The Warlock of Sunnydale

by makoto x chelia

Michael, a new to the craft Warlock found himself in a desperate situation with a Vampire, and fate decided to allow him to live, by meeting Buffy Summers. Now Michael, the new Warlock in town uses his new found powers to protect himself, and his friends from the evils of the world.

11. Chapter 11

Hello, and welcome to the next chapter!

Hellspam; Thanks! Yeah, those two are coming into their own, aren't they? It pretty much kind of was, kinda like how Willow and Tara do it in the future. Heh, Buffy vs Amy is gonna happen sooner or later. It will be, interesting for them to do something.

reptoholic; Thanks, I will try! Well, it's made from his powers, from his fear and pain, so it is apart of him, essentially. But at the same time, it has become independent as well, so its strength is the same as Michael's strength, his power, which will be seen how strong in the future. Possibly, but at the same time, fear and pain always comes back, even if you try and get rid of it magically.

DocSlendy; Surely enough, it is. Thanks, and enjoy. Here's the next chapter!

Anime PJ; It really is, and the reasons will be pulled out until it comes out when Michael's 'episode' happens, but there are hints here and there about why he did what he did. Yeah, if he hadn't finished it, it would've been even worse for him to find out that Buffy was with Angel. That's gonna complicate things, but bring people closer together. Hmm, I wonder what kind of joke you have in mind~? It kind of was, I was going for a similar scene that happens in the future between Tara and Willow. Maybe Willow might do something like that in the future, who knows~? Well, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Cloud4012; Thanks, and yeah these chapters are going to be, interesting and telling as well.

Naroku; Yeah, it is getting intense!

BizzareBard; In the end, he'll be able to accept his issues. Dealing with them, will come over time.

Buffy fan; Yeah, I thought so anyway. Hehe, it surely was, but it showed that they do have a close relationship, even if it isn't stated as obvious as the one he has with Buffy. It will come in time, it surely will come in time. I just couldn't get the song out of my head when writing the chapter, so it just got in there, ya know? Well, Harmony is...she'll eventually figure it out, maybe.

rfsalinasjr; Ah, I am glad that you did! There are parts that are difficult to get through with the series, but I enjoyed it when I first watched it, and even now. That's the great thing about Harmony, she doesn't change that much, yet her being turned into a Vampire actually made her a better character somehow. It's somewhat similar to that yet, but unlike Johnathan that knows about it (if I am remembering right, been a while since I have watched the episode) Michael genuinely doesn't know anything about it at all. Yeah, those two episodes are pretty good. I liked them anyway.

With those lovely reviews out of the way, it is time to start the chapter!

---

Never kill a boy on the first date part one

After school, the sun still shining through the closed curtains, Michael found himself sat in his living room, having a relaxed, and refreshing smile on his face, a smile that made the other person in the room feel at ease as well.

Candles lit the area, the lights being off. No electronics were on, only the lights of the candles illuminated the area right now.

Before him, was a single rose, on a plate that appeared to be quite worn, as if you wouldn't be able to eat off it anymore, being broken in some places, though neither of the people that were in the room cared about it.

And before that, opposite Michael, was Amy. She was sat on the ground, legs folded, the same as Michael was.

The pair of them looked into one another's eyes, gently scanning the other with their eyes. Amy's eyes met Michael's icy blue ones, their essence literally being sent between the two of them, showcasing their care and understanding of the other, loving the embrace they were having with their gazes alone.

"So, what is the point in this?"

Amy questioned, not seeing the significance of what they were doing.

Michael coughed a single time into his hand, and explained.

"It's about control. One by one, we pluck the petals off the flower, showing our control, our precision, and how we can apply that to other magic's as well. I read it in this book, where if you can master this, spells can come to you more and more easier. It is all about focusing your energies, harmonizing them, and bringing them forth, maximizing the spells effectiveness that we can do together."

Amy nodded in understanding, and placed her hands outwards.

Michael did the same, grasping Amy's hands, holding them securely in his hands, Amy's mind turning to comforting.

"So, we just have to pluck them off, as if we're using our fingers with Telekinesis, right?"

"Right." Michael nodded, smiling at Amy. "I'm glad that I have another magically inclined friend to be around. We have such a good thing going on, don't you think?"

Amy couldn't agree more if she was honest with herself. This was away that she and Michael could bond together, and she could become really happy with Michael, being like this. Even if magic made her a little nervous, it didn't matter, it was something that she wanted to do, that she had to do, to become useful, as she wasn't able to turn away from the horrors of this world anymore, and this was away for her to do things.

"We sure do, it makes this pretty cool. Though, I don't understand why."

"Why what?"

Michael begged for an answer with his eyes, Amy collecting herself, and questioning further.

"I mean, with your kind of past, I don't understand why you'd even want to delve into magic. I do it because…well, truthfully, I feel like I am meant to do it, like it is something that is a part of me. My Mom misused it, but not me. I won't be misusing it. But that's me, and I don't understand why you'd want to do something like this, life threatening stuff in order to help others, to help Buffy in slaying when you could get yourself killed. I just want to understand your reasons."

She wouldn't really work it out. It was confusing to her, and that was understandable. Michael could understand why she was feeling the way she was, and why she was asking the questions that she wanted the answers to, if he was her he would be asking the very same questions.

Michael took a deep breath, trying to think of a true reason for Amy.

"Well…truthfully, it makes me feel, as if I can, defend myself." He confessed to the understanding Amy. "Before magic, I wasn't really anyone. But with magic, I can actually do something, I can use my magic to help people now. Buffy is the Slayer, and I'm a Warlock now. I might not be able to fight on the level of a Slayer, but in the future, I want to be able to do something, anything that can benefit people. I just don't want others to go through what I've gone through, and what you had to go through as well."

Amy could understand that. She could understand that he just wanted to do something like that.

"I get it. I feel the same, so do you want to begin?"

She offered, seeing that Michael looked slightly depressed now.

"Sure, we can begin. Close your eyes Amy, and imagine that we're both holding the flower, and then with our minds, let's pluck the flowers petals off one by one. It shows that we are doing it together, our energies are flowing together, and displaying our self-control, our powers as one."

Her eyes closed, and so did his.

Together, they both concentrated, and as they did it…they felt it again.

The same feeling that they felt when they used the spell to find Xander.

Their hands glowed a dazzling yellow together, where they were connected, sparks coming between them. Lights serenaded around the pair of them, pure white orbs dancing in the darkness of the room, lighting it up with all it had to offer.

Amy and Michael became doused in their magical energies, opposing one another, filling one another at the same time. Faces turned red, sexual tones being between the other one, their hands fingers lacing together as opposed to having their fingers on the others palms, showing a level of closeness and trust, as well as their unspoken affection between the other one.

They became on one another' wavelength, and could almost feel the others feelings, hear the others thoughts, the intensity of their connection only solidifying when Michael felt Amy brush his hand with her thumbs, something that Amy found to be very lovely, very beautiful indeed.

"This is good Amy…we should…"

Michael moaned out, the feeling being increased by ten fold's, Amy not realizing that her feelings for him were being transmitted, and he mistook them for the feelings of the magic being a euphoric feeling between the other one.

"Yeah, let's begin."

Amy said it with a more level head than Michael did, her being able to control her feelings better than Michael could…as she has had them for quite a while now, and knew that she couldn't release them anymore than now.

They began, and the rose lifted upwards.

Slowly, it danced between them, shifting between Michael and Amy.

With their eyes closed, Amy and Michael began plucking the roses petals off the flower. As they plucked, the connection between the two became more…real. They became more willing to do it, to become more and more closer together, not realizing that their bodies were moving closer and closer to the others.

Hot breath hit Amy's face, pants hitting Michael's ears. The pair were becoming blissful, in total synch with one another it was as if they had been doing it together for years, when in reality this was only the second time that they had attempted to do something like this.

As the last flowers petal was plucked off, Amy and Michael's faces touched. Their lips dancing with the idea that they could be pushed against the others, the feeling of bliss and perfect unison filling the others mind.

Michael was the first to open his eyes, and saw Amy's closeness, his eyes opening as a blush dusted his cheeks, seeing Amy for what she was, a very beautiful girl, something he had rarely noticed beforehand, never bothering to look at Amy like that, for many reasons.

"Amy…"

He murmured, Amy opening her eyes to see the blonde before her.

"Oh, Michael…that was, very…cool."

She admitted, though held back what she truly wanted to say. She wanted to say something more, but she was too shy to do it, she couldn't get out her words right, she could barely even see as her eyes clouded over, mystified.

"It was indeed, very cool."

His voice was as if he had been raising it more and more, but he had barely lifted his voice above the normal. It was because of the spell. He couldn't get his mind clear, his eyes kept on the girl in front of him, as if he had a truly overpowering experience, and he didn't want to wake up from the power that he was feeling right now.

