Chapter 1: Welcome Back (Part 1)

What if wasn't Buffy who was chosen? I've always loved how Cordy grows as a person on Angel and I thought what if she was forced to do that on Buffy? So here's my attempt. It's Cordelia's first day back since she found out she was a slayer. Not only does she have to cope with keeping her friends completely out of the loop, it's time to meet the new watcher. Slightly AU season 1… Please read and review! Oh, some stuff doesn't happen in the same order as it does in Buffy but I figured, hey, what the hell? Right? Maybe Dark Buffy in the near future…

DISCLAMER: All characters belong to Joss and other awesome people I don't know but (Shh…) I borrow them on weekends sometimes...

In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

The Slayer awoke from her nightmare in a cold sweat; her breathing heavy. She brushed the hair out of her eyes with the back of her palm and pushed her body up. She took in her surroundings. See, she told herself, safe. Her lavish, spacious bedroom with sky blue walls and designer furnishings surrounded her. She knew it was safe here, "just a dream." She whispered out loud. "Just a dream." But she knew it was more. Something more that she refused to accept. A prophecy.

After a few moments, Cordelia stepped out of the bed, let down the blind, striped from her nightgown and stepped into the en suite. Cordelia stepped into the shower. The warm water engulfed her, loosening the knot in her back and soothing her aches. Cordelia Chase was a normal teenager. No, more than normal. Better than normal. She was the most popular girl at Sunnydale High and that was not about to change. No stupid Watchers council was going to tell her otherwise; no secret van's, no creepy letters, and certainly no weird-freak-faced bloodsucker! That was not a part of her life; they would just have to find someone else. Case closed.

After dressing, Cordelia delicately applied her makeup and boufed her hair. Perfect! She beamed. She was ready for her first day back. She strode downstairs and into her kitchen where sat waiting a bowl of fresh strawberries. She ate a few but after a while decided she wasn't hungry. Cordelia made her way through to the front room, greeted her parents and changed into her heels. She then began her journey by car.

The car journey was silent but she and her mother didn't speak much anyway. When they'd arrived at school, she'd kissed her on the cheek, grabbed her sunglasses and waved a quick goodbye.

Cordelia stepped out of the car proudly. She realised full well everyone was staring, a smile slid across her glossed red lips.

A gaggle off tittering teens formed around her. "Cordelia! Ohmigosh!" Harmony clearly the new leader of the group. Cordelia would soon see to change that.

"Hey guys," she said with a sickly sweet smile, removing her sunglasses. She swished her hips from side to side as she walked. She motioned for the others to do so.

"Where've you been?" One of them crowed. Cordelia shrugged.

"Yeah," Someone said mindlessly. "We haven't seen you since..." At that moment, the whole world seemed to freeze, pause in motion. Everyone stared at the girl who had spoken, but honestly Cordelia

"Since what, Tiffany?" Cordelia didn't know how to respond. She felt like her body was paralyzed. Her break down? How else was she supposed to react? "The last day?" Everyone stared at her, mouths agape in horror. "I had stuff..." she faltered. She kept her breathing steady, or at least tried to, she was unsure if she'd succeeded, and tried to sound as collected as possible. "Going on at home."

The others nodded awkwardly and seemed to accept her answer. Cordelia then continued to steer the conversation to herself. After all, she had to tell her friends about her new shoes!

"'Scuse me," Xander wailed. "Comin' through, pardon me, 'scuse me, whoa! 'Scuse me, not sure how to stop! Please move, whoa, 'scuse me..." He narrowly missed Cordelia and as he hit the metal railing, she scoffed. "Whoa." He cried.

"Urhg!" she uttered to her friends with a knowing smirk. "Freakl!" It was then that the hallway bell sounded for class. Cordelia's friends sighed or groaned in annoyance and made their way reluctantly to class.

The first lesson passed arduously slowly for Cordelia. She hated only one thing about school; the lessons. I mean, why should she have to learn this crap? It should be optional! Especially something as pointless as this.

Still, she sighed, anything beats meeting her watcher. Instead of talking at the back with her friends, as she would normally, Cordelia, assured she'd saved her reputation this morning, let her mind wander back to that letter she'd received.

