The Slayer

by Batdz Angel

In an instant, she became one in a thousand. In an instant, her whole life changed. In an instant, the shadows of Neptune come out to wreak havoc.

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or any of its characters. They are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I also do not own Veronica Mars or any of its characters. They are the property of Rob Thomas and the CW. This is just a twisted look in my mind when I've got nothing but stress over finals on my brain. All original characters are mine though.

Rated: R for language, violence, and some gore.

Pairing(s): WeeVer, Spuffy, mentions of any and all possible romantic pairings in either universe.

Spoilers: AU version of Veronica Mars and spoilers for all of the Buffyverse, excluding Angel Season Five.

Summary: In an instant, she became one in a thousand. In an instant, her whole life changed. In an instant, the shadows of Neptune come out to wreak havoc.

Author's Note: Okay, so this was a crazy, insane idea that came to me at two in the morning on a Friday night. And to be honest, I'm really proud of it! It's combining two of my favorite fandoms and two of my favorite OTPs, plus I just really wanted to Vamp certain characters. On with the story!

The Slayer

In retrospect, Madison Sinclair should have listened to what the other students said. How the nights of Neptune were different from the day, how the shadows seemed...alive. But she didn't listen and as she paused, fingers gripping the handle of her car door as a whisper seemed to brush along her skin, the thought of monsters filled her head.

She glanced over her shoulder, swallowing as she called out, "Who's there?" as she fumbled for her keys. Unlocking her car, she slid inside and exhaled heavily as she stuck the key into the ignition.

Suddenly, she paused, her eyes widening as strong fingers slid through her hair and a quiet, deadly voice breathed softly into her ear: "Boo."

With a shrill scream, Madison tore out of her car, heels clicking rapidly on the cement as the creature gave chase, amber eyes glinting in the darkness, fangs bared. She stumbled, righted herself and ran up the lawn to the nearest house, pounding on the front door.

"Let me in!" she screamed as she glanced over her shoulder to the monster barreling down on her. "Please! Oh, God...please, someone let me in!"

No one answered and she fumbled with the knob, sobbing as she glanced over her shoulder before taking flight again. Her mind raced as she ran, tripping over some bushes and she scrambled to her feet as she saw the Kane estate up ahead...

'I'll be safe there, I'll be safe, I'll be safe...'

Something hit her in the back and Madison crumbled, her screaming mixing in with the snarls that echoed in the dark night. In the morning, when her body was found, the mutilation of her face would cause the police officers and Jake Kane to lose their breakfast. The two pricks in her neck that oozed blood would tell Neptune that the unspoken horrors in the night weren't unspoken anymore.

And the word carved into her chest?

That word caused fear to run in the hearts of those who knew of the darkness residing in the small town.

Soon.

The black Desoto barreled through the desert, the driver tossing a cigarette out the window. His companion mumbled sleepily, "You could be fined for that, you know."

The driver snorted and said in amusement, "And who's gonna fine me then? The bushes? The sand? Look at this, Slayer, we've got nothin' for miles."

"Smart ass," Buffy Summers muttered as she sat up, yawning loudly as she stretched her arms over her head. Glancing at the driver she said, "You know, I could have driven through the dessert."

Her partner looked at her with horrified blue eyes. "In my car?" he said, eyes wide. "Don't bloody think so!"

Buffy pouted. "Evil."

"Well, yeah," he retorted cheekily. "Vampire."

Buffy grinned, hazel eyes brimming with mischief. "I'll do that thing you like," she offered sweetly and he laughed, saying, "Blackmailer!"

"Spike..." she whined and the vampire shook his platinum head firmly as he said, "Buffy, you are the light of my unlife, the apple in my eye, the sun in my heart but there is no bloody way I'm lettin' you drive this car."

The Slayer pouted even more and said, "Why?"

"Because," Spike said as he glanced out the window. "We're here."

"What?" Buffy sat up and blinked as she watched a sign with the words 'Welcome to Neptune' whip past them. She scowled and said, "Lousy vampire."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Sighing, she settled in beside Spike, smiling as he wrapped one arm around her shoulders, hand gripping the wheel easily. Closing her eyes, she listened to his humming of the Ramones and drifted as he looked for a place for them to sleep and call headquarters. After all, it wasn't like they were here for fun; nope.

They were looking for a Slayer.

Since the closing of the Sunnydale Hellmouth, due to Spike's wearing the amulet and then his return one day in England out of thin air, the two had become wanderers of sorts. Finding Slayers all over the world and taking them back to train with the new Council of Watchers. Buffy and Faith had insisted that the old ways be thrown out, especially the idea of brainwashing Slayers to be more efficient. The fact that Buffy had lived for far longer than any Slayer in existence due to her refusal to become just a Slayer was testament to that rule being effective and capable of saving lives.

Buffy had to admit, at least to herself, that she hadn't expected Spike to stick around. When he had appeared out of the amulet, completely whole and still in love with her, she'd been prepared to run. Had even backed away at the sight of him, since it had been at least a year since his fiery death and she had mourned...

But he'd merely looked at her with wide, wild blue eyes and breathed, "Did you mean it?" before collapsing in an exhausted heap on the carpet. She had rushed to his side, tears sliding down her face as she called for someone to get Willow.

It had taken a total of two weeks to figure out what was wrong with him; dehydration. While he was still a vampire, complete with game face and all, Spike was no longer in danger of combusting if in sunlight. His skin was sensitive, something Willow had said was to be expected since he had been without seeing the sun for over a century (not counting his brief sojourn in the day with the Gem of Amara). He had turned a pale shade of pink the first day he had spent outside with Dawn and Buffy. But soon, he had gained enough color to look less like a corpse and more like a young man who didn't get out much.

Which, to say the least, was the partial truth.

She had skirted the issue of her feelings for Spike for two years. Those last few moments when she had held his hand in the Hellmouth and flames had burst forth, she had felt hope that maybe, just maybe she would be able to have a happy ending. But he had died and she had mourned for him, to the confusion of Angel and Giles; and the understanding of Dawn, of Willow, and surprisingly Xander. When Spike had come back, he had been hesitant despite his first question, keeping his hands to himself until one day she had asked him if he was trying to hurt her feelings.

He had looked at her with wide eyes, surprise written in the cerulean depths as he said that he wasn't, and she had replied that he hadn't touched her since before he had died and she missed it. His eyes had misted over briefly before he had quietly said that he wasn't going to be her toy anymore. He wasn't going to let her use him like that and if it meant hurting her, so be it.

To which Buffy had eloquently replied, "I love you, you idiot. Now will you please touch me?"

She frowned as something flashed in her mind's eye; a house and an alleyway...

"Buffy..."

She awoke with a start, Spike peering at her worriedly before saying, "Found a place. You okay love?"

She blinked slowly and murmured, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." She looked blindly around her and said, "I think I just had a Slayer dream..."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Buffy whispered as something crawled into her stomach. Something that felt like her Slayer sense but stronger. She looked at Spike and said, "There's something evil in this town. Something...big."

"The First?" Spike asked as he cupped her face, searching her eyes. Buffy shook her head and said, "No. It's something else. I don't know what..."

"We'll figure it out in the morning," her vampire said as he kissed her gently. "Right now, you need some sleep." Buffy nodded and pressed her face against Spike's shoulder as dread crawled up her spine.

Veronica Mars shot up with a strangled gasp, blue eyes wide as she stared around her room wildly. The sounds of her mother's voice caused her to shiver as she blinked sleepily at the room around her. Her bedroom, she realized with a relief, her bedroom and not the grass in front of the Kane estate or the cold cement of some alley...

She shivered as she rocked in bed, arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Her long blonde hair fell in front of her face and she started as her dog, Backup, stirred on the floor, stretching and opening his jaws wide as he yawned. The pitbull nudged her foot from where it hung off the edge of the bed, whining as he made his way to the door.

Veronica exhaled sharply, scrubbing her hands over her eyes as her bedroom door opened a crack, her father saying, "C'mon Backup..." as the dog slipped out. Keith Mars stuck his head in and smiled as he said, "Hey honey. Hurry up, you don't want to be late for school."

"Yeah," she said quietly and Keith frowned as he studied her for a few seconds. "You okay?" he asked as Veronica looked up at him with wide blue eyes. "You look like you've had a bad night."

"Girl stuff," she said quickly and Keith blanched, holding up one hand. "Say no more."

She smiled wanly as the door was shut and rubbed her hands together. She felt cold and sweaty; like she had been running a fever during the night...

'They were just nightmares,' Veronica told herself firmly. 'That's all.'

She got up and padded out of her room to the bathroom, half-listening to her mother and father talking in the kitchen downstairs. She showered quickly, scrubbing her head clean, and wrapped herself up in two towels, walking back into her room. Dressing in her favorite jeans, a pink tank top with a white hooded sweatshirt, and pink sandals, she applied her makeup quickly and brushed her long hair back into a braid.

Entering the kitchen, she frowned as she poured herself a cup of orange juice and finally noticed her parents staring at the television on the counter; her mom was pale and clutching her dad's arm as he closed his eyes deeply. His cell phone rang then and Veronica watched as he picked it up, saying, "Mars."

A roaring filled her ears as her dad nodded his head; it seemed as if someone had shoved cotton in them, like everything was muffled and the colors in the normally bright kitchen were muted...

Madison Sinclair was dead.

The glass fell from her hands and shattered on the floor.

Veronica wondered if one's innocence could really be lost without realizing it.

"Is this not the most fabulous thing ever?"

The voice of her best friend Lilly Kane had Veronica wincing as she pressed a hand to her forehead. She leaned against her locker, sticking her head in as she said weakly, "Lilly, please..."

The older girl scoffed and said, "Oh, come on, Veronica Mars. This is amazing; who would have thought our school would be famous because one of the students got killed? It's so gory and delicious don't you think?"

