The next morning the Summers house was buzzing with activity. The potentials were already awake and preparing breakfast. Raleigh bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen.
“Morning” she said to the girls.
The girls greeted her back in an uncoordinated way all except for Kennedy who was smiling at her mischiefs. As Raleigh poured herself some cereal she noticed the Kennedy was leaning in expectantly.
“What?” Mumbled Raleigh with a mouth full of cereal
“So . . . what happened last night?” Kennedy asked expectantly
“What do you mean?”
“Come on Ral we all heard the yelling match in the back yard. What’s the deal?”
“Nothing. I just got into a fight with someone.”
“Would that someone be a certain boy sitting on the back step with the big gun?”
Raleigh looked up with a surprised expression. They hadn’t intended to tell the group about Daniel until everybody was present. She couldn’t help notice Kennedy’s expression.
“So who is he? I mean I know he’s they guy who saved Dawn but what’s is deal?”
Raleigh smiled to herself and looked down into her cereal.
“That is a really long story.” she replied
Kennedy shrugged.
“I ain’t going anywhere.”
From the lounge room Buffy and Principal Wood wandered in. He and The Scooby’s had been discussing all things first evil and were trying to use as many heads as they could to help think of a way of fighting.
“Good morning.” Buffy said.
She was met with a similar uncoordinated greeting that Raleigh got. She walked up to Raleigh and put a caring hand on her shoulder.
“How you doing this morning?”
“I’m okay I guess,” Raleigh replied, “still a little shell shocked though.”
Raleigh looked up to Buffy with sadness in her eyes.
“Part of me still wishes that I found him earlier.”
“Ah don’t sweat it. Be happy that out of all the bad that’s happening something good came out of it.”
Raleigh smiled and went back to her Cereal. Principal Wood looked around at all the potential slayers. Someone was missing
“Speaking of Daniel where is the hero of the hour?” he asked
Raleigh gestured to the direction of the back door.
Daniel sat quietly fixing his spear gun. It didn’t really need fixing he just did this every time he felt bad. He liked the relationship he had with his devices, it was simple, the devices never judge him, never yell at him, never fight with him, and most important never left him. He turned as he heard the back door open. Buffy and Principal Wood walked out. He turned back and continued fixing. Although he remembered that Buffy was the slayer he still hadn’t made up his mind whether or not she is trust worthy yet.
“Hey you,” Buffy said playfully, “you’re supposed to be sleeping.”
Daniel looked up at the both of them.
“Call me crazy. But after being nearly killed, having a grenade go off near my leg, thrown against a wall, and being punched in the head my sis makes for much trouble getting some rest. Besides I have class for that.”
Principal Wood walked up next to Daniel. He knelt down so that his eye line matched Daniels.
“It’s okay if you don’t want to go in. I think we all know that you had a rough night.” He said.
“It’s okay. I’m going to have to anyway. I think Candy is going to need someone to talk to.”
“I could do it,” replied Buffy, “it in my job description.”
“No offence Buffy. But I think she is gonna have more questions then answers if you talk to her.”
“Even so. I think you need time for everything to sink in. just give it one day.” Buffy said in a caring tone, “you can stay here and fix your . . . what is half this stuff anyway?”
Daniel looked up and smiled. This is the question he had been waiting for. From the quiver lying on the ground next to him he pulled out one of the thin stakes and loaded the gun. In one swift move he stood up, aimed at the archery target used in the potential training and fired. The stake flew swiftly and embedded its self three quarters of the way into the target. Buffy was stunned. She knew that Daniel hunted vampires but she never thought that he would be that proficient. At the back door Raleigh leaned in the doorway. She wasn’t that surprised at the display she had seen a lot of Daniels stuff back before the bringers came. As she joined the group Daniel turned and handed Buffy the weapon.
“Gas propelled spear gun. Three times more efficient then a crossbow.” He said proudly
Buffy handled the weapon. Turning it over in her hand. She was impressed.
“It’s lighter then it looks.” She replied
“Yeah it had to be. I don’t exactly have slayer strength I made it from light aluminum.”
