The usual disclaimer (I don't own the rights to anything in the Buffy
universe, apart from the characters I create.everything else is pure
Whedon, Joss that is)... Plus a note* sorry I didn't mention it before,
but yes, this story is set shortly after the end of season 1, but before
season 2. with a few tweaks here and there*.
Enjoy, and once again, please r&r, it's the only way I'll learn
"Future Shadows" - Part 2
As the exit doors closed behind him, Xander stopped just outside the Bronze to take in the crisp evening air. He almost hoped for a half-crazed hellhound to jump out and maul him, just to have something to take his frustrations out on... *Fair enough it'd probably rip me to unidentifiable shreds- but I could sure as hell give it a run for it's money in the "screaming like a girl/crying for mercy department*
He made his way slowly down the alley behind the popular nightclub, scuffing his shoes along the street as he went. *I know its stupid, but hey I think I'm entitled some down time, especially considering the fact that I saved her life and all, practically in the same day*. He mused to himself as he went, not noticing a vampire in the shadows just ahead of him with a terrified girl in its clutches. *Heck, I don't get it, I'm kind of cute, I'm friendly...some might even say carefree and whimsical...I guess I should have seen it coming though- good ole reliable Xander huh, reliable.great, I'm a puppy- who ever heard of a puppy with a beautiful girlfriend*.
He chuckled to himself half-heartedly as he walked right past the now astounded vampire. It stood there, girl in hand and staring, not sure of what it should do.
*One day she's going to see that relationships with dead people just don't work-... heck maybe she is interested...maybe she really doesn't want to ruin the friendship we have...* He stopped and shook his head. *Denial is a horrible thing...*
He had loved her since the first day she'd arrived at Sunnydale, he didn't know how, but he had.maybe it was more lustful at first, but it was much more than that now. It's not that he'd expected her to say yes, but maybe give him something better than "I just don't think of you in that way", it didn't seem right, since Angel gave her nothing but pain, she deserved better.
The panic-stricken girl took the situation as a moment of weakness from her assailant and stomped the creatures shoe with a stiletto heel. Taking it by surprise, it loosened its grip, still confused about the boy who had just passed him without so much as the recognition that he was there. Then girl then made a desperate run for safety. The vampire realized too late and growled in frustration before setting its sites on a new victim as the girl left the alley. It lunged toward a completely oblivious Xander, only to be stopped mid- stride by a cloaked figure, who dropped down behind it and promptly dispatched of the creature; decapitating it with bare hands in a single swift, silent motion... Xander finally snapped out of his catatonic state long enough to spin around and see the cloaked figure jump at least 25 feet onto the roof of the bronze and disappear when it realized it had been discovered. *I must be really out of it...time for a stop by 'World-Class video' for some serious escapism...tragedy, thy name is Xander.........or was that Macbeth? ...either way, Shakespeare had it right- life was just downright depressing sometimes*.
MEANWHILE - At Giles' apartment.
A middle-aged Englishman in plain slacks and a maroon cardigan sat in the corner of his well-decorated up-town Sunnydale apartment (the uptown of course being less than a mile away from the downtown), a tweed jacked hanging on a coat rack in the corner. He sat, calmly flicking through an ancient book of some sort bound in dark leather; at least he had hoped it was leather. He sat there silently as a grandfather clock struck midnight, startling him a little as he had been quite engrossed. "You really should lock your bedroom window Giles" "Wha!" He leapt out of his chair, sending the book flying. "Angel". He didn't seem surprised. "That's right; I invited you in last month didn't I".
A tall man in a flowing black coat and matching hair stood at the top of the flight of stairs that lead to the bath, bed and guestroom of Giles apartment. "I suppose they don't teach you how to knock at vampire school" He glared at Angel as he walked down toward the living room. "Sorry, there was an old lady checking around out front... I think she's from Neighbourhood watch". He stopped at the bottom of the stairs for a moment before walking over to a window across the room, looking out of it cautiously. "Mrs. Rudol...wait a minute, you've been wandering the earth for over 100 years, feeding on the blood of rather unappreciative humans...".Angel looked back at him. "Your point?" "You happen to have the strength of several men, and a fighting face that would terrify the elephant man, and you're scared of an old woman with a walking stick?" He almost allowed himself to laugh. "I thought it would just be easier if I was inconspicuous. have you found anything?" Giles adjusted his glasses and walked over to the kitchen bench, picking up a now cold cup of coffee and sipped at it distastefully. "One day you'll have to clarify to me just how climbing into an apartment via a 2nd story window is less conspicuous than knocking.... But in relation to the demon issue I assume you're asking about? No, I'm afraid not". He gestured toward the couch, for Angel to sit as he returned to his own seat, only to be politely refused. "I've been reading for a little over 8 hours and I can't find a thing. Buffy is out patrolling now, trying to find some answers". "Whatever it is, it's something big". Angel replied. "It's really causing an upheaval, Demons are coming from all over the world and congregating. prophets are screaming about chaos coming...something is drawing them here like crazy". Giles looked at his bookcase, declaring his commitment to the issue. "I'm sure its something to do with that mystical convergence the Council informed me of several days ago, but I can't find anything in the 'Prophecies of Algar' about it". Angel looked down at him in response, (in thought as usual). "Did you check all 12 volumes?" Giles raised an eyebrow, impressed by his knowledge. "The twelfth volume was lost centuries ago, but the 9th volume does mention an unnatural power surge that occurs every millennium or so, but nothing more is said of it, or what it means" "Ill check my sources and see who's talking, I know it's the Hell mouth, but Sunnydale has never seen so many demons". He paused. "It's making things dangerous for Buffy". "Yes, quite...She has been encountering some rather ferocious ones lately and I fear it will only get worse until we can figure out what's going on". "Whatever's causing this, someone has to know about it". Angel replied as Giles bent down to pick his book up off the floor.
