"Hey Angel," Alandra called softly as the Scoobies; Xander, Willow, sometimes Angel, and now Alandra, made their way back to the Library. Buffy had left for the summer, and the rest of the gang had to take up the mantle of being the protectors of Sunnydale.

Angel smiled softly at her, "Hey Alandra, how are you?"

"I'm good. I just had a quick question for you," Alandra asked, her heart thumping hard against her chest. Angel wasn't her friend, but he was definitely someone she could trust. Angel saw the nervous expression on her face, could hear her blood pump through her body. He pushed down the images of biting into her and focused on her eyes. They were dark grey, like a calming storm that could swirl with a fury at a moment's notice.

"What's your question," Angel prompted when it took the young woman a moment to speak. Alandra took a deep breath before looking into Angel's eyes, making sure that she had his full attention.

"I was wondering if you would teach me how to fight," Alandra said quickly. Angel was surprised. Of all the questions he was expecting, that wasn't one of them. At his shocked look and silence she continued on, "It's just that, I feel useless just standing there basically waiting to be attacked. Waiting to slip up and get drained or have to rely on you to come and save me when things don't go as planned. Which they never do. But if you can't or don't want to then that's ok. I just figured you would be the best person to help me since you're so old."

Alandra gasps at her last words, covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with shock and embarrassment. Angel didn't smile, but she could see an amused glint in his eyes.

"I don't mind teaching you Alandra," Angel reassured her. Alandra released the breath she had been holding in a relieved sigh.

"Thank you Angel, I really appreciate it. I'll get you blood to pay you back," Alandra offered, once again shocking the vampire, "Or I could just pay you."

"No, that won't be necessary," Angel began, "When do you want to start?"

"Well since school is starting the day after tomorrow, how about Wednesday after I get out of class? Unless that's too early for you," Alandra asked nervously. She never knew how to act around Angel. He looked young, but the way he carried himself demanded a certain amount of respect. A demand that no one else but her actually tried to comply.

"No that's fine. Just be prepare for a workout and we'll start right away," he told her, his calming voice once again reassuring her. She smiled brightly at him, and Angel nearly smiled back at her. All he could allow himself to give her was a small quirk of lips. Alandra wanted to laugh at the expression, but decided better against it.

"Great! I'll see you then! I'm going to head home, good night," Alandra said before grabbing her things from the table and heading out of the room. She didn't notice Angel as he followed her home to make sure she was safe.

~0~0~

Alandra hesitantly entered Angel's apartment, a duffle bag shrugged onto her shoulder. It was small, but she immediately felt at peace as she stepped into the living room. Angel could hear the door open from the bathroom, Alandra's scent hitting him instantly. He stepped out from the bathroom, seeing her looking around, a small smile on her face.

"You're five minutes late," Angel said, making her jump into the air. His demon got a kick out of the small spike of fear that Alandra's scent held.

Her hand was clutching her heart as she whirled around to face him, "Jeez! Warn a girl first before you just pop up out of nowhere."

"The bathroom is back there, that's where you can change," Angel said, ignoring her earlier words. Alandra frowned slightly, but took it all in stride. She began to take a step towards the direction he pointed when she paused and began rummaging through her duffel bag.

"Mind if I put this in your fridge," she asked, pulling out multiple bags filled with vegetables and fruits. Angle nodded, getting a light whiff of blood coming off of her as she stepped past him to place everything in the refrigerator. Alandra remained silent as she placed her snacks and bottle of water in the fridge before placing five large bags of blood in it as well.

"I told you that wasn't necessary Alandra," Angel began, but Alandra quickly cut him off.

"I didn't do it out of necessity. I wanted to do it as thanks. You don't have to do this, but you are and I appreciate it. So just take the damn blood and be happy," Alandra said, smiling brightly at Angel to show she was just joking. Angel just nodded, saying nothing else. Deep down he was surprised at her actions. While the other Scoobies took him in stride, none of the actually seemed to have accepted what he was, a vampire. None except for her.

"I'll go on back to change and then we can start," Alandra announced before making a beeline to the bathroom. Angel moved some furniture out of the way to give them more room before beginning his Tai Chi exercises.

It wasn't long before Alandra came out to join him, but she stood off to the side, watching him go from move to move. Angel could tell that she was absorbing every move he did in her mind. He finished his set in silence, thankful that Alandra knew that it was best to keep quiet.

"What I just did was called Tai Chi. It's a Chinese Martial art that helps ground your mind and center your body, a form of meditation. But it also strengthens your body and teaches you how to use your opponents energy against them. So every lesson we'll start by doing an hour of Tai chi before moving into a half hour of strength training then finish off with hand to hand," Angel explained to her.

