Chapter 7: Darkest before dawn

Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel & Twilight

Spoilers: Buffy Post Season three, Early Episodes of season 4. Angel, Season one, After 'I will remember you'. Twilight, after Eclipse.

Rated: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing… Not twilight, Angel or Buffy.. They are all created by Joss Whendon and Stephanie Meyer… I'm just working on a 'what if' theory…

Edward's thoughts

If you were told the truth to your existence… Sooner or later you'd regret finding out. What if the dark side you thought you belonged in, was just merely an illusion? What if the monster you saw in yourself was a kitten compared to what really lurked in the dark? The darker side to my life was yet to be discovered.

My family and I thought we lived in the dark side, pretending to be normal. I wondered about our existence, but many decades back I realised that the answer to that will never come. Questions about existence have haunted humanity for centuries. Existence among the undead is still the same. Both unanswered questions.

I will look back, years from now wondering whether I really wanted to know the answers to these questions. But the most plaguing of all thoughts would be how my dark world turned upside down after I met the Slayer and her companions… who saved the world. More than once. Who finally let me redeem myself… a century after I was turned. I will always wonder what would have happened if the hell mouth didn't reside in Forks. How I would be left in the dark with no answers. Maybe in some ways, that would have been for the best.

Edward crouched on the branch of the tree. He had heard voices when he was out hunting. Intrigued at someone walking in the woods at night, the three Cullen boys went to investigate. The voices were coming from three different directions and so the guys scattered to each different voice's vicinity. Edward and his brothers used the trees to reach the destination knowing whoever was walking on the grounds would be suspicious of them as they are of the others.

Once nearer to the voices, Edward had heard the conversation the girls were having. Instantly he knew who they were. Buffy and Willow were creeping through the forest talking mindlessly. He neared them, leaning forward, trying to hear better from his distant location. But as he tried hard to keep his mind focused on the conversation, he slipped his hold on the branch above him and nearly fell off the tree. But with his fast reactions he was able to get back up without hitting the ground. But the branch that he had held on to swung back and made a loud 'thud' smacking against another branch.

"Shit!" Edward whispered. He listened intently as he tried to hear if the girls noticed. There was a few seconds of silent which then followed by one of the girls realising they weren't alone. Edward was caught out. They stayed quite for a bit; the girls trying to concentrate on where the noise came from and Edward keeping still, hoping that he wouldn't be caught in his actions.

Before Edward could relax, his brothers had raced back to his location. Emmett was on the branch on top of Edward looking at the same direction whilst Jasper sat next to Edward, crouching under Emmett's branch.

"What happened?" Emmett whispered.

"We thought you needed help, so we left the others."

"I lost control; I can't hear their thoughts so I have to pay closer attention on their conversation." Edward replied. "Did you get a chance to look at the others?"

"Yeah, but they also heard the noise. They're heading this way." Jasper relied. Even though they were whispering among themselves, they were loud enough for the Slayer to here the whispers. She couldn't make out the conversation but she had heard enough to investigate the situation.

"Shhh" Edward whispered when he heard the girls talk among themselves about the noise. "We need to get closer."

"No point, they're heading here." Emmett said. He was able to see the girls from the top branch. The view of the girls for Edward and Jasper was harder to see as they were nearer to the ground and the other trees were in their view. Within minutes the girls were close enough to be visible for all the three Cullen boys to see them. None of them spoke to each other; the girls were close enough to be able to guess their presence.

"We need light. I can't see a thing." Buffy whispered to Willow. Edward noticed the little different the girls flash light made. He thought they would have given up by now but he noticed the red head girl stop and whisper "Hold on, I can help on that." Edward was amused at how Willow said that with confidence. He knew there wasn't much the red head could do, unless her little jacket pockets hid a bigger flash light than the girls were carrying.

Willow had started muttering in Latin and the Cullen's saw little sparkles of lights dance around her and then move in a spiral towards the night sky. Once the sparkles had disappeared out of sight a night breeze flew pass through the woods. Then, like the breeze had parted the trees to make space for the moonlight to come through, the whole area before them was covered in an unearthly white glow. Edward looked up to see that it was just an illusion, the trees had parted but the light wasn't coming from the sky. It was coming from the sparkles that had made base on top of the trees.

