Theirry sighed and placed his head in his hands. Where was she? He looked around his large office at all the people lounging around. Ash Redfern had his long legs stretched out before him, arms crossed over his chest, head titled back slightly eyes focused on the roof. He looked totally bored and uninterested. John Quinn was a few feet away leaning against the wall one hand shoved into his jacket pocket. Beside him was Rashel Jordan his soulmate. Her tall slight body was slouched beside him arms crossed over her chest, black hair spilling over her shoulders her green eyes narrowed slightly and last of all was Gillian. She was sitting in a leather chair on the other side of Ash. Her fingers were entwined and her legs crossed over one another she to looked uninterested. Theirry tapped his watch impatiently. Can’t she ever be on time? Out of the corner of his eye he watched Ash lower his head towards the door Theirry too followed his gaze. He could hear the footsteps now, they we! re soft and in no way in a hurry. He watched the door open and a short girl step in with long black hair neatly braided and dark purple eyes. When she saw Theirry’s face she bit her lower lip.
“Sorry, I’m late…I”
“You forgot” Ash suggested helpfully.
The girl glared at him his face remained expressionless.
Theirry shook his hand. “Forget it Alitia. I want you to meet some people; these are the people you will be working with for a little while. Over here is Gillian Lennex she’s a witch. Beside her is Ash Redfern. Lamia, next is Quinn who’s a vampire and last but not least Rashel Jordan, vampire hunter or better known as the cat”. Theirry watched Alitia’s eyes widen slightly and he continued. “Alitia is Lamia but has Harman blood in her as well, she’s a strong physic and will be your newest member on your team”. Ash raised a hand.
“That’s all very nice but is there a reason why where all here?”
Theirry nodded. “I was getting to that” he paused than looked at the group around him. “I have chosen you five for a reason. There have been some strange rumors about a small town not far from here. You may have heard of some, such as it’s on some sort of Hellmouth and vampires and demons are ever present, some sort of slayer lives there and is trying to keep it under control. I want you five to go down there and report back to me on what you see. I would have sent Keller and her team down but she at the moment is looking for the forth Wild Power as you may have heard. I’m giving you two weeks. Think you’re up to it?”
Alitia crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance. What right did Theirry have to stick her on such a stupid mission she’d much rather be doing something more interesting. She looked around at her companions. Rashel was cool and her eyes were an emerald green like a cat. And her soulmate seemed cold but he too okay, good looking Alitia though. Black hair, black eyes leather jacket a little short though. Gillian was kinda quite with a short blond hair and purple eyes. Ash was another thing all together. He was long and lanky totally gorgeous with a certain ‘bad boy’ air about him. He had ash blond hair and eyes that shifted color all the time, he seemed to be constantly brooding. She reached out to him with her mind and caught a sentence.
‘God, Mare. I wish you were here with me. I miss you so-what the”
Almost instantly she felt him slam barriers down and without shifting in his seat his eyes met hers, they narrowed slightly and she withdrew quickly.
“Stay out of my mind, Witch” he hissed eyes changing color to a deep blue.
Gillian raised her head and Rashel in the front seat turned slightly around, Quinn who was driving just grinned.
They were in a five seater red convertible on there way to Sunnydale the town Theirry had assigned them to. Alitia had looked it up on the map and it wasn’t even there, some town this was going to be.
She watched Ash out of the corner of her eye, he relaxed slightly and turned
his glaring eyes away from her. Alitia shrugged, like she cared what he though
of her. In his mind she’d seen a picture of a girl. A very pretty girl, brown
hair and blue eyes she was smiling Ash had cut off the connection than. She cut
another glance at him he was back to brooding an almost dreamy look on his
hansom face. She grinned and he seemed to sense she was looking at him. He
turned around to meet her eyes and they turned hard almost straight away. She
held up her hands in a sign of peace but his glare didn’t soften, he shook his
head slightly than turned away. Alitia dropped her hands to her knees still
grinning slightly she pulled out the map from the seat beside her and opened it
up, she’d look for Sunnydale again.
Alitia and Ash walked into the school building both had annoyed expressions on their faces of having to work as a two. We really don’t get on Alitia though glancing up at him. He was wearing loose jeans and a tight black shirt a leather jacket had been casually thrown over it he looked dangerously good-looking. Mouths were already dropping open and they’d just walked in the gate. She herself had pulled on a skirt that reached just above the knees and blue shirt with an Iris on the front and a leather jacket. She turned to him.
