Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Shadow Over Hellmouth

Written by Mark Moore

"Welcome to the Hellmouth"

Based on the Episode Written by Joss Whedon

Author's note: I'm a longtime Buffy fan, having watched it from its beginning on The WB to its end on UPN. This fic is a rewrite of the series, a slimmed-down, streamlined, remixed retelling of the Buffy saga.

This isn't a completely unrecognizable update or modernization of the series. The original time setting is retained. The characters are still recognizably the characters (with some differences!). Without giving too much away, I've toned down the campiness and witticism (I attended high school just before the series aired; teens are not that witty), amped up the Lovecraftian horror, and brought the characters down to Earth.

Each chapter will consist of anywhere from one to a few scenes, so it'll take a while for each individual story to conclude. I'm releasing it this way to have more frequent updates. I do plan to do the entire series (Goddess willing), so come along for the ride; there might just be some surprises in store.

The following story is copyright © 2021 by Mark Moore.


She had been having the nightmares a lot recently. They were always the same: an underground lair of some kind, a cemetery, visions of vampires, other demons, and various events and artifacts.

Buffy Summers woke up with a start. "Fuck!"

"Buffy?" her mother called from out in the hallway.

Buffy sat up in bed. "I'm up, Mom!"

"Don't wanna be late for your first day!"

Buffy sighed. "No. Wouldn't want that."


Joyce Summers pulled up in front of Sunnydale High School in her Jeep. "Okay!"

Buffy unfastened her seatbelt, opened the passenger door, and got out of the Jeep.

"Have a good time. I know you're gonna make friends right away; just think positive." Joyce gave Buffy a thumbs-up.

Buffy looked through the open car door and gave her mother a quick nod. She turned to go and closed the door behind her.

"And honey?"

Buffy looked back at her mom.

"Try not to get kicked out?"

"I promise."

"Okay."

Buffy faced the school and let out a deep breath. Joyce drove off.


Soon, Buffy walked into the main office. There was a receptionist sitting at the desk.

Buffy walked up to the desk. "Excuse me, I'm Buffy Summers, the new transfer student."

"Oh, yes, of course." The woman picked up the phone receiver and called the principal's office.

"Yes?"

"The new transfer student's here."

"Send her in."

She hung up. "You can go in."

"Thanks." Buffy walked over to Principal Flutie's office and opened the door. She walked into the office and closed the door behind her. "Hi."

Principal Flutie gestured at the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat."

Buffy sat down. She noticed he had her school records.

He walked around the desk to his chair as he looked them over. "Buffy Summers, sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles." He sat down in his chair. "So what happened?"

Buffy didn't know how to start.

"Why'd you hit your gym teacher?"

"He was being a bully."

"Is that your excuse?"

"No." Buffy paused and sighed. "My parents had recently gotten divorced. The judge split up the kids. My mom got me, and my dad got my sister. I was so angry. I'm still angry. That stupid gym teacher just made himself the perfect target. That's all."

"I see." He paused in thought for a while. "Welcome to Sunnydale! A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past."

"Thank you, sir."

"Buffy, don't worry; try to relax. We want to service your needs and help you to respect our needs. If you need help, we have an excellent guidance counselor."

Buffy nodded.

"Do you have your schedule?"

"Yeah, my mom picked it up for me already."

"Okay, well, good luck. I'll see you around."

Buffy nodded, stood up, and walked over to the door.


Buffy exited the main office. She opened her bookbag and rummaged through it as she walked into the hall right in front of a girl. The girl bumped into her, making her lose her grip on the bag and spill its contents.

"Oh! Sorry!" Buffy cried.

"That's okay."

Buffy looked down at the mess. "Shit..." She squatted down and started picking up her stuff.

The girl squatted down next to her and helped her gather her things. "Let me help you."

Buffy looked at the girl and smiled. "Thanks."

Buffy thought the girl was very beautiful; she had long blonde hair and blue eyes.

