Hi everybody! This is me posting the second chapter of Complex Cycles. First, I wanted to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH to the ones who wrote a supporting comment about the first one. And, as always, this goes to my beta-readers. I hope I will be bothering you with the fourth chapter between next and the following week... or at least before X-mas...
Oh! And I *have* to dedicate this also for Chloe, who I just discovered wrote a nice review for the first chapter in FF.Net. I can't believe you're still with me after all this time, and I'll never be thankful enough for your support!
Now, there were some complaints about first chapter not being B/A enough. What can I say? Well, for firsts that chapter was *only* *meant* to give some insight into my pseudo-Scooby Gang. And no, there weren't any superfluous details. Every character and event is supposed to have a role in later chapters (That is, when I finally write them...)
And then, well... much to my own disconcert 'Complex Cycles' isn't uniquely a B/A history. They both (as sole characters and as a couple) are *very important* characters BUT the story *won't* focus only on them (at least not yet.) There are other characters in there and some more still coming that also need some work and own space... But, all in all, I really think that a large part of the fic will be dedicated to our favourite couple.
Oh! did I mention how *sorry* am I about Giles? Uhmm... I think I'll have to mention it again at the end of the chapter...
And so the story goes on...
TITLE: Complex Cycles ( formerly known as 'Alternate Reality' [AR] ) - Chapter 2
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: Read this and tell me if you still think that they are *his*
DISTRIBUTION: Take it. Just e-mail me before doing so.
SUMMARY: Buffy and Angelus make their apparition in Sunnydale. The Scooby Gang is mourning the loss of one of its members. New relations are made and unknown characters lurk between the shadows...
SPOILERS: Seasons 1,2,3,4 of BtVS and Season 1 of A:tS
AN: Remember: this is an *very* ALTERNATE universe fic.
RATING: Well, the second scene is a bit PG-15ish. (Hey! It's not *my* fault if my muse likes to see them sweat, is it? Even if there isn't any literal sweat... Vampires don't sweat, do they?) The rest is plain PG.
FEEDBACK: Send it. dani_vasq@hotmail.com , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
represents thoughts
represents 'nagging little voice', i.e. conscience.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2 Thursday______*One Player Less, One Player More*
He remembered his childhood between old books and a strict father.
He remembered reading those same books and learning to decipher their unknown characters.
He remembered his broken dreams and his disillusion at learning of his family's past and his only future.
He remembered feeling repulsion against his destiny. It never was supposed to be mapped out.
He remembered wanting to be free.
He remembered using his stolen freedom to conjure black magick and powerful demons.
He remembered escaping from the darkness and finally accepting his Calling.
He remembered going back home to his books and his duties.
He remembered short, blond hair and an innocent smile, which radiated happiness.
He remembered that same smile turning bitterer every time he saw it.
He remembered dark eyes, long dark hair and a smart mouth.
He remembered the helplessness and the fear in those same vibrant eyes.
He remembered gentle eyes, kind soul and a smart brain attached to the silliest character.
He remembered counting on that brain to help them out and on that character to cut the tension.
He remembered the children he would have liked to call his own.
He remembered the tears and smiles they had shared.
He remembered that they could obtain anything they wanted if they were together.
He remembered being part of them.
He remembered the screams...
He remembered the pain...
...and then...
... then he didn't remember anything else.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I love you, Buffy," he murmured against her ear.
They were alone in the graveyard, leaning against one of the newest tombstones.
"I know you do, love."
They had been waiting for some hours for their new 'friend' to come back. He still hadn't appeared so the waiting had stretched itself. Buffy sighed. Waiting wasn't made for them, she concluded. Waiting made them bored; boredom made them go to the other for some fun and fun was bad. Fun was putting her arms around his body and waiting for him to claim her lips. Fun was to feel his lips wandering away and exploring anew what they best knew. Fun was doing wicked, pleasant things to her... She didn't want the fun to stop...
If only they weren't waiting for him to come then maybe they could bring this home. Damn that tardy man! Oh well, who was she to be complaining? A cemetery wasn't that bad... on the contrary.
A kiss on her nipple made her moan his name. A soft bite made her throw back her head in bliss. To hell with that man! She brought his lips towards hers and kissed him with all her might. She let his tongue play with hers before biting it softly. He growled. She loved this. His hands continued working their magic on her. Palms caressing. Fingers kneading. She moaned again and let his lips go... only to have them where she most loved them.
She caressed the taut muscles of his back up and down while he nibbled her earlobe. His kisses were leaving a cool trail on her skin making her shiver at the sensation. What were they here for?
Oh yeah! To pick up their new toy.
"Ang-... Uhhmmm. Do you think... uhhh...so good... do you think he will arise soon?" She managed to say.
"I certainly hope not." He answered before resuming a passionate kiss, tongues and lips burning each other... She loved him the most when he was like this. So wild and uncontrollable. Delicious.
One hand cupped a breast and he began to tease her nipple with his thumb. She moaned in his mouth and traced her nails hard on his back. She could feel herself getting hotter every second and pressed her body against his. She could already feel his hands tugging at the hem of her miniskirt. He needed her as much as she needed him. NOW.
TRASH!
Abruptly, they stopped their movements. Angelus hissed in annoyance and gave her a last quick kiss. Swiftly they disentangled themselves to face the newly arisen vampire.
"Welcome back, Watcher," said Buffy, as casually as possible. "We have been waiting for you." What an annoying bloke! Couldn't he have stayed dead a few seconds more?
Giles blinked surprised. He stared at the couple in front of him. Never before had he encountered a more mismatched one. He was tall with dark looks while she was petite with dark-blonde hair and green eyes. He frowned. There was something about them that he could not define. He had obviously walked on them in an intimate moment but they didn't seem to mind, in fact they were not flushing nor breathing heavily. They weren't breathing at all, he realised.
Vampires. They were vampires. And he was one of them, too. His heart wasn't beating and his lungs didn't try to function. He was dead. He digested the facts slowly. It was... bizarre... and very nice...
He stared at the couple again. They seemed to be waiting for him to do something. Giles could feel a powerful pull in his system towards the man. He sure was his Sire. He looked strong and dangerous. He could feel the darkness emanating from the male vampire. Giles was sure he had seen him elsewhere. The vampire smiled. Giles recognised that evil sneer. It was Angelus. Scourge of Europe. Plague. Evil. No remorse. No pity. Giles smiled. He was lucky to have him as his Sire.
And if this was Angelus then there was only an option for the identity of the woman.
"Slayer..." he hissed. Immediately he felt the tension in the atmosphere become thicker.
"Why do they have to call me that?" Buffy scowled. She didn't like that name. It made her remember things that were better buried in the past. "Everyone in the undead community knows I'm NOT a Slayer since decades, since I met you," she ended her speech with a smile for her lover.
"Old habits die hard, I guess," he responded.
