Chapter 17

Couplet (part 2)

"I shall present this beast's head to my princess as a token." Gru said.

"Right. 'Cause she'll love that." Angel said.

He, Buffy, and Gru were walking through the sewers looking for the demon from Cordy's vision.

"You sense anything?" Angel asked Buffy.

It was Gru who answered first. "A deep sadness." Buffy and Angel stopped and stared at him. "My princess. She is unhappy. I fear I am the cause."

"No. No, she's not unhappy you're here, Gru. She's thrilled." Buffy said.

"Then what keeps her from me? There is a distance as if her heart is not free."

"I.. I think, that maybe she's afraid to get too close. She's, uh, scared if she does, she'll, uh, lose something." Angel said.

"But I would give myself to her."

Suddenly, they were interrupted by a low growl. Buffy held her hand up to stop Gru. She didn't need to with Angel because they had fought together so long that they could literally synchronize their fights. Angel touched some liquid spots on the ground, and then rubbed his fingers together, looking at them.

"It is wounded. It bleeds." Gru said.

"It's better than bread crumbs. Lets go." Buffy said. Angel stepped in front of her and Gru stepped next to her. They were flanking her so she wouldn't get hurt. Buffy figured the only reason that Angel let her come along was she was an excellent tracker and Angel didn't want her to get in trouble back at the hotel.

Angel, Buffy, and Gru entered what looked like the water treatment plant Wes was talking about. The Senih'd dropped off some pipes behind them. The three turned and attacked the demon together. The Senih'd managed to disarm both Angel and Gru fairly early into the fight, but neither Angel nor Gru let that slow them down. Buffy stepped in and shot the demon through the leg to try to slow it down. It hit her across the face hard enough to send her crashing into the wall. Angel took a bit more of a beating than Gru, but other than that they were doing about the same against the monster. Until it let out a scream and broke through the wall to escape into the sunny park outside.

Angel scrambled back out of the sunlight streaming in through the opening. Gru picked up his dropped sword, and then held out a hand to help Angel up.

"Come." Gru said.

Angel just looked at Gru, not moving. Screams sounded from outside, and Gru turned to run after the Senih'd. Buffy went to Angel as he was getting up.

"Where's your ring?" Buffy asked.

"I took it off when we took a shower. I guess I must have forgotten to put it back on." Angel said.

They turned and watched Gru rescue the young woman the Senih'd has grabbed. The demon tried to use the woman as a shield against Gru's sword, but Gru managed to knock them apart. Cordy, Wes, Gunn, Dawn, and Fred came running over a rise in the park, just in time to see Gru catch the woman in one arm, while knocking the Senih'd down and stabbing it deep into the back of its neck. The demon dissolved into an oily black puddle that seeped away into the ground. The woman Gru had rescued clung to him as if her life depended on him.

"Well done." Wes said. "I must say, excellent work." People in the park gathered around Gru and the others and started to applaud. "Well done."

Wes looked over at the hole in the wall and saw Buffy and Angel standing in the shadows watching.

Buffy looked at Angel. "Come on. Let's go home."

"All right." Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist and they walked back through the tunnels to the Hyperion. They got there before any one else had. Buffy led Angel over to the settee where he helped her sit down.

"Angel, I want to talk to you." Buffy said.

"Go ahead."

"It's about you and Gru. I take it there is some definite tension there."

"No. No, there isn't."

Buffy glared at him.

"Maybe a little."

More glare.

"Ok, there is. There's just something really off putting about him. I know, I know.. he has won Cordy's affections and I love Cordy like a sister. Maybe it's just me wanting to protect her, but there is something that I don't like about him."

"Get to know him. You haven't given him a chance."

"What if I don't want to give him a chance? He tried to kill me in Pylea."

"You tried to kill me."

"So?"

"I gave you a chance. Where would we be if I hadn't given you a chance? You went to the Bronze to kill me five years ago and you were Angel. I told you to go ahead and you couldn't do it. I gave you a chance to love me and I wanted to get to know you better. And we did. Look at us now. I'm not saying that you and Gru are going to fall madly in love with each other, but I am saying that you could be friends with him if you just try. Will you try, for me?"

