Passion For Life by Andy Johnson
Author's Note: Okay, this is the continuation of the "Alternative Series" following on from Split Second Choices. This contains extracts from a Buffy episode written by TY King and directed by Michael Gershman.
Feedback: Yes please ... the more, the merrier
Spoilers: Buffy Season 2, Passion
Distribution: Email me and it's all yours *S* .....
~~~~~ Teaser ~~~~~
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
It had been a couple of weeks since Xander was let out of hospital, and although he was happy he was back in reality, he wasn't happy about the fact he was confined to a wheelchair.
Since then, Buffy and his friends had been around him constantly, and Cordelia never left his side for a moment .. well especially since they kinda had a lot to talk about since she told him that she loved him.
They'd spent the evening in the Bronze to relax and have a good time while a song by Morcheeba played in the background.
Think I slip the net
But I cut myself free
Cordelia snuggled close to Xander as they watched Buffy, Willow and Oz dance on the dance floor.
I'm not losing yet
So don't forget me
I'll say it, replay it...
As they were engrossed in their fun and relaxation, none of them noticed the shadowy figure near the back of the club watching them in silence. It was Angelus.
Passion.
...and try tomorrow
It lies in all of us.
I'll say it, replay it...
Sleeping...
...and live with sorrow
...waiting... And though unwanted...
You'd think I'd learn by now
...unbidden... it will stir...
There's never an easy way
Not taking his eyes of Buffy, Angelus slowly moved around the back and round to the front entrance.
...open its jaws, and howl.
I'll get through somehow
I'm on my knees to pray
The song finished and Buffy, Willow and Oz walked back to Xander and Cordelia. Their fun and enjoyment for the night had drawn to a close and it was time to go home.
Buffy came out of the Bronze with Willow and Oz arm in arm following closely behind and Cordy helping Xander with pushing his wheelchair right behind them. They walk past a young looking couple engaged in a heated kiss, and after they pass, the man raised his head from where it laid .. but the man in question was in no way kissing, but rather feeding.
Angelus casually let the body of the dead woman fall to the pavement as he stepped out back into the alley and watched the group walk away. With a gleam in his eye, he morphed back into his human expression and quietly followed them.
It was late at night as Buffy Summers slept soundly in her bed, completely unaware that Angelus after following them from the Bronze was now sitting on her bed next to her sleeping form, smiling softly.
It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?
~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~
It was the following morning when Buffy slowly awoke from her peaceful slumber to yet another beautifully sunny morning. She looked over to check the time, but her eyesight instead fell upon an envelope that had been placed on her pillow. She sat up slightly in her bed and examined the envelope, it was cream in colour and it had no name printed on it. Deciding it was for her, she opened it up and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Opening it up, her mind still slightly not there she had to stare at it for a few moments before it hit her .. it was a pencil drawing of her sleeping in her bed.
~ Sunnydale High Library, That Morning ~
"He was in my room." Buffy said entering the Library.
Inside the Library, Giles stood behind the counter checking in several new occult volumes, while sitting at the table was Cordelia and Xander. As Buffy walked past Giles looked up, his attention caught by his Slayer.
"Who?" Giles asked.
"Angel. He was in my room last night."
Giles finished what he was doing and walked around from the behind the counter to the table.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. When I woke up, I found a picture he'd left me on my pillow." Buffy said pulling the picture out of her bag.
"A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy." Xander commented idly.
"Wait," Cordelia said suddenly. "I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited
them in."
"Yes," Giles clarified, "but, uh, once you've invited them in, thereafter they're, they're always welcome."
"Y'know," Xander said. "I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms."
"I invited you didn't I?" Cordelia said looking at her boyfriend.
"Yeah, but Cor, we've known each other since kindergarten!"
"Oh, yeah," Cordelia said planting a soft kiss on his lips.
"Giles," Buffy said looking at her Watcher, "there has to be some sort of spell to reverse the invitation, right? Like a barrier, a no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing?"
"Yeah, that works for a car, too?" Cordelia added.
"Yes, well, I-I-I could check on my..."
"Hello!" Xander said suddenly.
They all looked behind them and saw Jonathan and another student entering into the Library.
"Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?" Xander said looking at them both.
"We're supposed to get some books." Jonathan nervously said looking at the rows of books in front of him. "On Stalin."
"Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?" Xander quipped.
"This is a school library, Xander." suddenly spoke up.
"Since when?"
"Uh, y-yes, yes, uh, third row." Giles said answering Jonathan's question. "Historical biographies."
"Thanks."
Jonathan and the girl walked past and into the upper stacks while the Scooby gang watched them silently. When they were out of sight Xander pointed to the Library doors as Cordelia gathered her books and help Xander.
Giles looked at Buffy with genuine confusement, but followed the Slayer out.
"Hey, did you say that was the..." Jonathan said poking his head out of the stacks to see a now empty Library. "Hello?"
Outside Xander, Cordelia, Buffy and Giles were talking as they walked down the corridor.
"So Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you?" Giles mused as he thought back to the picture Angelus had left Buffy.
"By sneaking in her room and leaving stuff at night?" Cordelia asked rhetorically. "Why
doesn't he just slit her throat or strangle her while she's sleeping or cut her heart out?" She stopped babbling when she received silent stares from the rest of the gang. "What? I'm trying to help."
"Yes." Giles said trying to segue-way to the original conversation. "Uh, uh, look, it's-it's classic battle strategy to throw one's opponent off his game. He-he-he's just trying to provoke you. Uh, to taunt you, to, to goad you into, uh, some mishap of some sort."
"The nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah approach to battle." Xander joked looking over the side of his wheelchair.
"Yes, Xander, once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form." Giles simply replied looking down at the young boy only to receive a typically-impish grin from him.
"Giles, Angel once told me that when he was obsessed with Drusilla, the first thing h-he did was to kill her family."
"Your mum." Xander said seriously.
"I know. I'm gonna have to tell her something. The truth?" Buffy said stopping at a nearby wall.
"No." Giles replied quickly. "You-you-you-you can't do that."
"Yeah." Xander agreed. "The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us."
"But I've gotta tell her something." Buffy said in her defence. "I've gotta do something. Giles, Angel has an all-access pass to my house, and I'm not always there when my mother is. I can't protect her."
"I told you I will find a-a spell." Giles said getting slightly flustered.
"What about until you find a spell?" Buffy pushed.
"Until then, you and your mother are welcome to ride around with me and Xander in my car." Cordelia offered.
"Buffy, I-I understand your concern, but it's imperative that you keep a level head through all this."
"That's easy for you to say. You don't have Angel lurking in your bedroom at night."
"I know how hard this is for you." Giles said getting a silent look from Buffy. "All right, I don't. But as the Slayer, you don't have the luxury of being a slave to your, your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you. No matter how provocative his behavior may become."
"So what you're basically saying is, 'just ignore him, and maybe he'll go away'?"
"Yes. Precisely." Giles commented not knowing what else to say.
"Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty 'once again you boil it down to the simplest form' thing?"
Buffy and Giles both looked down slightly at their friend.
"Watcher's pet." Xander mocked.
"Is your next session later on today?" Giles said resuming their walk.
"Yeah," Xander replied looking up at the Librarian, "we got the happy-swinging Hospital physio later on."
"Do you want me to come along?" Cordelia asked looking down at him.
"Nah, you don't have to Cor," Xander replied, knowing how action packed her girlfriend's day usually were.
"Please, I want to." Cordelia said.
"Then," Xander said after a minute. "Sure. I'd like the company."
~ Computer Science Class, A Little Later ~
"Don't forget, I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week." Jenny said as she wrapped up another class for the day.
At that, the bell sounded and the students stood up and made a beeline for the exit.
"Oh, and I want both a paper printout and a copy on disk. Thank you."
As the kids left Jenny made a quick move to get Willow's attention for a few moments.0
"Willow." she said as the last of the kids left.
"Yes?"
"Um, I might be a little late tomorrow. Do you think you could cover my class till I show?"
"Really? Me?" Willow said grinning broadly. "Teach the class? Sure!"
"Cool."
"Oh, wait." Willow said, suddenly getting apprehensive. "W-what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?"
"Willow, you're gonna be fine." Jenny said reassuringly. "And I'll try not to
be too late, okay?"
"Okay. Good. Earlier is good. Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps?"
"Hey, Will." Buffy's voice greeted at the door.
With that greeting, both Willow and Jenny looked up at the doorway.
"Hi, Buffy. Rupert." Jenny said, slightly hesitantly.
"Willow," Buffy said ignoring Jenny's greeting. "I thought I might take in a class. Figured I could use someone who knows where they are."
"Sorry." Willow said slipping out of the classroom. "I have to talk to her. She's a teacher, and teachers are to be respected .. "
As they started down the corridor Giles took a slight breath and cautiously entered the room with his hands in his pockets.
"How have you been?" Jenny asked.
"Uh, not so good" Giles answered. "Actually. Uh, since Angel lost his soul, he's regained his sense of whimsy."
"Well, that sounds bad." Jenny said crossing her arms across her chest.
"He's been in Buffy's bedroom. I-I-I need to drum up a spell to, uh, keep him out of the house."
Hearing that Jenny sighed slightly and looked down at her desk where her eyes fell upon a small well-read leather bound book. She picked it up and handed it to Giles.
"This might help. I've been doing a little reading since Angel changed. I don't think you have that one."
"Thank you." Giles thanked her thumbing through the pages.
"So, how's Buffy doing?" Jenny asked,
"How do you think?" Giles replied closing the book and returning his glance to Jenny.
"I know you feel betrayed." Jenny said looking away slightly, remembering what her part in turning Angelus bad again was.
"Yes. Well, that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal."
"Rupert... I was raised by the people that Angel hurt the most. My duty to them was the first thing I was ever taught. I didn't come here to hurt anyone, a-and I lied to you because I thought it was the right thing to do. I... I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you."
Jenny was extremely nervous and was speaking before thinking, and so that little fact of her loving Giles was blurted out before she even realised it.
"Oh, God. Is it too late to take that back?"
"Do you want to?" Giles said pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"I just wanna be right with you." Jenny said looking at him with nothing but want of forgiveness in her eyes. "I don't expect more. I just want so badly to make all this up to you."
"I understand. But I'm not the one you need to make it up to. Thank you for the book."
With that Giles turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving Jenny on her own.
~ Willow's Bedroom, That Night ~
Willow was walking around in her room dressed in her pajamas, while talking to Buffy on a cordless phone.
"I agree with Giles." Willow was saying. "You need to just try and not let him get to you. Angel's only doing this to try to get you to do something stupid. I swear, men can be such jerks sometimes. Dead or alive.
"I just hope Giles can find a keep-out spell soon." Buffy said on the other end of the line. "Hey, changing the subject, do you know anything about Xander and the Hospital visit today?"
Willow walked over to her desk and picked up a bottle of fish food flakes, then walked softly over to her fish tank.
"Well I called Xander's earlier on and apparently it went well. He said that with any luck he be on crutches in two or three weeks time."
"That's good news," Buffy said happily.
"Yeah that is," Willow said putting the bottle down next to the tank and looking around the room again. "Xander said he was sick to death of being wheeled around everywhere .. though I don't think he was complaining all that much."
"Yeah," Buffy said giggling, "I bet. Especially with 'Nurse Cordelia' hovering over him hand and foot."
"Yuck, I don't think I wanna .." Willow stopped talking in her tracks as she looked down on her pillow and noticed a cream coloured envelope laying there.
"Wanna what?" Buffy said after a couple seconds of silence. "Willow?"
Willow gripped the phone between her neck as she reached down and picked up the envelope, then carefully opening the flap.
"Willow?" Buffy repeated.
