Three

 “Oi, midget!”

Buffy, who was slumbering on her French assignment, shot up like a startled meerkat. When Abby the current Slayer slipped into the seat across from her, Buffy grimaced and pouted.

She made it no secret she disliked Abby, not that Abby had done anything beyond tease her since their first meeting and treat her like a kid. Actually, that was enough for Buffy to not like the Slayer. And perhaps, just perhaps, there might be some jealousy and resentment issues involved with her dislike but that wasn’t the point at all—the point was that Buffy didn’t like Abby because always made it a point to tease her. (Not that Robin never teased her, but she had known Robin since she was seven, so it was obviously very different). And Spike didn’t help the matter: he had acknowledged Abby as the Slayer, the pretty Slayer, while Buffy wasn’t even fit to bite! It was so unfair. And Abby wasn’t that pretty either! The elder Slayer’s eyes were too wide set and she never had full control of her hair, which was dark, thick, and usually spilling out of a loose braid that gave her the look of someone who just rolled out of bed.

Abby snatched the book Buffy was supposed to be reading and looked at the cover.

“Hey, give that back!” Buffy nearly leapt onto the table trying to grab it back, but Abby only turned away. “Don’t lose the spot!”

“Hmmm….Le chat est sur la chaise…ah, le singe est sur la branche?” laughed Abby, “Seriously? Whenever are you gonna need to know how to say that? Blimey Buffy, at least they should punish you with stuff that’s useful, yeah?”

Buffy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Give it back, Abby.”

 “I heard about your little adventure, Buffy,” said Abby, still flipping through the book, “Takes guts to go out there like that. And stupidity. But I’m sure Tweed United ‘ere gave you the full brunt of the ‘you’re stupid speech’ already.” (Buffy rolled her eyes, again). “But you got lucky, didn’t ya? Got yourself a fang-baby.”

“What do you want?” Buffy grumbled, “I’ve got work to do, you know.”

“Pfft…work…” Abby muttered disdainfully, “Been what? A week now? Thought you woulda imploded by now.”

“I’m obviously a lot stronger than that,” said Buffy coldly, “And really, Abby, are you here to just annoy me?”

“Yea,” Abby answered with a wide, sarcastic grin, “S’what I live for, to annoy the Buff. Nothin’ better else to do. No, doofus, thought ya might want to get some ice cream with me.”

Buffy gave her questioning look. “Are you serious? You know I’m like…grounded for a couple of months, right?”

Abby shrugged. “Yeah I do, but that’s a moot point, ‘cause I found this awesome place just ten minutes run from ‘ere,” said Abby in a conspiratorial whisper, leaning in, “How ‘bout we go, enjoy the sun and get some sugar into our system? Georgie is asleep. Giles is out and Lydia is dealin’ with the coven. We can sneak out and have ourselves a bit o’ fun!”

Buffy frowned suspiciously at elder Slayer. Abby was the one slayer she has ever had the most contact with but they weren’t close, at all. “Because you and me are best pals?” asked Buffy dryly.

Abby smiled, undeterred by Buffy’s hostility. “Better late than never, right? I’ve got free time now, so sound good?”

“You’re trying to get me in trouble, aren’t you?” asked Buffy with sudden realization. At Abby’s raised brow, she added, “Well, more trouble. Besides, we never go out for stuff before! I don’t like you, remember?”

“There is that,” Abby mumbled seriously, “Oh well, thought since you’re a real field-experienced Slayer now, we might trade stories, show our battle scars and the like. You know…there has never been two Slayers at once before. This a unique chance, yeah?”

That got Buffy’s attention—to be considered, finally, to be peer to the Slayer. Bonding, with the Slayer, even if it was Abby.

“You really aren’t getting me into trouble?”

“Can’t promise no trouble,” said Abby, shrugging, “We are sneakin’ you out after all. But I’m not conspirin’ against you.”

Buffy gave Abby a long, wary look. Oh how she wanted to go! And ice cream sounded like the Holy Grail at the moment, and getting away from the musty old library would be just beyond fantastic. But it was Abby, who had patted Buffy on the head on their first meeting, called her cute and nicknamed her midget. There had been no acknowledging of a fellow Slayer going on there at all. “Why are you even asking? It’s not like you cared before.”

“Suppose I haven’t. Was just getting the hang of being the Slayer, so I was suuuper busy…” Abby paused and gave Buffy a lingering look. If Buffy looked more carefully and without childish dislike, she might have seen the softness in the elder Slayer’s expression. “Might be a good idea to now. Like I said, this is a unique opportunity. We’re like sisters in this messed up sisterhood.”

