Author's notes: This story takes place instead of becoming (the season 2 finale). Hence spoilers through season 2. And yes, the end is a cliffhanger. Look for a continuation of this story to appear on this very same site.
Warnings: Bad things happen to good characters. Mild Language Warning, Violence warning.
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Joss Whedon and mutant enemy does. No copyright infringement intended.
The sky was deep purple, and the moon shone out, glowing a luminescent silver. The mansion sat atop a hill, surrounded by deep forest, and light glowed from within. This however was not natural lighting, inside the mansion magickal workings were being wrought.
Robert Sherman stood in reverent silence, staring up at the moon through the skylight. A savage storm raged in the sky, but the peals of thunder and the forks of lightning could not obscure the moon from him. All was as it should be. The energy flowed down through the skylight and washed over him. Driving the incessant pattering of the rain on the glass from his mind he concentrated and started to draw the energy inwards so he could focus it. When he felt he had enough he turned to the candle and started to release the energy, he held his hand out, six or so inches away from the wick of the candle and let the energy flow out of him and into it. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and let it out, imagining the energy flowing out with the air to energise the candle. He heard the hiss as the fire was born and could smell the flame consuming the wick. A smile forming on his face he opened his eyes to observe his work.
"You must learn control." The old man sent a disappointed look back at him before blowing out the match. "The energy was there but you must learn to focus it where you want it. You'd have burnt the pedestal to the ground before you lit that candle."
Robert looked down at the floor. "It's no good, I just can't do it."
"Don't think like that." The old man waved a finger at him. "Remember all you have already done. This is the hardest of the things you need to learn, it is also the last. Once you have mastered this you will be ready."
"Ready for what?" Robert looked the man in the eyes. "You keep telling me I need to be ready for something, but why won't you tell me what?"
"When the time comes you will know. Soon now, It is almost upon us. But enough for now." The old man raised a hand to forestall any objections. "I'm not as young as I used to be and I need my rest. Maybe some meditation will help you focus."
Robert nodded. "I'll be in my room if you need me."
There was a loud creaking noise as Robert pushed open the door to his room and slipped through. With a barely audible sigh he flopped onto his bed. Gazing up to the old gas lamp that provided the room with some measure of illumination he cast his mind back to how all this had started. If someone had told him seven years ago that this is where he would be now he'd have told them where to get off. He couldn't have imagined half of the stuff he'd seen in the past seven years. He didn't want to try and imagine what another seven years would yield. All his life he'd seen things, not exactly having lived at the crux of supernatural activity he never had much cause to lose much sleep over it. Not until he saw his first vampire. Never in a million years could he have hidden his reaction upon seeing it. Of course, noticing things like this is bad because it gets you noticed. He would have died that day at the hands of the vampire if not for the intervention of his now mentor. Robert furrowed his brow as he tried to gauge the age of Master Zachary, he had to be at least eighty by now, and that made his besting a vampire in single combat all the more impressive. To all intents and purposes Robert Sherman died that day, as is the way when one is initiated into the order. He became Apprentice to Master Zachary and he'd been learning since that day. The order though, Is not as big as it once was, it was dying. Soon it's flame would sputter and die in the night. Well, that was the prophecy at least. Robert turned away from these thoughts and toward his meditation. As Master Zachary had said, there was little time, and he needed to be ready.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow Rosenberg glanced nervously at her watch, she'd never been late to class before but she was coming dangerously close. This worried her, but then again, she was with Oz. This made her feel marginally better about it. Willow looked across the corridor at Oz who was there, smiling back at her as ever. He made her feel good. He gave her that "tingly" feeling all over.
"So, are you coming to the Bronze tonight?" She asked
"Uh no, I have a band playing thing."
Well, It wasn't like he was brushing her off, Without the band she couldn't be a groupie.... and she enjoyed being a groupie. But something was amiss, because the whole purpose of her "groupieness" was so that she could watch the band play.
"But where would you play? I thought the Bronze was your regular band ..... playing place."
"This one's in a garage, it's called practice."
"That's good, practice is good." Willow stalled a moment. "Not that you need any practice 'cos. you're like a regular, you know... band that doesn't need any practice."
That definitely qualified as an uncomfortable silence, she and Oz didn't have many of those. Silences that is. With Xander she had lots of silences although she would never have described any of them as "uncomfortable". Her eyes lit as she thought of how to overcome this non-speech problem.
"Oooh. So, can I watch you practice?"
