Title: Demons from the past

Rating:PG-13

Disclaimer:Not smart enough, or enough money so it ain't mine. DAMN YOU WHEDON!

Summary: My first real sequel, all others have been fakes, kind of an AU of S7 so a bit more original than most.

++++

Buffy hoped Willow was having more luck than she was.

There were currently fifteen nasties chasing them through the cemetery. This was possibly one of the worst nights this week. And that's saying something considering the week they've had.

It started out innocent enough. Willow along with Tall, dark and creepy went to help in L.A. Training sessions increased, which was good, gave the potentials more practice for patrols, which went twice as long as before. They got another watcher and slayer in training. Jarod Brunswick and his charge Chao Anh.

Jarod was a quiet, tall, muscled Irishman and about 45 years old. He didn't smile, and the only time she heard him laugh was when Chao Anh said something no one could understand. He could understand and speak Taiwanese oddly enough.

Which helped because that's all Chao Anh spoke, though he had told them she did understand English. Because of that it made it increasingly hard to actually judge her character. But from what they could gather she was a little old to be a slayer, eighteen in fact. She started her training when she was sixteen, so her combat skills were better developed than any of the other SIT's but she still lacked the required strength and senses.

Surprisingly Jarod was the easiest to get along with, he took orders well and only questioned them when Chao was put in danger he didn't agree with.

Course Winthrop was still a big pain in the ass. He still went to Giles for planning, but when Giles deferred him to the slayer he would shut up or go talk to Davis. Buffy had a feeling that Winthrop blamed her for Alice's increasing independence and defiance. He looked like he nearly had a heart attack when she questioned one of his orders.

Davis was getting more and more used to taking commands but still buddied up with Winthrop when opposing her.

Rona and Kennedy butted heads more than once, and sparring between the two was banned after the punches and kicks got a little too serious. Chao sparred only with Buffy, with Jarod looking on. The slayer had a feeling that he stood there more to make sure Chao wasn't hurt than to translate. The patrols had gotten better and worse at the same time.

The demon activity had jumped, on average they were fighting five or six demons a night. Not counting the little extras that come along with it. They defeated a demon raising group of jocks, a really gross Hannibal Lector demon, and a slug demon that Halfrek turned a bad boyfriend into. It took a lot to get the vengeance demon to reverse it, but not before Kennedy accidentally impaled the man. That was after Buffy had shouted for her to stop. Luckily the guy didn't die, but Kennedy learned from then on to follow orders.

Anya and Xander moved in after they were attacked on their way home. All of them agreed that they needed to stay together for safety's sake. It also meant they had a handyman in a house that needed almost constant attention.

They hadn't heard from Willow in awhile. If what Slice-n-Dice said was true, then the L.A. gang was getting it worse than they were.

Course right now she couldn't see how.

Tonight was the worse. Everything was fine until they began to patrol. Winthrop, Anya and Dawn stayed behind to research whatever there was left to research. Dawn protested of course. It led to a fight which ended with the flipping of brown hair and a slamming of a door.

They hit a nest of vamps, and after twenty minutes they were down to the last two. They hadn't noticed the fight had moved them deeper and deeper into the cemetery until they were surrounded.

Which led them to their current situation, battered and bruised, running for their lives.

They were running as fast as they could but some of them were too slow. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a vamp about to pounce on Alice. Quicker than humanly possible she changed her direction.

"Down!"

Alice quickly ducked as Buffy jump-kicked the vamp behind her sending him flying into the tombstone. Problem was she had stopped running and now was surrounded.

"Buffy!"

Giles and Xander quickly tackled two vamps that were about to strike at the slayer.

"Jarod go! Get them out of here!"

The watcher hesitated for a moment before leading everyone back. They began fighting with all the strength they had left in them. Which wasn't much considering how long they've been running.

They managed to dust five vampires and kill at least two demons before one grabbed Xander. No one could get to him but before the vamp could take a taste he turned into dust allowing the carpenter to fall to the ground. The dust settled revealing a smirking Faith.

"Hey B. better be careful, he's liable to break if not taken care of."

"Faith, less quipping and more staking."

It took twenty minutes, but they were able to end it with a final twist of the neck.

Winded Buffy spoke.

"So Faith, how ya been, kill anybody lately."

"Oh nothing much, jail was a picnic and I buried the bodies in the backyard so I'm good. How bout you?"

"Nothing much, hellmouth, army of demons, everyone trying to kill me, the usual."

"As much as I'd like this conversation to go on, I think it's time we get back to the house."

The tone of his voice was suggestive and noticing he wasn't looking at either of them they turned to see what he was backing away from. There were over twenty assorted demons and vampires slowly walking towards them. Without breaking a beat they were off.

As they were running Buffy asked.

"Where's Willow?!"

"She and that weird creepy guy she came with are at the house, they told me to look for you, got some info or something."

They ran as fast as they could keeping Giles and Xander with them. They didn't stop until they were just outside the house. When they got there she saw dawn looking worriedly out the door. What Buffy didn't notice was the confused look on her sisters face.

"Dawn get inside!"

Dawn tried to speak but was interrupted by them barreling through the door. Buffy and Faith slammed it shut. Panting she yelled out.

"WILLOW! SLICE-N-DICE! We're going to need you!"

The four collapsed in a heap on the floor, the two slayers leaning against the door. Willow hurriedly entered the hallway.