Willow turned back as she started pilling out the contents of the envelope so she was facing the tank again. Inside the envelope laid a small thin piece of string which Willow pulled out slowly. As the string emerged Willow didn't fail to notice her fish that was strung together, one after anther.
Seeing that, Willow loosened the grip of the phone which fell with a bounce on the floor.
~ Magic Shop, The Following Day ~
A small bell chimed as the door opened of the shop, and Jenny Calendar entered inside.
"Welcome." the shopkeeper greeted with a slight accent. "How may I serve you today? Love potion? Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful..."
"I need an Orb of Thesulah." Jenny said interrupting his spiel.
"Oh, you're in the trade." the shopkeeper said reverting to his natural accent. "Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine's Day, I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge of past lovers. Sad fact is, Ouija boards and rabbits' feet, that's what pay the rent around here. So how did you hear about us?"
"My Uncle Enyos told me about you." Jenny said looking at a few of the pieces.
"So you're Janna, then." he said looking from the back room at Jenny. "Sorry to hear about your uncle."
"Thank you."
"He was a good customer." the storekeeper said as he returned to the shop floor. "Well, no, there you go. One Thesulan Orb. Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead. I don't get many calls for those lately. Sold a couple as new age paperweights last year."
Jenny reached into her purse and pulled out her credit card.
"Yeah, I just love those new-agers, boy. They helped to send my youngest to college."
Jenny signed the credit card slip and the storekeeper placed the Thesulan Orb into a paper bag for Jenny.
"By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost. Without the annals, the surviving text is gibberish."
"And without a translated text, the Orbs of Thesulah are pretty much useless. Yeah, I know."
"Well, I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds."
"It's okay." Jenny said reassuringly. "I'm working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text."
"Yecchh. I don't like computers. They give me the willies."
"Well, thank you."
"You're welcome."
As Jenny walked towards the door she took the book out of the paper bag and opened it up slightly so she could see the Orb.
"By the way..." the shopkeeper called as she reached the door. "Not that it's any of my business, really, but, uh, what are you planning on conjuring up? If you can decipher the text?"
"A present for a friend of mine." Jenny said picking the Orb out of the box.
"Really? What are you gonna give him?"
She looked at the Orb which began to glow deeply.
"His soul."
~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~
Next morning outside Sunnydale High, both Buffy and Willow walked up the stairs, both a little tired after that night's previous nights' events.
"We'll get things sorted out, right?" Buffy said looking at Willow.
"Oh course. Things will turn out,"
"Well, good morning, ladies." Xander said suddenly as he appeared behind them in his wheelchair. "And what did you two do last night?"
"We had kind of a 'pajama party sleepover with weapons' thing." Willow replied looking at his friend, and wondering what was missing.
"Oh. And I don't suppose either of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment." Xander added.
"Where's Cordelia?" Buffy asked suddenly aware that she wasn't there.
"Er, she's just .." Xander started.
".. Do I have to wheel clamp your wheelchair Xander?" Cordelia huffed as she appeared behind Xander.
"Hey Cordy," Buffy greeted.
"Hey Buff, hi Willow," Cordelia greeted in return.
"I have to go." Willow said looking down at her watch. "I have a class to teach in about five minutes, and I have to arrive early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers." Willow picked up her bag and started walking to the building, only to see Jenny walking across the lawn. "Oh, darn. She's here. Five hours of lesson planning yesterday down the drain..."
"You know what?" Buffy said also looking at Jenny, "I'll see you in class."
She left Xander and Cordelia and jogged over to where she was walking.
"Hey." Buffy said as she got near her.
"Hi." Jenny said, caught a little off-guard by her appearance. "Uh, is there something that... Did you want something?"
"Look... " Buffy said hesitantly, trying to think of the right words to say. "I know you feel badly about what happened, and I just wanted to say .. Good. Keep it up."
"Don't worry, I will." Jenny said, a little crestfallen, but not surprised by Buffy's attitude towards her.
"Oh, wait." Buffy suddenly said holding up her hand. "Um... He misses you. He doesn't say anything, I mean, but I know he does. And I don't want him to be lonely. I don't want anyone to."
"Buffy, you know that if I have a chance to make this up..."
"We're... good here." Buffy interrupted. "Let's just leave it."
She walked away into the school, leaving Jenny on her own. Walking through the crowds of school kids she noticed Giles talking with a couple of students while looking for something in his briefcase at the same moment.
"Could you, hang those up please?" Giles said as he pulled out a bundle of flyers and handed them to the students. "Thank you."
"Morning Giles," Buffy said as she approached him.
"Buffy, morning." Giles greeted. "How was your night?"
"Sleepless," Buffy said as they started walking, "but no human fatalities."
At that time Cordelia and Xander comes up to them.
"Hey wheels!" Buffy joked seeing her friend.
"Mornin' Buff-Meister," Xander replied.
"Good morning Xander," Giles greeted, "hello Cordelia. I-I found a ritual to revoke the invitation to vampires."
"Oh, thank goodness." Cordelia said with relief. "I actually had to talk my grandmother into switching cars with me last night."
"The ritual's fairly basic," Giles continued. " It's just the recitation of a few rhyming couplets, burning of, uh, moss herbs, sprinkling of holy water..."
"All stuff I have in my house." Buffy mocked.
"Hanging of crosses..."
~ Computer Science's Class, That Evening ~
The gang had gone home straight after school. Their first stop was at Willow's place to perform the protection spell while Cordelia did the spell in her own car for peace of mind. Then they went straight on to Buffy's place while Cordelia took Xander home to rest.
But while, for the most part the school was empty, there was still one person hard at work.
Jenny was sitting at her desk staring intently at her desktop computer while a translation program was busy working away. She took a sip from a mug of steaming coffee that was sitting just by her arm as her computer beeped asking for some more information. She placed the mug back down and pressed a few buttons before hitting the return key. So caught up in her work, that Jenny didn't notice another person enter through the door.
"Hello." a familiar voice greeted.
Startled, Jenny turned around to see the figure of Giles standing in the doorway. She briefly looked back and pressed a couple of keys which turned on the computer's screensaver, then turned back to him.
"Oh! Hi." Jenny greeted.
"You're working late." Giles said as he took a couple of steps into the class room/
"Special project."
"Oh." Giles said with curiosity. 'What can she be working on at this time of night' Giles thought to himself.
"I spoke to Buffy today." Jenny said changing the subject before Giles had a chance to ask more questions on what she was doing.
"Oh! Yes?" Giles said surprised.
"Mm." Jenny simply said looking away and picking up a pencil. "She said you missed me."
"Well, uh," he said, not really sure what to say about his Slayer. "She's... a meddlesome girl."
"Rupert..." she said looking into his eyes. "Okay, I don't wanna say anything if I'm wrong, but I may have some news. Now, I need to finish up here. Could I see you later?"
"Y-yes, yes." Giles said smiling slightly. "You could stop by my house."
"Okay." Jenny said returning the smile.
"Good." Giles said, smile getting even bigger as he turned and walked out of the school room.
Jenny turned back and carried on working on her computer.
~ Xander's Apartment ~
Cordelia really wanted to take Xander to her home, but only for the sake that she could stay with Xander. Although she did like his place, she didn't really like being in the same place as his constantly drunk parents.
But, after encountering Xander's stubborn streak on the car trip home, she knew that she wasn't going to win and so she took him back to his place to get some rest.
"Xander," Cordelia said as they got into Xander's bedroom. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure thing Cordy," Xander said taking off his jacket and dumping his bag on the floor.
"It's been, like, ages since, what happened to you." Cordelia said softly. "Have you told anybody about it?"
"I'd rather not," Xander simply said, not wanting to dreg up what had happened to him.
"Are you sure, because .."
"Cordy." Xander said stopping her in mid-speech. "I'm sure."
"Okay," Cordelia said smiling sweetly at her boyfriend. She stood up and walked over to him. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"Sure hon," Xander said kissing her tenderly on the kips.
"Night Xan," Cordelia said as she walked out of the bedroom.
With Cordelia out of the bedroom, he pushed himself over towards a small dressing table which had a small bound diary sitting on top. Xander looked up from the diary into a mirror that was sitting in front of him, and his reflection greeted him in return.
In the smallest depths of his mind, cogs were whirring, and thoughts were coming too.
~ Sunnydale High School ~
Jenny was still hard at work translating the Rumanian scripture into English. She tapped several more keys and then sat back. The screen flash up a percentage figure, which almost zipped from one to one hundred percent.
"Come on, come on..." Jenny mumbled to herself quietly.
The percentage bar vanished from the screen and the translated text appeared on the screen next to the original version.
"That's it!" Jenny erupted with a big smile on her face. "It's gonna work! This... will work."
Jenny saved the translated text onto floppy disk, and pressing a couple more buttons, started the printer going. Jenny leant over to the printer and check the document over as it came off the printer, all the while smiling. She could finally make things right, to prove to Buffy and Giles that she was sorry for what had happened to them. Looking back and practically jumped out of her seat at the sight now before her.
"Angel..." she said nervously, trying to make her way to the door. "How did you get in here?"
"I was invited." Angelus said from the back of the class. "The sign in front of the school... 'Formatia trans sicere educatorum.'"
"'Enter all ye who seek knowledge.'" Jenny translated.
"What can I say? I'm a knowledge seeker." Angelus stood up from the seat and slowly made his way towards her.
"Angel, I-I-I've got good news." Jenny said getting more and more frightened by the moment.
"I heard you went shopping at the local boogedy-boogedy store." Angelus said stopping in front of Jenny's desk and picking up the orb. "The Orb of Thesulah. If memory serves, this is supposed to summon a person's soul... from the ether... store it until it can be transferred."
As Angelus stared at the orb it began to glow intently.
"You know what I hate most about these things?"
Without warning, Angelus whipped back his arm and threw the orb at the chalkboard where it completely shattered, making Jenny jump and scream at the same time.
"They're so damn fragile." Angelus continued. "Must be that shoddy gypsy craftsmanship, huh?"
Jenny by now had backed herself against the wall and was trembling with fear. Slowly she started to inch towards the door while Angelus reached over to the PC and turned the monitor round so he could see what was there.
"I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries. It's a miracle to me. You, you put the secrets to restoring my soul in here..."
With that he suddenly grabbed the computer and pulled it off the desk where it exploded in a violent display of sparks. Then Angelus grabbed the paper that was coming out of the printer and waved it in the air as well.
"… and it comes out here. 'The Ritual of Restoration.' Wow. This, this brings back memories."
"Wait." Jenny tries to stop Angelus. "That's your..."
"Oh, my cure?" Angelus said tearing the document up into pieces. "No, thanks. Been there, done that, and deja vu just isn't what it used to be. My... Isn't this my lucky day. The computer... and the pages. Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. And teacher makes three."
"No!" Jenny screamed as Angelus dived towards her.
He threw Jenny back into the locked door, which forced it open. Daring a look back, Jenny looked at Angelus, then quickly darted out of the room.
"Oh, good." Angelus said, watching her leave. "I need to work up an appetite first."
Jenny was running, like she'd never ran before. She was running for her life, and she knew without a doubt, that the odds were stacked against her. She was going to die that night and she knew it.
Despite that though, it didn't stop her. It didn't stop her running, because, as always, there was a little spark. A little maybe, that something good will happen, that will protect and save her at the final moment just before her own death.
Jenny continued to run, up a flight of stairs onto the second floor. She dared a look behind her for a split second, but she couldn't see any sign of Angelus at all. She turned a corner, and at that moment, her heart stopped, and froze.
Her moment had come for her.
~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~
Giles was driving back to his home after stopping off at Buffy's home to see how things were. Apparently things turned out well, with the slight exception of Angelus turning up at the doorstep and telling Joyce that he and Buffy had slept together.