"Very good, you go and find out what you can and I-..." He didn't bother to finish the sentence. Angel had once again managed to impersonate David Copperfield quite effectively and disappeared. "And I- suppose I'll just sit here and continue reading like the librarian I am" He began to tiresomely flick through the yellowed pages of the old book once more *No respect for Watchers anymore...none what so ever...I do hope that girl is being careful*
Just then a knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to see a panting Buffy, cradling a deep gash in her shoulder with her left hand "Buffy!". He exclaimed. "Are you alright?" She looked at her shoulder. "Oh this thing, its nothing...you should have seen the other guy" She smiled as only an overly confident Slayer could have. "Other guy? I take it you ran into something?" he gestured for her to come inside. "Yeah, a Frawn demon I think.ugly one too -then again, do they come any other way? We both saw the same scarf at a Macey's sale... to cut it short.. he lost, no big". "A Frawn de- but they don't live anywhere near Sunnydale, things are getting worse" He stepped back to let her in. "Tell that to him". She responded. "Oh by the way, lookey who I found snooping around in a tree" She leaned just beyond the doorframe and grabbed hold of something before walking in, dragging it behind her. In her hand was a tall figure shrouded in a black cloak, and unconscious. "I guess black is all the rage this season". She joked, throwing the figure onto Giles' couch before turning back to Giles. "Don't suppose I could have something to drink?" "Y-yes of course, but first we should attend to that wound".
"Future Shadows" - Part 2
As the exit doors closed behind him, Xander stopped just outside the Bronze to take in the crisp evening air. He almost hoped for a half-crazed hellhound to jump out and maul him, just to have something to take his frustrations out on... *Fair enough it'd probably rip me to unidentifiable shreds- but I could sure as hell give it a run for it's money in the "screaming like a girl/crying for mercy department*
He made his way slowly down the alley behind the popular nightclub, scuffing his shoes along the street as he went. *I know its stupid, but hey I think I'm entitled some down time, especially considering the fact that I saved her life and all, practically in the same day*. He mused to himself as he went, not noticing a vampire in the shadows just ahead of him with a terrified girl in its clutches. *Heck, I don't get it, I'm kind of cute, I'm friendly...some might even say carefree and whimsical...I guess I should have seen it coming though- good ole reliable Xander huh, reliable.great, I'm a puppy- who ever heard of a puppy with a beautiful girlfriend*.
He chuckled to himself half-heartedly as he walked right past the now astounded vampire. It stood there, girl in hand and staring, not sure of what it should do.
*One day she's going to see that relationships with dead people just don't work-... heck maybe she is interested...maybe she really doesn't want to ruin the friendship we have...* He stopped and shook his head. *Denial is a horrible thing...*
He had loved her since the first day she'd arrived at Sunnydale, he didn't know how, but he had.maybe it was more lustful at first, but it was much more than that now. It's not that he'd expected her to say yes, but maybe give him something better than "I just don't think of you in that way", it didn't seem right, since Angel gave her nothing but pain, she deserved better.
The panic-stricken girl took the situation as a moment of weakness from her assailant and stomped the creatures shoe with a stiletto heel. Taking it by surprise, it loosened its grip, still confused about the boy who had just passed him without so much as the recognition that he was there. Then girl then made a desperate run for safety. The vampire realized too late and growled in frustration before setting its sites on a new victim as the girl left the alley. It lunged toward a completely oblivious Xander, only to be stopped mid- stride by a cloaked figure, who dropped down behind it and promptly dispatched of the creature; decapitating it with bare hands in a single swift, silent motion... Xander finally snapped out of his catatonic state long enough to spin around and see the cloaked figure jump at least 25 feet onto the roof of the bronze and disappear when it realized it had been discovered. *I must be really out of it...time for a stop by 'World-Class video' for some serious escapism...tragedy, thy name is Xander.........or was that Macbeth? ...either way, Shakespeare had it right- life was just downright depressing sometimes*.
