Notes: As always, thanks to all the readers and the feedback is amazingly happy. The good news is, I've been on a roll the sequel's plot... I gotta finish this one first, obviously. Trust me though, the ideas for the next one are far more genius than this one lol. Well, happy reading. Don't hesitate to PM me about anything you are unsure of, don't like, or would like to suggest.

Betafied by: Danielle
I still love Alice and Danielle very much.

Doxy-Who?

"What's wrong, Lover? I'm evil. Get over it." Despite the situation, he failed to wipe that grin off of his face- that signature smirk that only enforced the fact that there truly was a demon inside of this man. Angel had spoken so casually, with such apathy, it was all too convincing. Evil. Was that not of second nature to virtually everything on this planet? Hearing him call himself that was heartening, however. The vampire refused to meet eyes with Buffy at the moment, which only caused her to shudder involuntarily. His primary focus seemed to be on the ever-so-popular Lilah- the conjurer of all things problematic. "Lilah Morgan."

Freezing only momentarily, the words arousing a tinge of fear inside of her, Buffy backed away a few steps. This couldn't be happening... not again... not just after she'd left everything behind to come and see him. Just to hear his voice- feel the safety of his embrace... just so that she could find some sort of meaning (no matter how remote or farfetched) in this hell of a planet. Giles was going to be furious, if not distraught. Not to mention, everyone back home would blame her. Poor Buffy came back from the dead and was only able to find peace and consolation by getting groiny with her dead ex-boyfriend. That's what they would think, despite anything she would try to tell them. It would not go over well. Why couldn't anything ever end right? Did it always have to turn out like some horror story?

The bargaining followed. Angel had been able to surprise her before, not to mention they were both pretty good at acting- lying. Perhaps he knew something that Buffy didn't and the only way to get it out of the lawyer was the approach he was taking now. Or maybe- well, she didn't want to think of any other maybes. Still, Buffy couldn't help but to stand there in a petrified and extremely confused state while she battled the scenarios in her mind. Whichever way it had happened, he probably wanted her to at least... act... worried or concerned. Not that she wasn't, it was just... she still had no idea who this lawyer person was and what she'd wanted with them.

"I wasn't expecting you to wake up so soon," Lilah smirked back at the vampire, almost proudly. Well then, this was a real treat. Everything would go according to plan. That is, of course, if she could manage to pull everything off just right. In the end, Buffy wouldn't be a threat to Wolfram & Hart's plans or apocalypse, and Angel would be left in a state that would truly make him unable to cope with himself.

"What could I say? I just knew you'd be dying to see me..." His attention seemed to be diverted momentarily as his eyes scanned about the room searchingly. His tone was a sarcastic-witted attempt at disappointment while he took a quick glance from Buffy back over to Lilah, "Why the long faces? No... welcoming party? Not even a helpless snack for me to enjoy? You've got to be joking, I'd like to think Wolfram & Hart would, ah... what would that phrase be now?" He ran his tongue across his lips thoughtfully, "...Welcome me in with open claws."

"You'll have your fun soon enough," Lilah sputtered with uncertainty. Truth was, she wasn't sure what the demon Angelus had been capable of. All she knew of him was what she'd read in volumes provided by Wolfram & Hart's archives. Granted, those were some pretty thorough and complete volumes, she still doubted his abilities when confronting the demon in person. Whatever being he had become that day when he'd locked two of the most deadly vampires in a wine cellar with her and her colleagues- it did not even compare with the stories she had heard of this demon. She didn't know that, if Angelus wanted to have some fun... there wasn't much capable of holding him back.

Either way, she had a job to do, and once that job was completed, it didn't matter what she did with Angel or Buffy... and her plans were to leave the two of them to sort out their differences which, if her memory served her correctly, somehow delivered Angel a round-trip to Hell last time. It was about time that Angel returned the favor to the blonde.

"Wow, you're really pushing me here. I'm about two steps away from causing a massacre similar to Darla and Drusilla's little slaughter session." Angel smirked at Lilah proudly, confidently. "Oh but the devastation they left behind would be nothing compared to what I'd do to you and overgrown-lizard boys here." The cogs in his head were almost visibly turning while he began cooking up some sick and twisted scenario, no doubt the reason his lips curled into a thoughtful sneer. He then shifted in the arms of the demons slightly, grin unfading, "Some unfortunate lackey will be wiping your blood off these walls for weeks."

Buffy couldn't help but notice that he'd conveniently left Buffy out of that little kill-fest imagery. Of course, it was either because he wasn't evil... or maybe because she would be placed in a whole different category of pain and torture reserved for her by Angelus' sickening schemes.

"Shut up! You... you can't even escape!" Lilah barked back, wanting to believe herself now more than anything. With that, her hand continued to fumble in her pocket while she nervously unleashed the small parasite from inside it's tiny prison. If she didn't pull this off now, she may never get the chance to do so and make it out alive. While the creature made it's grand escape, however, Lilah thought it best to play off a distraction to keep Angel or Buffy from noticing anything. From that same pocket, she withdrew a wooden cross, raising it up towards Angel, who only began to laugh harder at her vein attempt to restrain him.

