Note from Rain: My cousin Sunny wrote this fanfic, I'm just posting it for her because she cannot.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.
CHAPTER TWO
Buffy stood nervously at the entrance to the church. Willow had just walked down the aisle and her mentor and Watcher was standing by her side waiting for the wedding march to begin. She looked down the aisle at Riley waiting for her. But something didn't feel right. Buffy frowned trying to figure out where the feeling was coming from.
"Buffy is something wrong?" Giles asked noticing the frown on her face.
"No. I…." Buffy trailed off. How could she explain this feeling to Giles when she couldn't even explain it to herself? She looked around the vestibule of the church as she added, "I just didn't sleep well last night." Which was true. In fact she was positive she had had a nightmare. I just wish I could remember what it was about. It seemed important. Willow had woken Buffy up telling her that she had been screaming in her sleep. She had been trying to remember her dream ever since.
"I guess that's our cue," Giles said placing Buffy's arm on his.
"What?" Buffy asked. She was still distracted by her certainty that something wasn't right. "Oh, right. Time to go." Buffy realized that they had started to play her song. She removed the frown from her face and plastered a smile on in its place. She didn't want to begin her marriage with a frown on her face. Giles and Buffy moved forward to the strains of the wedding march. Buffy looked at Riley and noted the stunned expression on his face. Her fake smile turned into a genuine one. She had been hoping for that reaction when she had bought the dress. She arrived at the altar and Giles transferred her hand into Riley's keeping. Buffy gave him a glowing smile before she turned her attention back to Riley and the minister.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the marriage of these two people," the minister began.
Suddenly the hairs on t
he back of her neck stood on end. Something was definitely not right. Buffy stiffened in response but kept the smile on her face for Riley's benefit. The minister continued his speech but Buffy had stopped listening. Her Slayer senses were on alert and she couldn't let the nasal tones of his voice distract her.
"If any man can show just cause why these two may not be joined in Holy Matrimony let them speak now or forever hold their peace," the minister said. The quiet almost, tomb-like silence of the church was broken by a man's voice saying, "I can."
At the sound of that familiar voice Buffy spun around dropping Riley's hand. She searched the shadows of the church until she saw Angel standing at the back near the doors. They locked eyes and Angel began to move towards her with a purposeful stride.
"Oh goody it's Dead Boy," Xander mumbled from his place beside Riley. Both Riley and Buffy had asked him to be a groomsman.
Willow caught Xander's eye from her side of the altar and glared at him. She didn't think his unusual brand of humor would be welcome just now. In fact she didn't think there was anything funny here at all. Poor Riley, she thought as she glanced at him noticing the stunned expression on his face.
Buffy didn't take her eyes off of Angel, not even to glare at her best friend for his rude comment. She hesitantly took a few steps towards her former lover as he continued his walk up the aisle. Her mind was too numb with shock at seeing him after five years to wonder why he was here. Buffy took a few more steps towards Angel and away from Riley finally stopping in a ray of sunlight that was streaming through the stained glass windows.
"Young man, who are you and what are you doing here?" the minister asked. No one had ever interrupted one of his weddings before. He was a little shocked.
"My name is Angel and this woman belongs to me," Angel said. His smile came out more like a grimace and his breaths were coming in shallow gasps. He hadn't laid eyes on Buffy for five years. She looks more beautiful than I remember, he thought with awe. He stopped about 12 inches from Buffy and just feasted on her face. He felt like he had been living in a desert and had finally come across on oasis.
"Or maybe it's 'Oh goody it's ex-Dead Boy'," Xander said commenting on the fact that Angel was standing in a direct shaft of sunlight and hadn't gone up like a torch yet.
Buffy noticed this at the same time and her eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She took two more steps in Angel's direction and stopped directly in front of him. Cautiously, she reached up a trembling hand and placed it on his slate blue silk clad chest. To her utter amazement she felt his heart pounding. His heart is beating! She looked up at him a question in her beautiful eyes and said, "Angel?"
At the same time another young woman was saying his name. Actually she was screaming it from the back of the church where she was overtaken by the beginnings of a very painful migraine headache vision thingy.
********
Cordelia's scream echoed throughout the church and caused most of the people present to turn and look towards the vestibule. Angel, Buffy and Riley however, were too intent on each other to notice anything else. Angel reached out to stroke Buffy's cheek. He could hardly believe she was standing right in front of him. He expected her to disappear when he tried to touch her. She didn't. Buffy tilted her head to rest her cheek in the palm of his hand and just smiled at him.
"Angel!" came another insistent voice from the back. This time it was Wesley. Cordelia had fallen to the ground and was writhing on the floor in pain.
This second shout penetrated Angel's haze, but he still struggled to turn himself away from Buffy. "Angel, its Cordelia," Wesley repeated. He was really scared for her. He had never seen her like this before. This seemed to snap the three out of their trance and Angel turned and began to walk towards the back of the church.
Buffy sensing that something important was going on started to follow him. Besides she didn't want to let Angel out of her sight. He might leave again. However, Riley, who had reached her side, put out a restraining hand and laid it on her arm. He couldn't let her follow HIM. She might never come back. Buffy turned, glared at her husband-to-be and shook off his hand. Then she followed Angel up the aisle. She wasn't about to let anything stand in the way of her Slayer duties, although, she felt a little guilty about leaving Riley at the altar. Riley, who wasn't going to be left out, followed her. Willow, Xander and Giles followed behind Riley because it seemed like the thing to do. Although, Xander was willing to admit that it was pure curiosity on his part.
Angel reached Cordelia and knelt on the ground beside her. He murmured words of comfort into her ear hoping to reach her, but she continued to writhe on the floor oblivious to the people around her.
Buffy was the next to reach the back with Riley hot on her heels. She was shocked at the sight that met her eyes. Briefly she glanced at Wesley then returned her gaze to Angel sitting with Cordy's head cradled in his lap. "What's wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice. Riley stood behind her and was quickly joined by the rest of the Scooby Gang.
"She's having a vision," Wesley explained. Angel was still intent on reaching
Cordelia and bringing her out of the vision. "It must be a bad one because I have never seen her like this."
"Is she going to be okay?" Xander asked. He hadn't set eyes on Cordelia in over 5 years, but suddenly it felt like she had never left. He was actually scared for her.
"I don't know," Wesley said.
Willow tactfully closed the doors leaving the group in private. She didn't think Cordelia would want the rest of the church to see her rolling around on the floor.
Suddenly Buffy raised her head from the sight of Cordelia's pain wracked body and glared at Angel. "Is this why you came?" she asked him. "Because of some vision." She had been hoping that he had really come to claim her. She should have known better, though. He was the best at coming to save her life, but the worst at staying around to be in it.
"What?" Angel asked looking up from Cordy's face in confusion. He hadn't been paying attention to the conversation that had been going on around him. He was really worried about Cordelia. There had been only one other time that the visions had affected her like this, and she had ended up in the psychiatric ward of the hospital tied to a bed. He was also worried that he would have to go back to LA to kill the demon Cordy was seeing in her vision. He didn't want to leave Buffy here with Riley. He had found her again and he was never going to let her go.
" If you came here to help me out because of some vision Cordelia had then you can give the information to Giles and go back to LA. I don't need your help," Buffy said. Her expression was rigid with anger and her eyes were colder than Angel had ever seen them, except when she had been looking at Angelus. They were Slayer eyes.
Cordelia's body went limp much to the relief of everyone present, but she still did not regain consciousness. Angel gently laid her head back onto the tile floor and stood taking Buffy a little away from the others. He ignored Riley's glare. "I won't lie to you, Buffy," Angel said. "I did come here because of a vision that Cordelia had."
Angel did not get a chance to finish the statement because Buffy turned away from him and went to rejoin others. Angel ran his hand through his hair in frustration and followed her.
"Giles, get the details about Cordy's vision from Angel and then fill me in," Buffy said pointedly ignoring all of Angel's attempts to speak with her again. She reached up and started taking out the pins that held her veil in place. "I am going home to change my clothes. We'll meet up at the magic shop in about an hour."
