Title: Demons from the Past

Category: BTVS/Highlander crossover

Pairing: Dawn/Richie

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the demented plot. All BTVS characters belong to Joss Whedon, etc. All Highlander characters belong to Davis Panzer Productions Inc., etc.

Author's Notes:

1) Sequel to Fowl Play.

2) This series is set two years after BTVS series finale. The BTVS part is an alternate universe with minor supporting characters of my own creation (but they're very friendly).

3) There's a bit of violence (but no worse than what you see on either show).

4) Dawn only knows Methos by his Adam Pierson alias.

5) This story makes references to the Highlander episode "Manhunt". Eric McCormack portrayed Matthew McCormick, an immortal FBI agent.

Summary: Richie and Dawn stumble across a murder that brings in the F.B.I.

Chapter 1

"Thanks for going, Richie," Dawn Summers said as they left the theater.

"It was fun," her boyfriend said.

"Now you can cross off '"Seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show"' from your bucket list," Jade LaFayette smiled and tossed her empty popcorn bag into a nearby trash can.

"So what'd you think of it?" Simon Mancini asked.

"Well, it was an experience," Richie Ryan admitted. "I didn't expect to see so many guys wearing black corsets and fishnet stockings."

"Especially when it's this cold," Simon said. There had been a winter storm on New Year's Day, and Seacouver had been experiencing below seasonal temperatures ever since.

Jade eyed her boyfriend warily as he scooped up a handful of snow. "Don't even think about it."

Taking the warning like the double dare it was, Simon grinned mischievously, quickly formed a ball and let it fly.

The subsequent snowball fight pitted boyfriend against girlfriend with much laughter and shouting from both sides. While Simon chased Jade down the street, Richie grabbed a squirming Dawn and threatened to put some snow down her back.

The couple froze when a scream tore through the night. They ran down the street and found Simon hugging an upset Jade. He motioned down the alley where the bloody body of a woman was propped up against a dumpster.

"Poor Jade," Dawn said as she watched her tearful friend being interviewed by a police officer.

"Poor Simon," Richie said knowing that the boyfriend in the young man wanted to comfort his distressed girlfriend while the criminology major in him wanted to observe a forensic team in action. Turning his attention back to his own girlfriend, Richie rubbed her arms. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay."

Something in the tone contradicted the words. "What's wrong? I mean aside from the obvious."

Dawn took a sideways glance at the crime scene. "Maybe it's just my paranormal paranoia, but there's something uncomfortably familiar about this."

Richie's blood chilled. Since becoming immortal, he had witnessed (not to mention caused) numerous gruesome deaths, but he had never seen anything as bad as this. The woman had been eviscerated. "Are you serious?"

Dawn nodded almost apologetically. "I wonder how long it will take for them to upload their pictures into the police database."

"Hard to say. How quickly do you need the pictures?"

"Now would be great."

"Think the digital camera on your phone would work in this light?"

She reached into her pocket for the cellphone Fred had tweaked. "Maybe."

"Then being a very thoughtful boyfriend, I think you need a hug," Richie said as he put his arms around her and positioned himself so that his body prevented most people from noticing her carefully take a picture.

Once done, Dawn quickly put her cellphone back into her pocket and gratefully returned the hug. She felt him abruptly tense in her embrace. His darting gaze confirmed her suspicion. "Another immortal?"

Richie zeroed in on a dark-haired man wearing a trench coat who recently arrived on the scene. "Things just got a little more complicated."

TBC