Title: One More Angel
Author: Nat.
Rating: PG -13
Classification: Buffy/Angel
Spoiler:
Summary: Angel's back in town to apologize to Buffy about his recent behavior. Things progress from there.
Disclaimer: The great characters of Angel, Buffy and the other regulars don't belong to me but belong to the excellent shows 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Angel'. Which belongs to Joss Whedon.
Author's Note: Look out for a sequel.
Buffy paced around hers and Willow dorm biting her fingernails. She picked up the leather jacket that Angel had given her and ran it's smooth texture through her hands. Willow enters the room and Buffy looked up at her.
"Something wrong Buffy?" Willow went to her lock box at the end of her bed and placed some herbs and candles into it.
"I'm really nervous."
"Why thought? We finished our exams yesterday."
"Angel's back." Buffy put the jacket back on the end off her bed.
"Really. That's a good thing though. Isn't it?" Willow looked puzzled.
Trying to define the relationship between Buffy and Angel was strenuous on anyone's brain.
"Yes, it's good but it's been a full moon since he was here last."
"So you're nervous as to whether or not the bracelets are going to work." Buffy nodded her head and kept pacing the room. "Then go and see him. I bet he's dying to see you. Sorry about that, I just slipped out." Buffy still didn't look convinced. "Look Buffy, if it was night he would be here but it's day time, so I think the balls in your court."
"I was actually think of avoiding him."
"Are you serious Buffy? Why do you think he's here? He came to see you."
"I think he's here for work."
"What makes you say that?"
"I've seen Cordelia and Wesley around town. He's not here to see me. Maybe he's here to warn me of some big bad coming my way."
"If that was the case, he would have rang."
"Angel doesn't like telephones. It's probably because of the century he was born in."
"If I had a second chance to be with Oz, I'd take it in a second. Just go see him."
"I can't. I have homework to do and then I have to patrol. If he wants to see me, he'll know where to look." Buffy lay down on her bed and tried reading a class book.
Once night had fallen, Buffy was off to the cemetery for her nightly patrolling. Sometime Giles would take over and give her a brake but she had no luck tonight. 'That's one thing I miss about Riley, was the company while patrolling.' She thought to herself as she sat on a head stone, waiting for a new born to arise. "What's the bet this sucker is going to take all night to get his ugly head out the ground?" Buffy commented to herself, trying to relieve some frustration.
"What had I told you about teasing poor defenseless vampires?"
Buffy spun around, stake raised. "Angel!"
"Hey, watch it, you might stake someone with that." Angel took the stake from her hands and touched it's end to see how sharp it was.
"How long have you being watching me?" Buffy asked a bit angry that she hadn't felt him creeping up on her.
"Long enough. Is there something on your mind?"
"Why do you say that?"
"Well usual when I try to sneak up on you, you can tell I'm coming from a mile away and I cop a kick in the guts. So tell me is something wrong?"
"I've just got a lot on my mind."
"Would any of that have to do with this?" Angel pulled a ribbon bracelet out of his coat pocket and showed it to her.
"No, I just finished my exams yesterday and I'm just a bit stressed." He could tell she was lying but he didn't want to push the subject.
"So how did you go?"
"How did I go what?" She looked at him dumbfounded.
"Your exams. How did they go?" Angel repeated.
"I don't know. I think I did alright but who knows? So what brings you to Sunnydale? I saw Cordy and Wesley this morning."
"I came to see you." He said simply and she smiled. "And I wanted to give this to you." He handed her the bracelet. She turned it over in her hand then place it in her pocket.
Buffy heard a noise behind her and turned to see the ground in front of the grave moving. "Hold that thought. Back in a sec." She moved closer to the grave and waited till the new born vampire had it's chest out of the ground before staking it. It turned to dust but not before letting out a high pitch squeal.
"You're not giving them much of a chance these days."
"I'm not it the mood to play around with some new born, that thinks he can eat me for his first meal. God! Can't they get another script other than 'kill the slayer, kill the slayer'. It's getting really tiresome." She tucked the stake into the pocket.
Neither of them talked, just walked further into the dark and uninviting cemetery.
Buffy walked over to another headstone and read the date the person was buried. She lent up against a crypt wall and waited.
Angel finally broke the silence. "Buffy, we need to talk." He took a few steps closer to her.
