~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, how'd it go?" the short man with an Irish accent asked when he
saw Angel approaching him as he waited in the shadows on an alley
behind a bar. "How'd she take it?"

"Take what?" Angel asked in a low voice.

"Your whole spcheel. You know…I'm a vampire with a soul, and I'm here
to help you…"

"She took the vampire thing better than expected," Angel grinned,
interrupting his companion. "I mean, I'm still here after hunting
down a Slayer."

Whistler nodded at him. Angel was, in fact, still there. It only
begged the as to why. He had thought that it was a bad idea from the
beginning for them to make this trip to Sunnydale…he had told the
vampire repeatedly to just let the girl be; but, as always, he went
ignored. But now, he wondered since Angel hadn't been dusted, was
there more there than he thought. Slayers killed demons without
discretion…usually. Whistler wanted to find out how his equally as
demonic friend managed to walk away from his encounter.

"I gave her the necklace." Angel continued as he leant back against
the brick wall and let his head fall back against it. "I think she
liked it." <Not that it was about her liking it> he chastised
himself.

Whistler raised his eyebrows at him, "I didn't think it was `possed
to be a lovey dovey gift there."

"It wasn't." Angel assured too quickly. "I…It was…"

"You do know that this'll get you killed." Whistler told him
directly, "This fascination with…"

Angel pushed himself into a standing position and turned his back to
the other man. "I'm only here because something is coming. It's big
and I don't want her to get hurt."

Whistler nodded as he noticed that Angel was walking away, heading
out of the alley and back into the street. "Where you headed?" he
asked at his back.

"I'm going to go find her," Angel shrugged, still not facing
him, "Make sure she got in okay."

"It's wrong," Whistler called back to him. "What you're doing is
wrong for you. If that's not enough, it's wrong for her."

Angel turned back quickly to face the other man. "Then why come here
with me if you're so against it? Why bring me to her in the first
place?"

The smaller man swallowed, "You were in a bad way…when I showed her
to you- did it help? Did it help you find a purpose?"

Angel hung his head, "You know the answer to that."

"That's why then. I didn't do it so that you'd fall in love with a
Slayer."

"Well that's what happened," Angel sighed out an unnecessary breath
and turned back towards the street. "I'm going to go make sure that
she's safe," he added simply as he turned the corner and headed out
of Whistler's sight.

~*~*~*~

Buffy knocked once before turning the door knob and walking into
Giles' house. "GILES?!" she called out, looking around as she
wandered inside. "GILES?!"

"Buffy?" a voice questioned from the top of the stairs and she turned
to see her Watcher descending from them. "What are you doing here?"
he asked slightly worried, before his tone took on a more peeved
tone, "And why don't you knock?"

Buffy fixed him with a small grin and shrugged, "I thought you'd be
in," she said innocently, "I was right." She watched as he finished
walking down the stairs before she plopped down on the couch in the
center of the room. She had figured that she was stuck with this man
as long as she was stuck being the Slayer, so she might as well be
comfortable with him. "You of all people should know to lock your
door here; I mean, jeez, ask for trouble much?"

Giles rolled his eyes at her and watched with slight fascination as
she lifted her feet and let them fall to the surface of the coffee
table. <Teenagers> he scoffed to himself as he approached her, lifted
her legs by the ankle and dropped them back to the floor. "I thank
you not to put you shoes on my furniture and to not barge into my
home. If I'd have known that my home would be a beacon for
disrespectful children I would have ruefully declined this position,"
he said sarcastically as he walked past her and into the kitchen.
Giles was mildly pleased that now he wouldn't have to search for her
for their conversation, she had come right to him.

Buffy mimicked him to his back and stood to follow him. "Speaking of
disrespectful," she started nonchalantly, "I met your friend tonight…"

"And I met yours," Giles stated as he started his search for his tea
cup.

"Yeah, well," Buffy ignored him, not understanding his comment or
caring to dwell on it for too long, "Yours was more of the
stalky `I'm gonna eat you' variety." She added drawing the man's
attention. "I bet mine wasn't creepy."

"I'd beg to differ," Giles muttered, but then put it aside. "And I
assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about."

Buffy narrowed her eyes at him as he poured hot water into his
cup, "Oh come on," she smirked. "Tall, dark, and broody. Big ole'
droopy forehead. Lotsa hair gel. Hot in a `I have eyes' kinda way…
ringing any bells?"

Giles stopped what he was doing and faced her silently before
responding, "Not in the least." He stated, but his tone was off put
by the curiosity in his voice. "You met this man where?" he asked
before taking a cautious sip of tea.

"On patrol," Buffy said rolling her eyes.

"I thought I gave you the night off…"

"I got bored," she smiled a little. "Aren't you proud of me? I didn't
even need you to make me do it."

"Quite," Giles huffed out and walked past her, back into the living
room. Her comment flooded his memory of his conversation…or lack
thereof, with Xander, and refocused him on what he really wanted to
talk to her about.

Buffy let out an irritated sigh and turned melodramically to follow
him again. "So I was on patrol and had, like, five kills, by the
way…" she got a small nod and a brief proud grin from her Watcher in
response. "And then I was all happy, because, yay me. Right? So then,
out of nowhere, this Dark Avenger comes up and starts handing out
jewelry." She finished and removed the necklace box from her jacket
pocket and presented it to Giles. "I think he might have been evil."
She added as he studied the cross through squinted eyes.

"Interesting," he mumbled to himself.

"Interesting?" Buffy questioned. "This guy is stalking me AND knows
that I'm the Slayer, and all you got is interesting?"

Giles raised his eyes to her for a moment, "Yes," he said
simply, "Interesting."

"And you don't know him?" Buffy asked again, worry creeping into her
tone. If Giles had nothing to do with it, then he had sought her out
on his own. Why would a vampire do that if he had shown no apparent
interest in ripping out her throat?

"No, I don't." Giles restated as he handed the necklace back over to
her. Buffy took it silently and placed it back into her pocket. "But
I do suggest that you be on high alert over the next few weeks," he
continued, "Your identity is becoming too well known…" Giles watched
her head drop momentarily and knew he had her. He may not be an
expert of dealing with children, but as far as he could see she had
just given herself away. "Speaking of which," he broached the next
subject. And Buffy's eyes snapped up to meet his briefly before
focusing on the wall to his right as she shifted nervously from foot
to foot. He had just, literally, watched all her previous confidence
melt away, leaving him faced with a nervous little girl. "Your friend…
the one I spoke with today…Alexander…"

Buffy knew that he was fishing for her to give herself up. She wasn't
about to give him the satisfaction of that. That; and the fact that
she had nothing to say. Deep down she knew that Xander would approach
Giles, but all the same, she was hoping he wouldn't. She was hoping
that he was just pulling some overprotective BS because he thought
that she might need his protection; he did have a habit of rushing to
the rescue of the damsel in distress types.

But apparently this, of all possible things, he followed through on.
She wasn't supposed to have told him, and was counting on him to not
rat out his new found knowledge to her Watcher, but he had. She,
honestly, didn't know weather to love him more for worrying so much
that he had sought Giles out and confronted him about her calling; or
to hate him for not being smart enough to keep the goddamned secret.

Giles waited for her to respond in any way, but she didn't. "Did you
tell him that you were the Slayer Buffy?" he asked outright while
staring directly at her.

