Rekindling Old Flames

by JamesMFan

Cleveland was different, that was a given. They had grown accustomed to the new settings, different way of life and even the food. It had taken them months and months to travel all the way through the different states till they had reached Indiana. California to Utah to Wyoming to South Dakota to Iowa to Illinois to Indiana and finally to Ohio. They had come here for a reason and now three years on they were settled and it felt like home.

Things were different here, it was true, but there was also a sense of familiarity that always came with living on top of a Hellmouth. Demons, vampires and monsters of all kind still roamed during the night and some during the day and together they still fought them, tried to keep their numbers down as best they could.

She had found a house, a cheap house that was big enough for them all, she had had help with the money of course, not having a paying job would do that for you. The house, which was actually more like an abandoned boarding school had twelve rooms, a basement and an attic. They all lived there and it was easier that way – she wouldn’t worry so much about their safety because she would be there, in close proximity.

Those who lived in the house that did have paying jobs paid for the food, the bills and anything else they needed. It was no longer about luxuries it was all about just staying alive and staying together. She wasn’t about to get them separated not again.

Three years had passed since the biggest battle of her life had taken place back at the old high school. They had lost valuable members of their team back then and she was going to make damn sure that didn’t happen again. The fight had changed things – she was no longer the only one, into each generation a Slayer is born didn’t apply now. They had worked a spell, a huge, powerful spell that had made potentials, more than potentials but the real thing. All of them Slayers, every girl who would have been waiting, without even knowing, became a Slayer. They had evened the odds much more and now the scales tipped a little in their favour. It had been a long time coming.

Now here they were, present day, fighting evil and doing a good job. There was still danger, apocalypses now and then but they coped, they worked it out and they came together into the fray. Like a real team.

Outside help came from another group of warriors who were fighting the same cause that they were - a vampire with a soul and his friends.

They had grown older, wiser and maybe a little happier since their time back in Sunnydale when they had destroyed the town, literally.

The Slayer was in business, she and her group of comrades and now a little town in Cleveland called Flower Meadows. It was strange but the places chock full o’ evil always had the cutest names.

So, everything seemed to be going their way. It wouldn’t stay that way for long.

But then you already knew that.

1

Buffy kicked the vampire in the chest and watched in satisfaction as he flew backward hitting a conveniently placed mausoleum. One vampire she could take easily, after the army of Turok-han she had faced in the past it was nothing. However she wouldn’t underestimate any demon, that could lead to mistakes and death, even if he was dressed in a tie-dye T-shirt.

“So, I’m wondering something” She asked brandishing her stake as the vampire looked up at her, dazed “Did you get sired in the 60’s and never get over it? ’Cos that’s really the only excuse for what you’re wearing”

“A Slayer!” He stood “Things were good around here before your lot came. So, you’re a Slayer, so what? I’ll kill you”

Buffy twirled the stake and motioned him with her hand “For your information I’m the Slayer, or I was at least. The original”

“That only makes you more deserving to die” He clambered up and hissed.

“You’d think, wouldn’t you? But I’ve died twice and I don’t really want to test the theory of three times the charm” She smiled “Besides being the original Slayer only makes me more qualified to kick your hippie ass”

He growled and rushed her, like all foolish vampires did. Now if he’d been one of the smart ones he’d have ran or at least picked a different approach but no. They always picked the standard rush. Buffy sidestepped and as he rushed past grabbed his outstretched arm and used his own momentum to thrown him headfirst into a tree. The vampire groaned and she picked him up by the back of his shirt and threw him back down hard to the ground. She followed that with a kick to the back and then pressed her foot down onto his spine, keeping him just where he was.

“You know, I’ve known some pretty powerful vampires in my time” She said softly to him “Guys like you really let down the side”

He kicked up his leg suddenly and it hit her in the back of the knee making her tumble to the ground, surprised. She always did like a good slay, made it much more invigorating if they were feisty. Buffy was still on her knees when he grabbed her hair and yanked her back, pulling her along the ground.

“Hair pulling? I’m a girl and I don’t do that!” She cried swatting at his hand.

He kicked her in the side of the head and she saw stars, Buffy didn’t mind. Sooner or later this guy was gonna find the pointy end of her stick. She could have killed him a long time ago but she had been growing a little lax on her training and wanted a good fight to get her juices flowing. Compared to the army The First had come up with this guy was an ant.

“I hate you guys” He told her letting go of her hair and preparing to stamp on her face “One of you was bad enough, but a whole army? That’s unfair!”

Buffy rolled out of the way as his foot came down and was up on her feet a moment later. She looked behind him and lowered her fists, shaking the hair from her face.

“Well, a whole lot of unfair is coming your way” Buffy smiled.

The vampire whirled around and his eyes widened as a group of three other Slayers stood behind him. Vi, Kennedy and Rona, previously potential Slayers were now the real thing. Each had the trademark confident grin on their faces.

“You don’t like us, vamp?” Rona asked stepping forward “What have we ever done to you?”

The vampire stumbled backward in fear, Buffy completely forgotten, and he walked straight into the pointy end of her stake. His face was a picture as he exploded into a plume of dust.

“Besides that” Vi giggled.

Buffy dusted herself off and looked at them “I had him, guys. No need to go all A Team on me”

“We know, we just thought it would be fun to razz him” Kennedy laughed.

“Seen any action yourself?”

“Couple of vampires” Rona shrugged.

Vi raised her hand out of habit, even after three years, then put it down “I got a Polgara demon and one vampire at the same time”

Kennedy shook her head “Nothing for me – just itching for a good fight”

Buffy smiled “Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Let’s call it a night, guys. Round up the other girls and go home”

Kennedy nodded and pulled her walkie-talkie out “Kennedy to Sam, Nadine and Willow. Return to headquarters”

“On our way”

“Already heading there”

Willow’s voice came down the line “We’ll be there. Hey honey”

Kennedy smiled “Hey, sweetie. How was your night?”

Buffy watched as Kennedy turned and walked off into the greenery still yapping with her sweetie. Willow had become a fully in-control powerful witch now and she was a team leader of a group of Slayers. Each group headed to a specific area and spread out in a formation doing as much damage as they could. It was a good system. She had picked up some stuff from her ex-military boyfriend Riley Finn.

The Slayer took a deep breath and followed the three girls’ home. On the way through the graveyard she saw tombstones, mausoleums and other memorial statues. Flower Meadows had a lot of graveyards, not as many as Sunnydale but quite a few.

The moon was full and it made her think of werewolves, not romance and moonlit walks like it might make any other girl think. If werewolves were out she would have spotted them, probably. She smiled as she remembered Oz, Willow’s old boyfriend who had conquered his wolf and now had it under control. He was out there somewhere in the world, no doubt doing good.

Buffy had known and still knew a lot of extraordinary people, Oz the werewolf, Willow the powerful witch, her sister Dawn the Key, Anya the ex-vengeance demon who had tragically died in their fight against The First, Giles her Watcher and Angel the vampire with a soul who used to be the love of her life. Still was in some ways.

Then of course was Xander, he had no special abilities but he was as special as everyone else was. He was the heart of the group; the one who kept them grounded. She had known him as long as she had known Willow and Giles and she trusted him with her life.

Then there was Robin Wood, the old principal of Sunnydale High and the son of a Slayer. He was a skilled fighter and warrior and smooth as silk.

Andrew was still with them too; no matter how much they joked about leaving him in Iowa. Buffy hadn’t thought much of the boy, he had been bad at one point or at least as bad as someone who liked Star Trek and Dungeons and Dragons could be. She had started to trust him when he had helped in the last battle they ever had in Sunnydale. Everyone including Andrew was surprised he had made it out alive.

They approached the huge house with its missing bricks and graffiti tags; a large wall surrounded the outside with iron gates at the front. The place had once been upper class but now it was rusting and crumbling.

Vi pressed the button on the intercom, it crackled badly and Giles voice came down the line asking who it was.

“Vi, Kennedy, Rona and Buffy” She replied “Ready to get back into our comfy beds”

There was a short huff “Vi, we discussed this. You must use the password”

“But you know it’s me” She said, frowning in confusion.

“Yes, but that’s really not the point” Giles voice crackled down the line “You could be someone pretending to be Vi”

Rona laughed “Who’d wanna pretend to be her?”

“Hey!” Vi slapped her gently on the arm in protest.

“Girls! Password!” Giles said sternly.

Vi rolled her eyes and leaned into the intercom “Bloody hell”

“Thankyou” He pressed the button.

Rona pushed the gates open “We need to come up with a better password”

Buffy followed them through then shut the gates behind them; she shrugged “I like it. Familiarity”

They all looked at her and nodded to themselves, solemn. All of them knew who she meant and Buffy took a breath walking down the craggy path to the house. She did not want to rehash old memories.

She reached the front door and it was pulled open by Giles who motioned her in with a polite smile on his face.

“Good night?” He asked them all.

Kennedy shrugged “I got zero”

“Oh, well” Giles took his glasses off and polished them “No news is good news, correct?”

“Hell, no. Now I got to work out my frustrations on a punch bag” Kennedy grinned “If you need me I’ll be down the training room”

With that she ran down the long corridor. The whole basement, which was large, had been converted into a training room for all the Slayers that lived there or stopped by now and then. Everyone was welcome here, everyone on the right side. Sometimes they would get Slayer’s coming from all over the world having heard about the place, which they had named The Slayer Sanctuary. Buffy had thought that was funny but accurate.

