by Angel's Girl
Chapter One - Enemies
Buffy stood leaning against the window at the Magic Box. She seemed to be staring at something and yet at the same time her gaze was unfocused and she had a far away look in her eyes. Buffy was completely detached from what was going on around her. A lot had happened over the past twenty-four hours and she was trying to absorb it all and trying to make sense of any of it.
Willow glanced up from the book she had in her hands. She had caught Buffy in the corner of her eye and something about her really made Willow stop and look at her friend. She saw Buffy standing in the corner staring out the window with such a look of pained despair on her face and her heart felt heavy for her friend. She wished that for just one moment Buffy could have the happy peace she so richly deserved.
All around the Magic Box the Slayerettes had assumed the research position. Xander and Anya curled up on a love seat with two stacks of books at their feet, the pile they had gone through and the pile they had yet to read. Giles was leaning on the cash counter his face expressing the seriousness in which he was regarding the recent turn of events. Tara was sitting at the table along with Willow and Dawn, an assortment of books strewn across the tabletop. Even Spike was curled up in a corner with a mug-o-blood and a book or two.
However Buffy was unable to concentrate. The group couldn't help but notice that Buffy would sit somewhere and pick up a book, her mouth in a tight line of feigned concentration. She would flip the pages and then put the book down, find a new book and a new place to read it and again in a moment or two she would put that book down and start all over again. Finally she had given in and sighed in defeat and had taken up post at the window.
Buffy was extremely troubled by the attack on her that had prompted today's research party. She had been out on her regular patrol and there had been nothing out of the ordinary. She had already dusted four vamps and was feeling the adrenaline when suddenly out of nowhere something kicked her…hard.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy had been sent sprawling across the cemetery and had she not had the Slayer reflexes she would have landed on her face instead of rolling into her fall and coming up into a fighting stance, palming her stake at the same time. She glanced around trying to determine what had happened but the cemetery was deserted, dead quiet.
Buffy slowly stood straight again but was still wary. She was certain she hadn't tripped and in fact scanned the ground to reassure herself of that. She took a few steps and a cold wind passed by her. In that instant she knew something was here although it bothered her that her spidey-sense hadn't picked up on it. That little fact had more than bothered her, it creeped her right out.
"Slayer."
That one word sent shivers rippling up Buffy's spine. She had never heard something that made her blood run cold before but she knew instinctually that if evil had a sound, if it could make a sound then this…this was it.
Buffy whirled in the direction of the voice that floated on the air but still nothing. This was seriously pissing Buffy off.
"Where are you?" Buffy murmured to herself.
"Right here."
Came her reply, although it came in the form of a right uppercut to Buffy's jaw that was powerful enough to knock Buffy almost a good ten feet and crashing into a gravestone. Buffy sprung to her feet and brushed the bits of rock from the decimated headstone from her pants and breathed an apology to the family of the deceased.
"What is this? Huh? Show yourself or are you afraid that if I can see you I'll kill you?"
Buffy could have sworn she heard maniacal laughter float all around her, seemingly surrounding her.
"You can't kill me Slayer." The voice breathed but this time Buffy could pinpoint the direction and without turning towards it Buffy shot her arm out and back.
"Yeah well that's original. Like that's the first time I've ever heard that before, like right before I kill them."
Buffy's blow had been blocked and her arm twisted behind her and then she was lifted and held stationary mid air a moment.
"Yes well it will be the last."
The…whatever it was spoke again this time she could feel its breath caress her ear.
"Now is not the time Slayer but soon. First I will defeat your champion, the one who guards your heart with his own and then you will be mine. I will destroy him. I will feast on his soul and deliver upon him all the trials of Hell tenfold. Then I will feast upon you. Your screams of agony will be music. Your fear will be a delicious feast. Your death will bring my freedom, my reign upon this plain. You and your warrior will buy my freedom and will satiate my hunger for at least a century because of its exquisiteness."
Still suspended in air Buffy felt the entity lave the side of her face with his cold slimy tongue. He traced a line from her jaw up to her ear.
"Oh yes a tasty treat indeed." It crooned in her ear.
Then Buffy was violently thrown through the air again. This time she came to land against the side of a nearby crypt. The last thing Buffy remembered was the feel of blood oozing out of her mouth lubricating the side of her face as she slide down to the ground along the cool hard marble surface, falling, tumbling, crashing into the dark oblivion of unconsciousness.