"Normally the answer would be yes."
"But?"
"But I'm kinda' working on a surprise for you and, if you do come and watch us practising now well, it would cease to be a surprise."
"I like surprises." A worried look suddenly crept onto Willow's face. "Unless they're bad surprises. This is a good surprise isn't it?"
Oz leant forwards and gently kissed her on the lips.
"Okay, good surprise then." Willow chirped, slightly flushed. "I'll see you later, because I have class now, and I have to go and slow my heart down."
Oz simply smiled in response.
Yes, she was smitten, what was the exact phrase Buffy had used before? Ahhh, that's it. Apparently "She had it bad". Willow didn't like this, it made love sound like a sickness. But then with all that Buffy had gone through she was bound to be a little jaded. She was so absorbed in thought as she walked down the corridor that she didn't notice the tall, dark figure that walked past her.
"Earth to Will?"
"Huh"
"Mind me asking what planet you were on? It looks like a really interesting place."
"Oh Hi Xander" Willow had given up responding to his quips, she knew he meant nothing by them. "Hey! Don't you have class?"
"That never bothered me before, I say why save the damned?"
"Because exams and future and College...."
"That's not for a whole year yet," Xander cut in. "I'm not even a senior yet, working is an alien concept to me."
"I'm being serious here."
"I know Wills, I'll be at class in about...." Xander glances at his watch. "15 minutes, I told the G man I'd help with some of the sorting."
Willow folded her arms and cocked her head to one side.
"Well It was worth a try." Xander shrugged as he made off in the direction of his class.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow sat in the Bronze, bored and alone, except for Xander who was pining over Cordelia's temporary absence. So that would be bored and alone then.
"So, where is Cordelia anyway?" Anything to breach the silence.
"Oh, she had this weekend shopping trip thing." Xander scowled. "you know, most girls, one day is enough. But not our Cordy, she needs a whole weekend to do her best shopping."
A familiar shape sauntered into view.
"So what's happening over here with all your....... non verbal depressing expressions?"
Buffy receives blank stares from both Xander and Willow.
"Well, I'm going to get some carbonated drinking fluids, you guys want some?"
This time Xander and Willow responded with noncommittal grunting noises.
"Well suit yourselves, but I'm not offering free drinks again anytime soon." Buffy strode off in the direction of the bar, weaving herself through the crowds that were being decidedly more energetic than her friends.
"I'm beat, I have classes on Monday to write notes for." Willow finally pulled together enough energy to get up from her seat.
"Wait a moment, I'll walk you back." Xander's concern for her well being was touching... in a way.
"No, you stay, have fun. Look, there's Buffy" Willow pointed over in Buffy's direction in the hope that Xander would be distracted. He'd always looked out for her, but since she'd started seeing Oz, looking out for her had turned into full 24/7 watcher type concern.
"Didn't you know? Buffy no longer holds the same attraction for me." Xander said.
Willow looked at him. She could tell he was lying, he only ever did that thing with his lip when he was lying.
"Besides Buffy can take care of herself," Xander continued "She's the slayer. You aren't, and I worry about you. Especially with Angelus about."
"But it isn't that late at all, I mean the sun's hardly set. Most Vampires won't be out for a couple of hours yet at least. Now go, have fun...... please?"
Xander had tried arguing with Willow before, It didn't work. Once she was set in her way it took a force of nature to change it.
"Okay, Go on, but be careful. Okay?"
Willow gave Xander her best "confident" smile. She had been getting better at them lately.
"You know me."
"That's why I worry"
"Say 'Bye to Buffy for me." And with that Willow turned and made toward the exit as fast as the crowds would part to allow her.
Xander sagged back in his chair for a moment before knocking back the rest of his coke. "Oh, no my life isn't complicated. It's just interesting." He muttered before peeling himself out of his chair and going to find Buffy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow was worried. Despite what she had said about the sun setting it had obviously been down for a few hours now, and she was shrouded in a grim twilight as she briskly marched back to her home.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"That offer still good on a drink?" Xander was less happy than before. Whatever his hormones told him, he knew that Buffy could never fill the space that Willow did. Him and Willow were like..... soulmates.
"Sure." Buffy answered. "What's Willow having?"
"Willow went home, she had work to do."
"And you didn't go with her? It isn't safe at this time of night."
"I've tried arguing with Willow before, it doesn't work. She wanted to go alone."