"Ugh! I still hate it. Better learn this now, Watcher: I.Am.No.Slayer. The Slayer wants to drive her dreadful stake through our dead hearts and she'll rejoice when she sees our ashes scattered by the wind. She wants us as dead as we've always wanted her and she won't stop until one of us is dead and the other is drinking from her." She stopped abruptly. She looked around dazed and confused. Angelus walked towards her and put his arms around her. After some seconds Buffy spoke again, "But, enough about me." She directed her head towards Giles. "Now Watcher, you will make a little research for us..." She leaned against her love. He wanted to destroy the world. Maybe it would be fun.
"And if I don't want to?" The new vampire growled. He wanted to feed. Now. He could feel his body begging for blood. But the connection to his Sire was too strong. It stopped him from doing anything.
"Oh, you don't have an option," Angelus said matter-of-factly. He knew what his new minion was going through. The necessity to obey his Sire would wear out in a few decades but for now... "As my child you have to obey me." He caught Buffy's glare "...and her," he added.
Buffy grinned.
Angelus sighed. He had already slept in the couch this week, and that was only because of a 'mean' comment about her outfit. But really, was that tiny He shook his head at the thought. He should have gone after her, who knows what she was going through right now.
"Calm down, Harris. Darla knows what she is doing." Truly she was as preoccupied as Xander about their blonde friend but she knew that pacing a hole on the carpet wasn't going to help. Knowing Darla as good as she did Cordelia knew that the girl would want to vent some of her frustration on the undead. She could almost pity the vampire that crossed her way tonight. And after doing some staking, well... *if* Darla wanted to come back to her friends she would do it and if not she would go to her own home. But obviously, Xander wasn't thinking along the same lines as her... he continued to pace non-stop... Back and fort, back and fort... It was driving her crazy. "Will you stop it with the pacing? Could you sit down, or change your pattern or something? You're making me queasy." Xander didn't stop. Her patience finally wore thin. "Oh damn it, stop it, will you!? It's not as if you were a father waiting for his baby after all."
He glanced at her form, sitting comfortably on his sofa. How could she be so calm when her best friend was running through vampire-infested streets in that state of mind? "Sorry for worrying about *our* best friend." He hissed.
"I forgive you," she responded sweetly. She would be annoyed if she didn't know exactly what Xander was feeling. She had already passed through that stage. She liked to call it: 'Utter Panic', or more specifically: 'Fear That Your Friend Won't Come Back'. She still could remember staying awake until two or three in the morning only to call Darla and assure herself that her best friend was still alive. It took her a long time to stop it. Obviously, Xander was still dealing with his own fears. Sometimes she forgot that the guy hadn't been with them all the time. Just one year, it wasn't time enough to accept the risks Darla took every night. Hell, she was already two years in this Slayer-world and she still feared something would happen to her... something like what happened to Giles...
"Aren't you even slightly afraid, Cordy?" Xander asked. He stopped his pacing and took on the couch just in front of Cordelia.
"Of course I am, you doofus. What kind of friend do you think I am?" She took in his worried expression and softened her voice just a bit. "But just because I worry about her I won't be panicking like you are doing now. Take my advice, Harris, calm down, drink a coffee, and watch a film... Darla will come back safe and sound as always."
"One day she might not," he said sternly. For the first time since he entered this craziness, Xander was voicing his deepest fear. It was true that everyone would die some day, but he was painfully aware that Darla was already living on borrowed time.
Cordelia's eyes widened. It was a non-spoken rule that none of them would speak of death if it wasn't necessary. What did he think he was doing with his pessimistic thoughts? True, no Slayer had ever had a long life but also no Slayer had had Cordelia Chase as an ally. Darla may be always in danger but between Xander and herself she would come out of them unscathed. They had already brought her back from death, hadn't they? "She will," she said decisively.
"You don't know it, Cordy. We nearly lost her once, what if I hadn't been there, huh? What if instead of drowning her the Master had just twisted her neck? What if-"
"SHUT UP!" A slap was heard. Tears were running down Cordelia's cheeks now. An angry red mark began to appear on Xander's face. She couldn't believe she had just slapped him, she hadn't planned to do it. It just... happened. "I'm- I'm sorry, Xander... it just-"
"No, don't apologise, Cordy. You- you were right. I shouldn't be saying these things. I'm sorry, too."
Silence reigned in the room for some minutes. Finally, Xander decided it had been enough angst for one day.
"You know," he said lightly. "It's the first time we've ever said 'Sorry' to the other. It wasn't that bad, was it, Cordy?"
She laughed quietly. You could always count on Harris to enlighten the mood. "No, it wasn't bad. Just don't expect me to do it again."
"Oh, of course I won't! Where would our relationship go if we began to be polite to each other? People might begin to think we are actually friends."
Cordelia dismissed the thought rapidly without knowing that Xander was wondering more or less the same. "And we can't have that, can we?"
"Nope. What would they say if they saw *me*, Master of Computers, getting along with *you*, brainless model-wannabe?" he taunted her.
"Brainless? I'll let you know that I'm the best in my History-class," she said proudly. It was true. She just wouldn't say that it was because of the numerous 'research-parties' that she had taken into reading history-books. First to be dead than to admit such a thing.
"Yeah, sure. You probably know which outfit was the coolest in the French Revolution..."
"It surely was the same you are using right now," she countered swiftly. "Why don't you make yourself a favour and let Darla go shopping with you? I know she had offered and I know you would love to accept..."
"I just don't want her to change my wardrobe. It's pretty ok without a girl going on and on about colours and fashion. Else, she would probably end up throwing my favourite clothes to the trash..." He answered calmly. He knew better than to discuss about fashion with Cordelia. It always lead to fights and this time Darla wasn't there to stop them.
"And even knowing that, you *still* won't let her do such a favour?" She couldn't believe his stubbornness.
"Favour? Oh please! The last time you two were in my room you wanted me to give up these pants!" He pointed to the purple-reddish pants with brown lines he was just wearing. Cordelia cringed at the sight.
"And we were SO right! Anyone would say that someone with so much brain as you would pick up some good taste from us... How can you still wear that thing?"
"I can and I will because it is one of my favourite ones." He stated.
"Yeah, well, let it be your favourite. But is it reason enough to *wear* it?"
"Oh, shut up, Cordy. You and me have never had the same taste and we never will."
"Thank God for that!"
"The same goes for me!"
An evil smile appeared on Cordelia's face. Xander just knew she was up to something.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The stake parted the flesh like it were just melted butter. The vampire yelped in pain.
"That was not the heart, you bitch!"
The tight line of her mouth turned into a menacing sneer. "I know," she answered in a hiss.
The vampire's eyes widened.
"And I'm still not finished..." she whispered.
In view of the circumstances the vampire made the most logical thing: He escaped. he concluded. Ignoring the pain in his abdomen, he continued running.
