Rating: PG-13
Content: Some violence, But nothing more that you would see on TV.
Spoilers: Becoming I & II
Summary: This is a story about an encounter that Buffy has after leaving Sunnydale.
Disclaimer: I don’t own the Character of Buffy in this story. She belongs to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, ect. I wish to thank them for letting me borrow her for a short time.

Strangers

So there I was. It was early evening and I was sitting in some truck stop café. Reading a newspaper that a previous customer had left and minding my own business. When suddenly I sense somebody sit down on the bench on the other side of my booth.

The nerve of some people, I think to myself. So I come up with a great slam for the SOB who is invading my space. I lower the paper but my awesome put down freezes on my lips.

Weakly I manage to say. "Ah Hi."

Sitting across from me is this woman. And what a woman. She would definitely be somewhere near the top of my top ten gorgeous babe’s list. She had very fair skinned with short jet-black hair that was just below her ears. And there she was sitting across from me with her elbows on the table, and her chin resting on her folded hands, just looking at me.

But what really caught my attention were those eyes. Now I’m the first to admit that when I first meet a woman the eyes are usually not the first thing I notice. But these eyes were different. They were like two seas of an icy blue liquid that seemed to have an infinite depth. Floating in the middle of each were two sparkling jewels of ebony. When they looked at you, they would just draw you in. I felt that if I took a step forward I would fall into them. And I would gladly fall forever.

"Hello." She said.

Her words shook me from my trance.

"Hello." I said. "But I already said that didn’t I." I’m sounding cool I thought to myself. "My name is John."

"I’m Carla." She said in a voice that was almost as entrancing as her eyes. "Nice to meet you John."

"Hi Carla." I said. "Can I do you? What I mean is, WHAT can I do FOR you?"

She smiled at my slip of the tongue and said. "Well you can let me buy your dinner."

"But I’ve already eaten."

"So I see. Then that would mean you’re ready to leave?"

"Oh. I’m sorry do you need the table?"

"No, not at all. I was hoping to leave with you."

I swallowed trying not to act too surprised. Doesn’t this kind of thing happen everyday? Not to me it doesn’t

"With me? Sure, where are you heading?" I asked while I stood up and reached for my wallet.

"No my treat. Your money is no good here." Carla said as she reached into her purse and deposited a twenty on the table. Then to the approaching waitress, she said. "Keep the change."

The waitress quickly realized that the tip was larger than the entire check and said. "Yes ma'am. Thank you very much."

Then Carla stepped up to me and took my arm, and without me realizing it, started me walking towards the door.

"Where did you say you were going?" I asked as we walked out the door.

She smiled at me. It was a smile that was right up there with that voice. I was like putty in her hands.

"Well." Carla said. "Let’s just go to your car. Once we get there we can decide where to go next."

Those eyes looked at me. I felt like I was on a precipice about to fall. I wasn’t wrong.

"I’m parked over here." I said fumbling trying to get my keys from my pocket.

Soon we reached the car. "Here we are." I announced.

She looked around the parking lot. I followed her gaze and saw no one around.

Before I realized it, Carla had me backed up against the car. Her lips felt like rose petals against mine. She kissed me like there was no tomorrow. I kissed her back like I had never kissed before in my life. It felt like that kiss lasted for hours.

Then before I realized it she broke the kiss and began gently began to nibble on my ear.

Always the joker I said. "If you’re that hungry maybe we should go back inside and I’ll buy you dinner."

She stopped nibbling and said. "No need for that. I’ve got my dinner right here.

I smiled as I thought of the possible implications of what she said.

Then suddenly she pulled back. I looked at her face. But it wasn’t her face. The face of my dream woman had been replace with that of the devil. Bony ridges had replaced what I remembered as smooth lines. Those entrancing eyes I had seen before were replaced by two dark orbs that were like looking into the pits of hell.

And her smile had been replaced by a gaping void that was surrounded by sharp jagged teeth, dominated by two large fangs.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even scream. All I could do was stare at this hell-spawned monster.

Those burning eyes stared at me for a moment. Then she smiled. A gross caricature of a smile dominated by those hideous fangs. She reached up with one hand and slowly pulled my head to the left, fully exposing my neck.

All I could do was stand there pined helplessly against the car.

Then with a speed that was astounding her head come forward and I felt those fangs sink into my neck.

My knees buckled but she held me in place. Darkness began to creep into the edges of my vision as I began to feel my life slip away.

Suddenly Carla or what ever she was, jerked her head away from me, her mouth wide with a silent scream. I felt her grip release me and I fell to my knees. Then Carla appeared to turn into a dried out shell, which suddenly exploded in a cloud of dust, which rained down on me.