Before that, he'd actually stopped by at Cordy's to check up on Xander as he thought he'd be there, but Cordelia had told him he was at his place.
When they'd tried to phone him, they were only slightly surprised that there was no answer from the phone. The Harris' were too usually drunk to notice the existence of the ringing phone let alone know where it was, so they concluded that Xander was fast asleep.
Giles pulled up outside his apartment stopped for a moment reflecting on the conversation he had earlier with Jenny at the school.
It was true, he had missed her. He had missed being with her. Not seeing that smile she has when she sees him, that weird way she made him feel, the whole nine yards. And the thought that he'd feel that way again .. made him feel good inside again.
Collecting his tweed jacket and bag, he opened the door and got out of his car. Then turning around he walked the short distance to his apartment. As he got closer, he could hear the faint sound of a telephone ringing from inside his apartment. Quickly digging through his pockets he pulled out his keys and swing the door open with a fury so he could quickly answer the phone.
"Hello?" Giles quickly answered. "Rupert Giles here."
There was a slight noise on the line, but nobody spoke.
"Hello?" Giles repeated.
"You need to come." a deep voice finally answered.
"Who is this?" Giles asked not recognizing the voice. "Who are you?"
"Come to the school. It's Jenny."
"What!? What about her? Who is this!"
Before Giles answered, the phone line went dead.
Not thinking what really was going on Giles quickly put the phone down and quickly ran out of the door.
~ Summer's Residence, Same Moment ~
"So, what you got planned for tomorrow?" Willow asked Buffy.
They were both sitting on the Slayer's bed watching the quality that was evening cable television. Tomorrow was the weekend, the only two days of the week when the Buffy and her friends had nothing taxing except for the question 'what shall we do this weekend?'.
"I dunno," Buffy answered. "Maybe go to the Mall, shop some, just hang. What about you?"
"Well, I think Oz is practicing tomorrow. I'm gonna go and watch them."
Just then, the phone began ringing but Buffy decided to ignore it considering her mum would answer it first.
"Do y'a maybe wanna go to the Bronze tomorrow night with the others?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, that'll be neat."
"Buffy." Joyce suddenly called.
"Yeah mum."
"You've a telephone call from someone."
Buffy and Willow exchanged looks.
"Maybe it's Xander, or Cordy," Willow pondered, "or maybe Giles."
Buffty leaned over and picked up the phone from the cradle. "Okay mum, got it." Buffy called out. "Hello."
"You need to come." a voice answered.
"Okay," Buffy said not recognizing the voice. "Who are you, and where an I supposed to come to?"
"Who I am is unimportant, but I suggest that you get to the High School as soon as possible."
"Why?" Buffy said, a little irritated that the mystery person still hasn't identified themselves and Buffy still doesn't know who it was.
"It's about Angel!" the voice simply said before the line went dead.
"Buffy." Willow quietly said. "Buffy."
"Huh?" Buffy finally said, not really concentrating on the words Willow were saying.
"Who was that?"
"I .. They didn't say." Buffy muttered.
"Are you okay?" Willow said turning to her friend.
"They said. I had to go to the school. Something about Angel!"
"What about him Buffy?" Willow asked in a confused tone.
"I don't know," Buffy said hopping off her bed and going to her weapons chest. "but I intend to find out."
"I'll call Giles," Willow said picking up the phone and dialing the Watcher's number.
Buffy pulled on her jacket and loaded it up with several stakes along with the usual amount of weapons. Tonight we was expecting trouble.
"Buffy," Willow said after a few moments. "There's no answer from Giles' place. Maybe he's asleep already."
"Okay, then, I guess I'm on my own." Buffy said looking over at Willow.
"You? Don't you mean 'we'?"
"Will, I don't want to put you in danger. This maybe be an Angel trap and I don't wanna get you hurt."
"Don't worry," Willow protested. "Let me call Oz, and we'll go there together. We'll be your backup, okay."
"Sure," Buffy said smiling.
Ten minutes after the call was made, the screeching frame of Giles' car pulled up in front of the High School and before he had a chance to even think, he'd jumped out of the car and began running to the entrance.
All along the way only a single thought was running through the Librarian's mind.
Jenny.
What had happened to her? Is she all right? Maybe something nasty had happened to her. No, no, he didn't want to think that she was anything less than alive. He couldn't live with the thought of the one person he loved, being dead.
Giles continued to run. He was crossing the green that was in front of the entrance of the high school, still in a world totally his own.
There were a few shadows flash on the front wall, but before it registered in Giles' mind a figure crashed into him, knocking him to the ground with a painful grunt.
"What the hell .." Giles spluttered as he tried to get up. He turned his head to the person that ran into him and he came nose to nose suddenly with his charge. "Buffy!" he said shocked at her appearance.
"Giles!" Buffy said with the same shocked voice.
Giles looked behind him and saw Willow and Oz loaded with weaponry looking down at the Slayer and Watcher getting up of the ground.
"What are you doing here?" Giles said looking at the three of them.
"I got a phone call," Buffy said looking at Giles. "What are you doing here?"
"I got a call also," Giles admitted. "I don't suppose the person who called you, had a, rather low gravelly voice?"
"Yeah." Buffy said slowly. "What did he tell you?"
"He said I had to get here as soon as," Giles said. "Something to do with Jenny. What about you?"
"I got the same call." Buffy said looking back at Oz and Willow. "But, about Angel."
"This could definitely be a trap guys." Oz said.
"You got weapons?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Yes." Giles said looking at the entrance. "Let's go carefully."
With that all four of them carefully walked into the school, what awaited them, they didn't know.
~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~
"Where do we start from?" Willow asked as they stepped through the cafeteria.
"The last time I saw Jenny was in her class. Let's go there and then look around."
"Okay," Buffy agreed.
They turned the corner and walked down towards room one-eleven, computer sciences.
When they got there, they were in for a surprise. There had been a disturbance in there. Jenny's computer had been completely smashed and was smoldering on the floor.
"What's happened here?" Giles said looking at the carnage.
"I don't know." Buffy said looking back into the corridor. "Let's find Ms. Calendar."
"Jenny?" Giles called out as they started walking down the corridor. No answer.
"Up that way?" Oz suggested pointed to a nearby stairwell.
"Sure," Giles said looking where Oz pointed.
"Hey, I was wondering," Willow said quietly as they walked. "Can we assume that this mystery person knows us in some respect?"
"Why do you say that Willow?" Giles asked, not really getting what Willow was saying.
"Well, this person knows enough about you and Jenny," she said to Giles, "and they know about you Buffy and Angel. Plus whoever knows both your numbers."
"Xander?" Oz said out aloud.
"Don't think so." Buffy said. "It didn't sound like him."
"No," Giles agreed.
They reached the second floor of the school and started searching along the darkened corridors for any sign of Jenny. Buffy was also looking for Angel, though in his present state she wouldn't expect him to be hanging around, unless of course as she suspected, it was a trap to kill the gang, with Jenny as the bait.
"This is giving me the major wiggins." Buffy muttered as she looked inside one of the biology labs. "Ms. Calendar?"
There was no reply. Buffy closed the door and continued the search with the rest of the gang.
~ Chase Residence ~
Cordelia sighed softly to herself as she glanced at her clock. Ten in the evening. The streets of Sunnydale were officially empty by this time, with the exception of the Vampires and other creatures of the night which now loitered around the town like an unbearable stench. She looked out the window one time, to be absolutely sure there were no more signs of life, and then shut off the outdoor light. Both of her parents were off in Los Angeles on some sort of conference and so she had free reign of the house until they returned.
"Time for bed," she whispered aloud.
She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, reminiscing. 'If Xander were here, he'd come and hold me tonight,' Cordelia thought to herself. She walked over and picked the cordless phone up from it's cradle. From where she held it, she could hear the gentle sounds of the dial tone, but she didn't dial his number. She had tried to contact him earlier, but nobody answered, so she thought he was sound asleep. Taking her eyes away from the handset, Cordelia softly replaced the phone in it's cradle.
A cold breeze whipped over the back of Cordelia's neck. She at first curled her jacket closer around her, but it wasn't enough to keep her warm. She decided it was time to get into her nightgown and go to sleep. She was never usually up this late, but heck, with the parents away and no school day the following day, she thought she'd stay up a little late that night.
Cordy set to work turning out all the lights. As she turned out the lights in the kitchen, she paused and looked at the moon. It was so beautiful, large, round, white and bright. It seemed to glow more than usual.
'Xander always has a thing for the moon,' Cordelia thought to herself. Xander loved the night, unlike most people who feared it. Xander had always told Cordy that the night was a time of calm and of wonderful dreams, and he made his Cordy feel safe. That was one of the reasons Cordelia loved Xander so much. Xander gave her a safe place where she could be who she wanted to be.
But not tonight. Tonight, sweet Cordelia Chase was alone.
Cordelia's clothes had been neatly placed into the hamper. The bathroom was thick with steam. Cordelia stood naked under the shower head, closing her eyes and feeling the comfortably hot water flow over her body. She leaned her head back and rinsed the shampoo out of her long flowing hair.
She opened her eyes and watched the white foam begin to flow on the ground around her feet and into the drain. Before long, the foam dissipated leaving just the warm water flowing all over her soft skin. Cordelia listened to the sound of the running water and could feel her mind beginning to drift.
~~~~~
The two of them were huddled together closed on a blanket on the nearby beach. The only light came from the moon that shone over them like a soft torch light. The only sounds were the crashing waves, and their own voices.
"Xand..." Sharon whispered. "I'm a little scared."
"That's okay, my dear," Xander replied, tenderly stroking Sharon's temple. "It's alright to be scared. We are alone here, after all. The moon is our only witness."
"That's not helping," Xander said, with a small nervous giggle.
"But also remember that I have been here before," Xander reassured his love. "And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you can be at peace." She tipped Cordelia's chin up and looked into her soft brown eyes. "No Vampire, or creepy Demon from Hell will disturb us tonight."
"I know, honey," Cordelia said, looking up into Xander's deep grey eyes. The weird truth was that Vampire's or Demons usually never go as far as the beach unless there was a large get together of people. "But I can't help my nerves. I'm not used to it being so dark..."
Xander gave a soft, sweet laugh. Then he rolled around so she was behind Cordelia. He wrapped his long arms around Cordy's round body and brought her down. Soon the two were laying, cuddled up like a pair of spoons, right next to the beach.
"Can you hear the sound of the sea?" Xander whispered to Cordelia.
A soft, flowing sound. "Yes," Cordelia whispered back. "I hear it."
"Listen to the sea, my love," Xander said. "The water's gentle rush. Very relaxing. It just flows .. and drifts away under the watch of the moon. Feel it as you listen, my love... listen and feel..."
"Drifty," Cordelia heard herself say. Then Xander's voice continued. His beautiful, sweet voice. Listen and feel, his voice told her. Cordelia did so.
"The water flows on and on," Xander whispered. "You feel it... you feel it happening to you. You feel your concerns and fears slip away like water was washing them away... washing you away... flowing over you... and with you..."
This really was relaxing... she could feel the drift, the flow of the water... washing away her troubles and cares, and almost... almost wash her away, too... such a wonderful feeling... Cordelia wanted it to happen... but she didn't want to flow... away from her Xander...
"Oh darling... you'll be safe... you'll always be safe... I am watching over you... just as the moon watches over the river... no harm shall came to you..."
"You know Xander," Cordelia mumbled softly. "For a person who's a dork a school, you've got this personality that's so completely different that nobody knows about."
Xander didn't answer that, he just giggled softly and pulled her closer to him, softly kissing her bare and exposed neck.
