Title: Before the Fall of Rome (15/?)
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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"There's a door in the back, I'm going to unlock it," Buffy commented to Giles as he pulled his car to a stop outside the club. "You help Xander and Willow get everybody out."
Giles faced her only to see she was focused on the entrance, "I'll also be at your disposal should you need back up."
Buffy whipped her head around to face the older man. "No. I fight." She tucked an extra stake into a sheath on her ankle and readjusted her pants. "The hand to hand is me and Angel…"
"I don't think you can…"
"I can count on him Giles," Buffy raised her eyes and admitted. "He won't let anything happen…Plus, I'd rather him block the punches with his face than you with yours. You just make sure they get out."
Giles nodded and Buffy open her door before he could respond. She leant back into the car form the street, "I'm going to go find Angel. I told him to be out here."
"Buffy!" Giles called hopping out of the car before she walked away and the Slayer turned to face him. He fixed her with a look, unsure of what exactly to say, and not finding the customary 'good luck' sufficient.
She held her Watcher's gaze, "Wait for my signal before you come in," she spoke while acknowledging his unspoken message. "I don't want to be too conspicuous."
Giles nodded and watched the girl walk down the street until she reached an alley and stopped suspiciously. She looked down it and paused a moment longer before starting determined down it. Giles was still amazed that despite her youth and her stubbornness she was proving to be very capable; even more so than she would ever want to purposely portray. "Good luck," he whispered before he ducked back into the car and grabbed a small duffel bag of weapons and heading down the adjacent alley to the back entrance.
~*~*~
"Knew I could count on you," Buffy said snidely as she approached Angel, watching as he pushed himself away from the wall and faced her nervously.
"Yeah, well…I …"
"Thanks," she muttered and shifted on the balls of her feet.
Angel nodded, but Whistler stepped from behind him and spoke. "You're late girly," he bit out, "You itching to see you little boyfriend die?"
Buffy slit her eyes and glared at the man behind the tall vampire, "Excuse me, but who are you? And more importantly why are you talking to me when I didn't say anything to you?"
"Whistler," the shorter demon spoke with a heavy accent while ignoring Buffy's tone. "I'm here with my boy, Angel."
"Oh great," Buffy sighed out sarcastically, "More of Angel's friends. What?" she turned to the vampire, "Do your friends always come bearing death, destruction and hell on earth, or is it just for me?"
"No offense," Whistler spoke up, "But if anyone dies tonight it'll be because you're out here tossing one liners and not trying to protect anybody."
Buffy sneered and turned back to Angel, not wanting to speak to the other man. "Tell your friends that I'll start doing my job by wiping them out one by one."
"Look, you told him to be here…"
Buffy couldn't believe that this man insisted on still speaking but fired at him, "He told me to be here. For all I care I can go home…as a matter of fact, I think I'll just…"
"You love to hear yourself talk," Whistler rolled his eyes and turned away.
"Why don't you just stop the Harvest yourself then," Buffy shot out with her hands on her hips. "You just show up and start criticizing me. You don't even know me."
"I'd beg to differ," Whistler began but Angel jumped into the conversation.
"I can't stop it," he admitted in a low tone and Buffy turned to face him.
"Why not?" she asked snidely, "You're the big bad vampire…"
"I'm afraid." He said point blank. "I don't want to be responsible for what can happen – what will come."
Buffy snorted out a bitter laugh, "Well, apparently 'Responsibility' is my new middle name." She sighed and Angel could detect the sadness with in the exhalation. It seemed to her that she was always fine until she had to admit what she was; that she wasn't a normal girl hanging out at the club with her friends, celebrating that end of another week – a week that she had risked her life every night to reach the end of. "There's a skylight up there," the Slayer gestured towards the roof of the club and Angel raised his head to follow her gesture. "Giles is coming in through the back; you guys can come in from up there…"
"Oh no, kiddo," Whistler shook his head and backed away from the pair with his hands raised. "I'm outta this."
Angel watched him retreat in silence, but Buffy spoke in disbelief. "You're not even going to help?!" She turned to the silent vampire, "You need to grow a pair. You hang out with the most useless scum…"
Angel whirled to face her, "I could say the same to you," he spoke before thinking and Buffy reared in defense.
"Don't even," she said simply. "Just don't."
