"That poor boy was terrified of you," Buffy laughed as she and Kym got into Kym's car.
"Well, he should be," Kym replied, turning the key in the ignition. She glanced over her shoulder as she backed out of the parking space. "This restaurant is going to be my graduation present."
"High school?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah."
"Are you going to college?" Buffy asked her friend.
"I don't know," Kym admitted. "I've been trained to take over the family business since I was in diapers."
"Have you ever wanted to do anything else?" Buffy asked.
"I never really thought about it. Sometimes, it seems like my future is pretty much set in stone. Why dream about something else? Only makes me want what I cannot have." Kym offered Buffy a wistful smile as she deftly pulled into the parking lot of Zero Tolerance.
Buffy stared at the dark building. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"How could you?" Kym glanced over at the blond and took the key out of the ignition. "I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, but you lead a pretty easy life."
"Easy?" Buffy was incredulous.
"Well, yeah, you're parents are divorced," Kym admitted. "But you have no idea how hard it is to have no say in your future. I can't argue… Well, I can, but it's just no use."
Buffy opened the car door. Before climbing out of the vehicle, she glanced over her shoulder at the other girl. Buffy realized it was pointless to argue with her. Kym had no idea what kind of pressure Buffy faced every day and it wasn't like she could tell her. Buffy sighed in defeat, "You're probably right."
Kym slammed the door, smiling from her victory. Buffy shut her door and smoothed her skirt. The air pulsed with energy from the people and music inside.
"I've never been here before," Buffy admitted as they made their way toward the building. She eyed the long line with a slight sense of unease. She hadn't been anywhere other than the Bronze for over a year.
"Oh really?" Kym sounded surprised. "It's the greatest. You do have your fake with you, right?"
Buffy came to a dead stop. "You have to be 21?"
"Well, yeah," Kym stared at her. "To drink you have to be 21."
"But I don't drink," Buffy told the other girl. "And I don't even have a fake."
Kym sighed and searched through her small pocketbook. "You don't have to drink," she told Buffy. Pulling out a small object, she handed it to the other girl. "Here, this should work."
Buffy took the id from Kym and stared at it. Her smiling face looked back up at her through the clear plastic. The name read 'Anne B. Sommer' and the birthdate was marked as May 13, 1976. Buffy figured in her head. She stared at Kym, "How?"
"You need to plan ahead, B," Kym smiled. "And always have a back-up plan."
Buffy laughed. "So, what's your back-up plan?"
"You'll see…I plan to use it anyway." Kym smirked and grabbed Buffy's arm. Together, they made their way to the front of the line, pushing others out of the way.
"Excuse me," Kym glared at a small girl with red hair. "You're in my way." Before the girl could argue, Kym nudged her aside and moved even closer to the door. Finally, the two girls reached the bouncer, who was glaring at their approach.
Buffy inhaled sharply as her eyes scanned the massive amount of muscle in front of her.
"Hey sugar," Kym drawled, slipping easily into a thick southern accent. Buffy kept her eyes low, unable to watch as Kym shamelessly hit on the big man. The small blond shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
"Why thank you, darlin'" Kym smiled at her target. "Will you be joining us, then?"
The bouncer leaned over and whispered something into Kym's ear, eliciting a giggle from the brunette. He reached around her side for the velvet rope, letting his arm brush against her hip. He then held the crowd back as Kym and Buffy slipped through the opening and entered the club.
"That was amazing!" Buffy stared in awe at her friend.
"And we didn't even have to show our Ids," Kym smiled, zipping up her pocketbook. "Yup, I still got it. Come on, let's dance."
"What did he whisper to you?" Buffy asked as they headed out onto the dance floor.
"What?" Kym yelled over the crowd.
"I asked what he whispered!" Buffy repeated, this time louder.
Kym blushed and pulled Buffy close. "He asked if I liked horseback riding."
"Why?"
"Because he had a horse I'd love to ride."
"Now why would he…ohhhhhh," Buffy gasped, then giggled. "That's horrible!"
"Yeah, but he gets points for originality."
"So, what did you say?"
"Not a thing," Kym laughed. "Gotta keep them guessing." Kym twirled through the crowd circling the dance floor.
Buffy quickly followed Kym's lead. She began to move a bit awkwardly in time to the beat. Buffy always felt self-conscious when she first started to dance. But moments later, she closed her eyes and let the rhythm take over. In a matter of seconds, she lost herself in the music.