“We have to find the principals office” he gave a slight shrug as if he couldn’t care less.
“Ask someone” Alitia frowned.
“Why don’t you” she snapped. Ash narrowed his eyes.
“Well why don’t you” they glared at each other before a voice broke in.
“Hi I’m Harmony, you look a little lost, can I show you anywhere you must be new”
Alitia noticed she was staring intensely at Ash, big surprise there. Alitia nodded.
“Hi I’m Michelle and that’s my brother” Alitia pushed her park hair out of her face. “Where looking for the principals office. Where new and-”
Harmony held up a hand. “Follow me, I’ll show you” she turned around and Ash studied her back he turned to Alitia and shrugged.
“Lets just get this over with” without waiting to see if she’d followed he followed the blond through the students. Harmony led them through a long corridor filled with students she led them to a small door against the wall and led them in.
“Okay all you have to do is tell the lady behind the desk your name and she take you to the principal” Harmony smiled and touched Ash on the arm. “I guess I’ll. See you around” Ash flashed her a dazzling smile and Harmony turned and walked out. As soon as walked out the door Alitia whirled on Ash.
“Now why did you go and do that for?” Ash looked confused and he studied her with violet eyes.
“Do what…?” Alitia rolled her eyes.
“Smile at her” he gave a short laugh.
“What was I supposed to do” Alitia shrugged.
“I don’t know. Anything but smile, she’ll be following you like a dog now” Ash frowned and opened his mouth to answer but a voice from behind the desk interrupted.
“What can I do for you” turning around Alitia stared at the lady behind the desk. She had gray hair pulled back tightly in a bun and beady little eyes behind glasses.
“I’m Michelle Jefferson and this is my brother-”
“Christopher’ Ash cut in grinning smugly “We just arrived here, I believe you have our names down already” the women behind the counter seemed to go blank for a minute than she nodded.
“Yes…so you are” Ash sat back and smirked Alitia gritted her teeth.
*That was supposed to be my job* Alitia told him mentally in annoyance Ash didn’t answer but his grin widened.
“I guess you can go in now” the women blinked a couple of times than waved a hand than returned to some paper work, the two already forgotten.
The office was small and neat. A short man in a large leather chair swiveled around as they walked in. He was bald on the top of his head and he had a nasty smile.
“Sit” he ordered they both sat. “Now what did you say your names were” he asked. Alitia answered.
“Michelle and Christopher Jefferson” he nodded studying them both.
“This is a good school, you both look like reasonability good kids…” he studied the leather jackets and short skirt and frowned “I hope…we only have a few rules here. 1) No drugs 2) No smoking 3) No trying to burn down the school 4) only one pair of earrings 5) sensible clothing and 6) No drugs” Alitia frowned.
“Wasn’t that rule number-” he glared at her and she shut-up, Ash beside her looked at the principal like he was crazy.
“I’ll assign someone to show you around’ the principal snapped pressing a button beside him. “Susan. Send up Rosenburge now’ he didn’t wait for an answer just clicked off the connection. Than turned his beady eyes to meet there’s. “So where did you say you were from?” he demanded.
“California” Alitia said and at the same time Ash said “Las Vegas”. The man looked at them for a second in suspicion his eyes narrowing slightly.
“Well we live in Las Vegas but we stayed a few weeks in California before we came here right As-Christopher” he nodded smiling brightly. God he had to be the most moodiest guy she’d ever met, five minutes ago he was brooding now he looks like his going to jump up and do the can can. Alitia thought rolling her eyes, the principal glared at her and she realised she’d rolled her eyes at a question.
“I’m seventeen” Ash was saying “Michelle here is a year younger she’s just turned sixteen” he grinned again and Alitia resisted the urge to slap him. Suddenly the door was fling open and a very flustered red head walked in wearing a old pair of jeans and a fuzzy purple jumper over her arm was a small bag, she looked adoringly babyish.
“You wanted to see me?” she said in a soft voice.