"I don't know you, do I?" the girl asked.

"I'm Buffy. I'm new."

The girl smiled. "I'm Tara."

They finished gathering up everything.

Buffy put her items back in her bag and smiled. "Thanks."

"Any time. I'll see you around."

"Great!" Buffy exclaimed, perhaps too enthusiastically.

They stood up.

"It was nice to meet you." Buffy turned and started walking down the hall.


In World History class, Buffy was half-listening to the teacher talk about the Black Death and taking notes. A beautiful girl was seated next to her and also taking notes; she had long brown hair and dark brown eyes.

"If you'll look at the map on page 63, you can trace the spread of the disease into Rome, and then north..."

Buffy didn't have a book and looked around for help. The girl noticed and shared her book.

Buffy smiled. "Thanks."

The bell rang. The other students got up to leave.

"No homework. Finish reading the chapter by tomorrow."

The girl smiled at Buffy. "Hi! I'm Cordelia." She offered her hand.

Buffy accepted it. "I'm Buffy."

"If you're looking for a textbook of your very own, there's probably a few in the library. You can borrow one until you get a permanent copy."

"Oh, great, thanks."

They stood up.

"Where would that be?" Buffy asked her.

"I'll show you, come on."

They walked out of the classroom.

"So you're from Hemery, right? In L.A.?" Cordelia asked.

"Uh, yeah."

"Oh, I would kill to live in L.A.; that close to that many shoes?"

Buffy had to laugh at the absurdity of that statement.

"Well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but let's see. Vamp nail polish."

"Huh?"

"Exactly! So over. James Spader."

Buffy was confused. "That's an actor, right?"

Cordelia was displeased and made a face. "Ooh, yikes! Frappuccinos."

"I'm not into coffee."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. John Tesh."

"Who?" Buffy asked.

"That's the right attitude! You passed!"

Buffy forced a smile. "Oh, goody!"

They turned toward a drinking fountain. Tara was there. She straightened up and saw them coming.

"Willow! Nice jeans! Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears."

Tara stared at her in annoyance. "The name's Tara, and my dad picked it out."

"No wonder you're such a guy magnet."

Tara frowned at her. "Fuck you."

"Oh, I bet you'd like that, but I'm not a dyke. Are you done?"

Tara looked at the fountain and then back at Cordelia. She turned and left without a word.

Buffy watched her go. "That was horrible of you."

"You wanna fit in here, the first rule is: know your losers." Cordelia took a drink from the fountain.

"She's not a loser. She's nice...and sweet...and kind."

Cordelia rolled her eyes. Tara walked through the door at the end of the hall and looked back at them before disappearing from sight.

Buffy and Cordelia continued their walk to the library.

"And if you're not too swamped with catching up, you should come by the Bronze tonight."

"The what?"

"The Bronze. It's the only club worth going to around here. They let anybody in, but it's still the scene. It's in the bad part of town."

"Where's that?"

They stopped outside the library doors.

"About a half-block from the good part of town." Cordelia laughed. "We don't have a whole lot of town here. But, um, you should show!"

"Well, I'll try." Buffy looked toward the library. "Uh, thanks."

"Good. So, um, I'll see you in gym, and you can tell me absolutely everything there is to know about you." Cordelia waved and walked off.

Buffy waved back. "Great!" She looked away. "Oh, that sounds like fun."

She went into the library and looked around. It looked deserted.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" Buffy called.

She looked on the counter and saw a newspaper with a picture that's been circled. The caption above the picture read 'Local Boys Still Missing'. Someone came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, startled.

"Ooh!" Buffy exhaled. "Anybody's here!"

It was an older man with short black hair, blue eyes, and glasses.

"Can I help you?"

And he was British.

"I was looking for some, well, books. I'm new."

"Miss Summers?"

"Good call! Guess I'm the only new kid, huh?"

"I'm Mr. Giles. The librarian. I was told you were coming." He headed around behind the counter.

