********
Part Five
Buffy and Angel were enjoying a romantic dinner at her apartment.
He'd put on some music, and they were dancing. He leaned down to
kiss her, and she felt like time stood still. Or at the very
least, it slowed down. When his lips were just about to touch
hers, there was a loud banging at the door. They sprang apart,
and Angel yelled, "In your room, now!"
"But--"
"Buffy, do it!" he pleaded with her. They both jumped, as the
door flew open, and Johnny Rivera and several of his men came
charging in. Johnny fired several shots and Angel fell dead.
"NO!"
Buffy sat up, and looked around her. She was still in bed. *Just
a dream* she tried to calm herself, but she kept looking around
expecting Johnny to jump out at her. "Buffy?" Angel entered her
room, a worried expression on his face. "You okay?" he asked,
moving to stand next to her bed.
"No," she shook her head, "I'm scared. He's gonna kill me, or
you, or both of us--"
"Hey," Angel sat next to her, and she fell into his arms. He
stroked her hair gently while his other arm encircled her waist.
"It's okay. You just had a nightmare. I'm not going to let
anything happen to you, Buffy."
"I don't want anything to happen to you, either," she whispered,
her face still buried in his shirt.
"Don't worry about me," Angel replied. "I'm not planning on going
anywhere. You don't think I've dealt with worse people than
Johnny Rivera???"
She raised up her head then, to look into his eyes. "I suppose
you have," she shrugged. "I just can't help worrying. I know what
he's capable of. No, actually I've probably only seen a little
bit of what he's capable of. But the little I've seen scares me
senseless. He's not just going to come after me for my helping to
try to put him in jail, Angel. He's going to come after me and
everyone I care about."
"Nothing is going to happen to anyone," Angel insisted. "Except
maybe Johnny if he keeps trying to scare you. Trust me?"
"I do," Buffy said. "I don't know why, but I do."
"You feeling any better?" he asked.
"Yeah," she nodded, and pulled away reluctantly. "Thanks, Angel.
I'm sorry I woke you."
"Don't worry about it, it's my..." Angel trailed off, not wanting
to finish the sentence, it had been an automatic reflex. *Damn.
Why'd I say that? Now she's going to think--*
"Job," Buffy finished for him. "I know. Well, I'll try to get
back to sleep I guess. What time is it, anyway?"
"Buffy, that's not...." Angel started to explain, but couldn't
continue. *That's not why I'm so willing to be woken up at 3 in
the morning. But how can I tell her that I already feel like I've
known her forever? She'd think I'm as psycho and obsessive as
Johnny. I don't want to scare her off.*
"Angel?" Buffy returned him from his thoughts. "What time?"
"Three," Angel replied. "You should try to sleep. I'll be just
outside the door."
"'Kay," Buffy nodded. "Thanks, Angel."
"Anytime. Holler if you need me." Angel walked back to the living
room, and sat on the couch, staring into the darkness. *I hope
she doesn't think I'm just here because Sonny ordered me to be
here.*
Buffy laid back down, and fell into a fitful sleep, in which
Johnny was just around the corner, waiting to kill her.
*********
10 am
Buffy wandered back out into the living room after showering,
wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She saw Ritchie on the couch, and
asked, "Where's Angel?"
"Had to talk to Sonny about something," Ritchie replied, looking
up from his newspaper. "He'll be back. He would've told you, but
he didn't want to wake you up, I hope that's okay."
"That's fine," Buffy smiled. "So can I get you a cup of coffee?"
she asked, walking toward the kitchen.
"That would be great," Ritchie called after her. "As long as it's
not too much trouble."
Buffy smiled to herself, shaking her head. *I don't get that.
Johnny and his guys were like that too. So polite, and
respectful. It makes it so much harder to believe what they're
capable of. All of them, including Angel.*
"Hey."
Buffy looked up into the eyes of Angel, standing in the doorway
watching her. *I hope I wasn't talking to myself* "Good morning,"
she smiled back, then returned to put the coffee grounds and
water in the coffee maker. "Coffee?"