Before Buffy could reach the door to leave Riley grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. She was really getting tired of being grabbed. She shook him off and vowed that the next person to grab her was gong to end up in critical care. "What?" she ground out giving him the same Slayer stare that she had given Angel.
"What about our wedding," Riley wondered. He did not want to leave the church without being married to the love of his life. He was so scared that they would never make it back here.
"What about it?" Buffy asked. Cordelia's vision meant that something was going to be happening. She couldn't think about her personal life right now. From the look of her psychic friend she might be battling to save the world. Again.
"Well, all the guests are here, and the minister is waiting. Why don't we postpone the meeting for another hour and just get married like we planned," Riley replied. Six pairs of eyes turned and looked at him in shock.
"Riley, look at Cordelia. Do you think she would be laying on the floor with drool coming out of her mouth if this was just another run of the mill day in Sunnydale? We will just have to put the wedding off," Buffy said. She hoped he would understand. Her Slaying duties had to come first. It could mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people.
"Buffy, I don't want to put the wedding off. Too many times you run out on me to take care of the world. Please, just stay here and take care of us for a change," Riley replied. Sometimes he was jealous of her destiny. It left little room for him.
"I am the Slayer, Riley. You knew that when you asked me to marry you. And I don't have time for this discussion right now. You can meet us at the magic shop or not. I really don't care at the moment," Buffy said and ran out the door seemingly oblivious to Riley and Angel calling her name.
They both started to go after her, needing to explain and comfort at the same time. Willow placed a restraining hand on Riley and Wesley did the same for Angel. Cordelia was beginning to come around and he knew that Angel would want to hear the details of her vision.
"You probably shouldn't go after her right now," Willow told Riley. She was sympathetic to his feelings, but at the same time she was a little shocked by his attitude. Her friend had a difficult life and it couldn't have been easy to run out on her wedding to save the world from another disaster. When he looked like he was going to argue with her she added, "Unless of course you would like to end up in the hospital?"
Riley shook his head and turned to go back into the church. It seemed like some kind of announcement would have to be made. He only hoped he was correct when he told them that this was only a postponement.
"Maybe, you should go after her, Willow," Giles suggested. He didn't think his Slayer should be alone right now. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her so angry before. Willow nodded and turned to hurry after her friend. She was worried about her too.
"Willow," Angel began his voice stopping her exit from the church. "Please try and tell her that its not like she thinks. I didn't come here to battle evil demons. I just came to fight Riley. For her." Again Willow nodded and was successful in leaving the church.
******
Buffy blindly stumbled down the steps of the church. Angel is human, her brain shouted cutting through the silence in her mind. He's human and he's in Sunnydale.
"Yeah because of some vision Cordelia had," Buffy reminded herself. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She bypassed the white stretch limo waiting at the curb and started to walk home. She was angry and knew that the action of walking home was the only thing that would calm her down. Or maybe staking a vampire or two, she thought with a wry twist of her lips. Where were the vamps when you really needed them?
She half expected Angel or Riley to come racing after her, but she wasn't too worried about it. In her present mood they wouldn't be staying by her side for long. She couldn't believe Riley. He knew that her duties as the Slayer were more important than anything else in her life. He had been in her life long enough to know what the situation was like. She didn't always enjoy leaving his side to battle evil, but it had to be done and she was the someone who had to do it.
Buffy continued to stalk down the street towards her mother's house, where she had been living in the last few months before the wedding. She was halfway there when she realized she was still holding her wedding bouquet. With a snarl of disgust she chucked the bunch of blood red roses into the nearest bush and continued on her way.
Buffy was completely oblivious to the picture she made as stomped onward. She had left her veil back in the vestibule of the church, but nothing could disguise the fact that she was wearing a wedding dress. The long white train trailed in the dust after her, even snagging briefly on a few bushes and chain link fences. The sun beat down on her bare shoulders, but she didn't even notice. She should have been hot in the satin gown she had had created especially for her, but she was too angry to notice or to care. She was too busy calling Riley and Angel every name in the book.
Finally she reached the house and climbed the steps to the door. Suddenly, Buffy was very tired. She could barely lift her arm to open the door. What is wrong with me, she wondered with a frown? Buffy managed to open the door and kick it shut behind her trapping the train to her wedding dress in the door. Sighing, she gathered her strength once more and opened the door. She swept the train inside and closed the door again. Then she looked longingly at the stairs. She didn't know if she could make it. Buffy decided to sit on the stairs until she could regain some of her stamina. Maybe this has something to do with the lack of sleep I had last night, Buffy thought. It seemed like a sound explanation. She just hoped it was the correct one.
A knock on the door sounded and she heard a voice call out, "Buffy are you in there?"
Buffy recognizing Willow's voice answered, "Come in Will."
Willow opened the door and was surprised to see her friend sitting on the stairs still her in wedding dress. Buffy's face was pale and her eyes were drawn with fatigue. She knew that her friend had gotten little sleep the night before, what with the early morning patrol and nightmare, but she was still surprised by Buffy's appearance.
"I couldn't make it up the stairs," Buffy said. She had noted the surprised look on Willow's face and felt that she had to make some kind of explanation. "Could you help me. I want to get out of this stupid dress."
Silently, Willow helped her friend up the stairs and into her room. All that was left was the bare furniture and the bed made up with some extra sheets from Joyce Summers' linen closet. She turned Buffy around and started on the long row of buttons down the back. "What are you going to wear?" she asked as she helped Buffy step out of the gown.
"I have some clothes in that suitcase," Buffy replied pointing at an old red suitcase that stood by the door. "I am sure I have appropriate fighting clothes in it."
Willow went over to the luggage and hefted it onto the bed. She looked over at Buffy in concern and noticed that she was still out of it. Her eyes were glazed over and her face was wiped clean of any expression. She was really worried about Buffy. She had only seen her like this a few times. All of them had to do with Angel. Willow opened the suitcase and pulled out a black pair of pants and lightweight blue sweater. Black socks and boots followed. She helped Buffy get into the clothes and then pushed her back onto the bed.
"Get some sleep, Buffy," Willow said going over and closing the blinds.
This seemed to jerk Buffy out of her stupor. "But what about the meeting?" she asked, although, the thought of a quick nap held a lot of appeal. "I have things to kill."
"I'll call Giles and tell him to gather everyone over here. I know you hate bringing the Slayer business into your mother's house, but you really need the sleep. By the time everyone is here you should have some time to rest," Willow replied. She bustled over to the door and left the room closing the door behind her. She felt a little guilty about not delivering Angel's message but she didn't think Buffy was quite ready to hear it yet. Willow left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen Willow picked up the phone to call Giles. She called his apartment first, but when there was no answer she dialed the magic shop. Xander answered the phone on the third ring and she told him to get everyone over to Buffy's house.
"How is she?" Xander asked. He was worried about his friend too. He knew that Angel's appearance had shaken her up.
"She is sleeping right now," Willow said. "I think she is going to be okay, but it would be better if everyone came here right now. She really needs some rest before she goes out to deal with whatever Cordy saw. By the way how is Cordelia?"
"Awake and very scared. She's still talking with Wesley and Giles. Whatever she saw was not good." Xander promised to get everyone over to the house and then hung up. Willow looked down at her lavender gown and decided it was time that she changed her clothes as well. She didn't think anyone needed a reminder of the aborted wedding right now.
Upstairs in her room, Buffy lay on her bed completely awake. She had been so tired just minutes ago, but now there was no way she was going to be able to sleep. She lay staring at the windows in her room, and was flooded with more memories of Angel. It seemed like her whole life with Angel was tied to that window. Sighing she turned away from the reminder of everything she had shared with her former lover and tried to shut her eyes. She was just drifting off to sleep when she heard the quite whoosh of the sash being drawn up. Slowly she turned back over and was stunned to see a khaki encased leg cross over the sill. She jumped up from the bed ready to confront the intruder.
******
Angel's heart turned over as he watched Buffy sleep. In a fit of nostalgia he had climbed up on the roof and was sitting outside Buffy's window. Willow had closed most of the blinds but had left this one partially open. He could just make out her form as she slumbered on her bed. His mind drifted back five years and he remembered other times he had sat outside this window and watched her sleep. He loved watching her sleep, even when the demon had been in charge. She had looked so peaceful, so like the normal girl she wanted to be. He could watch her for hours as she slept, watching over her, protecting her as best he could. He always hated to wake her. But now he had to.
