Still own nada... why, did you hear something?

Chapter 3

Clark walked up to the front porch, holding Chloe close to him. "Come on, we'll talk to my dad, he always knows how to handle stuff, right?"

Nodding silently, Chloe collapsed at the kitchen counter, laying her head down.

"Clark? Chloe? What's wrong?" Martha sped over to the young girl, laying her hand on the back of her neck.

Sighing, Clark was ready to tell his folks everything that was happening. "Mom, where's dad, we need to talk to you guys."

Wetting a rag, Martha placed it on Chloe's neck. "He'll be right down, he's been talking with an old friend of ours for hours."

As if on cue, Jonathan trudged down the stairs, holding an old worn out leather backpack. "Clark, Chloe, we need to talk."

There was an air around the eldest Kent that was unusual. It wasn't like his speeches to Clark about the importance of keeping his secret, or the carefully practiced life lessons. Jonathan Kent looked… stuffy.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Clark stared at the back pack, almost using his X-Ray vision to get a sneak peak, but his father moved it to the counter suddenly.

"Unh uh son, no fair peeking." Clark grinned sheepishly, making Chloe look between the two slowly.

She stood up finally, looking at Mr. Kent. "Ok, first off, you have to hear about what just happened at the school. It was insane, and Clark can vouch for me. There were these guys, with black robes and…"

"No eyes, and long curved daggers, and they didn't speak, only attacked you until Clark stopped them, am I right?" Jonathan fought the urge to smirk, watching his son and the girl he had come to think of as a daughter look at each other, then him.

"Dad, how did you know?" "Mr. Kent, what is going on?" The questions were simultaneous, and Martha was even shooting him an inquisitive look over the counter.

Reaching into the pack, he pulled out several old books, a couple of pieces of wood, and a clear vial of… water? "Clark, there is a part of my past you don't know about, and your mother doesn't even really know about it, only the people involved. When I graduated from Smallville High, my folks gave me a trip to Europe as a present, so I could see the world before deciding if I wanted to take over my family's farm. While I was over there, I ran into some trouble of a… unique nature." Opening an old book, he showed them a picture of a vampire in game face, forehead ridged, fangs poking between his snarling lips.

Chloe gasped. "That's what the guy who attacked me last night looked like! Clark, you saw him didn't you?"

Jonathan's gaze shot to his son. "Last night? You were attacked last night too? Why didn't you tell me this son?"

Clark babbled for a minute. "I just… uh… there wasn't really… I mean… The guy disappeared, and I didn't get a good look at him, I just pulled him off of Chloe."

Looking back to the young woman, Jonathan sighed. "Chloe, what do you know about Vampires?"

Shaking her head, she crossed the room. "Ok, I thought I was crazy enough thinking that's what it could be, but now you're asking me about them? Is that what that was? Are there really vampires in the world Mr. Kent?"

Nodding slowly, Jonathan handed her the book. "Vampires, demons, werewolves, anything you can imagine, and many more that you wouldn't want to. I was attacked by one the first night I was there, and the only reason I survived was this man." Pulling an old worn photo from the pack, he held it up to the group.

"Rupert Giles." Martha said from behind the counter.

"Yes Martha, Giles. You see, Giles was a student in training at one of the oldest academies in the civilized world, its practices have been going on longer than some religions even. The Watcher's Council. Men trained to protect and train the Slayers of the world." Jonathan sat at the counter now, looking at one of the smaller books, its cover worn from constant reading.

"Dad, what's a slayer?"

"Clark, the slayer is one girl chosen into every generation to fight the vampires, demons, minions of evil… something like that, I was never good with all the language and memorizing. But the point is, there is a girl, stronger than average, faster than average, who has the ability to fight, to do what's right for humanity. There are many girls that are potentials, any one of them could be chosen as the new slayer once the current slayer is… gone. But now, someone is taking out all of the potentials. A very old threat is coming back again. And our Chloe here," he patted her on the hand… "Our Chloe is a potential. I was placed as her Watcher because we're in close vicinity, and since she was only a potential, we didn't have to start as intense training as usual. But I still had to do something, why do you think I kept bringing up self defense and Karate classes Chloe?" Jonathan smirked softly, seeing the wide gaze the young woman had on him.

