It was a misty night over the Hudson River. One lone Staten Island Ferry crossed, a figure leaning on the bow railings.
She had red hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, keeping the messy curls out of her face. Truly hazel eyes-you would be hard pressed to see them the same color twice-looked over the apparent calm through thick glasses. She was about 5'10" worth of well trained muscle, hidden under a black, high necked fleece and jeans. A belt circled her waist, though it wasn't actually going through her belt loops. it had pouches and loops on it,all full.
Her Converse uncrossed as she straightened up and wandered back inside the cabin, which was full of girls. The youngest, her and the first visible male on the boat, were 15, and the oldest, almost everyone else,was in their early thirties.
The afore mentioned male, a boy her height, sat alone. He was wearing a outfit similar to hers, though he had short black hair and muddy green eyes. He looked up as she walked over.
"Do I gotta, Val?"She gave a small smile.
"Yeah, Dave, you gotta."She suck into the seat next to him."We are the only ones here who have powers and aren't vamps, dude. Hell, we're lucky that we got them."
"Yeah, well."A blond walked over, her brown eyes resigned."Its the least we could do."
"Buffy. You-"The blond cut her off.
"Don't have to come. No offence,but you guys don't have your powers, and its going to be dangerous, even for the real Slayer."She re-crossed her arms."Everyone and their mother tried to give me-and everybody else-that speech."She looked around, taking in Angel and his son, Willow, Xander, Anya, all the former slayers, and a bunch of vampires. They had all come to help the Slayer-the only real one now- and her brother, who were going to take out the last remaining demon stronghold.
Now, the demon threat had pretty much blown over when the Slayers lost their powers(since there was nothing interesting to fight with anymore); the more recent generations had quickly forgotten about it, and things went back to the way they were before. The demons and other generic undead had gotten their taste of power and it would be a while until there was another uprising.
But (and it was a really big but) there seemed to be a remaining contingency that wanted to take over the world. Now, when the former defenders of the world had found out that the watchers council was sending a 15 year old girl and her twin brother alone, they had violently disagreed and jumped in to help. The twin's dad had also tried to come, but they had threatened multiple painful acts if he tried.
Which was why they were on the Staten Island Ferry in the middle of the night in late June, 2011, getting ready to clear the St. George Ferry Terminal of the remaining very very strong demons, witches, vamps, weres,and all other manner of evil.
As they docked, Val got up and looked around.
"Everyone know the plan?"There were nods all around. She nodded back and turned towards the doors.
"Alright. Lets do this."She walked towards the door and waited until they docked.
"Go!" They go out the doors, one by one making their way down the ramp and to the wall of glass. Buffy nods to Val.
A group of preening undead are stretched out in the food court. They weren't looking for it when half the vamps were dust. The rest turned and roared. The attackers returned the favor.
Their was a brief scuffle. Most of the demons died relatively easily, though this was sadly true on both sides. Hours later, the remaining vamps-there were about 5- had gotten a drop on the remaining attackers-Buffy, Val, and Dave. The main one, whom Val had mental named Wolverine, was grinning.
"The Slayer first."Val watched as they dragged Buffy to him, helpless against the vampires holding her still. Buffy turned infront of him and nodded to the twins.
"Get 'em for me, Valerie."
"Will do, ma'am."
Both Valerie and Dave closed their eyes as Buffy was killed.
"This Valerie next, I think."
Valerie let herself be dragged in front of the leader, who took hold of her ponytail and tilted her head so her neck was exposed.
"Idiot."His head snapped up from her neck.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. This is the stupidest thing you have ever done in your soon to be short life."
He growled and dived for her neck. She winced, but then her eyes glowed. Her pupils were more catlike, and her canines had lengthened considerably. In short-she had just become a Hollywood vampire.
She hissed and punched the leader, turning and literally ripping his head from his shoulders. He turned back to Vince and the 4 stunned vampires. She pointed at the kid.
"David or Jack?"
"David, Mary."
"Ah. She let me out to kill?"
"Yup."
"I knew there was a reason I kept her around."The vamp grinned and took out 3 of the remaining vamps.
The fourth was smarter than the others, and had grabbed David.
"Move, and I'll kill him."
Mary cocked her head, blinking.
"You 'kay with that, Dave?
"Sure."
Mary looked up at the vamp.
"Have fun."
The vamp looked down at the teenager in his arms, and that at what used to be his sister. He then pulled out a stake and stabbed him, just missing the heart. He pushed him aside as Mary dived for him, feeling a split second of pain that was reflected in Mary's eyes as they stabbed each other.
The vampire dusted, but Mary turned back into Valerie and she collapsed next to her brother.
