A prequel to "Until Sunrise", this takes place right after "Graduation:
Part 2". Angel and Wesley are long gone, Anya is still hiding away, and
Cordelia has just left Sunnydale as well.
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 29 hours till deadline
"The Mayor." Was all Willow could say, even as they got to Giles' place.
Oz nodded in agreement. "Heavy stuff."
"If there's anything worse then a 60 ft demon snake, it's a gang of demonic loan sharks." Xander said. "They take WAY more than a finger."
Buffy hadn't said a word. She just continued to stare at Bridgette with a scowl, and she did not care that Bridgette noticed.
Finally Bridgette stopped on the doorstep and confronted her.
"What?!"
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"What are you talking about Buff?" Xander asked. "She's Bridgette."
"Alright then," Buffy said with sarcasm. "WHAT are you?"
"Buffy?" Willow frowned.
Bridgette didn't look shocked to them. In fact, they thought she looked down right guilty.
"I'll tell you inside." Bridgette simply said before walking into the Watcher's apartment without knocking.
Giles was caught off guard. "Who are you?!" he demanded before he saw the others with her.
"She's with us." Willow said simply.
"Oh well that explains everything." He retorted.
"Is everyone sarcastic tonight?" Bridgette cried. "Look, I'm sorry for being a 'rude' stranger but we don't have time for pleasantries. Kristin is in trouble."
"Well alright. But just who is Kristin and who are you?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Buffy muttered.
Bridgette let out a sigh and sat down. "Alright, I'll tell you everything. But don't you think Mr. Giles should know about what happened at the Bronze first?"
"Yes he should!" Xander enthused, this girl's secret attracting him to her even more. "Good one! Way to go!"
Everyone let out a disgusted sigh.
Bridgette recounted the events of the evening, before telling them about herself.
"Bridgette is my real name. But 18 isn't my real age. I'm really over 200 years old."
"I knew it." Buffy interrupted. "Vampire right?"
"Would I have been able to barge in here if I was?" Bridgette shot back. She continued. "Your senses are half right, Buffy. In simple terms, I'm half vampire, half-human. My hearts beats, I need to breathe and to eat--- normal food, not blood." Bridgette corrected immediately. "However, I can survive without either food or breath for a very long time. I have the strength and senses of a vampire, but I do not fear the sun or the cross. I never get sick or age, therefore I could probably live forever."
"What about wooden stakes? Or losing your head?" Willow asked innocently.
"I don't know about decapitation, but I've been stabbed in the heart with a stake and survived. It hurt like hell though, and it took me a great deal of time to heal. Even now I get shadow pains when I'm stressed, kinda like the sensations amputees claim having after losing a leg or an arm."
"Odd." Oz said. "And yet very cool."
"How do you know about us?" Buffy demanded.
"Do you mean about the Slayer thing?"
Buffy gave her a "duh" look.
"When I met Kristin, she mentioned you guys and all the weird stuff you did…or rather stopped. Being around for so long and conversing with the local underground, I was able to put two and two together."
"Wait, how does Kristin know about the stuff we do?" Willow asked.
"She's been one of the people you've rescued, who knows how many times. When we met I filled in the blanks. Besides, stories get around in high school, don't they?"
"True." Oz stated.
"But why were you here in the first place?" Buffy persisted. "Are you some kind of head hunter or something?"
"No!" Bridgette told her with almost a laugh. "I was attracted by the Hellmouth like any other supernatural creature here. I met Kristin and decided to stick around."
"And Kristin knows what you are?" Giles asked.
Bridgette nodded.
"A lot to learn." Oz commented.
"She took it quite well." Bridgette said, remembering that day. "I mean, she didn't run screaming, so she gets points there."
"A good reaction is pleasant." Xander said knowingly. "Oh, which reminds me, you're not part bug are you?"
"No part that I'm aware of." Bridgette said with a smirk.
"Coolness!"
"Yeah, I'm glad for it too. But um…could we get back to this rampaging vampire crisis?"
"Excellent idea." Giles said with an enthusiasm that got him sour looks from everyone.
"Okay," Bridgette continued. "Here's what I know----"
Buffy interrupted her again. "Hold on a second there, Sherlock. There's something I still wanna know."
Bridgette sighed. "What is it?"
"You said you had access to some 'surprising things'. That you could give the vamps what they wanted. What's up with that?"
"Nothing. It was a bluff."
"Was it really?"
"What do you care if it is or not? I'm here to help you Buffy. Here to save Kristin."
"We'll see." Buffy bit-off.
"Buffy please!" Giles snipped. He took a deep breath, clearing out his frustration. "Now, Bridgette you said you know something?"
"Yeah----"
Buffy huffed and stormed into the kitchen, not unnoticed by everyone.
"Uh…in the last few days, since the Mayor was killed, people have disappeared. One or two have reappeared as corpses----business as usual, but most of them are just gone."
"Just haven't been found dead yet. Or undead." Came Buffy's voice.
"That's what I thought too, but now with those vamps tonight…it looks like they're planning a mass murder if they don't get what they were promised."