Cordelia moaned softly. It was so true. Xander was her moon, guiding her along. She felt the light of Xander's love. Another moan... and a heat from deep within. Passion blossomed like a flower inside of her as she realized... how wet she was... soft mewls like bubbles in the river as Cordelia flowed, along with Xander, to his pull... safe, warm, wet and so close to each other...
A beautiful dream in the darkness...
And the sea rolled back and fourth...
~~~~~
Cordelia's eyes fluttered open again. They were swollen and full of tears. The water had become lukewarm. She slowly withdrew her hand from her sex and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped a pink towel around herself. She paused and wiped the steam off the mirror so she could look at herself.
A pair of sad brown eyes gazed back at her. She could hear Xander's voice so clearly every so often. But it was always just a dream... no, a phantom of the past. Dreams were beautiful and alive. Xander had taught her that.
But Cordelia hadn't had any dreams. Just memories.
"Oh Xander," Cordelia whispered to her reflection. "Why aren't you here when I need you the most? I really want to be with you again tonight."
Cordelia was ready for bed. Her long hair was done up in two ponytails. She wore a long red flannel nightgown to keep the cold out, and as always, her bedtime slippers - fluffy Bugs Bunny ones that Xander had given her a few month's ago. She never felt particularly sexy in this get-up, but Xander always thought she was most beautiful when she was about to go to sleep for the night.
What are you dreaming of Xander?
Cordelia looked up at the moon again. Xander had changed her life. Before him, Cordelia was the ultimate bitch of Sunnydale High. She had to be the best … number one at everything - Homecoming Queen, May Queen. You name it, she competed for it .. even for her men. She'd known Xander since kindergarden, but for the longest time the best their relationship was comparable to that of the 'Odd Couple' with respect that she just tolerated him.
~~~~~
The moon shone down on the of them in the sleeping bag. The wind was steady but gentle. No sound but the occasional chirp and the soft sound of the wind. The lake in the distance shimmered with moonlight.
Cordelia curled her arms around Xander and whined.
"What's wrong, baby?" Xander asked.
"Mmmmmmmm," Cordelia moaned and looked at Xander through half closed eyes. "I really want to play, but I'm so tired... I don't wanna sleep..."
Xander laughed another warm laugh. "What do you think of dreams, Cordy?"
"Dreams?" Cordelia whimpered. "They're just... just weird stuff you see while you sleep..."
Xander chuckled and began to stroke Cordelia's temple. "Trying to make sense of everything only takes the beauty out of it. Science has been really bad to dreams."
Cordelia purred when she felt fingers slide down her tummy.
Xander went on. "Dreams are the realm of your feelings - your true feelings, not bogged down by things like order and 'sense'."
"You think... order and sense are bad?" Cordelia whispered, trying very hard to listen.
"No, I don't think they're bad," Xander said with a sigh. "It's true that humanity wouldn't have progressed and improved this much without all that order and sense. But sometimes... I just wonder if it's worth it."
Cordelia touched Xander's hand with hers, and looked up at him. She could understand what he was saying... but her mind was slowly giving in to the desire to rest...
Xander kissed her nose and then looked skyward. "We're trying so hard to make everything perfect that we're missing the beauty of the world the way it is. People don't stop to smell the flowers or to listen to the wind blow or to watch a sunset anymore. And they're missing... they're missing a lot."
Cordelia smiled. She felt like that a lot too. She moaned softly and nuzzled Xander's shoulder, hoping he would know that she understood.
"That's why I love dreams," Xander continued. "Things... feel right in dreams. They may not make sense, but they feel right. And that's really important. Maybe the most important thing of all. I love you dearly, and those feelings flow through me so freely when I am asleep. And deep down, I know you feel the same way too."
'Oh yes,' thought Cordy. 'Oh yes... I am so proud to be part of your dreams. I want to learn more about dreams. Show me, Xander. I love you. I love you.'
"Sometimes," Xander whispered in a hush. "I feel like I am most alive when I am dreaming..." He chuckled softly, and turned to Cordelia. "Or am I just nutty?"
Cordy was asleep, purring ever so quietly and contentedly.
Xander kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you, my star child," he said. And then drifted away himself...
~~~~~
Cordy cried quietly. "What's wrong with me?' she said to herself, "It's not as if I'll never see Xander again." She got up from the bed and eyed the clock. 10.43. She'd never wake and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped a pink towel around herself. She paused and wiped the steam off the mirror so she could look at herself.
A pair of sad brown eyes gazed back at her. She could hear Xander's voice so clearly every so often. But it was always just a dream... no, a phantom of the past. Dreams were beautiful and alive. Xander had taught her that.
But Cordelia hadn't had any dreams. Just memories.
"Oh Xander," Cordelia whispered to her reflection. "Why aren't you here when I need you the most? I really want to be with you again tonight."
Cordelia was ready for bed. Her long hair was done up in two ponytails. She wore a long red flannel nightgown to keep the cold out, and as always, her bedtime slippers - fluffy Bugs Bunny ones that Xander had given her a few month's ago. She never felt par instantly to see if she was still alive. Buffy followed, but kept her distance as she recognized the long dark jacket covering the other body. It was Angelus.
"Thank goodness," Giles exclaimed, smiling for the first time since they arrived. "She's alive."
"Buffy," Willow said looking back at her friend who seemed as still as a statue. "What do you want to do?"
Not answering, Buffy drew a stake from the inside of her jacket and took a few steps towards the Vampire.
"Be careful," Willow said worriedly.
"Hey guys," Oz said looking towards Angelus. "What's that?"
Laying just a few feet from the still body of Buffy's former boyfriend laid a small round object made entirely from glass.
"Isn't that .." Giles started saying.
".. an Orb of Thesulah." groaned Jenny as she slowly regained consciousness.
"Jenny." Giles said looking down at her. "Take it easy you were unconscious."
"Giles," Buffy said as she knelt beside the Orb. "What is this Orb of Thesulah?"
"Well," Giles said looking back up at the Slayer. "It's used primarily in rituals that call for somebody or something to be given back their soul. But the specific incantation was lost ages ago. I'm not even sure if it exists in any form other than the original Romanian."
"That's not exactly true." Jenny said a little weakly.
"I don't understand." Willow said, confused.
"You have a copy of this spell," Buffy said looking at Jenny. "In English?"
"Had." Jenny corrected. "Angelus surprised me in my class and destroyed my computer which had the translation program I used on it, he then burnt the printed copy that I was making. He even smashed my Orb that I purchased at the Magic Shop earlier on today."
"Then, who's Orb is that?" Oz asked pointing at it.
"I can't remember," Jenny said looking around the hallway. "Things are still a little hazy."
"What do you remember?" Giles asked, softly running his fingers through her hair.
~ 50 Minutes Earlier ~
Jenny continued to run, up a flight of stairs onto the second floor. She dared a look behind her for a split second, but she couldn't see any sign of Angelus at all. She turned a corner, and at that moment, her heart stopped, and froze.
Her moment had come for her.
Standing in the shadows, he was there, tall and opposing. Her Grim Reaper was here, with fangs for a Scythe. For years she represented completely what Angelus had hated. Her clan, who had given him the curse of humanity. The soul, to make him remember and suffer through all those deaths.
And now that is all behind him, he was back to make his revenge upon her.
But nothing.
He spoke no words, he didn't drink her blood.
The shadowed figure slowly raised his left arm, and in his palm was nestled a small crystal orb which shone brilliantly.
"An Orb of Thesulah," Jenny muttered. "Angelus?"
"No," the stranger replied.
Jenny thought she recognized the voice, but it was so low, that she couldn't make out the accent properly. "Who are you?"
Instead of answering the dark figure threw it's gaze down towards the Orb. "He is approaching," it spoke quietly. "This is not the road for Angel, he has a much different path. Angel represents an obstacle that must be removed from the equation."
"What path? What do you mean?" Jenny asked, still unsure of the accent.
Again, it didn't answer her question but kept on looking at the Orb. "He appeoaches."
"Then let's go!" Jenny exclaimed looking to see where Angelus would come from. She approached the dark figure, but he moved back away from her.
"We're not going anywhere." the dark figure replied.
"He'll kill us!"
"Quod perditum est, invenietur," the dark figure recited.
"The curse." Jenny realised in amazement. "You know the curse?"
"Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum, I call. Let him know the pain of humanity, gods. Reach your wizened hands to me. Give me the sword that I might smite him down."
~~~~~
Angelus was still on the hunt for Jenny, but after running into the Janitor of the school, he couldn't help but to have a little snack before the main meal.
He walked boldly along the corridor following Jenny's scent, the scent of her fear. It was like a fine aroma that she gave off just for him to smell, and he loved every moment. He was getting close, and it was only a matter of time before he was drinking the blood of the Watcher's girlfriend.
Suddenly he felt a wave a nausea wash over him, something wasn't right, something was happening to him .. something mystical. He was being cursed again.
"That bitch!" Angelus spat angrily as he started running along the corridor in an attempt to reach Jenny before the ritual was completed.
He remembered what it was like before, when he had that wretched soul, and he didn't intend on having it back again.
He climbed the stairs to the second level and started running down the corridor, his Vampire eyesight making it possible for him to see as if it were daytime. At the far end he saw Jenny staring back at him, her eyes wide with fright .. and yet she wasn't making an attempt to run away .. and he knew why.
Standing in front of her stood a second figure, but it had it's back to Angelus so he couldn't see who it was.
As he ran, his eyesight began to get foggy and his footfalls began to get unsteady, the curse was almost over. He tried to speed up, but his strength was rapidly diminishing.
And then, the final two words that sealed his doom.
"Arcurum .. ARCURUM!" The stranger held the Orb of Thesulah out to his left so Angelus could see it.
The Orb flashed a brilliant white for a moment illuminating the hall like a brilliant flare, and then just a quickly darkness returned .. and Angelus was dead .. again.
~~~~~
Deciding not to take a chance, Buffy, Giles and the rest of the gang helped Jenny out of the school and left Angel behind as they weren't sure whether he was Angelus or Angel.
~~~~~ Part 5 ~~~~~
The following evening Buffy and the gang were sitting at the Bronze still talking about what had happened the night before.
"So like nobody knows who this mystery person was?" Cordelia said as she took a sip from her soda.
"Nope. Just another Sunnydale mystery," Buffy replied. "But enough about that, where on earth is our Xander. We're seeing less and less of him. Is he alright?"
"I was with him all day," Cordy said not really taking much notice of the glances from the rest of the gang. "But yeah, he was a little quiet, even with me. Maybe we need to force him out for some friend fun."
"I definitely agree." Willow said nodding approvingly.
"I second that," Oz also said.
"Who's up for a dance?" Buffy said looking over to the dance floor.
After a quick glance the gang shot up from the table and over to the dance floor.
While they did, they didn't notice the presence of a dark figure on the balcony leaning over and staring down at the group enjoying themselves. All smiles and laughter as just for a few short moments, they turned their backs on their cares and worries.
"Laugh all you want," the dark figure sneered. "Soon my time will come, and then, the only thing you'll be doing is crying .. for your pitiful lives to end."
Author's Note: Okay, this is the continuation of the "Alternative Series" following on from Split Second Choices. This contains extracts from a Buffy episode written by TY King and directed by Michael Gershman.
Feedback: Yes please ... the more, the merrier
Spoilers: Buffy Season 2, Passion
Distribution: Email me and it's all yours *S* .....
~~~~~ Teaser ~~~~~
"In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer."
It had been a couple of weeks since Xander was let out of hospital, and although he was happy he was back in reality, he wasn't happy about the fact he was confined to a wheelchair.
Since then, Buffy and his friends had been around him constantly, and Cordelia never left his side for a moment .. well especially since they kinda had a lot to talk about since she told him that she loved him.
