TITLE: Interim
AUTHOR: William Rayne
EMAIL: knytmareyahoo.com
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Willow sends Buffy (and by extension, Dawn) to Kansas to find 3 newly chosen slayers. Who knew that a place called Smallville would become more than a routine search and train. AU, cross-over with Smallville.
SPOILERS: BtVS: Chosen, SV: Exodus, Precipice
DISTRIBUTION: FanFiction.net, email me
DISCLAIMER someone else owns 'em, I'm just taking them out to play. Don't sue me, I have no money
FEEDBACK: Desired like none other.
NOTES AND NEWS: Thanks for the confirms on stuff. Chloe is back from Metropolis, obviously. We will be going to the city later to have a Clark & Buffy meeting. Arg, someone already guessed a Slayer. Oh, I also don't know exactly how strong and fast Buffy is and since the RPG book is out of date, I'm 'buffing' her up some more because that makes sense. Not Superman stats but still pretty impressive.
As always: bold italics for stressed, italics for thoughts or voice-over, and underlines for sarcasm or disgust.
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Interim
Chapter 2
Smallville, August 2003
When she was in 7th grade, Buffy never imagined that she would be able to wake up before the break of dawn but in the years since becoming the Slayer, she has done a lot of things she never imagined before. She couldn't find the third vampire that attacked the girl outside of the Talon. She woke up early to help earn her keep and as she stood outside and tried to figure out how she could begin to help, she didn't notice Mr. Kent approach from behind her.
"You're up ear---"
He didn't get to finish the statement as he found his feet taken out from underneath him. Luckily Buffy realized her mistake and caught him before he hit the ground. "I am so sorry," she apologized profusely. "I wasn't paying attention and you surprised me and training took over," she finished lamely.
Jonathan recovered from the surprise and said, "It's alright." As she helped him back up to his feet he added, "You know, I had reservations about your walking alone last night. But you've proved to me that you can take care of yourself."
Buffy grinned at his compliment, "So, what can I do to help out?"
Mr. Kent had her do light chores, not knowing she could handle the heavier tasks better than him and almost as good as Clark. They ended the morning chores by fixing the tractor. Buffy stood beside him and handed him the tools he asked for. Who knew that the stuff Xander taught me would come in handy.
"We're almost done here," Jonathan stated. Buffy didn't notice the looseness of the stand that held the tractor as she leaned against it. She caught the tractor as it slipped. Her back towards the barn door, she concentrated on holding it up and was glad Mr. Kent hadn't noticed. As he slid safely away, she dropped it.
"Wow, that was close," Buffy said as naturally as possible, not wanting to alarm the farmer with her supernatural abilities. She thought the look of shock on his face was from the falling tractor and near death experience. That is, until she heard her sister cough and turned to find Dawn and a shocked Martha Kent looking at Buffy.
"Would you believe adrenaline?" Buffy tried not to look like a kid with her hand caught in the candy jar.
"How about my sister is a strange visitor from another planet?" Dawn offered enthusiastically as she saw the Kents didn't buy Buffy's explanation.
"Dawn!" Buffy said testily, glaring at her sister.
Dawn gave a half-smile and stated, "What? It's the first thing that came to mind." She grinned broadly and added, "I even came up with a whole history about how Mom and Dad found you in a spaceship and adopted you and everything. You know, like a howler monkey." Remembering what originally prompted the conversation, she saw the looks of shock and fear on the Kents.
"Uh, looks like we owe you guys the truth. You'll probably want to sit down for this one," Buffy said to the couple. Martha numbly nodded and Jonathan followed her lead, sitting down on a nearby bale of hay.
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"Wow, I can't believe how well they took that," Dawn said as she opened the door to the Talon, shifting the weight of her computer bag to let her sister in first.
"Yeah, neither can I," Buffy replied as they got inside, "I'll take a regular coffee, black and no flavors, Dawn. I want coffee-flavored coffee, not the crap you get."