Buffy had no clue how much time had passed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes shot open and she stared at Kym. "What?" she mouthed.
"That guy over there is totally checking you out," Kym hollered over the pulsing beat.
"What?" Buffy repeated, though she had heard her friend the first time.
Kym nodded her head to the left. Buffy followed her gaze to the man across the dance floor. He looked like he was in his early 20's. Short dark brown hair, broad shoulders, and athletic build. Buffy had to admit the guy wasn't bad looking, she just wasn't interested. The blond turned away without so much as a second glance.
Kym raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Buffy's ear. "Not your type?"
Buffy shook her head.
Kym smirked, "Well, that's just too bad."
"Oh yeah, why?" Buffy asked, confused.
"Because he's on his way over."
Buffy quickly turned around and saw the guy muscling his way over. "No, no, no," she moaned.
"What's wrong?" Kym couldn't understand her friend's annoyance.
Buffy placed her hands on her hips. I have a boyfriend!" she huffed.
"Buffy, I'm sure he just wants an innocent dance. Not like he's going to ask you to marry him," Kym pointed out.
"I guess you're right," Buffy reluctantly agreed.
"And it's a good thing, too, because here he is."
Buffy felt a firm tap on her shoulder as she swayed to the music. She turned to find the guy directly behind her. Facing him, she discovered that he was about 6 foot tall, towering over her tiny frame.
"So, I saw you checking me out over there," he yelled over the din.
Buffy was mildly surprised. He wasn't winning any points with that opening. "Oh really? Was that what I was doing?"
The guy's confidant smile faltered a bit at her tone. Buffy noticed that he seemed a bit nervous under the suave exterior. He leaned in closer to the young girl. Speaking at a normal level, he admitted, "Not really. I'm just not that good with opening lines."
Buffy smiled gently. "My advice, try hello. Can't go wrong with that one."
The guy returned her smile and offered her his hand. "I'm Eric."
"Hi, Eric. I'm Buffy," she accepted his hand. Once she placed her hand in his, Eric bent over and kissed it.
"Buffy, huh?" Eric laughed. "I like that. It somehow suits you."
Buffy decided not to be offended because there was no ill intent in his eyes. "And this is my…" Buffy quickly swung around, noticing that Kym had suddenly disappeared. "Where'd she go?"
"Your friend?" Eric asked and Buffy nodded. "She's over at the bar."
Buffy tried to see through the crowd, but her view was blocked by the mass of bodies. "I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."
"Maybe not."
Before Buffy knew what was happening, she felt a strong pair of hands wrap around her waist and lift her high into the air. After suffering one brief moment of pure terror, Buffy opened her eyes and looked at the bar. Kym sat on one of the stools, flanked on either side by two different guys. She noticed Buffy and waved. Buffy returned the gesture as she felt herself gracefully slide back down to the ground.
"How'd you do that?" Buffy asked her companion.
Eric smiled shyly. "Promise you won't laugh?"
Buffy took a finger and made a criss-cross motion over her heart.
Eric leaned in close, "My mom made me take dance lessons when I was a kid."
"And did those lessons do any good?" Buffy asked.
"I'm the best," he offered her a cocky smile.
"Oh really?" she raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."
The issue was challenged.
Eric grabbed Buffy's hand and swung her around.
And then it was accepted.
Together, they moved gracefully around the dance floor. Eric flung Buffy around with ease, but she had no trouble keeping up. She, too, had years of dancing experience. And cheerleading. Sure, she was a bit rusty, but it was like riding a bike for her. It felt good, almost like she was flying.
Eric wrapped Buffy up in his arms, holding her close. Their hips swayed slightly, grinding against each other in time to the music. The difference in height was a major factor, but together, they made it work.
They danced that way for quite a few songs before Buffy needed to stop and get something to drink. She tugged on Eric's sleeve and nodded toward the bar. He grabbed her hand and led the way through the crowd.
"I'll have a Budweiser," Eric told the bartender. "How about you?" he asked, turning to Buffy.
"Um," Buffy stalled. "I'll just have a water."
"You sure?" When Buffy nodded, Eric turned back to the bartender. "And a water for the lady here."
With drinks in hand, Buffy and Eric made their way outside to the balcony. Buffy sighed as the night's cool air caressed her hot skin. "Well, you weren't lying."
Eric grinned. "You weren't so bad yourself."
Buffy laughed, "I haven't danced quite like that in a long time."