Buffy and the other girls shrugged their coats off and hung them up and Vi and Rona went upstairs to shower and get ready for bed. Buffy lingered at the door and Giles folded his arms over his chest.

“How about you? Slay at all?” He asked.

“A vamp or two,” She shrugged “Nothing major”

Giles nodded and picked a piece of lint from his sweater “I sense that you’re frustrated, Buffy. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing in particular it just feels like...well, like we’ve gone back to the beginning” Buffy sighed “A couple of vampires here, a demon or two there. This is a Hellmouth and we haven’t had anything big for a long time. That strikes me as wrong”

He frowned “Some people might say count your blessings”

“Well, I have few blessings so mine would be easy to count”

“Buffy, I know it might seem that now you aren’t the only Slayer you’re insignificant but that just isn’t true. You have the most experience out of all of them barring Faith”

“I just think that if we get use to it being this easy something will come and bite us on the ass while we’re not looking. Maybe literally” Her eyes widened at the thought.

Giles smiled reassuringly and placed a hand on her shoulder “That’s my job to look out for that. I am your Watcher”

“Your job and Andrew’s” Buffy grinned.

He groaned “Must you remind me?”

“He’s doing that badly?”

“No, no as a trainee Watcher he’s fine” He said, “It’s just that I don’t understand half of what he is saying. Tribbles and Jedi’s...what language is he speaking?”

Buffy walked past him “Nerd” she answered.

She walked down the long corridor to the dining room where they had bundled mismatched furniture and chairs into a large room and called it a dining room. Xander sat at the biggest tables, mumbling to himself and cursing. Buffy stealthily came up behind him and looked over his shoulder to see he was drawing on blueprints and plans.

“Just because I’m blind in one eye doesn’t mean I can’t hear you” Xander said.

Buffy smiled coming around to the side of him “Must be loosing my touch”

“Well, I guess all my other senses are heightened” He pointed to the eye patch over his left eye and grinning.

Xander had lost the eye thanks to The First and it’s henchman Caleb the priest who had gouged his eye out viciously. Xander had coped better than most people would have.

“What’cha lookin’ at?” Buffy sat down on the edge of the table.

“Plans of the town’s sewer system” He said frowning, “It’s thrilling reading, honestly. I’m trying to figure out where there might be some demon hide-e-holes”

“Any luck?”

He shrugged nonchalantly “Those demons haven’t got a chance with my beady eye on them”

She grinned “Damn right”

Willow came through the doorway, hair tousled from the breeze outside and a flush on her cheeks. She smiled goofy at them and wandered over.

“Hey, guys” She waved.

Buffy and Xander looked at each other but it was Xander who spoke “She’s got the whole rosy cheeks thing going on. Someone’s been getting some lesbian lovin’”

Willow’s blush increased “You’re both just jealous”

“Of lesbian lovin’? Hell yes!” Xander slapped his hand down on the table.

“I can honestly say I’m not” Buffy smiled.

Willow smiled “Ooh, on patrol tonight the girls and I got a group of Largos demons”

Buffy’s eyes widened “Largos? They are tough, Will. You handle it okay?”

“Yep” Willow waved her hands “Witch in control”

“I didn’t think Largos hunted in packs,” Buffy said.

“Usually they don’t” Giles murmured walking in and sipping a cup of tea “However I’m sure that they’ve heard of us and are taking more precautions”

Buffy arched an eyebrow “A demon buddy system?”

“Crude definition but accurate” He nodded taking another sip.

Buffy smiled “If they’re scared they’re careless. Looks like a win-win situation to me”

Xander cracked his knuckles, smiling triumphantly “So, the demons of this town are finally getting scared of us”

“About time” Willow rolled her eyes.

“Indeed” Giles nodded.

Buffy looked at them “Watch out Flower Meadows”

A/N: So what did you think? This is Spuffy eventually but you have to be patient! Stick with me people!

A/N: Here it goes....

2

Buffy yawned and climbed out of bed rubbing her eyes. She looked around her small but perfect room and it was illuminated nicely in the moonlight. For some reason she could not sleep tonight even though she was tired. Her bed was a comfy double futon and she loved it so much but there was something bothering her tonight.

The Slayer stood and stretched like a cat in her sweats and spaghetti strap top and padded out of the room bare-footed. She walked down the corridor passing Dawn’s room, passing Giles room and passing Willow and Kennedy’s room to turn and walk down the large winding staircase to the ground floor and then made her way to one of the three bathrooms in the house.

At night when everyone had gone to bed the house was cold and empty, lonely. Buffy was used to loneliness and it hardly bothered her at all anymore. She reached the bathroom and turned the light on stepping inside and crossing to the basin which she scooped cold water up and splashed into her face.

Her face instantly cooled, and she did it a couple of more times relieved at the way it made her feel a little better.

She left the bathroom and went to the basement door pulling it open and jogged down the steps into the darkness. A stream of moonlight entered through the small window that was high up on the wall. It illuminated all the equipment of the training room. She had a new scarecrow dummy, weapons of all kinds of sharpness hung on the wall, hundreds on them. Their weapons collection had grown.

In on corner was a cupboard that if she opened she would see contained axes and various stakes.

Weight contraptions, treadmills and exercise bikes were located in the on the main floor of the room but there was a wide space of mat left in the middle and that was where the girls would fight each other in hand to hand combat. Buffy wandered around to one side where a lone of five punch bags hung from the ceiling and she passed those as well.

She reached the far corner where a glass display case was kept. Buffy leaned on the case and looked in at the scythe. The weapon that had helped her win the war and make more Slayers like her and Faith. If she had never found the scythe there would have been no way they would have won.

She unclipped the lip of the case and lifted it up, reaching into the box she picked the scythe up and instantly the power of the Slayer flew up through her hands, her arms and filled her. It was a hot, strong power one of woman after woman who lost their lives for the good cause. She whirled the scythe around and it whistled through the air. The Slayer looked at the red and silver scythe a few seconds more before replacing it back in the case and looking into it as the weapon glinted at her. Sure Buffy felt power when she held it but she also felt complete, at peace.

Buffy Summers was twenty four now, her sister nineteen and all grown up. So much had changed since they had last watched the sunset on Sunnydale but so much had remained the same too. She was still surrounded by her friends, still a Slayer even if she wasn’t the Slayer and she still missed those who they had lost in the past. Their ghosts still haunted her.

“Buffy”

She jumped and turned around letting out a sigh of relief as she saw it was only Dawn. Her sister made an apologetic face and crossed the room toward her. Dawn had grown up a lot since Sunnydale, she looked different, older and she was stronger, not in terms of physical ability but spiritually. Although Dawn could kick ass if it was life or death stuff. Her shiny brown hair had been cut in a bob that framed her face wonderfully and she had grown a little taller making her even more taller than Buffy. The shape of her face had set and she was a beautiful woman.

“Way to give me a heart attack” Buffy murmured.

“I didn’t realize it was so easy to sneak up on a Slayer” Dawn smiled “What’s up? It’s like three a.m. and you’re not in the land of nod”

She motioned at her “Neither are you”

Dawn nodded “Okay, good point. I just came down for a snack and thought I heard something down here”

Buffy smiled “The restless Summers’ women”

They both grinned at each other. Dawn crossed over to the case where the scythe was held and looked in.

“It is pretty” She acknowledged “In a ‘let’s slaughter vampires’ way”

Buffy came up to the side of her “Not just vampires, it multitasks with little sisters too”

She mock trembled “Ooh, scary”

“Let’s go back to bed, before I really test the multitask theory” Buffy quirked an eyebrow.

The two sisters walked slowly though the room and back up the stairs. They walked back to their rooms and said goodnight before the Slayer retreated to her bedroom closing the door behind her she let out a sigh.

She crossed over to her bed and sat down looking out of her window at the moon. They were doing the right thing here, setting up an operation, still fighting back the darkness and now there was more Slayers she had more free time, it was true. For Buffy however something still felt unresolved, loose ends needed to be tied up but she didn’t know what they were. She just sensed there was something missing.

Whatever it was it was sure to some back her way sooner or later – she was betting sooner.

------------------------------------------

Robin was a teacher at a local college, which was good considering the last school he was principal of no one had graduated and the whole town had collapsed. He left early to teach the kids philosophy and history. He and Faith still had something going on although neither of them classed each other as boyfriend and girlfriend and Buffy figured that Robin was trying to ease the promiscuous Faith into a relationship without her realizing it.

Xander worked on a building site and it had taken him a long time to climb up the career ladder to become boss again after the loss of one of his eyes. He also got disability money that he put into the money they kept to maintain the house and those that lived in it.

Willow owned an occult bookshop that also sold various other magick stuff and her business was doing well. Flower Meadows needed magick supplies too.

Buffy had had a job but had quit when it got in the way of slaying. Dawn was in college as were a lot of the other girls.

Andrew had a part time job working at a video store and spent the rest of his time shadowing Giles and trying to become a Watcher.

Giles kept the whole place going, paying bills from money earned by the others and sorting out taxes and medical insurance for everyone. It didn’t sound much but without him they would be pretty lost.