"I know Angel. I want to do so many things with you and tell you so many things that I will never get to do or tell you. Life is too short for me but too long for you. I never wanted to leave you or you to leave me but some things aren't meant to be the way they are. I love you Angel and so many people are telling me, have being telling me, to move on but I can't. I was mean to be with you Angel and you with me." He just stared at her and smiled. "What's so funny? I'm here pouring my heart out here and you think it's funny." Buffy started raising her voice.
"I missed the way you got angry and all your funny comments." He lent in towards her and kissed her softly.
Like the first time they has kissed, Buffy had 'Angel, Angel, Angel,' repeating through her head like a beautiful song. The only difference is that now she knows his a vampire.
"Willow."
"Hello. Is that you Buffy?" Asked a sleepy Willow. "Why are you ringing me at 3 in the morning?"
"Just need to asked you something quickly."
"What?"
"Is there anything else I need to know about the spell?"
"What spell?"
"The bracelets. For me and Angel."
"I read you the paragraph out of the book. Now can I go back to sleep?"
"Thanks Will. Good night." Buffy hung out the phone and Willow went back to sleep, not even realizing what Buffy had being asking her.
"Willow said there was nothing else to tell us. So are you sure that this room is secure?"
"Positive." Angel kissed the side of her neck and she didn't even care. Most people would freak if a vampire got anywhere near their neck.
"Have you got your bracelet on?"
"Yes Buffy."
"Have you..." She trailed off and lay down on the matters they had moved into the tightly locked room in Angel's mansion.
"I've missed you Angel."
"Not as much as I have you."
Willow looked over at her alarm clock. "Buffy!" She jumped out of bed. "Hurry up and get out of bed, we're going to be last for class." Will looked over at Buffy's neatly make bed, puzzled. She then remembered the phone call she had had, early that morning with Buffy. "I thought I was dreaming. Buffy stayed with Angel last night." Willow smiled at the thought of her friend finally being happy again. "Oh well. I guess I'm walking to class by myself this morning. Buffy with catch up with me before class starts." She hurried to get dressed and left for class.
Buffy had purposely woken up before Angel. She moved to a corner of the room and waited. Waited for Angel to wake. Waiting to see what future they had together and if the bracelets actually worked.
Angel stirred and sat up, looking around the room to see where Buffy had moved to.
"Buffy." He said wearily, spotting her sitting in the corner.
"You're alright! Nothing happened!" She rushed over to him and gave him the biggest hug she could muster. "I'm so happy that nothing went wrong. Make sure we get Willow a big thank you present." Buffy kissed Angel affectionately.
"I love you Buffy. Don't ever let anyone tell you differently. Even me if I go mental again."
"But that's never going to happen because we had these bracelets." She looked at her wrist and noticed the time on her watch. "Shit!"
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, well. It's too late now." She snuggled down next to him. "I'm just missing my phic class. Willow should give me lend of her notes. Anyway, I've got better things to do."
Buffy smiled at Angel and he smiled back at her. "You've got something on your mind."
"How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Know when something is eating away at me."
"It's your body language. You seem tense and edgy."
"I was just thinking of some stuff." She lay her head down on his chest.
"Like what?" He ran a hand through her long blonde hair.
"Lots of thing. Like how much I've missed you and how dumb I was to try replacing you with Riley. No one can match up to you." She paused and totally out of the blue asked, "How many Slayers had you killed Angel?"
"Two. What does that have to do with anything, though?"
"Just thinking about my life and how I've lived a lot longer than some Slayers."
"And?" He could tell there was more to it.
"And I want to do things that no Slayer has ever done before."
"You already have Buffy. You're the strongest Slayer to have ever lived. How much more unique do you want to be?"
"There are so many thing I want to do in life before I die and...and if it's possible, I want to have a baby."
"What?" Angel sat up, quite shocked. "I didn't know that was coming."
"I might never get a chance to have a child of my own, Angel and I want to be able to have that chance. I want to be able to look at something that is just a little piece of me and I want to be able to smile and say that that's my creation."
"You do realize that if we do have a baby Buffy, there's no guaranties that it would be normal. I don't even know if it is possible for me to get you pregnant."
"But we will never know if we don't try."
"Have you thought this through Buffy. A baby isn't just something you can want on day and give up the next."
"I know it's a full time job but hey." She said trying to joke. "Hasn't my life already being hectic enough, that you think I couldn't look after a baby?"
