Part 2

Buffy returned home from Willow's and barely said two words to either her mother or Dawn before she rushed upstairs to the privacy of her room. She had just enough time to make the phone call to Angelus and knew that if she had stopped to chat she would never make the deadline imposed upon her. She was shaking in terror when she lifted the receiver to call him and give her humiliating decision, their was a part of her who still couldn't believe that she was actually going to agree to this insane arrangement. If she'd had any other choice... but she didn't and her mother and Dawn needed her to help and by golly she was going to save them. The worse part and the only thing she felt guilt over was the fact that she would be involving, eventually, an innocent child in Angelus' depraved scheme. As the phone on the other end began to ring she waited impatiently for him to answer. When someone did pick up it wasn't him, but his secretary.

"Mr. McKenna's office."

Buffy swallowed around the large, painful lump in her throat. "I'd like t-to speak to Mr. McKenna. My name is Buffy Summers."

"Please hold."

Before she even realised it she was speaking to the devil.

"You're late," he said his voice typically devoid of emotion.

Buffy scowled to herself, "Sorry if I inconvenienced you. Unfortunately I take deciding my future kinda seriously."

"And your decision is?"

Buffy sighed, but did not waiver. "I agree," she whispered.

"What?"

Knowing that the bastard had heard her and was just trying to humiliate her made it all so much worse, but she repeated her answer. "I'll marry you."

She could almost hear the cruel self-satisfied smile in his voice. "You need to sign the contract. Be at Lindsey McDonald's office tomorrow at nine o'clock."

Buffy didn't even pretend not to know who Lindsey McDonald was. He was the top attorney in the state of California and one of Angelus' best friend's in High School. So instead she went for her usual flippancy, "What? I agree to give *you* a significant portion of my life and all you say is be at my lawyer's!"

"What should I say," Angelus replied coldness seeping into his voice. "Congratulations on catching one of California's most eligible bachelors. We both know it was I who caught you and somehow I don't think you want to celebrate that. Just be at Lindsey's tomorrow." He then hung up on her without waiting for her reply.

Buffy just sat there for a moment in shock. It was the first time she'd been subjugated to Angelus' mean streak, even when he'd delivered his ultimatum from Hell he hadn't been that cold and unfeeling - or at least he hadn't seemed that way. He'd just seemed like a total asshole. She replaced the receiver and lay down on her bed and began to seriously wonder what she'd just gotten herself into.

After he had hung up on Buffy, Angelus sat back in his chair and contemplated his victory, small though it was. He was now one step closer to complete his plan, he had finally managed to get Buffy. Ever since he had first seen her walking down the halls of Sunnydale High, he had wanted her. Unfortunately back then she'd been way to young and had seemed to hate him for no reason and after he had graduated he had lost track of her. Actually if he was truthful he had pushed her to the back of his mind as he'd pursued more mature women. He had just been thinking about disposing of his latest companion when he'd heard of Buffy once again. This time it was through gossip about what her father's untimely death had done to her and her family. When he heard that he just knew that it was his big chance to get closer to her. He was interrupted when someone barged into his office.

"Angel. I thought we were heading home."

"I told you I had to wait for a phone call, Kathy," he told his younger sister.

"Well, Janice said the call came. So can we go now?"

"Sure," he said smiling at her.

As Angelus starting grabbing what he needed to take home Kathy looked at him. "Who was the call from?"

"Buffy."

"Ah... the mysterious Buffy," Kathy replied giggling. "You've been talking about her for ages. When am I gonna get to meet her?"

"Soon."

"That's what you always say."

Angelus grabbed his briefcase and put his free arm around his sister. "This time I promise."

Buffy awoke the next morning feeling like she was going to throw up and wishing she could just lie in bed all day. She slowly climbed out of bed and padded downstairs towards the kitchen, putting on her cheerful face when she heard her mother and Dawn's voices coming from there.

"Morning," she told them as she wandered in, pretending that nothing but the usual was actually wrong.

"Morning honey," Joyce replied from where she was making breakfast.

Dawn mumbled something around her mouthful of scrambled eggs.

Buffy sat down next to her baby sister and tried to clam down. No one suspected anything was wrong, to them it was just another day and she was acting paranoid for no reason.

Joyce handed Buffy some breakfast and took a seat. "So what's everyone doing today?"

"School," Dawn answered scowling.

"Job hunting," Buffy said quickly.

A sadness seemed to overcome her mother as she said, "I'm going to start to pack up the gallery. So later on I am going to need both of your help."

"Whatever," Dawn said stuffing the remainder of her breakfast into her mouth. "I gotta get to school," she said grabbing her things and rushing out.

