None of the characters portrayed in this story belong to me at all (not
even a little bit, but it would be nice if they did...I'm pretty sure I
have a birthday coming up!).
***********
Buffy Summers bounced into the gloomy library, a black bag swinging wildly from her shoulder, the very picture of teen exuberance.
"Giles?" she called walking over to the checkout desk, not that she'd ever actually seen anyone check out books. She spotted the librarian standing behind the desk, leafing absently through a book.
"Hey Giles!" she repeated a bit louder, finally getting his attention. "Guess what we just slayed some major demon as-" just then she noticed the other man sitting behind Giles, hidden by the deep shadows that filled the library. Her mouth worked frantically for a moment, before blurting out, "Assignments!" She then put on an extremely casual tone of voice, "Yup, those assignments were so hard they were demonic. And we slayed them, uhh, we did good, we're all getting A's?" Her voice sounded nervous, and more than slightly desperate.
Giles regarded his young protegee with something very close to amusement, "Buffy, it's alright, he knows; this is a friend of mine, Duncan MacLeod," he gestured towards the man sitting in the corner, regarding the whole proceedings with interest.
Buffy tilted her head to one side regarding the stranger. His dark hair was pulled back from a very serious looking face. Something about him made her cautious. Just then the library door swung open again, admitting a petite redhead.
"Hey Giles!" she called out happily, making her way over to the desk. She came to stand by the desk, halting what she was about to say when she saw the stranger.
"Willow," Giles said, "this is a friend of mine, Duncan MacLeod."
"- and he's carrying a sword!" Buffy put in perkily, stopping her hawk-eyed evaluation of the young man.
"Really?" Willow raised one eyebrow, noticing the man shift uncomfortably in his seat.
The conversation paused for a moment as Oz came in through the library doors, moving immediately over to Willow, putting an arm around her waist.
"Hey, who's the new guy?" he asked, gesturing with his free hand towards Duncan.
"Duncan MacLeod," Willow supplied.
"He's carrying a sword," Buffy added.
Oz paused, giving the man a hard look, then sniffed for a moment.
"He's also not human," Oz declared, stoic as always, looking slightly pleased at the accuracy of his werewolf senses.
Giles groaned and took off his glasses, rubbing his forehead. Duncan MacLeod stood up, eyes flicking towards his old friend.
The library doors banged open a fourth time, admitting a dark haired youth, carrying a cardboard box. Xander joined the lineup next to his friends, his normally oblivious senses noticing that something was going on. It was somewhat of an odd sight, the four high-school students lined up on one side of the desk and Duncan and Giles on the other.
"Hey, what's up?" Xander asked, gesturing towards the stranger.
Before Giles could say anything Buffy spoke, "His name's Duncan MacLeod -"
"- he's carrying a sword -" Oz interrupted.
"- and he's not human," Willow finished.
Four pairs of eyes turned to look at the stranger, before Xander spoke, "Cool. Now who wants post-slayage donuts?"
*******
It took a few minutes and several introductions, but shortly, everyone was sitting around the library table. Buffy, who was sitting cross-legged on the table, was regarding Duncan with predator eyes. He was taller than she, by more than a foot, and his broad shoulders and muscled physique spoke of fighting experience.
Giles cleared his throat, "Duncan is an ... um ... old friend of mine. We met while I was still training to be a Watcher. He has had a run in with a demon recently. Knowing what kind of work I am in he contacted me, and I invited him to visit."
"Rupert assured me that coming here would provide me with ample opportunities to increase my knowledge of demons," Duncan's softly accented voice held a bit of humour, as well as something darker, something hidden.
"Oh, demons! I almost forgot!" Buffy stopped her evaluation of Duncan and turned to Giles. "It's dead!" she said, summing up their fight.
"Oh, well, good," Giles replied haltingly.
"It wasn't the demon we thought it was," Willow put in.
"Yup, Giles, our research guy didn't come through this time," Xander said, more than slightly mockingly, "instead of little blue demons we get big green demon. And I mean BIG. But we killed him."
"What do you mean we?" Buffy asked, before reaching into her bag to pull out a heavy gold chain set with a large medallion. Everyone cringed and pulled away when she placed it on the table, largely because it was covered in a rather pungent green slime. "Now this," she indicated the smelly chain with one finger, "was recovered after all the fighting was all over, everything else dissolved into that goo."
"Interesting, in a pungent sort of way," Giles said, pushing his chair a few feet backwards, "ah, Buffy, if you wouldn't mind..." Buffy, needing no further hint, put the medallion away. "Er Willow I think Knorr's Lexicon of Demon's would be the best place to start looking for whatever this was."
"I'm on it, Research Girl, that's who I am."
