A/N: OK my deepest apologies for the very long delay and shortness of chapters. But I hope this makes up for it somehow...Review and Enjoy.

Chapter 3 - Tinted.

As the walls are closing in
And the colors fade to black
And my eyes are falling fast and deep into me
And I follow the tracks that lead me down
And I never follow what's right
Sarah Mclachlan Black.

She opened her eyes. She was still here in her dank small apartment. Her dreams a constant reminder of her loss, Of her sacrifice. She slipped form her covers and went into the kitchen. The 'Kitchen' was filled with a one counter and an oven that refused to work and a mini fridge. she chewed her lip and wondered what her mom would be doing. Making waffles or pancakes she thought sadly. Giles would be pouring over a book from some lost civilization. Willow and Xander would be at the bronze having fun. She blinked away the tears that grew behind her eye lids. She would be here. Where no one knew her name. she realized quickly when she knew she could that if she died in some dark alley. Killed by some addicts knife or muggers gun no one would know. She would just be another nameless corpse on some mortuary's slab. She shook her head freeing it of those kind of thoughts. She managed to leave her house without succumbing to them. She walked into Helen's kitchen and grabbed her apron and her order book. She turned and came face to face with her boss. She noticed the bunched up hands by her sides meaning that this talk wasn't a nice talk. "What on earth were you playing at Anne" She yelled not loud enough for most of the diner to hear but loud enough to make her point, "You were supposed to work yesterday and you just took off...I'm sorry but if you walk out that door" Buffy zoned out transported back to when her mother had said the same line to her. Buffy nodded her head and went back to work this seemed to calm Helen who took it as sign that she was sorry. She walked back to her office in the back. Buffy sighed and began her long day of strenuous work.

Sam sat on his bed typing frantically on his computer and around him where books opened at random pages some in random languages. Dean sat on the bed opposite supposedly working but really he was playing solitaire with a deck of cards he had 'picked up' from the last town they went to. Their dad had gone on a hunt leaving Dean in charge of looking after Sam. Since he would be back by Tuesday there was not much point enrolling Sam into school. "Hmm" Sam said flicking thorough various texts in a book. "Good hmm or bad hmm" Dean asked setting the cards aside. He walked over and looked over Sam's shoulder at the computer screen which showed an old wood carving of a girl fighting a beast. "This wood carving keeps showing up"
"So what...the guys in the day had a serious hankering for Xena" Dean questioned raising an eyebrow.
"Shut up..And no but in all of them it describes a girl who has power that darkness knows not and she hunts and fights demons...Hell there's even a little rhyme" Sam shot back shutting the books and the laptops. He rubbed his eyes and back. "Dean I'm bushed I'm just gonna hit the hay"
"Sure I'm gonna go check out little miss steroids" Dean said pulling on his jacket. He left the room and walked down to Helen's kitchen.

Anne wiped down the table she had cleared of plates. When she returned to her standing position she sensed a figure behind her. She turned quickly instinctively bring her arms to protect her. Dean stepped back and held his arms in mock defeat. "What the hell are you doing here" She snapped walking back to the kitchen. She stopped when Dean extended an arm in front of her. She turned and raised an eyebrow before hissing "You wanna keep that arm I'd move it". He lowered the arm but raised a finger to silence her arguments. "Fine I wont make a scene her but you gotta do me a favor...Come to this address we need to talk" Dean said before walking out. She tried to focus all day but he kept flitting through her mind. When she had dropped her third cup of coffee Helen knew she and no other choice "ANNE" Helen screamed from behind her. Buffy sighed before turning to her.
"I'm really sorry but I have to go...I quit" She said pulling off her apron and passing it to Helen "Thanks for everything but I need some time to think" She said before walking out shocked at how dark it had grown. She rubbed her arms cursing her momentary forgetfulness of her coat. She pulled out the address before making up her mind. She was unsurprised to find Dean parked in a car waiting for her. She glared at him before climbing in. They drove on in silence minus the random tunes Dean kept humming. Buffy just stared at the road ahead.

Something was wrong. Sam wouldn't leave the door open. So Dean was unsurprised when he walked in and found tables and chairs upturned and evidence of a fight. Buffy walked in and knelt down and stared at something. Dean joined her and found a stake with a note tied to it. "It's a message...for me...Figures" Buffy said.
"What does it say" Dean demanded. She unfolded it and read "Come at midnight or we make him a meal"
"WHAT" Dean yelled.
"Well at least they use original lines" Buffy said sarcastically rolling her eyes. She tore the note from the stake and held it tight in her grasp. "If your brother's still alive I'll bring him back" She said preparing to leave.
"I'm coming with you"
"No you're not" Buffy said walking out the door.
"The hell I'm not...He's my brother and there's not a goddamn thing you could do to stop me" As he said that Buffy smiled fondly. "What" He asked confused.
"Nothing you just remind of a friend" She replied, "Grab a knife" She called as she walked out into the darkness of night and into the claws of the fanged beasts that lay ahead.