Buffy sat and stared into the distance. After Angel had left she had slid down to the floor and cried herself into a state of catatonia. She had been like that ever since. What had she expected? To have Angel hear the whole story on what she had been doing and welcome her back with open arms? She had been fooling herself into thinking just that. His reaction was justified, and she knew it.
A knock sounded at the door, which brought Buffy slowly and reluctantly back to earth. "Come in." she said softly, pulling a blanket off of her bed to cover herself with.
"Buffy?" Willow said walking back into the room. "What happened?" she asked suddenly at her friend's side. Willow had seen Riley about an hour ago and pretty much figured what had happened. But she never expected to see Buffy lying on the floor with just a sheet hung over her to keep her dignity. Things had gone far worse then the young wicca could ever expect.
"Oh Willow!" the girl cried, throwing herself into her best friend's arms. "I've done something horrible!"
Angel sat crossed legged on his bed looking down at his hands. It had been three days since he found out about Riley. He hadn't been able to sleep since. He couldn't. His mind was in too much turmoil to even contemplate sleeping.
He didn't understand. He thought that Buffy loved him. He never expected her to be some girl who just had a simple schoolgirl crush. She proved him wrong the other night though.
How could she not tell him that she was engaged? He didn't get it. He had been sitting there for three days trying to understand why she did what she did, but he had yet to come up with an answer.
He got the fact that he had been gone for five years and she needed to move on. She didn't even know if he was alive of not. But, the night he came back, she should have told him. She should have told him before they kissed. God! He would even forgive her if she had told them before they slept together! It wasn't like she didn't have a chance to either. She had plenty.
A tear slid down his cheek at the thought of how he had left her, broken and crying on the floor. All he wanted to do was go and take her into his arms and tell her... 'NO!' he mentally scolded himself. 'She deserves what she has coming to her. After what she did...'
Angel sighed, it took every ounce of will power to keep him on his bed. To keep him from going back to her, kissing her, telling her that it was okay.
Knock, knock, knockAngel's head whipped towards the door. The only person who ever came here was Buffy. Seeing her again would be to much. To face her that soon after what had just happened... The knock sounded again. Hesitantly, Angel got off his bed and moved to the door. When he opened it, his eyes weren't greeted by Buffy though, but her best friend instead.
"Willow." He said softly, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice. No matter how mad he was at her, a part of him still wanted it to be Buffy on the other side of the door.
"Hi." Willow said. Her hands were fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "I have a favor to ask you."
Angel opened the door wider and motioned for her to come it. Together they sat down on the sofa. "What is it?" he asked calmly
"Did Buffy..." Angel's eyes flickered with pain at the sound of her name. "Did she tell you about that demon that we're hunting?"
"Yeah, she mentioned it."
Willow bit her bottom lip. "We need help. We think we know where the demon is and well, Buffy is the only one who is strong enough to fight it. We think she may need backup though. We were hoping... well... could you maybe..."
Angel looked down at his hands. 'They wanted him to work with her? After what she did to him?'
"Angel, I know things between you two are bad but... people could die, she could die, if she doesn't have backup... you're the only one in Sunnydale who is strong enough to help her do this."
Angel looked up at Willow. He could tell that she felt sorry for him. At least she knew that this was hard for him. "I thought that there's no way to know who the Reine demon is without it being near death. How is... how am I supposed to know who it is I need to kill?" He said, not being able to utter her name.
"I think I figured out a spell to show us exactly who the demon is."
Angel nodded. He just needed to put his feeling aside for a little while. People's lives were at stake and he wasn't going to let some innocent die because he and his girlfriend... ex girlfriend were having problems. He just had to get this done and over with and then he wouldn't have to see her again. "I'll help."
Willow and him steadily made their way to Giles' house. Angel was trying to keep calm, but he didn't know what he would do when he saw her again. It wasn't that he was afraid he'd lash out at her. No, he was afraid that he'd kiss her. More then anything he wanted to take her in his arms and forget everything that happened to them. He had spent the past five years without her and to be away from her for even a couple hours was painful. But he couldn't. If he forgave her for this there's no telling what she would do in the future.
Before Angel knew it, they had reached Giles' house and Willow was opening the door, motioning him to come inside. The moment he entered the house he was assaulted by her smell. He knew exactly where she was without even looking up. In fact, he made it a point not to look at her.
"Angel." Giles voice broke through. "Thank you for coming." Angel gave him a short nod. He didn't trust him self yet to look up at anyone, for he knew the moment he did his eyes would search for hers.
"Umm, why don't you sit down and I can explain what I had in mind for tonight." Angel silently crossed over to the sofa, as far away from her as he could possibly get. "Well, I assume you know what kind of demon we're dealing with." Giles looked at the man before him. He didn't even know he was back until a couple hours ago. He wasn't sure if he trusted him, he was a vampire after all. But right now, Buffy needed back up, and even though Giles' hated to admit it, Angel was the only one who could help her.
Giles couldn't help feeling sorry for him though. Before he had left Giles had had his concerns about him and Buffy. A slayer dating the one thing that she was destined to kill was practically unheard of. But he kept his mouth closed because he knew their feelings for each other ran deeper then just typical high school love. When ever he looked into Angels eyes he could practically feel the overwhelming adoration he felt for Buffy. But now, now those eyes were filled with pain.
Willow had briefly told him what had happened between the two. Now the watcher was torn between which one he should feel sorry for. Buffy was obviously in the wrong for cheating on Riley, but at the same time, he understood why she did it. Buffy had a kind heart, despite her nightly blood lust, and he knew that his slayer would do anything before she saw another's get broken. He was sympathetic towards offering any support that she might need. But now that Angel was here he wondered if his support should go to him instead. The waves of grief that were rolling off the vampire were nearly palpable
"Yeah, I know what it is." Angel whispered
"Good. The last couple of days there have been several reports of deaths, murders actually." Giles stepped up to Angel and handed him a handful of newspaper clippings. "A young girl was found over by a coffee shop. Three teenagers over by a sporting good store, and one woman over by a department store."
"The mall." Angel stated gently
"Exactly. All of these murders have been either inside the mall or right by it. So, the demon has to be living inside the mall or somewhere close by. He's making his escape too easily, even when the police are there only minutes later."
Angel nodded his head in agreement. "What's the plan?"
"You, Buffy and Willow head over to the mall. There's a back room where Willow can set up for her ritual. She can do a simple locater spell to track the demon for you and Buffy to find. Once that's done, all Willow has to do is perform a ritual and the demon should take its true form. I must warn you though, the demon will be much harder to kill when it transforms. You two must be careful."
"When?"
Giles sighed. "Now would be best."
Angel nodded once. "'K, lets go."