"So Michael…"

Amy trailed off, wanting to ask a question, but couldn't get it out.

Michael peered into the girl's eyes, showing a half smile.

"So, what should we do now…?"

He mumbled, trying to collect his mind after the thought of Amy was lingering there.

"Hmmm, maybe we could do, another spell?"

Amy suggested, the girl's eyes running all over his face, his lips being the place she chose to stick to the most.

"Sure, let me clean up this rose petals, seem like they went everywhere."

Michael looked around, seeing the rose petals scattered all across the ground, Amy nodding in agreement.

While Michael was cleaning up, Amy became interested in a book that she saw under a desk. Something about the book was calling to her, as if she was meant to read it. She didn't know why she felt like this, it was just a powerful pull, a pull she simply couldn't even ignore.

As if she was drawn to it, she went over to it, and picked it up, discovering that it was a magical book, a book she was drawn too.

She couldn't help it, and looked through it. The spells were all above her and Michael's levels from what she could tell. Spells ranging from mind control, to other aspects, and then she saw something that shocked her…Resurrection spells.

Usually, this wouldn't ring alarm bells on its own, but when saw that there was a water mark on it, as if someone had shed tears over this book and fell onto the page itself, she became intrigued on why this particular page had such a telling mark on it.

"Say Michael, this page here on Resurrection is-"

"Doesn't work." He said it with such a coldness in his tone that Amy was shocked that it was actually Michael who said it. "It only works if the death is a mystical death, not like you've been shot or killed by mortal means. Even illness isn't acceptable to, the keeper…the, God of it. There are other types of Resurrection, like Necromancy and stuff like that, but that isn't true revival of the dead, merely zombie territory and things like that. A true resurrection takes power, skill, and requires certain conditions to be met."

Amy listened to the explanation. She could hear that there was some kind of disappointment in his voice, a disappointment that she didn't really like hearing, and a lingering sadness as well, a sadness unlike any other that she had seen before.

Amy didn't like it, hearing and seeing her friend like this. But there was a single question that popped into her mind, and she couldn't let it go.

"I see. Have you ever-"

"No. I haven't tried to bring someone back to life, if that's what you are thinking."

Amy was indeed thinking this, and she found it odd that he could just dismiss the very notion so quickly, and so effectively as well. Amy was sure that something was going on, but she wasn't sure why he became so defensive about it, and how he knew about it so quickly and off the top of his head.

"I…see."

Even though she verbally accepted it, she couldn't get out of her head that something wasn't exactly right but she didn't know what it was. Could have Michael tried to bring someone back to life? And if that is the case, who was the person he tried to bring to life? Amy wasn't sure on the answer's, she wasn't even sure if she had the right questions if she was honest with herself. All she knew was the fact that Michael seemed to be keeping something from her, and she wasn't sure what that really was if she was honest with herself.

"Anyway Amy, wanna try another spell?"

Removing her mind from the topic at hand, the pair did another spell together, intending to enjoy themselves as much as they could, Amy having to get home before night would hit, and that was okay with Michael, as he had something else to do that night anyway, involving a certain blonde haired Slayer.

---

At night time, the moon in the sky shone downwards on the ground in a cemetery and standing there was the resident Slayer of Sunnydale, Buffy Summers, and a Vampire.

Snarling in full attach mode. vicious, angry, bloodthirsty.

A converse-clad foot smashes squarely on the Vampire's face, knocking him back in a daze.

She leaps into the air, grabs on to the branch of a tree, and swings up and over, kicking the Vampire away. She drops down, breaks a smaller branch off the tree, and uses the sharp end to kill the Vampire, it turning to dust straight away.

"Hey Slayer, I'm gonna end your life now!"

Another Vampire tries to run straight at Buffy. Buffy does a triple-backwards-somersault and lands right in front of him.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Buffy, and you are…" In a flash, she grabs a stake from her belt and plunges it into the vampire's heart. "…history. Sorry, but I didn't take my history on Vampires, what was your name again?"

She puts her hands on her hips and surveys the carnage. She smiles, satisfied. Her job is done.

Then, Giles' voice came through to Buffy, the girl looking towards her Watcher.

"Poor technique. Prioritization, sub-par." Buffy's smile fades as Giles walks closer to her. He is holding a notebook, checking things off. "Execution was adequate, but a bit too bloody for my taste."

Buffy showed an annoyed face, clearly not happy about what was happening right now.

"Oh, Giles, don't mention it. It was my pleasure to make the world safe for humanity again."

Giles, to say that he wasn't amused, would be an understatement. He was downright miffed about how Buffy spoke.

"I'm not saying your methods are without merit, but you're expending far too much time and energy." Giles then demonstrated the 'right' way of doing it. "It should simply be 'plunge' and move on; 'plunge' and move on."

Buffy cocked her eyebrow upwards, and shook her head.

"If it's that easy, why weren't you doing it. Oh, that's right. You were busy cowering behind a tombstone."

Giles frowned at the blonde for the insulting tone that she was using, though could see the clear frustrations in her face.

"This isn't about me, it's about you. It is about how there are traditions that a Slayer needs to follow."

Buffy put a hand to her on her hip.

"Tradition is yesterday's news. I'm an improv gal. How about when I offed the first couple of V's with a single stake? It was, 'Slay one, kill one free.'"

"Ah, yes. Showing off. Yet another example of how you're not going by the book."

Giles informed the girl, making it clear by shaking the notepad he had, the boy showing that it was a book.

Buffy however wasn't really going to make sure that Giles had the last work.

"The book. You mean that old dusty thing that's been out of print for two thousand years?"

Giles again frowned at the girl, not liking the attitude she had to traditional Slayer ways.

"The old ways have much to teach us. If you insist on ignoring the fundamentals handed down through history, you could find yourself in serious danger."

Buffy turns away, indicating her field of victory.

"Gee, perhaps we should review what happened here. Let's start with 'I killed them all.'"

At that moment, a Vampire is right behind him, startling him greatly.

Buffy turns around, sees the Vampire, fires a stake at it, flicking her hand like a whip.

Giles watches in horror as the stake zooms toward him, then grazes past, hitting the Vampire directly in the heart.

"Any questions?" Giles could only stare on at her, unable to do anything else. Buffy bent down, and grabbed what appeared to be a rucksack. "Good, because I have to go now."

That caught Giles attention, cocking his eyebrow upwards.

"Oh? Am I cutting into your private life? Do you need to do something at…ten at night?"

"Actually, yes. You are. I've got an appointment, and I'm already kind of late."

Buffy informed the man, showing that she wasn't messing around when she looked at him with a narrowed eye, her other eye looking towards the left of the graveyard, ready to leave if she needed to do something like that.

"Appointment? Something to do with your Mother and sister?"

She shook her head, and walked off, calling "Michael." behind her, disappearing into the darkness, leaving Giles alone to contemplate what she was going to be doing with Michael, wondering what kind of relationship that she had with the male.

As Giles left, he couldn't help but notice that something was on the ground where Buffy staked the last Vampire. Using a pen, he had, he picked it up, and found that it was a very odd looking ring, and he wasn't sure why, but it seemed to be something of importance, so he took it with him, going to tell Buffy about it tomorrow.

---

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Michael screamed as he ran into the kitchen, thorn like objects going past his face and body. He hid behind the kitchen wall, tiny dagger like thorns piercing the wall. "Ooh come on, you spit thorns!? That's not fair!"

Michael looked into the living room, seeing a dark yellow skinned Demon with spikes all over its body spitting more thorns towards Michael. He yelped, and hid behind the wall again, the thorns flying through the air, and stabbed through the window, breaking the kitchen window, Michael looking outside to see the darkness of the night settling in.

"Come on boy! Your parents want you to die already!"

The Demon demanded, but Michael was looking around the kitchen to see if there was anything that he could use as a weapon but he had a problem...

He couldn't get close enough.

He could usually deal with the Demons that his parents sent for him, but this time, he couldn't get close to the Demon, and he wasn't sure what the thorns truly did, he didn't know if they just stabbed or maybe even poisonous. He wasn't going to take the chance with it, he wasn't going to rush the Demon and get stabbed by the Demon.

"Screw you! And they can fuck off as well! Why don't you ever come when the Slayer is around huh!? Are you afraid of Buffy!? Is that it bastard!?"

He had to wonder about it.

When he was attacked, he was always alone. He was always alone when attacked. But when Buffy was around, there wasn't even a hint of a Demon attacked, figuring out that it must be due to the fact that she was the Slayer and even the Demons were worried about what she could do. But he himself, probably wasn't as big of a threat as the Slayer was.

"Afraid of the Slayer."

That's all the Demon said as Michael heard footsteps, the Demons footsteps coming closer and closer.

He panicked, the fear and pain coming back into his heart.

He looked around for anything that could help him fight off the thorns so he didn't get stabbed...and that's when he saw it.

A simple bottle of water on the other side of the counter, past the doorway.