"Ok, not your fault, I'll talk to her tomorrow........" Buffy paused as an old look crept into her eyes.
"What's up?"
"Trouble, this way."
"Hey! Slow down for the geeky sidekick!" Xander protested as he made every effort to keep up with Buffy as she barged her way towards the exit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Willow gasped as a dark shadow descended across her path. She looked up at the source of the shadow and mentally chided herself for being scared by such a small cat up there in the trees. As she looked up at the cat, it cried out in fright and leapt off into the darkness. Willow watched the cat as it fled into the distance. I had no idea I could be so scary. She turned back to continue walking and froze as she saw the sharp, angular features Just inches from her own.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What's wrong?" Xander panted with the exertion of keeping up with the slayer.
"Vampires, This way."
"But this is the way........." A chill went down the back of Xander's spine as the impact of what he was about to say reverberated through him. "This is the way Willow walks home from here."
"Then you'd best run faster." As Buffy said this she was surprised to see that Xander was actually keeping up with her. In fact if anything, he was gaining ground.
"Stake"
"What?"
"Give....me....a....stake." The exertion was taking it's toll on Xander but he sure as hell wasn't about to slow down.
"I'm the Slayer, remember?"
"Two options. Either I fight them with a stake or I use my bare hands. Which sounds better to you?"
Buffy pulled a stake out of some recess of her clothing and tossed it over her shoulder for Xander to catch, then she pulled out another for herself.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In panic Willow pulled the simple wooden cross out from her pocket and thrust it into the Vampire's face. There was an intolerable hissing noise and the ....thing fell back several feet from her. Willow turned to run, but was barred by a pair of Vampires who had been standing behind her. With a deft blow the cross was quickly batted from her hand. Out of shock and denial she started to edge backwards, right into the grasp of the Vampire she had just fought off. Willow gasped as she was lifted up into the air. It was a strange feeling, weightlessness. Unfortunately she didn't have long to savour the experience before she landed on the ground...hard.
The pain told her that her ankle was probably broken, though broken or not she wasn't going anywhere. She frantically grabbed for the cross that had landed just a few inches out of her reach. Then she felt the clawed hands on her shoulders, digging into her flesh as she was hauled up into a vague standing position. At least I went on my own, If Xander had gone with me he'd be dead too. All her thoughts paled into insignificance as she felt the twin stabs of pain at the side of her neck.
Willow could feel the pins and needles, all over her body in fact. For some reason she could feel the pain of her twisted ankle even more acutely now, she felt the fiery agony where the vampire bit into her, and she could smell it's rancid breath with a distinctness she had never known before. Her vision was dim and murky, but she could hear with crystal clarity the sickening gulp as her life drained away and into the inhuman fiend that was sucking it, She also heard a very familiar voice:
"Don't you guys know it's bad manners to suck out a girl's blood on the first date?"
The pain in her neck and shoulders ceased, and her ankle knew pain again as her full weight was released onto it. As she collapsed onto her knees she heard a blood curdling scream, she couldn't imagine any of the vampires making that noise, and it was definitely male so Buffy wasn't a suspect. As she started to topple over to her right she heard the first "Whooosh" as one of the vampires met it's slayer. Moments later came a rush of air as a human shape was thrown bodily over her left shoulder, this was followed by an inhuman snarl as a Vampire leapt over her in pursuit. Even with her blurred vision she could tell that the shape wasn't Buffy, he was far to big for that, and women didn't have shoulders that shape. The human shape landed in a flawless combat roll and scooped her cross up from the floor where it had fallen. As she collapsed onto her side she saw the Vampire dive onto it's opponent out of the corner of her vision...... and disintegrate as it impaled itself on the end of the Cross. The third "Whoosh" could be heard from somewhere behind her as the man picked himself up from the floor. As he dusted himself off, recognition flashed across Willow's features.
"Xander?...." She murmured as loudly as she could manage.
Then she passed out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the beginning there was pain. It was a dull ache that she couldn't quite place, the pain seemed to be everywhere and nowhere all at once. It occurred to Willow that she couldn't see anything. She didn't even know, for that matter whether she was standing, or sitting, or lying down. She felt the barest brush of something on the side of her face, and lifted her hand up to feel what it was.
..............Nothing.
She could still feel whatever it was brushing against her skin, but her arm refused to co-operate. A wave of panic hit her, What's wrong? What's happened to me?. Her thought's were broken for a moment by someone talking. It was very faint, but she could still hear it, like it was from a great distance away.