Witches, Jasper thought.

Wow, neat trick, Emmett thought.

"No, there's only one witch here. The other is something different." Edward whispered to his brothers.

What now? Jasper thought.

"Let's introduce ourselves..." Edward whispered.

Edward moved closer to where the girls stood. Buffy was surprised at Edward's sudden appearance. Edward tried his dazzling effect to catch the girls off guard, and for the first time the effort was useless. The girls didn't care for his smile or even looks.

"You don't look like the hiking type." Buffy said trying to figure out how far her friends had got to, and whether they were alone too or did Edward's family catch up to them.

"Oh, I love hiking. You see, it's my favourite hobby… Among other things." Edward replied as he stood in front of Buffy and Willow.

"What are you doing here? Aint it a little late to be hiking?" Willow asked cautiously.

"Out for a walk." Edward replied casually.

"Climbing trees at night, your choice of leisure?" Buffy implied.

"I heard you girls talk. Had to see what bought you here." Edward said avoiding Buffy's question. Under the moonlight his features were highlighted further. He looked handsome and dangerous.

"Buffy, where are you?!" Angel shouted from further into the woods.

"Willow!" Xander and Oz shouted.

"You're not here alone. Family meeting?" Edward asked.

"Are you here alone?" Buffy said harshly, getting impatient with Edward. Just then Emmett and Jasper made themselves known. They were climbed up the tree that Edward was in and had jumped down to show the girls their presence.

"Nice. I'm guessing your brothers felt hungry?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy! Willow!" Angel and Xander shouted frantically. Willow whispered something under her breath and a fire ball created itself in her right hand. The Cullen's stepped back defensively but Willow didn't notice their reaction. She threw the fire ball into the sky and it burst into fire works.

"What was that?" Edward shouted.

"Signal for my friends to know where we are." Willow said.

Emmett chuckled at the show and Buffy shot him a dirty look. They could hear foot steps running towards them. Within seconds Angel, Spike and Doyle were surrounding the Cullen's. Xander and Oz reached the rest, being only a few steps behind.

Edward looked around and growled. Emmett and Jasper positioned themselves for the fight they thought they saw coming.

"Buffy, are you ok?" Angel growled. Angel saw the three men standing few feet away from Buffy and Willow. Angel stepped forward but the Cullen's growled. Angel stopped in his tracks and growled back. Buffy and Xander exchanged looks as they found the sounds amusing.

Buffy took the stake out that she had hidden underneath her jacket. Angel and Spike's faces turned demonic and they showed their fangs. Willow started chanting in Latin and the Scooby's plus Angel, Doyle and Spike started glowing. Her protection spell ensured no one could hurt them. This all happened within seconds and Edward and his brothers were dazed at how fast the strangers defended themselves.

The Cullen's looked back and forth to each person standing before them. "What the hell?" Emmett muttered.

"Nice choice of words coming from you." Buffy said.

"Why are you here?" Edward said as he defensively looked around, waiting to spring on anyone who even came a step closer. He knew that him and his brothers were out numbered but that didn't matter to him. He would fight, no matter what the numbers were.

"It's you're home, but we have to go around cleaning the mess your making." Buffy replied.

"What? The mess we made? We were doing fine until your unwanted appearance in our town." Edward shot back.

"When did the master recruit you?" Angel growled guessing the three vampires in front must have been recruited by the Master.

"How do you know he's recruited by the master?" Oz asked

"Why else would they be hunting us down?" Angel replied

"Is he still recruiting?" Spike asked hopefully but then didn't bother expecting an answer when Buffy and Angel glared at him.

"I have stopped the Master before, and I'll do it again." Buffy said proudly.

"What master?" Edward shot back.

"Er… The Master you're working for. You are working for him, right?" Xander asked confused by Edward's reaction.

"We don't work for anyone." Emmett shot back.

"Oh ok… Doesn't matter…Evil is evil, right? You'll all fit into an ash tray soon enough." Buffy said.

"Ash tray?" Edward questioned wondering if the people in front of him were in fact lunatics from a mental asylum.

"Oh, common mate. What's with all the confusion? At least try and defend yourself… Show some back bone. Say something like 'If you make us dust, our family will avenge our death, Slayer.' Common, I even gave you a line; you just have to repeat it to them." Spike said amused at the situation.

