Hi! Sorry it's been *so* long for me to post, but I'll try harder in the future! Anyway, I hope it's worth the wait. Think so? Let me know at halfevilkids@yahoo.co.uk or leave a review at ff.net.
Part Three –
//Reporters are attracted to fame like moths to a flame. moth /mao/ n. 1 a usu. Nocturnal lepidopterous insect with often drab coloration. – The Oxford English Reference Dictionary. And the flame that the moths find so attractive, is made of the beautiful people, and the moths? Their fans and adversaries.//
Three thousand five hundred dollars and three hours later Buffy and Kat were relaxing in the Beverly Hills mall food court, surrounded by bags and laughing over the greasy fast food waiter who'd been trying vainly to pick them up.
The bags were mostly filled with Kat's things, though a few contained supplies for Buffy, and presents they'd picked up for Angel, Giles, Joyce and Gunn. Buffy felt a little guilty about spending Angel's money at all but all of her clothes had been left at her home in Sunnydale and she couldn't really wear the same set of travel weary clothes for however long it was she was supposed to be staying with the Mac Lachlan's. Kat had no such reservations, and just trying on clothes was just as fun as buying them.
Their happiness was short lived when a familiar face headed toward them. Kaitlyn scowled deeply, the expression so reminiscent of Angel that Buffy choked on her drink. Recovering from her consequential coughing fit. Buffy turned back to Kat.
"So why do you hate Percy West?" Buffy cut in before Kat could say anything.
"He's my brother."
Buffy laughed, before trailing off at Kat's stoic expression. "How many brothers do you have?"
"Four brothers, two sisters." Kat admitted honestly. A flicker of sadness flashed across her face before she shoved it aside. "George West was never really into monogamy. His two sons died and he wanted a male heir. Percy West got the title, and me and mom got ditched."
"Bastard." Buffy hissed instantly reminded of her own father's less than faithful ways. At least he'd been with her mom nine years before he started cheating.
"Who's a bastard?" Percy asked flopping down on one of the spare chairs at the table, immediately helping himself to the food spread over the table.
"You are." Buffy replied, suddenly feeling full as she watched him stuff chips into his mouth, wrinkling her nose in distaste she exchanged a glance with Kat. "I see your table manners haven't improved since our years at Hemery either."
"Why are you here Percy?" Kaitlyn demanded angrily.
"Dad feels that his part in our family history was portrayed unfavourably in the LA Sun-Times today, and has called a press conference to explain his point of view of the events. You, would, naturally be required to attend. Imagine the headlines 'long lost daughter, reunited with father'-" Kaitlyn had had enough eyes flashing with anger she pulled Percy close to her.
"You can tell George to go-" Buffy slapped her hand over Kaitlyn's mouth. This was such a set-up. Eyes darting round she tried to spot the missing piece. Pot plants rustled under her gaze and every happy shopper seemed to be concealing suspicious baggage. Kat got the hint and they rose from the table spinning anxiously around as they scanned the vast expanse of the food court. Percy was yelling at them to stop, hurling abuse as fast as compliments, but they ignored him. A moment later they ran out of options reporters sprung out around the whole area and were quickly swarming around them.
Buffy was backed up against the table with Kat eyes darting nervously around the huge crowd that had instantly gathered around them. The noise was deafening a hundred of more voices screeching over one another demanding answers, while mikes and cameras were shoved into their faces, the feeling was overwhelmingly claustrophobic, like a swarm of wasps had rounded on them, and the world span faster around her. Her breathing was short and shallow and the clammy sweat covered her body. Buffy was well on her way to a horrendous panic attack. Trying to control the dizziness she gripped the rim of the table behind so hard that the metal was biting into her flesh. Horror stung through Buffy as she realised how totally her life had been changed in such a small amount of time.
It felt like forever before help arrived, though it was only mere moments before Gunn and the security personnel charged through the reporters, scattering them left and right. Instantly forming a circle around the two frightened teenagers and pushing the crowd back. Gunn stepped inside the group. It was strangely quieter there, like the eye of a storm. The sound blocked by the mountainous men that surrounded them. Concern was written all over his Gunn's face, and his frantic check that they were okay was reassuring enough for Buffy to manage a small smile of thanks. Impulsively Buffy hugged her rescuer, reassured by his presence. Kat was distinctly less impressed.
"I can't believe Angel had you follow us." She growled poking Gunn angrily.
"I couldn't care less." Buffy replied flippantly. "Let's get out of here." Grabbing up their scattered bags the whole group slowly shuffled toward the exit. It was a highly peculiar sensation, like she was carried away by a strong current, and not really walking at all. They were negotiating the press-clogged exit when the bleeping tones of Buffy's cell split the heavy air. Fumbling with the phone she managed to accept the call and lift it to her ear. Pressing her other hand against her free ear she tried to decipher who she was talking to through heavy background noise on both sides of the conversation.
