Chapter 10
Thursday November 1st, 2001
London, England
Ginny's Apartment
11:07 a.m. (local time)
She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she lay there and watched the man next to her sleep. He had proven to her time and again, over the time that she had known him, that despite his past as a Death Eater, he was a gentleman at heart. As they lay on the floor in front of the fireplace of his office, he had told her about his involvement with Voldemort and luring her to the club. How he had unknowingly started to care about her and how it was he came to realize his feelings for her had changed, how the night that Francois had first attacked her had been the night he was forced to admit he cared about her as more than just an object, a weapon to use in the war against Dumbledore. He told her how he had worried about her after she had disappeared from the club and her apartment after Francois had nearly killed her. He also told her about the final battle, about what had happened after she and Summer disappeared from the school grounds and that he knew it was Summer that had killed Harry. Others, he said, thought it was her but he could always tell the two girls apart, even from a great distance, having spent a considerable amount of time around them. He had insisted on walking her home, which is how they ended up in her bed together.
Rising carefully, so as not to wake him, Ginny climbed out of bed, grabbing his shirt off the floor as she passed and made her way into the kitchen, where she set about making some breakfast, or rather brunch, thankful they had stopped at the 24 hour market on their way from the club. She started singing quietly to herself as she worked, not hearing Simon enter the room behind her.
Simon stood there taking in the scene before him, an idea forming in his head, as he quietly watched Ginny as she worked. With a smile he stepped up behind her, putting his hands on her hips as he nuzzled her neck.
"Morning," Ginny groaned.
"Morning," he replied as his hands slipped around Ginny's waist, one working its way into her shirt.
"I've changed my mind; you're not serving drinks to anybody at the club."
"What? But you said…"
"Shh, Fyre, listen to me," he urged as he turned Ginny around to face him before pinning her up against the counter so she couldn't escape. "I'm not taking your job away from you, I'm just changing it. That is of course if you agree. You're too good to be serving drinks every night."
"What did you have in mind?"
"With this body and that voice of yours, we can make it so that every guy in the club wants you in a way nobody's ever wanted anybody before. All we have to do is pick the right songs and the men will be puddy in your hands," he said as he cupped Ginny's cheek and pressed into her, trapping her between his hardening member and the counter, causing her to whimper slightly.
"You want me to sing?"
"A couple of songs every night and that's it. An hour or two tops and then you can come home or do whatever you want," he said as he started kissing Ginny's neck. "You will be unattainable. They can look but not touch. With the amount of money you'll bring in just by being the sexy singer you are, you'll be more than adequately compensated, trust me Fyre," he said as he ground his member into Ginny's stomach as he continued to lavish kisses on her neck and collarbone.
"A couple hours a night?"
"Uh huh. You'll even be fully clothed, I promise."
"Okay," she replied breathlessly feeling Simon's hands slide around her and rest on her butt before he stepped back just enough to give her room to get away from the counter before he picked her up, allowing her to wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as he carried her back into the bedroom.
:-:-:-:-:-:
Later that day after Ginny found herself in Harrods in London along with Simon who was helping her find some things for her wear to work at the club, since she was now going to be singing instead of serving drinks she opted for something a little more elegant, while keeping the sex appeal high. Simon turned out to be a great help when it came to choosing the right dresses. He was able to give her a man's perspective on how she looked in certain dresses, never guarding what he said about a certain dress. She wanted his honest opinion on what would appeal to the type of men that now frequented the club. The dresses she ended up with were mostly of the form fitting slip variety but that was fine with Ginny. It was a vast improvement over her attire from her first stint at the club and if seeing her in these dresses made Simon happy then she was happy.
As she was getting dressed that night, Simon had asked her about her hair, if she would be willing to remove the black and let it be the multicoloured flame it had been before and she had agreed. He felt, as did she, that while the pure black suited her to an extent, the flame suited her better, especially given her name.
While they had been out shopping earlier that afternoon, Simon had come up with a selection of songs for her to sing. The songs were chosen to make the men in the club want her more and more so each one had to have some aspect to it that would draw the men to her. As he stood in the background watching Ginny on stage he knew he had chosen the right songs as he watched the men react exactly how he wanted them to, each and every man in the club, whether they had one of his Pearls on their arm or not, wanted the Pearl on stage. He had put the two songs he had known would make every man in the room want to claim their undying devotion and spew promises to protect Ginny for the rest of her life for the end. He watched as Ginny began the first of the two songs.
If I had just one tear rollin' down your cheek
Maybe I could cope
Maybe I'd get some sleep
If I had just one moment at your expense
Maybe all my misery would be well spent
Yeah
Could you cry a little
Lie just a little
Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain
I gave, now I'm wanting something in return
So cry just a little for me
If your love could be caged
Honey I would hold the key
And conceal it underneath
The pile of lies you've handed me
And you'd hunt those lies
They'd be all you'd ever find
That'd be all you'd have to know
For me to be fine
Yeah
And you'd cry a little
And die just a little
And maybe I would feel just a little less pain
I gave, now I'm wanting something in return
So cry just a little for me
Give it up baby
I hear your doin' fine
Nothings gonna' save me
Til I see it in your eyes
Some kind of heartache honey
Give it a try
I don't want pity
I just want what is mine
Yeah
Would you cry a little
Lie just a little
Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain
I gave, now I'm wanting something in return
So cry just a little for me
Yeah
Cry just a little for me
Whoa whoa
Could you cry a little for me
hmmm yeah yeah
As she finished the song, Simon was pleased to see that she had every man in the room eating out of her hand. The last song would just seal the deal. He was sure that after tonight the popularity of his club would skyrocket as the men would spread the word to their friends, bringing more men through his doors.