"Shut up Spike!" Angel and Buffy said immediately.

Edward look confused at what Spike said, all he could hear was the conversation from the strangers in front of him and the thoughts of his brothers, who were both just as confused as him. Angel and Spike's demonic features bought a whole set of new questions into Edwards minds.

Slayer? Master? Demons? Emmett thought

Edward, remember Bella's theory? Jasper whispered

"What?" Edward said again trying to understand the conversation.

"Oh, boy." Buffy muttered and she breathed in deeply.

"I'm the slayer who will kill you three. You are normally supposed to try and fight back before you turn to dust. And well, you shouldn't be this confused… Well… really, what's all that about?"

Edward growled and replied "I'm confused because I don't know what the hell you're on about!"

"Yeah, like freaked out and confused are the words I'm thinking." Emmett added.

"Slayer? You're a slayer?" Jasper said to Buffy, confused at how the myth he heard years back could be true.

"Yes, I'm the Slayer. There's only one." Buffy said annoyed at the astonishment in Jaspers voice.

"Bloody hell, this is an intervention or something? Just kill the fangs and let's get going. I'm getting bored here. If this is how long you take to kill vamps, no wonder you started getting funny feelings towards one." Spike said dryly. "Or do you just generally try and annoy them to death, hoping you don't have to stake them. Easier on the conscience?"

"Shut up, Spike!" Buffy beat Angel to his now commonly used catch phrase ever since Spike joined his team.

"I think we need to clear things up. I mean…" Willow looked for support from her friends before she continued to look back at Edward "they don't know us. They look clueless. If they were evil they must know about us. They're waiting for an explanation. And… they truly look confused. Especially the bulky one behind Edward." Willow pointed towards Emmett.

Buffy looked at the three human-vampires looking confusingly at her. She thought about what Willow had said and some of it clicked in her head. If they were gonna bite, they wouldn't waste time doing this confused act, Buffy thought.

"Before we fight, let's talk it out. Coz the red head…" Willow glared at Edward as he spoke, "Sorry, Willow, is right. We are confused. I also think you have got this all wrong."

"Ok, let's talk before we react. Talking is good." Buffy said.

Willow stopped concentrating on her spell and the glow slowly disappeared from her and her friends. Buffy put the stake back in its place and Angel and Spike's face returned to normal.

"Bloody hell, just kill her mate. She's just so damn annoying?" Spike said the last words slowly with added exaggeration.

"Er… Hold tight. Let me just do one thing before we talk, ok?" Buffy said politely. Edward and his brothers nodded and with that Buffy stormed over to Spike and punched him in the face and kneed him in the crouch.

"Wow, violence does solve everything!" Buffy said as she walked back to where she was standing. Spike lied on the floor moaning for a few seconds whilst the rest just laughed at what happened; including the Cullen's who were impressed by the girl's strength.

"You're strong." Edward commented.

"You have no idea mate." Spike muttered as he tried to stand up.

"It's good she hit you, coz I had other things in mind and they all involved public humiliation." Angel whispered under his breath to Spike.

"So... You're the Slayer?" Jasper asked curious to Buffy's ability.

"Yep." Buffy said showing a short smile.

"We've never heard of you." Emmett said.

"I had, once… In my travels. Years back. But I thought it was a myth." Jasper said.

"How does that work? I mean, what does it mean?" Edward asked the questions swimming in his brothers minds. The Cullen's worked their human disguise so they would look defenceless but in truth they were watching each person carefully. Ready for an attack.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Spike moaned at the Cullen's ignorance. "Talk, talk, talk… You people are really getting on my nerves!"

"How about you run around the woods till dawn?" Angel said to Spike.

"No, that's abusing your powers!" Spike shot back.

"I think a nice jog will do good to the idiot with a thousand remarks." Xander said.

"Spike, I order you to run around the woods, patrolling of course, causing no trouble, and you shall stop on day break when you will return to our apartment for your next order." Angel said smugly.

"You son of a…" before Spike could finish his sentence his feet started dragging him away from the group deep into the woods.

"My headaches gone! It's a miracle!" Buffy shouted sarcastically.