“What happened if it runs out of gas?”
He took the weapon off her and turned a knob on the side.
“Then we switch to manual. The loading time isn’t as fast but it’s still handy in a tight spot.”
Principal wood. Wandered down to the archery target. He examined the stake closely. It was in most of the way. He tried to pull it out and found that he couldn’t. It was embedded to far. Daniel looked over to him.
“I’ve got the gun up to about thirty P.S.I. been trying for forty but the chamber cant handle the pressure.”
Principal Wood turned to Daniel with a look of surprise. Daniel didn’t notice since he was rummaging around in his bag to find more stuff to show. He handed Buffy one of the steam bombs he didn’t use last night.
“Oh . . . Kay some one has too much of a coffee habit.” Said as she examined the device closely.
“No it’s not for that,” Daniel replied, ”It’s a holy water steam bomb. When this baby goes off it fills an average size room with steam for at least two minutes. The hardest part was to get the coffee urn heating elements running of a battery.”
Buffy handed the bomb back to Daniel. She noticed a spark in his eyes when he talked about his stuff.
“You’re loving this aren’t you?” She said to him
“You don’t know the half of it,” Raleigh replied, “Back home I used to call him my toy maker. He always gave me long hard things to play with at night.”
Both Buffy and Daniel looked at Raleigh with an unsettled expression. Raleigh glared back at them.
“You know, Weapons.” She continued.
Daniel though about what else he could show them. He thought of the perfect thing. Smiling evilly he rummaged through his bag until he pulled out the final weapon. He held it up to Buffy and the group.
“Now this I have to show you.”
Buffy looked at the final weapon. It was a small white ball the size of a marble. She looked back at Danny
“What is it?” she asked
Daniel didn’t reply. In the corner of the garden the training dummy stood. Daniel walked over to it. He smashed the ball into the chest of the dummy and walked calmly back. Principal Wood joined Buffy as they watched the inside of the ball ooze down the Dummy. Nothing happened. As Daniel passed the group and wandered back into the house they heard him mumbling something to himself.
Back inside. The other Scooby’s were sitting down to breakfast. Willow looked up at Daniel and smiled
“Hey you.” she said in her own cheerful manner.
Daniel didn’t reply. From near the door Daniel pulled down the fire extinguisher and leaned patiently against the counter. Willow looked at the others then back to Daniel
“Hey is something burning?”
Daniel turned to the Scooby’s and smiled.
“Three, two, one.”
From behind them the sound of an explosion startled the group. Daniel calmly stood and wandered back outside.
“Great merciful Zeus!” Xander exclaimed.
All on the porch were stunned and were soon joined by the stunned Scooby’s from inside the house. Buffy shook her head in disbelief. Daniel smiled smugly to himself as he wandered down and put out the fire.
“What . . . Was that?” an unsettled Buffy asked
“It’s a sought of chemical explosive I’ve been working on. Still haven’t got the timing right. You see there are two pockets inside these balls. When the chemicals mix they super heat up to about one thousand degrees.”
“A napalm bomb?” Asked Principal wood
“Well . . . yeah.”
“He’s like a pocket sized Magyver.” Commented Willow.
Daniel walked back up and stood with the group. He stared at the charred remains of the Dummy. A though crossed his mind.
“Any Questions?” Daniel asked confidently
Principal Wood walked out and surveyed the damage. Something did pop into his mind. He turned to Daniel and folded his arms.
“Hold up let me get this straight. You worked out the right pressure for that gun.”
“Yeah.” Daniel replied
“And you worked out how to make a bomb that uses steam.”
“Yeah.”
“You also worked out what chemicals to use to make a thousand degree fire.”
“Yeah.”
“You worked all that out and you’re still failing science.”
Daniels confident face dropped he shuffled awkwardly on the spot.
“Well . . . there’s things involved.”
Raleigh smiled smugly as she watched Daniel squirm.
“I don’t think it was the science that was the problem was it Daniel?”
