Ok guys, calm down, I'm finally back!! I haven't been around my computer for a LONG time, so I couldn't update...sorry!! Anyway, I hope you're happy with the next chapters...which I wrote a LONG time ago and already posted on other sites...sorry again!!

Title: Devastating Past

Author: Valerie

E-mail: funbreath@msn.com

Disclaimer: they don't belong to me

Summary: AU Angel is new at Sunnydale High. He meets Buffy and the gang. They think he's just a regular kid. Not likely.

Timeline: during season 2 of BTVS...sorta. Let's just say that Buffy and the gang are in their Junior year in Sunnydale High.

Spoilers: as far as alternate universe goes...almost nothing. References on demons from BTVS and Angel from time to time, but that's about it

Rating: R

Distribution: You can take it but ask me first please.

Feedback: That's a big big big yes!!!!! It's my first fic, so please?

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35.

An hour later, Jenny, who had volunteered to perform the ritual, with Willow as her assistant, was going through the ingredients and instructions, explaining a few things to Willow and informing a frustrated Giles of their progress. The watcher didn't enjoy being ordered around by a kid. Angel's friends had been too bored to stick around, so they had decided to meet up later at the library.

After a moment, Buffy dragged Angel to Giles' office and closed the door behind them.

"What did you wanna talk about?"

"Angel, I...I've been wondering for a few days...more than that actually..." Buffy started, but she couldn't find the right words.

"Take your time baby" Angel murmured sweetly as he pulled her onto his lap and started stroking her hair soothingly.

"When I met Faith this morning, she-"

"What?" Angel asked urgently.

"Well, she assumed that we were...friends who..." She stopped when she heard his groan. He buried his face in her neck, cursing his idea to have his friends meet Buffy.

"I'm sorry, Buffy. Don't listen to anything Faith or Spike say, they didn't know you were my girlfriend and they have troubles believing it."

"Why?"

Angel sighed deeply and tightened his hold on her waist, giving himself strength to explain. "We've known each other for years, ever since we were about 13. They know me better than anyone because they were always here to see me when I was down. They know how much I suffered from relationships."

"What happened?" Buffy asked, turning around to face him.

"What, you want examples?" Angel snapped unconsciously. "My last girlfriend killed my best friend. How's that for a crappy relationship?" Seeing the pained look on her face, Angel softened immediately. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." He paused for a minute, and since Buffy didn't say anything, he resumed his explanations. "After that I swore I'd never commit myself in a relationship anymore. That's why Faith assumed you were just here for sex."

Angel looked really ashamed of himself and although Buffy knew she'd always be uncomfortable with his friends, she understood their behavior. "Angel, I- " *love you* "-understand." She said instead.

"Thank you" *I love you* He thought but was unable to say it aloud. He kissed her softly, then moved his lips on her jaw, to her neck and ear, hugging her tightly against his chest.

"I need to know something else." Buffy murmured between two moans. She felt him nod against her neck, so she kept going. "How long are you ready to wait for me?"

"What do you mean?" Angel raised his head to look at her in the eyes.

"Well, how long do you plan on waiting for me to be ready to have sex with you?" She clarified, trying to read what she saw in his eyes, and she was a little scared when she saw anger there.

"How can you ask me that?" He asked in disbelief, moving her off his lap so he could stand up.

"I need to know."

"What do you want me to say? I can't believe you're asking me that!"

"Angel, please, I just wanna know how long you'll be able to stay with me without sleeping with me."

The dark-haired man looked at his girlfriend as if she had grown a second head. "Why? Because you think I'll leave you just to get laid?"

"Would you?" She whispered weakly from her spot on the chair.

"Jesus, Buff! Do you see me as a sex-addict? You think I can't have a sex- less relationship?"

"Did you ever have one?" She challenged him, because she didn't understand why he should be angered by her question. It was him who had the so called fuck buddies, she did nothing wrong.

"No, but that's not the point."

"Really? And how am I supposed to know that? Your best friends who know you the best couldn't even believe you'd stay with the same person. What would they say if they knew you weren't getting any?"

"It's not any of their damn business and that's all! I don't care what they think, Buffy, why would you?"

"Because they KNOW you!" The slayer exclaimed, standing up as well. "I obviously don't! I mean, two days ago I didn't even know you fought vampires."

"So what? I didn't know you were the slayer either, what's your point?" Angel glared at her angrily, while feeling like someone was stabbing him in the heart. He hated fighting with her.

