Chapter Two
Sunnydale 1997
Buffy Summers, the one girl in all the world with the strength to fight the demons, the chosen one, walked down the dark alley. She could hear the music from the club, the Bronze Cordelia had said. She glanced down at her jeans and denim shirt. She hoped it was alright for a night out. Sunnydale was a fresh start and she needed one after she'd burned down the gym at her old school. Sure it was filled with vampires but no one really cared once it was so much embers and ash.
Buffy paused in the dark alley. She listened for the sound of anyone or anything behind her. She glanced up at the thin bar that spanned the space between the buildings above her. This felt like déjà vu some how, only it couldn't be. She'd never been in this alley and there had never been anyone following her. Wait a minute, where did that thought come from. Of course there was no one following her. She shook her head, "Looks like the slaying is getting to you, Buff. Relaxing with nice ice mocha is what you need," she whispered to herself as she walked under the bar.
She wasn't even sure why she'd chosen to come down the alley instead of walking down the sidewalk to the front door like a normal girl. Merrick, her old watcher, had always told her to listen to her instincts. She supposed that's what she was doing, listening to her instincts. She shrugged as she approached the Bronze. Everything seemed quiet on the home front. She slipped inside the loud club and wandered around. She caught sight of Willow.
Buffy sat down beside the red head. "Hey,"
"Oh, hi," Willow said.
"You here with someone?" Buffy asked.
Willow shook her head. "No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up."
"Oh, are you guys going out?" Buffy asked.
"No, we're just friends. We used to go out but we broke up," Willow said.
"How come?" Buffy asked. The red head was obviously besotted with Xander.
"He stole my Barbie. Oh, we were five. I-I-I don't actually date a lot," Willow said.
"Why not?" Buffy asked and took a sip of her iced mocha.
"Well when I'm with a boy I like I find it hard to say anything cool or witty or at all. I think boys like girls who you know, talk."
"Wow, you really haven't been dating much," Buffy said.
"It's probably easy for you," Willow said looking enviously at the blond.
"Yeah, real easy," Buffy grumbled looking out at the vast expanse of people she didn't know at all.
"Well, you don't seem too shy is all," Willow said.
"Well my philosophy is, do you want to hear my philosophy?" Buffy asked.
Willow nodded.
"Life-"Buffy stopped. The feeling of déjà vu overcame her. She glanced around the Bronze and her eyes fell on a guy that was way to Debarge to be of this decade. "is uncertain. Trust your instincts. Stay here a sec, I'll be right back."
Buffy pushed through the crowd, keeping her eye on the I love the 80's freak. He took a brunette girl by the arm and they walked outside to the back of the Bronze. Buffy followed. She waited until the vamp and the girl were well away from the door before calling attention to herself.
"And I thought we were going to try for a monogamous relationship," Buffy shouted as she tried to divert the vamp's attention.
The vamp whirled on his heel and grinned lecherously at her.
"Excuse me, who the hell are you?" The brunette asked haughtily.
"Honey, look at him. Do you really want to be seen with someone who thinks Rick Springfield was the height of fashion?" Buffy said.
The brunette looked the vamp up and down and shrugged. "I guess you have a point. Sorry, but she's got a point," she said as she started down the alley back towards the Bronze.
"I'm partial to brunettes but you'll do," the vamp said as he slipped into game face.
Buffy whipped her stake out from behind her back and held it up. "But you know what they say, blondes have more fun." She launched a snap kick at the vamp. He dodged out of the way just in time. Buffy rushed at him with a right hook. She caught him solidly in the jaw and kept the pressure on as she pummeled him against the wall. She shoved a stake in his heart.
"Slayer..." the vamp screamed just before he turned to dust.
Buffy dusted her hands off and tucked her stake back in her pants. She didn't see the blonde vampire in the school girl outfit slip around the corner.
When Buffy walked back in the Bronze Willow had been joined by Xander.
"Hey, Buffy, I was afraid you'd left already," Xander said in greeting.
"Nope just went to get some fresh air," Buffy said.
"So, Buffy, why don't you tell us all about you," Xander said.
"Uhm, well-there's not that much to tell?" Buffy stalled. "But hey, Willow told me the story about the Barbie. So you guys have known each other, what forever?"
"Yeah, Xander used to stick salamanders down my shirt when we were little," Willow said.
"I was only paying you back for pouring sand down my shorts when we were seven!" Xander rushed to his own defense.