“Then what is the . . . Oh.” Principal Wood replied as she caught Raleigh’s Drift.
Buffy smirked at the scene. Then a real question entered into her mind. She knelt down and pulled out one of the Fragment grenades from Daniels bag
“What about these. Your not going to tell us that you made them are you?” Buffy asked
Daniel looked at the grenade then back up at Buffy.
“I have a cousin who is stationed down at the military base just outside of Sunnydale.” he replied
“You got Marcus involved?” Asked Raleigh in surprise
“Hey it’s not like he has a great love for the army anymore. Not since the incident.”
“What incident?” Asked Buffy
“He was demoted back to private after, a few years ago, he let a couple of kids onto the base and they stole a rocket launcher.”
An uncomfortable look crossed Buffy, Willow and Xanders face.
“They never did find out who stole it and why.”
“But they never will right,” Xander asked nervously, “the investigation is closed?”
“Yeah. Since then he’s been getting stuff for me. Mom told me to keep fighting and I wanted to go in prepared.”
It was at that moment that he felt a hand slap him over the back of the head.
“You Jackass” Raleigh exclaimed.
“What is your problem now?” Daniel asked as he rubbed the back of his head.
“You honestly think Lil wanted you to do this?” she said angrily “She didn’t want you anywhere near it. Why do you think he went to all the trouble to hide you? God you don’t listen.”
Buffy quickly moved between them before something happened.
“Okay. I think that’s enough. Look we’re all still a little cranky from last night so why don’t we take a break. Danny if you’re planning on going to school today you better get ready.”
The group shuffled back inside. Dawn wandered down into the kitchen and saw the damage out the back. She stopped willow as she entered the house?
“Hey what’s going on? I though I herd a bang.” Dawn asked
“Nothing much just a little show with explosives.” She replied
“Is everyone okay?”
“Yeah, well, the dummy is going to need a big hug.” Willow replied “oh wait I have something for you.”
From her pocket Willow handed Dawn the note.
Candy stood outside the doorway that enters into the school. Usually when she arrives she goes straight to the lunchroom and waits for her friends but since last night she felt it best to wait for Daniel out the front. Candy’s usual friendly demeanor was replaced with a solemn serious and nervous one.
Candy watched as a car pulled up. She stood hopeful as Daniel stepped out. He walked towards her with an unusual spring in his step. They both went through hell last night but it seems that Daniel was on cloud nine. Daniel noticed Candy waiting at the front of the school and gave her the warmest smile.
“Hello my friend.” He said in an unusually happy voice.
He moved to hug her but she pushed him back. The seriousness of her eyes told him to tone down the happiness. Without another word Candy drags Daniel inside the building. From across the street a solitary figure watched the both of them enter the school. After the coast was clear the figure followed.
The figure entered the school moments after Daniel and Candy. Staying a few paces back the figure managed to remain concealed from the both of them as Candy forced Daniel into the lunchroom. The figure took up position just outside the door and listened into the conversation.
“I’m guessing your not feeling the best.” Daniel said after Candy dragged him down to their usual seat.
She glared at him.
“What is wrong with you?” She asked coldly
“Nothing. In fact I’m better than better. I have something really awesome to tell you.”
Candy was dumfounded. She couldn’t even fathom how Daniel could be so happy after last night’s tragic events.
“We were attacked by that . . . Thing last night . . . Adrian was killed and your happy about it?”
Daniels smiling expression dropped. He looked carefully around the room to make sure no one was listening in.
“I was hoping we could talk about that later.” He said seriously
“Well you though wrong! What was that thing?”
Daniel looked down momentarily. He sighed heavily and looked at Candy.
“It was a demon.” He replied
“A what?” Candy replied in shock
“A demon. Not sure what species. The plan was to draw energy from you guys so it could destroy . . . some one else.”
Candy shook her head in disbelief. She was hearing the information but it wasn’t sinking in. Daniel held her hand for support.
“It’s okay to be scared. I was scared the first time I saw one.”
“There are others?”
