Angels Fall

Disclaimer: I don't own BTVS or any of the characters, if I did you can bet the show wouldn't have ended.

Authors Notes: This is an AU story. Buffy isn't a slayer and Spike and Angel aren't vampires (but Xander and Willow are still sort of geeks). Everything else you need to know gets explained in the story.

More Authors Notes: I started writing this story a couple years ago under a different title and the response was great but I didn't like the way it seemed rushed so I'm trying to take my time with this one. Also, while this will end the same way as my original idea, the way it starts and the way things occur is slightly different so please don't be confused. So forget the other one, enjoy this story, and let me know what you think please! (Chapter Two avail very, very soon!)

The music played slow and sexy, just fast enough so that she could move her hips in a sensual way. He stood behind her with his arms around her waist, enjoying her dancing as she moved against him. Slowly she brought her hands above her head and then down, ending at the top of her thighs. Around them people heard him groan slightly and the other couples dancing only wished they could be as sexy as they were.

Above the club, Angel watched as they danced, growing more pissed off as the song went on. He wanted nothing more then to rush down there and tear off Spike's head. The only thing that stopped him from doing so was that while watching them irritated him, watching her turned him on. For the time being he watched them from the second level, bittersweet when the song ended.

Buffy pulled Spike off the dance floor and took a seat on the plush couch. "Angel was watching us." She told him, glancing up at Angel and raising her eyebrows.

Spike followed her gaze and growled. "He can sod off. Of course, the way you were dancing I'm not surprised the whole club wasn't watching."

"I thought you enjoyed it." She countered, feeling a little annoyed at his seemingly jealous tone.

"I wasn't complaining, love." He told her, pulling her face to his for a kiss that Angel was sure to see. Slow and sexy, like the song they just danced to, he took his time kissing her and enjoying pissing off Angel. Behind Buffy's head he told Angel what he was thinking with his middle finger.

Breaking their kiss with a satisfied sigh Buffy said, "I've had enough of this place for tonight. I'll talk to you at school tomorrow."

"You're just going to leave me, after you danced like that?" Spike faked being upset.

She kissed his forehead and grabbed her black coat. "Good night."

She made her way through the club, aware that as she was leaving Angel was right behind her. She hoped Spike stayed where he was and she looked back to find him sitting there enjoying a cigarette.

She pushed open the door and found herself in the alley, glad to breath fresh air. She started to put her coat on and stopped when she felt somebody helping her. After letting him help her she turned around and stared directly up into Angel's dark brown eyes.

"What are you doing Angel?"

"Most people say thank you." He replied, walking towards her house.

"Well that's the thing, I'm not thankful." She quickened her pace, knowing damn well it wouldn't make a difference. Instead of taking a hint Angel picked up the pace much to her annoyance.

"If words could kill." He smiled at her. "I wouldn't be dead, but I might be slightly hurt."

"I can only wish."

"You don't want to be mean to me tonight, sweetheart." Angel smiled at her malignantly.

"Are you sure about that?" Not one to take orders from men, or anybody for that matter, Buffy refused to back down. Though her head barely reached his shoulder, she looked him square in the eye.

"I'm positive. You wouldn't want to get hurt would you? Unless you like it like that?"

"Only in your dreams."

"Do you ever dream of me?" He asked, his eyes growing cold and his voice becoming like ice. "Do you ever dream about me holding a gun to your head? Or maybe you dream that I make sure Spike will never bother you again?"

"You're psycho." Buffy turned around and started to leave, trying not to show her fear to a man who so obviously needed to be medicated. Angel reached out for her, grabbing her upper arm and whirling her around. Buffy wasn't sure when Angel pulled the gun out of his pocket, but she knew for certain that she was staring at a very black and cold gun that no doubt held bullets. Slowly Angel raised the gun so that the cold metal of the barrel was pressed against her forehead. She couldn't hide the fear in her eyes any longer. Suddenly she could no longer feel the barrel of the gun or see Angel's cold, chocolate eyes boring into her. Instead she saw herself, six months before, when she first arrived in Sunnydale; when everything was still normal.

