Title: The Life of Angelus O'Connor

Author: XanderZeppo

Spoilers: None. This story is AU with a twist.

Distribution: All belongs to ME and Joss Whedon. Loosely based on the movie

Which is the property of Universal. I own nothing. Don't sue me.

Summary: Buffy is a journalist who is hired to interview Angelus O'Connor, who is on

death trial, She has five days and five 3 hour sessions with him, to either prove his innocence

in her article or state that he was guilty. Read on to see what will happen. Its gets so much

more interesting. Will she fall in love or have a deeper hatred for him??

AN: This is loosely based on the movie "The Life Of David Gale".

Please R&R. I really wanna know what you think of it. Thanks.

****Now It Begins****

"Did you just hear the report?" asked a young brunette woman, sitting at what seemed to be

receptionist desk.

"Sure did, Kennedy, Summers is taking this one", the tall shaggy blonde man said, taking the remote and turning the volume on the T.V. lower.

"Summers? as in Buffy-I-work-alone-hence-the-bitchiness-Summers?", Kennedy asked with jealousy present in her voice.

"Um, yeah that's the one. That's what the boss said, well sort of said".

The man moved over the small office room to sit where Kennedy had been watching the news

report.

"Riley, what the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Well-", Riley was then cut off by a raging Kennedy.

"No, just no!" Kennedy said standing up pacing around the office room.

"I don't see why the story should be told now, he's is going to die in 5 days!", she barked at Riley,

threading her long fingers through her shiny brown hair.

Riley looking serious then, shut off the T.V., facing Kennedy.

"I guess that's why, Kenn, the man is going to die in a couple of days. It's obvious what he wants".

"What would that be?" Kennedy asked Riley, moving closer towards him.

"He wants to tell all, let it go, so he can be cleansed", He told his co-worker.

"Yeah, maybe. But he should die Riley, he's an animal".

"But sometimes they need a bit of respect, too."

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A young blonde woman was seen walking through the lobby doors, heading towards her office.

She was small; petite even, with long golden blonde hair than hung loosely down her shoulders and onto her back.

Her face was oval, with emerald green eyes. By the look on her face she demanded authority of some kind but deep down, if you were looking closely enough, you could see the childish innocence still lying beneath the surface.

"Buffy, Buffy!" called a frantic slender woman, who came rushing at her with the speed of lightning.

"Hey, Fred, put the engine in park", she told her friend jokingly.

The woman's face, Fred's face, turned serious.

"He wants to see you. Now." Fred told Buffy.

"I haven't even had my morning coffee and already an emergency. Why me?" Buffy said sighing.

Fred looked at Buffy, her long time friend, she knew that Buffy hadn't know what was

going on yet, almost the entire staff had known by now.

Buffy looked at Fred, something was not right, she decided.

"What is it, Fred?" she asked with genuine concern.

"Giles. Just talk to him. Trust when I say you'll want to. Now."

Buffy nodded her head at Fred.

She quickly walked over to her office space, right where Fred's had been as well.

Settling down her purse on her desk, then turning on her computer, she turned to see

where Fred had gone.

"Buffy-over here, you coming?", she asked standing in front of Giles office.

"Hmmm, yeah", she told her.

Buffy then walked the short distance to Giles office. It was huge.

She could never seem to get enough of it.

Trinkets and arts covered the opaque walls. A sofa and other furnishings such as tables and

lamps, were imported from the finest in Europe.

Buffy stepped all the way into the room, glancing towards Giles' mahogany desk,

seeing that he had been talking at phone.

Even so, Giles lifted his hand, gesturing for her to come inside.

One day she wished she could run the magazine company and have an entire office

such as the one she was in.

Both she and Fred moved towards the crimson chairs, which had been placed on either side

of the desk that he had been sitting in.

Buffy relished the feel on the carpet. Every time she were to step in it, her tiny feet would sink

deeply into the beige fabric.

"Ah-yes. No. She is right here in my office. I haven't told her yet. Of course, I'll call as soon

as I have discussed it with her. Good Day", Giles spoke into the phone.

He settled the receiver back down into its place, glancing up at Buffy.

"Buffy, Thank-you for waiting", he smiled at her.

"Yeah, no big. So what's this all about? she asked looking directly at him.

"I have a job for you", he said simply.

"Oh!, but it's more than just any job", Fred told her excitedly.

Fred glanced at Buffy seeing her look of confusion, then at Giles.

"Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting Mr. Giles.", she apologized.

"No need to be, Ms. Burkle".

"Okay, pause and rewind here, people. What exactly is going on?

I have a job", she told Giles, smoothing down her long hair.

"Yes. I do know that. This is different call it a side gig if you shall".

Buffy looked at him, serious now.

"Care to elaborate, Giles?"

"I'm getting there. Do you know of Angelus O'Connor?" he spoke in an even tone.

"Heard of him. Prison right?" she asked.

"High maximum security prison" Fred informed her.

Giles picked up a pen, twirling it absently through his fingers.

He needed something to play with, besides his trusty glasses.

"Fred is right. Back in July of 1999, he was convicted of murder and the rape of a woman

named Darla Mason. He has a trial, of course. Top of the line defender, highest lawyer money

could buy. They lost the case. He was found guilty".

Buffy looked at him bewildered.

"Then he was sentenced to four years in prison. After he would make up those four years, he would then receive the death penalty".

"Three different courts found him guilty", a pale looking Fred stated.

"That's terrible Giles. But I'm glad he's being put to death. Son of a bitch deserves it", she spoke angrily.

Giles continued telling the tale, his audience listening to him intently.

"In five days, starting tomorrow, he shall be put to death. But he had one request before then".