“Lots of species, kinda like animals, they all come to the hellmouth because of it’s mystical . . . “
“Wait the what?”
Daniel rubbed his head. This wasn’t the easiest thing to explain to anybody
“I’m not explaining this well,” he replied, “you see this town. Is, like, a hotspot for the weird and creepy. A lot monster hangs around here because of it.”
Candy leaned back. All the blood drained from her face and she was staring at Daniel as if he was insane. Daniel rushed over and sat next to Candy. He put his arm around her to try and calm her down. He couldn’t help but notice that she was trembling.
“I know what happened last night was horrible. But your safe now it’s over. I’ll make sure that it doesn’t happen to you again.”
“It knew you.” she replied quietly “how did it know you?”
“That . . . is a longer explanation.”
Daniel helped Candy to her feet. She was beginning to go into shock, which made the effort harder. Eventually they were both standing.
“Come one I’ll get you some fresh air”
The figure watched as Daniel Helped Candy outside. Behind the figure Buffy walked past casually looking through some files. She stopped. Something didn’t feel right. Buffy turned and looked at the figure. Buffy rolled her eyes and tapped the figure on the shoulder. The figure swung around startled.
“What are you doing here?” Buffy asked impatiently
“It’s a public building,” the figure replied “I can go where I want”
“Okay. One it’s not a public building it’s a high school and two I don’t think Danny would like the idea of you watching over him Raleigh.”
Outside Daniel helped Candy to one of the benches. On the way out he bought her a drink, which she was sipping slowly.
“There do you feel any better?” Daniel asked as he sat next to her
“A little. I think the info has sunk in enough to make me think that you’re only slightly crazy now.” She replied
“Well it’s an improvement.”
Candy looked over at Danny. She was trying to work out exactly what he was. A lot of last night was still a blur but the bits she could remember were astounding. She was in the cage. Then these weird bottles rolled along the ground. All of a sudden there was all this smoke and Daniel came out of nowhere and started to kill the bad guys like he was some kind of Army super soldier. And then the creature caught him and called him . . .
“Why did that thing call you ‘the great vampire hunter’?” she asked inquisitively
“I know,” he replied flatly, “I never would have used the word great. Now the kick-ass vampire hunter has a ring to it. It says . . .”
“No, I mean . . . Vampire hunter? Since when have vampires been real?”
Daniel sighed again
“Candy, god this is harder then I thought, vampires are real and a lot of them live around here because of the mystical energy.”
“And you hunt them? With those weird things you had?”
“I should have let Buffy explain this,” he said half to himself and half to Candy.
Buffys name jogged something in Candy’s mind.
“Dawn said something about her sister coming to save us. But what could she do. She’s only a foot taller then me and, no offence to her, I could so take her in a fight.”
Daniel laughed softly at the though of Candy trying to fight a slayer. He shook the image out of his head.
“Trust me Buffy would have done a lot more then I would have.”
Candy smiled at him softly.
“You saved me,” she replied, “that’s all I need to know.”
Buffy sat in her office. She stared calmly at Raleigh who was in the chair opposite.
“I just needed to make sure he was okay you know.” Raleigh said softly, “I still have the major guilts”
“About which part? The part where you yelled at him or the part where you punched him in the face.” Buffy asked calmly
“Oh no he was asking for that. I mean about him being left on his own.”
Raleigh stood up. She paced through the cubical which was a hard task but Raleigh managed to achieve it with flare. Buffy felt the hurt coming off of Raleigh.
“God five months ago Danny could even tie his own shoelaces with out asking me or Lil for advice. Now he’s this vampire hunter with all these cool gadgets that he made. I don’t know how he did it.”
“I don’t think you’re giving Daniel enough credit. It’s good that you want to get to know him again Ral but I don’t think smothering him will bring you closer.”
Raleigh stopped pacing and sat down again. She leaned into Buffy with purpose
“I gotta do something. The kid is the only family I have left. I mean what would you do if Dawn went missing then came back half a year later?”
Buffy leant back in her seat. She hated to admit it to herself but that was a question she had been asking herself ever since she saw the both of them together.