"Forgive me Willow." She could make out the voice as Xander's. She could hear the pain in his voice, and could almost see him biting back tears as he said the words.
"If I'd gone with you none of this would have happened." As Xander continued his monologue she felt a light impact as a tear fell onto her face.
"I never......" Willow could feel Xander's hand around her own, and the pressure as he squeezed gently on it. "I never realised how much you mean to me..... I... love you." The last words were almost lost as Xander's voice broke down altogether. She couldn't stand for him to be like this, she had to do something, anything so he'd know she was ok. Concentrating with all of her strength she willed her hand to work, to squeeze back, anything to communicate with him somehow.
Xander was broken from his thoughts by a pressure on his hand, She's going to be okay.. The thought faded as the pressure on his hand began to hurt. Willow was shocked to hear Xander yelp in pain, and immediately released the pressure on his hand.
"Does anything appear to be the matter?" Giles' stoic figure appeared in the doorway.
"Yeah, only we thought we heard someone strangling a cat in there."
"Ha ha Buffy, very funny." Xander was far to distraught to respond properly to the quip. He only hoped he could keep from showing the full extent of his emotions. "I think the transfusion worked." He stood up, rubbing his hand as if to emphasise the point.
"Yes, well.... good." Giles removed a piece of cloth from his pocket and proceeded to clean off his glasses. "I wasn't sure whether or not we'd be able to conduct the operation with the limited resources at our disposal."
"Yeah, you should try this giving blood thing, it's fun......." Buffy was swaying on her feet and Giles was only just able to catch her before she fell backwards.
"You should go and sit down, you've given more blood than is really healthy. I'm afraid you won't be slaying for a few days."
"Remind me again why he couldn't give any." Buffy said pointing at Xander.
"The next time they tell you about blood types I suggest you listen, now go home and get some rest. You too Xander, you both look like you could use it. Oz will get here soon, I can hold the fort till then."
Xander clasped his hands around Willow's "Get well soon Will." Then hauled himself up from the chair that stood next to padded library table that was passing for a bed.
"C'mon" Buffy said. "I'll walk you back." As they both shambled out of the library.
Giles walked over to Willow, upturning her hand and placing his first two fingers against her wrist. After a few seconds of deliberation he let out a sigh of relief and sat down.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buffy and Xander had reached Buffy's house, in the pre dawn gloom it had an almost surreal air about it.
"Hey cheer up Xand. It's going to be okay, remember?"
"No Buffy, it's pretty far from okay. In fact it hasn't been close to okay ever since you did the wild thing with Angelus."
"That was harsh." As Xander looked over he could see what he'd done to Buffy, he couldn't tell how far from breaking down she was, but it wasn't far.
"I'm sorry. I said,... I didn't mean." Buffy looked up and seemed to ease slightly at that. "Just, first Miss Calendar, now Willow..."
"Willow isn't dead." Buffy cut him off.
"How much longer did Giles say?..... One minute more and that vamp would have sucked her dry. And that WAS one of Angel's vamps, you know that."
"But she's alive, she's going to be okay, and this won't happen again."
"Too right it won't."
"Hold it there Xander, I know that look. You aren't are you?"
"You couldn't do it, guess it's up to me."
"Don't be stupid, you'll just get yourself killed."
"Nope, got the ways, and the means." Xander pulled his coat back to reveal a pair of stakes and a good half dozen crossbow bolts. "Now you know you're not going to stop me, so just trust me on this one." With that Xander turned and sprinted off down the street. Buffy made a start after him but hadn't run more than 10 paces before she had to stop.
"Got to ..... tell Giles, ...... stop Xander." she panted as she staggered back to the door.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Sherman gazed in awe at the slowly burning candle as Master Zachary smiled from the side of the room.
"I did it! I actually did it!"
"As I always knew you would." Master Zachary paused to mop the sweat from his brow. "Of all the members of the order I have seen, your light burns the brightest."
"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long." Robert said. "Haven't you always told me that?"
"Touché," Master Zachary paused to cough, a long, ragged rattling sound that confirmed he was far from well. "And I wish it wasn't true. Until I found you I was the last of the order. Soon you will be the last, and soon after the order will cease to be."
"There has to be something that can be done."
Master Zachary slowly shook his head. "It is destiny. It will come about. But shhh now, I still have a few things to teach you, and my time is short."
Robert pulled a chair over and sat down. "I'm listening."