"Listen love birds," the New Yorker interrupted earning two scowls before speaking to Buffy. "My game is balance – a Brachen Demon if you ever wanna read about us."
"What?" Buffy rolled her eyes, "Is that ancient speak for lazy?"
"No," Whistler shook his head calmly. "Just means I can't take up sides…"
"You're here with him," Buffy pointed at Angel. "He's a good guy right? You can't possibly be pro evil?"
"I'm here with him," he copied her tone, "because the good needs him." He paused for a moment, "You need him." Buffy opened her mouth to protest but the other man kept speaking, "I brought him to you, weather or not you use him is up to you. I'm out of it."
Buffy shook her head in disbelief, "Whatever. If you're not going to help then get the fuck out of here. I don't have time…"
"Not a problem," Whistler smirked and headed back out of the alley, making sure to collide shoulders with the teenaged girl. "If I don't hear for you, I'll assume you lost," he called back before vanishing into the street.
"Real personable guy," Angel tried to force out a smile at Buffy's obviously pissed mood, but it always felt unnatural and he let it fall.
"Wait for my signal," she ignored him. "Only you and me are here to fight, got that?"
"So watch Xander." Angel stated dejectedly.
Buffy didn't answer as she turned determinedly and walked out of the alley leaving the vampire alone. She didn't look back and turned to corner headed for the main entrance of the club. It was still open, so she assumed that everything was still normal, which was for the best because now she had a few minutes to check on her friends.
~*~*~
Just my luck, Buffy cursed as she was waved into the club and was greeted first by the shrill voice of Cordelia Chase in mid criticism.
"A tank top?" the head cheerleader approached her right off the bat, as if she had been waiting for the blond to walk through the door. "And Xander's jacket?" she reached out and flipped up the collar snidely, "That's what you picked to wear? You have to go home…"
"Cordelia," Buffy sighed in a tone reflective of her mood, "Not tonight."
The taller girl grabbed the Slayer's arm as she tried to pass and stopped her, "Yes tonight." She growled out with a tight smile, "I told you…"
"And I'm telling you," Buffy yanked her arm away hard and the other girl almost fell due to the force used. "I can't tonight."
Cordelia sneered at her former friend, "And just when I think you've redeemed yourself," she shook her head in distaste. "Maybe you should just go mingle with your kind, Freak." She waved Buffy off and walked away before she could speak. "I'll just tell Jeff that not even he can save the terminally losered…waste of time…" the girl muttered loud enough for Buffy to hear as she headed back to her group.
Buffy sighed and searched for Xander, ignoring the departing girl. Sometimes the only way to get thru to Cordelia was to smack her in the face with your response, and worry about the retribution later. Buffy spotted her friends in the corner of the club, sitting on opposite side of the table and looking extremely uncomfortable. Little did anybody outside of Buffy's inner circle know, tomorrow might not come. The Slayer shook her head and headed towards her group with a determined stride, hoping that she could get in and out without having to run into anymore of Cordy's lackeys and without having to sacrifice their lives to do so.
"Guys!" Buffy called out as she slide up to the side of the table, noticing Willow's relived smile that somebody had come to detract the lack of conversation.
"Buffy!" the other girl greeted, and the Slayer could read in her eyes that they would be talking later. "I called you sooooo many times…" She glanced briefly a Buffy's coat but picked up her withering grin quickly; it was no use denying the inevitable. Not when Buffy didn't care, Xander was practically posting sings…and demons were walking the earth. The demons were very distracting, indeed.
Xander turned and faced her with a tender smile, "We thought you'd forgot that you had to save the world tonight."
Buffy rolled her eyes and punched him lightly on the shoulder, gripping the cuffs of the large jacket in her fists. "Nope," she shook her head, "Just got caught up in Mom bondage…bonding…type stuff…" her brow furrowed as she worked out her explanation and Xander watched her intently for a bit. "Then I had to direct my troops outside," she refocused. "You guys ready?" she directed the question to Willow who nodded enthusiastically and held up the stake Buffy had given her earlier.
Xander reacted quickly and grabbed the red heads wrist, lowering her hand. "Secret Wills."
"Oh, yeah," Willow diverted her eyes sheepishly. "Sorry."
Buffy simply shrugged and leant into Xander's shoulder to offer him some assurance. She had known him her whole life and had never seen him as nervous as she had the past few weeks, he was always tense and on alert. "No probs Willow." Buffy looked morosely around the crowded low lit room, "They're going to see a hell of a lot more in a few minutes."
