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Buffy sat down outside of the school on a sun-warmed bench on the lawn. Giles had found some sort of prophecy today that he thought had something to do with Pike. Giles had been woken her up from an afternoon nap early this afternoon telling her she should come back to help with the research. Pike and Angel were the only ones who hadn’t shown up yet, and Angel was on his way, since he had just gotten off work. Luckily for Buffy, since that meant she got this brief reprieve to wait for Angel. Buffy wasn’t sure if she could look at a book much longer, whether it was written in English or not. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes feeling the sun’s glow on her face and simply relaxing.
She looked perfectly relaxed until her hand came up to catch the arm of her would-be-attacker. Buffy flipped the girl over her head, into the grass. The girl however was able to twist so she landed face down, twisting Buffy’s arm into a very uncomfortable position. Buffy kicked out and let go of the girl’s arm. The girl dodged the kick by rolling away and letting go of Buffy’s arm. They stood up and circled each other warily, a smile glimmering in Buffy’s eye. Each looked for the other’s weak spot and attempted to get a blow in. The only ones that connected though were the ones where a defensive blow was taken, so that arms or legs hit, getting them absolutely no where. They continued to circle each other, neither one saying a word, but Buffy was now smiling broadly. Angel walked up and watched them circle each other. He leaned against a tree, choosing to watch; neither girl paid him any mind. Finally the other girl succeeded in getting under Buffy’s guard. She used distracting blows before swiping Buffy’s feet out from under her. Buffy fell to the grass with a thud and the other girl came to stand over her.
Buffy looked up at the girl standing over her and started laughing. The girl smiled. “I see you’ve improved on yer technique,” she said. “It’s still pretty sloppy, but you’ve improved,” she said in a heavy accent, offering Buffy a hand up.
“Thanks,” Buffy said taking the proffered hand, “I still see you don’t like to improvise though.”
“Why would I need to improvise when I knew I could beat ya?” she countered.
Buffy laughed. “How have you been Kendra?” Buffy asked, walking over to stand beside Angel.
“Alright. I thought you were a vampire,” Kendra said addressing Angel.
“Oh yeah. I’ve heard that one before,” Buffy joked.
“We improved the spell that gave me my soul back. Now I’m human during the day.”
“A vampire that comes out in the day?” They nodded, while Kendra eyed the couple. “Well at least I have something I can tell me Watcher, now” Kendra said. “He was askin’ a lot o’ questions about ya. I never coulda told him the other Slayer was in love with a vampire, but it was hard answerin’ some of his questions. Now I can tell him ye’re just in love, and not worry bout explainin’ that he’s not human.”
“What are you doing here?” Angel asked.
“My Watcher sent me. He said that there was someone very powerful and evil heading towards Sunnydale. He thought you might need the help.”
“We’re already on it. We found a prophecy this afternoon. All we have at the moment is a rough translation. Something about the hunter being the hunted.”
When they got back to the library, Oz and Kendra were introduced and Giles gave the final translation of the prophecy: “He who hunts the worst in history, shall become hunted by one who he wished to kill. He shall be haunted by past and future combined, which will be his savior or the distraction which will lead to his destruction.”
“Do we know who this could be about?” Kendra asked.
“It’s probably about Pike,” Giles explained, “He’s a vampire hunter, with an agenda for killing the worst vampires in history.”
“What do ya mean, a vampire hunter?”
“There basically Slayer wanna bes, except they get paid,” Cordy said.
“Yeah, go figure. We don’t even get any benefits,” Buffy joked.
“Why do they hunt?” Kendra asked bewildered.
“Most kill vamps for money. For some, it’s personal reasons,” Buffy explained.
Giles cleared his throat noisily. “May we get back to the prophecy?”
“Oh, yes sir,” Kendra said, hanging her head a bit, at the reprimand.
“Well the first part, probably means that one of the vampires he’s been hunting on his “worst vamps” list, has come hunting him,” Willow stated.
“Really Angel,” Xander said with mock shock, “I thought you were past killing humans. I mean, just because he tried to kill you and he acts like an old beau of the Buffster, doesn’t mean you should kill him.” Angel gave Xander a withering look.
“Funny Xander,” Buffy said with humorless sarcasm.
“He told us a list of the vampires he was hunting earlier didn’t he?” Willow asked.
“Yeah, there was Luke and Darla, but they’re dead,” Buffy said.