Everyone took that in.
"Well, keeping hostages is not exactly typical vampire behavior." Giles mentioned.
"Well these guys weren't acting very typical tonight." Oz pointed out.
"They seemed very…rampage-y." Willow added.
"That's another thing." Bridgette said. "I've never seen a vampire that aggressive. They could be under some kind of Rage spell. Like maybe someone trying to give us a distraction while something else happens, or maybe what this guy wants is the same thing the vampires were asking for."
"And what would that be?" Buffy asked, slamming cabinet door after cabinet door, looking for something, "New shoes? New house?"
"Power." Bridgette replied, ignoring Buffy. "To get their help the Mayor must've offered them a higher place on the demonic food chain."
"Yeah. Right above lawyers and politicians." Buffy joked, slamming another door. "Damn it Giles! Where are your coffee mugs?"
"Buffy! What on earth has come over you?" Giles demanded, heading into the kitchen.
Bridgette looked at her then. Really looked.
"Oh…oh no." She stood, worry on her face.
"Bridgette, what is it?" Willow asked standing up as well. The boys did so as well.
"She's under the Rage spell too. Someone's cast a Rage spell on those vampires AND Buffy!"
"Rage spell?" Buffy repeated. "There's no spell on me. Did it ever occur to you that I just might not like you very much?!"
"It HAD occurred to me actu----"
"Or that I just wanted a God Damn cup of coffee?!"
"Buffy----" Giles began as he stepped next to her.
Buffy didn't let him finish. She threw him to the floor and rushed Bridgette, grunting and growling.
Bridgette acted quickly, falling backwards and tucking in her feet. As Buffy landed on her, she also landed to give herself the proper footing to throw Buffy over her head, the way Buffy had done to countless vampires. Buffy landed, winded on the sofa. Before she could get up again, Bridgette quickly pinned Buffy in place.
"Willow, Giles quick! Does either of you know a spell that could sedate her? A sleeping spell maybe?"
"I've got something." Xander said. While Bridgette had taken her quick action, Xander took the liberty of grabbing the traq gun usually reserved for Oz's wolfy nights.
"Good thinking. But you don't want to hit me by firing. Just hand me one of the darts."
Xander did so, even as Buffy struggled fiercely. Bridgette quickly stabbed Buffy in the arm with the dart.
"Ouch!" Buffy cried, the drugs taking effect. "I really…hate…you…"
"You're not always such a party either." Bridgette mumbled.
DISCLAIMER: This story is put on this site with the consent of the writer. DO NOT use this material unless you have her consent. The "Buffy" and "Angel" characters and settings are property of Joss Wheadon and Mutant Enemy. This story is FAN FICTION; I am not profiting from their use. All new characters and settings have been born from my imagination.
COUNTDOWN: 29 hours till deadline
"The Mayor." Was all Willow could say, even as they got to Giles' place.
Oz nodded in agreement. "Heavy stuff."
"If there's anything worse then a 60 ft demon snake, it's a gang of demonic loan sharks." Xander said. "They take WAY more than a finger."
Buffy hadn't said a word. She just continued to stare at Bridgette with a scowl, and she did not care that Bridgette noticed.
Finally Bridgette stopped on the doorstep and confronted her.
"What?!"
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"What are you talking about Buff?" Xander asked. "She's Bridgette."
"Alright then," Buffy said with sarcasm. "WHAT are you?"
"Buffy?" Willow frowned.
Bridgette didn't look shocked to them. In fact, they thought she looked down right guilty.
"I'll tell you inside." Bridgette simply said before walking into the Watcher's apartment without knocking.
Giles was caught off guard. "Who are you?!" he demanded before he saw the others with her.
"She's with us." Willow said simply.
"Oh well that explains everything." He retorted.
"Is everyone sarcastic tonight?" Bridgette cried. "Look, I'm sorry for being a 'rude' stranger but we don't have time for pleasantries. Kristin is in trouble."
"Well alright. But just who is Kristin and who are you?"
"That's what I'd like to know." Buffy muttered.
Bridgette let out a sigh and sat down. "Alright, I'll tell you everything. But don't you think Mr. Giles should know about what happened at the Bronze first?"
"Yes he should!" Xander enthused, this girl's secret attracting him to her even more. "Good one! Way to go!"
Everyone let out a disgusted sigh.
Bridgette recounted the events of the evening, before telling them about herself.
"Bridgette is my real name. But 18 isn't my real age. I'm really over 200 years old."
"I knew it." Buffy interrupted. "Vampire right?"
"Would I have been able to barge in here if I was?" Bridgette shot back. She continued. "Your senses are half right, Buffy. In simple terms, I'm half vampire, half-human. My hearts beats, I need to breathe and to eat--- normal food, not blood." Bridgette corrected immediately. "However, I can survive without either food or breath for a very long time. I have the strength and senses of a vampire, but I do not fear the sun or the cross. I never get sick or age, therefore I could probably live forever."
"What about wooden stakes? Or losing your head?" Willow asked innocently.
