-Chapter Seven-

The Three Runaways

The door opened to Clark's apartment and Buffy looked in awe as she saw the wooden panelled walls and silk covered beds. How could he afford all this if he was a farm boy?

Clark brushed past her the girl in his arms. He placed her down on his bed. "So, what do you think happened to her?" Clark asked looking a her.

"Probably, the shock," Buffy concluded.

"I suppose this was the life you were running away from?" Clark added glancing over to Buffy. She bowed her head. "What made you runaway?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to be that person anymore," Buffy replied. "How about you? How did you afford all of this if you were a farm boy?" Buffy asked curiously.

"I got some summer jobs and saved up my money," Clark replied sarcastically, "why so interested?"

"Just wondering I mean this is really past your normal farm boy price range," Buffy replied quickly.

"And it's not like many Valley girls to be able to stake vampires," Clark snapped back.

"How did you know I was from LA?" Buffy asked shocked. Her eyes wide with horror.

"I saw your drivers license when I X-Rayed you," Clark sad casually as if it were normal thing to say.

"So, what you've got some sort of X-Ray vision?" Buffy scoffed. Clark nodded. "Whoa, get. Out! Seriously."

"Yep," Clark said smugly.

"So, are you x-raying me now?" Buffy asked holding her arms around herself to try and shield herself.

"No," Clark shook his head. "But, I could if I wanted to." He looked at her, an aroused look in his eye. "I certainly am looking at you in a different pair of eyes." He smiled.

"I bet you are," Buffy said suggestively. She moved in towards him and slipped her hands between his fingers. "So, do you like what you see?"

"Very," Clark said leaning in for a kiss. He suddenly, gasped as Buffy grabbed hold of his ring and pulled it out of his hand. It dropped to the ground rolling under the bed.

Buffy watched as his eyes flashed a red glow and then, turned back to their usual baby blues. He fell to the floor trying to grab the ring. Buffy scooped it up before he could she bent down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay," She said soothingly, "you're free now. It can't possess you anymore."

"I already was free," Clark replied his eyes weld with tears.

"So, I decided to destroy it and then, it cost my mom the baby," Clark finished with his story. His head bowed and looking down at the floor. Tears welled in his eyes as he relived the painful memory from three months ago.

"So, what this ring turns you into someone else?" Buffy asked confused.

"No, it dampens my inhibitions, so I don't care about the consequences of my actions," Clark answered glumly.

"So, this is how you afforded all this stuff, you stole it?" she concluded knowingly.

"Yes," Clark replied guiltily. "So, what about you?"

"What about me?" Buffy asked taken aback.

"Well, you know that I'm an alien," Clark retorted. "What's your story? You some sort of demon hunter or something?"

"No, I'm the Slayer," Buffy said, although it would have been with pride a year ago. "You know, The Vampire Slayer," she added when she saw the blank look on his face, which didn't falter when she aid this. "Fine, I was chosen to fight demons, vampires and any other supernatural creatures."

"Oh, all I fight are psychopaths and mutants," Clark replied lightening up a bit. "So, why did you give it up?"

"I had to kill someone close to me," Buffy replied dimly.

"Was he a vampire?" Clark asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Buffy replied quietly. "I had no choice he was about to destroy the world."

There was moment of silence almost as if they were mourning the lives they had ended. "So, what are we going to do with her? And what did those vampires want with her?"

"Probably, after a feed," Buffy said unsure, "though it doesn't explain why she's dressed like that."

"Maybe, she's homeless," Clark suggested. "She could have been at the mission centre."

"I don't think they'd give them that to wear," Buffy said nodding at the rags she was wearing.

Clark looked at ring Buffy had her hand greedily. He wanted it, he needed it.

"NO!" Buffy snapped placing it in her pocket. "If she is in danger and Kal is as unpredictable as you say, I'll need you at the top of your game."

Clark nodded in agreement. "Listen, I'm sorry about the way I acted with you," Clark said guiltily. "I should have left you alone."

Buffy placed an affectionate hand on his shoulder. "You weren't yourself and besides, I'm glad we met," Buffy said understandingly.

"So, three runaways under one roof?" Clark joked weakly. "I didn't think this would happen when I ran away to Metropolis."

"Ow," Came a voice by the bed. Clark and Buffy looked over to see the girl starting to wake up. "What happened?"

"Don't worry, you're safe now," Buffy said reassuringly.

"Buffy? Buffy Summers?" she said looking at Buffy closely.

"Do we know each other?" Buffy asked confused.

"It's me Amber, from School. You saved me from that cult last year," she replied happily, a little too happily under the circumstances.

"Oh, right," Buffy said remembering her. She looked shocked at how old she looked. "Amber what happened to you?"

"They did this to me," Amber replied a crazed look in her eyes as she grabbed Buffy's arm. "They tortured me for years."

"But, it's only been a few months since you ran away from Sunnydale," Buffy said still confused.

"Not down there it isn't," Amber said slowly, a scared look in her eyes and face.

"Down where?" Clark asked as equally confused as Buffy.

Amber turned to Clark her gaunt features making her look like a skeleton. "Hell," she said.