Buffy sighed as she walked her patrol route a few weeks later after school had let out for the summer. She was doing better, but gods it had been so hard to deal with dusting that vampire that looked like a child. A little boy who should have been running and playing in the sunshine. He'd looked like a little boy, but her senses had told her it was definitely a demon and she'd done what was necessary, but the surprise and fear on his little face just before he'd turned to dust made her wonder if that was the same look the vampire who'd made him had seen as well.

"The difference, Buffy." Her mother had told her. "Is that the vampire that made that child into a vampire enjoyed the pain and fear it created, you don't. If you could have saved the child, you would have. But it wasn't a child anymore. It was a meat suit worn by a demon, if I understand what you all have told me. The little boy died and his soul moved on and a demon took over his body. Now that little boy can look down from Heaven and know his body isn't being used to hurt others. If he could thank you, I'm sure he would."

"I don't want thank yous, I want to stop it from ever happening, but I can't. All I can do is stop them from doing it to others."

"And every time you do, you save more lives. You can't do anything about the past, but you can safe guard the future."

Buffy realized her mother was right, she couldn't change the past, but she could safeguard the future. Which is why she was out here patrolling, even though she was in Los Angeles visiting her father for the summer and he wasn't in the know. She didn't just have a duty and responsibility, she had a need and it was the need that drove her to hunt now. The need to safeguard the future.

'So much better a reason than Sacred Duty.' She thought. 'Because it's my choice and one that isn't being forced on me. Xander said he welcomed the purpose being a Grimm has given his life. Jesse seems to welcome helping him and both of them and Amy and Cordelia have really been there for me. Made it easier to handle everything. Because of them I have my mother to help me. What might the last few weeks have been like with out Mom's support? Not good, I'm thinking.'

The sounds of what might be a fight drew her attention and she followed the sounds. This wasn't the best neighborhood she'd taken a cab to get to after sneaking out and it could be something as simple as a mugging, but she wasn't going to stand by and just let that happen either. What she found was surprising though. A vampire and a human fighting back, one she recognized.

"Pike?" She exclaimed, recognizing the boy who'd helped her fight Lothos, and she'd run away with but hadn't seen since she'd returned home. Their aborted attempt at anything more had been cut off by her parents blaming him for her getting into trouble, before she'd tried to tell them about the vampires. He was fighting well, obviously he'd picked up more than just the street brawling tactics he'd had before. He didn't look at her, but clearly heard her.

"If that's really you Summers, I could use some help here. There's another one over there and I managed to knock it down!"

"Got it!" It didn't take long to dust the vamp Pike had knocked down and Buffy turned to watch him finish off the second one. "Been awhile."

"Nearly a year." He answered. "Kinda you missed you, Summers."

"That's nice to hear. You graduated, right?"

"Well, got my GED, I was a drop out, remember? No use going back, but the GED has given me a few options I wouldn't otherwise have."

"My mom and I live in Sunnydale now. A city a couple of hours from here. Parents divorced. I'm spending the summer with my dad."

"And coming to a sketchy neighborhood to catch the sights?"

"What I am hasn't changed, Pike. And you look like you've picked up a few things."

"Now that I know they exist, I don't know how I ever missed it before. I find them every damn where. So, since I like living, learning how to make sure I keep living means I had to learn more."

"That's a point that been driven rather forcefully home for me as well. My mother now knows the truth, it was the only way I could keep her safe. My father doesn't, but he doesn't live anywhere they frequent, so hopefully he'll be okay. Want to patrol with me? We can catch up."

"Sure and Sunnydale, huh? I've heard some stories about that place."

"If those stories include the fact that it's a demon paradise and has multiple protectors trying to keep the clueless humans safe, than yes, those stories are based on fact."

"Crap and good, in that order."

"If you wanted to come visit, I won't say no and I could introduce you to some really good friends who are some of those protectors I mentioned ."

"I've got nothing else on my schedule." He smiled. "Really have missed you, Summers."

"I think I've missed you too"