Feedback: YES! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is not only appreciated, it's one of the things that makes writing so much fun!

Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS, but I really wish I did. Angel leaving? Never would have happened.

Pairing: B/A (eventually), W/O, S/F

Summary: AU. The prequel to Werewolves of L.A. Buffy Summers is an ordinary girl, living a normal life, until her Mom gets a job as an art curator in a little town called Sunnydale. She thinks her life has come to an end. In fact, it's only just beginning…

Giles looked up from cataloguing his books as Xander walked in. "How is Miss French?"

"Sliced and diced," said Xander, eyes flickering brilliant amber, as he slid out his claws briefly and then re-sheathed them.

Giles smiled approvingly. "Well done."

Xander grinned and flung his arms out wide. "I say this calls for quality party time at the Bronze. It's not every day you get to kill your biology teacher."

"Definitely," said Buffy, grateful for the distraction from 18th century French cultural history that Willow had been trying and failing to teach her for the past two hours. She was sooo flunking the test tomorrow. She shoved her textbook in her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Come on Mr Purity- lets go shake your thing."

"What?"

Willow threaded her arm through Xander's. "I mean, here you are, doing the right thing, the smart thing, when a lot of other boys your age..."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you see," said Giles, taking pity on Xander, who was rapidly turning the shade of fresh road-kill, "the She-Mantis uh...only preys on virgins."

Xander waited for the ground to swallow him up. "Well, isn't this a perfect ending to a wonderful day!"

"I don't think it's bad, I think it's really sweet!" Said Willow. Xander's fist punched a hole through the library wall. "It's certainly nothing I'll ever bring up again," she added.

"Angel never finds out under pain of dismemberment," ground out Xander as he stalked out of the doors, Willow and Buffy hurrying to catch up behind him. Giles sighed, finally left to mourn another hole in his poor library, and to wonder how to explain away another damage report to the Principle. Perhaps if he moved a bookshelf no-one would notice...

It wasn't until they were halfway down the street that Buffy realised what had been bugging her all evening. That tiny little itch at the back of her mind that told her she'd forgotten something...

"Owen!" She smacked her forehead with her hand.

"He doesn't need to know either Buff," said Xander frowning.

"No," said the distraught girl, "I completely forgot about him with the whole 'temp-biology-teacher-being-a-big-maneating-bug-and-you-having-to go-and-carve-her-up-into-tiny-pieces'." She threw a despairing glance at her watch. "And now I'm totally late for our date."

"Hey," said Willow consolingly, "I'm sure Owen won't mind that you're only... two hours late."

Buffy shot her a look. Xander on the other hand had brightened up considerably. "Well, look at it this way. If he didn't wait for you then he's not worth going out with."

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Xand, nobody waits that long. He probably thinks I stood him up."

"Or...you could've forgotten."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "That sounds so much better."

"You could've been ill."

"I saw him this afternoon. I was positively glowing with health."

"Blown tyre."

"I don't drive. Plus I could walk there."

"Temporary amnesia."

"Like that's gonna work."

"Personal emergency."

"My non-appearance is a personal emergency." Buffy sighed. "Owen..."

"Is a perfectly nice guy who will probably ask you again if you tell him that Xander was..."

"Killing Miss French?"

"Well, I was going to say in trouble, but okay," said Willow, shrugging.

Buffy's eyes lit up. "Hey, that's not bad. If I just blame you, say you were having an emergency and I needed to go over and Wills was there as well then it doesn't sound like I was standing him up."

Xander grimaced. "Gee, thanks Buffy. It's nice to know I'm here as an excuse so you can get another date with some other guy."

"Well it was your fault."

"You didn't have to stay and wait for me."

"I was concerned!" She smirked. "I didn't know if you'd come back with your chastity intact or not." The girls glanced at each other then burst into giggles.

Xander sighed. "And the day just keeps getting better."

The Bronze was packed that evening. Buffy and Willow made their way through the crowds and over to an abandoned table in a darkened corner of the room, whilst Xander went to fetch the girl's drinks. Slinging her bag onto the table, Buffy tapped her fingernails against the table and glanced around distractedly. Willow frowned.

"Buffy." There was no response from her friend who was scanning the crowds anxiously.

"Buffy." Still nada. Willow rolled her eyes and resorted to desperate measures.

"Owen! Hi!"

"Hmm? What? Where?" Buffy turned round startled, only to realise there was no Owen and Willow was now giving her 'the look'. She blushed.

"Sorry Wills."