Xander swallowed and wrapped his arm low around Buffy's waist, pulling her into a slight sideways hug. "Don't worry Buffster," he comforted and then nodded to Willow. "We're all here…the whole gang."
"Yeah," Willow piped in brightly. Her excitement brimmed from sheer terror and adrenaline, "You're the Slayer, and we're…we're like your Slayerettes…"
Xander managed to shoot her a real smile and Willow melted a little, her previous anger dissipating a little. "Good one Wills. The Slayerettes."
"And Angel's here, so he'll be all grrrrr," she continued and got a begrudging nod from Xander. "And then you'll be all HIYA!"
Buffy trued to contain her chuckle as the people at the next table turned to stare at a blushing Willow. "Sorry," she said, "Again. I'm just…excited. I mean, wow…"
"Vampires," Xander filled in while glancing up at Buffy and Willow nodded.
The Slayer shook her head, "I don't want you guys getting hurt," she told them seriously. "If it gets too hairy, get out."
"What about you?" Willow asked while Xander looked on with a dark concern.
"We'll get you out too," he cut in. "We're not leaving you here…"
"I don't want you guys in the fight," she looked directly into his dark eyes. "You guys just try to empty the club with Giles; me and Angel will take care of the rest."
"What if he's tricking you?" Willow asked skeptically. "Xander said that he knows all about…this…what if he's on their side?"
"He's not." Buffy said confidently for both her friends' benefits. "And I'd rather him get hurt than you," she said looking down at Xander, knowing he'd be the first to rush to her rescue if things started going wrong; but then snapped her head up to Willow, "Either of you. So promise me."
"Promise," Willow said obediently.
"Promise Xan," Buffy pulled away slightly to look him in his diverted eyes. "You'll get out if it gets to choppy."
Xander shook his head dismissively, "Yeah" he shrugged. "Whatever."
Buffy accepted his almost sworn word with a nod. "You guys both armed?" she spoke in a low voice and received affirmatives. "When Giles gets in he's got some more fire power."
"Holy water, garlic…the nines," Xander informed Willow as he watched her eyes dart around the club.
Buffy nodded and shrugged her shoulders, remembering that she was still wrapped in the warmth of the Xander smelling jacket. "You left this," she said distractedly as she shrugged it off and handed it to him. She secretly enjoyed the look that her friend got in his eyes whenever she moved now. She had noticed it before, but it was always disguised. As of late he didn't seem to care that she knew – wanted her to know that he was fascinated by her.
Xander took the garment numbly, not focusing on it as she thrust it into his lap. "You're lucky coat, right?" she asked and he nodded in response. "Then put it on and let's rock this."
Willow took an audible deep breath in preparation and Buffy shook her head. "It'll be alright, Wills. I won't let anything happen to you," she assured.
"Me either," Xander spoke, having cleared his head.
"I'm going to go clear Giles' way," Buffy told them, fighting off the shiver at the loss of the jacket. Xander noticed the shake in her voice but she spoke again before he could. "You guys stay here until I signal you. I want you as discrete as possible, especially since Jesse…" she swallowed but set herself. "He'll probably be looking out for you."
Both the other teens nodded and Buffy stepped back from the table, casting both of them lingering looks. "We're going to do this guys, alright. I've got it under control."
Willow's chin shook while Xander seemed content to believe what Buffy told him no questions asked. It seemed to her that Buffy was assuring herself more than them, and that wigged her out more than she'd like.
"Uh, Buffy," Xander called just as she had nodded to them and turned away from the table, obviously heading to the rear of the club.
"Yeah, Xan?" the blonde turned around with raised eyebrows.
"I…ummm…Good luck. I mean…yeah," he let out a nervous chuckle and his eyes darted around the room.
Buffy smiled shyly while her friend stepped out of the way of a group of teens that had passed in front of him. "Thanks," she whispered. "You too. Both of you," she added to Willow.
"Alright," Xander sighed. "Yeah…"
Buffy moved to continue her path but then stopped suddenly to face her best friend again. "And Xan," she called out gaining his attention.
"Hmmm?"
"I like the hair."
Xander let out a genuine smile and laughed a little, running his hand over it. "Wills picked it out," he admitted shyly.