"And a damn good one too!" Buffy said, bolstering her best friend's self esteem.
With Oz in tow - "To provide moral support." - Willow headed off into the stacks and Xander went to catalogue the medallion. Buffy, left sitting with the two men waited expectantly, she didn't have long to wait.
Giles cleared his throat, "Um, Buffy. I know that this isn't something you usually do, but if you wouldn't mind, could you teach Duncan how to slay the undead? It's kind of beginner steps towards full fledged demons."
Buffy paused, thoughtful. Teaching someone how to slay was serious. It could give the unwary a false sense of security. Also, teaching someone her techniques, her patrol routines (as few as she tried to keep) was dangerous, and that information in the wrong hands could be deadly. Giles knew what he was asking her to do. Buffy licked her lips then asked the only question she could ask, "Do you trust him?"
Giles' simple affirmative was enough for her. Buffy hopped off the table and gestured to Duncan, "Come on then, we still have time left until dawn." She collected several stakes from the extra stash she always kept handy, and said a quick good bye to Oz and Willow, where they were immersed in piles of demonology books.
*******
Buffy and Duncan walked in silence towards the cemetery. "So," Buffy said, deciding to make an attempt at casual conversation, "Been in Sunnydale long?"
"I just got in yesterday."
Buffy noticed his eyes never stopped scanning the darkness on either side of them, whatever this man was - Giles hadn't been much for details - he was used to hunting, or being hunted.
Deciding personal conversation wasn't going to go anywhere, Buffy tried another tactic, "How much do you know about vampires?"
"Not much," a corner of Duncan's mouth quirked upwards in what might have been amusement, "and I must say that what little I do know comes from old movies."
"Hmm," Buffy paused for a moment, considering, "that information would be sketchy at best. Here's how you kill them: stake to the heart, or beheading - your fancy sword could come in handy there." She added the part about the sword just to remind him she knew he wasn't exactly Joe Average. "We're almost at the cemetery, let me take the first few then we'll see how you do." Her eyes challenged him to disagree, to say she was too small, too weak, too female. However, Duncan merely nodded, continuing to walk beside her with silent grace.
When they reached the cemetery, Buffy motioned for Duncan to fall back. And he did, staying concealed within a stand of trees, while she moved ahead into open territory. Duncan didn't have to wait long to get his first glimpse of a vampire. Buffy had barely made it to the centre of the clearing when she stopped, turned slightly, and called out, "Alright, listen. I know it's hard for you to understand, being all newly made, and all. But I can hear you coming, you're not very quiet."
The bush she had been addressing was torn to pieces, as a very dirty vampire, apparently enraged by the Slayer's condescending tone, attacked with inhuman speed and fury. But Buffy was faster. The Slayer neatly dodged the vampire's charge, adding a little extra force to it's momentum to send the creature headfirst into a tree. "You really need to work on your approach," she chided gently. The vampire charged again, apparently not having learned much from it's previous attempt, and this time ended up a pile of dust at Buffy's feet.
Buffy smiled down at the ash pile, then turned back to Duncan, grinning, "Next time you can try."
**********
Patrol went quickly. Duncan was a natural. The big sword of his turned out to be a handy vampire slaying weapon, much as Buffy had predicted. Although it sort of creeped her out how naturally he beheaded the vampires. She wondered if she really wanted to know what he normally did with the sword. Once they were finished reducing Sunnydale's vampire population Buffy left Duncan at the library so he could meet up with Giles again, then headed home.
Buffy slipped into her own house, up the stairs and past the bedroom where her mother still lay awake (pretending not to be up listening for her demon- slaying daughter), and moved quietly into her bedroom. While entirely exhausted Buffy knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. After spending endless nights lying in bed staring blankly at the ceiling, while images of the lover she couldn't save replayed themselves endlessly in her head, she had learned that sleep wasn't an option. So, the Slayer went to her window, and sat, staring blankly until the sun began to colour the sky. And still the images ran through her head.
There were disadvantages to being the Slayer.
**********
Duncan lay in bed staring blankly at the ceiling of Rupert's living room. Vampires were real. He'd known that in theory. But it was quite another matter to see one, to fight one, or to kill one. The knowledge that demons were very real had been thrust on him quite suddenly. And so he'd believed in them. He'd had to after all that had happened. But seeing them, that was so very different.
But that wasn't really what was keeping him awake, that was something he couldn't deny. There were memories, memories that just wouldn't go away. Neither alcohol, exhaustion or sleep would stop the memories of the friend he had lost from haunting him. He was too old, there were too many memories, too many lost friends. Too many people dead because of his actions. Sometimes Duncan wondered if eternal life was worth it, if you had to live with eternal pain.