"Well, maybe we could do it again sometime."
The blond stared at the man in front of her. He seemed to be a great guy and she couldn't deny that she was having fun. But Eric wasn't Xander. "Eric," Buffy began, thinking about her words carefully. "I've had a great time tonight."
Eric looked at her, "Why do I feel a 'but' coming on?"
"But," Buffy exaggerated," I have a boyfriend."
Eric looked momentarily stunned. "Is it serious?"
Buffy nodded. "I love him. In fact, he is supposed to get here tonight."
"Long-distance relationship?" Eric asked, a trace of hope tinged his voice.
"No. We both live in Sunnydale. I'm just here spending the summer with my dad."
"Ah, a product of divorce."
"Yeah," Buffy smiled sadly. "And that leads to my second confession."
Eric looked at her. "You're not 21 yet." Buffy nodded, confirming his guess. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
Eric muttered a curse under his breath. "I should have known you were too good to be true."
"I'm really sorry," Buffy mumbled. She felt a stab of guilt when she noticed the pained expression flash in his dark eyes. "I should have told you earlier."
Eric sat in silence for a few moments. He looked down at the petite girl and smiled. "Well, as my mom always says, 'when life hands you lemons…'"
"Make lemonade?" Buffy guessed.
"You got it," Eric laughed. "So, Miss Buffy? Friends?"
"Yeah, how about it Buffy?"
Buffy sighed and slowly turned around. "Don't you guys have anything better to do. You always have to go and ruin perfectly good times for me!"
"Um Buffy, do you know these guys?"
#11
"Yo G-Man! Let's go!"
"I'm almost ready," Giles muttered, pulling on his jacket. "And I've told you repeatedly not to call me that."
"Whatever," Xander replied, dashing out the door. "Come on! My lady awaits!" he hollered over his shoulder.
Giles shook his head and followed the boy's lead. Xander had already loaded the luggage into the trunk and was now waiting impatiently in the car. "Young love," Giles mumbled to himself as he pulled the door shut behind him.
Giles climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Xander immediately leaned over and began flipping through radio stations. Under normal circumstances, Giles would be annoyed with Xander's choice in music. But these were hardly normal circumstances and Giles paid no attention to the ruckus coming from the speakers.
The watcher was worried. His Slayer was in trouble and he wasn't there to help her. Giles wasn't sure if the attack on Xander was pre-meditated or just a fluke, but he wasn't ruling out any possibilities. Not yet, anyway.
"It's bad, isn't it?"
"Hmmm?" Giles was pulled from his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"
"This thing with Buffy," Xander clarified. "It's not of the good, right?"
"With Buffy?" Giles stalled. He knew the boy was worried about his girlfriend and didn't need to be alarmed any further. But the Watcher also knew that Xander was smarter than he let on. There was no sense in lying, but hiding the truth would be fine. "I'm sure she's fine. We've all dealt with these sorts of things before."
"Giles, this is different," Xander disagreed.
"How so?" Giles asked. 'Bravo, way to play dumb!' the British man prided himself.
"She's alone this time," Xander mumbled with frustration evident in his voice. He felt useless. For the past year, Xander helped Buffy fight evil. He shared her problems. For the past month, he shared more. They shared joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. But now, she was alone. She was in danger and he wasn't by her side.
"Xander, she ha fought alone before," Giles tried to reassure the young man.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Xander muttered. He fell silent for a few moments. "Giles, do you think they came after me because I'm Buffy's boyfriend?"
Giles smiled wanly. 'Leave it to Xander to bring up the one subject I'm trying to avoid.' "I honestly don't know. I mean, we get attacked…"
"Um Giles…," Xander interrupted.
"What?"
"I think my question was just answered."
"What the…" Giles slammed on his brakes. The Citroen came to a screeching halt. The dust settled and revealed a small gang of vampires blocking the road. "Dear lord."
Xander glanced over at the Watcher. "Any bright ideas?"
"Duck!"
Surprisingly, Eric obeyed and quickly dropped to the ground.
Buffy sprung into action with a flying kick. Her heel met with the jaw of one unlucky vamp. Her target flew back and struck the wooden post of the balcony. The wood snapped and the railing broke off.
"Thank you for making my life a little bit easier," Buffy said, flipping over and slamming her fist into the face of the second vampire.