"Great! So, um, I'm gonna need Perspectives on 20th Century-"

"I know what you're after!" With a big grin on his face, he pulled out a large old book with the word VAMPYR written in gold leaf on the front cover.

Buffy looked up at him with an uneasy gaze. "That's not what I'm looking for."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm way sure."

Giles was confused. "My mistake." He put the book back behind the counter.

Buffy quickly walked out of the library.


After eating lunch, Buffy left the cafeteria and walked outside. She saw Tara sitting under a tree and taking out her lunch.

Buffy approached her. "Hi, Tara."

Tara looked up. "Hi."

"May I join you?"

"Sure."

Buffy sat to her right and set down her bookbag. "If you don't mind, I want to ask you for a favor. It involves hanging out with me for a while."

"What is it?"

"I kinda have this burning desire not to flunk all my classes, and I heard a rumor that you were the person to talk to if I wanted to get caught up."

"Oh, I could totally help you out! Uh, if you have sixth period free, we could meet in the library?"

"Or not. Or we could meet someplace quieter. Louder. Uh, that place just kinda gives me the wiggins."

"Oh, it has that effect on most kids. I love it, though; it's a great collection, and the new librarian is really cool."

"He's new?" Buffy asked her.

"Yeah, he just started. He was a curator at some British museum - or the British Museum; I'm not sure. But he knows everything, and he brought all these historical volumes and biographies."

"Cool. Hey, how come Cordelia called you 'Willow' earlier?"

Tara pointed up at the tree. "Because I like to sit under this willow tree while eating lunch. Stupid nickname from an idiot."

"Ah. So what do you do for fun?"

Tara shrugged. "Read, watch TV, go online, listen to music. The usual. You?"

"Same."

"I also take karate."

"Oh. I took karate back in L.A.; it was pretty fun."

"Well, maybe you can join my class."

Buffy smiled. "Yeah, maybe. And you should come to the Bronze tonight."

Tara frowned a bit at the thought of it but then nodded. "Okay."

"Is she bothering you?"

Buffy looked and saw Cordelia standing in front of them. "Not at all. I'm enjoying her company."

Cordelia frowned at Buffy. "Whatever. I don't mean to interrupt your downward mobility, but I just wanted to tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with the chest hair, because gym was canceled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"What are you talking about?" Tara asked.

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!"

Buffy frowned, worried. "Dead."

"Totally dead. Way dead."

"How did he die?" Buffy asked her.

"I don't know."

"Well, were there any marks?" Buffy pressed.

"Morbid much! I didn't ask!"

Buffy picked up her bookbag and stood up. "Um, I gotta book. I'll see you girls later." She walked away in a hurry.

Cordelia stared after her. "What's her deal?"

Tara stared after Buffy.


Buffy sneaked up to an outside entrance of the gym and tried opening the door. It was locked. She pulled with all of her strength. Suddenly, the door broke. She stared at it for a moment, surprised, but then she went in, looking around to make sure no one saw her.

She entered the girls' locker room. She found the body and pulled back the sheet.

Buffy saw two puncture wounds on the boy's neck. She stared in silence for a moment before leaving.


After school, Buffy barged into the library. "Okay, what's the sitch?"

"Sorry?" Giles called from somewhere among stacks of books.

"You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"

Giles stepped into the light. "Yes."

She dropped her bag on a table and headed up the stairs. "'Cause it's the weirdest thing. He's got two little, little holes in his neck, and all his blood's been drained." She walked up to him. "Isn't that bizarre? Aren't you just going 'Ooh'?"

"I was afraid of this."

"Afraid of what?" Buffy asked him.

Giles was in silent thought.

"That book that you showed me earlier. Is this a vampire attack?"

Giles stared blankly, deep in thought.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Buffy finally demanded.

Giles finally looked at her. "Yes, it's a vampire, and you're not prepared to face it."

Buffy was surprised. "Face it?"

"Yes, it's your destiny, but you're not up to speed. Our fault. I need to get you ready."

