A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, guys. Also, I just wanted to add that Charles will just be called Gunn from now on but if anyone refers to him as Charles or Charlie then you'll know they're just talking about Gunn. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 7
Buffy glanced up from her magazine at Charles, who had just made his way into her front yard. The black teen looked as if he wore worn out. The late afternoon air was light and content; pretty good Saturday.
"Hey. You and Wes finish your "mach-a-nomics" already?" Buffy asked.
"Nope." Charles dropped down next to her where she sat on the front steps of her porch. "I swear, that boy ain't ever gonna develop the power that is the mach."
"Oh, poor mach-less Wes," Buffy pouted on behalf of her British friend. She glanced up at the tiny tree that was growing in her yard, its leaves flapping lightly with the wind. "I swear do we really live in LA? Life is so dull."
"We live in rich man's LA," Charles reminded her. "Ain't nothing ever gonna happen over here."
"No parties up this weekend," Buffy yawned then stretched out against the steps.
"I should throw one of my jams," Charles thought.
"No, please, no," Buffy moaned, causing the boy next to her to laugh. "I do not have the energy for one of your parties."
"Well, how about we—?" Before Charles could finish his suggestion Wesley jogged up. "Uh oh."
"Gunn, come on," Wesley called, using Charles' last name. "We have to finish our mach-a-nomics training. The ladies won't know what hit them come Monday."
"Right," Gunn called, fake enthusiasm in his voice. When Wesley jogged up the block he turned back to Buffy. "Help me."
Buffy laughed lightly as she watched Gunn grudgingly get up and head after Wesley towards his house.
Dru sat at her vanity, gently stroking her hair with her brush. She still wore her street clothes, a red sweater and low-cut jeans, which she'd had to, of course, hide from her father.
"Dru," someone's voice called.
The girl got up from her vanity and went over to her window, pulling it open. "Spike?" she called, hoping to see her boyfriend. When she saw no one Dru slowly closed the window.
"Dru…"
That did it. Dru knew it had to be coming from the backyard. She quietly tipped downstairs to the kitchen's back door and slipped out. The sixteen-year-old called around for whoever or whatever had called her name but in vain. As she headed back into her house, she heard it once again.
"Dru." She jumped back to see the figure from the previous night. "Don't be afraid."
"You… I…. Why are you here?" she wanted to know.
"It's all right, Dru."
Dru, not really knowing why, headed down towards him. "Who are you?"
He leaned in to whisper, "Angelus."
The name sounded so strange and so mysterious on his tongue. "What?"
"I've been watching you, Dru."
She couldn't be afraid of him and Dru didn't know why. "Why?"
"I need you," he whispered.
"I have a boyfriend," Dru said immediately.
Angelus chuckled to himself. "Not for that. You're very powerful and very strong. I can feel it radiating off you."
"Powerful?" Dru shook her head. "No. You must have me confused with someone else."
"Your headaches. They're painful, aren't they?"
"Wait. How could you possibly know about—?"
"You want the pain to stop don't you?" Dru didn't answer but Angelus could feel her response. "Join with me. You'll never regret it."
"I…"
"Just come with me." Dru glanced up towards her house. "Don't worry about them," Angelus assured her, as if he just knew she was thinking about her parents. "They'll mean nothing to you."
"But I still don't understand."
"Shush," Angelus knelt and whispered into her ear. "Don't worry." He immediately vamped out and leaned in towards her neck.
"What are you doing?" Dru asked lightly then gasped out in pain. "Oh… God…"
A/N: Short, I know. I'll try to make the next one longer. Also, someone keeps requesting a young Lindsey in this as well. I would love to fulfill your request but I know little to nothing about Lindsey. I could possibly squeeze him in if you're willing to divulge some info on his personality or something. Please review!