A figure stepped out of the shadows having seemingly just emerged from the crypt in question. He was right pissed and was ready to have a go at whatever or whoever had dared to disturb him. He came round the corner and his eyes came to rest of the still bloody mess slumped on the ground.
He relaxed his stance and crouched down beside the human and then pushed the matted bloody hair away from their face.
"Bloody hell." He cursed before scooping the limp Slayer into his arms and heading in towards town.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Buffy was pulled from her reverie by a pair of arms that encircled Buffy's waist that meant to comfort but they did anything but and she immediately tensed and pulled away. She turned and found herself looking into the hurt gaze of her boyfriend Riley. He pulled his arms back and took a defensive step back as he felt another piece of his heart get stripped away.
"I'm sorry I..." He stammered over his hurt trying not to let it show.
Buffy knew Riley meant well but she just didn't want the comfort he wanted to give her that he seemed to need to give her. She just desperately wanted to know what she was up against, kill it and then and only then would she allow herself comfort.
"I'm just not in the mood to be held right now, okay?"
Riley nodded at Buffy's attempt to placate him. He knew in his heart of hearts that if it had been a certain someone else to have pulled her into his embrace then she would have gladly turned into it, reveling in the comfort and safety his arms would undoubtedly provide.
Riley pushed those thoughts down. Buffy was with him physically and that had to count for something right?
Buffy took a deep breath and turned her attentions back to the group of people, her family, who had been diligently searching for something about the thing that attacked Buffy.
"So have we found out anything?"
At Buffy's question she couldn't help but notice how quiet and somber the room got.
"What is it that bad? Come on guys someone say something."
Giles broke the silence when he removed his glasses and began to methodically clean the immaculate lenses. Seeing that Buffy's heart both sank and found its way up into her throat. That seemingly meaningless gesture always seemed to foretell the bringing of apocalyptic doom.
"We uh that is I have just spoken with Wesley and it would seem that Angel has had a similar encounter that you had. Including the same cryptic message."
Giles allowed that bit to sink in a moment before continuing.
"It would seem that Angel has been targeted as the warrior that your attacker mentioned."
Tears welled up in Buffy's eyes and suddenly she found that her legs wouldn't hold her. She slumped to the ground and tried in vain to understand.
The thing had said that first the warrior that guards her heart, which protects her, her champion, will fall and then it would come after her. She, along with every one else had automatically assumed it was Riley because they were a couple but then Angel was attacked.
"I don't understand why Angel would be attacked? What does he have to do with this?" Riley asked.
Before anyone had a chance to think about it let alone respond a sarcastic snort emanated from the corner that Spike was occupying.
"Oh come on now don't tell me that you are all that daft."
Spike ventured forward trying to hide the pure pleasure he was getting from being able to stick it to GI Jerk. He looked around the room at the confused faces although he could tell that Buffy knew and red, she knew, she had made the connection but neither lady was sharing so Spike thought he would do the honors. He acted like it was a hassle but he was loving it.
"Bloody hell, all right. This thing that attacked Buffy said it needed to get past he who guarded Buffy's heart, who protected it and you honestly believe for one moment that its captain whiney over here. No children he may be the stand in replacement but there is, has and probably ever will be one 'warrior' of Buffy's heart and that would be Angel."
"I d-don't understand." Riley stammered.
"You wouldn't. Hell Buffy and the rest of you Scooby's can't even seem to wrap your little heads around it either that or you are all in major denial. First off they are bonded by the little love nip Angel gave Buffy on her neck there. Buffy willingly gave Angel blood to save his life and it almost cost her, her own life being that price and the fact that they were in love and she was the Slayer and Angel a Master Vampire made it a significant sacrifice"
Spike came out of his corner and began to walk amongst the small group taking in their pained and shocked faces with barely restrained pleasure, especially Riley's.
"Secondly of course is Buffy's ring."
Buffy looked up at Spike, "My cladaugh? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well in Peaches' day when two people exchanged those rings in particular it meant…"
"That they belong to each other but we aren't together so."
"It goes deeper than that Blondie. In Angel's time that was a wedding band. It means that you're his wife."
There was a moment of absolute silence that settled in the room.
"WHAT?" Giles, Xander, Willow, Buffy and Riley all said in unison.