“You’re not my sister,” said Buffy petulantly.

“No, I suppose not,” Abby murmured, “But I’m all you’ve got, Buff.”

Buffy frowned and hesitated, wanting to refute that point. But she only looked down at her book, glaring at the French cats and monkeys. There was no way she could go on with her assignments after Abby’s offer. Plus, the sugar ban from Irma had her craving sweets like…someone who craved sweets a lot—gosh, her brain was turning into mush from too much studying…

That was it. She wanted out. “Okay. I’ll go.”

Abby grinned, happily. “Good choice, midge. C’mon.”

*

Mobe’s Iced Cream Parlour

Everything about the small ice cream place was quirky—the artsy paper cups, the small translucent spoons with names of famous British poets on them, and the décor looked like some hastily put together modern art gallery. It was a popular joint, packed and noisy when Abby and Buffy arrived, and they waited a good ten minutes before they could see the ice cream displays.

Buffy, more or less, felt like a kid in a very strange and intimidating candy shop. There were so many other obviously-not-Watchers people, so many other kids around her age, laughing, talking, eating and whining. Nearest to her was a young girl about her age. She smiled at Buffy in some girl-solidarity sort of way that she was not used to, but Buffy returned a sunny smile in return. From her experience, big smiles always made things better and were, nine out of ten times, the best way to respond.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little jittery and out of place. It shouldn’t have felt like she was stepping into an unfamiliar world—it wasn’t like the Watchers kept her locked up inside the Estate (not counting the recent punishment). She went out all the time with a Watcher or two escorting her, especially for her birthdays. Helga took her to all sorts of places, like magic shops and coven meetings, though Buffy thought the latter was the epitome of boring. Robin would sometimes allow her to come with him when he’s hanging out with his friends, and her aunt and uncle would take her all over the U.S whenever she was allowed to visit them.

The only difference was that she had permission then—this was sneaking out, and not even to slay or work or learn, but sneaking out to get ice cream. And to do it right after the whole sneaking out fiasco from just last week was probably not very smart. A little voice in her mind told her it was very bad idea and that she would be grounded for life, but it was drowned out by another voice screaming for ice cream. Besides, it was kinda exciting.

When they finally came to the glass display case, Buffy couldn’t contain her giggles as she read the weird ice cream names. Brain Butter. Jellyfish Java. Poached Eggs n’ Sherry. Hemp Hangover. They were so silly and sounded very, well, yuck. Were they even edible? A glance around the shop told her it was, as no one seemed like they were about to throw up or drop dead.

“What’s hemp?” Buffy asked Abby.

“It’s a type of a very useful plant,” the elder Slayer answered, “S’the straight lace cousin of a much more fun plant.”

One of the employees looked up and smirked at Abby. “Well, you two, what would you like?”

“Buff, what would you like?” asked Abby, “I’m payin’, so don’t go quadruple scoop on me.”

“Can I go triple?” asked Buffy, smiling sweetly up at her. It struck Abby how sly the girl was with her manipulative cuteness and smiles. No wonder Giles and Lydia didn’t have her fully reigned in.

“Only if you can finish it.”

“Which I so can! Well, I dunno what any of this is supposed to taste like…”

“You can sample,” said their server, an agreeable looking young man whose name tag announced that he was ‘Gio’, “And I agree, the names are very intimidating.”

“They also sound really gross,” Buffy added enthusiastically, “Can I try Brain Butter?”

Buffy tried fifteen out of the sixteen flavors (worm meal sounded too gross to even try, though their server insisted it did not have real worms in it), providing colorful commentary on each of the names and flavors. Their server seemed more than happy to oblige the little girl, and was completely taken by Buffy’s sprightliness, especially when Buffy gushed about how divine ‘honey bunny’ tasted. Abby grinned affectionately at Buffy’s enthusiasm, and patiently waited as she surveyed all of Mobe’s famous flavors. Finally, the little Slayer decided on chocolate cocoa masquerade, vanilla vice village, and honey bunny. Abby got herself her scoops of chocolate cocoa masquerade and red hot chili butter, and paid for the both of them.

The two Slayers set off towards the nearest park, happily snacking on their sugary purchases. Buffy briefly made a game of eating her three flavors, trying to get different combinations of flavor into one scoop of her spoon while trying not to repeat flavor combinations. The previous distrust and dislike she had for the elder Slayer seemed to have disappeared—and all it took was some ice cream, which led to Abby concluding that a spoonful of sugar did help smooth things out. Or that Buffy Summers was easily won over when presented with sweet things.

