I'll be back

It was dark in the library that we'd arrived in. Normally that would be quite a bad thing. The darkness represented the rise of the undead, the demons that had swapped the souls of humans for their own and escaped their realms only to cause havoc within this one. This realm already had its fair share of problems with just humans and adding demons was like pouring oil on fire. It was a dangerous thing that made this world scarier. The fact that those souls could only rest when their bodies truly died shook me.

The moonlight slipped through the blinds illuminating the rows upon rows of books held within this place of knowledge. I gazed at the ghostly blue light wishing that I could grasp it with my hands. Alas, it was not opaque and so, my hands slipped through it, unobstructed. This light had been Batman's symbol. He had taken it back from the monsters that had wished to take it from him and used it as a beacon for them to know that if no one would be a light, then he would. He would fight against the forces of Gotham, he would fight against the demons left from his parent's death, and he would fight against any threat that even dared to remove lights as without them there would only be darkness and I knew all too well how much darkness wished to mar the soul. I'd met it after all. I'd beaten a god at his own mother fucking game. Twice now by the way.

I turned my attention from the moon's ray and turned to it in its entirety. Even in the darkness, the sun still attempted to show the way. Maybe I couldn't be a sun, but I could try. I could try and make sure that those upperbeings didn't fucking use us humans as their tools. I could try and make sure that this shaky balance that The Powers That Be and The Forces Of Evil held could be broken. I could try to overcome it.

But would they let me? That was the question. I was sure that they were watching me now, adding me to the equation. Planning the ways in which I could die or could live and I hate that fact. I hated the fact that the Darkness had used me as its play thing and I hated the fact that the Powers would probably do everything that they could do to turn me into their puppet, an interesting puppet most probably, but still a fucking puppet and what I and Batman wasn't was a puppet. I'd survived what was meant to be my second fucking death, so soon after my last one. If I hadn't made that third wish, I'd be dead and who would even remember me. I was nothing here, knew no one, had no one.

I was just a man trying his best to be a good person. Was that not enough? Would life always put walls in front of me to hold me down?

Tears flew out of my eyes as all the tiredness from months of believing in my impending doom washed over me. My muscles relaxed and I fell to my knees in a loud THUD. I…had done it. I had survived but what was next? How could I even the playing field?

There wasn't any grand reason that I was put in this world, no missions from ROB, no saving the world. It had just wanted me to live a semi-normal life in a world where at every waking moment, I could potentially die to some crazy witch, some angry demon, or some death god.

I would never forget the delight in that thing's voice as it said it was planning to drop me in a vampire hideout. Did it not have any care for what was right? It had murdered me in cold blood as part of its power slithered into another realm and whisked me away from any sense of normalcy and then I'd been left alone, left to the voices in my head. I'd had nobody but me, myself and I.

I chuckled, sniffing as the tears continued falling. What do I do now?

"You live."

Was that my mom's voice?

My mother was a nice woman. She'd always cared for me. She'd pack my lunches and drive me off to school everyday. When I had booboos, she'd kiss them. When I was sad, she would hold me close, squeezing me so tight, her warmth burning away any of the remnants of darkness within my heart and so, when I was a child I had asked her a foolish question.

"Why do you stay with Dad?"

She just looked at me, eyes widened, hand to mouth as if in shock. I could see a line of sweat trickle down from her temple. She'd been cooking dinner and at that moment, she'd walked to the stove, each step creaking on our old wooden floors and each creak making me want to ball into myself until I was nothing. She turned off the stove and looked at my dad.

My dad who'd been reading the newspaper this whole time, stopped and nodded at my Mom.

"Let's go to the Patio."

I followed quietly, my breath held so that even a squeak wouldn't escape. For whatever reason, I had needed to know the answer to the question and for whatever reason my mother had chosen to indulge on the whims of a child.

The door squeaked open, a mosquito net decorating itself atop it. We sat down on the two small lawn chairs next to our front door.

My mother just looked at me for a while. I noticed her hands were shaking. I placed my tiny fingers atop her own larger fingers to at least return some of the warmth that she had deigned to share with me. How I loved my mother. She was sometimes strict and other times brash with her language but she was my mother and she had made sure I knew that she loved me more than the sun and the moon and all the stars in the sky. She'd made sure that I knew that she would love me even after she was gone.