"I don't know about decapitation, but I've been stabbed in the heart with a stake and survived. It hurt like hell though, and it took me a great deal of time to heal. Even now I get shadow pains when I'm stressed, kinda like the sensations amputees claim having after losing a leg or an arm."
"Odd." Oz said. "And yet very cool."
"How do you know about us?" Buffy demanded.
"Do you mean about the Slayer thing?"
Buffy gave her a "duh" look.
"When I met Kristin, she mentioned you guys and all the weird stuff you did…or rather stopped. Being around for so long and conversing with the local underground, I was able to put two and two together."
"Wait, how does Kristin know about the stuff we do?" Willow asked.
"She's been one of the people you've rescued, who knows how many times. When we met I filled in the blanks. Besides, stories get around in high school, don't they?"
"True." Oz stated.
"But why were you here in the first place?" Buffy persisted. "Are you some kind of head hunter or something?"
"No!" Bridgette told her with almost a laugh. "I was attracted by the Hellmouth like any other supernatural creature here. I met Kristin and decided to stick around."
"And Kristin knows what you are?" Giles asked.
Bridgette nodded.
"A lot to learn." Oz commented.
"She took it quite well." Bridgette said, remembering that day. "I mean, she didn't run screaming, so she gets points there."
"A good reaction is pleasant." Xander said knowingly. "Oh, which reminds me, you're not part bug are you?"
"No part that I'm aware of." Bridgette said with a smirk.
"Coolness!"
"Yeah, I'm glad for it too. But um…could we get back to this rampaging vampire crisis?"
"Excellent idea." Giles said with an enthusiasm that got him sour looks from everyone.
"Okay," Bridgette continued. "Here's what I know----"
Buffy interrupted her again. "Hold on a second there, Sherlock. There's something I still wanna know."
Bridgette sighed. "What is it?"
"You said you had access to some 'surprising things'. That you could give the vamps what they wanted. What's up with that?"
"Nothing. It was a bluff."
"Was it really?"
"What do you care if it is or not? I'm here to help you Buffy. Here to save Kristin."
"We'll see." Buffy bit-off.
"Buffy please!" Giles snipped. He took a deep breath, clearing out his frustration. "Now, Bridgette you said you know something?"
"Yeah----"
Buffy huffed and stormed into the kitchen, not unnoticed by everyone.
"Uh…in the last few days, since the Mayor was killed, people have disappeared. One or two have reappeared as corpses----business as usual, but most of them are just gone."
"Just haven't been found dead yet. Or undead." Came Buffy's voice.
"That's what I thought too, but now with those vamps tonight…it looks like they're planning a mass murder if they don't get what they were promised."
Everyone took that in.
"Well, keeping hostages is not exactly typical vampire behavior." Giles mentioned.
"Well these guys weren't acting very typical tonight." Oz pointed out.
"They seemed very…rampage-y." Willow added.
"That's another thing." Bridgette said. "I've never seen a vampire that aggressive. They could be under some kind of Rage spell. Like maybe someone trying to give us a distraction while something else happens, or maybe what this guy wants is the same thing the vampires were asking for."
"And what would that be?" Buffy asked, slamming cabinet door after cabinet door, looking for something, "New shoes? New house?"
"Power." Bridgette replied, ignoring Buffy. "To get their help the Mayor must've offered them a higher place on the demonic food chain."
"Yeah. Right above lawyers and politicians." Buffy joked, slamming another door. "Damn it Giles! Where are your coffee mugs?"
"Buffy! What on earth has come over you?" Giles demanded, heading into the kitchen.
Bridgette looked at her then. Really looked.
"Oh…oh no." She stood, worry on her face.
"Bridgette, what is it?" Willow asked standing up as well. The boys did so as well.
"She's under the Rage spell too. Someone's cast a Rage spell on those vampires AND Buffy!"
"Rage spell?" Buffy repeated. "There's no spell on me. Did it ever occur to you that I just might not like you very much?!"
"It HAD occurred to me actu----"
"Or that I just wanted a God Damn cup of coffee?!"
"Buffy----" Giles began as he stepped next to her.
Buffy didn't let him finish. She threw him to the floor and rushed Bridgette, grunting and growling.
Bridgette acted quickly, falling backwards and tucking in her feet. As Buffy landed on her, she also landed to give herself the proper footing to throw Buffy over her head, the way Buffy had done to countless vampires. Buffy landed, winded on the sofa. Before she could get up again, Bridgette quickly pinned Buffy in place.
"Willow, Giles quick! Does either of you know a spell that could sedate her? A sleeping spell maybe?"
"I've got something." Xander said. While Bridgette had taken her quick action, Xander took the liberty of grabbing the traq gun usually reserved for Oz's wolfy nights.
"Good thinking. But you don't want to hit me by firing. Just hand me one of the darts."
Xander did so, even as Buffy struggled fiercely. Bridgette quickly stabbed Buffy in the arm with the dart.
"Ouch!" Buffy cried, the drugs taking effect. "I really…hate…you…"
"You're not always such a party either." Bridgette mumbled.