PART IX - "Brooding is so NOT attractive!"
Just a little over an hour ago, one of the Giles' informed Angel of the ultimate fate of Xander. I'm still at a loss on how to deal with having two of Giles around. Giles was barely able to get the words out of his mouth, before Angel bolted out of the library. After wasting forty-five minutes in a fruitless search of all of Buffy's usual slaying spots, Angel's worry grew into a fever pitch. Where can she be? With Buffy's temper, I half expected her to be killing demons left and right. But, she's absolutely NOWHERE to be found! Maybe it's time to go rough up Willy the snitch, maybe he'll have some clue as to where the Slayer is. Of course, he won't give up the information willingly... so the better. Angel stalked with superhuman speed toward the bar of Willy the snitch, that is until he heard the squeak of metal. Hoping that he'd find the woman he loved at the source, he ran toward the sound. His dead heart soared as he saw the familiar blonde petite from of his beloved slayer. Well, she's not exactly mine, but maybe now things will change. Angel smirked, his lips turning into a cocky smile.
Angel was about to walk up to Buffy and offer his condolences and a shoulder to cry on, when he received one of the greatest shocks of his life. She ALREADY had a shoulder to cry on! And from the looks of things, the two were pretty cozy. They were even playing footsie! Well it's time for Little Miss Slayer to move onto the big leagues. But, yet again, Angel's play on Buffy's affections was blocked by action from the couple in the swings. Their heads moved slowly together, merely a wisp of air separated their lips from joining in a passionate kiss. Suddenly, before the fireworks could begin, Buffy pulled away from her would-be suitor and addressed him. "What do you want Angel?"
Angel stared at Buffy in stunned silence, his mouth opening and closing slowly, his lips trying to form words, but no sound came out. What do I want? She has the nerve to ask that! Especially after she was about to make time with a new guy, and Xander's body wasn't even in the ground! Finally, after his initial shock of seeing Buffy about to kiss another man subsided, Angel spoke. "What am I doing here? You have the gall to ask me that? Giles just told me about Xander, and I've been hunting all over to see how you were holding up. I expected to see anything ranging from anger to despair, but what I DIDN'T expect, was to find you here in the arms of another man!" Angel looked at Buffy with a lopsided grin, that out of the corner of Xander's eye reminded him with a shudder of Angelus. "So I guess Xander really didn't mean so much to you at all, I mean it only took you..." Angel looked up at the moon and them back at Buffy. "ALMOST two hours to find yourself a new man. Poor, poor Xander... he probably died thinking he was the only one for you. How pathetic."
Before Angel could say another word or even react, Buffy slammed him against a nearby tree, her hand wrapped around his throat and a stake pointed at his heart. "It's been a real slow night for vampire slaying Angel, so I'm begging you... please... PLEASE say another word about my Xander! Give me just the littlest excuse to do my job!" Buffy poked Angel in the chest, not so gently, with the stake to prove her point. "I figure, since I can't dust the creature who killed my honey right now, I can at the least dust the one who made him!"
Angel felt fear as he looked into the rage and hatred expressed in Buffy's eyes her lips pressed tightly together in a menacing frown. But, the thing that scared Angel more than what he saw in Buffy's eyes, was the face of the man she was about to kiss only moments before... Xander. "What? Xander is that really you? How in the hell is that possible?"
Buffy smirked at Angel's discomfort as Xander walked forward and stood beside him. "Well, how about I take a stab at answering your totally articulate questions. Yes, Dead-Boy it's me in the flesh, the living flesh that is." Buffy flashed a sweet and impish smile at Xander as he continued. "Well, as for how it's possible... you'll just have to go back to the library and find out for yourself. It's just a not to be missed lecture." Buffy's eyes twinkled with mirth in Xander's direction. "I get the feeling that Quinn really gets a happy out of explaining all that long-winded science stuff." Xander proffered his arm to Buffy and smiled sweetly. "I'm new in town, and it's not safe for a guy like me... think you could walk me home?" Buffy slowly pulled the stake away from Angel's chest. After a moment's recollection, Xander looked at Buffy with questioning eyes. "Where exactly IS home for the next eleven days?"
The way Angel's mouth quirked in obvious relief after Buffy removed the stake, was quickly replaced by a grimace with Xander's innocent question. Buffy flashed a winning grin at Xander. "The same place it's been for the last six months... my house."