"Good, now are you familiar with the chosen one? My mind addles, I forget whether or not I've told you."
"The chosen one, the slayer. Into each generation a slayer is born, one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt the Vampires, the demons, and the creatures of darkness. Is that it?"
"Yes, that's the one." He confirmed. "Now, the chosen one has a quite unique aura. So much so that words would not do it justice." Master Zachary leaned over and placed his hand on Robert's temple. Robert closed his eyes as the knowledge was passed over to him.
"I see what you mean." Robert opened his eyes as the transfer completed. "So that's the aura of the chosen one?"
"It was fifty years ago." Master Zachary paused again to cough. "Based on how long they usually live for there have been about........... twenty or so since then. But with your skill in aura reading you should easily know the chosen one when you see her.
"So I'm to work with the slayer?"
"No"
"Against? I thought we were on the same side."
"No, where you are going you may very well meet the slayer, but you are not to reveal yourself to her. We are on the same side, but the watchers council has been known to take a rather xenophobic line from time to time."
"So they think we're on the other side?" Robert asked.
"With very few exceptions they think everyone who isn't watchers council is on the other side." Master Zachary made over to a bookcase with some difficulty and pulled out an old and musty tome. Brushing dust off the cover he looked over at Robert, the light of knowledge was in his eyes.
"Before I forget..." He said, pulling a box from his pocket. "Now you have completed your training the symbol of the order is yours to wear." He opened the box to reveal an amulet of gold, carved in an intricate design with a gem of amethyst at the core. The silver chain connected to it was of an appropriate length to be worn round the neck.
"Thank you." Robert said as he took the box.
"The symbol means very little. It's what's in here that counts." He said, tapping his chest where his heart was. "But you're letting me get distracted, there are still some things to do. Now I know I've told you a bit about the prophecy, but I've never read it in full to you. This may take some time, but it will prepare you for what is to come." Master Zachary sat down as he opened the book and started to leaf through the pages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"And you didn't stop him?!?!" Buffy could hear the incredulous tone to Giles' voice even over the phone.
"Care to remind me again how I was supposed to."
"Yes, well, ummm. I see your point. Some good news though, Willow seems to have pulled through remarkably quickly, she's been up and about for the last ten or fifteen minutes."
"That's good." Buffy didn't know whether it was the lack of blood or relief that was making her shoulders sag.
"And we seem to have a quite unexpected development."
"Oh?"
"Yes, it seems that with your blood, Willow has gained a portion of your strength. When she hugged Oz she almost cracked ribs."
"That's good Giles, but I'm going to have to get some sleep. Today's really taken it out of me."
"Of course. Yes, you get some rest. I'll see if I can't track down Xander, but I don't anticipate that we'll find him unless he wants to be found. Oh, and don't worry about patrol tonight, I'll sort something out."
"'Bye Giles."
After putting the phone down Buffy hadn't taken more than two steps when she noticed a familiar shape rounding the corner to walk down the stairs. Thinking on her feet Buffy moved as quickly as she could into the kitchen and after turning the light on went to pour herself a glass of orange juice.
Joyce Summers couldn't conceal her surprise as she walked into the kitchen. "My! What are you doing up so early? It isn't a schoolday you know."
"Well, you know me, with the early bird and the worm..... and all the catching." Buffy started sipping on her drink.
"Yes, looks like you've caught something. Are you feeling okay?"
"Never better mom." Buffy's head swam as she took a half step back to steady herself. "Whoa.... headrush."
"You know... you do look pale." Joyce's face was a picture of concern. "I'm sorry young lady, but you aren't going anywhere today."
Buffy inwardly sighed with relief as she made her best exasperated face.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Xander shivered as he made his way down the country road towards whatever it was that awaited him. After some not so gentle persuasion Willie had told him that this is where he would find Angel and his friends, and apparently Willie always came through at a pinch... Xander paused as he rounded a corner in the road and saw his destination. The...... Chateau - there was no other word for it, looked like a picture right out on Transylvania. Okay Xander, it's daylight now so they can't get you while you're outside. You've just got to figure out a way to get in there now.
After a good hour or so examining the building Xander decided that the best point of entry would be over into the courtyard and just waltz in through one of the weaker internal doors. He'd taken precautions to ensure that he hadn't been seen, but you can never be sure. So it was with a mixture of rage and trepidation that he climbed the largest tree that he could find growing close to the outer walls.