"No, I don't," Veronica said wearily. "Madison is dead, Lilly. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"It's not like I actually liked her," Lilly said with a roll of her eyes. "I mean, she was total bitch to me because Dick claimed I kissed him when it was the other way around. Like I'd waste my time with him when I've got Logan." The dirty blonde snorted. "As if!"

Veronica had the sudden urge to slap Lilly across the face; honestly, sometimes it seemed as if she had no tact or compassion whatsoever. Rubbing a hand across her face, Veronica looked up as Lilly's boyfriend, Logan Echolls and her brother, Duncan Kane approached them. Duncan looked solemn while Logan merely wrapped an arm around Lilly and kissed her soundly on the mouth.

Veronica looked away at the sight, disgust filling her as she pressed her hands together. Didn't those two get it? Something had slaughtered Madison, something had ripped her apart...

"You okay?"

Duncan's voice startled her and she jerked away from him, saying sharply, "What?"

Surprised flickered across his face and he said again, "Are you okay, Veronica?"

"I'm fine," Veronica replied as she shut her locker, fumbling with her bag. "I'm just...it's a lot to take in you know? I didn't know Madison that well but..." She made a motion with her hands, gripping her bag tightly. "But she was our age. That could've been anyone else."

Duncan nodded but Veronica could see confusion written in his eyes. She swallowed a hysterical laugh that bubbled into her throat and looked away saying, "I gotta get to class..." before moving away from him and the other two swiftly. She made her way through the crowd and around the corner, leaning against the wall heavily. Closing her eyes, Veronica inhaled through her nose and let the air out in a shaky rush. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling before continuing on her way to class.

Unnoticed, a baldheaded Chicano youth in leather watched her, dark eyes narrowed. He studied her movements and fingered the heavy cross around his neck as Veronica paused briefly and looked over her shoulder.

Blue eyes met brown.

A spark of something in the air.

Veronica swallowed suddenly as the Chicano youth tilted his head, a smirk pulling at his mouth. She hesitated but the bell rang suddenly and she spun on her heel, rushing to class. A smile slid over his face as he watched the blonde girl rush away, braid flying behind her. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone, pressing a few numbers.

"Grandma?" he said into the phone in Spanish. "I think I found her."

Spike awoke slowly, the warmth of Buffy's body making him smile slightly as he pressed a soft kiss to her brow. He still had problems believing Buffy loved him, his own insecurity of never being good enough haunting him. Despite this though, he enjoyed his time with his Slayer, at how her face would light up at the sight of him, how she'd beam at him with love shining her eyes...

"Why all serious?"

Her sleepy query broke through his musings and he smiled widely as he murmured, "Just thinkin' pet. How'd you sleep?"

"Okay," she yawned, nose crinkling in a way that he found adorable. "We should get going 'cause we've got a lot to do today."

"Well," he leered at her, blue eyes twinkling mischievously. "To save time, we should double up in the shower..."

Buffy grinned at him, her hazel eyes dancing with amusement. "Pervert."

He chuckled and gathered her up with a swift, bruising kiss. Buffy's laughter echoed behind them as he shut the bathroom door and soon, moans slid through the air as they proceeded to enjoy one another's bodies.

Later, as Buffy finished getting dressed and Spike hung up the phone, the two warriors slipped out into the day. Looking down at the name Spike had written down in his elegant script, the Slayer chewed on her lip as she said, "Letticia Navarro? Who was she?"

"A Watcher, apparently," her vampire said as he opened the car door for her. He slid into the driver's seat with casual grace and continued as he started up the car, saying, "She had a Slayer but the girl didn't last long. Died within two years of her being Called..."

Buffy shuddered and said quietly, "How sad..."

Spike said nothing but slid his hand over her knee, squeezing it gently. She smiled and perused the file on Letticia Navarro, saying, "She has a grandson?"

"Retired from the Council," Spike said as he pulled over in front of a non-descript house. "Her son apparently had been involved with the Slayer..."

"She had a son," Buffy said horrified at the idea. "Oh my God, Spike. She had a son and she died..."

"It happens Buffy," he said gently, taking her face in his hands. "We can't change the past, you know..."

"I know," she murmured pained. "But God, Spike. She had a son that probably grew up wondering who his mom was and why..."

Gently, Spike brushed his mouth against her trembling lips and said, "S'what I love about you Slayer. You let your heart bleed for people you don't even know..."

Buffy smiled as he kissed her again, their mouths fusing as they sat in the Desoto. Sighing, she pulled away with a smile as she murmured, "I love you."

Spike's eyes warmed. "I love you too, kitten."

As they stepped out of the car, the front door opened, revealing a petite woman with dark hair and dark eyes. She seemed to be in her early sixties, her slightly heavy form belying the grace that she moved with across the yard. Wearing a tan sweater and a pale gray skirt that swirled around her, she said with a slightly accented voice, "Buffy and William Summers?"

The blonde couple started in surprise and Mrs. Navarro smiled widely as she opened up the gate. "I've been expecting you," she said as she motioned for them to follow. "Come with me."

The two exchanged glances and followed after the small woman, Spike pausing long enough to close the gate behind him.

Eli 'Weevil' Navarro paused as he rounded the corner, dark eyes narrowing behind his sunglasses. He studied the group of students sitting in the middle of the quad; his eyes skipping over the curvy blonde and her boyfriend to settle on the other blonde girl he had noticed that morning. Her hair fell over her face slightly as she bent her head to listen to something Duncan Kane said into her ear and Weevil tightened his jaw at the sight.

He felt two of his boys slip up beside him and one of them said, "That her, boss?"

"Yeah," he said not taking his eyes off the blonde girl who wore pink and didn't seem to know she was now a target. "That's the Slayer."

The two boys nodded and one said, "She know yet?"

"No," he said with a sigh. "Not yet." He glanced at them. "Tell the others we're keeping an eye out," he ordered grimly. "If we can tell, there's no telling what else can."

"Right," his two companions vanished back into the crowd of students. Weevil rolled his shoulders slightly, cracking his neck in a way that made him grimace. Rubbing a hand over his clean shaven head, he walked across the quad, assorted students scattering at his presence. He walked towards the table, hand dipping into his pocket and grunted as the boyfriend of the other blonde knocked into him, causing him to topple against the table.

He glared, reaching up to pull off his sunglasses as the other boy sputtered, saying angrily, "God, Paco, you can't watch where you're going?" as he wiped at the soda on his shirt. Weevil let his mouth twist into a smirk as he drawled, "First off, my name ain't Paco, cracker. Second, you walked into me and third, move outta my way before I knock your ass out."

"Oh, I'm so scared," Logan Echolls said sarcastically as he glowered at the Chicano youth. "What, you gonna call your home boys on me?"

Weevil threw his head back and laughed. "Dawg, you ain't even worth it," he sneered as he shoved the boy aside and continued on his way. He paused and glanced back to see the blonde pick up the card he had dropped and slid his sunglasses back on as she looked up at him, blue eyes wide with surprise. Then, he turned and vanished inside the building, digging for his phone to let his grandmother know he had made contact with the Slayer.

Meanwhile, Veronica fingered the card in her hand as Logan grumbled to the others, Lilly soothing him with a roll of her eyes and toss of her hair. At the gleam in her friend's eyes though, Veronica inwardly grimaced as she realized that Lilly wouldn't take Logan's dislike for the other boy into consideration; her libido did all the thinking after all...

Sighing, she slid the card into her pocket, picking up her trash and tossing it away. Slipping away silently, she entered the building and looked around, frowning deeply as she walked down the hall. She stopped at her locker, opening it up and reaching inside to pull out her books. As her hand brushed against the edge, she felt a tug of something in her belly and spun as her hand reached out to grab onto someone's wrist, flipping the Chicano boy onto his back.

He let out a grunt as he landed on the tile floor and Veronica stared at him with wide, horrified eyes as he groaned. His sunglasses had skidded across the floor and a pair of chocolate brown eyes peered up at her as he said pained, "Guess I was right."

"I am so sorry!" Veronica squeaked as she scrambled to help him up, grabbing his hand. He laughed weakly, waving her hands away and said, "It's okay. I'm good. Been hit harder so it's cool."

Veronica watched as he pulled himself to his feet, looking around. She peered around the floor and picked up his sunglasses, holding them out hesitantly. "Here."

"Thanks," he said taking them from her. He slid them into his pocket and said, "Guess I should introduce myself-"

"I know who you are," Veronica interrupted. "Weevil, right? You're the head of the PCH Club."

Weevil arched his browns in amusement. "Yeah," he said. "That would be me."

Veronica nodded and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why are you following me?" she asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence. Weevil started and hesitated, glancing around as the hallway began to fill up. "You got the card?" he asked instead of answering her and Veronica frowned deeply as she nodded. "Good," he said with relief. "I can't tell you why here. But come to that address after school. I can tell you then."

"I don't think-"

"You dreamt about her right?" Weevil interrupted her, dark eyes piercing. "Madison? You had dreams last night?"

Her throat clenched as she inhaled shakily, staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. "How...?"

"That address," he repeated glancing around. "I promise, you'll get answers."

Then, he was gone, swallowed up by the large amount of students roaming the halls. Veronica let out a breath of air, biting her lip as she pulled out the card and studied it. The name 'Letticia Navarro' was scrawled across in simple black letters. Flipping it over, she stared at the address written in hand on the back and sighed deeply before turning back to her locker.

Buffy and Spike sat side by side on the couch as Letticia Navarro puttered around the room. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a tray that held three cups of coffee and assorted snacks. Smiling, she said cheerily, "I'm quite glad that the two of you have finally arrived. I was worried I would have to deal with the threat on my own."

"So, there is something here?" Buffy asked as she picked up her cup. "I felt something when we arrived-"

"Yes," Letticia said with a nod. "My grandson and his friends have told me of a new rush of vampires. They're stronger and more intelligent. We normally don't deal with too many demons other than vampires but last week we had a Fyarl wreak havoc and a demon similar to a serpent..." She sighed deeply. "My grandson and his friends did what they could but the Slayer is definitely needed."