They'd spent the evening in the Bronze to relax and have a good time while a song by Morcheeba played in the background.
Think I slip the net
But I cut myself free
Cordelia snuggled close to Xander as they watched Buffy, Willow and Oz dance on the dance floor.
I'm not losing yet
So don't forget me
I'll say it, replay it...
As they were engrossed in their fun and relaxation, none of them noticed the shadowy figure near the back of the club watching them in silence. It was Angelus.
Passion.
...and try tomorrow
It lies in all of us.
I'll say it, replay it...
Sleeping...
...and live with sorrow
...waiting... And though unwanted...
You'd think I'd learn by now
...unbidden... it will stir...
There's never an easy way
Not taking his eyes of Buffy, Angelus slowly moved around the back and round to the front entrance.
...open its jaws, and howl.
I'll get through somehow
I'm on my knees to pray
The song finished and Buffy, Willow and Oz walked back to Xander and Cordelia. Their fun and enjoyment for the night had drawn to a close and it was time to go home.
Buffy came out of the Bronze with Willow and Oz arm in arm following closely behind and Cordy helping Xander with pushing his wheelchair right behind them. They walk past a young looking couple engaged in a heated kiss, and after they pass, the man raised his head from where it laid .. but the man in question was in no way kissing, but rather feeding.
Angelus casually let the body of the dead woman fall to the pavement as he stepped out back into the alley and watched the group walk away. With a gleam in his eye, he morphed back into his human expression and quietly followed them.
It was late at night as Buffy Summers slept soundly in her bed, completely unaware that Angelus after following them from the Bronze was now sitting on her bed next to her sleeping form, smiling softly.
It speaks to us... guides us... Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have?
~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~
It was the following morning when Buffy slowly awoke from her peaceful slumber to yet another beautifully sunny morning. She looked over to check the time, but her eyesight instead fell upon an envelope that had been placed on her pillow. She sat up slightly in her bed and examined the envelope, it was cream in colour and it had no name printed on it. Deciding it was for her, she opened it up and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Opening it up, her mind still slightly not there she had to stare at it for a few moments before it hit her .. it was a pencil drawing of her sleeping in her bed.
~ Sunnydale High Library, That Morning ~
"He was in my room." Buffy said entering the Library.
Inside the Library, Giles stood behind the counter checking in several new occult volumes, while sitting at the table was Cordelia and Xander. As Buffy walked past Giles looked up, his attention caught by his Slayer.
"Who?" Giles asked.
"Angel. He was in my room last night."
Giles finished what he was doing and walked around from the behind the counter to the table.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. When I woke up, I found a picture he'd left me on my pillow." Buffy said pulling the picture out of her bag.
"A visit from the pointed-tooth fairy." Xander commented idly.
"Wait," Cordelia said suddenly. "I thought vampires couldn't come in unless you invited
them in."
"Yes," Giles clarified, "but, uh, once you've invited them in, thereafter they're, they're always welcome."
"Y'know," Xander said. "I think there may be a valuable lesson for you gals here about inviting strange men into your bedrooms."
"I invited you didn't I?" Cordelia said looking at her boyfriend.
"Yeah, but Cor, we've known each other since kindergarten!"
"Oh, yeah," Cordelia said planting a soft kiss on his lips.
"Giles," Buffy said looking at her Watcher, "there has to be some sort of spell to reverse the invitation, right? Like a barrier, a no shoes, no pulse, no service kind of thing?"
"Yeah, that works for a car, too?" Cordelia added.
"Yes, well, I-I-I could check on my..."
"Hello!" Xander said suddenly.
They all looked behind them and saw Jonathan and another student entering into the Library.
"Excuse me, but have you ever heard of knocking?" Xander said looking at them both.
"We're supposed to get some books." Jonathan nervously said looking at the rows of books in front of him. "On Stalin."
"Does this look like a Barnes & Noble?" Xander quipped.
"This is a school library, Xander." suddenly spoke up.
"Since when?"
"Uh, y-yes, yes, uh, third row." Giles said answering Jonathan's question. "Historical biographies."
"Thanks."
Jonathan and the girl walked past and into the upper stacks while the Scooby gang watched them silently. When they were out of sight Xander pointed to the Library doors as Cordelia gathered her books and help Xander.
Giles looked at Buffy with genuine confusement, but followed the Slayer out.
"Hey, did you say that was the..." Jonathan said poking his head out of the stacks to see a now empty Library. "Hello?"
Outside Xander, Cordelia, Buffy and Giles were talking as they walked down the corridor.
"So Angel has decided to step up his harassment of you?" Giles mused as he thought back to the picture Angelus had left Buffy.
"By sneaking in her room and leaving stuff at night?" Cordelia asked rhetorically. "Why
doesn't he just slit her throat or strangle her while she's sleeping or cut her heart out?" She stopped babbling when she received silent stares from the rest of the gang. "What? I'm trying to help."
"Yes." Giles said trying to segue-way to the original conversation. "Uh, uh, look, it's-it's classic battle strategy to throw one's opponent off his game. He-he-he's just trying to provoke you. Uh, to taunt you, to, to goad you into, uh, some mishap of some sort."
"The nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah approach to battle." Xander joked looking over the side of his wheelchair.
"Yes, Xander, once more you've managed to boil a complex thought down to its simplest possible form." Giles simply replied looking down at the young boy only to receive a typically-impish grin from him.
"Giles, Angel once told me that when he was obsessed with Drusilla, the first thing h-he did was to kill her family."
"Your mum." Xander said seriously.
"I know. I'm gonna have to tell her something. The truth?" Buffy said stopping at a nearby wall.
"No." Giles replied quickly. "You-you-you-you can't do that."
"Yeah." Xander agreed. "The more people who know the secret, the more it cheapens it for the rest of us."
"But I've gotta tell her something." Buffy said in her defence. "I've gotta do something. Giles, Angel has an all-access pass to my house, and I'm not always there when my mother is. I can't protect her."
"I told you I will find a-a spell." Giles said getting slightly flustered.
"What about until you find a spell?" Buffy pushed.
"Until then, you and your mother are welcome to ride around with me and Xander in my car." Cordelia offered.
"Buffy, I-I understand your concern, but it's imperative that you keep a level head through all this."
"That's easy for you to say. You don't have Angel lurking in your bedroom at night."
"I know how hard this is for you." Giles said getting a silent look from Buffy. "All right, I don't. But as the Slayer, you don't have the luxury of being a slave to your, your passions. You mustn't let Angel get to you. No matter how provocative his behavior may become."
"So what you're basically saying is, 'just ignore him, and maybe he'll go away'?"
"Yes. Precisely." Giles commented not knowing what else to say.
"Hey, how come Buffy doesn't get a snotty 'once again you boil it down to the simplest form' thing?"
Buffy and Giles both looked down slightly at their friend.
"Watcher's pet." Xander mocked.
"Is your next session later on today?" Giles said resuming their walk.
"Yeah," Xander replied looking up at the Librarian, "we got the happy-swinging Hospital physio later on."
"Do you want me to come along?" Cordelia asked looking down at him.
"Nah, you don't have to Cor," Xander replied, knowing how action packed her girlfriend's day usually were.
"Please, I want to." Cordelia said.
"Then," Xander said after a minute. "Sure. I'd like the company."
~ Computer Science Class, A Little Later ~
"Don't forget, I need your sample spreadsheets by the end of the week." Jenny said as she wrapped up another class for the day.
At that, the bell sounded and the students stood up and made a beeline for the exit.
"Oh, and I want both a paper printout and a copy on disk. Thank you."
As the kids left Jenny made a quick move to get Willow's attention for a few moments.0
"Willow." she said as the last of the kids left.
"Yes?"
"Um, I might be a little late tomorrow. Do you think you could cover my class till I show?"
"Really? Me?" Willow said grinning broadly. "Teach the class? Sure!"
"Cool."
"Oh, wait." Willow said, suddenly getting apprehensive. "W-what if they don't recognize my authority? What if they try to convince me that you always let them leave class early? What if there's a fire drill? What if there's a fire?"
"Willow, you're gonna be fine." Jenny said reassuringly. "And I'll try not to
be too late, okay?"
"Okay. Good. Earlier is good. Will I have the power to assign detention? Or make 'em run laps?"
"Hey, Will." Buffy's voice greeted at the door.
With that greeting, both Willow and Jenny looked up at the doorway.
"Hi, Buffy. Rupert." Jenny said, slightly hesitantly.
"Willow," Buffy said ignoring Jenny's greeting. "I thought I might take in a class. Figured I could use someone who knows where they are."
"Sorry." Willow said slipping out of the classroom. "I have to talk to her. She's a teacher, and teachers are to be respected .. "
As they started down the corridor Giles took a slight breath and cautiously entered the room with his hands in his pockets.
"How have you been?" Jenny asked.
"Uh, not so good" Giles answered. "Actually. Uh, since Angel lost his soul, he's regained his sense of whimsy."
"Well, that sounds bad." Jenny said crossing her arms across her chest.
"He's been in Buffy's bedroom. I-I-I need to drum up a spell to, uh, keep him out of the house."
Hearing that Jenny sighed slightly and looked down at her desk where her eyes fell upon a small well-read leather bound book. She picked it up and handed it to Giles.
"This might help. I've been doing a little reading since Angel changed. I don't think you have that one."
"Thank you." Giles thanked her thumbing through the pages.
"So, how's Buffy doing?" Jenny asked,
"How do you think?" Giles replied closing the book and returning his glance to Jenny.
"I know you feel betrayed." Jenny said looking away slightly, remembering what her part in turning Angelus bad again was.
"Yes. Well, that's one of the unpleasant side effects of betrayal."
"Rupert... I was raised by the people that Angel hurt the most. My duty to them was the first thing I was ever taught. I didn't come here to hurt anyone, a-and I lied to you because I thought it was the right thing to do. I... I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know I was gonna fall in love with you."
Jenny was extremely nervous and was speaking before thinking, and so that little fact of her loving Giles was blurted out before she even realised it.
"Oh, God. Is it too late to take that back?"
"Do you want to?" Giles said pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"I just wanna be right with you." Jenny said looking at him with nothing but want of forgiveness in her eyes. "I don't expect more. I just want so badly to make all this up to you."
"I understand. But I'm not the one you need to make it up to. Thank you for the book."
With that Giles turned and walked out of the classroom, leaving Jenny on her own.
~ Willow's Bedroom, That Night ~
Willow was walking around in her room dressed in her pajamas, while talking to Buffy on a cordless phone.
"I agree with Giles." Willow was saying. "You need to just try and not let him get to you. Angel's only doing this to try to get you to do something stupid. I swear, men can be such jerks sometimes. Dead or alive.
"I just hope Giles can find a keep-out spell soon." Buffy said on the other end of the line. "Hey, changing the subject, do you know anything about Xander and the Hospital visit today?"
Willow walked over to her desk and picked up a bottle of fish food flakes, then walked softly over to her fish tank.
"Well I called Xander's earlier on and apparently it went well. He said that with any luck he be on crutches in two or three weeks time."
"That's good news," Buffy said happily.
"Yeah that is," Willow said putting the bottle down next to the tank and looking around the room again. "Xander said he was sick to death of being wheeled around everywhere .. though I don't think he was complaining all that much."
"Yeah," Buffy said giggling, "I bet. Especially with 'Nurse Cordelia' hovering over him hand and foot."
"Yuck, I don't think I wanna .." Willow stopped talking in her tracks as she looked down on her pillow and noticed a cream coloured envelope laying there.
"Wanna what?" Buffy said after a couple seconds of silence. "Willow?"
Willow gripped the phone between her neck as she reached down and picked up the envelope, then carefully opening the flap.