"No," Buffy offered in a quiet tone as if she were searching for the
right answer.

Giles sighed and shook his head, "I thought you understood the
importance of your anonymity? Do you understand what the consequences
of this are? What could happen…"

Buffy's senses prickled up in defense. "It's a lot to deal with
Giles." She fired at him. "I'm sixteen. You seem to forget that…"

"You're sixteen," Giles agreed with a nod, "Like so many Slayers
before you. Yet, you seem to be the only one who feels the need to
broadcast…"

"I didn't broadcast anything." Buffy denied in a steady voice. "I
told Xander because he's my best friend. I tell him everything."

"You, dear girl, are lucky that I have let you associate with any of
your friends." Giles told her and Buffy looked at the ground
again. "Have you any idea how many regulations I have broken for you
to maintain a semblance of a normal life? I put myself on the line
for you Buffy, and this is how you repay me?"

"It won't happen again Giles," Buffy said quietly. "I just…he knew
something was wrong and…"

"You're right," Giles cut her off, "It won't happen again. You are
not to see this Alexander…"

"You can't tell me what to do." Buffy told him, now looking him dead
in the eyes. "You can't tell me to not see Xander. You're not my
father…"

Giles stared at her, "Good thing," he huffed out, "A marvelous job
you do of listening to him as well."

Buffy's jaw set, "I didn't come here for you to lecture me," she told
him and stepped around him to the door. "I came here to tell you
about the man I saw, and I did…so bye."

"I don't want to tell you what to do Buffy," Giles said as she walked
past him. He grabbed her arm and forced her to stop her path. "What
he knows about you will cause him more harm than good."

She could feel her Slayer defenses rising up inside of her, an
occurrence that rarely happened when she wasn't in the presence of a
demon. "Are you threatening him?" she narrowed her eyes at him and
jerked her arm away.

Giles' eyes went wide but his tone remained steady, "Not in the
least," he assured her. "I'm just stating a fact. The general
population is not to know about the Slayer because of the threat it
poses for them. He will be in danger now. Danger that has nothing to
do with me…"

Buffy let out a shaky breath, her guilt welling inside of her. "I
didn't tell him about the Slayer, I told him about me. About Buffy.
He doesn't care about the Slayer." She said with the utmost
confidence despite the fact that Giles was confirming her worst fears
about her telling him anything at all.

Giles just looked at her. He could see that she was worried about the
boy- maybe even more so than about herself…a fact that would get her
in trouble. "Which is why he is in danger. I can tell that he will
fight for you, Buffy. And I can tell that you will fight for him. But
you must remember that this…this calling is about more than teenage
love. It's about the world…"

Buffy shook her head and grasped the doorknob, pausing before yanking
it open. She shivered at the slight chill of the air as it rushed
over the flush skin on her face, "Right now," she told him, not
facing him, "It's about me. I want to fight for the world, I will…but
I'll die for him." She finished in a whisper, "I won't let anything
happen to him."

"I don't doubt that," Giles said to Buffy's back. "But you must
understand that you and you alone are my top priority. I am willing
to sacrifice…"

"You don't want to complete that sentence," Buffy's voice trembled
from the low tone. "If you job is to make me slay and save the world,
then by all means, knock yourself out and take me with you…but if I'm
your top priority, Xander is now too. So don't complete that sentence
because I'll walk away from this."

Giles wished that she would look at him, but he knew that she was
afraid…confused…a variety of other emotions that she didn't want him
to know anything about. "Well, at least take better care to not give
him the wrong idea… he seemed to think that…"

"I'll talk to him." Buffy said as she finally stepped outside. She
stopped when she reached the bottom of his stairs and turned her head
slightly to face her Watcher over her shoulder, "I hope you don't
take this the wrong way," she thought about what to say next, but
settled quickly on the words, "but stay away from him."

Buffy didn't look back as she walked away from her Watcher's home.
She had one more stop before she went home so she set her course for
Xander's. Buffy laughed to herself as she realized that she wasn't
nearly as busy when she wasn't grounded. Now all she had to do was
decide how to get rid of her now exceedingly excess well of energy…
she would either kiss Xander for caring so much, or strangle him for
being such a huge macho pain in the ass. Whatever she chose she's
work out the details on the way.

~*~*~*~

Jesse yawned and flicked off his TV, casting his room into darkness.
Willow had left on her date an hour ago, Xander was in the shower,
and Buffy wasn't answering her phone. He didn't have anybody left to
call so he was sitting alone watching re-runs of Saturday Night Live
on his couch in the basement.

He had thought about just going out to the Bronze alone earlier, just
to meet some new people, but had decided against it. He thought that
his depressed funk might show too much for people to actually want to
talk to him, and his lack of dancing skills were bound to only be
accentuated without Xander there to show him up or Buffy there to
pretend like they were actually good at what they were attempting to
do.

He didn't even want to think anymore because the more he did the
stronger the urge to crash Willow's date got. He had no idea what to
do, so he decided on the next best thing…nothing. He would do
absolutely nothing.

Jesse McCormick was beyond petty teenaged lust. He didn't need a
girlfriend. <I don't even need regular friends> he reminded himself
somberly. He shook his head and studies the wall opposite him in the
dark; what was he thinking…he had friends. He really did. It was just
that this growing up thing was throwing them for a huge loop, and
everybody was trying to deal- that's all it was. They wouldn't always
have time for each other; and his grandfather had told him once that
part of growing up is growing apart…of course his grandfather was a
manic depressive alcoholic, so Jesse doubted how much of that advice
he wanted to take to heart.

He lay back down against the pillows and shut his eyes, not quiet
tired, but not wanting to keep them open. He was restless. Usually on
a Saturday night it would be him, Xander, and Buffy hitting the
Bronze, or the mall, or anything really, but they would goof off
until he actually felt tired, but that wasn't the case tonight.
Tonight, for the first time in forever, they were all doing their own
thing, which for everyone excluding him had included going outside
into the world.

Jesse stood up slowly and stumbled through the dark room towards the
stairs, tripping a little over his empty pizza box. <A walk would be
good> he thought <Nice night, fresh air…it'll clear my head>. He
headed upstairs and grabbed his coat from the hook by the door,
making sure to put his keys in his pocket before he locked the door
behind him. He took a deep breath and rocked his head from side to
side to crack his neck before he started down his street. He had done
a lot of walking around recently- he thought it helped somewhat. Like
that afternoon, on his way back from Willow's.

That walk had finally helped him settle on what his problem was and
the best course of action to take to resolve it. He cared. Jesse
didn't admit to that a lot. He liked people to think that he was
ambivalent to a lot of things that happened around him. In fact, that
afternoon was the first time in about a year that he had shown that
much emotion…that much anger. The time before that being when he
heard some of the guys on the football team talking shit about Buffy
in the locker room freshman year- he had three days suspension for
that reaction.

But today, Willow had gotten a reaction out of him. Something he
wasn't expecting her, of all people to be able to do. So he had to
admit that he cared about her. That left him with having to tell her.

He focused on the clear night sky that was dotted with stars as he
headed down Ventnor Street, one of the ritziest neighborhoods in
town. <I think Cordelia lives on this street.> he wondered to
himself. He hoped he was wrong, because the last thing he needed was
for the head cheerleader to see him out alone on a Saturday night
just walking. She'd have him labeled a bigger loser freak by Monday
for sure if she caught sight of him, and that was not something that
he needed.