"Your grandson is fighting vampires?" Buffy asked appalled. "Why?"

"I suppose Rupert didn't tell you my history?" Letticia said a wan smile. "I was a Watcher for many years Miss Summers, but before that I was a Potential."

Shock flickered in the Slayer's eyes and Spike grunted, saying, "Thought there was somethin' about you..." and Letticia laughed as she sipped at her cup. "Yes, well," she smiled warmly. "I was never Chosen and I'm grateful. The sprinkling of Slayer power didn't reach me either when the Hellmouth was closed. I suppose I'm too old."

She put her empty cup down on the tray and continued, saying, "My son was brought up with the knowledge of vampires and demons. He knew not to go out after dark here in Neptune and as he grew older, he began to fight them. The Slayer appeared in town one day and she fell for my son. They had a child, my grandson, who also follows in his parents footsteps."

"But why would you let him endanger himself?" Buffy asked stunned. "This isn't his responsibility-"

"We've been without a Slayer for fifteen years," Letticia interrupted quietly, silencing Buffy's questions and causing Spike to shake his head in disbelief. "I did what I could but time ages the body. My grandson and his friends stepped up to do what no one else would." She looked out the window and added, "I don't expect you to understand Miss Summers. You were Chosen but my grandson chose." She smiled as the sound of motorcycle engines filled the air. "That is the difference, I suppose."

Rising to her feet, she opened the front door, calling out in Spanish. The sound of male voices filled the air and soon motorcycle engines started up again. The blonde pair looked at one another, communicating silently as Letticia returned, followed by a young man who couldn't be more than seventeen at the most.

He wore dark blue jeans, a gray thermal shirt underneath a black leather motorcycle jacket, and heavy black boots. A silver cross hung around his neck as he reached up to remove his sunglasses, clean-shaven head glinting in the light coming in from outside. It was his eyes that told his true age to the two Champions; dark and worn with a weariness that shouldn't be written in a teenager's eyes.

The eyes of someone who had seen hell and survived.

The eyes of someone who has Slayer blood in his veins and knows what that means.

The young man stared at them for a few seconds before speaking.

"Shit," he said amusement glittering in his dark eyes. "There's two Slayers in town now?"

She'd been pacing for the last twenty minutes, debating on whether or not she should go. Lilly was in the guidance counselor's office to her disappointment. "It's stupid," she had complained as Veronica walked with her. "I am like so not mourning over Madison. I mean, God, who cares?"

She had been tempted to scream at her best friend but kept silent instead; after all, what could she say? That she had been dreaming of Madison dying the night she was killed? That she had the feeling Weevil Navarro knew something about the death? No, she couldn't say a thing.

How could she explain to anyone that Madison wasn't the first person she had dreamt of dying? How could she possibly explain that she would wake up at night, sweating and panting because she knew what it was like to feel someone shove a knife into her stomach? And honestly, what was she even doing, thinking about going to an address provided by the resident gang leader? Her father would kill her if he ever found out.

But something was telling her that Weevil wasn't going to hurt her and that he was real.

Maybe that was the problem, she realized with a frown. He was real.

Veronica knew that the majority of people who looked at her saw a bubbly, naive, and innocent teenager. Granted, she wasn't stupid; her GPA was proof of that, but she also knew that the majority of students at Neptune, and the majority of people she knew, saw her as Lilly's built in cheerleader. And while she didn't let it bother her, she knew it wasn't exactly a flattering way to be looked at.

Damn it, she was only fifteen! She shouldn't be thinking about this kind of stuff!

With a scowl and a pout, Veronica took off towards her car, intent on figuring out what the hell was up with Weevil and why she had a dream about a girl she hadn't even known that well.

She couldn't have possibly fathomed what the answer would be.

Buffy looked at Weevil with an expression of bemusement. "Two Slayers?" she repeated then turned to Letticia. "You know who the other Slayer is?"

"I do," Weevil interrupted, shedding his jacket and hanging it up on the coat rack beside the door. "She's a girl at my school, sophomore like me." He looked out the door, lips tightening as he added, "She's fifteen, a year younger than me."

'Oh,' Buffy inhaled sharply as her mind raced back to years ago, back to a night in a cemetery, back to Merrick and Pike and Lothos. She started as Spike gently pressed a hand to her neck, his fingers massaging her muscles lightly and she smiled at him wanly as she turned to Weevil and said, "I'm sorry. I forgot my manners. I'm Buffy Summers."

"Eli Navarro," the young man replied. "Call me Weevil."

"This is Spike," Buffy said turning her head to look at her partner. "He's-"

"A daywalker," Weevil said bluntly, smirking at the surprised looks the two gave him. "Grandma here let me know who was going to be accompanying you. Safety in numbers."

"Right," Spike cleared his throat and held out his hand. "S'nice to meet you."

"Cool coat," Weevil approved and then started as a ring sounded in the air. He produced a cell phone and said, "One second..." before stepping out the front door and leaving his grandmother to look at the Slayer and the vampire. He returned within a few seconds, saying, "She's on her way here. Some of my boys are keeping an eye on her."

'Who was this kid? One minute he's acting fifteen and the next, he's acting all...'

With a start Buffy realized who he was acting like: a Slayer, complete with the slope of his shoulders. What must it have been like knowing what lurked outside in the darkness of your home and knowing there was no one but you to stop it?

Guilt filled her; she had been a Slayer for over five years and the whole time she had bitched about it. She had complained about wanting a normal life, about wanting to be like everyone else. And miles away, a young boy had decided to do what she was chosen to do.

Humbleness, thy name is Buffy.

Veronica paused uncertainly at the gate, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She looked up as the screen door opened, Weevil bounding down the steps, saying, "You're here."

"You said I'd get answers," she replied as he unlocked the gate and stepped back, motioning for her to follow. Weevil shrugged slightly and led the way up the stairs, saying, "Grandma? She's here."

Veronica stepped into the living room stopping at the sight of two unfamiliar blondes. The dark-haired woman sitting in an armchair got to her feet, smiling warmly at her as she said, "Hello Veronica. My name is Letticia Navarro, I'm Eli's grandmother."

Veronica glanced at Weevil in bemusement and he shrugged in reply as his grandma said, "Please, sit down. We can discuss your dreams if you like or any other questions you may have."

"Uh," Veronica said uncomfortably as she darted a look towards the two blondes on the couch. "You guys have company and-"

"Oh," the petite blonde exclaimed. "Oh, no, we're not-" She cut herself off, smiling slightly as she got to her feet, holding out her hand. She was extremely pretty with wide hazel eyes and long blonde hair past her shoulders. She wore jeans with a stylish gray peasant blouse that complimented her peaches and cream skin. "I'm Buffy Summers."

"Spike," the blonde man said with a nod of his head. Veronica smiled weakly and said, "Okay, I'm officially feeling stupid. Uh, I'm going to go now-"

"You've been dreaming about things for a while now," Buffy interrupted her and Veronica froze, her eyes widening in fear. "Things that don't make sense, things that shouldn't exist, right? Like demons or vampires?"

Veronica blinked at the older blonde, licking her lips as Buffy continued, saying, "You've felt different; stronger and faster, right? I bet you even realized that your reflexes are better and you can tell when someone is behind you or about to attack you."

Veronica darted a glance at Weevil and whispered, "How does she know that? What's going on?"

Buffy sighed and took Veronica's hands, pulling forward gently and sitting her down. "Into every generation, a Slayer is born," she said. "She has the power to fight against the demons and the creatures of evil." She searched Veronica's eyes, pity filling her at the realization dawning in the girl's eyes. "A year ago, I was fighting against something very evil and I couldn't do it alone. So I woke up every single girl in the world who had the potential to become a Slayer and made her one."

"I'm not a killer," Veronica said horrified. "I don't kill things, I don't-"

"No, no!" Buffy exclaimed shock flickering across her features. "Oh my God, Veronica, that's not what a Slayer is. What you are."

"Then what am I?" Veronica asked fearfully. "What's happening to me? Why am I dreaming about Madison and all those horrible things? That creature with yellow eyes and all that blood?"

"Because you are a Slayer," Buffy said gently. "Just like me and all the other girls who were Chosen." Veronica pulled her hands out of Buffy's hands and wrapped her arms around herself. She swallowed and said quietly, "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"Not if I can help it," Weevil said suddenly, causing the others look at him in surprise. A red flush spread across his cheeks and he looked down at the floor, mumbling, "You know, 'cause you don't know how to fight yet and..."

A giggle slid past Veronica's lips as she stared at Weevil, admiring how he rubbed at the back of his neck. She sighed and let out a rush of air, saying, "Okay. So if I'm one of these Slayers, what does that mean?"

Buffy took a deep breath. "Okay," she said looking up at Spike. "You got time for me to explain it to you?"

"Do I really have a choice?" Veronica replied weakly as she sank into the chair.

The front door opened soundlessly and Veronica slipped inside of her house quietly. She shut the door behind her, leaning heavily against it as she stared blankly at the floor beneath her. Swallowing, she made her way up to her bedroom and tossed her bag onto the bed, throwing herself across it. Burying her head into her pillow, she felt hot tears scald her cheeks as the day's activities caught up with her.

'I'm a Slayer. A Slayer. I've been chosen to kill vampires and now there's something in Neptune that's evil and going to hurt people if I don't stop it...'

A knock at her door had Veronica wiping at her eyes hastily and she called a raspy, "Come in..."

Lianne stuck her head in and said, "Hey honey. Sorry I'm late, dinner should be ready in a few minutes." She paused, eyeing her daughter curiously. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

Veronica smiled, nodding her head. "I'm fine," she said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Just a little off 'cause of Madison..."

Sympathy flickered across Lianne's face and she said, "I know baby. It's so horrible what happened to her...poor girl." She sighed and then added, "Why don't you clean up? I'll call you when dinner's ready."