Making sure her sister had actually left, Buffy turned to her mom. "Are you sure you wanna pack up today? Maybe you should wait until tomorrow?"

"Buffy," Joyce began. "I can't just keep putting it off. It's over and the longer it goes on the more painful it will be, for all of us."

Buffy wished she could tell her mom that everything was going to be okay and how it would be, but she knew that she'd stop her and she couldn't let that happen.

"If you're sure..."

"I am," Joyce replied hugging her.

Buffy grasped onto her mother like it was the final part of her innocence. Eventually she had to let go even though she really didn't want to.

"I have to be at my interview at nine, so..." Buffy said uncomfortably. "I should go get ready for it."

"Good luck," Joyce told her sincerely.

Buffy nodded stiffly, "Thanks."

She rushed from the kitchen and barely made it up to her room before she lost it and the tears started to fall.

"Shall I tell you how stupid I think you are?" Lindsey said to Angelus as they were sitting in his office waiting for Buffy.

"No," Angelus answered dryly, "You've told me that enough times since I asked you to draw up the contract."

"If you want a child so badly, marry some bimbo," Lindsey told him. "It'll cost you way less than this deal will."

Angelus shook his head stubbornly, "It has to be her."

"Why?"

"If you had ever seen her you wouldn't have to ask," Angelus said hoping that answer would satisfy his friend.

"Hell Angelus," Lindsey replied ruefully. "Sunnydale's a small town - I know who she is. I even asked her out once."

Angelus glared at him, "You did?"

"She didn't go anywhere with me. Gave me some lame excuse about dating someone," Lindsey said. He saw the tension leave his friend's body and had a shock realisation, "Tell me that you don't have any feelings for that girl?" Angelus couldn't meet his eyes. "Fuck it, Angelus. You're even more stupid than I fucking thought. She's gonna put you Hell by the time this is over."

"I won't allow her too."

"Shit," Lindsey said shaking his head in disbelief. "You can't control everything. When are you gonna learn that?"

Angelus didn't get a chance to answer, Lindsey's intercom went off and his new secretary's sarcastic voice was heard.

"Buffy Summer's is here."

At the last minute Buffy decided against taking her car, she just didn't feel well enough to drive. Instead she had Joyce drop her off a few blocks away from Lindsey's office, as to not draw any unwanted suspicion. She walked there lost in thought and changed her mind a dozen times, but each time she did so the image of her mothers's sad face reversed her decision.

Five minutes later she walked into Lindsey's modern office and gave her name to the receptionist, only afterwards did she realise who that was. Harmony Kendall, Buffy hadn't seen her since Graduation when she and Cordelia Chase had taken off for LA to become stars. She hadn't changed, she was even sarcastic when announcing Buffy's arrival, probably wondering what crime Buffy had committed.

"Show her in," came Lindsey's familiar voice.

Harmony reluctantly rose from her seat and forcibly dragged Buffy down a short hallway. "There it is," she said pointing at a door.

"Gee Harm, I see just how much your people skills have improved since High School," Buffy replied sarcastically as she went to move past her.

"I hope that whatever you did gets you life, Summers," Harmony answered flouncing off towards her desk.

Buffy knocked on the door once and entered the room, unsurprised when she saw Angelus sitting at Lindsey's desk, she had expected him to be lurking nearby.

"Buffy," Angelus acknowledged.

"Ms. Summers," Lindsey said formally, "Please have a seat."

"Thank you," Buffy said politely as she sat down, shooting Angelus a suspicious glance.

"Have you read the agreement?" Lindsey asked her, hoping that he wouldn't have to explain Angelus' weird-ass agreement.

Buffy removed the agreement from her purse and replied, "It was clear... despite the spelling errors."

Lindsey flushed bright red with embarrassment, "New secretary." He then turned serious once more, "Are you *both* certain about entering into this agreement?"

"Yes," Angelus replied immediately, no hesitation and no regret in his voice.

Buffy on the other hand hung her head in shame. "Yes," she whispered barely audibly.

{This is definitely one of Angelus' more stupid ideas} Lindsey thought looking at the couple. "In that case, if Buffy would sign the document; I will witness it. Then it will be all done."

Buffy took the pen Lindsey offered with a shaking hand. She signed her name, all the time thinking she was signing every bit of dignity and pride she had ever had away.

Angelus watched her sign the document in relief, now she couldn't change her mind and destroy all his careful planning.

She watched Lindsey sign his name to the agreement and a feeling of dread settled into the pit of her stomach and she began to wish she was at home so she could be alone and cry. It was done. She now owed her life and the life of her first born child to this man that she truly believed in the depths of her soul was the Devil. She only hoped that things couldn't and wouldn't get any worse.