Buffy left the house and breathed in deeply. The evening air scented with
freshly cut grass and flowers laced her lungs. She loved the evening,
seemingly serene and peaceful, until, that is, when the vampires attacked,
which they invariably did. Still, there was nothing quite like the
adrenaline rush of taking on a couple of vampires, and saving another
couple of people at the same time.
The door opened behind her, Just as she spun to tell Spike again to stay, she was greeted by Pike.
"Ok If I tag along?" He asked.
Buffy shrugged. There was no harm in it, as long as Spike stayed behind to watch over the others. Besides, it would be a nice stroll down memory lane dusting a few vampires side by side. Though this wouldn't be the usual patrol, this time they were looking for someone in particular, someone important. Someone called Xander.
As the two figures moved away from the light of the house, Buffy slid her arm through Pikes. It was more of a comforting gesture than a romantic notion, but it felt good all the same.
"So where do you go to find a person you don't remember then?" Pike asked Buffy.
"I have no idea. I'm going to go to the Bronze, that's where most people hang out in Sunnydale. It's THE place to be, probably because, it's the only place in Sunnydale." Buffy replied.
"So we're going to the Bronze, while the guys bury their heads in books looking for this demon. Sweet deal."
Buffy sighed, she wasn't really in the mood for dancing or cavorting. All she wanted to do is curl up in her bed and fall asleep. She'd been so tired recently.
The pair strolled through the Bronze, Buffy decided to go the long way round, through a couple of the Sunnydale cemeteries, might as well fit in a spot of patrolling on the way.
As they wove their way along the path in the first cemetery, Pike was the first to realise they weren't alone as he was thrown into a grave stone and knocked unconscious.
"Don't want any heroics." The assailant muttered as he closed in on Buffy. Buffy stood her ground and sized up the vampire. A sharp pain exploded down her spine and she realised she's been hit from behind. The pain knocked her to her knees and she grimaced.
"That's not playing fair." The object which struck her the first time whirled down towards her head, but this time she was ready for it. She grabbed the end of the object, realising it was some sort of metal pole, with all her weight she pulled the vampire behind her over her shoulder. "Since when do you guys use weapons?" She asked. Her attention returned to the vampire in front of her, the floored vampire wasn't going anywhere for a while.
She stood up and faced him. He struck her first. Buffy tasted the fresh blood in her mouth from the split lip she had now received. She slowly and carefully wiped the blood from her lip and glared at the vampire.
She was pleased he struck first, despite the bleeding that had resulted. Fighting was a lot like dancing, synchronised, balanced, and sometimes surprisingly graceful. She always felt more comfortable when the vampire took the lead. They dancers circled each other, the other vampire laying between them while they took in each step, each movement of the other, waiting for the fight to truly start. This was usually the time Buffy's smart talking came into play, but the vampire was silent, not responding to the puns. This silence unnerved Buffy, so she made herself more aware of the vampires movements.
He lunged, as quick as lightning, to plant another blow on Buffys other cheek, she side stepped and grabbed his arm, twisting him round so that she was behind him. He growled in pain but somehow managed to slip her grip. This was new to Buffy, she usually had a vice like grip, which vampires seldom escaped from without a stake buried in his heart.
Buffy quickly cartwheeled, landing a double kick to the vampire, flooring him, she landed on top of him, pinning him down. The vampire grabbed her arms and threw her off him, she flew over a couple of gravestones and realised she had been thrown into the children's graveyard. The child sized, white marble gravestones lined up in neat little rows. As Buffy stood up, the vampire landed another couple of blows on her face. She felt herself become light headed and drowsy. She blocked another punch and ducked a high kick. The dancing game had become less fun as she realised she was on the defensive. Dodging his kicks and punches.
"Who are you?" She asked the vampire.
He ignored her question and continued on the offensive. Buffy managed to block the vampires attack, and finally grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. She quickly produced her stake and raised it to puncture the vampires heart. The vampires arm came up and grabbed her arm. With his leg, he kicked her off him, and once more she found herself flying over another row of minature gravestones. She landed with a thud. The vampire leapt over the stones on top of Buffy and came down to bite her. As she closed her eyes and struggled against the weight of the vampire, she felt his mouth tighten on her neck, and then. nothing. There was no weight on top of her, instead she seemed to be showered in dust. She opened her eyes and Pike was in front of her, holding one of his hand made stakes. He held out his hand to help her up.