As soon as Cordelia had regained consciousness he had grilled her about this latest vision. He hadn't liked what she had to say. Not at all. Of course, it had been about Buffy. Some thing had come to Sunnydale to kill her. Not really unusual when you considered the fact that she was the Slayer. That didn't mean that he had to like it. Riley hadn't liked it either. He had liked it even less when Angel had announced that he was going to talk to Buffy, alone. They fought and Angel finally had to knock Riley out to keep him from coming with him. Angel felt that he had to be the one to tell Buffy about the danger she was in. He knew that she was angry with both of them, but he also knew he could put his personal agenda aside while Buffy was in danger. As he had looked at Riley, he knew that the ex-soldier would not be able to keep a professional distance. Riley didn't quite get the whole Slayer thing. To him it was just a job that he thought Buffy should be able to leave behind at the office. Angel knew it was more than a job it was a way of life.
So here he was sitting outside her window watching her sleep. Now, if he could only screw up his courage he would go and wake her, and tell her that her life was in danger. Again. With a deep sigh, he pulled on the bottom sash of the window and quietly eased it open. He bent and put one leg in through the opening, placing it on the carpet. Ducking his head he pulled the rest of his body in after the leg. When he had straightened he found Buffy standing in front of him wearing her Slayer expression to go along with her fighting togs.
"I thought I told you to go back to LA," she stated going on the offensive.
"We have some business to finish first," Angel stated. Then he stood silently and just stared at her. She had been beautiful in her wedding gown, a beautiful, graceful woman. Something that was a little unfamiliar to him. Now she looked like a warrior. Still womanly but infinitely more familiar and more attractive. He loved the combination. She was all female and all business.
"No we don't," Buffy returned a little breathlessly. Angel was staring at her like she was a big tub of chicken and he was a man who hadn't had anything to eat in years. She liked that she still had that effect on him. She felt powerful.
Angel couldn't help himself. She was too much of a temptation. He shot out his hands grabbing her by the arms and hauled her to him. Before she could protest he bent his head and took her lips in a soul-searing kiss. He put all of his pent up passion into the kiss crushing her body to his. His hands roamed over her slim body that was pressed against his. He loved the way she fit against him, like she belonged there. He also loved the taste of her. It was something he had never forgotten. It was like a drug to him. The feel of her after five lonely years was nearly his undoing, but suddenly he remembered why he was here. He remembered that this was not about his personal needs but about saving her life. Ruthlessly he pulled her slender form away from him and stepped back to put some distance between them. Now they were both breathless.
"I am sorry," he said balling his hands into fists to keep himself from doing it again. She had tasted so good, and she was wearing a dreamy expression that he knew he had put there. He realized that this was the first time he had felt truly human in the six months since his change.
Buffy's eyes snapped open and she lost the dreamy expression. It was replaced by one of sadness. "Then why did you do it?"
"Someday I will tell you," Angel replied. After you are out of danger. "But right now we have other things to talk about."
"Things like why you are suddenly in Sunnydale?"
"No, that's part of the other discussion we are going to have. Right now we are going to talk about the vision that Cordelia just had. Then once Giles and the others get here we will begin making a plan to save your life."
Her mouth opened in shock. Did his reason for kissing her really have something to do about his appearance in Sunnydale? She certainly hoped so. Then the importance of Cordelia's vision suddenly hit her. Her life was in danger. Again.
********
The rest of the gang was already gathered in the Summers' living room when Buffy and Angel descended the stairs. Wesley and Giles were studying some books that they had brought, but Willow, Xander and Cordelia were sitting on the couch catching up.
"Yeah, I've actually been on Dawson's Creek twice," Cordelia was saying.
"Wow," Willow said trying to be impressed. Her life left little room for things like television. She was too busy studying. Giles had introduced her to some people in the Watcher's Council. After her time on the Hellmouth she knew that she wanted to help in the fight against the evil things that went bump in the night.
"So what is that Dawson kid like?" Xander wondered. "Cause I heard he could be a real prima donna. Oh wait, you two must have been best pals then." Xander felt elated. He had missed sparing with Cordy. It was what had put the fire in their relationship.
Cordelia rolled her eyes at Xander and then asked, "So what have you two been up to?"
"I am studying to be a Watcher," Willow said. Cordelia just nodded. It seemed like something the nerdy Willow would be interested in.
"And I just started my own construction company," Xander told her his chest swelling with pride. He had actually found something he was good at. He had been gathering knowledge from his employers for the last 4 years and was now ready to strike out on his own. He had even managed to get a loan from the bank.
Buffy suddenly cleared her throat. She hated to interrupt the reunion, but it was her life that was in danger. "So Cordelia, Angel tells me that you have been seeing monsters in your sleep," she said into the stillness. She was unprepared for the pained expression that flitted across Cordelia's smooth features.
Cordelia nodded her head in confirmation. "And they were really ugly, too."
Wesley looked up at this and pulled out a sheet of paper that had been tucked in between the pages of one of the books. "They looked something like this," he said to Buffy as he handed over the drawing Angel had made based on Cordelia's description.
Buffy gasped and her gaze flew to Giles. "What is it?" he asked noting the expression on her face.
"Giles, this looks like the things I fought last night." Suddenly she looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Riley?" she asked. It was the one question Angel had been hoping she wouldn't ask. He didn't want to have admit that he had knocked out her fiancée.
"Um, Riley said he would meet us here a little later. He had something he had to do first," Xander replied shifting his gaze away from Buffy's.
Fortunately for Angel, Buffy accepted this and turned back to Giles, all business. "So do we know what they are yet?" She had complete confidence in her Watcher and ex-Watcher. Misplaced confidence as it turned out.
Giles looked a little uncomfortable and glanced briefly towards Wesley before he answered her question. "Unfortunately not, although we have only been able to look at the few books we brought. We really should head back to the magic shop. We may need more books."
"Willow, do you have your laptop here?" Cordelia suddenly asked. "I know of some demon websites. Maybe we could find them that way."
Willow jumped up from the couch and returned shortly with her laptop. "If that doesn't work, I have this friend who is very interested in demonology. Maybe I could call him. I know he would help us."
"It figures," Cordelia muttered as she entered the address for the demon site she had used in the past. "Okay here we go. I just need to enter a description of the demon and usually this thing spits out the name. So, skin color pale. Eyes: blue with a milky film over it. Yuck! Teeth: none."
"What?" Buffy asked in surprise. She had noticed that the things she had fought last night didn't have fangs, but she hadn't noticed that they didn't have teeth at all. Maybe they weren't vampires after all. "No, teeth? Maybe they weren't vampires after all."
"Yeah, but they had the undead tan working for them," Xander pointed out. "How many other demons do you know that have Dead Boy's complexion?" He pointed at Angel and then cringed when he saw the expression on his face.
"Xander, I thought we had a little discussion about that nickname?" Angel said through clenched teeth. Sometimes he really couldn't stand that kid. The only reason he hadn't beaten him up yet was because he was Buffy's friend.
"Right its ex-Dead Boy now," Xander said. Cautiously he gave the former vampire a silly grin and waited for the explosion. It didn't come, but Angel didn't smile either. In fact neither did Buffy. He was going to have watch those Dead Boy comments if he wanted to stay out of the hospital.
"Anyway," Cordelia said shaking her head at Xander. He sure hadn't changed much, which was a comfort on some level. "Hopefully, this site will begin spitting out all kinds of info on our creepy friends." Cordelia had finished entering the description of the demons and was now staring at the screen. There was a red floating demon head that flitted around the screen, which meant the program was still working. She frowned at the screen and moved the mouse around. "Spit something out, you stupid thing," she said in frustration. It had never taken this long before.
Suddenly the floating head stopped and an eerie voice issued forth from the mouth. "This demon does not exist in our files," it said. "Please re-enter the description and hit enter."