“I can get six combinations!” Buffy declared finally. She looked up Abby with a bright smile, “Six combinations of ice cream with three flavors.”

Abby grinned, “That’s good to know, midge. You can count.”

“It’s more than counting!” Buffy insisted, “It requires remembering because you don’t wanna repeated combinations, and problem solving skills.”

“I’ll take your world for it,” said Abby, “I’m not good with numbers.” She paused and looked down at Buffy, who was now mixing all her flavors together. “Buffy, how was your first slaying?”

Buffy looked up at Abby in surprised at the question. “Um…”

“Yeah, not the best segue eh?” said Abby with an awkward smile, “I had this whole speech in my head ‘bout slayin’ that was s’pposed to lead into that question all subtle like.”

“Is that why you bought me ice cream?” Buffy asked curiously, “To ask me about my slaying?”

“Darn, you figured out my dastardly plan,” Abby exclaimed with mock anger, making Buffy giggle. “I’d like know, from one Slayer to another, yeh know.”

Buffy nodded in understanding, but she hesitated with her answer, mostly since she hadn’t actually slain any vampires, and this constant lying to everyone was grating on her a bit. She really needed to talk to Lydia about doing something different.

“It was…fine,” she answered with a shrug, “You know. Found an ugly vamp, and put a stake through his heart.” Almost.

Abby laughed. “I’m impressed, you make it sound so easy. I remember my first time. Just six months ago. Scared outta my skin, I was. S’the only thing I remember, the fear I mean. I even forgot I had super powers even after I dusted the first one.”

Buffy took in Abby’s words thoughtfully. She had never considered before how it might feel to be suddenly called like most Slayers were. Buffy grew up knowing what she was; demons, prophecies and vampires were as normal to her as Sesame Street and birthday parties were to non-slayer kids. It only struck her then how frightening and confusing it must be for a newly called Slayer, to have her entire world turned upside down, to go from being just a girl to being the Girl to fight Evil. She looked up at the elder Slayer with renewed sympathy.

“Well, I guess…I grew up with super powers, so I was used to it…” said Buffy shrugging, “Kinda like Clark Kent you know. Except I’m human and he’s an alien…and he can fly.”

“Is that why you aren’t in school with other kids?” asked Abby, a small frown on her face.

Buffy shrugged again. “Maybe. I know I broke more things than I should have. I mean, I wouldn’t have fit in at school! I’m a Slayer so I hafta be taught like a Slayer.”

“Even Superman went to school,” said Abby, “Aren’t you kinda…sad about it?”

Buffy looked up Abby, puzzled. “Sad? Why would I be?”

“That you don’t go to school with other kids. Don’t have friends your age?”

Buffy blinked; the thought was completely new to her. She realized that she didn’t have any friends her age, maybe except for her cousin Celia who she only saw maybe two or three months a year. She wondered if it should bother her.

“I…dunno,” she answered slowly, “Never thought about it.”

“That’s kind a lonely, don’t you think?”

“Lonely? No…not really. I’ve Giles and Lydia, and Robin and the whole building of Watchers who really can’t leave me alone. I think I get too much attention sometimes. Also, I visit Aunt Darlene, Uncle Robert and my cousin Celia in Los Angeles. And Giles and Lydia keeps me super busy anyways. And I’m always training. And Lydia tells me that I learn a lot more with the tutors than at schools.”

“Getting attention isn’t the same as not being lonely, Buffy,” said Abby, who looked sincerely concerned, “And school’s not just about book learning, y’know. Aren’t you even curious about what other kids do?”

“But other kids aren’t like me,” Buffy replied earnestly, “I’m a Slayer, I’ve got superpowers. I’ve got responsibilities that they don’t. ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ and all that.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “I think you spend way too much time with Robin, midge.”

Buffy giggled. “Robin says I’m like Superman more than Spiderman. Other Slayers are like Spiderman.”

“I like Batman,” said Abby, “I think I’ll be Batman to your Superman. Though I suppose Spiderman would be more accurate of a comparison.”

Buffy noted Abby’s preference with a serious nod. “Batman does have a cooler costume. Why don’t Slayers get costumes anyways? We’re the real superheroes. Robin said he can design one for Slayers.”

Abby laughed and shook her head. “I’ll pass, thank you.”

“I dunno. He suggested a cape. I like capes.”

