=======================================
Disclaimer: Buffy and the Slayerettes sure don't belong to me. Only the storyline itself. And that nasty Gideon guy.
(c) October 1999, Eleri McCleod
=======================================
*****
Part 3
*****
"So basically we have no ideas," Buffy reiterated, trying to keep her head from spinning off her shoulders. "I have amnesia and no way to get rid of it. There are lots of vampires out there that need slaying and I don't know how to do it. We're up a creek, aren't we?"
"I wouldn't paint it that bleak," Giles smiled, recognizing the normal Buffy in the statement. "We do have a few advantages that will help you to succeed."
"Hey!" she cried suddenly, turning to look at Angel. "It's gone. That Slayer thingie. When you changed back, I couldn't feel it anymore." Giles' mouth opened, but she beat him. "But you still feel different than the others." She stared at Angel, brows furrowed in concentration. "I didn't notice it before. I don't know how to describe it. You just *feel* different."
Angel nodded, the light dimming a little from his eyes. He knew why he still felt different and he hated it. His double cursed life was almost unbearable sometimes. The first curse, the vampire, took away almost any chance of he and Buffy ever having a life together. The second, his soul, was the only reason they had any at all. 'What a tangled web we weave,' he quoted sadly to himself.
"Because you're a vampire," she continued. "Do all other vamps feel like this? Is this how I tell them apart from, from, well, humans?" She turned to Giles, unable to meet Angel's eyes any longer. The whole situation was beginning to make her head spin. Vampires, Slayers, her relationship with Angel... "Can I have some aspirin?"
Xander couldn't keep the snort of laughter back. Everyone turned to stare at him. "What?" No one replied. "Come on. Buffy wanting aspirin? Now that's just a little unusual, don't you think?"
Angel felt a smile twitch along his mouth. Glancing at Giles, he saw the Watcher was having the same problem. They made eye contact, twitches turning into full grins.
"What?" Buffy asked, looking from one person to the next. "I'm allergic to aspirin?" The others burst into laughter. "Hello?" Xander and Willow collapsed onto the couch. Cordelia seemed to be choking while Angel and Giles were trying to halt their giggle fit. "Let me guess. This is one of those thingies that I haven't been told yet."
Giles nodded, pulling off his glasses. "Uh, yes." After wiping his eyes, he gave Xander, Willow and Cordelia a light glare. "Perhaps now that the biggest shock is over, we can cover a few other things."
Willow gulped in a few big breaths. "Aspirin. You're right, Xand. That *is* good." She caught Buffy's eye. "Sorry. But it is. You'll, uh, understand eventually."
"Yeah!" Xander exclaimed. "We could arm wrestle," he suggested, happily jumping to his feet. Buffy just stared at him, wondering what field that one had come from. It sure hadn't been left. "On second thought that might not be such a good idea."
"Good call, Xander. She'd only hurt you," Cordelia tossed off, checking her makeup. Xander shot her a 'thank you' look, trying to hold onto his sense of Xander-self.
"Yes, well," Giles motioned for Buffy to sit again. "The Slayer is endowed with extraordinary strength along with the gift to sense vampires. Combined with intense training, the Slayer fights all manner of demon and, uh, otherworldly, shall we say, in order to keep the Earth, and its people, alive as we know it."
"Why'd this Slayer thingie pick on me? I didn't ask for it. I mean, there's a big dance coming up..." she trailed off slowly, damaged memory kicking in. "Except the dance was, like, two years ago, huh?"
Angel squeezed her hand lightly, careful of her newly awakened awareness of Slayer instinct. "We'll help you get it all back, Buffy." She gave him a small smile, turning her hand to lace her fingers with his. "No matter how long it takes."
"That's right," Xander cut in, unable to watch the bonding going on in front of him. "We're *all* here for you." He sat on the other side of Buffy, patting her empty hand reassuringly.
Buffy stared at them, amazed at the loyalty of these people. She hoped she could live up to their expectations. She had never done very well with her parents. "Thanks, guys. I've only got one question. What do we do if my memory never comes back?"
For the second time, silence reigned in the room. Angel bit the bullet and squeezed her hand. "Let's deal with that only if we have to, okay?"
"Sounds good to me," Xander snapped up off the couch. "So, who's hungry?"
