Life As We Know It
By Divinewriter
Disclamer: I do not own Angel or Buffy and any of the characters affiliated with them so do not sue me because I am poor!
Summary:
Buffy's dating Angel who's messing around with Cordelia who's involved with Xander, who likes Anya, who knows Willow's secret about Tara whose best friends with Spike who's in love with Buffy. Few… side plot. There's Wesley a student teacher who likes Fred a student whose dating Gunn who's close to Faith who detests Giles who knows everything. Err did I miss anything??
Thing to know:
Just bear in mind this is an A/U which means it does have to agree with what was done in the actual series. Everything should be explained eventually but feel free to ask any questions.
So such questions as why Spike's here will be answered!
1. The watched
"Angel your here" called out Buffy as her hand stopped mid punch
"Yeah" he smiled as he noted Giles worn out expression
"I'm glad" started Giles as he took of his protective clothing "now" he wiped of a bead of sweat from his brow "we are just waiting for a few more people"
"Hi y'all" came a squeaky voice from the doorway
"Fred" nodded Giles
"Hi" she took one glance around the room before heading into the corner of the room where her boyfriend Gunn sat
He held out a chair for her "See babe, I saved you a chair", she blushed and mumbled a thank you
"So now all were waiting for is dead boy Jr, watcher Jr and my girlfriend the…"
"Yes Xander" said Cordelia as she entered the room, her tone deadly.
"Nothing" Xander squeaked as he holds out a chair for her.
Flicking a strand of brown hair over her shoulder she glares at him once more before accepting the invitation to sit
"What did you do this time Harris" asked Spike as he came strolling in with Wesley
"What makes you think I did anything deadboy Jr"
"I don't see your hand itching to touch her thigh… you must have done something"
"Hey" Cordelia said with a blush "he has never touched my thigh, my leg maybe but he hasn't scored enough to merit a thigh touch"
"Um huh" Giles cleared his throat "as much as I find this conversation riveting lets get on to business" he glances around the room and counts the head, he nods when he counts 12
"There has been a number of incidents involving what I believe is a Scatadus demon"
"A what a what now" Xander calls out
"A Scatadus demon" clarifies Wesley "they are senseless killing demons, with no…"
"So how do we kill it" interrupts Faith as she jumps of the table
Wesley coughs "Well as I was saying, while they are incredible less intelligent than the average demon their size and strength more than make up for it. They also have an inclination to travel in packs"
"So what you're sayin' is that there's a big pack of these demons running around town and no-one noticed anything" asks Faith
Giles shakes his head "I don't thing that people are not noticing, I believe that they just do not stay alive long enough to inform anyone about it"
"Ok so if we set a trap for one and all the other will come" questions Gunn
"Well yes, but"
"Cool, this is going to be fun" he grins as he jumps up from his seat "who wants to team up with me"
"I'll go" Fred smiles up at her boyfriend
Wesley pales slightly "If you are running into this without a plan, perhaps it would be wise for Fred to stay behind"
"Nah, the girl will be fine" he turns to face her "right" she nods
"Ok then I'll take tall, dark and broody" says Cordelia as she turns to Buffy "don't you think you should even out the super strengths, so one superpower to one weakling"
"That makes sense" agrees Giles "then I suggest, you, Buffy should team up with Xander, and Faith you with Willow"
"Five by five" came the call
"That leaves Spike and Anya"
Anya nods enthusiastically "Oh that is great I have much to tell him of my vengeance days"
"Oh bloody hell now that's just not fair, I'll take Glinda instead"
Giles sighs "no Tara needs to stay here and work on the prophecy"
Angel smiles at Spike's pain "I hope you have fun"
"Oh don't worry I will when I replay every single thing she says to me back to you"
"Right so weapon" says Buffy as she moves away from the table
"I call the axe" calls out Gunn as he runs behind her
Angel & Cordelia
"So Cordy" says Angel as he falls into step besides her, they walk in silence but Angel is almost hovering over her.