I've had many times I can tell you
Times when innocence I'd trade for company
And children saw me crying
I thought I'd had my share of that
But these miss you nights are the longest
Midnight diamonds stud my heaven
Southward burning like the jewels that are your face
And the warm winds that embrace me
Just as surely kissed your face
Yet these miss you nights they're the longest
Lay down all thoughts of your surrender
It's only me who's killing time
Lay down all dreams and feelings once remembered
It's just the same this miss you game
Thinking of my going
How to cut the thread and leave it all behind
Looking windward for my comfort
I take each day as it arrives
But these miss you nights are the longest
But these miss you nights are the longest
Simon watched Ginny sing the last song and he knew deep down that something wasn't right. The song was having too great an impact on Ginny. He could hear it in her voice. So could everyone else and while it gave the song the impact he had hoped for, he just knew that it was taking a toll on Ginny. After the song was done, he watched Ginny silently make her way off the stage and straight into his office. He waited a few minutes before following her. "Fyre?" he called quietly as he entered, seeing her standing in front of the fireplace watching the flames. "Are you alright?" he asked stepping up behind her.
"I'm fine," replied Ginny as she turned to face him, hoping he wouldn't notice the few tears that had fallen down her cheeks.
"No, you're not, Fyre," he said as he gently wiped her cheeks. "You love him, don't you? He's the one you were singing about."
"I don't…"
"Fyre, it's okay," Simon told her as he pulled her into his arms.
The minute she felt his arms wrap around her in comfort and support, she couldn't hold the tears back anymore. She couldn't keep the pain and hurt she felt bottled up anymore.
Simon stood there holding Ginny in his arms while she cried, soothing her until her tears and cries subsided. "What happened, Fyre?" he asked as he led her over to the couch he had in front of the fireplace.
"I was a fool. I fell in love with a man who could never truly want me. I tried so hard not to fall for him. I knew that we could never be together the way that I wanted but it didn't stop me."
"Why did you think you could never be together?"
"Well for one thing, he's married."
"Not anymore, Fyre. Narcissa died a few days after the final battle at Hogwarts. Apparently she'd been sick for quite some time but had hid the truth from everyone, including Lucius. Quite honestly the Wizarding World has been waiting for the day that he takes his own life," Simon told Ginny as he brushed some hair behind her ear.
"Why would he do that?"
"Fyre, you have no idea how hard he took it when first he lost you and then Narcissa a few days later; all this after he was forced to kill his own son on the battlefield."
"Trust me, Simon, my disappearing had very little to do with it. I may have been a fool and let myself fall in love with him but that doesn't mean I didn't know exactly where I stood."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning he continued to pay me for my services, Simon. After Summer and Blaise rescued me from Francois they took me to Malfoy Manor. That's when I figured out that it had been Mr. Malfoy you had given me to. While I was staying there Blaise brought my laptop and charmed it to work in the Wizarding World. When I checked my bank account one day I noticed that there was a deposit into my account for every day I had been at the Manor, every day that he had been with me, he paid me for. Despite that, I still went to him for help with giving Summer a gift. He was the only person who had access to the spell I needed and had the ability to perform the spell. He wanted to know what was in it for him if he agreed. I told him it was me, that if he did the spell, he could have me, that I would be his Pearl."
"What did he say to that?"
"He pushed me away and told me that he had no need or desire for a Pearl. That he didn't want a whore. That was last night."
"Oh Fyre, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," Simon said as he pulled Ginny into his arms.
"No, Simon, it's not. You didn't make me walk in here that day and you didn't make me agree to work here. My time with Lucius Malfoy is over. He made it perfectly clear that I don't belong there or that I'm even wanted there. I don't belong in Sunnydale with Summer either, or in Los Angeles. I know where I belong, Simon, it's here at the Pearl…with you," she said as she snuggled down on the couch next to Simon, feeling his arms tighten around her securely.
"You're safe here, Fyre, this is and always will be your home," he said as he kissed the top of her head.
Friday November 2nd, 2001
Sunnydale, California
The Bronze
10:42 p.m.
The last thing Buffy or anyone in Sunnydale had expected the day after Ginny left, was for Blaise to return with the group from LA and one Lucius Malfoy in tow…but no Ginny. As Blaise predicted, Buffy was far from happy to see Lucius and not Ginny, but before explanations could be made, or the information about Angel's newly bound soul shared, the demon population stepped in to take their full attention as another attempt to open the Hellmouth was started.
The next few days were spent in chaotic organization as Buffy went to work on stopping the latest attempt to end the world, assigning those from LA jobs along with those from Sunnydale, and giving Blaise and Lucius the job of trying to find Ginny.
Friday night found the attempt, and subsequent stop of, opening the Hellmouth, and the 'Scoobies' and Angel Investigations group stopped at the Bronze for something to drink, the last thing Buffy wanted in all honesty as her mind was finally able to completely focus on Ginny and going through her head of where Ginny would go, one place in particular sticking out and demanding to be checked. But she couldn't turn Dawn down when Dawn asked if she would come…
Then there was the other fact of the small matter Blaise had explained to Buffy, of what Ginny had gone to Lucius to ask for and in turn Lucius had done for a certain souled vampire who had been watching her constantly since they came to town. She and Dawn had been out on the dance floor, one dance before she planned to go, when she spotted Angel walking towards them as they left the mass of people.
"Buffy…" Angel began when he got to Buffy, Dawn having made herself scarce when she saw him approaching the two Summers women.
