Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta’d by the wonderful Marella916. Banner by the lovely and talented nmcil12.

After a spectacular defeat at the end of NFA, resulting in all life in this dimension ending, the Powers have decided to give the dimension one more chance. They decide our favorite blonde vampire is just the guy for the job. Numbed from recent events Spike thinks they've gone barmy, he's not a hero but the Powers insist. What's a souled vamp to do when he is sent back in time?
 
Just a warning: This is an AU spuffy story. BUT Buffy is only 16 when this starts so the spuffy lovin' while it will happen won't be for awhile. There will be briefly Bangel. I don't mind Angel, but I do not like the pairing of Buffy/Angel but it is necessary to the plot. I have rated this M for now for adult language, eventually there will be smut but like I said it won't happen right away so try to be patient. I hope you enjoy what I have done with the characters. I have used certain elements of the show, certain bad guys and even some dialog.

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Authors Note:

I feel the need to share my thoughts when I was writing Buffy for this story.

I don’t want anyone to hate Buffy. I don’t hate her. There were times on the show when I actively disliked her but I never hated her. I don’t hate her here either. I feel sorry for her and that was what I had wanted everyone reading to feel also.

Before season 1 Buffy was an average girl living in California. Her biggest concern was wearing the right clothes, snagging the right boy and having cool friends. In one short moment her entire life was upended. All the things she had were taken from her. She lost her friends, her family imploded; she was thought to be crazy and sent away. The nice safe world she thought she lived in was gone. Nightmares were actually real and some boring old British guy told her she was a warrior.

Buffy blamed everything that fell apart in her life on slaying. In a way she was right. Everything changed from that moment on and not always in a good way. When she arrived in Sunnydale she told Giles she wasn’t the slayer. She said she didn’t want anything to do with slaying. I used the dialog from the episode Welcome to the Hellmouth in that scene in my story.

This Buffy is desperately trying to hang on to that old life, trying to recapture it by turning her back on her destiny. In her mind if she can do that maybe things will go back to the way they used to be. A small part of her even thinks she can get her family back together again. It doesn’t make sense to us adults but I’ve found that children rarely make sense to us once we age, especially children of divorce. We mature and realize you can’t go back to that time of innocence.

As we saw many times on the show when Buffy is confused or emotionally overwhelmed she runs. It isn’t a very mature attitude but as we’ve also seen Joss doesn’t really let Buffy mature much and when he does Joss usually yanks her backwards all too quickly.

The last chapter I posted (chapter 7) had Buffy leaving with Angel after a confrontation with Giles and Spike. It really was too much information at one time. The only other person who seemed to share her feelings of disbelief was Angel. Latching on to that seemed like a fairly normal reaction for most people.

Did she intend to leave with Angel? No. She did hear what Giles said about him but it will take her a while to process it. There will be a discussion between Buffy and Angel on that very subject. Like in canon Angel has insinuated himself into her life. He will be there for quite a while too. Again like in canon Angel’s treatment of Buffy will be confusing. He encouraged her to slay at the same time telling her to have a normal life. It was the reason he gave in season 3 for leaving her.

While everyone else in the story is not pushing her to slay Angel is. But he shares her thoughts, made in ignorance, about Spike and his role in Sunnydale. Both Buffy and Angel are stubborn, rarely admitting when they are wrong and too proud to go and demand clarification at this point.
The roles are reversed here. Spike is the one who wants her to have a normal life while Angel wants her to pick up her mantle of slayer. The differences between the two vampires are numerous as we all know. But Spike is honestly trying to give Buffy what she has always said she wanted a normal life. It is breaking his heart to do it but he will. He loves her enough to let the dream go of the two of them together to make her happy.

That means though he, for his own self preservation, is staying as far away from Buffy as possible. Thereby giving Angel the opportunity to move in on Buffy. Again Spike thinks this is what Buffy has always wanted a life with Angel by her side.

While Angel is pushing Buffy to slay he is the only one who agrees with her. She was taught as we all were that vampires, werewolves and other creatures are evil. It is in literature, movies, TV and Buffy was told by her first watcher too. If they weren’t evil and needing to be destroyed why would the world need a slayer? It makes perfect sense to her that Spike might be evil and up to no good no one has really told her otherwise or given her an explanation. Not that she has hung around long enough to hear one even if it was offered.

Yes Angel is also a vampire. He may not have been entirely forthcoming about that and other facts; he at least made his presence known to her. Spike is avoiding her for his own reasons and that makes Buffy distrust him. Even without all the facts.

That’s all I have to offer right now. I hope it clears things up a bit for everyone. Eventually I hope to be a better writer that these thoughts will come through in my writing.

