SUMMER NIGHTS

CHAPTER ONE




Buffy kissed her mom goodbye and slid into the passenger seat of her dad's car. Shiny, red – typical mid-life crisis transport. For the first time that she could remember, she was reluctant to spend time with her father. It would take her far away from Sunnydale and her friends and right now she needed to cling to the familiar. Nothing would ever be the same again.

She'd accepted that Angel would be leaving after the fight. She'd even managed to wish him well when they were planning the Mayor's demise. But deep inside she had an ache that just kept growing. Deep down she'd expected him to stay.




But he hadn't. He'd gazed at her with soulful eyes through the smoke that accompanied the destruction of the High School – then turned on his heel and disappeared. Her heart contracted, but somehow she managed to smile for her friends and nod and comment as if everything was fine. Would it ever be fine again?




“Buffy? Are you alright, Princess?”




"Huh?"




"Are you with me? I've been talking to you for the last five minutes – and nothing. You feeling alright?"




Buffy forced a smile on her face. Her dad wasn't the most intuitive of men, so the fact that he could see there was something wrong must mean that she was being completely deranged. Usually by this time into the trip she'd chattered on at him and gotten him to agree to take her to every mall within a fifty mile radius, her dad turning up the radio to drown out her voice.




"I'm fine, dad. Just tired. Been a bit busy. You know, graduation and all that."




Her dad shifted guiltily in his seat. "Yeah. Erm...Buffy, about that. I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'm sure your mom took lots of photos."




Buffy stared at him as if she didn't know him. Her own father didn't have any idea of the momentous happenings that she'd just lived through...barely. Why was she here, again?




"Yeah, dad. I'm sure she'll share." Obviously, her dad didn't catch the sarcasm because he just smiled and carried on talking.




"Great. Oh! I have a surprise. We're only going to my apartment for a few days then we're going on vacation. I rented a condo on the beach, just you and me, the sea, the sand and lots of time to catch up on what my girl's been doing. How does that sound?"




Hellish , Buffy thought.




"Great dad, that's...great."




The next four weeks were going to drag. Buffy hunkered lower in her seat and closed her eyes, falling back on the age old ruse of 'pretending to be asleep'.




+ + + +




The condo looked very roomy in the brochure, and Buffy was pleased to see that it appeared to match the photograph as they pulled alongside it. It had a bedroom at either end of the house separated by a living room and kitchen area, so at least she would have some measure of privacy. She'd only spent four days with her dad and already she was bored witless and seriously considering inventing a mom emergency so that she could go home. Somewhere in between last summer and this one, she'd stopped being daddy's little girl and started questioning his actions. Like how come she was always last on his list? How come everything else was always more important? And then he always tried to make it up with one huge splurge of spend, spend, spend during the summer.




It was quite sad, really. Another part of her childhood slipping away, the part where every little problem would just melt away with a hug from daddy.




"What do you think, Buffy? Nice, isn't it? Cost a pretty penny, but it's worth it to see my favourite girl smiling."




Erm...this is a grimace, not a smile. "Yeah, it's lovely. Roomy."




"Well, let's get settled in. I'll go open up, you have a walk down to the seafront if you like and I'll unload the suitcases."




Buffy eagerly did as she was told, loving the feel of the warm sand between her bare toes, snatching her hair up and twisting it to keep it off her neck. The beach was almost deserted, Buffy wandering a little way up towards the water before turning to look at the beachfront of the condo. Very pretty, she had to admit. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad after all.




"Buffy! You want to come see?"




Buffy turned to seek out her dad, who had now opened up the double doors that led to a deck, the edge gently sloping to meet the sand. She made her way back, the shoes she'd taken off swinging as she walked.




The cool interior was welcome, the tiled floor soothing her hot feet. Her dad had already deposited her bags in one of the bedrooms so Buffy started to unpack, tidying everything away behind the closet doors. The bed was made up in cool, white linen, gossamer drapes blowing gently at the open window. It even had it's own tiny bathroom off to the side, with a small sink and its own toilet. It was very chic.




Buffy wandered out to the living area, casting her eye over the plain yet clearly expensive furniture and the state of the art entertainment system. Her dad had certainly not spared any expense. It was amazing what absent-dad guilt cost to assuage these days. She mentally scolded herself. He was trying, he always did. It just seemed that he'd rather try to buy her affection than actually work for it. The shoe-buying sprees they usually went on were testament to that. Looking at him working on opening a bottle of juice, his brow furrowed in concentration, however - Buffy melted a little. He was still her dad after all, and she did believe that despite everything, he did love her.




"It's lovely, dad. Thank you." Buffy placed a kiss on her dad's cheek, coming to stand beside him at the small kitchen island. She took the drink he offered her and sipped on it, the sweet juice delicious on her tongue.




