Disclaimer: I don't own the characters we all know and love (unfortunately,
cuz I could use the cash), Joss does, God bless him.
A/N - This story takes place a few weeks after Buffy gets brought back to
life by the remaining Scoobies. Spike never had a thing for Buffy. The
Nerd Herd hasn't formed. Please r/r. I need to boost my confidence, so
please be gentle.
***** Chapter 1: Home Sweet Hellmouth *****
Andrea sped down the California highway, her long, blonde hair whipping wildly around her head. She glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure the U-haul was still attached to her shiny, black convertible. She sighed as she made the turnoff to Sunnydale, her new home. Turning down the volume on her car stereo, she effectively softened the angry ranting of Alanis Morisset. Loud music just didn't seem to fit the atmosphere. She slowed when she reached the street on which her new house was located.
Trees lined the picturesque street. Andrea removed her stylish sunglasses in order to fully absorb the prettiness of Sunnydale, California.
A soft meow came from the seat next to her and she glanced over at the plexiglass cage that contained her best friend in the world, Jill the cat. The pretty calico didn't look happy. "It's okay, gorgeous girl. Here now," she soothed.
She pulled into the driveway of 1704 Revello Drive. Shutting off the ignition, she exited. Andrea picked Jill's cage up off the passenger seat and trudged tiredly up the steps to her new house. She unlocked the wooden front door of the two-floor red brick residence, slowly placing Jill's cage just inside the door to let her out.
Spotting her spot on the couch that had been previously brought into the house, Jill flew toward the dark green sofa to curl up and take a nap. Again.
Andrea rolled her eyes and went back outside to the U-haul so she could empty her belongings into her home.
At 21, Andrea Smith had done pretty well in life, if she did say so herself. Of course, her life was by no means typical. But she preferred not to focus on her abnormalities.
She's had all her larger belongings, like her bed, television, couch, basically all her furniture transported from Canada earlier in the week. Of course, she had overseen the placement, so everything was where it should be. All she had to do now was unpack her clothes, books, etc.
And then, she had to patrol. * * * Bored out of her mind, Andrea hummed softly as she strolled through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. Lots of dead people king of came with the territory when you lived on the Hellmouth.
"Hey, check it out, Mike. Fresh meat." She whirled at the sudden sound of voices behind her and tapped her fingers on her arm in an irritated way, making certain the vamps couldn't see her stake.
"And the meat is foxxy." Mike gave a raspy chuckle as he licked his fangs. Andrea rolled her eyes.
"Dream on. You two couldn't get any if your lives depended on it." They rushed her and she clothes-lined one, side-kicking the other in the stomach. She pushed her knee into Mike's face none too gently and staked his friend as he doubled over on the ground in pain. "This is starting to get way too easy," Andrea mumbled to herself as she bent and dusted Mike the vamp. "Damn Americans."
"Pretty fancy moves, there, kitten," came an amused voice, tinted with a British accent, from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at the man who, evidently, had been watching from behind the wall of the crypt to her left, before turning to face him completely. The man walked toward her, blue eyes glinting with humour. She raised her stake again and he backed off, raising his hands in a defensive gesture as the audacious smirk fell away from his face. His features were sharp, handsome, but not classically so. "Whoa, pet."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you." Andrea's hazel gaze flickered over his face, vivid blue eyes and spiky, bleached-blond hair, black leather duster, combat boots and black apparel. The jeans hugged his narrow hips, tee-shirt showing off rippled abs. He didn't look like he wanted to hurt her, but you could never be too careful.
"Easy, love. I just came over for a chat." He nodded at her stake. "I'd appreciate it if you tried to keep Mr. Sharp and Pointy over there away from me." She lowered the stake and pushed a few strands of her long, golden hair over her shoulder, but never took her eyes off him. She was still suspicious of him.
"You're a vampire." He nodded.
"But I don't bite." He continued, pointing to his head. "Captain Cardboard and his lot tagged me with a little toy surprise. Long story, really." Realization swept over her pretty face.