"Why?" She all but whispered.

I froze. Her eyes looking at me warmly. There would be no judgement.

"H-he said that he hit you."

"..."

She just stared at me for a long while, the gray hairs on her head becoming more noticeable as her eyes began to moisten ever so slightly.

My itty-bitty heart twisted at the sight of her. I never wanted to make her cry. My own tears decided to join in the fray as well as I hugged my mother.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

She places her hand on my shoulder and gently pushes me back to my seat. She stares at me, guilt and sadness washing over her.

"Don't be. You have a right to know and as your mother it is my duty to make sure that anything you need is given. Do you need this?"

Did I need this? I think so. I needed to understand why she stayed, why such a nice woman stayed with a man that was once a devil. Sure he'd changed, but he'd still hurt her, no matter how repentant he might have been, no matter what type of affliction, mental or otherwise, that he had been dealing with at the fucking time. It did not matter. He had hurt my Mother and I wanted to know why such a strong woman stayed with such a man.

I nod.

"...Love makes you do crazy things. It place rose-tinted goggles upon your eyes and makes you unable to see. By the time that I did see, I loved him enough that I wanted to help him, uncaring of how much he hit me. Then I had you."

She pointed at my heart and placed my palms upon hers.

"Do you feel it? How fast it's beaten. The warmth, the love that I've tried to insert into you from the moment I saw that test that said you're pregnant. I had loved you even as an idea. I had always wanted kids. That changed me."

She paused, letting me process all the information that she'd given me.

"If it changed you, then why didn't you leave."

She chuckled.

"Who said I didn't leave? I came back to him punching you in the gut with a bottle of Tito's in one hand. He'd said it was because you wouldn't stop crying." Her hands shook, "...You were four and so I took you and left. He found me a few months later begging me to come back. He'd promised he'd changed and so I took a leap of faith. It was probably stupid to come back but I loved him and chose to give him one last chance to prove to me that I'd chosen the right person to put my faith in. He hasn't failed me yet."

My mother smiled looking through the window at her reformed Husband. He'd been whistling an old eighties soul tune while tapping his feet.

"But-"

She placed her hands up. I knew what that meant. Shut the fuck up.

"There are no buts in life. You either live or you don't. Life put me in pain and I got you through that. There is always a way and in moments where you're afraid, what do we say?"

I scrunched up my little nose in thought. What did she always say.

She brought her hands to the bridge of her nose.

"You say, you'll live."

She always did say that. Huh.

"Thanks mom," I whisper.

I look back up at the moonlight and close my eyes.

Buff runs up to me and hugs me, her warmth giving me strength. It was nice to have people that would be there for me. I don't remember the last time on my original world that I had this. I thought back and realized that it was just before the incident, just before they'd died.

I'd been alone for so long and now I had her and her, I. I gazed into her grey eyes. Normally, they looked like thunderclouds waiting to strike anyone that crossed her path and with her being the slayer, I'd believe it. The Buffy of this verse had even destroyed magic for fuck sake. If that wasn't hax then I don't know what was.

Right now, her eyes looked vulnerable. I could see the effect I'd had on her. The pain she felt when she saw me in this state and because of that, I never wanted to be in this state again. Fuck life, fuck everything. To keep that sad look from her eyes, I would even destroy the world. She'd probably never let me though.

I warmly smile at her before softly kissing her. Our eyes closed. The warmth transferred in a cycle from me to her, to her to me. We had each other, and Xan and Wills too. That was right. I wasn't alone. I had people around me that cared and would fight for me, people that I would consider family even though we had only known each other for a few months.

I had almost wished that the kiss never ended but even then, the warmness stayed. It was a feeling shown through body language and the faces of concern of those around me and so I smiled. Tears of joys beating out the tears of hurt.

"I think that I am falling in love with you Buff,"

She hugged me even tighter. A smile now on her own face.

"Ehem. We're here too y'know"

We quickly wiped our tears only to see Xan on the ground and Willow sniffling.

"Hn Hn. If only Xander could be more romantic," She teased.

"Hey!" Xander shouted in mock anger, "You know I love you more than anything Wills."

Willow smiled and gave Xan a peck on the cheek.