Buffy spent most of her days with the girls out shopping or going to see movies or whatever. Not being the only Slayer meant she could be more like a normal girl without worrying that the whole world’s fate rested on her shoulders alone.

She hadn’t had a boyfriend in the three years they had left Sunnydale and she was fine with that – she was okay by herself for now, a man would just complicate things. The Slayer needed to spend a little quality time with Buffy Summers.

Then there was Angel – he was still in L.A but he and the other members of the gang Gunn, Wesley, Fred, Cordelia and their new guy James still came up now and then to help or to swap info. Buffy wasn’t sure how she felt about Angel, she would always love him in a first love way but now she wasn’t the only Slayer she had a lot of spare time and there was a possibility they could get back together. Buffy wasn’t ready yet and Angel still had his mission but it was always in the back of their minds.

Right now though the only thing on Buffy’s mind was whether Pacey and Joey were ever gonna get it together and admit their feelings or if Dawson would always ruin things. She sat in front of the large TV and watched Dawson’s Creek whilst munching on popcorn.

Andrew shuffled in and dropped down next to her “Hey, Buffy! Ooh Dawson’s Creek! Inner turmoil, teen angst. It’s all good”

Buffy looked at him and frowned.

“Training with Giles is going great!” He enthused grabbing the popcorn bowl from her “I think I’ll be a fully fledged Watcher before the next Star Wars film comes out. Here’s hoping”

Buffy’s frown deepened.

“So, Dawson is cool huh?” He nodded looking at her desperately.

She stared back at him, a look of horror.

“O-kay” Andrew stood “I’ll just...Giles probably needs me anyway”

With that he scampered out of the room leaving her blissfully alone again. She turned her attention back to the TV screen and tried to forget all the complicated stuff that was running through her head.

“Hey, B” Faith slumped down next to her and put her feet up on the coffee table.

Buffy sighed “Can’t a girl watch a little TV?”

“Sure” She shrugged “So long as it isn’t this crap. ‘Oh, Dawson!’ puh-lease” Faith grabbed the remote and changed the channel to some kind of wrestling.

“WWF? That’s all fake!” Buffy protested taking the remote back and changing it back too.

Faith sighed “You need some serious fun, B. Come on, you and me let’s go scope out some clubs. We can even pretend to Giles we’re looking for vamps. Although with your romantic track record that might not be entirely a lie...”

Buffy glared at her “I’m sure you and Robin have something better to do”

Faith waved a dismissive hand “I do what I want he does what he wants. Besides he won’t be home for hours yet. A little clubbing – what harm’s it gonna do? First beer is on me”

The two Slayers looked at one another and simultaneously smiled. One wickedly the other coyly.

-------------------------------------

Buffy watched from the side of the club as Faith danced in her usual sexed up way. Buffy had taken a breather and was now drinking the beer Faith had promised her. They hadn’t been here long but already the other Slayer was making quite a lot of male friends. That was the way it always was with Faith and Buffy knew if she wanted to she could attract a fair amount of attention herself. However the not-ready-for-a-boyfriend thing still applied to her. Not that most of these men were looking for a long-term thing.

“Hello”

Buffy turned around but found no one there. She frowned then turned back sipping her beer. It had to be her ears playing tricks on her or someone talking to someone else.

“Hello” It came again and she looked around “Down here!”

Buffy followed the voice down to underneath a table she stood by. Crouched down on the floor was a man with white-blond wavy hair and sparkling blue eyes. He had an earring in one ear and an eyebrow piercing but he looked very much like someone she had used to know. Someone she tried hard not to think too much about. He was all crunched up underneath the table but she could see he wore a dark blue T-shirt and black jeans.

Buffy’s brow knitted together “Why are you under a table?”

“Hiding” He said then added, “Some guy is after me”

Buffy looked down at him, dubious “Why?”

“Found me with his girl” He looked sheepish.

She rolled her eyes “Goodbye”

“No wait!” The man crawled out but stayed crouched low “Listen, I need your help. My name’s Josh and I need to talk to you – you’re a Slayer, right?”

Buffy looked at him then “How’d you know?”

“Good hair, nice body, unapproachable stance” He shrugged “I’ve come to recognize the signs”

“Really? Well, recognize this sign” She stuck up her two fingers at him and started to walk away.

“Buffy!” He called after her.

She stopped and turned back to him slowly “How’d you know my name?”

“You’re her. You’re the girl he found me with” Josh stood now, looking around nervously.

“What?”

“The guy who’s after me is after me because of you” Josh came up to her “He found me with you and now he won’t leave me alone”

Buffy folded her arms over her chest “I’ve never met you”

“Yeah, well, someone who wears your face...and body, has” He smiled arrogantly.

She sighed, infuriated “What are you talking about?”

“She was a demon or something...I don’t know. She was wearing you when I first met her” He shrugged “But she could be anyone by now. Her boyfriend, I think – tall dark and brooding has been after me ever since”

Buffy glared at him “What you’re saying makes no sense”

“You’re telling me. I’m living it”

“There’s a demon that looks like me?”

“She doesn’t look like you she is you” Josh enthused.

Buffy shook her head “That’s impossible”

“She told me her name was Buffy Summers, a Slayer ’cept she said the Slayer. I felt great, I mean a Slayer! Not every guy can say he’s done a Slayer” Josh grinned.

Buffy arched an eyebrow “You wanna get back to the relevant parts?”

“Right, well we got...down to it and then the next thing I know she’s telling me that they need me. I asked who ‘they’ were but she didn’t tell me. Her boyfriend, I didn’t even know about, barged in and I ran like hell. He’s been tracking me ever since”

Buffy looked at him “So, how did you know she was a demon and not really me?”

“I saw her true face. Hot – in a demon kind of way”

“She said ‘they’ need you?” She mused aloud to herself.

Faith strolled over, eyeing up Josh “Hey, B. Well, would you look at that. Boy’s a spitting image of Spi–”

“We have to find Giles now” Buffy interrupted “This could be–”

“Dangerous?” Came a familiar voice from behind them “Yeah, I’d say so”

All three of them turned to see Angel stood behind. His arms were folded over his broad chest and he wore the trademark black duster with a black shirt and black jeans. His lips were in a sort of smirk.

“Angel?” Buffy stepped forward.

“That’s him!” Josh yelled “Oh, crap!” He ran away.

Before Buffy could ask him what he was talking about Angel drew back his arm and hit her full force in the face with his forearm. She flew backward over the table and crashed into the staircase. Dazed she shook the hair from her face and saw Faith fighting Angel. Or not Angel. Josh had said the demon’s there be a demon that looked like Angel? It had to be. Buffy jumped up and ran toward them

“Faith! Get that guy and get him to safety” The Slayer grabbed ‘Angel’ around the neck and wrenched him away from the brunette.

“B?” Faith hesitated.

“Do it!”

Faith nodded and turned running away into the escaping crowds. Buffy groaned as Angel elbowed her in the face and she fell to the floor. He turned and picked her up slamming her back down onto a nearby table. He was the mirror image of Angel; every little detail was perfect except his eyes held only anger and nothing more.

Angel grabbed her around the neck and began to throttle her “You’re prettier then her. We’ll have to fix that”

He let his fist arc down to smash her face in. Buffy blocked his hand with hers and kicked the heel of her boot into his abdomen making him release her and sprawl backward. Buffy jumped from the table and got ready into a defensive stance but he wasn’t there. She turned around just in time to for a fist to careen into her face. Her vision blurred as she fell to the floor, striking her head on the corner of a chair on the way down. She willed herself not to pass out as pain exploded behind her eyes. Blinking she saw Angel’s handsome face above her as he grabbed the lapels of her jacket and lifted her off the floor. Buffy grabbed at his hands and tried to free herself.

“She’s gonna need a little work around the eyes but the rest of her is just right” Angel tilted his head to the side “Don’t suppose I can borrow yours?”

He grinned evilly and leaned in Buffy was ready to headbutt him but was surprised when he kissed her roughly on the lips running backward and slamming her into a wall hard. She slid to the floor and he let go of her, her vision had just begun to clear when he kicked her in the face. She almost passed out and then when he kicked her in the face again she finally slipped away into the darkness.

-------------------------------

“She’s waking up”

Buffy grumbled and opened her eyes, blinking vigorously. Up above her she saw Dawn, leaning next to her and pressing something cold onto her face. She looked around and saw some of the other Slayers were gathered around her as well and Xander and Willow.

“Give her some breathing space” Giles appeared to the side of her and ushered them back.

Buffy indicated she wanted to sit up and he helped her do so. They were back at The Slayer Sanctuary and were in the front room. Her head was pounding and Dawn held the ice pack to the side of her face.

“Faith, did she get...Josh?” Buffy asked, her mind still a little muddled.

“Damn right she did” Faith grinned and Buffy saw her over in the corner with a secure hand on Josh’s shoulder.

“Angel! It was Angel!” Buffy whirled to Giles.

“Yes, Faith filled us in and...Josh told us the story of this demon that looks like you and it’s fair to say that there is more than one and another has taken Angel’s form as well” Giles said gently.

“I saw someone else there, too” Josh said looking nervous as they all turned to look at him “She looked like her” He pointed toward Willow.