6 months earlier...

Buffy Anne Summers might look innocent, but her mother knew she wasn't. When Joyce Summers gave birth to Buffy eighteen years ago she thought she was having a little girl who would need help in growing up right and strong. It was apparent, however, by the time Buffy was five that she was very capable of taking care of herself. Joyce didn't worry about her daughter being teased by other kids, instead she would worry about getting calls from the school because Buffy had punched a bully. Instead of being the Junior prom queen last year Buffy was given an gold umbrella that represented the award of "Class Protector". It was then that Joyce finally realized her daughter was an amazing young woman who took care of herself and others; worrying was not something she needed to do any longer. It was because of this that Joyce knew uprooting her daughter and starting over in a small town would be harder on her then on Buffy. With only momentary hesitation Joyce accepted the job as curator of a museum in Sunnydale, California. Leaving behind friends, family, and a horrible ex-husband, Joyce and Buffy left Los Angeles and moved into a quaint and cozy house in a respectable neighborhood.

"Are you nervous about school tomorrow?" Joyce asked, leaning against the doorway to Buffy's bedroom.

"Why would I be?" Buffy asked, not looking up from the box of clothes she was unpacking. "Do you think I should throw this away?"

Joyce glanced at the pink sweater Buffy held. "Stick it in the back of your closet, maybe someday you'll wear it."

"You always think like that. You never throw anything away because you're afraid some day, even if it's fifty years from now, you'll want to look at it or smell it or wear it."

"Apparently you don't feel the same way. You know, I'm nervous." Joyce admitted.

"About what? Mom, you're going to be fine. I don't know how many times you need to hear it before you start believing it."

"Maybe just a few more times tonight and once tomorrow morning."

Buffy shook her head and pulled a stack of hangers from the closet. She proceeded to hang the clothes and place them in the closet in perfect order, secretly hopping her mother was done talking to her. When it became apparent that her mother wasn't leaving anytime soon, Buffy stopped what she was doing and went to her. She wrapped her arms around the older Summers in a hug. "Everything will be fine, I promise you. And if it isn't, tell me and I'll take care of it."

"I should be telling you that, I'm the mother here." Joyce let go of her daughter and looked out the window. "It's so dreary outside, maybe that's why I'm tired."

"It's a good day to sit on the couch and read a book."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Want to join me?" Joyce started out the door, heading down the stairs to the kitchen.

Buffy followed, but not because she was going to join her mother. "Mom, please, do you I look like I'm your age? I meant it was a good day for you to read and a great day for a cute girl like me to shop. Care to make a donation to the Bank of Buffy?"

"The input only Bank of Buffy?" Joyce grabbed her wallet and pulled out a credit card she'd recently gotten as a surprise for Buffy. It had a thousand dollar limit on it and Joyce was more then happy to pay the bill every month. As far as she was concerned, nothing was to great for her daughter. She handed Buffy the card and explained the rules. "Basically there are no rules except you can't max it out at one store. I want you to buy whatever you want or need and I'll cover it at the end of the month."

"This is the kind of thing kids dream about. Are you sure you want to do this? Because I am very liable to max it out every month."

"I wouldn't expect anything less. Now you shop and I'm going to read."

Buffy kissed her mom on the cheek and was out the door before Joyce had the chance to realize the power she had just given her daughter. The only problem was that once Buffy was out of the house she didn't know where to go to shop. Hollywood was only three hours away and it was early enough that she could spend the day shopping on Rodeo but she really didn't feel like driving. Besides, while she was grateful for the credit card she knew that a thousand dollars wouldn't buy a whole lot on Rodeo.