"Buffy!" Eric cried, jumping to his feet. He pulled his fist back and swung at the nearest demon. He missed and the vampire hit him with a counter-attack. Grabbing Eric's arm, the vamp flung the young man into the wall of the club. Eric's head met the concrete with a sickening thud and he slumped to the ground.
Buffy tossed a quick glance at Eric's unmoving form before turning back to her opponents. With a quick shout of fury, Buffy launched herself at the nearest vamp. She slammed her flat palm into the base of his nose, enjoying the sound of cracking bones.
The vampire screamed in agony and retaliated with a swift uppercut. The blow barely fazed the Slayer, only serving to knock her back a few inches.
She grinned at her opponent, a smile so malicious it distorted her delicate features into a barely veiled mask of hatred. "You messed with the wrong girl," Buffy said, attacking the stunned vampire with a roundhouse kick. "And you know what, you guys aren't even worth wasting my breath over." Without warning, she reached over and grabbed the first vamp, lifting him off the ground. She tossed him forward and the vampire flew through the air. He landed on the broken banister, a piece of splintered wood piercing his heart. "Wham!" Buffy mumbled.
The second demon stood up shakily from his place on the ground. He raced forward, hoping to catch Buffy unaware. But Buffy was ready for him. She kicked a foot out, coming in to contact with the damaged balcony. A piece of wood flew into the air and Buffy caught it with ease. She held it still, facing outward, and the vampire impaled himself on the wood. As he turned into dust, the Slayer faked a yawn. "Bam!"
Buffy caught movement in the shadows. A third vampire, apparently the watchdog, raced down the alley in a desperate attempt to escape.
"Oh no you don't," Buffy muttered. She slammed her fist down on the glass table to her left. The smooth surface gave in under the force and shattered into many pieces. Buffy swept up one of the larger pieces and launched it Frisbee-style at the demon's retreating form. Her aim flawless, the broken glass sliced cleanly through the vampire's neck. His body hung motionless for a moment before disintegrating into a pile of ashes.
"Thank you, ma'am" Buffy smiled, brushing her palms against her thighs. She turned, the smile dying.
Kym stood in front of her, eyes wide with horror. Her back against the wall, the other girl slid down until she was sitting. She glanced up at the blond girl. "So, wanna tell me what that was all about?"
"Well, he should be," Kym replied, turning the key in the ignition. She glanced over her shoulder as she backed out of the parking space. "This restaurant is going to be my graduation present."
"High school?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah."
"Are you going to college?" Buffy asked her friend.
"I don't know," Kym admitted. "I've been trained to take over the family business since I was in diapers."
"Have you ever wanted to do anything else?" Buffy asked.
"I never really thought about it. Sometimes, it seems like my future is pretty much set in stone. Why dream about something else? Only makes me want what I cannot have." Kym offered Buffy a wistful smile as she deftly pulled into the parking lot of Zero Tolerance.
Buffy stared at the dark building. "Yeah, I know what you mean."
"How could you?" Kym glanced over at the blond and took the key out of the ignition. "I mean, don't get me wrong or anything, but you lead a pretty easy life."
"Easy?" Buffy was incredulous.
"Well, yeah, you're parents are divorced," Kym admitted. "But you have no idea how hard it is to have no say in your future. I can't argue… Well, I can, but it's just no use."
Buffy opened the car door. Before climbing out of the vehicle, she glanced over her shoulder at the other girl. Buffy realized it was pointless to argue with her. Kym had no idea what kind of pressure Buffy faced every day and it wasn't like she could tell her. Buffy sighed in defeat, "You're probably right."
Kym slammed the door, smiling from her victory. Buffy shut her door and smoothed her skirt. The air pulsed with energy from the people and music inside.
"I've never been here before," Buffy admitted as they made their way toward the building. She eyed the long line with a slight sense of unease. She hadn't been anywhere other than the Bronze for over a year.
"Oh really?" Kym sounded surprised. "It's the greatest. You do have your fake with you, right?"
Buffy came to a dead stop. "You have to be 21?"
"Well, yeah," Kym stared at her. "To drink you have to be 21."
"But I don't drink," Buffy told the other girl. "And I don't even have a fake."
Kym sighed and searched through her small pocketbook. "You don't have to drink," she told Buffy. Pulling out a small object, she handed it to the other girl. "Here, this should work."
Buffy took the id from Kym and stared at it. Her smiling face looked back up at her through the clear plastic. The name read 'Anne B. Sommer' and the birthdate was marked as May 13, 1976. Buffy figured in her head. She stared at Kym, "How?"