Darla stared after his retreating form for a moment. Then she gripped her stake and run after her prey.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was what life - or death, on his case - should be about. After the killing at the cemetery his Sire and the Slayer had treated him to an extra feeding in town. He suspected it was a kind of reward for staying obediently with his prey and not asking questions about their sudden disappearance. As if he needed to ask what those sounds and screams had been about!
He chose to forget all about the couple and concentrated on the actual events.
The blood tasted like vine and ambrosia. It passed through his throat in a rush and he could almost feel it spreading through his dead body. The teenager he had found in the alley behind the Bronze had stopped struggling a long time ago and now just hung limply against him. He wondered briefly why no one learned not to come out at night. he decided
"Stop."
His Sire's voice interrupted him. Giles wasn't enjoying the bloke's presence. Far too conceited and annoying for his liking. He decided in that moment to stick around only to learn the basics and do the favour the Slayer had rambled about. Then he would ditch them; he had an own reputation to make, after all. He continued sucking. "There's still blood," he mumbled.
Giles heard Angelus' chuckling. "Haven't you noticed that the boy is dead? There are finer things for us to drink than dead blood. There are still hundreds of unaware citizens waiting for us to open their eyes."
"And their jugulars, too." Buffy provided from her spot at his side. She was in vampire mode and under the light of the streetlamp Giles could see the still fresh blood over her fangs. She licked it absently.
"Yeah, and their jugulars too." He wiped softly some remaining blood from his lover's chin and let Buffy lick his finger. "In fact, that's my favourite part." Buffy smiled at him, showing her agreement to that last part. With a last glance at her Angelus turned round and began walking away without waiting for the Watcher to reach them.
Buffy followed him wordlessly.
I hate him, Giles thought fleetingly before abandoning the body and running after them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An evil smile appeared on Cordelia's face. Xander just knew she was up to something.
"Oooh... but I still think you should take Darla's offer. For one thing I know for a fact that you would love to... especially now that Devon is out of the picture..." she finished with a smirk.
"Are you implying something, Miss Chase?" He asked already knowing the answer. He hated it when she commented about his crush on Darla. Sometimes he believed that the only reason why Cordelia hadn't told her best friend about it was so she could tease him.
"Just the same as always, Xand. There's this whole 'unrequited love' going on between you two and I just wonder when you will have the guts to tell her," she said nonchalantly. It was not the first time that she tried to corner him into an answer. It always annoyed him and whatever annoyed Xander Harris was okay with her, especially when she didn't want to think about other things... such as her best friend risking her life on the streets.
"I have nothing to tell Darla," he said, "and even if I had it would be none of your concern."
"Of course it would be, Harris. Have you forgotten I am her best friend? I have to worry about her well-being, especially after the whole fiasco with Devon..." Her features darkened slightly. "What I wouldn't give for a vampire to give him a good fright!"
Xander chuckled.
"What are you laughing about?" Cordelia demanded indignantly. She didn't like when people laughed at something she didn't know, especially when it was something about herself.
"Just that it's no wonder that you and Darla are such good friends. You two even think alike!" Seeing her uncomprehending face Xander decided to explain himself further. "It's just that yesterday morning Darla told me -and I'm quoting - 'I wished a vampire would suck him dry.' Ain't you two the sweetest when it comes to ex boyfriends?"
Cordelia smiled. "Well, he certainly deserves it."
"I won't disagree with you there."
"You wouldn't disagree even if you knew it were a lie."
Xander thought, "I won't discuss it with you anymore."
Cordelia gazed at him and recognised the serious look in his eyes. She conceded defeat. There would always be another opportunity to make him sweat. But that didn't mean she would stop teasing him a little. "Ok, if it is as you say and there isn't any crush going on then you could always hit on Anya. I've heard interesting things about you from her." She rapidly decided against it. It had no use telling him... for now. She would take care of fixing the little problem before it became one.
"Anya? As in Anya Emerson? The blonde who is always talking behind everyone's backs?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yup. The one and only. She is not that bad, you know. Her only problem is that she actually thinks you are a god." She paused to see his reaction. He smiled smugly. Cordelia decided. She waited some seconds for the idea of a girl liking him to sink in before delivering the blow. "Do you think it is an effect of the Hellmouth? You know, there could be a demon out there wanting poor helpless girls to fall for dorks like you." Xander just stared at her. Cordelia laughed to herself. There was nothing better that to annoy Xander Harris, except maybe to go shopping, that is. "Because, well, Anya even mentioned a 'six-pack' and let's admit it, Harris, you've been working out but not *that* much." She paused as if to wonder her own words. "Yup. It's definitely a demon. Gotta ask Gil-" She stopped in mid word. She had been about to say... "Oh my God. For a moment I totally forgot..." she whispered brokenly. "Giles is d-dead and we are here joking as if all were ok." Tears began to form in her eyes.
Xander was at her side in a second. Sure, he disliked the girl 99% of the time. But even she deserved to be consoled when necessary. First he began to pat her awkwardly on the back but when he heard her quiet sobs he quickly gathered her in his arms. he thought with a start. He hadn't planned on doing this, hugging was friends' stuff and he and Cordelia certainly were no friends, simple acquaintances was more of it.
And while Xander fought with his inner voice, Cordelia was reliving the past years with the Watcher... Meeting him in the library, accusing him of stalker and child-molester, finding herself respecting his stuffy self, his annoyed glance when she would complain about research and his proud gaze every time she actually found something useful... Giles had encouraged her and Darla to be more responsible and efficient, he had taught them to fight against the unknown -literal and metaphorically. He had always been a reliable source of strength and support... even when he complained about their wild ways. And now he was gone... Life was never fair.
"Uhm... Cordelia? Are you okay?" She had stopped sobbing a while ago but had stayed quietly in her *extremely* unusual position. He wondered if she had fallen asleep.
"Huh?" She awakened from her reverie to find herself in Xander's arms, with her face on his shoulder and her hands clutching his shirt. She blushed furiously and let him go.
"You ok, Cordy?"
"Y-yeah.. I guess so. Sorry about the spectacle. It's just that everything has been so sudden. I just- I just kind of broke down..." Oh God! Why couldn't she wait until she was alone in her room to begin mourning Giles? Xander wouldn't let her live this one down...
"Sure. I understand."
... or maybe he would. "Really?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yeah, I understand that you broke down and took advantage of it to ruin my best shirt." He signalled his left shoulder, which displayed many wet and dark stains. "How much mascara do you use, Cordy? A whole pot every day?" He raised an eyebrow is mock-annoyance. Cordelia smiled slightly at his antics to dissipate the tension and decided to follow his lead.
"Hey! You should actually be glad that I freed your tasteless self from that garment! I mean, dark green with *yellow* letters on it? What were you thinking when you bought it? Oh wait, I forgot you didn't think when it comes to clothes... or anything else." She finished with a smirk.