"Can I beat him up once?"

"Maybe. Depends on the circumstances."

"Ok."



"You think you know someone. You think your place is secure and that there's a future there." Ms. Frakes said.

Buffy and Angel were sitting across from Ms. Frakes behind Wes' desk, watching Gru as he reenacted his fight with the demon for Cordy, Dawn, Gunn, and Fred.

"And then something happens. No, strike that. Some ONE happens! They insinuate themselves, pushing you out, taking your place."

Angel turned his attention back to Ms. Frakes. "And what makes you think this other woman is a witch, Ms. Frakes?"

"Why else would Jerry cheat on me? We've been engaged for eight years! She had to have put some kind of a spell on him."

Angel leaned back in his chair, taking Buffy back with him. Her head was lying on his shoulder and he had wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Angel had tried to convince her to go to bed, but she wouldn't go without him. "Well, if you give me the woman's name I'll have someone check her out. See if we can find out if she's a witch."

"HotBlonde37159." Ms. Frakes handed Angel some papers. "I got these off the e-mails that I took from Jerry's computer."

"It's, ah, gonna.. uh, it's gonna be pretty difficult to find her based solely on this."

"Well, just follow Jerry! I'm sure he'll lead you right to her."

Angel looked up at Wes as he entered the office. "Ms Frakes here wants us to stake out her fiancé. I was trying to explain to her that.."

"I think we can spare someone to keep an eye on Ms Frakes' fiancé. Gunn!" Wes called. Gunn got up from the settee. "If witchcraft is involved we should probably look into it."

"What's up?" Gunn asked.

"Ah, Gunn, Ms Frakes here needs some surveillance work. I thought, if you were free.."

"Yeah, not a problem."

"Good. She'll give you the details. I'll leave it in your hands."

"Sure thing."

Fred came into the office and smiled. "We won't let you down."

With that, the two left with Ms. Frakes. Wesley stared after Fred. Buffy lifted her head and looked at Wes.

"You ok?" Buffy asked.

"Hmm? Oh, yes."

"Who were you on the phone with?" Angel asked.

"Oh, a book store. A rare book store." Wes started to walk off, but turned around. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Sure." Buffy said.

"I don't know. Are you certain you're up for it?" Angel asked Buffy.

"I'm up for it."

"Ok. Let me get our coats and we'll go with you."



"I don't know. Maybe they should just do it, you know? Get it over with." Angel was saying as they entered the shop.

"I'm sorry?" Wes asked.

"He means Cordy and Gru." Buffy clarified.

"She's being all noble for the good of the team. She should just make with the com-shuck. That's what she wants." Angel said.

"Oh." Wes said.

"May I help you?" the guy running the store asked.

"Yes. I phoned earlier about Grammaticus Third Century Greek Commentaries."

"Of course. The G.T.C.G.C. I'll be just one moment."

The guy went to a back room and Angel continued talking.

"I mean, why not? You know, life is short. Okay, not mine, but, you know, most people's. And if Gru does it for her, she should go for it. Make him happy. Make her happy. Make everybody happy."

"But still office romance complicates things. What if they should have a row, or break up?" Wes asked.

"You see where this office romance ended up don't you?" Buffy asked sarcastically.

"All of us fight with each other at some point. I don't see it changing things much." Angel said.

"Well, she said it herself. It could risk the visions." Wes said.

"Okay. So the visions pass to Gru. He gets them instead of her. So what?"

"Are you suggesting Groosalug could replace Cordelia?"

"Maybe not Cordelia."

"I see. You think he could replace you."

"I don't know. Seems to me, here is a guy who can do everything I can and a few things I can't."

"Awe, sweetie, that's not true." Buffy said.

"You saw what happened this afternoon. If Gru hadn't been there.."

"I would have gone after it."

"And the rest of us would have. Angel, you're the reason we've all come together. It's your mission which animates us. We each contribute, it's true, but you.. you're unique. You're like one of these rare volumes. One of a kind." Wes said.