"Don't go getting angry with my Buffy. I'm just trying to see if you have though about this and you know what it involves. Besides if I can get you pregnant, what kind of father would I be? And what kind of family would we have? I wouldn't even be able to go outside in the daylight to play with our child. We both would be fighting demons all the time. A child would be a danger risk. A target for both of us. Do you have any idea what it's like to see someone you love, turned against you?"
"Yes I do Angel. If you remember rightly, what happened last time I slept with you? I do know what it feels like. And don't go asking me if I have thought this through because I've being thinking about this for a long time. I want to have a baby Angel." She said with tears in her eyes. "There have only being two things that I have even wanted more than to have a baby of my own. That was not to be the Slayer but I've come to terms with it being my destiny and the other was to have you. To have you all to myself Angel. Can't you at least see where I'm coming from? I have a very short life planed out for me and I want to do everything I get a chance to."
"I understand Buffy. Really I do but don't you think we should at least have some time together, just you and me. Get to know each other again and then in say about two months time we can talk about this again."
"You're just hoping that I'll forget about it by then." Buffy stood up, putting on her clothes. "It was a stupid idea, just forget it." She walked over to the door of the room. "And now, how do we get out of here?"
"I'm not going to let us part like this again, Buffy. You have every right to want a family and a child of your own so don't go saying it was stupid. I love you with all my soul and I would love to have a child with you but not at this moment in time."
"Why, not now Angel?"
"Because...because something big is coming."
"I know that you couldn't of come here just to see me." She turned away from him again.
"Why do you have to be so hard on me? I'm only trying to do what I think is right for both of us."
"I'm sorry for being a bitch, it's just my whole life I've being told what to do and this is what I want to do. I want to have a baby before I get shredded to pieces by some big ugly."
"Nothing is going to happen to you while I'm around." Angel pulled her close and hugged her.
They stay close together for several minutes until Buffy asked, "So are you going to tell me about this big demon, monster, what ever, we're going to have to kill?"
Angel smiled and started to explain, while trying to open the door.
"Hi Willow." Buffy skipped into their dorm, closing the door behind her.
"Well someone's had a big mood sign since yesterday."
"I know. No more snotty, bad mood Buffy, I'm all good now." She smiled, laying down on her bed.
"So I take it you had fun last night and Angel didn't go all fangey, so that means that we're going to be safe and I can stop rehearsing the souls giving spell and I should stop talking now." Willow started to chew on her lower lip.
"I'm so happy Willow, I couldn't be happier, unless Angel could go into the sunlight. Then I would throw a privet party and celebrate for a whole week."
"Would I be invited?"
"Of course you would Will, you're my best friend." Buffy looked like she had gone to sleep on her bed but then she spoke. "Willow, I got some news from Angel, I don't know if you're going to like it."
"What could I ever possible not like?"
"Well a certain person, which I shell refer to as Oz, is coming back to Sunnydale."
"Really?" Willow yelled with joy.
"Do you want to sound any more desperate Will?"
"When is he coming back? How long is he staying? Is he still Mr. Wolfy?"
"Why don't you ask him yourself? His going to be at Giles house tonight. We're having a full Scooby Gang reunion."
"Who's going to be there apart from Oz?"
"Well let's see. There's Cordy, Wes, Xander and he wanted to bring Anya, Giles, Angel and Me." As she said the names, Buffy counted them off on her fingers. "Now sorry to come and go so much but I'm here to get some clothes and..."
"And your going back to Angel's. Got it. So what time are we meeting up?"
"7 o'clock. There's going to be nibbleys and drinks so don't worry about eating." Buffy stuffed some clothes into a bag.
"Tonight!" It sunk into Willow's head. "But what an I going to wear?"
"Don't ask me Will. Anyway I gotta run. I'll see you tonight." They hugged each other briefly before Buffy departed.
Buffy lay in Angel's embrace, she kissed him on the lips. "I really love this. Being able to stay with you and know that there's not going to be any consequences."
"Everything has a consequence Buffy but sometimes there not always bad."
"Angel."
"I know, I love you too." He kissed her forehead. "It's getting dark, we should think about going to Giles's soon."
"I just want to stay here, with you forever."
"Being eternal isn't all it's cracked up to be. It gets really lonely at times."
"Until I came along, right?" Angel smiled.
"Of course." He paused a moment. "Buffy, I'm going to need to go back to LA in a few days."
"But why? I thought we were getting on well."