"That was a low blow."
"You just say that because you can't find a comeback."
"I SO can find one"
"Cannot."
"Sure I can."
"Cannot."
"You are acting like a kid!" he said exasperatedly throwing his arms in the air.
"No. *You* are acting like one," she accused crossing her arms over her chest.
"Am not."
"See?" She grinned. She didn't know why she was behaving like this. Normally she would just say good-bye and go home. It seemed that these last hours had created a truce between them. It was funny. Bad thing it wouldn't go past tonight. Cordelia didn't find an answer for that one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They were just a few meters in front of him. From his point of view they seemed just another couple going out for a romantic moonlight stroll. His arm was draped tightly around her slim waist and in return she was leaning her head against his shoulder. No words passed between them but their pace was still sure and determined. It was as if the both knew where the other wanted to go.
If you didn't notice the darkness that radiated from them and the predatory glance in their pupils you would only see the happy couple in love who was waiting for a bad guy like himself to attack them.
Giles mused. If he believed in love between vampires these two would surely define the term. But he knew better than that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It is late. I don't think she is going to come back," he said with a yawn. They had been talking amiably for the past hour. It was the first time they were together without bitching at each other. It felt nice. He wondered idly if Cordelia could always be this nice.
"I told you so."
"Yes, you were right. Happy now?"
Cordelia nodded. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It marked 10:23. "It is late. I must be going now."
"Do you want me to walk you home? Your parents must be worried."
"My parents?" She forced a laugh. "I bet they haven't even noticed I'm not home."
"Yeah well, my mum isn't even here to not to notice my absence," he said with a sigh. He shook his head and continued seriously. "I'm gonna walk you home anyway. It's already dark outside and you know it isn't safe."
Cordelia raised herself from her seat and marched with a decisive pace towards the door. "I'm *driving* home, Harris, and I am SO not lending you my car to come back. If a vampire wants to attack me I'll just run him over."
"You'd probably do it even if it weren't a vampire," he whispered under his breath.
Cordelia still heard him and turned around.
"Watch your mouth, Computer Boy, or next time you might find yourself walking to the library in the middle of the night..." She poked him playfully in the chest.
He began smiling but then he realised something. Sigh. "We cannot use the library anymore, Cordy. Now that Giles is d-..." He couldn't bring himself to say the dreadful word. "Now that Giles isn't there we won't be able to do research there anymore."
Cordelia's grin faltered. "Yeah. I hadn't thought about that. We'll have to find another place..."
"We'll think about it tomorrow with Darla," he said. He had a slight idea of where their new 'headquarters' could be but he still preferred to discuss it with the two girls.
"Tomorrow is it, then." She opened the door and took a last glance at Xander above her shoulder. "Goodnight, Xander."
"G-night, Cordy."
She let herself out closing the door behind her.
Xander sat there staring at the closed door for a long time. Finally he found the answer to the question, which had plagued him since the hug.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His third prey of the night was a girl. Nice, nice girl inviting him to her apartment without any questions. Of course he had fucked her before going for the menu. It was the least he could do for the nice girl who was now lying nude on her own bed in the middle of her own blood. It would be funny to see her boyfriend's reaction when he came back, funnier even to hear his screams when he found *him*.
He grinned.
Well, it seemed that the Hellmouth would be not only about work but also about pleasure. He definitely was already enjoying his visit.
He sat on a chair in a corner of the room and waited.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She was passing a red light when she realised that her mind really wasn't on the wheel. That realisation wasn't a real problem, after all it was not the first time it had happened. What really surprised her was *what* was maintaining her thoughts busy. In one of those rare moments of total honesty with herself she acknowledged that one thought had tormented her since that awkward hug. She remembered clearly the feel of the hard muscles beneath her face and hands. Of course, nobody had to know what she had just discovered.
She stepped on the accelerator before the next light could change to red, too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He would have breathed in relief when the stake finally pierced his heart... instead he just exploded into a cloud of dust.
"Weren't you a really weak one?" Darla said to the fallen ashes. "Oh, well, I'll just have to find another one."
And with this thought on mind the Slayer went on her way to the next cemetery.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Home, sweet home," Buffy hummed happily in the doorway. "Oh Angelus. You make me so happy." She began to spin around in the room. "I love this. It's so dark, so damned, and so beautiful. Darkness and death are here. I can smell them. They are staying with us. Forever. Aren't you happy, love?"
"Of course I am, Buff," he said amused, watching her from the door.
"Well, I think this will do," Giles mused aloud, ignoring the other vampires. "There's plenty of space for us three so you won't disturb me while I'm working." he thought, He quickly decided that they would tell him when they considered it necessary and opted for another line of questioning. Watcher or not he was still curious about vampires' ways of living, even more now that he was one of them. "How did you manage to get this house?"
"It's not a house, it's a mansion. Learn the difference, Watcher. As to how I got it..." Angelus smiled smugly. "Simple, I killed the owners. The fools invited me in believing I was delivering a package..."
"Oooh... and he did," Buffy interrupted with a merry laugh. Suddenly she was perched again in Angelus' arm. "He brought them Darkness and Death. Isn't my love sweet?"
"Yeah," Giles mumbled. If he hadn't learned that she was one of the strongest vampires in existence he would have a hard time believing it. The girl was simply crazy. And he was tired of being patient, "And about my job, you still haven't explain me what..." He turned to find the pair locked in a passionate embrace. He sighed. He had always known that 'The Slayer' was somewhat of a mental case but never, NEVER in his wildest dreams would he have pictured Angelus 'THE Scourge of Europe' as a hormonal-crazed teenager. "You two. Give me my orders or get a room. This is getting annoying." Especially for someone who hadn't had any 'action' for years...
Angelus managed to disentangle himself. "The Watcher here is right, Buff. Maybe we shouldn't..."
Buffy caressed tenderly his cheek and directed his mouth towards hers. "Don't. Just kiss me."
"Guess we're getting a room, then," he mumbled against her mouth. "Watcher, sleep wherever you want. I really don't care." He resumed the kiss and swept Buffy in his arms before running upstairs.
Giles could hear her giggling for a long time. Then there was only the sound of a door slamming shut. 'Eternity with them, shit!' He sighed and went to the basement. At least he was sure there were no windows there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that was that for now. And I'm really, really sorry about Giles (and for him, too.)
Third chapter will be coming as soon as I have the first ten pages of the fourth or ten e-mails asking for it (whatever happens first...) I hope you liked this. If you have suggestions, e-mail them. dani_vasq@hotmail.con , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
P.S. First B/S meeting in BTVS...
Buffy: Who are you?
Spike: You'll find out on Saturday.
Buffy: What happens on Saturday?
Spike: I kill you.
*sigh* Wasn't it romantic? Can't you feel the love in there? Romance is in the air, isn't it? NO! And then they ask why we are still waiting for Angel... (But wasn't Spike COOL? Bad thing I have to use the past tense when talking of it...)