"You've got too many secrets Angel, that's my point. Every time I think I got you figured out, I learn something new about you and you don't-"

"It's not my fault my life is a fucking mess! You chose to date me and be a part of this life, remember? I never forced you to do anything, and I would never force you to have sex with me! You could at LEAST know that much about me." When she didn't answer right away, Angel turned around and opened the door. "Finish the ritual, I'll go with the guys and find Morfran." He told her without showing any emotions and walked out of the library.

*Very smooth Summers.* Buffy sighed heavily and went back to check on Jenny and Willow's work.

*****

An hour later, Angel was heading back to Kristin's house with Xander in his car that Gunn had brought from LA. Angel had asked the boy if they had any way to get information easily in Sunnydale, so they had gone to pay a visit to Willy. Xander had been surprised that Angel didn't ask Buffy, but he didn't dare ask him what was going on. He was obviously in a crappy mood. His friends were at Kristin's, since her foster parents weren't home, the house had been designed for a meeting place.

"Do you think you'll be able to kill that Morfran guy?" Xander asked after a moment.

"I did it once." Angel answered, not taking his eyes off the road.

"OK..." Xander frowned. *Is it impossible for this guy to drop the cryptic and just...make sense??* "What do you mean? He's obviously not dead!"

"Two years ago. I had just arrived in Los Angeles, and I was starting to find a crew, Gunn and Penn being the first ones to help me. I met Morfran on patrol a few times, and he was stronger than any vamp I had ever met. He had minions and a mate. It was the first powerful master vampire I encountered. I trained like crazy to be good enough to take him. Then one day, the guys and I went to the warehouse they were living in. I fought Morfran's girl and staked her. And then while I was fighting Morfran, Gunn and Penn set the building on fire after having blocked all exits except one. The plan was for me to stake Morfran and get the hell out of here, and the fire was to kill the remaining vamps. But I lost my stake in the battle. I didn't have any weapon to kill him, but I found this old barrel of chemical liquid stuff, and I threw it in his face. I knocked him down and took off. We always thought he had been killed by the fire...I mean, he couldn't move, his face was burning from the stuff I had thrown in his face. I guess some of his minions found another way out and saved him."

"Wow. And now he's looking for vengeance, right?"

"Same old, same old." Angel murmured, exchanging a smile with Xander.

"So, what's the sudden rush to find the guy? I thought Jenny's spell thing would stop the effects of the vamps' ritual." Xander murmured curiously.

"I just want this to be over."

Xander chuckled "So you can find your way back in the Buffster's arms." He guessed, winking at Angel. However, he didn't see the smile that always seemed to appear on Angel's face when Buffy was mentioned, instead, the vampire hunter just shrugged and kept his eyes on the road. "Did you guys have a fight or something?"

"No." Angel replied a little too quickly to be truthful.

"Good. Because you know what? Buffy's my best friend. If you ever hurt her in any way, I won't care if you're a big bad slayerman, I WILL beat you to a bloody pulp." Xander threatened keeping a serious face as Angel looked directly into his eyes.

"I appreciate." Xander was taken aback by the sadness he could see in Angel's eyes.

*****

"We don't need Buffy." Angel stated for the third time with a big sigh. He was in Kristin's living room with his friends and sister, and Cordelia had arrived a few minutes after he and Xander had joined the group.

"She's the slayer." Xander replied for also the third time.

"I've done this for years by myself, I already took Morfran down, I can do it again." Angel stubbornly shrugged as he checked a map of Sunnydale. Willy had told them Morfran was preparing the ritual with his few minions in a mansion on Crawford Street, so he needed to check the area before he went there.

"Yeah, and we'll be there for back up." Penn added from his spot on the couch.

"No, but-" Xander started, only to be interrupted by his girlfriend.

"Jeez, Xander, leave them alone! Buffy'll be fine protecting Jenny and Will at the library in case the bad guys decide to get a wicca-snack."

"Right." Angel nodded gratefully at Cordelia who smiled in return. Then he turned his attention back to the plan he was thinking of. "From what I saw, the minions are fairly young and stupid-"

"Consider them dusted." Gunn exclaimed, and Angel nodded.

"I suggest we go before the sun sets, in case the spell didn't work, that way we'll be able to stop them from gaining too much power. I'll take care of Morfran while you guys rescue the victims if there are any left alive. Everyone agree?"