"Dear Miss Chase," it had begun. Of course there was the seal; that had been her first clue that things weren't as the seemed. And then there was no return address but she'd assumed all was well. But 'The Slayer'? She'd been certain it was a joke! "We wish to inform you of your duties. It is pivotal that the information in this letter must remain confidential. Tomorrow, you will receive a visit from a member of the Watchers council. They will observe your daily life and assign you a watcher based on your needs. You, Miss Chase, are the Slayer. In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer. Keep this letter with you at all times, at 01600 hours tomorrow, it will be collected." The letter went on (for five freaking pages) to talk about her duties, her heritage and most of all, her family life.

In short, it had made Cory's blood run cold. Naturally, she'd memorised it completely. (well the first paragraph. Come on, five pages!) Even if she'd only read it the once, that wasn't just the sort of thing you forget.

After the meeting with the 'Watchers Council' and the vampire and her giant freak out in front of everybody (The thought made her want to die) she's still been sure it was some kind of hoax; for all she knew they'd drugged her. Put her on steroids to give her this ability. (This God dammed ability she was going to find a way to get rid of.) There was no way this was real! And yet here she was, waiting to meet her Watcher.

Crunch!

"Argh!" Cordelia squealed. Everyone around her jumped in a start. She looked down. Blood mixed with ink was pooling on the table and her entire face flushed. The pen in her hands had been snapped into two and split the skin of her palm. It stung like crazy but she was certain it would heel fast. Her reputation however, not so much...

She smiled in embarrassment as everyone turned away from her. Harmony scowled at her as if to say 'what the hell?' which only made her blush more. This had to be, she decided, the most embarrassing thing that could ever happen! Worse than being caught out in crocs! Cordelia hung her head in shame. Thankfully, there was only about ten minutes of the lesson left. Cordelia decided to simply wait it out and occupied herself with cleaning up.

It could have been worse. Thank god her Ralph Loren's were intact! And there was nothing on her dress, she supposed.

The bell sounded and she gathered her things. One lesson down, four to go.

"Cordelia," Said the teacher. She froze. "About catching up the work you missed." Cordelia sighed in annoyance. And now they expected her to do that! She was a slayer (alright, maybe.) But the point still stood that she shouldn't have to follow the same rules as everybody else, anymore! "I'd suggest you see miss Rosenberg." Willow's face widened in horror and Cordelia's face dropped in horror. She began to protest but the teacher dismissed her. Harmony sniggered and both girls turned red. She marched up to Willow.

"Look, I'm not-" She began. Her tone of course was bitchy. She was in no mood to talk to Willow but something cut her off. She fought hard not to laugh. "Willow!" She cried. "Nice dress! Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears." And so, the torment began.

"Uh, oh," She squeaked. "Well, my mom picked it out."

"No wonder you're such a guy magnet," she continued. "Anyway, just copy up your notes for me for tomorrow. Got that?" Willow nodded timidly.

"Good." She spat. "Now go."

Cordelia stepped out into the hallway.

"Oof!" She cried as her back was sent flying and her body staggered back. Some loser had bumped into her. As she caught her balance, Cordy looked up. From halfway across the corridor, somebody, their face down, was picking themself up and wincing in pain. It wasn't her fault; they shouldn't have bumped into her. So, she couldn't exactly be blamed for her super-strength hurting them. Then they looked up with a glare.

It was not just some loser, she realised. It was the biggest looser.

"Xander Harris!" Cordelia spat his name, after realising it was him. Who did he think he was? Bumping into here like that? That was so his fault! Even though she'd sent him flying. Maybe this strength was good for something?

"Cordelia chase!" He said her name in the same way and stepped over. Corldellia sighed as her gathered her belongings. He simply watched as she collected her things across the ground. He nudged a pen towards her with his foot and rose.

"Urgh... you should watch where you're going!" She snapped. How the hell could he be so clumsy? He'd done it, deliberately, she decided.

"Me?" He demanded.

"Yes you!" Idiot. "Urgh!" She grunted again.

"So lovely to see you back! So soon?" Xander mocked. On top of everything, she had no need of… this from… him.

"Yes! I do have a reputation to up hold! But I guess you wouldn't know about that now would you? Shoo! Go on! And tell your friend Jesse to leave me alone! How about you both just don't talk to me, okay." Cordelia stood up then and brushed down her bare knees. She thought she'd getten everything up; not like it wasn't important.

"Fine by me!" Cordelia sniggered at his comeback. She turned on her heels and marched away.

"You dropped your –" Xander started but she'd already said, she did not want to speak to him.

"Shh!" She hissed over her sholder.