Buffy gratefully took his hand and hoisted herself to her feet, brushing down her clothes.
"I'm going to have vampire in my hair for months!" Buffy moaned, she quickly examined herself for other cuts and bruises. Suddenly she remembered the other vampire.
She grabbed her Stake and looked around the graveyard.
"If you're looking for the other one, he's toast. I came round, saw him lying there, and staked him." Pike commented.
"Well look at you, all stake happy!" Buffy commented, slightly annoyed that Pike had dusted both vampires, when Buffy had struggled so much with just one.
She looked round the graveyard, She'd never fought in the childrens graveyard before. It was wrong somehow. She looked up at the gravestone in front of her and a shiver ran up her aching spine.
Here lies Alexander Harris Our beloved son
So much happiness in such A short period of time
1981-1982
The child was only a year old. Poor thing. How could any parent cope loosing such a young child. Buffy wondered. She looked at the gravestone for a couple of minutes, staring at the name and date. 'He would have been in our year.' She thought.
"Alexander?" Pike muttered. "Isn't Xander short for Alexander?"
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. Her brow furrowed. It was more than just a chill, it was recognition. 'But how could I possibly have known the child. He died before I ever moved here.' Buffy thought to herself. Still, the inscription on the stone carved itself into her mind. A wave of guilt, remorse and Anger washed over her, the strength of the emotion caught her offguard and she fell to her knees. "Xander." She whispered. A tear worked it's way down her cheek.
Pike put his hand on Buffys shoulder and squeezed.
"Whats wrong Buff?" He asked softly, concern painted on his face.
"It's Xander. He's lost to us. I don't know how I know, but this child is our Xander."
"But Buffy, that just isn't possible. This kids been buried nearly 20 years. He cant be the same Xander. You would never have met him for a start." Pike said, thoroughly confused. He couldn't deny the emotional effect that the sight of the gravestone was having on Buffy, but he couldn't argue his common sense, which was screaming at him that there was no way possible this could be the same Xander.
"We'd better get back to Giles" Buffy realised, regaining a grip on her sanity, "There must be some explanation why I'd remember someone who had died before I'd moved here."
Buffy stood up, not wanting to move away from the childs gravestone. A wave of nausea rose inside her. She pushed it down, away from her. She needed to gather herself together so they could figure out what had happened, so they could change everything back and make it right again.
************************************************************
The door opened behind her, Just as she spun to tell Spike again to stay, she was greeted by Pike.
"Ok If I tag along?" He asked.
Buffy shrugged. There was no harm in it, as long as Spike stayed behind to watch over the others. Besides, it would be a nice stroll down memory lane dusting a few vampires side by side. Though this wouldn't be the usual patrol, this time they were looking for someone in particular, someone important. Someone called Xander.
As the two figures moved away from the light of the house, Buffy slid her arm through Pikes. It was more of a comforting gesture than a romantic notion, but it felt good all the same.
"So where do you go to find a person you don't remember then?" Pike asked Buffy.
"I have no idea. I'm going to go to the Bronze, that's where most people hang out in Sunnydale. It's THE place to be, probably because, it's the only place in Sunnydale." Buffy replied.
"So we're going to the Bronze, while the guys bury their heads in books looking for this demon. Sweet deal."
Buffy sighed, she wasn't really in the mood for dancing or cavorting. All she wanted to do is curl up in her bed and fall asleep. She'd been so tired recently.
The pair strolled through the Bronze, Buffy decided to go the long way round, through a couple of the Sunnydale cemeteries, might as well fit in a spot of patrolling on the way.
As they wove their way along the path in the first cemetery, Pike was the first to realise they weren't alone as he was thrown into a grave stone and knocked unconscious.
"Don't want any heroics." The assailant muttered as he closed in on Buffy. Buffy stood her ground and sized up the vampire. A sharp pain exploded down her spine and she realised she's been hit from behind. The pain knocked her to her knees and she grimaced.
"That's not playing fair." The object which struck her the first time whirled down towards her head, but this time she was ready for it. She grabbed the end of the object, realising it was some sort of metal pole, with all her weight she pulled the vampire behind her over her shoulder. "Since when do you guys use weapons?" She asked. Her attention returned to the vampire in front of her, the floored vampire wasn't going anywhere for a while.
She stood up and faced him. He struck her first. Buffy tasted the fresh blood in her mouth from the split lip she had now received. She slowly and carefully wiped the blood from her lip and glared at the vampire.