"Buffy what's going on."

Xanders panting answered.

"Demons, lots demons."

Buffy and Faith nodded but Dawns voice brought their attention to her.

"Um guys, what demons?"

Bewildered Faith waved her hand at her.

"The twenty demons that just chased our asses up here."

It was then that Buffy heard a humming coming from outside. Getting up they both turned towards the door. The blond put her hand on the handle and began to turn.

"B. what are you doin, they could be waiting."

Without a second look she opened the door. There wasn't a demon or vampire in sight. Well except for one.

Walking casually in the moonlight Slice-n-Dice was wiping an axe. The axe itself was covered in blood. Not sparing a glance at either as he passed them he walked into the house. She noticed he was dripping some kind of black oil onto the wood from his hand and was limping. When he passed Willow she almost didn't catch the whisper.

"First aid kit."

Willow tried to hide the fact she heard it but not to well. Quickly the witch exited and headed for the bathroom. Faith turned to her.

"What's the deal with that guy?"

Buffy didn't look at her when she spoke. Willow didn't come down with the kit, which meant he had somehow gotten upstairs.

"I don't know, but I know who does. And she ain't telling."

Finally turning to face her she looked at the newly freed prisoner.

"So how was L.A."

Faith smirked at the obvious hidden question.

"He's fine B. A bit broodier than last I saw him, but comes with the territory."

Smiling at her obviousness, she lowered her head and nodded. She turned and started toward the kitchen with Faith behind her following.

"How was it up there?"

"Bad, like I want to sleep for a week bad. I don't think I've fought that much since grade school."

Faith settled onto the kitchen stool while Buffy went into the cupboards unconsciously getting ready for hot cocoa. From what they could hear the rest of the group was in the living room talking about everything and nothing. When Faith had hesitantly accepted the cup Buffy herself sat down and started drinking. Faith broke the silence between them.

"I gotta say B. things certainly have changed since I've been here last. I mean, red gay and going postal. Xand getting a girl and almost gettin hitched. You dying again. I'm starting to think that I'm the only one who hasn't changed. And what's this I hear about you hookin up with another vamp?"

Faith noticed the grimace and regretted what she said.

"That's a whole soap opera that I really don't want to open up right now. Lets just say that there was a lot of pain, and a lot of it was because of me."

Faith was about to comment about it but kept her mouth shut. The silence stretched for a moment before Buffy spoke.

"So I'm guessing since your down here the big slam is coming down on us?"

Faith her cup.

"Yeah, that's what mysterio said. Think they decided not to waste time and go for the big tamale."

Buffy's voice was quiet and sad.

"It's just going to get worse. Harder."

"Yeah well if there was ever a place to be when things go down, right here is fine with me. Besides we got two slayers, worlds most powerful witch and a demon who can cut through twenty demons and come out with just a scratch."

Buffy huffed a laugh.

"I've never actually seen him fight."

"Me neither, and I'm perfectly fine with that."

Buffy stopped for a moment.

"You're wrong Faith, you have changed."

Faith would have been skeptical about such a complement, if it weren't for the smile that lit Buffy's face.

"Right so where's a good place to crash?"

"I think I can set you up with something."

Smiling again they traveled upstairs. She gave her the bed in her moms room which they shared with Willow. Who was already asleep. On the way back she stopped, the bathroom door was slightly open. Through it she heard quiet growling, so low that only she and faith could have possibly heard it.

Looking through it she saw something that made her breath hitch. His arm was exposed and gripping the sink as he stitched the gaping wound on the side. His arm was grey. All over itwere white strips and blotches. There were so many, some overlapping, some faded, some sharp and clear.

She realized that they were scars.

Thousands and thousands of scars.

The skin itself looked like it had been stretched over steel wire ropes all wrapped up to make his arm. With all that, the real reason her caught was that instead of red blood coming out of the gash in his arm thick black oil oozed out.

She suddenly noticed he had stopped stitching and staring her. For a moment she saw the shine of his eyes. Quickly she turned and walked to the staircase. Wiping her eyes she remembered the last time she saw scars and black blood.

The slayer jumped when she heard the phone ring. It was quickly silenced when Dawn answered the phone.

"Buffy it's for you!"

Walking down she made sure they couldn't tell she almost broke down. The phone had been placed on the counter top, so she had no idea who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey Buffy."

"Cordelia?"

She was shocked, they hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Yeah long time no see, or hear as it is the case."

Waiting for something Buffy felt awkward. How could you feel awkward over the phone.

"So, why exactly are you calling. Something happen?"

She grimaced as she heard the fear in her voice. But that was quickly put away when she heard the annoyed sigh at the other end.

"Listen there's something I need to tell you. Something about your new found friend."

++++

A/N: DA DA DAAAAAAA! What's going to happen next. Is it what everyone thinks, or is she just going to talk about the weather or how much of a big ho she is (Cause having sex with connor. Bleh!)

It took me awhile to write this, why BECAUSE ONLY TWO PEOPLE REVIEWED!

Thank you to those people.

TO THOSE WHO READ THIS AND DIDN"T REVIEW I NEED THESE!

I write off the high I get when people review. It helps a lot to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong so please. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IT HOLY REVIEW!

I know that it's badgering, but it's also the only reason I write, is to see the reaction and try to improve on it.