Oh! And I *have* to dedicate this also for Chloe, who I just discovered wrote a nice review for the first chapter in FF.Net. I can't believe you're still with me after all this time, and I'll never be thankful enough for your support!
Now, there were some complaints about first chapter not being B/A enough. What can I say? Well, for firsts that chapter was *only* *meant* to give some insight into my pseudo-Scooby Gang. And no, there weren't any superfluous details. Every character and event is supposed to have a role in later chapters (That is, when I finally write them...)
And then, well... much to my own disconcert 'Complex Cycles' isn't uniquely a B/A history. They both (as sole characters and as a couple) are *very important* characters BUT the story *won't* focus only on them (at least not yet.) There are other characters in there and some more still coming that also need some work and own space... But, all in all, I really think that a large part of the fic will be dedicated to our favourite couple.
Oh! did I mention how *sorry* am I about Giles? Uhmm... I think I'll have to mention it again at the end of the chapter...
And so the story goes on...
TITLE: Complex Cycles ( formerly known as 'Alternate Reality' [AR] ) - Chapter 2
AUTHOR: Leni
DISCLAIMER: Read this and tell me if you still think that they are *his*
DISTRIBUTION: Take it. Just e-mail me before doing so.
SUMMARY: Buffy and Angelus make their apparition in Sunnydale. The Scooby Gang is mourning the loss of one of its members. New relations are made and unknown characters lurk between the shadows...
SPOILERS: Seasons 1,2,3,4 of BtVS and Season 1 of A:tS
AN: Remember: this is an *very* ALTERNATE universe fic.
RATING: Well, the second scene is a bit PG-15ish. (Hey! It's not *my* fault if my muse likes to see them sweat, is it? Even if there isn't any literal sweat... Vampires don't sweat, do they?) The rest is plain PG.
FEEDBACK: Send it. dani_vasq@hotmail.com , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
represents thoughts
represents 'nagging little voice', i.e. conscience.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2 Thursday______*One Player Less, One Player More*
He remembered his childhood between old books and a strict father.
He remembered reading those same books and learning to decipher their unknown characters.
He remembered his broken dreams and his disillusion at learning of his family's past and his only future.
He remembered feeling repulsion against his destiny. It never was supposed to be mapped out.
He remembered wanting to be free.
He remembered using his stolen freedom to conjure black magick and powerful demons.
He remembered escaping from the darkness and finally accepting his Calling.
He remembered going back home to his books and his duties.
He remembered short, blond hair and an innocent smile, which radiated happiness.
He remembered that same smile turning bitterer every time he saw it.
He remembered dark eyes, long dark hair and a smart mouth.
He remembered the helplessness and the fear in those same vibrant eyes.
He remembered gentle eyes, kind soul and a smart brain attached to the silliest character.
He remembered counting on that brain to help them out and on that character to cut the tension.
He remembered the children he would have liked to call his own.
He remembered the tears and smiles they had shared.
He remembered that they could obtain anything they wanted if they were together.
He remembered being part of them.
He remembered the screams...
He remembered the pain...
...and then...
... then he didn't remember anything else.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I love you, Buffy," he murmured against her ear.
They were alone in the graveyard, leaning against one of the newest tombstones.
"I know you do, love."
They had been waiting for some hours for their new 'friend' to come back. He still hadn't appeared so the waiting had stretched itself. Buffy sighed. Waiting wasn't made for them, she concluded. Waiting made them bored; boredom made them go to the other for some fun and fun was bad. Fun was putting her arms around his body and waiting for him to claim her lips. Fun was to feel his lips wandering away and exploring anew what they best knew. Fun was doing wicked, pleasant things to her... She didn't want the fun to stop...
If only they weren't waiting for him to come then maybe they could bring this home. Damn that tardy man! Oh well, who was she to be complaining? A cemetery wasn't that bad... on the contrary.
A kiss on her nipple made her moan his name. A soft bite made her throw back her head in bliss. To hell with that man! She brought his lips towards hers and kissed him with all her might. She let his tongue play with hers before biting it softly. He growled. She loved this. His hands continued working their magic on her. Palms caressing. Fingers kneading. She moaned again and let his lips go... only to have them where she most loved them.
She caressed the taut muscles of his back up and down while he nibbled her earlobe. His kisses were leaving a cool trail on her skin making her shiver at the sensation. What were they here for?
Oh yeah! To pick up their new toy.
"Ang-... Uhhmmm. Do you think... uhhh...so good... do you think he will arise soon?" She managed to say.
"I certainly hope not." He answered before resuming a passionate kiss, tongues and lips burning each other... She loved him the most when he was like this. So wild and uncontrollable. Delicious.
One hand cupped a breast and he began to tease her nipple with his thumb. She moaned in his mouth and traced her nails hard on his back. She could feel herself getting hotter every second and pressed her body against his. She could already feel his hands tugging at the hem of her miniskirt. He needed her as much as she needed him. NOW.
TRASH!
Abruptly, they stopped their movements. Angelus hissed in annoyance and gave her a last quick kiss. Swiftly they disentangled themselves to face the newly arisen vampire.
"Welcome back, Watcher," said Buffy, as casually as possible. "We have been waiting for you." What an annoying bloke! Couldn't he have stayed dead a few seconds more?
Giles blinked surprised. He stared at the couple in front of him. Never before had he encountered a more mismatched one. He was tall with dark looks while she was petite with dark-blonde hair and green eyes. He frowned. There was something about them that he could not define. He had obviously walked on them in an intimate moment but they didn't seem to mind, in fact they were not flushing nor breathing heavily. They weren't breathing at all, he realised.
Vampires. They were vampires. And he was one of them, too. His heart wasn't beating and his lungs didn't try to function. He was dead. He digested the facts slowly. It was... bizarre... and very nice...
He stared at the couple again. They seemed to be waiting for him to do something. Giles could feel a powerful pull in his system towards the man. He sure was his Sire. He looked strong and dangerous. He could feel the darkness emanating from the male vampire. Giles was sure he had seen him elsewhere. The vampire smiled. Giles recognised that evil sneer. It was Angelus. Scourge of Europe. Plague. Evil. No remorse. No pity. Giles smiled. He was lucky to have him as his Sire.
And if this was Angelus then there was only an option for the identity of the woman.
"Slayer..." he hissed. Immediately he felt the tension in the atmosphere become thicker.
"Why do they have to call me that?" Buffy scowled. She didn't like that name. It made her remember things that were better buried in the past. "Everyone in the undead community knows I'm NOT a Slayer since decades, since I met you," she ended her speech with a smile for her lover.
"Old habits die hard, I guess," he responded.