Knowing he'd have to do something, he ran past the door.

"Aaah!"

He let out a cry as a thorn nearly pierced his head, only managing to get away by inches. More thorns were fired at him, but he was quick enough to get away from them, jumping at the last hurdle, hitting his left hand side on the counter, a wave of pain entering his body from the impact, almost feeling as if he had cracked a rib on the side.

He didn't even have time to cry out as he grabbed the bottle, squeezing it accidentally, making it crackle. He quickly unscrewed the water bottle, and tipped it onto his hand. Rather than it going onto the floor, Michael manipulated it via Telekinesis, making it swirl in his hand, taking a calming breath as he began chanting.

"Goddess of Protection I beseech thee. Give your blessing to this liquid and turn it into reflective water!"

As he said that, the water glowed a greenish color, just as the Demon entered the kitchen.

"Time to die boy!"

The Demon announced and fired some thorns towards Michael.

He stuck out his hand with the water in it, and a ball bouncing off a surface, the Demon's thorns were reflected right back at the Demon, piercing it in the chest.

"Arggggggggggggggggggggggh!"

The Demon howled out, and fell down to the ground and lay there as if paralyzed, Michael guessing that he was right about the poison aspect of the Demons thorns, but wasn't going to take chances anyway.

He quickly bypassed the Demon, thrusted his hand left, where a large cupboard was, which was flung open with his power, revealing some weapons, an ax, a sword, even a crossbow and arrows, Michael having to stack up on weapons ever since the first Demon attacked him, knowing that it wouldn't ever stop.

Michael brought the sword to his hand, walking over to the Demon.

"You bastard, do you really think that I am going to die from anything other than my parents!? Seriously, you bastards aren't going to kill me! If they want me dead, then come and get me you cowards! Tell them that...wait, I'll do it myself!" He yelled at the Demon as he stabbed it through the heart, killing it instantly. "That makes number 9. Hear me Mom, and Dad...your Demons won't kill me...you can't frighten me, because I'll just use that spell again and again, to get rid of the fear and pain you give me...it'll go away each time...you want me dead, come and kill me yourself you spineless cowards. Are you afraid I know the Slayer now? Don't you worry, I'm not involving Buffy with this...this is my problem, and I will solve it myself, I don't want to place her in danger...hear that do you!? You don't have to worry about the Slayer! It's just me, your fucking punching bag fighting back Dad! Your little guinea pig that you used to practice your curses on isn't weak anymore Mom! You want a fight, then come at me! Or are you still running away from those people that want you dead huh!? I hope they succeed and kill you both!"

With that, Michael again hacked up the Demon, trying to control the tears from flowing until he can cast the spell again to get rid of it, unaware that it makes the Demon stronger, unaware that the Demon even existed.

---

Buffy walked all the way to Michael's flat, and stopped short of the door.

She paused, a hesitant hand looking at the door, she went to knock at the door, but stopped herself, unsure if she should knock or not.

She swallowed, and knocked on the door.

She waited for a few moments, until the door opened, to reveal a half dressed Michael.

His chest was visible to Buffy, him wearing pants that fitted his form very nicely, Buffy biting her lip at the semi naked Michael, though Michael was comfortable with Buffy seeing Michael like he was, and Buffy didn't ever say anything about it. His blonde hair caught his attention, it being wet from the shower or bath he no doubt had.

"Hey, Buffy. I've been expecting you."

Buffy smiled, stretching her limbs.

"Sorry, got Giles on my case with Slayer duties and stuff, he just wouldn't let me go tonight. Can I-"

Before she could finish, he stepped aside, and allowed her entrance.

Wilfully, she entered the apartment, and went to the couch immediately, sitting down, putting down her rucksack next to the couch.

Michael took a seat next to her, peering into her eyes.

"Want anything, a drink maybe?"

She smirked, and snuggled up on the couch.

"Some cola might be nice."

He smiled, getting up into the kitchen.

As he did, Buffy looked around at the living room, and now saw that there were pictures of him and Buffy together, having grown closer and closer during the course of the weeks.

While they hadn't moved forward in their relationship, with a kiss or anything, they spent most nights together now, just sitting together, watching television, or whatever else they wanted to do. It was as if they were very close without saying anything about relationships. She was content with it though, for now. She didn't know what she wanted to do, and she still had Angel lingering in the back of her mind. But as she got closer to the blonde, she found herself thinking less and less about him, and more about Michael.

He came back from the kitchen, handing the drink to Buffy.

"Thanks."

She spoke with a smile, taking a sip from the drink,

"You come here a lot, won't your Mother be angry?"

He noted, remembering that all of the previous week, it now being Sunday, Buffy had pretty much stayed over, and if not staying over, she stayed until quite late at night, not that he minded or anything, he found it quite relaxing and nice to have Buffy around.

"Nah, I told my Mom that I'd be spending the night at Willows, and Willow covered for me as well. It's all good. She's none the wiser. So it's just the two of us."

She explained it in away where it was almost criminal the amount of cuteness that she was displaying.

Michael showed the hint of a smirk, and moved closer.

"So, I'm Willow now, am I? I'm a cute redhead huh."

Buffy didn't miss the 'cute' part of that then, briefly remembering the fact that he still might like Willow, the feeling of her and Michael entered her mind, but then it disappeared soon afterwards.

"That's right, you're Willow, my best female friend, if anyone asks."

She smiled enchantingly, moving closer and closer. He did as well, and somehow, they ended up very close to one another. Buffy felt the familiar feelings of butterflies entering her stomach, Michael feeling the same way.

"Well, even though you said that to your Mom, what makes you think that I am gonna let you stay here?"

He joked with her, having every intention of allowing the Slayer to stay with him.

"Baaah." Buffy stuck out her tongue, looking at his eyes directly. "I didn't think you'd kick me out. Maybe I should've asked. Is it okay to stay over? My Mom isn't expecting me all night, until the next morning, and I brought some clothes with me as well. I mean, you wouldn't kick me out, right?"

She gestured to her bag, her overnight bag, which she 'happened' to bring with her with Giles that night, pretending to be all coy and shy about it, as if she hadn't planned on staying over at all.

Michael chuckled slightly, and put his head back onto the couch.

"Well, since I don't want you to be known as a liar, and get you in trouble with your Mom, you're gonna have to stay here with me, aren't you?"

Getting his consent, Buffy felt extremely happy, though a lingering thought came back into her mind, and she couldn't let it go.

"You sure it's okay? You've been giving your bed up for me. I don't mind staying on the couch or anything. I kind of feel guilty about it."

Even though she felt really terrible about it, Michael dispelled her worries by lightly stroking her face. His fingertips dancing on her flesh, silently wishing that it was something else, something else that was on her skin, that belonged to Michael, and him alone.

"Don't be silly. You're my guest, I don't mind sleeping on the couch, that's more than enough for me. I won't let you sleep on the couch, Buffy. Besides, you're a girl, if television has taught me anything, then it is being nice to girls is a man's job."

Buffy whined, and inched closer, hugging around his torso, putting her head against his chest, snuggling against said chest.

"You're really nice. Thanks, Michael. I love staying with you, it's the best. You're so kind, it feels so good when I'm here. So much better than when I'm at home. Dawn really is kind of annoying, especially when I'm trying to sleep."

He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her body, and pulled her close, her head keeping on his chest, one of her hands resting on his right thigh. Michael took his free hand, taking Buffy's hand in her own softly, lacing his fingers together with her own.

"It's okay, I like the company, and Dawnie isn't that bad, she's a good girl." He explained, Buffy whining softly and took the remote control, switching on the television. "You feel very comfortable in my home, don't you? Even switching on my television without a worry. And you used my shampoo just the other day. Plus, you ate all of the cereal and drunk most of the milk."

He mumbled softly against her ear in a joking manner, Buffy's body shivering for all the right reasons.

Buffy looked up cutely, sticking out her tongue.

"That's because you make me feel so welcome. This is what I need after the end of the day. Giles, with his training and old boring talks, school being what that is, school, I like a little Michael in my life, making me feel better and better as long as I stay here. But, are you sure that you don't mind me coming around…? I've been coming around quite a lot, maybe you want to spend time on your own?"

"I've spent too long on my own, Buffy. I don't mind, honestly. Please come at your leisure."

Hearing that, Buffy smiled enchantingly beautifully, snuggling deeply against his unclothed chest, taking in the manliness of him, wishing that it could last forever and ever, enjoying the feeling of Michael having his arm around her, keeping her warm and happy, as they watched television together.

---

The next day, Buffy and Michael were outside of Buffy's locker, and she was...worried.

Before her, was...a note.

Another note that she had been expecting.

She didn't want to see what this was. She was worried. Michael on the other hand was worried about what was going on, Buffy seemingly rattled about the note before her, taped to her locker.

"Buffy? Something wrong?"

