Vindicated

A/N: I didn't have a chance to revise this because I wanted to get it up before I left. So if there are a lot of mistakes or it just doesn't go together well then let me know and i'll fix it. Enjoy.


“I heard that you were home again, but you don't look like your back to me
With your focuses changing your gaze is transfixed on a point that I can't often see
You've got your new ties, I've got my old knots, you've got your inside lines
But your never happy with what you've got”

-Dashboard Confessional, “So Beautiful”


Sunnydale, Three Days Later…

Buffy sat smoking a cigarette on the steps outside Angel’s mansion, her new home indefinitely. Spike and Drusilla where still inside looking around. Buffy had given herself the five minute tour and decided that that was all she needed. The place hadn’t changed any. Other than the dust that had accumulated over the past three months it looked exactly the same.

“Hey.” Spike came up from behind and sat down next to her. “You ready to go?”

Buffy took a drag and then offered Spike her cigarette. “Isn’t mum coming?”

Spike smiled and took the half smoked cigarette. “Nah, she said something about mischievous pixies in the garden or some such thing, I don’t really know. Point is she’s all wrapped up in a one sided hide and seek game with them that doesn’t look to end any soo soon. So I told her we’d bring her something back, a few little ones maybe.”

Buffy pushed herself onto her feet and stretched her limbs. “Alright, so where do you wanna go?”

Spike flicked the dead cigarette to the ground and stood. “I dunno. This is your homecoming, you decide.”

Buffy thought for a second and then grinned. “I know just the place.”

*****

Neither one of them had realized how far a walk it was from the mansion to the Bronze until twenty minutes had passed and they still weren’t there. Luckily though Buffy knew a few short cuts. All of them involved walking down dark demon infested alleys, but they were vampires so no worries there.

“Ok, here’s one. If you could turn anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?” Buffy asked as she jumped up onto a dumpster.

Spike thought a moment. “Lincoln. You?”

“Shatner. I’d turn William Shatner.” She jumped off the trash container and landed on the one across from it.

Spike laughed. “The Star Trek guy?”

Buffy frowned. “Oh like your choice was so much better Mr. Emancipation Proclamation.”
“Well at least my guy doesn’t dress like a nancy boy.”

“No yours dresses like a funeral salesman.”

Spike spotted an empty pop can on the ground and kicked it at Buffy. She dodged the piece of aluminum and hopped off the dumpster. “You wanna play kick the can is that it Spike?”

“Only if you get to be the can.” He playfully answered.

Buffy laughs and throws a fake punch at him. Spike smiles and jumps back. He makes a kick for her head which she easily ducks and then hops onto the dumpster behind her. “Come on lil sis, I know you got better moves than that.”

“Then you’d better save them for us.” A voice interrupted.

The two vampires turned their heads and face their intruders. Buffy rolled her eyes when she saw the rejects that were attempting to start something with her and Spike. The two demons were vampires, minions at that, and they looked like they were having some serious issues letting go of past fashions, both were wearing polyester shirts and tight bellbottoms.

Buffy gave Spike a ‘what the fuck’ look, but her brother only shrugged. “Look Disco Dave and the amazing sidekick, you might wanna run along before you lose those not so attractive heads of yours.”

The minions furrowed their brows, not understanding why she wasn’t scared of them. “We’re going to kill you little girl.” One of them said. “We’re going to suck you dry and then we’re going to kill him.” He pointed at Spike who was still standing casually on the trash container.

“Really?” Spike sat down on the lid of the dumpster. “You’re going to kill her?” He pointed at Buffy.

The minions nodded.

Spike started laughing. He pulled a cigarette out of his coat and lit it. “This I’ve got to see.”

Both minions ran at Buffy. She gave Spike a quick glare before jumping over both of her attackers. She landed on the ground and kicked one of them in the back. He flew through the air and hit the alley wall. The other looked at his groaning friend and didn’t move. “Who are you?”

Buffy took a menacing step towards the shaking minion. “The names Buffy.”

Recognition flashed across the minions face at the mention of her name.

“Up until three months ago I was the local--”

“Slayer.” Disco Dave fearfully breathed out.

“Around these parts.” Buffy finished. “Now what was that you were saying about killing me and my brother?”

“Na-Na-Nothing. I didn’t mean it. I was just joking around. You know uh, yanking your chain.”

Buffy turned and looked at Spike. He raised his eyebrows but said nothing. “Alright disco Dave, I’m feeling generous tonight so I’m gonna let you and your sidekick go.”

The minion let out a breath of relief. “Thank you. This was really all just a big misunderstanding. I didn’t mean you and your brother any disre--”

Buffy put her hand up telling him to stop. “I already said you could go. There’s no need to suck up to me.”

“Oh, right, I’ll just being going then… like you said.” He started to leave but Buffy’s voice stopped him.

“Take him with you.” She pointed at his friend who was still on the ground groaning in pain. “And if I see either of you again I promise I won’t be so merciful. Understand?”

The minion nodded and ran over to the other vampire. He helped him to his feet and the two quickly left.

Spike hopped off the dumpster and started laughing again.

Buffy smirked. “I’m glad I could amuse you Spike.”

“Oh come on it was fun.”

Buffy rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. “Sorry as a non-spectator I don’t see the humor.”

“I understand. You’re right, it wasn’t funny.” Spike gave her a small push which she returned and they were soon playing like a pair of kids again as they walked down the alley.