“There was Spike,” Oz said.
“Some Khakis-toes guy,” Cordy put in.
“Kakistos,” Angel corrected. “There was also someone named Arestor.”
“So that leaves three. Spike, Kakistos, and Arestor,” Buffy said.
“Yeah, but Spike’s been in Sunnydale the last few months fighting you two, so unless he’s been hunting Pike during the day he’s out of the question,” Cordy said.
“That’s true, that leaves two, Arestor and Kakistos. Kakistos sounds familiar, but I can’t recall anyone by the name of Arestor,” Giles said.
“Arestor is an old vamp from around the Greek or the Roman times. I’m not sure. He used to be a favorite of the Master’s -“ Angel explained.
“Until he killed the slayer that the Master wanted. Yeah, yeah. We heard this story, remember Dead Boy?” Xander quipped.
“Hmm,” Giles said slightly perturbed, “Well we had better research them both until we know who were dealing with.”
“I’ll go try to find Pike before this vamp finds him. Angel why don’t you go over to Willy’s once the sun goes down to see what he knows. He’s more likely to tell you than me or Kendra,” Buffy said.
“Why not now?” Willow asked.
“Most don’t know I’m human during the day, yet. It’s better to keep it that way for now,” Angel explained.
“What about me?” Kendra asked.
“You stay here. If this vamp has been stalking Pike, he might trace him back here. I don’t want to leave the homefront unprotected.”
“And we’ll research!” Willow added.
“I’ll look for Kakistos. I think I can actually remember his name,” Cordelia said, standing up.
“I guess I’ll take Kissing Toes too then,” Xander said.
“Great, we’ll take Arestor,” Willow said, indicating her and Oz.
Buffy headed out the library doors, while the others began researching. “How did you figure out that it couldn’t be Spike?” Xander asked Cordy as they headed back into the stacks.
“Common sense.” Xander gave her a look of sheer disbelief. “What? A person can’t have fashion sense *and* common sense?”
“Well most people can, but I didn’t think you could,” Xander stated. He soon regretted his words though as Cordy gave him a look of indignation and stormed off into the shelves. “Wait! Cordy!”
“No! If that’s what you think, you can research by yourself.”
“But Cordy …”
Cordy gave him an evil glare and walked off. Xander sighed unhappily. It was going to be a long night.
Buffy arrived at the coffee shop as the setting sun began to spread red color across the sky. She had checked all the magic shops, knick-knack shops, the sporting goods store, and the ice cream shop, but she hadn’t been able to find Pike anywhere. She looked around the coffee shop; no Pike here either. Buffy walked over to pay phone and dialed the library.
“Hello,” Giles answered.
“Hey, Giles. It’s Buffy. Has Pike shown up back there?”
“No, haven’t you found him yet?”
“No. I’ve checked all the places where he might have gotten supplies. No sign of him. It’ll be dark soon, so I’ll check the graveyard on my way to the Bronze. How’s research coming?”
Buffy heard a loud exclamation in the background. “God! What is wrong with this guy’s hands?” she heard a familiar female voice say in the background.
“Sounds like it’s going pretty well,” Buffy said with a chuckle. “I’ll call back later if I don’t find him. Make sure he doesn’t double back on me.”
“Yes, well be careful,” Giles said distractedly.
“Yes mother,” Buffy joked. She could almost see him giving her a disgusted and disdainful look as she hung up the phone. She smiled to herself and she did a sweep through the cemetery. By the time she got to the Bronze it was already dark and the Bronze was packed. People in Sunnydale had learned that getting to the Bronze before sunset was safer, though most couldn’t or wouldn’t remember why, so it was always packed by the time Buffy got there. Buffy searched the crowd for Pike. She spotted him on the upper floor at a table overlooking the dance floor. At least he’d chosen a spot, where he could see anyone that came in or out, although it looked like he wasn’t paying much attention. Buffy climbed the stairs and sat down next to Pike, who was staring into his drink.
“Earth to Pike,” Buffy said. Pike looked up and almost spilled his drink, startled by her unexpected appearance.
“Hi,” Pike said.
“Hey. I’ve been looking everywhere for you-“ Buffy started.
“Good, ‘cause I’ve been wanting to talk to you,” Pike said interrupting her.
