Worth the Fight (BTVS fanfic, Book Three)

chapter 12 - Helpless

I was at home, walking toward the door, pulling on a leather jacket.

Mom was in the living room behind me when I got to the front door. "Going out?" 

I made a disappointed face, looking toward her. "I was hoping you wouldn't be home." 

"Where are you going?" Mom asked. 

"Uh..." I trailed off. "To Willow's." Mom tilted her head at me, unconvinced. I sighed. "I don't want you to worry, Mom. Besides, I told you that I can take care of myself." 

"So you're going patrolling?" Mom asked. I nodded hesitantly. "Alone?" I nodded. "Where's Buffy?" 

"She's doing training with Giles," I answered. "And Faith is no where to be found. Some one has to do it, Mom. People could be dying right now." 

"I understand that, I do," Mom told me. "Just... why do you think it's up to you when they can't do their jobs?" 

I scoffed softly. "You're joking, right? Did you seriously just say that to me?" 

"What?" Mom asked.

I stepped closer to her. "Mom, I may not be a Slayer, but I can assure you that I can take care of myself. Giles trained me over the summer." 

"Yes, after you were turned into an assassin on Halloween of last year, and having been that way for an entire night due to some spell, you had gathered all of this knowledge about fighting yourself," Mom stated. "Mr. Giles just showed you how to control it and to get stronger." 

"Yes," I answered. "And now that you know about all of this, you can not tell anyone. Okay? I'm gonna be fine. I promise. It'll be all right." 

I turned around, walking toward the door.

"Zoey, why do you do this?" Mom asked, suddenly as curious as she was worried. "Why so eager and anxious to go to the thing that could very well be the death of you?" I sighed, turning to face her. "Zo, your 18th birthday is in a week. Can't you at least hold off until you can be an adult and handle this?" 

"I guess it..." I trailed off. "I just have some... energy to burn. I have so much energy, and it makes me hyper, and distracted, and the more chances that I get to blow it off, the more that I can control it and keep myself and others safe. And no, I can't wait, Mom. If I wait, then someone could die. And I'm not having that." 

I turned to leave.

"But--" Mom started.

"See you in a few hours," I told her, walking out of the house, closing the door behind me. 

I hesitated on the porch, sighing. 

I kind of missed the time when Mom didn't know about all of this. 

It was sure hell of a lot easier than this.

I walked forward to go patrolling. 

•••

In the cemetery, I was already fighting with a vampire.

He kicked me back onto a headstone, making the tombstone break and me roll over onto the ground next to it, my knee brought to my chest. The vampire crouched over me, holding himself up with his arms, trying to bite. I used my leg to throw him over my head, making him flip backward and land flat on his back. I jumped up into a standing position, turning around to face him. He turned to face me, faking to the left, attacking from the right, trying to punch me. I ducked, spinning behind him, standing straight. He turned around to face me, trying to punch. I inner form blocked the move, spinning half-way with an in-to out crescent kick. He ducked. I kept on spinning downwards with a back leg sweep, sending him to the ground.