Now seemed as good a time as any to check out the Sunnydale mall, although she wasn't exactly sure there was a mall. She had walked about a block before she was nearly taken out by a crazy guy on a skateboard.

"Sorry, don't know how to stop!" He yelled out before crashing in somebody's yard. "Are you ok?"

"Shouldn't I ask you that?" She stayed where she was as the skateboarder walked over to her. Judging by his clothes and obvious hobby she assumed he was around her age.

"The only thing that's hurting is my self-esteem. You just moved here right?" Skater boy asked.

"Yes, I'm Buffy Summers."

"Xander Harris. I saw you moving in the other day." He paused for a moment before elaborating. "I'm not a stalker, I meant that I was on my way to my friend's house and it was hard to miss the big U-Haul."

"I wasn't worried." Buffy wasn't sure how long this conversation as going to last and she was itching to do so something besides stand there. "I know this might be weird and all but I was going to the mall, if there is one, and maybe you could show me where it is?"

"No problem. It's not a really big mall but it gets the job done around here. Me and Will where there yesterday, actually, and they had a sale at the skate store. That's where I decided I wanted to be a skater."

"Is it too late to get a refund?" Buffy joked.

"Maybe I'll stop in and talk to them about that."

They continued walking the few blocks to the mall and Buffy filled Xander in on where she was from, why she moved here, and where she was going to school. In exchange Xander excitedly told her they would be going to the same school and that he should meet his friend Will.

"Does he skate as bad as you do?"

"Who?" Xander asked.

"Will?"

"Oh, no. Her name is actually Willow and she doesn't skate. Her parents are really strict Jews and they probably think it's wrong. She has to come over to my house every Christmas just to watch Charlie Brown."

"Poor kid. Is this the mall?" Buffy stared at the surprisingly large two story structure, impressed that such a small town had a decent sized mall.

"That it would be. Don't take it personally if I don't keep you company, but I don't find waiting while you girls try on clothes that much fun."

"It's all good." Buffy assured him as she looked around, a bit awkward about how to say goodbye.

"So if you want tomorrow Will and I can wait for you and show you around school." Xander explained where he and Willow would be and told Buffy he would see her tomorrow before he took off for the skate store.

All in all, Buffy had a very productive day with the back-to-school shopping and the new friend she hopped she had made. When Monday morning rolled around she was only slightly nervous despite attempting to assure her mother and herself that she wasn't. She dressed in her favorite, faded pair of True Religion jeans and a plain wife beater, forgoing all the new clothes she bought yesterday. She may be crazy, but the jeans and t-shirt where somewhat of a security blanket for her. Plus, she knew she looked damn cute in that outfit.

After talking her mother into dropping her off at school, Buffy found Xander under the huge, and only, tree he told her about the day before. She assumed that the redhead next to him was Willow.

Before she had reached Xander and Willow a confident brunette intercepted her path.

"Hi! I'm Cordelia and you're new, right?" The chocolate haired girl, apparently at the top of the popularity chain, bubbled.

"Yea, I'm Buffy. I just moved from-"

"LA, I know." Cordelia interrupted. "I can tell by your lack of dorky clothes. Hardly anybody in Sunnydale can afford True Religion, well except for me, of course."

"Really." Buffy dead-panned, unimpressed by this girl. "Sorry to cut this short, but I'm meeting some people."

"Oh, tell me who they are and I"ll tell you if they're worth it." Somehow, Buffy figured that Xander Harris and his friend Willow wouldn't register on Cordelia's cool list, but her brain didn't get that message to her mouth in time. When Cordelia's face dropped slightly Buffy wasn't at all surprised. "Nobody will talk to you if you hang out with those losers."

"I don't know either of them yet, but I'll be the one that decides if they're losers or not."

"Hey, don't say I wasn't trying to warn you."

"Tell you what, I'll pretend I never even talked to you." Buffy clearly insulted her, but Cordelia chose to see it as a favor. The last thing Cordelia needed was some new girl, so obviously a nerd trying to wear cool clothes, to spread it around that they were bestest buds. Her stock wouldn't suffer, she knew, but all the same it would be incredibly annoying.