The guy walked back out and said, "I've got three of them."

Angel groaned and walked out to the car. Buffy looked at Wesley who nodded to tell her everything was going to be ok there. She walked out after him and caught up with him half way down the street.

"Angel." Buffy said.

"What?"

"He's not going to replace you. He's going to be a part of the team. And besides, he'll be a help when you're in Sunnydale."

Angel just looked at her.

"What did we talk about earlier?"

"When? We talk about a lot of things Buffy."

"I meant last night. You know, about being happy with who you are and what you've got. And the life jumping stuff."

"Oh, that."

"Yeah, that." Buffy sighed. "Gru's not you. If he were, he would be mine. But he's Cordy's. And that would be weird cause you said Cordy is like a sister to you and if Gru was you, that be like, incest, or whatever."

Angel laughed.

"See. You're not Gru, cause Gru wouldn't get that."

Angel smiled at her and pulled her into his arms. They stood there hugging for a few more seconds before Wesley came up to them and smiled. The three walked back to the car and drove home.

Wesley read pretty much the whole way while Buffy and Angel talked about Gru and the differences between them. Wes joined in just as they pulled up to the Hyperion.

"Well, ah, Wesley thanks for what you said before. You put things into perspective for me." Angel said.

"Glad I could. While I do believe having another warrior for good may be an asset in the coming days, truth is, you and the Groosalug are two totally different people.." Wes trailed off as they opened the doors and found Gru standing there. His hair was cut short and he was wearing Angel's clothes.

"Uh, hello." Gru said.

"..who look exactly alike." Wes finished.

"He's wearing my clothes." Angel said under his breath.

"Good fit." Buffy said.

"Where's Cordelia?"

Cordy came out of the office, a huge smile on her face. "Oh, good. You're back."

"He's wearing my clothes."

"What? Oh, yeah. I.. I didn't think you'd mind. Turns out you guys are about the same size. I think he's a little taller. Looks great though, doesn't he? Buffy, I need your help."

"What happened? You had a vision?" Buffy asked.

"What? Oh, no. No, it's nothing like that. Um. This is personal."

"What is it?"

"I wouldn't ask, except, ah, there's really no one else I can trust with this. It's something only you can do?"

Buffy led Cordy into the office and sat her down in the chair while Buffy took the desk. "Tell me."

"You've done so much for me already and.. Well, this is just one more thing for the list, I guess."

"There is no list. You know that. Just.. just tell me what I can do."

"I need you to help me have sex with Gru."

Buffy looked out the window at Gru who was talking to Wes and Angel. Angel wasn't really listening; he was too concerned with what Buffy and Cordy were talking about. Cordy grinned at Gru behind Buffy's back and waved. Gru waved and smiled back. Buffy lifted a hand, wiggled her fingers a little and raised her eyebrows, while trying to smile back.

"I realized something today. It's not the threat of losing the visions that's been keeping me from being close. It's me. The Visions are just an excuse. I mean there's always some excuse." Cordy said.

"Right." Buffy said.

"I'm tired of being lonely."

"Yeah."

"So I worked it out."

"You did?"

"Yes! It was something Wesley said a paranormal prophylactic. And that got me thinking. I couldn't be the only woman on earth that had some supernatural gift that could be lost through physical intimacy."

"Stands to reason."

"So I started researching and anyway, I'm right. There is a potion, a protective potion. I take it and bang! I can."

"A potion?"

"Yeah. Anyway, this woman's name is Anita, and she's kind of in the business. Makes love potions, elixirs, things like that. She says she's got just the thing at this address." Cordy handed a slip of paper to Buffy.

"You want me to get this for you?"

"I went to my ATM, got cash. Nearly cleaned me out, but I think it's worth it." Cordy handed Buffy some money.

"So you and Gru can.."

"Com-shuck like bunnies. You betcha."

"Why don't you just send him?"

"I am sending him. He kind of insists on it, but that's why I need you."

"Huh?"

"He doesn't know this world. I can't send him into a demon brothel all by himself! I mean, I trust him, but I'm not crazy."

Buffy stepped back. "Brothel?"

