By: RJ

Disclaimer: To my dismay, I do NOT own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, it belongs to Joss Weadon and everyone else who makes the show possible. (Did I ever say thank you too them? If not then I’m saying it now, in print, for the world to see. THANK YOU!) So anyway I don’t own anything so please don’t sue. I also don’t own the song ‘One Sweet Day’. It belongs to Boyz II Men & Mariah Carey.

Setting: This story takes place the summer after Becoming, and everything that happened to the show’s characters has happened to my version of the characters.

Rating: PG to PG-13 some light violence and language.

Spoilers: Becoming 1 & 2.

Please excuse typos and everything of that sort. And please be aware that this is my first fanfic, and that I am still a bit young. Thanx!

An old beat-up pick-up truck was driving down the interstate that runs through the middle of Sunnydale. The truck’s engine was making a strange noise so the driver pulled over into the parking lot of an abandoned restaurant. The driver, Buffy Summers, opened the hood and inspected the engine.

"Oh shit!" she shouted out loud. She saw that her truck needed a new transmission, which meant she would have to stay in Sunnydale for awhile to find a new one, the place she least wanted to be in the world.

She decided that she’d leave the truck there and go look around. She might as well see what had changed since she left. She had gotten pretty good at slipping around without being seen, like Angel had.

When she thought of Angel she remembered how much she did not want to be in Sunnydale. But she thought it wouldn’t hurt to look around, if she was careful.

As she wondered around the town, which, even though it was only ten o’clock, was pretty deserted, accept probably for the Bronze, which she wouldn’t go near for fear of being seen. She that realized not much had changed. Then she decided to swing by the cemetery, but she went back to the truck to get some ammo, you never know what’s lurking around.

When she arrived at the cemetery, she heard some strange noises. She checked it out, there was a girl fighting a vampire, while Giles was watching. She was confused at first, but then it made sense, she was the new Slayer. Kendra had died so there would be a new one called. Now Buffy felt less guilt for leaving.

The new Slayer looked strong, but she was still raw and needed to learn a better technique. Buffy’s first thought was that she could teach her, but then she remembered that she wasn’t staying, she couldn’t stay.

She listened as Giles did his usually critique. He made mostly the same observations she had. She thought that was so strange she almost laughed, but she knew she had to keep quiet.

She decided to go back to the truck, but them something caught her eye, possibly someone. Giles heard it too and called at whatever it was, but by then it was gone. Giles hadn’t seen it so he figured it was probably a cat.

But Buffy wasn’t convinced, so she slid away and started in the direction she thought it went. As she went she felt someone watching her. She slid into the shadows, and continued down the ally, then around the corner. She crouched beside some garbage cans. The figure came around the corner. As it passed her she launched herself and landed on him. She hopped up and he rolled over. The color drained from her face. It was Angel. Her Angel, the one she had loved and killed months earlier.

She was overcome with fear, and shock, and she ran, faster than the wind. He would never catch her, but had he seen her? She wasn’t sure. Her face my have been protected by the shadows. But if he had seen her, had recognized, he’d find her or tell Giles she was there, if not both. She had to leave Sunnydale soon.

Angel still stood in the ally were Buffy left him. He was still trying to focus on the face, of the girl. He thought it was Buffy, but he couldn’t be sure. If it was, why had she run? Was it shock, fear, both, or something worse. He prayed that it wasn’t something worse. But the more he thought about it, the more sure he was that it was her. The way she had pounced on him, what he had seen of her face, it all fit. He had to find her. Tell her everything that happened. Or at least tell her that he loved her, and say that he would do anything for her, to try and make what he had done less awful.

Maybe he could go to Giles and tell him. But Giles did like him much, not that he could blame after all that he had done. He was lucky enough that Giles had helped Willow perform the ritual that had gotten out of hell. Besides, what if he was wrong, that would make Giles hate him even more. He had six hours till morning, so he decided to look for Buffy. Were would he look? She did live at her house anymore. She didn’t talk to her friends or Giles. She really didn’t even live in Sunnydale anymore, so were could he look? Someplace deserted, that was for sure.