Willow looked shocked “Me? A demon? No, no, no. I’m just regular human, I swear!”

Giles frowned “Did you see anyone else?”

“I didn’t stay long” Josh shrugged.

“Okay, I’m getting a freaky notion here” Xander raised his hand “But does anyone else think that–”

“Someone’s collecting the whole set?” Buffy said grimly “Looks like”

Andrew was sitting over in one corner and he piped up smiling “Cool! It’s our evil doubles!”

“Nope, had one of those already” Willow said.

“Me too...kind of” Xander said sheepishly.

Faith looked at Andrew “I think you’re safe anyway. Ain’t no-one going to wanna double you”

“Hey! I resent that!” He folded his arms moodily.

“Buffy, are you all right?” Giles asked, concerned “You took quite a blow”

She nodded “Yeah, I know. I felt it. Angel...this demon was really strong”

“So, what are we saying here?” Kennedy asked “That demons are getting cosmetic surgery to look like us?”

Giles frowned “Maybe. Although I’d be willing to bet they need to...join with a human to do it, someone who looks slightly like one of us”

“Big leap in logic” Xander said.

Giles shook his head “No, not really. Josh said that the demon Buffy said they needed him, now, I hate to bring this up but he does look rather like–”

“Spike” Buffy finished gravely.

Everyone turned somber knowing the feelings Buffy had had about Spike. He had been a vampire with a soul, like Angel but not, he hadn’t started out with a soul and he had tried to kill Buffy many times. Then he got a chip in his head that stopped him hurting humans and had become a reluctant member of the gang. Buffy and Spike had a hate-hate relationship until he fell in love with her when shortly afterward she had started on a destructive relationship with him that ended very badly. He came back with a soul and the Buffy decided the chip needed to be removed after it malfunctioned and was causing him pain. Buffy had seen Spike become a good man and then he had saved them all and destroyed the Hellmouth with the aid of a mystical necklace Angel had provided. The necklace had a cleansing power and had ended up dusting Spike as well. Not before Buffy told Spike she loved him and he replied ‘No you don’t. But thanks for saying it’. She still missed Spike but he had died good, a hero – a champion.

“Well,” She said softly “At least they’re missing a piece”

Xander cleared his throat “They might come after Josh”

Josh paled at that.

“Or find someone else” Giles said.

Buffy nodded slowly “Okay. Any idea why they want to make evil copies of us?”

“The Dark Scoobies!” Andrew looked excited “Cool! Like the Dark Jedi’s but with vampires and Slayers and Watchers and–”

“Somebody shut him up” Kennedy rolled her eyes.

Giles frowned “I have no idea. Perhaps they think you might find it unnerving fighting yourself and your friends”

“I’d kill you all in a heartbeat” Buffy said then at their looks added, “If I knew you were really evil demons”

Willow smiled a little “Thanks, I feel much better. So, what do we do now, Giles? Try and find these demons?”

“I’d say the first thing we do is call Angel and warn him” Giles stood “After all he is being imitated by one of them”

“I don’t want to be rude or anything but why would the demons want to copy Spike?” Rona asked, from her sitting position on the floor “I mean he’s dead”

They all turned to look at Buffy.

She looked at the floor “I don’t know. Maybe they don’t realize”

“Or perhaps they do and they think that re-creating Spike will put you off your game, Buffy” Giles placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

She took a deep, deep breath “They’d be right. Look, I’ll call Angel tell him to get up here if he can and then we can find these things and kill them”

“Sounds like a plan” Josh nodded then after a second added “Who’s Spike?”

A/N: Patience, Spuffy fans, Patience! Please review.

A/N: Chapter three, here it be .......

3

Buffy could not sleep. Again. Although considering the situation that was at hand that wasn’t exactly surprising. Demons were making themselves twins of her and her friends. It was a territory they had never crossed before. The First had been able to morph into anyone, who had died, which included Buffy herself and Spike. Never anything on this kind of scale though – actually looking like them, sounding like them and even smelling like them. She had to wonder if Giles was right and they were just trying to unnerve her or if there was a greater plan at work.

She heard the stairs creak, which wasn’t unusual for a house this old but Buffy listened hard anyway. The stairs creaked again and she sat up then stood. It could have been one of the gang going to the bathroom or something but she needed to be sure. If it was she’d just apologize but she wouldn’t ignore it just incase she embarrassed herself. Buffy grabbed a stake from her nightstand and ventured out of the door silently.

The landing was dark, shadows cast from the one window that was at the end of the corridor. Buffy moved quickly and quietly, she knew the house layout and which floorboards would break and groan so she stepped over and around them. The stairs creaked again.

As she approached them Buffy stopped and pressed herself against the wall hoping to blend into the darkness.

A figure approached the top of the stairs and as Buffy braced herself they stepped out into a patch of light and she let out a sigh of relief. Xander stood at the stairs and looked around, his eye patch a little skewed. She stepped out and he jumped a little then, seeing it was her, settled again.

“Buff, way to give me a heart attack!” He laughed nervously, looking at her.

“Sorry,” The Slayer sighed “Just a little on edge I guess. Heard you coming and thought the worst”

He shrugged “I get that a lot”

Buffy smiled then noticed he was fully dressed “Haven’t you been asleep?”

“Huh?” Xander frowned then looked down at himself “Oh, uh, yeah. Just up late...researching and stuff...”

She nodded “On these new demons, huh? Find anything?”

Xander shook his head “Nada”

“Oh, well. Maybe Angel will come up with something,” Buffy said twirling the stake around absently.

“Angel? He’s comin’ down here?” Xander looked surprised and a little worried.

Buffy frowned “You knew that already”

“Oh, right. Yeah, of...of course” He nodded a little too vigorously.

Buffy looked at him hard and there was something off about him. The hair was Xander’s usual unruly mess, the eye was his dark, kind eye and he was the same height and build but there was something not right. Then she realized his eye patch was on the wrong eye! Unless he had grown another eye then this wasn’t Xander. Buffy tensed but decided to play it calmly.

“So, research was a bust. At least we’re pretty sure where these demons are” Buffy smiled “So an all out attack sounds fun”

He looked at her, nodding slowly “Yeah, can’t wait”

“Yeah, Giles and I have been talking and think we should send teams in two waves. First me and the other girls then you and Faith, Giles, Dawn and Robin. What do you think?” She tilted her head.

“Sounds plausible” He nodded curtly.

Buffy smiled “I’m so glad that you as a demon approve”

Xander started to nod again then stopped “Demon? I don’t know what you’re talking –”

Buffy swung her fist around to connect with Xander’s face. Some kind of invisible force field stopped her fist and sent her flying backward into the wall. ‘Xander’ growled and came up to her grabbing her shoulders and throwing her headfirst down the stairs. Buffy yelled out as she tumbled down the stairs, hitting her sides and head she crumpled ungraciously at the bottom. Her vision wavered and then stars swam before her eyes and she groaned dragging her aching body up. The Xander Demon stormed down the stairs, complete with maniacal grin and balled fists.

“What gave me away, Buff?” ‘Xander’ asked as she swung at him again.

Her fist bounced back again and she stepped back, her fist kind of stung “You really need to double check and update everything. Tell me are you working from old photos? I hope not because my hair was something to be reckoned with back then”

He laughed and stepped into her blocking two blows to his face that would have been stopped anyway and grabbing her wrists he pulled her around face first into a wall. Buffy kicked out behind her and missed but she doubted it would have done any good anyway. This guy seemed to have some kind of spell working for him or something.

‘Xander’ grabbed her in a headlock and started squeezing her windpipe crushingly hard until someone barreled into the side of him sending him sprawling. Buffy gasped for breath and saw Faith, Robin and Giles running down the stairs in various states of dress. She looked down and saw two Xanders grappling on the floor, rolling around like wildcats. One of them kicked the other in the abdomen and sent him crashing into Giles. Buffy turned in time to get some major fist in the face from the Evil Xander. Faith let out a battle cry and jumped from the stairs at the Evil Xander. The Slayer hit something in mid-air and tumbled to the ground without ever making contact. Robin ran toward Evil Xander and slammed down at him with a karate chop but he too was thrown backward and landed on top of Faith.

Buffy started toward Evil Xander again but Regular Xander got there first. He slammed into the side of Evil Xander and proceeded to pummel him in the face with enthusiasm. Buffy frowned and watched as the two Xanders actually fought without Regular Xander getting thrown off. They all stood and watched, gaping until Evil Xander grunted kicked Regular Xander off with super strength then proceeded to jump up and run fast out of the door. Faith ran after him but he was long gone by the time she reached the door.

“Okay,” Xander panted “What the hell was that all about?”

Buffy looked at Giles “That’s what I’d like to know”

“It was like I couldn’t touch him” Faith looked frustrated.

“Yes, he had some sort of protective spell working for him” Robin nodded as they all looked around at each other.

“I’m not so sure. Giles, the real Xander could hit him just fine” Buffy pointed out.

“I wouldn’t say ‘fine’ my knuckles hurt” Xander waved his hand.

Giles cleared his throat and ran a hand through his mussed hair “It’s possible that the demons that look like each of us can only be hurt by their respective counterparts”

Faith frowned “In English please?”