Especially not when he had to figure out how to talk to Willow. He
was pretty sure that his social status at Sunnydale High wouldn't
affect his chances with her, if he had any to begin with, but he
didn't wan to have to put her in a more awkward situation by having
to take more gigantic leap down from the Popularity King that was
Percy Jackson to be with the likes of him.

Jesse made his way quickly down the street, almost breaking into a
jog for a moment until he was able to turn the corner and slow his
pace. He figured, as he jammed his hands into his pockets, that he
should just tell her. He should take his own advice to Buffy and
Xander and just get everything out in the open…but, now, he was just
realizing, that it was easier said than done. He couldn't imagine
being rejected by one of his newest friends; and their group dynamic
was already in the crapper because of the `Love Square'.

"What cha doing out so late?" a female voice sounded behind him
suddenly. Jesse jumped and turned around quickly to face her. He
hadn't even heard any footsteps behind him. "And all alone…" she
noted with a half grin.

<Not so bad> was Jesse's first thought as he looked at her. His fear
had dissipated when he realized that it was a girl, about Buffy's
height and general size, blonde…<she even has the innocent grin thing
down, gotta love that in a chick>. "Just walking," he tried to say
calmly as he gestured around the street with his head. "It's a nice
night."

The girl nodded at him and maintained her smile. "It is. No plans?
Nobody waiting for you?"

Jesse sighed sadly, "Not a one. But don't take that to mean that I
don't have friends," he added quickly. "I do. I have lots of them. We
party…a lot. They were just busy tonight."

"Leaving you out here all alone," the girl shrugged and took a step
closer to him, "Doesn't sound like such great friends."

"No," Jesse disagreed, "They are." He received a smirk in reply and
suddenly found himself looking directly down into pair of clear hazel
eyes. His voice caught in his throat and he gulped down a breath
without stepping away, "Why are you out? No place to go? I find that
hard to believe…"

"I was looking for you, I guess." She smiled flirtatiously at him.

Jesse laughed nervously, "Yeah. You found me…so; uh…what's your name?"

She tilted her head and glanced up into his eyes, "Darla."

He licked his lips and nodded all his previous thoughts rushing out
of his mind faster than he could fail a calc exam. "Just the one name-
kinda like Cher…or Ozzy…"

"What's your name?" she asked.

Jesse was thankful that she interrupted his babbling, "Jesse. I'm
Jesse."

"Well, Jesse." She smiled at him and reached for his hand before
turning them and starting a path down the sidewalk again, "You
shouldn't be out here alone at night…there might be monsters," she
giggled a little at the last part.

He cast a sideways glance at her and then looked down at their joined
hands. Her's was so cold against his palm… "I'm not afraid of
monsters," he grinned, "I laugh in the face of danger."

"Then it's a good thing I found you," she said as she lead him down
the street, keeping her focus straight ahead. "I get very scared in
the dark. I need a big strong man to walk me home."

"Well, I got the man part," Jesse joked nervously. "Where is home,
exactly?" he asked after a moment, as she seemed to have a direction
that she was head in. A direction that was farther and farther from
his house…and the town.

"We're really close," she assured him, finally casting him a glance
over her shoulder. She smiled, gaining his attention from his study
of their surroundings. "You're not scared are you?"

He shook his head vigorously, "Me? What? Naw…it's just…it's getting
late. I don't want my parents to worry…"

"Good." Darla smiled again. "I'd hate for you to leave me all alone
out here," she said as she dropped her gaze and his hand, allowing
her to take a few steps ahead of him. "Did you hear that?" she asked
suddenly.

Jesse perked up and peered over her shoulder from behind, trying to
see into the shadows in front of her. "No," he said worriedly, "What
was it? Maybe this isn't the best place to be right now…" He hated
the area down by the docks during the day. Nothing short of a million
dollar prize for all sixteen year old boys named Jesse Schyular
McCormick would get him down here at night…well, that, and it seemed
pretty girls.

"It was a noise" Darla insisted, keeping her back to him. Not
allowing him to see the devious smirk on her face as it changed. She
looked straight ahead as her demonic visage appeared the ridges and
fangs that marked her as a vampire becoming apparent.

"What'd it sound like?" Jesse asked unsure, wanting nothing more than
to get out of there.

Darla whirled around quickly, her hands gripping Jesse's shoulders in
a vice grip and not letting go as he gasped at her mangled
appearance. His eyes wide as he tried, to no avail, to pull away as
she titled her head and bares her fangs, "A scream," she said with a
evil laugh as she buried her face in the side of his neck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End Part 9

Buffy had been right about this place, Willow thought as she glanced
around the dining area discretely. She had said that Scott had taken
her to Guerdinni's for their first date and that it was one of the
fanciest places in town. Willow was surprised that Percy would pull
out all the stops for their first date though; Scott was, like,
obsessed with Buffy, so it made sense. She and Percy were…well, not
at all like Buffy and Scott, that was for sure.

Willow glanced up at her date and saw him watching her. She put a
warm smile in place and took a sip of her Sprite and laughed a little
as Percy redirected his eyes when she caught his gaze.

"So," he ventured after a moment and a bite of bread stick, "Do you
like this place?"
<Lame.> Willow thought, but smiled at him again, "Yeah, its' nice."

"It's Italian," Percy nodded.

Willow's brow furrowed and she looked down at her food. She had no
idea how to respond to his statement of the obvious but it was a god-
sent that he was speaking again. "Ranker told me about it," he told
her, "I told him that I had a hot date and I wanted to take her
someplace special."

She gave him a genuine smile for that complement. Just as he was
prone to making ridiculously asinine comments, he was always quick to
throw out sappy endearments, as well. Willow figured it for a talent
because the latter made the former fade into the back of her mind. "I
didn't know Andy Ranker could pronounce foreign names."

Percy shook his head a little and chuckled. "Sometimes I don't think
Andy Ranker can say his name," he agreed. "But I think I got the idea
if what he said. I mean, even if I didn't, this place is great as far
as mistakes go."

Willow took a bite of her pasta and pondered what he had said. He had
had conversations about this date with his team, even asked their
opinions. He had taken it seriously…

"I'm glad you like it," he told her, "I was wiggin cuz I didn't know
if you would."

She lifted her eyes a little to catch his. "I made you nervous?" she
asked in the innocent voice that Buffy had shown her always worked on
guys. In fact, as testament to how well it worked, Buffy had even
used it to get Xander to show Willow his baby pictures. She knew it
was golden because he had to get them out of a huge show box hidden
under his bed.

Percy's eyes darted around the room for a moment. "Yeah," he choked
out, "Yeah, a little… I mean…girls…"

"Girls what?" Willow prodded curiously.

"I don't…ask them out, I guess," he said honestly. "The girls a
school like the football star - they flock. You didn't. You have
mystery." He narrowed his eyes at her as if he were studying her. "I
want to know why you're different."

Willow looked down at the table shyly. "Wow," she breathed out. "I
have to admit, I wasn't expecting such a deep reason."

"Why?" Percy grinned, "Cuz I'm a jock. Just here to be pretty and
catch a ball?"