Buffy sat back and listened, amused at the stories the two told, each trying to out do each other. Maybe Sunnydale wouldn't be as bad as she thought. There was still the slaying and apparently she couldn't get out of that. Destinies sucked but maybe she could avoid being labeled friendless and juvenile delinquent here. Note to self, do not burn down high school gym, she thought. If she was lucky she could keep the secret slayer identity and the town safe from vampires.
*
Buffy scrambled up the oak in front of her house. She slipped in through the window and paused, listening for her mom's soft snoring. Once she heard it she crept to the bathroom. She pulled the bloodied tee shirt she wore over her head. She winced as she saw the four raw, bloody puncture wounds on her shoulder.
"It's just wrong that a vamp has something besides teeth to puncture you with," Buffy grumbled as she pulled the first aid kit out from underneath the bathroom sink. She winced as the antiseptic she dabbed on the wound stung. The puncture holes were pretty deep.
"Fork guy had some major grip," she grumbled. The vamp with the metal claw had taken her by surprise. She'd been going through Weatherly Park on a normal night patrol and he'd jumped out of the bushes. Buffy had been caught off guard and fork guy managed to pin her to the ground with the claw that was where his hand should be. She'd only managed to kick him off by tucking her knees underneath her and shoving him away from her with her feet.
Buffy taped a square of white gauze over the puncture wounds and crawled in bed. She had to give Sunnydale one thing, it attracted a much wider variety of vamps then Los Angeles ever had. Buffy glanced out the open window, almost as if she expected someone to be crouched there just inside. There was no one of course. She yawned and closed her eyes, just as she drifted off to sleep the thought drifted through her mind that there should have been someone there to warn her about fork guy. She mumbled to the darkness, "oh yeah so where the hell is he?"
*
Buffy walked into the school library in a bad mood. She'd gotten no sleep again last night. The Master and his lackies were keeping her busy. They'd ruined her first and most likely last, date with Owen. She was trying to do the normal kid thing, trying to stay out of the "bad crowd". The bad crowd always seemed to find her though.
Buffy threw herself down a chair and cradled her head in her hands. Giles walked out from the office.
"Buffy, are you quite alright?" He asked, alarmed to see his slayer in such a mood.
"Yeah, long night with the anointed and all," Buffy said.
"Indeed, but you did stake him, correct?" Giles said.
"Yeah, he's dust just like any hope of any relationship I ever had with Owen," Buffy grumbled.
"Buffy, you are not here to date. You are here to fight the forces of evil," Giles said.
"I know. I get that, Giles. Thanks for the recap though. Geez, I might as well be one of the undead, oh wait they have more of a social life then I do," Buffy grabbed her book bag and ran out of the library.
Giles shook his head and returned to his book. The girl didn't understand it was an honor and a privilege to be the chosen one, but she would in time.
Buffy was distracted at lunch. Willow and Xander sat with her, trying to cheer her up but there was nothing doing. She was brooding, dwelling on the whole chosen one factor and there was no one she could talk too. Tears rushed to her eyes as Willow told some kind of funny story. Buffy ached to tell her about slaying and how much it sucked, which would somehow make it suck less if she could share it with someone, anyone.
"Buff, you sure you're okay?" Xander prodded.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, just not sleeping well, new town, new bed, you know."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain guy named Owen would it?" Willow asked.
"No, Will. Owen and I-we just-you know he's-"Buffy stopped. There was no way to tell Willow that she'd dumped Owen in the middle of date to take off and dust a vamp at the morgue because Giles had paged her. She'd gone back to the Bronze after the dusting but Owen had been pre occupied with Cordelia. When she'd interrupted them, Owen had brushed her off and mentioned how nice it was of Cordelia to keep him company. Buffy had taken that to mean there would be no second dates with Owen.
"He sorta fell for the evil Bitcha Queen C, didn't he?" Willow said. She'd seen the two of them walking down the hall as if a crowbar couldn't separate them.
"He really did," Buffy tried to smile.
"Don't worry, Buffmiester, not all the boys here are blind," Xander said with such sincerity that Buffy wanted to crawl in his lap and bawl. She couldn't tell him about vampires, demons and slayers either. She was risking enough just being friends with Willow and Xander, getting any more involved with Xander would be like issuing him a death sentence. She was beginning to see why the prophecies never mentioned the chosen one and her friends.
She smiled weakly at Xander, "Thanks, Xan. I'm gonna go spend free period in the library, or something."
"Kay, Xander and I have Biology but if you need any help with the homework, let me know," Willow said brightly.
Buffy nodded. She didn't tell Willow the only homework she was going to be studying was weapons with Giles. She got up, feeling more like sixty then sixteen, and walked to the library.