Veronica nodded and watched as her mother shut the door behind her. Placing her bag across her lap, she pulled out the black velvet box Weevil had given her before she had driven off. She hesitated but then opened it, gasping as she stared at the intricate silver cross lying inside the box. It had no stones but was a flawless silver, it's simplicity making it even more beautiful.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the cross out, the chain slipping through her fingers. She studied it silently and then turned it over before placing it around her neck. It felt heavy and unfamiliar against her collarbone but she ignored it as she went about preparing for dinner.

As she sat at the table with her parents, eating vegetarian lasagna and salad, she felt an awareness prickle along her spine. Backup growled at the door as she looked towards it, swallowing as she realized that Buffy had been right.

They would come for her and her family in swarms.

Later that night, she bid her parents good night, waiting until they had fallen asleep before slipping out her window. Her good black boots from the Police Academy (a gift from the deputies at the office), dark jeans, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a thick canvas coat in black was her outfit, the silver cross flashing against her pale skin. Her golden locks were stuffed up into a black beanie and she carried a small backpack with a flashlight, water, and the stake Buffy had given her that afternoon.

"Meet us tonight in the nearest cemetery to your house," the older girl had said. "If you don't meet us, we understand Veronica. But we can't do this without you."

Veronica took a deep breath as she sat on the edge of her roof and then she jumped down onto the grass with ease, landing lightly on her feet. She glanced over at her window, the soft light from her bedroom making her press her lips together in thought. Somehow, she would make this work; she had too.

Weevil glanced over his shoulder as one of his boys made a slight noise. Seeing the tiny figure hurrying across the grass, he straightened up and said to the others, "All right, the rest of you go patrol in your usual places. We'll meet up at the regular place at dawn."

The assorted members of the PCH club nodded and dispersed, vanishing with ease into the darkness of the night. Spike and Buffy watched the whole process silently but were impressed at the way the others listened to Weevil.

"We lose a few every now and then," Weevil said interrupting their silence. His dark eyes watched as Veronica got closer, her head turning every which way as she approached them. "I had to put down my first vamp when I was ten years old." He looked down at the grass and then back at the blonde pair. "My dad got really unlucky that night."

Shock flickered across Buffy's features while quiet understanding colored Spike's eyes. Weevil didn't bother to wait for their reactions, merely turned to greet Veronica. Buffy closed her eyes briefly as she saw the blonde girl and remembered another blonde from seven years earlier.

"So, now what?" Veronica asked as she shoved her hands into her pockets. The other three glanced at one another and Spike nodded towards a nearby grave. "Over here, then, love," he said as he strolled over to the grave. "This bloke here got 'attacked' by a wild animal, yeah? We're just making sure he doesn't come up for his first meal."

Veronica frowned deeply as she eyed the grave. "How can you tell when someone has been bitten though?"

"Two small holes on the neck," Buffy answered as she walked over to stand behind the headstone. "Spike?"

"Yeah," Spike nodded and Veronica jumped as his face shifted, the sound of bone moving causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Her senses shifted wildly as the blonde man opened his jaws, revealing a row of sharp teeth. He held up his arm and bit down as Veronica and Weevil both watched.

Holding out his arm, Spike said clearly, "See those two holes on my arm? That's what a bite will look like. Some people can try to imitate it but it's got to do with the angle of the neck and the like. Don't mistake one type of bite for another."

It was odd how, Veronica reflected as she stared at Spike's face, sometimes your nightmares were worse than the reality. She had pictured something like the demons she read about in her favorite horror books or seen in her favorite horror films. Instead, Spike's face was catlike in appearance as were his eyes; a burnished gold that flickered with the light or lack thereof.

The sound of soil shifting had her attention diverging and Veronica turned to see the dirt caving out slightly. A hand slid out from the ground and she stepped back in reflex as she watched the hand grip the soil beneath it. Weevil stood behind her, a stake at the ready as he said quietly, "It takes them a bit depending on what they were like as a human but that doesn't mean you can't be ready."

As the vampire pulled itself out of the grave, Veronica slid her fingers into her coat pocket. Buffy and Spike stepped back as the blonde girl waited patiently while the vampire dusted itself off. It looked up and grinned, revealing its teeth as he growled menacingly at the girl it thought of as food.

Veronica smiled as awareness filled her. "Gee," she said sweetly. "You look hungry."

The vampire snarled and lunged forward at her. Veronica easily sidestepped its attack, her body dropping down cleanly into a neat leg sweep. The vampire fell onto its back and Veronica swooped down, staking it cleanly through the heart. As the dust settled onto the grass, she blinked and gaped in surprise, saying, "Did I just...?"

"Well," Spike broke the silence. "Looks like this one is going to be just fine."

The dawn brought Veronica staggering up to her house as Weevil watched from where he sat on his bike. He watched the Slayer scramble up to her window and lowered his visor as he silently pulled away. Meanwhile, Veronica collapsed onto her bed, grunting as she felt her body protest. As she drifted off, she let a smile cross her face as the nights events caught up to her.

"Veronica!"

A moan pulled itself out of her throat as she opened her eyes painfully. Tipping her head back, she watched as Lilly bounced up to her, nose wrinkling she stopped in her tracks.

"What are you wearing?" she demanded and Veronica looked down at her clothes. She'd changed into a long sleeved white dress shirt and scrubbed her face clean of the dirt and grime from the night before. The weeks since that first patrol had escalated into nights spent hunting down the undead with Weevil and his boys. Spike and Buffy had also taken her out to teach her the ropes; it seemed to Veronica that the pair had the tendency to find the more dangerous demons.

Not that she didn't find it amusing when the demons would take one look at the pair and decide to attack her instead; seemed her two trainers had a reputation. Rubbing her hand over her eyes, she said wearily, "What do you want Lilly?"

"Well, God," Lilly said irritably as she followed her best friend down the hallway. "If you're going to be like that I'll just keep my mouth shut then."

"Lilly."

"Okay, fine," Lilly grinned. "I heard from a very reliable source that a certain someone has a crush on you!"

Veronica frowned and said, "What?"

"Looks like the Donut finally woke up and saw you hon," Lilly said as she grabbed Veronica's hands and beamed. "Isn't this amazing?"

Veronica blinked at her as her mind raced rapidly. She'd forgotten about her crush on Duncan; it seemed as if that feeling belonged to a different girl although she knew that wasn't an explanation for her sudden lack of interest in boys.

'Well,'her mind interjected. 'Not all boys.'

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Lilly demanded and Veronica blinked again as she looked down at her hands intertwined with Lilly's own. She pulled her hands out of Lilly's and said, "That's...nice Lilly but I haven't been interested in Duncan in a while now."

"Since when?" Lilly asked disbelievingly.

'Since I found out that I'm part of a group of girls who are out there every night killing vampires and spend most of my time with a ver sexy biker who handles a crossbow really well.'

Out loud, she said, "I'm just not interested in Duncan anymore Lilly. No reason why, I'm just...not."

"Is it someone else?"

"No," Veronica said even as her mind thought of long eyelashes and a wicked smile. "No one right now. I'll see you later, huh Lilly?"

Veronica turned and sped away down the hall, leaving Lilly staring after her dumbfounded. The blonde girl frowned deeply as she watched her friend round the corner, her brows arching as Weevil pushed himself off the locker he had been leaning against and going in the same direction. A snort pulled itself from Lilly's mouth as she muttered, "Yeah, that's realistic Lilly..." before she flounced away to find Logan.

Meanwhile, Veronica pulled Weevil into the empty classroom, saying, "What's up?"

"Spike and Buffy need to see you tonight," Weevil informed her. "There's talk that whatever killed Madison is still out there."

"It was a vampire," Veronica pointed out. "What else could it have been?"

"Sinclair was a virgin," Weevil told her bluntly. "And the night she was killed was exactly a month before the full moon. It's not coincidence that she was killed, V."

Veronica felt dread slide up her spine. "Someone killed her deliberately?"

"Virgin blood," Weevil said grimly. "Tastiest thing this side of Slayer blood."

Veronica grimaced at the reminder of how her blood was more potent than a regular girl's. Rubbing her hand across her eyes, she said wearily, "Did they say where to meet them?"

"The hotel they're staying at," Weevil said. "I'll pick you up."

"Okay," Veronica sighed as she yawned. "I really hope that I can get some sleep tonight."

"The boys'll cover for you," Weevil said concern flickering across his features as he studied the blonde. "You don't look too good, Mars. Sleep a no-show?"

"Keep having nightmares," Veronica muttered and Weevil's eyebrows arched as he said, "Nightmares, huh?"

"Madison's death," Veronica said by way of explanation. "Other Slayers. My sixth sense is all haywire so sleep? So not a best friend right now."

Weevil nodded. "I get that. When I was-"

The sound of the classroom door opening had Veronica reacting instinctively. She threw herself forward into Weevil's arms and pulled his mouth down to hers. His lips slid over her own swiftly, tongue sliding into the cavern of her mouth with ease. Heat filled her as she clung to Weevil and a surprised, "What in the hell?" had her pulling away as her eyes flew open.

Her face heated up as Weevil stared down at her with wide eyes before he blinked and turned to look at the door. A teacher Veronica didn't know glared at them both as he demanded, "What are your names? Huh? What's going here?"

"Sorry," Weevil managed before grabbing Veronica's hand and dragging her out the door. The teacher scowled and muttered, "Damn kids..." as he went to open the blinds for his class. Meanwhile, the two supernatural fighters had entered the empty hallway, Veronica still feeling dazed at the impromptu kiss and Weevil doing his best to ignore the fact that he was holding her hand.

He glanced around the hall and swallowed, turning to look at the Slayer. "So," he said, voice cracking. "I'll, uh, see you later?"

Veronica nodded not meeting his eyes and Weevil felt amusement fill him as he said, "Veronica?"

"Just call me," she said before letting go of his hand and fleeing down the hallway. Weevil watched her vanish around the corner and brought his hand up to his mouth. A smile slid over his features and he began to whistle as he turned on his heel and loped down the hall to his first class.

Something was wrong.

The night was pitch black and still. There was no one on the streets, no lights on in the houses.

