Chapter 3

Buffy and Xander exit the Bronze both feeling reinvigorated.

"So what's the plan?" Xander asks.

"We're gonna need to do some reconnaissance, figure out where their lair is, the usual." Buffy said.

"And are we doing this ourselves or are we rallying the team like I talked about earlier. You know, avengers assemble and all that—Who the hell is that guy?!" Xander says perplexed.

Xander points up to the mysterious figure draped in black. He stands perched on the edge of a building, with a hauntingly long cape that envelopes the ground around him. The figure says nothing.

"Hello? Do you happen to be a creature of the night or just a really weird dude?" Buffy asks.

The figure says nothing.

"Good talk." She replies.

Suddenly the Fatvamp and a few of his friends come out of nowhere and surround Buffy and Xander.

"Look who it is. The slayer with the bad outfits."

"Hey!" Buffy retorts.

"These guys part of the gang?" Xander asks.

"Yes." Buffy says.

"Are you feeling better?" Xander says.

"For one fat vampire and a few of his friends? Yeah I think I can handle it." Buffy says with some venom behind it.

"Hey! I'm not fat." FatVamp says.

Xander and Buffy both look at his stomach.

"It's a dad bod." FatVamp says.

They continue looking.

"Father figure?" FatVamp says running out of options.

Buffy scoffs. "Let's get this over with."

The figure remains, watching from above, the vampires haven't spotted him yet.

"I told Octavia we'd only beat on you a little but after that I'm thinking we end this here."

"Octavia? That would be the-" Buffy starts asking.

"The one that kicked your ass the other night." FatVamp says.

"We'll see who wins round two. Only you won't be able to watch after tonight." Buffy says.

The fatvamp grunts angrily and signals for more vampires. About eight more vampires come out and encircle them.

"Buffy?" Xander says.

"Yeah."

"How much better are you feeling?" Xander asks.

"Uh-"

The vampires start to circle.

Buffy snatches the fat vamp, taking him hostage. She holds a stake to his heart.

"Stay back, I'll do it." Buffy yells.

The vampires are unfazed and continue to get closer. Suddenly a thundering voice speaks from above.

"They know. They just don't care!" The mysterious figure shouts.

The mysterious figure leaps down onto one of the vampires. His cloak like a pair of black Angel wings. The cloak envelops the vampire dragging him into the darkness. For once the vampires feel fear.

Buffy and Xander take the opportunity to kick into high gear and she throws the fat vamp at two vampires. She turns and spin kicks another.

The mysterious figure goes about taking down vamps with a fury and a quickness that impresses even Buffy. The figure wields a hidden blade attached to his forearm.

Buffy and the figure fight side by side, almost in sync.

Xander stakes one vamp while most start to flee.

The figure slash's the fat vamp across the face causing him to flee with the rest.

"We'll be back!" Fatvamp says while retreating.

"Yeah, yeah." Buffy says rolling her eyes.

She's recovered well. That slayer healing ability finally kicking in and she feels confident again.

"Nice job Buff and-"

Buffy and Xander turn, the figure is gone, disappeared into the night.

"Huh." Buffy says.

"So who was that-" Xander asks.

"Buffy! Buffy! Buffy!"

Suddenly Giles and Willow come running towards them trying to juggle all manner of weaponry.

"Buffy." Giles pants.

"That's me." Buffy says.

Xander and Buffy watch them catch their breath.

"I'm here to help. I don't want you to feel alone. I'm ready to fight whatever you need me to—-Xander?" Giles says panting.

"Hello there." Xander says.

"Yeah and I don't need to conjure tonight, not if you need help—hi Xander."

"Hello."

Willow hugs him tight.

"So happy you guys could make it but we took care of all the vampires in this generally vicinity. Thanks." Buffy says.

"But we had help." Xander says.

"H-help? From whom?" Giles asks.

"Batman." Xander says smiling widely.

Willow and Giles stare at Xander not knowing what to make of that Statement. Buffy hits him.

"Ouch."

"It was some guy in all black, with a long cape. Deep voice." Buffy says nonchalantly.

"Sounds like batman." Willow says.