"See Ya Round!" He teased, inspecting the wooden steak. "Wow… Some people really do surprise ya," he uttered, making his way through the hallway traffic.

Now, she decided, would be a great time to pick up the next volume of her text book. After all, she would literally die if anyone saw her in the library. It was a good time to go when everyone else was in class, and besides, she didn't really feel like showing her face there again. God! Everyone was going to think she was some kind of a freak!

"Excuse me?" she called. There was no answer. Cordelia cringed; she hated these places! She'd hope to spend as little time in here as possible… it was just so gloomy! "Library guy?"

"Ahha!" cried the Librarian. His sudden appearance had cause Cordelia to jump. He was totally old looking, in Cordelia's opinion. He had way British glasses and a tweed suit! Dorky though it was, matched his accent.

"Miss Chase?" He asked with a half-smile.

"Yeah!" Cordelia snapped. "I need a book. The office said they'd tell you."

"No," he paused. "Miss Chase?" Cordelia shot him a confused face. This man was clearly crazy! He then dated across the room to behind his desk and pulled out a heavy looking book about a gazillion pages thick. Cordelia groaned.

"Urgh! That's what they want me to…" she trailed off as her eyes hit the cover.

VAMPYR

One simple word. One word that had caused so much destruction in her perfect life. Cordelia's head began to shake backwards and forwards rapidly.

"Oh God!" she cried.

"Now I know this must come as a bit of a shock to you-" she ignored the man as her heart began to thump.

"A librarian?" She squealed. "You're a librarian?" Shock near overwhelming her. She couldn't believe it! They'd assessed her, tested her and this was the best they could come up with? If she was going to have to do their warped idea of a job then why the hell couldn't she get someone cool or trendy or NOT A LIBRARIAN?

"Well, yes... you we're expecting something different?" He gawped. She couldn't take this.

"Oh no!" Cordelia wailed as she threw her arms in the air. She began to march around the library, even in this the lack of light, she somehow found coordination. "This is not happening!"

"Miss Chase?" He requested, picking up the book. Cordelia ignored him deliberately. There was no way she could deal with this! Doing… that was all well and good but it wasn't for her! She was prom queen not some stupid vampire duster!

"You're going to make me read that, aren't you?" She cried as he held the book. The librarian glanced down. "Oh God! Why won't you just kill me already? You're my watcher? You're so… stuffy!"

"Miss Chase, sorry I'm confused, you –" He began but the girl cut him off once again. His voice was becoming angrier by this point.

"You're confused? Try finding out you're supposed to save the world! And seriously? Who am I going to tell? Who's gonna believe me! You? GOD!"

"Miss Chase!" The librarian roared; he'd cracked. Her body shook and she practically sunk down do the ground as all of her angry energy deflated. Cordelia would never have taken being spoken to like that usually, especially by someone like him but today she just sunk. She was in no mood to be here.

"What?" She asked meekly, annoyed at the pushiness of the new man in her life. God! He was rude. "Calm down," uttered.

"You know you're the slayer?" He asked bluntly in a no-nonsense tone of voice that made Cordelia squirm.

"Well duh!" She hissed back, her voice venomous. Cordelia glared at the man. She tried to retain part of her anger but it just drained out of her like a sieve. Honestly, Cordelia Chase was scared.

"Oh…" He mumbled. A bewildered look crossed his face. "Well then… What do you know about vampires?"

Finally, her fury fought back. "I know they die. And that's it!" Cordelia said. "But that's not my job! There's no way I'm doing this anymore! You can't make me! I'm head cheerleader, I'm the prom queen! I'm not some pathetic little outcast who goes around with a pointy stick in her purse!" Without a second word, Cordelia ran from the room, steaming in anger. She was so furious she didn't even notice that as she burst through the doors, with such vigorous force, might I add, she near enough knocked over Xander Harris for the second time that day.

Xander stood up and sighed. God! She was turning out to be some crazy, wacked out little princess! (Maybe Jesse did stand a chance after all.) And that Librarian! Xander didn't even want to know what he was on!

Xander brushed the wooden steak through his fingers. Just when you think you know someone… he thought to himself as he trudged the long corridor. Wow. He'd have to tell the others.

So? What did you think? Please leave me a review! Reviews are like tiny little word-presents of helpful advice and motivation! In short, non-crazy speak, they're what keep me writing so, please? For a second chapter? Remember my pen hits the paper the first fave/follow I get. In future chapters, I'm thinking about including 'The Key' .THANKS FOR READING!