Thanks for reading, Gina

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Buffy spent the next few days trying to figure out how the world got so confusing. Her life had gotten turned upside down in one brief moment. Merrick had taken her average California life style and in one sentence destroyed her every dream. Fairy tale monsters were real and she had been chosen to fight them with the added bonus of dying young. At first she thought he was just some creepy old guy who belonged in a mental institution. But later that night she realized he might be telling her the truth when she broken the doorknob to her bedroom door twisting it too hard. Cutting classes the next morning, she hopped on a bus and went to the address he had given her. Things started to go down hill from there. Phone calls from the school about missed assignments and classes, the torn, bloody clothes, sneaking into the house after a late patrol sparked huge arguments between her parents. Soon her dad was spending nights in his office instead of coming home. People she had been friends with since elementary school ostracized her.  Burning down the gymnasium had been the worst though. When she tried to explain why she had set fire to the building her parents had her in an institution the very next day.

Weeks of begging and pleading with her mom and dad got her no where. Finally Buffy had told the doctors that she had burned down the building in a desperate plea for attention. The conversation two nights after she had been released had shattered her world. Her parents were getting divorced and her, her mom and Dawn were moving. Because of her stay in the hospital the authorities weren’t going to press charges but she had been expelled from the Los Angeles School system. Dawn had been furious, she had to leave all her friends behind because Buffy wasn’t allowed back in school and they had to move to a town that was willing to let her attend school.  

Buffy had pleaded and begged, even offering to go to private school. Hank Summers had refused. His cutting remarks that he would not throw away good money on a private school for his juvenile delinquent daughter had Buffy running to her room in tears.

Joyce had tried to put a good spin on things when they arrived in Sunnydale. “You know, I think we can make it work here. I've got my positive energy flowing... I'm gonna get the Gallery on its feet... It's hard. New town and everything... It is for me, too. I'm trying to make it work. We’re going to make it work. You're a good girl, Buffy; you just fell in with the wrong crowd. But that is all behind us now.”

Looking at her mom’s hopeful face Buffy made a promise that this time she would be a good daughter. She couldn’t disappoint her mom or her sister and that meant no more slaying. Being the slayer had caused all these problems for everyone in her family. Besides Giles had just told her that he had others fighting the vamps, so really, was a slayer all that important? Besides, how much good could one girl do against all the demons in the world?

Tossing and turning Buffy struggled to fall asleep. Reminding herself that losing this burden and getting back to normal was everything she had wished for. There had been nights in the clinic, when she was scared and alone that she had hoped she would wake from this nightmare. Buffy knew it wasn’t a bad dream, a hallucination or anything else that people tell themselves when they learn the truth of the world. It was real, painfully real but Giles words assuring her that others had picked up the fight in her absence gave her hope that she could leave this all behind her.

I didn’t ask for this... And they did. They want to fight chose it willingly and I didn’t I was chosen and no one asked me if I wanted to be. So I should just let them. Right?
 
For some reason the words rang hollow.
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Patrol was relatively easy that night, so easy that Spike had time to spar with both Xander and Willow. While he took it easy on the red head he didn’t hold back much with the boy. “We’ll start working with weapons soon. I’m thinking a cross bow for Willow and a sword for you.”

Willow and Xander both shrugged, “Sounds good to me.” Xander replied. Not finding much to fight they called it a night.

At the Bronze a girl is screaming while a vampire is advancing on Cordelia. He leans over to bite her and Xander comes up behind the vampire. With a quick motion he pulls the vamp off of Cordelia. “May I cut in?”

Bashing the vampire’s head into the pool table, he turns him around punching him in the gut and the face. Grabbing a pool cue he slams it over his knee snapping it in two. Leaning down he rams the makeshift stake into its heart turning him to dust. “You alright?”

“Thanks to you.” Cordelia looks appraisingly at him.

“You’re drooling.”

“Huh?”

“Xander you’re drooling.” Willow poked her sleepy best friend.

Xander shook his head as he woke up.

“You’ve got a little…” Willow points to the corner of her mouth. Xander quickly wipes the drool off hoping no one has seen him.

Dr. Gregory is speaking as he turns the lights on the slide show ending. “Their ancestors were here long before we were. Their progeny will be here long after we are gone, the simple and ubiquitous ant. If you read the homework you should know the two ways that ants communicate.”

Dr. Gregory has been making his way through the rows of desks, he stops next to Xander.  “Miss Summers.”

“Uh, ways that ants communicate.”

“Yes.”

“With other ants.”

“From the homework.”

“Um, I ….”

Willow raises her hand. “Miss Rosenberg?”

“Touch and smell.”

“Very good. Alright, chapters six through eight by tomorrow people.” He said over the commotion of the students rushing out the door.

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Xander and Willow were enjoying their night off from patrolling at the Bronze. Standing at the bar waiting for their drinks he overheard Blayne and Trevor comparing numbers. “Seven, including Cheryl. I’ll tell you though her sister was lookin’ to make it eight!”

“Ooo, Cheryl’s sister? The one in college?”

“Home for the holidays and lookin’ for love. Not my type though, girls really gotta have something to go with me.”

“Something like a lobotomy?” Xander commented with a smirk.

“So Harris how many times you score?”

“Well uh, I hate to kiss and tell.”

“It’s just a question.” The two boys started snickering and Xander walked away making his way back to the table where Willow is waiting. Throwing his arm around the shoulder of his best friend he put her drink down on the table.

“Xander?”

“Play along okay? Blayne had the nerve to question my manliness.”