Michael's concern reached Buffy's ears, the girl immediately falling against him, hugging him tightly as she regarded the note with annoyance.

"Oh Michael, this note again...it's The Unicorn again."

"The Unicorn?"

Michael wasn't sure what she was actually talking about. It didn't make sense for him to understand what she was talking about. He knew what unicorns were, but he wasn't sure why Buffy looked like she'd rather not receive the note.

Buffy inclined her head, grabbing the note, and opening it.

What she was...was a unicorn drawing, a very crude drawing at that. This one was with a bear, cuddling said bear as there was a fish named 'Butty' written on the top of it, crying its eyes out. The unicorn was also having what appeared to have a dirty smirk on its face, and it was accompanied by a note, a note that Buffy dreaded reading but did it anyway.

[Roses are red, violets are blue. Don't come between us, because you smell like poo. I also won't allow you to become his boyfriend. From The Unicorn.]

Buffy put a hand to her head, her eyes spinning in her head.

"What's wrong Buffy?"

She looked upwards, matching his eyes, sniffling.

"This unicorn person won't stop sending me horrible pictures, and weird ass notes. I don't even what this person is talking about...Michael, I am scared."

Buffy showed a vulnerable side that made the blonde boy melt instantly, stroking her back comfortingly as well.

"Shhhh, Buffy. It is...wait." He took the note, reading it, sweatdropping. "Buffy, have you seen this? It says 'his boyfriend'."

Buffy furrowed her eyebrows, and then felt like face palming.

"Oh great, not only am I getting weird ass drawing's, someone is also calling me a man. Hey, do you think that they are after...Willow?"

"Willow?"

Michael was baffled on how Buffy came to that conclusion, so she elaborated.

"Well, stay with me here. This sounds a little...lesbian? I mean, girls do that, don't they?"

"What? Be lesbians together? I presume lesbians do lesbian acts together yeah."

He snickered, Buffy showing a less than impressed face.

"This is not funny. I meant, in a lesbian relationship, one's the man, and one's the woman, right?" Michael shrugged his shoulders, unsure. Buffy coughed, and continued. "I'm just spitballin, but I think that this could be someone that want's Willow, and think's I am 'the boyfriend' and then Willow is also the boy...wait, that means..."

"Logic, doesn't seem to work with this, huh. The only way for this to make sense would be for two guys to be gay together, and then another guy wanting one of the other guys, and then...are you sure that this is for you?"

Buffy bobbed her head up and down, tempted to cry.

"This weirdo won't leave me alone, Michael. I am worried, this person is stalking me or something."

Michael saw the worry in her eyes, and knew that she was being serious, so he adopted a serious face, took the letter, scrunched it up, and put it in the bin. He then returned to Buffy's side, giving her a comforting hug, which she needed.

"Don't worry Buffy, you're the Slayer, no one is gonna mess with you, and if they do, they'll have to get through me. Don't worry so much, thing's like this happen at this school from time to time, they always blow over."

Buffy sniffled, looking for reassurance.

"You think?"

He chuckled, lightly stroking the back of her head.

"Trust me, it always blows over. And if it happens again, then I will sort it out, don't worry. No one picks on my Buffy like this, especially some horse that has a dick on its head."

Buffy snorted, snuggling against his chest, groaning in content.

"My Michael, I can count on you." She mumbled in content, then teasingly gave him a small peck on the cheek, surprising him. "Because my Michael is the best ever, he deserves cheek kiss."

Michael's face turned red at the kiss. Even if only on the cheek, it was more than he'd usually get from a girl, especially someone as beautiful as Buffy is.

Unknown to them, Harmony was watching on, and she...didn't look happy in the slightest. She looked, angry.

---

Later on, Buffy found herself in the cafeteria line, looking at something that she didn't want to look at ever, and then she was thinking about Giles and what he told her this morning, about the Order of Aurelius, though she hoped that she didn't have to deal with anything big for the immediate future.

Buffy looks confused by the food that was before her.

"This is spooky. Is the green stuff fruit, or vegetable?"

The cafeteria worker before her, looked her dead in the eye, blandly.

"Yes."

Buffy sighed in resignation, not even sure what she was truly going to be eating.

"I'll take it."

A scoop of green slop plops onto her tray as Buffy moves on. Xander and Willow are in line behind her. Buffy noted that Michael and Amy weren't in the line, wondering where they were…well, she looked more like she wondered where Michael was, and not so much Amy, but a little bit of Amy.

Xander examined the food, looking disgusted.

"I was guessing string cheese."

A student holding a tray bumps into Buffy. Buffy looked, and saw that it was Amy.

"Sorry. Gotta watch where I'm going, oh hey Buffy."

Amy said at the end, seeing Buffy fully, only just apologizing at the beginning as she didn't see who it was that bumped into her.

Buffy looks at her for a few moments. She's not annoyed at all.

"No damage. Hey Amy, got any plans?"

"No, just need to, do something. See you later."

Amy moves off, walking away from the girl, though she didn't get a chance to ask where Michael was.

Willow looked to the place where Amy was, and furrowed her eyebrows.

"I wonder where she was going?"

"No clue, she seemed to be in a hurry, to wherever she is going."

Buffy noted, seeing how fast that Amy left the group, wondering where she could be going.

"No doubt, it is to do with her new…hobby."

Xander cut in, recalling Amy's new passion in life, though Buffy remained clueless.

"What do you mean?"

Xander's eyes widened ever so slightly, then smirked to himself, a plan figuring itself out in his head.

"Well, since the whole She-Mantis stuff, Amy and Michael have been getting together alone, doing the magic mojo. I caught them, yesterday, sitting alone together, doing some kind of spell, it seemed to be getting heated to me. Their bodies were practically touching one another's, their eyes locked onto each other, and the feeling of…some kind of tension was brought into the room."

Xander's face told a thousand words on how happy he felt when Buffy's own face dropped. She looked like she had just taken a blow to the face, and she couldn't recover from it.

Willow also saw the same thing as Xander, but shook her head, and tried to make it so that it was okay.

"Xander, Amy and Michael weren't doing any kind of spell yesterday on the school campus that I'm aware of. And if they were, why would they do it so others could see them?" At that, Xander looked down and tried to think of an answer. Willow shook her head, facing her blonde haired Slayer. "Don't worry Buffy, Amy and Michael just have this new hobby together, it isn't anything serious, I'm sure that it isn't. Even if it is was, Michael still does things with you. Magic is just that, don't worry about it."

That seemed to cheer Buffy up, showing a half smile on her face.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. We are only learning Michael together…I mean they are only learning magic together!"

She made a mistake, saying his name, Willow not missing it.

"So, what did you end up doing last night, Buffy?"

Knowing that she was heading to Michael's the previous night, she had to wonder what the pair of them do together, and how, intense that it got.

"Well…we, watched some t.v, is all."

"Really?"

Willow sounded less than pleased about that, the disappointment being obvious in her voice, not finding it all that romantic.

But Buffy then adopted a small blush, and leaned closer, whispering in her ear.

"Actually, last night, as we watched television, we both fell asleep on the couch, we ended up spooning beforehand. He had his arm around me, cuddling me from behind. It felt the best, I couldn't feel anymore happy than that. He wasn't even wearing a shirt at all. This morning though, was the best part. When I woke up in his embrace, I felt so warm, so good. It felt like it was so right. I don't know how else to say it, I just think that it was the best."

"Eeep!" Willow squealed, and grabbed her friend's hands. "Buffy, that's really big! I'm so glad for you! So, is it going, well then? Are you and…you know, getting along…or 'getting along' if you catch my drift?"

Buffy acted coyly, her eyes everywhere other than at Willow, Xander trying to work out what they were talking about.

"I dunno, but I do know that I like going there all of the time. It really is great. I do like spending time there, and we have fun…of the none naughty kind, most of the time."

She added at the end, recalling times were she and Michael did end up in situations.

"Spending time, where? With Angel?"

Xander sighed out, not wanting to be associated with Angel.

Buffy looked at her male friend, shaking her head.

"Nothing to do with Angel. I was with…."

As they walk across the cafeteria, Buffy catches the sight of Michael sitting alone, with a tray.

Without no one really noticing, he used his magic to swirl around the disgusting looking food as he was bored. He hadn't caught Buffy or the others yet, he was merely waiting for any of them to show up, knowing that they would eventually, or he thought that they would.

"Aw, look at him. Seems like there's no one there."

Willow followed her gaze, and saw Michael as well.

"He's all alone. Looks like he's a little lonely."

"Maybe he's waiting for someone to sit by him, maybe Amy."

Xander spoke with a mirth touch to his face, his tone showing that he was trying to make it look like Amy and Michael are getting all cosy, so Buffy would begin looking at himself, and not the blonde haired Warlock.

