Some Things

A midnight stroll through the graveyard was all Buffy needed to put her mind at ease. The past couple of nights were like winter in Canada, but today was the perfect weather for slaying. Wearing a black leather jacket over her irremovable white dress and a crossbow slung across her back, she felt like the Slayer who took on the Master many years before. Was she still that same person? It wasn't like she had a huge revelation strike her after coming back from death. She went back to taking care of her family and responsibilities as the Slayer. Only the warm fuzzy feelings she'd get from hanging out with the gang and the food cravings after staking a vampire all started to lose their effect. The vampire inside had changed who she was on a primal level. She was surprised she wasn't jumping people in dark alleyways for midnight snacks. The logical reason for that crossed her mind, but it didn't make her feel any better.

With her musing gaze directed at the ground, it didn't take long for something to jump her from behind.

"I've got you now Slayer!" shouted a man's voice.

Buffy felt his prickly teeth touching her neck as she struggled to get him off. Grabbing hold of his arm, she gasped loudly and leaned forward throwing him over her shoulder and onto the ground in a thud. The vampire scrambled back to his feet and dusted of his tacky, light blue business suit. He stared at Buffy in bewilderment.

"Hey!" he said frowning. "You're not the Slayer." He rolled his shoulders backwards. "Your face is different. You're not blonde either."

"Very keen observation."

"Man, you don't know how nervous I was." He was bent over with hands on his knees. "Taking on the Slayer would have probably been my last night as a vampire, but oh man, the reward that fellow is offering- I couldn't turn it down. That's me, always shooting to be the top player. No risk no reward right? Too bad though." He straightened himself and shot an index finger at Buffy. "Hey, what are you, some girl with too much free time on her hands? Ease off on the self defence classes for goodness sake and get into something profitable for yourself."

Buffy slowly shook her head in disbelief. "What, so instead of drinking people's blood ... you give them financial advice."

"Ah well." He flapped a hand at her. "Some things don't change even when you become a vampire. I used to be a financial advisor you know? Can't stop myself from advising others in the right direction. Just makes you feel good y'know?"

"Oh yeah, totally." Buffy half rolled her eyes as she grabbed the crossbow from behind. She pointed it at him. "I'm really not in a talking mood, so you know, if we could get to the punching and yelling- that would be super." She suddenly recalled something in the vampire's babbling. "Wait, did you say someone was giving you a reward for killing me?"

"Not you. The Slayer. Here I have a picture of her."

Buffy lowered the crossbow as he approached, clearly not interested in fighting her. He handed her a flimsy piece of paper. It read "Buffy Summers" in bolded font at the top and just below it was a profile picture of her in black and white. Below, it read "Blonde and feisty. Use extreme caution. Reward: Lots and lots of kittens and more."

"I don't think I'll ever understand demon currency," Buffy said. "Who is this guy?"

"Some Kungai demon, calls himself The Hand. He sure is tame for someone with horn on his forehead." He leaned closer to Buffy. "News of the bounty has probably hit all of Sunnydale and it's not just the kittens they want. There's talk The Hand has a special trinket that increases the power of the wielder by tenfold. If I were you little girl, I'd be hiding safe at home. It's going to get crazy around here."

Buffy was hoping she wouldn't have to worry about anything except her own ill fortunes. This obviously wasn't going to be the case. On the bright side, she looked nothing like that girl in the photo. Demons would could tear up the entire town and not realize the Slayer was right under their noses. Maybe that wasn't such a great thing. If it was common knowledge there was no Slayer in Sunnydale, things would get very bad. She couldn't let that happen.

Buffy handed back the picture. "You can tell your friends, and that hand guy, Buffy Summers is on vacation, and that I'm filling in for her as the new Slayer."

"You're kidding right? You're no Slayer-" Buffy grabbed his arm and viciously twisted it. "Ah! Okay! Okay!"

"Tell them the Slayer is alive and kicken and ready for whatever you morons dish out."

"Yeah! Y-you got it!"

Buffy released her grip, pretty confident he believed her words. He backed away slowly and then turned to run. But before he could get anywhere, Spike tackled him from out of nowhere and they crashed to the ground.

"Spike wait!"

But Spike was already in the middle of thrusting a wooden stake through his chest. It sank in and the vampire disintegrated into the grass.

"What the hell are you doing?"

He was smirking as he jumped to his feet. "God I haven't killed anything in so long."

Buffy was still staring at him waiting for an answer to her question, but then she realized that was the best answer she was going to get.

"What's wrong? Don't remember how to use a crossbow?"

"I would have used it if I wanted him dead?"

"Oh, so you wanted him alive then."

She glared back.

"Why?"

"I am trying to keep the balance between good and evil in this town."

"Uh huh."

"Never mind. Did you hear anything about some Slayer bounty by a demon named The Hand?"

"No."

Buffy sighed and then turned to walk away.

"Wait! Buffy..." He ran to her side and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

She stopped and turned to him with a look of irritation. "What do you want Spike?" She could tell what was on his lips and it was something she really didn't want to talk about again.

"Have you drank any blood yet?"

"You came here to talk about my diet?"

"I'm just worried. I don't know how long you can go without drinking blood before you starting hunting humans. Do you really want that on your conscience?"

She had to admit, the reminder of drinking blood was alluring to her senses and lately, her muscles were feeling weak and eating a whole meal wasn't making her full. An image of herself licking an uncooked steak flew into her mind and she shook herself. "I guess you're right. But don't for a second think this is some excuse for us to be together. It isn't. It's just something I have to do, right?"

"Yeah, I have some blood you can drink at home if you want."

"No. I...don't want Dawn or the others seeing me drink."

"Alright then. We'll drink together."

Buffy's gut was suddenly churning and the thought of taking a sip of blood from a coffee mug only heightened her craving, but the human in her was loathing it. She looked at him as they walked together, and she could see a hidden smile under his pale face.

"You were just kidding about not having that chip in your head anymore right?"

Spike grinned wide and licked his lips.