"You know that won't save you," Angel snorted, stopping his laughter to continue his staredown with the lawyer. "I can just smell your fear."

The creature, no larger than a nickel, scuttled down the back of Lilah's leg and made it's way over to Buffy's without so much as a pause. With the help of Lilah's distraction and sudden attempts to anger Angel, it crept away unnoticed. It's tiny red eyes blinked knowingly as soon as it located the Slayer. It had been programed to do precisely one thing, and one thing alone. Just as certain bugs- tarantulas, in fact, had been specifically trained to open high-priority and top-secret messages in Wolfram & Hart, this too was a bug with a sole mission. Creeping carefully onto Buffy's calf, it settled itself without so much as a second glance. She still didn't realize it was there, and that was a plus. It would make the job that much easier.

"Angel?" Buffy prodded carefully. As terrified as she may have been, she threw those emotions aside in an attempt to remain strong. She wasn't going to let 'Angelus' get the better of her, "Y-You've got to listen to me... we can get out of this," her tone lowered, while she attempted to keep it from wavering more than it already had, "I swear to you. But-"

Angel chose to (cut off and) address Buffy's statement first, he'd get back to Lilah's challenge shortly. He rolled his eyes unceremoniously while mocking her words, "Blah blah blah... Yeah yeah, deep down inside there's just gotta be some good in me... somewhere. I've heard the speech already- more than once. Makes me wanna vomit. Going to try a new spiel with me this time? I'm always up for a little switcharoo." He seemed to be in thought, and then his sudden outburst almost made Buffy jump, "Aha! I've got it! You could try killing me again. Now that was some damn good entertainment."

Kill him? Was that what it was going to come to... again? Buffy truly didn't think that she could kill Angel again. It was just too much to take in, especially after being brought back from the dead. Life wasn't fair! Her order that followed was firm and confident, despite the fear she was doing her best to keep concealed. "Stop!" She swallowed, shaking her head desperately, "Angel... stop this..."

The parasite then extended it's suction mechanism and did exactly what it had been programmed to do. It had been wired to drain a bit of the majestic blood of the slayer in very much the same manner as a common mosquito. Nothing would be thought of it, and it could run back unnoticed. It was going to do it's job properly. As soon as it collected the prize it came for, the creature felt the human reflexes kicking in. Jumping off of her calf and moseying on down her shoe quickly- effortlessly, as Buffy smacked her calf in annoyance, she rolled her eyes. Mosquitos? Inside...? Those stupid creatures were something the slayer couldn't exactly fight- though at times she wished she could.

"No, I don't think I will," he retorted matter-of-factly. Then turning to cock his head questioningly at Lilah, his lips quirked while he tested her theory, "I didn't catch your last statement." Angel looked to each side of him, heaving a sarcastically disturbed sigh. He smirked mockingly, twisting out of the demons' grips craftily and then jumping behind one of the giant salamanders at an unbelievable speed. Angel then took a moment to grip the creature's head firmly in his hands, pausing briefly solely for effect, and then snapped it's neck ruthlessly without further hesitation. The action was swift, unstoppable, and clean-cut. Had it not been a gruesome ending for the demonic guard, it may have perhaps been considered artful, even. "You were saying?"

Buffy was busy staring in awe at how simple Angel had made that kill seem. He'd done it so effortlessly, it was as if it meant absolutely nothing to him...

Lilah pretended to drop her cross so she could bend down quickly and scoop the bug-creature up from the ground. She retrieved her cross nervously as well without removing her eyes from the scene that played out before her. If she didn't get out of here, and fast, the vampire would be after her in no time. Besides, she had what she needed. Lilah shot a glance to the remaining salamander-demon and smirked, "They're all yours. I walk, they don't." Her order was clear as she began to bolt from the room, only to be stopped by none other than Buffy.

"The party's just gotten started. Why don't you stick around? I hear they have live entertainment after the previews," she advanced upon Lilah, making the lawyer cower into a corner. Buffy was still confused as to whether she should be more concerned about the freedom of potential Angelus, or the escape of the lawyer, but she knew if Lilah got away- she may never get an explanation.

"Heard about that," she rebounded with a smirk. Surely Buffy wasn't thinking about stopping her again? "I've got front row seats." The knowing and mocking grin that followed was rather unsettling to Buffy's stomach.

Before she even had a second to ask what that comment was supposed to mean, she was sent flying across the room by a powerful energy blast that could have only been emitted from the magical salamandery creature. Landing on her stomach, facedown, she groaned angrily. Stupid shamens and their magical abilities. As she had been thrown across the room, however, she couldn't help but shift nervously at the roar that erupted soon after her landing. It could only belong to one being in the room, and that happened to be the only vampire present.

Angel, now in all-out vamp mode, threw himself onto the other demon, locking it in an unforgiving headlock and smashing it into the neighboring wall. The creature then proceeded to run up the wall and flip itself over Angel's head, wrenching from his grip and landing a worthy punch across his unsuspecting jaw.The vampire had to step back a few paces in order to regain his bearings, but when he looked over at the spot where Lilah had previously been, he wasn't surprised that she had bolted. "Dammit," he scowled, snapping his head back towards the salamander and landing a roundhouse to it's stomach.