"Thanks," Angel nodded. "So did you get back to sleep?"
"Kind of," she shrugged. "I've been thinking about something,
Angel. And I need to run it by you, since you have become my
designated shadow."
"What is it?" Angel asked.
"Well, Jake mentioned yesterday that she might be able to get me
a waitressing job at the diner. Of course I told her I'd have to
think about it. I know you and the others don't have an easy job
protecting me from Johnny, and if it would be too hard, I'll tell
Jake no."
"Do you really want this?" Angel asked.
"I do," Buffy nodded. "I haven't felt like I was able to take
care of myself financially for so long. It would mean a lot to
me."
"Then we'll work it out," Angel said. "If it will help you get
your life back, it's important."
"Thank you," she said gratefully. She turned back to the coffee
maker, and poured three cups. "Here," she walked over to him,
handing him two cups. She shivered involuntarily, again, as their
fingers touched. *Stop doing that!* "One's for Ritchie," she
explained.
Angel nodded, and returned to the living room. Buffy sighed, and
leaned up against the kitchen counter. *You've got to get a grip.
No matter what attraction you may have for him, you've got to be
careful. At least until you know a little more about him than he
works for Sonny. And has the most amazing eyes you've ever looked
into...Buffy!*
She pulled herself out of her thoughts, and returned to the
living room. "Buffy, Sonny asked me to dinner with him and Carly
tonight, and he wanted you to join us," Angel said. "What do you
say?"
"I say...is Sonny cooking?" Buffy replied with a grin. She'd
heard about Sonny's cooking skills, in fact they were as
legendary in Port Charles as his reputation as a mob boss.
"Of course," Angel said, smiling back. "Trust me, you wouldn't
want to eat Carly's cooking. I did once, and I am amazed I
survived. So, is that a yes?"
"Sure," Buffy replied. "I'd like to visit Jake this afternoon, if
that's okay?"
"I'm your shadow," Angel said with a smile. "You go, I follow.
You don't have to ask permission."
"Oh, yeah, I keep forgetting," she shrugged. "Okay, well, I'll
probably want to go over there for lunch, in a little while. In
the mean time, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can," Angel said, and nodded to the space on the
couch next to him. She moved to sit. "Ask away."
"Well, I was just wondering, I told you my long-story-short life
story, and I still don't know anything about you," Buffy said.
"So you want to know my long-story-short life story?" Angel
replied with a smile. "I think I can manage that."
Buffy pulled her legs up under herself, and turned to face him.
"Just whatever you feel comfortable telling me," she said.
"Well, I came to work for Sonny when I was sixteen," Angel said.
"Nine years ago, even though it seems like yesterday. I was
living on the streets, floating from one shelter to the next when
the weather was bad. My parents fought so much I felt like it
would be better on my own so I went.
One day I was walking down the sidewalk when I saw Sonny and some
of his men exiting the Port Charles Hotel. Well, I also saw a
sniper through an open window of a nearby building. I ran over to
Sonny and shoved him out of the way, the first bullet went by
just centimeters from my head. In the chaos and gunfire, Sonny
maneuvered me into the limo with him.
When we were safely out of danger, he asked me why I'd saved him.
Well, I told him that even though I was very aware of who he was,
nobody deserved to be shot dead on the sidewalk. He offered me a
hundred dollar bill as reward. As tempting as it was, I refused,
telling him I couldn't take money for doing the right thing. He
was impressed, and he asked me if I had a job. And I've been
working for him ever since."
"Do you talk to your parents?" Buffy asked.
"No," Angel replied. "They're safer without me in their lives. I
send them money occasionally, but that's about it."
"Any brothers or sisters?"
"No, just me," Angel replied.
"Well," Buffy looked at her clock. "Thanks for telling me," she
smiled at him. "And now I'm going to go make myself pretty before
we go out."
She got up to leave, and Angel wondered, "She thinks she has to
_make_ herself pretty?"
