Title: Before the Fall of Rome (14c/?)
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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Buffy reached the bench that Willow and Xander were seated in and flung herself wearily over her male friends shoulder with a loud exhale of breath.
"Buff?" he smirked through the limited movement her position afforded. "You ok?" He tried to conceal his shudder at the feel of her breath on his neck, and then to hide his choke on breath when he felt Buffy's lips press lightly onto the column of his neck, discreetly hidden by her shielded position behind her loose hair.
Willow let the conversation that they had been having drop and watched Xander focus on Buffy. She was unable to help but notice how he had raised his left hand and was now stroking the back of the blonde's neck as he spoke softly.
"Yeah, Buff," she spoke up in secret hopes of ruining the moment that they seemed to be having. "What's the sitch?"
Buffy pulled herself upright and shuffled around the bench to face them. "You have no idea about the morning I've had. It's like Satan decided to poop on my day."
"Well," Xander piped up, "I got the perfect cure for that…the Glade Spray of life, if you will."
Willow giggled at his rapid speech and wiggling eyebrows while Buffy continued to watch him skeptically. "You've got a time machine? Can you take me back to 1980 and let me advise Cordelia's parents about the miracles of birth control," she sighed hopefully.
Xander shook his head but maintained his smile. "Sadly no, BUT I can offer cover charge for the Bronze. That is if the lady accepts." He bowed from his seated position, both he and Buffy oblivious to Willow's fallen look.
"I don't know Buff," the redhead spoke up, itching to get into the conversation. "He hasn't even offered you his seat, what kind of gentleman is that?"
Buffy nodded in consideration. "Touché Wills. Point taken. I think for that he owes two Bronze covers…and lattes."
"What are you trying to do, break me?" Xander tossed in a harsh, but playful whisper to Willow. "Plus," he turned to Buffy and made it obvious that he was checking her out, "She's got strong legs…I'm really only helping her keep in shape."
Willow laughed at Buffy's shocked and offended expression more than the actual comment and was almost forced off the bench when Xander shoved himself aside quickly to avoid the slap she landed on his shoulder.
"Don't look at me like that perv." Buffy joked and hit him again.
"Didn't hear that compliant last night," Xander laughed back. The silence that followed was almost painful as all three froze and shifted nervously from their respective positions.
Willow had no idea what had happened to the previous comfortable atmosphere, but she figured that she needed to help them all get back to it. She knew that Xander's playful flirting was, pretty much, as common as having homeroom at 8:25, but she had no idea why it had been enough this time to stop all the banter dead in its tracks. It was as if… No. she shook her head. There was no way they were uncomfortable because of the truth the joke might hold, was there? No.
"So," Willow spoke up after a swallow, and it seemed Xander was glad for the distraction. "Are we all hitting the Bronze on Xander's dime?"
"I can't tonight you guys," Buffy shook her head. "Hence the massive sucking of this day."
Xander titled his head to her, "You can't? What are you gonna…"
"Why does everybody assume that I've never got anything to do?!" Buffy exclaimed defensively. "I have a life."
Xander spoke again without thinking, "With me." He caught his slip and added, "You only hang out with us." He gestured between himself and Willow.
"I'll have you know that I have plenty of other friends," Buffy pouted while Xander fixed her with a disbelieving expression.
"Mr. Giles doesn't count." Willow piped up absently and Buffy shot her a glare.
Inside the Slayer was cringing. Even Willow had noticed the amount of time she spent in the library – she had noticed it enough to crack jokes about it. "I have cheerleading friends…"
"Cordelia?!" Both of her friends exclaimed at the same time.
"Fine! Acquaintances…people who I know of…Whatever!"
Xander nodded, "So what does this have to do with you taking me up on my offer tonight?"
"Well…" Buffy shifted on her feet. "Cordelia wants me to go with her and some other guys from the squad."
"New friends?!" Willow said with mock surprise. "Why I never…"
"Guys?" Xander spoke instead. "What guys?"
"Girls too," Buffy offered. "Coed…"
Xander huffed out a breath and squinted at his blonde friend. "So you're blowing me off?"
"Us off," Willow tried to keep her tone light as a contrast to the seriousness she heard in Xander's.