"I'm still here, dream man."

We all turned to see Winifred sitting on one of the chairs looking dopey as all shit. I wondered if this was the same girl that headed WolfRam and Hart's practical division. I guess it made sense. After being given the Twelve years a slave treatment, anyone would go mad. I'd almost gone mad from being alone. Imagine if I had been gaslit into thinking I was a cow.

"You okay there, Wini?" Xan asked.

Winifred Burkle glared.

"The name's Fred. Other dream man," She growled.

Her hair was messy. She wore dirty rags and she smelt as bad as the Master's uncircumsized head. I'd wondered how a man that had been trapped for hundreds of years washed himself. The answer was that they did not. I almost threw up while doing the wig prank. Wow, did he stink. It was like a mix of doodoo and a boy's locker room. Just ten times worse. Ughh.

I shuddered thinking about that disgusting creature.

It looked like she hadn't brushed her teeth in ages and she looked very skin, so skin that it looked as if the wind would topple her over.

I smiled softly at her. We all did.

"You hungry?"

"This is all a dre-"

Her stomach rumbled and she smiled sheepishly.

"Let's go get some taco bell," I smile,"You want a twinkie on the way, Xan."

He nodded like a horny dog and we were on our way.

We walked to the front door and as soon as we exited the building. A vamp attacked.

It had been hiding in the shadow of the building. I'd noticed it earlier and warned the group. We exited slowly and walked down the street. It stalked for a while. It was probably playing with its food. Heh, dumbass.

We turned to an alleyway. It followed us. Buffy stabbed it as it turned the corner. It turned into dust and I closed my eyes.

"May your soul now rest."

Winifred looked at us in surprise. She was probably wondering who the fuck we were. She looked at us for an explanation only for all of us to just shrug. It was just a normal night in this vampire ridden world.

"Let's go and eat," I smiled

We continued on our trip. I held Buffs's hands interlocking her fingers with mine as we looked each other in the eyes. Another vampire attacked and I shot a makeshift Wood-arang at its heart. It turned to dust. I'd gotten bored in the wishverse and had begun making some of Batman's most Iconic weapons. I did edit them to be lethal to vampires. I even had Vamp spray. It was holy water in a kleenex bottle. It wouldn't kill'em but they'd leave you the fuck alone. It was best to kill them so I'd probably just give that to someone who needed Vamp protection and wasn't trained.

We looked up to see a purple building with the words, "Taco Bell" front and center. We entered and Fred's stomach rumbled like an angry lion whose pride had abandoned it.

We walked in the door. We were the only ones here. It was three a.m in a vamp-ridden city, no one who didn't have to be out would be out.

"Hello," The Cashier smiled, "What would you guys like."

Fred just giggled and I knew that most of the cash gotten from the Wishverse would disappear. I was glad I'd taken a crap ton of rare artifacts and gold from that realm too. Sunnydale had a lot of hidden treasures. It had always been a wonder why Buffy never really took advantage of the fact that there were historical gold coins worth up to three thousand dollars each in some lairs.

I knew that it was Watcher's policy or some other bullshit, but still. How did all the Scoobies end up being broke when there's literal treasure. All I had to do was make use of magic and wallah, a pouch that could store all the gold that I could ever dream of. Now, I would truly become Batman, the money launderer.

I looked up to see the man carrying fifteen tacos, ten of which were for the crazy Ms. Burkle, and five of which were for us.

"Here y'all go."

I smiled at the man.

"Thanks."

He'd been the only one working because of the whole vamp thing and so it had taken a while. I still had like ten grand left. He at least deserved a nice tip for giving his life in service off the taco gods. Pssh, who cares about traditional Mexican tacos when you can have fresh taco bell.

As soon as I took a bite, I realized the error of my ways. Taco bell was ass. With a capital A for all the shit I was taking. I was pretty sure it would give me cancer or some shit. I'd read that somewhere.

I looked around to see Fred gorging the taco bell, same with Xan. The rest of us were barely picking at our food. I love you Xan, but you have no taste.

I scooched closer to Buff bringing my lips close to her ears, my breath landing softly upon them. Her ears twitched in delight.

"I'll cook us some food once we find a place," I smiled.