Buffy ignored that for the moment, staring at the fellow blonde, pondering if she should go over or not. She thought that it was stupid that she was even contemplating it as she had been in his arms the previous night, but at the same time, she felt nervous about it. Because of the fact that it was public. She wasn't ashamed of Michael in any sense of the word, but she liked it being private. She liked the that it was a secret between him and her the late night meets, Willow being the only other person to really know what's going on. Giles didn't really know, and Xander wasn't any the wiser, Willow thought it best not be the best of interests to include him, due to various reasons.

However, that didn't last long when Amy suddenly walked over towards him, sitting down, and began chatting with him.

"Hey Amy. You alright?"

"Hey, Michael. Yeah I'm good. I just can't forget yesterday. Yesterday, was amazing, I can't believe that spell though. It was so fun. I don't think I've had so much fun in a long time, it was quite the amazing thing, I have to say."

"It really was quite fun. Maybe we should try something else, something more intense."

Michael offered Amy, who broke out into a small smile.

"Yeah, we could do something more intense." She spoke, resting a hand on top of his in a friendly way. "Maybe we could, maybe summon some kind of element or something. I read in one of those books that it takes a level of trust between two magic users to summon something."

Amy spoke with a hint of lust, though it was lost on Michael right now.

Buffy, not being too far away, could hear what they were saying, and became a little saddened, disheartened. Seeing and hearing how Amy and Michael could bond, was on a different level to herself.

She wasn't into magic. She found it cool, and liked the idea of having Michael around, but she was more into fist fights, and being able to use weapons than remembering incantations and other things like that. So she was understandably, jealous.

"Buffy, are you, alright?"

Willows question fell on deaf ears as the Slayer wondered what was going to happen between the two of them now. She could see the chemistry between the two of them, the sparks, and knew that Amy was someone that she couldn't replace in Michael's heart, having heard that they've been friends for years.

Buffy then noticed someone else…another boy that she had noticed for a while, a boy.

He looked slightly like Michael, though his hair wasn't as blonde, and he was taller. This boy was called, Owen. He was a loner type of person, someone that Buffy wouldn't usually like, though to her he was attractive, yet she couldn't figure out why this person was attractive to her.

Her eyes then cast towards Michael, and Amy, seeing them all cosy, all cuddly with one another, and how they seemed to be getting really close, a small pang of jealousy entering her mind and heart as well, seeing how Amy and Michael were…too close.

"Buffy, what are you looking at exactly?"

Buffy turned to Willow, then turned back to Owen.

"I just think maybe someone should sit by him."

Willow became a little surprised that Buffy was suggesting sitting next to someone like Owen.

"But who?"

"Might have to be us."

Buffy suggested, her eyes briefly going towards Michael, the same sadness and jealousy entering her heart, then turned back to Owen.

"You really want us to go sit with him? What about, sitting with Michael and Amy?"

Willow offered, the girl sharing a look with Buffy. But Buffy wasn't too receptive to the idea right now.

"I think that Michael and Amy want to be alone right now."

Willow could hear the hurt tone in her voice. She could feel the pain rolling off her, and for good reason as well. She could see that there was something between Michael and Amy, but she was supporting Buffy and Michael getting together, finding them quite the cute couple.

Xander on the other hand didn't look happy with that at all. Xander frowned ever so slightly.

While it wasn't as if he disliked Michael or anything, he just wished that it was him that Buffy looked at, and neither Angel or Michael, or now Owen, so Buffy even suggesting that she wanted to go and speak with someone else that wasn't him, he was quite annoyed.

"Boy, are you two being taken on a tour. Am I the only one who can see through his good looks and the pleasant demeanour to behold the weirdness within? This Owen could be a perverted person that wants to do weird things to you." He turns and sees that Buffy was already half-way to Owen's table, Willow going with her to back her up, but could see that she was looking towards Michael and Amy. "You don't have to answer right away."

Buffy and Willow made it to the table of Owen, Buffy acting was…over doing it.

"Willow, wherever will we sit?" She looks around, feigning innocence, then pretends to notice Owen alone, who looked up at her. "Oh, I guess this will have to do."

As Buffy is about to sit down, Cordelia appeared, shooting a dark look towards Buffy.

"Hey, look. An empty seat."

She knocks Buffy to the floor. Buffy's tray takes flight, all of her food spilling onto the ground, uneatable now.

Cordelia sits at the table and turns to Owen with an over the top smile, but he's not there. He is helping Buffy with her tray, Cordelia giving a small pout. Michael looked up to see Buffy on the ground, and was about to go over to help, when he saw Owen doing it instead, and saw how Buffy looked, fine with him helping her, unwillingly showing some jealousy, continuing his conversation with Amy, though his eyes on Buffy and Owen.

"You okay?"

Owen's question was met with a small cute smile on her face.

"Yeah. Boy, her hips are wider than I thought."

Owen helped Buffy to her feet, Cordelia showing that she wasn't happy at all.

"At least now you don't have to eat the creamed corn. I'm Owen."

Buffy, feigning ignorance replies while batting her eyelashes.

"Oh, it's so nice to finally learn your name. I'm-"

"Buffy. We're in algebra together."

Owen cut her off, the girl showing a coy smile.

"With Mr. McKamy."

"The one and only."

Owen sighed out as if he was bored with the teacher, not Buffy.

"Tell me, how does he manage to get chalk dust all over his-"

"I try not to think about that."

Once again, Buffy was cut off by Owen, which Willow thought was kind of rude, though that was mostly due to the fact that she wanted Michael and Buffy to get together, not Owen and Buffy. But she didn't want to make her friend upset, and could see why Buffy was talking to this guy, feeling insecure about her relationship with Michael, whatever relationship that they actually have.

Buffy gestures towards Willow.

"This is my friend, Willow."

Willow was caught in her own bubble for a few moments, then she couldn't help do a very Willow thing, and that was babbling.

"I took algebra last year because I'm a year ahead, so now I'm taking pre-calculus which is really hard, but I'm in the gifted class, well, my parents signed me up for it, how embarrassing is that, and maybe I should get a janitor to take care of this mess. Clean up on aisle seven!"

Even Buffy couldn't defend her friend on this one. She couldn't defend her friend's wackiness right now, though she didn't want to either. She found it to be quite funny if she was honest with herself.

Cordelia then forces Owen to sit down, fluttering her long eyelashes at Owen.

"Poor girl always forgets to take her medication that tells her where to actually walk." She sneered at Buffy and Willow, mostly Buffy, the blonde haired girl glaring back, then she turned to Owen. "Hey, Owen, a bunch of us are loitering at the Bronze tonight. You there?"

Owen cocked his head to the side.

"Well, who's going?"

"Well, there's me, and I'll be dressed in something very very sensual. So, I was thinking that me and you could go together, since we'd be there, together."

Owen showed a face that was less than thrilled about this, not wanting to be left alone with Cordelia from the looks of things.

"Eh, so who else is gonna be there?"

"You mean besides me?"

Cordelia was mildly insulted that Owen needed anyone but her to be there, while Buffy found it quite annoying that Cordelia expects everyone to just bow down before her all of a sudden.

"Buffy, what about you?"

Buffy was caught off-guard, understandably, and her mind kept thinking about Michael and Amy being together, and she couldn't really think that straight.

"What?"

"No, she doesn't-"

Cordelia tried to dissuade her from coming, but Owen was persistent.

"How about we meet there at eight?

Owen suggested, and that's when it sunk in.

Her eyes went towards Michael…and she saw that he and Amy were getting…very cosy. It was to the point where Amy and Michael were practically feeding one another, sharing jokes, gestures, and even used magic to a small degree to entertain the other one.

Seeing it, hurt her heart. She didn't want to admit it, but she was hurt right now, she felt pain. She didn't like feeling like this. She hated it in fact. It was very heart wrenching to her. And Willow could see the same thing.

While Willow was Amy's friend through and through…she was team Buffy. She supported team Buffy all of the way. She didn't want to give up on team Buffy either. She wanted Michael and Buffy to get together, even more so than Owen and Buffy, but Willow could see a certain something that Buffy wasn't seeing, and how Owen, even if only slightly, resembled a certain blonde haired Warlock, drawing conclusions.

Ultimately, Buffy looks towards Owen, hurt, but nodded nonetheless.

"Yeah. Eight. There. I'll be. I should probably get another lunch that isn't so... on the floor."

Owen then spoke while getting up.

"I'll go with you. Cordelia, save our seats?"

They head off, leaving Cordelia fuming, Willow looking downwards sadly…she didn't notice the jealousy look that came from Michael, but he held his tongue on this, knowing that Buffy was free to date whoever she wanted to date, even if he thought that Owen wasn't the right person for Buffy.

---

The end of the school day. Students file out as Buffy and Willow come down the steps. Michael wasn't anywhere to see, so Buffy took this chance to talk with Willow about certain things.