Cordelia let out a frustrated moan. This particular site had never let her down before. "I don't understand," she said gaping at the demon head, which was repeating its instructions. "Usually this site has everything."
"Well, I can't say that I am really surprised," Giles said. This seemed to confirm every instinct he had ever had about computers. Give him musty old books over the new fangled Internet any day. They were much more reliable. "We should get back to the magic shop and continue the research there."
"And if I am going to patrol tonight, I think I should stock up on weapons," Buffy said heading towards the door. "I have a feeling I will need more than just Mr. Pointy."
"I can call my friend from the shop," Willow said to the group as she too headed for the door. "He's really good at finding out about the obscure demons. If we can't find out who these guys are than maybe he can."
"Demon guy, Demon guy he's our man. If he can't do it no one can," Xander chanted in his best cheerleader voice. "I think the G-man can handle this on his own."
"Yes, well, any help would be greatly appreciated," Giles said trying to smooth things over. Sometimes he just wished Xander would keep his mouth shut.
Wesley, Cordelia and Angel just looked at each other and followed the others out of the house. Out of the three, only Cordelia found herself refreshed by Xander's wit. She hadn't realized how much she had missed his often-inappropriate humor.
As the group trooped down the steps they were stopped by a late arrival. Riley stood in the middle of the sidewalk sporting a black eye and a fat lip. Buffy took one look at him and knew what or who had caused his late arrival. She glared at Angel, promising retribution, or at least a strong talking to, with her eyes, and moved to Riley's side.
"I am glad you are here," Buffy said taking Riley's hand. "We were just headed for the magic shop. Its time to go into full research mode." Keeping her hand in his she led the way to Giles' shop. She felt a little guilty about leaving him at the church and about the beating he had received. She wanted to make it up to him some how, so she stayed by his side on the walk. She smiled up at him and even managed to kiss his cheek all the while ignoring Angel.
Angel, walking towards the back of the group, ground his teeth in frustration. He knew she was mad at him, but she didn't need to flirt with the guy. Angel took several deep breaths hoping to calm himself. Feeling homicidal towards the guy was not going to win him any points with Buffy, and he knew he needed to be calm when she took him aside to deliver her scold. Actually, he was looking forward to it. Even in anger there were sparks that flew between them. He had missed those sparks. He also missed walking with her and holding her hand, but those things would have to wait until she was safe. Then, once the demons were dusted he was going to make his move. He smiled in anticipation. Suddenly seeing Buffy with her Rambo didn't bother him any more. Sooner or later she was going to be his, because she promised him that she would always be his girl and now he was going to make her stick to that promise. Angel's steps lightened as he followed the Scooby Gang to the their club house. Things were going to work out. He was going to have Buffy.
*********
They had been at it for hours, but they still didn't have a clue about the new threat to Buffy's life. They were all frustrated and tired. Eyestrain had set in quite a while ago, but nobody was willing to stop.
Finally, Buffy noticed that it was getting dark. "Looks like its show time," she said pointing to a window. Giles had closed the magic shop for her wedding so they had been able to do their research in private. Everyone was sitting in the rear of the shop where Giles kept his books and Buffy had her training room.
Giles looked up from the book he was studying and frowned at her. "What are you planning?' he asked.
"Giles, I can't stand being cooped up here any longer. I have to get out there. I have to patrol," Buffy replied. She shut the book she was looking at and stood to go over to the weapons cabinet.
"But Buffy, those things, whatever they are, could be out there waiting for you," Willow pointed out. "You know, to kill you."
"I know Will, believe me I know. But there could be other things out there too. Other vamps, waiting to feed on the really stupid people of this town." Sometimes she got tired of protecting the innocents of this small town. She wished that they would get a clue and stay in at night.
"Well then lets saddle up," Xander said standing up from the table. He wasn't about to let his best friend go out there alone.
"No Xander, you have to stay here. Help with the research. I can handle this alone."
"Wait just a minute," Riley said also looking up from the really boring book he had been reading. When he had been in the Initiative they hadn't had to do any of this research. There had been other people to do that. "You are not going out there alone."
"Actually, yes I am," Buffy answered. She had opened the weapons closet and was pulling out her trusty crossbow.
"That wasn't a question, Buffy, it was a statement. As in you are not going out there alone," Riley replied. He joined her at the closet and pulled out a long, very nasty looking sword. He hated the research part, but the weapons were definitely cool.
"Would you like another black eye?" Buffy asked. She couldn't let these people who were so important to her go out there and get hurt. "I can handle this."
"But Buffy, bad guys," Willow said once more. She didn't exactly want to go out and run into these guys either, but she wasn't about to let her best friend face these things alone.
"I want all of you to promise me that you will stay here," Buffy said looking around the room at all of her friends and would-be protectors, all of her human friends. She just couldn't risk their lives and she didn't need the added worry of having to look out for them. And there was the added bonus of having to worry about Angel now too.
"Well, you don't have to worry about me," Cordelia promised. "One sighting was quite enough thank you."
"Giles, Wesley you will be in full research mode, right?" Buffy asked. She was relieved when they both nodded. "We still need to know what these things are. Xander, please stay here. I know you can handle yourself, for the most part, but I don't want to have to worry about you." Xander looked offended at this but then shrugged his shoulders and agreed to stay with the research team. After all, he knew she was probably right. He had backed her up quite often, but knew that he could also get seriously hurt. He had many times in the past.
"Willow, Wesley and Giles will need help. Besides, we still haven't heard back from that friend of yours. You should be here in case he calls," Buffy said next. Willow didn't argue. She was much better at the research thing anyway.
Then she turned to Riley. He was glaring at her with his arms crossed over his chest. She walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek. "I will hit you if I have to," she said. "I can't have the distraction of worrying about you. That more than anything else could get me killed." She looked straight into his eyes and let him see the determination in hers. She let him see that she really would knock him senseless if that was the only way she could keep him from going with her.
Defeated, Riley turned away from her and said, "I will stay here, but I will come looking for you if you're not back here in two hours." He had clocked her once and knew that a normal patrol took about an hour. He was giving her some leeway in case she ran into some trouble.
Buffy agreed and turned to look at Angel. She knew he would be the hardest to convince, and if he hadn't been human she might have asked him to come along. The truth was, she was a little scared of the beings that had come to Sunnydale to kill her. But he was human and she just couldn't risk his safety. He was looking at her with dark, unreadable eyes and a frown on his face. Her heart sank. I might really have to knock him out, she thought.
Angel had been watching her order people around with amazement. The last time he had seen her she had seemed older, more in control of who she was, but now, now she was in complete control and everyone seemed to obey her. Well, he wasn't going to just let her order him around. He may have come to Sunnydale for a completely different reason, but he was still her guardian angel and she wasn't going anywhere without him.
"I can handle this alone," Buffy repeated coming over to stand in front of him. She was hoping that her closeness would convince him.
"I am sure you can," Angel told her. He even believed that. She seemed so much stronger to him, and he didn't mean just physically.
"Then you aren't going to insist on coming with me?" Buffy asked hopefully. She really didn't want to have to fight him on this. She wanted to save her strength for the demons that were trying to kill her.
"No I am not going to insist on coming with you," Angel replied carefully. But I am going to follow you, he added silently.
Buffy gave him a blinding smile and said, "Good. I didn't really want to have to hit you." Then her smile turned into a frown. "Which reminds me. Don't hit Riley again. I can't deal with the two of you fighting right now. I have more important things to deal with. Promise me that you won't fight," Buffy said looking at both Riley and Angel. They both gave their promises, although they glared at each other. Buffy sighed knowing that that would have to do.
After she loaded her crossbow with bolts and shoved a few stakes into her waistband Buffy headed for the door. She stopped when Angel said her name.
"Buffy, please be careful," Angel said in a soft voice. It was almost a caress.
Buffy briefly closed her eyes, before giving him another smile. Her eyes held unshed tears and her smile wobbled a little. She had thought that she would never hear him say those words to her again. Translated from cryptic guy speech, she knew that those words where his way of telling her that he loved her. "I will," she answered and then left the shop.
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon is the god of the Buffiverse. I just borrowed his children for some fun. All the characters in this story belong to him, except the evil ones who belong to Rain. Thanks Rain for letting me play with them.