"Hmmph!" Damn! Xander thought. I wanted to land more quietly than that, why not just let every vamp in the place know you've just dropped in Pulling the crossbow out of his backpack, he stopped to load it on his way over to the main doors to the interior of the building.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Wha... What do you mean gone?" Willow was dumbstruck by the news from Giles.
"Well, I'm a bit sketchy on the details. But apparently he's taken a crossbow and some stakes and gone after Angelus."
"Like you did after Jenny.... Oops, sorry!" Willow's eyes dropped after she realised the faux pas she had made, but they came back up again almost as quickly as she locked back onto the train of thought. "But you loved Jenny. What could possibly make him......... Oh."
"Now willow, don't worry. He's bound to see sense, annoying he may be but stupid he isn't."
"But Xander and Angel, with the fighting. And because of me..... I.......I....."
"Hey, Xander'll be okay." Oz chipped in, gently squeezing Willow for reassurance. "He knows how to take care of himself. Plus he's got all that combat training stuff from wherever, that's got to help."
"But I......." Willow shuffled out of Oz's embrace and stood up, winced as she put weight on her bad ankle. Wow! I really am healing fast, half an hour ago I couldn't even stand up properly, now I can almost walk. "I had no idea he felt like that."
Oz looked down at his feet. He'd seen the way Willow looked at Xander, he knew exactly what this could mean.
"I....I have to go. I need to think" Willow turned to look back towards Giles as she hobbled out of the library. "Tell me If you find anything,... OK?"
Giles nodded slowly. Oz hadn't moved perceptibly since she'd gotten up. Willow was so preoccupied that she didn't notice the swinging doors until she blundered right into them.
Giles Winced as the right hand door was torn from it's hinges.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"He's coming to get our Angel." Drusilla seemed to float in circles around Spike's wheelchair.
"Who's that pet?" Spike could feel an evil grin forming on his features as he beckoned for Dru to sit down on him. "Is that Bloody Librarian going to take another pop at Angelus? That should be fun to watch."
"No, the friend of the Slayer."
"What, that little runt Xander?" Spike could hardly contain the laughter. "well I suppose it might be worth the comedy value to watch. Any ideas when he's supposed to get here love?"
"....... He's already here!" Dru gasped.
"Well then we'd better see If we can find the little prick. Why don't you see If he's upstairs anywhere? I'll check down here."
"Can I take miss Edith with me?" Dru cocked her head to one side.
"Why of course love." Spike chuckled. "But do be careful, you know how hard it is to get the blood out of her clothes."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Angelus was deep in thought. How to kill the Slayer? Sure I could catch her alone and jump her with 10 of my best Vampires, but I want something that says "You were special". He tapped his claws listlessly on the table as he sipped a rich, deep, red liquid from a metal goblet. Ideally I could turn her. Now that would be beautiful irony, and she would make a wonderful vampire. Once we've got rid of that soul of hers, which of course goes without saying. He was broken from his reverie by a knock at his door.
"I hope this is important!" He snarled. "I told you not to bother me."
No answer, the knocking continues.
"Unless you want to be exploring new career options as a sundial I suggest you either open the door or go away!" He continued snarling as his game face manifested itself.
With a grunt the door was hefted open. Angelus made no attempt to conceal the surprise on his face as an evil laugh erupted from his mouth. "Well would you look at that! Now they deliver the food too." "Now would you put that thing away before you hurt someone with it." Angelus gestured at the crossbow as he hefted himself up out of the chair, knocking back the rest of his drink in one fluid motion.
Angelus studied Xander for a moment. "We can stand here all day and pretend I don't know what this is all about, but you and I both know how strongly you feel about Willow. Hell, why else would I have had her attacked?"
Xander stood speechless, the crossbow shaking in his hands as he pointed it at Angelus.
"Don't you know?" A mocking grin spread from one side of his face to the other. "I always have ringside seats for the best fights. But that aside, do you want me to let you in on a secret?" Angel could see the confusion on Xander's face. "Thought so.... Now Willow, you're just seeing her in a new light aren't you?.............."
Xander's head cocked to one side "Get on with it."
"Well, you see. The Irony is that she felt that way about you for..... Ooooh about 10 years. And you were too Fucking blind to notice it. Now, wasn't that nice of me, now you can go and be all stupid and sentimental with her, but that would imply that you're going to leave this room alive." Angelus' face took on a new malevolence as he advanced toward Xander and raised his arm to block the crossbow bolt shooting out toward him.