"Good job Wills," Buffy agreed and smiled at her.
"And it's just a little crunchy, but not too much," Willow elaborated. "He's gonna need upkeep help, but he said something shorter."
"Well we'll have to stay on top of that then," Buffy gave a tight lipped grin. "I'm gonna go," she hitched her thumb to the back of the club and her friends nodded as she turned and walked away.
Buffy was cutting through the crowd with only minor difficulty since she was still trying to avoid Cordy by sticking to the walls. She could feel the demons all around her. All so close that they were practically under her skin - the smallish club was packed with them, she was pushing through them to get to the door; cold clammy skin of dead bodies still animated. She hadn't mentioned anything back at the table because she didn't want her friends to be even more worried, but the stench that only she seemed to be able to detect was so thick she could hardly breathe. The Slayer was pushing Buffy down, dying to come out. To fight. To kill. The instinct was fast overcoming morality and humanity, and it was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Buffy felt so different right now than she ever had since she had been called; so much more powerful.
"Buff," she stopped at the familiar voice and turned to see Xander pushing past people – demons – to get to her. He didn't even detect the low angry growls that were following him. He didn't notice the looks of pure hunger and devious vengeance in the eyes of the ones he had bypassed and Buffy fought with everything in her to keep from blowing her cover too soon in his defense.
"Xander," she started, "I told you to stay at the table. You shouldn't leave Willow…"
He quickly interrupted her by thrusting his jacket back at her. "It's my lucky coat," he said shyly, eyes focused on the ground before darting around. Xander looked up and saw Buffy staring at his hand, "It can be lucky for you too."
Xander swallowed as Buffy looked at him confused before reaching out and taking the jacket. "Plus," he continued nervously as she slid it back on, "It looks cuter on you."
Buffy couldn't hold back the grin that broke out on her face, "Thanks."
"No problem," Xander shrugged and took a hesitant step forward before stopping himself and backing up. "I'm…I'm gonna go…back…to Willow and the table…"
Buffy watched him fiddle with his hands before jamming them into his pocket and could match his nervousness. "Xan," she called tentively making him stop.
"Yeah?" he chirped and took a small step towards her.
The Slayer swallowed slightly and then looked her friend in the eyes. "Kiss for luck?" She didn't care who saw, she had to fight to save the world, she could die any given night, and she would do whatever the hell she wanted. As long as it was away from Willow for the time being – she still hadn't worked that out. Plus, what's one little good luck peck going to do, it could be a friendly hug gone awry. And then her breath halted and Xander's lips were on hers. A light brush before closing on her upper one as he held her face. Buffy opened her mouth slightly and licked his bottom lip, their tongues pushing against each other for a brief moment before pulling away. Their first public kiss lost in a wave of passing teens and stalking undead.
"Luck," Xander whispered now, a blissful grin on his face as he seemed to have calmed down slightly.
Buffy bit her lower lip, "Don't need it now."
Xander smiled and turned, knowing that she was watching him head back to the table. He was glad though that his back was turned and that she couldn't see the completely idiotic grin on his face, or the light flush that had tinted his face. He didn't know that his keeping his back turned shielded Buffy's similar state form him.
The Slayer watched her friend slide back into his stool at the table and glance at her standing there quickly before she remembered what she was supposed to be doing. "Door," Buffy whispered to herself as she unlocked the heavy lock and pushed it open slightly, allowing a blast of cool air to calm her momentarily.
"Did you stop of a song and dance?" Giles questioned sardonically when he saw her appear in front of him. "I've been out here for almost thirty minutes."
"I got distracted," Buffy said weakly before fixing him with a pout. "Sorry."
"Bloody hell," Giles sighed at the doe eyes he had been receiving since he had made himself known as her Watcher. It was a wonder to him that he actually got her to do anything work related since the girl whipped out a pout at everything. "I assume all is arranged?"
Buffy nodded. "Angel's on the roof," she told him, "I'm going to wait beside the stage. The place is already packed."
"Alright," Giles nodded with a sigh, knowing that she wasn't talking about hormonal teens. His Slayer fixed him with a tight lipped grin and moved to shut the door again. "Buffy," he beckoned before she could, "You'll do great tonight."
The Slayer nodded unable to meet the older man's eyes. "I know."
