When night came Buffy felt like she was more in her element. She had spent a lot of time in the dark before, but now more than ever she felt comfortable there. She knew all its secrets; she thrived on it and relished it. Nightfall was her time. Time to slay.

She dressed much as she always did these days when going out. Jeans, sneakers, long sleeved shirt and jacket, buttoned up. It was too humid outside for the outfit but it didn’t matter to her. She grabbed up a couple of stakes and slid them in her jacket pocket. Then she picked up her crossbow. Trusty old thing. Buffy liked using it. Felt confident when it was in her hands.

The Slayer marched down the stairs. The house was empty. Her mother was working overnight at the gallery having to make up her hours that she missed by taking Buffy to the hospital. Buffy welcomed the respite from having to act like she was okay. Not that she made a great effort to even do that these days.

She walked out of the door and down the pathway to the street. The moon was full. Chances were she could find a werewolf. Shame. She was in the mood for killing something and it was against the rules to kill a werewolf. Still, a good grapple would have to sate her if nothing slayable came along. Slinging the crossbow up against her shoulder like a soldier with a rifle Buffy Summers started down the street.

She did a patrol of the town, slowing down as she reached the alleyway behind the Bronze. Music still pumped out of the club, typical sounds of partygoers and retching could be heard. A young couple stumbled out and Buffy melted into the shadows so as not to scare them. She was, after all, packing a medieval crossbow. From what she could see of the back of them the girl had long blonde hair, a slight frame and a very attentive boyfriend. He had his arm around her waist, his dark-haired head bent to kiss her bare shoulder.

Buffy leaned against the wall and watched, transfixed. Once upon a time this could have been her. Just a normal girl, dating, having fun. She couldn’t ever have that again. Part of this was because she was the Slayer but another, bigger, part was that she couldn’t bear the thought of anyone ever seeing her without clothes on. To be intimate with someone was something she couldn’t imagine. To see the look of revulsion on their face when they saw the scars. She shuddered just thinking about it.

When the couple were gone Buffy emerged again and decided to try one of the cemeteries that were renowned for being demon hotspots. She really needed a good slay now. She strolled down the dark streets, senses fully heightened, as she scanned every shadow and crevice for signs of trouble. It all seemed quiet. Buffy sighed. Quiet was not what she needed right now. She needed loud and obnoxious. She needed...

A scream cut through the silence.

She needed that.

The Slayer ran in the direction of the scream. She made it to the mouth of the alleyway it had come from. She looked but couldn’t see anything but shadows. Taking a breath and hefting the crossbow in front of her Buffy started carefully down the dark alley.

She was about halfway down the path when she heard a small noise behind her. Spinning around, Buffy was greeted with the sight of two vampires following her into the alley. She levelled her crossbow and was about to shoot when a growl came from behind her. Swinging the crossbow round as she spun Buffy managed to strike another vampire who had been attempting to sneak up behind her. He fell to the ground on his ass. He had a friend with him.

Four vampires. One Slayer. One narrow alleyway. The odds did not look good.

Buffy smiled. It was a different smile to one she may have had before. It was broken, a fractured smile. One that had seen pain and lived through it. It was a hollow grin.

The vampires all rushed her at once – it wasn’t like the movies when the bad guys waiting their turn to get smacked down.

She shot the crossbow bolt into the nearest one as it ran at her. The bolt hit home and moments later he was dust. She didn’t have enough time to reload the crossbow so instead she just used it as a club, hitting out at the vampire in front as she simultaneously kicked her leg backwards at one behind. She spun around and threw the crossbow at the last standing vampire. He went down. Buffy pulled a stake out of her pocket.

A vampire grabbed her around the waist and threw her against the wall. She recovered quickly and kicked him in the head then the gut and finished with a stake to the heart. Two down, two left.

They both approached her, faces feral and full of...distaste for her. Not hate. Distaste. She wasn’t even worthy of their hate anymore.

"Looking hot, Slayer," One hissed.

His companion nodded "Burning hot"

Of course, it was a well-known fact in the vampire and demonic community. After all, they all liked a good laugh.

She felt her eyes narrow. Lighting fast she shot both her hands up and hit each of the vampires in the nose with the heels of her hands. The bones in their noses shattered and splintered up into their brains. Whilst they were understandable distracted with that, Buffy staked them each in turn.

She stood in the newly dusty alley and pushed strands of her hair back behind her ears. Her forehead was glistening with sweat but not so much from the fight. It was hot out and she was over-dressed, but, again, that wasn’t the only factor.

It was the taunts.

After all this time they still got to her and the vampires knew it. Each time she met with one of their kind she was sure to get some kind of snipe directed at her. If they thought it would weaken her then they were wrong. It only made her stronger. The iron walls around her became reinforced with each barb. She stooped down and picked up the crossbow, sighed.

Making her way back out of the alley and onto the street Buffy looked around. The street was empty again. It had been a long while since anything apocalyptic had happened in Sunnydale and Buffy half wished some big brewing evil would hurry up and get into gear. It was foolish to wish that sort of thing upon herself but she still did.

It would be better than the constant numbing feeling of being useless. In the grand scale of things she hardly helped at all. One Slayer in all the world and it had to be her. Buffy believed that she was not the best person for the job. Surely, some girl, somewhere, could do this job a hundred times better than Buffy Summers of Sunnydale, California? She made her way back to the main streets intending to do another sweep of the town even though she knew she would find nothing. She never found what she was looking for.

---

Spike hated the Slayer. She was always bollocksing up his plans. She’d dispatched nearly half of his group already and all without ever even bothering to find out that her old pal Spike was back in town. That was rude and arrogant. Reminded him too much of himself. He’d sent four of his best fighters out that night to kill her. It was now almost time for the sun to rise and they weren’t back. Spike had to assume that they’d not make it back at all. So much dust blowing in the wind.

Well, it was to be expected. Buffy Summers was no ordinary Slayer. It wasn’t likely a bunch of half-assed attempts on her life would be successful. No, it was time to make it personal.

If the Slayer really did have no idea Spike was back then she was about to get a bit of a shock.

Spike grinned, taking a hit from his cigarette as he stood outside her house. She was walking up the path and made it up on the porch before she turned around, suspicious. Her eyes scanned the semi-darkness.

For a moment it seemed like she saw him but that moment passed and she trudged inside, shoulders weary from a hard night’s work he wagered.

"See you soon, baby," Spike whispered, turning on his heel to find shelter.

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