“We couldn’t hurt Evil Xander because we weren’t Good Xander” Buffy pointed to her male friend absently “Only I would be able to hurt Evil Buffy and only you would be able to hurt Evil...er Faith”

“Hey, I don’t do the evil stuff anymore” She protested.

Robin spoke up “But Buffy, I thought you said you hurt the demon that wore Angel’s face?”

“Hardly, I just kicked him once not to hurt him just to get him away from me” Buffy said.

“The intent to harm wasn’t there so it didn’t stop Buffy” Giles scratched his chin “Maybe”

Xander looked around “How did he get in here?”

“Probably climbed the fence and sneaked in through an open window or something” Robin shrugged.

“Security around here is getting lax” Buffy sighed.

“So, Buff how did you know he wasn’t me? Apart from his lack of natural good looks?” Xander asked.

The Slayer shrugged “Eye patch on the wrong eye”

“No way! Man, demons don’t get any brighter” He laughed but it didn’t really hold any humor.

Giles spoke next “We must make security tighter around here, especially with this new threat. We can’t have demons running around the house coming to murder us it just wouldn’t be...proper”

Faith frowned “Are we sure that’s why he was here? To murder us?”

“Generally what evil things do” Buffy stated.

Robin shook his head “Faith may have a point, what about –”

“Josh!” Xander interrupted.

Buffy turned and ran in the direction of Andrew’s room where Josh had been staying, up the stairs and crashed through the door. Andrew sat cowering in one corner, a trickle of blood running down his forehead, rocking himself back and forth. She saw no sign of Josh. The rest of them came up behind her and groaned.

“Andrew!” Buffy said and he didn’t react she walked up to him and shook him till he blinked and looked at her in recognition “Andrew, what happened?”

“It...It was...Will...Willow” His eyes were wide, vacant “She...she...took him. She hurt me”

“Damn,” Buffy stood.

Xander sighed “So they have Josh. Anyone thinking their collection isn’t too far away from being completed?”

“At...at first she just acted normal, you know? That she wanted to show Josh something he needed to see...but I told her that the orders were no one was to take him anywhere unless you said so, Buffy. I told her and she hit me” Andrew looked like he was about to cry “And she broke my Boba Fett statuette”

Buffy rolled her eyes “Great. This is just great. That’s it – as soon as Angel gets here we are coming up with a plan and taking these demons down”

“Uh, I don’t mean to be insensitive or whatever but if demon guys have got their Spike and only the other Spike could kill the demon Spike then we have a problem. Our Spike is dead” Faith frowned and paused “Did any of that make sense?”

“Unfortunately yes” Giles rubbed the bridge of his nose “The demon will, essentially, be unbeatable, Buffy”

She took a deep breath “I can’t think about that right now, Giles. I can’t”

“Its all right Buffy” He put an arm around her “Come on everyone I think we should all go back to bed”

“Like I’ll be able to sleep knowing there’s a demon out there wearing my face” Xander grumbled but let to go back towards his own room anyway.

They all went back to bed except for Giles and Buffy who stood out in the corridor facing one another. Finally Buffy caved and hugged her Watcher, burying her face in his chest.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to cope if I see his face again and it’s a demon” She murmured against him.

Giles stroked her hair “You can cope”

“I don’t want to”

“I know” He sighed “I know”

A/N: Sorry if that was a bit complicated. But, it’s gonna get a lot more complex...

A/N: I’m so good to you guys....

4

Angel sat in the sitting room looking uncomfortable by all the Slayers that surrounded him, as he always did when he visited, the girls flocked to him. Good looks and a soul would do that for a vampire. Buffy sat opposite him in an armchair in a sullen mood. She had dressed down in an oversized gray jumper and a pair of black pants. Buffy actually didn’t remember buying the jumper so she had no idea where it came from. A mysterious jumper really wasn’t the issue right now – a group of demons with the Scoobies faces was.

“Interesting” Angel nodded slowly.

“Really not” Buffy said, “These guys are killing people”

He sighed “I know Buffy, I’m sorry. The way you tell it they can’t be killed by anyone except for the person who looks like them. So, let’s find the place – get everyone there and kill them”

“What about those of us who don’t have superpowers? Not gonna be so easy to kill a demon by yourself” She pointed out.

“Well, we could at least thin the herd” He offered.

Giles cleared his throat “There is an added problem”

“Right,” Buffy nodded slowly “Spike”

Angel frowned “What about him?”

“They’ve got a guy that looks like him. We’re thinking they’re making a Spike demon”

Angel sighed, catching on “So he’ll be pretty much all powerful because Spike is gone”

The Slayer said “Yeah, that’s about the size of it”

The vampire leaned forward on the chair “Are we sure some kind of spell won’t work on them?”

“We don’t think it’s likely” Giles shifted on the arm of Buffy’s chair “Willow?”

Willow looked up “I don’t think so, Angel. I’ve tried to locate them but even that is impossible. So looks like spells to kill all of them are out”

Angel thought for a moment “What about a talisman that cleanses?”

“The one we used against The First? Impossible, that perished with Spike” Giles said with certainty.

“So, we use a spell – a recovery spell to get the talisman back and then we use it” Angel said.

“And who’s gonna wear it, huh?” Buffy was angry now “Someone more than human but with a soul? Anyone willing to get burnt to death, huh?”

Angel remained annoyingly calm “We have to do whatever is necessary”

“So you’re offering yourself up?”

“In a heartbeat”

“Well, your heart doesn’t beat, Angel” Buffy stood, pacing “So that doesn’t mean much. You really think I’m gonna let you wear that necklace and watch the same thing that happened to Spike happen to you?”

“To save the world? I think you will” He stood too.

Buffy turned on him “And who says this group of demons is a threat to the world? Maybe they just wanna run around looking like us then go on home to HellLand”

“Doubting it” The vampire stood his ground.

“Why can’t we have petty crime demons once in a while?” Buffy began pacing again.

Xander sighed “Wouldn’t be nearly as interesting”

“Even so, I think Angel has a valid point” Giles sighed “I think that the talisman could help us”

“I am not gonna let Angel wear it”

The vampire looked at her “How are you gonna stop me?”

Buffy threw her hands up “Fine, Fine! Do whatever the hell you want. Just don’t expect me to just stand there and watch you fry”

She turned and walked out of the room. Willow followed her out and wordlessly hugged her then drew back looking her in the eye.

“Buffy, if you don’t want me to do the spell I won’t do it” The redhead said loyally.

“No” Buffy shook her head “If Angel wants to make a stupid mistake it’s up to him”

The witch paused “Well, maybe we won’t have to use it! The talisman could just be plan B or plan Z. If all else fails stuff”

The Slayer took a moment “Yeah, I guess. Always good to have something to fall back on”

“See, it’s a plan”

“It’s a horrible, stupid, reckless plan...”

Willow nodded, smiling “But a plan nevertheless”

Buffy smiled wearily “I’m gonna go out. Swing by The Demon Bar – they’re really not going for subtle, huh?”

“Want some company?” Willow offered.

“Nah, you gotta work the mojo. I won’t be back late” Buffy grabbed up a knife and waved to her friend before walking out of the door.

She got to her car, which she had finally passed the driving test for, and snapped the seatbelt in place before starting it up. It was a small, cheap car but it ran just about and that was what counted. She pulled away and drove down then roads of Flower Meadows. It wasn’t quite dusk yet and vampires wouldn’t be about but that didn’t mean other demons wouldn’t need beating down. Besides she might get some info out of Harry, the barkeep. Buffy was looking to let out a little frustration and the demons of Cleveland never disappointed.

It took her ten minutes to get to the bar and a further five minutes to find somewhere to park. Once parked she jumped out grabbed the knife and slid it down her waistband. The Demon Bar loomed ahead with its glowing neon sign and black walls it looked inviting but on the inside it was a palace for demons of all kind – this place was nothing like Willy’s Alibi back in the old days in Sunnydale. Buffy reached the door where a bouncer stood arms crossed over his broad, oily chest. He was bald and on top of his head was a fin, a wicked spiky looking fin. His eyes were all black with a tiny pinprick of red in them and his skin had patches of scales here and there and was a shade of dark purple. He wore an aqua T-shirt and black leather trousers with heavy boots. The bouncer saw her and bared his tiny spiked teeth menacingly.

“Oh, piss” He grumbled “A Slayer! Can’t you guys leave us alone for one goddamn night?”

Buffy smiled pleasantly “Hey, Cody. Always a pleasure”

He sighed melodramatically “Hey Buffy, I told you not to call me that. We’re meant to be mortal enemies”

“Sorry, forgot” She pointed to him “New T-shirt?”

Cody nodded enthusiastically “Yeah, I got it on sale at Macys. The color compliments my skin tone, don’t you think?”

Buffy nodded “Definitely. Listen, Harry in there?”

“Isn’t he every night?” He motioned her through.

Buffy walked past him and into the long corridor that led to the walkways that crisscrossed above the main body of the club, which was below ground level. She looked down, holding onto the railing, at the demons that danced frenetically down below on the large lighted dance floor. Strobe lights with black walls made the effect eerie and like something out of a horror movie. Loud music pumped out of huge speakers as a scraggly demon wailed into a microphone with a cigarette dangling between his lips. The guy looked like a cross between Mick Jagger and a demon she used to know named Clem – not that there was much difference between them anyway.