“You’re manly! Very manly! Blayne would probably scream and run if a vamp jumped out at him.”

“Thanks Wills, it’s not like I can tell him that though.”

“Yeah, you gotta point. But you and I know how manly you are.”

“Who’s that over there?” Xander points to a tall dark haired man standing under the stairs.

“Kinda looks like that vamp Giles told us about. Is he talking to Buffy?”

“Looks like, think we should find out what’s up?” Xander took his arm off Willow and checked his pockets for a weapon.

Willow shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. It looks like they’re just talking. See he gave her his jacket.” Xander just grunted his dislike in response.

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Xander walked into the library the next morning to catch up with Giles about last night’s patrol. “Morning. Guess what I just heard in the office? No Dr. Gregory today. Ergo, those of us who blew off our science homework aren’t as dumb as we look.”

“What happened is he sick?” the redhead asked looking up from the book she was engrossed in.

“Don’t know Wills, just heard he was missing.”

“I’ll have Spike look into it. You two should head off to class.” Giles said as he eyed the two teens over his glasses.

“Okay Giles see you later.” As they were making their way into the hall a beautiful woman stepped out in front of them. “Could you help me?”

“Uh, yeah, I mean yes!” Xander blurted out straightening up.

“I’m looking for Science Room 109.”

“Oh, I um I go there every day.” He stammered.

Blayne heard the hot teacher asking that loser Xander directions and interrupted. “Hi, Blayne Mall. I’m going there right now. It’s not far from the varsity field where I took All-City last year.”

“Oh, thank you Blayne. I’m the substitute teacher today. Miss Natalie French.” She smiled as she laced her arm through his and the headed off down the hallway.

“It’s funny how the earth never opens up and swallows you whole when you want it to.” Xander mumbled dejectedly.

“It’s okay Xander. Let’s go.” Willow laces her arm through Xander’s and they follow behind Blayne and Miss French.

Just as they stepped into the classroom Willow noticed something on the floor and stooped down to pick it up.

“What’s that?” Xander whispered.

“Dr. Gregory’s glasses.” She said looking puzzled. But before she could say anything else Miss French started class.

“My name is Natalie French and I will be substituting for Dr. Gregory.”

Willow raised her hand, “Do you know when he is coming back?”

Looking at the seating chart on the desk Miss French answered, “No Willow. They just call and tell me where they want me. Okay let’s get started. I believe Dr. Gregory was in the middle of insect life.” Picking up a plastic box displaying a preserved praying mantis she continued “The praying mantis is a fascinating creature. Forced to live alone. Can anyone tell me why?”

From the back of the room someone piped up “The words bug-ugly spring to mind.”

“There is nothing ugly about these unique creatures.” She said eyeing the box affectionately. “The reason they live alone is because their cannibals.”

There was a combined “Ewww” from the class.

“Oh, well, it’s hardly their fault. It’s the way nature designed them: noble, solitary and prolific. Over 1800 species worldwide, and in nearly all of them the female is larger and more aggressive than the male.”

“Nothing wrong with an aggressive female.” Blayne joked.

Picking up the text book she began to make her way around the classroom. She made a point to stop next to the desk of each of the male students as she read. “The California Mantis lays her eggs, then finds a mate to fertilize them. Once he’s played his part, she covers the eggs in a protective sack and attaches it to a leaf or twig out of danger. Now, if she’s done her job correctly, in a few months she’ll have several hundred offspring.” Reaching her desk once more, she places the book on the desk. “You know, we should make some model egg sacks for the science fair. Who would like to help me do that after school.” All the boys raise their hands. “Good!”

“I wonder what she sees in me? It’s probably the quiet good looks coupled with a certain smoky magnetism.” Xander wondered out loud.

“Xander what are you talking about?” Willow gaped at him. Here they were standing in the lunch line and he was still fawning over the substitute teacher.

“Miss French. You are probably a bit too young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man.” He said puffing out his chest a little.

Willowrolled her eyes without comment as she placed some food on Xander’s tray. They were making their way over to the utensils when Cordelia, Buffy and the rest of the Cordettes came marching in. Cordelia bumped into Xander and Willow as she pushed her way past them. Buffy hung back a little bit away from the rest of the group.

“Excuse you! Watch where you’re going!” Ignoring their protests she marched up to the lunch ladies waving a piece of paper in their face. “Medically prescribed lunch. My doctor ships it daily. I’ll only be here as long as I can hold my breath.” She quipped while she opened the door to the refrigerator. As the body tumbled out at her she screamed. Willow and Xander both jumped forward to see the lifeless, headless, form of their teacher lying on the linoleum floor.

Cordelia was still screaming as she backed away. “His head. Oh, my God where’s his head?!”

Willow and Xander exchange glances and after the commotion died down they rushed to the library, Buffy following close behind them. After relaying the facts to Giles Willow started to shake. “Who would wanna hurt Dr. Gregory?”

“He didn’t have any enemies on the staff that I’m aware of. He was a civilized man, I quite liked him.”

“We’ll find them and stop them okay Willow?” Xander patted her on the shoulder trying to comfort the girl.