Dawn stuck her tongue out at her sister then went to the counter as Buffy found a booth for them. They took it too well. At least the fear they had before we told them the truth is gone. Pretty cool folks, I wonder what made their son run away. I can't believe the only question they had about the whole ordeal was Dawn's comment about howler monkeys. Not like anyone would believe them if they did tell but I think they'll keep the Slayer thing on the down low. Which is nice, it's like having Mom and Giles around but not.
Though they did seem a bit edgy about something. I think it's natural for them to be. It's been way too long since I've known normal people who don't have to deal with the superhuman beings. I don't even remember what reaction are normal normal, Buffy thought as she waited on the beverages.
Her thoughts were interrupted as her sister put Buffy's coffee down on the table. "What you get?" she asked her younger sister.
"What else? Almond mocha latte with extra whip. Thank the gods for Starbucks bringing the pantheon of caffeinated beverages to Middle-America," Dawn responded with a grin.
"One, we're in the Midwest. I think. Anyways, definitely not Middle-America. I don't even think that's a valid section. Two, you so do not need the caffeine. You're way too perky for this time of day. What's the what?" Buffy said sourly as she looked into her cup of coffee. Taking a sip, she muttered to her cup, "Work faster."
"I dunno. I guess because Mrs. Kent sorta reminds me of Mom. It's nice having her around and I think she likes having us around," Dawn replied as she watched her computer boot up.
"Excuse me," said a voice and the Summers sisters looked up to see another perky brunette, one that Buffy recognized from last night.
"Hi, I'm Lana. Lana Lang. I didn't get a chance to thank you for your help last night with those muggers."
"Uh, no problem. I'm…"
"Buffy, yeah. I caught it last night. You were amazing, the way you handled them," Lana complimented and imitated some of Buffy's moves.
Buffy blushed and said, "Thanks. You weren't doing too bad on your own. You would've been fine even if I hadn't shown up." If you had known to stake them, that is.
"That's kind of you to say but I don't think I would've. You think you could teach me some of those moves some---"
Lana was interrupted by Dawn's yelp of joy, "Woot, they have Wi-fi!"
Lana smiled slightly and said, "Yeah, I convinced Lex about getting it before he…" Her voice trailed off and she changed the subject, "I didn't catch your name."
"Oh, I'm Dawn. I'm Buffy's sister."
"Nice to meet you."
"Ditto," Dawn replied, "so do you, like, work here?"
"Actually," Lana blushed, "I'm part owner."
The sisters were impressed and didn't know what to say. Lana changed subjects, once more, by saying, as she pulled up a chair to chat, "So you two aren't from around here, are you?"
The bell rang, indicating a new customer. Lana looked up, smiled and waved towards the arrival. Buffy responded to her question, eyeing Lana for any signs that she might leave to service the short-haired blonde girl that entered. "Yeah, we just got in last night. We're from Sunnydale. California."
The blonde overheard the conversation on her way towards them and asked, "Isn't that the place that had the sinkhole? And before that, all the strange phenomenon? Also didn't the high school have, like, the highest student mortality rate in the nation? That is up until like '97 or so."
"You'll have to forgive my friend, Chloe," Lana apologized for the barrage of questions, "She just got back this week from an internship at the Daily Planet and still seems to be in reporter mode. I don't she ever gets out of that mode, actually."
Chloe blushed and said, "Yeah, sorry. I just…well, I've always wanted to talk to someone from there."
Dawn almost choked on her drink and said, "Why?"
"I guess the short explanation would be that I'm curious about some of the stories I've heard about the town," Chloe responded.
"Yeah, well," Dawn said to Chloe, "I don't think you'd ever understand living there. Sunnydale is a town that…"
"…redefines weird on a weekly basis," Chloe said in unison with Dawn. The girls smiled at each other. Lana excused herself and as Dawn and Chloe began to gossip about the strangeness of their towns, Buffy's coffee kicked in. "Hey, Lana," Buffy said, "wait up. I want to ask you something."