~*~*~
"You need I.D." the burly doorman said at the large group that had just approached him at his post. They all had their heads down except the one in front, and he gasped at the grotesque features it held.
Luke grabbed the large man in front of him by the throat and shoved him through the door he was supposed to be watching. "Get inside," he growled.
"What…what's wrong with your face?" the man stuttered as he complied.
"Shut the doors," Luke called out to the group he was with as they flooded into the crowded club unnoticed. "Everybody spread out, block the exits."
"Listen man," the bouncer tried to speak before he was turned roughly around. He was expecting to come face to face with somebody his own size, judging by the force that had been used to turn him, but instead found himself face to face with a short blonde, with mangled features like the rest of her group. "You can't…" he tried to get out but then lost his voice, along with the rest of the feeling in his body.
"Bored now," Darla had sighed loudly, grasping the man by his thick neck and twisting hard. She grinned at the loud snap that followed as the body fell to the ground, and exalted in the shocked gasps of the now frightened teens that jumped out of the way.
Percy appeared beside her and cocked his head at the dead body. "I thought we couldn't kill anybody?" Darla smirked and shook her head, not answering him as she directed some of the minions to clear a path to the stage.
Xander's head had snapped up when he over heard a girl run past him talking frantically into her cell phone. Somebody passed out. At least that's what he had heard, but judging by the amount of people that were now scurrying around the club that was a best case scenario.
He looked wide eyed at Willow, having lost sight of Buffy. "I think this is it."
Willow's heart rate quickened as she watched some of the club goers try and fail to exit from the front doors. She turned to face Xander, but then her breathe hitched in her throat…
"Give the man a prize," the familiar, but now cruel and mocking voce sounded in Xander's ear.
The swimmer turned quickly with a smile at the lost voice to face his friend. Jesse…not Jesse. A thing grinning at him through a monsters mask on Jesse's face, and Xander's smile died. "Man…" he choked, trying to fight back tears.
Jesse shook his head and flung his arm around Xander's shoulder, laughing at his former friend's flinch. "How's it going man?" he grinned in full vampiric visage before turning to Willow. "Red?"
"Jesse?" the girl said sadly, but the vampire just laughed.
"On in the same, guys…only new and improved. And a helluva lot cooler than you poseur pussies'll ever be," he smiled and ran his tongue over his fangs while his arm tightened around Xander's neck. "Always following around after Lord Master Buffy – I'm glad to be outta that, you know?" he asked Xander, who was sitting in silent shock. "But," Jesse prompted himself, "I was never gonna hit that, right Harris? That's gotta be a worthwhile perk. Tapping her for the first time…making her scream…" He laughed again and looked around the club, searching for the Slayer. "Speaking of which, I might look into that before the night is…"
Jesse was cut off when Xander's elbow slammed into his ribs, forcing him to take a step back as he doubled over. "I'm sorry, man." Xander blinked as he stood up quickly and grabbed his stake from his pocket, "But you're not Jesse."
The other boy let his face slide back into human form, detracting Xander with sad eyes. "Yeah I am," Jesse managed to get out as he faced Xander and watched his guard drop. "So c'mon X-man," his foot shot out and hit Xander in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Let's fucking play," his fist landed solidly with the other boy's nose and Xander fell to the ground. "Like when we were kids." He finished with a drop kick to Xander's ribs.
"Xander!" Willow screamed and moved to hop off of her stool to help him, but was held back by a pair of arms around her waist, restricting her movement.
"Miss me?" Percy's voice sounded in her ear and Willow's heart dropped. She didn't need to see his face to know what he was now. To know what he was there for.
"I got you a gift Wills," Jesse looked her in the eyes. "You don't like it?"
Suddenly the grip around her loosened and disappeared and she fell back into somebody's arms. "Naw," the voce said and helped her stand up. She turned to see Angel meeting Jesse's cold glare, and standing were Percy had been. "Not really her size, ya know?" Buffy's friend added.
Jesse hadn't been paying attention and missed Xander pushing himself up, barreling himself into his stomach and knocking them both to the ground.
"That's what you get for turning jocks," Angel said over his shoulder as he pulled Willow away. "Help get these people out," he instructed and she nodded numbly.
"Fuck!" Jesse cursed as he kicked Xander off of him after being punched in the mouth. "I'm going to fucking kill you guys!" he yelled and lunched himself at the prone body of his friend.
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The End Part 15