"Willow, it's not that big a deal. It's just a bunch of people getting together. I mean, sure, Michael asked me specifically right in front of Cordelia, and that was because he was probably frightened of being alone with the girl, but is too nice to deny her. And, yeah, he gave me the marshmallows from his jelly during lunch. When we walked to class together today, the tension could be cut with a knife, seriously Willow. I'm dying here with all of the close encounters. I don't even know what to think about it."

Willow blinked a few times, her smile being wide.

"Erm Buffy, you just said Michael, not Owen."

Willow couldn't help but notice this, happy that Michael and Buffy could happen in the future.

Buffy opened her eyes wide at the mistake, hanging her head downwards.

"W-What I meant was, Owen asked me in front of Cordelia. And he gave me his jelly and other things as well. It was nice, speaking with Owen."

"I guess I blew it way out of proportion."

Buffy relented, and held herself highly.

"All right, it's a big deal. Did you notice how the corners of his mouth curled up when he chewed? Have you seen the cute expressions when he looks confused and worried? You just want to grab him and hold Michael close…ugh! I mean Owen! I'm brain-damaged, I can't even say the right name."

Willow took this as a sign, and she liked the sign very much. She didn't like Owen now. She thought that he was attractive in the literal sense, but otherwise, she found him to be a blockage that could be Michael and Buffy, the Slayer Warlock pairing that she has set in her head.

"I missed that. I was too busy looking down and to the left of his…never mind."

Buffy shrugged her shoulders, after wondering what Willow was going to say.

"I'd actually like to see..." She stops herself, something dawning on her. "Wait a minute."

Willow stops in her own tracks, casting her eyes towards Buffy.

"What's wrong?"

Buffy put a hand to her ears, Willow curiously wondering what she was doing.

"If you listen real close, I'm starting to sound like a regular teenager. I've got friends. I've got a date, sort of. All I need now are…nope, I don't need anything."

At that moment, they both spot Giles walking towards them. Buffy was less than thrilled to see the man, knowing something was going to be wrong here.

Giles comes up to them, looking serious.

"Good afternoon, ladies."

Buffy knew something was going to happen, and she didn't like it at all.

"Although I should probably do something about that supernatural ability to destroy the undead."

Giles curiously raised his eyebrows.

"I'm under the impression there's some sort of ironic tone in that statement, but as an Englishman I'm incapable of discerning it."

Buffy was tempted to roll her eyes, but she stopped herself at the last second.

"Yeah? Well, that makes us even, because I don't get Benny Hill."

Giles ignored what Buffy was saying, continuing the line of conversation.

"In any case, that supernatural ability, which you should cherish and treasure, if I might add-"

"You always do."

"-is needed tonight."

Giles finished after Buffy, who interrupted in the middle.

"Close the beach on that idea. I've got a very big meeting tonight with, okay, let's just call him what he is…a Warlock."

"Buffy, you said Michael again, or at least implied."

Willow reminded, Buffy threatening to slam her head against a locker, but held herself back.

"I meant I'm going out with the hot Owen, that isn't a Warlock to my knowledge, he's Owen, he's not a Warlock. I'm going out with Michael-Owen! I meant Owen!"

Buffy looked fatigued with the little internal fight that she seemed to be having right about now. Her mind was on Owen, but her heart was a different matter, only Willow seeing the real truth between what Buffy was struggling with right now.

Giles shook his head immediately at this.

"Oh, no. You have much more urgent business to attend to, you'll have to cancel your date with Michael, or whoever Owen is."

Buffy showed her disapproval to Giles, though he didn't back down either.

"More urgent than me moving past 'Buffy, The Celibate Years'? I don't think so."

"My books tell of a major event occurring on the evening of the 1,000th day after the Septugian Sunset. That's tonight. It's about the Master, and the Anointed."

Giles told the Slayer, and spoke in a very authority type voice. Buffy was less than receptive to the idea, in fact she didn't even want to listen to Giles right now, one thing being on her mind, and that was a certain blonde.

Willow found the need to crack a small joke.

"Already? Seems like just last week was the 1,000th day after the last Septugian Sunset. Where does the time go?"

Giles this time did roll his eyes.

"According to my calculations, we are due for a fresh rising of Vampires. It is prophesied: 'On that day, seven souls will be captures into the darkness. And the Master will look upon one of them and be pleased.'"

Buffy cocked her eyebrows upwards.

"Too bad, because I looked upon Michael and was very pleased…shit! Owen! I looked upon Michael…ugh! Owen! He's hot! Michael's hot! Owen! It's Owen!"

Buffy berated herself again and again, wondering why her mouth kept saying the blonde Warlock.

Giles didn't like how Buffy was talking, as if she was ignoring her Slayer duty. But Buffy, only wanted to have some fun.

"The Slayer must be present tonight. Your responsibilities to the world are paramount."

Buffy put her hands together, and said in a pleading tone.

"But... cute guy. Teenager. Post-pubescent fantasies. Come on, you know how much time I've been spending lately with Michael, I just want to spend some more with him, I only want to have some fun, that doesn't involve slaying Vampires…Owen, I really meant Owen."

Giles, while somewhat understanding what she was saying, and where she was coming from, to an extent, he wasn't going to have any of it.

"You'll have to put those on hold. For tonight, we do battle! We cannot be dancing the night away as you kids would say, it is paramount that we do this together, that you don't get side tracked with, boys. This is the fate of the world. We cannot allow the Anointed to reach the Master."

At that, Buffy sighed, and hoped that Owen would wait for her, but at the same time, she wondered what Michael would be doing tonight….

---

At night, the cemetery is stone quiet as Buffy and Giles sit there, bored. Crickets chirp.

Buffy was less than impressed right now. In fact, she wished that this didn't happen at all. She kept imagining herself and Michael dancing, him holding her close, and how they slept the previous night, wondering if she could perhaps stay this night. Though she had to wonder how long her Mom was going to buy the fact that she kept 'studying at Willows' and knew that it wouldn't be able to be like it was forever. Eventually, she was going to have to do something, but she wasn't sure what she was going to do. She didn't know what she could do…and that's when it happened.

Amy.

Amy popped into her mind again, and she wasn't able to get over the fact that Michael and Amy were having so much fun today, looking as if they were having a ball with one another. She wondered if she could ever have such a close friendly relationship with Michael, and she didn't even realize that she hadn't thought of Owen a single time.

The Slayer glances towards Giles, the man himself looking at his watch, sighing when seeing the time.

"Perhaps I miscalculated."

"I'm thinking yes."

Buffy sarcastically sighed, casually glancing at the sky.

Giles looked dejected.

"I was so sure. Well, you know what they say."

Buffy, to say she was less than impressed, would be an understatement. She was downright miffed. She wanted to be dancing with Michael right now, doing something else other than this. She then mentally scolded herself, and thought of Owen instead, trying to think of him so she didn't think of a certain Warlock blonde.

"Not really."

"Ninety percent of the Vampire slaying game is waiting."

Giles said with a very trying to be happy voice, but it failed. He was also bored and annoyed as well, just better at hiding it than Buffy was, who clearly wasn't happy right now at all, her teenage dreams fleeting away from her.

"You couldn't have told me that ninety percent ago?"

Buffy shot back, her mind turning towards what she would be doing right now, as opposed to actually what she was doing right now.

Giles heartily sighed as much as he could, given his 'error'.

"Oh, well. At least we were here at the ready, so it wasn't a completely wasted evening."

"Yes, Giles, it was. But that's okay. I'm sure I'll have another shot at teenage happiness someday. Like when I'm thirty."

Buffy's quip made Giles ponder.

"Come now. What you consider a curse, others would call a gift. Be thankful you're not burdened with trivial matters like what to wear to next month's hay dance."

"I wish I could worry about trivial things. And not that you'd care, but I'm thinking gingham." She then gathered her things. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I might still have a chance to salvage the remains of my dating career. Maybe Michael won't be annoyed that this is the second time I've been very late to a planned activity."

She didn't even realize that she hadn't mentioned Owen again. Though Buffy couldn't stop thinking about the blonde Warlock. It was painfully obvious to even Giles that she'd rather go out with Michael than Owen, but he wasn't even sure why she didn't just do it, he liked Michael for Buffy, even if he didn't get involved in such matters. He knew about Vampires and stuff, and plus with his magic, she didn't have to worry about him being a burden.

"You've become very close to Michael lately. I don't have to warn you about sexual-"

"Geez Giles!" Buffy exclaimed, waving her arms around. "I don't need to hear about that from you! It isn't like we're sexually active or anything. We haven't even kissed and we are just…us. We're just Michael and me, we haven't done anything at all, you don't have to worry Giles, and please don't speak about it again, ever…eewww, that's just gross coming from you! And I meant Owen anyway! I don't even care if Michael is there or not! He could be and I don't care at all! He can do whatever he wants, he's an adult boy!"

She walks off in one direction, heading towards the Bronze to see if she can salvage a night. She didn't realize that the bus that passed by her, was the real source of what Giles was after that night, too late to stop it.

