The Fallen Slayer {1}

The Unsettling Return

Liz had left quicker than Buffy would have liked, and while she stated it was to get back to Caroline, she had a feeling that wasn't quite the case. If the silent exchange between Jenna and Liz had been enough to go off.

For the first time in almost a decade, Buffy stepped over the threshold of the Gilbert home, her body immediately tensing at the sight of photos filling every corner and every wall.

Photos of Aunt Miranda and Uncle Grayson. Photos of her mother and photos of her as a child with her cousins.

At one point seeing the images would have relaxed her nerves but now it just filled her with dread. Dread that had been slowly growing since the second Liz had driven over the town line into Mystic Falls.
Her body was screaming at her to run and she couldn't tell if it was her mind panicking or if it was Supernatural Slayer screaming.

Standing in this house made everything seem so real. Her mother was really gone and her father didn't give a damn about her. 

On the other hand, just being in this town had that familiar supernatural dread filling her gut. Sunnydale had seemed so normal and it had ended up being a Hellmouth. Mystic Falls may seem like nothing more than a sweet safe town, but she also knew for a fact that there was a demon bar run by Willy the Snitch's cousin just a half hour out of town. 

The Powers That Be had a habit of making sure she ended up in places with a Supernatural need for a Slayer. L.A., Sunnydale, and Williamsburg had been highly populated with vampires.

The feeling in her gut was screaming at her that something was going to go wrong and it would probably lead to Mr. Pointy being more active than ever.

Dropping her duffle and suitcase on the floor, Buffy awkwardly cleared her throat intent on asking where she could sleep however she was interrupted by two arms wrapping around her pulling her into a tight embrace.

As Jenna had done, Elena had thrown herself at the blonde, holding onto her so tightly. It was like she was scared that the second she let go, Buffy would disappear from existence.

It really sucked that despite the fact she was a year older she was still the shortest.

Forcing her body to un-tense, Buffy tapped Elena's back awkwardly "Hey, Elena."

"I missed you so much." Elena breathed into her neck. As she pulled back from the hug, having noticed the awkward tension she frowned in confusion. Buffy was normally so filled with life and a bubbly atmosphere but now... it was like looking at someone who had just come back from war.

Knowing now wasn't the time to pry though, her smile faded transforming into a warning glare "Don't you ever disappear like that again."

"Well, Liz confiscated my fake passport so kind of stuck..." Buffy joked only to wince as she was met with two sets of unamused eyes "Too soon?" Jenna and Elena nodded sharply "Understood. I take it I'm grounded."

Despite trying not to laugh, a small chuckle escaped Jenna's lips "Till you are 25."

"Can we compromise and say two weeks?"

"21."

"Till I'm 18?"

Jenna snorted "Deal."

Her jaw which was now suffering under the fake work smile that Buffy had perfected, was luckily saved by the arrival of Jeremy Gilbert walking in through the front door with the extra set of bedding Jenna had sent him out to buy.
At the sight of his big cousin, the bags slipped out of his hands, hitting the ground with a light thud. 

Silence spread for a few moments before Jeremy shocked Elena and Jenna by pulling Buffy into a tight hug "Man you run fast." 

At his reference to her running away after the funeral, Buffy smirked slightly as she hugged him back "I have run from cops too often for my liking." Hearing Jenna clear her throat, Buffy snickered slightly before pulling back from the hug.

Jeremy just rolled his eyes before grinning down at his cousin "They have been driving me crazy. No more running unless you take me with you."

"But you always hog the radio." Buffy pouted in a teasing tone causing him to shove her shoulder with a laugh.

The action caused both Elena and Jenna to once again stare.

Jeremy hadn't laughed since their parents had died.

"Cause you listen to music like you're stuck on a time loop in 1995!" He argued playfully, moving straight past her, heading up the stairs purposely ignoring the offended look on her face at his burn.