Chapter 2 The Hunt. Meeting new allies.
Buffy opens the door and gets out of the car. Xander pops the trunk open and grabs a bag. He pulls out a stake for Buffy and axe for himself. They both run into some dark woods where they hear the girl screaming at the top of her lungs.
When they arrive to where the girl is they see a vamp run away, but the other stays behind.
"Go after the other one I'll handle this one," says Xander. Buffy nods her head.
"Be careful Xander."
"You too." Buffy starts to run after the one run away vamp. Xander steps up to the remaining vamp and tells the girl to stand back.
Buffy rushes through the woods passing by branches and catches up to the vamp in an open area. She sees it attack a man with blonde hair and cowboy boots. The man seems to get an upper hand on the vamp but the vamp eventually knocks him down on the ground.
"Hey," Buffy calls out to the vamp. The vamp turns around and sneers at Buffy. The man is confused to see a little blonde girl calling out a vamp. The vamp knocks the man on the head and runs to Buffy. Buffy smacks him in the face and the vamp falls to the ground. The man on the ground shakes his head and sees Buffy staking the fallen vamp. Buffy dusts herself and puts the stake away. She then walks over to the man and extends her hand to him to help him up.
"Thanks," says the man. "How did you know how to do that?"
"I saw it in a movie," Buffy jokes. The guy didn't seem to believe that.
"You have skills. You use his..."
"His strength against him," says Buffy. "What are you doing in the middle of the woods?"
"Hunting," says the man.
"Not a good idea to hunt that guy," says Buffy. "You see he's a..."
"Vampire."
"How did you..."
"That's what I hunt. What are you doing here?"
"Heard a girl screaming."
"Yeah, she had flat tire. I went to help her put the tire on her car when three vamps came out of the woods."
"Where's the third one?"
"Took the ladies car and drove off."
"Why did you go through the woods?"
"My car's on the other side." Buffy then remembers she left Xander fighting a vamp.
"I gotta go," says Buffy as she darts through the woods.
"Wait." The guy follows her.
Back where Xander is fighting the vamp the woman backs away from the battle. Xander flips the vamp and it falls to the ground. He then stakes him in the heart. The vamp is dust and the woman is speechless. Xander goes over to the woman.
"Everything is going to be okay," says Xander. He then recognizes the woman. "Catia."
"Xander!" calls Buffy as she runs over to him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," says Xander turning to her. "Who's he?" Buffy looks behind her and sees the guy she had saved.
"Name is Derek," he says.
"I'm Buffy," says Buffy. "This is Xander." They look at Catia.
"I'm Catia," she says. "What were does things?"
"Um," says Buffy and Xander at the same time looking at each other.
"Anyone need a ride home?" Xander ask trying to change the subject.
A couple minutes later they are all in Xander's car and driving down the road. No one says anything as Xander pulls into a local motel.
"Thanks," says Derek as he opens the back door and exits the car. Buffy looks at Xander and gets out of the car too. Xander rolls his eyes and looks at the rear view mirror. He sees Catia looking out the window in silent.
Outside Buffy walks Derek to his door. Derek stops at the door and faces Buffy.
"How long have you been doing this?" he ask.
"About seven to eight years," replies Buffy. "It's kind of a job. How about you?"
"A couple years," says Derek. "Maybe we could go hunting some night."
"Okay," says Buffy. She looks down. "Nice boots." Buffy smiles. Derek nods his head.
"Thanks," says Derek. "You've got nice legs." Buffy looks at him then at her bare legs.
"I'll see you around," says Buffy. She walks back to Xander's car and Derek watches her walk. Xander sees Derek look at Buffy. When Buffy gets into the car he looks at her.
"Nice skirt," says Xander sarcastically. He steps on the gas and they drive out of the motel. Buffy looks at Xander but doesn't say anything.
Xander pulls into an apartment building. He stops and turns the car off. Catia in the back exits the car. Xander then decides to step out of the car too. Buffy stays in a car for a minute until she decides to join them.
They walk in silence towards the elevator. They enter the elevator. When the doors open Catia leads the way to her door. She pulls her keys out then stops to face both Xander and Buffy.
"Are you two together?" ask Catia. Xander and Buffy seem a little confuse by her question.
"Yes," replies Buffy before Xander says anything. She grabs his hand and looks at him with a smile. Xander looks at her with a 'what are you doing' face and then puts on a fake smile for Catia.
"We better get going honey," says Xander. "Are you sure you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine," replies Catia. "Thank you." She opens the door and closes it quickly.
Xander rolls his eyes and looks at Buffy.
"What?" ask Buffy with an innocent expression. She begins to walk over to elevator.
"Why did you tell her we were together?" ask Xander.
"I was just playing Xander," says Buffy as the elevator doors open and she enters.
"Are you jealous?" Xander stands on the doorway of the elevator. Buffy gives him a look that he's never seen before.
"Xander...I'm not jealous," says Buffy. Buffy stays silent for a moment then she pulls him into the elevator. Xander stays silent in the elevator. Then Xander grabs and plants a kiss on her Buffy's lips. Buffy's eyes open really wide but then they close. The elevator doors open at the lobby. They release each other and look at the two old couple looking at them.
"Sorry," says Buffy as she exits the elevator with Xander behind her. "What were you thinking?" Buffy walks outside and opens the car door.
"I wasn't," says Xander as he opens his door and gets in. He looks at Buffy. "I expected a slap on the face not a kiss back." He turns on the car and drives off. Buffy stays quiet.
They arrive at Xander's apartment building. Xander gets out of the car and opens the trunk to retrieve Buffy's luggage. Buffy stays in the car thinking what she is going to say to Xander. Xander goes over to Buffy's door and opens it. Buffy steps out and Xander closes it.
"Thank you," says Buffy as she heads over to the entrance of the building. Xander sighs and follows her. He picks up his brief case and her luggage and follows her inside. Buffy presses the elevator button and she looks up to the arrow lighting up. The elevator doors open and they enter it. Xander presses the number fourteen. The door closes.
The ride is quiet with Buffy avoiding Xander's glances. The doors open and Xander allows Buffy to get out first then he follows her. He pulls out his keys out of his pocket and gives the keys to Buffy. She opens the door and lets Xander go in first. The door closes and Buffy locks it.
"Okay you could take my bed." says Xander as he puts his brief case and Buffy's luggage on the ground. He turns his head around and Buffy walks up to him and kisses him on the lips. Her arms wrap around his kneck and Xander picks her up from the ground. He walks towards his bedroom and puts her down on the bed.
"Okay wait a minute Buffy," says Xander. "Let's just breath for a minute." Buffy looks at Xander. She crawls on her knees toward Xander and touches his face. "Buffy..." She caresses his lips with her own. Xander gives up and goes for it. He puts his hands around her waist and they fall onto the bed.