Disclaimer: All characters belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I am not making any money off of them.
Takes place in an Alternate Universe.
Cordelia dreams. Will Buffy and Willow help or will they oppose her in an effort to save the world.
Dark feathered wings graced the indistinct figure chained to the cavern wall. It struggled and strained to free itself, an ancient battle for the layers of dust that covered the ground everywhere save around the bound figure, stirred up by the never ending struggle to free itself. Two women she had never seen before stood beside her, one blonde, the other one red headed, both garbed in leather. Both vampires.
Two choices lay before her. To answer to her calling and slay these monsters or to assist them in freeing the chained creature. Flashes of possibility flashed before her. Both contained shadow and fire walking, destruction and a crown of iron, blood and fire. In one, dark feathered wings shattered the crown. In the other, shadow and fire crowned itself. In one, dawn rose over great destruction. In the other, the sun shed tears of blood.
She gasps and sits up in her bed, throwing the covers down, her eyes glancing back and forth. She's safe for now. The light of the early morning sun shining in, A sight she has come to cherish in the eight months since she was first called. Each new dawn a sign that she has survived another life threatening night alive and well.
Time to face the day. The challenges of school and declining popularity. She dresses and gathers her things to face the day. She speaks softly to avoid her family overhearing "Cordelia the Vampire Slayer is here. Let the minions of darkness cower in fear of me." And with that she leaves her room to face the new day.
By the time lunch rolled around, Cordelia was in no mood to deal with her empty headed followers. If they had a brain between them, they might of realized that she wasn't the same that she had been last year and taken steps to dethrone the self proclaimed Queen of Sunnydale High School. Or they might have stepped in and helped her. She snorted at the thought. If one of them helped another person without a reward, she was sure that the forces of hell would have been on vacation. She walked into the school library to check in with her Watcher and those students that had discovered her war and decided that they couldn't stand on the sidelines.
She went through them in her mind once more as she looked at them sitting around the table, those few people that she could even begin to consider real friends.
First was Wesley. Her watcher and stuffy Brit. When he had first arrived up, she thought that he belonged in an asylum going on about things everyone knew were just stories and legends. And then he had opened her eyes to the things that went bump in the night.
Next to join up was Amy. Ever since they had rescued her from her body switching mother, she had assisted with the research and her growing skills with magic.
Third in line was Liam, also called Angel. If he had wanted to, he could have been a real charmer. He had been exposed to her world when she had saved him from a nasty case of hyena possession.
Last, at least of those she liked, was Oz. He was the most recent member to join their group. An aspiring musician, he was away much of the time, but when he was there, he did what he could to help out. He had joined after he had started dating Amy.
The last of the group was that annoying souled vampire Spike that seldom showed up unless something serious was about to happen. He had been a vampire for nearly two centuries and claimed that Billy Idol had stolen his look. The one time villain had slain two slayers during his career. Fortunately he was off doing something else.
"Hey guys."
While the rest just wave back, Wesley looks up. "Um yes. How was your patrol last night, Cordelia?"
"Quiet. Didn't see a thing."
"Quite all right then. We'll meet here after you cheerleader practice for training then."
"Actually Wesley, I had a dream last night. A slayer dream."
Oz looks up, a slight change in expression the only sign of concern. Amy frowns while Liam listens intently. Wesley takes notes, only interrupting her occasionally to question her on the details.
"Two vampires? Why would these two vampires be so important?" Amy asks, one hand twisting a length of her hair.
"I don't know. Perhaps if our investigation enables us to determine whom they are, the information might give us some indiction of whether or not we should confront them or if we should endeavor to enlist their aid as allies."
"What?"
"He said if we find out who they are, we'll know if they're friends or foes." Angel interprets for the group.
"Quite right. Cordelia will patrol tonight and the rest can assist me in looking for a red headed female vampire." As the group begins scatter Wesley breaks in "Uh, Cordelia."
"Yes."
"The next time you encounter Spike, would you request his assistance in this matter?"
"Okay, I'll ask him to help."
Late afternoon on Revello Drive. A dark blue late model Toyota sedan turns the corner. It's followed by tan Land Rover. The sedan turns into 1643 where the garage door rises to let it into the windowless two car garage. The rover pulls in behind, stopping in the driveway. Giles gets out of the Rover as the garage door closes. He briskly walks to the front door, unlocks it and enters.
After entering the door closes behind the car. Xander gets out of the driver side. Closing the car door, he goes over to the door connecting to the rest of the house. Removing a set of keys from his pocket, he unlocks the door and peers into the kitchen. Xander looks around and turns on the light. He then turns and opens the car trunk. Reaching in, he helps Buffy crawl out to the trunk followed by Willow.
"You two alright?"
Buffy smirks at Willow as she replies "Nothing a meal won't fix."
Giles calls from the kitchen "Would you like the tour now or later?"
Willow calls out "We'll wait till after sunset. I've got to do the spell for the windows before Buffy and I will feel comfortable."
"Very well. I'll start unpacking the vehicles then. I'll be leaving the front door open so be careful."
"We will, Giles." Turning to Buffy, she smiles "So what are you going to do tonight?"
"I'll start scouting out the town then. I'll check up on Joyce and then run through the neighborhood."
"Be careful. There's a slayer in town."
"I know and I will, dear." They kiss softly. Afterward she yells "Hey Xander!"
"Yeah Buff." he pauses at the door into the kitchen of the house.
"You want to check out the local demon bars?"
"Sure. Anybody want anything while I'm going out?"
"See if you can find a source for blood."
"Sure thing Wills. Bye all." He turns and leaves the house.
Willow turns to Buffy and smirks. "So we're got a few hours to kill. Any ideas?"
"Yeap." She opens the rear car door and drags a giggling Willow in with her.