*****

When they finally reached the Bronze they slipped in through the back door. Buffy went upstairs and Spike went to get them drinks. The upper level was fairly empty but she still chose to stand in a shadowed area where she could remain unseen.

Spike walked upstairs and followed her vibe until he found her. “You worried about someone seeing you?”

“Should I be?”

Spike handed her a drink, spiced rum, and lit a cigarette. “I dunno. You’re back home now and your friends and family don’t exactly know that you’re no longer of the living, so…”

Buffy swallowed the entirety of her drink and set it down on the floor. “This isn’t my home Spike. Nowhere we go is my home, cause nowhere we go is permanent, they’re just places…You and mum, you’re my home.”

Spike cocked his head and smiled endearingly at her.

“Don’t say anything Spike, you’ll only make me blush.”

Spike let out a small laugh. “Vampires don’t blush.”

Buffy frowned. “Alright, well… just don’t say anything.”

Still smiling Spike nodded and looked down at the dance floor. There were a lot of people there despite the fact that it was a Monday night and the first day of school.

Buffy looked over all of the dancing couples, but didn’t see any that she wanted to sink her teeth into. She was about to go downstairs to get a better look when she felt a strange sensation flow through her un-dead body. She gripped the banister and searched the crowd again. There was something out there and it was no vampire.

“What is it?”

Buffy frowned. “I’m not sure.”

“Check out Slut-O-Rama and her disco dancing lap dog.” A familiar voice said.

Buffy turned. Cordelia and Xander were standing by the stairs about thirty feet away. They must have just come up. “What was the last thing that guy danced to, K.C. and the Sunshine Band?”

Buffy momentarily ignored the sudden apprehension that she felt having her former friends so close and looked at the couple on the dance floor that Cordelia was pointing out to Xander.

“You gotta be kidding me.”

Spike furrowed his brow. “What?”

Buffy pointed out the guy.

Spike shook his head. “Looks like this just isn’t Disco Dave’s night.”

Buffy watched as the dark haired girl that he was dancing with pointed at the door hinting that she wanted to go. The minion waved at his friend and headed out the side door with the girl.

“I’m not one to break my promises, but I can’t be two places at once.”

Spike grinned. “I’ll take care of the amazing sidekick, you go get disco Dave.”

Buffy smiled wickedly and jumped over the banister to the main level of the Bronze. Being the sly vampire that she was no one even noticed. She slipped out the back door and followed the sound of the girl’s voice towards a temporary chain link fence that was leaning against the building.

She saw a piece of wood on the ground and kicked it up into her hands as she went. Not being an active slayer anymore she didn’t exactly carry stakes around.

Every forward step that she took caused the strange feeling that she noticed be to to grow stronger.

She stopped when she finally reached them. She was going to just let Disco Dave kill the girl, let him have one last meal before she dusted him, but her curiosity wouldn’t let her, there was something about her, Buffy just wasn’t sure what.

“Stop struggling. This won’t hurt.” Disco Dave told his potential victim.

Buffy casually started to approach them when the unknown girl suddenly attacked the minion. She jabbed him in the face with her elbow and then did a roundhouse kick to his face knocking him to the pavement.

Buffy took a few steps closer. She was confused to say the least. The girl noticed her and smiled. “It’s ok, I got it. You’re, uh, Buffy, right?”

Before she could answer Disco Dave got off the ground and grabbed the girl from behind. “I’m Faith.” She said before snapping her head back head butting him in the face. She kicked him in the groin while he was down and then walked over to Buffy. “Can I borrow that?” She asked as she jerked the stake out of Buffy’s hand.

Buffy cocked her head and watched as the vamp got off the ground and ran at Faith again. She pushed him into the fence and then thrust the stake into his back and through his heart making him instantly crumble into dust.

Faith dusted off her hands and then tossed the stake back to Buffy. “Thanks B. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

Buffy just stared at her, unsure of what to do or say. ‘She’s a slayer… I’m a vampire… Why hasn’t she tried to stake me? She thinks that I’m a slayer too… She’s gotta be able to feel it though… But then I didn’t know Angel was a vampire the first time I met him… Or maybe I’m sending off both vibes so she doesn’t know that I’m a vampire… I mean she’s never met another slayer before so it’s not like she knows what it’s supposed to feel like… Plus I just ran out here like I was about to save her life, that’s pretty slayer like.’

Buffy grinned suddenly feeling much better about the situation at hand. She was about to open her mouth and say something when Spike came running down the alley.

“Buffy, we have to go.”

“But what about--” She started to say thinking about the dinner they were supposed to get Dru.

“We’ll get her something on the way back.”

Buffy turned back to Faith who looked like she was trying to figure out what was going on. She smiled at her. “Umm… I’ll be seein you. Count on it.” With that said she turned and ran down the alley after Spike.

“What was that all about.” She asked when they were a good distance away from the Bronze.

Spike looked at her seriously. “You ever heard of a demon named Kakistos?”

Buffy furrowed her brow. “No, why should I have?”

“His name means the worst of the worst. Those minions back there.” Spike pointed down the alley in the direction of the Bronze. “They belonged to him.”

Buffy shrugged. “Ok, and now they’re dead. So master gets some new minions. Not my problem.”

“From what I could gather out of the sidekick’s mess of sobs and pleas, it seems master doesn’t want new minions. He came to town for one reason only and it wasn’t to take in the bloody sights. He wants a slayer. A dead slayer.”


TBC…