"No," Willow disagreed too quickly. "Maybe," she admitted with a
small grin at his raised eyebrows. "I just…I was trying to figure out
why me? And I wasn't expecting you to have…"

"I see you everyday, Willow. Everyday; and you're something new to me
each time. I surprised me too, you know? I guess I'm more than I
thought I was too."

She gave him a half smile, "You are more."

"You going to help me believe that?" he asked quietly.

"You want me to?" Willow's heart was racing. She was all nervous and
her legs were shaking a little under the table. She had never been
very good with boys, and they had never really pursued her to get any
practice in at interacting with them, but this one…this popular
football team captain was putting himself out there for her, it
seemed, more than she expected. He was just as vulnerable in this
situation as she was, and it was completely new to her.

Percy nodded and moved his hand to grasp hers over the table, "I
might go back to shallow without you." He joked about himself.

His hand felt warm over hers, slightly damp against the top of her
palm. "Wouldn't want that…"

"Can I get you anything else?" a voice interrupted from above them
and suddenly both looked up to face the waiter.

"No," Percy gave a tight lipped grin, "Just the bill." He then turned
his attention back to Willow with a smile, "I made a promise to the
lady's father to have her home in about forty minutes and I've got
one more place to take her."

The young looking waiter nodded, his eyes darting between the
couple. "Sure thing," he nodded before moving to walk away. He
stopped suddenly and re-approached the table again. "Do you guys go
to SDH?" he asked looking them over again.

"Yeah," Percy told him leaning back in his chair, as if to let him
know that this was not the time for conversation. "Percy Jackson," he
said, "Quarterback."

"Thought you were familiar," the other boy nodded. "Hope you have a
better season this year."

Percy narrowed his eyes at him, "Yeah. What are you? Alumni?"

"No." The boy said simply. "Junior. Dan Osborne."

"The Dingoes Ate my Baby?" Willow spoke up. "You guys play the Bronze
a lot, huh?"

"Yeah," the waiter nodded with a small smile. "It's not football, but
I did sprain my finger once."
"Well for the music it's worth it," Willow offered with an impressed
smile. She thought that she had recognized the waiter earlier; after
all he was pretty hard to mistake. He was about 5'5, but his most
distinguishing feature was his bright orange spiky hair and clear
green eyes. He was very cute in the non-conventional rocker boy way.
The complete opposite of her current date, but attractive nonetheless.

"I agree." He said with a slight grin.

"How bout that bill, Dan?" Percy cut in a clipped tone.

"Oz," the waiter corrected shortly. "Coming right up."

Willow heard him sigh as he turned and walked away this time. She
kept her eyes on his back as he walked towards the waiter station,
but soon heard Percy's voice in the back of her mind…

"So," he said, squeezing her hand with a small smile. "Feel like a
little walk?"

Willow turned to face him and put a smile in place. "Yeah," she
agreed.

"I know you're new here," he continued, "And I know that Buffy has
been showing you around, but I know some places she may have
neglected to take you too…hopefully."

She bit her lower lip and nodded, "I don't know, she is a pretty good
tour guide…"

"I just hope she didn't steal any of my moves," Percy licked his lips
with a grin. "If I can't show a pretty girl Old Tyme Downtown
Sunnydale at night, I'm going to be fresh outta luck."

"I'm sure you'll offer a shiny new perspective." Willow assured him
as the Oz re-approached the table.

"The bill," he stated, placing the small black folder on the table in
front of Percy.

"Thanks man," he said, taking out his credit card and handing it
over. He then focused on Willow again, "You're gonna love this." He
said excitedly, "I can't wait to show you."

~*~*~*~

Something was following her; Buffy knew that for a fact. She could
feel it…a tingling in the back of her neck as she walked slowly down
the dark street on her way to Xander's place.

She looked around and then crossed the street in a slow jog, careful
not to look in behind her. Buffy liked using the whole `I'm an
unsuspecting helpless little girl' thing to her full advantage. Most
demons didn't know what hit them when she lifted them up by their
throats and threw them all over town – it was pretty funny actually.
But, right now, toying with demonic vices wasn't what she wanted at
all, so she chose to ignore whatever it was as long as she could, if
for no other reason than to save time.

See, right now, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was internally battling
Buffy the Teenager – and the teenager was winning. She wanted to make
out with a hot boy, so she was kicking the ass of whatever ancient
mumbo-jumbo that the Slayer had instilled her with. Besides, the
thing that was following her didn't seem to be attacking her…it was
just trailing her, for the last fifteen minutes.

Buffy scouted out her surrounding looking for a half decent location
to end this low key chase. She knew she would have to – the idea of
the little boy who had died at the hands of something that she didn't
kill in time assured her of that. And, what with that strange vampire
from the house who knew all about her and Xander still unalive and
kicking…she just couldn't take the chance of leading danger right to
him.

She was glad that it was fairly deserted right now, not that
Sunnydale had a happening after hour's scene even on the weekends;
but now she was past any of the late night stragglers that were out.
Buffy stopped dead in her tracks and folded her arms across her
chest. "Alright," she huffed out. "I'm gonna stop with the cat and
mouse and start with the ass kicking of you."

There was no noise in response and she narrowed her eyes, turning
around slowly. The street was still deserted. "Can you stop wasting
my time please? Jesus, I've got curfew." She said into the night.

Still nothing.

Suddenly Buffy felt the air behind her change slightly, almost just a
whisper of wind on her bare arm and she spun around. She grabbed with
her right arm and her hand curled around the throat of the thing that
was trying to pass discretely behind her. The throat of…the guy from
the cemetery earlier in the night. <Great.> Her mind said
sarcastically, <Just what I need.>

Angel gasped in surprise and held himself tense as he was lifted off
of the ground by the Slayer, who herself, couldn't be taller than
5'3. "Nice to see you again," he choked out with a labored smile when
he saw her roll her eyes at him.

"Can't say the same for you," Buffy sneered and retained her grip on
him. "Why are you following me again? I thought I told you before how
unflattering stalking is."

Angel reached up and gripped her wrist, applying slight force on her
pressure points and felt her hand relax. Buffy snatched it away from
him and cradled the numb appendage in her left hand with a
scowl. "You're lucky I don't kill you right now." She shot at him
with narrowed eyes.

"I suppose." Angel nodded, but then asked, "Why is that?"

"You're not worth the effort." She said back immediately. "And stop
nodding at everything I say. It's annoying." She added when the man
moved his head.

"Listen," Angel said quickly. Silence was not something he could
afford with this girl and he knew it. "I think we got off to a bad
start…"

"Gee," Buffy put her finger on her chin, "Whatever gave you that
idea? Oh wait," she answered herself, "It could've been the whole I'm
destined to kill you cuz you're a vampire thing."

"Then we're back to wondering why that hasn't happened yet." Angel
pointed out.

"You're pushing your luck…"

"I…I just wanted to make sure that you got in alright tonight, that's
all." He interrupted her.

"How sweet of you." Buffy smirked at him. "But I can take care of
myself," she added as she pushed her way past him, making sure to use
extra force when she ran into his arm on her way. She had been
friends with Xander and Jesse long enough to pick up on some basic
sarcasm and know how to use it as a defense mechanism. She didn't
know how to read this man, but what bothered her more than that was
that she didn't have a decent answer for him. Buffy had no idea why
she had not killed this demon yet…she didn't want to think about why
right then either, she just wanted to get very far away from him.

