire was making time with a small read head who looked an awful lot like Willow Rosenberg.
"Oh my god, that's…"
"…Willow I know but….Oh you've got to be kidding me…" Buffy trailed off as Xander followed her line of vision wear he saw Jesse trying to make time with a small blonde. She was very pretty but she couldn't even hold a candle to his Buffy but there was just something about her that didn't seem right.
"Is she a…" Xander trailed off not really wanting to know the answer. Buffy finally turned to face him looking him straight in the eye giving him the answer she knew he really didn't want to hear.
"Vampire, we just cannot win. Okay I'll go talk to…damn they're both gone. Alright I'll go after Willow and you go after Jesse and then…I don't know what but we'll figure it out late" with that Buffy went bounding down the Catwalk with Xander hot on her heels, when they both reached the main floor they took off in opposite directions hoping to get to both of their of unsuspecting friends before it was too late.
//We're formed in liquid
Pushed out still dripping
A world was thrown before my eyes
Now paint a picture
Crayon stick figures
With blue-haired people, purple skies//
Candles illuminate the otherwise dark and dreary area. The flames continued to flicker back and forth creating shadows that would terribly frighten a small child. The man falls to his knees looking on in awe and wonder with his saffron colored eyes as a form rises up out of the pool of blood on the cavern floor.
The figure looks around at his surroundings and breaths in deeply even though he doesn't need to. He extends his hand and the man kneeling before him takes it without hesitation. He looks up into the red eyes of the man above him and speaks…
"Master"
The Master steps away from the pool and continues to take in his surroundings.
"I am weak" he states already knowing that he isn't up to full strength.
"'In the Harvest he will be restored.'" Quoting an ancient scripture
"The Harvest" knowing full well what his companion speaks of
"We're almost there. Soon you'll be free!"
The Master reaches out to stretch and test his muscles. They're as strong as ever but he himself is still weak and he knows it.
"I must be ready. I need my strength"
"I've sent your servants to bring you some food" he said as a matter-of-factly
"Good, and Luke?"
"Yes?"
"Bring me something... young" he said smiling maliciously around a mouth full of fangs
Willow and her companion are walking along the darkened streets of Sunnydale. Not ever speaking to guys except for Jesse and Xander the little red head was at a loss for words.
"Sure is dark"
"Its night" the vampire stated bluntly
Well, that's a dark time, night, traditionally anyway. I still can't believe I've never seen you at school. Do you have Mr. Chomsky for history?"
The vampire continues to ignore the shy red heads incessant babbling and begins to head toward the cemetery. Noticing the change in direction Willow stops and looks at her companion, wondering if he knows exactly where it is they're suppose to be going.
"Uh, the ice cream bar is this way. It's past Hamilton Street"
"I know a shortcut" he deadpans and grabs her hand leading her into the dark cemetery.
Buffy continues to look around the outside of 'The Bronze' for the red head and the vampire who hoped for a snack. She was having no luck whatsoever she only hoped that Xander was doing much better than she was.
Just then she saw Xander jogging up towards her, at her hopeful look he just shook his head and she returned the favor in kind. They both stood there before a moment passed, neither of them really knew what to do but they both knew if they didn't do something fast there were going to be two more dead bodies in the morning.
"Where would Willow go?"
"What was she doing with him anyway? I mean I love Willow and all but Willow and guys are not mixy things"
"She was 'Seizing the Moment'….DAMNIT! This is all my fault, I can't believe I didn't see it before"
"See it? See what? What the hell are you talking about Buffy?" Xander was really starting to get worried with the way Buffy kept babbling and blaming herself for something he just didn't know what.
"I told her…never mind we just have to go! I think I might know where they are!"
With that Buffy went bounding down the street at full Slayer speed with Xander following closely behind. Though he didn't have Slayer speed he was a close second, he was coming more and more into his powers with each passing minute.
The vampire eyed the little red head with hungry eyes yet all the while knowing that she wasn't his to take. Knowing what Ness liked best would get him in good and possible move him up in the ranks. Everyone knew that his two favorites were Luke and Darla and the only reason that muscle bound jerk Luke was his favorite now was because Angelus left the fold.
"Hey! Ever been in one of these?" he asked pointing to the mausoleum
"No. Thank you" Willow turned abruptly trying to make a hasty retreat. She was getting creepy vibes off of the guy ever since they entered the cemetery but she just tried to ignore it. He was the first okay looking guy to ever approach HER.