Staring at Jonathan as if he had three nostrils, Chloe sputtered. "But I'm… I'm not strong or fast. I'm just me! I'm just Chloe!"

"You're much more Chloe. You have the ability to protect people, to save them. But you wouldn't get your powers unless you were the Chosen one, after the slayer died. Now, I won't lie, it's a hard life. Constantly fighting, waging war on evil, in danger all the time. But it's a good purpose." He handed her the pack. "These are all the books I have on the Slayer and her history. You can look through them, take them. But for your own safety, you need to be with the other girls like you right now, in California. You're booked on the red eye flight from Metropolis in a few hours. You guys can swing by your place on the way out of town to grab some clothes."

Clark stared at his friend. He had always known she'd be something amazing, once she found her calling. It seemed now she had. "Wait, California? We can't just ship her off all that way. Not unless I'm with her. And did you say 'you guys'?"

"Of course we wouldn't Clark. That's why you're booked with her." Jonathan smiled brightly.

His mouth forming a big O, Clark blinked. "Uh, that's right. Not without me." He flopped on the couch, followed soon by Chloe. They looked at each other, then the books. Finally, each of them picked up a book, and started reading up on what they were going to face.

Giles had been checking flight numbers and finalized the arrival times. Walking into the living room, he saw nothing but teenage girls watching movies and commenting on who was more "scrumptious", Christian Bale or Orlando Bloom. "Oh good Lord." He walked quickly to the kitchen, only to find Dawn, Willow, Buffy and several more girls talking and microwaving something as Dawn gave a science lesson on which blew up faster, a marshmallow or a Peep. Finally, he dashed down the basement stairs, seeking some quiet. He sat down roughly on the steps, exhaling.

"What's wrong Rupes? Ladies run you down into the ground? Literally?" Giles looked up to see Xander and Spike sitting on the cot next to the wall, both banging away on a video game. "AHA! I got the damn bananas first, you lose whelp!" Spike laughed at Xander's face, seeing the younger man toss the controller down.

"Dammit Spike, at least give me a chance, we don't all have these cheat codes memorized. Some of us had to work the last year you know."

Lighting a cigarette, Spike smiled even wider. "Whatever. You owe me a six pack now." Turning back to Giles, Spike's face went serious again. "What's up Rupert? Something's on your mind, I can tell."

Giles took his glasses off, but didn't wipe them this time. "We have a potential coming into town, she'll be arriving at the airport in the neighboring county, as Sunnydale's is all but abandoned now. She has brought a friend with her, and I need you two to pick them up. They arrive in three hours. Spike, you'll have several hours of night left, plenty of time to get back before sunrise."

Spike stood up, stretching his back. "Sounds good. Get out of this bloody estrogen hell, and Xander here can make good on the bet. None of the cheap stuff either mate."

Sighing, Xander stood. "Ok, well my car is no good, it's too small for even me. And I don't think we can get four people on Spike's bike. So what do we do?"

Giles sat thoughtfully, and then looked at Spike. "There's an automobile lot down the road, pick something you'll like." He then stood and started back up the stairs.

"Oy, Rupert! You're givin' us the OK to hotwire a car?" Spike looked shocked.

"Well I'm certainly not trusting you with my car. Now if you'll excuse me, I have more work to do." The basement door opened, letting in the torrent of giggles and shouts, and a loud pop from the kitchen as something blew up it sounded like. The door shut again, and Giles walked back downstairs, crossing straight to the cot, and sat down. "Ok, winner gets the choice of ale, are those the stakes?" he asked, grabbing one of the controllers.

End Chapter 3