She crept down the street, her fingers clutching the stake tightly in her hand. A giggle sounded in the air and she spun to face the owner but there was nothing there.

Another giggle. Closer now.

A hand slid slowly, seductively down her neck.

A voice whispered in her ear.

"Ronnie..."

A strangled cry pulled itself out from Veronica's mouth as she tumbled off her bed. She lifted her head up as the lamp beside her bed was lit and Lilly's disgruntled voice said sleepily, "What's going on...?" as she peered over the edge of the bed.

"Nothing!" she managed quickly even as her heart pounded in her ears. "Just a nightmare Lills."

Her friend yawned and grunted before rolling back under the covers. Veronica staggered to her feet, grabbing a thick sweatshirt and sneakers. She glanced at Lilly's slumbering form and then slipped out of her bedroom, cell phone in hand. She went to the small pantry off the kitchen, pulling the door shut before dialing a number.

Buffy picked up on the first ring.

"Veronica?"

At the sound of the older Slayer' s voice, Veronica crumbled and began to cry.

Weevil pulled up to Veronica's house silently, his headlights turned off. He pulled off his helmet and glanced over his shoulder swiftly before slipping into the backyard. The backdoor opened before he had even taken three steps and Veronica was in his arms, her body trembling as he pulled her closer.

"Hey," he said gently as his mind raced to Buffy's explanation for her phone call during patrol. "S'up, now, chica?"

Veronica sniffled into his coat and said, voice muffled, "I think someone is going to die." Her face turned up, wet with tears. "And I know who."

"Explain it to me," Weevil said gently and Veronica obliged, telling him of her dream. His brow furrowed as she explained that the voice had been familiar and she was terrified that meant something she didn't want to face...

His heart twisted as the look in her eyes; the need for reassurance that she was wrong, just tired and he touched her cheek gently with hand as he said quietly, "V, I can't tell you that someone you know won't get hurt 'cause I'd be lying and I don't want to do that."

Her eyes saddened at his reply and her head dropped against his chest again. He sighed before pulling her close and kissing her quietly. She melted against him as he tipped her head back gently, coaxing her mouth to open beneath his own.

Meanwhile, Lilly Kane watched them from the window, her eyes narrowing in jealousy. The older girl scowled deeply as she watched her best friend pull away from the gang leader and whatever was being said had Weevil smiling warmly as he tucked a lock of hair behind Veronica's ear. They kissed again and Lilly watched as Weevil slipped out of the yard while Veronica vanished back inside.

Slipping back under the covers, Lilly shut her eyes and pondered how the hell had Veronica Mars gotten Weevil Navarro into her arms?

Spike glanced over at Buffy who was sitting on the bed, the phone cradled between her chin and shoulder. His Slayer scowled as she said sharply, "Giles, I am not kidding with you! Whatever this thing is that's chasing after virgin girls...it's bad." She paused and rolled her eyes as Spike grinned at her, amusement flickering in his eyes. "No, I don't think I'm overreacting. Look, Giles, Veronica hasn't been getting any sleep the last few days and it isn't just because of patrolling. I'm used to Slayer dreams but she isn't and that's taking it's toll on her."

Spike glanced up as a knock sounded on their door and got to his feet. Opening it up, he stepped aside as Weevil entered the room, saying lowly, "Sit down, mate. Slayer's just a bit irritated with her Watcher."

The young man nodded as he eyed Buffy who was narrowing her eyes as she said sharply, "I don't care what the coven says, Giles. Have Willow call me immediately, you got that? Bye." Hanging up the phone, the Slayer groaned as she said, "I really hate it when he's all, 'I know better than you even though I'm in England and not here!'" She made a strangling sound with her throat as she held out her hands in the air, mimicking the act of choking someone.

Spike chuckled as Weevil eyed the Slayer dubiously and said, "You're scaring the boy, Slayer."

Buffy sighed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Sorry," she apologized as she looked at Weevil. "It's been a long night. How's Veronica? Is she okay?"

Weevil shrugged. "I calmed her down," he admitted. "She's pretty shaken up though. I told her that we'd look at her dreams a little closer in the morning. Besides that, I think it's exhaustion making her dream so much..."

"Might be," Spike agreed as he sat down beside Buffy on the bed. "But if she feels it's something more, we can't toss that feeling."

Weevil sighed. "Yeah," he said as he got to his feet. "Just wanted to check in. Better get home. I got an Algebra test that I still need to cram for."

Buffy winced in sympathy. "Oh, those days are what I don't miss about being a teenager."

Weevil grinned slightly at her relief and tipped his head slightly forward as he left the room. Loping to his bike, he put on his helmet and straddled the machine. The Slayer and Spike watched as he pulled away with ease before shutting their door.

The next morning, Weevil woke up and dressed swiftly, grabbing his keys and bookbag on his way out the door. He drove towards Veronica's neighborhood and hid himself behind a cluster of trees. As he watched, his Slayer came out of the front door with Lilly Kane at her heels, the older girl chattering a mile a minute.

Weevil watched as Veronica climbed into the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway. He waited for them to pass by and then pulled out behind them, following them all the way to Neptune High. Parking next to his boys, he removed his helmet and said in Spanish, "Report."

"Vamps," Felix answered him easily as he walked alongside him towards the school. "Gus got pretty beat up, though. We thought we had to put him down but none of 'em gotta bite." The lanky youth glanced over his shoulder towards Veronica who was silently walking alongside the Kanes and Logan Echolls. "One of 'em threatened your girl."

Weevil stopped and looked at Felix. "What?"

Felix held up his hands. "Don't worry," he said lowly. "Liam staked it before it could get away. Said somethin' about it's master though. I figured you'd want to let Spike and Buffy know."

Weevil nodded and muttered, "Right, call them." He paused and added quietly, "Don't let anyone tell V what the vamp said. I don't want her to freak out." Felix nodded and slipped away into the crowd. Rubbing a hand over his eyes, Weevil sighed and entered Neptune High, trying to forget about the reality of his life and instead what the Pythagorean Theorem was.

Veronica walked through the headstone, Weevil loping beside her with his hands in his pockets. She glanced over her shoulder to her left where about ten feet away, Buffy and Spike were also walking. The blonde pair moved in synch with one another, hands held between them as they spoke quietly to one another. She sighed inwardly and then turned as her senses perked up. Her eyes narrowed as she straightened, her posture changing immediately to that of the Slayer.

Weevil calmly lit a cigarette as he sat down on a nearby headstone and watched Veronica go to town. The vampire wasn't much of a challenge for the petite Slayer, especially since it seemed to be more brawn than brains. Shaking his head, Weevil blew smoke into the air and said casually, "You'd think they'd make smarter minions, yeah?"

"I don't think this one," Veronica grunted as she caught a fist aimed towards her and backhanded the vampire. It spun around with the force of her hand and Weevil grinned as he kicked it hard in the chest sending it spinning back toward Veronica. "Was chosen for it's brains." A stake appeared in her hand and she plunged it into the vampire's chest. The demon snarled before vanishing into dust.

Beaming, Veronica wiped her hands against her jeans and the pair glanced over towards the other duo as Spike called, "Oi! Phone call from your boys, Weevil!"

Weevil frowned as he jogged over to the two. Taking the phone from Spike, he said, "What's going down then?"

"About fifteen vamps are attacking the Sac 'n Pac," Felix informed him. "I've only got Liam and Thumps with me and Thumps got clocked pretty good by a vamp earlier."

"We'll be there in ten," Weevil said before hanging up the phone. Looking at the others, he said grimly, "Party time."

If there was anything Duncan Kane prided himself on, it was keeping a cool head in times of crisis. When he had broken his leg during a Boy Scout hiking trip when he was thirteen, he hadn't freaked out like his fellow troops. Nope, he'd kept a cool head. When his aunt had gone into labor during a Memorial Day barbecue, he'd been the one to call for an ambulance while everyone else panicked.

Of course, being lifted up into the air by a scrawny kid half his weight wasn't anything to panic about. And then, when the kid's face shifted into something and he could hear Logan freaking out beside him while the black kid behind the counter scrambled for the phone, he tried his best to keep his cool.

But when he saw Lilly being dragged outside into the dark night, his cool snapped and he struggled against the hold on his throat.

The sound of motorcycle engines had the kid dropping him and the other three pausing from whatever they were doing. Duncan coughed as he rubbed at his throat and blinked in confusion as one of the other things snarled and hissed, saying, "What the hell?"

A cheerful voice rang through the shop.

"Oh, lookie!" an unfamiliar woman stood in the doorway, dressed in leather pants and a matching jacket. Her blonde hair was pulled into a high ponytail and her hazel eyes scanned the room curiously. "Well, gee," she pouted. "Did you guys start the party without me? I'm disappointed."

"Get out of here, little girl," the kid who'd been holding him snarled menacingly. "Or else you'll get hurt."

The woman cocked her head to the side, tapping her lip with her finger. "Really? Wow, that's...so not frightening me," she said as she smiled coldly. "In fact...Spike?"

Duncan blinked as a male voice sounded from behind him. "Yeah, kitten?"

"Did that frighten you?" she asked and Duncan turned his head to see a lean, blonde haired man leaning against the hallway wall that led towards the restrooms. The blonde guy grinned as he tipped his head back, saying, "Not a bit, pet. Gotta say they need to work on their threatening."

"Who the hell are you?" the thing holding Lilly demanded. The guy grinned wolfishly, his blue eyes glittering as he said, "Name's Spike, mate. That there is my lovely girl, Buffy." He chuckled. "You might've heard of us, I wager."

"Shit," the kid hissed. "It's the Slayer and William the Bloody."

The one who had been busy kicking the crap out of Logan swore and tore towards the front door. Buffy grinned and before Duncan could blink, the guy had vanished into thin air.

"Holy shit," he heard Logan breathe and then there was the sounds of shouting and chaos.

