Sleepless 3

Part One : Yet Even More Fragments Chapter 9

Part Two : Yet Still Even More Fragments Chapter 25

Alex heard someone climbing up the trellis before they tapped on the window and he cautiously opened the curtain to see whom it was, as it was after nightfall. A familiar face smiled at him out of the dark. Even though he knew he shouldn't, Alex opened the window.

"Not going to invite me in, Bro?" Jesse asked.

"It's good to see you," Alex admitted, not answering him.

"Good to see you too," Jesse agreed. "Of course it'll be better when I turn you and you become my brother for all eternity."

"Still working on ending you here," Alex told him. "I'm working hard on getting strong enough to let you rest in peace."

"You are looking fitter," Jesse allowed. "Of course that just means you'll be an even more kick ass vampire."

"I suppose I would," Alex agreed. "But we aren't exactly going to agree on that subject, so why have you come by?"

"Just came by to say hi and see what you were up to," Jesse said, "see if you'd change your mind, but really just touching base."

"Joined the swim team to build up strength and stamina," Alex told him. "Seems to keep the Snyder off my back and all the jocks as well."

"Wish we'd known that earlier," Jesse said. "I mean, now I don't have that problem of course, but in school they were a pain."

"No more school for you," Alex said.

"The only thing I miss is the cheerleaders," Jesse assured him.

"Cheerleading tryouts are in a couple of days," Alex said. "And speaking of which, I'm surprised you haven't gone after Cordelia like you were talking about outside the Bronze that night."

"I was going to, but I thought about it and let me just say you distracting me that night was a real lifesaver, no pun intended, because if I had turned her... Well, now that I've seen how some girls respond to being turned and the thought of an even bitchier Cordelia Chase who would be with me till the end of time... staking would be a mercy."

"Glad to be of service," Alex said dryly, but obviously amused.

"Yeah, definitely pillage then burn situation there," Jesse said. "Sadly there is always a crowd of people around her and I've been order to lay low."

"Sucks to be you," Alex replied.

"Actually for once in my life it doesn't," Jessie said cheerfully. "Well, I gotta split. Fist bump?"

Alex reflexively brought his fist up to meet Jesse's, but Jesse pulled his fist back causing Alex to overextend and stick his arm outside. Quick as a flash Jesse tried to grab Alex's arm, but just as fast Alex jerked it back inside.

Jesse rubbed his fingertips where they'd brushed against Alex's skin. "You are going to be an awesome vampire," he said with a combination of pride and hunger in his eyes.

Alex carefully held up his fist with just the knuckles touching the threshold. Jesse bumped fists with him. "I'll see you dead," Alex promised.

"Right back at ya," Jesse agreed. "Being dead rocks!" After a moment of silence he felt compelled to say, "The whole 'brothers forever' thing didn't sound too gay did it, cause I really didn't mean it that way."

Alex nodded. "You were bitten by a vampire not Harmony, you crave blood not cock."

Jesse laughed and called out, "Later bro!" as he leapt off the trellis taking the ten foot drop like someone stepping off the curb and vanished into the night.

Alex closed the window and went to bed, promising himself he'd work even harder to put Jesse back in the grave, just like he was sure his friend would do for him.

*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

Alex was bench pressing one eighty, which wasn't a lot compared to some of the members of the football team that were in the Gym with him, but unlike them he'd been doing it for over forty minutes and didn't look to be stopping any time soon.

The only person who'd noticed was probably Amy, who was wondering if it was possible to drown in your own drool. She'd spent the last ten minutes figuring out a plan of attack as she did stretches and wondered how much stamina Alex actually had.

As Alex stopped to wipe the sweat from his face, she made her move. "Man, don't you look hot and sweaty," she said offering him a towel and a bottle of water.

"Low weight, high reps," Alex told her as she straddled the bench in front of him, her workout clothes strategically positioned to draw his attention.

"I know what you mean," she agreed stretching in such a way that one of her breasts almost managed to escape its spandex prison. "Of course that does leave you in danger of getting cramps unless you massage the muscles thoroughly before you shower and cool off," she told him.

"Really?" he asked having not thought about it before but having a hard time thinking about it as he was seriously distracted by nearly everything about Amy at the moment.

"Oh yeah," she assured him. "And I hate leg cramps. Would you mind giving me a hand?"

"Sure," Alex agreed.

"Let's use the girl's locker room," Amy said. "I'm the last girl here and I wouldn't want to give the wrong impression by using the boy's locker room."

"Of course," Alex agreed, barely paying attention to what was being said, as her smell was proving to be as distracting as her body and something he had no experience with and thus no resistance to.

Amy took his hand and led him off, pressing herself against him and claiming she'd twisted her ankle a bit, while inside she was cheering.

*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*

"How did cheerleading tryouts go?" Giles asked, trying to be encouraging to cover for his earlier gaff when he'd tried to discourage her involvement in the whole affair.

"They went ok," Buffy said with a sigh as a disappointed Willow trudged in behind her.

"You didn't make the team?" Giles asked, hiding behind a book to cover the hope in his eyes.

"They gave the last spot to someone who wasn't as good," Willow grumbled, "just because she's dating..."

"I admit that was definitely a factor," Buffy said, "But she also wanted it more. She was enjoying showing off for her boyfriend so she got points for attitude... and dating a member of the sports team. School spirit, Ra!" Buffy said and made a pathetic attempt at a fist pump.

"You were better," Willow said firmly.

"I just wanted to show that I could be a cheerleader if I wanted to," Buffy said. I... didn't actually want to be one."

"Do I have to pretend to be happy or sad here?" Giles asked completely in the dark.

"Be happy, I accomplished my goal, showing I still have what it takes," Buffy said.

"Then congrats for not making the team," Giles said obviously still confused and having given up all hope of understanding her.

"Do you think he's happy? He looked happy," Willow said.

"He looked happy," Buffy carefully agreed, not wanting to upset willow.

"Happy... and safe," Willow said like it was her new mantra before shaking off her depression. "So... what are we working on now?"

Seeing the two needed some distracting, Giles was quick to offer, "I was going to go over Vampire weakness and habits and how they've changed over the last century."

"I thought t was fire, sunlight, decapitation, and stake," Buffy said. "There are more?"

"Magic, faith, and physical attacks in general," Giles added. "And while the weaknesses and ways to harm them haven't changed, the availability of the tools needed has."

"People didn't carry around swords as often and fire is a lot easier to use," Willow guessed.

"It's the opposite actually," Giles corrected. "Peasants weren't allowed swords and nearly all of them kept a fire burning at home and used torches for light."

"And today fire is a bit more thin on the ground, but swords are easy to get, though frankly most of them are crap," Buffy said.

"The tools to make fire are easily available," Willow said as she thought about it. "Lighters, hairspray, flammable stuff. We could use fire if we wanted to."

Giles nodded, glad he'd gotten the two properly distracted and continued with the discussion, silently praying that he wouldn't have to deal with this kind of drama all that often.

And on a higher plane a number of beings started to laugh.

Typing by: Stephenopolos

TN: Well, this 'higher being' is laughing.