"I know," Angel assured her, now talking to her back, "But that
doesn't change the fact that something is coming…something big."
<That got her attention> he noted as she stopped again and turned
slowly to face him. "You can feel it, can't you?"

Buffy looked directly into his eyes, trying to see what he was
getting at. There was something in his dark orbs…something whole and
burning and… "What is it?" she asked quietly, her voice catching in
her throat. Suddenly her mission to get to Xander's was pushed to the
back of her mind, because truth be told, she could feel something. It
was big, and it was making her itch with nervous anticipation that
was consuming her more and more with each passing day.

"I don't know…"

"Then you're no help," Buffy said quickly and grabbed at him. She had
him lifted up by the collar of his black duster before he could
react, and had her stake pulled out of her waistband and to his heart
as she took in his wide eyes. "I guess I can kill you now then," she
smiled, what she knew was an evil grin.

"I can help," Angel said quickly. "That's why I'm here. I want to
help you…"

"I thought I told you that I didn't want anymore friends." Buffy
questioned her hesitance again, but kept the man suspended.

"And I thought I told you that I didn't care what you think you need."

"You're not in the position to pull any shit here," Buffy pointed
out. "I've got you beat right now."

"I'm not going to fight you," Angel said. "You can know I'm going to
do anything I can to help you because I'm not going to let you die,
or I can do it in secret, but I'm not going to fight you."

Buffy relaxed her arm and let his feet hit the ground again, but kept
her stake poised. "You're not really great at keeping secrets then,
are you?"

"I don't think you are either." Angel sent her a knowing smirk as he
adjusted his coat, careful not to make any sudden movements as he
could feel the tip of her stake still pressed into his chest.

<He's been following me all night…> "Who are you?" she asked
cautiously, her brow furrowed.

Angel swallowed. He was half nervous at being so close to the Slayer
and half terrified at the fact that he was standing so close to
Buffy. Buffy who had no idea how much he knew about her. Buffy who he
would die a thousand times over for, and she had not idea…was not
allowed to have any idea. Angel wondered how long he could keep that
a secret, especially since he knew she had to be feeling something
towards him too. She had to because he was still tangible and not
blowing in the wind.

"Angel," he told her simply.

It was Buffy's turn to nod. "Cute name," she looked him up and
down, "Almost pretty. How'd you get it? It's sort of an anomaly,
isn't it?"

"How do you know what I am?" he answered her question with a
question, keeping his voice steady.

"I can feel it." Buffy smirked. "I supposed to be able to feel the
vampire deal…frankly, you reek of it…"

She trailed off when she heard a faint noise come from her left and
she turned to face it. It sounded like a muffled aborted scream…a
male scream.

"You hear that?" Angel asked her, studying the same direction that
Buffy was no facing.

"Yeah," she nodded, not facing him and starting towards the noise in
a sprint. If this Angel character wanted to help her, it was up to
him to keep up.

Her heart was racing as she ran towards where she thought she heard
the scream come from. She was constantly being impressed by herself
at the amount of instinct that she had inherited from the Slayer
virtually over night. The feelings were powerful, amazing…almost
overwhelming.

Buffy had lost track of Angel as she turned the corner into an alley.
She was about three blocks away from where she had stopped to
confront Angel… Angel. She still had questions for him, she still
didn't trust him. Why would a vampire want to help a Slayer?

"Hey!" She called out when she saw it. It being exactly what she
thought it was – a vampire feeding in progress. Something was coming;
this was the fifth vampire she was going to kill that night. It was a
female, short, blonde, and mostly blocked by the body of a tall male
that she was holding and feeding from. "You're not supposed to eat
after seven, it's bad for the whole digestion deal," Buffy quipped
approaching the tow figures.

The female vampire sneered at her, blood glistening on her lip as she
licked at her fangs. "Surely you know all about a late night snack."
She smirked and Buffy watched the man's head fall forward, his body
partially limp. She hoped he was alive…that she had gotten there in
time.

"Bad line," Buffy said as she charged her new opponent, "Now I'm
going to have to kill you for calling me fat, too."

The vampire flung the body she was holding towards the alley wall and
Buffy watched through the shadows as the man crashed, unconscious,
into some crates. "I'm game," she grinned, "I'm still hungry anyway."

Buffy landed a snap kick to her stomach and doubled her over before
bringing her knee up, connecting solidly with her face and sending
the vampire backwards to the ground. "Not much for the fisticuffs,
huh?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows as she watched the vampire
holding, what was probably, a broken nose.

Darla watched her attacker, the pain in her eyes overshadowed by her
confusion. "Who are you?" she asked in a voice muffled by her hands
as she stayed on the ground.

Buffy glanced at her and made her way over to the body that had been
discarded so callously into the alley wall. "You worst nightmare, I
assure you." She said confidently as she crouched down beside it,
working hastily to clear the debris. Buffy reached down and tugged at
the unconscious man's collar, pulling him into a sitting position and
a horrified gasp broke out of her throat. "Jesse?!" she was suddenly
on high alert and she tried to get him off of the ground, "Oh my God,
Jesse! Come on!" she shook him lightly as she felt of a pulse on his
wrist, finding a weak beat. "Wake up Jess…"

"Friend of yours?"

Buffy looked up as the female voice was right on top of her now. The
distraction of finding out that the victim was one of her best
friends giving the demon a massive advantage as she had been snuck up
on.

"Buff?" Jesse's voice mumbled and she was pulled by her hair to her
feet by the vampire, forcing her to drop him back into the boxes with
a thud. "I think she gave me a hickey," he said dazedly, now starring
up at the night sky through blurry eyes. He slowly moved his hand to
the side of his neck and felt the slick swollen skin there. "Yeah,"
he assured himself as he listened to the muted sounds of a struggle
happening near him, "That's a hickey…"

Buffy winced as she dropped Jesse back to the ground, but sighed at
the fact that he seemed to be, at least, semi-conscious. Her relief
was short lived, however, as she was thrown backwards and into a
brick wall behind her. Her vision spun and went momentarily black as
her head connected with the wall first and her legs gave out from
underneath her as she slid to the ground.

She was expecting a follow up hit, but when she opened her eyes she
saw why it didn't come. Buffy watched as Angel help the other vampire
from behind and threw her threw her forcefully, sending her flying
about seven feet off of the ground and into the opposite wall with a
loud crack. Buffy got to her feet and started back to where Jesse
lay, leaving the fight to Angel.

Buffy pulled her friend up into a sitting position again and watched
Angel over her shoulder…he was beating the female mercilessly, and
she just seemed to be taking it with a smile on her face. "You're
okay, Jess," Buffy turned back the boy in her arms. "I'm gonna get
you to a hospital…"

"Whatareya doinn ere Buff?" Jesse slurred through his blood
loss. "It's not safe here.

"Tell me about it." Buffy mumbled as she stroked the hair off of his
forehead. She was trying to work out the best way to pick him up and
the shortest possible route to the hospital from where she
was. "Wanna hurry that up?!" she called out in frustration to
Angel, "I haveta get him help!"