"thanks Will." Xander says.

Buffy gives Willow a sharp look.

'What? Is it really out of the realm of possibilities?" She responds.

"Hm." Giles says as he begins to ponder.

"Look, we can talk about all this tomorrow when we have our first official scooby session. Deal?" Buffy says.

Giles and Willow smile.

"Deal."

"Oh yeah! The avengers have assembled! Or Justice league now? Or bat family?" Xander cheers.

He receives another love tap.

"Ouch."

—-

Back at the abandoned sorority house, the fat-vamp, (lets give him a name this is annoying, Evan, I like Evan, Evan is the fat vampire got it? Good.)Evan comes back with his depleted fleet of vampires. Octavia mounts her thrown.

"So the scary intimidating vampire gang thing doesn't work if you get your asses kicked." She says fiercely.

The other vampires laugh.

"Looks like our girl got her strength back." Octavia says.

"It wasn't just her." Evan says as he feels his fresh wound on his face. Octavia gets up from her thrown and stands over Evan.

"So, who else was it?" Octavia says.

"He was dressed in black, hooded, he had a blade attached to his arm-"

Octavia sticks her fingers in Evans wound, feeling around, as if she's seen this type of cut before. Evan squints in pain.

"Hmm." She says.

A hippie looking vampire named Henri asks "What is it? What does it mean?"

"It means you guys are gonna have to step it up because this whole thing just got a lot more interesting." Octavia says as she tastes the blood on her fingers and smiles maniacally.

—-

At the university dining hall called the Rocket Cafe, Buffy gets a tray and ducks into the line in front of a male student. Buffy realizes she just cut the line.

Buffy: "I'm sorry, I just cut you..."

Parker: "No, stay... stay. Freshman, huh?"

Buffy: "Is it that obvious?"

Parker: "There are signs."

He gets a single-serving box of cereal and stuffs it into the breast pocket of his shirt.

Parker: "For instance, people who've been around for awhile know how to use their dining hall card."

Buffy: "It's not for food?"

Parker: "Work it right and you can get three meals worth, which equals fewer punch cards used annually."

Buffy: "And more cash from dad which you get to keep for yourself."

Parker: "Right!"

Buffy: "Ahh, got it."

Parker: "Excess dry goods fit nicely in a backpack or your pocket. The wetter items--macaronies, your turkey loaf--then you're into ziplocks. It's not for beginners."

Buffy: "I'll just take it slow."

They reach the cashier and hand over their cards for punching. Buffy looks over and sees Willow and Xander seated at a table, Willow sees her and waves for her to come over.

Parker: "So."

Buffy: "So, those are my... are you..."

Parker: "Oh, no, I have someone waiting. Otherwise I'd... heh, uh, Parker Abrams."

He offers his hand which Buffy shakes.

Parker: "I'm at Kresge hall."

Buffy: "Buffy Summers, Stevenson."

Parker: "Ok, well, I'll see you around Buffy Summers of Stevenson."

Buffy: "See ya, Parker Abrams."

Buffy goes over to the gang's table and sits.

Xander: "Hey, say hi to non-college guy."

Buffy: "Not that I mind, but don't non-college guys usually populate the non-campus?"

Xander: "Usually. I just thought I'd come around and check on my girls. Well, that and the Scooby meeting later."

Willow: "And eat off my plate."

Buffy: "What's the deal Xand, parents not feeding you?"

Xander: "Sure they do, for a price."

Willow: "So, spill! (She indicates Parker, seated across the room.) What was that all about, with the cutie patootie?"

Buffy: "I don't know... nothing big, I think. Just random adorableness."

Xander: "Oh, a technique I know well. Hit the girl with your best shot, then hasta."

Willow: "It looked like more than that to me. He got all googly-eyed."

Xander: "That's because he got hit by the Buffinator. Now he's powerless."

Buffy: "You think?"

Willow: "Definitely."

Buffy smiles to herself.

Xander: "So, what else is up with the Buff, any vamp action?"

Buffy: "Since last night when you left me, uh no, Xand."

Xander: "Did she fill you in on the gory details about last night, before you got there, Willow?"