“Arrr…Willow. I’d like you to meet some people. This here is Alitia and her brother Christopher Jefferson, they’ve just moved to Sunnydale and don’t know there way around. You are now their tour guide. Christopher here is the same age, as you and you will show him where his classes are. Just for a day or two till he can get around on his own feet”
Ash groaned and slapped his head in his hands. God this school was boring, right now he was in History and studying William Shakespeare. As soon as he’d walked in the teacher had slapped down a thick book of Romeo and Juliet and had asked him to read it before next week, Christ it took him half a year to read Pride and Prejudice and she’d given him less than seven day to read this novel. Sitting a few seats away was that girl who’d showed them the principles office. The struggled to remember her name, Harmony he though triumphantly. She kept giggling and looking his way sitting beside her was a group of girls who he guessed were her friends.
The red head, which had shown him here, was sitting behind him somewhere with some blond. Alitia had gone the year below him, Ash grinned she hadn’t liked that. She was eighteen the same age as himself and was playing the part as a sixteen-year-old. No she hadn’t liked that one little bit. He wasn’t too sure about her though. She was a strong physic he noticed when she’d probed his mind and when she got angry her dark violet eyes flashed, she was inhumanly beautiful, surprise surprise. But couldn’t hold a candle to my Mary-Lynette he thought proudly. BRRRRRRRRING. The sound jerked him out of thought and the room was in a mad scramble people scooping up books and rushing towards the door to begin lunch. Ash calmly picked up his brand new book and followed the last few people out.
“Hey Christopher wait up” remembering his new name he turned around to see the red head standing behind him. “You want to sit with me and my friends I can introduce you” he shrugged.
“Sure” the girl smiled.
“Great. This is my friend Buffy. Buffy Christopher” and gave her a tight smile and held out a hand.
“Pleased to meet you” she slid her hand into his and smiled.
“Likewise. Well welcome to Sunnydale the ever exciting town where every day is like the last” she rolled her eyes but Ash wasn’t in the mood to crack a smile.
“Christopher! There you are, I was wondering where you went. You want to eat lunch with me and my friends” Ash saw Buffy and Willow exchange glances and he frowned and turned around. Harmony walked up to him and smiled. “I though you were right behind me”.
“Really? Why’d you think that for?” Ash answered dryly. Harmony frowned clearly not expecting an answer like that.
“Anyway” she went on “You want to sit with me?” Ash shifted his book to his other arm and gave a slight shake of his head.
“Not particularly” Ash answered “sitting with Willow” he jerked his head towards the girls behind him and gave Harmony an icy grin. “Maybe another time. And if you don’t mind I’d like to put away my book, your wasting precious time” without waiting for a reply he strolled past her and out the door towards his locker. He heard Buffy behind him mutter to Willow.
“I like him already”
“This is Xander and my boyfriend Oz. Xander. Oz. This is Christopher and Michelle Jefferson, there new here all the way from Las Vegas, so be nice” Willow was saying.
Ash watched Alitia look around at the four people before her. Her eyes were narrowed slightly than she shrugged to herself and smiled at them.
“Didn’t you guys bring any lunch?” Buffy asked sliding in beside Xander.
Ash took a seat opposite her Alitia sat next to Willow. He exchanged glances with Alitia, she raised her eyebrows.
“We were just going to buy it, but we changed our minds when we saw the menu was slop, slop and more slop. Right Chris” Ash nodded keeping his face blank and unreadable.
“Well you can have half my sandwich if you want” she offered.
Ash shook his head, he wasn’t to keen on human foods, but Alitia nodded and took it, she made a face at him, Ash ignored it.
“So what do you people do for fun around here?” he asked. Xander took a bite of his apple and grinned.
“Well there’s the Bronze, that’s cool. Probably nothing like the night clubs in Las Vegas, but you’d be surprised what kind of interesting people show up there right Buffy” she swallowed and glared at Xander.
“What kind of interesting people?” Alitia asked innocently, Ash almost grinned. The girl was smart.
“Well you get-” he paused under Buffy’s glare “different people. I gotta go” with that he picked up his lunch bag and hurried off. Alitia frowned.
“Okay, that was a little rude” she shrugged and bit into the sandwich.
“So what night’s the Bronze on?” Ash asked fixing his eyes at Buffy. She smiled.
“Well it’s on tonight actually” Ash grinned.
“Excellent. You going to be there” Buffy nodded.
“Sure am, so is Willow and Oz maybe Xander, his not sure yet” big loss. Ash
thought. He studied Buffy while she talked softly to Willow. There was something
about her, something that set her apart from normal humans. She was human, he
was sure of that but some sort of strength he couldn’t seem to put his finger on
it. He shrugged he’ll. Find out sooner enough.
