Buffy and Richie headed for Bayview Cemetery on foot. Richie had his sword and Buffy had her wooden stakes. This had been a win win situation for Richie. No immortal could challenge another in a cemetery, and Richie was getting free training from killing the vamps with Buffy.
"Sooo, what do you think of Adam?" He asked Buffy. She gave him a look, then turned her attention ahead, already on full alert.
"He seems nice." She answered in non committal tone, and Richie flashed her a smile.
"And?"
"He's totally hot." She mumbled.
"I didn't hear you, can you repeat that??" He held up his hand to his ear and grinned.
Buffy stopped and put her hands on her hips, "Richie Ryan. SHUT UP!" She said loudly and stalked off. Richie was grinning from ear to ear as he jogged to catch up. "Me thinks the Lady doeth protest too much."
"Yeah? Me thinks that the Lady is going to put her boot up your ass if you don't SHUT UP!" Buffy stated emphatically.
Duncan smothered a laugh at this exchange and Methos smiled, "Are they always like this?" he asked and Duncan nodded.
Richie and Buffy had barely entered the cemetery gates when several vamps jumped them. Methos saw this, and was about to jump forward to save Buffy when Duncan grabbed his arm. "Watch." He said quietly and Methos reluctantly settled back, still tense.
Buffy had a stake in each hand and proceeded to dust two vamps right away. Richie cut off the heads of several more before being kicked in the chest and knocked on his butt. The vamp was leaning over Richie when dust exploded all over Richie and he saw Buffy's smiling face standing over him. "Here." She held out her hand and gave him a pull back to his feet. Richie brushed his clothes off one handed when he suddenly realized that there no more vamps around.
"That went well I think." Richie said as they started to patrol some more. "Yeah, a lot less whining. You'd think they were expecting to live forever or something." He added and Buffy laughed at him. "What are they thinking?" she asked sarcastically.
Methos, mouth open in shock turned to his friend, "She's the Slayer!"
"I'll bet you dinna believe before now." Duncan said smugly. Methos shook his head, "Naturally I had heard rumors over the years. Though since I really don't visit graveyards at night I didn't listen." He replied absently.
"Buffy was the only Slayer in the world until a few months ago. Magic was used to activate all of the Slayers world wide." Duncan touched Methos' arm and headed him in the direction of his home.
"Buffy, Richie and I are acting like watchers, not our kind but Slayer watchers and are training 3 of the girls here. It's actually been fun" Duncan said, smiling slightly. Methos shook his head, "Unbelievable. I haven't been this surprised in many years." Methos said thoughtfully.
Buffy walked wearily into her apartment and had just closed the door when there was a knock. Instincts alert she grabbed a stake and quickly opened the door to a lounging Angel.
"Hello Buffy." He smiled.
"Angel." She said softly, her eyes ranging over his familiar face.
"Can I come in?" he asked, humor in his voice.
Buffy winced, "Damn. Angel, please come in." she said formally and watched as he sauntered into her apartment, his eyes assessing. "Nice!" he said.
"Why are you here Angel?" Buffy demanded a little defensively.
Angel stood quietly in the center of the room and watched as Buffy stowed her slaying gear away and put it in the hall closet. "House warming gift."
"Oooh, gift! Let me see!" Angel laughed as Buffy pounced on the box he held and began ripping off the paper. Inside was a stuffed pig that looked a lot like Mr. Gordo. Buffy's eyes filled with tears and she smiled at Angel. "You always know." She said.
He watched as she went into her bedroom to place the stuffed pig on her bed, satisfied with her reaction. He remembered vividly the first time he had held her pig, the night Druscilla came to Sunnydale. Not exactly the best memory, but he knew how much the pig meant to Buffy.
She walked back out and he felt a frission of unease. "Angel, have you ever heard of the Immortals?" She asked. Angel nodded, "Our paths don't cross very often, as they are daywalkers mostly." He replied.
"How come I've never heard of them?" Buffy pouted, flopping down into her chair. Angel laughed at her, "You never asked." He said.
A light suddenly dawned and he looked at her, "Well this puts a few puzzle pieces together for me. This man you're working with at the dojo, he's an immortal?" he asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, but this is a secret." She said emphatically and he nodded. "Naturally. Now what else is going on?" He asked quietly, noticing that she wouldn't meet his eyes.
"I've met someone." She said softly. This seemed so inadequate of a way to describe meeting Adam.
"When?"
"On Monday."
"Wow."
"Yeah." Buffy's face was pensive as she thought about Adam.
"What are you going to do?" Angel asked, feeling a little hurt.
"I want to see where it leads. It might not even go anywhere!" Buffy threw her hands up in frustration and some of Angel's anxiety eased.
"Won't you come home? I need you, we all need you." He asked plaintively and she closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"I'm not ready."
"Still baking?" Buffy nodded and he watched her, feeling like she was slipping through his fingers.
Angel left and Buffy fell in a restless sleep, dreaming about men who broke her heart.