Meanwhile, outside Veronica was busy beating a vampire's head into the wall of the Sac 'n Pac. Smiling, she spun the vampire around and staked it through the heart neatly, sprinting towards where a vampire was slamming Thumper into the ground. Tackling the vamp, Veronica grunted in pain as they rolled along the asphalt and swore as she found herself pinned beneath the larger creature. It snarled at her threateningly as she lay beneath it and began to lean forward towards her neck. The sound of a stake piercing its flesh made her smile and she took the offered hand from Thumper as he helped her to her feet. The blood on his brow made her frown and she said sharply, "Get out of here, Thumps..."

He shook his head saying, "Not a chance Slayer..." before pulling her forward and punching the vampire who had been coming up behind her. Letting Veronica go, Thumper slammed his booted foot into the vampire's stomach and with a whoop took off after it.

Veronica shook her head and spun around as a scream ripped through the night. Swearing as she saw one of the vampires dragging a struggling blonde outside of the store she began to run across the parking lot. She paused long enough to scoop up another stake and yelled, "Hey Bumpy!" causing the vampire to snap his head around.

"Slayer," it said and dropped the girl onto the ground, causing her to cry out in pain. Veronica grinned brightly and said, "Slayee!" as she pounced on her prey.

Weevil staked his own vampire and threw it towards Liam, who was busy beating the crap out of one the creatures. Felix had tossed holy water on their transportation, a Mustang convertible and Ford F150, so the group who had tried to make a break for it had been met with an unpleasant surprise. It had been easier to stake a few that way and Weevil shook his head as he saw that the blonde hostage was watching Veronica and not running towards the yellow X-terra like she should be.

Pulling out the crossbow he kept strapped to his back, Weevil aimed and fired towards the vampire running out the door of the store. It dusted neatly and he watched as Spike and Buffy exited, followed by Logan Echolls and Duncan Kane. He grimaced as he realized who the blonde was if the two of them were leaving the store.

Veronica dusted the vampire and sighed with relief as she pocket her stake. She turned towards Weevil who was approaching her and said, "Did we get them all?"

"More or less," he replied and she arched her brows as he glanced over her shoulder. Frowning, Veronica opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but a familiar voice stopped her.

"Oh. My. God."

Screwing her eyes shut, Veronica swore as she turned to meet the shocked gazes of Lilly, Logan, and Duncan. Sighing, she said wearily, "Hey guys."

The three teenagers stared at Veronica, who fidgeted underneath their gazes. Lilly stared at Veronica and then at Weevil, her blue eyes glittering with something Veronica couldn't describe. Logan's mouth opened and closed as he waved his right hand at them while Duncan merely sat down heavily on the ground, staring at Veronica with his mouth agape.

Veronica turned to look at Spike and Buffy, saying weakly, "It's going to be a long night."

"I cannot believe that you didn't tell me!" Lilly ranted as she paced the floor of Spike and Buffy's hotel room. "I mean, I knew something was up with you, Ronnie but I had no idea that this..." The blonde girl shook her head as she waved her arms up and down, saying, "Are you kidding me?"

"Those things," the black youth who had been behind the counter asked. "They were vampires, right?"

"What's your name, then?" Spike asked from where he sat with Buffy in his lap. The Brit vampire was lighting a cigarette, his blue eyes cataloguing the group of teenagers before him. Buffy wrinkled her nose at the smell but didn't protest as Spike blew smoke into the air. Lilly eyed the bleached blonde with interest and smiled prettily as his eyes met hers. A dark brow quirked upwards in amusement but Spike didn't react otherwise as the black youth said, "Wallace. Wallace Fennel. I just moved here a few days ago."

"Welcome to Neptune," Weevil offered from where he sat on the floor, Veronica busy wrapping his waist. He had cracked two ribs during the brawl from earlier, an injury he hadn't noticed until Veronica had wrapped her arms around his waist before leaving the Sac 'n Pac parking lot. The younger Slayer had been adamant about wrapping his ribs up and no argument Weevil offered would change her mind.

So, here he sat, naked from the waist up with Veronica busy wrapping him in gauze. Lilly Kane, he had noticed, didn't seem to want to hide her keen interest in his body, even though her boyfriend sat not a few feet away. He sighed and then grimaced at the pain, saying lowly, "I think I'm good chica."

Veronica's head shot up, blue eyes wide in her face. Panic flared in their depths and Weevil softened as he touched her cheek, saying quietly, "Gotta face them sometime, V."

The young Slayer nodded and took a deep breath as she finished up wrapping his ribs. Picking up Weevil's shirt, she helped him into it, wincing in sympathy at his thinly veiled hisses of pain. Unnoticed by the pair, the rest of the room watched them, a few seeing that they were more than just partners in vampire hunting and others scowling at the obvious connection.

Wallace turned away from the pair, figuring it wasn't any of his business and said, "So, vampires are real." He shook his head. "I told my mom to move to San Francisco."

"Other things there besides vamps, kid," Spike informed him matter-of-factly. Buffy smiled slightly at the look on Wallace's face and said, "I'm Buffy. This is Spike."

"Are you the ones who did this to Veronica?" Duncan demanded suddenly and the accusing tone of his voice made the girl look up sharply. Buffy and Spike exchanged glances before answering.

"I guess you could say that," Buffy agreed as she got to her feet, crossing over to the small fridge. Pulling out two bottles of juice, she tossed one to Veronica who caught it neatly, snapping the cap off with a flicker of her wrist.

"They didn't do anything to me," Veronica informed Duncan calmly. "I've always been this way, Duncan, I've just not been aware of it."

"So, you're what?" Logan piped up, having been surprisingly silent. "A super girl now?"

"Something like that," Buffy said before explaining to the group what a Slayer was. During her explanation, Veronica finished off her juice and forced Weevil to take two painkillers. The biker protested vainly and obliged, causing Spike to hide a smile as Veronica scolded him with a look.

"So, what're you doing here?" Logan asked Weevil, who glanced up. The biker leaned back against the wall and said, "What's it to you?"

Logan bristled and retorted, "You expect us to believe that you're out every night fighting vampires without expecting anything?"

"Considering I've known about vamps since I was in diapers, yeah," Weevil shot back, his dark eyes flashing angrily. "Listen, Echolls, I couldn't give a shit if you were killed by one of those fuckers. No skin off my back if another one of you rich white boys gets offed, yeah? But the fact is that I gotta save as many people as I can; not cause I like 'em but cause it's what's decent."

"Oh, please," Logan snorted as he rose to feet. "I'm supposed to buy that shit? You're probably just waiting for the right moment."

"To do what?" Weevil challenged as he rose to his feet, anger fueling him. "I'm not you, Echolls. I don't go around thinking this whole fucking world is at my feet. You think you got it bad 'cause your daddy beats you? I had to fucking dust mine!"

The silence that fell at Weevil's revealing statement made Veronica wince. She rose to her feet as well and said quietly, "You need to go. All of you."

"We're not leaving you," Duncan began to protest but Veronica cut him off, saying sharply, "Now, Duncan. I'll talk to you at school tomorrow but you need to leave."

"You're picking him over us?" Logan demanded disbelievingly and Veronica gave him a look that chilled her friends to the bone. It wasn't the sweet, slightly naive glare she would have given them before; no, this was the look of a hardened warrior who was extremely close to snapping.

"Go home," Veronica said icily as she placed a hand on Weevil's shoulder. "Now."

Without a word, the three teens obliged, shutting the door behind them. Wallace shuffled his feet uncomfortably and Spike stalked over to the door, stepping out. "Oi!" he called. "Biker boys, one of you c'mere!"

One of Weevil's gang appeared before him and he said, "The kid needs a ride home, yeah? You make sure he gets there."

"Sure, Spike," the youth agreed and waited patiently as Wallace left the room. The black youth paused and turned to Spike, saying, "Would it be weird if I said that I want to help?"

Spike blinked at him and then grinned widely, tossing his cigarette to the ground. "No, kid," he said. "It'd be right decent."

"Oh," Wallace paused. "I want to help."

"I'll have Weevil talk to you about it."

Wallace nodded and then followed his transportation towards the lot. Spike sighed deeply and then turned, intent on returning to his Slayer but blinked in surprise as Buffy appeared, holding their bags. The elder Slayer glanced over her shoulder briefly as she shut the door and then turned to Spike.

"We're getting another room," she informed him.

Veronica stared at Weevil, who sat on the bed glaring at the wall. She sighed and said, "Are you going to say anything?"

"Go home, V," her friend replied and she scowled as she said, "Not happening. Try another one."

"Your dad's going to worry," he muttered and Veronica shrugged, saying, "I told him and my mom that I'd be at Lilly's."

He scowled at the name but didn't say anything. Sighing, Veronica picked up her bag of Slayer gear and said, "Fine. I'm taking a shower and getting some sleep." She moved towards the bathroom and stopped as Weevil spoke.

"I was ten years old," he said flatly as he stared at the wall. "My dad didn't come home one night after patrol and we knew that he was gone. My grandma ordered us all to keep the door closed and to not answer it, no matter what was said. She went out that night to find him."

Weevil closed his eyes. "I was playing with some of my toys when the doorbell rang. I couldn't move when my dad's voice came from outside..."

"Eli? It's me, Dad. Let me in, yeah?"

"I couldn't move," Weevil murmured. "It was like I'd forgotten how..."

"Open the door and let me in, Eli. Please?"

"Then it got ugly," Weevil continued. "My sister was in the kitchen when he threw something through the living room window. The glass broke and I screamed making her run into the room..."

"You fuckin' little brat! Open the damn door!"

"He stood there and swore at us, growled at us. It was our worst nightmare, watching our dad turn into one of those things..."

"Come on Ani, it won't hurt, I promise. M'ija, por favor..."

"Anita wasn't strong enough," Weevil whispered. "She started to get to her feet, walking towards the front door. I knew that Grandma was right, that my dad was gone..."

"Oh, what d'you think you're gonna do with that?"