There were disadvantages to being Immortal.
***********
***********
Buffy Summers bounced into the gloomy library, a black bag swinging wildly from her shoulder, the very picture of teen exuberance.
"Giles?" she called walking over to the checkout desk, not that she'd ever actually seen anyone check out books. She spotted the librarian standing behind the desk, leafing absently through a book.
"Hey Giles!" she repeated a bit louder, finally getting his attention. "Guess what we just slayed some major demon as-" just then she noticed the other man sitting behind Giles, hidden by the deep shadows that filled the library. Her mouth worked frantically for a moment, before blurting out, "Assignments!" She then put on an extremely casual tone of voice, "Yup, those assignments were so hard they were demonic. And we slayed them, uhh, we did good, we're all getting A's?" Her voice sounded nervous, and more than slightly desperate.
Giles regarded his young protegee with something very close to amusement, "Buffy, it's alright, he knows; this is a friend of mine, Duncan MacLeod," he gestured towards the man sitting in the corner, regarding the whole proceedings with interest.
Buffy tilted her head to one side regarding the stranger. His dark hair was pulled back from a very serious looking face. Something about him made her cautious. Just then the library door swung open again, admitting a petite redhead.
"Hey Giles!" she called out happily, making her way over to the desk. She came to stand by the desk, halting what she was about to say when she saw the stranger.
"Willow," Giles said, "this is a friend of mine, Duncan MacLeod."
"- and he's carrying a sword!" Buffy put in perkily, stopping her hawk-eyed evaluation of the young man.
"Really?" Willow raised one eyebrow, noticing the man shift uncomfortably in his seat.
The conversation paused for a moment as Oz came in through the library doors, moving immediately over to Willow, putting an arm around her waist.
"Hey, who's the new guy?" he asked, gesturing with his free hand towards Duncan.
"Duncan MacLeod," Willow supplied.
"He's carrying a sword," Buffy added.
Oz paused, giving the man a hard look, then sniffed for a moment.
"He's also not human," Oz declared, stoic as always, looking slightly pleased at the accuracy of his werewolf senses.
Giles groaned and took off his glasses, rubbing his forehead. Duncan MacLeod stood up, eyes flicking towards his old friend.
The library doors banged open a fourth time, admitting a dark haired youth, carrying a cardboard box. Xander joined the lineup next to his friends, his normally oblivious senses noticing that something was going on. It was somewhat of an odd sight, the four high-school students lined up on one side of the desk and Duncan and Giles on the other.
"Hey, what's up?" Xander asked, gesturing towards the stranger.
Before Giles could say anything Buffy spoke, "His name's Duncan MacLeod -"
"- he's carrying a sword -" Oz interrupted.
"- and he's not human," Willow finished.
Four pairs of eyes turned to look at the stranger, before Xander spoke, "Cool. Now who wants post-slayage donuts?"
*******
It took a few minutes and several introductions, but shortly, everyone was sitting around the library table. Buffy, who was sitting cross-legged on the table, was regarding Duncan with predator eyes. He was taller than she, by more than a foot, and his broad shoulders and muscled physique spoke of fighting experience.
Giles cleared his throat, "Duncan is an ... um ... old friend of mine. We met while I was still training to be a Watcher. He has had a run in with a demon recently. Knowing what kind of work I am in he contacted me, and I invited him to visit."
"Rupert assured me that coming here would provide me with ample opportunities to increase my knowledge of demons," Duncan's softly accented voice held a bit of humour, as well as something darker, something hidden.
"Oh, demons! I almost forgot!" Buffy stopped her evaluation of Duncan and turned to Giles. "It's dead!" she said, summing up their fight.
"Oh, well, good," Giles replied haltingly.
"It wasn't the demon we thought it was," Willow put in.
"Yup, Giles, our research guy didn't come through this time," Xander said, more than slightly mockingly, "instead of little blue demons we get big green demon. And I mean BIG. But we killed him."
"What do you mean we?" Buffy asked, before reaching into her bag to pull out a heavy gold chain set with a large medallion. Everyone cringed and pulled away when she placed it on the table, largely because it was covered in a rather pungent green slime. "Now this," she indicated the smelly chain with one finger, "was recovered after all the fighting was all over, everything else dissolved into that goo."
"Interesting, in a pungent sort of way," Giles said, pushing his chair a few feet backwards, "ah, Buffy, if you wouldn't mind..." Buffy, needing no further hint, put the medallion away. "Er Willow I think Knorr's Lexicon of Demon's would be the best place to start looking for whatever this was."
"I'm on it, Research Girl, that's who I am."
"And a damn good one too!" Buffy said, bolstering her best friend's self esteem.