"We are. I want to move back here. Being away from you almost a year was enough torture for me. I'll be gone a week, so I can sort some things out. I'll be back as soon as I can. But first I got to talk to a demon about taking over Angel Investigations."
"Well for starters, I think what ever it is, it's going to want to change the name."
"Don't you approve?"
"Very..." Buffy tried thinking of a word. "It's very original."
Angel laughed. "I'd love to know what you'd come up with."
"It depends if we're still taking about names for a business."
"What else would you be thinking?"
"I don't know." Buffy said smuggle. "They're cute, crawl on all fours and you need to love them heaps."
"Since when did dogs come into the equations?" Angel asked, getting up and putting on his pants.
"Dogs, I didn't say anything about dogs. I was talking about..."
"Baby names, I know. Now shouldn't we get going to this party?"
"We have plenty of time." Buffy got up off the floor and wrapped her arms around Angel. "I made sure that the party started well after dark."
"How considerate of you."
"We still have a few hours, so what do you want to do?"
"Willow, did Buffy say that she was going to be late?" asked Giles looking up from his dusty, old book.
"Buffy is most likely with Angel at his mansion and please don't ask me what they're doing because I don't even want to think about it." Willow prattled on, taking a quick glance at Oz.
"So we throw a Scooby Gang party and the main character isn't even here yet." Cordelia slumped back into a chair. "What the hell could Buffy and Angel be doing that is more important than spending time with me?" She said mostly to herself but Giles sifted through half of what she had said.
"But Buffy and Angel can't. He would be here by now and would have killed us all. What's going on Willow?" Giles demanded.
"Not saying anything." Willow put a hand to her mouth and covered it.
"Come on Will. Spill it already." Xander ordered. "If you don't tell me now, I'm going to have to try out some of the torture moves I learnt being a soldier guy." Anya stood next to him, impressed.
"Angel wouldn't do that. He knows the consequences." Wesley said understanding the direction of the conversation.
"What do you mean Angel wouldn't do that?" yelled Giles. "In case you forgot Wesley, Angel happens to be more than 200years older than Buffy! He should know better."
"What are Buffy and Angel doing?" asked Cordelia again and finally getting it. Oz and Willow kept giving each other flirtasish looks.
"And what Giles, you getting all protective over the poor girl again? If you remember rightly, that's what got you kicked out of The Council in the first place."
"And who's fault was it that Buffy quit The Council and Faith went insane?"
"Watch what you say old man."
"Or what Wesley, I might have to show you that I'm a much better Watcher than you could ever be?" Giles threatened.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the front door.
"What's going on?" Angel asked puffed and looked out the window.
"Get away from me." Cordelia screamed and jumped behind Xander.
"You heard the girl. It's a 20meter restraining order." Xander stuck a cross in Angel's face.
He took a step back. "What's wrong? Where's Buffy? How come she's not here yet?"
"You're not invited into this house anymore." Giles picked up an old sword and pointed it at Angel.
"What are you doing Giles?" Willow asked jumping in between Angel and the sword. "Angel is good, still."
"But you slept with Buffy?" Giles was confused.
"Lucky devil." Xander said under his breath and copped a punch in the shoulder by Anya and Cordelia.
Angel went slightly red in the face and looked at Willow. She shrugged, "Sorry, I didn't meant to. It just kind of slipped out."
"But how are you still good and with a soul?"
"Long story and I don't have the time. Where is Buffy?"
"We thought she was with you." Oz simply said.
"So she's not here." Everyone shock their heads. "Shit!" Angel rushed over to Giles weapons cabinet and pulled out a large mace. "She was meant to be here by now."
"Calm down Angel." Willow put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she is on her way right now. Anyway, why are you so puffed?" She asked slightly afraid to.
"I had a run in with Riley. He said to keep an eye on Buffy or something bad might happen. How much worse can you get? Riley's got Buffy and I'm going to kill him." He headed to the door.
"Wait a minute." Wesley yelled. "Is this the demon you saw Cordelia?" He showed her an old book.
"That's the one I saw in my vision alright." Cor said happily.
"It's a Peckes demon."
"Good, congratulations to you! Riley's out there with Buffy and all you care about is the stupid demon in Cordelia's stupid vision." Angel jogged out the front door, slamming it behind him.
"My vision's aren't stupid but they hurt like hell." Cordelia reassured everyone.
"Don't you think we should go after him or at least try to find Buffy?" Oz asked.
"Well, hell. It wouldn't be a Scooby Gang reunion without a search party and some demon slaying." Xander piped up.
