Chapter 2
Willow,
I need to talk to you at lunch. Without Xander! There's something important I need you to help me with. Meet me in the computer lab.
Buffy
Willow refolded the note and stuck it into the pocket of her jumper. She looked over at Buffy, but Buffy, for once, was watching the teacher intently and taking notes. When the bell rang Willow tried to talk to Buffy. "Buffy. Buffy!" She called out.
"Can't talk now, Will." Buffy yelled back, "I'm supposed to be meeting Giles in the library. I'll see you at lunch."
Willow looked bewildered, "But what should I tell Xander?"
"I don't know!" Buffy called as she turned the corner, "But I'm sure you'll think of something."
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"Alright G-man, lay it on me. What is the new big bad on the hell mouth?"
"Buffy, I thought it was clear when I told Xander never to call me that again, it applied to everyone else also." Giles walked out of his office to where Buffy was sitting at the table. He had one large, very old tome under his arm. Buffy looked at him, "Well, I'm still working on translating this new text," he dropped the book on the table making Buffy jump, "but I should know more this evening."
"Uh-huh!" Buffy shook her head, "I'm patrol-girl tonight, extra long, you promised!"
"Patrolling won't do you any good if you don't know what we're fighting."
"Sure it will, lots of good. Killing things." Buffy was beginning to whine.
"This wouldn't have to do with the fact that you've invited Angel to go patrolling would it?"
"Of course n... how did you... never mind."
Giles wiped his glasses, "Perhaps if Faith goes with you."
She stood up, "Faith!" Buffy cried indignantly. "Giles, I don't need a chaperon!" There was a pause. "Okay, I'll call her." Giles nodded and Buffy walked out the door on her way to meet Willow.
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Buffy reached the computer lab just as Willow was dismissing class. She sat at one of the desks and waited patiently until all of the students had exited. "So what's this about?" Willow asked. Buffy motioned toward the door. Willow closed the door, and then sat down across from her best friend, "What's up? What do you need help with?"
Buffy took a deep breath and very quietly said, "Angel."
"Angel?" Buffy's answer confused Willow, she couldn't think of anything that might be wrong between the Slayer and her boyfriend. "But you guys seemed so fine last night."
"We are, we're great. One might even say perfect."
This confused Willow even more, "So, then why do you need help?"
"Yesterday, at the Mansion..." Buffy's face was starting to turn red, "Angel and I, almost... you know."
Willow gasped, "Buffy! How could you-"
"Relax, Will," Buffy put her hand on Willow's arm, "We didn't, almost, but didn't."
"You can't," Willow said, "you know that. I don't know how I can help anymore than by telling you that you can't!"
"I was hoping you could help with a spell."
"What type of spell," Willow asked cautiously, "'Cause you know, I'm pretty new at this. Do you want me to try and make so you don't want... or so that he can't..."
"No," Buffy told her quickly, "no, no, no, no, no. Nothing like that. I want to be able to... I was hoping we could so a spell to... bind his soul, so that it won't leave him again if we..."
"Sounds complicated," Willow's face started to light up, "Do you have a copy of the spell with you."
Buffy looked at her hands, "I haven't exactly got a spell."
"Why don't you just ask Giles?" Willow knew the answer almost before she asked the question, "You don't want him to know," Willow sighed. She turned to a near by computer, "Let's get started."
A couple of minutes later, Buffy said, "Oh, here's one, no wait, it takes 75 years to complete the ritual."
"This one looks promising; it can be completed in an evening. Oops, sorry, it requires a virgin sacrifice. I'll keep looking," Willow laughed nervously.
After 15 more minutes, the girls still hadn't found anything. They had to stop so as not to miss the test they studied for. Willow promised to keep looking while Buffy was patrolling and even see what she could discretely find in the library.
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It was just after sundown when Angel got to the graveyard. He saw Buffy sitting on a tombstone, near the middle of the cemetery, swinging her legs. Angel walked silently over to stand next to her. "So what's on the schedule tonight?"
Buffy jumped, "Angel, you scared me! Can't you like breath or stomp or... yell when you're coming up behind someone."
"Where would the fun be in that?" Angel stood behind Buffy and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned over her shoulder and kissed her.
"Hmm." Buffy sighed, then shaking her head got back to business, "We have one scheduled to rise around here tonight. Then we just wander around and see if we find any bad guys."
"Sound like a plan," Angel smiled at her.
"Hey B!" Faith called as she emerged from a line of trees.
"Faith's coming?" Angel asked surprised, he knew the two Slayers didn't always get along.
"Giles thought she should come with."
"Because of me?"
"Because of you." Buffy confirmed.
"Do you think he's ever going to trust me?"
"Probably not," Buffy said.
By this time Faith had reached where the couple was standing, "So, have I missed all the fun, B?"
"Na, looks like we have another late riser. You can go ahead and start patrolling without us if you want."
"And leave you two with all the fun, I think not," Faith sat down next to Buffy.
After an hour, the vampire still hadn't shown up. "Maybe Buffy and I should check and see if he rose someplace else in the graveyard," Angel said.
"Sure," Faith said, "I'll stay here just in case he shows."
Angel took Buffy's hand and they walked away. When they had gone a couple of feet Buffy looked over at Angel, "Can she still see us?"
Angel looked over his shoulder; Faith was still sitting on the tombstone. There was a large mausoleum nearby, Angel lead Buffy behind it, "Now she can't."
"Good," Buffy said. She wrapped her arms around her boyfriend's neck.
He put his arms around her waist, leaned down and kissed her. "I missed you today," he whispered against her mouth.
"I missed you too," they stopped kissing.
"Are you coming over tomorrow?"
"I can't," Buffy looked at the ground, "tomorrow's Saturday, and I'm still grounded."
Angel put his hand under her chin, and gently raised her head so she was looking at him, "We'll make do." He brushed his lips against hers.
That light touch was enough to set her off. Her blood ran hot; her soul cried out for its mate, and suddenly any distance between the two lovers was too much. Buffy's warmth was intoxicating to Angel, and he kissed her fiercely with a primal need. Buffy returned his need kiss for kiss. Angel walked Buffy back so that she was up against the mausoleum wall. Angel move to kiss Buffy's neck, making her gasp. This only heightened Angel's need. He picked her up, and Buffy wrapped her legs around his waist. Pressing Buffy against the wall to support her, Angel let go and moved his hands to the draw string of Buffy's exercise pants.
The conversation from the previous day rushed into Buffy's mind. Breaking off the kiss Buffy muttered, "Stop."
Angel stopped what he was doing, but neither of them moved, "Right," he said, "Stop means no, and no means no, so stop." he dropped his hands. Gradually Buffy put her feet on the ground. They stood there holding each other for a few minutes.
Angel kissed Buffy's forehead, "I don't know how long we can keep this up. It's getting out of control."
"Not getting out of control," Buffy turned in his arms, "You had it under control yesterday, and I did today."
He rested his chin on her shoulder, "What about next time, or the time after that, when we both lose control."
"That won't happen," Buffy broke out of Angel's arms. Let's not worry about it now, let's go see if Faith found that vampire."
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