"Ugh! I still hate it. Better learn this now, Watcher: I.Am.No.Slayer. The Slayer wants to drive her dreadful stake through our dead hearts and she'll rejoice when she sees our ashes scattered by the wind. She wants us as dead as we've always wanted her and she won't stop until one of us is dead and the other is drinking from her." She stopped abruptly. She looked around dazed and confused. Angelus walked towards her and put his arms around her. After some seconds Buffy spoke again, "But, enough about me." She directed her head towards Giles. "Now Watcher, you will make a little research for us..." She leaned against her love. He wanted to destroy the world. Maybe it would be fun.
"And if I don't want to?" The new vampire growled. He wanted to feed. Now. He could feel his body begging for blood. But the connection to his Sire was too strong. It stopped him from doing anything.
"Oh, you don't have an option," Angelus said matter-of-factly. He knew what his new minion was going through. The necessity to obey his Sire would wear out in a few decades but for now... "As my child you have to obey me." He caught Buffy's glare "...and her," he added.
Buffy grinned.
Angelus sighed. He had already slept in the couch this week, and that was only because of a 'mean' comment about her outfit. But really, was that tiny He shook his head at the thought. He should have gone after her, who knows what she was going through right now.
"Calm down, Harris. Darla knows what she is doing." Truly she was as preoccupied as Xander about their blonde friend but she knew that pacing a hole on the carpet wasn't going to help. Knowing Darla as good as she did Cordelia knew that the girl would want to vent some of her frustration on the undead. She could almost pity the vampire that crossed her way tonight. And after doing some staking, well... *if* Darla wanted to come back to her friends she would do it and if not she would go to her own home. But obviously, Xander wasn't thinking along the same lines as her... he continued to pace non-stop... Back and fort, back and fort... It was driving her crazy. "Will you stop it with the pacing? Could you sit down, or change your pattern or something? You're making me queasy." Xander didn't stop. Her patience finally wore thin. "Oh damn it, stop it, will you!? It's not as if you were a father waiting for his baby after all."
He glanced at her form, sitting comfortably on his sofa. How could she be so calm when her best friend was running through vampire-infested streets in that state of mind? "Sorry for worrying about *our* best friend." He hissed.
"I forgive you," she responded sweetly. She would be annoyed if she didn't know exactly what Xander was feeling. She had already passed through that stage. She liked to call it: 'Utter Panic', or more specifically: 'Fear That Your Friend Won't Come Back'. She still could remember staying awake until two or three in the morning only to call Darla and assure herself that her best friend was still alive. It took her a long time to stop it. Obviously, Xander was still dealing with his own fears. Sometimes she forgot that the guy hadn't been with them all the time. Just one year, it wasn't time enough to accept the risks Darla took every night. Hell, she was already two years in this Slayer-world and she still feared something would happen to her... something like what happened to Giles...
"Aren't you even slightly afraid, Cordy?" Xander asked. He stopped his pacing and took on the couch just in front of Cordelia.
"Of course I am, you doofus. What kind of friend do you think I am?" She took in his worried expression and softened her voice just a bit. "But just because I worry about her I won't be panicking like you are doing now. Take my advice, Harris, calm down, drink a coffee, and watch a film... Darla will come back safe and sound as always."
"One day she might not," he said sternly. For the first time since he entered this craziness, Xander was voicing his deepest fear. It was true that everyone would die some day, but he was painfully aware that Darla was already living on borrowed time.
Cordelia's eyes widened. It was a non-spoken rule that none of them would speak of death if it wasn't necessary. What did he think he was doing with his pessimistic thoughts? True, no Slayer had ever had a long life but also no Slayer had had Cordelia Chase as an ally. Darla may be always in danger but between Xander and herself she would come out of them unscathed. They had already brought her back from death, hadn't they? "She will," she said decisively.
"You don't know it, Cordy. We nearly lost her once, what if I hadn't been there, huh? What if instead of drowning her the Master had just twisted her neck? What if-"
"SHUT UP!" A slap was heard. Tears were running down Cordelia's cheeks now. An angry red mark began to appear on Xander's face. She couldn't believe she had just slapped him, she hadn't planned to do it. It just... happened. "I'm- I'm sorry, Xander... it just-"
"No, don't apologise, Cordy. You- you were right. I shouldn't be saying these things. I'm sorry, too."
Silence reigned in the room for some minutes. Finally, Xander decided it had been enough angst for one day.
"You know," he said lightly. "It's the first time we've ever said 'Sorry' to the other. It wasn't that bad, was it, Cordy?"
She laughed quietly. You could always count on Harris to enlighten the mood. "No, it wasn't bad. Just don't expect me to do it again."
"Oh, of course I won't! Where would our relationship go if we began to be polite to each other? People might begin to think we are actually friends."
Cordelia dismissed the thought rapidly without knowing that Xander was wondering more or less the same. "And we can't have that, can we?"
"Nope. What would they say if they saw *me*, Master of Computers, getting along with *you*, brainless model-wannabe?" he taunted her.
"Brainless? I'll let you know that I'm the best in my History-class," she said proudly. It was true. She just wouldn't say that it was because of the numerous 'research-parties' that she had taken into reading history-books. First to be dead than to admit such a thing.
"Yeah, sure. You probably know which outfit was the coolest in the French Revolution..."
"It surely was the same you are using right now," she countered swiftly. "Why don't you make yourself a favour and let Darla go shopping with you? I know she had offered and I know you would love to accept..."
"I just don't want her to change my wardrobe. It's pretty ok without a girl going on and on about colours and fashion. Else, she would probably end up throwing my favourite clothes to the trash..." He answered calmly. He knew better than to discuss about fashion with Cordelia. It always lead to fights and this time Darla wasn't there to stop them.
"And even knowing that, you *still* won't let her do such a favour?" She couldn't believe his stubbornness.
"Favour? Oh please! The last time you two were in my room you wanted me to give up these pants!" He pointed to the purple-reddish pants with brown lines he was just wearing. Cordelia cringed at the sight.
"And we were SO right! Anyone would say that someone with so much brain as you would pick up some good taste from us... How can you still wear that thing?"
"I can and I will because it is one of my favourite ones." He stated.
"Yeah, well, let it be your favourite. But is it reason enough to *wear* it?"
"Oh, shut up, Cordy. You and me have never had the same taste and we never will."
"Thank God for that!"
"The same goes for me!"
An evil smile appeared on Cordelia's face. Xander just knew she was up to something.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The stake parted the flesh like it were just melted butter. The vampire yelped in pain.
"That was not the heart, you bitch!"
The tight line of her mouth turned into a menacing sneer. "I know," she answered in a hiss.
The vampire's eyes widened.
"And I'm still not finished..." she whispered.
In view of the circumstances the vampire made the most logical thing: He escaped. he concluded. Ignoring the pain in his abdomen, he continued running.