Coughing I looked up. Instead of Carla there was a young blond girl standing there. She was holding something long and dark in her hand. But before I could tell what it was, she put it away in a pocket.

She stepped up, knelt beside me and said, "Are you okay?"

* * * * * * *

I was walking down some road. I didn’t know what road. I didn’t know where it led. I didn’t even know where it came from. I really didn’t care. All I really wanted to do was keep moving down it. I think somewhere in the back of my mind I thought that if I kept moving that maybe eventually I would go far enough to get away from the pain.

Or maybe I thought that if I moved far enough from home that I could take away all the pain and disappointment I had caused everyone in my life.

I know I’m a major disappointment to Giles because I’m not the kind of slayer that someone like him would want, and deserve. And I don’t know how he can even look at me knowing that I couldn’t save Jenny.

How can I forgive myself for having put Willow and Xander in so much danger? The last time I saw Willow she lying unconscious was in the hospital. They’re two of my best friends. Not to mention Cordiela. Then again, maybe I could forgive myself for that, a little.

Then there is Mom. I tried to be a good daughter. But trying to keep half of my life secret from her is not a good start. How could she not be hurt when she found out? And considering the things that have happened in the past should I be surprised that she didn’t really believe me. Then there’s getting kicked out of school, again. No wonder she threw me out.

And what about Kendra. I should’ve been there instead of fighting with Angel. Maybe then she wouldn’t be dead.

And Angel my love. Every time I think about what I did to you, I…. How could I have done what I did to you? Just when you came back to me, I betray you. I just couldn’t see any other way.

I’m not sure how long I wondered around like that. In this daze, I jokingly call a life. Days, weeks, months. Who knows?

Sometimes I walked. Sometimes I would ride. Sometimes I would just sit. But most of all I cried.

So, if you were to ask me how I came to be on that part of that road at that time, I would have to say, "Color me clueless."

But there I was walking along some road one evening. Usually I looked at my feet. But for some reason, I looked up. Maybe it was the smell of the food. Had I eaten at all that day? Maybe, maybe not.

So I look up to see this couple walking out of the restaurant arm in arm. Of course, as soon as I saw them I thought about me and Angel.

I don’t know what it was but something told me to keep an eye on them. It certainly wasn’t because I was at the top of my slayageness that’s for sure. I just kept an eye on them. I also moved a little closer just in case.

Then they got to this car and this girl attacks the guy. Not attack, attack but attacks in a nice way. You know, a really nice way. As Willow would say, "Lots of smoochies."

I watch for a few seconds but of course, I think about Angel. And my heart begins to break again. I start to turn away.

The girl has her back to me so I can’t see her face. But I catch a glimpse of the guy’s face. And he suddenly gets this look on his face. I’ve seen it before whenever a civilian gets their first look at a Vampire, or demon. Believe me, pretty it's not.

Well no matter what, I’m still the Slayer. Right?

Right. So of course, I have a stake handy. I feel almost like my old self again. I cover the distance between me and the Vamp in record time. Normally I would’ve warned her before I killed her. You know, that whole fair fight thing. But not today, before she had any idea I was there, she was toast.

As soon as she was gone the guy’s legs give way and he falls to his knees.

He sits there on his knees and looks at me, still trying to figure out what happened. I notice his gaze drop to my hand with the stake, so into my pocket is goes.

I look around to make sure that there weren’t any other vampires around.

Seeing none, I walk over to the guy. I kneel down and grab his shoulder to help steady him. He’s a little cute, but real old. He must be close to thirty, I thought. He looked a little pale but what would you expect.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

He just stares at me so I ask again. "Are you okay? Can you stand up?"

He blinks a couple of times then finally speaks. "Y- Y- Yes. I think so"

"Good. Then let’s get you up off the pavement."

He’s holding his right hand against his neck so I moved around to the other side to help support him.

He tries to stand. But he gets one foot under him then collapses.

"I guess maybe I can’t stand." He says.

"That’s okay. I say. "Take your time."

Then I catch a glimpse of his left hand and see a set of keys there being griped very tightly.

"Is this your car?" I ask.

"He manages a weak, "What?"

"I said is this car yours?"

He glances back and says. "Yes."

"Give me the keys." I asked.

He looks at me blankly but hands the keys over.

"Just stay right here, Okay?"

All I get is a nod.

Taking the keys, I stand up. I unlock the driver’s door and pull it open.

Giving the keys back, I say. "I’m going to sit you in the car. Don’t try to move or anything. I’ll take care of everything. Got it?"

