Who Are You? - Chapter 11 (Buffy/Nick)
Title: Watcher & Slayer
Author: Lisa
Status: 11/100
Chapter List: Previous Chapters
Rating: PG
Fandom: BtVS/CSI
Character(s) and/or Pairing(s): Buffy/Nick Stokes
Genre: Drama/Action
Summary: There were about five in regards to recent maulings’. All had occurred around the full moon. Werewolf.
Challenge: Prompt #085: Watcher. Written for tth100
Spoilers: All seasons of Buffy and CSI are used.
Disclaimer: Supernatural and all related characters are copyright of Eric Kripke & The CW. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all related characters are copyright of Joss Whedon & ME.
Distribution: Not without permission from myself.
AN: Thanks to Ava for pointing out bad clichés and confusing sentences and various other missteps and mistakes. Any left are my own. xoxo
White painted picnic benches were scattered around the outskirts of the parking lot and various vehicles filled the rows of spaces. Families with baskets full of food and arms laden with beach accessories dispersed down the paths of Las Vegas Bay in the Lake Mead National Area. Their children squealed with delight, excited to be spending time with their parents and giddy with the anticipation of splashing in the water.
Buffy sat hunched over one of the benches. Her golden hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, exposing the razor back style of the plum-colored v-neck tank that covered her upper body; allowing the sun to bake her skin back to its normal tan. Her legs, covered in a pair of black-cropped yoga style pants, bounced to the beat of Coldplay that was coming through her iPod.
A thick manila folder lay open in front of her. Numerous newspaper clippings in different sizes were attached together with a lone clip. The top headline read, “Another Victim Mauled in Lake Mead.”
It had been two months since the Carlson case had ended. Since then, Buffy had spent all of her free time doing research. The luxury of having a Watcher and friends, along with rooms full of ancient texts to help answer questions was no longer at her disposal. Researching was now up to her and it wasn’t as easy as Giles and Willow had made it look and it totally lacked the sugary donuts that Xander had loved to bring.
Every morning she’d go for her morning jog and on her way home she picked up various newspapers at the corner store by her house. Sifting through each one with a pot of coffee had quickly become part of her morning routine. Anything that looked even remotely supernatural was cut out and placed in a folder. Most of the time there was only one article that referenced a murder, but there were about five in regards to the mauled victim’s. All had occurred around the full moon. Werewolf.
Buffy’s cell vibrated, jittering across the table, snatching it up she glanced at the caller I.D. With a groan she debated on whether she should answer. Giles had been calling her since she got to Vegas and so far she had done a good job on keeping contact to a limited amount of calls. Her face scrunched up and she pulled out the ear buds before she flipped the phone open.
“Hey Giles.”
~*~
Nick pulled his black CSI issued Tahoe into the parking lot. Another victim had been found, mauled to death. Catherine was the lead and she’d called thirty minutes earlier requesting him at the scene. He’d been in the middle of a touch football game with his recreational league team. They’d been up only by a touchdown and the opposing team was making its final drive down the field, twenty yards to go to the end zone. He felt like an ass for leaving his team in limbo, but he assumed the boys by now were use to his sporadic schedule.
Parking in one of the few free spaces left, Nick pulled the directions he jotted down out of the center console. All the forensic evidence had canine lupus DNA except for the semen found in all two victims, which was human, unknown. If it hadn’t been for that, the case would’ve been passed onto the Park Rangers. Still with no suspects the DNA was useless.
In the last few months there seemed to be more weird cases then the normal Las Vegas weird.
~*~
Buffy had tried to wrap the phone conversation for a few minutes now, but Giles was bent on discovering what she’d been up to.
Giles’ British voice filled her ear as he spoke. “What are you up to today?”
“Well…” Pausing, she wondered what cover story to use that would sound both plausible and would still be easy to remember later when Giles would inevitably ask how her afternoon went.
With her lower lip tucked between her teeth she brushed her bangs to the side. Life was quickly reverting back to High School, when keeping secrets was a full-time job from those close to her. It used to be Giles who was the person that had been her rock, the keeper of her secrets and destiny. Now it was just she. It was kind of ironic how the Whistler had been right all along.
“Buffy.”
Snapping back to reality Buffy stared at the parking lot. Her scan stopped on a familiar face and she stifled a gasp.
“Buffy?” The voice was more urgent, persisting now.
“Sorry. I… I was just flagging down my friend.” The lie was out of her mouth before she could stop. Wincing she continued, “I’m uh… hanging out with a friend at Lake Mead.”
His sigh of relief was audible and she steadied herself for the conversation that she’d been avoiding.