“They’re a hazard, y’know. If I were fightin’ Superman, I’d stick his cape into an airplane turbine and watch him get torn to pieces. I bet that’ll kill him.”

Buffy made face, “Why would you want to kill Superman? He’s the good guy.”

Abby shrugged, “I dunno. He’s kinda bland. And like I said, the cape—stupid.”

“I still think capes can be cool,” Buffy insisted, “Maybe we can get the Witches to enchant it so that when a vampire touches it, they get burned or something. A cape of flames! That would be really cool!”

Abby grinned at the small Slayer, and looked down at her melting ice cream. Buffy was done with hers.

“I’m feelin’ a bit peckish. Want to go to a chippy?”

“Don’t you think I should get back?” asked Buffy concernedly, “They might know I’ve gone.”

“Just get a bit of chips and I’ll get you back,” said Abby, “How’s that sound? I need to eat before I go on patrol tonight.”

“Okay,” said Buffy, nodding, “I’d like some too.”

*

Buffy had never expected to like Abby as much as she did, not that, if she were being perfectly honest, Abby had done anything to deserve Buffy’s dislike. Whatever prejudices she had about the elder Slayer were undone that day, and all it took was weirdly named ice cream flavors. Abby still teased her, but it wasn’t anything mean-spirited, and Buffy sensed that she was genuine about treating her as an equal Slayer. Besides, it was so nice to be acknowledged as a full-fledged Slayer, especially by another one. That just made it more legit.

Their orders of the haddock and chips came fresh and piping hot from the fryer, at which point Buffy forgot all about going back to the Estate before anyone noticed her gone. She was already in trouble anyways, what were a few more weeks of punishment? Besides, she was actually enjoying talking to Abby, who regaled her with many funny stories of herself in school or the antics of her very Romanian parents. The two of them were actually bonding, Buffy realized, and it felt pretty darn awesome.

“Oh Yearling was bloody pissed at me for tellin’ my parents without his permission,” Abby laughed, “But I couldn’t keep somethin’ like that. Probably help them more than hurt, really.”

“Were they okay with you being a Slayer?” asked Buffy.

“Yeah. Shocked at first, but now they’re super happy and supportive. God’s chosen I am, they say, so it works for them.” Abby shrugged. “As long as they’re happy I suppose. Though they still get all fussy when I have to patrol.”

At the mention of patrol, Buffy couldn’t help but let out a wistful sigh.  “I wish I can come with you on patrol. I think it’s a crime that I am not using my abilities to protect people.”

Abby raised her brows at the girl. “A crime? How’s that?”

“Think about it: for every vampire that I don’t kill, it’s like a dozen innocent people getting killed. Does that make sense?”

Abby stared at her for a moment, an inscrutable expression on her face. Then she burst out laughing, confusing poor Buffy.

“I don’t see what’s so funny,” Buffy muttered sullenly, pouting.

“No, it’s not that,” Abby said as her mirth dissipated, shaking her head “…I’m just impressed, is all. Just that…only one day on the job and you’ve already developed a savior complex.”

Buffy made a face, feeling like she was being made fun of. “What’s a savior complex?”

“Someone who likes being a hero. You might even have a superiority complex with that, which, fyi, means you think you’re better than everyone else.”

“I do not!” Buffy exclaimed hotly, “I don’t think I’m better!”

“I said ‘might’.”

“Well I don’t,” Buffy said grumpily, stabbing a mushy chip with her fingers, “And what’s wrong with wanting to save people?”

“S’not the saving, midge,” said Abby with a small smile, “It’s the desire to be the hero. Not healthy. We’re not comic books you know.”

“You mean comic book characters?”

Abby rolled her eyes, “Yes, that’s what I meant. Anyways, I was sayin’: we’re human, and we’re young and there’s stuff that’s just hard to handle.”

Buffy took a moment to process what Abby said and found she didn’t understand it one bit. She couldn’t see anything wrong with wanting to be a hero. Abby was weird sometimes. “I still don’t get it. You’re making it up, aren’t you?”

Abby let out an impatient sigh and shook her head, “No, I’m not. But it’s not important now. Food’s getting cold and I need to get goin’. Need to make pit stop at a magic shop.”

“Magic shop?” Buffy repeated, her interest suddenly piqued, “For what?”

“I’m trackin’ a demon,” Abby answered, dousing her chips with even more vinegar. Buffy was sure that by now the chips were so acidic it was toxic. “Need to pick up some ingredients to do a locator spell.”