Buffy left the table and Dawn began to exchange stories of weirdness with Chloe. Dawn learned about Chloe's meteor rock theory while secretly suspecting there was something supernatural involved. Chloe asked about stories she had heard or read about Sunnydale and Dawn answered as best she could without having to bring up the supernatural even though she suspected that if Chloe were to know the truth, she wouldn't be all that shocked by it. Finally and inevitably, the subjected progressed into school and then to Clark Kent. It's nice to have someone to chat who I didn't meet through Buffy or her friends. It's even better I can gossip about the wackiness of life without being looked at like I'm from a different planet or something. I think I'm going to like this town. Barring any Big Bads showing up, of course.
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"Yeah, Buffy?" Lana asked as the two strode towards the counter.
Buffy looked around the room once more, keeping her sister in the corner of her eye, "Not what I originally wanted to ask but is it usually this dead at this time of day?"
"Sadly, no," Lana replied as she made herself a cup of coffee, "Which sucks because I really need the business." Seeing Buffy's blank expression, she explained, "I'm co-owner with Lex Luthor---"
"As in the billionaire that died in the plane crash?" Buffy asked, obviously impressed by Lana's connections.
"One and the same, unfortunately," Lana responded as she was clearly becoming upset as she gripped the cup tighter, "It seems that LuthorCorp has no interest in maintaining a coffee shop in Smallville." Suddenly, the cup in her hand shattered with some pieces digging into her skin. She quickly went to the sink to clean and wrap it.
Buffy didn't pay attention to Lana as she picked up the pieces of ceramic but she did notice her return. Lana's hand is what caught Buffy's eye since there wasn't any blood on the thin wrap. That's not right. No one can heal that fast unless. Oh my God, how could I be so stupid? She reached out and grabbed Lana's wrist. "Lana, there's no easy way of asking this but…"
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"Get out!" Dawn shrieked to a mortified Chloe, "No way. So no way. Oh my god." Dawn covered her mouth to muffle a squeal of delight.
"I can't believe I just told you that," Chloe said, "You absolute can't tell anyone about that."
Dawn grinned mischievously and removed her hands to say, "Well, you didn't tell me. I just figured it out from the way you were talking." She gave Chloe a full show of her teeth, proud of herself. Then she added, "But you so can't confirm it and then expect to not tell me all of the details."
"You really should think about being a reporter, the way you put people at ease and get them to tell you things," Chloe stalled.
"Nuh-uh," Dawn rebutted, "No changing the subject. Story first, reporting later."
Just then Dawn's computer chirped to indicate she had email. "Saved by the bell," she said to Chloe as she glanced down to notice there it was from Willow, "but don't think you're out of this just yet. As soon as I finish this, you're going to tell me every last scandalous detail."
Chloe breathed a sigh of relief and thanked whoever sent that email for the reprieve it gave her. Dawn read through the email, glanced up to look at Buffy and Lana chatting while picking something up. Dawn chuckled then continued to read on. When she finished, she immediately shut her laptop.
Chloe took that as a sign that Dawn was ready to hear her story. She won't tell anyone if I tell her. I think she won't. Actually, I don't know why but I'm damn sure she won't. Besides, I'll deny it if she does. "Well, I was at this nightclub in Metro---"
"Actually, Chloe, it can wait until school. I need to talk to Buffy, something important came up," Dawn interrupted.
Ok, I should be happy, Chloe thought, but I'm not and why do I have a feeling this is a Wall of Weird moment.
"Buffy," Dawn shouted across the room, interrupting whatever Buffy and Lana were heavily discussing.
"Just a second, Dawn," Buffy called back.
Dawn picked up her computer and walked over to her sister, "It can't wait. Gotta talk now." Dawn pulled the Slayer aside and as they spoke in hushed tones on the other side of the room, Chloe noticed that Buffy grew solemn.
A/N: I plan on exploring the Key aspect of Dawn that was never resolved later on. I gave a hint of my take on it with how readily everyone tends to feel comfortable around her. Think I'll have more a couple chapters, which I plan on being a bit more Dawn/Chloe centric. But for now, don't you want to know what Willow had to say? I know I do. =P Oh yeah, the Chloe story might be recapped later. It's something I read in a fanfic that I liked.
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