A/N: This is a little fic I'm working on, to run concurrently with TMOHHTF. I have a pretty large roster to work with and I failed to remember Darla's death at this point of the timeline. I found a fun way to work it in, in the form of this prequel. Chapters will be light and fluffy. I hope you enjoy and please comment if you want to see something in particular. Happy reading

Chapter 1 – Escape

It was the strangest thing. There I was one minute, guns a-blazing, looking absolutely sinful and showing Angelus what pain was. Next thing I know, a sack's over my head and I'm being chucked in the back of a van. I awoke to the murmurs. The murmurs of my master. The bag was removed and the harsh lights hurt my eyes. I squinted, making out my captors. I heard someone behind me. With a flick of his wrist I was freed, the ropes that bound me gliding to the floor.

"Arise, Darla." The master spoke, in a tone I hadn't heard in decades.

"Master, you….you're different." I replied, gazing in awe at his brilliance. His face was still that of the demon, but he held himself differently, more majestically, and somehow taller.

"Well, I've been working out."

I stared at him cluelessly.

"You see, Darla, a lot's happened recently. The Master you've served is long gone. Or he will be gone yet. I don't quite understand how to communicate the level of time travel and dimension jumping I've abused to get to this point."

"I believe you Master, the one I had served, he was feeble and bound. But you, I can taste the power in the air. It's rolling off you in waves."

"Indeed. You can taste the magicks that brought me here. They are powerful, however I still need the prophesied events to occur before I can ascend from this place."

"Prophesied events? The harvest already came and went without success. Do you refer to the anointed one?"

"Well, yes and no. A Master will be killed when the anointed one leads the slayer to him. There is a lot involved, and I don't care to bore you with what doesn't concern you."

"But Master, you don't expect me to miss that, do you? I want to see the slayer die. What do you mean 'a master' will die?"

I was growing impatient. I had one thing to look forward to in this town. Waiting for that bag of bones to rise and crush the slayer, and Angelus for betraying me. Now he was saying that none of this would come to be?

"Dear Darla, you were my favourite. Truly, if I'd had a heart it would have broken when you were taken from me."

I stood, dumbfounded. "What on Earth do you mean?"

"Oh, of course. You're not to know. And I dare not tell you of lives and deaths that are to be. All I can say is that tonight I served the universe a great injustice, and I need to send you away for awhile. Pack your things, you leave within the hour."

"Master, leave? For where? I'm so confused. I…"

"Shh, Darla, it will all make sense in time. Now let's get you packed and on your way."

"To Hell with this. I've served you obediently for centuries. On and off."

I made for the entrance but was cut off by one of the henchman. He advanced towards me but I flanked him and drove a knee upwards into his gut. I elbowed him in the spine and drove him to his knees but failed to notice the other goon behind me. I eventually sensed him but it was all too late as he drove an iron pole through my mid-section, impaling me.

"No fair." I said weakly, falling to his feet.

The bag went back over my head and I drifted off into darkness.