"Dave?"
"Yeah?"
"Love you."
"Love you too, sis."
That was the last thing either of them heard before they blacked out.
The Watchers Council had cleaned up behind them, but getting a large group of people killed is never taken lightly.
Valerie and David were standing in the middle of what looked like a court room out of Harry Potter.
"...and in light of your actions, some in the Council think that you should be put to death. However, when reminded that you are the only Slayer, and after St. George,there aren't many that support the Slayer left, and even fewer that support the Council, we have decided to let you live. However, you most be moved to the Hellmouth over Sunnydale."
Valerie kicked David, who had just opened his mouth, stopping the complaining before it even started.
"Yes, sir."
"There, you will have a Watcher waiting for you."His expression softened."You better go pack, and keep in touch."
"Yes, Mr. Giles."
Valerie lead her twin brother out of the room.
"Oi."
"You can say that again. Val, why do we have to do this?"
"Because they are the Watchers Council and we gotta do what they say."
"No matter how pissed off you are?"
"Especially then."
He huffed.
"Fine."
The twins walked into a apartment building in Queens, dumping their stuff on the couch. A tall man with mess black hair like Dave's and hazel eyes like Val's walked out of the kitchen and gave them a once over.
"Alright, not too badly hurt, and y'all are already bandaged up, so what's happened?"
"I've been reassigned to the Sunnydale Hellmouth." She held up tickets."Its for the 1st."
The man (their father) nodded.
"Lets start packing in the morning. You two look like you need food, a shower, and some sleep. Not necessarily in that order, of course." The twins smiled gratefully and followed him back into the kitchen.
A week had come and gone, and they had gotten all their stuff packed. The day before they were set to leave, June 30th, a moving van pulled up and a group of guys carried all their boxes and furniture out of the apartment, down to the first floor and into a truck, which left about a hour later. Their father (John) payed the last of the rent on the apartment and then piled his kids into a taxi, checking into the Marriot at La Guardia.
The next day, they took a shuttle ride to the airport and checked their luggage, shouldering carry-on as they meandered back into the terminal. They had a leisurely brunch at the restaurant a escalator ride away from the metal detectors, bought books and then went through the metal detectors, walking up to their gate just as their aisle was being called. Once they were in the air, hooked up all their headphones to Valerie's laptop (which had a booster hooked up to it), watching the first and third Star Wars, saving the last two hours for a nap.
Once they pulled up, they departed, John and Dave catching a few evil eyes for the snoring they did. They walked into a terminal, looking for Val's watcher, who was supposed to meet them there.
"John?"
John turned to the voice.
"Rodney?"
Val pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket.
"Dr. Rodney McKay?"
"Yes?"
"You're my Watcher, right?"
"Yes."
The Sheppard's (for that was their last name) could see the wheels turning in Rodney's head.
And were all surprised when he laughed.
"It would be you, Sheppard."
John looked confused, but Val and Dave grinned.
"I know, right?"
They followed him out side, and all drooled slightly over his car (brand new Mazda RX8 ), but they got over it and packed the suitcases in the trunk, the twins sliding in the back while the adults got in upfront.
"So, Sheppard, what do you do nowadays?"
"Well, I used to give Helicopter Tours of NYC."
"Used?"
"Well, McKay, when you move across the entire country, you can't really commute every morning."
"McKay snorted, and both smiled.
"So, what about you?"
"I am the physics teacher at Sunnydale High."
"Really."
"Yeah."
"So, now the minions have a reason to be wrong, wrong, so terribly wrong?"
"Shut up, Sheppard."
McKay dropped them off at their new house, and of the three bedrooms upstairs-two big ones on the sides and a small one in the front-Val and John got the big ones, while Dave grumbled into the smaller-but-still-pretty-big room.
After moving her suitcase and boxes into her room, she went back downstairs to where McKay was standing around awkwardly.
"You want to help me set up the coffee and espresso machines?"
"Coffee and espresso?"
"Well, its more of a caffeinated-beverage-derived-from-coffee-beans-plus-hot-water-and-hot-milk machine."She shrugged."I mean, if your going to be up at o'dark thirty in the night/morning, your going to want good caffeinated beverage."She grinned what McKay vaguely called the patent Sheppard grin at him when he nodded enthusiastically."C'mon."
They spent a half hour chatting as they set up the various kitchen accessories, putting away dishes and cups and mugs and silverware, and setting aside the boxes marked Table and Chairs to the side before leaning on the island and sipping insanely caffeinated beverages.
They were joined by Dave and John after a while, and they watched the sun go down. Val turned to John.
"Dad?" Rodney looked very slightly weirded out at someone calling John 'dad'.