"Wait, wait! It's my first day! I was afraid that I was gonna be behind in all my classes, that I wouldn't make any friends, that I would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires on campus. So...bye." Buffy turned away to go.

"Is he - w-will he...rise again?"

Buffy turned back to look at him. "How the fuck would I know?"

"To make you a vampire, they have to suck your blood, and then you have to suck their blood."

"So it's like a whole big sucking thing." Buffy paused in thought. "Then I doubt it. His body was pale, like it had been completely drained of blood, and I didn't see any blood on his lips."

Giles nodded. "Good."

Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, not good, but, that is..." Giles paused to collect his thoughts. "Mostly, they're just going to kill their victims in order to feed."

"Makes sense." Then she thought for a moment. "Why am I still talking to you?" Buffy turned and walked down the stairs.

Giles moved over to the railing. "You really have no idea what's going on, do you? You think it's coincidence, your being here? That boy was just the beginning."

"Oh, why can't you just leave me alone?" Buffy asked him, exhausted.

"Because you are the Slayer." Giles walked down the stairs. "Into each generation, a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil."

"Not interested."

"Selfish girl."

"Yeah, well, maybe I am. So what?" Buffy asked.

Giles paused in thought for a moment. "What do you know about this town?" He went into his office.

"It's two hours on the freeway from Neiman Marcus?"

"Dig a bit in the history of this place. You'll find a - a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. Now, I believe this whole area is a center of mystical energy." Giles came back out with four books. "That things gravitate towards it that - that - that you might not find elsewhere." He set the books on the table.

"Like vampires."

He put the volumes into Buffy's arms one by one. "Like zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!"

"What? You, like, sent away for the Time-Life series?"

"Uh, w-w-w-yes."

"Did you get the free phone?"

"Um, the calendar."

"Cool!" Buffy gave back the books. "But I can't do this. Hey, I know! Why don't you kill 'em? You know much more about this shit than I do."

"I-I'm a Watcher. I - I haven't the skill-"

"Oh, come on, stake through the heart, a little sunlight. It's like falling off a log."

"A - A Slayer slays. A Watcher-"

"-watches?" Buffy finished.

"Yes. No!" Giles set down the books. "He - He trains her. He - He - He prepares her."

"Prepares me for what? For having to spend all of my time fighting for my life? For the inevitable confrontation that ends up getting me killed? Go ahead! Prepare me!" Buffy yelled.

They just looked at each other for a moment.

Finally, Buffy exhaled, turned, picked up her bookbag, and left the library in disgust.

Giles hesitated for an instant. "Damn!" He ran after Buffy.

After they were gone, unseen by either of them, Tara walked out from behind the stacks in shock.


Out in the hall, Giles caught up with Buffy. "It's getting worse!"

"What's getting worse?" Buffy asked.

He guided her over to the wall. "The influx of the undead, the...supernatural occurrences; it's been building for years. There's a reason why you're here and a reason why it's now!"

"Because now is the time my mom moved here."

She tried to evade him, but he put his arm out to stop her.

"Something's coming. Something - Something - Something is - is gonna happen here. Soon!"

"Gee, can you vague that up for me?"

"The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval...very soon. Days. Possibly less."

"Oh, come on! This is Sunnydale! How bad an evil can there be here?"

Giles paused and then tried a different approach. "How much fighting experience do you have?"

"Practical?" Buffy asked. "Not much, but I'm eighth kyu in karate."

Giles was confused. "Is that good?"

Buffy made a face and shrugged. "Eh. But my new friend, Tara, also takes karate and has asked me to join her class."

Giles nodded. "Good, you should. I'm not good at teaching fighting, anyway. I'll see to the more...academic aspects of your training. If you're free-"

"I'm not. I have plans."

He sighed. "Buffy-"

"Sorry. Listen, I gotta go, but it's been so fun chatting with you." Buffy turned and walked away.


That evening, in Buffy's bedroom, Buffy changed outfits and checked herself out in the mirror.

