Quiet.

That was definitely the keyword in the morning. At least around this house it had to be.

Buffy Summers slowly tip-toed down the stairs, carefully putting her book bag over her shoulder, she pulled her hair into a simple ponytail, just like every other morning.

She wore nothing fantastic, just a pair of baggy blue jeans and a sweatshirt.

Just like every other day.

But this was different. Today was different. She would be starting her junior year at Sunnydale High, the school she was now forced to go to.

She’d moved to Sunnydale just a week or so ago…right after…the incident.

As Buffy started walking down the hallway, she stopped dead in her tracks when Darla, her aunt stepped out from the kitchen.

Guess she wasn’t quiet enough.

“Buffy,” Darla started with a slight smile, anything but friendly. “We expect you home right after school. We don’t want you wandering all over town.”

Buffy wanted to scream at the woman. They had been doing this to her since she arrived here: keeping her inside except for when she absolutely had to go out. They didn’t want news spreading around that they didn’t treat their niece with the care that guardians should.

But she couldn’t scream, because then they would get angry.

And man, did she hate it when they got angry.

Buffy had been sent there to live with her aunt and uncle after ‘the incident’ left her without her mother. Her father had refused to take her in, so Darla had suggested they do it.

Not because they loved her.

Heck no. They drank the most out of anyone she knew, and Buffy didn’t even believe someone could mistake them for having souls.

No, the courts had offered to help support Buffy since Angelus’ and Darla’s part-time jobs didn’t cover all the expenses needed.

And of course they wouldn’t use the money for her.
Buffy nodded toward her aunt and quickly stepped out into the bright morning sun. There had never been a time that she wanted it to rain more than she did now. It was terrible to have the rest of the world happy when you were torn up inside.

It wasn’t that far of a walk to the school, so Buffy arrived when there was still a good twenty minutes before the bell rang.

Hugging her arms over her chest shyly, she started toward the school. As she was walking, she couldn’t help but notice all the different people around her. Her eyes locked on a tree near the school where a bunch of jocks and cheerleaders sat.

She remembered those days: when she was popular, head cheerleader, not a care in the world.

She would give anything to have that back.


Spike Giles stood under the shaded area near the school, laughing and joking along with his friends. This group was where he had belonged since he was in junior high. His friends, Riley, Parker, Owen, and Gunn stood near him while the cheerleaders, Cordelia, Harmony, Amy, and a few others sat talking among themselves.

Spike let his gaze travel over the campus, the campus he and his friends practically owned.

Suddenly, he jerked his eyes back toward a blonde girl that was quickly making her way toward the door. She was obviously new.

As he watched her some more, he had to admit she was pretty. Of course it was hard to tell the way she hid behind baggy clothes and pulled her hair up like that.

“Who’s the new geek?” Cordelia asked as she followed his gaze.

Suddenly Spike remembered his place. He couldn’t be thinking girls like that were pretty. “Like we should care?” He asked her with a raised eyebrow.


Willow Rosenberg stood with Alexander Harris near the front of the school. “Hey, new girl,” Willow said as she put her long hair behind her ears.

As Buffy was about to enter the school, Xander stepped out in front of her. “Xander,” he said suddenly, causing her to jump. “…is me,” he finished awkwardly.

“Oh, um…Buffy,” she said, making no attempt to shake his hand or leave her tensed state.

“Willow,” Willow said cheerfully, grabbing her bag as the three walked in. Buffy kept her eyes glued on the floor as more people piled into the school. “So, um, you’re awfully quiet,” Willow commented shyly.

“You new?”

Buffy looked over at Xander and nodded. “Used to live in LA,” she informed them.

“Wow, really? What brought you to this small hellhole?” He asked with a smile. Buffy just looked up sharply.

“Nothing…I just…I had to move. No big deal,” she suddenly snapped.

“Okay, the past is obviously a touchy subject for someone,” a strange voice said from behind her.

“Parker, back off,” Willow said with more strength than she’d ever used in her voice before.

Parker just smirked as the rest of the jocks and cheerleaders stood around him. “Hey, I’m just stating the obvious,” he replied.

Buffy turned to walk away, not wanting to be here, but Riley’s hand shot out, and grabbed her shoulder. It wasn’t a harsh touch, it wasn’t even supposed to be forceful, but for some reason Buffy cringed and jerked her shoulder away.

Spike noticed this and immediately pulled Riley back. “Leave her alone. She’s not even worth it,” Spike said, only in an attempt to get them to back off. They were obviously in unwanted territory here.

Buffy sent a glare his way and just started backing away, until she finally turned around and walked toward the office to get her schedule.



It was some time later and Buffy had been sent to the library for books.

“Buffy?” The librarian asked with a confused look.

“Giles?” Buffy set her book bag on the table and went forward to give the man a hug. “Oh my gosh…it’s been like three years!”

It was easy to see that the presense of the familiar man was taking away all the stress from earlier.

“Yes. It was when I bought that painting from your mother’s gallery in LA,” he said with a smile and then regretted it as Buffy’s face fell at the mention of her mother. “By the way, I’m terribly sorry about your mother and sister.”

Buffy immediately blinked her tears away and smiled. “No big. But um, I need some books.”

Giles knew she was just avoiding the topic, but he didn’t press it further.



“Buffy!” Willow almost screeched as she saw the blonde enter the classroom. Nodding in greeting, Buffy took a seat beside her. “You took off earlier, we didn’t have a chance to invite you to The Bronze tonight.”

“The what-a?” Buffy’s eyebrow shot up.

“It’s the only club worth going to around here. Xand and I go all the time.”

“Oh…I c-can’t. Um, Darla’s making me stay in to help her tonight,” Buffy lied.

“Darla?” Xander had sat down beside them and looked confused.

“M-my aunt,” Buffy replied looking down. “I live with her and my uncle.”

“Oh,” Will and Xand replied and the same time, not wanting to ask about why she wasn’t with her parents.

The bell rang and Buffy groaned when the platinum blonde from earlier strolled in and took the only available seat: next to her.

“Don’t want to be here anymore than you want me ‘ere, pet,” Spike assured her

Rolling her eyes Buffy raised her hand when the teacher called her name off role.

“William Giles,” the teacher called out and the blond groaned.

“Name’s Spike, for the millionth bloody time,” he almost yelled.

‘Giles!?’ Buffy’s head screamed. There was no way he was related to the sweet man from the library. The thought alone almost made Buffy laugh, but she almost found it impossible to laugh anymore.


The rest of the day had gone by quickly and without any more confrontations from Spike and his gang. But Buffy had had to stay after in her last class for some information and knew she was going to be late.


And just as she predicted, Buffy arrived home forty-five minutes late. As she slowly opened her front door, she was surprised when it was jerked open and an angry-looking Angelus stood with an almost empty beer bottle. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her wrist, pulled her in and slammed the door shut. He pushed her away roughly.

Buffy knew that what she went through with her aunt and uncle wasn’t intentional…they didn’t mean to hurt her when they did. They were drunk, and it’s not like they hit her, just pulled her too roughly sometimes.

Or, at least this is how she justified it to herself. “Where were you?”

He didn’t want an answer; she knew that. Answering him would make the situation worse. Without another word, he pushed past her and into the kitchen and she hurriedly made her way up the stairs.

Only two more years. That’s all, and then she could go. She’d be 18 and things would be fine again.

As long as she could make it through without having anymore deaths on her hands.

(It's really not what you think. lol. Review for next chapter.)


A/N: Hehe…so, lots of unanswered questions, I know. This is just a little bit of background, and I’ll fill in the missing pieces in my next chapter. Tell me what you think. Continue? No?





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