Title: Slayer
Author: Hungsta
Series: #4 in Strangers (still haven't gotten a better name)
disclaimer etc in "Strangers"

"What have you done to me Slayer??"

Since the last time he had come across the Slayer, Spike had become extremely confused. He had been wandering aimlessly all over LA, turning the occasional victim of his bloodlust, hoping he could build a large enough force to destroy the Slayer once and for all. Anything to get her off his mind. Though he would never admit it to himself, he also did it so that he could have Buffy dead and out of his life without having to ever come in contact with her, because he wasn't sure his resolve would be as strong if they came face to face.

But if she didn't get to those few that he turned, he soon staked them himself. It seemed everything annoyed Spike since Buffy had walked back into his life, and minions could be the most annoying of all. "Master, how do you do this? How do you do that? How do I kill someone?? Where do vampires come from?" Spike mimicked as a five-year-old would have sounded.

"Damn minions, can't do anything for themselves, have to bloody hold their hands through everything don't I? Bloody well would ask me to kill their victims for them if they weren't such stupid sods." Grumbling, fists in pockets, Spike walked towards a nearby pub, he had a certain bottle of scotch with his name on it there, maybe even several.

"Now. We can do this the easy way," *Punch*

"Or we could do it the hard way," *Kick*

"Personally, I'm hoping you'll pick the hard way. It makes my job so much more fun," *Kick to the head*

Buffy pinned the vampire by the neck to the ground where he fell, "Which one of you creeps is killing those girls?"

"I'm not telling you anything Slayer,"

"Ohh, I was hoping you'd say that," Buffy said with a purely evil grin.

"Now what do I have here? Oh look, it's holy water. Now what do you get when you cross a vampire and holy-water…?"

"Slayer stop! I'll talk!" the vamp chocked out before the Slayer could do any harm.

"Gosh, that didn't take much," Buffy said pouting, "Spoil my fun."

"Look the new Master, they-they, gave orders, 'Kill anyone that looks like the Slayer,' that's what they told us, and-and that's it, I swear I don't know anything else," the vampire pleaded, eyes glued to the glass vial of holy water in Buffy's hand.

"What? These murders are directed at me?"

"They-they, said it was a warning."

"A warning!! What happened to notes? Or even the horses head in the bed?"

"I-I'm sorry Slayer, that's what they-they told us."

"And WHO are "They"?" Buffy hissed getting angry.

"I…I…," the vampire started, but seeing two fellow vampire arriving at that moment, grew some backbone, "I'm not telling you anything Slayer."

"You said that already brainy-act. You're seriously getting on my nerves now. I think…" Buffy didn't continue seeing as a huge vampire grabbed her from behind.

"That's…not…playing fair," Buffy said through gasps, and head-butted the vampire with the back of her head. The vamp stumbled, and loosened his grip enough so that Buffy could get free. Seeing an oncoming attack from the female vampire, Buffy reached for her stake concealed in her boot, and threw it straight into the vamps heart.

"Now hulk, it's your turn," Buffy quipped punching the big vamp in the stomach a few times, kicked him in the head or good measure and followed through by staking him.

Buffy watched the ashes fall, then turning, "Okay where we?" but found that at some point during Buffy's fight, the wimpy vampire had made his escape.

"Damn it!"

"Buffy! Phone!" Buffy's father yelled out from the kitchen.

"Got it dad!" Buffy yelled back, grabbed the cordless, and went to her room.

"Hello?"

"Buffy, I'm glad I caught you."

"Oh Giles, it's you. Yeah well, I was just on my way out the door to patrol, what is it? Got any more news that could make this weekend suckier? Is the world goin' straight to hell in the next, oh, hour or so? 'Cause that's usually the only reason why you would call me twice in a space of twenty four hours," Buffy said testily.

"Ah-ah Buffy, I am sincerely sorry about earlier, I hadn't meant to-to…"

"Look it's all right Giles. I'm sorry, I'm miss grumpy pants today, can you blame me? Anyway what the news?"

"Your anger is justified Buffy. I-I have called with some more news to the prophecy."

"Ohh goody," Buffy replied sarcastically.

"Y-yes, well, there's a part after the one I told you about yesterday, I-I think it relates to it. "One of the Chosen, shall give way for the path of the New, One of Darkness, shall lead the path to the light," as you know, that's the earlier part I told you of before, and the new part we've translated says, "What was Once, Shall no longer be, What was Once thought impossible, shall be again."

"And you think it's part of the same prophecy?"

"I-I think so. You see, they are both…"

"It's all right Giles, you don't have to tell me all the logistics, I believe you."

"Ah yes,…how was p-patrol last night?" Giles asked cautiously.

"I found out a little more about the killings, and got a really sore neck for my troubles," Buffy tried to lighten the mood a little before she went silent.

"What is it Buffy?" Giles asked concerned.

"They're… the killings…they're directed at me. It's a warning… all those girls Giles, girls I couldn't save, and it was because of me." Buffy choked out before starting to cry for the first time since she first heard the prophecy.

"No Buffy, don't blame yourself please," "It's hard not to," Buffy answered quietly.

Taking on the quiet understanding tone Giles had come to use when Buffy was down, "You're duty Buffy…It is a heavy burden, but please don't punish yourself for those you can't save, you have, on a number of occasions, helped a countless number of people. Those are the ones you think of in trying times, those are the ones who you remember. You shall always have me as well as the others to turn to, always. You're never alone Buffy. "

After a long pause, Buffy pulled herself together, "You know what Giles? You should've become a shrink or something, you missed your calling…You really helped," Buffy told him quietly.

"Good night Buffy. Be well, and keep yourself safe."

"Night Giles."

Note: THAT WAS SO SOPPY!! Hehe, sorry 'bout that, I just thought Giles had to, at some point in this series, give Buffy one of his famous fatherly talks, could you almost hear the Full house music in the background? =0P