"Oh, right. You must be Spike. I've read about you." Spike frowned.
"Did you now? News to me." He shrugged. "So you new in town? Don't recall seeing 'round these parts before."
"Yeah, I just moved here. I'm the slayer."
"Lovely," Spike noted sarcastically, shoving his hands into his jean pockets, which only succeeded in causing Andrea to notice how muscled his thighs were. Then, more to himself then to her, he murmured, "Two of them again. We all know how well that worked out the first two times." His gaze flickered toward her, hoping to spot a reaction, but she hadn't heard him. She looked at him strangely for a moment, then, shrugging, turned to leave.
"See you around."
"Wait," he called. She stopped walking and glanced back at him.
"Yeah?"
"You never told me your name." She smiled slightly.
"Andrea. My name is Andrea." Then she disapproved around a corner.
* * * "So you're telling us that there's another slayer in town," concluded Dawn.
"Yeah, little bit, that's what I'm saying," Spike answered patiently.
"Why wasn't I informed?" Giles wondered aloud.
"Please come spend more money here soon." This came from behind the counter. The bell on the door to the Magic Box sounded as another satisfied customer left the shop. Spike sighed at Anya's bluntness.
"Well, it makes sense," agreed Willow. She leaned forward and folded her arms on the table. "Buffy did die. Again."
"At this rate, by the time she actually stays dead, we'll have populated the world with slayers," observed Xander.
"What did I miss?" asked Buffy, strolling out of her training room to join the Scoobies at the table.
"New slayer in town." Dawn took the liberty of informing her sister of the new development. Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"Again? Well, that does it. I really have to stop dying."
"It would save us a lot of trouble," commented Willow darkly, brushing her red hair behind her shoulder. Giles, turning to Spike, folded his arms over his chest.
"Did she say what her name was?" he inquired. Spike nodded.
"Just her first name. Said it was Andrea."
"What did she look like?" asked Dawn absentmindedly. Spike cocked his head, conjuring up the image of the woman he'd observed in the cemetery.
"Pretty. Blonde hair. Too dark to see her eyes."
"Go out and find her tonight. Bring her back to my house," said Buffy.
"Don't say please or anything," mumbled Spike sarcastically.
***** Chapter 1: Home Sweet Hellmouth *****
Andrea sped down the California highway, her long, blonde hair whipping wildly around her head. She glanced in the rearview mirror to make sure the U-haul was still attached to her shiny, black convertible. She sighed as she made the turnoff to Sunnydale, her new home. Turning down the volume on her car stereo, she effectively softened the angry ranting of Alanis Morisset. Loud music just didn't seem to fit the atmosphere. She slowed when she reached the street on which her new house was located.
Trees lined the picturesque street. Andrea removed her stylish sunglasses in order to fully absorb the prettiness of Sunnydale, California.
A soft meow came from the seat next to her and she glanced over at the plexiglass cage that contained her best friend in the world, Jill the cat. The pretty calico didn't look happy. "It's okay, gorgeous girl. Here now," she soothed.
She pulled into the driveway of 1704 Revello Drive. Shutting off the ignition, she exited. Andrea picked Jill's cage up off the passenger seat and trudged tiredly up the steps to her new house. She unlocked the wooden front door of the two-floor red brick residence, slowly placing Jill's cage just inside the door to let her out.
Spotting her spot on the couch that had been previously brought into the house, Jill flew toward the dark green sofa to curl up and take a nap. Again.
Andrea rolled her eyes and went back outside to the U-haul so she could empty her belongings into her home.
At 21, Andrea Smith had done pretty well in life, if she did say so herself. Of course, her life was by no means typical. But she preferred not to focus on her abnormalities.
She's had all her larger belongings, like her bed, television, couch, basically all her furniture transported from Canada earlier in the week. Of course, she had overseen the placement, so everything was where it should be. All she had to do now was unpack her clothes, books, etc.
And then, she had to patrol. * * * Bored out of her mind, Andrea hummed softly as she strolled through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries. Lots of dead people king of came with the territory when you lived on the Hellmouth.