Mary-Lynette Carter knocked on the large door and waited impatiently. The door finally opened.
“It’s about time” she snapped swinging her backpack over her shoulder. She wasn’t in the best of moods. She was tired and weary and hungry from the plane flight and had a touch of jet lag.
“Who are you?” the man at the door said. Mary-Lynette glared.
“I’m looking for Ash Redfern, Tell him Mary-Lynette is here to see him”
The man studied her. “I’m sorry Ash isn’t here at the moment. You’ll. Have to come back another time” he started to close the door and Mary-Lynette kicked it open again.
“Don’t you sorry me mister. I’ve came all the way from Blaire Creek to see him and I’m not going away” gritting her teeth she shoved past him and into the marble hall hardly noticing the elegance and huge size of it. Muttering curses under her breath and glaring hatefully at the floor she started to walk away from the man staring shell-shocked after her. Rounding a corner she banged into a tall boy with light brown hair. “Watch it Jerk” she hissed.
“Er…sorry. Are you looking for someone?” he asked quite surprised.
“Well, I was and it turns out his not even here” Mary-Lynette snapped narrowing her eyes at him.
“Can I ask who you were looking for?” Mary-Lynette started to say it was none of his business than though he might know where Ash had vanished. She smiled sweetly and the boy looked quite shocked at her change in personality.
“Ash Redfern. Do you know where he went” he grinned suddenly.
“He left yesterday. Theirry sent him to Sunnydale with a few others” Mary-Lynette threw her arms up in the air and went off in a string of curses, she’d traveled all this way to surprise him and he wasn’t even here. She kicked the wall in anger but only ended up with a saw foot. “God dam wall” she shouted “its all your fault!” she kicked it again than straightened up breathing deeply. He was watching her with eyes wide expression of shock on his face. “What you looking at!” she snapped he blinked twice and Mary-Lynette resisted the urge to kick him. He cleared his throat.
“Well my name is James” Mary-Lynette narrowed her eyes. “Good for you” she barked. “I’m Ash’s cousin” he continued ignoring her remark “can I ask what your name is?” Mary-Lynette considered it for a second than answered.
“I’m Mary-Lynette Carter”
“We didn’t find nothing,” Rashel said slumping down on the couch beside Ash.
“Nothing, nothing at all” Gillian asked sounding surprised. Quinn shook his head slowly and Ash rolled his eyes.
“Oh and how was school” Gillian said turning towards Ash and Alitia. Alitia shrugged,
“I got put in the class below Ash, nothing interesting except the principal is obsessed with drugs” she sniggered and glanced at Ash. He had gone into his mood which Alitia now though of a ‘quite brooding’ he raised his eyes to meet Gillian’s purple ones.
“It was like watching paint dry,” he said simply crossing his arms over his chest.
“He skipped last period and got a detention” Alitia said laughing. Ash frowned.
“When was that detention anyway?” he asked. Alitia stared at him.
“Today after school…didn’t you go?” he grinned.
“Opps”.
“Mary-Lynette wouldn’t be to pleased at you doing that,” Quinn said wagging a finger at him. Ash smiled sadly and didn’t reply; a few minutes later he stood up shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Seeya later, going back to my room” he snapped his teeth and walked out shutting the door softly behind him. Alitia watched him leave.
“Who is this Mary-Lynette anyway” she asked softly “he was thinking about her on the way here?” Gillian clasped her hands in her lap.
“She’s his soulmate” she answered Alitia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
“So. Is that why his always so moody” Gillian nodded.
“I don’t think his seen her for more than a year, he really misses her” Alitia nodded slightly than said.
“Do you have a soulmate?” Gillian smiled brightly.
“Yeah, his back at Theirry’s he’ll be coming down to visit later today or tomorrow depends” Alitia turned to Rashel and Quinn.
“What about you?” Quinn jerked his head towards Rashel.
“Where soulmates and partners right?” she nodded smiling at him. Once more
Alitia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She didn’t believe in this soulmate
principal thing any more than she believed in U.F.O’s but didn’t say anything.
Mary-Lynette stepped out of David’s red convertible and into the cool night air. She brushed down her black skirt and looked around her surroundings. She and David had arrived in Sunnydale about half and hour ago, he’d let her borrow his car with a “yes Mam!” Gillian had said Ash had gone to the Bronze with Alitia, Rashel and Quinn, so Mary-Lynette had followed them. Slamming the door behind her she stormed off to the door, music blared and Mary-Lynette walked past the bouncer, he held up his hand to stop her and backed away at Mary-Lynette’s glare.