*****
"Okay. Enough," Buffy sighed, jumping up from the couch. "The pictures, the talking, none of it is working. I think it's time for a more hands on approach." She stared down at Giles expectantly.
"H-hands on?" he repeated, obviously stalling. He shot a quick glance at Angel, which Buffy interrupted.
"Yes, hands on. None of this pedestrian stuff is going to get my memory back. Which *is* the final objective, right?" Without waiting for confirmation, she rushed on earnestly. "So, if we use Cordy's example, a similar situation will do more than all of this put together."
"Buffy, did you just agree with me?" Cordelia sounded insulted.
"I'm sure you can handle it, Cordy." Xander turned to Giles. "This is not a good idea. Buffy could get hurt going out 'hands on' without her memory."
"I must agree with Xander, Buffy. You might do nothing but more harm to yourself. Instinct alone is not enough. You must have the training to back it up and I'm afraid you don't have any of that training available right now." Giles hoped Buffy would not prove to be her usual impulsive self in this case. It could get her killed.
"We don't have time to just wait around for my memory to come back. We have to *make* it work." The Slayer stopped in front of Giles, looking him in the eye. "Or start that training right away. We tried the most obvious thing and no bells." Something inside her told her to push the issue. It was all there, locked away deep inside her head. She knew it. Just like she knew she needed to get out there in the thick of it all.
"Buffy," the Watcher started, taking her shoulders. "I understand your desire to make this work right away, but we may have to accept the fact that it just won't work that way."
She pulled away, stalking around the room. "I know, I know. But something tells me that I have to get out there. I feel like something is happening. Something bad."
"She's right," Angel cut into the argument. "It's been way too quiet lately. And if even one vampire knows about this missing memory, Buffy's going to be in even more danger than normal." He looked Giles in the eye, focusing out everything else in the room. "Neither of us wants that." Their gazes held, silently, unwillingly agreeing on a course of action they didn't like.
Angel sighed heavily. Once again Buffy's putting her life on the line, he thought bitterly, wanting to grab her up and carry her far away from the Hellmouth and the dangers it kept spitting out. And one day I won't be there to help keep her safe. Like tonight, he worried internally. His mind flashed over the scene again. Maybe if he'd been quicker in dusting his vamp. Maybe if he'd been paying more attention to patrolling instead of Buffy and her soul-spinning kisses. Maybe... There were a million of them.
"Okay," Buffy interrupted his thoughts cheerily. "Now that we've settled that, I just need to know where to go to hunt these vamps. Which we do need to find for this little fun-fest." She looked from Angel to Giles. Then to Xander to Cordelia to Willow. No one said a word, but Buffy could see Willow's nervousness. "Well, we already know about the cemetery." Willow gulped. "What about the funeral home?" Nothing. "The mall?" Again nothing. "The park?" Gulp action. "The park! Willow, what's it called? Come on," she pleaded, thinking Willow was her best bet for success. She didn't hear Angel moving behind her until he spoke.
"Waverly, Buffy." She whipped around to face him. He took note of the shock in her eyes. "It's called Waverly Park. You usually find a lot of vampires there." He didn't want to try and explain to her how important it was for her to get her memory back. He didn't want her to have to go through all the mistakes and pain of the past two years.
"Thanks," she said slowly, trying to read the look on his face. "You'll go with me, right?"
"Always."
"Well, we're going, too." Willow stepped up next to Buffy. "I mean, if you want."
"And there's a question about that?" Xander jumped in. "Come on, Will, we're the Slayerettes. We have to be there!"
Buffy smiled at her friends. "Cool. This'll be just like last year's zoo trip." A sudden frown flashed across her face. "Except we'll skip the whole snake thing this time."
Willow smiled eagerly, anxious to hear the story. "Snake thing?"
"Well, Hilary was trying to get Tyler to call her -"
"Fascinating, I'm sure. Could we get back to the point, please," Giles cut in rather sharply. "I'm going along on this little 'field trip,' too. Who knows what Buffy may encounter?" Giles shot a glare at Angel. "We may as well get over there. Nothing like jumping before walking, eh?"
Angel gave him a half smile and reached for Buffy's coat.