CHAPTER TWO
Buffy stood nervously at the entrance to the church. Willow had just walked down the aisle and her mentor and Watcher was standing by her side waiting for the wedding march to begin. She looked down the aisle at Riley waiting for her. But something didn't feel right. Buffy frowned trying to figure out where the feeling was coming from.
"Buffy is something wrong?" Giles asked noticing the frown on her face.
"No. I…." Buffy trailed off. How could she explain this feeling to Giles when she couldn't even explain it to herself? She looked around the vestibule of the church as she added, "I just didn't sleep well last night." Which was true. In fact she was positive she had had a nightmare. I just wish I could remember what it was about. It seemed important. Willow had woken Buffy up telling her that she had been screaming in her sleep. She had been trying to remember her dream ever since.
"I guess that's our cue," Giles said placing Buffy's arm on his.
"What?" Buffy asked. She was still distracted by her certainty that something wasn't right. "Oh, right. Time to go." Buffy realized that they had started to play her song. She removed the frown from her face and plastered a smile on in its place. She didn't want to begin her marriage with a frown on her face. Giles and Buffy moved forward to the strains of the wedding march. Buffy looked at Riley and noted the stunned expression on his face. Her fake smile turned into a genuine one. She had been hoping for that reaction when she had bought the dress. She arrived at the altar and Giles transferred her hand into Riley's keeping. Buffy gave him a glowing smile before she turned her attention back to Riley and the minister.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to witness the marriage of these two people," the minister began.
Suddenly the hairs on t
he back of her neck stood on end. Something was definitely not right. Buffy stiffened in response but kept the smile on her face for Riley's benefit. The minister continued his speech but Buffy had stopped listening. Her Slayer senses were on alert and she couldn't let the nasal tones of his voice distract her.
"If any man can show just cause why these two may not be joined in Holy Matrimony let them speak now or forever hold their peace," the minister said. The quiet almost, tomb-like silence of the church was broken by a man's voice saying, "I can."
At the sound of that familiar voice Buffy spun around dropping Riley's hand. She searched the shadows of the church until she saw Angel standing at the back near the doors. They locked eyes and Angel began to move towards her with a purposeful stride.
"Oh goody it's Dead Boy," Xander mumbled from his place beside Riley. Both Riley and Buffy had asked him to be a groomsman.
Willow caught Xander's eye from her side of the altar and glared at him. She didn't think his unusual brand of humor would be welcome just now. In fact she didn't think there was anything funny here at all. Poor Riley, she thought as she glanced at him noticing the stunned expression on his face.
Buffy didn't take her eyes off of Angel, not even to glare at her best friend for his rude comment. She hesitantly took a few steps towards her former lover as he continued his walk up the aisle. Her mind was too numb with shock at seeing him after five years to wonder why he was here. Buffy took a few more steps towards Angel and away from Riley finally stopping in a ray of sunlight that was streaming through the stained glass windows.
"Young man, who are you and what are you doing here?" the minister asked. No one had ever interrupted one of his weddings before. He was a little shocked.
"My name is Angel and this woman belongs to me," Angel said. His smile came out more like a grimace and his breaths were coming in shallow gasps. He hadn't laid eyes on Buffy for five years. She looks more beautiful than I remember, he thought with awe. He stopped about 12 inches from Buffy and just feasted on her face. He felt like he had been living in a desert and had finally come across on oasis.
"Or maybe it's 'Oh goody it's ex-Dead Boy'," Xander said commenting on the fact that Angel was standing in a direct shaft of sunlight and hadn't gone up like a torch yet.
Buffy noticed this at the same time and her eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She took two more steps in Angel's direction and stopped directly in front of him. Cautiously, she reached up a trembling hand and placed it on his slate blue silk clad chest. To her utter amazement she felt his heart pounding. His heart is beating! She looked up at him a question in her beautiful eyes and said, "Angel?"
At the same time another young woman was saying his name. Actually she was screaming it from the back of the church where she was overtaken by the beginnings of a very painful migraine headache vision thingy.
********
Cordelia's scream echoed throughout the church and caused most of the people present to turn and look towards the vestibule. Angel, Buffy and Riley however, were too intent on each other to notice anything else. Angel reached out to stroke Buffy's cheek. He could hardly believe she was standing right in front of him. He expected her to disappear when he tried to touch her. She didn't. Buffy tilted her head to rest her cheek in the palm of his hand and just smiled at him.
"Angel!" came another insistent voice from the back. This time it was Wesley. Cordelia had fallen to the ground and was writhing on the floor in pain.
This second shout penetrated Angel's haze, but he still struggled to turn himself away from Buffy. "Angel, its Cordelia," Wesley repeated. He was really scared for her. He had never seen her like this before. This seemed to snap the three out of their trance and Angel turned and began to walk towards the back of the church.
Buffy sensing that something important was going on started to follow him. Besides she didn't want to let Angel out of her sight. He might leave again. However, Riley, who had reached her side, put out a restraining hand and laid it on her arm. He couldn't let her follow HIM. She might never come back. Buffy turned, glared at her husband-to-be and shook off his hand. Then she followed Angel up the aisle. She wasn't about to let anything stand in the way of her Slayer duties, although, she felt a little guilty about leaving Riley at the altar. Riley, who wasn't going to be left out, followed her. Willow, Xander and Giles followed behind Riley because it seemed like the thing to do. Although, Xander was willing to admit that it was pure curiosity on his part.
Angel reached Cordelia and knelt on the ground beside her. He murmured words of comfort into her ear hoping to reach her, but she continued to writhe on the floor oblivious to the people around her.
Buffy was the next to reach the back with Riley hot on her heels. She was shocked at the sight that met her eyes. Briefly she glanced at Wesley then returned her gaze to Angel sitting with Cordy's head cradled in his lap. "What's wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice. Riley stood behind her and was quickly joined by the rest of the Scooby Gang.
"She's having a vision," Wesley explained. Angel was still intent on reaching
Cordelia and bringing her out of the vision. "It must be a bad one because I have never seen her like this."
"Is she going to be okay?" Xander asked. He hadn't set eyes on Cordelia in over 5 years, but suddenly it felt like she had never left. He was actually scared for her.
"I don't know," Wesley said.
Willow tactfully closed the doors leaving the group in private. She didn't think Cordelia would want the rest of the church to see her rolling around on the floor.
Suddenly Buffy raised her head from the sight of Cordelia's pain wracked body and glared at Angel. "Is this why you came?" she asked him. "Because of some vision." She had been hoping that he had really come to claim her. She should have known better, though. He was the best at coming to save her life, but the worst at staying around to be in it.
"What?" Angel asked looking up from Cordy's face in confusion. He hadn't been paying attention to the conversation that had been going on around him. He was really worried about Cordelia. There had been only one other time that the visions had affected her like this, and she had ended up in the psychiatric ward of the hospital tied to a bed. He was also worried that he would have to go back to LA to kill the demon Cordy was seeing in her vision. He didn't want to leave Buffy here with Riley. He had found her again and he was never going to let her go.
" If you came here to help me out because of some vision Cordelia had then you can give the information to Giles and go back to LA. I don't need your help," Buffy said. Her expression was rigid with anger and her eyes were colder than Angel had ever seen them, except when she had been looking at Angelus. They were Slayer eyes.
Cordelia's body went limp much to the relief of everyone present, but she still did not regain consciousness. Angel gently laid her head back onto the tile floor and stood taking Buffy a little away from the others. He ignored Riley's glare. "I won't lie to you, Buffy," Angel said. "I did come here because of a vision that Cordelia had."
Angel did not get a chance to finish the statement because Buffy turned away from him and went to rejoin others. Angel ran his hand through his hair in frustration and followed her.
"Giles, get the details about Cordy's vision from Angel and then fill me in," Buffy said pointedly ignoring all of Angel's attempts to speak with her again. She reached up and started taking out the pins that held her veil in place. "I am going home to change my clothes. We'll meet up at the magic shop in about an hour."