---

At the Bronze, Michael and Willow were on the dance floor, giggling with one another, having a good time. The song playing was a fast type song, a song where you could dance either maturely, or childishly, and Willow with Michael took the childish option.

"This is pretty fun, I'm glad that you convinced me to come out with you and the others tonight. I'm also glad that Harmony hasn't come around yet. That would be very terrifying."

Michael quipped as he held Willows hand, fighting down the blush that was slowly making itself known to him.

"I told you mister. Staying inside isn't always the best." She replied, the pair swinging their arms, not doing a really good job of dancing at all, but neither cared. "So tell me something Michael, how do you feel about Buffy going out with Owen?"

At that, Michael looked down at the ground, disheartened.

"I…don't have an opinion about it. She's entitled to dance and go out with anyone that she wants to go out with, even if it is the wrong person for her."

His shaky reply was something Willow couldn't miss at all.

"Ooh Michael, you and Buffy have been getting closer and closer lately, haven't you?"

She noted, doing a spin in Michael's arms. Michael loved the feeling of Willow being in his arms, but something felt…missing. He wasn't sure what it was, but it felt missing, and he wasn't sure what it was, as this should be a happy time for him, and it was, but not as much as he thought that it would be if he was honest with himself.

"Well…we have, but she's been…kinda distant today. Then she accepted to go out with Owen…what does she even see in him? He's totally not right for her at all. They aren't even compatible, he's like a loner guy that's obsessed with death, and Buffy is all about life…not that I've really thought about it or anything."

"No, you haven't at all."

Willow spoke with a bemused smile, earning a pout from Michael.

"What did that tone mean missy?"

Michael's face fell to a frown when Willow's piqued upwards.

"Hmm? I was just thinking that you've suddenly become defensive, is someone beginning to like a certain Slayer?"

"I'm not thinking about Buffy, why would I be doing something like that? She's Buffy, and I'm, who I am. I mean, she's probably going to go for someone that is…better than I am. Once she finds out about me, she's gonna be put off, not that I want her to be put on at all. Buffy and I are just friends, that's it, I swear. Besides, she's going out with Owen now, though he isn't right for her. But that's her choice to make, it isn't my choice at all. It isn't like I'm jealous that the pair of them are dating, even if I think that she's totally above him and is better than he deserves. But even if it wasn't Owen, it would be that Angel guy, that sparkly possible Vampire! I just have to accept that I am not even on her radar...I mean, I would have to accept it if I was even into things like Buffy, but I am NOT into BUFFY!"

Even though he tried to sound convincing, he wasn't all that convincing at all. Willow could hear the hesitation in his voice, see his skin flush when talking about the blonde, and also saw the jealousy in his eyes when mentioning that she going to be with someone else, especially when it concerned Angel.

---

Amy, who had been watching on, wasn't happy at all…no, she was downright upset. Not because of Willow, but because of the situations she has noticed with Buffy and this Owen, and she felt angry because of the fact that Buffy seemed (from her perspective) to be playing around with Michael, and she didn't like that.

Xander who was at the Bronze as well, was the one who noticed this, walking closer and closer to Amy.

"Hey, Witchy girl, what's going on?"

Amy looked towards Xander, and cocked her head to the side.

"What? Xander, you can't say anything about that around here."

She looked around to see if anyone saw or heard Xander, fortunately for her no one heard.

"Nah, don't worry. But there's something that has been bugging me for a while now."

Amy showed a slight interest, but mostly was disinterested.

"What is it then?"

Xander showed a gleaming smile that was hiding his inner intentions.

"I've been noticing for a while now, that you've been looking at our very own Warlock, is that right?"

"Well, we are friends Xander, so of course I'm gonna look at him."

She said while showing a displeased smile, unsure if she wanted to listen to Xander or not, as she recalled something about what Xander once said to Michael, and it didn't make her like him all that much.

"No, I don't mean that way. I mean 'that way' as you know, having a crush on him."

"W-What!?" Amy exclaimed, her eyes opening very wide. "W-Why would you even…" She saw Xander smirking, her sighing in resignation. "Fine, maybe I do, but if you tell anyone, then I will do something to you, and if you tell Michael…well, I am learning to become a strong Witch, and I've learned some spells, do you see where I am going with this?"

Xander backed off a little bit, not wanting Amy to put the whammy on him.

"Mehehehe, I was only going to suggest something…"

"What's that then?"

Amy frowned out her query, her eyes eyeing up Xander to see what was going on.

"Well, Amy. I know quite a lot about our resident blonde that isn't Buffy."

"So, what? I've known him longer than you have. I pretty much am the encyclopedia of Michael's life, and I could write a biography about him if I so desire."

Xander furrowed his eyebrows at these words, believing that she was in fact right.

"Maybe so, but you and I have the same objective."

"Huh? What's that then?"

Amy pondered, as she recalled all of the times that Michael and Buffy had been talking with one another.

"We both want Buffy and Michael to not be so close, am I right?" Amy didn't say anything, but continued to stare on. "Of course you do, this is perfect. You and I can team up, and make sure that we get who we want."

"Xander, are you really suggesting that you and I work together so both you can have Buffy, and I can have Michael?"

Amy wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not. Of course, she didn't want to admit it that she wanted this. But that's how it was, from her perspective. She wasn't exactly up for the idea of hurting people to get what she wanted, but she couldn't deny the fact that it sounded very, tempting to her.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Amy. You and I together can rip them apart and keep the pieces for ourselves. It isn't like I want to hurt them either, but we could you know? We both have something to gain from this, and nothing to lose."

"Besides the fact that they might not be interested in either you or me."

Amy deadpanned the male beside her, finding the idea stupid…but she couldn't deny that she was considering it, even if only slightly.

"Now now Amy, don't be like that. An attractive girl like you, and well, eh, me, we can get those two. They just see one another right now, and Buffy might see Owen and that jerk Angel, but that's another problem for another time. We have to make them see us, in better, more flattering lights. We just have to make them see that we're better suited to them than they are to each other. After all, you're a Witch now, and he's a Warlock. I can see sparks between you two."

Amy flushed slightly, holding her hands to her heart a little more tightly than before.

"Okay, say that I can actually do this. Say that I can actually get with Michael, wouldn't it be unfair to drive those two apart? It isn't like I don't want that to happen, I just don't see why making them get broken apart is beneficial to either of us. Are you willing to hurt your friends just so you can get some happiness, that might not even be attained?"

Amy spoke very willfully, and Xander couldn't deny that what she was saying could be right. The way she said it could be seen the way that Amy was seeing it right now, though Xander was childish about the matter.

"B-But, Buffy is, and Michael is…you and Michael would be awesome together. You've been friends for years, naturally you two would know more about the other. You know more about him that Buffy does, and you can do something about it. C'mon Amy, do something, make Michael yours. You know that you want too."

Xander prodded, trying to get Amy to see his way of thinking, and how he could benefit her, and vice versa.

Amy inhaled a deep breath, thinking about Xander's offer, and his side of the argument. She didn't know what she was going to do, but whatever it was, she needed to be more decisive, she needed to know what was what, and she needed to make sure that Michael and her…did whatever they were going to do.

"I'll have to think about it."

She spoke as if she truly was thinking about it, being together with Michael would be something that she would want very much so.

"Well, think about it more and more because it seems that he's just finished dancing with Willow. Now might be the time for you to come onto the scene, Amy. Michael, hurt that Buffy has gone to Owen, seeks comfort in the arms of his eternal friend Amy. Sparks fly between the two, hearts beat together, and they share a small tender kiss with one another."

The boy's words made Amy warm inside of her chest. She felt good from hearing what Xander was saying, and she couldn't deny that it was a good scenario, that it could be good for some future points in her conquest as well, for the blonde Warlocks affections.

Amy's eyes went towards Michael, and saw that he did look slightly down.

"Fine, I'm going over to see what's going on. But that doesn't mean that I'm gonna be ripping friendships apart for my own benefit. I'm not like that Xander, and you shouldn't be either. After all, these people are your friends, why do you sound like you hate the idea of them being friends."

Xander didn't have any time to rebuke Amy, who casually strolled over in her casual clothes, a skirt that came to her knees, and a shirt that showed off her navel, something that was quite unlike the usual Amy.

Making it to Michael, she noted that Willow wasn't around right now, which worked well for her.

"Hey stranger, what are you thinking right now?"

Amy queried, squatting a seat next to the blonde.

Michael regarded Amy with a kind smile.

"I was just thinking about something that Willow was saying."

"Oh? What did she say?"

Amy genuinely wanted to know, but Michael had reservations from saying anything about it.

"Nothing really. Anyway, your Dad let you out tonight then?"

He was genuinely surprised to see her, her Father having been someone that was very protective, and would hardly let her out, though he was very kind and only wanted to protect his daughter from the evils of the world.