Her mother came into the room. "Hi, hon."

Buffy looked at her. "Hey!"

"Are you, uh, going out tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm going to a club."

"Oh. Will there be boys there?"

"No, Mom. It's a nun club."

"Well, just be careful."

"I will."

"You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing. I'm gonna get the gallery on its feet. Oh, uh, we may have found a space today."

"That's great."

"Oh, and that school is a - a very nurturing environment, which is just what you need."

"Well, actually-"

"Oh, not too nurturing. I know, I've read all about the dangers of over-nurturing. It's hard. New town and everything. It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work." Joyce took her daughter's hands in hers. "I'm going to make it work."

"I know."

"Oh, you're a good girl, Buffy." Joyce patted her on the head. "You just fell into some bad habits. But that is all behind us now."

"It is."

They let go of each other's hands.

"Okay. You have fun."


Buffy was walking down a dark street. She sensed she was being followed. After walking for a while, when she got a chance, she ducked down an alley and looked around for a place to hide. A cat yowled and kicked some cans as it ran away. Buffy spied a bar above her. In desperation, she jumped and was surprised when she was able to grab hold of it. She pulled herself up and did a handstand on the bar.

A man with short black hair and dressed almost entirely in black came into the alley but seemingly didn't see her. He slowly walked along and passed underneath her. She swung down and kicked him in the back, knocking him to the ground. Buffy positioned herself above him with a foot on his chest.

"Uh, heh. Is there a problem, ma'am?"

"Yeah, there's a problem. Why are you following me?"

"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite."

She backed off and let him get up, but she kept her fighting stance.

"You're pretty spry." He massaged his neck.

"What do you want?"

"The same thing you do."

"Okay. What do I want?"

He stepped toward her. "To kill them. To kill them all."

"Sorry, that's incorrect. What I want is to be left alone!" She started a determined walk away.

"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open."

She stopped, turned to him, and looked at him with a wide-eyed gaze.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small box. "Don't turn your back on this."

He tossed her the box. She caught it.

"You've gotta be ready."

"What for?"

"For the Harvest."

"Who are you?"

"Let's just say...I'm a friend." He started to leave.

"Yeah, well, maybe I don't want a friend."

He turned back to face her. "I didn't say I was yours." He turned and left.

Buffy stared after him for a moment, then she opened the box. It contained a silver cross pendant and chain. She took it out, held it in her hand, and took another glance in his direction. He was gone.


Buffy put on the cross necklace and went to the Bronze. People were arriving and meeting. Buffy walked up to the entrance, gave the doorman some cash, and went inside.

A band was performing loudly on the stage, and the dance floor was crowded with people.

Buffy saw a guy waving in her direction and waved back, but then she noticed someone behind her waving back and put her hand down, embarrassed.

She found the bar and saw Tara sitting there, drinking a cola.

"Hey!" Buffy greeted.

Tara smiled. "Hi!"

Buffy walked around her and sat on the stool next to her.

Tara turned to face her. "What do you think of the place?"

Buffy shrugged. "Eh, a little too loud for my taste. I can't say I care for the music either."

Tara nodded. "Same."

Buffy looked closer at Tara. "Cute banana."

Tara blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Your pendant."

"Oh, it's not a banana; it's a crescent moon."

Buffy laughed in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry."

Tara smiled. "It's okay."

"Any particular meaning behind it?" Buffy asked her.

"Well, I'm a Wiccan, and I figured this would cause me less problems at school than a pentacle."

Buffy was confused. "Is that like a Popsicle?"

Tara laughed. "No, it's a pentagram - a five-pointed star - with a circle around it."

"Oh. So is Wicca like...witchcraft or something?" Buffy asked.

Tara shrugged. "Depends on who you ask, but there's definitely overlap, and I'm a witch, too, so...yeah."

"So you cast spells? Do magic?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Just low-level stuff for now. Mostly, I can make candle flames flicker."