"Why didn't you just do that before?" Doyle asked Angel who just shrugged.

Edward pretended to clear his throat trying to regain the attention. They must be good, coz why else would the girl beat up her own gang member? Unless it was a charade for us to see, Edward thought.

"Yes, so where were we?" Buffy said as she tried to hide her massive grin on her face.

"Introductions." Willow said.

"Right, er… I'm Buffy, the vampire Slayer."

"I'm a practising Wicca… As you've just witnessed."

"I'm human… You're average Joe, name's Xander though…" Xander said hiding his annoyance.

"I'm a half demon. Doyle. I can see some of the future but it causes feverish headaches. "

"I'm… a vampire and so is Spike." Angel said pointed at the direct Spike ran towards. The Cullen's eyes widened when Angel stated who he was.

"I'm Oz, a werewolf." Oz said looking directly at the three vampires, trying to understand their calm reaction to Oz's confession and their shocked reaction to Angel's.

"We've come across werewolves before." Edward explained his non-shocked reaction.

"They live near by, helped us out during a few problems." Emmett said trying to clear the confusion.

"You're a vampire?" Edward to Angel and then turned to the girls and said "I've never come across a witch before. And this Slayer concept is fairly new to us. These are my brothers… Emmett and Jasper." Edward pointed to his brothers who nodded when acknowledged. "We live near by with our family."

"We're not like your normal vampires… We don't hunt people. We only survive on animal blood." Jasper said.

"We reside here to live like humans, distancing ourselves from our kind and trying to live without turning into monsters." Edward explained.

"You do this out of cheer will? Or are you forced into this life style." Xander asked, intrigued at the Cullen's diet.

"Out of choice." Edward replied. "We choose not to live as monsters that vampire's are."

"When did you choose this lifestyle?" Buffy asked curious at how calm the Cullen's now seemed.

"We've practised this lifestyle for decades now. That's not to say in the beginning we didn't have problems keeping up with our choice. But we learned and we regretted. It's easier now. Keeping clean is becoming as a second nature to us." Edward replied.

Angel was impressed by the Cullen's ability to choose this lifestyle. There was a minute silence that proceeded after Edward's explanation.

"What about you?" Edward asked intrigued at how the group reacted to his family confession.

"I'm the chosen one. The Slayer. Created to walk the earth, killing vampires and demons." Buffy explained trying to hide her boredom.

"She's kinda like a cop. It's easier to understand if you see her that way." Xander added.

"Once I die, another is called in my place. And so the cycle continues." Buffy said letting a small yawn escape her mouth.

"What's your verdict on us?" Jasper asked the question that plagued the brothers.

"If you don't hurt humans, I don't hurt you. That's my rule." Buffy said glancing at Angel.

The action wasn't missed by Edward who then asked "Are you like us?" Angel hesitated. The night was wearing on, it wasn't too late just yet, but enough to make Giles worried about their absence.

"I'm a vampire. But different to your kind. I'm under an illusion right now, so you see me as a human but once the illusion wears off my differences are quite palpable." Angel said solemnly.

"What are your differences? Besides that face thing you just did." Emmett asked intrigued at Angel's confession about his kind.

"This is new to us. We've never seen anyone do that before." Edward added.

Angel looked around trying to figure out the best way to describe but then came to the conclusion that showing would be better. He then shook his head slightly, trying to think of angry thoughts, and within seconds his face turned demonic. Showing his features to the brothers again.

"You can do that on demand?" Emmett asked. The three Cullen's stepped back defensively and looked at all of the features that had changed from Angel's face.

Angel nodded in response. "My kind walks through the night, we get burned by the touch of sunlight, and we turn to dust and die if staked through the heart." Angel's features returned and showed his agonised expression.

"This cant be right. We're vampires, and we're nothing like that. You're like a vampire from Hollywood." Edward said.

"That's because your kind descends from humans. Angel's kind descends from demons. The differences are flagrant and the only similarity shared is your thirst for blood. It's all real, no Hollywood involvement." Doyle explained.

"When you're kind bites, it drinks blood and releases poison. You choose to turn you victims to vampires. It's a three day painful experience. But when my kind feeds, we can turn the victim into a vampire by just mixing each others blood. It doesn't take long, just one night of being buried under ground." Angel said.

