Chapter 9
-School Parking Lot-
"I've got to get going." Angel said later that afternoon as he fixed his school uniform and hopped out of his car.
"Right. Can't keep your sweet little Buffy waiting." Darla hissed as she readjusted her skirt and buttoned up her blouse before moving out of the car as well.
"Don't start." Angel sighed looking around the parking lot to make sure no one was around who might see the two of them together.
"I'm not starting anything." She smirked running a hand down his chest. "You're the one who came to me this time. It must have been some fight."
Angel knocked her hand away and took a step back. "This was a mistake. It won't happen again."
"Where have I heard that before Angelus?" Darla asked with a roll of her eyes.
"I mean it this time." He stated more to himself then her. "I love Buffy."
Darla looked down at her nails to check her manicure. "So you say."
"I do." He glared.
Darla looked at him for a few moments noticing the change in his body language. "She finally told you she knows about all your little mistakes didn't she. That's why you're doing this."
"I'm doing this for myself." He informed her. "Losing Buffy would hurt a million times more then losing you ever did or would."
"You never lost me." Darla seethed trying to hide the hurt she was feeling at the moment. "She's not as innocent as you think she is."
"What are you talking about?" Angel asked wondering what new game Darla was trying to play now.
Darla gave a wickedly sweet smile. "Ask her about the Underground and see how she reacts."
"Why would Buffy know anything more about that place then the rest of us do?" He asked crossing his arms over his chest.
"Ask her and you'll fine out." She shrugged.
"Fine." He sighed. "I've got to get going anyways."
"Don't I get a kiss goodbye?" Darla asked with a pout. "I mean after all we've been through it only seems fair."
Angel looked around the parking lot once more before pulling her into his arms and looking down at her. "This is the very last time."
"Then we better make to count." Darla whispered before crashing her lips against his.
"Ahem." A cough sounded from behind them a few moments later. "I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Spike asked with a raised eyebrow and and smirk on his face.
"We're done." Angel glared pushing Darla away and fixing his uniform jacket once more.
"For now." Darla smiled.
"For good." Angel replied turning to walk away.
"See you around Peaches." Spike called after the other guy.
"What can I do for you Spike?" Darla asked leaning against the car she and Angel had just spent the last thirty minutes in with a satisfied look on her face.
Spike pointed over his shoulder in the direction Angel had just stormed off in. "What was that all about?"
"Oh nothing." She shrugged. "Just Angel calling it quits yet again."
"Why?" He asked.
"For Buffy of course, why else?" She replied. "He doesn't want to lose her."
"Don't think that's going to happen anytime soon." Spike sighed pulling out a cigarette and lighting it before taking a long drag from it.
"We'll see about that." Darla glared. "Is that all you wanted?"
"I want to know about the Underground." He stated taking another drag before tossing his cigarette to the ground.
"What about it?" She asked.
"Everything."
Darla looked him over before a smile formed on her lips. "Let's go someplace a bit more private."
"Lead the way." Spike said holding his hand out and motioning towards his car.
-Summers' Manison-
"Coming..." Buffy called out as she made her way to the front door after hearing the bell chime throughout the house. "Who is it?" She asked through the door already knowing who was on the other side.
"Me." The person answered.
"Me? I don't think I know anyone named Me. Me who?" She giggled.
"You're very funny." Angel smiled dipping down to give her a quick kiss as she finally opened the door and let him in.
"I'm thinking of taking my act on the road after graduation." She replied as she closed the door and turned to face him.
"Is you mother home?" Angel asked looking around the foyer for a sign of anyone else in the house.
"No." Buffy shook her head. "You know she likes to work late when my dad's out of town. She' also got a really big show coming up so who knows when she'll be home."
"Oh, that's right." He said looking around again.
"Do you want something to drink?" She asked noticing how weird he was acting all the sudden.
"I'm good." He mumbled.
Buffy placed a hand on his arm to get his attention. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah." He nodded.
"Okay..." She trailed off.
"How long have you known?" Angel asked after a few moments of silence.
"Getting right to the point I see." Buffy sighed and walked off towards the kitchen knowing this wasn't going to be a very fun conversation, but knowing that it was one they definitely needed to have is she and Angel were ever going to make it in their relationship.
"I don't see any reason to act as if nothing is going on anymore." He declared as he followed her into the kitchen and took a seat at one of the bar stools around the island in the middle. "You know, now we need to talk about it and try to figure everything out."
"Why?" Buffy asked with tears already forming in her eyes. "That's something I don't know Angel. Why?"
