First Patrol

For the next month Betty was very busy not only with school and finals coming up but also with her training. She spent almost every night going over to the warehouse to train with them. In the beginning she was very reluctant and timid with very little self confidence. The vampires worked with her. This usually meant Spike taunting her until she attacked him. But after the first few days she got over the taunting and found if she did just follow her instincts she was very good. The vampires had went out and got workout equipment for Betty to use, as well as, set up a suite and office of her own. Betty had been so touched by their thoughtfulness that she had hugged and kissed them both on the cheek and thanked them profusely. Both vampires had been glad they weren't able to blush. Neither thought they had ever met a kinder, gentler person then Betty. She also helped them set up more of their warehouse. The lobby, offices, workout room and suite where really the only places they had finished and it was a really big building. She helped them set up their library and computers, well she helped Spike set up the computers, Angel hated them. Show vowed to teach Angel how to use a computer and his cell phone. She also helped them set up their kitchen better as well as an infirmiry and other suites. She really liked the two vampires.

During this time she told her family that she was busy helping other's at school or even just going out with friends. Henry usually joined the family on taco night and she did make time for him one or two nights a week and during the day on weekends. But, it was becoming harder because Henry wanted to spend more time with her. It was a good thing slayer's didn't need much sleep.

Finally the vampires decided it was time for her to go out on her first official patrol. They discovered a sudden increase in killings in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city. The authorities just chalked it up to an increase in gang violence, but the vampires decided they should do a patrol. They decided to take Spike's car and drive down to that section of town. They were armed with stakes and both Angel and Spike had swords. Before they got out of the car Angel turned to look at Betty.

"Just stay calm and remember if you need us just yell." Angel said

"You'll do great slayer! You've been trained by the best after all." Spike said with a smirk and hopped out of the car. Betty had to run to catch up to the blond vampire. They walked down the street. Betty was between the two vampires. Both continuing an argument which seemed as if it was an old argument. Betty just wondered how old it really was.

"I'm telln' ya peaches the caveman hands down. No way would an astronaut have a chance! The caveman would be all muscles and has to handle hand to hand combat for survival it would be old news for 'im. The astronaut would be all flabby and weak from relying on 'is technology too much."

"No way Spike! A caveman wouldn't stand a chance the astronaut would out smart him in the fight. And who said the astronaut would be flabby! Astronauts have to be in top physical condition to go into space! So he would have brawn and brains to help him win."

"And the caveman would beat 'im to a bloody pulp while the astronaut thought up strategies for fighting! The caveman has fighting instints he doesn't need to use his brain! Whot do you think Betty?" Spike looked to her and asked. "Brains or Braun? Caveman or Astronaut? Who would win in the fight?"

"Um, well would weapons be allowed?" Betty asked pushing up her glasses.

"No." Both vampires answered.

"Well, I really don't know. I mean Spike has a point about the caveman having to be able to fight to survive. But Angel does have a point that the astronaut would possibly be smarter. But the caveman might be smart as well. I mean they had to have been smart to live in such a harsh environment without technology. But the astronaut may be in top physical condition and smart and maybe he trains in self defense or something. I think you both make good points and maybe the two wouldn't even want to fight. Maybe they could be friends."

"Huh." Both vampires responded.

"Well obviously Betty felt I had more valid points."

"No way! How do ya figure that peaches!" Spike responded. Just then they heard a scream from an alleyway. Both vampires looked at each other smirked and took off. Betty followed them and pretty soon the three were fighting a group of vampires. Angel and Spike finished off two vampires each pretty quickly, with a punch in the face and stake to the heart. Betty took a little longer to finish off her one but not by much. The vampire rushed at her and knocked her into a wall. She head butted the vampire. He came back and punched her in the face then he tried to kick her in the gut. Betty grabbed in leg and swung it so he fell on the ground and Betty bent down and staked him. She stood up and dusted herself off.

"Great job slayer! You jost dusted your first vampire!" Spike said with a big smile and came over and gave her a slap on the back.

"He's right you handled yourself well." Angel responded.

"Y-yes well I guess." She said sounding a little down. She looked down at her hands which were fiddling with a sweater she was wearing.

"What's wrong Betty." Angel asked. Spike frowned a little. 'Didn't she realize how well she had done. Most slayers get well and truly beat up fighting their first few vamps.'

"I- it's just that what if maybe those vampires could have been like you two and helped people instead of hurt people. I-I mean how do you know they didn't want to change?" Betty asked looking up at the two vampires.

"Betty, you have a big heart. But vampires do not have a soul. They don't want to change. They enjoy hurting people." Angel said.

"But, you got your soul why can't they?" She asked.

"Betty I was cursed with a soul. Angelus didn't ask to get his soul back." Angel answered.

"But what about Spike? How did you get your soul?" She questioned Spike. They never really talked about personal stuff with her.

"Well, I did fight for me soul but, I felt it was the only way I could feel right in this world. It's a long story Betty and I will tell you but not here ok. Peaches is right vampires don't have souls and the ones you are going to meet are going to be minions that don't have a clan. They just hunt and kill for their own amusement. Vampires are demons and the human left with the soul." Spike told her. Betty nodded in understanding. She realized that in order to save people she had to kill demons. It just wasn't an easy concept for her to get used to. They continued on down the streets of New York. Angel and Spike were going over the fight with Betty and giving her pointers on how she could improve her techniques and telling her what they seen her do right.

They were walking through a rundown park on there way back to the car when Angel and Spike stopped placing themselves so that Betty was between them. Betty prepared herself and sure enough she could feel the prickly sensation she had associated with the vampires in the other fight.

"Well lookie here boys. We got ourselves a slayer." One of the group sneered.

"That's not all you got, pillock." Spike sneered.

"And it looks like this slayer needs babysitters. Or is it the vampires who are on a leash? Working for a slayer isn't that against our laws or something." The same one sneered.

"It's lore-vampire lore." And Angel threw a stake into the vampires chest dusting him, "We never followed the lore anyway." And the fight started. This was a group of ten or so vampires. Angel and Spike dusted as quickly as they could. Three vampires decided to go after the slayer. When they surrounded her one decided to get a few jabs in.

"Do slayers always look like the butt end of a dog." He sneered and took a swing at her.

"Naw, I think it's just her. The last single slayer I heard was a babe, and had a thing for vamps." Another said.

"Really, well I'm not that hard up to fuck something as ugly as her." The first said. They were busy landing hits. Betty blocked about half of them and got a few in of her own. She could hardly see she had tears in her eyes. These vamps were being really mean. All of the sudden all Betty could see was a cloud of dust as Angel and Spike finished off the three vampires she was fighting. They literally ripped their heads off of their bodies.

"Thanks" Betty said and made her way through the park towards where they had parked the car.

"Damn it."

"Bloody 'ell."

The two vampires caught up with Betty.

"You can't listen to anything they say Betty. They were just trying to distract you." Angel told Betty.

"That's right. It's a strategy any cocky vamp tries to use. They try to taunt you into making a mistake, distract you from what's the real issue at hand, which is you staking them." Spike said.

"I know. B-but what they said was true. I'm not very nice looking." Betty said. They had reached the car and got in. The car ride was silent. Angel really didn't know what to say. Sure Betty wasn't the prettiest girl around but it didn't take long to find out that her kindness made up and then some for anything she lacked in the physical. Spike to was contemplating some things. He wanted to be sure that he had all of his thoughts gathered before he made his point to Betty.