"So, I staked him," Weevil said numbly. "I don't remember how or anything; I just did. Anita couldn't stop screaming and I had to slap her...my grandma came running in when I did and she just...cried 'cause she hadn't wanted to have either of us suffer through that...

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Elias, I'm so sorry..."

"I decided I wasn't going to let that happen to anyone else," Weevil said. "I wasn't going to let anyone in my family become a vampire. I was going to stop them from hurting people." His lips twisted into a grim smile. "So I started training with the PCH Club; a lot of them knew my dad before and they knew about vampires. Back then, they'd only target the neighborhoods that no one would notice anyone missing from."

"Weevil," Veronica said gently as she knelt in front of him, taking his hands in hers. "I'm so sorry."

"S'not your fault, V."

"I know that," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. "But it feels like it is."

Weevil chuckled as he wiped her cheeks. "Don't," he told her. "Cause you're the best thing to happen to me in a long time."

Impulsively, she moved up and kissed him softly on the mouth. The nights events had her moving gingerly, afraid of hurting him even more. Weevil angled his head and tangled his hands in her hair, swearing as his ribs twinged. Veronica pulled away and said, worriedly, "Maybe we should-"

"If you say, wait," he warned her, his dark eyes flashing. "I swear, I'm not gonna be happy, V."

She shifted uncomfortably and Weevil sighed, taking her face in his hands. "You won't hurt me," he promised. "I'm part Slayer or did you forget that? I heal quicker than other guys, Veronica. I'll be fine in the morning."

"Promise?" she asked in a tiny voice and Weevil melted. "Promise." He grinned wolfishly at her as he added, "You're gonna have to do most of the work though mama."

A laugh pulled itself from her lips and Weevil chuckled as he pulled her closer, angling his mouth so he could taste her better. A moan pulled itself from Veronica's throat and she fumbled with his jeans, fingers catching the zipper and pulling down.

Soon, clothes were in a heap on the floor and there was nothing but the feeling of Weevil's skin on her own, the heat of his mouth and tongue...

Nothing but this night and this man and ecstasy.

Weeks passed; Veronica found herself slowly moving away from her old life of parties and normal teenage girl activities. She couldn't talk to Duncan or Logan or Lilly, although she wanted too. It was too hard to try and explain to them what was going on, why she was so heavily involved in this...

Veronica knew that it wasn't just because she was a Slayer. She had the feeling that even if she had never become one, she would still know about the underbelly of Neptune. She wouldn't be wearing blinds anymore...

The change in her social status went unnoticed for about two weeks; soon though the gossip of Neptune was heavy with rumors about her and why she wasn't sitting at the 09-er table with Lilly and the others. Some students saw her arrive one morning with Weevil and the rest of the PCH, so she was soon labeled as Weevil's girlfriend, which wasn't far from the truth.

Veronica sighed as she finished putting her books away; school was getting harder and harder to keep up with although with her Slayer abilities, she only needed four hours of sleep to be awake. Her parents hadn't noticed anything yet but she knew it was only a matter of time.

Buffy had told her that if she felt that it would be better for her parents to know, she and Spike would be glad to explain it to them. Her own mother hadn't taken the news well, the older Slayer informed her, but Buffy couldn't really blame her since it wasn't supposed to be something known by ordinary people.

Veronica still wasn't sure but knew she needed to decide soon.

She was sitting her bedroom when the phone rang and she fumbled for it briefly, as she tore her eyes away from her algebra book. "Hello?" she said and the sound of shouting made her eyes widen as she listened intently.

Duncan's voice came over the line. "Veronica? Help! I can't-"

A chuckle sounded over the phone line as Duncan was abruptly replaced by a voice that sounded vaguely familiar. She frowned as the voice said, "Hello Ronnie. I guess it's time that you and I meet, right?"

"Who is this?" she demanded even as she rose to her feet and rushed around her room for her Slayer gear. The voice laughed and said, "Oh, an old friend. Someone you wouldn't remember probably 'cause you're just like the rest of this town."

A scream sounded behind him and Veronica felt sick as she cried, "Lilly?"

The voice laughed. "I'll be seeing you soon, Ronnie," it said and then a dial tone.

Veronica rushed down the stairs and to the front door, Backup following his mistress with distress written in his eyes. As she reached for the knob, the pitbull suddenly let out a snarl and the door exploded, throwing Veronica back towards the staircase. The sound of rushing feet had her wincing as she got up and her mother's terrified gasp made her glance at the door.

A demon stood in the entry way, about six feet tall and with an impressive set of horns on its head. Veronica widened her stance as the demon roared at her and charged. Her mother was screaming but she blocked that out as she met the demon halfway, slamming into it with all of her might.

Pain flared in her shoulder but she ignored it as she and the demon crashed out of the house, into the sun. Backup was barking frantically and Veronica shouted, "Mom? I need a knife!"

Lynn stared at her daughter as she punched the creature in the face, backflipping as it swiped at her. Her husband's voice said, "Goddammit!" as he appeared behind her in his uniform, a large knife in his hand. "Veronica!" Keith shouted and the pair watched as their teenage daughter looked up, catching the knife Keith had thrown at her without any hesitation whatsoever.

Veronica ran backwards, her mind racing as the creature got closer and closer. A blur of brown suddenly was upon it and she cried out as Backup was thrown by the demon's hand, a pained yip falling from her dog's mouth. Fury filled her and she lunged at it, stabbing it with the knife and managing to get her arms around its neck. Gritting her teeth and ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she twisted until she heard the breaking of its neck and squeaked in alarm as it began to fall forward.

Scrambling to her feet, she held the knife in one hand and breathed heavily as the sound of motorcycles filled the air. She looked up as Weevil skidded to a stop before her, his brown eyes filled with worry as he called, "V!"

Veronica ignored him, rushing over to her dog, saying, "Backup?"

The pitbull whined in pain as he limped to his feet and Veronica felt tears fill her eyes as she whispered, "I'm sorry boy, I'm sorry..."

"I'll take him to the vet," her father's voice broke through her concentration. Veronica turned to look up at Keith's face, tears blurring her vision as she said, "Dad, I can explain..."

"And you will," he said. "But I think you need to go."

Swallowing, she nodded as Felix appeared at her front door, holding her Slayer bag. "Yeah," she said softly. "I do."

"Then go," Keith said warmly. "We can wait Veronica."

Love filled her as she stared at her father and with a sob, she threw herself at him, kissing his cheek as she breathed, "Thank you..."

And then, she was gone.

The Kane mansion was in shambles; the bodies of the staff and Celeste were scattered throughout the house. Veronica, Weevil, Spike, Buffy, and the PCH went around the grounds, searching for any clues as to who had taken Lilly and Duncan.

Veronica paused as she entered Lilly's room, a cry spilling from her throat as she saw Logan lying on the ground, blood pouring from his head. She flew forward, saying, "Logan, Logan?" as she dropped to her knees beside him.

His eyes fluttered open and searched her face. Logan coughed and Weevil said from the door, "He needs a hospital. Now."

In the emergency room, the staff worked to save Logan's life. Veronica had called her dad to let him know about the Kane mansion. He'd promised to take care of it and she'd allowed a bit of tension to leave her shoulders. Logan was stabilized and talking, demanding to see her.

As soon as she entered, he rasped, "He took Lilly and Duncan, Ronnie. Said he was going to make them like him, make them vampires..."

The drugs were taking effect, Logan's eyes were closing despite his desire to speak and Veronica said fiercely, "Who? Logan, who took them?"

He breathed a name.

She ran.

It would take a day for her to come to terms with her failure and what she had to do now.

Night fell and the Slayer was ready for battle.

Spike and Buffy opted to let Veronica call the shots; every Slayer had a moment of her own battle to fight. This was going to be Veronica's moment.

The PCH was prepared; stakes were whittled, soaked in holy water, and blessed by a priest. Water guns were purchased by the box and Weevil gave Felix a Super Soaker, complete with a water pack for back up reserves. Crosses were handed out, as well as knives, wooden staffs, and crossbows.

Weevil had armed himself in his oldest jeans, a pair that fit him a bit tighter than usual but would offer him better movement than his regular baggy pants. He wore a black muscle shirt and his heavy boots along with his cross. Four stakes were tucked into his jeans, the crossbow slung across his back along with a bag full of arrows.

The older Slayer and Master Vampire were also armed; Buffy with Mr. Pointy and Spike with his fists and fangs. Veronica stepped out of Weevil's room, dressed in her boots, jeans, and a black long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a severe ponytail and she held a stake that Felix had whittled exclusively for her, evident by the name carved into the side. Buffy presented Veronica with the weapon she had used to defeat the First; it seemed apt to allow her to use it for this battle.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "Let's move."

As one, the small army moved into the night.

When she finally saw Duncan, she almost wept but knew it wasn't the time. He was wild-eyed with fear and desperation from where he hung from a tree. His mouth was covered by a cloth and Weevil ordered the others to fan out in a formation, keeping the Kane youth from being hurt more. After cutting him down, he began to sob, saying, "It's too late, it's too late...Lilly..."

A giggle sounded through the air and Veronica felt the hair on her arms stand up. She turned and felt bile rise in her throat as Lilly Kane darted out from behind a tree. Her best friend was covered in blood, the short denim skirt and tight white shirt she was wearing stained. Her body moved languidly as she prowled along the edges of the group, the body she was holding dropping to the ground.

"Ronnie!" she sang. "Ronnie! Guess what?"

Veronica felt tears sting her eyes. "Oh, Lilly," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

The vampire that had been Lilly Kane laughed, throwing her head back. "Sorry?" she repeated. "Oh my God, Ronnie, there's nothing to be sorry for! This is the best thing to ever happen to me." She grinned. "And I have you to thank for it."

Lilly paused. "Well," she amended. "You and someone else..."

The vampiress turned and the group watched as a figure stepped out of the shadows.

Veronica took a deep breath. "Hello Cassidy," she said.