Sunnydale 1997
Buffy Summers, the one girl in all the world with the strength to fight the demons, the chosen one, walked down the dark alley. She could hear the music from the club, the Bronze Cordelia had said. She glanced down at her jeans and denim shirt. She hoped it was alright for a night out. Sunnydale was a fresh start and she needed one after she'd burned down the gym at her old school. Sure it was filled with vampires but no one really cared once it was so much embers and ash.
Buffy paused in the dark alley. She listened for the sound of anyone or anything behind her. She glanced up at the thin bar that spanned the space between the buildings above her. This felt like déjà vu some how, only it couldn't be. She'd never been in this alley and there had never been anyone following her. Wait a minute, where did that thought come from. Of course there was no one following her. She shook her head, "Looks like the slaying is getting to you, Buff. Relaxing with nice ice mocha is what you need," she whispered to herself as she walked under the bar.
She wasn't even sure why she'd chosen to come down the alley instead of walking down the sidewalk to the front door like a normal girl. Merrick, her old watcher, had always told her to listen to her instincts. She supposed that's what she was doing, listening to her instincts. She shrugged as she approached the Bronze. Everything seemed quiet on the home front. She slipped inside the loud club and wandered around. She caught sight of Willow.
Buffy sat down beside the red head. "Hey,"
"Oh, hi," Willow said.
"You here with someone?" Buffy asked.
Willow shook her head. "No, I'm just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up."
"Oh, are you guys going out?" Buffy asked.
"No, we're just friends. We used to go out but we broke up," Willow said.
"How come?" Buffy asked. The red head was obviously besotted with Xander.
"He stole my Barbie. Oh, we were five. I-I-I don't actually date a lot," Willow said.
"Why not?" Buffy asked and took a sip of her iced mocha.
"Well when I'm with a boy I like I find it hard to say anything cool or witty or at all. I think boys like girls who you know, talk."
"Wow, you really haven't been dating much," Buffy said.
"It's probably easy for you," Willow said looking enviously at the blond.
"Yeah, real easy," Buffy grumbled looking out at the vast expanse of people she didn't know at all.
"Well, you don't seem too shy is all," Willow said.
"Well my philosophy is, do you want to hear my philosophy?" Buffy asked.
Willow nodded.
"Life-"Buffy stopped. The feeling of déjà vu overcame her. She glanced around the Bronze and her eyes fell on a guy that was way to Debarge to be of this decade. "is uncertain. Trust your instincts. Stay here a sec, I'll be right back."
Buffy pushed through the crowd, keeping her eye on the I love the 80's freak. He took a brunette girl by the arm and they walked outside to the back of the Bronze. Buffy followed. She waited until the vamp and the girl were well away from the door before calling attention to herself.
"And I thought we were going to try for a monogamous relationship," Buffy shouted as she tried to divert the vamp's attention.
The vamp whirled on his heel and grinned lecherously at her.
"Excuse me, who the hell are you?" The brunette asked haughtily.
"Honey, look at him. Do you really want to be seen with someone who thinks Rick Springfield was the height of fashion?" Buffy said.
The brunette looked the vamp up and down and shrugged. "I guess you have a point. Sorry, but she's got a point," she said as she started down the alley back towards the Bronze.
"I'm partial to brunettes but you'll do," the vamp said as he slipped into game face.
Buffy whipped her stake out from behind her back and held it up. "But you know what they say, blondes have more fun." She launched a snap kick at the vamp. He dodged out of the way just in time. Buffy rushed at him with a right hook. She caught him solidly in the jaw and kept the pressure on as she pummeled him against the wall. She shoved a stake in his heart.
"Slayer..." the vamp screamed just before he turned to dust.
Buffy dusted her hands off and tucked her stake back in her pants. She didn't see the blonde vampire in the school girl outfit slip around the corner.
When Buffy walked back in the Bronze Willow had been joined by Xander.
"Hey, Buffy, I was afraid you'd left already," Xander said in greeting.
"Nope just went to get some fresh air," Buffy said.
"So, Buffy, why don't you tell us all about you," Xander said.
"Uhm, well-there's not that much to tell?" Buffy stalled. "But hey, Willow told me the story about the Barbie. So you guys have known each other, what forever?"
"Yeah, Xander used to stick salamanders down my shirt when we were little," Willow said.
"I was only paying you back for pouring sand down my shorts when we were seven!" Xander rushed to his own defense.