*****
"So I do this patrol thingie every night," Buffy stated for the third time. The others were heading off in the other direction around the park. It wasn't that big and Angel would be able to hear if they ran into trouble. Giles had decided that two small groups were more likely to draw out any vampires than one big one. So Buffy and Angel were teamed up, as usual, and Xander, Cordelia, Willow and Giles were all together for number's sake. "And I slay any stray vamp that happens along, right?" She turned to Angel, stopping in the middle of the path. He didn't answer, just stared at her, eyes dark with unspoken words. Buffy half-smiled, not sure where the line was on vampire comments around Angel. "Well, ex-except you, I mean." He returned the half-smile, still not speaking, still looking worried and broody.
Buffy stared at him for a moment, the smile slowly fading from her face. A flutter of nervousness wormed its way through her stomach. "Angel, you've got to help here." She swallowed hard, toying with the stake in one hand. "I don't know what to say around you. Or, or what I shouldn't say. I don't have any references for this. I mean, a vampire boyfriend." Her voice rose in pitch as did her frustration. "How did I deal with this before? Did we fight? I mean, you are a vampire and I'm this Slayer-chic. Did I know you had a soul? Or-"
"Buffy," Angel tried to halt the rapid flow of words. "Don't do this, please." To no effect. Her words weren't even being directed at him any more. She was pacing back and forth in front of him, using the stake as a pointing tool.
"Or did we just like each other? How did this all work? I really am not dealing with this very well, I know." She stopped pacing, fingers digging into her hair to hold it off her face, her expression revealing frustration, confusion and just a little helplessness. "I don't know what to do. I've never felt like this before."
Angel pulled the stake from her hand, smoothing her hair of the tangles she'd inflicted. Her beautiful sunshine hair that was silk against his skin. He felt that fist tighten around his chest again watching her struggle with herself. "Buffy, you don't need to worry about me at all." She gazed up at him, tears of frustration and worry filling her eyes. Tucking the stake back into her belt, he tugged gently on it. "All you have to do is concentrate on getting your memory back. Nothing else matters right now." This time it was he who wiped the tears dry, smiling gently at this girl who had been forced to grow up beyond her years and any normal expectation. "You get your memory back," he ordered softly. "And let me worry about all the rest of it, okay?"
Buffy sniffed, nuzzling her face into his hand. "But what about this whole Slayer thing? And I don't want to go around saying the wrong things around you all the time. I mean, who knows what's going to come out of my big mouth, right? I have been known to chew on some feet in my time. You're probably seen it-"
He cut her babbling off the best way he knew how, pressing his lips to hers gently, holding her captive by the soft pressure. He felt her sigh on his lips as she returned the kiss, her small hands coming up to rest on his chest. He deepened the kiss, body tensing in reaction when she went with him.
One warm hand slid around his neck to tangle in his hair while the other wrapped around his back, pulling his body against hers. Shuddering at the full contact, his hands clenched in her hair, holding her still for his kiss. This is going too far, the only reasoning part of his brain clamored anxiously, trying to break through the passion-glazed haze that surrounded him. You've got to stop this!
Angel ignored the little voice, drinking in her essence, her sunshine, her love, feeling truly alive and human in her arms. But that voice refused to go away, repeating over and over that the embrace had gotten out of hand. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest, her hands scorching a path over his back, her Slayer's strength and his vampiric strength combining to crush them together so not even air was between them.
"Angel," she murmured, heart soaring. Overwhelmed with the feelings coursing through her, she only knew that she wanted, needed this embrace to go on forever.
It was that impassioned whisper that finally broke through Angel's drugged mind. Abruptly he pulled back, breaking the kiss, but not their hold on each other. Her eyes innocently begged him to return those pleasure-giving lips, hands tugging to pull him closer again. He steeled his heart again her siren's pull, telling himself that she was an innocent and unknowing of what she was diving headlong into.
But he couldn't stop from raising her face to meet his lips again, sealing them together tightly. The clamoring voice continued, growing in volume in his head, desperately trying to halt the embrace.
Her lips were fiery satin on his, filling him with her self, her goodness, washing away the evil inside. He growled softly, holding her tight against his body. She responded like the Slayer she couldn't remember being. She moaned, raking her fingernails over his back. A bolt of desire shot through him, ripping a harsh gasp from his mouth. He flung his head back, growling with his need for this girl.
And abruptly realized what was happening. He pulled out of her arms, backing away toward the trees. He closed his eyes, trying to get his body and emotions back under control.