Batman was an amazing chef. To survive, you needed to be able to cook good nutritious meals on the go and so one of his iterations had learned to do just that.

She blushed and smiled before returning to her soldier Buff face. Cleveland had been a really shit experience for her.

I'd asked her something I shouldn't have after a training session. We had been sparring for hours and she was improving at a noticeable rate. We'd focused on footwork. Power was all about the foundation. If your feet weren't planted in the right spots, you would lose. It did not matter that she had super strength if she didn't know how to properly use it.

We were both on the ground panting, swear over her body. I looked at her for a second and more seconds.

"What?"

"We could take your mother with us."

She looks at me and stands up. She goes into a boxing stance, both hands held up in an attempt to block the tears she though that I couldn't see.

"Fight me."

I got up and place my hand on her shoulder.

"Buff wh-"

She punched me in the gut. I kept standing. Batman had faced worse. His back had been broken. Even if this hurt a lot, I wouldn't fall because she needed a release and who better to fight her than one of, if not the greatest martial artist in the world.

She went for a jab. I dodged and went for a low kick. She groaned but went for an uppercut. Was…she angry? This wasn't how she fought. I'd taught her better than thim.

I dodged the uppercut and went for another low kick. She groaned. While she groaned, I hit her in the liver and palm struck her shoulder blade, dislocating right arm. She screamed.

"Calm down."

She glared.

"I'm calm."

She rushed at me feinting a gut punch before headbutting me. Smart. I was dizzy but I somehow managed to hold my ground. I held her there and looked her in the eyes.

"What's wrong?"

She looked at me for a moment before looking down.

"She died. I-i killed her."

There was no way that Buffy Summers that I knew would murder anyone in cold blood. She just wasn't built like that. So, the only logical solution to this dilemma was that Joyce had been turned.

"Was she turned?"

She didn't even answer. She just looked into space. For whatever reason, that hurt me.

"Was she turned?"

Still no answer.

"Please Buff. I know we only know each other for a month but I really do care about you. Please," I beg.

She looks at me attempting to find any little speckle of a lie, any little tinge of doubt. She had probably thought that I had wanted to use her, like the Watchers had wanted to use her, like The Powers had wanted to use her. Yes, it would be nice to have an extra slayer, but ultimately, I would let her go if she asked.

"Kakistos turned her. He used her against me. I murdered her. Ha ha, Buffy The Mother Sla-"

"Saver. Mother saver. Her soul was in hell and you sent it up. You stopped that twisted thing that puppetered your mother's body and brought her to peace. Take pride in that."

We sat there for a bit, huddled up to one another.

Cleveland had been kinda shit for Buffy but I hoped that having people around her now helped. You never really could tell until you could. I think she's a lot better now and I know that she's made me a lot better.

I walk up to the cashier and drop five grand.

"Thank you for your service."

The man looked shocked. I had money to spare and this man could probably use money if he was working the night shift.

"Also, do you know where we could find a pay phone?"

He pointed to the right.

"Outside, walk a block that way then turn right."

"Thanks man."

The man smiled.

"No, thank you."

I smiled back. It always felt nice to do nice things. It was the little things.

"Let's go."

Xan looks away from Wills.

"Where?"

"To call Fred's mom. Do you remember her number."

Fred froze.

"This is a dream. This is a dream. Don't let hope seep in. Don't hope."

She began a mantra and I was lucky that she didn't know magic because words held power and she might have returned back to Pylea if she had.

I look her in the eyes.

"Look, if this is a dream, then let us call your mother. It won't matter anyways, right?"

She nodded.

"Her Number is ### ### ####"

I smile thanks.

"Let's go."

We walk out of there and I notice a group of yellow eyes in the shadows. I look at Buffy who moves Fred closer to her.

We continue walking until we get to the payphone.

"Buff, why don't you and Fred do the call. We have to…get some ice cream."

Buff nods.

Me, Xander and Willow walk into an alleyway and ten figures show themselves, all with the same scrunched up pug like face. Eww.

One of them laughs before Xan and Wills scrunch up their own faces.

"This'll be easy."

I bonk Xan's head.

"Never underestimate the enemy.

"Riiight," He replies.

I sigh as I take out a Wood-arang and turn the first enemy to dust. Thanos has nothing on me.