“I would probably . . . stand outside her classroom and watch her to make sure that she’s safe okay I get your point just don’t make a big scene around him you don’t want to scare him off.”
Raleigh Hugged Buffy tightly
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Raleigh rushed out the door as Principal wood approached.
“What was all that about?”
“It’s nothing. Just a Kodak moment.”
The bell rang and the student population began to file to their appropriate classrooms. Candy had calmed down and the color had returned to her face. She likes the idea that the boy she has a crush on had turned out to be a superhero that saved her life. She smiled to herself as she and Daniel walked to their lockers. She got out her books and closed her locker. Candy turns and just watches Daniel as he collects his books. This was a good of a time as any to ask him out. She took a deep breath and walked up to him. Although she had only seen him a few minutes earlier the wave of nervousness began to wash over her.
“Hey Danny?” she asks softly.
Daniel turned and smiled at her. Her knees began to feel a little weak but she managed to prop herself up with one of the lockers.
“Hey you feeling any better?”
“Much . . . hey are you doing anything tomorrow night?”
Daniel thought for a moment.
“Well I heard something about a vampire nest somewhere up town I was going to do a sweep . . .”
“A nest? Vampires have nests? Do they lay eggs?”
Daniel laughed.
“No a vampire nest is a place where a large group of vampires sleep and feed.”
“Oh,” she replied blankly, “well anyway I was wondering . . .”
“Hey Danny.” Said a second female voice which came from behind Daniel
Daniel swung around and was met by a smiling Dawn. Candy rolled her eyes and walked away defeated.
“Hey Dawn.” He replied in a nervous tone.
“I didn’t get time to thank you this morning.” Dawn said in the sweetest tone.
“It’s cool. I know I don’t have the slayer strength or anything . . .”
“Actually I meant for this.”
Dawn held up the note. Daniels jaw dropped. When he was on the run from Buffy he never stopped to check whether or not he still had the note.
“Ah . . . I can explain that.” He said pointing nervously at the note
Dawn kissed him on the cheek. Daniel began to blush strongly.
“And that just made the explanation leave.” He concluded
“It was, like, the sweetest thing ever,” She said to him “I didn’t know you liked me that much, well, I did know you liked me but you kept saying all those weird things.”
“Actually you should thank Candy it was her idea.”
He turned around to find Candy but she had left. He felt a little bad that he hadn’t noticed her leave considering the stuff she went through.
“She must have gone to class.”
“Right. So you’re coming back to my place right? That’s were Raleigh is. Maybe when you do we could hang?”
“Great” Daniel replied over-enthusiastically
“Cool. So I’ll see you after school.”
“Yeah.”
He watched as Dawn walked off to her class. When she was out of sight. Daniel dropped his book and did an elaborate victory dance which made him look like he was being electrocuted while being poked with hot pokers. He stopped dancing when he noticed the time. Remembering the schedule change he threw his books back in the locker and rushed off to the locker room. When he arrived the boys had already changed and were inside the gym. Daniel quickly rushed to his Gym locker and began to change.
“I am so proud of you,” said a familiar voice that came from behind him.
Daniel turned around and nearly collapsed at whom he saw.
Buffy Sat quietly at her desk typing away at her computer she heard the sound of someone sitting down opposite her.
“Just wait I will be with you in a second.” Buffy said as she finished off the notes.
She saved the file and shifter her posture into her listening position
“Done. Now how can I help . . . ?”
Her voice trailed off when she saw the person sitting opposite her. The girl looked about fifteen with straight long blonde hair. She smiled a big warm smile at the Slayer.
“Can you help me? I think I need some counseling.” The girls said in a southern accent.
Raleigh wandered around the halls of Sunnydale high. She had gotten herself lost while trying to find Daniels first class. In her hurry she nearly knocked over a boy who was rushing in the opposite direction
“Whoa slow down red. Where’s the fire?”
Raleigh looked at the boy. He was tall with a thin face and short messy brown hair. The clothes he was wearing looked like fashion you would have worn six years ago.