Buffy stared at him in shock. One moment they were kissing and all sorts of interesting things were happening, the next Angel had decided he liked the company of the trees surrounding them better than her. Her hazy mind was having trouble piecing his actions to a reason. "Angel?" No response. "What's, uh, up?"
She took a step toward him, only to halt abruptly when he whispered harshly, "Don't. Stay over there."
"And I'm asking why? I mean about all of this, not just the 'stay' part." She tried to swallow the hurt that was threading its way through her heart, but it slipped into her voice, giving it a choked sound she didn't like. It had felt right and absolutely unbelievable in his arms. She had thought he'd liked it too. The reason she got was the one she never would have thought of.
"Things are moving too far, too fast, Buffy," he ground out, forcibly relaxing. "Sometimes we walk the line just a little too closely. Like now." He suddenly turned to look at her, eyes heavy with emotion. "We've got time. We don't need to rush into something we're not ready for. And sometimes I can't," he paused, searching for an appropriate word, "relax when you're too close." He stopped, hoping she'd understand and not assume he was treating her like a kid.
The hurt dissipated as quickly as it appeared, turning into a wonderful warmth that flowed through her, filling her with love for this vampire, this man, in front of her. "Yeah," she smiled over at Angel, drinking in his features in the bright moonlight. Her mind repeated over and over his use of 'we' instead of 'her.' "We've got plenty of time."
The last of the tension poured from his body, released by her understanding. "You're amazing," he murmured, feeling in control enough to move to her.
She snorted, disbelief clearly readable on her face. "Yeah, right."
Angel brushed aside her sarcasm. He cupped her cheek gently, knowing this simple kiss was safe. He brushed her lips lightly, pulling away without haste. "Amazing," he repeated, feeling a sense of déjà vu. They had done almost the exact same thing earlier just before the two vamps had attacked. He looked up quickly, stiffening as he felt the presence of another vampire.
"Wow," Buffy exclaimed, a grimace flitting over her features. She gasped quietly, wrapping her hand over her side. "What is that?"
Pulling a stake from his duster's pocket, he nodded for her to do the same. "Vampire."
"Oh." Eyes growing wide with apprehension, she pulled her stake clumsily from her belt. "Okay. Stake. In hand. Check." She threw him a quick glance. "Heart, right?"
"Right." Angel gave her a grin and moved a few steps away, anticipating the attack. Suddenly his mind flashed on the picture of Buffy reaching for a stake when the car door had slammed at Giles'. "Just let your instincts tell you what to do. Don't second guess them." He caught her nod as the vamp made her appearance.
*****
Gideon leaned against a tree, patiently awaiting the outcome. He knew the Slayer would kill Lisa, who was a waste of a vampire, but he needed to see just how off the Slayer was. And then there was Angelus. What happened to you, he asked his old hunting pal silently, replaying the shared kiss with the beautiful, young Slayer. The two separated now as he watched, stakes at the ready.
He focused on the Slayer. As beautiful in feature as he had been told. But her movements, even confused and unsure as she was, were fluid, lending a grace to the deadly skills he so admired. She's perfect, he assured himself, anticipating when he would be able to call her his. And take her away from the traitor, Angelus, now called Angel.
His unbeating heart almost started at the thought of hurting Angel the way he himself had been so long ago. He could still remember the smell of the fire, could still feel the heat of the flames as they crept closer. He had barely escaped, body smoking. Mariah had not made it into the surrounding forest. She had collapsed in the sunlight, flames turning her to dust. Gideon could only watch, helplessly smoking in the shade of the ancient trees. The attacking rabble had never realized he and Angelus had escaped to the heavy cover of foliage. When Mariah was gone, he had limped his way through the trees to find a safe haven until darkness. With each step, he had dreamed of finding Angel and what he would do to the other vampire for the loss of Mariah. But he had had to become stronger than Angelus first. And that had taken time.
That waiting time is over now, he thought triumphantly, watching Angel and the Slayer destroy Lisa. It took much longer than he had anticipated, proving that she was definitely off of her game. "Excellent," he whispered into the darkness around him.
Lisa's scream was cut off midstream, bringing Gideon out of the past and his memories. He smiled coldly, knowing that Angel was going to pay tonight, that the waiting was finally over. He watched the Slayer's shocked reaction to Lisa's final death and Angel's hurried rush to comfort her. Tonight, Angelus, he vowed. "Tonight."
He slipped away into the shadows, unseen and unheard by the talking couple not far away.