“I’ve… we’ve been worried about you. You never call or return our messages. None of us understand why you chose to move.”
Standing she moved around the table and leaned against the bench, an arm folded over her chest. “Giles, I just needed a fresh start.” That wasn’t too far from the truth.
“I… I’m trying to understand, but why that dreadful city?”
Buffy kept her gaze on Nick Stokes and watched him cautiously as he turned around to face her, recognition washed over his features. He lifted his hand and waved at her, a smile breaking out over his mouth as she offered a small wave in return.
“Giles, I like it here. I can just be… be me.” And by me I mean the Slayer, she kept that part to herself. Before she could elaborate Nick was making his way over to her. “Listen, my… my friend is here. I need to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
Closing her phone she reached her hand behind her, flipping the file closed and shoved it into her open pack back.
“Mr. Stokes.”
Nick winced at the formality. He hadn’t been expecting to see the blonde again and it was a pleasant surprise. She seemed to be in better spirits, her face didn’t have such a tawny pallor like she had when he’d first met her.
“Please, it’s Nick.” Looking past her shoulder he spotted the backpack with a pink water bottle clasped to the front zipper. “Hiking?”
The familiar bout of nerves that arrived whenever Nick was around settled in her stomach before it slithered through the rest of her body. The fear of him discovering the truth about her and about Mr. Carlson seemed more of a when, then if scenario and the dangers that lurked in the weirdness of her life weren’t for the ordinary.
“Yeah, figured it was about time I did the whole tourist-y thing.” Looking down she noticed the large metal case in his right hand. “I take it you aren’t here to do the whole tourist thing.” She nodded at the case.
“I wish.”
“Another mauling?” The moment it slipped past her lips she knew it was the wrong thing to say, even if he hadn’t wrinkled his brows she’d have known. “They’ve uh… been in the paper almost all this week. Front page news.” Her fingers naturally twisted together while she tried to talk her way off the suspect list that she always knew she should more then likely be on. “Sorry, you probably aren’t allowed to share. Confidentiality and all that, shutting up now.”
The chuckle erupted from his chest and he bobbed his head. She was cute when she got nervous. “Something like that.” He remembered how much trouble he’d gotten into last time he’d over shared while on a case. It wasn’t a mistake he would make again. “I should go, but be careful.”
“Promise I won’t try to pet any snarling animals.”
~fin~
Completed: January 30, 2009
Author: Lisa
Status: 11/100
Chapter List: Previous Chapters
Rating: PG
Fandom: BtVS/CSI
Character(s) and/or Pairing(s): Buffy/Nick Stokes
Genre: Drama/Action
Summary: There were about five in regards to recent maulings’. All had occurred around the full moon. Werewolf.
Challenge: Prompt #085: Watcher. Written for tth100
Spoilers: All seasons of Buffy and CSI are used.
Disclaimer: Supernatural and all related characters are copyright of Eric Kripke & The CW. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all related characters are copyright of Joss Whedon & ME.
Distribution: Not without permission from myself.
AN: Thanks to Ava for pointing out bad clichés and confusing sentences and various other missteps and mistakes. Any left are my own. xoxo
White painted picnic benches were scattered around the outskirts of the parking lot and various vehicles filled the rows of spaces. Families with baskets full of food and arms laden with beach accessories dispersed down the paths of Las Vegas Bay in the Lake Mead National Area. Their children squealed with delight, excited to be spending time with their parents and giddy with the anticipation of splashing in the water.
Buffy sat hunched over one of the benches. Her golden hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, exposing the razor back style of the plum-colored v-neck tank that covered her upper body; allowing the sun to bake her skin back to its normal tan. Her legs, covered in a pair of black-cropped yoga style pants, bounced to the beat of Coldplay that was coming through her iPod.
A thick manila folder lay open in front of her. Numerous newspaper clippings in different sizes were attached together with a lone clip. The top headline read, “Another Victim Mauled in Lake Mead.”
It had been two months since the Carlson case had ended. Since then, Buffy had spent all of her free time doing research. The luxury of having a Watcher and friends, along with rooms full of ancient texts to help answer questions was no longer at her disposal. Researching was now up to her and it wasn’t as easy as Giles and Willow had made it look and it totally lacked the sugary donuts that Xander had loved to bring.
Every morning she’d go for her morning jog and on her way home she picked up various newspapers at the corner store by her house. Sifting through each one with a pot of coffee had quickly become part of her morning routine. Anything that looked even remotely supernatural was cut out and placed in a folder. Most of the time there was only one article that referenced a murder, but there were about five in regards to the mauled victim’s. All had occurred around the full moon. Werewolf.