The redhead shrugged. "He's not here. If he was, me and Xander would have been able to smell him." Buffy looked vaguely grossed out at this and Willow hurried to clarify.

"Everybody has an individually unique scent- just like snowflakes or fingerprints. Even if somebody wears perfume or takes a bath, their own scent will still be there, just hidden more."

At that moment Xander came back and placed the drinks on the table, along with three large chocolate chip cookies.

"Here we go ladies. Drinks on the house."

"On the house?" Said Buffy suspiciously.

"Well I kinda forgot to pay so technically..."

"You stole them."

"Is it really 'stealing' if no-one asks you for money?"

Willow smacked him. "Yes!"

"Oh." Xander took a slurp of his drink. "Guess you learn something new every day."

The girls exchanged amused glances as Buffy took a sip of her frappuccino. "Mmh... it is good."

"For a stolen beverage," said Willow, swirling her straw around the glass.

"Welcome to your new life of crime," said Xander, practically inhaling his cookie.

"Did you even pause to chew?"

Xander shook his head and patted his stomach. "Why chew when you can just swallow?"

"That's what she said."

"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Buffy laughed and threw a chocolate chip at him. He moved like poured water, his animal reflexes liquid and smooth as he bent unnaturally to catch the chip in his mouth as it fell. He swallowed then licked his lips.

"You know that stuff's too good to be thrown on the floor."

Buffy just stared at him. "That was incredible."

Xander smirked. "Finally! Someone recognises my true self."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "No, I mean the way you just suddenly moved. I'd forgotten you were so..."

"Powerful? Handsome? Fantastic with women?"

"Graceful."

Xander pulled a face. "Graceful? Why don't you just come out and say 'gay'."

"Hmm, why don't you 'come out' Xander?"

Xander's face shuttered as he fought the urge to sink in his chair and crawl under the table.

"Angel. I'd say it's nice to see you, but then we both know that's a big fib."

Angel smirked. "Don't worry Xander, the displeasure is all mine." He smiled gently at Willow who was frowning in disapproval at both of them, and then turned to Buffy.

"Hi."

"Hey." She glanced up at him and then back down, toying with her half eaten cookie.

Ever since the whole 'Amy being her Mom' thing, the tension between the two of them had been worse than ever, but Buffy had dealt with it in her own way- namely she had avoided Angel at all times. The trouble was that was getting harder and harder to do as Buffy realised she actually liked him...too much. But though Angel had apologised for what he had said, well sort of, Buffy knew a relationship between the two of them would never work. They were too different and yet too alike in so many respects. She knew he would never be able to see her as anything more than human, more than someone who had to be protected, looked after. She needed someone who she could trust would let her be her own person, who wasn't constantly worrying about her, wrapping her up in cotton wool.

Besides, Xander had been right when he'd said Angel was dangerous, and she only seemed to be putting him in more danger. When he'd been lying on the floor after Amy's mom had attacked him, and she thought he'd died, a small part of herself had gone with him. It had been her fault. So he could flirt with her all he liked, she could even reciprocate, but there could never be anything real between them.

Trouble was, she'd been avoiding that particular conversation and Angel for the past few weeks. And Angel blew hot and cold anyway, as though even he didn't know what he was feeling. Sometimes he showed up when she least expected, waiting for her after class and they could talk and flirt like any normal couple. But sometimes, when they were in the library with the whole gang, researching for Kendra and Merrick, it was like she didn't exist. And Buffy wasn't going to be jerked around by anyone.

So when she'd found out through the school gossip line that Owen, the Owen, every girl's dream Owen liked her, she'd jumped at the chance to go out with him. It wasn't like she was using him. Really. Besides she genuinely liked him. And he was cute. Very cute. And human, safe. And now Angel was here. Buffy suddenly found herself praying nobody brought up the subject of Owen and why she was here.

"Well, don't all of you look cosy. Keeping Xander company again? Stood up were you? Not that I blame the poor thing. I mean who would go out with you?"

Xander glared at him. "Hey! I put the date in predator."

"Xander, predator is spelled 'd.a.t.o.r' not 'd.a.t.e.r'," said Willow kindly.

Xander shrugged. "Whatever, besides it's not me here for the date, it's Buffy." Buffy shot him a glare across the table as Angel's easy smirk began to fade.

"Yeah, she forgot about the time and missed her date with..." Buffy kicked him under the table.

"Ow!" Xander winced and rubbed his shin. Angel raised an eyebrow at him.

"What was that Xander?"

Buffy rolled her eyes inwardly. This was stupid. Why should she be ashamed at telling Angel she was dating someone else?