She was pleased he struck first, despite the bleeding that had resulted. Fighting was a lot like dancing, synchronised, balanced, and sometimes surprisingly graceful. She always felt more comfortable when the vampire took the lead. They dancers circled each other, the other vampire laying between them while they took in each step, each movement of the other, waiting for the fight to truly start. This was usually the time Buffy's smart talking came into play, but the vampire was silent, not responding to the puns. This silence unnerved Buffy, so she made herself more aware of the vampires movements.
He lunged, as quick as lightning, to plant another blow on Buffys other cheek, she side stepped and grabbed his arm, twisting him round so that she was behind him. He growled in pain but somehow managed to slip her grip. This was new to Buffy, she usually had a vice like grip, which vampires seldom escaped from without a stake buried in his heart.
Buffy quickly cartwheeled, landing a double kick to the vampire, flooring him, she landed on top of him, pinning him down. The vampire grabbed her arms and threw her off him, she flew over a couple of gravestones and realised she had been thrown into the children's graveyard. The child sized, white marble gravestones lined up in neat little rows. As Buffy stood up, the vampire landed another couple of blows on her face. She felt herself become light headed and drowsy. She blocked another punch and ducked a high kick. The dancing game had become less fun as she realised she was on the defensive. Dodging his kicks and punches.
"Who are you?" She asked the vampire.
He ignored her question and continued on the offensive. Buffy managed to block the vampires attack, and finally grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground. She quickly produced her stake and raised it to puncture the vampires heart. The vampires arm came up and grabbed her arm. With his leg, he kicked her off him, and once more she found herself flying over another row of minature gravestones. She landed with a thud. The vampire leapt over the stones on top of Buffy and came down to bite her. As she closed her eyes and struggled against the weight of the vampire, she felt his mouth tighten on her neck, and then. nothing. There was no weight on top of her, instead she seemed to be showered in dust. She opened her eyes and Pike was in front of her, holding one of his hand made stakes. He held out his hand to help her up.
Buffy gratefully took his hand and hoisted herself to her feet, brushing down her clothes.
"I'm going to have vampire in my hair for months!" Buffy moaned, she quickly examined herself for other cuts and bruises. Suddenly she remembered the other vampire.
She grabbed her Stake and looked around the graveyard.
"If you're looking for the other one, he's toast. I came round, saw him lying there, and staked him." Pike commented.
"Well look at you, all stake happy!" Buffy commented, slightly annoyed that Pike had dusted both vampires, when Buffy had struggled so much with just one.
She looked round the graveyard, She'd never fought in the childrens graveyard before. It was wrong somehow. She looked up at the gravestone in front of her and a shiver ran up her aching spine.
Here lies Alexander Harris Our beloved son
So much happiness in such A short period of time
1981-1982
The child was only a year old. Poor thing. How could any parent cope loosing such a young child. Buffy wondered. She looked at the gravestone for a couple of minutes, staring at the name and date. 'He would have been in our year.' She thought.
"Alexander?" Pike muttered. "Isn't Xander short for Alexander?"
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. Her brow furrowed. It was more than just a chill, it was recognition. 'But how could I possibly have known the child. He died before I ever moved here.' Buffy thought to herself. Still, the inscription on the stone carved itself into her mind. A wave of guilt, remorse and Anger washed over her, the strength of the emotion caught her offguard and she fell to her knees. "Xander." She whispered. A tear worked it's way down her cheek.
Pike put his hand on Buffys shoulder and squeezed.
"Whats wrong Buff?" He asked softly, concern painted on his face.
"It's Xander. He's lost to us. I don't know how I know, but this child is our Xander."
"But Buffy, that just isn't possible. This kids been buried nearly 20 years. He cant be the same Xander. You would never have met him for a start." Pike said, thoroughly confused. He couldn't deny the emotional effect that the sight of the gravestone was having on Buffy, but he couldn't argue his common sense, which was screaming at him that there was no way possible this could be the same Xander.
"We'd better get back to Giles" Buffy realised, regaining a grip on her sanity, "There must be some explanation why I'd remember someone who had died before I'd moved here."
Buffy stood up, not wanting to move away from the childs gravestone. A wave of nausea rose inside her. She pushed it down, away from her. She needed to gather herself together so they could figure out what had happened, so they could change everything back and make it right again.
************************************************************