"Hey, check it out, Mike. Fresh meat." She whirled at the sudden sound of voices behind her and tapped her fingers on her arm in an irritated way, making certain the vamps couldn't see her stake.
"And the meat is foxxy." Mike gave a raspy chuckle as he licked his fangs. Andrea rolled her eyes.
"Dream on. You two couldn't get any if your lives depended on it." They rushed her and she clothes-lined one, side-kicking the other in the stomach. She pushed her knee into Mike's face none too gently and staked his friend as he doubled over on the ground in pain. "This is starting to get way too easy," Andrea mumbled to herself as she bent and dusted Mike the vamp. "Damn Americans."
"Pretty fancy moves, there, kitten," came an amused voice, tinted with a British accent, from behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at the man who, evidently, had been watching from behind the wall of the crypt to her left, before turning to face him completely. The man walked toward her, blue eyes glinting with humour. She raised her stake again and he backed off, raising his hands in a defensive gesture as the audacious smirk fell away from his face. His features were sharp, handsome, but not classically so. "Whoa, pet."
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you." Andrea's hazel gaze flickered over his face, vivid blue eyes and spiky, bleached-blond hair, black leather duster, combat boots and black apparel. The jeans hugged his narrow hips, tee-shirt showing off rippled abs. He didn't look like he wanted to hurt her, but you could never be too careful.
"Easy, love. I just came over for a chat." He nodded at her stake. "I'd appreciate it if you tried to keep Mr. Sharp and Pointy over there away from me." She lowered the stake and pushed a few strands of her long, golden hair over her shoulder, but never took her eyes off him. She was still suspicious of him.
"You're a vampire." He nodded.
"But I don't bite." He continued, pointing to his head. "Captain Cardboard and his lot tagged me with a little toy surprise. Long story, really." Realization swept over her pretty face.
"Oh, right. You must be Spike. I've read about you." Spike frowned.
"Did you now? News to me." He shrugged. "So you new in town? Don't recall seeing 'round these parts before."
"Yeah, I just moved here. I'm the slayer."
"Lovely," Spike noted sarcastically, shoving his hands into his jean pockets, which only succeeded in causing Andrea to notice how muscled his thighs were. Then, more to himself then to her, he murmured, "Two of them again. We all know how well that worked out the first two times." His gaze flickered toward her, hoping to spot a reaction, but she hadn't heard him. She looked at him strangely for a moment, then, shrugging, turned to leave.
"See you around."
"Wait," he called. She stopped walking and glanced back at him.
"Yeah?"
"You never told me your name." She smiled slightly.
"Andrea. My name is Andrea." Then she disapproved around a corner.
* * * "So you're telling us that there's another slayer in town," concluded Dawn.
"Yeah, little bit, that's what I'm saying," Spike answered patiently.
"Why wasn't I informed?" Giles wondered aloud.
"Please come spend more money here soon." This came from behind the counter. The bell on the door to the Magic Box sounded as another satisfied customer left the shop. Spike sighed at Anya's bluntness.
"Well, it makes sense," agreed Willow. She leaned forward and folded her arms on the table. "Buffy did die. Again."
"At this rate, by the time she actually stays dead, we'll have populated the world with slayers," observed Xander.
"What did I miss?" asked Buffy, strolling out of her training room to join the Scoobies at the table.
"New slayer in town." Dawn took the liberty of informing her sister of the new development. Buffy raised an eyebrow.
"Again? Well, that does it. I really have to stop dying."
"It would save us a lot of trouble," commented Willow darkly, brushing her red hair behind her shoulder. Giles, turning to Spike, folded his arms over his chest.
"Did she say what her name was?" he inquired. Spike nodded.
"Just her first name. Said it was Andrea."
"What did she look like?" asked Dawn absentmindedly. Spike cocked his head, conjuring up the image of the woman he'd observed in the cemetery.
"Pretty. Blonde hair. Too dark to see her eyes."
"Go out and find her tonight. Bring her back to my house," said Buffy.
"Don't say please or anything," mumbled Spike sarcastically.