Then to one side was a long bar that took up the whole length of one wall. Demons sat on the barstools, arms, tentacles and whatever raised as they shouted drink orders. Buffy turned and walked down the stairs down into the midst of the shaking and gyrating demons of all kinds. There were Polgaras’ swinging like a jazz band and M’Fashnick demons head bashing. Buffy pushed past them all and rolled her eyes at a couple of scary looking demons with glow in the dark eyes and fingernails and teeth that were doing the macarana. She managed to get to the bar where smoke from cigarette’s hung in the air thickly.

Buffy slid into a stool between a spiny-headed demon and a green demon that was dripping sludge all over the bar and floor.

Harry, the owner and barkeep, saw her and threw a cloth over his shoulder before making it wearily over to her. Harry was around fifty years of age with a mop of gray curls on his head and bushy gray eyebrows above sad blue eyes that sparkled. He was average height and a little round around the stomach area but he just looked like any other man of his age. Harry wasn’t a man. Or at least not entirely – he was half demon, or maybe three-quarters demon but Buffy didn’t ask how that was possible. He wore his usual flannel shirt and blue jeans with rips in them.

“Hello, Buffy” He croaked with his tired voice “Little early for you, ain’t it?”

She shrugged “Not really here for the ambiance and the fine choice in alcoholic beverages. I want information”

“So what’s new?” Harry grumbled.

Buffy tilted her head “You seem grumpier than usual, Harry, if that’s possible”

“Patronage has been down”

“Place looks like its swinging tonight”

Harry nodded “Won’t stay like that for long now you’ve come back. For some reason a Slayer really puts people off their beer”

Buffy smiled bittersweet “Just the affect I have on people”

“Yeah, yeah. What do you want to know?”

“Some demons’ been copying me” Buffy informed him “Me and my friends. They’re going all Face Off on us...except without the swapping of the faces...the principles really the same...”

Harry sighed “I told you yesterday I didn’t know anything about them”

Buffy frowned “Yesterday?”

“Yeah, you know. Right before you started that demon free-for-all killing”

She shook her head “I wasn’t here yesterday”

“Yeah, you were. You came, you saw, you killed a bunch of demons” He inclined his head and spoke softly.

Buffy groaned “That wasn’t me. Must’ve been one of the demons. What did I...what did it ask?”

“Just what you asked. I told you I hadn’t heard anything and you seemed satisfied with that and then just started beating on my customers. Not very friendly of you” He held up his arm that held a deep scratch on it “And you scratched me. Not friendly at all”

“Wasn’t me, Harry” She stood “This is just great. Was I with anyone?”

“Yeah, that witch of yours, a tall dark and fang-faced guy and some old, crumbly dude” He shrugged.

Buffy spoke “Willow, Angel and Giles. So that means they’ve got a Buffy, a Xander, a Willow, an Angel and a Giles. God, I hope that’s it. Thanks Harry”

She turned and started to leave when he called back to her.

“Buffy,” He yelled, “You also asked if anyone knew you had a new guy staying with you. I told you everyone knew and nobody cared. Then you asked if I thought your security system back home was any good ’cause you were looking to improve it. I said it’s crap and anyone could just slide through a window”

Buffy grumbled as she walked off “Check – improve crappy security system”

She made it all the way to the top walkway of the club before trouble came a’calling. A demon with long whip type things for arms and a thin and long head blocked her way, hissing and flicking out a long, viper like tongue at her. His skin was mottled blue and his eyes yellow and full of hate. He wore nothing and she began to re-evaluate the ‘he’ thing because he didn’t seem to have a sex. Just a tail. Buffy heard hissing behind her and saw she had an identical demon back there flicking their tongue and readying itself.

“Slayer! You dare to come back here!” The first one said with a voice like nails scraping down a blackboard “After what you did to my mate yesterday I will rip your ugly head off and use it as my hat then I will consume your fat body!”

Buffy looked genuinely hurt “Fat?”

“Bitch!” He spat stepping closer as did the one behind her.

“Hey, look you aren’t going to believe this but the Buffy yesterday wasn’t the me Buffy, that was a different Buffy that looks like me but is not me, who is the real Buffy. Me, I mean” She took a deep breath.

The demon looked at her, confused, then let out a roar and stormed up the walkway toward her. Buffy withdrew the knife as she heard the one thundering behind her too. She timed it just right and jumped up in the air as the two demons crashed into one another. She landed with a foot on each one’s head and jumped off landing in front of the two demons that were still disentangling themselves. She had barely moved a step before one of their vine whip arms lashed out and struck her around the face so hard and fast she fell to the walkway.

Two vines curled around her ankles tightly and yanked her to them so hard she flew up in the air, over their heads and landed on her front on the walkway next to them. The demons let out a screech and began pulling her to them. Buffy used the knife to hack into their whips and was happy when they both squealed and let go. The Slayer scrambled to her feet but was back off them when one of the demons whirled around and hit her around the face with their heavy tail.

This time Buffy fell on her back in some of the blue demon blood from their injuries. She grimaced and started to get up when a vine encircled her neck and lifted her clean off the floor. Buffy gagged and brought her knife up to plunge it straight in the forehead of the demon as deep as she could. It screamed and fell back letting go of her so she dropped to her feet. The demon crashed to the floor, dead.

“You kill my beloved and now you kill my brother!” The remaining demon bellowed “It is a good day for you, Slayer. Now it will end!”

He stormed up the walkway to her and Buffy waited till he was nearly on her before vaulting over the side of the walkway. The demon watched in surprise. At the last moment the caught hold of the bottom of the walkway and heard as demons and humans alike started yelling and she looked down beneath her to see it had turned into entertainment. Then she paid them no more attention as the swung herself once, twice and three times until she flipped herself all the way back up on to the walkway but on the opposite side. The demon was bent over the railing looking for her with its back to her. Buffy pulled the knife from his brother and the demon heard the squelching because it whirled around where Buffy stabbed it in the forehead with the knife. It gagged eyes wide as it swayed and finally dropped to its knees.

“You...are...very...fat” It choked before falling face first to the floor, dead.

“Hey!” She panted “No need to get personal. Demons really know how to hit you where you hurt”

Buffy took a few deep breaths then leaned over the railing to look down at the gaping demon crowd that stared up at her “I’ll be here all this week. No autographs though. Thanks, you’ve all been peaches, really”

With that she turned and walked out of the club covered in demon blood and wondering if she should go on the Slim-fast diet.

5

Buffy arrived back home and walked into the front room everyone was milling about looking miserable and defeated. Buffy saw on the floor was a sacred circle made of salt and a few herbs dotted about but she didn’t see the talisman. Willow was talking animatedly with Giles who was shrugging and Angel was looking broody as usual whereas Xander and Dawn were playing cards looking nonchalant.

“Hey” Buffy said and they all looked her way sheepishly “How’d it go?”

Willow turned to her “It was a bust. I called to the talisman to return to this world and...nothing, not even a ‘poof!’ or ‘bang!’. I was sure I had it, damn talisman of evadingness!”

“You tried” Buffy patted her arm and took a deep breath “Turns out that there’s a Giles demon too”

Giles looked out “Me? How flattering...I mean disgusting and violating, of course”

“Of course” Buffy smiled.

“You met up with him?” Angel asked, standing.

She shook her head “Nah, but I heard about it from a reliable source. So that makes the core Scoobies...I’m hoping that’s all there is”

Dawn frowned “Hey, why don’t I get a demon double?”

“It’s really not that fun” Xander said “Trust me”

“Without the talisman I think we’re going to have to rely on brute force,” said Angel.

“Yay, my favorite type of force” Buffy piped up.

“Gonna be a little hard seen as we don’t know where these beasties are living” Xander pointed out “We could just wait for them to come to us”

Angel sighed “And be left unprepared? That’s stupid”

“I am Xander. I’m meant to be stupid” He shrugged.

Dawn patted him on the top of the head “You’re not stupid, Xander”

“Thanks” He smiled.

“You’re just a little slow” Dawn said sympathetically.

Buffy held her hands up “Guys, we don’t know where these demons are or what their plans are...I figure give them a couple of days and see what happens”

“We can’t just do nothing, Buffy” Giles stepped up.

“Okay, then find me their address, hell, even their Email address and we’ll do something about it then, Giles. In the meantime we train, we patrol and we keep an eye out for them...or us...them being us and when we know something we kill them” Buffy nodded “Now the first thing we have to do is get things sorted here. I want every window locked, every door bolted and that includes the attic window and the basement outside entrance. I also want everyone to sleep with two in a room for the time being and everyone should make some kind of mark on themselves so we know they’re the real Scoobies, got it?”

Dawn clapped her hands “Like a tattoo?”

“No” Buffy shrugged “Like a bracelet or a stamp on their hand...whatever”

Giles shrugged “I have a library stamp”

“Oh, great!” Xander sniggered “So now we get ‘Property of Giles’ stamped on us?”

“Actually it says ‘On Loan’” Giles corrected him.

“Much better!” Xander said sarcastically.

