Chapter 1
Welcome to the Hellmouth.
An eerie calm had settled over Sunnydale in the past month, Giles still couldn’t believe she was gone, Faith the vampire slayer had died a little over a month ago, sacrificing herself for her sister Dawn and the world. She had been the slayer for four years and before that it had been Kendra, who had sadly died only a year after arriving in Sunnydale. Giles had never met the young slayer Kendra but after she had been killed by a group of vampires protecting her watcher, the man decided to retire and move away from the hell mouth. That is when Giles had been called there to meet and prepare the new slayer Faith.
She was young barely sixteen, but surprisingly she had been open to the idea and taken to slaying quiet easily. She had bested so many enemies, Giles had almost forgot that she wasn’t invisible… almost! That was until he had seen her body lying broken and lifeless on the ground, she had taken Dawn's place jumping through the portal in order to close it and she had and it had cost her, her life. Her friends had been devastated, Tara had held Willow as they lowered the slayer's body into the ground, Xander and Anya had cried hard throughout the whole service. Dawn hadn’t wanted to go, but after much convincing she had watched as they buried her sister. Giles had asked Willow and Tara to look after Dawn that night and once night fell he waited. It didn’t take long for first Spike to arrive to say good bye to the slayer he cared about, and then of course Angel had arrived roses in hand.
Surprisingly, the two vampires played nice keeping their past where it belonged and saying goodbye to the slayer they both deeply cared for. Angel had loved Faith but after losing his soul after their one and only night together, he had left both Sunnydale and Faith scared of hurting her again. Then, Spike had arrived only to be captured by the initiative and Faith’s current boyfriend Graham, rendered helpless and unable to feed. Faith took him in on the condition that he helped them when they needed help and he had eventually moved into a crypt. He was always by the slayers side, eventually confessing his feelings for Faith and while she cared for him, she simply couldn’t bring herself to date another vampire, not after the heartbreak she experienced with Angel. Then, only three weeks later she had died.
Hanging up the phone, Giles looked around the Magic Box at the scooby gang. He couldn’t believe it, how would he tell them? What would he say? Faith had only been gone a month, most of them hadn't even had time to really grieve for their loss and now… sighing he cleaned his glasses, trying to think of the best way to tell them and as if on cue Spike walked into the Magic Box, Dawn trailing behind him. She did that most nights, spent time with Spike as he now lived with them after Giles had taken custody of Dawn.
“Ah Spike, Dawn, good timing I need a word with all of you.”
Nodding, Spike and Dawn took a seat with the rest of the gang.
Giles had everyone’s full attention, placing his glasses back on he moved to stand in front of them. “I just got off the phone with the Watcher's Council…” he started, only to be interrupted.
“No new big bad is there? Cause you know things have been really quiet since…” Xander started, sounding panicked.
“Ah no, no big bad… a new slayer is on her way to Sunnydale,” he quickly blurted out, hearing everyone gasp is shock.
“But Giles Faith…” Willow started to say.
“Is gone, something we need to accept,” he reminded her. He watched Tara wrap her arms around her girlfriend, as Willow fought back tears. “I’m sorry Willow, I know we are all still trying to come to terms with losing Faith, but they are worried about leaving the hellmouth unguarded by a slayer and they're right.”
“Who is she?” Dawn asked softly.
“Um… her name is Buffy Summers, she has actually been slaying vampires longer than both Kendra and Faith combined,” he replied, opening the file that had arrived this morning via a courier. “According to her file, Miss Summers was activated after a slayer in Rome was killed. She was fourteen at the time but before her watcher arrived, her parents were killed by vampires. Buffy survived the attack.”
“But she was only a kid how did she survive?” Xander asked, stunned.
“Well, she had been activated by then so she possessed the strength and skills of a slayer, my guess is instinct took over. She was able to dust the two vampires and after that the council stepped in, adopting Buffy and taking her back to England. That is where she trained and slayed for two years. Then, she was ambushed by a group of vampires, thinking she was dead, they dumped her in a river where a local fisherman found her and he was able to revive her.”
“What year was that?” Willow asked.
“Ah… 2000 why?”
“That’s when Kendra was activated.”
“Oh my god, and then Kendra died activating Faith,” Dawn gasped.
“Yes, I see.” Giles nodded.
“Wait, so this slayer has been going at it for what?... twelve years now?” Spike asked, finally piping up.
“Yes, they tell me she is quiet extraordinary.”
“When does she arrive?” Anya asked.
“Soon, her plane should land in a few hours. She was told to report here, I ask you all to please help her to feel welcome, she has had a rough time herself over the years.”
Nodding, they still couldn’t believe it, a new slayer. One, who had been doing this since the very young age of fourteen? Both Kendra and Faith had been sixteen when they were called, but this girl was younger than both of the other slayers.
Standing, Spike decided he couldn’t do this he had to leave. Saying nothing he headed for the door.
“Spike,” Dawn called.
“I’m just going to patrol, Bit, you head home with Giles and I’ll be there later.”
She smiled, nodding but before Spike could leave, Giles was standing next to him.
“I thought you would want to meet Buffy,” he spoke softly, wanting their conversation to be private.
“Actually, I don’t.”
Giles looked almost hurt.
“Look watcher, I'll still help out, do patrols and take care of the bit, but when it comes to this girl… well I’m sick of burring people I care about. First Faith’s mom Jenny and now Faith herself… I can’t do it again; I know you never believed I truly cared for Faith but…”
“I believe you did.”
“Well then, you understand why I can’t allow myself to get close to this girl and you always do you know, you don’t mean to, try and keep them at a distance but it never works, they work their way inside… I can’t I’m sorry,” he whispered, before disappearing into the night.
Giles watched him go, seeing a young women come to stand in front of him.
“Rupert Giles?”
“Uh.. Yes, I’m sorry but we are actually closed for the evening, perhaps you could come back tomorrow,” he replied, moving to shut the door.
Putting her foot in the way, she smiled.
“I’m not a customer, my name is Buffy, Buffy Summers. I was told to report here,” she smiled.
Giles looked stunned, she had arrived early taking him by surprise. For twelve years, this woman had bested everything that stood in her way. “How?” his mind asked, she was so small, she was maybe five foot five with long blonde hair draped down her back in golden waves, she wore black leather pants and a skin tight blood red top, she was beautiful but she also wore the scars of a life as the slayer, little ones here and there one on her chest, arm, lip and a clear vampire bite on the left side of her neck. Smiling, he stepped aside ushering her in. Taking a deep breath, he closed the door behind her.
squawks
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!
05/18/17 04:16 am
pj! I remember wishing one of your stories would be finished seriously about a decade ago. Amazing. I just tried an old password I used to use and amazingly got in too. Memories!
pj
03/20/17 01:20 am
10 yrs later, i finally rem my username and password. Pari, you rock. Hope you are well.
Rabbit_moon1
12/23/16 01:12 pm
I donate every month. Please donate to keep this site up!
AudryDaluz1
10/06/16 08:34 am
Great post.
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:45 pm
And anyone else who loves this site, it's worth mentioning there's a nifty little "Donate" option just below the shout box here! ;)
Chrissel
08/31/16 03:43 pm
Just wanted to take a moment to thank Pari and all the mods for maintaining such a great site!