Willow shakes her head no.

Buffy: "All will be filled in when Giles gets here."

—

Giles, Willow, Buffy and Xander lounge in the lobby of the main university building. The hustle and bustle of the students surrounding them.

"So a man dressed in black saved you both?" Giles asks.

"I had it handled, he just added some help." Buffy says.

"Oh you call taking a vampire hostage handling it?" Xander asks.

"And what were you doing?" Buffy asks.

"Standing behind you." Xander says.

"Exactly." Buffy says.

"Well, I'm happy we have a potential ally." Giles adds.

"Some ally, he left without saying goodbye." Buffy points out.

"Hi Buffy." Riley says walking by. His eyes linger on her for a good amount of time.

Buffy waves.

"And you said he had a blade on his wrist?" Giles asks.

"Yeah it sprang out like this...Pringg pringg." Xander says as he makes believe.

Giles stands up and paces a few moments.

"So what did-"

"Hi Buffy." Parker says, walking by.

"Hi Kresge hall."

Parker smiles as he walks by with his friends.

"You seem to be making a lot of friends." Giles

"You know me." Buffy says.

"Let's focus here-" Giles tries to pull everyone back.

"Rupert Giles? Is that you?"

To everyone's surprise professor Rhys was the one talking to Giles. Rhys saunters up in a relaxed fit suit and extends a hand to Giles.

"I'm sorry, do I know you-" Giles starts.

"Hi professor." Buffy says.

"Hello Buffy." Rhys smiles.

"Professor?" Giles asks. His question goes unanswered.

"Are we all behaving ourselves?" Rhys asks looking at Buffy and Willow.

"Xander Harris non-student. I saw you at the Bronze last night." Xander extends a hand.

Willow gives a look to Buff realizing she must've went to the Bronze with Rhys before she met with Xander.

"You don't go here?" Rhys inquires.

"Never mind, I don't know what I was thinking." Xander says slumping down in his chair.

"You seem to be everywhere I look." Buffy says.

"Didn't anyone tell you to keep your eyes to yourself?" Rhys asks.

Buffy blushes. Rhys smirks and turns back to Giles.

"I read your paper on metaphysics. 'The world between persons' I believe it was called."

"You read my position paper?" Giles asks somewhat astonished.

"I loved it. Your argument about science just catching up to the metaphysical world was great." Rhys asks.

"You teach..."

"English. So I read a lot." Rhys says.

"Oh, very nice."

Giles smiles, his cheeks bubbling, face blushing.

"Now who's making friends?" Buffy asks.

"Look, if you're going to be a regular on campus I'd love to sit and talk. Pick your brain." Rhys says.

Giles smiles wide. "That would be splendid."

"I must get going, we'll talk." Rhys says. "Girls, non-student." Rhys waves and leaves.

Giles looks flustered. "He's, He's very-"

"I think Giles has a crush." Willow says.

"I can't believe Giles scored a date with teach before me." Buffy says.

"I can't believe he read my position paper." Giles says still giddy.

"Alrighty, so what should we do about vampires and strange guy in cape?" Buffy brings everyone back.

"You think he'll show himself again when you patrol tonight?" Giles asks.

"Him or the vampires." Buffy says.

"Either or." Giles says.

"Do you want help?" Willow asks.

"Sure, it'll give Xander a chance to leave his basement." Buffy retorts.

"Hey! But...yeah." Xander admits.

"And I'm ready if Octavia wants round two."Buffy says.

"A little caution with this masked supernatural vigilante we still don't know anything about him. There may be more players in this game." Giles says.

"Why does it seem like you have a hunch, Giles?" Willow inquirers.

"I have a small one. Just everyone be cautious. No use hypothesizing just yet." Giles says.

The Scooby gang nods in agreement. Their first official meeting went by relatively smoothly. They all mentally prepare for tonight's patrol.

—-

Buffy and the gang patrol the campus grounds at night. They weaves in and out of the pathways, stakes at the ready.

Evan and a couple of vampires do their own little patrol in the same campus ground.

A squad of highly trained military personnel move through the forests between campus buildings. Night vision on, guns loaded. They sweep through the grounds as well.