Buffy's expression looked apologetic as she spoke. "You guys can come too," she assured Xander. "I just…she wants me to hang out with her and her friends…"
"Like?" Xander prodded. Buffy was dancing around the question he was posing and he knew it.
The Slayer exhaled knowing that he wouldn't like the answer. She shouldn't not be able to tell him – it was just hard and now she had this nervous pit in her stomach derived from his tone alone. She didn't want to hurt him, and even more than that she didn't want to hear his disappointed voice directed at her. "It's gonna be me, Jeff, Larry, Blue, Brax and Cordy and Unique and Scott…"
"Oh!" Xander exclaimed as all in complete disbelief. "So everybody I've ever met is going?"
"Xander…"
"No, no. I get it." He turned towards a confused Willow and laughed bitterly. "We're just not good enough I guess…not with the in crowd?" He directed the last part to Buffy.
"What's the matter Xander?" Willow spoke up before Buffy could. "It's not like we've been banned from the club." Xander rolled his eyes, "She'll be there." Willow bit out the last bit, and Buffy nodded as if oblivious to the harsh tone her friend spoke in.
"Jeff?" he asked in a calmer voice, but still bitter. Buffy hated him…everybody with half a brain hated Jeff. Now it seemed, though, that Xander would have to kill him. It had been only last night when that ass hole had tried to get him to set up a date with Buffy, and Xander had vehemently refused. Jeff, that sneaky bastard, had taken matters into his own hands and Buffy, and hell, even Cordelia, had no idea. And Xander didn't even want to get into Scott…
"I know," Buffy nodded sadly. "But you know how Cordy can be," she offered, "And she gave me a ride this morning…"
"I would've given you a ride." Xander pouted and mumbled.
"You don't have a car." Willow pointed out. "The point of the ride was to get here on time…" Xander shot her a look. "I'm just saying…that all…"
"And Scott?" Xander pressed.
Willow's brow furrowed as she noticed the students begin to file inside the school in preparation for the first bell. "That's a little shady, huh?" she pointed out. "Those guys are all your friends and you weren't invited."
Xander nodded at her observation, "But look who it is. From the looks of that group it makes perfect sense."
"Well, yeah. But still…"
"Guys," Buffy waved her hand rapidly in front of the chatting pair to gain their attention. "I think you might be talking about me so I feel obligated to point out that I'm still standing here."
Xander gave her a little grin but then turned back to Willow, obviously trying to annoy his life time friend on purpose. "They don't want me there…I'm so gonna kick Jeff's ass, I told him last night…"
"What?" Buffy asked again, trying to enter the conversation.
"It makes perfect sense." Willow agreed. "And Scott. He only hangs out with us for Buffy."
"And I'm totally against that," Buffy nodded.
"And he and Jeff and the male Thelma and Louise." Xander pointed out, "They do everything together."
Buffy's brow furrowed as Xander tossed her a look at the end of his statement. "What was that look?!"
"No look," Xander shrugged, finally acknowledging her.
"That was a look…and it followed a questionable comment. What are you saying…"
"NOTHING!" Xander shook his head. "I'm not saying anything…just…don't you think it's wired that I'm not invited?"
"Maybe a little…" Buffy looked at the ground as the bell sounded behind her.
"You think Jeff's going to ask her to Winter Fest?" Willow asked with wide eyes.
Xander's eyes darkened, "I know for a fact that he is…"
"Waitwaitwait." Buffy held up her hands. "Let's not count all our eggs in the basket."
Willow gazed at her confused. "Before they're hatched?"
"Whatever." Buffy shrugged while Willow stood up next to her, preparing to go inside. "The point is he had to beg for this date…"
"Date?" Xander questioned again.
"Undate…This thing Cordelia tied me into…he couldn't even ask me for himself." Buffy extended her hand to a skeptical Xander who grasped it and let himself be pulled to his feet. "And if he would have asked me himself, the answer would have been a resounding 'When Hell freezes over'."
Xander laughed and moved behind the girls. He placed his hands on Buffy's shoulders and pushed her in time with his steps towards the entrance of the school and Willow watched the easy smiles on both of their faces.