He nods his head.

I grab him under the arms and ask, "Ready?"

"Yes."

I lifted him off the ground and put him in the driver’s seat. I can tell he’s getting his strength back because he kind of helped to slide into the car.

Once he was sitting, I said. "Let me look at that."

I lift his hand to peek underneath. Grabbing my bag, I pull out a bottle of water and a handkerchief. I used these to wash away as much blood as can. Then I applied a bandage.

I grabbed his hand and place it over the bandage and say, "Keep some pressure on there. Not to much or you may cause yourself to pass out."

By now, the adrenaline has wearing off. I sigh to myself as I realized that the depression was coming back.

"He nods his head and says, "Did what I think happened, just happen."

"I don’t know." I say. "I just put a bandage on you. Is that what you think happened?"

"No not that. I mean before. With Carla"

I think to myself All right Buffy. What am I going to tell this guy?

* * * * * * * *

I was getting better, but I was still feeling a little light headed. Every so often, the world would start to spin a little. Or a little blackness would creep into my vision. All in all, I'm sure I’m getting better.

Getting into the car helped some. But man is that little girl strong.

Looking back at me she pulls my hand a little way from my neck and says, "Let me take a look at that."

Putting my hand back she says, "That’s not to bad." She reaches into her bag and pulls out what appears to be a bottle of water and a cloth.

I watched her as she wets the cloth and begins to clear away some of the blood. Finishing that she gets a square bandage and puts it on my neck.

Taking my hand, she pours some water over it to wash away some of the blood. Then she places it over the bandage and says. "Keep some pressure on there. But not too much or you’ll be passing out."

I didn’t bother to mention that passing out was a possibility one way or another.

This girl sure seemed too cheerful.

Finally, I had to ask. "Did what I think happened, just happen?"

"I don’t know." She responded. "I just put a bandage on you. Is that what you think happened?

"No I mean before that. With Carla."

"Oh Carla, that must be the lady who got mad and left. Well I’m not sure what happened. I’m walking by and I see you two getting up close and personnel, you know. I mean reeeal close, and really personnel. When suddenly she gets mad. Yeah she gets mad you see. And. And she starts yelling at you. And yelling something’s that weren’t very lady like either."

"So. Ah. So she’s yelling. And you, you’re trying to calm her down. But she won’t listen. Okay?"

"So she reaches back and swings at you." She says pulling back her hand like she was going to punch.

"But no." The girl reaches her right hand over her left shoulder. "This Carla lady reaches back like this and swings. What do you call it? Oh Yeah. She swings backhand like this." She says as she swings her hand through the air.

"Okay. But you see it coming, Right. So you try to duck. But you’re just a little to slow and she hits you on the neck."

She paused. "Right there on the neck you see. Where she hit you. And. And. I don’t know, maybe this Carla must have been wearing a ring. Yeah! That’s it. She’s got this big ring with lots of pointies on it. And I guess some of those pointies hit you and caused your neck to bleed. And that explains why your neck is bleeding. Right?"

"Then." The girl continued. "She must have been done yelling because she turned around and stomped to her car. Got in and drove off."

"And she drove off so fast, that it threw up a big cloud of dust. Which explains why you are all covered in this dust." She says as she reaches over to dust off my shirt.

"And that is exactly the way it happened. Right?"

She looked at me for a second and said, "Why, what do you think happened?"

I looked at her for a hand full seconds and thought to myself I have no idea what she just said. But I know that was about as far from the truth as you can get. But I don’t want to think about it right now.

"Well." I said. "That’s exactly what I thought happened."

She just looked at me for a second. Then she said. "You did? I mean you do?"

Then she smiled and her voice assumed a more positive tone and she said, "Oh course you did. Because. Because that’s exactly what did happened. So naturally that’s what you would remember."

"Well." I say. "I must thank you for your first aid a…"

I paused then said. "I don’t even know your name."

"Oh me. My name is Buffffonnie. I mean Bonnie. Yeah. Bonnie."

"Well Bonnie. My name is John. John Devlin."

"Nice to meet you John."

"Same here Bonnie. But I really must thank you for your help."

"No that’s okay. No big deal." She bent over, picked up her bag, and said, "But your welcome And I should be getting on my way. So Bye."

For some reason, I feel that I shouldn’t just let her go. So I say, "Well can I at least buy you something to eat."

"No really." Bonnie said. "I can’t. I need to get on my way."