"Dance with me," she spoke up quickly when she heard the first notes of the song she used to listen to after he had left for L.A., for once Fate seemed to be smiling down on her, it was the perfect way to explain things without having to explain things.
"Of course," he smiled as she took his hand, leading him to the center of the dance floor, memories from years before flashing in his mind. Pulling her close he relaxed at the familiar sent of vanilla, the familiar feeling of her body fitting to his, smiling into her hair as he noticed the lyrics.
Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared 'neath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end, the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance - I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Holding you, I held everything - For a moment wasn't I a king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say? You know I might have changed it all
It was kinda freaky, because it was true, when he held her he felt like a king, he felt human and loved and a good guy…when she was out of his life after everything with Faith and Riley, he had fallen so far, losing himself during the thing with Darla and everything that happened during that time…
And now I'm glad I didn't know - The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance - I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
And now I'm glad I didn't know - The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance - I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
Reaching up Buffy traced her fingers along his cheek before stepping away and quickly making her way from the dance floor, leaving him there as the song finished, somehow feeling like it was her words...
It's my life, its better left to chance - I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance
"What happens now?" Gunn looked at the others as they watched Buffy leave Angel out there.
"Who would have thought she'd leave him," Fred murmured.
"Actually, I'm kinda not surprised," Cordelia shrugged before seeing the looks the rest of the Angel Investigations team were giving her, "What? He left her, broke her heart, sure she said she understood, yadda, yadda, yadda, but honestly you think she ever did? She never stopped loving him, that much is obvious, but to actually step up and say okay, here's what's left of my heart, and put it in the hands of the guy who left it torn and tattered in the first place? That's more than any person can do. She's not superwoman, she's still got fears and dreams and all that crap. He broke up with her because he wanted her to have normal and look what happened, she didn't get a scrap of normal, normal didn't include your first attempt at a long-term relationship being a secret government agent and unknowing project, having a sister appear out of nowhere no matter how much you love said sister, having your mother die, dying yourself for a second time, going back in time to help another Slayer and fight in some war or other in her world only to get pulled back to the present where if the fact had remained that she hadn't taken the choice to go help the other Slayer, she would have been in heaven and yanked out of there by her 'friends'," she held up her hands in the classic quotation mark symbol. "Her life has been so far from normal, there aren't even signs to abnormal, let alone normal, from where she is at. When she's finally gotten settled to a degree, accepted the fact that she'll never get what everyone else has, never get to be just a normal girl like she dreamed when she was a teenager, here comes the one guy she's always loved, her soulmate, and he wants another chance. How would you feel in her shoes?"
"Honestly? If I loved someone as much as everyone says she loves Angel, I probably would want for him what he wanted for me, I might never have what he wanted for me, but that doesn't mean he doesn't deserve it," Fred offered.
"If I know Buffy, perhaps not as well as I could have, but as much as I do know her, did know her," Wesley began quietly, "She would do everything for Angel, and to see the life he has now, with us in LA, the friends he has, I truly believe you might be right, Fred. Angel has something close to normal now, something he never had before, even when he was in Sunnydale with her. She would love him enough to walk away, as he once did for her. No matter how much she has changed since then, I believe that is one thing that would never have changed."
"So, what do we do now?" Gunn asked curiously.
"Nothing, this is all in his and her court," Cordelia shrugged, "We just be there for him, and for her too…"
Friday November 2nd, 2001
Sunnydale, California
Crawford Street
Angel's Mansion
11:27 p.m.
Buffy quickly made her way into the house, heading towards the rooms that she and Blaise were still sharing, though to her knowledge the rest of the mansions' residents were none the wiser to that fact, especially the certain vampire she had just left behind, course then again with the vampire sense of smell perhaps he did know…
/-/No, I'm not thinking about that now!/-/ she reprimanded herself as she slipped into the room, relieved to find Blaise there dozing over a book. "Blaise, wake up," she whispered as she shook his shoulder. "You know falling off chairs is not all that good a thing," she giggled before offering him a hand to help him up.
"Then don't wake a guy up when he's sitting in one," he countered with a roll of his eyes before looking over at the clock, "We're all alive, I take it that it worked."
"It worked," she nodded, "There was a quick stopover at the Bronze, Angel came to try and speak to me, I left him listening to a song that kinda told my feelings on it and came here cause I have an idea. So up, we have to go."
"Wait, back up the whatever is going on here," Blaise followed her across the room. "Angel was going to talk to you and you just left him there?"
"We've been over this, Blaise," she looked over at him. "And yes I know you disagree with me but before we get into this argument again I think I know where Fyre might be so get your wand and a coat and let's go."
"Huh?" he stared at her in confusion.
"You're impossible sometimes you know that?" Buffy chuckled as she walked over and lifted one arm to put his jacket on.
"So are you," he countered when she stopped back in front of him before wrapping an arm around her waist, "Alright miss all knowing, let's go see if we can find our missing Slayer."
"About time you caught on," she rolled her eyes before he portkeyed them back to his Villa.
Saturday November 3rd, 2001
London, England
The Hidden Pearl
8:15 p.m.
"Do my ears and eyes deceive me or do I hear a very familiar voice and see an equally familiar head of hair I could have sworn was changed to black," Buffy mused as they watched Fyre sing. They had come to the Pearl first thing that morning only to find it closed, but still open and running so they returned that night, being let in as soon as Peterson recognized them both.
"If yours are, then mine certainly are too," Blaise agreed as he held a chair for her. "How did you know?"
"She'd go someplace she knew and knew what to expect from, this was the first place I would go to if I thought I had nothing else in this world anymore," Buffy shrugged.