End Five
Part Five
Buffy and Angel were enjoying a romantic dinner at her apartment.
He'd put on some music, and they were dancing. He leaned down to
kiss her, and she felt like time stood still. Or at the very
least, it slowed down. When his lips were just about to touch
hers, there was a loud banging at the door. They sprang apart,
and Angel yelled, "In your room, now!"
"But--"
"Buffy, do it!" he pleaded with her. They both jumped, as the
door flew open, and Johnny Rivera and several of his men came
charging in. Johnny fired several shots and Angel fell dead.
"NO!"
Buffy sat up, and looked around her. She was still in bed. *Just
a dream* she tried to calm herself, but she kept looking around
expecting Johnny to jump out at her. "Buffy?" Angel entered her
room, a worried expression on his face. "You okay?" he asked,
moving to stand next to her bed.
"No," she shook her head, "I'm scared. He's gonna kill me, or
you, or both of us--"
"Hey," Angel sat next to her, and she fell into his arms. He
stroked her hair gently while his other arm encircled her waist.
"It's okay. You just had a nightmare. I'm not going to let
anything happen to you, Buffy."
"I don't want anything to happen to you, either," she whispered,
her face still buried in his shirt.
"Don't worry about me," Angel replied. "I'm not planning on going
anywhere. You don't think I've dealt with worse people than
Johnny Rivera???"
She raised up her head then, to look into his eyes. "I suppose
you have," she shrugged. "I just can't help worrying. I know what
he's capable of. No, actually I've probably only seen a little
bit of what he's capable of. But the little I've seen scares me
senseless. He's not just going to come after me for my helping to
try to put him in jail, Angel. He's going to come after me and
everyone I care about."
"Nothing is going to happen to anyone," Angel insisted. "Except
maybe Johnny if he keeps trying to scare you. Trust me?"
"I do," Buffy said. "I don't know why, but I do."
"You feeling any better?" he asked.
"Yeah," she nodded, and pulled away reluctantly. "Thanks, Angel.
I'm sorry I woke you."
"Don't worry about it, it's my..." Angel trailed off, not wanting
to finish the sentence, it had been an automatic reflex. *Damn.
Why'd I say that? Now she's going to think--*
"Job," Buffy finished for him. "I know. Well, I'll try to get
back to sleep I guess. What time is it, anyway?"
"Buffy, that's not...." Angel started to explain, but couldn't
continue. *That's not why I'm so willing to be woken up at 3 in
the morning. But how can I tell her that I already feel like I've
known her forever? She'd think I'm as psycho and obsessive as
Johnny. I don't want to scare her off.*
"Angel?" Buffy returned him from his thoughts. "What time?"
"Three," Angel replied. "You should try to sleep. I'll be just
outside the door."
"'Kay," Buffy nodded. "Thanks, Angel."
"Anytime. Holler if you need me." Angel walked back to the living
room, and sat on the couch, staring into the darkness. *I hope
she doesn't think I'm just here because Sonny ordered me to be
here.*
Buffy laid back down, and fell into a fitful sleep, in which
Johnny was just around the corner, waiting to kill her.
*********
10 am
Buffy wandered back out into the living room after showering,
wearing jeans and a t-shirt. She saw Ritchie on the couch, and
asked, "Where's Angel?"
"Had to talk to Sonny about something," Ritchie replied, looking
up from his newspaper. "He'll be back. He would've told you, but
he didn't want to wake you up, I hope that's okay."
"That's fine," Buffy smiled. "So can I get you a cup of coffee?"
she asked, walking toward the kitchen.
"That would be great," Ritchie called after her. "As long as it's
not too much trouble."
Buffy smiled to herself, shaking her head. *I don't get that.
Johnny and his guys were like that too. So polite, and
respectful. It makes it so much harder to believe what they're
capable of. All of them, including Angel.*
"Hey."
Buffy looked up into the eyes of Angel, standing in the doorway
watching her. *I hope I wasn't talking to myself* "Good morning,"
she smiled back, then returned to put the coffee grounds and
water in the coffee maker. "Coffee?"