Disclaimer: Buffy and the Slayerettes sure don't belong to me. Only the storyline itself. And that nasty Gideon guy.
(c) October 1999, Eleri McCleod
=======================================
*****
Part 3
*****
"So basically we have no ideas," Buffy reiterated, trying to keep her head from spinning off her shoulders. "I have amnesia and no way to get rid of it. There are lots of vampires out there that need slaying and I don't know how to do it. We're up a creek, aren't we?"
"I wouldn't paint it that bleak," Giles smiled, recognizing the normal Buffy in the statement. "We do have a few advantages that will help you to succeed."
"Hey!" she cried suddenly, turning to look at Angel. "It's gone. That Slayer thingie. When you changed back, I couldn't feel it anymore." Giles' mouth opened, but she beat him. "But you still feel different than the others." She stared at Angel, brows furrowed in concentration. "I didn't notice it before. I don't know how to describe it. You just *feel* different."
Angel nodded, the light dimming a little from his eyes. He knew why he still felt different and he hated it. His double cursed life was almost unbearable sometimes. The first curse, the vampire, took away almost any chance of he and Buffy ever having a life together. The second, his soul, was the only reason they had any at all. 'What a tangled web we weave,' he quoted sadly to himself.
"Because you're a vampire," she continued. "Do all other vamps feel like this? Is this how I tell them apart from, from, well, humans?" She turned to Giles, unable to meet Angel's eyes any longer. The whole situation was beginning to make her head spin. Vampires, Slayers, her relationship with Angel... "Can I have some aspirin?"
Xander couldn't keep the snort of laughter back. Everyone turned to stare at him. "What?" No one replied. "Come on. Buffy wanting aspirin? Now that's just a little unusual, don't you think?"
Angel felt a smile twitch along his mouth. Glancing at Giles, he saw the Watcher was having the same problem. They made eye contact, twitches turning into full grins.
"What?" Buffy asked, looking from one person to the next. "I'm allergic to aspirin?" The others burst into laughter. "Hello?" Xander and Willow collapsed onto the couch. Cordelia seemed to be choking while Angel and Giles were trying to halt their giggle fit. "Let me guess. This is one of those thingies that I haven't been told yet."
Giles nodded, pulling off his glasses. "Uh, yes." After wiping his eyes, he gave Xander, Willow and Cordelia a light glare. "Perhaps now that the biggest shock is over, we can cover a few other things."
Willow gulped in a few big breaths. "Aspirin. You're right, Xand. That *is* good." She caught Buffy's eye. "Sorry. But it is. You'll, uh, understand eventually."
"Yeah!" Xander exclaimed. "We could arm wrestle," he suggested, happily jumping to his feet. Buffy just stared at him, wondering what field that one had come from. It sure hadn't been left. "On second thought that might not be such a good idea."
"Good call, Xander. She'd only hurt you," Cordelia tossed off, checking her makeup. Xander shot her a 'thank you' look, trying to hold onto his sense of Xander-self.
"Yes, well," Giles motioned for Buffy to sit again. "The Slayer is endowed with extraordinary strength along with the gift to sense vampires. Combined with intense training, the Slayer fights all manner of demon and, uh, otherworldly, shall we say, in order to keep the Earth, and its people, alive as we know it."
"Why'd this Slayer thingie pick on me? I didn't ask for it. I mean, there's a big dance coming up..." she trailed off slowly, damaged memory kicking in. "Except the dance was, like, two years ago, huh?"
Angel squeezed her hand lightly, careful of her newly awakened awareness of Slayer instinct. "We'll help you get it all back, Buffy." She gave him a small smile, turning her hand to lace her fingers with his. "No matter how long it takes."
"That's right," Xander cut in, unable to watch the bonding going on in front of him. "We're *all* here for you." He sat on the other side of Buffy, patting her empty hand reassuringly.
Buffy stared at them, amazed at the loyalty of these people. She hoped she could live up to their expectations. She had never done very well with her parents. "Thanks, guys. I've only got one question. What do we do if my memory never comes back?"
For the second time, silence reigned in the room. Angel bit the bullet and squeezed her hand. "Let's deal with that only if we have to, okay?"
"Sounds good to me," Xander snapped up off the couch. "So, who's hungry?"
