hehe... it just started drizzling here in LA so i'm back from my little day trip. i cant shop in flea markets when it rains, spoils the whole fun. at least it's not 20 degrees like my folks say NYC is. This next part is totally new, totally extra and had not been beta-ed by someone else. I'm actually writing two scenes ahead of this one and betaing the upadtes at the same time so please comments/feedback welcome cause i'm sure there are some mistakes. hope you like...
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Willow sadly returned to the bonfire area only to find it shriveling. None of the staff was around anymore and she began to get a bit panicky. ‘Where is everyone?’ she wondered as she scanned the field. In Sunnydale, creepily uninhabited areas meant badness was afoot.
“Willow?!” Buffy called out as soon as she saw her, giving the redhead a little heart attack. She giggled softly at the sight of Willow jumping in place and her little “eek!” shouted into the night air. “Where have you been? Where’s Tara?” she asked as she walked up to her.
It took Willow a few seconds of calming down her heavy breathing to say, “Home… Where is everybody?” She voiced a bit confused about the desolate field.
“Everybody is sleeping. It’s been over an hour since you two disappeared. I’ve been looking all over for you. I even went to the barn.”
“What? I just walked her to her car.”
“For over an hour?” Buffy knew the parking lot was in the front of the camp and no matter what it would not have taken an hour to walk over there and back.
“An hour?” Willow asked in wonderment. She’d been kissing Tara over an hour? Willow blushed at the thought.
“Were you abducted by aliens?” Buffy quipped as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“What? No, Buffy.” Willow chuckled. She and Buffy were die-hard ‘The X-Files’ fans, never allowing anything or anyone to interrupt them while watching the show. Well, unless it was the end of the world or something and they taped it. “I guess we lost track of time.” The redhead admitted.
“Right.” Buffy nodded. “I’m sure you’ve got some government microchip in your nose now.” She said referring to the past situation of one of the main characters of the show as she wrapped her arm over her best friends’ shoulder.
“It was in the back of her neck, Buff.” Willow said as they began to walk towards their cabin.
The two strolled through the campgrounds in silence until Buffy spoke up, “Are you ok?” she asked concerned.
“Yeah, why?” Willow didn’t understand where that question came from.
“Its just lately you’ve been… not distant but… You’re, like, occupied by something. I just want to know.”
“I’m fine.” Willow replied, her head spinning with thoughts of Tara.
“It’s just- I know you and Tara are becoming good friends and all but- I just wanted you to know that I’m still here for you. You’re my best friend and I love you.” Suddenly Buffy’s spidery senses overwhelmed her. “Willow, stop.” She said she held her friend behind her and scanned their surroundings. They were near the kitchen and mess hall now but Buffy’s feelings didn’t register simple human kids raiding for food. It was something else.
“What?!” Willow grew worried. She felt she was back in Sunnydale patrolling again with Buffy and her heart began to beat rapidly. Except for Buffy she didn’t have any weapons.
“Shhh…” Buffy stepped forward. “There’s something out there.” She voiced as she looked over to the group of trees and shrubs behind the dining hall. Her Slayer eyes tried to focus as her hearing honed in on the sound of movement.
The redhead shook her head vehemently. “No, we’re on vacation!” Willow whispered to her. “There cant be any demons here.”
Buffy didn’t reply to that. “I’ll be right back.” She said as she stepped forward.
Willow quickly reached out and held her back. “You are not going alone.”
“Will, you don’t have any weapons.” Buffy answered her knowing no matter what Willow would always back her up.
“I know.” Willow looked down to the ground and grabbed a rock the size of her fist near her tennis shoes. “I have one now.” She half smiled nervously at Buffy.
Buffy sighed at her best friend. She loved her so much. “Come on then.” She smiled.
As they snuck up silently and neared the back of the kitchen they heard a couple of low growls coming from the bushes.
“Oh god what is that?” Willow whispered as flashes of all the demons she’d encountered during the last four years ran though her mind.