"Finally." She breathed, moving closer to the blonde. "It's been ages since he let me out. I know he's all protective and all that, but he's really just…you know? He's really trying too hard to protect me and stuff. But he's mellowing out now, so it is all good."

Michael nodded with a kind smile.

"It's nice, to have parents like that, huh. It must be nice."

He mumbled out his response to Amy, wishing that he had a Dad like Amy did, though he didn't anymore.

"Anyway, Michael. The night is young, and so are we, so do you wanna…dance?"

She wasn't going to beat around the bush. She wanted him, and she wasn't going to hold anything back. Buffy wasn't around right now, he looked as if he could be cheered up by a dance, so she was going to take this opportunity.

"A dance huh…eeh, I dunno, it's getting a little late. I'm thinking of heading home soon."

Amy pouted, feeling as if her chances were fleeting before her very eyes.

"Oh come on, it would be fun. We could do things, maybe. We could dance on the dance floor, acting a little silly and all."

She tried to convince him even further, pulling at his heartstrings with her adorableness.

As Amy and Michael were talking, Amy trying to convince Michael to have a small dance, a jock comes strolling over, a man by the name of Larry, who both Amy and Michael know reluctantly, and smiles at them, though it was with the usual bullying tone that was obvious that he was going to do something.

He was a very unpleasant person to be around, even more so than Harmony or Cordelia. At least at times, they showed that they had a little kindness, but Larry never did, and he loved tormenting people like Michael and Amy, especially the former.

"Hey freaks, what are you doing?"

Amy and Michael glance at one another, then glance at Larry, clearly not amused.

"Is there something you actually want?"

Michael asked with a tired sigh coming from him.

Larry's eyes briefly went to Michael, his eyes lingering there for a few moments, then turned towards Amy.

"So Amy, what are you doing hanging with a loser like him huh? Not trying to get tips about how his Mom was a whore, right?"

Michael looked away at that, trying his best to not get angry.

Amy though was angry enough for the both of them.

"How dare you? It's getting old, Larry. Why don't you just get lost already? Michael doesn't need someone like you reminding him of the past, especially a dunce like you."

Larry didn't know what a dunce really was, only guessing that it was a 'bad word'.

"Oh sorry, I didn't know that you were taking tips on how to become a whore as well."

Michael turned his eyes towards Larry, not liking the way that he spoke to Amy.

"Don't you dare call Amy that. Pick on me all you want, I don't care. But do not ever talk to Amy like that."

Larry looks towards Michael, sneering very obviously.

"Oh, I didn't know that you could talk. Maybe you inherited it from your Mom, ya know, sitting on your ass and just keep begging for it day in and day out." That did it for Michael, and he stood up squaring off against Larry. "Oh what, ya gonna do something?"

Larry was practically baiting Michael at this point, who smirked, nodding his head.

"Up."

Saying that single word Michael channeled his magic into a certain place, Larry became confused, until…

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!"

He cried, feeling his underwear being pulled up from behind him, as if someone was giving him a wedgie. He ran off, trying to lower his underwear, but Michael wouldn't allow it, being more and more pissed off at this guy, for calling Amy what he did, and what he said to him as well.

"Ooh man, it looks like Larry's been wedgied!"

One guy shouted out, laughing at him as he ran around like a headless chicken. Soon, the entire Bronze (who cared) began laughing at him, even Willow and Xander who watched on couldn't help but share some of the chuckles.

Amy giggled, and stood up also, taking Michael's hand in her own.

"Seems like karma to me, don't you agree, Michael?"

"Seems like it. He deserves it for what he's said. Though I so wish I could do more to him."

Amy smirked, and thought of something.

"Well, he's always humiliated us, and remember the time that he pulled down both of our pants down and everyone laughed at us for days on end?"

"Yeah…?"

Amy's smirk became wider, holding Michael's hand tighter.

"Well, we're Witches and Warlocks, why don't we show this guy that we're not to be taken lightly. I'm not suggesting we curse him or anything, but he pulled down our pants and embarrassed us, why don't we do the same to him?"

Amy suggestion was actually something Michael liked the sound of.

He was tired of being the victim, being the guy that always got hate, because of his family. He hated the fact that people would always make some comments about him and his family, which hurt more than he'd like them too.

"Okay, let's do it."

Smirking at one another, the pair channeled their energies and flicked their fingers downwards, yanking Larry's pants downwards, showing him in underwear with Winnie the Pooh on them, Michael and Amy snickering at the other.

"Ooh my God! Look at that!"

One person shouted, pointing at Larry.

"Awww, he wears Winnie the Pooh underwear!"

"Does Mommy pick out your underwear as well?"

"That's so sweet~"

People mocked Larry for his choice of underwear, resulting in laughter erupting all around.

Larry's eyes became teary, and pretty much afterwards, he began shedding large tears, partly from the wedgie, and partly from the humiliation that he was suffering, Xander being one of the people that was laughing the most, Willow offering her own chuckle as well.

Michael and Amy looked at one another, then channeled their magic together, Michael doing the spell as Amy wasn't able to yet.

"Funky Chicken."

Shooting off white lights from his fingers, they hit Larry, and his body was forced to do the Funky Chicken.

"H-HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!"

He cried, but everyone just laughed at his predicament.

"Ooh Larry Larry Larry, you truly are a chicken~ And you do smell funky, so good choice of dance, loser~"

Cordelia came in and giggled as she walked past Larry.

Larry was forced to continue doing the Funky Chicken for over a minute, where people took pictures, Michael and Amy smirking at the other, glad they could get their revenge on the young bully.

Eventually, they allowed him to stop, Larry immediately went to run out of the Bronze, but Michael used magic to tie his shoelaces together, to the other shoe, and when he went to run, he fell straight on his face, a howl and a cry coming from him, tears running down his face from the humiliation that he was suffering right now.

"Aww, seems like he can't run right~"

One person sneered, another erupting roaring laughter happening.

Amy and Michael looked at one another as the crying Larry hopped out of the Bronze, pants around his ankles, shoes tied like shackles.

"Yeah, suck it to the hinge end Larry!"

Amy yelled with a giggle, as Michael sweatdropped.

"You do know that means sucking it down to the bottom of the penis, right?"

Amy's mouth widened and she looked mortified.

"Ooh crap, I've said that to my Dad on multiple occasions! I thought it meant suck it, my victory or something!"

Amy cried crocodile tears as Michael snorted.

Amy tried to compose herself, looking towards the blonde Warlock.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I feel better. What about you?"

He bobbed his head up and down.

"Yeah, I think that's good. He totally deserved it for all of the crap that he's done and said to me and you plus others as well."

Amy inclined her head, then pointed towards the dance floor.

"So, wanna have a little dance with me now?"

Michael thought about it for a few moments, then nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah, I think that I do."

Hearing that, Amy wore a smile and took his hand, leading him to the dancefloor, and the song was a slow song, so the people began dancing closer and closer together, Michael and Amy being no exception.

Xander stood off to the side, his eyes wide with immense happiness, loving the pair of them together. Willow also looked on, and saw that Owen and Cordelia were also dancing with one another, and that made her frown, because she could see Michael and Amy dancing as well, wondering where Buffy was, and why she wasn't dancing with Michael instead.

Michael thought the dance was innocent, between friends…Amy didn't think that it was. She knew exactly how it was, and how she felt about it. She knew that this was more than it looked like, and more than what Michael thought it was, even if he didn't realize it himself.

And as luck would have it, Buffy entered the Bronze at that very moment.

She looked around, and then saw it…it being a double whammy for her.

She saw Owen and Cordelia dancing together. It looked awkward, and dispassionate, but it was enough to convince her that Owen looked as if he was enjoying it, dancing with Cordelia, and Cordelia was making it obvious that Owen was 'hers' and 'hers' alone.

That enough was able to visibly shake her…but what she saw next devastated her.

She saw Michael and Amy dancing together, but unlike the awkwardness of Cordelia and Owen, Amy and Michael seemed to be, enjoying their face. Amy's head was on Michael's shoulder, their hands entwined with the others, eyes locked together, small smiles on their faces, bodies being very close together.

Buffy had to hold it together, seeing someone she might like and someone that was essentially 'stealing' him away from her, dancing together. It was evident on her face that it pained her to see them together, more so than Owen and Cordelia.

But the most painful thing was…seeing them at the same time. Seeing both Michael and Owen dancing with someone that wasn't her.

She couldn't stay in the Bronze anymore, and she fled the Bronze, holding back the sadness she wanted to display so desperately.

---

End of chapter!

So that happened! Michael and Amy grew definitely closer this chapter, and Michael and Buffy…have hit a small speedbump, but this is going to bring them closer together eventually as well, evident how Buffy kept saying Michael, when she meant Owen, and the jealousy side of Michael thinking Buffy and Owen are dating. There was even a hint to Michael's past as well in this chapter as well, so I hope you all enjoyed that, and until next time.