Buffy had run back to her truck and was sitting in it thinking. Would it be all that bad to have Angel find her? He would probably be the one person who might understand what she was going through. And she did own him an apology. She should talk to him. She didn’t really want to, but she knew she should.

Angel looked for Buffy any place he could think of. He checked the cemetery, the park, and various lots. He was getting pretty tapped out of ideas. He decided to go to the lookout point were you could go and seen the whole city and the stars. He went there sometimes to think. As he was standing there, racking his brain for ideas.

"Hey. Care for some company?" a familiar voice asked for the shadows.

Buffy stepped out of her protective shield. She walked toward him and he rapped his arms around her. It felt so good to hold her again. To be able to feel her warm skin and smell her soft golden hair. He loved her so much.

When Angel rapped his arms around her, she felt like she was melting. All her problems went away. It was like they were the only people in the world. It felt so good. But then all of a sudden she felt exhausted. She would have fallen over if he hadn’t been holding her.

"Oh, I missed you so much," he exclaimed. "What’s the matter?" he asked her.

"I just tired, that’s all," she answered, slightly yawning.

"Come on," he said, and they walked to his apartment in silence. When they got to his apartment they curled up in his bed.

"So, I heard an overview of what happened, but I still get the feeling that a missed a lot," Angel said.

"Well, ah, yes, I guess you did," she said.

"Well then fill me in," he retorted.

"Well let’s see. First there’s Kendra. You know she’s dead, but I bet you don’t know that the police think I murdered her," Buffy said with a sarcastic, over enthusiastic voice. "And that was the reason my principal used to expelled me from school. Oh! And SPIKE saved my tail from the police because he wanted my help!"

"Because he wanted you to help him fight me, right?" Angel asked regretfully.

"Right. But when we were at my house he helped my slay a vampire, but the way down side was my mom saw. Therefor finding out about the existence of vampire. We got into an argument about me being the Slayer and she threw me out of the house. The rest you know, so thus ends the unusual saga of that strange and eventful last couple days," she giggled as she finished because she had used her story telling voice.

"So basically the whole mess is my fault," he said in a very apologetic tone.

"No. It’s not. You...weren’t you," she said in a somewhat assuring voice.

"Thanks, but you don’t need to make excuses for me," he said.

"Well, I bet we could go back and forth on that all night, but I would rather get some sleep," she said.

"Okay," he replied. "Do you want me to stay with you?" he asked nervously.

"Yes. Please," she answered. So she slept in his arms all night.

The next morning she woke, Angel was still holding her as tight as he has been the night before. It was a strange, but very comforting. She hadn’t felt this safe and relaxed since the last night they had spent together. It felt like she was in Heaven, or the closest thing to it she had felt in a really long time.

She shifted her weight and rolled over. "Morning sleepy head. Ready to get up are you?" Angel asked jokingly.

"Ah, no comment," she replied sleepily.

"You’re still tired?" he asked with a surprised look. "It’s 11:00 o’clock."

"Oh! You’re kidding! I haven’t slept that long in, well, too long," she said.

"Did you have good dreams?" Angel asked.

"I don’t remember. But that’s better than usual," Buffy answered.

"What do you mean that’s better than usual?" he inquired.

"Well, I just don’t normally sleep well," she answered.

"Oh. You have nightmares?" he pushed further.

"Yes, if I can get to sleep at all. I’m pretty much up nineteen hours a day, about every day. I keep myself busy with anything I can, and I get this headaches sometimes, I could just rip my hair by the roots," she explained.

"Sounds pretty awful. Stress can do that to you though," he said.

"So, do I get a question now? I’ve been fessing up, now it’s your turn," she said, faking an annoyed tone.

"Oh. You’re going to ask how I got out of hell, right?" he asked knowingly.

"That’d be were I was going. So?" she asked.