Buffy nodded. "Cool. So you don't want people to find out?"

Tara shrugged. "Well, I generally don't tell people, but I also don't go out of my way to hide it. I just like to avoid confrontation."

Buffy nodded.

"You, on the other hand, well, you don't seem too shy, wearing that big cross."

Buffy had completely forgotten about the cross and briefly looked down at it. "Oh, this? I just got it." She shook her head. "Never mind. Well, my philosophy..." She paused. "Do you wanna hear my philosophy?"

"Sure."

"Life is short."

"Life is short."

"Not original, I'll grant you, but it's true, you know? Why waste time being all shy and worrying about what people think of you? Seize the moment, 'cause tomorrow you might be dead."

Tara nodded. "I see your point, but it's also important not to do anything stupid."

"True." Buffy looked up and saw Giles on the upper level. "Um, I'll be back in a minute." She stood up.

"Okay."

Buffy walked over to the stairs and up them. She found Giles. "So...you like to party with the students. Isn't that kinda skanky?"

"Oh, right, this is me having fun. Watching...clown hair prance about is hardly my idea of a party. I'd much rather be at home with a cup of Bovril and a good book."

"You need a personality, stat!"

Giles pointed to the crowd below. "This is a perfect breeding ground for vampire activity. It's dark, it's crowded..." He trailed off. "Besides, I knew you were likely to show up, and I have to make you understand-"

"-that the Harvest is coming. I know, your friend told me."

"What did you say?"

"The Harvest. That mean something to you? 'Cause I'm drawing a blank."

"I'm not sure. Uh...w-who told you this?"

"This...guy. Dark, gorgeous in an annoying sort of way. I figured you two were buds."

"No. The Harvest. Did he say anything else?"

"Something about the Mouth of Hell. I really didn't like him!"

Giles moved around Buffy, leaned on the railing, and looked down at the crowd. "Look at them, throwing themselves about, completely unaware of the danger that surrounds them."

"Lucky them."

"Or perhaps you're right. Perhaps there is no trouble coming. The signs could be wrong. It's not as though you've been having the nightmares."

Buffy kept her mouth shut.


Down below, Cordelia was hanging out with her friends and engaging in a mostly one-sided conversation.

"My mom doesn't even get out of bed anymore, and the doctor says it's Epstein-Barr. I'm like pleeease! It's chronic hepatitis - or at least chronic fatigue syndrome. I mean nobody cool has Epstein-Barr anymore."

A boy walked over to her. "Hey, Cordelia!"

Cordelia frowned at him. "Do I know you?"

"Jesse. Hey, you, uh, you look great!"

"Well, I'm glad we had this little chat."

Jesse coughed. "Listen, uh, you know, you wanna dance, you know?"

"With you?"

"Well, uh, yeah."

"Well, uh, no! C'mon, guys."

Cordelia and her friends left.


"You have, haven't you?" Giles asked Buffy.

Buffy remained silent a while longer and then sighed. "Yeah. Okay, listen, I'm willing to slay vampires. It's not like I have all these fluffy bunny feelings for them. I'm just not gonna get way extracurricular with it, you know? If I see one, sure, I'll-"

"Will you be ready?" Giles asked her. "There's so much you don't know about them, about your own powers. A vampire appears to be completely normal until the feed is upon them. Only then do they reveal their fangs."

"A lot of good that'll do me."

"A Slayer should be able to see them, anyway. Without looking, without thinking. Can you tell me if there's a vampire in this building?"

"Maybe-"

"You should know. Even through this mass and this...din, you should be able to sense them. Well, try! Reach out with your mind."

Buffy looked around.

"You have to hone your senses, focus until the energy washes over you, until you - you feel every particle o-of-"

Buffy pointed. "There's one."

"W-Where?"

"Right there, talking to that girl."

"You don't know-"

"Oh, please! Look at his jacket. He's got the sleeves rolled up. And the shirt! Deal with that outfit for a moment."