Angel glanced back to Buffy over his shoulder and Darla used the
distraction the kick him in the groin. He winced as he doubled over,
now looking up at her through his eyelashes as she grinned down at
him, still in demonic vestige. "Oh, poor Angel." She sang. "I thought
it was a lie, but it's true."

"What is?" Angel bit out through clenched teeth.

"That's the Slayer." Darla grinned at Buffy as if she had just
unwrapped a prize – the realization had just dawned on her. "The
Slayer that you're protecting…that you love."

Angel stood up and unleashed a strong jab to her face, turning her
around and sending her to the ground a few feet away. "Leave now,
Darla, or I'll kill you." He said seriously.

Darla was laughing at him as she rolled to her feet. She brushed the
dirt off of her quilt and tilted her head at him, "I'll leave but you
know this won't be the last we meet lover. It's far from over."

Angel watched her as she backed into the darkness. He couldn't kill
her anymore than Buffy could kill him…that was a wrapped realization.
He shook his head and ran over to the kneeling Slayer.

"Long lost girlfriend?" Buffy smirked at him distractedly, not
exactly knowing why her voice sounded so bitter right then.

"Something like that," Angel answered. "Let's get him out of here."
He changed the subject and moved to lift Jesse off of the ground.

Buffy jumped at the vampire's movement, "No," she shielded her
weakened friend's body with her own. "Don't touch him." She shifted
her weight and stood up with his body, one arm under his knees and
the other around his shoulders.

"Buff…" Jesse looked blearily at her as he found himself in the air,
her face above his. "Didya just pick me up?"

"Yeah Jess," she said to him tenderly as she started out of the
alley. She knew she was going to have to explain a whole lot to him,
and knew that Giles was going to have to pencil in another freak out
because of it – but; she resigned, she would have to worry about that
later. "We're going to the hospital."

Jesse looked like a thousand questions passed through his mind, but
all he could muster was a nod before he shut his eyes. "You just keep
my path clear," Buffy called back over her shoulder to Angel as she
kept walking. "If anything gets in my way right now you won't have to
worry about facing anymore Slayers."

Angel just watched in confused disbelief as Buffy kept a swift pace
and her voice faded as she got further away. That was just one more
thing he was drawn to about her – she had friends and she would die
for them. She would kill for them. He stood to his feet and followed
her path. He didn't know if she would make true on her threat, but he
knew that he didn't want to find out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The End Part 10



Part 11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Buffy sat with her eyes focused ahead, still wide and red. Tear tracks staining her cheeks as she alternated her vision from the corner of the opposite wall to the shiny linoleum floor. All she could hear was the constant buzz of the too bright fluorescent lights overhead, and all he did was watch her.

She had carried a barely conscious Jess all the way to the hospital, only stopping her run to momentarily catch her breath before taking off again. Buffy could still see the shocked looks in the hospital workers eyes when she burst through the automatic doors holding the body of a boy who was probably larger than her when he was twelve.

Angel had followed her there. She didn't know if he had killed anything to keep her safe in the way…to keep himself safe on the way, because she wasn't lying that she would kill him if she were to be distracted from her task. Good thing she wasn't – for him.

But he hadn't left after she had arrived safely. He was waiting for her. And a lot of help that was. Angel was sitting across the bright hall in a plastic chair matching her own just staring at her. She wanted to say something to him…to yell at him…hit him…

This was his fault. He was a vampire – vampires had done this to her friend. He knew the goddamned one who was could very well be responsible for Jesse's death. Buffy's breath caught in her throat again at the thought of her friend dying that night. If that happened, Angel would be next. She didn't care what he knew, or could help with because she'd stake him right in front of the nurses' station and not give a shit about who saw her do it or what she would have to explain. If anything happened to Jesse…

Buffy hadn't even known who to call when she got there. She couldn't call Giles, because then she'd have to explain everything to him, and she couldn't call anybodies parents because there was no explanation for what had happened…she just didn't feel like dealing with anything tonight. She just wanted to go to sleep, where it was safe, and she was normal and her friends didn't get hurt by monsters in the night.

She needed the one person who she wouldn't have to explain anything to…who would let her be silent and hold her until she was ready to talk…

"Buffy!" the familiar voice sounded through the hollow halls in concert with the stomp of rubber sneaker soles.

Xander.

Buffy had called Xander.

She turned her head to face him with wide eyes and he only quickened his pace to reach her when he saw her. Xander hated that he had to come find her there, but was half relieved that it wasn't under worse circumstances. When she had called him she had been crying – outright sobbing into the phone and choking out her words; and Xander had left his house immediately. He was in such a hurry that he didn't even bother to consider walking to get to her; he had taken the set of spare car key that his father had given him for his sixteenth birthday and driven like a bat out of hell through the deserted streets. Permit be damned his Buffy needed him, he just hoped that his parents wouldn't wake up, or else he'd be in the same grounded paddy wagon that Buffy was in.

Buffy stood as Xander reached her and was pulled directly into his arms, her face buried in his shoulder as he cooed in her ear. She could feel herself start to cry again and Xander began rocking her form side to side. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled into him. "I…I got there and he was…it was…"

"It's okay," Xander whispered. "It's okay. He's fine now. You got him to the hospital…they'll make him better…"

Buffy pulled away from his shoulder but stayed in his arms so she could look at him. "They're taking so long…" she sounded lost and Xander released his hold on her waist to frame her face with his hands.

"They're doing their job, just like you did yours." He said genuinely. "You saved him…"

"What if I didn't…"

"You did." Xander insisted, not accepting disagreement. "You're gonna be his hero." Buffy's mouth shook as she formed a half smile and Xander pulled her back into a tight hug. Just where she wanted to be. All of the sudden her being mad at him for going to Giles was in the back of her mind; all she wanted was her friend…her more.

Angel watched the whole scene with a lump in his throat as he was ignored by the two teens. his mind sneered at the boy. The boy who was holding and comforting Buffy, who was more like a regular girl right then than Angel thought he had every seen her up close. He had to figure that she had forgotten that he was there – but then reprimanded himself. He didn't like the fact that the boy could make her not care who saw her weaknesses…hated that she was a completely different person just for him.

He had seen Buffy and Xander almost every night since he had gotten to town. The best of friends. So much more than just friends.

Angel took an unnecessary deep breath and a low growl emanated from his throat. That seemed to have gotten their attention because when he refocused to the couple he found Buffy watching him from the cocoon of Xander's arms; her cheek still pressed against the sweatshirt covered plain of his chest.

"You can go now," she told him plainly, and for the first time Xander noticed somebody else in the room. He had gotten so caught up in comforting Buffy he had forgotten that other people even existed; he liked it just being them anyway. Xander's favorite thing in the world, now, it seemed, was when it was just he and Buffy.

Xander focused on the man, forcing himself to stand up a little bit straighter and tightening his hole on Buffy, just as she did to him when she spoke. "Who are you?" he asked instead of a greeting. With what he had recently found out about his town, he didn't think he could afford friendly greeting with anybody he met in the night… especially not strange grown men who were staring at Buffy like she were the cure for cancer. Only he could do that. Buffy was his cure…

"Angel," he stood up and approached them extending his hand. The least he could do, Angel figured, was be cordial. After all these were just children.