“I’m sorry,” Raleigh said to the boy, “I am so lost I’m trying to find the Gym.”
“I don’t think it’s in this direction.” The boy replied trying to get his bearings, “actually . . . I have no idea where it is. But if you need a hand I have two that are currently doing nothing.”
“Thanks a lot. This place is like a maze. I’m Raleigh by the way.”
“Jesse” replied the boy.
Daniel started to move back slowly. He knew the person standing opposite him shouldn’t be. He tried to think of any reason why she was here now but couldn’t. Lillian was dead.
“Don’t be afraid Daniel.” Lillian said in a calming motherly tone
“Yeah that’s what all the ghosts say before they put on their scary face and slime you.” Daniel replied
“If you would just calm down I will explain what is going on.”
“Calm down? I’m talking to a dead person.”
“I’m not dead Daniel.” Lillian said forcefully
Daniel sat down. This was news that he was hoping to hear but after hearing it he wasn’t sure he believed it.
“Okay you have my attention.”
Lillian walked up and knelt down next to him
“I need you to understand that although I am not dead I am not actually here. I am using very powerful magics to communicate with you. ”
Daniel looked her up and down. She seemed very much there. Daniel always thought that if he talked to the ghost of his mother she would look like one of those holograms from star wars. Lillian gestured to touch her. Tentatively Daniel reached out his hand. His eyes widened as his hand past right through her.
“If you’re not here,” he asked cautiously, “then where are you?”
“Somewhere safe. Raleigh and myself managed to defeat the bringers, which had come to attack us. When the coast was clear we both escaped.”
Lillian eyes began to fill with tears as she though back to that day.
“I am so sorry Daniel. When we went back into the kitchen to find you and you were missing . . . I though the bringers had taken you. If I had know that you were still alive I would have sent Raleigh to get you.”
That last sentence didn’t sit right.
“That’s impossible Raleigh’s here in Sunnydale.”
“What was that?”
“Raleigh is still here. She’s been living with the slayer Buffy.”
Buffy stared at the girl sitting across from her desk. Her look of shock was replaced with a look of anger. She recognized the girl as Eve, or more correctly, First Evil posing as Eve. The First smiled at Buffy.
“Can you help me,” the first said, “I seemed to have this terrible pain in my back, you know, like when someone sticks a knife in it.”
“What do you want?” Buffy demanded.
“Right to the point. That’s what I like about you. You don’t want to sit around and listen to all of the fluff.”
“Oh I see. You’ve come to bore me to death.”
“No point in doing that. You have this nasty habit of coming back from the dead.”
“Then what’s the point of the visit? You can’t hurt me.”
“That’s right. Incorporeal. I can’t touch you you can’t touch me. There is no way I can hurt the potentials.”
The first stands and begins to look around Buffys cubicle.
“It’s going to be a shame about Daniel though.”
Buffy stared intently at the first. First Evil is never big on revealing the plan up front but when it does you have to sit up and take notice.
“What about Daniel?” Buffy demanded
The first turns and smiles sweetly at Buffy. Buffy found the smile very off putting.
“The poor boys mind is a little fragile. That happens when every one you love abandons you and leave you for dead. That type of neglect would be enough to make him a might confused on who his friends and who his enemies are.”
Buffy stood up slowly and deliberately. She paced around her desk and stood two inches away from the firsts face.
“What did you do?” she growled
Raleigh and Jesse wandered down one hall and into the next. Each path they took began to look exactly the same as the last. They rounded the next corner to find that it was a dead end.
“I was sure it was this way.” Jesse said looking from the direction they came to the direction they were going.
“Well it’s definitely not this way,” Raleigh replied, “not unless the school takes gym in a fire hydrant.”
They started to double back along the hallway they came down.
“So Raleigh? . . . Is that like with cars and stuff?” Jesse asked
“No it’s just my name. Definitely no cars involved.” Raleigh chuckled
“Cool. So what’s your deal? You a substitute teacher or something because if you are, man, I have to start coming back to this school.”