Buffy shook her head “I don’t care what it looks like so long as we can tell who’s the real guys and who’s not. Giles, can you go and get it please? Make sure everyone is stamped including Angel”

The vampire sighed “Is that really necessary? I’m not staying here, I’m in a motel”

“You should stay here. We need everyone on board, Angel” Buffy said.

He paused “Fine, so long as I don’t have to room with him” he pointed to Andrew.

“Way to hurt my feelings!” Andrew muttered.

“You can stay in the basement with Xander,” She said.

Xander and Angel both said, “You’re kidding?”

“Guys” Buffy said in a warning tone and they both shut up “Willow and Kennedy you guys are safe, the other girls can pair up as they like but I want Giles with Andrew”

“Oh, bloody hell!” Giles moaned as he entered the room with the stamp.

“Hey!” Andrew protested.

Buffy sighed “Faith with Robin and me with Dawn”

Dawn looked up “Sleepover time, huh? Can we have marshmallows and pillow fights?”

“Man, would I like to be a fly on that wall!” Xander grinned goofy and Dawn giggled hitting him playfully.

“’Kay, everyone who’s stamped I want you to go and check the perimeter of the house in groups of three then go through the house and shut every window and door, okay?”

The girls already stamped, grumbled but split up with about half of them going outside and the other half walking around the house. Giles stamped Xander’s hand then the rest of the core group finally ending with his own.

“Everyone done?” She asked.

They all nodded.

“Always thought of myself as ‘On Loan’” Xander muttered.

“Guys can you make sure everyone’s got a decent weapon in their room, please?” Buffy questioned.

Xander, Dawn and Willow all nodded and left to go to the basement and get the weapons out.

Angel came up to her “You sure you want me sleeping here?”

“Sure and I figure basement is the safest option what with the sun and all” She said “It might not be real comfortable but–”

“I’ve had worse” He shrugged nonchalant “Maybe we should call up Gunn and Wesley...”

“Unless they’ve been made into a demon they won’t be very useful” Buffy reminded him.

“Right” Angel nodded “Well the sun should be down soon, maybe I should see what I can find out from the demons around here”

Buffy sighed “If you think anyone will be willing to talk to you...”

“They don’t have to be willing” Angel smiled.

She smiled back “Okay but be back before midnight and you have to use the password at the gates”

He nodded as he started to leave “What kind of password is that anyway?”

“A good one” Buffy said confidently.

Angel shrugged “Whatever you say. I’ll see you by midnight”

He turned and swept out quickly and stealthily. Buffy took a breath and turned to Giles who stood to one side arms folded and watching her. He smiled proudly and twirled his stamp around in his hand.

“You did very well, Buffy” Giles beamed “The logical thing to do and you came through with it. The marking us...I don’t think I would have come up with that”

“Yes you would have” She grinned.

“All right, I might have but it would have taken me at least five minutes longer” Her Watcher laughed.

Buffy sighed and worked the cricks out other neck “You think they’ll attack tonight?”

“I find it highly unlikely” Giles said “But then you never can count on demons to do the predictable thing, can you?”

She nodded “Guess not”

He rubbed his forehead “Not that I’ll be getting any sleep anyway what with my roommate”

“Sorry” The Slayer apologized “It’s just I need someone with Andrew that can protect themselves, you do understand don’t you?”

Giles nodded curtly “Yes, it’s just the analyzing of the Bond films I’m dreading. I mean just because I’m British doesn’t mean I know everything about them. One thing I do know though is that Timothy Dalton was in no way the best Bond. Oh, no I am very much a Connery man myself”

Buffy arched an eyebrow “Save it for Andrew, Giles”

A/N: Must I say it again? Oh, okay! REVIEW!

A/N: Here we are again...

6

The night passed without incident and Angel got no further information from the demons of Flower Meadows just like Buffy had pretty much known he wouldn’t. They probably thought he was the demon that was pretending to be Angel who had killed several of their friends. Not really good at putting them at ease.

The next day everyone went back to their lives, work, fun, training and blah, blah, blah. Buffy spent most of her day training and getting ready for when the demons would hit. It was night again by the time she came back upstairs for dinner. Everyone sat at the tables eating and Buffy made her way over to Willow, Xander, Giles and Dawn and sat in the empty seat around the table.

“You’ve been working real hard, Buffy” Willow said, “Don’t want to burn yourself out”

She waved a dismissive hand “Me? Not possible. Besides I’m sure you’ve been doing some important stuff too”

Willow shrugged “Just trying the locator spell again and I was all for having another try to conjure up the talisman but Giles told me not to”

Giles sipped his tea “I just don’t want you to endanger yourself, that kind of magic isn’t easy and I know you are perfectly capable of it I just don’t think twice in the space of twenty four hours would be a good idea”

“I get it Giles” Willow rolled her eyes.

Dawn yawned “What time is it?”

“Late” Buffy said, “Everyone’s made sure we’re all locked up, right?”

“Twice over!” Xander piped then frowned “Man that was the highlight of my day...”

The Slayer stretched herself “I might go and patrol”

“Some of the girls could come with you” Giles said.

“Nah, I’d prefer it if they were here to take care of the place. Incase something happens”

“Way to make me feel safe” Dawn mumbled.

Buffy patted her shoulder and swallowed the last of her food “There, there. Gotta go”

She stood and turned on her heel walking from the hall to travel to the basement. Once there she passed a couple of girls training to retrieve the scythe and she instantly felt empowered by it. She grabbed a couple of stakes too then made her way back upstairs and grabbing her jacket she left.

She thought about going to the graveyards again but decided against it heading into the sparse town instead. She passed the bookstores, including Willow’s occult bookstore and a couple of clothes shops. There was a fishing supplies shop and a hardware shop and a whole row of coffee shops stupidly next to each other. No one was out much apart from a few teenagers who watched her, unsure, because she did have a huge wicked looking scythe in her hand.

“Hey” Buffy nodded to them “Just fancied a stroll, you know?”

“Uh, yeah right” One of them nodded then they all scattered in different directions leaving Buffy walking down the middle of the road alone.

The night was dark and a little cold so she did the belt on her jacket up and looked up at the moon with icy breath coming out in billows. The few streetlights that were actually out there seemed to be broken at least all but one did. Leaning against that streetlight she saw a figure looking up at the moon as she had just been doing but smoking a cigarette. Buffy moved over to the sidewalk and hid partially behind a tree to watch the man. From here she could see he wore all black and his hair was an unnerving familiar white blond. Buffy swallowed her dread and looked harder but from the distance she couldn’t tell if it was the Demon Spike or not. She needed to get closer so making the scythe more visible she stepped out from behind the tree and started walking down the middle of the road again. As she approached the man heard her boots on the road and turned to face her. Buffy let out a big sigh of relief when she saw it wasn’t him. Just a coincidence. His race was rounder and his chin more triangular than Spike’s and his lips were thinner. Not to mention he was taller and his shoulders broader – they really didn’t look that much alike, it turned out she was just paranoid.

The man frowned, his brown eyes sparkling in the moonlight “That’s an interesting choice of self-defense weaponry. Most girls go with mace or a stun gun,” He said in a very American accent motioning to the scythe.

Buffy walked past him and shrugged “Gets the job done”

He called after her “Are you a Slayer?”

Buffy looked over her shoulder “Seriously is it tattooed on my forehead?”

“Scythe kind of gave it away” The man stood up straight and stepped toward her “Besides I study Slayers”

She turned to him and frowned “Study them? Oh, god! You’re not a vampire are you? Studying your enemy or whatever?”

“Hardly” He laughed and as he stepped closer she could see his hair was merely blond not white blond like it had looked from a distance “Pure human am I. No, I work at the college I’m a professor of modern mythology. Slayer stuff is by far the most interesting thing I’ve ever read. Although I guess it’s not technically myth because we have a whole house full of ’em living right here in Flower Meadows. I’d really like to ask you a few questions”

Buffy shook her head “Busy, sorry”

“Just answer me this then; is it true that there use to be only one Slayer?”

Buffy sighed “Up until three years ago. Well, technically there were two but that was an accident...”

The man looked at her deeply “You? You were the original Slayer”

“Well, not the original Slayer it goes centuries back”

“That’s amazing” He took a puff of his cigarette “So you must be Buffy Summers?”

She looked at him “Okay, why do you know my name?”

“I read your Watcher’s Journal. You see I have a contact that used to work for the supposed ‘Watcher’s Council’ and she rescued a few volumes” He smiled “Your Watcher seemed to be perplexed by you”

Buffy waved her hand “Must be an old one. Although he’s still perplexed...”

“Amazing!”

“Yeah, well...I have to go” She started away.

“Can I come?”

“Sorry, don’t take civilians on patrol”

“Oh, of course not” He called after her “My name is Professor Dante Green”

Buffy was at the end of the street when she called back “Nice meeting you, professor” she turned down the next street and rolled her eyes “Fans”

It was down that dark road that Buffy ran into a group of six vampires that quickly surrounded her in a loose circle. All seemed to be in their early teens what with the acne and greasy hair not to mention they reeked of CK One. It made her sad to see people so young turned into vampires but she had seen younger. Didn’t matter really, young or old they were about to be dust and they had no say in the matter. Being the Slayer was like her job and she intended to do it to the best of her ability. She was definitely employee of the month.

“Slayer!” They hissed all at once, eerily.