MEANWHILE - At Giles' apartment.
A middle-aged Englishman in plain slacks and a maroon cardigan sat in the corner of his well-decorated up-town Sunnydale apartment (the uptown of course being less than a mile away from the downtown), a tweed jacked hanging on a coat rack in the corner. He sat, calmly flicking through an ancient book of some sort bound in dark leather; at least he had hoped it was leather. He sat there silently as a grandfather clock struck midnight, startling him a little as he had been quite engrossed. "You really should lock your bedroom window Giles" "Wha!" He leapt out of his chair, sending the book flying. "Angel". He didn't seem surprised. "That's right; I invited you in last month didn't I".
A tall man in a flowing black coat and matching hair stood at the top of the flight of stairs that lead to the bath, bed and guestroom of Giles apartment. "I suppose they don't teach you how to knock at vampire school" He glared at Angel as he walked down toward the living room. "Sorry, there was an old lady checking around out front... I think she's from Neighbourhood watch". He stopped at the bottom of the stairs for a moment before walking over to a window across the room, looking out of it cautiously. "Mrs. Rudol...wait a minute, you've been wandering the earth for over 100 years, feeding on the blood of rather unappreciative humans...".Angel looked back at him. "Your point?" "You happen to have the strength of several men, and a fighting face that would terrify the elephant man, and you're scared of an old woman with a walking stick?" He almost allowed himself to laugh. "I thought it would just be easier if I was inconspicuous. have you found anything?" Giles adjusted his glasses and walked over to the kitchen bench, picking up a now cold cup of coffee and sipped at it distastefully. "One day you'll have to clarify to me just how climbing into an apartment via a 2nd story window is less conspicuous than knocking.... But in relation to the demon issue I assume you're asking about? No, I'm afraid not". He gestured toward the couch, for Angel to sit as he returned to his own seat, only to be politely refused. "I've been reading for a little over 8 hours and I can't find a thing. Buffy is out patrolling now, trying to find some answers". "Whatever it is, it's something big". Angel replied. "It's really causing an upheaval, Demons are coming from all over the world and congregating. prophets are screaming about chaos coming...something is drawing them here like crazy". Giles looked at his bookcase, declaring his commitment to the issue. "I'm sure its something to do with that mystical convergence the Council informed me of several days ago, but I can't find anything in the 'Prophecies of Algar' about it". Angel looked down at him in response, (in thought as usual). "Did you check all 12 volumes?" Giles raised an eyebrow, impressed by his knowledge. "The twelfth volume was lost centuries ago, but the 9th volume does mention an unnatural power surge that occurs every millennium or so, but nothing more is said of it, or what it means" "Ill check my sources and see who's talking, I know it's the Hell mouth, but Sunnydale has never seen so many demons". He paused. "It's making things dangerous for Buffy". "Yes, quite...She has been encountering some rather ferocious ones lately and I fear it will only get worse until we can figure out what's going on". "Whatever's causing this, someone has to know about it". Angel replied as Giles bent down to pick his book up off the floor.
"Very good, you go and find out what you can and I-..." He didn't bother to finish the sentence. Angel had once again managed to impersonate David Copperfield quite effectively and disappeared. "And I- suppose I'll just sit here and continue reading like the librarian I am" He began to tiresomely flick through the yellowed pages of the old book once more *No respect for Watchers anymore...none what so ever...I do hope that girl is being careful*
Just then a knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts. He opened it to see a panting Buffy, cradling a deep gash in her shoulder with her left hand "Buffy!". He exclaimed. "Are you alright?" She looked at her shoulder. "Oh this thing, its nothing...you should have seen the other guy" She smiled as only an overly confident Slayer could have. "Other guy? I take it you ran into something?" he gestured for her to come inside. "Yeah, a Frawn demon I think.ugly one too -then again, do they come any other way? We both saw the same scarf at a Macey's sale... to cut it short.. he lost, no big". "A Frawn de- but they don't live anywhere near Sunnydale, things are getting worse" He stepped back to let her in. "Tell that to him". She responded. "Oh by the way, lookey who I found snooping around in a tree" She leaned just beyond the doorframe and grabbed hold of something before walking in, dragging it behind her. In her hand was a tall figure shrouded in a black cloak, and unconscious. "I guess black is all the rage this season". She joked, throwing the figure onto Giles' couch before turning back to Giles. "Don't suppose I could have something to drink?" "Y-yes of course, but first we should attend to that wound".
