Wooden Heart

by Stars Child
Rating- G or PG
Disclaimer: I dont own either Buffy or Lost Boys. Full stop. Beware, this is an emotional Buffy, so she might be out of character.
Feedback?-Yes please!

Buffy wandered the Boardwalk, the flashing lights and noises distracting her from her thoughts. She pushed her blond hair away from her face, wiping away unshed tears, she was alone, they had deserted her and she was left to carry on in this mortal plane alone.

She sighed, eyes trailing along to gaze at various people, objects, things. She felt heavy, morbid thoughts flowing through her mind.

Carve the Wooden Heart from my Chest, soul-less, green jealousy runs through my veins.

She wasn't accustomed to such thoughts, and her hands stayed to the wooden pendant around her slender neck. Strangely enough it was a wooden heart, carved out of the darkest mahogany. She clutched at it, eyes dazzled at the sights that they beheld.

No sarcastic quip this time, she thought. Her gaze travelled across many people. Punks, gangs, roadies, drunks, children. Her eyes rested on the 'Missing' posters that littered various signs.

She walked along the beach now, not knowing which way she was going. She listened to the sound of the waves upon the sand, feeling its soft grit between her toes as she walked barefoot.

She was lost in thought, not acknowledging the looks and advances from them. Her eyes were trained up ahead, watching the twinkling glitter from the rides.

She stopped near an abandoned bonfire, the orange-red of the flames lulling her. The flickering shaped had her in a thrall, so much so that she didn't notice his approach.

He was undead, but she didn't care. She never wanted to be here, and she was unwanted by many. His voice was deep, low and sensual, and she didn't turn to him as he spoke.

"You are not afraid of me?"

It was such a simple question, and one that graced her lips with a tender smile. She still did not look to him as she returned his question with a statement, letting her answer sink in to his mind.

"I know what you are."

He was silent, thoughts running through his head. He stood behind her, encased in shadow, well away from the flames and embers. It was long before he spoke again.

"And yet you are not afraid. Why? You say you know what I am, and yet you seem to welcome the death I would bring."

She nodded, eyes meeting his for the first time. Sadness echoed in their depths and he shuddered.

"Because I'm not needed." She murmured, now aware that the mysterious stranger was gone.

She saw him many nights later, he was with friends, and when he caught her looking he offered her a tentative smile. She couldn’t get his image out of her head. Her every waking moment was filled with the memory of their first meeting.

His angelic smile captivated her and she knew she was obsessed. He wore the most outrageous clothes, in her opinion, obviously from the late eighties. His eyes pierced into her soul.

The next time they met she was sitting alone on one of the benches near the carousel. She saw him then, and he walked up to talk to her, his eyes glittering. He smiled, and it was so infectious that she just had to return it in earnest.

All she could manage was a smile. She inwardly rolled her eyes, she was so alone that she attached herself to the first guy she met. Not a very good thing to do, Buffy, she told herself.

If he noticed her awkwardness then he didn’t say anything. He spoke quietly to the guys in his group, and they left without a second glance, leaving them together.

“Would you like to go for a walk?” He asked, taking her hand in his. She smiled, accepting silently.

They walked along the beach, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking about their past, experiences. The stars glittered in the clear night sky and they stopped at the top of the cliff, overlooking the cool waves, a lighthouse in the distance.

Buffy sighed, smoothing her blond hair down with one hand. He stood beside her, concern etched into his features. “There’s something wrong. Tell me.” He murmured to her, embracing her from behind.

She sighed, not knowing whether to tell him or not. Vaguely, she fingered the wooden heart pendant around her neck, wondering if she should tell him.

“They hate me.” She murmured softly.

He seemed surprised, curiosity evident as he tensed behind her. “Why?” He whispered, tightening his hold around her waist.

“I made one mistake. One stupid mistake! And now they hate me. Because I put them all in danger.”

He was silent, anxious for her to carry on. The night seemed to lay heavy on them, and all was silent, as if waiting for the Slayer to continue.

“It was a Moschra Demon. It almost killed them, and I didn’t get there in time…One of them died. I couldn’t save them. It’s all my fault.” Unshed tears poured down her cheeks and she turned in his arms so that she was facing him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks, smiling softly.

“They hate me.” She murmured. He shook his head, leaning it against hers. “I’m alone, can you understand that? No friends.” She chuckled softly, unshed tears glittering in her eyes.

He stepped back from her, confusion now etched onto her face. He held out his arms, shifting into his vampire face. She didn’t look surprised, hesitating a moment before walking towards him.

His arms tightened around her and he buried his face into her neck, pressing his lips to the pulse. He sunk his fangs into the soft flesh and a dull throb ran through her.

Nothing like the pain she felt when she got bitten before. Red flashed across her vision, and she saw a giant network, a web of the undead. The dull pain consumed her, darkening her vision. Before passing out she felt a cool wrist pressed to her lips, a coppery fluid running thickly into her mouth. Her throat reacted, mouth drinking in the warm fluid.

The wrist was wrenched away, and she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. Before the darkness claimed her.

****************

When she awoke her eyes beheld a cave, a cave illuminated by torch light. Her vision was sharper and she could hear so much more than she could remember. And then he was beside her, his curly blond locks falling over his shoulders.

He looked so beautiful, so ethereal. Not of this world. His skin was so pale and she admired the flawless skin of his face. He smiled, brightening his features before claiming her lips with his own.

His fingers entwined with hers, they turned to the other three present in the cave. The leader, she could tell by his presence, stepped forward, and placed a kiss onto the back of her hand. A name flashed in her mind. David.

Another blond smirked, bowed in greeting. The mischievous look in his eyes made her smile, so much like Xander, she thought. Again, his name flashed across her mind. Paul.

And last but not least. The quiet one. The brooder. The one that reminded her so much of Angel. He simply smiled, making her feel nervous. Like before, his name appeared in her mind. Dwayne.

David opened his arms, smiling at his new pack sister. Buffy turned to him, her Marko, and smiled, feeling the happiest that she had ever felt in a long time. His hand tightened around hers, and Paul let out a manic laugh. Dwayne shook his head as Paul resumed walking around the lip of the fountain, humming as he went.

David stood before her, Marko beside her. David’s cerulean blue eyes looked into her own, glittering, welcoming. The wooden heart would no longer be broken, she had a family. A love. A reason to live. Or un-live, she didn’t care which. David’s voice broke through her musings, answering all the questions that she had ever wanted to ask her so called ‘friends’ in Sunnydale.

“Welcome home, sister.”

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