"What do you want to do today, kitten? Chill, just camp out here? Or do you want to do something manic; I think they hire out those jetskis just up the cove a little way."




"Chilling is fine by me, dad. I just want to lay out and catch some rays, read a trashy novel, eat tons of food and drink gallons of fruity nectar."




Hank Summers chuckled. He'd been worried about Buffy after a few long talks with Joyce. His ex-wife had made him think that Buffy was virtually ready for a nervous breakdown, crying and hollow-eyed but trying to hide it. But she seemed to be just the same little girl he knew and loved. Bigger, obviously, more assured. Hell, she'd be going to college in a few months. All grown up.




Hank frowned when the pager he carried on his belt buzzed insistently. He glanced at the screen and sighed. Work. Must be an emergency because he'd made it plain that he wasn't to be disturbed unless there was a real problem.




"Buffy, honey. I just have to make a phone call. Just take a look around, settle yourself in. I won't be a moment."




Buffy nodded that she would, not at all surprised that her father had yet again allowed work to intrude on their time. Because it would be work, it always was. She strolled out the open doors to the deck and sat on the steps, basking in the sun. It wasn't long before her father returned; one look at his face and she knew that she'd been too hasty in unpacking her bags.




"What is it?"




"Buffy, I'm really sorry, but I have to fly to Paris. I wouldn't do it if I didn't have to but there's a situation that only I can resolve. I'll call your mom, tell her to arrange to pick you up. I don't know how long I'll be gone, it's not fair to have you hanging around. But we'll do this again, honey. I'm so sorry."




Now that they'd got there, Buffy found that she was very much looking forward to spending time alone with her dad. And now it was being snatched away. Yeah, definitely must be her life, because it sucked beyond telling.




"It's okay dad, I understand. It's kind of a shame, this lovely place and all." Buffy suddenly had an idea. "Maybe...dad, would it be alright if I asked mom to come and join me? Instead of taking me home, maybe she could come here?"




Hank considered. He'd paid up front for the house for four weeks, somebody should get the use of it. "Sure honey, that'd be great. Could she get the time off?"




"I don't know. Erm...can I use your phone?"




Buffy dialled her mom's number at the gallery, feeling a little pang of homesickness when she heard her mother's voice answering.




"Hey mom, it's only me."




"Hello, darling. Having a good time?"




Buffy explained the situation, but by the silence at the end of the phone, it didn't seem as if her mom was keen on the idea.




"Mom?"




"Sorry, Buffy. I was just...we're really busy right now. I could maybe get away, let me see...today is Wednesday...I could get there probably Monday night? I couldn't stay long though, maybe through Thursday?"




"But dad has to leave right now, mom. Are you okay with me being here on my own until then?"




"You're a sensible girl, Buffy. And it's not like you can't take care of yourself, is it? If you're real good, I may even leave you there when I come back, pick you up later. How does that sound?"




It sounded too good to be true. Her mom finally accepting that she was an adult.




"That's great, mom. So, I can tell dad you'll be here on Monday. Oh, okay." Buffy took the phone away from her ear and handed it to her dad. "Mom says she wants a word with you."




Hank took the phone from her and walked inside, his voice echoing in the tiled living room. From the tone of her dad's voice, her mom was not pleased. Still, the deal seemed to be done because Hank walked out to sit beside her on the step, giving her a quick hug.




"Your mom said she'd call you later. I'm leaving you this phone so any problems you call me, okay?"




Buffy assured him that she would, taking the cellphone and cradling it in the hands that dangled in front of her where she sat.




"When do you have to go?"




Hank looked at his watch. "Right now, really. Got to catch my flight. You sure you'll be okay? I am sorry."




"I'll be fine. I'll just overeat and sleep until mom gets here and then it'll be lots of girly stuff. It'll be nice."




"Okay. Then I'd better run. Remember, anything – you ring my office and they'll put you in touch with me. And Buffy?"




She looked up at him, squinting at the sun. "Yeah?"




"I love you."




Buffy managed a tremulous smile. "Love you too, dad."




+ + +




She'd skipped through all of the channels that the tv had to offer, sampled every bit of food that the housekeeper had stocked up for them and even taken a sip of wine to remind herself that she really didn't like it. The sun was dipping low, casting an orange glow to the calmly rolling sea that lay in front of her viewpoint from the deck. There was a hammock slung between two uprights and Buffy lay in it and swung gently as she tried to relax. Thing was, every time she felt as though she could become boneless and empty her mind, Angel popped in to haunt her, telling her over and over that he didn't want to be with her any more. It was driving her crazy; she had to go do something.




It suddenly occurred to her that it wasn't only in Sunnydale that there was a demon problem. Maybe she'd find some well-needed relaxation from slaying the local demon population. And it would be her good deed for the day too. Singing quietly to herself, she jumped up to grab some more appropriate slaying clothes than the bikini she sported, and grabbing a few of her ever-present stakes, wandered out into the early evening throng.