"What!" she snaps as she turns to look at him
"Nothing" he smiles, shrugs and diggs his hands deeper into pockets
"Damn right nothing, there is a whole lot of nothing" she pauses "you know going on and…"
"Hey Cordy do I make you nervous"
"Nausea" she askes purposely mishearing it
"Funny Cordy" he grabs her shoulder and turned her face towards him "do you think I'm enjoying this"
"Yeah, you're a vampire; have to get your kicks somehow"
"So what's your excuse?"
"Excuse me"
"You know for playing both me and Xander"
"I'm am not playing either of you"
"Right" he nods and let her go
"Hey buddy" she walks over to him and pokes him in the chest "why'd you say it like that"
"What"
"Don't you act innocent with me mister, you know exactly what you did" she pokes him again
"Cordy" he takes a step back "stop poking me"
"Why" she pokes him again "huh" poke "It" poke "bothering" poke, "you"
Angel growls and grabs the offending finger "actually it is"
She peers up at him, a frown on her face "hey, that's my finger, do you think I can have it back"
"If you promise to stop poking me"
"Come on Angel"
He tightens his grip "say it"
She pouts "no, I will not be forced into anything"
"Cordy" he all but growls out as he pulled her closer
"Nope, not gonna break" her voice becomes breathless, as he leans down towards her
"Look what we got here, a couple making out in the cemetery" said a vampire as he walks over to them
Angel frowned over Cordelia's head as he eyed the vampire "why always when we're getting to the good bit" he take a step back and releases her "Up for some action Cordy" he asks as he takes a battle position
"Em" she looks down to her feet "in these shoes" she crosses her arms over her chest "I don't think so"
"I'll buy you another pair" he shouts as the first vampire attacks him
Cordelia ponders his statement "a more expensive pair" she askes
Angel stakes the first vampire and looks over at Cordelia "do I look like I'm made of money"
"Angel" she points to the vampires coming towards him
"So, what do you think about red" he tosses her a stake
She catches it and looks at it "it will do"
Xander and Buffy
"So buffster, what's up" he asks as he walks beside her
She shrugs "a whole lot of nothingness" she kicks a tombstone "You. How's life with Queen C?"
"Em, well between our arguing and our arguing not much"
"Man does our lives suck"
"What" Xander gasps in mock surprise "there's no drama between you and dead man"
Buffy froze "Xander? What no. you know I'm dating Angel and…"
"Whoa Buffy" he holds up his hands "I was talking about Angel"
"Right I knew that" she laughs "nope no drama between me and Angel"
"So Spike and Anya"
"What do you mean?"
"Is it me or do they get paired up an awful lot?"
Buffy lets out a breathe "yeah you noticed that to" she twists the stake between her fingers "what is with Giles putting them together"
"Yeah and did you notice Anya didn't even put up a fight… it's like she wanted to patrol with him"
"Do you think maybe we should, you know, check up on them"
Xander turns to face her "oh so your worried about her too"
"What? Anya" she nods "yep that's who I'm worried about"
"There's something about him, I just can't put my finger on!"
"What Spike, his harmless"
"Yeah, not so much worried about the biting thing, and between us, Spike has this whole charming thing going on with that fake accent, and the leather and Billy idol set up, the things some girls fall for"
"Yeah, I know who would be interested in him" says Buffy as her face falls
"Thank goodness Buffy that your one of the sane ones. I mean dead boy maybe be bad, but dead boy Jr" he shakes his head
Buffy swallows a lump in her throat "so you think maybe we should hurry" Xander nods and they run
Anya and Spike
"So as I was telling my friend that melting wax on that part of a person anatomy can result in swelling"
"Right, luv how interesting. What do you say we try the no speaking thing now?"
"What why? So you can brood about something"
"I don't brood, that's the poof's things"
"Right whatever" she shrugs and then laughs to herself "Don't you think Xander's cute?"
