Chapter 3

Immediately she hears Lex sit up and lean forward on his desk where she's sure he is at this hour. "Anything just tell me." In LA she and Lex went out briefly, for a microsecond, they figured out quickly that they were best as friends. She was fifteen and he was seventeen, she had recently broke up with Pike, and he was on the rebound from a semi-serious relationship.

They hooked up her mother's art gallery and dated for a week till they mutually agreed to be friends instead, from then on they stayed in touch. Once in a while getting together when she still lived in LA but after Joyce moved them to Sunnydale they stopped seeing each other. Both continued their friendship over the phone but face to face visits ceased.

"Remember when I explained about me being the Slayer and the people who helped me here?" Four years ago she spilled the beans to Lex telling him she was the Slayer…or a Slayer since Faith was around. At first Lex thought she was a little nuts but soon he began to believe her.

"Yea, did something happen?" Concern comes through loud and clear, he hated that she risked her life night after night but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Swallowing she tells him everything, from the incident at the vineyard to them kicking her out of her house. "They said they want me gone, so I was thinking of moving to Smallville. Start a new life there away from the Hellmouth and friends who don't trust me."

"I'll send the Luthor jet to Sunnydale right away, you're staying at the Mansion with me." Lex leaves no room for argument but Buffy tries anyway.

"No you don't have to do that Lex, really all I need is some help finding a job that isn't fast food or being a waitress. I did that in LA about five years ago for the summer and I hated it." The last thing she wants to do is take advantage of Lex and living in his home, using his jet would be taking advantage in her eyes.

Buffy can practically see Lex shake his head negatively at his desk. "You are staying with me. You're my best friend Buffy; I'm not about to let you live in some crappy motel. And I want to make sure you get here safely hence the jet being sent. Lastly don't worry about the job we'll discuss that when you get to Smallville."

"Are you sure Lex, because the last thing I want is to be an inconvenience to you." She tries one last time to get him to reconsider his offers.

"Positive. I'll see you in a few hours. Take care of yourself." Buffy gives Lex the address of the Mansion and they say their good-byes and hang up.

Buffy releases the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. In only a matter of hours she'd be away from this town and on her way to starting anew. Sliding the cell phone into her pants pocket she leaves the kitchen area and re-enters the living room where Spike and Doyle are spreading sleeping bags out on the living room floor.

"Where'd you guys find those?" She startles them stepping out of the shadows quietly. "Sorry." Buffy apologizes for spooking them.

"The seer here had them in his car, we'll take the floor luv you can take the couch." Spike had contemplated for only a brief moment taking one of the many bedrooms available but it has been years since anyone has occupied the Mansion. Dust, grime, and cobwebs would be everywhere, he wouldn't mind it if it were only on the walls or furniture he didn't plan on sleeping on but on the covers was a little too dirty for him.

Buffy takes the thin blanket she took from a closet when she first arrived and spreads it out on the couch. Slipping off her shoes she burrows under the blanket and uses her jacket for a pillow. "Doyle? How come you came to Sunnydale? Don't you have another 'case' you were assigned too last year?" Buffy asks curiously.

"I was but the PTB gave that case to someone else a week ago, they said I was needed here more. Even if they hadn't sent me I would have come. Friends is what you need right now lass." He squeezes her hand before taking his jacket and shoes off and diving into the sleeping bag.

"How'd it go with your friend Slayer?"

"Real well, he's sending the jet to come pick me up. I'll be leaving Sunnydale in a matter of hours." This is such a huge step, she can hardly believe she's leaving the place she's called home for seven years. "Am I doing the right thing?" She whispers needing reassurance.

"Bloody right you are. Once they realize how much they need you they are going to be crawling back, but since you'll be gone they'll have to bail themselves out. It'll be a good lesson for them." Spike tells her. "Not to mention it'll be good for you, they put far to much pressure on you to be perfect, this will give you the chance to be yourself and not worry about what other people think about."

"That's a good point." Buffy agrees easily. "I need a couple hours of sleep." She yawns. "In two hours I'll go to the vineyard get what Caleb has of mine and then I'm outta of here." Sighing she lets her eyes droop till they're tightly closed and within minutes she's sound asleep.

Two Hours Later

Buffy turns onto her back and stares up at the high ceiling of the Mansion. Spike and Doyle are still fast asleep on the floor. It is so nice to not have her friends questioning her judgement, when she said she was going back to the vineyard a part of her expected them to tell her not too. However when they didn't she breathed a sigh of relief, they trusted her decisions, it's pretty amazing having that.

With reluctance she leaves the comfort of the blanket, she puts her shoes back on and leaves the Mansion. It's still dark outside and it'd be that way for at least another two hours, she doesn't expect the fight with Caleb to be very long. Strong and confident footsteps sound along the otherwise silent street, she takes the long way to the vineyard so she doesn't have to pass her house. Last thing she wants is her "friends" seeing her walk by.

It takes a good twenty minutes to walk to the building, once there she stands back and watches for a few minutes. More Bringers were leaving then going in, now is the perfect time to attack. Steady and silently she enters the building coming up the stairs is a Bringer but once Buffy sees it she snaps its neck and tosses it down the stairs.

The Bringer lands with a loud thump effectively grabbing Caleb's attention. "So, I hear you've got something of mine?"

TBC