Chapter 9

They felt like a couple of teenagers again, making out in a car with reckless abandon. They finally had to come up for air, Xander pulled his lips away from hers panting heavily. He placed his forehead against Buffy's and looked into her eyes.

"I've waited seven years to do that"

She planted a soft kiss on his nose "You won't have to wait another seven to do it again".

Xander finally managed to pull himself away from her; it took all the willpower he had not to kiss her silly for the next hour or so. They had a job to do, with that notion in mind he started the car's engine and made a beeline for Willy's place.

Even during the ten minute short drive to the demon bar he had trouble focusing on anything but the way this girl made him feel, she left him so open and vulnerable it scared him. Just one look from her could drive him insane but then when had that ever been different.

Never, he finally surmised.

Buffy kept casting him occasional glances not really grasping what had transpired between the two. She'd been looking so hard for love all her life that she'd almost completely ignored what was in front of her the entire time. Ignoring the dark thoughts of what if she decided to focus on the new relationship between the two instead and couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face.

The houses whipped past and before they knew it Willy's place was in sight, Xander pulled his car into a parking spot.

The engine died as he turned the ignition off and retrieved his keys. He smiled at the girl beside him and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"You ready to play the bad guy?"

"Aren't I always" She winked back at him.

As Buffy walked into the demon bar she smiled. It always made Buffy feel proud of herself. All of the inhabitants would unconsciously move away from her, she was the bogey woman to more than just vampires after all. Not that being the slayer was all Buffy Summers was but sometimes she could admit, if only to herself, that she enjoyed it.

"Slayer..." Willy greeted her and more than a few of the demons and ghouls moved towards the door "I had heard you were back. To what does old Willy owe this pleasure?"

"Demon, large. Gross spikes with goo and some kind of tattoo"

Willy fidgeted unconsciously, his body language always giving away his intentions. He intended to lie but knowing this particular slayer as much as he did he didn't think that was such a good idea, but he at least had to show some moral courage for the denizens of his establishment.

"I've no idea what you're talking about"

She smiled and before he could blink she had his head on the counter of his bar in her vice like grip.

Willy gulped and struggled helpless, it wasn't much use. His head was like an egg waiting to be cracked open. He could see out of the corner of his eye demons and vampires leaving his place and sighed.

"Do we really need to do this dance Willy?" Buffy admonished him "I still haven't forgiven you for giving Angel over to the gruesome twosome all them years ago. Do you really want to test my resolve?"

The snitch struggled for breath "Hey... no need for them words slayer, we're all friends here. I may know who you're talking about. If you'd let me go I think better when my head isn't squashed onto a piece of wood".

She let go of his head and he fell backwards from the bar, just catching himself with his hands as he fell.

"See, now I can think. This demon yea I know him, think his race is called Tahlef or Taylef or something. Some of his minions were in here a few nights ago ranting about some portal he plans to open."

Buffy nodded and slapped the bartender on the shoulder "See Willy it's so much better for you when you cooperate. Any idea where he's located?"

"I've not exactly got an address but I saw some of his minions headed down in the direction of the docks"

"Why's it always the docks or the warehouse district. Why can't they hold themselves up in somewhere classy like the playboy mansion?"

Xander wondered why sometimes his mouth triggered with nobody at the wheel; he mentally kicked himself but saw Buffy smile slightly at his stupid joke and decided that maybe playing the idiot was sometimes worth the embarrassment.

"Come on Mr. Playboy; let's get back to Giles'"

"Lead the way June centrefold 2001"

She grinned at him "You wish".

His mouth seemed to stop functioning so instead he decided to just follow her out the door.

Buffy's lips were on him as soon as he got in the car; she pushed him back against the seat and kissed him furiously. Their lips were dancing with each other's in an ageless tango of lust; she slipped her tongue into his mouth and tasted him. She had tasted other lips before but his seemed to fit so well with her own. They were moulded to perfection for her, hers to touch and hers to kiss. She moaned in appreciation and drew back from him to stare him in the eyes, had she ever took the time to just stare at this man's beautiful soul.

Since her miraculous return to life she had decided that she had wanted him and she wasn't going to let anything get in her way. The time before her death she had planned on initiating things with him but things with Glory and life in general got so complicated so fast and she just never had the time.

Now she was making time.

Readjusting her clothing she drew back to her seat sheepishly with a small grin on her face. Glad she had finally gotten to know the wonder of kissing the man before her, it was like fire and ice, passion and love all mixed together in a heat of swollen lips.

Xander sat there kind of dazed wondering exactly when life had started to get so good for him. He reached for her hand and softly caressed her knuckles; bringing it to his lips he kissed it softly.

"You know if you carry on like that. I'll start to think the world actually likes me"

"Some of it always has"

He smiled at her and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, then ran his thumb down her cheek. She shuddered at his touch not believing how quickly this man's touch had become something she craved so badly.

The car drove itself back to the magic box or so it seemed to Xander. He and Buffy were caught up in their own little world catching sporadic glimpses of each other's eyes, holding hands and even the occasional stolen kiss.

If Xander had been in love with Buffy before his feelings then were but a minor shock compared with the feelings he was having right now, these were scary in their intensity.

Having nothing to hide they walked back into the magic box hand in hand, a few glances and the occasional smile were thrown their way as they sat down. Only Spike looked slightly uncomfortable with the new situation, he muttered to himself and disappeared into the sewer.

"Anything to report Buffy?" Giles asked "I've been trying to figure out where this symbol came from, I do know it from somewhere"

"Yes Giles, Willy said it was a Tea Leaf demon or something and his base of operations is down by the docks"

"Tah Leaf" He corrected and she shrugged in reply "Of course that's where the tattoo comes from, the Tah Leaf are renowned for their knowledge of time shifting. Various reports have suggested they can even alter history. However from what I understand the procedure to cast a spell of such magnitude requires lots of power and the correct positioning"

"Power... Like the hellmouth?" Xander offered.

"I'm afraid so." Wesley piped in "From what little I know of their culture they tend to be very placid creatures despite their enormous size. Very few have been known to actually amount any kind of force against the slayer."

"Guess this one's a rebel" Buffy replied "Trust me to get the James Dean of the demon world"

"Well with the fang gang here to back us up we should be able to sort this Jean-Claude Van Damme wannabe out."

Angel eyed the two slightly, even glaring at the fang gang crack "I've met one of these demons before. I wouldn't say they were as placid as your books make them out to be Wesley. That one almost killed an entire village with the spell he was performing at the time."

"Well be that as it may we unfortunately have to deal with this demon and its spell. Now since Cordelia's vision has made it abundantly clear that we disturb the spell at some point I assume the spell isn't tonight" Giles smiled "So if you'd be so kind Buffy as to patrol your usual route round the graveyards id be most appreciative"

"I'll join you" Angel offered with a smile.

"OK" the slayer replied "Xand... want to come too?"

He stood with a grin "Of course, what else could I be doing on a Friday night? Having a life? It's over-rated"

She grinned back and grabbed his hand; Angel followed them out the door of the magic box.

Cordelia watched them leave with a curious eye "That could turn out to be a very uncomfortable walk"

Willow just nodded her head in agreement.