Before Buffy could reach the door to leave Riley grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards him. She was really getting tired of being grabbed. She shook him off and vowed that the next person to grab her was gong to end up in critical care. "What?" she ground out giving him the same Slayer stare that she had given Angel.
"What about our wedding," Riley wondered. He did not want to leave the church without being married to the love of his life. He was so scared that they would never make it back here.
"What about it?" Buffy asked. Cordelia's vision meant that something was going to be happening. She couldn't think about her personal life right now. From the look of her psychic friend she might be battling to save the world. Again.
"Well, all the guests are here, and the minister is waiting. Why don't we postpone the meeting for another hour and just get married like we planned," Riley replied. Six pairs of eyes turned and looked at him in shock.
"Riley, look at Cordelia. Do you think she would be laying on the floor with drool coming out of her mouth if this was just another run of the mill day in Sunnydale? We will just have to put the wedding off," Buffy said. She hoped he would understand. Her Slaying duties had to come first. It could mean the difference between life and death for a lot of people.
"Buffy, I don't want to put the wedding off. Too many times you run out on me to take care of the world. Please, just stay here and take care of us for a change," Riley replied. Sometimes he was jealous of her destiny. It left little room for him.
"I am the Slayer, Riley. You knew that when you asked me to marry you. And I don't have time for this discussion right now. You can meet us at the magic shop or not. I really don't care at the moment," Buffy said and ran out the door seemingly oblivious to Riley and Angel calling her name.
They both started to go after her, needing to explain and comfort at the same time. Willow placed a restraining hand on Riley and Wesley did the same for Angel. Cordelia was beginning to come around and he knew that Angel would want to hear the details of her vision.
"You probably shouldn't go after her right now," Willow told Riley. She was sympathetic to his feelings, but at the same time she was a little shocked by his attitude. Her friend had a difficult life and it couldn't have been easy to run out on her wedding to save the world from another disaster. When he looked like he was going to argue with her she added, "Unless of course you would like to end up in the hospital?"
Riley shook his head and turned to go back into the church. It seemed like some kind of announcement would have to be made. He only hoped he was correct when he told them that this was only a postponement.
"Maybe, you should go after her, Willow," Giles suggested. He didn't think his Slayer should be alone right now. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her so angry before. Willow nodded and turned to hurry after her friend. She was worried about her too.
"Willow," Angel began his voice stopping her exit from the church. "Please try and tell her that its not like she thinks. I didn't come here to battle evil demons. I just came to fight Riley. For her." Again Willow nodded and was successful in leaving the church.
******
Buffy blindly stumbled down the steps of the church. Angel is human, her brain shouted cutting through the silence in her mind. He's human and he's in Sunnydale.
"Yeah because of some vision Cordelia had," Buffy reminded herself. She didn't want to get her hopes up. She bypassed the white stretch limo waiting at the curb and started to walk home. She was angry and knew that the action of walking home was the only thing that would calm her down. Or maybe staking a vampire or two, she thought with a wry twist of her lips. Where were the vamps when you really needed them?
She half expected Angel or Riley to come racing after her, but she wasn't too worried about it. In her present mood they wouldn't be staying by her side for long. She couldn't believe Riley. He knew that her duties as the Slayer were more important than anything else in her life. He had been in her life long enough to know what the situation was like. She didn't always enjoy leaving his side to battle evil, but it had to be done and she was the someone who had to do it.
Buffy continued to stalk down the street towards her mother's house, where she had been living in the last few months before the wedding. She was halfway there when she realized she was still holding her wedding bouquet. With a snarl of disgust she chucked the bunch of blood red roses into the nearest bush and continued on her way.
Buffy was completely oblivious to the picture she made as stomped onward. She had left her veil back in the vestibule of the church, but nothing could disguise the fact that she was wearing a wedding dress. The long white train trailed in the dust after her, even snagging briefly on a few bushes and chain link fences. The sun beat down on her bare shoulders, but she didn't even notice. She should have been hot in the satin gown she had had created especially for her, but she was too angry to notice or to care. She was too busy calling Riley and Angel every name in the book.
Finally she reached the house and climbed the steps to the door. Suddenly, Buffy was very tired. She could barely lift her arm to open the door. What is wrong with me, she wondered with a frown? Buffy managed to open the door and kick it shut behind her trapping the train to her wedding dress in the door. Sighing, she gathered her strength once more and opened the door. She swept the train inside and closed the door again. Then she looked longingly at the stairs. She didn't know if she could make it. Buffy decided to sit on the stairs until she could regain some of her stamina. Maybe this has something to do with the lack of sleep I had last night, Buffy thought. It seemed like a sound explanation. She just hoped it was the correct one.
A knock on the door sounded and she heard a voice call out, "Buffy are you in there?"
Buffy recognizing Willow's voice answered, "Come in Will."
Willow opened the door and was surprised to see her friend sitting on the stairs still her in wedding dress. Buffy's face was pale and her eyes were drawn with fatigue. She knew that her friend had gotten little sleep the night before, what with the early morning patrol and nightmare, but she was still surprised by Buffy's appearance.
"I couldn't make it up the stairs," Buffy said. She had noted the surprised look on Willow's face and felt that she had to make some kind of explanation. "Could you help me. I want to get out of this stupid dress."
Silently, Willow helped her friend up the stairs and into her room. All that was left was the bare furniture and the bed made up with some extra sheets from Joyce Summers' linen closet. She turned Buffy around and started on the long row of buttons down the back. "What are you going to wear?" she asked as she helped Buffy step out of the gown.
"I have some clothes in that suitcase," Buffy replied pointing at an old red suitcase that stood by the door. "I am sure I have appropriate fighting clothes in it."
Willow went over to the luggage and hefted it onto the bed. She looked over at Buffy in concern and noticed that she was still out of it. Her eyes were glazed over and her face was wiped clean of any expression. She was really worried about Buffy. She had only seen her like this a few times. All of them had to do with Angel. Willow opened the suitcase and pulled out a black pair of pants and lightweight blue sweater. Black socks and boots followed. She helped Buffy get into the clothes and then pushed her back onto the bed.
"Get some sleep, Buffy," Willow said going over and closing the blinds.
This seemed to jerk Buffy out of her stupor. "But what about the meeting?" she asked, although, the thought of a quick nap held a lot of appeal. "I have things to kill."
"I'll call Giles and tell him to gather everyone over here. I know you hate bringing the Slayer business into your mother's house, but you really need the sleep. By the time everyone is here you should have some time to rest," Willow replied. She bustled over to the door and left the room closing the door behind her. She felt a little guilty about not delivering Angel's message but she didn't think Buffy was quite ready to hear it yet. Willow left the room and went downstairs to the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen Willow picked up the phone to call Giles. She called his apartment first, but when there was no answer she dialed the magic shop. Xander answered the phone on the third ring and she told him to get everyone over to Buffy's house.
"How is she?" Xander asked. He was worried about his friend too. He knew that Angel's appearance had shaken her up.
"She is sleeping right now," Willow said. "I think she is going to be okay, but it would be better if everyone came here right now. She really needs some rest before she goes out to deal with whatever Cordy saw. By the way how is Cordelia?"
"Awake and very scared. She's still talking with Wesley and Giles. Whatever she saw was not good." Xander promised to get everyone over to the house and then hung up. Willow looked down at her lavender gown and decided it was time that she changed her clothes as well. She didn't think anyone needed a reminder of the aborted wedding right now.
Upstairs in her room, Buffy lay on her bed completely awake. She had been so tired just minutes ago, but now there was no way she was going to be able to sleep. She lay staring at the windows in her room, and was flooded with more memories of Angel. It seemed like her whole life with Angel was tied to that window. Sighing she turned away from the reminder of everything she had shared with her former lover and tried to shut her eyes. She was just drifting off to sleep when she heard the quite whoosh of the sash being drawn up. Slowly she turned back over and was stunned to see a khaki encased leg cross over the sill. She jumped up from the bed ready to confront the intruder.