"You need to plan ahead, B," Kym smiled. "And always have a back-up plan."
Buffy laughed. "So, what's your back-up plan?"
"You'll see…I plan to use it anyway." Kym smirked and grabbed Buffy's arm. Together, they made their way to the front of the line, pushing others out of the way.
"Excuse me," Kym glared at a small girl with red hair. "You're in my way." Before the girl could argue, Kym nudged her aside and moved even closer to the door. Finally, the two girls reached the bouncer, who was glaring at their approach.
Buffy inhaled sharply as her eyes scanned the massive amount of muscle in front of her.
"Hey sugar," Kym drawled, slipping easily into a thick southern accent. Buffy kept her eyes low, unable to watch as Kym shamelessly hit on the big man. The small blond shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.
"Why thank you, darlin'" Kym smiled at her target. "Will you be joining us, then?"
The bouncer leaned over and whispered something into Kym's ear, eliciting a giggle from the brunette. He reached around her side for the velvet rope, letting his arm brush against her hip. He then held the crowd back as Kym and Buffy slipped through the opening and entered the club.
"That was amazing!" Buffy stared in awe at her friend.
"And we didn't even have to show our Ids," Kym smiled, zipping up her pocketbook. "Yup, I still got it. Come on, let's dance."
"What did he whisper to you?" Buffy asked as they headed out onto the dance floor.
"What?" Kym yelled over the crowd.
"I asked what he whispered!" Buffy repeated, this time louder.
Kym blushed and pulled Buffy close. "He asked if I liked horseback riding."
"Why?"
"Because he had a horse I'd love to ride."
"Now why would he…ohhhhhh," Buffy gasped, then giggled. "That's horrible!"
"Yeah, but he gets points for originality."
"So, what did you say?"
"Not a thing," Kym laughed. "Gotta keep them guessing." Kym twirled through the crowd circling the dance floor.
Buffy quickly followed Kym's lead. She began to move a bit awkwardly in time to the beat. Buffy always felt self-conscious when she first started to dance. But moments later, she closed her eyes and let the rhythm take over. In a matter of seconds, she lost herself in the music.
Buffy had no clue how much time had passed when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes shot open and she stared at Kym. "What?" she mouthed.
"That guy over there is totally checking you out," Kym hollered over the pulsing beat.
"What?" Buffy repeated, though she had heard her friend the first time.
Kym nodded her head to the left. Buffy followed her gaze to the man across the dance floor. He looked like he was in his early 20's. Short dark brown hair, broad shoulders, and athletic build. Buffy had to admit the guy wasn't bad looking, she just wasn't interested. The blond turned away without so much as a second glance.
Kym raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to Buffy's ear. "Not your type?"
Buffy shook her head.
Kym smirked, "Well, that's just too bad."
"Oh yeah, why?" Buffy asked, confused.
"Because he's on his way over."
Buffy quickly turned around and saw the guy muscling his way over. "No, no, no," she moaned.
"What's wrong?" Kym couldn't understand her friend's annoyance.
Buffy placed her hands on her hips. I have a boyfriend!" she huffed.
"Buffy, I'm sure he just wants an innocent dance. Not like he's going to ask you to marry him," Kym pointed out.
"I guess you're right," Buffy reluctantly agreed.
"And it's a good thing, too, because here he is."
Buffy felt a firm tap on her shoulder as she swayed to the music. She turned to find the guy directly behind her. Facing him, she discovered that he was about 6 foot tall, towering over her tiny frame.
"So, I saw you checking me out over there," he yelled over the din.
Buffy was mildly surprised. He wasn't winning any points with that opening. "Oh really? Was that what I was doing?"
The guy's confidant smile faltered a bit at her tone. Buffy noticed that he seemed a bit nervous under the suave exterior. He leaned in closer to the young girl. Speaking at a normal level, he admitted, "Not really. I'm just not that good with opening lines."
Buffy smiled gently. "My advice, try hello. Can't go wrong with that one."
The guy returned her smile and offered her his hand. "I'm Eric."
"Hi, Eric. I'm Buffy," she accepted his hand. Once she placed her hand in his, Eric bent over and kissed it.
"Buffy, huh?" Eric laughed. "I like that. It somehow suits you."
Buffy decided not to be offended because there was no ill intent in his eyes. "And this is my…" Buffy quickly swung around, noticing that Kym had suddenly disappeared. "Where'd she go?"
