Chapter 20: The Chop Stick

"So Kyle how have you been?" Tess asked Kyle, "We haven't talked or hung out as often as I would have liked."

"Well, you being with Evans, I didn't want to intrude on anything," Kyle said spinning her around.

"You wouldn't be intruding. Kyle I have to tell you something and I hope you will be happy"

Max and Buffy continued to dance. And as always when Max would look at Liz and she would like back at him, he would not face her, and Buffy would giggle.

The song finished and Buffy and Max stepped away from each other.

"Do you want to go sit down?" Max asked.

"Sure, lead away."

They found a couch and sat down, Buffy would occassionally check out the pass byers. Of course they had spectators.

"Michael, Michael, look little Lizzie is so going to get back Max," Maria said breaking the kiss.

Michael groaned, "Maria, what they do is their business and no one else's. Now c'mon," he said moving in for the kiss.

"Yeah, whatever spaceboy. I still love ya," she said.

Isabel must of had the dancing bug because she really wanted to dance. She terrorized Alex before, so she went off by herself and danced. She noticed what Liz and Max were doing and ran to Alex so they can watch.

"So should I get popcorn or something?" Alex told her.

"What? Oh, if you want," she said. She was really excited for her brother. Maybe a little to excited, "But you're going to miss out on all the action."

"So....Max" Buffy said. She, for once, didn't know what to say.

"Liz, um Kyle, before, um said something about a secret. And you know I really want us to remain friends. So if there anything I should know?", Max said who was really really nervous.

"Um, no, I don't think so. I feel peachy, what about you? I hear the punch is good, ok me rambling on" Buffy said blushing.

"Oh, its just Kyle, is uh, drunk, and I knew I shouldn't have listened to him, but he just got to me," Max said feeling like an idiot.

With all the words being said they didn't realize that someone was looking at then, the one who was planning Liz's death.
"So I figured, if we catch her on surprise then, she'll be our for the taking," the female vampire said who was like a Harmony wannabe.

"When will we go in?" her sidekick asked.

"I think I'm going to go in first, see if I can bring Max out here. Once he comes out hold him, then I'm bring Liz out. I want her to see Max being turned into a vampire, then I'll kill her."

"So what do we do now?" Buffy asked Max.

"Um, I don't know. If you want I can walk you home." he said.

"Sure that will be great," she said. Great great great, since I don't know how to get back. "I'm going to let Maria know I'm going home with you, I'll be right back," she said getting up. She smiled and Max and for the first time since she has known Max, she saw him smile.

"Ok, I'll wait for you here."

Buffy got up and found Maria and Michael making out. She didn't want to bother them, but Maria must have sensed her and stopped. Michael was clearly annoyed, but it was Liz so he didn't care. If it would have been Buddha boy wanting to convert him then his alien powers would have been useful in getting rid of him. Maria got up and linked her arm with Liz's arm, "So what's going on with you and Max?"

"Nothing, he's going to walk me home, so I just wanted to let you know,"

"See chica, I told you would work it out. Even if ::whispers:: Future Max told you it would destroy the world. Listen go with me, maybe you can invite him up...." Maria started.

"MARIA, what thing about Future Max?" Buffy asked, she wasn't sure if she heard right. She remembered reading about FM, so that had to be about Future Max.

"Listen, chica, I can go on and on about Future Max with all you told me, but I got a antsy space boy here and you know how we fight and then we make up, so this is the making up part where we make out, so go home and call me later," she said pushing Liz towards the doorway.

"But, but, what about, I give up," she said in defeat. She would have to do some more investigating later.

She went back to the couch and didn't see Max, so she figured he was outside. She bumped into someone on her way out, which wore a bright pimp shirt, with a furry white thinga-ma-jig, which looked liked a dead animal. Clearly this was a fashion victim who was a vampire. "God, this is Roswell, you really like aliens don't you?" Buffy said to it, noticing the alien socks. "And you couldn't have chosen a more perfect time, huh?" she said pushing it towards the kitchen. "No, you have to choose now, when I'm going to get Liz her dream guy," she said getting frustrated. The vamp just went along with her ramblings, he didn't argue back probably because he couldn't get a word out. "It's bad enough I'm stuck in someone's body, but now I have to fight, why can't I get a break?" Buffy said unconciously pounding her closed fist on the cutting board.

"Hey, where are you?" Buffy asked turning around, then facing the open door. "Now, I have to chase you, vampires suck." She opened the draw closest to her and found a pair of chop sticks, "What a way to go, not be a stake, but a measly chop stick," she said exiting the house.

Max had his hands in his pockets standing about. He was nervous. He was bringing Liz Parker home. Granted he would do that a bunch of times, but tonight was special, he really wanted to get back together with Liz. He was with Tess Oh, crap Tess! Max jogged back to the house and went searching for Tess.

"C'mon don't make me search for you. Just step out," Buffy said to the open backyard. "I know you're there, probably trying to make up your defense, but really its just annoying me. You vampires really need to color cordinate, the alien socks and the dead animal doesn't suit your nasty skin tone," Buffy said sitting on the porch. She didn't need to be in the middle of the yard, preparing for a fight, this was no fight, just a bad dressed vampire, that's when she saw it. She saw the alien sock in the bushes. This is so comical. She grabbed the ankle, which made the vampire jump in fright and growl. "See wasn't so hard was it, now its just time to make you dust, " she said grabbing the chop stick.

"Girl you talk to much," he said.

"Yeah I know and you really smell," she said before plunging the chop stick in its black heart. She let go and ashes filled the night sky. "That was easy."

"What was easy?" Max asked.

Buffy turned around and said, "Oh, my earring, dropped it before. Ready to go?"

"Yeah" he said.

"Ok lets go."