Previously: Buffy headed off towards the supermarket near Giles' apartment. All she needed was some apples, peaches, pears and an assortment of biscuits. Maybe she'd buy pop tarts of some sort, just to give Giles a scare when they popped out of the toaster.

Chapter 46

'So when were you planing on telling me Angel was Angelus?' Lorne asked as he shut the door.

'I did, didn't I' Angelina was rummaging through the kitchen; looking for the cake Lorne had bought. She was hungry… again.

'Nope' Lorne appeared from behind the wall just as Angelina found the cake. He scared her though and she nearly dropped it.

'Oops. Sorry'

'No problem' Angelina saved the cake and placed it on the counter. 'Wanna bit?'

'Why not? Then I'm taking a shower'

'Yeah I think you should. You're starting to turn green' Angelina teased.

'Oh! Low blow!' Lorne dipped his finger into the whipped cream and smeared it on Angelina's cheek and nose.

'Hey!' Angelina reached for a tissue or napkin to wipe it off, but Lorne beat her to it.

'I got it Princess!' and he ducked his head and kissed her cheek.

Angelina was clearly shocked. Lorne could tell by how rigid her jaw line became.

He drew back and stated 'ok so I didn't get all the cream. Its good cake by the way' as she wiped her face with a napkin.

'I bet it has a hint of strawberry when you eat it off my face' she joked.

'Dunno. Let's see shall we?' He went to get more cream.

'No! No!' Angelina cried. She knew he was joking as he was laughing the entire time.

'Maybe next time then' Lorne decided.

'Maybe' Angelina mused.

She cut them both a piece of cake and together they sat down and ate, while having conversation about many things and nothing at all.

They were talking about the movie they were all going to see that night, 'Public Enemies' when the phone rang. Angelina answered it.

'Hello?'

The voice on the other end must've been in hysterics because Angelina hardly got words in. most of it was attempting to calm the person down.

'Ok mum…. Yes mum… No, don't panic, I'll go do it for you… If it will make you feel better yes, I will… Dad told you?.. Ok, ok, I'll go do it now… Love you too, bye!' and she hung up the phone.

'What does Mother Dearest want?' Lorne asked in between mouthfuls of cake.

'Just checking up' Angelina said.

Lorne could tell there was something she wasn't telling, but she'd get around to it eventually he decided, so he let it go.

'I'll be back later ok?' Angelina grabbed her bag and hugged him around the shoulders.

'Sure. See you soon' and she disappeared through the door.

~**~

I had made it home unscathed thank god. Wouldn't be too good for Red to come home and see a pile of ashes now would it?

I walked over to the fridge to check if there was any blood in there. There wasn't. I must've drunk all of it last night. Damn.

I was hungry and I knew there was blood in my fridge, though I didn't exactly want a chance encounter with the 'Grand Poof of Poofterville' if he was hiding in my apartment. Chances weren't likely, but it was better to play it safe. Buffy needed everyone who was able to lend a hand… or two.

Instead I opted for sitting on the much-used black couch and to wait for Willow to come back, then ask her to grab me some blood. I had recently figured out that by being around all the Scoobies and Buffy, I was what you would say 'becoming soft'. Something I was not taking a liking to. Soon the whelp would be able to walk all over me if I wasn't careful. I wasn't going to let that happen.

'What are you looking at?' I said to the Women's Weekly magazine lying on the coffee table.

It didn't speak back.

'What? What was that punk?' I spat at it.

Still the magazine said nothing.

'That's what I thought' I leant back with my arms behind my head and then turned my attention to the lamp next to me.

'And as for you…'

That was how I managed my time for the next half hour. I taunted Willow's household objects and made myself work on 'being tough' so I would turn softer than I already had. Willow still wasn't back and I was getting hungry. There was no blood here, no chips and no bloody onion flowers like the ones from 'The Bronze'. God I missed those onion flowers. Hadn't found a place that made them since we all 'moved' here. Damn first evil. Couldn't find another town to terrorize. I hate that son of a bitch. If I ever come across that again, I'm gonna give it what for!

My stomach rumbled, or at least I think it did. I was hungry I knew that and it looked like Willow wasn't going to make an appearance any time soon. I had only gotten into the apartment because I nicked the spare key from the kitchen. Good thing too.

Slowly I rose and weighed the pros and cons about going into my place for food.

Pro: Get food

Con: Possible Poofter

Pro: Can bring food back here

Con: Could be a pile of ashes

Pro: Could bring back Poofter ashes

Con: Have no where to put them

The Pros outweighed the cons and so I carefully made my way to my apartment.

When I reached the front door, I paused and placed an ear against it, in order to hear anyone who could be behind it. I was listening for a heartbeat, a breath, footsteps, anything that could alert me to run like hell. But there was nothing.

Then I remembered that Angelus didn't breath, so that ruled out breathing. He also didn't have a heartbeat, so it was also ruled out. Which only left footsteps and I couldn't hear any.

I shrugged and pulled my apartment key out of my pocket. It was strange to have one of these. Normally I had a crypt or something and people would more than likely stay away from the joint. Unless you were a sex crazed slayer or the slayer's little sister looking for company, then yeah. Most people stayed away.

I placed the key into the lock and twisted.

The door opened to reveal a place that looked like it hadn't been touched. Partly because I didn't really live in it. I lived in Buffy's and now Red's. I quickly ducked in to have a look and see if anyone had been in here.

The dust that gathered on the floor remained intact, only to be disturbed by my boots now. The place ad an eerie abandoned feel to it, but it had for now so meh.

I ran to the kitchen, not wanting to spend a lot of time in here. In case I was caught by one of the gang, or in case Peaches or one of his 'friends' caught me. I ripped the door open and found several tubs of blood, all good and ready to drink. I grabbed them all and kicked the fridge door closed.

As I turned to leave, a note caught my attention. It was on the kitchen counter, nestled amongst the dust.

I picked it up as I headed back to Red's with my blood. Once I dumped it on the coffee table, I went back and locked my apartment door, then returned.

I warmed up a mug of blood and put the rest towards the back of the fridge. I was just being considerate of Willow.

I sat at the kitchen table and sipped my blood while opening the letter. I nearly choked and spat out my blood when I read it. The writing was all too familiar.

'Dear William,

I am hurt to find out that you wouldn't stay here, in your own apartment, so that I could kill you personally.

I am afraid the respect I have for you has just vanished, not because I don't have a soul anymore, but because you didn't have the decency to stay put!

Not to worry though, your time will come.

Be seeing you sooner than you think William.'

So the Ponce had been in my place. Damn. Good thing I wasn't the welcoming party. Be seeing me sooner than I think? What the hell was that about?

I knew Angelus was trying to scare us all, but leaving a note was more poncy than giving me a hug and then trying to kill me.

I picked up the phone and dialled the magic store

'Hocus Pocus Spells and Charms. Anya speaking' good to know her manners had improved for business.

'It's Spike. Is Red there?'

'Yeah. We're all going to hang out here until dusk. It's only an hour. Then Angelina, Lorne, Dawn and her friends are going to meet us here and we're going to the movies remember?'

'Yeah. I remember. Ok see you in an hour' I hung up the phone.

Ok so this gave me an uninterrupted hour to try and sort out what Angelus had planned.

I lay on the couch, put my feet up on the side and thought. Really, really hard.