"Where is she?" Angel yelled, slamming Riley up against a garbage bin.
"I don't know where Buffy is. Why don't you try using some of your initiative which Buffy says you're so capable for."
"Don't play with my boy! Trust me, you don't want to make me mad. Now just tell me where Buffy is and maybe you can keep your throat."
"Like I told you, I don't know where she is. Anyway if I did know, I'd be saving her right now and making you out to be the bad jealous boyfriend." Riley smirked.
"You don't know what me and Buffy have because your brain is to pitiful to comprehend the true meaning of love." Angel's eye's seemed to flash yellow in the dark. "Well if you don't know where Buffy is, than get out of my way." Riley was pushed aside and Angel stormed past him.
"Give me a brake! You think that you're such a mucho dick, what's the bet I can find Buffy before you can?"
"Give up already Riley. I have forever to beat you." His voice trailed off into the shadows.
"If you must know." Riley yelled into the darkness. "I was told the Buffy was in trouble, I didn't put her in danger. I'm not like that." Unsure of whether Angel was still out there Riley continued quietly. "Buffy's being stalked by a Peckes demon."
"So what does this Peckes demon want with Buffy?"
Riley spun around to face Angel, who had sunk up behind him. "Shit! You shouldn't do that to people that have information you need. They might have a heart attack before they can..."
Angel cut him off. "Just tell me what you know."
"Why should I? You came prancing back into Sunnydale and stole my girlfriend. What makes you think I own you anything?"
"For one, Buffy was never yours, she'll always being mine and two, you won't be able to kill this thing by yourself."
"What are you trying to ask Angel?" Riley asked smugly.
"God Riley! Do you have to be such a dip shit? I'm asking you for a bit of help."
"But how do I know I can trust you?"
"Put it this way. If I kill you Buffy will beat the crap out of me. Fair enough?"
"Fine."
"Now tell me what you know about this demon."
"It's called a Peckes demon."
"I gathered that much."
Riley ignored Angel's comment. "Do you know what a centaur is?" Angels nods. "It's kind of like that. Half human half horse. It has bat wings, teeth and the tongue of a snake."
"And why does it want Buffy?" Angel was getting inpatient.
"I was getting to that part. It has this wired tail thing, that it used to make it's army's." Angel waited of Riley to elaborate. "It impregnates the Slayer with it's tail."
"And when the Slayer comes to term, the babies kill her and have all the strength of the Peckes demon and Buffy. We got to find her." Angel started running down the street.
"Where are you going?" Riley called out to him.
"To find Buffy."
"But you don't know where she is."
"You said it had bats wings." Angel asked Riley once he had court up. "Well bats like to roost."
Buffy was slowly coming around, blinking her eyes and groaning with pain. "Where are you, ya big ugly?" She yelled into the darkness of the cave. She looked up to the roof and noticed a large hole in the cave roof, which was letting small shafts of moonlight in.
Her voice disturbed a roost of bats and they screeched while flying past her.
"Shhhhh." Something said from the shadows. "You don't want to made them angry."
"And why the hell not?"
"Because when they get angry, they swarm you and eat you up piece by piece. That's why they're called vampire bats."
"Yeah, but not a vampires are evil." Buffy tried to pull that chains holding her to the cave wall free but they were tightly rigged in the wall.
"I found that out quite recently. How is it that um...what's his name...Angel has a soul?"
"Long story but being chained to a wall makes me not in the mood to tell it." She struggled against the chains again.
"There is no use trying to break free Slayer. Just calm down and it will all be over soon." The Peckes demon walked into he small amounts of light supplied by a few strategically placed candles.
Buffy was surprised to see a half human demon. "What happened to the general chit chat or did you just want to skip that and get straight to the torture?"
"Who said anything about torture? What I'm going to do to you is magical."
"And what would you be going to do to me?"
"Make you my bride."
"Do you have any idea where we start looking, Giles? Or are we just going to walk around all night, and get sore feet." Cordelia sat down on a park bench, took off one of her heels and rubbed her foot.
"Did you have a better idea Cordy?" Xander asked.
"Yeah, I do a matter of fact."
"Do tell." Giles said.
"Well all split up, might be good."
"Fine." Giles started pairing people off. "Willow, you and Oz got back to my house and start looking through some more books. See if you can find anything else out about this Peckes demon." Giles through him his house keys. Oz court them "Xander go with Cordelia and..."