"Not really luv, I don't swing that way"
"I know you don't, that is why I didn't ask whether you find him attractive. Sheesh you men get so frustrated when we ask you about other men"
Spike laughs "his not really a man though is he"
Ignoring him she continues "So do you think I have a shot with him?"
"You know his dating the cheerleader right"
"Right" she nods "however would I be wrong to give him options, everyone likes options, peppermint or-"
"Guess not" he cuts in with a shrug, turning around he sees some demons approaching fast "about bloody time"
"You do intend to protect me from those things"
"You don't need protection luv"
"Yes, I know that but it's it customary for a man to protect any woman in their presence. It's gentlemanly"
"Well, I ain't no gentleman" he replies as he pushes her out of the way of a demon attack.
Buffy & Xander
"Spike" shouts Buffy as she frowns at him from his position on top of Anya
"Hey luv" he grins
"Get up" she walks over to him and holsters him up from Anya
Anya are you ok" asks Xander as he helps her up
"Yep, the demons" she points to more advancing demons
"So what was that" asks Buffy as she crosses her arms over her chest
"What, I was saving her"
"From what her personal bubble"
Spike laughs "you're jealous"
"What" she turns away from him "don't flatter yourself"
"Whatever you say, pet" he grins as he hurls his fist at a demon
"You know what Spike" starts Buffy as she dodges a punch from a demon "you are so way of the line here"
"What line"
"The line, I don't like you. I can't even stand you, and hey" she punches her demon into a wall and then walks over to the demon pounding on Spike "you don't get to touch him" she punches the demon in the face and it flies backwards. She turns to a grinning Spike "oh shut up"
Faith & Willow
"Hey Red, looks like the parties started without us"
"Yeah, that a whole lots of demons" gulps Willow as she watches her friends fight, even Xander is attempting to help
"You gonna stay here or join in"
"Me vampires I can handle, big de…demon I can't handle" she waves at Faith "but you go, get a few for me though" she fakes a punch
"Sure" grins Faith "When Gunn gets here tell him to join me" she through Willow a smirk as she jogs over to the fight
"Right" Willows nods as she watches Faith run off and then looks around "ok, so me standing alone by myself in a cemetery is so not the smartest thing" she laughs to herself "hey and I'm smart so maybe a tiny winy spell would be ok" she nods "right, it would be the mature thing to do" muttering a few words she looks around and see nothing "man what a dud, I didn't feel anything"
"Hey Will" Gunn holds out a hand to Willow and is sent flying to the floor
"It worked" she grins and then frowns "I'm sorry" she kneels beside Fred who is making sure his ok
"What the hell was that" he asks
"I'm sorry" she gives a nervous chuckle "it's a protection spell"
Gunn get up "we'll I'd say" he looks around "Aah man, they started without me"
He turns to Willow "keep my girl safe in that thing" he motions around her
"Will do" she nods and turns to Fred "so, about that quantum physics"
Fred grins and starts talking, but after a while she stops "you're not really interested in the Rydberg formula for the spectral emission lines of atomic hydrogen"
"Yeah" her face falls "it's just that their all fighty and we're all… well not"
"Oh but we help, I mean we help not with the fighting thing but with other things, with the research and you know just moral support, Cordy says that's why cheerleaders are so important 'cause good morale supports the team and I guess their our team and we're like the cheerleader who…"
Willow grins "wow and I thought I rambled, but I guess you right" Fred grins "your nice just like Tara, she always saying nice things to me… she talks about you a lot"
Willow colours "what- what does she say"
"She talks about how you two have a lot in common with the magic thing; I think she likes being around you"
"Why do you say that?" she looks on in interest
"cause she always smiles when she talks about you" Fred look around "of course she always blushes when she talks about Spike, do you think maybe she likes him"
"I don't know" Willow looks sad "their best friends"