"Willow?" Buffy repeated.
Willow turned back as she started pilling out the contents of the envelope so she was facing the tank again. Inside the envelope laid a small thin piece of string which Willow pulled out slowly. As the string emerged Willow didn't fail to notice her fish that was strung together, one after anther.
Seeing that, Willow loosened the grip of the phone which fell with a bounce on the floor.
~ Magic Shop, The Following Day ~
A small bell chimed as the door opened of the shop, and Jenny Calendar entered inside.
"Welcome." the shopkeeper greeted with a slight accent. "How may I serve you today? Love potion? Perhaps a voodoo doll for that unfaithful..."
"I need an Orb of Thesulah." Jenny said interrupting his spiel.
"Oh, you're in the trade." the shopkeeper said reverting to his natural accent. "Sorry about the spiel, but around Valentine's Day, I get a lot of tourists shopping for love potions and mystical revenge of past lovers. Sad fact is, Ouija boards and rabbits' feet, that's what pay the rent around here. So how did you hear about us?"
"My Uncle Enyos told me about you." Jenny said looking at a few of the pieces.
"So you're Janna, then." he said looking from the back room at Jenny. "Sorry to hear about your uncle."
"Thank you."
"He was a good customer." the storekeeper said as he returned to the shop floor. "Well, no, there you go. One Thesulan Orb. Spirit vault for the rituals of the undead. I don't get many calls for those lately. Sold a couple as new age paperweights last year."
Jenny reached into her purse and pulled out her credit card.
"Yeah, I just love those new-agers, boy. They helped to send my youngest to college."
Jenny signed the credit card slip and the storekeeper placed the Thesulan Orb into a paper bag for Jenny.
"By the way, you do know that the transliteration annals for the ritual of the undead were lost. Without the annals, the surviving text is gibberish."
"And without a translated text, the Orbs of Thesulah are pretty much useless. Yeah, I know."
"Well, I only mention it because I have a strict policy of no refunds."
"It's okay." Jenny said reassuringly. "I'm working on a computer program to translate the Rumanian liturgy to English based on a random sampling of the text."
"Yecchh. I don't like computers. They give me the willies."
"Well, thank you."
"You're welcome."
As Jenny walked towards the door she took the book out of the paper bag and opened it up slightly so she could see the Orb.
"By the way..." the shopkeeper called as she reached the door. "Not that it's any of my business, really, but, uh, what are you planning on conjuring up? If you can decipher the text?"
"A present for a friend of mine." Jenny said picking the Orb out of the box.
"Really? What are you gonna give him?"
She looked at the Orb which began to glow deeply.
"His soul."
~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~
Next morning outside Sunnydale High, both Buffy and Willow walked up the stairs, both a little tired after that night's previous nights' events.
"We'll get things sorted out, right?" Buffy said looking at Willow.
"Oh course. Things will turn out,"
"Well, good morning, ladies." Xander said suddenly as he appeared behind them in his wheelchair. "And what did you two do last night?"
"We had kind of a 'pajama party sleepover with weapons' thing." Willow replied looking at his friend, and wondering what was missing.
"Oh. And I don't suppose either of you had the presence of mind to locate a camera to capture the moment." Xander added.
"Where's Cordelia?" Buffy asked suddenly aware that she wasn't there.
"Er, she's just .." Xander started.
".. Do I have to wheel clamp your wheelchair Xander?" Cordelia huffed as she appeared behind Xander.
"Hey Cordy," Buffy greeted.
"Hey Buff, hi Willow," Cordelia greeted in return.
"I have to go." Willow said looking down at her watch. "I have a class to teach in about five minutes, and I have to arrive early to glare disapprovingly at the stragglers." Willow picked up her bag and started walking to the building, only to see Jenny walking across the lawn. "Oh, darn. She's here. Five hours of lesson planning yesterday down the drain..."
"You know what?" Buffy said also looking at Jenny, "I'll see you in class."
She left Xander and Cordelia and jogged over to where she was walking.
"Hey." Buffy said as she got near her.
"Hi." Jenny said, caught a little off-guard by her appearance. "Uh, is there something that... Did you want something?"
"Look... " Buffy said hesitantly, trying to think of the right words to say. "I know you feel badly about what happened, and I just wanted to say .. Good. Keep it up."
"Don't worry, I will." Jenny said, a little crestfallen, but not surprised by Buffy's attitude towards her.
"Oh, wait." Buffy suddenly said holding up her hand. "Um... He misses you. He doesn't say anything, I mean, but I know he does. And I don't want him to be lonely. I don't want anyone to."
"Buffy, you know that if I have a chance to make this up..."
"We're... good here." Buffy interrupted. "Let's just leave it."
She walked away into the school, leaving Jenny on her own. Walking through the crowds of school kids she noticed Giles talking with a couple of students while looking for something in his briefcase at the same moment.
"Could you, hang those up please?" Giles said as he pulled out a bundle of flyers and handed them to the students. "Thank you."
"Morning Giles," Buffy said as she approached him.
"Buffy, morning." Giles greeted. "How was your night?"
"Sleepless," Buffy said as they started walking, "but no human fatalities."
At that time Cordelia and Xander comes up to them.
"Hey wheels!" Buffy joked seeing her friend.
"Mornin' Buff-Meister," Xander replied.
"Good morning Xander," Giles greeted, "hello Cordelia. I-I found a ritual to revoke the invitation to vampires."
"Oh, thank goodness." Cordelia said with relief. "I actually had to talk my grandmother into switching cars with me last night."
"The ritual's fairly basic," Giles continued. " It's just the recitation of a few rhyming couplets, burning of, uh, moss herbs, sprinkling of holy water..."
"All stuff I have in my house." Buffy mocked.
"Hanging of crosses..."
~ Computer Science's Class, That Evening ~
The gang had gone home straight after school. Their first stop was at Willow's place to perform the protection spell while Cordelia did the spell in her own car for peace of mind. Then they went straight on to Buffy's place while Cordelia took Xander home to rest.
But while, for the most part the school was empty, there was still one person hard at work.
Jenny was sitting at her desk staring intently at her desktop computer while a translation program was busy working away. She took a sip from a mug of steaming coffee that was sitting just by her arm as her computer beeped asking for some more information. She placed the mug back down and pressed a few buttons before hitting the return key. So caught up in her work, that Jenny didn't notice another person enter through the door.
"Hello." a familiar voice greeted.
Startled, Jenny turned around to see the figure of Giles standing in the doorway. She briefly looked back and pressed a couple of keys which turned on the computer's screensaver, then turned back to him.
"Oh! Hi." Jenny greeted.
"You're working late." Giles said as he took a couple of steps into the class room/
"Special project."
"Oh." Giles said with curiosity. 'What can she be working on at this time of night' Giles thought to himself.
"I spoke to Buffy today." Jenny said changing the subject before Giles had a chance to ask more questions on what she was doing.
"Oh! Yes?" Giles said surprised.
"Mm." Jenny simply said looking away and picking up a pencil. "She said you missed me."
"Well, uh," he said, not really sure what to say about his Slayer. "She's... a meddlesome girl."
"Rupert..." she said looking into his eyes. "Okay, I don't wanna say anything if I'm wrong, but I may have some news. Now, I need to finish up here. Could I see you later?"
"Y-yes, yes." Giles said smiling slightly. "You could stop by my house."
"Okay." Jenny said returning the smile.
"Good." Giles said, smile getting even bigger as he turned and walked out of the school room.
Jenny turned back and carried on working on her computer.
~ Xander's Apartment ~
Cordelia really wanted to take Xander to her home, but only for the sake that she could stay with Xander. Although she did like his place, she didn't really like being in the same place as his constantly drunk parents.
But, after encountering Xander's stubborn streak on the car trip home, she knew that she wasn't going to win and so she took him back to his place to get some rest.
"Xander," Cordelia said as they got into Xander's bedroom. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure thing Cordy," Xander said taking off his jacket and dumping his bag on the floor.
"It's been, like, ages since, what happened to you." Cordelia said softly. "Have you told anybody about it?"
"I'd rather not," Xander simply said, not wanting to dreg up what had happened to him.
"Are you sure, because .."
"Cordy." Xander said stopping her in mid-speech. "I'm sure."
"Okay," Cordelia said smiling sweetly at her boyfriend. She stood up and walked over to him. "I'll see you in the morning?"
"Sure hon," Xander said kissing her tenderly on the kips.
"Night Xan," Cordelia said as she walked out of the bedroom.
With Cordelia out of the bedroom, he pushed himself over towards a small dressing table which had a small bound diary sitting on top. Xander looked up from the diary into a mirror that was sitting in front of him, and his reflection greeted him in return.
In the smallest depths of his mind, cogs were whirring, and thoughts were coming too.
~ Sunnydale High School ~
Jenny was still hard at work translating the Rumanian scripture into English. She tapped several more keys and then sat back. The screen flash up a percentage figure, which almost zipped from one to one hundred percent.
"Come on, come on..." Jenny mumbled to herself quietly.
The percentage bar vanished from the screen and the translated text appeared on the screen next to the original version.
"That's it!" Jenny erupted with a big smile on her face. "It's gonna work! This... will work."
Jenny saved the translated text onto floppy disk, and pressing a couple more buttons, started the printer going. Jenny leant over to the printer and check the document over as it came off the printer, all the while smiling. She could finally make things right, to prove to Buffy and Giles that she was sorry for what had happened to them. Looking back and practically jumped out of her seat at the sight now before her.
"Angel..." she said nervously, trying to make her way to the door. "How did you get in here?"
"I was invited." Angelus said from the back of the class. "The sign in front of the school... 'Formatia trans sicere educatorum.'"
"'Enter all ye who seek knowledge.'" Jenny translated.
"What can I say? I'm a knowledge seeker." Angelus stood up from the seat and slowly made his way towards her.
"Angel, I-I-I've got good news." Jenny said getting more and more frightened by the moment.
"I heard you went shopping at the local boogedy-boogedy store." Angelus said stopping in front of Jenny's desk and picking up the orb. "The Orb of Thesulah. If memory serves, this is supposed to summon a person's soul... from the ether... store it until it can be transferred."
As Angelus stared at the orb it began to glow intently.
"You know what I hate most about these things?"
Without warning, Angelus whipped back his arm and threw the orb at the chalkboard where it completely shattered, making Jenny jump and scream at the same time.
"They're so damn fragile." Angelus continued. "Must be that shoddy gypsy craftsmanship, huh?"
Jenny by now had backed herself against the wall and was trembling with fear. Slowly she started to inch towards the door while Angelus reached over to the PC and turned the monitor round so he could see what was there.
"I never cease to be amazed how much the world has changed in just two and a half centuries. It's a miracle to me. You, you put the secrets to restoring my soul in here..."
With that he suddenly grabbed the computer and pulled it off the desk where it exploded in a violent display of sparks. Then Angelus grabbed the paper that was coming out of the printer and waved it in the air as well.
"… and it comes out here. 'The Ritual of Restoration.' Wow. This, this brings back memories."
"Wait." Jenny tries to stop Angelus. "That's your..."
"Oh, my cure?" Angelus said tearing the document up into pieces. "No, thanks. Been there, done that, and deja vu just isn't what it used to be. My... Isn't this my lucky day. The computer... and the pages. Looks like I get to kill two birds with one stone. And teacher makes three."
"No!" Jenny screamed as Angelus dived towards her.
He threw Jenny back into the locked door, which forced it open. Daring a look back, Jenny looked at Angelus, then quickly darted out of the room.
"Oh, good." Angelus said, watching her leave. "I need to work up an appetite first."
Jenny was running, like she'd never ran before. She was running for her life, and she knew without a doubt, that the odds were stacked against her. She was going to die that night and she knew it.