******
Angel's heart turned over as he watched Buffy sleep. In a fit of nostalgia he had climbed up on the roof and was sitting outside Buffy's window. Willow had closed most of the blinds but had left this one partially open. He could just make out her form as she slumbered on her bed. His mind drifted back five years and he remembered other times he had sat outside this window and watched her sleep. He loved watching her sleep, even when the demon had been in charge. She had looked so peaceful, so like the normal girl she wanted to be. He could watch her for hours as she slept, watching over her, protecting her as best he could. He always hated to wake her. But now he had to.
As soon as Cordelia had regained consciousness he had grilled her about this latest vision. He hadn't liked what she had to say. Not at all. Of course, it had been about Buffy. Some thing had come to Sunnydale to kill her. Not really unusual when you considered the fact that she was the Slayer. That didn't mean that he had to like it. Riley hadn't liked it either. He had liked it even less when Angel had announced that he was going to talk to Buffy, alone. They fought and Angel finally had to knock Riley out to keep him from coming with him. Angel felt that he had to be the one to tell Buffy about the danger she was in. He knew that she was angry with both of them, but he also knew he could put his personal agenda aside while Buffy was in danger. As he had looked at Riley, he knew that the ex-soldier would not be able to keep a professional distance. Riley didn't quite get the whole Slayer thing. To him it was just a job that he thought Buffy should be able to leave behind at the office. Angel knew it was more than a job it was a way of life.
So here he was sitting outside her window watching her sleep. Now, if he could only screw up his courage he would go and wake her, and tell her that her life was in danger. Again. With a deep sigh, he pulled on the bottom sash of the window and quietly eased it open. He bent and put one leg in through the opening, placing it on the carpet. Ducking his head he pulled the rest of his body in after the leg. When he had straightened he found Buffy standing in front of him wearing her Slayer expression to go along with her fighting togs.
"I thought I told you to go back to LA," she stated going on the offensive.
"We have some business to finish first," Angel stated. Then he stood silently and just stared at her. She had been beautiful in her wedding gown, a beautiful, graceful woman. Something that was a little unfamiliar to him. Now she looked like a warrior. Still womanly but infinitely more familiar and more attractive. He loved the combination. She was all female and all business.
"No we don't," Buffy returned a little breathlessly. Angel was staring at her like she was a big tub of chicken and he was a man who hadn't had anything to eat in years. She liked that she still had that effect on him. She felt powerful.
Angel couldn't help himself. She was too much of a temptation. He shot out his hands grabbing her by the arms and hauled her to him. Before she could protest he bent his head and took her lips in a soul-searing kiss. He put all of his pent up passion into the kiss crushing her body to his. His hands roamed over her slim body that was pressed against his. He loved the way she fit against him, like she belonged there. He also loved the taste of her. It was something he had never forgotten. It was like a drug to him. The feel of her after five lonely years was nearly his undoing, but suddenly he remembered why he was here. He remembered that this was not about his personal needs but about saving her life. Ruthlessly he pulled her slender form away from him and stepped back to put some distance between them. Now they were both breathless.
"I am sorry," he said balling his hands into fists to keep himself from doing it again. She had tasted so good, and she was wearing a dreamy expression that he knew he had put there. He realized that this was the first time he had felt truly human in the six months since his change.
Buffy's eyes snapped open and she lost the dreamy expression. It was replaced by one of sadness. "Then why did you do it?"
"Someday I will tell you," Angel replied. After you are out of danger. "But right now we have other things to talk about."
"Things like why you are suddenly in Sunnydale?"
"No, that's part of the other discussion we are going to have. Right now we are going to talk about the vision that Cordelia just had. Then once Giles and the others get here we will begin making a plan to save your life."
Her mouth opened in shock. Did his reason for kissing her really have something to do about his appearance in Sunnydale? She certainly hoped so. Then the importance of Cordelia's vision suddenly hit her. Her life was in danger. Again.
********
The rest of the gang was already gathered in the Summers' living room when Buffy and Angel descended the stairs. Wesley and Giles were studying some books that they had brought, but Willow, Xander and Cordelia were sitting on the couch catching up.
"Yeah, I've actually been on Dawson's Creek twice," Cordelia was saying.
"Wow," Willow said trying to be impressed. Her life left little room for things like television. She was too busy studying. Giles had introduced her to some people in the Watcher's Council. After her time on the Hellmouth she knew that she wanted to help in the fight against the evil things that went bump in the night.
"So what is that Dawson kid like?" Xander wondered. "Cause I heard he could be a real prima donna. Oh wait, you two must have been best pals then." Xander felt elated. He had missed sparing with Cordy. It was what had put the fire in their relationship.
Cordelia rolled her eyes at Xander and then asked, "So what have you two been up to?"
"I am studying to be a Watcher," Willow said. Cordelia just nodded. It seemed like something the nerdy Willow would be interested in.
"And I just started my own construction company," Xander told her his chest swelling with pride. He had actually found something he was good at. He had been gathering knowledge from his employers for the last 4 years and was now ready to strike out on his own. He had even managed to get a loan from the bank.
Buffy suddenly cleared her throat. She hated to interrupt the reunion, but it was her life that was in danger. "So Cordelia, Angel tells me that you have been seeing monsters in your sleep," she said into the stillness. She was unprepared for the pained expression that flitted across Cordelia's smooth features.
Cordelia nodded her head in confirmation. "And they were really ugly, too."
Wesley looked up at this and pulled out a sheet of paper that had been tucked in between the pages of one of the books. "They looked something like this," he said to Buffy as he handed over the drawing Angel had made based on Cordelia's description.
Buffy gasped and her gaze flew to Giles. "What is it?" he asked noting the expression on her face.
"Giles, this looks like the things I fought last night." Suddenly she looked around the room and frowned. "Where's Riley?" she asked. It was the one question Angel had been hoping she wouldn't ask. He didn't want to have admit that he had knocked out her fiancée.
"Um, Riley said he would meet us here a little later. He had something he had to do first," Xander replied shifting his gaze away from Buffy's.
Fortunately for Angel, Buffy accepted this and turned back to Giles, all business. "So do we know what they are yet?" She had complete confidence in her Watcher and ex-Watcher. Misplaced confidence as it turned out.
Giles looked a little uncomfortable and glanced briefly towards Wesley before he answered her question. "Unfortunately not, although we have only been able to look at the few books we brought. We really should head back to the magic shop. We may need more books."
"Willow, do you have your laptop here?" Cordelia suddenly asked. "I know of some demon websites. Maybe we could find them that way."
Willow jumped up from the couch and returned shortly with her laptop. "If that doesn't work, I have this friend who is very interested in demonology. Maybe I could call him. I know he would help us."
"It figures," Cordelia muttered as she entered the address for the demon site she had used in the past. "Okay here we go. I just need to enter a description of the demon and usually this thing spits out the name. So, skin color pale. Eyes: blue with a milky film over it. Yuck! Teeth: none."
"What?" Buffy asked in surprise. She had noticed that the things she had fought last night didn't have fangs, but she hadn't noticed that they didn't have teeth at all. Maybe they weren't vampires after all. "No, teeth? Maybe they weren't vampires after all."
"Yeah, but they had the undead tan working for them," Xander pointed out. "How many other demons do you know that have Dead Boy's complexion?" He pointed at Angel and then cringed when he saw the expression on his face.
"Xander, I thought we had a little discussion about that nickname?" Angel said through clenched teeth. Sometimes he really couldn't stand that kid. The only reason he hadn't beaten him up yet was because he was Buffy's friend.
"Right its ex-Dead Boy now," Xander said. Cautiously he gave the former vampire a silly grin and waited for the explosion. It didn't come, but Angel didn't smile either. In fact neither did Buffy. He was going to have watch those Dead Boy comments if he wanted to stay out of the hospital.
"Anyway," Cordelia said shaking her head at Xander. He sure hadn't changed much, which was a comfort on some level. "Hopefully, this site will begin spitting out all kinds of info on our creepy friends." Cordelia had finished entering the description of the demons and was now staring at the screen. There was a red floating demon head that flitted around the screen, which meant the program was still working. She frowned at the screen and moved the mouse around. "Spit something out, you stupid thing," she said in frustration. It had never taken this long before.
Suddenly the floating head stopped and an eerie voice issued forth from the mouth. "This demon does not exist in our files," it said. "Please re-enter the description and hit enter."