Xan vamp speeds to a vampires and rips off his head. Why not stake them? I do not fucking know.

Willow incants and three burst into flames before dispatched two more that had gotten close with a stake. That's my pupil.

I throw two more bat-arangs at the vamps, killing two more, leaving only one left.

"W-we didn't know. Please."

I've never seen a vamp beg for mercy. It was kind of pitiful. Don't worry. We'll end your suffering. I stabbed it in the heart and it turned to dust.

Unluckily, some entered into my nose and I began coughing like a motherfucker.

Xan laughed and pointed and Wills smiled. I knew she was chuckling inside.

"Let's go back."

We got back to see Fred crying on the phone and Buffs soothing her. It was quite the sight. Fred soon cut the call and looked up to see the rest of us here. She quickly made herself look as presentable as possible. I mean, how presentable could you look with messy hair and rags. She looked like she'd been trafficked.

I looked up to Buffy. She understood.

"They're coming in an hour."

And so we waited.

Thirty minutes later, a car arrived and a worried mother and father came out. They looked tired, bags under their eyes making their skin sags even more noticeable. There were missing posters showcasing Fred on the car. They'd been looking for her for so long and now they'd found her. I could see the relief washing over them as their daughter Winifred Burkle was going to come back home.

The dad looked at all of us making sure to imprint the faces of his daughter's saviors in his head. He went and hugged each and every one of us, hugging us as tightly as humanly possible.

"Thank you."

That was all that needed to be said and then, they were off to find their very own Kansas's, their homes.

I looked across the street and saw a motel.

"Who wants to sleep?"

Everyone raised their hands and we walked across the street and quickly booked two rooms. One for each couple.

Buffy lay on the bed and I kissed her goodnight before sitting down on a chair and opening a book, a very important book for my chosen path. It was the path to freedom.

Buffy got up from the bed. She walked up to me and shut the book.

"Come and sleep."

I smiled.

"Thanks for caring bu-"

"No buts. It's been a long day and I want my Big spoon."

That was tempting, very tempting.

"This is important."

"How is that book more important than me?"

I perked up. Was the hurt I hear?

"It could be the path to us escaping the Power's plans. They've been steering our lives from the get-go and I want to make sure that they don't have a way to do so anymore."

"Then I'll be up with you," She smirked.

I sighed. It was nice if her.

She looks at the cover.

"What's John De-"

I cover her mouth and point up.

"They can hear you."

She nods.

I release a sigh of relief. We'd be fucked if they sent Whistler. Who am I kidding, they probably already had.

I opened the page detailing enochian protection runes and got a knife out of my spatial pouch and began drawing it on my palm, infusing the blade with magic.

I groaned. It hurt like a bitch but it would be worth it. Buffy watched me with confused eyes wondering whether or not she should stop me. I gave her a pleading look and she held my hand gripping it tightly in an attempt to help with the pain. The warmth always did help. Soon I was done and two angel wings were on my skin. I could feel the magic sizzling within them. I smirked.

"Yes!"

I looked at Buffy.

"Do you trust me?"

She nods.

"Would you be alr-"

Her hand was already out. I inscribed the same runes into her skin. I watched as she held herself. I watched as she stamped hard on the ground. I heard the muffled screams escaping her closed mouth.

This would be worth it. After this, no one would be able to interfere with our lives. Not actively at least.

Soon, it was done. Buffy looked at me for an explanation

"They're enochian protection runes. They conceal the individual from higher beings, seers, mystics, and modern day surveillance. Of course, the user is still visible to the naked eye, but now those Powers won't be able to see it. We're off the fucking board babe. We're off it."

I pick her up by the waist and swing my short queen around the room.

She smiles back.

"Was it that easy?" She asks almost unsure.

I nod.

"It wouldn't normally be this easy because most people don't know about them. I'm lucky that a Batman could read Enochian and another Bat could draw, otherwise this whole thing could have directed all the powers' sights on us. A slight flap to the right or the left and we could have died."

She shrugged.

"I trust you."

Oh, how I loved this girl.

"We should probably call Xan and Wills," Buff says.

I'd forgotten about them.

"Right."

