The Fallen Slayer {1}

Blood Ties

If there was one thing in this world, Buffy Anne Summers dreaded more than the Apocalypse, it was her birthday. 

Her upcoming 20th birthday was no different. 

Given her past experiences with bad birthdays, she was skeptical. 

15. Her parents had been arguing so much and the literal next day she had been called as the Slayer.

16. Her first Watcher had been murdered right in front of her.

17. Angel lost his soul, leading to months of hell with Angelus.

18. The Council's ritual, of drugging the current Slayer and locking her in a room with a vampire, completely powerless. A ritual that had almost killed Buffy and Jeremy.

19. Giles had been turned into a demon and Buffy had almost killed him.

It was safe to say, her birthday sucked!

So understandably her birthday was not Buffy's favorite subject.

Yet still, her friends tried. 

And while she loved them for it, she would rather play it safe. 

"No." She told Willow who was intent on throwing her a party "Look, I get Elena and Jeremy wanna make we the merry tomorrow by with everything that's going on..."

"This is exactly what you need." Willow argued optimistically with a huge smile on her face "A 20th birthday party with presents, funny hats, and those candles that don't blow out. Those used to scare me."

Sighing, Buffy leaned her elbows against the table in the center of The Magic Box. 

Despite how much fun Willow made it sound, with everything going on right now, it just didn't feel right to celebrate her birthday "I just don't think this is the best time to break out the party piñata. We need to stay focused if we're gonna find a way to stop Glory." She argued before glancing down at her watch.

Her eyes then lingered at the entrance to the store, waiting for that familiar bell to go off.

"We're goin' up against a God." Xander reminded Buffy, redrawing her attention off the door which she had been watching intently "An actual mightier-than-thou God."

Stopping in his words, Xander couldn't help but frown as he spotted Buffy's attention again float over to the entrance. Almost like she was waiting for something...or someone. 

"You waiting on something Buff? Expecting troll number 2 to come on running?"

Stifling a smile at his joke, Buffy hesitated slightly, she was pretty sure that he wasn't going to like her answer "Well actually..."

Before she could warn her friends of what she was waiting for, the sound of the store bell went off, drawing everyone's attention. 

Entering the store was the one and only Damon Salvatore.

At the sight of the ridiculously handsome vampire, Xander's eyes as well as everyone else's widened in shock before they all spun around to stare at Buffy, who had shrunk into her seat nervously.