Something was different, she settled. Something about the way they were acting, touching…just looking at each other. Part of her was screaming to find out. She slowed her pace to let them enter before her as Xander was still stirring his smaller friend around their fellow students. But a bigger part was afraid to know what may be the truth.
"Well," Buffy sighed as she broke Xander's grasp and let his hands fall to his sides when they reached her locker. "I've got a book to return…"
"A book?" Willow questioned, having been shaken from her thoughts and Buffy pouted a little. "No," Willow quickly defended herself, "I mean…I think you can read. I've just never…never seen you actually do it."
Xander nodded in mock agreement and this time was punched lightly, or so she thought, in the shoulder for his facial expression.
"So you're skipping homeroom?" Willow asked, "Again?"
Buffy shrugged remembering the previous morning with a slight grin, but quickly disguised it with a cough when she saw Willow starring at her. Xander, on the other hand, was free to grin pridefully to himself all he wanted.
"Well," Xander shrugged, "Late fees are a bitch."
Buffy nodded quickly. "I haveta motor," she started down the hall towards the library. "See you at second, Wills."
"You want me to come with?" Xander called out after her hopefully and Buffy stopped in her tracks. He could see her considering before she seemed to remember Willow standing next to him and shook her head.
"Nah, I got it. Later for sure."
Xander smiled at her and nodded. "Later then."
"Oh, Wills," Buffy turned again, "Try to pass me off for homeroom, pretty please."
Willow nodded before Buffy turned and jogged down the hall.
"Later?" the redhead questioned Xander with a raised eyebrow.
Xander gulped. "Yeah…later to check out another book," he replied quickly before turning himself and starting down the hall again. He wished Buffy would have let him go with her because Willow was a veritable Nancy Drew when she smelled a conspiracy.
Willow followed his quick steps and caught up with his before speaking again. "She likes to read huh?"
"Loves it." Xander nodded as he slid into a desk near the back of the room. "Hey," he spoke up in an attempt to change the subject, "Did you get the History notes yest…"
"She needs a gym bag for the library?"
Xander gulped again, "Yesterday." He tried to refocus the redhead. "I missed it…"
"Yeah," Willow nodded going into her bag and pulling out her note book for him. "You and Buffy both did."
Xander tried to conceal his nervousness but failed as he pushed himself up form the desk and tripped over his bag on the floor. He snatched up the notebook and tried to get down the aisle. "I'm gonna go photo copy," he stuttered and turned, this time smacking right into Jeff as he entered the room.
"Hey Harris." The other boy grinned in his face before stepping around him and heading for a desk. "Missed you last night, man."
Xander glared at him and opened his mouth to speak, but then heard Willow add. "At the library?" To which he nodded while keeping his glare focused on Jeff while he laughed with a few other members of the swim team. "Tell Buffy I said I'll see her in English."
Xander nodded to Willow briefly and turned, bumping out of the door. That was too close.
~*~*~*~
"Sorry I'm late Giles," Buffy was speaking as soon as she passed through the swinging wooden doors of the library. "I was on my way and…"
The Slayer trailed off as she spotted her Watcher perched on the edge of the table pouring over books with…
"Angel." Buffy whispered in more of an intrigued than annoyed tone and the vampire stood to face her.
"Buffy." He watched her cautiously as she approached the center of the room where he stood and dropped her bag on the way.
Her tone had change the next time she spoke, and Buffy was sure to project how she was supposed to feel about the undead. "So now I can't even catch a break in the day?" She stepped around the vampire, who dropped his gaze to the floor and followed the movement of her feet. "What's the what Giles? I thought I had till at least 5 before I had to submit to the life of the chronically stalked."
Giles shut his book and placed it on the table beside him before addressing the teenager. He didn't know all he wanted to about the demon who had appeared to help, but he was, in fact, there to help. They had gathered a surprising amount of information about what was to come. "Angel came to me about the Harvest…"
"So you two are best buds now?" Buffy questioned and crossed her arms over her chest.
"No," Giles knit his brow and shook his head. "He was just concerned…"
"I don't want his concern." Buffy interrupted as if Angel weren't even in the room. She turned quickly to face the vampire and he rose his face to meet her movement. "I don't want your concern."
