Summary: The Scooby Gang has relocated to Cleveland, and with that comes some new creatures of the night. One night while on patrol, Buffy comes across one that isn't quite human, but isn't quite demon either. Buffy looks it up to find that this creature has a rather interesting connection to Spike, both a recent one and an old one.
Half and Half—Chapter 1
Buffy crept through the cemetery, trying to find something to slay. She was the Slayer, after all—well, she was one of the many now—and slaying things was her job. However, for some odd reason, the vampires, demons and other creepy things that went bump in the night weren't coming out to play.
"Where the hell is everything?" Buffy asked the air. "Come on, we're on a Hellmouth, this place should be demon central! Ugh, I'm so bored!"
Just as she said that, though, Buffy felt a presence behind her. She whirled around to find nothing there. Buffy sighed and shook her head before making to continue on her way. She turned, and leaning casually against a tombstone was a girl with short, spiked brown hair and pale skin. She was short and slim, and her clothes just screamed 'bad girl'; not slutty, just rebellious. Her long black trench coat swished as she pushed herself off the tall statue and made her way to Buffy. There was something familiar about the way she moved, but Buffy couldn't quite figure it out.
"Who are you?" asked Buffy defensively. The other girl just snickered and smirked before taking out a cigarette and lighting it up, taking a long drag before answering.
"Who wants to know?" she asked, her cigarette still dangling from her mouth, the lit end winking in the still night.
"Buffy," Buffy replied.
"Oh right, I've heard of you," the girl said. "Well, I might as well introduce myself then. I'm Cassidy."
"You've heard of me?" asked Buffy, curious. The only people who might have heard of her are Watchers and vampires. "You aren't a Watcher, are you?"
Cassidy was silent for a moment before bursting out in laughter. She doubled over so that Buffy couldn't see her face. When Cassidy was upright again, her face had mutated slightly, and the fangs that were there were quite obvious. "I don't think so, pet."
Buffy slipped into a defensive position as Cassidy tossed the cigarette that had been dangling from her mouth into the bushes, a bitter expression on her face.
"I've no clue why he likes those things so much," she said, spitting. She began pacing around Buffy, knowing that it unnerved the Slayer. "You know, he was right, you are quite pretty. He didn't mention that you were a blonde though. Oh well, minor detail. I'll just have to yell at him when I get back."
"You're not going anywhere," Buffy replied, springing into action. She charged at Cassidy, who saw the attack coming and deflected the punch aimed at her face. Each blocked and attacked with a kind of grace, flipping, kicking and punching as if performing a dance. Cassidy met Buffy blow for blow, and Buffy did the same. It was almost as if they had fought before, but…not.
Finally, Cassidy overpowered Buffy and had the Slayer pinned to the ground. She smirked, badness radiating off her in waves.
"You know, I could kill you now, and I could be the most famous vampire in history," Cassidy said, an evil sort of playfulness in her voice. She was about to attack when a voice in the distance began yelling.
"Cassie! Hey, Cassidy! Where the hell are you?! I swear to God if I find you, you're going to get it!"
Cassidy's eyes went wide in fear, and before Buffy could do anything, the vampire rolled off of her and ran like she was running for her life. Buffy stared at the vampire's retreating back, wondering what made her so scared. After all, whenever scary things get scared, then things can't be good. Buffy decided to call it a night, and after getting up from the ground, she dusted herself off and began making her way to the house she shared with her friends.
"You let her go?" asked Giles, taking off his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Not really," Buffy replied. She had just gotten off patrol, and she was now sitting at the kitchen table at the house she shared with Giles, Dawn, Xander, Willow and Faith. "It was more like she got scared and ran for her life…or unlife…gah, my brain hurts now."
"You know, thinking too much will do that to you," Dawn remarked.
"Aww, I love you too, Dawnie," Buffy retorted, rolling her eyes. Dawn just grinned in response as Buffy turned back to Giles. "What could make a scary thing scared?"
"Only a few things Buffy, as you should know," Giles replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Could you describe her to us?"
"Well, she looked about sixteen, maybe seventeen," Buffy replied. "She was short and pale, and her hair was short and dark brown, and styled in spikes. She was wearing all black: tight black jeans, black tank top and a black trench coat. Her make up was kind of Goth, dark eyeliner and dark lipstick. She was wearing a spiked dog collar, too."
"If I didn't know better Buff, I'd say you were describing a female version of Spike," Xander remarked, speaking for the first time since Buffy had walked through the door. Buffy's eyes widened in comprehension; she knew Cassidy reminded of her of someone, and now she knew who.
"Oh God Giles, she was exactly like Spike," Buffy said, slightly fearful.
"Now, now, I think we might be jumping to conclusions," Giles said rationally, glancing at Buffy. "There have been no reports in all of history of Spike ever having children, or siring someone that wasn't one of his minions."
"But someone was calling for her, and when she heard him she ran for it," Buffy added, knowing that she had forgotten to add that little detail.
"Did this guy sound British and prickish?" asked Xander.
"I don't know, I was more worried about the vampire sitting on me, about to bite me," Buffy snapped.
"Whoa, someone woke up on the wrong side of the coffin," Willow piped up. Buffy tried to glare at the witch, but she didn't have the heart too. She didn't have the heart for much at all anymore; she would have gladly let the vampire kill her.
"Hey Buff, come on," said Xander. "We all miss him, and everyone else."
"Do you really mean that?" asked Buffy, sniffling slightly.
"Well no, but it seemed like the kind of thing a supportive friend would say," Xander replied with a shrug. Buffy shot him a withering glare and Xander shrunk back in his seat, gazing at her warily with his one good eye.
"He sacrificed himself to save our asses," she growled, the fire in her eyes that had died rekindling. "The least you could do is pretend to care."
Before anyone else could say anything, Buffy turned and stalked the room she shared with Willow. Everyone else looked at each other, wondering what to do. Finally, Willow sighed.
"I'll go talk to her," she said, getting up from the table and following Buffy's path.
So, how was it? Good? Bad? Or just 'meh'? Tell me what you think; I thrive on feedback. Cassidy is mine, and she does play a pretty big part. So, if you can't deal with an OC, don't continue reading.