Despite that though, it didn't stop her. It didn't stop her running, because, as always, there was a little spark. A little maybe, that something good will happen, that will protect and save her at the final moment just before her own death.
Jenny continued to run, up a flight of stairs onto the second floor. She dared a look behind her for a split second, but she couldn't see any sign of Angelus at all. She turned a corner, and at that moment, her heart stopped, and froze.
Her moment had come for her.
~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~
Giles was driving back to his home after stopping off at Buffy's home to see how things were. Apparently things turned out well, with the slight exception of Angelus turning up at the doorstep and telling Joyce that he and Buffy had slept together.
Before that, he'd actually stopped by at Cordy's to check up on Xander as he thought he'd be there, but Cordelia had told him he was at his place.
When they'd tried to phone him, they were only slightly surprised that there was no answer from the phone. The Harris' were too usually drunk to notice the existence of the ringing phone let alone know where it was, so they concluded that Xander was fast asleep.
Giles pulled up outside his apartment stopped for a moment reflecting on the conversation he had earlier with Jenny at the school.
It was true, he had missed her. He had missed being with her. Not seeing that smile she has when she sees him, that weird way she made him feel, the whole nine yards. And the thought that he'd feel that way again .. made him feel good inside again.
Collecting his tweed jacket and bag, he opened the door and got out of his car. Then turning around he walked the short distance to his apartment. As he got closer, he could hear the faint sound of a telephone ringing from inside his apartment. Quickly digging through his pockets he pulled out his keys and swing the door open with a fury so he could quickly answer the phone.
"Hello?" Giles quickly answered. "Rupert Giles here."
There was a slight noise on the line, but nobody spoke.
"Hello?" Giles repeated.
"You need to come." a deep voice finally answered.
"Who is this?" Giles asked not recognizing the voice. "Who are you?"
"Come to the school. It's Jenny."
"What!? What about her? Who is this!"
Before Giles answered, the phone line went dead.
Not thinking what really was going on Giles quickly put the phone down and quickly ran out of the door.
~ Summer's Residence, Same Moment ~
"So, what you got planned for tomorrow?" Willow asked Buffy.
They were both sitting on the Slayer's bed watching the quality that was evening cable television. Tomorrow was the weekend, the only two days of the week when the Buffy and her friends had nothing taxing except for the question 'what shall we do this weekend?'.
"I dunno," Buffy answered. "Maybe go to the Mall, shop some, just hang. What about you?"
"Well, I think Oz is practicing tomorrow. I'm gonna go and watch them."
Just then, the phone began ringing but Buffy decided to ignore it considering her mum would answer it first.
"Do y'a maybe wanna go to the Bronze tomorrow night with the others?" Buffy asked.
"Yeah, that'll be neat."
"Buffy." Joyce suddenly called.
"Yeah mum."
"You've a telephone call from someone."
Buffy and Willow exchanged looks.
"Maybe it's Xander, or Cordy," Willow pondered, "or maybe Giles."
Buffty leaned over and picked up the phone from the cradle. "Okay mum, got it." Buffy called out. "Hello."
"You need to come." a voice answered.
"Okay," Buffy said not recognizing the voice. "Who are you, and where an I supposed to come to?"
"Who I am is unimportant, but I suggest that you get to the High School as soon as possible."
"Why?" Buffy said, a little irritated that the mystery person still hasn't identified themselves and Buffy still doesn't know who it was.
"It's about Angel!" the voice simply said before the line went dead.
"Buffy." Willow quietly said. "Buffy."
"Huh?" Buffy finally said, not really concentrating on the words Willow were saying.
"Who was that?"
"I .. They didn't say." Buffy muttered.
"Are you okay?" Willow said turning to her friend.
"They said. I had to go to the school. Something about Angel!"
"What about him Buffy?" Willow asked in a confused tone.
"I don't know," Buffy said hopping off her bed and going to her weapons chest. "but I intend to find out."
"I'll call Giles," Willow said picking up the phone and dialing the Watcher's number.
Buffy pulled on her jacket and loaded it up with several stakes along with the usual amount of weapons. Tonight we was expecting trouble.
"Buffy," Willow said after a few moments. "There's no answer from Giles' place. Maybe he's asleep already."
"Okay, then, I guess I'm on my own." Buffy said looking over at Willow.
"You? Don't you mean 'we'?"
"Will, I don't want to put you in danger. This maybe be an Angel trap and I don't wanna get you hurt."
"Don't worry," Willow protested. "Let me call Oz, and we'll go there together. We'll be your backup, okay."
"Sure," Buffy said smiling.
Ten minutes after the call was made, the screeching frame of Giles' car pulled up in front of the High School and before he had a chance to even think, he'd jumped out of the car and began running to the entrance.
All along the way only a single thought was running through the Librarian's mind.
Jenny.
What had happened to her? Is she all right? Maybe something nasty had happened to her. No, no, he didn't want to think that she was anything less than alive. He couldn't live with the thought of the one person he loved, being dead.
Giles continued to run. He was crossing the green that was in front of the entrance of the high school, still in a world totally his own.
There were a few shadows flash on the front wall, but before it registered in Giles' mind a figure crashed into him, knocking him to the ground with a painful grunt.
"What the hell .." Giles spluttered as he tried to get up. He turned his head to the person that ran into him and he came nose to nose suddenly with his charge. "Buffy!" he said shocked at her appearance.
"Giles!" Buffy said with the same shocked voice.
Giles looked behind him and saw Willow and Oz loaded with weaponry looking down at the Slayer and Watcher getting up of the ground.
"What are you doing here?" Giles said looking at the three of them.
"I got a phone call," Buffy said looking at Giles. "What are you doing here?"
"I got a call also," Giles admitted. "I don't suppose the person who called you, had a, rather low gravelly voice?"
"Yeah." Buffy said slowly. "What did he tell you?"
"He said I had to get here as soon as," Giles said. "Something to do with Jenny. What about you?"
"I got the same call." Buffy said looking back at Oz and Willow. "But, about Angel."
"This could definitely be a trap guys." Oz said.
"You got weapons?" Buffy asked Giles.
"Yes." Giles said looking at the entrance. "Let's go carefully."
With that all four of them carefully walked into the school, what awaited them, they didn't know.
~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~
"Where do we start from?" Willow asked as they stepped through the cafeteria.
"The last time I saw Jenny was in her class. Let's go there and then look around."
"Okay," Buffy agreed.
They turned the corner and walked down towards room one-eleven, computer sciences.
When they got there, they were in for a surprise. There had been a disturbance in there. Jenny's computer had been completely smashed and was smoldering on the floor.
"What's happened here?" Giles said looking at the carnage.
"I don't know." Buffy said looking back into the corridor. "Let's find Ms. Calendar."
"Jenny?" Giles called out as they started walking down the corridor. No answer.
"Up that way?" Oz suggested pointed to a nearby stairwell.
"Sure," Giles said looking where Oz pointed.
"Hey, I was wondering," Willow said quietly as they walked. "Can we assume that this mystery person knows us in some respect?"
"Why do you say that Willow?" Giles asked, not really getting what Willow was saying.
"Well, this person knows enough about you and Jenny," she said to Giles, "and they know about you Buffy and Angel. Plus whoever knows both your numbers."
"Xander?" Oz said out aloud.
"Don't think so." Buffy said. "It didn't sound like him."
"No," Giles agreed.
They reached the second floor of the school and started searching along the darkened corridors for any sign of Jenny. Buffy was also looking for Angel, though in his present state she wouldn't expect him to be hanging around, unless of course as she suspected, it was a trap to kill the gang, with Jenny as the bait.
"This is giving me the major wiggins." Buffy muttered as she looked inside one of the biology labs. "Ms. Calendar?"
There was no reply. Buffy closed the door and continued the search with the rest of the gang.
~ Chase Residence ~
Cordelia sighed softly to herself as she glanced at her clock. Ten in the evening. The streets of Sunnydale were officially empty by this time, with the exception of the Vampires and other creatures of the night which now loitered around the town like an unbearable stench. She looked out the window one time, to be absolutely sure there were no more signs of life, and then shut off the outdoor light. Both of her parents were off in Los Angeles on some sort of conference and so she had free reign of the house until they returned.
"Time for bed," she whispered aloud.
She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, reminiscing. 'If Xander were here, he'd come and hold me tonight,' Cordelia thought to herself. She walked over and picked the cordless phone up from it's cradle. From where she held it, she could hear the gentle sounds of the dial tone, but she didn't dial his number. She had tried to contact him earlier, but nobody answered, so she thought he was sound asleep. Taking her eyes away from the handset, Cordelia softly replaced the phone in it's cradle.
A cold breeze whipped over the back of Cordelia's neck. She at first curled her jacket closer around her, but it wasn't enough to keep her warm. She decided it was time to get into her nightgown and go to sleep. She was never usually up this late, but heck, with the parents away and no school day the following day, she thought she'd stay up a little late that night.
Cordy set to work turning out all the lights. As she turned out the lights in the kitchen, she paused and looked at the moon. It was so beautiful, large, round, white and bright. It seemed to glow more than usual.
'Xander always has a thing for the moon,' Cordelia thought to herself. Xander loved the night, unlike most people who feared it. Xander had always told Cordy that the night was a time of calm and of wonderful dreams, and he made his Cordy feel safe. That was one of the reasons Cordelia loved Xander so much. Xander gave her a safe place where she could be who she wanted to be.
But not tonight. Tonight, sweet Cordelia Chase was alone.
Cordelia's clothes had been neatly placed into the hamper. The bathroom was thick with steam. Cordelia stood naked under the shower head, closing her eyes and feeling the comfortably hot water flow over her body. She leaned her head back and rinsed the shampoo out of her long flowing hair.
She opened her eyes and watched the white foam begin to flow on the ground around her feet and into the drain. Before long, the foam dissipated leaving just the warm water flowing all over her soft skin. Cordelia listened to the sound of the running water and could feel her mind beginning to drift.
~~~~~
The two of them were huddled together closed on a blanket on the nearby beach. The only light came from the moon that shone over them like a soft torch light. The only sounds were the crashing waves, and their own voices.
"Xand..." Sharon whispered. "I'm a little scared."
"That's okay, my dear," Xander replied, tenderly stroking Sharon's temple. "It's alright to be scared. We are alone here, after all. The moon is our only witness."
"That's not helping," Xander said, with a small nervous giggle.
"But also remember that I have been here before," Xander reassured his love. "And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you can be at peace." She tipped Cordelia's chin up and looked into her soft brown eyes. "No Vampire, or creepy Demon from Hell will disturb us tonight."
"I know, honey," Cordelia said, looking up into Xander's deep grey eyes. The weird truth was that Vampire's or Demons usually never go as far as the beach unless there was a large get together of people. "But I can't help my nerves. I'm not used to it being so dark..."
Xander gave a soft, sweet laugh. Then he rolled around so she was behind Cordelia. He wrapped his long arms around Cordy's round body and brought her down. Soon the two were laying, cuddled up like a pair of spoons, right next to the beach.
"Can you hear the sound of the sea?" Xander whispered to Cordelia.
A soft, flowing sound. "Yes," Cordelia whispered back. "I hear it."
"Listen to the sea, my love," Xander said. "The water's gentle rush. Very relaxing. It just flows .. and drifts away under the watch of the moon. Feel it as you listen, my love... listen and feel..."
"Drifty," Cordelia heard herself say. Then Xander's voice continued. His beautiful, sweet voice. Listen and feel, his voice told her. Cordelia did so.
"The water flows on and on," Xander whispered. "You feel it... you feel it happening to you. You feel your concerns and fears slip away like water was washing them away... washing you away... flowing over you... and with you..."