We walked to their door and began hearing loud Ugghs and Ahhs. Buffy face turned as red as a tomato and I'd wished that I had ear buds. I get that vamps slept in the day but they had day rings for god's sake. Then again, how was it my place to judge? I looked at buffy and my cheeks tinged red.

Would that be us?

I knock on the door.

"Quick Wills," Xan shouted.

I could hear a lot of movement. They were probably vamp speed changing or something.

"Quit shouting," Wills admonished.

I heard an "Ow" and soon the door opened.

"Wassup!" Xan smiled.

"Should I leave you two alone?"

Xan nods his head and gets pushed out of the way. She shakes her head and Xan shakes his head too. Happy wife, happy life.

"So what do you guys need?"

I pointed up.

"Do you trust me?"

They nod as we enter their quite must room. Buffy covers her nose. They scratch the back of their heads sheepishly.

"Xan, you first, bring out your hand."

I begin etching the runes into his skin. Wills looks worried but Xan's smile calms her down. Her hands are still shaking. I soon finished.

"Now, you."

I walked up to Wills and began etching the Runes into her skin. She screamed and I could swear that I saw Xan's face morph into the Attack pug one for a sec. Wills smiles at him and he cools off. I etch in the last line and I'm done. Wills sighs in relief and Xan hugs her.

Xan glares at me.

"So what was that for?"

I smirk.

"I've just beaten destiny."

Wills gives me a bored look.

"Ok. Ok," I raise my hand, "They are enochian protection runes. It makes it so the nothing can view us except the naked eye, including the powers."

Willows eyes widen.

"Th-that would mean that…" She thought about it for a sec, "What would that mean?"

"The Powers that Be and the Forces of Evil have a balance. There can never be too much good and never be too much bad. Every human born is within that plan. Some people's potentials are hidden from them because of this, others are controlled. It is a never ending fight that they keep going for their own entertainment. Now, we're out of their purview. In other words, we're free to do whatever the fuck we'd like."

Everyone's eyes widened. We now had the opportunity to kick Mama Fate in her futanari balls.

No one said anything for a while. They just sat there.

Xan looked up at me.

"What are we going to do, A-man?"

"Haven't I told you already, we'll save the world but first, let's save Joyce summers from a brain tumor. If we find it in the early stages, we can maybe stop the aneurysm from killing her."

Buffy perked up at that.

"Let's go," She ordered.

"Buff wai-"

"She's my mother. I won't let her die here too."

I held her hand.

"With what money?" I ask.

She pauses.

"You have gold."

"It's all illegal. I have to find a place to pawn it first, then we go. She has time Buff. Trust me. Going a day a few hours later won't matter. Just let me pawn of enough gold to pay for her treatment without leaving her in crippling debt."

I gaze into her two thunderclouds. Lightning was striking with each of them. I did not like to see her this way. She gazed at me for a while hoping that I would fold. I wouldn't. Joyce deserved the best and that is what I would give her. I wouldn't rush in without a plan that always led to more pain.

"I don't like this."

Buffy incessantly tapped her feet. I'd gotten the message from the crossed arms and an even crosser face.

I looked at Xan and Wills and passed them the pouch.

"Do you think you guys could find a demon bar that'd be willing to swap gold coins for cash. They might take a cut but remember each coin is worth three thousand usd and I have thousands of them."

Xan nods. He grabs the pouch and Wills and speeds out of here. Thank you, Xander. You're a bro.

Buffy glares at me.

"You didn't tell me."

"We were about to die. I figured telling you once I was sure we would live would be the smart thing to do. I di-"

"You don't get to decide that for me."

"I know and I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

She smiles and I calm down. She kisses me.

"We're partners, equals. Don't hide anything from me."

I nod.

"What's your plan?"

I smirk.

"To save the world."

She gives me a look.

"Ok. Ok. You go into your house and pretend to be Buffy during school hours, I knock her and you drop her off in the hospital citing nosebleeds and demanding that she should have a CT scan. After that, we maybe help the Xan of this world out. He's kinda being pushed out of your little group right now, so why not train him to be better. He wants to fight and won't ever leave it. Oh, and I'm…"

She places her hand up, shutting me up.

"That's a lot. Let's focus on the whole saving my mom thingy right now."

I smile.

"We cool," I ask.