Buffy sat back and listened, amused at the stories the two told, each trying to out do each other. Maybe Sunnydale wouldn't be as bad as she thought. There was still the slaying and apparently she couldn't get out of that. Destinies sucked but maybe she could avoid being labeled friendless and juvenile delinquent here. Note to self, do not burn down high school gym, she thought. If she was lucky she could keep the secret slayer identity and the town safe from vampires.
*
Buffy scrambled up the oak in front of her house. She slipped in through the window and paused, listening for her mom's soft snoring. Once she heard it she crept to the bathroom. She pulled the bloodied tee shirt she wore over her head. She winced as she saw the four raw, bloody puncture wounds on her shoulder.
"It's just wrong that a vamp has something besides teeth to puncture you with," Buffy grumbled as she pulled the first aid kit out from underneath the bathroom sink. She winced as the antiseptic she dabbed on the wound stung. The puncture holes were pretty deep.
"Fork guy had some major grip," she grumbled. The vamp with the metal claw had taken her by surprise. She'd been going through Weatherly Park on a normal night patrol and he'd jumped out of the bushes. Buffy had been caught off guard and fork guy managed to pin her to the ground with the claw that was where his hand should be. She'd only managed to kick him off by tucking her knees underneath her and shoving him away from her with her feet.
Buffy taped a square of white gauze over the puncture wounds and crawled in bed. She had to give Sunnydale one thing, it attracted a much wider variety of vamps then Los Angeles ever had. Buffy glanced out the open window, almost as if she expected someone to be crouched there just inside. There was no one of course. She yawned and closed her eyes, just as she drifted off to sleep the thought drifted through her mind that there should have been someone there to warn her about fork guy. She mumbled to the darkness, "oh yeah so where the hell is he?"
*
Buffy walked into the school library in a bad mood. She'd gotten no sleep again last night. The Master and his lackies were keeping her busy. They'd ruined her first and most likely last, date with Owen. She was trying to do the normal kid thing, trying to stay out of the "bad crowd". The bad crowd always seemed to find her though.
Buffy threw herself down a chair and cradled her head in her hands. Giles walked out from the office.
"Buffy, are you quite alright?" He asked, alarmed to see his slayer in such a mood.
"Yeah, long night with the anointed and all," Buffy said.
"Indeed, but you did stake him, correct?" Giles said.
"Yeah, he's dust just like any hope of any relationship I ever had with Owen," Buffy grumbled.
"Buffy, you are not here to date. You are here to fight the forces of evil," Giles said.
"I know. I get that, Giles. Thanks for the recap though. Geez, I might as well be one of the undead, oh wait they have more of a social life then I do," Buffy grabbed her book bag and ran out of the library.
Giles shook his head and returned to his book. The girl didn't understand it was an honor and a privilege to be the chosen one, but she would in time.
Buffy was distracted at lunch. Willow and Xander sat with her, trying to cheer her up but there was nothing doing. She was brooding, dwelling on the whole chosen one factor and there was no one she could talk too. Tears rushed to her eyes as Willow told some kind of funny story. Buffy ached to tell her about slaying and how much it sucked, which would somehow make it suck less if she could share it with someone, anyone.
"Buff, you sure you're okay?" Xander prodded.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah, just not sleeping well, new town, new bed, you know."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain guy named Owen would it?" Willow asked.
"No, Will. Owen and I-we just-you know he's-"Buffy stopped. There was no way to tell Willow that she'd dumped Owen in the middle of date to take off and dust a vamp at the morgue because Giles had paged her. She'd gone back to the Bronze after the dusting but Owen had been pre occupied with Cordelia. When she'd interrupted them, Owen had brushed her off and mentioned how nice it was of Cordelia to keep him company. Buffy had taken that to mean there would be no second dates with Owen.
"He sorta fell for the evil Bitcha Queen C, didn't he?" Willow said. She'd seen the two of them walking down the hall as if a crowbar couldn't separate them.
"He really did," Buffy tried to smile.
"Don't worry, Buffmiester, not all the boys here are blind," Xander said with such sincerity that Buffy wanted to crawl in his lap and bawl. She couldn't tell him about vampires, demons and slayers either. She was risking enough just being friends with Willow and Xander, getting any more involved with Xander would be like issuing him a death sentence. She was beginning to see why the prophecies never mentioned the chosen one and her friends.
She smiled weakly at Xander, "Thanks, Xan. I'm gonna go spend free period in the library, or something."
"Kay, Xander and I have Biology but if you need any help with the homework, let me know," Willow said brightly.
Buffy nodded. She didn't tell Willow the only homework she was going to be studying was weapons with Giles. She got up, feeling more like sixty then sixteen, and walked to the library.