Buffy, still regaining her own bearings and hopping to her feet, ran over to the demon angrily. As soon as Angel had nailed it in the stomach, she send her knee flying into it's back unforgivingly. When the demon screeched in pain, it began to form sparks in it's gnarled claws. "Uh-uh," Buffy narrowed her eyes determinedly. There was no way this lizard was going to survive long enough to electrocute her. She proceeded to elbow it in the spine, sending it towards Angel who, in turn, took the creature's head in his hands.

"I never get sick of this," he commented darkly, snapping the second demon's neck without repressing his delight in the slaughter. After the body dropped to the ground, Angel stared down at it for a few moments before his eyes slowly moved up to meet Buffy's.

Something inside them made her shiver, and she wasn't sure what it was. Her heart seemed to have hopped up into her throat, since she found herself floundering for any sort of conversation starter. Deep within the depths of his dark orbs, she could still sense his soul, but his behavior had her nearly petrified. She had no idea what to do now. He'd enjoyed killing... although, sure they were typical bad guys so she wasn't even all that certain as to why it was getting to her, but it was. Buffy hadn't needed to fish for something to say, however, because Angel made the next move. He broke their gaze and walked right past her, almost as if he were trying to pretend she weren't even there.

"Angel..." Buffy started, watching him move across the room.

His eyes moved back onto hers, and the glint within them suggested that he seemed to be ashamed of something or afraid she was about to accuse him. His gaze had silenced her immediately, and she froze when she watched his eyes land on the bare flesh of her exposed neck. Buffy then reflexively raised her hand up to her neck, watching him curiously. He had still said nothing to her.

Angel offered a low growl now and, only after mustering up all of the strength he possessed, he diverted his eyes from her ever-so-tender neck. He leaned his back up against the wall, sliding down to sit against it and rub his temples hopelessly. "You should go."

"And you should know me better than that," Buffy snapped back, walking closer to his slumped figure against the wall. "You gonna go all bean-spilly on what went on back there? I mean, you were all bipolar and sinister Angel and I-"

"Doximall." He cut her off abruptly. The solution was simple, and he buried his head in his hands, knowing she wasn't going to understand right away.

"Doxy-who?" Buffy cocked her head, now wondering why Angel had been acting so strangely.

"Doximall. It's a synthetic tranquilizer that induces bliss." Angel very clearly remembered the time that an actress had used the drug against him in hopes that she could con him into biting her to give her eternal life. Angel'd went temporarily psychotic on them, causing pain to his friends and the woman, only to get himself locked to his own bed until the drug's effects wore off. Wesley always had all the facts. It had been him, in fact, that had explained everything to Angel the morning after- in case he should ever run into the problem again. "Clouds the mind...with... illusions of true happiness..."

"So it's like... some kinda vamp-Prozac? Wow... Angel if you need some sort of support group to get help or something, I mean- we-" and yet Buffy still couldn't figure out why she was trying to lighten the mood at a time like this. Her face suddenly turned serious, "How long do the effects last?"

"This uh... isn't the first time it's been used on me." Angel exhaled and shook his head slightly before continuing on. "After... well, the second time the drug was used, it kinda lost it's full-blown effects. It's not as overwhelming to me as my last dose... that one lasted all night, actually. Almost caused some real damage. Either way, Wolfram & Hart didn't know this had been attempted before. That's why they tried it tonight."

"So... they wanted you to be all... evil without... being evil evil so that you could... do what, exactly?"

"Kill you." Angel's response was dry, empty, yet controlled. Anyone could tell he was working hard to control himself where he sat, however.

Her mouth formed into one big understanding 'Oh' while she offered a slight nod, "Oookay, I think I get that... I-I get that alot by all kinds of slimey demons and vamps, hey- even the occasional fellow slayer... but why them?" After a very brief pause, she added with a pout, "And heeey- how come they put the chips in your corner? I've killed you once, what makes them think I can't do it again?"

"I don't know," Angel replied honestly, shaking his head. He did have a slight hunch as to why an evil law firm would want the slayer dead, but he had no idea how they were so certain Angel would come out of this alive. He then leaned his head against the wall, still avoiding her eyes, "But I'd never... they don't understand that."

"Understand what?" Buffy knelt down next to him now, placing a hand on his knee in comfort.

"That I can't-won't kill you," Angel raised his eyes to meet hers now, "Even as Angelus."

There was a long silence while his gaze remained locked with hers, the serious truth lying itself before her. At that moment, she felt safe, despite how unstable he had been earlier and still possibly could be, she knew it no longer mattered. Her place was right here, right now, with him.

"Buffy, I'm still having trouble separating the demon's thoughts and... suggestion... from- I really think it would be best if you leave."

"I can handle myself, Angel. Big girl, died twice, remember?" She faked a smile while she continued, "I can help you... we'll get through this... together." She sighed and sat across from him now. "Besides, you still owe me an explanation."