Just a little over an hour ago, one of the Giles' informed Angel of the ultimate fate of Xander. I'm still at a loss on how to deal with having two of Giles around. Giles was barely able to get the words out of his mouth, before Angel bolted out of the library. After wasting forty-five minutes in a fruitless search of all of Buffy's usual slaying spots, Angel's worry grew into a fever pitch. Where can she be? With Buffy's temper, I half expected her to be killing demons left and right. But, she's absolutely NOWHERE to be found! Maybe it's time to go rough up Willy the snitch, maybe he'll have some clue as to where the Slayer is. Of course, he won't give up the information willingly... so the better. Angel stalked with superhuman speed toward the bar of Willy the snitch, that is until he heard the squeak of metal. Hoping that he'd find the woman he loved at the source, he ran toward the sound. His dead heart soared as he saw the familiar blonde petite from of his beloved slayer. Well, she's not exactly mine, but maybe now things will change. Angel smirked, his lips turning into a cocky smile.
Angel was about to walk up to Buffy and offer his condolences and a shoulder to cry on, when he received one of the greatest shocks of his life. She ALREADY had a shoulder to cry on! And from the looks of things, the two were pretty cozy. They were even playing footsie! Well it's time for Little Miss Slayer to move onto the big leagues. But, yet again, Angel's play on Buffy's affections was blocked by action from the couple in the swings. Their heads moved slowly together, merely a wisp of air separated their lips from joining in a passionate kiss. Suddenly, before the fireworks could begin, Buffy pulled away from her would-be suitor and addressed him. "What do you want Angel?"
Angel stared at Buffy in stunned silence, his mouth opening and closing slowly, his lips trying to form words, but no sound came out. What do I want? She has the nerve to ask that! Especially after she was about to make time with a new guy, and Xander's body wasn't even in the ground! Finally, after his initial shock of seeing Buffy about to kiss another man subsided, Angel spoke. "What am I doing here? You have the gall to ask me that? Giles just told me about Xander, and I've been hunting all over to see how you were holding up. I expected to see anything ranging from anger to despair, but what I DIDN'T expect, was to find you here in the arms of another man!" Angel looked at Buffy with a lopsided grin, that out of the corner of Xander's eye reminded him with a shudder of Angelus. "So I guess Xander really didn't mean so much to you at all, I mean it only took you..." Angel looked up at the moon and them back at Buffy. "ALMOST two hours to find yourself a new man. Poor, poor Xander... he probably died thinking he was the only one for you. How pathetic."
Before Angel could say another word or even react, Buffy slammed him against a nearby tree, her hand wrapped around his throat and a stake pointed at his heart. "It's been a real slow night for vampire slaying Angel, so I'm begging you... please... PLEASE say another word about my Xander! Give me just the littlest excuse to do my job!" Buffy poked Angel in the chest, not so gently, with the stake to prove her point. "I figure, since I can't dust the creature who killed my honey right now, I can at the least dust the one who made him!"
Angel felt fear as he looked into the rage and hatred expressed in Buffy's eyes her lips pressed tightly together in a menacing frown. But, the thing that scared Angel more than what he saw in Buffy's eyes, was the face of the man she was about to kiss only moments before... Xander. "What? Xander is that really you? How in the hell is that possible?"
Buffy smirked at Angel's discomfort as Xander walked forward and stood beside him. "Well, how about I take a stab at answering your totally articulate questions. Yes, Dead-Boy it's me in the flesh, the living flesh that is." Buffy flashed a sweet and impish smile at Xander as he continued. "Well, as for how it's possible... you'll just have to go back to the library and find out for yourself. It's just a not to be missed lecture." Buffy's eyes twinkled with mirth in Xander's direction. "I get the feeling that Quinn really gets a happy out of explaining all that long-winded science stuff." Xander proffered his arm to Buffy and smiled sweetly. "I'm new in town, and it's not safe for a guy like me... think you could walk me home?" Buffy slowly pulled the stake away from Angel's chest. After a moment's recollection, Xander looked at Buffy with questioning eyes. "Where exactly IS home for the next eleven days?"
The way Angel's mouth quirked in obvious relief after Buffy removed the stake, was quickly replaced by a grimace with Xander's innocent question. Buffy flashed a winning grin at Xander. "The same place it's been for the last six months... my house."