Uncursed

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 6 & Angel Season 3 A.U.

Author's Note: Dun-dun-dun! Let the apocalypse begin! Sorta, lol.

Chapter Nine:

"Any luck?" Angel asked his friends as he walked down the stairs with Lexi.

"We found reference to that prophecy again," Fred told him. "The one about the son/sun. We're still not sure which but we definitely think we're on the right track."

"Good," Angel nodded, descending the last stair. Lexi cooed in her sleep.

"Buffy actually coming out of her shell?" Gunn said, noticing the baby.

"No, actually," Angel said. "She went out. Asked me to watch Lexi."

"Out where?" Cordelia questioned, raising her eyebrows.

"Patrollng," Angel simply said. The others shrugged. Cordelia sighed.

"No, she's not."

Angel, Cordelia, Gunn, Wesley, and Fred turned to follow the voice. Connor came in through the double doors.

"Yes, she is," Angel said. "She wanted to go blow of some steam and asked me to watch Lexi."

"She's not at any cemetery in the city," Connor told them.

"You were tracking her," Angel observed.

"And we're what, surprised by this?" Cordelia said. The others shrugged.

"Where else would she go, without Lexi," Wesley said.

"Her friends?" Fred suggested.

"No," Angel shook his head. "She wouldn't leave the ciy without Lexi."

"So . . . what's blondie hiding?" Gunn said it. The room tensed.

Fred tentatively raised her hand, her voice small. "I was actually thinking the same thing."

"All this freaky stuff started around the time she showed up," Gunn nodded.

"Freaky stuff?" Angel repeated.

"The Beast, the birds," Fred said.

"She's a Slayer," Angel said.

"Has everyone forgotten the phrase 'rogue slayer'?" Cordelia said. "'Cause I sure haven't." She fingered the faded bruise cheek.

"I sure haven't either," Wesley sighed. "I don't, however, believe that Buffy is involved in anything."

"Buffy isn't involved with any of this," Angel's voice suddenly became very low . . . serious. "She a victim here."

"Seem to me she can handle herself," Gunn shrugged. "Slayer's got that super-strength don't they?"
"Yes, but—"

"She has been off on her own," Fred said.

"Doing god knows what," Cordelia said.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," Angel said.

"She hasn't been out of the hotel since she got here," Wesley said.

"That we know of." Gunn said.

"Connor did say that she wasn't where she said she was going to be." Fred pointed out.

"Perhaps she stopped for something to eat," Wesley said.

Angel solemnly shook his head. "I watched hr get ready and she didn't take any money."

"See?" Gunn said.

"But that still doesn't mean anything," Angel insisted.

"Blondie is definitely up to something," Gunn said.

"You wanna take that back?"

All but Angel jumped at the voice of the blonde as she appeared from the back of the room.

"How'd you get in?" Cordelia said. "You obviously didn't come through the front door."

"Basement," Buffy said. "Sewer." She dropped her bag, coming up to stand next to Angel who still held Lexie. "Heard some voices out front figured sneaking would be a better option. Seems I was right." She crossed her arms, held her ground.

"How did you know I was following you?" Connor said.

She shrugged. "You are your father's son. I always knew when he was nearby. Guess he passed it on to you." She turned to the others. "Anything I should know about?"

"Just thinkin' 's all." Gunn said. His body was and had been tense since Buffy came in the room.

"The words 'the answer is among you' come to mind," Cordelia said. "If you weren't patrolling in the cemetery than where were you." Buffy's eyes darkened with anger. "Makin' out with your friend Mr. Rock Face."

"Some things never change, Cordelia," Buffy sighed. "You still mouth off about things you don't understand."

"At least I'm not running around like I've got a big secret." Cordelia said.

"Yeah," Gunn said. "Like where were you, Slayer."

Angel was being surprisingly quiet through all of this. Buffy still stood at his side but she stepped forward in front of Lexie. "I don't have to answer to any of you." Buffy said. "I'm not your enemy and you better think twice before I decide otherwise."

Angel handed Lexie over to Buffy and stepped in front of the Slayer. "You're out of line." He was speaking to Cordelia, Gunn, and Fred and they knew it.

Buffy stepped back around Angel holding Lexie on her hip. "You wanna know where I was? The Oracles. You know, the closest path to the Powers That Be you can get. I wanted answers, okay? They usually have them." She just stared at all of them. "They told me to come here in the first place but ya know, it just doesn't feel that safe anymore."

"You went to the Oracles?" Wesley said.

"Yep," Buffy sighed, "They told me there was sanctuary here. They said that the answer is among you . . . but there's safety here."

"The Powers want you here," Angel said.

Buffy nodded. "Tonight when I went to see the Oracles they said that I have to help you . . . and that my 'involement is crucial.' Whatever that means."

"That still doesn't explain why you lied about where you were going," Cordelia said.

"We're in the middle of a war here," Buffy said. "A war that could potentially escalate to an apocalypse."

"There is no time for this," Wesley said.

"Wesley's right," Angel said. "Puling us apart is exactly what the Beast wants. We have to stick together if we want to win this."

Cordelia and Buffy just glared at each other. Connor and Gunn joined in too.

Wesley sighed, "It's going to be a long night."

Later after everyone fell asleep and Angel was out looking for information Buffy left Lexi in Fred's care and made her way down to the basement of the hotel.

"Never thought it would be you visiting my jail cell."

Buffy descended the stairs, the heels of her boots clanking on the old wood. "I never though I'd be hiding out from a big rock demon in the same hotel as you."

Lilah smirked. "Touché. h The brunette lawyer was tied to a chair inside of a locked box-shaped jail-like cell that Angel constructed himself.

Buffy sat down on a chair about three feet away from the steel box "Seems a little familiar, doesn't it?" Buffy said. "Except this time it's you tied up and not me."

"I bet you're loving this," Lilah said. As usual, she was playing the 'I'm cool' card to hide her fear. Buffy, however, could see right through it.

"Not constantly on the run? Fully rested and fed? You betcha." Buffy smiled. "Now that your entire building is dead . . . I'm free."

"You think the Senior Partners will stop just because the Los Angeles building is gone?" Lilah sat up straight. "You should know better than that, all the time you spent with us."

"I know, I know," Buffy nodded. "Wolfram & Hart has buildings all over the world." The Slayer leaned forward. "Way I figure though is that the Beast desecrating all its L.A. Employees was a major set back. They haven't sent anyone after me or you . . . so I think I'm good for now."

Lilah didn't say anything. Buffy didn't let her victory show. Lilah just looked to the ground.

"I have been thinking, though, that the reason your bosses wanted me and why the Beast is here . . . are the same thing." Buffy said.

"This is why you came down here? A jam research session? What makes you think I'll cooperate." Lilah said. "I'm sure any one of Angel's people would be much more willing to chat that I am."

Buffy shrugged. "I don't trust them."

"And we're such good buddies," Lilah laughed.

"I know what to expect with you," Buffy shrugged again. "Besides, I think you know more than you're letting on."

"Buffy?"

They both heard crying from upstairs. Lilah smirked.

"Buffy, Lexi's cryin' and I can't get her to stop." It was Fred.

"Coming!" Buffy shouted. Buffy stood up. "We will have another chat soon." She left Lilah smirking, going back upstairs to relieve Fred of Lexi's crying.

To Be Continued . . .