Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14b/?)

Author: Brooke

Email: yabbadabbadome13@yahoo.com

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wished I owned the two Xanders' from "The Replacement" though. Buffy and friends are owned by Joss, Mutant Enemy, 20th Century Fox, The UPN and whoever else has rights to the show.

Summary: You remember all that crap that started post-puberty…yeah, it's great isn't it. It was when life started

Distribution: I don't know why anybody would want this, but if somebody does…sure.

Feedback: Definitely!! Tell me if it sucked or if you liked it. Whatever. Just write back!

Authors Note: Takes place in an AU season 1 where Buffy and Xander are best friends and Willow is the new girl as Sunnydale High. It is the beginning of their sophomore year and, as 15 and 16 year olds, hormones and feelings are taking center stage.

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Giles paced around the library, his face buried in the book he was reading as he walked. The Master shall rise. His brow furrowed. He had been reading this since he came across it a few days ago and it had yet to make any sense.

He had contacted all his associates at the Watcher's Council and inquired about what he should be looking for…any signs of what might be to come, of what his books were indicating, but nothing panned out. There had been no abnormal disappearances, no rain of toads, no four horsemen… Just nothing.

That was what was getting to him. The silence of the town, even more so than it had been when he first arrived there. Buffy was slaying an average amount of undead, there had been no further reports about the large vampire that had escaped her at the house or the child that it had been guarding, everything barring the untimely passing of her friend, was completely normal. It was good – too good.

Giles was trying to piece the time bomb of a puzzle together when he heard a slight rustling from the stacks behind him and he turned to face them. He had only helped about twelve students since the beginning of school just over three weeks ago, and the majority of his company had been from the girl Willow, who seemed to be the only literate one in the whole place, and from Buffy, who he required show up to "hit things" as she had so eloquently put it. But now he heard a noise from an area that he doubted any student at Sunnydale High would ever venture into…the place where the real books lived.

"Hello?" he called while cautiously inching towards the shelves. "Who's there?"

He got no response and felt his heart rate pick up. Something was definitely off he thought as he turned and made a quick pace to the reference desk. Buffy would have answered him back, and more importantly, if she had it might be the end of the world because it was 7:20 in the morning and she usually didn't even show up on campus until at earliest 8:45, the chronic teenager that she was.

That in mind Giles grabbed a stake and held it discreetly in his hand. If it were a demon stabbing it would undoubtedly end its existence and he was itching to put some more of his field training to use as he had been idle for the last little while since Buffy had been getting the hang of patrolling by herself.

"I…I'll ask o…once more," Giles called out uncertainly, "Who is there?"

Still nothing. Not even the noise he had picked up before. He released a deep breath and turned… "AHHHHHH!!!!!"

Angel jumped back at the scream and held up his hand to block the stake in case the British man decided to swing in defense. Luckily for him the next thing he heard was the wood clattering to the floor as Giles grabbed his heart.

"Bloody hell…" he muttered through deep breaths.

"Sorry," Angel said without much emotion. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, in that case you failed miserably." Giles bit out harshly as he eyed the man before him. He looked older than the average student that he had dealt with here, which probably meant that he wasn't. "Can I help you?" he asked finally as the other man seemed to be waiting for some type of cue.

Angel looked around the library, his eyes finally resting on the book that Giles had left on the table in the middle of the room and he read the title. The Book of Kamerana, infamous for its prophecies. "You know."

Giles' brow furrowed. "I know what?"

"What's coming. You know."

The Watcher narrowed his eyes. The dark clothes. The cryptic statements. The hair gel. This was the man that Buffy had mentioned to him, had described as a vampire. Giles took a step back cursing the fact that he had dropped his weapon and glanced out of the corner of his eye to the bright morning sun outside. How?

"Buffy told you about me, I assume?" Angel grinned a little at the other mans slow and steady retreat. He looked almost as if he were expecting an attack.

"Yes," Giles nodded. "She may have mentioned…" he was at the desk again and he reached down into a drawer quickly pulling out a cross and raising it to the vampire's face.

Angel growled low in his throat and recoiled at the move before collecting himself. "Then she must have told you that I'm a friend." He still kept his distance.

"She said that you were a vampire. Hardly a friend." The Watcher spat coldly.