"Yes" Fred and Carrie answered in unison, showing the stakes they had in their hands.

"Spike, I might need you to-" Angel trailed off when he noticed the bleached blonde wasn't in the room. "Where's Spike? And Faith and Krissy?"

"Here mate." Spike called from the stairs. He reached the room with Kristin and Faith trailing behind.

"What were you doing up there?" Gunn asked with a frown.

"Talking, catching up." Faith replied *Planning Angel's love life...*

"Kristin, you stay here" Angel commanded, and kept talking when his sister was about to argue "Spike you're coming with Gunn, Penn, Carrie, Fred and I. Faith you're staying here with Kristin."

"I don't need a babysitter!!" Kristin cried out but Angel just looked at her pointedly. They must have had this conversation at least 2 thousand times in the past. He wouldn't let her get too close to the action and always refused to leave her alone when danger was rising."

"Whatever."

"Come on girlfriend, we'll use the time to dig out nasty stuff about Angel and show to his GIRLFRIEND." Faith snorted, taking Kristin's hand and leading her back upstairs. She obviously wasn't pleased with whatever Angel had going on with Buffy.

*When did she become THAT overprotective of me? Jeez...* Angel thought, watching Spike chucking and reaching for a pack of cigarettes in his jacket. "Let's go, The Parkers aren't too fond of smoke smell in their living room."

*****

Angel drove Cordelia and Xander back to the library, because Xander had insisted that Buffy and Giles should know what Angel would be doing. Surprising everyone, Angel refused to go see them, claiming that he didn't like being bossed around by a stuffy Brit and that he did things his way...but the sad look in his eyes showed that he was lying. No one commented on that, so he just dropped Cordy and her boyfriend in front of the school and drove to the factory where Morfran was setting up his ritual.

"He's WHAT?" A five-feet blonde cried out in anger.

"He's going to kill the vamp." Xander answered as he sat next to Willow, who was practicing the spell.

"Alone??"

"No, his friends went with him."

"What's the damn rush? He couldn't come here and explain his plan?" Buffy asked in disbelief.

"Chill out Buff, he's used to that kind of situation you know. Don't forget he's been fighting evil longer than you have." Cordelia replied, taking Angel's side again and receiving a glare from her boyfriend because of it.

"He could have at LEAST told us what he had planned to do." Buffy retorted through gritted teeth.

"Maybe he would have if he had WANTED to talk to any of you." Cordelia shrugged dismissingly.

"Why wouldn't he want to talk to Buffy?" Giles asked, stealing a glance at his slayer, whose face was a mixture of anger and guilt.

"What did Angel tell you?" Buffy ignored Giles and the others and focused on the brunette.

"Nothin', but you don't need to be miss lil' Willow-the-genius to notice he's hurting. Just because he's got the same job as you doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings, maybe you should start to consider them instead of yours." Buffy gaped at Cordy's blunt words. Especially because they came from the Queen Bitch herself.

"Shut up Cordelia." Buffy then turned to the two silent witches and walked to them, rubbing her eyes to try and stay focused on the matter at hand. "Are you ready?" They nodded. "Good. You should start right now, when it's still sunny outside and the vamps can't come here."

"Where are you going?" Her watcher asked, watching her choosing weapons.

"Xander?" Buffy turned towards the boy expectantly. He handed her the address Willy had given them, and she looked at it before answering. "I'm going to a mansion on Crawford Street."

"Are you-"

"Giles! I'm gonna help them, and you won't be able to stop me, ok? I'll be careful." She assured them and stormed out of the library, leaving a very frustrated Giles and worried friends behind.

*********

TBC... Also, I need to tell you all something kinda important. As I said already, I already wrote the next chapters, and I post them on fanfiction groups on yahoo (aubafic and ba_fluff if you wanna check them out). And since most of my readers like smut, and also I'm kinda naughty these days, I wrote (and plan on writing) a few chapters that are way more than R rated. NC17 full force actually. Soooo I might have to stop posting on fanfiction.net, since they don't accept NC17 stories. And honestly it just bugs me to rewrite all the sex stuff. You'll find the story there: and you should check out the whole site, it's great! Ok, so I dunno what I'm gonna do with ff.net in the near future, maybe I'll have to stop putting that story here if someone complains or something...anyway, don't forget that link, who knows what'll happen! :)