Xander unwrapped one arm from around Buffy, who stayed close to him and extended it cautiously towards the man. He added some extra strength as he gripped the man's hand and shook it. "Xander," he said briefly, noting how cold the man's strong return grip was. He made a note to ask Buffy about his origins later.

Angel watched with moderately uncomfortable air as Xander maintained his grip on Buffy as soon as they released hands. That was what spurred his next comment. "I'm actually going to wait around until we hear something," he told them.

Buffy sighed and re-buried her face against Xander, "Suit yourself," she said with a low groan.

Xander glanced down at the top of Buffy's head and then back at the man. He had to wonder what had transpired between them to piss her off so much; but even still that didn't change the fact that whatever he was or did, he had helped a little bit, so… "Thanks for helping out man," he said in a low voice with a nod as he felt Buffy pull out of his embrace and grasp his hand, tugging him down into the chair next to the one she had been sitting in.

"Any time," Angel nodded to the now seated teens: Buffy who was ignoring him and leaning on Xander's shoulder, and Xander who seemed to be slightly confused as to what exactly he had walked into, but not refusing her show of affection, nonetheless. "Right Buffy?" Angel asked, "I'm always here to help."

Buffy nodded a little before standing up quickly and pulling Xander with her again. Angel could tell that he was fighting to keep up with her Slayer strength, and how easily he was moved offered the vampire some entertainment. "I want to walk." Buffy told him quietly and Xander nodded. "I can't sit here anymore not knowing anything."

"Sure," Xander agreed. "A short one though."

Buffy nodded and started to lead him down the hall, "I want to stay close in case we hear anything."

"We'll be right back," Xander called over his shoulder to Angel, who Buffy, apparently didn't care enough to acknowledge in her retreat.

Angel nodded, even though he was now alone in the hall. "And I'll be here." Never a greater truth ever existed to him in concerns with his current situation. Buffy could walk away from him and he would always wait patiently…begrudgingly, for her return. ~*~*~*~

"Vampires?" Xander huffed out as he looked up and down the empty corridor that was around the corner from where they had left Angel. Buffy didn't even nod, she just simply looked down at the tiled floor, her arms crossed over her stomach. When she didn't respond Xander trained his vision on her. "Vampires?" he asked again, as if it were a completely formed question.

Buffy had known that he would come to the hospital when she asked, but now he wanted answers. She knew that he was probably having a hard time, to say the least, accepting this whole situation, especially since he had felt the need to try to get her out of it. That just proved that there was no way that he understood what she was now…what she had to do. All she could do was nod dumbly at him. Buffy had nothing to say. To tell the truth she felt sick – the whole situation was making her nauseous. She didn't want to have to deal with anything, let alone another half-assed explanation as to what the Slayer was. Another explanation that Xander wouldn't understand anyway.

"I don't know what you want me to say," she whispered as she tried to keep her tears from falling. "I just…there was one, and…and she threw him…when I got to him it was Jesse…"

Xander shook his head as he looked at her – watched her studying the floor through watery eyes. He sighed when he saw her shoulders shaky slightly with a particularly deep breath.

"I don't want him to die…" she said so quietly that Xander almost didn't hear her. So many kids had died from unexplained causes…causes that Buffy now had the answers for…that she was to stop. She had known kids that had died – been to funerals for her classmates, not knowing that they were victims of the same fate that she may have rescued Jesse from.

May have.

She didn't know for sure. She had never lost a best friend and she didn't want to start.

"So," Xander asked hesitantly, keeping his distance from her so that if she chose, he would be able to catch her eye. "Do you have to…slay… him now?" He was unsure of how to word the question and even more unsure if he wanted an answer. He couldn't have imagined himself ever in this situation – waiting in a hospital at midnight to find out the fate of one of his best friends who had been attacked by a monster that up until yesterday had only existed on the big screen in cheesy blood bath flicks. He didn't even want to have to picture his girl… Buffy….picture Buffy having to kill him. Having to kill a vampire that was wearing the body of one of her best friends.

"No," Buffy shook her head a little with a hoarse whisper. "I don't think so…I think she just fed off of him."

"Is that how it works?" Xander hated the tone his voice took when he asked that question and he reminded himself to change his tone for her benefit. "Don't they bite you and you become one of them?"

She shook her head again and raised her head. Her chin was shaking and her eyes were red and puffy. All Xander wanted to do was pull her into his arms and make it better; but after tonight he doubted if he could really do that. He didn't think that he could save her from this anymore, maybe all he could do was stay, and he hated that. He couldn't stand up for her and swoop in to save the day like he wanted to. He couldn't even, for all his efforts, save her from the pain that was etched in her face; but he could fight. If he couldn't take her away from it he would fight by her side…

"They have to feed from you," Buffy answered slowly, almost ashamed of her knowledge, "but then you have to feed from them…you have to drink their blood too for it to work."

Xander's throat went dry – this was real. Really real. "Are you sure that didn't happen?" his voice shook.

"No," Buffy answered truthfully. "But he was conscious when I picked him up…I think he was the same – alive…I hope."

Xander nodded and swallowed, "More hugs?" he asked hesitantly as he watched her shiver a little in front of him. He was asking just as much for him though as well. As much as he was broken about not knowing if Jesse would pull through, he couldn't help but be glad that it wasn't her that was hurt – and that made him hate himself even more. How could he choose between his friends like he was?

"Yeah," she answered quickly and took the half step that allowed Xander to be able to pull her into his arms. Buffy unwrapped her arms from around herself and put them around his waist as his went around her shoulders, his head resting on top of her head and she listened to him take a deep breath.

She was leaning against his solid form, feeling the soft cloth of his sweatshirt against her cheek, and suddenly nothing mattered. She liked that. "Tell me that it's going to be alright." She whispered into him.

She sounded so small to him right then…so vulnerable and he hugged her tighter. Xander brought his hand up and stroked it over the lose hair of her disheveled and forgotten ponytail. "It's all going to be alright," he told her dutifully.

"Promise?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "Of course. And," he waited a minute before continuing, "I'll do a damn better job than any old mystery men…"

Buffy chuckled against him this time, her eyes hidden from his. "I don't doubt that."

Xander pulled his head back and craned his neck down to try to see her eyes, but she didn't let him. He was mostly glad that he was succeeding in lightening the mood; maybe that was one thing he could still offer her if he couldn't keep his word of sparing her the life of the Slayer. "And who is he?" he asked next, trying to keep his voice neutral and light.

Buffy almost felt guilty that she was even having to talk about this now. Relationships should be the furthest thing from important…and she was still pissed that he had went to Giles and gotten he a new asshole ripped… "Does it matter right now?" she asked not broaching her second issue with him. She new that he wouldn't see anything wrong with what he had done, and didn't feel like arguing right then about why he was supposed to keep her secret identity a secret.

"Just curious," Xander shrugged and kept his arms around her, his mind focused on mining out her feelings for the darkly dressed man in the lobby. He was quiet for a moment and she thought he was going to drop it, like he should, but… "I was just wondering where you made such an old…friend. That's all…"

"He followed me," Buffy said simply and felt Xander tense against her.

He turned and looked back at the direction of the chairs. "He followed you?"

She felt him move to release her and chose to tighten her grip on him to keep her from doing so. "He said he wants to help. He did."

