I remember it like it was a few weeks ago. Science Test, second period, the day after my parents didn't come home from their friend's fiftieth birthday. No surprise, they're never home until the morning when they go to parties.

A man entered the silent classroom, cops followed. Then I was called out into the hall. The words were spoken so randomly, as if said a hundred times over.

"Ms Connors?" He asked. I nodded. "I regret to inform you that your parents were found last night on rout sixty-six. Their car collided with another and…" he hesitated a second. "Out of six people, four being drunk teenage boys, the other two being your parents, there were no survivors," I looked up at him and started coldly into his expressionless eyes.

"I know this is hard for you…"

I cut him off. "Is there anything else? I'd like to get back to my test now." I turned around and walked back inside the classroom.

I now live in an orphanage, that is, until someone agrees to move into my house and take care of me there. I know what happens to orphans, how they get bounced around from place to place. I simply made it clear that I would not let them take me away from my house. Oh, by the way, I'm Sam.

"Sam!" Josh screamed at me. I must have been zoned out.

"What!" I screamed back.

To which he replied. "There's someone here to see you. You're getting' out of here!" I sat there stunned. Then I jumped up and ran for the office door.

"So it's all set then, right," I heard as I entered the room. Some forty looking guy with glasses and a British accent signed the last document that made it official that he was my legal guardian.

"You wanted something?" I asked, already knowing why I had been called.

"Samantha, this is your new dad! Mr. Rupert Giles." Jillian, the head of the orphanage introduced us.

"Hi," I put on a big bright smile.

Mr. Giles stood up smiling and held put a hand. "Hello Samantha. I've come to bring you home." I shook his hand. It was the polite thing to do.

"I'm gonna go grab my stuff," I jogged out the door.

"Well congratulations, but, you lost out little bet," Josh mocked with a smile on his face.

"Right, if I got out before you, you got to kiss me before I left. How could I forget." I said smiling back. I was going to miss Josh.

He walked over to me and leaned down until his lips touched mine. He stood back up and gave me a hug.

"Ya know, I'm really gonna miss you," I looked at him. He had been my best friend since I got here.

"Here, take my home number. Call me tomorrow," I winked and walked back into the office with my book bag.

"Right then, we'll be off," Mr. Giles Shook Jillian's hand. Then we left for the parking lot.

"This is your car!" I asked in amazement staring at the red convertible. "Nice,"

"Hop in. Samantha."

We drove for about five minutes before he said anything.

"I don't expect you to open up to me right away, what with the accident only a couple months ago, but I would like you to know that you are in good hands,"

"Thanks for thinking about my feelings but I'm fine. My parents were never home and when they were they'd lock them selves away in their room doing work. They got me everything I could really need or want, computer with scanner color printer, DVD player, windows XP and a bunch of memory. My own phone line and cordless phone, stereo, TV/VCR and a ten-dollar allowance every week, everything then left me. I know how to take care of myself and I have thousands saved in the bank. They've been putting ten dollars away every week since I was two. Honestly, I've never really thought of them as parents. Just a married couple that lived in my house, and now, they've finally moved out I guess," I was expecting him to bug me about respecting the dead and everything but, he just shrugged it of.

"Tonight I'd like to take you out to meet some of my friends, would that be alright with you?" I hadn't really been paying attention but we were already on our way back into Sunny Dale.

"Sure, no prob. So, what are going to do with your house?"

"Oh, I have a couple friends renting it from me, you'll meet them tonight. Oh and if you want, you can stay home from school this week," he looked at me and smiled.

"So uh, Mr. Giles, what do I call you?"

"Oh, um… Giles or dad the choice is yours,"

My eyes widened in amazement. "Ok, Giles,"

About ten minutes of driving later, we were pulling into the driveway of my house. 1369 Lynn Dr. Sunny Dale.

"So Giles," I started to ask as he unlocked the front door. "What do you do?"

"Well, I own the magic box,"

The magic box? Full of distilled 'holy water' and fake 'snake eyes?'

"Oh, well you're, you're own boss. I guess that's good. Sorry,"

"That's alright, I didn't expect you to think highly of it," he handed me my bags and looked around at his new home.

"Um, if it's alright I'd like to keep my last name. No offence or anything,"

"Yes, I anticipated that, it's fine," he reassured

"Ok well, I'll be upstairs in my room. Call me when supper's ready," I jogged up the brown staircase to my bedroom.

"Ahh!" I yelped as I tripped over a large box.

What was a large box doing in the middle of the hall? I wondered as I peeked inside. Books? Hmmm. I picked one up.

'Buffy Summers. Slayer No. 4587 #1'

"Giles reads about slayers? What's a slayer?" I wondered out loud as I opened it to somewhere around the middle.

Buffy seems to have accepted that she's the slayer better than I anticipated. And her training is coming along quite nicely but she's not taking it seriously enough. She may be too old to make a complete slayer out of her. Giles

Hey cool, Giles writes. I read on.

By the time I stopped, I had gone threw six out of about sixty books, and the only reason I stopped was because I had a call.