"Look," Angel breathed out holding up his hands in surrender. "I'm not risking my life to hurt her." He watched as a degree of acceptance dawned on Giles' face. "If I ad wanted her dead she'd already be in the ground."

Giles hackled his defenses again at the comment. "You have been following her…"

"Protecting her." Angel corrected. "And her little friend."

The Brit approached him while still keeping up his guard at the mention of Xander. "I had cautioned her against this…" he muttered to himself.

"Against what?"

"Of the dangers of revealing her world to her peers." Giles said shaking his head, "If you know that he is aware of her destiny than others most likely do as well."

"You're more right than you know." Angel relaxed as Giles lowered the cross to his side. "But your Slayer informed me that if anything happened to him I'd be held personally responsible.

Giles smirked to himself momentarily as he could imagine Buffy threatening the demon – probably much in the same way that she had done to him, but then refocused. "I didn't catch your name."

"Angel."

"Angel…" Giles thought to himself for a moment before filing the name away for future research. "What is it? What's coming?"

The vampire steadied his shoulders and kept a steady tone. "The Master."

"Yes, well..." Giles tilted his and snatched up the book he had been reading to hold it in front of Angel's face. "I had gathered that. Please do tell me that you didn't brave the sunlight to inform me of common knowledge."

The vampire's expression didn't waiver. "It wasn't so much braving anything. You'd be surprised what decent cloaking and this town's complicated sewer system can do for a mobile vampire."

Traveling by way of sewer. Dear Lord…" Giles cringed at the thought that even at the height of noon nobody in the town was really safe. "Please do get to your point."

Angel nodded and jumped back into what information he had come across. "A group of vampires…they plan on taking over the Hellmouth and they're going to raise their Leader to do it. They need bodies."

"Minions?" Giles questioned unsurely. There had not been a dramatic spike in death rates that would suggest that.

"Yes. And more. They need the bodies…the blood and a lot of it."

"Yes," the Watcher nodded as the clues finally dawned on him. "Blood shall flow by way of the Vessel and the power shall unlock the Gates of Hell and he shall rise…" he read aloud.

"Tonight." Angel filled in getting Giles' attention.

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

"This text says nothing about…"

"The moon shall rise in its third phase," Angel recited from memory, "And the world will welcome him. The sun will set at its final dusk and hell will be reborn to earth. Ever read The Gorlid Annals?"

"Dear God," Giles breathed out. "Of all the months to skim…"

"Demon Lore of the month club?" Angel questioned.

"Yes."

"You subscribe?"

Giles nodded, "Yes well…"

"Did you choose the phone?"

"Calendar actually…" he shrugged and Angel nodded briefly.

"I'm here to help her." The vampire reiterated seriously.

Giles eyed the taller darkly cloaked man, squinting to read his eyes at the gravity in his tone. He was telling the truth. The vampire was telling the truth about wanting to protect the Slayer. But why? How? He should have no concept of the truth or loyalty or… Giles studied him further. Eyes determined but sad, his posture and tone reflecting the same degree of defeat and it simply wasn't possible. What Giles saw reflected from the demon when he spoke of Buffy couldn't be fact because it just wasn't possible. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Redemption." The vampire spoke clearly, and then waited a breath, "I had hoped to keep her out of this…" he said again uncomfortably.

Giles furrowed his brow. "That is hardly a feasible option," he let out a harsh laugh. "She is the Slayer – destined to fight the fight…this fight precisely."

"I don't think that she's ready for them…"

"For who exactly?"

Angel released an unnecessary breath. "The Vessel that the book spoke of…he's here, he's big. I know Darla is here. She…" Angel trailed off unsure of weather or not to reveal what the female vampire was responsible for. If Giles knew and told Buffy that she would be present tonight the Slayer would go in with all guns blazing – and she wouldn't be spared. "I've heard of one more." He said instead. "They might have gathered an army and done it in a hurry…"

Giles nodded. "I'll check for recent missing persons."

"And absences from school today," Angel filled in gravely. "They would have wanted the young strong ones…the most gullible. There's not a lot of time."

"Yes…" Giles mumbled while heading over to get a book from him private collection in hopes of finding more information.

"And I know that she has to be there," Angel spoke again. "Which is why I came. If we all go together, she'll have strength in numbers…"

"Be where, exactly?" Giles nodded as he faced the demon.