“I’m thinking I need a disguise or something” Buffy frowned, sighing “Too many people are guessing my secret identity. Do you think a pair of glasses will work?”

They all rushed her simultaneously and Buffy whirled around in a circle with the scythe outstretched as she decapitated all six vampires in one fell swoop. They all gaped at her and turned to so much dust that was promptly blown away by the wind. Buffy sighed running a hand through her hair and then leaning the weapon against her shoulder.

“Maybe a trench coat and a fake moustache?” She mused to herself as she walked away into the darkness alone “A mask!”

Professor Dante Green watched from the end of the road Buffy had come from with an impressed expression on his face. He pulled out a pen and pad of paper from inside his jacket and scribbled something down.

Dante green quirked an eyebrow “This could get interesting...think of the thesis I could come up with...wow...” He muttered as he walked away back home to his laptop and his research materials.

This, he realized, could be the start of something amazing.

7

Buffy returned home later than she had expected it turned out that the vampires were out in force that night. Perhaps they had heard that the Slayer’s team had been turned into demons and thought she would be off worrying about that and neglect the patrolling. Oh, had they been wrong.

She had dusted almost an even dozen of vampires and a couple of demons looking to feast on the blood of the innocent. Not that many people fitted that criteria. Buffy made a note to discuss the little meeting she’d had with the Professor to Giles but she forgot.

She slept a couple of hours then found herself back in the basement working her frustrations out on the punch bag and following that with a short run on a treadmill. By the time she came back upstairs people had just started waking up for their various jobs and other things they had to do. Robin appeared and then was gone out of the door a moment later as his first class was due soon. She found out Willow had already gone to open up the bookstore and that a lot of the girls were on their way out to college.

Buffy found Dawn in her room reading a book whilst munching on a candy bar.

“Hey” Buffy walked in slowly and sat down on the corner of the bed.

Dawn sat up straighter on the bed “Hey, how was patrol?”

“Eventful” She smiled “No college today?”

“Nah” Dawn shook her head “Day off; finally”

Buffy patted her shoulder “At least you’re gonna finish college”

“Hey, don’t jinx me”

“Sorry”

“This really bothers you, doesn’t it?” Dawn said softly.

“What?”

“The whole demons taking your face”

“It bothers me more that they’ve taken my friend’s faces” Buffy replied honestly “That everyone will be in danger because I can’t hurt them, only the one that’s taken my identity and believe me that bitch is gonna get wailed on”

Dawn laughed “You wont feel weird about punching your own face?”

“The First sometimes turned in to me” Buffy reminded her.

“Yeah but you couldn’t hit The First”

“True”

“Don’t worry Buffy” Dawn said smiling reassuringly “We will get these guys then go out for cake afterwards”

The Slayer arched an eyebrow “Double chocolate cake?”

“Of course”

They both smiled and then Buffy was gone wandering the halls of the house until she sighed finally and made her way back down to the basement. She was practicing with a staff, Friar Tuck style, and whirling it around energetically in the air. She heard him move before he spoke but she had known he was there all along anyway.

“How about a little hand to hand?” Angel asked from behind her.

“Sure” Buffy shrugged turning to him as he stood shirtless with a staff gripped tightly in both hands and a warm smile on his face “You not sleepy though?”

He chuckled “Like I could relax with all your heavy breathing and sweating”

Buffy arched an eyebrow.

Angel grinned as he realized what he has said “Okay, maybe I could get use to it. Come on, Slayer, kick my shiny vampire ass”

“Did you really just say that?” She laughed.

He spun the staff around in a circle quickly before grabbing it in both hands again “I think I did”

“Bring it on, Soul Boy” She motioned him over.

They both started to circle one another, slowly, watching the other ones moves. Angel’s strides were wide and far apart, keeping his legs a shoulder length apart and giving him a sturdy stance. Buffy preferred to have smaller, closer steps moving quick and cleanly. It had always worked for her in the past. Angel bowed his head toward her and they both continued to circle, waiting for the other one’s move. They could do this for eternity. Apparently Angel got impatient, being immortal and all that, and he lashed out straight staff toward her. Buffy hit the stick away to the side and knocked it down but Angel swept his staff back up and hit her in the side making her sprawl sideways as he brought the staff back up to hit her on her cheek hard.

Buffy’s face snapped to the side and her hair fell in her face, hiding it. Angel stopped, unsure of how badly he had hurt her.

“Buffy...?” He started.

“You should’ve mentioned...” She shook her hair out of her face and smiled “That it was gonna get rough”

He smiled too, dancing backward “That’s all it could ever be”

She jumped at him then and he whirled the staff around to hit her but she was too fast and did a forward roll on the floor, gliding under his sweeping arm and coming up behind him. The Slayer stayed crouched and as he only just started to turn she whacked her staff around his back so hard it would have broken a normal person’s bones. Angel stumbled a little and she took the opportunity to sweep his feet out from under him with the staff.

Angel tumbled to the ground on his back and Buffy stabbed her staff down to hit him in the solar-plexus but he rolled quickly out of the way and stretched his legs out to trap her knee between his feet and twist to pull her over. Buffy fell to the ground on her front and started to crawl away but Angel grabbed her feet and dragged her down underneath him. He did a sort of push up to stay above her without actually touching her. Buffy reached her arms up and locked them around the back of his head pulling his face down over her shoulder and slamming it into the ground then kicked her foot up to his stomach causing the vampire to sway to the side and tumbled on his back to the floor.

In the next instant both the Slayer and the vampire had flipped up on their feet and rushed each other, staff’s lay on the floor lost for now. Angel ran at her full force and Buffy bent her knees and jumped attempting to go over his head. Angel knew her move and grabbed her in mid-air around the waist and threw her to the ground. He kicked out toward her and she rolled out of the way and was up on her feet a moment later.

Angel punched out to her and she caught his fist but he was ready for it and used his other fist to ram into her side so hard it lifted her off of her feet. Buffy sucked in a breath and fell back a few steps. A staff was by her foot and she slid her foot under the stick and kicked it up into her open palm. She whirled it around a la’ Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon style. She stepped forward and thrust the rounded end of the staff toward his abdomen. He jumped back and she swept the staff up hitting him with a vicious upper cut that sent his head snapping up and back.

The staff whirled back down in a sweeping arc smacking him in the ribs so he fell to his knees. The staff came down again toward his shoulder and Angel caught it but Buffy spun around landed him in the face with a roundhouse kick. He swayed on his knees and Buffy kicked his hand releasing the staff and bringing it down to finish him off.

Angel groaned and did a backward roll before standing and leaping sideways to avoid another hit, he hit the ground rolling and was up in a blink and you’ll miss it move. Buffy turned toward him and he lifted his leg up and swiped it down kicking the staff from her hand up into the air from where he plucked it up with his hand and before she knew what hit her the staff caught Buffy across the shoulders and in another quick move the back of her knees got hit. The Slayer fell face-first to the ground and let out a frustrated grunt. The vampire brought the staff back down again and she was gone suddenly, nothing but ground there. He turned, surprised and a fist hit him full force in the face.

Angel let out a sound of surprise and a wooden staff hit him hard in the abdomen then knocked the staff from his hand. Buffy ran at him and he jumped up attempting to sweep over her.

Buffy lifted her staff up as he was just passing her overhead and jabbed the stick onto his stomach where he flailed and got stuck mid-air. Buffy grunted from the effort of keeping a man who was heavier and taller then her up in the air with just a staff. She shoved him up hard and he hit the ceiling then she heaved him over her and he crashed to the ground very ungraciously in a pile.

“If I can’t jump over you, you can’t jump over me” Buffy tsked and kicked him in the ribs so he rolled over onto his back.

Buffy snapped the staff across her knees and it broke in two jagged pieces. She straddled his waist and pressed the stick to his chest, over his heart.

Angel put his hands up in a defenseless gesture “One of these days I’m going to win against you”

“Keep praying” She smiled and crawled off standing up.

Angel sat up and sighed “Praying doesn’t really go with my moody vampire with a soul just trying to atone deal. I’m more about the wallowing”

“Wallowing is a good look for you. Stick to it” Buffy took a few hard breaths “Thanks for the fight. I really needed a good challenge”

“Figured you might” He stood slowly “Do you mind if I sleep now? Need to re-cooperate a little. Unless you want to talk?”

She waved a dismissive hand “Nah, I’m cool. Thanks again, Angel”

Buffy smiled and turned on her heel marching up the stairs and shutting the door quietly behind her. She winced finally at her injuries and made her way to the bathroom to run herself a long hot bath, which she soothed her aching bones in. She soaked in the bath and thoughts ran through her head. Demons wearing her friends faces – needing to have plan to combat these demons and not having one was a big worry for Buffy. The group usually rallied round and Willow gave them magickal backup, Giles researched and Buffy herself went in and kicked demon ass. It was the way things always worked but now it seemed that magick didn’t work on these demons and Giles was sure the situation wouldn’t be in any books and, well, Buffy had no ass to kick. They were gonna have to wait for the demons to come to them. She hated it when it went down like that.

A/N: Ah, my favourite type of Bangel (Buffy/Angel) – when they beat each other up. Oh and Spuffy fans? – Soon, very soon....mwhahahaha!

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