"Lemme guess a bottle of whiskey and a pack of smokes. Oh, and and a nun who partially looks

like Susan Sarandon from dead man walking?, she said smirking.

Though it seemed nobody else had been amused except for her.

"Okay, what does he want then", she asked.

"His story", spoke Giles.

"His story-", Buffy was then cut off by Giles.

"To be told".

"He chose a journalist, to interview him, his side of what happened that night", Fred filled Buffy in.

"Okay catching on board here…" Buffy said still confused.

"That journalist is you, Buffy", Giles calmly told her.

"Me?" Buffy said starting to laugh.

"Yes. You", Giles said looking at her.

"Buffy, stop laughing, say something", pleaded Fred.

"Okay, no laughing. But…I…why me?" she asked.

"Those reasons we aren't sure of", Giles spoke.

Fred got up from her seat, walking behind Buffy.

"So are you gonna do it?" she asked the woman, playing with her hair.

"Well…I...", before she could finish a man cut her off.

His voice booming.

"Miss Summers, by all means shall not up on the offer".

"And Good Morning to you too, Holtz", Giles said rather bitterly.

"Are you all mad? Blind even?" he asked them all.

He stormed inside of the room.

Holtz was the founder of Magic Magazine, along with his ex-buddy, Rupert Giles.

He had long dirty brown hair, a rather tall man he was.

Thick beard, and fierce eyes compared to Giles soft hazel eyes, light hair, and smooth

facial features.

"How can you send her in there with that; that demon!" he said nearly shouting.

"He's behind bars", Fred said defending Giles.

"He ought to be. Pay for his sins he must".

"Give the man a chance to tell his tale. He'll he dead in mere days. A short interview shan't

change that", Giles challenged him.

"He's right", Buffy said finally speaking up.

"Uh, wich he?", Fred asked her.

"Giles, of course", Buffy told her.

A smile grew on Giles' face, (That's my Buffy), he thought.

"This is preposterous, your all insane", Holtz yelled angrily.

"We bloody well aren't, yet these days I'm not so sure about you, mate", Giles shot back at the man.

Holtz laughed a high pitched gnarly laugh.

"What's so funny", Fred prodded.

"Rupert. He is the funny one", he told the girls.

"Glad I can amuse you then", Giles spat.

Holtz stopped laughing and walked over to Giles, who was still seated at his desk.

"A man with your knowledge, I'm surprised you can't see it", he told the man honestly.

"See what exactly", Giles asked sternly.

"Look here", Holtz said motioning towards the file on his desk, "You have the damn file, read up on him didn't you".

"Of course. I wouldn't send Buffy to him unless I read the file on O'Connor".

"So tell me old chap, don't you find it a bit odd, that a journalist such as Miss. Summers, gets

chosen for this interview rather than some of the more prestige journalists?" he asked the man.

"How dare you insult her like that?" Giles said defending Buffy,

"Yeah!", both Fred and Buffy yelled at the man.

"Buffy reports on clothes and the newest celebrity fashion trends, for gods' sake!" Holtz said trying to make them see.

"Yes. And Buffy is the reason your, our; magazine has done so extremely well".

"People read because of her, she reaches people in a way no other journalist can.", Giles informed him.

Giles then looked to Buffy who sat there beaming at him, then, noticing Fred looking slightly abashed.

"And let's not forget audience, Winifred Burkle, brings us with her excellence in Physics.

Her articles educate people farther than any college professor might." Giles added.

"Maybe so", Holtz replied, "But you still don't see".

"What's not to see", Buffy asked him, now exasperated.

"The fact that Angelus sees that's she's a young vulnerable woman. He shall fill her head with lies.

Have her feel sympathy towards him. Make him out to be something that he isn't. An innocent!" shouted Holtz across the entire office.

That did it for Buffy; she shot up out of her seat.

Her now delicate featured were filled with rage,

"Oh, I see how it is. What this is really is about is that I'm a woman!" she barked at Holtz, stepping closer to him.

"Well…yes", Holtz told the woman.

"I'd like to believe, oh hell with believe, I know Buffy has better judgment than that", Giles spat.

"Calm down, people are staring at us", Fred told them all.

"Let them", was Giles' reply.

"So what, your saying I can't have this job on the count of my sex?!" Buffy bewildered.

"You don't know this man, Buffy. He lies with the truth. He will change all you come to believe".

"I'm taking the job", Buffy stated.

Then there was a moment of scilence.

"Yeah, she is!" Fred said backing her friend up.

Buffy and Giles both smiled at her. (Go Fred!), they thought.

Holtz walked over to the now empty seat that Buffy had before sat in.

He sat down, tired from all the arguing.

Slumping down deeper into the crimson chair, he looked at Giles and asked.

"I'm not going to be able to change to lass' mind am I?"

"Damn right you won't", Buffy spoke for herself.

Giles just smiled at that one.

"Sorry to but in, but, don't we still need both your consents to have her go?" Fred asked Giles.

"As a matter of fact, yes we do. Thank-you for pointing that out, Fred".

Holtz stood yet again.

Now they all stood, starting at one another.

"I shall give you my consent, under one condition", Holtz told them.

"And that would be", Buffy prodded.

"Take a male colleague with you to all the interviews".

"But—", Buffy was then cut off.

"Just in case he tries anything, Buffy please", Holtz spoke.

Buffy looked towards Giles, who nodded his head with his own consent.

"Agreed", Buffy told him.

"Who will it be, Buffy?" asked Fred.

"I have just the guy", Buffy said smiling to herself.

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AN: There will be more to this. The next chapter Buffy gets that guy and heads to the

Jail for her fist meeting with Angelus. Please stay tuned. R&R please. Thanks!