Cordelia let out a frustrated moan. This particular site had never let her down before. "I don't understand," she said gaping at the demon head, which was repeating its instructions. "Usually this site has everything."
"Well, I can't say that I am really surprised," Giles said. This seemed to confirm every instinct he had ever had about computers. Give him musty old books over the new fangled Internet any day. They were much more reliable. "We should get back to the magic shop and continue the research there."
"And if I am going to patrol tonight, I think I should stock up on weapons," Buffy said heading towards the door. "I have a feeling I will need more than just Mr. Pointy."
"I can call my friend from the shop," Willow said to the group as she too headed for the door. "He's really good at finding out about the obscure demons. If we can't find out who these guys are than maybe he can."
"Demon guy, Demon guy he's our man. If he can't do it no one can," Xander chanted in his best cheerleader voice. "I think the G-man can handle this on his own."
"Yes, well, any help would be greatly appreciated," Giles said trying to smooth things over. Sometimes he just wished Xander would keep his mouth shut.
Wesley, Cordelia and Angel just looked at each other and followed the others out of the house. Out of the three, only Cordelia found herself refreshed by Xander's wit. She hadn't realized how much she had missed his often-inappropriate humor.
As the group trooped down the steps they were stopped by a late arrival. Riley stood in the middle of the sidewalk sporting a black eye and a fat lip. Buffy took one look at him and knew what or who had caused his late arrival. She glared at Angel, promising retribution, or at least a strong talking to, with her eyes, and moved to Riley's side.
"I am glad you are here," Buffy said taking Riley's hand. "We were just headed for the magic shop. Its time to go into full research mode." Keeping her hand in his she led the way to Giles' shop. She felt a little guilty about leaving him at the church and about the beating he had received. She wanted to make it up to him some how, so she stayed by his side on the walk. She smiled up at him and even managed to kiss his cheek all the while ignoring Angel.
Angel, walking towards the back of the group, ground his teeth in frustration. He knew she was mad at him, but she didn't need to flirt with the guy. Angel took several deep breaths hoping to calm himself. Feeling homicidal towards the guy was not going to win him any points with Buffy, and he knew he needed to be calm when she took him aside to deliver her scold. Actually, he was looking forward to it. Even in anger there were sparks that flew between them. He had missed those sparks. He also missed walking with her and holding her hand, but those things would have to wait until she was safe. Then, once the demons were dusted he was going to make his move. He smiled in anticipation. Suddenly seeing Buffy with her Rambo didn't bother him any more. Sooner or later she was going to be his, because she promised him that she would always be his girl and now he was going to make her stick to that promise. Angel's steps lightened as he followed the Scooby Gang to the their club house. Things were going to work out. He was going to have Buffy.
*********
They had been at it for hours, but they still didn't have a clue about the new threat to Buffy's life. They were all frustrated and tired. Eyestrain had set in quite a while ago, but nobody was willing to stop.
Finally, Buffy noticed that it was getting dark. "Looks like its show time," she said pointing to a window. Giles had closed the magic shop for her wedding so they had been able to do their research in private. Everyone was sitting in the rear of the shop where Giles kept his books and Buffy had her training room.
Giles looked up from the book he was studying and frowned at her. "What are you planning?' he asked.
"Giles, I can't stand being cooped up here any longer. I have to get out there. I have to patrol," Buffy replied. She shut the book she was looking at and stood to go over to the weapons cabinet.
"But Buffy, those things, whatever they are, could be out there waiting for you," Willow pointed out. "You know, to kill you."
"I know Will, believe me I know. But there could be other things out there too. Other vamps, waiting to feed on the really stupid people of this town." Sometimes she got tired of protecting the innocents of this small town. She wished that they would get a clue and stay in at night.
"Well then lets saddle up," Xander said standing up from the table. He wasn't about to let his best friend go out there alone.
"No Xander, you have to stay here. Help with the research. I can handle this alone."
"Wait just a minute," Riley said also looking up from the really boring book he had been reading. When he had been in the Initiative they hadn't had to do any of this research. There had been other people to do that. "You are not going out there alone."
"Actually, yes I am," Buffy answered. She had opened the weapons closet and was pulling out her trusty crossbow.
"That wasn't a question, Buffy, it was a statement. As in you are not going out there alone," Riley replied. He joined her at the closet and pulled out a long, very nasty looking sword. He hated the research part, but the weapons were definitely cool.
"Would you like another black eye?" Buffy asked. She couldn't let these people who were so important to her go out there and get hurt. "I can handle this."
"But Buffy, bad guys," Willow said once more. She didn't exactly want to go out and run into these guys either, but she wasn't about to let her best friend face these things alone.
"I want all of you to promise me that you will stay here," Buffy said looking around the room at all of her friends and would-be protectors, all of her human friends. She just couldn't risk their lives and she didn't need the added worry of having to look out for them. And there was the added bonus of having to worry about Angel now too.
"Well, you don't have to worry about me," Cordelia promised. "One sighting was quite enough thank you."
"Giles, Wesley you will be in full research mode, right?" Buffy asked. She was relieved when they both nodded. "We still need to know what these things are. Xander, please stay here. I know you can handle yourself, for the most part, but I don't want to have to worry about you." Xander looked offended at this but then shrugged his shoulders and agreed to stay with the research team. After all, he knew she was probably right. He had backed her up quite often, but knew that he could also get seriously hurt. He had many times in the past.
"Willow, Wesley and Giles will need help. Besides, we still haven't heard back from that friend of yours. You should be here in case he calls," Buffy said next. Willow didn't argue. She was much better at the research thing anyway.
Then she turned to Riley. He was glaring at her with his arms crossed over his chest. She walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek. "I will hit you if I have to," she said. "I can't have the distraction of worrying about you. That more than anything else could get me killed." She looked straight into his eyes and let him see the determination in hers. She let him see that she really would knock him senseless if that was the only way she could keep him from going with her.
Defeated, Riley turned away from her and said, "I will stay here, but I will come looking for you if you're not back here in two hours." He had clocked her once and knew that a normal patrol took about an hour. He was giving her some leeway in case she ran into some trouble.
Buffy agreed and turned to look at Angel. She knew he would be the hardest to convince, and if he hadn't been human she might have asked him to come along. The truth was, she was a little scared of the beings that had come to Sunnydale to kill her. But he was human and she just couldn't risk his safety. He was looking at her with dark, unreadable eyes and a frown on his face. Her heart sank. I might really have to knock him out, she thought.
Angel had been watching her order people around with amazement. The last time he had seen her she had seemed older, more in control of who she was, but now, now she was in complete control and everyone seemed to obey her. Well, he wasn't going to just let her order him around. He may have come to Sunnydale for a completely different reason, but he was still her guardian angel and she wasn't going anywhere without him.
"I can handle this alone," Buffy repeated coming over to stand in front of him. She was hoping that her closeness would convince him.
"I am sure you can," Angel told her. He even believed that. She seemed so much stronger to him, and he didn't mean just physically.
"Then you aren't going to insist on coming with me?" Buffy asked hopefully. She really didn't want to have to fight him on this. She wanted to save her strength for the demons that were trying to kill her.
"No I am not going to insist on coming with you," Angel replied carefully. But I am going to follow you, he added silently.
Buffy gave him a blinding smile and said, "Good. I didn't really want to have to hit you." Then her smile turned into a frown. "Which reminds me. Don't hit Riley again. I can't deal with the two of you fighting right now. I have more important things to deal with. Promise me that you won't fight," Buffy said looking at both Riley and Angel. They both gave their promises, although they glared at each other. Buffy sighed knowing that that would have to do.
After she loaded her crossbow with bolts and shoved a few stakes into her waistband Buffy headed for the door. She stopped when Angel said her name.
"Buffy, please be careful," Angel said in a soft voice. It was almost a caress.
Buffy briefly closed her eyes, before giving him another smile. Her eyes held unshed tears and her smile wobbled a little. She had thought that she would never hear him say those words to her again. Translated from cryptic guy speech, she knew that those words where his way of telling her that he loved her. "I will," she answered and then left the shop.