This really was relaxing... she could feel the drift, the flow of the water... washing away her troubles and cares, and almost... almost wash her away, too... such a wonderful feeling... Cordelia wanted it to happen... but she didn't want to flow... away from her Xander...
"Oh darling... you'll be safe... you'll always be safe... I am watching over you... just as the moon watches over the river... no harm shall came to you..."
"You know Xander," Cordelia mumbled softly. "For a person who's a dork a school, you've got this personality that's so completely different that nobody knows about."
Xander didn't answer that, he just giggled softly and pulled her closer to him, softly kissing her bare and exposed neck.
Cordelia moaned softly. It was so true. Xander was her moon, guiding her along. She felt the light of Xander's love. Another moan... and a heat from deep within. Passion blossomed like a flower inside of her as she realized... how wet she was... soft mewls like bubbles in the river as Cordelia flowed, along with Xander, to his pull... safe, warm, wet and so close to each other...
A beautiful dream in the darkness...
And the sea rolled back and fourth...
~~~~~
Cordelia's eyes fluttered open again. They were swollen and full of tears. The water had become lukewarm. She slowly withdrew her hand from her sex and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped a pink towel around herself. She paused and wiped the steam off the mirror so she could look at herself.
A pair of sad brown eyes gazed back at her. She could hear Xander's voice so clearly every so often. But it was always just a dream... no, a phantom of the past. Dreams were beautiful and alive. Xander had taught her that.
But Cordelia hadn't had any dreams. Just memories.
"Oh Xander," Cordelia whispered to her reflection. "Why aren't you here when I need you the most? I really want to be with you again tonight."
Cordelia was ready for bed. Her long hair was done up in two ponytails. She wore a long red flannel nightgown to keep the cold out, and as always, her bedtime slippers - fluffy Bugs Bunny ones that Xander had given her a few month's ago. She never felt particularly sexy in this get-up, but Xander always thought she was most beautiful when she was about to go to sleep for the night.
What are you dreaming of Xander?
Cordelia looked up at the moon again. Xander had changed her life. Before him, Cordelia was the ultimate bitch of Sunnydale High. She had to be the best … number one at everything - Homecoming Queen, May Queen. You name it, she competed for it .. even for her men. She'd known Xander since kindergarden, but for the longest time the best their relationship was comparable to that of the 'Odd Couple' with respect that she just tolerated him.
~~~~~
The moon shone down on the of them in the sleeping bag. The wind was steady but gentle. No sound but the occasional chirp and the soft sound of the wind. The lake in the distance shimmered with moonlight.
Cordelia curled her arms around Xander and whined.
"What's wrong, baby?" Xander asked.
"Mmmmmmmm," Cordelia moaned and looked at Xander through half closed eyes. "I really want to play, but I'm so tired... I don't wanna sleep..."
Xander laughed another warm laugh. "What do you think of dreams, Cordy?"
"Dreams?" Cordelia whimpered. "They're just... just weird stuff you see while you sleep..."
Xander chuckled and began to stroke Cordelia's temple. "Trying to make sense of everything only takes the beauty out of it. Science has been really bad to dreams."
Cordelia purred when she felt fingers slide down her tummy.
Xander went on. "Dreams are the realm of your feelings - your true feelings, not bogged down by things like order and 'sense'."
"You think... order and sense are bad?" Cordelia whispered, trying very hard to listen.
"No, I don't think they're bad," Xander said with a sigh. "It's true that humanity wouldn't have progressed and improved this much without all that order and sense. But sometimes... I just wonder if it's worth it."
Cordelia touched Xander's hand with hers, and looked up at him. She could understand what he was saying... but her mind was slowly giving in to the desire to rest...
Xander kissed her nose and then looked skyward. "We're trying so hard to make everything perfect that we're missing the beauty of the world the way it is. People don't stop to smell the flowers or to listen to the wind blow or to watch a sunset anymore. And they're missing... they're missing a lot."
Cordelia smiled. She felt like that a lot too. She moaned softly and nuzzled Xander's shoulder, hoping he would know that she understood.
"That's why I love dreams," Xander continued. "Things... feel right in dreams. They may not make sense, but they feel right. And that's really important. Maybe the most important thing of all. I love you dearly, and those feelings flow through me so freely when I am asleep. And deep down, I know you feel the same way too."
'Oh yes,' thought Cordy. 'Oh yes... I am so proud to be part of your dreams. I want to learn more about dreams. Show me, Xander. I love you. I love you.'
"Sometimes," Xander whispered in a hush. "I feel like I am most alive when I am dreaming..." He chuckled softly, and turned to Cordelia. "Or am I just nutty?"
Cordy was asleep, purring ever so quietly and contentedly.
Xander kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you, my star child," he said. And then drifted away himself...
~~~~~
Cordy cried quietly. "What's wrong with me?' she said to herself, "It's not as if I'll never see Xander again." She got up from the bed and eyed the clock. 10.43. She'd never wake and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped a pink towel around herself. She paused and wiped the steam off the mirror so she could look at herself.
A pair of sad brown eyes gazed back at her. She could hear Xander's voice so clearly every so often. But it was always just a dream... no, a phantom of the past. Dreams were beautiful and alive. Xander had taught her that.
But Cordelia hadn't had any dreams. Just memories.
"Oh Xander," Cordelia whispered to her reflection. "Why aren't you here when I need you the most? I really want to be with you again tonight."
Cordelia was ready for bed. Her long hair was done up in two ponytails. She wore a long red flannel nightgown to keep the cold out, and as always, her bedtime slippers - fluffy Bugs Bunny ones that Xander had given her a few month's ago. She never felt par instantly to see if she was still alive. Buffy followed, but kept her distance as she recognized the long dark jacket covering the other body. It was Angelus.
"Thank goodness," Giles exclaimed, smiling for the first time since they arrived. "She's alive."
"Buffy," Willow said looking back at her friend who seemed as still as a statue. "What do you want to do?"
Not answering, Buffy drew a stake from the inside of her jacket and took a few steps towards the Vampire.
"Be careful," Willow said worriedly.
"Hey guys," Oz said looking towards Angelus. "What's that?"
Laying just a few feet from the still body of Buffy's former boyfriend laid a small round object made entirely from glass.
"Isn't that .." Giles started saying.
".. an Orb of Thesulah." groaned Jenny as she slowly regained consciousness.
"Jenny." Giles said looking down at her. "Take it easy you were unconscious."
"Giles," Buffy said as she knelt beside the Orb. "What is this Orb of Thesulah?"
"Well," Giles said looking back up at the Slayer. "It's used primarily in rituals that call for somebody or something to be given back their soul. But the specific incantation was lost ages ago. I'm not even sure if it exists in any form other than the original Romanian."
"That's not exactly true." Jenny said a little weakly.
"I don't understand." Willow said, confused.
"You have a copy of this spell," Buffy said looking at Jenny. "In English?"
"Had." Jenny corrected. "Angelus surprised me in my class and destroyed my computer which had the translation program I used on it, he then burnt the printed copy that I was making. He even smashed my Orb that I purchased at the Magic Shop earlier on today."
"Then, who's Orb is that?" Oz asked pointing at it.
"I can't remember," Jenny said looking around the hallway. "Things are still a little hazy."
"What do you remember?" Giles asked, softly running his fingers through her hair.
~ 50 Minutes Earlier ~
Jenny continued to run, up a flight of stairs onto the second floor. She dared a look behind her for a split second, but she couldn't see any sign of Angelus at all. She turned a corner, and at that moment, her heart stopped, and froze.
Her moment had come for her.
Standing in the shadows, he was there, tall and opposing. Her Grim Reaper was here, with fangs for a Scythe. For years she represented completely what Angelus had hated. Her clan, who had given him the curse of humanity. The soul, to make him remember and suffer through all those deaths.
And now that is all behind him, he was back to make his revenge upon her.
But nothing.
He spoke no words, he didn't drink her blood.
The shadowed figure slowly raised his left arm, and in his palm was nestled a small crystal orb which shone brilliantly.
"An Orb of Thesulah," Jenny muttered. "Angelus?"
"No," the stranger replied.
Jenny thought she recognized the voice, but it was so low, that she couldn't make out the accent properly. "Who are you?"
Instead of answering the dark figure threw it's gaze down towards the Orb. "He is approaching," it spoke quietly. "This is not the road for Angel, he has a much different path. Angel represents an obstacle that must be removed from the equation."
"What path? What do you mean?" Jenny asked, still unsure of the accent.
Again, it didn't answer her question but kept on looking at the Orb. "He appeoaches."
"Then let's go!" Jenny exclaimed looking to see where Angelus would come from. She approached the dark figure, but he moved back away from her.
"We're not going anywhere." the dark figure replied.
"He'll kill us!"
"Quod perditum est, invenietur," the dark figure recited.
"The curse." Jenny realised in amazement. "You know the curse?"
"Not dead, nor not of the living. Spirits of the interregnum, I call. Let him know the pain of humanity, gods. Reach your wizened hands to me. Give me the sword that I might smite him down."
~~~~~
Angelus was still on the hunt for Jenny, but after running into the Janitor of the school, he couldn't help but to have a little snack before the main meal.
He walked boldly along the corridor following Jenny's scent, the scent of her fear. It was like a fine aroma that she gave off just for him to smell, and he loved every moment. He was getting close, and it was only a matter of time before he was drinking the blood of the Watcher's girlfriend.
Suddenly he felt a wave a nausea wash over him, something wasn't right, something was happening to him .. something mystical. He was being cursed again.
"That bitch!" Angelus spat angrily as he started running along the corridor in an attempt to reach Jenny before the ritual was completed.
He remembered what it was like before, when he had that wretched soul, and he didn't intend on having it back again.
He climbed the stairs to the second level and started running down the corridor, his Vampire eyesight making it possible for him to see as if it were daytime. At the far end he saw Jenny staring back at him, her eyes wide with fright .. and yet she wasn't making an attempt to run away .. and he knew why.
Standing in front of her stood a second figure, but it had it's back to Angelus so he couldn't see who it was.
As he ran, his eyesight began to get foggy and his footfalls began to get unsteady, the curse was almost over. He tried to speed up, but his strength was rapidly diminishing.
And then, the final two words that sealed his doom.
"Arcurum .. ARCURUM!" The stranger held the Orb of Thesulah out to his left so Angelus could see it.
The Orb flashed a brilliant white for a moment illuminating the hall like a brilliant flare, and then just a quickly darkness returned .. and Angelus was dead .. again.
~~~~~
Deciding not to take a chance, Buffy, Giles and the rest of the gang helped Jenny out of the school and left Angel behind as they weren't sure whether he was Angelus or Angel.
~~~~~ Part 5 ~~~~~
The following evening Buffy and the gang were sitting at the Bronze still talking about what had happened the night before.
"So like nobody knows who this mystery person was?" Cordelia said as she took a sip from her soda.
"Nope. Just another Sunnydale mystery," Buffy replied. "But enough about that, where on earth is our Xander. We're seeing less and less of him. Is he alright?"
"I was with him all day," Cordy said not really taking much notice of the glances from the rest of the gang. "But yeah, he was a little quiet, even with me. Maybe we need to force him out for some friend fun."
"I definitely agree." Willow said nodding approvingly.
"I second that," Oz also said.
"Who's up for a dance?" Buffy said looking over to the dance floor.
After a quick glance the gang shot up from the table and over to the dance floor.
While they did, they didn't notice the presence of a dark figure on the balcony leaning over and staring down at the group enjoying themselves. All smiles and laughter as just for a few short moments, they turned their backs on their cares and worries.
"Laugh all you want," the dark figure sneered. "Soon my time will come, and then, the only thing you'll be doing is crying .. for your pitiful lives to end."