"I'm beginning to suspect the only people who could truly find either of you is the other one," Blaise smiled, "There's Simon," he nodded towards the stage.
"So, he did indeed live," Buffy smiled, "Good, I liked him, even if he was a member of the I wanna be an evil dictator's club."
"Silly woman," Blaise smiled before they focused on Ginny, watching her finish singing then making her way off stage towards Simon's office. He stepped out of the shadows as she drew close, wrapping an arm around Ginny and leading her into his office.
"She's crying," Buffy whispered before looking up at Blaise, "Now or never," she took a quick breath before rising and making her way towards the office, Blaise on her heels, once she reached the door she knocked as Blaise joined her.
"Enter!" Simon called through the door, figuring it was the bartender with Ginny's after show drink.
"Knock knock," Buffy spoke softly as she opened the door and stepped inside, Blaise barely making it in before she shut the door. Ginny and Simon were sitting on the couch by the fire, Ginny leaning up against him as he held her in his arms. "Please don't panic, Fyre," she continued quickly.
"I should have known," Ginny grumbled through her tears as she wrapped her arm around Simon's middle and held him tighter. "Leave me alone."
"Believe it or not, I will do that, I just had to see you," Buffy answered softly, "I had to say thank you, and to see for myself that you were okay but after my thank you and since I'm obviously seeing you're okay then I'll go and you can contact me whenever you want, it will all be in your court, I promise sis."
"I don't know what you're thanking me for Summer but I would like it if you would leave now," Ginny said as she got up and walked over to the door, pulling it open. "And you can tell your friends they won't ever have to see me again and that the world of the undead belongs firmly to their precious Buffy because Fyre Kensington wants nothing to do with it ever again."
"Okay," Buffy nodded, "I'll tell Dawn, Spike, Tara, Giles and the group from LA you said goodbye, I'll enjoy beating Xander up some more since you're not coming back and he's a jackass, enjoy your break from Slayer-dom but please don't ever stop practicing even a small bit cause the creeps are still going to recognize you and I would prefer you outlive Faith and I by a good fifty years... And as for why I'm thanking you, it's for Angel's soul, giving him a chance to have the 'normal' that I can never have. Be happy Fyre, find normal for yourself," she whispered before moving past Fyre to leave.
"What are you talking about? I never gave Angel his soul. Mr. Malfoy refused to help. He didn't like his payment."
Buffy stopped to look at her and shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't exactly spoken with Lucius and Angel on the matter but I do know that his soul is bound. Course God willing by now he and the gang are headed back to L.A. so I can get out of actually having to tell him to go find normal for himself, but yes."
"Wait, Angel has his soul permanently and you walk away? Do you have any idea what I put myself through to try to get that for you and you throw it away?"
"Do you want what's best for Lucius?" Buffy asked softly, "No matter how much it might hurt you? I know what you went through, well, I can imagine what you went through, and I'm forever grateful, but he deserves better than me, and now he can have that because of you," she shrugged slightly.
"I could give a rat's arse about what's best for Mr. Malfoy. He sure as hell doesn't care about me enough to care what's best for me since he made it perfectly clear where I stand where he's concerned so what I want and what I can have are two completely different things. Whereas what you want and what you can have are now the same thing."
"Are you really sure? Or did you leave before giving him a chance to really explain what he was thinking? God knows the man takes forever to get his thoughts in order to tell one how he feels," Buffy countered gently, "And yes, I know that what I want and can have are now the same thing, but he still deserves normal, deserves better than the life I can give him, it's what he once wanted for me, it's what I want for him."
"How normal a life can a souled vampire have Summer?" demanded Ginny, a note of sarcasm in her voice. "As for Mr. Malfoy, he made it perfectly clear what he thinks about me. In all the time we were together he may not have said it but it's what he was thinking, the only difference is he finally said it this time. He made it perfectly clear that this whore isn't good enough for him," she said as she threw open the door she had let close and stalked out into the main club, quickly making her way across the floor and out the front door, taking the coat Peterson was holding out to her as she passed.
"That so did not go well," Buffy sighed before looking at Simon and Blaise, "Sorry Simon, I'm afraid I just left you with a very upset woman on your hands..."
"He's slowly destroying her, Summer," Simon said as he rose from the couch, having watched the entire exchange. "
"Irony in life is, he loves her perhaps more than he ever loved his wife," she sighed. "They'll never be truly happy without each other, I know that you can make her happy, Simon, but to be honest, I want for her what I won't let myself have. I want her to have 'it', hundred upon thousands of moments of true happiness. I had it once, I make it through each day with the memory of that, and I would sell my very soul if it meant all that I love could have it. But Fyre, she'll never get it without him, and that's one bargain I don't think even the devil would make with me."
"Don't you think I know that, Summer? I see it every time she sings," Simon said as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "She's convinced herself that she's not good enough for Lucius Malfoy and that no matter what she does, he'll never see her as anything but a whore. And by the sounds of it, Summer, you can have what you want for Fyre, she saw to that, you just have to take your own advice."
"That's true," Buffy agreed, "She did see to it that I can have the very thing I would give everything for. But at the same time, I'm not long for this world, no matter how many people might wish otherwise. I won't ask him to enjoy a short time of happiness with me when he can find someone else, someone more normal than I, who he can have at least her lifetime with. But my life is not the one we all want to see better, it's her's. Which makes me wonder if there is some way that we can make things right."