"Well, basically, Giles and Willow figured that I’d been sucked into hell, but that the curse had worked. Then, Giles found this ritual that could get me out. They thought that they ought to do it. But they really don’t like me, not that they should. They just did it for you," Angel confessed.

Buffy just lay there listening. Dreading what she new was inevitable, her leaving. "What do you know about the new Slayer?" she asked.

"Well, she’s going to start high school. She just started her training. Her name is Kelly. I don’t know much about her. How did you find out about her?" Angel asked.

"I saw her at the cemetery last night. She’s really raw and has lots of talent but she needs teaching," Buffy stated the observations she had made earlier.

"You she do it. You should teach her. You should also go see Giles," he urged.

"No!" she stated very firmly.

"Why not," he asked tentatively.

She hesitated, "I’m not staying here for long."

"What!?" he shouted sitting up. "What do you mean you’re not staying?"

"I’m not staying. I don’t belong here. My life isn’t here," she explained.

"Then what are you doing here? Where do you belong? Where is your life?" he demanded.

"I’m here because my truck broke down on the freeway, and my life is in LA. My friends, my job, my house, everything is in LA," she said, trying to convince herself too.

"I love you," he said, almost in a whisper.

"I know," she replied. "I love you too. That’s what makes this all the more complicated."

"You’re going to leave," he said more as a statement than a question.

"I can’t stay here," she said what she’d been trying to convince herself of.

"Oh, no!" she shouted suddenly.

"What?" he asked alarmed.

"I have to leave. I forgot that I have to go to work!" she said franticly. "Damn. There’s no way I can get a new transmission, and get back to LA by six-thirty," she complained. "Can I make a call?" she asked.

"Sure, who do you have to call?" he inquired.

"My friend, to see of somebody can fill in for me at work," she answered.

"Hey. (Pause) The truck's messed. (Pause) I’m in Sunnydale. (Pause) Yes, but I’m not going to be back in time to go to work so, could somebody cover for me? (Pause) Ok, great. Bye." She hung up the phone.

"Something good come of that?" he asked.

"Yes. Sean said that Jen would cover for me," she answered.

"Oh. Who’s Sean?" he asked, very interested.

"My friend," she answered. Then add, "Jen is like his girlfriend. So…"

"Oh," he said again, this time with a smile.

"I have to leave, I should get the old truck fix," she said uneasily.

"Well you come back?" he asked softly.

"Sure, I’ll swing by later. I promise," she said solemnly. Then she walked out the door.

"Look I just want the distibutor cap, I’m going to put the damn thing in myself!" Buffy yelled at the mechanic. "How much will it cost?"

"Fine. Just the part will be thirty dollars," he said reluctantly.

"Great," she stated with just a hint of almost unnoticeable sarcasm. "When do I get the part?"

"We have one in stock. I go get it," he answered and left to go fetch the part. "Here, that’ll be thirty dollars," he said as he returned and handed her the part. When she had handed over the money he asked, "Were did a girl like you learn how to fix cars?"

"I live with too many men," she replied and walked out the door. She went out and walked to her truck. She was glad that she always kept her tools in the back of her truck. She was also glad that she had paid enough attention when Sean was teaching her how to do repairs on her truck.

After she was finished she drove her truck over to Angel’s place, and she was happy to not hear that telltale noise that said she put the transmission in wrong. She went up and knocked on the door. Angel answered a little groggy.

"Hey," he greeted her as she came in. "Did you get your truck fixed?"

"Actually, I fixed it myself," she said proudly.

"Really? Where did you learn to fix cars?" he asked curiously.

"Sean," she answered simply.

"Oh. You must hang out with him a lot," he pushed.

"Um yep, but when you live in the same house with somebody like… well Sean you can’t help it," she said.

"So, are you going to leave now?" he asked almost not wanting to know the answer.

"Well, I don’t have to. I could probably stay until tomorrow afternoon, if you want," she answered.

"I wish you would," he said.