The humid air greeted her as she shoved through the crowd searching for the blond. Now where is that soulmate of mine, Mary-Lynette wondered standing on her tiptoes trying to look over the heads of all the teens around her, there were lots of blondes around. Nearly every second person was one. Than look for a blond surrounded by a bunch of girls. She told herself, that was the problem with a good-looking boyfriend, they attracted lots of annoying girls. She cracked her knuckles in the palm of her hand, she really wasn’t in the mood for any of them at this moment. Than she saw him.
He was sitting on the stool at the bar but what caught her attention was the blond beside him. As she watched the blond laughed and leaned forward kissing him on the cheek soundly. Mary-Lynette felt her eyes narrow. The blond was now touching his hair whispering something in his ear. She was too shocked to see what Ash was doing the image kept repeating in her mind. Than Ash pushed her off him and swung around in his chair eyeing the crowd around him. His eyes met Mary-Lynette’s and they widened in surprise than shock at what he’d realised she’d seen. He jumped off the stool and hurried towards her, Mary-Lynette didn’t wait for him. She turned around and headed towards the door.
Ash rolled his eyes. Why didn’t she leave him alone? Didn’t she have a life? He’d already tried to escape her more times than he could count but she still managed to find him. Ash was starting to wonder if she’d wired him.
“So anyway Christopher she just copied from my test just like that, without even asking, I mean like how rude is that?” he realised she was waiting for an answer. Maybe if I answer her she’ll leave me alone.
“Oh to bad Melody”
“Harmony” she corrected frowning.
“Right, whatever” Ash replied not really listening.
“Thank-you for been such a good listener and so understanding” she said fluttering her eyelashes at him. Maybe she’ll leave now. He turned away expecting her to go. He wasn’t expecting her to kiss him than touch his hair. He had to get away.
“Look Melody, I think your getting the wrong idea. I’ve already got an girlfriend”
“Harmony” she corrected once again. “I don’t mind if you do have a girlfriend” Ash had tuned her out he had just seen what he thought was a dream. Mary-Lynette was standing across the room watching him a look of pain and horror spread across her beautiful face. Oh god, she’s just seen Melody kiss me. Shoving Melody out of his way he jumped off the seat and hurried to her as fast as he could. He watched in dismay as Mary-Lynette turned away and pushed her way through the crowd.
Alitia watched Quinn lead Rashel to the dance floor and start dancing arms wrapped around each other. Ash was somewhere around probably in his brooding stage again. And she was left at the table next to Willow and Buffy.
“Why’d ya move here anyway?” Buffy asked pushing her blond hair out of her face. Alitia thought for a second.
“Our parents grew up here and decided to move back. I don’t think dad liked the hustle and bustle of Vegas” Buffy nodded.
“You and Christopher don’t look at all alike. You’ve got black hair and purple eyes his the opposite” Alitia shrugged.
“So”
“So why don’t you look alike?” Alitia frowned.
“How the hell do I know? We just don’t” she took a sip of her coke.
“What was Vegas like?” Willow asked in her soft voice. Alitia smiled.
“It is a lot bigger than Sunnydale, lots of nightclubs. Nights the best part” Buffy raised her eyes from stirring her coke.
“Why is that?” Alitia stared at her.
“Heaps of lights and people are still everywhere it’s just great” Buffy studied her under the flashing lights than went back to her coke, frowning slightly. “What about Christopher?” she asked raising her eyes again.
“What about him?”
“What does he like to do?” Alitia narrowed her eyes slightly.
“I don’t know and frankly I don’t care. I stay out of his business and he stays out of mine” she suddenly grinned “why do you like him?” Buffy looked back down at her drink.
“Of course I don’t” Alitia nodded.
“Good because his a champion at breaking hearts and besides his already got a girlfriend” Buffy didn’t look too pleased.
“He does?” Alitia nodded again.
“Yep. Real pretty too, there like this” she held up two fingers. Willow smiled softly.
“What about you Alitia. Do you have a boyfriend” she grinned.
“You mean boyfriends. It’s plural. And yes I’ve had my fair share” she sniggered slightly and took a sip of the coke before her ignoring the glare Buffy shoot her.