"Thanks," Angel nodded. "So did you get back to sleep?"
"Kind of," she shrugged. "I've been thinking about something,
Angel. And I need to run it by you, since you have become my
designated shadow."
"What is it?" Angel asked.
"Well, Jake mentioned yesterday that she might be able to get me
a waitressing job at the diner. Of course I told her I'd have to
think about it. I know you and the others don't have an easy job
protecting me from Johnny, and if it would be too hard, I'll tell
Jake no."
"Do you really want this?" Angel asked.
"I do," Buffy nodded. "I haven't felt like I was able to take
care of myself financially for so long. It would mean a lot to
me."
"Then we'll work it out," Angel said. "If it will help you get
your life back, it's important."
"Thank you," she said gratefully. She turned back to the coffee
maker, and poured three cups. "Here," she walked over to him,
handing him two cups. She shivered involuntarily, again, as their
fingers touched. *Stop doing that!* "One's for Ritchie," she
explained.
Angel nodded, and returned to the living room. Buffy sighed, and
leaned up against the kitchen counter. *You've got to get a grip.
No matter what attraction you may have for him, you've got to be
careful. At least until you know a little more about him than he
works for Sonny. And has the most amazing eyes you've ever looked
into...Buffy!*
She pulled herself out of her thoughts, and returned to the
living room. "Buffy, Sonny asked me to dinner with him and Carly
tonight, and he wanted you to join us," Angel said. "What do you
say?"
"I say...is Sonny cooking?" Buffy replied with a grin. She'd
heard about Sonny's cooking skills, in fact they were as
legendary in Port Charles as his reputation as a mob boss.
"Of course," Angel said, smiling back. "Trust me, you wouldn't
want to eat Carly's cooking. I did once, and I am amazed I
survived. So, is that a yes?"
"Sure," Buffy replied. "I'd like to visit Jake this afternoon, if
that's okay?"
"I'm your shadow," Angel said with a smile. "You go, I follow.
You don't have to ask permission."
"Oh, yeah, I keep forgetting," she shrugged. "Okay, well, I'll
probably want to go over there for lunch, in a little while. In
the mean time, can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can," Angel said, and nodded to the space on the
couch next to him. She moved to sit. "Ask away."
"Well, I was just wondering, I told you my long-story-short life
story, and I still don't know anything about you," Buffy said.
"So you want to know my long-story-short life story?" Angel
replied with a smile. "I think I can manage that."
Buffy pulled her legs up under herself, and turned to face him.
"Just whatever you feel comfortable telling me," she said.
"Well, I came to work for Sonny when I was sixteen," Angel said.
"Nine years ago, even though it seems like yesterday. I was
living on the streets, floating from one shelter to the next when
the weather was bad. My parents fought so much I felt like it
would be better on my own so I went.
One day I was walking down the sidewalk when I saw Sonny and some
of his men exiting the Port Charles Hotel. Well, I also saw a
sniper through an open window of a nearby building. I ran over to
Sonny and shoved him out of the way, the first bullet went by
just centimeters from my head. In the chaos and gunfire, Sonny
maneuvered me into the limo with him.
When we were safely out of danger, he asked me why I'd saved him.
Well, I told him that even though I was very aware of who he was,
nobody deserved to be shot dead on the sidewalk. He offered me a
hundred dollar bill as reward. As tempting as it was, I refused,
telling him I couldn't take money for doing the right thing. He
was impressed, and he asked me if I had a job. And I've been
working for him ever since."
"Do you talk to your parents?" Buffy asked.
"No," Angel replied. "They're safer without me in their lives. I
send them money occasionally, but that's about it."
"Any brothers or sisters?"
"No, just me," Angel replied.
"Well," Buffy looked at her clock. "Thanks for telling me," she
smiled at him. "And now I'm going to go make myself pretty before
we go out."
She got up to leave, and Angel wondered, "She thinks she has to
_make_ herself pretty?"
End Five