The Fallen Slayer {1}

Only Love Can Hurt Like This

WHITMORE, VIRGINIA

The second she stepped out of the car, Buffy was accosted by two familiar faces.

She should have known that Stefan and Damon wouldn't just take her brush-off back at the mansion.

Cockroaches!

They just wouldn't leave her alone.

Groaning as she spotted the two brothers they had abandoned back in Mystic Falls standing on either side of her, Buffy let out an annoyed huff before turning to her friend "I'll meet you inside Bex."

Rebekah snorted as she started walking toward the entrance of the student hall that was being used to host the senior pre-graduation dance "If you kill them, make sure to hide their bodies off campus. I'll get our drinks."

"You rock!"

"I know, love!"

As Rebekah vanished into the building, Buffy shifted her focus back to the two brothers. The second Stefan offered her his arm, Buffy pushed past him only for Stefan and Damon to follow her, forcibly looping their arms through hers.

Now stuck in the middle of a Salvatore sandwich, Buffy growled "Let me make myself clear boys. Remove your arms, or I'll do it for you." She was already a little round-up after both Elijah and Klaus had been talking about her demonic shift, plus she had that stupid voice in her head. The one that was stubbornly holding on despite currently being near finally vanishing as the waterfall of blood in her mind grew higher and higher.

While it was in his nature to shoot a snarky comment in her direction, Damon gulped as he spotted those terrifying familiar black eyes focused on his face.

Instantly he stepped back.

"She's all yours Stef." Demon Buffy hadn't really laid a hand on Stefan in a violent way other than mid-breakdown when Stefan had pushed her emotional buttons. For Damon though, Demon Buffy had literally tortured him and caved his skill in.

He did not doubt that she would remove his arm.

Given he knew for a fact she had sliced Katherine's finger off, he wasn't exactly willing to see if he could grow back an arm after it had been viciously ripped off him by a crazed demon in a sparkly pink dress.

With Damon moving to just walk alongside her, Buffy glanced at Stefan who still had his arm looped through hers.

A part of her watched him closely as he continued to guide her toward the building, not once moving to release his hold on her.

"You're still touching me."

Stefan just grinned down at her "I promised Sandra a photo of us for her scrapbook."

Stefan knew exactly what he was doing by mentioning that name. Despite having given birth two months ago, today was technically Buffy's due date, so Sandra had been calling for updates. He had told her the baby had been born early but there had been some complications so Buffy was on bed rest.

When he had mentioned the dance, she had demanded a photo given that she didn't have one of Buffy's senior prom or graduation.


The familiar name caused Buffy to freeze her, her feet coming to an abrupt halt just before they could enter the building.

Sandra.

There was a slight flutter in her chest at the name, her green eyes wavering with a longing emotion for just a split second as how much she missed the motherly embrace Sandra offered her floated through Buffy's mind.

But it was just for a split second before she shut it back down.

Yet that second was all that Stefan needed. It was proof that the part of her she was trying to bury wanted to come back. Avoiding Bonnie, freezing up at the mention of Sandra the closest thing she had to a mother, it was her fighting against the walls.

Plus, for a split second, she had actually gripped onto his arm. Like her body subconscious wanted to ensure that Sandra got the photos she had demanded, deep down not wanting to disappoint her.

"If it gets her off my back fine." Buffy hissed through gritted teeth as she allowed Stefan to lead her into the building only to quirk an eyebrow as she spotted the screens filling the halls leading to the main room. All of the screens were filled with projections of the senior college class. This meant there were a few of Buffy mixed in and given all of her friends were juniors, their faces were sprinkled in there too.

"Where's the disco ball?" Damon asked curiously as they slowly moved past the screens.