Title: Inevitability (Part 2/?)

Author: Michael Dunbar

E-mail: mutant190583@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: Joss and CO own all of the Buff Verse

Timeline: Set in season 2 sometime after Angel went bad. No other slayers exist either.

Summary: What's inevitable simply is..

Author's notes: This is where the story really kicks into high gear.

Feedback: Please. tell me what you think. Bad or good

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The bronze is packed.

We only managed to get a table thanks to my scary demeanour. Also the fact that the previous occupants had ran off to get drinks might have been a big reason too.

It's survival of the fittest here in clubbing land.

Buffy is jaw drop worthy and I have to regain my composure several times within a minute as I occasionally look at her.

Man she is fine.er.

Willow looks like Willow, my best friend. Just with a few extra curves than I'm used to. Willow is too busy looking at her boyfriend doing his thing on stage to even consider my appraisals anyway.

He's getting better at the guitar, not that I'm a guru myself.

I played the flugelhorn when I was younger and they are kind of similar except for the fact that they are completely different.

Cordy's in here somewhere, I saw her when I came past the brick wall guarding the entrance.

His names John, as brick walls go he's not too bad.

Although I often amuse myself with the idea that one time he will try and stop Buffy from coming in and she'll have to show the 7 foot monster up.

That'd be a sight.

I'm dressed in my usual wacky wear, as I so fondly call my dress sense, it's comfortable and that's why I like it.

The fashion world be damned.

"Xan" Buffy drew my attention from the floor to her and I offered a smile "You want to dance?"

I'm sure my heart just stopped.

. . .

Ah. there it goes.

"Oh.. Um . err"

Find your tongue and use it

"Yep."

Man I have a squeaky voice.

I take her hand and we walk to the middle of the dance floor, gyrating teenagers surrounding us.

I'm not even sure what songs on, I think my five senses gave up when she held onto my hand.

She looks beautiful and somewhat happy.

He's still out there somewhere and I can tell that's the source of all her pain. I'm hoping she's not attached to him anymore like she was before, that she can give up the idea of them two together.

Not for my sake, but for her own.

Every life he takes is on her shoulders and I don't want her to carry that load.

A night that should have been the happiest or one of the happiest of there lives turned into a living nightmare.

How wonderful is Sunnydale?

The songs a slow one, I know that now. The gently rhythm of the couples around me gives in to me holding her hand in mine and she leans forward to hug herself to my chest.

I think my jaws on the floor somewhere and possibly my spine too.

"Xander.."

Her voice is so quiet, so gentle.

"Yea."

Mine is still annoyingly squeaky.

"I'm over Angel..."

I lean back to look into her eyes and she smiles at me and I push her to carry on with the look I give her.

"I... I love him still, I mean I think I always will.. But he's not here, he probably never will be and I know I can find someone else to love more and who could love me back without it turning awful. I miss him sometimes, but I know that it can't every happen. That even if he does come back through some miracle that I wouldn't want him, that even though its not Angel out there killing, I couldn't look at him the same way I did before."

I guess it was okay when they started out and she couldn't see Angelus's victims from the past before he was cursed.

Seeing them now, seeing the people he's killed.

Miss Calendar.

It must have got to her.

I'm not sure what to say.

I just hug her more and she doesn't fight it.

If she's willing to move on that's good, although I have no idea why she's tell me this.

One part of me screams YES!!!

That's the part of me I've labelled "idiot".

I love her and I possibly always will.

I don't think it goes away ever; maybe some ointment could cure me. I've always been a glutton for punishment.

I'll never admit it to her, she thought it was a crush and probably even still does. She can probably tell I'm attracted to her from the looks I give her every so often.

She's willing to move on, that's good.

No doubt about that, no sirree.

I guess a part of me wants to ask her out right now, heck a part of me wants to get down on one knee and propose.

That's the idiot part again.

She might be willing to move on, but I'm not about to let her move on. I think she needs to really think about this and possibly kill the guy with her lovers face before she can truly push herself forward.

I'll be there for her, helping her.

"I'm glad Buffy" I whisper to her "it's good you can move on"

That's all I say to her as we dance the rest of the song away.

Cordelia's staring daggers at us from the corner, she's got her arm around some guy but she keeps looking my way.

Please, she dumps me then expects me to just sit and mope.

To even my surprise I flip Cordelia the bird and continue to dance.

The next thing I see is her storming out of the club with the dim-witted guy she is with in toe.

You can tell he's a dimwit.

I mean who wears flares in this day and age?

I'm a bit slow but even I get there eventually.

OH SHIT!!!!

Buffy feels me tense and steps away.

"Cordelia... Vampire... come on" Is all I manage to utter as I run for the exit.

Have you ever had your nightmares pulled out of your head and displayed before you?

Neither had I before tonight.

In fact I wouldn't say this was my nightmare, I'd say it was much worse than anything my imagination could come up with.

That guy or sucking fiend from hell as I so fondly call the overbite bearers was working for Angelus just to get Cordelia.

Or that's the way it looks as he runs off.

I thought Cordelia was smarter than this, she knows to look for fashion no- no's.

Maybe she was too caught up in our break up to notice.

We are too late now, I can see that.

She's on the floor of the alley at the side of the bronze and there's so much blood and all he can do, his face half hidden in the darkness, is smile.

His wicked evil smile

A smile I so wish I could rip from his face with some kind of an axe.

Angelus disappears quickly enough though, runs off to somewhere just like he always does.

The fucking pansy ass bastard can't stay and fight.

Even though I'm no match, I want a chance.

I don't think I can move.

I haven't really tried yet.

Buffy's screaming at me but I just can't hear her, I can't do anything.

Just like always.

Been useless has got to be a Harris trait.

My dad is useless so I'm guessing I got it from him.

Useless is as useless does.

I'm next to Cordelia now; blood is running in all directions from her body.

Half of her neck seems to be missing where he bit and fed from her.

Angelus didn't just bite her; he ravaged her like an animal.

That's exactly what he is.

An animal

What do you do when an animal bites a human?

You put it down

"She'll turn." is the next thing I hear.

His blood runs down from Cordelia's mouth, I can see that plainly now.

That bastard just turned my ex.

Cordelia an immortal forever creature, my deepest nightmares aren't even this bad.

I'll get him, somehow.

"Xan."

Buffy touches my arm gently and I pull away harshly.

She thinks it's her fault and I guess some part of me does too despite what I thought earlier.

The next thing I know I'm staring down at my dinner as I vomit onto the concrete. My stomach makes it painfully aware that there's nothing left to bring up.

I'll get the bastard.

I promise Cordelia.