“You can do magic?” asked Buffy, her face alight with newfound respect for Abby. “Can I help?”

“It’s not big magic, don’t have enough magic in me for the big stuff. And no, you’re not helpin’. I’m pickin’ up the ingredients and taking you back. Travers’ll kill us both if I take you huntin’. And god knows that Giles and Lydia might do.”

Buffy deflated, her lips forming a childish pout. So much for being treated as an equal.

**

The magic shop was on the way back to the Estate, so Buffy was allowed to tag along. The sun was low in the sky, and Buffy wondered, very briefly, how long she had been out with Abby and if the Watchers noticed her gone. But once the magic shop came into view, all thoughts of Giles and Lydia getting really angry at her slipped away—cause really, she figured it was too late worrying at this point. And it was still light out, so it wasn’t like they could assume she went to chase vampires, again.

 Anyways, Buffy was excited by the magic shop, and it wasn’t because she’s never been to a magic shop or been around magic, but going to a magic shop with a real purpose, especially one like getting ingredients to track and kill a demon? This was the exciting stuff, not the baffling mother earth magic Helga always seemed to be spouting.

“So what kind of demon are you hunting?” Buffy asked as she followed Abby into the shop, the bell on top of the door ringing as the stepped in. The elder Slayer halted suddenly, and Buffy ran into her.

“Ow,” Buffy muttered, irritated, and stepped around Abby, “Why’d ya—”

Buffy stopped as well, eyes widening with horror. The entire shop was trashed, shelves broken, glasses shattered and the various magic paraphernalia strewn about—all drenched with—oh god, it was blood.

Buffy clasped her hands to her mouth, the sick, iron-y scent assaulting her senses.

Blood. It was everywhere. Red, red, everywhere, painting the scene crimson.

Buffy let out small sharp cry when she recognized human body parts scattered about in the bloody chaos.

And standing proudly in the middle of the room was a hulking, gray-green creature as tall as the ceiling, with glaring mustard colored eyes and black spikes protruding all over its bent and unsightly body. Around it were half a dozen or so vampires, all in game face.

“That’s the one…” Abby said quietly, her face glazing over suddenly. She let her eyes quickly do a sweep of the massacre, and let out the smallest, tired sigh, closing her eyes and fighting the desire to hurl.

“Hello Slayer,” the demon greeted her, its voice surprisingly silky smooth, “Fancy meeting you here. And is that a little snack you’ve brought for my boys?”

 Abby didn’t answer, her face hardening with quiet rage. Buffy still had her hands over mouth, her green eyes locked on the horrible sight, unable to look away. She felt her legs go weak and fought the urge to become completely undone. She wasn’t unfamiliar with dead bodies, she wasn’t unfamiliar with gore— she was a Slayer for goodness sake! But it all been pictures, books, stories and movies, never this. Never like this.

“What Slayer, don’t have anything to say to me?” the demon taunted, “Thought my work here would elicit some sort of response from you.”

Abby’s eyes flitted momentarily to a stunned Buffy, to the slaughter, and back to the demon. Still, she said nothing.

“Or maybe you’re just at a loss for words?”

Abby let out a slow, measured breath, her dark eyes trained on the demon. “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious…” she muttered suddenly, drawing odd looks from everyone in the shop. Buffy looked up at her with bewildered eyes, wondering if Abby had gone insane from the horrific sight or if it was some sort of magical incantation. A tense, awkward moment of silence followed, with a very puzzled demon wondering the same thing as Buffy. The vampires recognized the word and merely wondered if Abby had gone insane.

The older Slayer took advantage of the momentary pause. She grabbed Buffy and pushed her towards the door, “Go!” The floor boards beneath them suddenly shot up, growing and mutating into a clawed hands that pushed the two Slayers further into the magic shop, right into the mess of vampires. Abby pulled out stake and dusted the first vampire to lunge at her.

Another vampire snatched Buffy around the middle and lifted her up. Buffy let out a yelp and elbowed her attacker, putting all her Slayer strength into the hit. The vampire let out a pained grunt and crumpled with pain, allowing Buffy to slip out of his grip, turn around and throw him a kick that sent him flying across the shop.

The other vampires paused momentarily to stare in shock at Buffy, and the demon’s focus shifted to the small girl.

“Buffy!” Abby shouted, “Catch!” Abby threw the small Slayer a stake, which Buffy deftly caught and faced the vampires in a practiced stance of an immaculate Slayer.

“What is this?” the demon exclaimed excitedly, looking between Abby and Buffy, “Is this little one a Slayer too?”