"Come on, what are you afraid of?" he asked while pulling her long red hair to one side of her neck completely exposing the other. Unable to contain himself any longer he leans into her neck ready to make her his evening snack. Willow lets out a little yelp as he grabs her and pushes her into the mausoleum. The shy red head trips down the stairs and stops up against the stone coffin. She turns around to face the boy who isn't as innocent as he appears.
"That wasn't funny" she says gritting her teeth from her position on the floor
The vampire dressed in an outfit so retro the 70's called and asked for it back but it did nothing to lessen the fear that was now rolling off the red head in waves. A calculated smirk appeared on his face as he backed her up into a wall.
"I think I'm gonna go" she says trying to edge closer to the door
"Is that what you think?"
He comes toward her again but she's able to skirt past him but only because he allows it when out of now where the little blonde from earlier blocks her path.
"Is this the best you could do?" she asked looking at the girl with disdain
"She's fresh!" he says indignantly
"Hardly enough to share Thomas" she says while giving the small red head the once over
"Why didn't you bring your own Darla?
The blonde gave him a look like 'How could you even ask such a question?' and then she answered him with a smug smile on her face.
"I did" Just then Jesse stumbles into the mausoleum holding his neck and looking a little worse for wear.
"Hey, wait up!"
"Oh my god, Jesse!" Willow sees her friends' disheveled state and rushes to his aid. He's weak from the rush of adrenaline and the blood loss and collapses onto the floor and into Willows' arms.
"Y'know, you gave me a hickey" looking at Darla with glazed over eyes
Thomas just gave Darla a pointed look, both knew that these two weren't their meals but 'The Masters'' She just returned the look with a simple 'I got hungry on the way'
"Jesse, let's get outta here!"
"Oh, you're not going anywhere" Darla goes to intercept their poor attempt to escape.
"Leave us alone!" Willow confronts the vampire finally attempting to take charge of a situation that she has no control over.
"You're not going anywhere until we've…" Darlas' pretty features instantly melted away revealing a hideously disfigured face with glowing saffron colored eyes and elongated fangs. "…*fed*!"
Willow screamed and fell backwards right onto Jesse. Buffy and Xander entered just as Thomas and Darla were about to pounce. Immediately trying to find away out of there that would get them all out alive and two dusted vampires…Buffy does the first thing that comes to mind, conversing with vampires.
"Well, this is nice. I-it's a little bare, but a dash of paint, a few throw pillows... call it home!" she says as she slowly descends the steps that lead into the mausoleum. Buffy then moves behind a coffin drawing the attention of the two vampires away from the others and solely onto her.
"Who the hell are you?" looking at the little blonde with disgust
"You mean there's actually someone in this town who doesn't know already? Whew, that's a relief, I'm telling you! Having a secret identity in this town is a job of work." She said only half joking about the subject
"Buffy we bail now…right?" Even though he knew that this was really happening and that he'd been somewhat mentally prepared for it, it just wasn't really real until he saw that blonde woman change her face like that.
"Not yet!" Thomas said
When Thomas finally made his presence known again Buffy turned to face him and gave him a piece of her mind, also another method to stall. She still had to find a way to at least get Willow and Jesse out of there unharmed.
"Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge!" The vampires begin to close in on her, neither knowing that they're dealing with a Slayer let alone the last of the line, 'The Immortal'.
"Now, we can do this the hard way or... well, actually there's just the hard way" Buffy didn't let any of the fear she felt show, she just continued to converse with the two as if they were old friends.
"That's fine with me!" Darla said with a ugly sneer on her lips
"Are you sure? Now, this in not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content..." Thomas roars and lunges for the small blonde from behind. Before he can even touch the Slayer she whips out a stake and plunges it into his chest without looking away from the blonde in front of her. Thomas looks down and falls backwards…stunned before turning to dust. Darla looks at the girl in part shock and horror…this girl wasn't the easy kill she thought she was.
"See what happens when you roughhouse?"
This seemed to pull Darla from her stupor and she immediately hardened. She looked back up at the Slayer with a set jaw determined not to let this little girl get to her.
"He was young and stupid!"