"Great then I can stay here? Because I was going to stay anyway because I know the group performing at the Bronze tonight and I think they could use some support from their hometown," she said, talking faster then usual.

"Ok. So what do you want to do the rest of the day?" he inquired almost sure he knew the answer.

"Well, I have a few ideas," she said flirtatiously, then lifted her head and kissed him.

That night at the Bronze the group Soul was playing as Willow and Xander were talking at their usual table.

"Well, this is getting a little freaky. No vampiric activity since Buffy stops Acathla," Xander said with a completely truthful voice.

"Yes, but I don’t really miss it much, especially since Buffy’s not here," Willow agreed.

"Have I said that I wish she were here?" Xander asked sarcastically.

"Not in the last five minutes," Willow answered with the same amount of sarcasm.

Across the room Buffy and Angel stood watching them. "I can’t go over there!" Buffy wined.

"Yes you can," Angel urged.

"I’m going to go get a drink first," she said trying to stall. Angel knew it but nodded anyway. He watched her go then turned his attention back to Willow and Xander. After a few minutes he looked over to the bar and didn’t see her anywhere. He started to get worried so he walked over to Willow and Xander.

"Hey," he said.

Both of them jerked around in surprise. "Hey," said Willow.

"Angel," Xander greeted him coolly.

"We haven’t seen you around much. What are you doing here?" Willow asked.

"I’m here with someone," he said solemnly. They both looked shocked. He smiled and said, "Someone with blond hair, blue eyes, and a very unusual occupation," he finished. They both grinned from ear to ear.

"Buffy," they said in unison. He nodded.

"But she seems to have disappear on me just now," he said.

Just then one of the four singers of the band started to talk, "This is a song that we like to do. We know its not ours but we’d like to dedicated to some friends of ours that passed a little too early. It’s our own little version of the song ‘One Sweet Day’ by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey, and we have a special guest to sing Miss Carey’s part. The lovely, talented Anne Johnson!"

All three of them gasped as Buffy walked on stage. She looked positively beautiful. She had changed into a black, semi-short, sort-of tight, spaghetti strap dress. As the music started one of the guys started to sing, he had a nice voice. Then Buffy started. Her voice was like bells and it was like the words came straight from her heart.

Couples danced close on the dance floor, and the slayerettes just stared at Buffy in amazement. When the song ended everybody in the building applauded. Buffy left the stage and the music continued. She hadn’t even bothered to bow, but that was the way she always did it.

When Buffy came out from back stage she had changed back into the jeans and T-shirt she had been wearing earlier.

"Ah, hi," Buffy said shyly.

"Hey," said Willow cheerfully.

"Long time no see," said Xander. Buffy just nodded.

"Why did that guy just call you Anne?" Angel asked curiously.

"Because the girl who was suppose to do it is named Anne and Joey didn’t know that I was here," she answered, with a pretty believable lie.

"Oh," he retorted.

"Where’s Cordelia and Oz?" Buffy asked after an awkward silence.

"Cordy’s not feeling well and Oz is… well going through his phase," Xander answered.

"Oh," Buffy answered knowing what he meant, but Angel looked confused.

"Oz is a werewolf," Willow explained, but it only seemed to confuse him more. But he just blinked a couple of times then nodded.

"So, how long have you been back?" Xander asked.

"Since last night, but I’m not actually back," she answered.

"What do you mean?" Willow asked very worriedly.

"I’m not here too stay," she answered, looking at the floor. "I’m probably leaving tomorrow afternoon."

"Oh," that was all Xander could say at that point. "Are you going to see Giles?"

"No," she answered bluntly.

"Yes, you are," Angel corrected her. "You will go see him if we have to drag you kicking and screaming."

They all grinned at this. "Fine," she said giving in. "But that won’t make me stay," she added. Then they left to go to the library.

"So, you’re a singer now. A good one to," Xander said, to fill the void of silence that had developed.

"Yes. Where I live, there are lots of bands and stuff so if you’re any good, and you meet the right people your pretty much set," she explained.