Alandra gulped, her eyes wide, suddenly feeling over whelmed, "That's a lot. I don't know if I can do all of that."

"You'll never be as strong as a vampire or Slayer, but I can at least help you build up enough strength to survive a fight. You can do it, you just need to have faith in yourself," Angel said, looking her in the eye. He could see the hesitation, but he could also see the moment she made her decision. Alandra nodded strongly before standing beside him and starting their first lesson.

~0~0~

Alandra was sore. She had never been so sore or tired in her entire life, but she couldn't help feel happy as well. It had only been about a week of training, but she already felt stronger and faster. She was trying to relax at the Bronze, allowing her mind to take a break and just enjoy watching people and seeing their interactions when she saw Willow, sitting by herself, a sad look on her face.

Alandra followed the gaze of Willow to the dance floor, seeing Buffy and Xander dance sensually. Alandra immediately shot to her feet at the sight, making her way to Willow. Willow had always had a crush on Xander, and seeing her look so sad at what Buffy and Xander were doing made Alandra angry for her.

"Hey Willow," Alandra said cheerfully, hiding the anger she felt deep within her. The other girl looked up and smiled at her, but it was sad and full of pain.

"Hey Alandra, what's up," Willow asked, trying to sound happy but failing.

"Nothing, I just suddenly became bored and was wondering if you were heading home? And if you needed a walking buddy," Alandra told her. They both knew what she was doing. She was giving Willow an out and avoid what her best friends were doing on the dance floor. A way to get out of there and wait till tomorrow to deal with her problems.

"No, that's ok," Willow said, her smile a little bit less sad this time. Alandra nodded when she looked back out on the dance floor. Buffy had walked away from a now dejected Xander and was now speaking heatedly to Angel. She didn't hear the words, but seeing Buffy look smug as she walked away from Angel to the front door pushed Alandra to follow her. Angel had noticed Alandra's angry look and quickly went to go and intercept her.

"Alandra, leave it alone," Angel told her. Alandra wanted to listen but she continued on her stomp towards the door anyway. If a fight broke out, Buffy would win, but Alandra couldn't see past her own anger at what the blonde was doing to her friends.

"Alandra, she's been through a lot. Let it go," Angel tried again. He thought he had succeeded as Alandra came to a halt, but he knew he hadn't when he was faced with her angry glare.

"Yea, well so have I, but you don't see me destroying people's feelings because it makes me feel better," Alandra hissed before turning away from Angel, stepping through the doors to the outside alley of the Bronze.

There was a light breeze to cool Alandra's heated skin, and it calmed her a little but it was too late to stop.

"Hey Buffy," Alandra called, making the other girl turn towards her. Buffy held a dejected look on her face, but Alandra refused to let herself back down.

"Not now Alandra. I'm not in the mood," Buffy told her, a command held in her voice.

"I don't care. You're going to listen, and you're going to listen good," Alandra began, taking a few steps towards Buffy till they were nearly chest to chest, "Get over it. What ever messed you up so badly that you're ok with breaking your only friends' hearts, you need to get over it."

"What do you know," Buffy asked, sarcasm and anger thick in her voice, "All you're good for is telling us what the latest fashion is. You, Cordelia, Harmony, you're all the same. You're pointless." It wasn't the first time Alandra had heard those words, and she knew it wouldn't be the last, but they hurt all the same. She refused to let Buffy see how much those words got to her though.

"You're right Buffy. There isn't a point to me. But there's a point to them, and you need them. Don't throw that away," Alandra finished. Buffy scoffed before turning on her heel and disappearing down the alley way. All Alandra could do was watch her walk away. No tears fell, but she felt her pain all the same.

"She's wrong you know," Angel said, stepping out from the shadows and standing beside his pupil, his friend, "You're not pointless." Alandra smiled sadly up at him, used to his expressionless face now.

"She isn't," Alandra told him, her voice quiet, "But I appreciate you saying that all the same. I'm going to head home."

"Let me walk you home," Angel said. Alandra was silent for a moment, debating on whether to let him. She knew he would follow her home either way, but she wasn't sure if she wanted his presence beside her or not.

"Sure," Alandra finally replied, and was thankful for his silent and calming presence as her mind sorted through her thoughts.

A/N: Look, I know I'm a horrible person for doing this. One of my goals this year is to finish all my incomplete stories. But for right now this is the story that I've been working on, and it's the story I've been working the hardest on, so please forgive me and I hope you enjoy it!