Shiny Titanium Hearts

Kendra spun around as she sensed a demonic presence behind her. She lashed out with her stake only to have it shatter against a metallic grey breastplate, leaving not a scratch.

"What are you?" she demanded as she quickly backed away, hands reaching for her backup stake while wishing she'd brought some heavier weapons.

The large metal figure towered over the dark skinned slayer and she would have thought him a golem if not for the fact that the lower half of his face was visible.

"You may call me A.J.," he replied, the metallic rasp of his voice giving her goosebumps. "Your manner of dress and actions mark you as a vampire hunter. Please identify yourself."

"I am Kendra, de vampire slayer," Kendra said getting into a fighting stance.

"The current vampire slayer was still active as of one hour and forty-seven minutes ago when her watcher assigned us our patrol routes for the night," A.J. replied. "However voice stress analysis suggests you are being truthful. You will come with me to see the watcher in order to clarify the matter."

"What is his name?" she demanded.

"You are not cleared for that information," A.J. replied.

"You could be bluffing then, to get me to lower my guard," she said. "Besides you feel like a demon."

"Immaterial, you are coming with me." A.J. said flatly. "Logic would suggest you co-operate, so you would be able to retain your weapons while obtaining more information."

Kendra considered that. "I know where I am suppose to contact the local watcher if needed. If you are telling the truth they should be in the same place. You will walk ahead of me."

"Acceptable," A.J. allowed, immediately turning and striding off. "We will be deviating from the shortest route to stop by Donald's Donuts."

"Why is dat?" Kendra asked, caution audible in her tense voice as she stayed directly behind him, alert for any treachery or ambush.

"Because I am to retrieve supplies for the watcher on my return from patrol," A.J. replied.

"We are being followed," Kendra observed as they reached the main street.

"Yes," A.J. agreed unsurprised. "She follows me on my rounds. She... worries about me," he said his voice sounding, softer, almost human for a moment.

Kendra didn't reply, instead taking the time to get a clear look at who was following them. Surprisingly it was a young girl with dark hair who was tailing them and she got the impression that the only reason she'd noticed her was because the girl had allowed it.

"I am here for Mr. Giles' Order," Xander announced as they entered the Donut Shop.

"A.J." The young man behind the counter called out cheerfully. "Let me grab your order." He handed a pink box to the cyborg. "It's good to see you out and about, stop by anytime." He passed him a small coffee as well. "No additions, freshly ground. Enjoy."

"Thank you," A.J. said with a nod and the barest hint of a smile at the cup in his hand.

"The people in there were happy to see you," Kendra noted once they'd left.

"I am a regular," A.J. replied.

Kendra waited, but he didn't say anything more as he lead her to the Sunnydale High School Library.

"Ohh, Xander, I see you brought donuts, and who is this?" Giles asked retrieving the box of donuts he set it on the table next to Willow.

"Greetings Watcher Giles, I be Kendra de Vampire Slayer," she said finally and everyone could hear how the words Vampire Slayer were capitalized. "My Watcher, Sam Zabuto, sent me here to investigate dark portents."

"Buffy's only been gone for an hour!" Willow exclaimed wide eyed.

"But I was called nearly two months ago," Kendra said in shock.

"That would coincide with Buffy's death at the hands of the Master," Giles said.

"But you said you'd just seen her," Kendra pointed out confused.

"The Tinman gave her CPR," the girl who'd been following them said, nearly giving Kendra a heart attack as she'd never even noticed her entering the room. Kendra examined the girl, who couldn't have been more than thirteen, dressed in army surplus BDU's and carrying a number of modern weapons. The muscle definition on her made Kendra feel a bit inadequate.

"Let me verify your references, I'll be right back," Giles said before disappearing into his office.

"Who are you?" Kendra asked the girl.

"Dawn Summers," she introduced herself making no move to offer her hand or even get within arm's reach of the slayer.

"And what are you?" Kendra asked.

"Human," Willow spoke up. "Just extremely driven."

Dawn turned and flung something at A.J.'s head, causing Kendra to draw a stake, but he simply plucked it from the air, revealing it to be a jar of baby food.

"No human's dat fast," Kendra said.

"Cyborg," Willow said.

"I meant her," Kendra said.

"Training," was all Dawn said, letting the silence stretch on.

Giles came out while Kendra tried to keep an eye on everyone and Xander ate his dinner. "According to the council she was called when Buffy died, even though it was only for a minute. Somehow the news on that never reached me."

"What are they?" Kendra asked.

"Pardon?" Giles asked. "Oh you mean Xander? A chaos based rite turned him into a cyborg from a movie."

"Then why does he feel like a demon?" she asked.

"My fault I'm afraid," Giles admitted. "The demon referred to as the sleepwalker came after me and mistook him for a zombie. Naturally it tried to possess him when he destroyed the body it was in, so he's been stuck hosting it."

"He's possessed?" Kendra asked incredulously.

"No, it requires a sleeping mind to gain control and Xander lacks the portion of the brain required for that. Xander possesses the sleepwalker rather than the other way around," he explained.

"And her?" Kendra asked.

"Buffy's younger sister gained the memories of Sarah Connor, a woman of some skill," Giles said, leaving it at that.

"I have finished eating, I will return to patrol now," A.J. said, dropping the empty jar in the trash and marching off. Dawn waited a scant three seconds before ghosting after him.

"You are sure she is human?" Kendra asked.

"Completely," Giles assured her, "But that just makes her more dangerous. She has training and determination far beyond her years and her ability to focus is actually quite frightening at times."

"Don't insult Xander around her or treat him as less than a person," Willow warned her. "She doesn't like that."

"She called him Tinman and threw a jar at him," Kendra pointed out.

"Sarah Connor was the ultimate human survivor, fighting a machine intelligence that sent cyborg assassins back in time to kill her and her unborn son. Dawn Summers however is a thirteen year old girl who cared greatly for Xander who was turned into a nearly emotionless cyborg designed to protect humanity," Giles said pushing his glasses up as he offered the explanation.

"You have a slayer who has died once, a girl with the memories and skills of one far beyond her years, and a boy turned into a machine imprisoning a name rank demon," Kendra noted. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Buffy is dating Angel who works with us," Willow offered.

"And I suppose he's an actual angel?" Kendra snorted allowing the sarcasm to drip from her voice.

"Victim of a vampire, who's soul was put in charge of his possessed corpse by a gypsy curse to torture the vampire," Giles explained.

"At least one of you is normal," she deadpanned.

Typing by: Stephenopolos

TN: YES! ROBOCOP Xander!

AN: Told you guys I was working on it. Can't think of many other Cyborgs to use… maybe Steve Austin?