"Oh, neat," Willow said. They all nodded, and continued in silence.

Giles as always was reading his books. Then Willow and Xander walked in. "Hey," Xander said. This surprised him and made him jump.

"Oh, hello. What are you two doing here?" he asked, just slightly curious.

"We have a surprise for you," Willow answered. Then Buffy and Angel walked through the door. Giles’ jaw almost dropped to the floor.

"Buffy," he said astonished.

"Giles," she greeted. "How have you been? I’ve gotten the inclination that you have a new friend," she said, somewhat coolly

"I’m fine. I see you’ve heard about Kelly," he said uneasily.

"Actually I saw you at the grave yard last night, and Angel gave me a little 411 on her but from what I figure she the new slayer. Right since Krendra died?" she asked.

"Ah, well yes," he answered.

"So is there always going to be two since I went and screwed up your people’s whole little system?" she asked coldly. She didn’t want to be here and this was the only way she could think of to get out.

"We’re not sure," he answered, getting annoyed at her.

"Who’s the we?" she asked.

"The Watcher’s Counsel," he replied. She raised an eyebrow, then decided she didn’t care enough to ask.

"So, you’re back," he said uneasily.

"This is just a short stop on my trip home. The truck needed some repairs," she told him. He frowned at this. Then Buffy felt the hair on the back of her stand up.

"Well that’s too bad Slayer," a voice that she and Angel both new instantly. "Then your little friends will get their bloody asses blow into little ashes." As he said this, Spike stepped from the shadows.

"I thought you said you’d leave town, for good," she said very very annoyed.

"I was going to, but then I met up with this wacky guy. I didn’t like him much, so tried to kill. Turns out he was one of us, but the funny thing is he does this magic," he told them.

"Oh goody! You met up with the vampire version of Mr. Wizard," she said with sarcasm and fake enthusiasm.

"I’m serious. This guy is big," he said, not liking her tone.

"Oh, what do you want to do? Become my business partner or something?" she asked.

"Fine!" he gave up with her. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you when all of us are just little piles of ashes," he said.

He was just about to walk out the door when Angel asked, "What can he do. I mean he must be big, if you’re so afraid of him."

Spike pulled up part of his pant leg. The leg was very red and looked like it could have been burnt. "He did this a month and a half ago. This thing came out of his hand. I guess the only way to describe it would be to say it was a fireball. I’m lucky it didn’t take off the whole bloody limb," he said angrily. With that he left without anyone objecting.

"Well, it looks like you all have your work cut out for you, so I’ll just be going. I’ve got things to do, places to go, people to see, so c-ya," she said as she started towards the door.

"Don’t you dare walk out the door. We need your help," Giles said aggressively.

"What do you need me for? You’ve already got a Slayer," she asked harshly.

"Yes, but you said you saw us in the graveyard last night. Then you now there is no way she can stand up to something of that caliber," he answered her question very convincingly, but she was too stubborn. She just shook her and went further towards the door.

Then Angel said, "Fine, just hope you don’t hear that this thing killed us all."

"Look," she said turning around. "I’ve got a life now, a very comfortable life at that. I don’t need this shit anymore. I’ve got to much else to worry about."

"Yeah, tell me what do you do? How do you make money? How big’s your apartment? Huh?" Angel asked, getting very annoyed at this speech.

"I happen to have three jobs. That may sound like hell, but believe, its not. I’m a singer in two bands, and a waitress at the same club I play at. Between those two jobs I make a hundred and twenty-five dollars a week. And they are fun jobs. Then we have a near-by gym where people box. If your good enough they let into their little betting operation they have and I make at least twenty dollars a day doing that five to six times a week. And as to where I live. I live in a HOUSE with five of my friends," she finished. "Not to mention, my roommates depend on me for different stuff, so it’s not like I could just get up and leave," she added more calmly.

"Sounds like you’ve established a nice. God knows you are in titled to one," Xander said after everyone had taken in what she said.