Xander forced himself to relax as Buffy didn't seem to be agitated at the situation at all. "As long as he doesn't…"

"I can take care of myself, you know." She lifted her head and gave him a small grin before resting her head back in its place. "It's like you don't trust me, or something."

He shook his head even thought she wasn't looking at him. "That's not true. I trust you. I don't trust anybody else with you."

"And you don't like other guys around me." She added meeting his eyes and holding them this time. Buffy already knew the answer, but she was daring him to deny it.

"I especially don't like that." Xander admitted with a grin.

"Because you're jealous?"

"Because I'm jealous."

Buffy didn't say anything as she put her head back down and sighed into his shirt.

"Do I have reason to be?" Xander asked the confusion at her lack of response evident in his voice. He was as afraid of the answer to that as he was of demons walking around in the night, it seemed, and he hoped that she couldn't feel his heart beating out of control in his chest. His fear at Jesse's situation was momentarily shadowed at the prospect of her answer because he knew guys…he was one. Xander knew exactly what the man in the lobby wanted…that Angel guy. He wanted his Buffy…Xander could guarantee that he was ready for the answer if Buffy wanted Angel too; and he could admit that if she did want that other man, he would know why. He had known Buffy all his life, and would never call her shallow because he knew who she was beyond a shadow of a doubt…but he would admit that she was highly visual when it came to impressions – and Angel, out there, wasn't hard on the eyes.

"No," she answered simply. She felt Xander relax again and she smiled a little. In reality Xander should know that he had no reason to be jealous, if for no other reason than they were best friends and she would do anything, literally, to avoid hurting him. But, Buffy admitted and accepted for herself more than him, he didn't have to be jealous because Angel was a vampire. She swallowed and reminded herself <I have to kill him>. <I have to kill him> The only problem was that she had already had plenty of opportunities…ones she had let slide by and she didn't know why…she didn't know when…and, most disturbingly, she didn't know if she even wanted to. She could never say any of that to Xander though, not anymore…

"Buffy."

Her name was called in just above a whisper and she turned to face where it had come from. She found herself looking at a worried looking Angel who had appeared silently by their side, and Xander jumped at his presence, tightening his hold on her further.

"Jeez, man," Xander breathed out, "Get a bell or something…"

Angel ignored him and instead spoke to Buffy. "You need to call Jesse's parents," he said, his expression unchanging and his tone held low and steady.

Buffy's heart leapt into her throat and she finally pulled away from Xander to face the vampire. She missed Angel's fixed glare on her friend. "Why? I can't call. My parents'll…"

"Then leave and say I brought him in." Angel interrupted, "I need his ID and… the hospital needs to call his parents…"

"Is he alright?" Xander spoke up, his voice deeper than usual and Buffy glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Angel gave no qualms, "No."

~*~*~*~

"I thought I told you to bring me the sacrifices." The male boomed as he faced Darla, "Not go out for a late night snack. We need them for the Harvest if we want to raise him."

She looked at the ground, "I was only going to take a little, but…"

"But what?!"

"He was so pure…fresh…I…I was going to make him a minion," she stuttered out. "Since you lost about twenty of our other ones," she added with a superior smirk. "We can't take over the town with an army of four."

"She's right," the young boy sitting on the rocks in the corner of the cavernous dimly lit room put in. "We can't. We need more."

"I know," the man turned to glare at the child. "But those were extenuating circumstances, as you well know. The Slayer…"

"Was there tonight." Darla spoke up. "She had help, too. Angel…"

The name drew the larger demon's attention, "Angelus?"

"Yes," Darla pouted, unable to believe the situation herself. Angel… Angelus was hers…he was the baddest of the bad…and now…

Now he was the goddamned Slayer's darling little lap dog; hopelessly trailing after that little bitch.

His mouth turned into a toothy grin. "Angelus helping the Slayer… interesting."

"Luke," Darla spoke up as the larger vampire seemed to have been consumed by his thoughts. "She's strong, and he's stronger. If they're working together…"

"Then they don't," he said simply.

"How do you purpose that?" the little boy asked in a snotty tone. "Are you going to send him a letter and ask him to stay out of it?"

Luke sighed, "I can face the Slayer. She's weak…"

"And she had a friend," Darla spoke up again, remembering the encounter. "She was worried about him…"

"Friends," Luke laughed out loud, he knew all about the circumstances and social life that this Slayer's Watcher tolerated. "This victory will be sweet and the easiest yet. A Slayer with friends has great weakness… a reason besides the salvation of the world to die."

"And a Slayer with a souled vampire who will die fighting for her?" the little boy spoke again, trying to get his minions back on task. If they wanted to raise The Master vampire and take over the Hellmouth, they didn't have time to waste pondering the social life of a teenage girl – he seemed to be the only one who recognized that fact.

Both Darla and Luke turned to face him. "And Angel," Luke reiterated, his lips curling up in a devious grin as he said the do-gooders name in a prissy tone. "We take him out of the equation," Luke added in a harsher voice.

He hated the little boy with a passion. If he weren't necessary in the overall plan to take the Slayer's life and open the gates of Hell he would rip his throat out and eat his heart where he sat. he growled to himself

"How do you purpose we do that?" the child spoke, not an ounce of fear present in his voice.

"Well," Luke matched the condescending tone he was met with. "He has a soul that keeps him on the side of the light. We take it from him and make him that of the dark…where he belongs."

"Again," the boy smirked, "How do we do that."

"I believe the incantation mentioned a moment of true happiness will take it away…"

"How…"

"The Slayer." Luke cut in a harsh voice before he could be asked the same question again. "The Slayer who he had been following for years… who he has been obsessed with…"

"Who he loves." Darla said in a low voice.

"Exactly," Luke turned and smiled at her. He raised his hand and caressed the side of her face slowly, pushing a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. "I can see why you are his favorite." He turned to face the opposite wall and began pacing as he spoke. "We deliver him the Slayer and relieve him of his soul…we take Angelus for our own…"

"Deliver the Slayer how?" the boy asked again. "We're full of half formulated plans that are easier said than done."

"She has friends," Luke explained. "She has the boy from tonight," he nodded to Darla. "And she has the boy that she loves," he grinned evilly. "We take them, we break her." Luke whirled around to face the other occupants of the room. "We'll leave her weak and having to fight and kill her own friends with only our dear Angel to turn to. She'll trust him and she'll…"

"You think that she'll give him what he needs to ditch his soul?" Darla smirked in disbelief. "She hates him. I could see it clearly tonight. Plus, we don't even know what she'd have to do."

"Love him back." Luke whispered. "All she'd have to do is love him back; and the line between love and hate is so easily clouded." Luke turned again and started towards the exit of the room, "And before you ask how we're going to make that happen," he said snidely to the boy, who sneered in response, "I already have it worked out."

"And just what do you purpose?" he asked as he slid down off his rocky perch and approached the pool of blood in the center of the room. That was the key to the universe as far as the circles of Hell were concerned; and soon all the dark answers would be provided through it. He climbed up between the tall candle holders that framed the pool and looked down into the clear rippling red liquid it held before glancing over his shoulder a the older vampire when he answered.

"We're going to turn the boys she loves," he said confidently, "We're going to take her friends." He spit out the last word.

Darla offered a crooked smile that nobody saw before turning her gaze to the floor to hide her jubilation. For once she was one step ahead of the game.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Part 11