Edward turned to face Jasper and then Emmett. He couldn't understand how this could be. The dark side the Cullen's thought they belonged to seemed like a stranger to them now.

"Once my kind is turned into a vampire we loose our soul and a demon possess our bodies. We remember our human life but we loose all morals, and live through our thirst."

"So why are you here? If you're living through your thirst should Buffy not have staked you by now?" Jasper asked.

"My soul is still within my body. I'm one of a kind. I do not feed on humans as I have a conscience. I see the monster that I was and now I'm living to redeem myself." Angel didn't explain further. He didn't want to add how his soulless, demon consumed body would destroy cities for pleasure. Nor did he want to add how Buffy had killed him to save the world… The memories were too painful to share with strangers.

"And Spike? What's his reason?"

"Army experimented on him. They chipped his head, so if he tried to hurt humans he would receive a shock to the brain. He's a neutered vamp." Xander explained. The Cullen's went quite for few seconds trying to absorb everything in.

"It's a lot to take in… But unfortunately we have to hurry this along. We need to know one thing. Are you going to stand in our way or fight with us?" Buffy said.

"Or just ignore us?" Xander added showing that third option probably will save the Cullen's existence.

"Why would we stand in your way? I mean, we do have friends who still feed on human. But they know not to hunt on these grounds." Jasper stated.

"What about the Master?" Oz asked. "How do you feel about him?"

"Who?" Emmett asked showing his confusion.

"The big bad who's opening up the mouth of hell. The reason we're here." Xander explained.

"Huh?" Edward, Jasper and Emmett said at once.

"You really don't know why I'm here. Why we're here?" Buffy said remembering that she didn't come here alone.

"Aren't you here to kill our family? We're vampires… and you didn't know if we're good or not." Jasper replied.

"That's why I'm here. I was sent to find out if you're good or evil." Angel said.

"We're here to stop the Master. I didn't even know your lot existed." Buffy said. Buffy felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She reached for it and saw Giles number flashing.

"Hold on," She said to the group before she answered the call.

"Hey Giles… Yes… I know I should have… We got side tracked. It's too long to explain. Oh, really?... ok…. Er, no, don't do that just yet. I think we'll make our way back…. We have a lot to get through. I know… Ok. Bye." Buffy put her phone away and looked up at the rest.

"Giles is worried. I think we should continue the meeting at our house." Buffy said looking at the Cullen's. "We have a lot to go through and there's no point being out here explaining. We'll be repeating it all to Giles anyways."

"Giles… You're foster dad? He knows all this too?" Edward asked. Buffy simply nodded in response.

"He's my watcher. He trained me for this."

The Cullen's nodded and headed to the direction of the Scooby's new residence. Buffy hesitated before she moved. "You know where we live?" Buffy asked.

Edward was closer to Buffy now, whilst the others made their way through the forest. He smiled at her and she froze for a second. "You were the intruder?" Buffy whispered. Willow was standing in the same spot. Emmett and Jasper had already started walking and were a few yards away. Doyle, Xander, Oz and Angel walked directly behind them. All of them were silent not wanting to say anything until they reached their destination.

"My curiosity got the better of me." Edward replied. He looked slightly embarrassed as Buffy had clued in on his actions earlier that day.

"Next time just ask… And I'll tell you what you need to know." Buffy said fiercely.

Edward smiled at the Slayers spark and nodded.

Willow, Buffy and Edward started heading towards Scooby's home. The rest were already ahead of them. They walked in silence for ten minutes, glancing at each other every so often.

"Does Bella know who you are?" Buffy asked the question that bugged her after her discovery.

"Yes." Edward curtly answered.

"She's ok with it?" Willow asked.

"Yes." Edward replied.

There was silence afterwards but it didn't last long. Edward's curiosity got the better of him.

"This is so strange. I never thought someone like you existed. And that's saying a lot when it comes from me." Edward spoke in almost a whisper. He considered each word carefully, almost like he choose the words amongst the thousands that played in his mind.

"You really never heard of the Slayer?" Willow asked.

"No. We were just told that there is our kind that roamed the world. Some, very few in fact, choose our way of lifestyle. Others just wondered around, quenching their thirst." Edward was surprised at how easily he was able to explain this to the girls. He guessed it was due to the fact that they have obviously been around much worse.