“Looks like something is hungry.” Buffy said as her sense of smell registered the scent of that evenings dinner. She realized they were nearing the garbage cans and it was probably some wild animal raiding the trash rather than some demon. Although, she could think of a few demons that actually hung out in dumpsites back home.
“I’d rather they be fasting. Fasting is good.” Willow tightened her grip around the rock.
Buffy relaxed as she chuckled lightly. “It’s probably a coyote. Or a bear.” She mentioned as she turned around to Willow. She realized that last thought was not a very pleasant one. Last time she fought a bear was certainly not a fond memory.
“No, it’s not.” Willow warbled as soon as Buffy turned to her, a look of pure horror spread across her face. “DEMON!” she shouted as she pointed at it with her rockless hand.
Buffy had no time to react as a large, scabrous demon emerged from the bushes and whacked the Slayer from behind. His power sent Buffy flying, falling a few feet from Willow who watched her crash on the ground in pain. Willow could do nothing more than throw the rock at the demon with all her force hoping Buffy would recover fast.
The rock never connected with the demon though. It hardly even reached it. ‘I should have paid more attention during archery’, she scolded herself as the demon looked at her puzzled. She was such a tiny thing compared its massive size. Its eyes were red and its mouth all distorted with a couple of teeth protruding the demons lips. Willow’s heart sank as she thought of all the ways they could rip her into shreds.
Before she was able to process another thought she felt Buffy’s arms encircle her as she threw herself on the redhead. They fell sideways to the ground as Buffy high kicked the demon back in mid air. The Slayer landed on top of Willow.
Buffy looked over her friend to make sure she was all right and noticed something on her neck, “Is that a hickey?” she asked wide eyed.
“What?! No! Buffy, this is serious. Demons!” Willow motioned with her head to the demon heading towards the girls again.
As Buffy jumped off the redhead and headed towards the demon ready for the fight, Willow quickly reached up to touch her neck. She rolled her eyes once she realized she wouldn’t be able to feel the hickey. ‘Rock, I need another rock’, she thought as she stood up and looked at the ground around her.
Buffy was in the middle of her fight with the demon, both trying hard to out do the other. Her usual quips in between punches were silenced as she tried to figure out a way to beat this thing. It was too strong.
Willow grabbed another rock from the ground and waited for a clear shot. It never came. Buffy and the demon were too close to each other for her. She was afraid she’d hit Buffy instead of the demon and that would not be very cool. She tried to think of spells she could use but couldn’t remember any that didn’t end up with a fire, and accidentally burning Buffy was not good either. She hated feeling so useless and powerless.
Buffy thought she was finally getting the upper hand in the scuffle as the demon punched her with a right hook that sent her to the ground. He stood over her and suddenly disappeared from her line of sight. It had been knocked to the ground after a rock connected with the side of its face.
Buffy looked over to see Willow beaming. “Thanks, Will.”
“Sure, it was nothing.” She said nonchalantly even though she was bursting with pride inside.
Buffy quickly stood up and waited for the demon to rise. But it never did. It wasn’t even moving.
“What’s wrong?” Willow asked.
“I think you killed it.” Buffy said as she tapped the demon with her feet, still alert that this all might be just a ploy. She studied it a few seconds more and reached over to snap its neck just in case. “It’s deader.” She announced.
“Do you think it had a heart attack?” Willow wondered aloud as she neared them.
“Maybe. I don’t know.” Buffy scratched her head. “Maybe you David-ed it.” Willow’s puzzled look let Buffy know she didn’t understand what she was saying. “David and Goliath? The rock…”
“Oh.” Willow nodded. “Except I’m a girl and all.” Buffy nodded. “Should we bury it? It wont go all poof like vampires, will it?”
“No. But memorize its features so we can research it later.” Buffy mentioned as she grabbed one the demons arms and began to pull it towards the trees.
Willow helped her drag the demon. “Why me?”
“Cause you’re the one with the photogenic memory.”
“Photographic.” Willow corrected.
“That’s what I said.” Buffy answered back with a roll of her eyes and a smile on her face.
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TBC....