Disclaimer: I don't own the Pretender characters or the Buffy the Vampire Slayer ones either. Pretender belongs to Steve and Craig while Buffy and Angel belong to Joss. Thanks guys for letting us borrow them. I promise we will bring them back.

Author's Note: I wanted to change Angel to Spike but my sister wouldn't let me. Just to let you know that we started this fic over two years ago back when my sister liked Angel. Now we like Spike and she doesn't want to change it to Spike cause it would be to much trouble. LOL. So just imagine a blond smartass vamp with a British accent if you prefer it that way :)

A Buffy/Pretender crossover

Jarod arrived in Santa Monica, the vampire capitol of the world. It was dusk as he walked into Granny's Comic's, a little store located on the beachfront.

As he wandered the aisles looking absentmindedly through the stacks of comics, he noticed a little boy who looked lost. Jarod approached him quietly.

"You look like you need some help. Can I help you?" Jarod knelt down so he was eye level with the little boy.

The boy trembled slightly as he nodded his head yes. Tears welled in his shining blue eyes as he spoke in a soft child's voice. "I'm lost, I can't find my Mommy."

Jarod took the little boy by the hand and went to the counter at the front of the store.

"Excuse, me. This little boy has lost his Mom. Have you seen her around?" He asked the woman behind the counter. She must be 'Granny' the owner but she didn't look like the pleasant grandmotherly type, Jarod thought to himself.

"No!" She grunted and got up to go to the back of the store. She didn't seem interested in helping him or anyone else.

Jarod knelt back down by the little boy. "What's your name?"

"Alex." He answered shyly.

"Alex, do you like comics?"

"Yes."

"Well, go pick one out and then we'll go find your Mom for you. My name is Jarod." He told him as he held out his hand to him.

The little boy smiled as he took Jarod's hand and walked back down the aisle to the scary comics. He picked out a comic with a vampire on the front. He handed it to Jarod.

Jarod looked at the cover and then asked "This looks awfully scary for you, Alex. Are you sure you want this one?"

He nodded with a smile. "It's really for my big brother Benjamin, we came to the beach for his birthday. And I'm gonna give this to him." He said excitedly, then added glumly. "If we find them."

"We'll find them. Let's pay for this and we'll start our search."

As they went to the counter a rumpled blond man about 20 entered the store. He looked desperate and hungry. He walked like a predator toward Jarod. Jarod quickly stepped in front of Alex to hide him.

Jarod didn't notice the tall, dark, handsome man with the petite blond standing outside the comic store.

*********

Angel looked at the blond running next to him, stake raised. She had a look of determination on her face.

"He went that way." She told him and continued to run.

Every since Buffy had graduated they had been going to different towns taking care of vamp problems. Santa Monica had a very large problem. Angel and Buffy stood outside the comic book store.

"Did he go in there?" Buffy asked Angel as her eyes searched the area. Angel saw the back of the blond head walking towards a man, who seemed to be standing in front of someone, a child maybe. He tapped Buffy's shoulder.

"Yeah, there he is."

"Let's go!" Buffy told him as he followed her in the store. He sighed, she was always rushing in without thinking, but that was one of the things he loved about her. He followed wordlessly.

With Angel close behind, Buffy lunged at the startled vampire, her stake making contact - the vamp exploded into dust directly in front of Jarod's disbelieving eyes.

Buffy smiled a shy smile at Jarod as she looked for Angel behind her. The old lady never came out from the backroom.

"What was that?" Jarod asked still in shock. He felt Alex tugging at his pants leg.

"It's okay, Alex. There was a bad man here and this lady... " Jarod stumbled over the word, because Buffy looked like a child to him, a child with a secret life, something he could relate to. He continued "...this lady took care of the problem. Let 's find your Mom and then I'm going to find out all about the bad man." He said looking pointedly at Buffy and Angel.

Buffy looked down at the little boy and smiled nervously. "That's right, the bad man is gone. So, you're lost? " The little boy nodded his head. The small blond girl had a soft voice and she seemed nice.

Buffy turned to Angel. "Well, why don't we find your Mom and then we can talk to your friend." She said as Angel nodded his head in agreement. He had known one day, she was going to run into someone and have to do some explaining. He was curious how she would handle it.

"The name is Jarod." Jarod said as he offered his hand to Buffy and then to Angel.

"My name is Angel and this is Buffy." Angel stated as he firmly shook the offered hand.

"Let's go find your Mom." Buffy said as she took the boy's hand in hers. Angel and Jarod followed her out of the store.

"Which way did you come from?" She asked him looking up and down the street. He pointed to the left, towards the public beach area. Buffy headed in that direction. They started walking down by the concession stands and it wasn't long before they heard the happy shout of a worried mother.

"There he is!"

A frazzled looking dark haired woman with an older boy that favored Alex came running to them. She bent down and hugged Alex tightly.

"Where were you? I've been so worried." She hugged him again then looked to the three adults that were with him. "Thank you, thank you so much. So many bad things happen here, too many children disappear. I was so scared. Thanks so much." She babbled as she took Alex's hand. He was smiling now. He looked first to Jarod and then to Buffy.

"Thanks for finding my Mom."

"You are very welcome." Jarod told him as Buffy and Angel nodded their heads in agreement.

"Be more careful from now on." Jarod warned as he watched the little boy walk away happily reunited with his family. He then turned to Buffy and Angel.

"Let's go to that little restaurant over there. We need to talk."

Angel took Buffy by the hand. "You're right. We do. The restaurant will do fine."