"It's dated?" Giles asked.

"It's carbon dated. Trust me, only someone living underground for ten years would think that was still the look."

"But you didn't...hone."

The guy and girl started walking away together.

"Oh, no." Buffy started down the steps to rescue the girl.

Giles was at a loss for what to do.

Buffy lost track of them. She tried the back. She broke a leg off a stack of chairs and began to stalk.

Cordelia came out of the restroom and surprised her. Buffy reacted, taking Cordelia by the throat and pushing her up against a wall.

Buffy then recognized her. "Cordelia!" She let her go.

"God! What is your childhood trauma?!" Cordelia demanded.

Her friends appeared in the restroom door behind her.

"Sorry." Buffy turned and left.

Cordelia briefly looked at her groupies and took out her cell phone. "Excuse me, I have to call everyone I have ever met, right now."

Giles caught up with Buffy on the main floor. "That was quick. Well done! I-I need to go to the library. This Harvest thing-"

"I didn't find them!" Buffy cried.

He grabbed Buffy by the arm and turned her to face him. "The vampire is not dead?"

"No, but my social life is on the critical list."

Giles let go of her. "So what do we do?"

"I'll take care of it!"

"I-I-I need to come with you, yes?"

"And do what?" Buffy asked him. "Don't worry. One vampire, I can handle." She turned and walked away.

Buffy exited the Bronze and searched for the girl.

Tara came outside. "Hey, you're leaving already?"

"Oh, Tara! Yeah, sorry. I'm looking for a girl. She left with a guy. I need to find her. Where would he take her?"

"Why?" Tara asked her. "Oh, hey, I hope he's not a vampire, because then you might have to slay him."

Buffy was taken aback. "Was there a - a school bulletin? Was it i-in the newspaper? Is there anyone in this town who doesn't know I'm the Slayer?"

"I was in the library. I overheard your conversation with Mr. Giles."

Buffy sighed. "It's true. Just tell me, where would they go? We don't find her, and there's gonna be one more dead body in the morning!"

"Well, he's a vampire, right?" Tara paused to allow Buffy to come to the obvious conclusion.


Buffy and Tara went to the cemetery and entered a mausoleum that they heard conversation coming from. There were four people in there: the girl and guy that Buffy saw leave together, another blonde girl, and a boy with black hair. The latter boy obviously had been bitten on the neck. Everyone else appeared to be unharmed.

"Well, this is nice. I-It's a little bare, but a dash of paint, a few throw pillows...call it home!" Buffy moved behind the coffin to draw the vampires away from the others.

"Who the hell are you?" the blonde woman asked, clearly showing her fangs.

"You mean there's actually someone in this town who doesn't know already?" Buffy asked her. "Whew, that's a relief, I'm telling you! Having a secret identity in this town is a job of work."

"Help me!" the human girl begged.

"Prepare to die!" the male vampire exclaimed.

"Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge!" Buffy told him.

The vampires closed in on her.

Buffy turned to the female vampire. "Now, we can do this the hard way or...well, actually, there's just the hard way."

"That's fine with me!"

"Are you sure? Now, this is not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content-"

The male vampire roared behind Buffy. She pulled the chair leg out from inside her shirt. He attacked from behind, but Buffy crudely jammed the makeshift stake into his chest. He fell to the floor. Buffy turned around and thrust the stake into his heart. He died, a look of shock on his face. Everyone stared at the scene in horror.

Buffy was shaken but forcefully composed herself. "See what happens when you roughhouse?"

"He was young and stupid!" the female vampire exclaimed.

"Tara, get them out of here!" Buffy ordered.

"Right!" Tara ran over to the girl and boy. "C'mon!"

"Don't go far!" the female vampire told them.

She and Buffy started to fight. She punched high, but Buffy blocked. Tara helped the girl pick up the boy. The female vampire threw a backhand punch, but Buffy blocked again and followed up with a front snap kick to her stomach. As she leaned forward from the pain, Buffy slammed her elbow into the vampire's back. Tara and the girl helped the boy out, and they started to run. The vampire hit the wall and fell to the floor, winded.