"Have you talked to Angel about what he wants?" demanded Simon. "Did you bother to ask him if he would rather have a short time with you or not have you in his life at all? He's a vampire, Summer, Fyre told me all about it. How many normal girls do you think would be willing to have a vampire as a lover? Fyre cares a great deal about you, Summer, it's why she did what she did. It was for you. It was for her sister. She would rather spend her life here than seek out a chance, even the smallest with Lucius, as long as you're happy because that's all that matters to her. She's used to not getting what she truly wants out of life. She's accepted that as her lot in this world but she figured she could at least see you happy."
Buffy chuckled once before her laugh broke off, "Irony is, all we want is for the other to be happy. But we never let ourselves be happy..."
"Is there a reason your purse is moving?" Blaise asked before the conversation had a chance to continue.
"Huh?" Buffy looked at him, before down at her purse, "Oh fuck it's the bloody cell phone," she groaned before digging out Dawn's cell phone. "Hello? Giles?" she frowned before looking up at the two, "Wait, hold on...back up...she's what? He's...They're...oh crap, we'll be there ASAP," she hung up before looking at them, "Our dear redhaired friend is in California trying to kill a certain blonde haired man."
"Go," Simon said. "See that she's all right."
Buffy nodded before taking Blaise's hand, the two disappearing only to appear at the mansion a few minutes later. "Okay, so I take it my recently missing sister Slayer is at the source of the crashing and yelling," she mused as she took in the sight of the others there in the front yard.
"I think she's killing him," Anya surmised.
"Better him than us," Xander whispered.
"Someone smack him," Buffy ordered before grabbing Angel's hand, "I need your help," she continued before making her way towards the front door, Angel just coming along without much of a choice.
"This I was not expecting," Buffy mused when she kicked the door shut behind them, finding Lucius and Ginny fighting with swords, "I wonder where his wand is..."
"Not to ask a stupid question, but why do you need me?" Angel asked softly, "I sorta got the hint that you didn't want me around but now you do," he continued quietly, watching her with guarded eyes she hadn't seen since she was fifteen.
"Please, just can you go grab Lucius, I'll grab Fyre?" she asked quietly.
"Sure," he nodded before heading to try and sneak up behind Lucus while she headed for Ginny.
"You're a bastard, you know that, right?" demanded Ginny as she spun, bringing her sword around towards Lucius, who blocked it easily enough although he felt the shockwaves up his arm given Ginny's strength as a Slayer.
"Why because I did as you asked?" demanded Lucius as he took a swing at Ginny, who deflected it easily. "What you practically begged me to do?"
"I didn't beg," snapped Ginny.
"Then what would you call it? You were on your knees for Merlin's sake, Fyre."
"I was on my knees for another reason, not because I was begging you. I was offering myself to you, you bastard."
Buffy caught Angel's eye and as one they jumped forward to wrap arms around the two, pulling them back and making them drop their swords before wrapping both arms around them, "Okay, can I just say I really really don't want to have to try and find little pieces of Malfoy family jewels all over the place?" Buffy spoke.
"Let me go," Ginny growled.
"Not until all three of you listen to me," Buffy agrued. "And I know, technically speaking you could probably use some spell on me, but no matter how much pain I'm in I'm not letting go, Fyre," she warned.
"It's a little difficult to do any kind of magic when one's wand is in pieces somewhere on the floor," Lucius ground out.
"I was wondering what happened to that," Buffy chuckled, "And it wasn't exactly your magic I was worried about, Lucius, magic is the only advantage this one has over me after all," she looked at Ginny as she struggled. "Now then, you need to stop trying to kill each other; you two belong together for the love of all things sacred."
"Like hell we do," snarled Ginny. "I'm nothing but a pebble under his shoe; someone for him to walk all over. Let's not forget I know what he thinks of me."
"Oh and what's that?" demanded Lucius.
"You think I'm a whore!" Ginny cried. "You said it yourself. You refused to help me because you didn't want me, you didn't want a whore."
"That's not what I said," argued Lucius.
"Isn't it? You told me you had no need or desire for a Pearl, that you didn't want a whore. Well guess what, I am a Pearl and there's nothing I can do about that."
"You ran before you let me finish for Merlin's sake and you're the one that refuses to allow yourself to be anything but a Pearl," Lucius snapped. "If you had bothered to stick around long enough you would have heard me say that I wanted you, Fyre, but no you acted like a typical Weasley who doesn't want to hear the truth, who only hears what she wants to hear."
"What did you just say?" demanded Ginny in shock.
"You heard me."
"Was this just some sort of malicious attempt to get back at the Weasleys over something because if it was, you got another thing coming. The Weasleys hate me," Ginny cried, her tears finally breaking free. "I was an embarrassment to them, especially after I came into my Slayer abilities. They were mortified and couldn't stop talking about the humiliation of having a child who barely passed her fourth year before flunking every single one of her O.W.L.s. I was a mistake to them. A disgrace, so why would someone like the mighty Lucius Malfoy want someone like me except as his personal whore since that's all I'm good for."
"Don't say things like that," Lucius ordered, stepping forward as Angel released his hold on him.
"Don't order me to do things," snapped Ginny. "Don't stand there and tell me I'm not this or I'm not that and then order me to do something because that just tells me I'm nothing more than a weapon to you.
"I'm sorry, Fyre, I didn't mean it in that sense," Lucius said as he slowly walked towards where Buffy was still holding onto Ginny. "I'm in love with you, Fyre. I have been since that first night I laid eyes on you but there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't leave Narcissa, it's not something the noble families do plus there was Draco to think about at the time. I never loved Narcissa the way I love you and she knew that. It's why she went to France shortly after you all appeared at the Manor. It was her way of allowing us to be together," he said as he watched Buffy step back before taking a hold of Ginny's arms. "She told me on her deathbed that she was happy I had found someone that made me happy and that I would die to protect. She told me to do whatever I had to to find you and bring you home."