"You'd be safe there. No woman's gonna tempt you, right?"

"R.. right."

Gru and Angel walked in.

"Are we ready?" Gru asked.

"I think so." Cordy said.

"We're most grateful for your help, Buffy. You've been a true friend to us both." Gru said, throwing his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah." Buffy said.

They started to head out. Buffy grabbed Angel's arm desperately and dragged him along.

"Where are we going?" Angel asked.

"A brothel." Buffy said.

"What!?"



"Oh, I love your outfits." Anita said. Buffy, Angel, and Gru followed her through the mansion that wasn't exactly what ANYONE would imagine a brothel would be like. This one had demons as their whores!

"Well, I really wouldn't call them 'outfits.'" Angel said.

"But you are together?"

Gru put his arms around Buffy and Angel. "Yes! Three champions here together." Buffy and Angel pushed Gru's arms off. And Angel said, "Not 'together' together. Just 'get the potion' together. I'm with her. She's my wife." Angel grabbed Buffy and pulled her to him.

"So I may com-shuck my princess."

"Just to reiterate," Angel pointed at himself, "NOT.." Angel got distracted by the sound of laughter, "the princess.."

Buffy and Angel stopped to stare into a room where a couple was having a pillow fight.

"The room is enchanted. Everything that happens in there, every touch, every emotion, every desire is extended for maximum pleasure. I can check the schedule if the lovely couple would like." Anita said to Buffy and Angel as she led Gru down the corridor. After a moment, they followed Gru and Anita. "Just right in here."

Anita led Gru into a big bedroom. A man wearing dress pants and a shirt was manacled to one of the walls.

"Oh, hello!" the man said.

"Fear not, friend. We are here to save you!" Gru said, rushing over to the man, trying to pull him out of the manacles.

"Hey! Get off!" the man cried.

Buffy and Angel walked in and Angel went and pulled Gru away. "Gru! Gru, I think he's happy there."

"As a slave?"

"Don't judge me." The man said.

"Come on." Angel looked at the man. "Sorry." Then back at Anita. "If you'll just give us the potion, we'll be.."

"You brought cash?" Anita asked.

Buffy pulled out the wad of cash that Cordy had given her and she handed it to Anita. Anita took it then lifted one hand up into the air. There was a little tinkling sound and her hand was enveloped in a deep blue light. As she brought her hand back down she was holding a small metal bottle.

"Make sure to tell your princess to drink it all at once." Anita said to Gru. Gru took and it and Anita turned to Buffy and Angel. "I know why your earnest friend is here, but why are you two here? What's in it for you? I think you've already gotten what you wanted."

They just stood there, Angel ignoring the ringing cell phone.

"Angel, your coat is singing." Gru said.

Buffy took the cell phone out of her husband's pocket and opened it. "Hello. What? Gunn? I can barely hear you."

"Yeah, reception's not so great, is it?" Gunn asked.

"Where are you?"

"Under Plummer Park."

"Under it?"

"Pretty much. We were tailing that woman's fiancé.."

"Jerry." Fred said in the background.

"..and we kind of lost him."

"But then we found him sort of."

"Him and his date. Some root-crazy, tree-like demony thing."

"With what looks like a DSL connection. We're pretty sure he chats up lonely hearts online, and then sucks them down here for food. Or maybe it gets its power that way."

"Monster's got a big, old, leathery joint jammed up into the guy. I think it's sucking the life out of him."

"What.. have you called Wesley yet?" Buffy asked.

"We were kind of hoping we wouldn't have to." Gunn said.

"I don't understand."

"We just didn't want to bother him with this."

"Bother him?"

"Look. Nothing against Wes, but I'm not sure he can help us out at the moment. What we really need is Gru and you and Angel. Can I talk to Gru?"

"Oh, uh.." Buffy handed Gru the cell phone. "It's for you."

"Hello?" Gru said into the earpiece. "Hello?"

"Uh, Gru.." Buffy flipped the phone so he could talk to Gunn.

"Oh! Thank you. Hello?"

"Gru, we need your help." Gunn said.