Angel lowered his gaze. "I don't know. All I know is that it has to be crowded…"

"Crowded on a Friday night?" Giles wondered out loud. "The Mall?"

"Maybe," Angel shrugged.

~*~*~*~

"The Bronze?" Xander suggested to Willow hopefully as the made their way through the quad. He had been wanting to broach another 'date like, but not so much' excursion with Buffy and tonight seemed as good a time as any. Plus if he gathered a group it could curb any awkwardness.

Willow's face lit up, "Oh! Ok, we could do that."

"Sure you're not busy with Perc?" Xander prodded with a sly grin.

Willow turned beet red but spoke anyway, shrugging of his implications. "No. In fact I haven't spoken to him since yesterday afternoon. He didn't even call…"

"So you guys talk every night now?" the dark haired boy asked with raised eyebrows. "Getting pretty serious…"

"No." Willow denied but maintained a secret smile. "It's weird, that's all…I mean, it's me…and he likes it like that…"

"Why wouldn't he?" Xander asked confused as he plopped down on a cement slabbed bench and scanned the area.

"Because it's me." Willow said simply and watched as her friend's eyes roved over the crowd of students. "He could have anybody here…Cordelia, Harmony, that girl with the nose job and the cleft chin, which I would have gotten fixed first…but he picked me…"

Xander nodded only half paying attention. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Willow raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You've been one of the girls for WAY to long, Auto Response Boy."

Xander blushed and ran his hand through his hair. "Seriously. I mean it, Wills. You're great."

Willow swallowed at his complement and forced herself not to read too much into it. "So," she changed the subject, "Speaking of the girls, where's Number 1?"

She could easily file Xander's comments under friendly politeness at the speed of his response. "Oh, Buff had cheerleading practice this morning, but she was late so she probably is finishing up some laps…"

Willow watched him with wide eyes.

"And I answered scarily fast huh?"

"That'd be a pos." Willow answered with a laugh. "Is that why the sudden urge to Bronze it?"

"What?"

"I'm not looking to third wheel…"

"What?" Xander asked again and his mind worked for a cover. There was nothing like two friends in a group of three that were 'in like' to ruin a high school experience, and Xander really didn't want to be the one to do that to Willow. "Naw…I mean, yeah, we'd all be there, but as three…separates. You know, have a coke, see the sights, listen to the music. Friday night is Dingoes night." He finished brightly.

Willow seemed to accept his answer as she started speaking again. "Did I tell you their bassist was me and Percy's waiter a that restaurant?"

"No," Xander shook his head, happy for another opportunity to zone out. He wished Buffy would hurry up so he could tell her what the plan was for the night. "Oz is pretty cool. Didn't know he had a real job."

"You know him?" she tried to sound more ambiguous that normal. It wasn't that she was really interested, it was just…he had a band. That was pretty cool.

"Oh, yeah." Xander shrugged not picking up on her more casual tone. "I've seen him around; we don't go bowling together or anything… he's a good guy. Laid back."

Willow nodded.  "Oh look," she said suddenly, tired of the vacant look on Xander's eyes. "There's Buffy," she pointed over his shoulder, "And she's not wearing anything."

Xander's head snapped around so fast he almost fell off his seat, but then calmed when he heard the redhead laughing at him. "Not funny," he pouted slightly. I could have hurt myself…"

"Gotten whiplash," Willow laughed. "You've got it bad." She was trying once again to speak in a dismissive manner. She hated that all she could do about the situation was joke about Xander's real feelings for the girl that wasn't her.

"I do not…" he defended weakly. "I just…nakedness leads to an increase in colds."

"And you'd rush over to keep her warm before that would happen."

Xander's face glazed over momentarily. "That's what friends are for," he smirked and leered towards Willow.

~*~*~*~

Buffy spotted Xander and Willow from across the quad. They were laughing and joking…and Xander said something and leaned in…

She couldn't control the way her eyes slit at the scene as she started towards the pair. She didn't know why she had the sudden urge to sit right between them, or maybe write he name in permanent marker across Xander's forehead. It wasn't like everybody in the school had to have Xander Harris, like he was God's gift to women. But when one did, Buffy hated it. It wasn't even a recent development, even when she had been dating Scott she hadn't liked the idea of Xander going out with other girls, but now she felt more of a claim on him. He had no right to sit that close to…

"Buffy!!!"