"I'm not sure." He replied.
"How can that be? There has to be a reason." Buffy stated from her spot across the island. "Is it about us?" She asked. "Am I not giving you something that they are?"
Angel reached his across the way and took her hand in his. "Of course not Buffy. I love you." He stated. "This thing with Darla and the others had nothing to do you or our relationship."
"That's clearly not true." She whispered pulling her hand away. "Otherwise you wouldn't be cheating on me."
"Buffy I can't explain my reasons for doing what I've done, but I can promise you that it's over." Angel said as he moved to stand next to her. "You're more important to me then any other person in this world. I don't want to lose you."
"You're not going to lose me." She told him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.
"There's something I need to ask you." He stated after a few minutes wrapped in each others arms.
Buffy pulled back a bit and looked up at him. "What is it?"
"Do you know about the Underground?" He asked.
She took a deep breath as she stepped away a bit. "Only the rumors that everyone else has heard. Why?"
"Darla told me to ask you about it and see how you reacted." Angel explained.
'That Bitch!' Buffy thought before moving further away from her boyfriend. "And of course you had to listen to her."
"It's not like that." He sighed trying to calm her down a bit before he continued. "She's just trying to get me to leave you by making me think you're hiding things from me. I'm only asking to prove her wrong."
Buffy crossed her arms over her chest before looking back at him with a tired expression. "What if she's not wrong?"
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"What if I'm not the girl you think I am? What if I'm not the perfect little princess everyone seems to think I am?" She questioned.
"I don't think that of you." Angel replied. "No one is perfect." He stated before grinning at her. "And from some of the things you can do in the bedroom I'd say your far from a princess."
"I'm being serious about this." She glared at him.
"So am I."
"I know about the club." Buffy said finally answering his earlier question. "You have to receive an invitation from the club owner who everyone calls 'The Master' in order to get in the club." She explained. "The first invite is on a trail basis. If he likes you enough that first night then you're invited back to join the club as a member."
"And you've been invited?" Angel asked with wide eyes.
"Yes." She sighed knowing that lying about it wouldn't do them any good at this point.
"Are you a member?" He wondered.
"No." She shook her head. "Not anymore."
"Do you still go there?" He questioned.
"Yes." She nodded.
"But you just said you aren't a member anymore?" Angel said trying to understand. "How?"
"I work there." She replied.
-Darla's Apartment-
"So, what do you want to know?" Darla asked Spike from her spot on her bed.
"Everything." Spike responded as he leaned against the open window smoking his cigarette.
Darla looked over at him for a moment. "Why do you want to know about this place so much?"
"I like to know what's goin' on around me." He said with a shrug.
"Alright." She smiled and sat up on her knees. "I'll tell you everything you want to know about the club, but first you've got to tell me what I want to know about Buffy Summers."
"Don't you already know about her?" Spike asked.
"I want to know how well you really know her." She stated.
"I only know her from the week over the summer she and her family were in New York for my Da' and Jenny's wedding." He explained. "Her mum's a family friend of Jenny's."
Darla shook her head. "That's how you met her, I'm asking how well you know her."
Spike sighed and tossed his cigarette out the window. "If you're looking for something to use against her in order to get Peaches back you're not going to find anything with me."
"There has to be something." She insisted. "I've seen the way the two of you look at one another when you think no one else is watching."
"Wishful thinkin' on your part Pet." Spike smirked hoping she would give up trying to figure out what had really happened between Buffy and himself.
"Maybe, but I really don't think so." She replied. "I've seen Buffy away from her little group of friends in a way no one else ever has."
"What's that got to do with me?" He asked.
"She has a dark side." Darla stated. "And you're just the type of guy she likes to play with."
Spike raised an eyebrow at her comment. "And what type is that?"
"Sexy bad boy with a secret heart of gold." She answered looking him over.
"Sexy you say?" Spike smirked.
Darla gave his a smirk of her own. "I'll do you one better then telling you about the club."
"And what's that?" He wondered.
"I'll take you there."
- Summers' Mansion-
"You work there?" Angel asked in shock. "Doing what exactly?"
"Club like things." Buffy replied.
"Buffy your family is one of the riches families in Southern California, why in the world are you working at some night club?" He remarked.
"I'm not doing it for the money Angel." She sighed.
"Why work there then?" He questioned. "I just don't understand it."
"Maybe because I actually enjoy it." Buffy answered not knowing what else to say.
"Well, isn't there a more appropriate place you could work at then?" Angel wondered.