"Your friend?" Eric asked and Buffy nodded. "She's over at the bar."
Buffy tried to see through the crowd, but her view was blocked by the mass of bodies. "I guess I'll just have to take your word for it."
"Maybe not."
Before Buffy knew what was happening, she felt a strong pair of hands wrap around her waist and lift her high into the air. After suffering one brief moment of pure terror, Buffy opened her eyes and looked at the bar. Kym sat on one of the stools, flanked on either side by two different guys. She noticed Buffy and waved. Buffy returned the gesture as she felt herself gracefully slide back down to the ground.
"How'd you do that?" Buffy asked her companion.
Eric smiled shyly. "Promise you won't laugh?"
Buffy took a finger and made a criss-cross motion over her heart.
Eric leaned in close, "My mom made me take dance lessons when I was a kid."
"And did those lessons do any good?" Buffy asked.
"I'm the best," he offered her a cocky smile.
"Oh really?" she raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."
The issue was challenged.
Eric grabbed Buffy's hand and swung her around.
And then it was accepted.
Together, they moved gracefully around the dance floor. Eric flung Buffy around with ease, but she had no trouble keeping up. She, too, had years of dancing experience. And cheerleading. Sure, she was a bit rusty, but it was like riding a bike for her. It felt good, almost like she was flying.
Eric wrapped Buffy up in his arms, holding her close. Their hips swayed slightly, grinding against each other in time to the music. The difference in height was a major factor, but together, they made it work.
They danced that way for quite a few songs before Buffy needed to stop and get something to drink. She tugged on Eric's sleeve and nodded toward the bar. He grabbed her hand and led the way through the crowd.
"I'll have a Budweiser," Eric told the bartender. "How about you?" he asked, turning to Buffy.
"Um," Buffy stalled. "I'll just have a water."
"You sure?" When Buffy nodded, Eric turned back to the bartender. "And a water for the lady here."
With drinks in hand, Buffy and Eric made their way outside to the balcony. Buffy sighed as the night's cool air caressed her hot skin. "Well, you weren't lying."
Eric grinned. "You weren't so bad yourself."
Buffy laughed, "I haven't danced quite like that in a long time."
"Well, maybe we could do it again sometime."
The blond stared at the man in front of her. He seemed to be a great guy and she couldn't deny that she was having fun. But Eric wasn't Xander. "Eric," Buffy began, thinking about her words carefully. "I've had a great time tonight."
Eric looked at her, "Why do I feel a 'but' coming on?"
"But," Buffy exaggerated," I have a boyfriend."
Eric looked momentarily stunned. "Is it serious?"
Buffy nodded. "I love him. In fact, he is supposed to get here tonight."
"Long-distance relationship?" Eric asked, a trace of hope tinged his voice.
"No. We both live in Sunnydale. I'm just here spending the summer with my dad."
"Ah, a product of divorce."
"Yeah," Buffy smiled sadly. "And that leads to my second confession."
Eric looked at her. "You're not 21 yet." Buffy nodded, confirming his guess. "How old are you?"
"Sixteen."
Eric muttered a curse under his breath. "I should have known you were too good to be true."
"I'm really sorry," Buffy mumbled. She felt a stab of guilt when she noticed the pained expression flash in his dark eyes. "I should have told you earlier."
Eric sat in silence for a few moments. He looked down at the petite girl and smiled. "Well, as my mom always says, 'when life hands you lemons…'"
"Make lemonade?" Buffy guessed.
"You got it," Eric laughed. "So, Miss Buffy? Friends?"
"Yeah, how about it Buffy?"
Buffy sighed and slowly turned around. "Don't you guys have anything better to do. You always have to go and ruin perfectly good times for me!"
"Um Buffy, do you know these guys?"
#11
"Yo G-Man! Let's go!"
"I'm almost ready," Giles muttered, pulling on his jacket. "And I've told you repeatedly not to call me that."
"Whatever," Xander replied, dashing out the door. "Come on! My lady awaits!" he hollered over his shoulder.
Giles shook his head and followed the boy's lead. Xander had already loaded the luggage into the trunk and was now waiting impatiently in the car. "Young love," Giles mumbled to himself as he pulled the door shut behind him.
Giles climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine. Xander immediately leaned over and began flipping through radio stations. Under normal circumstances, Giles would be annoyed with Xander's choice in music. But these were hardly normal circumstances and Giles paid no attention to the ruckus coming from the speakers.