"Owen." Angel turned to her. "I'm seeing Owen."

"Owen?" He ground out.

"Yeah, Owen."

"Xander."

They glared at him.

"Buffy, can I have a word, outside?"

She frowned at him but followed shooting the others looks. Outside, she shivered in the cold and watched as Angel leaned, catlike, against the wall.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you've been avoiding me." Buffy stared defiantly at the ground.

"Avoiding you? What do you mean avo..."

"What game are you playing?"

"Game? I'm not playing anything." She caught his eyes. "It's all in your head. But then most things are."

"I thought..."

"What? That you and me were together?"

He frowned. "Guess I was wrong."

Buffy crossed her arms defensively. Why did he always make her feel like it was her fault?

"What was I supposed to do Angel? You've been sending me mixed messages for weeks now. You blow hot and cold all the time and after the whole 'your human thing' I thought you wanted space. Besides I'm doing what you wanted. Owen is nice and safe and..."

"Human."

"This isn't about that."

"Yes it is. You can't bear the thought of touching me." He stalked over to her, muscles rippling under his shirt as he planted his arms either side of her head. The coiled power under his skin was almost tangible, and Buffy knew he was just itching for her to give him an excuse to use it. "I could tear him apart in seconds."

"You don't scare me Angel."

"No?"

She shivered as he leaned in closer, until their lips were almost touching. "No." Hot breath steamed in the air and she knew by the glint in his eye that he could smell her arousal.

She couldn't say which of them moved first, all she knew was suddenly her mouth was slanting over his in a desperate kiss. He pulled her close, pressing her against the wall and him as she threaded her legs in between his. She could feel the hard smooth planes of his chest through his shirt and she moved her hands from his hair to clutch desperately at his shirt, pulling him even closer against her. He growled in satisfaction and moved his mouth from hers, plump and wet from his kisses, down over her jaw, down her neck, til he found her pulse, beating like a bird under her skin. He kissed her skin then lightly nipped her with his teeth. She gasped and was pulled back to reality.

It wasn't quite how she'd envisioned her first kiss with Angel.

She adjusted her clothes and pushed him away.

Angel smirked. "Still seeing Owen?"

She glared. "Was this was some kind of macho testosterone test? Very pissing on a tree of you. And yes, I am still seeing him." Angel growled, his eyes flashing amber. "And don't pull the werewolf crap on me."

She turned and walked back to the door.

"Buffy!"

She didn't look back.

Buffy's mood over the weekend was black, and it was with some relief that Joyce said goodbye to her daughter on the Monday, hoping that she wasn't like a storm cloud when she came back home.

Sitting in the library Giles wondered what he'd done to deserve the sullen teenager who was kicking his table legs and chewing gum. Kendra and Merrick were also suffering her contrary mood as they researched the latest horror that was being unleashed on Sunnydale.

Buffy sat on the table swinging her legs whilst she studied the ring.

"Well, that's great," said Buffy. "So Kendra kills them and you fence their stuff." Merrick shot her a glare and then opened the thick tome that Giles had brought down from the upper stacks.

"That symbol on the ring... I believe it's the rune for fidelity, but, uh, it doesn't connect with any of the sects that I've studied."

"What about this on the inside?" She showed them the ring. "It's a sun and three stars. Haven't we seen that somewhere?"

"Let me see." He took the ring and looked closely. "No, I-I don't think this, um, represents any..."

Buffy flipped through the book and then pointed. "It's right here. Sun and three stars. Yuck, check these guys out." She handed Merrick the open book. "Told you it looked familiar."

"The Order of Aurelius. Yes, you're right."

"Oooh, two points for the human girl, whilst the combined powers of the werewolf and the watcher have yet to score."

The two men exchanged glances. Just then the library doors swung open and Owen walked in.

"Oh! Owen. Hi." Buffy slid off the table, looking down at her feet and then up at him. "About Friday..."

"What do you want?'' Giles interrupted.

"A book? I lost my Emily Dickinson. It's dumb, but I like her around. Kind of a security blanket."

Giles pointed at the stacks. "Poetry."

"I didn't think I'd find you here," said Owen to Buffy as she followed him up the stairs.

"Why not?"

"I, I didn't mean... I mean... I think you can read."

Buffy smirked. "Thanks."

"Listen, about Friday..."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I've never been stood up before but..."

"Oh, no you see Xander had this huge massive problem and he called me and Will over and..."

"Buffy. It's alright. You don't have to explain."

She paused, confused. "I don't?"