She said no, but when I mentioned food, I saw something in her eyes. She must have been pretty hungry. Then for the first time, I took a good look at her. She was dirty. Not filthy dirty, but the kind of dirty you would get when camping, or spending a few days outside. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail so with the dim lights in the parking lot it was hard to tell but I think it may have been a couple of days since her hair had been washed.

There was something else too. I’m not sure what but for some reason I felt this girl needed my help. And come hell or high water she would get it.

"What’s the hurry." I said. "Come on Bonnie. I insist."

"No thanks," she said as she started to turn away.

"Please Bonnie."

Just then, a car came up the highway. We both looked up to see a police car drive by.

Bonnie stared after the car, then looked at me.

After a moment, she said. "Well I guess it’s can’t hurt to have something to drink. Because I wouldn’t want to hurt your feelings since your being so nice and everything."

"That’s right you wouldn’t want to hurt my feelings."

I stood up and the world started to spin. I quickly reached out and grabbed the car door to steady myself. When my vision returned Bonnie was standing next to me and asking. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I’m ok, I just stood up a little to fast. Let me get a clean shirt from the trunk then we can go inside.

* * * * * * * *

I couldn’t help it. I tried to avoid it but I wanted to get every drop of strawberry shake out of the glass. But eventually the straw made that noise it makes when it gets more air than liquid.

"What a moron he must think I am." I thought as I put down the glass.

I looked down at the empty dishes in front of me. I had devoured a huge Cheeseburger, two orders of cheese fries and the shake.

"You must think I’m a pig." I said.

"Not at all." John said with a smile." I’m sure that you’ve been so busy all day that you haven’t had time for anything to eat. In my line of work it happens to often."

During the time that I ate, John had talked. He was on his way from LA to Nashville Tennessee to start a new job. He said he was a Network Architect whatever that was. He tried to explain it to me. But he lost me almost immediately. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with computers. I’m sure that if Willow were here she would understand. Then maybe she could explain it to me so I can understand.

Thinking about Willow brought back the memories. Memories of home, Mom, friends, and Angel. My thoughts must have shown on my face because John said. "Are you ok?"

"Oh yeah. I’m fine. " I said. "Just thinking. That’s a really bad habit thingie I have that I’m trying real hard to break."

"No." John said. "Don’t apologize. Sometimes when I think about work I feel the same way."

"You know what." I said. "You’re a good lair."

John got a hurt look on his face.

"Not a liar in a bad way." I continued. "But the nice kind of liar. You could say something that you know is a lie. And I know is a lie. But it still makes me feel good. Probably because it’s what I wanted to hear at the time."

"Oh. I understand." John said. But I could tell from the look on his face that he didn’t.

"So Bonnie." John said. "Tell me about yourself."

Bonnie I thought. How could I come up with such a lame name?

"Not much to tell. Pretty boring stuff actually. Let me ask you a question." I said trying to change the subject.

"Shoot."

"When we came in the waitress gave you a really funny look. When you saw the look on her face, you said that you forgot to have desert. Remember?"

"That’s right."

"But then she said to you I thought that’s where you were going when you left."

John blushed and looked at the table. Then he said. "Well when I left before I was with Carla. And I can’t imagine why but I guess she thought Carla would be my desert."

"Then." I said. "You show up a few minutes later with a different girl. I can imagine what she’s thinking."

"Maybe I should ask her what she’s doing after work. Wouldn’t that blow her mind?"

It wasn’t that funny but I couldn’t help myself. I laughed so hard it brought tears to my eyes.

"But." He said once we stopped laughing. "You have very skillfully changed the subject. Again."

"Oh, did I." I said innocently. "I hadn’t noticed."

He just looked at me.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. "I’m sorry. It’s just not ready to talk about it yet."

"That’s okay." John said. "We’ll have plenty of time."

"What do you mean?"

"Plenty of time to talk during our ride in the car."

"Ride? Car?" Was all I managed to say.

"Yeah a car. You know. Four tires. One steering wheel. You put gas in it and it goes vrooom Then you get in and you ride places."

"I know what a car is. But who said I was going with you."

"Don’t you trust me?" John asked. "Some how I have a feeling that you can take care of yourself."

John looked at me for a moment. Then he got a serious look on his face and said. "It’s up to you Bonnie. I’m heading east. I thought maybe you wanted to get away from here."

"But how do you know that you can trust me?" I asked.

"It’s just the rambling, gambling kind of guy I am."

We were both quiet for a moment. Then John leaned forward and said quietly. "Bonnie. You helped me when I needed it. I’m sure you saved my life tonight. For that I say thank you."

"I may be mistaken." John said. "But I have the feeling that you need some help yourself. I’m offering to help."