Title: A Lifetime Apart, An Eternity Together

Rating: PG 13 for now

Author: Specks

Disclamer: Mutant Enemy, Fox and all those network honchos and writers own all, I own nothing, don't sue.

Synopsis: Buffy/ Dark Angel crossover with Highlander elements. Buffy is immortal, and she travels with Methos to Seattle to investigate a head hunter. The same case of mysterious bodies turning up without heads stirrs Logan's curiosity, so he asks Max to investigate. Just a routine job for both parties, right?

Pairings: M/L and B/A with implied B/S.

Spoilers: Not much of Dark Angel, up to first season finale I guess. Spoilers up to about mid season six for Buffy.

Author's Notes: I would like to thank my beta readers Nina and Tiff. . Nina, all your help on grammer was really aprecitated. And you are so not fired, in fact I'm thinking about giving you a promotion:) Tiff, thank you so much for helping me reword my awkward sentenes. You knew exactly what I wanted to say, and helped me say it better. You guys are the best!

Feedback: Yes! I crave feedback, should I continue? Any ideas would be welcome as well. Pleas email me at slete130@netzero.net

The ceiling fan made a made faint buzzing sound, as crowds of people from all walks of life enjoyed their morning coffee. Buffy Anne Summers, Slayer and immortal sat at a small coffee table. It was located in a little corner of a shabby, ill kept coffee shop. The shop was old, but comfortable in the way of old shoes. You couldn't help but feel safe and at peace here.

Gazing around at the shop, Buffy experienced a sudden ache in the back of her head, alerting her to another immortal nearby. So much for peace and quiet, thought Buffy. With one hand on the sword hidden beneath her clothes, Buffy scanned the crowd cautiously. Spotting the dark haired man, fast approaching her, she relaxed and resumed stirring her coffee. Taking a sip, she grimaced at the taste. It was so hard to find good capuccino these days.

" You'd think coffee in Seattle would be better, since it was one of the only major cities that survived the Pulse, retaining any sembance of order. But no, it is a rule that you can't get a good capuccino outside of Europe." she said by way of greeting.

The man made his way to the table and sat down across from her, to all outside appearences, he looked to be in his late twenties, in reality he over five thousand years old. Time and experience may not have marked his body, but they had taken a toll on his soul. His stormy gray eyes bespoke of wisdom gathered over millenniums. They held a weariness that could only stem from witnessing the rise and fall of too many empires. The fact that laughter and kindness could still be found in the same eyes, that had witnessed so much darkness showed immeasurable inner strength. Now those eyes settled on the blond slayer; Full of mischeif and humor.

"European coffee and American coffees are all the same. I don't see why you always fuss so much." said Adam, hoping to get a rise out of her, "Besides, you're the one that decided to live in this godforsaken country. If you want to live here, then you'll have to deal with the bad coffee."

Buffy harumphed "Easy for you to say. You take your coffee only one way, black."

"I'm glad you still remember." was Adam's amused reply

"As for your comment on my home, I only have this to say." she stuck out her tongue and crossed her eyes.

A roar of laughter was his only reply.

.

Pulling him into a loving hug, Buffy said teasingly, "You look good.. for an old man."

"Old? who are you calling old?" cried Adam in mock disbelief.

"You." said Buffy simply, amusement lighting in her eyes.

"Me? I'll have you know that I'm not a day over 5000" said Adam indignantly.

"Really?! You're that old? I mean I knew you were old since you're immortal and all, but five thousand?"

Adam was amused by the look of utter bewilderment on his former student's face.

"Wow," Buffy said again after a while, letting that tid bit of information sink in " You know I think you might possibly be the oldest person I know,"

"And that's saying a lot" she added as an afterthought.

Adam grinned at Buffy, trying his best to keep official business at bay.

Buffy smiled back and then said without preamble, "This isn't a social call ,is it?" It was more of a statement than a question. She knew him too well for him to hide anything.

Adam chuckled "Always to the point huh?'

"Yup that's me, point girl." Buffy quipped, causing Adam to chuckle at her wit.

"So what's the sitch?" asked Buffy, head resting on her hands; The epitome of an alert student.

Adam's face darkened "There's a headhunter in Seattle. He's been challenging any immortal he comes across. This does not bode well for our kind"

"How bad is it?"

"Bad. Bodies have been turning up," said Adam grimly. "These little stunts have been bringing too much attention to immortal lore. It must be stopped"

Buffy nodded, agreeing "So what do you think we should do?"

"We have to either convince him to back off, or kill him."

From the look in Adam's eyes the latter would probably be taking place.

Then if it were possible, his face became even grimmer, "We have another problem."

"What?", she asked curious.

"There's a cyber journalist sneaking around and asking questions: He needs to be dealt with."

"A journalist huh? I'm guessing that's where I come in.", Buffy commented dryly.

Adam nodded confirmation.

"I can't investigate the journalist and the killings at the same time. So I was hoping you might, that you may consider..."

"You want me to handle the cyberjournalist." Buffy said cutting him off. He may favor long speeches but that didn't mean she had to suffer through them.

"Right" Adam grinned obviously sensing her impatience

"I figured since you were so use to dealing with servants of darkness, a journalist would be right up your alley."

Sighing, Buffy said resignly "You so owe me for this one, Adam".

"Put it on my tab", he replied nonplussed.

"Hah hah very funny." said Buffy her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I thought so." Adam smirked raising his cup of coffee in a mock salute.

After another hour or so discussing their plan of action; the two finished their coffee and headed back to their own separate quarters. Buffy to her penthouse, and Adam back to the motel. Neither were apprehensive, they had done this type of thing a thousand times. What could possibly go wrong?

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A whole lot of things. Stay tuned!

Feedback: YES YES! Feedback makes me write faster. (hint, hint)

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"I laugh in the face of danger, then hide until it goes away"

~Xander

"Fire bad, tree pretty"

~Buffy, Graduation II

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