Spike was barely able to control the smug look of satisfaction at Riley's paling to his words. In fact Riley stumbled back away from Buffy and tripped on the step landing him on his ass on the floor.
"Buffy's married…to Angel?" Willow asked although not to anyone in particular.
"This is unprecedented. I uh I…I need to consult my books." Giles mumbled.
"So you mean to tell me that he slips that ring on her finger without telling her its full meaning and presto chango he and Buffy are Mr. and Mrs. Deadboy?" Quipped Xander.
"According to the customs of 18th century Ireland yes."
"Well this isn't the 18th century and it sure as hell isn't Ireland." Riley snapped.
Buffy had sitting in a stunned silence remembering the day that Angel had slipped it on her hand and everything that had happened since. After having to deal with Angelus and then sending a newly ensouled Angel to hell to stop Acathla and then having Angel come back only to have him move to Los Angeles and now to find out that he had in essence married her. Angel had married her.
"It almost makes it worth it." She murmured.
"WHAT?"
Buffy was taken aback at both Xander and Riley shouting in her direction. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.
"What the Hell do you mean by that? Huh, that it almost makes it worth it? Are you saying you want to be his wife?"
Riley was upset before but he was bordering on hysterical now.
Spike had sat himself up on the counter with his mug of o-pos quite content with his front row seat for the showdown. All they needed was the final players. With that thought, almost as if by thinking of him Spike had made him appear the bell over the door to the magic shop sounded announcing the presence of the Los Angeles crew.
All eyes turned to Angel as he stepped into the middle of the fray. Spike sat back and rubbed his hands together.
"Oh goody let the heads I mean good times roll."
Cordy and Wesley could fell the tension in the room but Angel could smell the rage and jealousy and fear that permeated his senses radiating off of just about everyone in the room, everyone except Buffy. Riley could barely keep himself from attacking Angel and Angel could tell from the looks on the faces of the Slayerettes that they had just walked into the middle of something big, something that had to do with him and most likely Buffy.
He searched out Buffy hoping to gage what exactly they had just walked into. Buffy looked at Angel for a brief moment and then she headed into the back training room. Something in her eyes beckoned him and it was an immediate decision on Angel's part to follow her but someone held him back. A hand had been firmly placed on Angel's shoulder and he pivoted just enough to see the hand belonged to.
Had it been Willow or Giles, Tara or Dawn he would have understood. Hell he could even have tolerated Xander laying a hand on him but when his eyes bore into those belonging to Riley he felt his blood boil.
Angel had any number of reasons not to like soldier boy the least of which being his involvement with His mate. Angel stared at the offending hand and then followed the arms up to Riley's face. A growl resonated in his chest loudly enough for everyone in the room to take a noticeable step back away from the pair. Although Angel hadn't morphed the demon within wasn't that far away from surfacing.
"I suggest you remove that if you intend on keeping it boy." Angel fairly snarled through clenched teeth.
"Leave Buffy alone."
"I said remove your hand or I will. Last chance."
Riley and Angel were still in a standoff that was about to get really ugly when suddenly Buffy was beside them. Riley's annoyance shot up a level when he noticed how Angel reacted to Buffy. Angel had stopped growling and relaxed visibly the instant Buffy had placed a gentle hand upon his other shoulder. She hadn't said a word but Angel seemed to understand and when she stepped back Riley watched with fascination and then absolute horror as Angel walked towards the back room and then Buffy followed. Riley made to give chase but Buffy stopped short and looked at him.
"I need to talk to Angel."
"Buffy…"
"Riley talk a walk and cool off. I need to talk to Angel right now. Deal with it."
"I don't want you alone with him."
"Riley at this particular moment in time I couldn't care less about what you want. I have enough shit on my plate to deal with without your childish games and insecurities."
"I think my insecurities are warranted Buffy after the bomb Spike dropped."
"Riley if you aren't here to help then go home. My life is on the line again. I can't worry about coddling you."
Angel couldn't help the self satisfied grin that crossed his face as he listened to Buffy and the child. The smile was effectively removed when Buffy walked into the room not a moment later and closed the door behind her.
Buffy looked at Angel her mind still reeling from what Spike had said although if it was true then the demon was right in thinking Angel was the guardian of her heart. Not that she disputed it anyways.
"We need to talk."
From the look in Buffy's eyes this was going to be the mother of all conversations.