God. the blonde sighed and turned to face the voice, putting on a bright smile before doing so. "Hey Cordelia. Great practice…"

The brunette immediately interrupted her. "Whatever…"

"Well, thanks for the ride this morning," Buffy tried. She really hated this girl, and the worst part was pretending not to. Well, no. The worst part was what was coming. Cordelia Chase didn't do you a favor for nothing.

"About that." She said as if on cue and offering a sweet smile. "You're not busy tonight right? I mean, I know you were only going to loaf with the town lepers, but…"

"Actually," Buffy cut her off snidely. "I was probably going to go to the Bronze…"

"Great!!" Cordelia exclaimed, probably from an excess of cheer pep from earlier Buffy assumed. "You can come with me."

"I can?!" Buffy squealed sarcastically. "Thank God, and here I thought I would have to socialize with people I like."

The head cheerleader rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "Listen Buffy. I gave you a ride this morning to save your ass. I could have driven by, but no. I decided to help the less fortunate and fashionably challenged. You owe me."

Buffy was seething as she ran her hands self consciously over her short off pink dress. She liked this one… "I would have walked just fine. And taken the laps to avoid having to…"

"Jeff wants you to go." Cordelia spoke up. "It's a thing he's trying to organize…we'll all go to the Bronze and wait for his parents to leave then he's having a little get together at his place."

"Little to nothing to do with me." Buffy pointed out as she tried to step around the taller girl.

Cordelia side stepped to stop her. "You know what Buffy?" she asked starring into the blonde's eyes. "I don't know why you think that by hanging around with the socially comatose you can pretend that you're not one of us?"

"Us?"

"You're popular Buffy. Well," she amended. "You can be. There's potential, and I know you want to act on it."

Buffy sighed and glanced towards the laughing Xander and Willow. She wasn't like Cordelia, she had a heart. Just because they lived in the same neighborhood, had went to the same school since kindergarten, did the same activities and like the same things…just because they had been friends before a long LONG time ago, didn't make them alike now.

"Just show tonight… Expand your horizons. You might like it."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I hate Jeff."

"You owe me."

"I don't get why you need me." Buffy whined a little. "You go with your mini-yous, and me and Xander will have our own fun."

Cordelia raised a confused eyebrow at the statement and Buffy sputtered to backpeddle. "With Willow…"

The tall girl's brow furrowed.

"Not threesome fun. Fun at the Bronze. No other type of fun…between anybody. Ever." Buffy nodded sharply.

"Jeff said that I should just ask you to show…"

"So it's just you me and Jeff?" Buffy snorted. "We couldn't by any chance play Russian Rolette? I'll go first."

"No," the brunette bit out. "Jeff asked for you to show, and I said that you would…"

Buffy opened her mouth to protest being spoken for but Cordelia kept talking.

"And then Scott, Larry, Braxton, me, Blue and Unique. It's a group thing."

"It's a four way date!" Buffy exclaimed with wide eyes. "With Jeff Broderick!!! And Scott Hope! No. There's no way…"

"Buffy please." Cordelia pleaded, but then seemed to remember who she was. "That's the only time you're ever going to hear that phrase from me, so you know that I need you to do this."

Buffy still looked skeptical.

"Winter Fest is coming up and Braxton could ask me. Do you know what that means?" she tried to reason. "And your loser friends'll probably be within shouting distance anyway."

Buffy huffed out a breath. If there was one person in all the world who could beat her in getting her way, she was facing off with her. The master of stubbornness and the leader of the spoiled brat. "Fine." Buffy shook her head defeated. "I'm in. I'll try to be done by 9."

"Be done what?" Cordelia questioned confused. "You don't have anything more important that a date with Jeff, I know. I've glimpsed into the shambles that have become your life."

Buffy slit her eyes again. "And I'm tip toeing into the brothel that is yours. And it's not a date."

"Whatever."

"Just give me till nine." Buffy told her.

"8:30," Cordelia settled. "Alright," she said quickly before Buffy could argue. "I'll see you then…and don't wear that purple thing. Purple is Blue's color, yours is black. Stick to it."

"Stick to it." Buffy mimicked at the other girls back before dropping her head and stalking towards her friends – her real friends. "Lucky for her I do look hot in black."

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The End Part 14B