"Look, Buffy, you can stay until tomorrow afternoon, right?" Angel asked.

"Sure. I suppose I could stay until then, but I really shouldn’t stay here any longer than that," she answered.

"Great," he said. "Now where should we start?"

"Well, we need to do some research on this new vampire magician," Giles said.

"We can all stay and help," said Xander.

"That would be most helpful," Giles agreed and went to collect books for all of them to start with.

Around eleven o’clock they heard a knock at the door. A young black man came in, looked like he was in his early twenties. He was one of the ones from the group that had been at the Bronze.

"Hey. J.J. what are you doing here?" Buffy asked.

"Looking for you. I was just going to tell you that we could all go home, together, in the morning. Me and the guys were going to leave at ten. Ok?"

"Great. I’ll be there. Bye," she said in a very monotone voice.

"Later," he agreed, and then walked out the door.

"Who was that?" Giles inquired.

"Just one of my friends," Buffy answered casually.

"Oh," he seemed satisfied with that answered and continued with his work.

Then fifteen minutes a young man waltz through the door.

"Buffy?" he asked looking at her.

"Huh?" she asked looking at him, as she looked at him she didn’t recognize him.

"I was looking for you," he said.

"Why?" she asked, she was getting confused.

"Because I heard you’re the big cheese in these parts," he answered. She stood up. Buffy could tell this guy was definitely not playing for the home team.

"Really?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yep," he answered coyly. Then he put out his hand and Buffy could see something weird on it. Then she realized that it was coming toward her and she ducked just in time to be missed by a fireball, which slammed into the wall and went out.

"Everybody down!" Buffy shouted.

Then she ran and vaulted over the table. The guy kept shouting those fireballs. *If he keeps this up the building is either going to collapse or catch on fire* Buffy thought to herself. She darted every which way to dodge the fireballs. Then she went to roll over the table and she felt something grab her throat. The guy’s hand was stretched out and was gripped like it was squeezing her neck. It actually was, telepathically.

"Let her good!" Angel yelled charging him.

The guy used his free hand to mentally throw Angel into the wall. He walked towards Buffy, and she squirmed hard against his grip. She looked into his eyes and they glowed bright yellow. Then something swept over Buffy. She looked him dead in the eyes and her eyes glowed an unnatural bright blue. He released the grip and slowly backed his way to the door.

"Soon," he warned and disappeared out the door.

"Buffy are you okay?" Angel asked coming towards her. She nodded and he rapped his arms around her protectively. She returned the gesture.

"What the hell happened, and why did he just leave like that?" Xander asked almost hysterical.

"I’m not sure, but it would be my guess that, that was the creature Spike told us about earlier," Giles said.

"You think?" Buffy asked sarcastically. He glared at her.

"I think you all show go home for the night. It may not be good to stay here. Buffy, do you have a place to stay?" Giles asked.

"I’m covered," she answered.

"You’re staying with ‘Dead Boy’ aren’t you?" Xander asked accusingly. She just smiled at him. Then they parted and went home.

The next morning Buffy was getting ready to leave. "So will this be last time you’re in Sunnydale?" Angel asked.

"No. I’ll probably be back, soon if I can help it," she said, very confident.

"What about this new guy? How are we going to handle him without you?" Angel asked.

"God you know how to run a guilt trip. I’ll be around, I promise. Here," she handed him a slip of paper. "This is my phone number and address. I you really need me, then you know where to find me."

He smiled. "Can I call you just to talk to you?" he asked, acting very innocent.

"Sure. Just not more than once a week ‘cause then Charlie and Sean would bug me about it," she said. Then both smile, and she kissed him.

"Later," she said heading towards the door.

"Bye."

"Hey Joey!" Buffy called. The guys were packing their car as she pulled up in her truck.

"Hey Anne! That’s all the stuff. Are you ready to go?" Joey asked.

"Yep. Let’s hit it," she answered, and they took off.

That’s it! What do you think?