The vampire chuckled, tipping his head back as he said, "Wow. Guess the surprise was kinda not a surprise, right? I guess Logan told you." He chuckled again and stepped forward, an arm sliding around Lilly's waist. "It's funny. I mean, I was turned almost six months ago and no one noticed. Not you, not your dad, nobody."

"I'm sorry Cassidy," Veronica breathed and he laughed, saying, "Sorry? Sorry? It's a little late for apologies, Veronica. I'm dead. They don't mean shit."

"What do you want?" Weevil growled and Cassidy grinned, revealing his teeth as his face contorted into that of his demon. "Honestly? I want this damn town to burn and if you all go with it? Just another day at the office if you ask me."

And then it all exploded.

Later, everyone would try to remember who had made the first move. No one could be sure if it was Cassidy or one of the PCH boys who let an arrow fly. But when a mass of vampires began to pour from the shadows, everyone sprang into action.

Cassidy slid back to watch his Childe fight; Lilly was laughing as she danced around the assorted PCH boys, her lithe body moving with ease. She spun, slamming her foot into the face of one of the PCH-ers and her face contorted into that of her demon as she snarled, springing forward into the fray, howling for blood.

Veronica whirled and spun, staking and beheading vampires left and right, the scythe whirling in the air. Weevil moved with her, the pair fighting together with an intricate grace that would leave anyone who saw it breathless. In contrast, Spike and Buffy plowed through the vampires as if they weren't even there; the master vampire was laughing as he tore apart his own kind with sadistic glee and the elder Slayer was moving with the feral grace that had kept her alive far longer than any other.

Cassidy whirled as the sound of someone coming up behind him reached his ears. His face shifted back into that of his human counterpart as he stared in surprise at the figure standing before him, holding a water gun.

Dick Casablancas stared at his younger brother, his blue eyes wild and bloodshot. He wore a thin t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knee. A group of six PCH-ers, led by Thumper had found him in the basement of the Casablancas house, along with the corpses of his dad and stepmother. Dick had been tortured, burns along his body, dried blood on his neck and arms; he'd been incoherent until he had heard what they were planning, he had looked at them with clear blue eyes, and said, "I'm in."

Now he stood, staring at the thing wearing his younger brother's face. Something twisted and broke in his soul, Dick feeling ill as he remembered how his brother had laughed as he screamed in pain. He remembered briefly when he was a kid and Cassidy had looked up at him like he was everything. Now, he didn't know who this was with his brother's face but it wasn't his brother.

It was a monster.

Dick shifted his stance and faced the creature wearing his brother's face.

"Hey Beav," he said quietly and then attacked, the super soaker scorching Cassidy's skin.

Meanwhile, Lilly had managed to get closer to Weevil and Veronica. She giggled as the pair eyed her warily, Weevil's body tense as she moved like liquid around them. Arching her body, she purred as she traced a hand down herself, cupping her breast with one hand as she said languidly, "Oh, Ronnie. You're so delusional if you think you can save this place."

"You're not Lilly," the other blonde said and she laughed, throwing her head back in a way that made Veronica's chest ache because it was so Lilly, and so familiar that she could remember how many times Lilly had laughed like that about something.

"Oh, but I am," the vampiress said, her eyes glittering gold for a moment. "Didn't you know about me, Veronica? About all the nasty things I did as a human? I fucked with all the boys and all the girls, and I never got caught." She grinned, revealing even white teeth. "I fucked Aaron Echolls, you know. And I was going to tell everyone."

Bile rose in Veronica's throat as Lilly hummed, swaying her hips slightly. "And it was going to be so delicious watching him fall." She giggled, lifting her hair from her neck, revealing the jagged scar that had caused her death. "Now, I think I'll kill him. He wasn't a good fuck anyway."

"Oh God," Veronica breathed and Lilly laughed. "There's no God Veroncia Mars. Never has been, never will be."

And then she lunged.

Later, Veronica would reflect on how easy it was to fight Lilly, how simple and easy. Lilly moved like water, fluid and graceful like a dance. But something flared deep within Veronica as she fought off her best friend's attacks, her body shifting into auto-pilot. She blocked and parried every kick, every swing of Lilly's clawed hands, whirling the scythe.

Somehow they wound up rolling along the ground, Lilly's hands grabbing for her throat. Her nails scoured against Veronica's neck, intent to kill but merely raising a flesh wound that had the scent of Slayer blood filtering through the air. A snarl arose from Lilly's throat at the scent and she purred, "Oh Ronnie."

Veronica slammed her forehead into Lilly's before she rolled, her thighs trapping the vampiress underneath her. Lilly laughed and said seductively, "Going to kill me, Veronica Mars? You can't do it. You couldn't kill me."

"I'm sorry Lilly," Veronica breathed and then slammed the pointed end of the axe down, pushing past the muscle, the fat, the bone, and finally piercing the dead heart.

A gasp pulled itself from Lilly's mouth, her eyes widening as she stared up at the other girl, her eyes shifting from gold to blue. Then, she said, "Veronica?" and evaporated into nothing but ash. Sobs rose in Veronica's throat but she pushed them down, whirling to her feet and narrowing her eyes.

Across the battle, Cassidy and Dick were locked in combat, scrambling around on the ground. Dick had burned Cassidy with all of his Holy Water, making the vampire screech in pain. The older Casablancas had bit back a sob as Cassidy spat at him, body twisting and turning as he cut at his former brother's skin.

"I'm sorry Beav," Dick whispered. "I'm sorry that I didn't know."

"You didn't care," Cassidy spat at him as he rolled them over, his face steaming from the water. "No one cared!"

"I did love you," Dick said desperately as he kicked his brother up and over his head. He turned but Cassidy was quicker, slamming him into the ground. Dick coughed, blood dribbling down his chin as he turned to look up towards the demon wearing his brother's face. Cassidy grinned evilly at Dick and said, "Bye Dick."

"Bye Cass," Dick whispered and Cassidy's eyes widened as he felt a stake enter his heart. He gasped, looking down and then back up at Dick. Something flickered in his eyes and then he said, "Dick..." as he evaporated into ash while Dick shut his eyes as tears spilled down his cheeks.

Veronica panted as she looked down at the blonde Casablancas brother. Swallowing, she said, "I'm sorry Dick."

The blonde boy shook his head as he rose to his feet before turning and staggering away. Veronica watched him, tears in her eyes as Weevil came up beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and said quietly, "I'll have the boys take him to a hotel."

She nodded, a lump in her throat and Weevil pulled her close, whispering, "I was so fucking scared that you'd get hurt V..."

"Eli?" she whispered. "Promise me that you won't let go."

He tightened his arms around her.

"I won't. Ever."

Two weeks later, Buffy and Spike were leaving Neptune. The two blondes were headed to Texas to find another two Slayers and leaving Veronica to keep an eye out on Neptune. Since Cassidy's dusting, demons had begun to flood Neptune in larger numbers, giving Buffy the feeling that the California Hellmouth had moved a little farther south.

She stood in front of the PCH boys, Weevil, and Veronica. Giving the younger blonde a hug, she said, "You ever need anything, you call me, okay?"

"I will," Veronica promised and Buffy smiled. A few more goodbyes were said and soon, she and Spike were on the street, Bufy watching the figures get smaller in the rearview. She sighed and looked at Spike.

"Do you think they'll be okay?" she asked and Spike glanced at her.

"I think Veronica and Weevil will be fine," he said and Buffy asked, "How do you know?"

Spike smiled slightly as he took her hand and pressed a kiss against her palm. "We were."

A year later...

The scream erupted along the dark street as the vampire chased after the girl. She ran, her feet pounding along the pavement, not looking back towards the creatures chasing her. A branch in the path suddenly had her falling to her knees and she screamed again as her hair was pulled back, a voice snarling, "Time to die girl..."

"Hey!"

A shout, a whistle of air and suddenly, the girl found herself being hauled to her feet. An Asian boy peered at her, saying roughly, "You all right? What's your name?"

"Jackie-" the girl gasped. "My name's Jackie-"

"Hey, Joe! She okay?" a voice called and Jackie turned to see an African-American boy jogging up to them. Joe shrugged and said, "She seems all right to me."

"What was that?" Jackie demanded and the other boy blinked, then grinned, a flash of white against dark skin. Voices had Jackie looking behind him and the boy said, "Veronica! Our victim's good, she wasn't bit!"

Jackie blinked as a female voice said in mild amusement, "That's great Wallace. Stop referring to her as the victim, though, would you?"

Jackie's eyes widened as a couple stepped out of the shadows. A lean Latino youth dressed in jeans and a leather jacket, holding a crossbow that made Jackie's eyebrows arch up towards her hairline. He was looking down at the form beside him, eyes warm with amusements. She was tiny with golden blonde hair cut jagged to her chin, wearing jeans, combat books, a white thermal shirt, and a silver cross.

Brown met blue.

"I'm Veronica Mars," the blonde girl said, "Welcome to Neptune."

"What the hell was that thing?" Jackie demanded and the sound of more footsteps had her paling as something golden gleamed in the dark shadows along the edges of the street. Veronica's mouth hardened and she said to Jackie, "First rule of living in Neptune? Don't go out after dark."

"And the second rule," Wallace said as he pulled Jackie behind him. "Is to carry a stake."

"What a feast," a vampire hissed as he slid out of the shadows, chuckling darkly as Veronica stepped forward. "Look, an appetizer."

Veronica smirked. "I guess you didn't hear."

"Hear what?" the vampire sneered.

Jackie watched as a gleam entered Veronica's eyes, her body shifting its stance as she prowled close to the vampire. She smiled sweetly and said, "I'm not an appetizer."

The vampire laughed. "I think you are."

"No," the Latino youth said with a dark chuckle. "She really isn't."

"Who is she?" Jackie whispered to Wallace, who grinned.

Veronica smiled at the vampire as she cocked her head to the side. A whistle sounded through the air and the vampire whipped around to catch the bow before it pierced his chest but he gasped, staggering as he looked down at the stake sticking out from behind him. He turned and crumbled into ash as Veronica said matter-of-factly, "I'm the Slayer."

Fin