"Didn't that kiss tell you everything you needed to know?"

Seductive. Damn, was she fine.

We waited for Xan and Wills to come back with the cash.

A few hours later, a knock was heard.

I opened the door to see Xan and Wills with dollar signs in their eyes.

"We're milli-"

Wills covered Xans mouth.

"Keep quiet until we get into the room you dope."

They quickly enter and we close the door.

"How much?" I ask.

"One million dollars," Xan smiles.

"Is that it?"

"We didn't exchange everything. There's still a lot left," Willow continued.

I nod.

"Let's go to Sunnydale," Buff smiled.

"Yeah, let's."

I looked outside the window to see some people in what looked to be goth clothing with pug faces about to enter a brown mustang. I laugh.

"I think we've found our rides."

"Where?"

I point out the window.

"Xan, Wills!"

They nod and vamp speed to the car. I pull out a sniper rifle. I'd stolen it from the Sunnydale military base. It was quite nice to be able to get all the things in the world for free. I had practically unlimited ammo.

I aimed and sniped. Bang!

One of the vampires dropped to the ground. Buffs jumped out of a one-story window and stabbed one mid-air. My girlfriend was pretty cool.

I aimed and shot at another one. Impaling it in the heart.

Xans and Wills stabbed one each and now we had ourselves a sexy car.

"You guys ready," I ask.

"Of course."

Xan daps me up.

Willow nods and Buffs is already in the front-side passenger seat.

I enter the front seat and we drive off into the Dawn. The sun was coming up and it would probably take a few hours to get to Sunnydale.

"Ok. There are going to be some rules for when we get to Sunnydale."

I looked around making sure they were all listening.

"Rule One: Don't kill Angel. He might be a pedophile that's 240 years older than the seventeen year old that he fucked but he's needed in L. A. to save the world. Rule Two: We can only show ourselves to the Scoobies once the council has fucked off or if we know that they'll keep our secret. That cool?"

Everyone nods.

Buffy looks uncomfortable.

Xan's laughing.

"So you fucked deadb-ughh."

Wills shoves him in the gut. Buffs smiles at Wills.

"Thanks," Buffy says.

"I'm so-"

I got cut off.

"They would have found out anyway. Better now than later. They have to be prepared for the things that they're going to see."

We soon saw the Sunnydale sign.

I looked at Buffs.

"You ready to see your mom?"

"Honestly, no. The last time I saw her, she died."

I squeeze her hand.

"Then let's make sure that this time, she lives."

My perfect memory enabled me to remember the Summer's address and we soon got there. The car had tinted windows courtesy of the dusted vamps and so we could see them, but they couldn't see us.

I checked the time on the analog and it said 12:00. I nodded to be Buffs and she went out of the car and knocked on the door.

I stalked in from the back and as Buffs was crying and hugging her mom, I tapped a pressure point at the nape of Joyce's neck and she'd fainted.

"Quickly, take her to the car."

We drove her to the hospital.

Buffy played her part so well in this.

"Help! Help! My mother fainted. Blood's leaking out of her nose."

She looked hysterical. She probably was.

The nurses brought in a gurney and told Buffy that they'd probably have to do a lot of scans and that it would be expensive. She brought out a bag with large wads of cash in it. This was Sunnydale, anything unordinary became ordinary and it was also the nineties. Inside was seventy thousand dollars. It would probably be able to pay for the surgery and the hush money needed

"Will this be enough?"

The nurse nodded.

Buffy shoved the bag of money into her arms and when the nurse turned around, she'd disappeared. Look at my protege go.

The nurse looked at the bag of money and smiled. A smile that I knew all too well, a thieving smile. I dropped out of nowhere and tapped the nurse's shoulder.

I glared at her.

"If that money isn't used to save that woman, then I'll hunt you and you wouldn't like me to hunt you."

The sound of footsteps were coming closer and the woman turned. I was gone.

"Was that a ghost," the nurse muttered.

No, it was A-man. Bat intimidation for the win.

I went back to Buffs and sat in the car.

Wills and Xan looked concerned.

"You alright?"

"I-I saved her."

I nod.

"Yes you did."

Hey, Author here, what do you think of this chap? I hope its better than the last. I just finished it now, so here y'all go.