Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. I'm just doing this for fun, and hopefully entertainment
Reviews: Welcomed and appreciated
Thumbing through one of the books, Giles stopped and sat down. "They speak here of the beast."
Turning her attention away from Angelus' warning glances, she responded to Giles. "Yeah. Stong, fast, hell-god."
He closed the book and looked up at the two of them. "Yes, from a demon dimension. It ruled with two other hell-gods. Along with the beast they were a triumvirate of suffering and despair. Ruling with equal vengeance. But the beast's power grew beyond even what they could conceive. As did her lust for pain and misery. They looked upon her, what she had become ... and trembled." Giles rose, pacing, fear emanating from his every pore.
"Not such big deals these gods, if they can be afraid…" Angelus gave Buffy another angry look, which caused her to lose her train of thought. Buffy tried not to let the fear she was feeling show in her eyes. She could actually care less about a stupid hell- god at the moment, too consumed with thoughts of how her sire would make her pay for her real or imagined transgressions.
"No, Buffy, you don't understand, such was her power that she struck fear in all gods and men alike. But the other hell-gods, they feared she would attempt to seize their dimension for herself, and decided to strike first. A great battle erupted. In the end, they stood victorious over the beast ... barely. She was cast out. Banished to this lower plane of existence, forced to live and eventually die trapped within the body of a mortal ... a newborn male, created as her prison. That is the beast's ... only weakness."
Angelus rose, motioning for Buffy to joining him. He pulled her to his side, "So, what's the big, old man? Kill the man and the god dies."
"Not so easy. The identity of the man has never been determined."
"So, are we looking for a man? A man who also happens to be a beast?" Buffy was giving Giles suspicious consideration. "And how do you know so much about all this? You never discussed this with your slayer. Don't you think you should've run this by her?"
"Well yes, the council was privy to information regarding the beast, but we were sure the mortal vessel was containing her without incident since nothing has been heard of her. It would appear we were mistaken." Giles walked over to several volumes on his shelf. "If you are interested, here is all the information we have on the beast."
Buffy sat down. "Why don't you just tell us about her. Do you know about the key and why they chose the slayers so-called sister to carry it?"
Still standing, Angelus walked over to Buffy. "Get up. We're leaving. This is not our fight." Buffy began to rise.
"Angelus, if you feel this is not your fight, you are mistaken. The hell dimension that the beast wants to open up has no respect or fear for the likes of you. In this dimension for all intents and purposes, you rule over your domain. In the beasts', all creatures of our dimension, human and demon alike either bow to her or die a horrible death. It is a god Angelus. It has no fear, it has no compassion, it has no consequence. It would squash any one of us as easily as it would an ant. Either worship or die." Giles voice was filled with dread.
Angelus sat down, pulling Buffy with him. "So what is it that you propose old man?"
Giles shook his head. "I need to contact the council. I think a trip to England may be in order. No one except you and Joyce know what Dawn is and I think if we can keep her identity a secret perhaps we can wait this out." He looked at the both of them. "I know you owe us nothing, but could you please keep an eye on Joyce and Dawn while I'm gone? If for nothing else to help keep the status quo?"
Buffy looked to Angelus to answer.
Without looking at her he answered for the both of them. "Yes, but once this over there will be no more contact with Buffy. Are we clear on that? She isn't a part of your life anymore. We'll deal with this so called god and then we are gone from your life."
"Yes." With a tinge of sadness but mostly resignation in his voice Giles agreed. "I never thought anything else Angelus. I'll try to get a plane out of the country tomorrow, so if you could look in on them after that point…"
"Yeah." Angelus took Buffy's cell phone out of his pocket and handed it over to her. "Buffy'll keep in touch." He took her arm and pulled her up. "We're out of here. Let us know when you get back."
The ride back to Crawford Street was done in relative silence. Buffy could feel Angelus stewing but was too afraid to confront him about his anger. She knew he felt she was being too responsive to her old life. And maybe in a way she was. She was drawn to the girl who was supposed to be her sister, drawn in a way that was unnatural for a vampire. But the need to protect Dawn was there and it was too strong to fight. She was trying to disguise it, but her lover knew her too well and whatever his reaction to it would be she wouldn't even hazard a guess.
"So Buff. How do we handle this?" His voice smooth and sure.
"What do you mean?" Her question was honest, she was unsure of meaning.
"I won't let you go back to them, you know that. How do we handle the time you need to deal with this? I know you have feelings for the girl, for the mother. How can I trust you with them?" His eyes were straight ahead as he parked the car.
"Angelus, I want to protect them. For some unknown reason I feel this need to protect them. But once this is over, once we have defeated this beast for them there won't be any need to protect her, them. It'll be over. I promise." She leaned into him. "Angelus, all I want, all I have ever wanted is you. Please my love, please believe me." She whispered into his ear.
His hand shot out behind her head as he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. "You are mine, never forget. You do this because I allow it. You will not be alone with them, ever. You will not make promises to them, ever. I will be with you at all times. Are we clear on this lover?" He spoke into her ear as he increased the pressure of his grip.
Buffy closed her eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall as he continued to pull her hair. "Yes. Whatever you say Angelus." She choked out.
He released her hair and pushed her back on the seat. "Good." Angelus looked down at her and began to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. Buffy lifted her hips and pulled her skirt up. "Uh uh." He shook his head. "Roll over Buff." She looked up into his cold eyes before she obeyed. "That's my girl."