Fred sighs "yeah but it would be great if they did, I mean it'll be like the movies, you know when they've been best friends for years and neither noticed the other until later in life, and then they fall in love and get married and live happily ever after"
"Yeah just like the movies" mumbles a dishearten Willow as Fred continues to ramble
Wesley, Giles and Tara
"Have you made any head way translating the prophecy" asks Giles as he moves to stand beside a seated Tara
"No..no. not mu much" she looks down "I'm sorry"
"It's ok, the language its' quite difficult to translate what with each word having multiple meanings"
"I do believe that I have, however have managed to translate the first few lines" says Wesley as he moves his paper in front of them "I believe the prophecy mentions: two of darkness gone light" he hesitates "of course the other rendering was two of darkness removed from light"
"What makes you so sure then that it's the first rendering" asks Tara
"Well it uses the phrase deadwalker I take that to mean vampire and we have two that were once the prince and king of darkness and now fight on the side of good"
Giles massages his forehead "good work Wesley what else"
Wesley hides back a small smile "it goes on to say two of darkness gone light, with the bearer of strength foretold and" he pauses "the next part I have translated but have not worked out what it means"
Giles looks down at the page "the one that is burdened with sight and pain will like the men of ajarta pardagma seta"
"Ajarta I have traced the origins to a ancient group of people who stood together during a time when darkness spread, yet as I believe these ajarta after winning the war were killed by their own power"
"So they were gods"
"I do not know their exact nature, but they were once worship by an ancient people"
"What about the meaning of pardagma seta"
"All I have found, is that it refers not to words as such but a concept, these warriors will join together and do something the pardagma seta"
"I believe we are on the right track with this, fortunately this prophesy is not to be fulfilled for a while, so let us turn our attention back to the ascension"
Angel & Cordelia
"Look at me" she cries as Angel's holds open the library doors for her. She brushes passed him and then glares around the room "just one word"
Spike grins "peep", Cordelia lunges at him but is held back by Angel's arms around her waist
"Easy there Cordy" he whispers in her ear
She inhales deeply and slowly pulls herself out of his embrace to sit near Xander
"So did you find the demons" Angel asks
"We saw, we found and we conquered" replies Buffy as she smiles
Xander turns to face Cordelia "What happened to you?"
"Him" she pointed at Angel "the dork landed on me"
"Dork" Faith raises an eyebrow "now that's not a word I would use for him" she smiles coyly
Cordelia looks at him, frowns and then looks back at Faith "Trust me, it really is, so anyone else hurt"
"You worried" Xander looks surprised
"Puff, I just don't want to be the only one"
"Then no"
"Fine" she gets up "anyone need a ride" a few hands shoot up "then lets go" before leaving she turns to Angel "don't forget those shoes"
"What shoes" asks Buffy
"You wouldn't want to know" he shakes his head "any news" he turns to Wesley
"Nothing of substance"
"Well I'll be off" to Buffy "you need a ride"
"No thanks I'll walk" he moves to give her a kiss on her cheek and she sees Spike roll his eyes
"So don't I get asked if I need a ride?"
Angel stares at him and slowly asks "spike do you want a ride"
"No" Angel looks angry but then takes a deep breathe and just leaves
"So Buffy you sure you don't need a ride" he raises his eyebrow suggestively, Buffy blushes
"Knock it off" she quickly turns over to Faith "you coming"
Faith jumps of the table "I could walk"
"Night all" they both exit
"So Tara luv' you ready" Spike turns to his best friend
"Are you two going to be ok?" she looks at both watchers
"Quite alright" smiles Giles
"Ok then lets go" she takes the arm that Spike offer and they walk out the room
"I'll be in my office" says Giles as he walks to his room. Closing the door behind him, he picks up his watchers journal and begins to write: A watcher does more than train a slayer he sees everything hears everything. In my time as a watcher I have had the honour to meet an interesting group of individuals who…
NEXT: The Watcher
Review - suggestions welcome
TBC