*****
"Okay. Enough," Buffy sighed, jumping up from the couch. "The pictures, the talking, none of it is working. I think it's time for a more hands on approach." She stared down at Giles expectantly.
"H-hands on?" he repeated, obviously stalling. He shot a quick glance at Angel, which Buffy interrupted.
"Yes, hands on. None of this pedestrian stuff is going to get my memory back. Which *is* the final objective, right?" Without waiting for confirmation, she rushed on earnestly. "So, if we use Cordy's example, a similar situation will do more than all of this put together."
"Buffy, did you just agree with me?" Cordelia sounded insulted.
"I'm sure you can handle it, Cordy." Xander turned to Giles. "This is not a good idea. Buffy could get hurt going out 'hands on' without her memory."
"I must agree with Xander, Buffy. You might do nothing but more harm to yourself. Instinct alone is not enough. You must have the training to back it up and I'm afraid you don't have any of that training available right now." Giles hoped Buffy would not prove to be her usual impulsive self in this case. It could get her killed.
"We don't have time to just wait around for my memory to come back. We have to *make* it work." The Slayer stopped in front of Giles, looking him in the eye. "Or start that training right away. We tried the most obvious thing and no bells." Something inside her told her to push the issue. It was all there, locked away deep inside her head. She knew it. Just like she knew she needed to get out there in the thick of it all.
"Buffy," the Watcher started, taking her shoulders. "I understand your desire to make this work right away, but we may have to accept the fact that it just won't work that way."
She pulled away, stalking around the room. "I know, I know. But something tells me that I have to get out there. I feel like something is happening. Something bad."
"She's right," Angel cut into the argument. "It's been way too quiet lately. And if even one vampire knows about this missing memory, Buffy's going to be in even more danger than normal." He looked Giles in the eye, focusing out everything else in the room. "Neither of us wants that." Their gazes held, silently, unwillingly agreeing on a course of action they didn't like.
Angel sighed heavily. Once again Buffy's putting her life on the line, he thought bitterly, wanting to grab her up and carry her far away from the Hellmouth and the dangers it kept spitting out. And one day I won't be there to help keep her safe. Like tonight, he worried internally. His mind flashed over the scene again. Maybe if he'd been quicker in dusting his vamp. Maybe if he'd been paying more attention to patrolling instead of Buffy and her soul-spinning kisses. Maybe... There were a million of them.
"Okay," Buffy interrupted his thoughts cheerily. "Now that we've settled that, I just need to know where to go to hunt these vamps. Which we do need to find for this little fun-fest." She looked from Angel to Giles. Then to Xander to Cordelia to Willow. No one said a word, but Buffy could see Willow's nervousness. "Well, we already know about the cemetery." Willow gulped. "What about the funeral home?" Nothing. "The mall?" Again nothing. "The park?" Gulp action. "The park! Willow, what's it called? Come on," she pleaded, thinking Willow was her best bet for success. She didn't hear Angel moving behind her until he spoke.
"Waverly, Buffy." She whipped around to face him. He took note of the shock in her eyes. "It's called Waverly Park. You usually find a lot of vampires there." He didn't want to try and explain to her how important it was for her to get her memory back. He didn't want her to have to go through all the mistakes and pain of the past two years.
"Thanks," she said slowly, trying to read the look on his face. "You'll go with me, right?"
"Always."
"Well, we're going, too." Willow stepped up next to Buffy. "I mean, if you want."
"And there's a question about that?" Xander jumped in. "Come on, Will, we're the Slayerettes. We have to be there!"
Buffy smiled at her friends. "Cool. This'll be just like last year's zoo trip." A sudden frown flashed across her face. "Except we'll skip the whole snake thing this time."
Willow smiled eagerly, anxious to hear the story. "Snake thing?"
"Well, Hilary was trying to get Tyler to call her -"
"Fascinating, I'm sure. Could we get back to the point, please," Giles cut in rather sharply. "I'm going along on this little 'field trip,' too. Who knows what Buffy may encounter?" Giles shot a glare at Angel. "We may as well get over there. Nothing like jumping before walking, eh?"
Angel gave him a half smile and reached for Buffy's coat.