The vampires, scoobies and the commandos all in the same vicinity.

The commandos stop and see something.

"Sub terrestrials in sight."

They've spotted Evan and his vampires.

"Copy."

The soldiers ambush the vampires with a flurry of electric shots from their rifles. The shots are silenced, barely any noise. The vampires had no chance they all get stung, freeze and fall to the ground unconscious. The Commandos detain them and take him prisoner.

"Check out this one's face." One says noticing the slash on Evan.

They continue restraining them and get ready to carry them away.

—

Elsewhere Buffy and the scoobies continue to patrol. They've seen absolutely nothing.

"Deader than dead." She says.

"Not that dead."

Buffy turns into a round kick from Octavia. Octavia snatches Buffy and tosses her. Buffy flies through the air and hits the cement walkway hard.

Octavia circles around.

"Buffy!" Giles says as he, Willow and Xander follow after her.

"Heard you wanted round two." Octavia says then she looks up and sees the other scoobies. She starts laughing. "What is this?" She motions to Giles. "They don't have parent-teacher conference in college. Or should I say grandpa- teacher conference."

"I'm her watcher. If you must know." Giles says firmly.

"Hm a watcher, did you tell her the median age slayers live to?" Octavia smiles.

Buffy gets to her feet and looks at Giles. Octavia's stare and question affecting him.

"Your slayer's right here." Buffy says catching Octavia's attention. "And this time I'll have my friends watch." Buffy says.

"Nuh uh, I want you all to myself." Octavia says motioning her hand.

A few vampires come out of nowhere. Octavia turns full vampire mode and leaps at Buffy.

Buffy and Octavia go head to head while Giles, Xander and Willow deal with the other vampires.

Octavia and Buffy have a fierce battle neither winning definitively. Their fight is acrobatic and anger fueled. More and more vampires come out of the woodwork to deal with Buffy's friends. Their numbers overwhelming.

Buffy and Octavia become interlocked with each other.

"Have you felt it yet?" Octavia asks before head butting Buffy sending her to the ground.

Octavia steps forward and grabs Buffy by the hair. Buffy groans in pain.

"Have you?" Octavia puts her in a headlock and forces her to watch her friends fight. Their fight is hopeless.

Octavia digs the knife deeper with her words. "Have you felt the desire for death? The desire to just give up and let it all end? Kill one vamp two others spring out of the ground. Or a vengeance demon, or a bad hair day. The pain of life never ends and the pain of being the slayer... I can imagine."

Buffy fights to free herself. He friends in desperate need of assistance.

"I don't want to kill you just yet. I've got big plans for you, Slayer." Octavia whispers.

ZZZP! ZZZP! ZZZP! A flurry of electric rounds zoom in and begin tagging the vampires. Buffy uses this distraction to free herself from Octavia. More rounds fire in their direction, nearly hitting Octavia.

Octavia and the other vampires begin to retreat. The electric rounds keep firing. Some of the vampires fall prey to the commandos.

"C'mon! Run!" Giles urges the group.

Buffy, Giles, Xander and Willow take off into an alleyway as the commandos move in and secure the area.

The scoobies dash through a few alleys before slowing to a stop.

"You think we lost them?" Willow asks.

"Ok now who the hell were those guys seal team 6?" Xander asks.

"I don't know but they seemed pretty interested in the vampires." Giles says.

"Whoever they were they just-Woah AH!" Buffy says.

The mysterious figure from the other night drops downs and grabs Buffy, the black cape swallowing her.

"Buffy!" Willow screams.

The figure uses a rope launcher attached to his gauntlet to lift himself and Buffy up into the air.

"Buffy!"

"Buffy!"

Willow, Giles and Xander try to run for her but before they know it she's gone. They stare up into the night sky, wondering where Buffy had been taken. Wondering where the night will take them next.

- Cut to black -

End of Part III

Author's Note - Hope you're enjoying the read so far! I'm trying to get better at writing more details of the characters thoughts and feeling. I think I'm envisioning it too much like a TV show so I'm writing in a sparse style but I'll definitely make an effort to write more detail. Please let me know your thoughts!