"No, it's okay." He scratched his head. "Listen, we could...maybe, I don't know...try again? Sometime. Obviously if you didn't want to..."

"No! No, I'd love to."

He smiled. "Cool, okay. Maybe we could try the Bronze again? If you want that is."

Buffy nodded. "Wicked. 8ish? I'll be there this time, I swear." Owen smiled and walked down the stairs, as Buffy followed him.

Giles met them at the bottom of the stairs and pretended he hadn't been eavesdropping the whole time. Buffy shot him a pointed look and then one at Merrick as well who was pretending to read a book. Giles took Owen's book and headed to the checkout station.

"Emily Dickinson, she's quite a good poet, I mean for a..."

"A girl?" Asked Buffy.

"For an American." He handed the book back.

Owen smiled shyly. "I'll, uh, see you in math... if I keep my eyes open at some point."

"Cool..."

Owen left and Buffy stared after him. She sighed. "That was Owen."

"Yes, I know," said Giles, picking up a handful of returned books. "Does Angel know?"

"Is it a crime now to date anyone else in this school?" She glared at him. "Angel and I aren't even a couple!"

Giles raised an eyebrow. "I was merely saying..."

"Well don't."

The next day...

Buffy slammed her door shut and leaned on it.

"So how did it go?" Asked Xander warily.

"It didn't go. There was no going of any kind."

"Why?"

"Cordelia. Miss 'I-think-I-can-have-everyone-I'm-so-fantastic-fall-down-at-my-feet-and-worship-me'."

Xander shot her a look. "You know I think they just call her Cordy these days."

Buffy ignored him. "She was all over him. Like...like...well something being all over something else."

"And you didn't do anything?"

"What was I supposed to do? Cut in on his quality time with Queen C? No way." She banged her fist angrily against the metal door.

"You're acting a little overly, aren't you? I mean, you could have any guy in school." Xander ran his fingers through his hair. "Like me."

"He's not any guy. He's more...Oweny."

Xander deflated. "Sure, he's got a certain Owenosity, but that's not hard to find." He reached his locker and began to put his books in. He sighed. "To be honest you're just doing it to piss Angel off. And I applaud any efforts you make to do so, but, this is just wrong."

Buffy folded her arms. "Hey, I like Owen."

"Not as much as you like Angel."

"Angel has nothing to do with this." Buffy avoided his eyes, as Xander raised an eyebrow. "Alright, maybe a little."

"Right."

"But I'm not using Owen. Honest." The bell rang for the next period. "Listen, I've gotta book. I'll see you later?"

Xander looked at her. "Just, be careful."

"So third time lucky huh?"

"Yep, he asked me in class." Buffy grinned. "But it's no big deal."

"It is a big deal! He obviously really likes you if he keeps on asking you." Willow hugged herself in excitement. "Merrick tell her!"

Merrick nodded seriously. "I'm afraid it's very big."

She grinned at Buffy. "Thank you!" She turned back to him confused. "Wait!"

They followed him into the library. "What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" Merrick frowned.

"Boys!"

"Yes, well, I'm talking about trouble. A violent and disturbing prophecy is about to be fulfilled."

Buffy smiled sympathetically at Kendra who was balancing upside down on one hand on the table. "Sounds like a fun night for you huh?"

Kendra rolled her eyes and switched hands. "I can barely contain me joy."

Buffy raised an eyebrow and looked at Giles. "Who taught her sarcasm?"

Buffy hummed along with the music as she waited for Owen to return with what was going to hopefully be a sinfully gooey, chocolate muffin. She couldn't believe after all the trouble she was finally on a date with...

"Buffy."

"Angel."

"Buffy, I ..."

Owen reappeared with her deliciously fattening muffin. "Here you go."

Angel glowered. "You're here on a date?"

"Um, Owen, this is Angel. Angel, this is Owen." She put her arm around Owen and glared at Angel. "Who is my date."

Angel turned on the human boy and seemed to grow bigger somehow. "Hey."

Owen stepped back unconsciously. "I think I've seen you round school sometime."

Angel remained stoically silent. Buffy frowned- were his eyes ever so slightly yellow?

"Well, as much fun as this has been Angel, Owen and I have to go and be… Owen and I."

She turned to Owen and smiled up at him, deliberately tightening her hold on him as she felt Angel's eyes boring holes into her head. She smiled tightly at Angel.

"Bye."

She'd moved four steps when Xander and Willow bounded up to them.

"Buffy! Owen!"

Buffy sighed. "Gee, everyone's coming here tonight."