"Hello?" I answered still trying to read about Buffy.

"Sam? It's Jillian. Josh ran away again. I figured he might be looking for you. Is he there?" she sounded worried.

"No Jill, he's not but I'll go look for him. I'll call you in a bit," I hung up not knowing weather to be flattered because Josh ran away to come see me, if he even did. Or angry cause he ran away.

I ran down the carpeted stairs and into the kitchen.

"Um, Giles? Do you mind if I go see a friend of mine? I promise I'll be back for supper.""Forty five minutes. Try not to be late if possible. I've got a big night planed for you,"

I smiled. "thanks," I grabbed a coat and walked into my shoes on the way out

"See you soon." I shouted as I ran out the front door.

It was already getting dark and I knew he didn't have anywhere to stay the night.

Ok, where would Josh go? He's always wanted to go to the Bronze but that's the first place people would look. He's to smart for that. If I was a sixteen-year-old boy, where would I go? Oh I don't know.

Then I looked over at the cemetery. Hey why not?

As I walked into the cemetery something darted behind one of the larger tombstones.

"Hey! Josh! Is that you?" I ran to where I saw the shadow.

Nothing.

"Josh? Are you there?" I asked. Maybe this wasn't the best idea. Druggies and psychopathic murderers hang out in cemeteries. I turned to leave…

It all happened so fast. I was turned around and found myself pinned down looking up at Josh's Smiling face.

"Hey Sam,"

I looked into his big baby blues with an angry expression. "What the hell are you doing in the cemetery? And at night?" I tried to push him off but he pushed down on my wrists.

"The question is what are you doing here?"

I struggled some more but he didn't budge.

"Looking for you, now let me up. Jill is freaking out, as usual," I looked up at him again seeing a strange twinkle in his eye.

"Do you believe in vampires Sam?" he asked out of the blue

"N..No,"

"You will now," his face changed from the gentle fun loving face I was so use to, too a wrinkled I guess you could call it face with evil eyes and two long sharp fangs.

He smiled a hungry smile and lunged for my unprotected neck.

"Ahh!" I shrieked, then pushed him off with an amount of strength I had no idea I possessed.

"Slayer," he said with despise. That was the last thing I remember hearing before he dashed into the shadows.

I ran out of that place and back to my safety of the lit street as fast as I could. I ran back in the direction of my house. I couldn't think of anything else, So much so that I didn't see the tall guy in the long black coat until I had run into him

"Oooooffff," I landed square on my butt. "I'm sorry, are you ok?" I asked sitting on the sidewalk pathetically.

"Yeah, are you? You look pretty scared," he held out a strong hand, which I gladly took.

"Something tried to bite me, but I'm fine," He looked down at me through piercing brown eyes.

"What was it. A dog?" He asked.

What was I doing? I had to get back to Giles.

"I have to get home," I started to pass him.

"Do you mind if I walk you as far as I'm going?"

"If you feel like wasting your time. It's only a few houses up," He walked a little bit behind me.

I felt a little safer with him around, but all I really thought of was getting home.

"Thanks. By," I jogged up my driveway and into my house not looking back.

"Back already?" Giles asked walking into the porch to greet me. "Who did you go see? Did you have fun?"

"Uh, it was…Ashley and she wasn't home. That's why I'm back so early," the second those words came out of my mouth the doorbell rang.

"Ahh," I jumped. "I'll get it," I offered attempting to calm my nerves.

"Hi," the man who walked me home said. "Is Giles here?"

"Angel, come in, come in," Giles invited completely ignoring my surprised and confused expression.

"Hello Giles, nice to see you again. How have you been?"

"Fine, just fine. Oh, this is Samantha," Giles introduced me.

Angle nodded. "We've met. I walked her home. Something tried to bite her and it spooked her out," Giles flashed a confused look, but only for a second.

"Right then, were just about to have supper, would you like some bl… juice? I always keep some in the back of the fridge," he offered.

"No thanks," Giles lead Angel into the kitchen. I followed.

Angle sat down and Giles served my supper of microwave pizza. Why did microwave pizza take forty-five minutes?

"So," he started. "Did you get a hold of Sp.." there was a moment of silence wile Giles gathered up his thoughts. "William?"

"Yeah, he will be joining us tonight. Were meeting at the Magic Box," I wanted to stand up, slam my fists on the table and demand to be told what's going on. Instead I said:

"Is that like 'The' meeting place?"

"Something like that," Angel replied looking out the kitchen sliding doors. I finished my supper listening to Angel talk about where he's been since 'The Thing'. What ever that was. Then we headed for the magic box.

We parked the convertible in the back and started walking around to the front.

"Giles!" Came a girl's voice. Then she ran up to Giles and hugged him tightly.

"Willow, how have you been?"

"Hey G-dude, still remember the Zan-man?" Came a guy's voice.

There were a lot of people. We all entered the store and found places to sit. There was Willow, The first girl who ran up to Giles, Zander, the guy I first saw, Oz, Willows boyfriend, Anya, Zander's wife Tara and Dawn all sitting at the table and Cordelia, Fred, Wesley, Angle and Gun, all standing by the counter. Then..