"How would you know it it's appropriate or not?" She scowled. "You've never been, and you have no idea what I even do there."
"How do you know I've never been?" He challenged.
"Seriously?" She stated with a look that asked if he thought she was stupid.
"Fine! I've never been okay." He huffed. "But I've heard enough of the rumors about the place to know that if Darla is welcomed there then it isn't a place my girlfriend should be hanging out at."
"Why?" Buffy demanded. "Because I'm such a sweet and innocent little girl?" She yelled. "Angel I can do things Darla couldn't even begin to imagine doing to you."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that." He replied before he realized what he had just said and who he had just said it to. "Buffy..."
Buffy walked over to him with a sexy look in her eyes and a pout on her face and ran her hands over his chest as she leaned into his body. "Angel..." She whispered. "The things you and I have done together are R rated at best." She smirked. "The things I know how to do, well there isn't a rating high enough."
Angel took a gulp of air as he felt his pants tightening. "What...What is it that you do at this club?"
"I'm not a whore if that's what you're thinking." She replied as she took a step away from him.
"Not really able to form any thoughts at this particular moment in time." He stated as he reached down to readjusted himself a bit. "I just want to know what you do there. Please?"
"I sing." She whispered with a soft look on her face. "Every Friday and Saturday night I go there and I sing."
"Sing?" Angel asked with wide eyes.
"Just sing." She nodded. "And sometimes I fill in when they need an extra waitress on the floor for the night."
"Sing?" Angel asked again.
"Yes." She nodded again. "I already said that."
Angel nodded his head this time. "Waitress?"
"You know, the person or people who bring you things like food or drinks when you go out." She replied fighting back a smile at his confused look.
"I know what a waitress is." He huffed.
"Doesn't sound like it to me." She giggled unable to hold back any longer.
"I'm still in shock." Angel responded.
"About what?" She asked.
"All of it?" He said a bit unsure.
Buffy moved closer to him and rested a hand on his arm. "What do you want to know?"
"Who knows about this?" Angel asked after a moment.
"The people who work there, and the ones who get invited." She answered.
"What about your mother?" He questioned.
Buffy shook her head. "Not all of it." She replied. "She knows that I work at a night club on the weekends."
"And she's okay with that?"
"Yeah." She nodded. "As long as it doesn't effect my school work she okay with it."
"What about your father?"
"No." She sighed. "But then he's never really around anymore so it doesn't matter."
"Why haven't you told anyone?" He asked still trying to understand everything he was being told.
"Club rules." Buffy stated in a matter of fact tone.
"Darla talks about it." Angel replied.
"The only reason she gets away with that is because she the owner's favorite play thing right now." She told him.
"What are you to him?" He asked.
A small smile spread across her face before she answered. "Mostly a pain in the ass."
"You don't..." He started before she cut him off.
"Ew! No!" Buffy shrieked. "He's like way old!"
"Some women like older men." Angel mumbled.
"I like you." She grinned up at him. "You're the prefect age for me." She added leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I work for him, that's it. Just work."
"I trust you." Angel stated pulling her into his arms and looking down at her. "I hope one day you can trust me again too."
"As long as you keep your hands to yourself and your pants zipped from now on I think we'll be fine." She replied.
"Only to myself?" He asked with a smirk trying to lighten the mood at bit.
"Well, maybe if you're a good boy." She grinned up at him.
"I promise." Angel said turning serious once more. "I don't want to lose you."
"You won't." She smiled at him and rested her face against his chest. "I'm your girl, and nothing's going to change that. I won't let it."
"Do you think I could see you one night?" He asked after a few more minutes.
"You see me lots of night silly." Buffy laughed pulling her head away to look up at him.
"You know what I meant." He stated.
"Angel..."
"Just once." He interrupted. "I'd like to see what you do down there, here you sing."
"You don't have to go to the club to hear me sing." Buffy smiled hoping that would be enough to get him to change his mind about wanting to go to the Underground.
"True." He nodded. "But I don't want to just hear you sing. I want to see you perform." Angel explained. "I want to see how people react to you up on a stage."
"I'll see what I can do." She agreed knowing that she'd have to think of something to keep him from ever stepping foot in that club. "But it'll only be a one night deal."
"I understand." He smiled.
"It's where I work Angel, so if you happen to see something you don't like..."
"I understand." He repeated.
"Okay." She sighed. "I'll ask him."
"Thank you." Angel whispered before moving in to give her a kiss.
"I can't promise you that he'll even say yes." She stated.
"I understand."