"Hmm?"
"Were are the weapons?"
"I put them up near your room."
"'Kay."
She disappeared upstairs, and Dave followed her. John and Rodney shifted their weight nervously.
"You going with them on patrol tonight?"
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna be making dinner tonight. You wanna stay?"
"Depends."John rolled his eyes.
"My kids think its good, McKay, and that's practically a badge of honor. They're serious food snobs."
"Alright then."
They watched the sun slide closer to the horizon as they heard water running, and the freaked yell of a man whose hot water was stolen by his sister. A hour later, they walked downstairs.
Val was in black leggings and just-below-knee-level boots, with a black shirt that read 'Also, I can kill you with my brain.' under a jeans jacket. She had a red,silver,and black ax with a stake for a haft slung over her shoulder and fingerless gloves.
Dave was in dark blue jeans and all black Converse, a blue shirt with a Escape button on it and a grey hoodie. He was apparently unarmed.
Rodney nodded and looked longingly at his cup, but raised a eyebrow when John handed all three of them a disposable coffee cup with Val's super beverage.
"Wha-"
"My kids wander cities and neighborhoods in the middle of the night. I want them awake while they do it so they'll be in at least one piece."He pulled on a leather jacket and picked up his own cup."Just to be extra sure, I'm coming with you."
Valerie rolled her eyes and pulled out a crossbow-though where she had it was anyone's guess-and handed it to her father. Her brother also magically generated a stake and handed that to John.
Rodney rolled his eyes.
"Only you,Sheppard. Now, various and sundry Sheppards-I am entrusting you with my safety, and so help me,if you get me killed-"
"McKay."They said it all at the same time, and grinned the exact same way-which Rodney did not think was cute,nopenopenope-and John's grin turned into a smile, and it was all Rodney could do not drool.
"We're good at this McKay,relax."
And,god help him,he does. He relaxes and takes a sip of the coffee from heaven. Really, he was surprised the spawn of formerly John Sheppard had thought up this wonderful concoction, but he let himself be shepherded (he only realized the pun after he was out the door) towards his cart. He pulled on his orange fleece-tactfully ignoring giggles from the watchers-and then locked his car, leading the way towards the graveyard.
"So, Valerie, I have a question."She half-hummed in response, which Rodney took to mean 'go on'."What you do when someone asks you about the scythe?"
"I'll tell you when someone asks. Something about a chick wandering around with a large weapon and seems to know how to use it tends to go unasked about why she's carrying it."
"Huh. Never thought of it like that."
"Well, I would hazard a guess that now, yah do."
They walked into the darkened grave yard, the axe came down and Val looked around.
"You got a office?"
"Yeah. Daniel Jackson and Sam Carter are also here, Sheppard, they're helping me out."
"You gotten lucky yet, McKay?"
"Shut up, Sheppard."
"Excuse me, if your quite done."They both stopped and had the grace to look embarrassed."I need a map of the town, and around the town, and under the town, please."
McKay nodded and got on the phone, and Sheppard turned to look him over. He had aged well, though it didn't seem like he had aged at all. Or changed, either. He listened with half an ear to McKay explaining that the new Slayer was Sheppard's kid, and yes, that Sheppard.
He turned to see both of his kids gone. He groaned and rolled his eyes, before turning back to McKay just as he got of the phone.
"You'll have it tomorrow-wait, where'd they go?"
"Okay, you remember when I used to walk up behind you and you'd freak out because you didn't hear me?"
"Vividly. You took years off my life, Sheppard."
"Well, they can do it to. Wanna go for a walk?"
"Sure."
They wandered out of the graveyard, and into the mostly deserted town.
"So, still saving the day at the last second, McKay?"
"Mmm. You need a job, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Can you bartend? I mean-" his hands shaped the air as Sheppard raised a eyebrow at him."Are you licensed as a bartender?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"Because then I might have a job for you."
Half an hour later, Valerie and Dave walked to the Starbucks and over to the outdoor table their father and his friend. Val balanced the scythe against the table and went over to the counter and Dave sank into one of the two empty seats. Val came back with a Chocolate Chip and Strawberries and Creme Frappuchinos with a Cinnamon Roll and a slice of pound pound cake and the Straberry smoothie went to Dave, while Val kept the cinnabun and the chocolate smoothie. McKay eyed Val.
"You didn't touch the pound cake, right?"
"No, McKay,I don't like Starbucks's pound cake. I don't like lemon pound cake at all, really."John snorted."What?"
"I think that you have won over his undying love. He's allergic to citrus."
"Ah."They all grinned at each other, and Rodney McKay went over how screwed he was.
And how surprised he was he didn't care.
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