"Hey, Xander is my boyfriend." Anya protested.
"I need you to do something else Anya. Xander go with Cordelia and see what you can find out about the Peckes demon. Go see Willy and see if you can locate Spike."
Xander gave Anya a kiss. "Don't go doing anything you're meant to do with me."
"I won't sweety pie."
"Anya, I want you to find Tara and do a demon locating spell. Tell her it's big, very powerful and it's got Buffy."
"Fine, I'm going, I'm going." Anya left.
"Xander, now!" Giles ordered, sending Xander and Cordelia off on their assignment. Oz and Willow also retreated.
"It looks like it's up to you and me old man." Wesley commented.
Walking past him, Giles said through gritted teeth, "Call me that again and I'll give you a black eye."
"So how have you being?" Willow asked, unlocking Giles's front door.
"Good." Oz replied.
"So what made you come back to Sunnydale?" She closed the door behind them.
"Don't know." Oz went straight over to the book shelf and pulled two books from it. He handed one to Willow.
"How long are you staying for?"
"Don't know."
"Are you enjoying your time here?"
"Yeah. Well as Xander said, it wouldn't be a Scooby Gang reunion without some demon slaying."
Willow finally got more than a two word answer out of him.
"I missed you." Willow couldn't concentrate on reading her book.
Oz didn't look up from his book, just nodded and said, "Me too."
"What's so important about me that you've being stalking me the past few weeks?" Buffy tried to interrupt the Peckes demons chant. He snapped his head up and glared at her.
"You are the Slayer my dear my girl. How much more important can you become?"
"Yeah, well I already know I was the Slayer but why do you want me?"
"To make you my bride."
"You told me that before, but I'd like to know what 'being you bride' involves."
"You dying and making me an army."
"Heard it before. Now if you don't mind, my dinners getting cold." She struggled with the chains again.
"Where are we going?" Riley asked struggling to catch up to Angel.
"A cave."
"But I've already had all they guys check out all the cave around here and they didn't find anything."
"Did they find a cave full of vampire bats?"
"No."
"Then they didn't look in all the caves." Angel increased his pace.
"What are you talking about? There are no more caves."
"There is but it's only known to vampires because it's sort of a home away from home. Now do you have to be to loud or didn't they teach you anything about stealth in your red neck army gang?"
Riley was about to fight back with another comment but stopped when he heard a scream.
Angel jumped into 100% attention mood and started running towards the direction of the scream. "Buffy!" He screamed.
"Get away from me, you big ugly!" Buffy screamed, kicking her feet up and trying to make contact with the Peckes demon.
"Slayer's just can't lay down and die." The Peckes demon made a shrill call and brought forth to smaller demon just like him. "Hold her boys."
The two new demon arrivals held Buffy's legs down, making it unable for her to kick out. "Just relax Slayer. It will all be over soon." The Peckes demon raised it's impregnating tail towards Buffy.
"Would you care to leave my girlfriend alone?" Angel stood at the entrance of the cave and swirled his mace around in his hand.
"Angel!" Buffy yelled struggling more vigorously.
"Get him." The Peckes demon ordered just as Riley also appeared at the cave entrance. "Oh, so we have a threesom happening." He nodded his head in the direction of Angel and Riley and the two smaller Peckes demons started an attack on them.
"For an ugly old demon, you're pretty good with the modern terms."
The Peckes demon started unchaining Buffy and was going to make and escape with her while Angel and Riley were other wise occupied.
"Don't you hear Angel? He said to get your hands off me." Buffy went to kick it but he court her leg in mid swing.
"Bad little Slayer." The Peckes demon hit Buffy in the face, making her cry out.
"Buffy!" Angel yelled out and fought harder to kill one of the smaller demons.
Tucking Buffy under its arm, the Peckes demon prepared to fly out for the roof.
"Have you ever thought about using deodorant? It's good for self hygiene." Buffy commented, trying to get it to release it's grip on her but failing.
"I found something." Willow said happily.
"What?" asked Oz, moving towards her and looking at the book.
Willow started to read the text out loud. "A Peckes demon is a half human, half horse. Its mouth is that of a snake and has eyes of a wolf.
It is a world-killing demon and makes it's army's be impregnating the Slayer.
The offspring are deadly at birth, ripping their mother open to escape their incubator. The offspring can not be killed inside the Slayer once they have maturated two days inside of her. A speedy dagger through the stomach is all it takes to kill the young but if left too long there is a 0% survival for the Slayer."
