Disclaimer: BTVS is the property of Joss Whedon, The lyrics are, No Doubts Spiderwebs from Tragic Kindgdom and Limp Bizkits version of My Way or the Highway.
REVIEWERS:
sPIKEANdMe: Glad you like. LOL I had so much fun writing that chapter. I thought since the spell works on Connor, it'd most likely work on her.
BAKAMAN: Whoa! LOL sounds like you hate Angel more than I do! LOL Though I do agree. Spike went through a lot to get his soul and be a better person, and Angel still treated him like shit. He's just jealous because Buffy picked Spike over him.
Chapter 5. My Way
Buffy was bored. Extremely bored. She had to stay at Mirandas' apartment that night. She wished she could go out slaying.
Miranda had insited they do the whole sleepover thing with popcorn and fingernail polish and the like.
They were in the middle of watching a movie. It was a cheesy horror film. Buffy silently scoffed at it. Why were the people in horror movies so dumb all the time? And what was it with the damsel in distress losing the heel off of her shoe?
She pretended to be scared at the appropriate times, and eventually fell asleep.
"If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."
A cold arm was around her neck. Tightly holding her. She was crying and struggling; but the arm was too strong.
Her neck exploded in pain as he bit her and instead of just drinking tore her flesh open. She screamed as the hot liquid poured down her chest.
"BUFFY! BUFFY! Wake up!"
Buffy sat straight up, gasping as a scream died in her throat. Her hand clapped to her throat and came away bloody.
She looked around the room to see Miranda and her parents standing there looking scared.
"Buffy, why are you bleeding?" Whispered Miranda.
"I don't know." Said Buffy. She winced as she put her hand back up to her neck. "Maybe I did it while I was dreaming." She flushed. "I'm really sorry."
"That's okay." Mirandas mom snapped out of her shock. "I'll go and get the first aid kit."
"Do you have nightmares a lot?" Asked Mirandas dad, helping Buffy up.
"Yeah." Buffy admitted. "I usually don't wake up bleeding though." She sat down in a chair by Mirandas desk. Her friend ws looking scared. She smiled at her reasurringly. "I'm okay."
Mirandas mom came back with the first aid kit and started swabbing Buffys neck. "These don't look like fingernail scratches." She said.
Buffy stood up to look in the mirror. There were two puncture marks in her neck, leaking blood slowly. She paled and sat back down. "No, no they don't." She replied softly.
She waited until Mirandas mom had finished bandaging her neck and then she stood up.
"I have to go."
"Buffy, it's okay. You don't have to .."
"No, that's not it. I have to go talk to somebody."
"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Asked Mirandas dad.
"I don't know where he'll be tomorrow, and I need to ask him something."
"I'll go with you." Her dad said.
"No." Buffy shook her head. "I'll be fine."
"Buffy, I can't let you run around by yourself after dark."
Buffy sighed. "Allright. How about I call him and ask him to come and get me?"
Mirandas' dad relented, and Buffy looked up the number for Caritas, dialed it and asked to speak to Lorne. "What's wrong, Pumpkin?" Asked Lorne when he got on the line.
"Lorne, I just had this dream, and I need to ask you about it." She said quietly.
"You need to sing." Lorne said.
"Yeah, would you mind picking me up?"
"Why bother, sweet.. I mean Pumpkin. Just sing out!"
"You can do it over the phone?"
"Sure. Just pick a song and go for it."
Buffy thought for a second and sang the first thing that came into her head.
"Sorry I'm not home right now, I'm walking into spiderwebs, just leave a message and I'll call you back." She sang quickly.
"O-kay." Lorne said. "The dream doesn't mean much, only that you're still hung up on the incedent with the master. But the bites are something else. They're a physical representation of your fear. Like a psycho sematic response. Maybe a little mystical too, seeing as how you're the slayer. It means something, and that something is blocked from my knowing."
"But how can that be? I thought.."
"Pumpkin, calm down. There are ways to fool even us empath demons. Or get around our talents. I'm not supposed to know, which means you're not supposed to know. It might not even be anything bad."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. But do me a favor and be careful when you patroll?"
"Sure. Thanks Lorne."
"No problem. Night Pumpkin."
Buffy hung up the phone and sighed in relief. Mirandas little family was standing around looking bewildered.
She realized how strange that must have been for them. "Um, I think I'm going to go home. Okay you guys?"
"No Buffy, you can stay." Said Mirandas mom.