Buffy chewed on her bottom lip as they followed Jarod into the restaurant. The waitress seated them quickly. It was still fairly early and the restaurant seemed almost empty. She handed them their menus as she noticed some more brave customers coming in the door.

"Okay. What happened in that store?" Jarod asked the question directly, no beating around the bush.

Buffy sighed deeply then thoughtfully began to speak. "Jarod , this is going to be hard to believe, but that man wasn't human. He was a vampire. I know it's not easy to accept but it is true, I'm the Slayer, I kill vampires." She watched his face carefully trying to gauge his reaction.

Jarod let the words sink in, as he thought about what she had told him as he watched the small blond and the dark man she was with. Angel had taken Buffy's hand in his larger one, intertwining her small fingers with his. It was a very intimate gesture, Jarod took note of that. He also noticed the protectiveness in his manner and his eyes towarded the girl. These two shared a great love, he could tell. Finally he spoke.

"Buffy, I believe you. There are all kinds of evil in the world, unfortunately I've seen alot of it myself." He said wearily.

"You accept it that easily?" She asked unbelieving, realizing he really must have seen evil.

"Yeah, I can. Do you think all these disappearances have anything to do with vampires? I read about them and decided to come try to help." Jarod explained.

"They may be connected. What kind of help can you offer?" Angel asked cautiously.

"Angel, I am a Pretender. Not to sound arrogant, but I am a genius. I was taken from my parents when I was very young by an evil organization called The Centre. They told me my parents were dead. They wanted to use my intelligence for things other the the welfare of man. I escaped a few years ago. Unfortunately, they are still chasing me." Jarod explained and then took a sip of water.

The waitress appeared shortly and took their orders. Buffy stared at Jarod, then softly spoke. "At least the monsters I fight aren't human, they don't have souls."

Jarod shook his head in agreement, then turned his attention to Angel.

"And you, do you just help her when she needs it?"

Buffy looked at Angel and smiled broadly. "You could say that he is my guardian Angel. He's also a vampire, but a good one with a soul."

Jarod watched her give Angel's hand a squeeze. It was then he noticed the matching rings on each of their hands, they looked Celtic.

"So you love the enemy? That must be an interesting position to be in." He asked smiling.

"Yes, I guess I do. It's a long story, but I graduated High School last year and now we just travel and take care of problems as they arise."

"What do you think about working together on this one?" Jarod asked lightly.

Angel and Buffy looked at each other and nodded their heads in unison.

"We'll start tomorrow evening, okay? We are staying at the Boardwalk Inn. You can meet us there at sunset."

"Actually, by coincidence I'm also staying there." Jarod smiled. Supper arrived and they ate, talked and enjoyed each others company. After they paid the bill they separated, Buffy and Angel going back to the hotel first. Jarod decided to take a walk.

********

Miss Parker walked into Broots' office.

"Broots!" She yelled as the doors came open.

He jumped at the sound of her voice.

"What!"

She glared at him. "Don't 'what me' in that tone of voice."

"I'm....sorry. It just you....well....never mind. What do you want?" he asked as his voice changed.

"I thought you had some information for me."

"Oh yeah. I do."

"Well...."

"Well...what?"

"The information, Broots. What is it?"

"Oh...Jarod...."

"What about Jarod?"

"He was spotted in Santa Monica."

"Good. Get the jet ready."

"But Miss Parker..."

Sydney entered before Broots could finish. "Did I hear someone say Santa Monica?"

Parker walked over Sydney, "Yes, you did. We heading out this afternoon."

"But Miss Parker." Broots said again.

"But what Broots?" She was really getting tired of his whining lately.

"People don't return from Santa Monica."

"What the hell are you talking about? People don't return." She glanced at Sydney and back at Broots.

"I'm not going." He said softly.

Parker walked over to Broots, who felt a cold shiver run down his back, as she bent down to his ear.

"What did you say?" She asked very calmly.

Sydney placed his hands over his face and shook his head.

"I'm...I'm....I'm not going." Broots mummered.

"That's what I thought you said." Broots could feel her warm breath touching his skin. She stood up, placing her hands on the back of his chair. He was scared to move, not knowing what she would do next.

"And why not, Broots?"

"Because I hear there are vampires there."

"Vampires!" she laughed. Looking over at Sydney, who by this time took a seat in front of Broots' desk. "Broots, there is no such thing as vampires."

He looked over at Sydney.

"Don't tell me you believe in vampires, Syd." Parker walked over to her old friend.

He didn't say a word. Glancing back to Broots. "Well!" Parker shouted.

Neither one of them said a word.

"Fine. You can stay."

"Really?" Broots signed a breath of relief.

"Yes, you can stay. I will go by myself." She turned and walked out.

"You can't." Broots yelled after her.

Turning sharply. "Well, Broots, is that concern I'm hearing?"

"Uh...mmmm...yes." He answered with confidence.

She walked back toward him. "Don't worry, I can take of myself. I'm not scared of any vampires." Then she turned and walked away.

Broots turned to Sydney. "Do you think we should let her go alone?"

"It doesn't matter what we want, she will do what she wants. I thought you learned that by now."

He shook his head slightly. "Please talk to her, Sydney."

Sydney entered her office, catching her before she walked out.

"Parker, can we talk?"

"Make it snappy. I'm in a hurry." He watched her as she threw papers in a brief case.

"I don't think you should go alone. I'll go with you."

"No, Syd. Stay here and keep Broots company. Besides, I might need you later." She shut the case and walked toward the door.

"Parker, wait."

"What?" She kept her back to him.

"Be careful."

She continued out the door.

Part 2