"This is one evil dude."
"Poor Buffy."
"Does it say anything about how to kill this guy?"
Willow skimmed through the entry in the book. "Apparently you have to stab it in the eye."
"Charming."
"Tell me about it. Now all we have to do is find Buffy or Angel and tell them that."
"Where does Tara live?"
"Why do you ask that?" Willow closed the book.
"If we meet up with her, you two can try sending a message to Buffy and Angel."
"We can't get into Angel's head. Buffy had already tried when she had that mind reading power."
"Then you're going to have to contact Buffy."
"Then lets get in the van and get going to Tara's."
Oz nodded and got up from the couch.
"Let Buffy go!" Angel was tired of playing around. He spun his mace around and killed one of the baby Peckes demon's on impact. "If you still want to live."
The Peckes demon laughed, climbing higher in the cave and getting closer to freedom. "You're going to have to tell me your story later vampire. I'd love to know why you have a soul but then you know I'm going to have to kill you."
"Keep dreaming." Angel started swinging his mace around again. "I'm sorry for this Buffy but there's no other option."
"Do what ever you have to Angel." Buffy screamed down to him.
"Here goes." Angel let the mace go flying with all of his strength. It hit the Peckes in the wing, making it come plummeting to the ground.
"Buffy!"
"Have you managed to locate a large energy source?" Willow asked Tara.
"No, there's to much interference. I need your help."
"Forget about finding a source and contact Buffy." Oz tried getting back to the matter at hand.
"Who's he?" Tara asked looking at Oz.
"This is Oz."
"Oh."
"So can you communicate with Buffy, Tara?"
"I might be able with your help Willow. You have a stronger connection to Buffy than I do."
"We need to get this information to her as soon as possible. So what do I have to do?"
Tara passed Willow a cushion and gestured to the floor.
"When you do this, isn't there a chance of getting stuck in the nether world?" asked Oz.
"There is but I'm going to be Willow's anchor." Taking Willow's hands, Tara turned to Oz. "I'm sorry Oz but if you don't be quite, you're going to have to leave. That goes for you too Anya."
"Hey, I wasn't talking." Anya protested.
"Quite." Tara lit two candles. One white and one blue. "Now concentrate Willow. Think as if you are talking to Buffy face to face. Search for her."
Willow's face scrunches up and then she relaxes. She tenses up again and cries out, opening her eyes and looking around. "Did you find her?"
"I can't get her to talk to me. She's in pain." Willow cries and Oz moves to hug her.
"No Buffy, you can't die. Not now." Angel tried desperately to find a pulse in her neck.
Riley came running over to them when he had killed the other Peckes demon. "Is she alright?"
"I don't know, I'm not a doctor."
"Yeah, but I have a first aid certificate." He looked over his shoulder where the Peckes demon landed. "Keep that off my back and I'll check her for broken bones and stuff."
"But..."
"Are you going to argue with my and put Buffy's life in jeopardy or are you going to try kill that things and help Buffy?"
"If anything happens to her..."
"Yeah, yeah, just go and distract it." Angel picked up his mace and cautiously moved towards the Peckes demon while Riley checked Buffy for broken bones and determined her condition.
"Try again Willow." Tara shoved." Don't let her push you away."
"I can't do it. Give me a break." Willow said standing and walking over to look out the window.
"Come on Willow. Buffy and Angel need you right now."
"I can't do it Oz." He walked over to the window and put a hand on her shoulder.
"You always used to complained that you could never help them and now when you get a chance, you want try. Buffy never gave up on you."
"Don't lay the pressure on or nothing Oz."
"Just try again. This time, I'll be your anchor." Oz lead Willow back to the floor and sat down in Tara's place.
"Have you ever do this before Oz?" Tara asked.
"I've being finding myself spiritually for the last 6 months by doing things like this, I think I can handle it." He turned his attention back to Willow. "Now concentrate. Make Buffy talk to you."
"How is she?" Angel asked, ducking a punch from the Peckes demon.
"She's alright but she might have a broken arm and is going to have a hell of a lot of bruising. She unconscious though."
"Well wake her up, I need her help here."
"How long does it take to talk to someone?" Anya asked Tara.
"Shhhh! They need to concentrate."