Buffy sighed. "You know, I just wanted to start over. Be like everybody else. Have some friends, y'know, maybe a dog. But, no, you had to come here; you couldn't go suck on some other town."

"Who are you?" the vampire asked her.

"Don't you know?" Buffy asked her, surprised.

Suddenly, a male vampire grabbed Buffy by the neck from behind. "I don't care!" He threw her across the room. He grabbed the female vampire and lifted her to her feet. "You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master! We're almost at Harvest, and you dally with this child!"

"We had someone, but then she came. She killed Thomas. Luke, she's strong."

"You go, Darla. I'll see if I can handle the little girl."

He approached Buffy as she started to get up, still a little dazed. Darla quickly climbed the steps, looked back once, and ran out of the door. Luke attacked Buffy with a double punch, but she blocked it and delivered a punch to his gut and a hopping front snap kick to his jaw. He stepped back but wasn't fazed.

"You're strong." He landed a solid backhand fist on her, sending her flying. "I'm stronger!"


Outside, Tara and the girl were supporting the boy as they ran through the cemetery.

"We'll get the police; it's just a few blocks up!" Tara told them.

They were stopped and surrounded by a group of vampires, including Darla.


Back in the mausoleum, Luke was getting impatient. "You're wasting my time."

Buffy backed away, up the stairs, toward the exit. "Hey, I had other plans, too, okay?"

Luke shoved the heavy lid off the coffin. Buffy did a cartwheel onto and over it to avoid it and kicked Luke in the chest with both feet, knocking him down. She pulled the stake out of Thomas' body and lunged at Luke, but he was too quick for her and grabbed her by the wrist.

"You think you can stop me? Stop us?" He grabbed the stake with his other hand and broke it. Then he grabbed her by the shirt. "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

He threw Buffy onto the rim of the now open coffin. She rolled off, onto the floor, dazed.

Luke got up and started toward her. "'And like a plague of boils, the race of man covered the Earth, but on the third day of the newest light would come the Harvest, and the blood of men will flow as wine, when the Master will walk among them once more! The Earth will belong to the Old Ones.'" Luke got in her face. "'And Hell itself will come to town.'"

He grabbed Buffy and growled. He lifted her by the throat and threw her toward the coffin. Buffy did a front layout and landed in the coffin next to a skeleton, and she let out a quick scream but then remained silent, only breathing. She couldn't see or hear Luke. She slowly started to get up.

Suddenly, Luke jumped up and into the coffin. He smiled widely. "Amen!"

Luke tried to bite Buffy but burned himself on the cross hanging around her neck and jerked back. Buffy seized the opportunity and push-kicked him out of the coffin. She climbed out of it and raced outside. She ran to catch up with Tara and the others. She heard a vampire roar and a girl screaming and ran toward the sounds.

Tara was on the ground, about to be bitten. "No! Get off!" She tried punching the vampire that was upon her.

"Hey!"

The vampire looked up, and Buffy snap-kicked him off Tara. He got up and ran away. Tara was shocked by what she saw. Buffy quickly started the hunt again.

"Hey, assholes!" Tara called in desperation.

The vampires were distracted. Buffy took advantage of the opening and jumped in, high-punched one, and side-kicked the other. She noticed a dry branch on a tree and broke it off. As one of the vampires got up, she plunged the stick into his chest. Then she quickly killed the other.

Buffy looked around. She saw the girl that she had come to rescue nearby, and she saw Tara, but that was it.

"Where's the guy that was bleeding?" Buffy asked Tara.

"I don't know! They surrounded us. I think that vampire girl grabbed him and took off."

"Which way?"

"I don't know."

Buffy looked to the girl. "Did you see where they went?"

The girl shook her head. "No, sorry."

Buffy stood up straight and slowly scanned the cemetery - to no avail.