Buffy moved around Cordelia and completed her journey to the giant tree. She smiled at Xander, who nudged the redhead to let her know they had company.

"Buffy!" He said, slightly surprised that she was still talking to him after talking to Cordelia and hearing god only knows what.

"Hey." Buffy nodded.

"Hi, I'm Willow Rosenberg, Xander told me about you." Willow seemed nice, if not a little on the scholar-nerd line. "Well, not a whole lot since he didn't know that much, but he said you were nice."

"Great." Buffy decided instantly that while Xander and Willow were not the type of people she would hang out with in LA, they were more genuine then Cordelia, and that was what she needed. The bell rang shortly after Willow looked at Buffy's class list and the trio proceeded to their classes. With the exception of home room, Buffy shared all her morning classes with either Xander or Willow or both. Much to her dissatisfaction, Cordelia also happened to be in most of those classes. After weighing her lunch options, eating alone or eating with Xander and Willow, Buffy decided the latter was a better deal. They helped her by pointing out which foods might leave her with a funky stomach and which foods were probably not up to code. That left only a pre-packaged yogurt and an almost brown banana for lunch.

Buffy went to her sixth period class without her new friends but overall satisfied that she didn't have the same pain as the students who didn't know which foods to eat or not to eat. Students at Sunnydale High obviously didn't realize that being early to class was not as cool as they thought, thus when Buffy finally walked in there was only one table left. On one side of the table sat a male with bleach blonde hair and a plain black t-shirt and matching pants, who was either dead or seriously asleep. Walking to the empty desk, Buffy ignored Cordelia and her friends snickers as she made her way to the back of the room. She sat down and looked around at the other students, ultimately ending up staring at her table mate, secure in the fact that he was sleeping and wouldn't notice her rudeness. It came as a shock when he opened his eyes and stared back at her a few minutes later.

"What?" He asked in an apparent, very sexy British accent.

"Oh, sorry." Buffy muttered, looking elsewhere for a minute before looking at her partner to see if he was sleeping. She was surprised to find him staring at her now.

"Name's Spike, what's yours, love?"

"Buffy. What kind of a name is Spike?" For the second time that day Buffy's brain was moving slower then her mouth.

"It's not like I had much of a choice in my name. Besides, what kind of a name is Buffy?"

"Point taken." Buffy replied and decided to leave it alone for now.

For the rest of the period Buffy avoided looking at Spike and concentrated on the teacher, a task that proved to be a lot harder then she imagined. She was grateful when the bell rang and she could spring out of her chair into the hall, however she wasn't prepared to have Spike stroll up along side of her.

"So I was thinking you and me might check out the Bronze?"

"Uh...what's the Bronze?" Buffy looked around for Willow or Xander, hoping for an easy out instead of answering his question.

"It's the only club in town. It can be lame sometimes but for the most part it's a pretty alright right place."

"Oh, I see. But I'm busy tonight, ya know, still unpacking and all that."

"How about Friday night then?" Spike wasn't about to give up on the first hot girl he'd seen at Sunnydale High since he moved here two years ago.

"I have plans Friday." Buffy lied.

"Saturday then, and if you say no I'll never smile again."

"Spike, I don't know you at all but you seem like a great friend to have. Right now, I'm just more concentrated on adjusting and making friends then looking for a date."

"Friends, love? Well that's a piece I wasn't expecting to hear, most girls fall all over me."

"I'm not most girls. Anyway, I've gotta go."

Buffy spotted Xander and Willow and hurried to catch up with them. Relating her story about Spike, Buffy went to her seventh class with her two newest friends. All in all, her first day of school hadn't been as bad as she'd prepared herself for. Apparently, moving to Sunnydale wasn't as horrible as it first appeared.