Raleigh gave Jesse a look. He was kind of cute in a geeky sought of way but she definitely didn’t go for jailbait.
“Nope. Strictly civilian I’m here for my brother.”
“What did he do loose his lunch money?”
“Something bigger. I just here to make sure he’s all right. Why are you here kid? If you’re not at this school anymore.”
“I use to go here a few years ago, back before the school was a smoking crater.”
“Why not now?
“I . . . moved onto bigger and better things.”
They rounded another corner but they still were having no luck. They started to move down the next hallway.
“Why the lookout?” Jesse asked curiously
“Huh?”
“Why does your bro need his hot sister to look out for him?”
Raleigh stopped. She looked over to Jesse, who seemed sweet enough, just not sure whether or not he could be fully trusted.
“He . . . We lost someone . . . special .”
“Oh god I am so sorry. Why here while I pull my foot out of my mouth.”
“Nah it’s okay. He’s just been acting . . . weird since it happened.”
“Weird, like, psycho weird?”
“I don’t think he would do anything too stupid.”
“But . . .” Jesse prompted.
“But I don’t think he accepted her death yet.”
Daniel paced anxiously in front of his mother. The details he was hearing he couldn’t comprehend nor did he want to. He tried to wrap his mind around it but the only thing he got was a headache.
“This doesn’t sound right. I mean why . . .” he started confused
“You have to trust me Daniel. For your own safety I need you to do this for me.”
Daniel turned to Lillian and stared at her in deep concentration. He scanned for any sign that she was being dishonest. Every sense he had told him that the person he was talking to his deceased mother.
“I’m still not sure it’s you. I mean how do I know that this is not some Vamp wanting to get revenge on me for killing his friends.”
“For a start Daniel. It’s 10:35 in the morning.”
“Sewer systems. Could be access in the basement.”
Lillian sighed and sat down on the bench. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Do you remember when you were eight and we took a trip to England. We went to that small town just south of London.”
Daniel’s eyes widened with surprise. He sat down on the bench with her.
“You had a meeting with the council.”
“That’s right but you really wanted to see the cliffs. So . . .”
“So you told them that you weren’t feeling very well. God that was still the lamest excuse I have ever herd.” He laughed
“You were so full of life back then. I remember when we got out of the car you charged your way up the steepest edge saying that you wanted to be the first to the top.”
“And that’s when I fell. And I broke my leg.”
“A brave boy you were. You didn’t even cry.”
“You sang to me as we waited for the ambulance.”
Lillian laughed. Daniel didn’t realize how much he missed that sound.
“I can’t believe you remembered that.”
Daniel smiled strongly. Any doubt he had in his mind had now been cleared away.
The first still smiled at Buffy in that disconcerting way. Buffy was tired of its games and wanted them to stop.
“What did I do?” Asked the first, “why, nothing. Nothing needed to be done. The bunny was on the edge of the cliff it just needed a push.”
“If you hurt Daniel in any way . . .”
“You’ll what? Run through me annoyingly. There is noting you can do girly.”
The first walked through Buffy and sat in her seat.
“Beside,” the first continued, “he wasn’t my first target.”
Buffy glared at the first. She tried to figure out what she meant by ‘first target’. Who else was there? The only people here connected to Daniel were her and . . .
“Raleigh.”
“You catch on quick. I sent red on a little field trip. If your quick enough you can do that saving the person at the last minute thing you like to do.”
Buffy grabbed her coat and rushed out the office.
Raleigh and Jesse forged on with their search for the gym. They got to the end of a hallway and opened a set of double doors. This led them outside. They both looked around confused.
“Now I know we’re lost.” Raleigh said trying to get her bearings
“Yeah well. Maybe if we take the second right back in the hall.”
“I think we tried that, like, six times.”
Raleigh leans up against a tree. Jesse moves in next to her.
“Don’t sweat it red. You’ll find Danny soon. You lost him for five months I’m sure a couple of hours wont do any harm.”
Raleigh turned her head slowly and glared at Jesse.