*****
"So I do this patrol thingie every night," Buffy stated for the third time. The others were heading off in the other direction around the park. It wasn't that big and Angel would be able to hear if they ran into trouble. Giles had decided that two small groups were more likely to draw out any vampires than one big one. So Buffy and Angel were teamed up, as usual, and Xander, Cordelia, Willow and Giles were all together for number's sake. "And I slay any stray vamp that happens along, right?" She turned to Angel, stopping in the middle of the path. He didn't answer, just stared at her, eyes dark with unspoken words. Buffy half-smiled, not sure where the line was on vampire comments around Angel. "Well, ex-except you, I mean." He returned the half-smile, still not speaking, still looking worried and broody.
Buffy stared at him for a moment, the smile slowly fading from her face. A flutter of nervousness wormed its way through her stomach. "Angel, you've got to help here." She swallowed hard, toying with the stake in one hand. "I don't know what to say around you. Or, or what I shouldn't say. I don't have any references for this. I mean, a vampire boyfriend." Her voice rose in pitch as did her frustration. "How did I deal with this before? Did we fight? I mean, you are a vampire and I'm this Slayer-chic. Did I know you had a soul? Or-"
"Buffy," Angel tried to halt the rapid flow of words. "Don't do this, please." To no effect. Her words weren't even being directed at him any more. She was pacing back and forth in front of him, using the stake as a pointing tool.
"Or did we just like each other? How did this all work? I really am not dealing with this very well, I know." She stopped pacing, fingers digging into her hair to hold it off her face, her expression revealing frustration, confusion and just a little helplessness. "I don't know what to do. I've never felt like this before."
Angel pulled the stake from her hand, smoothing her hair of the tangles she'd inflicted. Her beautiful sunshine hair that was silk against his skin. He felt that fist tighten around his chest again watching her struggle with herself. "Buffy, you don't need to worry about me at all." She gazed up at him, tears of frustration and worry filling her eyes. Tucking the stake back into her belt, he tugged gently on it. "All you have to do is concentrate on getting your memory back. Nothing else matters right now." This time it was he who wiped the tears dry, smiling gently at this girl who had been forced to grow up beyond her years and any normal expectation. "You get your memory back," he ordered softly. "And let me worry about all the rest of it, okay?"
Buffy sniffed, nuzzling her face into his hand. "But what about this whole Slayer thing? And I don't want to go around saying the wrong things around you all the time. I mean, who knows what's going to come out of my big mouth, right? I have been known to chew on some feet in my time. You're probably seen it-"
He cut her babbling off the best way he knew how, pressing his lips to hers gently, holding her captive by the soft pressure. He felt her sigh on his lips as she returned the kiss, her small hands coming up to rest on his chest. He deepened the kiss, body tensing in reaction when she went with him.
One warm hand slid around his neck to tangle in his hair while the other wrapped around his back, pulling his body against hers. Shuddering at the full contact, his hands clenched in her hair, holding her still for his kiss. This is going too far, the only reasoning part of his brain clamored anxiously, trying to break through the passion-glazed haze that surrounded him. You've got to stop this!
Angel ignored the little voice, drinking in her essence, her sunshine, her love, feeling truly alive and human in her arms. But that voice refused to go away, repeating over and over that the embrace had gotten out of hand. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest, her hands scorching a path over his back, her Slayer's strength and his vampiric strength combining to crush them together so not even air was between them.
"Angel," she murmured, heart soaring. Overwhelmed with the feelings coursing through her, she only knew that she wanted, needed this embrace to go on forever.
It was that impassioned whisper that finally broke through Angel's drugged mind. Abruptly he pulled back, breaking the kiss, but not their hold on each other. Her eyes innocently begged him to return those pleasure-giving lips, hands tugging to pull him closer again. He steeled his heart again her siren's pull, telling himself that she was an innocent and unknowing of what she was diving headlong into.
But he couldn't stop from raising her face to meet his lips again, sealing them together tightly. The clamoring voice continued, growing in volume in his head, desperately trying to halt the embrace.
Her lips were fiery satin on his, filling him with her self, her goodness, washing away the evil inside. He growled softly, holding her tight against his body. She responded like the Slayer she couldn't remember being. She moaned, raking her fingernails over his back. A bolt of desire shot through him, ripping a harsh gasp from his mouth. He flung his head back, growling with his need for this girl.
And abruptly realized what was happening. He pulled out of her arms, backing away toward the trees. He closed his eyes, trying to get his body and emotions back under control.