"-ffy" The voice came again.
"Xander!"
"Where are you?" He barked hostility radiating through every tone.
"I can't really tell you." She admitted A muffled conversation followed at the other end.
"We're in your basement."
"What? Why?"
"Well you were supposed to meet us at the Bronze and you didn't show up." Xander ground out.
"Well I'm fine. I'll back in a while. I think." She added uncertain. "That doesn't explain why you're in my basement." There was another louder conversation at the other end Buffy distinctly heard 'gerrof' before a heavy clunking sound.
"Hello!?"
"When we arrived there were reporters everywhere we're hiding from them in the basement." Willow spoke rapidly down the line anxious concern written in her voice.
"Shit." Buffy grumbled. "Call the cops."
"Buffy the Sunnydale PD isn't going to do anything." Willow's voice was getting slowly more high-pitched.
"I'll see what I can do." Buffy tried instead, trying to reassure her best friend before hanging off. A newfound determination to rid herself of the helpless feeling she had been stuck with since her arrival in Los Angeles. Straightening her back she moved to walk away through the crowds. Gunn blocked her path.
"I'm sorry." Breaking into silent tears Buffy tried to shove her way past Gunn's apologetic stature, only to trip over her own feet and fall heavily into the door frame beside her, smacking her head against the metal frame with a sickening crunch. She lay shocked against the wall for a moment following the ringing in her head. "Smooth Summers." Gunn laughed as he helped her up to her feet. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." Buffy nodded shaking the dizziness off. Pulling herself together she managed to walk one wobbly step before she passed out.
Buffy woke in the car halfway to the hospital. Shoving aside fuzzy dreams of Bambi and Neo she sat shoved off various car blankets and the concerned audience around her. Struggling to sit up she was held down by strong arms. "It's okay, we're taking you to the hospital." Kat reassured her. Her struggling got fiercer.
"No hospital." She muttered finally managing to shake everyone off enough to curl into a protective huddle against the car door.
"Buffy, you were out for fifteen minutes." Kat tried to reason.
"I'm not going!" She yelled angrily, struggling with the door handle in an attempt to get out.
"You don't have a choice."
"Yes I do." She muttered desperately. "If you take me there I'll call the press." Every eye in the car turned to her, disbelieving at the determined glare in her eyes. From the front seat Wes met her eyes meeting her sullen determination with his own.
"Turn around." He conceded.
When Buffy and Kat were finally dropped off at the Hyperion by Gunn they were swallowed in hugs from Joyce and Giles, Angel hung back exchanging terse words with Wes. Meeting his eyes over her mother's shoulder Buffy stiffened in shock, his chocolate brown orbs were near black with passionate anger. Confused Buffy turned back to her mother's concerned ramblings.
"I'm fine." She muttered distractedly, trying to decipher Angel's decidedly odd behaviour. But then it wasn't like she knew him, and his concern over his sister's healthcare was sort of endearing.
"Are you sure? Because I could take you to the-"
"No!" Buffy yelled.
"I know you don't like them." Joyce tried to reason, but Buffy shock herself out of her mother's grip.
"And you know why I'd never go." Running one hand over the growing lump on her head she shrugged casually. "Just drop it."
"You should go," a low growl behind her added. Jumping in shock she span around to find Angel was now only feet behind her and a tense silence had settled over the room. Sullenly pacing the lobby Kat's clicking heels broke the silence. "I'm going to bed." She finally announced, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration, and half-running toward the stairs, Angel was at her side in a moment, a fast muted conversation passed between them before Kat was led back to the group.
"What were you thinking?" Angel demanded, pulling himself up to his full imposing height, and glared down at the girls. "You were in an unprotected place. Intentionally. Today."
Kat railed against him imperiously, "You gave us goddamn money to buy clothes it's a little hard if we don't go to shops! And it's not like it mattered anyway, the way Gunn was tailing us *everywhere*, we were fine-"
"I am not goddamn fine!" Buffy finally yelled. "I'm not going to pretend to be anymore! I get pulled away from everything I know and expected to just live with it! What is wrong with you people? Is this supposed to be normal? I get dragged out of school because my mom's boyfriends nephew is famous-"
"Actually Giles in kinda famous too…" Joyce trailed off as everyone started at her. Buffy threw her arms in the air in frustration.
"I don't care! I don't *want* and part of this. I want to be able to go to the mall without being mobbed and… God my friends are locked in the basement of my house and I'm expected to know what to do. To find someway to rescue them. And I don't." She broke off voice cracking with emotion as she blinked back tears. "I'm going to bed." She spun around and headed upstairs.
Pausing she turned sheepishly back to the group. "So. Uh. Where do I sleep?"
//"Who can be both moth and flame?" – Theodore Roethke 'The Sequel'. Sometimes, even if you know it's impossible, you have to try to be both.//