The watcher was worried. His Slayer was in trouble and he wasn't there to help her. Giles wasn't sure if the attack on Xander was pre-meditated or just a fluke, but he wasn't ruling out any possibilities. Not yet, anyway.
"It's bad, isn't it?"
"Hmmm?" Giles was pulled from his thoughts. "I'm sorry, what?"
"This thing with Buffy," Xander clarified. "It's not of the good, right?"
"With Buffy?" Giles stalled. He knew the boy was worried about his girlfriend and didn't need to be alarmed any further. But the Watcher also knew that Xander was smarter than he let on. There was no sense in lying, but hiding the truth would be fine. "I'm sure she's fine. We've all dealt with these sorts of things before."
"Giles, this is different," Xander disagreed.
"How so?" Giles asked. 'Bravo, way to play dumb!' the British man prided himself.
"She's alone this time," Xander mumbled with frustration evident in his voice. He felt useless. For the past year, Xander helped Buffy fight evil. He shared her problems. For the past month, he shared more. They shared joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. But now, she was alone. She was in danger and he wasn't by her side.
"Xander, she ha fought alone before," Giles tried to reassure the young man.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Xander muttered. He fell silent for a few moments. "Giles, do you think they came after me because I'm Buffy's boyfriend?"
Giles smiled wanly. 'Leave it to Xander to bring up the one subject I'm trying to avoid.' "I honestly don't know. I mean, we get attacked…"
"Um Giles…," Xander interrupted.
"What?"
"I think my question was just answered."
"What the…" Giles slammed on his brakes. The Citroen came to a screeching halt. The dust settled and revealed a small gang of vampires blocking the road. "Dear lord."
Xander glanced over at the Watcher. "Any bright ideas?"
"Duck!"
Surprisingly, Eric obeyed and quickly dropped to the ground.
Buffy sprung into action with a flying kick. Her heel met with the jaw of one unlucky vamp. Her target flew back and struck the wooden post of the balcony. The wood snapped and the railing broke off.
"Thank you for making my life a little bit easier," Buffy said, flipping over and slamming her fist into the face of the second vampire.
"Buffy!" Eric cried, jumping to his feet. He pulled his fist back and swung at the nearest demon. He missed and the vampire hit him with a counter-attack. Grabbing Eric's arm, the vamp flung the young man into the wall of the club. Eric's head met the concrete with a sickening thud and he slumped to the ground.
Buffy tossed a quick glance at Eric's unmoving form before turning back to her opponents. With a quick shout of fury, Buffy launched herself at the nearest vamp. She slammed her flat palm into the base of his nose, enjoying the sound of cracking bones.
The vampire screamed in agony and retaliated with a swift uppercut. The blow barely fazed the Slayer, only serving to knock her back a few inches.
She grinned at her opponent, a smile so malicious it distorted her delicate features into a barely veiled mask of hatred. "You messed with the wrong girl," Buffy said, attacking the stunned vampire with a roundhouse kick. "And you know what, you guys aren't even worth wasting my breath over." Without warning, she reached over and grabbed the first vamp, lifting him off the ground. She tossed him forward and the vampire flew through the air. He landed on the broken banister, a piece of splintered wood piercing his heart. "Wham!" Buffy mumbled.
The second demon stood up shakily from his place on the ground. He raced forward, hoping to catch Buffy unaware. But Buffy was ready for him. She kicked a foot out, coming in to contact with the damaged balcony. A piece of wood flew into the air and Buffy caught it with ease. She held it still, facing outward, and the vampire impaled himself on the wood. As he turned into dust, the Slayer faked a yawn. "Bam!"
Buffy caught movement in the shadows. A third vampire, apparently the watchdog, raced down the alley in a desperate attempt to escape.
"Oh no you don't," Buffy muttered. She slammed her fist down on the glass table to her left. The smooth surface gave in under the force and shattered into many pieces. Buffy swept up one of the larger pieces and launched it Frisbee-style at the demon's retreating form. Her aim flawless, the broken glass sliced cleanly through the vampire's neck. His body hung motionless for a moment before disintegrating into a pile of ashes.
"Thank you, ma'am" Buffy smiled, brushing her palms against her thighs. She turned, the smile dying.
Kym stood in front of her, eyes wide with horror. Her back against the wall, the other girl slid down until she was sitting. She glanced up at the blond girl. "So, wanna tell me what that was all about?"