“What? Well we’ll talk later. We’ve got to get back to the library. Giles found a big prophecy this afternoon and it looks like you’re right at the center of it,” Buffy said standing up.
“A prophecy huh? Life, death, someone’s going to die type of thing?” Pike asked, remaining sitting.
“Yeah, but don’t worry. We’ve been against prophecies before and this says you might actually win, so we’re starting out ahead,” Buffy reassured him.
“But there’s a chance someone might die?” Pike persisted.
“There’s always a chance,” Buffy said, losing some of her earlier happiness.
“Then shouldn’t we talk now, in case we don’t have a chance later,” Pike reasoned. Buffy looked at him for a minute, and saw that he had no intention of leaving.
“Fine. Talk,” Buffy said warily, sitting down once again.
Pike stared into his drink for a minute before looking back up at her. “I wanted to apologize for leaving LA the way I did.”
“You were going to a funeral. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Yes, but … I hadn’t planned on leaving *you* when I left LA. I shouldn’t have sent that letter.”
“No you shouldn’t have,” Buffy said evenly, “You should have called me. That would have been the decent -“
“No,” Pike said shaking his head, “I mean I shouldn’t have sent it all. I-“
“That’s what I mean,” Buffy said quickly, fearing she knew where this was going, “When you break up with a girl you should do it face-to-face or at least by phone. But that’s looong past and looong ago forgotten. Don’t worry about it. You’re forgiven. Now can we go?”
“I’m glad I’m forgiven,” Pike said ignoring her question, “I never meant to hurt you. It was just that I hated them all so much. I wanted to track down their killers. For awhile I hunted them with such a vengeance that I didn’t want you to see that. I broke it off because I didn’t want you to see that.”
Unbeknownst to them both, Angel had entered the Bronze and had approached them, when he heard them talking and he decided it best to stay back.
Buffy fought the urge to sigh and roll her eyes. She simply didn’t feel for Pike anymore. After she had met Angel, she had practically forgotten he existed until he had shown up yesterday. Pike however, was obviously trying to express that he still had feelings for her. Buffy took a deep breath and spoke as calmly as she could. “Pike. I’m sorry, but I’m going out with Angel.”
“I know, but … I wanted you to know that it wasn’t that I stopped having feelings for you. … And … I still have feeling for you.”
“I don’t. I’m sorry, but I’m-“
“Going out with Angel, the vampire,” Pike cut her off, growing a little angry. “How can you say that anything that you could have with that *demon* can compare to what we had. That was special. How can you even think about having a relationship with that-“
“Pike!” Buffy cut him off angrily, in what was sure to be another onslaught against Angel, “I understand that you don’t like Angel, but-“
“How could I like him? He’s a vampire.”
“He has a soul.”
“Yes, but he’s still a vampire, which means he’s not human. I mean, he’s going to stay young forever and you’re going to grow old. What kind of a relationship will that be?”
Buffy looked at him for a moment, studying the face she had known so well. She shook her head and looked away from him, out at the dancing bodies below them. She let go of her hate as she realized that he couldn’t understand her love for Angel. That he was the same old Pike that continued on but never totally understood. He even reminded her a little of Xander, before Xander and Cordy had started going out. Just the thought of growing old with Angel, which thanks to Harmony she could and hoped to do, sent a wave of happiness over her. “I’m sorry Pike,” Buffy said turning back, “Our relationship ended when you sent that letter, and when I arrived in Sunnydale.”
“How can you compare what we had to any kind of a relationship you could have with him?”
She looked away. “I love him,” she said softly. Pike would have none of it though. When she turned back, he grabbed her and kissed her harshly, not wanting to let go of his dream. It was only a second before Buffy had pushed him back so hard, that he toppled over in his chair and fell to the floor. Buffy stood up angrily, all the serenity that she had been able to regain lost in an instant.
“It’s time to go,” Buffy said in a voice as cold as steel. “Giles is sure to have something by now.” Pike picked himself up off the ground and started for the stairs, not meeting her eyes. As he walked by she grabbed his arm harshly. “Take my advice,” she said in a terrible whisper, “And never do that again!”
Pike walked away hurriedly. Buffy stood trying to compose herself before hurrying down the stairs and running into the ladies room. She washed her mouth over and over, horrified at what he had done. She gripped the linoleum counter tightly and stared into the sink, until she heard the linoleum begin to creak and crack under her hands and realized it was time to go.