"Buffy. Listen to me." Willow tried talked to Buffy's sprit. She ran into a brick wall. "Buffy, you need to listen to me because your life and many others life's depend on it." A corner of the wall crumbled. "To kill the Peckes demon you need to stab it in the eye. Do you understand me?"
More of the wall started to crumble. "Let me in Buffy. I'm here to help." Willow felt like she needed to prove to Buffy that it was really her. "Buffy you know your favorite blue top with the flower on it? I'm sorry but it was me who spilt red cordial on it. And you know when Jenny died, I didn't mean to blame you." Some more of the wall fall to the ground. "I'm so happy right now Buffy except that you're not here to share this moment with you."
"What's got you so happy Will?" She had finally broken down Buffy's mind barrier.
"Oz is acting as my anchor."
"Oh, well that's good."
"I need to tell you that you need to stab the Peckes demon in the eye to kill it."
"Handy info." Buffy looked around. "What is this place?"
"It's your mind."
Buffy flickered in and out of existence. "Wow. You have to go Buffy. Just remember to kill it, stab it in the eye."
Buffy flickered again and was gone.
Willow collapsed to the floor, existed.
"Did you talk to Buffy?" asked Tara.
"We got her." Oz smiled handing Willow a glass of water.
"It took me long enough to her to trust me." Willow wiped beads of sweat from her brow. "Well there's my monthly work out." She lay down again and took in a huge breath.
"Now it's up to Buffy."
Riley checked Buffy's pulse again. It was racing.
Buffy sat up straight, scaring the hell out of Riley. She looked at Angel as the Peckes demon got him in a corner.
"You put up a good fight vampire but you lack strength of the Slayer, which I have running through my veins." He pocked his snake tongue out. "The smell of fear is exhilarating."
"Angel!" Buffy yelled out. "Get him in the eye!" She throw him the mace he had dropped.
"I don't know. You sure you not smelling your own fear." Angel flung his mace into the face of the Peckes demon.
"How is she?" Willow asked Giles.
"The nurse said that she was pretty badly beaten up but she should be alright."
"So can we go in there and see her?"
"In a minute. Cordelia is talking to her." Giles got up from the waiting room chairs and started pacing again.
"It's not your fault Giles." Willow put a hand on his shoulder.
"You and Angel back together." Cordy laughed. "Who would have ever guessed?"
"Thanks for the support Cor."
"Don't you think you're being mean?"
"Why?" Buffy took a drink from her hospital tray.
"You having a baby. If you do have one Buffy, what happens if a demon or monster kills you when the baby is a week old, a month old or even a year old? It's not like Angel can look after a baby. He has big bads going after him too. It wouldn't be fair to the baby. Just think about what you're trying to do."
"Who said anything about me having a baby?" Buffy tried to laugh it off.
"Well Wesley said that the only way to escape a Peckes attack is to be pregnant already. So I figured you and Angel were going to have kids."
"The only reason that demon didn't get me pregnant was because Angel killed it before it got a chance to. And anyway there has never being a pregnant Slayer so what makes you think I can ever get pregnant?"
"You have a point."
There was a knock at the door and the doctor stood there.
"Miss. Summers. I'd like to have a word with you."
"I'll talk to you later Cordelia." She made a move for the door. "Cor." She turned back around to face Buffy. "Can you send Angel in now?"
"Sure thing Buffy." She looked over the young doctor before exiting the room.
"Miss. Summers what happened to you?" asked the Doctor.
"Can we just wait a minute?"
"What for?"
"I want my boyfriend to be here."
"If you wish."
They waited a few minutes for Angel to arrive. "Hey, Buffy." He kissed her on the forehead. She smiled.
"Doctor this is my boyfriend Angel." Buffy introduced.
"Nice name. Short for..."
"You don't need to know what. Kind of brings back bad memories." Buffy butted in.
"I wanted to know what happened to you to get in such a state." The Doctor looked at scratch marks on Angel's face. "Where you beaten up?"
"Yeah." Buffy went along with it.
"You know what guys are like these days. They see a pretty girl and have to have her." Angel added reaching over and taking Buffy by the hand.
"Do you want me to get the police in and make a statement?"
"No, we'll be alright."
"Now I wanted to tell you how you're doing." The Doctor looked at Buffy's chart. He looked back up at Angel and Buffy. "You're very lucky Miss. Summers."
"Why do you say that Doc.? It's not like I'm dying, am I?"
"No, nothing like that. You're just very lucky Miss. Summers, that you didn't lose the baby."