Xander grinned manically. "Yep, everyone's come here and the dead could be walking around outside and no-one would know." He looked pointedly at Angel who swore softly under his breath.

Angel turned to her and gripped her arm. "Stay in here alright. Don't leave."

"What? I..." But the trio of werewolves had already left the club.

Owen looked at her musingly. "You have the strangest friends."

"Mmm."

He raised an eyebrow. "Want to follow them?"

Buffy looked at her muffin in one hand and then to the club door. "Maybe we shouldn't..."

"Come on," said Owen. "Whatever they're hiding can't be that bad." He shrugged. "And I was gonna ask you for ice-cream later so we can go and get some...if you want that is."

Buffy's mind had gone blank and suddenly she couldn't think of one excuse to not go outside. "Sure." She smiled tightly.

"Great!" Owen grinned at her. Something wet and gooey was suddenly sliding through her fingers and Buffy looked down at her hand. Her knuckles were white and clenched so tightly over the muffin she'd completely squashed it, chocolate sauce dripping to the floor. In the light of the club it looked like blood.

"Yeah, great."

Buffy found herself tensing at every noise as she walked with Owen to the ice-cream parlour. It didn't help that Owen had wanted to walk through the cemetery as it was a short-cut. Suddenly a howl split the silence and Buffy jumped skittishly. Owen squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"You're nervous all of sudden. What's wrong?" He smiled warmly. "It's just a dog, nothing to be worried about."

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

"Sure, I'm just being silly." She laughed nervously. "It's the dark, it creeps me out."

"Really?" Owen raised an eyebrow. "I love the dark. It's full of mystery, romance..."

"Danger," came a voice to Owen's left.

"Angel!" Buffy yelped. "What are you do..."

"I told you to stay in the Bronze, why do you never listen to me?"

Owen frowned. "It's alright, we're only going for ice-cream."

Angel shook his head. "Ice-cream? You disobey me for ice-cream?"

Buffy took a step forward fuming. "Who died and made you in charge over me? I can make my own decisions thank you. I don't need a bodyguard!"

"No you're right, you need a babysitter!"

Whatever Buffy may have said in reply was lost as a large group of vampires burst through the foliage and over a group of tombstones, two large werewolves, who Buffy recognised as Spike and Faith, chasing after them. In the distance the sound of fighting could be heard and Kendra, stake in hand, came into view, the air thick with dust as she came closer and closer to where the trio were standing.

Buffy groaned. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind for our first date."

Beside her, Angel had already swiftly and silently changed into his animal form and he snarled.

'Buffy.' She jumped for the nth time that night. Angel's voice was in her head!

'There's nothing you can do Buffy,' said Angel telepathically. 'Get out of here whilst you still can.' Distantly she watched as Xander tore a vampire's throat out, blood and gore coating his dark glossy fur.

"No. I can..."

'Buffy you have other priorities now.' He motioned with his head to Owen who was staring at the werewolves and vampires like his fantasies had suddenly come true.

"He's human and helpless and that makes him easy prey. You need to protect him. So go, now!"

Buffy turned to Owen who grinned at her.

"This is so cool!" He said. "I knew you were hiding stuff but I never realised it'd be something like this."

And Buffy suddenly realised that he was in the most danger because he thought that this was cool. That the supernatural things in Sunnydale were tame and touchable and he didn't realise that the vampires coming towards them were going to drain him of his life's blood and leave his body dumped like an empty sweet wrapper, or worse turn him. And did those vampires now seem closer than they were before?

'Run!' Growled Angel in their heads. Neither teenager moved.

"NOW!"

He snarled and moved towards them, teeth gleaming in the light as the group of vampires closed in closer and closer.

Buffy shook herself out of her stupor. "Come on!"

She grabbed Owen's hand and began tugging him behind her as she ran through the cemetery to her house. Owen gradually started to run with her, adrenaline pumping through his system. A howl echoed into the night's sky and Buffy felt him shiver.

"This is brilliant!"

Buffy looked at him incredulously. "Running for your life? You think this is fun?"

He laughed and sped up so that now he was a little bit ahead of her. "Yeah!" He flung out his arms. "I've never felt so alive!"

Out of the cemetery they stepped onto the pavement but kept running, the lamplight gleaming off Owen's face and making it a glowing, healthy, bronze colour. He grinned wildly at her.

"This has been the best night ever!" He squeezed her hand and then let go, stepping out onto the road to dodge round a couple who were walking towards them.

Nobody noticed the speeding car until it was too late.

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