“That’s right,” snarled Abby, “She is, and she’s very well trained. Don’t underestimate her because she’s small. She’ll kick your arse back to the lowest depths of hell. So, do ya wanna risk fighting the two of us, Gellert?”

Buffy was elated by Abby’s endorsement of her capabilities, and narrowed her eyes menacingly at the vampires to show just how dangerous she was.

Unfortunately, they didn’t find her as menacing as she hoped.

“She’s kind of cute,” one of them said, “Ain’t she? Can I eat her?”

Buffy narrowed her eyes to focus on the vampire that spoke: he was so going to be the first one to dust.

Abby swallowed, looking nervously between Buffy and the vampires. For all the boasting she did for Buffy, the Slayer had no idea what Buffy was like a fight. The little girl was supposedly trained since she arrived at the Council, but that didn’t mean she could handle multiple vampires. God, this was not how the evening was supposed to end.

“How are there two of you?” Gellert the demon wondered at loud, looking at Buffy curiously, “Tiny, you are! Are Slayers grown nowadays? Are there many baby Slayers like you running about? My, the thought of it is just adorable!”

“I’ll show you what a baby Slayer can do,” Buffy spat venomously.

“She’s got bite,” Gellert said with admiration, “Pity. Oh well. Show me them. Go at’em, boys.”

The six vampires attacked, and the two Slayers sprang into action.

Abby fought expertly, with swift kicks and powerful, Slayer-classic punches. The six months she spent training with Yearling and the Council definitely showed in her style, which utilized succession of quick blows and a rapid stake to the heart. Buffy, on the other hand, performed a sort of a slippery dance; fleet-footed and small, she easily zipped between the vampires while they stumbled like idiots, obviously not used to fighting someone so small and fast.

Buffy made beeline towards the vampire who had called her cute. She leapt towards him, flying high into the air like she had springs in her sneakers, and came down on his torso, momentarily crouched on him like a little monkey. She quickly staked him and launched herself off of him before he crumbled, straight at another vampire advancing on her, using the momentum to knock him down. They tumbled together to the ground. Buffy curled herself into a ball and rolled out the fall, away from the vampire and immediately jumped up to her feet, stake still in hand.

The opponent scrambled to his, his monstrous face stunned by the acrobatic little Slayer.

“Do you think I’m cute as well?” she asked, a little smirk on her face, “Cause I gotta say, I’m finally feeling very cute.” Before the vampire could reply, Buffy dashed towards him and kicked out his legs while thrusting her stake upwards to meet his chest. A second later, the vampire exploded into dust, falling around like snow…except that it was black and yucky. Buffy coughed and rushed away from the dust cloud of vampire remains.

“Buffy!”

The little Slayer turned around to see Abby dust the last vampire. Their eyes met momentarily, and Abby gave her a little, incredulous smile.

“Color me impressed, girls!” The silky smooth voice brought the Slayers’ attention back to the demon.

Buffy and Abby both turned on Gellert the demon. Abby dropped her stake and Buffy followed suit.

Abby lunged at him, but he merely flicked his wrist and an invisible force shot the elder Slayer straight across the room. Buffy attacked from behind, aiming for one of his legs but he pretty much just punted her aside.

“Well, ladies, this has been interesting,” said Gellert, “It really has.” He turned to Abby and gave her a crusty smile. “Dear Slayer, we must have a raincheck.” His yellow eyes swiveled menacingly to Buffy. “Some very interesting things have come up I must attend to. You understand, don’t you?” He waved his claw and popped out of existence, leaving the two bewildered Slayers struggling to get back on their feet.

Abby pushed herself off the floor and rushed to Buffy, helping the smaller Slayer to her feet. “Buffy, are you okay?”

Buffy nodded, looked around dazedly, “What happened?”

“He’s gone,” Abby answered hastily, “Come on. We need to get outta here before the coppers come by.”

“But—”

“Buffy, we need to leave. We have to report this to the Council, you understand me?”

She looked around the blood-laden shop, feeling sick when she picked out individual body parts. A hand there. A leg here. A torso just there. She looked away, and nodded. “’Kay,” she answered weakly, “L-let’s go.”

Buffy took Abby’s hand, and allowed the elder Slayer to lead her out of the shop.

********

Note: I hope y’all found Abby at least likeable, since she is going to frequent the story a bit more. I’ve only given a little glance of the Slayer here of course, and there is more to come for her too in relation with Buffy. Anyways, thanks for reading!