"Sorry I'm late, had a run in with a few vamps," a bleach blonde hair guy also with a British accent flung open the door. Everyone except me gave him a dirty look.

"Oh… sorry," he stood over by Angel.

Giles shook his head. "This gets harder and harder every time. Right then. Samantha, you have been chosen to protect the world,"

Angel broke out laughing. Everyone started at him. "Sorry, it's just that last time is sounded more…how can I put this, realistic. Ok I'll shut up," "Well that sure broke the tension," Cordelia stated.

"Thank you ms states-the-obvious," Zander sarcastically replied.

"Shut up Zander,"

"Would you two please. It's been seven years and you still can't stop. This is important now be quiet or get out," Giles said calmly but also angrily.

"Right then. You have to protect the world from demons, vampires and anything else that comes along. It is not only your job but also your lifetime commitment. To kill vampires you use wood threw the heart. Also you have an incredible amount of strength to help you with your slaying. You're hearing and night time sight have increased and I am your watcher," he and everyone else waited for my reaction.

I started laughing.

"This is like your Buffy series right? Is this a role playing club or something? If it is then you're missing Buffy," everyone went quiet.

"Buffy isn't here anymore, Samantha," Giles replied.

Dawn stepped forward.

"She was vamped, the same day we all were. Then she skipped town. Another slayer was called upon. She couldn't handle it and let a demon get her, now it's you,"

I think I'll play along with the game, as confused as I am.

"So, if all of you are vampires then why are you guys all nice? Angel has a soul, and Spike has a chip, so they're excused but what about you guys? According to the books…" I realized just how stupid I was sounding.

"Ok, what is this really? Did Josh put you up to this? 'cause it's a lame joke. Josh, you can come out now."

Then, one by one, all of them changed into the demons I didn't want to believe existed.

"Ahh!"

I turned to run and smacked into Giles who turned me back around to face the blood sucking killers.

"Ahh!" I screamed again.

I easily broke from his grip with my newfound strength and headed for the door.

I was running when someone jumped on me, wrapping their arms around my waist.

We hit the ground.

"No, no, no! I don't want to be ugly!" I screamed by mistake. Everyone stopped. I broke free. Then another person caught me.

After about five minutes Spike had one of my arms and Angel had the other and I was too tired to resist.

"Calm down Sam, nobody's gonna bite you," Willow said in a comforting voice. "We started drinking cow blood that we get from meat packing plants. None of us ever tasted human blood, and we all want to help the slayer,"

I relaxed. Giles motioned Spike and Angel to let me go.

"Thanks, and sorry about the ugly thing. You're not really ugly, just when you go all vampire," I apologized pathetically.

"Polite and cute, where do you find them Giles," Angel said. I knew he was just trying to be comforting, but I think I stated blushing anyway.

"Now that that's over with, can we get going? Were needed in L.A. why did you even call us up Giles?" Cordelia wondered impatiently.

"I can answer that one love," Spike spoke up. "Word gets around, even to an outcast like me, the vampires are tired of not being in control so their all getting together, and I don't mean six or seven, I mean sixty or seventy thousand. Their plan is to go from one city to another taking as many vamps from the previous city as possible. And it's not just happening in good 'ol Sunny Dale, it's happening world wide. And not just vampires either, all the demons are tired of it. That's why we called you,"

"We'll need all the help we can get," Giles added.

"And from what I've read from your Buffy stories, I have to stop that from happening?" I asked.

"She catches on fast," Zander remarked. "Hold on, you wrote stories about Buffy?"

"Zander, it's part of a watcher's job to keep a journal, and I did. I just didn't tell you about it," Giles was getting annoyed, so was I.

I walked out of the Magic Box and sat on the curb. Spike followed.

"You shouldn't be out at night by yourself pet, it's a dangerous place,"

I rolled my eyes. "And I'm here to make it safer,"

"So, your not all weird 'bout the 'you'll never have a normal life again now that you're the slayer' thing?"

"Nothing has surprised me since my parents died. When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to loose, I guess,"

I got up and started walking to the best place I could think of for finding ugly fanged people, the cemetery. Spike continued talking.

"What do ya mean you've got nothin'? What about Giles?"

"I met the guy today. As far as I'm concern he's my watcher and lives in the same house I do. Oh, and, do you have any idea what I'm doing? 'Cause I don't" I decided to ask that after realizing that I didn't have a stake.

"You're supposed to slay vampires, and I'm here to help obviously, you don't know what you're doing. You're a teenager with a weapon, who knows what you're capable of,"

"That's what I just said,"

We entered the cemetery and spike found the closest tombstone to sit on.

"How old are you Summers?"

"How old am I? Does it ma..Summers?" I sighed and walked passed him. "Get over it, she's gone and she's not coming back. Probably dead," bad move. I forgot to tell you that he was totally obsessed with Buffy. I read that in Giles books. And when she left he went threw a total break down.

"Don't you ever say that again!" he boomed lunging at me, fangs drawn.