"Wow." Buffy said shocked at the vampire's lack of knowledge. "I only knew about the one kind of vampires. I've fought them for years now. Your kind, it's new to me." Buffy said glancing towards Edward. "You seem more in control of your nature than other vampires I've come across." Buffy added.

"Years of practise." Edward said smiling to himself.

"Ahh…" Buffy said.

"So, what powers does the Slayer have? Can you fly?" Edward asked.

"Very adventurous thinking." Buffy commented.

"Well, I am open to everything now. So why not?" Edward replied.

Willow and Buffy chuckled at his response.

"She has super strength, she's fast and she's basically built to destroy evil." Willow replied.

"Huh, wow. Quite a job description." Edward responded.

"Yeah, I know. The pay really sucks though." Buffy joked.

"Do you get paid?" Edward asked innocently.

"Nope. I just get a good feeling after each demon or vampire down." Buffy replied.

Edward chuckled at the Slayer's enthusiasm to her committed way of life.

"You're too young to be fighting this alone. Being the only Slayer in the world… That's a lot of pressure. There's too much ground to cover on your own." Edward said.

"I have help," Buffy locked her arm around Willow's and smiled. "My friends are crazy enough to stay with me."

"We're the Slayerettes." Willow nodded smugly.

"You all seem very accustomed to all this. I guess the same goes for you, years of practise?" Edward said.

"Yep. That's it." Buffy whispered knowing that the hardship she and her friends went through was too painful to explain. Edward took in the words of the Slayer. The three words sounded painful and he could only imagine what this girl must have seen. Every human he had come across found him and his family fascinating. Everyone showed some reaction to their presence and yet this blonde girl walking next to Edward absorbed it all in. She wasn't surprised at the confession; she just looked at him like a task in her daily routine. Edward knew that the company she kept must do a lot with her acceptance but he still felt sorrow for her life. Alone, to fight the big evil… which Edward only just heard about.

"This is fascinating. I mean, I thought we were on the dark side, but it's given me a whole new prospective. I mean… Now when I look at it, the dark side seems more dangerous than what I had thought of it before. It's weirdly reassuring and frightening at the same time." Edward said.

"It takes time to come round to the idea of it all but I've learned the quicker you accept it, the faster you could try and stop it. If that is what you choose to do." Buffy said as she looked ahead to see the clearing of the woods and her house opposite the clearing.

Outside her house Buffy saw Oz's Ford and Giles Land Rover parked. She also saw a silver Volvo parked a few yards away. There were two girls inside the car looking into the woods.

"My sister, Alice, must have envisioned what happened with us in the woods. She's here with my other sister Rosalie." Edward explained the reason behind the parked Volvo. Buffy and Willow shared a glance knowing they had found the one who saw the future, now they needed to know who could hear thoughts.

Emmett and Jasper had already reached the silver car. Oz, Doyle and Xander watched them walk to the silver car as they made their way to the front door. Angel stood at the foot of the clearing looking at Buffy, Willow and Edward walk through the woods.

"We have company." Angel said.

"It's Edward's sisters." Buffy replied curtly. Buffy walked passed Angel not caring for his concern. Buffy reached the front of the house and waited for the rest to join her. Xander, Doyle and Oz had opened the front door and walked into the house. Alice and Rosalie left the car and walked with Emmett and Jasper towards Buffy. They walked slowly, showing restraint. Edward, Angel and Willow walked up to Buffy leaving the woods behind them.

"Hi!" Alice smiled at the girls.

I saw you coming here with Emmett and Jasper and I saw you call me over, so I just cut the chase and came down here with Rosalie, Alice thought knowing Edward would listen.

Buffy and Willow smiled back at Alice and looked at Rosalie who looked annoyed with their appearance. Rosalie didn't have to state her hatred towards the girls; it was obvious from her glare. Buffy smiled at her curtly and then turned towards Willow and raised her eye brow.

"Let's go inside." Edward said trying to get stop Rosalie stare of death.

It took longer to write this chapter and the last one. I was really ill and had few hospital appointments. I hope you all like this chapter. I promise to update the next chapters sooner.

Please R&R….. As always. Thanks!!!!