Buffy’s cell vibrated, jittering across the table, snatching it up she glanced at the caller I.D. With a groan she debated on whether she should answer. Giles had been calling her since she got to Vegas and so far she had done a good job on keeping contact to a limited amount of calls. Her face scrunched up and she pulled out the ear buds before she flipped the phone open.
“Hey Giles.”
~*~
Nick pulled his black CSI issued Tahoe into the parking lot. Another victim had been found, mauled to death. Catherine was the lead and she’d called thirty minutes earlier requesting him at the scene. He’d been in the middle of a touch football game with his recreational league team. They’d been up only by a touchdown and the opposing team was making its final drive down the field, twenty yards to go to the end zone. He felt like an ass for leaving his team in limbo, but he assumed the boys by now were use to his sporadic schedule.
Parking in one of the few free spaces left, Nick pulled the directions he jotted down out of the center console. All the forensic evidence had canine lupus DNA except for the semen found in all two victims, which was human, unknown. If it hadn’t been for that, the case would’ve been passed onto the Park Rangers. Still with no suspects the DNA was useless.
In the last few months there seemed to be more weird cases then the normal Las Vegas weird.
~*~
Buffy had tried to wrap the phone conversation for a few minutes now, but Giles was bent on discovering what she’d been up to.
Giles’ British voice filled her ear as he spoke. “What are you up to today?”
“Well…” Pausing, she wondered what cover story to use that would sound both plausible and would still be easy to remember later when Giles would inevitably ask how her afternoon went.
With her lower lip tucked between her teeth she brushed her bangs to the side. Life was quickly reverting back to High School, when keeping secrets was a full-time job from those close to her. It used to be Giles who was the person that had been her rock, the keeper of her secrets and destiny. Now it was just she. It was kind of ironic how the Whistler had been right all along.
“Buffy.”
Snapping back to reality Buffy stared at the parking lot. Her scan stopped on a familiar face and she stifled a gasp.
“Buffy?” The voice was more urgent, persisting now.
“Sorry. I… I was just flagging down my friend.” The lie was out of her mouth before she could stop. Wincing she continued, “I’m uh… hanging out with a friend at Lake Mead.”
His sigh of relief was audible and she steadied herself for the conversation that she’d been avoiding.
“I’ve… we’ve been worried about you. You never call or return our messages. None of us understand why you chose to move.”
Standing she moved around the table and leaned against the bench, an arm folded over her chest. “Giles, I just needed a fresh start.” That wasn’t too far from the truth.
“I… I’m trying to understand, but why that dreadful city?”
Buffy kept her gaze on Nick Stokes and watched him cautiously as he turned around to face her, recognition washed over his features. He lifted his hand and waved at her, a smile breaking out over his mouth as she offered a small wave in return.
“Giles, I like it here. I can just be… be me.” And by me I mean the Slayer, she kept that part to herself. Before she could elaborate Nick was making his way over to her. “Listen, my… my friend is here. I need to go. I’ll talk to you later.”
Closing her phone she reached her hand behind her, flipping the file closed and shoved it into her open pack back.
“Mr. Stokes.”
Nick winced at the formality. He hadn’t been expecting to see the blonde again and it was a pleasant surprise. She seemed to be in better spirits, her face didn’t have such a tawny pallor like she had when he’d first met her.
“Please, it’s Nick.” Looking past her shoulder he spotted the backpack with a pink water bottle clasped to the front zipper. “Hiking?”
The familiar bout of nerves that arrived whenever Nick was around settled in her stomach before it slithered through the rest of her body. The fear of him discovering the truth about her and about Mr. Carlson seemed more of a when, then if scenario and the dangers that lurked in the weirdness of her life weren’t for the ordinary.
“Yeah, figured it was about time I did the whole tourist-y thing.” Looking down she noticed the large metal case in his right hand. “I take it you aren’t here to do the whole tourist thing.” She nodded at the case.
“I wish.”
“Another mauling?” The moment it slipped past her lips she knew it was the wrong thing to say, even if he hadn’t wrinkled his brows she’d have known. “They’ve uh… been in the paper almost all this week. Front page news.” Her fingers naturally twisted together while she tried to talk her way off the suspect list that she always knew she should more then likely be on. “Sorry, you probably aren’t allowed to share. Confidentiality and all that, shutting up now.”
The chuckle erupted from his chest and he bobbed his head. She was cute when she got nervous. “Something like that.” He remembered how much trouble he’d gotten into last time he’d over shared while on a case. It wasn’t a mistake he would make again. “I should go, but be careful.”
“Promise I won’t try to pet any snarling animals.”
~fin~
Completed: January 30, 2009