"Buffy…"
"He's a vampire Giles. A vampire. They're evil…soulless…"
"I'm not." Angel spoke up. "I'm not like the others."
Giles looked at how the man was watching the Slayer, an immortal being almost pleading with a teenager for acceptance. He watched as his Slayer kept her guard despite her probable witnessing of the same thing, she remained indifferent through it all. It was probably a good thing too, that Buffy was so cold to him…
"I believe him, Buffy." Giles spoke.
She whirled on him. "You believe him?! He's a killer. Killer's manipulate a…and lie…and kill, Giles!"
"I haven't done that in years." Angel told her. "I…I want to help…"
"Why?" Buffy demanded of him. "Why are you doing this? I don't need you and I don't trust you, so why do you insist…"
"I have a soul Buffy." He told her forcefully. "I'm just like you only I have to repay for what I've done…"
"That's not possible." Giles breathed. "Vampires…"
"I want to repay by helping you." Angel kept speaking, tilting his head and gazing into her eyes. Buffy was silent as she seemed to be content to listen to what he was saying. Listen to a vampire unlike any she had ever encountered with a shocked expression on her face. "You're going to save the world Buffy," Angel told her now standing at full height to confront her, "I'd like to be there when you do."
Buffy looked at him in silence and then turned towards her Watcher. "Can that happen Giles?" she asked in a low voice. "Can a vampire have a human soul?"
Giles sputtered for her answer, but the Slayer had turned back to Angel before he could answer. "I'd have to believe that it can," he whispered in awe.
"And you want to help me?" Buffy asked the demon in human form, studying his face for truth before he even answered. That was what was in his eyes…that was what had kept him alive this far. Buffy smiled secretly to herself at the concept. A vampire with a soul.
"Yes."
Surely a valuable ally gained in such a simple response. "I didn't know Slayers had partners…"
"Partners?" Angel let his mouth crack into a half smile while the Slayer worked to correct herself.
"A back-up team." She said quickly.
Giles stood and approached them, forming a triangle of people in front of the table. "I do supposed he can hold his own," he pointed out.
Buffy nodded. "Good. One less life I have to save…"
"The other is of your own accord." Angel bit out in a sudden change of mood.
Buffy slit her eyes at the vampire again, facing him squarely. "If we're going to work together you leave Xander out of this."
"I wish I could have told you the same thing." The vampire fired.
"He needed to know to save his life." She stated firmly.
"His or yours? It all seems a bit selfish…"
Buffy's chin shook with anger. How dare this creature come into her life and judge her. "At least now I have a dispensable tag along."
"Way I see it, you have two then."
"I think," Giles interrupted to Angel before Buffy could speak again. The childish quipping was more that he could handle, and less than he expected from an adult demon cohort. "We should inform her of the Harvest."
Angel nodded and turned back to the table to pick up the book. "Long story short of it," e told Buffy, "They're going to try to raise the Master tonight."
"Why don't you give me the long version." She blurted out.
Giles nodded while Angel slit his eyes at the girl. "It's called the Harvest."
"And it's to…"
"Raise the Master," Angel spoke up. "The lead vampire that will come when the gates of Hell are opened."
Buffy nodded, "Mmm…any old friends gonna show, Ang?" she asked sweetly. "Any blonds who may have…"
"You'll be there." He cut her off before she could finish.
"I'm not a friend." She told him coldly. "But I am looking out for mine." Angel nodded. "This is going down tonight?"
Both the Watcher and vampire nodded and Buffy let out an exasperated sigh. "Any chance it'll be done by eight?" she asked hopefully, shooting doe eyes at Giles.
Angel rolled his eyes at her and set down the book. "The salvation of the world is more important that you playing kissy face with the boy…"
Buffy felt her blood boil. Every comment the demon made seemed to be a dig on either Xander or her or the both of them and she didn't appreciate it. "The salvation thing is your deal, isn't it? You're just here to ride on my coattails…And I'm not going to play 'kissy face'," she told him as if it were any of his business. "I was going to go out with some friends."
"Well," Angel sighed. "Change of plans."
"We shall work to figure out where this will happen." Giles cut in, "All we know is that these vampires who are involved need quite a few bodies to open the gates. The Master will gain his strength through the one the call the Vessel."