No demons appeared to want to play with the Slayer despite her best attempts at looking innocent and naive, so she sat down at a cafe and ordered a frappacino and a muffin. She was about to take a less than ladylike bite of the sticky concoction when she felt a familiar tingle down her spine: a vampire, and nearby too. She eagerly scanned the crowd passing the pavement dining area, but nobody fulfilled her criteria at being an eager-to-be-deader dead demon and the tingles soon subsided.




Now she was pissed. Getting her all worked up and ready to slay then leaving a girl hanging? It just wasn't polite. Buffy drained her drink, sucking noisily on the straw, and decided to go hunt herself a vampire. Wasn't as if she had anything better to do now that her dad had ditched her. All in all, Buffy the vampire slayer was desperate to lay some stake action on the first vamp that happened her way.




Or a demon. She wasn't fussy. Anything supernatural that fell into the evildoer column would do. Multiples of both if she was honest. A chase, a hunt and a kill tonight just may get her chilled out enough to sleep without her usual nightmares intruding. Working on instinct, Buffy headed towards the shadowed area that turned out to house a long established cemetery.




She was daydreaming as she walked, her mind full of dusty vampires and melting demons falling beneath her stake as she merrily quipped and tripped away to stake another. So the huge horned demon that stood in her path went unnoticed until she collided with it and ended up in a heap at its feet. The creature opened its mouth and let out what should have been an ear-piercing shriek; instead, the noise had Buffy rolling her eyes back in her head and losing consciousness.




+ + +




Spike couldn't believe his eyes. Here he was, once again tracking Dru after one of her visions had her hightailing it away from him, and wasn't it just his luck to bump into the Slayer? Was the bird stalking him? A vamp could get paranoid about something like that, what with the Slayer turning up and Dru babbling on at him about destiny and sunshine and so forth. Made him shiver.




He'd been about to turn into the little cafe and grab himself someone to eat, maybe a perky teen with blood sweetened by chocolate milk, when he'd pulled up short, his Slaydar on full alert. Whoa. Very close, he'd almost walked right into her. Buffy Summers, large as life and about to tuck into a muffin big enough for two. He'd managed to duck back out of sight just as she'd obviously sensed him, her head shooting up and turning from side to side.




Thanking his lucky stars that he'd not swallowed down the whole bottle of bourbon he had in the Desoto and therefore his reactions weren't slowed, he turned round and headed back to the shaded area around the cemetery where he'd parked his car. He bumped into a tasty treat on the way, satisfying his rumbling belly before kicking the remains into the undergrowth. Served the silly little girl right; if she wanted to wander alone into the dark unknown she was bound to get a bite taken out of her.




He patted his stomach and smacked his lips, nodding a greeting to a Gretch demon who lumbered past him in the opposite direction. Big bugger - Spike thought as he turned to watch it. Sodding hell! There she was again. The bloody Slayer. He was convinced now that she was after him and despite the fact that neither of them had managed to see off the other in their previous meetings, he'd had enough. Tonight would see an end to the bloody thorn in his bloody side.




Spike growled, vamping out, and started off after the demon, intent on ripping out the Slayer's throat. He quickened his pace as he saw Buffy walk slap bang into the hulking demon and end up on the floor. The beast wasn't going to get to off the Slayer in his place, no, that was definitely his due. He reached the demon just as it opened its mouth and Buffy went still on the floor.




"Hey, mate! That's my Slayer you're messin' with. Now, piss off!"




The Gretch towered over Spike, his green teeth slimy with undigested food, his maw stinking of decay. Spike punched him in the chest, clutching his fist instantly as the solid demon barely moved but Spike's knuckles crunched.




"Bad move, Spike" he muttered to himself, moving away to spin-kick – but with the same result. An aching foot and no effect on the demon. Spike backed away and tried a two-footed kick to the chest and at least the creature bounced back a little this time, but the only thing that did was seem to make it enraged. It roared its displeasure and stumbled towards Spike, narrowly missing stomping the Slayer in the process.




"Hey! Watch your big feet – I told you; the Slayer is mine! "




Spike set in to punching and kicking, biting and scratching, but it was only a matter of time before the beast would crush him. He could barely see, blood running into his eyes from a cut on his forehead – and suddenly he was punching at fresh air. Where the hell had it gone?




"Are you alright? You're bleeding. You're safe now."




Spike looked up through amber eyes, convinced he was knocked out cold and hallucinating. The Slayer thought she was rescuing him?




"Yeah, love. But you're not."




Buffy gasped. A vampire! She'd just battled a pig ugly demon to save a vampire. And not just any vampire.




"Spike."




"Missed me?"







TBC