“I never told you his name.”
Jesse moves from the tree and stands in front of her. He slaps his head in a mocking way.
“Didn’t you. Oh that’s right I’m not supposed to give that information away.”
Raleigh started to move away from Jesse slowly.
“Where you going red? The big fight scene is about to happen. You don’t want to miss it.”
From behind Raleigh a bringer swung at her with his knife. Realizing this just in time she ducked down and sweep kicked him off his feet. She grabbed the knife and stabbed him through the heart. Ss she stood up three more jumped her. She struggled and managed to knock the one in front of her over. The bringers were too strong for Raleigh and managed to overpower her onto the ground. Two of the bringers held her down while a third drew his knife. Just before he could stab her he was knocked out of the way by Buffy. Disposed of that bringer quickly as the other two released Raleigh and went after the Slayer. Raleigh wasted no time. She jumped to her feet and stabbed one of the bringers through the back while Buffy killed the final one. Buffy moved over to Raleigh and checked for injuries. From behind them the sound of slow clapping could be heard.
“That was cool,” Jesse said mockingly, “I loved the part where she was gonna die and you took that guy out with the flying kick it was so Jackie Chan.”
The slayer and the Potential glared angrily at Jesse who held his hands up defensively.
“It’s okay I’m done here.” Jesse said as he disappeared
Raleigh bent over and caught her breath. She looked up to where Jesse was standing
“That was The First wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. That’s him.”
“What did it want with me?”
“I don’t know”
“I though you said he only targets people who are a threat to him.”
Buffy looked back to the school. Something triggered in her mind.
“Target.”
“What?”
“The first spoke to me it said something about you being the first target.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why? . . . Unless you weren’t a target.”
Raleigh bolted up straight her eyes open wide.
“Danny!”
The girls rushed through the halls as fast as they could. Bursting into the gym they scanned the class for any sign of Daniel. Seeing that he wasn’t there they ran into the boys locker room. They hard the sound of a locker opening and closing they followed it to the only person left in the room.
“Danny.” Yelled Raleigh.
Daniel turned around and his jaw dropped. The girls looked him up and down then turned around when they realized that Daniel wasn’t dressed for the occasion . . . or at all
“Hey. Boy room, boy room!” Daniel yelled as he wrapped his towel around his waist.
The girls turned back and sat Daniel down. They stare at him seriously, which made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
“Did you get any visitors just now?” Buffy asked Daniel
“Yeah! Two women who really need to learn the definition of personal space!”
“We’re serious Danny! Did someone come to see you?” Raleigh yelled
Daniel looked the Girls up and down.
“What are you talking about?”
Raleigh sat next to Daniel
“There’s a big bad here Daniel. It’s trying to take out slayers and it can look like any dead person it wants. So we just need to know if anybody was here with you . . . Was lil here.”
Daniel shook his head in disbelief
“What are you trying to do to me Ral? And while were at it why are you here?”
“She’s not trying to do anything Daniel we just need to know.” Buffy replied
Daniel looked at the both of them closely. Buffy knelt down to Daniels eye line.
“This is important. We don’t want to see anything happen to you. And this bad it can look and act like anyone.” Buffy continued
Daniel looked at her closely
“No,” he replied softly, “I was the only one in here before the both of you two arrive and decided on the naked interrogation.”
Buffy smiled at him caringly
“Well. If anybody asks you about me, Raleigh or about the other potentials you promise you’ll come to me first.” Buffy asked
Daniel smiled in return.
“Is it okay to put on pants first?” he quipped
“That’s actually my policy,” Buffy replied, “We’ll see you after school.”
“Okay”
Daniel Buffy and Raleigh left the locker room. When they did his smile dropped from his face. From behind the lockers Lillian walked out.
“You were right.” Daniel said without turning around, “you said they would try and turn me against you.”
“You believe me then.”
“More then them.”
Daniel stood up and turned to his mother while never losing his serious expression.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked
Lillian smiled at him in a motherly fashion
“That’s my brave boy.”
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