"So I kill him and the whole things off, right?"
"Simply put," Angel told her. "But it's not so easy. The Vessel is strong. And we don't know where he's going to be."
Buffy rolled her eyes at him and opened her mouth to speak, but then turned to see the library doors swinging behind a confused looking Xander. "I had to photo copy something…"
"Library's closed." Angel growled as the boy fixed his gaze on Buffy.
Xander smirked at the other man whom he recognized from the hospital the night Jesse died. "But I couldn't help overhearing…" He meandered towards the group under the intense gaze of Angel and Giles, until he was standing next to Buffy.
"You didn't overhear much," Buffy told him over her shoulder. "He's just sitting her fonting nothing."
Angel dropped his eyes to the floor again but Giles spoke. He didn't have time for the insipient ping pong match of love and love lost between these children…and they were all children. "As I assume that you're going to be involved in this Mr. Harris," he gathered since the young boy had taken to shadowing Buffy in the presence of Angel. "We are simply trying to find out…"
"You said they need a lot of people." Xander interrupted.
"Yeah," Angel shrugged. "And they probably need…"
"Where do kids flock to on a Friday night?" the teenaged boy turned to Buffy with a confident look in his eyes. He got momentarily distracted by the sound of a low growl that cam from Angel's direction and narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment.
"The Bronze." Buffy interrupted his thoughts. "They're going to the Bronze."
"And so are we." Angel settled and tossed the book back down to the table. "I'll go gather some weapons and bring them back here."
"Weapons?" Xander piped up hopefully.
"No," Buffy shook her head. "Not for you. You're door duty." She softened at the disappointed look the settled over Xander's features. "I just don't want you getting hurt," she whispered to him and leaned into his side.
Xander turned away from her slightly but Buffy followed his movement. "I want you there Xander. I do. But if anything happened to you…"
Xander dropped his gaze and met Buffy's pleading eyes. "Door duty," he said tight lipped. "I'm on it."
"Okay," Angel said loudly to break the moment. "We got the fighters…and the backup." He added to Xander, "I'm going to go stock up."
Xander and Buffy watched the man turn and move fluidly back to the stack from where he had emerged earlier that morning. "There's no door up there?" Xander questioned, glancing back and forth between his friend and her Watcher.
"Does anybody else really hate that guy?" Buffy asked out loud.
Xander didn't answer, but instead just looked confused at where the man had disappeared. "There's no door up there."
"Why don't you two head back to class," Giles shook his head at the wreckage that the line of Slayers had been reduced to. A Slayer with a social life, family, friends, a vampire helper…
Buffy nodded and grabbed Xander's arm, pulling him slowly towards the entrance.
"And do fill him in so that people won't think that he's suffered mental damage." Giles added behind them. "Although I fear it might be too late."
Xander turned and shot the man a glare, but then nodded his head. "Good one."
Giles nodded in congratulations to himself. "I was, wasn't it?"
"Quality." Buffy said dismissively. "I'll be back after school to train." She called back over her shoulder as she continued to drag the boy along.
Giles nodded and watched the doors swing shut behind the two friends. "They are the strangest children."
~*~*~
Xander let Buffy guide him in silence until they turned the corner and were out if sight of the library. "So," he prodded, a little more than confused at what was going on. "Why was Angel…"
"Do you have a particular attachment to Algebra?" she cut him off and whirled hopefully to face him.
"No," Xander shook his head. "In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I hate him, and would like to see that character dead." He smiled at her giggle and noticed that she had yet to release his hand. In fact Buffy had taken to swinging it back and forth between them. "Why?"
"I'm just not in a class place right now," Buffy bit her bottom lip and glanced at their hands before tugging him further down the hall while still facing him.
Xander glance over her shoulder and recognized one of the familiar utility closets that the school had obviously had put in because they could see how useful they would be to him one day and smiled. "I'm guessing you're not going to explain now then?" Not that he had a problem with that – right now. He supposed it could wait a few more hours…
Buffy shook her head negative. "Later?"
The dark haired boy raised his eyebrows as they reached the destination that neither of them had directly discussed. "Well…alright."
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The End Part 14c