Darla stared after his retreating form for a moment. Then she gripped her stake and run after her prey.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was what life - or death, on his case - should be about. After the killing at the cemetery his Sire and the Slayer had treated him to an extra feeding in town. He suspected it was a kind of reward for staying obediently with his prey and not asking questions about their sudden disappearance. As if he needed to ask what those sounds and screams had been about!
He chose to forget all about the couple and concentrated on the actual events.
The blood tasted like vine and ambrosia. It passed through his throat in a rush and he could almost feel it spreading through his dead body. The teenager he had found in the alley behind the Bronze had stopped struggling a long time ago and now just hung limply against him. He wondered briefly why no one learned not to come out at night. he decided
"Stop."
His Sire's voice interrupted him. Giles wasn't enjoying the bloke's presence. Far too conceited and annoying for his liking. He decided in that moment to stick around only to learn the basics and do the favour the Slayer had rambled about. Then he would ditch them; he had an own reputation to make, after all. He continued sucking. "There's still blood," he mumbled.
Giles heard Angelus' chuckling. "Haven't you noticed that the boy is dead? There are finer things for us to drink than dead blood. There are still hundreds of unaware citizens waiting for us to open their eyes."
"And their jugulars, too." Buffy provided from her spot at his side. She was in vampire mode and under the light of the streetlamp Giles could see the still fresh blood over her fangs. She licked it absently.
"Yeah, and their jugulars too." He wiped softly some remaining blood from his lover's chin and let Buffy lick his finger. "In fact, that's my favourite part." Buffy smiled at him, showing her agreement to that last part. With a last glance at her Angelus turned round and began walking away without waiting for the Watcher to reach them.
Buffy followed him wordlessly.
I hate him, Giles thought fleetingly before abandoning the body and running after them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An evil smile appeared on Cordelia's face. Xander just knew she was up to something.
"Oooh... but I still think you should take Darla's offer. For one thing I know for a fact that you would love to... especially now that Devon is out of the picture..." she finished with a smirk.
"Are you implying something, Miss Chase?" He asked already knowing the answer. He hated it when she commented about his crush on Darla. Sometimes he believed that the only reason why Cordelia hadn't told her best friend about it was so she could tease him.
"Just the same as always, Xand. There's this whole 'unrequited love' going on between you two and I just wonder when you will have the guts to tell her," she said nonchalantly. It was not the first time that she tried to corner him into an answer. It always annoyed him and whatever annoyed Xander Harris was okay with her, especially when she didn't want to think about other things... such as her best friend risking her life on the streets.
"I have nothing to tell Darla," he said, "and even if I had it would be none of your concern."
"Of course it would be, Harris. Have you forgotten I am her best friend? I have to worry about her well-being, especially after the whole fiasco with Devon..." Her features darkened slightly. "What I wouldn't give for a vampire to give him a good fright!"
Xander chuckled.
"What are you laughing about?" Cordelia demanded indignantly. She didn't like when people laughed at something she didn't know, especially when it was something about herself.
"Just that it's no wonder that you and Darla are such good friends. You two even think alike!" Seeing her uncomprehending face Xander decided to explain himself further. "It's just that yesterday morning Darla told me -and I'm quoting - 'I wished a vampire would suck him dry.' Ain't you two the sweetest when it comes to ex boyfriends?"
Cordelia smiled. "Well, he certainly deserves it."
"I won't disagree with you there."
"You wouldn't disagree even if you knew it were a lie."
Xander thought, "I won't discuss it with you anymore."
Cordelia gazed at him and recognised the serious look in his eyes. She conceded defeat. There would always be another opportunity to make him sweat. But that didn't mean she would stop teasing him a little. "Ok, if it is as you say and there isn't any crush going on then you could always hit on Anya. I've heard interesting things about you from her." She rapidly decided against it. It had no use telling him... for now. She would take care of fixing the little problem before it became one.
"Anya? As in Anya Emerson? The blonde who is always talking behind everyone's backs?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yup. The one and only. She is not that bad, you know. Her only problem is that she actually thinks you are a god." She paused to see his reaction. He smiled smugly. Cordelia decided. She waited some seconds for the idea of a girl liking him to sink in before delivering the blow. "Do you think it is an effect of the Hellmouth? You know, there could be a demon out there wanting poor helpless girls to fall for dorks like you." Xander just stared at her. Cordelia laughed to herself. There was nothing better that to annoy Xander Harris, except maybe to go shopping, that is. "Because, well, Anya even mentioned a 'six-pack' and let's admit it, Harris, you've been working out but not *that* much." She paused as if to wonder her own words. "Yup. It's definitely a demon. Gotta ask Gil-" She stopped in mid word. She had been about to say... "Oh my God. For a moment I totally forgot..." she whispered brokenly. "Giles is d-dead and we are here joking as if all were ok." Tears began to form in her eyes.
Xander was at her side in a second. Sure, he disliked the girl 99% of the time. But even she deserved to be consoled when necessary. First he began to pat her awkwardly on the back but when he heard her quiet sobs he quickly gathered her in his arms. he thought with a start. He hadn't planned on doing this, hugging was friends' stuff and he and Cordelia certainly were no friends, simple acquaintances was more of it.
And while Xander fought with his inner voice, Cordelia was reliving the past years with the Watcher... Meeting him in the library, accusing him of stalker and child-molester, finding herself respecting his stuffy self, his annoyed glance when she would complain about research and his proud gaze every time she actually found something useful... Giles had encouraged her and Darla to be more responsible and efficient, he had taught them to fight against the unknown -literal and metaphorically. He had always been a reliable source of strength and support... even when he complained about their wild ways. And now he was gone... Life was never fair.
"Uhm... Cordelia? Are you okay?" She had stopped sobbing a while ago but had stayed quietly in her *extremely* unusual position. He wondered if she had fallen asleep.
"Huh?" She awakened from her reverie to find herself in Xander's arms, with her face on his shoulder and her hands clutching his shirt. She blushed furiously and let him go.
"You ok, Cordy?"
"Y-yeah.. I guess so. Sorry about the spectacle. It's just that everything has been so sudden. I just- I just kind of broke down..." Oh God! Why couldn't she wait until she was alone in her room to begin mourning Giles? Xander wouldn't let her live this one down...
"Sure. I understand."
... or maybe he would. "Really?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yeah, I understand that you broke down and took advantage of it to ruin my best shirt." He signalled his left shoulder, which displayed many wet and dark stains. "How much mascara do you use, Cordy? A whole pot every day?" He raised an eyebrow is mock-annoyance. Cordelia smiled slightly at his antics to dissipate the tension and decided to follow his lead.
"Hey! You should actually be glad that I freed your tasteless self from that garment! I mean, dark green with *yellow* letters on it? What were you thinking when you bought it? Oh wait, I forgot you didn't think when it comes to clothes... or anything else." She finished with a smirk.
"That was a low blow."
"You just say that because you can't find a comeback."
"I SO can find one"
"Cannot."
"Sure I can."