"Why are you doing this to me? Why are you dangling a future in front of me I can never have?"
"Fyre, you're the only one saying you can't have this future," Lucius told her.
"You saw how the people at Hogwarts reacted when they saw me with you, can you tell me the Wizarding World is going to act any kinder to me if they find out we're married? It will destroy your reputation and I'm not about to do that to you," Ginny said turning away and walking over to the windows.
"I don't care about my reputation, Fyre. Hell, my reputation is not what it was before the war anyway. Most people in the Wizarding World think I've lost my mind, first from having to kill my son then losing you and finally losing Narcissa a few days later. They already think I've gone round the bend they just know better than to say it to my face. And quite frankly I've had it with Wizarding Britain so if you'd rather stay here in California and be near your friends then we'll stay here," Lucius said as he walked over to Ginny and turned her around.
"They're not my friends," Ginny said quietly. "They hate me."
"Actually it's only three who don't like you, and the rest of us are quite happy to beat sense into them every day," Buffy spoke up. "Fyre, please, don't walk away from this. True happiness is once in a lifetime, don't let your fears and the things you want for him keep you from having it. God knows it's bad enough mine have possibly ruined any chance I will get now that I got sense knocked back into me by you through a roundabout way."
"I'm afraid," admitted Ginny, her voice quiet and almost childlike, as she refused to meet Lucius' gaze.
"Everyone's afraid in their life, and there's nothing scarier than love. Even everything we face each night out there, it would terrify even the strongest of people, but us...we face it no matter what. It's not the things that go bump in the night that terrify us; it's the stuff we don't know, the stuff we can't control. And there's nothing that is harder than to place your heart into the hands of one who has already broken it, even if the reward could be true happiness," Buffy spoke gently.
"All I've ever wanted was someone to love me. I've always known my parents never did. I think that's why I wanted Harry so much and why I was so susceptible to Tom. I just wanted to be loved and wanted."
"I heard a saying once, if you can count the people who consider you a friend, whether you consider them one or not, on one hand, then you're really loved. Girl you only have five fingers, and I know more than five people who consider you a friend...Dawn, Blaise, Me, Spike even, you won over the supposed Big Bad himself. I know two house-elves that would do anything to protect you; they love you so much. And the others here from LA, Tara, they all care about you, they all love you, even Faith, as she would put it, gives 'a damn about the new sister who's got enough balls to do what she did to get in here to do somethin' special for B'. I'm pretty sure she gets out on parole then she'd be the first to volunteer to take you out for drinks, or beat someone up for you," Buffy shrugged. "You may not see it Fyre, but there are a lot of us who love you, you have people who love you, who would be more than happy to go and beat some sense into the idiots who while we thank for bringing you into this world, we hate for hurting you so much. You are loved Fyre, more than you may realize."
"It's okay," Lucius said as he quickly stepped up and took Ginny into his arms when he noticed she was about to collapse. "I want you, Fyre. I want you so much I've been lost without you for three years. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere," he told her quietly.
Buffy waved her hand from behind Ginny slightly to get his attention before pointing towards the door, then herself, Angel, then back to the door to see if he wanted them to leave.
Seeing his nod, she walked over to where Angel stood, looking up at him as she held out her hand. He watched her a moment before taking her hand and she pulled him towards the door to the gardens instead of outside.
"I need you to listen to me, and not say anything," Buffy spoke quickly as she turned to face him, trying not to be hurt when he let go of her hand almost immediately. "I'm an idiot. I'm stupid and stubborn and I don't listen, I make rash decisions and can be childish and jump to conclusions and so many other things. I drive people nuts, I make them want to strangle me sometimes, I'm forgetful and a brat and I do things even when I know I shouldn't and make others even more frustrated with me for that reason. I keep my emotions locked away to an extent, hide behind being a Slayer and rush into battles headfirst half the time. I've done things I'm not proud of, things that I swore I would never do, I've taken lives and I'm not talking about demon or vampire or other things that go bump in the night. I've made decisions that shouldn't have had to have been made and gone through with them, done things that in a way make me worse than Faith ever was, at least when she killed it was an accident before she was led to believe it was the only thing she could do anymore." Buffy paused to take a deep breath before glancing down as she continued softly, "I've died, not once but twice, and God knows that it may be not that long before I die for a third time, and something tells me the third time might just be the charm, although you know I never really got that saying," she frowned, "I let my fears influence me, and I let the things I want for the people I love make me hurt them all the more…"
"What are you saying, Buffy?" Angel asked quietly.
"I knew, about your soul," she admitted. "Blaise told me, he didn't want me to be blindsided by it with everything else going on. I've been looking at everything you have in LA, you have friends and a place for yourself that has nothing to do with me, and that's not a bad thing," she rushed on, "You have a family you didn't get simply because you're a part of my life like you had here in Sunnydale, you got normal, or as close to it as a vampire is going to get. I wanted you to be able to have normal like you wanted for me. I didn't want to put myself back in your life only to…I don't know," she shook her head, "die in just a few years and rip you apart. And yes, I will admit part of what I was thinking was selfish, I was afraid that I wouldn't fit into your life and one day you'd just decide it wasn't worth it, that we were better off apart. And I know technically speaking I was making assumptions that you wanted to give us a shot but the fact you came here first thing after getting your soul just sort of made me make assumptions and…"
"And you're rambling," he interrupted with a small smile.
