Chapter One
Buffy stood in front of the Hyperion wondering if she should go in or not. She had told her friends that she needed to get away for a few days to get her head straightened out. They hadn't been happy with her idea of going to L.A., but she didn't care. So since she officially started work next week, the past week was only training, she packed a bag and left. She knew that Angel deserved to know that was alive again. It had been a couple of weeks since she was ripped from Heaven and she still wasn't getting any better. Her friends still thought she was in Hell and were patting themselves on their backs for a job well done. Truthfully, she was angry at them, but couldn't take it out on them.
Buffy lost herself in her thoughts. 'How could they even think I was in Hell? It's not like my body disappeared when I jumped into the portal. Obviously, I had died. And what is left when a body dies? The soul! So how can they assume that I would end up in Hell? I was a hero. A champion of the light. I had saved the world many times and that was supposed to be my last time. I was done and ready to receive my reward. My gift. Death. And eventually, peace. Why would I end up in Hell? Really, they were being selfish. They couldn't just let me go and go on with their lives. It's not like there wasn't another slayer who could have done my job. Sure Faith went bad, but she's paying for her crimes and I'm sure Giles could have convinced the Council to pull a few strings. She would be able to do what she should have been doing instead of wasting away in prison. She probably would have been doing her duty if she hadn't even met me. She saw what I had and wanted to compete with me, but was found wanting. It didn't help that no one cared enough to help her until it was too late.' She wondered if this was what Faith felt when she lost herself to the darkness: cold and empty. Buffy felt herself drifting closer and closer to the dark, almost ready to lose herself there.
Giles came back after Willow called him to tell him that they had resurrected Buffy. He lectured Willow on how dangerous and stupid it was to do the spell, but she refused to feel guilty about it. Buffy couldn't even tell him that she wasn't in Hell. A few days later, she also found out that she was in debt and had to find a job to support her and Dawn, and pay the bills of the house. Apparently, Willow and Tara had moved in when she died to help take care of Dawn, but they hadn't contributed to paying any of the bills. Buffy found herself getting a job at Doublemeat Palace, the only option she had being a newly-resurrected, college dropout slayer with a kid to support.
Nowadays, she just felt empty and every night she went out slaying, she hoped one vamp would be lucky enough to actually kill her, sending her back to her peaceful haven. She knew that everyone was worried about her and just thought that she needed time to adjust because she was in Hell, but she didn't know how to make them understand what she was really feeling. Plus she resented them at the moment, due to the fact that they couldn't leave her in peace and now they just expected her to be the same person she was before she died. She couldn't even be around Dawn because Dawn expected her to take care of her, but how could Buffy take care of Dawn when she could barely do it for herself? The only person who even had an inkling about what was going on with Buffy was Spike. She had unintentionally confided in him about where she really was.
Buffy brought herself back from her pondering and made a decision to walk into the hotel. When she entered she noticed that there wasn't anyone around.
"Hey there." Buffy turned around to face a young woman she had never seen before. "Are you looking for Angel Investigations?"
"Umm... Yea sort of. Is Angel here? Or Cordelia? Wesley?" Buffy asked.
The girl spoke with a light Texas drawl that reminded Buffy of carefree, lazy days when she never had to worry about responsibilities. "No, I'm sorry. Angel left a while back after the news of a death. Cordelia, Wesley, and Gunn are out hunting a demon, but if you want to hang out and wait, they should be back soon."
Buffy took in the girl's features. She had long, brown hair with pretty brown eyes, almost hidden behind glasses that seemed to slide down the bridge of her nose. She was taller than Buffy and had a slim built. She was pretty, but in an understated way. She also gave off an air of innocence, but the look in her eyes told Buffy that she had seen more than most. She looked a little out of place in the darkened hotel, almost awkward. This girl looked like she belonged in sunshine and friends, not cooped up in this hotel with a vampire famous for brooding.
"I think I'll do that. By the way, I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers." Buffy introduced herself.
"Winifred Burke. Everyone just calls me Fred." The shy brunette returned.
"So Fred, what's a girl like you doing associating yourself with Mr. Broody-Pants?" Buffy asked.
"Cordelia was kidnapped in a Hell dimension called Pylea and the others went to find her. I had been there for years when I came across Angel. He rescued me from that place and brought me back here. When we got back, I had no where else to go so I just stuck around. I don't really help with the whole life saving thing. I mean I'm good at science and math but not really with people. i don't really fit in here. I think that the others think I'm crazy because I hardly ever come out of my room when they are around, especially since Angel left." Fred babbled.
'Hey, she babbles like Willow. She kind of reminds me how Willow used to be when we first met. Smart, shy, and innocent. Before she got into fighting demons.' Buffy found this girl slightly amusing. It kind of surprised her because lately, she hadn't been able to feel any type of real emotion except anger. 'Now Willow has come into her own and is more powerful than I ever thought. I'm living proof.' Buffy thought bitterly.
"So you were in a Hell dimension? I've been in one too, but it wasn't for very long." Buffy stated.
"What was it like? When did it happen? Why were you there? How did you get out?"
Fred noticed Buffy giving her a slight grin and said, "Sorry, I don't usually talk this much these days."
"Don't worry about it. You're the first person to talk to me like a normal person. Everyone else treats me like they're walking on eggshells. To answer you questions, it was when I was 17. I had gotten kicked out of my home. I had to leave to do something important. My mom told me that if I walked out of the door, then I couldn't come back. So after I did what I had to do, I packed up and left for L.A. Some time later, I met up with a girl I knew back in Sunnydale and she asked for my help. Her boyfriend went missing. We found him, but he was much older than he had been the day before. We ended up stumbling into a Hell dimension where humans were slaves to demons. I ended up fighting back and leading a group out of there. After that, I made the decision to go back home. Eventually, my mother and I worked things out. She died a while ago. I miss her." Buffy winced. "Anyway, I'm sorry that Angel left. I'm the reason he did."
"How are you the reason? I thought his friend died." A look of horror crossed Fred's face. "Wait, you're not evil are you? Cause I don't really want to run and hide from you. I don't think I can fight you either."
Buffy laughed at more of Fred's babbling. "Don't worry. I'm not evil. I'm the friend who died."
"What! How is it possible that I'm talking to you if you died?" Fred asked incredulously.
"I got better." Buffy quipped.
This got Fred to smile even though she was still nervous around the blonde. Buffy returned her own smile, the first genuine one in a long time.