Buffy knew then that she had just run out of time and she needed to get the others out of there and fast. Though Xander was her mate he just wasn't ready to fight vamps this strong, not yet anyway.
"Xander, go!" Xander looked at her as if she'd grown another head. There was no way in hell he was leaving her there alone with that thing. He sent all the emotions he was feeling, the main one being fear. Buffy tried to reassure him through the bond and told him once again to leave. The second time he listened and took Jesse and Willow with him.
Buffy and Darla began to have it out in the confined space. Darla threw a high punch which Buffy easily blocked. Darla again threw a backhanded punch but Buffy was able to block the attack and deliver a front snap kick to Darlas' midsection. As Darla doubled over with pain Buffy slammed her elbow into Darlas' back. Buffy continues her assault on Darla with a brutal serious of kicks and punches when a final blow sends Darla flying back into the concrete wall though she's only winded a lot of the fight as already been knocked out of her.
Meanwhile Xander, Jesse and Willow struggle to get out of the cemetery before anymore vampires can show up. Jesse and Willow begin to bombard Xander with questions, wanting to know what exactly was going on and why he wasn't freaking out. The only thing he told either of them was that the things back there were vampires and that he'd explain the rest once they reached a friends house. Of course the mention of 'a friend' made even more questions arise. Xander just sighed and continued to guide his friends through the darkened cemetery when he got a bad feeling and told them an address and then took off running in the direction from which they came.
Back at the mausoleum Buffy was walking around the coffin while Darla lay on the floor still trying to collect herself from the Slayers' last attack.
"You know, I just wanted to start over. Be like everybody else. Have some friends, y'know, maybe a dog... But, no, you had to come here, you couldn't go suck on some other town." She said conversationally
"Who are you?" truly curious as to who this girl could be
"Don't you know?" she asked as if the answer was that obvious
Suddenly Luke came up behind her and grasped her by the neck.
"I don't care" he then threw the Slayer across the room and swiftly picked up Darla and ugly sneer on his lips. He was clearly upset that the Masters' offerings were no where in sight.
"You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master! We're almost at Harvest, and you dally with this child!" he bitingly says while shaking her roughly
Darla looked fearfully at the other vampire, she knew that if they returned with nothing that she'd be in trouble but she was almost a little more afraid of the small blonde across the room than The Master himself.
"We had someone, but then she came. She killed Thomas. Luke, she's strong" she says. Luke just shrugged her off and told her that he'd deal with 'the little girl' while she went after the three that had already gotten away.
Luke approached Buffy as she began to pick herself up from off the ground. Darla
quickly climbed the steps and looked back once before running out of the door. Luke attacked Buffy with a double punch, but she blocked it and delivered a punch to his midsection and a hopping front snap kick to his jaw. He steps back, but isn't fazed.
"You are strong…"
He lands a solid backhand fist on her. She goes flying.
"…I am stronger"
Luke slowly approaches her; a menacing gleam illuminates his sickly yellow eyes.
"You're wasting my time"
"Hey I had other plans too" she said while slowly backing up toward the exit, this vampire was stronger than any other she had ever encountered. He approached the opposite side of the coffin from which Buffy was on.
Luke shoved the heavy lid off of the coffin. Reacting on instinct, Buffy did a cartwheel onto and over it to avoid it and kicks Luke in the chest with both feet, knocking him down. She grabs the stake from the floor and lunges at Luke, but he is too quick for her, and grabs her by the wrist.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with"
He then throws Buffy onto the rim of the now open coffin. She rolls off onto the floor, dazed. Luke gets up and starts toward her, he then begins to quote an ancient vampire text.
"And like a plague of boils, the race of man covered the Earth…But on the third day of the newest light would come the Harvest. And the blood of men will flow as wine…When the Master will walk among them once more... The Earth will belong to the old ones…"
Luke is now looking directly at the Slayer his eyes glowing brighter with each passing second
"…And Hell itself will come to town"
He then grabs Buffy and growls deep in his thoat. He lifts her by the throat and throws her toward the coffin. Buffy flips over in a front layout and lands in the coffin next to a skeleton, and lets out a quick scream, but then remains silent, only breathing. She can't see or hear Luke. She slowly starts to get up. Suddenly Luke jumps up and into the coffin. He smiles around his fangs glistening prettily in the moonlight. Lukes' grin only widens before leaning in for the kill.
"Amen!"