"It's okay. I'm gonna go home and sleep in my own bed. I think the movie must have scared me too much."
"But what about your neck?" Asked Miranda.
Buffy shrugged. "Maybe I rolled over on something sharp."
Miranda looked doubtful; but if there was one thing Buffy relied on it was peoples willingness to accept mundane explinations.
"If you're sure, dear." Said Mirandas mom.
Buffy nodded. She gathered up her things and said goodbye. Her friend was still looking suspicious; but she just said she would phone the next day.
Buffy went home and stayed there for once.
-Buffys last weekend in LA-
Buffy hadn't had any more dream trouble in her last few weeks in LA. It was Saturday night and she would be going home the next day.
She and her father had spent an enjoyable day shopping for new school clothes, and he had gone to bed after they watched a movie. Buffy had taken a huge risk and snuck out after she was sure he was asleep. She wanted to patroll LA one last time.
She was walking down the street when a gang of about ten vampires surrounded her.
"Juicy little thing." The one in charge said. "Get her. and save some for me."
They attacked. Buffy had to use every trick she knew to keep from being dinner.
Panting she staked the last minion after softening him up with a roundhouse kick to the chest.
The lead vampire was stunned; but regained his composure after a moment. "So, got me a slayer to kill. The boys'll like this one."
"You can try." Buffy taunted. "But I'm warning you right now, I'm gonna win."
She launched herself at him, having gained her second wind, and hit him full on with a perfect spin kick. Then she knocked him flat with an uppercut to the chin.
"Why is it you big bads are always not so big and not so bad?" Buffy asked as she staked him.
She turned around to see the biggest vampire she'd ever witnessed in her life. He was just as big, if not bigger than Luke.
"Not so big, huh?" He asked.
Buffy shrugged, while taking a few steps back. "Bigger they are, harder they fall." She quipped.
Inside she was scared. She'd had to resort to subterfuge to kill Luke! And look at this guy! He was bigger than that dumb hulk!
The vampire had had enough banter and lunged at her. She danced nimbly out of his way and he stumbled and nearly fell.
She kept out of his way while trying to form a plan; but after a moment he faked her out and grabbed her. She beat on his shoulders and chest, trying to escape; but it was no use.
As the brute sank his teeth ito her neck, something inside her snapped. She felt herself changing and let out a yell that shocked her when it came out as a feral snarl.
The vampire stiffened and dropped her. She felt stronger than ever. The vampire started to stutter and back away.
Buffy let loose another angry growl. She stalked toward him.
"Ummm I'm sorry!" The vampire was backing away with his hands up defensively.
Buffy was having none of it. She was pissed off and she was going to make sure he knew it! Yeah, skin him, or break all of his appendages,or.... NO! Just stake him for god sakes!
Buffy realized that her consience was fighting with her demon side. While they were at war, the vampire decided to make a break for it.
He never could have escaped the stake that whizzed into and through his heart. It cleared his entire body and flew across the street.
Buffy was shocked. She'd never thrown one that hard before. She realized he'd been even more scared when he saw her, so she want to find a car window to look in. She found one and was shocked at the sight of her face.
Her eyes were yellow. There weren't ridges on her forehead; but her eyes were yellow! And her teeth! God, she had fangs!
Buffy walked home on auto pilot. She went inside silently, went to her room and lay down on her bed after changing to PJs. She fell asleep in a few minuets.
-The next day-
"Buffy, you need to get up and finish packing!" Her dad said, poking his head into the door.
Buffy got up worddlessly and began shoving things into her suitcase and backpack. She left out clothes to wear, and went to the bathroom to change.
Her dad raised his eyebrows at her outfit; but said nothing. On the inside Buffy was screaming at him. 'You're supposed to tell me to get back in there and change! Guess you don't care! JUst like everyone else!'
She got her stuff ready and her father took it down to the car. "Grab something to eat." He told her. "We have to go in about ten minuets."
Buffy got a bagel and nibbled at it halfheartedly.
She was silent in the car.
"Buffy are you okay?"
She nodded and contiued to look at the window.
"You wanna talk about it?"
She shook her head and turned on the radio. Tuning it to a punk rock station, she sat back and listened.
"This time I'm gonna let it all come out!
this time I'm gonna stand up and shout!
It's my way, my way or the highway!
'My way or the highway' Buffy thought. That was a good philosephy. She'd stick to that.
AN: So? What do you think? Reviews make the chapters come faster! Oh, I have no Idea when Limp Bizkit released that song, so just work with me here. LOL