"Cannot."
"You are acting like a kid!" he said exasperatedly throwing his arms in the air.
"No. *You* are acting like one," she accused crossing her arms over her chest.
"Am not."
"See?" She grinned. She didn't know why she was behaving like this. Normally she would just say good-bye and go home. It seemed that these last hours had created a truce between them. It was funny. Bad thing it wouldn't go past tonight. Cordelia didn't find an answer for that one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They were just a few meters in front of him. From his point of view they seemed just another couple going out for a romantic moonlight stroll. His arm was draped tightly around her slim waist and in return she was leaning her head against his shoulder. No words passed between them but their pace was still sure and determined. It was as if the both knew where the other wanted to go.
If you didn't notice the darkness that radiated from them and the predatory glance in their pupils you would only see the happy couple in love who was waiting for a bad guy like himself to attack them.
Giles mused. If he believed in love between vampires these two would surely define the term. But he knew better than that.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It is late. I don't think she is going to come back," he said with a yawn. They had been talking amiably for the past hour. It was the first time they were together without bitching at each other. It felt nice. He wondered idly if Cordelia could always be this nice.
"I told you so."
"Yes, you were right. Happy now?"
Cordelia nodded. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It marked 10:23. "It is late. I must be going now."
"Do you want me to walk you home? Your parents must be worried."
"My parents?" She forced a laugh. "I bet they haven't even noticed I'm not home."
"Yeah well, my mum isn't even here to not to notice my absence," he said with a sigh. He shook his head and continued seriously. "I'm gonna walk you home anyway. It's already dark outside and you know it isn't safe."
Cordelia raised herself from her seat and marched with a decisive pace towards the door. "I'm *driving* home, Harris, and I am SO not lending you my car to come back. If a vampire wants to attack me I'll just run him over."
"You'd probably do it even if it weren't a vampire," he whispered under his breath.
Cordelia still heard him and turned around.
"Watch your mouth, Computer Boy, or next time you might find yourself walking to the library in the middle of the night..." She poked him playfully in the chest.
He began smiling but then he realised something. Sigh. "We cannot use the library anymore, Cordy. Now that Giles is d-..." He couldn't bring himself to say the dreadful word. "Now that Giles isn't there we won't be able to do research there anymore."
Cordelia's grin faltered. "Yeah. I hadn't thought about that. We'll have to find another place..."
"We'll think about it tomorrow with Darla," he said. He had a slight idea of where their new 'headquarters' could be but he still preferred to discuss it with the two girls.
"Tomorrow is it, then." She opened the door and took a last glance at Xander above her shoulder. "Goodnight, Xander."
"G-night, Cordy."
She let herself out closing the door behind her.
Xander sat there staring at the closed door for a long time. Finally he found the answer to the question, which had plagued him since the hug.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His third prey of the night was a girl. Nice, nice girl inviting him to her apartment without any questions. Of course he had fucked her before going for the menu. It was the least he could do for the nice girl who was now lying nude on her own bed in the middle of her own blood. It would be funny to see her boyfriend's reaction when he came back, funnier even to hear his screams when he found *him*.
He grinned.
Well, it seemed that the Hellmouth would be not only about work but also about pleasure. He definitely was already enjoying his visit.
He sat on a chair in a corner of the room and waited.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She was passing a red light when she realised that her mind really wasn't on the wheel. That realisation wasn't a real problem, after all it was not the first time it had happened. What really surprised her was *what* was maintaining her thoughts busy. In one of those rare moments of total honesty with herself she acknowledged that one thought had tormented her since that awkward hug. She remembered clearly the feel of the hard muscles beneath her face and hands. Of course, nobody had to know what she had just discovered.
She stepped on the accelerator before the next light could change to red, too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He would have breathed in relief when the stake finally pierced his heart... instead he just exploded into a cloud of dust.
"Weren't you a really weak one?" Darla said to the fallen ashes. "Oh, well, I'll just have to find another one."
And with this thought on mind the Slayer went on her way to the next cemetery.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Home, sweet home," Buffy hummed happily in the doorway. "Oh Angelus. You make me so happy." She began to spin around in the room. "I love this. It's so dark, so damned, and so beautiful. Darkness and death are here. I can smell them. They are staying with us. Forever. Aren't you happy, love?"
"Of course I am, Buff," he said amused, watching her from the door.
"Well, I think this will do," Giles mused aloud, ignoring the other vampires. "There's plenty of space for us three so you won't disturb me while I'm working." he thought, He quickly decided that they would tell him when they considered it necessary and opted for another line of questioning. Watcher or not he was still curious about vampires' ways of living, even more now that he was one of them. "How did you manage to get this house?"
"It's not a house, it's a mansion. Learn the difference, Watcher. As to how I got it..." Angelus smiled smugly. "Simple, I killed the owners. The fools invited me in believing I was delivering a package..."
"Oooh... and he did," Buffy interrupted with a merry laugh. Suddenly she was perched again in Angelus' arm. "He brought them Darkness and Death. Isn't my love sweet?"
"Yeah," Giles mumbled. If he hadn't learned that she was one of the strongest vampires in existence he would have a hard time believing it. The girl was simply crazy. And he was tired of being patient, "And about my job, you still haven't explain me what..." He turned to find the pair locked in a passionate embrace. He sighed. He had always known that 'The Slayer' was somewhat of a mental case but never, NEVER in his wildest dreams would he have pictured Angelus 'THE Scourge of Europe' as a hormonal-crazed teenager. "You two. Give me my orders or get a room. This is getting annoying." Especially for someone who hadn't had any 'action' for years...
Angelus managed to disentangle himself. "The Watcher here is right, Buff. Maybe we shouldn't..."
Buffy caressed tenderly his cheek and directed his mouth towards hers. "Don't. Just kiss me."
"Guess we're getting a room, then," he mumbled against her mouth. "Watcher, sleep wherever you want. I really don't care." He resumed the kiss and swept Buffy in his arms before running upstairs.
Giles could hear her giggling for a long time. Then there was only the sound of a door slamming shut. 'Eternity with them, shit!' He sighed and went to the basement. At least he was sure there were no windows there.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, that was that for now. And I'm really, really sorry about Giles (and for him, too.)
Third chapter will be coming as soon as I have the first ten pages of the fourth or ten e-mails asking for it (whatever happens first...) I hope you liked this. If you have suggestions, e-mail them. dani_vasq@hotmail.con , a_d_v_v@yahoo.com.ar
P.S. First B/S meeting in BTVS...
Buffy: Who are you?
Spike: You'll find out on Saturday.
Buffy: What happens on Saturday?
Spike: I kill you.
*sigh* Wasn't it romantic? Can't you feel the love in there? Romance is in the air, isn't it? NO! And then they ask why we are still waiting for Angel... (But wasn't Spike COOL? Bad thing I have to use the past tense when talking of it...)