"Yeah I guess I am…" she smiled sardonically.
"Okay, I've listened," Angel began seriously, "Now I need you to listen to me…Buffy," he gave her a look when she started to open her mouth before she nodded. "Good, now then…You're right, you're stubborn and pigheaded and a pain in the ass most of the time. But you're also sweet and caring and kind and you do things for others before yourself ninety-nine percent of the time. You don't let others see you weak because you know you have to be the strong one, and God knows that takes its toll. And yes, half the time I want to strangle you for doing something stupid or fighting about something that would mean you're life is in danger, for rushing into things and being stubborn and annoying as only you could be. But no matter how much you can drive me insane, the fact remains that I love you, Buffy, more than you might even realize. You saw me when no one did, you gave me a reason for living when I was completely lost in the things I had done, and you brought light into my world and gave me a glimpse of heaven itself. Everything I am today, is because you gave me the strength to try to become a better man, not the worthless drunk I had been, the parts of me that the demon built upon, not the pathetic excuse I had been after I was given back my soul. You saw me as a man, not just a monster, and you loved me completely, the man and the demon, well the vampire side of me…" he smiled slightly. "You assumed right, I did come here for a chance with you once I had my soul bound. And I won't lie and say that it didn't hurt when I realized what you were saying with that song, but I also think I caught the other things you're weren't saying, that it wasn't because you didn't love me that you were walking away, that you wouldn't change a thing, though that last one was rather obvious. But I think, that in a way, I was owed that, after all, I did walk away the first time, and it is a lot to ask that you trust your heart to me once more, after how badly I know I hurt it before. But I'm going to ask that you do trust me, I have every intention of never hurting you again. And taking what little time we might have, though hopefully it will be a much longer period of time, living every day to the fullest, loving you completely, the way you deserve."
"Does this mean I'm getting a second chance?" she asked softly.
"I think it's a second chance for both of us," he countered gently as he brushed his fingers against her cheek.
"I'm not the girl you knew."
"I've done things I'm not proud of either."
"I've killed, not one man but two."
"I left a bunch of humans locked up in a room with vampires."
"I'd say we're about even on mistakes in regards to killing…" Buffy smiled sadly.
"I'd say we are," he agreed. "Still my girl?"
"Always," she smiled; Angel smiled before leaning down to capture her lips with his.
Sunday November 4th, 2001
Sunnydale, California
Crawford Street
Angel's Mansion
11:27 a.m.
"Time to rise and shine Sleeping Beauty," Buffy spoke as she sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed.
"Do I have to?" grumbled Ginny through the blanket she had pulled up over her head. "It's so much nicer under here because reality doesn't exist."
"Believe me, I know, but reality is insisting you come back," Buffy smiled.
"No, it's not, because then I would start to question how it is that I ended up in here in something other than the dress I was wearing yesterday and that's information I just don't think I want to have," Ginny said.
"Well that is an answer I could give you," Buffy smiled, "The answer would be Lucius brought you up after the conversations we all had downstairs last night, and I came up and with Dawnie's help we got you changed into comfy clothes to sleep in."
"So, I wasn't dreaming last night then?" Ginny asked quietly as she pulled the blanket away just enough so her face could be seen.
"Nope," Buffy nodded.
"Merlin kill me," Ginny groaned as she pulled the blankets back up over her head.
"Now why would he kill you?" Buffy mused. "You and Luc worked things out right? Well to a degree, to a start..."
"I guess so," mumbled Ginny through the blankets.
"Okay...well want happy news since you're not all perky about you and Lucius?"
"Please…"
"Angel and I are back together," she answered rather non-chalant.
"It's about bloody time after I went through everything that I did to get him his soul back," Ginny grumbled.
"I know and thank you so much!" Buffy grinned. "Well, we haven't tested that little fact yet but...I promise soon as we know it actually worked you'll be getting dozens upon dozens of flowers and chocolates."
"Well, I'll have to send you the information on wherever it is that you can send them since I seem to recall agreeing to moving to someplace that isn't here, LA or Britain last night. Where that might be though, I haven't the faintest idea and Lucius wasn't very forthcoming with the information," Ginny sighed as she flipped her covers back away from her face.
"Well you've got forever to figure it out so, don't stress. I'll trade you trying to figure out time together around his need to be in LA and my newly re-acquired job of the Hellmouth's guardian here..." she shrugged.
"And I leave you to it because I know I'm not welcome here," Ginny said quietly.
"Listen to me, kay?" Buffy eyed her seriously, "Screw Xander. Screw Willow and screw Anya. They're being idiots, not just idiots but down right stupid assholes. You are always welcome here in Sunnydale. They can go..." she gestured towards the window, "on vacation," she nodded once decisevely, "if they don't want to see you. I don't give a care. Dawn would kill to have you visit whenever you want, Tara I think is in her quiet doesn't want to make everyone turn on her, fear controlling her actions stage but she does think they treated you horribly and likes you and I expect eventually if not right now you're going to be getting some sort of communication from her asking forgiveness. She's got trust and self-confidence and a few other issues that are better but she still closes up sometimes. That backbone is growing slowly but surely," she smiled softly, "Giles would love to see you and get to know you and I know everyone in LA adores you just from the one visit so don't let those three drive you away. I'm not saying you have to stay here," Buffy rushed quickly, "I'm just saying if you want to come visit or stay for a while or permanently or whatever, don't let them keep you away. But you do what you gotta do for you...and Lucius too, I guess," she winked.