Buffy stared at him in shock. One moment they were kissing and all sorts of interesting things were happening, the next Angel had decided he liked the company of the trees surrounding them better than her. Her hazy mind was having trouble piecing his actions to a reason. "Angel?" No response. "What's, uh, up?"
She took a step toward him, only to halt abruptly when he whispered harshly, "Don't. Stay over there."
"And I'm asking why? I mean about all of this, not just the 'stay' part." She tried to swallow the hurt that was threading its way through her heart, but it slipped into her voice, giving it a choked sound she didn't like. It had felt right and absolutely unbelievable in his arms. She had thought he'd liked it too. The reason she got was the one she never would have thought of.
"Things are moving too far, too fast, Buffy," he ground out, forcibly relaxing. "Sometimes we walk the line just a little too closely. Like now." He suddenly turned to look at her, eyes heavy with emotion. "We've got time. We don't need to rush into something we're not ready for. And sometimes I can't," he paused, searching for an appropriate word, "relax when you're too close." He stopped, hoping she'd understand and not assume he was treating her like a kid.
The hurt dissipated as quickly as it appeared, turning into a wonderful warmth that flowed through her, filling her with love for this vampire, this man, in front of her. "Yeah," she smiled over at Angel, drinking in his features in the bright moonlight. Her mind repeated over and over his use of 'we' instead of 'her.' "We've got plenty of time."
The last of the tension poured from his body, released by her understanding. "You're amazing," he murmured, feeling in control enough to move to her.
She snorted, disbelief clearly readable on her face. "Yeah, right."
Angel brushed aside her sarcasm. He cupped her cheek gently, knowing this simple kiss was safe. He brushed her lips lightly, pulling away without haste. "Amazing," he repeated, feeling a sense of déjà vu. They had done almost the exact same thing earlier just before the two vamps had attacked. He looked up quickly, stiffening as he felt the presence of another vampire.
"Wow," Buffy exclaimed, a grimace flitting over her features. She gasped quietly, wrapping her hand over her side. "What is that?"
Pulling a stake from his duster's pocket, he nodded for her to do the same. "Vampire."
"Oh." Eyes growing wide with apprehension, she pulled her stake clumsily from her belt. "Okay. Stake. In hand. Check." She threw him a quick glance. "Heart, right?"
"Right." Angel gave her a grin and moved a few steps away, anticipating the attack. Suddenly his mind flashed on the picture of Buffy reaching for a stake when the car door had slammed at Giles'. "Just let your instincts tell you what to do. Don't second guess them." He caught her nod as the vamp made her appearance.
*****
Gideon leaned against a tree, patiently awaiting the outcome. He knew the Slayer would kill Lisa, who was a waste of a vampire, but he needed to see just how off the Slayer was. And then there was Angelus. What happened to you, he asked his old hunting pal silently, replaying the shared kiss with the beautiful, young Slayer. The two separated now as he watched, stakes at the ready.
He focused on the Slayer. As beautiful in feature as he had been told. But her movements, even confused and unsure as she was, were fluid, lending a grace to the deadly skills he so admired. She's perfect, he assured himself, anticipating when he would be able to call her his. And take her away from the traitor, Angelus, now called Angel.
His unbeating heart almost started at the thought of hurting Angel the way he himself had been so long ago. He could still remember the smell of the fire, could still feel the heat of the flames as they crept closer. He had barely escaped, body smoking. Mariah had not made it into the surrounding forest. She had collapsed in the sunlight, flames turning her to dust. Gideon could only watch, helplessly smoking in the shade of the ancient trees. The attacking rabble had never realized he and Angelus had escaped to the heavy cover of foliage. When Mariah was gone, he had limped his way through the trees to find a safe haven until darkness. With each step, he had dreamed of finding Angel and what he would do to the other vampire for the loss of Mariah. But he had had to become stronger than Angelus first. And that had taken time.
That waiting time is over now, he thought triumphantly, watching Angel and the Slayer destroy Lisa. It took much longer than he had anticipated, proving that she was definitely off of her game. "Excellent," he whispered into the darkness around him.
Lisa's scream was cut off midstream, bringing Gideon out of the past and his memories. He smiled coldly, knowing that Angel was going to pay tonight, that the waiting was finally over. He watched the Slayer's shocked reaction to Lisa's final death and Angel's hurried rush to comfort her. Tonight, Angelus, he vowed. "Tonight."
He slipped away into the shadows, unseen and unheard by the talking couple not far away.