With Oz in tow - "To provide moral support." - Willow headed off into the stacks and Xander went to catalogue the medallion. Buffy, left sitting with the two men waited expectantly, she didn't have long to wait.
Giles cleared his throat, "Um, Buffy. I know that this isn't something you usually do, but if you wouldn't mind, could you teach Duncan how to slay the undead? It's kind of beginner steps towards full fledged demons."
Buffy paused, thoughtful. Teaching someone how to slay was serious. It could give the unwary a false sense of security. Also, teaching someone her techniques, her patrol routines (as few as she tried to keep) was dangerous, and that information in the wrong hands could be deadly. Giles knew what he was asking her to do. Buffy licked her lips then asked the only question she could ask, "Do you trust him?"
Giles' simple affirmative was enough for her. Buffy hopped off the table and gestured to Duncan, "Come on then, we still have time left until dawn." She collected several stakes from the extra stash she always kept handy, and said a quick good bye to Oz and Willow, where they were immersed in piles of demonology books.
*******
Buffy and Duncan walked in silence towards the cemetery. "So," Buffy said, deciding to make an attempt at casual conversation, "Been in Sunnydale long?"
"I just got in yesterday."
Buffy noticed his eyes never stopped scanning the darkness on either side of them, whatever this man was - Giles hadn't been much for details - he was used to hunting, or being hunted.
Deciding personal conversation wasn't going to go anywhere, Buffy tried another tactic, "How much do you know about vampires?"
"Not much," a corner of Duncan's mouth quirked upwards in what might have been amusement, "and I must say that what little I do know comes from old movies."
"Hmm," Buffy paused for a moment, considering, "that information would be sketchy at best. Here's how you kill them: stake to the heart, or beheading - your fancy sword could come in handy there." She added the part about the sword just to remind him she knew he wasn't exactly Joe Average. "We're almost at the cemetery, let me take the first few then we'll see how you do." Her eyes challenged him to disagree, to say she was too small, too weak, too female. However, Duncan merely nodded, continuing to walk beside her with silent grace.
When they reached the cemetery, Buffy motioned for Duncan to fall back. And he did, staying concealed within a stand of trees, while she moved ahead into open territory. Duncan didn't have to wait long to get his first glimpse of a vampire. Buffy had barely made it to the centre of the clearing when she stopped, turned slightly, and called out, "Alright, listen. I know it's hard for you to understand, being all newly made, and all. But I can hear you coming, you're not very quiet."
The bush she had been addressing was torn to pieces, as a very dirty vampire, apparently enraged by the Slayer's condescending tone, attacked with inhuman speed and fury. But Buffy was faster. The Slayer neatly dodged the vampire's charge, adding a little extra force to it's momentum to send the creature headfirst into a tree. "You really need to work on your approach," she chided gently. The vampire charged again, apparently not having learned much from it's previous attempt, and this time ended up a pile of dust at Buffy's feet.
Buffy smiled down at the ash pile, then turned back to Duncan, grinning, "Next time you can try."
**********
Patrol went quickly. Duncan was a natural. The big sword of his turned out to be a handy vampire slaying weapon, much as Buffy had predicted. Although it sort of creeped her out how naturally he beheaded the vampires. She wondered if she really wanted to know what he normally did with the sword. Once they were finished reducing Sunnydale's vampire population Buffy left Duncan at the library so he could meet up with Giles again, then headed home.
Buffy slipped into her own house, up the stairs and past the bedroom where her mother still lay awake (pretending not to be up listening for her demon- slaying daughter), and moved quietly into her bedroom. While entirely exhausted Buffy knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. After spending endless nights lying in bed staring blankly at the ceiling, while images of the lover she couldn't save replayed themselves endlessly in her head, she had learned that sleep wasn't an option. So, the Slayer went to her window, and sat, staring blankly until the sun began to colour the sky. And still the images ran through her head.
There were disadvantages to being the Slayer.
**********
Duncan lay in bed staring blankly at the ceiling of Rupert's living room. Vampires were real. He'd known that in theory. But it was quite another matter to see one, to fight one, or to kill one. The knowledge that demons were very real had been thrust on him quite suddenly. And so he'd believed in them. He'd had to after all that had happened. But seeing them, that was so very different.
But that wasn't really what was keeping him awake, that was something he couldn't deny. There were memories, memories that just wouldn't go away. Neither alcohol, exhaustion or sleep would stop the memories of the friend he had lost from haunting him. He was too old, there were too many memories, too many lost friends. Too many people dead because of his actions. Sometimes Duncan wondered if eternal life was worth it, if you had to live with eternal pain.
There were disadvantages to being Immortal.
***********