"I need time to work on whatever this thing is between me and Lucius before I can work on anything else. I think once we strengthen whatever it is that's between us then I'll be in a better place to deal with your annoying scoobies."
Buffy chuckled while nodding, "Well, that works for me, you take care of you first. Don't even worry about being a Slayer; well except for the times you can't avoid it. The demon community still only really recognizes that there are two and that's me and Faith so you're pretty much safe and sound from any future Slayerfests or any of that crap..."
"I'll do my best," Ginny said.
"Well, that's all any of us can do huh?" she shrugged, "So, eat now?"
"What did you bring me?"
"What do I always bring you?" she countered with a smile before heading towards the table with the tray. "Dawn pitched in, it's Mickey Mouse emblem shaped French toast...she had fun..." she shrugged as much as she could as she carried the tray over.
"If you and Dawn made it then I'm sure it's as fabulous as ever," Ginny said managing to get herself up into a seated position.
"Exactly, though honestly her cooking abilities are on a par with mine before the Powers granted cooking knowledge...not pretty let me tell you. She cut, I mixed and cooked and she did the flower."
"Hey, it's still better than me. There was no way my mother was going to let a mistake like me anywhere near her kitchen," Ginny sighed.
"Aren't we supposed to avoid thoughts of your psycho idiotic mother?" Buffy raised an eyebrow, "Okay, happy thoughts Miss, what do you think, can we drag Lucius to Disneyland before you two head on out of dodge?"
"I don't know," Ginny said quietly with a shrug. "After what happened the last time we were all in a Disney park…"
"True," Buffy nodded, "We can go to San Diego and hit Sea World if you guys want...Or we can pack up stuff and you can get out of town as soon as possible."
"As much as the thought terrifies me, I think getting out of Sunnydale as quickly as possible might be the best solution for everyone involved since I know a certain wizard that is itching to get his hands on a few scoobies after he learned how they treated me when we first showed up in Sunnydale and you and I both know, his threats and what he can actually do to them is ten times worse than Blaise."
"Good point," Buffy nodded, "So, I'll get Dawn, we'll help pack and you and Luc can figure out where you're gonna go or just hey go start traveling the world, that would be fun, I demand post cards from all the exotic places you visit, I'll buy this hecka big map of the world and put postcards by their location on the map and trace your trip and point it out to anyone who comes over...I'll be the crazy lady with the map instead of the crazy lady with the stake," she nodded seriously.
"You'll always be the crazy lady with the stake," laughed Ginny.
"Thanks," Buffy drawled while rolling her eyes, "Though I guess it fits since my boyfriend is a craddle-robbing creature of the night,"she giggled.
"And mine's a cradle-robbing dark wizard, who was the right hand to the most feared dark wizard of our time," countered Ginny.
"True, but at least yours isn't a living freezer. I swear I'm so getting a heating pad for under the bed, even in the dead of summer he'd balance it out, I swear. I'm insane, aren't I?" she asked suddenly. "Though sane is highly overrated I've discovered over the years..."
"If you're insane, what does that make me?"
"One of the peas in my pod?"
"More than likely," Ginny smiled.
"There you go, like I said sane is overrated, let's enjoy insanity, it's more fun."
"I'd have to be insane to go off the Gods only know where with Lucius Malfoy of all people."
"No, you love him," Buffy countered, "I would have followed Angel to hell if it meant I could have saved him back then...we do crazy things when we're in love."
"We should probably get Dawn," Ginny said changing the subject. "I want to slip out of Sunnydale as quietly as possible.
"Got it, and there's a certain man we've been talking about waiting to see you when you're ready for visitors...though I suspect he won't wait forever. I got Angel distracting him right now..."
"Well, let's get everything packed first that way Lucius and I can leave and he won't have to worry about anything," Ginny said getting out of bed.
"Kay, let me go grab Dawnie," Buffy smiled before disappearing from the room only to return with her sister in tow a few minutes later, "So, packing we go..."
"Hope you got nothing breakable, she's dangerous," Dawn smiled.
"Bite me," Buffy shot back, tongue out.
"Oh that's mature," Dawn stuck her's out.
"Look who's talking."
"Hey I'm the teenager it's allowed, what's your excuse."
"I live with you," Buffy shot back before turning to Ginny, "Assign us jobs before we get going anymore."
"Spoilsport."
"Okay, change of plan," Ginny laughed. "Buffy you go find Lucius and tell him I'll be ready to go in fifteen minutes and Dawn, you go get Blaise and tell him I need his magical help in packing."
"Okay," Dawn nodded before skipping out.
"Can't handle us this morning huh?" Buffy smiled.
"Nope, and to be honest, I just want out of here before the scoobies show up," Ginny admitted.
"Relax, they're not showing up this morning," Buffy smiled, "But I'll go get your signif other," she turned and made her way out in search of the blonde.
Fifteen minutes later Blaise had helped Ginny pack, and everyone, the two wizards and slayers, Dawn, and those from LA were gathered down in the main room. Goodbyes were said, Buffy holding Ginny for a good number of minutes, whispering in her ear everything under the sun that she thought she should tell her before Ginny had laughed lightly, shaken her head and said she'd be fine when it came to fighting demons. Buffy had smiled and shrugged 'true, she'd taught her everything she knew'. Eventually it seemed, the two disappeared from the mansion thanks to the portkey, back to England, leaving them standing there a moment before Buffy sighed and started for her room, the others breaking up to do something while Angel followed after her to make sure she was okay.
Over in England, Lucius told Ginny simply to pick a place, with a shrug she had closed her eyes, spun the globe in the library and stopped it with her finger, landing on Madrid.
To Be Continued…
